Seasonal Magazine - August 2018 Issue - Kerala Cover Story

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VOLUME 17 ISSUE 7 JULY- AUGUST 2018

YEARS

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MAGAZINE

Seasonal www.seasonalmagazine.com

Managing Editor Jason D Pavorattikaran Editor John Antony Director (Finance) Ceena Associate Editor Carl Jaison Senior Editorial Coordinator Jacob Deva Senior Correspondent Bina Menon Creative Visualizer Bijohns Varghese Photographer Anish Aloysious Office Assistant Alby CG Correspondents Bombay: Rashmi Prakash Delhi: Anurag Dixit Director (Technical) John Antony Publisher Jason D Pavorattikaran

Why India deserves impartial governance On first glance everything appears gung-ho. Sensex is again approaching its January 2018 highs. And the novice observer may feel that everything is going to be great again with the economy after the rout in late March on political cues.

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EDITORIAL

It is said that market is the smartest predictor of them all. It is indeed true as it correctly predicted the BJP win in 2014, from 2013 onward. But the rally then had some distinct characteristics. It was an all-out rally, gathering in momentum, month after month, lifting up all stocks except the least deserving.

Today, the situation is starkly different.

Every indicator points that market is going to be range-bound for quite a while now. Even worse, with each rout and rebound rally, fewer and fewer non-index stocks are participating.

The market has already given its 2019 verdict. The BJP-NDA alliance doesn’t seem invincible anymore. If there is opposition unity, the ruling alliance is going to lose many seats, and if the opposition alliance is countrywide, the ruling alliance is going to topple over.

But it is a pretty big if. Market also knows that such an alliance is not easy to come by, given the fragmented nature of the opposition parties, their exclusive regional focus the hopeless state of Congress and the too clever arrows in Modi-Shah combine’s quiver to thwar t any such dangerous opposition unity. That is why at least the index stocks will keep on trading range-bound and not give away for the time being.

But the clear situation is that Modi and

team have lost their aura of invincibility.

Despite having grand plans and the willingness to work hard for it, the government has been finding that the scale of problems that India face are much bigger than they ever imagined while sitting in the Opposition benches.

Same has been the case with foreign relations, as our neighbours as well as the super-powers are turning out to be too clever and assertive for Indian to handle.

Take the NPA problem in the banking sector for instance. Despite showing much resolve and creating multiple structures to tackle it, the problem has only increased in dimension, with the latest RBI figures showing that NPAs are set to rise even higher, alarmingly.

If four years had proven insufficient to solve this crisis, it can mean only one thing – neither the government nor the RBI has acquired the competence to tackle it still.

The utter failure on the NPA front has – in a series of chain reactions – caused much of the other woes in the economy. Despite government’s best efforts to spend on infrastructure and promote the concept – not only in India but abroad – private sector investment has just failed to kick in to a required degree. And this in turn has caused the dismal performance on the jobs front.

If solving the banking crisis and ensuring jobs growth were two major election planks for Modi in 2014, yet another one of tackling black money had caused even more harm than good when attempted. Indeed, the blunders of demonetization still emerge month after month, as it had left the rural economy in tatters.

Recently a RTI reply was made public that around Rs. 30 crores were paid to IAF, just to transport the new notes. Note printing expenses for RBI had gone up from R. 3421 crores to Rs. 7965

crores, thereby affecting even the handsome dividends RBI used to pay government each year.

All these, for an exercise that finally resulted in 99% of the banned notes returning to the system and getting successfully exchanged.

Again, the role of incompetence is sharply visible.

Neither, government nor RBI had the required competence to judge the efficacy of such a drastic step as demonetization, let alone have the competency to execute it without a hitch.

All these pain would have been avoided if RBI had listened to its own findings, and if the government hadn’t forced the central banker to implement such a controversial move. Because, RBI’s annual report for last fiscal shows that its own sample survey had shown that there are only around 7 fake notes of Rs.500 in 1 million such notes, and only around 19 fake notes of Rs. 1000 in 1 million such notes!

India can either get too proud that it is the world’s fastest growing economy and get diverted from the ground-level realities. Nobel winning Indian economist Amartya Sen recently put in succinctly – “Twenty years ago, of the six countries in this region, India was the second best after Sri Lanka.

Now it is the second worst (only next to Pakistan).”

But the real problem for India is that when governance fails, ruling parties would once again fall back upon diversionary tactics like communalism and polarization. The first hints of such moves have already appeared when Minister Jayant Sinha, garlanded the accused in a mob lynching case.

It is said that any nation or people would get only the leaders it deserves. If we fail to promote eternal Indian values of peace, brotherhood, secularism and impartiality, in our daily conduct and in our voting choices, we would get only leaders who may once again fall upon communalization and polarization of the society to win votes and assume power.

Our problems are human problems. It is not a Hindu problem, a Muslim problem, a Sikh problem or a Christian problem. We deserve leaders who can rise above such communal divides and unite ever yone by impar ting justice with true impartiality.

John Antony SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

TECHNOLOGY OBSESSION LEADS TO LOW QUALITY PARENTING Yet for all the talk about children’s screen time, surprisingly little attention is paid to screen use by parents themselves, who now suffer from what the technology expert Linda Stone more..

KERALA GOVERNMENT STARTS THIRD YEAR ON A POSITIVE NOTE Around two months into its third year, the Pinarayi Vijayan Government is trying to make up for lost time, by pursuing several reforms on the business, labour and land usage fronts. While the Left Democratic Front had some successes in its first two years including the setting up of the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Fund Board (KIIFB), it has only been a foundational work. But CM Vijayan is moving swiftly now after garnering international attention on containing the Nipah virus outbreak.. and bagging the Nissan Global Technology Hub as well as a successful official visit to USA.

XIAOMI TO INVEST RS.15,000 CRORES AND CREATE 50,000 JOBS IN INDIA Xiaomi has seen a staggering growth under Manu Kumar Jain who has led the company to stand ahead of Samsung in India's smartphone market. We spoke with Jain to know more about what he envisions..

CHINA-RUSSIA RELATIONS: WHY A GRAND ALLIANCE IS UNLIKELY AGAINST USA The most fundamental question to IR theorists in the present times is to understand if and how would international hegemony/dominance change hands. For much of the period after the Second World War, and especially after the end of the Cold..

READYING STUDENTS FOR A GLOBAL WORKPLACE The four SRM universities in four states of India are diverse, but share the common drive for quality. At the same time they compete with each other healthily to outdo each other in initiatives, with the lead now taken by SRM University Amaravati which has tied up with MIT of USA for courseware and Illinois Institute of Technology for exchange programs, and the flagship SRM Institute of Science & Technology Chennai (SRM IST) that has bagged a big research and development order from India’s Integral Coach Factory.

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NEPAL EXPLOITING BOTH CHINA & INDIA Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China last week was not quite the blockbuster it was made out to be, given his ideological leaning towards Beijing. Instead, it reflected the healthy realism that Nepal cannot build ties with China at the expense of India.

GERMAN STUDENT INVENTS STUNNING MOBILE AIRBAG CASE

GROOMING COMPETENT AND COMPASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS Karunya Institute of Technology & Sciences, Coimbatore is not just one of India’s largest deemed-to-be universities, but one of the highly equipped universities to provide next generation managers, engineers, scientists and researchers for the industry. Karunya is the perfect match of competence and compassion, intelligence and emotional..

WHY WOMEN’S FRIENDSHIPS ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN MEN’S Research informs that women are far less inclined than men to explain their reason for breaking up with a friend and consequently more likely to avoid confrontation.

'Mobile Airbag' Case invented by student deploys when you drop your smartphone.

The design was a thesis project for a..

German engineering student, and the case detects when the phone is falling and protracts springs for an active damping

AMAZON & GOOGLE COMPETE IN SLASHING SMART SPEAKER PRICES IN INDIA After Amazon Echo, Google Home, Home Mini prices on Flipkart slashed.

INDIA SHOULD NOT WORRY OVER POSTPONEMENT OF TALKS WITH U.S The prevailing discourse blames the U.S for ignoring the importance of India in their Asia Pivot strategy after the third and recent postponement of 2+2 talks.

However, there is too much being read into it.

FACEBOOK’S SHOCKING PATENTS THAT MAY VIOLATE YOUR PRIVACY The social network giant Facebook is again under fire for collecting people’s essential and personal data for years. Yes, according to the latest reports, the social network giant Facebook’s patents revealed its shocking and creepy plans to collect more data from users.

GOOGLE'S NEIGHBOURLY POSE THREAT TO WHATSAPP & FACEBOOK IN INDIA Neighbourly, a hyper-local social network was unveiled in India this month by Google's Next Billion Users program. The neighborhood network, available in Mumbai and soon to expand to other cities, lets people share local expertise and crucial information with others in the vicinity..

EXPERTS SAY PETROL & DIESEL SHOULD BE UNDER GST The rise in petrol and diesel prices has burnt a hole in the pocket of the common citizen. In the month of May, due to global oil prices touching $80 a barrel, petrol and diesel prices skyrocketed to as high as over Rs. 86.24 and Rs. 73.79 in select cities. Because of this, retail inflation surged to a four-month high of 4.87 per cent in May. Oil marketing companies..

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CONTENTS

GARDEN REACH SHIPBUILDERS & ENGINEERS’ IPO

THE PERFECT PROXY PLAY ON INDIAN NAVY’S GROWTH With belligerent neighbours like China and Pakistan, and one of the longest coastlines in this part of the world to defend, Indian Navy can only grow and grow. And since we can’t invest in Indian Navy or Coast Guard, there are PSU companies like GRSE, which is the only Indian shipbuilder to have supplied 97 warships of various sizes to Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard & Mauritius Coast Guard. With an order book of over Rs. 20,000 crore, another 9000 crores to be signed soon and nearly 20% of revenue coming from diversified activities, the firm is on stable ground. It is the only shipyard in India with a dedicated Engineering Division catering to

A GURUKUL FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING It is remarkable to chronicle the long strides JK Lakshmipat University has taken during the seven years since its inception. It has been possible only due to the corporate vision of the 125 year old JK Organisation and renowned academicians like its President & Vice Chancellor Dr. RL Raina, who is equally known for his corporate experience. No wonder then that, soon after the success of its two..

SUZUKI JIMNY 4×4 SUV GETTING READY FOR LAUNCH The Suzuki Jimny has been around in global markets for some time now even though it has never been launched in India. The fourth generation model, has entered production,

HARD DISKS TO BE HISTORY SOON, FAST 128 TERABYTE SD CARDS COMING Life would be so much easier and convenient if you could pack all your pictures, music and videos in a single SD card and not multiple portable hard drives. Well, that could soon become reality with SD Express, a new standard for SD memory card.

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MANAV RACHNA ACHIEVES INTERNATIONAL STATURE Faridabad based Manav Rachna, which has been a leader in international industrial & academic tie-ups, has achieved a major global milestone when it became one of the only eight Indian universities to be handpicked for adopting the global admission benchmark of Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) founded in United States in 1926 as one of the admission criteria. Manav Rachna is also breaking new ground in world-class start-up incubation and industry-led..

HIGH TIME TOURISM SHED VANDALISM AND EMBRACE CONSERVATISM Tourism in India is at an all-time high. $230 billion high. The country ranks in the top four tourism economies of the world and generated more than $400 billion in the last two years. Though the number of International travelers is increasing, 90% of this tourism spend is contributed by domestic travelers.

Millennials, with the new age of social media has jumped on the ‘wanderlust’ bandwagon over the last couple of years

THE CASE FOR ISLAM’S INCLUSION IN INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY Countries have been deploying soft power in the conduct of their foreign policy and diplomacy well before the term was coined by Joseph S Nye and harnessing cultural linkages has been one of the most popular aspects of soft power.

DOMINATING THE NORTH EAST When it comes to choosing a private university in the North Eastern region, Guwahati based Assam Down Town University is surpassing its position every year, providing all the nourishment needed for a student’s overall growth and therefore manifests itself as one of the best universities to choose from. Spreading over 80 acres with

WHY STUDENTS DESERVE INSTITUTIONS LIKE JSSAHER While new private and deemed-to-be universities are struggling to publish annual placement numbers, the alumni of the constituent colleges of JSSAHER are spreading their wings across the world in countries like USA, UK & Australia, not to mention India, in leadership positions like research heads and HoDs. JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has always been different, because the promoting organization, its..

RBI PREDICTS DEEPER NPA CRISIS The gross non-performing asset ratio of scheduled commercial banks could rise up to 12.2 percent by March 2019 from 11.6 percent in March 2018, the Reserve Bank of India said in its Financial Stability Report.

UP TO 1.8 MILLION WOMEN MAY LOSE JOBS AFTER MATERNITY LAW CHANGES PM Modi's government introduced the law that entitles women working in the organized sector to 26 weeks paid maternity leave, up from 12 weeks.

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SCIENCE

Astronomers Dazzled by Brilliant Supernova

A MYSTERIOUS CATACLYSM IN A NEIGHBOURING GALAXY WAS SPOTTED IN THE SKY ABOVE HAWAII LAST WEEK, SENDING ASTRONOMERS AROUND THE WORLD SCRAMBLING TO UNDERSTAND THE SOURCE OF THE STAGGERINGLY BRILLIANT FLASH. waves. But the twin LIGO detectors in Washington and Louisiana are currently undergoing upgrades, leaving it an open question whether anyone might have seen those signals.

Subsequent observations have only added to the object's mystery. It was extraordinarily bright in all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum - from X-rays to radio waves. And whereas most supernovas carry spectral signatures called absorption lines, caused by certain elements within them that absorb wavelengths of light, AT2018cow is "surprisingly smooth," Smartt said.

Although there are some strange features in the signal, "no one has successfully matched them yet to the known features we normally see in supernova," he said. 've never seen anything like this before in the local universe," said Stephen Smartt, an astrophysicist at Queen's University in Belfast and a lead scientist for the Hawaii-based ATLAS survey, which first observed the object.

The June 16 detection was first posted on the Astronomer's Telegram, an online service for astronomers to rapidly report interesting new observations.

Thanks to the site's randomised threeletter naming system, the object has been dubbed AT2018cow, or "the cow" for short.

It immediately stood out to Smartt because it was so unlike a standard exploding star. Most events like it take several weeks to reach peak luminosity, but in the course of just three days, AT2018cow became about 10 times brighter than a normal supernova.

The object quickly captured other astronomers' attention. In the week since, the ATLAS observation has been followed up by about two dozen Seasonal Magazine

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additional teams of astronomers using telescopes based on at least four continents and in space.

"I think it's the most notices for any individual object in such a short period of time," said Robert Rutledge, editor in chief of the Astronomer's Telegram and an astrophysicist at McGill University in Canada. "It has produced a lot of interest."

Smartt initially suspected that the flash must have come from something in our own galaxy, because it was so bright.

But when other scientists conducted spectroscopic analyses of the object, separating the light out into its component wavelengths, it turned out that AT2018cow had features associated with CGCG 137-068, a galaxy in the constellation Hercules. Its light bore the signature of having been stretched out over the course of its 200 million-lightyear journey from that galaxy to Earth.

That's not far, by astronomical standards, which means the explosion may have produced detectable gravitational

Meanwhile, AT2018cow is already beginning to decline in brightness, even as astronomers continue to puzzle over its cause. It may be a Type 1c supernova, caused by the core collapse of a massive star that has already lost its outer veil of hydrogen and helium. The strong X-ray and radio signals also suggest that the explosion produced a jet of particles moving close to the speed of light.

"This does look like it is quite a rare object," Smartt said. " Just the fact that it's detected over all these wavelengths leaves a lot of rich physics to understand." These are just the early stages of the scientific process, he noted.

The Astronomer's Telegram isn't a peerreviewed journal, and the observations of AT2018cow still require months of additional research and analysis before they can be formally published.

But this is a fun chance to watch astronomers get excited about something strange and potentially new in real time.

"People are just putting out their data, and everyone does realise the data look quite strange," Smartt said.

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KERALA PERFORMING BETTER, BUT CHALLENGES KEEP SOARING

Kerala has been adjudged as the best governed state in India by a respected Bengaluru based think-tank, which should come as a sentimental relief for the state, even while it battles problems upon problems. For a while it seemed that Kerala Government could start its third year on a positive note. Around two months into its third year, the Pinarayi Vijayan Government was turning successful in making up for lost time, by pursuing several reforms on the business, labour and land usage fronts. While the Left Democratic Front had some successes in its first two years including the setting up of the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Fund Board (KIIFB), it has only been a foundational work. But into its third year, CM Vijayan has been moving swiftly. After garnering international attention on containing the Nipah virus outbreak, he was successful in bagging the Nissan Global Technology Hub as well as conducting a successful official visit to USA. However, will the glory be short-lived as the state has been at the receiving end of an unprecedentedly heavy monsoon, which has left lakhs of its citizens in public shelters due to drowned homes, heavy crop damage, and to top it all, an insensitive central government that has turned down its pleas for special assistance.

Public Affairs Centre (PAC) is a Bengaluru based think-tank founded by world renowned economist and academician of Indian origin, late Dr. Samuel Paul and currently headed by illustrious scientist and former head of ISRO, Dr. K Kasturirangan. PAC has recently come out with its annual study which finds that Kerala is the best governed state in the country.

PAC published its Public Affairs Index (PAI) 2018, in which Kerala outpaced much bigger and seemingly more capable peers like Tamil Nadu (2nd Rank), Telengana (3rd), Karnataka (4th) and Gujarat (5th).

While it is no secret that almost all these states stand much higher above Kerala when it comes to industrial and infrastructure development,

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Kerala has bagged this topmost rank for the governance aspect, which should come as a feather in the cap for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

PAI 2018 used a data-based framework to assess the performance of each state in India ranking them on social and economic development they are able to provide. In fact, this focus on socio-economic development

by PAC is one major factor for Kerala emerging as the winner.

However, the index was also broad-based as PAC studied the states across 10 themes such as essential infrastructure, support to human development, social protection, women and children as well as law and order.

Pinarayi Vijayan, CM, Kerala Seasonal Magazine

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A total of 30 focus subjects and 100 indicators were measured across these 10 themes to derive the PAI, thus providing a multi-dimensional and comprehensive matrix that attempts to capture the complexities of governing the plural and diverse country that is India.

To eliminate size biases, the states were divided into two categories large and small - on the basis of their population. States with more than two crore population were considered large, and Kerala has won in this large category.

An important factor leading to the reliability of the PAC index is that it has used only government data and not any kind of private data so that all biases could be eliminated. Respective state governments can’t complain as assessments were made from their own data, which is regarded as reasonably reliable in most states thanks to the RTI Act. Adding weight to Kerala’s top performance was the fact that this year PAC index included a separate index on the children of India, giving a measure of how child-friendly each of the states are. Here too, Kerala topped the index outpacing other good performers Himachal Pradesh (2nd Rank) and Mizoram (3rd).

But a sobering factor for Kerala is that the state has always been a leader when it comes to socio-economic development as measured by Human

Development Index (HDI) parameters.

In fact, since PAC started publishing this unique index in 2016, Kerala has been the national leader, making this win a third consecutive victory.

Kerala’s real issue is that the state is reeling under numerous challenges, despite this leadership in socioeconomic development. The current Left Democratic Front government under Pinarayi Vijayan stormed into power in 2016 on the promise that these challenges too would be addressed – prime among them being the industrial and infrastructural development of the state.

While the Left Democratic Front had some successes in its first two years including the setting up of the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Fund Board (KIIFB), it has only been a foundational work. Other major successes include a turnaround in its government schools, and in containing the Nipah virus outbreak with minimum deaths, for which the state garnered international attention.

But around two months into its third year, the Pinarayi Vijayan Government was turning successful in making up for lost time, by pursuing several reforms on the business, labour and land usage fronts. CM Vijayan has been moving swiftly, by being successful in bagging the Nissan Global Technology Hub as well as conducting a successful official visit to USA.

Dr. Samuel Paul

However, the glory may be short-lived as the state has been at the receiving end of an unprecedentedly heavy monsoon, which has left lakhs of its citizens in public shelters due to flooded homes, heavy crop damage, and to top it all, an insensitive central government that has turned down its pleas for special assistance.

While the state government is doing everything in its ability to provide assistance to the 1.47 lakh people it has moved to relief camps, as well as to the families of the 50 people who have died so far due to the heavy rains and floods, it is obvious that any state government’s initiatives would fall short, when all the Centre extended was Rs.80 crores and Navy’s assistance in rescue operations.

However, once Kerala recovers from this unprecedented floods, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his government would be hoping that a slew of measures the LDF government had initiated soon after entering its third year would start bearing fruit.

Kerala has recently made progressive alterations in land conservation law for public usage and un-notified lands.

While it has come in for stiff resistance from environmental activists, it may free up much needed land for economic development.

On the industrial front, after winning over Nissan, state is now proactively trying to bring in IT giants like Microsoft and Tech Mahindra, as the scarce land availability and high

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Dr. K Kasturirangan.

environmental concerns of the state are more suitable for IT firms.

Kerala has also launched a new Rs.10,000 crore Chit Fund for Gulf Malayalees with the aim of tapping their savings for the development of the state, even while giving them handsome returns.

To fully tap the potential of its economic capital of Kochi, Kerala Government is all set to start work to make Kochi a Smart City as per the selection made by Central Government many months back.

Kerala Tourism which is a leader in the sector across India has recorded a solid performance in Q1 and is leaving no major exhibition unattended to market Kerala’s destinations further.

The ongoing monsoon season is being tapped for promoting monsoon tourism and special rejuvenating Ayurvedic treatments that are usually prescribed during this season.

Kerala has not only obtained sufficient rains, but is experiencing booming monsoon and Ayurvedic tourism.

Encouraged by its success against Nipah, the state is planning to set up a world-class virology institute in the state. Kerala CM and Health Minister had attracted recognition in USA from HIV co-founder Robert Gallo, who is also interested in setting up a virology institute in the state.

On the political front, Kerala has been at the forefront of forging an alliance

among opposition-ruled states against Centre’s controversial policies.

Kerala's economist Finance Minister is continuing his fight against Central Finance Commission's controversial Terms of Reference with facts, figures and allies from other states.

The state which is witnessing an unprecedented incoming migrant population due to the construction boom, is showing that it cares for incoming migrants, through its Literacy Mission which is teaching Malayalam to migrant women.

Kerala has also announced plans for a new Rs. 7 Crore New Cyber Security Operations Centre to combat cyber crimes swiftly and effectively.

On the ease-of-doing-business front, Kerala Government has removed many archaic practices like gawking fees, but has also modernized labor rules for sales people, enabling them to sit when needed, and empowering women to work in night shifts safely.

Kerala has also come to the rescue of its plantations by abolition of Plantation Tax, and to the help of its farmers by announcing a moratorium on Agriculture Income Tax.

It is also going to employ state-of-theart blockchain technology to public distribution of products like milk.

Kerala's KIIFB is all set to employ drone technology to map for projects, by tying up with an innovative start-up by IIT graduates that will be offering its comprehensive services in Kerala.

By cutting fuel prices by Rs. 1, Kerala has also shown that it is a government that cares, and it hopes to make up for the around Rs.500 crore in revenue loss through other means.

Kerala is hoping high that these reforms and initiatives, as well as several other upcoming reforms will turnaround this human development leader to an economic powerhouse too.

SM

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STATE-IN-FOCUS

KERALA GOVERNMENT STARTS THIRD YEAR ON A POSITIVE NOTE

Around two months into its third year, the Pinarayi Vijayan Government is trying to make up for lost time, by pursuing several reforms on the business, labour and land usage fronts. While the Left Democratic Front had some successes in its first two years including the setting up of the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Fund Board (KIIFB), it has only been a foundational work. But CM Vijayan is moving swiftly now after garnering international attention on containing the Nipah virus outbreak.. and bagging the Nissan Global Technology Hub as well as a successful official visit to USA.

ou won’t find mammoth financial business hubs here like BKC in Mumbai or DLF Cyber City in Gurgaon, but here all poor school children are getting tasty and nutritious mid-day meals for free. With just weeks left for Kerala Government’s second anniversary, a lot of pioneering initiatives that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his hardworking cabinet colleagues have been undertaking are all set to hog the limelight once again. If anyone is asked to pick the most unique state of India, on a socio-economic basis, it may not be even Jammu Kashmir. The southern state of Kerala has been a unique model of socio-economic development that has been unparalleled so far, and likely to remain so. Because, a lot of historical, geographical and political factors have contributed to this development and under the reign of the current Left Democratic Front too, this momentum has been sustained and is likely to sustain for its full term. The biggest achievement for Kerala is that it has attained leadership position in all core social development parameters like infant mortality, free primary education,

free healthcare etc without attracting any fanciful figures in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or even big achievements in the agriculture sector due to its small land area and high population density. You won’t find mammoth financial business hubs here like BKC in Mumbai or DLF Cyber City in Gurgaon, but here all poor school children are getting tasty and nutritious mid-day meals for free. While it hosts world-class hospitals like Aster Medcity, VPS Lakeshore and Rajagiri Hospital, like in the Indian metros, it also has a thriving government hospitals system that is renowned for its free yet quality care and experienced doctors and surgeons. Now, under the visionary leadership of the Pinarayi Vijayan government, Kerala is all set to build

upon its strengths, even while it corrects its traditional weaknesses.

Definitive plans are now ready for the development of the 633 km West Coast Canal, that will utilize the untapped transport and tourism potential of Kerala’s renowned rivers and backwaters. The state is moving in a big way into building upon its formidable IT prowess as seen in Thiruvanathapuram Technopark, Kochi Infopark, & Kochi Smart City, by building new facilities like the Maker Village in Kochi, which is India’s largest electronics incubator. The state also successfully hosted two IT related conferences, the Huddle Conclave for startups and the #Future conclave for digital infrastructure. And walking the talk, beating even IT hotspots like Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi, Kerala is now also

Kerala has announced plans for a new Rs. 7 Crore New Cyber Security Operations Centre to combat cyber crimes swiftly and effectively

Kerala Tourism has recorded a solid performance in Q1 and is leaving no major exhibition unattended to market the destination.

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set to be the first state in India to have 1000 free Wi-Fi spots. Politically too, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Finance Minister Dr. TM Thomas Issac have broken new ground by standing firm against Centre’s controversial policies be it the clumsy GST implementation, Central Finance Commission, rice shortage, SC/ST bill etc. Under Dr. Thomas Issac’s proactive role, the state even won in forging a strong newfound alliance among all the five southern states of the country, which has now become a formidable lobby group at Delhi. Kerala’s economic capital of Kochi’s development has been of paramount importance to this Government, and after the successful commissioning of Kochi Metro, the city

Kerala CM and Health Minister have attracted recognition in USA from HIV cofounder Robert Gallo, who is also interested in setting up a virology institute in the state. is now soon to have a new Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS).

Work for the proposed water connectivity through Water Metro is also under progress. After years of dillydallying by various governments, the Pinarayi Vijayan Government also broke new ground in waste management, when it restarted work on the mega Brahmapuram project for waste management. Despite several roadblocks, the government is also facilitating the large-scale Vizhinjam Port Project. While CIAL which manages the international airport at Kochi has completed a new state-of-theart terminal, soon Thiruvananthapuram Airport will be planning and implementing a new terminal. With the monsoons just round the corner, the state administration, especially health and PWD ministries are swinging into action to make the roads and public Seasonal Magazine

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Kerala has made progressive alterations in land conservation law for public usage and un-notified lands.

places more ready for the onslaught of heavy rains. On the Skills front, Kerala’s KASE agency has been making rapid strides, equipping its youngsters with new trade skills and a new partnership with Government of Singapore is in the offing. The state has also moved boldly in the labour welfare segment, by implementing rational wages for nurses in the private sector, despite stiff opposition from private hospitals.

Kerala continues to be the leader in local self-governance or Panchayati Raj and the continuing success run of grassroots level organizations like Kudumbashree is ample proof for this.

Kerala also has solid plans in place to raise its flagging fortunes in the plantation sector dominated by tea, coffee, cardamom, rubber and cocoa.

The state has recently made plans to attract one lakh crore of new investment in the coming 5-6 years, so that it doesn’t miss the investment bus.

Industries Minister AC Moideen had recently clarified that the state government has been able to attract

Kerala Government is all set to start Work to make Kochi a Smart City as per the selection made

by Central Government many months back.

Kerala Government has modernized labor rules for sales people, enabling them to sit when needed, and empowering women to work in night shifts safely. investment to the tune of Rs 9,127 crore in the past two years in the industrial sector, and that the investments have come through multiple sources, including KINFRA, KSIDC and the small-scale industrial sector. The state is now all set to have the new Kerala Investment Promotion and Facilitation Bill, 2018. On the industrial front, Kerala Government has made a landmark move by forming a new company tentatively called Kerala Laptop Ltd which will have partners like chip major Intel, KSIDC and KELTRON to manufacture laptops on a massive scale, a significant portion of which will be bought by the government itself. It will also source local components from private companies in the state like UST Global, SFO technologies, FCI OEN etc, apart from Keltron. The state is also betting big on a new Rs.3000 crore titanium project. In a major step to make the schools in the state self-sufficient in the digital arena, the state government has initiated measures to provide video conferencing system in all classrooms.

Kerala wins Nissan Global Technology Hub, the automaker's first in the world, and will be housed in Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, before moving to its own campus.

In the first phase, 4,775 schools have been selected for implementation. As part of the implementation, the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) has already floated a tender for purchasing multifunction printers, high definition digital handicam, HD webcam and 42 inch LED television. According to government sources, the installation of the system is expected to be completed

by June. Under Tourism Minister, Kadakampally Surendran’s leadership, the state has maintained its leadership in tourism, with the state recording a nearly 11% growth in tourist footfalls in 2017, and it is now all set to break new ground by appointing 1000 experienced professionals as resource persons to ensure tourism growth.

Kerala has not only obtained sufficient rains, but is experiencing booming monsoon and Ayurvedic tourism.

KERALA IS TAKING A BIG STEP IN SKILLS DEVELOPMENT WHEREVER IN THE WORLD YOU GO, YOU WILL MEET A KERALITE. AND NOT ALL OF THEM WILL BE IN WHITE-COLLAR JOBS. BECAUSE, NOT ONLY ARE THEY ONE OF THE MOST DEDICATED HARD WORKERS, BUT THEY HAVE NO QUALMS IN DOING BLUE-COLLAR JOBS, IF THEY GET PAID VERY WELL LIKE IN THE RICHER NATIONS. NOW, KERALA IS JOINING HANDS WITH SINGAPORE TO PREPARE KERALA YOUTH FOR NEXT GENERATION OF INTERNATIONAL BLUE-COLLAR JOBS. The developed world has a problem.

It lacks blue-collar workers, big time.

The developing world has another problem. It has huge unemployment.

If both these requirements can be matched, both the worlds would have their solution. Kerala has huge potential in this regard, as Keralites have no qualms working anywhere in the world, be it Middle East, Americas, Australia, Japan or even Africa. But it would require upgrading the skills of aspiring Keralite workers. This is one of the prime objectives behind the stateowned Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE). Blue-collar job skills that KASE is targeting to upgrade include those of electricians, plumbers, carpenters, traditional craftsmen, refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics, those involved in wall and floor tiling, bakery and restaurant services, florists etc. To elevate their skills to global standards, KASE promotes, establishes, sets up, monitors, governs and regulates institutions and academies. Towards this KASE has started to tap into the industrial training institutes - 91 in the

government sector and 450 in the private sector - where more than 60,000 youth who have completed school education join annually. KASE had been to to Singapore, which currently is the world leader in training students in these trades. Soon KASE is all set to enter into an agreement with the Singapore government which will be its knowledge partner to turn Kerala ITIs into state-of-the-art institutes. For this, the state government has worked out a budget of Rs 800 crore, of which, in the first phase, Rs 228 crore would be allocated. As part of its strategy, KASE has also, in the past few months, been conducting zonal and districtlevel competitions aimed at identifying and training the youth to participate and win medals at the World Skills Competition that is scheduled to be held in the city of Kazan in south-western Russia in 2019. The response has been huge with over 7500 participants turning up across 20 trades, all under 21 years of age. Forty toppers will be selected from them for the nationals, and the final winners at the national level will be taken to Russia to participate in the Seasonal Magazine

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Kerala's KIIFB to employ drone technology to map for projects, by tying up with an innovative start-up

by IIT graduates that will be offering its comprehensive services in Kerala. prestigious three-day event. The man who is heading the show at KASE is its Director Sriram Venkitaraman, a young doctor-turned-bureaucrat who has travelled across the globe to understand the differing requirements of blue-collar workers there and how Keralite workers could fill those positions. However, another core aim of KASE is to change the perception about bluecollar jobs in Kerala itself, as increasingly Keralites are shying away from these jobs inside the state, and all these jobs are going to workers from other states.

KERALA HAS NO PARALLELS IN PANCHAYATI RAJ INDIA RECENTLY PASSED A MILESTONE WHEN IT COMPLETED 25 YEARS OF DECENTRALIZATION OF POWER, OR PANCHAYATI RAJ. HOWEVER, THE EVENT WAS NOT EVEN COMMEMORATED MUCH ANYWHERE IN INDIA, EXCEPT KERALA, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CLEAR LEADER IN DEVOLVING POWER TO THE LOCAL SELFGOVERNMENT BODIES, AND THE CLEAR RESULTS OF THIS IN THE STATE’S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT INDEX IS FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.

When it comes to the core social development index parameters like infant mortality, primary education and affordable healthcare, Kerala is way ahead of most states in India, which as a nation has always lagged behind the top 100 countries in Social Progress Index, and as the last one even in BRICS nations. Historically, different factors have played well in making this miracle happen for Kerala like benevolent kings, then benevolent governments, familiarity with standards in developed nations due to non-resident population etc. However, starting in 1993 and

Kerala is showing that it cares for incoming migrants, through its Literacy Mission which is teaching Malayalam to migrant women.

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getting accelerated in 1996 with the People’s Plan Campaign, Kerala has rapidly outpaced all aspiring peers by embracing Panchayati Raj like no other state. It was in 1993 that the Narasimha Rao Government implemented former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s dream of decentralization or Panchayati Raj as a mechanism to ensure that the fruits of development reaches the grassroots without graft, red tape and nepotism.

However, in the greater din of the economic liberalization program of the same government that happened simultaneously, Panchayati Raj didn’t get much mindshare or acceleration in many states. But within just three years of its introduction by Centre, that is in 1996, Kerala launched the People’s Plan Campaign that continues to be the benchmark in the whole of India for how to implement Panchayati Raj. A new LDF Government under EK Nayanar had come to power and it took a bold decision to devolve 35% of the state development budget down from a centralized bureaucracy to local governments where local people could

determine and implement their own development priorities under the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) or ‘Janakeeya Aasoothranam’ in Malayalam. While the movement brought about lasting changes in rural development, not all of its objectives could be met due to the new triple-level panchayats lacking the administrative acumen to handle the new huge responsibilities. However, there were some remarkable achievements from PPC like the Kudumbashree movement that has won not only national but international accolades. Created as part of the Women Component Mission of PPC under the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM), Kudumbashree (meaning, prosperity of the family) rapidly grew into the largest and most successful Women Neighbourhood Groups network in India. Now under the current LDF Government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, the PPC model is making a comeback with definitive programs like mechanisms for tracking the 14 district plans, which are already making a difference at the grassroots level.

Fortunately for Kerala, one of the chief architects of PPC, TM Thomas Issac is now at a bigger role as the state’s Finance Minister.

KSEBL’S ELECTRIFYING ENTRY INTO THE TOURISM CIRCUIT KERALA TOURISM DEPARTMENT AND ITS COMPANIES HAVE BEEN FLYING HIGH SINCE THE PAST COUPLE OF DECADES. NOW, ANOTHER STATE OWNED COMPANY THAT MANY OF US THOUGHT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH TOURISM IS FLEXING ITS HIDDEN MUSCLES. KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD LTD (KSEBL) WHICH MANAGES A WHOPPING 58 LOVELY DAMS ACROSS ITS 33 HYDRO ELECTRIC PROJECTS IS THIS COMPANY WHOSE TOURISM INITIATIVES IS THROUGH THE SUBSIDIARY KERALA HYDEL TOURISM CENTRE (KHTC).

Kerala’s tryst with hydro electric power goes a long way back.

Longer than India’s Independence, when Kings ruled erstwhile Travancore state under British Raj. It was in 1933, six years before World War II began, that the princely state’s Electricity Department was formed with an eye on tapping the potential of its rivers for electricity generation. The first planned project was at Pallivasal in Idukki district. Its first phase of 13.5 MW capacity was inaugurated by Sir CP Ramaswamy Aiyer, Dewan of Travancore, in 1940, when WWII was raging. With such pioneering resolve and no dearth for rivers, Kerala has not looked back in hydro electric power ever since. In the coming decades Kerala built major hydel stations one after the other at Sengulam, Neriamangalam, Panniar, Poringalkuthu, Sholayar, Sabarigiri, Kuttiyadi, Idukki and Lower Periyar. Among these, Idukki hydel project deserves a special mention as it is one of the largest such projects in India as well as Asia with a capacity of 780 MW, and was built with Canadian assistance. The first phase was dedicated to the nation by then PM Indira Gandhi in 1976 and the second phase was completed in 1985-86 period. The project involved construction of three new dams - Cheruthoni Dam, Kulamavu Dam and Idukki Arch Dam, which was the first arch dam to be constructed in India. A double curvature parabolic arch dam, constructed across the river Periyar, Idukki Arch Dam is the second highest dam in India with a height of 168.91 meters, and length of the dam at top is 365.85 meters.

Now, how about conducting a laser show about Kerala history on the surface of this massive arch dam for attracting tourists? This kind of larger-than-life initiatives are now being planned by KSEBL subsidiary Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre (KHTC). The laser show together with a new amphitheatre and aquarium will transform Idukki Hydel Project into a major new tourism destination and is estimated to cost Rs. 26 crore. KHTC is also planning a largescale tulip garden, spreading across an area of 40 acres, near the Kundala dam. A cruise service between Anchuruli and Kulamavu is another project that the company is working on. Apart from this, there are plans to construct amusement parks at seven hydel-power generating dams - Banasura Sagar, Lower Meenmutti, Ponmudi, Kakkayam, Kundala, Anayirangal and Chengulam.

Sparing none, all these dams are at picturesque forest locations of Kerala. And with multiple dams across major rivers like Periyar, Pamba, Kuttiyadi, Mudirappuzha, & Chalakudy, sky is the limit for KSEBL and KHTC. At present, KSEBL has 58 dams under it, and KHTC has already started tourism projects at 21 of these dams through joint ventures like Cowboy Park near Mattupetty dam in Munnar. For a company that started in 1999 with a modest ambition of providing boating services for tourists in various dams, KHTC has come a long way and is obviously planning for much higher objectives. Even its boating services have clicked like anything, with its boating centre at Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad attracting around 9 lakh visitors last year. The leadership of KHTC is in safe hands, under the young hands of its director KJ Jose and the visionary patronage of Kerala’s Electricity Minister, MM Mani who hails from high range region where many of these hydel projects are situated. KHTC, which earned an income of Rs 15 crore in 2017-18, is proving to be a model for other states to emulate.

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INTERVIEW

GATHERING MOMENTUM IN THE THIRD YEAR Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has shown renewed vigour after entering into his government's third year by winning Nissan's Global Technology Centre and getting international recognition for his government's success in containing the Nipah virus outbreak. He has also concluded a successful official trip to USA, where starting two healthcare initiatives were discussed including a virology institute.

