Minor Hotels signs 185-Key Anantara Resort near Hyderabad

By

-

September 16, 2026

Minor Hotels, a global hospitality group with more than 640 hotels, resorts, and branded residences across 67 countries, has signed an agreement to develop Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort in Telangana. The 37-acre waterfront development will mark Ashya Group’s first hospitality project and is scheduled to open in 2029.

Located outside Hyderabad, the resort will sit approximately 71 km from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, a journey of around 60 minutes by road. Meanwhile, the property will be about 90 km from Hyderabad city centre, which takes approximately one-and-a-half hours to reach. As a result, the resort will offer access to one of India’s rapidly expanding metropolitan markets while maintaining a nature-focused setting.

Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort will feature 185 keys, with rooms starting at 48 sqm. In addition, the development will include 47 pool villas ranging from 90 to 280 sqm. The project will also feature 50 branded residences adjacent to the resort, extending Anantara’s luxury hospitality offering to owners seeking a permanent residence overlooking the reservoir.

The resort’s design will take inspiration from the architectural heritage of the Kakatiya Dynasty. Stone construction and geometric patterns will feature across the public areas and villas, while the design will reinterpret the region’s traditional architectural elements for contemporary luxury travel.

Guests at Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort will have access to multiple dining venues, including an all-day dining restaurant, two speciality restaurants and a wellness café. Additionally, the resort will feature a lobby lounge and poolside bar.

The leisure offering will include an Anantara Spa, fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, and kids’ club. Furthermore, the property will cater to destination weddings, events, and meetings through a ballroom, multiple breakout rooms, and an event lawn designed for outdoor functions.

Shashider Reddy Munugala, Founder and Chairman of Ashya Group, commented, “Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort reflects our belief that hospitality should be led by nature and its surroundings. Every element of this development, from the stone to the setting on the banks of a reservoir, is designed to draw guests closer to the culture and landscape of Telangana. We look forward to bringing this project to life with Minor Hotels, leveraging their proven record in building nature-based destinations that respect the places they inhabit.”

William E. Heinecke, Chairman & Founder of Minor International, the parent company of Minor Hotels, added, “Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort reflects what the Anantara brand does best: bringing guests closer to the authentic character of a destination. The project’s waterfront setting and distinctive design vision give us the ability to build that immersion properly. Partnering with Ashya Group on this project marks a significant step in strengthening our presence across Southern India.”

The upcoming resort adds to Minor Hotels’ growing presence in India. The group introduced the Anantara Hotels & Resorts brand to the country in 2025 with the opening of Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur Hotel.

Meanwhile, Anantara Jadcherla Hyderabad Resort joins the company’s expanding Indian development pipeline as Minor Hotels works towards its goal of reaching 50 properties in the country over the next decade. The pipeline includes Anantara Zanti Coorg Resort and Anantara Kolkata Hotel, which the group announced in April 2026, along with Avani+ Sunray Beach Visakhapatnam Resort, announced in 2025.

With its waterfront location, luxury accommodation, branded residences, and extensive leisure and event facilities, the upcoming resort will further expand Minor Hotels’ presence across Southern India.

Mango Hill Hotels Drives Expansion with New Properties in the Pipeline, Builds a Pan-India Presence

By

BRL Editor

-

September 16, 2026

0

With a growing portfolio across key leisure and business destinations in South India, the hospitality brand is expanding into new markets, including Pune, while strengthening its footprint across established travel destinations.

Mumbai, September 10, 2026: Mango Hill Hotels, a multi-destination hospitality brand with a portfolio spanning leisure, pilgrimage, and business destinations, is entering its next phase of growth with a pipeline of new properties across multiple markets in India.

The brand currently operates across Chennai, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Pondicherry, Velankanni, and Yercaud, offering travellers stays across a diverse mix of leisure and pilgrimage destinations. Building on this foundation, Mango Hill Hotels is now set to enter Tiruvannamalai, Pune, Sriperumbudur, and Trichy, while further strengthening its presence in Kodaikanal.

The planned entry into Pune marks the brand’s move into a major commercial and metropolitan market, while Sriperumbudur adds an important business and industrial corridor to its network.

“Our existing portfolio has given us a strong foundation and valuable experience across different types of destinations. As we move into the next phase of our journey, our focus is on creating a well-diversified portfolio across India. The upcoming properties are an important step in this direction, allowing us to enter new markets while continuing to strengthen our presence in destinations where we already operate,” said Gayathiri OM, Executive Director, Mango Hill Hotels.

With domestic travel continuing to evolve, Mango Hill Hotels sees opportunities across both established and emerging markets. Its growth strategy focuses on identifying destinations with strong travel potential and developing properties that are aligned with the needs and character of each market.

