Archive: November 23, 2022

Health

How can people with a family history of colorectal cancer reduce their risk of developing the disease? – Aster CMI Hospital

Nov 23, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

Authored by Dr. Vijay Agarwal, Lead & Sr. Consultant – Medical Oncology & Haematology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore

Colorectal cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in India and starts in the large intestine (colon) or rectum. It occurs when cells in the colon go out of control and mostly in older adults (above 45 years). This type of cancer usually begins as small benign clumps of cells called polyps which form inside the colon region and after some time these polyps become cancer cells. The healthy cells in the colon develop mutations in their DNA and accumulate together to form a tumor. Over time these cancer cells grow to invade and destroy the normal tissue nearby.

While there is no specific cause behind the development of colorectal cancer and most are found among people without a family history of colorectal cancer. However, approximately 1 in 3 people who are affected by the condition have other family members (parent, sibling, or child) who have suffered from colorectal cancer.

This puts people with a history of colorectal cancer at increased risk. The reasons for the increased risk are not clear in all cases but it is higher if a relative was diagnosed with cancer before 50 years or if more than one parent, sibling, or child is affected. If you also have family members who have had adenomatous polyps or have a history of adenomatous polyps then you must speak to your doctor and check with them on the need to start screening before the age of 45. Screening helps in detecting this cancer early and therefore if you have had colorectal cancer then you must inform your close relative so they can start their screening at the right age.

Colorectal cancer presents several symptoms and risk factors that can help in identifying it early. These include –

Symptoms

  • Constant changes in bowel habits diarrhea or constipation and modifications in stool
  • Blood or rectal bleeding stool
  • Persistent discomfort in the abdomen such as cramps, gas, or pain

Fatigue or weight loss

The symptoms of Colorectal cancer vary from patient to patient in terms of size, and location in the large intestine. Several people with colon cancer do not experience any symptoms in the early stages of the disease.

Risk Factors

  • Old age – While colon cancer can be diagnosed at any age but it is mostly found in people above the age of 50 years. There is no specific cause behind the diagnosis as the number is also increasing among young people.
  • Personal History – If you have already had colon cancer or non-cancerous polyps then you are at a greater risk of getting colon cancer in the future.
  • Inflammatory intestinal conditions – It includes diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis that can increase your risk of colon cancer.
  • Inherited Syndromes – A very small percentage of colon cancers are caused due to inherited syndromes like Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), and Lynch syndrome, which is also known as Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC).
  • Family History – The risk of Colorectal cancer increases if you have a blood relative who has had the disease. If more than one family member has colon cancer then the risk is even greater.
  • Sedentary Lifestyle – People who are inactive or adopt a high-fat or low-fiber diet are at an increased risk of colon cancer. Alcohol consumption and heavy smoking put you at higher risk. Following a healthy lifestyle and getting regular physical activity can reduce your risk.
  • Type 2 Diabetes – Patients with type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent) have an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
  • Obesity – People who are obese are at increased risk and have less favorable outcomes compared to people with normal weight.
  • Radiation therapy – This therapy when directed towards the abdomen to treat previous cancers increases the risk of colon cancer

How can you prevent yourself from colon cancer?

There are several precautionary measures that you can adopt to prevent yourself from colon cancer –

  • Screening – Colon cancer screening through traditional colonoscopy every 10 years after the age of 45 is recommended before any signs or symptoms may develop. Doctors also include several other tests that include –
  • Colonoscopy – It is a type of screening where a colonoscope is used to gain images of the colon and rectum. This method is considered the “gold standard” in colon cancer screening because of its accuracy and the ability of your doctor to remove the growths at the same time.
  • Virtual/CT colonoscopy – In this method the doctors use a computed tomography (CT) scans once the colon is slightly inflated to provide clearer images
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy – This uses a light and camera lens or a sigmoidoscope to view the colon
  • Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) – This screening method uses a light and camera lens or a sigmoidoscope to examine the colon. With this test, doctors can find microscopic traces of blood that may not be visible during a normal bowel movement at home.
  • DNA stool test – This helps in analyzing a stool sample for any genetic changes that can indicate colorectal cancer.
  • Lifestyle changes – Moderating your alcohol consumption, curbing smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise are some preventive measures through which you can reduce your risk of colon cancer.
Business

Dream Valley Group in collaboration with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) announces VOOTY Masters 2022

Nov 23, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Hyderabad, November 22, 2022: Dream Valley Group in collaboration with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) has announced the VOOTY Masters 2022 tournament, the first professional golf tournament by Dream Valley Group and one of the Top 5 rated professional golf tournaments nationwide. Mr. K Prithvi Reddy, CEO, Dream Valley Group and Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI addressed the media gathering. Professional Golfers (Multiple Tournament Winners) of PGTI – Yuvraj Singh Sandhu and Manu Gandas were also present on the occasion.

