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Designed by Prakash Nair: Inside Hyderabad’s First-of-Its-Kind Biophilic School Campus

Designed by Prakash Nair: Inside Hyderabad’s First-of-Its-Kind Biophilic School Campus

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 25: A new kind of learning environment opened its doors to children and families in Nanakramguda, Hyderabad, in July 2026. At Sagebrook International School, the space itself is treated as a partner in a child’s development rather than a container for it. Created in partnership with Whitgift School UK, the campus is a first-of-its-kind in Hyderabad: a school where biophilic design and a neuro-inclusive philosophy shape every space a child moves through.

The campus is designed by Prakash Nair, the globally recognised school architect behind Education Design International and a winner of the A4LE MacConnell Award, the highest international honour in school design. Nair is known worldwide for replacing the old classroom-and-corridor template with environments built around how children actually learn, treating wellbeing not as a programme but as something designed into the architecture itself.

The thinking behind it is simple. Sagebrook calls it regulation over control. Rather than asking young children to sit still and comply, its spaces are shaped to help them settle their own nervous systems, on the understanding that calmer bodies make for sharper, more curious minds. Every choice reflects it, from the fall of daylight across a classroom to the texture of a wall.

Step inside and that intention is immediate. Classrooms are sunlit and finished in warm, natural materials, with birch ply, tactile textures and soft, considered light throughout. Between the busier zones sit quiet corners and refuge nooks, calm spaces where a child can pause, self-regulate and reflect, then return ready to learn.

The campus is built around a set of signature spaces that turn everyday learning into experience. A kitchen garden and the Children’s Kitchen take children from soil to plate, putting real ingredients and real tasks into small hands. A sand pit invites open-ended, sensory play. And a koi pond brings the living presence of water into the heart of the school, a quiet, literal expression of Sagebrook’s Flow Like a River philosophy.

The same care extends to what the building is made of. Low-VOC finishes, high recycled content and energy-efficient lighting were chosen not only to lighten the school’s footprint but to protect the air children breathe and the spaces they spend their days in. Modular, adaptable planning lets those spaces evolve as learning does, with little waste.

For Head of School Zoe L. Hauser, the promise is that such care is not the exception but the rule. “Neuro-inclusion is not a special room at the end of a hall,” she says. “It is calm, and safety is built into every space a child moves through.”

For the school’s founders, the aim was to translate that belief into architecture. “We did not set out to build a beautiful school, or one more institution to be managed,” says Praveen Raju, who founded Sagebrook with Eshita Kalidindi. “We built a place designed to be felt, and to raise the bar for what a school in India can be.”

Guided by its values, RISE with Freedom and Joy, Sagebrook stands as a working argument that a world-class education and deep care for how children develop are not competing goals, but the same one.

Sagebrook International School welcomed its first cohort from Beginnings to Grade 3. Admissions for AY 2027-28 are now open.

Visit www.sagebrook.in today.

From a Freedom Fighter’s Legacy to Global Education: Muqarrab Hadi’s Journey from New Zealand to Building a New Vision for Indian Schools

From a Freedom Fighter’s Legacy to Global Education: Muqarrab Hadi’s Journey from New Zealand to Building a New Vision for Indian Schools

Muqarrab Hadi — Educationist, Engineer, Academic, Author & School Director

For Muqarrab Hadi, education is more than a profession. It is a family legacy, a personal responsibility and a mission to contribute to the future of India.

Hadi comes from a family with a long association with education and public service. His grandfather was a freedom fighter who was honoured in 1972 by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in recognition of his contribution to the freedom struggle. His father, Musharraf Zama Khan, has dedicated decades of his life to education. Growing up in such an environment shaped Hadi’s belief that education should not be limited to textbooks and examinations, but should help children become confident, responsible, curious and compassionate individuals.

His own academic and professional journey has been international. With an engineering background and educational exposure in New Zealand, Hadi gained the opportunity to experience different approaches to learning outside India. His professional journey also took him to the Middle East, where he worked as a professor, gaining experience in higher education and interacting with students from diverse backgrounds.

Rather than keeping his international experiences limited to his own career, Hadi chose to bring those experiences back into the Indian education sector.

His educational philosophy is based on a simple observation: children learn what they see.

Hadi says he has experienced this with his own children as well as with students at his schools. When he uses a mobile phone, children naturally become curious about it. But when he puts the phone aside and starts reading a book, children often become interested in reading as well.

For him, this is a powerful lesson. Children observe adults constantly and learn from their behaviour more than from instructions.

This philosophy has also influenced the learning environment he is trying to create in his schools.

At his schools, Hadi has encouraged children to learn not only through conventional classroom teaching but also through direct interaction with nature, plants, birds and animals. Birds and animals are kept within the school environment to give children opportunities to observe living beings closely and understand compassion, responsibility and the natural world.

Children are encouraged to observe plants, understand nature and develop awareness about the environment. The idea is to move beyond simply reading about animals, birds, trees and nature in a textbook and allow students to experience these subjects in their everyday surroundings.

According to Hadi, a child who watches a plant grow, observes a bird closely or learns how to care for an animal can develop a different kind of understanding—one that combines knowledge with empathy and responsibility.

His approach also reflects his interest in writing and communication. Hadi has written books in both English and Hindi, using writing as another way to share ideas, knowledge and educational perspectives with a wider audience.

Over the years, his work in education has been associated with Hadi Academy and the development of Birr Scholars Academy, where the focus includes academics as well as communication, confidence, creativity, sports, practical learning and personality development.

His professional journey and contribution have also received recognition. He has been honoured at the state level, including recognition presented by the Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, along with other awards and recognitions received for his work.

For Hadi, however, awards are not the destination. He sees them as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with working in education.

His international academic exposure, engineering background, experience in higher education, writing and family legacy have shaped his belief that Indian schools can prepare children for a changing world while keeping them connected to values, nature and society.

