Chandigarh University wins startup research grant to develop future-ready crop solutions

By

-

May 30, 2026

A major boost to India’s climate-smart agriculture and crop biotechnology research has come from Chandigarh University, where researchers continue to drive innovation in plant molecular science, genomics, and sustainable farming solutions.

Through pioneering research initiatives, faculty members and scholars at the University’s University Centre for Research & Development (UCRD) and University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT) are actively developing scientific solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural resilience, crop productivity, and long-term food security amid growing climate challenges.

Further strengthening Chandigarh University’s position as a leader in advanced agricultural biotechnology research, Dr. Vijay Gahlaut, Associate Professor at UCRD and UIBT, secured the prestigious Startup Research Grant (SRG) from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology. The grant, valued at Rs 24 lakh, supports advanced research focused on developing climate-smart and future-ready crop solutions that promote sustainable agriculture and strengthen India’s agricultural resilience.

Sharing details regarding his project, Dr Vijay Gahlaut said, “Our project is titled Elucidating the Role of DNA Methylation under Elevated CO2 and Temperature During Grain Filling in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L) is primarily aimed at understanding how DNA methylation patterns change under combined elevated CO2 (carbon-dioxide) and temperature stress during the crucial grain filling stage. The outcome of this research project is expected to support the development of climate-smart wheat varieties capable of withstanding rising temperatures and changing environmental conditions. The study will further contribute towards climate-resilient wheat research aimed at safeguarding crop productivity, grain quality, and long-term food security in the face of climate change.”

Dr. Vijay Gahlaut received valuable support in the project from Praveen Kumar, a PhD scholar in biotechnology at UIBT Chandigarh University.

Highlighting the project’s progress, Dr. Gahlaut added, “Our team’s preliminary results are already pointing to practical ways to protect crop development under climate stress. Our ongoing work shows that exposure to elevated CO₂ and higher temperatures during grain filling alters DNA methylation. These changes identify critical developmental windows for targeted management, such as adjusting irrigation or fertilization.”

Furthermore, Dr. Gahlaut explained, “Understanding the epigenetic responses in locally adapted wheat varieties can aid in developing region-specific cultivars with optimised resilience. Epimarkers can potentially speed up the breeding process by allowing breeders to identify desirable traits in early generations without waiting for the plants to mature and be subjected to stress conditions. Analysis of DNA methylation together with gene expression highlights the genes and metabolic pathways most sensitive to the combined stress of increased CO₂ and temperature during grain filling. Pinpointing these targets will let us concentrate follow-up studies on the exact roles of those genes and how they influence grain quality and yield under climate change. The findings, still under investigation, aim to translate molecular insights into field-level strategies that help farmers maintain productivity as atmospheric CO₂ and temperatures continue to rise. This indeed is a remarkable development that would deepen Chandigarh University’s commitment to advancing innovative, climate-smart, and sustainability-driven research,” added Dr. Gahlaut.

Notably, the Startup Research Grant (SRG) serves as a two-year funding initiative designed to support researchers working in frontier areas of science and engineering. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation administers the scheme under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. Through a rigorous evaluation process, the programme supports researchers in establishing independent research careers and transitioning into mainstream scientific research. Applicants must submit comprehensive research proposals that undergo stringent review, and the foundation awards funding to only a select number of projects.

Dr. Gahlaut’s achievement in securing this highly competitive grant reflects both his scientific expertise and strategic research vision. Earlier in his career, he gained extensive research experience as a DST INSPIRE faculty member at the University of Delhi and at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. Additionally, he has authored more than 80 research papers published in reputed international journals and has made significant contributions as an associate editor and independent peer reviewer.

Moreover, his outstanding contributions to crop genetics, plant biotechnology, and abiotic stress tolerance research earned him induction as a member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences in India. This recognition highlights his lasting impact on agricultural research and scientific innovation aimed at addressing climate-related challenges in crop production.

Chandigarh University continues to strengthen its reputation as a hub for cutting-edge agricultural biotechnology and climate-smart research. Through the ANRF-funded project led by Dr. Vijay Gahlaut, the university is advancing critical research on wheat resilience, DNA methylation, and climate adaptation strategies that can support sustainable agriculture and food security. As climate change increasingly affects global crop production, such innovative scientific efforts will play a vital role in developing resilient crop varieties and ensuring long-term agricultural sustainability in India.

