MAM
Himanshu Bajaj appointed as BYJU’S Learning Centre business head
Mumbai: Ed-tech company BYJU’S on Thursday announced the appointment of Himanshu Bajaj as head of business to lead its BYJU’S Learning Centre.
BYJU’S Learning Centre offers students a hybrid model of learning by combining the best of offline and online learning methodologies.
In his role, Bajaj will be responsible for development and expansion of BYJU’S Learning Centre, along with providing strategic business growth and thought leadership direction for the brand and the business. He will report directly to BYJU’S chief operating officer Mrinal Mohit.
BYJU’S chief people officer Pravin Prakash said, “With Himanshu’s extensive years of diverse experience in front-ending business for various corporates, he will help scale and add value to the offerings of BYJU’S Learning Centre. We are pleased to welcome him on board and look forward to working with him to strengthen our business further and support him in achieving the goals.”
With over 18 years of consulting and industry experience working with the both public and private sectors, Himanshu has worked for leading local and global transformation programs for consumer goods and retail clients across Asia, Europe, and Africa. He has also led projects in sales and marketing, real estate, chemicals, energy, and logistics. His experience includes managing global projects as well as country-specific projects across India, Paris, UK, the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Dubai, South Africa.
Before joining BYJU’S, Bajaj worked with Kearney and led its consumer and retail practice across Asia Pacific. He has also worked with Fedex in Singapore and Hong Kong and TSMG in Mumbai.
Commenting on his appointment, Himanshu Bajaj said, “I am delighted to be associated with BYJU’S first of its platform that offers a hybrid model of learning. Since its inception, BYJU’S has led the way forward with its transformative power of education through an innovative online learning model. I am looking forward to furthering the value and developing the business across geographies – displaying a promising future in revamping the face of education for students.”
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.