In an age dominated by screens and digital distractions, Hadi believes children need meaningful experiences. Books, sports, creative activities, nature, animals, plants and real conversations can help children develop qualities that cannot always be taught through a screen.

His message to parents and educators is straightforward: before asking “What are children learning?”, adults should ask “What are children seeing?”

Children may forget many of the instructions adults give them, but the examples they see every day can become part of their personality.

From a family rooted in education and public service to an international academic journey, from engineering and higher education to writing books and developing experiential learning environments for children, Muqarrab Hadi is attempting to carry forward his family’s educational legacy while creating his own vision for the future.

For him, education is ultimately about creating curious minds, confident individuals and compassionate human beings.

His belief is simple: the best classroom is not always surrounded by four walls. Sometimes it is a book, a garden, a bird, an animal, a conversation—or simply the example set by an adult standing in front of a child.

Sister-Brother Duo Shines at the First World Open Taekwondo Championship

Sister-Brother Duo Shines at the First World Open Taekwondo Championship

New Delhi [India], August 24: The first World Open Taekwondo Championship-2026, held in Telangana, witnessed an outstanding performance by siblings Maloth Saanvi Riah and Maloth Aarush Mithul, who together won four medals. The international championship was held at Gachibowli Stadium from August 21 to 23, where the siblings represented India and showcased their exceptional talent.

Athletes from 22 states across India and 12 countries participated in the prestigious event. Saanvi Riah, a Class 9 student, won a Gold Medal in the Under-14 Kyorugi category and a Bronze Medal in the Poomsae category.

Her younger brother, Aarush Mithul, a Class 3 student, secured a Gold Medal in the Under-8 Kyorugi category and a Silver Medal in the Speed Punching category.

The prestigious championship was jointly organized by Amikal Sports Academy, Amikal Sports Federation, and JR International Taekwondo Academy, under the leadership of Raju Rathod, Manager and Director of the Telangana Technical and Management Division.

Parents, teachers, coaches, and family members congratulated Saanvi Riah and Aarush Mithul for winning four medals at such a young age on an international platform.

Their remarkable achievement has brought pride not only to Telangana but also to Delhi World Public School, Kompally.

OKINAWA HARBORVIEW HOTEL completes full-scale renovation to deliver a modern Okinawan experience

OKINAWA HARBORVIEW HOTEL completes full-scale renovation to deliver a modern Okinawan experience

A luxurious stay featuring a Club Lounge, Garden Pool, and Kobe Beef Teppanyaki

The Okinawa Harborview Hotel has announced the completion of full-scale renovations for their 50th anniversary and will hold a grand opening in the summer 2026. (Details: https://oka-hvh.com.e.asa.hp.transer.com/anniversary/).

Guest rooms have been upgraded to enhance comfort and more effectively accommodate the needs of long-term guests. The Club Lounge, for exclusive use by guests staying in club rooms, has been expanded as is now the largest in the city of Naha, and a menu has been developed for guests to experience Okinawan food culture. In addition, the “Teppanyaki Izumizaki” restaurant is the first in Okinawa to be certified to serve Kobe Beef, and also offers local beef all presented on traditionally crafted pottery, creating a blend of authentic Okinawan culture and high-class dining. Furthermore, the Garden Pool reopened on June 1, 2026 and has been renovated to deliver the feeling of a resort within the city of Naha.

Okinawa Harborview Hotel will carry on a half-century of history and hospitality while delivering the image of the “modern Okinawa” for the next 50 years.

Guest Rooms

Guest rooms have been renovated based on Ryukyu indigo, the traditional color of Okinawa, and designed to deliver feelings of relaxation and warmth. Among these rooms is the “Club Executive Twin,” designed for longer stays. It features an all-in-one washer/dryer, microwave, and other appliances. It is designed for efficiency and comfort, making it suitable for a wide range of stays, including travel and business.

The Largest Club Lounge in Naha

The rooftop lounge has been expanded to become the largest one in Naha. It offers an expansive view of the city and different food and drink options depending on the time of day. Menus for breakfast, tea time, dinner, and late-night dining have been developed to help guests experience the local culture and the slow passing of Okinawan time. The lounge is open until midnight, allowing the aura of Okinawa to linger even after a day of sightseeing.

Renovation special: Stay package with Club Lounge access (https://bit.ly/4579JeX)

Garden Pool

The pool has been transformed into a space that evokes a true resort atmosphere. During the day, guests can unwind on in-water loungers or beach chairs under the blue sky, while at night, mystical lighting illuminates the water’s surface.

Additionally, the newly opened poolside bar offers food and drinks created by hotel chefs and bartenders using local ingredients, allowing guests to casually enjoy Okinawa’s unique culinary culture in an open setting.

Teppanyaki Izumizaki

Based on the concept of “a blend of Ryukyu’s past and present,” this restaurant provides not only local beef, but is also the first in-hotel restaurant in Okinawa to be certified to serve Kobe Beef. Guests can enjoy a teppanyaki experience that engages all five senses, from the immersive atmosphere of watching the chef grill right before your eyes to the sounds and aromas.

Renovation special: Accommodation plan with a dinner featuring a tasting comparison of local Kuroge Wagyu and Kobe Beef (bit.ly/4xeGTFg)

Okinawa Harborview Hotel

The hotel was opened in 1975 due to the holding of the Okinawa International Ocean Exposition and has since hosted a large number of guests, including dignitaries from both Japan and abroad, as a premier urban Okinawa hotel. In celebration of the 50th anniversary in 2025, the hotel underwent full-scale renovations in order to prepare for the next generation. After overhauling the guest rooms, restaurant, Club Lounge, lobby, Garden Pool, and other areas of the hotel, it was ready for the grand opening. Combining distinctive Okinawan hospitality with a refined, evolved setting, the hotel offers guests a truly blissful stay.

