Archive: November 23, 2022

Health

RedBrick AI Raises US$4.6M to Accelerate the Development of Healthcare AI

Nov 23, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

PUNE, INDIA – 23 November 2022; Health-tech AI platform RedBrick AI is today announcing a US$4.6M seed funding round to accelerate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence in clinical settings, through rapid data annotation on medical imagery. The round was led by Sequoia India and Southeast Asia’s Surge, with participation from Y Combinator and angels. Medical imagery is an essential source of truth in clinical diagnosis and comprises about 90% of all healthcare data AI systems can dramatically shorten the time to diagnosis, improve clinician productivity by triaging high-importance cases, and act as the first line of defense in under-staffed clinical environments.

Researchers and healthcare institutions are increasingly investing in AI solutions to improve diagnostics, treatment, and patient quality of care. The use of AI in healthcare stands to transform patient care by boosting clinician productivity and automating clinical diagnosis. In 2021 alone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 115 AI algorithms for use in medical environments, an 83% increase from 2018.

However, researchers cannot use medical images to train AI systems until they are cleaned and expertly annotated. Training an AI system also requires hundreds of annotated medical images and thousands of hours of annotation by clinicians. Due to the complexity, size, and unique nature of medical images, clinicians have to resort to traditional and difficult-to-use clinical tools to perform annotations. RedBrick AI is laser-focused on solving the first key challenge to healthcare AI adoption – providing clinicians with high-quality data annotation tools that accelerate the preparation of training datasets.

RedBrick AI CEO and co-founder Shivam Sharma commented: “With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence in clinical settings, researchers need excellent tools to build high-quality datasets and models at scale. Our customers are in the vanguard of this growth, pioneering everything from surgical robots to automated detection of cancers. The new funds will be integral to the growth of our engineering team in India and to expand our suite of products. We’re incredibly excited to be powering the next generation of researchers in building AI for clinical settings.”

RedBrick AI’s tools address several challenges unique to medical data annotation, such as the complexity of existing annotation tools, quality control, and machine learning integration. The platform’s specialized annotation tools can be accessed through the browser and are designed to be used without prior training. RedBrick AI also offers semi-automated tools to annotate complex 3D medical images.RedBrick has a robust quality control process to ensure the quality of annotations, which are crucial to securing AI algorithm certifications from regulators. It involves efficient quality control workflows on the platform that can compile the opinions of several clinicians per annotation case, all while dramatically reducing time spent on project management.

Its API also helps machine learning engineers integrate with their cloud and clinical data stores, for example, AWS or hospital enterprise PACS servers. The APIs are used to build ML data pipelines.RedBrick AI was launched in 2021 by CEO and co-founder Shivam Sharma, and CTO and co-founder Derek Lukacs. Both Shivam and Derek previously worked on SpaceX’s Hyperloop technology and participated in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition. Shivam has a background in aerospace engineering and computer science from the University of Michigan, while Derek holds a Bachelor’s and Master in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan.

Health

Is your child suffering from severe headaches and dysfunctional motor skills, it can be a sign of Childhood Leukaemia

Nov 23, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

The most treasured stage of our lives is childhood. The experiences we have as children leave a lasting influence on how secure, healthy, and pleasant our adult lives will be. Parents want their children to live happy, healthy lives, but sadly, cancer has no age boundaries and can affect anyone at a very young age.

The most common form of cancer, which is frequently observed in children and teenagers is childhood leukaemia, also known as cancer of the white blood cells. This condition results in the formation of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow, which are quickly carried into the bloodstream. These white blood cells later invade healthy tissues, leading to a number of infections and eventually cancer.

Causes of Leukaemia in Children

Leukaemia in children has no recognized causes. It frequently results from inherited genetic diseases and children who have a sibling with leukaemia are also at a higher risk. During pregnancy, a mother’s excessive exposure to radiations, carcinogens, and other pollutants can put her unborn child at risk for developing leukaemia. Children’s chance of developing leukaemia is further increased by immunosuppressive medication and organ transplants.

