All posts by Bhumika Lenka

TiE Mumbai celebrates the launch of Kanwal Rekhi’s Book – The Groundbreaker

Mumbai, Jan 06: TiE Mumbai recently hosted an exclusive evening marking the celebration of The Groundbreaker, Kanwal Rekhi’s latest book. This event featured two influential pioneers of the global Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem — Kanwal Rekhi, Managing Director and Co- Founder- Intentus Capital Partners and Co- Founder of TiE and Harish Mehta, Founding President of TiE Mumbai, Co- Founder of NASSCOM, Founder- Onward Group and Author- The Maverick Effect. Curated as an intimate evening for TiE Mumbai’s charter members, founders, leaders, and investors, the gathering was designed to spark meaningful conversations, foster deep connections, and enable high-quality networking within the community.

The Groundbreaker chronicles Rekhi’s remarkable journey as one of the earliest Indian-origin entrepreneurs to help shape Silicon Valley, while also playing a defining role in nurturing India’s startup movement. The book launch was brought to life through a compelling fireside conversation between Kanwal Rekhi and Harish Mehta— himself a stalwart of India’s technology and entrepreneurship landscape.

Kanwal Rekhi says, “My book chronicles my journey from a being ordinary refugee kid in Kanpur in fifties to IIT Bombay in early sixties to Silicon valley in seventies and a metamorphosis to become an entrepreneur. It also chronicles a revolution that took place in India after it opened up to entrepreneurs. Harish Mehta and I had small but crucial roles to play in this change. India is destined to be the number one economy in another 50 years as it was before the British Raj!”

Harish Mehta, added, “I first met Kanwal Rekhi in 1993, and over the decades our conversations have always gone beyond companies; they’ve been about institutions, ideas, and the future of India. Kanwal was among the early Indian Americans who not only built successful technology businesses in Silicon Valley but also helped show an entire generation that entrepreneurship was a viable and meaningful path. Through TiE, he institutionalised mentorship and pay-it-forward thinking globally, while keeping India firmly at the centre. The Groundbreaker reflects that lifelong conviction, that real progress comes from bold thinking, trusted collaboration, and building ecosystems that outlast individuals.”

Following the fireside chat, the evening transitioned seamlessly into a relaxed networking session, true to the spirit of the TiE community. Charter members and guests reconnected with peers, exchanged perspectives on emerging opportunities, and explored potential collaborations in an informal yet engaging setting. The evening offered a rare opportunity for cross-generational dialogue, bringing together experienced leaders and next-generation founders under one roof.

It reaffirmed TiE Mumbai’s commitment to creating curated platforms that go beyond transactional networking — spaces where ideas are exchanged, relationships are strengthened, and collective wisdom is shared. TiE Mumbai continues to inspire its community to think boldly, lead with purpose, and contribute meaningfully to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

ADbhoot Redefines Baby-Care Advertising with Little Angel’s ‘India’s Finest Baby Diaper’ Campaign

Mumbai, Jan 06:  In a cluttered category where most diaper brands speak through parents, ADbhoot, the holistic agency built for now, flips the lens entirely. Its latest campaign for Little Angel Baby Diaper, ‘India’s Finest Baby Diaper’, gives the power of opinion to the real experts, the babies themselves.

Set inside a boardroom of India’s Finest Baby Diaper Forum, the TVC features six-month to one-and-a-half-year-old “delegates” debating which diaper truly deserves the title. Each baby presents a serious argument from wetness indicators to leak protection; before their “Boss Baby” delivers the punchline, “Samjhe? India ke babies ki pasand, Little Angel Baby Diaper Pants.”

While the idea itself is delightfully original, what elevates it is ADbhoot’s hybrid approach, where strategy, storytelling, and high-end production come together seamlessly. The agency strategized the campaign end-to-end, from crafting a miniature set perfectly scaled to a baby’s world, to weaving in AI in a way that felt natural and seamless. It wasn’t used as a gimmick, but as a quiet tool to deepen the sense of realism and emotion. The result is a film that feels fresh, intelligent, and globally benchmarked, yet deeply rooted in Indian cultural wit.

Vaibhav Pandit, Founder & Creative Director, ADbhoot, said, “The best ideas are the ones that feel effortless, where technology doesn’t replace emotion but refines it. With Little Angel, the thought was simple yet bold: let babies decide what’s best for them. From that point on, everything, the set design, tone, and use of AI was aimed at making that imagination feel real. It’s the kind of collaboration where creative thinking and modern production move in harmony.”

