National Award-winning actor and filmmaker Revathy has called on women to actively participate in social transformation by questioning injustice and speaking up for their rights and dignity at the 6th BSG Women's Symposium in Chennai.

Organised by Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG), the sixth edition of the symposium was held at The Music Academy, TTK Auditorium, on August 30 under the theme "The Century of Women Starts with Me: From Awareness to Action."

The symposium brought together women leaders and changemakers to discuss how women can translate awareness into meaningful action and contribute to social and economic progress. Discussions highlighted the role women can play in transforming families, workplaces, communities and society.

Welcoming participants, Rashi Ahuja, Director, Bharat Soka Gakkai, said that meaningful change begins when individuals take responsibility and turn awareness into action through consistent steps.

The symposium also featured real-life experiences demonstrating women's contribution to building a more equitable, compassionate and progressive society, aligning with India's broader ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Addressing the gathering, Revathy, actor, filmmaker and advocate for social causes, emphasised the importance of independent thinking and speaking up against injustice.

"I believe that questioning injustice and speaking up for one's dignity and rights is essential. Even if such ideas are met with resistance at first, they are the ones that ultimately drive meaningful social progress," she said.

Revathy also reflected on the role that independent thinking and social change have played in her own development, highlighting the importance of women developing the confidence to form their own perspectives and act on them.

Vedika Agrwal, Founder of Yein Udaan, an organisation working in education and child-focused development, said the symposium's emphasis on action closely reflected her own work and belief in creating positive opportunities for girls.

The discussions also highlighted the growing participation of women across India in self-help groups, entrepreneurship and community initiatives, signalling a shift away from traditional social structures that have historically limited women's roles.

Dr Kalpana Sankar, MD and CEO, Varashakti Housing Finance Ltd, and Co-Founder, Hand in Hand India, spoke about the importance of long-term and sustainable approaches to women's economic empowerment. She emphasised the value of perseverance and focusing on solutions that create lasting improvements in people's lives.

Concluding the message of the symposium, Dr Jaya Rao, Head – External Relations, Media & Sustainability, Bharat Soka Gakkai, said, "The century of women will not be shaped by awareness alone, but by the courage to translate conviction into action. When one woman takes a determined step forward, she can inspire change in her family, community, and society."

The 6th BSG Women's Symposium reinforced the idea that women's empowerment extends beyond awareness to participation, decision-making and action, with women positioned as important drivers of India's social and economic transformation.

About Bharat Soka Gakkai:

Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) works to promote happiness and peace through initiatives focused on peace, culture, education and sustainability. The organisation has more than three lakh members across 600 towns and cities in India, with women comprising more than 70 per cent of its membership.

Inspired by a philosophy centred on respect for all life, BSG has organised women's symposia since 2021 to highlight women's leadership, awareness and empowerment and their role as agents of social change.

McDonald's India – North and East celebrated Raksha Bandhan by turning real sibling stories into part of its festive brand communication, putting consumers at the centre of a campaign that moved from social media to real-world billboards.

Built around the idea that while people may find new friends and buddies later in life, their first buddy is often their sibling, the activation invited consumers to share their favourite stories and memories with their brothers and sisters.

The campaign encouraged fans to share moments reflecting the unique bond between siblings, from childhood memories and everyday mischief to the small experiences that have shaped their relationships over the years.

From the entries received, eight sibling stories were selected and brought to life across 16 McDonald's billboards across the North and East region.

The initiative transformed personal memories into public moments of celebration, giving selected consumers the opportunity to see their own sibling stories become part of McDonald's festive communication.

Rather than positioning consumers simply as an audience for a Raksha Bandhan campaign, the activation made them active participants in the storytelling. Their experiences became the creative content, allowing the campaign to establish a more personal connection with the festival.

The celebration was further supported by the McDonald's Buddy Meal, featuring two burgers, fries and two drinks starting at ₹119. Designed around shared occasions, the offering reinforced the campaign's central message of spending time with the person who has been a buddy from the very beginning.

By combining consumer-generated stories with outdoor advertising, McDonald's extended its Raksha Bandhan communication beyond conventional festive messaging and created a campaign that connected digital participation with physical brand experiences.

The activation also demonstrates how brands can use real consumer stories to create more relatable festive communication, while giving audiences a visible role in shaping the campaign itself.

Through the initiative, McDonald's India – North and East celebrated siblinghood by putting real stories, memories and relationships in the spotlight during Raksha Bandhan.

About McDonald's India – North and East:

McDonald's restaurants across North and East India are operated by Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. The company serves a range of menu options made with locally sourced ingredients and operates through multiple formats, including standalone restaurants, drive-thrus and 24/7 restaurants.

The business operates approximately 300 McDonald's restaurants and 200 McCafé outlets across North and East India and provides direct employment to more than 6,000 people.

Delhi's luxury hotel market is facing a sharp squeeze in room availability and rising tariffs ahead of the BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12-13 in the national capital.

With delegates and visitors expected to arrive ahead of the two-day Summit and extend their stays, demand is spreading across several days and putting additional pressure on hotel inventory, particularly in central Delhi.

A check of hotel booking platforms for September 11-13 showed no availability at Taj Mahal and Taj Palace in New Delhi, while The Oberoi, New Delhi, was sold out for parts of the period. The Leela Palace New Delhi was also not accepting bookings for the specified dates. At hotels where rooms were still available, including ITC Maurya, New Delhi and Shangri-La Eros New Delhi, tariffs were significantly higher, with some room rates running into six figures a night. The trend highlights the premium being placed on accommodation around the Summit.

The situation could affect tourists, business travellers and families who already have plans to visit Delhi during this period. Travellers may have to pay a higher premium for luxury properties, consider hotels farther from central Delhi, change their travel dates or look at more affordable accommodation options. The expected demand comes as India's hotel industry continues to look towards events-led travel and domestic demand to support business during a challenging period for international travel, including the impact of geopolitical tensions and the West Asia conflict.

"and, particularly in the days around the event, with shorter booking windows further supporting rate growth," Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director & COO, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group

He added that demand is expected to remain strong as the Summit gets closer, with more travellers likely to make last-minute bookings closer to the event dates. Large international and domestic events can create a concentrated demand for hotel rooms, meeting facilities and other hospitality services, particularly across the luxury and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segments.

For Delhi, the BRICS Summit is emerging as a major demand driver, with the strongest impact being seen at the upper end of the hotel market. Luxury room inventory in key business and diplomatic districts is relatively limited, making these properties more sensitive to sudden increases in demand.

However, the current room rates should not be treated as fixed market prices. Hotel tariffs and availability are dynamic and can change quickly based on bookings, cancellations and the release of additional inventory by individual properties.

Emails seeking comments from the hotels cited for availability and room tariffs remained unanswered till the time of publication. Room tariffs and availability are dynamic in nature and subject to change.