Category: Business

Nearly a third of Americans over age 50 provide regular care to an adult relative or friend with a health issue or disability, a new poll finds. But many of them don’t know about, or use, local resources that could help them with caregiving.

And about 20% of these caregivers are like highwire acrobats working without a net, the poll reveals. They’re taking care of someone else with health needs, but without close friends or family members to pitch in if they needed help with their own health concerns.

The new findings from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging could inform caregiver-related policy discussions at state and national levels.

It also suggests a need for increased awareness of existing programs such as adult day programs and respite care, and local organizations like Area Agencies on Aging, that address the needs of adults aged 60 and older and their caregivers. Such programs can connect caregivers to services, support, and resources that can reduce their burden and improve the day-to-day care they provide.

The poll is based at the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and supported by Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical center, with additional support for Michigan-specific polling from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

Caregiving and caregiver support

In all, the poll finds 22% of people over 50 served as caregivers in the last year for an adult with health or disability needs who they don’t live with, and 12% did so for someone they live with. Taken together, 32% of all people over 50 served as caregivers for at least one adult with health or disability needs.

In all, 17% of all caregivers say they do not have the support they need to manage their caregiving responsibilities.

But the percentage saying this was much higher — 41%— among the caregivers who also reported they did not have close friends or family to depend on for help with their own needs.

That’s compared with a much lower percentage saying they don’t have support for caregiving responsibilities — just 11% — among caregivers who do have friends and family to depend on for their own health needs.

“This is an issue we need to keep our eyes on as our nation continues to grapple with the growing demand for unpaid, untrained caregiving for older adults and for people with disabilities and serious health needs,” said Florence Johnson, Ph.D., M.S.N., M.H.A., an Assistant Professor in the U-M School of Nursing and member of IHPI. “Our poll shows that 23% of all people over 50, including many who are already caregivers for one or more adults, may lack family or friends to help them if they needed support with health needs. But they may not know where or how to find services.”

Financial impacts of caregiving

The poll asked about the financial impact of caregiving for a relative or friend with health issues or a disability.

Caregivers often take time away from work if they’re employed or spend money on transportation and other expenses to provide care. But most family or friend caregivers cannot receive pay from insurance or government sources for their efforts, except in rare circumstances.

In all, 34% of caregivers said caregiving resulted in financial challenges for them. The percentage was higher (40%) among those aged 50 to 64 than those over age 65 (27%). It was also higher among caregivers whose own physical or mental health is fair or poor, or who have a disability themselves.

The percentage citing a financial challenge from caregiving was also higher, at 47%, among caregivers who say they don’t have family or friends to help with their own health needs.

Among all caregivers who feel they don’t have enough support to manage their caregiving responsibilities, the poll team asked what would help them most.

The top answer by far, mentioned by 69%, was financial assistance or subsidies for caregiving expenses.

Day programs and respite care: Lack of awareness and use

The poll also asked caregivers about their awareness of, and use of, programs that many communities have made available for people with disabilities and older adults.

The first was adult day programs, where a caregiver can bring their relative or friend to take part in supervised, structured activities for a few hours to a full day, together with other people in their age group or with similar conditions or disabilities. Such programs can give a caregiver a chance to take time for themselves or catch up on work, or just relieve stress.

Only 9% of caregivers said the person they care for had used such programs, while 60% said they hadn’t used one but the caregivers had heard of them. That left 21% of caregivers who haven’t ever heard of adult day programs and 10% who didn’t know if the person they care for had ever attended an adult day program.

The poll also suggests communities could use many channels to get the word out about adult day programs, and any costs or sliding-scale fees involved. Among caregivers who had heard of adult day programs, there was no one way that people most frequently reported using to hear about them.

Another option for caregivers and the people they care for is respite care, which provides a “break” from caregiving through a paid or unpaid helper coming to the home, a short-term stay in a residential facility, or an emergency respite (for example if a caregiver has a sudden health issue).

Among caregivers who felt they don’t have the support they need, 39% said that respite care or temporary relief from caregiving was a service that could help them the most with their caregiving responsibilities.
Yet only 11% of all caregivers had used any form of respite, while 57% hadn’t used it but had heard of it, and 32% had never heard of it. Male caregivers were much more likely to say they had never heard of it.
Of those caregivers who had used respite care, 33% said it was to take time for themselves, and 33% said it was to relieve stress and prevent burnout.

Poll director Jeffrey Kullgren, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., said it’s important for health care providers to be attuned to their patients’ roles as caregivers, as well as to the family or friend caregivers who may be taking care of them.

