Located within Phoenix Marketcity Pune, the new store will span approximately 21,000 sq. ft. and offer UNIQLO’s complete range of LifeWear apparel for men, women, and children. Designed around simplicity, quality, and functionality, the store aims to deliver a seamless and elevated shopping experience for Pune consumers.

The launch marks a significant addition to Phoenix Marketcity Pune’s international fashion portfolio, further strengthening its position as one of the city’s premium lifestyle and shopping destinations.

Driven by increasing customer appreciation for high-quality, everyday essentials, UNIQLO continues to expand its presence in India by bringing its globally recognized LifeWear philosophy — clothing designed to make everyday life better — to newer markets across the country.

Commenting on the launch, Anshuman Bharadwaj, Senior Centre Director- Phoenix [Pune Malls], said: “At Phoenix Marketcity Pune, we continuously strive to bring globally admired brands and elevated retail experiences to our consumers. UNIQLO’s arrival marks a significant addition to our international fashion portfolio and reflects the evolving aspirations of Pune’s shoppers who increasingly seek quality, functionality, and contemporary global fashion under one roof.”

The new store at Phoenix Marketcity Pune will feature UNIQLO’s modern retail design language along with the brand’s signature visual identity, offering shoppers an immersive and contemporary retail environment.

The store will officially open to customers on:
Date: Friday, 15 May 2026
Time: 11:00 AM
Venue: UNIQLO, Phoenix Marketcity Pune

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PUNE: Duville Estates, through its social welfare brand Duville Cares, celebrated the festive season by organising a ‘Toy Donation Drive’ for the children at its labour camp, reflecting the true spirit of giving. This initiative was organized with the active participation and support of the Duville Envoy (existing customers). There was significant participation from the customer community, comprising nearly 6,000 residents across Riverdale Heights, Riverdale Residences, and Riverdale Suites. These Duville Envoys were joined by the Riverdale site office teams, who came together to bring joy to the labourers’ children.

This activity culminated in a heart-warming Christmas celebration at the labour camp, where the toys collected from the donation drive run at each of the resident communities were distributed to the children. The happiness on their faces spoke louder than words. Moments like these show how simple acts of kindness add real meaning.

What began as an idea to share the spirit of giving turned into a full-fledged ‘Toy Donation Drive’ from the existing customer community to the children on site. This reinforces Duville Estates commitment to building communities that go beyond physical infrastructure, fostering empathy, engagement, and togetherness across customers, employees, construction workers, families, and partners.

This initiative served very well to bring together the existing customer community from Riverdale while meaningfully bringing happiness to these children associated with the Duville ecosystem.

Speaking about the initiative, Tushad B. Dubash, Director, Duville Estates, shared, “It was heartening to see our existing customers come forward and actively participate in the toy donation drive. Their willingness to offer their children’s toys brought immense happiness to the children at the camp. It is these small gestures that help build a cohesive community, something Duville Estates continues to strive for.”

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The day began with a quiet moment of devotion at the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir, where many of the children experienced a large urban temple for the very first time.

The highlight of the afternoon was a celebratory lunch at Elephant & Co., made possible through the efforts of Minoti Makim of Carpe Diem. Minoti believes, “Christmas isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about showing up for those who need joy and community the most. I’m grateful we could do that together.”

The restaurant welcomed the children with an extraordinary, thoughtfully curated food spread—a gesture that spoke of genuine generosity.

Karan, founder of Elephant & Co., shared that hosting the group was “an honour for the team,” adding that creating a special meal for the children was their way of making them “feel seen, welcomed, and celebrated.”

Adding to the festive spirit, Minoti’s friend Yalda chose to celebrate her own birthday with the children. She arrived with Santa Claus, gifts for all, and a cake she cut surrounded by beaming faces. 

Dimple Somji, founder of With Love NGO, expressed that the experience was “a first in every sense for the children – their first visit to Pune, their first restaurant meal of this scale, and most importantly, their first feeling of being celebrated by an entire community.”

