Category: Business

Mumbai,  Mar 13: Saatvik Green Energy Limited, one of India’s fastest-growing fully integrated renewable energy companies listed on the BSE and NSE, has announced the incorporation of its wholly owned subsidiary, Saatvik Power Storage Solutions Limited, in India. The newly formed entity will operate in the renewable energy and energy storage sector, focusing on the development and deployment of battery technologies and energy storage systems.

The initiative marks an important step in Saatvik’s strategy to build a future-ready clean energy platform that integrates solar generation with storage solutions. The subsidiary plans to explore opportunities in 20 GW of energy storage capacity over the next five years, supporting grid stability and renewable integration across key markets. The company also aims to introduce utility scale, C&I, retail and residential range of battery and energy storage solutions, catering to utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and distributed renewable energy applications.

Commenting on the development, Prashant Mathur, CEO of Saatvik Green Energy Limited, said:

“Energy storage will play a critical role in enabling the next phase of renewable energy growth. The incorporation of Saatvik Power Storage Solutions Limited reflects our long-term vision to build a comprehensive clean energy ecosystem that integrates solar manufacturing, EPC capabilities, and advanced storage technologies. This step positions Saatvik to contribute meaningfully to India’s transition toward reliable, round-the-clock renewable power.”

The subsidiary has been incorporated with an authorised capital of ?10,00,000 divided into 1,00,000 equity shares of ?10 each, with 100% shareholding held by Saatvik Green Energy Limited.

The establishment of the subsidiary reinforces Saatvik’s commitment to innovation, technology-led growth, and supporting India’s clean energy transition, particularly as the country accelerates deployment of renewable energy capacity supported by grid-scale and distributed storage solutions.

 

The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) and R.M.Williams have launched the National Manufacturing Strategy for Australian Fashion and Textiles 2026 – 2036 at Parliament House in Canberra – the first coordinated national roadmap to rebuild targeted domestic manufacturing capability across Australia’s textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) sector.

 

The National Manufacturing Strategy for Australian Fashion and Textiles 2026 – 2036 launch at Parliament House in Canberra

 

As the official print and projection partner of the Australian Fashion Council, Epson are fully supporting this national manufacturing strategy, its strategic outcomes and strategic pillars, as detailed below, that that firmly promote Australia’s onshore manufacturing capabilities.

 

(l-r) Epson Australia Managing Director Craig Heckenberg, Samantha Delgos, General Manager, Australian Fashion Council, Marianne Perkovic, Executive Chair, Australian Fashion Council and Epson Australia Corporate Marketing Manager, Priscilla Dickason

The ten-year Strategy is the result of almost a year of industry consultation led by the AFC and R.M.Williams, including 14 national consultations with manufacturers, brands, educators and policymakers across the country. More than 300 stakeholders contributed to the process, generating over 1,000 proposed initiatives and nearly 900 votes on strategic priorities to shape the sector’s long-term manufacturing future.

The Strategy was unveiled at a breakfast symposium and AFC member showcase in Mural Hall attended by over 90 industry and parliamentary guests, including members of the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Fashion & Textiles, and its Co-Chairs, Matt Burnell MP, Dai Le MP and Zoe McKenzie MP.

The Strategy comes at a critical time for the industry. With 97 per cent of Australia’s clothing and textile products manufactured offshore, the sector remains vulnerable to ongoing global supply disruptions and trade volatility. Rather than compete against high-volume offshore manufacturing markets, the Strategy is focussed on closing structural gaps and accelerating advanced manufacturing to scale the sector’s comparative advantage, aiming to position Australia to compete globally in premium, technology-enabled and traceable production, built on the country’s natural fibre strengths.

Table 1: Strategy Outcomes & Australia’s Comparative Advantage

Outcome

Comparative Advantage

1. Capture more value from Australian fibre

Australia is one of the world’s leading producers of premium natural fibres, including wool and cotton. Expanding domestic processing and spinning enables more of that value to be captured onshore.