“We see a real awareness gap here, and health care providers can help by making sure that information about local resources is available in waiting areas, patient education packets and more,” he said. Kullgren is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the U-M Medical School who provides primary care to veterans at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

“If our patients are feeling unsupported or stressed as caregivers, it can affect their own mental and physical health, and their ability to keep up with healthy habits that are important for long-term healthy aging,” he added. “Making sure they know about adult day programs and respite care could be a way to help them make caregiving sustainable.”

Michigan findings

In addition to the national poll findings, the poll team analyzed data from Michigan residents over age 50 via the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging with support from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. Overall, Michigan results were in line with the national findings.

In all, 31% of Michiganders over 50 serve as caregivers to one or more adult family members or friends who have a health issue or disability. And 33% of these Michigan caregivers say that caregiving has resulted in financial challenges for them. Meanwhile, 17% say they don’t have the support they need to manage their caregiving responsibilities, and this percentage was higher among caregivers without close friends or family to depend on for help with their own needs.

In all, 19% of Michigan caregivers over 50, and 23% of all Michiganders over 50, say they do not have family members or close friends that they could depend on if they needed support with their daily needs.  
But the poll shows that most of these Michigan caregivers don’t use or aren’t aware of programs designed to help with caregiving.

When asked about adult day programs, only 10% of Michigan caregivers said the person they care for had used such programs, while 50% said they hadn’t used one but the caregivers had heard of them. That left 26% of Michigan caregivers who hadn’t ever heard of adult day programs and 14% who didn’t know if the person they care for had ever attended an adult day program.

And only 15% of all Michigan caregivers had used any form of respite care, while 55% hadn’t used it but had heard of it, and 30% had never heard of it.

At the same time, among Michigan caregivers who felt they don’t have the support they need, 35% said that respite care or temporary relief from caregiving was a service that could help them the most with their caregiving responsibilities.

Mumbai, Mar  Srishti Group celebrated the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa with a landmark cultural installation at its premium residential project, Srishti Oasis, marking both the Maharashtrian New Year and the company’s 35th anniversary. The highlight of the celebration was the installation of the tallest Gudi in Bhandup, symbolising prosperity, renewal and the developer’s three-and-a-half-decade journey in shaping urban communities.

The grand installation, located at Srishti Oasis near the Goregaon–Mulund Link Road (GMLR- ONE), opposite Mulund Colony in Bhandup (West), drew attention as a distinctive blend of tradition and contemporary urban identity. The initiative reflects the group’s effort to integrate cultural heritage into modern residential living while commemorating a significant corporate milestone.

Speaking on the occasion, Kamlesh Thakur, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Srishti Group, said, “Gudi Padwa signifies new beginnings and optimism. As we complete 35 years of our journey, the Gudi now the tallest in Bhandup stands as a tribute to the trust and support of our customers and stakeholders. It also reflects our continued commitment to creating thoughtfully designed living spaces that offer comfort, connectivity and a holistic lifestyle.”

Srishti Oasis, positioned as a premium residential development in Mumbai’s central suburbs, offers 1, 2 and 3 BHK Sun Deck Homes designed to cater to evolving urban lifestyles. The project combines expansive layouts, panoramic views and a secure, family-friendly environment, aligning with the group’s focus on quality and liveability.

The development features over 50+ lifestyle amenities aimed at providing a comprehensive residential experience. Its Sky Lounge ‘Terrace’ includes curated features such as a sky pool, jacuzzi, yoga deck, alfresco seating areas, observation deck and fitness zones. At the podium level, residents have access to landscaped open spaces, recreational zones, swimming pools, sports facilities, children’s play areas and dedicated spaces for senior citizens, fostering a community-centric environment.

In addition to lifestyle offerings, the project benefits from well-established social infrastructure. Leading healthcare institutions such as Fortis Hospital, Lotus Multispecialty Hospital and Saarthi Hospital are located in close proximity. Reputed educational institutions, including Pawar Public School, GS Shetty International School and NES National Public School, are easily accessible, along with retail hubs like D’Mart, R Galleria and R Mall.

Connectivity remains a key advantage for the development. The project is strategically located near the upcoming Goregaon–Mulund Link Road, only project having direct access to GMLR with easy access to LBS Marg. The proposed Sonapur Metro Station is expected to further enhance accessibility, while Nahur and Bhandup railway stations provide seamless suburban connectivity. The location also offers convenient access to both domestic and international airports, strengthening its appeal for urban homebuyers.

