CHENNAI PLUS

Montra Electric, India's full-spectrum electric commercial vehicle brand, partnered with VFRYT, a Chennai-based technology platform for on-demand commercial vehicle bookings, as the company officially launched its logistics marketplace and flagged off a new fleet of electric cargo vehicles in the city. The partnership brings together two Chennai-based companies with a shared ambition to modernise urban logistics through technology and sustainable mobility. While VFRYT is focused on making commercial transportation more accessible, transparent and efficient through its digital platform, Montra Electric is enabling that vision through purpose-built electric commercial vehicles designed for the evolving needs of urban and intra-city freight movement. Designed to bring the convenience of app-based ride-hailing to the commercial transportation sector, VFRYT enables customers to book a wide range of cargo vehicles, from small last-mile carriers to larger commercial trucks, through a ...

Uber unveiled a suite of driver-first innovations at the third edition of Uber Pragati, aimed at making earning on its platform easier, safer and more rewarding. The initiatives span more flexible ways to earn, new income opportunities and stronger safety features when drivers are behind the wheel. Uber also showcased the real-world impact of its unmatched safety technology, including ambulance assistance in emergencies and in-app encrypted video recordings that have helped establish facts in disputed incidents. Aditya Kapoor, Director – Supply Operations, Uber India & South Asia, said, “Our ambition is to continue being the platform of choice for flexible earning opportunities in India. That means giving drivers the freedom to work on their own terms, the confidence of industry-leading safety protections and more ways to earn. We want to continue setting the benchmark for what drivers should expect from a platform.” Key enhancements based on driver feedback: Easier: More flexi...

Make every celebration special with Lava’s smartphones and feature phones available at attractive festive prices Virat Curve, Virat V1 Pro, Virat V1 5G and Virat V1 available at special festive prices with bank offers on Flipkart Agni 4, Bold N4 Pro 5G, Bold N4 Lite, Bold N2 Lite, Bold N2 and Bold N2 5G on offer on Amazon Feature phones including Hero Shakti 2026, LAVA A2 Smart and Gem Power+ available at attractive festive prices from October 30 – November 2 on Amazon Models like Shark 2 Pro 5G and Aura Curve 5G offer exciting festive gifting options across offline retail stores pan-India Chennai: Lava International Limited, India’s trusted homegrown smartphone and feature phone brand, is making Diwali gifting more special with attractive festive offers across its smartphone and feature phone portfolio. With a range of devices to suit different budgets and needs, Lava offers consumers an opportunity to celebrate the festival of lights by gifting their loved ones a device th...

Highlights for the Quarter Y-O-Y: Revenue at ₹2,631 million, a growth of 12% Domestic Sales grew by 19% EPS grew by INR 5.95 (22%), driven by increase in revenue Profit Before Tax was up by 22% Highlights for the nine months ended ’26 Y-O-Y: Revenue from Operations at ₹7,280 million, a growth of 16% Domestic Sales grew by 15%; aided by relaunch Export Sales grew by 19% Profit Before Tax was up by 24% Sanofi Consumer Healthcare India Limited (BSE:544250 I NSE: SANOFICONR) releases its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended 2026, demonstrating profitable growth across key business segments. Revenue growth for the quarter stood at 12% year-on-year with domestic sales growing by 19%. Profit Before Tax (PBT) for Q3 ‘26 reached ₹1,027 million, an increase of 22% on a year-on-year basis. EPS grew by 22% year-on-year, supported by higher revenue and profitability during the quarter. Commenting on the results, Himanshu Bakshi, Managing Director, Sano...

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, today announced the launch of an AI-powered nano Global Capability Center (GCC) offering, built on Amazon Web Services (AWS), to help enterprises move from AI experimentation to high-value business outcomes. The nano GCC model is part of HCLTech's GCC 360 solution suite and combines HCLTech’s GCC advisory capabilities and its AI platforms including AI Force. The model is designed for two enterprise archetypes: Established GCCs already operating in-country on largely conventional work that need a non-disruptive vehicle to drive AI-led transformation through a hub-and-spoke model anchored from HCLTech’s Lucknow campus. Mid-market enterprises without an in-country presence that are cautious about entering a new geography and want a low-risk platform to accelerate their AI journey. In both use cases, it enables organizations to begin with a targeted scope, establish AI-native operating models and reduce setup cycles, while demonst...