Symptoms of Childhood Leukaemia

Some of the common signs and symptoms of Childhood Leukaemia are:

· Pale skin and extreme fatigue

· Recurrent infections

· Fever

· Easy bruising and bleeding

· Shortness of breath

· Coughing, and wheezing

· Swelling in the abdomen, face, arms, neck, groin, and collar bone

· Unintentional appetite loss

· Intense headaches and seizures

· Issues with balance and coordination,

· Changes in vision

· Sudden rashes on the skin

Diagnosis

Childhood Cancersare very rare in nature, and this is the main cause for the delay in diagnosis. If one notices any of the above signs and symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor immediately and they would perform a set of examinations and teststo diagnose the disease. The following tests are performed to diagnose leukaemia.

· Periodic blood tests to evaluate the different blood cell types.

· Magnetic fields are used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create fine-grained pictures of the body. A tumour’s size can be determined via an MRI. Before the scan, a specific dye called a contrast medium is administered to produce a clear image.

· An ultrasound is conducted to take pictures of the internal organs using sound waves.

· A computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan uses x-rays to create images of the interior of the body, to display anomalies or malignancies. A computer merges them into a detailed, three-dimensional image.

· Positron emission tomography (PET) or PET-CT scan is usually combined with a CT scan called a PET-CT scan.

· Bone marrow aspiration, a procedure to remove a sample of the liquid portion of bone marrow and bone marrow biopsy, a procedure to remove a small, solid piece of bone marrow will be performed, to assess the condition of the bone marrow

· A lumbar puncture, often known as a spinal tap, involves taking a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to search for cancerous cells or tumour markers.

Treatment for Childhood Leukaemia

Advanced treatments are utilized to treat Childhood leukaemia. Some of them are:

· Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation is one of the treatments, which involves replacing unhealthy blood-forming cells, which are immature cells that have the potential to develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, with healthy ones.

· Targeted therapy, a form of cancer treatment that use medicines or other substances to locate and destroy specific bone marrow cancer cells.

· CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) T-cell therapy is another option in which a patient’s T cells (a type of immune cell) are modified in the lab to bind to and kill cancer cells.

Discuss in more detail with your doctor, to learn more about the condition and the entire treatment protocol.

Business

Indulge your skin with The Body Shop’s new VEGAN Avocado range this winter

Nov 23, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

Mumbai, 23rd November 2022: Winter is almost here, and the dip in temperatures means that our skin needs an increase in hydration and nourishment. To keep your skin supple, and soft, The Body Shop, a British-born international cosmetics &personal care brand, has launched its Avocado Body Butter, further expanding its Avocado-based Body Care range.

It’s well-known that avocado is a superfood with a hoard of benefits for our health, especially for our skin. As a rich source of monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fatty acids and Vitamins A, D, and E, avocados are immensely beneficial in moisturizing and conditioning our skin, protecting it from UV rays, and improving its elasticity.

Formulated with 96% ingredients of natural origin, The Body Shop’s Avocado Body Butter will replenish your skin with the required moisture and protect it from dryness and wrinkles for up to 96 hours. The creamy, aromatic body butter contains sustainably sourced Hass avocado oil from South Africa, which is the heart of the product, handcrafted Community Fair Trade Shea Butter from Ghana, and Community Fair Trade Brazil Nut Oil from Peru to enrich your skin with the required moisture that will help avoid dehydration without making it sticky or greasy.

Indulge your skin with The Body Shop’s new VEGAN Avocado range this winter Indulge your skin with The Body Shop’s new VEGAN Avocado range this winter

The Body Shop’s Avocado range also includes a shower cream, a body lotion to oil, a hand balm, and a body scrub. For instance, the Avocado Body Scrub is a rich exfoliator that gently buffs your body to get rid of dead cells, leaving your skin smoother, while the Shower Cream, formulated for dry skin, ensures an indulgent shower experience that cleanses, soothes, and hydrate your skin. Further, to ensure your hands remain moisturized, the Hand Balm gives your nails, palms, and cuticles some round-the-clock TLC. Finally, The Body Shop’s Avocado Lotion-to-Oil is a refreshing, light-scented lotion designed to soften and soothe dry, taut skin and give it a healthy glow. All these products contain the goodness of avocados and are 100% vegan with sustainable and recyclable packaging.

The new body butter comes in recyclable packaging made with an aluminum lid and a plastic tub that’s made from recycled plastic. Besides, The Body Shop’s avocado supplier has a Zero Landfill policy, meaning that all the fruits that aren’t used for producing oil become compost. It’s also certified by The Vegan Society and dermatologically tested, staying true to the brand’s commitment to protecting the environment and enabling consumers to love their beautiful selves.

