Category: Business

New Delhi, May 9 (BNP): India’s ornamental fisheries sector is witnessing rapid growth, supported by increasing global demand, rich aquatic biodiversity, and focused government initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). With ornamental fish exports estimated at nearly ₹41 crore, the sector is steadily emerging as a promising contributor to rural livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and India’s fisheries economy.

As part of efforts to strengthen the sector, Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D), Government of India, visited the Ornamental Fisheries Brood Bank at Mangrul village in Raigad district, Maharashtra. The facility was established by Mrs. Yashodhara Sanjay Khandagale under the PMMSY scheme and has become a notable example of innovation and sustainable growth in ornamental aquaculture.

During the visit, the Union Secretary interacted with PMMSY beneficiaries and local stakeholders to understand on-ground challenges, identify operational gaps, and assess opportunities for further strengthening the sector. The interaction highlighted the growing role of small entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises in transforming ornamental fisheries into a sustainable livelihood model.

The Raigad-based brood bank is regarded as one of the first initiatives of its kind in India and currently conserves and breeds more than 25 varieties of ornamental fish. Through her brand “Sam Discus,” Mrs. Yashodhara Sanjay Khandagale has successfully established a strong presence in the domestic ornamental fish market, particularly in premium discus fish production.

The facility has produced nearly 7.7 lakh ornamental fish across 20 species, generating an estimated revenue of ₹1.93 crore while creating direct and indirect employment opportunities for approximately 25–30 people. Equipped with more than 700 tanks, the brood bank also serves as a centre for skill development, best-practice training, and entrepreneurship promotion in ornamental aquaculture.

The unit exports ornamental fish to several international markets, including the United States, Italy, France, Mauritius, South Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, China, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, and Israel, showcasing India’s growing global footprint in the ornamental fisheries trade. The brood bank is also covered under government support schemes such as the Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS) and the National Fisheries Development Programme (NFDP), ensuring regulatory compliance and institutional backing.

India possesses immense potential in ornamental fisheries, with nearly 700 indigenous freshwater species and over 300 marine ornamental species available domestically. Leveraging this biodiversity, the government has significantly expanded infrastructure support under PMMSY. So far, 1,986 backyard ornamental fish rearing units, 6,018 fish kiosks and aquariums, and 117 retail markets — including dedicated ornamental fish and aquarium markets — have been supported across the country.

In addition, five freshwater ornamental fish brood banks and 199 integrated ornamental fish units have been established to strengthen breeding, production, marketing, and value-chain development. The Department of Fisheries has also identified 34 fisheries production and processing clusters nationwide, including a dedicated ornamental fisheries cluster in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Maharashtra continues to play a vital role in India’s fisheries sector due to its strong marine and inland fishery resources. The state has a coastline of nearly 878 km, 173 fish landing centres, and 526 fishing villages, supporting over 15 lakh fisherfolk. Fish production in Maharashtra reached approximately 5.9 lakh tonnes during 2022–23. Inland fisheries resources in the state span reservoirs, rivers, ponds, and brackish water areas, offering substantial scope for aquaculture expansion.

Officials noted that initiatives such as PMMSY and the Blue Revolution scheme have helped improve hatcheries, aquaculture infrastructure, cage farming, and fisher welfare in the state. However, continued investment, technology adoption, and stronger market linkages will be essential to unlock the sector’s full potential.

The visit by the Union Secretary is expected to further strengthen the ornamental fisheries ecosystem by encouraging stakeholder participation, enabling policy-level interventions, and promoting sustainable growth and export opportunities in the sector.

New Delhi, May 9 (BNP): Indian equity markets closed the week on a positive note, with benchmark indices Nifty and Sensex recording strong gains amid improving investor confidence. Market sentiment remained upbeat throughout the week, supported by easing global crude oil prices, a strengthening rupee, and encouraging global market trends.

The decline in crude oil prices offered relief to investors, easing concerns around inflation and import-related costs for the Indian economy. At the same time, the rupee’s appreciation against the US dollar further strengthened market confidence and supported foreign investor sentiment.

Buying activity was witnessed across major sectors, particularly banking, IT, and automobile stocks, which contributed significantly to the market rally. Analysts noted that stable domestic fundamentals and improving global cues helped maintain positive momentum in equities during the trading sessions.