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released its report, ‘A Pill for Thought: Review of Health and Wellness Claims in Nutraceutical Advertising’. The report is based on the suo-motu investigation of nutraceutical ads between July and September 2026. It highlights recurring concerns around the substantiation of health and wellness claims, including time-bound results and representations that may lead consumers to be misled about   the benefits of nutraceutical products. Valued at USD 38.77 billion in 2025, India’s nutraceuticals market is projected to reach USD 1,151.5 billion by 2033, driven by rising health consciousness and demand for preventive healthcare, according to Grand View Research. As the category grows across functional foods, beverages and dietary supplements, advertising plays a growing role in shaping consumer perceptions of product efficacy. Of the   61 advertisements evaluated, one case is currently under process. All 60 ads where process...

Mentos, a flagship brand from the house of Perfetti Van Melle, has unveiled a playful new TVC for its recently launched Mentos Fresh Action Candy , bringing the new product’s intense cooling freshness to life through an unexpected, larger-than-life moment. Built with the tagline, “Kya saans khuli, kya hawa chali” the film uses humour and visual exaggeration to transform a simple product experience into a memorable expression of freshness in true Mentos style. At the heart of the campaign is a humorous film set inside a flour mill. The mill owner finds himself covered in flour from head to toe, just as his wife reminds him of the wedding they both have to attend. With no time to change, he turns to the boy working at the mill who pops a Mentos Fresh Action. The intense burst of freshness unleashes a powerful gust of air that blows the flour off the owner, revealing a perfectly pressed sherwani underneath. The film's twist comes a beat later: all that flour has landed on his wife s...

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has expanded its presence in Southeast Asia with the launch of Sony VIZHA, a new Tamil General Entertainment Channel (GEC) on Malaysia’s Pay-Tv operator Astro. Sony VIZHA will be available on Astro channel 220 and its streaming platform - Astro GO. The launch marks SPNI’s first linear channel debut on Astro, strengthening its regional presence and expanding its Tamil entertainment offerings for audiences across Malaysia. Built around the philosophy ‘Ithu Namma Vibe’ (This is our vibe), Sony VIZHA takes its name from the Tamil word for ‘celebration’ or ‘festival’, embodying a celebration of Tamil Nadu as it is lived and experienced today. Reflecting the region’s language, culture, traditions, aspirations and distinctive way of life, Sony VIZHA brings together Tamil stories, talent, music and contemporary entertainment through a diverse content line-up spanning global IPs, fiction shows, movies and more. With English subtitles, the channel aims to en...

UTI Large & Mid Cap Fund offers a diversified investment portfolio and aims to invest in sound companies which provide margin of safety by trading cheaper, relative to their history or peers. According to the SEBI categorization of mutual funds, large and mid cap funds invest a minimum of 35% each in the equity and equity related instruments of large cap and mid cap companies. The Fund aims to provide stability with a biasness towards large cap companies and offers higher growth in the portfolio through investment in mid and small cap companies. Value Investing is a strategy that involves picking stocks which are trading at less than their intrinsic value. Markets often over react to short-term news flow or sentiments, which gives the opportunity to the value investor to buy a stock below its intrinsic value. Buying below the intrinsic value provides margin of safety, which is the distinguishing feature of value investing. By purchasing a stock at lower valuations, the value inve...

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced the expansion of its flagship Climate Action Grant program to 24 countries worldwide to support a wider pool of non-profit organizations (NPOs) combating climate change and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity. In 2023, the company launched the HCLTech Grant for Climate Action in the Americas to support locally relevant solutions that address pressing climate and environmental issues. HCLTech initially committed $5 million over five years to eligible NPOs in 10 countries in the Americas and has disbursed $3 million over the past three editions. Encouraged by the success of the program in the Americas, HCLTech is expanding the program to 24 countries globally. These countries include Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States a...

IndusInd General Insurance Company Limited (formerly Reliance General Insurance Company Limited), part of IndusInd International Holdings Limited (IIHL) Group, announced the appointment of Sharad Mathur as its Managing Director & CEO, following statutory approvals. Sharad brings three decades of experience in the insurance and financial services industry, with a strong track record in organisational transformation, distribution expansion, technology-led innovation, growth and governance. Prior to joining IndusInd General Insurance, he served as Managing Director & CEO of Universal Sompo General Insurance for over six years, leading its transformation and strengthening its distribution, risk management, UW discipline and tech-led customer servicing capabilities. Earlier, he held leadership positions at SBI General Insurance and ICICI Lombard, contributing to their growth from their formative stages. At IndusInd General Insurance, Sharad will lead the company’s next phase o...

