Broadband
Indian-American Ajit Pai reappointed FCC chairman in US Senate split vote
MUMBAI: The US Senate has confirmed the nomination of Indian-American Ajit Pai as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman for the second time despite complaints that he will undermine net neutrality. Pai, whose term was to end later this year, was reappointed for a five-year term after getting a majority of 52-41, with most of the Democrats voting against him.
Pai was designated chairman by the President Donald J. Trump in January 2017. He had previously served as the commissioner at the FCC.
Pai’s regulatory philosophy is informed by a few simple principles. Rules that reflect these principles will result in more innovation, more investment, better products and services, lower prices, more job creation, and faster economic growth.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer accused Pai of establishing a record of favouring big corporations at the expense of consumers, innovators and small businesses. Pai, he said, supported Congressional attempts to reverse the FCC’s 2016 broadband privacy rule, which would have prevented big cable and internet companies from profiting off of personal internet data.
He complained that internet service providers no longer have to obtain consumer consent before they sell or share sensitive personal data.
Pai, he alleged, is now attempting to dismantle the Open Internet Order, the net neutrality rules under which millions of consumers currently have access to a free and open internet.
Defending his work, Pai said: “Since January (2017), the FCC has focused on bridging the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and making the FCC more open and transparent.”
Broadband
Zoff Foods extends Shilpa Shetty partnership into ninth year
Spice brand reinforces trust-led positioning amid growth and funding push.
MUMBAI: Nine years, one flavour and the recipe clearly still works. Zoff Foods has extended its long-running association with Shilpa Shetty, marking nine consecutive years of her as brand ambassador as the company scales its presence across Indian households. What began as a digital-first collaboration has gradually evolved into a defining element of the brand’s identity. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has mirrored Zoff’s own journey from an emerging challenger to a fast-growing FMCG player with a widening footprint across e-commerce, quick commerce and offline retail channels.
The logic behind the continuity is straightforward. In a category where trust and familiarity drive purchase decisions, particularly in spices and ready-to-cook segments, long-term associations tend to carry more weight than short bursts of visibility. Shetty’s positioning as a fitness-conscious, health-aware public figure aligns with the brand’s emphasis on purity and quality factors that are increasingly shaping consumer choices in modern Indian kitchens.
The extension also comes at a time when Zoff Foods is entering a more aggressive growth phase. The company recently raised $2 million in a Pre-Series B funding round led by JM Financial Private Equity, with participation from Aman Gupta, signalling a push towards expanding distribution, product innovation and market reach.
Company executives have positioned the continued partnership as a strategic anchor amid this expansion, reinforcing brand recall while entering new markets. For Shetty, the association remains rooted in shared values around authenticity and ingredient integrity attributes that resonate strongly with increasingly mindful consumers.
In a market crowded with new-age brands and shifting loyalties, Zoff’s approach suggests a different playbook: build slowly, stay consistent, and let familiarity do the heavy lifting. Because sometimes, in both branding and cooking, it’s not about reinventing the dish, it’s about perfecting it over time.
