Archive: June 30, 2021

Business

Tree of Life Resort & Hotels enters a long-term association with eZee Technosys across all its properties

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Mumbai, (Date) – eZee Technosys, the best hotel-tech provider in the South-Asia region recently forged an association with the Tree of Life Resort & Hotels making it one of the largest premium properties on eZee’s portfolio of hotels. The partnership will add momentum to the revenue growth of the award-winning hospitality company by optimizing its operations.

This relationship will include a total of 10 hotels across the country and the deliverables will entail providing tech solutions ranging from Cloud PMS to Financial Accounting Integration. Tree of Life’s association with eZee will not just re-establish the platform as the most sought-after hospitality tech provider in India but also position them as the number one software provider for mid to large-sized hotel groups.

With this association, eZee has once again managed to establish itself as a market leader in India managing to grow its customer base by 25% in the last year despite the pandemic-led slowdown.

This engagement with Tree of Life will include the following services:

  • Cloud PMS
  • Booking Engine
  • Channel Management
  • POS
  • Financial Accounting Integration

Mehul FanawalaThrilled by this association, Mehul Fanawala, Director of Enterprise Sales & Head of Inbound Sales, eZee Technosys commented, “eZee has always aimed to empower the hospitality industry with profitable, efficient business and latest technologies. We have listened to our customers and addressed their requirements with consistent innovations and enhancements in our solutions. That is one of the crucial factors of why the industry loves eZee. While the pandemic has slowed the industry down, we cannot deny the fact that technology has taken over as an elemental requirement of businesses. Associating with Tree of Life Resort & Hotels affirms that. I am sure, eZee’s modern solutions will surpass their expectations.”

Adding to it Mr. Akhil Anand, Director, Tree of Life Resort & Hotels said, “There are just a handful of well-designed and comprehensive cloud-based applications which take a holistic view of the hotel business. eZee certainly seems to be one such option and after having been through our implementation recently and having used the system for some time, I can certainly vouch for things like 1) Thoughtful and easy to understand UI/UX 2) A one-stop-shop for key elements of revenue management, booking engine, PMS, POS, review management, etc 3) Reasonably priced for mid-size hotels and finally 4) A supportive and proactive support team. I am sure we will be able to achieve our long-term goals with this serving as a crucial part of our tech ecosystem.”

Education

The 2022 Teach For India Fellowship invites applications, in one of the toughest years for education

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Teach-For-India-Fellowship

Mumbai, 29th June 2021: The Teach For India Fellowship is a 2-year full-time paid opportunity for India’s most promising individuals, both recent graduates, and working professionals, to serve as teachers to children in some of the nation’s most under-resourced schools. Recruitment for the 2022-2024 cohort will open on July 1st.

The Teach For India Fellowship recruits and selects bright and promising individuals for a full-time, paid commitment to serve as teachers to children from low-income communities in some of the nation’s most under-resourced schools. Through two years of the ‘Teaching As Leadership’ model, training, support, and on-ground exposure, Fellows will transform as teachers in the short-term, while also developing critical leadership development skills in the long-term. Our Fellows will work across 260 schools across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Chennai.

In June 2021, 19% of children interviewed by the Protsahan Foundation mentioned that they or their elder sibling had to start working, to help the family income, during the pandemic. With school closures now on for over fifteen months, the education sector has had to deal with some of the country’s most plaguing issues. Increased exposure of children to violence, migration and abuse, has led to a mental health pandemic among children, and declining school enrolment. According to the UNICEF, 9 mn children are at the risk of being pushed into child labour, globally. With more children being pushed into poverty, their ability to access quality education has reduced. The role of teachers is the most crucial at this juncture; Teachers who want to stand up for the country, and deeply believe in the power of education.

Swetha Balakrishnan, Director of Recruitment at Teach For India says, “Now more than ever, we need India’s youth to turn into nation builders – to take a brave step towards solving issues of social injustice and inequity. The Teach For India Fellowship offers the opportunity to do just that – to get on the ground, work closely with children with the greatest need, offer them opportunities towards a better future – and do all of this while pushing their own boundaries of leadership and civic engagement.”

