Shivalik Small Finance Bank has raised Rs. 100 crore from the SMBC Fund, marking a significant milestone in its growth strategy. The capital infusion is expected to strengthen the bank’s balance sheet, enhance lending capacity, and accelerate its expansion into underserved markets. With a focus on technology-driven financial solutions and customer-centric services, Shivalik aims to scale its presence across key regions while bolstering digital banking capabilities.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is poised for a major revival push as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sanctioned a capital expenditure plan worth Rs. 47,000 crore. The allocation will be channelled into enhancing BSNL’s nationwide 4G rollout, upgrading infrastructure, and preparing the groundwork for 5G deployment. This substantial investment underscores the government’s intent to position BSNL as a competitive force in the telecom market, particularly in underserved and rural regions.

Bullish, a cryptocurrency exchange backed by billionaire investor Peter Thiel, made an impressive public debut with its share price soaring 62% above the initial public offering (IPO) price. This surge propelled the company’s market valuation to $8.77 billion, reflecting strong investor confidence in its long-term growth prospects despite a volatile digital asset market.

Infosys has announced its plan to acquire a 75% stake in Australia-based Versent Group for Rs. 1,300 crore, marking a strategic move to bolster its cloud and digital transformation capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Versent, known for its expertise in cloud architecture and managed services, serves a diverse clientele across sectors such as banking, energy, and government. The acquisition is expected to enhance Infosys’s service portfolio, accelerate its regional market penetration, and provide synergistic growth opportunities.

OpenAI has officially made AppGPT-5 available for free to all users, marking a significant expansion of its advanced AI capabilities to a wider audience. The new release introduces enhanced performance, improved contextual understanding, and innovative response modes, making the AI more versatile across professional and personal applications. With this move, OpenAI aims to democratize access to high-level AI tools while showcasing the platform’s adaptability in real-world scenarios.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced a significant update to GPT-5, introducing three distinct response modes—Auto, Fast, and Thinking—designed to give users greater control over the AI’s speed and depth of reasoning. The update also comes with clarified rate limits, aiming to balance accessibility with optimal performance. This development signals OpenAI’s push toward more personalized AI interactions, catering to varied user needs, from quick answers to in-depth analysis.

Jane Street, one of the world’s most influential proprietary trading firms, has long been renowned for its complex, high-frequency trading strategies and exceptional profitability. However, its operations in India sparked regulatory challenges, exposing the country’s struggle to effectively monitor sophisticated global market players. The firm’s advanced trading algorithms, cross-border structures, and opaque profit channels tested the limits of India’s financial oversight.

Aravind Srinivas, a prominent name in the tech startup ecosystem, once caught global attention for a bold and unusual gesture—writing to Google CEO Sundar Pichai to express his intent to buy Google Chrome. While the request was unconventional, it reflected the entrepreneurial audacity that would later define Srinivas’s career. Today, he is recognized for his contributions to artificial intelligence and product innovation, embodying the spirit of curiosity and risk-taking that drives breakthroughs in technology.

Insecticides India Ltd. (IIL) has joined forces with Corteva Agriscience to launch a new crop protection product designed specifically for rice cultivation. The partnership aims to address persistent pest challenges that hinder yield and quality in one of India’s most vital staple crops. Leveraging Corteva’s research capabilities and IIL’s distribution network, the product is positioned as a next-generation solution for farmers seeking higher productivity and improved crop resilience.

Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu recently delivered a confident and empowering response to a remark made by fellow actor Mrunal Thakur, who had referred to her muscular physique as “manly.” Choosing grace over confrontation, Basu reminded the public that strength—whether physical or emotional—should be celebrated, not ridiculed. She emphasized that women should support one another rather than indulge in body-shaming.