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INTERVIEW & FEATURE BY: JAISON D, JOHN ANTONY & CEENA J

Once upon a time, no, not once upon a time, but even as late as last year Non Resident Keralites visiting their home state from the cradle of Silicon Valley – California – used to tell a story of how trucks with robotic arms are used there to automatically collect waste from homes. But if they tell the same story now, resident Keralites would have a befitting answer – “No big deal, as in Kerala, manholes are starting to get cleaned by robotic arms.” And if they are politically knowledgeable they may add about a subtle difference too.

In California, robotic arms have caused job losses, whereas in Kerala, government has gone to great lengths to ensure that the same people who used to clean the dangerous manholes manually are the people who are now getting trained to operate the robotic arms! This difference sums up the Nava Keralam (New Kerala), that Pinarayi Vijayan Government has been trying earnestly to build.

Embracing sunrise technologies on one hand, while never letting go of its traditional socialist ethos on the other hand, on which the renowned Kerala model of development had been built up since the last several decades. It is the envy of other states as Kerala squarely beats most states in India when it comes to Human Development Index parameters like education and healthcare for the masses. The Nava Kerala program has four missions – Haritha Keralam (meaning Green Kerala), Ardram (meaning compassion), Life (housing for all) and the Public Education Rejuvenation Mission. But when Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn in as Chief Minister in May 2016, Kerala literally had no funds to carry out any of these social missions, which would have gradually meant a slow death for the renowned Kerala model. In fact, it had already started happening due to fall in gulf remittances and plantation revenues. But Pinarayi Vijayan Government innovated brightly in this regard, setting up what is perhaps India’s first state public sector company to raise private capital from market for public infrastructural purposes. Thus was born Kerala

Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) under the visionary leadership of Dr. Thomas Issac, the state’s economist finance minister. In a state where everything government takes an enormous amount of time to fulfil, it has been no mean achievement that not only was KIIFB set up within around an year, but that by the second anniversary of the government, KIIFB had approved Rs.22,000 crores worth of public infrastructure projects. Today, thanks to that brave and smart step, all the four missions of government – Haritha Kerala, Ardram, Life & Education have made giant strides. This is no empty rhetoric, as its effects are starting to get felt at the grassroots level. Haritha Keralam has already achieved a remarkable turnaround in vegetable production and on the waste management front it has achieved the restart of a major waste management project in Ernakulam. Ardram Mission has succeeded in revamping the renowned public healthcare system of Kerala across its three tiers of primary health centres, secondary level of taluk / district hospitals and the tertiary level of medical colleges. Kerala might end up as the only state where each government medical college is upgraded successfully to a centre of excellence with full-fledged cardiac and oncology centres attached to them. It is perhaps in the Education Mission that the interventions of this government are most powerfully felt as for the first time in several years, government and government aided schools made a strong comeback with 1.5 lakh students changing from private schools to such public schools. How can’t they, with all high schools and higher secondary classrooms being converted to IT enabled smart classes, that too at the lowest of fees? Government’s Life Mission for helping build homes for all homeless and landless families in the state is also steadily making progress.

Thanks to the success of these KIIFB funded missions, today Kerala is dreaming big of attracting Rs.50,000 crores to Rs.1 lakh crore investments within these 5 years. Government has also moved fast to garner a better rank in the Ease of Doing Business Index, by comprehensively upgrading state’s industrial laws, even while ensuring that

its famed labour policies are protected.

No Government can be expected to fully achieve its promises, that too within a short period of two years. But even detractors of Pinarayi Vijayan Government would privately agree that a solid foundation has been set for a Nava Keralam through KIIFB and the four social missions it has been funding.

Seasonal Magazine caught up with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for this exclusive interview on the occasion of Government’s second anniversary: As your government completes two years, and there are many achievements to talk about, what would you highlight as the number one achievement?

When we had assumed office, it was almost as if Keralites had given up on their developmental dreams. Now there is a popular public sentiment, that change is possible in Kerala, that development can be realised. We have shown that ‘where there is a will there is a way’. We are happy that we have been able to breathe fresh life into Malayalis aspirations for the future.

As Chief Minister, you head various portfolios including IT, police, vigilance, inland navigation, NRK affairs etc. Can you mention some of the achievements in any of these ministries that you are most proud about?

We are using IT enabled solutions to put an end to human misery and hardships. The use of robotic arms to clean manholes instead of getting humans to do such menial jobs have been appreciated the world over. We have declared internet as a right, we are providing free WiFi in public spaces and we are linking our homes and offices to the online world through a high speed optical fiber network. Police is being modernised with skills and facilities. Our focus is on scientific investigation. We are also raising the representation of women in the police and setting up mechanisms like the Pink Patrol to ensure women’s safety.

National Waterway will soon become a reality, through which one can travel throughout the length of Kerala’s coast.

The skills and expertise of our NRKs are being put to use in realising Kerala’s Seasonal Magazine

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development, which was reflected in the Loka Kerala Sabha.

You have recently remarked that Kerala has become a much more investment friendly destination. Can you explain which of the government’s initiatives have contributed to this investor friendliness?

We have taken proactive steps to improve the business environment by undertaking reforms to ensure that the State’s EoDB rating goes up. A key reform is the mandating of a specific time limit of 30 days to decide on issuance of licenses to applicants. The reforms have also made provisions for licenses to be issued with a validity of 5 years. Self-certification for green category industries for Pollution Control Board has also been introduced. As part of the reforms, an Investment Promotion and Facilitation Cell has been constituted and it will be responsible for the smooth interaction with applicants and issuing speedy approvals. Composite clearances issued through a single window system will be binding on all departments/agencies.

Recently, you have said that relationship between Centre and States has come to all time low and that Centre has been squeezing Kerala’s finances as well as state financial institutions. Can you explain this scenario?

The experiences of demonetisation and GST introduction speak for themselves.

In both instances it was Kerala’s interventions which upheld the rights of the states’ institutions.

Kerala is staring at a unique economic situation, where two of its

main revenue sources that is the plantation sector and gulf money flow slowing down. What are the government’s plans to counter this or find alternatives?

We have a highly educated and skilled man power. We have a robust health care system. Our tourism sector is a major global attraction. We also have immense possibilities in food processing. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure that opportunities are created in all these sectors within the state itself. This will benefit both our youngsters and return immigrants. We are incentivising business proposals by return immigrants and raising investments from them for the various development projects of the state, with assured returns.

Kerala has attracted over Rs.9000 crores in investments during the last two years. The finance ministry’s figures show that the state needs to attract Rs.1 lakh crore during the next 5-6 years. Do you think it is an achievable target and if yes, how?

We have devised innovative strategies to mobilise funds and utilise them for our developmental projects. Through KIIFB, we have approved projects worth over 22,000 Crores in 2 years, when our target is 50,000 Crores for 5 years.

The figures certainly suggest that the targets are achievable.

You have recently remarked that Keralites’ mindset should change and that development is not a sin. Do you think CPM’s historical stand against a red carpet for private investments had contributed to this mindset?

CPIM has never been against investments. It has only stood to ensure that such investments must not be at the cost of workers’ rights and our environment.

You have come in as a major supporter for startups, entrepreneurship and digital infrastructure in recent months. How do you think these movements can help Kerala?

With the abundance of young and skilled talent that we have, it is our duty to encourage them. We are providing

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financial and technical assistance to Start-Ups. Our experience is that such encouragement has resulted in innovations that benefit the society at large. I had mentioned about robots cleaning manholes earlier. Such a technological intervention did not render those who were earlier engaged in that profession jobless. On the other hand, we trained them and ensured that they were the ones who operate these robotic machines. We believe that science and technology should benefit humanity and that is what we are striving to achieve.

To build upon the agricultural revival in the state, you have recently proposed the promotion of branded agricultural products. Can you explain this move?

Through the Haritha Keralam Mission, we are giving prime importance to agriculture and environment. We have brought fallow lands under cultivation and reclaimed fields for agriculture.

We are already moving towards self sufficiency in vegetable production.

The next logical step is agro processing. We have the required raw materials and technical resources are also easily available. To market the final product, a solid branding is required. This is why we have thought up of Brand Kerala. It will go a long way in gaining quick acceptability and thus a larger market share for our products.

What would you regard as the main area in which the government and the bureaucracy should improve, in the remaining three years?

We need to ensure that government and bureaucracy move at the speed of the 21st century and stay accountable to the people. We have made significant steps towards realising it. E-filing has helped speed up file movement. Punching system for attendance has helped to ensure that officers are able to devote enough time to handle their responsibilities.

By presenting our Progress Report to the people, we are holding ourselves accountable to the public who elected us into office. We are weighing our performance against the promises we had made during the elections. We will surely deliver on all of our promises.

INTERVIEW & FEATURE BY: JAISON D, JOHN ANTONY & CEENA J

THE FIGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT, BY DEPLOYING INNOVATIVE TOOLS From unmanned drones for speeding up KIIFB projects, to starting a chit fund to raise Rs.10,000 crores from Gulf Malayalees, he is innovating on newer and newer tools in Kerala's fight for development. Seasonal Magazine in conversation with Dr. Thomas Issac, Kerala’s economist finance minister, while entering the third year of the LDF government.

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“Passion is needed for any great work, and for the revolution, passion and audacity are required in big doses,” said Che Guevara once. While not a revolutionary in the Che tradition exactly, the communist finance minister of Kerala embodies these twin values of passion and audacity to attempt the impossible - a market borrowing mechanism called KIIFB - and make it a success. He demolished as myths ideas like Rahu Kaal, Vaastu and Number 13, by choosing the Vaastu troubled Manmohan Bunglaow as his residence, by doing his housewarming there at Rahu Kaal and by travelling around in the No.13 state car that no minister would touch! Yet, apart from CM Pinarayi Vijayan, no one in Kerala has any doubt on who has been the most successful minister in the left front cabinet. Because, what he supposedly lacks by shunning so-called traditions, he makes up by his sheer passion and audacity in big doses, as Che noted. That is how Dr. Thomas Issac has transformed the post of finance minister that usually draws flak from all other ministers for hindering their plans, into a new respectability of having empowered all other ministers to pursue their portfolio’s development through KIIFB. When Pinarayi Vijayan Government assumed office exactly two years back, Kerala’s economy was not in the best shape. After decades of reasonable prosperity fuelled by the famous Kerala Model of development that stressed on subsidized education, healthcare, land reform, social pensions and other social development initiatives, the economy of the state was rapidly slowing down.

The reason of course was that Kerala had not performed well enough in attracting massive investments and creating jobs on a massive scale. Still, Kerala was far ahead of most states in human development index parameters.

How this came to be was not just about the social equity route that Kerala followed for decades, but through some really unique revenue sources for the state like the remittances by Non Resident Keralites from Middle East and a thriving plantation sector.

For instance, in 2012-13 period, the plantation sector of the state comprising mainly of rubber, tea, coffee, cardamom and cocoa was clocking an annual production worth Rs.22,000 crores. And every year the overseas remittances from Middle East were continuing to grow.

But by the time, the Pinarayi Vijayan Government came into power, both these revenue sources were slowly getting into serious trouble. And the worst thing was that these were international challenges that no state government could find a solution for.

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While the Middle East crisis was fuelled by countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE and most GCC countries preferring their own nationals for many jobs, the plantation sector woes was mainly a fallout of the free trade agreement that India had signed with ASEAN nations.

During the first year of the Pinarayi Vijayan Government itself, overseas remittances took a further nosedive, registering a 10% fall. And by the end of the first year, the plantation sector revenues had plummeted to just Rs.9000 crore.

But Chief Minister Vijayan and his colleagues exhibited a steely resolve to take the challenge of putting Kerala back into the growth trajectory, headon. One reason behind their confidence was the education, experience and unique developmental ideas of one of their colleagues, Dr.TM Thomas Issac, Minister for Finance.

Thomas Isaac is an economist who took his PhD from Centre for Development Studies (CDS) of Jawaharlal Nehru University. A prolific author of books and articles, Isaac was also a professor at the Centre for Development Studies.

During his tenure as a member of the Kerala State Planning Board, he was in charge of the People's Plan campaign (PPC), which was the implementation of Panchayati Raj in Kerala. This campaign is still considered as the benchmark in the history of decentralisation in India. He also

served as the Finance Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011, a period that is marked for good fiscal governance.

From the beginning, Pinarayi Vijayan Government aimed at a two-prong strategy of publicly funded infrastructure development on one hand, and publicly funded social development missions in all core sectors including education, healthcare, agriculture etc. But only one thing was uncertain – where was the money to do all these?

With the dwindling inflows from both the Middle East and the plantation sector, one thing was clear to all – that the state budget won’t be able to fund any such ambitious missions or infrastructure development. But Kerala’s economist finance minister always had a plan in his mind, and thus was born the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board or KIIFB as it is popularly known in Kerala these days.

The idea was so innovative for a government that its detractors were many. Put simply, KIIFB was a public company set up outside the government with the sole objective of borrowing funds from the market at competitive rates, and distributing it to various government projects.

In other words, KIIFB was set up so that Government could raise funds from the money market as easily as large private companies were doing it. Dr.Issac’s detractors from the Opposition benches vowed that it was a plan that would

never fructify. But he proved otherwise and implemented it in the first year itself and by the end of the second year, KIIFB had approved projects worth Rs.22,000 crores with Rs.10,000 crores already disbursed for various works.

Now, his detractors are crying that through KIIFB, Dr.Issac is pushing Kerala into a massive debt burden. But Kerala’s finance minister is sure-footed in his initiatives, as he has already earmarked half of the road taxes and the petrol cess for healthy repayment of the KIIFB loans, in the years to come.

The funding through KIIFB has indeed provided a new lease of life for Kerala as it is funding infrastructure development like new coastal roads, four-laning of highways, new industrial parks, new tech parks etc, as well as a massive but measured push into social development domains like education, healthcare and agriculture.

Already all high-school and higher secondary classrooms in Kerala have been made digital. Kerala’s renowned public health system is getting a thorough overhaul at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels with medical colleges being repositioned as centres of excellence in healthcare. On the agricultural front, Kerala has made a stunning comeback in vegetable and fruit production, and with KIIFB aid is plotting a repeat performance in other crops.

In short, with KIIFB, Dr. Thomas Issac has achieved the near impossible - a Communist finance minister tapping market funds for public infrastructure development! Despite this early success of KIIFB, Dr. Issac is not resting

on his laurels but planning a target of attracting Rs.1 lakh crore investment into Kerala during the next few years, which he contends is an achievable dream.

Unlike many of his left front peers, Dr. Thomas Issac has also proved to be a pragmatic leader. Due to the modern outlook of the GST program that was said to favour consumption states like Kerala, he was a vocal supporter of it in the planning period, so much so that BJP leaders were gloating over his unique stand.

But once it became clear that the Central Government had hastily executed a shoddy implementation of GST, Dr.Issac has become one of its most vocal critics, not deriding the entire system, but pinpointing what needs to be changed.

joined in this partnership, including Punjab, Delhi & West Bengal. This is indeed a major achievement as it comes at a time when public opinion is increasingly getting muted in the country. Unlike most politicians, Dr. Thomas Issac speaks with numbers and figures, and most importantly with indepth understanding of all dimensions of a challenge.

As the LDF government completes two years, and there are many achievements to talk about in your ministry, what would you highlight as the number one achievement?

The movement conducted two successful conclaves – at Thiruvanathapuram and Amaravati – and it produced results. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself took to Twitter to assure that Centre has asked Central Finance Commission to look into the demands from these states.

The number one achievement is the setting up of Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). It has come into existence and it has already approved diverse projects and works worth Rs.22,000 crores. Nearly Rs.20,000 crores worth of projects have started work, and till now around Rs.10,000 crores of payments have been made for the on-going works. By the end of this government’s third year, we expect KIIFB to approve projects worth Rs.50,000 crores. This is simply the biggest investment program Kerala has ever seen. This has been an extraordinary achievement not only in terms of its innovative conceptualisation, but for its remarkable execution through a new administrative machinery which has been set up outside of the government.

There are not many parallels for this achievement either in the state or the whole of India. Now, everything is set up and we are raring to go.

Dr.Thomas Issac’s boldness in this regard has caught the attention of the entire nation, and more states have

What would you regard as other major achievements of this government, at par with KIIFB or just below it?

Central Government and BJP leaders were in for more shock from this economist, when he recently stitched together an unlikely partnership between the finance ministers of southern states to take head-on the controversial Terms of Reference of the Central Finance Commission that have been allegedly designed to usurp the economic powers of all states.

THE NUMBER ONE ACHIEVEMENT IS THE SETTING UP OF KERALA INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FUND BOARD (KIIFB), WHICH HAS COME INTO EXISTENCE AND IT HAS ALREADY APPROVED DIVERSE PROJECTS AND WORKS WORTH RS.22,000 CRORES.

Yes, equally important have been the setting up of various Missions of the government, like in Education, Healthcare etc. The impact of these Missions has been felt by the beneficiaries, that is, the people, and they are acknowledging it too.

Can you elaborate this impact, with the education mission and its activities?

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Of course. You see, within two years itself the education mission of this government has succeeded in digitalizing all classrooms at the high school and higher secondary levels.

This is a major achievement as Kerala has been the first state in the country to achieve this. Even in technologically advanced states like Andhra Pradesh, there is only one digital classroom per school. And the benefits haven’t been just on the digital front. Rollout of technology on such a massive scale has also resulted in construction of new physical facilities like buildings, classrooms etc. All high schools and higher secondary schools with more than 500 students have been funded to build such new facilities. Now, coming to the grassroots level impact of this mission, you have to consider just one statistic. For over 30 years now, student strength of our public schools – government and aided – have been steadily coming down, with parents preferring private or unaided schools.

But due to the success of our education mission, from the second year of this government, this trend has seen a remarkable reversal, with around 1.5 lakh students shifting from private schools to government or aided schools. The coming year too, this success story is going to be repeated and strengthened. This newfound preference for government and aided schools among parents has been so Seasonal Magazine

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huge that it created law and order issues at quite a few schools during the admission season. At Thaliparambu government school, police had to be called in to ensure peace. In my own constituency, the government aided Mary Immaculate School had a similar issue as the demand for seats was so huge and when obviously not all students could be accommodated. So, people are acknowledging this remarkable achievement at the grassroots level.

What all have been the achievements of the health mission of this government within two years?

Due to the focused initiatives of our health mission, all taluk hospitals in Kerala now have dialysis units. All district hospitals have started cardiac departments. And a rung up, all medical colleges now have oncology departments. The number of doctors at over 150 government hospitals has been doubled so that new facilities like evening OP could be started. The government tertiary care hospitals like the medical colleges are now witnessing an unprecedented level of expansion plans and new investments to make them centres of excellence.

These investments will transform state’s public tertiary care hospitals from centres treating just seasonal infections or communicable diseases, to centres

of excellence that treat the more prevalent non-communicable diseases or the so-called lifestyle diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiac diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, liver diseases etc. One objective is to deliver affordable healthcare to treat these diseases which are now primarily attended to by expensive private hospitals. But an equally important objective is to focus on prevention, as all these diseases respond well to lifestyle changes or early medical interventions. This will benefit the people who are at risk for these diseases, even while reducing the mad rush at our public tertiary care hospitals. Towards this, a new mass participatory screening program for major non-communicable diseases is going to be implemented. Every interested individual would be tested on various health parameters, and those identified with issues guided to get further examination. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and this move will reduce morbidity rates, and enable tertiary sector to better serve the most deserving cases using the available investments and resources.

From a vocal supporter of GST you have become a bitter critic of the way it has been implemented. What do you see as the key risks for Kerala from this shoddy GST implementation?

With the compensation coming in, our GST revenue is at 14% now. Which means that our tax revenues aren’t increasing from the earlier stage. This was definitely not our expectation, given that Kerala is a destination or consumption state where around 80% of the commodities are coming in from outside. Such a state should have at least 24% in GST revenue. I still believe that as and when the GST system stabilizes, Kerala’s revenue share will increase. But as of now, this has caused immense hardship to Kerala. We had launched all these new massive social missions like in education, health etc expecting this higher GST revenue. This has caused widening revenue deficit

and cash management problems. But we can’t go back on any of these social missions as they are crucial for the socioeconomic development of our people. So, those missions will continue to have committed expenditure. For example, the Central Government’s health insurance scheme barely covers 15 to 18 lakh households in Kerala, whereas the state government is already providing higher health insurance to 35 lakh households and is all set to increase it to 50 lakh homes.

Also the social pensions have been doubled, and significant expenditure has been incurred in the education mission too.

How do you expect this GST problem to be resolved?

As of now, I believe that there is no proper administration of tax by the Centre after GST was implemented.

There is no proper scrutiny of returns and no matching of the invoices. There is a GSTR-3B, where a businessman just declares that this is my sales, this is my purchase, this is my input credit etc.

And businesses are collecting taxes but

nobody is checking. Even in such a situation, Kerala has been maintaining tax level at 14%. But by the end of this current fiscal when the GST system stabilizes and tax administration by the Central Government improves, we expect our GST revenue to increase significantly.

You have been successful in forging an alliance of all southern states, especially of southern finance ministers, over the issue of Central Finance Commission’s terms of reference. What are your concerns and are you hopeful of any resolution to this issue from the Centre?

We just started with the southern states due to natural advantages like geographical proximity and certain common social attainment parameters like demographic transition. But we are inviting more states to join in, and at the Amaravati conclave, we had the support of three more states – West Bengal, Delhi & Punjab – than at the earlier Thiruvanathapuram conclave of states. I am sure that even more states are set to join our group. We have already succeeded in bringing to the

DUE TO THE FOCUSED INITIATIVES OF OUR HEALTH MISSION, ALL TALUK HOSPITALS IN KERALA NOW HAVE DIALYSIS UNITS. ALL DISTRICT HOSPITALS HAVE STARTED CARDIAC DEPARTMENTS. AND A RUNG UP, ALL MEDICAL COLLEGES NOW HAVE ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENTS.

forefront the shocking anti-federal bias of the Central Government in the issue of the Terms of Reference of the Central Finance Commission. If this ToR is literally accepted by the Commission, states are going to be financially hit in a massive way. Firstly, the share of states in central taxes would come down from the current 42%. Secondly, post devolution revenue deficit grant would be abolished. Thirdly, there would be a drastic reduction in the power of states to borrow. And lastly, several new conditions are going to be imposed on states before they can borrow. This is simply making a mockery of the fiscal autonomy of states guaranteed in the constitution. But unfortunately in this country now, public opinion has been successfully muted. It is in this scenario that we came out boldly and hogged the national limelight. We were so successful in this that the PM had to respond. But we won’t stop there.

What are the further avenues before the states in this regard?

We are soon approaching the President. These Terms of Reference of the Central Finance Commission is unconstitutional. They are against the rights of states granted in the Indian Constitution for several decades now.

No Central Government or Central Finance Commission can unilaterally decide these things on their own. They have to amend the Constitution. If needed, we would also be taking legal measures. While every effort is being taken to mute public opinion in this country, we trust the fact that we are still a democratic country where public opinion will always matter. So, we are also conducting a public forum for debate in the month of June, and would be inviting several experts to talk on this affair. We will fight this to the end, until an equitable solution for the states is achieved.

You had remarked recently that states like Kerala that has performed well on the population front is being penalized by this new Terms of Reference. Can you elaborate?

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collaborated in our conclaves have all nearly similar demographic transitions.

But we are inviting all states to participate now. We will discuss with all and we will agree to disagree on this second issue. But the first issue of Centre usurping finances and powers of all the states is simply not negotiable for any state.

Kerala is staring at a unique economic situation, where two of its main revenue sources, that is, the plantation sector and gulf money flow slowing down. What are the government’s plans to counter this or find alternatives?

There are two issues at play here. The most important one is between the Centre and the states. All states are going to suffer due to this first issue.

But the BJP ruled states are keeping mum on this issue, even while they are against their finances getting squeezed if these new Terms of Reference are implemented. I am challenging them openly to come forward and declare that they only want a smaller revenue share, that they don’t mind abolishing the post devolution revenue deficit grant and that they are welcoming the move to curb their borrowing power.

The BJP ruled states can’t yield these things, but for now they are just silent.

So, this is the first issue that affects all states. The second issue is that while pushing for population control several decades back, the Central government had given solemn promises to states that the 1971 census would be used as the base for calculations so that better performing states in the future wouldn’t have their revenue share cut. But these new Terms of Reference are going back on that promise which was made in Indian Parliament. Here is where the differences between states comes into play. Take for instance a state like Tamil Seasonal Magazine

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Nadu which has performed equally well as Kerala on the population front.

If these new Terms of Reference are implemented and the 1971 census is not respected, Tamil Nadu stands to lose Rs.40,000 crores over 5 years.

Similarly, Kerala will lose around Rs.20,000 crores. How will these states manage their finances? But many North Indian states that have not performed well on the population front, stands to gain if this new formula based on the 2011 census is used. So, this is like penalizing states that have performed well, which is something that goes against the National Population Policy and the agreements made in the National Development Council. This is all about breaking promises and traditions that have been upheld by all since the last 40 years. If the Centre wants to change it now, they should do it through discussions and a gradual transition. But when this aspect of inter se distribution between states comes up, there is bound to be disagreements between various states as each will favour formulas that benefit them. This is only natural, and we are anticipating it. So far, the states that have

What you told is correct, even though the actual figures may be a bit confusing when it comes to remittances from overseas. In fiscal 2017-18, overseas remittances have actually gone up after a 10% decline in the previous fiscal.

This may be due to many Keralites returning from Middle East forever, and thus bringing here all their savings. In any case, the situation is that net migration to Gulf has become negative.

This has produced a dampening effect on Kerala economy, even though it is not calamitous like in the Kuwait crisis.

Kerala should now aggressively look for emerging job opportunities in countries like Australia, Canada etc. This is already happening and the government too has already started initiatives in this regard. There is still robust international demand for medical, nursing and paramedical staff from Kerala. But more than this, Kerala should really be focusing on creating jobs inside our state. We have a highly educated labour force, and the jobs to be created should cater to them. Today, the biggest challenge we have to overcome to attract big private investments is our inadequate infrastructure. The connectivity of roads, power, tech parks and other digital infrastructure can transform Kerala and make it a great place for private investments to flow in. With this in mind, this government has been placing great emphasis on infrastructure development. Two new coastal highways are being planned

with urgency. All national highways passing through the state are being converted to four lanes. Government has provided all out support for the GAIL pipeline that was stalled for long.

New petrochemical, industrial and IT parks are being created or facilitated.

Government wants to invest big in such public infrastructure, but since it can’t do this on its own, we have created external mechanisms like KIIFB which will borrow from the market and fund these projects. By such measures we are hopeful of arresting the downward spiral of the state economy. That is why I have called such measures collectively as an anti-recession package. But this is only a temporary measure.

Ultimately, private investment should flow in and jobs should be created on a massive scale for Kerala to permanently overcome this economic crisis.

What about the downtrend in the

plantation sector?

The situation in the plantation sector is indeed serious. But there is very little that state governments can do in the sector. It is all up to the Centre, as it was they who signed this free trade agreement with ASEAN countries. The deal has been advantageous for many Indian exporters, especially in software. But it has proved to be disastrous for the plantation sector as India has to allow imports too from these countries. Unfortunately, most of these ASEAN countries have similar geography and climate like in India, and they grow the same plantation crops. At the same time their plantations are much more competitive than our plantations. Our production was profitable only when this sector was under a protected environment.

When that protection was removed, it has become clear that our areas under cultivation are not globally

We just started with the southern states due to natural advantages like geographical proximity and certain common social attainment parameters like demographic transition. But we are inviting more states to join in, and at the Amaravati conclave, we had the support of three more states – West Bengal, Delhi & Punjab.

competitive. So, our plantation sector has to realize these facts and gear up their productivity. Central government which has been so far grossly insensitive to planation sector woes should realize their mistake and start supporting the sector by funding replantation of the better plant breeds much more generously as in the ASEAN countries. State government on its part is already reviewing whether even the remaining taxes in the sector like plantation tax and agricultural income tax can be abolished.

But shouldn’t the state government hear the plantation sector’s call for removing archaic laws that prevent even reasonable mixed-use of the land?

There is an even more important question of equity, or equitable distribution of resources like land among our people. All should understand that these massive plantation lands were given at a nominal rate of lease, long back. They were also exempted from Kerala’s famed land reform movement that gifted land to landless labourers. These plantations also made good profits for decades from these lands. Now, a call to treat such land as regular land is not equitable to the majority people of the state. And we should realize that there are still lakhs of people in Kerala without own land. If we allow mixeduse of these lands, that will sound the death knell of these plantations and the livelihood of lakhs of labourers working there, as gradually it will degrade to a real estate business. Land is extremely scarce in Kerala, and in such a scenario no responsible government can consider such industry demands.

You have recently said that the state needs to attract Rs.1 lakh crore during the next 5-6 years for it to not miss the development bus. But it was recently disclosed in Assembly that Kerala had attracted only Rs.9000 crores in investments during the last two years.

So, do you think this 1 lakh crore is an achievable target and if yes, how?

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expenditure, which now is mainly funded by KIIFB which borrows funds from the market, this is an achievable target. Because, by next year itself, KIIFB would have funded around Rs.60,000 crores worth of projects.

State’s own capital expenditure will be another Rs.20,000-30,000 crores. But private capital formation should happen separately. We are expecting that this public expenditure on infrastructure would bring in private investment. We resorted to funding vehicles like KIIFB because other models like PPP are quite difficult in Kerala. Here both the population density and the road density are so high that mechanisms like access-control for collecting tolls are difficult. So, our resolve is that state government should do it by borrowing through KIIFB. State is ensuring the repayment as we have motor vehicle tax and petrol cess to fund the repayment for the first 15 or 20 years, after which the budget itself will be able to fund it.

You have recently tweeted your displeasure regarding how the police have been handling issues like Sreejith’s custodial death. Can you clarify the position?

Everybody in this government is clear about the fact that these things shouldn’t happen at all. We are all against it. And how can it be otherwise, as historically left front leaders have been the worst affected victims of this barbaric measure of custodial torture.

There is no senior leader in the party who hasn’t been tortured under custody. So, to prevent such acts from recurring, we had done a comprehensive overhauling of the legal framework of the police force. But many things are at play in police, these days. Obviously, certain sections in police are not obeying what government is saying. And government will take the most stringent action against them. No one will be protected.

We aren’t going to take hasty actions but sure and determined actions. As you know, the Circle Inspector in this case has been arrested. Probe is now on to find whether any higher ups in Seasonal Magazine

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"As of now, I believe that there is no proper administration of tax by the Centre. There are no proper scrutiny of returns and no matching of the invoices. There is a GSTR 3B, where a businessman just declares that this is my sales, this is my purchase, this is my input credit etc. And businesses are collecting taxes but nobody is checking." the force are involved.

What would you regard as the main area in which the government and the bureaucracy should improve, in the remaining three years?

There is no doubt that the efficiency of government machinery should go up.

Towards this, we have started the Kerala Administrative Service so that injection of fresh blood is done to energize the middle level. Secondly, Kerala is transforming entire laws governing industries so that ease of doing business is significantly improved. We have already amended several laws. But some things won’t be changed like Kerala’s commitment to labour rights. Decentralization or panchayati raj in which Kerala is already a leader is being strengthened further. Five departments have been merged into one department to further decentralization. Changes were brought into the planning by local self-

governments so that planning is done in time. And unlike the Central government and most state governments, this government won’t shy away from investing in public infrastructure and PSUs. Government will continue to play an important role in education, healthcare, and public investment in infrastructure.

Also due to this, government is taking special care regarding the efficiency of its staff. Public Sector Companies have already become efficient and profitable, and Public Sector Utilities too are being supported to be sustainable. Digital infrastructure will be given a boost by providing free internet connectivity for all BPL families, and when the digital reach of the masses expand, the whole governance mechanism would naturally improve. This facility is being provided through the new optic fiber pathway project, Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON).

SIX NOTABLE SMARTPHONES ARRIVING THIS YEAR ITSELF

T

he first half of 2018 is almost over, and the year has already seen notable smartphones being launched. However, as with almost everything, manufacturers seem to have saved the best for last, with major manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Nokia having scheduled the launch of their flagship devices for later this year.

Here are the major smartphone launches scheduled for the next six months.

MOTO Z3 FORCE

with its Moto's Z series is back mors Ru y. pla dis ble unbreaka launch of currently put the India 's Z3 and Lenovo-owned Motorola . Meanek we Z3 Play for the next edly, will ort rep , while, the Z3 Force y.

Jul in e tim e be launched som ies ser Z the for P US Notably, the akbre un its viz e, sam remains the e Th y. pla able "ShatterShield" dis lar du mo phones will have cool to support ed ect exp is d an , ies abilit 5G connections.

New iPhones Of course, new iPhones are scheduled for September. In the consumer tech industry, September has become synonymous with iPhone launches. Apple is set to unveil three phones this year - the successors to the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. At this stage, there's barely any information on the phones or their names.

However, expect a hefty price tag, better displays, faster performance, wireless charging, FaceID and more.

Galaxy Note 9 Little is known about the Augustbound Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

Scheduled for August is South Korean smartphone giant, Samsung's flagship device - the Galaxy Note 9.

Unfortunately, very little is known about the Note 9. Some reports predict that it'll have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor beneath the camera, while others say it'll have an under-display sensor on the front, beneath its edge-to-edge screen. It's expected to be powered by the latest Snapdragon 845 SoC.

RED Hydrogen One

Nokia 9 HMD Global is also set to launch the long-awaited Nokia 9 in fall this year. Reportedly, the device is tipped to give Samsung and Apple a run for their money, and will (again, reportedly) feature an under-display fingerprint sensor. But, everything is a rumor at this stage. What you can expect, however, is that the phone should feature a killer camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

Highend camera maker Red is coming out with its RED Hydrogen One. Both the Galaxy Note 9 and the new iPhones are expected to have price tags of around $1,000.

Yet, that's a breeze compared to high-end camera-maker RED's Hydrogen One device, which will cost $1,295 for the standard version, and $1,595 for the titanium version.

Not much is known about the modular phone, but it'll sport a holographic display, and should feature a top-of-the-line camera.

Google Pixel 3

The next edition of Go ogle's flagship Pixel series, the Pixel 3, is scheduled for offici al release in October. Go ing by latest leaks, the Pixel 3 and the Pixel XL will, like the Pix el 2, only have a single back camera, but dual front cameras.

Both will have full glass backs, and are expected to co me with Snapdragon 845 SoCs, and at least 6GB RAM.

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KERALA TO GO HIGH TECH IN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT Kerala which leads the country in human development index, environment consciousness and tourism is now all set to make its mark in solid waste management too. The state needs to protect its natural beauty and high health standards by implementing this plan, which revolves around private participation through PPP model, and will see the setting up of 7 modern integrated solid waste management plants at different sites that will also have the added advantage of generating power from waste.

KSIDC has already issued RFP for inviting global competitive bids form interest entities.

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The rapid urbanization, constant change in consumption pattern and social behavior have increased the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Kerala beyond the assimilation capacity of environment and management capacity of the existing waste management systems.

It is estimated that on an average, around 8000 TPD of waste (including around 2000 TPD of solid waste) is being generated across Kerala, of which only a small fraction is collected by the local bodies. Uncollected garbage- pileup and stinking waste across the State causes groundwater contamination and facilitate breeding of flies and mosquitoes and possibility of frequent outbreaks of communicable diseases, such as Malaria, Dengue fever, Chickungunia etc.

Therefore, there is an urgent necessity of improved planning and implementation of comprehensive MSW management systems for upgrading the environmental scenario of the State. Private sector participation in waste management is the need of the hour since experiments in waste management are not affordable as any failure at any level can be risky.

Private sector participation is one of the best choices open to boost the performance of public services like solid waste management. Solid

Waste Management has been a critical issue in Kerala, especially in urban areas, for many years.

Government of Kerala, through its Local Self Government Department, is in the process of implementing an integrated Solid Waste Management solution for the State on a high priority and for this purpose it is envisaged to setup and operate Waste to Energy Plant of minimum 5 MW capacity in seven sites across the State through Public Private Partnership under ‘Design Build Finance Operate and Transfer (DBFOT)’ basis.

The projects will be implemented in Seven locations identified by GoK and the beneficiary LSGIs in such locations as grouped into separate clusters. Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) is appointed as the Nodal Agency for the selection of Private Partner for the implementation of projects at various locations/clusters.

KSIDC has issued RFP for inviting global competitive bids form interest entities or group of entities to execute the project in partnership with Government of Kerala through Public-Private-Partnership under ‘Design Build Finance Operate and Transfer (DBFOT)’ basis.

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CreditAccess Grameen IPO

SOLID LEADERSHIP IN A REWARDING YET CHALLENGING SECTOR 14

CreditAccess Grameen is promoted by Norwegian multinational microfinance specialist CreditAccess Asia NV founded and led by Paolo Brichetti, and managed by a highly experienced team led by veteran banker Udaya Kumar as its MD & CEO. Operating under the brand name Grameen Koota, this Bengaluru based NBFC-MFI is India’s third largest and operates in over eight states.

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Microfinance business has never had a smooth run in any country where it had grown to a significant size, including in its originating country Bangladesh as well as its next door neighbour India where it had a dream run punctuated sharply by deep crises. Microfinance institutions have gone bust in India, and MFIs have also graduated to be banks in this country. That is why when yet another MFI goes for its IPO in India, investors are keenly scrutinising the strengths of the promoter, the management and its operations. Like a few other MFIs in India, the seed capital and guidance for Grameen Koota which is the older name of Bangalore based CreditAccess Grameen had come from microfinance

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founder and Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus headed Grameen Trust, in 1999. This gave the young MFI the right framework to establish itself correctly in the South Bangalore area where it started off. However, it was under the strength of its current promoter, the Norwegian niche financing company, CreditAccess Asia NV that the MFI systematically expanded to 132 districts across eight states - Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala and Goa - and the union territory Puducherry through 516 branches and 4,544 loan officers. CreditAccess Asia NV was founded by fair trade pioneer Paolo Brichetti, who still serves as its Chief Ex-

ecutive Officer. CAA is promoting MFIs in four Asian countries including Indonesia and Philippines, with their Indian operations being CreditAccess Grameen which still operates through its older brand name Grameen Koota. Since 2010, CreditAccess Grameen has been under the visionary leadership of veteran banker Udaya Kumar, who has handled multiple responsibilities in Corporation Bank, ICICI Bank and Barclays Bank in a career spanning quarter of a century. The results of having such a solid promoter and expert management is showing in the MFI’s operations with CreditAccess Grameen being the third largest NBFCMFI in India based on gross loan portfolio size. The MFI has implemented sev-

eral winning strategies like lending primarily to rural women and expanding to contiguous districts. The company’s IPO for Rs.1131 crore consists of a fresh issue for raising Rs.630 crore and an Offer for Sale (OFS) by promoter CreditAccess Asia for around Rs.501 crore. The company has set a price band of Rs 418-422 per share for its IPO and when calculated at the upper band of the issue price, the company will be valued at about Rs 6,049.63 crore. With its listed peers starting to perform again at the bourses after the double whammy of demonetization and loan waivers, the IPO seems to be well timed. Seasonal Magazine takes a closer look at the Initial Public Offer of CreditAccess Grameen Ltd.

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GARDEN REACH SHIPBUILDERS & ENGINEERS’ IPO

THE PERFECT PROXY PLAY ON INDIAN NAVY’S GROWTH

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With belligerent neighbours like China and Pakistan, and one of the longest coastlines in this part of the world to defend, Indian Navy can only grow and grow.