“We believe that the future of hospitality growth lies in understanding the individual dynamics of each destination. Our aim is to maintain a consistent brand approach while allowing every property to respond to its local market. This gives us the flexibility to grow across leisure, business, and pilgrimage segments,” added Gayathiri OM.

The upcoming developments mark a significant step in Mango Hill Hotels’ growth journey as the brand expands its geographical footprint and builds a diversified hospitality portfolio across India.

About Mango Hill Hotels

Mango Hill Hotels is a growing hospitality brand with properties across Chennai, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Pondicherry, Velankanni, and Yercaud. With a presence across leisure, pilgrimage, and business destinations, the brand is expanding its portfolio through upcoming properties in key markets across India.

Crimson Hotels India Part Ways with The Aaureum Resort, Bhilwara

By

BRL Editor

-

September 16, 2026

0

New Delhi, 11 September 2026: Crimson Hotels India has announced the parting of its managerial and operational association with The Aaureum Resort & International Convention Centre, Bhilwara, effective 07 September 2026.

Crimson’s decision to enter Bhilwara was rooted in a clear observation: the destination had significant potential, but the hospitality infrastructure required to unlock that potential was yet to emerge.

At a time when Rajasthan’s destination-centric royal-oriented hospitality story was largely centred around Jaipur and Udaipur, Crimson looked beyond the established circuit and identified Bhilwara as a scalable market with the fundamentals to support a new, large-format destination proposition and hospitality prospects.

The vision was not to follow the suit but to thoughtfully create what the emerging market looked for by way of re-defining the hospitality proposition in Crimson’s own way to deliver an impregnable experience of indulgence. That vision led to The Aaureum.

Designed to bring together accommodation, convention infrastructure, expansive event spaces, dining and leisure, the resort was developed to address a clear gap in the region, creating a destination capable of accommodating large-format celebrations, business gatherings and social occasions at scale such as MICE and other personalized retreats.

Crimson’s association with the resort therefore went beyond the conventional role of a hotel operator. It was a considered exercise in recognising potential early, building for the market ahead, and creating the infrastructure around which a destination could thrive as a whole.

Over the course of its association with the resort, Crimson helped establish a new hospitality proposition for Bhilwara and contributed to developing a hospitality ecosystem by changing the perception of what the destination could offer. A city known predominantly for its industrial and business significance began gaining visibility as a destination capable of attracting a broader hospitality demand.

Commenting on the development, Sandeep Maitraya, founder & director of Crimson Hotels India, said, “When we entered Bhilwara, we saw a destination with strong fundamentals and significant headroom for growth. We believed that the right hospitality infrastructure could unlock that potential, and Aaureum was created around that vision. We are proud of what we have built and of the role it has played in shaping Bhilwara’s hospitality proposition. As we move into the next phase, our focus remains firmly on the opportunities ahead in Bhilwara and the wider Mewar region.”

Crimson continues to have an active presence in Bhilwara, with further hospitality developments planned across the region.

About Crimson Hotels India:

Established in 2012, Crimson Hotels Pvt. Ltd. is a dynamic Hotel Management Company founded by experienced hoteliers from leading hotel chains. The company boasts six distinctive hotel brands across various segments, including luxury, upscale, midscale, lower midscale, and budget. With a focus on management agreements and franchise models, Crimson Hotels empowers hotel owners to maximize their investments and enhance guest experiences.

AI chip verification startup VerifAIX raises $5 Mn to strengthen AI semiconductor verification

By

BRL Editor

-

September 16, 2026

0

VerifAIX, an AI-native semiconductor verification company, has raised USD 5 million in seed funding in a round co-led by Endiya Partners and Bluehill VC. The funding represents the company’s first institutional investment and will support product development, customer deployments, and the expansion of its engineering teams across the US, India, and Israel.

As semiconductor designs become increasingly complex and AI becomes more deeply integrated into chip development, engineering teams face a critical challenge: establishing whether AI-generated designs meet their intended specifications and function correctly.

VerifAIX aims to address this challenge by building a verification trust layer for AI-driven semiconductor development. At the centre of its platform sits a “Formal Brain”, which develops a mathematically grounded understanding of a chip design and its intended behaviour.

The platform reasons across specifications and RTL and verification assets to identify inconsistencies and gaps. It then uses this foundation to support verification planning, formal analysis, simulation, coverage, debugging, and verification closure.

Unlike approaches that primarily use large language models to generate verification code, VerifAIX combines AI-based reasoning with deterministic and mathematically rigorous verification methods. Moreover, its platform brings together specification-to-RTL reasoning, automated decomposition and abstraction, as well as coordinated formal and simulation verification while maintaining traceability to design intent.

