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Headspace to launch services for media & entertainment HR professionals
MUMBAI: Media & entertainment human resources professionals please take note. Headpsace – a global leader in mindfulness and meditation – is all set to launch in India. One of the first meditation apps in the world, reaching more than 62 million users across 190 countries, Headspace offers B2B services (through Headspace for Work) to more than 600 companies, such as Hyatt, Adobe, GE, and Starbucks, to help them build healthier, more productive cultures and higher-performing organisations.
Headspace announced today that it had received an investment from Times Bridge as its Series C funding comprised of $53 million of equity from participating investors and $40 million of debt capital. Times Bridge, a global investments and partnerships firm, will enable Headspace to launch and scale in India, the world’s second-largest internet market.
A press release issued by Times Bridge, says that Headspace will enable Indian users to integrate the practice of mindfulness and meditation into their daily lives, through easily accessible mindfulness routines, including sleep, movement and meditation, among other features. Even today, Indian users can explore bite-sized audio sessions on everything from focus and productivity to stress and anxiety. The courses are led by the guiding voice of co-founder Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk who spent 10 years travelling around the world, culminating with ordination as a Tibetan Buddhist monk in Northern India.
It further states that “Times Bridge will enable Headspace’s launch in the Indian market, accelerate its growth and advance its mission. By providing subcontinent-wide market leadership and drawing on the unmatched reach of Times Group assets, Times Bridge’s initiatives will ensure Headspace’s product, partnerships and positioning are optimized for adoption and impact across India."
“Headspace’s mission is to improve the health and happiness of the world,” says Headspace co-founder & CEO Richard Pierson. “While the scale and diversity of India are widely known, our opportunity to make a significant impact in the ancient home of meditation is unique. We are excited to pair this time-honoured 2,000-year-old practice and bring it to a large audience around the world. We are delighted to partner with Times Bridge and The Times Group to expand Headspace’s reach in the Indian market.”
Adds Times Bridge CEO Rishi Jaitly: “Times Bridge's mission is to bring the world’s best ideas to India, and share India’s best insights with the world. Headspace is one of those bold, original trailblazer companies with founders and a wider team sincerely committed to a more mindful world, and to India in particular. We’re delighted to work with a partner that sees India holistically and is ambitious about its opportunity to create value across the subcontinent.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
