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VOLUME 18 ISSUE 5 MAY 2019
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MAGAZINE
Seasonal www.seasonalmagazine.com
REAL TROUBLES FACING INDIANS, WHOEVER RULES
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
AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THEM, AND WHY IT WON’T BE DONE MOST PROBABLY, WHOEVER RULES.
High Population Density
Editorial & Business Office Cochin: 36/1924 E, Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road, Near IGNOU, Kaloor, Cochin-17. Ph:0484- 2345876, 2534377, 2340080 Mob. 09947141362 Delhi: H.No: P-108, Uppal Southend, Sector 48, Sohna Road, Gurgaon, Haryana – 122018 Ph: 9891771857|099471 41362 Mumbai: 202, Woodland Heights Building, St. Martins Road, Bandra West, Mumbai -400 050 Mob: 919947141362 Bangalore: House No: 493, Block 3 3rd Main, HBR Layout, Bangalore-4209731984836, Email:skmagazine@gmail.com www.seasonalmagazine.com UK Office: “CRONAN”, Boundaries Road Feltham, Middlesex, UK TW13 5DR Ph: 020 8890 0045, Mob: 00447947181950 Email: petecarlsons@gmail.com Reg No: KERENG/2002/6803 Printed & Published by Jaison D on behalf of PeteCarlson Solutions Pvt. Ltd. at Cochin. Printed at Rathna Offset Printers, Chennai-14. All Rights Reserved by PeteCarlson Solutions Pvt. Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, including electronic, without the prior written permission of the publisher. All health related articles are for first information purposes only. Always consult your doctor before taking any decison affecting your health.
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EDITORIAL
It is often said that population is the biggest problem facing India. India’s position as the second most populous country, and projections that we are set to overtake even China in population in the coming decades make many people reach this hasty conclusion. But the socioeconomic progress of China, and how far ahead it is vis-à-vis India in every development parameter, should be enough to prove that population is not our real issue. Rather, it is our population density that has been playing spoilsport in Indian ambitions. Population density or how many people live within a square kilometre of area is a major metric as all natural resources like land, water, agricultural produce and mined resources get strained with higher density. Technically, India is only the 18th most densely populated country in the world, but in reality most of the countries higher up than us in the density list are tiny island nations or city states, with the only exceptions being Bangladesh, Taiwan & South Korea. However, on a closer look, even these nations are not really exceptions as they are very small in land area compared with India. Even the largest among them, Bangladesh, is only the 92nd largest country in the world, against our 6th largest position by area. In other words, our high density is despite our huge area. In contrast, despite its worldleading population, China’s population density is only 59th in the world, much better than many prominent and densely populated African and European nations! China’s population density is just 145 people per square kilometre, against India’s whopping 410 persons per sq km!
The Solution For many years now, Indian politicians have tried to overcome the density challenge by limiting population, but without much success, and what really needs to be done is creation of new mega cities on idle non-agricultural land, which would require a level of planning that has simply not been done in India ever, and most probably not anywhere else in the world too, except in China. It would require deep and integrated knowledge of economics, business, urban planning and sustainability, which most of our political leaders unfortunately lack.
Low GDP Per Capita India is a huge economy. Those trying to benefit from this huge size of the Indian economy, like our large trading partners, foreign institutional investors, private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds and global consumer companies and brands, make a big noise about this huge size, bewitching our political leaders into complacency. Agreed, we are the 3rd largest economy in the world by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) after being adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). With $10.5 trillion as GDP PPP, we are only behind world leader China with $25.3 trillion and USA with $20.5 trillion. This huge size is highly attractive for all foreign entities who think of India as just an opportunity to do business with or invest in, because this GDP size shows that India is the fastest growing large economy in the world. But little do we realize that this GDP size doesn’t mean much for most Indians. It is just a reflection of our huge population, our hardworking nature, our entrepreneurial spirit, our strong family bonds and our savings culture. Since there is virtually no social security for most Indians, we do it for ourselves and this huge GDP is the side effect! But the fact that we as a nation and its people don’t benefit much from this GDP growth is evident from where we stand with regard to another core metric, GDP Per Capita, which is basically the GDP divided by the population. In GDP Per Capita terms, India, the 3rd largest GDP in the world, falls deeply to an abysmal 119th position! In contrast, ‘comparable’ economies China and USA stand at 73rd position and at 10th position, respectively. Against India’s modest GDP Per Capita of just 7874 dollars, China stands at a handsome 18,110 dollars and USA at a whopping 62,606 dollars!
