July 16, 2026

The Zora Delhi Convention Centre recently announced the pre-launch of The Zora Estate, a new premium venue experience designed by celebrated wedding and event designer Abhinav Bhagat within its landmark Open Canvas space at Lodhi Road. The collaboration brings together design, scale and versatility for a city whose event industry is evolving faster than ever.   A glimpse of The Zora Estate, the latest luxury event destination by The Zora, designed for bespoke celebrations and memorable experiences   The Zora Estate reimagines Open Canvas as a venue purpose-built for luxury weddings, sangeets, corporate events, social gatherings, curated brand experiences, and large-format productions. Anchored by a newly designed entrance and courtyard, it fuses Indian design sensibility with a distinctly global aesthetic.   The announcement follows a landmark first year for The Zora, which has hosted 125+ high-profile events since opening, establishing itself as one of Delhi’s most sought-after destinations for large-scale luxury celebrations. Located at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Lodhi Road, The Zora has built its reputation on central accessibility, expansive infrastructure, and the flexibility to host everything from grand weddings to corporate conferences, exhibitions, product launches, and entertainment-led experiences. With The Zora Estate, it takes its next deliberate step forward, positioning the venue in the ultra-luxury segment.   Unlike the venue’s other spaces, The Zora Estate will operate on a deliberately limited scale. The Zora will host only 9 to 10 events at the new venue each year, a number chosen by design rather than demand. Showarounds of the space will be strictly invite-only, reserved for select media, planners, and prospective clients rather than open public viewings.   This approach reflects The Zora’s positioning of The Zora Estate as its most exclusive offering yet, designed for those who seek not just a large-scale venue but an ultra-luxury event experience. For clients looking to create celebrations unlike anything else in Delhi, The Zora Estate has been built to deliver exactly that.   “The first feeling we want guests to have when they enter is that they should feel the luxury in the air. The venue has been designed to feel breathtaking from the very first moment, with a beautiful entrance and courtyard. The aesthetic works for corporate events, weddings, sangeets, and every kind of celebration. We wanted to create something Indian, but with a global approach. The Zora and I go a long way. I have seen this venue built from the ground up, and we’ve created beautiful events at Open Canvas even in its early stages. It’s a prestigious venue in central Delhi, and I’m glad to be pre-launching this new experience with them,” said Abhinav Bhagat, Founder of Abhinav Bhagat Events, Luxury wedding designer and Event Stylist.   Vivek Tyagi, General Manager, Operations, The Zora said, “The Zora has always been built as a canvas for imagination. With The Zora Estate designed by Abhinav Bhagat, we’re creating a new venue experience that brings together premium infrastructure, central Delhi accessibility, and one of India’s most recognised design visions. After a strong year across Ballroom, Myst, and Open Canvas, this collaboration marks an important next step in how we see event spaces evolving in Delhi and the NCR.”   The launch reflects a broader shift in India’s event industry, where there is growing demand for venues that are not only large in scale but also experience-led, visually immersive, and adaptable across different formats. The Zora Estate has been conceptualised to meet this demand, offering a design-forward venue for weddings, corporate events, social celebrations, and luxury gatherings, available only to a select few through an invite-only experience.   The pre-launch, showcased on July 10, gave select media, event planners, wedding professionals, influencers, and industry partners an exclusive first look at the venue ahead of its wider availability for bookings.   About The Zora – Delhi Convention Centre The Zora – Delhi Convention Centre is a luxury event venue located at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. With versatile event spaces including the Ballroom, Myst, Glasshouse and Open Canvas, The Zora is designed for weddings, social celebrations, corporate events, exhibitions, product launches, concerts, gala dinners and large format productions. The venue combines central Delhi accessibility with premium infrastructure, flexible event formats and curated hospitality experiences.   About Abhinav Bhagat Abhinav Bhagat is a luxury wedding and event designer known for creating immersive celebration environments through décor, space design, floral concepts, event styling and visual storytelling. His work focuses on transforming venues into bespoke experiences for weddings, social celebrations and high end events.

