AI Hiring, Byju's, Tahawwur Rana

Welcome to 1947—your sharp, no-nonsense guide to India’s most important news.

It’s April 11. Today: India tops global AI hiring, Byju’s faces a $533M lawsuit, and 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana lands in Delhi. Plus, job openings at Innovaccer, Stay Vista, Ira Law, and more in Who’s Hiring.

Policy, Governance & Regulation

> Tahawwur Rana Extradited to India for 26/11 Role
The US has extradited Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian-American national of Pakistani origin, for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Rana is accused of helping Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley procure a visa and false identity to conduct reconnaissance in India. A legal team led by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and special prosecutor Narender Mann will represent the National Investigation Agency in the case. Krishnan, a National Law School alumnus and extradition law expert, had also argued India’s case in the US court. (The Hindu, Indian Express)

> Critics Urge PM Modi to Scrap ‘Inspector Raj’ to Unlock US Trade Deal
An op-ed argues PM Modi should dismantle India’s growing web of quality-control rules—now covering 800+ products across 100 sectors—to ease trade tensions and secure a US deal. While intended to curb low-quality imports, critics say the Bureau of Indian Standards regime has been weaponized to protect local interests and is now disrupting global supply chains. (Bloomberg)

Health & Environment

> Delhi’s E-Rickshaw Boom Rides on Informal, Risky Ecosystem
Despite leading India in EV adoption, Delhi’s e-rickshaw sector—mostly unregistered and excluded from EV incentives—relies heavily on illegal power connections and banned batteries. Experts estimate 40% of e-rickshaws operate outside formal systems, with over half charged via power theft, causing ₹120 crore in annual losses. Critics say Delhi’s EV policy overlooks the informal economy that powers last-mile transport. (Rest of World)

> India Warms More Slowly than the World, But Scientists Warn of Hidden Risks
Despite record heat waves, India’s average temperatures have risen by less than 0.7°C since 1901—about half the global average—creating a surprising “cool spot” on global warming maps. Scientists suspect that severe air pollution, especially aerosol-heavy smog in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, may be reflecting sunlight and slowing warming. But this cooling side effect poses a dilemma: cleaning up India’s air—critical for public health—could also accelerate warming, requiring urgent climate adaptation plans. (Science)

Business

> TCS Misses Q4 Estimates, Defers Salary Hikes
Tata Consultancy Services reported a 1.7% drop in net profit to ₹12,224 crore in Q4 FY25, missing Bloomberg estimates amid global uncertainty, delayed client decisions, and project ramp-downs. Revenue rose 5.2% to ₹64,479 crore. TCS also said it will defer salary hikes this year, citing the evolving business environment. (Business Standard, Reuters)

> Byju’s Founders Accused of Hiding $533M in US Lawsuit
Creditors have sued Byju’s co-founders Byju Raveendran, Divya Gokulnath, and strategy chief Anita Kishore in a Delaware court, alleging they masterminded a scheme to misappropriate and conceal $533 million from a $1.2 billion loan raised in 2021. The lawsuit marks a major escalation in the collapse of India’s once-most-valuable startup, as creditors seek to claw back funds from its troubled US entity. (Financial Times)

> Quick Commerce Boom Squeezes India’s Small Retailers
As apps like Zepto, Blinkit, and Zomato dominate India’s urban grocery scene, local kirana stores are feeling the heat. A distributor lobby estimates 200,000 neighborhood stores have shut nationwide, while Chennai’s civic body says 30% of larger departmental stores have closed in five years. A PwC survey found 42% of urban consumers now prefer 10-minute deliveries for essentials, with three in 10 retailers reporting negative business impact. (BBC)

Tech, Media & Telecom

> New Court Filing Confirms Pegasus Targeted 100 WhatsApp Users in India
A newly released court document reveals that NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware targeted 1,223 WhatsApp users across 51 countries in 2019, including 100 in India. The filing is part of Meta’s ongoing lawsuit against NSO, alleging the company exploited a WhatsApp vulnerability to hack into devices of journalists, activists, and civil society members. (TechCrunch)

> Ziroh Labs Unveils AI System That Doesn’t Need GPUs
Bengaluru-based startup Ziroh Labs has unveiled Kompact AI—a system developed with IIT Madras that can run large AI models on standard CPUs instead of high-end GPUs. In a demo this week, researchers showed models like Meta’s Llama 2 and Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 running on a regular Intel Xeon laptop. The team says the platform could make advanced AI more affordable and accessible in resource-constrained environments. (Bloomberg)

> Apple Airlifts 1.5 Million iPhones From India to Beat Tariffs
Sources say Apple chartered cargo flights to ship 600 tons—or up to 1.5 million—iPhones from India to the US, as part of a strategy to stockpile inventory and avoid Trump’s 125% tariff on China-made goods. India-made iPhones face a lower 26% tariff, which is now paused for 90 days. (Reuters)

> India Tops Global AI Hiring Growth in 2024
India led the world in AI hiring growth last year with a 33.4% year-on-year increase, according to Stanford’s 2025 AI Index. Data from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph shows that emerging markets like Brazil and Saudi Arabia also saw major jumps, outpacing traditional tech hubs like the US, which logged a 24.8% rise. (Economic Times, Stanford)

Quick Hits

> The Supreme Court Bar Association, under Kapil Sibal’s leadership, has raised over ₹43 crore via corporate social responsibility initiatives to support advocate welfare. 

> Moody’s has cut India’s 2025 growth forecast to 6.1%, while the RBI trimmed its FY26 estimate to 6.5%, both citing the impact of US tariffs.

> Amid US tariff pressure, Chinese electronics parts makers—who operate on thin 4–7% margins—are offering Indian buyers discounts of up to 5% to retain orders.

> Digital health platform Mosaic Wellness, which runs brands for men, women, and kids, has raised ~$20M at a $400M valuation.

> Gurgaon-based Xindus, a cross-border trade startup helping Indian SMEs access global markets, has raised $10M led by 3one4 Capital.

> Mugafi, an AI-driven storytelling startup building regionally rooted superhero franchises, has raised $3M to become the “Marvel of the East.”

> Long overlooked in global galleries and art fairs, Indian artists are finally gaining recognition—demand for their work grew more than any other nationality in 2024, per Artsy.

Worth a Look

​Watch an incredible clip from Red Bull Aizawl Tlang—India’s first urban downhill mountain biking event. Incredible to see something like this take off in India.

Who’s Hiring

> Innovaccer, a digital healthcare company, is hiring a Senior Legal Counsel.

> Battery Smart, which is building a network of battery swapping stations, is hiring a Compliance Manager.

> StayVista, a luxury villa rental platform, is hiring a Chief Holiday Officer.

> Ira Law, an intellectual property-focused law firm, is hiring an Associate.

> Google is hiring a Program Manager - Privacy, Safety, Security Strategy and Operations.

Social Spotlight

> An author shares his experience of dealing with two private investigators who visited his house to verify his insurance claim.

> Bombay Shaving Company CEO Shantanu Deshpande talks about how founders should handle shutting down their startup when things don’t go according to plan.

> Food Pharmer shares a short video on the need for cigarette packaging to change in India.

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