2. Strengthen sovereign manufacturing capability

Australia has capability in specialised textile products where quality, compliance and supply security matter, including defence, healthcare and emergency service applications.

3. Build a globally competitive premium sector

Australia’s strength lies in high-quality, traceable and sustainably produced textiles and apparel, supported by natural fibres, strong design capability and advanced manufacturing.

The Strategy outlines three strategic pillars underpinned by industry and government coordination as the levers required to deliver these outcomes by 2036.

Table 2: Strategy Pillars & Coordination

Strategic Pillar

Focus

1. Activate and drive demand

Demand is the critical enabler. Strategic public procurement (federal and state) can anchor it, while Australian-made identification and coordinated national promotion can extend it through to consumer sectors. 

2. Secure the workforce of the future

Create new skilled pathways for advanced manufacturing roles, enable skills transfer (median age of manufacturer is 57), protect women’s contribution and participation (58% of TCF manufacturers are women) and support the diverse communities in the sector (41% are from CALD communities). 

3. Accelerate advanced manufacturing

Co-invest in modern machinery, new technologies and advanced manufacturing, rebuild early-stage fibre processing and yarn spinning – the sector’s ‘missing middle’ – and enable innovation in circular manufacturing and fibre-to-fibre recycling.

AN ECONOMIC CASE FOR ACTION

Independent modelling by RMIT University that full implementation of the Strategy’s coordinated policy platform will grow TCF manufacturing value added from $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion by 2030/31, delivering a cumulative $1.4 billion economic dividend over five years. The Strategy is also projected to create more than 1,000 new skilled jobs and $864 million in additional wages, with approximately half of those jobs are projected to be filled by women.

At present, TCF manufacturing already employs more than 27,000 Australians – 58 per cent women (compared to 28 per cent in other manufacturing industries) and 41 per cent from culturally and linguistically diverse communities – and pays over $1.4 billion in wages annually. Strengthening this base will increase the competitiveness of Australia’s $28 billion fashion and textile industry, which employs nearly 500,000 Australians across the broader value chain.

SPOKESPERSON QUOTES

“This Strategy sets out a clear roadmap for rebuilding a globally competitive Australian fashion and textile manufacturing sector. Australia already has exceptional design talent, advanced manufacturing capability and globally recognised brands. With the right coordination across industry, skills and procurement policy, we have a real opportunity to strengthen sovereign capability, create skilled jobs and position Australia as a leader in premium manufacturing.”
Marianne Perkovic, Executive Chair, Australian Fashion Council

“Australia is the world’s largest exporter of greasy wool and a globally significant cotton producer. Yet we export raw fibre and import finished goods at multiples of the original value. Re-establishing fibre processing and spinning capability restores the missing link in our value chain. Building the next generation of capability to capture this value – capability that is advanced, technology-enabled and circular – will also require stronger demand signals. Strategic public procurement can help anchor that demand and support the growth of Australia’s domestic manufacturing capability.”
Samantha Delgos, General Manager, Australian Fashion Council

“R.M.Williams has manufactured in Adelaide for more than 90 years. We employ skilled craftspeople, invest in apprentices and continue to modernise production while competing globally. What’s needed now is to activate a flywheel: demand enables investment in skills, skills enable advanced manufacturing, and technology allows Australian manufacturers to scale while maintaining quality.”
Tara Moses, Chief Operating Officer, R.M.Williams

“This Strategy is a serious economic blueprint for communities, supporting skilled jobs, strengthening regional manufacturing, and creating clearer pathways for women into trades and long-term manufacturing careers. It presents a coordinated, cross-portfolio agenda that connects procurement, skills and industry capability. As Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends group, I’m committed to supporting the sector to turn this plan into long-term coordinated action.”
Matt Burnell MP, Co-Chair, Parliamentary Friends of Australian Fashion & Textiles

“Epson is firmly committed to our partnership with the Australian Fashion Council and our joint goals around improving local manufacturing, furthering innovation and developing digital transformation. To that end Epson are also working closely with the AFC on a feasibility study for a ‘smart factory’ and shared manufacturing hubs similar to those we have already developed and implemented with The Social Outfit and Citizen Wolf where Epson’s direct-to-fabric digital printing technologies play a part in the overall production workflow. This National Manufacturing Strategy represents an important step forward for Australia’s fashion and textile industry. Epson is proud to support this initiative and help accelerate the adoption of advanced digital technologies that can drive greater sustainability, unlock new opportunities, and create the jobs of the future.”