The Solution For long, Indian politicians have played to the international tune of ‘how great your GDP is’. This should stop and our pathetic situation with respect to per capita productivity
or GDP Per Capita should be focused upon. It is impossible to solve a problem without admitting it first. And again, per capita productivity can be substantially increased only by application of integrated knowledge across domains like economics, commerce, innovation and manufacturing initiatives that address the world markets like how USA and China have done.
High Income Inequality The emerging prosperity of the Indian lower-class and middle-class is another tune that international as well as national business leaders have been singing into our politicians’ ears for long now. But our leaders have failed to realize that they sing this song not because they care for our prosperity but because they have from long back realized that their business fortune comes from the huge bottom-most rung of the Indian pyramid. Everything fastmoving, from soaps to smartphones to super-speed data, are being packaged for the lower-class and middle-class, only because the majority of us fall into these categories and we are a huge market, found nowhere else in the world, except in China. But will the average Indian be prosperous just because he owns a 5000 bucks smartphone with a Jio connection and getting to play PUBG? The reality of the poor and middleclass in India is far away from this artificial world these global fortune hunters have created for the masses. Repeated studies over the last couple of years have shown that India is the second-most unequal country in the world by way of income, second only to kleptocratic Russia where oligarchs rule the roost. And even worse, income inequality between the rich and the poor is widening in India, since the last many years now. The richest 1% of Indians own 58.4% of the country’s wealth, whereas the richest 10% SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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If world’s income inequality leader Russia’s situation gives any lesson, it is this – inequality is directly proportional to crony capitalism and corruption. India’s situation too is not too different. The extreme right wing economics that has been practised in India since the economic liberalization of the 1990s should be rationalized so that the free run given to mega private businesses to amass fortunes doesn’t happen at the expense of the poor and the middleclass of this country. For this to happen, the country needs parties, leaders and election campaigns that are not funded by corporates.
being a powerhouse economy by way of GDP, India ranks very low in HDI, at the 130th position among all nations, trailed by only the poorest underdeveloped nations of Africa and Asia. In contrast, comparable GDP leaders, China ranks at 86th position and USA is far ahead at 13th position. India’s uninspiring show in HDI is despite three states of India – Kerala, Chandigarh & Goa – having better HDI than China! While a poor show in HDI largely reflects from poor income or wages, in the Indian context, with over 90% of citizens working in the informal sector, a more accurate reflection can be made only from personal wealth levels. By median personal wealth, India is ranked at a troubling 126th position in the world. Median wealth refers to that dividing wealth level where 50% of the population are above it and 50% below it. India’s median wealth is just 1289 dollars, or 90,000 rupees. Mind you, not income, but total wealth of a lifetime! Which means, over 50% of our population has a total lifetime wealth of not even 1 lakh rupees. As a country with high income inequality, our mean or average wealth (total wealth divided by total population) is better, but still only 7024 dollars or 4,87,500 rupees! That is after including the wealth of all our numerous billionaires and countless millionaires. It is no wonder then that we trail all comparable economies in the vital metric of Human Development Index.