And since we can’t invest in Indian Navy or Coast Guard, there are PSU companies like GRSE, which is the only Indian shipbuilder to have supplied 97 warships of various sizes to Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard & Mauritius Coast Guard. With an order book of over Rs. 20,000 crore, another 9000 crores to be signed soon and nearly 20% of revenue coming from diversified activities, the firm is on stable ground.

It is the only shipyard in India with a dedicated Engineering Division catering to manufacture of PreFabricated Steel Bridges, Deck Machinery Equipment Making Facility and Engine Assembling & Testing Facility. It has R&D tie-ups with world leaders, Fincantieri and Rolls-Royce, and is now exploring export orders from Guyana, Bangladesh, UAE, Oman, Qatar etc. The cash-rich Mini Ratna is not diluting its equity as an added advantage, and is likely to be valued at $1 billion post IPO.

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Seasonal Magazine in conversation with GRSE’s Chairman & Managing Director, Rear Admiral V.K. Saxena, IN (Retd.) on the Shipyard’s current and future strategies.

Given the focus on defence manufacturing indigenisation, is GRSE a busy warship builder of India today?

There is something about the pace with which Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) has been winning and signing contracts recently. And with Indian Navy being its main client, it is no wonder really that as the guardian of the country's seas, Indian Navy has been moving on an accelerating pace when it

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comes to modernizing itself in the face of latest threats from belligerent enemies. GRSE's current order book is dominated by a prestigious order from Indian Navy to build three advanced Stealth Frigates for the Indian Navy. Codenamed P-17A, these Frigates are the Swiss Army Knives of Navies, which can attack under water, surface level and also in air. It can also carry helicopters and has detection abilities. These Frigates when commissioned will become the most potent weapon platform of the

Indian Navy. GRSE is expected to deliver the first Frigate by 2023 and the rest two within one-year interval.

How is GRSE faring with private players in the fray today?

A large contract for four large Survey Vessels to be built by GRSE for the Indian Navy is expected to be signed soon, with the first vessel of the series slated to be delivered within 2022.

GRSE had won this contract of Rs 2,500 crore project in 2017 on competitive bidding with other Defence PSUs and private shipyards in the fray. There is also something about the pace with which GRSE has been executing its orders. For example, while it will get only 36 months to deliver the first Survey Vessel, it has to supply each of the next vessels in every six months from then on. GRSE is also set to sign an even bigger order, the Rs 6500 crore contract for building eight AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) Shallow Water Crafts for the Indian Navy, again on competitive bidding. GRSE expects to sign this contract shortly.

A more complex and demanding project, GRSE will get 42 months to manufacture the first ASW vessel, and then on it has to deliver each such

Rear Admiral V.K. Saxena, CMD

“Now, GRSE is also set to sign an even bigger order, the Rs 6500-crore contract for building eight Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) shallow water crafts for the Indian Navy.�

especially by Indian Navy, GRSE has been revamping its whole infrastructure at multiple plants as well as its systems and upgrading the skills of its workforce, since the past few years. This has given us an ambition to grow our Value of Production to Could you share your thoughts Rs. 1400 crore in FY 2018-19. As part on the design capabilities REARteam?

ADMIRAL (RTD) VIPIN KUMAR SAXENA,of CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTORand augmenting its capabilities of your speeding up execution of building ships, GRSE has recently set up a Over the years, GRSE has developed modern Virtual Reality Lab (VRL) at capabilities for in-house design and our 61 Park Unit. shipbuilding and made considerable contributions to the indigenous Can you explain the capabilities of warship production program of the this Virtual Reality Lab? country including state-of-the-art Frigates and Corvettes to Fast Patrol This Virtual Reality Lab will strengthen Vessels. In its existence so far as a PSU the design activity in GRSE's Central shipbuilder coming under Ministry of Design Office to better meet customer Defence since 1960, the shipyard has requirements, especially in ergonomic altogether manufactured over 750 improvements. It is often required of ships & vessels for various clients in the Central Design Office to provide India and abroad. Now, however, quick, reliable and accurate resolution anticipating a period of much faster of design issues, as raised by the growth in defence spending, vessel every six months. Without counting these two contracts itself, GRSE is sitting on a handsome order book of approximately Rs. 20,000 crores as on 31 May 18.

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production branch or the client. The VRL has enabled this capability for us.

The facility also enables fast dealing and analyses of even upcoming issues in design phases leading to better time and resource management. Now 3D models can be created in a Virtual Environment for assisting the production teams and customers to expedite approvals. It will come in as most handy when GRSE is serving demanding international clients.

How important is design capabilities when it comes to winning defence orders?

A strong inhouse design capability plays a vital role in formulating the competitive cost of the product.

GRSE's highly experienced, capable and competent design team has made valuable contributions in costing of the projects which have been won by the shipyard recently. GRSE is geared up to execute orders for many future projects of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard as concept designs for future ships have been developed and submitted by the In-House Design team. The New Generation Missile Vessel, New Generation Corvettes, Survey Vessels and Cadet Training Ships for Indian Navy and Air Cushion Vehicle, Pollution Control Vessel, and Fast Patrol Vessels for Indian Coast Guard account for a few.

“As part of augmenting its capabilities and speeding up execution of building ships, GRSE has recently began a Virtual Reality Lab (VRL) at the 61 Park Unit of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata.�

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GRSE recently suffered a minor setback when the Goliath crane used in this project collapsed, but under the leadership of GRSE's Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral (Rtd) Vipin Kumar Saxena, the company has quickly moved to establish alternate arrangements by shifting works to its other units.

GRSE has commissioned a Data Center recently. Can you explain its capabilities?

GRSE has set up a Tier-2 Data Center at its Central Design Office in June 18.

The Data Center will enable its IT infrastructure to enhance computing uptime, scalability and provide safe, clean, and highly secure environment with Integrated Infrastructure Management System. This Data Center is unique of its kind, with emphasis on promoting ‘Green Concept’, thereby contributing to energy saving.

The Data Center has been designed to meet the future IT loads and cater to any further upgradation or scaling up.

Can you share your views on collaborations as a business strategy for growth?

GRSE has signed some strategic MoUs, which shall go a long way in terms of enhancing and boosting the business potential in future. Collaboration with Elbit Systems, Israel for indigenous development of Unmanned Surface Vessel with Modular Multi Mission Capabilities is a step forward under the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India. The shipyard has also signed an MoU with Khulna Shipyard, Bangladesh, to provide knowhow for Design, Project Management and Construction of Ships. The MoUs signed with CDCL Ltd, Bhutan, for Portable Bailey Bridges, and with Cooper Corporation, India, for Diesel Engines shall help enhance these capabilities further.

Are you adopting Modular Construction Technology for production?

In 2013, GRSE built a new modernised integrated modular construction unit with Goliath crane and workshops with sliding roofs from where 200tonne blocks can be lifted out. It is because of such modular construction technologies that GRSE can bring down the time of construction of

warships drastically. GRSE recently suffered a minor setback when the Goliath crane collapsed, but the company has quickly moved to establish alternate arrangements by shifting works to its other units. In fact, even now, GRSE continues to deliver ships on an almost regular schedule.

Recently, GRSE launched the Fast Patrol Vessel - Annie Besant - which is being built for Indian Coast Guard, one of our major clients.

What have been the major achievements of GRSE in FY’18?

2017-18 was a very happening & eventful year which saw the delivery of the 3rd Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette, INS Kiltan to Indian Navy with its unique feature of superstructure made of carbon composite material integrated with steel hull in this frontline warship.

“A more complex and demanding project, GRSE will get 42 months to manufacture the first ASW vessel, and then on it has to deliver each such vessel every six months.”

GRSE is the first Shipyard in the country to have achieved this commendable feat. Some of the milestones achieved during the delivery of Kiltan include completion of CST and FMT respectively in the shortest possible time in one sortie each. This helped the company to make the ship ready for delivery to customer in a record time of 2 ½ months. In addition, the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Landing Craft Utility Ships were delivered with nil Shipbuilders Liability and Weapons & Sensors Trials completed. The last of the series of four WJFACs, INS Tarasa too was delivered with the similar feats achieved on board LCUs. GRSE is the only Shipyard in the country to have delivered 5 Warships to Indian Navy in 11 Months (Jun 17 to May 18) and the shipyard has launched two Fast Patrol Vessels of the five such vessels being built for Indian Coast Guard. The Warships delivered include one ASW Corvette, INS Kiltan; three Landing Craft Utility Vessels; and one Water Jet Fast Attack Craft, INS Tarasa. Some of the prestigious awards won by GRSE in the last one year in recognition of our efforts include Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Award for Best In-house Design Effort for CGS Barracuda, ICC PSE Excellence Award 2016, SCOPE Corporate Communication Excellence Award 2017, ET Bengal Corporate Awards 2018 & Governance Now 5th PSU Awards 2017, to name a few.

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JSS ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION & RESEARCH

WHY STUDENTS PREFER INSTITUTIONS LIKE JSSAHER

hile new private and Deemed to be Universities are struggling to publish annual placement numbers, the alumni of the constituent colleges of JSSAHER are spreading their wings across the world. JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has always been different, because the promoting organization, its leaders, its guiding vision and the leaders they handpicked for this Deemed to be

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His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji Chancellor

University have all been of exceptional calibre.

JSSAHER is accredited by NAAC with Grade A and ranked among top 50 Universities in the country by NIRF, Government of India, for the last three years (2016-18) and was also ranked 1st among young Universities of Karnataka for the year 2017. JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research is the first to receive 4-star rating for excellence by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) among the Health Science based Universities in India in 2018 . JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research was also granted autonomous status under “Institutions deemed to be universities (Category-II)“ by University Grants Commission, in 2018. JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has been able to achieve these milestones due to the visionary leadership and patronage given by His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji, the Chancellor of JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research; able administration provided by Dr. C.G. Betsurmath, Executive Secretary, JSS Mahavidyapeetha; the excellent guidance and directions of multifaceted leader Dr. B. Suresh, Vice Chancellor; and efficient administration of Dr. B. Manjunatha, Registrar.

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JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research (JSSAHER) is focused on medical and health-related studies, and comprises JSS Medical College, JSS Dental College and JSS College of Pharmacy at the main campus in Mysore as well as another pharmacy college in Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu.

With a view to extend the horizons in the field of Health Sciences, more synergistic departments including Department of Water and Health (Faculty of Life Sciences) and Department of Health System Management Studies were started.

Today, more than 600 faculty members instruct approximately 3000 undergraduate, 2000 graduate students and around 300 research scholars.

The roots of this Deemed to be University's sponsoring society, JSS Mahavidyapeetha, dates back to 100 years. Founded by Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji, in 1928 as a small hostel for poor students pursuing higher studies in Mysore has today grown to be a great educational movement. His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji, the 24th pontiff and the President of JSS Mahavidyapeetha is carrying forward this legacy to soaring heights. JSS Mahavidyapeetha, runs a variety of educational institutions in India and abroad. With extensive infrastructure and an army of educated, highly qualified personnel, these institutions aim to serve a wide spectrum of society – living in inaccessible tribal villages to cities such as Bangalore, Noida, and Ooty to countries such as Mauritius, Dubai and USA. JSS Mahavidyapeetha was officially

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established in 1954, focusing on a purpose as expansive and yet as specific as improving quality of life through human development. A long and healthy life, education for all, and a decent standard of living, are the indicators of human development, and have been the underlying philosophies of Sri Suttur Veerasimhasana Math for centuries, on the values of which the JSS Mahavidyapeetha today stands for.

JSS Mahavidyapeetha is today running more than 300 institutions, spread across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, from Nursery, Schools, Polytechnics, and Colleges offering Graduate, Post Graduate, Post-Doctoral courses in Arts, Commerce, Science, Law, Engineering, Medical Sciences and other Faculties. There are about 100,000 students enrolled in the various institutions of the JSS Mahavidyapeetha with more than 20,000 employees. The JSS Mahavidyapeetha can easily be described as one of the largest education providers in India as well as one of the

largest employers in the region.

Believing in the words of his Predecessor, “Ignorance is the root of all evils in the society and education is the sovereign remedy”, His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji has steered and guided the JSS Mahavidyapeetha to be home to several centres of excellence in learning, societal transformation and human development.

JSS Academy of Hgher Education & Research had been focusing more on teaching, research and service, under the leadership of Vice Chancellor, Dr. B. Suresh, a noted multifaceted leader of repute, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has made great progress in grooming graduates, postgraduates, and PhD researchers by providing effective values based education across their institutions by focusing on overall development of individuals through state-of-the-art facilities to make students excellent contributors to the society.

Dr. B Suresh, Vice-Chancellor, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, for the past thirty-five years has been actively involved in uplifting the standards of pharmacy education and profession in India. He was elected in 2003 as the President of Pharmacy Council of India, the statutory body regulating the pharmacy education and profession in India. He was once again re-elected as the President of Pharmacy Council of India in August 2008 and August 2013 and has the unique honour of being elected thrice to this leadership position. He was also the Chairman of the Scientific Body of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (2012 2017) which is responsible for setting of standards for pharmaceutical substances and formulations. Dr B Suresh has also assumed charge as the Chairman of the International Commission of Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE), USA. As the Vice Chancellor of JSSAHER, he has nurtured this Deemed to be University to scale great heights in a short span of time and was successful in helping the Deemed to be University be ranked 37th nationally by the NIRF , MHRD (in 2018 ) and making JSSAHER retain its position among top 50 universities of the country continuously for the third time, ranked Number 1 by the Karnataka State University Rating Framework (KSURF) (2017) under the young universities category, obtaining NAAC ' A ' grade with a CGPA of 3.34 out of 4.0 and recently the QS 4 star rating for excellence.

Registrar of JSSAHER, Dr. B. Manjunatha, is an effective leader, an

Dr. B Suresh, Vice-Chancellor

administrator, an educator and a physician by profession. His strategic vision combined with his professional skills, expertise in resource management and credibility with the academic and research community, had helped this transformational leader Dr. B. Manjunatha to guide JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research. He is a confident and enthusiastic leader who believes in the importance of communication and team work to build positive relationships with staff and students.

There are several reasons why students and staff find the atomosphere at JSSSAHER campuses very stimulating, fruitful and comfortable. The Deemed to be University follows a student centric curriculum and training. The student friendly environment includes personal care, counseling and mentorship. Flexibility in teaching learning process is provided with ICT enabled classrooms and state-of-the-art Infrastructure with advanced teaching modalities and facilities.

Several JSS alumni have went on to scale great heights in their respective professional fields across India and the world. Almost all of them are highly thankful to the institution for grooming them to be the huge successes they are today. Some of them include Dr. Saravanan Karumbayaram, Professor & Manager, Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA School of Medicine, California, USA; Dr Raghavendra Kini,

Principal, AJ Institute of Dental sciences, Mangaluru; Dr.Sreeshyla Basavaraj, ENT Consultant, St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight. UK; Dr. Satish M.S, Chief of Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, KIMS (Bollineni Hospital), East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh; and Dr. Nirmal Robinson, M.Pharm, PhD, Senior Research Fellow and Head Inflammation and Human Ailments Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia.

The students and faculty are encouraged to involve in Interdisciplinary Research to understand the various advanced technologies. JSSAHER's green campus supports excellent and affordable hostel and sports facilities. Students and staff are encouraged to participate in sports, cultural and extra / co-curricular activities through regular inter and intra college programs. Support is extended to attend conferences, seminars , trainings and workshops at national and international levels. JSSAHER also provides scholarship and research funding for its students and staff.

JSSAHER has a 1800 bedded hospital that provides better opportunity with clinical materials for experiential learning. Outreach programs are a part of the curriculum, while there are also international students and staff exchange programs. JSSAHER runs several innovative programs with international collaborations. The Deemed to be University has an excellent placement record and offers effective carrier guidance.

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Students enjoy good campus facilities like digital library, food court, sports facility, hostel with all basic amenities.

The residential facilities and other amenities viz. cafeteria, indoor/outdoor sports/games, gymnasium, student clubs, ATM, bank counter, uninterrupted power supply, Wi-Fi network, health centre, community pharmacy, 24x7 security, etc. make their life more comfortable. The library and educational resources exceeds the expectations of students and faculty.

Well furnished auditorium and sports facilities cater to the sports and extracurricular activities of the students.

JSSAHER faculty acts as coaches and mentors for students, helping them to learn to think independently. The interprofessional education, as well as the vertical and horizontal integration of subjects taught provide opportunity for students to learn holistically.

Student satisfaction surveys have revealed that the faculty is an excellent resource and strength of the Institution.

The curriculum is constantly updated and designed to cater to the needs of the prospective employers and because of this, students enjoy attending classes and make efforts to understand the contents of the subject.

The clinical experience gained during the course makes the student manage and treat complicated patients. The modern labs with sophisticated instruments facilitates the necessary skills development. Training and placement cell is engaged in conducting annual campus pre-placement and placement drives.

Soft skill development programs, literary activities and other extra/co-curricular activities keep students occupied and make their time at JSSAHER meaningful.

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Dr Manjunatha B, Registrar The Deemed to be University also offers Interdisciplinary research and exchange programs with financial support.

JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research is now investing Rs.2000 crore to build a new mega Greenfield campus in Mysuru. Indeed, JSSAHER is adding more momentum to Mysuru’s emerging image as a prime knowledge city of the world.

Now, there are private and deemed universities that have been established

under different ownership models, in the country. While the sector is dominated by edupreneurs and corporate houses, the move by JSSAHER proves that when socio-spiritual organizations spearhead a private or Deemed to be University, the success it pens is of a different script altogether.

The prime reason is that socio-spiritual organizations like JSS Mahavidyapeetha, behind such universities are well-entrenched in the education sector for decades, with a

LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE

reputation among parents, students, corporate and banks. For instance, JSS Mahavidyapeetha is arguably the largest private educational group in India, running everything from playschools to doctoral level research institutions including medical colleges, engineering colleges and b-schools.

Secondly, while many successful edupreneurs look upon their private or deemed universities as short-term profit centres, an organization like JSS Mahavidyapeetha looks it upon as a service, that should of course be selfsustaining in the long run. It is this focus on long run that gives JSSAHER the leeway to invest such a massive amount into a new integrated campus. JSS Mahavidyapeetha is proving that it remains committed to ensuring the highest quality education at JSSAHER, more than anything else.

This single largest chunk of investment in any field in Mysuru in recent decades, will create a new campus with state-ofthe-art facilities to serve both domestic and international students. Coming up at Varuna on the outskirts of Mysuru, on 102 acres of land, the project will have not only a fully digital and smart campus, but also extensive sporting facilities including a cricket stadium modern enough to stage international tournaments.

While eminent architects have designed the masterplan, and work is on in full swing for a few quarters now, such a project can only be completed in wellplanned phases. The first phase is expected to be completed by December of this year while the full-fledged international campus will be operational by 2025.

JSSAHER has also an out-of-the-box plan for the new campus. The Deemed to be University, which already has collaborations with institutions in USA and Europe to sharpen its expertise, will

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Shivraj V. Patil was appointed a judge of the High Court of Karnataka on 29-03-1990. He was Acting Chief Justice there from 29-12-1998 till 19-01-1999. Assumed office of the Chief justice of High Court of Rajasthan on 22-01-1999.

Elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court on 15-03-2000.

Conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws. Presently is a Member of the National Human Rights Commission. He is the member of the Board of Management of JSSAHER.

Dr. C.G. Betsurmath is the Chief Executive Officer and Administrative Head of JSS MVP and its Institutions. He Joined Karnataka Administrative Services and served as Tahasildar of four different taluks; Assistant Commissioner and Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Gadag and Davanagere Sub-Divisions; Additional Deputy Commissioner and Additional District Magistrate of Davanagere and Mysuru Districts; Commissioner, Mysuru Urban Development Authority; Commissioner, Archaeology, Museums &Heritage, Commissioner, Mysuru City Corporation. He is the member of the Board of Management of JSSAHER.

Prof. V. S. Ramamurthy is the Former Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India and Former Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. Prof. V. S. Ramamurthy is a well-known Indian nuclear scientist with a broad range of contributions from basic research in Nuclear Physics to Science and Technology administration. He is on the Planning and Monitoring Board of JSSAHER.

Dr. N. Parthasarathi IFS (Retd.) was the Consulate General of India in San Francisco from 2008 to 2011. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1981 and has served as a diplomat in countries throughout the world, including Belgium, Senegal, Pakistan, countries of the United Kingdom, and Syria. He has also served in different capacities in the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) in New Delhi. He is the member of the Academic Council of JSSAHER.

Dr. Sivathanu Pillai is regarded as the “Father of BrahMos” which has become a role model for establishing joint ventures between the countries.Dr. Pillai is a recipient of various prestigious awards including Technology Leadership Award, Dr.Vikram Sarabhai Research Award, Padma Shri & Padma Bhushan by the Govt. of India for his contribution to Aerospace and Missile Technologies. He is the member of the Research Coordination Council of JSSAHER.

Dr VM. Katoch is the former Secretary, Department of Health Research, MoHFW, GoI & Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research. Dr VM Katoch is a recipient of many prestigious awards such as Young Scientist Award of IAMM in 1985, Erwin Stindl Memorial Oration Award of German leprosy Relief Organization 1991, Ranbaxy Science Foundation Award 2004 and ‘Excellence in Science & Technology Award’ for the year 20102011 by Indian Science Congress Association. He is the member of the Board of Management of JSSAHER.

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now explore tie-ups with universities in the non-English speaking countries, by leveraging this new campus.

This is an achievable target for JSSAHER as it already had the required international visibility. Recently, it had become the first institution in Karnataka to bag the international QS Rating. It received the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) 4-Stars rating, from the UK based body.

JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research completed the audit to the satisfaction of QS analysts who studied data over a period of 6 months, to conclude that JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has met the set standards to be awarded 4 Stars overall, as well as 5 Stars in 3 categories, namely Teaching, Facilities and Inclusiveness.

It also received a top rating in India for the subject “Pharmacy” with 3 stars.

The Pharm D. programme of JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has been granted with International Certification by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), USA, and becomes the first among the Universities in the Asia Pacific region.

The Karnataka Vision Group of Science & Technology and FIST, DST has recognized JSS Medical College Mysuru as Centre of excellence in Molecular Biology & Regenerative Medicine. The Clinical Development Services Agency

(CDSA), Department of Biotechnology, Government of India has recognized JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, as Centre of Excellence for carrying out clinical trials at Centre for Clinical Excellence Research (CCRE), JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research.

The Indian Pharmacopeia commission has recognized JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research as regional coordinating centre for Pharmacovigilance Program of India (PvPI). WHO International Drug Monitoring Programme located at Uppsala, Sweden has partnered with JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research to establish a strategic framework for collaboration to conduct training programmes for capacity building in Pharmacovigilance for the Asia-Pacific region. WHO Global Vaccine Safety Initiative program has partnered with JSS Medical College Hospital to promote quality and safe use of vaccines. JSS Hospital is identified by WHO as a sentinel site for multi country vaccine safety studies. TIFAC Centre of Relevance and Excellence (CORE) in Herbal Drugs sanctioned by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Renowned as a destination of learning, research and service, the reputation of JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has become synonymous with quality education. JSS Academy of

Higher Education &Research’s interdisciplinary approach to worldchanging research and insatiable commitment to rigorous inquiry remain core values and help lead the country in scientific and technological innovation. Working in partnership with policymakers and practitioners worldwide, bringing improvements to people’s lives in real time. The Deemed to be University embraces the challenges of the 21st Century by building new bridges across old boundaries. These bridges include new educational programs and interdisciplinary studies; strategic partnerships with private and public R&D centres that pool resources and promote innovative research; and new international relationships.

The Deemed to be University continues

TESTIMONIALS Dr. Saravanan Karumbayaram, Professor & Manager, Broad Stem Cell Research Center, UCLA School of Medicine, California, USA

Dr.Sreeshyla Basavaraj ENT Consultant St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight. UK Visiting Consultant: Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK.

“Looking back to my experience at JSS College of Pharmacy, JSSAHER, I am so glad that I studied there. Life there was one of the most beneficial experiences I have ever had in my life. Combining both amazing teachers and great infrastructure helped me improve my academic skills which also helped me significantly today to be a Professor at University of California, USA. JSSAHER is another home to me and my professors are equal to my parents who contributed tremendously to shape up my professional life. I am grateful to everyone at JSS and proud to be a part of this great JSS family”

“JSS Medical College, a constituent college of JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research was not only my home away from home, but this is an institution where I cemented very strong foundation to my long medical career. It is the place which will be close to my heart, not only because the support, guidance, warmth & motivation I received. The campus was safe, compact and well maintained to highest standard, the staff were welcoming, friendly and supportive. The management of the Academy was accessible, concerns and been supportive in providing necessary facilities to achieve my goals. I’m proud to be alumni of JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research”

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Dr. Satish M.S Chief of Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery KIMS ( Bollineni hospital) East Godavari Andhra Pradesh

JSS Medical College was a place I always felt comfortable, could always find a willing ear to listen, and motivation to keep up with everything with life. Everyone in JSS has a heart for students, and they have the knowledge to help me navigate the system to accomplish my goals.

JSS Medical College is perhaps the most impactful campus - they are there to help you celebrate success, make sense of despair and rebound to greater heights. I am proud to be alumni of JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research. Dedicated teachers who groomed me to be a happy, confident, loving, caring& dedicated surgeon. Thank you very much JSSAHER for every thing you have done for me”..

health startup based out of Silicon Valley and Bangalore. Given the rate at which the epidemic of Cardio Vascular Diseases and life style diseases is spreading, this Centre will focus on an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to the early detection, prevention, acute care and follow-up of heart diseases and related comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and abnormal lipid profiles.

to nurture and groom graduates, postgraduates, and PhD researchers of great acumen by providing effective value based education and helping in the overall development of an individual through its state-of-art facilities to make the learner a responsible citizen of the country.

Their research outputs have supported high impact publication in premier scientific journals and have contributed new knowledge to the understanding of newer drugs, therapy and treatment through innovations, patent and centres of excellence.

have the opportunity to complete an elective rotation at each respective institution. SIUE students spend five weeks in India, while JSSAHER students spend eight weeks in USA.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's (SIUE) School of Pharmacy has partnered with JSS College of Pharmacy since 2 years to offer a student exchange program. Two students in their final year of pharmacy education

JSSAHER had also announced the formation of an Innovation Centre in Connected Cardiac Care in collaboration with iMedrix at the Deemed to be University's main campus in Mysore. iMedrix is a mobile

Dr Raghavendra Kini Principal, AJ Institute of Dental sciences, Mangaluru

JSS Dental College, is the institution from where I did my master’s. Though I had other institute to choose from, my preference was this institute. I’m happy with the decision I took then. The college provided me with what was really essential to students. The campus was ideally located & filled with greenery.The departments were quite spacious with good equipment’s & infrastructure. What impressed me the most was the number of patients who visited our college, which was really good.

The Principal, teaching faculty, Library staff & offer staff were very friendly and supportive. I’m proud alumni of JSSAHER.

The Deemed to be University or its constituent colleges have tie-ups with La Trobe University, Australia; Khon Kaen University, Thailand; University of Southern Nevada, USA; Long Island University, USA; AIMST University, Malaysia; Howard University, USA; University of Illinois, USA; National Institutes of Health, USA; and Oman Medical College, Oman.

Dr. Nirmal Robinson M.Pharm PhD Senior Research Fellow and Head Inflammation and Human Ailments Laboratory Centre for Cancer Biology University of South Australia, Australia Little I knew 25 years ago that JSS College of Pharmacy would craft me into a scientist I am today. JSSCP is not a physical structure but a body of adept and committed mentors with principles of holistic development. “You reap what you sow” plenty a seed such as myself have been sown in JSSCP and I represent one of the many proud JSSCPians who reap the benefits today. JSSAHER alumni have disseminated worldwide yet we stand united under one monumental brand - JSSAHER. I wish that the winds continuously blow from JSSAHER and sweep across the globe to spread knowledge, goodwill and peace.

The JSS Dental College and Hospital had organized a CDE programme on ‘3D Printing and its applications for health care’. The speakers enlightened the audience about 3D printing and its applications for health care.

JSS Mahavidyapeetha is also in the fray for developing a new generation skill university through the Pradhan Mantri Koushalya Kendras (PMKK), which are being organized in every district in the country.

Going beyond industry, JSSAHER has also worked with cutting-edge frontline research organizations like World Health Organization (WHO), Eurasian Federation of Oncology (EAFO), Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) etc, and renowned scientists from these institutes have graced JSSAHER campus as guest lecturers.

JSSAHER postgraduate students have also undertaken their project works in leading corporations like Aurobindo, Biocon, Himalaya, Hindustan Unilever, Lupin, Micro Labs, Mylan Labs, Novo Nordisk, Orchid Healthcare, Philips etc.

JSSAHER is home to a Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology and Natural Products Research, which is spearheading the Deemed to be University's efforts in knowledge creation and dissemination of the same to the society around.

JSSAHER students have also excelled in career placements during the past year with students from its various streams getting absorbed by numerous organizations including Dr. Reddys Lab, Micro Labs, Himalaya Drugs, Mylan, Biocon, Cipla, Novartis, Unilever, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca Pharma, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Columbia Asia Hospital, and many more.

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AUTO

WHAT TO EXPECT IN NEW HONDA CR-V DIESEL

he Honda CR-V has been a popular name in the premium SUV segment in the country.

The fifth generation model will be introduced with a fresh set of cosmetic and feature upgrades.

The CR-V diesel to be introduced in India is an all-new vehicle and not just a facelift. Here below are the top five highlights we expect to see in the upcoming Honda CR-V Diesel.

New Design The new CR-V diesel gets a sharp frontend with design elements in the form of a signature Honda grille, LED headlamps and daytime running lights that give it a fresh look. The muscular stance and short overhangs with dual exhausts further elevate its sporty quotient. The crossover rides on newlydesigned 18-inch alloy wheels, but its highlight continues to be the electrically powered tailgate, which is a first for a Honda car in India. The new generation model also appears to be bigger and sportier than its previous iteration model.

Seven-seat Layout For the first time, the CR-V will be offered with a seven seat layout. The longer wheelbase has helped the brand add that additional row of seat. Both the Seasonal Magazine

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second and third row seats get reclining option, while one can slide the second row fore and aft as well. The cabin of the vehicle will be equipped with upgraded materials all around. The thirdrow split folds 50:50, and the boot floor can be set in two positions. A full-size spare tyre will be placed inside the car, under the third row.

Engine Under the hood, the Honda CR-V diesel version is expected to be powered by a 1.6-litre twin-turbo diesel engine. This mill is tuned to produce 157bhp of power and 350Nm of torque, thus putting it in the same league as the other powerful SUVs in this segment. Transmission options include either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic gearbox, with an AWD option.

Features The new CR-V will get fresh upholstery options along with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system complemented by a modern TFT virtual instrument cluster. The SUV will be offered with air vents in all rows, with the third row featuring roof-mounted vents. Moreover, it will get a USB charging port for the second row, a fourway power-adjustable front passenger seat and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat.

Competition The upcoming Honda CR-V diesel 5 is expected to be priced around 25-30 lakhs. Post launch it will compete against the likes of the Toyota Fortuner in India.

On the other hand, the petrol version will get a naturally aspirated 2.4-litre, fourcylinder engine making 184 bhp.

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON GOES ON A DIET FOR INDIA

HARLEY-DAVIDSON SAID IT PLANS TO DEVELOP A 250-500CC MOTORCYCLE THROUGH A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN ASIA WHICH WILL BE USED TO PRIMARILY FUEL ITS GROWTH IN INDIA. haring its global growth road map through 2022 the US-based cult bike marker said it plans to launch the small displacement motorcycle, meant for emerging markets, in India within two years.

It also plans to add ‘lighter, smaller and more accessible products’ through 2022 in its electric motorcycles portfolio. It will kick-start with the launch of its first electric motorcycle, LiveWire in 2019.

Moreover, the company said it will develop a new modular 500cc to 1,250cc middle-weight platform of motorcycles on which multiple models in three distinct product categories and four displacements, can be developed.

In an investor communication, HarleyDavidson said, “We intend to enter into a strategic alliance in Asia to launch a 250-500cc motorcycle within 2 years in India, and into other emerging markets in Asia over time.”

The move is aimed at expediting market entry and increase brand access and volume and the new product would server as bridge to the company’s larger motorcycles.

It will also “enable accessible price point for premium small displacement market entry”, it added.

The planned alliance in Asia will “leverage on world-class partner’s manufacturing scale and retail footprint”, the company said without disclosing further details.

In India, the company said a growing middle class and product introductions by domestic manufacturers are providing stimulus. The 200-500 cc segment saw sales of 7 lakh units in 2017 growing at 25 per cent.

The over 500 cc segment grew by up to 28 per cent selling around 8,500 units last year, as per industry estimates.

“Competitors have entered into various alliances and partnerships to accelerate the pace of market entry (in India),” the company said.

The company further said it will drive to extend its leadership in heavyweight motorcycles by continuing to develop improved, more technologically-advanced Touring and Cruiser motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson sells 16 models in India ranging from Street 750 with starting price of Rs 5.25 lakh to CVO LIMITED tagged at Rs 49.99 lakh.

On electric bikes, it said Livewire will be the first in a broad, no-clutch ‘twist and go’ portfolio of electric twowheelers “designed to establish the company as the leader in the electrification of the sport“.

“LiveWire will be followed by additional models through 2022 to broaden the portfolio with lighter, smaller and even more accessible product options to inspire new riders with new ways to ride,” it added.

The company further said it will drive to extend its leadership in heavyweight motorcycles by continuing to develop improved, more technologicallyadvanced Touring and Cruiser motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Levatich: “We expect this plan will result in an engaged, expanded Harley-Davidson community with a more diverse rider base, along with industry-leading SM margins and cash flow.”

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FINANCE

Why is India Looking at Hiking Rates?

The environment for monetary policy has changed dramatically in recent months. In the last few years, inflation has been kept down due to a combination of several factors: falling crude oil and commodity prices, which kept input prices for companies under control; low minimum support prices for crops, which kept food prices contained; excess capacity in industry, which kept a lid on industrial prices; and lower government fiscal deficits as a percentage of gross domestic product. But each of these restraints on inflation has reversed recently.

Here are five reasons why the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is looking at hiking rates now.

Rising Core Inflation A central bank worth its salt would always focus on pockets where demand conditions harden persistently. Enter core inflation, RBI’s permanent foe in inflation management. Core inflation— which excludes food and fuel—is edging up every month. It is now far above 5%, and considering the stickiness of it, a threat to RBI’s 4% target. Even the core core inflation, which removes transportation and gold, is also firming up. As the Indian economy recovers and demand firms up, producers will be able to pass on increases in costs.

Rising Crude Global crude oil prices are a big swing factor in the behaviour of domestic inflation, something RBI has also indicated. Oil prices have stabilized since the June policy. But this should not cloud the fact that oil prices are far above the comfort level of the central bank.

Moreover, there is no guarantee crude will continue to behave, as geopolitical tensions continue. Global growth continues to be robust, which will mean increased demand for oil. And with China relaxing its monetary policy, prices of metals should also start to climb.

Rising MSP The hike in minimum support prices (MSP) for agriculture this time is steep, compared with historic averages.

Granted that the impact of MSP will depend on how much the government procures. Even so, the lull in food inflation would disappear soon once the MSP kicks in. And this is not far. The language of RBI leaves no doubt that higher MSPs are a danger to inflation.

Output Gap is Reducing Notice the significant shift in language in the June policy, with the most dovish member of the monetary policy committee, Ravindra Dholakia, conceding that the output gap — the gap between the level of economic activity and its potential — is closing. That points to two things—one, capacity is becoming a constraint, which means businesses will raise prices when faced

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with strong demand; and two, the economy is strong enough to absorb a rate hike.

Preempt Populist Moves The Lok Sabha elections in 2019 make it hard for any government to ignore populist measures. Such measures can be tempered by the central government, but states may be hard-pressed to avoid them, especially if monsoon plays truant. Already, 10 states have received scanty rainfall, making a case for farm loan waivers. Fiscal prudence is unlikely to be a top priority and RBI needs to pre-empt this. Ergo, a rate hike.

All these factors threaten the sanctity of the 4% inflation target, which RBI wants to maintain at any cost. Failure to do so would lead to a rise in inflation expectations, which had started to move up, as the last RBI survey has shown. In June, the central bank hiked its inflation forecast to 4.8-4.9%. If there is even a slim chance that retail inflation could breach this range, RBI would be better off hiking now.

SM

FINANCE

Are Promises to Save Air India Failing?

Air India is seeking over Rs. 2,100 Crore from centre to pay vendors.

tate-owned carrier Air India has sought 21.21 billion rupees ($309 million) of additional equity from the government for the fiscal year 2018-19 to make pending payments to its vendors, a source at the airline told Reuters.

Air India owes about 18 billion rupees to its vendors, including lessors and banks that have demanded payment from the beleaguered airline, after the government's unsuccessful efforts to find a buyer for its 76 percent stake The airline expects to receive the additional equity within the next 7 to 10 days after which it will be able to clear all dues, the source said, adding that this is above the 6.5 billion rupees it has already received for the year.

The government last month shelved a plan to sell a majority stake in Air India due to lack of interest from bidders, in the latest setback in its ambitious efforts

to rescue the ailing airline that has survived for years using taxpayer funds.

The government will continue to support the loss-making airline's financial requirements while it works on alternatives, Junior Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha had said, without

The government will continue to support the loss-making airline's financial requirements while it works on alternatives,

giving a specific timeline for a new plan.

Three banks and two aircraft leasing firms have served default notices on Air India over the last few weeks, raising concerns about the state-owned carrier's finances and credit-worthiness.

San Francisco, United States-based Wells Fargo Trust Services and UAE's state-owned Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) have sent letters of demand for pending rental payments, a newspaper said, citing sources.

Three lenders from a 22-bank consortium have also written to Air India raising concerns that the company is turning into a non-performing asset. The three banks are Standard Chartered Bank, Dena Bank and Bank of India Ltd. The airline has received a notice from banks for non-payment of dues that is being looked into by the government, the source confirmed. A Standard Chartered spokesman in India declined to comment. Bank of India and Dena Bank did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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INTERNATIONAL

AFTER RENAMING PACIFIC COMMAND TO INDO-PACIFIC COMMAND, US ANNOUNCES NEW INITIATIVES UNVEILING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR ADVANCING A "FREE AND OPEN" INDO-PACIFIC, US SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO ANNOUNCED USD 113 MILLION IN NEW REGIONAL INVESTMENTS FOCUSED ON DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY, AMIDST CHINA FLEXING ITS MILITARY MUSCLES IN THE REGION. n an apparent dig at China's ambitious One-Belt-One-Road (OBOR) initiative, Pompeo said the US believes "in strategic partnerships, not strategic dependence" and added that it is clearly in America's strategic interest to deepen its engagement in the region.

"We seek to work with anyone to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, so long as that cooperation adheres to the highest standards that our citizens demand. The US is committed to growing our presence in the region because we want Americans and all people of the Indo-Pacific to share in the economic growth of 2020, 2030, 2040, and beyond," he said.

Last year, President Trump said in Vietnam, the Indo-Pacific is "a beautiful constellation of nations, each its own bright star, satellites to none – and each one a people, a culture, a way of life, a home."

