Archives March 2023

10th March, Bangalore: Tata Power, one of India’s largest integrated power utilities with a presence across the entire power value chain – Generation, Transmission, Distribution, and Trading was honored with the prestigious award for ‘Best Performing Transmission (System) Utility’ attributed to its Mumbai Transmission division at the recently held Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) Awards 2023.

Shri R.K. Singh, Hon’ble Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy, Government of India presented the award to Tata Power during an award ceremony in New Delhi.

Tata Power’s Mumbai Transmission network operates in the city of Mumbai & MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region), extending up to hydro-generating stations in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. The utility has 30 receiving stations with a transmission capacity of more than 10,000 MVA and a network spanning over 1,200 ckt. kms. The transmission network comprising of 220kV/110kV overhead lines, underground cables & hybrid lines caters to 70% of Mumbai’s power requirement.

Tata Power Mumbai Transmission works at a record supply availability of 99.99% using various Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics-based tech interventions.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr. Sanjay Banga, President T&D, Tata Power said, “We are committed to the Indian power sector’s overall development by bringing in efficiencies and tech advancements across the value chain. This award bestowed on Tata Power Mumbai Transmission bears testimony to our efforts towards ensuring the availability of reliable and uninterrupted power supply along with strengthening of the supply infrastructure. We are thankful to the CBIP for recognizing our efforts and this prestigious recognition will further motive us to create new industry benchmarks.”

Founded in 1927, the Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) is a Government of India organization that promotes excellence in the Water, Power, and Renewable Energy sectors that also recognizes the outstanding contribution of various organizations, stakeholders & professionals. CBIP is a premier central government-backed institution, which has been recognizing the outstanding contribution of various organizations, stakeholders & professionals since its inception in 1927 and promoting excellence in the Water, Power and Renewable Energy sectors.

New Delhi, 10 March 2023: JSW Steel USA, a subsidiary of JSW Steel Ltd (India’s leading steel company and flagship business of US$ 22 billion JSW Group), is adopting the ground-breaking Smart EPD Platform to monitor, publish and digitally lead the strategic direction in decarbonization. JSW Steel USA has become the first steel company in the United States to adopt Smart EPD™ to publish Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs. EPDs are internationally accepted, third-party verified documents that provide clear and transparent information about a product’s environmental impact across its value or supply chain.

JSW Steel USA has collaborated with TrueNorth Collective, a consultancy founded with the vision of accelerating sustainability as serious business. TrueNorth developed a custom EPD generator based on JSW USA operations that calculates the environmental impacts across its product portfolio of slab, plate, hot rolled and coil, and pipe steel products.

According to Mr. Parth Jindal, Director of JSW USA, “JSW Steel USA is aligned to the Sustainability goals of our parent company JSW Steel. It has always been our endeavor to bring our steel operations in the United States of America in line with our position as a World Steel Association Sustainability Champion. JSW Steel USA is well positioned to support low carbon steel demand and the renewable energy sectors within the United States with the greenest steel available in North America. The adoption of Smart EPD is the first step in our journey to provide a clear and strong framework in our journey towards the decarbonization of our business operations.”

State and Federal Buy Clean policies are increasingly relying on EPDs to disclose the embodied carbon of products. This effort will bolster JSW Steel USA’s competitive landscape, especially in markets that appeal to low-carbon steel procurement. To create the customized EPD generator for JSW Steel USA, TrueNorth Collective has used SimaPro, developed by PRé Sustainability, to calculate product specific results which are then verified and integrated within the Smart EPD platform to publish EPDs. JSW Steel USA can now directly generate and publish verified digital EPDs on-demand.

“The manufacturing community needs efficient and scalable ways to publish and share EPD data, and we applaud JSW’s commitment to transparency and leadership in this space,” said Anna Lasso, Founder of Smart EPD.

Read more about the JSW Steel USA sustainability efforts at jswsteel.us

JSW Steel USA EPD access here

Bhopal, 10th March 2023: Shodh Shikhar 2023, one of the country’s biggest research and innovation festivals, being organized under the aegis of Rabindranath Tagore University, was concluded on 25th February. On this occasion Pro. Kalyan Chakraborty, Late Skills Coach and Founder Chairman K.A.S. India, were present as the chief guest. Apart from this, Dr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, Executive Vice President of AISECT Group, Dr. Brahm Prakash Pethia, Vice Chancellor of Rabindranath Tagore University were also present among the other dignitaries. Paper presentations and projects were also awarded in various categories at this program.