Market participants are expected to closely monitor upcoming economic data, global commodity price movements, and policy signals from central banks for further direction in the weeks ahead.

Mumbai, May 9: Aditya Vision Ltd reported strong financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year FY26, driven by healthy consumer demand, store expansion, and growth across product categories.

The company posted consolidated revenue of Rs 6.3 billion in Q4 FY26, marking a strong year-on-year increase. EBITDA and recurring profit after tax also registered healthy growth during the quarter, reflecting continued operational momentum despite margin pressures arising from changing product mix and higher operating expenses.

Gross margins moderated during the quarter, primarily due to a higher contribution from digital gadgets, while EBITDA margins remained stable sequentially. The company continued to witness healthy same-store sales growth during FY26, supported by increasing consumer traction across categories.

Large appliances remained the largest revenue contributor during FY26, followed by digital gadgets and small appliances. The company also strengthened its retail footprint significantly during the year, ending FY26 with 207 stores after adding 32 new outlets, including 15 stores during the fourth quarter alone.

Aditya Vision also announced a final dividend for shareholders for FY26.

According to analysts, the company’s strong topline performance exceeded market expectations, supported by healthy growth in same-store sales and rising participation across categories. Continued store expansion, category diversification, and improving market penetration are expected to support future growth momentum.

The company remains focused on scaling operations, improving profitability, and strengthening its position in the consumer electronics retail segment.

Hyderabad, May 09: Traya Health, India‘s leading hair loss solution brand, today highlighted findings from its national gut–hair health study that place Telangana at the centre of a quietly worsening health crisis.

The study compared self-reported health assessments from over 1.6 lakh Indian men collected in December 2024 against those in December 2025, across India‘s ten largest regions. It examined gut health indicators using constipation frequency as a primary marker of digestive function to identify shifts linked to male hair loss.

Among all ten states studied, Telangana recorded the steepest decline.

The Telangana Finding

The share of Telangana men reporting little or no constipation, a key marker of healthy digestion fell from 19.13% in December 2024 to 15.03% in December 2025, a drop of 4.10 percentage points in a single year. This was the largest single-state decline recorded in the study. At Telangana‘s population scale, a 4-point decline represents tens of thousands of men shifting from digestive comfort into chronic gut strain often without realising it.Share of men reporting little or no constipation, by region:

 Telangana is among India‘s most urban, most educated, and most economically active states. Hyderabad sits at the centre of India‘s tech economy. And that is precisely the problem.

According to Traya Health, modern urban lifestyle factors are among the most common contributors to declining digestive health:

●       Ultra-processed food, made hyper-accessible by 10-minute delivery platforms now deeply embedded in Hyderabad’s daily routine

●       Irregular meal timing driven by always-on work culture, particularly in the IT and services sectors

●       Chronic underhydration among working professionals with back-to-back schedules

●       Stress-linked eating, now normalised as a daily coping mechanism across age groups

How The Gut Affects Hair

Your gut is your hair‘s supply chain. Hair is built almost entirely from protein. For that protein along with iron, zinc, and key vitamins to reach the hair follicle, the gut has to absorb it first. When digestion is poor, the body redirects whatever nutrients it can absorb to vital organs. Hair gets what’s left. Over time, that shortage shows up as shedding.

A struggling gut also triggers inflammation. Chronic digestive stress sends low-grade inflammation through the body that disrupts the hair growth cycle. Hair follicles get pushed out of their growth phase too early and into a resting phase. Less new hair grows. More old hair falls. The thinning becomes visible.

The hard truth is that no shampoo or oil can fix either of these problems. They originate too far inside the body. 

What Traya Is Seeing On The Ground

Traya‘s data from Telangana users tells the same story as the study. Many of the men coming in with hair loss are also showing signs of poor digestion, difficulty absorbing nutrients, irregular gut function, and internal inflammation. These are not issues a shampoo or a hair serum can reach.

Saloni Anand, Co-Founder, Traya Health said: “Telangana‘s numbers are a signal the state cannot afford to ignore. These are not men in poor health, these are working professionals in one of India‘s most dynamic cities. But the same lifestyle that drives economic productivity is quietly degrading gut function. And when the gut struggles, hair is the first visible casualty. “

May 8 (BNP): Gold and silver prices traded higher on Friday, gaining up to 1 per cent in domestic and international markets, as renewed geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran boosted demand for safe-haven assets.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures (June 5 contract) opened at ₹1,52,672 per 10 grams, slightly higher than the previous close of ₹1,52,261. During the session, the metal strengthened further, touching an intraday high of ₹1,53,103 before trading at ₹1,52,853 per 10 grams, up 0.38 per cent.

