In a city where tradition and transformation often collide, Art Junction at The Lalit New Delhi has carved out a unique identity as one of the capital’s most inclusive cultural spaces. This June, it strengthens that reputation with Unboxed, a bold Pride Month exhibition celebrating queer art and voices from across India. Curated by Praveen Mahta, Unboxed is more than just an art show — it’s an intimate, unapologetic journey into the identities, struggles, and triumphs of LGBTQIA+ artists. Running through June, the exhibition gives centre stage to works that too often remain on the fringes. As Mahta says, “This is not just about art, this is about being allowed to take up space.” The show features a diverse mix of emotionally charged canvases, surreal depictions of love and loss, and raw reflections on gender fluidity — each piece radiating honesty and urgency. Taking things further, Padma Shri awardee Naresh Kapuria led a special workshop for participating queer artists, helping them refine their techniques and deepen their creative confidence, underscoring Art Junction’s mission to nurture talent, not just display it. The impact is already visible. Several artworks have found buyers through the platform — a breakthrough moment for many of these emerging artists. In a remarkable gesture, The Lalit has chosen not to take any commission from these sales. As Akshay Tyagi, DEI Head at The Lalit, put it, “It’s about giving these artists a stage they’re so often denied. It’s a living, breathing tribute to our philosophy of #PureLove — where diversity isn’t a theme, but a daily practice.” Art Junction has long championed inclusive and accessible curation. From showcasing women artists and neurodiverse creators to supporting rural artisans and survivors of marginalisation, the gallery has consistently offered more than just wall space — it provides visibility, validation, and a voice. This vision is deeply supported by Keshav Suri, Executive Director of The Lalit and Founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation, who continues to steer the brand as a beacon of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in hospitality. As India steadily builds its dialogue around dignity, identity, and rights, Art Junction remains a vital space — not only for art, but for authenticity and hope. Unboxed runs until June 30, 2025, at Art Junction, The Lalit New Delhi. Entry is free. Come for the art. Stay for the revolution.

Pawan Gupta is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Wedding Company, a brand that's redefining how dream weddings come to life. Known for blending creativity with breathtaking destinations, Pawan and his team design unforgettable celebrations that truly stand out. What started as “Weddings by Betterhalf” has now rebranded into The Wedding Company, a move that reflects their growing vision and premium service offering. With an impressive 10X growth in just a year and a bold goal to scale to $10 million in services by 2025, the platform is making wedding planning more convenient, transparent, and luxurious than ever before. In this conversation, Pawan opens up about the journey of TheWeddingCompany.com, its operations, and what goes into making every wedding truly memorable. 1. As a tech entrepreneur transitioning into luxury wedding planning, what inspired the creation of TheWeddingCompany.com, and how do you see technology fundamentally reshaping the hospitality and wedding ecosystem in India? While building our earlier matchmaking platform, Betterhalf, which grew to over 5–10 lakh monthly users, we noticed something interesting. Many of our users who found their partners on the platform started asking for reliable recommendations for wedding planning. That’s when the idea for The Wedding Company really began to take shape. We started by organizing weddings locally in Bangalore, and quickly saw a bigger gap in the industry. Traditional wedding planners weren’t always affordable or accessible to middle and upper-middle-class families. Yet, these customers still wanted dependable, transparent, and hassle-free services. India is now going through a big shift, moving from a mostly offline, fragmented wedding planning process to a more organized, tech-driven experience. We see this in three main stages: Pre-wedding planning, with tools like automated proposals and budgeting, Wedding planning, powered by a user-friendly product and solid operational control and Event fulfilment, with experienced on-ground teams guided by centralized planning. Technology is truly at the heart of all this. It brings consistency, scale, and personalization in a way that traditional wedding planning just can’t match. 2. With a 10X growth trajectory and $10M in services projected, how are you building operational excellence and service consistency across 50+ Indian cities and international destinations like Bali and Phuket?  