All posts by Neel Achary

It’s International Women’s Day on March 8 and the world is gearing up to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women across the globe. Comedy Central has been on the forefront of celebrating women with their armada of the funniest and most memorable characters who act as role models for us all. On this International Women’s Day, let’s take a look at the top five iconic female characters from their hit shows FRIENDS, The Middle, Atypical, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Parks and Recreation!

Rachel Green from FRIENDS

A true inspiration, Rachel Green from FRIENDS is one of the most iconic characters in all of sitcom history. She is a strong, independent woman, who is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. Rachel is a role model for women everywhere, showing them that they can be successful and have a fulfilling career and a personal life. She proves that it is possible to have it all and that women don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. Rachel is also a great example of how even the strongest women sometimes need a little help from their friends, and that there is no shame in seeking help when it is needed.

Frankie Heck from The Middle

Frankie Heck from The Middle is a mother of three who works hard to make ends meet. Despite the obstacles she faces, Frankie is a force to be reckoned with. She is a true fighter who never gives up or takes no for an answer. At the same time, Frankie is a loving and gentle mother and a wife, making her one of the most lovable characters in the show. Frankie is a great reflection of the million roles that women throughout the world take up on a daily basis, and still have the courage to smile at the end of a tiring day.

Elsa Gardner from Atypical

Elsa Gardner is truly an inspiration to women out there. She is a strong, independent woman who stands up for what she believes in. Her character on Atypical shows us that women can be strong and vulnerable at the same time. As an overprotective mom of a son with autism, Elsa represents the tireless love and care that women put into raising their children. Her character shows us the strength and resilience that comes with motherhood.

Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

A true leader, Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an independent woman, who is determined to prove that she can be a great leader. She has, in her own way, proved that women can be successful in a male-dominated field too. Moreover, she is also a great example of how to build the ideal relationship where love and respect are in equal parts, along with responsibility and a little bit of tough love. She is also a great example of how to be assertive and stand up for what you believe in, even when it is not the popular opinion.

Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation

A true hero, Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation is always determined to make a difference and set the right example. Leslie is proof that hard work and dedication can lead to success, and that no goal is too big to achieve. She is also a great example of how to stand up for what you believe in and fight for what you think is right, no matter the odds. Leslie is a hero and a great example of how to be a true leader.

Tune in to Comedy Central to watch your favourite shows and celebrate these female stars this Women’s Day!

Bengaluru, March 4, 2023: Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (“KMBL”/“Kotak”) today announced Kotak White Credit Card’s tie-up as Presenting Sponsor for The Backstreet Boys: DNA World Tour in India.

Under this partnership, all Kotak Credit Card holders will get an exclusive 48 hour access to the pre-sale of concert tickets from 12 PM on 6th March. General sale of tickets opens at 4 PM on 8th March.

Over and above the exclusive access, Kotak White and White Reserve Credit card customers shall also enjoy a 25% off, up to a maximum of Rs 7500, on the concert tickets. Given the expected high demand, this benefit shall be offered on a first come-first serve basis.

Elizabeth Venkatraman, Joint President – Marketing & Alliances, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. said, “At Kotak, we observed that there is an overall increase in interest in the music genre among our customers. Hence, we responded to this trend by actively associating ourselves with musical events, and offer unique experiences to our valued customers. We are excited about Backstreet Boys’ DNA India Tour and the band’s long-awaited return to India after 13 years. We are happy to curate exclusive benefits for our credit card holders, and we hope that they avail the benefits and enjoy this event to the fullest.”

Kotak Credit Card customers can register for the tickets to the event, clicking the below link:

Mumbai, 4 March , 2023: Dalmia Bharat Limited, leading Indian cement company, launched a thought-provoking digital campaign called ‘Homemaker’ commemorating International Women’s Day which is on 8th March. The Indian construction and real estate sector employ around 57 million workers, out of which only 12% or 7 million are women. No more than 1.4% are engaged in technical and managerial roles as architects, civil engineers, supervisor etc and less than 2% in leadership positions. Emphasizing the disparity and gender-ratio gap in this sector, Dalmia Bharat is pioneering the initiative to encourage women across India to join the construction industry in crucial roles.

The online campaign centres around a play on the word ‘Homemaker’ and the difference between its literal and conventional meaning. Normally the word ‘Homemaker’ is associated with stay-at-home mothers or housewives. However, the campaign focuses on interpreting the word literally to mean someone who builds homes. Through this campaign, Dalmia Bharat aims to highlight the gender ratio skew in the business and wants to lead the change in perception, showcasing women as equally skilled members of this fraternity.