To burn brightest, this constellation needs the fuel of innovation and sustainable growth, he had said, adding that this is what America's Indo-Pacific strategy will promote.

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"We do this because we recognise the tremendous economic and social benefits that come with an open, secure, and reliable internet," he said.

Through Asia EDGE (which stands for Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy), US will invest nearly USD 50 million this year to help IndoPacific partners import, produce, move, store, and deploy their energy resources.

America's energy bounty includes vast natural resources, world-leading private firms, sophisticated developmentfinance tools, and peerless technical expertise. "We will draw on all of these to grow sustainable and secure energy markets in the Indo-Pacific," he said.

The US recently renamed its oldest and largest military command - the Pacific Command - to Indo-Pacific Command, in a largely symbolic move to signal India's importance.

"President Trump will strike while the iron is hot, because there are clear economic benefits at hand for the American people. Our Indo-Pacific vision excludes no nation," Pompeo said in his address to the first Indo-Pacific Business Forum organised by the US Chambers of Commerce.

public-private partnerships; promote market-driven digital regulatory policies; and build partners' cybersecurity capacity to address common threats, he said.

Pompeo announced the launch of an Infrastructure Transaction and Assistance Network to boost the development of infrastructure. economy, energy, and infrastructure.

These funds represent a down payment on a new era in US economic commitment to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Pompeo said.

He asserted that it is clear a big part of America's international economic future is in the Indo-Pacific.

"Our strategy seeks to catalyze American businesses to do what they do best in the region. President Trump also expects our commitment to generate greater support for a free and open Indo-Pacific from all countries that share the vision of a region rooted in sovereignty, the rule of law, and sustainable prosperity," he said, in an apparent reference to China, which claims almost all of South China Sea and resorted to aggressive patrols in recent years.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the South China Sea. Pompeo said the US will initially invest a USD 25 million to improve partner countries' digital connectivity and expand opportunities for US technology exports.

Under this the US will support communications infrastructure development through technical assistance and

"This whole-of-government initiative, seeded with nearly USD 30 million, establishes a new interagency body to coordinate, strengthen, and share US tools for project scouting, financing, and technical assistance. It also establishes a new Indo-Pacific Transaction Advisory Fund to help partners access private legal and financial advisory services," he said.

"In all these areas – digital economy, energy, and infrastructure – we look forward to working with allies and partners," Pompeo added.

Noting that government spending alone can never address the Indo-Pacific's needs, and referring to the Asian Development Bank figure that developing countries in the region will need USD 26 trillion for infrastructure alone by 2030, Pompeo said no government or combination of governments has that kind of money.

Only the private sector does, he added.

"And only if countries make themselves welcoming to private investment will those trillions of dollars get off the sidelines, into their economies, and into productive enterprises that bring jobs and prosperity to their people. For that to happen, Indo-Pacific leaders must prioritize transparency, anticorruption, and responsible SM financing," Pompeo added.

START-UP

HOW GOOD IS SWIGGY'S NEW MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMME Swiggy has rolled out the programme, Swiggy Super, recently and offers customers one-month and three-month subscription plans. ndia’s largest food delivery service Swiggy has launched a new membership programme that will unlock unlimited free deliveries across all restaurants on its platform for subscribers.

This is part of a broader strategy to increase order volumes, amid a market share battle against rivals such as Zomato and Uber Eats.

Swiggy said it will roll out the programme, Swiggy Super, this week and offer customers one-month and three-month subscription plans, with the monthly plan priced between Rs 99 and Rs 149.

Apart from free deliveries, customers subscribing to the membership programme will also not be charged surge fees during peak-hour. Swiggy will also include other benefits such as discounted orders.

So far, Swiggy Super has been rolled out to a select bunch of users in seven cities.

According to Anuj Rathi, vice-president of product management at Swiggy, Swiggy Super will be rolled out to at least 200,000 customers by the end of this week.

“We’ve been thinking about this programme for quite some time. As you know, Swiggy is an extremely highrepeat platform—we have users who order multiple times during a week or month. So, it made sense for us to come out with a programme that rewards loyal customers,” Rathi told Mint.

SWIGGY SAID IT WILL ROLL OUT THE PROGRAMME, SWIGGY SUPER, THIS WEEK AND OFFER CUSTOMERS ONEMONTH AND THREE-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION PLANS, WITH THE MONTHLY PLAN PRICED BETWEEN RS 99 AND RS 149.

In June, Swiggy raised $210 million from a group of investors led by Naspers and billionaire Yuri Milner’s DST Global that catapulted its valuation to over $1 billion, surpassing rival Zomato’s valuation based on a February fundraising round. Zomato is in talks to raise more funds, Mint reported in June.

Flush with funds, Swiggy and Zomato have gone all out to acquire new customers and increase the volume of orders on their respective platforms.

Most food delivery start-ups have also gone on a hiring spree and have increased their delivery staff, as the food delivery business in India has boomed.

Bangalore-based Swiggy, which operates in 15 cities, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata, claims to have over 35,000 restaurant partners on its platform and a delivery fleet of 55,000.

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PENNA CEMENT INDUSTRIES

WITHIN JUST 25 YEARS, PENNA CEMENT INDUSTRIES HAS ACHIEVED IMPRESSIVE GROWTH TO BE A 7 MILLION TONNES PER ANNUM PLAYER. NOW IT IS PLANNING TO ENTER THE BIG LEAGUE OF INDIA’S TOP-8 CEMENT PLAYERS BY DOUBLING ITS CAPACITY, WHICH WILL BE PART-FUNDED BY ITS IPO, AND THUS MAKING BEST USE OF THE MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IN ITS HOME TURFS OF TELENGANA AND ANDHRA PRADESH.

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While there are no two opinions on the emerging growth potential of cement companies in India, the same can’t be said of their investment potential.

Cement companies in India vary significantly by geographies, their equity & debt policies and most importantly by the kind of opportunities that are available and that they are willing to tap.

That is why we have in the Indian cement sector, old warhorses that are no longer attractive at the bourses as well as powerful midcaps that are rewarding investors as though they are in some sunrise field and not a commodity market like cement.

Geographies matter a lot in the cement sector as the fundamental competitiveness of cement companies arises from access to the extensive mining resources as well as seaport resources. Hyderabad based Penna Cement Industries Ltd comes across in flying colours on the mine and port fronts, and that is how it has become a 7 million tonnes per annum player, even after starting out only in 1991. Secondly, on the opportunities front, Penna Cement is staring at one of the most lucrative opportunities in India currently – the creation of the new Telengana state. As a cement manufacturer headquartered in Hyderabad itself, it is tapping effectively into this once in a lifetime opportunity, as well as opportunities emerging in Andhra Pradesh too due to the bifurcation of states. But for prospective investors, a

lot will also depend upon how the firm is managing its equity and debt policies and these will soon become clear when it goes for its Rs.1300 crore IPO. Penna Cements is most ambitious in that it is planning nothing short of a doubling of capacity to become a 14 million tonnes per annum producer, which will make it one among the 8 largest cement companies in India.

Every one lakh of rupees invested in 2001 in a listed company of India is now worth ten crore rupees. No, it is not an IT company. Not a pharma company nor an MNC FMCG brand. It is a cement company called Shree Cements Ltd, which grew from a modest company in 2001 to a mid-sized major within the next one and a half decade.

Did we hear anyone say that, but then, those 15 years were special? Yes, the person who told that is correct. But that doesn’t mean the next 15 years is very ordinary. In fact, the next 15 years may go on to be the most extraordinary years in India’s infrastructure journey.

Just consider this statistic. The current union government has had a strong focus on infrastructure spending.

Beginning with Rs. 1.81 trillion allocation in 2014-15, government expenditure towards infrastructure reached Rs. 4.94 trillion in 2017-18. For 2018-19, the government has announced infrastructure spending of Rs. 5.97 trillion.

And it can only go up and up in the near foreseeable future due to a peculiar reason – private investments are just not growing up to the expectations. So, any government that comes to power even in next year’s election would have no option but to keep on spending on infrastructure.

That is why when it came to light that Hyderabad based Penna Cement Industries is planning its IPO, investing circles suddenly took notice. To tell a long story short, Penna Cement is the kind of company that any prudent cement sector investor would look for – because it is kind of the perfect sized company in cement, looking from an investment angle.

It is no secret that some of India’s largest cement companies have turned sluggish in the markets during recent years. Despite the huge growth opportunities that India offer, they are staring at over capacities and the considerable debt they accumulated to build these now excess capacities.

Whereas, Penna Cement Industries, despite having gone through a scorching pace of growth during its two-and-a-half decades of existence, is still only a 7 million tonnes per annum player, which means sufficient room for growth at much

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nimbler financials.

But, what about the flipside – whether the firm have the kind of ambition and expertise to scale up? Investors are likely to answer this question in positive, as Penna has already grown so much that it is the largest privately held cement manufacturer in India now.

Geographies matter a lot in the cement sector as the fundamental competitiveness of cement companies arises from access to the extensive mining resources as well as seaport resources. Hyderabad based Penna Cement Industries Ltd comes across in flying colours on the mine and port fronts, and that is how it has become a 7 million tonnes per annum player, even after starting out only in 1991.

Institutional investors continues to show considerable interest in the cement sector. During last fiscal, three smaller cement firms together raised around Rs 850 crore through qualified institutional placements.

Penna Cement Industrie s Ltd is now planning to raise Rs 1,300 crore through an initial public offering (IPO) and will file its draft offer documents with the markets regulator within a month's time.

PCIL has hired Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd, IIFL Holdings Ltd and JM Financial Ltd as book runners for the public offering, the proceeds of which will be used to fund its ambitious

ON THE OPPORTUNITIES FRONT, PENNA CEMENT IS ALSO STARING AT ONE OF THE MOST LUCRATIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIA CURRENTLY – THE CREATION OF THE NEW TELENGANA STATE.

Prestige Shantiniketan expansion plan.

While Penna Cement has a production capacity of 7 million tonnes per annum currently. It intends to expand the capacity to 14 mtpa by 2020. This ramping up the capacity to 14 mt is likely to put Penna Cement among the top eight cement makers in the country with respect to production.

The company has four cement plants and one captive power plant across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Its product offerings include ordinary portland cement, special blended cement and slag-based blended cement.

PCIL’s most renowned brand is Penna

Power, which is a PPC cement, meaning a special blended cement as per BIS specification, IS: 1489, and is produced by inter-grinding Ordinary Portland Cement clinker with high quality processed fly ash along with gypsum.

Due to its inherent characteristics, PPC aids in creating corrosion resistant concrete that is far superior to concrete made with OPC. The use of blended cement in concrete reduces crack formation, improves workability, inhibits sulphate attacks and reduces the heat of hydration. Moreover, its 28 days strength proves to be much better than OPC 53 Grade.

No wonder then that Penna Cement has been chosen for some of the most demanding infrastructure projects in South India so far. These include, Hyderabad International Airport, Purvankara Venezia, Vallarpadam Container Terminal, Prestige Shantiniketan, LNG Terminal Kochi, Krishnapatnam Port Nellore, BSCPL Toll Road, L&T Metro Hyderabad, Godavari Bridge, TATA Realty SEZ Chennai, PBEL City Hyderabad, ICICI Gachibowli Hyderabad, Veligonda Dam, ITC Grand Chola Chennai and several other prestigious projects.

While there are over-capacity concerns in south India, given the strong demand for cement backed by the new infrastructure projects that is being set up in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, over capacity should not be a big concern. Also, given the fact that states down south are focusing aggressively on affordable housing, demand for cement is likely to be high.

On the opportunities front, Penna Cement is also staring at one of the most lucrative opportunities in India currently – the creation of the new Telengana state. As a cement manufacturer headquartered in Hyderabad itself, it is tapping effectively into this once in a lifetime opportunity, as well as opportunities emerging in Andhra Pradesh too due to the bifurcation of states.

Founded in 1991, and starting

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Hyderabad International Airport

operations in 1994, Penna Cement has established itself as one of the most trusted cement brands, with significant footprints in southern and western India.

Penna’s clientele ranges from small house owners to established real estate developers and from various state governments to global construction majors.

Over the last two decades, Penna Cement has grown organically by developing in-house expertise and capabilities, across the entire value chain in the cement industry. All Penna cement plants are equipped with stateof-the-art technology, enabling the company to deliver the superior quality products.

Penna Cement Industries Ltd (PCIL) was founded by P Prathap Reddy, who currently serves as its Chairman & Managing Director. A young achiever,Prathap Reddy launched his business career right after graduating from college, when he took up civil engineering contracts under the name of Pioneer Builders.

PENNA CEMENT INDUSTRIES LTD IS NOW PLANNING TO RAISE RS 1,300 CRORE THROUGH AN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING (IPO) AND WILL FILE ITS DRAFT OFFER DOCUMENTS WITH THE MARKETS REGULATOR WITHIN A MONTH'S TIME.

Krishnapatnam Port

LNG Terminal, Kochi

The firm has executed many prestigious civil engineering contracts for various state governments such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamilnadu. He founded Penna Cement in 1991 and has served as its MD ever since then, and is wholly to be credited for Penna’s consistent performance.

The future of Penna Cement is also in safe hands. Its Executive Director & CEO is B Vikram Reddy, family scion, and

ITC Grand Chola

holder of an MBA degree from the prestigious University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and is also a Master’s degree holder in Information Technology from the equally prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, USA. CEO Vikram Reddy started his professional career as a Senior consultant with Deloitte (USA) where he worked for over 3 years. In 2008, he returned to India to join the family businesses. Initially, he joined the Power Division of Penna Group and focused on implementation of Hydro Power Projects.

In 2012, he was appointed as an Executive Director on the board of Penna Cement Industries Limited. In March 2014, he was re-designated as Executive Director & CEO of the company. Today, Vikram Reddy looks after all day to day operations of the SM company.

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WILL SUZUKI BRING THE HANDSOME VITARA 2019 SUV TO INDIA? THE 2019 SUZUKI VITARA FACELIFT WILL BE INTRODUCED IN THE UK IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, WITH A BUNCH OF COSMETIC, TECHNICAL, AND FEATURE UPDATES FOR THE 2019 MODEL YEAR. Suzuki Motor Corporation has officially unveiled the 2019 Vitara facelift ahead of the SUV's market launch. Slated to be introduced in September this year, in the UK, the facelifted Suzuki Vitara receives a bunch of cosmetic, technical, and feature updates for the 2019 model year. In addition to various design updates, the 2019 Vitara also comes in two new colour options, along with a bunch of new tech and advanced safety features. Prices for the new 2019 Suzuki Vitara will be will be announced closer to the launch date.

Unlike its Indian cousin, the sub-4 metre Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the facelifted Suzuki Vitara SUV is a lot bigger and measures 4.2 metres in length. Visually, the 2019 model comes with an updated face, featuring a redesigned grille with fat, vertically positioned chrome slats, and revised front bumper with a larger airdam and slightly bigger LED daytime running

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lamps. The profile pretty much remains unchanged save for a new set of alloys, however, at the rear, the SUV features a new design for the distinctive LED combination lamps.

The cabin, on the other hand, has also gone through a considerable overhaul and it now comes with improved quality material for the interior trim. The dashboard, for instance, uses softtouch material for the upper instrument panel, while the instrument cluster gets a new design with colour central information display. The top-end variant of the SUV will come with features like dual sensor brake support, lane departure warning and prevention, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert.

Under the hood, the 2019 Suzuki Vitara will come with both, the 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engines, borrowed from the updated UK-spec S-Cross model range. The

former is a replacement for the existing 1.6-litre petrol engine. The lower variants equipped with the 109 bhp, 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine will also get Suzuki's ALLGRIP four-wheel-drive system as an option with the manual transmission version. The top-end variant gets the 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine that makes 138 bhp and 220 Nm of peak torque, which is available from just 1,500 rpm through to 4,000 rpm.

Currently, the Suzuki Vitara is sold in 191 countries and regions around the world and the SUV's cumulative sales recently passed 3.7 million units mark.

While the SUV was sold in India as Grand Vitara up until 2015, Maruti Suzuki might consider launching the SUV in India to rival the likes of Hyundai Creta and Jeep Compass. In fact, the pre-facelift model of the SUV has already been spotted testing in India on a couple of occasions. However, if at all the carmaker decides to launch the Vitara SUV in India, we'll get the facelifted version.

CORPORATE

SUZLON SHAREHOLDERS REJECT FUNDRAISING PROPOSALS Shareholders are signalling that enough is enough after several rounds of fund raises that left the equity hopelessly diluted.

As many as 65.12 per cent votes were in favour of the special resolution and it was declared 'not passed' in the filing. The special resolutions require at least 75 per cent of votes in its favour to be passed.

Suzlon shareholders reject proposals to raise Rs 2,900 crore New Delhi: Renewable energy solution provider Suzlon Energy's shareholders have rejected two separate proposals to raise a total Rs 2,900 crore through issuance of equity shares and debentures.

A majority of public shareholders voted against special resolutions to raise Rs 2,000 crore through an issue of equity shares and Rs 900 crore through non-convertible debentures or non-equity linked instruments, according to a regulatory fling by the company.

"These were only enabling resolutions to facilitate the company to raise funds at an appropriate time should that be required. Presently there are no plans to issue securities / raise funds. This does not impact our fund availability in anyway for carrying out smooth business operations," Suzlon said in its reply to PTI. The company at its AGM on July 27 had sought shareholders' approval to issue redeemable non-

Tulsi Tanti convertible debentures/non-equity linked instruments in one or more tranches to an extent of Rs 900 crore on a private placement basis for replacement of existing debt.

As many as 65.12 per cent votes were in favour of the special resolution and it was declared 'not passed' in the filing. Special resolutions require at least 75 per cent of votes in favour to be passed.

Similarly, another special resolution to offer, issue and allot equity shares or equity-linked resolution instruments to an extent of Rs 2,000 crore was also declared 'not passed'. It got 57.51 per cent votes in its favour.

However, shareholders approved other listed resolutions including two ordinary resolutions to reappoint Girish R Tanti and Tulsi R Tanti as directors of SM the company.

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WORLD AFFAIRS

CHINA-RUSSIA RELATIONS:

WHY A GRAND ALLIANCE IS UNLIKELY AGAINST USA

The most fundamental question to IR theorists in the present times is to understand if and how would international hegemony/dominance change hands. For much of the period after the Second World War, and especially after the end of the Cold War, US dominance in the military and economic sphere was unparalleled with the unprecedented deification of its ‘free-market’ and ‘democracy’ doctrinaire by the rest of the world, barring few exceptions.

America’s much vaunted soft-power strategy enabled its relatively unthreatened rise in the social, cultural, political and economic spheres. However, the early decades of the 21st century point towards a new set of challenges unsettling the international hegemon, namely the unbridled rise of China, Iran’s increasing influence and military capability and the resurgence of Russia in the affairs of the Middle East. Without going overboard about waning American power and the resultant opportunity for Chinese ambitions, it is perhaps more instructive to delve into the changing power equations between the great powers as the transitioning phase looms large.

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By Carl Jaison

WITHOUT GOING OVERBOARD ABOUT WANING AMERICAN POWER AND THE RESULTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR CHINESE AMBITIONS, IT IS PERHAPS MORE INSTRUCTIVE TO DELVE INTO THE CHANGING POWER EQUATIONS BETWEEN THE GREAT POWERS AS THE TRANSITIONING PHASE LOOMS LARGE.

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FOR ONE, XI JINPING HAS OFFICIALLY REJECTED AN ALLIANCE APPROACH TO SECURITY. CHINA REGARDS PARTNERSHIP, NOT ALLIANCE, AS THE MAIN AXIS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS. What has really changed for the US in the last decade or so? Ever since the economic crisis of 2008, the talk of the town has revolved around the inevitability of American downfall and the emergence of a multi-polar or bipolar world order. Following the heavy reputational damage from the Iraq and Afghanistan interventions, many had predicted that USA would forego its commitments to multilateralism and withdraw from perceived military burdens in far-flung regions of the world. While the largely inactive foreign policy pursued by Obama (at least in comparison to his predecessor) and the successful rhetoric of Trump’s anti-globalist stance were sufficient indicators of this trend, it did not necessarily translate into reality. The fact remains that US is in a position of strength like no other great power has ever been in history and would most likely realize that any concessionary tone would be catastrophic to its hegemonic status.

It is in this context that one must acknowledge how China and Russia can alter the applecart to their benefit and precipitate an anti-US sentiment.

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power transition, if carried out at all, has always rested on the success of alliances to maintain the status quo.

Except, in the present scenario, both Russia and China themselves harbor hegemonic ambitions to prevent another phase of US and Western Europe-led world order.

Alliances arise from states’ attempts to maintain a balance of power with each

other. In a system composed of a number of medium-size countries, such as that in Europe since the Middle Ages, no single state is able to establish a lasting hegemony over all the others, largely because the other states join together in alliances against it. Thus, the repeated attempts by King Louis XIV of France (reigned 1643–1715) to dominate continental Europe led to a

CHINA-RUSSIA RELATIONS: WHY A GRAND ALLIANCE IS UNLIKELY AGAINST USA

THE FACT REMAINS THAT US IS IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH LIKE NO OTHER GREAT POWER HAS EVER BEEN IN HISTORY AND WOULD MOST LIKELY REALIZE THAT ANY CONCESSIONARY TONE WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC TO ITS HEGEMONIC STATUS.

coalition in opposition to France and eventually to the War of the Grand Alliance. The ambitions of Napoleon were similarly thwarted by a series of alliances formed against him.

The underlying logic was that an enemy of one’s enemy must be one’s friend.

This rang true even after the end of the Late Middle Ages when power interests would triumph over ideological affiliations, which would later become a defining feature of the Cold War period. For example, the Roman Catholic king of France, Francis I sought help from the Ottoman Muslim sultan Suleyman I to balance against fellow Catholic and Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V due to strategic concerns.

More popularly, the US and Great Britain formed an alliance with Communist USSR to defeat Nazi aggression in World War II. The only difference with the current scenario is that the individual strength of US is so massive that it offsets any collective challenge from the other great powers. While the US unworriedly bucked this historical trend when it staved off any threat to its predominance for much of the 20th century (except

when the Soviet Union exercised its sphere of influence during their Cold War face-off), there has been a recent reconfiguration of power with the influential ascendance of both China and Russia. This echoed in the new national security strategy, which underlined a significant shift in threat perceptions of the US. “We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists that we are engaged in today, but great power competition, not terrorism, is now the primary focus of US national security,” secretary of defense Jim Mattis announced.

Specifically, the US will prioritize curbing the aggressions of China and Russia.

Further, the US under Trump has increasingly adopted an aggressive policy (albeit with a different tone) on a range of issues, including its trade deficits with countries and penalizing countries that diverge from American concerns. In the recent flare-up with China over the trade imbalance, Trump vowed to stand up to Chinese infringement of US intellectual property and technology patents. Given how China could catch up with U.S advancement in artificial intelligence

and Big Data, the stakes are too high for the former to leave room for the latter to fill in. Countries like India have been questioned on their commitment to purchase Russian S-400 missiles. If India decides to go ahead with the purchase, it could potentially pave the way for U.S imposition sanctions related to CAATSA – Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017.

It’s also important to note that the above developments can’t be solely restricted to Trump’s policy. This has been a recurring exercise of American ire at anyone seeming to be at loggerheads with its interests, although it has drawn greater attention under Trump.

Therefore, given how US sanctions impacts both China’ and Russia’ strategic/economic interests, it follows that the two countries find reasonable grounds for cooperation. In order to cement ties in the backdrop of US retaliation, China and Russia would need to develop a close working relationship and enter military partnerships.

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to increasingly close political relations, economic relations are flourishing, and economic complementarities and compatibility are creating conditions for an enduring association between America’s two greatest adversaries. For Russia, China is an important market and source of capital, especially in the tense political climate of U.S. sanctions.

For China, Russia’s stable energy supply is important in order to secure China’s economic growth. China has maintained its position as Russia’s largest trading partner for eight years.

In 2017, China and Russia’s bilateral trade rose to $84.07 billion, an increase of 20.8 percent. Russia has been

FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC KING OF FRANCE, FRANCIS I SOUGHT HELP FROM THE OTTOMAN MUSLIM SULTAN SULEYMAN I TO BALANCE AGAINST FELLOW CATHOLIC AND HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR, CHARLES V DUE TO STRATEGIC CONCERNS. involved in China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” and has linked the BRI to its own Eurasian Economic Union strategy.

Given these developments, it should only be a matter of time before the strategic partnership transforms into an alliance. However, this is far from the case as the following three points would highlight. This would mean a significant challenge to the relevance of the alliance system that served its purpose so well to either maintain the status quo or thwart the prevailing order.

Firstly, China seems to show no interest for entering into alliances that are perceived to be military in nature, while Russia has a history of courting support.

For one, Xi Jinping has officially rejected an alliance approach to security. China regards partnership, not alliance, as the main axis for its development of foreign relations, mainly because of its longstanding tradition of independent diplomatic standing and the priority Beijing places on domestic sociopolitical reform and development.

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CURRENT SINO-RUSSIAN RELATIONSHIP PURELY CONVENIENCE-DRIVEN Russia and China seem to have converging interests owing to the changed international political context, but given their largely diverging worldviews it is unlikely that the two would agree on a host of other issues.

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he Russia-China partnership has so far defied easy categorisation.

Two formerly adversarial countries now enjoy a steady yet flexible relationship.

Their growing engagement since the events in Ukraine in 2014 has revolved around the sale of military equipment, Russian oil sales to China, and increased Chinese financing for Russia amidst Western sanctions. Moscow and Beijing generally agree on the shortcomings of an international order dominated by the United States and its allies. Their relationship has caused a lot of concern, especially for the United States’ as was evident in its latest National Security Strategy (NSS).

However, there are certain underlying tensions within the relationship that place constraints on their bilateral ties.

These relate to each side’s national interests as well as their engagement with the international order. It must be said that the two sides have been adept at managing these tensions over the years, but they may affect the trajectory of the relationship in the long run.

The driver of these anxieties is the imbalance in the relationship. While both countries are significant actors in

the international arena, Russia’s anxieties in particular stem from demographics as well as economics.

China’s population and GDP are almost ten times those of Russia. Russia’s exports to China are primarily raw materials and hydrocarbons. Many analyses point to the tensions inherent to this buyer-seller relationship. As Russia becomes increasingly dependent on China for investments and as a market, the latter’s power to negotiate favourable deals will only increase. Thus, Russia will remain wary of overdependence on one country, particularly one with whom many of its interests overlap. Russia’s tendency to balance various interests and preserve its strategic autonomy while expanding its influence will come into play. This would increase the likelihood of some degree of rapprochement with Europe, especially given President Trump’s recent actions that have pushed Europe and Russia closer together. Whereas since China’s priority is its economic development, Western countries are more attractive partners, even if Beijing does benefit from Russian oil.

In Ukraine, an area Russia considers being integral to its security, China refrained from directly criticizing or supporting

CHINA-RUSSIA RELATIONS: WHY A GRAND ALLIANCE IS UNLIKELY AGAINST USA Russia’s actions. It abstained in the Security Council vote that would have declared the Crimean referendum illegal, while issuing instructions to its domestic media outlets to refrain from connecting the issue to its own separatist problems. While many Western countries responded to the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty by imposing sanctions, China criticized their usage but ultimately complied with them.

Similarly, in the South China Sea, an area which lies within China’s ‘sphere of interest’ but does not concern Russia directly, the latter has pursued its own interests. China’s calibrated actions in the region are unlikely to invite the level of backlash Russia’s actions in Crimea did and the two have conducted joint exercises in the region. But as Russia seeks to expand its footprint in the Pacific, evident in its modernisation of its Pacific fleet, it may be drawn into the region. It has engaged in its natural tendency to balance various interests without giving the appearance of capitulating to any one power by engaging with Vietnam. Vietnam is wary of Chinese activities in the region owing to its boundaries being threatened, but Russia has cooperated with Hanoi militarily as well as in the hydrocarbon sector.

The pair’s actions in Central Asia, where both desire significant stakes, will be important in the coming years. Russia sees it an area that is key to its expanding influence. Although most Central Asian countries recognize their historic ties with Russia and the latter’s economic power and security interests in the region, some have been less than enthusiastic about participating in Russia-led projects such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty

Organisation (CSTO). Russia’s introduction of stricter immigration controls for the region has also proven to be a sore spot. China instead prefers to offer economic growth as an incentive. The region is key for China’s ‘Go West’ policy as well as a flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), to showcase its influence in Asia, but its benefits for the region are limited as Chinese firms prefer to employ Chinese workers. This form of engagement does not challenge Russia’s role as a potential security guarantor in Central and West Asia.

These tendencies—China’s pragmatism and its recognition of the importance of the West, and Russia’s balancing act and its aversion to outside encroachment in its ‘sphere of influence’—will only exacerbate the imbalance. Russia’s geopolitical weight has certain benefits for China, and China is emerging as a key economic partner for Russia. But their relentless pursuit of their national interests and their respective relations with the West might ultimately be more important than their relationship with each other, especially Russia’s ties with Europe and China’s ties with both Europe and America.

Chinese policymakers have expressed apprehension about Russia’s unpredictability, following its actions in Crimea and later Syria. The convergence between China and Russia is over their opposition to the US-led system, but they do not yet define what their roles are to be in their conception of international order.

American policies under President Trump may be pushing them closer together at the moment, but this may be more out of expedience than a desire to build any sort of formal alliance. In any case, their relationship is a product of the current international context, so it is reasonable to assume a change in context could lead the two to re-evaluate their relations.

FURTHER, THE US UNDER TRUMP HAS INCREASINGLY ADOPTED AN AGGRESSIVE POLICY (ALBEIT WITH A DIFFERENT TONE) ON A RANGE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING ITS TRADE DEFICITS WITH COUNTRIES AND PENALIZING COUNTRIES THAT DIVERGE FROM AMERICAN CONCERNS. diplomatic tool that embraces globalization and better represents China’s economic and political interests, and allows for greater flexibility in international relations. This is a painful lesson learnt from the Cold War era when the rift in the Sino-Soviet camp alienated China for a brief period.

The consequent opening of the Chinese economy to Western markets signaled a decisive victory for the market-led economies and China engaged with a non-aligned foreign policy since 1986.

Russia, although embracing free-market principles, however also sought to form an economic union of former Soviet countries as a bulwark against the EU. Secondly apart from US incursions into South China Sea, which the Chinese regard as their sphere of influence, Beijing does not potentially view its security imperatives at a major risk. The Chinese have realized that with its newfound maritime power, it would be very difficult for a major confrontation with the US. Outside of its land territory, the Chinese do not have very serious threats, barring the spill-over effects of the Afghan conflict into its territory. Even in the conflict with India over the Doklam issue, China hardly packed a punch and used the Wuhan summit to agree on a truce in a significant let-off from India’s end.

Therefore, China has little concern on its border areas with respect to a major escalation, which Russia given its constant encirclement by NATO and recent annexation of Crimea cannot find a way out.

Finally, the interdependence of the US and Chinese economy is real and can potentially serve as an insurance cover against military escalation between the Seasonal Magazine

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COMPETITION FOR THE ARCTIC: CAN RUSSIA AND CHINA EDGE PAST US?

China and Russia are working together ever more closely in the Arctic, exploiting a policy vacuum in the US, according to an international panel of experts. But, it is only an alignment of interests, not alliance.

ino-Russian cooperation is almost entirely commercial, focused on trade routes, offshore oil, telecommunications (most satellites don’t cover the Arctic), and tourism. A military alliance is unlikely given Russia’s deep ambivalence about China’s growing influence in general and their very different views on who should run the Arctic in particular: the eight circumpolar countries alone including both Russia and the US or a larger group that includes self-declared “near-Arctic” nations like China.

S

There’s no question that Chinese activity in the Arctic has increased dramatically, both in concert with Russia and unilaterally. China sent occasional expeditions to the Arctic as early as 1999, said Stimson’s China program director, Sun Yun, but the pace keeps increasing: “In 2017, there were five.” Most of these voyages explored the so-called Northwest Passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic via Canadian waters, now made navigable by melting ice.

But one crossed the Arctic through Russian waters, known as the Northern Sea Route, followed by Chinese commercial ships.

Beijing sees a chance to shorten trade routes to Europe by nine to 15 days, saving millions on fuel and fees for the Suez and Panama Canals, Sun said at a Stimson Center panel in June. Global warming hasn’t yet melted enough ice to make this shortcut routine, but Chinese hopes rise with the temperature.

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argued Russian expert Alexander Sergunin of Saint Petersburg State University. It’s “naïve” to imagine the Northern Sea Route either past Siberia or straight over the Pole will ever be easy, he said, despite the “hype” coming from the Kremlin. “It’ll mostly remain a Russian national maritime route” for domestic shipping, Sergunin said. “If you have ice you can struggle with it with icebreakers, but if ice breaks, it’s even more dangerous for navigation than just thick ice” in a single unbroken sheet. (The Titanic found this out the hard way). Vessels navigating the Arctic need to either have ice-hardened hulls which are expensive or icebreaker escort for which the Russians demand high fees. That said, the Russians and Chinese reached a compromise in recent years: non-hardened Chinese vessels would still have to hire Russian icebreakers, but at reduced rates.

Another obstacle that raises both practical and political issues is the lack of infrastructure in the far north. Both countries are interested in Chinese investment and technology to build up Russian port cities, offshore oil rigs, and, particularly, export terminals for Siberian Liquid Natural Gas, with five ice-hardened LNG carriers already in service. The Kremlin is less enthused about the Chinese getting their hands on Russian technology, a constant problem in military sales of things like fighter jets. Russians are even more reluctant about an influx of Chinese workers, a standard feature of Beijing’s investments in the Third World but even more unsettling to Russia given its high unemployment, shrinking population, and racially tinged fears that Oriental

hordes will somehow take over Siberia.

(Protip: Chinese people are no more eager to live in Siberia than Russians are).

It’s worth noting that both Tsarist and Communist Russians fought with China over Central Asian territory, the latest in 1969. By contrast, the US has fought China only twice the Peking expedition in 1900 and the Korean War in 19501953 and Russia never. Russia and China see strategic advantage in cooperating both in the Arctic and against the US worldwide, but they both bring heavy baggage to the relationship.

On the other hand, the US has been largely AWOL in the Arctic under Trump, reversing a tentative increase in attention under Obama. The chief surviving initiative is building a $1 billion heavy (and potentially armed) icebreaker for the US Coast Guard, the first of three to six such vessels. But between the Trump administration’s slowness naming key officials and its general impatience with cumbersome, consensus-driven international fora like the Arctic Council, no one at high levels is paying attention, and mid-grade bureaucrats can only do so much.

“President Trump, since he came into office almost two years ago, hasn’t really said anything about the Arctic yet, and there’s no strategy on the Arctic

CHINA-RUSSIA RELATIONS: WHY A GRAND ALLIANCE IS UNLIKELY AGAINST USA

the eight Arctic Council nations the US, Canada, Iceland, Finland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, which owns Greenland set up a system of governance that largely sidelined other states. 13 countries do rate observer status on the Council, including China as of 2013 (even stranger bedfellows include Italy, India, and Singapore). But the eight voting members are generally not keen on diluting their control.

from his administration, although he hasn’t cancelled the previous strategy,” said George Washington University scholar Robert Orttung. The US and China actually have plenty of reason to work together in the Arctic, he said the Chinese are particularly interested in Alaska for both energy and tourism but Washington is unable to engage Beijing the way that Moscow has.

“This is…the best time for Sino-Russian relations for a very long time,” Sun Yen said. But it’s “alignment rather than alliance,” she said, with many points of difference as well as agreement, on the Arctic as on other areas. For instance, Beijing is quietly unhappy with the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, which it fears sets precedent for ethnically motivated interventions elsewhere, she said. Nor has China supported Russia’s extensive claims to circumpolar waters.

Indeed, the two nations diverge on the fundamental question of who makes international law in the Arctic. For a long time, admittedly, China wasn’t interested: Way back in 1925, the Nationalist government signed the critical Spitsbergen Treaty granting nonArctic nations rights in the northern seas, Sun said, but his Communist successors didn’t actually realize they’d inherited those rights until 1991, “a pleasant surprise.” In the ’90s, however,

China, by contrast, sees itself as a rising global superpower with commensurate influence everywhere on earth. It declared itself a near-Arctic state in January a term actually coined

by Great Britain but not widely recognized. China wants non-Arctic nations, especially “near-Arctic” ones, to have greater influence and more rights in the Arctic, with binding international law based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) rather than the current patchwork of mostly voluntary regional arrangements. Indeed, said Sun, “what they would like to argue is the format and the content of the Arctic governance system currently is not effective.”

Naturally the Russians, US, Canada, and Nordics disagree. “The Arctic states would argue there is very little governance gap,” said Norway-based expert Elana Wilson Rowe, as they did in 2008 when they rejected an Antarctica-style treaty regime. Though the key agreements up north are admittedly non-binding, she said, the Arctic has become “a fairly heavily governed landscape.”

All these legal questions are largely moot, of course, if the ice doesn’t melt enough that ships can sail the Arctic Ocean easily. The extent of global warming, and thus of ice melting, is still hard to predict.

So are Chinese ambitions racing ahead of Arctic realities? “It seems the chickens are being counted before the eggs are hatched,” Sun admitted, “but the Chinese position is, ‘if the eggs are going to hatch, we want to make sure we’re there to collect the chickens.'”

two countries. Being complementary economic partners, the relations are informed by the mutual need for stability and less volatility in the markets, which can act as an impediment to economic losses. According to a report issued by Rhodium Group and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, in 2017, U.S. firms invested $14 billion in China, a slight increase from $13.8 in 2016. The cumulative value of U.S. FDI transactions in China passed $256 billion by the end of 2017. Even as Britain passed on the mantle to the US in the lead-up to the 20th century, the former had offered many economic concessions and industrial technology transfers, which enabled the latter’s dominant rise. Any transition of power

It’s also important to note that the above developments can’t be solely restricted to Trump’s policy. This has been a recurring exercise of American ire at anyone seeming to be at loggerheads with its interests, although it has drawn greater attention under Trump. into the hands of a new power broker requires that the dominant power provides economic support to the rising power on mutually agreeable terms.

Therefore, China senses the need to manage rather than escalate tensions with the US. On the other hand, Russian trade is largely constrained by Western economic sanctions and the competition over gas supplies with Russian stateowned companies act as an impediment to shared interests. While the Chinese companies have also offered stiff competition to its US counterparts, there are still areas where the latter relies heavily on cheap Chinese labour cost and a conducive business environment.

Therefore, the allure of alliance making notwithstanding, the costs far outweigh the benefits of greater ties between China and Russia. While the US continues to apply pressure on all quarters, the interests of the Asian and European giants can be aligned but falls short of a formal alliance due to their divergent foreign policy impulses and their respective economic stakes with the US. SM Seasonal Magazine

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KARUNYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCES (DEEMED-TO-BE-UNIVERSITY)

GROOMING COMPETENT AND COMPASSIONATE PROFESSIONALS

BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF KARUNYA Seasonal Magazine

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K

arunya Institute of Technology & Sciences, Coimbatore is not just one of India’s largest deemed-to-be universities, but one of the highly equipped universities to provide next generation managers, engineers, scientists and researchers for the industry.

Karunya is the perfect match of competence and compassion, intelligence and emotional intelligence, so much so that Karunya graduates are already excelling as not only professional executives but also as entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs.

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KARUNYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCES DEEMED-TO-BE-UNIVERSITY World is changing rapidly, the workplace even faster.

