Connect with us

Latest News

Artificial Intelligence Task Force For New India

Published

on

Artificial Intelligence,Task Force on Artificial Intelligence,Minister of Commerce and Industry,Nirmala Sitharaman,task force india,Startup Stories,nirmala sitharaman set up task force,2017 Latest Business News

Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Commerce and Industry has constituted a task force on artificial intelligence for India’s Economic Transformation. The task force will be chaired by V. Kamakoti of IIT Madras, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The task force will explore possibilities to leverage artificial intelligence for development across various fields. The power of big data, high computing capacity, artificial intelligence and analytics will be used to prepare for industrial revolution 4.0 and digitize the manufacturing sector. In a press release, the minister said with rapid development in the fields of information technology and hardware, the world is about to witness a fourth industrial revolution.

The 18 member panel will comprise of experts, academics, researchers, industry leaders and more members from various government departments and private companies such as HCL Technology and Tata Consultancy Services. Official participation from NITI Aayog, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Science & Technology, UIDAI and DRDO will also be requested in addition to the regular members.

The Mint reported the task force will submit their first concrete and implementable recommendations for government, industry and research institutions within four months, according to Kamakoti. The committee will focus on agriculture, transportation and other wide spectra of areas including the types of tools, interoperability, standardization and skill sets needed for artificial intelligence and machine learning.

As per the official press release, the task force will include the following members
1.  Dr. V. Kamakoti, IIT Madras, Chairperson
2.  Mr. Anuj Kapuria, High Tech RoboticSystemz Ltd., Member
3.  Dr. Anurag Agarwal, Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, CSIR, Member
4.  Dr. Ashish Dutta, IIT Kanpur Member
5.  Ms. Ashwini Asokan, Mad Street Den, Chennai, Member
6.  Mr. Gautam Shroff, Vice President & Chief Scientist, TCS Innovation Labs, Tata Consultancy Services, Gurgaon, Member
7.  Mr. G. H. Rao, HCL Technology, Member
8.  Mr. G. Madhusudan, IIT Madras, Member
9.  Mr. G. V. N. Apparao, Ex Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Cognizant, Member
10. Ms. Komal Sharma Talwar, Founder, XLPAT Member
11.  Mr. Kunal Nandwani, Founder &  CEO, uTrade Solutions, Member
12.  Dr. Shantanu Chaudhary, IIT Delhi, Department of Electrical Engineering, Member
13.  Mr. Vijay Kumar Sankarapu, Founder & CEO, Arya.in, Member
14.  Mr. Ajay Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT, Member
15.  Mr. Amandeep Gill, Ambassador/PR to CD, Geneva, Member
16.  Mr. K. Nagaraj Naidu, Joint Secretary (ITPO), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Member
17.  Dr. Aloke Mukherjee, DRDO, Member
18.  Mr. Ravinder, Joint Secretary, DIPP, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Convenor

The commerce minister’s official Twitter account also tweeted about the task force

 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

MPL to Lay Off 60% of India Workforce Following Online Gaming Ban

Published

on

MPL

Mobile Premier League (MPL), one of India’s top online gaming platforms, is set to lay off about 60% of its India workforce following the government’s ban on paid online games. The move, confirmed by MPL CEO Sai Srinivas through an internal email, will impact around 300 employees across multiple departments including marketing, finance, operations, engineering, and legal. This decision comes as a direct result of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which restricts paid online games involving monetary stakes to address concerns over financial risks and addiction among young users.

India contributed nearly half of MPL’s revenues, estimated at around $100 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year. With the ban on paid gaming, MPL’s primary revenue source in India has been effectively cut off, prompting the company to shift focus towards free-to-play games and expand its presence in overseas markets such as the United States and Brazil. Despite the layoffs, MPL has pledged to support the affected employees through the transition period. CEO Sai Srinivas expressed regret over the downsizing but highlighted the company’s commitment to developing new business models for the Indian market amid the regulatory changes.

