25 April 2023  In a world of boring podcasts and predictable audiobooks, the audio series platform Pocket FM has taken the internet by storm with its new sensation, Super Yoddha, with a captivating storyline, heart-pounding action, and mind-blowing sound effects. It’s the audio series everyone is talking about, and it’s not hard to see why.

Super Yoddha is a thrilling audio series that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its epic battles, fantastical creatures, and incredible storytelling by voice actors. The story revolves around an 11-year-old boy named Dhruv who had accomplished the high-level ‘Eklavya’ rank in Shaurya Dal’s organization for the first time in history but dropped back down to the ‘zero’ rank due to unfortunate incidents in his life. Followed by this, the storyline progressed with Dhruv winning all the odds to regain his former rank.

Super Yoddha has been causing a sensation among listeners across India. Millions of people have already tuned in to experience the excitement and adventure of this epic audio series. With each episode, the fan base of Super Yoddha is growing, and people can’t get enough of it. The audio series has recorded over 35 million plays in no time.

Thrilled with its success, Ashu Behl, SVP – Content & Strategy. Pocket FM said, “We’re excited with the incredible response Super Yoddha has received. We knew our audience are in love with our fantasy storytelling, and this series has every entertainment ingredient required for fantasy storytelling. Fantasy audio series is gaining popularity due to the immersive audio experience and captivating storytelling. The trend is expected to accelerate as more people discover the joys of fantasy audio series, with us continuing to produce high-quality fantasy content.”

Written by the acclaimed author S. Sridhar, this series is a masterpiece of storytelling that combines the best of the superhero and fantasy genres to create an experience like no other. “As the writer of ‘Super Yoddha,’ I’m overjoyed to see the series’ massive success on Pocket FM. It’s truly humbling to know that my words have the power to transport listeners to a world of fantasy and wonder. Crafting the intricate plotlines, memorable characters, and vivid imagery that make up ‘Super Yoddha’ as a labor of love, and I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to create something that has touched so many hearts.” said Sridhar

Shridhar’s exceptional writing skills have earned him well-deserved recognition in the film industry. He has exhibited his talents in various successful projects, including ‘The Will,’ a short film available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, and his contribution to the screenplays of two award-winning short films, Cowmedy and Taal-Betal. Both films were screened at renowned film festivals like the New York Indian Film Festival in 2020 and the Nagari Film Festival in 2021, where they received critical acclaim. Shridhar also shares a close association with Actor and Thespian Vijay Kumar, who has featured in several successful TV shows and movies.

Bengaluru, 24 April 2023: Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (“KMBL” / “Bank”) and its CSR associate Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation, today announced the launch of “Kotak Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy”, a world-class badminton training Centre at Gachibowli, Telangana. The launch was attended by Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation’s Pullela Gopichand, Founder Trustee and India’s National Coach, L.V. Subrahmanyam, Trustee and Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Shanti Ekambaram, Whole-Time Director and Jaimin Bhat, Group President and Group Chief Financial Officer.

The newly launched state-of-the-art badminton centre is part of KMBL’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project on sports and has been developed with the shared vision of the Bank and Indian badminton legend, Pullela Gopichand – the founder trustee of Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation of bringing more laurels to India in the field of Badminton. The badminton training centre offers advanced infrastructure and amenities, along with international-level coaches to provide top-notch training to aspiring and acclaimed athletes.

In 2019, Kotak Mahindra Bank announced its CSR Project in Sports in collaboration with Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation (Foundation) to develop a world-class training facility for Indian badminton players. The launch of this new training facility is a significant milestone for both organisations, marking the beginning of their journey towards achieving their shared vision of developing exceptional athletes and coaches in the country.

Shanti Ekambaram, Whole-time Director, of Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “Kotak Mahindra Bank and Pullela Gopichand share a common vision of nurturing world-class badminton players from India and strengthening sports infrastructure and avenues for the future youth of the country. Our CSR efforts focus on making quality education, livelihood, environment and sports, available to all, regardless of their economic background. We are proud to associate with Pullela Gopichand and his foundation which is dedicated to supporting athletes and the growing passion for sports in the country.

Pullela Gopichand, Indian National Coach & Founder Trustee of Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation said, “The current badminton training facility has the legacy of producing global champions who have brought laurels for India in major championships from Olympics to Commonwealth games among several others. Since its inception 15 years ago, the academy has become an aspirational facility for potential players from deeper pockets across the country. Further, to support the accelerated growth of sports in India, the new-Kotak Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy will offer advanced infrastructure and amenities and Coach development that will elevate badminton training to international standards for our players. We are grateful for Kotak Mahindra Bank’s CSR funding support on this journey leading towards achieving excellence in sports.”

