Just energy partners with HCLTech for AI-led business transformation
HCLTech has been selected by Just Energy, a leading US-based energy supply company, to enhance Just Energy's operations and customer experience. HCLTech will leverage its integrated Digital Process Outsourcing solutions suite and GenAI platform AI Force to enhance operational efficiency across Just Energy's IT, finance, analytics, customer care, sales and renewals functions. HCLTech will also deploy digitalCOLLEAGUE, its comprehensive and role-specific single-UI platform and Toscona, its business process optimization suite, to improve workforce collaboration and business process management.Powered by Capital Market - Live News
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Economic Times
31 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Bored IIT graduate becomes a 'little shameless' on Instagram. He has life-changing experiences and conversations
Who is Harsh Pokharna? Not every founder story needs to be about pitch decks and product pivots. Sometimes, it's just about being human. Harsh Pokharna , CEO of Bengaluru-based fintech startup OkCredit and an IIT Kanpur graduate, recently gave the internet something refreshingly real. During a 1.5-month break at home in Jaipur, Harsh found himself slipping into a familiar lull—parents were thrilled to have him home, but he was, by his own admission, kind of bored. So, he decided to shake things up in the most Gen-Z way possible: by posting an Instagram story inviting people in Jaipur to meet followed was a low-key social experiment that turned into a deeply enriching experience. Harsh found himself going out almost daily—catching up with old friends, connecting with strangers from DMs, and indulging in conversations that ranged from the silly to the soul-stirring. Some chats were about food and therapy, others about breakups, startups, or dating apps. There were no rules, no agendas—just organic human connection in a world that's often too he didn't label the experience beyond 'wholesome,' the message was clear: sometimes all it takes to break out of a rut is a little shamelessness on Instagram and an open mind. His spontaneous 'Bumble for friends' in his hometown reminds us that meaningful interactions don't always come from planned networking or structured meetups—they can happen over coffee with a stranger or a walk with someone you haven't seen in the photos, he can be seen hanging out and relaxing with different people. One image shows him playing badminton, while another captures a moment from his pickleball session. Other pictures feature him enjoying a car ride, dining at a restaurant, and sipping coffee, offering a glimpse into his laid-back, people-filled days in Pokharna completed his in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 2014. After graduation, he gained valuable experience working with leading companies such as Intel Corporation, Flipkart, and Reliance Payment Solutions (JioMoney). In 2015, he ventured into entrepreneurship alongside his IIT Kanpur batchmates Gaurav Kumar and Aditya Prasad, co-founding ClanOut—a social discovery platform aimed at helping people connect and explore shared interests. Later, they co-founded the app OkCredit, where Pokharna is the CEO.
Indian Express
37 minutes ago
- Indian Express
As US eyes its airspace, Pakistan confirms: Trump, Munir had discussion on Iran
As anticipated by Delhi, US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had a 'detailed exchange of views' on the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict when they met over lunch at the White House. In a statement Thursday, the Pakistan Army said, 'A detailed exchange of views also took place on the prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel, with both leaders emphasising the importance of resolution of the conflict.' Asked if Iran was discussed with Munir, Trump said: 'Well, they know Iran very well, better than most, and they are not happy about anything.' 'It's not that they are bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they probably, maybe they know Iran better, but they see what's going on, and he agreed with me,' he said. In Islamabad, the Pakistan Army said the US President showed 'keen interest' in developing a mutually beneficial trade relationship with Pakistan on the basis of long-term strategic interests. According to Delhi's assessment, the US is enlisting Rawalpindi's support since it would want to use Pakistan's airspace, air bases and other infrastructure for launching any military offensive on Iran. This was the key focus of Trump's lunch with Munir which, according to sources, lasted for about two hours, and not one hour as scheduled. According to news agency Reuters, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Trump was hosting Munir after he called for the US President to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. But sources indicated that the meeting was not arranged through routine diplomatic channels, and was the outcome of 'unorthodox efforts' by a group of advisers, businessmen and other influential figures. Sources said stronger counter-terrorism cooperation, engagement with crypto-linked influence networks, and targeted lobbying via Republican-aligned firms in Washington helped Pakistan secure the meeting. A source, who has been tracking the US-Pakistan relationship over decades, said, 'It is not rare but absolutely unprecedented for a military chief to be invited by a POTUS (President of the United States) for a meeting, let alone a meeting over a meal. All Pakistan military chiefs who visited the US and other capitals did so as Presidents.' In the past, US President George W Bush met Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in 2004. Munir's US visit began last Sunday and was his second since he took over as military chief in 2022. Trump was effusive about both Munir and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said he was 'honoured' to meet Munir and that they discussed the situation arising out of the Iran-Israel conflict. 