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Indian start-up to provide unique search platform, data bank for Indian legal pros

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LegitQuest

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Pioneers in Asia: LegitQuest’s technology provides solutions to legal search problems with case references just a click away

In India, every industry or service sector is unique and gets impacted by technology differently. The legal service sector is one such critical sector which ensures that all rules and regulations constituted are implemented well.

The Indian legal services market expanded by 16 per cent through the 2007–12 fiscal years. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.9 percent between 2015 and 2018. The use and impact of technology arrived a little later in the Indian Legal Services Sector than in other sectors. The use of Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP), already implemented in various other sectors, such as Healthcare, Banking, Services etc., is now picking up pace within the Legal Services Sector.

Many Indian Legal-Tech startups are looking to leverage such state-of-the-art, modern technologies to make the life of legal professionals easier, more efficient and simpler.

The legal profession is considered to be one of the largest, and a noble profession in India. About 17 lakh lawyers are currently practising in India. But in the years gone by, practising litigation had been a hard task for them. An active litigation requires a practitioner to put approximately a third of his/her time in carrying out solid legal research for his/her cases. And this can only happen if the professionals have sufficient and reliable resources to back their research. Gone are the days when lawyers used to maintain a vast library in their offices/homes.

In this era of digitization, most lawyers, judges and students have moved online to carry out their basic research. However, there is a scarcity of efficient search portals and research tools for them to use for the purpose. Yet 33.9 % of the attorneys frequently initiate their research by using Google, which is the most generic search engine.

And in this search, legal stakeholders are still wasting precious time scanning for relevant case laws or any other secondary source. That has remained a problem issue. There is a great need to have a legal data oriented smart-search engine. Also, case law data is still served in the raw form in India by many online legal data companies. Even when, after wasting a lot of time, the user gets the relevant data, they still have a hard time extracting a specific piece of information that he/she needs for a proper case analysis. The whole approach of reading and analysing case laws demands a revolutionary change. Only that will lead to more efficient and faster research.

LegitQuest as a solution provider

Such significant gaps in the legal research domain in India provide strong reasons for any young, courageous and innovative company to derive a solution. LegitQuest (https://www.legitquest.com/) is such a company.

LegitQuest is a Legal-Tech venture run by a versatile team of tech-savvy attorneys, engineers, designers and management professionals from top-notch universities and institutes who aim to make the practice of law simpler for its end users. Among the professionals are PhD’s and LLMs, sourced from IITs, IIMs and other reputable institutions.

LegitQuest seeks to transform centuries-old unorganised and unstructured legal data for the benefit of the legal fraternity. LegitQuest believes in providing access to a vast and comprehensive legal data bank to its users in the most reliable, accurate, valuable and speedy manner.

Who we are at LegitQuest

LegitQuest has eminent jurist Mr Ram Jethmalani as its investor, patron and advisor. The company is the initiative of Mr Karan Kalia who is also the CEO. He had previously worked with Mr Ram Jethmalani for more than six years. He has done his Masters of Laws (LLM) and the Wharton Business program from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, USA. The core team also consists of Mr Himanshu Puri, who takes care of the business operations and management of the company. He has lately worked with one of the most renowned start-ups, UpGrad.com. He holds a Doctorate in Management and a Masters degree in Business Administration from IBS, Hyderabad.

The team also has Mr Rohit Shukla, who is head of Engineering and Technology of the company. He had been the technology head of Lexis India for five years within his vast experience of more than 20 years. He is an alumnus of IIT, Bombay and IIM, Calcutta.

The stakeholders

LegitQuest has built a one of its kind go-to platform with the most advanced technologies for the communities of attorneys, law firms, state judicial officers, law students, corporates, the government, consulting companies, litigants, and many other stakeholders in the legal system.

What we do (Search Engine & Research Tool) and How (the Technology)

To solve the issue of finding a relevant case law or another secondary source, LegitQuest  has come up with the most advanced search engine, called as iSearch, developed by using Artificial Intelligence. Such an engine helps find any case by typing the case citation, party name, judge name or anything as free text. It aids to improve user’s work processes, reduce cost and ultimately generates favourable results for users.

It is a known fact that our brain has a hard time processing unstructured and complex data. With the help of machine learning, LegitQuest has also transformed complex and raw data into a user-friendly form to help legal stakeholders to research faster and more efficiently. LegitQuest has a feature called as iDraf that provides the user with decision, reasoning, arguments and finding of a case with just a click. This tool contains tabs that take the user to specific portions of the judgment within a few seconds for making the job of analysing the case simpler and faster.

It must be mentioned here that iDRAF is an absolutely unique feature developed by LegitQuest. Such a feature is not available anywhere else in the world, including start-ups such as Westlaw, LexisNexis and Bloomberg. This is the USP of LegitQuest.

Experts have proven that visuals have a positive impact on the human mind for learning and memorising. LegitQuest is also coming up with iGraphics that condense the treatment of overruled, distinguished, followed and relied upon case laws in relevant figures and charts making data into a single canvas for easy reference and understanding.

The Vision – One Stop solution for legal stakeholders

It does not end here for LegitQuest. LegitQuest is in the process of devising various other features for its users to make their work easier. Some of them are in the pipeline, such as iAlert. Right now, lawyers and litigants spend substantial time in checking the cause list on a frequent basis to get themselves updated about their case hearings. iAlert will notify about the case hearing of a pending matter in various High Courts and the Supreme Court of India. The notification will be sent through SMS, Email and later on through Mobile App. LegitQuest envisions making the legal practice more convenient, effortless and qualitative in India and abroad. The team wants to make LegitQuest as a one-stop solution for its users with the help of such supporting features.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Video of Bill Gates enjoying Vada Pav with Sachin Tendulkar during Mumbai visit goes viral

Gates, currently touring India, has been making waves with high-profile engagements. Earlier this week, he touched down in New Delhi, where he held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers.

