Archive: May 31, 2022

Health

In accordance with World No-Tobacco Day, ACI Hospitals supports Mumbai Police and their Families; will offer free medical check-ups

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

India, 31st May, 2021: In accordance to the World No-Tobacco Day, ACI Hospitals, a boutique multi-speciality healthcare centre with an expertise in Oncology (Cancer), vouches to protect the real heroes of city; Mumbai Police and their families and offer free cancer check-ups. As a part of the initiative, ACI Hospitals will be setting up mobile vans for cancer check-ups in June 2022 across 5 police stations in Mumbai; Worli, Nagpada, Dadar-Naigoan, Tardeo and Gaodevi offering special diagnostics for cancer detection.

It is no surprise that tobacco addiction causes short and long-term diseases like cancer, lung diseases, chronic bronchitis, etc. Discontinuing smoking as a habit is one of the necessary actions to improve health significantly. With an aim to create awareness about the cause and promote quality healthcare, ACI Hospitals will be offering the health check-ups and doctor consultations free of cost for all members of the police fraternity.

Speaking on the occasion and the campaign, Dr. Deepak Parikh, Medical Director, ACI Hospitals, said, “Tobacco addiction can be distressing and often lead to health problems to the others around us. One can start overcoming such an addiction by taking small steps and quitting gradually. The idea is to find out one’s triggers and plan accordingly to overcome them. The addiction is often found with individuals who work in high-stress environments especially in job profiles like the police force. We at ACI Hospitals have always had a huge respect for the police fraternity and value their efforts constantly. Through this campaign we aim to honour the real heroes of our city and their supporting families. It’s time that we put their health first and offer them the best possible support that we can. We are excited to offer them free health check-ups across the city and urge the fraternity to come forward and avail of these services for a better and healthier future.

According to WHO reports, every year more than 8 million people die of tobacco consumption yet it continues to rapidly increase among people of all age groups in the country. Highly addictive, it can wreak havoc on one’s cardiovascular and respiratory health apart from putting one at risk of many types of cancer. Thus, its time, we address the challenges to improve health status by decreasing craving and controlling withdrawal symptoms. In alignment to this, the Member States of the World Health Organization created the World No-Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to this tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes hence, it is annually observed around the globe on 31 May.

The ACI Hospital located in the heart of Mumbai city has consistently delivered state-of-the-art health care in the field of surgical & medical oncology and palliative care and many other disciplines. Additionally, ACI hospitals offer excellent laboratory, radiology and endoscopy services plus cutting edge operative procedures in all fields including robotic surgery. The hospital is proud of its ability to offer emergency care including intensive care unit equipped with state of the art equipment.

The Centre is a referral point for world class Cancer care for national and international patients which is delivered at an affordable cost without compromising on the delivery of clinical outcomes.

Business

Luxurious Armchairs by The Great Eastern Home

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Add a touch of class to your home with one of The Great Eastern Home’s “must-have” armchairs. An armchair, as the name implies, is a one-of-a-kind piece that adds comfort and complements a room. It serves as a decorative element in a room. The Great Eastern Home armchairs are both well-designed and eye-catching, making a subtle statement that is a reflection of your taste. They are smooth and solid, comforting, with a royal touch and full of luxury.

Each style can completely transform your home or simply create a new look for a bedroom or living room. Each style, from Colonial to Oriental to Contemporary, has its own distinct signature, and a few well-chosen, strategically placed pieces will transform your home: not just the aesthetics, but your lifestyle, with that ineffable touch of class and grace that distinguishes you.

An armchair is a natural addition to a well-furnished sitting room that adds to the space’s character. The frame is extended and the arms are integrated with the frame for the armchair, allowing the back to flex while maintaining the strength and simplicity of The Great Eastern Home collection.

When you see an armchair that stands out in a living room, it is almost certain that the chair was custom built at The Great Eastern Home. One thing is certain: you and your family will treasure these lovely pieces, which will delight future generations as timeless heirlooms.

Business

ASK Property Investment Advisors announces the initial closure of INR 610 crores / USD 80 million of its Real Estate Fund

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Chennai | May 2022 | ASK Property Investment Advisors (ASK PIA) announced the initial closing of the Real Estate Fund (RESOF IV). This is the sixth real estate fund by ASK PIA. Over the last few years, private equity investments in income yielding commercial, Industrial, residential and data centres have increased significantly. The increase is primarily led by foreign capital inflows in India.

