Brands
Lara Dutta launches ARIAS Kids in partnership with FirstCry
Mumbai: Miss Universe 2000 pageant winner, Indian actress, and entrepreneur Lara Dutta Bhupathi announced on Saturday her entry into the kids’ fashion space on the Indian e-tail baby and kids megastore FirstCry.com.
Bhupati has partnered with FirstCry to launch ARIAS – an eco-fashion label of clothing and accessories which is an endeavour to design responsible fashion while translating current trends into comfortable, chic and premium quality products.
ARIAS Kids, will be made available only on FirstCry.com and is set to challenge the existing market of conscious parents of independent kids who know exactly what they want to wear.
ARIAS caters to 2–14-year old kids with the aim of creating clothing and accessories that reduce the negative impact of the fashion industry on the environment.
The brand name is her daughter’s name, ‘Saira’, spelled in reverse. It seems fitting that ARIAS has naturally forayed into the kids’ clothing space too.
Speaking about this new initiative, Lara Dutta said, “FirstCry was the first brand that immediately came to mind when I thought of ‘kids fashion’. With this partnership, I believe we can advance environmental education and youth environmental awareness while also achieving my goal of making ARIAS kids an eco-fashion brand.”
A company spokesperson at FirstCry said, “The association with Lara’s brand is one that we are very positive about – we are witnessing the rise of the conscious consumer on FirstCry, and given ARIAS Kids’ core values of eco-consciousness, it is a great offering for parents who have come to expect more from the FirstCry brand.”
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
