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Mysuru Maharaja releases book about founder of Cycle Pure Agarbathi
Mumbai: Amidst the ongoing Dasara celebrations, the royal scion of Mysuru, His Highness Sri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar released a book and a special limited edition agarbathi “Darbari” in honour of Shri N Ranga Rao, the founder of Cycle Pure Agarbathi, in the Royal palace, to mark his birthday.
Speaking at the special occasion, His Highness Sri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said “The fragrance of Mysuru agarbathi today has gained global glory and has been accorded the GI status for agarbathi. This is a testament to the fragrances of Mysuru Agarbathi that have long graced the royal courts, temples, and the homes of our people, elevating our senses and connecting us to the divine. We are committed to preserving the rich tapestry of our traditions, and we continue to extend our heartfelt patronage so that these fragrant arts continue to be a source of inspiration and pride for our people.”
The book titled “From Mysuru to the World” recounts the extraordinary life of the young, daring entrepreneur who chose Mysuru to set up his agarbathi business, right in the wake of indian independence, and went on to create a global conglomerate, with maverick ingenuity. The book is a narration by R Guru, the eldest son of N Ranga Rao.
“My father had an uncanny ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. He was a kind of alchemist, a master perfumer who could transform simple ingredients into fine fragrances. He was born with an acute sense of business acumen. Above all, he was a kind and loving man who valued family relations above all. I believe that his story will inspire young entrepreneurs for generations to come.” said NR Group chairman R Guru.
“During the 1953 Dasara, My grandfather’s perfume creations received the gold medal. Today, exactly 70 years later, we feel blessed that the king is releasing a book about him. You could say that it’s a royal tribute to his perfume making legacy, that we continue to carry forward, three generations later. We are humbled and honoured to take the finest of fragrances, from Mysuru to the world.” said Cycle Pure Agarbathi MD Arjun Ranga.
The function was graced by members of the Ranga family and the Mysuru Maharajah.
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UK’s OnlyFans seeks US investor at $3bn valuation after owner’s death
The adult video platform is seeking stability after the death of its billionaire owner
LONDON: OnlyFans is looking for a new partner. The London-based adult video platform is in advanced talks to sell a minority stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based investment firm, in a deal that would value the business at more than $3bn (£2.2bn).
The move is driven by an urgent need for stability. Leonid Radvinsky, the Ukrainian-American billionaire who owned OnlyFans, died of cancer last month at the age of 43, leaving the future of one of Britain’s most profitable privately held businesses suddenly uncertain.
The choice of Architect Capital is not arbitrary. The firm has deep expertise in financial services, which aligns neatly with OnlyFans’ ambitions to offer banking products to its creators, many of whom have long struggled to access basic financial services because of the nature of their work.
The numbers behind OnlyFans are, by any measure, staggering. The platform posted revenues of $1.4bn in the year to 30th November 2024, with a pre-tax profit of $684m, up four per cent on the prior year. Payments to creators totalled $7.2bn over the same period, a rise of nearly ten per cent. Radvinsky personally collected $701m in dividends from the business in 2024 alone, on top of more than $1bn in such payments he had already received. The platform, run through its parent company Felix International, hosts 4.6m creator accounts, with performers keeping 80 per cent of subscription proceeds and the platform pocketing the remaining 20 per cent. It has 377m fan accounts in total.
The current minority stake talks represent a notable scaling back of ambitions. In January, OnlyFans was reported to be in discussions with Architect about selling a majority stake of 60 per cent. Before that, the company had explored a sale to a consortium led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. Neither deal materialised.
OnlyFans has built an enormously lucrative business on content that mainstream finance has long refused to touch. Now, with its owner gone and a $3bn valuation on the table, it is looking for the kind of respectable institutional backing that might finally persuade the banks to take its calls.