Amenities offered at Kotak-Pullela Gopichand Badminton Training Facility in Hyderabad:

High-performance training centre comprising six air-conditioned badminton courts
Sports Science Centre with top-quality resident nutritionists, physiotherapists, and strength and conditioning experts on board for the all-around development of players

Top-quality training and coaching facilities at par with global standards

Fellowship Programmes for economically backward coaches and players, within and outside the academy, who have the potential to make it big Coach Certification Programme for yesteryear sportspersons to expand the reach of badminton training across India

The collaboration is a testament to the commitment of both organizations to contribute to the growth and development of Indian badminton.

Kotak Karma is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) identity of the Kotak Mahindra Group of companies.

Hyderabad, 24 April 2023: ASIA PACIFIC INC, a leading corporate advisors company, has today announced the achievement of ISO certification and also launched their New Web App at a special event organized at Taj Deccan, Hyderabad. The event was attended by 100+ guests, including leading real-estate developers and senior management from banks and financial institutes.

Sri IYR Krishna Rao garu, Retired IAS, Former Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh – Chief Guest, Sri Raghu Pervella, IRS – Distinguished guest, Sri Koti – Music Director, Distinguished guest, Sri Narendra Kamaraju, MD of Praneet Group – Guest of Honour, Sri S. Ramreddy, MD of SMR builders PVT Ltd., Hyderabad, Sri Ramesh Krishna Murthy, Director, JM Financial Services Ltd., Mumbai – Guest of Honour, Sri Vivek Kuchibotla, a prominent producer had graced the occasion at the event.

The ISO certification is a significant milestone for Asia Pacific Inc. which underscores the company’s commitment to quality and excellence in its business processes. The certification validates Asia Pacific Inc’s compliance with international standards and best practices, ensuring that their products and services meet the highest level of quality standards.

At the event, Asia Pacific Inc. also unveiled its latest offering, a new web app that is set to revolutionize the Real-estate sector. The new web app is designed to offer ease to the workflow, and its launch is a testament to the company’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Radha Krishna, Managing Partner at Asia Pacific Inc. said, “We are thrilled to announce the achievement of our ISO certification and the launch of our new web application. These milestones are a testament to our team’s dedication and hard work toward delivering the best products and services to our customers. We are committed to continuously improving and innovating to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Asia Pacific Inc plans to leverage this ISO certification and new web app to expand its customer base and grow its business further.

Hyderabad, April 24, 2023….…The Summit on Health Insurance Vision 2030 held at FTCCI will make a document in the next three months, disclosed Bejon Misra, Chair, Health Insurance Vision 2020, at the closing of the Round Table Discussion of all the stakeholders such as Government Officials, CEOs and Heads of Various Stakeholders. The round table was held on Saturday. It was part of the Summit on Health Insurance Vision 2030 yesterday.

Summing up the Round Table Discussion, Prof Bejon K Misra, Chair of Health Insurance Vision 2030 shared that after due deliberations on Friday and Saturday, they firmed up nine recommendations, which will be incorporated in the Vision Document which is expected to be ready in the next three months.

As a person on the street has the option of choosing a coffee of his choice for his budget so must a person also must have the option to choose his healthcare in his own budget said Shekhar Agarwal, Chair, Healthcare Committee, FTCCI

The nine recommendations are as follows.

01. FTCCI is to establish a Clearing House. This will create evidence of any kind of breakdown in the healthcare delivery system. It will be named appropriately in due course of time. It will be some kind of a clearance cell, something like the Health Insurance Vision 2030 Clearance Cell It will work on evidence only. This body will also conduct Research and studies on the barriers to access and affordable healthcare in Telangana State.

02. It will work on standards. It will make sure that all the stakeholders develop their standards. If they don’t display their standards they will not get paid. Every stakeholder in the ecosystem will be encouraged to develop their own standards.

03. A Cost Account Committee will be constituted. It will have two persons each of Cost Accountants, CAs, Hospitals, Intermediaries, Patient Organisations, and insurance industry professionals.

04. It will work to develop a unique model which will be called a Telangana Model. No copying of any model. It will be original and unique to the state of Telangana. The ultimate goal of this committee is to bring a smile to citizens.