“My Fellowship not only taught me people management of 52 over-enthusiastic students but also helped me connect with students individually and learn from each of them. Most importantly, the experience organically taught me about myself, my long-term vision and helped me figure out how to get there.” – Aniket Aich, 2019 Delhi Alumnus.

In 2021, only 8.3% of the applicants who applied were selected. It has welcomed candidates from top colleges such as Anna University, NIT Suratkal, Stella Maris College, St. Xavier’s College, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Patkar Varde College, Mumbai, University of Mysore, Denison University and Leeds Beckett University among others. Fellows hail from top corporations such as Citigroup, Deloitte, EY, Thomson Reuters, Citigroup, Tata Group, Wipro, and JP Morgan Chase.

Our Alumni have widespread reach as they are cumulatively reaching more than 33 million children – or 1 in 10 children in India – through their work across schools, communities, policy, and various levels of the system

“Teach For India Alumni come with a sense of imagination and realism, their ground work in the classrooms and communities has given them a hard realistic look at the inequity and injustice children face and what it takes to create a shift. Their love, intelligence and tenacity let’s them imagine a more fair and luminous world as they dedicate their lives to creating the path for equity” says Nisaba Godrej, Executive Chairperson, Godrej Consumer Products & Chairperson.

Arshad, a grade 10 student shared about his fellow, Subhankar Paul, a 2014 Alumni, “Subhankar Bhaiya taught me what it means to be a good human being, in class, on the field and in life. That is who I want to be.”

As the world has switched to a blended model of instruction, the past year has been extremely challenging for Students, Parents and Fellows. The Fellowship was able to pivot into an online operation model quickly, without compromising both scale and quality. To cope with looming learning loss across the country, India needs leaders with courage, and who will do whatever it takes to stand up for its children. The cohort recruited this year will have the opportunity to finally resume in-school instruction, depending on vaccine availability across the country and the rapidly changing situation.

To apply, visit – http://apply.teachforindia.org/.

Health

PHD Family Welfare Foundation leads the fight against a possible 3rd wave of Covid-19 with installation of medical oxygen generation plant at Medicheck Hospital at Faridabad, Haryana

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

NEW DELHI, JUNE 30, 2021: While preparing to fight for a possible third wave of Covid-19, PHD Family Welfare Foundation (PHDFWF), which is a wing of the national apex chamber PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), has inaugurated an oxygen generation plant at Medicheck Hospital at Faridabad in Haryana on June 30, 2021. Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHDCCI and Mr. Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, PHDCCI, were among the dignitaries present on the occasion

Rotary Club of Delhi South Central and Shivalik Group are the contributors to the first 20 M3 PSA oxygen generation plants to be placed at Medicheck Hospital, which will be able to address any eventuality, going forward.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, said, “The third wave is anticipated but it is only pragmatic to remain prepared well in advance considering that the second wave has provided lessons for us. The installation of this oxygen generation plant remains a right step towards further strengthening the health infrastructure. We remain grateful to those who have come forward and undertaken this noble cause and helping us strengthen our resolve to fight as well as remain prepared for any health-crisis.”

While taking a cue from the first two waves of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, PHDCCI has been propagating the idea about remaining prepared in terms of capacity and quality in healthcare infrastructure to meet the challenges posed by any health-crisis in the future.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHDCCI, said, “We all have been witness to the havoc that a health-crisis is likely to create in terms of taking a huge toll on the health infrastructure, besides loss of precious human life. This has also upended the economy of the nation as a whole. The lesson to be learnt from here is to remain prepared beforehand to face any eventuality in the future. Ideally, the next 2-3 months should be devoted towards enhancing the capacity and quality of country’s health infrastructure, on a war-footing that is.”

Further deliberating on the occasion, Mr Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, PHDCCI added that recently, PHDCCI had put forward a five-pronged strategy to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus in the likelihood of a third wave in the country. These included, initiating vaccination drive aggressively, ensure strict adherence to Covid-19-related protocols of social distancing, adoption of strict norms and compliances for the micro-containment zones, imposing immediate lockdown in a district where the number of active cases are more than 500 and enhancing the capacity and quality of health infrastructure in the country.

In a way, PHDCCI remains committed to providing continuous policy advocacy to facilitate right decision-making and introduce industry best practices.

