July 2026

Neka Sulaiman, daughter of HiLITE Group Chairman P. Sulaiman, has taken charge of the Group’s hospitality division as Director, HiLITE Holdings. She will lead HiLITE Group’s hospitality expansion, with a vision to develop 1,000 hotel keys across Kerala by 2030.   Neka Sulaiman, Director, HiLITE Holdings   Her appointment marks an important step in HiLITE Group’s next phase of growth, as the Group expands its presence beyond retail, residential, commercial and business infrastructure projects into the hospitality sector.   As part of the new vision, HiLITE Group plans to build a diversified hospitality portfolio across luxury, upscale and midscale hotel segments. Kozhikode is expected to be a key focus market, supported by the city’s growing business, tourism, healthcare and education ecosystem.   Speaking on her new role, Neka Sulaiman said the Group’s aim is to create hospitality destinations that become part of the city’s business, cultural and social life.   “This is the right time to strengthen Kozhikode’s hospitality landscape. Our target is not just about numbers, but about creating the right hospitality infrastructure for a growing city,” she said.   P. Sulaiman, Group Chairman, HiLITE Group, said Neka’s appointment reflects her commitment, character and willingness to take ownership.   “The true measure of a leader lies in character, judgement and responsibility. These are qualities I have seen in Neka over the years. I look forward to the fresh perspective she will bring to HiLITE Group,” he said.   Neka was associated with Hug a Mug, HiLITE Group’s home-grown café brand, during her educational period, gaining hands-on experience in operations, customer service and team coordination. She said the experience helped her understand business from the ground level.   Neka completed her schooling at The White School International (International Baccalaureate) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree. She has also completed CMA, strengthening her foundation in finance, management and business strategy.   With Neka taking charge, HiLITE Group aims to build a strong hospitality vertical that supports Kerala’s growing demand for quality hotel infrastructure while carrying forward the Group’s legacy through new-generation leadership. 

PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife) has been recognized by Great Place To Work® India among India’s Top 20 Best Companies to Work For 2026, strengthening its standing as one of the country’s most trusted and employee-centric workplaces. Ranked 16th among leading organizations across industries, this recognition reflects PNB MetLife’s continued commitment to fostering a high-trust, high-performance culture where employees feel valued, empowered, and inspired to grow. This marks the third consecutive year that PNB MetLife has earned a place among India’s Top 20 Best Companies to Work For.   PNB MetLife recognized by Great Place To Work®   Commenting on this Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work®, said, “As we unveil India’s Best Companies To Work For 2026, we reflect on a journey that has, over decades, shaped how organizations understand and build workplace culture. In India, this study has become one of the most comprehensive workplace culture assessments, capturing the lived experiences of over 5.7 million employees across 20+ industries.   We observe that Best Workplaces outperform peers by scoring 89% on caring and inspiring, which are two of the nine key leadership behaviors as defined by Great Place To Work. Organizations that prioritize these behaviors see 14% higher experience of productivity, retention, and customer service scores. Leaders at Best Workplaces demonstrate that when people feel valued and heard, they bring their best selves to work.   I extend my heartfelt congratulations to PNB MetLife that has earned a place on this year’s list as well. This recognition belongs to every leader who leads with intent, every team that fosters belonging, and every employee who contributes to building a culture of trust. The journey to greatness starts with you.”   Commenting on the recognition, Sameer Bansal, Managing Director & CEO, PNB MetLife, said, “Our people are our greatest strength, and this recognition celebrates the culture they help create every day. Being ranked among India’s Top 20 Best Companies to Work For 2026 inspires us to raise the bar further and continue building a workplace where innovation, collaboration, and purpose thrive. As we grow, we remain committed to creating opportunities that empower our employees to achieve their full potential and make a meaningful impact for our customers, communities, and the stakeholders.”   