The tournament will take place for four days (24th to 27th November) and the Pro-Am event will be held on 23rd November, at the plush Vooty Golf County (Vikarabad) developed by Dream Valley Group. The total prize money for the event is INR 1 Crore. Many national & international golf professionals will be playing at this event. This is also a great opportunity for upcoming golf players to prove their talent. The format of the event will be “Stroke Play.”

Vooty Golf County is a pristine green property with an 18-hole championship golf course, plush residential units and luxury resorts. Vooty Golf County was built to make the game of golf easily accessible for golfers in and around the city of Hyderabad. It is also an eco-friendly golf county as processed sewage water from the Vikarabad area is used for the golf course maintenance.

Vooty Golf County and PGTI have previously collaborated on many successful tournaments through the years. VOOTY Masters 2022 is the first such tournament taking place at Vooty Golf County and in Hyderabad. It is going to be an exhilarating competition between golfers from all over the country.

Mr. Prithvi Reddy Kancharla, CEO, Dream Valley Group said, “This time around it’s going to be a spectacular war between the participants and the tough course as many professionals and well-known golfers are taking part in the tournament. We have tied up with PGTI in the past and have always had a heart-warming association earlier for many such tournaments and we look forward to having many more like this. We will successfully collaborate with PGTI on such events in the future”

Speaking about the tournament, Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI said, “PGTI is delighted to collaborate with Dream Valley Group for the VOOTY Masters 2022. We look forward to fruitful collaborations for many more events on the floor. For the passionate golfers out there in the country, this is an open space to prove your talent. We want to thank Dream Valley Group who is coming forward and encouraging such talent.”

The top Indian professionals in the fray include Ajeetesh Sandhu, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Manu Gandas, Varun Parikh, Om Prakash Chouhan, Shamim Khan and Kshitij Naveed Kaul, to name a few. The foreign challenge will be led by Sri Lankans MithunPerera, N Thangaraja, Anura Rohana and K Prabagaran as well as Nepal’s Sukra Bahadur Rai. The local challenge will be led by Hyderabad-based players including professionals Haider Hussain, MohdAzhar and Hardik S Chawda as well as amateurs SankeerthNidadavolu and Sridhar Reddy A.

Education

Tesco Bengaluru and the University of Birmingham Strike a Strategic Partnership in Bengaluru Around Research, Education, and Employability

Nov 23, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

Bengaluru, 23 November 2022: The University of Birmingham and Tesco Bengaluru are joining forces to create postgraduate study programmes in data science and artificial intelligence.

Sumit Mitra, CEO, Tesco Business Services and Tesco Bengaluru, and the University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor & Principal Professor Adam Tickell today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore a strategic partnership that will create education and research partnerships.

The partnership will see University experts designing and delivering educational programmes for the colleagues of Tesco Bengaluru. The programmes could range from training in specific professional areas to formal postgraduate qualifications.

Tesco Bengaluru will also explore opportunities for suitably qualified Birmingham students to join placements at the company’s data-science teams in India. The company’s data-science experts will also offer guest lectures to Birmingham staff and students – broadening their understanding of academic trends with joint seminars and events.

The partnership agreement was reached during a visit to the Tesco Bengaluru campus by Professor Adam Tickell, who commented: “The University of Birmingham is a global ‘civic’ university and is committed to forging meaningful education and research partnerships in India. We have been named the most targeted university by the UK’s top 100 graduate employers, according to a report in 2021. This partnership is a testament to our strong links with industry which will support our education, research, and employability agenda.

“Our education programmes will offer TESCO colleagues great career development opportunities, whilst there are many potential research collaborations that can provide a greater understanding of data science and artificial intelligence challenges. The partnership also gives our students the opportunity to gain invaluable experience working alongside TESCO’s experts.”

Postgraduate study programmes will be delivered by a combination of remote technology and Birmingham academics visiting TESCO’s data science teams.