PB Fintech cofounders sell shares worth ₹665-Cr through block deals

By

BRL Editor

-

May 30, 2026

0

PB Fintech cofounders Yashish Dahiya and Alok Bansal have collectively sold 38 lakh shares through block deals, raising approximately ₹665.4 crore. The transaction comes amid continued investor interest in the company and follows a recent exit by one of its early backers.

Yashish Dahiya sold 26 lakh shares at ₹1,751 per share, generating proceeds of ₹455.3 crore. Meanwhile, Alok Bansal offloaded 12 lakh shares at the same price, securing ₹210.1 crore from the transaction.

Notably, the stake sale follows Tencent’s complete exit from the insurtech company. The Chinese technology giant recently divested its entire 1.05% holding in PB Fintech for ₹805.4 crore. Institutional investors, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Tata Mutual Fund, acquired the shares.

The block deal price represented a 2.8% premium over PB Fintech’s previous closing price on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Despite the latest dilution, both cofounders continue to hold significant stakes in the company. As of March 2026, Dahiya owns 1.8 crore shares, representing a 3.86% stake, while Bansal holds 53.8 lakh shares, equivalent to 1.2% ownership.

This is not the first time the founders have monetized a portion of their holdings. In June 2025, Dahiya and Bansal sold shares worth nearly ₹920 crore. The latest transaction reflects a broader trend of profit-booking by promoters and investors as PB Fintech’s stock has delivered strong gains in recent months.

Over the past three months, PB Fintech shares have climbed more than 15.5%. However, the stock remains under pressure on a year-to-date basis, declining more than 6% despite the recent rally.

On the financial front, PB Fintech reported strong earnings growth for the fourth quarter of FY26. The company posted a 54% increase in consolidated net profit, reaching ₹261.2 crore compared to the corresponding period last year. Additionally, operating revenue rose 37% year-on-year to ₹2,061 crore, highlighting continued momentum across its business segments.

Despite the positive financial performance, PB Fintech shares closed at ₹1,702.5 in the latest trading session, down 4.56%.

The latest block deal by PB Fintech cofounders Yashish Dahiya and Alok Bansal underscores ongoing profit-taking amid strong institutional demand for the company’s shares. While the transaction follows Tencent’s recent exit and marks another round of promoter stake dilution, the founders continue to retain meaningful ownership in the business. Backed by robust revenue growth and rising profitability, PB Fintech remains a closely watched player in India’s rapidly evolving insurtech and fintech landscape.

IHG Hotels & Resorts signs first Vignette Collection Hotel in London

By

BRL Editor

-

May 30, 2026

0

IHG Hotels & Resorts has strengthened its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio by signing Canary Riverside Plaza, Vignette Collection by IHG, in partnership with Yianis Group. The hotel will become the first Vignette Collection property in London and the second in the UK and Ireland when it opens in summer 2026.

The signing also marks IHG’s entry into Canary Wharf, one of London’s leading financial and business districts, further expanding the hospitality company’s presence in key gateway destinations.

Canary Riverside Plaza, a Vignette Collection by IHG, will feature 142 guestrooms and suites with views of the River Thames and the City of London. In addition, the property will offer a restaurant and bar, meeting and event spaces accommodating up to 200 guests, and access to a neighboring health club and spa.

Strategically located in Canary Wharf, the hotel aims to attract both business and leisure travellers. Moreover, its strong connectivity to central London and international transport hubs is expected to enhance its appeal among domestic and global visitors.

Commenting on the development, Willemijn Geels, Vice President, Development, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, “We’re proud to be deepening our partnership with Yianis Group—a key contributor to the growth of our Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio in the UK & I. Building on our signing of InterContinental Manchester, together we have a shared commitment to bring distinctive hotels to key locations, and we are creating a strong pipeline of high-quality developments. This latest project not only highlights IHG’s exciting growth of its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio in the UK’s capital, but it also showcases the importance of this partnership.”

“With Vignette Collection, we’re able to work with exceptional properties that retain their individuality and distinct style while benefiting from IHG’s global scale and enterprise platform, and London is a natural next step for the brand as we continue to expand in key gateway cities,” he added.

John Christodoulou, Chairman, Yianis Group, added, “We are proud to be introducing Vignette Collection to London with Canary Riverside Plaza. The brand’s focus on individuality and character strongly aligns with our vision for the hotel, and we were particularly drawn to its ability to celebrate the unique identity of each property while benefiting from the strength of a global brand. Canary Wharf provides a dynamic and well-established setting for this development, and we are excited to be creating a landmark destination within this important part of the city. We look forward to continuing our partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts and delivering a distinctive experience for guests.”