This development significantly disrupts the Indian online gaming industry, which was on track to grow into a $3.6 billion sector by 2029 before the introduction of the ban. While competitors like Dream11 have adapted by discontinuing paid games and avoiding layoffs, the ban has forced many gaming startups in India to rethink their operations. The government’s regulation targets all games involving real money stakes, including fantasy sports and popular card games like rummy and poker, reshaping the future landscape for the country’s gaming ecosystem and its workforce.

Continue Reading

Latest News

NCLT Approves Amalgamaxtion of Info Edge Subsidiary Makesense with PB Fintech

Published

on

Info Edge - PB

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has granted approval for the amalgamation of Info Edge’s subsidiary, Makesense Technologies, with PB Fintech as of August 29, 2025, in a significant move for India’s fintech sector. This strategic merger aligns with Info Edge’s ongoing focus on streamlining its corporate structure and supports PB Fintech’s growth trajectory as the operator of leading platforms such as Policybazaar and Paisabazaar. The amalgamation, cleared by NCLT’s Chandigarh bench, took place without winding up either company, enabling a seamless blending of assets and expertise for greater operational efficiency.

In the specifics of this deal, Makesense Technologies—holding a 13.04% stake in PB Fintech as of June 2025—will see its shareholders allotted 59,750 equity shares and 60,030 compulsorily convertible preference shares from PB Fintech, with no change to Info Edge’s underlying economic interest. The consolidation is expected to cut compliance and administrative costs, simplify the equity structure, and enable both companies to focus on core business strengths without duplication of resources. This move is designed to strengthen PB Fintech’s position in India’s fast-evolving fintech and insurance market, while keeping Info Edge’s investment objectives intact.

The NCLT-approved merger highlights a broader trend of consolidation within India’s tech-driven industries, as major players seek to boost competitiveness and achieve sustainable growth through mergers and amalgamations. Stakeholders—including shareholders and employees—are set to benefit from the new, streamlined structure, increased transparency, and the promise of enhanced value creation going forward. The unification of Makesense Technologies and PB Fintech is expected to make a positive impact on the broader fintech ecosystem, reinforcing both companies’ leadership and innovation agendas.

Continue Reading

Latest News

ShareChat Appoints Neha Markanda as CBO

Published

on

Sharechat

ShareChat, one of India’s premier social media platforms, has strengthened its leadership by appointing Neha Markanda as Chief Business Officer for both its flagship ShareChat platform and the popular short video app Moj. Markanda, previously Head of Industry, E-commerce at Google India, brings over 22 years of expertise across renowned companies like Meta, GSK Consumer Healthcare, PepsiCo, and ITC. At Google India, she led transformative strategies in e-commerce and health tech, ensuring market growth and technological innovation for global brands. Her proven track record uniquely positions her to drive ShareChat’s revenue strategy, business expansion, and partnerships with advertisers and regional stakeholders.

Markanda’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for ShareChat, which recently achieved profitability and has projected a robust ₹1,200 crore revenue run rate for the year. The platforms boast a combined monthly active user base of more than 325 million, making ShareChat and Moj essential tools for marketers seeking to increase engagement across India’s diverse regions. Markanda’s expertise is expected to further accelerate ShareChat’s business growth, opening doors for brand collaborations and hyper-targeted influencer campaigns, which can connect marketers to local audiences in a culturally relevant manner.

With advanced degrees from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and Lady Shri Ram College, Markanda’s leadership is set to reinforce ShareChat’s momentum as India’s go-to platform for marketers and creators looking for trusted, brand-safe environments. Her focus on vernacular content and building robust partnerships will complement ShareChat and Moj’s mission to empower regional creators and deliver authentic engagement. Industry experts have lauded this strategic move, anticipating that Markanda’s vision will help ShareChat and Moj maintain their edge in India’s social media landscape.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Recent Posts

Advertisement