Remembering Dr Bhabendranath Saikia with “Twilight at the Port”

News

Remembering Dr Bhabendranath Saikia with “Twilight at the Port”

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #"Twilight at the Port", #Dr Bhabendranath Saikia, #Dr Birendra Nath Dutta., #Malavika Joshi

Guwahati: 13th August 2020 is the 17th death anniversary of Dr Bhabendranath Saikia. In reference to this, to pay homage to the Maestro in a little offbeat way, dance video will be released on 9th August Sunday entitled “Twilight at the Port.” Of all of Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia’s stories, the particular ones included in Ei Bondoror Aabeli ( Twilight at the Port) are way exceptions.

For the fourth cover of this story compilation of “Twilight at the Port”, he had created a very special prose narrative, based on London background, which is completely different from his familiar style. It is a humble effort to pay homage to him in a creative way by presenting to the people those unique prose pieces included in Soy Doxokor Godyo (Prose of Six Decades).

On the basis of that prose, this dance is created and presented by Prerana Bhuyan, a talented Satriya dancer, whose skill is acclaimed here and abroad. Her experimental dance form will unveil another side of her talent. Her sensibility is expressed in this Complex task of expressing only prose passages through dance gestures and expressions apart from the rhythm, usually required for dance. There are instances of creating dance in poems.

Before some days, Malavika Joshi had prepared and presented a dance on the basis of Professor Sacchidananda Joshi’s poems, but the example of dance on prose is not yet seen in Assam. The text of the prose selected for this new experiment it is carried out by Dr Birendra Nath Dutta. This text was earlier compiled in the audiobook “Bhraman Biroti”, directed by Namrata Datta. Now, sound engineer and instrumentalist, Diganta Sharma has newly added music to it. For the subtitle of the video, its text has been translated into English by Dr.Dipsikha Bhagawati. Dhanjit Das and Namrata Datta are associated with this honour, presented jointly by Club Nineteen, UD Foundation and Rainsoft.

The dance video is conceived by Utpal Datta and music arrangement, editing and production is done by Diganta Sharma. Media Tribe, a Mumbai based leading digital marketing agency has agreed for the digital promotion of the video. The video is expected to touch at least 5 million Dr.Bhabendra Nath Saikia followers by August 13 said, Utpal Datta.

Business World

Trivitron responds to PM Modi’s call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ to provide indigenous COVID-19 testing kits globally

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat., #Chairman and Managing Director, #COVID-19, #Dr. GSK Velu, #Trivitron Healthcare, #Vocal for Local’

New Delhi –August 10, 2020: In the global uncertainty of COVID-19, healthcare industry leader- Trivitron Healthcare, counts for the continuity of services & solutions for COVID-19. Responding to the honourable Prime Minister Modi’s call for ‘Vocal for Local’, Trivitron Healthcare as a leading domestic health technology company, is pleased to announce the launch of a full suite of indigenously developed COVID-19 Testing products, as the organization’s contribution towards Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat.

Trivitron Healthcare offers a comprehensive range of ICMR approved COVID-19 solutions including RT-PCR Tests (COVIDsure&COVIDsure Pro), RNA Extraction kits (RNAsure), Viral Transport Media (ViSure), Total Antibody ELISA Test (COVIDscreen Plus) and ELISA IgG (COVID Kavach IgG) testing kits for Covid-19.

Realizing the enormous need of testing kits in the domestic market, to address this, the organization has indigenously designed & developed and had started large scale manufacturing for COVID-19 RT‑PCR test kits, RNA Extraction kits, Viral Transport Media, ELISA Antibody Tests, and will soon be launching Rapid POC Tests as well, for the Indian market. Trivitron is committed to manufacturer cost-effective and globally-accepted high-quality kits, and other COVID-19 solutions.

“We have been focused on making world-class Made-in-India medical technology solutions for domestic and global markets. The current situation of COVID-19 pandemic demanded innovation in developing indigenous and economical testing kits for the Indian market and we have responded to this. We have a complete range of COVID testing portfolio which will enable scaling up of current testing needs of the Indian & International Healthcare Ecosystem.’’ said, Dr. GSK Velu, Chairman and Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare.

