MAM
Literature binds life’s fragile threads, says India Today chief
NEW DELHI: Life’s unpredictability demands stronger bonds—and literature provides the glue. That was the message from Kalli Purie, vice chairperson and executive editor-in-chief of the India Today Group, as she inaugurated the eighth edition of Sahitya Aaj Tak in Delhi.
The annual gathering of literary luminaries, artists and musicians took on added poignancy as Purie reflected on 2025’s darkest moments. She cited the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 tourists in the Baisaran Valley, and the Air India crash in Ahmedabad two months later, when flight 171 ploughed into a medical college building en route to London, claiming 260 lives.
“Zindagi ek safar hai suhana, yahaan kal kya ho kisne jaana,” Purie said, quoting the Kishore Kumar classic. Life is a beautiful journey—but who knows what tomorrow holds?
Against such fragility, literature offers something permanent. It transforms fleeting connections into lasting relationships, turning individual experiences into collective memory. In a year marked by loss, the written word endures.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
