CHENNAI PLUS

  VIDA Kovai Kings have been crowned champions of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2026, securing their third title in the league and marking a memorable first season under their new identity. Led by Indian cricket star M Shahrukh Khan, the team delivered a stellar campaign to bring home the coveted trophy. Sachin B was crowned the Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance, finishing with an impressive tally of 428 runs. Deeban Lingesh was named the Most Dependable Player of the Tournament after an exceptional bowling performance that saw him claim 17 wickets. Ambrish RS took home the Most Emerging Player of the Tournament award for his promising performances throughout the competition. Sachin B also secured the Maximum Fours of the Tournament award, smashing 41 fours over the course of the tournament. The triumph marks a strong beginning to the title partnership between VIDA and Kovai Kings, bringing together the franchise’s winning spirit with VIDA’s vision...

Lava International Limited, India's leading homegrown smartphone brand,   announced its entry into the United Kingdom smartphone market with the launch of Lava AGNI 4N. Designed to deliver a premium smartphone experience at an accessible price point, the AGNI 4N combines flagship-grade performance, thoughtful design, and user-centric innovation for UK consumers. The AGNI 4N sale will go live on Amazon starting 4th September 2026. AGNI - Lava’s flagship series reflects the company’s belief in India's ability to lead through innovation. Built with the vision of challenging conventions rather than following them, AGNI represents a commitment to delivering uncompromised technology, meaningful innovation, and a clean, user-first experience. Every AGNI device embodies the spirit of New India, designed to redefine expectations, inspire confidence, and demonstrate that world-class innovation can be created in India, for users across the globe. Commenting on the launch, Sunil Raina,...

Raksha Bandhan used to mean a thread on the wrist and a box of mithai. In 2026, it means gold coin rakhis, smartwatches, and a Gurgaon cart worth ₹14,630. Instamart's Rakhi Trends 2026 shows rakhi orders grew nearly 300% year-on-year and the way India is gifting using quick commerce has changed just as fast. The festive rush peaked on August 28 at exactly 12:01 PM, when last-minute shoppers flooded the app to trigger 857 rakhis ordered per minute. Chocolates and mithai were up by 30% respectively, compared to the week before Rakhi, but the real story is what's riding alongside them. Gift hampers are up 85% week-on-week, smartwatches nearly doubled at 99%, and premium designer rakhis grew 130%, proof that the humble thread has gone upscale for some users. In the days leading up to Raksha Bandhan, Hyderabad led rakhi orders, followed by Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Gurgaon, Noida, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar and Vizag. From Thread to Treasure Precious metals ...

Lava International Limited, India’s leading homegrown smartphone brand, announced that the Virat V1 Pro 5G will go on sale on Flipkart starting August 31, 2026, at 12:00 PM. Bringing together a premium experience coupled with powerful performance, durability and large memory, the Virat V1 Pro 5G features a long-lasting 6000mAh battery, 6GB RAM with up to 6GB Virtual RAM, 128GB ROM and a 50MP AI rear camera. The smartphone is powered by the Octa-Core Unisoc T8200 processor, built on a 6nm architecture and scoring 500K+ on AnTuTu. It features a 17.13 cm (6.75") HD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate and up to 550 nits HBM brightness. Running on Android 16 with a bloatware-free UI, the device is backed by 1 Android OS upgrade and 2 years of security updates, along with an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance. Available in two striking colorways - Sikkim Midnight and Spiti Frost, the smartphone combines premium design with reliable everyday performance.

On August 27, 2026, the Anglo-Indian Suburban Front and Anglos In The Wind convened a meeting for the Anglo-Indian community at the Don Bosco Shrine Hall in Ayanavaram, Chennai. The event featured Mr. Felix Gerald, the esteemed Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission, as the main speaker. In his address, Mr. Felix conveyed that the Tamil Nadu government, under the leadership of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of its citizens. He highlighted various welfare initiatives offered by the government. Mr. Felix Gerald  promised that he would strive to simplify the process for the Anglo-Indian Community to obtain their Community Certificate. Acknowledging the concerns and suggestions from the Anglo-Indian community, Mr. Felix committed to advocating for their social, cultural, and educational progress. He also encouraged attendees to visit him at his office whenever they needed to discuss their issues or ideas. Mr. Richard O'Con...

