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HarperCollins presents The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
Longlisted for the prestigious Women’s Prize for Fiction, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget.
Paperback | 352 pp | Rs 499
Available wherever books are sold | Releasing 10th April 2023
NEW DELHI, March 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ —
About the book
“A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women.”—THE NEW YORK TIMES
Five years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. As in, she actually lost him—he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is. But in her remote village in India, rumor has it that Geeta killed him. And it’s a rumor that just won’t die.
As it happens, being known as a ‘self-made’ widow comes with some perks. No one messes with Geeta, harasses her, or tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for business: no one dares to not buy her jewelry.
Freedom must look good on Geeta, because now other women are asking for her ‘expertise’ making her an unwitting consultant for husband disposal. And not all of them are asking nicely.
What happens next sets in motion a chain of events that will change everything, not just for Geeta but for all the women in the village.
Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget.
Author, Parini Shroff, says, “The Bandit Queens began ten years ago as a short story about women in a microloan group and the power of money. When I wrote it as a novel during the pandemic, it blossomed into a dark comedy about wickedly funny, sharp and clever women making their own choices in a world trying to snatch those choices. Once the ensemble cast of female characters had been drawn, there was no stopping these rambunctious women. Isolated, they felt powerless; but together, the strong bonds of their female friendship made the impossible suddenly achievable. It was then that I realized the heart of this book isn’t about what money can do, it’s about what friendship can. I grew to love and admire these sassy, fierce women and their escalating antics, and it is my hope readers will as well.”
Associate Publisher, Rahul Soni, says, “Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a dark, funny, sharp, wicked debut that deals with many weighty themes with a light but sure hand. It’s a book that I’ve been supremely excited about ever since I read the early draft, and one that I’ve chased a long time to be able to publish. I’m so glad that we’re bringing it out in India, where I know it will resonate with and delight many, many readers. The longlisting for the Women’s Prize for Fiction will be just the first of many richly deserved accolades coming Parini’s way, I’m sure!“
About the Author
Parini Shroff received her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied under Elizabeth McCracken, Alexander Chee, and Cristina García. She is a practicing attorney and currently lives in the Bay Area. The Bandit Queens is her debut novel.
Praise for the book
“With acuity, wit, and a certain kind of magic irreverence, Parini Shroff captures the complexity of female friendship, turning on a dime from humor to horror, horror to heart, and then back again, exhilarating her reader until the very last line. Tender, unpredictable, and brimming with laugh-out-loud moments, The Bandit Queens heralds a prodigious and sophisticated literary talent.”
—Téa Obreht, bestselling author of The Tiger’s Wife and Inland
“Not since Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger has the rotten core of modern India been exposed in quite such blackly antic fashion as Parini Shroff manages here in this intermittently absurd, feminist revenge caper about a group of snarky, much-abused, predominantly Hindu wives…sheer gutsy verve.”
—The Times
“The Bandit Queens is an original, memorable, and endearing story, at times deeply serious, then laugh-out-loud funny. Parini Shroff has written a sobering but hopeful exploration of womanhood, social injustices, and second chances.”
—Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake
“Parini Shroff’s splendid The Bandit Queens is a hilarious romp about serious things—as serious as a novel gets, and as funny, too, with characters who are dear and maddening and indelible and gorgeously drawn. Twisty, compulsive, bold, surprising, moving, it’s a wonderful book.”
—Elizabeth McCracken, author of The Souvenir Museum and The Hero of This Book
“Parini Shroff’s debut novel is a rollicking mash-up of adventure story, thriller, dark revenge, and comedy. Rooted in a rural village in India—and led by the pariah widow Geeta, whom everyone believes to have killed her husband—this is an immensely enjoyable read about a handful of women who band together to take back their lives, and take down the patriarchy.”
—Cristina García, author of Dreaming in Cuban and The Lady Matador’s Hotel
“A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women…A tale that demonstrates how the antidote to bleak circumstances is female friendship.”
—The New York Times
“Shroff cleverly considers how women might achieve autonomy within rural India’s patriarchal society through shrewd, if complicated, female friendships.”
—The Washington Post
“This debut has captured our hearts with its wit and tenderness, and it’s an unforgettable story about a ‘self-made’ widow who gets requests from other wives to help them also get rid of their no-good husbands. Twisty and bold with a dark edge, The Bandit Queens is one we don’t think we’ll ever stop talking about!”
—Barnes & Noble Book Club
“Shroff’s debut is a darkly hilarious take on gossip, caste, truth, village life, and the patriarchy…clever, subversive storytelling.”
—Booklist, Starred Review
“This funny, feel-good read is a rollicking ride rife with memorable characters involved in ill-fated hijinks. It also serves up commentary on class, power dynamics and the role of women in society, with a feminist history lesson to boot.”
—Good Housekeeping
“Laugh-out-loud…This is a deeply human book, with women surviving and overcoming in their culture while still remaining a part of it.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review
“In Shroff’s acerbic debut, a woman helps other women escape their abusive marriages in their small village in India, often through murder…Readers are in for a razor-stuffed treat.”
