New Delhi, 17 Feb 2023

Advancing India’s cyber-preparedness, KAVACH-2023, a national-level hackathon was launched on 16th Feb, 2023 to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing the cyber security and cybercrime challenges of the 21st century. KAVACH-2023 was launched at National Media Centre, Raisina Road, New Delhi on 16th February 2023.

Dr T G Sitharam, Chairman, of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), said, “KAVACH-2023 is a unique kind of national hackathon jointly conducted by MoE’s Innovation Cell, AICTE, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D, MHA) and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C, MHA) to identify innovative ideas and technological solutions for addressing the cyber security and cybercrime challenges of the 21st century faced by our Law Enforcement Agencies and common citizens.”

Sh. Balaji Srivastava, IPS, Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), said, “It will be a 36-hour long event, during which youth from educational institutions across the country and registered start-ups will participate to find robust, secure and effective technological solutions for cyber security by using their technical expertise & innovative skills. It will advance the blockage of cyber security crimes with a robust system monitoring and safety provisions.”

Sh. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman, AICTE, said, “KAVACH-2023 will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the problem statements, grouped into various buckets such as Fake News/social media, Dark web, Women safety, Phishing Detection, Video analytics/CCTV, Obscene Content Detection, Spam Alert, and Malware Analysis/Digital Forensics shall be posed to the public. Willing participants are expected to develop digital solutions for the statements using robust technologies like Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, etc. and submit their concepts on the portal of Kavach-2023.”

Sh. Rajesh Kumar, IPS, CEO, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) during the launch of this Hackathon stated the importance of this Hackathon given the age of digital crimes. He said, “The Grand finale of KAVACH-
2023 will be a 36-hour long mega event, during which selected youths from educational institutions across the country and registered start-ups will participate to find robust, secure and effective technological solutions using their knowledge, technical expertise and innovative skills. Total prize money worth Rs. 20 Lakh will be awarded to the winning teams.”

Smt. Rekha Lohani, IPS, Director, MoD, “The concepts so submitted by participants will be evaluated by a group of domain experts and the most innovative ideas will be selected during the second phase which shall culminate with Grand Finale, selected participants will be expected to demonstrate their solutions for ascertaining technical feasibility and implementability of their solutions. The best ideas will be declared winners by the jury.

The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Smt. Rekha Lohani, IPS, Director, MoD.

KOLKATA, INDIA, 17 February 2023 – Samsung is gearing up to launch its latest flagship series, the Samsung Galaxy S23, in India. The highly anticipated event will take place at Bhajanlal Commercial Pvt. Ltd., one of the leading mobile retail stores in the country. The event is scheduled for February 16, 2023, at midnight, and will be attended by the popular actress Paoli Dam.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series boasts the Exynos 2200 processor, a 6.7-inch 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. Its triple rear camera system features a 108-megapixel primary sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and 5-megapixel macro lens, with 8K video recording, Super Slow-mo, and Night Mode. It has an under-display fingerprint sensor, facial recognition, Samsung Knox security, and a 5000mAh battery with 45W fast charging technology.

Available in three variants, including the Galaxy S23, the Galaxy S23 Plus, and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the new flagship series comes in four stunning colors, including Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, and Phantom Pink.

Bhajanlal Commercial Pvt. Ltd. with a wide network of stores across Eastern and North Eastern India is known for providing high-quality products and services at competitive prices.

Bhajanlal offers mobile phones, music and sound systems, TVs, gaming consoles, smart gadgets, and other electronics, along with related services like mobile phone repairs and data recovery. The company also provides value-added services like buyback programs, exchange offers, and extended warranty plans.

Bhajanlal is committed to keeping up with the latest technology trends and providing its customers with the latest and most innovative products and services. The company has an online presence through its website www.bhajanlal.in and has won Times Business Awards for five consecutive years from 2018 to 2022.

In response to COVID-19, Bhajanlal has also ventured into the health and safety products market. The company is dedicated to providing a seamless shopping experience and ensuring that customers receive the best possible service and support.

