Latest news with #Pratap
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tragedies spur more Indians to draw up will
A string of recent tragedies, including the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the fatal crash of a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, have set off a renewed urgency among Indians to draw up their wills. The recent spike in consultations on writing/revisiting wills and estate planning is the highest since the pandemic, said lawyers and estate planners. While the trend has been building steadily, recent events appear to have heightened awareness. "The last time we had seen something similar was after the Covid-19 pandemic. The geopolitical impact, recent terrorist attacks and war-like situation have made everyone question their mortality," says Pallavi Pratap, managing partner at New Delhi-based law firm Pratap & Co. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's The Price for a 1-Day Walk-in Shower In 2025 Homebuddy Learn More Undo Pratap notes that registered wills and broader succession planning are receiving renewed attention. No Longer Just for Retirement Legal experts point to a growing realisation that a lack of clear succession plans can leave families grappling with legal and financial chaos. The influx of distressing news on social media only reinforces this anxiety. Live Events "Every time there is a tragic air crash or a high-profile accident, we see a visible uptick in individuals reaching out to formalise their succession plans," said Ajay Khatlawala, managing partner at Mumbai-based Little & Co. "What used to be considered a retirement-age activity is now something many millennials and Gen Z professionals are opting for, especially before travel." One such case involved a businessman from Delhi NCR who remarried and keen to protect the inheritance of his children from his first marriage. "He is in the business of exports, and his work demands lots of travel. The recent development compelled him to draft a specific will ," said Pratap. Tech Startups & the Planning Boom The spike in activity has also been observed by legaltech platforms. Nikhil Varghese, co-founder of Yellow, said inquiries are up 20% year-on-year. "Earlier, people would think: 'Nothing's going to happen to me.' Now they're realising that they can't sit on these important decisions anymore; recent incidents have been a wake-up call." He cites a recent client, a CXO in the BFSI sector, who despite being extremely fit and healthy, reached out to draft a will. "Earlier, such conversations were rare," said Varghese. Jatin Popat, CEO of WillJini, a virtual will-writing and advisory firm, observes that awareness is higher, and financial advisors too are increasingly encouraging clients to plan early. "We are seeing more and more people in their 30s and 40s come in; that's in addition to the older lot who may have put it off earlier but are making it a top priority now," said Popat. Around 25% of WillJini's clients now are below 40. "We see this shift because the next generation has better financial literacy and are showing a more practical approach towards life's eventualities," said Popat. "Couples come to us together as well." Beyond Borders and Big Cities The trend is no longer limited to urban India or resident Indians. Uday Ved, partner at KNAV's global tax practice, points to a wider demographic engaging in estate planning. "Families and HNIs (high net worth individuals) have become much more conscious, drawing up wills and doing succession planning. NRIs are drafting separate wills for India and overseas assets," said Ved. "Several family offices use trusts as a vehicle for succession planning. Also, what used to be a big-city phenomenon has spread to smaller towns. We are seeing increased interest from Tier II and III cities as well," he adds.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Nuts about cashews! India emerges largest consumer globally
KOCHI: Indians are munching on cashew nuts like never before. Now, India accounts for more than 30% of the world's processed nuts or kernel consumption. And the demand for nuts, whole or broken, is surging at a phenomenal pace, driven largely by the bakery and snacking industry. According to the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC), the country's insatiable appetite for cashews touched 3.76 lakh tonnes in 2024, and shows no signs of slowing down. For good measure, the projected annual growth in demand stands at 8%. 'The world now looks to India for growth in the nuts and dry fruits market,' INC director Pratap Nair told TNIE. He says the Indian middle class has developed a taste for cashew nuts, not just as a snack but also as an ingredient in baked goods and other food items. 'Take Kaju Kathli, for instance: it has become one of the most popular sweets in the country, both as a gift and for personal consumption, and the demand for roasted cashews to make it is skyrocketing,' said Pratap, who is also a representative of Vijayalaxmi Cashew Company (VLC), one of India's oldest and largest cashew exporters. He noted that post-pandemic, Indians have developed a voracious appetite for snacking on cashews despite their premium price tag of around Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per kilogram for whole nuts. According to INC data, India accounted for 13.5% of global raw cashew production, 36.5% of global processing share, and a staggering 30.5% of total global cashew consumption in 2024. 'The domestic demand for cashews has exploded with the growth of the bakery and snacking industries,' said Hari Nair, of Western India Cashew Company. 'Cashews are an integral part of namkeens (savouries), sweets, and even temple offerings. In fact, the Tirupati temple alone is one of the largest consumers of cashews, using them to make laddoos that are in huge demand among devotees.' Burgeoning domestic consumption has also led to a change in the dynamics of the industry, which was once clustered around Kollam, known as the cashew capital of the world. Swaminathan, a native of Tamil Nadu, established the first cashew processing unit in 1925.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Patra Announces Pratap Sarker as New CEO