Shodh Shikhar is a two-day International Research Conference and Innovation competition based on the theme of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, Digital India and NEP. It is a unique initiative by RNTU to promote local to global, sustainable development goals and the spirit of National Education Policy.

Day 1 started with the inauguration of the festival in the presence of Mr. Manohar Mamtani, Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission who was the chief guest, and Dr. Lokesh Sharma, ACEO, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Good Governance and Policy Analysis (AIGGPA) Bhopal, who was the special guest. Addressing the attendees, Mr. Santosh Choubey Chancellor at RNTU, said that we need scientific temperament in today’s time and social connect has been the priority of our universities. In the field of research, we have outlined more than 500 problems and researchers are constantly encouraged to solve them. We place a great emphasis on collaborative research in the university.

In Shodh Shikhar festival the exhibition of selected projects was inaugurated by the guests. Highlighting some of these important projects:

• Advance Safety Vehicle & Accident Alert System by RNTU students
• Multilevel Farming Technique by RNTU’s Agriculture department
• Pain relief device by Ganpat University Gujarat
• Developed hydroponic green fodder by students of Dr. CV Raman University, Bihar

On Day 2, Speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony, Prof. Kalyan Chakraborty shared insights on various aspects of research and outlined the work being done in global and Indian perspectives. He said that our country has always had a tradition of research since ancient times, like how we have universities such as Nalanda here. Even today, there is a lot of knowledge in our culture untapped which can be put on a larger map of the world through research. That is the reason why people from abroad come here to look for inspiration. Adding to this, he also highlighted that today more jobs are coming out of the field of skilling. Even the government has understood this which is why schemes like Skill India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat have been introduced.

Dr. Aditi Chaturvedi Vats, Pro-Chancellor at RNTU, in her address congratulated the successful edition of Shodh Shikhar and said that this time we have received more than 1200 research papers out of which 250 of them were presented. Apart from this, we also saw entries of more than 200 projects where participation was seen on broader subjects like drones, engineering, agriculture, pharma, horticulture, renewable energy, and waste management etc.

Pro. PK Nayak, Vice-Chancellor at AISECT University Jharkhand, in his speech mentioned that the innovation and enthusiasm of the students in this program is living proof of our country’s progress. He said that if we want to move forward as a nation then we need to promote research and it should be done on such topics which will altogether benefit society.

Congratulating the organizing team of Shodh Shikhar 2023, Dr. Siddharth Chaturvedi, in his vote of thanks, apprised all the participants about the innovations in Shodh Shikhar this year. Highlighting the fact that this time disciplines like Law, Commerce, Humanities, Management were also added, Siddharth said that in this edition, Shodh Shikhar has been done at the school level to encourage innovation among school students too. This is the time to celebrate good ideas, no matter whom they come from.

Here is the list of awarded participants against each category in the paper presentation:

Medical science

Platinum Prize awarded to Lochan Kumar, for the topic of ‘Burden of Tuberculosis among Tribal Population of Jharkhand – A Brief Study in Tribal Area of ​​Jharkhand India’

Science/Agriculture

Platinum Prize awarded to Dilesh Joshi, from CVRU Bilaspur, on the topic of ‘To study about usages of millet by tribal people of Bastar in their food cuisine’

Engineering technology

Platinum prize awarded to Manish Nair from IPER Bhopal, on the topic of ‘Computer Vision: Machine Learning vs Deep Learning’

Law and Education

Platinum prize awarded to Dr. Varalakshmi Mangala, on the topic of ‘Role of Warli Art Appreciation in Enhancing Word Power in English Language’

Commerce/Management/Humanities

Platinum prize awarded to Suraj Shah from Ganpat University Gujarat, on the topic of ‘Artificial Intelligence Enabled Just Walk Technology – An Empirical Evidence from Local to Global Prospects’

Winner of the Project Exhibition

Platinum prize awarded to Biraj N Kakadia from Ganpat University Gujarat, on the topic of ‘Pen Go (Handy Cold Laser with Micro Current Therapy Device)’

Bengaluru 10th March 2023: In a special address at the recently held ET Global Business Summit 2023, Jacek Olczak, CEO, Philip Morris International (PMI) emphasised the need for leveraging science and technology for a better, more sustainable future for all. Held on February 17-18 in New Delhi, the summit was graced by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi. The summit witnessed participation of global CEOs, heads of states, thought leaders, policy makers, academicians, and corporate heads. The discourse focussed upon India being poised to become a superpower as the next 25 years ‘Amrit Kaal’ of its independence will witness India regaining its glory.

