Archives January 2024

Written by Ashwini Kapila, Managing Director of Business Partnerships at GetSetUp, a community for older adults that believes in empowering older adults 55+ to live their healthiest, happiest lives.

Committing to a healthy lifestyle as we age is more than a choice; it’s a gateway to happiness and longevity. As the excitement of the Mumbai Tata Marathon settles, it’s important to remember that the race doesn’t end at the finish line and reflect on maintaining fitness consistency, especially in our 50s and beyond.

Aging is an inevitable journey, but how we age is a path we can choose. Consistent physical activity is not just about staying in shape but nurturing our overall well-being. Regular exercise boosts our mood, sharpens our minds, and strengthens our social connections. It’s a testament to the timeless adage: a healthy body houses a healthy mind.

Setting Achievable Goals
Setting realistic and achievable goals is the first step in a fitness journey. These goals anchor our efforts and keep us motivated. Our confidence grows as we reach each milestone, paving the way for more ambitious but attainable objectives.

Finding Joy in Movement
Engaging in physical activity doesn’t have to feel like a task. Discover activities that bring you joy, whether it’s the calm of yoga, the rhythm of dance, or the endurance of running. Loving what we do makes consistency effortless. You’re more likely to stay committed when you enjoy your exercise routine. This combination contributes to overall well-being and helps individuals maintain their health effectively.

Creating a Fitness Schedule
Treating workouts like fixed appointments is a game-changer. For many, including myself, morning routines work best. It helps kickstart the day with energy and ensures our fitness commitment is met before daily tasks are completed.

Developing a Habit
Consistency revolves around turning exercise into a habitual practice. Aim to engage in daily workouts or on designated days each week. Establishing this routine will integrate exercise seamlessly into your life. Once the habit is ingrained, you may find yourself missing your workout only if you need to take a day off for an appointment or to recover from an illness.

Tracking and Celebrating Progress
Every milestone, no matter how small, is a celebration. Keeping track of our progress through apps or journals is not just about recording successes; it’s about learning from the journey. In these reflections, we find the strength to persist and evolve.

Seeking Community Support
A strong community is a game-changer. Whether it’s workout partners, trainers, or groups like GetSetUp’s virtual fitness classes. Having support builds accountability and motivation.

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, consistency is the key to success. If you need inspiration, look for classes or community groups to find people to support you on your fitness journey and ensure you are realistic about your goals. Once you find happiness in fitness and make exercise a habit, you are on track to achieving your fitness goals. Embracing fitness consistency is not just about physical health; it’s about enriching our lives with vitality, happiness, and longevity.

Bangalore, India—23rd January 2024 —New Relic, the all-in-one observability platform for every engineer, announced the findings of its State of Observability for Financial Services and Insurance report, which focuses on the adoption and business value of observability across the financial services industry (FSI) and insurance sectors. The report is based on insights derived from 176 technology professionals in association with the 2023 Observability Forecast. Findings show that organizations in the industry understand the business value of observability and are investing more in it. The top trends driving adoption include migration to multi-cloud (43%), artificial intelligence (40%), an increased focus on customer experience management (35%), and an increased focus on security, governance, risk, and compliance (54%).

Traditional FSI and insurance organizations face an accelerated transformation driven by increased competition and consumers expecting a higher level of digital interactions and access to services without depending on physical services. To keep organizations secure and compliant with new regulations while modernizing and innovating at a rapid pace, engineers rely heavily on observability to ensure end-to-end visibility across complicated tech stacks.

“The financial services and insurance industries in India are grappling with increasingly complex technology infrastructure as they adopt new and emerging technologies to stay ahead of the competition. These businesses are challenged with keeping track of all the moving parts of their tech stacks because downtime could result in loss of customer trust,” said New Relic VP of India Sales, Prasad Rai. “To create customer-centric digital experiences, financial and insurance service providers need full-stack observability to keep their IT infrastructure up and running, and proactively find and fix issues that could impact the digital customer experience. This is why businesses in these industries are more likely to invest in full-stack observability compared to other organizations.”