VerifAIX was founded by Madhulima Tewari, Kenneth Roe, and Avner Landver, who collectively bring experience across AI, semiconductor design, formal and functional verification, mathematical methods, electronic design automation (EDA), and complex chip development.

Madhulima has experience spanning AI/NLP, enterprise software, and semiconductor EDA. Meanwhile, Ken has decades of experience in formal verification, including building production verification infrastructure at Intel and working with SiFive and Synopsys. Avner brings expertise in semiconductor verification methodology, formal methods, and EDA tool development, supported by experience at Apple, Intel, Cadence, and IBM Research.

Dr. Aarti Gupta, Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University, serves as Founding Consultant. In addition, Vin Dham, one of the pioneers behind Intel’s Pentium processor, serves as Founding Advisor and investor.

The company believes that AI is transforming semiconductor design, but generating a chip design does not by itself establish its correctness. Therefore, as AI becomes increasingly embedded in engineering workflows, semiconductor developers need an independent verification layer that can establish correctness while maintaining traceability to the original design intent.

VerifAIX has already developed a working platform and is deploying it with multiple semiconductor companies on real-world verification challenges. These deployments include complex control-intensive and protocol-heavy designs. The company is targeting semiconductor and IP companies, processor and AI accelerator developers, hyperscalers, and systems companies.

Investors view chip correctness as an increasingly important challenge as AI accelerates semiconductor development. VerifAIX’s approach combines AI with its mathematically grounded Formal Brain and brings together expertise in AI, formal verification, and semiconductor engineering.

Furthermore, verification remains one of the most complex and resource-intensive stages of chip development. As semiconductor designs grow more sophisticated and AI accelerates engineering workflows, the demand for robust verification is also expected to increase.

The latest funding will enable VerifAIX to further develop its Formal Brain and scale its automated abstraction and decomposition capabilities for larger designs. The company will also strengthen its formal and simulation verification capabilities while expanding customer deployments.

Additionally, VerifAIX plans to grow its engineering teams across the US, India, and Israel, with a focus on AI research, formal verification, and semiconductor engineering. Through these investments, the company aims to advance its verification platform for increasingly complex AI-driven semiconductor development.

Rebel Foods Delivers Strong FY26 Performance with 20% Revenue Growth and Significant Improvement in Profitability

By

BRL Editor

-

September 15, 2026

0

Rebel Foods Delivers Strong FY26 Performance with 20% Revenue Growth and Significant Improvement in Profitability — Ankush Grover, Co-founder & Global CEO, Rebel Foods

Mumbai, September 15, 2026: Rebel Foods, the world’s largest internet restaurant platform, today announced its financial performance for FY26, delivering strong revenue growth alongside a significant improvement in profitability.

The company reported 20% year-on-year revenue growth, while EBITDA margins improved by 475 basis points compared with the previous year. Rebel Foods also reduced its net loss by 19%, reflecting continued progress towards building a stronger, more profitable, and scalable business.

Ankush Grover, Co-founder & Global CEO, Rebel Foods, said, “FY26 marks an important step forward for Rebel Foods, with growth and profitability increasingly coming together. As our platform scales, we are seeing the benefits of stronger consumer engagement, higher store productivity, and operating leverage flowing through to the business. Our focus remains on building a predictable, sustainable, and highly scalable food platform for the long term.”

The performance reflects the underlying strength of Rebel Foods’ platform model. Today, the company serves consumers across 120+ cities while operating multiple leading food brands and categories through a common infrastructure.

This model allows Rebel Foods to serve a broader range of consumer occasions while driving healthy same-store growth, improving asset utilisation, and benefiting from operating leverage and economies of scale.

During the year, stronger consumer engagement and continued improvements across store operations, technology, and supply chain contributed to higher productivity and margin expansion. The combination of healthy growth, improving unit economics, and operating leverage is enabling the company to scale more efficiently as the business grows.

Rebel Foods continues to invest in technology, consumer experience, brand building, and operational capabilities, with a clear focus on driving sustained profitable growth across its portfolio and markets.

About Rebel Foods:

Rebel Foods is the world’s leading Internet restaurant company, home to brands such as Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Oven Story Pizza, The Good Bowl, Sweet Truth, Wendy’s, and more. With over 450+ kitchens across 85+ cities, Rebel Foods has developed its full-stack technology—Rebel OS—through which multiple brands are launched and scaled up in a very short period. Through the Rebel Launcher, powered by Rebel OS, the company has launched over 25+ brands and expanded aggressively all across the country. Rebel Foods currently operates 45+ brands across multiple countries—India, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah), and the United Kingdom.