Backed by 30 years of data, Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Through its proprietary For All™ Model and Trust Index™ Survey, it gives organizations the recognition and tools to create a consistently positive employee experience. Its mission is to help every place become a great place to work for all, driving business growth, improving lives, and empowering communities. Through globally recognized and coveted Great Place To Work Certification™ and highly competitive Best Workplaces Lists, Great Place To Work enables employers to attract and retain talent, benchmark company culture, and increase revenue. Its platform enables leaders to truly capture, analyze and understand the experience of every employee, and compare outcomes with data collected from more than 100 million employees in 150 countries worldwide.   About PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife) is one of the leading life insurance companies in India that combines the financial strength of MetLife, Inc. with the credibility of PNB, one of India’s oldest nationalized banks. PNB MetLife’s positioning, Always Ready for Life, is demonstrated through empowering every individual to lead life with absolute confidence.   With a strong presence in 182 offices and access to customers in over 20,000 locations through bank partnerships, PNB MetLife offers a comprehensive insurance solutions portfolio covering Child Education, Family Protection, Long-Term Saving and Retirement. The company has a wide range of protection and retirement plans available through its sales channel of over 40,000 financial advisors and multiple bank partners and caters to over 585 group relationships in India.   For more information, follow us on: Facebook – www.facebook.com/PNBMetLife Instagram – www.instagram.com/pnb_metlife Visit – www.pnbmetlife.com

Reinforcing its commitment to the holistic development and emotional well-being of students, Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) successfully organised “Matru Setu – Women Mentoring Young Women,” a unique orientation and mentorship programme aimed at empowering women educators to become compassionate mentors for young female students.   Dignitaries present in the inaugural ceremony of the “Matru Setu” workshop organized by Manipal University Jaipur The programme, organised by the Directorate of Student Welfare, Manipal University Jaipur, in collaboration with the Foundation for Holistic Development (FHD), brought together all female faculty members and spouses of male faculty members to create a nurturing support network for students navigating the challenges of university life. The event was graced by Mrs. Madhuri Sahasrabudhe, Chairperson, Foundation for Holistic Development, along with distinguished members of her team, Ms. Alka Soni and Ms. Medha Deshpande. The programme was attended by President, Manipal University Jaipur, Prof. (Dr.) Niti Nipun Sharma; Pro President, Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Rana; Provost, Prof. (Dr.) Nitu Bhatnagar; Ms. Manju Sharma; Dean, Student Welfare, Dr. Madhura Yadav; Head-HR, Ms. Kananjeet Kaur, besides Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments and faculty members. Senior journalist and television personality Dr. Puneet Sharma also joined the programme. Welcoming the guests and participants, Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Rana highlighted the growing importance of mentorship in higher education. He emphasised that today’s young students face a wide range of academic, emotional and social challenges, making empathetic guidance from faculty members more relevant than ever. He encouraged participants to become trusted mentors who could positively influence students’ personal and professional journeys. In his presidential address, Prof. (Dr.) Niti Nipun Sharma spoke about the transformative role of mothers in shaping the character, values and future of children. Paying tribute to the mother of Dr. T.M.A. Pai, the visionary founder of the Manipal Group, he acknowledged her enduring contribution to society and the values that inspired the institution’s legacy. He urged women faculty members to extend motherly care and emotional support to students, helping them overcome stress, anxiety and personal challenges while pursuing higher education. Delivering the keynote session, Mrs. Madhuri Sahasrabudhe shared inspiring experiences from her extensive interactions with college and university students across the country. Through powerful anecdotes, she explained how timely guidance, empathy and genuine concern from a mentor can profoundly transform the lives of young people, especially those facing emotional distress or difficult circumstances. The interactive workshop featured practical sessions conducted by Mrs. Sahasrabudhe, Ms. Alka Soni and Ms. Medha Deshpande, who presented real-life situations commonly encountered by university students. Participants were actively engaged through role-playing exercises that encouraged them to understand students’ perspectives and respond with empathy, compassion and effective communication. A major highlight of the programme was the presentation by 13 faculty teams, each performing role-play activities based on different student issues, ranging from emotional well-being and academic pressure to interpersonal relationships and self-confidence. The sessions enabled participants to explore practical mentoring approaches and strengthen their ability to build meaningful conversations with students. The workshop was designed to cultivate qualities such as empathy, compassion, active listening and emotional intelligence among women faculty members, enabling them to serve as mentors who guide students with the care and understanding of a mother. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Pankaj Vyas, Director, Student Welfare, while Dr. Aanyaa Chouhary efficiently conducted the proceedings as the Master of Ceremony. The initiative reflects Manipal University Jaipur’s continued emphasis on creating a supportive, inclusive and emotionally resilient campus ecosystem where mentorship extends beyond academics to foster confidence, resilience and holistic growth among young women. To know more about Manipal University Jaipur please visit jaipur.manipal.edu 

Bank of Maharashtra has announced the launch of FinSpark’26, a national-level cybersecurity hackathon aimed at encouraging students and dropouts across India to develop solutions for real-world cybersecurity challenges in the banking sector.   Bank of Maharashtra launches FinSpark’26, a national cybersecurity hackathon for students to solve real banking security challenges and win Rs. 10 lakh+ rewards   With the theme “Securing the Future of Banking,” FinSpark’26 is designed to bring together young technology minds, cybersecurity enthusiasts and problem-solvers to build innovative ideas that can strengthen digital banking security, fraud prevention, cyber resilience and customer trust. The hackathon invites participants to register, choose a problem statement, build individually or with a team, and compete for national recognition. The initiative offers a Rs. 10+ Lakh Prize Pool*, with the Top 20 teams getting an opportunity to present their solutions at the Grand Finale at COEP Technological University, Pune. Winning teams will also get an Opportunity to Showcase at Global FinTech Fest 2026*, subject to applicable terms and conditions. FinSpark’26 focuses on mission-critical areas of banking cybersecurity, including insider threat detection, privileged access misuse, AI-driven correlation of cybersecurity telemetry, transaction behaviour analysis, fraud prevention and proactive threat identification. Through this initiative, Bank of Maharashtra aims to encourage practical, scalable and secure solutions that can support the evolving needs of the banking industry. The hackathon features two cybersecurity-led problem statements. The first is Privileged Access Misuse & Insider Threat Detection, where participants are encouraged to build solutions that can detect misuse of privileged accounts, identify insider threats, study behavioural patterns and support risk-based access control. The second is AI-Driven Correlation of Cybersecurity Telemetry & Transactional Behaviour, where participants can explore how cybersecurity signals and transaction behaviour can be connected to detect anomalies, fraud patterns, suspicious activity and potential threats more effectively. Participants can register individually or in teams of up to four members. They are expected to select a problem statement, develop a structured idea or prototype, and submit their solution for evaluation. Submissions will be assessed on parameters such as business potential and relevance, security considerations, uniqueness of approach, user experience, scalability, and ease of development and maintenance. Beyond competition, FinSpark’26 is designed as a learning and innovation platform. Participants will get exposure to real-world banking challenges, mentoring support, national-level recognition and the opportunity to refine their ideas through the hackathon journey. The Top 20 teams shortlisted for the Grand Finale will present their solutions before experts from relevant domains, with a focus on identifying ideas that are practical, secure and relevant to the future of digital banking. Speaking about the initiative, Bank of Maharashtra said, “Cybersecurity is one of the most important pillars of modern banking. Through FinSpark’26, Bank of Maharashtra aims to encourage young innovators to think deeply about real banking security challenges and build solutions that can contribute to a safer and more resilient digital banking ecosystem. This initiative reflects our commitment to innovation, technology adoption and nurturing future-ready talent.” FinSpark’26 is open to students and dropouts across India who are interested in cybersecurity, technology, AI, data, fraud prevention, secure digital banking and innovation. Participants can register for FinSpark’26 at: www.finsparkhackathon.com/auth/register.

