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India’s biggest Tech Fest ‘Tech Invent-2021’ kicks off at Chandigarh University

“Development model should ensure socio-economic progress for all the sections of society and its benefits should reach to the poorest of the poor,” says Dr. Vijay Laxmi Saxena, President Indian Science Congress

CHANDIGARH, India, Sept. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — “Every nation, especially India, needs to adopt a development model that is aimed to achieve socio-economic progress for its citizens and the benefits of development should reach to all the sections of society including the most vulnerable ones. To achieve this, Science and Technology have to play an important role for ensuring economic development as well as national security of our country.“ This was stated by Dr. Vijay Laxmi Saxena, General President, Indian Science Congress Association during the inaugural ceremony of India’s biggest Tech Invent hosted by Chandigarh University, Gharuan. Eminent personalities including Prof. Chem Eshed, Co-founder, Israel Space Agency; Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) New Delhi; Padma Shri Prof. J.S Rajput, Indian representative at UNESCO; Prof. N V Varghese, VC, NIEPA; Prof. Manpreet Singh Manna, former Director AICTE; Prof. Anantha Duraiappah, Director, UNESCO, MGIEP and Prof. Dr. R.S Bawa, Pro-Chancellor Chandigarh University were amongst the other dignitaries who were present during the inauguration ceremony.

More than 50,000 young and budding technocrats from various top ranked Universities and Institutions like IITs, NITs, IIITs and IIMs are taking part in the two-day National Level Tech Fest being organized by Chandigarh University. Tech Invent-2021 has more than 60 competitions covering the field of Engineering, Management, Liberal Arts, Hotel Management, Sciences, Health Sciences, Media, Film Production, Agriculture and Law. While addressing the students, Dr. Laxmi said, “India has always been amongst the leading nations of the world which has contributed in the field of Science and Technology. But in the 21st century, India has emerged as the power house for the world as it has provided the best of young brain to the world in the form of Scientists, Engineers, Researchers who through their knowledge have developed new technologies and tools to help the society.”  

She further said, “We need to make Indian Science and Technology more vibrant and thus universities and educational institutions need to trigger the thought process of the students. Universities and educational institutions need to go beyond the classroom and textbook learning and expanding the frontiers of knowledge should be top priority of the educational institutions.” “There is more need to be laid on the quality of research in our university, which will have a significant impact on society. Various academic institutions and universities should establish partnerships with each other, so that joint research efforts will meet the future prospects and expectations of the country,“ added Dr. Vijay Laxmi.

While addressing the virtual audience, Prof. Chem Eshed said, “Technology can get us together and advance us all to a better future. You need to have the intelligence where humanity stands in front of technology and take a step forward for a better world.” He further said, “There is a need to motivate students towards innovation and research. Israel has progressing in space technology by building nano-satellites instead of traditional satellite systems. Students at the higher and secondary levels in Israel are being encouraged to build nano-satellites.” “India and Israel always persuade other nations not to work against one other and always working for the betterment of the society in the space sector,“ added Prof. Chem Eshed.

While delivering his keynote address Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe said, “Education for all is the objective of our New Education Policy. The New Education policy in its first paragraph itself talks about exploring full human potential. Every individual has inert talent in them. It is the role of teachers to bring out, explore, identify, nurture, support and make individual students to blossom, that’s what our Indian values and ethos told us and also New Education policy talks about this”.  Highlighting the importance of mother tongue in school and higher education Prof. Sahasrabudhe said, “Early education in mother tongue leads to a stronger foundation. A child is comfortable in its own mother tongue. Therefore, initial education must be given in mother tongue.” “However, not alone this, Higher education wherever possible should be given in the mother tongue. Because many students go through education up to 12th standard in their mother tongue and when they come to higher education in various streams, they do not understand what is going on and that is why there is the possibility of mother tongue in higher education,“ added Sahasrabudhe. 

While addressing the virtual audience, Prof. J.S Rajput said, “With the New Education Policy, if we strengthen the foundation of intellectual and moral development of the students in the initial stages of school, then surely its result will be seen automatically in higher education, and it will not be difficult to ensure Indian values and holistic development in education.”  Prof. J.S Rajput further said, “The new education policy will bring a change in the prescribed syllabus, prescribed examination of the old educational system.  If new ideas and imagination of the students are nurtured, then this will encourage creativity and entrepreneurship in between the students.”  “We need an education system, which along with knowledge builds a moral and intellectual society. He said that at present people do not want to send their children to government schools, so this is the right time to restore the credibility and acceptability of the government schools,“ added Prof. J.S Rajput.