The day ended with the children returning home carrying gifts, memories, and the warmth of a city that opened its heart to them. The collaboration between individuals and organisations transformed a simple outing into a Christmas they will remember for years.

The post Celebrating Christmas Spirit: With Love NGO’s Joyful Day Out for 40 Special Children appeared first on NRI News.

Epiphany School serves children from some of Pune’s most marginalized communities –  young students who grow up amidst poverty, crime, alcoholism, and unstable home environments. Despite their circumstances, these children arrive at school each day with immense resilience and the hope of a brighter future.

As part of the celebration, the children were invited to experience a restaurant outing for the first time in their lives. Santé Spa Cuisine hosted them with warmth and joy, offering a generous South Indian buffet and a guided tour of the restaurant, along with interactions with the entire team.

A highlight of the event was a tote-bag painting workshop based on the Seven Chakras, conducted by Aashray Retreats × Arty Aura. This creative activity beautifully reflected Santé’s philosophy of inner balance, wellness, mindfulness, and energy alignment.

Founder Sonal Barmecha shared, “Chakras are the centre of our inner universe, and when they align, life shifts from resistance to flow. Clarity sharpens, intuition strengthens, and manifestations come naturally. At Santé, inner balance is at the heart of everything we do. Celebrating our milestone with children who deserve love, dignity, and joy felt truly meaningful.”

To make the day even more special, Sonal gifted school supplies to all the children – a gesture that brought immense excitement and warmth. Epiphany School Principal, Sangeeta Kadam, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity and for the exposure given to her students.

Founder of With Love NGO, Dimple Somji, shared, “Our foundation serves as a bridge between hearts  –  uniting givers and receivers, compassion and action. Being a bridge is not only hard work; it is heart-work.”

Through this collaboration, Santé Spa Cuisine reaffirmed its commitment not just to wholesome food and wellbeing, but also to inclusivity, compassion, and community upliftment.

The post Celebrating 10 Years of Santé Spa Cuisine appeared first on NRI News.

Available globally on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, “Learn with Bheem” offers a curated set of learning modules that aim to make early education more accessible, interactive, and enjoyable for young learners. The app has been developed with input from educators and child development experts, ensuring that its content aligns with early learning goals across key developmental areas such as language, numeracy, creativity, memory, logic, and problem-solving.

Each learning path within the app is age-based, designed to evolve with the child’s cognitive and motor skills. For children aged 2 – 3, the app introduces foundational concepts such as colors, shapes, alphabets, and numbers through simple puzzle games and activities led by Mighty Little Bheem. The 4 – 5 age group focuses on early math and language building, exploring concepts like addition, subtraction, and memory enhancement through interactive stories featuring Chhota Bheem and Chutki. Children aged 6 – 7 can advance to more complex tasks such as crosswords, time-telling, and creative play modules like dress-up and room decoration, while the 8 + category features logic puzzles, quick math, and knowledge quizzes, alongside strategy-based games such as cricket and basketball.

‘Learn with Bheem’ follows a B2C model and is available under ads and in-app purchase options. Users can also opt for monthly or yearly subscription plans to access an ad-free experience and premium learning content. The app is built around a child-safe digital environment, ensuring that children can explore and learn without exposure to inappropriate or intrusive content.

Speaking on the launch, Rajiv Chilaka, Founder and CEO of Green Gold Animation, said, “With ‘Learn with Bheem,’ we wanted to extend the world of our characters beyond entertainment and into education. For nearly two decades, Chhota Bheem and his friends have inspired values like friendship, courage, and curiosity. This app builds on that emotional connection, allowing children to learn in a setting that feels safe, familiar, and enjoyable. The goal is to make early learning more holistic – balancing knowledge with creativity and play.”

