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South Korea deepens its ties with India through Asia Model Festival 2022

Face of India 2022 grand finale held in Pune

PUNE, India, Sept. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Asia has become a notable force within the fashion business. It is rightly said that if a proportion of the Asian customers increases by one unit, the proportion of Asian models also increases in the subsequent year. Asian models from round the world have reached top runways making an impact in this business known for its need for greater diversity and representation.

Internationally acclaimed Face of India (FOI) in association with the AMF, held its grand finale in Pune and crowned six winners from over 6000 entries received from various parts of the country. The property opens gates to endless opportunities for aspiring models and plays the role of a mentor in their fashion journey. The extensive judging panel included Mr. Badal Saboo (Chairman, Face of India), Rajiv Sonigara, (Co-Director, Sonigara Corp), and acclaimed Indian actors that included Sahil Shroff, Elakshi Gupta, Nikki Tamboli, Ayeesha Aiman, and Kabir Singh.

The whole world of fashion, glamour and culture was present as contestants all across India spiritedly walked the ramp to be the next Face of India 2022 with acclaimed designers such as Amin Farista (Collection Gandhian Fab), Niti Singhal (Collection Twee in One), Bhavini Parikh (Collection Bunko Junko), Ivodia London, Sumit Das Gupta, Ashok Maanay (Collection Suroor) and Siddhant Agrawal. The showcased collection was a story beautifully woven through sustainable fashion in different styles.

Alisha Chandrakar from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, Vedant Mahewar from Nanded, Maharashtra, Ravi Naval from Mumbai, Niharika Joshi from Gujarat, Kriti Karmakar from Gauripur, Assam & Rohit Rana from Chalisgaon, Maharashtra were crowned as Face of India winners and qualified for the semi finale round of Face of Asia, 2022.

After an extensive round of voting across Asia through online and social platforms, Kriti Karmakar and Ravi Naval were declared winners to represent India and compete with the winners from other 26 Asian countries for the most coveted Face of Asia title which has a prize money of USD 100,000.

India is a country with high potential for global development, and FOI has been a cultural exchange platform for India and South Korea. Let’s hope for good results when Indian winners come to Korea. I am positive AMF will serve as an opportunity for fashion and beauty industry exchange between the two countries,”  Yang Eui-Sik, Chairman, AMF, said.

This year, AMF will be held at Uijeongbu In Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul, South Korea which was also dubbed as a ‘military town’, as it hosted the U.S. military for seven decades. The ultimate goal of organizing such an event is to transform Uijeongbu into a fashion and beauty mecca in Asia,said Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Dong-geun.

Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Dong-geun also plans to hold Uijeongbu’s flagship festivals like the Hoeryong Cultural Festival and Haengbokro Festivalat the time of the upcoming AMF. He also announced that this year, the winners of the upcoming Face of Asia competition will become Uijeongbu’s promotional ambassadors.

Talking about the pageant Mr. Badal Saboo, Chairman, Face of India and Managing Director of Pune Fashion Week, shares, “It is unquestionably an immense joy to see top Indian models at this global stage. This pageant has surely brought the best of opportunities for aspiring models from all over the country. AMF is a great concept and an initiative that opens trade opportunities between 27 Asian countries including India. I have been associated with South Korea and, particularly AMF for a long time now, and it makes me proud to see how welcoming and open both the countries are with economic & socio development of the people of their country and, are taking bold steps towards investing into various sectors. I am happy to have successfully opened gates for the Fashion industry in both South Korea & India, and am hopeful to do so with the other sectors as well. India is at its peak of development and it is the right time for the  Korean companies to roll their eyes towards India especially in the R&D and technology sector.

I hope I am able to play the crucial role of being a fair representative for both the countries as both the countries have set a target to increase bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. It’s the right time and the perfect opportunity,” added, Mr. Badal Saboo, Chairman, Face of India and Managing Director of Pune Fashion Week.

Sonigara Corp. also teamed up with Face of India and launched Codename Vogue, a new ultra-fashionable residential project near Aundh, on a 9+ acre land parcel. This property will add a fashionable sentiment to the city and claims to create a New Aundh in Pune.

Talking about the launch Mr. Rajiv Sonigara, Co-Director, Sonigara Corp said, “Sonigara Corp’s new property Codename Vogue is truly a unique project aimed at setting the highest levels when it comes to luxury and fashionable property offerings in Pune. We are enabling the community to make their style statement through their new address. This will create the next benchmark in fashionable living with cutting edge design and a trendiest lifestyle.

“The glamour associated with the iconic Face of India is only matched by Sonigara’s standards for delivering unique homes and lifestyle experiences,” added Sachin Sonigara, Co-Director, Sonigara Corp. 

To promote the recognition of blogging as a profession, Bloggers Alliance Education Society (BAES) along with Pune Fashion Week chose to proudly announce the launch of the Pune Bloggers Alliance at the Face of India event and appointed Mr. Badal Saboo as the President of the BAES Maharashtra Chapter.