Trivitron has been tracking the alarming spread of COVID-19 since the world media started reporting its devastating impact on China. Trivitron as a torchbearer of the ‘Make in India’ initiative and supporting the leadership’s call for a self-reliant nation, has decided to accelerate and enhance products and countermeasures to combat the spread of COVID‑19 in India.

By March 2020, efforts were upscaled to indigenously create required solutions, without losing time, within the given constraints and available resources, at Trivitron’s state-of-the-art facilities – Trivitron Medical Technology Park, Chennai, and AMTZ, Vishakhapatnam. As a result of this approach, Trivitron is the only Indian organization that is ready with a complete portfolio of indigenously developed technologies which can be utilized for combating COVID-19 and to fulfil the low-cost testing needs for the country, and with indigenously manufactured Comprehensive COVID-19 testing solutions, ensuring the best suppliers across the world.

Business World

Condé Nast India, Myntra and India’s top designers join hands for a cause: announces the launch of ‘Behind the Mask’ campaign

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #17th August/18th August 2020., #Alex Kuruvilla, #Amar Nagaram, #Behind the Mask’, #CEO, #Condé Nast India, #Discovery, #GiveIndia President Ashok Kumar ER, #Managing Director - South Asia, #Managing Director of Condé Nast India, #Megha Tata, #Myntra, #TLC, #TLC HD and Discovery Plus

10th August 2020: Condé Nast India announces the launch of ‘Behind the Mask’, a mammoth, multilayered social awareness campaign with Myntra, helmed by a five-episode video series, to be showcased on TLC, TLC HD and Discovery Plus with a call-to-action that benefits Indian karigars (craftspeople). These videos ‘unmask’ five of India’s leading fashion designers – Manish Malhotra, Anita Dongre, Tarun Tahiliani, Gaurav Gupta and Rahul Mishra on film, giving us an intimate peek into their lives during the pandemic. In these episodes, each designer also creates a prototype of a mask using elements from Indian art and culture, based on the current times. These designs then serve as inspiration for five unique mask collections, each an ode to a craft or a community. Myntra will be offering an assortment of 34 styles and 20 designs that will be available in packs 1, 4, 5 and 20.

As Alex Kuruvilla, Managing Director of Condé Nast India elaborates, “’ Behind the Mask’ is one of the most ambitious projects we’ve ever undertaken. From video concept and production to packaging and product design to bringing on board multiple partners, this activity was entirely orchestrated by Condé Nast India during the lockdown, managed remotely by multiple stakeholders. Our objective is twofold: to promote the wearing of masks, and to raise funds for the karigars (artisans) who tirelessly work behind the scenes of the Indian textile industry and are among those worst hit by the pandemic. This initiative achieves the first objective by mass-producing masks inspired by the designers’ prototypes. And it raises funds by donating all profits from the sales of these masks to GiveIndia—all this while creating great content that is at the core of Condé Nast India’s legacy.”

This is also the first time two Condé Nast India titles, Vogue and GQ, have joined forces for a campaign of this scale. What makes this project interesting is the extent of collaboration required to pull it off, especially since it was entirely produced in the era of lockdown and self-isolation where nothing but the “essential” was permitted. The making of the video series is a case study in itself, with everything from conceptualising to scripting and shooting done remotely, with help from the designers’ loved ones who happily agreed to play co-filmmakers. Using mobile phones and digital cameras, with extensive notes from the director and DOP and briefings over video calls, the team managed to pull off these videos, that too in broadcast specifications.

To execute this project, Condé Nast India brought on board Myntra to produce and sell the masks, TLC, TLC HD to broadcast and Discovery Plus to stream the episodes, and GiveIndia to ensure the profits from the sales reach the right NGOs.

Amar Nagaram, CEO, Myntra, added, “’ Behind the Mask’ is an extraordinary initiative, a coming together of enthusiastic and dedicated folks for a common, but the profound cause. We wholeheartedly appreciate the efforts of Condé Nast and are proud to be a part of this ‘one-of-a-kind’ association. Our wide shopper base and reach will enable these masks, inspired by the concepts of India’s leading fashions designers, to reach millions of consumers across the country, thereby supporting this fundraiser campaign in a big way.”

