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Royal Commission for AlUla confirms USD 15 billion masterplan opportunity for public-private partnerships

With an estimated total development value of over USD 15 billion (SAR 57 billion), the world’s largest oasis regeneration project – The Journey Through Time Masterplan – will create opportunities for responsible investment
USD 3.2 billion (SAR 12 billion) to be dedicated to the development of priority primary infrastructure with opportunities for private investment
USD 2 billion in government-backed seed funding already invested in critical projects, de-risking investment opportunities
ALULA, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — On the anniversary of the announcement of Vision 2030, The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) today confirmed that its regeneration project – The Journey Through Time Masterplan – represents a USD 15 billion (SAR 57 billion) opportunity for responsible investment in public-private partnership projects.
 
 
The Journey Through Time Masterplan, a roadmap to protect 200,000 years of natural and human history across the 20km-long core historical area of AlUla, is anchored by the regeneration of five heritage districts. It aims to set the benchmark for responsible and impactful investment in destination development by building social, economic and environmental sustainability into its blueprint. The masterplan aims to create a robust investment opportunity in AlUla, contributing to the diversification of the Saudi economy and creation of jobs as well as wider opportunities for the local community – all key goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
“With an estimated total development value of over USD 15 billion, The Journey Through Time Masterplan is an important opportunity to showcase AlUla’s full potential. By de-risking investment opportunities through our USD 2 billion (SAR 7.5 billion) seed funding and creating a robust governance framework, we have created a platform for responsible and sustainable development to regenerate a unique location featuring a UNESCO World Heritage Site,” stated Amr AlMadani, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission for AlUla. “With USD 3.2 billion reserved for priority primary infrastructure, the development of AlUla will be anchored in building strong foundations as well as safeguarding AlUla’s cultural and heritage assets.”
An estimated USD 3.2 billion will be injected into developing AlUla’s priority infrastructure, A key component to unlocking AlUla’s future as a sustainable development destination, this will include a 46km low-carbon tramway (22km for the first phase); increasing clean power capacity, with at least 50% of demand supplied through renewable energies by 2035; increasing potable water capacity, with a centralised and upgraded water supply system including a new water supply of desalinated water and a tailor-made water conservation programme; and increasing wastewater capacity with an upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant in Mughayra.
The RCU is committed to de-risking future investments for partners and will support the development of heritage assets and primary infrastructure. It has already invested in USD 2 billion in development projects including the expansion of AlUla International Airport, bolstering the county’s security infrastructure and developing key tourism assets including Ashar estate and the iconic Maraya multi-purpose venue.
In parallel, the wider development strategy for AlUla – encompassing multiple masterplans – will lay the foundations for a strong tourism industry with a total of 9,400 hotel keys by 2035, of which 5,000 keys will sit within the Journey Through Time Masterplan.
The tourism potential of AlUla is evident in the interest it has generated amongst hoteliers and designers, including global luxury brands Aman, Accor/Banyan Tree and Habitas. AlUla will also play host to a one-of-its-kind property designed by leading architecture firm Atelier Jean Nouvel that will revive the 2,000-year-old architectural legacy of the ancient Nabataeans.
AlUla’s development strategy is guided by the AlUla Sustainability Charter, which sets the ground for adherence to a carbon-neutral strategy and circular economy principles, robust resiliency policies around development in heritage and environmentally sensitive areas, as well as flood and improved water management and vegetation planting. The masterplan will also contribute to the Saudi Green Initiative by expanding AlUla’s green and open spaces up to 10 million square meters.
With investment opportunities meeting robust environmental, social and corporate governance criteria, AlUla is creating investment opportunities in new and vibrant sectors of the Kingdom’s economy. As part of the masterplan, AlUla offers a rich portfolio of investment opportunities across multiple asset classes: landmark cultural projects; social infrastructure, utilities and mobility, hospitality, commercial and residential projects. The masterplan will be delivered over three phases, to be completed in 2023, 2030 and 2035 respectively.
Amr AlMadani added: “Responsible investment can deliver strong business opportunities and investment returns, whilst also helping to address urgent social and environmental concerns. For our partners around the globe, this is an opportunity to be at a new frontier of environmental, social and economic growth.”
The Journey Through Time Masterplan is the first in a series of plans for AlUla and focuses on rehabilitating AlUla’s natural and cultural heritage in responsible manner. Upon full completion, the wider development strategy for AlUla in 2035 aims to deliver 38,000 new jobs amid a population grown to 130,000, contributing USD 32 billion (SAR 120 billion) to the Kingdom’s GDP. Unique opportunities will further encourage and accelerate business and investment from partners who share RCU’s values of sustainability, responsible development and community inclusivity.
For more information on The Journey Through Time Masterplan, visit: https://ucl.rcu.gov.sa.
To find out more about investing in AlUla, visit: https://ucl.rcu.gov.sa/en/investment or contact us at investalula@rcu.gov.sa.
About AlUla
Located 1,100km from Riyadh in north-west Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of nearly 100 well-preserved tombs with elaborate facades cut into sandstone outcrops. Current research suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Romans after conquering the Nabataeans in 106 CE.
In addition to Hegra, AlUla is home to a series of fascinating historical and archaeological sites such as: an Old Town surrounded by an ancient oasis; Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms, which is considered one of the most developed 1st-millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula; thousands of ancient rock art sites and inscriptions in Jabal Ikmah; and Hijaz Railway stations.
Note to editors:
It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula.
About the Royal Commission for AlUla
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU’s long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development, that preserves the area’s natural and historic heritage, while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme.
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1497999/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_1.jpgPhoto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498000/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_2.jpgPhoto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498001/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_3.jpgPhoto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498002/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_4.jpgPhoto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498003/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_5.jpgPhoto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498004/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_6.jpgPhoto – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1498005/AlUla_Saudi_Arabia_7.jpg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Harper Collins Publishers India is Delighted to Announce the Recent Publication of ‘People We Love’ by Preeti Shenoy

