Table of contents for 26 January 2026 in India Today

Unless you have been living under a rock, you will know about Artificial Intelligence (AI). Every era has a technology that rearranges the world. But AI is unlike any that came before. Earlier technologies, from the wheel to the computer, extended human capacity. This one has begun to simulate it. It is not only an accelerator but also a force that alters. Two years ago, in January 2024, we devoted a New Year’s special issue to AI, at a moment when it was still largely experimental. The breakout version of ChatGPT was barely a year old. Large Language Models (LLMs) were still the dominant paradigm. By 2026, the frontiers of AI have expanded way beyond chatbots and clever prompts. It is moving decisively towards systems that plan, coordinate and act;…

Working with AI has mostly been a one-person sport till now. You open a chat window, ask for a draft, polish an e-mail or summarise a report—it feels like a smarter keyboard. The year ahead will feel different. AI is moving from single-player to multi-player. That is, shifting from helping individuals to participating in the shared flow of work in teams. Think less “my assistant” and more “our colleague”. It will show up in meetings, live inside project boards, sit within approval chains, keep track of decisions and smooth handoffs between departments. That shift matters because most productivity problems are not personal. They are social. Coordination is the Real Productivity Leak Ask any working professional where time goes and you will hear the same stories. Hunting for the right attachment,…

The financial world has always adapted to new tools, but what is taking shape today is not a routine technological shift. It is a deep restructuring of how decisions are made inside banks, markets and digital payment ecosystems. Artificial Intelligence has entered finance in many forms, yet its real influence comes from something more subtle. It is slowly changing the foundations of trust, risk, behaviour and value creation. As we move into a new year, it is clear that AI will not remain an auxiliary aid. It will become a central actor in how the automated economy operates. For decades, the industry relied on historical data, fixed rules and human-driven judgement for every critical function. Lending, trading and fraud management were all shaped by a predictable rhythm. AI alters this…

Artificial Intelligence in education is no longer a distant idea. It is a rapidly emerging tool that educational institutes are engaging with, reshaping how students learn and teachers teach. From AI tutors and automated assessments to lesson planning and teacher feedback, classrooms across the world are experimenting with the technology at a pace few anticipated even two years ago. The real question is not whether AI will enter education, but how it will be integrated in equitable ways, how it can improve teaching as well as learning outcomes. For India, this moment is particularly consequential. With large classrooms, diverse learning levels and teacher shortages, the technology presents an opportunity to extend support where human capacity is stretched, provided it is used to strengthen and not sidestep the learning process. The…

India’s approach to AI governance should be steered by a clear-eyed understanding of its capacities and vulnerabilities. The new year presents our leaders with the opportunity to reflect on what this means. They can move past trite ideas forcefully presented to them by industry to claim a leadership role in global AI regulatory discourse. This would be consistent with India’s rich history of contributing our own ideas as global norms are being framed, starting from Hansa Mehta’s historic intervention to ensure that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is about the rights of ‘human beings’ rather than ‘men’. Although India’s proposal for a global internet governance body at the United Nations level did not carry enough political momentum, it was a visionary, prescient idea that generated essential debates and continues…

Just the mention of the letters ‘AI’ generates a varied set of reactions, ranging from unlimited admiration to deep concern. Though everyone agrees that Artificial Intelligence is a product of the human mind, and debates about its ethical use are rife, we often endow AI with a mind of its own. Irrespective of whether a person loves or hates it, there is a subconscious acceptance that AI is a being of its own accord. This is obvious in the vocabulary we use and the tonality with which we address AI. This distancing allows human beings to disown responsibility for AI. But, as Nobel laureate Roger Penrose has long argued, the expression ‘artificial intelligence’ is a misnomer. We have created a very sophisticated learning computer, which does not have consciousness. Hence,…

Q. Looking back from Bhaji on the Beach to Christmas Karma, how do you see your journey? I feel like I’ve been chronicling our histories, with each film being a document of its time on identity, migration and belonging. The industry has changed, and there are more women now, which is encouraging, but our stories still fight for space. Even today, getting a film made feels like a small miracle. Q. Was filmmaking your childhood dream? Absolutely not. I wanted to be a long-distance lorry driver! I loved the idea of being alone on open roads, in charge of a massive truck. The real turning point came when, as a student, I interned in Delhi at a magazine and read a powerful paper on how Indian women were portrayed in…