Innovation calls the shots, and a great deal of what innovation boils down to is offering superior value to customers than what the existing businesses were offering. And offering superior value to customers doesn’t happen unless superior values of putting customer interest first are imbibed into the managers, engineers, marketing professionals, technicians, customer service executives and practically everyone in the organization. That is why whereas earlier it was intelligence that called the shots in the job market, today it is intelligence plus emotional intelligence.

How people can work together gracefully as teams to meet seemingly impossible deadlines so that customers are delighted and find real value in a company’s offerings. How executives can live up to exacting customer expectations fuelled by the instant digital gratification culture, and even surpass it. It is in such an emerging professional environment that the offerings of Karunya Institute of Technology & Sciences stand out. Because, founded and led by two of India’s leading socio-spiritual leaders and philanthropists , (Late) Dr. DGS Dhinakaran and his son Dr. Paul Dhinakaran, this Christian Minority Institution has from day one focused on finding the perfect match between competence and compassion in its graduates, thereby living up to its first name Karunya which means compassion, and its second name, Institute of Technology & Sciences (KITS). A deemed-to-be university approved by UGC, the varsity was until recently known as Karunya University. The university excels in not only grooming its students to be perfect employees, but to be revolutionary employers. Not just engineers or managers, but inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs. Being true to its name, Karunya also has its eyes fixed on the new emerging wave of social entrepreneurship models, and it will be no wonder if quite a few Karunya students go on to be noted social entrepreneurs. Founder Dr. Paul Dhinakaran, MBA, PhD serves as the Chancellor of Karunya Institute of Technology & Sciences. Renowned

academician Dr. P Mannar Jawahar, who was the former vice-chancellor of Anna University is the vice-chancellor of Karunya. Dr. Jawahar completed his PhD from IIT, Delhi, and had pursued post doctoral research at Warsaw University, Poland. The university is a de facto leader in knowledge creating international conferences, seminars and workshops, which benefit its students as well as the industry and community around. Recently, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences hosted the Coimbatore Digital Summit which was well attended by industry stalwarts and subject specialists. The Karunya campus is most picturesque. Situated at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore, it is from here that Karunya started its services in higher education that now has crossed 30 years. Committed to transform the lives of the student community the university offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral-level studies.

The University empowers students in academic excellence, professional competence and exemplary values. Karunya is renowned for its Engineering, Business, Agriculture, Arts and Humanities programs. The Faculty of Engineering and Business are among the largest in the region. Over 80% of the graduating students are placed with reputed organizations prior to their leaving the KITS campus. MoUs with several institutions of repute around the globe facilitates establishing collaborative ventures with foreign Universities and Technical institutions in terms of student projects and exchange of faculty members and students. Karunya University owns state of the art arenas and encourages students develop their sporting skills. State of art Gymnasium, Indoor Stadiums, and Track and Field Grounds are highly equipped. Extracurricular activities are part of the student life in the campus. Singing, music and acting are a lifestyle in the campus. Several co-curricular activities are paralleled by the different campus departments like NSS, NCC, Rotract Club, Toast Master’s Club, Astronomy Club, Food and Nutrition Club, Journalism Club, Photo and Video Club.

With programs like “Karunya Outreach” students get opportunities to serve the under privileged people with a charitable attitude.

Dr. Paul Dhinakaran, Founder Chancellor, KITS

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In

this era, where there is abundant mushrooming of engineering colleges in India, where the gloss and glitter of technical education has faded over time, where there is respite in innovation and advancement, where mastery and perfection are barely seen in the engineering world, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences continues to be an unfading diadem with its accolades and merits spreading over the unfathomable scale of academic excellence and innovation.

A compromise in the quality of education yields great loss; a deduction in values welcomes greater loss; but the suppression of research is the greatest loss.

But Karunya, as a research -oriented institution, scales up the mountains of knowledge with inextinguishable zeal, continuing with the spirit of research and development.

Stationed pristinely in the mountainous ranges of the Western Ghats, in the foothills of the Siruvani Hills, at a distance of 25 km away from the Coimbatore city, rests Karunya Institute of Technology & Sciences (KITS),a Christian Minority Residential Institution, Deemed to be University, encompassing an area of 720 acres with state-of-the-art infrastructure, crowning it as one of the largest campuses in the city flourishing with the warmth and aesthetic beauty of the region with vibrant green vegetation adding to its grandeur.

The pleasant climatic conditions of the locality make

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Government of India in June 2004.

it a paradise for the learner, fostering him to grow, achieve and accomplish by synching him nature’s rhythm and a pollution-free environment, ultimately honing his physical ,intellectual, psychological and emotional wellbeing.

The inception of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (KITS),as a Christian Minority Deemed to be University traces back to the year 1986,when it was first established as an Engineering College. The institution was granted autonomous status in October 1999 and there was never a halt in its progress as eventually the status of Deemed-to-be-University was conferred on Karunya in 2004.

The primordial motto of the institute lay in the visionary view of late Dr.D.G.S.Dhinakaran who laid the cornerstone for the genesis of a new era in the history of Tamil Nadu, as the first self-financing Engineering College was initiated in the year 2000,to revolutionize technical education.

The mission statement of the institution continues to be the cardinal dictum, as the legacy of the institution is protracted

Owing to the excellent education imparted by the institution in engineering, biotechnology, food processing, agricultural sciences, arts, media, commerce and management programmes, the accreditation given by NAAC for its diverse programs at Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral Degree levels is indeed a commendation of its recognition.

Dr. P. Mannar Jawahar Vice Chancellor

by its illustrious and dynamic Chancellor Dr. Paul Dhinakaran, thus accelerating the instant proliferation of the institute, when eventually it was conferred the status of Deemed-to-be University by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in acknowledgement of its distinguished and outstanding contribution to technical education by the Ministry of Human Resources Development,

Moreover, NBA accreditation for the department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering is a testimony to the remarkable standard in the quality of education catered to the student community. It should also be stated that B.Tech and M.Tech programs as well as the MBA programmes have been approved by AICTE in April 2018.On 8th June 2018, MHRD has granted extension of Deemed to be University status to KITS, in acknowledgement of the recommendations given by the UGC and AICTE. In recognition of its contribution to academic excellence and for taking a stand to resolve the societal, engineering and technological

INTERNATIONAL PLACEMENT @ Rs.32 LPA In a time of IT recession, 3 of Karunya's Engineering graduates – two from Computer Science and one from Instrumentation have been selected by a German company with a package of Rs. 32.0 lakhs per annum. The company works on the latest automotive technologies. This is indeed a big boon for the students as they would now be able to apply their skill sets and domain expertise in Automotive Technology in the German company.

Chancellor of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences Dr. Paul Dhinakaran handing over the offer letters Seasonal Magazine

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Technology (SET) (2) The School of Agriculture and Biosciences (SAB), and (3) The School of Arts, Media and Management (SSAMM) In the School of Engineering and Technology, programmes in Civil, Computer Science, EEE, ECE, and Mechanical are offered along with modern, cutting-edge and high-tech courses such as Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Robotics and Automation and Mechatronics.

LOI with Agriculture Research Organization(ARO), Government of Israel and Karunya Instititute of Technology and Sciences

problems in the areas of food, water, energy and health, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences has been consistently ranked amongst the top 75 positions in the past years by NIRF Rankings. In the year 2018, the institution bagged the 72nd position under the engineering colleges, and was placed in the 89th position under the University Category by NIRF. The institute has grown phenomenally with regard to the magnitude of departments and faculty, from 180 students and 3 courses in the early days of its inception to 8491 students and 452 faculty representing 23 academic departments at present, thus signalling the rate of immense potential and possibilities of growth.

In the past three decades of its existence in the education sector, the University has imbibed in the hearts of the student community the spirit of social concern, by offering excellent motivation to find, trace, spot and solve technological, engineering, managerial, scientific and societal problems. In alignment with a sound and well-equipped teaching fraternity of high eminence and calibre, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and consultancy services provided by the institute, the magnanimous and noble ideal of community service is sown in the hearts of young, bright and enthusiastic students by the provision of Value Education along with the

regular academic curriculum.

The vision of ‘Karunya’, which means ‘Compassion’, is primordially formulated to counteract the problems and challenges, encountered by the society through education, research and extension activities. Moreover, faculty and students are envisioned to step into the global arena to serve the society, with commitment to provide solutions for problems ailing the country, whether in the areas of food, water, energy, health, housing, policy-making, governance, commerce, economics, technology and engineering with spiritual zeal.

The accomplishment of the vision statement is evident in the fact that the mission of the institution is to raise undergraduate, postgraduate and research scholars with academic excellence, professional competence and spiritual enrichment to tackle the hurdles in the progress and development of the society. Moreover, since the institution is oriented towards making an impact in the present society, research, innovation and invention are given focus, thus accomplishing the mission of its founders.

The academic programs of the institution have been broadly divided into three categories and are dealt by, (1) The School of Engineering and

The School of Agriculture and Biosciences offers health related courses such as Biotechnology, which provide the integration of engineering and science, extending the spectrum of engineering applications in the vital thrust areas of human health and biology, eventually culminating in the traditional technologies. Moreover, Karunya distinguishes itself from its counterparts by launching a unique set of agriculture programme such as B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture, B.Sc. (Hons.)

Horticulture and B.Tech Agricultural Engineering.

The School of Sciences, Arts, Media and Management encompasses the departments of Nanoscience and Information Technology. By the introduction of Media Courses such as M.A Media & Communications and B.Tech Electronics & Media Technology, KITS has proven itself to be a haven for the country’s most unique and distinctive courses. In order to cater to the inherent and disparate interests of the students, new courses such as B.A Criminology, B. Sc. and M.Sc. Information Security and Digital Forensics are offered by the institution.

Furthermore, programmes in basic sciences such as Physics, English, Chemistry and Mathematics are offered at the postgraduate degree levels. The MBA course is one of the highlights of the institution. Likewise, the institution hosts courses in the domains of commerce and computers such as B.B.A, B.C.A, B.Com. Professional Accounting, B.Com. Computer Applications and B.Sc. IT. Karunya has carved a niche for itself by introducing a wide array of Seasonal Magazine

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interdisciplinary and departmentspecific postgraduate programmes, such as Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Instrumentation, Communication Systems, Computer Science and Engineering, Embedded System, Engineering Design, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Food Processing and Engineering, Network Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering Technology, Structural Engineering, Thermal Engineering, VLSI Design, Geotechnical Engineering etc.

The institution possesses of a variety of facilities intended to achieve its mission.

First and foremost, the excellent infrastructure of the institution proves to be an abode of wide and spacious departmental buildings with smart classrooms, with modern teaching aids and resources with the inclusion of excellent laboratory facilities with the required machinery, instruments and devices for equipping the students with practical competence in addition to their strong theoretical expertise, thereby aiding them to apply their previously acquired knowledge in the practical arena to experience the thrill of application oriented learning.

Moreover, the laboratories not only fill the gap in learning technology and practicing engineering, but also prove to be the ultimate starting point of freethinking and widen their scope of learning and fostering their innovation, creativity and expertise in their respective fields.

The institute also takes immense pride in its faculty and non-teaching staff, as they are its major assets. The faculty comprises of learned academicians, eminent scientists and inspiring teachers. Most of the faculty in KITS are

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doctoral degree holders who continue to undertake research in their respective fields and transform the institute from being a centre of learning to a centre of research and change. Such faculty members are indeed a great boon for the student community, as their wholesome knowledge coupled with their zeal and motivation help to uplift and enhance education to inspire each and every individual, intellectually, psychologically and spiritually.

his/her personality development.

CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE:

IPR:

The institute has established Centres of Excellence in collaboration with SIEMENS, CISCO, NOVELL, IBM, SALZER and LANCET. These centres bridge the gap between the academic world and industry.

Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences encourages, facilitates, promotes and safeguards scientific investigations and research. The IPR policy of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences provides guidelines for filing patents by faculty members, students and those who work in the industries.

CHOICE-BASED CREDIT SYSTEM: The Choice Based Credit System enables the students to take up subjects and specialize in their field of interest; this also helps in International Credit Transfer. Selected students have obtained dual degree by twinning programs. Moreover, Learning Management System is of great help to the students, as it allows the faculty members to share knowledge and clarify their doubts. The industry – oriented curriculum is a great boon for students who dream of entering the industrial and corporate world.

VALUES BASED EDUCATON: The Department of Value Education, more commonly known as DOVE, plays a vital role in shaping and chiselling the individual’s overall personality by focusing on the moral, social and cultural development, culminating in

IQAC: The IQAC of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences ensures the quality sustenance stipulated by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. The primary aim of the IQAC is to develop the system for concise, consistent and catalytic action to improve the academic and administrative performance of the institution.

IAESTE: IAESTE or The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience helps Karunya students to bag foreign internships with stipends to sharpen and experiment their technical skills acquired in their degree programmes. This association offers the student fraternity with top-notch technical exposure in their fields, together with the advantages of acquiring a global outlook both in their career and life.

KARUNYA INNOVATION & INCUBATION CELL (KIIC): The cell enriches the innovative minds and offers support in their endeavours to pave way for themselves, and for bringing their ideas into the mainstream industry / market. At Karunya, the

students are exposed to the Innovation & Incubation Cell, thereby encouraging them to soar high with their dreams, which would otherwise have been impossible.

CENTRE FOR PLACEMENT & TRAINING: Due to the strong corporate connections, students are annually placed in top companies, both nationally and internationally, with high salary packages. Three engineering students have procured international placement in a leading German Automotive Industry with the highest salary package of Rs.32 lakh per annum during the current year.

Top recruiters comprise some of the renowned and prestigious companies such as Accenture, Infosys, Wipro, KPIT, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra, IBM, Nokia, Jasmin Infotech, Renault Nissan, NetApp, Samsung, Newage, HGS, HDB, Everest HCL, BOSCH, Amazon etc.

The institution offers training programs with the intention of providing them information, advice, guidance and support in their pursuit towards securing jobs in the global market. The institute has signed a MoU with Infosys Technologies Ltd., Bangalore under Infosys Campus Connect Soft-skills Program to provide training to the pre-

final year students and to place the final year students. Moreover, coaching classes for IAS, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, GATE, CAT, SSC, LIC, RRB, CAPF, NABARD, NIACL&NICL are also provided in the campus.

MoUs: The institution has numerous collaborations and has signed MoUs with academic institutions by signing MoUs with institutes and universities such as Ben Gurion University (Israel), Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (Israel), RWTH Aachen University (Germany), University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee,USA), University of West England (UK), Hebrew University (Israel) and Bar-Ilan University (Israel).

For research and development to be in tune with the global research fraternity, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences has signed a Letter Of Intent (LOI) with Agriculture Research Organization (ARO),Government of Israel for facilitating cooperation in the fields of micro-irrigation, precision farming, biological control, plant biotechnology, food processing and waste water reuse.

FESTS IN KARUNYA: Mindkraft is an Annual TechnoManagement Fest conducted by the

students of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Deemed to be University), each year with a unique theme of global significance paving a new platform where engineering expertise meets creativity. In addition to this event, the Christmas Mega Play with cultural highlights and KEMT - Karunya Evangeline Memorial Tournament take place every year.

DIGITIZATION: As part of the Digital India initiatives, all financial transactions of the University have been made cashless through digital modes of payment. The institution has a well-equipped library with digital resources for catering to the diverse educational and research needs of the students and faculty.

Admissions for the year 2018 are open for Engineering, Management, Agriculture, Arts, Science, Commerce and Media. Moreover, Scholarships to the tune of Rs.5 crore are bestowed on SM meritorious and needy students.

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TOURISM

HIGH TIME TOURISM SHED VANDALISM AND EMBRACE CONSERVATISM

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ourism in India is at an all-time high. $230 billion high. The country ranks in the top four tourism economies of the world and generated more than $400 billion in the last two years. Though the number of International travelers is increasing, 90% of this tourism spend is contributed by domestic travelers. Millennials, with the new age of social media has jumped on the ‘wanderlust’ bandwagon over the last couple of years and no destination is left without an Instagram post - #solotravel. Domestic travel is of course, extremely healthy and eye-opening for the vast majority of us but the harsh reality is that, the sheer amount of trash that is being generated (and not properly disposed) weighs out all the positives. Imagine going to Manali a few years down the line, only to see plastic trash littered around the snow. Well, we don’t have to wait for a few years for this as it is already happening. And boy, is it ugly. Ganga’s aqua life has been declining every year and very soon the amount of trash will eclipse the acquatic life in these waters. Forests in Kerala have turned into year-long exhibition areas and the Goan beaches are nothing but music concert arenas. Pollution is undoubtedly the no. 1 concern, but weak laws and government inefficiency are up there too. Whether seismic changes occur in this issue is still uncertain but without question, India is just a few short years away from its Tourism industry imploding.

ndians love travelling, especially in their own country. And India is slated to become the fourth-largest travel and tourism economy behind China, the US, and Germany. But travel experts are worried that , unchecked growth can threaten fragile places and cause a wastage disposal problem.

The travel habits of Chinese citizens are

changing the world. Taking about 145 million overseas trips a year, the Middle Kingdom’s middle class is moving - and spending - more than that of any other nation: In 2016 they accounted for $261 billion overseas, a fifth of all sales by international tourists, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

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smartphone-toting young professionals out of a population of 1.3 billion - is starting to emulate its regional rival. In less than 10 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council expects India to become the fourth-largest travel and tourism economy behind China, the US, and Germany.

Although more people are visiting India than ever before - two decades ago about 2.4 million international tourists came to India a year; in 2017 there were five times that - the real boost is coming from domestic travel. Almost 90% of travellers in India are Indians.

For the last three years, their most popular destination has been the southernmost state of Tamil Nadu, thanks to pilgrims eager to visit its many temples.

Tourism in the subcontinent generated more than $230 billion in 2017, up from almost $209 billion in 2016. The vast country offers myriad options: 36 world heritage sites and 103 national parks, plus the Taj Mahal in Agra, Rajasthan’s hill forts, the holy city of Varanasi, and everything else in between the mountains of the Himalayas and the beaches of Goa. Add in its jungles with tigers, elephants, and the last of Asia’s lions, and no other country is better suited to take advantage of an adventure travel market that’s expected to grow to $1.3 billion by 2023.

“Indians are discovering their own country,” says Ahmed Chamanwala, the founder of the Fringe Ford, a fiveroom lodge in Kerala state, which sits

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on a 527-acre forest home to more than 400 kinds of animals. “In our initial years, most of our tourists were inbound travellers. But over the years, we have seen an increase in the domestic weekend travellers from the major cities in India. Now, the business is more dependent on the Indian market.”

As Venice, Barcelona, and Dubrovnik have learned, however, unchecked growth can threaten stakeholders in the fragile places supported by the surge in visitors. In India, steered by government subsidies and tax incentives, five regional budget airlines debuted 100 far-flung routes last year, helping fuel citizens’ desire to explore.

The country’s natural beauty is part of its marketing campaign, and wildlife is

a huge draw. But one concern being discussed in hushed tones, Chamanwala says, is that the country’s weak infrastructure and stretched bureaucracy could allow certain areas to lose what makes them special before they ever reach their potential. In some areas, tiger reserves no longer have tigers, and nature safaris can feel like crowded parking lots where there are more shutterbugs than subjects to shoot.

Fringe Ford is already taking steps to limit tourism’s impact. The resort, sitting on an old tea plantation that’s been reclaimed by the forest, is staffed with locals to keep the community involved as stakeholders. Chamanwala plans to invest in adjacent plots to create a buffer that will encourage forest

growth and conservation. “Keeping the footprint to a bare minimum” is a must, he says, and he invests a portion of his profits into conservation on the property.

These worries are most pronounced in the high-altitude Himalaya desert of Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, a region on the extreme northern side of the country where dramatic peaks and native snow leopards have created a tourism explosion. For years, the presence of the Indian army kept this region protected, but now almost 2.5 million visit annually, eager to see landscapes featured in Bollywood films.

Road construction here, in a region long cut off from the rest of the continent, is a defiant message to neighbouring China. As the one major

broken link in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the new roads are a directive to citizens: travel. Throughout the Himalayas, the glaciers walling off the world’s tallest mountains from human encroachment are melting, opening more land for development. So far, much of the market has been from Indians, which presents enormous potential for international travellers.

Right now, there are about 650 hotels and homestays in a district with 4,300 households - too many for the land to support. There’s talk of capping visitors, but no standard regulations, and no one wants to turn off the money machine.

“I really hope they don’t expand their capacity,” says Misty Dhillon, the founder of the Himalayan Outback, who leads tours throughout Ladakh and greater India.

Tourism in places such as Ladakh hinges on a pristine environmental image, but visitors produce thousands of pounds of trash each year. More than 30,000 plastic water bottles are dumped in open-air landfills in Ladakh each summer. On Mt. Everest, in neighbouring Nepal, there’s an estimated 8 to 10 metric tonnes of everything from empty oxygen canisters to tents and even bodies on the mountain.

Waste is a problem throughout the Himalayas, and much of it is made by domestic travellers. “The trash problem is a big concern, because our domestic

tourism is a huge part of it,” Dhillon says. “People are seeing all these tourists coming for snow leopards, and locals are thinking, Why shouldn’t we do it?”

In the meantime, wildlife is getting harder to spot. Glacial melt is speeding up the desertification of the Western Himalayas and increasing erosion, and trekkers hiking the mountains don’t give alpine valleys a chance to recover.

David Sonam, a co-owner of the Snow Leopard Lodge in the Ladakhi village of Ulley, has been instrumental in implementing a resident program that levies a portion of each visitor fee to conservation, helping get locals involved. Ulley, where the Snow Leopard Lodge is located, has been fanatical about maintaining a low impact, limiting guests to 22 at the most. But even here, the relationship with the environment is tenuous.

The lodge is run by Tsewang Norboo, who once hunted snow leopards with his grandfather before turning his home into a hotel that’s earned an outsize reputation. But no leopards means no tourists, a worry dictated by those same tourists. It’s the same issue that could happen in Varanasi, where gallons of untreated sewage flow into the Ganges every day. The thing keeping the industry going threatens to crash it down. “The land is changing,” Sonam admits. “And it’s changing because there’s just too many people.”

(By Adam Popescu for Bloomberg)

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JOBS

UP TO 1.8 MILLION WOMEN MAY LOSE JOBS After Maternity Law Changes

if more women were in jobs.

The survey was conducted among 300 employers across sectors like aviation, information technology and IT-enabled services, real estate, education, ecommerce, manufacturing, banking and financial services, as well as retail and tourism. It showed that while large and professionally managed companies will back the reform measure, which is fully funded by the employer, small and medium sized companies would resist hiring women as they find the costs prohibitive.

In socially conservative India, women are often discouraged from pursuing a career.

PM Modi's government introduced the law that entitles women working in the organized sector to 26 weeks paid maternity leave, up from 12 weeks. new law to improve maternity benefits for women in India's workforce and encourage them to further their careers is likely to have the opposite effect, a survey showed.

The law, which makes India the most progressive country after Canada and Norway in enabling women to stay on in the workforce, will probably lead to job losses and discourage smaller businesses and start-ups from hiring women, the survey by TeamLease Services Ltd. said on Tuesday. An estimated 1.1 million to 1.8 million women will lose their jobs across 10 sectors in the financial year to March 2019 because of the law, the survey showed.

In socially conservative India, women are often discouraged from pursuing a career.

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If this estimate is computed across all the sectors, the job loss number would be an estimated 1012 million across all sectors, according to the survey by the staffing and human resources company.

That is bad news for a country where the share of women in the workforce has shrunk to around 24 percent in the fiscal year ended 2016 from 36 percent a decade earlier. McKinsey and Co. estimates more than $700 billion could be added to the country's gross domestic product by 2025

Better-educated women from wealthier families aren't encouraged to work and it's usually when a man's salary falls short that a woman seeks a job. Many drop out to take care of older family members or children. In the eight years since 2004, about 20 million women - the size of the combined populations of New York, London and Paris -vanished from India's workforce, the World Bank estimates.

To stem this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government introduced the law that entitles women working in the organized sector to 26 weeks paid maternity leave, up from 12 weeks.

The costs riled many businesses.

Post-maternity retention could cost 80 percent to 90 percent of the annual salary for white collar employees, and up to 135 percent of annual salary for blue collar employees, the survey said.

"These kind of reforms are essentially supported by proactive governments across the world with complementing tax concessions, which are missing in India," said K. Sudarshan, managing partner for India at executive search firm EMA Partners International. "Small and medium sized companies generally operate with less staff. If two of five women employees opt for maternity leave, that can cripple the firm itself."

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By Carl Jaison

MANAV RACHNA INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES

MANAV RACHNA ACHIEVES INTERNATIONAL STATURE Faridabad based Manav Rachna, which has been a leader in international industrial & academic tie-ups, has achieved a major global milestone when it became one of the only eight Indian universities to be handpicked for adopting the global admission benchmark of Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) founded in United States in 1926 as one of the admission criteria. Manav Rachna is also breaking new ground in world-class start-up incubation and industry-led curriculum design.

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AT has been around for nearly a century now, and it has only grown in approval among universities and students. Originally called Scholastic Aptitude Test, then Scholastic Assessment Test and now simply SAT, it is the most widely used standardized test for college admissions, originally in the United States. However, its scientific and academic rigour has helped it to grow in worldwide acceptance with many developed countries, if not the most of them, accepting SAT as a valid admission criterion.

SAT is owned, developed, and published by the College Board, a private, non-profit organization in the United States, and is administered on behalf of the College Board by the Educational Testing Service. While many Indian students appear for SAT every year for admission to US and other global universities, it is the first time that the College Board is officially bringing SAT to India as an admission criterion for Indian universities.

In this first round, only eight universities have been handpicked by the College Board for adopting SAT for their admissions. They include Manav Rachna International Institute of

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Dr. Prashant Bhalla, President MREI Seasonal Magazine

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Research and Studies, Ashoka University, Azim Premji University, Ahmedabad University, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, NMIMS University, BML Munjal University and Flame University.

What this means is that these Indian universities are now rubbing shoulders with other affiliate members of the College Board in USA and elsewhere like the prestigious Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGill University, Pomona College, Purdue University, University of Cambridge, and University of Hong Kong.

Indian universities including Manav Rachna in this program are set to start admitting students to undergraduate courses through SAT scores from the next academic session. However, the usual process of entrance in these universities will go on too. Students who have taken SAT will be admitted through a common process and will not need to take individual tests for these universities.

SAT is intended to assess students' readiness for college. While SAT was originally designed to not be aligned with high school (plus-two in India) curricula, several adjustments were made since 2016 for the test

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to reflect more closely what students learned in plustwo, which will be advantageous for Indian students.

The new initiative is advantageous for universities like Manav Rachna for another reason too. The College Board is also giving scholarships to Indian students who are financially not well off. Thus, through this alliance, the College Board is enabling these universities to focus more on tier-three cities.

This new scholarship initiative has been named the India Scholars Programme, under which high achieving, low income students in India will be eligible to take the SAT at reduced costs as well as obtain full scholarships to India Global Alliance member universities. The scholarship program is co-funded by the College Board and the Indian Alliance members.

As part of its world-class initiatives, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIS) is also focusing more on Liberal Arts courses. Three-year full-time BA & BSc programs in Liberal Arts are offered for the session 2018-22. BA/BSc Liberal Arts is a fulltime undergraduate program designed to empower

students for dealing with complexity and diversity in a rapidly changing society.

Liberal Arts program covers a range of subjects from which students have to opt papers of foundation course, minor course and major course. Students are required to take foundation papers covering both compulsory and optional categories. They would also pursue their diverse academic interest by opting different subjects as major and/or minor courses. A student cannot choose major and minor from the same subject pool, thus ensuring broad studies of diverse subjects.

Ever heard of a university making a tie-up with the startup by two of its current students? That is what happened when Manav Rachna signed an MoU with Workolab to create a research hub in University’s Faridabad campus.

The co-founders of Workolab are Delhi-based brothers Yashraj Bhardwaj and Yuvraj Bhardwaj, brilliant innovators, researchers and emerging entrepreneurs who have launched this co-working space and research facility, WorkoLab, to help other innovators. All of 18 years old, they are also pursuing engineering degrees from Manav Rachna currently!

While Workospace is already hosting over 25 cuttingedge startups in their two facilities, the MoU with Manav

Dr N.C. Wadhwa, IAS (Retd), Vice Chancellor Rachna for a campus research hub will help students in utilizing a good startup and innovation ecosystem and promoting the concept of doing research without degree, for highly focused innovators.

Manav Rachna has also joined hands with Xebia to offer new-age courses. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed for this between Manav Rachna University (MRU) and this Dutch specialised global IT Consultancy

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and Services Company. Under this collaboration, Manav Rachna will offer two new-age digital programmes BTech in Computer Science & Engineering with specialisation in Data Science & Machine Learning and BTech in Computer Science & Engineering with specialisation in Digital Transfor mation Engineering. Xebia will support the university in curriculum design, provide internships and placements for students. The programme on Data Science & Machine Learning will focus on enhancing Mathematical Foundations, Statistical Foundations, Machine Learning, and Applied Artificial Intelligence.

Faridabad based Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (formerly called Manav Rachna International University), had long back ago discovered that an institution's excellence is primarily tied up with the kind of environmental interactions it has with the society, industry and academic world it is living in. In fact, few private universities in India can ever hope of doing a better job in creating and using such tie-ups for the benefit of their students than Manav Rachna.

MRIIRS has academic tie-ups with 47+ foreign universities including University of West of England, The

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n this first round, only eight universities have been handpicked by the US-based College Board for adopting SAT for their admissions. This list include Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies.

Association of International Accountants, Royal Agricultural University, The University of North America, Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS), Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Algonquin College, University of Nottingham, and many more across USA, UK, South America, Finland, Far East, Canada, and other Asian Countries.Often its courses are designed in active consultation and collaboration with some select universities from this pool.

The kind of industrial tie-ups Manav Rachna has forged with industry majors include both Indian and MNC corporations like IBM, SAP, TCS, Infosys, Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric

India, KPMG, Fortis, Honda, JBM Auto, Su-Kam, and many more similar as well as niche companies in diverse sectors. Industry relevant course modules for BTech and MBA are not only designed with these partners, but students are facilitated for regular interactions and more formal internships.

MRIIRS is also a regular host for many prestigious scientific conferences in cutting-edge fields like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation, as well as for startup meets and competitions like the noted Startup Jalsa recently. No wonder then that some of the most innovative employers come searching for Manav Rachna students, including names like HCL Healthcare, Cygnus Hospitals, Hindustan Times, Sports Authority of India, Samsung, CNN IBN, GE Healthcare, Microsoft, 99acres.com, Infoedge, Zomato, KPMG, Fortis, HT Media, Airtel, Grofers, American Express, Blended HR, Naukri.com, Sukam and Wacom, to name a few.

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• MRIIRS ranked among Top 30 in North Zone in “Best Universities Survey 2017” by The Week.

Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (formerly called Manav Rachna International University) is keeping its competitors on their toes through some of their recent initiatives.

• Manav Rachna has been honored with the “Best Education Brand 2017” by ‘THE ECONOMIC TIMES’.

• MRIIRS declared as the “Best Knowledge Creation & Innovation University” at the ASSOCHAM National Education Excellence Awards 2018.

• Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), MRIIRS is among the Top 5 Business Schools of North India and among the Top 5 Private Universities across the country. FMS is also among the Top 32 Business Schools of the country (closely behind IIMs) as per the Times B School Survey 2018.

• FMS, MRIIRS ranked amongst Top 40 B-Schools of India by Business India B-School Survey 2017-18.

• MRIIRS ranked amongst the Top 10 Promising Engineering colleges in India in the Best Universities Survey

by India Today (2016-17) MRIIRS has a 5-star rating for teaching, facilities, social responsibility and inclusiveness in addition to a 4-star rating for employability. This global recognition has brought Manav Rachna at par with some of the best

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his new scholarship initiative by the SAT body has been named the India Scholars Programme, under which high achieving, low income students in India will be eligible to take the SAT at reduced costs as well as obtain full scholarships to India Global Alliance member universities like Manav Rachna.

institutions across the globe.

The areas of academic collaborations cover exchange of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff members, joint research and consultancy activities, participation in seminars and academic meetings, exchange of academic materials and other information, special short-term academic programmes and projects, cooperation in curriculum development, collaboration in international seminars and conferences, and cooperation in quality assurance which can transform graduates into quintessential global professionals.

The institute also reached an agreement with the Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) for the promotion of IT courses. Under the agreement, assistance from AIS would involve processes and quality management system in the development and upgradation of the curriculum.

Students studying these two courses will be able to use the Moodle system taught in New Zealand. Students studying these two courses in MRIIRS will have the unique opportunity to go through the Compilation Study Abroad Program in New Zealand's Seasonal Magazine

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Auckland Institute of Studies during their third year.

MRIIRS has collaborated with Jay Bharat Maruti Ltd. and JBM Auto Ltd. for its B.Tech Mechanical Engineering course and with Su-Kam for the B.Tech Electrical Engineering course that specializes in power electronics, to provide assured placement to students*. Further, in association with Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Private Limited (HMSI), MRIIRS also provides a platform to engineering students in the mechanical, automobile, electronics, and electrical branches to take up research projects in various emerging areas. In addition to this, IBM has tied up with MRIIRS to jointly offer B.Tech. - Computer Science & Engineering in different specializations including Cloud Computing, Business Analytics & Optimization, Cyber Security & Forensics, and Graphics & Gaming Technology. Other tie-ups include SAP SE, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), EdGate Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Career Launcher, Mitsubishi Electric India (MEI), Infosys and Sky Testers.

The one-of-its-kind, an ‘Air Quality Monitoring Lab’, supported by DST, GoI has been established at Manav Rachna To compare the air quality of indoor and outdoor air environment and to provide a good learning research environment to students. A total of 17 equipments have been deployed in the Manav Rachna campus, out of which two are exclusively available at Manav Rachna Campus.

The MBA programme is tailor-made to meet industry requirements. During the MBA programme, students are provided with regular industry exposure, along with mentoring by senior executives. The course itself offers dual specialization in nine areas, with industrial knowledge partners from organizations such as Fortis and KPMG, in which a student can opt for two specializations including Finance (in collaboration with KPMG), Marketing, Human Resource, Seasonal Magazine

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hile Workospace promoted by two Manav Rachna engineering students is already hosting over 25 cutting-edge startups in their two facilities, their MoU with Manav Rachna for a campus research hub will help students in utilizing a good startup and innovation ecosystem and promoting the concept of doing research without degree, for highly focused innovators.

International Business, Information Technology, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Events & Media, and Business Analytics. 40 Hours Business Process Course of SAP is a part of the curriculum for MBA students, who have the option of being part of more than 12 successful entrepreneurial ventures as well as governmentsponsored research projects. In addition, the institution also boasts a Human lab, which includes a psychological testing centre and Assessment Centre and Development Centre (ACDC). Apart from its flagship courses, FMS also offers industrycentric specialized programmes, such as MBA in HealthCare and MBA in HRM - a two-year residential programme.

FMS provides a hundred per cent assistance during internships and final placements for all students who register for the process. The Corporate

Resource Centre of MRIIRS assists recruiters in taking appropriate hiring decisions, while also supporting students in making strategic career choices. Every year, more than 100 companies visit the campus for placements. Some of these include 99acres.com, Infoedge, Zomato, KPMG, Fortis, HT Media, Airtel, Eli Research, Grofers, American Express, Blended HR, Naukri.com, Neoteric Business Solutions, Sukam, Wacom, to name a few.

Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies hosted the Association of Indian Universities’ most coveted event “Anveshan-2018 North Zone Student Research Convention”.

The platform provided a platform to emerging researchers from different universities and institutions, to express their ideas that can lead to innovative research initiatives.

The institute also plays host to one of the most anticipated conferences in the field of cyber-security. It’s a confluence of security thought leaders and rich content insights to emancipate the possibilities and opportunities of this cyber world.

A Touring Exhibition “Deutschland’s Energiewende” (Energy Transition in Germany) was held at MRIIRS recently signifying the India-German ties and opportunities for the students in the field of energy. The exhibition highlighted the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy for the future.

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s part of its worldclass initiatives, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIS) is also focusing more on Liberal Arts courses. BA and BSc Liberal Arts programs are full-time undergraduate courses designed to empower students for dealing with complexity and diversity in a rapidly changing society.

With the latest talk of the town being in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, MRIIRS isn’t far behind.

The institute organized a lecture on the aforementioned topics and was led by Himanshu Batra, Founder and CEO, Acadview Technologies Pvt. Ltd, who has 12+ years of the experience in the IT companies IBM and Google, Silicon Valley.

students to participate in international workshops and conferences. An example of this being B. Tech students presenting their work at the International Conference on New Frontiers in Engineering, Science & Technology (NFEST-2018) at Delhi Technological University recently.

The institute also encourages its

Startup Jalsa’, a platform which brings

together successful entrepreneurs with aspiring entrepreneurs – to help them get funding ready was organized at Chandigarh recently. A team of 30 members comprising 27 entrepreneurs and 3 facilitators from Manav Rachna NewGen IEDC presented their startups, business ideas and represented the E-Cell under the ‘Best E-Cell’ competition at this mega event. Out of over 100 startups that pitched to the jury, ‘Aarkaya Solar Solutions’ and ‘Parimukh’ from Manav Rachna secured place in top 10 and top 6 product stage startups category respectively. Seven Idea Stage startups comprising 11 aspiring entrepreneurs from Manav Rachna NewGen IEDC pitched their business ideas (plans) to a panel of investors, mentors and entrepreneurs. A majority of upcoming startups from NewGen IEDC received an overwhelming response with a further call for meeting from various investors and mentors.

Manav Rachna has been striving to, and succeeded in creating a global level institution against a traditional ethos. Strong academics, research, employability, skill development, value system, community connect and collaboration — everything has to go hand in hand. MRIIRS has achieved an amazing alchemy of such diverse influences and factors.

With Start-ups being encouraged, MRIIRS is helping students to become job creators. Students are enabled to come up with a great idea and intellect to drive a start-up. *T&C Apply

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BANKING

RBI Predicts Deeper NPA Crisis

banks could drop to 6.5 percent by the end of the current financial year from 10.8 percent last year. For non-PCA banks, the capital adequacy ratio could drop to 10.6 percent, from 12 percent in the same period. These estimates are based on the baseline scenario and could worsen if the macroeconomic situation deteriorates.

India’s banking system saw total gross NPAs rise above Rs 10 lakh crore in March 2018, after the RBI’s new stressed asset guidelines issued on Feb. 12, which subsumed all restructuring tools the regulator had introduced in the past.

THE GROSS NON-PERFORMING ASSET RATIO OF SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL BANKS COULD RISE UP TO 12.2 PERCENT BY MARCH 2019 FROM 11.6 PERCENT IN MARCH 2018, THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA SAID IN ITS FINANCIAL STABILITY REPORT.

he estimate is based on a baseline scenario which assumes continuation of the current economic situation. In the worst case scenario, the bad loan ratio could rise up to 13.3 percent by the end of the current financial year, according to the report.

The increase in bad loans is estimated to be the highest for public sector banks.

In the base case, the banking regulator expects the gross NPA ratio for stateowned banks to rise to 16.3 percent by March 2019 from 15.6 percent in March 2018. In the worst case scenario, the bad loan ratio could go up to 17.3 percent.