Beyond entertainment, the app reflects Green Gold’s intent to contribute to early childhood learning through engaging, locally relevant content. It emphasizes active participation over passive viewing, encouraging children to interact, experiment, and solve problems through guided play.

The app’s release underscores Green Gold Animation’s continued evolution from a homegrown animation studio into a cross-platform content creator and innovator. Having shaped the landscape of Indian children’s entertainment through television, films, and digital content, the company is now extending its reach into interactive learning experiences designed for the next generation of young audiences.

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From being the Chief Guest at LPF’s very first award function in 1996 to exactly 30 years later, she called it an ‘Inspiring Journey’. In 1996, she was concerned whether the Foundation would survive even for ten years, and if it did, she would return as the Chief Guest & she did in 2005 & also said that now she is confident that the Foundation will successfully run forever. Today, her presence was not only an inspiration to the young scholars but also a testament to continuity, resilience & the power of keeping faith in the vision & mission of the Foundation.

Freny Tarapore, Shernaz Edibam, Maya Thadani (shared video message) & Firoz Poonawalla, LPF’s Founder Trustees, graced the event with their presence & each one of them spoke, making the event truly memorable.

Dr. Bedi released the souvenir on the occasion of LPF’s 30 years of Excellence & Mr. Poonawalla presented it to her & spoke about its significance, “This wall clock is a symbol of ever-running & ever-growing Lila Poonawalla Foundation, and I am happy to gift it to you on the occasion of the Foundation’s 30th anniversary.”

The presence of Members of the LPF Board of Trustees, together with several of the 1996 (first) batch Girls, some joining the celebration in person and others sharing their heartfelt video messages, added a truly special touch to the event. The continued guidance of the Trustees, constant support from Individuals, Charity Partners, Trainers, Alumni, Well-wishers, and the dedicated office team are the reasons why LPF was able to bring this transformative change in the lives of thousands of girls.

Apart from that, LPF’s several Corporate Partners, without whom this journey of growth & impact wouldn’t be possible, marked their presence at the event. They not just supported financially but also contributed to the holistic development of Girls through conducting volunteering programs, industrial visits, placement drives & by providing constant mentorship & guidance.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Bedi shared, “ I am feeling proud to return as the Chief Guest in the 30th year of the Foundation. Three decades ago, when I came, there were just 20 girls, and now LPF is a family of more than 18,000, which reminds me of the strength that you LILA Girls have. The responsibility lies on your shoulders, run this movement for many, many years & decades”.

Reflecting on the journey, Ms. Lila Poonawalla said, “Our mission has always gone beyond scholarships. It is about nurturing confident, capable, and compassionate women leaders of tomorrow & I thank you all who have believed in this mission and walked with us.”

Over the years, LPF has grown beyond Pune and operates in five additional regions: Wardha, Amravati, Nagpur, Hyderabad & Bengaluru. It expanded the scholarship programs to support not only Post-graduation & undergraduate, but it also launched a program for School Girls 2morrow 2gether’ across various streams.

As LPF marks 30 years of impact, the Foundation now looks ahead to positively transform the lives of nearly 25,000 financially challenged girls by 2030, impacting not only the girls but also their families & the communities they live in.

The post Dr. Kiran Bedi’s Inspiring Presence at the 30th Lila Poonawalla Foundation appeared first on NRI News.

The newly redesigned website provides an immersive glimpse into the life and works of R.K. Laxman, capturing the inspirations and influences that shaped him into one of India’s most iconic artists.

The Children’s Art Book, released alongside, features a collection of R.K. Laxman’s original sketches created for the children’s books authored by his wife, Kamala Laxman. Known for her engaging storytelling, Kamala wrote many beloved works for children, including the much-celebrated Tenali Raman series, which later gained national fame through its televised adaptation on Doordarshan in the early 1980s.

The event also welcomed school children from Elpro International School, who were given a chance to engage with the sketches, discover the stories behind them, and draw inspiration from the creative legacy of R.K. and Kamala Laxman.