  YiPPee! is handing 25 young chess players from Bengaluru and Chennai a once-in-a-lifetime move: the chance to play against Grandmasters including World No. 1 and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen, Indian chess legend Koneru Humpy, and rising star Divya Deshmukh through its ‘Cook. Share. Checkmate!’ contest, launched in association with Alpine APL Pipers. The Cook. Share. Checkmate! contest is open to players aged 13-19 years who are registered on Chess.com or Lichess.org, based in Bengaluru or Chennai. The contest invites young chess enthusiasts to make a bowl of YiPPee! noodles with their own creative twist, and share their most memorable, exciting or unexpected chess moment. 25 winners will be chosen for an exclusive chess experience- a chance to meet, interact with, and challenge the champions themselves. To enter, participants can fill out the official contest form, sharing a photo or video of their YiPPee! creation, their Chess.com or Lichess.org profile details,...

YES BANK, one of India's leading private sector banks, successfully hosted a distinct technology-led initiative - ‘AI Fest’ at the YES BANK’s Headquarters in Mumbai. The event brought together Artificial Intelligence (AI) use case solution providers and aimed to explore real-world AI applications and scalable implementation strategies. YES BANK ‘AI Fest’ 2026 was built around the theme of Intelligence, Innovation and Impact—showcasing how AI moves from concept to measurable business value. The event provided a platform to evaluate emerging AI solutions and engage directly with technology innovators. Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Mahesh Ramamoorthy, Chief Information Officer, YES BANK, said, “Financial services is at an inflection point with AI, as the sector focuses scaling AI responsibly and create lasting value. Our ‘AI Fest’ was designed to create a focused environment where our teams at YES BANK could ideate on possible AI solutions that are mature enough to be adopted....

Interio by Godrej, a leading furniture brand from the Godrej Enterprises Group, has unveiled its latest whitepaper, “Beyond the Screens: The Rise of Smart Learning Spaces,” examining how schools across India are adopting technology-enabled learning and what is required to create effective smart learning environments. Developed by the Workspace & Ergonomics Research Cell at Interio by Godrej, the whitepaper explores how learning environments that integrate technology, ergonomic furniture and flexible classroom layouts can enhance student engagement, collaboration and learning outcomes. The research draws insights from a diverse group of students across disciplines, age group (19-28), regions, colleges and universities, providing a comprehensive understanding of evolving learning needs and the role of technology in shaping modern educational environments. Commenting on the findings, Sameer Joshi, Senior Vice President and Head of B2B Business, Interio by Godrej said, "India...

 H CLTech, a leading global technology company, announced that Wacker Chemie AG, a global chemicals and biotechnology company, has recently established a Global Capability Center in Pune, India in collaboration with HCLTech. The GCC will support WACKER's engineering, IT and digital transformation initiatives. and provide a flexible, resilient and future-ready delivery foundation.   “The Global Capability Center is an important step in strengthening our global delivery and digital execution capabilities,” said Fabian Seibold, Director WACKER Excellence Hub Pune. “HCLTech’s experience in building and scaling such centers allows us to move forward with a model that supports agility, governance and long‑term growth.” "This expanded engagement builds on the strategic partnership between WACKER and HCLTech and marks an important milestone in WACKER's digital transformation. We are proud to support WACKER's long-term digital and engineering transformation journey as a t...

  Swiggy , India's pioneering on-demand convenience platform, today announced that its Food on Train offering has grown 12x in last 2 years (August 2024 to August 2026) with adoption in tier-2 and 3 markets growing twice as fast as in the metro cities. In addition to this, Swiggy has also expanded its Food on Train offering to 201 stations, up from 66 in 2024. Swiggy also launched two new product features designed to make transit ordering faster and more intuitive. The first one is ‘Search by Train’ that allows users to bypass traditional restaurant filtering by simply typing their Train Number or Train Name to instantly view food options mapped to their specific route and schedule. Also, the newly launched ‘99 Store Widget’ is a dedicated hub on the app that lets passengers quickly navigate to budget-friendly meal options, making affordable dining effortless on long journeys. Swiggy also shared interesting trends around the evolving food habits of train travelers. In just over...