Chirag Pan, Managing Director, Pan Health, shared, “At Little Angel, we’ve always believed that true innovation begins with empathy; understanding what babies need and what parents value. This campaign captures that spirit beautifully. It brings together intelligence, humour, and warmth in a way that mirrors what the brand stands for: smart comfort for every baby.”

With ‘India’s Finest Baby Diaper’, Little Angel and ADbhoot bring a refreshing perspective to baby-care advertising, a blend of insight, charm, and quiet innovation that reminds us creativity can be both playful and profound.

Galgotias University Student’s Swift Challenge–Winning App ‘Algomaze’ Brings Algorithm Visualisation to Life on App Store

Greater Noida, Jan 06: For Avineet Singh Juneja, a B.Tech Computer Science student (2022–2026) at Galgotias University, understanding algorithms was never about complexity alone—it was about the lack of visual clarity. Dense code, abstract explanations, and theory-heavy teaching often made pathfinding algorithms difficult to grasp. That challenge led to the creation of Algomaze, an intuitive learning app that helps students understand how algorithms think and navigate through visualization.

Developed at Galgotias University’s iOS Development Centre, Algomaze was created as part of Avineet’s Swift Student Challenge (2025) winning project and is now live on the Apple App Store, marking another significant student-led innovation emerging from the university’s iOS ecosystem.

Born From a Learning Gap, Built for Understanding

Algomaze originated from a simple yet powerful observation. While studying algorithms, Avineet realised that many students struggle not because algorithms are inherently difficult, but because they are rarely visualised. Concepts such as shortest paths, traversal, and optimisation often remain confined to textbooks and code editors. “Understanding algorithms becomes much easier when you can actually see them in action,” he observed. This insight became the foundation of Algomaze.

Designed with learner empathy at its core, the app reimagines how pathfinding algorithms are introduced and explored, focusing on intuition rather than intimidation. Every design decision was driven by a single question: How can algorithms be made clear, not abstract?

Turning Abstract Logic into Visual Learning

One of Algomaze’s standout features is its interactive maze-based visualisation, which allows students to watch algorithms navigate obstacles, evaluate multiple paths, and reach optimal solutions in real time. By transforming passive learning into active exploration, the app strengthens conceptual clarity, logical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Students can directly connect classroom theory with real-world applications such as GPS navigation, robotics, and game AI.

Supported by Visionary Mentorship

Algomaze was developed under the guidance of Galgotias University’s iOS Development Centre, where students receive hands-on exposure, structured mentoring, and real-world app development experience. The centre plays a vital role in nurturing student ideas that address real learning challenges through technology. Reflecting the university’s innovation-led approach, Dr. Dhruv Galgotia, CEO, Galgotias University, said, “When students are encouraged to visualise ideas and learn by building, they develop solutions that are both meaningful and impactful. Algomaze reflects our commitment to empowering students to turn complex concepts into accessible learning experiences.”

Avineet expressed his gratitude to Hon’ble Chancellor Mr. Suneel Galgotia, Hon’ble CEO Dr. Dhruv Galgotia, and Director Operations Adv. Aradhana Galgotia for their encouragement, visionary leadership, and continued support throughout the development journey.

More Than an App — A Clearer Way to Learn Algorithms

Algomaze stands as a compelling reminder that when education is designed with clarity and engagement, even complex computer science concepts can become approachable—one path at a time. As Avineet continues to enhance the app, Algomaze reflects Galgotias University’s commitment to shaping students into innovators, problem-solvers, and creators, ready to apply technology beyond the classroom.

GOAT Life Secures Additional funding of INR1.6 Crore to Fuel Healthy Breakfast Expansion

GOAT Life, a new-age breakfast brand founded by Kota’s Yash Kalra, has secured an additional ₹1.6 crore, building on its earlier ₹1.1 crore pre-seed round, as it accelerates its mission to fix India’s broken breakfast habits-where traditional meals are often carb-heavy, low in protein and fibre, or skipped entirely. The brand builds complete, nutritious, and convenient breakfast solutions, offering high-protein (10-20g), high-fibre oats in indulgent flavours like Almond Kulfi and Cookies & Cream, ready in just 30 seconds as a modern alternative to missed or carb-heavy breakfasts.

