Once champions of indie films, OTT giants are now acquiring them for as less as Rs 30 lakh

Formal orders for their release were issued on May 11. Officials said the tigers will be soft released at separate locations after temperatures ease. (Express Photo) In a rare conservation decision, the Maharashtra Forest Department has cleared the release of two conflict tigers — TUI-22 and TUI-25 — back into the wild after a state-level committee found both animals fit for rehabilitation. The two male tigers, both around four years old, were captured in March this year from separate locations in Nagpur forest division following human-wildlife conflict incidents. While TUI-22 was linked to the death of a woman and repeated livestock kills in Deolapar, TUI-25, captured from Parseoni, had been involved only in cattle depredation cases.Following their capture, both animals were shifted to the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC) at Seminary Hills in Nagpur, where they underwent health checks and behavioural assessment. Veterinary examinations found them to be healthy, disease-free and capable of surviving in the wild. The decision was taken at a state-level committee meeting held on April 30. The committee concluded that despite their conflict history, both tigers had retained their natural instincts and were suitable for release into habitats with adequate prey and lower chances of human interaction. Formal orders for their release were issued on May 11. Officials said the tigers will be soft released at separate locations after temperatures ease.(Express Photo)“The committee examines every tiger captured by the forest department and assesses its condition, adaptability and suitability for release,” said M.S. Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife). “In this case, the recommendation was to release the animals, and we have acted accordingly.” Formal orders for their release were issued on May 11. Officials said the tigers will be soft released at separate locations after temperatures ease. Wildlife expert and committee member Kundan Hate said authorities did not want the rehabilitation effort to be affected by extreme summer conditions.Story continues below this ad “The tigers are currently housed in enclosures with cooling arrangements. We want to ensure they settle properly after release and do not face problems related to water availability or adaptation,” he said. Hate added that both animals are likely to be released within a week. According to him, teams first identified suitable habitats before conducting field visits and finalising release sites. “This is only the second instance of a captured tiger being released back into the wild. Earlier, a tigress that had been captured was also successfully rehabilitated,” he said. Wildlife expert and committee member Kundan Hate said authorities did not want the rehabilitation effort to be affected by extreme summer conditions.(Express Photo)Priyal Chouragade, wildlife veterinary officer at the TTC, said TUI-25 had no history of attacks on humans and releasing it was the best conservation outcome.Story continues below this ad “For any wild animal, returning to its natural habitat is important. Every successful rehabilitation is a win for both wildlife conservation and human-wildlife coexistence,” she said. Chouragade said all captured tigers undergo a detailed health and behavioural assessment before a decision is taken. They are kept in isolation for 15 days, during which blood tests, faecal examinations and behavioural observations are carried out. The Deolapar tiger, TUI-22, had arrived with a maggot-infested wound on its ear, which was treated successfully. Interestingly, a local committee constituted under National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines had initially recommended that TUI-22 be housed permanently at the Gorewada rescue centre, citing concerns over future human casualties. The state-level committee, however, eventually favoured rehabilitation after evaluating all biological and behavioural parameters.St

New DelhiJun 22, 2026 10:27 AM IST The company argued that the phone’s handset was submitted with Samsung Care after over 11 months of purchase and that it was damaged due to the customer’s negligence. (AI-generated image) A Punjab consumer commission has held Samsung India liable for deficiency in service and directed it to repair a Z Flip 4 smartphone within one month or refund its price of Rs 90,000 with interest, besides paying Rs 20,000 as compensation, after the company refused to honour the warranty over alleged scratches and physical damage. A bench of president Kulwinder Singh Pannu and member Rachna Arora were hearing a complaint filed by Hrithik Kanotra, who sought a refund of Rs 90,000 and Rs 1 lakh compensation for mental and physical harassment.“Therefore, the present complaint of the complainant is Partly Allowed and the OP No. 1 and 2 are directed to repair the disputed mobile handset within one month from the date of receiving the certified copy of this order as the disputed mobile handset is well within the warranty period, failing which the OP No. 1 and 2 are directed to refund the actual price of the disputed mobile handset i.e. Rs 90,000/- along with interest @ 5% per annum from the date of filing of the present complaint till its actual realization,” the June 10 order read. Company deficient on its part: Court The consumer body held that Samsung and its authorised service centre were deficient in service for refusing to repair the handset despite it being within the warranty period. The commission partly allowed the complaint and directed Samsung and the service centre to repair the phone within one month. If they fail to do so, they must refund Rs 90,000 with 5 per cent annual interest from the date of filing of the complaint until payment. The commission also directed Samsung and the service centre to pay Rs 20,000 towards mental agony and physical harassment suffered by the complainant. 4 years of litigation The case of the complainant is that on August 30, 2022, he purchased a Samsung Z Flip 4 mobile phone for Rs 90,000 from a store called The Mobile Zone. On August 5, 2023, the said phone started facing problems with its sensor and speaker. Accordingly, on the same day, the complainant had submitted it to the store for repair under warranty. After conducting a full inspection of the phone, they issued a “service request sheet/job sheet”. As per Samsung policy, the company provides a warranty to every customer for one year from the date of purchase of the mobile phone. It was further pleaded that on August 8, 2023, the complainant received a phone call from the company stating that the phone was not eligible for repair under warranty because there were many scratches and physical damages on the phone and that they did not consider the product with scratches to be under warranty. The complainant approached the company directly to avail of his phone warranty on its toll-free number and email ID, but the service care centre also refused to repair the complainant’s phone under warranty. It was argued by the complainant that the company and service care had dishonest intentions towards providing the phone warranty, as he had allegedly submitted the phone in a pristine condition in service care, having just sensor and speaker problems in it. Needlessly impleaded as party: Samsung The company argued that the complaint merits dismissal, pointing out that they have unnecessarily been impleaded as a party. They also stated that no cause of action arose for the complainant to file the complaint against the company. It was argued that the complainant mishandled and negligently used the mobile phone due to which the handset got physically damaged. The handset was submitted to Samsung Care after over 11 months of purchase and extensive usage. The problem reported by the complainant was ‘LCD Blink’ and ‘unable to open properly’. It was added that, as per warranty terms and conditions, the handset is

