Archives November 2024

New Delhi, 27^th November 2024: The 17th edition of CPHI & PMEC India, organised by Informa Markets in India, India’s leading B2B events organiser, opened its doors at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi-NCR, showcasing the robust potential of India’s pharmaceutical industry. With the Indian pharma market projected to grow to USD 130 billion by 2030 and USD 450 billion by 2047, the event highlighted the industry’s vital role in shaping global healthcare. Bringing together over 2,000 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors from more than 150 countries, including the USA, UAE, South Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom, the expo serves as a dynamic hub for innovation and collaboration. Spanning pharma machinery, packaging, analytical instruments, laboratory technologies, ingredients, and beyond, it offers a comprehensive platform for stakeholders to engage in transformative dialogues and foster strategic partnerships.

The grand inauguration of the 17th edition of CPHI &PMEC India,took place today, setting the tone for a spectacular showcase of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries’ future. Key dignitaries such as Mr. K. Raja Bhanu, Director General, Pharmexcil; Mr. Harish K. Jain, President, FOPE (Federation of Pharma Entrepreneurs) ; Mr. Namit Joshi, Vice Chairman, Pharmexcil; Mr. AVPS Chakravarthy, Global Ambassador, WPO; Ms Rhonda Duffy, Executive Vice President and COO, Biocon Biologics;  Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Chairman, India Expo Mart Limited (IEML) & Director General, Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH); Mr R.K. Jain, Chairman, CPI; Ms Ranjana Ganguly, Board Member, PCSI; Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, Mr Wouter Moulman, Chief Commercial Officer, Informa Markets, IMEA, Mr. Adam Anderson, Executive Vice President – Pharma, Informa Markets B.V.;  and Mr. Rahul Deshpande, Sr. Group Director, Informa Markets in India, did the honours, amidst an august industry presence.

The event featured a stellar lineup of exhibitors, including leading names like Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd, Biocon Ltd, Glenmark Lifesciences Ltd, Morepen Laboratories Ltd, Hetero Labs Limited, Lupin Ltd, Signet Excipients Pvt. Ltd, Apitoria Pharma Pvt Ltd, Capsugel Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, Supriya Lifescience Ltd, SMS Pharmaceuticals Ltd, MSN Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, Sekhmet Pharmaventures Pvt. Ltd, Tirupati Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd, and Merck Life Science Pvt. Ltd, among others. The PMEC pavilion showcases cutting-edge pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, with prominent exhibitors like ACG, Accupack Engineering, Ace Technologies, Avish Machines, Bowman & Archer Pharma Machines, Cadmach Machinery, CAM PAK India, Fette India, IMA Industria Macchine, Parle Global Technologies, Snowbell Machines, and Truking Technology, spotlighting the latest advancements in equipment and innovation.

Industry Collaboration and Support

This year, the expo garnered strong support from prominent industry associations, including CIPI, FOPE (Federation of Pharma Entrepreneurs), IPEC India, and Pharmexcil, further cementing its status as a leading and highly anticipated event in the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Veeramani, Chairman, Pharmexcil, said “The Indian pharmaceutical industry stands as a global leader, exporting to over 200 countries and providing comprehensive solutions across APIs, finished dosages, clinical research, and pharmacovigilance. With platforms like CPHI showcasing India‘s capabilities, the sector is poised for transformative growth—from its current $55 billion to a projected $130 billion by 2030 and $450 billion by 2047. Innovations in biologics, specialty generics, and the impact of policies like the U.S. Biosecure Act underline the industry’s potential to redefine healthcare solutions worldwide.”

Highlighting the significance of this year’s CPHI & PMEC India Expo, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said, “The Indian pharmaceutical industry stands as a pillar of manufacturing excellence, scale, and research-led competitiveness. Having evolved into a vibrant sector, it now ranks 3rd globally in pharmaceutical production by volume and 14th by value, contributing approximately 1.72% to the nation’s GDP. India is among the top 12 global biotechnology destinations and the third largest in the Asia-Pacific region. This leadership stems from key advantages such as a low manufacturing cost, which is 30%-35% lower than in the US and Europe, cost-efficient R&D at 87% less than developed markets, and an abundant pool of skilled labor. These strengths position India as a formidable player in shaping the future of global healthcare. The CPHI & PMEC India expo acts as a catalyst in propelling the pharmaceutical industry’s progress, fostering transformative innovations, strategic collaborations, and impactful global synergies. We are also proud to have a Start Up Pavilion under the aegis of the expo, which showcases emerging pharma disruptors with cutting-edge solutions that challenge traditional approaches. This offers attendees a glimpse into the future of the industry.”