Technology

Ycombinator backed Enterprise Event platform Zuddl sees 20X revenue growth in 6 months

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Bengaluru, India, June 30, 2021 – Virtual event platform, Zuddl grew by 20x between October 2020 and June 2021 and became the partner of choice for some of the largest brands and events. During this period, Zuddl onboarded a host of marquee customers including Nasscom, Microsoft, Grant Thornton, Cipla, among others.

Zuddl attributes this growth to two factors. The first is Zuddl’s ability to give the perfect balance of engagement and customizability, allowing its clients to provide a highly differentiated experience to its audience. This significantly reduced the gap between in-person and virtual events. The second is a growing trend towards hybrid events as a way to scale and reach a larger audience at a lower cost. This trend got accelerated due to the current global situation. In the last 6 months, Zuddl has helped over 50 brands to conduct unique and customized events.

Founded in 2020, Zuddl lets organizations and associations host large-scale, branded events online, from expo showcases and industry roundtables to conferences, product launches, and more. It has seen demand for its platform soar during the coronavirus pandemic. It has raised $2 million in seed funding in October 2020. The funding round is backed by YCombinator and GrowX. The funds are used to strengthen the product’s capabilities and expansion.

“The pandemic has led to a sea of online events which look and feel the same. With Zuddl, we make sure that enterprises hosting large events do not have to choose between configurability and ease of use. We provide a platform that enables enterprises to host immersive, interactive, and seamless online events to ensure that attendees experience a different level of engagement. Our product is designed with all the learnings from our experience in organizing offline events to meet the requirements of the post-pandemic hybrid event world.” says Bharath Varma, Founder, Zuddl

Currently, Zuddl serves 50+ enterprises across the globe. They work with marquee companies and associations such as Nasscom, Microsoft, Grant Thorton, and Cipla to name a few.

To know more please visit www.zuddl.com

Business

Keep your house protected from pigeons with Clensta Pigeon Repellent Spray

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

New Delhi, June 2021: Even though we are living in a cosmopolitan environment, we have been increasingly crossing paths with pigeons and at times this encounter does lead to diseases and infections. From the growing focus on health and cleanliness, it is important that we protect our home from the germs that are being spread by pigeons without harming the birds in any way. Clensta, an IIT Delhi-backed startup has come up with a solution to keep pigeons, who are known to carry germs that often cause lung-related ailments, at bay.

The Clensta Pigeon Repellent Spray is a unique product that has a concentrated formulation that helps to confuse and disorient pigeons to keep them off and away from their nesting sites without causing any harm to them. Pigeon droppings are a huge problem not just in terms of cleanliness but also it is very hazardous to human health as it contains nitrogenous waste instead of ammonia.

In the homecare range,

Clensta has formulated Pigeon repellent spray with active ingredients that consist of oils and antimicrobial agents which not only chase away pigeons but provides a germ-free surrounding. The technology is based upon the non-non-invasive method to disorient pigeons as the layer by layer adhering of essential oil-based ingredients helps disorientation of pigeons without causing any harm to pigeons as well as humans.
This formulation is also eco-friendly as it is made with the use of EBDC Technology that is patented by Clensta International and approved by the ethical committee at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. The Pigeon Repellent has the fragrance of lemon grass, it comes in a 150ml infinity bottle and a concentrated formula in a 25ml bottle Once consumed it can be prepared at home by adding 25 ml of concentrate in the infinity bottle and adding 150 ml of tap water, It is ready to use after shaking for 1-2 minutes.

Enhanced Bioactivity of the ingredients to degrade the micro-organisms along with the cleansing technology i.e. EBDC Technology, the trademark technology of the brand. The science behind the product is that it has been formulated with synergistic effects of two or three active ingredients to enhance the efficacy of the system of preventive care. With this technology, the active ingredient will be compressed in the “smart concentrate” form that can be used to prepare the preventive care products specialized in providing a healthy and safe environment to individuals. The system of safe synthetic and natural ingredients has been formulated that will not harm any individual or even pollute the environment on regular usage.

The product would be available at your nearest retail store and online at Amazon as well as Clensta’s e-commerce portal at INR 199 for a refill and INR 599 for 1 ready bottle and 2 refills.

