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  • A Fresh Take on the ‘COVID Generation’: How the Pandemic May Have Changed Young People for the Better

    By: Lisa Marshall

    At the peak of the pandemic in 2021, teenagers from Sackets Harbor, New York, got certified as ambulance drivers and took over running the local emergency medical service when the usual, much older, volunteers had to step away due to COVID-19 concerns.

    In Los Angeles, youth with the nonprofit Teen Line fielded texts and calls around-the-clock from peers struggling with mental health issues amid isolating school lockdowns.

    Elsewhere, kids as young as 5 years old assembled care packages for community members in need, while teens fired up their schools’ 3D printers to churn out face coverings for essential workers.

    “It is true that the pandemic was a very difficult time for many young people. But there is also a quieter, equally important story that needs to be told,” said sociologist Lori Peek, director of the Natural Hazards Center at CU Boulder. “For some young people, it was also an awakening—a realization that they had the capacity to do something in the face of a crisis.”

    In a new paper, published in the Journal of Hazard Literacy, Peek and her colleagues tell that story, analyzing more than 115 pandemic-era news articles to offer a fresh take on what some have referred to as the COVID generation.

    Having grown up in the shadow of a global pandemic, with increased threats of natural disasters and mass shootings, today’s kids and young adults have often been framed as victims. But through her latest research, Peek who has spent her career studying how disasters impact children and youth—illustrates the oft-overlooked strengths they bring to bear in times of crisis.

    They can relate to young people in ways that adults can’t. They are fluent in digital technologies. And they often have more available energy and free time than busy adults can muster, she said. They’re also, as the paper concludes, more “disaster literate,” meaning they can identify who needs help and come up with creative solutions.

    “With the rise in the number of disasters globally, we are growing a more disaster-literate generation,” said Peek. “The question now is, how do we harness what these young people have to offer?”

    ‘Disasters are not equal opportunity events’

    “Ring” by 17-year-old Shashank Salgam. “Me and my peers were hit hard by the isolation of quarantine, but we’re rebounding with a resolve to connect beyond boundaries,” wrote the young artist in the caption of his painting.

    For the study, Peek worked with Zoe Lefkowitz and Melissa Villarreal, both research assistants at the Natural Hazards Center and doctoral candidates in the sociology department, to develop a database of pandemic-related news articles from 2020 to 2023. 

    Most of the thousands of articles they found focused on kids’ vulnerabilities and what adults were doing to help them. They then conducted a qualitative analysis of 115 stories that included children’s voices, analyzing and coding them.

    They found eight distinct ways kids behaved altruistically. 

    They ranged from making or collecting and distributing supplies, money and food, to creating art and offering emotional support for peers, to participating in vaccine research.

    Peek noted that the children featured in the stories tended to, almost instinctively, recognize that some groups—like the elderly, people with disabilities, the unhoused and lower-income families—were hit harder than others.

    “Disasters are not equal opportunity events, and kids realize this,” said Peek.

    Lefkowitz was particularly moved by the story of 10-year-old Kaylan Park, who stood at a podium before a booing crowd at a school board meeting near Akron, Ohio, to support extending the district’s mask mandate after the omicron variant emerged.

    “My teacher tells me when you do something for other people, they can do it back,” Park told the school board that day, wearing a mask reading “masks save lives.” “You’re showing kindness.”

    Lefkowitz also pointed to other “micro” acts of altruism. Around the country, children painted rocks with messages like, “The best is yet to come,” and “This will pass,” and placed them along sidewalks around their neighborhood. Another put on a “mini prom” for his babysitter to help her celebrate the milestone she missed during school lockdowns.

    Lasting impacts

    It’s unclear how these experiences are shaping children’s lives today, but research on adults offers clues.

    One study looked at adults who volunteered to help after the 9/11 attacks in New York City. Years later, they reported that the experience had helped them heal from their own trauma and made them feel more connected to their community and empowered to create change.