05. The Intermediaries–Agents, Brokers, and TPAs (Third Party Administrators) have agreed to start a 24×7 Helpline to help policyholders and also potential policyholders address their grievances or issues they face while purchasing policies or processing the same for claims. It will have to be a vibrant one and run by intermediaries. The working modalities will be worked out in due course.

06. It will push for exclusive laws or regulations for the medical devices sector. As of now, the devices are seen as drugs, which is not right. Devices are media that enable treatment. We can not mix devices and drugs together in one single law. No patient needs to pay more than these devices deserve. MRP transparency needs to be ensured through the proper regulatory mechanism. No overcharging will be allowed.

07. FTCCI Health Insurance Vision 2030 Cell will start a 24×7 surveillance system that will help people reach the right person at the right time. It will keep records of adverse drug reactions or any substandard products or services delivered. If so, to take them to a logical end to provide resolutions engaging with regulatory authorities. It will primarily look at patient safety and the quality of the healthcare delivery system.

08. It is decided that the group that attended the one and half day Summit will meet once in three months to review its progress. The Health Insurance Vision 2030 document will be made by ASCI, the knowledge partner to the initiative

09. Make Telangana State emerge as a leader in ‘Health For All’, maybe through insurance, private or government or a combination of all.

The Roundtable Discussion which was participated by over 100 stakeholders was moderated by Mr Ajay Mishra, a retired IAS Officer who is also a Chairman of the State Red Cross Society.

The Moderator Ajay Misra while setting the tone for the discussion, said why there is so much delay in discharging the patients even after doctors discharge them. The long waiting period must be curtailed to 1 to 2 hours. The hospitals have to be very specific about the time required to discharge a patient.

The terms and conditions of the health insurance policy are voluminous. They are in small font, not legible and not all can read. The font size of the same shouldn’t be less than 10 font and the terms and conditions should not be spread over more than two pages. The health insurance spread in the state of Telangana is reasonably good. Not many public sector hospitals have come up in Hyderabad in the last 50 years. At the time more than two dozen star hospitals in the private sector have come, Ajay Misra observed.

Participating in the discussion, one of the panelists Mr. Tapan Singhel, Chair of the General Insurance Council said if there is an intent and will, the vision that is envisaged by 2030 can be implemented even now. And he suggested a few practices followed for better coverage of health insurance. The USA made health insurance mandatory for employees employing people. The TCS in India pays INR 3000 crore towards health insurance.

In Rajasthan, every family gets an insurance benefit of ₹5 lakhs under the Universal Healthcare scheme in the state. The people in the state can avail of health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh by paying half of the insurance premium, of ₹850 annually, and avail of the treatment of ₹5 lakhs at any private and government hospital. When Rajasthan can do this, why can’t we do it elsewhere he said.

Dr. Alexander Thomas, Founder & Patron of the Association of Healthcare Providers, India, suggested setting up a Costing Committee. If the government joins fine, if not work it out between hospitals, insurers, and patients.

Dr. Vadiraju Rakesh, President of Telangana Hospitals & Nursing Homes Association said the whole approach to the issue has to be holistic.

The next decade is about Health and Health Care Delivery, said Mr. Rajiv Kumar Gupta, President of PBFintech Ltd(Policy Bazar and Paisabazaar).

Dr. Atul Mohan Kochchar, CEO of NABH–National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers said that they touched about 17000 hospitals across India so far. We want to touch 50,000 hospitals in the near future. Every month nearly 400 hospitals are registering their applications for accreditation. Every hospital must adopt some standards, he said.

24 April 2023 Utopia, the innovative smart e-bike technology company, is excited to announce its collaboration with world-renowned pianist Maksim Mrvica as the first brand ambassador for its sleek and stylish Chord E-bike.

Maksim, with over 4 million albums sold in 57 countries, is a pioneering pianist, widely recognized as the world’s best-selling crossover artist. At our initial meeting, Maksim had just concluded his latest recital. With a towering height of 6 feet 9 inches, he exuded warmth and courtesy, elegantly dressed in a black suit complemented by rock-inspired accessories and tattoos adorning his arms. In an interview, Maksim revealed that he appreciates the personalized touch and perfect fit conveyed by his fashion choices. It is evident that Maksim is not only a renowned classical crossover pianist but also a tasteful fashionista with high standards. Since his foray into crossover music in the early 2000s, Maksim has consistently breathed new life into the classics while preserving the genre’s essence. His passion for music and high-quality design made him the perfect fit for Urtopia’s philosophy of “design is soul.” When he first laid eyes on the Chord E-bike, he was instantly drawn to its simple yet elegant design, stating that it is “passionate and innovative at the same time.”