Launched in 2021, Vignette Collection has rapidly expanded its global footprint. As of March 31, 2026, the brand operates 34 hotels worldwide and has an additional 45 properties in its development pipeline. The latest signing further reinforces IHG’s growth strategy within the luxury hospitality sector.

Furthermore, IHG Hotels & Resorts continues to expand across the UK and Ireland, where it currently operates 384 hotels and has another 28 properties under development. The addition of Canary Riverside Plaza underscores the company’s commitment to growing its premium hospitality offerings in major international markets.

The signing of Canary Riverside Plaza, Vignette Collection by IHG, represents a significant milestone for both IHG Hotels & Resorts and Yianis Group. By bringing the Vignette Collection brand to London for the first time, the partnership strengthens IHG’s position in the luxury hospitality market while introducing a distinctive hotel experience to Canary Wharf. As the brand continues its global expansion, the project highlights the growing demand for unique, character-driven luxury hotels in prime urban destinations.

LGT Global Hospitality strengthens market position through strategic acquisitions and travel industry expansion

By

BRL Editor

-

May 30, 2026

0

LGT Global Hospitality Limited, formerly known as LGT Business Connexions Limited, announced its financial results for the financial year ended March 2026, highlighting strong business momentum driven by rising travel demand, strategic acquisitions, business integrations, and growing traction across corporate and leisure travel segments.

Throughout the year, the company strengthened its position as an integrated travel and hospitality solutions provider by pursuing strategic collaborations, expansion initiatives, and acquisitions that enhanced customer reach, service capabilities, and market penetration across India and international markets. Moreover, the company expanded its presence across inbound, outbound, and domestic travel segments while benefiting from growing demand for organized travel services, MICE solutions, customized holiday packages, destination weddings, exhibitions, trade fairs, and experiential tourism offerings.

The company recorded revenue growth through stronger traction in corporate travel management, hospitality services, inbound and outbound travel operations, destination management services, exhibitions, trade fairs, MICE activities, and customized travel experiences.

Additionally, strategic collaborations and acquisitions involving Yaja, Travflix, and Holiday One strengthened the company’s business ecosystem, expanded customer engagement capabilities, and increased market reach across diverse travel categories. At the same time, growing demand for integrated travel solutions, experiential tourism, and organized travel service providers contributed significantly to customer acquisition and repeat business growth.

Furthermore, the company witnessed healthy momentum across domestic leisure travel, international holiday packages, corporate mobility solutions, and hospitality bookings. Enhanced operational efficiencies, stronger vendor partnerships, and integrated service initiatives also supported scalable growth and improved execution capabilities.

As part of its long-term growth strategy, LGT Global Hospitality continued expanding its operational footprint across key regional markets while focusing on pan-India growth and emerging travel destinations. During the financial year, the company strengthened its presence in Nagercoil, Coimbatore, Pune, and Vijayawada to enhance regional business development efforts and improve customer engagement.

Simultaneously, the company accelerated its expansion plans across major metropolitan cities and rapidly growing Tier-II markets under its nationwide growth strategy. In this regard, Ahmedabad has emerged as the company’s next strategic expansion destination.

Beyond India, LGT Global Hospitality continued expanding its international footprint with a focus on Dubai and Malaysia. Through these initiatives, the company aims to strengthen outbound travel services, build regional partnerships, and enhance global customer engagement.

In addition, the company reinforced its presence across inbound tourism, outbound travel, domestic holiday packages, corporate travel management, MICE services, trade fairs, and hospitality solutions. Through these efforts, it seeks to evolve into a comprehensive end-to-end travel solutions provider.

Recognizing the growing potential of religious and spiritual tourism, the company also expanded its focus on curated pilgrimage and spiritual travel experiences across key domestic and international destinations.

Operationally, LGT Global Hospitality continued strengthening its service portfolio across multiple business segments, including Corporate Travel Management, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions), Hotel Bookings and Hospitality Solutions, Cruise and Leisure Travel, Ticketing and Visa Processing Services, Customized Domestic and International Travel Packages, Religious and Spiritual Tourism Solutions, Exhibitions, Trade Fairs, and Destination Weddings.

Meanwhile, the company enhanced strategic partnerships, improved operational integration capabilities, and strengthened customer servicing infrastructure to support long-term, scalable growth across all business verticals.