Address: 900-0021 Okinawa, Naha, Izumizaki, 2-4-6, 2-46

Company Profile for Hotel Management Japan Co., Ltd.

Hotel Management Japan Co., Ltd. operates 27 hotels across Japan with a total of 9,051 guest rooms and 4,018 employees. The company manages its own brands Oriental Hotels and Hotel Oriental Express, as well as other well-known brands such as Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton, and Hotel Nikko.

Website: https://www.oriental-hotels.com/en/

Media Contact:

Company: Hotel Management Japan Co., Ltd.

Company location: 8F, Building C, Shinagawa Intercity, 2-15-3 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Company website: https://www.oriental-hotels.com

Contact person: Fujii

Mail: hmj-pr@bizcom-pr.co.jp

FinOps Meets Data Engineering: Building Cost-Efficient Cloud Platforms at Scale

FinOps Meets Data Engineering: Building Cost-Efficient Cloud Platforms at Scale

Cloud platforms make it possible to scale infrastructure within minutes, but they can also allow inefficient spending to grow just as quickly. As data volumes and processing demands increase, organizations must consider cost efficiency during platform design rather than waiting for an unexpectedly high cloud bill. Paras Pandey, a data engineer at Amazon with six years of experience in cloud data platforms, ETL engineering, workflow automation, and infrastructure optimization, believes closer collaboration between FinOps and data engineering can help businesses build platforms that balance scalability, reliability, performance, and cost. These observations represent his independent industry perspective and not the systems, practices, or views of his employer.

Cloud computing has transformed the way organizations build and operate data platforms. Businesses can add storage, increase processing capacity, deploy managed services, and launch new data products without purchasing and maintaining large amounts of physical infrastructure.

That flexibility has created enormous opportunities. It has also introduced a new challenge: cloud resources can be created quickly, but the financial consequences of those decisions are not always immediately visible.

A data pipeline may appear technically successful while consuming more resources than the value it produces. A warehouse may deliver excellent performance while remaining overprovisioned for most of the day. A dataset may continue accumulating storage costs long after it has stopped being actively used.

This is where FinOps and data engineering increasingly intersect.

FinOps brings financial accountability into technology decision-making. Data engineering determines how data is collected, processed, stored, and delivered. When the two functions work together, organizations can make better decisions about the relationship between technical performance and business value.

Every Architecture Decision Has a Financial Dimension

Most data-architecture decisions have an economic consequence.

Choices involving processing frequency, storage type, data retention, compute capacity, replication, availability, and query design can directly influence cloud expenditure.

A pipeline scheduled to run every few minutes may provide fresher information than one that runs every hour. However, it may also require significantly more compute capacity.

Keeping all historical information in frequently accessed storage may simplify retrieval, but it can create unnecessary expense when older data is rarely used.

Provisioning excess capacity may reduce the immediate risk of slow performance, but it can leave expensive resources idle during periods of low demand.

None of these choices is automatically right or wrong. Their suitability depends on the business requirement.

Cost efficiency should not mean reducing expenditure without considering the consequences. Aggressive cost cutting can weaken reliability, security, performance, and the ability to innovate.

The objective is to understand whether the value created by a workload justifies the resources it consumes.

Cloud Bills Must Become Actionable

A monthly cloud bill may show that spending increased, but it rarely explains which pipeline, application, user, or engineering decision caused the change.

Data teams require more detailed visibility.

Depending on the organization, resources may need to be associated with particular applications, departments, environments, products, customers, or business capabilities.

Engineers should be able to investigate questions such as:

  • How much does a specific pipeline cost to operate?
  • Which workloads are responsible for the largest increases?
  • Are development resources operating when no one is using them?
  • Which queries consume the most processing capacity?
  • Which datasets are expensive to store but rarely accessed?
  • Did a recent deployment materially change resource consumption?
  • What is the cost of delivering a particular data product?

Answering these questions requires consistent tagging, ownership information, cost allocation, and technical monitoring.

When engineers can see the financial impact of their systems, cost optimization becomes part of routine platform management rather than an exercise performed after the bill arrives.

Unit Economics Connects Cost to Value

Total cloud expenditure provides only a partial picture.

An organization may spend more because its customer base, transaction volume, or product usage has increased. In that situation, a higher bill may be reasonable if the cost per unit of business value has decreased.

This is why unit economics is important.

Instead of looking only at total infrastructure spending, organizations can evaluate measures such as cost per transaction, customer, report, pipeline run, processed record, or machine-learning inference.

These metrics create a clearer connection between technology consumption and business activity.

For example, an organization may discover that total data-platform spending increased by 20 percent while the number of processed transactions increased by 50 percent. Although the total bill rose, the cost per transaction may have improved.

Unit economics provides a shared language through which finance, engineering, and business teams can discuss efficiency without reducing every decision to a simple cost-cutting target.

Inefficient Data Design Produces Recurring Costs

Cloud costs are influenced not only by service prices but also by the design of data systems.

Poorly partitioned datasets may force analytical engines to scan much more information than necessary. Reprocessing complete datasets when only a small number of records have changed can waste compute capacity.

Uncontrolled duplication can increase storage, transfer, processing, and governance costs. Inefficient queries may repeatedly consume resources without producing additional value.

These problems may appear insignificant when a workload is small. At scale, however, a minor inefficiency repeated across hundreds of pipelines and billions of records can create substantial recurring costs.

Engineering practices that may improve efficiency include incremental processing, appropriate partitioning, suitable file formats, lifecycle policies, demand-based scaling, and the removal of unused resources.

The correct optimization depends on measured workload behavior.

Organizations should avoid implementing cost-saving techniques simply because they are popular. A design that reduces cost for one workload may increase complexity or reduce performance for another.

Effective optimization is evidence-based.

