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Durbar by Godawan Estuary Water Marked a Powerful Second Edition in Khetri, Rajasthan
An intimate, contemporary expression of mindful luxury, rooted in conservation and India’s living craft traditions and heritage
BANGALORE, India, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Set against the quiet hills of Khetri in Rajasthan’s Aravallis, Durbar by Godawan Estuary Water from DIAGEO India returned for its second edition on January 9 and 10, 2026, unfolding not as a festival, but as a mindfully crafted immersive gathering. Hosted at Abheygarh, a hilltop palace opening its doors to guests for the first time, Durbar offered an immersive experience shaped by craft-led storytelling, exquisite cuisine, curated music, wildlife panels, craft pop-ups and much more.
Conceived as an intimate expression of mindful luxury, Durbar brings together music, food, conservation, and living traditions in a format that resists scale and spectacle. Every element from performances and conversations to meals and materiality is carefully curated to exist in harmony with its setting, allowing guests to engage with culture not as observers, but as participants.
Hosted by Abhimanyu Alsisar, whose work is rooted in Rajasthan’s cultural heritage and thoughtful restoration, Durbar draws inspiration from historic desert gatherings, where music, craft, and community once came together in moments of shared reverence. That spirit continues here, reimagined for contemporary India.
Conservation at the Core
At the heart of Durbar lies conservation led by the story of Godawan, named after the Great Indian Bustard, one of India’s most critically endangered birds and a symbol of the fragility of grassland ecosystems. Once widespread across the subcontinent, the species now survives against formidable odds, laying just one egg a year, making every life a victory.
Through partnerships with wildlife experts, local NGOs and village communities, Godawan’s conservation programme has contributed to increasing the Great Indian Bustard population from 96 to 173 birds. Durbar extends this work into the cultural realm creating space for reflection, dialogue, and shared responsibility.
Curated by conservation biologist Dr Dharmendra Khandal, the programme featured expert-led discussions and documentary screenings exploring the intersection of ecology, community, and development. Among them was The Last Dance, directed by Vinay Chittora—a moving tribute to Radheshyam Bishnoi, a fearless conservationist and guardian of the Great Indian Bustard.
Experience as Curation
At Durbar, experience is the medium. Performances brought together folk musicians and contemporary artists in collaborations designed exclusively for this setting—ephemeral by design. The second edition featured NIMAD Live, Trilok Gurtu, The Nuqta Project, The Tapi Project, and Shye Ben Tzur and The Rajasthan Express, each responding intuitively to the land, the architecture, and the moment.
Food was treated as cultural expression rather than indulgence. Culinary journeys curated by Nikhil Merchant, Vernika Awal, and Jasleen Marwah explored regional intersections and craft-forward cooking, where technique, provenance, and narrative were as important as flavour. Complementing this were craft installations and workshops developed with partners such as Nila House and Boito, turning the experience from something to witness into something to inhabit.
Rajasthan as the Soul
Rajasthan is not the backdrop to Durbar; it is its anchor. Born from a landscape defined by extremes, the region’s artistic traditions reflect ingenuity shaped by restraint. Architecture, textiles, music, and storytelling here are inseparable from land and resource.
One such living tradition, the Phad, came alive at Durbar through hand-painted scrolls, music, and narration by Dr Ayla Joncheere, Co-Founder of Thorr Collective. These moments reinforced Durbar’s intent: to place living traditions in conversation with the present, without freezing them in time.
Abheygarh itself, reimagined through a contemporary lens while drawing from Rajput architectural principles, served as the perfect canvas. Its opening through Durbar underscored the retreat’s philosophy of access through meaning, not scale.
Vikram Damodaran, Chief Innovation Officer, DIAGEO India, said, “Durbar was conceived to bring to life the three stories that define Godawan: conservation of the Great Indian Bustard, craftsmanship and the spirit of Rajasthan, through culture, dialogue and meaningful partnerships with communities. Abheygarh, shaped by Abhimanyu Alsisar’s vision of thoughtful restoration offered the perfect setting for this as a space where history and craft come together. With the second edition, we have continued to build an ecosystem of musicians, artisans and partners who share these values.”
Praveen Someshwar, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, DIAGEO India, added, “Durbar resonates because it attracts an audience that comes to engage with culture and craft in a meaningful way. Being appreciation-led gives it credibility, and that shows in the quality of the conversations and the thoughtfulness of the engagement. It also reflects a growing appetite for experiences that are more considered and culturally immersive.”