Mr. Adam Anderson, Executive Vice President – Pharma, Informa Markets B.V, said “India’s pharmaceutical sector is stronger than ever, not only in raw ingredients but also in machinery and biopharmaceuticals. By 2027, biopharma is projected to account for 35% of the global market, positioning India as a leader. This growth extends across the entire supply chain, including contract manufacturing and packaging, providing India with tremendous opportunities as the industry continues to evolve. CPHI & PMEC India plays a crucial role in showcasing this transformation, bringing together key industry players and fostering innovation.”

Unveiling Excellence in Pharma

Day 1 of the event showcased the Pharma Connect Congress, which addressed pivotal themes shaping the pharmaceutical landscape. Sessions included discussions on continuous innovation and agile manufacturing for next-generation therapeutics, moderated by Dr. Mahesh Bhalgat, Group CEO & MD, Veeda Clinical Research Limited, and insights into India’s position as the “Pharmacy of the World” with cost-effective generics and biosimilars, led by Dr. Rhonda Duffy, Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer, Biocon Biologics. The Pharma Congress also highlighted the challenges of adopting digital technologies, with a panel moderated by Dr. Mandar Ghatnekar, Global Head IT & Digital Transformation, Biocon Biologics. Other noteworthy sessions on ‘Advance your Research Decisions on Biosimilars with Confidence’ led by Dr. Dennis McCullough – Vice President, Global Sales, CAS; and ‘Navigating the Complexity of Biosimilar Manufacturing’ by Dr. Sanjeev Gupta, Sr. Vice President – Advanced Biotech Lab, IPCA Labs; among other relevant topics.

Day 2 promises an equally dynamic lineup, focusing on sustainability, and leadership within the pharma and biopharma sectors. Key sessions will address critical sustainability challenges, moderated by Mr. AVPS Chakravarthi, Global Ambassador, World Packaging Organisation, alongside insights into navigating environmental regulations shared by Mr. Rajendra Patil, Head – EHSS, Syngene International. Discussions on ESG contributions to business sustainability, led by Mr. Sunila Sahasrabudhe, Head – ESG Finance, Biocon, and a fireside chat on adopting green chemistry in drug discovery, featuring Dr. Pramod Wangikar, Chair Professor for Green Chemistry and Industrial Biotechnology at IIT Bombay, will further enrich the agenda.

Additionally, Day 1 featured the Pharma Leaders Roundtable, a closed-door session for senior leaders to explore transformative trends and challenges. Discussions highlighted leveraging geopolitical shifts, such as the BIOSECURE Act, to enhance India’s CDMO sector, integrating AI and machine learning for efficiency, and addressing regulatory and infrastructure barriers in advanced therapies.

The day concluded with the prestigious India Pharma Awards 2024, celebrated outstanding achievements in innovation and excellence within the pharmaceutical industry. This prestigious event highlighted transformative contributions across categories such as R&D, sustainability, and digital innovation, while recognizing individuals with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Women in Pharma Roundtable will be another highlight of Day 2, spotlighting the evolving role of women in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. This session will reflect on past achievements, discuss current challenges such as pay disparities and leadership parity, and explore emerging opportunities for women in pharma. By examining key leadership qualities and leveraging industry trends, the roundtable aims to inspire and empower women striving to excel in the industry.

CPHI India features a wide array of exhibitors, including Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), antibiotics, antibodies, biocatalysts, biotechnology, excipients, drug formulations, herbal teas, and many more, representing the entire pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem. On the other hand, PMEC India highlights innovations in pharmaceutical equipment, including packaging and processing equipment, tableting and capsule fillers, plant/facility equipment, process automation, filtration systems, and much more. Together, these exhibitions provide a holistic view of the advancements and opportunities within the pharma and biopharma industries, driving growth, innovation, and collaboration.

In a strategic move, Tembo Global Industries Ltd. has revealed the establishment of two distinct companies aimed at redefining the landscape of their respective industries. This announcement marks a significant milestone for Tembo Global Industries Ltd. as it integrates the umbrella of the new divisions – Tembo Global Infra Ltd. and Tembo Defense Products Ltd.