Serverless Does Not Automatically Mean Economical

Serverless and managed services can reduce the burden of maintaining infrastructure, but they do not guarantee lower costs.

A serverless workload may be highly efficient when demand is intermittent or unpredictable. It may become expensive when inefficient code, excessive invocations, repeated data scans, or uncontrolled concurrency increase consumption.

Managed services also use different pricing models. Costs may be based on processing time, scanned data, provisioned capacity, storage volume, requests, or network transfers.

Engineers must understand how workload behavior interacts with those pricing structures.

For example, a service priced according to scanned data may become expensive when queries repeatedly read entire datasets. A service priced by execution time may be affected by inefficient transformations or unnecessary processing.

The appropriate question is not simply whether a service is serverless or fully managed. It is whether the service is suitable for the workload’s technical, operational, and financial requirements.

Build Versus Buy Requires a Complete View

Organizations can choose among commercial platforms, managed cloud services, open-source technologies, and internally developed systems.

A self-managed technology may have little or no licensing cost but require significant engineering time for installation, maintenance, monitoring, security, upgrades, and incident response.

A managed service may have a higher direct usage cost while reducing operational complexity and accelerating delivery.

The right decision depends on several factors, including workload criticality, team expertise, expected scale, compliance obligations, availability requirements, and long-term maintenance effort.

FinOps teams can help quantify the financial implications, while data engineers assess the technical and operational consequences.

A total-cost perspective prevents organizations from selecting technology only because its initial price appears low.

The least expensive option at the time of purchase may not be the most cost-effective option over the life of the platform.

Guardrails Can Support Both Speed and Control

Cost-governance programs can become counterproductive when every engineering decision requires a lengthy approval process.

Excessive restrictions may slow experimentation and encourage teams to work around established controls.

A more effective approach is to provide engineers with approved ways to build safely.

Infrastructure-as-code templates can establish standard configurations for security, monitoring, resource sizing, ownership tags, and spending controls.

Automated policies can identify idle infrastructure, flag unusual consumption, and prevent clearly unacceptable configurations.

This creates decentralized execution within centrally defined guardrails.

Engineers retain the ability to experiment and deliver solutions, while the organization maintains financial visibility and technical consistency.

Governance is most effective when it is built into the development process rather than added as a manual obstacle.

Cost Anomalies Can Reveal Technical Problems

Unexpected cloud spending is not always a purely financial issue.

A sudden increase may indicate an abnormal rise in data volume, an inefficient software release, a failed retry loop, an incorrectly configured resource, or unauthorized activity.

When cost data is combined with operational monitoring, financial anomalies can be investigated much like reliability or performance incidents.

This enables teams to respond earlier.

Instead of discovering the problem at the end of the billing cycle, organizations can establish alerts that identify material changes as they occur.

However, alerts must be designed carefully. Excessive notifications can cause teams to ignore genuinely important signals.

Thresholds should reflect normal workload patterns, expected growth, and the business importance of the system.

Cost Optimization Is a Continuous Practice

Cloud optimization does not end after a single cost-reduction initiative.

Data volumes increase. Workloads change. New services become available. Pricing models evolve. Business priorities shift.

An architecture that is efficient today may become unnecessarily expensive as usage patterns change.

Organizations should regularly review resource utilization, query performance, storage growth, cost allocation, and unit economics.

They should also reassess whether the level of performance and availability being purchased still matches the business requirement.

A system may have been designed for extremely high demand that never materialized. Another workload may have grown beyond its original assumptions.

Continuous review allows the platform to evolve alongside the business.

Connecting Technology Spending to Business Value

FinOps and data engineering approach cloud platforms from different perspectives, but their objectives are increasingly aligned.

Finance teams seek accountability, predictability, and responsible spending. Engineering teams seek scalability, reliability, security, performance, and development speed.

A mature cloud strategy does not force organizations to choose between these priorities. It gives teams the information required to manage the trade-offs among them.

Pandey believes successful cloud data platforms will not necessarily be those with the lowest overall bill. They will be those that can clearly explain where their technology spending goes, why it is necessary, and what measurable value it creates.

Cost efficiency at scale begins when financial awareness becomes part of engineering design rather than an exercise performed after the infrastructure has already been built.

On the sets of PREET, The Most Awaited Hollywood-Bollywood Crossover. An Interview with Sarvesh Jaidka (Fondly Known as SJ): A Journey of Vision, Reinvention and Destiny

On the sets of PREET, The Most Awaited Hollywood-Bollywood Crossover. An Interview with Sarvesh Jaidka (Fondly Known as SJ): A Journey of Vision, Reinvention and Destiny

There are entrepreneurs who succeed in one profession, and then there are individuals who redefine themselves every few years by embracing new opportunities. Sarvesh Jaidka, fondly known as SJ, belongs to the latter league. An economist by education, an entrepreneur by instinct, and a dreamer by temperament, he has left his mark across the events industry, real estate, political analysis, and now the world of cinema.

What makes his story compelling is not merely the diversity of his achievements but the common thread that connects them all, an unwavering belief that opportunities favour those willing to act. Whether pioneering exhibition concepts in India during the 1990s, analysing political trends long before they became mainstream discussions, or stepping into film production, Sarvesh has consistently followed instinct over convention.

In this candid conversation, he speaks about destiny, entrepreneurship, family, politics, music, travel, and the philosophy that continues to guide his life.

Q. You have recently entered the ever-growing world of cinema as a producer. How did this journey begin?

Sarvesh: “People often think this was a sudden decision, but in reality films have always been a part of my life. Cinema runs in my blood.

My father was an actor and a producer-director, and our production house was associated with some of the biggest names in the film industry from the early 1980s through the mid-1980s. Growing up in that environment, cinema was naturally an integral part of our family life.