Sumit Mitra, CEO, of Tesco Business Services and Tesco Bengaluru said ““At Tesco, we are deeply committed to driving a culture of learning and development for our colleagues. Industry-academia partnerships play a crucial role in this endeavour. This strategic partnership with the University of Birmingham will usher in a new beginning of our shared commitment to delivering a rich learning experience for our colleagues and the students at the University. In addition, this collaboration will further play a critical role in empowering our colleagues and the student community to thrive in a fast-evolving employment landscape”.

The University of Birmingham has a number of significant partnerships in India, underpinned by its India Institute which aims to increase the visibility, impact and coherence of Birmingham’s engagement in the country.

Tesco in Bengaluru was established in 2004 to enable standardization and build centralized capabilities and competencies, making the experience better for our millions of customers worldwide and simpler for over 360,000 colleagues. Spread across a 15.6 acres campus, Tesco Bengaluru has 4000+ colleagues across Tesco Bengaluru and Tesco Technology.

James Godber, Deputy Head at the British Deputy High Commission Bengaluru, commented: “Data science is one of the fastest growing fields in the world and is transforming our future. I am delighted that this partnership between the University of Birmingham and Tesco Bengaluru will enhance the many existing linkages between the UK and India and ultimately benefit both countries.”

Business

COP27 and Net Zero Journey: Where India and the world stand

Nov 23, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

By: Anup Garg, Founder, and Director, WOCE (World of Circular Economy)

“Environmentalists, innovators, corporate, and common masses, carried myriad expectations from the conference of parties (COP) 27. It looked like the most revered global climate conference, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (from November 06 to18). It provided no less than a golden opportunity for stakeholders, countries, corporates, climate advocates, and advisors, to ‘walk-the-talk’ of effectively tackling the global challenge of climate change.

We must understand that transition to Net Zero not just requires a planned fossil fuel phase-out and shift to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean tech solutions, but also a change in the mindset of the common masses. And to bring this behavioral change- at the heart of India’s vision of a safe planet is a one-word Mantra – Lifestyle for Environment that Prime Minister Modi had set forth in our
National Statement at COP26. Towards realisation of the mantra, Mission LiFE was launched by Prime Minister Modi in the presence of the UN Secretary-General his Excellency Antonio Guterres, in October 2022.

Within one year, it was laudable that India could submit its Long-Term Low Emissions Growth Strategy indicating low carbon transition pathways in key economic sectors. Besides, other countries too declared their higher decarbonisation targets, backed by policies and investments.

It is unfortunate that despite the occurrence of extreme weather events and the rise of global emissions, countries like Russia and Ukraine dare to engage in a war that not only has killed human lives, but the global economy raised inflation to an all-time high, and has now increased the use of coal at an alarmingly high level.

The good news about COP27 was that a group of nations, including India, stated that carbon border taxes, which could lead to market distortion and exacerbate the lack of trust between parties, must be avoided.

India and other countries must focus on techniques like carbon capture and storage (CCS) to stop GHGs from entering the atmosphere are discussed. These technologies are pricey right now and their usefulness is debatable. Nevertheless, CCS has recently emerged as a crucial component of various nations’ decarbonization programs.

In total, COP27 does a great job of bringing all the stakeholders together to agree on the objective of reducing emissions which is essential to avoid further climate change impacts, but it is lacking the measurement of the actions being done against the pledges made by the stakeholder.

Fundamentally “one which cannot be measured cannot be managed”. The biggest dilemma is when the rest of the world could not convince Russia and Ukraine not to engage in a war, how effective is it going to be for COP to convince the world that actions are needed on the ground to save mother earth? Hoping that COP 27 brings a meaningful change and just does not become a mere networking social event.”

Business

ZF presents new e-drives for passenger cars and commercial vehicles

Nov 23, 2022 by Praveen 0 Comments
  • Excellent power density and efficiency in overall system comprising e-motor, power electronics, transmission and software
  • Maximum flexibility thanks to optimized modular concept with three basic configurations
  • Compact design enables resource-saving use of materials
  • ZF demonstrates technological leadership through product innovations
  • Industry’s highest order backlog for e-drives with a volume of €25 billion

Friedrichshafen. ZF presents the latest generation of electric drives for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. It sets standards through outstanding power density and energy efficiency. ZF achieves this thanks to numerous innovations at both the component and system level. These include the compact design of the drives, the “discrete approach” in power electronics, and resource-saving use of materials, which also makes the production of the drives more sustainable. With their modular concept, the new ZF e-drives support automotive manufacturers in customizing the further electrification of their entire model range. For end customers, the new technologies offer higher efficiency, more power, and shorter charging times.