By the time Vijay Sandhu was laid off from his job, entrepreneurship was the last thing on his mind.Like thousands of IT professionals, he had followed a predictable path — engineering degree, software job, and hopes of a stable corporate career. Business ownership was unfamiliar territory. No one in his family had ever run a company.Today, Sandhu leads Soft Elevation Private Limited, an international technology firm with more than 150 employees, offices in Chandigarh and Noida, and operations spanning the United States, Romania and France.The journey from unemployed software engineer to founder, however, began not with a grand vision but with a crisis. From job loss to a new beginning After completing his B.Tech from Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology (BGIET), Sangrur, Sandhu joined a software company as a Java developer and spent nine years building his technical expertise. Then came an unexpected setback. He lost his job. Another position followed, but only for a short period. Soon after, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted businesses across the world, eliminating yet another opportunity. For many professionals, the period brought uncertainty. For Sandhu, it became a defining moment.Story continues below this ad “I am the first businessman in my family’s history,” he says. With responsibilities at home and limited savings, he started taking up freelance assignments and small software projects. There was no business blueprint, no investor backing and no elaborate strategy. The immediate goal was simply to earn a livelihood. Building one project at a time What began as survival gradually evolved into something larger. Satisfied clients recommended his work to others. New projects arrived through referrals and professional contacts. Slowly, the freelance assignments turned into a steady stream of business.Story continues below this ad The turning point came in late 2021 when Sandhu received an opportunity to work on a project from the United States through Silviu Ciobanu, whom he describes as a mentor. Working with a small team, he devoted himself to the assignment, unaware that it would eventually become the foundation of a company with an international footprint. The birth of Soft Elevation The project’s success gave Sandhu the confidence to think beyond freelancing. Soft Elevation Private Limited was established and began expanding its services across different sectors. Today, the company develops solutions in Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services in the United States, healthcare revenue cycle management and smart locker technology.Story continues below this ad What started with a handful of projects now employs more than 150 people. Its growth has also crossed borders, with operations extending to multiple countries and a growing global client base. Creating jobs, creating impact Ask Sandhu about his biggest achievement and he does not point to revenue figures, overseas expansion or awards. Instead, he talks about employment. “Knowing that our work helps support families and creates opportunities for people is what gives me the most satisfaction,” he says.Story continues below this ad The company has earned recognition along the way, including the Fastest Growing IT Company Award from TiE Chandigarh. Yet Sandhu views such honours as milestones rather than destinations. His management philosophy reflects the same thinking. He prefers empowering team leaders, encouraging accountability and giving employees ownership of their work. Lessons from adversity Looking back, Sandhu believes the setbacks that once appeared devastating were instrumental in shaping his future. Job losses, financial uncertainty and the challenges of the pandemic taught him resilience and adaptability — qualities that would later prove essential in entrepreneurship.Story continues below this ad Raised in an Army family, he credits his upbringing for instilling discipline and perseverance. He also acknowledges the support of hi