Megha Tata, Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery, said, “Given the Pandemic, there is a need for various stakeholders to come together for the larger good of society. This cause led initiative has the potential to engage audiences in a very endearing way and leave an indelible mark on the audiences. We are proud to have played our part in supporting Kaarigars and remain committed to support such meaningful initiatives in the future as well.”

GiveIndia President Ashok Kumar ER says: “Our crafts artisans represent the backbone of India’s rich heritage and these have been extremely challenging times for them. So we are very grateful that through this partnership Condé Nast India will not only support the karigars but also highlight the crucial role they play in the textile industry. For those of us continuing to stay safe at home, ‘Behind The Mask’ also acts as a reminder not to take the lives of those less fortunate for granted. Since mid-March GiveIndia has been supporting communities worst-hit by the COVID-19 crisis through our India COVID Response Fund, having disbursed ₹114+crore so far. And we welcome Condé Nast India’s contribution.”

The episodes will be streamed on the Myntra app on 12th August 2020 and aired on TLC and TLC HD and streamed on Discovery + on 17th August/18th August 2020. The masks will be available for sale on Myntra from 12th August onwards.

To buy the masks go to www.myntra.com

News

Mindfulness and Balanced Living, the two most essential needs now!

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #and Translator) | Mentor ʃʃ Varenyum ʃʃ, #Lakshya International Academy and Varenyum, #mindfulness and balanced living., #Ms. Simone (Editor, #Sunday 9th of August is to take place via the Zoom App, #Writer

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need not more.” – Mother Teresa

The past has gone too far behind and the future is yet too far, what remains with us is this moment, which is now. To live in this moment and not wander too far in past or future has become a struggle in an age of distractions. In an attempt to keep our monkey mind away from distraction we have taken an initiative to hold a webinar in collaboration with Varenyum.

Lakshya International Academy and Varenyum announced today a session on mindfulness and balanced living. The session which is scheduled on Sunday 9th of August is to take place via the Zoom App. The participants have to register themselves on the given link.

Lakshya International Academy with Varenyum’s assistance wishes to introduce the concept of the practice of mindfulness to your students and faculty members. The session would help the participants understand the meaning and importance of balanced living. We seek to bust the myths around spirituality and help the young participants distinguish between religion and spirituality. It is an attempt to enhance the holistic development of the students and participants.

The webinar also holds much relevance during the time of a pandemic. When humanity is engulfed in an inevitable event, it is indeed the best time to learn the process of changing our adversities into opportunities.

Lakshya International Academy believes that the training of students today will contribute in a better tomorrow. The core belief of Varenyum is that with a balanced approach towards logic and compassion, we can transform the whole of humanity. The webinar will be a blend of both these ideas and will help in the transformation of our students and participants.

Speaker:

Ms. Simone (Editor, Writer, and Translator) | Mentor ʃʃ Varenyum ʃʃ

A final year student at Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Delhi. Miss Simone is a writer and editor and has a keen interest in photography. She has been pursuing the path of Spirituality and mindfulness for a long time, she has been an active meditation practitioner since the last four years. She is a mentor and works with Varenyum. She began taking sessions in 2018, her last session on mindfulness was with the students of Sunbeam School, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on the 20th of July 2020. She wishes to guide the new seekers to the right path and believes that the earlier one is exposed to the ideas of spirituality and holistic living the better it is for community growth.

Date and Time: 09th Aug 2020, 02:00 PM
Host and Event Director:

Prof. Kumar Anand Singh Principal

Lakshya International Academy

News

SRMIST Announces B.Tech Admission Rank List 2020

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #formerly SRM University), #SRM B. Tech Rank List for 2020 admissions.v, #SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST, formerly SRM University), has announced the SRM B. Tech Rank List for 2020 admissions. In the light of the ongoing pandemic, the SRMJEEE which determines entry into the much sought after engineering degree programmes was cancelled this year, and replaced with rankings based on +2 / Pre-University / equivalent marks in PCM / PCB submitted by the candidate. A total of 1.36 lakh candidates from across India and overseas had applied for admission to SRM B.Tech 2020.

The Top 10 Rankers represent the student diversity of SRM, and come from diverse backgrounds across India: Ekkaluri Harshitha, Andhra Pradesh; R Sanjay, Karnataka; Abhinav Tripathi, Rajasthan; Dharshin Balakrishnan, Tamil Nadu; Shivam Kumar, Bihar; Arun Martin, Kerala; Ajay Parmar, Madhya Pradesh; Rudra Kesar, Jammu and Kashmir; Mayank Singh, Uttar Pradesh and Hil Savani, Gujarat, emerged as toppers in the All India Top 10 Rank list.