Mr. Amit Bhagat, CEO & MD, ASK PIA said, “We have announced initial closure of more than Rs 610 crores (US $ 80 Mn), which will be invested in the established residential markets of Mumbai, Pune, Noida, Gurgaon, Bengaluru and Chennai. Domestic investors account for 50% of the real estate fund raised, while overseas investors account for the remaining 50%. We are targeting a fund size of INR 2,000 Cr.”

“We have finalised few investments and are prepared for accelerated deployment given a very healthy pipeline and a structurally resilient residential segment.”, he added.

Mr. Sunil Rohokale, MD & CEO, ASK Group said, “The swift rebound, as indicated by a significant increase in sales velocity following the Covid period, has been very encouraging. We believe the residential market is already on a growth trajectory in 2022 and is likely to follow the same trend in the coming years. Selection of suitable developers, relevant micro markets and entry at the right price have always been our strength. Our portfolio projects have shown robust performance and witnessed y-o-y growth of more than 70% in sales value in FY2021-22. The average prices have risen by over 10% and this is likely to sustain given the increase in purchasing power in the segment.”

According to ASK PIA research, end-user demand combined with declining inventory on one side and employment generation combined with income growth in service industry, IT, financial services and allied sectors are the drivers for sustained demand in residential sector.

Education

UNESCO WHEC recognizes Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as excellence worldwide in Gender Equality

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Barcelona, Spain – May 2022: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham was invited to the UNESCO World Higher Education Conference (WHEC), which recently took place in Barcelona, Spain. UNESCO recognized Amrita as one of five universities of excellence worldwide for its performance in gender equality.

The WHEC aims to reshape ideas and practices in higher education to ensure sustainable development for the planet and humanity, as well as to define and prepare a roadmap for a new era of higher education.

As the world comes out of COVID-19, the WHEC’s goals and strategic scope remain, and the new timeframe represents an opportunity to deepen and expand common efforts of knowledge production, policy dialogue, exchange, and networking.

Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, President of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, participated in a round table called “Universities’ Contribution to Gender Equality: A global perspective”. Adding to his views Swami Amritaswarupananda expressed how Amrita is making a difference in terms of gender equality and which policies have been put into place at the university level. Gender equality is number five in the United Nations’ list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He explained how the culture of gender equality is not implemented only in terms of policies within Amrita, but also practiced in spirit.

The round table included Dr. Gloria Bonder, UNESCO Chair on Women, Science and Technology; Dr. Ricardo Vilanueva Lomeli, Rector General, University of Guadalajara; Ms. Elizabeth Shepherd, Leader of the Consultancy team, Times Higher Education; and Dr. Victoria Galan-Muros, Chief of Research and Analysis, UNESCO.

Dr. Maneesha V. Ramesh, Amrita’s Provost and UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development, and Dr. Bhavani Rao, Dean, Amrita School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, were present as well representing Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

During the session, an international report published by UNESCO, Times Higher Education (THE), and the Institute for English Literacy (IELSAC) was presented on how global universities are performing in terms of gender equality. The report showcased Amrita as a case study for excellence in institutions for promoting SDG5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

In terms of the conference overall, more than 2,000 stakeholders attended the event in person and 10,000 online, including intergovernmental organizations, UNESCO Chairs and university networks, regional organizations and development banks, country policymakers, universities, researchers, leaders of community service programs, students and youth organizations, the private sector, NGOs and civil society groups.

UNESCO considers the process of collective construction as the greatest richness of this gathering, and that vision was expressed well in terms of the diversity of participants. With a big picture vision of ensuring that no one is left behind, the WHEC focused on five goals: 

1.Opening the door to new, innovative, creative, and visionary models of higher education.

2.Highlight higher education opportunities and priorities in the upcoming decade.

3.Anticipate and prepare youth for their role in tomorrow’s society.

4.Pave the way for a future learning community that is inclusive of all lifelong learners.

5.Define and prepare the roadmap for a new era of higher education systems.