ELIVAAS strengthens Munnar presence with new private stays

By

BRL Editor

-

September 15, 2026

0

ELIVAAS has strengthened its presence in Kerala by adding two new properties in Munnar — Jai Hill and Kayyath Valley — under Alaya Stays by ELIVAAS. The expansion marks the company’s entry into Munnar and strengthens its portfolio of professionally managed stays across India’s high-potential leisure destinations.

The addition of the two properties marks the first phase of ELIVAAS’ expansion in Munnar. Furthermore, the company plans to add five more properties under ELIVAAS Signature and Alaya Stays. Through this expansion, ELIVAAS aims to establish a stronger presence in the destination and address growing demand for private, spacious, and experience-led accommodation.

Through Alaya Stays by ELIVAAS, the company provides professionally managed accommodation for leisure travellers, families, groups, and corporate guests. The portfolio combines the privacy and space of holiday homes with professionally managed hospitality, allowing guests to enjoy comfortable stays across sought-after destinations.

ELIVAAS has aligned its entry into Munnar with its strategy of expanding into destinations that attract strong leisure demand. Therefore, Jai Hill and Kayyath Valley will provide families, groups, and leisure travellers with private alternatives to conventional hotel accommodation while allowing them to explore Munnar at their own pace.

The two properties offer private and comfortable spaces suited to leisure getaways, family holidays, and group travel. In addition, their launch gives ELIVAAS a platform to expand its Munnar portfolio further and introduce a broader range of accommodation options as its development pipeline progresses.

Ritwik Khare, Founder & CEO, ELIVAAS, said, “Munnar has a strong and established traveller base, and our entry into the destination marks an important step in ELIVAAS’ regional expansion strategy. We see significant potential for professionally managed private stays in Munnar, particularly among families, groups, and leisure travellers. The addition of our first two properties under Alaya Stays by ELIVAAS is an important first step in our Munnar journey, and with X more properties in the pipeline, we are looking to build a meaningful presence in the destination. Our focus is to offer travellers thoughtfully managed stays while creating value for property owners. As we continue to expand, we will remain focused on destinations where we see strong demand and long-term potential.”

With two properties now operational in Munnar and five additional properties in the pipeline, ELIVAAS is positioning the destination as an important part of its Kerala expansion strategy. The company will continue to target leisure markets where private and professionally managed stays can meet evolving traveller preferences.

Atmosphere Living, Midas Group plan 1,000-Key hospitality expansion

By

BRL Editor

-

September 15, 2026

0

Atmosphere Living, part of the Atmosphere Core portfolio, and Midas Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop and manage around 1,000 keys over the next three years. The partnership will begin with a major hospitality development in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

The first project will span approximately 30 acres and feature a 300-key hotel and resort. The development will target leisure travellers while also catering to destination weddings, celebrations, and events.

The Udaipur project will combine accommodation, leisure facilities, and event spaces to serve both domestic and international travellers. Meanwhile, the companies have targeted completion and launch of the project from 2030 onwards.

The companies signed the MoU on 6 September 2026, establishing a long-term collaboration between Atmosphere Living and Midas Group. In addition to the Udaipur development, the partners plan to sign projects representing around 1,000 keys over the next three years.

Sandeep Ahuja, Managing Director, Atmosphere Living and ONE Atmosphere, said the partnership will focus on developing hospitality destinations that reflect their locations while responding to evolving traveller expectations.

Mr. Durga Prasad Agarwal, Promoter, Midas Group, said Udaipur offers a strong starting point for the collaboration, with both companies bringing their respective development and hospitality capabilities to the project.

The companies marked the agreement with a gathering at ONE Atmosphere Suites, Gurugram, where representatives from both organisations came together to commemorate the partnership.

Furthermore, the collaboration supports Atmosphere Living’s expansion strategy through strategic relationships and management partnerships across selected destinations. Through such partnerships, the company aims to build and manage hospitality projects that align with local market opportunities and evolving travel demand.

OPO Hotels & Resorts enters West Bengal with Kolkata Hotel

By

BRL Editor

-

September 15, 2026

0

OPO Hotels & Resorts is set to enter West Bengal with its first hotel in the state, located in New Town, Kolkata. The company signed the management agreement for the property on 31 August 2026 and plans to commence operations in mid-October 2026, ahead of Durga Puja.

Located opposite Axis Mall in New Town, the hotel will feature 24 rooms, a 40-cover all-day dining restaurant, two banquet spaces, and a rooftop bar-cum-lounge. The property will target corporate and leisure travellers while also catering to local customers.

