Thind Eye Hospital, one of North India’s most respected super-specialty ophthalmology institutions, proudly announces the launch of its newest state-of-the-art center in Ludhiana.

Established in 1991, Thind Eye Hospital has built a strong reputation for clinical excellence, technological leadership, and compassionate patient care. With over three decades of service and innovation, the hospital continues its mission of delivering world-class eye care with international standards across Punjab.

The Ludhiana expansion marks a significant milestone in the hospital’s growth strategy, ensuring that patients in Punjab’s largest industrial and educational hub have direct access to advanced ophthalmic treatments without the need to travel outside the city.

The institution is led by Dr. Jaswant Singh Thind, Chairman and Chief Eye Surgeon, a pioneer in refractive and cataract surgery with more than 38 years of surgical experience.

He is recognized as the first in India to perform the highest number of ICL, LASIK, and SMILE procedures and the first in North India to introduce LASIK in 1998.

He has also pioneered blade-free cataract surgery in the region and is a member of leading international societies including the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

Thind Eye Hospital is a NABH-accredited super-specialty eye hospital and has been listed among the Top 10 Eye Hospitals in India by ICHA. The hospital is known for introducing advanced technologies such as high-precision excimer lasers, sutureless vitrectomy, topical anesthesia cataract surgery, and minimally invasive surgical techniques.

The Ludhiana center will provide comprehensive eye care under one roof, including:

  • Refractive Surgery – LASIK, SMILE PRO, Customized LASIK
  • 100 percent blade-free Cataract Surgery
  • Retina and Vitreoretinal Services
  • Diabetic Retinopathy Management
  • Glaucoma Treatment
  • Cornea and Keratoconus Management including C3R
  • Pediatric Ophthalmology and Squint Treatment
  • Oculoplasty and Neuro-Ophthalmology

Over the years, Thind Eye Hospital has served patients not only from across India but also from the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East, establishing a strong global reputation for outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Beyond surgical excellence, the hospital remains committed to community outreach through rural eye camps, school eye health programs, and a policy that ensures treatment is never denied to a needy patient.

With existing branches in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Pathankot, the launch in Ludhiana further strengthens Thind Eye Hospital’s regional presence and reinforces its commitment to accessible, high-quality eye care across Punjab.

For further information, media inquiries, or appointment details,

Please contact:

Thind Eye Hospital

Email:

thind701@gmail.com
thindeyehospital@gmail.com

Contact No:

+91 88720 70022 (Jalandhar)
+91 95940 50391 (Ludhiana)

GURUGRAM, India: As the Indian outbound travel market undergoes a seismic shift towards high-intent, curated experiences, Holiday Tribe, a leading travel-tech venture founded by industry veterans, is positioning itself at the forefront of the next generation of leisure travel. By blending decades of supply-chain expertise with modern data science, the brand is redefining how Indian travellers engage with iconic global destinations.

In an industry move to address the growing demand for “frictionless” international vacations, Holiday Tribe has announced a strategic expansion of its signature destination suites. The brand is placing a particular emphasis on the South East Asian corridor, introducing ultra-personalised Bali Tour Packages and Singapore Tour Packages designed to move beyond the limitations of traditional, fixed-itinerary tourism.

The Evolution of the ‘Informed Traveller’ in the Post-Pandemic Era The global travel landscape in 2026 is defined by a departure from “mass tourism” towards “meaningful tourism.” According to recent industry analyses, the Indian outbound travel market is projected to reach a valuation of over USD 45–50 billion in the coming years. This growth is being driven by a new demographic of travellers that are Gen Z, Millennials, and affluent families who prioritise personalisation, local authenticity, and digital-first booking ecosystems.

“The modern Indian traveller is no longer satisfied with a one-size-fits-all brochure. They want their itinerary to reflect their personality, whether that involves niche culinary tours, private wellness retreats, or high-octane adventure,” says Chirag Goyal, Co-founder of Holiday Tribe. “We are building Holiday Tribe to bridge the gap between digital convenience and human expertise.”

A Data-Driven Approach to South East Asian Exploration Among the most sought-after destinations in 2026, Bali and Singapore remain top contenders due to enhanced connectivity and evolving visa policies. However, the nature of these trips has changed.

Holiday Tribe has observed a 40% uptick in requests for “unconventional” experiences within these regions. To meet this, the brand has launched its revamped Bali Tour Packages, which integrate private villa stays with curated cultural immersions in Ubud and off-beat coastal explorations. Similarly, their latest Singapore Tour Packages focus on the “New Singapore”—moving past the standard city tours to include private yacht experiences, sustainable farm-to-table dining, and VIP access to world-class attractions.

“Travel Planning Must Move from Transactional to Transformational” According to Anshu Sharma, Co-founder of Holiday Tribe, the future of the travel industry belongs to platforms that can offer “Expertise at Scale.”

“At Holiday Tribe, we aren’t just selling a flight and a hotel; we are curating a ‘Tribe’ experience. Our long-term vision is to create a trusted global ecosystem where travellers feel supported from the moment of inspiration to the moment they return home,” Sharma noted.

The company’s approach is rooted in three strategic pillars:

  1. Supply-Chain Integrity: Leveraging direct relationships with global hospitality partners to ensure price transparency and exclusive value-adds.
  2. Tech-Enabled Personalisation: Utilising proprietary algorithms to match traveller profiles with the perfect destination sub-niches.
  3. Human Concierge: Ensuring that every digital booking is backed by a 24/7 human support layer to navigate on-ground complexities.