The first of these initiatives positions Tembo Global Infra Ltd. as the key project executor, significantly enhancing the company’s portfolio. Operated under the general supervision of Tembo Global Industries Ltd, this division has been designed to enhance and streamline project execution efficiency. With a steadfast commitment to delivering excellence, the division stands poised as the driving force behind the company’s future ventures, committed to innovation and maintaining impeccable quality standards.

Tembo Global Industries Ltd.’s strategic decision to launch this division underscores its commitment to business adaptability in the dynamic commercial landscape. With a team comprising of seasoned professionals and acknowledged experts, the division aims to leverage specialized expertise by consolidating project execution within its operations. This approach ensures that each project receives personalized attention, bespoke solutions, and achieves the highest standards of delivery excellence.

Furthermore, as part of its strategic integration, Tembo Global Industries Ltd. introduces its second division, Tembo Defense Products Ltd. This initiative is driven by increasing production demands and underscores Tembo’s commitment to aligning with the “Make in India (Atmanirbhar Bharat)” initiative. This move supports the country’s overarching objective of fostering self-reliance in defense manufacturing.

Speaking on the launch of the divisions, Mr. Sanjay Patel, Managing Director at Tembo Global Industries Ltd, commented, “The introduction not only demonstrates our company’s dedication to growth but also marks the beginning of a new era of innovation and excellence in project execution and diverse business ventures. Our company’s divisions are examples of our strategic vision and commitment to setting the standard in their respective fields.”

This ground-breaking programme demonstrates Tembo Global Industries Ltd commitment to optimizing its organizational structure, improving operational effectiveness, and encouraging innovation throughout its businesses. With these two divisions taking the stage, Tembo Global Infra Ltd. and Tembo Defense Products Ltd.; the company maintains its standing as a progressive leader in the sector, ready to meet any challenges that may arise and provide unparalleled value to its stakeholders

New Delhi, 27th November 2024: AltDRX, a trailblazer in the residential real estate technology space, has been honored as one of the top innovators at the HDFC Tech Innovators 2024 Awards, a prestigious program designed to promote and celebrate cutting-edge innovation in the tech start-up ecosystem. This recognition highlights AltDRX’s groundbreaking efforts in transforming residential real estate into a modern, scalable, and transparent asset class.

The HDFC Tech Innovators 2024 Awards are a joint initiative by several leading entities within the HDFC Group, including HDFC Bank, HDFC Asset Management Company (AMC), HDFC Ergo, HDB Financial Services, HDFC Life, and HDFC Securities. The program aims to encourage innovation and foster collaboration among start-ups across a wide range of sectors, including PropTech, FinTech, Sustainability Tech, Consumer Tech, and New Age Tech. The initiative is spearheaded by HDFC Capital and HDFC Bank, two of the Group’s key players in driving growth and transformation in the Indian economy.

The awards received an overwhelming response this year, with over 2,000 participants submitting applications. These applicants were evaluated by an esteemed jury comprising senior leaders from HDFC Bank Group, industry experts, venture capitalists, and unicorn founders. After a rigorous selection process, the top 10 winners were chosen based on various criteria such as innovation, product-market fit, scalability, and growth potential. AltDRX was selected as one of these standout innovators, a recognition that underscores its excellence in both technology and business impact.

Upon receiving the award, Avinash Rao, Founder of AltDRX, commented, “To be recognized by HDFC, a name synonymous with trust and leadership in the housing finance sector, is an incredible honor and validation for AltDRX. We are focused majorly on residential real estate as an asset class, and receiving this prestigious award from an organization that is a pioneer in the housing industry is a powerful statement of confidence in our innovation. The fact that more than 2,000 start-ups applied, and we were chosen as one of the top 10, reflects the quality and potential of what we are building at AltDRX. This recognition provides a strong endorsement of our vision and product, and will undoubtedly strengthen the trust of our customers, partners, and investors.”

The significance of the award goes beyond mere recognition; it serves as a seal of approval for AltDRX’s cutting-edge technology platform, which is revolutionizing how residential real estate is perceived, valued, and transacted. AltDRX’s innovative platform is designed to address the unique challenges faced by the residential real estate market, including transparency, liquidity, and access to critical data, all of which contribute to making the sector a more attractive and accessible asset class for investors and developers alike.

The recognition comes at a time when AltDRX is scaling its operations and expanding its reach, providing technology-driven solutions that help stakeholders in the housing sector make informed, data-backed decisions. By leveraging advanced PropTech solutions, AltDRX is playing a key role in unlocking new opportunities for developers, investors, and other stakeholders in the housing market. Being one of the HDFC Tech Innovators 2024 will also have a broader impact on the company’s growth trajectory, helping to solidify its position as a leader in the residential real estate technology space.