On enrolment, Top 100 Rank Holders will be awarded Founder’s Scholarship with 100% Tuition and Hostel fee waiver. The Top 101 to 500 rank holders will be awarded the SRM Merit Scholarship with 100% Tuition fee waiver. The university also offers an incredible range of scholarships to the tune of Rs 40 Crores benefiting 3200+ students every year, making studying in the university affordable to all. SRMIST also offers on-the-spot loan facilitation of bank educational loans.

The next step in the Admission Process is the Rankings along with the Allocated Branch will be sent to the successful candidates registered email ID and mobile number. Based on the seat availability, SRM will conduct online – counselling in the coming days. In view of high preference to join SRM, counselling is only planned for the top 50,000 Ranks.

The SRM Ranking is applicable for B. Tech Admission in all campuses of SRM Institute of Science and Technology located at Kattankulathur (Main Campus, Chennai Area), Vadapalani and Ramapuram in Chennai city, and Delhi – NCR; SRM University, AP – Andhra Pradesh; SRM University, Sonepat– Haryana and SRM University, Sikkim.

This year SRMIST has created a placement record with 8500+ Job Offers, 149 Super Dream Offers, 1629 Dream Offers, with a top salary of Rs 41.6 L, the highest ever by any university in India.

Around 625+ Top-notch companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, CISCO, Siemens, PayPal, Accenture, Capgemini, Hewlett Packard, TCS, Infosys, Cognizant, Wipro, ABB, L & T, Ford, TVS, Schneider, Renault Nissan, Cerner, GT Strategies, Ford, Bioclinica, and Zifo among many others, visit SRMIST every year to recruit the students in well-paying jobs in their companies.

For more details, the students/parents can contact our Counsellors at +91 [044] 27455510, 47437500 or email admissions.india@srmist.edu.in or log onto www.srmist.edu.in

Business World

Rooter forays into gaming and eSports; Witnesses 50k+ game streamers on the app

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #‘Sports Fan’, #Call of Duty, #Free Fire, #gaming and eSports streaming feature, #India’s biggest sports community platform Rooter, #PUBG, #PUBG Lite, #was founded by Piyush and Dipesh Agarwal in 2016

New Delhi, August 10, 2020: With the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent nationwide lockdown driving an unprecedented inclination towards gaming as an engaging distraction for the masses, India’s biggest sports community platform Rooter launched revolutionary gaming and eSports streaming feature on its app early in May. Developed internally within just 4-5 weeks of the lockdown, the streaming tool allows users to stream any game through the mobile app as well as from their PCs with best-in-category audio-video quality and features.

A report by Publicis Groupe India stated that between March 1-21, gaming saw a 41% increase in time spent. Having already built a huge community of sports fans and sports influencers in India, Rooter’s approach towards the eSports market was to build one of the country’s biggest community of gamers as well. Therefore, soon after its foray in the segment, the platform onboarded 50000+ promising gaming streamers from the country, adding more than 1.8 to 2 million downloads on Rooter app in less than a month since streaming launch and driving to become the category leader for the gaming community in India.

One of the key differentiators in Rooter’s growth in the gaming space has been its focus on the south Indian market. The platform onboarding almost all the prominent gaming streamers from the region and is in the process of getting more than 50% of new users from the south of India. With a lot of its existing streamers also hailing from Hindi speaking belts of the country, it gives an impetus to Rooter’s vision to be positioned as one of India’s successful homegrown apps fulfilling PM Modi’s ambitious Atmanirbhar Bharat plan.

Now, with the platform successfully managing to scale on the back of its great tech infrastructure, Rooter is planning to launch multiple layers of features on the app to create a broader community of gamers. This will enable anyone from the community to host tournaments on the app.