Education

Utkarsh launches new wing centered on Engineering Exams

Nov 23, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

Jaipur, 23rd November 2022: As part of its goal of offering quality and accessible education to all, Jodhpur-based Utkarsh Classes has launched a dedicated wing for engineering exams at its new center located at Metro Pillar No. 66, Near Gujar Ki Thadi, Gopalpura Bypass Road in Jaipur.

The wing will incorporate students preparing for engineering jobs in the government sector. This includes preparation for multiple engineering-focused exams such as SSC-JE, RRB-JE, GATE, State AE/JE exams & all-other engineering exams. Students can prepare for Civil, Mechanical & Electrical streams by enrolling in classroom programs or can opt to study on Utkarsh App, where these courses are available in Live from Classroom format. The new center has 5 digitally-enabled classrooms with state-of-the-art infrastructure and has a seating capacity of around 1,200 students at any point in time.

Utkarsh

Rajasthan is one of the first that comes to mind in any conversation about engineering coaching. Even as the job market sees multiple changes, an engineering degree, especially in public services is still very coveted and a game changer for aspirants. For aspirants with an engineering degree, an opportunity at a government job will help serve society well and make their future secure.

Talking about the launch, Dr. Nirmal Gehlot, CEO, and Founder, of Utkarsh Classes and Edutech said, “This new offline wing will help aspirants prepare well for their upcoming exams and give them a shot at coveted jobs in the government. We are thrilled to offer the best training to the aspirants who will be officers responsible for developing the state and the country.”

Just after the inauguration, a free counseling seminar was held for the aspirants in which experts of Civil, Mechanical & Electrical streams guided the students on the best approach & preparation strategies for clearing such exams.

New batches will begin from 24th Nov at this center, & students enrolling in these batches can avail of a discount till Nov 29, under the Launching Offer.

Education

IILM University Gurugram celebrates its Fourth Annual MBA Convocation

Nov 23, 2022 by Praveen 0 Comments

23 November 2022, Gurugram: The Fourth Annual Convocation of IILM University was held on Tuesday at IILM University, Gurugram campus in the presence of the Chief Guest, Shri Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director of Nestle India Ltd.

One sixty-one student from the Gurugram campus received their MBA degrees while 164 students from Lodhi Road and Greater Noida campuses received their PGDM.

Mr Narayanan commended the Class of 2022 for their achievement and shared a few rules that they could follow in life, “Take the journey with the flow and don’t try to control the flow because the flow sometimes is not under your control… be clear as to what you want to be and know who you are and know what you believe in and what you want of life. And this will determine the course of your life,” he said.

Navya Bagla and Osheen Koul were awarded Dr Kulwant Rai Gold for Overall excellence in academics and co-curricular activities and Outstanding achievement in academics, respectively.

Dr S Y Quraishi, Chancellor, IILM Gurugram congratulated the graduating students for achieving this milestone in their lives and urged them to be indispensable in whatever they do.

Dr Sujata Shahi, Vice Chancellor, IILM Gurugram encouraged the students to reflect on their core purpose and how they will achieve over the coming decades “For that is how the story of their lives will be written,“ she said.

Dr Shahi also emphasised the importance of IILM University and its contributions towards the students and the community. She said, “IILM University has set high standards for offering outstanding value based quality education, high quality research, consultancy and strong corporate as well as international linkages. We at IILM encourage contemporary research concentrating regional, national and global issues. IILM University is placed with highly talented and experienced committed faculty members and staff who have continued to give their best to the system. The University emphasises innovative teaching and quality mentoring of students.”

Dr Charu Bansal, Dean of the MBA program praised the Class of 2022 for their resilience during the pandemic and for maintaining a strong network with the faculties and fellow classmates. “Being work-from-home during internship and even after being placed, the bright students tried to cover the skill gap by certifications and multiple projects and part-time jobs,” she said.

At the convocation, certificates of merit and a certificate for Best SIP were also awarded to graduates from different specializations. Mr Havish Madhvapaty, Founder of Havish M. Consulting and alumni of the University from the 2007-2009 batch was felicitated by the Dr Arvind Chaturvedi, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Director of School of Management and Registrar Colonel Lalit Kapoor.

