Latest news with #Kerala-based
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Zoho ramps up robotics research with acquisition of Asimov Robotics
Chennai: In a bid to expand its capabilities in robotics, Zoho Corporation has acquired Kerala-based Asimov Robotics for an undisclosed sum and opened the company's new campus in Kottarakkara in Kollam, Kerala. Founded in 2012, Asimov Robotics specialises in providing robotic solutions to industries for addressing hazardous, inefficient, and repetitive scenarios. With this, Zoho aims to expand its research and development capabilities into robotics and Asimov employees would continue their efforts from the Kottarakkara office with mentorship from Zoho's team, the company said in a statement. Previously Zoho has invested in Thiruvananthapuram-based Genrobotics, a robotics and AI solutions for sanitation and maintenance processes and Karuvi, Chennai-based mechatronics startup designing and developing consumer and industrial power tools. It also has investments in Yali Aerospace, a drone-tech startup and EV maker Ultraviolette, among others. The Kottarakkara campus has a seating capacity of 250, and will initially be dedicated to AI and robotics research. "Apart from our own work in these fields, we also will be collaborating with like-minded deep-tech organisations to further amplify our efforts. Our goal remains the same, to develop these capabilities in India and make the country self-reliant in terms of critical technology," said Shailesh Davey, chief executive and co-founder of Zoho Corp. It was inaugurated by state chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan with the presence of Tony Thomas, CEO, Zoho US, and Sridhar Vembu, Zoho Corp chief scientist. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The company also partnered with Kerala Startup Mission for its deep tech product studio initiative, and formed associations with startups and organisations for a range of R&D collaborations, it said. Zoho's entry into the state further validates the state's startup ecosystem as an enabler to attract big companies through strategic acquisitions, investments, Anoop Ambika, CEO of Kerala Startup Mission was quoted as saying.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
ISI-Backed Modules Exploit Dalit Girls For Terror Recruitment Via Salafi Indoctrination: Sources
Intelligence sources confirm that madrassas act as recruitment hubs, with many unregulated Salafi institutions offering free shelter, education, and stipends to Dalit girls. Recent arrests in Prayagraj show ISI-backed handlers using Salafi doctrine to sanctify terror training for operations in Kashmir and with the ISIS-Khorasan (ISKP). According to top intelligence sources, the conversion of Dalit girls to Islam is a strategic move by ISI and ISIS-K, executed through funds delivered by Gulf charities to Kerala-based modules. These Kerala groups exploit the Salafi-Wahhabi ideology to convert Dalit girls and recruit them for terrorism, taking advantage of their discrimination and economic deprivation. These revelations come after two people were detained on charges of abducting a minor girl and forcing her to convert to Islam. The incident was reported from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. According to details, the girl, belonging to the Dalit community, was abducted and taken to Kerala, where she was being trained for terror activities. Top intelligence sources highlight that groups such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) promote Salafi-Wahhabi Islam as a pathway to dignity and equality for these girls. PFI's educational wing, Satyasarini, claims over 3,000 conversions, using Salafi-Wahhabism's rigid interpretation of Islam to sever cultural ties through the rejection of un-Islamic practices like idol worship. Gulf remittances, estimated at around $26.9 billion annually, fund Salafi madrassas, NGOs, and mosques in Kerala that target Dalits. Sources indicate that PFI-linked entities receive donations disguised as charity, enabling recruitment drives. Intelligence sources confirm that madrassas act as recruitment hubs, with many unregulated Salafi institutions offering free shelter, education, and stipends to Dalit girls. These centres preach Wahhabi exclusivity, label non-Salafi Muslims as apostates, and glorify jihad. Qatar-based clerics like Sheikh Abdul Razak run Malayalam propaganda channels like Muhajirun, amplifying Salafi-Wahhabi content, sources add. Dalit converts are groomed