NEW DELHI, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HarperCollins Publishers India is delighted to share the recent publication of People We Love by bestselling author Preeti Shenoy. At once tender and sharp, this collection of stories offers intimate, truthful and relatable portraits of the people we cherish, the ones we lose, and the people we become.

ABOUT THE BOOKThe people we love never truly leave our story…In these tender yet piercing stories, Preeti Shenoy returns to some of her most beloved characters to reveal who they were before they appeared in her bestselling novels It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have.Aniket, a coder, carries the weight of a longing for Trisha that he cannot bring himself to act on. Nidhi abandons her corporate life to teach pottery, only to discover that clay is far more forgiving than the people she loves. A quiz competition sparks an unlikely romance between Aman and Shruti, one that must withstand parental disapproval and class divides. And Anjali, a journalist, is so busy chasing stories that she almost misses the one unfolding in her own life.Set against the pulse of contemporary India, People We Love explores the tug-of-war between duty and desire, family and freedom, who we are and who we dare to be. Intimate and deeply felt, these are stories about love that stays, leaves and almost slips away … love that quietly and irrevocably shapes the people we become.Preeti Shenoy, author, says, “People We Love is a collection of three long stories, prequels to my bestsellers It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have. If you have read those books, you already know how these characters’ stories unfold. But what you don’t know yet is where it all began, the loves they carried, the choices they made, and the people they were before life shaped them into who you met on those pages. Writing these prequels felt like returning to a home I hadn’t realised I missed, and discovering rooms I had never been in before.”Rashmi Menon, Associate Publisher – HarperCollins India, adds, “Preeti Shenoy has an extraordinary gift for finding the heartbeat of ordinary lives. People We Love is a warm, wise and deeply humane collection of short stories that reunites readers with favourite characters from her bestselling novels It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have, weaving them into fresh, deeply satisfying narratives. These characters feel like people you know, and their journeys will move, comfort and surprise you. This uplifting, thought–provoking collection reminds us why we turn to stories in the first place. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with our readers.”ABOUT THE AUTHOR Preeti Shenoy is among the highest-selling authors in India. She was featured on the Forbes longlist of the most influential celebrities in India. Her books include When Love Came Calling, Wake Up Life, Is Calling, Life Is What You Make It, The Rule Breakers, A Hundred Little Flames, It’s All in the Planets, Why We Love the Way We Do, The Secret Wish List, The One You Cannot Have and many others. Her work has been translated into many Indian languages. Preeti is also a motivational speaker, an avid fitness enthusiast, and an artist specializing in portraiture and illustrated journalling. Preeti lives in Bengaluru, Karnataka.ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS INDIAAt HarperCollins Publishers India, we believe in telling the best stories and ensuring they reach the widest readership. We publish around 250 new books every year across 10 imprints, adding to a diverse catalogue of more than 3,000 titles in print and digital formats, with an array of genres and voices that ensure there is a book for every reader. Our authors have won some of the most prestigious literary awards, and we are proud to publish many acclaimed writers, alongside new and emerging voices shaping contemporary literature. We are also the publishers of The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, winner of the Booker Prize 2008, and Girl in White Cotton by Avni Doshi, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2020, and HarperCollins India itself has been awarded “Publisher of the Year” several times. In addition, we represent some of the finest global publishers such as Harvard University Press, Lonely Planet, Oneworld, Nosy Crow, Usborne, and National Geographic Children, bringing Indian readers access to world-class books and ideas. We are also proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for two consecutive years, a recognition of our culture, people, and values that make HarperCollins India a truly inspiring workplace. PRESS CONTACT:Nandini Tripathi, Manager – Marketing (Commercial)Email: nandini.tripathi@harpercollins.co.in | Mobile: +91 9718928839Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2997583/HarperCollins_People_We_Love.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2105077/4665143/HarperCollins_Logo.jpg 

