CHENNAI PLUS

Castrol India Limited has relaunched its leading two-wheeler engine oil brand, Castrol Activ. This upgrade includes a product improvement (API SN) and new packaging featuring Shah Rukh Khan. The relaunch emphasizes enhanced protection against engine overheating, catering to the needs of bike riders in India.  With about 235 million two-wheelers in India and a sales increase of 14. 8% in 2024, riders face challenges like extreme heat and heavy traffic. Engine overheating can significantly impact bike performance and rider comfort, especially in the hot summer months.  The new Actibond™ Technology in Castrol Activ offers 50% better wear protection during start-up compared to the API SN standard. Its 3X protection covers three areas: at start-up to minimize wear, during running to prevent oil thickening and better dissipate heat, and during shutdown to protect against corrosion.  Rohit Talwar, Vice President & Head of Marketing at Castrol India, highlighted overheating a...

J ust over a year into its bold rebrand, the company has welcomed acclaimed entrepreneur, actress, and mother of two, Drew Barrymore, to the stage at MWC 2025 to share her passionate views on screen time.    Mum, entrepreneur and actress exclaimed: “Technology has taken advantage of the tired parent. It's time to redefine how we live. Patience from the past meets future forward technology. I started this for my children, but I also truly want it for myself, and for you.”   Barrymore also teased an upcoming collaboration set to disrupt the status quo by tackling the ‘status scroll.’ She hinted at the code name of this new initiative; ‘Project Wildflower’.  On this occasion Ravi Kunwar, VP and CEO, HMD India and APAC said: “ At HMD, our commitment to putting humans first in mobile technology continues to drive our innovation. The Indian market has embraced our vision of better technology that respects digital wellbeing and offers meaningful experiences. T...

Mumbai-based The Wealth Company Asset Management Pvt Ltd, previously known as Pantomath Capital Management, intends to grow its presence in Tamil Nadu, aiming for a three-fold increase in assets under management (AUM) from major cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchirappalli. Currently, Chennai makes up 5. 15% of the company's AUM, and The Wealth Company plans to raise this figure to 15%. This growth strategy is part of the company’s plan to strengthen its position in the region. The Wealth Company is recognized for its quick capital raising and deployment abilities, as well as its market-leading exit strategy. The firm has successfully raised over INR 4000 Cr in AUM in just one year. Ms. Madhu Lunawat, the Managing Director, explained the unique approach that has fueled the firm's growth. She stated, “As India’s investor ecosystem evolves, it’s crucial to seize wealth creation opportunities with a solid 'Exit Ideology'. Investors are now very aware t...

LG Electronics India has expanded its free ad-supported TV service, LG Channels, now offering over 100 channels. Users can access a wide range of content, including entertainment, music, news, kids' shows, and lifestyle programs, without needing subscriptions or payments. LG smart TV users can enjoy this service without set-top boxes, ensuring a convenient viewing experience. The platform features popular channels across many genres, appealing to all family members and celebrating India's language diversity by providing content in Hindi, English, and various regional languages like Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, and Bangla. Mr. Hong Ju Jeon, MD of LG Electronics India, emphasized the company's commitment to enhancing the entertainment experience for customers and the ongoing expansion of LG Channels to include more personalized content. Users can access LG Channels through the LG channel app available on all LG smart TV devices.

Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) is dedicated to creating a fair workforce through ongoing efforts to promote meaningful change. For International Women’s Day 2025, GCPL has launched ‘WomenAlly: Allies in Action’, a month-long initiative in various regions, including Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This initiative honors individuals who are allies in promoting inclusion, fairness, and a supportive workplace for women. GCPL will highlight its commitment to helping women through four main platforms. These include a documentary film focusing on Breaking Gender Barriers in Sales, panel discussions on Allyship at manufacturing sites, a WomenAlly event in Mumbai, and a Family Outreach Initiative to recognize women's roles in the challenging sales sector of FMCG. The company will also use this opportunity to discuss next year's plans for its programs, Godrej ki Shakti (which supports women in manufacturing) and Aarambh (which empowers women in sales). Vaibhav Ram, Global H...

On International Women’s Day, Amazon India has launched a special storefront featuring over 200,000 products from women entrepreneurs. These items include healthy snacks, home décor, sarees, skin-care products, kitchen organizers, fashion, sportswear, and more. The products are available to customers in all serviceable areas across India. Gaurav Bhatnagar, Director of Sales at Amazon India, emphasized the importance of recognizing the efforts of women entrepreneurs in India. He stated that the new storefront aims to highlight the creativity and hard work of these women, who have leveraged e-commerce to enhance their businesses and preserve local traditions. Amazon is committed to supporting women-led small and medium enterprises by providing them with digital tools and wider access to customers. The company aims to create more opportunities for women in business in the future and contribute to a more diverse economy in India. Since its launch in 2017, Amazon Saheli has improved the...