Aukera, India’s leading premium lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, today announced that it has raised Rs. 90 crore (over USD 10 million) in fresh funding, led by existing investor Alteria Capital, along with InnoVen Capital, Lighthouse Canton and a leading bank. The raise comes less than twelve months after the company closed a USD 15 million equity round led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Fireside Ventures, Sparrow Capital, Prath Ventures and Alteria Capital — a pace of back-to-back institutional capital that reflects the strength of Aukera’s growth trajectory and the confidence of lenders and investors alike in the underlying business. The company continues to strengthen its balance sheet as the category draws in India’s largest players, including Titan with its lab-grown diamond brand Beyon — a market Aukera has been leading from the front.   Kumar Saurabh, Co-founder, Aukera and Lisa Mukhedkar, Founder & CEO, Aukera   That leadership is visible on the ground: in the year since its last raise, Aukera has grown from 13 to 35 company-owned stores, expanding beyond Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR into cities including Pune, Lucknow, Dehradun and Vizag — one of the fastest retail scale-ups in Indian fine jewellery, and a genuinely national footprint. The new capital will fuel the next phase of this expansion.   Aukera occupies the premium end of India’s lab-grown diamond market, built around a simple idea: the better diamond. Every Aukera diamond is of the highest grades, certified to the most exacting global standards, and crafted into fine jewellery featuring original, in-house designs and the brand’s trademarked cuts. It is a promise brought to life by a design and craft organisation that draws on global talent, and carried publicly by acclaimed actor Taapsee Pannu, the Face of the Brand. For Aukera’s customers, grown diamonds are a deliberate upgrade — to a finer, larger, better-designed diamond.   That confidence extends to how the brand stands behind every piece. Aukera operates company-owned experience stores across the country and backs every purchase with assured buyback and exchange — the kind of guarantee that has traditionally separated enduring jewellery houses from the rest.   “This category will not be won on discounting — it will be won on trust, quality and brand,” said Lisa Mukhedkar, Founder & CEO, Aukera. “This capital lets us take that promise to many more cities, faster.”   “We believe this category will require the top player to invest at least Rs. 1,000 crore, as the mining industry resets to recognise the permanence of grown diamonds,” said Kumar Saurabh, Co-founder, Aukera. “We are building the balance sheet and the business to be that player.”   With the fresh capital, Aukera will accelerate store openings in new and existing markets, continue investing in design, product innovation and talent, and strengthen the omnichannel infrastructure that supports its retail engine.   Founded in 2023 by Lisa Mukhedkar and Kumar Saurabh, Aukera is backed by Peak XV Partners, Fireside Ventures, Sparrow Capital, Prath Ventures and Alteria Capital, and is on track towards its stated ambition of becoming a Rs. 1,000 crore brand.

Unwired Connect, a leading provider of building automation and IoT solutions, today announced that its range of DALI-2 lighting control products has been certified by the DALI Alliance, the global industry body responsible for the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) standard.   The DALI-2 DT8 RGB Driver from Unwired Connect, offering precise RGB colour control alongside the advanced interoperability of the DALI-2 standard   Unwired Connect became an Associate Member of the DALI Alliance in May 2026, with its DALI-2 products certified in June and July 2026 and several more in the pipeline. The certification covers the company’s 15W, 24W and 40W DT6 drivers, DT8 Tunable White drivers, and RGB DT8 drivers, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey to build globally compliant automation products from India.   A selection from Unwired Connect’s DALI-2 certified constant current LED driver range, including DT6, DT8 Tunable White and DT8 RGB variants, all designed, developed and manufactured in India   With this achievement, Unwired Connect becomes one of the few Indian companies to design, develop, and manufacture DALI-2 certified products locally, reinforcing its commitment to advancing indigenous innovation in the building automation sector.   DALI-2 is the globally recognized standard for intelligent lighting control systems, enabling seamless interoperability between lighting and automation devices from different manufacturers. Certification ensures that products meet stringent requirements for performance, reliability, and compatibility, making them suitable for deployment across commercial buildings, hospitality projects, industrial facilities, and smart infrastructure developments worldwide.   