Existing investor D2C Insider Super Angels led this round, joined by incoming investor – Consumer Collective by Atrium and key angels like Vikram Ahuja, Akash Gupta, Dhruv Kohli etc signaling strong conviction in the brand’s momentum. Over the last few months, GOAT Life has scaled rapidly, growing from around ₹10 lakhs a month to nearly ₹65 lakhs in monthly revenue (~70% D2C, balance Amazon/ Blinkit). This fresh capital will fuel quick-commerce expansion (Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart), influencer drops, new flavours, and supply chain scaling.​

Kalra has driven viral growth through founder-led campaigns, including a ₹25K “Blinkit Challenge” that generated 1.7M+ impressions, 8K followers, and peaked at 1,000 daily packets sold via guerrilla tactics like street thelas and “Protein Langars.” The brand’s national spotlight came with Kalra’s pitch on Rahul Dua’s Pitch Please (ft. Anubhav Bassi, Gaurav Kapoor).​

“India’s breakfast is fundamentally broken, most options lack protein while being high in carbs and sugar. GOAT Life delivers modern day complete nutrition for today’s consumers who are determined to live healthier and achieve greatness daily.,” said Yash Kalra, Founder, GOAT Life.

“We’re doubling down on GOAT Life due to Yash Kalra’s exceptional execution—from Kota bootstrapping to ₹65 lakhs monthly revenue via sold-out drops and viral campaigns—cementing our conviction in his category dominance.” said Abhishek Shah, Partner, D2C Insider Super Angels.

“This investment is anchored in our belief in Yash, his resilience, creativity and execution mindset. At an early stage, we invest in founders, confident that outcomes will follow, and Yash is already proving us right.” by Nikita Dhingra, Partner, Consumer Collective by Atrium.

Backed by existing investors like Shiv Dhawan and Deep Bajaj (Sirona), and joined by new investors including Ayushi Khandelwal, Akhil Kansal (Founders of Anveshan), and Rashi Agarwal, the company has strengthened its investor base ahead of a planned ₹4–6 crore seed raise.

Multiple sold-out limited-edition drops, including Taramisu, underscore product-market fit as GOAT Life enters adjacent categories to build a habit-first breakfast leader.

tesa Drives Deeper Industry Collaboration Through Alliance Circle 2025

Mumbai, Jan 06th: tesa hosted the 2025 Alliance Circle in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, bringing together over 70 plus partners and converters from across India. The event highlighted tesa’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and supporting India’s evolving industrial sector.

The Alliance Circle featured practical discussions, live demonstrations, and knowledge sharing. It also recognized the achievements of tesa’s partners, who are driving the adoption of high-performance adhesive solutions & technologies across multiple sectors in Industrial Trade Solutions.

Speaking at the event, Masanori Ikeda, Country General Manager, tesa India, said,

“The Alliance Circle reflects our belief that collaboration is the foundation of innovation. As we continue to strengthen our presence in India, my focus remains on combining tesa’s global expertise with local understanding to deliver solutions that empower our partners and customers to grow with confidence.”

With extensive international experience across tesa’s operations in Japan and other markets, Masanori Ikeda’s leadership highlights the company’s commitment to blending global best practices with a deep appreciation for local partnerships. His approach aligns with tesa’s vision of enabling shared success through expertise, engagement, and trust.

Key highlights of the 2025 Alliance Circle:

• tesa introduced new adhesive and tape solutions for India’s two- and three-wheeler market, designed for durability, safety, and sustainability.
• The event reinforced the Customer Solution Center (CSC) as a hub to co-develop tailored adhesive solutions, with advanced testing, prototyping, and training capabilities.
• Attendees engaged in interactive sessions and live demonstrations on material efficiency, process optimization, and eco-friendly product development.
• Partners’ contributions were recognized, highlighting their role in advancing high-performance adhesive adoption across industries.

Speaking at the event, Gary Robinson, Head of Sales & Marketing, ITC, Asia Pacific, said, “Our partners sit at the heart of tesa’s success in India. Events like Alliance Circle give us the opportunity to listen, learn, and innovate together. By strengthening our channels and expanding our technical capabilities, including the new CSC, we are creating more value, faster, for our customers. India is a growth engine, and we are committed to building that momentum alongside our trusted partners.”

With extensive experience across tesa’s operations in the Asia Pacific region, Gary Robinson‘s leadership highlights the company’s focus on combining global expertise with local engagement.

The 2025 Alliance Circle highlighted tesa’s long‑term commitment to India’s manufacturing sector and its customers. By prioritizing collaboration, hands‑on technical support, and practical problem‑solving, tesa enables its Indian partners to operate more efficiently and enables them to meet their sustainability objectives. The event also demonstrated how tesa’s global technology is more accessible than ever to Indian manufacturers through the Customer Solution Center (CSC), where solutions are co‑developed to address the unique challenges of India’s diverse industrial landscape.