The event also recognized various achievers of India who have contributed tremendously in their fields with Face of India Achievers Awards 2022.

The following were the awardees: Dr. Amit Nagpal (President, BAES, India), Mr. Devendra Jaiswal (Co-Founder Story Mirror), Mr. Vikram Kotnis (Founder & Managing Director, Beyond Walls),  Mr. Aman Mehra (Director, Tribe Co-living), Mr. Abhishek Mishra (CEO of Dada Saheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF)), Mr. Jimmy Mistry (Founder Della Leaders Club), Ms. Amita Deshpande (Founder, Recharkha, The EcoSocial Tribe), Mr. Raqesh Bapat & Ms. Isha Bapat (Earth Canvas & Co. – A confluence of art & sustainability), Mr. Ganesh Bakale (Director, Maha Ngo foundation), Ms. Dimple Vaghela & Ms. Laveena Keswani (Previous FOI Winners) and Mr. Lalit Dhanwe, a young force of figurative art from Karaha Studio who performed a live on-spot sculptor at the event. 

Below are the list of some of the eminent people of Pune who attended the event and added their charm at the occasion.

Actor, Zuber Khan, Actor Gaurav Deshmukh, Dr. Rajani Indulkar (Chairperson,Vasant Charitable Trust), Mr. Vikrant Indulkar, Mr. Kartik Kaushik (Schwarzkopf Professional), Ms. Megha Kaushik (Breguet, Swiss Luxury Watches), Mr. Kiran Bhagia (Swan Commodities), Mr. Ravi Thopte (Suvidha), Ms. Chahat Dalal (Mrs. Galaxy 2022-23), Mr. Paresh Pawar (Owner, Mayfield Estate), Mr. Shantanu Lele (Mayfield Estate), Mr. Rohan and Mrs. Pooja Kulkarni (Nagarkar Jewellers) Mr. Bhujang and Supriya Kale (Ashtekar Jewellers) Corporator. Mr. Yuvraj Renuse, Mr. Dheeraj Mutke , Mr, Shailesh Vedepatil (D’palace) Mr. Yuvraj Pimple (Vishal Multiplex), Mr. Yogesh Kalbhor, Mr. Pramod Kshirsagar, Mr. Herambh Shelke (2bhk Nightclub), Mr. Rakesh Yadav, Mr. Prateek Jadhav, Mr. Dinoday Sirnaik, Ms. Kavya Yadav, Ms. Trupti Pharande (Pharande Builders), Ms. Shruti Mahale, Ms. Meenakshi Mahangoankar, Mr. Akshay Pisal (Cafe Durga), Professor Ravindra Bharati, Dr Saksham and Ms. Komal Gupta (Serum Hospital), Mr. Sunny Sankla & Mrs. Prajal Sankla, Ms. Mudra Wedhikar, Mr. Nitin Mahendrekar & Mrs. Natasha Mahendrekar, Ms. Radhika Natu, Mr. Vikas Natu, Mr. Tarun Sachwani (Director, Della Resorts) and bloggers Shruti Dugad, Sofy DHillon, Paranosh Irani, Vini Shail Singh and Apporva Jayarajan.

Special thanks to Vida Heydari (VHC Art Gallery), Ms. Bhakti Sapke (ISAS Hair & Beauty), Dr Nida Khateeb (DentoKraft), Mr. Mohit Daswani, Mr. Saket Demapure, Mr. John Ravinder, Ms. Deepa Yadav, Ms. Sheetha Chacko & team, Mr. Karan Kapoor (Emcee), Mr. Soham Handekar & team, Mr. Angad Bedge & Mr. Nihar Kolapkar (Wit & Chai), Ms. Monica Mantri. Mr. Aditya Palwankar, Mr. Tanvir Khan & team, Mr. Nishant Ravade & team (Production Crew), Mr. Jitesh Patil (Pixel Photography), Ms. Vyomha Sharma (Nevanta Media), Ms. Vera & Ms. Rauleen (AMF, GLobal), Mr. Sachin & Abba Nikam (Muktai Mangal Kendra) and Dr. Karana Upadhyay & Students (National Institute of Event Management) for their contribution,  support & thank you to all well wishers of Mr. Badal Saboo.

It was an evening full of glamour, passion, competition and style.

ABOUT: 

Asia Model Festival:

Asia Model Festival (AMF), sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Introducing Asian models and fashion/beauty-related industries to the world. AMF is also a global cultural content platform that introduces global brands and artists of Asia.     

Face Of India: 

In association with AMF, Pune Fashion Week (PFW) launched Face of India in 2014. It was the first time India participated in AMF, the largest and most prestigious platform in Asia’s fashion fraternity. Based on their talent and suitability, contestants are selected for the final rounds of the competition. Winners will represent India in the Asia New Star Model Contest 2022 at the AMF, October 12 – 16, 2022 in Uijeongbu.

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For India / South Korea Partnership & Business Opportunities, pls email : connectbadalsaboo@gmail.com

Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZI5WiPB5vg

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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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