India as a Strategic Launchpad for Global Expansion The founders view the Indian market as a strategic launchpad for global travel innovation. With a recent Pre-Series A funding round of INR 25 Crore, Holiday Tribe is scaling its operations to cater to the premium and mid-premium segments that are seeing the highest growth in the “experiential” category.

“India is one of the most dynamic travel markets in the world today. If you can master the complexities of the Indian traveller’s expectations for value and variety, you can compete anywhere in the world,” added Goyal.

Building Trust Through Transparency and Innovation As the travel-tech sector continues to mature, Holiday Tribe is investing heavily in research-based development to ensure their itineraries remain ahead of global trends. By focusing on sustainable travel practices and community-based tourism, the brand aims to foster a more responsible travel culture among its growing “Tribe” of users.

“We are not just building a booking engine; we are building a travel science platform for the future. Our aim is to create a globally respected brand that stands for reliability, personalisation, and trust,” the founders concluded.

About Holiday Tribe: Holiday Tribe is a Gurugram-headquartered travel-tech startup founded by industry veterans Anshu Sharma and Chirag Goyal. By blending deep domain expertise with cutting-edge AI, Holiday Tribe provides a seamless ecosystem for planning and booking personalised holiday experiences. From honeymooners to adventure seekers, the brand serves a diverse “tribe” of travellers looking for reliability, personalisation, and luxury.

Media Contact:

Holiday Tribe Gurugram

Website: https://holidaytribe.com/

In India, auctions quietly power some of the most important economic and administrative activities. From government tenders and public asset disposal to bank recoveries, mineral allocations, industrial procurement and real estate sales, auctions determine who gets access to valuable resources and at what price. Yet, despite their central role, the auction process in India has historically been slow, opaque, and difficult to trust.

For decades, auctions were conducted through physical presence, limited bidder access and manual oversight. Notices were published in newspapers with restricted reach. Participation was often limited to local or well-connected players. Bid evaluation lacked transparency. Allegations of cartelisation, favouritism and procedural manipulation were common. Even when conducted fairly, the absence of a robust digital record meant outcomes were frequently questioned.

This gap between intent and execution created friction across the ecosystem. Authorities struggled with compliance pressure and administrative workload. Genuine bidders felt discouraged. Valuable assets often failed to realise their true market value. Over time, inefficiency became normalised.

As India embraces digital governance across taxation, identity, banking and elections, one fundamental question emerged:
Why should auctions still rely on opaque, manual systems when secure digital platforms can ensure fairness, transparency and scale?

Right2Vote’s Digital E-Auction System was built to answer this question.

The Core Challenge in India’s Auction Ecosystem

The auction system in India does not suffer from lack of regulation. It suffers from lack of execution certainty.

Auction authorities operate under strict rules, audit expectations and public scrutiny. However, manual and semi-digital systems introduce unavoidable weaknesses:

  • Restricted bidder participation due to physical or regional barriers
  • Manual bid handling is prone to human error and disputes
  • Limited real-time visibility into bidding activity
  • Inconsistent documentation and weak audit trails
  • Post-auction objections, litigation, and delays
  • High operational costs and administrative fatigue

These challenges affect not only government auctions but also auctions conducted by banks, real estate authorities, cooperative societies and private institutions. Every unresolved dispute delays outcomes. Every inefficient auction reduces revenue realisation. Every opaque process weakens trust.

Right2Vote approached this problem with a simple but powerful belief: technology should not assist auctions; it should enforce fairness by design.

What Is the Right2Vote Digital E-Auction System?

The Right2Vote Digital E-Auction System is a comprehensive, secure, end-to-end online auction platform designed for everyone. It digitises the entire auction lifecycle from bidder onboarding to final bid confirmation while ensuring transparency, security, and legal defensibility.

The platform is suitable for:

  • Government departments and public bodies
  • Public sector undertakings (PSUs)
  • Banks and financial institutions
  • Real estate authorities and developers
  • Cooperative societies and housing bodies
  • Educational and autonomous institutions
  • Large enterprises and asset managers

Rather than merely enabling online bids, Right2Vote structures the auction process so that rules are enforced by the system itself. Every action is logged. Every bid is time-stamped. Every outcome is traceable. The result is an auction process that inspires confidence among bidders and accountability among authorities.

How Right2Vote Digital E-Auction Works for Auction Authorities

Traditionally, conducting an auction required extensive coordination, issuing notices, managing bidder registrations, verifying documents, handling bids manually, supervising sessions and preparing post-auction reports. Each stage carried operational and compliance risk.

With Right2Vote, auction authorities gain a single digital control panel for the entire process.

Authorities can define auction parameters clearly, including reserve prices, bid increments, eligibility criteria, timelines, and extensions. Auction notices can be published digitally, expanding reach beyond geographical boundaries. Bidder registration and verification are managed systematically, reducing manual intervention.

During the auction, officials can monitor real-time bidding activity without influencing outcomes. The system automatically enforces closing times and bidding rules. Once the auction concludes, results, bidder logs, and audit-ready reports are instantly available.

This dramatically reduces administrative burden while strengthening governance, compliance, and credibility.

How Right2Vote Benefits Bidders: Fair Access and Confidence

For bidders, auctions have often felt intimidating and uncertain. Physical presence requirements, lack of visibility, and fear of manipulation discouraged genuine participants especially smaller players and outstation bidders.