ZF develops and produces technologies for the mobility of the future. Two million e-motors produced and the high-voltage vehicle electric system with 800-volt technology, which will go into series production this year, show: ZF is setting the pace in the dynamic electromobility market and is now further expanding its role as a technology and innovation leader. Proof of the company’s successful transformation are the latest developments that ZF presented to international media in Friedrichshafen on November 21, 2022.

System approach anticipates market requirements

ZF is already developing its comprehensive product range for pure e-drives with a view to the functions desired by customers and end users. In order to better and faster meet the highly diversified market demand, the Technology Group is now presenting a new generation of electric drives based on a modular overall concept with electric motor, inverter, transmission, and software. “We are focusing on three basic systems that meet our customers’ main requirements, namely efficiency, performance and cost, even in the standard version,” explains Markus Schwabe, Product Line Manager Electrified Powertrain Systems. “On this basis, we can optimally implement further individual customer requirements in e-vehicles of all segments.”

“The great interest of manufacturers in our products in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors is confirmed by our high order backlog in the high-voltage business. With the next generation of electric drives, we are consistently continuing our strategy of developing sustainable and efficient mobility for the future,” explains ZF Board of Management member Stephan von Schuckmann, who is responsible for e-mobility within the Group.

Innovative strength in the system as well as in the components

With the new generation of e-drives, ZF provides fully integrated electric drive systems. With its high level of interface expertise and unique know-how for driving strategies, ZF application engineers can meet customer requirements fully in the best possible way. However, the Group will also offer the innovative components individually, on which its own system solution is based. “Thanks to sophisticated internal interfaces, the new, extremely compact design allows system or component adaptations to be made with little effort. In addition, the design has very high structural rigidity, which enables superior noise behavior,” explains Dr. Otmar Scharrer, Head of Development for Electric Drive Technologies.

The new generation of ZF e-drives will be available on the market as a complete system starting in 2025; ZF will bring individual components into series production earlier. The following innovations at component level make their contribution to the advanced overall system:

With “discrete package technology”, power electronics manage the balancing act between a high degree of component uniformity and high adaptability. The individualization takes place at the chip level: A discretely structured ZF inverter is built with individual power semiconductor switches. This modularity offers better performance scalability than is possible with complex power modules. In addition, ZF’s “discrete package technology” requires fewer types of components than using conventional power modules. “With our new approach to power electronics, we can serve different market requirements faster and more precisely,” explains Scharrer.

With a new, highly integrated e-motor, ZF once again increases the power density compared to the technology currently available in the market. A new cooling concept and a new winding technology play a decisive role here. Thanks to the new cooling concept, ZF allows oil to flow directly around the copper rods – exactly at the point where most heat is generated during operation. Such highly efficient cooling significantly increases performance with the same weight and installation space. The continuous power of the electric motor is increased to up to 85 percent of the peak power. In addition, the use of heavy rare earths can be largely dispensed with, and the e-motor can thus be produced more sustainably. The braided winding technology developed by ZF, a further development of the “hairpin” winding, enables a total of 10 percent less installation space. The winding head alone is around 50 percent smaller than with conventional approaches. This means that around 10 percent less raw material is processed.

With its new coaxial reduction gearbox, ZF transfers its world-leading know-how in planetary gearboxes to the next generation of electric drives. Two integrated planetary gears not only generate the desired axle ratio, but also include the fully integrated differential function. Compared to common offset concepts, the new solution reduces weight and installation space requirements without compromising efficiency, noise, and vibration.

High-voltage converters (DC-DC converters) play a central role in fuel cell-powered electric drives. They compensate for the low output voltage and the strong voltage drop at high load of the fuel cells. The new high-voltage converter from the ZF power electronics platform, which was developed for passenger car and commercial vehicle applications, has a top value of 99.6 percent in terms of efficiency.

Health

Joint Announcement on the Appointment of Academic Chair in Ayurveda

Nov 23, 2022 by Sujata Muguda 0 Comments

New Delhi, November 23, 2022: Today, the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and Western Sydney University announced the appointment of a Joint Academic Chair in Ayurveda. The new position aims to build capacity for the scientific validation of Ayurvedic medicine and aligned inventions such as Ayurveda herbal medicine, yoga, and meditation.