When Cinta Kids launched their children’s furniture collection in 2024, they promised something refreshingly different, pieces crafted with care, imagination and sustainability at heart. From charming vanity mirrors to gentle rockers and cosy bassinets, every design is thoughtfully created with little ones in mind. So, when they sent us their Full Bloom Chair to review, we were curious to see how this floral inspired piece would fit into our everyday life and our daughter’s colourful universe. The Unboxing Experience After a bit of playful struggle with layers of cardboard and stubborn tape, we finally uncovered three simple pieces, a tiny stool, the blooming backrest and a soft cushion. Once we figured out how to nail the parts together, the entire assembly took only a few minutes. Room to bloom The…

This 7,000 sq ft, two-storey apartment was not a simple makeover. It was a fullscale personality merger for a family of four, each with strong opinions and a very clear idea of what ‘my space’ should feel like. The brief was ambitious: stitch two separate floors into one seamless home, keep the calm of river views intact, and still let every room speak in its own voice. The lower floor does the grown up hosting job with quiet confidence. Think clean lines, a neutral palette, and arched doorways that soften the geometry without turning it theatrical. The living and dining areas were planned like good conversation: furniture that faces each other, not the TV and tones that lower the volume on a long day. Then come the little scene stealers:…

In 1950, the mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing asked a question far ahead of his time: can machines think? It was an era when computers functioned like mechanical calculators, capable of processing numbers but not ideas. He argued that intelligence lies in the ability to learn, reason and act intelligently, rather than by consciousness or emotions. This idea came decades before computing power, data and algorithms could make it possible. Yet it introduced the world to the concept of intelligent machines. At the dawn of 2026, this journey reached a new phase of human progress—the Fifth Industrial Revolution—defined by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its deep integration into everyday life. Fifth Industrial Revolution Human progress has always been shaped by technology. Electricity transformed how we lived and worked. Computers changed how…

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a bolt‑on upgrade to manufacturing—it is the operating system of modern industry. Global thought leaders converge on this point: PwC frames the shift as moving from “doing digital” to “being digital”, embedding intelligence into the very fabric of workflows; McKinsey underscores that productivity gains now hinge on human-machine partnerships; Deloitte positions Industry 4.0 as a resilience strategy, wherein smart factories and intelligent applications are foundational to competitiveness, not optional extras. India is well placed to lead this transformation. AI & Smart Manufacturing At Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), technology drives every aspect of operations through a data-centric, intelligent ecosystem. Our IT landscape integrates advanced digital infrastructure with streamlined processes, spanning the entire value chain—from production planning and state-of-the-art manufacturing to digital-first customer engagement. Predictive analytics…

Artificial Intelligence has crossed a critical thresh old in healthcare. We are no longer debating whether AI can work in clinical care—we are now grappling with how it should work, who it should serve, and under what guardrails it must operate. As we move into 2026, AI promises to reshape diagnostics, personalise treatment pathways and even influence how clinical trials and experiments are designed. Yet alongside this promise lie fundamental challenges around liability, regulation, trust and the evolving role of clinicians. AI’s earliest successes in healthcare were largely technical—recognising patterns in images, signals and large datasets faster than humans could. Today, that capability is translating into real clinical value. In radiology and pathology, AI systems are demonstrating their ability to flag subtle abnormalities, prioritise highrisk cases and reduce diagnostic delays,…

It was a week after Independence day in 2017; a startup founder friend had hit upon a great idea: micro-loans for those without a credit history, tapping unrelated data such as mobile recharges. Over chilled beer, his startup team came up with what all they could do with bank statements. Was privacy an issue, I asked. Oh no, this was for the user’s benefit, so she’d be happy to share bills and statements and, anyway, India had no privacy law. Two days later, the Supreme Court ruled that Privacy was to be a fundamental right, implicit in Article 21 of the Constitution. That landmark ruling was set to change our lives; but very, very slowly. The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act was finally born six years later, and stayed in…

By the end of 2025, it became difficult to sustain the belief that meaningful regulation of Artificial Intelligence was imminent. This was not because AI had become safer, or more benign, but because geopolitical anxiety, economic competition and corporate influence consistently outweighed political will. In the United States, the Trump administration made its position unmistakably clear. Federal regulators stepped back, state-level efforts were curtailed, and a single objective took precedence: maintaining American companies’ lead in a global AI race, particularly against China. Big Tech positioned itself as a national champion—amplifying fears of existential AI risk while presenting itself as the only actor capable of managing those risks. The EU is also dialling back on AI regulation. Starting with the Paris AI Summit, the emphasis shifted decisively toward ensuring EU competitiveness…

