The Embassy of France in India, the French Institute in India, Reliance Industries Limited, the United Nations in India and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode will collaborate on the 2026 edition marking the India France Year of Innovation
Category: International
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Indo French fashion innovation initiative to feature special R Elan Circular Design Challenge edition
A special Indo French edition of the R Elan Circular Design Challenge will be organised in 2026 as part of the India France Year of Innovation. The initiative is being developed through a collaboration between the Embassy of France in India, the French Institute in India, Reliance Industries Limited, the United Nations in India and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
The 2026 edition reflects a shared objective between France and India to deepen cooperation in sustainable fashion and creative innovation. The partnership draws on France’s established global influence in fashion and the increasing presence of Indian designers on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. The collaboration follows the exhibition Textile Matters Woven stories between India and France, which concluded in Paris earlier this year and highlighted cross cultural influences between the two countries.
The collaboration will culminate in the international finale and fashion showcase of the R Elan Circular Design Challenge. The showcase is scheduled to take place during Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI in Delhi in October 2026, with the Embassy of France in India hosting the event.
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Global Spotlight on Educate Girls as Magsaysay Honour Recognises 30,000-Village Education Model
Over 20 lakh girls enrolled across 30,000 villages in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as Educate Girls aligns with RTE, NEP and ULLAS to earn Asia’s top public service award.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s most prestigious public service recognition, has honoured Safeena Husain and her organisation Educate Girls for their transformative work in enrolling out-of-school girls in some of India’s most marginalised and educationally underserved regions.
Educate Girls has worked across more than 30,000 villages in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, mobilising over 20 lakh girls for school enrolment since 2007. The organisation’s model is deeply aligned with India’s Right to Education Act, the Samagra Shiksha programme, the National Education Policy and ULLAS, the government’s flagship volunteer-driven education initiative.The Ramon Magsaysay Award recognises outstanding contributions in areas of public service, social justice, and community leadership across Asia. The award is conferred after a rigorous nomination and review process that evaluates tangible and sustained impact in public welfare.
Educate Girls’ work is built on a community-led, door-to-door approach that identifies out-of-school girls, engages with families, and supports the return and retention of girls in schools. Its work has received wide support from state governments, district authorities and thousands of local champions and volunteers.Safeena Husain’s leadership has steered Educate Girls into becoming one of India’s most impactful educational movements, with a data-driven model that addresses both access and learning outcomes. The organisation has also been recognised for its scalable model, use of gender parity indices, and results-based funding frameworks.
Educate Girls has repeatedly demonstrated that large-scale enrolment and retention can be achieved in remote, patriarchal and socio-economically challenged regions by building trust and accountability at the grassroots. Its model uses local community-based volunteers called Team Balika, who work closely with schools, families and local authorities to bring lasting change.The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation noted that Safeena Husain and Educate Girls exemplify the transformative power of inclusive education and grassroots mobilisation. They described her work as a powerful example of how public participation, government collaboration, and unwavering commitment can redefine access to education.
The award ceremony will be held in Manila, the Philippines, on November 11, 2025, bringing international visibility to India’s community-driven education innovations.About the Ramon Magsaysay Award:
The Ramon Magsaysay Award celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership across Asia. Established in 1957, it honours individuals and organisations that have demonstrated impactful public service in areas such as government, education, health, rights, and the environment. Awardees are selected annually through a confidential global nomination process and rigorous evaluation.About Educate Girls:
Educate Girls is a non-profit organisation working to tackle gender inequality in education. Since 2007, it has operated in partnership with governments and communities to enrol and retain out-of-school girls in India’s most educationally backward regions. Its interventions cover over 30,000 villages and have impacted the lives of over 20 lakh girls through enrolment, remedial learning, and community engagement programmes.At Prittle Prattle News, we honor your dedication and inventiveness led by showcasing you in a positive light. Under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is committed to disseminating powerful narratives that raise awareness and motivate change. For more important stories, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
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India and the United States Advance Tech and Trade Ties at New York Roundtable Hosted by the Consulate General, Primus Partners and Meridian International
Held in New York City and hosted by the Consulate General of India with Primus Partners and Washington based Meridian International Center, the roundtable brought together senior leaders including Union Minister Smriti Irani, Primus Partners CEO Nilaya Varma, and global experts from academia and industry to drive the next phase of India and United States cooperation across innovation, clean energy, defense production, ethical artificial intelligence and talent mobility under the Mission 500 initiative
In a powerful demonstration of diplomatic momentum and strategic clarity, India and the United States have reaffirmed their shared commitment to co-develop and co-deliver outcomes in critical areas of global leadership. A high-level roundtable titled From Traction to Transaction: Bridging the Gap was hosted by the Consulate General of India in New York, with co-hosting support from Primus Partners and the Meridian International Center. The session drew influential voices from government, business, and academia to move beyond dialogue and accelerate real-world collaboration.