With the youth of today as the leaders of tomorrow, the WHEC includes a platform for young people that fosters an open knowledge collective process, innovation in entrepreneurship, and artistic expression to teach problem-solving.

Technology

A breakthrough for the Indian IT Landscape, as ESDS acquires the India Patent for Vertical Auto-Scaling Cloud Technology

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

May 2022, India: ESDS Software Solution Limited, an Indian Cloud Service Provider, has added another golden feather to its cap as it was granted the patent for an invention entitled – Method and System for Real-Time Detection of Resource Requirement and Automatic Adjustments. The patent is granted for the novelty of ESDS’s approach toward Vertical Auto-scalability in Cloud Computing. The company received the India patent on 26th May 2022 for the term of 20 years from the 16th day of August 2011 following the provisions of the Patents Act, 1970 for this novelty. The inventors of this patent are Mr. Piyush Somani and Mr. Rushikesh Jadhav. Formerly, ESDS’s patent for eNlight cloud suite, which is an in-house developed vertically auto scalable cloud technology, was acquired from the USA (US9176788B2 in 2015), as well as the UK (GB2493812B in 2017).

Traditionally horizontal scaling has been used by cloud service providers which had its limitations, especially the software license costs were duplicating every time the scaling happened. The approach proposed by ESDS is to introduce vertical auto-scaling in which the resources of a virtual machine in the cloud are adjusted in real-time. They are adjusted in response to the demand predicted by the machine learning algorithm based on historical resource data of that virtual machine. This removes the limitations of horizontal scaling and saves a lot on licensing costs.

“This is a fantastic news. It’s a historical achievement for ESDS – an Indian Cloud Service Provider company that developed an indigenous Cloud for India. The patented technology is beneficial for traditional 3 tier and modern micro-services workloads, equally. It is my pleasure to thank our Government, our distinguished customers, our partners, and our dedicated teams at ESDS for trusting it. We at ESDS ensures continuous innovation in cloud computing” says Rushikesh Jadhav, Chief Technology Officer, ESDS Software Solution Limited.

Piyush Somani, Chairman and Managing Director at ESDS Software Solution Limited shared, “I am elated to share this news with everyone. We at ESDS were eagerly anticipating this patent. We have achieved the most sought-after technology in Cloud for real-time adjustment of computing resources in a Virtual Machine or a container environment. Built in-house, with our talented R&D team at ESDS, this is an AI and ML-based technology that is the future of the Cloud. One will be able to make use of Cloud resources three times more with this technology, meaning you will have to pay less and Cloud won’t hurt your budget. It is indeed a breakthrough innovation using AI & ML. Having brought future Cloud technology to India is an honour for me and my team.”

This patent reassures the technology strength of ESDS in transforming the Cloud Computing landscape in India and globally.

News

Creating pluralistic society is an important function of museums, public art

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Bengaluru, May 2022 – One of the most important functions of museums and public art is to create a pluralistic society, Dr Subhodh Kerkar, Founding Director, Museum of Goa, said here on the occasion of International Museum Day on Wednesday.

Addressing a panel discussion on ‘The power of the museum and the impact of public art’ organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) jointly with RMZ Foundation, he said that it is important that public places like malls, corporate premises, fish market, bus stands, and railway station should have public art. Schools should have a lot of art in its premises, he said.

Dr Jayaram Poduval, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts and Head of the Department of Art History, M S University, Baroda said, while some people may understand and appreciate modern art, very few people understand traditional and Indian art and this is where our museums came into focus. “The spirit of the Age is depicted through museums and museums talk to people,” he said. Raising the question, how many school children go to museums, he said museums should have education officers who will actually invite schools and engage them in activities.

Contemporary artist L N Tallur said that our museology is only 30 years old and we don’t have people to teach museology.

“Shifting a museum from one place to another requires planning, packing and taking 3 to 4 years to move a museum. Are we ready for the proposed move to shift the National Museum in Delhi to the North-South Block,” he asked.

Tallur said that it was heart-breaking to see that the “Statue of Unity”, the world’s tallest statue in Gujarat has contributions of China and the US in terms of its creation, going against the concept of Atmanirbharto (self-reliance). “Our confidence goes up when we realise that we have our own resources and own abilities.”

