Actor Kamal Haasan has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Media and Entertainment Committee South. This was announced during the FICCI’s Media and Entertainment Business Conclave South Connect 2025, which was held in Chennai.

In his foreword to FICCI’s Media and Entertainment report that is celebrating the 25th edition, he urged the stakeholders to aim for a bold future, taking India’s Media and Entertainment sector to a $100 billion industry, and have content that resonates with audience across the globe. Stakeholders have a responsibility to serve audience with bold, creative storytelling that reflects the nation’s rich diversity in this digital first era.

The Warangal Chapata chilli, or as it is called Tomato chilli, from the State has been granted the Geographical Indication tag by the GI Registry, government of India on March 28. The chilli is called Tomato chilli as it has a bright red colour and is shaped round like a tomato. This is the 18th produce from Telangana that has secured the coveted GI tag.

“We are very happy with this development. It will expand the market for the the spice we have been cultivating in the family for more than 100 years. The chilli is less spicy but lends a bright red colour with extensive flavour due to its capsicum oleoresin properties,” said Rajkumar Reddy who has been cultivating the crop for 45 years in his native Thimmampet village.

Aditya Birla Capital on Monday said it has completed the amalgamation of its wholly-owned subsidiary Aditya Birla Finance with itself to create a unified larger operating NBFC.

This follows the order of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Ahmedabad Bench, dated March 24, and the scheme of amalgamation is effective from April 1, Aditya Birla Capital Ltd (ABCL) said in a statement.

In March last year, the decision to merge Aditya Birla Finance with the parent entity was taken by the respective boards, subject to receipt of various statutory and regulatory approvals.

The board has also approved the appointments of Vishakha Mulye as the MD and CEO and Rakesh Singh as the executive director of the amalgamated entity, the statement said, adding that these appointments are subject to regulatory and other requisite approvals.

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia won a chaotic Americas Grand Prix ahead of Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez on Sunday after leader Marc Marquez crashed halfway through the race to lose for the first time this season.

Marquez had clinched pole position in qualifying and a third straight sprint victory on Saturday, but after a first crash on the red Ducati, the six-times MotoGP champion opted to retire due to extensive damage on his bike.

Although Bagnaia took the chequered flag to move up to 75 points, Alex Marquez will leave Austin with the bigger smile as finishing second moved him to the top of the championship on 87 points, one point ahead of his elder brother Marc.

H Shankar has officially assumed charge as the Managing Director of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL).

A Mechanical Engineer with an MBA, he was inducted into the Board of CPCL as Director (Technical) in October 2020 and was holding additional charge as Managing Director since July 16, 2024.

With over three decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, he has spearheaded CPCL’s key infrastructure projects, introduced new value-added & sustainable products, and overseen the development of nationally significant fuels for the space and defense sectors, according to a statement.

Hungary has deployed soldiers and launched new disinfection measures to help contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in a northwestern area bordering Slovakia and Austria, the agriculture minister said on Wednesday.

Hungary reported its first case in more than 50 years of the disease, which often leads to trade restrictions, on a cattle farm early last month.

Since then, neighbouring Slovakia has detected outbreaks at five locations after reporting its first cases in March. It has also stepped up measures to contain the disease’s spread.

The government has appointed Deputy CAG S Ramann as Chairperson of pension fund regulator PFRDA.

Ramann would replace incumbent Deepak Mohanty whose term comes to an end in May 2025.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Sivasubramanian Ramann, Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General, to the post of chairperson, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), a government notification dated April 1 said.

The ACC has approved his appointment for a tenure of five years or till he attains age of 65 years, it said.

Ramann, presently serving as Deputy CAG, belongs to 1991 batch of Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS).

The 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship is set to kick off today at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. The tournament, which is scheduled to run until the 15th of this month, will follow a new division-based format, similar to the Senior Women’s Championship held in March.

A total of 30 teams will participate, divided into three divisions: A, B, and C. The points system in all three divisions is the same. Each team will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Matches in Divisions B and C will start today, while Division A matches will commence on April 8.

On the first day, Hockey Rajasthan will face Tripura Hockey, Hockey Arunachal will take on Hockey Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh Hockey will play Hockey Gujarat, and Hockey Himachal will face Hockey Association of Bihar in Division C.

The United Kingdom appears set to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup after FIFA President Gianni Infantino described its interest as the “one valid bid” for the tournament.

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales announced last month that they would submit a joint bid to host the finals.

“We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said in a statement.

“Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year.”

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced the launch of the BPCL Sports Scholarship Initiative. This initiative aims to support and nurture emerging sports talent across India by providing financial assistance to promising young athletes, allowing them to focus on their training and competitive aspirations at both national and international levels.

The BPCL Sports Scholarship Initiative is open to Indian athletes aged 13 to 25, spanning multiple sports disciplines, including Athletics, Badminton, Cricket, Hockey, Chess, Tennis, and more. The selected athletes will receive a monthly stipend, a sports kit, and financial coverage for tournament expenses, ensuring they can train and compete without financial constraints. The scholarships will be awarded in three categories based on age groups: Budding Athlete Engagement for ages 13-17, Junior Athlete Engagement for ages 17-21, and Elite Athlete Engagement for ages 21-25.