The Gudi installation served as more than a festive centerpiece; it emerged as a symbolic representation of community spirit and continuity. With this initiative, Srishti Group has underscored its approach of blending tradition with contemporary development. The tallest Gudi in Bhandup at Srishti Oasis not only marked a festive celebration but also stood as a testament to the group’s legacy and its ongoing vision of creating vibrant and culturally rooted urban communities in Mumbai.

London, UK, March 19 – Indigo Telecom Group, a strategic partner for critical digital infrastructure, has appointed Ilex Content Strategies, a global B2B marketing and communications agency, as its marketing and communications agency of record. Ilex will support brand and messaging development, account-based marketing, content creation, internal communications, and Borderless PR as Indigo drives global growth.  

Indigo serves critical digital infrastructure providers, from hyperscalers, subsea networks, cloud and OTT players, carriers and fixed and mobile network providers.  It designs, deploys, supports and scales critical digital infrastructure through a unified global operating model that delivers consistency, control and assured performance across operations.

“Indigo has a proven model for delivering critical infrastructure right first time and at scale. As we accelerate our global growth, it’s essential that our story reflects the quality, maturity and operational excellence our customers experience every day,” said Michel Robert, CEO at Indigo. “Ilex understands complex, technical businesses and how to position them with clarity and confidence. Together, we will sharpen our messaging, strengthen our brand presence, and ensure Indigo is recognised not just for what we do, but for the strategic value we bring to hyperscalers, carriers and digital infrastructure leaders worldwide.”

Ilex will work closely with Indigo’s leadership team to undertake a brand and messaging refresh, undertake international media relations and support account-based marketing and sales enablement. Using its Borderless PR model, Ilex will ensure consistent messaging and maximum return on investment across priority markets, without the need for multiple local agencies.  

“Indigo Telecom plays an important role in the global digital infrastructure landscape, and communicating the scale and complexity of that work requires deep sector understanding,” said Lucia Barbato, CEO and Co-Founder at Ilex Content Strategies. “We’re proud to have been selected as Indigo’s agency of record and look forward to helping the business strengthen its market position, support sales and build momentum internationally.”

Founded in 2012, Ilex Content Strategies works with telecoms, cloud, cybersecurity, data centre and digital infrastructure organisations at key moments of growth, repositioning and market expansion. Its clients range from fast-growing regional specialists to billion-dollar global enterprises. It enables organisations to build credibility, visibility and sustained momentum through strategic communications that ultimately drives sales

New Delhi, Mar 19: BuyBuyCart, a fast-growing player in India’s organized retail ecosystem, has introduced smart vending machines to enter the automated retail market. The company aims to provide customers with easy access to common grocery items and fast-moving consumer goods, which compete with rising demand for shopping methods that prioritize convenience.

 BuyBuyCart developed its smart vending machines to operate as continuous automated retail systems that enable customers to purchase daily needs through quick contactless transactions that require no effort. Urban residents now require immediate access to products, which automated retail solutions provide as their lifestyles become more demanding.

The newly introduced machines are equipped with advanced smart retail technologies that enhance both customer convenience and operational efficiency. Each machine features an interactive touchscreen interface that enables seamless product selection. The machines enable safe and smooth payments through multiple digital payment methods, which include UPI, QR code scanning, debit and credit cards, and digital wallet services.

BuyBuyCart’s vending machines will offer a curated range of high-demand FMCG and daily-use products, including packaged snacks, biscuits, beverages, energy drinks, healthy snack options such as makhanas and dry fruits, ready-to-eat food items, chocolates and confectionery, personal care essentials, and select grocery products. The vending machines also provide a space where brands can promote their products if they want. Commenting on the launch, Ashish Pandey, Founder of BuyBuyCart, said, “Consumer expectations from retail are evolving rapidly, with convenience, speed, and accessibility becoming key priorities. Our vending machine initiative is designed to bring essential products closer to consumers through a smart, automated retail format that operates around the clock. Through this expansion, we aim to strengthen our technology-driven retail ecosystem while also enabling entrepreneurs to participate in the growing automated retail sector.”

As part of its rollout strategy, BuyBuyCart plans to deploy the vending machines in high-footfall locations such as corporate offices, IT parks, colleges, hospitals, fuel stations, residential societies, transport hubs, and commercial complexes. The company is also exploring collaborations with educational institutions and campuses to expand its presence in high-demand retail environments.