Craig Heckenberg, Managing Director, Epson Australia

The Strategy’s launch at Parliament House marked an important moment for Australia’s fashion and textile industry. To showcase the capability already operating in Australia, AFC members from across the manufacturing sector presented a cross-section of domestic production. The showcase featured R.M.Williams, Bianca Spender, Bond-Eye Australia, Clothing the Gaps, ABMT, Sylvia P, Waverley Mills, Silver Fleece and Stewart & Heaton. 

 

The National Manufacturing Strategy for Australian Fashion and Textiles 2026 – 2036 launch at Parliament House in Canberra

 

The AFC and R.M.Williams also produced a short film titled ‘Made Here, Worn Everywhere’ profiling AFC members including Australian Defence Apparel, The Social Outfit, Maara Collective, Citizen Wolf, Waverley Mills and Silver Fleece highlighting the diversity of manufacturing already taking place across Australia.

 

WHAT’S NEXT: FOUNDATION TO 2029

The Strategy will be led by the Australian Fashion Council as the peak body for the sector. Progress will be measured through a two-stage assessment framework.

1. Implementation review (to 2029): This phase will assess progress in establishing the core architecture underpinning the Strategy, including procurement reform, national capability mapping, skills recognition pilots, shared manufacturing infrastructure and governance arrangements to coordinate delivery.
2. Strategic outcomes review (to 2036): This phase will assess progress against the Strategy’s long-term ambition – a competitive, technology-enabled and domestically anchored manufacturing sector with a sustainable workforce pipeline and globally recognised market position.

 

The National Manufacturing Strategy for Australian Fashion & Textiles is supported by the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Fashion & Textiles group, co-chaired by Matt Burnell MP, Dai Le MP and Zoe McKenzie MP, with more than 60 bipartisan members across Parliament. 

PHDCCI organized a Roundtable on “Future of India’s Shipbuilding and Ship Recycling: Decoding Budget Announcements to power India’s Maritime Future”

New Delhi, Mar 13: Shri Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson of V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, addressed a high-level Roundtable on the “Future of India’s Shipbuilding and Ship Recycling,” outlining a transformative roadmap to elevate India’s maritime standing. Speaking to distinguished delegates and industry leaders, Shri Purohit detailed how the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the strategic direction provided by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, have created the fiscal architecture necessary to shift India into a dominant maritime power.

The Chairperson highlighted that the comprehensive policy framework, championed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, is built upon four strategic pillars: financing, capacity expansion, policy reform, and skill development. Central to this vision is the ₹69,725 crore Maritime Revitalisation Package, the ₹25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund, and the extension of the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme through 2036. Shri Purohit emphasised that the 48 per cent surge in the Ministry’s budget allocation to ₹5,164.8 crore signals a clear sovereign intent to reduce the ₹6 lakh crore annual freight drain to foreign shipping lines, fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the maritime sector.

A cornerstone of this industrial expansion is the newly announced Shipbuilding Project, to be executed through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) named the ‘National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, Tamil Nadu’. This ambitious project is a 50:50 Joint Venture between the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT). With an estimated project cost of ₹30,000 crore and spanning a total land area of 2,000 acres, this facility will serve as a primary engine for India’s domestic maritime manufacturing and heavy engineering.

Significant focus was also placed on the integration of the circular economy through the Shipbreaking Credit Note Scheme. This innovative policy offers vessel owners a credit note equivalent to 40 per cent of the scrap value of ships recycled at Indian yards, redeemable against the cost of new domestic construction. Shri Purohit noted that under the guidance of Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, India has positioned itself as the world’s most responsible and regulation-ready recycling destination, with 106 yards at Alang already compliant with the Hong Kong International Convention.

