News Broadcasting
Music Venue blueFROG comes to Pune
MUMBAI: Music Goliath blueFROG is all set to launch in Pune, India. While blueFROG as a venue is slated to open at the end of the year, it will launch an open-air annexure, The Amphitheatre on November 21st with electronica giants Above and Beyond, followed by other exciting acts, the schedule of which will be announced soon.
The Amphitheatre can accommodate up to 2000 people and is fully equipped with a stage, lights and a sound system. It is housed in the Ishaniya Mall, in Kalyani Nagar opposite the Poona Club Golf Course and will lead off from the blueFROG Club.
In the lead up to blueFROG opening, we will see the “Amphibian Series” taking place in the amphitheatre, kicking off with Above and Beyond on November 21st, followed by Fatoumata Diawara, Erik Truffaz and DJ Miss Nine among others. The gigs that form a part of the Amphibian series will demonstrate the diversity of programming that blueFROG will be bringing to the table and reflect the quality and broad spectrum of artists that blueFROG has been known to be program and will continue to program in Pune.
DICE Hospitality in partnership with blueFROG is bringing the brand into Pune. Partners Ishan Bhale and Govind Thakker who head DICE Hospitality have strong roots in the Pune community and a desire to stand out in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. It is their collective vision to bring a brand to Pune that has cemented itself into people’s musical consciousness across India and, with the people of Pune, grow this into a revolution that supports all genres of music and the arts.
Indian and international live concerts, electronica superstars, orchestras, dance performances, folk and classical music and theater will all be a part of the programming. The idea is to create an experience and a community and invite Punekars to become a part of this movement and indeed take ownership of it.
blueFROG in Pune, like its Mumbai and Delhi counterparts will enable access to genres of music from around the world and India and bring an exquisite F&B offering to the table.
Says Govind Thakker, DICE Hospitality, “We are very excited to be partnering with BlueFROG, knowing that they have successfully revolutionized the way music is consumed by audiences and the variety they have been able to provide and create a venue that has accentuated the artists. We believe that Pune as a city has always been rich in its music and art culture. The audiences in Pune have always been very open to various genres of music. From the days of the Peshwa’s music has been an integral part of “Puneri” culture with many regional and local bands performing on a regular basis.”
“We have always been inclined towards promoting music, and are connoisseurs of the arts. This partnership with BlueFROG, we believe, is the perfect synergy between like-minded people who are creative and focused to give the city of Pune a new vibrant, trendsetting and fun music venue,” Ishan Bhale, DICE Hospitality added.
Says Simran Mulchandani, Managing Director blueFROG, “Pune has always had an ear for music and has resonated with performances of the biggest names in music. In Dice Hospitality, we have found the ideal partners to bring blueFROG to Pune. Ishan Bhale and Govind Thakker are ideal co-conspirators, who understand the real estate and F&B markets in Pune very well. We will be bringing the best aspects of blueFROG to Pune, all our partnerships, our mobile and web platforms, our content creation expertise, that will make the Pune blueFROG thrive and become the center of music activity. We are also in the process of networking with such partners in other key metros including Bangalore, so that through the synergy of our collective competencies we can create landmark destinations offering the most sought-after mix of music, F&B and culture.”
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.






