iWorld
This Deepawali, Vi connected with and brought cheer to young students living away from families and loved ones
Mumbai: New Delhi is a student hub, a plethora of young adults who come here to pursue their education and in search of their dreams. Away from their families and the comfort of their homes, these students reside as Paying Guests, or in Hostels in student hubs like Mukherjee Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Lakshmi Nagar. More often than not, course commitments or financial challenges prevent these students from being with their families and loved ones on the most auspicious festive occasion of the year. As India celebrates the biggest annual festival- Deepawali, India’s leading telecom operator Vi embraced the spirit of inclusivity with a special initiative for young students in Delhi.
Vi’s recent campaign Be Someone’s We showcases that even a small gesture is enough to make someone feel less left out, less lonely and cared for. Inspired by this concept, Vi’s Deepawali initiative sought to engage with and spread festive cheer amongst young students in Delhi. Vi tied up with popular RJ Naved for its Deepawali initiative in the city.
RJ Naved paid surprise visits to popular student hubs/areas in Delhi and invited them to Vi’s Diwali activity setup. Naved placed surprise calls to the parents of the students to pass on his Diwali wishes. He also engaged with students through multiple activities to infuse the festive spirit, like Rangoli competition and his signature “Murga” prank. Students were also engaged in a unique activity involving “Cards of Connection,” a Be Someone’s We themed playing cards deck that had a unique challenge on each card. The cards encouraged the students to connect with their loved ones and feel connected with them despite the physical distance. in their festive ethnic attire, the students set the stage ablaze with a Ramp walk, electric dance performances, and melodious musical performances.
Naved also distributed sweet boxes among the students on behalf of Vi. The added sweet twist was that three lucky students won ‘Ticket to Home’ making their celebration more memorable.
Extending his Deepawali Greetings to the residents of Odisha, Vodafone Idea operations director- North Arvinder Singh Sachdev said, “Festivals are a time for families to get together…. but not everyone is as fortunate. Like thousands of Students, who travel miles away from home to Delhi with a vision to make a bright future for themselves but haven’t been able to go home to their loved ones. This Deepawali, Vi decided to practice inclusion and togetherness as per the cadence of our campaign Be Someone’s We and bring smiles to the faces of these students. On this auspicious festive occasion, we urge every citizen to do their bit and bring a little joy to someone. Together, we can ensure that everyone has a truly Happy Deepawali and no one feels left out or lonely”.
‘Be Someone’s We’ reflects the collective effort to extend the joy and warmth of Deepawali to those who may be deprived of it due to various circumstances. It underscores the commitment of Vi to share the spirit of togetherness and inclusivity with all members of society.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