The digital campaign will be activated through a series of teasers, testimonials, and a short film. Tagged as Because I’m that woman who chooses to be a #homemaker, the short film showcases how women in the construction industry are building their own destiny while encountering constant stereotypes. Initially it will seem that a woman is being portrayed as a homemaker, but there will be a twist towards the end showing her as the actual engineer, contractor, architect of homes – the actual ‘homemaker’. Targeted at Tier I and Tier II audience, the Women’s Day campaign will aim to reach out to a larger talent pool, potential employees, and educational institutes. The campaign will run across six key digital platforms – LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp till March 2023.

Commenting on the marketing campaign, DBL spokesperson said, “Traditionally, the construction industry is a male dominated field and only 12% women are part of this workforce in India. It remains an uncommon choice for women professionally due to the typecast and lack of opportunities. On Women’s Day we want to amplify our intent for the need to bring about a paradigm shift in this industry. We hope the campaign can sensitize and encourage women to explore and consider opportunities in our industry and company.”

Hyderabad, March 04, 2023……The Ministry of MSME, Govt of India is helping 60 MSMEs to participate in the 3rd Business Women Expo 2023 to be held at Hitex from March 10 to 12 for three days informed Mr. M.V. Sudhir Kumar, Asst Director, MSME-Development Institute while addressing a press conference organized on Thursday by Hitex at their office in Madhapur to give a brief about the forthcoming event . We bear their cost of participation, he added.

Speaking further Mr. Sudhir said, they help MSMEs in many ways such as credit facility, technology upgradation, infrastructure development, increase in capacity, marketing support and it also helps them to participate in domestic as well as international exhibitions.

Further the department is helping women MSMEs with new age skills such as Trademark, Patent registration, GST, nil returns filing, cyber security and many such new issues and subjects MSMEs are confronted with, Mr. MV, Sudhir Kumar said.

Dr. KBRS Visarada, Principal Scientist of IIMR-Indian Institute of Millet Research said nutritional security is the order of the day. Earlier it was food security. Now the food is abundantly available. Millets are a good cereal for nutrition security.

IIMR is developing new millet recipes, reviving some old and introducing millet drinks too. It runs programs to cook with millets. It trains home entrepreneurs on how to make biscuits, cookies for household use as well as commercial use.

IIMR played a key role in making the United Nations to announce the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Millets are the pride of India. Our Traditional Grains have got international recognition, she added. She urged people to make Millets part of food service.

Dr. Shilpi Reddy of KIMS Cuddle said Millets are a source of energy. Their stall in the expo will help women learn how to have intelligent babies by their own training, she said.

Srini Chandupatla, Vice President of TiE Hyderabad said TiE will run an investor connect program for the benefit of women entrepreneurs. They can pitch to potential investors. He gave a list of initiatives TiE Hyderabad organizes to promote women entrepreneurship.

Usha of We Hub said that they were planning to start an accelerator soon. They were also planning to launch WE CORNER, the first retail forward linkage support channel for women entrepreneurs.

Abhinav of AasaanWill said their online Will Writing Platform is only one of its kind in India. It helped 1000 plus people to write their Will. Unfortunately 95% of the Indian Population does not know much about Will and Will Writing. He told women to secure their hard earned properties.

WEDO, Women Entrepreneurship Development Organization plans to present visionary women awards during the Business Women Expo 2023.

I-Run to organize Hyderabad’s first exclusive women’s run. It is women only run to be held on the last day of the exhibition, said Mr. Samuel from I-Run Break Barriers. We found that women are shy of participating in runs. They say it is because of lack of company, who to run with. Also they don’t participate partly because of their household responsibilities, he said. 1500 women are expected to participate in the run.

Sambit of Hitex said the objective of the expo is to create business opportunities and give them a platform to network.

The World Book Fair Children’s pavilion hosted a fascinating, multi-disciplinary event by internationally acclaimed author-dancer Jaya Mehta and illustrator Suruba Natalia from Moldova. They shared with children, parents, and educators their creative journey of making the book, ‘Nritya Katha – Indian Dance stories for Children’. Published by The National Book Trust of India, the book brings alive the rich culture of different states of India, through the journey of a child discovering various Indian dance forms.

Culture curator Swati Chattopadhyay asked the author about her motivation to create a unique storybook about India’s dance forms for children. Jaya Mehta expressed that India with its rich heritage of eight classical dance forms and hundreds of regional dance forms needed a storybook that deeply connected children to Indian dance forms as a means of culture connect and personal discovery. The bigger role of classical dance, the author explained, is to connect children to the rich architecture, sculpture, crafts, costumes, paintings, and music of each state. Jaya Mehta also illustrated how these vibrant connections of dance and culture, enable children to develop powerful inter-disciplinary thinking and rich cultural pride.