“The incumbents are in a race to remain relevant amidst a flurry of trends like fintech, insurtech, automation, artificial intelligence, cloud, mobile, and digital native,” said New Relic Chief Design and Strategy Officer Peter Pezaris. “The livelihood of traditional financial services and insurance institutions relies on the ability to create a fluid, reliable, and efficient digital customer experience (DCX). Observability provides real-time visibility into their infrastructure and software architecture while opening the door to more accurate decision-making, accelerated innovation, improved system uptime and reliability, and the ability to rise above the competition.”

As FSI and insurance institutions turn to observability, the New Relic State of Observability for Financial Service and Insurance report reveals:

Complex Tech Stacks and Digital Customer Experience Have Institutions Going All In

Today’s financial services and insurance organizations tend to have more complex tech stacks and breadth of integrations with middleware, cloud platform as a service (PaaS), and mainstream platforms. This complexity drives the need for visibility into everything that could affect the customer experience. Compared to other industries, financial services and insurance organizations are 15% more likely to have achieved full-stack observability, with 38% having full-stack observability.

To further strengthen their ability to create customer-centric services and an optimal DCX, financial services and insurance organizations more widely deployed capabilities that are critical to their backend and core banking systems operations, such as infrastructure monitoring (75%) and application performance monitoring (63%). This enables them to build and maintain trust and loyalty with their customers by creating an easy and reliable connection across any device for day-to-day operations, such as selecting providers, quickly opening accounts, or simply checking their account balance.

Strong Resiliency and More Spending Leads to Less Outages

Regardless of industry, outages leave organizations at risk for considerable downtime. However, financial services and insurance organizations have traditionally had strong resiliency in their systems and a relatively slow pace of change and software developments, which supports their ability to respond to and resolve high-business-impact outages.

The financial services and insurance industries experienced fewer high-business-impact outages than many others, with 30% reporting these outages at least once a week compared to the average 32% among all respondents. Furthermore, their time to detect a high-business-impact outage average was less than other industries. Two-fifths (40%) of respondents in the industry said it takes at least 30 minutes to detect high-business-impact outages compared to the average of 44%.

With financial services and insurance organizations more likely to invest in full-stack observability, their ability to respond to and resolve high-business-impact outages increases compared to those who have not achieved full-stack observability.

Gurgaon, 23rd January 2024 – The Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA) proudly organized a two-day workshop featuring acclaimed Chef Anahita Dhondhy. The event, held at the academy, showcased a dynamic program of demo classes, expert talks, and an insightful journey-sharing session with the students.

Chef Anahita Dhondhy, a trailblazer in the culinary world, captivated the audience with her expertise and knowledge. The workshop offered a unique opportunity for students to gain insights into the culinary arts and learn from one of the industry’s leading professionals.

The highlight of the event was Chef Anahita’s engaging talk, where she shared her inspiring journey, providing a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs that shaped her career. The students at APCA were treated to an enriching experience as they absorbed valuable lessons from the chef’s wealth of experience.

Embracing the event, Major. Dinesh Sharma, Director at APCA said, “We are dedicated to providing our students with unparalleled opportunities to learn from the best in the industry. Chef Anahita Dhondy’s presence and expertise have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on our students, inspiring them to reach new heights in their culinary journey”

In addition to the informative sessions, Chef Anahita Dhondhy delighted students by conducting hands-on sessions where they had the privilege of creating Parsi cuisine under her and Executive Chef Sehaj Ghuman at APCA expert guidance. The interactive cooking experience allowed students to not only enhance their culinary skills but also gain a deeper appreciation for the rich flavors of Parsi cuisine such as Mawa Cake & Paneer Akuri.

The workshop was a resounding success, fostering a spirit of learning, collaboration, and culinary excellence at the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts. APCA remains committed to providing its students with unique opportunities to learn from industry experts and expand their knowledge in the world of culinary arts.

By: Mr. Vikram Thaploo, CEO-Telehealth, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited

The concept of telehealth has brought about a revolutionary change in the healthcare delivery system. Within this framework, Telemedicine has emerged as a promising and practical solution, enabling surgical care to be provided to patients located in remote areas. This advancement has been made possible through the convergence of robotic systems and state-of-the-art telecommunication technology. With the concept of robotic-assisted surgery gaining traction, continuous development and research in this field have paved the way for the advent of tele-mentored surgery, which effectively addresses the demand for surgical services in underserved regions.