“Innovation and equality would play a vital role in the future development of higher education. In future, only those institutions would develop which would encourage students towards innovation,“ said Prof. N.V Varghese. He further said, “Education is the most powerful tool to reduce poverty and inequality. India has made significant progress in the last few decades in the universalization of primary education, access to schools, infrastructure, teacher-student ratio, and improvement in girls’ enrollment.“

“Education systems need to pay attention to equip learners with emotional intelligence. We are at the stage where we can provide personalized education because we have the technology in our fingertips and we should explore the technology,“ said Prof. Anantha Duraiappah. “Social and emotional training must be mandatory in teacher training. Teachers act as advisors for students’ future careers. To live up to these expectations, the teacher must first be able to regulate her/his emotions,“ added Prof. Anantha Duraiappah.

About Chandigarh University

Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and an autonomous educational institution approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.

Website: www.cuchd.in.

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IIT Delhi Spinout DeepLase Raises ₹6 Crore Seed Round co-led by Kavachh and Yali Capital

NEW DELHI, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DeepLase Technologies, an IIT Delhi–incubated deep-tech photonics startup developing advanced optical fiber platforms, high-performance fiber lasers, and integrated photonics systems, has raised ₹6 crore in seed funding in a round co-led by Mounttech Growth Fund – Kavachh and Yali Capital.

The company will use the capital to expand its engineering and manufacturing capabilities, accelerate product commercialization, and scale deployments across high-impact sectors including precision industrial automation, optical communications, advanced sensing, quantum technologies, and healthcare instrumentation.

DeepLase was founded by Dr. Deepak Jain, a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, whose research focuses on advanced optical fiber technologies and laser systems. The company is focused on designing next-generation specialty optical fibers and fiber-laser platforms engineered for applications requiring exceptional stability, energy efficiency, spectral precision, and long-term operational reliability.

As global data consumption accelerates and artificial intelligence infrastructure expands, optical technologies have become the backbone of modern digital systems. Data centers, telecommunications networks, and emerging AI hardware platforms increasingly depend on advanced photonic components capable of delivering higher bandwidth, lower latency, and improved energy efficiency. DeepLase is developing specialty optical fiber platforms designed to address these rapidly evolving performance requirements.

Lasers today are foundational tools across precision manufacturing, sensing, optical communications, semiconductor fabrication, medical diagnostics, and emerging quantum systems. However, many existing laser platforms remain complex to integrate and are optimized primarily for laboratory environments. DeepLase aims to bridge the gap between scientific-grade optical performance and scalable, deployable industrial systems by developing robust laser architectures engineered for real-world applications. “Our goal is to build laser platforms that combine advanced optical fiber design, novel materials engineering, and robust system-level reliability,” said Dr. Jain, Founder and Director of DeepLase. “As industries and research domains become increasingly dependent on controlled light sources, the demand for stable, scalable, and application-ready laser systems is growing rapidly. We are developing technologies that deliver high performance while remaining practical for deployment in demanding industrial environments.”

Investors believe DeepLase reflects a broader shift toward deep-technology innovation emerging from India’s academic research ecosystem, particularly in critical areas such as photonics and advanced manufacturing. “Photonics technologies are becoming foundational infrastructure for modern industry, powering everything from advanced manufacturing and telecommunications to sensing and next-generation computing systems,” said Raj Sethia, Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Mounttech Growth Fund – Kavachh. “DeepLase is building core intellectual property in a strategic technology domain where global demand continues to grow rapidly. We are excited to support Dr. Deepak Jain and his team as they work to build globally competitive photonics technologies from India.”

“Photonic technologies hold enormous potential, and many of their most transformative applications are still emerging,” said Ganapathy Subramaniam, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Yali Capital. “DeepLase approaches photonics design from first principles, combining deep scientific expertise with a clear pathway toward commercialization. The team brings together strong research capability with an understanding of real-world deployment challenges, positioning them well to translate advanced photonics into scalable industrial platforms. We believe Dr. Deepak Jain and his team have the potential to deliver photonics technologies at a global scale.”

Prior to this round, DeepLase received support through multiple government innovation and deep-tech commercialization programs, reinforcing its mission to develop indigenous, high-value photonics technologies with global relevance. The company’s long-term vision is to build globally competitive photonics infrastructure from India, enabling next-generation optical systems that power advanced computing, communications, industrial manufacturing, and scientific discovery.

About DeepLase

DeepLase Technologies is a photonics startup incubated at the FITT, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi focused on developing next-generation specialty optical fibers and high-performance fiber-laser systems. Its technologies target applications in industrial manufacturing, optical communications, sensing, healthcare instrumentation, and emerging quantum technologies. DeepLase aims to translate cutting-edge photonics research into scalable industrial platforms that can power the next generation of optical systems worldwide.