Right2Vote removes these barriers.

Bidders can securely register online, access complete auction details, and participate from anywhere. The platform ensures that every bidder operates under the same conditions, with no insider advantage. Real-time updates like id superseded notification allow bidders to track the auction transparently, while system-generated confirmations provide clarity and confidence.

When bidders trust the process, participation increases. When participation increases, competition improves. When competition improves, asset value discovery becomes more accurate and fair.

Transparency Embedded into the System Architecture

Transparency in auctions should not depend on declarations or assurances. It must be embedded into the system itself.

Right2Vote’s Digital E-Auction System ensures:

  • STQC, MCA, ISO 27001 Certification
  • Automatic time-stamping of every bid
  • Secure encryption of bid data
  • Immutable audit logs for every action
  • Complete bidding history available for verification
  • System-driven outcomes without manual override

This reduces disputes, strengthens institutional confidence, and protects decision-makers.

Security, Compliance, and Legal Defensibility

Auctions often involve high-value assets and public interest. Security breaches or data manipulation can have serious consequences. Right2Vote treats security as foundational, not optional.

The platform, certified by STQC, ISO27001, MCA approved, and other security testing, shows robust authentication, encrypted communication, role-based access controls and activity logs. It aligns with Indian IT and data protection norms, ensuring that auction data remains secure and confidential.

By maintaining a complete digital trail, the system also supports legal defensibility, an increasingly critical requirement in today’s compliance-driven environment.

Digital E-Auctions for the Real Estate Sector: A Game-Changer

One of the most impactful applications of Right2Vote’s Digital E-Auction System lies in the Real Estate sector, where transparency and trust are often under strain.

Real estate auctions are commonly used for:

  • Bank and financial institution asset recoveries
  • Sale of stressed or non-performing properties
  • Government land and development authority allotments
  • Housing board properties
  • Commercial and industrial land parcels
  • Cooperative society assets
  • Developer inventory liquidation

Historically, real estate auctions have faced credibility challenges. Limited bidder access, location-based participation, unclear evaluation processes, and allegations of underpricing or favouritism have frequently led to disputes and litigation.

Right2Vote’s digital platform directly addresses these issues.

Adani Solar eAuction: A Trusted Case Study in Secure and Transparent Digital Auction System

Adani Solar, one of India’s leading renewable energy producers under the Adani Group, demonstrated strong trust in Right2Vote by choosing its Digital eAuction Platform for a highly complex and non-traditional auction. Instead of physical assets, Adani Solar auctioned megawatts (MW) of solar power, an intangible, high-value resource requiring precision, transparency and absolute system reliability. Right2Vote delivered a fully customised solution that supported MW-based bidding, sealed bids, base price control, bidder allocation limits, and multi-round auctions with real-time analytics. A demo auction ensured bidder confidence, while secure authentication and encrypted data maintained integrity throughout the process. The auction ran seamlessly, achieved higher-than-expected price realisation, ensured fair distribution among buyers, and generated comprehensive audit-ready reports. This successful collaboration not only validated Right2Vote’s technical and security capabilities but also set a new benchmark for digital energy trading in India, proving the platform’s adaptability for complex, large-scale, and industry-specific auction requirements.

Benefits for Banks and Financial Institutions in Real Estate Auctions

Banks and financial institutions frequently rely on auctions to recover dues from stressed real estate assets. Delays and disputes directly impact balance sheets and recovery timelines.

With Right2Vote:

  • Asset auctions are conducted faster and more transparently
  • Wider bidder participation improves recovery value
  • Compliance and reporting become simpler
  • Litigation risk reduces due to clear digital records

This accelerates recovery processes while maintaining fairness and accountability.

Why Digital E-Auctions Matter for India’s Governance and Economy

Transparent auctions strengthen institutions. When assets are allocated fairly, public confidence increases. When bidders trust the process, participation grows. When compliance is embedded into systems, governance improves.

Digital e-Auctions reduce discretion, increase accountability, and ensure that outcomes are driven by competition, not connections. This has long-term benefits for economic efficiency, investor confidence, and public trust.

Right2Vote’s Digital E-Auction System supports this transformation by ensuring that fairness is systemic, not situational.

Why Right2Vote Is Not Just Another E-Auction Platform

Right2Vote brings deep experience in building secure, large-scale digital participation systems. Right2Vote team’s expertise in building secure, transparent, trustworthy and auditable technology platform was proved with Right2Vote – India’s best eVoting platform. eAuction also requires security, transparency, trust, auditability and integrity.

Unlike generic platforms, Right2Vote is:

  • Designed for Indian institutional and legal realities
  • Built with governance and audit-readiness in mind
  • Scalable for large bidder participation
  • Customisable across auction formats and sectors
  • Supported by a team experienced in public digital infrastructure

This makes it especially suitable for high-stakes auctions involving public interest and valuable assets.

Right2Vote was founded on a simple principle: processes that impact public trust must be protected by technology, not discretion.

Whether it is voting or auctions, the objective remains the same, create systems where outcomes are fair, transparent, and beyond doubt. By applying this philosophy to auctions, Right2Vote strengthens institutional credibility and public confidence.

New Delhi [India], February 23: In what could become one of the most ambitious artificial intelligence projects to emerge from India, Atomesus has revealed that it is working on a groundbreaking initiative called Virtual Copy — a system designed to digitally recreate a person with remarkable depth and precision.