Telementored surgery not only leverages the benefits of robotic-assisted minimally invasive procedures but also overcomes geographical barriers, granting patients improved access to high-quality surgical care. By eliminating the need for patients to travel long distances, this approach can potentially reduce financial burdens. Moreover, it enables the expertise of experienced surgeons to be virtually present through telepresence, while also streamlining operating room personnel requirements.

Additionally, the telesurgical approach extends its utility to telementoring, facilitating real-time guidance and technical assistance during surgical procedures by highly skilled surgeons. This form of remote mentoring contributes to the professional development and proficiency of healthcare professionals, ensuring enhanced patient outcomes across diverse locations.

Performing Telesurgery: A Closer Look at the Procedure

Telementored surgery is a highly intricate process that involves various hardware-based, functional, and technical requirements for seamless data streaming. A significant milestone in the field was achieved on September 7th, 2001, when Professor Jacques Marescaux performed the inaugural telerobotic surgery, known as the ‘Lindbergh operation,’ in Strasbourg, France. This groundbreaking 54-minute telesurgical cholecystectomy showcased the potential of surgical innovation without any complications, marking a significant milestone in the field.

Traditionally, in robotic surgery, the surgeon remains close to the patient, controlling the robotic system. However, in telementored surgery, a paradigm shift occurs. While the robotic system still maintains direct contact with the patient, the surgeon operates from a remote console, separate from the operating room. A dedicated surgical team is present in the operating room as a backup, ready to assist as needed. Advanced communication technology plays a pivotal role, empowering the surgeon to control the endoscopic camera and manipulate the robotic arm attached to the patient cart, all while receiving real-time feedback. This emerging surgical system relies on cutting-edge wireless networking and robotic technology to successfully execute complex procedures.

The Impact of Tele mentored surgery on Healthcare Delivery

Telementored surgery offers numerous advantages over conventional surgical methods, thanks to advancements in telecommunication and robotic surgery (RS). It has emerged as a promising and feasible option for patients seeking treatment without the need for extensive travel. Let’s explore some of the key benefits below while ensuring the text is plagiarism-free and incorporating necessary additions:

Eliminating Long-Distance Travel: Many individuals face challenges in accessing medical care due to factors such as financial constraints, travel-related health risks, travel restrictions, or time delays that can hinder their ability to seek treatment. Tele mentored surgery provides an excellent solution by allowing patients to receive medical attention without the need to travel beyond their local hospitals. Surgical expertise can be remotely provided to patients from anywhere in the world, reducing the burden of long-distance travel.

Enhancing Healthcare Access in Medically Underserved Areas: Telementored surgery holds the potential to extend surgical care to people in medically underserved regions, including rural areas, battlefields, and inaccessible locations like spacecraft. By leveraging telecommunication technologies, surgical expertise can reach these remote areas, bridging the gap in healthcare access and ensuring timely interventions.

Facilitating Surgical Collaborations: Real-time collaborations between surgical experts from various healthcare centers become feasible through telesurgery. Patients can benefit from the collective expertise of multiple healthcare specialists simultaneously, particularly during complex microsurgical procedures. These real-time collaborations enable efficient decision-making and enhance the overall quality of surgical care.

Tackling Surgeon Shortages: The shortage of qualified surgeons and anesthetists is a significant challenge faced in many regions, including India. Telementored surgery presents a potential solution to address this shortage by enabling remote surgical interventions and consultations. It allows for the efficient utilization of surgical expertise, expanding the reach of experienced surgeons and optimizing surgical care delivery.

Minimizing the Risk of Infection: The global COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of infection control measures in healthcare settings. Telementored surgery offers a viable option for both the surgeon and the patient by minimizing the risk of viral transmission. By reducing direct physical contact during surgical procedures, telesurgery helps protect the health and safety of both parties involved.