In the baseline scenario, the capital adequacy ratio of six PSU banks under RBI’s prompt corrective action framework may be below the minimum regulatory level of 9 percent by March 2019. That’s without taking into account any further planned recapitalisation by the government.

However, if macroeconomic conditions deteriorate, ten banks may record capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio below 9 percent. Under such a severe stress scenario, the system level CRAR may decline to 11.5 percent by March 2019 from 13.5 percent in the year ago period. In the baseline scenario, CRAR of SCBs may decline to 12.8 percent.

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The industry segment, which covers large, medium and small corporate loans, reported a gross NPA ratio of 22.8 percent in March 2018, as compared with 19.4 percent in September 2017.

Within that, the stressed advances ratio of sub sectors such as gems and jewellery, infrastructure, paper and paper products, cement and cement products and engineering registered an increase in March 2018 from the levels seen in September 2017.

As part of its assessment, RBI also measured the performance of stateowned banks under PCA and those outside the framework. Banks under PCA saw their gross bad loan ratios rise to 21 percent of total loans, while nonPCA banks reported a gross NPA ratio of more than 13.5 percent. These numbers could worsen to 22.3 percent and 14.1 percent by March 2019, respectively, the RBI noted.

Banks under PCA face restrictions on distributing dividends, remitting profits and even on accepting certain kinds of deposits. Besides, there are restrictions on the expansion of branch network, and lenders need to maintain higher provisions, along with caps on management compensation and directors’ fees.

If the government were not to infuse any further capital into public sector banks, the capital adequacy ratio of PCA

Accordingly, loans under special mention account category have seen a reduction, the regulator noted in its report. In March 2018, loans under SMA-2, where repayment is due between 60-90 days, fell by nearly 60 percent year-on-year.

The share of large borrowers to total gross NPAs of scheduled commercial banks dropped marginally to 85.6 percent in March 2018. The RBI defines large borrowers as those with aggregate fund and non-fund based exposure worth Rs 5 crore and above.

As part of its report, the RBI also conducted sectoral risk analysis and found that the power sector could add 68 basis points (1 basis point is equal to one-hundredth of a percentage point) to gross bad loans of the banking industry in the event of a severe shock to the sector. Similarly, textile and engineering also reported a high transmission of stress to bad loans of state-owned lenders.

Speaking about the progress made under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the regulator pointed out that of the 701 cases that were admitted by the National Company Law Tribunal, 525 were still undergoing resolution. Of the 176 cases which were closed by the NCLT, 67 were closed on appeal or review, 22 were resolved and 87 yielded to liquidations.

The RBI also pointed out that while the share of cases filed by operational creditors had been high, those filed by financial creditors have seen a recent spike. Since most of the financial creditors are banks, this points to higher utilisation of the code to resolve balance sheet stress, the RBI said.

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BUSINESS

Xiaomi to Invest Rs.15,000 Crores and Create 50,000 Jobs in India XIAOMI HAS SEEN A STAGGERING GROWTH UNDER MANU KUMAR JAIN WHO HAS LED THE COMPANY TO STAND AHEAD OF SAMSUNG IN INDIA'S SMARTPHONE MARKET. WE SPOKE WITH JAIN TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT HE ENVISIONS

aving begun its journey in India with a smartphone lineup that, unlike the strategy employed by other Chinese rivals foraying into India, saw a silver lining in the online market back in 2014, Xiaomi has today achieved unflinching success.

Today, Xiaomi is the top smartphone vendor in the country’s online market with a 57 per cent share in the first quarter of 2018 while Samsung and the Huawei brand Honor tail behind.

Four years on, Xiaomi sits close to Samsung that once used to reign over the mobile phones market in India with Seasonal Magazine

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its budget offerings. With a mediocre market share of just 5 per cent in 2015, Xiaomi leapfrogged to 30.3 per cent in the 2018 Q1, as per IDC data. At the helm of the torque that has driven Xiaomi’s sales in India is its India Managing Director and Global Vice President, Manu Kumar Jain.

Jain began his stint at Xiaomi in 2014 and since then has catapulted the company’s growth staggeringly. With an aggressive pricing and reasonably higher set of specifications, Xiaomi smartphones have overwhelmed the market that was once ruled by run-ofthe-mill smartphones. While Jain plans to manufacture 100 per cent PCBs in

India by September this year – after having already started PCB manufacturing in Tamil Nadu, he is pinning hopes on an addition of as many as 50,000 job opportunities in the smartphone manufacturing sector in India with an added investment of over 15,000 crore rupees from various players. This will not only bring in a huge surge in the employment rate in India but also be a crucial milestone in Xiaomi India’s coming prospects.

Manu Kumar Jain answers What exactly led Xiaomi to begin manufacturing PCBs in India when other companies are still sourcing them from other countries?

this growing demand, we took this initiative of manufacturing PCBA units locally. Currently, we are building our PCBA manufacturing capabilities and our goal is to manufacture 100% of the PCBA units in India by the end of September this year.

PCBs require a lot of components to form a single unit and while Xiaomi is assembling PCBs in India, where is it sourcing the components from?

Since Xiaomi is a global company, we have suppliers from around the world who supply components to us in order to manufacture PCBA units in India. To create a strong PCBA manufacturing base in India, we conducted the first ever Global Supplier Investment Summit in India which brought together more than 50 international suppliers and gave them a first-hand experience of the potential opportunities in India. As a result of our efforts with this summit, few of these suppliers are hoping to explore potential opportunities with the Indian government in order to set up manufacturing units in the country.

Currently, Xiaomi’s SMT (Surface Mount Technology) plant for manufacturing of PCBA, located in Tamil Nadu is functioning in partnership with Foxconn and we are planning to set up more manufacturing plants across India.

Manu Kumar Jain Xiaomi as a company is dedicated to the cause of ‘Make in India’ and to further strengthen the local manufacturing capabilities. Recently, we announced the first SMT (Surface Mount Technology) plant dedicated towards local manufacturing of PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) units in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, in partnership with Foxconn. It is worth noting that PCBA is one of the most important components of a smartphone, and contributes to nearly 50 per cent of the value of the phone.

Our aim is to eventually decrease the overall manufacturing cost by manufacturing these locally.

There has been an exponential increase in local demand and in order to fulfill

The Redmi Note 5 Pro and Mi TV 4 55-inch recently saw a price hike due to the new import duty regime. Will

Since Xiaomi is a global company, we have suppliers from around the world who supply components to us in order to manufacture PCBA units in India.

India is the most important and largest market for Xiaomi outside China and it will continue to be a priority market for Xiaomi.

the PCB assembly in India reverse the pricing?

Since we had to import PCBAs from outside India in order to meet the local demand, the prices of Redmi Note 5 Pro (4GB RAM variant) and the Mi TV 4 55-inch did see a price hike recently.

However, we are actively working towards boosting our local PCBA manufacturing base in the country and are hopeful about achieving 100 per cent success by Q3 2018.

The government’s Make in India programme has been proactive for manufacturing in India. How has that helped Xiaomi?

India is the most important and largest market for Xiaomi outside China and it will continue to be a priority market for Xiaomi. The company has extensively supported the Make in India initiative of the government and is truly committed to the Indian market. We announced our first manufacturing facility in India in January 2015, even before the government had announced tax benefits and other such benefits to manufacturing smartphones locally.

Tax benefits by the government were announced in March 2015.

We have already invested millions of US dollars in manufacturing, R&D warehouses, logistics and customer care in India. Today, Xiaomi has a total of 6 smartphone manufacturing plants, 4 located in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, 1 located in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu and 1 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

Five of the six smartphone plants are in partnership with Foxconn of which 4 are in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh and 1 in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The smartphone manufacturing plants have a capacity of 2 smartphone/second capacity during operational hours.

Currently, over 95 per cent of Xiaomi smartphones sold in India is made in India, thereby boosting indigenous manufacturing of smartphones and its components which is one of Xiaomi’s priorities.

In April 2018, Xiaomi organised the first ever Global Supplier Investment Summit in India with the objective of educating global component suppliers about India’s smartphone industry and Seasonal Magazine

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GADGET encouraging them to establish a local base in the country. This initiative is expected to potentially bring in an added investment of over 15,000 crore rupees ($2.5 billion) and create as many as 50,000 job opportunities in India.

Xiaomi is focusing heavily on transforming India into a global manufacturing hub in line with the Make in India initiative.

Xiaomi has had an outstanding run in the Indian smartphone market so far. What has been the most contributing factor to Xiaomi’s growth in terms of manufacturing in India?

Xiaomi has witnessed exponential growth in the Indian market since its inception in 2014. The company is one of the fastest growing smartphone companies in India, and since Q3 of 2017, we have established as the number 1 smartphone brand in the market (as per IDC report). Xiaomi also enjoys a healthy market leadership across all of its product categories in the online segment among partner platforms. Mi.com, which is the company’s own e-commerce platform has been ranked the 3rd largest ecommerce portal with regard to smartphones in India (Q1 2018, Counterpoint report).

We have a strong India focused business model for online and offline both, including an extensive local manufacturing presence and a robust after sales network in India. We entered India as an online-only company and gradually stepped into the offline space via retail partners and by opening Xiaomi exclusive retail stores called Mi Homes. We hold ourselves to very high standards, no matter whether it’s in product quality, user experience or after-sales service. However, one element which strings it all together is our Mi Fans. Mi Fans are the core of our marketing approach which is driven primarily via social networks and communities. Moreover, our team of 400+ smart and efficient employees have significantly contributed to this journey and continue to help us design and innovate unique products for future offerings.

Credit: Financial Express

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Xiaomi’s Mi 8 Sets New Record, Sells 1 million units in just 18 days

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he development comes on the heels of OnePlus selling a million units of its latest flagship launch, OnePlus 6, in 22 days It has been barely three weeks since Xiaomi launched its flagship smartphone Mi 8 in China and the phone has already sold 1 million units. The device achieved this landmark feat within 18 days since it first went on sale on June 5.

The news was confirmed by the company’s global spokesperson Donovan Sung, who put out a Twitter post saying, “The Mi 8 series first went on sale on June 5. Just 18 days later, we've already sold over 1M units!” The Mi 8 series first went on sale on June 5. Just 18 days later, we've already sold over 1M units Xiaomi Mi8 The development comes on the heels of OnePlus selling a million units of its latest flagship launch, OnePlus 6, in 22 days. Having said that, Mi 8 seems to have an edge as it achieved the same feat in just 18 days. Coming back to the phone, Mi 8 was launched in 6GB/64GB, 6GB/ 128GB and 6GB/256GB which were priced at Yuan 2699 (about Rs 28,000), Yuan 2999 (about Rs 31,200) and Yuan 3299 (about Rs 34,300) respectively.

It is part of the Mi 8 smartphone

series, which also includes a cheaper Mi 8 SE and a special version Mi 8 Explorer Edition, which is the most premium of the lot. The device sports a 6.21-inch Full HD+ AMOLED notched display (2248*1080p) with an aspect ratio of 18.7:9. The phone sports a glass and metal design, with a 2.5D curved glass and is available in white, blue, gold and black colour options. At its heart, it is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor which is supported by LPDDR4X RAM. On the camera front, the device comes with 12MP + 12MP dual rear cameras with 1.4 micron pixel, 4-axis OIS. The camera setup consists of wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens with f/1.8 and f/2.4 aperture rate respectively and an LED flash. The phone packs in a 20MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture rate on the front notch.

Other features include Bluetooth 5.0 support, dual-band Wi-Fi, dualfrequency GPS, USB Type-C, rearmounted fingerprint sensor, AGPS, GLONASS among others.

The phone is powered by a 3,400 mAh battery.

Though the smartphone is expected to be launched in India soon, there has been no official comment from the company yet on the same.

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NEWS-IN-BRIEF

WHICH BOLLYWOOD ACTORS HAVE SURVIVED SERIOUS ILLNESSES?

KERALA GOVERNOR PAYS FINE AFTER HIS CAR CRUISES AT 80 KMPH

GOA POLITICIANS PLOUGH FIELDS FOR FARMING CHALLENGE ON FACEBOOK

Actress Manisha Koirala has been cancer-free for five years after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and underwent treatment in New York. While Hrithik Roshan overcame a brain clot, Amitabh Bachchan battled with splenic rupture and myasthenia gravis. Actress Lisa Ray survived cancer of white blood cells, Saif Ali Khan survived a minor heart attack and Salman Khan trigeminal neuralgia.

Kerala Governor P Sathasivam directed his staff to pay a fine of Rs 400 after his car was booked for exceeding the speed limit. Officials said the car was cruising at 80 kmph outside the Raj Bhawan where the speed limit is 55 kmph. Reportedly, the Governor was not travelling in the car when the incident took place.

Goa politicians have shared videos of them ploughing fields and helping farmers in an 'agriculture challenge' thrown by sarpanch Siddhesh Bhagat to create awareness about farming. Goa Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte shared a video with him in a field saying, "Challenge accepted! The farming community has always been dear to me and I will always strive to see them prosper."

FORTIS MAKES TYPO, SHOWS CEO SALARY GROW 4 TIMES TO RS 16.8 CR A typo in Fortis Healthcare's annual report for Financial Year 2016-17 showed CEO Bhavdeep Singh's salary grow over four times to ?16.8 crore, a Fortis spokesperson has said. Singh was hired at a salary of ?3.91 crore in July 2015. "In reality, his income has gone up 6% to 8% in each of the last two years," the spokesperson added.

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PRIYANKA CHOPRA BECOMES MOST FOLLOWED INDIAN ON INSTAGRAM Priyanka Chopra, who reached the 25 million follower mark on Instagram, has become the most followed Indian on the photosharing platform. She shared a story in which she wrote, "25 million strong...Thanks for the love...love you right back."

Priyanka is ahead of other Indian personalities like Deepika Padukone and Virat Kohli, who have 24.9 million and 22.7 million followers respectively.

ONLY 1 UNIT OF TATA NANO PRODUCED IN JUNE Tata Motors has produced only one unit of its small car Nano last month as against 275 units in June 2017.

Further, the automaker sold only 3 units of the car last month while it exported none. Former Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry had in 2016 claimed that Tata Motors did not stop producing the car due to "emotional reasons".

AUTO

NEWS-IN-BRIEF

SUZUKI JIMNY 4Ă—4 SUV GETTING READY FOR LAUNCH The Suzuki Jimny has been around in global markets for some time now even though it has never been launched in India. The fourth generation model, has entered production, and is expected to be launched in India.

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he capable mini off-roader sports a similar boxy style though various other modifications have been made with better handling and improved interior features.

Suzuki engineers with the development team claim that the latest Jimny is not only the most efficient off-roader, but is also the most capable in its segment.

Positioned on a ladder-on-frame chassis and with an all wheel drive system, the 2019 Suzuki Jimny is capable of taking on challenging terrains. It will ride on BF Goodyear off road tyres, get underbody protection and a protective bull bar for frontal protection.

Anti glare black patch is seen on its bonnet while auxiliary front lights, tyre tread body decals, luggage rack, riveted wheel arch cladding and side steps add to its off roading format.

Interiors will boast of increased space and driver and passenger comforts. It will be seen with a large touchscreen infotainment system supporting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate controls and multi info drive display.

In terms of safety, the 2019 Suzuki Jimny gets a total of 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, brake assist, electronic stability program, traction control and autonomous braking. It also gets LED projector headlamps and fog lamps.

The 4th generation, four seater Jimny, in two variants, Jimny and Jimny Sierra, will be powered by a 660cc petrol engine and 1.5 liter petrol engine with both variants offered with a 4 wheel drive and 3 link axle suspension.

The engines get mated to 4 speed torque converter automatic and 5 speed manual.

CHINESE BILLIONAIRE WANG JIAN DIES AFTER FALL FROM WALL IN FRANCE Chinese conglomerate HNA Group's 57-year-old billionaire Chairman Wang Jian died on Tuesday after he fell off a wall while getting his pictures taken during a business trip in France.

He suffered serious injuries and did not recover after a 10-meter fall. With $1.7 billion net worth, he was the second-highest ranking executive at the group and owned 15% of it.

FORMER RICHEST MAN IN BRAZIL GETS 30-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE Eike Batista, the former mining and oil magnate who was once Brazil’s richest man, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in connection with a corruption probe. The former billionaire was convicted of paying $16.6 million to Rio de Janeiro's former governor to get government contracts.

He was the world's seventhrichest person in 2012 with a $35 billion fortune.

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SRM UNIVERSITIES

By Carl J

READYING STUDENTS FOR A GLOBAL WORKPLACE THE FOUR SRM UNIVERSITIES IN FOUR STATES OF INDIA ARE DIVERSE, BUT SHARE THE COMMON DRIVE FOR QUALITY. AT THE SAME TIME THEY COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER HEALTHILY TO OUTDO EACH OTHER IN INITIATIVES, WITH THE LEAD NOW TAKEN

BY SRM UNIVERSITY AMARAVATI WHICH HAS TIED UP WITH MIT OF USA FOR COURSEWARE AND ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR EXCHANGE PROGRAMS, AND THE FLAGSHIP SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CHENNAI (SRM IST) THAT HAS BAGGED A BIG RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORDER FROM INDIA’S INTEGRAL COACH FACTORY. Seasonal Magazine

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Dr. P. Sathyanarayanan President

Mr. Ravi Pachamoothoo Chairman Seasonal Magazine

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or several years now, SRM Group of Universities have been expanding and enriching their services to students, and now there are four world-class universities in the group in four different states of India, one of them a deemed-to-be university and other three being private universities in their respective states.

The flagship SRM University of Chennai is the deemed-to-be university, now renamed as SRM Institute of Science & Technology (SRM IST). The other three private universities are SRM University, Amaravati, in Andhra Pradesh; SRM University of Haryana, and SRM University of Sikkim. Despite this organizational structure, all SRM institutions share a common penchant for pursuing world-class academic excellence. At the same time, these four universities compete with each other healthily to outdo each other in cutting-edge initiatives. Among these, the establishment of SRM Amaravati has provided a new fillip to the entire SRM family of students and faculty, as

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from the ground up it has been built up on a scale of quality hitherto unseen in the private education sector in India.

This is not only about building a stunning and expansive infrastructure, but equally about making the right global connections for academic excellence. For instance, from the outset itself SRM Amaravati tied up with the one and only Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of USA, which is regarded by most as the world’s foremost university in engineering and technology education. Through this tie-up, SRM students get to use courseware developed by the renowned specialists at MIT. SRM University, Amaravati has also tied up with Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (IITC) to further academic collaboration in engineering and the sciences. SRM University has also launched a first of its kind and highly effective Semester Abroad Program for its students. So far, 650 meritorious students have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to spend a semester at some of the best universities in the world such as Carnegie Mellon, Northeastern

University, SUNNY Buffalo, University of Wisconsin, UC Berkeley, George Mason, New Hampshire, Lille Catholic University, University of Western Australia, Queen's University and many others. With more and more students opting to go abroad for their postgraduate or research studies, SRM has taken care to get several of their programs internationally accredited, especially in USA. Selected programs of Kattankulathur (Chennai) Campus are accredited by USA's renowned Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. They include, B.Tech Civil Engineering, B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, B.Tech Electrical and Electronics Engineering and B.Tech Electronics and Communication Engineering. One program of Chennai campus, B.Tech Information Technology, is also accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. SRM institutions have also pioneered a unique merit scholarship program to attract and support locally meritorious students from across India by offering 100% scholarship in B Tech for one student from each district across the

SRM institutions have also pioneered a unique merit scholarship program to attract and support locally meritorious students from across India by offering 100% scholarship in B Tech for one student from each district across the country. country. Remarkably, this also includes full hostel fees. SRM institutions also shine when it comes to faculty standards with as much as 90% per cent of the faculty having international academic exposure and all faculty members have PhDs from foreign universities, IITs or IISc. The university is also forging ahead in industry-led research initiatives. A big tie-up has taken place in the field of fuel cells and energy storage. An MoU was signed with Integral Coach Factory(ICF) of Indian Railways, Chennai, to create a fuel cell-based train prototype. SRM will be responsible for conceptualising and creating energy storage systems, including fuel cells, batteries, super capacitors, DC/DC converters and control systems.

The admission season is a period of intense activity for India’s top universities as much as it is for parents and their wards deliberating on the latter’s higher education options.

While the academic performance of a university continues to be the singlemost important parameter on which prospective students assess their options, there is a positive trend emerging with regard to their emphasis on quality of campus life offered. This entails non-academic initiatives, noncurricular, co-curricular and extracurricular environment in the new age universities that have either adopted the U.S higher education model having credit/module system or developed strong industry-oriented frameworks as part of the curricula.

Nickolas Dirks , Honoray Pro Chancellor SRM University AP However, there are only a very few universities in India that provides the best of both worlds to its talent bunch.

Ever since its inception, SRM University has embarked on unchartered territory and redefined the higher education space in India, with a credible showing in crucial parameters like infrastructure, faculty, exchange programmes etc.In one of the most sought-after and fledgling fields in India, namely intellectual property (IP), SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST) won the prestigious IP award for the Top Indian Academic Institution for Patents and Commercialization. The awards are evaluated on the basis of number of IPRs granted/ registered, growth in IPR portfolio in the past five years, leveraging of IPRs for achieving commercial goals (evaluation, licensing, launching of new products/

processes associated with granted/ registered IPRs), efforts for inculcating IPR culture (R&D budget, employment of human resources for R&D, collaborations with industries and universities, licensing from other sources) and contribution towards the socio-economic development of the country.

SRM Institute of Hotel Management has received “Best Hotel Management Institute”, which is the 4th in a row at the 11th National Higher Education Summit & Excellence Awards. Further, it was the only institute to bag the achievement in the hospitality sector.

With its affirmation to environmental protection and sustainable development, SRM IST has ‘joined the United Nations Academic Impact as a member, to further the aims and Seasonal Magazine

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goals of the UN mandate in environmental conservation’.

Adding to its international associations, SRM IST boasts of an on-site Taiwan Education Centre which is India’s only education and cultural center offering the professional proficiency test in Chinese. Taiwan is emerging as one of SRMIST’s most active educational and cultural partners with several programmes in student mobility, faculty exchange and research.

Elsewhere, SRM IST became the first South Indian-based university to sign a MoU with Kingston University. The MoU is facilitated by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (The IET) as part of the SRM Academic Partner collaboration. It will enable both universities for students and faculty exchanges, joint research and dual degree programmes.

SRM IST is also a pioneering leader in the industry-academia linkages front and has signed a host of MoUs with private and public sector enterprises. Recently, an MoU was signed with Hubert Enviro Care Systems (P) Ltd, which helps to achieve environmental obligations for businesses. It will broadly focus on students internships and projects, and the involvement of faculty and students in studies related to environmental assessment and research.

Dr. R. Shivakumar, Vice-President Seasonal Magazine

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Another big tie-up has taken place in the field of fuel cells and energy storage. An MoU was signed with Integral Coach Factory(ICF) of Indian Railways, Chennai, to create a fuel cellbased train prototype. SRM will be responsible for conceptualising and creating energy storage systems, including fuel cells, batteries, super capacitors, DC/DC converters and control systems. ICF will develop equipment beyond DC link for switcher in coaches. This will help in eliminating the needless pollution caused through fossil fuel burning, which continues to be the major energy generating source in India, and they operate silently compared to internal combustion engines. This exciting and challenging project on switcher coach is expected to be completed by March / April 2019 and operate between loco, shell, furnishing units of ICF. The Fuel cell driven passenger train is expected to operate for public transportation by December 2019.

Its Amaravati campus has developed in leaps and bounds and established an exchange programme with the Illinois Institute of Technology,

Chicago (IITC) to further strengthen partnership with SRM-AP, in various student friendly programmes and the fresh agreement will deepen the relationship of the two premier institutes.

SRM Amaravati recently set up its School of Liberal Arts and Basic Sciences (SLABS), which will have its first intake of students in 2018 and will offer BA, BBA, BCom and BSc programs across 12 departments(subjects) –Economics, English, History, Journalism, Psychology, Business Studies, Commerce, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology and Computer Science. The second phase of the application process, i.e., Cycle 2, will end on June 15, 2018. The counseling in Cycle 2 starts from June 16 to 30 June 2018. The classes in SLABS will commence from mid-July 2018.

The announcement was made in the presence of the Honorary Pro Chancellor of SRM University, AP Amaravati, Prof. Nicholas Dirks (Chancellor Emeritus, University of California, Berkley), Dr. D Narayana Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor of SRM University, AP – Amaravati and

Members of the Board of Management including Prof. Prashant Mohapatra (Vice Provost of Graduate Education at the University of California, Davis) and Prof. Damodar Acharya (former Chairman, AICTE) .

While the country hopes that SLABS can provide the sense of prestige to the liberal arts education that India so desperately needs, SRM already envisions to emerge as a world-class university in creating and disseminating knowledge and providing students a unique and holistic learning experience in their chosen field of scholarship that would best serve the society. “Today, we face increasingly complex issues and challenges, and tackling these, calls for multi-dimensional thought processes and problem solving skills. Education needs to focus on this and much more. We aim to help students develop such skills through the liberal arts and basic sciences education offered at SRM SLABS. For this, we are looking at hands-on guidance from Prof. Nicholas Dirks, Seasonal Magazine

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given his background as a renowned anthropologist, and his rich experience in Liberal Arts. SRM SLABS also has a strong faculty base of international caliber who will bring a global perspective to liberal arts education.

They will assist in creating a holistic approach to education, which will become, we hope, the calling card for SRM Amaravati’s SLABS”, said Dr. P Sathyanarayanan, President, SRM Amaravati.

While concerns still remain about the job prospects of a liberal arts graduate, the industry has realised the importance of creativity and imagination, communication skills and problem-solving abilities and they have started looking towards liberal arts - subjects that help individuals take part in an active civic life and make a convincing case for the importance of the liberal arts education for a more just and reflective society. SRM Amaravati’s SLABS initiative is a step in that direction.

“The multi-disciplinary focus of SLABS will ensure that the students would have both breadth as well depth of knowledge about a wide range of subjects”, added Dr. D Narayana Rao, Pro. Vice Chancellor, SRM Amaravati.

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Recently, SRM University launched a performing and fine arts centre at its campus in Kattankulathur. The centre will provide several recital and concert venues for students, faculty, and visiting artists alike, for the students of performing arts. It would also provide opportunities to exhibit designs and merchandise for the fashion designing students. The collaborative approach of regular contact with renowned visiting artists and experts in form master classes and career workshops would enable students to launch their careers and gain valuable real-world experience. The same approach will have unique benefits to the students as they could take full advantage of the professional opportunities and cultural riches offered by Chennai's vibrant cultural scene. To extend knowledge on related field, students of arts would also be trained with supportive courses like event Management, sound engineering and more, giving them a holistic educational experience.

SRM University invests heavily in organizing conferences in fields such as the recent national conference on Recent Trends in Mathematics and its Application (NCRTMA’18’). Out of the

120 research papers received, 81 were shortlisted to be sent to the International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics.

The conference’s objective was to create a forum for updating current research trends and rekindle exploration in the mathematical domain. APJMJ Sheikh Dawood, grand son of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, delivered the valedictory address.

SRM Deemed to be University, Kattankulathur bagged the 1st prize at Angelhackhackathon which was conducted as a part of Angelhack Global Hackathon series, 2018 at the Microsoft campus in Hyderabad. Two students Ankur Agarwal and Krishna Maneesha Dendukuri from Next Tech Lab at the University, were a part of

this winning team. The team created an Artificial Intelligence based application which helps resolve bottlenecks for machine learning practitioners. These students built a solution which can predict the efficiency of 10 different algorithms without even running them, for a dataset given by the user and therefore, suggest the best one to be applied by saving the valuable resources like training time and GPU power. Over 200 students, experienced professionals and entrepreneurs competed for the prized distinction.

After number of reviews and 2 rounds of extensive pitching sessions, the results were finally declared at the end of the 30-hr long event. The judging panel comprised of professionals from Microsoft, Amazon and major startups.

With a commitment to economic empowerment and social equity, SRM University-AP, Amaravati has announced 200 scholarships for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students in engineering and school of liberal arts and basic sciences programs.

Candidates with a family income of less than Rs. 4 lakh per annum and Class XII/ Intermediate 60% and above are eligible to apply. The scholarship ranges from 100% to 25% waiver of the entire tuition, hostel and mess fees. 'We believe that high-quality education should not be out of reach for deserving candidates. The scholarships offered will enable deserving students to learn from a distinguished faculty in a worldclass environment'' says Dr. P. Sathyanarayanan, President, SRM University.

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FOREIGN POLICY

THE CASE FOR ISLAM’S INCLUSION IN INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN DEPLOYING SOFT POWER IN THE CONDUCT OF THEIR FOREIGN POLICY AND DIPLOMACY WELL BEFORE THE TERM WAS COINED BY JOSEPH S NYE AND HARNESSING CULTURAL LINKAGES HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ASPECTS OF SOFT POWER.

oft power” consists of a whole range of tools: the use of medical facilities, education and language learning, food festivals, cinema and other art forms, diaspora, support for electoral procedures—and religion, a key component. States with a religious identity invoke it where required in their external engagements. Some countries have even forged regional groupings on this basis, such as the Organisation of Islamic Countries.

India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who is credited with having laid the foundations of India’s foreign policy, was acutely conscious of this, especially in relation to Asia. It animated his leadership in decolonisation and the Asian resurgence.

He, however, refrained from using religion upfront in foreign policy, in keeping with the secular character of the Indian state, though religious considerations might have crept in when shaping foreign policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised the cultural aspect of soft power in redefining India’s foreign policy. Yoga, ayurveda, the Indian diaspora, and religion have come to acquire an important place in this regard. The Modi government has used Hinduism and Buddhism effectively to promote national interest in the IndoPacific region and the immediate neighbourhood. New Delhi has been organising international Buddhist conferences since 2015, and proposed to Seasonal Magazine

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NO INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS HIGHLIGHTED ISLAM ADEQUATELY, ESPECIALLY IN ITS INTERACTIONS WITH SOUTHEAST ASIA, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE MUSLIM. WHY? THE USUAL ANSWER IS: WHILE HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM HAD INDIA AS THEIR BIRTHPLACE, ISLAM CAME FROM OUTSIDE, A RELIGION OF THE INVADERS.

build Hinduism- and Buddhism-related tourist circuits. Explaining India’s Act East Policy, in answer to a parliamentary question on Dec. 23, 2015, minister of state of external affairs, General VK Singh had said, “On the civilisational front, Buddhism and Hindu links could be encouraged to develop new contacts and connectivity between people.”

The prime minister’s foreign itinerary has regularly included visits to temples and Buddhist shrines. Also, there is a conscious effort, especially informally at the highest political levels, during official and unofficial exchanges, and during visits by officials of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its ally, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), to encourage Nepal—the only other Hindu-dominated country—to

reacquire a Hindu identity for its state.

Nepal has had laws against cow slaughter and religious conversion in operation for a very long time.

Prime Minister Modi has been to mosques, too, during visits to Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia (between 2015-16), countries where these are regarded national monuments: these are acts of courtesy by a visiting head of state. He has also inaugurated the World Sufi Forum, held in New Delhi on March 17, 2016, where he made a very thoughtful speech. He had graciously acknowledged then that Islam and Sufism are a part of Indian heritage.

“Just as India became a principal centre of Islamic civilisation, our nation also emerged as one of the most vibrant hubs of Sufism. Sufism became the face of

Islam in India, even as it remained deeply rooted in the Holy Quran and Hadis. Sufism blossomed in India’s openness and pluralism. It engaged with her spiritual tradition and evolved its own Indian ethos. And, it helped shape a distinct Islamic heritage of India. We see this heritage in the fields of art, architecture and culture that is part of the fabric of our nation and our collective daily lives. We see it in the spiritual and intellectual tradition of India.”

To take these fine words further, Islam has to be made an integral part of the Modi government’s soft power policy package. This will benefit India in its engagement with the Islamic states in its immediate neighbourhood and the Indo-Pacific region: many of them get

disturbed by the stridency of India’s domestic, anti-Muslim, socio-political rhetoric of ghar wapsi (literally, “come back home,” symbolic of a series of activities to do with religious conversion); love jihad, a reference to the alleged targeting of women belonging to non-Muslim communities for conversion to Islam through promises of love; beef bans and lynchings.

No Indian government has highlighted Islam adequately, especially in its interactions with southeast Asia, where the majority of people are Muslim.

Why? The usual answer is: while Hinduism and Buddhism had India as their birthplace, Islam came from outside, a religion of the invaders. The unspoken, politically discomfiting answer may have to do with Hinduism and Buddhism offering access to electoral constituencies—of the Hindu majority and Dalit segment respectively of the Indian population—but Islam militates against the ideology and social flavour of the ruling party.

In Abu Dhabi, a predominantly Muslim country, the host government had not only promised a major investment of about Rs4.5 lakh crores, but also made land available for a Hindu temple. In Singapore, where the Indian prime minister visited the Goddess Mariamman temple and Buddha’s Tooth Relic temple, the Chulia Mosque was one of the first monuments, built in 1826 by the Indian diaspora, comprising Tamil Muslim merchants originating from the Coromandel coast.

Those on the quest for narrow political gains overlook the fact that India assimilated Islam and made it more positive compared to its Wahabi aspect.

India’s Barelvi and Deobandi theological schools and the Sufi variant of Islam’s teachings gave it a new and broader interpretation. India also played a key role in taking Islam to southeast Asia where it stands as a moderate faith compared to its radicalised version wreaking havoc in West Asia.

India can take a lead in owning Islam and projecting its softer Sufi version in countering the radical Jihadi thrust that fuels terrorism ideologically. There is considerable potential for India to develop SM the Islamic tourism sector as well.

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IN MEMORIAM

THE MAKING OF MODERN INDIA OWES A LOT TO A PHYSICIST-TURNEDSTATISTICIAN WHO PIONEERED THE ART OF CONDUCTING LARGE-SCALE SURVEYS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND A NEWLY INDEPENDENT NATION.

IN 1915, A YEAR AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR BROKE OUT, MAHALANOBIS CAME BACK TO INDIA FOR A BREAK, BUT THE INTENSIFYING CONFLICT PREVENTED HIM FROM RETURNING TO CAMBRIDGE. Seasonal Magazine

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rasanta Chandra Mahalanobis is a legendary mathematician who is widely considered the father of statistics in India. The founder of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Mahalanobis encouraged the adoption of statistics in economic research and planning at a time when the field was virtually non-existent in India.

between variables.

Though it initially struggled with finding enough funding, in the 1930s, the ISI managed to embark on pioneering pilot surveys that measured aspects of the Indian economy that had never been comprehensively recorded before. The institute used sampling to study things like tea consumption patterns and crop acreage.

After India’s independence from British rule, the ISI’s research became even more essential as the first government scrambled to find ways to promote industrialisation and development, and reduce poverty in the wake of the brutal effects of Partition. At the time, unlike in more developed countries, there was hardly any accurate data that the Indian government could use for its planning, so Mahalanobis and the ISI worked to create a large-scale sampling project Mahalanobis was born to figure out the size and the state on June 29, 1893, into of the economy.

Mahalanobis was born on June 29, 1893, into a welloff family in Calcutta (now Kolkata) that reportedly traced the roots of its name to a Mughal-era ancestor who kept land revenue records in ancient Bengal. At the time, he was known as “Nauvice,” a Persian word meaning scribe of the Mahal (the Mughal court). The last name Mahalanobis evolved from the combination of “Nauvice” and “Mahal.”

The young Mahalanobis began his education at the Brahmo Boys School established by his grandfather in 1904, before going on to get a bachelor’s degree in science from Presidency College in 1912. He then sailed to England and joined Cambridge University in 1913, where he aced his exams in physics and was awarded a research scholarship of £80 a year.

a well-off family in Calcutta (now Kolkata) that reportedly traced the roots of its name to a Mughal-era ancestor who kept land revenue records in ancient Bengal.

He wasn’t solely focused on physics, though: In his time at Cambridge, he also read about astronomy, philosophy, architecture, and psychology. But one day at the library, he was introduced to the theoretical statistics journal Biometrika, which laid the foundation for his life-long fascination with statistics.

In 1915, a year after the First World War broke out, Mahalanobis came back to India for a break, but the intensifying conflict prevented him from returning to Cambridge. So, he embarked on a career as a lecturer at the Presidency College in Calcutta and became an assistant professor of physics in 1922. He would go on to teach physics at the college for the next 33 years.

Like at Cambridge, physics was hardly his only priority.

He established a statistical laboratory at the college, where he conducted research into the issues of flood control in north Bengal and Orissa (now Odisha), among other things. And on Dec. 17, 1931, he established the ISI, a statistical society that would go on to draw some of the greatest mathematicians of that time, who engaged in pioneering research.

Mahalanobis himself made advancements in descriptive statistics, coining the “Mahalanobis distance,” a measure used to account for correlation

In 1950, he helped establish the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), which over the years would fine-tune ways to capture the state of India’s vast territory by collecting accurate socio-economic data every year. He also helped set up the Central Statistical Organisation to coordinate statistical research in the country.

It was Mahalanobis’s work for the government of India that would really establish his legacy, which the American statistician WA Deming summed up with the following: “No country, developed, underdeveloped or overdeveloped, has such a wealth of information about its people as India has in respect of expenditures, savings, and time lost to sickness, employment, unemployment, agriculture and industrial production.”

The NSSO’s work was so pioneering and influential that researchers and policymakers from outside India reportedly made trips to the country to learn from Mahalanobis and his staff. Mahalanobis was at the forefront of statistical research in India and even spurred the introduction of the country’s first computers, which were used at the ISI to help out other government agencies, including the ministry of defence and the India Meteorological Department.

Throughout his illustrious career, Mahalanobis won several awards, including the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award. In June 1972, he died at the age of 79, after a lifetime of pioneering work that showed the world just how far statistics could go. SM Seasonal Magazine

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AUTO

WILL TOYOTA BRING TO INDIA THE NEW EYE-CATCHING

COROLLA SPORT?

TOYOTA HAS STATED THAT WITH THE NEW COROLLA SPORT THE COMPANY WISHES TO ATTRACT YOUNGER BUYERS. THE 2018 TOYOTA COROLLA SPORT DEBUTS IN JAPAN WITH 1.2 LITER 114 HP ENGINE. oyota has officially launched the new Corolla Sport in Japan. It was earlier unveiled at the New York Auto Show and is seen in a sportier design and in a right hand drive format.

Toyota Corolla Sport is sporty in design and is positioned on the Toyota TNGA architecture as is seen on the Auris on sale in Europe. This platform is more rigid and has a lower center of gravity.

Its exteriors are seen with a long list of features among which are a wider front grille, LED lights, new tail lamps and a signature “C” badge on the grille.

Seen in a red and black interior design, the new Corolla Sport wishes to attract a younger set of buyers and hence comes in with a host of technology and safety features. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 offers a large number of features among which are automatic emergency brakSeasonal Magazine

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MARK ZUCKERBERG BECOMES THE 3RD RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD Facebook's 34-year-old CEO Mark Zuckerberg has dethroned Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett to become the world's third-richest person with $81.6 billion wealth, according to Bloomberg. Zuckerberg gained $8.8 billion this year despite Facebook's data-privacy crisis that slumped its stock by 18%. Amazon's Jeff Bezos remains the world's richest, while Microsoft's Bill Gates second-richest.

ing, pedestrian detection, intelligent cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist.

Buyers of the Toyota Corolla Sport are offered T-Connect service for a period of three years during which time they can avail the company’s premium services such as artificial intelligence assisted navigation assistance and 24X7 live operator to come to their aid in any sort of situation.