Santoor reaches 2850 CR sales, becomes India’s largest Soap Brand

Hyderabad, Jan 03rd: Santoor from Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting, has emerged as the country’s largest soap brand, marking a defining milestone in its nearly four-decade-long journey.

The brand with its distinctive sandalwood-and-turmeric proposition saw a modest test launch in Bangalore in 1985, followed by a national roll-out in 1986. Santoor has today grown into a ₹2850 crore personal wash behemoth – in terms of company invoiced sales (INDAS) for last 12 months, now becoming the largest Soap brand.

Santoor championed the relatable promise of “younger-looking skin” for the everyday Indian woman. This positioning came to life through the iconic ‘Santoor Mom’ which has been used consistently, but the portrayal changed over the years keeping pace with the changing aspirations of women and celebrating the multiple roles women balance – something that deeply resonated with consumers. The brand has worked hard to continuously enhance the product performance and packaging over the years and make Santoor synonymous with its vibrant orange colour. Santoor’s journey has been built on strong operational execution and an intense focus to win the top spot across key markets.

Reflecting on the incredible milestone, Vineet Agrawal, CEO, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting and Managing Director, Wipro Enterprises, said, “Becoming India’s largest soap brand is a moment of quiet pride for all of us at Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting. Santoor’s journey has been shaped by deep consumer understanding, disciplined execution, and the belief that consistent value creation wins over time. We have worked assiduously to give great quality to the consumer, by constantly upgrading the product, be it in perfume, superior sensorial or performance in hard water, which combined with exciting advertising – have all helped shape the brand’s success.”

Neeraj Khatri, Chief Executive, Wipro Consumer Care, said, “This milestone fills us with immense pride and is a testament to the extraordinary dedication and passion of our factory teams, frontline colleagues, and business teams across geographies. The teams had a deep conviction on Santoor and an unwavering zeal to become the leader, which was backed with relentless hard work and a steadfast commitment to quality and operational excellence. We are deeply grateful for the unwavering trust and collaboration of our distributors and partners whose support has been integral to this journey, and we sincerely thank them for their continued partnership, that has helped build lasting consumer confidence and market leadership.”

In 1986 – a clearly defined brand positioning enabled Santoor to establish itself – generating revenues of just ₹60 crore in its first decade. By the late 1990s, Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting made a decisive strategic shift to focus on growing high potential states, one state at a time. Starting from Andhra Pradesh (later AP and Telangana) the brand gained immensely in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat, becoming the top brand in South & West India by 2009. This strategy prioritised depth over breadth, concentrating investment and visibility. By 2018, Santoor crossed ₹2,000 crore milestone, beating Lux to become India’s second-largest soap brand by value. Today with an annual revenue of approximately ₹2,850 crore, the brand has surpassed Lifebuoy to become India’s largest soap brand.

This achievement reflects the enduring trust of millions of Indian households who have made Santoor a part of their daily lives. Built on relevance, accessibility, and consistency, the brand’s growth emphasizes the power of understanding consumers deeply and delivering value over time.

Karthikeyan Manickam is the New Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank

Thrissur: ESAF Small Finance Bank has appointed Mr. Karthikeyan Manickam as the Chairman of the Bank. He is a former Executive Director of Bank of India and brings with him over 36 years of rich experience in public sector banking.

Mr. Karthikeyan possesses deep expertise across key areas, including banking operations, risk management, regulatory compliance, human resources management, credit monitoring and recovery, financial inclusion, and customer-centric banking. His appointment is expected to further strengthen ESAF Bank’s corporate governance framework, enhance strategic oversight, and reinforce long-term institutional resilience, while also adding value to the Bank’s pursuit of excellence in customer service.

As Chairman, Mr. Karthikeyan will provide strategic guidance and independent oversight to the Board, supporting the Bank’s continued focus on inclusive banking, improving asset quality, regulatory compliance, sustainable growth, and consistently high standards of customer service, thereby reinforcing stakeholder confidence in an increasingly dynamic financial environment.

During his tenure as Executive Director at Bank of India, Mr. Karthikeyan was part of the top management team and played a pivotal role in shaping policies and strategies across multiple portfolios, including risk management, inspection and audit, stressed asset resolution, retail banking, agriculture and MSME financing, government business, CSR, marketing, and financial inclusion.