via encrypted apps, framing terrorism as defensive jihad against Hindu majoritarianism. Significant damage stems from state governments, which often dismiss love jihad narratives as propaganda from Hindu groups, ignoring NIA evidence of forced conversions, sources suggest. This institutional blindness allows groups like PFI and SDPI to operate freely despite bans. Intelligence sources stress that Salafi-Wahhabism provides Kerala-based groups with an ideological weapon to exploit caste oppression, supported by Gulf-financed infrastructure and geopolitical alliances ranging from ISI to Al-Qaeda to globalise terror pipelines. Over 70 per cent of terror cases languish in courts for more than five years, according to top intelligence sources. In 2024, the Kerala Police released PFI bomb-maker Shajeer Mangalassery due to a lack of evidence, despite NIA dossiers. This impunity enables recurring recruitment. Converts adopt Arabic names and are forced into Arab dress and language, severing ties with their past. This Arabisation fosters dependency on radical networks for belonging. Indoctrination frames terror involvement as 'istishhad" (martyrdom) with promises of heavenly rewards. The 2016 Kasaragod ISIS unit, led by Rashid Abdulla, cited Quranic verses on defending the ummah to justify joining ISKP.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
AJC Jewel IPO shares to list today. GMP suggests moderate premium on debut
Kerala-based AJC Jewel Manufacturers is set to debut on the BSE SME platform today after successfully completing its Rs 15.39 crore IPO. Market analysts suggest a grey market premium (GMP) of Rs 4 ahead of its listing, indicating mild positive sentiment around the stock in the unofficial market. ADVERTISEMENT The book-built issue was open from June 23 to June 26, and saw healthy interest across investor categories, with the allotment completed on June 27. The IPO was priced at Rs 95 per share. The IPO comprised a fresh issue of 16.20 lakh shares, with no offer-for-sale component. Post-issue, the total share capital stands at 59.84 lakh shares, translating to a market capitalization of around Rs 56.85 crore at the issue price. The issue was managed by Smart Horizon Capital Advisors, with Bigshare Services acting as the registrar, and Rikhav Securities serving as market in 2018, AJC Jewel Manufacturers is involved in crafting a wide variety of gold jewelry including bangles, rings, earrings, and necklaces for men, women, and Malappuram-based 21,780 sq ft facility is fully equipped with advanced machinery such as 3D printers and casting machines, enabling a fully integrated design-to-delivery manufacturing flow. ADVERTISEMENT The company plans to use the IPO proceeds to fund capital expenditure for new equipment (Rs 2.63 crore), repay or prepay existing borrowings (Rs 8.9 crore), and for general corporate the company posted Rs 246.84 crore in revenue for FY24 with a PAT of Rs 3.32 crore. ADVERTISEMENT While the GMP suggests modest listing gains, market watchers caution that actual performance on debut will depend on broader market sentiment and retail interest. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times) (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AJC Jewel IPO shares to list today. GMP suggests moderate premium on debut
Kerala-based AJC Jewel Manufacturers is set to debut on the BSE SME platform today after successfully completing its Rs 15.39 crore IPO. Market analysts suggest a grey market premium (GMP) of Rs 4 ahead of its listing, indicating mild positive sentiment around the stock in the unofficial market. The book-built issue was open from June 23 to June 26, and saw healthy interest across investor categories, with the allotment completed on June 27. The IPO was priced at Rs 95 per share. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Xu hướng nhà container: Giải pháp nhà ở hiện đại và bền vững Visionary Echo Undo The IPO comprised a fresh issue of 16.20 lakh shares, with no offer-for-sale component. Post-issue, the total share capital stands at 59.84 lakh shares, translating to a market capitalization of around Rs 56.85 crore at the issue price. The issue was managed by Smart Horizon Capital Advisors, with Bigshare Services acting as the registrar, and Rikhav Securities serving as market maker. Founded in 2018, AJC Jewel Manufacturers is involved in crafting a wide variety of gold jewelry including bangles, rings, earrings, and necklaces for men, women, and children. Live Events Its Malappuram-based 