Unlike many solutions available in the market that rely on imported or rebranded technologies, Unwired Connect’s DALI-2 certified products have been engineered from the ground up at the company’s R&D and Innovation Centre in India and manufactured locally. The achievement reflects the company’s ability to meet rigorous international standards while building technology tailored for the evolving needs of modern buildings.   “Achieving DALI-2 certification is a proud milestone for Unwired Connect and a testament to our team’s engineering expertise and commitment to innovation. What makes this achievement particularly significant is that these products have been designed, developed, and manufactured in India. As one of the few Indian companies with DALI-2 certified products, we are demonstrating that world-class automation technologies can be built locally while meeting the highest global standards. This certification further strengthens our position as a technology partner for the automation industry and enables us to offer customers a comprehensive portfolio spanning both wired and wireless automation solutions,” said Varun Joshi, Co-Founder, Unwired Connect.   “Getting DALI-2 certified is genuinely hard. Each driver had to prove itself on precise dimming, fault handling, and real plug-and-play compatibility with other brands’ devices, with nothing left to chance. Doing all of this in-house means we truly understand our hardware and firmware, and that gives us a strong base to keep expanding our DT6, DT8 Tunable White, and RGB range as our customers’ needs grow,” said Nitesh Vasant, Co-Founder and CTO, Unwired Connect.   The certification journey required Unwired Connect to adhere to stringent global benchmarks across hardware architecture, electronic design, firmware development, interoperability testing, and product performance validation. Successfully meeting these requirements underscores the company’s focus on engineering excellence and its ability to deliver globally competitive automation products.   The milestone also expands Unwired Connect’s market opportunities by enabling deeper engagement with system integrators, lighting manufacturers, and automation solution providers seeking standards-compliant products for large-scale projects. With a complete portfolio that now supports both wired and wireless automation ecosystems, the company is well-positioned to address the growing demand for intelligent, energy-efficient, and future-ready buildings.   As smart building adoption accelerates across India and global markets, Unwired Connect remains focused on developing innovative automation technologies that simplify integration, enhance operational efficiency, and support sustainable infrastructure development.   About Unwired Connect Unwired Connect is a technology-driven company specializing in building automation, IoT, and smart infrastructure solutions. Through its focus on research, innovation, and local manufacturing, the company develops intelligent products that enable smarter, more connected, and energy-efficient buildings. Unwired Connect’s solutions are deployed across commercial, industrial, and institutional environments, helping organizations accelerate their digital transformation and sustainability goals.   For more information visit: www.unwiredconnect.in

Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India, the Global Capability Centers (GCCs) of Allianz Group in India, celebrated the landmark achievement as their Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project – a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, crossed the milestone of recovering over 1,000 tons of plastic waste from Thiruvananthapuram’s rivers and waterways over four years, preventing it from reaching the Arabian Sea. This is equivalent to removing 50 million plastic bottles from the city’s waterbodies – if kept end-to-end, the bottles would stretch to 12,000 km which exceeds the coastline of India.  The milestone was formally announced at an event held in Thiruvananthapuram, graced by an august gathering of dignitaries such as P.K. Kunhalikutty, Minister for Industries, IT, AI and Startups, Adv. Mons Joseph, Minister for Water Resources, K M Shaji, Minister for Local Self Government, Adv. V V Rajesh, Mayor of the Corporation of Trivandrum, V Muraleedharan, Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly (Kazhakoottam constituency),  Jison John, MD & CEO, Allianz Services India, Jayant Tulsiani, Branch Head India, Allianz Technology SE.    During the 1000-Ton recovery milestone announcement of Allianz’s CSR initiative ‘Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project Thiruvananthapuram’ Since its launch in 2022, This four-year journey has been entirely funded by Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India, who have together invested more than INR 5 crores (EUR 500,000) from CSR funds in the project. “Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in Kerala are not merely engines of economic growth – they are responsible corporate citizens who invest in the communities and ecosystems that sustain them. This milestone also reinforces a powerful message to global investors: Kerala’s industrial growth is inseparable from its commitment to environmental excellence,” said P K Kunhalikutty, Minister for Industries, IT, AI and Startups. “What makes the Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project particularly commendable is its sustained, systematic approach,” said Adv. Mons Joseph, Minister for Water Resources. “I urge corporates, local bodies, and citizens alike to draw inspiration from this model,” he added. “I call upon our Panchayats, Municipalities, and the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram to draw inspiration from this model and deepen their collaboration with initiatives of this nature,” said K.M Shaji, Minister for Local Self Government.  “Reaching the 1,000 ton milestone is incredibly meaningful for Allianz – every piece of plastic removed from rivers is one less harming the ocean. It reflects a clear conviction: to protect biodiversity and ocean health, we must act upstream.  This is about more than cleanup – it’s about lasting change: creating jobs, raising awareness, and transforming how communities manage waste. But we are only at the beginning. Preventing plastic pollution at scale requires deeper collaboration, systemic solutions and long-term commitment – because caring for tomorrow means protecting the ecosystems that sustain life today,” said Barbara Karuth-Zelle, Member of the Board of Management (Responsible for Allianz Services and Allianz Technology) and Group COO, Allianz SE.  The Plastic Waste-Free Rivers Project deploys low-cost floating barriers called TrashBooms to intercept plastic waste in rivers and urban waterways. Today, 15 TrashBoom systems operate across critical sites – including Thampanoor thodu, Ulloor thodu, Pattom thodu, Thekkinakara canal, Amayizhanchan thodu, Karamana river, Killi river, Kariyil thodu, and Thettiyar canal – collecting and removing plastic waste daily. Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India run this initiative in association with NGO partners Thanal Trust and Sustera Foundation, deploying technology from Plastic Fischer, Germany. The project provides local employment and is supported by three Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) at Injakkal, Venpalavattom and Vallakadavu, managed by Plastic Fischer’s team of 23 professionals responsible for recovery, transportation, segregation and shipping. Collected non-recyclable plastic is transported to the Thiruvananthapuram MRFs and subsequently co-processed at the plants of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited in Tamil Nadu, while recyclable plastic is repurposed locally, including into TrashBins now installed at Veli Beach.   Globally, nine million tons of plastic reach the oceans every year. In Thiruvananthapuram, 79% of debris on major water banks is plastic, and the Karamana and Killi rivers have the highest microplastic densities in the region. Without intervention, plastic is projected to outweigh fish in the world’s oceans by 2050 – a stark reality that makes this milestone all the more significant.  In 2025, Allianz Services India and Allianz Technology India launched grassroots-level programs in Puthenthope, Kadinamkulam and Veli, in association with NGO partners Thanal Trust and Sustera Foundation, marking a strategic shift towards preventive waste management by extending impact from interception to behaviour change and early intervention. The initiative encourages visitors, local merchants, and residents to dispose of waste responsibly. Employees regularly collaborate with NGO partners to undertake beach cleanup drives and awareness campaigns, while close collaboration with the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram and the Government of Kerala (Departments of Local Self Government and Water Resources) ensures the initiative complements local governance efforts. This achievement demonstrates that Thiruvananthapuram-based GCCs are driving environmental initiatives with measurable outcomes through corporate citizenship. The 15 sites span critical urban waterways surrounding Technopark and key industrial zones, and by removing massive plastic blockages, this industry-led initiative helps local authorities mitigate urban flood risks, protecting tech infrastructure and enhancing the liveability index that attracts global talent to the city. The project has also earned endorsement from the UN Ocean Decade. What began in Thiruvananthapuram is now being replicated by others in Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kanpur, and Varanasi – demonstrating that structured, long-term action backed by strong partnerships can deliver real, scalable impact. Allianz established its Global Capability Centers (GCCs) as one of the early tenants of Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. They are among the first GCCs in Kerala and today employ over 6,600 professionals, making Thiruvananthapuram Allianz’s largest GCC location by headcount globally. Allianz Services is the AI-powered value accelerator for Allianz Group, one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers and, Allianz Technology India is a key delivery center for Allianz Technology and a strategic hub within the Allianz Group’s global IT and digital transformation strategy.