Poor HDI & Personal Wealth
The Solution
It was in 1990 that Indian economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and renowned Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq established Human Development Index (HDI), which is a composite metric of life expectancy, education, and income per capita. A country scores higher HDI when the life expectancy at birth is longer, the education period is longer, and the income per capita is higher, and is used by United Nations and other international experts to distinguish whether a country is a developed country, a developing one or an underdeveloped country. Needless to say, despite
Again, the solution should start from admitting the facts, that we are a very poor nation. Some estimates say over one-third of the world’s poor now live in India. Each and every economic policy should therefore pass an acid test in India – whether it will benefit or damage the poorest of the poor in this nation. This is no rocket science and in fact put forth by Mahatma Gandhi himself more than half a century ago. But alas, our politicians have overtaken Gandhi by miles and miles.
owns 80.7% of the total wealth of India! In disturbing contrast, the bottom half or 50% of the Indian population – mind you, not the bottom 1% or 10% - owns merely 2.1% of the country’s wealth. Whichever government has ruled India, the rich have been getting richer and the poor either stagnating or getting better at snail’s pace if at all. India’s income inequality is all the more disturbing, as despite having more billionaires and millionaires even rich countries like US, UK, Japan and even China fare much better in distributing wealth between the rich and poor much more reasonably.
The Solution
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John Antony
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CONTENTS
SRI LANKA IS STILL ASKING, WHO? WHAT? WHY? More than a week after the horrific and mysterious attacks, Sri Lanka is still searching for answers.
WHO ISSUES RADICAL SCREEN TIME NORMS FOR KIDS Children under 5 must not be watching screens for more than an hour a day. Infants under the age of one year should not be exposed to electronic screens at all and “sedentary” screen time for children under five must not ..
TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN LAUNCHED AT RS 9.46 LAKH Triumph had just revived the Speed Twin name for the motorcycling world, and the company has now decided to bring it to India too.
BEWARE, YOUTH SUICIDES MAY BE CONTAGIOUS Are suicides contagious? Learning about a friend's suicide or even suicide attempt appears to transform a distant idea into something very real. New research sheds light on how to help..
POWERFUL RESULTS WHEN CHINA'S EFFORTS TO CLEAR ROADBLOCKS IN FARMERS TURN BELT AND ROAD CITIZEN SCIENTISTS President Xi Jinping led a hard In an ambitious initiative of crowdsourcing knowledge, international agricultural researchers are partnering with farmers from three countries including India to make them citizen scientists to generate realistic feedback on seeds and farming methods, making them adapt faster to dynamic changes..
PAYTM FOUNDER ON THE VALUE AND PITFALLS OF HAVING A BUSINESS MODEL
NEW AUDI A4 AND Q7 LIFESTYLE EDITIONS LAUNCHED Both ultra premium cars feature an array of well thought-of additional luxuries.
MICROSOFT BEATS APPLE TO BE WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE COMPANY WITH $1 TRILLION VALUATION Microsoft Corp.’s cloud computing business fueled quarterly sales and profit that topped analysts’ estimates, boosted by several new deals with large.. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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sales push at a Beijing summit recently, to corral more countries into a global infrastructure project at the core of China's superpower..
Vijay Shekhar Sharma explains what having a business model means in the world of startups.
GST COUNCIL BLESSES LARGE COMPANIES The Council has recalled a controversial rule that raised tax outgo of large companies.
MAHINDRA PARTNERS WITH UBER FOR E-VEHICLES Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., has deployed 50 electric vehicles on the Uber platform in Hyderabad.
INVESTIGATING AND EXONERATING: THE ODD TERMS ROD ROSENSTEIN AND PRESIDENT TRUMP SHARED As US Deputy Attorney General submits resignation to Donald Trump, a look into the tumultuous relationship that Rod Rosenstein had with the current US President, that witnessed Rosenstein initiating the biggest investigation against the President and later exonerating him totally!
HIGH OIL PRICES AWAITS INDIA POST POLLS Benchmark Brent crude prices has surged recently, to the highest level since November 2018, mainly due to the US decision to withdraw waivers to all countries, including India, from importing Iranian crude oil from May beginning.
WILL MEDITERRANEAN DIET CURB OVEREATING? Following the Mediterranean diet can help you eat lesser calories and maintain a lower body weight, a new study claims.
TWITTER FOUNDER VISITS WHITE HOUSE, TRUMP EXPLAINS HIS GRIEVANCES Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently met Donald Trump over his latest concerns over the microblogging site that has been his main media outlet ever since his last Presidential campaign.