    “I would like to think that these children in our study understand the impact they made and that it changed their opinion of themselves,” said Lefkowitz. “I also hope they will remember the empathy they felt and, as they grow older, that will encourage them to address other inequalities that they see.”

    Peek cautioned that she does not intend to “romanticize” the pandemic. It had real, negative impacts on children, their families, their schools and their communities. Oftentimes, kids had to step up because the institutions created by adults failed them.

    But, if we overlook their agency, she said, we might undermine an opportunity to build a more resilient generation that is ready for the next disaster. She advises policymakers to create and support youth advisory boards to give young people a voice on pressing community issues and crises.

    For parents who may be uncertain how to talk to their children about an ongoing disaster, she offered this advice: Ask them what they would like to do to help.

  • Third Wave Coffee Launches ‘Third Rush’ A Playground for Desserts Built for Every Mood

    Third Wave Coffee Launches ‘Third Rush’  A Playground for Desserts Built for Every Mood

    Bangalore, Apr 23: Plans are overrated. Cravings aren’t. And Third Wave Coffee is leaning right into that feeling with the launch of Third Rush — a bold new dessert brand designed for impulse, indulgence, and everything in between.

    Built on the idea of being “Made for the Mood”, Third Rush flips the script on how we think about desserts. It’s not about waiting for the perfect occasion; it’s about giving in to the moment. Whether it’s a spontaneous celebration, a post-work wind-down, or simply a late-night craving with friends, Third Rush is where moods turn into something delicious.

    As café culture continues to evolve, especially with younger consumers choosing cafés over bars for unwinding, Third Rush positions itself as the perfect after-7 PM destination. A space where you walk in undecided, and within minutes, you’re sharing bites, ordering seconds, and stretching conversations longer than planned.

    Speaking on the launch, Rajat Luthra, CEO, Third Wave Coffee, said, “With Third Rush, we’re building something that goes beyond dessert as a category and instead focuses on dessert as an experience. Third Wave Coffee has always been envisioned as a young, fun brand, one that understands how our consumers like to spend time, connect, and unwind. With Third Rush, we’re extending that philosophy into a new space, continuing to build concepts that feel relevant to their evolving lifestyles and social habits. The way consumers engage with cafés today is changing; it’s more social, more spontaneous, and deeply rooted in emotion. Third Rush is our response to that shift. It’s designed to be high-energy, welcoming, and a little indulgent, a space where people can come together, unwind, and fully lean into the moment, whatever that mood may be.”

    At the heart of Third Rush is a menu that feels both comfortingly familiar and excitingly new – a curated mix of throwback favourites, crowd-pleasers, and playful, new-age indulgences.

    The brand puts a spotlight on Tres Leches as one of its hero categories, and this is where things get seriously fun. Leading the lineup is a playful, nostalgia-loaded Jim Jam–inspired version. For coffee lovers, there’s the Third Wave Tres Leches, infused with the brand’s signature cold brew, bringing coffee and dessert together in a way that feels familiar, but just a little more exciting. It’s the kind of menu where you come for one and end up trying three.

    Beyond this, the menu opens up into layers of indulgence with soft, decadent Layered Cakes, where even the classics get a playful spin. At Third Rush, familiar favourites like the OG Chocolate Cake and Pineapple Cake are reimagined from their usual round form into logs, sliced to serve, so every layer is perfectly visible in each bite. It’s nostalgic, but designed to be a little more visual, a little more shareable. Alongside these are elevated options like Chocolate Pistachio, Carrot & Cream Cheese, and Passionfruit Vanilla, balancing richness with freshness, and comfort with a touch of the unexpected.

    For those who love a little drama in every bite, the Stacks are Third Rush’s take on layered desserts – creamy puddings, crunchy biscuit crumbles, and bold, mood-lifting flavours all coming together in one indulgent moment. From Banana Custard and Strawberry Hazelnut to the ever-addictive Biscoff, each one is built to be scooped, shared, and gone in seconds. Nostalgia makes a strong comeback with playful throwbacks like the Parle-G Stack and a revamped Bombay Cassata, bringing back classic flavours, but cooler, creamier, and far more indulgent. And for the coffee loyalists, the Third Wave Stack ties it all together with a rich, coffee-forward twist that feels right at home.