Urtopia, a technology-driven Ebike company, challenges the traditional design standards of the bicycle industry with its unique style. Urtopia Chord E-bike is inspired by the piano, with its unique design style capturing the essence of the musical instrument. Maksim was impressed by the Chord’s power, reliability, and elegant design, stating that it was “just like my favorite E-bike.”

What’s more, Urtopia is committed to providing excellent customer service, with free shipping and 14-day returns throughout the EU and the US. Its warehouse and after-sales center are located in Germany and the United States, and it has over 50 test ride service points. Anyone interested in the Chord E-bike can book a free test ride on the website. Additionally, Utopia has partnered with the German JobRad platform to offer bike leasing. This benefit is not available with all E-bike brands.

Experience the power and elegance of Urtopia’s Chord E-bike, as endorsed by the world-renowned pianist Maksim Mrvica. Visit the Utopia website to learn more about the innovative Chord E-bike and the company’s commitment to quality and service.

24 April 2023  Infiniti Mall, Mumbai’s top-tier shopping, food, and entertainment hotspot is geared up to host a lineup of family-friendly events, with a promise of elevated entertainment and a guaranteed extraordinary shopping experience this summer. Infiniti Mall announces hosting Fun Mania, the one-of-a-kind event with unlimited fun for all age groups. The mall will be adorned vibrantly featuring a wide variety of activities and attractions for visitors. Fun-packed events will be held at both Andheri and Malad premises between 21st April to 14th May 2023.

Family bonding time awaits at Fun Mania 2023, providing an excellent opportunity to spend quality time together. The unmissable lineup of events includes Paper Flower Bouquet Craft, Kids Fashion Show, Belly Swag, Seed Art, Magic Show, South Style Dance Performance, and many more.

24 April, New Delhi:  India, during its G20 presidency year, successfully organized The World’s Largest Global Climate Clock Assembly and Display event at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The event saw the assembly of 559 climate clocks by 7,000 people and 3,000 rganizations from all walks of society, laying the foundation for change and promoting climate change mitigation among common people.

The Energy Swaraj Foundation spearheaded the event, with students from all over India gathering to set a world record of assembling 559 clocks together. The stadium was filled with climate enthusiasts and conscious individuals who pledged to take action for climate correction. The event received participation not just from within India, but also from people outside the country.

The assembly of clocks began after a lecture from Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki, The Solar Man of India, who spoke about understanding climate change and limiting the use of energy through the AMG principle – Avoid, Minimize, and Generate.

“To create awareness about the rising temperature and mitigating climate change issue, we in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, All India Council for Technical Education and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research along with over thousands of other organizations are organizing the this event on the occasion of Mother Earth Day on April 22, 2023,” Chetan Solanki, Founder, ESF said.

Guests of honor, including Prof. (Dr.) T.G. Sitharam, Chairman of All India Council for Technical Education, and Dr. Chintan Vaisnav, Mission Director of Niti Aayog Atal Innovation Mission, Dr. G. Mahesh chief scientist &Head, DG Executive Directorate at CSIR also graced the occasion.

“We have truly achieved something special today, something that we have never attempted before,” said Mr Abhejit Agarwal Head, Sustainability &CSR, Axis Bank.

Prof. T.G. Sitharam at the event asked everyone to stand up and give a standing ovation to Prof Solanki for his incredible work.

A 20-year-old student from Delhi named Simran said, “I feel good about connecting with the Climate Clock and raising awareness about its changes. Now it is time to shift towards renewable resources.”

The event was recorded in the Asia Book of Records for the highest number of climate clock assemblies across the country and was also trending at Times Square in New York, USA. The global partner for the event was Climate Clock Group, which first displayed the climate clock at Times Square.

The Energy Swaraj Foundation received funding support from Axis Bank Ltd., and the foundation expressed gratitude for the indispensable support provided by the bank. Shri Shailesh Choudhary and Shri Udit Bhatiya Ji from Axis Bank Pvt. Ltd. were present at the occasion, along with Shri Vigneshwaran Ramalingam, Manager of Sustainability and CSR. The event was a huge success and marked the beginning of a change towards a sustainable future.