Students from the following specialisations received their degrees :

  • MBA in Business Analytics

  • MBA in Marketing and Innovation

  • MBA in Fintech

  • MBA in Human Resources Management

Business

Top 5 SaaS Companies that are revolutionizing the industries

Nov 23, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) has been a buzzword for quite a long time now. A SaaS Company is basically a service provider that hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the landscape of the internet. The SaaS Company is responsible for maintaining databases and servers and making sure that users can access the applications from almost all devices.

The past few years have seen a tremendous increase in SaaS startups in India and worldwide. India has seen exponential growth in SaaS investments in the last decade. According to the report by Bain & Company, “Indian SaaS companies will reach $30 billion in revenue by the year 2025”. Based on this, it can be said that Indian-origin SaaS companies could capture an 8% to 9% share of the international SaaS market. The report also highlighted that the spending on space went up to 170% in 2020.

SaaS companies hold the potential to successfully transform various industries such as healthcare, e-commerce, HR, and so on.

Below mentioned are some of the notable SaaS companies in India that are transforming the industries they operate in:-

1. Chargebee

Founded by KP Saravanan, Rajaraman Santhanam, Krish Subramanian Thiyagarajan T in 2011. Chargebee is a SaaS company that helps e-commerce businesses. Its subscription-based PCI recurring billing platform interacts with major payment gateways to automate invoicing, payments, and email alerts for successful transactions.

2. IBSFintech

Founded in 2006 by Chandra Mohan Grover, IBSFintech is a SaaS company that offers financial solutions for managing corporate trade finance and Forex treasury. IBSFintech has gained international recognition with its seamless solutions that help global corporates manage their finances. The company’s offerings include derivatives, money, currency, and commodity modules, all of which can be integrated with third-party tools such as Reuters.

3. Paxcom

Founded in 2014, Paxcom is a SAAS-based company that offers complete eCommerce automation solutions from creating and managing e-stores (or marketplaces) to advanced data analysis, exponential revenue growth, managed warehouses and supply chains along with ensuring happy customers. Paxcom offerings simplify the Brand’s online strategy and growth by providing actionable insights derived from mining vast amounts of data points daily, across multiple e-marketplaces and multiple geographies. Brands can quickly see areas of growth opportunities, and threats from competitive/upcoming brands and get insights on the effectiveness of different campaigns /products on marketplaces.

In the fiercely competitive eCommerce space, brands need to be agile and well-informed to achieve success. Paxcom’s eCommerce solutions consist of a robust set of proprietary technology solutions backed up by an experienced services staff to provide end-to-end assistance for businesses looking to expand their online presence. They are well-known for their digital solutions that cover all aspects of day-to-day eCommerce operations. Their analytical software tools and expert customer service teams assist brands and sellers in improving their overall online performance.

4. Keka

Founded by Vijay Yalamanchili, Keka in 2015, Keka is HR and payroll management software designed for modern-day organizations.

It is a SaaS-based service provider that offers fully integrated workflows to seamlessly handle HR, Payroll, and Talent Management. With one vision to enhance employee experience, they have a wide range of products right from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and payroll.

5. Agile CRM

Founded in 2013 by Manohar Chapalamadugu, Agile CRM is an Indian SaaS Company, serving the growing needs of small businesses. Agile CRM is an end-to-end comprehensive CRM that helps small and medium businesses manage every phase of their customer lifecycle from a single platform. It aims to drive sustainable and scalable growth. Agile CRM offers lead generation, contact management, and integrated telephony services. It also offers marketing automation such as email marketing campaign management and social selling tools.

Health

38 Year old man runs his first marathon after 40 kg weight loss after bariatric Surgery

Nov 23, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Pune: A team headed by Dr Kedar Patil, Bariatric, Hernia and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon helps a 38-year-old man to slim down from 180 to 140 kgs in 4 months duration The patient who successfully underwent Laparoscopic Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery, even completed a 10 km Marathon in the UK 4 months after the surgery, and is leading a healthy life now.

Mr Ritesh Agarwal (name changed), an NRI based in the UK couldn’t perform his day-to-day activities with ease owing to the weight gain. He had tried Dieting and Exercise but failed to lose weight. Excess weight caused him Sleep Apnea, Hypertension and Gout. He was suggested Bariatric Surgery by a Doctor in UK but being a Native of Pune he choose to be operated at Pune .