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Fulfilling PM Modi’s Dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat: India’s AI Writing Startup Kreativespace Incubated at IIT Kharagpur

Kreativespace, an Indian AI-powered writing platform founded by Vinet Kakadea, has been incubated at IIT Kharagpur and recognized by SVNIT University, Ministry of Education under Bodhan AI Conclave also through the NVIDIA Inception Program, AWS Startup Program, and DPIIT under Startup India.The platform unifies 8 AI-powered writing tools, along with AI Humanizer and Message AI feature being the latest addition into a single ecosystem, so you can generate and refine content all in one place.The company reports more than 50,000+ signed-up users, 75,000+ anonymous users, and roughly 100,000 monthly website visitors, positioning itself as the only Indian company operating at scale in the global AI writing market.SURAT, India, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kreativespace, an AI-powered writing platform, is building out its position as the only homegrown alternative in a market long dominated by international tools such as Grammarly and QuillBot. Founded by Vinet Kakadea and incubated at IIT Kharagpur, the company has aligned its growth with the broader push behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative, which encourages indigenous technology development capable of competing on a global scale.

As AI adoption accelerates across India’s education, research, and enterprise sectors, Kreativespace is among a small group of Indian startups building writing technology designed to compete directly with established international platforms.Kreativespace’s progress has been recognized by several institutions central to India’s startup and technology ecosystem. The company has been incubated at IIT Kharagpur, selected under SSIP 2.0 through SVNIT University, and chosen by the Ministry of Education to present its work at the Bodhan AI Conclave. It has also been accepted into the NVIDIA Inception Program and the AWS Startup Program, and holds DPIIT recognition under the Startup India initiative.Where many writing-tool users rely on separate subscriptions for content generation to refinement for grammar correction, paraphrasing, plagiarism checking, citation generation, and editing, Kreativespace brings these functions into a single platform as a super-app for AI writing tools. The company says its approach centers on affordability and accessibility alongside performance, aiming to make advanced AI writing assistance available to a wider range of users regardless of geography or budget.The idea for Kreativespace took shape while founder Vinet Kakadea was studying at New York University and Marymount University in the United States, where he experienced firsthand how students, researchers, and professionals often need multiple paid subscriptions to cover writing-related tasks. That fragmented experience led him to build a super-app offering each of these capabilities together, at a more accessible price point.Kreativespace combines 8 AI-powered writing tools with AI Humanizer and Message AI feature being the latest addition, allowing users to generate, rewrite, refine, and humanize content without moving between separate platforms. The product is available via web platform, mobile apps on the App Store and Google Play, browser extensions for Chrome, Mozilla, and Edge, and a Google Docs add-on.Vinet Kakadea, Founder of Kreativespace, said, “Kreativespace’s vision is to digitalize the entire Indian education ecosystem to support PM Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme.”About KreativespaceKreativespace with the Motto of Making Writing Accessible for Everyone: Kreativespace is an AI-powered writing platform built to make AI writing tools accessible, affordable, and effective for students, researchers, educators, professionals, content creators, startups, and enterprises. Founded by Vinet Kakadea, the company is incubated at IIT Kharagpur and has been recognized by AWS Startup Program, the NVIDIA Inception Program, and DPIIT under Startup India. For more information, visit kreativespace.com.