The Chairperson also showcased V.O. Chidambaranar Port as a model for the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. As India’s first port to produce green hydrogen and the first to exceed one megawatt of rooftop solar generation, the port is currently executing a ₹15,000 crore Outer Harbour project. This expansion is set to establish Southern India as a premier transhipment hub capable of competing with major international ports such as Singapore and Colombo.

In his concluding remarks, Shri Purohit extended his gratitude to the PHDCCI for its catalytic role in bridging policy intent with industry action. He urged all stakeholders to move from deliberation to execution, seizing the global moment of supply-chain realignment to propel India into the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047.

With linear TV data now live alongside digital and CTV, the born-digital platform tracks more than $174 billion in U.S. digital ad spend and $51 billion in U.S. linear TV spend from a single cross-media view

New York, NY — March 13 — BIScience, the company behind AdClarity, the world’s leading AI-driven ad intelligence platform, today announced the launch of its TV Intelligence Suite, bringing U.S. linear TV coverage into AdClarity’s existing digital, social, video, and CTV capabilities. The platform now delivers cross-media intelligence using one consistent methodology and consistent performance metrics.

Most legacy ad intelligence providers were built around linear TV and have gradually expanded into digital. AdClarity took the opposite path: born digital, the platform built best-in-class digital coverage before adding television, addressing a need that has intensified since digital ad spend surpassed linear TV around 2019.

 

As advertising budgets continue migrating from linear television to digital channels, organizations that lack cross-media visibility cannot determine whether they are overspending or underspending relative to the market. For senior marketing leaders, media planners, analysts, and operations teams, this gap creates significant operational overhead and an inability to set strategy with confidence. AdClarity covers more than 250 leading categories and industries in the U.S., including top spending sectors such as CPG, financial services, news and media, technology, and others. 

According to AdClarity data, total tracked U.S. digital advertising spend reached $174.4 billion in 2025, up 5.5 percent year over year, with CTV the fastest-growing channel at $38 billion (up 8.1 percent). Adding approximately $51 billion in U.S. linear television spend gives customers visibility into how budgets shift across the full media mix.

AdClarity’s Linear TV coverage spans more than 100 U.S. networks and local affiliates, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and leading cable, news, and sports channels, with breakdowns by Designated Market Area (DMA), daypart, program, and creative execution. By pairing DMA-specific digital insights with local TV data, the platform delivers what BIScience describes as the most granular picture of U.S. local advertising available. 

The platform is powered by AdClarity’s proprietary data infrastructure, spanning 52 global markets and 30 million opt-in panelists. Data is updated daily, with point-in-time data available from 2018 onward.

AdClarity offers capabilities no other solution provides, including real CTR analysis for each ad and campaign and Ad Objective attribution that classifies ads as performance or brand awareness. The platform also provides DMA-level spend analysis and AI-driven insights with a chatbot for automated competitive and media mix analysis.

“Until now, understanding where advertising budgets are moving between digital and television required stitching together disconnected tools with incompatible metrics,” said Dorit Kaplan, VP Product and Strategy at BIScience. “With the TV Intelligence Suite, AdClarity delivers what the market has been waiting for: a single cross-media view, built on consistent methodology, that enables teams to see the complete picture and make decisions with confidence. Our digital-first foundation gives us a distinct advantage as we bring every major advertising channel into one platform.”

AdClarity serves more than 2,000 customers worldwide, including 27% of the Fortune 500. The platform is used by global brands such as Adidas, Amazon, Booking.com, Disney, Shell, Sony, and Wix, and is trusted by partners including Nielsen, Kantar, WPP, and MediaRadar.

The TV Intelligence Suite is available now for enterprise customers in the United States. CTV coverage is currently available in the U.S., Germany, Canada, the U.K., and Australia.