Dr Kedar Patil, Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon, Apollo Spectra Pune said, on investigations Mr Ritesh was detected to have high blood sugars in the range of 350 which was not known to him previously. He also had other comorbidities such as Sleep apnea, Gout, Hypertension and abnormal lipid profile. We do an pre surgery investigations to screen common diseases which cause or an effect of obesity. His BMI was 51.9 which is termed as Superobesity. Although he had come with an intention to get operated and leave to UK immediately post surgery ,he was prepared for the surgery for a month with modified diet and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to improve his sleep apnea along with exercise and medication to control sugar and hypertension.”

Dr Patil added, ‘‘The Surgery lasted for 2 hours and the patient was discharged on day 4 post surgery. The patient lost 40 kgs over 4 months after the surgery. He is expected to lose more weight around 40-50 kgs in the upcoming 11 months. His comorbidities have also improved including Diabetes ,Hypertension and Gout and he is leading a normal life. He participated in the London Marathon and completed 10 km run as well. Those patients who follow the diet, exercise, and make other suggested lifestyle changes do well and are able to maintain the lost weight.’’

“I was unable to do any activities with ease due to my excess weight. I was also detected to have Diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) when investigated for bariatric surgery. It was not possible to get personalized comprehensive treatment in the UK. So, I came to India for treatment. I am glad that it has helped me regain my health and confidence. I aim to stay in touch with the Doctor and follow up regularly via email and online consultations. I am also proud of myself as I completed a 10 km run in Marathon back in the UK. I will work hard to lose weight and keep participating in marathons in the near future. I weigh 140 kgs and feel relatively better and lighter,” concluded the patient Mr Ritesh Agarwal (name changed)*.

Business

NEAR India backs wellness platform Growfitter to support global web3 expansion

Nov 23, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

Bengaluru, November 23, 2022: Growfitter, India’s biggest incentivized wellness platform, has partnered with NEAR India, NEAR Foundation’s regional hub in India to expand its operations globally. Growfitter’s integration into the NEAR blockchain is a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to expanding its presence in Vietnam, the Philippines, Dubai, and Singapore.

NEAR Protocol is a highly secure and cost-effective platform, which an application like Growfitter can leverage to reach its global audiences without physically being present in the targeted geographical locations. Backed by NEAR, Growfitter is one of the first Indian startups to transition from Web2 to Web3 for geographical expansion. The future architecture of Growfitter will continue to evolve on the highly scalable Layer-1 blockchain that offers sharding as an infrastructure. The reward-based digital health platform also plans to launch its token, Growfitter’s utility token (GFIT) as a reward for its crypto customers on the NEAR Protocol.

“Our aim is to nurture ideas of local entrepreneurs and developers that will have global opportunities. We are excited to onboard Growfitter, a platform that has revolutionized the health and fitness industry in India, and continues to exponentially grow with a focus on building a complete ecosystem in the preventive healthcare space. With NEAR, Growfitter can reach a wider community and gain a competitive advantage by leveraging the decentralized web 3.0 infrastructure,” said Aayush Gupta, Director, of NEAR India.

Founded in 2016 by Sanmati Pande and Harshit Sethy, Growfitter is a rewards platform designed to motivate people to adopt an active and healthier lifestyle by incentivizing their physical activity with tangible financial benefits. The app accurately predicts whether a person is walking, running, in a vehicle, or cycling with a motion-sensing proprietary algorithm. The startup has over 25k+ paid subscribers and more than 400k+ monthly visitors on its website. Growfitter has over 100+ D2C brands on board and has redeemed rewards worth more than $6 million since its launch.

“Growfitter has launched an ecosystem that will enable brands to engage with customers in a loyalty program using Growfitter’s utility token (GFIT) and its supporting Smart Contract. Our goal is to revolutionize the consumer engagement and loyalty model. Growfitter token holders will be able to redeem tokens for products from 100+ sponsored brand partners,” said Sanmati Pande, CEO of Growfitter.

Currently, Growfitter works with brands like Amazon, boAt, Myntra, Byju’s, Puma, Tata Cliq, P&G, Hyperice, EaseMyTrip, PharmEasy, Airtel, AJIO, MyGlamm, and HealthifyMe among others, to offer Web2-based lucrative incentives for its users. It has partnered with gyms and fitness centers to help people keep a track of their activities and earn incentives for them. The startup has also signed an MoU as a licensed group insurance partner with Aditya Birla Health Insurance and Raheja QBE.