Business

Decorative Ceiling Fans from Usha International

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

The ceiling fan is no longer the ubiquitous blob with blades that churns overhead to move the air. The ceiling fans of today have the propensity to add a flair to the interiors of any room. Whether you are planning on how to do up your new home or renovating where you live, a well-designed high-performing fan also adds a touch of glamour enhancing the overall visual appeal and aesthetics of the room.

Fans have become an integral part of home décor accessories and Usha’s beautiful and smart-looking Bloom series ceiling fans, are a great offering from the company’s robust portfolio of fans. Inspired by Flowers, these fans are contemporary, feature-loaded, and high-performers, making them a compelling buy for any household.

Decorative Ceiling Fans from Usha International

Bloom Lily and Dahlia

This vibrant and elegant series of fans inspired by flowers come with a goodbye dust finish that prevents dust accumulation on the fans and thus making the cleaning process convenient and hassle-free. These fans operate at low voltage and have a unique blade design for higher air delivery and thrust to keep you cool and fresh throughout the day.

Lily and Dahlia both come with four blades and are equipped with a 16-pole strong motor that enhances the life expectancy of fans and offers a high air delivery (250CMM) and speed (280 RPM). These fans come with the Novel Silane technology from PPG Asian paints making them dust, oil, moisture, scratch, and stain-resistant, therefore providing greater durability during extreme weather conditions.

Aesthetically crafted, these fans are available in dual-color designs, including, Sparkle White & Silver, Sparkle Black & Maroon, and Sparkle Brown & Gold. With a two-year warranty, Usha Bloom Lily is priced at INR 5505 and Usha Bloom Dahlia is priced at INR 5295. These fans are available at retail stores across India. 

Decorative Ceiling Fans from Usha International

Bloom Bellflower fans

An addition to Usha International’s Bloom series of fans inspired by the soft aesthetics of summer flowers, the new Bloom Bellflower is uber stylish and comes in three colour variants – Sparkle Black with Maroon, Sparkle Brown with Gold, and Sparkle White with Silver. With a sweep of 1300 MM, the unique design of the blades makes for higher air delivery and thrust. It has a unique self-protective anti-germ nanotechnology that strengthens its range of fans and keeps the circulating air hygienic.

Perfect for those looking to spruce up the décor in their homes, these fans are a perfect blend of beauty and functionality with a high-air delivery of 250 CMM and speed of 300 RPM. Bloom Bellflower is completely dust, oil, water, scratch, and stain-resistant and comes with 100% copper motor. With a two-year warranty, Usha Bloom Bellflower is priced at INR 4495.

Decorative Ceiling Fans from Usha International

Bloom Primrose fans

Elevating the décor of any room they are placed in, Bloom Primrose fans by Usha International are packed with high-tech features and the goodbye dust finish. With a sweep of 1250 MM, the unique design of the blades makes for higher air delivery and thrust. It has a speed of 380 rpm and is dust, oil, water, scratch and stain-resistant. Inspired by the aesthetics of the primrose flowers, these fans come with a super high 230 m³/min air delivery, power consumption of 78 watts, and a promise of great performance at low voltage, further making it a durable buy for consumers.

Bloom Primrose fans are available in dual-colour designs, including, Sparkle Golden & Cherry, Sparkle Golden & Brown, and Sparkle White. Priced at INR 3595, these fans come with a warranty of two years.

For more information on the same, please visit: https://www.ushafans.com/

Business

Meddo closes pre-Series A funding round at 6mn, Alkemi Capital joins as an investor along with SRI Capital and Picus Capital

Jun 30, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

30th June 2021 New Delhi: Meddo, a health-technology start-up operating in the ambulatory space has closed the Pre-Series A round at USD 6mn led by SRI Capital, Picus Capital and Alkemi Capital. Meddo equips OPD clinics with technology enabled, digital solutions to turn them into full service medical centres complete with ERM systems, diagnostic support, medicine delivery services/support and much more. Launched in 2018 by Mr. Saurabh Kochhar, ex-Foodpanda and Dr. Naveen Nishchal, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Cygnus Hospitals, the Meddo model reverse integrates independent OPD clinics into the brand’s fold. With a vision to organise the highly unorganised ambulatory services sector in India, Meddo is the first seamlessly omni-channel healthcare player offering ‘patient-oriented Care’ in the true sense.