In the first phase of its expansion, BuyBuyCart plans to deploy 300-400 smart vending machines across high-footfall locations such as offices, campuses, hospitals, and residential hubs within the year. The company will further expand the network based on consumer response, demand trends, and strategic partnerships in the automated retail space.

BuyBuyCart will operate the vending machine network through FOCO (Franchise Owned, Company Operated) and COCO (Company Owned, Company Operated) models, enabling both entrepreneurs and the company to participate in expanding automated retail solutions across India.

The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gativedhi Technologies Pvt. Ltd. to integrate AI-based production intelligence tools into academic training and research environments. The collaboration focuses on introducing modern production pipeline systems to support India’s AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality) ecosystem.

 Under the agreement, IICT will introduce Gativedhi’s production intelligence platform, Shotrack, into its academic programmes. Faculty, students and researchers will engage with the platform through beta programs, academic evaluations and pilot deployments in simulated studio production environments. The initiative is designed to provide hands-on exposure to production tracking systems used in animation, VFX and digital media studios.

Shotrack is designed to manage production pipelines by enabling tracking of shots, assets, tasks and workflows, while supporting approvals, version histories and scheduling across departments. It supports on-premise, cloud and hybrid deployments, allowing studios to maintain control over production data. The platform also incorporates production intelligence capabilities, using structured data to generate operational insights such as identifying bottlenecks, optimizing resource allocation, forecasting schedule risks and analyzing production costs.

The platform addresses challenges in multi-studio collaborations, where differing internal systems can impact workflow continuity, asset sharing and progress tracking. By providing a unified production environment, Shotrack aims to improve coordination and transparency across distributed production pipelines.

Gativedhi is also developing an integrated ecosystem of tools including StudioTrack, focused on studio operations such as budgeting, recruitment and infrastructure management, and WorkTrack, a productivity platform for tracking workflow efficiency and team performance. Together, these platforms are intended to support end-to-end operations of creative organizations.

As part of the collaboration, IICT will integrate these tools into courses related to animation, VFX, gaming and media production management. The partnership will include guest lectures, workshops, internships and research initiatives, with a focus on production pipeline optimization, AI-assisted scheduling and data-driven production management.

Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, CEO, IICT, said,

“Academic institutions can play an important role as experimentation grounds for emerging technologies. Through this collaboration with Gativedhi Technologies, IICT will provide an environment where production pipeline tools can be explored, tested and refined while students gain insight into how large-scale animation and VFX productions are organized and managed.”

Senthil Kumar, Founder & CEO, Gativedhi Technologies Pvt. Ltd., said,

“Partnering with IICT allows us to introduce our production intelligence platform, Shotrack, to an academic environment where students can engage with real-world studio management tools. The collaboration will also enable valuable feedback that can support the continued development of production pipeline solutions for the AVGC industry.”

Dr. Ashish Kulkarni, Co-Founder, Gativedhi Technologies Pvt. Ltd., added,

“Over the years, while working with and mentoring animation and VFX studios, I have seen how challenging it becomes when multiple studios collaborate on a project while operating on different pipeline systems. The industry has long needed a unified and practical solution that simplifies collaboration across teams and studios. Shotrack is designed to bring greater transparency, efficiency and coordination to modern production workflows.”

 

New Delhi, Mar 19th:  India’s urban economy has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, driving the growth of office markets in major metropolitan cities. However, the soaring demand for both commercial and residential assets has intensified pressure on urban capacity in these cities. As a result, Tier–2 cities are rapidly emerging as the next frontier for scalable growth, offering businesses the opportunity to expand operations while maintaining efficiency and sustainability.

Flex Spaces Expand to Emerging High-Growth Urban Corridors

Capitalising on the growing allure of Tier–2 cities, flex operators are consistently expanding. As per Vestian’s latest report, Tier 2 cities accounted for over 575 centres and 8.8 Mn sq ft of flex stock, representing nearly 29% of the nation’s total flex centers and over 9% of pan–India flex stock.

Flex Spaces in Non-metro Cities Provide Cost Arbitrage, Attracting GCCs 

Beyond offering agile and scalable workspace solutions, flex spaces in Tier–2 cities deliver cost arbitrage of up to 50% compared to the metropolitan cities. Driven primarily by the IT-ITeS sector, followed by Consulting Services, BFSI, and Engineering & Manufacturing sectors, more than 200 companies have already established over 300 GCC bases across major Tier–2 cities.

Furthermore, the report also stated that nearly 9% of flex centres in Tier–2 cities cater to GCC-led operations, while 16% of GCC bases in these markets operate from flexible workspaces, indicating that even though GCCs are not the major demand driver for flex spaces, flex spaces have emerged as a preferred workspace option for several GCC companies. 