Three times the speed, three times the thrills, and three times the fun – get ready to race into a whirlwind of action, humor, and high-speed adventure as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gears up to hit the big screen! Following the success of its predecessors, this third installment promises to up the ante with a thrilling new chapter in Sonic‘s saga as Sonic and his friends, Tails and Knuckles, gear up to face their greatest challenge yet! The movie teases the arrival of Shadow the Hedgehog, a fan-favorite character whose mysterious past and intense rivalry with Sonic will set the stage for an epic showdown. Expect jaw-dropping visuals, heart-pounding chases, and the signature wit that has made Sonic a beloved icon!

The film is led by a stellar cast featuring Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, Keanu Reeves, Krysten Ritter, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, Alyla Browne and James Wolk.

Directed by Jeff Fowler, the film continues to honor the spirit of the classic Sega games while delivering an experience for viewers of all ages. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to be a rollercoaster ride of speed, friendship, and heroics – get ready to experience action, heart, and high-speed thrills in the most epic chapter yet!

Produced by Neal H. Moritz, p.g.a., Toby Ascher, p.g.a.,Toru Nakahara, Hitoshi Okuno and Directed by Jeff Fowler, Paramount Pictures Presents this film in association with Sega Sammy Group.

BANGALORE, India, November 27th, 2024 – Whatfix, a global leader in digital adoption platforms (DAPs), today announced that it has been named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Digital Adoption Platforms, Q4 2024 report. The company holds the top score (4.80/5) in the Strategy category amongst the top “seven (DAP) providers that matter the most in the market.” It received the highest score possible (5/5) across 15 of 21 criteria, including product architecture, industry expertise, software change management, software usage and adoption, analytics and insights, AI/ML, vision, innovation, roadmap, and pricing flexibility and transparency. These high scores validate Whatfix’s unique strengths, solidifying its leadership in DAP and recognition across multiple analyst reports.

The Forrester report mentions three key challenges in digital transformation, the rapid growth in the number of enterprise applications, their increasing complexity, and the pressure software-related change places on resources. DAPs (like Whatfix) address these by providing real-time assistance, using data-driven insights to drive adoption, and supporting upskilling and learning. Given the ongoing reliance on legacy applications, the report counsels that DAP providers must support both nontraditional and legacy systems.

The Forrester report by Vasupradha Srinivasan, Principal Analyst at Forrester, states that “Whatfix shines with formidable features and innovativeness”. Its “current vision and strategy are to deliver hyperpersonalized, contextual, ‘userized’ experiences across enterprise applications. It continues to attract venture capital and market interest, with its customer-first approach enabling co-innovation and unique offerings like Mirror.”

We believe Whatfix’s comprehensive DAP solution with “end-to-end DAP with top-tier features” stands out in software usage, adoption, and change management. The Forrester report adds, “Whatfix seamlessly integrates AI for translation, error handling, and self-service, with innovative features like analytics for desktop apps, support for legacy systems, and prompt-based reporting, solidifying its market leadership.”

“We see this recognition as validation of Whatfix’s position at the forefront of the digital adoption platform market,” said Khadim Batti, CEO and co-founder of Whatfix. “Our continued focus on innovation, end-user experience, and customer success has allowed us to deliver a best-in-class solution that empowers enterprises to drive greater software adoption and productivity.”

“Whatfix simplifies everything. Our team addresses SAP Concur questions from employees in many different countries. Whatfix acts as an extra pair of hands, providing a starting point that enables employees to overcome Concur-related issues independently, allowing our team to focus on more complex issues,” said Patrick Ruiz, Service Delivery Manager of Global Shared Services at OMRON.

Whatfix recently raised $125 million in Series E funding to fuel growth beyond DAP, driving both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Whatfix was honored as the only DAP “Customer’s Choice” in Gartner’s Voice of the Customer report, underscoring its strong customer satisfaction. The company’s ongoing innovation is further highlighted by its fifth consecutive year as a Leader and third consecutive year as a Star Performer in the Everest Group DAP PEAK Matrix® 2024. Additionally, Whatfix was named a Leader in the inaugural IDC MarketScape and has been ranked on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 for four consecutive years. Powered by AI, Whatfix’s product suite delivers an enhanced user experience to over 700 customers, including more than 80 Fortune 500 companies, including Beacon Building Products, Microsoft, Kyndryl, Manpower Group, Aramark, Arrow Electronics, AutoZone, Becton Dickinson, Schneider Electric, and Shell.