Neo Group has signed definitive agreements for an investment round of approximately INR 350 crore, led by Peak XV Partners, Neo Group’s earliest institutional backer with closing scheduled to be completed shortly. The investment marks a further deepening of Peak XV’s commitment, as Neo Group enters its next significant phase of growth.    L-R: Nitin Jain, Chairman & MD, Neo Group, Shajikumar Devakar, Co-Founder & CEO, Neo Wealth, Puneet Jain, Co-Founder & CIO, Neo Asset, Varun Bajpai, Co-Founder, Neo Group, Hemant Daga, Co-Founder & CEO, Neo Asset   Neo Group has built a differentiated and institutionalised Wealth and Asset Management platform in India. With nearly INR 3,000 Crore of equity capital, approximately INR 1,30,000 Crore of total client assets, and INR 50,000 Crore of annualised recurring revenue (ARR) assets, the platform today operates across 30+ cities through a team of over 850 professionals – including 150+ of the most respected senior Wealth Advisors in the country, drawn exclusively from the highest tiers of leading global private banking institutions.   Neo Group is a uniquely knowledge-driven, super specialised platform, with an unparalleled depth of management in the wealth and asset management industry, anchored in a hi-trust, hi-touch, hi-tech model.    Neo’s wealth management advisory franchise combines deep investment expertise with a cutting-edge technology platform, ensuring clients have direct access to seasoned specialists with decades of experience in their respective fields. Their asset management platform complements this with a dedicated team of exceptional fund managers delivering strong performance across alternative investment strategies – Private Credit, Infrastructure, and Private Equity. This is precisely the kind of institution that India’s rapidly expanding base of wealth creators demands.   Commenting on the development, Nitin Jain, Chairman & Managing Director, Neo Group, said, “Our objective has always been to build an enduring institution with strong governance, disciplined capital allocation, and client-first alignment. This fundraise gives us the capital and long-term partnership to keep building for the future – investing in talent, technology, and new product capabilities as we expand our presence across India.”   “We have believed in Neo’s vision from the early days, and continue to be impressed by the strength of the platform Nitin and the team are building. As India’s wealth management market evolves and demand for more sophisticated financial solutions grows, Neo stands out for its deep advisory talent, institutional approach, and strong client alignment. The scale they have built in a short span reflects both strong execution and the opportunity ahead. We’re excited to deepen our partnership as they continue building for the long term,” said Sakshi Chopra, MD, Peak XV Partners.    Peak XV’s latest commitment follows TVS Capital’s recent INR 550 Crore investment in Neo Group – together reflecting the sustained and growing conviction of India’s most discerning institutional investors in the platform. With the foundations of an enduring institution firmly in place, Neo Group now enters its next substantial stage of growth.   About Neo Group  Neo is an integrated wealth and asset management platform serving family offices, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, high-net-worth individuals, institutions and corporates. The Group manages approximately INR 1,30,000 crore in total client assets across Assets Under Advice and Assets Under Management (as of June 30, 2026). Headquartered in Mumbai, Neo has a presence across key locations in India, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Goa and Jaipur, as well as an overseas presence in the United States. The Group has a team of more than 850 professionals. Neo offers capabilities across wealth management, asset management, private markets, fixed income, global investments, insurance, and estate planning.   For more information, please visit www.neo.group.

Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) welcomed its 2026–27 batch of undergraduate and postgraduate students with the commencement of a grand three-day Orientation Programme on Thursday. The inaugural day witnessed an overwhelming participation of more than 6,000 students and parents, making it one of the largest orientation events hosted by the University in recent years.   Three Day Orientation Program Kicks off at Manipal University Jaipur for the new batch of 2026-27   The orientation programme, spread across multiple venues on campus, featured four parallel sessions catering to different academic domains, offering newly admitted students and their families a comprehensive introduction to the University’s academic ecosystem, student support services, research culture, innovation initiatives, and holistic learning environment.   The first session was organised by the School of Physical and Biological Sciences (SoPBS) under the Faculty of Science, Technology and Architecture (FoSTA). The programme began with a promotional film showcasing the University’s achievements, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and floral tributes to the University’s visionary founder, Late Dr. T.M.A. Pai.   Welcoming the gathering, Prof. Ashima Bagaria, Associate Dean, SoPBS, encouraged students to nurture scientific curiosity, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary learning while making the most of the opportunities available at Manipal University Jaipur.   Addressing the gathering, Prof. Madhura Yadav, Dean, Student Welfare, presented an overview of the University’s academic excellence, world-class infrastructure, global collaborations, research achievements, rankings, accreditations, and vibrant campus life.   Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Kuldeep S. Sangwan, Dean, Faculty of Science, Technology and Architecture, emphasised experiential learning, innovation, and multidisciplinary education aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He also highlighted the faculty’s collaborations with premier institutions and its focus on research and industry-oriented education.   Delivering the presidential address, Prof. Niti Nipun Sharma, President, Manipal University Jaipur, urged students to make the most of the opportunities offered by the University and honour the aspirations of their parents through dedication and excellence. He assured the students that “The university is committed to give you a futuristic education.” He recalled the visionary legacy of Late Dr. T.M.A. Pai and his contribution to the society.   The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Ashish Kumar, Deputy Director, Admissions.   