Commenting on the Company’s performance and outlook, Mr. Wilfred Selvaraj, Managing Director, LGT Global Hospitality Limited, said, “We continue to witness encouraging momentum across travel, hospitality, and tourism segments driven by increasing consumer demand, rising experiential travel preferences, and expanding corporate mobility requirements. Our strategic focus remains on building an integrated travel ecosystem through collaborations, acquisitions, market expansion, and enhanced service offerings across domestic, inbound, and outbound travel categories. The additions of Yaja, Travflix, and Holiday One represent important steps toward strengthening our customer reach, digital engagement, and operational capabilities across multiple travel verticals. As we continue expanding our footprint across India and select international markets, including Dubai and Malaysia, we remain focused on strengthening execution capabilities, customer experience, and scalable long-term growth opportunities across the travel and hospitality ecosystem.”

Looking ahead, India’s travel and tourism industry continues to benefit from strong structural growth drivers. Rising domestic and international travel demand, increasing preference for organized travel service providers, rapid growth in experiential and religious tourism, expanding corporate travel requirements, and increasing MICE activity continue to create favorable market conditions. Additionally, improvements in hospitality infrastructure and wider digital adoption across travel services further support industry expansion.

Against this backdrop, LGT Global Hospitality remains focused on expanding strategic partnerships, enhancing operational scalability, diversifying service offerings, and strengthening customer engagement initiatives. Consequently, the company aims to further solidify its position within India’s evolving travel, tourism, and hospitality ecosystem while pursuing sustainable long-term growth opportunities.

Bajaj Finserv launches Finserv Intelligence, plans Rs 2,000-Cr startup investment

By

BRL Editor

-

May 29, 2026

0

Bajaj Finserv launches Finserv Intelligence, plans Rs 2,000-Cr startup investment — Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman of Bajaj Finserv

Bajaj Finserv has launched Finserv Intelligence, a group-wide applied research and innovation initiative under which Bajaj Finserv companies plan to invest between Rs 1,500 crore and Rs 2,000 crore in technology-led startups over the next five years.

The initiative will focus on emerging and strategic technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, fintech, and consumer technology. Through this programme, the company aims to strengthen its long-term technology capabilities while accelerating innovation across India’s rapidly evolving digital economy.

Finserv Intelligence will primarily target early-stage startups ranging from seed-stage ventures to Series B companies with strong scalability potential. Investment sizes will vary depending on the specific needs and growth stage of each startup, while a dedicated investment team will manage the funds and oversee deployment strategies.

Additionally, Bajaj Finserv has signed a Master Collaboration Agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. The partnership will support joint research projects, technology development initiatives, and efforts to transform academic innovation into commercially viable business solutions.

Speaking about the initiative, Sanjiv Bajaj, chairman of Bajaj Finserv, said the company wanted to move beyond its existing short-term research cycles and focus on long-term technological transformation.

“In the last 15 years, as we have built our own research and the application focus has been with a three- to five-year time frame… What we have realized is that given the advent of how the digital world has grown in the last couple of years with AI, it was timely for us to look at a five- to ten-year window as well,” Bajaj said.

“Medium-term research is what we will do through this initiative because we think that it is very important to build transformational capabilities in the medium-term,” he added.

Finserv Intelligence will combine academic collaborations, startup investments, and internal expertise to create scalable technology solutions tailored for India’s financial services and digital ecosystem.

Furthermore, the company plans to expand collaborations with additional academic institutions while simultaneously building an in-house team to support the initiative’s long-term objectives.

According to Bajaj, Bajaj Finserv is currently hiring specialists for Finserv Intelligence and expects to build an initial team of nearly 40 members over the next year, including both full-time and part-time professionals.

“We have people coming on board in the next one or two months. Over the next year, we will have a team, some full-time and some part-time, about 40 people to start. They will start working with IIT Bombay. But they will also build out the other academia partnerships,” he said.

The chairman also highlighted the company’s growing use of artificial intelligence to communicate with customers in multiple languages, including English and Hindi. According to Bajaj, Finserv Intelligence could help expand these capabilities to support more Indian languages and regional dialects as the company seeks broader nationwide reach.

“India has so many languages and then so many dialects. To make sure that we achieve our ambition to be present in one in three Indian households to every household,” he said.

“If you are looking at Bhojpuri or if you are looking at a dialect of Tamil, the world is not working on that. To get to language 20 and 30, and to get to dialect 70 and dialect 80, that will be taken up as a medium-term project by this initiative,” he added.

Bajaj also stated that the company could eventually explore commercial opportunities by offering some of the technologies developed under Finserv Intelligence to other businesses and enterprises.

