Prattika Shah’s entrepreneurial journey is defined by clarity, consistency, and long-term thinking. With ventures spanning fashion, beauty, food, digital branding, and manufacturing, she has built businesses that operate across diverse categories while maintaining distinct and well-structured identities. Rather than pursuing rapid expansion, her focus has remained on building brands with intention, where purpose and positioning are established before scale.

Originally from Indore and now based in Mumbai, Prattika’s fashion journey began with Chic & Brat, a clothing label designed for men, women, and children. The brand was created to balance comfort with contemporary style, positioning itself as accessible and lifestyle-driven. Instead of chasing fast-changing trends, Chic & Brat focused on everyday wearability and consistency in design. This approach allowed the brand to connect with a wide audience across age groups while maintaining a clear and recognisable identity in a competitive fashion market.

Her next venture marked her entry into the beauty space with the launch of The Black Dahliaa, a luxury unisex salon introduced in 2023. From the beginning, the brand was positioned around empowerment and inclusivity. Attention was given to the overall experience, including interiors, ambience, and service approach, ensuring the salon felt refined yet approachable. The Black Dahliaa was conceived not merely as a beauty destination, but as a space that encouraged confidence and self-expression, strengthening its emotional connection with clients.

In 2025, Prattika expanded into the food industry with Indore ke Namkeen, a venture rooted in her hometown. Built on authentic Indori flavours and nostalgia, the brand focused on preserving its cultural essence while adapting to modern business standards. Systems, refinement, and product clarity were prioritised before scale, ensuring consistency and structure from the outset. This disciplined approach allowed the brand to prepare for wider reach without compromising its origins.

Her fashion journey later evolved with Praaan Clothing, marking her move into manufacturing and end-to-end creation. Unlike her earlier retail-focused venture, this brand gave her control over design, production, and identity, reflecting her deeper understanding of fashion as both a creative and business-driven process.

Complementing this is the Praaan Series, a creative extension focused on storytelling and brand expression, reinforcing the importance of narrative consistency. Alongside her ventures, Prattika has also worked in digital branding and strategic consulting, experience that continues to inform her structured approach to business.

Looking ahead, she plans to expand Chic & Brat and The Black Dahliaa, guided by the same principles that define her work clarity, consistency, and thoughtful growth.

That beginning as the joy of a record-breaking Garba celebration and now transformed into something more deeper and more permanent. The same person that once filled the streets with music and devotion is now contributing to a sacred vision of construction of the Umiya Mataji Temple in Canada.

At the time when this movement stands Sagar Patel, lovingly known among devotees. His dedication has been the driving force behind turning a shared dream into an organized, collective mission. What makes this act truly special is that it’s longer the work of one individual, whereas its a responsibility of an entire community to come together.

Families have stepped up with heartfelt contributions, business owners have offered financial and logistical support, and young volunteers have invested their time, skills, and energy whole heartedly. Each contribution, big or small, carries the strong intention to build a spiritual and cultural home for their Gujarati people living far from roots.

Sagar Patel has a vision of, the Umiya Maa Temple as not only a place of worship but as a vibrant cultural hub. It intent to serve as a space where traditions, values, and identity can be passed on to the next generation where children who will grow up in Canada, but remain deeply connected to Gujarat with culture and faith.

With every brick that has been laid, the dream is growing stronger. The temple stands as a powerful reminder that distance is not the reason to weaken devotion. Wherever Gujaratis go, their culture travels with them Respectfully. This project is living proof that when faith and unity come together, they can build not just a structure, but a lasting powerfull legacy.

The Government of India has strengthened regulatory oversight across the edible oil value chain through the Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (Regulation) Amendment Order, 2025 (VOPPA Order, 2025). The amended Order mandates compulsory registration of all manufacturers, processors, blenders and re-packers of edible oils on the National Single Window System (NSWS) and the VOPPA portal (https://www.edibleoilindia.in), along with mandatory monthly submission of detailed production, stock and availability returns.

Under the amended VOPPA Order, 2025, all registered entities are required to file monthly returns covering production, stocks, imports, dispatches, sales and consumption of various edible oil products, including crude and refined vegetable oils, solvent-extracted oils, blended oils, vanaspati, margarine and other notified products. This framework aims to promote transparency, enable data-driven policy decisions and strengthen national food security.

As part of a nationwide compliance drive, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has conducted inspection drives at multiple locations, including Karnal (Haryana) and Jaipur (Rajasthan) to verify NSWS/VOPPA registrations, assess the accuracy and timeliness of monthly returns, and engage with industry stakeholders to encourage compliance, as part of a broader effort to ensure effective monitoring of the edible oil sector.