During the event, Usha Laxman shared one of her father’s timeless reflections on nurturing creativity: 

“Children should develop their skills in art, the urge for drawing and sketching is inborn in everyone, and all that one needs to become an artist is to develop a faculty of observation.”

Speaking on the occasion, Anand Chordia said, 

“R.K. Laxman’s art is not just about humor; it is about the power of observation and the courage to tell stories that matter. By relaunching this website and unveiling the Children’s Art Book, we hope to inspire the younger generation to observe, imagine, and create fearlessly, just as R.K. Laxman did.”

The occasion brought together admirers of R.K. Laxman’s work, literature enthusiasts, and community members, celebrating not only the artistic genius of the legendary cartoonist but also the literary legacy of Kamala Laxman.

For more information and to explore R.K. Laxman’s journey, visit www.rklaxman.com.

The post Anand Chordia Unveils R.K. Laxman Website and Children’s Art Book for Kamala Laxman’s 100th Birthday appeared first on NRI News.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, was enacted with the noble intent of shielding children under 18 years of age from sexual abuse. For us, gynaecologists—particularly those engaged in adolescent health and high-risk obstetrics—this law is both a powerful ally and a serious responsibility. It challenges us to walk a tightrope between compassion and compliance, medical confidentiality and mandatory legal duty.

The Act criminalises all forms of sexual offences against children, including both penetrative and non-penetrative acts. Importantly, it makes reporting of such offences mandatory for everyone, including healthcare professionals. Not reporting a suspected or confirmed case of abuse is itself punishable under the law.

Where Medicine Meets the Law

In our clinics and emergency rooms, we often encounter children and adolescents who are vulnerable—those facing unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, or reproductive tract infections. In these moments, we’re not just doctors—we’re protectors, listeners, and sometimes the first and only support a young girl might have.

However, the POCSO Act leaves no room for discretion when it comes to reporting:

• All pregnancies in girls under 18
• All abortions involving minors
• Any suspicion of sexual abuse or exploitation

Even when a minor claims the relationship was consensual, the law treats it as statutory rape. This is where our biggest ethical challenge arises:

Mandatory Reporting vs Confidentiality

Adolescents often come to us scared and seeking help, sometimes in a consensual relationship and sometimes not. Under the Act, we are bound to report all such cases—even if the child or her family begs us not to. While our instinct as caregivers may be to protect the young patient’s privacy, we are also legally bound to inform the authorities.

This tight spot can erode the trust a young patient places in us, but it’s important we explain that our actions are rooted not in judgment, but in law.

Medico-Legal Examination and Consent

When abuse is suspected or disclosed, a medico-legal examination is often warranted. This, too, must be approached sensitively.

• For children under 12, consent must be taken from a parent or guardian.
• For those between 12 and 18, the minor’s assent and the parent’s consent are both needed.
• If a child resists or refuses, we must respect that—unless there’s a specific court directive.

Respectful communication, gentleness, and having a trusted female attendant during the examination go a long way in reducing trauma.

Teen Pregnancy: A Legal and Emotional Challenge

Teenage pregnancies come with layers of complexity. Even if the relationship was consensual, the pregnancy of a minor is automatically treated as a case under POCSO.

As gynaecologists, our approach must include:

• Offering non-judgmental, safe medical care
• Mandatory reporting to the local police or Child Welfare Committee
• Coordinating with legal guardians and authorities
• Providing mental health support to the child and family

Families often request silence, citing social stigma or rushing into marriage. But we must remind them—and ourselves—that failure to report is not an option. Section 21 of the Act makes it punishable.

What Can We Do as Gynaecologists?

• Be compassionate, always – Use gentle, age-appropriate language. Create a safe space.
• Know your legal duty – Be familiar with reporting protocols, coordinate with your hospital’s legal team, and document everything with care.
• Work as a team – Collaborate with child protection units, mental health professionals, and law enforcement as needed.
• Educate and counsel families – Explain the law and reassure them that reporting is for the child’s safety, not to shame them.