The initiative is expected to include research and development labs, centres of excellence, venture-led innovation models, and scholar-in-residence programmes designed to support technological advancement and applied research in India.

The launch of Finserv Intelligence marks a major strategic step for Bajaj Finserv as the company strengthens its focus on artificial intelligence, deep technology, and long-term innovation. By combining startup investments, academic partnerships, and internal research capabilities, Bajaj Finserv aims to position itself at the forefront of India’s next wave of fintech and digital transformation. As demand for AI-driven financial services, regional language technologies, and cybersecurity solutions continues to rise, the initiative could play a significant role in shaping the future of India’s technology ecosystem.

Dutch fintech Silverflow expands US presence amid rising global payments demand

By

BRL Editor

-

May 29, 2026

0

Silverflow, a Dutch cloud-native payment processing company, is accelerating its global expansion strategy after signing a new customer in the United States, increasing its workforce by more than 20% and relocating to a larger headquarters to support rising international demand for its payment infrastructure platform.

The expansion comes just two months after the company secured a €37 million ($40 million) Series B funding round in March. Since then, Silverflow has rapidly moved from capital raising toward operational scaling as competition intensifies across the global payments infrastructure market.

Commenting on the company’s growth trajectory, Anne Willem de Vries, co-founder and CEO of Silverflow, said, “Moving into a new office is one of those moments that makes growth feel real. Six years ago, this team was a fraction of the size it is today. We needed more space, more desks, and more room to build—and that’s exactly what we now have. This is what momentum looks like.”

Silverflow’s office expansion, hiring activity, and growing US customer base reflect broader trends shaping the European payments infrastructure sector in 2026. Investors continue directing capital toward companies focused on reducing fragmentation in payment processing, embedded finance, money movement, and AI-enabled transaction workflows.

Industry data indicates that disclosed funding across the European payments and adjacent fintech ecosystem has surpassed €253 million in 2026, including Silverflow’s own €37 million Series B round. Larger comparable deals include Primer’s €86.2 million Series C funding and Sokin’s €83 million debt facility, both of which support international expansion and infrastructure scaling initiatives.

At the same time, earlier-stage funding rounds for companies such as SolvaPay, Ralio, Finperks, and Smartwage demonstrate growing investor interest in specialized payment infrastructure solutions, including agentic payments, prepaid systems, and regulated digital payment technologies.

Within the Netherlands, Amsterdam-based Klearly recently secured a €12 million Series A funding round, further highlighting increasing investor confidence in Dutch fintech and payment startups operating across adjacent infrastructure layers.

Against this backdrop, Silverflow’s post-Series B expansion reflects more than an isolated milestone. Instead, the company is now transitioning from fundraising into large-scale execution alongside a broader wave of European payment infrastructure firms scaling globally.

“We’ve established ourselves in Europe and have already proven the strength of our platform with customers in markets around the world,” adds Anne. “The next step is continuing to scale internationally and delivering on our mission to become the world’s most trusted payment processor.”

Founded in 2019, Silverflow operates as a cloud-native payment processing platform that provides a single API connection to card networks. The company aims to reduce operational complexity and costs while offering businesses simplified integrations and data-rich payment infrastructure capabilities.

Over the last two and a half years, Silverflow has significantly expanded transaction volumes. According to the company, it scaled from processing approximately 180 transactions per day to nearly 2 million daily transactions, representing a near ten-thousandfold increase. The platform is now approaching one billion transactions on an annualised basis.

Looking ahead, the company aims to process €85 billion ($100 billion) in annual payment value as it continues strengthening its enterprise payments ecosystem.

Silverflow’s growth trajectory is also being supported by a rapidly expanding roster of enterprise customers, including Deutsche Bank, Bolt, Payabl, and Buckaroo. These partnerships span acquiring banks, payment providers, and high-growth commerce platforms across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region.

Anne further stated, “Every hire we make, every square metre we add, is a direct response to what our customers are asking of us. They want faster time-to-market, simpler infrastructure, and better data. We can deliver all of that today, at scale, in markets where legacy processors have been a bottleneck for years.”

Meanwhile, Silverflow continues expanding its product capabilities. The company is currently developing support for China UnionPay and JCB, complementing an existing network suite that already supports Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners, Discover, and several regional debit networks.

Additionally, Silverflow is working on enhanced in-store payment capabilities and new front-end tools as part of its broader product expansion roadmap.