Godrej Properties (GPL) announced the launch of Habitat Matters in partnership with Xynteo, a CSR initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of low-carbon construction materials in India's built environment. The programme will be piloted through Godrej Good & Green Labs, the innovation arm of Good & Green, Godrej Industries Group. India is in the midst of one of the largest construction booms of any economy in the world. By 2050, the country is expected to have approximately 34 billion square metres of new building stocks, with many studies estimating new construction almost doubling its current levels. Every building constructed in that window locks in its environmental footprint the moment it is built, making today's material choices a decision with consequences that cannot be undone. Cement, concrete, steel, glass, and blocks that form every wall account for a significant share of construction's carbon impact and remain among the least addressed challenges...

Lava International Limited, India’s leading homegrown smartphone brand, today introduced the latest addition to its Bold series with the launch of the Bold N4 Lite. The smartphone brings together a 6.56-inch display, dependable 5000mAh battery and reliable performance at an affordable price point. With its combination of essential features and value-focused pricing, the smartphone is designed to make a smooth and dependable smartphone experience more accessible to consumers, catering to their everyday needs. The Bold N4 Lite features a 6.56-inch display, offering a large viewing experience for everyday entertainment, social media, browsing, and multimedia consumption. The smartphone is available in two premium colour options – Empire Gold & Ghost Silver. Powered by the UNISOC 9863A chipset, the Bold N4 Lite is designed to deliver reliable performance for everyday tasks, apps, and multitasking. The smartphone comes with 3GB RAM with up to 3GB of additional virtual RAM and 32GB...

In alignment with the Government of India’s policy to promote coastal shipping as a fuel efficient, economical and environment friendly mode of transport, Paradip Port Authority (PPA) has formally granted Award of Concession to AMNS Paradip Logistics Private Limited (APLPL), a SPV of AM/NS India, for mechanisation of CQ‑III berth for handling Dry Bulk Cargo on Captive basis of 10 MTPA capacity. The award was presented by Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India to Shri Deepak Arora, Chief – Corporate Affairs, AM/NS India, during a special function held at Biju Convention, Paradeep, Odisha on August 21, 2026. The Concession, granted for a period of 30 years, will ensure seamless cargo movement, enhance operational efficiency of AM/NS India, and reinforce the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability. This arrangement will also enable APLPL to handle iron ore pellet shipments through a fully mechanised conveyo...

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, reported significant progress in FY26 against its sustainability goals and commitment to becoming net zero by 2040. The company has achieved a 55.84% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from its FY20 baseline, surpassing its target of a 50% reduction by 2030 four years ahead of schedule. It has also reduced its total emissions footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by 27.7% since FY20. Driving this progress is HCLTech's accelerating shift toward clean energy. Since FY20, the company has reduced energy consumption from conventional sources by 31%. Renewable energy now accounts for 49.79% of HCLTech’s total energy consumption and 89.65% of energy used in its data centers, reflecting sustained decarbonization efforts across the company’s operations and value chain. HCLTech has also strengthened its leadership in resource stewardship. The company replenishes 51 times more water than it consumes across its global operations and has achieved an in...

Godrej Industries Group (GIG) hosted the third edition of the National Chemistry Day Summit. Building on the success and momentum of the previous two editions, this joint initiative by GIG companies, Godrej Industries (Chemicals) and Astec LifeSciences, brought together leaders from across the chemical industry under the theme “Staying Resilient in a New Age World,” to examine how businesses can adapt, innovate and build for the future. The Indian chemical industry finds itself in a period of major transformation, with changing market dynamics, evolving supply chains, technological disruptions and a shifting sustainability landscape reshaping the way businesses operate. Against this backdrop, the summit explored how organisations can move beyond responding to change to anticipating it, strengthening their capabilities and creating long term value. Reflecting on the summit Vishal Sharma, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Godrej Industries (Chemicals) and Chairperson,...

Swiggy, India's pioneering on-demand convenience platform, today announced the launch of a new ordering experience within the eating-out landscape with the launch of ‘Order-in-Cinemas’ on Swiggy Dineout. The feature debuts in partnership with top multiplex brands, Cinepolis and Asian Cinemas, across multiple screens, opening up a brand-new touchpoint for theaters to engage with audiences. In addition to this, Swiggy Dineout has also partnered with a leading PoS aggregator, Impact (owned and operated by UFO Moviez) as well as with Showbizz, a leading Cinema Software Solutions provider for PoS aggregation. The integration with multiple PoS aggregators is currently underway. By leveraging technology to elevate F&B and the cinema experience, the ‘Order-in-Cinemas’ offering on Swiggy Dineout is set to redefine the food ordering experience at cinemas. Designed around a simple four-step journey- Scan, Browse, Order & Pay, and Delivery, customers can simply scan a QR code placed ...

