CHENNAI PLUS

On the happy event of the 52nd Birthday Celebrations of the People’s Leader and Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, THIRU C. JOSEPH VIJAY   variety sports and cultural were held on 28th June 2026, Sunday   at Kambar Colony Ground, Anna Nagar, Chennai . Thiru. POOKADAI S. K. M. KUMAR, Secretary of Chennai Central District presided over the function.The Guest of Honour was Thiru. JCD. PRABHAKAR, Honorable Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Special Guests present on the occasion were Thiru. V. K. RAMKUMAR, M. E. (AUS), MLA for Anna Nagar ,Thiru. PRATISH VEDHAPPUDI, Managing Director of VGN Group, Chairman of the HR Committee for the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, Mr.AR. HARSHITHA RAVI, M. ARCH (CPM), Founder and Chief Architect of The Hook Studio ,Dr.R. K. FLORENCE, PH. D, Principal of St. Thomas College of Arts & Science in Koyambedu  and Thiru. S. VARATHARAJ, CEO of ASR Sports Academy, President of the Tamil Nadu Badminton Court Owners Association....

As a lead-up to the yearly Madras Day and Madras Month festivities, Madras Art Weekend alongside The Hindu: Made of Chennai is excited to introduce “Landscapes of Belonging,” a carefully chosen group exhibition that tells stories, shares memories, and expresses a strong connection to place. The chief guests, Mr. Sivakumar, Mrs. Suhasini Maniratnam, Mr. Pankaj Parashar and Ms. Mariana L Neisuler made the inaugural celebration a wonderful and memorable occasion. This exhibition includes artworks from 100 new and well-known artists, presenting a variety of visual art, photography, mixed media, ceramics, and digital art that provide different viewpoints on heritage, culture, and changing identity. The assorted selection of visual artwork such as paintings, photography, mixed media, ceramics, and digital creations is an impressive treat. The event aims to highlight Chennai's rich history, personal stories, memories, and its developing cultural identity. Moreover, this exhibition we...

Ask any young parent in India what dinner with a small child looks like these days, and the answer is rarely a conversation. It is a plate of food in one hand and a phone or remote in the other, the television already on before the first bite is taken. A 2025 AIIMS study on screen use among toddlers in Haryana found that letting a child use a device during meals was one of the two strongest predictors of excessive screen time in early childhood, and that one in ten parents admitted to using a screen simply to get their child to eat at all. The struggle isn't getting children to eat. It's getting them to look up while they do. It also happens to be the season when this matters most. Children across the city are settling back into school, trading stories about new classmates, new teachers, new friends made over the break, all the small collisions that come with starting a year afresh. It's exactly the stretch when they come home with the questions that are harder to answer ...

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras has announced the commencement of a new student accommodation project with a groundbreaking ceremony held on its campus. The facility, being developed in partnership with Elevate Campuses Limited, is expected to strengthen the Institute’s residential infrastructure and cater to the evolving needs of its growing student community. The hostels will be designed, built and operated by Elevate Campuses Limited, one of India’s largest institutionalised and independent education infrastructure platform focused on owning, operating and managing on-campus student accommodation and K-12 assets. The proposed facility will accommodate more than 1800 PhD students and project staff, in two blocks and is expected to be completed by mid-2028. The hostels will provide fully furnished, air-conditioned rooms equipped with essential amenities. In addition, the student accommodation complex will offer dedicated study areas, recreation zones, pantry facilities, sp...

With schools reopening across the country, kitchens are once again buzzing with an age-old morning ritual: packing lunchboxes before the school bell rings. But today's lunchbox looks very different from a decade ago. Alongside traditional favourites, parents are increasingly reaching for convenient foods that balance taste, quality, and nutrition. Tapping into this seasonal shift, Noice, a premium food brand dedicated to reviving authentic recipes through small-batch craftsmanship, has launched a specially curated Back-to-School Range featuring spreads, juices, dips, yogurts, cookies, protein snacks, and pantry staples designed for busy mornings, recess breaks, and after-school hunger pangs. The range is available across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai. Bringing together everyday essentials and kid-friendly favourites, the collection includes Peanut Butter & Jam, Mango, Orange, Pomegranate and Litchi Juices, Coconut Water, Avocado Dip, Yogurt (Regular and Pr...