Contemporary artist Arun Kumar H G pointed out the necessity of negotiating with the local community to engage them in reviving local arts like ‘hase chitra’. “How they look at art is different as they look for tangible results.”

Arun Kumar’s experimental project SARA (Sustainable Alternative for Rural Accord) Centre, in the Western Ghats’ region, where he grew up, as a knowledge centre for rural farmers and villagers has evolved as a museum. The focus was on agrarian issues like farming, ecology, biodiversity and water bodies manifested in a seed bank of rice diversity, which functions as a museum for the common people, with 150 types of paddy, many of which are now lost.

Prof. M J Kamalakshi, artist and a veteran of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, spoke about the traditional art of leather puppets and Ganjifa cards and its association with the Mysore royalty. Also present on the occasion are senior artist S G Vasudev, Director of NGMA, Bengaluru Nazneen Banu and Associate Vice President of RMZ Foundation Amrita Varma.

Health

Quote on Monkeypox by Rakesh Jain, CEO of Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd.

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

“ First, we need to understand that all infectious diseases, including monkeypox, are covered under basic health insurance policy. If a person is diagnosed and hospitalized in India upon/after arrival, then it will be covered under individual health insurance policy and not in travel insurance policy. A travel insurance policy ceases to be valid once the travel is completed. 

With regard to international travel insurance, it is important to note that certain travel policies only cover accidental death and accidental hospitalization, but not medical hospitalization. If a customer opts for the Medical Expense feature in her travel policy, only then all her emergency medical costs such as hospitalization costs, outpatient and cashless hospitalization will be covered during a foreign trip. 

Any diseases/illnesses contracted and treatments taken during an international trip are covered in travel insurance under the Medical Expense feature to the extent of sum insured limits or sub-limits. Co-habitation, nonetheless, is usually not included in the policy cover. It is, therefore, prudent to read about the policy features and exclusions in detail and choose the right add-ons to ensure one is adequately covered. “

Business

South Indian Bank wins 3 prestigious awards in a row

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai: The Kerala-headquartered South Indian Bank recently bagged three prestigious awards in Mumbai.

· Finnoviti Awards 2022 from Banking Frontiers

· Business leader of the year award, 2022 from CMO Asia

· Most admirable BFSI professional Award from World BFSI Congress to Mr. Anto George T. (SGM – HR and Admin, South Indian Bank)

Finnoviti Award that recognizes in-house Technology Innovation Quotient, honored South Indian Bank amongst 134 other innovators across BFSI sector, yet again, for the second time in a row. The award appreciates the learnings of organisations’ past experiences and the strategic steps taken to reinvent and innovate their products, processes, technologies, experiences and people to this new culture of the gig economy and empower their people to work from anywhere efficiently. The award not just focuses on identifying innovations, but also weighs their considerable contributions made to customers, society and the industry.

The “Business leader of the year award, 2022” celebrated South Indian Bank’s initiatives on employee engagement and enhancement. The bank received the prestigious recognition in the category of ‘Workplace and People Development’ by CMO Asia.

South Indian Bank’s SGM – HR and Admin, Mr. Anto George T.’s distinct presence in the BFSI sector was instrumental in the World BFSI Congress bestowing him with the ‘Most admirable BFSI professional Award’.

Commenting on the awards, Mr. Murali Ramakrishnan, MD & CEO of South Indian Bank said, “As an organization, we have always believed that our employees are one of the important stakeholders for our bank. It is an honor to be recognized at such reputed platforms. It encourages us to continually focus on employee well-being as a means to build the brand’s integrity and strength. This is definitely a noteworthy testament to our expertise and will inspire us to continue to invest in such strategic frameworks. Winning in such platforms justly acknowledges our constant efforts to be the true next-generation bank.”

Business

Union Bank of India donates two delivery vehicles to Akshaya Patra Foundation

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Bengaluru, May 2022: Union Bank of India, as a part of its CSR initiative, has donated two customised food delivery vehicles to The Akshaya Patra Foundation for feeding nutritious and hygienic meals to over 5,000 children every day.

The vehicles were flagged off at the foundation’s kitchen in Rajajinagar, Bangalore, by Shri Nitesh Ranjan, Executive Director, Union Bank of India, and Acharya Ratna Dasa, General Manager, The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Mr. Alok Kumar, Field General Manager, Bangalore and other officials of Union Bank of India were also present at the event.