Organizations Reduced Certificate-Related Incident Costs by $2.4M and Cut Renewal Effort from 30 Minutes to Seconds with the AppViewX Platform

 

NEW YORK, March 12 — AppViewX, a leader in automated Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) software, today released findings from a commissioned February 2026 Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study quantifying the operational and financial impact of lifecycle automation as SSL/TLS validity periods begin shrinking March 15 under the CA/Browser Forum schedule.

The study, available here, found that a composite organization representative of interviewed customers using the AppViewX platform achieved:

• 302% return on investment (ROI)
• $3.9 million in total three-year, risk-adjusted benefits
• $2.4 million reduction in certificate-related incident costs (three-year, risk-adjusted present value)
• Less than six months payback

“There were 15 major outages the year before, which dropped to three the next year after implementing AppViewX. In fact, these three outages were caused by certificates that we had decided not to migrate to AppViewX,” said a Senior Vice President of Data Protection at a financial services organization interviewed for the study.

As certificate lifespans compress and renewal frequency increases, the study highlights the operational risk of manual processes and fragmented tooling. Forrester found that manual certificate renewals required approximately 30 minutes per certificate, while automated renewals through AppViewX reduced that effort to approximately 0.25 minutes.

“The March 15 milestone signals more than a compliance change, it marks the beginning of a structural workload shift,” said Stephen Tarleton, Chief Operations Officer at AppViewX. “As validity periods shrink, renewal frequency accelerates and fundamentally changes the operating model for certificate management. Without centralized automation, enterprises risk diverting skilled engineers from higher-value security initiatives just to prevent certificate expirations.”

Operational Impact of Shorter Validity Periods

Under the CA/Browser Forum’s phased reduction schedule, certificate lifespans will continue to shorten in stages, increasing renewal frequency across hybrid, cloud, and machine identity environments. The Forrester study found that enterprises adopting centralized lifecycle automation materially reduced both the frequency and cost of certificate-related incidents while scaling certificate management without proportional staffing increases.

Organizations that adopt modern certificate lifecycle management benefit from:

• Greater protection against certificate-related outages
• Faster mean time to resolution
• Reduced application deployment cycles
• Improved audit and regulatory compliance

To address this complexity, the AppViewX platform centralizes and automates certificate lifecycle management through:

• Automated certificate discovery and inventory
• Policy-driven renewal and re-enrollment workflows
• Centralized governance and compliance reporting
• API-driven integration with DevOps and infrastructure pipelines

See 47-Day Readiness at RSA Conference 2026

AppViewX will demonstrate how enterprises are preparing for accelerated certificate renewal cycles at RSA Conference 2026, North Expo Booth #4236. Attendees can see how centralized lifecycle automation reduces renewal effort, mitigates outage risk, and strengthens governance as validity periods shrink.

New Delhi, Mar 12th: Voltas Limited, a Tata Enterprise, has entered a strategic partnership with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to strengthen industry–start-up collaboration and accelerate innovation in India’s cooling and smart appliance ecosystem. The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Dr. Sumeet Kumar Jarangal, Director, DPIIT, and Mr. Mukundan Menon, Managing Director, Voltas Limited, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.

The collaboration aims to support start-ups working on next-generation technologies across areas such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), advanced control systems, power electronics, artificial intelligence and machine learning-based diagnostics, IoT-enabled smart appliances, and digitalisation across manufacturing and service operations. As part of the collaboration, Voltas Limited and Startup India will explore organising innovation challenges under the Bharat Start-up Grand Challenge platform and hosting targeted hackathons aimed at solving industry-specific challenges.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said the collaboration reflects the Government’s continued focus on strengthening industry–startup partnerships and promoting indigenous innovation in advanced manufacturing and deep-tech sectors. “Connecting start-ups with leading industry players will enable entrepreneurs to translate innovative ideas into scalable products and solutions with real-world applications,” he added.