Alongside enforcement, the Department is undertaking capacity-building initiatives to facilitate compliance. A workshop was held on 30 January 2026 at RIC, Jaipur, focusing on accurate data reporting, NSWS registration, use of the VOPPA portal and timely filing of returns. Similar workshops are planned in other major States. In continuation of this initiative, the third awareness workshop is proposed to be held on 16 February 2026 at Rajkot, Gujarat, considering the significant presence of edible oil processing units in the region.

Based on findings from inspections and subsequent reviews, the Department has issued Show Cause Notices to a few large edible oil companies for failure to submit mandatory monthly production returns despite repeated reminders through emails and telephonic communications. Such lapses constitute a contravention of the VOPPA Order, 2025, issued under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

The concerned entities have been informed that, under Section 6A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, action including inspection and confiscation may be initiated in cases of contravention. Further, as per Section 6B, a reasonable opportunity to show cause must be provided before any confiscation order is passed. Accordingly, the units have been given seven days to submit written explanations as to why action should not be initiated against them.  The Department has also clarified that similar Show Cause Notices will be issued to all units that are either not registered under the VOPPA framework or have failed to file mandatory returns, to ensure uniform compliance across the sector. Inspection drives will continue on a need basis across edible oil processing units.

The Government reaffirms its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability and strict compliance in the edible oil sector in the interest of effective policy formulation and national food security.

 Oakter, a leading consumer IoT brand by Riot Labz Pvt Ltd, has announced the launch of its upgraded Mini UPS, engineered to ensure seamless internet connectivity for next-gen AirFiber and WiFi routers.

Designed especially for Jio AirFiber and Airtel Xstream AirFiber users, the new model introduces a premium plastic body that is sleeker, lighter and blends well with contemporary home interiors. While the design is completely refreshed, the Mini UPS retains the same proven performance and technical specifications that made its earlier metal version a category-defining success.  With a special introductory price of ₹2,899, the upgraded Mini UPS is now available for purchase on Amazon & Flipkart.
With a 6×2000 mAh Li-ion battery configuration, the upgraded Mini UPS delivers up to 4 hours of zero-lag backup, enabling smooth streaming, video calls, and smart-home operations even during power cuts. It supports major router brands including Jio Fiber, Airtel Xstream Fiber, TP-Link, D-Link, and other leading Wi-Fi routers.

This upgrade has managed to reduce the weight of the mini ups by 25 %. The standard 220V input design with router-compatible DC output, the UPS blends easily into home setups while delivering stable power performance.

Commenting on the launch, Shishir Gupta, CEO, Oakter, said,“Connectivity has become the backbone of modern homes. While network speeds are advancing rapidly, the weakest link has often been power reliability. Our new Mini UPS strengthens that link — with a sleeker, lighter design and the same trusted performance. Keeping the price at ₹ 2,899 as an introductory offer is our way of thanking more than a million existing users who’ve made Oakter the go-to choice for uninterrupted connectivity.”
Technically identical to its predecessor, the upgraded Mini UPS continues to feature an Intelligent Battery Management System, an LED charging indicator, and built-in surge and deep-discharge protection, the device ensures safe and long-lasting performance for everyday use. These smart safety features help protect both the UPS and connected devices, offering stable and dependable power support.

The Mini UPS is designed for effortless installation with a true plug and play setup. Users simply connect it between the router and the power source to enjoy uninterrupted internet without needing any technical assistance. It also comes with a 12-month warranty for the UPS unit and a 6-month warranty on accessories, offering added peace of mind for users.

The book “How Islamic Nations Were Formed “KAISE BANA ISLAMIC DESH,” authored by senior journalist, writer, and Editor-in-Chief of Sudarshan News Channel, Dr. Suresh Chavhanke, was officially launched during the “Clarion Call for a Sanatan Nation” event held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The launch emerged as a historic moment when all 2,000 copies of the first edition were completely sold out within just one hour of release.

The book presents a deep, factual, and analytical account of the process through which 58 Muslim-majority countries came into existence, tracing developments across different historical periods. A key distinction of this work lies in its comparative approach, wherein global events are studied alongside parallel developments in India. This comparison highlights how similar processes have unfolded internationally and how comparable patterns, according to the author’s analysis, are emerging within India. Such a comprehensive, contextual, and comparative study in book form has not been previously available at a global level.

The book was formally unveiled at 1:00 PM by Shri Alok Kumar, International President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Jagadguru Shanti Giri Maharaj. Remarkably, before 2:00 PM, all copies of the first edition had already been sold. This unprecedented achievement has been taken into cognizance by the India Book of Records, which has initiated the process of including the event in its official records.

The “Clarion Call for a Sanatan Nation” program witnessed participation from over 3,000 representatives representing nearly 1,000 organizations from across the country. While addressing the audience, Dr. Suresh Chavhanke explained his thesis that the Islamisation of any country follows a five-stage process. According to his analysis, India has currently reached a combined phase of the third and fourth stages. Following his assertive, fact-driven, and cautionary address, the audience responded with overwhelming interest, leading to the rapid sale of the book.