Conclusion

In the forthcoming era, the objective of providing comprehensive healthcare access to all individuals can be achieved through the integration of telemedicine and telesurgery into the healthcare system. Establishing telehealth services encompasses the development of robust network infrastructure and the availability of affordable surgical robots to support telesurgery. By confronting the issue of scarcity of expert surgeons in remote areas, telesurgery not only offers a wider choice of surgeons for patients but also saves time and financial resources for both patients and their families, ultimately improving health outcomes. Additionally, telesurgery holds remarkable potential for treating injured soldiers in combat zones and astronauts in space, further expanding its benefits. Moreover, this technology enables trainee surgeons to gain valuable experience by performing surgeries under the guidance and supervision of experienced surgeons, ensuring patient safety. Looking ahead, with anticipated advancements in robotic technology, including haptic and visual feedback, alongside the implementation of advanced 5G networks, telesurgery has the power to revolutionize healthcare and surgical treatment on a global scale.

Bengaluru, Monday, 23rd January 2024 : udaan, India’s largest e-B2B (business-to-business) platform, today announced senior-level organizational changes aligned with the company’s philosophy to empower and promote internal talent. These changes are in line with the company’s commitment to drive profitable growth and continue strengthening core capabilities while driving ‘efficiency with excellence’ agenda.

Kiran Thadimarri, Group Finance Controller, will be elevated to be a part of the Executive Management Team with the additional responsibility of handling Treasury operations, Corporate Finance and Corporate Audit, in addition to his existing responsibility of Financial Controller. In his enhanced role, Kiran will report to the CEO.

Kiran has been associated with udaan for close to three years and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. In a career spanning two decades, Kiran graduated from GEs premier leadership programs, was CFO of GE Water, South Asia, has worked closely with Aditya Pande (outgoing Group CFO, udaan) at GE Healthcare during his 14-year stint at GE, and subsequently cofounded a Healthcare Technology Distribution company.

Vishnu Menon, Head-Corporate Strategy & IR, will take on the additional responsibility of Business Finance. He will continue to report to the CEO. Vishnu has been associated with udaan for the past four years. He is an MBA from IIM Calcutta with a degree in Engineering from the Kerala University. In the past, Vishnu has worked as a management consultant with Bain & Co and was also the Founder & CEO of Wandertrails, an experiential travel startup.

Both Kiran and Vishnu will work towards further strengthening the Financial and Governance practices at udaan to enable the company to achieve operational profitability and public market readiness in the next 12-18 months.

Aditya Pande, after a successful stint of over three years as Group CFO, has decided to pursue opportunities outside of udaan. During his tenure, Aditya played a pivotal role in shaping udaan’s financial strategy marked by strategic financial decision-making, implementation of resilient financial systems, successful fund raising and a razor-sharp focus on fiscal management. As Aditya transitions, the solid foundation laid during his tenure will enable udaan to tap future growth opportunities, capitalize on scale, and leverage cost synergies.

Vaibhav Gupta, Co-founder & CEO, udaan, said, “These organisational changes are a testament to udaan’s philosophy to promote future leaders from our strong talent pipeline while laying the foundation for the next phase of growth journey. We believe that empowering our internal leaders will not only strengthen our operational capabilities but also drive sustainable growth, aligned with our ‘efficiency with excellence’ agenda. I would like to thank Aditya for his invaluable contribution to the organisation and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”

Over the years, udaan has successfully attracted top talent from prominent Indian and global corporations. At udaan, talent with diverse skills and experiences have played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s dynamic work culture and fostering an innovative work environment.

23rd January 2024 – The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) announced the success of the Celebrate Bahrain Season witnessing a huge number of over 100,000 visitors, showcasing the kingdom’s appeal as a premier global tourism destination. These diverse celebrations showcased family, musical, cultural, and sporting events across various governorates, reflecting the success of Celebrate Bahrain Season, achieved in collaboration with numerous partners.

Celebrate Bahrain Season, concluded in a successful New Year’s celebration across iconic locations such as Water Garden City, Marassi Beach, Bahrain Bay, Bahrain Harbour, Bahrain Fort, Bahrain National Museum, and Al Najmah Club. The overwhelming turnout exceeded expectations, transforming the Festival City into a vibrant melting pot of cultures, entertainment, and joy, enriching the experiences of everyone involved.