Speaking on the theme ‘Sustainable economy for the greater good’ Mr. Olczak emphasised the influence of India on the world in creating an impact on the collective future as ‘One Family’. He stressed on how innovation has grown at an increasingly rapid rate globally over the past few decades with research investments having been made across a wide range of industries (like energy & automotive), leading to the development of a modern and sustainable future for all. “Science and technology integrated with a collaboration between private and public has proven to be key to identify solutions to overcome difficult challenges. And, ultimately, when adopted improve lives for all of us”, he said.

Mr. Olczak touched upon PMI’s commitment to realizing a smoke-free future, and investment in science, technology & commercialization of over USD 10 billion investment to introduce better alternatives. “We are also sparing no efforts in designing policies to accelerate the adoption of better solutions, both amongst consumers and the industry level”, said Mr. Olczak.

“Let me focus on our products. Everyone knows that smoking causes disease. And clearly the best thing smokers can do is to quit. What many people do not know is the primary cause of those diseases. The problem starts with combustion and that triggers the release of high levels of harmful chemicals in the smoke’ he elaborated. Thanks to advances in science and technology, it is now possible to eliminate combustion and replace it with controlled heating, at much lower temperatures. At these lower temperatures, these products generate significantly lower levels of harmful compounds. And by significantly lower levels, I mean as much as 95 percent lower”, he added. He also spoke about the clinical and non-clinical studies that have been conducted on PMI’s heated tobacco products and over 450 peer-reviewed publications & book chapters published on them since 2008.”

Drawing parallels with different industry sectors, Mr. Olczak spoke about the need to address a challenge at its source, thus eliminating harm-causing sources, while also working to identify safer alternatives. The same harm reduction principle that is being applied to replace cooking over wood-fueled stoves with gas-fueled cooking systems, or replacing combustion-engine vehicles with better ones, applies to tobacco also.

Taking the example of Japan, he elaborated on how the introduction of heated tobacco products in the country has led to decline in cigarette sales at an annual rate of 1.8% on average in the past few years. With the expansion of availability of heated tobacco products, almost 35 percent of cigarettes have been replaced by heated tobacco products over the last 7 years. Recent analysis from Japan has also shown a downward trend in hospitalizations for COPD. Additionally, research funded by the country’s Ministry of Health and Welfare shows there is negligible adoption of these products by minors. “Similar dynamics are being observed in several European countries”, added Mr. Olczak.

Expressing his views on oral tobacco usage in India, Mr. Olczak spoke about how the estimated 200 million users of oral tobacco in India could be offered modern, safer, oral tobacco products. These products that have benefited from scientific and technological advances exist today and can have a significant impact to public health, as has happened in Scandinavia.

He further informed that PMI’s biggest contribution to society lies in addressing the fundamental issue of cigarette health effects. Throughout the company’s history, it has been a leading player in the cigarette market. Now, the company is, very intentionally, leaving that behind, embarking on a transformation to provide adults who would otherwise continue to smoke.

“All that’s needed is for today’s innovative, science-based products to be matched by equally innovative policies that encourage people that smoke to switch to less harmful alternatives. This is where India can help drive positive change for the rest of the world. And as chair of the G20, it can be a prime example for emerging economies”, he opined.

“Innovation in the tobacco industry is finally a reality. The question we must ask ourselves is this: How do we ensure that innovations are used in the service of people? In other words, how do we leverage technology, science, and innovation to accelerate public health progress and get millions of Indian smokers away from cigarettes? Given India’s history in leveraging innovative solutions to solve issues of society, I am confident that India will be a global leader in progressive tobacco policies going forward”, he concluded.

ET Global Business Summit:

Conceived in 2015, and now in its 7th edition, Global Business Summit 2023 seeks to provide solutions to key macroeconomic challenges being faced in the current milieu by curating government-to-government interactions, business to government meetings, business-to-business engagements and to serve as a conduit for corporates and governments to secure investments from domestic and international allies that will become a part of India’s growth story.

Chennai, India – March 10, 2023: IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP), India’s first university-based research park, today announced that Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, President, IITMRP was conferred with the prestigious “Prof. Krishnaji Memorial Lecture Award (2022)” by The National Academy of Sciences (NASI) on the occasion of recently conducted National Science Day.

Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, deemed a pioneer in nurturing Industry-Academia interaction in India towards R&D, Innovation, Product Development & Commercialization, was felicitated for his instrumental role in conceptualising IIT Madras Research Park, an innovation paradigm ecosystem and India’s first University based research park, envisioning necessary Industry-Academia Intervention and Incubation.

Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala was also acclaimed for his manifold contributions to Wireless Local Loop & Digital Payment Technology, Solar-DC and In-Battery Systems for Electric Vehicles, through the IITM Incubation Cell and Rural Technology Business Incubator (RTBI). Professor also served as the principal advisor to the Ministry of Power in the Govt. of India and the Ministry of Railways during the year 2017-18.

Hyderabad, 10 March 2023: The Telangana Orthopaedic Surgeons Association conducted a successful Knee Arthroscopy Cadaveric Workshop at Kamineni Hospitals, L.B. Nagar, Hyderabad, on 9 March 2023. The workshop provided an exceptional learning opportunity for attendees from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to enhance their skills and knowledge of the latest surgical techniques in knee arthroscopy.

The workshop was conducted by experienced orthopedic surgeons. It mainly focused on practical learning using advanced equipment and cadaveric specimens. There were lectures on a range of topics, such as anatomic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, posterolateral corner reconstruction, meniscal injuries, graft harvesting technique, cartilage injuries of the knee, multi-ligament reconstruction of the knee, and Graft Selection for Knee Ligament Surgeries.

In the second half of the workshop, the attendees were given the opportunity to practice and refine their skills on cadaveric specimens under the guidance of expert instructors. The workshop aimed at creating awareness of keyhole surgeries which can result in less scarring and shorter recovery time, compared to traditional open surgery. Additionally, keyhole surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis, meaning patients can return home on the same day as the surgery.

Dr. Roshan Wade, an Orthopedic surgeon and Former Secretary of the India Arthroscopy Society, said, “The workshop was an excellent platform for attendees to acquire hands-on knowledge in the latest surgical techniques in knee arthroscopy. The cadaveric specimens provided an excellent opportunity for attendees to learn and practice these techniques under expert guidance.”

Speaking at the conference, Dr. P, S. Jaya Prasad, Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon, at Kamineni Hospitals, said, “It was an honor to host this workshop at Kamineni Hospitals. The workshop provided an excellent opportunity for attendees to gain practical knowledge of the latest surgical techniques in knee arthroscopy, and we are proud to have contributed to their professional development. We look forward to hosting more such workshops in the future, which will contribute to the advancement of medical education and patient care.”

Dr. Srinivas Kasha, Senior Orthopedic surgeon Secretary of Telangana Orthopedic surgeons association Said, “The Knee Arthroscopy Cadaveric Workshop was a huge success. The attendees expressed their gratitude for the opportunity offered to learn and practice the latest surgical techniques. The workshop was attended by orthopedic surgeons, residents, and medical students from different hospitals and medical colleges across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The workshop has set a benchmark in medical education and is expected to contribute to the advancement of patient care.”

March 10th, 2023: iSchoolConnect, a leading AI-enabled EdTech firm that assists study abroad aspirants, is hosting the much-awaited Study Abroad Fest across major Indian cities. Being held across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad on 11, 12, 18, and 19th March, respectively, the event will feature representatives from 30+ global institutions from 11+ Study Abroad destinations who will interact with and counsel students. During the events, students will have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with 100+ courses and programs and avail an unlimited array of on-the-spot offers and recommendations.

Ashish Fernando, Founder and CEO iSchoolConnect, said, “We are excited to hold the study abroad fest, especially at this juncture when a large number of students in our country are aspiring to study abroad in the institutions of their choice. The event will provide an opportunity for students to interact with university representatives of renowned global institutions. Students are registering in large numbers for the event, and we expect a footfall of approximately 800 to 1000 students in each location.”

“The presence of university representatives from popular study abroad destinations is a key crowd magnet as students will get to weigh their options under one roof, “Ashish adds.

A prominent delegation of university representatives from the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Europe, Singapore, and other nations will provide students with invaluable advice at this event, assessing their prospects of admission and outlining the application and admission procedure.

Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to interact with the company’s in-house study abroad counselors, who have an average of 10+ years of experience, our test prep instructors, who have trained at least 200 students each, and our service partners for loans, travel, accommodation assistance, etc.

Pacific D21 Mall in Dwarka celebrated International Women’s Day with enthusiasm and dedication as women enjoyed several services and received recognition for their vital contribution to society. Women Entrepreneurship Awards 2023 was held under the banner of ‘Women Entrepreneurs 2.0’ to felicitate women entrepreneurs who have changed society with their hard work and dedication. On the other hand, a special screening of the latest release, ‘Shehzada’, was also organised for female teachers and their families absolutely free of cost at the PVR cinema located at the mall.