“Our focus is on empowering entrepreneurs like Sanmati and Harshit to transition and grow with Web3. We will continue championing and nurturing such innovative projects to propel India forward as a powerhouse in global blockchain-led innovation,” added Yash Kanchan, Director, of NEAR India.

Growfitter was featured on Sony Television’s Shark Tank India and it got a deal on the show from one of the sharks – Aman Gupta, co-founder, and CMO of boAt. The startup has so far raised a total funding of $1.5 million.

“We have invested in Growfitter because we feel the app creates a societal shift where people feel empowered and motivated to improve their health through reward. By gamifying this process, individuals are more likely to reach their goals. Growfitter is on the right track for transitioning through a learning curve to Web 3. This is imperative to ensure the future of their business and their clients, but most importantly, it is vital towards making the world a healthy place,” said Aman Gupta, Co-founder, and CMO of boAt.

Business

TTK Prestige launches India’s first Hard Anodised Cookware with 6-Layer Non-stick Coating – DURASTONE

Nov 23, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

23rd November 2022: India’s leading and trusted name in kitchen appliances, has introduced yet another winning cookware ensemble – Durastone. This innovative new range is India’s first Hard Anodised Non-Stick cookware with a unique 6-Layer Non-stick Coating. This new feature offers consumers an extra resilient finish making their products durable and long-lasting. In addition to being functional and built to last, Durastone’s aesthetic finish and design is sure to add beauty and elegance to every kitchen.

The Durastone range consists of 3 Fry Pans, 3 Omni Tawas, 3 Concave Tawas, 2 Casseroles, 2 Kadais, 1 WOK and 1 Tea Pan.

Durastone’s line of cookware offers high abrasion resistance when compared to other non-stick cookware offerings in the market. This is due to the non-stick coating on a hard anodised vessel. The Omni Tawas and Concave Tawas come with a thick bottom to ensure even heat distribution with no hot-spots. The rest of the products in Durastone cookware come with a forged bottom to ensure that they stay sturdy and do not lose shape with regular use. This results in trouble-free performance and an elegant look for life.

The entire cookware range is PFOA-free, which means that there are no harmful chemicals. Along with safety, the range also offers a smooth and hassle-free cooking experience with excellent non-stick performance owing to its unique 6-layers of non-stick coating. The ‘stay-cool’ stainless-steel handles not only add a classic and elegant touch to the range, but also ensures convenience and ease of use. Additionally, the entire range is metal spoon friendly while being versatile too. It can be used on both, gas stove and induction.

Over the last 66 years, TTK Prestige has emerged as the go-to kitchen appliances brand for home-cooks across the country. In fact, it is estimated that there exists a TTK Prestige product in nearly every Indian kitchen. The brand operates on the pillars of trust, safety and innovation, which forms the basis of every TTK Prestige product. Right from inception, the brand has addressed the pain points of home-cooks across the country. With the launch of Durastone, TTK Prestige is offering home-cooks a cookware range that focuses on durability coupled with visual appeal.

The cookware range is available for purchase at Prestige Xclusive stores, select dealer outlets, the brand’s exclusive e-store shop.ttkprestige.com and other leading ecommerce sites.

Business

Not Just a Game: Football is Full of Passion and Inspiration

Nov 23, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

What was the most inspiring memory in your life? Was it the time you and your friends finally made it through high school? Was it the first time you received a paycheck? Or was it the time your team came back during the second half against all odds and won the championship? Instead of fading away, these inspiring memories will be forever imprinted in our minds. Constantly reminding us that anything is possible as long as we find the courage to give it a shot.

The 67-year history of the UEFA Champions League is an epic full of passionate and inspiring memories. Players not only gave their all on the field but also went a hundred percent during practice. In addition, the amount of devotion they put into teamwork and sportsmanship is also undeniable. Looking at the throwback highlights, we can still feel the passion encapsulated in each moment. It will inspire and motivate us forever.

Not Just a Game: Football is Full of Passion and Inspiration

When people lose their faith and strength in times of hardship, revisiting inspiring moments in sports helps them find their second wind.

For fans of the UEFA Champions League to relive the strong emotions of the most exciting games in history, OPPO hosted a global campaign to vote for the competition’s top three inspiring games of all time. This was followed by actually finding those who witnessed the game during the time, then interviewing them, and finally bringing these stories of inspiration to everyone. As part of the campaign “Inspirational Game”, OPPO believes that these stories strike up conversations between even strangers and unify football fans. Furthermore, it rekindles the passion for the game to inspire more people around the world.