The roundtable was anchored in the broader vision of Mission 500, a bilateral effort to double India United States trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. From clean energy and AI to defense manufacturing and higher education, discussions reflected a maturing partnership with a focus on results.Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, offered a candid and forward-looking address during the session. She emphasized the need for bilateral trust built on mutual strength, not dependency. “India and the US don’t need a handshake. They need a steel frame of trust. A partnership grounded in shared ideals and respect for each other’s capabilities. Not one shaped by hierarchies of the past but focused on building a future of equal purpose,” she stated.
Nilaya Varma, Co-Founder and CEO of Primus Partners, echoed this sentiment with a delivery-oriented focus. “Talk is easy. What matters is turning ideas into impact. This dialogue was not just a gathering. It was a working session to move beyond plans and into execution,” he remarked.
Key sessions throughout the day focused on four strategic pillars:- Innovation and Deep Tech: Participants discussed how the two countries can jointly shape the global technology landscape through cooperation in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. There was strong alignment on the need to co-develop ethical standards in AI governance, rooted in democratic values and mutual accountability.
- Defense Collaboration and Manufacturing: Referencing the progress of the GE HAL jet engine co-production and the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), leaders called for new forms of bilateral industrial collaboration in defense and aerospace. Regulatory harmonization, joint R&D, and defense corridors were cited as key areas of near-term focus.
- Investment and Supply Chain Integration: Experts stressed the urgency of diversifying supply chains and enabling cross-border capital movement. This includes expanding digital infrastructure investments and aligning policies to facilitate joint ventures in priority sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, and renewables.
- Education, Talent, and Mobility: Policymakers and education leaders highlighted the importance of creating a sustainable India United States knowledge corridor. Proposals included expanded university partnerships, student exchange programs, and skills training focused on future industries.
The conversation on responsible technology drew strong interest, particularly around data sovereignty, ethical AI, and transparency in algorithmic systems. Both nations reaffirmed their role as democratic anchors capable of developing a tech architecture that respects human rights and safeguards national interests.
The roundtable’s outcomes also included renewed calls to establish permanent bilateral working groups focused on results, not rhetoric. Industry leaders advocated for mechanisms to accelerate pilot projects, public-private partnerships, and rapid policy prototyping.The participation of high-ranking academic voices from both countries further strengthened the call for a globally integrated approach to innovation. Delegates from leading universities in India and the United States discussed building dual-degree programs, research fellowships, and innovation sandboxes that would allow talent to move fluidly across borders while staying rooted in local context.
The event also served as a showcase of India’s expanding global engagement strategy. As both countries position themselves at the center of the future digital and industrial economy, the tone of the roundtable marked a shift from mutual admiration to mission-focused alignment.As India’s presence in global trade and tech expands, its collaboration with long-standing partners like the United States will be increasingly defined by mutual delivery. Rather than speaking of shared goals, the emphasis is now on shared accountability.
In that spirit, both sides concluded the dialogue with a commitment to meet again within the fiscal year to assess tangible progress on collaborative goals. The roadmap forward includes pilot projects in climate tech, new age manufacturing, and digital infrastructure, backed by joint capital and transparent governance frameworks.About Primus Partners
Primus Partners is one of India’s leading management consulting firms with presence across India, the United States, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Built on the philosophy of Idea Realisation, the firm bridges strategy and execution to deliver long-term impact in both the public and private sectors.
