Brands
Bajaj’s Chetak C2501 hits the streets
PUNE: 53 years to the day since the original Chetak puttered into Indian hearts in 1972, Bajaj Auto staged a homecoming. Not in some sterile convention hall, but under open skies, with water shimmering around the launch podium. Fireworks crackled overhead. A flash mob erupted from the crowd. Riders rolled in astride the new machine itself, dust and drama in equal measure.
Meet the Chetak C2501, the scrappy younger sibling that’s all about doing more with less. At Rs 91,399, it’s the brand’s most affordable EV variant yet.

Speaking on the launch, Bajaj Auto Ltd president- urbanite business Eric Vas said, “The Chetak C25 reflects a clear shift in how urban mobility is being used today—shorter trips, tighter streets and a growing need for independent movement. While its form is compact and contemporary, the fundamentals remain unmistakably Chetak: solidity, sturdiness and reliability. The C25 allows us to extend the Chetak portfolio to a younger, more agile use case, while continuing to deliver the trust and confidence that the brand has stood for over generations.”
Electric scooters, however, have recently come under scrutiny over safety concerns. Ola Electric, in particular, has faced criticism over battery quality, following customer complaints and reports of vehicles catching fire.
Addressing these concerns, Bajaj Auto Ltd GM (R&D) Gagandeep Singh spoke to Indian Television about Bajaj’s approach to battery quality and safety, and did not shy away from the issue. He was refreshingly direct.
“Some brands push the limits of their technology and hardware without realising that beyond a certain point it becomes detrimental,” he said. “We are very mindful of that. If we offer a certain level of performance or hardware, we know exactly how much it can handle. That confidence comes from the cells we use, the battery construction—everything.”
He added that Bajaj’s vertically integrated approach is key. “It’s all in-house. The motor, the battery pack, the hardware—everything is designed and developed at our R&D facilities. We carry out proper testing before anything goes into production.”
Singh was blunt with his thinly veiled jab at where competitors go wrong. “These problems happen when you jump the gun—when you speed up processes that demand time and thoroughness. Proper battery testing isn’t something you can fast-track. Skip those steps, and it’s not the company that suffers first. It’s the poor customer who pays the price.”
Lighter, lower, easier to handle
Think of the C2501 as the Chetak on a diet. At 108kg, it’s shed the bulk, and with a 763mm seat height, even shorter riders can plant both feet firmly at traffic lights. The retro soul remains intact, circular LED headlamp winking at you, tidier tail end, matte black mirrors but now dressed in six shades ranging from sunshine yellow to stealth-mode black.
Built for city streets
Under the floorboard hums a 2.5kWh battery pack promising 113km of urban wandering. Here’s the twist: Bajaj ditched its usual motor setup for a hub-mounted unit (a Chetak first), churning out 1.8kW steady and 2.2kW when you twist the throttle with intent. Top speed? A modest 55km/h—but honestly, when was the last time you hit 60 in city traffic anyway? Plug in the 750W charger and you’re 80 per cent juiced in under two and a half hours.

To hit that price point, Bajaj swapped the fancy leading-link suspension for good ol’ telescopic forks up front. Purists might wince, but your wallet won’t. The front disc brake stays, along with twin rear shocks to smooth out those pothole-riddled commutes.
Packed with features that matter
Don’t mistake “budget” for “basic.” The C2501 packs a colour LCD that syncs with your phone: calls, texts, Spotify, the works. Hill-hold assist has your back on those 19 per cent inclines (with a pillion, no less). Toggle between Eco and Sport modes depending on your hurry. There’s reverse assist for tight parking, a USB port for your dying phone, a front cubby for chai money, and a cavernous 25-litre boot that swallows a full-face helmet without complaint.
The 1972 scooter became India’s workhorse, its name synonymous with middle-class aspiration. Now, as petrol prices climb and cities choke, Bajaj is betting the next generation will trade nostalgia for pragmatism, provided the entry price is right and the style stays intact.
The Chetak isn’t just back. It’s electric, accessible, and ready to reclaim the streets. The C2501 undercuts rivals while keeping that unmistakable Chetak swagger intact. For first-time EV buyers tired of petrol pump queues and craving Instagram-worthy retro style? This might just be the spark they’ve been waiting for.
Brands
Delhivery chairman Deepak Kapoor, independent director Saugata Gupta quit board
Gurugram: Delhivery’s boardroom is being reset. Deepak Kapoor, chairman and independent director, has resigned with effect from April 1 as part of a planned board reconstitution, the logistics company said in an exchange filing. Saugata Gupta, managing director and chief executive of FMCG major Marico and an independent director on Delhivery’s board, has also stepped down.