The vehicles will be used at the NGO’s kitchen in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh that serves over 12,500 government school children.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Nitesh Ranjan, Executive Director, Union Bank of India, said, “Union Bank has always strived towards the country’s progress. While we are making progress with respect to economic growth of the country, issues like hunger, malnutrition, food insecurity persist. Until a fundamental need like access to food and education is not met, we cannot sustain growth. Organizations like Akshaya Patra are making a commendable contribution to this effect. By partnering with Akshaya Patra in their efforts, we hope we are making a difference to the lives of thousands of children.”

Acknowledging the support, Acharya Ratna Dasa, General Manager, The Akshaya Patra Foundation said, “We are thrilled about this partnership with Union Bank of India and immensely grateful to them for donating the two new delivery vehicles. Our collaboration with Union Bank of India for the school feeding programme started 13 years ago and has just strengthened with time. We hope it will continue to flourish as we believe that such partnerships play a crucial role in helping us reach out to over 1.8 million children across the country every school day.”

He further added, “We are also thankful to the Ministry of Education, Government of India and respective State Governments for providing us the opportunity to serve the children.”

Union Bank of India has been supporting Akshaya Patra’s Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Programme for the last 13 years.

News

Sewa International unveils its Sewa Fellowship Programme: Calling Young Individuals to Serve Bharat

May 31, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

New Delhi, May 2022: Aiming to create a progressive long-term impact in India, Sewa International a global non-profit organization, launches Sewa Fellowship to support individuals, societal leaders, and organizations aligned with the philosophy of serving India. The fellowship programme is an opportunity for young and dynamic individuals to bring positive changes at the grassroots level for nation-building.

The fellowship launch hosted at India International Centre, New Delhi, was attended by dignitaries who have pioneered in exploring new methods and exemplified processes for serving communities including, Shri Shyam Parande (the General Secretary of Sewa International), Dr. R Balasubramaniam (Member at Capacity Building Commission), Phoolbasan Bai (Renowned Social worker and Padma Shri Awardee), Dr. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (Chairman at University Grants Commission), Gauranga Das (Divisional Director at ISKCON), Venkatesh Murthy (Founder and Chief Mentor at Youth for Seva), Ambassador Virendra Gupta (Former IFS) , Dr. Ram Kakani (Director at IIM Raipur), and Prof. Ajay Dubey from JNU and other renowned leaders from different walks of life.

Inviting applications from across India, the fellowship has a three-stage selection process. The first stage includes sharing the application with an essay writing or video-based essay defining the statement of purpose. The second stage will assess the candidate’s problem solving approach, and curiosity and humility through field assignments and personal conversation. The final selection is based on the individual’s behaviour/psychometric analysis, collaborative working attitude, and rigour for community work.

The 23-month immersive programme encompasses an extensive curriculum with a core emphasis on imparting knowledge, skills, and temperament training. It includes project management, research and development, monitoring and evaluation of live projects, and learning best practices to create an impact on society. The fellows will also be trained in skills such as critical thinking, systems thinking, eco-centered design, storytelling, leadership, sewa bhaav, communication, and fundraising, etc.

Shri Shyam Parande Ji, General Secretary, Sewa International, said, “We are delighted to celebrate Sewa International’s 25th Anniversary. In the initial 12 years, Sewa International worked with other institutions and later started its initiatives for the upliftment of society. He reiterated Swami Vivekananda’s message that a few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century. The world needs more young leaders to solve future problems. In his words, now is the time that young men and women must come forward and take the challenges of contemporary India and contribute to make India a global power. We operate on the ethos ‘neki kar darya me daal’, and work relentlessly to spread this message. Sewa Fellowship is a 100-week journey that will be led by experts in the field of social development. Under this, fellows will work with India’s most impactful NGOs and work on their development projects. We are looking for self-motivated individuals who want to devote their lives to building a new and better India.”

Chief Guest at the event, Dr. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the UGC, said, “There is a rampant need for fellowships in India to bring changes at the grassroots level. The Sewa Fellowship will not only identify problems in the social fabric but also help find sustainable solutions. It is a much-needed initiative that will positively accelerate development across the country.”