Jaya Mehta shared the fascinating process of how a dance form, like Manipuri or Kathakali, was first understood through an exchange of ideas between the author and illustrator. Over the pandemic period, they shared pictures and videos of each dance form and discussed the details to develop through illustration. Suruba Natalia demonstrated the process by which an illustrator created children’s book illustrations that are rich in colors, feeling, tactile quality, and imagination. She also conducted a drawing session for children at the event, showing how they can visualize a character from a story.

The artist and illustrator insisted that the imagination of a child was their strongest faculty, in which there is a feeling of play. It is imagination and feeling richly that lead a child towards creativity and discovery. They encouraged parents to allow their children to deeply engage in an art form, like writing, painting, music, or dance, so that this superpower of imagination becomes heightened.

Children and parents at the event felt deeply inspired to pursue the path of imagination and learned much about the process of how a book takes shape between an author, illustrator, and designer. The book ‘Nritya Katha – Indian Dance stories for Children’, gave the audience a fascinating glimpse into creative processes that shape a unique book and the vast kaleidoscope depth of Indian classical dance forms.

New Delhi; 4th March 2023: On National Security Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has recruited seven transgender professionals for the security function of its plant at Jharsuguda (Odisha), which is one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters. The seven employees Aarunita Payasingh, Aarohi Sharma, Sandhya Yadav, Siddhi Nage, Khushi Dhruv, Pavitra and Roma Dhruw, will join the company’s formidable security team and will be responsible for ensuring strict round-the-clock security of the assets and workforce. This is the second hiring of LGBTQIA+ professionals at Vedanta Aluminium, with the previous recruits working at the company’s Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary, BALCO, in security and material handling functions. Last year, the company embarked upon the mission to expand its recruitment ambit to tap into the LQBTQIA+ talent pool, who are yet to find acceptance in the mainstream and corporate world.

With 14 transgender employees, Vedanta Aluminium is now amongst the handful of manufacturing companies in India and the world to have LGBTQIA+ employees in core operations. Globally, the gender diversity ratio in manufacturing and heavy engineering industries has traditionally been low, and this deficit is even more acute in metals and mining. To build a diverse workforce, Vedanta Aluminium has been working extensively towards attracting high-potential women and LGBTQIA+ professionals to join its ranks.

To ease their transition from the fringes of society to smart manufacturing plants, and help them evolve from semi-skilled people into professionals, Vedanta Aluminium has adopted a three-pronged approach, that includes:

Identification of trans people with minimum required skills for working in a manufacturing industry by conducting skill mapping studies.
Extensive training programs for the recruits, aimed at honing the required skillsets, including soft-skills and business knowledge.
Building an empathetic & inclusive environment by conducting gender-sensitization sessions for its workforce, with respect to the social and psychological challenges of trans people, proper code of conduct and ways of working to build a cohesive and encouraging environment for all. This also includes ensuring required infrastructural augmentations.
Going forward, the company intends to recruit more employees, both directly and indirectly through its business partners, from the LGBTQIA+ community to further increase the diversity of its workforce.

Speaking about Vedanta Aluminium’s endeavours to increase diversity of workforce, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO, Vedanta Limited – Aluminium Business, said, “Our markets, customers and businesses are diverse and complex. To match that, we believe in recruiting people with diverse experiences, skills, education etc so that the business strategies they formulate, the problems they solve, the innovations they make are correspondingly well-rounded. The secret sauce for our healthy gender-diversity ratio includes gender-agnostic job roles, a merit-driven work culture, a host of global experts who train and groom our employees for success, a sharp & rich learning curve, and a plethora of wellbeing initiatives designed to support them at every stage of their lives. Our ultimate objective is to build a wholesome culture, that makes our employees and partners feel welcomed, encouraged and empowered to deliver to the best of their potential.”

Arohi Sharma, one of the newly recruited transgender employees, said, “Vedanta Jharsuguda has taken utmost care towards ensuring a comfortable induction into the organization for me and my colleagues. We have been provided with robust functional and safety trainings, sessions on diversity and equal opportunity, and technical trainings for our roles & responsibilities as part of the company’s security force. Our colleagues are friendly and respectful and have made us feel welcomed. I am thankful to Vedanta for this life-changing opportunity.”