Silver futures (July 3 contract) also opened on a stronger note at ₹2,59,999 per kg compared to the previous close of ₹2,58,540. The metal extended its gains through the day, rising to an intraday high of ₹2,62,723 before trading at ₹2,61,666 per kg, up over 1 per cent.

Market analysts said gold continues to show steady upward momentum, supported by sustained buying interest. They noted that a firm move above the ₹1,53,000 level could further strengthen bullish sentiment, while key support is seen near the ₹1,52,000–₹1,51,600 range.

For silver, experts pointed out that prices have remained strong after opening above the ₹2,60,000 mark. A breakout above the ₹2,64,000–₹2,66,000 resistance zone could pave the way for further upside, while support is placed around ₹2,56,000.

In global markets, precious metals also gained. COMEX gold rose 0.28 per cent to $4,725 per ounce, while silver edged up 0.17 per cent to $80.30 per ounce.

The rally was driven by heightened tensions in West Asia after reports of renewed conflict-related developments involving the US and Iran, raising concerns over regional stability and supply risks. At the same time, Brent crude rose nearly 3 per cent to $102.89 per barrel, while US WTI crude climbed 4 per cent to $98.64 per barrel, reflecting broader market unease.

Overall, safe-haven demand and geopolitical uncertainty continued to support precious metal prices across global markets.

May 8 (BNP): The Indian rupee weakened on Friday, slipping 25 paise to close at 94.47 (provisional) against the US dollar, after posting gains in the previous two trading sessions. The decline came as fresh geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran weighed on investor sentiment.

Forex market participants said concerns intensified after reports of renewed conflict-related developments around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. While Iran accused the US of violating a ceasefire agreement, the US maintained that the ceasefire remained in place despite ongoing strikes and rising tensions in the region.

The uncertainty in the Middle East also impacted global oil markets. Brent crude prices, which had eased earlier to around USD 98 per barrel following hopes of a ceasefire, edged higher again to nearly USD 100 per barrel as investors reassessed the stability of supply routes and the possibility of prolonged tensions.

Traders noted that rising crude prices and geopolitical risks contributed to volatility in currency markets, keeping pressure on emerging market currencies, including the rupee.

Overall, sentiment remained cautious as global developments continued to influence currency movements and energy price trends.

Mumbai, May 08: Remsons Automotive Ltd, (UK), the United Kingdom Step Down subsidiary of Remsons Industries Limited, has been nominated by a global commercial vehicle OEM for a 10–year pedal box programme, with start of production scheduled for Q4 of 2028. The nomination carries an estimated lifetime value of approximately ₹160 crore over the programme term, making it another large nomination in the Group. 

The nomination is a significant milestone for the entire Remsons Group, materially expanding the Company’s commercial vehicle order book and deepening its position as a Tier-1 system supplier to global truck and bus manufacturers. The pedal box programme moves Remsons further up the value chain from individual components to integrated, safety-critical sub-assemblies, and reinforces the strategic role of the UK subsidiary as the Group’s gateway to European OEM business. 

A pedal box is a structural, safety-critical assembly that integrates the brake and (where applicable) clutch pedals into a single mounted unit fitted to the vehicle‘s bulkhead. The award follows an extended technical evaluation and competitive sourcing process in which Remsons was assessed on engineering capability, manufacturing readiness, quality systems, programme management and total landed cost over the ten-year programme life. 

“This nomination is a landmark moment for the Remsons Group. Securing a ten-year pedal box programme of this scale with a global commercial vehicle OEM validates the engineering depth, manufacturing capability and quality systems that we have built across our Indian and UK operations. It is a defining win for the entire Group and provides clear, multi-year revenue visibility into the next decade,” said Davinder Bains, MD, Remsons Automotive Ltd. 

With SOP scheduled for Q4 2028, programme tooling, validation and capacity planning will be progressed across the Group’s UK and India operations over the next several quarters. The programme is expected to ramp to full series volumes thereafter and contribute to revenue across the contracted ten-year horizon.