About Meridian International Center
Based in Washington, D.C., Meridian International Center is a non-profit diplomacy and global leadership institution that strengthens engagement between the United States and the world through leadership exchanges, dialogue programs and training for emerging global voices.About the Consulate General of India, New York
The Consulate General of India in New York represents the Government of India and works to promote trade, investment, culture, education and public diplomacy between India and the United States, with jurisdiction over several states in the U.S. Northeast.At Prittle Prattle News, we honor your dedication and inventiveness led by showcasing you in a positive light. Under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is committed to disseminating powerful narratives that raise awareness and motivate change. For more important stories, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Excellent Publicity Brings the Nayak Story to Life by Appointing 14-Year-Old Yug Parikh as CEO for a Day
To celebrate its 14th anniversary on 1st November 2025, advertising agency Excellent Publicity handed over its top seat to teenager Yug Parikh for a day, while announcing its transition into an ad-tech platform and launching a nationwide Student Entrepreneurship Program aimed at preparing young talent for careers in advertising and media
When most agencies turn 14, they usually mark the occasion with cake and company-wide thank you posts. Excellent Publicity chose something far more ambitious. It handed over the reins to a 14-year-old.
In a moment that echoed the energy of the film Nayak, Excellent Publicity invited teenager Yug Parikh to serve as CEO for a day. The symbolic move wasn’t just about headlines. It was a declaration that ideas have no age, and that the future of advertising belongs to the curious, the courageous, and the young.The one-day leadership handover was the centrepiece of the company’s 14th anniversary, celebrated on 1st November 2025. It also set the stage for Excellent Publicity’s next chapter as it shifts from being a leading media agency into a full-scale ad-tech platform. Alongside the CEO moment, the company announced a new national initiative aimed at students: the Student Entrepreneurship Program, which combines industry exposure with structured learning.
“At 14, you’re not old, you’re bold,” said Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder of Excellent Publicity. “We’re not just changing our colours or branding. We’re rethinking how we represent ourselves, our future, and who we build it with.”Yug Parikh, who took over the CEO chair for the day, sat in on leadership meetings, brainstormed with department heads, and led discussions on how brands can better engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Sharing his experience, he said, “It was exciting to sit in the CEO’s chair, but even more exciting to be taken seriously. At Excellent Publicity, I learned that imagination and courage matter more than age. Staying curious is how companies stay young.”
The initiative struck a chord not just with the agency team but with audiences and clients across the ecosystem. The post on LinkedIn went live under the hashtag #14YearsOfEP and sparked conversations about youth empowerment in creative industries.But the day wasn’t just about symbolism. It was also about structure. Excellent Publicity used the moment to unveil its Student Entrepreneurship Program, a hybrid model of webinars, workshops, and campaign-based learning modules. The goal is to introduce university students and early-stage entrepreneurs to the full spectrum of advertising not just digital marketing, but also offline media, sports and entertainment partnerships, OOH, and experiential formats that shape brand visibility at scale.
As younger generations often enter the industry with a social-media-first lens, Excellent Publicity aims to widen that perspective. By exposing them to real case studies, execution strategy, media planning and campaign measurement, the program will help participants learn how multi-channel advertising ecosystems actually function.The agency’s leadership believes this program is part of a larger transformation. After 14 years of building media plans for some of India’s fastest growing brands, Excellent Publicity is now developing tools and systems that will help brands and agencies plan, buy and measure campaigns in a faster and more data-driven way. The ad-tech evolution is already underway and will continue through 2026.
The 14-year milestone also marks a change in mindset. It’s not just about what the company has accomplished, but about who it wants to build with. Young talent. Student voices. Ideas that feel fresh because they come from a place of lived experience and native digital fluency.
As Excellent Publicity enters its 15th year, its message is clear: age is not a metric of caution, but a chance to start asking better questions. With new tools, new formats and a new generation of leaders entering the room, this agency is building for what comes next not just for what has always been.At Prittle Prattle News, we honor your dedication and inventiveness led by showcasing you in a positive light. Under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is committed to disseminating powerful narratives that raise awareness and motivate change. For more important stories, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.