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‘Travelguru’ receives a $15 million capital commitment
MUMBAI:Travelguru, India’s online travel portal, has announced that it has received a fresh infusion of capital commitment to the tune of $15 million from Battery Ventures and Sequoia Capital India.
The second round of funding will help in building retail initiatives to support online growth. In the past one year, Travelguru has gained access to more than 72,000 hotels worldwide and alliances with 500 airlines globally, asserts an official release.
Travelguru claims that the number of customers who it for their air, hotel stay and vacation needs is currently pegged at 70,000 customers a month. With a slew of promotional and strategic initiatives planned in the months ahead, the user base of Travelguru is set to grow by over 30 per cent month on month.
Commenting on the investment, Travelguru CEO and founder Ashwin Damera said, “Our focus on delivering superior consumer experience through cutting edge technology, breadth of product offerings and best value travel deals has yielded great results to all our stakeholders. The second round of funding from Battery Ventures and Sequoia Capital reaffirms the growing confidence in Travelguru’s team and leadership position in the Indian travel and tourism industry.”
Battery Ventures general partner Mark Sherman added, “We are very happy to announce our first major investment in the consumer internet space in India with Travelguru. In a short span of time, Ashwin and his team have established a distinct identity for Travelguru in the online travel space in India.”
“We expect them to lead the market with solid industry relationships, continued product innovations, and high quality customer experiences,” he further said.
Sequoia Capital India managing director KP Balaraj said, “We are delighted that US based Battery Ventures has chosen to join in on the second round of funding for Travelguru. The growing consumer base and the leadership status of being the largest hotel consolidator in the Indian online travel market highlights the unique position of Travelguru.
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UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