Demand for Enterprise-Grade, Sustainable Office Spaces to Increase in Tier–2 Cities 

Unlike metro cities, only 60% of flex centres in Tier–2 cities are located in dedicated office buildings, with just 26% situated in Grade-A assets. Over 53% of flex centres occupied by GCCs in these cities are situated within Grade-A buildings, and 19% operate from green-certified spaces. This reflects higher-quality and ESG-aligned real estate assets is now the primary catalyst for Tier–2 office market growth.

Shrinivas Rao, FRICS, CEO, Vestian, said: “The rise of Tier–2 cities is a defining shift in India‘s expansion strategy. As infrastructure improves and flex ecosystems mature, the decentralization of GCCs will become a cornerstone of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.”

 

Mumbai, Mar 19th: Central Depository Services (India) Limited (“CDSL”), Asia’s first listed depository, in collaboration with KPMG in India, has released the third edition of its Reimagine Thought Leadership report titled “Reimagine: Securities Market through Data Synergy”, following its third annual Reimagine Symposium held earlier this year. The report proposes a Creation–Control–Culture (3C) framework to guide data–led transformation across India’s securities market ecosystem.

The report highlights that “data risk is market risk,” and outlines how a structured data governance approach can strengthen resilience, transparency, and innovation across India’s securities market ecosystem. It proposes a 3C framework that enables market institutions to build shared data infrastructure, embed robust governance and cyber safeguards, and foster responsible data practices across the ecosystem. The report also presents the concept of a central regulatory operating model within market institutions, helping align regulatory expectations, improve interoperability across market participants, and enable more effective risk management and investor protection in an increasingly data-driven market. 

Shri. Nehal Vora, MD & CEO, CDSL, said: “Data synergy is the force that brings Creation, Control and Culture together – enabling innovation while strengthening trust. When data becomes intelligent and interoperable, it powers a market that is resilient by design and trust-enabled at its core. Such an ecosystem goes beyond facilitating transactions; it empowers the Atmanirbhar investor and supports India’s journey towards a truly Viksit Bharat.”

India’s securities market is witnessing rapid expansion in investor participation. While household participation is currently estimated at around 20%, leaving significant headroom for future growth compared with more mature markets such as the United States, the expanding investor base presents a strong opportunity to deepen financial inclusion and strengthen investor awareness across the country.

Further, the report highlights four key opportunity areas where data can transform the ecosystem: stronger price discovery and curated products, personalised investor experience at scale, improved risk intelligence and fraud prevention, and more agile supervision through Regulatory Technology (RegTech) and Supervisory Technology (SupTech).

Commenting on the report, Shri. Akhilesh Tuteja, Partner and National Leader, Clients & Markets, KPMG in India, said: “Human intelligence has driven modern economies; the next phase of growth will depend on how well we harness intelligent data. As this report suggests, data risk is market risk. Treating data as core market infrastructure is critical for India to sustain market leadership and investor confidence”

The proposed 3C framework outlines a structured path for building a trusted data ecosystem:

• Creation celebrates India’s capacity to build shared utilities including market data dictionaries, machine-readable disclosures, secure API pipelines, and privacy-preserving simulation environments that unlock research and product innovation across the ecosystem.
• Control strengthens the system with smart guardrails including privacy-by-design, standardized lineage, cyber resilience programs (including post-quantum readiness), and responsible AI governance (including the vision of an industry-wide AI model registry). These controls accelerate progress by making it sustainable and trusted.
• Culture makes the transformation durable by tying incentives to data quality, explainability, responsiveness, and investor outcomes; and by scaling multilingual investor education that converts awareness into confident participation.

The report also draws on insights from the Reimagine: Securities Market through Data Synergy symposium, which was attended by Shri Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman, SEBI, as Chief Guest, and Shri Sandip Pradhan, Whole-Time Member, SEBI, and Shri Keki Mistry, Former Vice Chairman & CEO, HDFC, as Guests of Honour. The symposium brought together leaders from across the securities market, financial services, and technology ecosystem, with panel discussions exploring themes such as “Data’s Superpower – Driving Innovation at Scale,” “Data is Capital – Trust is the Currency,” and “Data as DNA – A Cultural Shift.”

As data becomes the backbone of financial markets, the report underscores the need for coordinated action across regulators, market infrastructure institutions, intermediaries and investors to build a resilient and trusted data ecosystem that can support India’s vision of a Viksit Bharat.