Hyderabad, 24 April 2023: Food insecurity is a global crisis today. Besides the threat to farmers’ livelihood and agriculture, a bigger problem for India is loss and wastage, with India ranking 107 out of 121 countries, in the 2022 Global Hunger Index. Working to address the crisis in farm livelihood and food wastage, GITAM (Deemed to be University) is empowering local farmer communities in Andhra Pradesh and helping them develop entrepreneurial skills, while upcycling the food waste via a unique compost pelletization project. Having received a grant of close to INR 40 lakhs from the Science for Equity Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division under the Department of Science and Technology (Government of India), the project tackles the dual issues of food waste and availability of quality agricultural compost for farming.

It aims to uplift the economic status of farmers by providing them with training in producing compost pellets — made by compressing composted food waste into small pellets, making them easy to handle and transport. The use of leftover food as a sustainable and nutrient-rich fertilizer has the potential to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers, which negatively influence soil quality, leading to soil degradation and deterioration. Additionally, this project addresses food waste, a significant concern in India, where over 67 million tonnes of food is wasted every year. By converting food waste into compost, the project promotes a circular economy and reduces the environmental impact of food waste.

Having already conducted campaigns in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, the varsity has collaborated with local farmer associations to create awareness among more than 250 farmers and to train 100 farmers in the production of compost pellets. The training involves preparing the compost and converting it into pellet form using scientific methods. This training is critical to ensure the quality of the product, which is essential for the project’s success.

The project is led by Prof. N. Srinivas, Principal Investigator and Prof. Ch. Ramakrishna and Dr. K. Suresh Kumar (Co-PI), Department of Environmental Science, GITAM School of Science, who said, “We are delighted to empower the farmer communities through this project. The project helps in waste management and creates sustainable entrepreneurship among the farmers. We are confident that the project will have a significant impact on the lives of farmers.”

The project uses leftover food, highly nutrient-dense in proteins, lipids, carbs, and other macro and microelements, as a fertilizer. The food waste is sent to an organic digestion machine, which converts it into compost within 24 hours. Such a compost digester facility is available at the university’s Vizag campus, which also helps demonstrate the production process to potential beneficiaries.

The compost quality is tested in a laboratory, and organic agents are added to enrich it and increase its value. At present, the research team is collecting feedback from the farmers to fortify the material with nutrients specific to their requirements. Finally, the compost is turned into pellets using a pellet maker, which increases its marketability by extending its shelf life and making it easier to store and transport.

The project is ongoing till August this year, but GITAM (Deemed to be University) plans to continue and expand the project to urban areas, where the demand for good quality manure is high, and urban gardening is catching up.

The project has received support from various stakeholders, including the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), farmer associations, and temples. In particular, temples can benefit from the pelletization of compost, which can be stored for an extended period and used as required to maintain their garden’s nutritional content.

24 April 2023  New Delhi While a majority of us take to the beaten path through our life, a select few have it in them to defy conventions and strive to pursue their inner calling.

The new TVC for Flite – Sar Utha, Kadam Badha- builds on this very emotion that lies somewhere deep within all of us and aims to strike an emotional connect there.

The campaign captures the emotions of a young man who is pursuing engineering but somehow resonates more with his passion for writing. He wants to go to Mumbai to pursue his passion, but expectedly, as happens most often, his family isn’t supportive of the idea. Despite multiple hardships and rejection, he doesn’t give up and finally a director accepts his script for producing a film. It is finally revealed that the engineer turned writer is none other than the award-winning scriptwriter Varun Grover – on whose true life story this TVC is based.

Putting forward his thoughts, Gaurav Dua, Executive Director (Sales & Marketing), Relaxo Footwears Limited said, “With this campaign brand Flite captures the emotional roller coaster of one embarking upon the path less travelled and the grind and rejections that come along the way. The ‘Sar Utha, Kadam Badha’ campaign celebrates the journey of an individual who, undaunted by the naysayers, works his way to become someone as acclaimed and beloved as Varun Grover. Brand Flite salutes the spirit of the achiever, who dares to dream and work his way towards success.”

The TVC’s emotional outset and powerful message is sure to win many hearts among the viewers.