Kapoor exits after an eight-year stint that included steering the company through its 2022 stock-market debut, a period that saw Delhivery transform from a venture-backed upstart into one of India’s most visible logistics platforms. Gupta, who joined the board in 2021, departs alongside him, marking a simultaneous clearing of two senior independent seats.
“Deepak and Saugata have been instrumental in our process of recognising the need for and enabling the reconstitution of the board of directors in line with our ambitious next phase of growth,” said Sahil Barua, managing director and chief executive, Delhivery. The statement frames the exits less as departures and more as deliberate succession, a boardroom shuffle timed to the company’s evolving scale and strategy.
The resignations arrive amid broader governance recalibration. In 2025, Delhivery appointed Emcure Pharmaceuticals whole-time director Namita Thapar, PB Fintech founder and chairman Yashish Dahiya, and IIM Bangalore faculty member Padmini Srinivasan as independent directors, signalling a tilt towards consumer, fintech and academic expertise at the board level.
Kapoor’s tenure spanned Delhivery’s most defining years, rapid network expansion, public listing and the push towards profitability in a bruising logistics market. Gupta’s presence brought FMCG and brand-scale perspective during a period when ecommerce volumes and last-mile delivery economics were being rewritten.
The twin exits, effective from the new financial year, underscore a familiar corporate rhythm: founders consolidate, veterans rotate out, and fresh voices are ushered in to script the next chapter. In India’s hyper-competitive logistics race, even the boardroom does not stand still.
Brands
Brnd.me enters Europe as haircare brands power global expansion
Bengaluru: Brnd.me, the global consumer brands company formerly known as Mensa Brands, has entered the European market following strong momentum across the Middle East, the United States and Canada.
The company has launched across the UK, Germany, France and Spain, with plans to expand into Italy, the Netherlands and Poland over the next year. The push is being led by its haircare and aromatherapy brands, Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure, marking Brnd.me’s first structured expansion into Europe.
The European beauty market represents a total addressable opportunity of over $4 billion across haircare and aromatherapy, supported by high digital adoption and demand for accessible, performance-led products.
Brnd.me’s hair care and aromatherapy business currently operates at an annual run rate of around $6 million, with Botanic Hearth and Majestic Pure delivering roughly 10 per cent month-on-month growth, driven by expansion and rising repeat demand.
To support regional growth, the company has appointed a general manager based in Germany and is evaluating investments in warehousing and local team expansion.
Early traction has been strong. Within weeks of launch, Botanic Hearth’s rosemary hair oil ranked among the top five hair oils in Germany, signalling strong consumer pull in a competitive market.
Brnd.me founder and chief executive officer Ananth Narayanan, said Europe represents the next phase of the company’s international strategy. He added that the European business is expected to scale to a $10 million annual run rate by the end of 2026, with long-term ambitions to reach $60 million over the next six years.
The company’s Europe strategy centres on digital-first distribution, repeat demand and TikTok-led discovery, alongside direct-to-consumer expansion to strengthen brand equity and margins.
The move also aligns with growing EU–India trade engagement, supporting long-term sourcing and cross-border supply chains.
Brands
TechnoSport taps quick commerce with launch on Slikk’s 60-minute platform
NATIONAL: TechnoSport has launched on Slikk, the ultra-fast fashion app offering 60-minute delivery, as the activewear brand accelerates its push into quick commerce to capture Gen Z and young millennial shoppers.
The debut brings more than 150 high-performance styles to Slikk’s platform, with an average selling price of Rs 450, expanding TechnoSport’s reach across over 80 pin codes.
The partnership follows strong momentum for TechnoSport across Q-commerce channels, where the brand has recorded around 60 per cent volume growth over the past six months. The company expects quick commerce to contribute nearly 20 per cent of its revenue in the coming years as hyperlocal delivery gains scale.
Slikk, which recently raised $3.2 million in seed funding led by Lightspeed, has rapidly gained popularity among youth consumers seeking speed, trend relevance and impulse-led shopping experiences.
Activewear remains one of Slikk’s fastest-growing categories, driven by shoppers increasingly treating fitness-led fashion as an everyday essential. The platform has reported a 30-fold year-on-year increase in items sold, reflecting rising demand for performance wear that blends comfort with style.
TechnoSport chief executive officer Puspen Maity, said the collaboration would help the brand engage more closely with young consumers whose fashion choices are shaped by instant needs and lifestyle aspirations. He added that rapid delivery bridges the gap between intent and purchase, allowing shoppers to access activewear exactly when they want it.
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