Seasoned executive to accelerate innovation and growth and strengthen company's leading position as next-generation platform for insurance operations EL DORADO HILLS, Calif., June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Patra, a trusted leader in technology-enabled insurance workflow optimization, announced today the appointment of Pratap Sarker as its chief executive officer. Sarker brings more than 30 years of experience leading and transforming technology-driven services companies. He will also join the company's board of directors. John Simpson, who has served as CEO of Patra since he founded the company in 2005, will assume the role of chairman of the board, where he will work alongside Sarker to guide Patra's long-term vision and strategy. "I am incredibly honored and excited to join the Patra team as CEO. Under John's 20 years of leadership, Patra has transformed the insurance industry by consistently innovating, leveraging seasoned insurance professionals, and focusing on the customer experience. Patra's AI and automation tools have already brought performance optimization and value to its clients across the industry," said Sarker. "I am committed to building on that foundation as we enhance Patra's best-in-class services with a platform built on Patra's next-generation AI-driven workflow automation tools designed to deliver operational excellence across the insurance value chain. I look forward to working with the talented team at Patra to build upon John's remarkable legacy." A seasoned technology executive, Sarker's vast experience spans the financial services, insurance, healthcare and professional services industries. Prior to Patra, Sarker served in executive leadership roles at companies such as Accenture, Infosys, and IBM. Most recently, he was CEO of Greenway Health, where he led a multi-year transformation to modernize the product platform leveraging GenAI and Agentic AI, improve customer satisfaction, and position the company for long-term growth. Previously, he was the president and group CEO of Conduent's $2.5 billion commercial sector business, where he championed strategic transformation across the sector. "Pratap is an extraordinary leader whose cross-functional and cross-industry knowledge and vast experience leading and transforming technology-driven services companies will be vital assets for Patra's continued growth," said Simpson. "As a people-first leader, Pratap is passionate about aligning teams with purpose, fostering a culture of execution and learning, and delivering value to clients with integrity and impact. I am incredibly pleased to welcome Pratap to the Patra team." "Pratap joins us at a pivotal time in the insurance industry as brokers and wholesalers look to drive growth and expand margins through the use of high-quality, cost-effective outsourced technology solutions allowing them to best capture the benefits of AI at scale across their businesses," said Mike Vostrizansky, partner at FTV Capital and member of Patra's board. "With his deep technology and business process experience, Pratap is well-positioned to lead Patra and the industry more broadly through what we see as an exciting, yet critical, era of digital transformation. Under John's leadership, Patra has always been an innovator and today is in a great position to accelerate growth, with a strong financial footing and growing client base, as a result of Patra's best-in-class, customer-centric solutions. We're excited to work with Pratap and the Patra team to build on that success and continue to press the insurance industry into the future." About Patra Patra is a leading provider of technology-enabled insurance workflow optimization and AI-powered software solutions. Patra powers insurance processes by optimizing the application of technology with insurance professionals and seasoned process executives, supporting insurance organizations as they sell, deliver, and manage policies and customers through our PatraOne platform. Patra AI, Patra's recently launched suite of advanced AI-powered solutions, powers workflow optimization that allows agencies, MGAs, wholesalers, and carriers to capture the Patra Advantage – profitable growth and organizational value. View source version on Contacts Patra Contact Simon DavisChief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officersdavis@ (925) 381-9230
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
1 dead, another hurt as bike rams tree in JSR
Jamshedpur: A teenager was fatally wounded while another was hospitalised with critical injuries after their motorcycle collided with a tree here on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Vishwaroop Pratap (17) while Shivam Kumar (18), who was riding pillion, was admitted to Tata Main Hospital. Police said Pratap was driving his bike in a breakneck speed when he lost control and hit a tree on Circuit House Road. The duo was headed to Sakchi from Sonari. While Pratap was killed on the spot, Kumar was rescued and taken to TMH by locals and cops. Bistupur police station in-charge, Umesh Thakur, said that the condition of the injured is stable. "Both the deceased and the injured are residents of Sonari police station limits," he said. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Barmer medicalstudent's life cut short in tragedy
Jaisalmer: Medical student Jaiprakash Choudhary (20), son of a farmer-labourer from Bor Charanan village in Barmer district, had overcome financial difficulties to pursue his dreams of becoming a doctor. Fate, however, had other plans. His decision to eat lunch in the mess instead of joining his friends to buy mangoes proved fatal on Thursday, when Air India's London-bound flight crashed into the BJ Medical College building in Ahmedabad. Jaiprakash was headed to the mess kitchen when the burning plane's debris fell on him, leading to 30% burns. He succumbed on Friday. Moments earlier, he had spoken to his younger brother, Pratap. "He just wanted to serve our village people," said Pratap, fighting back tears. Jaiprakash's journey to medical college was a testament to his family's sacrifices. His father Dharmaram Choudhary, who is a farmer and also works in textile factories of Balotra, took loans to fund his coaching for NEET in Kota. The family's joys knew no bounds when Jaiprakash secured 675 marks in NEET, earning admission to BJ Medical College in 2023. "The entire village celebrated when he got selected. His mother's dream was to see him become a doctor. He was so close to fulfilling it," said his cousin Mangalaram. "His mother's dream was to see him become a doctor. He was so close to fulfilling it." The Choudhary family received the devastating news Thursday evening and rushed to Ahmedabad. They came to know that he was no more after reaching the city. The family returned to Barmer with his body for the funeral which was attended by many villagers Friday evening. The tragedy has left a sombre note on Bor Charanan village, where Jaiprakash was last seen during Op Sindoor when he had spent time with his family. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
