iWorld
Government and Netflix wrap up ‘Inspiring Innovators’ skilling drive
New Delhi: The Office of the principal scientific adviser to the government of India and the ministry of information and broadcasting have joined hands with Netflix to close out Inspiring Innovators – naye Bharat ki nayi pehchaan, a skilling initiative that blends storytelling with innovation, talent development and social impact.
Aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the programme brings India’s innovation and creative ecosystems into one frame. Eight short animated films, created by students from universities across the country, showcase start-ups identified by the Office of the PSA for their work in socially relevant innovation.
The films were produced by students from institutions including the National Institute of Design, Chitkara University and the Satyajit Ray Institute of Film and Television, with voiceovers recorded by participants from Voicebox, a Netflix-NFDC skilling initiative. The project was implemented with Graphiti Studios, with mentoring support from NID Ahmedabad.
In all, 26 students took part in the programme, half of them women, with strong representation from tier-2 cities. Participants received hands-on exposure to real-world creative processes, from concept to execution. Adding a cultural flourish, the initiative’s original anthem was performed by students of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy.
L. Murugan, minister of state for information and broadcasting and parliamentary affairs, said initiatives such as this highlight how creativity can serve society. He pointed to India’s opportunity to take its stories to global audiences, as content, culture and creativity emerge as pillars of the Bharat economy.
Ajay Kumar Sood, principal scientific adviser to the government of India, said the programme reflected a holistic approach to building the innovation ecosystem. By linking start-ups, students, policy intent and industry mentorship, he said, the initiative connected skills development with real-world application.
Sanjay Jaju, secretary at the ministry of information and broadcasting, described the initiative as a marker of how storytelling is evolving into a platform for empowerment and skilling, particularly as India enters what he called the age of creators and AI-shaped narratives.
Mahima Kaul, director, global affairs at Netflix India, said the project underscored Netflix’s commitment to skilling India’s creative talent and recognising innovation that delivers tangible social value.
The culmination ceremony featured screenings of all eight films, live performances and addresses by senior representatives from government and partner organisations. The films are now available on Netflix India’s YouTube channel.
For the students and start-ups involved, the message is clear. When policy, creativity and platforms align, storytelling becomes more than content. It becomes a capability.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