Grained to Perfection The Kohinoor of Veneers, the pinnacle of Duro’s Nature Signature Range, transforms natural wood into a refined design masterpiece with ten distinct styles ranging from smoky depths to metallic accents. The best part? They source the finest logs from Europe and the Americas, while advanced engineering prevents warping. PRICE on request; AT www.duroply.in Curated Collective What if a house didn’t just shelter you, but chose you to tell its story? Tucked away in a quiet cottage in Parra, Goa, Whalesong Gallery is a sanctuary for those who refuse to rush beauty. This gallery-shop is a poetic blend of Art Deco nostalgia and mid-century design. Every object here—from hand-picked furniture to the curated tableware is a reflection of Goa’s unhurried rhythm. PRICE on request; AT @whalesong.gallery (Instagram) Wool,…

South Asian art is having a significant moment, reflected in strong auction results and sustained global visibility for artists from the region across major museum exhibitions, biennales, and institutional programmes worldwide. Over the past three years, this visibility has not only increased but also stabilised, signalling a deeper engagement with South Asian artistic practices and cultural narratives within global conversations. One of the most important developments underpinning this growth is the continued strengthening of the mid-market. While global art markets have experienced volatility at the highest price points, India has seen steady and meaningful activity in the `5–50 lakh segment. This is where first-time buyers are becoming committed collectors, repeat purchases are increasing; and galleries are investing in long-term career development rather than short-term speculation. Crucially, this segment supports a…

Can the modern architect move past mirrorfinish interiors and build spaces that actually hold communities together when the heat rises, budgets shrink and life gets real? Diana Kellogg has already answered that question and she did it by changing the game. After a career shaped by high-end Manhattan residences and celebrity homes, she moved towards community-first work with a simple, stubborn belief: women supporting women is not a slogan, it is an architectural brief. Kellogg founded Diana Kellogg Architects in 1992, and since then her projects have travelled with purpose. Whether it is the elliptical geometry of the award-winning Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School in Rajasthan or the work expanding through her non-profit, TARA for Change, she keeps proving that luxury and utility are secondary to the soul of a building.…

When it comes to designing products, architects have a sixth sense for beauty and function. They see what others miss, understand proportions instinctively and translate blueprints into poetry. Proving that theory with flair is Amrita Thomas, Chennai-based architect and co-founder of luxury furniture brand ALARA. Her secret? Blending her architectural precision with a designer’s intuition, resulting in furniture that feels as soulful as it looks. Origin Story “We’ve been designing products for over a decade now. It really started quite organically,” says Thomas. She began by creating custom pieces for her own interior projects, only to discover a glaring gap in the market for well-crafted, design-forward furniture that didn’t look mass-produced. “It just grew from there. Today, we retail through The Purple Turtles, The House of Things, and Ajio Luxe,…

Over the past few years, the conversation around Artificial Intelligence has swung between extremes—will it save us or replace us? But as I look back on my discussions with industry leaders, creators and developers in 2025, it’s clear that something more profound has happened. AI didn’t make a dramatic entrance as many had anticipated; instead, it quietly wove itself into the fabric of our daily lives, often unnoticed. The spectacle of viral demos and headline-grabbing models of 2023 and 2024 has given way to a new reality: in 2025, we no longer asked, “What can AI do?” but rather, “Where does AI fit?” In 2025, AI stopped trying to impress us and started trying to work for us. From reshaping how we market, create and drive social change, its impact…

Building a Viksit Bharat requires building a Harit Bharat as well. To deliver sustainable prosperity for the Indian people, we must not only position our economy at the global competitiveness frontier but also restore our environment. We can achieve this green frontier development model only through accelerated technological progress powered by massive financial investments. The green frontier model is not defined by labour arbitrage or gleaming infrastructure. Instead, it is defined by the ability to deploy frontier technologies at speed and scale. It is defined by the ability to drive resource efficiency across the economy. The United States and China are rapidly shaping the technology standards, global value chains, energy grids and capital flows that will define the next era of global competition. If we do not keep up, we…

Artificial Intelligence is becoming the most transformative, defining and all-pervasive technology of our era. It is no longer just a tool for innovation, but fast becoming a competitive battleground between nations who see AI as a strategic asset, with both economic and military advantages. The AI race for strategic superiority is also a geopolitical contest, seen as crucial for economic dominance, national security and global influence. It is a high-stakes contest. The competition is not just about technological capability and smarter algorithms but about building the foundational ecosystem and shaping standards and norms of governance to control a technology that could redefine power structures. Uncertainties surrounding AI and its military applications have sparked discussions focusing on its impact on warfare, and how it is fundamentally rewriting the rules and reshaping…