    The indulgence continues with a wide selection of tarts and pies, including Banoffee, Lemon, and Raspberry Pistachio, as well as more experimental offerings like Matcha White Chocolate and Chocolate Caramel tarts, each designed to deliver a perfect balance of richness and bite.

    For those who lean towards classic decadence, there’s a range of mousses and cheesecakes, from a velvety Triple Chocolate Mousse to a perfectly caramelised Basque Cheesecake, alongside flavour-forward options like Blueberry Lemon and Biscoff Basque Cheesecake. Rounding off the experience are warm, comforting desserts like molten skillet cookies, indulgent brownies including a Pistachio Kunafa Brownie, and Cookies that are equal parts chewy and rich, perfect for those moments when one dessert simply isn’t enough.

    Launching first in Bangalore, Third Rush will soon expand into Third Wave Coffee cafés across the country, adding a new dimension to the brand’s already strong community-driven approach.

    More than just an extension, Third Rush is a natural evolution, one that builds on Third Wave Coffee’s understanding of its audience and their changing lifestyles. It continues to transform cafés into destinations for connection, comfort, and spontaneous joy, where great coffee is always at the heart of it all.

    Because sometimes, you don’t need a plan. You just need a place that gets your mood.

    Details:

    Address: Third Wave Coffee outlets — Koramangala 4th Block, Sadashivnagar, Indiranagar (CMH Road) & Vijaya Bank Layout

  • STCH Comes Out of Stealth with Dollar 5.5 Million Pre-Series A Funding from Omnivore and Kae Capital

    STCH Comes Out of Stealth with Dollar 5.5 Million Pre-Series A Funding from Omnivore and Kae Capital

    Bengaluru, India, Apr 23:  STCH, an AI-native CDMO platform for sustainable textile innovation — building the AI-driven fabric R&D and manufacturing platform that helps global fashion brands develop and deliver trend-aligned, high-performing, sustainable fabrics at scale — today announced its emergence from stealth with a $5.5 million PreSeries A funding round. The round was led by Omnivore, India’s leading agrifood and climate venture capital firm, with participation from Kae Capital and White Venture Capital.

    STCH leverages AI to identify global fashion trends, develop sustainable fabrics, and deliver them through its closely controlled manufacturing network across India and Asia.  

    STCH’s AI engine drives two critical functions: 

    ●        Fabric R&D — continuously innovating on textile recipes to enhance performance, while increasing the share of sustainable fibers, without compromising on the performance or price points of conventional synthetics 

    ●        Supply chain optimization — intelligently matching trending fabrics and designs with the right manufacturing capacities to enable agile, seamless production and delivery at scale 

    Until today, STCH has operated under the radar, building a rapidly growing order book now exceeding $15 million across the UK, Europe, the USA, and India, serving global brands including Roman, Joe Browns, Shein, Crocodile, Being Human, CP Brands, and Rainforest. For its customers, STCH develops high-performing textile formulations, enabling higher use of sustainable fibers while reducing dependence on petrochemical-based synthetics that contribute to microplastic pollution and harm ocean ecosystems. 

    STCH was founded by Narahari Payala and Aseem Chitkara, both formerly of Zetwerk, where Narahari built and led the textiles division globally at scale. Aseem brings deep industry expertise as a fabric veteran and former CXO across multiple textile mills. Their strong, long-standing relationships with global brands, mills, and manufacturers give STCH a distinct execution edge — building not just for materials innovation, but for how textile supply chains operate at commercial scale. 