'The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war (with India). And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi,' he said. 'We are working on a trade deal with India. We are working on a trade deal with Pakistan.' Trump also recalled his meeting with Modi at the White House in February. He said he was 'happy' that 'two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war'. 'That could have been a nuclear war. Those are two nuclear powers, big ones, big, big nuclear powers, and they decided (to end the conflict),' he said. The US President was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Munir was joined by Pakistan National Security Advisor Lt Gen Asim Malik, who is also head of the spy agency ISI. Earlier, in his phone conversation with Trump, Modi had told the President that India and Pakistan halted their military actions following direct talks between the two militaries without any mediation by the US. The Pakistan Army, in its statement on the Trump-Munir meeting, said, the 'Chief of Army Staff conveyed the deep appreciation of the government and people of Pakistan for President Trump's constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis. The COAS acknowledged President Trump's statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.' 'President Trump, in turn, lauded Pakistan's ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability, and appreciated the robust counter-terrorism cooperation between the two states. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the field of counter-terrorism,' it said. 'Discussions also encompassed avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in multiple domains including trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies. President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests,' it said. 'In a gesture reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir extended an invitation to President Trump, on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a mutually convenient date'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
IT employees raise red flag, Karnataka's labour department says no change in weekly hours
Bengaluru: Even as the Karnataka labour department insists that proposed amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act-1961 will not breach the 48-hour weekly cap, the state's tech workforce remains unconvinced. The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU), which led a protest in Bengaluru, argued that the proposed amendments would institutionalise excessive workloads. The department, however, claims the changes are intended to provide "flexibility" to employers and employees, allowing them to complete their weekly quota over fewer days. At the centre of the controversy is the department's plan to increase daily working hours from 9 to 10, and the maximum permissible overtime from 50 to 144 hours per quarter. This could allow for up to 12-hour workdays, including overtime. Citing long-standing concerns over unpaid overtime and chronic overwork, many fear the draft amendments will legalise exploitative practices that have become rampant in the IT and ITeS sector. "Even if you cap the week at 48 hours, that still averages to about 9.6 hours over five days. Add the legalised overtime — about 2.5 hours per day — and we're back to 12-hour shifts. And overtime compensation? It doesn't exist in practice," an IT employee said. Employees told TOI that existing loopholes enable companies to demand long hours without paying for them. The fear now is that the amendments will provide a legal cover for what is currently an unspoken but widely followed practice. KITU general secretary Suhas Adiga, who attended a recent stakeholders' meeting organised by the department, pointed out lack of transparency. "We asked for data on how many employees are working overtime and what they're paid. The minister admitted that not a single company responded. There's no data. No accountability," he said. KITU's official stance is that the move will exacerbate health risks, erode work-life balance, and push employees further into burnout. Chitra Banu, KITU member, was unequivocal in her stance. "It won't get implemented; we won't let it happen." Not everyone in the industry opposes the move. Adithya M, who works at a Bengaluru-based startup, said: "I've been working 10–12 hour days anyway. My body and mind are used to it. This isn't a big deal for startup folks." According to union leaders, this is precisely the problem — the new norms are merely catching up with exploitative realities instead of challenging them. "Now that 144 hours of overtime per quarter is legal, we're just putting a rubber stamp on what's been happening illegally," KITU secretary Sooraj Nidiyanga said. The labour department maintains that the changes are aligned with International Labour Organisation (ILO) norms and are part of broader efforts to modernise labour law. But the discontent from the ground tells another story — one of disconnect between legislative intent and lived experience. For now, the IT sector's fears remain unresolved, with trust in short supply and clarity even shorter.