Lava International Limited, India’s leading homegrown smartphone brand, today introduced the Smart series with the launch of Smart 4 Plus, a "No Tension Phone" designed for young users seeking a stylish, reliable, and smooth mobile experience at an accessible price point. The device combines long-lasting battery life, and user-friendly features, making it an ideal choice for everyday communication, entertainment, and productivity.The smartphone is priced at INR 9,999 and is available across Lava retail outlets. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Sumit Singh, SVP and Head of Product, Lava International Limited, said, “Smart is a new series added in the portfolio to cater to the under 10k category. Design, durability and battery are three key parameters for this segment, and we have ensured the new Smart 4 Plus delivers on these areas. Catering to the key pain points of Indian users, Smart 4 plus is built to withstand India’s weather conditions, superior network with Band 28 suppo...

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, has expanded its collaboration with Google Cloud and ServiceNow to deliver AI agents for enterprise adoption on the Gemini Enterprise platform. The launch coincides with HCLTech’s sponsorship of the Sydney Google Cloud Summit 2026. Building on HCLTech’s recently launched Gemini Enterprise business unit, the latest collaboration brings together advanced ServiceNow AI capabilities, enterprise workflow orchestration and industry expertise to enable organizations to deploy and scale AI in real business environments. HCLTech will introduce enterprise AI solutions on Gemini Enterprise that combine Gemini’s advanced AI capabilities with ServiceNow’s workflow platform - anchored in ServiceNow’s Blueprint for Agentic Business, a framework for structured, outcome-driven AI adoption. This includes a next-generation Factory Shop Floor Assistant, which delivers real-time operational intelligence to manufacturing environments, enabling faster decisio...

Gleneagles Hospital Chennai, a part of the Fortis Healthcare Network, has successfully performed India’s first adult lung transplant using lungs from a pediatric donor, offering a new lease of life to a 39-year-old woman from West Bengal suffering from advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease (RA-ILD). The patient had been battling RA-ILD for the past six years. The progressive condition, associated with rheumatoid arthritis, causes severe scarring of the lungs and significantly impairs breathing. Despite ongoing medical treatment, her condition deteriorated steadily, with her oxygen requirement increasing from 1 litre per minute to 8 litres per minute. This severely impacted her quality of life and ability to carry out routine daily activities. The patient approached Dr. Govini Balasubramani, Director, Heart & Lung Transplant, Gleneagles Hospital Chennai, supported by Dr. Sindhura Koganti, Senior Consultant - Pulmonology, Interventional Pulmonology an...

  Strengthens leadership position with 62% retail health market share in the state Chennai, June 24, 2026: Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited, India’s leading standalone health insurer, today reinforced its commitment to improving health insurance access and delivering faster, more transparent and customer-focused claims support across Tamil Nadu. In FY26, the company settled 2.5 lakh+ claims worth over 1,606 crores in the state. With Chennai serving as its home market and an important centre for its operations, Star Health continues to strengthen healthcare access across Tamil Nadu through its on-ground presence, advisor network, hospital partnerships and technology-enabled claims support. In FY26, the company recorded GWP of 2,951 crores in Tamil Nadu and covered 3.8 million+ lives, with over 94% of its portfolio comprising retail health. Its presence in the state is supported by 119 branches, 1.28 Lakh+ advisors and 1,900+ network hospitals. Star Health cont...

TVS Motor Company, a leading global manufacturer in the two and three-wheeler segment, today announced the opening of its authorised dealership, Hardeep Motors  in Chennai. The new facility strengthens TVS Motor Company’s retail presence in the region and underscores its continued focus on enhancing customer accessibility and experience. Strategically located in Old Washermenpet, Hardeep Motors is designed to offer customers a seamless end-to-end ownership journey. The dealership showcases TVS Motor Company’s comprehensive portfolio, including ⁠ all Passenger & Cargo Three Wheeler  , catering to diverse mobility needs. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mr. Rajat Gupta - Business Head Commercial MobilityTVS Motor Company , along with Mr. Deepak Bhandari, Dealer Owner marking an important milestone in the brand’s journey in the region. Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Rajat Gupta - Business Head Commercial Mobility TVS Motor Company said, " The inauguration o...

