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Vedanta chairman’s son dies suddenly in New York at 49
NEW YORK: Shock rippled through India’s business elite on Thursday after Agnivesh Agarwal, son of Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal, died suddenly of a heart attack in New York, cutting short a life that blended privilege with boardroom heft.
Agnivesh, 49, was recovering at Mount Sinai Hospital following a skiing accident in the US. The prognosis had been positive. Then came the collapse. A sudden cardiac arrest ended it.
Calling it “the darkest day of my life”, Anil Agarwal said his son had been healthy, full of energy and plans. “We believed the worst was behind us,” he wrote, adding that fate intervened without warning.
Born in Patna on June 3rd 1976, Agnivesh studied at Mayo College, Ajmer, before carving out his own path in business. He founded Fujairah Gold and later rose to become chairman of Hindustan Zinc, one of Vedanta’s crown jewels. Colleagues described him as understated, driven and unusually grounded for an industrial heir.
In a personal note, Anil Agarwal traced his son’s journey from a middle-class Bihari family to the upper echelons of corporate India, describing him as a devoted son, protective brother and loyal friend.
The loss lands hard—not just on a family, but on a business empire grooming its next chapter. A life accelerating towards greater influence has stopped mid-stride. The boardroom goes quiet; the legacy, abruptly, is unfinished.
Today is the darkest day of my life.
My beloved son, Agnivesh, left us far too soon. He was just 49 years old, healthy, full of life, and dreams. Following a skiing accident in the US, he was recovering well in Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. We believed the worst was behind us.… pic.twitter.com/hDQEDNI262
— Anil Agarwal (@AnilAgarwal_Ved) January 7, 2026
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HP launches Smart Champs learning game show with JioStar for students
Sanya Malhotra hosts quiz series blending fun, learning and prizes
NEW DELHI: HP India has teamed up with JioStar to launch HP Smart Champs, a new learning-based game show designed to make education engaging for school students across the country.
Hosted by Sanya Malhotra, the 10-episode series brings together students from Grades 5 to 9, who compete in teams through quiz and puzzle-based challenges that test knowledge, logic and teamwork. The show will begin streaming on JioHotstar from April 11 and will premiere on Nick on April 18, with weekend episodes airing at 7 PM.
Powered by HP Smart Tank printers, the format integrates print-based learning into the gameplay, using worksheets, clues and visual problem-solving tools to encourage hands-on participation. The idea is to move students beyond rote memorisation and towards more applied, curiosity-led learning.
The competition promises high stakes, with winners set to receive a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, while runners-up will take home Rs 5 lakh. Additional rewards include HP AI laptops, Smart Tank printers and accessories, while the winning school will be awarded an HP Smart Tech Lab.
Speaking about the initiative, HP India managing director Ipsita Dasgupta said, “At HP, we believe nurturing India’s youth is key to the country’s progress, and technology plays a foundational role in enabling this. With HP Smart Champs, we wanted to create something beyond traditional learning, a fun-filled platform where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking take centre stage.”
On the show’s reach, JioStar head entertainment sales Mahesh Shetty said, “HP Smart Champs reflects how children today learn through exploration and experience. With Nick and JioHotstar, we are creating a multi-screen approach that is both engaging and meaningful.”
Highlighting the role of print, HP India senior director print Satish Kumar said, “The show brings print-based learning to life in an engaging format, helping students develop deeper understanding through hands-on experiences.”
The journey to the finale began with participation from over 1,000 schools across 26 cities, narrowing down to 34 finalists who will compete in a studio showdown in Mumbai.
With its blend of entertainment, education and technology, HP Smart Champs is positioning itself as more than just a quiz show. It is a nationwide push to make learning interactive, accessible and, above all, a lot more fun.
