Swiggy Joins World Pickleball League as Team Mumbai Owner Ahead of Inaugural Season

Swiggy Joins World Pickleball League as Team Mumbai Owner Ahead of Inaugural Season

By Author

Published on November 26, 2024

Swiggy Ltd (NSE: SWIGGY), India's leading on-demand convenience platform, has officially entered the sports arena as the proud owner of Team Mumbai in the World Pickleball League (WPBL). Co-founded by former Indian tennis players Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, WPBL is India's first franchise-based global pickleball league, with its inaugural season scheduled from January 24 to February 2, 2025. Swiggy becomes the second team owner, following actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who owns the Chennai franchise.

Pickleball, a rapidly growing sport globally, is renowned for its accessibility across age groups and its appeal as both a recreational activity and lifestyle trend. With the first WPBL season set to be hosted in Mumbai, Swiggy's ownership of Team Mumbai positions the brand to connect deeply with the city’s sports and lifestyle enthusiasts. The league promises high-energy matches and an electrifying atmosphere as six teams compete to claim the championship title.

Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace, expressed the brand's excitement, saying, "Pickleball is a fun, easy-to-play sport that embodies community and joy – values Swiggy champions. With our partnership with WPBL and Team Mumbai, we aim to create a vibrant experience where families and friends come together for food, fun, and sport." This alignment with pickleball reflects Swiggy’s ethos of delivering happiness and connecting with consumers in innovative ways.

WPBL’s Co-Founder and CEO Gaurav Natekar added, "Having Swiggy as a Team Mumbai owner validates the league’s potential to become one of India’s premier sports events in the next few years. Swiggy’s involvement will amplify the sport's reach and foster community engagement, making pickleball a household name." With grassroots initiatives and collaboration with the All-India Pickleball Association, WPBL is poised to revolutionize pickleball in India, setting the stage for a lifestyle sport movement.


Kaapi Solutions Launches New Coffee Machines, Expands ‘Assembled in India’ Initiative

Kaapi Solutions Launches New Coffee Machines, Expands ‘Assembled in India’ Initiative

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on March 25, 2026

Kaapi Solutions has announced the launch of its new range of professional coffee machines, along with the expansion of its “Assembled in India” initiative. The move highlights the company’s focus on supporting the growing demand for quality coffee solutions across India.

The newly introduced machine portfolio includes MIRA from the House of CIME, Coffee Master 200 and CW01 from Dr Coffee, JL-37 from Jetinno, and My Espressino from the house of Kaapi Solutions. The range features espresso machines, automatic coffee machines, high performance blenders, and smart brewing systems designed for cafés, hotels, restaurants, and corporate offices.

Built with a focus on consistency, durability, and ease of use, these machines aim to help businesses scale their coffee operations with reliable and efficient equipment.

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“Our focus is to bring the best coffee machines for cafés and hospitality businesses while ensuring strong service support across India,” said Vikram Khurana, CEO at Kaapi Solutions. “This launch strengthens our position as a trusted partner for coffee machine solutions, barista training, and café consulting.”

As part of this expansion, Kaapi Solutions is also strengthening its “Assembled in India” initiative. Under this, select espresso machines and commercial coffee equipment will be assembled locally, helping improve after-sales service, faster installation, and easier maintenance. It also ensures better availability of spare parts and technical support.

By combining global technology with local assembly, the company aims to offer cost-effective solutions, reduce downtime, and meet the needs of India’s fast-growing coffee market.

Along with equipment, Kaapi Solutions also offers barista training programs, SCA-certified coffee training, and complete café setup consulting, supporting businesses in building and growing their coffee operations.

With this launch and initiative, Kaapi Solutions continues to strengthen its role in shaping India’s coffee ecosystem through a mix of equipment, training, and service support.


Palaniappa Electronics Enables Secure Hotel Operations with Samsung Knox for Hospitality

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on March 25, 2026

As hotels increasingly integrate digital tools to improve efficiency and guest experience, device security and controlled usage have become essential. Addressing this need, Palaniappa Electronics, a solutions expert and implementation partner for Samsung Knox in the hospitality sector, is enabling hotels to deploy secure, purpose-built tablets and smartphones designed exclusively for operational use.

