The festive season has officially arrived in Noida with a spectacular new attraction. DLF Mall of India has unveiled India’s first-ever 33-foot Longines Christmas Tree, a grand installation that has instantly become the most visited and photographed spot in the mall.

Placed at the heart of the atrium, the glowing installation has filled the space with warmth, colour and festive charm. Ever since its reveal, families, children, and young visitors have been gathering around the tree to take photos and videos, making it one of the most widely shared festive highlights on social media this year. The Longines Christmas Tree is already being celebrated as Noida’s newest ‘Christmas Photo Point’.

The installation will stay open throughout Christmas and New Year, ensuring visitors can enjoy the festive vibe all season long. The mall is also hosting multiple engagement activities including BTS videos, user-generated content drives, and fun interactions to keep the celebrations lively and inclusive.

Sharing his thoughts on the overwhelming response, Shibli Khan, Vice President & Cluster Head, DLF Mall of India, said, “Christmas naturally brings people closer, and we wanted to create something that truly reflects that spirit. The Longines Christmas Tree has given our visitors a festive, welcoming space to enjoy the season. The response has been heartwarming, and it's wonderful to see how much joy this installation has brought to the community.”

As part of this special collaboration, Longines and DLF Mall of India have curated an elevated festive experience that blends luxury, design, and seasonal charm. The installation showcases Longines’ timeless elegance while reinforcing the mall’s reputation for partnering with premium global brands to create memorable festive celebrations.

With its glowing design and immersive festive setting, the Longines Christmas Tree has quickly emerged as the highlight of Noida’s holiday season—drawing large footfalls and becoming the go-to spot for capturing festive memories.

India celebrates a proud sporting milestone as Ashish Limaye, trained and supported by Embassy International Riding School (EIRS), clinches the country’s first-ever individual gold in eventing at the Asian Equestrian Championships. Riding his trusted partner Willy Be Dun, Limaye topped the table with an impressive score of 29.4, marking one of the biggest achievements for Indian equestrian sport in decades.

This historic win makes him the first Indian rider to secure an individual continental gold since 1982, a moment that has brought tremendous pride to the equestrian community.

Adding to the glory, Team India, featuring Ashish Limaye, Shashank Kanumuri, and Shashank Kataria—secured the silver medal with a combined score of 121.8, finishing just behind Thailand.

Speaking after his emotional win, Ashish shared, “It has been a long journey, but today it all seems worth it. Especially after the last Asian Games when I was leading and had a blank moment – it felt like I let everyone down. Today, this feels like a redemption. I am glad that Jitu Virwani, the Embassy Group, and Silva Storai of Embassy International Riding School still believed in me and my efforts. It takes a village to get here, and it's not just my effort... My family, my trainers – Carola Bierlein and Jerome Robine – and everyone that was a part of it directly or indirectly got us this medal... and on top of the list is my horse WILLY BE DUN!”

Embassy International Riding School (EIRS), under the leadership of Jitu Virwani, Chairman, Embassy Group, has played a pivotal role in Ashish’s journey. The school has consistently invested in world-class training, international exposure, and all-round rider development.

Silva Storai, Director at EIRS, highlighted his dedication and the team effort behind the win, appreciating the discipline and grit that brought this historic moment to India.

Ashish Limaye’s victory stands as a major inspiration for young riders across the country and reinforces India’s growing presence in global equestrian sport.

India’s leading hospitality entrepreneurs and short-term rental professionals have announced the launch of ISTHA (Indian Short-Term Rental Host Association), the country’s first national platform dedicated to the short-term rental and alternative accommodation sector. With India seeing strong growth in homestays, boutique stays, serviced apartments, vacation rentals, guesthouses, B&Bs, and experiential accommodations, the industry has long operated without a unified structure or representation. ISTHA has been created to address this gap.

Speaking about the launch, Mr Gaurav Marwah, President of ISTHA, said that India’s short-term rental segment has expanded faster than traditional models but remains largely unorganised. He shared that ISTHA aims to build a credible and structured voice for hosts and operators with a focus on quality, compliance, and community. The platform will work to standardise documentation, hosting practices, and operational frameworks across India while helping hosts with knowledge exchange, compliance support, and collaboration.

ISTHA’s mandate includes establishing best-practice standards for hosts and property managers, engaging with authorities for regulatory clarity, providing training programmes and certification, creating state and regional chapters, encouraging collaboration with OTAs, tourism boards and technology partners, and promoting responsible hosting, safety standards and guest trust across the ecosystem. “Our mission is not just to build a network, it is to build trust. Trust between hosts, guests, and policymakers. ISTHA will champion responsible hosting, safety norms, and a consistently high-quality guest experience nationwide,” added Mr. Gaurav Marwah.

ISTHA is structured as a federal, member-driven organisation led by professionals from hospitality, tourism, real estate, and property management. The leadership team includes:

• Gaurav Marwah, President: Airbnb Superhost and property management professional handling over 50 units across NCR and Jaipur, with active involvement in host representation and regulatory clarity.
  
  

• Tarun Arora, Treasurer: Hospitality entrepreneur with experience in real estate and budget accommodation, overseeing financial and membership operations.
  
  

• Priyanka M, General Secretary:  Hospitality and operations specialist managing communications, documentation and organisational development.
  

Several homestay owners, B&B operators, vacation rental hosts, and property managers from Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Coimbatore, Shimla, and Bengaluru have joined ISTHA during its founding phase. The association will soon introduce its first National Conclave, State Host Councils, and collaborations with OTAs, tourism boards, and technology partners.

About ISTHA (Indian Short-Term Rental Host Association)

ISTHA is a Section 8 non-profit industry body formed to represent India’s short-term rental, homestay, B&B, and alternative hospitality ecosystem. Its mission is to promote responsible hosting, support policy dialogue with authorities, provide training and resources for host development, and strengthen India’s position as a hub for flexible, experiential, and community-driven hospitality.