Today, the legacy continues through my son, Jayesh Jaidka, who holds a Master’s degree in Filmmaking and has won numerous international awards as a director. He conceptualised our latest project, and I naturally stepped into the role of producer.

Our forthcoming feature film, PREET, is a Hollywood-Bollywood crossover with a young, energetic team. There are several exciting names associated with the project, which we will announce at the right time. Looking back, I genuinely feel destiny brought me into filmmaking, and I am enjoying every moment of this journey.”

Sarvesh Jaidka on the sets of PREET

Q. Before films, you made a name for yourself in the events industry. Was that a planned career?

Sarvesh: “Not at all. If I look back honestly, destiny has played a major role throughout my life.

Academically, I completed my Master’s in Economics, graduated in Commerce and studied Business Management with specialization in International Marketing. Like many young graduates, I wasn’t certain which career to pursue.

Then, in 1994, my wife and I visited a trade exhibition. She looked around and simply said, ‘Why don’t you organise exhibitions? You can do this.’

That single suggestion changed my life.

Within a few weeks, I organised my very first exhibition in Ludhiana with more than a hundred stalls and participation from several multinational companies. For someone completely new to the industry, it was both challenging and exciting.

That experience taught me an important lesson, sometimes success begins when someone believes in you before you fully believe in yourself.”

Q. Looking back, are you proud of what you achieved as an event entrepreneur?

Sarvesh: “Absolutely.

The initial years were difficult, but I was fortunate to work alongside some of the most respected names in the industry, which gave credibility to my work from the very beginning.

One of my biggest satisfactions was introducing investment and real estate exhibitions in the late 1990s, at a time when very few people had even heard of such concepts.

Over the years, my team organised nearly 200 national and international exhibitions across sectors including automobiles, consumer products, jewellery, education, careers, tourism and real estate. Those years gave me recognition not only as an organiser but also as a contributor to several business and trade publications.

Eventually, the industry evolved. Economic liberalisation, the rise of shopping malls, digital marketing and institutional organisers changed the business model.

I had already diversified into real estate during the mid-1990s. When exhibitions began slowing down, moving into real estate full-time became a natural progression rather than a difficult decision.”

Trade fair, 1999 , a glimpse of the exhibition journey that shaped SJ’s entrepreneurial career

Q. Many people also know you as a political strategist and analyst whose predictions have often proved accurate. How do you view this reputation?

Sarvesh: “Politics has always fascinated me, but I have never analysed it through astrology or horoscopes. My understanding comes from studying situations, governance, public sentiment and economic realities.

Over the years, several observations that I made regarding national politics eventually came true, including major political shifts and leadership changes.

People sometimes call them predictions, but for me they are simply conclusions drawn after careful observation.

My analysis has never been about supporting one political party over another. My only interest is understanding where the country is heading and how policy decisions affect our people and our economy.

Someone once told me that I could become a kingmaker but never a king. I smiled because I have never aspired to either role. If my thoughts can contribute positively to society or help someone understand the political landscape better, that itself is satisfying.”

Q. Beyond business and public life, what keeps you inspired?

Sarvesh: “Life itself inspires me.

Travelling is one of my greatest passions, and I must give full credit to my wife. She plans every journey while I happily become her travelling companion. Together we have explored many countries, experienced different cultures and observed how societies and economies function across the world. Every destination teaches us something new.

Music is another passion very close to my heart. I love singing, especially timeless classics, and I regularly share them through my YouTube channel. In the near future, I hope to release my own original compositions, either independently or as part of my film projects.

I also enjoy sports, although finding the time, and suitable company, to play regularly has become increasingly difficult.”

Q. Finally, what is the philosophy that guides your life?

Sarvesh: “The first principle is simple, always remain positive.

Even if there is only a one percent chance of success, give it your hundred percent. Many times that one percent succeeds because most people never even attempt it.

Secondly, remain humble. No matter how successful you become, humility earns more respect than achievement alone.

Thirdly, be kind and respectful towards everyone.

And finally, I strongly believe in being loyal to your country. Nationalism, for me, is not merely an emotion; it reflects one’s character. Whatever we do professionally, we should strive to contribute positively to our nation and its people.”

The Man Behind the Journey

As our conversation drew to a close, one impression stood out above everything else. Sarvesh Jaidka’s story is not merely about changing careers, it is about continually embracing new beginnings.

From pioneering India’s exhibition industry during its formative years to establishing himself in real estate, from becoming a respected political observer to entering film production with PREET, every chapter reflects adaptability, curiosity and the courage to move beyond comfort zones.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of his journey is that he never claims to have planned it all. Again and again, he credits destiny, family, hard work and an optimistic outlook for opening doors at the right time. Yet, destiny alone does not create success; it rewards those prepared to recognise opportunity when it arrives.

As Sarvesh Jaidka (SJ) and his team prepare for the release of PREET, one thing is certain, whether in business, public life or cinema, he continues to reinvent himself while remaining grounded in the values he cherishes most.

We wish him and his team every success and look forward to meeting him again after the release of PREET to discuss the next chapter in a journey that continues to inspire.

Liberty Shoes Unveils Future-Ready Footwear Innovations at SS27 NCM Meeting in Goa

Liberty Shoes Unveils Future-Ready Footwear Innovations at SS27 NCM Meeting in Goa

Goa [India], August 21: Liberty Shoes Ltd. hosted its SS27 NCM Meeting at Taj Horizon, Goa, presenting an impressive collection of approximately 500 new footwear samples designed around the evolving needs and expectations of modern consumers.

The SS27 collection reflects Liberty’s strong focus on innovation, comfort, lightweight construction, advanced technologies and consumer-centric product development, offering a glimpse into the future of footwear.

Technology-Led Innovation at the Core

A key highlight of the collection is the introduction of several innovative footwear technologies:

* Handsfree Technology – Easy-to-wear footwear designed for maximum convenience without the need to use hands.