New Delhi, 17th February: European countries, including the UK, imported 121 million tonnes of LNG in 2022, an increase of 60% compared to 2021, which enabled them to withstand a slump in Russian pipeline gas imports following its invasion of Ukraine. A 15 million tonne fall in Chinese imports combined with reduced imports by South Asian buyers helped European countries to secure enough gas and avoid shortages. Europe’s rapidly rising appetite for LNG pushed prices to record highs and generated volatility in energy markets around the world.

With reduced Russian pipeline gas, LNG is becoming an increasingly important pillar of European energy security, supported by the rapid development of new regasification terminals in north-west Europe. In contrast, China is evolving from being a rapidly growing import market to playing a more flexible role with an increased ability to balance the global LNG market.

“The war in Ukraine has had far-reaching impacts on energy security around the world and caused structural shifts in the market that are likely to impact the global LNG industry over the long term,” Steve Hill, Shell’s Executive Vice President for Energy Marketing, said.

“It has also underscored the need for a more strategic approach – through longer-term contracts – to secure reliable supply to avoid exposure to price spikes.”

The drop in Russian pipeline gas flows prompted unprecedented policy and regulatory intervention as governments in Europe sought to bolster energy security and shield their economies from high costs, including prioritizing LNG imports and quickly developing new import terminals.

In 2022, Europe’s LNG demand forced other buyers to reduce their imports and switch to other fuels, generating more emissions. High global LNG prices led to a drop in LNG imports in South Asia, with Pakistan and Bangladesh importing more fuel oil to minimize power supply shortages and India using more coal.

Total global trade in LNG reached 397 million tonnes in 2022. Industry forecasts expect LNG demand to reach 650 to over 700 million tonnes a year by 2040. More investment in liquefaction projects is required to avoid a supply-demand gap that is expected to emerge by the late 2020s.

Diverse new technologies to reduce emissions from gas and LNG supply chains will help to consolidate its role in the energy transition. And there is growing industry focus on the development and deployment of decarbonized gases – including renewable natural gas, synthetic natural gas, hydrogen, and ammonia – to deliver more sustainable energy security in the future.

Bengaluru, 17th February 2023: Zydus Hospitals, Ahmedabad, and India Medtronic Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), announced their partnership to support stroke patients in Gujarat via a hub and spoke network. As part of the partnership, Medtronic will collaborate with Zydus Hospitals to build an ecosystem that can help in the timely diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients by facilitating the use of indigenous AI-enabled technology and providing tools and technologies to support the education and training of doctors in select remote hospitals.

In India, nearly 1.8 million patients are affected by stroke each year.1 In the bigger cities with improved healthcare infrastructure, patients stand a better chance of proper diagnosis, followed by the requisite treatment. However, in the peripheral & rural settings, the challenges are aplenty. The partnership will serve the people of peripheral Gujarat by helping them deal with stroke as a disease effectively. The hub and spoke system works on an advanced AI capable of interpreting a CT scan for a stroke. A team of stroke experts at Zydus hospital (hub) would visualize the CT scan performed at the remote hospital (spoke) and handhold the local physician on further patient management. This way, the physician at the remote hospital is empowered to decide on the future course of action basis the patient’s needs and the patient receives the right treatment at the right time.

Michael Blackwell, Vice President, Medtronic India said, “At Medtronic, we’re accelerating the development of technologies that can help patients manage their disease while living their lives to the fullest. We’ve been consistently partnering with hospitals across India to advance our vision of transforming stroke care for patients in India. Through these collaborations, we can integrate technology to address local healthcare barriers across the care continuum.”

Dr. V N Shah, Mentor & Senior Endocrinologist & Metabolic Physician, Zydus Hospitals, stresses the need for a greater patient-centric approach. He says, “Medicine as a profession revolves around the patient. The patient-centric approach will take us on the path of constant improvisation. Stroke is a big disabler in developing countries like ours. Treatment of any disease starts with quick and efficient detection; the launch of peripheral stroke centers will enhance the survivability of our patients.”