    According to Narahari Payala, Co-Founder & CEO, “While much of AI innovation in fashion is focused on the front end — largely driven out of the US and Europe — the real opportunity lies deeper in the backend of the supply chain: fiber – fabric – manufacturing. That is where we are focused on driving disruption using AI. Fabric, in particular, remains the most critical — most cost-intensive — yet least optimized layer. With much of this activity centered in Asia, and improving trade dynamics — including free trade agreements with the UK and Europe as well as easing tariffs from the US — we believe this is a defining moment to build a globally leading, AI-native textile innovation powerhouse from India.” 

    Regarding their investment in STCH, Mark Kahn, Managing Partner at Omnivore, noted “Narahari and Aseem bring rare depth — they understand both the materials science and the supply chain realities of getting sustainable textiles to market at scale. India has the raw materials, the mills, and now — with STCH — the AI-native platform to become the world’s leading source of sustainable textile innovation.”

    The capital from the PreSeries A funding round will be used to expand STCH’s AI capabilities, build a world-class fabric R&D laboratory, deepen mill partnerships across India, and accelerate delivery to global fashion brands navigating increasingly urgent sustainability procurement mandates.

  • FIA President H.E Mohammed Ben Sulayem meets with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić

    FIA President H.E Mohammed Ben Sulayem meets with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić

    Discussions touched on how continued growth of Montenegro’s motorsport can help boost the economy

    Dubai, UAE, Apr 23: FIA President H.E Mohammed Ben Sulayem has met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to strengthen cooperation between the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Montenegro.

    The meeting in Tivat yesterday provided an opportunity to discuss the FIA’s leadership across both motorsport and mobility, and to explore areas of collaboration aligned with Montenegro’s national priorities.

    Motorsport and tourism were key topics of the meeting. The discussion touched on how the continued growth of Montenegro’s motorsport can help boost the economy, bring more visitors to Montenegro, and raise the country’s international profile, while ensuring events are run safely and sustainably.

    Another key focus was Montenegro’s ambition to become a regional leader in road safety. President Mohammed Ben Sulayem shared how the FIA helps countries use data to better understand accidents, improve roads, and make driving safer.

    This includes global tools like the FIA Road Safety Index (RSI), which helps track and measure progress using cutting-edge AI. Both leaders agreed that using data and new technology is essential to making real improvements for everyday road users.

    The Prime Minister and President also spoke about the importance of keeping people safe online through the FIA’s United Against Online Abuse (UAOA) campaign. They highlighted the need to promote respect and protect users, especially young people and those involved in sport, from online abuse.

    H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said: Montenegro is a country with clear ambition to lead in road safety. We are delighted to work with them to help bring that ambition to life by combining innovation, data, and collaboration.

    “Together with the Auto-moto Association of Montenegro, we will work to deliver safer roads, more efficient mobility systems, and continued growth in motorsport, helping to build a future that is safer, more sustainable, and more connected for all.”

    The FIA President has been in Montenegro to attend the FIA Region I Spring Meeting hosted in Budva by the Auto-moto Association of Montenegro.

    Reaching its conclusion later today, the meeting brought together 102 FIA Member Clubs across Europe, the Middle East and Africa for three days of collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing to advance safe and sustainable mobility for motorsport fans and road users.

  • World Earth Day: Emaar India CEO Kalyan Chakrabarti Emphasizes Everyday Sustainability and Responsible Development

    World Earth Day: Emaar India CEO Kalyan Chakrabarti Emphasizes Everyday Sustainability and Responsible Development

    “World Earth Day is a timely reminder that sustainability must be embedded into everyday decision-making. This year’s theme is “Our Power, Our Planet”, which stresses on Individual/Community action for driving Sustainability. As part of this initiative, our focus should be on reducing plastic use which highlights the need for practical, consistent actions that lower environmental impact. Aligned with the Government of India’s efforts led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on Climate Action, Energy Transition, and improved Waste Management Practices, there is a growing emphasis on responsible resource use and circularity across sectors.

    At Emaar India, we believe responsible development starts with conscious choices, right from design and material selection to construction and long-term operations. Reducing waste, improving efficiency, and adopting more sustainable construction practices are key to building spaces that are both high quality and environmentally responsible.