Toyota Sport hatchback is powered by two engine options to include a 1.2 liter turbo petrol engine offering 114 hp peak power and a 120 hp petrol hybrid engine which is also seen powering the Toyota Prius.

The engines will be mated to a 10 step CVT and a manual gearbox. The higher spec Corolla Sport will also receive an all wheel drive system. Toyota Corolla Sport will compete with the Hyundai i30 and Honda Civic. Prices will range from 2,138,400 Japanese Yen (INR 13.31 lakhs going up to 2,689,200 Japanese Yen (INR 16.74 lakhs).

Though the Toyota Corolla Sport hatchback is launched in Japan, it is unclear whether the sport hatch will be making its way to India or not. Its rivals, Hyundai i30 and VW Golf have already been spotted on test in India.

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IT DID OCCUR: WOMAN WHO ACCUSED CANADIAN PM TRUDEAU OF GROPING Rose Knight, the woman who had accused Canadian PM Justin Trudeau of groping her at a music festival in 2000, has reiterated that the incident did take place, but she will not be pursuing it further. The Canadian PM has since then admitted to apologising to her, after earlier claiming he did not remember any details from the incident.

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FOREIGN RELATIONS

INDIA SHOULD NOT WORRY OVER POSTPONEMENT OF TALKS WITH U.S The prevailing discourse blames the U.S for ignoring the importance of India in their Asia Pivot strategy after the third and recent postponement of 2+2 talks. However, there is too much being read into it. he last-minute post ponement of the inaugural India-US 2+2 dialogue announced with much fanfare last year has not gone down well in New Delhi. It was the second time the two countries had tried to schedule a joint high-level meeting between their foreign and defence ministers to showcase the importance of the relationship.

But stuff happened.

Some saw the postponement by the United States as a sign of a growing disconnect over various issues ranging from trade disputes to the threat of US sanctions, others said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi no longer felt any sense of warmth from President Donald Trump, who has taken to berating India for tariffs on Harley Davidsons at every opportunity he gets.

Most of the above are true but stringing the negatives together does not present the full picture. As an Indian practitioner of diplomacy commented, “Sometimes, the train gets delayed, sometimes you miss the plane.”

The 2+2 dialogue scheduled for July 6 in Washington was postponed because Trump wanted secretary of state Mike Pompeo to rush to North Korea to take

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a measure of things after Kim Jong-un made his third surprise visit to China on June 19.

Turns out Pompeo pressed the point not once but twice to Trump that the 2+2 dialogue with India was coming up and he had to be in town. When Trump insisted the third time, Pompeo had no choice but to listen to his boss. In this administration, the boss really does decide almost everything important.

But why this urgency to visit North Korea? It’s clear that Beijing is doing everything to coach Kim to ask for more and to give less to the Americans in Trump’s biggest gambit for a denuclearisation deal with Pyongyang.

For the Chinese, a compliant and

dependent North Korea is a “win-win”, to use their favourite phrase. Most will agree that weaning North Korea off China is a good idea. They will also agree that Trump has done more than any other US president to needle China – however erratically and confusingly. Two steps forward and two steps back are better than no steps at all. After all, we live in the real world.

Unless the world wants to live inside China’s One Belt One Road that a wise person on Twitter appropriately renamed “One Debt, One Road,” the only country capable of putting the brakes on Beijing’s vast appetite for dominance is the US. India feels that dominance daily and can surely appreciate that Trump is alert to China. By contrast, Barack Obama gave

Beijing eight years to consolidate without putting up any real resistance.

The Trump-Kim summit in Singapore on June 12 has promise but unless Washington keeps on top of the highly efficient and laser focused Chinese, things could easily go south. And remember, the Trump administration is not fully staffed, has a million domestic problems, a dozen legal cases, and a president whose appetite for the abstruse is less than adequate. That’s the nature of this administration.

But two things Trump does get – one is trade and the other is China. To some extent he also gets India but lately only via the trade route. That’s his “stress test” for every strategic relationship.

This is the context of the postponement.

Instead of reading one’s pet theory – that Americans are always out to diss India (while the Chinese are out to grab India’s territory doesn’t seem to matter as much) or India is not important to them (as if the Americans determine India’s importance) – we should just take a deep breath.

A former State Department India expert said on Twitter, “I don’t think we should ditch democracies for a dictator.” It was misrepresenting the scenario. But even the best think tankers and academics have become prone to imparting wisdom on the fly because the competition in social media’s eco-system is so intense.

Another critic, a Democrat, told me, “postponement was unnecessary. There was nothing that couldn’t be done a day later. War was not breaking out.” He stressed the Trump administration doesn’t understand the consequences of its actions and India was not a priority for them, a charge US officials vehemently deny.

Unfortunate as the postponement is, it had nothing to do with India per se, the White House and State Department have stressed. Pompeo was appropriately apologetic in his phone call with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and promised to work out new dates soon. That should happen sooner rather than later.

It’s too bad the meeting was postponed because things were set for forward movement, good optics and photo-ops.

Both Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman were scheduled for an Oval Office visit with Trump and national security adviser John Bolton.

But there could be dividends from this series of unfortunate events. Since it’s one side that has had difficulty in scheduling the 2+2, first because Trump fired Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, then India wanted to wait until a new one was named and finally North Korea intervened, the other side can have the upper hand in some of its demands.

US officials looking at the glass half-full say the postponement gives more time to sort out the last remaining differences on India signing the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement or COMCASA, which, they say, would ease the transfer of secure communications systems to India. These would be more sophisticated than the commercial products India is currently using.

One official said that Washington is also getting ready to offer the THAAD, the best US anti-ballistic missile defence system, to lure India away from the Russian S-400 which New Delhi is committed to buying. The purchase could trigger US sanctions despite best efforts.

The official said the S-400 is a “red line” that, if crossed, could cause very serious strains in the US-India relationship by triggering sanctions. Even if there were a waiver authority in a bill currently under consideration, it would be “impossible” for the US to ignore the sale given the current climate in the US Congress.

Continuing the glass-half-full analogy, the official stressed that both sides now will also have time to work out a package on various trade disputes which Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu’s visit initiated.

Yes, that’s good spin but after all is said and done, the Trump administration needs to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. Having perennial scheduling issues? Sad. SM Seasonal Magazine

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PRIVACY

FACEBOOK’S SHOCKING PATENTS THAT MAY VIOLATE YOUR PRIVACY

This patent suggests the use of personal messages and posts to analyze personality traits. By determining the extent of extroversion, emotional stability and the user’s thinking process, based on the preferred and visited news segments or ads.

The social network giant Facebook is again under fire for collecting people’s essential and personal data for years. Yes, according to the latest reports, the social network giant Facebook’s patents revealed its shocking and creepy plans to collect more data from users.

he social network giant Facebook over the years has turned out to be a “Machiavellian machine” for the collection of data and private habits of users, with reprehensible behavior as the company, allegedly assumed “responsibility to protect user information”.

Since 2008 it has been found that the data collected from users are not safeguarded from the commercial looks of third parties, and the scandals have been proof of this. But there is information that could be worse!

The social network giant, of course, Facebook has promised to “do better,” but a review of Facebook’s patents reveals how the company wants to keep up with all aspects of our lives: our identity, who we are close to, the state of our love relationship, our political opinions, religious, sports and more.

According to the New York Times,

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Facebook has asked for patents to use the front cameras to read user expressions and determine if we like the content displayed in our feed. The company also wants to monitor our socioeconomic status, how many hours of sleep we sleep and even tried to predict when their friends will die.

Even if Facebook says that its patent applications do not necessarily display its future product plans, they nevertheless expose the company’s constant hunger for the collection of personal information from users to thereby commercially monetize, sell and manipulate data.

Facebook’s creepy patents: Despite promises made by Mark Zuckerberg, these seven Facebook patent applications reveal the company’s plans to accumulate and exploit their personal information and here are they:1. Create a profile of the user’s

relationship status Patent 14/295,543 analyzes data relating to the number of times the user visits another user’s profile or the number of people in his or her profile picture to predict whether that user is engaged in a love relationship.

2. Categorize based on the person’s personality This patent suggests the use of personal messages and posts to analyze personality traits. By determining the extent of extroversion, emotional stability and the user’s thinking process, based on the preferred and visited news segments or ads.

3. Predict the future of the user This patent application proposes to use the messages of the owner of the profile and its posts, along with credit card transactions and location, predicting occurrences of major life events such as birth, death or graduation.

4. Identification of the user’s camera Another patent suggests the analysis of photographs to establish an exclusive “signature” of the camera based on defective pixels or scratches on the lens.

This signature can be used to find out who sent the photos clicked by the device that took them.

5. Spying on the user This patent, which has also been requested, aims to use the phone’s microphone to listen to and identify which TV programs the user prefers and sees, which ads he/she ignores, and which ones he/she likes to watch.

6. Follow the daily routine This patent is really scary and dangerous, as it suggests monitoring the routine of each of us and notifying other users in case of any deviation from the routine to see if the person might be being harassed, for example. In addition, it proposes to use the phone’s location at midnight to monitor the exact location where each user lives.

7. Use Location Service This patent describes the use of each

user’s phone location, as well as his/her friends’ phone, to determine who is closest to him/her and where he/she is.

In addition, it suggests that it also check your phone to find out how many hours of sleep the user has daily.

Users must be careful with these rampant data collections, as we now know that they can be used for more than targeted advertising, as well as manipulate election results and user emotions.

Especially troubling is Facebook's patent (No.5 above) for the system that can activate your phone's microphone, using inaudible signals broadcast via a television, to monitor your television viewing habits.

According to its creator, the patent is a way for broadcasters to know exactly who is watching their TV shows or ads and the viewing duration.

The patent application describes it as a system where an audio fingerprint embedded in TV shows or ads would trigger the phone to switch on its microphone.

A report by The Guardian says that the

same system can be used for better targeting of advertisements by building a viewing profile of every individual in the house.

Once triggered, the microphone will start recording “ambient audio of the content item” which can be matched with Facebook's database to determine what an individual watches, likes and generally prefers.

However, the individual is unaware of all this and is not choosing to activate the system. This way, the company will be able to know which adult or child within a household was watching a particular broadcast.

Privacy experts have shown major concern about this unannounced entry in people's private lives - listening to private conversations without their consent.

Senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation William Budington said, "It’s extremely disconcerting for privacy to have an inaudible beacon as it means they want to make it not obvious to the user that the device is listening."

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NEWS-IN-BRIEF

RHINO EMBRYO CREATED FOR 1ST TIME TO SAVE NEARLY EXTINCT SPECIES Researchers have created the world's first rhino embryos in a test tube to save near-extinct northern white rhinos, which has only two females alive globally. For this, the team fertilised southern white rhinos' eggs with dead northern white rhinos' sperm. Researchers also plan to use this process on last two northern white females to produce pure northern white rhino embryos.

MINISTER DENIES TRAVELLING 300KM DAILY TO AVOID BAD LUCK Karnataka Public Works Minister HD Revanna on Thursday denied reports of travelling 300 km daily on the advice of his astrologer to avoid bad luck. "Don't have any astrologer who told me this. I'm waiting for a house to be allotted that's why I am travelling this distance (Holenarasipura to Bengaluru) to work every day," Revanna said.

WOMAN SWEPT AWAY 18 MONTHS AGO FOUND ALIVE ON SAME BEACH An Indonesian woman who was swept away by a wave 18 months ago has been found alive on the same beach. The 53-year-old's family went to the beach after her father dreamt of her being washed ashore. The woman, who was wearing the same clothes as on the day she vanished, is expected to make a full recovery.

YOU CONTEST POLLS TO WIN, NOT TO BE A GOOD BOY: IMRAN KHAN Ahead of the general elections in Pakistan, cricketerturned-politician Imran Khan has said, "You contest elections to win. You don't contest elections to be a good boy." Adding that he wants to win, the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf chief said, "You need money and thousands of trained polling agents who can bring out people on the day of elections."

MUKESH AMBANI LAUNCHES JIOGIGAFIBER BROADBAND SERVICES Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Thursday launched JioGigaFiber fixed-line broadband services at the company's 41st Annual General Meeting. JioGigaFiber will be extended to homes, merchants, and small and medium enterprises across 1,100 cities. Ambani said the service would provide Ultra HD entertainment on TV, voice-activated assistance, VR gaming as well as smart home solutions.

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SEXES

WHY WOMEN’S FRIENDSHIPS ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN MEN’S

she mourned the death of a close girlfriend: The hardest part of her dying is that “I can’t call her and tell her how terrible I feel about her dying.”

So whatever happened with Susan?

Tannen decided to track her down as

Research informs that women are far less inclined than men to explain their reason for breaking up with a friend and consequently more likely to avoid confrontation. hen Deborah Tannen, a linguistics professor at Georgetown University, was in grade school, one of her best friends abruptly stopped talking to her. Tannen and the friend, Susan, had done everything together: They had lunch together, made trips to the library together, did afterschool activities in their New York City neighborhood of Greenwich Village together. Then, one day, Susan cut her off. They wouldn’t speak again until more than half a century later.

Tannen recounted this story as part of a talk Tuesday at the Aspen Ideas Festival, which the Aspen Institute co-hosts with The Atlantic, about the sociology of friendships. Specifically, her lecture was about the gender differences that inform how people relate to and engage with others close to them, as based on her new book You're the Only One I Can Tell: Inside the Language of Women's Friendships.

As distressing as it was, Tannen’s estrangement from Susan—and, namely, the mysteriousness that surrounded itwasn’t unusual. Women, Tannen has found in her research, are far less inclined than men to explain their reason for breaking up with a friend. Women are more likely to avoid confrontation; they don’t want to give their friend the opportunity to defend herself.

This is where women’s friendship swhich because of their emotional intimacy can, according to Tannen, be far more gratifying than those between men—get especially complicated: Not knowing why a friend is ending her relationship with you, she said, “is really hurtful because knowing what’s going on is a big part of friendship.”

It’s a common belief that men are more competitive than women, but Tannen’s

findings suggest that the reality is less clear-cut. Women are simply competitive in a way that’s less obvious—they’re competitive about connection. Among women, prized is the degree to which one is privy into the details of her friends’ lives.

This, Tannen says, makes them more prone to “gossip,” but it also means they can serve as immense, unmatched sources of support for someone who is going through something difficult and needs to vent or seek help. For example, say a woman gets into a series of disagreements with her roommate that culminate in an explosive falling-out; now she’s debating whether to break her lease and move out. If she were to confide about in a male friend, chances are he’d respond by giving his advice right off the bat; he might not know how to engage with her emotionally. If the woman were to vent to a female friend instead, though, that friend would likely request more context and ask how the issue makes her feel before jumping into her feedback. That willingness to take the time to hear her out first sends her what Tannen calls a “meta-message” it tells her that her friend cares. One of Tannen’s interview subjects described this dynamic when reflecting on how

she was finishing up You're the Only One I Can Tell doing so was necessary for the sake of research, Tannen reasoned half-jokingly. After some failed internet sleuthing, Tannen solicited the help of a friend who had a knack for tracking down immigration records (Tannen remembered that Susan’s family had immigrated from Iraq); finally, Tannen found her and asked her what had happened those many years back. It turned out that Susan hadn’t been upset with Tannen, but had felt pressured by her family to quit the friendship.

Susan’s family was very conservative and wouldn’t have been thrilled knowing that Susan was spending her afternoons gallivanting with Tannen all around Greenwich Village. So, one of Susan’s brothers ordered her to stop; if she didn’t, he threatened, he would tell their parents. So, worried that her parents would punish her by forcing her into an arranged marriage right after high school, Susan cut Tannen out; Susan wanted to go to college instead, and to choose her own husband after that. Today, Susan and Tannen are friends again. And the new friendship is likely just as gratifying as it was when SM they were in grade school.

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ECONOMY

EXPERTS SAY PETROL & DIESEL SHOULD BE UNDER GST The rise in petrol and diesel prices has burnt a hole in the pocket of the common citizen. In the month of May, due to global oil prices touching $80 a barrel, petrol and diesel prices skyrocketed to as high as over Rs. 86.24 and Rs. 73.79 in select cities. Because of this, retail inflation surged to a fourmonth high of 4.87 per cent in May. Oil marketing companies revise petrol and diesel rates every day on the basis of global crude oil prices. GST rollout finishes a year on July 1. If petrol and diesel are also brought under the GST regime this year, can it help provide relief to consumers?

"It (oil) can't be brought under GST. That's because the total state and central taxes on petrol put together are around 90 per cent right now," in prices," said Vishal Raheja, DGM GST, Taxmann.

Petrol and diesel help in transportation of goods. As of now, businesses using petrol and diesel as inputs are unable to claim input tax credit on the taxes paid on purchase of petrol and diesel. Input tax credit on GST helps manufacturers save on tax that they pay on their output because they have already paid the same on their purchases. So, while paying tax on output, they can claim credit for the tax they paid on inputs. Input tax credit helps increase margins for small businesses.

If both fuels are brought under GST, it will automatically lead to a reduction in taxes that you pay on them and thus, lead to a fall in their prices.

xperts are calling for bringing the two fuels under GST. "Petroleum products have to come under the GST regime for sure very soon.

Today, there is lot of tax cascading faced by the petroleum sector. This cascading effect will come down once these products are included within the GST regime. The government has an endeavour to reduce the price on the essential petroleum products and there is high hope that the benefit of reduced tax rates would be passed on to the consumers," said Abhishek A Rastogi, Partner, Khaitan & Co. Currently, both central and state governments levy taxes on petrol and diesel, i.e., excise duty and VAT or value added tax. The excise duty on petrol is approximately 19.48 per litre and 15.33 per litre and VAT is charged in different Seasonal Magazine

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states at rates ranging from 15 per cent to 40 per cent on petrol and at 10 per cent to 28.5 per cent on diesel. Thus, petrol and diesel invite more than 50 per cent tax, say experts. That is why consumers have to pay more taxes on petrol and diesel.

"If GST is imposed on petrol and diesel, it will lead to a fall in the prices of petrol and diesel. Even if these items are taxed at a higher rate of 28 per cent and cess of 15 per cent, it will lead to reduction

I

f GST is imposed on petrol and diesel, it will lead to a fall in the prices of petrol and diesel. Even if these items are taxed at a higher rate of 28 per cent and cess of 15 per cent, it will lead to reduction in prices,

"If petrol/diesel is brought within the ambit of GST, the industry will be able to claim the said credit and reduce their manufacturing cost. Currently, petrol and diesel are major revenue generators for state and central governments. The common man will immensely benefit from the reduced price of petrol/diesel," said Parag Mehta, Partner, N.A. Shah Associates LLP. In December last year, former finance minister Arun Jaitley had told the Rajya Sabha that the Central government was in favour of bringing petroleum products under the ambit of GST after building a consensus with states. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also backed the call to bring the two fuels under GST. However, Niti Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar said that bringing petroleum products under GST is impractical. "It (oil) can't be brought under GST. That's because the total state and central taxes on petrol put together are around 90 per cent right now," he had said recently.

Confusing the issue further, some states like Bihar have already warned that if these fuels are brought under GST, they will charge consumers additional tax over GST! SM

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LUXURY Alila Anji celebrates anniversary with Shanghai's Light & Salt Dining Alila Anji, the luxurious resort in Zhejiang, China, will be hosting celebrations for its’ second anniversary from July 1-3, 2018. These celebrations include a pop-up dinner in collaboration with Light & Salt, Shanghai’s leading lifestyle dining concept group. While the first events will be for media and invited guests, the celebrations will become open to public booking on July 13 and 14.

VILLEROY & BOCH LAUNCHES CLEVER COOKING AND OLD LUXEMBOURG BRINDILLE COLLECTIONS The lavish home décor porcelain brand, Villeroy & Boch, has launched two new collections to its repertoire.

Villeroy and Boch Old Luxembourg Brindille collectionThe collection Clever Cooking takes items from oven to table with simplicity in their modern designed oven-safe dishes.

Adding a note of beautiful decor, each piece has spiral designs handpainted. Their functional details include three practical sizes of dishes that are dishwasher,

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microwave and freezer-safe.

Dishes in the Old Luxembourg Brindille collection use the traditional floral branch in a new expressive and contemporary style featuring a deep cobalt-blue color.

Old Luxembourg Brindille is manufactured out of premium porcelain and decorated using the lithographic technique.

Perfect for your next family event, these dishes will make cooking easier, and plating much more beautiful and refined.

LORD ADMIRAL HORATIO NELSON'S 'VICTORY WATCH' TO BE AUCTIONED The Victory Watch, worn by British hero Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson in history’s greatest naval battle, is to be auctioned this July 4 by Sotheby’s International Watch Division. Being the timepiece carried by the Admiral during the Battle of Trafalgar, the price will start between £250,000 – 450,000.

Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson's Victory WatchThe admiral had commanded his fleet to synchronise their watches to the time of his Emery pocket watch No. 1104, which he possibly acquired in 1798. He was stripped of this possession after being shot in the battle and later dying on the ship.

The history held in this timepiece is one of immeasurable importance. Currently held in a carriage clock, it has passed through Mr. Nelson’s family until reaching the hands of the British government. Sure to be the most prestigious auction of decorative arts this year, guests will find many interesting and important relics at this event.

LOUIS VUITTON SHOWCASES MEN'S SPRING SUMMER '19 COLLECTION For Virgil Abloh’s first collection with Louis Vuitton since joining in March 2018, he writes a vocabulary list from A-Z describing and emanating the many wonderful features embodied in the looks for the SS19 collection.

FORNASETTI DESIGNER EXPERIENCE OFFERED AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MILAN The stylish and luxurious Mandarin Oriental hotel in Milan has launched an accommodation package, which indulges guests in a one-of-a-kind experience, in the world of Italian designer Piero Fornasetti.

Piero Fornasetti is known as a painter, sculptor, interior designer, and book engraver, who created more than 13,000 items forming a magical world of luxury design with pieces ranging from furniture to porcelain plates. Each piece is characterized with wit, character and playfulness , which is inculcated in the stay package offered by the hotel.

bright colors, and dark colours with airy, comfortable pieces and intricate details. The looks take a true millennial style with a contrast between fitted and loose clothing, whimsical patterns, and matching from head-to-toe. These comfy, luxurious looks will have everyone buying. This collection has a look for every street style and personality.

For example, the letter R defines the inspiration for colors in his new collection: “R – Rainbow – A kaleidoscopic palette evolving from off-white to polychromatic, synchronously forming a holographic archway known to represent dreams. A motif in The Wizard of Oz, which provides construct to the SpringSummer 2019 collection.”

Looks contain neutral colors,

MICHAEL KORS AND DAVID DOWNTON CREATE A SPECIAL COLLECTION Fashion brand Michael Kors has collaborated with David Downton, a renowned artist of elegant portraits of the world’s most stylish women, to create a special edition capsule collection. Their designs, hitting stores this fall, debuted at the Michael Kors Fall 2018 collection runway show during New York Fashion Week.

Collaboration pieces include handbags featuring vague sketches of women.

Dresses also include these beautiful, rambunctious drawings, proving the reason for Mr. Downton’s work being celebrated in publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and The Times.

Other articles of clothing within the collection embrace funky or statement patterns, while others feature special and unusual textures. Looks seem to bring together professionalism with comfort for the perfect day-to-night look transfer. Each look contains a unique piece, sure to gain attention, prestige, and appraisal.

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LUXURY CANALI PRESENTS SPRING SUMMER 2019 COLLECTION WITH HYUN WOOK LEE Canali, with its’ traditions in tailormade luxury and men’s elegance, stays true to the Made in Italy excellence of the brand while presenting new looks for summer of 2019. The first ever collection by the brand’s newly appointed creative director, Hyun Wook Lee, is compartmentalized in four ‘rooms’: Equilibrium, Dynamism, Steadiness, and Inspiration.

From a bird’s eve view though, the suits are impeccably detailed using wool, silk and linen, and effuse warmth through their neutral colors.

Whether going to your full-time professional job, going on a date with a significant other, or having a night on the town with friends, these looks can transition you from day to night easily. Casual looks feature bomber jackets, suit jackets and trousers, an incredibly smooth raincoat, and easily loveable calfskin slip-on shoes. Colors are bolder and brighter here. Turn heads and make impressions in Canali’s Spring and Summer looks for 2019.

BREITLING OPENS FIRST FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUE IN BEIJING After half a year of construction, the first Breitling flagship boutique opens in Beijing. Known for its mechanically precise Swiss watches, the opening in Beijing proves the gaining popularity of the brand in Asia. The store is also the brand’s first in the continent.

Among the 100 guests in attendance was Actress Han Xue who said, “A wristwatch is a man’s best friend and should reflect a professional attitude, a dedication to precision, and a rich heritage, all of which I find with Breitling.” The boutique displays more than 200 exquisite timepieces for shoppers including the new Navitmer 8 novelties and exclusive limited editions. In the heart of WF Central, the boutique has a modern, artful representation from inside and out, revamping their long withstanding heritage of admired watches and stylish designs.

GRAND RESORT BAD RAGAZ IN SWITZERLAND OPENS NEW FAMILY SPA The popular Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has now opened a New Family Spa, giving a place for families to relax and have fun with their space. The luxury resort, known as a Wellness Destination

by Swiss Tourism, expanded to create a two-floor playground and swimming area for infants and children.

These pools range from 0.2 to 1.3 metres and sit at a soothing 33 degrees, where kids can enjoy activities such as Mermaid swimming, Aqua Latin dance, Saturday evening kids’ parties, and professional swimming lessons. Children can also get special massages such as the Funny Choco or Sweet Honey or manicures/pedicures with trendy nail polish and sparkling jewels.

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PAUL SMITH REVEALS ITS SPRING SUMMER 2019 COLLECTION Luxury brand Paul Smith presented its SS19 line on the runway at Paris Fashion Week. The line centres on tailoring for men and women.

Mr Smith takes gone-by trends such as, “big shoulders, big lapels and even bigger checks, wacky colours, and weird buttons� and reinvents them in a more comfortable, light-weight, everyday style.

BELMOND SAVUTE ELEPHANT LODGE LAUNCHES NEW LOOK THIS SUMMER Belmond Salute Elephant Lodge, one of three safari experiences in the heart of Chobe National Park, Botswana, has unveiled its new-look this season. In the midst of the wilderness, the lodge includes 12 tented rooms, spa, lounge, bar, open pool deck, fire-pit, and a wildlife viewing hide overlooking the watering hole. The unique viewing hide gives guests a view of wildlife at eye-level featuring lions, elephants, cheetahs, hyenas and antelope. Acclaimed wildlife photographer Stephen Tuengler will be capturing photos of the wildlife in celebration of the re-opening. Tucked beside the mysterious Savute Channel, the Belmond oasis uses local materials, a 95% solar grid system, and sustainable design popping with dramatic, rich textures and colours contrasting with the natural Savannah tones. Explorers can relax and document their daily safari adventures in bedrooms featuring writing desks and four-poster beds.

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ROBOTICS

Meet CIMON, the New Robot Friend of Astonauts in Space A science fiction-inspired robot hardwired to assist astronauts will launch from Florida early Friday morning to become the first personal, artificial intelligencepowered companion in space. The Crew Interactive Mobile Companion, or CIMON, is an English-speaking droid roughly the size of a basketball that will help German astronaut Alexander Gerst conduct experiments on the International Space Station.

hat we’re trying to do with CIMON is to increase the efficiency of the astronaut,” Matthias Biniok, an engineer for chip maker IBM and one of the lead architects behind CIMON’s artificial intelligence, told Reuters.

A Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying three astronauts from the International Space Station has landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan.

CIMON will verbally communicate step-by-step instructions to Gerst during three planned science experiments on the space station’s European module.

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says is an arduous process that a responsive, hands-free companion like CIMON can replace.

“Right now our main mission is to support the astronauts with their daily tasks to save time, because time is the most valuable and most expensive thing on the ISS,” Biniok said.

The German Aerospace Center plans for CIMON to undergo three one-hour sessions to demonstrate how well the robot can help with experiments, like a crystal growth study, a test for its eight on-board cameras and an exercise to help Gerst solve a Rubik’s cube. CIMON will return to Earth on Dec 13. Biniok said the concept of CIMON was inspired by a 1940s science fiction comic series

set in space, where a sentient, brainshaped robot named Professor Simon mentors an astronaut named Captain Future. Philipp Schulien, a German engineer for CIMON’s hardware contractor, Airbus, said extending astronauts’ abilities in space is imperative for future space exploration journeys, like the crewed missions to Mars that are scheduled to take off as early as 2020.

“There are certain effects that might appear during long-term missions like the so-called groupthink effect,” Schulien said, citing a behavioral phenomenon in which humans that spend lengthy periods of time in isolation are driven to make irrational decisions. “Long, isolated groups tend to stop communicating with the ground,” he said.

A robot like CIMON with human-like personalities could help mitigate the disorientation astronauts may feel in space, Schulien said. CIMON is among 5,900 pounds of cargo launching to the International Space Station on Friday, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

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WHATSAPP FINALLY EMPOWERS GROUP ADMINS WHATSAPP THE MOST POPULAR IP-BASED MESSAGING APP WORLDWIDE HAS FINALLY HEARD THE DEMAND OF ADMIN USERS OF ITS WILDLY POPULAR GROUPS FEATURE.

hatsApp has now started rolling out the “Send Messages” feature for WhatsApp beta users in Android as well as for iOS and Windows Mobile users, according to a report.

This feature is being remotely activated for WhatsApp beta version 2.18.201 users, although the site mentions that the roll-out is slow for Android, while it is comparatively faster for iOS and Windows Mobile. It will soon be enabled for the latest WhatsApp stable version for Android (2.18.191).

The “Send Messages” feature in groups lets group administrators disable chat features in a group. All other participants will not be able to send text messages, images, videos, and voice messages in the group if the “Only Admins” option is selected for the Send Messages feature. Group administrators are able to configure this setting by opening Group Info. Once the permission has been changed, all group participants will be notified in the group with a particular message.

When the “Only Admins” option is selected by an

administrator and only administrators can send messages, WhatsApp will hide the chat text input bar, alerting the user that messages cannot be sent.

However, users can quickly contact administrators if they want an important message to be sent.

Once the feature is enabled, users will also be able to configure it using WhatsApp Web. The “Send Messages” feature is a useful addition that can remove group clutter.

For the first time, the administrators will have the choice to allow only the administrators themselves to send messages to ensure lack of interruption by other users.

Users can also use the feature to close the group at night to block messages from users, and then re-open it it in the morning.

Users can download the latest version of WhatsApp beta to use this feature. The feature will be remotely activated for users of the latest version of WhatsApp stable for Android soon.

Earlier the service had added new group features in the form of the “Restrict Group Permissions” feature, which allows users to restrict permissions to admins only to change the group subject, subject, and info, as well as dismiss an admin feature for demoting an administrator.

With the most recent update, administrators of a group could no longer remove the group’s creator.

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HARD DISKS TO BE HISTORY SOON, FAST 128 TERABYTE SD CARDS COMING

Life would be so much easier and convenient if you could pack all your pictures, music and videos in a single SD card and not multiple portable hard drives. Well, that could soon become reality with SD Express, a new standard for SD memory card. he SD Association, which is a group of nearly 900 companies that together prescribe the standard for SD memory card, announced that the next memory card in line will have a theoretical maximum storage capacity of 128TB and a rapid data transfer rate of 985MB/s. The new standard integrates PCI Express and NVMe interfaces into SD memory cards to achieve the high transfer speeds and storage capacities. Both PCIe and NVMe are known for their high bandwidth and low latency storage.

“With SD Express we’re offering an entirely new level of memory card with faster protocols turning cards into a removable SSD,” said Hiroyuki Sakamoto, SDA president.

The latest upgrade is a giant leap from the current SD 6.0

standard, which supports max storage of 2TB and has a maximum data transfer rate of 624MB/s. With SD Express, you could store more than 25,000 HD movies on a single maximum capacity SD card. This will particularly be useful for recording 360degree videos and 8K videos.

The SD Express supported memory cards will also be helpful for story game files and data in consoles.

The SD Association has not revealed the roadmap as to when these memory cards will become commercially available. However, it is certain to be very much expensive. SanDisk’s 512GB Extreme Pro SDXC card costs about $300 and 1TB cards are yet to hit stores. The association has confirmed that SD Express will be offered only on SDUC, SDXC and SDHC memory cards initially.

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INVENTION

German Student Invents Stunning ' Mobile Airbag' Case

'MOBILE AIRBAG' CASE INVENTED BY STUDENT DEPLOYS WHEN YOU DROP YOUR SMARTPHONE. THE DESIGN WAS A THESIS PROJECT FOR A GERMAN ENGINEERING STUDENT, AND THE CASE DETECTS WHEN THE PHONE IS FALLING AND PROTRACTS SPRINGS FOR AN ACTIVE DAMPING FEATURE. German engineering student has invented a 'mobile airbag' case design that automatically deploys when a phone is dropped. We already have several case options in the market that can protect mobile devices from harm, such as cracks, scraps, water damage, and more. But usually, they come at a price apart from adding more bulk to the handsets that we have to carry around in our pockets. But a solution called AD (active damping) phone case, which has been registered for a patent, can detect when your handset is in a free fall. It then releases springs to make the phone bounces on the surface, damping the impact.

Philip Frenzel, a 25-year-old student

from Aalen University in Germany, came up with the idea after breaking his smartphone by throwing his jacket over a bannister. The impact had caused the electronics inside the handset to break. Frenzel then started looking for developing a system to prevent dropped phones from breaking. He wanted a case that is smaller and advanced instead of being big and bulky. Following four years of tinkering, he invented a case that comes with sensors that can detect when the phone is in free-fall.

The sensors present in the 'mobile airbag' case prompts the release of four springs that cause the phone to bounce when it hits the ground, giving higher chances of avoiding scrapes and cracks. The dampers in

the case are pushed into an 'airbag' position with metal springs, and they essentially help in absorbing the impact of the fall. Once deployed, the dampers can be pushed back into the case, meaning you can use it again.

Notably, the 'mobile airbag' or AD case is currently not available for purchase yet. However, Frenzel has acquired a patent and also received an award from the German Society of Mechatronics for his invention. There is a video posted by public broadcaster Sudwestrundfunk, in which Frenzel demonstrates how the invention works. As per the video, the AD Case adds minimal weight to a phone while offering significant protection against drop-shock. Frenzel is reportedly planning to commercialise the case starting with a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

Frenzel also won the Mechatronics Prize 2018 awarded by by German Society for Mechatronics for his work.

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POLITICS

The BSP-SP Alliance to be a Game Changer It is not one party but an alliance, and a truly important one, which is taking shape as the primary challenger to the BJP. It is the BSP-SP alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

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here is a lot of talk about a ‘Mahagatbandhan’, or a Grand Alliance, of the Opposition in the run up to 2019. But it is becoming increasingly clear that there will be no pan-India coming together of all non-BJP parties. What the polity is witnessing is that in each state, the strongest force - be it the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal or the Congress in Rajasthan - will end up as the primary competitor to the BJP. It is only on the basis of the outcome in each state that there could be the coming together of all parties at the national level, after the election.

But there is one big exception: Uttar Pradesh.

There, it is not one party but an alliance, and a truly important one, which is taking shape as

the primary challenger to the BJP. Few would have expected the Samajwadi Party (SP)and the Bhaujan Samaj Party (BSP)to come together after decades of acrimony. But the impulse for political survival has brought together Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati. The initial seeds were laid in Gorakhpur and Phulpur, byelections in which the BSP supported SP candidates. It received a boost in the Kairana bypoll in which both, either directly or indirectly, extended support to the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)?candidate. It deepened with a broad understanding between the two parties that while the BSP would contest more Lok Sabha seats, the SP would have a greater share of seats in the assembly. And it has got buttressed further with reports that SP and BSP will not poach leaders and workers from each other’s party.

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JK LAKSHMIPAT UNIVERSITY

A GURUKUL FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

It is remarkable to chronicle the long strides JK Lakshmipat University has taken during the seven years since its inception.

It has been possible only due to the corporate vision of the 125 year old JK Organisation and renowned academicians like its President & Vice Chancellor Dr. RL Raina, who is equally known for his corporate experience. No wonder then that, soon after the success of its two Centres for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and for Communication & Critical Thinking, Jaipur

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By John Antony

based JKLU is pioneering two more Centres of Excellence, in Operations Excellence and Data Sciences. In a rapidly changing world, students of JKLU are thus empowered to learn experientially with the mentoring of cuttingedge professionals at these centres. The university has also launched a new groundbreaking Pinnacle MBA program with a worldclass faculty and facilities.

W

hen it comes to learning activities like cycling or swimming, no one has any doubt that these are best learned on a cycle and in water, respectively. Not best learned, but such experiential learning is the only way to learn these tasks. Yet, when it comes to education, especially professional higher education, even many academicians make the mistake that it is classroom learning that is the most important component.

It is in this situation that JK Lakshmipat University was founded at Jaipur in 2011 with an innovative focus on experiential learning or learning-bydoing. The force behind the new private university was the 125 year old JK Organisation led by Bharat Hari Singhania and home to companies like JK Lakshmi Cement, JK Papers, JK Tyre, Umang Dairies Ltd, Fenner India etc, and also having sister concerns like JK Technosoft, JK Cotton and Raymond group of companies.

The Board of Management at JK Lakshmipath University has three leaders from JK Organisation - Bharat Hari Singhania, Dr. RP Singhania, HP Singhania and Vinita Singhania all of them renowned industrialists managing different JK companies, with Bharat Hari Singhania who is President of JK Organisation as the university’s Chancellor. Chief Financial Officer of JK Lakshmi Cement, SA Bidkar also represents JKO in the Board.

The rest of the Board of Management of JKLU, is packed with renowned academicians and corporate achievers.

Renowned academician and former corporate consultant Dr. RL Raina runs the show as JKLU’s President and Vice Chancellor. Former Dean of IIM, Lucknow, he has been an expert in experiential learning or learning-bydoing in management training.

Other members include Prof. MS Ananth, Former Director, IIT, Madras; Dr. Pritam Singh, Former Director General, IMI, Former Director, MDI &

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IIML; Pratip Chaudhuri, Former Chairman, State Bank of India, Prof.

Rajendra K Srivastava, Dean, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad and Former Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs), Singapore Management University; and Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha, Founder & Managing Director, Nine Dot Nine Mediaworx Pvt Ltd; apart from a Nominee Director of Rajasthan Government and JKLU's Registrar.

Now, there are different ways in which JKLU implements experiential learning across its pedagogy. But what comes across as unique and most innovative is how the university has started Centres of Excellence in select areas to execute experiential learning.

The first two of these Centres,- the Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the Centre for Communication & Critical Thinking,

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have already been operational since the last few years and have been working very closely with the students, with impressive achievements to cite.

The Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation of JKLU ensures that smart student-led business ideas and promising ventures get the support and patronage they deserve and need.

The Centre proactively builds a culture of mentorship and incubation that is so critical to entrepreneurial success.

The Centre provides a co- working space of entrepreneurs and encourage the young minds to innovate and think creatively, which can thus be implemented for the benefit of our society. Already, the Centre is proud to have been involved in helping build two student

ventures in the last two years.

One of them, Sizot, is a branding and marketing agency whose expertise extends over a wide gamut of services from website and content development, online marketing, social media & search marketing, media planning & buying to video & animation production and their deployment.

The second one, Act for Future, is a social entrepreneurship venture. It is an organization which works on education and environment welfare.