Despite the COVID challenges, Meddo has been growing and expanding its network and service offerings. In the last few months, the venture launched relevant solutions like L1 COVID centres, tele-consultation services, diagnostic solutions and an extremely useful and cost-effective healthcare membership called MeddoSure.

The funding journey since inception:
  • Founded by credible entrepreneurs with a reliable track record, the venture has been backed by notable investors so far.
  • In the year 2019, Meddo raised around $3 million (about Rs 21.53 crore at current exchange rates) in a pre-Series A funding round led by the Philadelphia- and Hyderabad-based SRI Capital.
  • LetsVenture, growX Ventures, Citrus Pay co-founder Jitendra Gupta and Venture Gurukool also took part in the round then.
  • Picus Capital, which joins the list of investors in Meddo now, is backed by Alexander Samwer of Rocket Internet fame – which funded Kochhar’s previous two ventures as well (foodpanda & Printvenue).
  • Joining the list of investors is Alkemi Venture Capital, a leading investor in the health and well-being space.

Talking about his vision for Meddo and sharing details regarding fund utilisation, Mr Saurabh Kochhar, Founder of Meddo, said, “Meddo Health was conceived with a vision to digitise and organise the ambulatory care space in India on back of innovative technology solutions. With ongoing COVID challenges, our journey so far has been extremely dynamic, and we have evolved on the way, turning each roadblock into an opportunity. Our investors have stood strongly by our side and have shown confidence in our aim to bring much needed inclusivity and structure to the primary healthcare space in India. Alkemi Venture Capital has been an active investor in the healthcare sector for around 5+ years now, so having them backing us with funds is great validation of the idea and philosophy of Meddo. With the pre-series A round concluding, we are drawing up plans to utilise these funds effectively. Our focus will be on the following – a) Increasing presence and national footprint – both with more clinics in the NCR region and expansion to other cities, b) Organic and inorganic expansion by investing in technology solutions that integrate seamlessly with the Meddo offering and strengthen the eco-system, c) Investing in big-data that would give us access to trends in the healthcare industry at a micro and macro level so we may customise our offerings as per patient needs, and d) As continuing to double down on patient offerings under Meddo Sure to achieve the vision of complete healthcare cover for patients, and going the extra mile to offer affordable plans that cover all expenses from primary health care (OPD) to hospitalisation (IPD)”

Showcasing their trust in Meddo, Alka Goel, Founding Partner, Alkemi Growth Capital said, “We often fail to acknowledge and appreciate the humongous role played by independent clinics (200-300K) in the overall healthcare delivery. Meddo is partnering with clinics on aspects such as technology and operations to make the patient and physician experience more seamless. In the process it is increasing the asset utilization of these clinics – a win win for all stakeholders involved. Today, more than ever, the need is apparent – and Meddo is helping organize this fragmented market. We are excited about being partners with Meddo in this journey.”

Meddo is built on a premise of integrated and omni-channel healthcare system, which is patient centric, scalable, and medium agnostic. Within the last two years, Meddo has served and created a customer base of almost 6 lakhs patients, on-boarded over 400+ doctors from various super specialities and re-branded close to 250+ clinics under the Meddo brand across Delhi/NCR. With a wide and dominant presence in the capital city, Meddo would want to expand its footprint across top 10 cities within next 18 months.

Business, News

American Standard Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall Hung Toilet

Jun 30, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall Hung Toilet, #American Standard

American Standard, a division of the LIXIL Group and one of the most iconic international brands in sanitaryware, introduces their all-new Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall Hung Toilet. Dedicated to the consumer with discerning design tastes, Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall hung toilet is truly the best of both worlds in design and technology.
Designed with HygieneClean technologies, it features the patented Aqua Ceramic technology that prevents dirt and dark ring stains from sticking to its ceramic surface, and ComfortClean technology which effectively inhibits the growth of E. coli bacteria. The Hygiene Rim technology in the rimless bowl ensures better hygiene and ease of cleaning, at the same time powering the Double Vortex Flushing System with unrivalled flushing capabilities

American Standard Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall Hung ToiletKey Features of the American Standard Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall Hung Toilet

Aqua Ceramic- Super Hydrophilic technology prevents dirt and dark ring stains from sticking to ceramic surface
Comfort Clean- Effectively kills E Coli bacteria according to tests done by IMSL.
Comfort Curve Seat- An ergonomic fit that comfortably contours to the body.

