MAM
Avaada Electro appoints Kaushal Shah as chief financial officer
MUMBAI: Avaada Electro, the solar PV manufacturing arm of Avaada Group and one of India’s fastest-growing green tech enterprises, has announced the appointment of Kaushal Shah as its chief financial officer.
A finance veteran with over three decades of experience, Shah brings with him a strong background in capital markets, treasury operations, mergers & acquisitions, investor relations, risk governance, and strategic financial planning. A Chartered Accountant (1993) with a PGDM in Information Systems Audit, he has held senior leadership positions across manufacturing and IT sectors, spearheading large teams and guiding organizations through high-growth phases and financial transformations.
This strategic appointment comes as Avaada Electro embarks on its next phase of growth, marked by capacity expansion, increased R&D investments, and deeper integration of solar manufacturing to meet both domestic energy needs and global sustainability goals.
Welcoming Shah, Avaada Group chairman Vineet Mittal said, “Kaushal’s appointment marks a pivotal milestone in our journey to create one of the world’s most advanced and purpose-driven green manufacturing ecosystems. His financial acumen, strategic vision, and values-based leadership will be instrumental as Avaada Electro scales new heights in clean technology and sustainability. We are not just manufacturing modules — we are shaping the future of energy for Bharat and beyond.”
As CFO, he will lead the company’s financial strategy, stakeholder engagement, capital allocation, and governance frameworks, while supporting innovation-led expansion across solar PV and allied technologies.
Avaada Electro is currently focused on pushing the boundaries of solar technology—working to enhance solar cell efficiencies beyond 25.5 per cent and increase module power output from 720 Wp to 800 Wp, in line with global performance standards. These advancements are central to the Avaada Group’s broader ambition of deploying 50 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2035.
Commenting on his appointment, Shah said, “Joining Avaada Electro is not just a professional milestone — it is a mission aligned with my values. I am honoured to be part of a visionary organisation that places purpose and sustainability at the heart of its growth strategy. I look forward to building a strong financial foundation that powers innovation and impact.”
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.