Indore, 27 November 2024: Indore-based Candytoy Corporate Pvt. Ltd. (CTC), a leading global manufacturer of plastic promotional toys and confectionery, has raised ₹110 crore (₹1.1 billion or approximately $13.22 million) in its Series A funding round. The investment comes from a diverse group of domestic investors, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), angel investors, and institutional investors.

The funds will enable CTC to expand its manufacturing capabilities and invest in building a strong talent pool to support its rapid growth. CTC supplies candy toys and promotional toys to over 40 countries across three continents, and this strategic move aligns with its vision of scaling operations to meet increasing global demand.

Gaurav Mirchandani, Director, Candytoy Corporate Pvt. Ltd., said “We are getting into a very exciting phase. This Series A deal of ₹110.5 crores with 13% liquidation will not only help propel our growth but also enable us to invest in the incredible talent that drives our success as we take on the new business orders received from across the globe.”

While JNR Corporate Advisors, led by CA Jayesh Pahuja, advised the company on the deal, the fundraising was supported by prominent investment partners, including Abakkus Asset Managers (led by Mr. Sunil Singhania), Girik Capital (led by Mr. Varun Daga), Param Capital Research (led by Mr. Mukul Agrawal), Sixth Sense Ventures (led by Mr. Nikhil Vora), and Viney Equity Market (led by Mr. Viney Aggarwal).

“We plan to open more manufacturing units within Indore and across India, keeping in line with our Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. CTC is a high-performance organisation that will continue to strive toward its vision of becoming an admired and trusted company by all stakeholders in the years to come,” further stated Mr. Mirchandani.

Since its inception in 2019, CTC has achieved remarkable growth. Headquartered in Indore, the company exports to regions including Europe, the United States, Africa, Turkey, Japan, the Middle East, and more. CTC employs over 2,000 people and operates six manufacturing units in Indore, Delhi, and Hyderabad, as well as a facility in Jebel Ali, Dubai. The company also collaborates with 11 contract manufacturers to meet its growing demand.

Currently, CTC boasts a daily production capacity of 10.5 million candy toys, leveraging over 250 machines while maintaining stringent quality standards.

New Delhi, 26 November 2024 – The Visual Art Gallery is set to host ‘Utsav 2024,’ an annual exhibition curated by Ratnottama Sengupta, bringing together an evocative tapestry of Indian art. Organized by Nostalgia Colours, this event offers an exquisite journey through the golden hues of India’s artistic heritage, blending the nostalgic charm of masterworks with the vibrancy of emerging talent.

This year’s exhibit pays homage to iconic artists such as K G Subramanian, Paritosh Sen, Rabin Mondal, and Suhas Roy, rekindling memories of their innovative techniques and profound narratives. Complementing these legends are works by living maestros like Anjolie Ela Menon, Lalu Prasad Shaw, and Ganesh Haloi, alongside rising stars including Debadeep Ghosh and Farhad Hussain.

New Delhi, 27th November 2024: Elevating the education of spinal surgery and treatment of spinal injuries in India, the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) successfully concluded a three-day program ‘ISIC Spine Course 2024’ dedicated to spine surgery. The course was designed to address the growing demand for specialized training in spine treatment and rehabilitation, which attracted more than 250 delegates and featured India’s leading spine surgery experts. This unique initiative aimed to empower young and aspiring spine surgeons by providing a unique platform for learning and experience.

The annual course offered a comprehensive curriculum that covered the complete spectrum of spine surgery, including trauma, degenerative conditions, tumors, and infections. Participants engaged in mentored surgical sessions, case-based discussions, and advanced workshops to refine both basic and advanced surgical skills.

During the workshops, the participants were provided with training in key areas, including the Midas Workshop, which focused on precision surgical tools; the Robotic Workshop, introducing automation and advanced technology in spine procedures; the Dural Repair Workshop, which highlighted expert techniques for repairing delicate spinal membranes; and the Sawbone Workshop, offering realistic simulations to enhance surgical proficiency.

Dr. Vikas Tandon, Director & Chief of Spine Services, from Indian Spinal Injuries Centre said “The ISIC Spine Course 2024 is an initiative aimed at shaping the future of spine surgery in India. By blending training with expert mentorship, our effort is to bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that young surgeons are equipped to perform complex procedures with precision and confidence. The overwhelming participation and response is an example of the need for such specialized programs.”

