Nitin Gadkari on the new season of Forbes India Pathbreakers, Jet Airways' future, and Viraj Bahl's journey are some of the stories that piqued the interest of our readers this week
1) Will green hydrogen help?
"Green" hydrogen is a light, colourless gas that doesn't produce carbon dioxide when burnt. By converting organic carbon content in industrial effluents into green hydrogen, Bengaluru-based Ossus Biorenewables has caught the attention of industry giants, from oil refineries to cement makers, sugar mills to textile factories, and food and beverage companies. Interest in the production of green hydrogen has grown since the government announced the National Green Hydrogen Mission in the Union Budget in 2022, with an allocation of ₹19,700 crore to produce five million metric tonnes of gas by 2030. Big and small companies have invested in setting up plants, creating new technologies and piloting projects. Ossus is just one small player in the giant scheme of things. How long before large-scale adoption happens? Read more
2) Appetite, food, and hunger
Viraj Bahl is one of the rare people on this planet who knew what he wanted to do at a very young age. When he was 17, he approached his father, Rajiv Bahl, the co-founder of Fun Foods, to express his desire to join the family business. As a veteran of the industry, his father dissuaded the teen, but not for long. In 2002, after gaining experience in the merchant navy, Jr Bahl made the request again, and this time, the plea was accepted. Thus began Viraj Bahl's journey in the food and beverages sector. In this journey, German packaged food company Dr Oetker, Pocketful--a chain of restaurant Bahl started in 2009, funding from Deepak Shahdadpuri of DSG Consumer Partners, became some of the important milestones that led the entrepreneur to create the condiment and sauce maker brand Veeba. Here's its exciting story for your weekend read.
3) Will Jet Airways fly again?