* Nitro Sole Technology – Advanced sole construction focused on enhanced cushioning, comfort and performance.

* Lightweight / Zero Gravity Footwear – Ultra-light designs offering a barely-there wearing experience.

* Barefoot Technology – Footwear designed to provide a more natural feel, flexibility and freedom of movement.

* Acu Sense Technology – Comfort-oriented footwear incorporating targeted pressure-point stimulation.

* Open Footwear Category – An expanded range of innovative sandals, slippers and open styles combining comfort with contemporary design.

A Special Focus on Kids’ Footwear

The SS27 collection also presents an exciting and playful Kids’ Footwear Range, bringing together technology, comfort and fun.

The range includes handsfree footwear, light-up technology, character-inspired designs and comfortable sandals, offering children an engaging footwear experience while addressing parents’ expectations for comfort, functionality and ease of use.

Next-Generation Footbed & Comfort Technologies

Another major highlight of the collection is the development of innovative footbeds and comfort technologies, including a wide range of massage and support-oriented concepts.

These include:

  • 11-Point Massage Technology – Targeted stimulation across key pressure points of the foot.
  • 10-Point Massage Technology – Multi-point foot stimulation designed for enhanced comfort.
  • 9-Point Massage Technology – Targeted support aimed at providing a relaxing walking experience.
  • Wave Massage Technology – A wave-patterned footbed designed to create a soothing massage sensation while walking.
  • Doctor Footbed – A comfort-focused design developed with enhanced foot support.
  • 6 Sense Technology – An advanced comfort concept aimed at enhancing the overall sensory experience of walking.

A Glimpse into the Future of Footwear

The SS27 NCM Meeting reflects Liberty Shoes Ltd.’s commitment to continuously evolving with changing consumer preferences and emerging footwear trends.

With a strong emphasis on technology-led innovation, superior comfort, lightweight performance, natural movement, kids’ footwear and consumer-centric solutions, the SS27 collection presents a promising and forward-looking vision for the footwear industry.

The extensive showcase of nearly 500 new samples at Taj Horizon, Goa, underlines Liberty’s continued efforts to combine innovation, functionality and style to create footwear solutions for the next generation of consumers.

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Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s 2026 Philanthropic Initiatives Reach More Than 43,000 Children and Villagers this past summer

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s 2026 Philanthropic Initiatives Reach More Than 43,000 Children and Villagers this past summer

New Delhi [India], August 20: Planned and led by the Presidents of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, H.H. Sushri Dr. Shyama Tripathi Ji and H.H. Sushri Dr. Krishna Tripathi Ji, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat continues its longstanding commitment to serving children, families and communities through a wide range of philanthropic initiatives across India.

During 2026, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat has undertaken an extensive series of distribution programmes focused particularly on children’s education and well-being, while also providing essential household necessities, clothing and food to thousands of villagers living in surrounding communities.

To date, the major summer distribution programmes highlighted this year have reached 30,000 children and 13,050 villagers, a total of 43,050 beneficiaries. These initiatives form part of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s ongoing efforts to provide practical assistance to those in need and create better opportunities for children and families.

Supporting Children Through Education

A major focus of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s 2026 summer philanthropic activities has been helping children begin and continue their education with the essential resources they need.

On March 1, 2026, at Shri Kripalu Dham, 8,000 children received educational necessities to support them in their studies.

On April 24, 2026, at Rangeeli Mahal, Barsana, 6,000 children received school bags filled with useful educational supplies, including stationery, water bottles, pencil cases and lunch boxes. The distribution helped children prepare for the new academic session and ensured that financial limitations would not prevent them from having basic school necessities.

On April 28, 2026, at Jagadguru Kripalu Dham, Vrindavan, another 5,000 children received school kits containing school bags, notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers, water bottles, lunch boxes and other useful items.

On May 8, 2026, at Radha Kunj, Mussoorie, 1,500 children received school bags containing notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, water bottles, lunch boxes and other daily-use necessities, along with warm blankets. The initiative also benefited children from orphanages in Mussoorie.

The focus on children continued during August with two particularly large distribution programmes.

On August 9, 2026, at Shri Kripalu Dham, 7,500 children received new school bags filled with notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, rulers, water bottles, snacks and other school necessities.

On August 10, 2026, at Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education (JKPE), Kunda, a further 2,000 students received new school bags filled with notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers, water bottles, lunchboxes and other school supplies. The students also had the opportunity to interact with the Presidents of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and express their appreciation for the educational opportunities and support they receive through Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education.

Altogether, these programmes have provided educational and essential supplies to 30,000 children during the summer of 2026.

Supporting Villagers and Local Communities

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s philanthropic efforts have also provided significant support to villagers living and working in communities surrounding its centres.

On February 26, 2026, at Shri Kripalu Dham, a major distribution programme benefited approximately 9,900 villagers. Around 8,000 individuals received essential household items, including buckets, bathroom mugs, bedsheets and kadais, while approximately 1,900 individuals received food items. The initiative was designed to provide practical assistance to families in need as the summer months approached.

On July 28, 2026, at Jagadguru Kripalu Dham, Vrindavan, and Rangeeli Mahal, Barsana, another 1,500 villagers received important necessities, including clothing, bags, tiffins and other useful items for their daily needs.

The most recent village distribution took place on August 14, 2026, at Shri Kripalu Dham, where 1,650 villagers received essential items including clothing, tiffins, bags and food items.

Together, these three major initiatives have supported 13,050 villagers, providing necessities intended to offer meaningful and practical assistance to local communities.

Continuing to Improve Educational Facilities

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s commitment to education extends beyond providing school supplies. On February 9, 2026, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat continued its desk-bench distribution initiative for schools. The larger programme has distributed over 1500 desk benches over the last year, with distributions continuing throughout the year.