Earlier in his career, he held several senior leadership positions at Indian Bank. He has also served on the boards of Tamil Nadu Grama Bank and BOI STAR Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd., and was the Chairman of Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company Limited (SUD Life).

Vegas Mall, Dwarka Hosts Soulful Bhajan Sandhya to Begin the New Year

Vegas Mall, Dwarka marked the beginning of the New Year with a spiritually enriching Bhajan Sandhya, titled “A Divine Beginning”, held on 1st January at the Central Piazza. The evening featured a live devotional performance by Amala Krishna Das from ISKCON Temple, Dwarka, creating an atmosphere of peace, reflection, and collective devotion.

The event witnessed an overwhelming response, with over thousands visitors in attendance, including families, senior citizens, and devotees, who gathered to immerse themselves in soulful bhajans and kirtans. The resonating chants and serene melodies offered a refreshing pause from the usual festivities, encouraging attendees to welcome the year with calmness and positivity.

Speaking on the occasion, Ravinder Choudhary, Vice President, Vegas Mall, said, “We were truly encouraged by the response from our visitors. As a community-centric destination, our intent was to offer a meaningful way to begin the New Year—one rooted in peace, devotion, and togetherness. The Bhajan Sandhya beautifully reflected our commitment to curating experiences that emotionally connect with our audiences.”

With this successful spiritual gathering, Vegas Mall continues to strengthen its position as a holistic lifestyle destination that seamlessly blends shopping, culture, entertainment, and community engagement.

NSE Conducts Investor Awareness Programme in Rajkot to Promote Financial Literacy, Investor Awareness and Informed & Safe Investing Practices

Chandigarh, Jan 03rd: The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) today conducted an Investor Awareness Programme (IAP) in Rajkot, Gujarat, with the objective of enhancing financial literacy, promoting responsible investing, and strengthening investor awareness across the region.

The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from new and existing investors, professionals and students. The initiative forms part of NSE’s nationwide efforts to build a financially informed and resilient investor ecosystem for investors financial wellbeing.

Empowering Investors Through Awareness

The new year symbolises new beginnings and smarter financial choices. The session started with understanding financial and securities markets, highlighting the importance of choosing suitable financial products based on individual goals and risk appetite, rights and responsibilities of investors, grievance redressal mechanisms, fraud and scam prevention, etc. The session emphasized the importance of awareness, caution, and informed decision-making in today’s rapidly evolving financial markets.

Recently, SEBI has introduced the ‘SEBI Check’ mechanism where investors can either scan a QR code or manually enter the bank details of any SEBI registered intermediary to check if the UPI ID or bank account is authentic. Investors are requested to check details before making payment to any SEBI registered intermediary.

Gujarat’s Growing Investor Base

Gujarat has a very strong participation in the markets, with ~1.1 crore registered investors, making it the third-largest state by investor base, an 8.7% share of India’s total investors with the 10-year CAGR of over 17% in investor growth. About 11 lakh new investors have been added in 2025 alone. Rajkot is among the top five districts, contributing over 55% of new investor registrations in the state. 28% of investors from Gujarat are women, higher than the national average of 25%.

Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE, said: “Given Gujarat’s growing investor base, investor awareness is the strongest foundation. At NSE, we believe that informed investors make better decisions which contribute to long-term economic wealth creation. Through initiatives like this Investor Awareness Programme, we aim to empower citizens with the right knowledge, caution them against frauds, and help them participate safely in India’s growth story.”

Robust Investor Awareness and Protection Framework

NSE’s Investor Protection Fund Trust (IPFT) corpus stands at approximately ₹2,754 crore, among the strongest such mechanisms globally.

NSE has conducted over 16,000 Investor Awareness Programmes in FY25-26, so far reaching 8.3 lakh participants across the country. These initiatives span students, women entrepreneurs, rural investors, armed forces personnel, and first-time investors.

The Exchange has also led nationwide campaigns such as #SEBIvsSCAM, aired investor awareness messages across television, print, and digital platforms, and partnered with popular programmes like Kaun Banega Crorepati to spread financial awareness. 

Key Investor Safety Messages Highlighted 

Participants were advised to:

• Beware of fake trading apps and unregistered entities. Refer –  https://investor.sebi.gov.in/Investor-support.html
• Avoid schemes promising guaranteed or unusually high returns
• Exercise caution while trading in derivatives
• Verify intermediaries using SEBI’s “Check Before You Invest” facility. Link – https://siportal.sebi.gov.in/intermediary/sebi-check

Rely only on SEBI-registered entities and official sources.