As India gears up for the festive season starting with Raksha Bandhan, Instamart is seeing a sharp shift toward premium, jewellery-inspired Rakhis, with consumers moving beyond the traditional thread towards more premium and valuable keepsakes. Premium Rakhis on Instamart have surged 20x compared to last year, with strong demand for silver designs and a spike in searches for jewellery brands like Kalyan Jewellers, Palmonas and GIVA. the overall Rakhi gifting segment may grow around 3x this year, as consumers look for gifts that combine utility, personalisation and a touch of indulgence. That demand is showing up in what customers are choosing. Kalyan Jewellers' 925 Tripundra Trishul Rakhi and 925 Ganesh Rakhi (both 1g silver) are among the platform's top premium picks, alongside Palmonas' waterproof, anti-tarnish Divine Lotus, Divine Om and Circle of Love Rakhis. To meet this appetite, Instamart through its sellers has curated a wider premium edit spanning Swarovski, GI...

Lava International Limited, India’s leading homegrown smartphone brand, announced the launch of the Virat V1 Pro 5G bringing together a premium experience coupled with powerful performance, durability and expansive memory for consumers. Designed to deliver with opulence, Virat V1 Pro will be available on Flipkart under Lava’s online first series- Virat starting 31st August at 12PM. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Sumit Singh, SVP and Head of Product, Lava International Limited, said, “Virat V1 Pro 5G is built on extensive research undertaken to identify real gaps in the market and deliver a strong value proposition for our users. The device is engineered for high performance, wrapped in a stylish design and equipped with good storage under the $200 segment. As the mobile industry navigates a challenging phase marked by a disrupted supply chain and inconsistent pricing, our focus with the Pro series was to build a customer-first product that delivers genuine value for discerning audienc...

MakeMyTrip and Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, announced a partnership to offer exclusive travel benefits during key long weekends and peak holiday travel periods. Travel is increasingly becoming a year-round habit rather than an occasional indulgence with travellers opting for more frequent, shorter getaways throughout the year. Long weekends, in particular, have emerged as some of the popular travel peaks. Built around India's long weekend calendar, the programme is designed to offer recurring travel benefits across multiple holiday periods throughout the year. The offering covers domestic and international flights, hotels, holidays, tours and attractions, buses and cabs on the MakeMyTrip platform, enabling travellers to make the most of spontaneous or planned getaways. For every eligible long weekend, a dedicated booking window will open ahead of the holiday period, giving customers access to exclusive benefits and offers across travel categori...

  Axis Pension Fund, the pension fund management arm of Axis Asset Management Company Limited (Axis AMC) and a step-down subsidiary of Axis Bank Limited, has crossed  ₹ 20,000 crore in Assets Under Management (AUM), marking a significant milestone in its growth journey and reinforcing its position among the fastest-growing players in India’s non-government pension segment.   The milestone comes on the back of strong momentum in the business, with Axis Pension Fund adding its latest  ₹ 10,000 crore in AUM in just 15 months  (from June 2025 to Aug 2026). The accelerated growth reflects the increasing trust among subscribers and partners, expanding distribution reach and growing adoption of NPS as a long-term retirement planning solution.   The growth has been supported by a strong focus on building a broad-based NPS franchise through Axis Bank’s distribution network. The business has continued to expand its reach and strengthen engagement across ret...

Gemini Edibles & Fats India Limited (GEF), one of the largest regional branded edible oil players in the Indian market with a presence in Southern India and certain states of Eastern India, is proposing its initial public offering (IPO), comprising an Offer for Sale (OFS) of up to 41.15 million equity shares.   The selling shareholders comprise Alka Chowdhry, Golden Agri International Enterprises Pte. Ltd. (GAIE), Black River Food 2 Pte. Ltd. and Investment & Commercial Enterprise Pte. Ltd. (ICE). Of the total shares offered, Alka Chowdhry and GAIE are each offering approximately 2.06 million shares, while Black River Food 2 and ICE are offering approximately 30.86 million and 6.17 million shares, respectively.   Headquartered in Hyderabad, GEFL, is led by an industry veteran Pradeep Kumar Chowdhry and is primarily engaged in the trading, processing, manufacturing and marketing of edible oils and specialty fats and is now evolving into an integrated consumer br...