The project, currently under development, aims to create a highly advanced AI-based replica of an individual using comprehensive personal data, including behavior patterns, voice, appearance, habits, and communication style. According to early information shared by the company, Virtual Copy is positioned as a long-term platform that could eventually bridge the gap between digital identity and physical embodiment.

What Is Virtual Copy?

Virtual Copy is designed as a deep-personalization AI system. When a user applies for a Virtual Copy on the Atomesus platform, they will be required to submit extensive personal data, including:

  • Facial images from multiple angles
  • Video recordings capturing expressions and movement
  • Voice samples in different tones and contexts
  • Behavioral data and communication patterns
  • Personal habits and preferences
  • Dressing style and physical characteristics
  • Decision-making tendencies and personality traits

This data will then be processed and trained using advanced AI models developed by Atomesus.

The goal: to create a highly accurate digital representation of the individual — one that thinks, speaks, and behaves in alignment with the original person.

How It Works

Once the required data is collected, Atomesus plans to use its in-house AI training architecture to build a personalized intelligence model tailored to that specific individual.

The system would:

1. Analyze and map personality patterns

2. Reconstruct voice and speech behavior

3. Model facial expressions and gestures

4. Simulate communication style

5. Mirror decision logic and emotional responses

The result would be a digital virtual entity capable of interacting in a way that closely resembles the real person.

The Long-Term Vision: Physical Robotic Embodiment

While Virtual Copy will initially exist in digital form, Atomesus has indicated a much larger vision.

In the near future, once the company begins manufacturing AI-powered robots, these digital copies could be transferred into a physical robotic body — creating what the company describes as an “exact physical robotic version” of the person.

This would mean:

  • A robot that looks like the individual
  • Speaks in their exact voice
  • Mimics their gestures and expressions
  • Reflects their personality and habits

Such a development would push the boundaries of robotics, artificial intelligence, and identity replication.

Potential Use Cases

Although the full roadmap is yet to be revealed, potential applications could include:

  • Personal legacy preservation
  • Digital assistants modeled after real individuals
  • Advanced training simulations
  • Virtual brand ambassadors
  • Remote presence and representation
  • Knowledge preservation for experts and leaders

The implications stretch across industries — from education and business to entertainment and personal identity management.

Ethical and Privacy Considerations

Projects of this magnitude naturally raise significant ethical and privacy questions.

Creating a full behavioral and physical AI replica of a human being requires:

  • Robust data protection mechanisms
  • Explicit consent frameworks
  • Clear ownership rights over digital identity
  • Strict safeguards against misuse

As AI-human integration deepens, governance and regulatory clarity will become critical to maintaining trust and preventing abuse.

A Glimpse into the Future

If successfully executed, Virtual Copy could redefine how individuals interact with technology — moving from generic AI systems to deeply personalized digital beings.

The idea of having a digital and eventually physical version of oneself may sound futuristic, but as AI systems continue to evolve, concepts once considered science fiction are steadily becoming technological possibilities.

Atomesus appears determined to position itself at the forefront of this transformation.

Whether Virtual Copy becomes a mainstream reality or remains an experimental frontier, one thing is clear:

The line between human identity and artificial intelligence is becoming thinner than ever before.

Data Ownership, Encryption & Post-Life Rights

Atomesus has emphasized that privacy and ownership will remain central to the Virtual Copy project. All submitted data — including voice samples, images, videos, behavioral patterns, and personality mapping — will remain fully encrypted using advanced security protocols.

The ownership of the Virtual Copy and all associated data will always belong exclusively to the individual who created it. Atomesus will function only as a technology provider and custodian of encrypted data, not as the owner.

In the event of the individual’s demise, the platform will provide two clear options:

1. Permanent deletion of all stored data and the Virtual Copy.

2. Transfer of data rights and control to designated family members or legal heirs.

This framework ensures that identity, legacy, and digital presence remain under personal and family control — reinforcing security, consent, and long-term ethical responsibility at every stage of the project.

New Delhi [India], February 23: Gurgaon’s real estate market has always been known for setting trends, be it luxury residences, golf-course living, or mixed-use developments. Today, we are witnessing the rise of another important segment: Senior Living and Wellness Homes.

Globally, senior living and wellness housing is one of the most resilient and sought-after real estate segments. In markets like the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia, it is a well-established, institutionally backed asset class. Demand is driven by ageing populations and longer life expectancy, making it need-based rather than speculative. This ensures stable occupancy and predictable long-term returns. India is now entering a similar growth phase, with Gurgaon well-positioned to align with these global trends.

“As someone closely observing buyer behavior and investment patterns, I believe this is not just a passing phase but one of the most meaningful growth stories shaping the city’s future housing landscape” Ritesh Arora, Director Sales at Urban Plus Infrabuild pvt ltd.

Over the past few years, there has been a visible shift in the way families are planning retirement living. India’s senior population is increasing steadily, and with better healthcare, people are living longer and healthier lives. However, lifestyle dynamics have changed. Children often move to different cities or countries for work and seniors today prefer living independently rather than feeling dependent.

This is where senior living and wellness homes are filling a crucial gap. These communities are designed keeping comfort, safety, and well-being at the center. From senior-friendly architecture and 24/7 medical assistance to wellness programmes like yoga, therapy, and recreation, everything is thoughtfully planned.