Another employee, Roma Dhruw, adds, “From struggling to survive in society to being given the empowering responsibility to handle the security of one of the world’s largest aluminium plants, I am proud to have come this far. This is a milestone moment in our lives, and the transgender community. I thank Vedanta Aluminium for giving us the opportunity to be part of the company’s growth journey.”

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.27 million tonnes in FY22. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. www.vedantaaluminium.com

Related to:

#vedanta #vedantaaluminium #transgender #LGBTQIA #diversity #diverseworkforce #diversityandinclusion #dei #workforcediversity

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-Dr. Mahipal S Sachdev, Chairman & Founder, Centre for Sight group of Eye Hospitals

With the festival of colors- Holi approaching, the whole of India especially the northern regions is going to be covered in colour in the coming days. While this time of year is enjoyed by people of every age group with gatherings and get-togethers of friends and family, Holi with itself can also bring agony to the general public’s eyes, skin, hair, and respiratory tracts.

The risk of infection in the body increases gradually in this period as the synthetic colors used are composed of chemicals and possess a great threat to people’s eyes. These Colors contain chemicals like Mercury Sulphite, Lead Oxide, and Copper Sulphate that are harmful to the eyes. Exposure to these chemicals can result in people suffering from eye allergies, temporary blindness, and conjunctivitis (pink eye). Some other health hazards include skin allergies, dermatitis, drying and chapping of the skin, skin cancer, rhinitis, asthma, and pneumonia.

These synthetic colors can get easily mixed with water and enter the eye causing mild redness and irritation. It is advised for patients that if this irritation and redness do not go away in a day or two, they should refer to an ophthalmologist. The particles present inside color powders (shining mica particles in gulal) can also cause damage to the cornea. The patient can experience pain and watering from the eye and if not treated in time, this can cause an ulcer/ infection in the eye. The corneal abrasion is an emergency and one should consult the doctor immediately.

The use of these synthetic colors can also lead to partial vision loss. A gray patch appears on the retina and blocks sight. It is a serious medical complication and therefore, should not be ignored. Delayed treatment can lead to complete loss of sight. Not only holi colors but also sprays or mace can result in temporary blindness.

There is a gradual increase in the number of patients visiting hospitals Post-Holi due to skin and eye problems. The eyes are the most sensitive part of the body and any chemical that goes inside can cause mild allergy to severe chemical burns in the eye.

The balloons used by children during Holi are also dangerous as they can cause blunt eye injury. There can be bleeding within the eye, lens subluxation, macular edema, or retinal detachment. These can lead to loss of vision or loss of the eye. These are all eye emergencies that require immediate specialist consultation.

Tips you must follow to prevent damage to the eyes:-

• · Cover the eyes while playing Holi – Always cover your eyes whenever there is a chance of color coming in contact with them. Sunglasses are useful for this.
• · Keep your eyes close – Try to dissuade people from applying color all over your face with their hands. If you fail to do so, be especially careful in keeping your eyes and lips tightly shut. Always request the person not to smear the colors near the eyes.
• · Keep the windows closed when traveling by car – The menace of water balloons can be tackled in this way. Water balloons can be most damaging for your eyes as they can rupture the eyeball or even lead to retinal detachment.
• · Remove contact lenses if you feel irritation – If the eye is exposed to aniline dyes during Holi, it causes great irritation to the eye. The exposure to the dye increases for those who wear contact lenses. They should immediately discard the contact lens.

Home-made colors are always better than synthetic colors. Everybody is aware of it and can make these at home. “Haldi” mixed with flour gives yellow color, while petals of flowers of “Tesu/Palash” give you saffron color. The “Beetroot” pieces soaked in water can give magenta color. Even henna powder, gulmohar flowers, or hibiscus flowers can be used to make colors. These homemade colors are safe for the skin and eyes.

Taking this opportunity, I would request everyone to enjoy their festivities responsibly, in terms of maintaining the social distancing norms, being watchful with the synthetic colors, and your health.

Gurugram: Giving the message to save water for environmental protection, SGT University at Gurugram organised “Radha Krishna Sang Phoolon Ki Holi ‘ on Saturday. A gala of cultural events depicting the diverse culture of India was presented on this occasion. The cultural melange had dance performances in Gujarati, Haryanvi, Mizoram, Rajasthani, South Indian, and Brij and a shower of flowers in place of traditional colors for the Holi.

The cultural fiesta reflected the true spirit of the festival spreading joy, happiness, and enthusiasm. The festivities were centered on Environmental conservation theme with the redolence of marigolds replacing colors and water.

Chancellor of the University, Padmashri Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, Sh. Najeeb Jung, former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, and Chairperson of the Dashmesh Educational Charitable Trust, Smt. Madhupreet Kaur Chawla, Managing Trustee, Shri Manmohan Singh Chawla, senior officials of the university, and other dignitaries were present at the event.