The Kolkata launch forms part of OPO Hotels & Resorts’ broader expansion across Eastern and North-Eastern India. Furthermore, the company has planned upcoming properties in Guwahati and Itanagar as it continues to strengthen its regional presence.

Sandeep Basu, CEO, OPO Hotels & Resorts, said the company’s expansion strategy focuses on identifying suitable markets and partnering with property owners through management agreements. He added that the New Town property will establish OPO Hotels & Resorts in a commercially active part of Kolkata while generating revenue through multiple segments, including accommodation, dining, and events.

New Town-Rajarhat has emerged as a prominent business and lifestyle destination, supported by corporate offices, retail outlets, entertainment venues, and hotels. Therefore, the location gives the property access to both business and leisure demand. In addition, the banquet spaces and restaurant will support meetings, celebrations, and social events.

The property also aligns with OPO Hotels & Resorts’ asset-light growth model. Under this approach, the company partners with property owners and manages key functions, including hotel operations, sales, revenue management, and guest experience.

With its first West Bengal property and planned hotels in Guwahati and Itanagar, OPO Hotels & Resorts is expanding its footprint across Eastern and North-Eastern India while leveraging management partnerships to drive growth.

OpenAI acquires smartphone camera startup Glass Imaging for $300 Mn

By

BRL Editor

-

September 15, 2026

0

OpenAI has acquired smartphone camera technology company Glass Imaging in a deal valued at more than $300 million, according to a report. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Los Altos, California, Glass Imaging had previously raised around $30 million from investors.

Glass Imaging was founded by Ziv Attar and Tom Bishop, two former Apple engineers who previously led the team responsible for developing Apple’s Portrait Mode. Consequently, their experience at Apple has shaped Glass Imaging’s approach to improving smartphone photography through artificial intelligence.

Instead of relying on AI to edit photographs after users capture them, Glass Imaging applies neural networks to understand individual camera systems. The technology analyses the characteristics of different cameras used across smartphone models and aims to produce higher-quality images at the moment users press the shutter.

Meanwhile, the acquisition comes as OpenAI reportedly explores opportunities in consumer hardware. The ChatGPT maker has been linked to potential products, including smartphones, earbuds, and AI companion devices, although the company has not confirmed these plans.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported acquisition.

In 2025, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and renowned Apple designer Jony Ive disclosed their collaboration on a new device startup called io. OpenAI subsequently acquired Ive’s company for $6.5 billion, further strengthening its focus on hardware and product design.

With Glass Imaging’s camera expertise and its founders’ previous experience developing Apple’s Portrait Mode, the acquisition could potentially strengthen OpenAI’s capabilities in AI-powered imaging and future consumer hardware.

Eight Continents Hotels & Resorts enters Tricity with New Mohali Hotel

By

BRL Editor

-

September 15, 2026

0

Eight Continents Hotels & Resorts has entered the Chandigarh–Mohali–Panchkula (Tricity) market with the opening of Stamps by Eight Continents, Mohali. The launch marks the group’s expansion into one of the region’s growing business and hospitality markets.

Located in Mohali Aerocity on Airport Road, the hotel sits around a 10-minute drive from Chandigarh International Airport. As a result, the property offers convenient access to business and leisure travellers visiting Chandigarh, Mohali, and other parts of Punjab.

The newly opened hotel features 35 rooms and offers modern amenities and guest facilities. Meanwhile, Stamps by Eight Continents serves as the group’s mid-market hospitality brand, targeting emerging commercial and leisure destinations.

The brand aims to provide professionally managed accommodation, locally relevant experiences, and accessible pricing. Furthermore, its expansion across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets supports Eight Continents Hotels & Resorts’ broader portfolio strategy.

Situated within the Aerocity development, the Mohali property provides convenient connectivity to the airport as well as key business, commercial, and residential hubs across Mohali and Chandigarh.

Commenting on the opening, Haninder Sachdeva, Founder, Eight Continents Hotels & Resorts, said, “The Tricity market is undergoing a phase of growth, and Mohali in particular is seeing development across real estate, infrastructure, business, and hospitality. With Chandigarh International Airport and the continued development of Aerocity and Airport Road, we see long-term potential in this market.

“We are pleased to mark Eight Continents’ entry into Tricity through Stamps by Eight Continents Mohali and to partner with the promoters of Mohali City Centre. The property is positioned to cater to corporate, transit, and leisure travellers visiting the region.”

Furthermore, the opening strengthens Eight Continents Hotels & Resorts’ growing portfolio as the group continues to expand through management partnerships. At the same time, the company plans to introduce its hospitality brands across both established and emerging destinations.

CONNECT WITH US