Gurgaon, with its strong healthcare network, connectivity, and premium lifestyle ecosystem, naturally supports the growth of such developments. Demand here is not speculative, it is need-driven. Unlike traditional housing that may fluctuate with market sentiment, senior living is backed by demographics, which makes it more future-secure.

For investors and real estate enthusiasts in Gurgaon, the opportunity is equally promising. Senior living communities often see longer resident stays, ensuring stable occupancy. This creates a balanced mix of yield and capital growth.

Another important aspect is the integration of wellness. Modern senior buyers are not just looking for care, they are looking for lifestyle. Projects that combine healthcare with wellness living are seeing stronger traction, both from end users and investors.

“In my view, senior living and wellness housing is moving from niche to mainstream. As awareness grows and supply becomes more organized, Gurgaon is well-positioned to become a hub for such developments.” Ritesh Arora, Director Sales Urban Plus Infrabuild Pvt. Ltd.

For those looking at future-ready investments, this segment offers not just financial potential but also the satisfaction of being part of a socially impactful real estate movement, one that truly addresses the needs of a changing India.

Website: https://www.urbanplus.co.in/

New Delhi [India], February 21: In an ecosystem dominated by fragmented AI tools and disconnected telecom providers, Fonada is taking a fundamentally different approach to customer interaction. Rather than offering standalone APIs, isolated telephony services, or independent bot-building software, Fonada has architected a vertically integrated three-layer AI and telecom stack — unifying infrastructure, intelligence, and applications into a single cohesive platform.

This full-stack strategy positions Fonada among the very few companies in India operating simultaneously at the Core AI layer, Application layer, and Telecom Infrastructure layer — delivering ultra-low latency, data privacy, and enterprise-grade scalability.

The Three-Layer Architecture

Fonada’s platform is built on three tightly integrated layers:

1. Core AI Layer — fonadalabs.ai

At the foundation is Fonada Labs, the company’s AI research and model hosting division.

Here, Fonada builds and fine-tunes its own:

  • Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) models
  • Text-to-Speech (TTS) engines
  • Noise cancellation systems
  • Turn detection and conversational intelligence models

All AI models are hosted within Indian data centers, ensuring data residency and regulatory compliance — a critical requirement for sectors such as BFSI, healthcare, government, and large enterprises where data privacy is non-negotiable.

Unlike providers dependent on foreign cloud infrastructure, Fonada deploys its models locally within India. This reduces latency and eliminates cross-border data flow concerns.

Performance Built for Real-Time Voice:

  • ASR latency under 200ms (LAN)
  • Turn detection latency under 50ms
  • TTS Time to First Byte under 200ms
  • Support for 20+ languages with strong Indian accent recognition

By owning the Core AI layer, Fonada eliminates reliance on third-party inference providers and ensures consistent optimization across the stack.

2. Application Layer — fonada.ai

Built on top of the Core AI layer is fonada.ai, a no-code AI bot builder platform designed for enterprises.

This layer enables businesses to design, deploy, and manage AI bots without writing code.

Bots can be deployed across:

  • Telephony (inbound and outbound)
  • WhatsApp Business
  • Web widgets
  • Chatbots
  • Email automation
  • Google RCS

Enterprises can create multi-channel AI experiences from a single interface, managing conversation flows, integrations, automation logic, and analytics centrally.

Because this layer is tightly integrated with Fonada’s in-house AI models, users do not need to combine ASR from one vendor, TTS from another, and telephony from a third.

This integration dramatically reduces:

  • Integration complexity
  • Vendor management overhead
  • Latency from cross-provider API calls

The result is a seamless AI deployment engine capable of serving both startups and large-scale enterprises.

3. Infrastructure Layer — India’s Telecom Backbone

What truly differentiates Fonada is its control over the communication backbone. Fonada operates as a Virtual Network Operator (VNO) across 14 cities in India, covering nearly 70% of major business hubs. The company maintains SIP interconnections with multiple telecom operators.

This means Fonada does not merely provide AI over third-party communication networks — it controls the underlying telecom infrastructure.

Infrastructure Advantages:

  • Direct SIP connectivity with telecom operators
  • Support for 5,000+ concurrent calls
  • Low-latency routing
  • Optimized last-mile delivery
  • Carrier-grade reliability

Most Voice AI companies rely on external CPaaS providers for telephony. Fonada integrates telephony and AI within the same architecture.

Even more strategically, the company co-locates its AI model hosting infrastructure in the same geographic locations as its telecom interconnect points. This significantly reduces round-trip latency — enabling real-time conversational experiences that feel natural rather than mechanical.

When milliseconds matter, infrastructure ownership becomes a competitive advantage.

Why the Market Needs Vertical Integration

Today, enterprises deploying Voice AI typically assemble multiple components:

  • A telephony provider
  • An ASR engine
  • A TTS provider
  • A conversational AI platform
  • Noise cancellation tools
  • Hosting infrastructure

This fragmented approach results in:

  • Multiple vendors
  • Multiple contracts
  • Complex integrations
  • Higher latency
  • Accountability gaps

Fonada replaces this complexity with a unified, vertically integrated stack — from network to AI model to bot deployment interface.

Built for Real-World Scale

Fonada’s platform supports:

  • 5,000+ concurrent telephony calls
  • Enterprise-grade uptime
  • Multi-channel bot deployment
  • Low-latency voice streaming
  • Data localization within India

The architecture is purpose-built for high-volume use cases such as:

  • Customer support automation
  • Outbound collections
  • Sales qualification
  • Appointment reminders
  • Banking and financial services
  • Government citizen services

A Strategic Bet on India

As Indian enterprises accelerate AI adoption, three concerns dominate boardroom decisions:

  • Data privacy
  • Cost efficiency
  • Latency

Fonada’s three-layer architecture directly addresses all three.