The cultural event began with a welcome dance performance by “Brajesh Basantam Navneet Chauram’. Everyone was mesmerized by the Gujarati dance performance of the song ‘Holi Aai Re.”

A captivating Rajasthani folk dance performance on ‘Holia Mein Ude Re Gulal’ enthused the audience and each and everyone present at the event started dancing. The comedy act ‘Sabse Bada Moorkh,” based on humor, drew huge applause from the people at the event.

The major attractions of the event were bamboo, or Chadau, dance from Mizoram, South Indian dance from Telangana, and Holi dance from Brij. The students mesmerized the audience with their dance performance on the love stories of Radha and Krishna.

Dancing to traditional, classical, and Bollywood-based Holi songs created the ambiance of Holi. When students of SGT University started dancing to the songs ‘Meethe Ras Se Bhari Radha Rani Lage’, ‘Ab Radhe Rani De Daro Bansi Mori’, and ‘Khelo Melo Holi Khelo’, it felt as if the SGT campus had turned into Mathura-Vrindavan.

It was ecstatic to watch students dressed as Radha and Krishna, and all the people present at the event seemed to be completely immersed in the colors of Holi.

The entire program was organized under the direction of Chairperson Smt. Madhupreet Kaur Chawla and the support and motivation from Managing Trustee Shri Manmohan Singh Chawla. The pro-vice chancellor, registrar, office bearers, and other dignitaries of the university were present at the event. Students, teachers, and staff participated in the Holi Milan ceremony. The fervor of the event fostered a stronger and healthier bond of brotherhood.

04 March 2023: Russian Centre of Science and Culture jointly with the Indian Association of Russian Compatriots celebrated the festival of MASLENITSA in New Delhi. The event was organized by Mrs. Elena Barman, president of IARC ( Indian Association of Russian Compatriots).

The festival marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of Spring in Russia. The people celebrate by making blini (Pancakes) and burning the Maslinitsa doll. Traditionally pancakes are enjoyed with different fillings and toppings, from Sour cream to caviar, to salmon to all the sweet things
Mrs. Barman commented on the occasion “We have been celebrating the festival for the last 20 years here in New Delhi, where we invited Russian and Indo Russian families to participate and help the children understand and enjoy the festival to keep the traditions going on.”

The director of the Russian house Mr. Oleg Osipov in his speech to guests told that the name Maslenitsa (variously translated as “Butter Week,” or “Pancake Week” in English) comes from the fact that, according to Russian Orthodox tradition. Each day of the festival involves pancakes, butter and many indulgent toppings, as Russians celebrate the arrival of Spring with an abundance of food, drinks, sledding, and snowball fights. Dressed up in beautiful traditional costumes and dance on folks songs is how the festival is celebrated. It is the day that Orthodox Russians enjoy dairy and meats as next day onwards Lent fasting begins. The Lent is a period of 40 days in preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter.

Maslenitsa is well-known for its seven days of festivities and final dose of gluttony. Food is a hugely important part of Maslenitsa. In folk tales, it’s been said that you must eat throughout the day as many times as a dog wags its tail, a fair challenge if you consider that the main food groups during this time are the stomach-filling, rich and often buttery blini. The blini, made every day of the week, symbolises the sun and its warmth and Russians are known to eat as many of them as possible during Maslenitsa since the seven days of festivities are followed by seven somber weeks of the Great Lent. What better way to enjoy the festivities with near and dear family and friends

Celebrate Holi with a Splash of vibrant colours in the pink city amidst the majestic Aravali Range at DoubleTree by Hilton Jaipur Amer. The hotel is hosting a grand celebration in their garden area to usher in the true spirit of Holi filled with joy, hope and a strong dose of unlimited fun on the 7th of March.

The Holi celebration promises you everything you need to make your holi-day perfect. Let loose and dance to the beats of upbeat music as you immerse yourself in the fervor of Holi with a live DJ. No Indian festival can be celebrated without delicious food. Indulge yourself in true Indian flavours at the live chaat counters with golgappas, kachoris, and lots more while you keep your spirits high with unlimited pours of IMFL as you enjoy the festivities with organic colours and a glass of thandai.

Revel in the joy of the colours of Holi and create everlasting memories with your friends and family at DoubleTree By Hilton Jaipur Amer.

Where: Garden area, DoubleTree By Hilton Jaipur Amer.

When: 7th March 2023

Time: 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM

Price: INR 2,499 + Taxes (Per Person)