Simultaneously, the School of Law organised its orientation programme for newly admitted law students. The session was attended by Dr. Nitu Bhatnagar, Provost, Dr. Vijay Laxmi Sharma, Dean (I/C), School of Law, and Dr. Prakash Ramani, Director, Admissions. The welcome address was delivered by Dr. Sonu Agarwal, Head, Department of Law.   Introducing students to the Faculty of Law, Dr. Vijay Laxmi Sharma highlighted the School’s academic achievements, vibrant learning environment, and focus on legal education. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Nitu Bhatnagar spoke about the University’s remarkable journey, its rich legacy, and its commitment to nurturing students through academic excellence, innovation, and holistic development. Dr. Prakash Ramani proposed the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to students and parents for their enthusiastic participation.   Another orientation session was conducted jointly by the School of Architecture & Design and the School of Computer Science and Engineering for students of MCA, M.Sc. Cyber Security, B.Arch., and M.Arch. programmes. The programme was attended by Dr. Amit Soni, Registrar, Prof. Kuldeep S. Sangwan, Dr. Roheet Bhatnagar, Associate Dean, School of Computer Science and Engineering, and Dr. Pooja Lalit Kumar, Director, School of Architecture and Design.   Welcoming the participants, Dr. Roheet Bhatnagar and Dr. Pooja Lalit Kumar introduced students to their respective schools and academic offerings. Addressing the gathering, Prof. Kuldeep S. Sangwan presented an overview of the Faculty of Science, Technology and Architecture, while Dr. Amit Soni encouraged students to actively engage in academics, research, innovation, and extracurricular activities. He also spoke about the University’s successful journey and urged students to embrace lifelong learning.   The final session of the day was organised for the B.Tech (Computer Science and Engineering) Batch-I students. The programme was graced by Prof. Niti Nipun Sharma, Prof. Kuldeep S. Sangwan, Prof. Madhura Yadav, and Dr. Roheet Bhatnagar, who welcomed students into the University’s vibrant academic community and encouraged them to explore the vast opportunities available for learning, research, entrepreneurship, and leadership.   The three-day Orientation Programme will continue over the next two days with institution-specific sessions, academic briefings, interactions with faculty members, and familiarisation activities designed to help new students transition smoothly into university life and begin their academic journey with confidence.

There is something magical about the monsoon. The first spell of rain transforms the landscape, washes away the dust, and gives cities a fresh identity. Roads gleam, trees turn a vibrant green, and the skyline takes on a dramatic new character. While most people enjoy this transformation from their balconies or windows, there are a select few who experience it from an entirely different perspective—high above the city.   Saya Gold Avenue – Panoramic views from the terrace   Standing atop the penthouse of Saya Gold Avenue, the tallest residential tower on NH-24, the view is nothing short of breathtaking. As monsoon clouds drift across the horizon and patches of sunlight break through, the vast expanse of Noida, Ghaziabad, and East Delhi unfolds like a living canvas.   The busy NH-24 (Delhi–Meerut Expressway), one of India’s finest urban highways, stretches into the distance, its smooth carriageways reflecting the rain while vehicles move like tiny streams of light below. What was once just a transport corridor has evolved into one of the National Capital Region’s most important growth corridors, connecting homes, businesses, and opportunities.   From this vantage point, one can truly appreciate how dramatically the region has transformed over the past decade. The modern skyline of Noida, dotted with towering commercial buildings and premium residential developments, merges seamlessly with the rapidly evolving cityscape of Ghaziabad. On clear monsoon mornings, the horizon seems endless, offering panoramic views that few residences in the region can match.   One of the most fascinating sights is the movement of aircraft taking off and landing at Hindon Airport. Watching an aircraft emerge through the clouds before gently descending onto the runway is an experience that never loses its charm. It serves as a reminder of how well-connected this region has become and how infrastructure is redefining urban living.   Equally captivating is the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), India’s next-generation high-speed regional rail network. As the sleek trains glide across the corridor, they symbolise the future of mobility—bringing Delhi, Ghaziabad, Meerut, and adjoining cities closer than ever before. From above, the movement of the RRTS seamlessly blends with the network of expressways, metro lines, and urban roads, showcasing a city designed for the future.   As evening approaches, the monsoon sky stages its own spectacle. Shades of grey slowly give way to hues of orange, pink, and purple before thousands of city lights begin to sparkle below. The illuminated skyline, the flowing traffic on the expressway, and the occasional flashes of lightning in the distance create a scene that feels almost cinematic.   Yet, beyond the stunning visuals lies a deeper story. This elevated perspective reflects the remarkable transformation of the Noida-Ghaziabad corridor into one of North India’s fastest-growing urban destinations. World-class infrastructure, expanding business districts, improved connectivity, and thoughtfully planned residential communities have collectively reshaped the region into a preferred destination for professionals, entrepreneurs, and families alike.   Monsoon also brings with it a rare sense of calm. The cool breeze at this height, the rhythmic sound of rain against the city below, and the ever-changing play of clouds create moments that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. It is an experience that reminds us that luxury is not defined merely by elegant interiors or premium amenities—it is equally about the privilege of enjoying nature’s finest performances from an extraordinary setting.   Perhaps that is what makes this view so memorable. It is not just about seeing farther; it is about seeing the city differently. From the highest residential tower on NH-24, every rain shower tells a story of a region in motion—where modern infrastructure meets nature, where skylines continue to rise, and where every season offers a fresh perspective on urban living.   Some homes offer a place to live. Others offer a view. And then there are homes that offer an experience—one that changes with every cloud, every sunset, and every passing season.