By helping schools provide better classroom facilities, this initiative complements Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s school-supply distributions and broader efforts to strengthen educational environments for children.

A Special Focus on Children’s Health

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s commitment to children also encompasses their health and development.

On April 26, 2026, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya, Vrindavan, organized a special Pediatric Medical Camp dedicated to children facing developmental and neurological challenges. The two-day specialist camp addressed concerns including speech difficulties, delayed walking, cerebral palsy and other developmental conditions.

A multidisciplinary team of pediatricians, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists volunteered their time and expertise to assess the children and provide guidance for their care. The Presidents of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat inaugurated the camp, interacted with the participating doctors and reviewed the arrangements to support the smooth functioning of the programme.

The pediatric camp represents an important extension of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat’s focus on children, supporting not only their education but also their health, development and overall well-being.

Continuing the Mission of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

The philanthropic work of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat is part of a broader mission established by its founder, Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, who envisioned an enduring organization dedicated to serving those in need and supporting the communities surrounding its centres in Pratapgarh, Vrindavan and Barsana.

Today, this mission encompasses a broad range of charitable services. Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat operates three completely free charitable hospitals in Pratapgarh, Barsana and Vrindavan, providing medical care to approximately half a million patients every year.

Through Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education, the organization also provides educational opportunities from Kindergarten through college, with more than 60,000 girls having already received education through its institutions.

In addition to healthcare and education, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat conducts extensive seasonal and community distribution programmes. Across its summer and winter distribution initiatives, the organization can provide essential necessities for upto 90000-100,000 people in a year, reaching children, families and individuals in communities in need.

Together, these initiatives reflect the continuing vision of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj: to establish a lasting mission of service through which communities can receive support in healthcare, education and essential daily needs.

Under the leadership of H.H. Sushri Dr. Shyama Tripathi Ji and H.H. Sushri Dr. Krishna Tripathi Ji, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat remains committed to carrying this mission forward and expanding its efforts to serve children, families and communities throughout the year.

For more information about the charitable initiatives of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, visit www.jkpgives.org.in.

No Employees. No Freelancers. Built Before Graduation: esi.in Crosses 1 Lakh Monthly Organic Visitors

No Employees. No Freelancers. Built Before Graduation: esi.in Crosses 1 Lakh Monthly Organic Visitors

Built largely by one BITS Pilani (H) student, esi.in has grown to around 150,000 useful pages, attracted over 1 lakh organic visitors a month with over 10 Lac organic impressions and already begun generating revenue — offering a glimpse of what a single builder can now create with AI.

Mumbai, August 2026: A few years ago, building a technology platform with around 150,000 pages, AI-powered tools, personalised user journeys, cloud infrastructure, payments, search-driven acquisition and more than 1 lakh monthly organic visitors would almost certainly have required a sizeable team, time and resources

esi.in was built by one student.

No employees.

No development agency.

No freelancers.

No outsourced technology team.

And much of it was built before its founder had even graduated from college.

Vyom Vyas began building esi.in while completing his final semester at BITS Pilani, where he pursued a dual degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Mathematics, along with a minor in Data Science.

At the same time, he was completing his mandatory internship and other academic requirements. ESI was therefore not being built as a full-time startup with a funded engineering team behind it. It was being put together largely in spare hours every week by a student experimenting with what could now be created by combining software, data, AI and relentless iteration.

By the time he graduated, that experiment had already become a substantial live internet platform.

Today, esi.in spans roughly 150,000 pages and attracts more than 1 lakh organic visitors every month. Users arrive through thousands of different intents across careers, resumes, education, STEM, colleges, universities, health, hospitals, finance, insurance, calculators, directories and everyday decisions.

The platform has also begun recording early payments from users through monetisation experiments.

The amounts themselves are not the story.

The more interesting signal is that a platform built by one student, initially without a sales organisation or large marketing budget, has already moved from being discovered organically to having users willing to pay for selected tools and experiences.

A different kind of AI story

Most conversations around artificial intelligence focus on what large companies can automate or how existing businesses can become more productive.

The story of esi.in points to another possibility: how dramatically AI may change the amount of technology a single person can create.

Vyom has worked across the frontend, backend, data architecture, AI integrations, analytics, SEO, cloud infrastructure, product design, testing and deployment himself.

AI has not simply been added as a chatbot on top of the product. It has been used extensively throughout the process of imagining, building, testing and extending the platform.

The result is an unusually broad product built with unusually little organisational infrastructure.

That breadth is deliberate.

The thesis behind ESI is that people’s important decisions rarely fit neatly inside individual categories.

Someone considering a new job may also need to think about salary, skills, location, family commitments and financial goals.

Someone planning to buy a home may need to consider not just the EMI, but liquidity, investments, insurance, career stability and retirement.

A student choosing a college may care about rankings, course fit, affordability, location and where that education could eventually lead.

Most websites address one fragment of such a decision. ESI is being built to connect the fragments.

From 150,000 pages to one person’s universe

The large public surface of esi.in serves as the discovery layer.

A user may arrive looking for a college, hospital, resume tool, career guide, EMI calculator, retirement calculation, Stem resource or one of thousands of other things.

The next phase of ESI is substantially more ambitious.

The company is developing My ESI, a user-controlled personal context layer designed to progressively understand the parts of an individual’s life that they choose to share.

That may begin with something as simple as a resume or a goal.

Over time, a user may choose to add professional history, education, financial information, investments, insurance, assets, liabilities, tax records, health information, preferences, upcoming decisions and other relevant context.

The idea is not to force somebody to complete a huge profile.

My ESI is being designed to start with whatever information is available, become useful immediately, and improve incrementally as more context is provided.

One document may improve one answer.

Another piece of information may reveal an important connection.

Eventually, scattered information begins becoming a personal decision graph.