    As we celebrate this day, we remain committed to doing our part, curating the path that supports a more sustainable future for our communities.” – Mr. Kalyan Chakrabarti, CEO, Emaar India

  • AAEON Releases the BOXER-6407-TWL, an Ultra-Slim PC Designed for Legacy System Modernization

     

    35% slimmer than its predecessor and offering both VGA and HDMI display outputs, the BOXER-6407-TWL is positioned as a reliable, cost-efficient platform for retrofitting and upgrading existing setups.

     

    AAEON Releases the BOXER-6407-TWL, an Ultra-Slim PC Designed for Legacy System Modernization

     

    (Taipei, Taiwan – April 23, 2026) Leading provider of industrial PC solutions AAEON (Stock Code: 6579) today announced the BOXER-6407-TWL, an ultra-slim compact embedded PC available with either the Intel Processor N250 or N150 CPU SKU from the Intel Processor N-series (formerly Twin Lake). 

    Central to the product’s value proposition is its compact 153mm x 101mm x 30mm size, with its height being particularly notable, given it is 35% slimmer than previous models from AAEON’s Ultra-slim Box PC portfolio. AAEON has said this design decision was made to satisfy market demand for more advanced, fanless platforms that can be integrated into existing systems with minimal space, such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment and digital signage installations.

    Highlighting its suitability for retrofitting and modernizing industrial setups, the BOXER-6407-TWL offers both VGA and HDMI display outputs to ensure compatibility with existing display panels. Meanwhile, the PC features a robust industrial I/O comprised of three USB ports (USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 1, USB 2.0 x 3), dual Gigabit Ethernet LAN, and two DB-9 ports for RS-232/422/485. This positioning of the product as one for industrial environments is consistent with the its mechanical specifications, which boast a fanless, ventless chassis with a single-mold top cover, allowing it to operate in temperatures as high as 60°C while preventing dust ingress.

     

    For storage, the system sacrifices the SATA support seen in earlier models for an M.2 2280 M-Key slot, with additional expansion coming in the form of an M.2 2230 E-Key, an M.2 3052 B-Key, and a SIM card slot.

    The system’s operating system support includes Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 IoT, and Linux Ubuntu 24.04 and later.

  • IndiGo Expands Gujarat Network with Daily Mumbai–Jamnagar Flights

    Apr, 23 : IndiGo, India’s preferred airline, further strengthened its network in Gujarat with the commencement of daily, direct flights between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Jamnagar today. The service is being operated using IndiGo’s A320 aircraft, offering customers a convenient and seamless travel option between the two cities.

    IndiGo Expands Gujarat Network with Daily Mumbai–Jamnagar Flights

    The launch is part of IndiGo’s continued network expansion in Gujarat, where the airline now operates flights from six cities  Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Jamnagar. IndiGo continues to support the growing travel demand in Gujarat driven by its strong industrial base, trade linkages, and global diaspora. The airline operates over 700 weekly departures from the state, offering direct connectivity to more than 30 domestic destinations, besides convenient, one-stop connections to over 40 international cities including Singapore, Bangkok, Nairobi, Shanghai, London, and many more.

    Jamnagar plays an important role within this network, with its well-established ports and strong presence across energy, petrochemicals, and manufacturing sectors. The new service strengthens access between Jamnagar and India’s financial and commercial centre, Mumbai, while also enabling convenient onward travel across IndiGo’s domestic and international network.

    Customers can plan and book their travel through IndiGo’s official website www.goIndiGo.in, mobile app, or authorised travel partners. They can also pre-book their meals and beverages or personalize their travel experiences by opting for offerings such as UpFront and Flexi, which include preferred seating, complimentary snacks, and hassle-free cancellations.

  • India–Nepal Travel Tightens: New Vehicle Permits & Customs Duties for Indian Visitors !

