Author: Nupur Rohila

India’s Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) have experienced substantial expansion, with total commitments surpassing $149.25 billion as of December 2024, marking a 5% quarter-over-quarter growth, according to SEBI. AIFs secured $60.51 billion in fundraising, while total investments exceeded $57.41 billion. This growth is largely fueled by high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and institutional investors diversifying their portfolios. Category II AIFs, covering sectors such as private equity, real estate, and distressed asset funds, reached a milestone by crossing $114.81 billion for the first time. Meanwhile, private credit has seen remarkable progress, now accounting for 15% of total AIF commitments at $22.39 billion—rising significantly from…

India has secured the fourth spot globally in terms of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), boasting 85,698 individuals with investable assets exceeding $1 million, as per the latest Knight Frank Global Wealth Report. The United States, China, and Japan continue to dominate the list with the highest number of wealthy individuals. Meanwhile, the ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI) category—those with assets surpassing $100 million—has now crossed the 100,000 mark worldwide for the first time. The surge in India’s wealthy population is primarily driven by rapid economic expansion, a growing appetite for investment risk, and a flourishing startup landscape. The increasing accessibility to digital resources,…

On Monday, India and Nepal formalized a partnership to enhance water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives, including waste management, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The signing ceremony took place at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi, with India’s Union Minister of Jal Shakti, CR Patil, and Nepal’s Minister of Water Supply, Pradeep Yadav, in attendance. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu shared on social media that this agreement strengthens bilateral cooperation in water conservation, sanitation, and waste management, contributing to a more sustainable future for both nations. The MoU is designed to promote collaboration and improve access to clean…

Vandals spray-painted hate-motivated graffiti, including swastikas, on playground equipment at Stuart Park in Clarington over the weekend, adding to a concerning pattern of antisemitic vandalism in Durham Region. Durham police responded to the park, located at 58 Stuart Rd., around 4:15 p.m. on March 1, where they discovered a swastika defacing a slide, another swastika alongside offensive language, and additional graffiti. The symbols and messages were removed by law enforcement and municipal staff. Authorities believe the vandalism occurred between 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 and 4 p.m. on March 1. This incident is part of a growing trend of hate-related…

India is expected to sustain its position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasting a 6.5% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for the fiscal year 2025-26. This expansion is attributed to strong private sector investment and stable macroeconomic conditions. Additionally, India’s second advance estimate for 2024-25 also projects a similar 6.5% growth, while inflation is likely to stabilize as food prices moderate. According to the IMF’s Article IV consultation, India’s robust economic momentum provides a strategic window to implement key structural reforms, supporting its long-term ambition of achieving advanced economy status by 2047.…

Maha Kumbh has opened new opportunities for spiritual tourism in Uttar Pradesh, reinforcing the state’s reputation as a major pilgrimage hub. To improve accessibility to revered religious sites, the Uttar Pradesh government has developed five key spiritual corridors, offering pilgrims a seamless travel experience across sacred destinations. During his visit to Prayagraj, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed gratitude to police officers, sanitation workers, medical teams, boatmen, media personnel, and transport staff for their role in ensuring the event’s success. He emphasized how these newly established corridors would provide devotees with convenient travel routes to holy sites, significantly enhancing faith-based tourism…

Lisa Patel’s journey as a student advocate began in high school when she successfully pushed back against a proposal to remove International Baccalaureate classes. That experience showed her the power of her voice, a lesson she has carried into her role as the student trustee on the University of Tennessee (UT) System Board of Trustees. Now a junior majoring in biomedical engineering, Patel has taken on the responsibility of representing student concerns at board meetings. She actively seeks input from students across disciplines, recognizing that her own experience in engineering is just one perspective. “I make it a priority to…

Indian American entrepreneurs Navin and Rita Dimond, along with their daughters Ashley and Sonja, have donated a $13 million endowment to Cornell University’s Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration. This transformative gift, part of Cornell’s “To Do the Greatest Good” campaign, will fund scholarships for first-generation students with financial need, recognizing them as Hospitality Scholars. The Dimond family’s contribution unlocked an additional $2.5 million through Cornell’s affordability challenge match program, further expanding the reach of their $10.5 million donation. In recognition, the Nolan deanship has been named the Dimond Family Dean of the Nolan Hotel School. Navin Dimond,…

Indian American scientist Dr. Bhavna Tandon, Chief Scientific Officer at Brown Foods, has played a pivotal role in a groundbreaking food innovation—UnReal Milk, the world’s first lab-made whole cow milk. Brown Foods, a Boston-based startup backed by Y Combinator, has successfully developed this cow-free dairy product that mimics traditional milk in taste, texture, and nutrition. Dr. Tandon unveiled UnReal Milk at Brown Foods’ Boston lab, marking a major milestone in food technology. Using mammalian cell culture, the company has created a milk alternative that contains all essential dairy proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, making it functionally identical to conventional milk. Unlike…

Dr. Swati Dhingra has been reappointed for a second term as an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). She will continue in the role until August 8, 2028, having initially been appointed on August 9, 2022. Speaking to the media, Dhingra noted a divide among policymakers regarding interest rate cuts. She highlighted that even with 0.25 percentage point reductions every quarter throughout 2025, monetary policy would still be too restrictive by the end of the year. A prominent economist, Dhingra is an Associate Professor at the London School of Economics (LSE) and an Associate at…