Our ability to scale comes down to one core strength, our proprietary software infrastructure at The Wedding Company. It’s been built specifically to serve three key groups: our customers, our internal operations team, and our supplier network. This system helps us streamline workflows, maintain quality standards, and cut down on repetitive, manual tasks. We’re also investing in curated supplier catalogues to offer standardized service experiences, while still leaving room for customization and personal touches. For customers, this means access to trusted vendors, great value deals, and real-time updates throughout their planning journey. For our vendor partners, it brings steady business and a reliable demand pipeline and for our internal teams, it provides the operational strength to deliver smooth and high-quality experiences, whether it's in a bustling metro or a destination like Bali or Phuket. 3. Weddings are deeply emotional and culturally rooted, how does TheWeddingCompany.com strike the right balance between standardization through technology and personalization at scale? We’ve designed the experience with both structure and soul in mind. It works through two layers: First, we have a centralized customer experience system. This part ensures everything runs smoothly and consistently, from transparent pricing and digital contracts to planning checklists and milestone tracking. It brings reliability and clarity to the process. Then comes the local planning and fulfilment team, which adds the human touch. These teams are familiar with regional cultures, languages, rituals  and even the little things that vary from venue to venue. They help personalize the celebration in ways technology alone can’t. Together, this approach helps us stay efficient and scalable while still making every wedding unique, emotional, and true to the couple’s traditions. 4. What role does hospitality play in curating seamless experiences not just for the couple, but also for guests, families, and vendors across multi-day destination events? Hospitality is at the heart of everything we do. In Indian weddings, especially destination ones, the guest experience is absolutely crucial. It can truly make or break the entire event. That’s why we train our teams not just in execution, but in thinking hospitality-first. From the moment guests arrive, every detail matters, welcome kits, airport pickups, smooth room allocations, personalized itineraries,  we try to make each touchpoint feel special. This mindset also extends to our vendor partners. We treat them like collaborators, not just service providers. When they feel valued and supported, it reflects in the quality and warmth of the overall experience. 5. What strategic considerations went into rebranding from Weddings by Betterhalf to TheWeddingCompany.com, and how has it impacted your positioning in the luxury wedding market? The rebranding was a thoughtful, strategic move to boost brand recall and appeal to a wider audience. While “Weddings by Betterhalf” made sense as an extension of our matchmaking brand, it didn’t fully connect with luxury clients or key influencers like parents and relatives who often play a big role in wedding decisions. “The Wedding Company” felt like the right evolution, it’s simple to say, easy to share, and carries a premium yet approachable tone. It also positions us as a category-defining brand in the tech-enabled wedding space. This new identity has helped us engage both middle-class and luxury clients more effectively and establish a stronger foothold in the market.  6. How are you leveraging data and AI to enhance vendor matchmaking, guest management, and real-time planning efficiencies—especially in comparison to traditional wedding planners? We’ve built AI-driven tools that make the entire planning process smarter, faster, and more personalized. For example, our venue booking system matches wedding dates with live venue availability and pricing trends. This helps couples make quick, informed decisions without all the back-and-forth. Our Wedding Ideabook uses image clustering and machine learning to recommend decor ideas that align with each couple’s style, budget, and regional preferences and for vendor matchmaking, we analyze past reviews, timelines, and areas of expertise to pair clients with the most suitable partners, making the entire process smoother and more reliable. Unlike traditional planners who depend on intuition or small networks, our approach is powered by data. That means better fit, faster planning, and a much more seamless experience for everyone involved. 7. With increasing demand for global wedding destinations, how is TheWeddingCompany.com fostering partnerships with international hotels and hospitality brands to deliver authentic yet localized Indian wedding experiences abroad? We’re already seeing strong momentum in destinations like Thailand, Bali, and Phuket. The key to success abroad lies in building reliable networks with suppliers who truly understand Indian weddings, from décor and food to rituals and music. We work closely with these partners and even arrange on-ground recce visits with our customers. This helps ensure everything, from picking the venue to finalizing the décor goes smoothly and stays true to Indian traditions. Since many of our clients are based in Indian metro cities, we start with local planning support and then bridge the gap by coordinating with execution partners abroad. This approach creates a seamless, end-to-end experience that feels both global and deeply personal.