By building AI models locally, hosting them within Indian data centers, and integrating them with its own telecom infrastructure, Fonada ensures that customer interactions remain secure, fast, and scalable.

This is not just another AI API company.

It is a full-stack AI + Telecom platform purpose-built for India’s enterprise ecosystem.

The Road Ahead

Voice AI is rapidly becoming the default interface for customer interaction. As adoption grows, enterprises will demand more than intelligent models — they will require infrastructure-level reliability and regulatory-grade compliance.

Fonada’s vision is clear:

To become the foundational layer powering AI-driven customer interactions across India.

By controlling the Core AI, Application Layer, and Telecom Infrastructure, Fonada is not merely participating in the Voice AI revolution — it is building the backbone that enables it.

For more information, visit:

www.fonadalabs.ai

www.fonada.ai

New Delhi [India], February 20: With location-based media poised for steady growth, regional leaders in Pune are aligning infrastructure expansion with structured outdoor networks

India’s advertising industry is projected to cross the ₹2 lakh crore mark in 2026, according to forecasts by global media investment firm WPP. The milestone reflects not just scale but structural transformation, with digital formats expected to command nearly two-thirds of total ad expenditure.

Yet even as digital dominates media allocations, location-based media — including out-of-home (OOH) advertising — is demonstrating structural resilience. Industry projections indicate high single-digit growth for location-based formats, supported by infrastructure expansion, rising mobility, and renewed advertiser confidence in physical visibility.

For organised regional OOH players, particularly in Maharashtra’s high-growth corridors, the next phase of expansion is being defined less by inventory volume and more by compliance, structural durability, and geographic concentration.

Infrastructure-Led Visibility

The Mumbai-Pune economic belt continues to evolve into one of western India’s most dynamic industrial and residential clusters. Highway upgrades, logistics hubs, toll corridors, and peri-urban real estate expansion have broadened the canvas for outdoor advertising.

In such corridors, premium-format hoardings are increasingly viewed as long-term brand assets aligned with sustained commuter traffic rather than short-term promotional placements.

Advertisers across categories — including cement, automotive, pharmaceuticals, electronics retail and e-commerce — continue to rely on outdoor media to reinforce brand salience. Companies such as UltraTech Cement, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, Mankind Pharma, HP World, D Mart and Amazon India maintain active outdoor visibility across key Indian markets, underscoring continued advertiser trust in the medium.

Compliance as Competitive Advantage

Regulatory tightening around hoardings in Maharashtra has accelerated formalisation within the OOH ecosystem. Authorities have emphasised structural audits, licensing clarity, and standardised permissions — developments that industry participants say are strengthening long-term credibility.

While compliance requirements may lengthen execution timelines, organised operators argue that structured approvals and engineering-backed installations ultimately enhance advertiser confidence.

“Outdoor advertising is entering a more disciplined era,” said Shubham Jain, an outdoor media entrepreneur based in Pune. “As India’s advertising market scales toward ₹2 lakh crore, brands are prioritising partners who offer compliant, structurally sound, and strategically located media assets. The future belongs to organised OOH.”

Market Leadership in Pune

Within this evolving landscape, Pune has emerged as a strategic outdoor advertising hub. The city’s expanding industrial footprint, IT corridors, and residential growth belts have transformed it into a high-impact media market in western India.

Shubindia Ad Works has built a concentrated portfolio of premium-format hoardings across key arterial routes, toll corridors and infrastructure-led growth zones around Pune. Industry observers describe this cluster-based approach as creating a strategically dominant footprint in the Pune outdoor advertising market.

As advertisers seek consistent visibility across major commuter routes, consolidation has favoured organised players with on-ground execution capabilities and regulatory familiarity. In Pune, structured inventory ownership and corridor concentration are increasingly differentiating factors.

“Pune is no longer just a regional city — it is a strategic growth engine for western India,” Jain added. “Brands entering or expanding in the region prioritise high-impact outdoor visibility here, and organised inventory networks make that possible at scale.”

Growth Amid Digital Dominance

Digital advertising continues to attract the largest share of marketing budgets, driven by targeting capabilities and measurable performance. However, OOH retains distinct advantages — geographic precision, unavoidable exposure, and repeated high-frequency visibility in real-world environments.

Unlike digital formats that can be skipped or blocked, outdoor media commands attention within physical space. For infrastructure, retail and mass-market categories, physical scale remains integral to brand recall.

Industry analysts note that while digital will remain the fastest-growing segment, steady OOH expansion reflects structural relevance rather than cyclical recovery. The gradual integration of digital screens and data-backed measurement tools is further modernising traditional outdoor formats.

The Road Ahead

As India’s advertising industry approaches the ₹2 lakh crore milestone projected by WPP, the interplay between digital scale and physical visibility will shape media strategy decisions.

For organised OOH operators, the opportunity lies in disciplined expansion — aligning infrastructure corridors, regulatory clarity and concentrated geographic dominance.

In markets like Pune, where industrial growth and urban mobility converge, structured outdoor networks are increasingly viewed as gateway assets for western India brand rollouts.