Dr. Kalpesh Shah, Senior Consultant, Endovascular Neurosurgery, Zydus Hospitals emphasizes the fact that the “Brain is a complex organ, so are the diseases associated with it. Often stroke & brain hemorrhage lead to disability which is not just limited to the patient but the adverse effect is equally felt by the family and the household. Timely diagnosis of the disorders with the use of AI even when you are miles away from the specialist hospital can be a lifesaver enabling guided treatment to start immediately under expert supervision.”

Dr. Dipak Patel, Senior Consultant, Neurosurgery, Zydus Hospitals opines “Brain stroke may occur in the form of infarction or hemorrhage. Treatment within the first six golden hours has a greater impact on outcomes in the case of infarction or hemorrhage. Removal of a blood clot to open up the closed blood vessel and emergency surgery for hemorrhage or infarction is associated with good outcomes in such patient.”

Dr. Arvind Sharma, Senior Stroke Neurologist, Zydus Hospitals says “80% of strokes are preventable & time is the brain. If you keep hypertension, diabetes & obesity in check, and stop smoking, the chances of stroke can drastically reduced. If anyone has stroke symptoms, the right diagnosis and optimal treatment within the golden hour is paramount. Creating a network of remote stroke centers will bridge the care gap.”

Dr. Ajit Sowani, Senior Neurologist, Zydus Hospitals “In stroke, the most important course of treatment is to remove the block in the brain as soon as possible- and must be done within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms. The turnaround time is crucial in such a situation and the AI-driven technology helps clinicians to fast-track the next steps of treatment addressing critical patient diagnosis.”

Guwahati, 17 February 2023: Mastercard and ACCESS Development Services today announced the launch of a new program in Assam focused on empowering farmer producer organizations (FPOs) in the state. The program, Mainstreaming Agriculture through Networks and Development Initiatives, or MANDI, aims to strengthen FPOs by helping build their capacity through structured technical assistance by a professional cadre of trainers.

Historically, smallholder farmers are unable to take advantage of economies of scale, struggle to access market information and linkages, and can face unfavorable prices for agricultural inputs as well as for their produce. Collectivization of smallholder farmers through FPOs has proven to be a successful model in India to address the challenges concerning access to markets and technology. However, many FPOs lack the resources, know-how and tools to operate effectively. According to the ACCESS baseline survey of FPOs in Guwahati, 95% of organizations cited access to markets as their key challenge along with lack of financial services and the awareness and knowledge to avail of government schemes.

Mastercard and ACCESS are aiming to help address these challenges by facilitating training frameworks, curriculum, and tools for FPOs. The program will focus on accelerating growth and development among FPOs and enhancing the financial literacy among farmers by:

Training them in best agricultural practices
Improving their access to market linkages, and digital tools
Generating awareness about financial services along with the available government schemes

The program has been operational on a pilot basis in Assam for the last six months and has been able to onboard 83 FPOs to date. As it continues, MANDI aims to benefit 50,000 farmers by the end of 2023.

The launch event was attended by Shri Sankar Das, AGM, NABARD, Dr. Jayanta Sharma, Senior Scientist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kahikuchi, Dr. Lalit Sharma, Director, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, and other distinguished guests.

Vipin Sharma, CEO, ACCESS Development Services, said, “The adoption of agritech solutions has played a vital role in streamlining the supply chains and address diverse challenges related to market linkages and access to financial services. There is a need to strengthen FPOs through technology to ensure increased connectivity and enhanced productivity. We are thrilled to collaborate with Mastercard and facilitate the tools, curriculum, and skills to ensure long-term sustainability for FPOs.”

Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia, Mastercard, said, “FPOs face several challenges to growth due to lack of digital infrastructure and technical skills. The MANDI program aims to address these issues by establishing a sustainable model that bolsters resilience of smallholder farmers as well as supports self-reliance for FPOs by equipping them with knowledge, digital tools, and training. This initiative advances the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and reiterates Mastercard’s commitment to connect more people to the digital economy, including those who earn their livelihoods from agriculture.”