Since announcing its Series B funding round, the company has signed a new US customer and successfully launched services for an existing US client. Furthermore, Silverflow continues pursuing aggressive expansion across the United States while simultaneously strengthening its presence in Southeast Asia, a market the company views as one of the fastest-growing and structurally underserved regions in global payments infrastructure.

Silverflow’s rapid expansion underscores the accelerating transformation within the global payments infrastructure industry. Backed by strong investor confidence, rising enterprise adoption, and growing international demand for cloud-native payment solutions, the company is positioning itself as a major player in the evolving fintech and digital payments ecosystem. As global commerce increasingly depends on scalable, AI-enabled, and data-driven payment infrastructure, Silverflow’s international growth strategy places it at the center of the next phase of fintech innovation.

Lords Hotels & Resorts expands spiritual tourism presence with Lords Inn Katra

By

BRL Editor

-

May 29, 2026

0

Lords Hotels & Resorts expands spiritual tourism presence with Lords Inn Katra — Pushpendra Bansal, COO, Lords Hotels & Resorts

Lords Hotels & Resorts has announced the launch of Lords Inn Katra, further strengthening the hospitality group’s presence across India’s leading spiritual tourism destinations. Strategically located near the revered Vaishno Devi shrine, the hotel aims to provide convenient access for pilgrims as well as leisure travelers visiting the region.

Situated in the heart of Katra, the newly launched property has been designed to offer guests a comfortable and enriching hospitality experience while reflecting the spiritual character of the destination. The hotel features 45 well-appointed rooms, modern amenities, and thoughtfully curated services tailored for devotional travelers, families, and tourists seeking a relaxing stay experience.

The launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion strategy focused on high-growth pilgrimage and leisure destinations across India. Additionally, the development highlights the increasing demand for quality hospitality infrastructure in spiritual tourism hubs such as Katra, which attracts millions of visitors annually.

Commenting on the launch, Pushpendra Bansal, COO, Lords Hotels & Resorts said, “Katra, one of India’s most prominent spiritual destinations, attracts millions of devotees and travelers every year. With Lords Inn Katra, we are pleased to strengthen our presence in the region and offer guests a comfortable stay experience backed by Lords’ signature hospitality and service standards. We thank our partners for their trust and look forward to welcoming travelers to the heart of Katra.”

Meanwhile, Vikas Suri, vice president of Lords Hotels & Resorts, emphasized the growing potential of spiritual tourism in India. “Spiritual tourism in India continues to witness strong and sustained growth, and Katra remains a key destination within this segment. Lords Inn Katra reflects our strategic focus on expanding across high-potential pilgrimage and leisure markets while delivering warm hospitality and enriching guest experiences,” he said.

Speaking further on the expansion, Kumar Roushan, Senior GM – Development & Pre-opening, added, “The launch of Lords Inn Katra marks another important milestone in strengthening our footprint in Jammu & Kashmir. We see significant growth potential in the region and remain committed to expanding our presence while creating quality hospitality experiences for travelers visiting these destinations.”

The hotel will also feature dining options and guest-centric facilities designed to provide comfort, convenience, and relaxation throughout the stay. Moreover, the project is expected to contribute to the region’s growing hospitality ecosystem while supporting the increasing influx of domestic and international spiritual travelers.

The launch of Lords Inn Katra reinforces Lords Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to expanding across India’s rapidly growing spiritual tourism sector. As pilgrimage travel continues to drive hospitality demand, the company aims to strengthen its presence in key religious destinations while delivering high-quality guest experiences rooted in comfort, service, and accessibility.

RARE India adds Bhutan’s Zhiwaling Luxury Hotel to experiential hospitality portfolio

By

BRL Editor

-

May 29, 2026

0

RARE India has added the Zhiwaling luxury hotel to its curated portfolio of experiential hospitality properties in Bhutan. Notably, the property remains the only hotel in Bhutan that National Geographic has certified as a Unique Lodge, further strengthening its reputation in the global luxury hospitality sector.

Located in the scenic Paro Valley, Zhiwaling offers panoramic views of Paro Rinpung Dzong and stands as Bhutan’s first luxury hotel that Bhutanese entrepreneurs built and own. Since its establishment in 2005, the property has consistently reflected Bhutanese heritage, architecture, and sustainable hospitality practices.

The luxury hotel features three restaurants, a bar, a spa, outdoor hot stone baths, and an indoor heated pool. Additionally, the company stated that the property prioritizes local employment and uses traditional building materials sourced from nearby regions, reinforcing its commitment to community-driven tourism and sustainable development.

