News Digest
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NBCC launches digital TA bill module to streamline employee reimbursements
National Buildings Construction Corporation NBCC (India) has taken another step forward in its digital-transformation journey with the launch of a new Travel Allowance (TA) Bill Module for its regular employees. The initiative is aimed at modernising internal administrative processes while improving efficiency, transparency and ease of access for employees. The newly-introduced module enables employees to [...] The post NBCC launches digital TA bill module to streamline employee reimbursements appeared first on HR Katha .
Google leans on returning talent to strengthen AI push in 2025
Google is increasingly turning to its former employees to meet rising demand for advanced artificial intelligence (AI)skills, with returning professionals making up a notable share of its AI hires in 2025. Nearly one-fifth of new recruits for critical AI roles this year are alumni who previously worked at the company, reflecting a deliberate shift in [...] The post Google leans on returning talent to strengthen AI push in 2025 appeared first on HR Katha .
Rediff gets NPCI approval for TPAP license, to launch RediffPay UPI app focused on financial wellness
Rediff.com India has received final approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for its Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) license, zthe way for the rollout of its digital payments platform, RediffPay. With this approval, the company has begun Closed User Group (CUG) testing, an essential step before entering the UPI ecosystem and is preparing to launch an UPI app built around financial-wellness-customer-centric UPI payment app designed to encourage saving, investing and access to credit. “This approval is a significant milestone for Rediff,” said Vishal Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Rediff.com India Ltd. “It enables us to extend secure, interoperable UPI services through RediffPay and advances our mission to broaden financial inclusion while delivering simple, intuitive digital payment experiences for users across India.” RediffPay aims to blend traditional UPI capabilities with a broader financial wellness and customer centric proposition. Beyond ...
SBI Mutual Fund sells Rs 216 crore stake in gaming company Nazara Technologies
SBI Mutual Fund has trimmed its holding in Nazara Technologies through large open-market bulk deals, even as the listed gaming major reported strong operating growth alongside a sharp profit swing amid regulatory-linked impairments. According to exchange data, SBI Mutual Fund sold a total of 90.09 lakh equity shares of Nazara on December 29, across both the NSE and BSE, at an average price of around Rs 240 per share. The combined transaction was valued at approximately Rs 216 crore. Prior to the sale, SBI Mutual Fund held about 5.78% of Nazara’s paid-up equity. Following the transaction, its stake declined by roughly 2.43 percentage points to about 3.35%. Earlier in 2025, Norges Bank, which manages Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, acquired 7.19 lakh shares of Nazara through bulk deals at an average price of around Rs 970 per share, valuing the purchase at close to Rs 70 crore. Separately, the estate of late investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala exited the company earlier in the year. The exit...
Telangana clears earned leave encashment for NIMS employees
In a significant relief for staff at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), the Telangana government has approved the encashment of earned leave, ending years of uncertainty around the benefit. The decision was formalised on Monday, 29 December, 2025, with the issuance of a government order, marking a long-awaited policy shift for employees of [...] The post Telangana clears earned leave encashment for NIMS employees appeared first on HR Katha .
CaratLane builds HR by asking what employees struggle with
Most fast-growing companies approach talent management predictably. As headcount expands, HR departments implement structured frameworks borrowed from larger organisations—standardised performance reviews, formal career paths, branded leadership programmes. Systems arrive to manage complexity that growth has created. CaratLane, a Tata-owned online and omnichannel jewellery retailer employing thousands across design, technology, retail, and manufacturing, claims a different [...] The post CaratLane builds HR by asking what employees struggle with appeared first on HR Katha .
Google now allows users to change their @gmail.com address, here is how to do it
Sundar Pichai-led technology giant Google has begun allowing users to change their @gmail.com email address while retaining the same account, data and services, according to an update to the company’s account help page . Under the change, users can replace their existing Gmail address with a new one without losing access to emails, files or subscriptions. Google said the original email address will continue to function as an alias, meaning messages sent to the old address will still be delivered to the same inbox. The old address will also remain valid for signing in to Google services such as Drive, Maps and YouTube. The updated guidance currently appears on Google’s Hindi-language support page, indicating that the rollout may be starting in India or other Hindi-speaking markets. The company said the feature is being introduced gradually and will expand to more users over time. Google has placed limits on the feature. Users can change their Gmail username only once every 12 months,...
Beatification: Elevating role models at work
What is beatification? Beatification, in HR terms, is the process of recognising and honouring employees who exemplify company values—elevating them as role models to inspire the wider workforce. By putting certain individuals on a pedestal, organisations signal what behaviours, achievements and attitudes they value most. The term comes from the Catholic Church, where beatification means [...] The post Beatification: Elevating role models at work appeared first on HR Katha .
OpenAI to hire head of preparedness; willing to pay $555,000 a year
A new role has opened up at OpenAI and it pays extraordinarily well. The job is that of ‘head of preparedness’. The selected candidate will be responsible for keeping in check the adverse effects of artificial intelligence (AI), including risk to mental health and cybersecurity. The salary? A whopping $555,000 per annum! The role offers [...] The post OpenAI to hire head of preparedness; willing to pay $555,000 a year appeared first on HR Katha .