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Times of India Launches Inaugural ‘TOI AI Quotient Awards’ to Celebrate Pioneers in AI Innovation

In collaboration with Knowledge Partner Adrosonic, the premier nomination-led platform will honor excellence, scalability, and measurable impact across India’s AI ecosystem. NEW DELHI, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Times of India has announced the launch of the inaugural edition of the TOI AI Quotient Awards—India’s most credible, nomination-led recognition platform celebrating excellence in artificial intelligence adoption, innovation, and impact.

Organized in collaboration with Adrosonic as the official Knowledge Partner, the awards will bring together pioneering enterprises, technology leaders, startups, innovators, and institutions that are harnessing the power of AI to drive business transformation, optimize decision-making, and enhance customer experiences.As AI becomes a core driver of competitiveness and productivity, this initiative marks the beginning of a prestigious annual celebration. The awards aim to spotlight those leveraging AI to solve complex challenges, unlock new opportunities, and deliver meaningful, scalable outcomes across sectors.Leadership Insights”The conversation around AI has rapidly moved from experimentation to execution. For modern brands, a high AI Quotient is now a boardroom priority. The TOI AI Quotient Awards will serve as India’s most credible validation platform, spotlighting the enterprises that are successfully navigating this transition to drive real business outcomes and stronger governance. We look forward to uncovering the incredible stories of human-machine collaboration that are redefining the future of Indian industry.” — Prasad Sanyal, Group Business Head – TOI, IndiaTimes, WhatsHot”AI will not replace human intelligence, it will amplify it. The organisations that succeed with AI will be those that combine technology with human judgement, domain expertise and a clear focus on business outcomes. The true measure of AI success is not how much AI is deployed, but how effectively it improves decision making and delivers measurable value. Achieving this requires clear objectives, strong governance and responsible guardrails. The TOI AI Quotient Awards celebrate organisations turning AI potential into meaningful business impact.” — Mayank, Founder & CEO, AdrosonicAward Tracks & CategoriesThe initiative features 25+ awards distributed across 4 distinct tracks: Industry, Functional AI, Maturity-based, and Special Jury Awards. Key categories include:Sector Excellence: BFSI, Retail & Commerce, Healthcare & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Media & Content.Functional & Strategic AI: Customer Experience, HR & Talent, Risk & Compliance.Enterprise & Impact: Social Impact, Women in AI, Legacy to AI Transformation, and Native Enterprise.To ensure absolute credibility, the evaluation matrix leverages Adrosonic’s deep technical consulting frameworks for an objective initial screening. Following a preliminary audit by the expert TOI Editorial Board, the final winners will be selected by an esteemed, independent jury comprising leading AI experts, technology pioneers, industry veterans, and business visionaries.Why Nominate Your Organization?The TOI AI Quotient Awards offer more than just recognition—they provide a premier platform for national visibility and industry-wide alignment:National Recognition: Showcase your AI-led innovations and business impact before a distinguished audience of industry leaders and decision-makers.Credible Validation: Gain elite positioning backed by TOI’s powerful media reach and Adrosonic’s technical validation frameworks.Industry Benchmarking: Measure your achievements against the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem to strengthen your market leadership.How to ParticipateIs your organization setting new benchmarks in AI adoption and implementation? Do you know an enterprise driving measurable transformation through artificial intelligence?Nominate your organization or a deserving industry leader today to secure your place among India’s most forward-thinking, AI-driven enterprises.Learn more and submit your nomination here: toievents.indiatimes.com/ai-quotient-awards 

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