New Delhi, February 17, 2023: With an innovative and comprehensive customer-centric effort, Renault, the leading European brand in the country, has made significant inroads in the rural markets. The rural journey for Renault started in 2019, with the identification of new low-cost formats for showrooms, followed by the expansion of network infrastructure under ‘Project Vistaar’.

Under ‘Project Vistaar’, Renault through its network, recruited, trained, and deployed close to 500 specialised sales consultants called Resident Dealer Sales Executives (RDSE). These RDSEs ensured a better connection with the customers, enhancing Renault’s reach within the country and creating a strong network in the rural markets. With an aim to make further inroads into the rural market, Renault adopted a customer-centric approach with extensive target audience engagement through Grameen Mahotsavs. Organised in 200+ villages so far, these Mahotsavs garnered great responses from the customers. To keep the momentum high, Renault adopted a digital format during the last few challenging years, creating the first of its kind ‘Digital Grameen Mohatsav’.

Moving closer to the customers in rural areas, Renault became the first passenger car OEM to join hands with the CSC Grameen e-store, in early 2021, ensuring easy access to Renault’s products and services. CSC, as a network of local stores run by a massive network of 4 lakh+ Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) trained by Renault teams, are successfully addressing queries from potential customers, and delivering last-mile e-governance services.

Renault’s partnership with CSC commissioned 400 Renault Booking Centres last year, providing rural customers an opportunity to book their favourite Renault car within their locality with ease and convenience. With this the customers are able to book their Renault car with minimum documentation formalities, by scanning the QR Code available at the nearest Renault Booking Centre, making digital inclusion of rural India a reality

Further widening its reach, Renault recently engaged with more than 50 villages across the country to develop them as ‘Model Villages’. Renault India has designed and developed a dedicated plan on sustainable development of these villages in partnership with the CSC Grameen eStore. The company has also announced a monetary aid to foster education in rural areas – “Renault Scholarship Programme” under which the students of certain age groups from these villages will be awarded with a scholarship every year basis merit. The objective of the programme is to promote the higher education, further empowering the population in rural areas and build sustainable communities. Local competitions and sports events like ‘Renault Kabaddi’ and ‘Renault Run’ have also been organized in order to offer robust platform to budding athletes at the grassroot level to develop their talents.

‘Rural Float’ is yet another annual initiative that the company has been undertaking in order to provide a Renault vehicle ownership experience in rural areas, enabling them to touch and feel the cars, next to their neighbourhood. The company has so far engaged with more than 25,000 customers in 500+ towns across 15 States through this initiative. Additionally, a mobile workshop providing door-step service facility – ‘Workshop on Wheels’ (WOW) and ‘Workshop on Wheels-Lite’ helps in facilitating the servicing of Renault vehicles even in the remotest areas. It offers hassle-free car ownership experience to the customers in rural and far-flung locations.

Together with its product portfolio expansion strategy to drive volumes in India, Renault has substantially increased its reach in India. It has created a strong connect and presence in the rural areas with the introduction of several unique and pioneering initiatives, ensuring that customers’ have an unparalleled association with the Renault brand.

Bangalore, 17 February 2023: Ambuja Cements, the cement and building materials company of Adani Cement and part of the Adani Group, was felicitated with the prestigious ‘Iconic Brand of the Year 2022’ by The Economic Times at the fifth edition of the Economic Times Iconic Brands of India Conclave held in Mumbai. The conclave featured remarkable brands, which have redefined the benchmark in their respective fields through their legacy and sustainability in India and globally. It also celebrated the best homegrown brands in India and their exceptional growth stories.

With over three decades of experience in the Indian cement industry, Ambuja Cement has become a household name for providing hassle-free, home-building solutions with its unique sustainable products and environment-friendly practices. The company has established a strong brand image through its commitment to sustainable development, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO, of Cement Business and Ambuja Cements, said, “We are delighted to be recognized and felicitated as one of the most iconic brands in India. As a responsible brand that cares for the people and planet, this is surely a moment of pride for us. We have always kept consumers at the forefront by providing quality and sustainable solutions that are relevant for building a sustainable future. Our goal is to continue to lead the way in sustainable cement production while delivering the highest quality products to our customers.”

