From Jasprit Bumrah's stellar year to Rajkummar Rao's balancing act, our top stories of the week

1) Jasprit Bumrah - Bowler extraordinaire

[CAPTION]Jasprit Bumrah, India's premier fast bowler Image: Mexy Xavier; Wardrobe: Shacket-Countrymade; Styling: Nayaab Randhawa; Styling Assistant: Sezmin; Hair: Team Hakim’s Aalim (Akash); Makeup: Team Juhika Bumrah (Mehek Singh)[/CAPTION]
We are beginning the first newsletter of the year with a story about someone who is one of the most trending people on the Internet recently, for all the right reasons. 2024 became the year when Jasprit Bumrah could do nothing wrong. He won Player of the Series in India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign, became the year’s highest wicket-taker with 77 wickets in 20 matches, and was also the most prolific Test bowler with 71 wickets in 13 Tests. Right now, he is the best across formats. How? Find out the answer in the bowler's own words.

2) Rajkummar Rao's great balancing act

[CAPTION]Rajkummar Rao Image: Mexy Xavier; Hairstylist: Vijay Raskar; Makeup Artist: Nitin Purohit Costume Stylist: Sanam Ratansi[/CAPTION]
Just like Bumrah, actor Rajkummar Rao also gave one of the most brilliant performances of the year, putting him squarely on the cover of our annual Showstoppers edition. Critical acclaim is not new for the Gurugram lad; he's been a critics' darling since his debut film Love Sex Aur Dhokha in 2010, but this year he saw massive box office success for the first time after the release of Stree 2 in August. Fifteen years in the industry and a national award later, Rao spills the beans on how he balances both sides of his profession and what keeps him going.

3) Deal resurgence

[CAPTION]The optimism around Indian M&A activity is abundant, characterised by strong domestic deal activity, strategic cross-border investments in high-growth sectors, and a thriving IPO market; Image: Shutterstock[/CAPTION]
The first week of a new year still finds many of us taking stock of what went down in the year gone by. In one such story, we take stock of India's M&A landscape in 2024. According to Grant Thornton Bharat, M&A activity in the country bounced back from the slowdown in 2023. Until November 2024, the deal values had touched $36.14 billion from $25.24 billion in 2023, marking a 43.2 percent increase. Deal volumes also saw a 24.4 percent increase in 2024. Domestic deals have been at the forefront of this revival, with Indian companies increasingly active in both acquiring and merging. Here's an insight into the factors that are keeping up this momentum.

Discover

1) Navigating the hushed territory

[CAPTION]Egg freezing is rapidly spreading in metros. Illustration: Chaitanya Dinesh Surpur[/CAPTION]
Since Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 US Presidential Elections, the conversation about women's rights has taken centre stage again. In South Korea, the 4B movement has caught fresh wind. Women across the globe are fighting to gain control of their own bodies. Some are taking to the streets; some are silently deciding how to build their family. The second group is finding a footing in India. Depending on their career paths, delayed marriages, and evolving social norms, women are reshaping how they approach motherhood. Here's a look at how egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation is aiding them and what the barriers these women have to overcome are.

2) Leading effectively

[CAPTION]Dr. Swati Piramal, Vice Chairperson, Piramal Group Image: Bajirao Pawar for Forbes India[/CAPTION]
Dr Swati Piramal has consistently been a formidable voice for change. Through the Piramal Foundation’s philanthropic initiatives and the numerous public health campaigns, she has led organisations for over forty years, demonstrating the value of inclusion and its potential to nurture parity. Efforts to reframe the gender narrative should begin in schools, she says. Only then will these values be carried into workplaces and beyond. In conversation with Forbes India, the vice chairperson of the Piramal Group discusses the importance of involving men in discussions about gender parity, how she stays authentic as a leader, and the convergence of philanthropy and public health. Read on.

3) For the love of K-beauty

[CAPTION]The Tira multibrand beauty and skincare outlet in Jio World Drive, Mumbai, features an array of Korean beauty brands like Laneige, Innisfree, Cosrx, Centella and Mixsoon Image: Madhu Kapparath[/CAPTION]
India appears to be in love with all things K. Not the vitamin but K-pop, K-dramas, and now K-beauty. A search for ‘Korean brands’ on online platforms such as Nykaa and Tira Beauty brings up more than a thousand products, ranging from ₹75 for a facial sheet mask to ₹17,900 for 60 ml face cream. There is something for everybody. From Tirtir and Laniege to Beauty of Joseon, Korean beauty brands are riding high on demand. What has caused this surge and acceptance? Surprisingly, even the Covid-19 pandemic is one of the multiple factors. Here's how.

4) Exploring beyond India

[CAPTION]Vivek Sahni, founder and chairman, Kama Ayurveda Image: Madhu Kapparath[/CAPTION]
After understanding the surge for K-beauty products in India, it is time to comprehend the impact of A-beauty in the international markets. Yes, A-beauty, aka Ayurvedic beauty. Homegrown Indian brands, making products rooted in Ayurveda, with formulations tailored for Indian skin tones and products made using locally sourced ingredients, have been shifting the narrative and redefining the beauty landscape. Countries such as Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France emerged as the top markets for A-beauty. Read more about how these brands are catering to the A-beauty movement globally.