New DelhiUpdated: Jun 19, 2026 03:30 PM IST Mukesh Ambani at the 49th AGM underlined the companies' AI strategy and how it is embedding the technology across its products and services. (Express Image/RIL)At its 49th Annual General Meeting (AGM), apart from revealing stellar growth numbers, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) also highlighted its AI vision for India. The company outlined its AI roadmap and its grand vision to place India as a future global AI leader. In his opening address, Chairman and Managing Director, Mukesh Ambani said, “I firmly believe that India should not be a mere consumer of AI created elsewhere. India must become a global leader in AI.” According to the chairman, India should seize the AI opportunity and build technologies that not only serve domestic needs but also the demands of the global market. While drawing parallels with Jio’s role in making mobile data affordable and accessible across India, reducing digital inequality, Ambani shared that Reliance now wants to make AI accessible to everyone and everywhere. “Reliance Intelligence promises AI for everyone, everywhere.”The chairman also touched upon Reliance Intelligence, first introduced at the AGM in 2025. This year, Reliance Intelligence seemed to be at the centre of the company’s AI ambitions. The company said that the platform will enable Indian engineers to build and deploy AI technologies for over 1.5 billion people while ensuring that the technology remains affordable, accessible, and, most importantly, trusted. India’s sovereign AI backbone The conglomerate also announced plans to build what it described as India’s sovereign AI backbone. The company is developing a large AI infrastructure facility in Jamnagar, powered by renewable energy generated in Kutch. According to the company, an initial 120 Megawatts capacity will be commissioned by the end of 2026. The infrastructure will be powered by NVIDIA GB300 systems designed for AI inference workloads. The company claimed that the deployment would position it among the largest AI infrastructure projects globally and provide the foundation for India’s AI ecosystem. The company is also partnering with Google, Meta and NVIDIA to accelerate AI adoption across sectors. As part of the partnership announcements, Google AI Pro is already being offered free to millions of Jio users, while Meta’s Llama is being used to develop AI solutions for Indian enterprises. When it comes to integrating AI into its network, Reliance seems to be taking a radically different approach. Speaking at the AGM, Akash Ambani said Jio is taking a unique approach to AI by embedding it directly into the telecom network instead of offering it solely through standalone applications. “Across the world AI is an app on the phone. Jio is doing something fundamentally different. We are building AI directly into the heart of the network,” he said. The company said future AI-powered capabilities could include call transcription, multilingual conversation summaries, conference call assistance and AI agents capable of completing tasks such as booking cabs or scheduling appointments. In all these innovations, the company emphasised that user consent and privacy would remain central to these services, especially for payments and other sensitive actions.Story continues below this ad AI integrated into the network Besides, Reliance Intelligence will introduce a suite of AI-powered services aimed at different segments of users. The company unveiled JioBharatIQ, an AI companion designed for everyday users; JioVyapar IQ to assist small businesses; JioHealth IQ for healthcare-related services; JioLearn IQ for education; and JioKrishi IQ to help farmers make better decisions. The company said that all these offerings are being built around a common principle that AI must be easy to use, affordable, and trustworthy. The company also announced that the MyJio app will evolve into a personal AI agent capable of assisting users with ta

New DelhiJun 19, 2026 11:48 AM IST Burger Motorsports said normal operations would resume after employees had explored GTA 6, completed at least one mission.Rockstar Games has finally revealed when fans can secure their copies of Grand Theft Auto VI, confirming that pre-orders will open on June 25 through digital platforms such as the PlayStation Store and selected retail outlets. The announcement has generated massive excitement among gamers, especially after the title faced multiple delays over the years.The anticipation surrounding the game’s launch has become so intense that California-based automotive performance parts company Burger Motorsports has decided to temporarily shut down operations on release day. In an Instagram post addressed to employees, customers, dealers and partners, the company announced a one-day “company-wide operational pause” on November 19, 2026. “Several team members have already notified management that they will be unavailable, unreachable, and/or ‘in Vice City’ for the duration of the day,” the memo said, explaining the decision. The company said that departments, including customer support, order processing, shipping, engineering, and social media, as well as overall productivity, are likely to be impacted by employee absences. “Normal business operations are expected to resume once employees have completed their initial exploration, finished at least one mission, and returned to reality. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this unprecedented cultural event.” Check the post: Story continues below this ad ‘That’s exactly what we’re doing’ The announcement quickly spread across social media, with many users finding the move amusing. “They should make that day a public holiday at this point,” one person wrote. Another joked, “The CEO probably wanted the day off to play it too.” The post even inspired responses from other businesses. “That’s exactly what we’re doing. Cardusio will be shutting down for a few days to allow all staff to enjoy a few days to enjoy the long awaited GTA6,” a company said.Story continues below this ad GTA 6 release Rockstar formally launched its summer marketing campaign on June 18 by unveiling the official cover art for GTA 6. Scheduled to arrive on November 19, 2026, the game marks the first new mainline entry in the franchise in more than 13 years since Grand Theft Auto V, one of the best-selling video games ever made. Expectations for the release remain extraordinarily high.