iWorld
Warner Music India names Ashok Parwani head of music for South India
CHENNAI: Warner Music India has roped in Ashok Parwani as head of music for its South Indian markets, signalling an aggressive push into Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam territories. The appointment comes on the heels of Warner’s majority acquisition of Divo, a leading South Indian digital media and music company.
Parwani, a four-decade veteran across India, Sri Lanka and the UAE, helped build Sony Music South over 20 years, acquiring key catalogues and forging strong ties with producers, filmmakers and artists. At Warner, he will spearhead catalogue expansion, strengthen creator relationships and drive growth across South India’s booming music ecosystem.
Divo, now fully integrated with Warner Music India, manages a rapidly growing catalogue, digital distribution, publishing and influencer marketing. Its artist-first label, Loopd, and collaborations with Sri Lanka’s M-Entertainments are already opening global pathways for regional talent.
Managing director of Warner Music India & SAARC, Jay Mehta, said: “Ashok brings unmatched regional insight and industry relationships. South India is a high-growth pillar, and his leadership will help local artists reach national and global audiences.”
Co-founder and director of Divo, Shahir Muneer, added: “Ashok’s track record will strengthen Warner Music India’s South strategy and unlock new commercial opportunities for artists.”
Parwani said: “South India is a powerhouse of creativity. Together with Divo, we can take this music to wider audiences across India and globally, creating new pathways for artists to thrive.”
With Parwani at the helm, Warner Music India is turning up the volume on South Indian music—scaling catalogues, amplifying talent and taking local sounds to the global stage faster than ever.
iWorld
OpenAI hits back at Elon Musk’s lawsuit ahead of trial
Company calls claims “baseless” and accuses Musk of trying to disrupt a rival.
MUMBAI: When the stakes are measured in billions and egos are involved, even Silicon Valley titans can turn a courtroom into a battlefield. OpenAI has issued a sharp public response to Elon Musk’s ongoing lawsuit, accusing the billionaire of filing the case to harass a competitor rather than address genuine concerns. In a strongly worded statement shared on its official X account, OpenAI described Musk’s allegations as “baseless” and suggested the lawsuit is an attempt to disrupt the company as the case heads toward trial later this month in Oakland, California.
The response comes after Musk’s legal team recently amended the complaint, proposing that any damages potentially exceeding $150 billion should go to OpenAI’s nonprofit entity rather than to Musk personally. OpenAI questioned the timing and motive behind this change, calling it a late-stage attempt to “pretend to change his tune” on the nonprofit structure.
The company further labelled the lawsuit a “harassment campaign”, arguing that Musk’s actions are driven by personal rivalry, ego, and a desire for greater control and financial upside.
At the heart of the dispute is Musk’s claim that OpenAI has abandoned its original nonprofit mission of developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. A co-founder who left in 2018, Musk is seeking governance changes, including the removal of CEO Sam Altman from the nonprofit board, and the return of certain financial gains linked to Altman and President Greg Brockman.
OpenAI has firmly rejected these allegations, maintaining that its current hybrid structure, a public-benefit corporation overseen by a nonprofit parent remains true to its long-term goals. The company has also previously accused Musk of anti-competitive behaviour aimed at weakening its leadership.
As the case prepares for a jury trial, this public exchange highlights the deepening rift between two of the most influential figures in the AI revolution and raises broader questions about governance, mission, and power in the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence.
In the high-stakes game of AI, it seems the real drama isn’t just inside the models, it’s playing out in courtrooms too.