  By Dr. Mukesh Sanklecha, Consultant Paediatrician, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, Mumbai The festive season usually begins with a deep clean. Kitchens are emptied, shelves are wiped, groceries are stocked, and homes are prepared for family gatherings and guests. It is one of the healthiest habits households follow all year. But there is one hygiene issue that often survives even the most thorough cleaning: hidden cockroach activity. Cockroaches are unpleasant to see. They move through drains, damp corners, waste areas, and storage spaces before reaching the surfaces where food is prepared or kept. During the festive season, when kitchens stay busier for longer and homes store more sweets, snacks, and ingredients, this becomes more than a nuisance. It becomes a hygiene concern. Here are seven reasons gel-based cockroach control deserves a place on the festive cleaning checklist.   1. The cockroaches you see are rarely the full problem A visible cockroa...

When Bonita Das completed Class 12 in Dibrugarh, she set out to find financial independence. Like many young adults, she initially found herself constrained by roles that required rigid schedules and low fixed-hour pay. Seeking a way to earn on her own terms, Bonita joined Instamart as one of its first delivery partners when the service launched in Dibrugarh in May 2026. The shift redefined her daily routine. By choosing her own hours, Bonita nearly tripled her income while taking control of her schedule, gaining both financial independence and the flexibility needed to support her family. Pooling a few months of savings alongside her brother, Bonita contributed significantly to building her family’s home while setting aside funds to pursue her long-term dream: opening her own bakery in Dibrugarh specializing in cakes and pastries. Speaking about her decision, Bonita said, “After passing my 12th standard, I took up a few full-time jobs, but the income wasn’t enough even after putti...

OPPO India launched the all-new OPPO Find X10 Series, comprising OPPO Find X10 and OPPO Find X10 Pro Max, marking the 10th generation of its innovative and premium flagship OPPO Find X Series. Built to set a new benchmark for the premium smartphone experience, the Find X10 Series brings together breakthrough true-to-life imaging, uncompromising performance, exceptional battery endurance and refined design. All this, along with the new ColorOS 17, aiding superior and smooth user software experience. OPPO also expanded its flagship connected ecosystem with the OPPO Enco X4 and OPPO Pad Mini, so that users can capture, create and share in one flow. Together, the flagship portfolio elevates everyday experience, so every shot, edit and share feels authentic and true to the moment. At the heart of the OPPO Find X10 Series is a camera system designed to deliver images closer to how they are seen in real life. The OPPO Find X10 features a Dual 200MP Camera System, while the OPPO Find X10 Pro...

On average, 1794 Sabudana dishes delivered every hour during the festive weekend of Navratri (October 17-18) Rasgulla emerged as India’s favorite sweet, clocking an average of 495 orders per hour between Oct 17-20 A single order in Noida worth Rs 11,072 included 13 Navratri Thalis, underscoring the growing appetite for lavish festive celebrations.               Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, observed a strong demand for vrat foods and sweets as India immersed itself in festive celebrations around Navratri and Durga Puja culminating in the grand weekend of Durga Ashtami, Maha Navami and Dussehra. Sabudana and Curated Vrat Thalis Lead Fasting Feasts Between October 17 and October 20, fasting traditions took centerstage as consumers embraced curated festive selections. Sabudana dishes emerged as the highest ordered items amongst vrat favorites nationwide, followed by Navratri Vrat Thalis, Singhara-based preparations, Kut...

Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Axis Bank Centre of Economics at the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies, the Institute’s greenfield campus located in Jigani, Bengaluru. The MoU signing took place at Axis House in Worli, Mumbai and was attended by Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore; Mr. Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank; Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIM Bangalore; and Mr. Vijay Mulbagal, Group Head – Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability & CSR, Axis Bank, along with senior leadership representatives from both institutions. As part of the collaboration, Axis Bank shall facilitate the construction and operationalization of the Axis Bank Centre of Economics in the Integrated Academic and Administrative Block in Phase I of the new campus, whi...