SAMHI To Acquire 70 Per Cent Stake In RARE India

10 Mar 2026 CW Team

Founded in 2003, RARE is one of India’s earliest curated experiential hospitality platforms, established by Shobha Rudra. The platform comprises 67 hotels with 990 rooms across more than 15 states in India and has presence in Nepal and Bhutan. The arrangement will allow RARE to evolve into an integrated business-to-consumer distribution and experiential brand while remaining independently operated, preserving its community of heritage property owners and discerning travellers.

The partnership expands SAMHI’s reach to about 100 hotels across owned and affiliated properties and represents its first asset-light leisure investment. SAMHI’s commitment is expected to be Rs470 million (Rs470mn), covering a primary capital infusion into RARE and a limited secondary purchase of shares, with funds directed to management, technology, distribution upgrades and marketing. The structure aims to limit capital exposure while offering long-term upside from distribution expansion and brand strengthening.

Company leadership characterised the acquisition as a strategic adjacency that complements SAMHI’s focus on business and gateway markets without changing its balance sheet strategy. The founder and the RARE team are said to remain committed to responsible tourism and to preserving the curation discipline that differentiates the platform, while Marriott is expected to extend its loyalty ecosystem and global distribution to the curated collection. The company cautioned that forward-looking statements in the release are subject to risks and actual results may differ materially.

SAMHI Hotels Limited (SAMHI) has received board approval to acquire a 70 per cent stake in RARE India (RARE), marking SAMHI’s entry into experiential leisure via an asset-light platform. The company expects to finalise definitive agreements by May 2026 and has signed a memorandum of understanding for an affiliation with Marriott International to operate RARE properties under the Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy across India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. SAMHI plans to finalise the affiliation after the acquisition is completed. Founded in 2003, RARE is one of India’s earliest curated experiential hospitality platforms, established by Shobha Rudra. The platform comprises 67 hotels with 990 rooms across more than 15 states in India and has presence in Nepal and Bhutan. The arrangement will allow RARE to evolve into an integrated business-to-consumer distribution and experiential brand while remaining independently operated, preserving its community of heritage property owners and discerning travellers. The partnership expands SAMHI’s reach to about 100 hotels across owned and affiliated properties and represents its first asset-light leisure investment. SAMHI’s commitment is expected to be Rs470 million (Rs470mn), covering a primary capital infusion into RARE and a limited secondary purchase of shares, with funds directed to management, technology, distribution upgrades and marketing. The structure aims to limit capital exposure while offering long-term upside from distribution expansion and brand strengthening. Company leadership characterised the acquisition as a strategic adjacency that complements SAMHI’s focus on business and gateway markets without changing its balance sheet strategy. The founder and the RARE team are said to remain committed to responsible tourism and to preserving the curation discipline that differentiates the platform, while Marriott is expected to extend its loyalty ecosystem and global distribution to the curated collection. The company cautioned that forward-looking statements in the release are subject to risks and actual results may differ materially.

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

India Expands Semiconductor Training To 500 Institutions

Under the Chips to Startups programme of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Union minister responsible for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT reported notable progress in talent development. He indicated that over the past four years substantial steps have been taken towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. World-class EDA tools have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across the country to provide students with practical exposure to chip design. These EDA tools are supported by leading global firms and are accessible t..

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

Delhi Institutions Support India Semiconductor Mission

The Government of India has prioritised talent development through training, upskilling and workforce development under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with officials noting progress in four years towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. Electronic design automation tools provided by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions, enabling students to gain practical chip design experience. Chips have been fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali, a..

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

NHA Announces Winners Of NHCX Hackathon At IIT Hyderabad

The National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded the NHCX Hackathon under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to stimulate innovation around the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). The winning teams presented their solutions at the NHCX Innovation Meet held at IIT Hyderabad during a two-day event in March 2026 that also served as the hackathon grand finale. The hackathon itself ran from 22 to 28 February 2026 and aimed to accelerate paperless, transparent claims processing across India. The event was organised with a range of ecosystem partners, including the Insurance Regulatory a..