Economic Times’ ‘Iconic Brands of India’ list is based on extensive research and analysis of various brand performances and their impact on the Indian market. The list includes companies from diverse industries, recognizing their exceptional contributions to the country’s growth. Ambuja Cement’s inclusion in this list is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment to quality and sustainability. Ambuja Cements, part of Adani Cement, has also been recognized as India’s Most Trusted Cement Brand by TRA Research in its Brand Trust Report, 2022, and has become synonymous with quality and strength. It has always focused on building a brand rather than just selling a commodity and was the first company to create a brand in this commoditized category. It not only gave its product a name but also an identity of strength in the form of a Giant symbol. This is what makes Ambuja a great brand and a time-tested one too. Today, it offers the most innovative, cutting-edge, and futuristic product offering to meet the need of growing India with a sharp focus on sustainable growth.

Psychology and influencers

Psychology plays an important role when it comes to human beings. We as humans are the best example of habits, where some patterns are wired in our brains. Influencers have always kept in mind that these wires get intervened a little bit.

Nowadays, the digital world has several ideas and techniques for inherent human traits to reach out to them and give them what they are actually looking for. We intend to look up to our favorite influencers and aspire toward them with positive feelings. We not only follow their opinions but also build our trust and relationship with them indirectly. Social media has had this tendency to persuade us towards more intelligent and competent people as compared to others. There has been a normal phenomenon where our fondness for them increases as we feel there are things that are relatable and we find comfort in them.

“Fitting in” is the imperative thought that goes in our mind which at times leads us to follow the dynamics and hampers our actual needs and responsibilities that we have as an individual.

Idea of “fitting in” in a relationship

Pushppal Singh Bhatia and Ravneet Kaur from the popular influencer duo – That Couple Though talk efficiently about these trends and how we can neglect this trend of “Fitting in” and create magical moments with our loved ones not only this Valentine’s but also in the upcoming years ahead. This couple talks about the daily hurdles of love life.

“Not everything you see on social media is reality, but it’s about our willingness to be inspired and love our partner unconditionally only then can miracles occur. Comparing your relationship with the influencers is the biggest hurdle toward these magical moments to happen. We tend to be egoistic and raise our expectations seeing this fantasy world, but the reality is one should keep their expectations low so that when you get the unexpected gesture you really see these magical moments happen” says Pushppal Singh Bhatia and Ravneet Kaur.

Keeping things original is better than having a copied version:

Following influencers and somewhere copying them has become a trend, but little do we know that these are the copied gestures. Your feelings for the person you love should come from within and not ideated from somewhere else. They also add “Moments are not created they just happen with the gratitude shown, love given, and action taken”

Acknowledging influencers and aspiring to become like them is something where the narrative should be changed. We should know where to draw the line between a world where everything is “Lovey-Dovey” and a world where you face the hurdles of holding your partner’s hand and winning the race.

That Couple Though – Influencers and Psychology…

NEW DELHI / February 17, 2023: Tata 1mg, India’s trusted healthcare platform, has announced its much-awaited Grand Saving Days (GSD), India’s biggest health and wellness sale. The sale is set to commence on February 17 and will run through February 21. The five-day biannual sale promises a “parade of offers” and will bring the best and most exclusive healthcare offers to consumers across popular brands and categories, including medicines, health products, lab tests, and e-consultations.

Tata 1mg has partnered with reputed brands such as Dettol, Dabur, Himalaya, and more from all leading categories to offer a range of health and wellness products and services for the evolved Indian consumer. From fitness enthusiasts to prescription medicine users and caregivers, there will be exciting, value-based offers and deals to choose from for every segment of buyers on over 2 lakh medicines and health brands, health check-ups, lab tests, and doctor consultations.

Subscribers of the Tata 1mg Care Plan will be able to access the sale one day before it goes live for everyone else. Customers can expect the best offers on the entire range of Tata 1mg’s products and services, along with additional NeuCoins that are 100% redeemable while transacting on the platform.

The company has partnered with banks and online payment platforms such as Citibank and Paytm, along with Simpl, MobiKwik, Freecharge, Airtel Payments bank and Cred, to provide its customers with a slew of offers and benefits during the sale.