Then comes ESI Next

Sitting above My ESI is ESI Next, the emerging personal decision assistant.

The difference is subtle but important.

A general AI system can answer:

“How much emergency fund should someone have?”

ESI Next is being built to eventually answer:

“How much emergency fund should I have?”

The second question may require understanding that particular user’s income, household expenditure, dependents, loans, insurance, job stability, investments and upcoming goals.

Similarly, rather than simply answering:

“Is a ₹60,000 EMI affordable?”

ESI could consider whether that EMI makes sense alongside the user’s existing obligations, liquid savings, planned home purchase, other financial goals and career situation.

The ambition is not merely to generate more answers.

It is to make answers progressively less generic.

AI makes the one-person startup more possible

The unusual part of the ESI story may therefore be as much about how it was built as what it is becoming.

A student working alone was able to create and operate a platform at a scale that would traditionally have demanded specialists across engineering, content, analytics, SEO, infrastructure, product and AI.

There were obvious constraints to building this way.

But there was also an advantage: ideas could move from thought to implementation extraordinarily quickly.

There was no handoff between product manager and designer, designer and developer, developer and tester, or agency and client.

The same person could see a problem, design an experiment, build it, watch how users responded and change it again.

AI dramatically compressed that loop.

What would once have been an organisational problem increasingly became a problem of imagination, judgement and execution.

From student project to startup

With meaningful organic distribution already established, early monetisation signals appearing and the founder now able to work on ESI beyond the constraints of college, the focus is shifting from simply expanding the platform to making the different parts work together.

The long-term vision is that users should not have to start every important decision from zero.

ESI provides the universe of information, tools and possibilities.

My ESI gradually builds the user’s own universe of context.

ESI Next helps use that context to answer the question that ultimately matters:

“What should I do next?”

For Vyom, the journey started with a laptop, a few spare hours every week and the belief that one person could now build far more than was previously possible.

The early numbers suggest that belief may not have been misplaced.

Around 150,000 pages.

More than 1 lakh monthly organic visitors.

Real users.

Early revenue.

And, until graduation, effectively a team of one.

In an era when AI is often discussed in terms of replacing work, esi.in offers a different story: AI may also dramatically expand what one ambitious individual is capable of creating.

About esi.in

esi.in is an AI-native discovery, personal intelligence and decision-support platform spanning careers, education, learning, finance, health, tools, directories and everyday decisions.

Its emerging My ESI layer is designed to build a user-controlled context graph from information individuals choose to share, while ESI Next is being developed as a personal decision assistant that can use relevant permitted context to help users understand options, evaluate trade-offs and decide what may come next.

Website: esi.in

Global Urban Planning Initiative for Benghazi Nears Full Capacity, Final Registration Deadline Approaching

Global Urban Planning Initiative for Benghazi Nears Full Capacity, Final Registration Deadline Approaching

Benghazi [Libya], August 20: The Global Competitive Urban Planning Initiative Benghazi (GCUPI-B) has reached 93% capacity, with FDRL urging firms, experts, startups and innovators from around the world to secure their place before the final registration deadline.

Launched under the mandate of the Fund for Development and Reconstruction of Libya (FDRL) and the supervision of General Director Engineer Belkasem Hiftar, GCUPI-B is the world’s first open international competitive process dedicated to generating real, forward-thinking concept masterplans and innovative solutions for Benghazi’s urban future.

The initiative aims to transform the ancient Mediterranean crossroads into a world-class economic hub for trade and logistics, dynamically interconnected with global markets centering three continents.

“We are not simply launching a competition, we are initiating a global partnership to integrate ambitious visions with the finest international expertise, thereby charting a course for a future worthy of Benghazi’s deep legacy and strategic importance” Engineer Belkasem Hiftar.

Who Can Participate?

GCUPI-B is designed to be inclusive and welcoming to a wide range of participants:

  • Established firms and consortiums compete to develop concept masterplans and innovative urban solutions
  • Joint ventures: multiple companies collaborating on shared projects can register under one unified profile
  • Startups: showcase innovative solutions, future-focused business models and new technologies
  • Visitors: private investors, experts and anyone interested in urban development are welcome to attend the International Conference events

Key Deadlines

  • Proposals Submission Deadline: 31st August 2026
  • GCUPI-B Final Event: 6-8 September 2026 a three-day international conference featuring knowledge exchange, exhibitions, executive reviews and individual presentation sessions

Exclusive Opportunities for Participants

Proceeding companies will have the opportunity to sign MOUs with FDRL General Director Engineer Belkasem Hiftar on Day 3 of the initiative. VIP attendees can book one-on-one meetings with the General Director on Days 2 and 3, B2B meetings will be available for all participants on Day 3.

Why Benghazi?

With a history spanning from Italian colonial plans (1911) to the Doxiadis Associates Plan (1966) and the Kisho Kurokawa Corniche Project (1984), Benghazi has long been a canvas for visionary urban thinking. The 2026 Sustainable Future Vision Plan now aims to position Benghazi as a regional leader in modern environmentally responsible urban development, integrating smart technologies, green spaces and sustainability.

Act Now 93% Capacity Reached

With registrations already at 93% capacity, interested parties are encouraged to act quickly. The registration deadline is fast approaching and spaces are limited.

For more information and to register please visit: https://urbanbenghazi.org/

urbanbenghazi@reconstructionly.ly

About GCUPI-B

The Global Competitive Urban Planning Initiative Benghazi (GCUPI-B) is a flagship project of the Fund for Development and Reconstruction of Libya (FDRL), designed to harness global expertise in shaping Benghazi’s transformation into an integrated international economic capital. The initiative emphasizes international collaboration, smart and innovative urban solutions, strategic economic transformation, cultural vitality, community empowerment and sustainable development.

Note to Editors:

For more pictures: https://we.tl/t-yMVhtsCfVF4fmVv6