The Way Forward

The POCSO Act is a necessary legal tool. However, in its current form, it doesn’t always account for the grey areas—especially in the case of consensual relationships among older adolescents. Many medical professionals and child rights advocates are now calling for nuanced legal reforms.

Until then, we must continue to practice with both legal clarity and emotional intelligence. Because at the heart of this legislation—and the core of our profession—is the child. Her safety, her dignity, her voice.

Let us be that voice as well as the strength she needs when she feels most vulnerable.

The post The Intersection of the POCSO Act and Gynaecology appeared first on NRI News.

“Reign Williams Jr. has spent his life preparing to lead the family company, yet behind her achievements lies a haunting inner battle that leaves her questioning her place in the world. Ezra Hamilton, who was once the embodiment of joy, now isolates himself and refuses treatment as his illness consumes him. When their paths cross at the hospital, Reign and Ezra find unexpected solace in each other’s struggles.”

This is the 17-year-old author’s second fictional book. Her first book, ‘Trapped’ was released in 2021, when she was just 13. And penning ‘Sincerely’, she started a few months after her first novel was released. “The concept had been on my mind for a while, but it was during a quieter moment in my life that the characters and story began to take shape. It started as a fleeting thought and slowly grew into something much bigger”, shares Soumya.

From ideation to final publication, Sincerely took around four years. And in 2024, Soumya was ready with her novel and signed up with Austin Macauley Publishers and wrote the final draft, followed by editorial revisions. The book was finally published in 2025.

Aparna Piramal Raje lauded Soumya for her achievement of starting her journey as an author so early in life. “Normally, an author would debut in their 30s, some even in their 20s, but it’s very rare for a teenager to do it, that too her second book. And she has chosen a very serious theme, where the main protagonist is dealing with mental health challenges and another battling cancer, and both meet at the hospital. Not exactly the kind of scene that Gen Z would be associated with. Remarkably, she has delved deep into these issues at such a young age”, she said in admiration.

So what was the inspiration that led her to weave this story? “The inspiration came after a few close family members were diagnosed with cancer. Watching their journey opened me up to the reality of loss and grief, and how fragile life is. It made me think about how we love, how we grieve, and how deeply illness tests the bonds we take for granted. I wanted to explore the way two people can be tethered by pain, yet still find beauty and strength in each other”, she reveals.

The plot, characters, and dialogues are fictional and born purely from her imagination, but the emotions running through the story are deeply personal. Every feeling stems from real moments she has lived or observed. While the events themselves aren’t drawn from real life, the emotional truths behind them are, making Sincerely a compelling read!

The author’s two fictional novels are completely different in tone and genre. ‘Trapped’ was a fast-paced murder mystery – plot-driven, suspenseful, and rooted in unraveling secrets. ‘Sincerely, ’ on the other hand, is much quieter and more reflective. It explores grief, love, and human connection and is very character-driven. “I’ve realized that my writing often mirrors whatever I’m reading at the time, and during this period, I was drawn to slower, more introspective narratives. The shift felt natural”, sums up Soumya, who is a complete bookaholic and has a passion for reading fictional books and a voracious appetite for them.

The 330-page book is published by Austin Macauley. The Kindle edition is priced at Rs. 400, and the Paperback is priced at Rs. 1100 and is available on Amazon.

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On 26th June 2025, doctors from Sahyadri Hospital participated in the “Planting HOPE, Growing Health” initiative by planting trees at the Ramdhara Shiv Temple in Uruli Kanchan. This effort aims to contribute to environmental health and create a lasting impact on the community. Furthermore, on 24th June 2025, a group of doctors came together to support Snehavan, an NGO dedicated to helping children aged 6 to 16 who have lost their earning parents. This initiative highlights the hospital’s commitment to helping vulnerable children build a better future.

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