 "Barkha Mathur")
Barkha Mathur
Barkha Mathur
Barkha Mathur leads corporate sector and health coverage for the Business Standard website. She reports on business strategy, policy, corporate developments, public health, and health science. Outside work, she enjoys reading research papers, listening to Michael Jackson and hip-hop, and gazing at the night sky.
Barkha Mathur leads corporate sector and health coverage for the Business Standard website. She reports on business strategy, policy, corporate developments, public health, and health science. Outside work, she enjoys reading research papers, listening to Michael Jackson and hip-hop, and gazing at the night sky.
Barkha Mathur
Urban Company revives a key question: Can profit wait for growth?
Urban Company is prioritising market leadership in InstaHelp despite near-term losses, while its established India consumer-services business continues to make money
 "Urban Company revives a key question: Can profit wait for growth?")
Ather turns Ebitda positive: Where other electric two-wheeler makers stand
After years of prioritising growth, India's electric two-wheeler makers are focusing on improving unit economics, localisation and manufacturing efficiency
 "Ather turns Ebitda positive: Where other electric two-wheeler makers stand")
Corporate Laws Amendment Bill, 2026: What changes for India Inc, investors
From easier mergers and higher thresholds for small companies to stronger audit oversight and digital governance, here's what the proposed corporate law changes mean
From IPL finals to concerts, multiplexes seek a life beyond the movies
Concert films, live sports and fan events are emerging as multiplexes' latest growth strategy as exhibitors look to reduce their dependence on blockbuster releases and attract new audiences
 "From IPL finals to concerts, multiplexes seek a life beyond the movies")
Beyond expansion: Quick commerce seeks more growth from existing assets
Even as they continue adding dark stores, quick-commerce firms are focusing on higher utilisation of their existing assets, better unit economics and improved margins
 "Beyond expansion: Quick commerce seeks more growth from existing assets")
Flipkart's food delivery push reflects India's digital ecosystem ambitions
Flipkart's reported food delivery plans point to a shift in India's consumer internet sector, where companies are expanding beyond core businesses to up customer engagement, unlock new revenue streams
 "Flipkart's food delivery push reflects India's digital ecosystem ambitions")
How class action lawsuits work in India and why such cases remain rare
The Anthropic copyright settlement puts class actions back in the spotlight. Here's how similar collective legal remedies operate under Indian law
 "How class action lawsuits work in India and why such cases remain rare")
Why Johnson & Johnson plans to pay $5.5 bn after insisting talc was safe
Johnson & Johnson's proposed talc settlement shows that for large corporations, removing years of legal uncertainty can sometimes matter more than proving they are right in court
 "Why Johnson & Johnson plans to pay $5.5 bn after insisting talc was safe")
How Anthropic ended up paying $1.5 bn for training Claude on pirated books
A US court has approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement with authors over pirated books used to train Claude, while reinforcing that training AI on legally acquired books can qualify as fair use
 "How Anthropic ended up paying $1.5 bn for training Claude on pirated books")
Qualcomm to raise chip prices, adding pressure on smartphone costs
Qualcomm has informed customers that it will raise chip prices by a double-digit percentage from September 1, citing higher supplier costs, a move that could make smartphones and other devices more ex
 "Qualcomm to raise chip prices, adding pressure on smartphone costs")
Running out of LPG? IndianOil will now deliver within 4 hours; check cities
IndianOil has introduced Indane XTRALITE NOW, a lightweight 10 kg composite LPG cylinder with home delivery within four hours of booking. The service has started in four cities
 "Running out of LPG? IndianOil will now deliver within 4 hours; check cities")
AI infra boom to push global IT spend by 14.2% to $6.4 trn in 2026: Gartner
Worldwide IT spending is expected to climb 14.2% to $6.37 trillion in 2026 as enterprises and hyperscalers invest heavily in AI infrastructure, cloud platforms and next-generation data centres
 "AI infra boom to push global IT spend by 14.2% to $6.4 trn in 2026: Gartner")
From Gaokao to SAT: What India can learn from global examination systems
As the Nandan Nilekani-led task force reviews India's examination system, a look at how countries like China, US, Australia, Germany and Brazil balance security, fairness, access to higher education
 "From Gaokao to SAT: What India can learn from global examination systems")
From scarcity to scale: How the 1991 reforms transformed India's economy
Thirty-five years after the landmark reforms of 1991, the numbers show how India's economy, businesses and households have changed - and why the next phase of reforms will matter just as much
 "From scarcity to scale: How the 1991 reforms transformed India's economy")
India's hospital chains grow bigger even as expansion squeezes margins: EY
Rising occupancies, more complex treatments and steady patient volumes are driving growth across hospitals and diagnostics. The next challenge is managing costs while adding thousands of new beds
 "India's hospital chains grow bigger even as expansion squeezes margins: EY")
From Nav Nirman to Neet: Protests that changed India's politics and policy
As students demand reforms to India's examination system, a look back at 11 protest movements that transformed public policy, electoral politics and the country's democratic discourse
 "From Nav Nirman to Neet: Protests that changed India's politics and policy")
How prolonged heat, erratic rains are making eggs and chicken costlier
A prolonged heatwave, delayed monsoon, expensive poultry feed have squeezed production across farms, pushing egg and chicken prices higher, raising concerns over how long the supply crunch could last
 "How prolonged heat, erratic rains are making eggs and chicken costlier")
Trump's generic drug tariff clock starts ticking for Indian pharma cos
Donald Trump's proposal to impose tariffs of up to 200% on imported generic medicines gives Indian drugmakers 2 years to rethink manufacturing, exports and investments
 "Trump's generic drug tariff clock starts ticking for Indian pharma cos")
What are non-convertible debentures and why do companies use them?
From fixed interest payments to repayment at maturity, here's a simple guide to non-convertible debentures and why companies rely on them to finance growth without diluting ownership
 "What are non-convertible debentures and why do companies use them?")
The business of education: Why PE is lining up for India's premium schools
Recent deals in India's K-12 sector signal a shift in investor focus from edtech to organised school chains, where recurring revenues and consolidation opportunities are driving interest
 "The business of education: Why PE is lining up for India's premium schools")