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NYUCT Design Labs launches Edible Ventures™, a first-of-its-kind, full stack design and development cell for food & restaurant brands

MUMBAI, India, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NYUCT Design Labs, India’s first Venture Design and Experience Innovation Collective, announced the launch of Edible Ventures™, a first-of-its-kind, full stack Design and Development Cell for culinary ventures, restaurants and premium experiences.

This turnkey development cell works as a strategic growth partner with hospitality chains, founders or chef-entrepreneurs, brands and institutions, to design, build, launch, and scale food ventures, restaurant brands & experiences through an integrated, end-to-end approach.

With researchers, food scientists, product developers, menu engineers, architects & spatial designers, business designers, branding experts, experience designers, and a community of makers, Edible Ventures™ ensures that agile development of food ventures and brands is seen as a system design rather than as fragmented components. This ensures that the original ideas of founders and clients transform into profitable, desirable and scalable food businesses, without losing cultural depth, operational clarity, branding rigour or execution discipline.

An industry-focused, specialized cell, Edible Ventures™ is helmed by a team that has deep, hands-on experience. It is designed to help food investors, entrepreneurs & hospitality businesses move from intent to last mile business execution with an integrated cell that leaves nothing off the menu when building a food venture or reimagining it.

Edible Ventures™ is currently working with a spectrum of clients, including luxury hospitality chains, food entrepreneurs, and distillers, to develop unique experiences and brands. It is also engaged with a few state governments to help them in building capabilities in culinary tourism, revivalism of lost cuisines, and conceptualise unique visitor experiences around food, community & culture. Having venture designed for Himmaleh Distillery (Kumaon&I, Bandarful, Neoli, Darma), positioned and designed brands for luxury hospitality chains, incubated micro-ventures like Dongaon Local Ghee and currently incubating a social agro-led brand and venture at Ratnagiri with a community of 1000 women, the team considers food as not only a very valuable heritage of the country but also a means to unlock entrepreneurship.

Addressing structural gaps in the system, Edible Ventures™ works as a strategic growth and design partner in a format where sourcing, menus, operations, spaces, brand, experience, and economics are designed together rather than assembled in fragments.

“The business of food isn’t just about flavour or service. Edible Ventures is a unique, turnkey venture development cell to help food businesses and brands move from instinct-driven decisions to intentional, well-designed ventures and premium experiences. It’s about system design, and how original concepts & ideas can translate into high quality experiences and brands that drive growth and leverage our unique culinary heritage,” said Manojeet Bhujabal, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at NYUCT Design Labs.

Edible Ventures™ works as a strategic development partner with the following areas of focus:

  1. Collaborates with large hospitality chains, real estate businesses to create and design new restaurant brands. innovations and experiences with an agile approach, supported by a maker community.
  2. Enables food entrepreneurs and chef-preneurs to build, brand and scale right with professional expertise in product development, design, branding, marketing, digital applications and agile innovations.
  3. Helps brands with market positioning & development, and creates innovations and experiences.
  4. Helps state governments and tourism departments to develop strategic capabilities, shape their culinary heritage, build local brands and design experiences for visitors.

Unlike traditional consultants or creative houses, the work of Edible Ventures™ spans the full spectrum of a food venture – from product research, opportunity mapping and shaping concepts to aligning food-to-table realities, designing operations, branding and experience design, to building systems that can scale across formats, locations, or time.

Dr. Samir Mulaokar, Patron Chef, Operations Lead and Partner at Edible Ventures™, added, “A well-designed food venture doesn’t just launch. It builds an ecosystem of desire, authenticity, consistency, and repeatability. What’s often missing in the food and hospitality industry is continuity between idea, execution, and scale. Edible Ventures bridges that gap by integrating creative thinking with operational excellence and brand focus.”

With Edible Ventures, NYUCT Design Labs partners with founders and hospitality chains seeking to build new ventures and food experiences for longevity and scale. It is a specialized extension of NYUCT Design Labs’ Venture Design and Innovation practice, bringing the firm’s multidisciplinary, maker-led approach into the food and hospitality domain. NYUCT Design Labs has previously worked across ventures that intersected food, culture, experience design and brand development such as Outpost 12 in Kanha, Himmaleh Spirits and more. Its partners and leads have created luxury experiences and F&B brands that have wooed global audiences.

Says Partner and Hospitality Lead, Shifaali Sinha, who has led large-scale growth mandates at Taj, Marriott, and amã Stays & Trails, “We partner with founders and institutions building future-ready food businesses, shaping premium brands that are commercially robust, strategically positioned, and designed for long-term relevance.”

Food and dining are the new adventures, for both residents and travellers. The world over and including in India’s bustling metropolitan cities, a culinary revolution is unfolding with both large brands and startups reimagining the gastronomic landscape. From delectable snacks to artisanal beverages, and from hyperlocal restaurants to the revival of heritage cuisines, the entrepreneurial landscape is buzzing with ideas, local flavours and innovative experiences.