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Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates delighted his followers by posting an Instagram video featuring Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, with the playful caption, “A snack break before we get to work.” The brief clip captures the duo relishing Mumbai’s beloved street food, vada pav, whilst perched on a bench, ending with a teasing “Serving soon” message splashed across the screen.

Gates, currently touring India, has been making waves with high-profile engagements. Earlier this week, he touched down in New Delhi, where he held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers. His itinerary then brought him to Mumbai, where he met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The tech titan’s visit underscores his ongoing fascination with India’s innovative spirit, a theme he expanded upon in a recent blog post.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHbYDGXJnxq/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Writing on his personal site, Gates reflected on the trip’s impact: “I came away with fresh perspectives because India is brimming with clever, driven individuals addressing some of the globe’s toughest challenges in ingenious ways.” His words echo sentiments he shared ahead of the visit, when he praised Odisha’s farmers for leveraging artificial intelligence to boost agricultural outcomes—a story that’s garnered attention for its blend of tradition and technology.

The vada pav moment with Tendulkar, a national treasure, adds a light-hearted touch to Gates’s packed schedule. It’s not just a snack break; it hints at a potential collaboration, though details remain under wraps. For Indian fans, seeing two legends—one from tech, the other from cricket—share a casual bite is a rare treat, blending global influence with local flavour.

As Gates continues his journey, his interactions spotlight India’s dual role as a hub of innovation and a cultural powerhouse. Whether it’s AI-driven farming or a street-side snack with a sporting hero, his visit is proving to be a feast of ideas—and vada pav.

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Manappuram Finance shares hit record high after Bain Capital announces $508 million stake deal

Shares of Manappuram Finance surged to an all-time high after Bain Capital announced plans to acquire an 18% stake in the gold loan provider.

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Manappuram Finance shares rise after Bain Capital deal

India’s gold loan provider Manappuram Finance saw its shares soar to an all-time high on Friday after Bain Capital revealed plans to invest $508 million for an 18% stake in the company. The move, analysts say, brings clarity to Manappuram’s management succession strategy and paves the way for stronger strategic control.

Bain Capital, a U.S.-based private equity firm, will subscribe to Manappuram’s shares and warrants at Rs 236 per share — a 9% premium over Thursday’s closing price of Rs 217.5. Following the transaction, Bain will jointly control the company along with other key stakeholders, referred to as ‘promoters’ under Indian regulations.

As of 12:05 p.m. IST on Friday, Manappuram’s shares surged by as much as 6.3% to Rs 231.08, marking their highest level on record.

Founder to step back as Bain gains influence

Founder and CEO V.P. Nandakumar, who has led the company for nearly four decades, will transition to the role of non-executive chairman once the investment is finalized. With Bain Capital now having rights to influence strategic decisions and appoint key roles including the CEO, analysts at Jefferies and CLSA have responded positively.

CLSA noted that the potential for re-rating of Manappuram’s stock is strong as new leadership takes over. Jefferies and CLSA have both raised their target prices by 14.6% and 20%, respectively, maintaining bullish ratings of “buy” and “outperform.”

Deal to boost gold loan business, offset microfinance losses

The deal is expected to close in the upcoming financial year and is likely to accelerate growth in the company’s gold loan segment, which currently contributes around 75% of its total revenue. With gold prices at historic highs, the demand for gold-backed loans remains robust.

Additionally, analysts expect part of the capital raised through the deal may be used to cushion the losses in Manappuram’s microfinance division. The company confirmed that Asirvad Micro Finance, its microfinance subsidiary, will withdraw its IPO draft filing amid changing market conditions and regulatory scrutiny.

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Alphabet’s $32 billion acquisition of Wiz marks biggest cybersecurity push

Alphabet has announced a $32 billion deal to acquire Wiz, reinforcing its cloud security offerings as it competes with AWS and Microsoft Azure.

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Alphabet to acquire Wiz for $32 billion to boost cloud security

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced its largest acquisition to date with a $32 billion deal to buy cybersecurity startup Wiz. The move signals Alphabet’s aggressive expansion in cloud security as it competes with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure in the cloud computing market.

A strategic investment in cybersecurity

The acquisition will integrate Wiz into Google Cloud, reinforcing its security capabilities to help businesses mitigate cyber risks. The deal, which follows Alphabet’s previously unsuccessful $23 billion bid, underscores the company’s commitment to securing a stronger foothold in the cloud security space.

Wiz, an Israel-based firm, provides security solutions that work across major cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. The company has gained significant traction, boasting clients such as Morgan Stanley, BMW, and LVMH.

Regulatory scrutiny and financial impact

Despite the high price tag, Alphabet appears confident in securing regulatory approval under the new U.S. administration, which has maintained a watchful eye on major tech mergers. Notably, the termination fee—over $3.2 billion—stands among the highest in M&A history, signaling both parties’ commitment to closing the deal.

Alphabet’s stock dipped nearly 3% following the announcement, reflecting investor concerns over its heavy spending, particularly in AI and cloud computing. The company may need external financing, given its cash reserves of approximately $23.47 billion as of December 31, 2024.

Growing importance of cybersecurity

The acquisition highlights the increasing demand for cybersecurity solutions, especially in light of last year’s global CrowdStrike outage that disrupted businesses worldwide. Analysts suggest that for Google Cloud to compete effectively with Microsoft Azure, it must offer a more comprehensive suite of security services.

Alphabet expects the deal to be finalized in 2026, pending regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, Wiz will continue providing its services across multiple cloud platforms, potentially alleviating antitrust concerns.

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