SUN Mobility, a global leader in energy infrastructure and battery-swapping solutions for electric vehicles, showcased the world’s first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution under its Heavy Electric Vehicles (HEV) business with the Tata Starbus 12m EV platform on 9 July 2026 at Prawaas 5.0, India’s largest bus and mobility exhibition, held at the Helipad Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, aiming to decarbonize India’s USD 12 billion commercial bus market at scale.   SUN Mobility showcases the World’s First Modular Multi-Battery Swapping Technology for Heavy Electric Mobility at Prawaas 5.0, Gandhinagar, Gujarat   This breakthrough solution was inaugurated by Mr. Amrendra Singh Kishore (IOFS), Director, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, in the presence of Anand S, Vice President and Business Head, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles; TV Srinivas, Head, Product Planning, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles; Chetan Maini, Co-founder and Chairman, SUN Mobility, and Ashok Agarwal, CEO, SUN Mobility – HEV Business. The event being held from 9th to 11th July at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, comprises of prominent bus and car operators, vehicle OEMs and policymakers.   SUN Mobility Heavy Electric Vehicles (HEV) has developed a modular multi-battery swapping solution for commercial vehicles, designed to address the key barriers to fleet electrification, including high upfront vehicle costs, charging downtime, operational inefficiencies and limited scalability.   India’s electric bus market sits at an inflection point. Previous policy mandate like FAME II and the current PM E-Drive and state-level procurement targets are converging to accelerate adoption. As fleet operators look to electrify harder-to-abate segments such as staff transport, city transit, and intercity corridors, battery swapping is emerging as a valuable addition to the electrification toolkit. By enabling rapid energy replenishment, reducing vehicle downtime, and lowering the cost of electrification, it offers an economically viable solution for both low- and high-utilization operations while maximizing fleet uptime and operational efficiency. It also aims to decarbonize India’s commercial bus market at scale, which currently stands at USD 12 billion, according to a CEEW study published in 2025.   Speaking on this announcement, Chetan Maini, Co-Founder and Chairman, SUN Mobility, said, “When we founded SUN Mobility, our vision was to make electric mobility as convenient, scalable, and economically viable as conventional transport by reimagining energy infrastructure. The unveiling of the world’s first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution demonstrated with Tata Starbus EV at Prawaas 5.0 marks a defining milestone in that journey. We believe the modular multi-battery swapping solution has the potential to unlock large-scale electrification across the commercial vehicle ecosystem by delivering a cost-effective and operationally efficient energy solution for diverse applications. As India accelerates its transition to clean mobility, technologies designed and built here can not only transform commercial transportation at home but also position India as a global leader in next-generation electric mobility solutions.”   Ashok Agarwal, CEO, SUN Mobility HEV, said, “The next phase of electrification will not be defined solely by vehicles, but by the energy ecosystems that power them. Our showcase of World’s first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution on the Tata Starbus EV platform demonstrates how one battery swapping platform can serve staff, city transit, and intercity fleets alike, without compromising on affordability or operational reliability. We see this as a real step towards mass adoption of EVs in commercial transportation.”   Inside the World’s First Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Smart Bus At the centre of the showcase is SUN Mobility HEV’s AIS-038 certified Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution, integrated into the Tata Starbus EV platform. The Modular Multi-Battery Swappable architecture allows two batteries to be swapped at once, with the full process completed in under five minutes, cutting turnaround time and giving operators a meaningful gain in uptime and flexibility.   The same modular design supports both 100 kWh and 50 kWh battery configurations and works across vehicle segments ranging from 3T to 55T GVW. A single underlying architecture serves multiple use-cases with the flexibility to the end users to choose the battery pack as per their operational requirements.   Under SUN Mobility HEV’s Battery-as-a Service (BaaS) approach, the battery is decoupled from the vehicle, so operators pay for energy consumed rather than the upfront cost of a battery pack. This shifts the burden of battery replacement, performance, and obsolescence from the customer to the swap operator, lowering the risk of switching to electric while bringing financing solutions at par with ICE vehicles.   One Platform, Built to Scale Across Every Application As the battery, vehicle, and swap station architecture is common across staff, city transit, and intercity use cases, fleet operators and city administrators can expand deployment without re-engineering the underlying system, a key differentiator for scaling commercial EV operations.   Every Swappable EV runs as a connected node on SUN Mobility HEV’s intelligent network, sending back battery health, location, driver behaviour, energy use, and predictive maintenance alerts, with Over-the-Air update capability built in. Underpinning this is SUN Mobility HEV’s proprietary Digital Twin platform, a live virtual replica of every battery pack, and swap event that enables predictive degradation modelling, remote fault diagnosis, optimized swap scheduling, and carbon accounting at the level of a single vehicle.   