Dr. Sumeet Kumar Jarangal, Director, Start-up India, said DPIIT will facilitate deeper engagement between Voltas and the broader Start-up India ecosystem. “This will include expanding programme outreach, encouraging participation from DPIIT-recognised start-ups, and enabling collaborative initiatives such as innovation challenges, hackathons, and pilot programmes focused on emerging technologies,” he said.

Mr. Mukundan Menon, Managing Director, Voltas Limited, said the partnership reflects Voltas’ commitment to strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem and supporting the development of next-generation cooling technologies. He further elaborated, collaboration with start-ups can play a key role in advancing energy-efficient cooling solutions, smart appliances, predictive diagnostics, and digital service platforms while enabling emerging technology entrepreneurs to scale their innovations.

Under the partnership, Voltas will work closely with the Startup India initiative to identify and support high-potential start-ups aligned with emerging industry needs. Startups selected under the programme will gain access to mentorship, technical guidance, research and testing infrastructure, and market linkages to help accelerate product development and commercial adoption. These may include areas such as energy-efficient cooling systems, air-quality monitoring and filtration technologies, advanced inverter controls, predictive maintenance solutions, refrigerant safety systems, and digital tools for installation and servicing.  Selected start-ups may also participate in structured Proof-of-Concept (PoC) programmes, where they will collaborate with Voltas engineering teams for product validation and technology integration. The partnership will also facilitate field trials through Voltas’s service network to support testing, refinement, and eventual commercialisation of innovative solutions.

New York, NY, March 12 — Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J. Creations are pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Lucille Pooler as Chief Operating Officer for the group’s divisions.

With more than 25 years of experience in the jewelry industry, Pooler combines strategic leadership with a deep understanding of both the artistry and business of fine jewelry. Her expertise spans manufacturing, retail, and wholesale channels, bridging creative direction with data-driven execution to help jewelry companies grow with structure and purpose.

 

Andrea began her career as a bench jeweler and designer and later owned her own retail jewelry store, gaining firsthand insight into craftsmanship, design, and customer experience. She went on to hold senior operations roles for one of the world’s largest B2C e-commerce jewelry brands, overseeing production, logistics, customer success, and process optimization for high-volume operations. Most recently, as Principal Consultant at Hill & Co., she led end-to-end business transformation and strategy projects for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and designers, spanning operations and process improvement, financial strategy, branding, merchandising, technology implementation, and team development.

Beyond her executive work, Pooler remains an active voice in the industry. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of THE SOURCE for the Community for Ethical Jewelry, Chair-head of the Women’s Jewelry Association NY Metro Chapter, resident volunteer jewelry appraiser for a retail hospice store, and Business Coach. A passionate advocate for education, mentorship, networking, and leadership, she is committed to empowering individuals and organizations to thrive within a more connected and transparent jewelry ecosystem.

A frequent writer for industry publications, speaker, and educator.  Pooler has presented at JCK Las Vegas, international jewelry trade shows, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and a range of entrepreneurship and networking associations. Andrea will be presenting two talks at the upcoming JA NY  show, titled “AI without the Overwhelm” on March 15th at 1 pm, and “Curate Less, Run Lean: Why Merchandising and Operations Must Move Together” on March 16th at 1 pm.

“Modani Jewels is pleased to welcome Andrea Lucille Pooler as its new Chief Operating Officer, strengthening the firm’s leadership team as it continues to scale operations and accelerate growth,” said Sumit Modani, CEO. “Pooler brings extensive operational and strategic experience and will play a key role in driving Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J Creations next chapter of expansion.”

“I’m thrilled to join Sumit and the incredible team at Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J. Creations,” said Pooler. “This company has an inspiring heritage and a vision for the future that honors both tradition and innovation. I look forward to helping scale our operations, strengthen global systems, and expand our presence in key markets.”