WHY NEW HYUNDAI VENUE MAY WIN OVER CRETA FANS The fight for the crown of the best sub-4metre SUV in India is all set to heat up in the coming months as the Hyundai Venue is reaching our shores on May 21. The baby Creta already looks worthy of upsetting the competition, which has an SUV from every other mainstream manufacturer in India.
US LEVERAGES ANTI-TERRORISM HELP TO END INDIA'S OIL IMPORTS FROM IRAN WHY IS MARUTI ENDING ALL DIESEL CARS? Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest vehicle manufacturer, has announced that it will stop manufacturing diesel vehicles from April 1, 2020 when the new BS 6..
TEEN SUES APPLE FOR $1 BILLION AFTER ITS FACE RECOGNITION TIES HIM TO THEFTS The 18-year-old New Yorker claims he "was forced to respond to multiple false allegations" in several states, which caused severe stress and damaged his reputation.
TESLA PLANS 1 MILLION DRIVERLESS TAXIS BY 2020 Tesla is taking direct aim at Uber, Lyft and Ola and would be giving its existing car customers a massive opportunity to monetize the downtime of their vehicles by giving them an option to make their cars available for ride sharing.
10-YEAR GIRL WITHOUT HANDS WINS US NATIONAL HANDWRITING COMPETITION
XIAOMI LAUNCHES TWO NEW LARGE BUT AFFORDABLE SMARTPHONES Mi also launches an IoT based LED Smart Bulb that works with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Sara Hinesley born without hands wins National Handwriting Competition and says she..
The US backed India after the Pulwama attack. Delhi, which relies on US support at the UNSC, has a tough choice given Iran accounts for about 13% of its oil imports.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
JSS ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION & RESEARCH
WHAT MAKES JSSAHER A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH SCIENCE EDUCATION Karnataka based JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has been ranked among top 5 universities in India by the renowned Times Higher Education ranking of United Kingdom, thereby brushing shoulders with IITs and IISc. Around 5,500 students are currently pursuing their professional education, mainly in health sciences, at this deemed-to-be university that offers 147 academic programmes across its four constituent colleges, which are the Mysuru based JSS Medical College, JSS Dental College and JSS College of Pharmacy as well as the Ooty based JSS Pharmacy College. Admission at JSSAHER is coveted by students from across India, looking out for quality health sciences education, and this deemed-to-be university excels in both corporate and academic placements. Seasonal Magazine identifies five reasons for JSSAHER’s blistering performance in recent years.
ICFAI GROUP
BRIDGING THE GAP WITH INDUSTRY, ADMIRABLY It is rare to see any private university in India excel both in quantity as well as quality. ICFAI Group has undoubtedly been a leader in scale with 11 universities across India, including its flagship deemed-to-be university, the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), at Hyderabad. Besides this, ICFAI Group has 9 B-Schools across India. ICFAI institutions excel in campus placements as its focus has always been on bridging academia's gap with industry. The greatest testimony for this remains ICFAI's world-class reputation in generating hundreds of business case studies each year. Seasonal Magazine identifies five strategies by which the group's flagship university, IFHE, furthers industry readiness of its students. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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REVA UNIVERSITY
INTERNALISING THE TRUE ESSENCE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Dr. P. Shyama Raju is one of Bengaluru City's most prominent industrialists, the Founder of DivyaSree Developers, the iconic name behind many Tech Parks and commercial spaces and award winning residential projects in the south. As the Chancellor of REVA University, recognised today as one of the best educational destinations of the Country, he has forged exceptional industry connections. Apart from a great future in the industry, REVA also ensures an ecofriendly campus life for its students. With its unshifting focus on environmental causes, REVA was placed among the top in the Swachh Bharat nationwide Ranking by MHRDC.