“Opening Abheygarh for Durbar Season II is deeply personal. This is the first time our home has opened its doors to host something so intimate, and Durbar felt like the most natural way to do it—through music, craft, and stories that honour the spirit of this land.” says Abhimanyu Alsisar.
Durbar brought attention to ecological preservation while curating experiences that are rare and rooted in purpose. It left guests inspired, connected, and attuned to the land, its people, and its enduring stories.
About Diageo India
Diageo India is among India’s leading beverage alcohol (alcobev) companies with an outstanding portfolio of premium brands. A subsidiary of Diageo Plc., it is listed in India on both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) as United Spirits Limited (USL).
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Diageo India has one of the largest manufacturing footprints in alcobev with 36 facilities across India. It manufactures, sells and distributes Johnnie Walker, Black Dog, Black & White, VAT 69, Antiquity, Signature, The Singleton, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s No1, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan and Godawan, an artisanal single malt whisky from India, bringing together global expertise and local pride to deliver innovative, world-class products and experiences to consumers. With a strong focus on driving a positive impact on society, Diageo India has been working on collective action to improve livelihoods, championing Grain to Glass sustainability, responsible consumption and nurturing the alcobev ecosystem, to contribute to India’s growth agenda.
For more information about Diageo India, our people, our brands, and our performance, visit us at www.diageoindia.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, http://www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
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Reliance Digital Introduces High-Performance iQOO 15R to its Nationwide Store Network
MUMBAI, India, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reliance Digital announces the offline retail availability of iQOO, the high-performance smartphone brand built for today’s youth and tech-forward consumers. Following strong traction in online channels, iQOO is now extending its presence into physical retail, allowing customers to experience and purchase its devices first-hand at Reliance Digital stores across India.
Known for pushing the boundaries of speed, and power, the iQOO 15R is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, delivering exceptional speed, responsiveness, and sustained performance throughout the day. It packs iQOO’s biggest battery yet in an ultra-slim 7.90mm design, making it India’s slimmest smartphone with a 7600 mAh battery.
The device features a 6.5K IceCore VC Cooling Chamber for stable performance and runs on OriginOS 6.0 based on Android 16 out of the box, supported by 4 years of software updates and 6 years of security updates. It is also equipped with a Sony LYT-700V OIS camera, a 1.5K 144Hz AMOLED EyeCare display, and IP68 & IP69 dust and water resistance, making it a dependable daily partner for professionals on the go.
The brand’s offline expansion marks an important step in deepening consumer engagement by offering hands-on access to its devices, enabling customers to explore iQOO’s powerful performance, advanced display technology, and flagship-grade camera capabilities in a real-world retail environment.
The availability of iQOO at Reliance Digital brings together two brands driven by innovation and consumer experience. While iQOO continues to build its reputation as a performance-led smartphone brand, Reliance Digital strengthens its portfolio by offering customers access to cutting-edge technology brands through its extensive nationwide retail network.
Through engaging in-store experiences, knowledgeable staff, and immersive product demonstrations, Reliance Digital aims to help consumers better understand iQOO’s performance-first DNA. This move further reinforces Reliance Digital’s commitment to staying ahead of evolving consumer preferences and serving as a preferred destination for discovering new-age technology.
With this expansion, Reliance Digital continues to play a key role in shaping India’s consumer electronics landscape by bringing future-ready brands closer to customers, while enabling smartphone brands like iQOO to build stronger connections with a growing, performance-driven audience.
The all new iQOO 15R is now available at Reliance Digital stores nationwide.
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Kotak Alts announces winner of the inaugural Katalyst Awards
Ms Himani Choudhary named Katalyst for the year – India’s Best Financial Content Creator; wins Rs. 25 Lakhs
MUMBAI, India, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kotak Katalyst Awards, a national initiative instituted to recognise excellence and responsibility in financial content creation has announced the winner of its first Katalyst edition. Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Limited (“Kotak Alts”) today announced Himani Choudhary as the winner. The winner was awarded a prize of INR 25 Lakhs, positioning Katalyst among the most meaningful recognitions for financial content creators in India.
Srini Sriniwasan, Managing Director, Kotak Alts, said, “The Kotak Alts Katalyst Awards were instituted to recognize content creators who are contributing meaningfully to financial literacy in India. As investor participation deepens, audiences are seeking clarity, context, and credibility. The response from creators was overwhelming and points to the new generation of financial educators. As the inaugural winner Ms. Himani Chaudhary, exemplifies the standard of financial communication that Katalyst seeks to encourage.”