Meanwhile, the other popular games available on Rooter are Free Fire, PUBG, PUBG Lite, Call of Duty out of which Free Fire has the maximum number of steamers from India on Rooter. In this space, Even though Rooter is competing against a Chinese app called Nimo TV and Indian contenders like Rheo TV and Loco, the platform has managed to grow faster than most of them in past one month. With this unprecedented growth of gaming on the platform in addition to sports engagement, the average time spends on the Rooter app is nearing 20 mins, making it one of the most viral products in this space. That said, the platform is aiming to have a 5 million monthly user base by the time IPL begins in mid-September.

Speaking on the growing success of the new feature, Piyush, Founder of Rooter said, “The pandemic gave us a wonderful opportunity to prepone our eSports and gaming plan and launch our tech in record time with one of the best features in terms of scale and experience. So, far we have been successfully creating a community in sports and now progressing to make it big in the gaming space. This has helped us in positioning Rooter as one of the most sought after content platforms in India, which is entertaining a diverse audience of gamers and sports fans in the country largely between the age-group of 16 to 30 years old. Now that the IPL has also been announced, Rooter being the only user-generated content platform in India’s audio and video segment foresees a massive growth approaching in the third quarter of 2020.”

Rooter, which literally means a ‘Sports Fan’, was founded by Piyush and Dipesh Agarwal in 2016. Its core objective was to connect fans, thereby building a strong community. The platform was largely built around Live Sports Gaming during its infancy before it pivoted to content. In a span of four years, it has cemented its stance as the only Indian Sports Platform, which comprises content developed by users and professionals.

News

Professor Sir Doug Turnbull: Leading scientist receives prestigious award

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Buchanan Medal by the Royal Society, #Newcastle University, #Professor Sir Doug Turnbull

10th August 2020, New Delhi, India: Professor Sir Doug Turnbull has been awarded the Buchanan Medal by the Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific academy, dedicated to promoting excellence in science.

He has devoted his career to the treatment and research of mitochondrial disease and led a team at Newcastle University which changed the law to allow an IVF technique known as mitochondrial donation.

Great honour

Sir Doug said: “It is a great honour to receive the Buchanan Medal from the Royal Society, which is awarded for distinguished contributions to biomedical science.

“I received this award particularly in relation to mitochondrial disease, and I have been very fortunate to work with great scientists and clinicians.

“From a personal perspective, it is very important that our research has made a difference in the lives of patients with mitochondrial disease.”

In 2010, Sir Doug’s work was recognised when he and his colleagues were awarded coveted Wellcome Centre Status, one of only a handful in the UK.

As director of the Wellcome Centre, he built an internationally-renowned team of clinicians and researchers, with patients opting to travel from all over the country to be under his care.

Mitochondrial diseases result from failures of the mitochondria, specialised compartments present in cells of the body. When the compartments fail, less energy is generated within the cell. The parts of the body greatest affected are the heart, brain, muscles and eyes.

Certain forms of mitochondrial disease are passed down from mother to child. The mitochondrial donation, developed in the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, offers women with the condition the chance of having healthy children.

Sir Doug developed the NHS National Highly Specialised Services for Rare Mitochondrial Diseases of Children and Adults and is an honorary consultant neurologist at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The Royal College of Physicians has recognised him and awarded him the Goulstonian Lecturer (1992), the Jean Hunter Prize (2003) and the Sims Royal College of Physicians Lecturer (2004).

Royal Society awards

The annual medals and awards celebrate exceptional researchers and outstanding contributions to science across a wide array of fields.

President of the Royal Society, Venki Ramakrishnan, said: “The Royal Society’s medals and awards celebrate those researchers whose groundbreaking work has helped answer fundamental questions and advance our understanding of the world around us.

“They also champion those who have reinforced science’s place in society, whether through inspiring public engagement, improving our education system, or by making STEM careers more inclusive and rewarding.

“This year has highlighted how integral science is in our daily lives, and tackling the challenges we face, and it gives me great pleasure to congratulate all our winners and thank them for their work.”

Business World

India’s Leading Footwear Brand- Asian Footwears Launches Safe and Stylish Masks Across Leading E-commerce and retail Platforms

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Aayush Jindal, #Asian Footwear Pvt. Ltd., #Asian Footwears, #Asian Footwears. Aayush is an IIT-Delhi alum., #Asian HyperProtect A95 collection., #Chairman, #E-commerce and retail Platforms, #MD, #Rajinder Jindal, #Safe and Stylish Masks, #SITRA certified and are priced at 149/- MRP (, #six-layered reusable protective face masks

India’s leading, and one of the oldest footwear brands, Asian Footwears, has stepped into the fight against Covid-19. The company announced the launch of its six-layered reusable protective face masks under the Asian HyperProtect A95 collection. These masks are made from tested and certified materials, delivering high filtration efficiencies, while being stylish at the same time. The move came right after the government announced Unlock 2.0 in which people are stepping out and slowly accepting the new normal.

