logo
HT Labs Shines at WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards 2025

HT Labs Shines at WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards 2025

HT Labs, the digital innovation hub under the HT group, has made a resounding impact at the WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards 2025. Its flagship platforms-OTTplay and Slurrp.com -took home five prestigious honors across key categories, celebrating excellence in digital journalism, innovation, and audience engagement.
HT Labs wins 5 awards at WAN IFRA
The WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards, one of the most esteemed recognitions in the region, celebrate the best in digital innovation across news publishing. The awards are judged by a panel of distinguished international industry experts, recognizing organizations that push the boundaries of digital media through groundbreaking strategies, technology, and content delivery.
Award Wins:
Best News Website (Silver) – Slurrp
Best Use of AI in Revenue Strategy (Bronze) – OTTplay Premium
Best Newsletter (Gold) – Slurrp
Best Newsletter (Silver) – OTTplay
Best Native Advertising Campaign (Bronze) – Slurrp
These wins underscore the HT Labs team's focus on creating intelligent, user-first content experiences through innovation, AI integration, and strong editorial vision.
Mr. Avinash Mudaliar, CEO & Co-Founder of HT Labs, expressed his gratitude, 'We are deeply honored to be acknowledged by WAN-IFRA in multiple categories this year. These awards are a testament to the dedication, creativity, and innovation that our teams bring to the table each day. At HT Labs, we are always striving to push boundaries and deliver personalized, tech-driven experiences that resonate with users across categories-from entertainment to food and finance. This recognition reinforces our commitment to leading the digital content space with intelligence and impact.'
OTTplay
OTTplay is India's pioneering OTT aggregator that uses AI-based recommendations to revolutionize content discovery and consumption. With the introduction of OTTplay Premium, the platform now offers a curated selection of content from 30+ premier OTT platforms which are personalized based on each user's unique preferences.
Slurrp
Slurrp is an all-in-one recipe aggregator designed to make cooking and meal planning easier for everyone. With a nationwide community of 7+ lakh home chefs and foodies, it helps you discover calorie-counted recipes that match their diet choices, and taste preferences, catering to all cooking skill levels-from beginners to experts. Offering a wide range of recipes across cuisines and meal types, Slurrp ensures variety and flexibility in meal preparation. Further, the site also offers a variety of food industry insights, including trends, special features and more.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

MrBeast as CEO of X? YouTuber's old tweet sparks frenzy as netizens want answers from Elon Musk amid Linda Yaccarino's resignation
MrBeast as CEO of X? YouTuber's old tweet sparks frenzy as netizens want answers from Elon Musk amid Linda Yaccarino's resignation

Time of India

time3 hours ago

  • Time of India

MrBeast as CEO of X? YouTuber's old tweet sparks frenzy as netizens want answers from Elon Musk amid Linda Yaccarino's resignation

Amid the ongoing discussions around Linda Yaccarino, who officially stepped down as CEO of X (formerly called Twitter) after two years of assuming the role under tech billionaire and owner Elon Musk, speculations are also growing if YouTuber MrBeast is going to replace Yaccarino. Since Linda Yaccarino has stepped down from her position, social media has had one candidate in mind, who is American YouTuber James Stephen, a.k.a. MrBeast. But what's the truth? Let's find out. With growing speculations, people demand 'MrBeast as X CEO'; however, this is not a recent demand of netizens, as it is rooted in an interaction between the YouTuber and Elon Musk in 2022. According to HT, in 2022, the YouTuber asked users on X if he could become the 'new Twitter CEO.' This is when Elon Musk responded to the 27-year-old YouTuber, posting, 'It's not out of the question.' Following this incident, netizens wondered if MrBeast could take the place of Linda Yaccarino. But MrBeast really wants to fill up the vacant role of X CEO As soon as Linda Yaccarino announced his resignation on his X account, MrBeast wrote, 'I'll fill the roll.' After the post surfaced on the platform, it quickly grabbed the attention of netizens, who started tagging Elon Musk in the post, urging him to make this possible. While some confused pointed out what appeared to be a typo in the tweet, saying it is unclear whether the spelling 'role' as 'roll' was a mistake or was intentionally written. "fill the roll or role?," a user commented. Another reacted, "MrBeast as CEO of X? Terrible idea. He has zero experience running a platform like this and already has enough scandals to prove he's not ready for that kind of power. Stick to YouTube." MrBeast as CEO of X? Terrible idea. He has zero experience running a platform like this and already has enough scandals to prove he's not ready for that kind of power. Stick to YouTube. "MrBeast as CEO of X means 'algorithm roulette' becomes a game show. First prize? 1M impressions. Second? Shadowban," one said. MrBeast as CEO of X means 'algorithm roulette' becomes a game show. First prize? 1M impressions. Second? Shadowban. Why did Linda Yaccarino resign from her post? On Wednesday, former CEO of X, Linda Yaccarino, took to her account and informed everyone about her resignation and wrote, "When @elonmusk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company.' According to a First Post report, Yaccarino hasn't explained her departure, but some point out that numerous controversies dogging the platform and its owner, Musk, could be reasons. In response to the post, the X owner, Elon Musk, replied in three words. "Thank you for your contributions," he wrote.