Through a competitive process, Associate Professor Shrikrishna Rajagopala from AIIA has been appointed as the Academic Chair of Ayurvedic Medicine. Associate Professor Shri Rajagopala is currently the Head of the Department of Khaumarabhritya (pediatric department) at AIIA. He brings 28 years of experience and expertise in clinical and pharmacological research of Ayurveda interventions for asthma, cerebral palsy, COVID-19, anemia, and muscular dystrophy. In addition, Associate Professor Rajagopala has developed and led important international collaborations of the AIIA, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Western Sydney University, Australia, and clinical research on long COVID with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

The Ministry of Ayush has established a program for Ayush Academic Chairs in foreign institutions to foster research collaboration and strengthen cultural ties. This has added momentum to the ongoing initiatives of the Ministry of Ayush in placing India as a global healthcare destination.

Western Sydney University is the first Australian university to participate in this prestigious global program, having signed an MOU in 2021 with the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Ministry of Ayush to jointly establish an Academic Chair in Ayurvedic Medicine.

The Chair, which is jointly funded by the Ministry of Ayush and Western Sydney University, will be based at Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute.

“This is a great step, and I am sure that this Chair will strengthen our collaborations in promoting Ayurveda-based academic and collaborative research activities in Australia. This will certainly help in generating awareness about the potential of Ayurveda,” said Vaidya Dr. Rajesh Kotecha, the Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush.

“The Chair will provide leadership to develop collaborative research strategies to advance the scientific base of Ayurveda and promote the translation and integration of evidenced-based Ayurveda interventions into conventional healthcare,” said Professor Barney Glover AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University. “We welcome Associate Professor Rajagopala to Western Sydney University and look forward to this partnership with the Ministry of Ayush and strengthening ties between Australia and India, our governments, researchers, and industry.”

Professor Dr. Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Director of the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) said that AIIA, under the aegis of the Ministry of Ayush, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with more than 15 premier international organizations including Western Sydney University. The Academic Chair from the AIIA is the first of its kind to be established and will focus on fostering collaborative research projects, developing short and medium-term academic courses, providing tutorials to students, conducting sensitization programs, workshops, and seminars, and serving as a credible source of Ayush related information for Australia.

“It is a matter of pride for us that the Ministry of Ayush has selected and debuted one of our senior faculty members, Associate Professor Rajagopala, as Chair for this important mission and we are sure that this initiative will pave new milestones in the India – Australia bilateral relationship through the efforts of the Ministry of Ayush in Globalization of Ayurveda for the benefit of mankind,” said Professor Nesari.

Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute Director, Professor Dennis Chang, highlighted the importance of advancing international science and research collaboration.

“This appointment marks a new milestone for our international research partnership with the Government of India and AIIA and is an important field of research that will help pave the way to evidence-based Ayurveda interventions,” said Professor Chang.

Entertainment

Global Phenomenon, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Sought-after Hair Care Brand, Anomaly, Launches on Myntra

Nov 23, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

Bengaluru, November 23, 2022: International starlet, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ hair care brand, ‘Anomaly’, launched on 20th November on Myntra, offering high-quality and environmentally conscious products to haircare enthusiasts, looking to add clean and effective formulas to enhance their hair care regime. Over the years, Myntra’s beauty and personal care portfolio has been scaling from strength to strength and consciously growing its large base of hair care enthusiasts. With the addition of Anomaly, Myntra solidifies its position as a strong contender in the space by curating an impressive assortment of domestic and international brands, coupled with its tech-enabled customised features and recommendations to make the decision-making process seamless.

Ahead of Myntra’s marquee upcoming End of Reason Sale, Anomaly will be offering an array of products to shoppers on Myntra, which include, shampoos and conditioners for diverse hair care needs, sophisticated hair and scalp oils, dry shampoos, bonding masks, and leave-in conditioners. Apart from high-performing products and compelling pricing, the Desi Girl’s brainchild uses 100% plastic waste and recyclable cans for its packaging, making the brand even more alluring to the conscious consumer. Poised to fare well with conscious Indian shoppers, Anomaly offers gender-neutral, vegan, and cruelty-free products that are made using clean formulations that contain no SLS / SLES sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils, or dyes.