Led by Sumit Modani, Soham Diamonds is a third-generation family enterprise known for its craftsmanship, innovation, and integrity. Over the past several decades, the company has evolved from a traditional gemstone and diamond business into a vertically integrated jewelry manufacturer and global organization through its three core divisions: Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J. Creations, with offices in New York, Ohio, Mumbai, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Chemical pesticides remain a cornerstone of modern agriculture because they are reliable and effective. However, growing concerns about environmental impact, increasing resistance, and long-term sustainability have intensified the search for safer alternatives. Biological pesticides offer clear advantages, yet many fail to perform consistently in the field, breaking down under strong sunlight or proving difficult to integrate with existing agricultural practices.

At National Kaohsiung Normal University, researchers set out to address this gap by rethinking how biological crop-protection agents are developed. Rather than relying solely on laboratory screening, the team focused on microorganisms that have already adapted to demanding natural environments. Led by Professor Chien-Yan Hsieh, the researchers isolated a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens from mud volcano environments in southern Taiwan—areas characterized by intense sunlight and chemically challenging conditions.

These harsh environments act as a natural filter. Microorganisms that survive there must tolerate stresses similar to those encountered in open agricultural fields. The selected bacterium produces iturin A, a naturally occurring antifungal compound widely reported to be effective against plant diseases and to have low toxicity to humans and animals. While iturin A has been studied internationally for many years, producing it efficiently at scale and ensuring stability under real-world conditions have remained persistent challenges.

To overcome these barriers, the research team optimized fermentation processes across both solid-state and submerged systems, improving production efficiency while incorporating agricultural by-products, such as rice bran, to support more sustainable manufacturing. The formulation was also designed to tolerate ultraviolet exposure and remain compatible with commonly used chemical pesticides, allowing farmers to integrate the biological product into existing pest management programs rather than replacing them entirely.

Goa, Mar 12th: Sarvam, a Goa-based workplace culture and POSH awareness initiative committed to promoting safe, respectful and equitable workplaces, successfully hosted Dignity Dialogues 2026 – The Uncomfortable Truth Lab on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026. The national level virtual conclave brought together professionals, leaders and workplace advocates to discuss dignity at work, gender equity and the importance of POSH awareness in organisations. Participants joined the dialogue from states like Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Delhi, reflecting the growing national interest in conversations around safe and inclusive workplaces. The organisation has also recently expanded its presence with new chapters in Maharashtra and Karnataka, strengthening its engagement with companies across regions to build workplaces rooted in dignity, accountability and inclusion.

The conclave was initiated by Shivani Panigrahi, Regional Head – Karnataka at SARVAM for PoSH, and moderated by Ashwini Patwardhan, Founder of SARVAM for PoSH. The dialogue was thoughtfully conceptualised and curated by the SARVAM team under the expertise of Amit Jadhav, Regional Head – Maharashtra, reflecting the organisation’s continued commitment to meaningful conversations around workplace dignity.

A key highlight of the conclave was a live social experiment conducted through anonymous audience polls, allowing participants to reflect on their own workplace experiences. The findings revealed common professional patterns, reinforcing the need for deeper conversations around workplace behaviour and culture.

Insights from the social experiment conducted during the dialogue revealed a clear shift in workplace expectations: dignity at work is no longer seen as merely a compliance requirement. Instead, participants emphasised that the future of workplace culture will be defined not by the absence of complaints, but by the presence of dignity, trust and accountability embedded in everyday organisational behaviour.

Speaking during the session, she said, “Sarvam was created with the belief that workplace dignity should never be treated as a checklist item. Our goal is to help organisations build cultures where people feel safe to speak, leadership takes accountability, and respect becomes a lived workplace value. What emerged from this dialogue is that employees today are no longer willing to accept silence as the price of professionalism — the real shift now is the expectation that dignity at work must be visible, measurable and actively upheld by leadership.”

Opening the discussion, CA Pallavi Salgaocar, Finance Director at Geno Pharmaceuticals and Goa State President of Laghu Udyog Bharati, shared candid insights into the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and professionals. She highlighted the persistent gender bias in venture funding, noting that women founders are often asked personal questions unrelated to business performance during funding meetings.