“Zhiwaling was built on the belief that luxury hospitality could emerge from authentic Bhutanese values rather than imported aesthetics,” said Dasho Ugyen Rinzin, Zhiwaling founder and chairman. “We don’t see hospitality as separate from culture; they are inseparable. That philosophy guides everything we do.”

Meanwhile, Shoba Rudra, RARE India founder, stated that Zhiwaling perfectly represents the kind of property that the platform aims to showcase. According to Rudra, the hotel remains deeply rooted in its destination while the people behind it stay strongly committed to their communities, traditions, and cultural heritage.

Furthermore, Zhiwaling’s inclusion in the RARE India portfolio highlights Bhutan’s rapidly growing profile as a premium and high-value tourism destination. Visitor arrivals in Bhutan reached 209,376 in 2025, reflecting a 44.33 percent increase from the previous year, according to Tashel Melong 2025, the annual tourism snapshot released by Bhutan’s Department of Tourism.

The development also aligns with RARE India’s continued expansion in the experiential luxury hospitality segment. Earlier in February, RARE India and Wildlife Luxuries Pvt. Ltd. launched Tipai Wildlife Luxuries near Tipeshwar National Park in Maharashtra, further strengthening the company’s presence in destination-led luxury travel experiences across South Asia.

The addition of Zhiwaling to the RARE India portfolio underscores the increasing global demand for authentic luxury travel experiences rooted in local culture, sustainability, and heritage. As Bhutan continues to attract premium international travelers, hospitality brands such as Zhiwaling and RARE India are positioning themselves at the forefront of experiential tourism and culturally immersive luxury hospitality.

Anthropic becomes World’s Most Valuable AI Startup, overtakes OpenAI in AI race

By

BRL Editor

-

May 29, 2026

0

Anthropic becomes World’s Most Valuable AI Startup, overtakes OpenAI in AI race — Daniela Amodei & Dario Amodei, co-founders, Anthropic

Anthropic has surpassed rival OpenAI to become the world’s most valuable artificial intelligence startup after securing a massive $65 billion funding round that valued the company at $965 billion. Consequently, the milestone marks one of the most significant developments in the global artificial intelligence investment race and intensifies competition in the rapidly expanding generative AI industry.

The San Francisco-based company, which former OpenAI researchers including Dario Amodei founded in 2021, stated that the latest Series H funding round reflects soaring demand for its Claude chatbot and enterprise AI solutions. At the same time, businesses worldwide continue to integrate generative AI technologies into core business operations, software development, automation, and enterprise productivity systems.

Notably, the new valuation places Anthropic ahead of OpenAI, which investors last valued at $852 billion post-money in March. As a result, the development sharpens competition between the two dominant players in the generative AI market and signals a new chapter in the trillion-dollar artificial intelligence race.

Several major investors led the $65 billion funding round, including Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, Greenoaks Capital, and Sequoia Capital. Additionally, Coatue and ICONIQ participated in the investment round. Strategic infrastructure and semiconductor partners such as Amazon, Samsung, Micron Technology, and SK Hynix also joined the funding initiative, further highlighting growing collaboration between AI developers and global technology infrastructure providers.

Importantly, previously committed investments from hyperscalers contributed nearly $15 billion of the total funding amount, including $5 billion from Amazon. Therefore, the investment underscores the increasingly strong relationship between AI model developers and cloud computing giants as demand for large-scale computing infrastructure continues to accelerate.

Anthropic stated that it will use the newly raised capital to expand computing capacity, strengthen AI safety research and scale its Claude product suite amid what the company described as “historic demand” for its AI services and enterprise tools.

Alongside the funding announcement, Anthropic also revealed that its annualised revenue run rate has exceeded $47 billion. Strong enterprise adoption of its AI coding products, particularly Claude Code, largely fueled the rapid revenue growth as companies increasingly adopted AI-powered software development and automation solutions.

However, the company has recently faced several capacity constraints, including usage limits during periods of peak demand. The situation reflects mounting pressure on compute infrastructure as adoption of generative AI tools rapidly expands across industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, retail, and customer service.

Meanwhile, the latest valuation milestone further intensifies the rivalry between Anthropic and OpenAI. Reports indicate that both companies are preparing for eventual public listings as they seek additional financing to support the enormous computing requirements needed to train next-generation large language models and advanced AI systems.

Although OpenAI’s ChatGPT sparked the global generative AI boom in 2022, Anthropic’s rapid rise within a shorter timeframe demonstrates how quickly enterprise adoption, investor confidence, and capital allocation have shifted toward competing AI platforms in the evolving artificial intelligence ecosystem.