Amazon announced its plans to build India’s largest ‘delivery in minutes’ network by scaling Amazon Now, its ultra-fast delivery within minutes, to customers in over 300 cities across the country. Amazon Now has become the fastest-growing ecommerce business unit in Amazon India’s history with orders having doubled every quarter since launch. Amazon will scale up its specialized fulfillment infrastructure to offer the largest selection of products to customers across the country – when they need them – tens of thousands of products delivered in minutes or a few hours, a wider selection of over one million within the same-day, over four million the next day and millions more with unlimited, free & fast Prime Delivery. Amazon also announced ‘Sammaan’, a dedicated program focused on the welfare of tens of thousands of delivery associates powering its e commerce  and quick commerce business. A portion of Amazon India's recently announced $300 million investment in operations and a...

The Aditya Birla Group unveiled the INT Aditya Birla Performing Arts Academy , giving a new shape and renewed purpose to one of India's most storied cultural institutions. The launch marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Indian National Theatre (INT), an organisation that has shaped generations of artists and audiences since the years preceding India's Independence. The Academy was inaugurated by Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the Academy, in the presence of Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Mrs. Neerja Birla , Ms. Ananya Birla and Mr. Aryaman Vikram Birla . The initiative reflects a defining characteristic of the Aditya Birla Group's history: the creation of institutions that become enduring developmental assets. Across generations, the Group has invested in nation-building through schools, universities, hospitals, research centres, cultural institutions and community platforms. The reimagining of INT extends that legacy, crea...

Alpenliebe , from the house of Perfetti Van Melle India, announced that it has partnered with Swiggy, India’s pioneering on-demand convenience platform, to launch the Alpenliebe Sweetest City Challenge , to reinforce that delivery partners are the backbone of India’s growing new-age economy, navigating countless conversations across cities every single day. The challenge will be live across 20+ cities of India including Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi. This one-of-its-kind initiative is designed to encourage millions of consumers, who interact with delivery partners across cities, to add a small gesture of appreciation, warmth and gratitude when receiving their orders. Alpenliebe, through their recent India’s Sweetness Report survey across   approximately 28,000 delivery partners , revealed that   delivery partners rated their customer experiences below average in nearly 2 out of 5 cases, while sharing that 1 in 4 deliveries ended without a greeting or ...

Interio by Godrej, a leading furniture brand from the Godrej Enterprises Group, reported revenue of INR 4,000 crore for FY26, registering a year-on-year growth of 12% over FY25. The business expanded its presence across 100 new cities during the year, while New Product Introduction (NPI) sales contributed 22% to the overall business. Interio plans to grow revenue by 25% in FY27, supported by continued retail expansion, deeper market penetration, growth in online sales and the introduction of new furniture categories. The company also plans to add 102 new stores during FY27, with a focus on strengthening its presence across North and East India. Speaking on the performance and outlook , Swapneel Nagarkar, Business Head and Executive Vice President, Interio by Godrej said , “ The Indian furniture industry is entering a new phase of evolution where consumer expectations are moving beyond functionality towards design, flexibility, technology integration and overall living experiences. ...

This Father's Day, Indian consumers moved beyond predictable gifts and leaned into more personal ways of celebrating dads. India’s pioneering quick commerce platform, Instamart, revealed a surge in demand for thoughtful gifting categories such as greeting cards, wallets, perfumes, grooming kits and gadgets, signalling a shift towards gifts that feel more meaningful and memorable. While chocolates continued to be a popular Father's Day staple, the standout trend was the return of the humble greeting card. Orders for Father's Day cards skyrocketed by more than 120 times compared to regular days, making them one of the fastest-growing gifting categories on the platform. Father's Day gifting peaked during the late morning hours on Father's Day itself, highlighting the increasingly spontaneous nature of gifting occasions in the quick-commerce era. Thoughtful Gifts Take Centre Stage Father's Day gift baskets increasingly reflected the broader premiumisation tre...

Mentos, one of India’s most loved confectionary brands expands its portfolio with the launch of Mentos Fresh Action. The refreshing new hard candy is designed to provide an intense feeling of freshness, while also providing a cooling sensation to your nose and throat. Mentos Fresh Action available in Menthol Eucalyptus flavour is a clear candy shell with a blue liquid center, providing freshness that can be seen and felt. Every piece contains Vitamin C, offering a high-intensity flavour delivery system to create a refreshing sensation and burst of freshness with each bite. Amid growing demand for freshness-oriented, sensorially rich experiences, Mentos Fresh Action aims to make this experience accessible to a larger consumer base through its attractive INR 1 price point. Speaking about the launch, Gunjan Khetan, Marketing Director, Perfetti Van Melle India, said, "As consumer expectations from freshness evolve, we see a clear shift in growing preference towards a bolder, mor...