Asian is a brand endorsed by famous former Indian Cricketer Virender Sehwag. The Asian masks are priced economically for the Indian masses and are reusable. One mask can be washed gently under running water and be reused for up to 30 times. The masks are SITRA certified and are priced at 149/- MRP (available at a discount currently on leading e-commerce platforms), hence effective cost per use comes down to ~5 Rs/use. The masks have 100% spandex based soft ear loops making it easy for the user to wear one for a long period of time. The masks have a 6 layer filter and are designed for every face type with innovative two-panel design, and come equipped with an adjustable nose pin which helps in giving the mask a perfect fitting.

The mask contains 2 outer layers and a 4-layer filtration cartridge made using an SMMS filter fabric (spun-bonded, melt blown, melt blown and spun-bonded non-woven layers sandwiched together). The masks protect the user against any flu and other airborne germs. The organization urges people to wear masks whenever they step out of their homes.

Apart from the simple variant, the firm has also launched a second variant called HyperProtect Ultra (priced at 199/- MRP). This variant comes with a filter valve respirator which helps in easy breathing and avoids heat build-up due to prolonged usage of the mask. Both models are available in more than 7 different colors and prints. Also, they are available in three sizes-small, medium, and large.

“As it has become mandatory for us to accept the new normal, and step out, we are making sure you remain safe. We are adding technologically advanced face masks to our range of products. The masks are 6-layered and offer you protection from dust, any airborne disease, and resistance to splashes. We need to make sure we are doing our best to control Covid-19, and this is our way of saying we care. We urge the public to use masks being manufactured in India, as we totally support the idea of Atmanirbhar India”, said Rajinder Jindal, Chairman, Asian Footwear Pvt. Ltd. “We have been constantly innovating on our protective gear range – soon after the first Asian mask, we launched the Ultra version. A team of engineers and designers are leading the development of our third yet-to-be-launch ed PRO mask, which will be one of the most advanced masks in the reusable mask segment”, said Aayush Jindal, MD, Asian Footwears. Aayush is an IIT-Delhi alum.

The Asian masks are available at all leading E-commerce and retail stores in various colors and prints.

Meanwhile recognized brands like Wildcraft, Khadi essentials, HRX, Adidas, Superbottoms, Puma have started their own line of masks to ensure the safety of everyone around.

News

Best practices for safe online learning for children: Dr Ramesh Kekunnaya Head, Child Sight Institute, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad.

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #anxiety, #behavioural and mental issues., #COVID, #dry eye, #headache, #stress

In these COVID times, with lockdown in most places, schools are forced to shift from classroom to online teaching. Classes are conducted through virtual platforms. Homework has become digital. Children are required to spend long hours indoors, focussing on their mobile phone, iPad or laptop. This raises many concerns regarding their long-term health.

Increasing use of electronic gadgets, prolonged near work and lack of daylight exposure can result in progression of myopia or near-sightedness in children. Electronic devices are known to emit short-wavelength blue light, suppressing the hormone melatonin which maintains the circadian rhythm in the body. Prolonged exposure to blue light, especially before their bedtime can cause sleep disturbances in children. Too much screen time can also result in dry eye, headache, stress, anxiety, behavioural and mental issues.

It is important to strike a balance between academic learning via digital technology and good physical, mental and personality development in children. Hence, the restricted use of electronic devices for studying has been advocated by doctors. Certain practices should be followed routinely by teachers and parents to ensure a better lifestyle for children.

The amount of time the child spends using digital devices should be proportionate to the child’s age. While 12 to 16-year-olds can be allowed 8 hours of online study, the hours of screen time for younger children should be restricted to less than 4 hours. Toddlers (younger than 3 years) must be refrained from using any digital device.