Bank of India (BOI) has taken a significant step in expanding its footprint by inaugurating 111 new branches across the country. The virtual inauguration was led by the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rajneesh Karnatak, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to financial inclusion and enhanced customer accessibility. The newly inaugurated branches span multiple cities, further strengthening Bank of India's nationwide presence. Hyderabad FGMO (Field General Manager Office) has seen the highest increase, with seventeen new branches. Chennai FGMO has witnessed significant growth with fourteen new branches.Pune FGMO   has expanded with thirteen and New Delhi FGMO has introduced twelve new branches. Bhopal FGMO has expanded with eleven. Chandigarh and Lucknow FGMO have each inaugurated ten branches each. Commenting on the expansion, Mr. Rajneesh Karnatak, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, said: “This expansion strengthens our presence in key urban and ...

Piramal Finance has launched ‘Aaiv’, a series of short films that focus on understanding customers' intentions instead of just traditional documentation in lending. The films are produced in five regional languages: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and Marathi, showcasing the emotional connections and aspirations of borrowers. Through ‘Aaiv’, Piramal Finance promotes a customer-focused approach to turning aspirations into reality.  A notable interview features Abish Clinton, whose path to homeownership is characterized by hope and resilience. In the conversation hosted by Nizhalgal Ravi, Abish shares his emotional journey, discussing the challenges he faced and the determination that helped him succeed. ‘Aaiv’ is available on Piramal Finance’s YouTube Channel and the Sun NXT OTT platform, reaching a wider audience to spread the message of financial inclusion. Arvind Iyer from Piramal Finance emphasizes the importance of understanding customers’ dreams and honoring the emotional j...

Galaxy Health Insurance, the youngest standalone health insurer in India, has introduced Galaxy Top-up, an affordable product to boost health insurance coverage. This plan offers extra protection at a lower cost and ensures access to quality healthcare. It is the first top-up plan in India to feature Premium Promise, which guarantees no premium increases until policyholders make a claim or turn 55 years old, whichever comes first. This feature can be added as optional cover.  Galaxy Top-up stands out from traditional health insurance plans as it provides a higher sum insured, ranging from ₹5 Lakhs to ₹2 crores. It offers comprehensive coverage and flexibility, including hospitalization and surgeries after a minimum waiting period of one year, and also supports advanced treatments. The plan covers nanotechnology, which amounts to 25% of the sum insured. This technology uses nanomaterials to deliver drugs, diagnose diseases, and aid in wound healing, allowing for more precise tre...

TANKER (Tamilnad Kidney Research) Foundation is a non-profit organization established in June 1993. Its goal is to assist underprivileged patients with kidney disease by providing subsidized dialysis, one-time financial aid for medications, investigations, and transplants, as well as raising awareness about kidney health. TANKER cares for all individuals with kidney issues, whether reversible or terminal, without discrimination based on caste, creed, sex, or religion. The foundation operates 14 dialysis units, including 11 in Chennai, and one each in Madurai, Vellore, and Tiruppur.  FIVE STAR Business Finance Limited has contributed four dialysis machines worth Rs. 30,38,000/- as part of their CSR efforts to support TANKER’s units in Valluvarkottam, Vellore, and Tiruppur. The new machines were inaugurated by Mr. Sivaramakrishnan L, Manager - CSR, and Dr. Ezhilan, MLA, who emphasized the government's support for TANKER. He noted the rising incidence of kidney failure and the need ...

Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited (SCIL) has announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Germany-based Heubach Group through its subsidiary Sudarshan Europe B. V. This acquisition combines SCIL’s expertise with Heubach’s technological capabilities, making a global leader in pigments. The merger will enhance SCIL’s product offerings and provide access to a diverse network of 19 sites worldwide. The new company will feature a wide range of high-quality pigments and a strong presence in key markets like Europe and the Americas, ensuring it meets global customer needs. Mr. Rajesh Rathi will lead the new entity as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer with a skilled leadership team.  Heubach has a long history and became the second-largest player in the pigment market after integrating with Clariant in 2022. It achieved over a billion euros in revenue in the last two years but faced financial difficulties due to rising costs and high interest rates. SCIL aims to...

A year ago, the Jawa 350 brought back classic motorcycling in India with a mix of traditional style and modern features. To celebrate its first anniversary on Indian roads, Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles is launching the Jawa 350 Legacy Edition, which is available to the first 500 customers.  The Jawa 350 Legacy Edition improves the riding experience with special features. It includes a touring visor for better wind protection, a pillion backrest for extra comfort when riding with a passenger, and a premium crash guard for safety and style. Additionally, it comes with a premium leather keychain and a collectible miniature of the Jawa motorcycle. Sharad Agarwal, Chief Business Officer of Classic Legends, noted that since its launch, the Jawa 350 has gained popularity among riders. He emphasized that the motorcycle blends classic design with modern performance and follows the design principle of the golden ratio, ensuring beauty and good ride dynamics. The Legacy Edition aims to provide ...