In India’s 2024 general election, more than 50 million AI-generated voice calls reportedly went out in two months. Deceased politicians were synthetically resurrected to boost successors. A politician appeared in campaign content speaking four languages he doesn’t know. Some of this was outreach—campaigns scaling across 22 languages. Some of it, like faked content of an actor criticising the prime minister, was manipulation. The technology enables both. Since 2018, analysts, technologists and journalists have warned that generative AI will upend elections, erode trust and create a flood of sophisticated disinformation. Each upcoming election renews the fear. When catastrophe doesn’t arrive, a predictable backlash follows: it was an overhyped panic! Maybe deepfakes and bots are just noise. Both reactions miss the point. The technology itself isn’t the variable that matters. The information…

In rural Rajasthan’s Udaipur district, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) notices that a newborn’s weight has barely changed over several weeks. She has followed protocol. The mother insists the child is feeding regularly. There are no obvious warning signs. Still, something feels off—and she is unsure what to check next. Instead of scrolling through manuals or calling a supervisor who may not be reachable, the ASHA worker opens WhatsApp and speaks into her phone in Hindi, describing the situation aloud: the feeding pattern, the age of the child, the missed weight gain. She is not typing. She is talking, the way she always does. The response comes back—spoken, not written—guiding her through possible reasons for stagnant weight gain and suggesting what to monitor before the next visit. The assistant she…

The story of empire is the story of humans—that is how it is taught and generally understood. But what if it is, in fact, the story of plants? Poppies, pepper, nutmeg, cotton, tea—the British Empire was powered by plants. This botanical perspective is in fascinating focus at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, London, currently. Flora Indica: Recovering Lost Histories of Indian Botanical Art is an exhibition of 52 works by Indian artists between 1790 and 1850. They represent a tiny proportion of the more than 7,000 in Kew Gardens’ unique archive commissioned by representatives of the East India Company. It has been put together by one of the world’s leading experts on Indian botanical art, Dr Henry Noltie, and Hyderabad-based scholar…

Homes today are no longer defined by fixed programmes. Work blends into leisure, private moments overlap with social ones and spaces are expected to evolve as routines shift. For us, flexibility isn’t about adding furniture or gimmicks. It’s about embedding adaptability into the architecture itself. This thought process begins with the structure. In one residence, the staircase isn’t treated as a leftover element but as a spatial device. It originates within a single-height volume and rises seamlessly into a double-height space, eliminating the need for additional structural cutouts. The result is an efficient, sculptural insert that connects levels while actively shaping the volume around it. Private zones follow the same logic. Our en-suite walk-in wardrobes/bathrooms, combine wardrobe, bath and dressing into a single fluid experience. Instead of rigid separations, these…

The most sophisticated technology is the kind you don’t see. This year marks a decisive shift in the evolution of smart homes, away from conspicuous control panels and app-dependent systems toward truly invisible automation that understands and anticipates the natural rhythms of daily life. The Invisible Home Automation Imperative Real automation isn’t about replacing wall switches with keypads or controlling lights through an app; it’s about eliminating the need for manual control altogether. Humans are creatures of habit, following remarkably consistent routines within our homes. The breakthrough in modern smart living lies in technology’s ability to recognise these patterns and execute them automatically. Consider your morning routine: perhaps you prefer particular music, gradual lighting that mimics sunrise and specific temperature settings. True automation means these preferences manifest seamlessly each morning…

Some people collect stamps. Pasquale Junior Natuzzi collects time zones and turns them into brand language. Born in Bari in 1990 and raised between Italy and the US, he blends Puglia’s Mediterranean instinct with global culture. After Bocconi, he launched the fashion start-up The Secret Society, studied asset and wealth management in New York, then joined Natuzzi in 2012. He drove digital storytelling, led a Mediterranean-led rebrand, helped shape immersive retail including an Augmented Store with Microsoft, joined the board in 2020, became Chief Brand Officer in 2022, and since January 2025 leads the Natuzzi Project Division. He grew up inside the company, but also inside a home that valued the arts. “My parents were creative, both were art collectors and design was always in the air,” he shares. His…

When the queen of maximalism, interior designer clashes spectacularly with wall-design wizards Life n Colors, the result is a visual feast: Neelvana. This swoon-worthy collection, as the name hints (‘neel’ for blue, ‘vana’ for forest), plunges you into an illustrated realm of dreamy gardens, pavilions and horizons stretching on forever. Think of it as a whimsical escape without leaving the house. The core is a stunning indigo—a genius stroke that keeps the dense detail clutter-free. The result? Interiors that are effortlessly calm, cool and collected. This isn’t just wallpaper; it’s a full-blown surface language for slow living. We’re talking seamless integration across walls, ceilings, borders, murals and even wardrobes. PRICE ₹12,000 per 30 sq m AT www.lifencolors.in…