Mumbai, Mar 19th: India’s leading gaming talent management agency, 8Bit Creatives, has announced its strategic expansion into the lifestyle creator economy with the onboarding of popular content creator Nishu Tiwari. This move marks a significant milestone for the agency as it evolves from a category leader in gaming to building a more holistic creator ecosystem, in line with the rapid growth of lifestyle content in India.

Over the years, 8Bit Creatives has built a formidable roster of India’s top gaming creators, including Naman Mathur (Mortal), Payal Dhare (Payal Gaming), Raj Varma (Snax), Parv Singh (Regaltos), Krutika Ojha (Krutika Plays), and Gulrez Khan (Joker Ki Haveli), among others. With a proven track record of executing campaigns for over 100 brands across more than 20 industries, including apparel, FMCG, personal care, HORECA, and entertainment, the agency has consistently set new benchmarks in influencer marketing by crafting customized, high-impact campaign experiences.

With Nishu’s addition, 8Bit Creatives takes a significant step toward diversifying into mainstream lifestyle content, further strengthening its ability to deliver integrated, cross-category campaigns powered by some of the country’s most influential digital creators.

Speaking about the expansion, Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, 8Bit Creatives said, “Gaming has been the foundation of what we’ve built at 8Bit Creatives, and over time we’ve seen how deeply it connects with broader youth culture, including lifestyle, fashion, food and travel. Today’s audiences do not consume content in silos. They follow creators for their personality and storytelling across formats, and that shift is also influencing how brands approach collaborations. Our expansion into lifestyle is a strategic step in that direction, and Nishu coming on board strongly reflects this vision. As we continue to grow and expand across industries, our focus remains on creating long-term value for both creators and brands by enabling meaningful collaborations rooted in culture, community and creativity.”

Known for her engaging and relatable content, Nishu brings with her a strong and loyal digital community of over 4.37 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.6 million followers on Instagram. She creates high-engagement, concept-driven lifestyle content spanning challenges, food explorations, travel, and social experiments, combining relatable storytelling with mass appeal for a young, digitally native audience.

The Delhi-based creator has collaborated with leading brands such as Nykaa Fashion, Duolingo, realme, Himalaya Facecare, Red Label Tea, and Samsung, making her a strong addition to the agency’s growing portfolio. Her versatility across formats and categories allows brands to tap into a wide spectrum of audiences, complementing 8Bit Creatives’ deep-rooted expertise in gaming and youth culture.

“I’m really excited to join 8Bit Creatives. What stood out to me is their approach to working closely with creators while building impactful brand collaborations. I’m looking forward to exploring new formats, working with a wider set of brands, and creating content that continues to connect with my audience in a meaningful way,” commented Nishu Tiwari.

The expansion comes at a time when India’s influencer ecosystem is witnessing exponential growth. According to a report by Qoruz, the country is now home to over 4 million influencers, with the lifestyle category emerging as the largest and fastest-growing segment, growing from 1.28 lakh influencers in 2023 to 2.95 lakh in 2024. At the same time, gaming continues its strong upward trajectory, scaling from just over 1 lakh influencers in 2020 to 4.67 lakh by the end of 2024, reinforcing the convergence of gaming and mainstream digital content.

By expanding into lifestyle, 8Bit Creatives is strategically positioned to bridge these two high-growth ecosystems, enabling brands to unlock deeper and more diverse audience engagement.

New Delhi, March 19: The government has approved a ₹472 crore project for construction of a Road Over Bridge (ROB) and associated infrastructure at Tuna-Tekra to strengthen port connectivity and improve cargo evacuation, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal approved the project, which includes viaduct structures, a bridge over a creek, and provisions for maintenance over a 10-year period.

The ROB is expected to serve as a key connectivity link for the upcoming mega container terminal and multipurpose cargo berth at Tuna-Tekra. The container terminal is planned with a capacity of 2.19 million TEUs, while the cargo berth will handle up to 18.33 million metric tonnes per annum.

Officials said the project will help reduce logistics turnaround time, ease congestion, and improve overall supply chain efficiency in the region.

The execution of the ROB will be aligned with the commissioning of the Tuna-Tekra container terminal, which is currently about 45% complete. This is aimed at ensuring that supporting infrastructure is ready alongside port operations.

The project is expected to ease rail-road congestion and facilitate smoother movement of heavy cargo traffic to and from the port, strengthening last-mile connectivity.

The development is part of the government’s broader maritime strategy under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aimed at enhancing port-led development and positioning India as a global maritime hub.