India’s food services market estimated at $66 billion is estimated to reach anywhere between $110- $125 billion by 2030 (Source: ‘How India Eats’ by Kearney). The Online Food Delivery market in India was estimated to be US$43.78bn in 2024 and projected at US$91.88bn by 2029 with expected CAGR for 2024-2029 of 15.98%.

Urban residents and food loving audiences with rising disposable incomes are looking at more premium food and dining experiences, rediscovering heritage cuisine and expecting more immersive restaurants. The addressable customer base is expected to grow to 43 crores from the current 34 crores. Such a large TAM, strong growth, surge in cloud kitchens and increasing penetration of distribution with players like delivery platforms (Zomato made 640 million deliveries across 800 cities in 2022-2023), makes this an extremely exciting investment space.

Be it luxury restaurants, new hospitality formats, local food brands, menu innovations, digital transformation or exceptional curated experiences and pop ups, the action is intense and the seek for new adventures is real.

Businesses or founders looking for the right strategic partner to design and develop their dream venture or brand can reach out to Edible Ventures™ at https://www.edibleventures.co/contact.html. 

For media inquiries, please contact wakeup@nyuct.com. 

For more information on Edible Ventures™ visit www.edibleventures.co.

About NYUCT Design Labs

NYUCT Design Labs is a full stack Design & Innovation firm, venture development studio and makers-community. For new ventures, experiences and futures.

It helps businesses, institutions & founders, transform exponential ideas into launch-ready ventures, brands, products, experiences, and platforms. From blueprint to launch.

Its work spans multiple sectors and industries including retail, luxury, finance, government, tourism, hospitality, real estate, travel and discovery, healthcare, lifestyle, and the impact sector.

Helmed by multidisciplinary professionals with a collective industry experience of more than 188 years, lived between a world of business and creativity, it understands both scale and agility. Along with a diverse makers community, it stays mission-central about unlocking innovation for forward thinking organizations and founders, helping them move from concept to market with clarity and speed.

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Casio India launches music education CSR initiative in partnership with Manzil Mystics to empower young musicians and students from underserved communities

PATNA, India, March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Japan, has announced the launch of a new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative focused on music education and livelihood creation. In partnership with Delhi-based non-profit organisation Manzil Mystics, the initiative aims to promote skill-based musical training and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for children and musicians from underserved communities.

As a company deeply rooted in the music industry through its Electronic Musical Instruments portfolio, Casio India has consistently championed the role of music in education and creativity. Building on this legacy, the newly launched initiative seeks to integrate structured music learning into community spaces and schools while enabling aspiring musicians to develop professional skills in the performing arts and media ecosystem.

Under this collaboration, the program will focus on providing structured musical training through Casio electronic keyboards, alongside curriculum-based modules designed to develop practical skills that can translate into future music education. The initiative will particularly target underprivileged students studying in government schools and young musicians from low-income communities, enabling them to access high-quality music education and professional development opportunities.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Takuto Kimura, Managing Director, Casio India, said, “At Casio, we believe that music has the power to inspire creativity, build confidence, and transform lives. Through this CSR initiative, we aim to make music education more accessible to children and young artists from underserved communities. By partnering with Manzil Mystics, we hope to nurture musical talent while creating meaningful opportunities for individuals to build sustainable careers in the creative industry.”

The event commenced with a welcome address for the Casio India leadership team and representatives from Manzil Mystics, followed by a felicitation ceremony recognising key contributors and educators associated with the initiative. The program highlighted the role of music as a powerful tool for learning and creative development among young students. As part of the event, Casio India also facilitated the students with instruments from its range of electronic musical keyboards, enabling them to begin their training and supporting the broader objective of promoting skill-based music education among children from underserved communities.

Through this initiative, Casio India aims to equip young learners with vocational skills in music, encourage creative expression, and support aspiring artists in pursuing sustainable careers as educators, performers, and creative professionals. The program also seeks to foster an inclusive ecosystem that celebrates India’s diverse musical traditions while preparing artists for opportunities in the country’s rapidly expanding media and entertainment industry.

About Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd:

Casio India Co. Pvt. Ltd. (CIC) is the Indian subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Casio India has established a dynamic presence in the Indian market since 1996, emerging as a leading and cherished consumer goods manufacturer. Casio India’s range of products include sales and marketing of Timepieces, Electronic Musical Instruments, Desktop Calculators and Scientific Calculators.

Setting the benchmark for excellence, Casio India is dedicated to embodying the spirit of innovation and quality that defines the Casio legacy. With a strong commitment to its corporate creed of ‘creativity and contribution,’ Casio has consistently translated this ethos into the creation of innovative products making a positive impact on society.

For more information, visit https://www.casio.com/in/

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