In the ever-evolving hospitality education space in India, one name stands out, Prosenjit Chandra, the dynamic Director of Federal Institute of Hotel Management (FIHM), Noida. With over 17 years of experience spanning the hotel industry and academia, Chandra is a leading voice in shaping how future hospitality professionals are trained. From the kitchens of Taj Group of Hotels to the classrooms of reputed institutions like IAM Hotel School Kolkata and IHM-RIG Greater Noida, his journey has been a blend of operational expertise and academic innovation. What distinguishes Chandra is his ability to merge theoretical knowledge with real-world application—through industry-integrated curriculum, hands-on training, and student mentorship. Under his leadership, FIHM Noida has adopted a forward-thinking academic model. Students here don’t just attend lectures—they engage in live kitchens, banquets, international food festivals, and leadership events. He also ensures faculty development aligns with global standards and emerging hospitality trends, including AI in hospitality, sustainability, and culinary entrepreneurship. A certified instructor from AHLEI and a life member of the Indian Culinary Forum (ICF), Chandra brings global credibility to Indian hospitality education. His early life interest in structure, creativity, and culture led him to earn degrees in Hotel Management, Tourism Management, and Business Administration, forming a strong foundation for his career. His professional journey includes: Front Office & F&B Operations at Taj Hotels Professor & HOD at IAM Kolkata Academic Leader at IHM-RIG, Greater Noida Director – Academics at FIHM Noida He is also a Certified Entrepreneurship Educator from the National Entrepreneurship Network under the Wadhwani Foundation, furthering his mission to promote hospitality-based startups. At FIHM, his contributions include: Introducing international certifications and hybrid learning formats Hosting celebrity chefs and hospitality leaders for student exposure Creating internship channels with top hotel brands Judging major culinary events like India Ka HomeChef 2.0 Students trained under him have joined renowned brands such as Taj, Marriott, IHG, Oberoi, and have launched cloud kitchens, bakeries, and event planning ventures. His digital presence is active and inspiring: LinkedIn: Professional thought leadership and student achievements Instagram (@chefsunlimited): Creative culinary journey and mentorship moments Twitter (@chefprosen): Commentary on food, education, and trends His leadership philosophy is rooted in empowerment through education. He champions a future where skill-based learning, innovation, and global perspectives are central. He’s vocal about improving public perception of hospitality careers and frequently speaks on bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry demands. Looking ahead, Chandra envisions: FIHM becoming internationally accredited Global culinary webinars & exchange programs Launch of research divisions for food innovation and sustainable tourism Recognized by multiple bodies, including the Indian Culinary Forum, his influence goes beyond awards—it lives on in the students he mentors, the faculty he uplifts, and the institutions he strengthens. Prosenjit Chandra is not just an academician; he is a builder of futures. Through education rooted in excellence, he is steering Indian hospitality to a more innovative, inclusive, and impactful path.

Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, has reached a brand valuation milestone of $1.1 billion, marking an impressive 34% year-on-year growth, as revealed in the 2025 airline brand rankings by Brand Finance. This remarkable surge underscores the airline's strategic evolution and rising stature in global aviation. Saudia now ranks 32nd globally in brand value among airlines, a notable leap since its debut in the Top 50 list in 2021 with a valuation of $506 million. In just four years, the brand has more than doubled in value, thanks to focused efforts in fleet enhancement, guest experience, and innovative initiatives. The airline’s recent order of 105 Airbus aircraft highlighted its commitment to fleet modernisation and capacity expansion. At home, Saudia grabbed attention with BLVD Runway, a creative aviation-meets-entertainment concept aimed at engaging domestic travellers. Globally, Skytrax honoured Saudia as the 'World’s Most Improved Airline' in 2024, a nod to its operational excellence and growing global presence. The airline has also maintained strong On-Time Performance (OTP) and received accolades for enhancing passenger experiences. Commenting on this achievement, Khaled Tash, Chief Marketing Officer, Saudia Group, said: “Achieving a brand value of $1 billion is a testament to our strategic initiatives and operational excellence, as well as the unwavering trust and loyalty of our guests. At Saudia, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in aviation, ensuring that every journey with us is a step towards excellence.” With this milestone, Saudia continues to strengthen its global positioning and reaffirm its role as a key player in the Kingdom’s ambitious aviation growth story.