Brands
Artport teams up with The Good Doll to stitch purpose into airport retail
MUMBAI: Artport, the conscious retail vertical by India Retail and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. (IRHPL), has announced a heart-led partnership with The Good Doll, the Shark Tank India-featured social enterprise. The result: an exclusive, limited-edition collection of handcrafted, upcycled fabric dolls—now landing at Artport stores across India’s major airports.
But this isn’t just another airport souvenir. It’s retail with roots — and purpose. Each doll is stitched with love by a collective of over 95 women artisans from the Nilgiris, many of whom are first-generation income earners. Made from pre-consumer textile waste, the dolls are designed to be body-positive, waste-free, and brimming with stories.
“ARTPORT is redefining the airport shopping experience. We’re not just offering products—we’re offering purpose,” said Naresh Sharma, CEO,IRHPL Group of Companies and Artport is one of the brands from IRHPL. “Through our partnership with The Good Doll, we are proud to amplify the voices and skills of women artisans, while showing that conscious commerce can thrive even in high-footfall infrastructure spaces.”
No two dolls are alike — each one stitched with intention and individuality. The launch aligns with IRHPL’s broader CSR vision: to create circular, sustainable economies that celebrate local artisanship while reducing environmental impact.
“Our dolls are more than fabric—they represent resilience, dignity, and economic independence,” said Suhas Ramegowda, Co-Founder, The Good Doll. “Thanks to ARTPORT by IRHPL, these stories now have a national platform, connecting travellers to the heart of rural India.”
For travellers, it’s a new kind of carry-on: a story of empowerment, stitched into fabric, ready for the journey ahead.
Brands
Hyundai and TVS Motor partner to develop electric three wheelers
Joint development pact targets last mile mobility with localisation push
MUMBAI: Three wheels, one big ambition and a charge towards the future. Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company have signed a joint development agreement to co-create electric three-wheelers (E3Ws), aiming to crack India’s complex last-mile mobility puzzle. The collaboration moves beyond concept talk into execution mode, building on the E3W prototype first showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The goal now is clear, design, develop and commercialise a purpose-built vehicle tailored to Indian roads, riders and realities.
Under the agreement, Hyundai will lead design and co-development, bringing its global R&D muscle and human-centric engineering approach to the table. TVS Motor, meanwhile, will anchor the product on its electric platform, leveraging deep three-wheeler expertise and local market insight. It will also handle manufacturing and sales in India, with an eye on exports down the line.
The timing is strategic. India remains the world’s largest three-wheeler market, where affordability, durability and adaptability often outweigh sheer innovation. The upcoming E3W aims to strike that balance combining advanced technology with practical features such as adaptive ground clearance for monsoon-hit roads, improved thermal management for tropical climates, and flexible interiors suited for passengers, cargo or emergency use.
A key pillar of the partnership is localisation. Major components will be sourced and manufactured within India, a move expected to strengthen the domestic supply chain, create jobs, lower costs and improve after-sales support.
The shift from prototype to production will involve rigorous testing, certification and refinement to meet regulatory standards and consumer expectations. Dedicated cross-functional teams from both companies are already in place to accelerate timelines.
At a broader level, the tie-up reflects a growing trend in mobility, global players partnering with local specialists to navigate emerging markets. For Hyundai and TVS, the bet is that combining scale with street-level insight could unlock a new chapter in sustainable urban transport, one that runs not just on electricity, but on relevance.