In collaboration with Fliers Group, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Awards 2023 honoured renowned female business leaders and entrepreneurs who have established themselves through lucrative endeavours in various industries, including apparel, footwear, healthcare, accessories, home goods, food, etc. The Fliers Group’s 31 female employees received honours at the Women Entrepreneurship Awards 2023. The award ceremony was conducted to recognise the significant successes and turning points of prominent businesswomen in entrepreneurship. Studio 21, the mall’s recently opened hospitality service, hosted the gathering.

The PVR theatre hosted a special Women’s Day showing of Shehzada. Teachers and their families were welcomed to the celebration at the mall, and the screening was free for everyone. The ladies who attended the event were also given vouchers as a thank-you for their efforts and contributions in addition to the movie screening. An intriguing butterfly-lit photo-op was also set up where the women clicked amazing pictures, capturing the moments of celebration for life.

Sharing his views, Abhishek Bansal, Executive Director, Pacific Group, said, “The Women’s Entrepreneurship Awards 2023 sought to recognise women who had inspired other women to pursue their goals on their terms and achieve financial independence and security. It made me happy to interact with so many women who had overcome adversity to emerge as role models for gender equity and empowerment.”

“On the other hand, we enjoyed organising a special screening of Shehzada for teachers and their families in honour of Women’s Day. In our community, we value and appreciate the contributions made by women. We also did an empowered women-centric mannequin display showcasing various outfits reflecting the women of today, showcasing outfits from the brands – Brands, Biba, Rangriti, Shree, Vero Moda, Only, and Chunmun. We celebrated a fun-filled day with these women achievers at the mall,” he added.

Mumbai, 10th March 2023: Mr. Chandresh Nigam, Managing Director & CEO, after leading Axis Asset Management Company Ltd. (AMC) successfully over the last 10 years has requested not to be considered for reappointment for another term, in order to pursue other personal and professional interests.

Mr. Nigam had joined Axis AMC on July 01, 2009 as Head of Equities and assumed the role of MD & CEO on May 01, 2013 and led Axis AMC for two terms spanning 10 years through its extremely strong journey of growth and scale up.

The Board of Directors (the Board) of Axis AMC at its meeting held today deliberated upon the same, and considering the aspirations of Mr. Nigam accepted his decision to be at the helm till the expiry of his current term which ends on Sunday, April 30, 2023. The Board unanimously placed on record, their appreciation for his invaluable contributions and his leadership during his tenure with Axis AMC. The Board wished him the very best as he begins a new phase in his professional journey.

As part of the internal succession plan, Mr. B. Gopkumar who is currently the MD & CEO of Axis Securities has been approved by the Board to be the MD & CEO of Axis AMC from May 1, 2023 till April 30, 2026, subject to receipt of requisite approvals as necessary. Pursuant to this movement, internal succession process at Axis Securities has been initiated.

Mr. Gopkumar had joined Axis Securities as the Managing Director & CEO in October 2019, and has over 28 years of professional experience in financial services industry in areas of sales and distribution, managing large teams, marketing & branding & building of digital eco-system. Mr. Gopkumar is a postgraduate in Business Management and is an avid reader, a fitness enthusiast, and a passionate marathoner.

To further strengthen the leadership, Mr. Ashish Gupta has joined Axis AMC as its Chief Investment Officer of the Mutual Fund. Most recently Mr. Gupta was the Head of India equity research at Credit Suisse. Having tracked the Indian markets for over 25 years across 15 varied industries, actively covering 130 stocks with aggregate market cap of over $2 trillion, Mr. Gupta has a strong understanding of global & regional macroeconomics as Head of APAC Banks research at Credit Suisse covering banking sector in 13 Asian economies. Ashish was one of the earliest to identify the asset quality cycle in Indian Banks in 2011 and authored several marquee reports including the “House of Debt” series.

Commenting on the appointments, Mr. Amitabh Chaudhry, Chairman of Axis Asset Management Company Ltd. said, “With these appointments, Axis Mutual Fund will look forward to capitalizing on Gopkumar’s experience and leadership in building large distribution businesses, and Ashish’s deep understanding of capital markets and its constituents. We thank Chandresh for his leadership and contribution to Axis Asset Management Company Ltd.”

Earlier this week, Climate Asia organized a virtual panel discussion on the theme of “Green Jobs for Women: A Path to Climate Solutions” The panel was designed to discuss aspects of the green jobs ecosystem for women and explore how it can contribute to addressing climate change.

The event brought together experts in the field: Reemaben Nanavaty, Director of Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Huda Jaffer, Director of SELCO Foundation, and Prerna Seth, Fellow at JustJobs Network. The discussion was moderated by Aiswarya Ananthapadmanabhan, AVP for Arthan’s Women at Work Initiative.

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