One of the key highlights of Celebrate Bahrain Season was its ability to attract a significant number of tourists from around the world. The exclusive promotions and diverse range of events successfully captivated the attention of global travelers, making it an unparalleled destination for tourists seeking a unique and memorable experience. The season’s success in drawing a substantial number of visitors underscores Bahrain’s appeal as a leading tourist destination and reinforces the nation’s commitment to fostering a thriving tourism industry.

Bahrain’s commitment to hosting successful, inclusive events is evident in the resounding success of Celebrate Bahrain Season. These events, with its diverse offerings and strategic partnerships, has not only surpassed expectations but has also set a new standard for cultural celebrations in the region. As the kingdom continues to evolve as a prominent tourism hub, seasons like Celebrate Bahrain play a pivotal role in shaping Bahrain’s global identity and attracting visitors from around the globe.

New Delhi, 23rd January 2024: On the auspicious occasion of the inauguration of Ram Mandir in the holy city of Ayodhya, Madhuban Enclave, IAS Officers Colony, East Delhi organized mega festivities which included lighting of 11,000 diyas, a cultural program, and Sunderkand Path.

The program was attended by Sh. Om Prakash Sharma, MLA, Vishwas Nagar, East Delhi, and Sh. Ramesh Garg, Counsellor, Preet Vihar, East Delhi.

Festivities began early in the day at Madhuban enclave with a Havan at 8 am, followed by live telecast of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha sacred rituals. What followed was a cultural program by residents of the society, and a Sunderkand Path and Bhajan Sandhya by Mr. Prem Mehra (T-Series Fame) from 3 pm to 7 pm. The Deep Prajjwalan (lamp lighting) program started at 6:30 pm when residents lighted as many as 11,000 diyas.

Shri Harish Seth, President, Madhuban Mandir Samiti, said, “I have been serving the Madhuban Mandir Samiti since 1980, and it gives me immense joy to witness the resurrection of the holy Ram Mandir in Ayodhya ji. All the residents of Madhuban Enclave have contributed to make today’s event a great success. The heartfelt devotion of residents to Lord Ram has enabled culminated in today’s festivities.”

Shri Mukesh Gupta, Shri Parveen Gupta, Shri Ankur Arora, and Shri Saurav Gupta, among others, led the organization of the program at Madhuban Enclave. Ms. Geeta Rai, resident of Madhuban Enclave said; “We are fortunate to witness the building of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in our lifetime. It is the dream of our ancestors which has been realized today, a dream shared over generations.”

Historically elusive, the enigmatic nature of necrosis has impeded the development of effective treatments. However, Ilana Nathan’s pioneering research, detailed in their recent publication, has harnessed biochemical methodologies and siRNA library screening to unravel the proteolytic activities fundamental to necrotic processes.

The findings were published in a recent article titled “Targeting Necrosis: Elastase-like Protease Inhibitors Curtail Necrotic Cell Death Both In Vitro and in Three In Vivo Disease Models”

Renowned for her unwavering commitment to scientific discovery, Ilana Nathan played a pivotal role in this groundbreaking research. Her meticulous methodology, unyielding scientific passion, and dedication to public health shines through in this study.

The primary objective of the research team was to identify inhibitors of the necrotic pathway, laying the groundwork for the development of new molecules. Strategies included repurposing existing drugs for different ailments and utilizing siRNAs. These inhibitors exhibited protective effects in both laboratory tests (in vitro) and animal models (in vivo), encompassing conditions such as traumatic brain injury, acute myocardial infarction, and drug-induced liver damage.

Ilana Nathan’s discoveries signal a new era of hope for medical conditions that previously lacked therapeutic solutions. The potential impact on human health is vast, with numerous diseases and conditions linked to necrotic cell death, including myocardial infarction, stroke, acute renal failure, osteomyelitis, chronic hepatitis, gangrene, and more. Notably, in Alzheimer’s, preventing the early stages of neuronal necrosis has been shown to eliminate the disease.

In addressing the global organ shortage crisis, the research team highlights the potential to improve organ viability before transplantation using the anti-necrotic molecules discovered. With only 10% of the worldwide need for organ transplantation being met, this breakthrough could significantly impact the lives of millions.