Made in India, Built for the World The Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution marks a significant moment for India’s commercial EV ecosystem, underscoring the growing importance of indigenous, OEM-agnostic energy infrastructure. Beyond enabling zero tailpipe emissions, the platform reflects wider national priorities of energy resilience and globally competitive mobility technology.   Built on more than 275+ patents developed entirely in-house, the technology embodies SUN Mobility HEV’s ambition to build solutions made in India, built for the world.   Backed by SUN Mobility’s credibility and building on proven success in electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and small commercial vehicles, SUN Mobility Heavy Electric Vehicles (HEV) extends this technology to buses and trucks. Its integrated ecosystem combines modular smart batteries, high-throughput Quick Interchange Stations (QIS), and the cloud-based Smart Network to enable buses and trucks to replenish energy in minutes: eliminating charging downtime, reducing range anxiety, and improving fleet productivity. The platform supports buses from 7 to 13.5 metres and trucks from

Bangalore based BlueRose Technologies today announced the launch of LifeTree, the world’s first dedicated ‘Digital Heirloom‘ platform designed to protect family heritage from fading in the digital age. Built on the core belief that every family has a story worth preserving, LifeTree provides a secure, private sanctuary where families can document their past, celebrate their present, and safeguard their legacy for future generations. The platform was born out of a stark modern reality observed by technology Co-Founders Vineet Jain and Tulasidasappa: as families increasingly disperse across global geographies due to migration and busy lifestyles, the risk of losing cultural roots grows exponentially. Traditional methods of passing down history are being replaced by digital distractions, leaving generational stories, values, and identities undocumented and vulnerable to time. LifeTree serves as a vital bridge across generations and borders, empowering families to actively reclaim their heritage by enabling them to:   Map Lineage: Build comprehensive, interactive family trees that trace ancestral roots and connect extended relatives worldwide. Archive Oral Histories: Document complex migration journeys, record grandparents’ stories in their own words, and pass down treasured family traditions. Preserve Cultural Identity: Securely store private photographs, heirloom recipes, and milestone memories within their true historical context, free from the noise of public social media.   Left to Right: Vineet Jain, Co-Founder and CEO, Tulasidasappa, Co-Founder and COO   The founders envisioned LifeTree as a conscious structured movement to ensure that no family loses its stories, culture or identity to the passage of time. “Over the years, we realized that while technology has helped us stay connected with the world, it has not necessarily helped us stay connected with our own families,” said Vineet Jain, Co-Founder & CEO of BlueRose Technologies. “We are aiming to tell the world how to digitally preserve your grandparents’ stories or “Using new tech to break through genealogy brick walls.”. He further continued “Many of the stories, traditions, and experiences that define who we are slowly disappearing. LifeTree was created as a conscious effort to help families preserve those memories and create a legacy that future generations can cherish.”   Tulasidasappa, Co-Founder & COO shared that, “It’s been my personal passion and a simple thought that my children to have documented evidence of who are their ancestors and thus LifeTree was created to help families document their past, celebrate their present, and preserve their future, In a world where families are more connected digitally than ever before” LifeTree was born from a shared realization among its founders. Reclaiming the Family Circle from Public social media Unlike conventional social networks engineered for public broadcasting and viral engagement, LifeTree operates as a closed, private ecosystem. The platform addresses a growing global fatigue with mainstream social media, where intimate family moments are often exposed to public scrutiny, data tracking, and algorithmic distractions. By shifting the focus from “likes” to legacy, LifeTree creates a safe space dedicated entirely to authentic family connection.“   YouTube link: youtu.be/s3WILRrgsmw?si=hwZxYNQAHU3D9fRz   Built on a foundation of absolute privacy, LifeTree introduces a clean, distraction-free environment. The platform features an uncompromising commitment to data integrity: it contains zero advertisements, employs no data-selling monetization models, and uses no algorithmic feeds to vie for user attention. Control remains entirely in the hands of the family, ensuring that personal data and historical records are never commoditized.   As families continue to evolve and spread across the globe, LifeTree serves as a permanent, living repository, ensuring that a family’s unique history, culture, and values are seamlessly preserved and safely passed down to future generations.   About BlueRose Technologies BlueRose Technologies (BRT) is a Bangalore-based technology enterprise specializing in innovative enterprise solutions and digital platforms. Driven by a commitment to data privacy and user-centric design, the company develops cutting-edge tools that address real-world challenges in connectivity, automation, and digital preservation.   About LifeTree LifeTree is the brain child of BlueRose Technologies – a global transformation partner delivering IT Consulting, Solutions, managed services across 25 Countries including US, Europe, APAC and Middle East. LifeTree is an app built on the thought to preserve the memories that slip away in the current trend of joint families to nuclear homes distancing from their roots about cultural learning and family bonding. LifeTree is an initiative to build, connect, preserve and celebrate the family traditions and heirloom.   For more information, please contact BlueRose Technologies: +91 99455 26669