KAISE BANA ISLAMIC DESH has been published as part of the “Population Jihad” series, under which several more significant publications are planned. The book is available in print as well as across all major digital and online formats, ensuring wide accessibility and reach among readers nationwide and beyond.

The Bihari diaspora residing in Sydney, Australia, showcased a spectacular display of cultural commitment by celebrating the sacred Chhath Mahaparv on a grand scale this year. The four-day festival was meticulously organised by the Bihar Jharkhand Cultural Association (BJCA), which represents approximately 1,000 Bihari families in the city.

Chhath Puja in Sydney – A Testament to Faith and Unity

Led by Neetu Kumari and Praveen Kumar, the BJCA successfully hosted the traditional rituals at over 25 different locations across Sydney. A large number of families enthusiastically participated in the holy observances, performing the customary rituals and offering ‘Arghya’ to the setting and rising sun.

This massive community event served as a testament to the community’s profound faith and also highlighted the strong organisation, unity, and dedication of the Bihari diaspora towards preserving its roots and culture abroad.

Promoting ‘Bihari Asmita’ Globally

Praveen Kumar, President of the Bihar International Trade Organization (BITO), which functions under the guidance of the Honourable Shri Chirag Paswan Ji, played a central and pivotal role in organizing the Mahaparv. Kumar, a prominent Sydney-based industrialist and an influential leader within the global Bihari community, is actively working to ensure that ‘Bihari Asmita’ (Bihari Pride/Identity) gains due recognition and respect worldwide. The large-scale celebration of a traditional festival like Chhath, successfully championed by his initiative, unequivocally underscores the growing cohesion and influence of the community on an international stage.

New Delhi, Oct 27: Supported by the recent GST reforms, Indian economy continues to be on strong footing and is expected to record strong growth in the current financial year 2025-26, as per the latest edition of Monthly Economic Review (MER) released by Finance Ministry on Monday.

The report noted that both urban and rural demand are seen gaining further momentum after the GST rate cut across sectors and upward trends are visible in the July-September quarter (Q2) of the current fiscal.

“Demand conditions across rural and urban India strengthened with the implementation of the GST reforms and the festive season, coinciding with industry reports signalling robust growth in sales, particularly in sectors such as automobiles,” the report prepared by Department of Economic Affairs under Finance Ministry said.

With growth outlook being positive, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently raised its growth forecast for India for FY26 to 6.6% from 6.4% earlier.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has pegged FY26 GDP growth at 6.8%.

One of the key economic indicators showing the health of economy, retail inflation has declined to record low. The headline retail inflation fell to 1.54% in September 2025 primarily on the back of lower food prices.

“The prices of non-food and non-fuel items remained stable, with core inflation coming in at 4.6 per cent in September 2025. Barring shocks stemming from adverse weather events and supply chain disruptions, price stability is expected to prevail,” said the Finance Ministry report.

Notably, India’s trade performance has remained fairly good despite imposition of punitive tariff by the US on a basket of export items.

Even as trade deal negotiations with the US continue, merchandise trade data for September 2025 presented early evidence of diversification of export destinations.

“Looking ahead, the lower GST rate is expected to support a positive demand outlook by reducing the tax burden on consumers and businesses, stimulating consumption and investment across sectors and boosting employment generation in the economy. Moreover, a strong performance in the industries and services sector, along with a stable labour market, will further enhance domestic demand,” the report said.

The report underlined the strength of Indian economy but at the same time also sounded a note of caution.

“Nevertheless, global uncertainties warrant caution and will continue to affect external demand, presenting downside risks to the growth outlook. The implementation of various growth-enhancing structural reforms and government initiatives, including GST 2.0, is expected to mitigate some of the negative impacts of these external challenges.”

Beating market estimates, Indian economy logged 7.8% year-on-year growth in the April-June quarter (Q1) of the current fiscal and retained the tag of the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

New Delhi, October 25: The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) and International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-Hyderabad) to undertake joint studies and collaborative research.

The partnership with IIT Hyderabad aims to develop India-specific standards and test frameworks, explore future network technologies such as 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), and enhance India’s participation in ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union – Telecommunication Standardization Sector) Study Groups.

“The partnership creates a formal framework for TEC to work closely with IIT Hyderabad on next-generation telecom and standardisation activities,” an official release from DoT said.

This MoU aims to accelerate indigenous R&D and increase India’s influence in global standardisation processes by strengthening India’s contributions to global standardisation bodies such as ITU and 3GPP.

The collaboration with IIIT Hyderabad aims to develop India-specific standards and test frameworks, explore future network technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber Security, Smart Cities, and Quantum Communications, and enhance India’s contributions to ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union – Telecommunication Standardization Sector) Study Groups.