A key highlight of the event was the “War of Wizards” quiz, which brought together postgraduate teams from premier medical institutions like AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Rishikesh, Maulana Medical College, and CMC Vellore. The winners were awarded a fully sponsored one-month observership at ISIC, further enhancing their training opportunities.

By: Brad Jones Chief Information Security Officer, Snowflake

Heading into 2025, the cybersecurity landscape is set to grow more complex, with new challenges emerging as quickly as the technologies driving them. Brad Jones, CISO at Snowflake, shares insights on how AI will shape the cybersecurity landscape in the coming year.

Generative AI takes center stage as businesses’ personal security experts.

While there is a lot of talk about the potential security risks introduced through generative AI, and for good reason, there are real and beneficial applications already happening today that people neglect to mention. As AI tools become more versatile and more accurate, security assistants will become a significant part of the SOC, easing the perennial manpower shortage. The benefit of AI will be to summarize incidents at a higher level — rather than an alert that requires analysts to go through all the logs to connect the dots, they’ll get a high-level summary that makes sense to a human, and is actionable.

Of course, we must keep in mind that these opportunities are within a very tight context and scope. We must ensure that these AI tools are trained on an organization’s policies, standards, and certifications. When done so appropriately, they can be highly effective in helping security teams with routine tasks. If organizations haven’t taken note of this already, they’ll be hearing it from their security teams soon enough as they look to alleviate workloads for understaffed departments.

AI models themselves are the next focus of AI-centered attacks.
Last year, there was a lot of talk about cybersecurity attacks at the container layer — the less-secured developer playgrounds. Now, attackers are moving up a layer to the machine learning infrastructure. I predict that we’ll start seeing patterns like attackers injecting themselves into different parts of the pipeline so that AI models provide incorrect answers, or even worse, reveal the information and data from which it was trained. There are real concerns in cybersecurity around threat actors poisoning large language models with vulnerabilities that can later be exploited.

Although AI will bring new attack vectors and defensive techniques, the cybersecurity field will rise to the occasion, as it always does. Organizations must establish a rigorous, formal approach to how advanced AI is operationalized. The tech may be new, but the basic concerns — data loss, reputational risk and legal liability — are well understood and the risks will be addressed.

Concerns about data exposure through AI are overblown.

People putting proprietary data into large language models to answer questions or help compose an email pose no greater risk than someone using Google or filling out a support form. From a data loss perspective, harnessing AI isn’t necessarily a new and differentiated threat. At the end of the day, it’s a risk created by human users where they take data not meant for public consumption and put it into public tools.

This doesn’t mean that organizations shouldn’t be concerned. It’s increasingly a shadow IT issue, and organizations will need to ratchet up monitoring for unapproved use of generative AI technology to protect against leakage.

IIM Bodh Gaya signed an MoU with PSI India on 26th November to strengthen the public health domain through the 2-year full-time MBA (Hospital & Healthcare Management) started by the institute in 2023. The MBA (Hospital & Healthcare Management) programme is designed to provide a holistic appreciation of the entire healthcare industry including large corporate hospitals, public health, health insurance, pharmaceuticals, digital health, health insurance and healthcare consulting.

Dr. Vinita Sahay, Director of IIM Bodh Gaya and Mr. Mukesh Kumar Sinha, Executive Director of PSI India, emphasized the strategic and futuristic nature of this collaboration, stating that the MoU aims to foster academic excellence and drive social impact. Prof. Swapnarag Swain, Chairperson of the MBA (Hospital and Healthcare Management) programme at IIM Bodh Gaya, highlighted the collaboration as a significant opportunity for students to gain exposure to public health issues and develop potential solutions for project implementations.

Under this MoU, subject matter experts from PSI India will deliver lectures on relevant topics and PSI India will provide opportunities for community immersion, internship and final placements to the students of MBA-HHM. It is to be noted that the summer internship under the MBA-HHM programme is of a 4-month duration which brings uniqueness to the programme. In addition, IIM Bodh Gaya and PSI India have agreed to conduct joint research, and events such as round table discussions, seminars, workshops and conferences aiming to foster knowledge-sharing, innovation and discussions on pertinent issues in the public health domain.

The institute is constantly taking strategic steps to make a significant contribution to the healthcare industry and is committed to establishing itself as a centre of excellence for healthcare management education and research. The MoU helps the institute make strides in academic excellence in healthcare management education by bridging the gap between industry and academia.