Prateek Shrivastav is head-HR, PCB, R&D, organisation effectiveness COE, Unilever
Unilever has elevated Prateek Shrivastav to head-human resources, personal care business, R&D, and organisation effectiveness CoE. Till now, he was head HR, R&D, organisation effectiveness, workforce transformation and people analytics Shrivastav’s association with Unilever began 11 years ago when he joined as a management trainee under the Unilever Future Leaders Programme, back in May of [...] The post Prateek Shrivastav is head-HR, PCB, R&D, organisation effectiveness COE, Unilever appeared first on HR Katha .
India to host AI meet in February, invites China
Banks report 30% jump in fraud amount in Apr-Sep 2025: RBI
OneCard’s revenue jumps 32% to Rs 1,878 crore in FY25 as losses narrow
Mobile-first credit card startup OneCard is closing in on the Rs 2,000 crore revenue mark, even as it continues to rein in losses amid tighter regulatory scrutiny around co-branded cards. OneCard’s parent, FPL Technologies, reported operating revenue of Rs 1,878 crore in FY25, up 32% from Rs 1,425.5 crore in FY24, according to its financial statement sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC). Total revenue crossed Rs 1,900 crore during the year ended March 31, 2025. Founded in 2019, the company issues co-branded credit cards, largely targeted at first-time users, through partnerships with IDFC First Bank, Federal Bank and SBM Bank. It also operates OneScore, an app focused on credit score tracking and credit management. Revenue from these services remained the company’s sole source of income. Despite the growth, OneCard stayed loss-making, though cash burn eased. The company’s loss narrowed 26% to Rs 297.5 crore in FY25 from Rs 401 crore in FY24. Expenses rose 18% to Rs 2,206 cr...
November industrial growth surges to 6.7%, highest in 25 months
Mamaearth-parent Honasa co-founder Varun Alagh raises stake via Rs 50 crore block deal
Mamaearth parent Honasa Consumer Ltd said its co-founder and promoter Varun Alagh has increased his equity stake in the company through a block deal transaction. In a regulatory filing dated December 29, 2025, the company said Alagh acquired 18,51,851 equity shares, representing 0.57% of Honasa Consumer’s total share capital, at a price of Rs 270 per share. The transaction value aggregated to about Rs 50 crore. Following the acquisition, Alagh’s shareholding has risen to 10,55,82,701 equity shares, accounting for 32.45% of the company’s total share capital. The aggregate holding of the promoter and promoter group has increased to 11,56,48,401 equity shares, or 35.54% of the total share capital, the filing said. Honasa Consumer owns FMCG brands including Mamaearth and The Derma Co. The stake increase comes shortly after the company’s strategic entry into the men’s grooming segment through the acquisition of South India-focused brand Reginald Men . Honasa picked up a 95% stake in BTM ...
Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto delivery partners to go on strike again on December 31; Union says, 'Picture abhi baaki hai'
Delivery partners working with major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Zepto , Blinkit , Amazon and Flipkart have announced a nationwide strike on December 31, 2025, renewing pressure over same set of demands. The proposed strike follows a similar nationwide protest held on Christmas Day, December 25, when nearly 40,000 delivery workers participated, disrupting an estimated 50-60% of deliveries in several cities. Worker groups said the renewed action is aimed at intensifying their campaign as conditions in the gig economy continue to worsen. The December 31 protest has been called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union in coordination with the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers. “All-India strike today was just the trailer. Picture abhi baaki hai – 31 Dec, 2025,” the union wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 🚨 All-India Strike Today was just the trailer. 🎬 Picture abhi baaki hai – 31 Dec, 2025 Delivery workers will not bow to ID blocking, threats and ...
Government pushes integrated skilling framework to build India’s AI-ready workforce
The Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, has underlined the need for closer collaboration between government, industry, academia and training institutions to strengthen India’s artificial intelligence (AI) talent pipeline. He highlighted that India’s skilling ecosystem must evolve rapidly to keep pace with technological change while remaining inclusive and future-ready. Chairing a high-level [...] The post Government pushes integrated skilling framework to build India’s AI-ready workforce appeared first on HR Katha .
Salesforce clarifies workforce rebalancing amid debate on AI replacing jobs
As technology companies continue to reassess workforce strategies amid rising investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure, questions around the realistic limits of automation are becoming more pronounced. Salesforce, which recently found itself at the centre of a debate on AI-driven job cuts, has now issued a clarification to address reports suggesting it replaced thousands of employees [...] The post Salesforce clarifies workforce rebalancing amid debate on AI replacing jobs appeared first on HR Katha .
Job offers at IIT Delhi top 1,275 by December
IIT Delhi students have received 1,275 job offers during the ongoing placement season. This includes over 300 pre-placement offers, a significant increase from last year. Many top companies have extended multiple offers. Students have also secured more than 35 international placements.
US Business owner shares Rs 2,155 crore windfall with employees after company sale
An American entrepreneur has drawn global attention after sharing a significant portion of his company’s sale proceeds with employees, turning a corporate exit into a life-changing moment for hundreds of workers. Graham Walker, former chief executive of electrical equipment enclosure maker Fibrebond, distributed bonuses worth nearly Rs 2,155 crore ($240 million) among around 540 employees [...] The post US Business owner shares Rs 2,155 crore windfall with employees after company sale appeared first on HR Katha .