The first edition of the Kotak Alts Katalyst Awards received over six hundred entries from across 19 states and in 8 languages, reflecting the growing role of digital creators in shaping financial awareness. Conceived in response to increasing clutter and misinformation in the financial ecosystem, Katalyst is designed to recognize creators who place accuracy, transparency, and investor interest at the core of their work.
The winning content, ‘Personal Finance & Major Finance Updates’ by Himani Choudhary, was recognised for its clarity, originality, and credibility. The jury noted the content’s ability to explain complex financial concepts in a clear and measured manner, supported by strong research and a consistent focus on investor education over virality.
To ensure a robust and transparent evaluation process, the awards framework was designed and audited by EY. The top thirty entries were assessed by an academic jury.
The top 10 finalists were subsequently evaluated by a grand jury comprising Kunal Shah, Founder and CEO of CRED; Radhika Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund; and Alpesh Shah, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, and chaired by Ananth Narayan, former Whole–Time Member of SEBI with extensive capital markets and regulatory experience.
The Katalyst Awards recognise financial content creators who priorities financial literacy, substance, and long–term investor interest. Through this initiative, Kotak Alts aims to encourage responsible financial communication and support the development of informed and confident investors across India.
About Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Ltd: Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Limited (‘Kotak Alts’), a part of Kotak Mahindra Group (‘Kotak’), focuses on Alternate Asset Management and Investment Advisory businesses. Kotak Alts was set up in early 2005 and has raised, managed, and advised over USD 22 billion across different asset classes, including Private Equity, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Special Situations, Private Credit, and Investment Advisory. The asset management business and investment advisory vertical are managed by independent specialist teams. For more information, visit https://www.kotakalternateasset.com/
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Paperpal for Life Sciences Establishes HIPAA Readiness, Strengthening Enterprise Adoption of AI in Regulated Medical and Scientific Writing Workflows
MUMBAI, India, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Paperpal for Life Sciences, an enterprise-grade Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform by Cactus Communications, purpose-built for Medical Affairs and Life Sciences organizations, announced the completion of an assessment evaluating its operational and technical safeguards to support Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. This milestone reinforces Paperpal’s commitment to meeting the rigorous standards of security, data protection, and regulatory readiness required for regulated scientific workflows.
Growing AI use in medical affairs writing and publication workflows is intensifying scrutiny on data privacy, governance, and regulatory accountability. To support these evolving needs, Paperpal for Life Sciences has undertaken an assessment of its systems and processes to evaluate readiness to support HIPAA compliance, where applicable, and now proudly offers the option to execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). This offering gives customers the confidence that PHI or PII, if received, is handled securely and responsibly, in line with regulatory expectations and enterprise risk management practices.
Paperpal for Life Sciences provides AI writing, literature search, source-grounded summarization with citation support, and critical publication checks, powering medical affairs content creation under stringent data privacy and governance controls. The platform accelerates research-to-publication timelines by upto 25%, supporting faster dissemination of clinical evidence and earlier commercialization of new drugs and therapies.
Nishchay Shah, Group CTO and EVP, Products and AI at Cactus Communications, said, “As AI becomes foundational to regulated scientific and medical workflows, compliance and trust are no longer optional. Paperpal for Life Sciences’ HIPAA readiness measures reflect our secure-by-design approach to AI, strong data governance framework, and alignment with real-world enterprise and regulatory requirements. This milestone enables organizations to adopt AI at scale with confidence that their data, processes, and compliance obligations are protected .”
Elvira Dsouza, President, Cactus Life Sciences, added, “Medical Affairs and Life Sciences teams operate in highly regulated environments where scientific rigor, data privacy, and compliance are non-negotiable. HIPAA readiness positions Paperpal for Life Sciences as a trusted AI partner, one that enables organizations to accelerate evidence generation and scientific communication without compromising regulatory integrity .”
With this announcement, Paperpal for Life Sciences reinforces its position as a purpose-built, enterprise-ready AI platform for medical affairs content generation that supports innovation while meeting the highest standards of privacy, ethics, and regulatory compliance.
Media Contact:
Nidhi Amin
nidhi.amin@cactusglobal.com
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Reliance Digital Introduces High-Performance iQOO 15R to its Nationwide Store Network
Reliance Digital Introduces High-Performance iQOO 15R to its Nationwide Store Network
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