Furthermore, participation from leading chipmakers and cloud infrastructure companies reflects a broader structural transformation within the AI industry. Access to advanced semiconductors, GPUs, and computing power has now become equally as important as AI model innovation itself.

As demand for large language models and enterprise AI applications continues to rise, both Anthropic and OpenAI increasingly depend on long-term infrastructure partnerships to secure sufficient computing resources for AI training, deployment, and scalability.

Industry observers also believe that both Anthropic and OpenAI are positioning themselves for potential public market debuts that could rank among the largest technology IPOs in history. Although the timeline for such listings remains uncertain, investor pressure continues to grow as valuations across the artificial intelligence sector reach unprecedented levels.

Anthropic’s record-breaking funding round and industry-leading valuation underscore the extraordinary momentum driving the global artificial intelligence market. Moreover, the company’s rapid expansion highlights intensifying competition in the generative AI sector as enterprises, investors, and infrastructure providers aggressively invest in next-generation AI technologies. As the AI race accelerates, Anthropic and OpenAI will likely continue shaping the future of enterprise AI, cloud computing, and large language model innovation worldwide.

VilCart expands rural commerce network across South India, connects over 1 lakh kirana stores

By

BRL Editor

-

May 27, 2026

0

VilCart expands rural commerce network across South India, connects over 1 lakh kirana stores — C. Prasanna Kumar, Founder & CEO, VilCart

VilCart continues to strengthen its kirana-led rural commerce network by connecting manufacturers, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), brands, and rural SMEs with more than 1 lakh kirana stores across 30,000 villages in South India. Through its integrated retail, supply chain, and technology ecosystem, the Bengaluru-based startup focuses on improving access to essential goods, FMCG products, and staples in underserved rural markets.

Founded in 2018 by C. Prasanna Kumar, VilCart has built a large-scale B2B and B2C rural commerce ecosystem that currently reaches nearly 16% of South India’s rural population. Additionally, the company continues to expand its operational footprint across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana while deepening its penetration into rural consumption markets.

VilCart reported revenue of ₹1,176 crore in FY26, compared to ₹1,120 crore in FY25, while simultaneously progressing toward operational profitability. Over the last five years, the company has scaled its revenues by nearly 5.6 times through a capital-efficient growth strategy focused on long-term sustainability and rural market expansion.

At the core of VilCart’s growth strategy lies its category-led and infrastructure-first rural commerce architecture. Unlike conventional e-commerce and urban quick-commerce platforms, VilCart has specifically designed its supply chain model around the realities of village India, including fragmented sourcing systems, inconsistent distribution channels, limited product assortment, and inefficient procurement processes.

Commenting on the company’s mission, C. Prasanna Kumar, Founder & CEO, VilCart, said, “India’s rural economy has demand, entrepreneurship, and aspiration. What it lacks is an efficient commerce infrastructure. VilCart is solving this by building a deeply integrated ecosystem that combines supply chain, technology, data, and local execution.”

Furthermore, he added, “What differentiates us is that we are not just a distribution company or a marketplace. We are building the infrastructure layer for rural commerce—connecting brands, kiranas, and consumers through one unified network. Rural India cannot be served through urban models. It needs rural-native innovation.”

In addition to its distribution network, VilCart has developed a private-label portfolio specifically designed for rural markets. The company currently holds 43 registered trademarks across multiple categories and uses village-level consumption insights and demand intelligence to identify high-potential product segments. Consequently, VilCart develops affordable and region-specific products tailored to the needs of rural consumers.

To date, the startup has raised approximately $26 million in funding while generating more than ₹1,176 crore in FY26 revenue. Currently, the platform works with over 80,000 billed kirana stores across South India and plans to further expand its geographic presence, strengthen its technology infrastructure, and scale its private-label ecosystem during its upcoming Series B growth phase.

Sharing the company’s long-term vision, Prasanna Kumar said, “Our vision is to make rural commerce as seamless and efficient as urban commerce—while solving it in a way that is sustainable, profitable, and inclusive for Bharat.”

VilCart’s rapid expansion highlights the growing importance of rural commerce, kirana digitisation, and supply chain innovation in India’s evolving retail ecosystem. As rural consumption continues to rise across Bharat, technology-driven platforms like VilCart are expected to play a critical role in transforming village-level retail infrastructure, empowering small businesses, and improving market access for brands and consumers alike.

CONNECT WITH US