“Going to the stadium to watch a game always draws your best memory,” Nam Kunn, a graphic designer and photographer based in Paris told us, “Football always brings the strongest emotions and never makes you bored.” As a supporter of PSG since 2000, Nam was a field photographer that happened to witness the amazing 4-0 during the first leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, and the histrionic 1-6 during the second. The strongest emotions that football gave him continue to inspire his life to this day.

As Nam puts it, supporting a club is more than a logo or a jersey. It describes your values, philosophy, and life. Deriving from his love for football, Nam was inspired to start a project to record the most inspiring moments of his travels, which include fashion, photography, and of course football. For him, football is a sport about cultural diversity. A sport for everyone to connect and share their passion.

Tonín el torero, a hardcore fan who holds another identity as the owner of a famous pub in Madrid would agree with Nam. He shared with us the inspiring moments when his pub brought total strangers from different countries together with football. “The passion for Real Madrid builds bonds,” Tonín recalls the time fans went wild when their team scored an amazing goal. That memory was a perfect depiction of a community coming together to embrace joy and hope.

Football invokes our emotions and inspires underdogs to outperform their opponents. We’ve heard so many stories from football fans, however, OPPO is lucky to have interviewed Mike Ferney, a visually impaired fan who enjoys matches in a different way.

“How could someone who is visually impaired enjoy a football match in a stadium?” you might ask. The answer is passion. The passion for football he had since childhood has now turned into a lifelong habit, and all of the matches that he experienced have become an unstoppable force that drives him ahead.

Mike Ferney was diagnosed with a visual impairment from birth, but this has not affected his zeal for football and Liverpool which started from a young age and has continued to this day. Though life with impaired vision is difficult at times, Liverpool’s victory at Istanbul moved him deeply at the age of 13. There he learned the life lesson “never give up,” and Mike describes it as his biggest takeaway from Istanbul 2005.

“It’s being three nil down against one of the best teams in Europe,” Mike still remembers that feeling of intensity while recounting the story, “It could have been easy to roll over and give up, but they carried on. And I think the moment is short. Then things that happen help me believe that, even though it is football, it can be tied to a life lesson.”

Mike’s cousin Stephen assists him by giving him a visual description of everything that’s happening on the field, and he enjoys standing in the stadium to experience the matches. Because to Mike, there are more senses to feel at a matchup than simply watching. There is a special energy when you stand in the stadium with the crowd around, Mike calls it the “feeling of synergy,” and that goes beyond visual aspects to various sensations like the noise of fans celebrating and the ground beneath him shaking. Therefore, even with his visual impairment, Mike still experiences the games to a great extent and gains inspiration from football.

For Mike, inspiration also means never giving up his passion for life and inspiring more people with his story. When life gets tough, Mike chooses to go to matches to feel the vibe. The relentless attitude is deeply rooted in his life and also encouraged a group of fans through the bond of Liverpool. Mike started a podcast named “Unfair Rap”, where he retells his story and meets new friends with shared interests and passion. It is always a pleasure for him to inspire the people around him.

There are many people like Mike who are inspired by the passion for football, and advancements in technology allow us to better enjoy and record the game with pocket-sized devices, freezing the seconds of inspiration into everlasting memories. OPPO has been exploring more ways for people to enjoy sports under the brand proposition “Inspiration Ahead”. Especially assistive technology for people like Mike who have visual impairments or other disabilities to experience more inspiration in their lives. For example, Color Vision Enhancement Technology, which made its debut on the OPPO Find X3 series, was designed to improve color identification abilities for those who suffer from color vision deficiency. Thanks to technology, the screen displays more accurate colors.

OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator, which issued a focus on accessible technology was also a success this year. The accelerator was aimed to turn world-changing ideas into reality. Among the winning proposals, we were glad to see innovative ideas like “machine vision solutions for the visually impaired”, and “exclusive mobile phones for the hearing-impaired”. These proposals addressed pressing social issues that deserve our concern.

Guided by the brand proposition “Inspiration Ahead,” OPPO will continue to explore meaningful innovations regardless of the difficulties that lie ahead. The search for witnesses for “Inspirational Games” is not an ending, on the contrary, it marks a new beginning. OPPO will help more people enjoy the inspiration in life, and everyone can become a witness to their own moments of inspiration.