Reflecting on these experiences, she emphasised the need for inclusive decision-making spaces where women leaders are respected for their expertise and vision from the outset.

“Women should not have to prove their credibility every time they enter a room. The room itself must be inclusive enough to recognise competence and leadership without bias,” she said.

Salgaocar further stressed that organisations must go beyond measuring productivity to actively assess fairness and representation, encouraging men to play a role in building inclusive cultures.

“Dignity at work is not a privilege it is a fundamental right. Conversations like these must continue beyond Women’s Day if we want to transform workplace culture in a meaningful way,” she added.

The dialogue also featured CA Priyanka Chaturvedi Agrawal, Director and Co-Founder of Ally of Inclusion, former Director at KPMG India and ESG Director at BNP Paribas Global. She spoke about the role of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework in strengthening workplace safety and highlighted how sexual harassment often stems from unchecked power dynamics and repeated microaggressions.

“In many workplaces, silence has been normalised. People hesitate to call out behaviour because they fear being misunderstood or labelled difficult. But silence allows microaggressions and power misuse to continue unchecked,” she said.

She further emphasised that prevention requires organisations to look beyond formal procedures.

“True prevention is not only about having policies or committees in place. It is about creating environments where employees feel heard and safe enough to speak even when the issue is still unformed or uncomfortable to articulate,” Priyanka added.

Notably, the session also saw strong participation from male professionals, reflecting the growing understanding that creating safe and respectful workplaces is a shared responsibility.

Amit Jadhav, Regional Head – Maharashtra, Sarvam, emphasised the importance of continuing such conversations across organisations.

“Workplace dignity cannot be built through policies alone. It is shaped by everyday behaviours, leadership accountability and the courage to question what has long been normalised. Conversations like Dignity Dialogues are meant to open that space where organisations can move beyond compliance and begin building cultures where respect and safety are lived values,” he said.

Following the dialogue, speakers also noted that conversations around workplace dignity are gaining urgency as organisations revisit their compliance frameworks. Recently, the Government of Maharashtra directed workplaces in the state to conduct a PoSH compliance audit within 30 days, reinforcing the intent of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 to ensure safe and respectful workplaces.

Responding to this growing need for awareness and compliance support, SARVAM for PoSH continues to work with organisations through training, advisory and culture-building initiatives. The organisation has also recently expanded its presence with new chapters in Maharashtra and Karnataka, strengthening its engagement with companies across regions to build workplaces rooted in dignity, accountability and inclusion.

Through initiatives like Dignity Dialogues, Sarvam continues to work with organisations across sectors to strengthen POSH awareness, conduct training programmes and facilitate leadership conversations that build safe and inclusive workplace cultures.

With participation from professionals across industries, the event concluded with a collective call for organisations to embed dignity and accountability into workplace culture, ensuring that conversations on gender equity and workplace safety continue long after International Women’s Day.

Kochi, Mar 12: Dr. Reenaa Mithun Chittilappilly has been appointed as Director of V-Guard Industries Ltd., one of India’s leading electrical and electronics brands. The Board of Directors had recommended her appointment as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director, which was subsequently approved by the majority shareholders through a resolution passed on March 8, 2026. The appointment reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening its corporate social responsibility (CSR) vision and deepening its engagement with communities. Her appointment is for a tenure of four years from January 28, 2026, to January 27, 2030.

 Dr. Reenaa Mithun Chittilappilly currently serves as Director of the V-Guard Foundation, where she has led several initiatives focused on community development and social impact. Under her leadership, the Foundation has implemented projects such as Edam, a counselling centre supporting women’s mental health, and Nari Shakthi, a programme aimed at empowering widows and single mothers through livelihood and support initiatives.

In her expanded role on the Board, Dr. Reenaa Mithun Chittilappilly will contribute to advancing V-Guard’s CSR strategy and strengthening the company’s commitment to sustainable and socially responsible growth. The company believes her experience in driving community-focused initiatives will further deepen its engagement with society while reinforcing its long-term sustainability efforts.