AFF’s mission is to reduce ecological footprints and increase environmental & Human justice through systemic change brought about through partnerships, capacity building at the grassroots, advocacy, and research, and sustainable, scalable models on the ground.

Both these ventures mirror JKLU’s belief in the power of entrepreneurship to change lives, societies, and countries. Their success has given the Centre additional impetus to generate awareness about entrepreneurship among students and for nurturing entrepreneurial

competencies among them.

The second Centre for Excellence from JKLU is the Centre for Communication and Critical Thinking (CCCT). It is a space that helps in creating a cadre of professionals that are gearing up to be problem solvers of tomorrow. It is one of the many innovations in technical and management education at the University and plays an important part in the learning journey of JKLU students.

The Centre has already made a mark in meeting the objectives the university had entrusted it with. These include, helping students to identify, construct, evaluate and articulate arguments persuasively; helping students to communicate effectively and with structure, both written and verbal; helping students to understand the connection,

relevance and importance of ideas and appreciate different perspectives; and helping students to reflect on the justification of one’s own beliefs and values.

Like in the best Western universities, especially in the US, the Centre uses the constructs of liberal arts, scientific temper, written expression and interpersonal communication to inculcate and develop the ability for critical thought. It works with students alongside their programme through credit courses, workshops, one-onone sessions and consultations to specific needs.

JKLU’s CCCT is all set to scale greater heights in the coming years, as the need for critical thinking and problem solving is rising at an unprecedented scale. In a world so interlinked with technology today, companies as well as communities need individuals who can think beyond the machines and standardized processes.

The future-ready professionals of tomorrow should be able to analyse situations from multiple perspectives and get to the real root of any problem

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Dr. Pritam Singh - they should be able to think critically, solve problems creatively and communicate their thoughts effectively. JKLU has set up CCCT on the belief that as businesses, economies and societies are becoming more and more complex, the need for people who ask the right questions instead of looking for the right answers is also increasing.

This approach of furthering experiential learning through Centres of Excellence is gathering pace at JKLU. During its latest and 6th convocation, the university announced the launch of two more Centres of Excellence - the Centre for Operations Excellence and the Centre for Data Sciences. The selection of these domains prove that JKLU has the pulse of the industry at its fingertips,

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Mr. Pratip Chaudhuri

thanks to the patronage of JK Organisation. Indeed, these two new areas are where most of the sunrise jobs are being created.

JKLU’s new Centre for Operations Excellence will be a multi-disciplinary centre with capabilities in supply chain, manufacturing and service operations. The Centre will be led by Dr. Yugal Nauhria, Associate Professor at JKLU, who brings versatile experience of consulting with clients in leading organisations including KPMG and McKinsey as well as line management experience from organisations like Ola and Flipkart. The centre will initially offer expertise in four different areas viz. powerful diagnostics, capability building workshops, operations excellence assessment and benchmarking and

Prof. Rajendra K Srivastava

facilitation for global awards such as Deming Grand Prize and TPM Excellence Award.

JKLU’s new Centre for Data Sciences reflects the university’s focus on emerging areas which are impacting business and jobs across sectors. The Centre will be led by Dr. Alok Kumar, Associate Professor at JKLU, who has rich professional experience in Data Science Consulting, Data Products, Big Data Implementation, Big Data Visualization, Data Management and Maintenance including as Data Science Consultant at UGhent, Belgium. The centre has competencies in Data Cataloging, Capability Building for Data-Driven Culture, Analytics Solutions and data science approaches in areas such as fraud analytics, sensor analytics, business intelligence,

Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha

Prof. M.S Ananth

resource optimization, investment modelling, marketing analytics, big data technologies, predictive analytics, machine learning, IoT streaming analysis and many more.

Yet another way in which JKLU has been pioneering the experiential learning program is new innovative courses that breaks new ground even at the national or international stage.

One such is the new Pinnacle MBA from the university.

The Pinnacle MBA is a unique, full time residential degree programme that is reimagining management education, by providing the students with a platform to learn-by-doing.

Architected by a group of distinguished professionals and academicians, including Dr. Pramath Raj Sinha, founding Dean of Indian School of

Dr. RL Raina Business Hyderabad and JKLU Pro Vice-Chancellor Asheesh Gupta, a former consultant at McKinsey & Company who subsequently led the establishment of McKinsey's experiential learning capabilities in Asia, this programme is designed to help students think critically, solve problems creatively, adapt and learn quickly, work well in teams and communicate effectively.

Pinnacle MBA will provide one-of-akind environment to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to a real-life business as students will be required to undertake a two-year experiential project, where they will go through the entire process, from ideation to execution, of a start-up journey. Additionally, the curriculum brings in perspectives of multidisciplinary courses delivered by

Asheesh Gupta

experts and practitioners. Students will learn from management studies, liberal arts and also focus on their own development as an individual.

Unique to this programme, the students will also gain business understanding of key technologies like Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and Automation, so that they can confidently approach the future.

Since the students will interact with some of the best experts, faculty and mentors, learn in an environment with state-of-the-art facilities and be a part of a unique reimagined management curriculum, the total cost of the programme is INR 15,00,000. However, JKLU is awarding all students joining the first batch of the programme a Pinnacle Scholarship of up to 50% of this cost.

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INTERNATIONAL

Nepal Exploiting Both China & India NEPALESE PRIME MINISTER KP SHARMA OLI’S VISIT TO CHINA LAST WEEK WAS NOT QUITE THE BLOCKBUSTER IT WAS MADE OUT TO BE, GIVEN HIS IDEOLOGICAL LEANING TOWARDS BEIJING. INSTEAD, IT REFLECTED THE HEALTHY REALISM THAT NEPAL CANNOT BUILD TIES WITH CHINA AT THE EXPENSE OF INDIA.

14mong the agreements the two countries announced was a decision to extend China’s Tibet railway from the Tibetan city of Shigatse, north of Sikkim and 248 km to the west of Lhasa, to the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. In the first stage, a 564-km line would connect Shigatse to Kerung, 24 km from the China-Nepal border, while the second stage of the project entails developing a 174-km link to Kathmandu, across the Himalayas.

This opens up the dramatic possibility of the first trans-Himalayan rail link that could go all the way to India. Recall that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in April, when Oli was visiting New Delhi, that India and Nepal would build a railway line connecting Kathmandu with India.

There are, of course, many obstacles in the way before these dream projects can be executed – the terrain, the danger of earthquakes and, not in the least, the way they will be financed.

Nepal would ideally like outright grants, though neither China nor India would be inclined to agree. A more relevant question is whether a transHimalayan railway is economically viable. The volume of trans-Himalayan trade, current and potential, and the thinly populated Tibetan region do not suggest it is.

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were billed as “game changer” agreements with China, including a transit and trade memorandum of understanding designed to end Nepal’s dependence on India. Besides road and rail links, Nepal sought to develop new fibre optic links and a petroleum supply agreement with China to bypass India.

After the 2015 border blockade led to tensions with India, an angry Nepal had signed agreements with China to reduce its dependence on New Delhi.

After the 2015 border blockade led to tensions with India, an angry Nepal had

signed agreements with China to reduce its dependence on New Delhi. (Photo credit: AFP) Oli swept the 2017 general elections on a platform of opposing India. But bowing to reality, he decided to hit reset in his ties with India and ensured that his first visit abroad in April was to New Delhi.

By then, Oli had realised that there was a geographical limit to the extent to which China could help Nepal reduce its dependence on India. This is evident from the fact that even today, Nepal remains totally dependent on India for its internet

Tibet-Nepal trade originally went through Kalimpong in West Bengal. After the SinoIndian dust-up in 1959, it moved across to the Kodari highway to Kathmandu.

Chinese proposal for a rail link from Kerung to Lumbini in Nepal’s Terai region, bordering India.

This had set off alarm bells in New Delhi, which were heard in Kathmandu. And so, a compromise of sorts has been arrived at that will enable the Indian and Chinese railway systems to meet in Kathmandu. India has been reluctant to directly take up any kind of trilateral cooperation in Nepal with China. This reluctance stems partly from its refusal to support Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative and partly from its belief that its relationship with Nepal is

The Chinese had, in any case, planned to link Kerung with Shigatse, the terminal point of their railroad into Tibet, by 2020. Now, it seems that they would like to extend the link to Kathmandu itself.

The 2016 trade and transit treaty allows Nepal to use China’s sea ports – which are, of course, more than 3,000 km away. Nepal, therefore, has more to gain by linking with the Indian system and using Indian or Bangladeshi ports. Economic benefit is more likely to flow from the proposed 141-km Kathmandu-Raxaul line and broader links to the Indian railway system, towards Delhi in the west and Guwahati and Kolkata in the east, and to Bangladesh.

The extensive Indian railway system touches the Nepal border across its length in the south. But north-south linkages are virtually non-existent, as are railroads in the Terai. In recent years, efforts have been made to link the Indian system to the Nepal border at five points.

Following Oli’s visit, India has agreed to carry out “preparatory survey work within one year” and move towards a detailed project report as far as the Kathmandu-Raxaul line is concerned.

It has also committed to completing smaller cross-border railway linkages from Jayanagar (Bihar) to Janakpur and from Jogbani (Bihar) to Biratnagar Customs Yard within this year. In addition, work to complete the Jayanagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar rail links will be given priority.

connections and oil supply. Indeed, during Oli’s India visit, he and Modi inaugurated a 69-km oil pipeline project linking Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhganj in Nepal, which is scheduled to be completed by March 2019.

During the visit, the two countries also spoke of plans to boost ties in the areas of defence, security and connectivity.

Modi announced a new railway line connecting Raxaul in Bihar to Kathmandu. There was some important signalling here, considering an earlier

qualitatively different from that of China.

Tibet-Nepal trade originally went through Kalimpong in West Bengal.

After the Sino-Indian dust-up in 1959, it moved across to the Kodari highway to Kathmandu. But the Nepal earthquake of 2015 shattered the old Kodari route, which remains closed and the Chinese appear reluctant to reopen it in a hurry. In the meantime, the Chinese have opened another border crossing to Rasuwagadhi, though the infrastructure here is far from complete.

In the second phase of cross-border rail link projects, the two sides will take up connections between New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and Kakarbhitta in Nepal, Nautanwa in Uttar Pradesh and Bhairawa across the border, and Nepalgunj Road in Uttar Pradesh and Nepalgunj in Nepal. Whether these links are viable will depend more on the economic logic of Nepal-India relations rather than on political optics.

(By Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.)

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By John Antony

AISECT GROUP OF UNIVERSITIES

STUDY IN ANY FOUR INDIAN STATES, SUCCEED IN CAREER, EQUALLY AISECT Group of Universities are today four in number, spread across the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Despite focusing on the Hindi speaking heartland and relatively backward states, AISECT Universities have worked wonders for their students by way of campus placements, research outlook and entrepreneurship development, at a scale and pace that would make big-city based private universities jealous. he higher education policies of India started allowing deemed and private universities in the country more than a decade back, with the lofty objective of raising the country’s Gross Enrolment Ratio or GER. But how far many of these institutions have done their part in raising India’s abysmally low GER is debatable.

One prime reason for this has been the rush to set up these new private universities in India’s metros and other large cities, where the existing Gross Enrolment Ratio was much higher than the national average. The real challenge was to encourage these private universities to set shop in India’s tier-2 or tier-3 cities, or even the semi-urban or rural areas where the GER was the lowest, even below the national average.

In the absence of any such mandatory requirement, practically no universities came forward with such a mission as it was far more easier to get students in the larger cities. AISECT Group of Universities belong to a different league, and should be counted among the handful of private universities who rose to meet this challenge voluntarily.

Today, under the visionary guidance of its Founder and Chancellor Santosh K Choubey, AISECT Group of Universities are functioning in four Indian states, specifically in four relatively backward states, and at tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

There is also another side to this unique initiative. While the government and academic circles lament about the low Gross Enrolment Ratio, the main concern of industries the poor employability of more than half of the professional graduates being churned out by both the government and private colleges and universities.

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This is where the high placement achievement of AISECT Group of Universities stands a notch apart.

Despite serving relatively backward states, AISECT institutions have been able to fare as high as private universities in metros, and in some cases, even better.

The reason for this outperformance in placements has been the promoting group, AISECT’s unparalleled experience and expertise in employability training for more than three decades, that is much before it came into the universities scene.

Founded in 1985, AISECT takes pride in being India’s largest education, skill development, services and egovernance network.

Through sustained and innovative ICT and skills-based initiatives, AISECT aim was to bring about an inclusive change in the previously untapped regions in the semi-urban and rural areas of the country. AISECT has a pan-India presence with a network of 12,000 centres at district, block and panchayat levels across 27 states and 3 Union Territories as well as offices in over 30 cities.

Through the plethora of programs, academies and platforms, AISECT has trained over 1.6 million people, generated over 12,000 rural entrepreneurs, created employment avenues within the AISECT network for

The reason for this outperformance in placements has been the promoting group, AISECT’s unparalleled experience and expertise in employability training for more than three decades, that is much before it came into the universities scene.

more than 50,000 people and empowered the lives of over 3 million people through innovative services.

AISECT has also pioneered the MultiPurpose Centre Model which has led to a strong presence in over 388 districts, 1,070 blocks and 6,000 panchayats. Their unique business model was even recognized as “the most sustainable and scalable form of IT penetration and popularization in India” in a pilot study conducted by World Bank in collaboration with IIMAhmedabad.

With such an impressive background in employability training as well as career placements, it was no wonder that AISECT Group of Universities moved swiftly to forge tie-ups with corporate recruitment partners, and came up with flying colours in their graduate placements too.

However, Chancellor Santosh K Choubey has also been farsighted enough to realize early on that the even higher achievement would be moulding entrepreneurs, and today AISECT Universities are among the forefront of all private and public universities in the country when it comes to incubating start-ups.

The Group Universities include Rabindranath Tagore University (formerly AISECT University) of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh; Dr. CV Raman University of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh;

AISECT University of Hazaribag, Jharkhand, and its latest university, Dr. CV Raman University of Vaishali, Bihar.

The admission to various courses in these four universities are through a common entrance, the AISECT Joint Entrance Exam 2018, which will be conducted in both offline and online modes for the convenience of aspiring students.

The AISECT Group of Universities is India’s leading higher education group whose mission is to establish worldclass, accessible and affordable universities at locations that are in dire need of quality higher education ecosystem. The Group’s core ideology across all its higher education endeavors has been to groom its students into responsible, proficient and ethical professionals. With over three decades of unparalleled experience in skill development and job placement, the Group offers its students immense opportunities through its extensive industry linkages and expertise in entrepreneurship sector.

AISECT Group of Universities’ main focus is on research-intensive educational pedagogy that promotes research on topics concerning local, national and international issues.

Housing 7 Advanced Research Centres of Excellence across its higher education institutions, the Group promotes massive in-house funding for various research activities; with over 800 research papers and 50 books credited to the name of its faculty members and scholars’ community. It also publishes 2 in-houses UGC approved Copernicus indexed Research Journals.

All its universities are recognized under section 2(f) of the UGC Act and Dr. C.V. Raman University is the only private University in Chhattisgarh accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation

Mr. Santosh Kumar Choubey Chancellor, AISECT University Council (NAAC).The efforts of the institutions in imparting affordable quality education in education-deprived areas have been recognized by some of the biggest platforms at national and international level; including the World Education Awards Dubai (2015, 2016, and 2017), ASSOCHAM Excellence in Education Awards 2014, World Education Summit 2014, NIELIT Award 2014, Chhattisgarh Achievers Award 2013, Rajiv Gandhi Achievers Award for Education 2013 and Shiksha Ratna Awards 2012 amongst others. Further achievements include being ranked as no. 1 Private University in Central India

by Careers360, being featured in the NIRF India rankings, being ranked 2nd on ‘value for money’ parameter by Outlook Money and being ranked as one of the leading private universities

AISECT Group of Universities’ main focus is on researchintensive educational pedagogy that promotes research on topics concerning local, national and international issues.

by Outlook India.

Universities under this prestigious Group hold a platinum partnership with Microsoft Ed-vantage and extensive linkages with international institutions like ICE WaRM (Australia), University of SIGEN (Germany), NCTU (Taiwan), Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute (USA), KAIST (South Korea), KYIV University (Ukraine), Tribhuvan University (Nepal), Benaka Biotechnologies Inc (USA) and MoI University Eldoret (Kenya). Moreover, owing to the extensive industry linkages the Group has developed over the last three decades, all its Universities are equipped to offer excellent placement opportunities and assistance to students.

The admissions into AISECT Group of Universities’ higher education institutions are held on the basis of the AISECT Joint Entrance Examination (AJEE). It is the common entrance test for Engineering, Science, Commerce, Education, Law, Management, Agriculture, Nursing and Paramedical courses across all the universities under the Group. Held in both offline and online modes, the examination enables students to outline the institute corresponding to his/her expertise and SM interest.

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PARENTING

Technology-Obsession Leads to Low Quality Parenting YET FOR ALL THE TALK ABOUT CHILDREN’S SCREEN TIME, SURPRISINGLY LITTLE ATTENTION IS PAID TO SCREEN USE BY PARENTS THEMSELVES, WHO NOW SUFFER FROM WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY EXPERT LINDA STONE MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO CALLED “CONTINUOUS PARTIAL ATTENTION. martphones have by now been implicated in so many crummy outcomes car fatalities, sleep disturbances, empathy loss, relationship problems, failure to notice a clown on a unicycle that it almost seems easier to list the things they don’t mess up than the things they do. Our society may be reaching peak criticism of digital devices.

Even so, emerging research suggests that a key problem remains underappreciated. It involves kids’ development, but it’s probably not what you think. More than screen-obsessed young children, we should be concerned about tuned-out parents.

Yes, parents now have more face time with their children than did almost any parents in history. Despite a dramatic increase in the percentage of women in the workforce, mothers today astoundingly spend more time caring for their children than mothers did in the 1960s. But the engagement between parent and child is increasingly lowquality, even ersatz. Parents are constantly present in their children’s lives physically, but they are less emotionally attuned. To be clear, I’m not unsympathetic to parents in this predicament. My own adult children like to joke that they wouldn’t have survived infancy if I’d had a smartphone in my clutches 25 years ago.

To argue that parents’ use of screens is an underappreciated problem isn’t to discount the direct risks screens pose to children: Substantial evidence suggests that many types of screen time (especially those involving fast-paced or violent imagery) are damaging to young Seasonal Magazine

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brains. Today’s preschoolers spend more than four hours a day facing a screen. And, since 1970, the average age of onset of “regular” screen use has gone from 4 years to just four months.

Some of the newer interactive games kids play on phones or tablets may be more benign than watching TV (or YouTube), in that they better mimic children’s natural play behaviors. And, of course, many well-functioning adults survived a mind-numbing childhood spent watching a lot of cognitive garbage. (My mother—unusually for her

T

he new parentalinteraction style can interrupt an ancient emotional cueing system, whose hallmark is responsive communication, the basis of most human learning.

time—prohibited Speed Racer and Gilligan’s Island on the grounds of insipidness. That I somehow managed to watch every single episode of each show scores of times has never been explained.) Still, no one really disputes the tremendous opportunity costs to young children who are plugged in to a screen: Time spent on devices is time not spent actively exploring the world and relating to other human beings.

This condition is harming not just us, as Stone has argued; it is harming our children. The new parental-interaction style can interrupt an ancient emotional cueing system, whose hallmark is responsive communication, the basis of most human learning. We’re in uncharted territory.

Child-development experts have different names for the dyadic signaling system between adult and child, which builds the basic architecture of the brain.

Jack P. Shonkoff, a pediatrician and the director of Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, calls it the “serve and return” style of communication; the psychologists Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff describe a “conversational duet.” The vocal patterns parents everywhere tend to adopt during exchanges with infants and toddlers are marked by a higherpitched tone, simplified grammar, and engaged, exaggerated enthusiasm.

Though this talk is cloying to adult observers, babies can’t get enough of it.

Not only that: One study showed that infants exposed to this interactive, emotionally responsive speech style at 11 months and 14 months knew twice as many words at age 2 as ones who weren’t exposed to it.

Child development is relational, which is why, in one experiment, nine-monthold babies who received a few hours of Mandarin instruction from a live human could isolate specific phonetic elements in the language while another group of babies who received the exact same instruction via video could not.

According to Hirsh-Pasek, a professor at Temple University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, more and more studies are confirming the importance of conversation. “Language is the single best predictor of school achievement,” she told me, “and the key to strong language skills are those backand-forth fluent conversations between young children and adults.”

I

n the early 2010s, researchers in Boston surreptitiously observed 55 caregivers eating with one or more children in fastfood restaurants. attention to the physical dangers posed by distracted parenting, but we have been slower to reckon with its impact on children’s cognitive development.

“Toddlers cannot learn when we break the flow of conversations by picking up our cellphones or looking at the text that whizzes by our screens,” Hirsh-Pasek said.

In the early 2010s, researchers in Boston surreptitiously observed 55 caregivers eating with one or more children in fastfood restaurants. Forty of the adults were absorbed with their phones to varying degrees, some almost entirely ignoring the children (the researchers found that typing and swiping were bigger culprits in this regard than taking a call).

Unsurprisingly, many of the children began to make bids for attention, which were frequently ignored. A follow-up study brought 225 mothers and their approximately 6-year-old children into a familiar setting and videotaped their

interactions as each parent and child were given foods to try. During the observation period, a quarter of the mothers spontaneously used their phone, and those who did initiated substantially fewer verbal and nonverbal interactions with their child.

Yet another rigorously designed experiment, this one conducted in the Philadelphia area by Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff, and Temple’s Jessa Reed, tested the impact of parental cellphone use on children’s language learning.

Thirty-eight mothers and their 2-yearolds were brought into a room. The mothers were then told that they would need to teach their children two new words (blicking, which was to mean “bouncing,” and frepping, which was to mean “shaking”) and were given a phone so that investigators could contact them from another room. When the mothers were interrupted by a call, the children did not learn the word, but otherwise they did. In an ironic coda to this study, the researchers had to exclude seven mothers from the analysis, because they didn’t answer the phone, “failing to follow protocol.”

Good for them!

It has never been easy to balance adults’ and children’s needs, much less their

A problem therefore arises when the emotionally resonant adult–child cueing system so essential to early learning is interrupted—by a text, for example, or a quick check-in on Instagram. Anyone who’s been mowed down by a smartphone-impaired stroller operator can attest to the ubiquity of the phenomenon. One consequence of such scenarios has been noted by an economist who tracked a rise in children’s injuries as smartphones became prevalent. (AT&T rolled out smartphone service at different times in different places, thereby creating an intriguing natural experiment. Area by area, as smartphone adoption rose, childhood ER visits increased.) These findings attracted a decent bit of media Seasonal Magazine

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desires, and it’s naive to imagine that children could ever be the unwavering center of parental attention. Parents have always left kids to entertain themselves at times—“messing about in boats,” in a memorable phrase from The Wind in the Willows, or just lounging aimlessly in playpens. In some respects, 21st-century children’s screen time is not very different from the mother’s helpers every generation of adults has relied on to keep children occupied. When parents lack playpens, real or proverbial, mayhem is rarely far behind. Caroline Fraser’s recent biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of Little House on the Prairie, describes the exceptionally ad hoc parenting style of 19th-century frontier parents, who stashed babies on the open doors of ovens for warmth and otherwise left them vulnerable to “all manner of accidents as their mothers tried to cope with competing responsibilities.” Wilder herself recounted a variety of near-calamities with her young daughter, Rose; at one point she looked up from her chores to see a pair of riding ponies leaping over the toddler’s head.

Occasional parental inattention is not catastrophic (and may even build resilience), but chronic distraction is another story. Smartphone use has been associated with a familiar sign of addiction: Distracted adults grow irritable when their phone use is interrupted; they not only miss emotional cues but actually misread them. A tuned-out parent may be quicker to anger than an engaged one, assuming that a child is trying to be manipulative when, in reality, she just wants attention. Short, deliberate separations can of course be harmless, even healthy, for parent and child alike (especially as children get older and require more independence). But that sort of separation is different from the inattention that occurs when a parent is with a child but communicating through his or her nonengagement that the child is less valuable than an email. A mother telling kids to go out and play, a father saying he needs to concentrate on a chore for the next half hour—these are entirely reasonable responses to the competing demands of adult life. What’s going on today, however, is the rise of Seasonal Magazine

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unpredictable care, governed by the beeps and enticements of smartphones.

We seem to have stumbled into the worst model of parenting imaginable— always present physically, thereby blocking children’s autonomy, yet only fitfully present emotionally.

FIXING THE PROBLEM WON’T BE EASY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT IT IS COMPOUNDED BY DRAMATIC CHANGES IN EDUCATION.

Fixing the problem won’t be easy, especially given that it is compounded by dramatic changes in education. More young children than ever (about twothirds of 4-year-olds) are in some form of institutional care, and recent trends in early-childhood education have filled many of their classrooms with highly scripted lessons and dull, one-sided “teacher talk.” In such environments, children have few One piece of good news is that young children are prewired to get what they need from adults, as most of us discover the first time our diverted gaze is jerked back by a pair of pudgy, reproaching hands. Young children will do a lot to get a distracted adult’s attention, and if we don’t change our behavior, they will attempt to do it for us; we can expect to see a lot more tantrums as today’s toddlers age into school. But eventually, children may give up. It takes two to tango, and studies from Romanian orphanages showed the world that there are limits to what a baby brain can do without a willing dance partner. The truth is, we don’t really know how much our kids will suffer when we fail to engage.

Of course, adults are also suffering from the current arrangement. Many have built their daily life around the miserable premise that they can always be on— always working, always parenting, always available to their spouse and their own parents and anyone else who might need them, while also staying on top of the news, while also remembering, on the walk to the car, to order more toilet paper from Amazon. They are stuck in the digital equivalent of the spin cycle.

O

ne piece of good news is that young children are prewired to get what they need from adults, as most of us discover the first time our diverted gaze is jerked back by a pair of pudgy, reproaching hands.

Under the circumstances, it’s easier to focus our anxieties on our children’s screen time than to pack up our own devices. I understand this tendency all too well. In addition to my roles as a mother and a foster parent, I am the maternal guardian of a middle-aged, overweight dachshund. Being middleaged and overweight myself, I’d much rather obsess over my dog’s caloric intake, restricting him to a grim diet of fibrous kibble, than address my own food regimen and relinquish (heaven forbid) my morning cinnamon bun.

Psychologically speaking, this is a classic case of projection—the defensive displacement of one’s failings onto relatively blameless others. Where screen time is concerned, most of us need to do a lot less projecting.

If we can get a grip on our “technoference,” as some psychologists have called it, we are likely to find that we can do much more for our children simply by doing less—regardless of the quality of their schooling and quite apart from the number of hours we devote to them. Parents should give themselves permission to back off from the suffocating pressure to be all things to all people. Put your kid in a playpen, already! Ditch that soccer-game appearance if you feel like it. Your kid will be fine. But when you are with your child, put down your damned phone.

TRUMP ACCUSES INDIA OF CHARGING 100% DUTY ON AMERICAN PRODUCTS India and the US will hold their first 2+2 dialogue next week.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be in the US for talks with their American counterparts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis.

AMAZON & GOOGLE COMPETE IN SLASHING SMART SPEAKER PRICES IN INDIA After Amazon Echo, Google Home, Home Mini prices on Flipkart slashed.

G

We have countries where,

oogle has quietly cut the prices of its two smart speakers available in India. The Google Home, and the Home Mini are both available at a cut price on Flipkart.

Earlier this year, Google had launched the Home and Home Mini, priced at Rs 9,999 and Rs 4,499, respectively. After the price cut, the Home is now available on Flipkart for Rs 8,499. The Home Mini, on the other hand, is now available on Flipkart for Rs 3,699.

What I would like to do and what I offered at the G7, you remember, I said let's drop all tariffs and all barriers, he said.

Is everybody OK with that? And nobody said yes. I said wait a minute folks, you're complaining. No tariffs and no barriers, you're on your own, let's do it. And it was like they couldn't leave the room fast enough, he said recollecting his conversation with G-7 leaders in Canada recently.

Other countries are negotiating (with US). Without tariffs, you could never do that. If they don't want to negotiate, then we'll do the tariffs, Trump told reporters at the White House.

Just remember, we're the bank. We're the bank that everybody wants to steal from and plunder and can't be that way anymore. We lost USD 500 billion last year with China. We lost USD 151 billion with the European Union, which puts up great barriers so that our farmers can't trade, he said.

We can't send farm products in for the most part. It's very hard to send cars in, he said.

In addition to the price cut, there are a few more deals on offer to tempt buyers. Flipkart is offering an additional discount of Rs 1,000 if you purchase two units of the Home or the Home Mini. If you purchasing using a HDFC Bank card, you will be

as an example, India, they charge up as much as 100 per cent tariff. We want the tariffs removed, Trump said.

He was responding to a question in his recent decisions to impose tariffs on import of foreign products.

Trump has defended it by arguing that this is in retaliation to the imbalance of trade that the US has with major trading partners including China, the European Union and India.

India and the US will hold their first 2+2 dialogue next week.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be in the US for talks with their American counterparts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis.

entitled to a 10 percent cashback. Axis Bank Buzz credit card users, on the other hand, are entitled to a five percent cashback.

Lastly, Google is also offering six months free Play Music subscription for first-time users. Besides Flipkart, Google’s smart speakers are also available offline across 750 retail stores.

These price cuts can be seen as a response to Amazon India slashing the prices of its Echo speakers earlier in this month. The company specifically slashed the prices of the Echo Dot and the Echo. The Echo Dot, launched for Rs 4,499, is now available for Rs 4,099. The Echo, launched for Rs 9,999, is now available for Rs 8,999.

Amazon’s Echo Plus and Echo Spot continue to be available at their launch prices – Rs 14,999 and Rs 12,999 respectively.

These price cuts do make it even more difficult to choose which smart speakers to buy. For quite sometime now Amazon and Google have been battling to dominate the smart speaker space.

While the Jeff Bezos-led company has been the leader for a while now, Google is slowly clawing its way to the top.

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ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY

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Dominating the North East

W

hen it comes to choosing a private university in the North Eastern region, Guwahati based Assam Down Town University is surpassing its position every year, providing all the nourishment needed for a student’s overall growth and therefore manifests itself as one of the best universities to choose from. Spreading over 80 acres with all the modern educational infrastructure as well as facilities for extracurricular activities, ADTU is also a powerhouse when it comes to campus placements.

Major organizations recruiting from ADTU include Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, Oberoi Group, Cipla, Sun

Pharmaceuticals, Taj Group, Accor Hotels, Lemon Tree Hotels, Indigo, Spice Jet, Patanjali, Genpact, NH Hospitals, Asian Heart Institute, HCL etc. And more than that, ADTU has been facilitating all students in North East by conducting what is perhaps the largest and most successful job fairs in the region for four years in a row now. Known equally for catering to traditional courses that are still in demand like engineering and MBA, as well as for emerging sunrise courses like in cybersecurity, ADTU has always been innovating on forming industry-ready courses, the latest of which is a specialized MBA. Seasonal Magazine

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ecently, Assam Down Town University in association with National Career Service organized a two-day long Campus Placement Drive. It was one of the largest placement drives with 72 national and international companies participating, and recording a footfall of more than 3000 people from across the North East Region.

Industry Minister, Government of Assam, Sri Chandra Mohan Patowary attended the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest. ADTU had conducted the placement drive successfully for the past three consecutive years and this was the fourth edition. Around 1,400 candidates were selected by 59 companies in 2017 placement drive.

The placement drive is open not just for ADTU students, but for the students of the entire North East region. The USP of the placement

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drive was that it was not just for the experience holders but also for fresher candidates. With each passing year, the number of companies and number of placements are rising for this noted event.

The venue for the placement drive was the Campus of Assam Down Town University at Sankar Madhab Path, Gandhi Nagar, Panikhaiti, Guwahati, Assam. Due to the huge demand from both recruiters and candidates witnessed at the event, ADTU is now planning to make this mega event a regular feature.

ADTU has recently entered into a new strategic academic partnership with Timespro, a leader in banking and finance sector education. This collaboration will bring forth a specialized MBA program by ADTU, with an additional certification of Post Graduate Diploma in Banking Management (PGDBM) by Timespro,

ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY for the benefit of banking and finance career aspirants.

Recently the Banking industry has gone through a radical transformation.

Demonetization, government policies and reforms have ushered a new era in banking and financial services.

While this economic scenario would pose a few challenges to the industry, it also brings along a flood of opportunities for those interested in making it big in banking and finance.

Through this 2 year full-time MBA course by ADTU with specialized skill enhancement programmes in the field of Banking and Finance by TimesPro, students will not just be able to acquire the skills required in the sector but will also be equipped with the tools and techniques, and most importantly develop the practical and sharp mind set of a banker.

The program has been conceptualized

Dominating the North East in a manner that makes one ready for a rewarding career in the industry, as the industry needs professionals who understand the practical aspect of banking and can grasp the regulatory dynamics of the system. The BFSI industry consistently needs good professionals who understand the banking ecosystem thoroughly and in that respect the PGDBM with its unique course content effortlessly achieves that. The program fully equips students to address this knowledge and expertise gap.

The program curriculum, which has been specially, designed by TimesPro and Assam Down Town University, fast tracks your career as a banking professional. It is conceptualized in such a manner to give a holistic learning experience through both classroom expositions and case focused approach.

ADTU also offers the largest scholarship program in the region. Every year 100 students are also selected for free education by the University.

Mr. Joutishman Dutta, Managing

Prof. Bandana Dutta, Dean of Studies

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Personal Interview by an Ex-banker.

After successful short listing of candidates, beyond this point they will go ahead with the training over four semesters at regular intervals which would act like periodic interventions for skill enhancement.

With an excellent track record in placement, students can be assured of interview opportunities at some of India's top banking, non-banking and financial institutions after successfully completing the program.

Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary along with Dr NN Dutta, Chancellor and Prof. Bandana Dutta, Vice Chancellor of Assam down town University ...

Trustee of Down Town Charity Trust says, "The program is a unique industry-oriented MBA program that is being offered by us with additional Certification from TimesPro. For the first time in this region, students will be exposed to practical banking and finance concepts. Students must choose this program for its unique course content and industry-specific approach which prepares them as thorough banking professionals."

While this program has been designed

by TimesPro, the industry integration of such professional training programs with universities and educational institutes of repute is being conceptualized and facilitated by N K Das foundation. The N K Das foundation has been relentlessly working to impart skill enhancement

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and employability based training programs across North East.

Students who have successfully completed their graduation level examinations without any gaps and through regular mode of education may apply for the program. They will have to appear for the TAP test and

Over the years, ADTU has progressed to offer powerful courses in traditional domains as well as sunrise sectors.

Today’s global workplace, a deciding factor for success how professional degree holders can work together with colleagues from various cultures. One of the leading universities in the northeast, ADTU is built over a sprawling 80 acres of land, offering its students a unique amalgamation of professional and academic excellence.

With students from over 20 Indian states and 5 countries, it is one of the most culturally diverse universities in the vicinity of the beautiful city – Guwahati. Established in the year 2010, it offers multi-disciplinary programs at Graduate, Post Graduate and Doctorate levels apart from several skill-oriented certificates and diploma programs.

Over the years, ADTU has progressed to offer powerful courses in traditional domains as well as sunrise sectors.

Along with the Faculty of Engineering

& Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences,Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Commerce, Management, Humanities and Social Sciences; it also focuses on unique programs like Trauma & Disaster management, Radiography Technology, and Dialysis Technology in addition to skill oriented programs in Hotel Management, Dietary Sciences, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Social Work etc. There is also an emphasis on designing special courses on new age topics like Cyber security, Cloud Technology, and Animation.

No modern university is worth the mention without the best educational infrastructure and facilities for

extracurricular activities. ADTU embraces a sound infrastructure in addition to the courses and faculty.

Besides a well-stocked library, wellbuilt seminar rooms, and excellent laboratories; the University provides services like an on-campus ATM, seamless WiFi network, and a reliable transport and security system. To ensure all round development, it has various sporting facilities, gym, and a swimming pool. AdtU’s weekend curriculum is unique. Saturdays are reserved for various activities for the students and faculty, ranging from dance classes to music lessons and yoga. Further, the university has several clubs for the students to pursue their areas of interest.

Major organizations recruiting from ADTU include Axis Bank, IndusInd

Bank, Oberoi Group, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Taj Group, Accor Hotels, Lemon Tree Hotels, Indigo, Spice Jet, Patanjali, Genpact, NH Hospitals, Asian Heart Institute, HCL etc.

ADTU also offers the largest scholarship program in the region.

Every year 100 students are selected for free education by the University, where the required hostel facilities and any other additional financial support are borne by the University to enable students to pursue higher education. Scholarships are issued on the basis of merit depending on marks obtained during entrance examinations and also for meritorious students who top University examinations.

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NEWS-IN-BRIEF

BAIDU TO LAUNCH FULLY SELF-DRIVING BUSES IN JAPAN IN 2019

TN STUDENTS MAKE AUTONOMOUS WHEELCHAIR WITH ROBOTIC OS

SC DIRECTS JAYPEE TO PAY 650 CRORE TO REFUND HOMEBUYERS

Chinese technology giant Baidu has partnered with Softbank's publictransportation subsidiary SB Drive to launch a self-driving bus service in Japan next year. Baidu is also working with Chinese automaker King Long to build the buses and has made 100 of them so far. The buses, which can seat 14 passengers, will come without a driver's seat or a steering wheel.

Students from the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu have developed a low-cost self-driving wheelchair that works on Robotic Operating System (ROS). Called 'SelfE', the wheelchair features sensors to create a map of the surroundings, along with obstacles which are displayed through an app. Users can touch any point on the map and the wheelchair will drive to that place automatically.

The Supreme Court has directed Jaypee Group to pay Rs 650 crore, instead of Rs 1,000 crore ordered earlier, to refund the principal amount to homebuyers. The court said it would then ask the National Company Law Tribunal to decide on the firm's plea to revive its subsidiary, Jaypee Infratech. So far, Rs 750 crore has been deposited with the Supreme Court registry.

RUPEE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DEPRECIATE: CEA SUBRAMANIAN

INDIA’S 1ST TAXI AMBULANCE SERVICE FLAGGED OFF IN DELHI

IRAN THREATENS TO REDUCE COOPERATION WITH UN NUKE WATCHDOG

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday flagged off India's first taxi ambulance services in Delhi, a service by a Gurugram-based startup Wagon Cab. The cabs are equipped with medical supplies and medically trained drivers. The drivers will approach accident victims as soon as they are notified and will get an additional Rs 500 for every victim that they tend to.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday threatened to reduce cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency over the US' plan to cut Iranian oil sales. The US has asked countries to stop buying Iranian oil from November 4 or face financial measures. Earlier, Rouhani called the US' plan to cut its oil exports "baseless fantasy".

Outgoing Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian has said that rupee should be allowed to depreciate in sync with rest of the world currencies. "If oil prices rise and other currencies depreciate, the rupee depreciating has to be part of the adjustment mechanism," Subramanian said. He added that India can withstand external shocks from high oil prices and a strong dollar.

I WILL CONTINUE PLAYING UNTIL ROGER FEDERER STOPS: SERENA Twenty-three-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams jokingly said she will continue playing until 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer stops. "How long? Did he put a time limit on it...We in it together. As long as he's here, I'm going to try to be here," the 36-year-old added. Notably, Serena turned pro in 1995 while Federer turned pro in 1998.

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