From Siddharth Jain's magical run with INOX to RIL-Disney merger, here are our top stories of the week

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1) Firing on all cylinders

Ashita Aggarwal, professor of marketing at SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, says there is nothing disruptive about cryogenics, industrial gases, and cinema. But they all are challenging businesses to be in. “You don’t stand a chance if you are not a leading player,” she says. Siddharth Jain, a promoter of INOX group, is a third-generation entrepreneur standing tall in these three demanding industries. He is taking the story and the legacy of the Inox Group ahead. Recent events at the group showcase a purple patch in Jain's entrepreneurship track record, but none of it has been easy. Let's look at his arduous journey before reaching the start position of his dream run.

2) The data of giving

First-generation wealth creators have given more than their peers as they top the India Philanthropy Report 2024 by Bain & Company and Dasra. Women philanthropists and professionals who give, follow them closely. In the emerging trends, environmental, climate, and sustainability causes are increasingly becoming the focus areas for many philanthropists. These are just a few highlights from the recently released report. Let's take a deeper look at some of the insights.

3) The ultimate dealmaker

Anu Aiyengar is the first woman to lead JP Morgan's global mergers and acquisitions business. Over the past 25 years, Aiyengar has closed deals to the tune of $1 trillion. In a wide-ranging conversation on Forbes India Pathbreakers, Wall Street's ace dealmaker talks about her early years in India, important turning points in her professional career, how she broke the glass ceiling, what's driving the merger and acquisition activity around the globe, and why she expects 2024 to be better than last year for dealmaking. Watch the full interview now.

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1) The game of sports

When the opportunity presented itself to enter the sports business and own a cricket franchise, GMR Group bid and became co-owners of Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) in 2008. Since then, GMR Sports increased its sports ecosystem by adding five more franchises--UP Yoddhas in Pro Kabaddi League, Telugu Yoddhas in Ultimate Kho Kho League, India Capitals in Legend League Cricket T20, Dubai Capitals in International League T20, and Seattle Orcas (Part Owners and Operating Partners) in Major League Cricket. For the Sports UnLtd podcast, PKSV Sagar, CEO of GMR League Games Pvt Ltd, shares the group's expansion plans and how it's fostering indigenous sports.

2) Data and poverty

The Statistics Ministry recently released the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey report via the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) for the first time in 11 years. On the surface, this load of data appears objective in terms of putting together consumption patterns in rural and urban areas over a period of time. But as experts started digging in, they found a variety of interpretations and takeaways. So, what does it say about the state of poverty in India? Writing for Forbes India, the chief economist at Bank of Baroda shares his opinions.

3) Building big

After months of talks, Disney and Reliance have signed a binding agreement to bring together their media businesses, Viacom18 and Star India. RIL will be investing Rs11,500 crore into the joint venture. RIL’s Nita Ambani will be the chairperson, and former Disney executive Uday Shankar will be the vice chairperson of the merged entity, which will become India's largest media conglomerate. What does this mean for other industry players, and how will this impact entertainment? Karan Taurani, senior vice president at Elara Capital, decodes on an episode of To The Point.

4) Future of the IT industry

In the latest episode of Tech Conversations, Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar, chief technology officer at Infosys, talks about what generative AI might mean for the future of the IT services industry. Rafee, who's also a senior vice president and the head of the company's strategic technology group, explains how becoming an "AI first" company, back-to-back with adapting to the "cloud-first" transformation in the industry, is changing Infosys from within, even as it helps customers implement and benefit from generative AI applications.