This partnership aims to accelerate indigenous R&D and increase India’s influence in global standardisation processes by strengthening India’s contributions to global standardization bodies such as ITU and 3GPP.

“The collaboration will further the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by strengthening indigenous research, design and manufacturing in telecom – developing India-specific standards, test frameworks and home-grown solutions that bolster national self-reliance, secure critical communications infrastructure, and reduce dependence on imports,” said the press release.

TEC, the technical arm of the DoT, formulates technical standards, specifications, and conformity assessment requirements for telecom equipment and networks in India, ensuring interoperability, quality, and alignment with global best practices. TEC represents India in international fora such as the ITU-T, ITU-R and coordinates National Working Groups for global standardization activities.

New Delhi, October 25: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under Ministry of Finance has successfully dismantled a major narcotics manufacturing and distribution network operating across the National Capital Region, in a coordinated multi-day operation.

The operation was carried out from October 21 through October 23, 2025.

Based on specific intelligence developed by DRI, officers raided a clandestine facility for manufacturing methamphetamine located at an isolated farm premise near high-rise residential buildings in Greater Noida. The search resulted in the seizure of 11.40 kg amphetamine and 110.923 kg precursor chemicals used for its manufacture.

Simultaneously, the main handler of the syndicate was apprehended from his residence in Gurugram, and 1.33 kg of amphetamine was recovered from his possession.

In a swift follow-up action, DRI officers identified another premises suspected to be used for storing and distribution of the contraband in West Delhi. The premises were located in a densely populated and congested area, surrounded by narrow lanes, posing considerable logistical and security challenges.

During the operation, the officers encountered large number of persons, who attempted to obstruct official action.

“Despite the presence of hostile elements and the risk of evidence destruction, the DRI team with assistance from Delhi Police, displaying restraint, and tactical acumen, successfully secured the premises and completed the search,” DRI said in a statement.

The search led to multiple arrests and recovery of 7.79 kg cocaine, 1.87 kg heroin, 3.54 kg amphetamine; 2 kg ganja; 0.15 kg methaqualone along with 4.50 kg precursor chemicals used for the manufacture of narcotics substances along with Rs 37 lakh in cash, suspected to be proceeds of drug trafficking.

Driven by robust outbound merger and acquisitions (M&A) and continued EV momentum, India’s automotive sector recorded as many as 30 deals worth US$4.6 billion in July-September quarter (Q3) of 2025.

As per the report released on Wednesday by consultancy firm Grant Thornton Bharat, the Q3 of 2025 is the strongest quarter in a year for the Indian auto sector in terms of number of deals.

The deal activity was largely driven by Tata Motors’ US$ 3.8 billion acquisition of Italian commercial vehicle maker Iveco during the period under review. It contributed 95% of total M&A value.

“Excluding this deal, values dipped 36% over the last quarter, signalling that large strategic bets continue to define overall deal momentum,” said Grant Thornton Bharat in a release.

The September quarter of 2025 reflected a strategic pivot toward global expansion, electrification, and supply chain recalibration, as both strategic acquirers and private investors intensified focus on future-ready mobility platforms.

The report said that while M&A activity was dominated by cross-border consolidation plays, private equity (PE) interest remained steady in scalable, tech-enabled segments such as electric mobility, fleet electrification, and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS).

“The Indian automotive sector is in a phase of strategic reset — balancing policy reform, consumer realignment, and global expansion. The rollout of GST 2.0 and targeted tariff interventions have set the stage for renewed demand, even as OEMs and investors pivot toward cleaner, smarter mobility solutions,” said Saket Mehra, Partner and Automotive Industry Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat.

Mehra further noted that the September quarter’s strong M&A and PE activity reflects India’s growing global ambition in commercial mobility and a clear shift toward scalable, tech-enabled platforms.

“As policy tailwinds and festive demand converge, we anticipate sustained momentum across alternative fuel technologies, auto-tech, and supply chain digitisation,” he added.

Cross-border deals dominated in the Q3 of 2025, accounting for 71% of volumes and 99% of total values, with Asia and Europe being key regions of activity.

Samvardhana Motherson International executed three outbound acquisitions during the quarter, reinforcing India’s role in global auto supply chains.

As per the report, PE activity remained strong in Q3, with 23 deals worth US$ 531 million, marking a 15% increase in volumes but a 17% drop in values compared to Q2.

“The decline in value reflects the absence of large-ticket transactions, as 70% of deals were below USD 10 million, underscoring investor preference for smaller, focused bets,” the report said.

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) continued to dominate PE deal flow, accounting for nearly 80% of total PE value, led by Rapido’s US$ 271 million investment from Prosus and WestBridge Capital. IFC-backed funding in electric bus operators JBM Ecolife Mobility and GreenCell Mobility, together worth US$ 137 million, further reinforced investor confidence in urban electrification and multimodal transport infrastructure.