    Nepal / India,Apr23(BNP): Travelling from India to Nepal has become more regulated following the introduction of new rules affecting Indian visitors, particularly those crossing the border by road or carrying goods.

    India–Nepal Travel Tightens: New Vehicle Permits & Customs Duties for Indian Visitors !

    Under the revised guidelines, Indian vehicles entering Nepal must now be officially registered at the border and carry valid permits at all times during their stay. Authorities have made it mandatory to comply with these procedures to ensure proper monitoring and regulation of cross-border vehicular movement.

    In addition, goods purchased from India and taken into Nepal will now attract applicable customs duties beyond prescribed limits. This marks a shift from the earlier, more relaxed system and is aimed at curbing informal trade and strengthening customs enforcement.

    Officials stated that the new measures are designed to bring greater transparency and accountability in cross-border travel and trade. However, the changes are expected to impact frequent travellers and those accustomed to informal shopping trips across the open border.

    Travellers have been advised to stay updated on the latest regulations and ensure all required documentation and declarations are in place to avoid penalties or additional costs.

    Despite the tighter norms, movement between India and Nepal continues under long-standing bilateral arrangements, with authorities emphasizing smoother implementation while minimizing inconvenience to genuine visitors.

  • Tech Mahindra FY26 EBIT rises to INR 7,152 crores, up 39.2 Percent YoY

    Mumbai, Apr 23: Tech Mahindra, a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries announced the audited consolidated financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2026.

    Financial highlights for the year (USD)

    • Revenue USD 6,385 Mn
    • up 1.9% YoY in reported terms
    • up 0.6 % YoY in constant currency terms
    • EBIT $ 797 Mn, up 31.4% YoY
    • EBIT margin 12.6%, up 290 bps YoY
    • PAT $ 537 Mn, up 7.0% YoY
    • Free cash flow USD 616 Mn
    • New deal wins TCV USD $3,794 Mn, up 41.6% YoY

    Financial highlights for the quarter (USD)

    • Revenue USD 1,625 Mn
    • up 0.9% QoQ, up 4.9% YoY in reported terms
    • up 0.6 % QoQ, up 2.4% YoY in constant currency terms
    • EBIT USD 223 Mn, up 5.5% QoQ, up 36.3% YoY
    • EBIT Margin 13.8%, up ~70 bps QoQ, up ~330 bps YoY
    • Profit After Tax (PAT) USD 145 Mn, up 6.7% YoY
    • Reported Profit After Tax (PAT) Margin 9.0 %, up 30 bps YoY
    • New deal wins TCV USD 1,073mn; up 34.5% YoY and down 2.1% QoQ

    Financial highlights for the year (₹)

    • Revenue ₹ 56,815 crores, up 7.2% YoY
    • EBIT ₹ 7,152 crores, up 39.2% YoY
    • Profit After Tax (PAT) ₹ 4,811 crores, up 13.2% YoY

    Financial highlights for the quarter (₹)

    • Revenue ₹ 15,076 crores, up 4.7% QoQ, up 12.6 % YoY
    • EBIT ₹ 2,084 crores, up 10.2% QoQ, up 48.3% YoY
    • Profit After Tax (PAT) ₹ 1,354 crores, up 16.0% YoY
    • Diluted Earnings per share (EPS) at ₹ 15.24

    Other Highlights

    • Total headcount at 147,623; down 1,108 YoY
    • LTM IT attrition at 12.1%
    • Days of Sales Outstanding 89 days
    • Cash and Cash Equivalent at the end of the quarter ₹ 8,456 crores

    Mohit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director, Tech Mahindra, said, “We are accelerating our transition to an AI-led organization, embedding AI across services and expanding our capabilities to enhance value delivery for our clients. This is reflected in our highest deal wins in recent years including consecutive quarters exceeding $ 1 billion. We remain focused on scaling with discipline and are on track to delivering our FY27 commitments.”