“The transformation of outdoor media is not about competing with digital,” Jain said. “It is about complementing it — offering scale, permanence and trust in a rapidly expanding advertising economy.”

In an increasingly screen-saturated environment, compliant, strategically positioned billboards continue to deliver something uniquely powerful: sustained, unavoidable presence in the physical world.

New Delhi [India], February 20: Expoman Group has announced the launch of the International Athletics Meet (IAM) 2026 – Global Sports Leadership Conference on “The New Sports Ecosystem”, to be convened on 20 May 2026 in New Delhi. The conference is positioned as a strategic national platform designed to reinforce India’s long-term sports infrastructure, governance frameworks, athlete development systems, and global event readiness, in alignment with the country’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games 2030 and its aspiration to host the Olympic Games in 2036.

India’s rising stature in global sport reflects the broader national development momentum under the vision of Vikasit Bharat, led by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The successful confirmation of the Commonwealth Games 2030 – supported by the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Indian Olympic Association – demonstrates international confidence in India’s institutional capacity, infrastructure standards, and governance preparedness. The leadership and forward-looking vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister in strengthening sports as a pillar of national development merit acknowledgement and respect.

The International Athletic Meet 2026 has been conceived as a comprehensive ecosystem platform focused on strengthening the structural foundations required for sustained global sporting leadership. The conference will address sustainable and environmentally responsible infrastructure, professional facility management systems, governance, and compliance frameworks, public-private partnership (PPP) opportunities, sports technology integration, employment generation across sports-linked industries, hospitality preparedness for international delegations, high-performance athlete pathways, and inclusive participation models.

India’s sporting ambition today extends well beyond hosting tournaments. It encompasses green infrastructure aligned with global environmental benchmarks; operational excellence in stadium and venue management; integrated transport and mobility systems; sports tourism development; skilled workforce creation; sports medicine, rehabilitation and recovery ecosystems; analytics-driven performance monitoring; and expanded accessibility for para-athletes and persons with disabilities. IAM 2026 will convene policymakers, sporting bodies, investors, infrastructure developers, healthcare leaders, and industry stakeholders to align these interconnected priorities into a coherent and sustainable national roadmap.

The conference agenda reflects this integrated approach. Deliberations will focus on mega-event readiness, sustainability standards in infrastructure development, governance discipline in sports administration, PPP models for facility expansion, employment generation, hospitality integration, sports-tech innovation, medical and recovery systems, and inclusive frameworks that ensure accessibility and equal opportunity remain central to national planning.

The initiative is guided by a distinguished Advisory Board aligned with these objectives. Padma Shri Dr Niru Kumar strengthens the commitment to inclusive sports systems and para-sports ecosystem development through her recognised work in diversity, equity and inclusion and advocacy for persons with disabilities. Dr Prasoon M. Tripathi contributes expertise in governance architecture and talent frameworks to professionalise sports administration and management systems. Raman Krishnan supports leadership development and performance culture across coaching and athlete support ecosystems. Dr Vipin Sethi brings strategic insight into healthcare integration and long-term athlete sustainability. Talees Rizvi, CMD & Founder of Indian Conventions, serves as Knowledge Partner, ensuring structured alignment between policy direction, institutional capability, and investment ecosystems.

Gaurav Sharma, Founder, International Athletics Meet, https://iam2026.com stated:

“We express our profound respect for the leadership and vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in bringing the Commonwealth Games 2030 to India and advancing our Olympic aspiration for 2036. This achievement reflects global confidence in India’s capabilities and places upon us a clear responsibility, to deliver infrastructure of international standard, management systems of excellence, environmentally sustainable facilities, inclusive opportunity for every aspiring athlete and governance framework that meet global expectations. The International Athletic Meet 2026 is our contribution towards strengthening that national preparedness and ensuring India stands as a benchmark destination for world sport.”

Sapana Sharma, Founder & Director, Expoman India Private Limited https://expomangroup.com, said:

“India’s sporting progress must be supported by disciplined planning, sustainable investment and coordinated execution. IAM 2026 seeks to bring together leaders committed to infrastructure excellence, employment generation, hospitality readiness, environmental responsibility, and inclusive growth.”

Talees Rizvi, CMD & Founder, Indian Conventions https://indianconventions.in , added:

“Sustained global credibility in sport depends upon the alignment of infrastructure, governance, talent development, and stakeholder collaboration. IAM 2026 has been structured as a knowledge-led platform to support India’s emergence as a professionally managed and globally respected sporting nation.”

The International Athletic Meet 2026, Global Conference is an initiative of Expoman Group with Indian Conventions serving as Knowledge Partner.

Event Details

International Athletics Meet (IAM) 2026 – Global Conference

20 May 2026 | New Delhi

For participation, partnerships, and media enquiries:

Website: https://iam2026.com

Email: partner@iam2026.com

Contact: +91 9310634007, +91 9873909991, +91 8860227114

Moscow [Russia], February 20: Sber is announcing the start of the seventh batch of Sber500, an international seed accelerator for technology startups from Russia and abroad.

The seed accelerator invites startups with finished products or breakthrough DeepTech projects at earlier stages that can contribute to the long-term development of key sectors of the economy. Some of the tech priorities are generative artificial intelligence, robotics, new materials, and other science-driven fields with high scaling potential. Special attention is given to international startups seeking to grow their business and raise investments in Russia.

The seed accelerator program will last for 12 weeks and will be conducted in English. The first stage — an online boot camp — will bring together 150 teams to shape or rethink their strategy and product, as well as propose a strategy for applying their solutions within the Sber ecosystem.