Hygiene Rim- Truly rimless, cleaned in just one swipe.

Skirted SquareDesign- Premium design allows for quick and easy exterior cleaning.

Water-Saving- Water-saving for ecological and economic sense.

American Standard Acacia SupaSleek Square Wall Hung Toilet delivers not only improved hygiene, but also better comfort, unique design, durability, and aesthetic appeal to your bathroom with this new offering.

Business, Education, News

5 EdTech players that are polishing skills and making you future ready

Jun 30, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Since the start of the pandemic, our society has witnessed many revolutions. One of them is the rise in the number of Tech-driven startups that want a workforce that possesses skills like complex problem solving, critical and analytical thinking. While digital adoption among these firms has aided in the phenomenal development in the business landscape. Recent polls have found that there is an inability to keep up with technology changes causing growth barriers resulting in difficulty to recruit and retain technology aware employees.

Today, most companies believe that reskilling their existing staff for digital adoption is crucial to their success. As nowadays businesses are highly tech-driven and require the need of collaboration with new-age technologies that have algorithmic as well as artificial capabilities.

It is crucial to upskill yourself according to the changing job market trends while you are working or planning to start your career. Enrolling yourself on online courses depending upon your choices will provide you with knowledge and experience. In today’s world, such online courses are also reshaping the landscape for the higher education industry in India. These courses are available at any time and from anywhere, offer unlimited enrolment, fewer requirements, minimal cost module and are the safest choice for stemming the flood of rising educational costs. The courses are brief and intensely focused on a single topic, therefore, making them an appealing option for students or a professional who wishes to study and know more about a certain topic.

Here is a list of a few Edtech companies that not only help students to upskill but are also helping professionals to reskill themselves.

1. Hex N Bit

Hex N Bit, an edtech company founded in April 2020. The company provides one-stop solutions for the students and Professionals in Industry-connect Skill development courses. The platform provides various industry-led online courses, live sessions, self-paced eLearning content, real-time projects, competitive assignments, and quizzes etc. Hex N Bit also offers a wide and vivid variety of courses like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Embedded System & Secure Internet of Things (IoT), Advance Embedded System with STM-32, PCB Design, VLSI Design & Verification, Python Programming Language, UI UX Development, Android Development (Data Science), C++ and many more. Since its initiation, the company has registered over 65,000+ candidates from 140+ universities, tied up with 10+ tech companies and 70+ mentors. Therefore, Hex N Bit aims to bridge the gap between academics & Industry by providing them with practical knowledge & analytical skills under one umbrella.

2. Coursera

Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, both computer science professors at Stanford University, created Coursera in 2012 as a huge open online course provider. Coursera collaborates with universities and other organisations to provide online courses, certificates, and degrees in a wide range of topics. More than 150 colleges provided upwards of 4,000 courses through Coursera, which offers over two dozen degree programmes at pricing that is lower than many in-person school offerings, according to sources.

Coursera courses are four to twelve weeks long and consist of one to two hours of video lectures every week. Quizzes, weekly exercises, peer-graded and reviewed assignments, an optional Honors assignment, and occasionally a final project or test round out these courses. On-demand courses are also accessible, allowing customers to complete the course at their own pace with all of the materials available at once.

3. NPTEL

In 2003, seven Indian Institutes of Technology (Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati, and Roorkee) and the Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore) launched the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). It has the world’s largest online repository of engineering, basic sciences, and selected humanities and social sciences courses, with over 56000 hours of video content, the world’s most-accessed library of peer-reviewed educational content, 52000+ hours of transcribed content, and 51000+ hours of subtitled videos.
In March 2014, NPTEL began offering open online courses with certifications from the IITs/IISc for students who successfully finished the courses. Anyone outside of the IIT System can now take an online certification course from NPTEL and receive a certificate from the IITs. Through this programme, IITs are reaching out and bringing education to people’s homes.