Teachers must give appropriate breaks during classes; a short break every 45 minutes and a long break of 1-2 hours during long sessions. Online classes should be scheduled in the morning and afternoon hours only, ensuring that children do not use these devices in the evening and night time.

It is important that the child sits on a straight-backed chair with armrests, with the screen placed about 2 feet away at eye level. This ensures good posture and avoids back and neck problems in future. Larger screen devices like desktop, laptop or TV are preferable. Room lighting should be good and the screen brightness should be optimum. Screen protectors can be used to reduce excessive reflection.

There should be good ventilation in the room. Sitting for long hours directly in front of the fan or air conditioning can cause the eyes to dry up quickly. This adds to the strain. They should be encouraged to consciously blink frequently. An easy method to follow is the 20-20-20 rule, where every 20 minutes, the child should take a 20-second break and look at any object 20 feet away. This will relax the ciliary muscles of the eyes and ease the strain due to prolonged near work. At times, preservative-free lubricating eye drops can be used to ease mild symptoms of dry eye. Also, children who usually wear glasses must continue to wear them during classes.

Also, various ways to reduce screen time can be devised by teachers. Each day, there should be at least one session of physical exercise, yoga, dance class or virtual workout, intercepting the online teaching schedule. This will be fun as well as healthy for children. For homework, they should be encouraged to use their textbooks and notebooks and avoid all digital devices.

Parents must themselves set a good example by staying away from mobile phones and TV as much as possible. They can also develop ‘quality family time’, encouraging children to interact, play games and connect with family members during leisure time. It should be emphasised that the use of electronic gadgets is only during classes and for learning. Children must be taught to accept and acclimatize to these new practices and to follow them effectively.

Children’s health and well-being must be the collective responsibility of families, teachers and doctors. Adapting to changing times, using technology to our advantage, but following safety measures can give a better and healthier life to our children.

Business World

LASA SUPERGENERICS Q1FY21 PAT AT 5.37 CRS, UP 437% YOY

Aug 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Chairman – Lasa Supergenerics Limited, #Dr. Omkar Herlekar, #LASA SUPERGENERICS Q1FY21

Chennai, 10th August 2020: Lasa Supergenerics Limited, a vertically integrated group spanning the entire animal and human healthcare value chain has announced its financial results for the first quarter ended June 30th 2020 (Q1FY21)

Q1FY21 performance overview compared with Q4FY20

Revenues from operations stood at Rs. 54.60 crores as against Rs. 48.58 crore in Q4FY20
EBITDA of Rs. 12.20 crore as compared to Rs. 9.01 crore in Q4FY20
EBITDA margins at 22.34%
PAT stood at Rs. 5.37 crore as compared to Rs.2.61 crore in Q4FY20
EPS for Q1FY21 stood at Rs. 1.32

Q1FY21 performance overview compared with Q1FY20

Revenues from operations stood at Rs. 54.60 crores as against Rs. 38.98 crore in Q1FY20
EBITDA of Rs. 12.20 crore as compared to Rs. 5.06 crore in Q1FY20
EBITDA margins at 22.34% as against 12.98% in Q1FY20
PAT stood at Rs.5.37 crore as against a loss of Rs.1.27 crore
EPS for Q1FY21 stood at Rs. 1.32 as compared to Rs. 0.47 in Q1FY20

For the first quarter ended June 30th 2020
Revenues from operations for the first quarter ended June 30th, 2020 (Q1FY21) stood at Rs. 54.60 crores.

The Company reported Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) of Rs. 12.20 crore in Q1FY21, as against Rs 9.01 crore in Q4FY20; up 35.4%. The Company’s EBITDA margin stood at 22.34%
The Company reported PAT of Rs. 5.37 crore for Q1FY21.The Company’s PAT margin stood at 9.84%
Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter ended Q1FY21 stood at Rs 1.32
The Finance cost reduced by 45% Q-o-Q from Rs. 2.29 crore in Q4FY20 to Rs. 1.29 crore in Q1FY21

Commenting on the performance, Dr. Omkar Herlekar, Chairman – Lasa Supergenerics Limited, said,
“We have reported a good performance in our business in Q1 FY21 despite significant disruptions and ambiguity in the business environment. We are confident that the Company under its strong leadership and planned strategies will navigate through these difficult times. We have substantially brought down the debt.”