In addition to offering attractive discounts, Tata 1mg also plans to introduce several out-of-the-box engagement activities during the health and wellness sale. This includes an immersive gamification experience aimed at encouraging customers to live a healthy life and engagement activities like Spin the Wheel, Deal of the day etc, where participants stand a chance to win exciting prizes like ipads, smartwatches and other goodies.

Speaking on the sale, Prateek Verma, Vice President, ePharmacy, Tata 1mg, said: “The Grand Saving Days sale has become India’s biggest health and wellness sale, growing year on year for the last three years. It is an opportunity for our customers to experience the convenience of digital healthcare services, with super-fast deliveries and the ability to order medicines or lab tests anytime, from anywhere, for themselves and their loved ones.”

As claimed by the healthcare platform, the response to its previous Grand Saving Days Sale (September 2022) exceeded all expectations. Tata 1mg saw exponential growth across categories and brands, with most partner brands seeing as much as 4-5X growth during the period. They aim to break all previous records in their latest edition of the sale.

Hyderabad, 17th February 2023: The Union Budget 2023 focuses on youth power as one of the seven priorities, referred to as Saptarishi by Finance Minister Sri Nirmala Sitharaman in her presentation speech. Taking this agenda forward, a workshop on the critical analysis of the budget was organized at GITAM (deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam. The workshop aims to sensitize the youth about their role in making Bharat a “Viswa Guru” in the next 25 years.

In her keynote address, former Union Minister, Daggubati Purandeswari said, “The budget document goes beyond the discussion about the government’s revenue and expenditure and seeks to ensure social justice and equality, which reflects the spirit of the Indian Constitution.”

Referring to the next 25 years as the Amrit Kaal, she added, “We achieved our independence 75 years ago. We’ve got another 25 years to reach the hundredth year of independence. It is this period that Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has addressed as Amrit Kaal. Then is it simply a number? In the words of the honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, “It is in these 25 remaining years that we aim to achieve equality, reach the last mile, and bridge the gap between rural and urban India.”

Citing the IMF report on global economic projections, she said, “Post-pandemic, Germany is expected to grow at around 1.4%, France is expected to grow around 1.6%, Japan and the UK are expected to grow around 0.9%, and China is expected to grow around 4.5%. “India, as the IMF had said, is expected to grow around 6.8% this year; even if we reduce it by another 0.4%, it would be 6.4%, which is much more than what the developed countries are going to grow at.”

A couple of other schemes that found mention in her speech include the Mahila Samman Savings Patra, to empower women, the Jan Dhan Yojana, which has brought the banking system closer to the lives of the poor; and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, to invest in the youth population with a special focus on artificial intelligence, robotics, mechatronics, 3D printing, and drone technology. In her speech, the former minister also touched upon the budget allocation for education and the recruitment of 38,800 teachers for 748 Eklavya schools.

Other speakers included Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council member PNV Madhav, ICWAI – Cost Accountant, who discussed government initiatives to improve scientific rigor in the country, such as Atmanirbhar Bharat.He also commented that the computerization of (primary cooperative agriculture societies (PCAS) is another initiative that is expected to bring a lot of economic benefits to farmers through the interlinking of different PCAS.

Sharing his expert views, Lanka Dinakar, Member of the Union Budget Committee, Andhra Pradesh, said, “The motto of this budget for 2023–24 is Antyodaya. I would like to use the example of the Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. During the pandemic, the lockdown created a lot of hardships for people. More than 80 crore are among the poorest of the poor who live across the country.This scheme has been providing food grains to such people for the past 32 months, and it has been extended further for another twelve months in this budget.”

In his closing remarks, Mr. Dinakar expressed gratitude to GITAM (deemed to be University) and its president, Mr. M. Sri Bharat, for providing this opportunity, urged students to retain the information

shared during such workshops and persevere in being a part of this Amrit Kaal, which will lead Bharat to the number one position. The panel was facilitated by Prof. Y. Gouthama Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Campus Life, GITAM