    Rohit Anand, Chief Financial Officer, Tech Mahindra, said, “FY26 marked the end of the Stabilization Phase of our transformation journey, with margins expanding for the 10th consecutive quarter despite a challenging macro environment. In line with our disciplined capital allocation framework and commitment to our shareholders, we increased the dividend by over 13%, taking total dividends declared for the year to ₹51 per share, our highest ever.”

    Key Deal Wins

    • Won a large, multi-year AI-led transformation and outsourcing engagement with a major European telecommunications operator, spanning global customer support, quote-to-bill operations, and post-sales services. Agentic AI is embedded into the operating model via a proprietary orchestration platform to drive zero-touch operations, automation-led efficiency, and a joint go-to-market for AI-first services.
    • Selected by a leading North American automotive OEM as a strategic partner for application development and support across mission-critical enterprise systems. Leveraging capabilities in application engineering, integration, automation, AI and data enablement, this engagement will reduce technical debt, improve operational efficiency, and accelerate delivery of enhancements, advancing the client’s digital transformation priorities and supports long-term scalability and cost optimization across North American operations. 
    • Selected by a European retail bank as a strategic partner for managed services engagement. This engagement leverages Tech Mahindra’s deep Banking and Financial Services domain expertise and proven delivery excellence to drive operational efficiency through optimized delivery models, enhancing security and regulatory compliance through robust, future-ready technology frameworks, and enabling scalable IT architecture to support growth and evolving regulatory needs. 
    • Selected by a Fortune 500 energy major as the sole strategic partner to run and manage infrastructure, cloud, service desk, end-user computing, and allied services while driving measurable efficiency across the technology estate. Leveraging Tech Mahindra’s cloud and infrastructure modernization expertise and internal proprietary platforms, the program will embed AI-enabled processes and platform-led improvements to optimize spend, strengthen day-to-day operations and enhance end-user experience. 
    • Selected by a leading global public health alliance as a strategic partner for a managed services engagement. Reflecting strong confidence in Tech Mahindra’s delivery excellence and domain expertise, the engagement focuses on sustaining high service quality and operational agility, while enabling continuous digital innovation to drive efficiency and mission-aligned transformation.
    • Selected by a global technology major to expand lab-based testing and certification services for its connected device ecosystem. Leveraging Tech Mahindra’s global lab footprint and deep engineering expertise, the program will support broader coverage across evolving connectivity-led use cases.

    Business Highlights

    • Closed FY26 with the highest ever deal wins of $ 3,794 Mn in the last five years, reflecting stronger client confidence in Tech Mahindra’s transformation capabilities and solution-led go-to-market and Finished Q4 with the highest YoY constant currency growth in 3 years
    • Secured large telco wins over consecutive quarters that are aimed at accelerating innovation, strengthening digital resilience, and achieving AI-led operational efficiencies. This underlines our deep domain capabilities in the telecommunication industry and client trust.
    • Launched an education-focused LLM at the India AI Impact Summit. Scaled to eight billion parameters, the new model supports agentic AI in Hindi and debuts as an educational model focused on democratizing high-quality learning
    • IndusLLM is positioned as a template to be adopted globally in Sovereign AI deployments through a successful demonstration on Intel’s next-gen Panther Lake architecture.
    • Launched Agentic Payment Assistance & Collections Optimization Solution for Telcos at Mobile World Congress 2026. The solution helps global telecommunications operators efficiently discover, test, deploy, and manage a wide range of software solutions, including pre-built AI agents
    • Collaborated with Microsoft to launch an ontology-driven Agentic AI platform that accelerates telecom and enterprise data modernization. Built on Microsoft Fabric and Azure AI Foundry, the solution enables explainable, auditable, and real-time AI-powered decision-making while supporting secure, governed deployment of AI agents.
    • Collaborated with NVIDIA to introduce an industry-first AI-powered Telco Network Operations Reasoning Agent. The solution is designed to help Communication Service Providers (CSPs) accelerate their journey toward Level 4+ (L4+) autonomous networks by transforming traditional Network Operations Centers (NOCs) into intelligent, closed-loop operations.
    • Partnered with Fortinet, a global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, to deliver a Managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution. The joint solution aims at enabling secure and scalable digital transformation for enterprises globally by combining Tech Mahindra’s advisory, transformation, and managed services covering networking and security, with the Fortinet Unified SASE solution.
    • Partnered with FICO to help BFSI organizations accelerate value creation through AI-powered decisioning and advanced analytics. This partnership will deliver end-to-end consulting, implementation, and managed services, enabling enterprises to fully leverage the capabilities of FICO Platform and realize faster, measurable business outcomes.
    • Partnered with SCSK Asia Pacific. The partnership aims to accelerate the global expansion of SCSK’s ADVENTURECluster—an advanced Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) solution and fast-track product development lifecycles for engineering organizations by streamlining the design and validation stages through cutting-edge CAE capabilities.
    • Partnered with Rubrik, a security and AI operations company. Together, the organizations will deliver a joint Cyber Recovery as a Service (CRaaS) solution to help enterprises restore operations quickly and securely following cyber incidents.