While emphasizing the need for further research before clinical application, Ilana Nathan remains optimistic. “The protective efficacy of these inhibitors in vivo models heralds a promising future for novel therapeutic advancements,” she remarked, envisioning a potential revolution in the treatment landscape for previously intractable diseases.

In essence, Ilana Nathan’s research represents a monumental stride in the battle against diseases linked to necrotic cell death. While challenges persist, her work charts an optimistic trajectory towards innovative therapeutic interventions, offering hope to millions globally.

Bengaluru, 23rd January 2024:Ather Energy, one of India’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers, announced on Friday the upcoming launch of its new family-oriented electric scooter, named “Rizta.” Breaking away from their sporty and youthful design ethos, seen in the 450 Series, the Rizta aims to cater specifically to the needs of families. Rizta has been spotted testing in Bengaluru a couple of months ago.

In a previous tweet by Tarun Mehta, co-founder & CEO of Ather Energy in November, he highlighted that Ather Energy will be launching a larger, family-friendly scooter that’s comfortable, safe, spacious, and affordable.

The excitement has soared now that Tarun has dropped a video teaser in his latest tweet, unveiling the family scooter name, Rizta. In his post, Mehta revealed the Rizta has been in development since 2019, with Ather’s teams reportedly incorporating “groundbreaking integrations” that promise to elevate the ride experience for families. The scooter will be unveiled at the Ather Community Day Celebration 2024. According to the announcement, the company aims to begin deliveries of the scooter in the next six months.

In the tweet, Tarun Mehta said: “With Rizta, we will be taking a big leap in comfort and safety. Our teams have been working on this for a while (this one has been on and off the table since 2019!) and have pulled off some amazing integrations that are industry-first and will make your ride experience way better. Rizta will also continue to maintain the same quality and reliability that Ather’s other products are known for. We will be unveiling ‘Ather Rizta’ at ACDC 24 – Ather Community Day Celebration 2024. You will hear about it soon!”

Talking about Rizta in a tweet, Swapnil Jain, Co-founder & CTO of Ather Energy said,” When we started Ather the team believed, you need to be your own customer first. Most of us were below 25 years of age building the first made in india EV and were crazy about vehicle dynamics. Every single choice from mid mount motor, to aluminium cast chassis to dual disc brakes, were all focused on building the best handling vehicles. That was the Ather 450X for you. It did exactly what we intended. It is the best handling scooter and it was built for us. We are now all 30+ and have family. So we set out again to build for us. Introducing Ather Rizta. A family vehicle built with the same passion, but this time towards comfort and safety! Because now Family comes first!”

As the electric scooter industry witnesses a surge in demand, Ather’s strategic move showcases responsiveness to diverse consumer needs, as they extend their expertise in electric scooters to meet the demands of families. The upcoming family scooter is engineered with precision and proudly bearing the “Made in India” tag,” this family-oriented model promises to take a big leap in comfort, and safety, highlighting Ather’s focus on building an electric scooter that goes beyond expectations.

The Ather Rizta is poised to redefine the family scooter segment, adding a family-focused dimension to Ather Energy’s innovative lineup. Stay tuned for more updates on the exciting journey that lies ahead, as Ather Energy continues to push the boundaries of excellence in the electric scooter industry!

Urban Square Mall, Udaipur’s premier shopping and retail destination, has unveiled the ‘Load the Box’ bookfair, an initiative tailored for all book enthusiasts. The event is being hosted at the Atrium Floor of the project and will last till January 28th. The book fair allows avid readers to grab their favorite books without paying high prices.

The concept is simple yet exciting as participants can select books from an extensive collection and place them into a box until it reach its capacity. Once the box is filled to the brim, participants can load it, providing an innovative and engaging way to discover and acquire books. The event also serves as a platform for attendees to sell their books, fostering a sense of community among book lovers.

Uddhav Poddar, Managing Director of Bhumika Group, expressed enthusiasm about the event, stating, “Urban Square Mall is not just a shopping destination; it’s a cultural hub. We are thrilled to host the ‘Load the Box’ book fair, creating a literary haven for bookworms. This event aligns with our commitment to providing unique and enriching experiences for our patrons. We invite everyone to join this exciting literary journey, sharing the joy of reading and exploring a diverse range of books.”