Anomaly’s product range is available at an attractive starting price of ₹750, making it accessible for shoppers across tiers looking for effective hair care products. The brand will also have an Online Brand Store on Myntra (OBS) for shoppers to easily discover and pick their favorite hair care products from Anomaly. Myntra’s much-loved influencer brigade will also be leveraged to amplify the launch of Anomaly across social media.

Expressing her excitement about the association with Myntra, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Actress and Founder, of Anomaly, said, “I’m looking forward to Anomaly now being available on Myntra. I am overwhelmed by the response we have received since we launched in India 3 months ago and this is in line with our commitment to making the brand more accessible to consumers across India.”

Speaking on the launch of the brand, Rahul Sachdev, Senior Director – Beauty and Personal Care, Myntra, said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ brand, Anomaly, on our platform. Myntra and Anomaly at their ethos are firm advocates for the democratization of beauty through superior quality and distinct formulas, setting it up for success with conscious hair-care enthusiasts. The launch of Anomaly on Myntra will further accelerate the demand for the brand and its impeccable products, on the back of our deeply entrenched country-wide reach and keen understanding of the upwardly mobile conscious Indian shopper.”

During the launch, exciting activities will be hosted on the platform such as quizzes and engaging social media contests. Anomaly shall be rewarding the winners with special offers on their purchases, along with unmatched introductory offers which will further brand salience among shoppers. Housed under Myntra’s steadily expanding beauty and personal care portfolio, hair care is a burgeoning segment on Myntra, the addition of Anomaly is slated to substantially boost the hair care segment further on the platform by capturing its growing audience of evolved-conscious consumers.

Business

AirAsia India partners with Sugarbox to launch ‘first in the world’ multi-feature in-flight experience hub, ‘AirFlix’

Nov 23, 2022 by Praveen 0 Comments

Mumbai, 23rd November 2022: AirAsia India announced a partnership with Hyperlocal Cloud platform Sugarbox, to launch a first-of-its-kind in-flight experience hub, ‘AirFlix’. An innovative solution for digital access in the skies, ‘AirFlix’ is available across the airline’s fleet. Offering a value proposition unique to Indian skies, ‘AirFlix’ provides over 6,000 hours of high-resolution content, enabling access to 1,000+ International and Indian movies, short movies and 1,500+ web series episodes, enabling guests to stream buffer-free content from OTT Apps.

‘AirFlix’ is powered by the patented Cloud Fragment technology developed by Sugarbox, to provide fliers with digital access mimicking the internet experience, even without in-flight connectivity. ‘AirFlix’ is integrated and operates in sync with AirAsia India’s in-flight ancillary platform, enabling customers to browse the menu and place orders using their personal devices. With a speed of up to 1Gbps and storage capacity of 8TB, ‘AirFlix’ offers a host of customised options, including Games, Ed-tech content, News articles, Music, E-commerce, and much more. Guests can connect to ‘AirFlix’ by visiting www.airflix.airasia.co.in on their smartphones, tablet PCs, or laptops.

Talking about the launch, Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer, AirAsia India, said, “We’re excited to introduce the ‘AirFlix’ experience hub for fliers and to partner with Sugarbox on their pioneering technology platform, offering a wider and more diverse range of captivating content and a literally elevated user experience. We’re looking forward to leveraging the potential of this platform, introducing innovative features and technological integrations even beyond in-flight dining, entertainment, and shopping, and enabling personalised experiences that provide a distinct, differentiated flying experience in a hyper-competitive market.”

Speaking about the collaboration, Rohit Paranjpe, Co-founder & CEO, Sugarbox, expressed, “We are delighted to partner with AirAsia India on their journey to revolutionise the flying experience with ‘AirFlix’. This is a first of its kind initiative globally, where we are bringing the power of the Cloud to aircrafts, using Sugarbox’s patented Cloud Fragment technology. It enables ‘AirFlix’ to offer many firsts in the industry – access to OTT Apps, E-commerce, News, Podcasts and In-flight F&B ordering. This is just the beginning of unlocking limitless opportunities for consumers through contextual, hyperlocal experiences. I’m very excited with what’s to come for ‘AirFlix’ and eager for fliers to start experiencing it.”