4. Udemy

Udemy, Inc. is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider geared towards working people and students. Eren Bali, GaganBiyani, and OktayCaglar formed it in May 2010. The platform includes over 40 million students, 155,000 courses, and 70,000 teachers delivering courses in over 65 languages as of April 2021. Over 480 million people have enrolled in courses. Students and professors hail from more than 180 nations, with two-thirds of the students residing outside of the United States. Students enrol in courses primarily to improve job-related skills. Some courses can be used to get technical certification credit.

Business and entrepreneurship, academics, the arts, health and fitness, language, music, and technology are only a few of the topics covered in the courses. It also has Udemy for Business which is a focused collection of over 7,000 training courses on topics ranging from digital marketing methods to office efficiency, design, management, programming, and more. Organizations can also construct unique learning portals for corporate training using Udemy for Business. Depending on the teacher, Udemy courses might be paid or free.

5. edX

edX is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider founded by Harvard and MIT in the United States. It offers online university-level courses in a variety of fields to a global student base, with certain courses available for free. On the edX website, more than 150 colleges, nonprofit groups, and companies provide or intend to provide courses. edX has over 6,000 educators on its platform, representing 196 nations across the world.

Weekly learning sequences make up edX courses. Each learning sequence consists of short films mixed with interactive learning tasks that students can do right away. edX provides certificates of completion, and certain courses are credit-eligible. Some courses are credit-eligible, and edX gives certificates of completion. A college or university’s decision on whether or not to grant credit for an online course is entirely up to the university or college. Students may take courses on edX in several ways, including validated courses where they can audit the course for free or work toward an edX Verified Certificate (fees vary by course). XSeries Certificates are also available from edX for completing a packaged set of two to seven validated courses in a particular subject (cost varies depending on the courses). The examination is only offered to paying students in particular courses.

Business, News

A pioneer of sustainability, Marwadi University receives ‘One District One Green Champion’ Award 2020-21

Jun 30, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #Jeet Marwadi, #Marwadi University, #Prof. (Dr) Sandeep Sancheti, #Provost, #Trustee

Marwadi University Logo

Rajkot: Gujarat’s Rajkot-based Marwadi University (MU) has received the prestigious ‘One District One Green Champion’ award conferred by the Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE), Ministry of Education, for the district of Rajkot. As a proud recipient of this ‘swachhta’ award, especially during Covid-19 times, the University reaffirms its commitment to sustainability and impactful environmental advocacy.

Prof. (Dr) Sandeep Sancheti, Provost, Marwadi University says, “A ‘green campus’ and sustainability-oriented curriculum is a priority area for Marwadi University. Here, environmental issues are integrated into student life through both extracurricular activities and academics, whether that’s in their coursework, dissertations or work placements. As a step ahead, the University also offers degrees in sustainable agriculture and environmental engineering. It’s not just about looking to reduce carbon footprint and increase recycling initiatives. As a truly sustainable institution, we are also looking at its impact on the wider community.”

Speaking on materialising a cleaner and greener world, Jeet Marwadi, Trustee, Marwadi University says, “The On-campus Marwadi University Innovation, Incubation, and Research Centre (MUIIR) have signed MOUs with Energy Swaraj Ashram, GUJCOST, and T-HUB. It is a strong step in encouraging a sustainable environment through start-ups and entrepreneurship.

Incidentally, MU is the first university to house the Energy Swaraj Ashram, a solar incubation centre based on the Gandhian ‘Gram Swaraj’ model, that will help the University generate, nurture and promote young entrepreneurs in the energy sector.

As a stakeholder entrusted with preparing tomorrow’s leaders, the University is working on energy and natural resources conservation through the installation of a 550 kW solar rooftop plant, an in-house water purification plant, and a water harvesting system. It is keenly pursuing a project on developing low-cost homes focusing on renewable energy and sustainable architecture.

MU has also designed a course in agricultural science to impart knowledge on sustainable precision farming and smart agriculture. The curriculum comprises the study of agronomy, horticulture, plant pathology and plant breeding and agriculture management, and is supplemented by field visits and experiential learning.

Recently, the University also signed an MoU with ASSOCHAM Council for ‘Green & Eco-friendly Movement’ – which complements India’s sustainability movement and takes it to the next level by promoting environment-friendly green building design and construction.

As part of a future strategy to build a sustainable campus, MU plans to promote classes specialising in or relating to sustainability, as an addition to existing environmental awareness drives engaging them in the discourse of environmental advocacy.