At the reception desk, where speed and accuracy are critical, Samsung Knox allows tablets to be locked down to run only hotel-approved applications such as property management systems, ID scanning, billing, and guest registration. This prevents accidental access to social media, app stores, or system settings, resulting in faster check-ins, reduced errors, and a professional guest-facing interface while ensuring complete data security.

For operations, administration, and housekeeping teams, Knox-enabled smartphones help maintain focus on task management applications, room status updates, maintenance requests, and internal communication tools. By eliminating non-work apps and unnecessary notifications, hotels benefit from improved productivity, quicker response times, and stronger accountability, while also preventing misuse of company-owned devices.

In guest rooms, Samsung Knox-secured tablets function as dedicated hotel management system controllers. Guests can manage lighting, curtains, air conditioning, and in-room services through a simple interface, while the device remains protected from browsing, downloads, or tampering. This safeguards hotel assets, reduces replacement costs, and delivers a consistent, premium digital experience for guests.

Samsung Knox offers enterprise-grade security trusted globally, along with centralised device control and remote management capabilities. Hotels can enforce usage policies, push updates, and lock devices remotely, reducing IT overheads and minimising operational risks. The solution is scalable across single properties as well as multi-hotel portfolios, making it suitable for both independent hotels and large chains.

Palaniappa Electronics has established itself as a trusted name in hospitality-focused electronics, supporting hotels with solutions ranging from small requirements to large-scale deployments. With a strong focus on customer satisfaction and world-class brands, the company continues to help hospitality businesses create secure, efficient, and refined operational environments.

In a hospitality landscape where technology must function seamlessly and securely, Samsung Knox is emerging as a strategic advantage for hotels aiming to balance efficiency, security, and guest satisfaction.

For hotels facing challenges related to device misuse, data security, or operational inefficiencies, Palaniappa Electronics offers live proof-of-concept demonstrations tailored to specific hotel requirements.

For more details, contact: Palaniappa Electronics | Mr.Muthu @ 9003045685 or muthu@palaniappagroup.com


Karnataka Tourism Makes a Strong Showing at TTF Bengaluru 2026 With a Showcase of Its Best Offerings

Karnataka Tourism Makes a Strong Showing at TTF Bengaluru 2026 With a Showcase of Its Best Offerings

By Hariharan U

Published on March 24, 2026

Karnataka Tourism had a strong showing at the Travel and Tourism Fair Bengaluru 2026, using the three-day event to put the state's diverse tourism offerings in front of a wide audience of travel trade professionals, industry stakeholders, and visitors.

The Karnataka Tourism pavilion was inaugurated by H.K. Patil, Hon'ble Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation, and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, at Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. Senior officials representing the department included Dr. Thrilok Chandra K.V., IAS, Secretary of Tourism; Mr. Prashant Shankhinamath, IFS, Managing Director of Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd.; Mr. Janardhan H.P., Joint Director of the Department of Tourism; and Smt. Cheluvamba, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism.

The pavilion drew consistent footfall throughout the event, with the display capturing attention for the breadth of what Karnataka has to offer. Heritage circuits, cultural landmarks, wildlife reserves, scenic landscapes, and emerging segments including wellness, adventure, and experiential tourism were all prominently featured through promotional materials and audio-visual presentations. The depth of the state's tourism product came through clearly, reinforcing Karnataka's positioning as a year-round destination rather than a seasonal one.

The B2B dimension of the participation was equally productive. Karnataka Tourism stakeholders engaged directly with tour operators, travel agents, and destination management companies over the three days, exploring new business opportunities and building on existing partnerships. These interactions gave both sides a clearer picture of evolving travel trends and consumer preferences, which the department expects to translate into stronger collaborations and increased tourist footfall in the months ahead.

Media engagement at the pavilion also generated meaningful coverage, extending the reach of Karnataka's tourism narrative beyond the fair itself.

Karnataka Tourism continues to prioritise sustainable and responsible tourism as it promotes its unique blend of heritage, nature, and modern experiences to travellers across India. TTF Bengaluru 2026 was a useful platform to reinforce that message to exactly the right audience.

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