—Publishers Weekly
About HarperCollins India
HarperCollins India publishes some of the finest writers from the Indian Subcontinent and around the world, publishing approximately 200 new books every year, with a print and digital catalogue of more than 2,000 titles across 10 imprints. Its authors have won almost every major literary award including the Man Booker Prize, JCB Prize, DSC Prize, New India Foundation Award, Atta Galatta Prize, Shakti Bhatt Prize, Gourmand Cookbook Award, Publishing Next Award, Tata Literature Live! Award, Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, BICW Award, Sushila Devi Award, Sahitya Akademi Award and Crossword Book Award. HarperCollins India also represents some of the finest publishers in the world including Harvard University Press, Gallup Press, Oneworld, Bonnier Zaffre, Usborne, Dover and Lonely Planet. HarperCollins India is now the recipient of five Publisher of the Year Awards – In 2021 and 2015 at the Publishing Next Industry Awards, and in 2021, 2018 and 2016 at Tata Literature Live. HarperCollins India is a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers.
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Hexaware Wins Brand of the Year Awards 2025 for Strategic Growth and Innovation
MUMBAI, India, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT), a global provider of IT and digital solutions, has been recognized as a winner at the Brand of the Year Awards 2025, which celebrates brands that have achieved outstanding success through effective strategies, product innovation, and increased market share in the last financial year.
Brand Advertising Research & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. (BARC) Asia, a leading multi-brand consultancy firm, selects winners through an extensive three-phase research process. The first phase involves secondary research analyzing industry reports and market surveys to shortlist 500 brands. The second phase involves a primary survey conducted among target audiences, evaluating brands on trust, image, sustainability, goodwill, positioning, recall, growth, reach, and innovation. In the final phase, an expert jury analyzes all findings and scores brands to determine the final awardees.
Hexaware successfully emerged among the winners, recognized specifically for its ability to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and achieve bold growth through clear strategies.
R Srikrishna, CEO and Executive Director, Hexaware, commented on the recognition: “This award highlights our commitment to tangible results, delivering consistently and adapting effectively. It’s proof that our actions align with our promises, and our stakeholders clearly recognize and appreciate that.”
Nidhi Alexander, Chief Marketing Officer, Hexaware, added: “We have consciously kept our message direct and authentic, ensuring alignment between what we say and how we perform. Receiving this award validates our clarity-driven approach, reinforcing that meaningful brands are built from consistent and genuine communication.”
Hexaware and fellow winners were felicitated at the Great Gather Goa Summit 2025, scheduled for May 25, 2025, at the Hilton Hotel in Goa. The summit gathers prominent leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry experts to celebrate achievements and explore insights on the theme ‘Achiever’s Mindset—The Untold Bit.’
Saimik Sen, Editor-in-Chief, Herald Global & BARC Asia, said, “My heartiest congratulations to Hexaware Technologies on being selected as the ‘Brand of the Year’ at the Great Gather Goa Summit. Hexaware has been selected for redefining benchmarks in its category and maintaining legacy and sustainability in the market.”
About Hexaware
Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Every day, Hexawarians wake up with a singular purpose: to create smiles through great people and technology. With offices across the world, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes.
Learn more about Hexaware at https://www.hexaware.com.
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Algonomy Unveils Trio of AI-Powered Innovations to Revolutionize Digital Commerce
BENGALURU, India, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Algonomy, the global leader in algorithmic decisioning for retail, today announced the launch of three cutting-edge solutions purpose-built to help retailers deliver hyper-personalized shopping experiences at scale: Ensemble AI, Social Proof Messaging, and Active Content.
These product innovations represent the next leap forward in retail personalization, merchandising efficiency, and real-time customer engagement.
Ensemble AI redefines styling with a real-time, AI-powered outfitting engine that mimics a personal stylist—automatically creating editorial-style, head-to-toe looks tailored to individual shopper preferences, behavior, and current trends. By dynamically assembling complete, visually stunning outfits at key digital touchpoints, Ensemble AI increases average order value, improves conversion rate, and reduces styling overhead.
Social Proof Messaging brings credibility and urgency to the shopper journey, enabling brands to embed psychological nudges—like trending tags, low stock indicators, and user popularity signals—throughout the funnel. With game-changing AI-led optimization, the platform automatically tests message variants and displays the best-performing one, maximizing KPIs such as conversion rate, add-to-cart rate, and revenue per visit.
Active Content delivers website-like personalization on email and other marketing channels, boosting engagement, clicks, and conversions. It enables marketers to effortlessly draw from, mash up, and layer data from multiple sources to craft visually compelling marketing campaigns, delivered with open-time personalization. Powered by Generative AI and Algonomy’s advanced decisioning engine, Active Content tailors every message to each individual with precision.
Together, these new offerings expand Algonomy’s Retail AI portfolio, which already includes market-leading products like Recommend™ (real-time personalized recommendations), multimodal search, Audience Manager, and supply chain optimization tech like Order Right.
“Retail is undergoing a seismic shift—from static experiences to dynamic, real-time engagement across the shopper journey. With Ensemble AI, Social Proof Messaging, and Active Content, we’re giving retailers the tools to operate with precision, creativity, and intelligence at scale—so they can meet every customer with relevance in the moment,” said Mark Buckallew, Chief Product Officer, Algonomy.