Mohali, Panchkula see rapid growth but Chandigarh's housing sector hits a wall
Mohali, Panchkula see rapid growth but Chandigarh's housing sector hits a wall

Hindustan Times

time5 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Mohali, Panchkula see rapid growth but Chandigarh's housing sector hits a wall

UT's housing sector has remained stagnant even as neighbours Mohali and Panchkula have seen rapid growth in group housing projects over the past decade. Around 200 housing societies have come up in Mohali (above) and 150 in Panchkula over the past decade. (HT Photo) While nearly 350 housing societies have come up in these two cities—around 200 in Mohali and 150 in Panchkula— City Beautiful has not seen the launch of a single new housing scheme since 2016. In a limbo The last major housing scheme launched by the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) was in 2016, which offered 200 two-bedroom flats in Sector 51 at ₹69 lakh each. Meanwhile, a self-financing housing scheme launched for the employees of the UT administration in 2008 remains in limbo as land was not allotted for the project. In May last year, the Punjab and Haryana high court directed the administration to allot land to the applicants at the 2008 rates and construct flats within a year. The directive is expected to result in a loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore to the UT administration given that the collector rates have surged manifold since 2008. The UT has now moved the Supreme Court against the order. The CHB's most recent attempt to revive housing in the city—its ambitious Sector-53 General Housing Scheme—also hit roadblocks. In August 2023, former UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit put the ₹200-crore project on hold, terming it unnecessary. Although his successor Gulab Chand Kataria revived the scheme in November 2024 and initiated a fresh demand survey, uncertainty continues to loom over its fate. Under the new collector rates, the prices have risen to a staggering ₹2.3 crore for a three-bedroom flat, ₹1.97 crore for a two-bedroom flat and ₹74 lakh for an EWS flat, leaving officials pondering whether interested applicants will still be willing to proceed at the higher prices. Another major housing proposal in the IT Park area, which included 728 flats across three categories, was rejected by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change in October 2022. The ministry denied clearance, citing that the proposed project site falls within the eco-sensitive zone of the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. Chandigarh property consultants association president Kamal Gupta alleged that officers on deputation have little interest in addressing the city's housing needs. 'While Mohali and Panchkula are growing rapidly, Chandigarh is being left behind. The administration has completely failed to provide affordable housing. Even schemes for economically weaker sections have been neglected, and the discontinuation of share-wise sale of properties has led to a massive revenue loss,' he said. Zirakpur builders association president Harish Gupta noted that people working in Chandigarh are increasingly buying homes in Mohali, where property is comparatively more affordable. 'Demand for both residential and commercial properties is high in Mohali. People living on rent now prefer owning a home in well-developed sectors of the district,' he said. Panchkula property dealers welfare association president Rajesh Dhanda added, 'Property rates in Chandigarh are extremely high, and with no new housing schemes on offer, people are turning to Mohali and Panchkula for better options at lower prices.' Former chief town planner of Punjab and the architect of Mohali's master plan, HS Bhogal said, 'Mohali is no longer the poor cousin of Chandigarh. It now boasts of not just housing projects but also top educational institutions, quality healthcare facilities, and a well-planned road network. Many people are selling their properties in Chandigarh and moving to Mohali. Chandigarh faces numerous restrictions on new development, and the city has already reached a saturation point.' Kapil Setia, former chief architect of the UT administration, said, 'There is a huge demand for housing in Chandigarh, but the supply is practically non-existent. The administration needs to explore more avenues for constructing affordable housing—there are still viable options available. With more people shifting to Mohali and Panchkula, Chandigarh is also losing significant revenue.'

Mohali: Only 15 out of 8,000 landowners come forward for GMADA land pooling plans
Mohali: Only 15 out of 8,000 landowners come forward for GMADA land pooling plans

Hindustan Times

time5 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Mohali: Only 15 out of 8,000 landowners come forward for GMADA land pooling plans

Greater Mohali Area Development Authority's (GMADA) plans to acquire 2,600 acres under the new land pooling policy for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development is facing stiff opposition with only 15 out of over 8,000 landowners consenting to participate. Several farmers have launched a protest, stating that the acquisition is forced and the compensation being offered to them is below prevailing market rates. Punjab housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, however, said the land acquisition will start within three to four months. (HT File) On July 7, farmers submitted a memorandum to chief minister Bhagwant Mann through the GMADA chief administrator, demanding an immediate rollback of the scheme and several panchayats have passed resolutions against land pooling. Punjab housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, however, said the land acquisition will start within three to four months. When asked about the poor response—only 15 applications—Mundian said he would 'check the data and revert,' but maintained that the new policy is designed for the farmers' benefit. Last month, GMADA's executive committee gave formal approval for acquiring 2,600 acres across Mohali – 236 acres in Sector 87 for commercial use, 313 acres in Sector 84 for institutional development, 321 acres in Sectors 101 and 103 for industrial projects, and 1,800 acres in Sectors 120 to 125 along the PR-7 road for residential development Harvinder Singh, lambardar of one of the villages that is against the plans, said, 'We are the rightful residents and cultivators of these lands. We do not consent to register our land with GMADA.' Farmers are also apprehensive in view of the past issues. They cited the Aerocity project, where land was acquired in 2009, but many landowners are yet to receive full compensation or plot allotments. 'If the government charges 18% interest for delayed payments from citizens, why aren't farmers compensated with interest for delays in allotments?' they stated in their memorandum. Protesters also accused GMADA of favouring private developers in past projects. In the case of the Aerotropolis project, they allege that land was handed over to builders and politically connected individuals, who are now selling luxury apartments at premium prices, while farmers were allotted plots in underdeveloped areas lacking even basic infrastructure. 'Private builders have built high-rises and are selling them at crores. We got nothing but barren land with no roads, sewerage, or electricity,' said a local farmer. The farmers further raised concerns about land acquired for Sectors 88 and 89 in 2011, claiming they were later allotted plots in Sectors 95-A and 95-B, which remain largely undeveloped. 'The booths and rooms allotted to us are unusable—we can't even rent them for another 15 years,' another protester added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store