21,780 sq ft facility is fully equipped with advanced machinery such as 3D printers and casting machines, enabling a fully integrated design-to-delivery manufacturing flow. The company plans to use the IPO proceeds to fund capital expenditure for new equipment (Rs 2.63 crore), repay or prepay existing borrowings (Rs 8.9 crore), and for general corporate purposes. Financially, the company posted Rs 246.84 crore in revenue for FY24 with a PAT of Rs 3.32 crore. While the GMP suggests modest listing gains, market watchers caution that actual performance on debut will depend on broader market sentiment and retail interest. ( Disclaimer : Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Minor Dalit UP girl rescued from Kerala after alleged forced conversion, two held
A minor Dalit girl from Uttar Pradesh was allegedly taken from her village in Prayagraj to Kerala, where she was forcibly converted to Islam and pressured to train for Jihad. The case came to light after a woman, Guddi Devi, filed a complaint on June 28, saying her daughter was taken from her village by a local woman named Kahkashan, also referred to as Darkasha Bano, who offered her money and promised better Prayagraj police suspect the involvement of an organised network targeting poor and Dalit girls, and are coordinating with Kerala Police to investigate to the police, the minor girl went missing on the night of May 8 after attending the wedding of a local ration dealer in her native village, Lilhat. She was last seen around 10 pm. At the event, 19-year-old Bano, also a resident of the same village, allegedly lured the girl by offering money and speaking to her about the virtues of Islam. Bano then called Mohammad Kaif, a resident of Phulpur, who arrived on a motorcycle and took both Bano and the girl to Prayagraj Railway Junction. Kuldeep Singh Gunawat, DCP Ganga Nagar, said, 'During this, the victim was also molested in the Kaif.'From Prayagraj, Bano and the minor travelled to Delhi and then to Thrissur in Kerala by train. During the journey, Bano was reportedly in frequent contact with a man named Taj Mohammad, informing him that she was on her way and had a girl with to the girl's statement, upon reaching Thrissur, she was taken to a house where several other minor girls and men with long beards were present. She said they pressured her to convert to Islam and discussed training for Jihad. The girl became frightened and managed to escape to Thrissur railway station, where local police found her and informed her family. She was placed under the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in family, with assistance from the Phulpur Police, brought her back to Prayagraj. She has been admitted to the One Stop Centre in the district. A case was registered on June 28 after her mother, Guddi Devi, filed a formal complaint. 'A receipt for action was given at Phulpur police station, on which a case was registered under relevant sections,' said DCP the same complaint, Guddi Devi reported that Bano had threatened her. 'On June 28, a complaint was lodged at the Police Station Phulpur by Guddi Devi, resident of Lilhat village, in which she informed that on May 8, 19-year-old Bano, daughter of Mohammad Ismail, also a resident of Lilhat, called from an unknown number and threatened to kill her,' the DCP the complaint, police visited the victim's home, questioned her, and deployed security personnel at the residence. Both Bano and Kaif have been arrested in the Gunawat stated that Bano appears to be connected to a Kerala-based module involved in converting minor girls through inducement and coercion and then training them for Jihad. 'From the above mentioned report, it is known that the accused Bano is a part of an organised gang also involved in terrorist and anti-national activities by luring poor and Dalit girls, brainwashing them and forcing them to convert their religion,' he said.'Taj Mohammad,' who Bano contacted multiple times during the journey, is on the radar of Prayagraj Police. He is believed to be based in Thrissur, and Kerala Police have begun a search for him. Prayagraj Police have shared preliminary findings with their counterparts in confirmed that three police teams have been formed to investigate the activities of Bano and others linked to the case. 'A thorough investigation is being conducted into the activities of Darkasha Bano. Strict action will be taken against others found involved. They will investigate this matter thoroughly,' he said.- Ends advertisement