LNM INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
WHY LNMIIT IS COVETED FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS
Once upon a time, computer science was just another branch of engineering. But the sector having exploded with knowledge during the past few decades, it now pays to study computer science at a university that is dedicated to the teaching of everything computers, with specialist faculty and advanced labs, like LNM Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur. Promoted by the family foundation of billionaire industrialist Laksmi N Mittal and Rajasthan Government, and headed by renowned specialist in advanced computing domains like IoT & Big Data, Prof. Rahul Banerjee, the success of this deemed university's students are seen in the kind of pay-packs offered to them - with an average of 6.39-7.27 LPA with the highest being 29.5 LPA, last year.
MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL
CHITKARA UNIVERSITY
Pune headquartered Symbiosis International is one of India’s earliest deemed universities in the private sector. Home to students from the world over, Symbiosis has used this early mover advantage to good effect by making a positive difference in the life of their students. Under the visionary leadership of its Founder and Chancellor Dr. SB Mujumdar and operational excellence of its Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, the university continues to scale heights by following many emerging as well as ancient principles in grooming global winners out of the students who have put their faith in the Symbiosis name. Seasonal Magazine identifies five such strategies from Symbiosis that makes a difference in their students’ lives.
When a university is founded by two passionate teachers with over four decades of experience in grooming students, it shows in their final products. That is what Dr. Ashok K Chitkara and Dr. Madhu Chitkara have done by making Chitkara University come on top in placements for nearly a decade now. Since the last few years, Punjab based Chitkara has pioneered startup incubation too with outstanding results like their two incubated projects coming on top in an international competition for start-ups spanning UK, China and India, recently. CU is also home to one of the largest portfolio of innovative courses in diverse fields.
VELLORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SASTRA DEEMED UNIVERSITY
oday, most students and even many parents don’t know that VIT is a mature institution with 35 years of stellar track-record behind it. One reason is that, be it the infrastructure or be it the campus culture, VIT has always been young and dynamic. It has come a long way since its first campus was opened in 1984 at Vellore, Tamil Nadu. It has been 18 years since it attained the deemed university status itself, which makes it not exactly a new generation university, but in any activity, VIT will give any younger and modern university a run for its money. This includes everything from hackathons to startups to cultural extravaganzas. It has been 10 years since VIT started its second campus at Chennai, and two years since its
Sastra Deemed University has been improving its ranks not only in India, but in world rankings, outpacing most of its peers. The private sector university's edge lies in pursuing global thinking that is at par with the best in the world, which has resulted in some outstanding achievements. While many universities in the country are mulling the purchase of 3D printers, Sastra faculty and students have designed a 3D Bioprinter that can produce even tissues. The university also performs beyond par in placements with 1400 of its students bagging 1800 offers by bluechips led by TCS and including names like Microsoft, Infosys, Cognizant etc. Sastra is also a leader in industry-led courses, with the latest being in Cybersecurity in alliance with Tata Communications.
HOW SYMBIOSIS MAKES A DIFFERENCE
7 WAYS VIT MAINTAINS LEADERSHIP
ALWAYS INDUSTRY READY, NOW, INCUBATION READY
OUTPACING COMPETITION THROUGH GLOBAL THINKING
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF FOUNDATION STONE LAID FOR FIRST HINDU TEMPLE IN UAE Thousands of people attended the stonelaying ceremony of the first traditional Hindu temple in UAE capital Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), which is constructing the temple, presided over the ceremony. Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Suri, was also present at the event.
UAE WOMAN WAKES UP FROM COMA AFTER 27 YEARS A woman from the UAE named Munira Abdulla woke up from a 27-year-long coma last year after treatment in Germany, her son Omar has revealed. Munira went into a coma after getting seriously injured in a road accident in 1991, at the age of 32. Omar claims his mother woke up after she heard him arguing in the hospital room.
PAYING CEO RS 460 CR IS 'INSANE': DISNEY COFOUNDER'S GRANDDAUGHTER
BENGALURU-BASED LENDING STARTUP ZESTMONEY RAISES RS 139 CRORE
Disney Co-founder Roy Disney's granddaughter Abigail Disney has described the $65.6 million (?460 crore) paid to the company's CEO Bob Iger in 2018 as "insane". Disney's median employee received $46,127, resulting in a CEO pay ratio of 1,424-to-1. The Emmy Award-winning filmmaker added that Iger "certainly" deserved a bonus but such huge pay deals "had a corrosive effect on society".
