MAM
Manipal girl Ashna Gurav wins Santoor Femina Style Diva South 2017
Bangalore : The winners of this year’s Santoor Femina Style Diva South were declared at a glittering ceremony attended by who’s who of the Hindi and Kannada film industry. The evening witnessed 14 gorgeous girls take over the stage at the 5th edition of Santoor Femina Style Diva South 2017 powered by Abaran Jewellery, in association with BNatural, INXS and Aloe Veda, held at Mövenpick Hotel & Spa in Bengaluru.
The diverse sets of rounds where the girls displayed their style, wit and élan were judged by a grand jury that included experts from the world of fashion and glamour , comprising of Femina’s editor and chief community officer Tanya Chaitanya, actor Adah Sharma, Kannada actor Rashmika Mandanna, Yamaha Fascino Miss Diva-Miss Universe India Roshmitha Harimurthy, fashion designer Ron Dutta, Rahul Srivastava, marketing manager, Santoor, and Dr Sangeetha Patel, dermatologist and founder of INXS Anti-Ageing and Anti-Obesity clinic, who after much deliberation chose Manipal girl Ashna Gurav as this year’s Femina Style Diva South. The first and second runners up at the style-based pageant were Bhavana Sreepad and Anookiya Harish.
Speaking on the occasion, Tanya Chaitanya – Editor and Chief Community Officer, Femina, said, “This is the 5th successful year of Femina Style Diva and we have been ecstatic about it. We launched this platform as we truly believed that every girl has a unique style statement which is beautiful in its own way. Femina stands for the progressive young woman of today and the Femina Style Divas embody this essence of the brand.’’
The evening began with 14 contestants walking the runway in little black dresses and accessories from their personal wardrobes as presenter Paloma Rao introduced each contestant to the judges. The second round had the contestants channeling their inner supermodels as they flaunted stunning diamond jewellery by Abaran Jewellery and gowns by Ziva by Bhuvana Mohan Gowda. For the third round, the contestants shimmied down the runway in glamorous gowns crafted by designer Riya Kodali. As the judges had the tough job of determining the finalists on their hands, the audience enjoyed a stand-up act by Bengaluru-based comedian Sanjay Manaktala and dance troupe, Oxygen Dance Company.
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.