Meet Us at NRF APAC 2025
Algonomy will showcase these new innovations alongside its full product suite at NRF APAC 2025, which will take place June 3–5 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Visit us at Booth #1116 to experience the future of algorithmic retail in action.
For more information, visit https://algonomy.com/nrf-apac-2025
About Algonomy
Algonomy helps consumer businesses maximize customer value by automating decisioning across key retail functions, with AI-enabled solutions for eCommerce, Marketing, Merchandising, and Supply Chain. Algonomy is a trusted partner to more than 400 leading brands, with a global presence spanning over 20 countries. Our innovations have garnered recognition from top industry analysts such as Gartner and Forrester. More at www.algonomy.com.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/algonomy-unveils-trio-of-ai-powered-innovations-to-revolutionize-digital-commerce-302466036.html
News Wire
1000 teams from Professional Colleges Across India Vie for Top Honours at UST SIGHT 2.0 Competition
Winners presented with cash prizes, certificates and mementos
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, announced the winners of SIGHT 2.0, the second edition of SIGHT (Sustainable Innovations for Growth and Human Transformation) at its Thiruvananthapuram campus, continuing with its efforts towards playing a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of innovators and thought leaders. SIGHT is a technical expo and annual competition, tailored for final-year college students at professional colleges across India.
The competition, which captured the attention of budding innovators and turned out to be a beacon for sustainable solutions and transformative ideas, saw team Oillovators from the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM), Kolkata winning the first prize with a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, certificates and mementos. The second prize, comprising a cash prize of Rs. 25,000, certificates and mementos, was bagged by team Seakers from Dr Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Bengaluru. Meanwhile, the third prize was bagged by team Neo Sustain from R.M.K. Engineering College, Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu and the team won a cash prize of Rs. 10,000, certificates and mementos. Sheffi Anwar, General Manager – Business Operations & Workplace Management, UST, presented the awards to the winners.
Organised by COLOR GOLD members of UST, SIGHT 2.0 received more than 1000 registrations from over 300 professional colleges across India. The competition, which combined the creativity, intellect, and technical prowess of the students, aimed at providing a fillip to sustainable innovations that foster growth and usher in positive human transformation. COLOR GOLD, the organising team, is a part of UST’s award-winning employee engagement programme COLORS that connects the company’s employees across all global locations.
As registrations poured in, the best projects were selected for the first round, and abstracts were evaluated to shortlist the top 500 entries. The second round narrowed into 280 entries, which marked the midway point in the development of their projects, providing a glimpse into the progress and potential of each endeavour. The scrutiny was rigorous, ensuring that only the most promising ideas advanced to the final round. Fourteen outstanding teams were selected for the grand finale round after assessing their technical acumen and commitment to sustainable solutions that address real-world challenges. The final round was based on the innovation and ingenuity of the teams.
“It is encouraging to note that SIGHT 2.0 turned out to be bigger than the opening edition. With more than 1000 project entries from 300 professional colleges across India, it has been evident that the new generation of students possessed amazing technical acumen and an innovative mindset, and also held aloft a commitment towards sustainable solutions that could address real-world challenges. It was a joy watching the youngsters push forward creative ideas, and I applaud all who participated. I specially congratulate the winning teams and look forward to seeing their works trigger the transformation of lives around us,” said Sunil Balakrishnan, Chief Values Officer, and Global Head of Center Operations, UST.
The overwhelming response from colleges and students has reaffirmed the significance of programs like SIGHT2.0. The participants have expressed gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting the immense value it has added to their academic journeys. For these students, SIGHT 2.0 is not just a competition but a platform that empowers them to explore, create, and contribute to a better future. SIGHT 2.0 is not merely a competition; it is a testament to the potential that lies within our educational institutions. UST, through initiatives like these, continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of innovators and thought leaders. The ripple effect of SIGHT will undoubtedly extend far beyond the competition, and it will permanently alter the landscape of technological innovation.
About UST:
Since 1999, UST has worked side by side with the world’s best companies to make a powerful impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Our digital solutions, proprietary platforms, engineering, R&D, products, and innovation ecosystem turn core challenges into impactful, disruptive solutions. With deep industry knowledge and a future-ready mindset, we infuse expertise, innovation, and agility into our clients’ organizations—delivering measurable value and positive lasting change for them, their customers, and communities around the world. Together, with 30,000+ employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com.
Media Contacts, UST:
Tinu Cherian Abraham
+1 (949) 415-9857 (US)
+91-7899045194 (India)
Merrick Laravea
+1 (949) 416-6212
Neha Misri
+44-7341787926
Roshini Das K
+91-7736795557
media.relations@ust.com
Media Contacts, India:
Adfactors PR
ust@adfactorspr.com
Media Contacts, U.S.:
S & C PR
+1-646.941.9139
media@scprgroup.com
Makovsky
ust@makovsky.com
Media Contacts, U.K.:
FTI Consulting
UST@fticonsulting.com
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Hexaware Wins Brand of the Year Awards 2025 for Strategic Growth and Innovation
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