Credits:

Agency: L&K Saatchi & Saatchi

CEO: Paritosh Srivastava

Creative team: Rohit Malkani, Vikas Gaur, Yukti Bhagchandani, Sunil Bhandari, Aritra Das

Chief Strategy Officer: Snehasis Bose

Account Management:

Hindol Purkayastha, Abhishek Jain, Kashima Datta

Head of Films: Jignesh Maru

Executive Producer: Rahebar Sonewala

Production house: Chrome Pictures

Director: Advait Chandan

Executive Producer: Abhishek Notani

DOP: Saurabh Monga

Hyderabad 24 April 2023: The International Association of Rice Bran Oil (IARBO) in association with The Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) organized the 7th International Conference on Rice Bran Oil (ICRBO)-2023 in Hyderabad. The theme of ICRBO 2023 is Awesome Rice Bran Oil for Sustainable Ecosystem (ARISE). Mr. The conference was inaugurated by Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, IAS, CEO, FSSAI & Secretary, Government of India, along with Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Govt, Ministry of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications Department, Govt. of Telangana, in the presence of Mr. Ashok Sethia, President, IARBO, Mr. Ajay Jhunjhuwala, President, of SEA India, Dr. B.V.Mehta, Secretary General, of IARBO & Executive Director, of SEA India, Dr. Prabodh Halde, Convener, ICRBO Conference, edible oil industry leaders, international delegates and other industry representatives. Over 500 delegates representing the rice bran oil industry including special invitees from all the Rice Bran Oil producing countries like India, China, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and Bangladesh attended the conference for a closer interaction for promoting Rice Bran Oil and its value-added products.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Govt, Ministry of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications Department, Govt. of Telangana said, “Telangana is witnessing a Yellow revolution with the growth in Edible oil production. The Government is continuously focusing on building Agri infrastructure in the state and 60% of the Government budget is on Agri growth. We have offered direct benefits to farmers with Rythu Bandhu and crop insurance benefits through Rythu Bima. We have set up Agri University for research and development. The Government is always encouraging industry and has a unique platform TS-IPass to facilitate entry into the state. A few years ago we had a problem of plenty with Rice production but we have now transferred about 20L hectares of land for the cultivation of oil palm. With this, Telangana has the largest area under oil production. This offers great economic benefits by reducing the country’s import dependency on edible oils and fuelling growth. We have set up special food processing zones in Telangana, and offer the best infrastructure and support systems for growth. Telangana is strategically located in heart of the country and can be easily accessed with logistic connectivity. I am delighted to see such a huge gathering of Edible oil stalwarts and it’s an honour that such a prestigious conference is being organized in Hyderabad”

Lifetime achievement awards were presented to industry veterans for their contribution to the identification, research, and promotion of Rice Bran Oil. Mr. O. P. Goenka – Pioneer in Rice Bran Oil In India. Dr. V. Prakash- Scientific contribution for promoting RBO as edible oil, Dr. RBN Prasad-Revolutionary development of Enzymatic degumming process. Dr. A R Sharma- Visionary Leadership in Promoting branded RBO, Dr. Xuebing Xu- Scientific contribution in value addition of Rice Bran Oil (China) and Dr. Riantong Singanusong- Founder of IARBO & ICRBO and Product development of Rice Bran (Thailand)

Speaking at the conference, Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, IAS, CEO, FSSAI & Secretary, Government of India said, “India has a huge import bill for edible oil and is essential commodity for the people . The government is increasing excise duties on some edible oils to encourage the use of domestic oils. Rice Bran oil, with all its benefits, can help bridge the gap as it has a huge potential. In fact, in the recent budget, a lot of emphasis was made on nutrition security. Edible Oils are a very important source of nutrition. Even historically, oils were a main source of nutrition in India. Already, the fortification of rice with iron, folic acid, and B12 for school children is being done. Research organizations should focus on identifying ways to enhance the nutritional value of edible oils. FSSAI should set standards to ensure the implementation and production of fortified edible oils. India also witnesses a lot of adulteration in food products, this needs to be stopped. Consumers should be educated about the health benefits of edible oils like Til, Groundnut, and rice bran oil. The best way forward for India is to increase oil cultivation, increase extraction, and spread the education about benefits of Indian oils to increase consumption, this will help reduce the price and enhance the consumption of Rice Bran Oil.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ajay Jhunjhuwala, President, of The Solvent Extractors Association of India said, “We are thrilled to host the 7th International Conference on Rice Bran Oil (ICRBO) organized by the International Association of Rice Bran Oil (IARBO) at Hyderabad. This is the 2nd time India is hosting the conference. At ICRBO 2023, we have the leading experts and researchers in the field to explore the latest developments and advancements in this important area through Technical, and Nutritional sessions. This conference is a unique opportunity to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate on new initiatives that will help improve the research on rice bran oil and its value-added products and improve the usage of this ‘Wonder oil’. I am sure the sessions will help us understand the latest information on the nutritional research on rice bran oil, wastage minimization, R&D, Marketing, and dynamiting future advancements. As an industry we need to look at innovative ”