Experience the #FunOfFlying with ‘AirFlix’, 36,000 feet in the air. For more information on AirFlix, visit airflix.airasia.co.in

Entertainment

Colors Bangla Brings an Inspirational Story of a Plus Size Woman

Nov 23, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai, 23rd November, 2022: What is beauty? Beauty isn’t what we look at in the mirror. Beauty is the sense you feel deep inside you no matter whether you are fat or slender. Beauty is the pride and confidence that’s brimming in you. Wouldn’t it be a great world to live in, when parents stop worrying about their daughter’s appearance and instead spend the same amount of energy to give their girl a pair of wings to soar high in the sky irrespective of their physical appearance? When will it be more important for a daughter in law to be successful and confident than being slender? Colors Bangla presents one such story of a girl Sohag who is a warm-hearted, near perfect girl but gets rejected every time by prospective grooms for being overweight. The show is a tribute to those who believe love is skin deep. Chand is a fitness freak who dreams big in life. Produced by Surinder Films; Sohag Chand will air every day at 7 pm on Colors Bangla.

Sohag a plus size romantic woman works for a bank. She gets rejected by prospective grooms 34 times for her appearance, but she is oblivious to the world’s need for a perfect bride. But the optimist in her believes that one day she will find her prince charming who will love her for her inner beauty. Chand on the other hand is a fitness freak who plans to open a sports academy. Chand is looking for a bride who would be beautiful and perfect; not overweight. Though Sohag and Chand were childhood friends and neighbours; will they ever find love in each other? Will he ever discover the inner beauty of Sohag? Anwesha Chakraborty, winner of Ms Plus Size 2019 will play the role of Sohag and Abhishek Veer Sharma who was last seen in Mou er Bari will be essaying the role of Chand. Other important artists include Bharat Kaul, Tanuka Chatterjee, Srabani Banik.

Speaking on the occasion, Sagnik Ghosh, Business Head, Colors Bangla said, “Questioning society’s definition of perfection, we present the story of free-spirited Sohag who is plus size but that never becomes a detriment for her living a life that is beyond society’s judgement. Right from her unapologetic ways of dealing with her emotional complications to her pursuit of finding a life partner; Sohag’s journey is worth mentioning. Her compelling personality will stand out and we are sure audiences will relate to her life and the challenges she faces. “

To promote these story, Colors Bangla has designed a robust marketing campaign across print, television, and digital platforms.

On the digital front, there will be stories by women achievers who have made it big despite society’s backlash. Our female protagonists who herself is a symbol of unconventional beauty will also be speaking to plus size influencers.

Produced by Surinder Films; Sohag Chand is a unique love story of plus size Sohag and fitness freak Chand who slowly become friends and eventually fall in love. Watch the heart-warming story of Sohag and Chand in Colors Bangla’s latest offering Sohag Chand from 28th November every day at 7 pm.

Business

Green Soul Ergonomics Crosses the 200cr ARR Mark, Surpasses Diwali Sales Estimates

Nov 23, 2022 by Rabindra 0 Comments

New Delhi, 23 November 22– Green Soul Ergonomics, an office, and gaming chair brand owned by UpScalio, has hit the 200cr annualised revenue run rate mark. The ergonomic furniture brand has had an impressive 2022, peaking in the Diwali sale period. For October, Green Soul reported a massive 124% increase over its September BAU performance.

The festive sale period is an all-important month for every e-commerce store and Green Soul has had an impressive showing with the brand claiming to have sold one chair every 90 seconds during this period. According to a report from Amazon, 1 out of 5 chairs sold in the sale were Green Soul chairs!

Nitin Agarwal, Co-Founder, and Chief Growth Officer, UpScalio said that strategic product portfolio expansion, superior customer experience, and a successful campaign with Taapsee Pannu were the major reasons behind the brand’s growth.

“After the last sale, we made an effort to understand and double down on what our customers are looking for. We increased delivery speeds, introduced new payment options, and developed a chair for every price point. We have rapidly expanded our product portfolio to cater to a wide range of customers, and it’s thrilling to see the products being appreciated across the board.”

Green Soul’s performance in the festive sale has further cemented its position as a category leader in the office furniture space. All Green Soul products made it to the Top 10 Best Sellers on Amazon during the festive month. Moreover, 50% of all shoppers looking to buy office furniture viewed a Green Soul chair before making their purchase.

Gautam Kshatriya, Co-Founder, and CEO, UpScalio, said “We had an incredible start to the August-October sale quarter with Prime Day, and I’m ecstatic to see that we’ve gone a step beyond that in the flagship sales. We’ve been expanding across our logistical capabilities and product portfolio with the aim of delivering a better experience to the customer. This performance is a strong vote of confidence in our recent strategies. Complete credit to the entire team at UpScalio.”