Following the boot camp selection stage, the top 25 teams will proceed into the main program to work with international mentors and Sber500 partners from among investors and large companies. The final stage of the accelerator is a demo day at the Moscow Startup Summit in the fall of 2026, where startups will pitch their solutions to the leaders of major corporations, venture fund partners, and government officials.

Alexander Vedyakhin, first deputy chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank:

“Sber500 is a unique project for the Russian market. It combines the interests of investors, corporate partners, the state, and, of course, Sber itself. For us, it is an opportunity to build a community of technology partners around us and significantly accelerate the marketing of new products. For startups, it is a chance to acquire a client and test the viability of their product on a large infrastructure.

“Sber500 teams pitch their solutions to 70 venture investors, funds, more than 30 customers, and negotiate partnerships with Sber companies. Graduates of the previous six batches raised RUB 1 bn (USD 13 mn) in investments in 2025 alone, which is approximately 14% of the Russian venture market in 2025, according to Venture Guide. All investments in the 155 graduates of the accelerator over six years surpassed RUB 4.6 bn (USD 60 mn), while their revenue grew on average four-fold within two years after the accelerator. In some cases, it soars by up to 1,000 times.”

Mumbai, India, 20 February: Highbar Technocrat delivered a strong show for the last quarter, marked by results from various strategic project wins, SAP ERP Cloud Private transformation kick-offs, and achievement of significant go live marks for infrastructure, power, transmission, EV mobility, construction, and real estate projects.

The quarter saw increasing confidence in Highbar Technocrat’s domain and execution-centric SAP ERP Cloud Private solution and digital transformation capabilities by large execution-centric organisations in its domain. This was enabled by close leadership involvement and execution governance.

The senior leadership, along with Upagupta Patnaik, COO & senior EVP, closely worked with the delivery and client teams for ensuring alignment between SAP ERP Cloud Private programs and practical execution, compliance, and project governance disciplines.

Quarter at a Glance

New Project Wins: 9 reputed infrastructure & industrial organisations

Sectors Covered: Infrastructure, Power, Transmission, Real Estate, EV Mobility

ERP Focus Areas:

  • Project Management
  • Finance & Accounts
  • Procurement & Inventory
  • Client Billing
  • Equipment / Asset
  • Contract & Client Billing
  • Quality Management
  • Production Planning
  • Document management

During this quarter, Highbar Technocrat was able to win new SAP ERP Cloud deals from leading organisations.

These organisations have stringent regulatory environments, complex price structures, and high execution pressures. Highbar’s strength in integrating SAP ERP Cloud and SAP ERP Cloud Private with execution realities on the ground has been a differentiating factor. This, according to the delivery leadership, is a key indicator of a market shift towards ERP partners who understand execution and governance, not merely technology.

This view only strengthens Highbar Technocrat’s pre-existing thesis and conviction that the SAP ERP Cloud Private is not an IT effort but an execution, governance, and control platform for companies.

SAP ERP Cloud Private Project Wins & Kick-offs

Highbar successfully kicked off multiple SAP ERP Cloud Private transformation programs across regions, including:

  • Transrail Lighting – Mumbai
  • Montecarlo – Ahmedabad
  • Krisala Developers – Pune
  • Shivalaya Constructions – Delhi
  • OTPC – Delhi
  • Runwal Realty (for RPA) – Mumbai
  • MSN Realty – Hyderabad
  • Mohan Mutha Exports – Chennai
  • Capacit’e Infraprojects – Mumbai
  • Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (MSETCL) – Mumbai

These kick-offs further strengthened Highbar’s SAP ERP Cloud Private delivery footprint across India.

Go-Live

Several SAP ERP Cloud Private programs achieved successful go live during the quarter, including:

  • Godrej Properties – Mumbai
  • ULCCS – Vatakara, Kerala
  • Kumar Metals – Mumbai
  • AAB Construction, Armenia
  • Total Environment – Bengaluru
  • LCC Infra, Ahmedabad

These milestones demonstrate Highbar’s ability to deliver stable, scalable, execution ready SAP ERP Cloud systems within demanding operational environments.

Leadership Commentary

Commenting on the quarter, Mr. Mangesh Wadaje, CEO & Chairman, said:

“Under Upagupta’s strategic direction and steadfast commitment, the team has been working with extraordinary focus, resilience, and execution excellence. These milestones significantly strengthen Highbar’s market presence.”

Most notably, Business Development – Private reached its full-year business targets in just three quarters, setting a record for the highest performance and execution tempo.

This achievement also followed the effective collaboration and inputs of Ashok Wani, Snehal Kumbhar, and Parag Sinkar, whose skills were instrumental in fulfilling Highbar’s growth strategy aspirations.

Global Engagements & Thought Leadership

During the quarter, Highbar Technocrat also attended significant International Business Forums, which included the Premier Indo Russia & Indo Brazil Business Dialogues organized by Sakal Media Group & AP Globale.

These interactions represent increasing global presence and Highbar’s participation in strategically important cross-border discussions on SAP ERP Cloud Private enabled enterprise transformation for execution-intensive industries.

About Highbar Technocrat

Highbar Technocrat is a leading SAP and digital transformation partner to the EC&O and Construction Industrial sectors. They specialize in execution driven and domain led SAP ERP Cloud Private solutions to enhance governance, compliance, and excellence.