Bengaluru-based digital lending startup ZestMoney has raised $20 million (over Rs 139 crore) in a Series B funding round led by Quona Capital, which has offices in India and the US. Investors including Naspers-owned PayU and Australia's Reinventure also participated. Founded in 2015 by Priya Sharma, Lizzie Chapman and Ashish Anantharaman, ZestMoney has reportedly raised $42 million till date.
WHEN OBAMA MEETS ME HE ASKS IF I'VE STARTED SLEEPING MORE OR NOT: PM In an interview with Akshay Kumar, PM Narendra Modi revealed whenever former US President Barack Obama meets him, he asks the PM if he has started sleeping more or not. He said this after Akshay asked him how he gets through the day with just three to four hours of sleep. "Obama...asks me the same thing," the PM added.
NASA MISSION DETECTS FIRST POSSIBLE 'MARSQUAKE', SHARES AUDIO Scientists on Tuesday revealed that they might have detected the first known seismic tremor on Mars. The audio was recorded by a dome-shaped seismometer on April 6 that landed with NASA's InSight spacecraft last November. The team said they were working to confirm the cause of the "marsquake" and ensure it came from the planet's interior rather than wind distortion. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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DEEPIKA'S TRANSFORMATION FOR CHHAPAAK STOPPED THE PRESS: BHUMI Actress Bhumi Pednekar, while speaking about Deepika Padukone's transformation for the role of an acid attack survivor in 'Chhapaak', said, "Her transformation stopped the press." "Seeing Deepika transform and become unrecognisable and stay so true to her role was amazing," she added. Bhumi further said she is really proud to see the work that actresses are doing.
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NEWS-IN-BRIEF IT'S A FILM, NOT HOTEL FOR GOD'S SAKE: SRK ON RATING FILMS WITH STARS
NETWORK18'S MANISH MAHESHWARI APPOINTED AS TWITTER INDIA MD
IRAN PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES JOINT BORDER 'REACTION FORCE' WITH PAK
Speaking at the Critics Choice Film Awards about critics rating films with stars, Shah Rukh Khan said, "3 stars, 3.5 stars...5 stars...It's a film, not a hotel for God's sake." "The star system cannot be the only way of summing up films by...critics," he added. The actor further requested critics not to "get carried away by the star system".
Microblogging platform Twitter on Monday announced it has appointed Manish Maheshwari as its new Managing Director for the India market effective April 29. Before joining Twitter, Maheshwari served as the Chief Executive Officer of the media firm Network18 Digital. Overseeing Twitter's teams in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Maheshwari will report to Maya Hari, Twitter's VP and MD, Asia Pacific.
Iran and Pakistan will create a joint 'reaction force' on border between the two countries, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has said. The force, which was announced during Pakistan PM Imran Khan's visit to Iran, is intended to boost border security and foster bilateral ties. Iran has been complaining for years about recurring attacks by Pakistani militants on its security forces.
JAPAN'S M3 BUYS MAJORITY STAKE IN HEALTHTECH APP DAILYROUNDS Japan-based online platform for medical professionals M3 has acquired a majority stake in Bengaluru-based healthtech startup DailyRounds for an undisclosed amount. This marks M3's foray into case-based problem-solving community platform and medical test preparation business in India. DailyRounds app was founded in 2014 by Deepu Sebin, Nimmi Cherian and Priyaank Choubey.
2ND EPISODE OF GOT FINAL SEASON LEAKS HOURS BEFORE RELEASE The second episode of 'Game of Thrones' season 8 leaked hours before its scheduled release time as it streamed much earlier on Amazon Prime Video in Germany. Thereafter, the video was available for free download on several torrent sites. Earlier, the season's first episode was released four hours early by American satellite service provider DirecTV by mistake.
