MAM
Shalimar Paints Ltd appoints C Venugopal as COO
Mumbai: Shalimar Paints Ltd, a pioneer in the Indian paints industry with a legacy of over 120 years, has announced the appointment of C Venugopal as the chief operating officer (COO). This strategic move reflects the company’s commitment to driving growth and reinforcing its dedication to innovation, customer satisfaction, and unparalleled quality.
Venugopal, a seasoned leader with 30 years of business leadership and retail experience, has a proven track record of profitability and business growth through strategic thinking, marketing excellence, and operational expertise. He has spearheaded initiatives aimed at fostering a more focused, growth-oriented, and sustainable business model. Aligned with Shalimar 2.0’s vision of transforming into a new-age, tech-driven organization, Venugopal is poised to lead the organization’s growth strategy, setting new industry benchmarks.
“We are delighted to welcome Mr Venugopal, a dynamic, values-driven business leader with a diverse experience, as the COO of Shalimar Paints. With his depth of expertise in strategic capabilities, operational effectiveness, and a strong track record in both developed and developing markets, we are confident that he will deliver excellence and innovation at scale for the benefit of all stakeholders,” said Infra.Market co-founder and Shalimar Paints Ltd’s director on the board Aaditya Sharda.
Before joining Shalimar Paints Ltd, Venugopal held pivotal roles at Morton Foods Ltd, Umang Diaries Ltd, Nippon Paints India, and Kansai Nerolac Paints, leaving a lasting impact. He has also made noteworthy contributions at companies including Godrej Sara Lee, Reckitt Benckiser, CavinKare, Cussons India Pvt Ltd and Pepsi Foods Ltd. Renowned for his innovative drive, vision, and ability to drive transformative change, he is widely regarded as a persistent innovator and team motivator.
Shalimar Paints Ltd COO C Venugopal said, “I am thrilled to take on the leadership position at Shalimar Paints, a company with a rich legacy that continues to meet the needs of today’s rapidly evolving consumers. My focus will remain on enhancing business performance and foster growth through technology-driven services and innovations. Together with the talented team, I am eager to navigate the progressing landscape and propel the company to new heights of success.”
In its unwavering legacy of excellence, Shalimar Paints provides a broad range of paints and coatings, pioneering innovation and setting new industry benchmarks to meet diverse customer preferences and requirements. The company plans to take its product offerings beyond national standards and manufacture international-level products within the country with modernized and automated facilities as the key pillars.
MAM
Deepfakes target women in 93 per cent of cases, report finds
Pi-labs study shows 900 per cent rise in female-focused synthetic media; India sees 60 per cent jump in cybercrime complaints.
MUMBAI: Deepfakes aren’t just fooling cameras, they’re hitting women hardest, turning pixels into a new kind of weapon. A new report from creator intelligence platform Pi-labs has revealed that nearly 93 per cent of deepfake victims are women, with deepfake content targeting females surging 900% in recent years. The findings paint synthetic media as a fast-escalating digital threat with a stark gendered impact.
In India, cybercrime complaints involving women rose from about 50,000 in 2024 to nearly 80,000 by 2026, an increase of roughly 60 per cent in just two years. Almost 98 per cent of deepfake pornography is aimed at women, often powered by face-swapping apps and bot networks that disproportionately target females, including school-age girls. Victims typically fall in the 18–30 age group, with Bengaluru reporting a growing share of cases.
Globally, 62 per cent of deepfake abuse cases involving women go unreported due to stigma, in India, over one-third of women facing online harassment take no action, and many reduce their digital presence after abuse. Close to 33 per cent of women remain unaware of protective laws.
City-level trends show Bengaluru leading with nearly 30 per cent of complaints, followed by Hyderabad (14 per cent), Mumbai (13 per cent), Chennai and Kolkata (5 per cent each), and Delhi (3 per cent).
Pi-labs, CEO and founder Anukush Tiwari said, “AI is one of the most powerful technologies of our time, but like every powerful tool, it reflects the intent of those who use it. We are witnessing a growing trust deficit in digital spaces, where identity can be manipulated within minutes and reputations can be damaged overnight.”
Image morphing and deepfake videos remain the most common forms of misuse. The report also notes a new trend: fully AI-generated female personas (not based on real individuals) gaining high engagement on social platforms, raising questions about digital credibility.
Detection remains challenging due to widespread generative tools and rogue creators. Industry estimates suggest over 5,000 face-swap tools and more than 1,000 voice-cloning applications are accessible online.
pi-labs offers pi-authentify, an AI-driven detection system that scans media for generative markers and provides authenticity scores, as well as Namokavach, a verification portal delivering confidential assessments within two working days. The Payal gaming case was resolved using pi-authentify’s forensic analysis.
The report urges minimising digital footprints and adopting detection tools to limit replication risks. It frames the gendered impact of synthetic media as an urgent digital safety issue requiring coordinated action from individuals, platforms and technology providers.
In a world where faces can be borrowed in seconds, the real crime isn’t just creation, it’s the silence that follows, and women are paying the heaviest price.