    Awards and Recognitions

    • Awarded ‘Retailers’ Favorite’ at the NRF VIP Awards, underscoring retail trust placed in Tech Mahindra’s reliable and outcome-driven transformation services
    • Recognized in S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2026 as one of only two organizations worldwide in the IT Services industry to be recognized in the Top 1% category, underscoring its leadership in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance
    • Recognized Amongst MINDS 2nd Cohort by World Economic Forum for Advancing Linguistic and Digital Equity Through AI
    • Rated A in CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment.
    • Secured ninth place globally in the Brand Strength Index (BSI) rankings.
    • Won Google Cloud Partner of the Year award for Manufacturing
    • Won the CIO Choice 2026 Award for delivering Mahindra & Mahindra’s enterprise-scale data and AI transformation

    Analyst Ratings & Recognitions

    • Everest Group’s Private Equity (PE) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2026 – Major Contender and Star Performer
    • Travel, Transportation, and Hospitality Digital Services 2025 RadarView – Leader
    • CX Services  in Travel  & Hospitality  2026 – Overall
    • CX Services  in Travel  & Hospitality  2026 – CX Improvement Capability – Leader
    • CX Services  in Travel  & Hospitality  2026 – Revenue  Generation Capability – Leader
    • CX Services  in Travel  & Hospitality  2026 – Cost  Optimization  Capability – Leader
  • Kedarnath Dham Reopens Amid Grand Ceremony; Over 12,000 Devotees Attend Opening Day !

    Kedarnath Temple, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, Apr 23 (BNP): The sacred portals of Kedarnath Dham were ceremonially opened to devotees at 8:00 AM on April 22, 2026, amid Vedic chants and traditional rituals, marking the beginning of this year’s pilgrimage season.

    Kedarnath Dham Reopens Amid Grand Ceremony; Over 12,000 Devotees Attend Opening Day !

    The Himalayan shrine witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with over 12,000 devotees present to witness the grand opening ceremony. The temple premises were beautifully decorated with nearly 15 quintals of flowers, while the atmosphere echoed with chants of “Har Har Mahadev,” reflecting deep spiritual devotion.

    Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, attended the ceremony, performed the first puja, and reviewed arrangements for the ongoing pilgrimage. Emphasizing efficient management, he stated that the queue system has been streamlined to ensure smooth and timely darshan for all pilgrims, with early visitors completing their prayers within minutes.

    The Chief Minister also appealed to devotees to support a “Green Yatra” initiative by maintaining cleanliness and keeping the shrine area plastic-free.

    The reopening of Kedarnath marks a key phase of the annual Char Dham Yatra. Meanwhile, the portals of Badrinath Temple opened on April 23 at 6:15 AM, while Yamunotri Temple and Gangotri Temple had already opened on April 19.

    Authorities have put in place extensive arrangements to ensure the safety, facilities, and smooth movement of pilgrims, with a significant surge in footfall expected in the coming days.

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