Rajkiran Rai G MD & CEO
RBI HAS ?3 LAKH CRORE IN EXCESS RESERVES, SAYS BOFAML The Bimal Jalan committee formed to study the RBI's capital structure is likely to identify excess reserves of up to Rs 3 lakh crore, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML) said. Capping overall reserves at 20% from 25.5% will release Rs 1.96 lakh crore, it added. There's no restriction which prevents RBI from transferring the money to government, BofAML further noted. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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IF AUDIENCE DOESN'T ACCEPT FILM, IT SHOULDN'T DO WELL: ALIA ON KALANK Alia Bhatt, while speaking about the box-office performance of 'Kalank', said, "When the audience doesn't accept the film, then the film should not do well, that's just the way it is." "I won't analyse because it's not required...Janta ki adaalat sabse badi adaalat hoti hai," she added. Alia further said she will try not to disappoint the audience next time.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
ICFAI GROUP
BRIDGING THE GAP WITH INDUSTRY, ADMIRABLY IT IS RARE TO SEE ANY PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN INDIA EXCEL BOTH IN QUANTITY AS WELL AS QUALITY. ICFAI GROUP HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN A LEADER IN SCALE WITH 11 UNIVERSITIES ACROSS INDIA, INCLUDING ITS FLAGSHIP DEEMED-TO-BE UNIVERSITY, THE ICFAI FOUNDATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (IFHE), AT HYDERABAD. BESIDES THIS, ICFAI GROUP HAS 9 B-SCHOOLS ACROSS INDIA. ICFAI INSTITUTIONS EXCEL IN CAMPUS PLACEMENTS AS ITS FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON BRIDGING ACADEMIA'S GAP WITH INDUSTRY. THE GREATEST TESTIMONY FOR THIS REMAINS ICFAI'S WORLD-CLASS REPUTATION IN GENERATING HUNDREDS OF BUSINESS CASE STUDIES EACH YEAR. SEASONAL MAGAZINE IDENTIFIES FIVE STRATEGIES BY WHICH THE GROUP'S FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY, IFHE, FURTHERS INDUSTRY READINESS OF ITS STUDENTS.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES Focus on the Best Industry Opportunities Universities in India, both in the public and private sector, have been following a strategy of beings all things to all students. As a result of this trend we see the same universities teaching everything under the sun from humanities to science to technology to medicine, all under one roof. ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (IFHE), the most prestigious deemed university from the ICFAI Group has steered clear of this trend and opted to focus only on the best non-medical professional courses for students. This shows the deep industry connect IFHE is having from the ground up. The university focuses mainly on engineering, business, law and architecture, and has designed these professional programs so well due to this sharp focus. IFHE's main constituents are ICFAI Business School (IBS), ICFAI Tech School and ICFAI Law School. The integrated campus of these three schools at Hyderabad is a 91 acre lush green affair with built-up area of over 16 lakh sq.ft. The campus is fully residential, Wi-Fi enabled and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. All lecture theatres and classrooms are wireless networked and fitted with audio visual tools to enhance the teaching-learning experience. The complete academic monitoring and control is done through the intranet comprising of the Campus Net and the Faculty Zone. All the three schools have a large and well qualified faculty pool comprising of mostly doctorates with rich industry experience. Apart from teaching, the faculty members are proactively involved in research, case development and industrial consultancy.
Focus on Industry at IcfaiTech Most engineering colleges and universities in India are now awakening to the importance of internship programs. But at IFHE’s IcfaiTech, internships has been a way of life. So much so that, today, IcfaiTech students spend as much as 30 weeks or 7.5 months in multiple internship programs during the course. Internship programs of all students are closely monitored by the university because the university has from long back realized that only internships help in producing more practical oriented and innovative engineering graduates. Each student’s performance is also finally and formally
assessed as a part of their final degree. Engineering is all about innovation and IcfaiTech provides students with flexibility to chart their own academic courses from a wide range of electives offered to them. The objective is to groom engineering graduates, postgraduates and research scholars who are critical thinkers, creative leaders and holistic problem solvers. IcfaiTech follows innovative methods of teaching, a strong curriculum and extensive co-curricular programs like conducting workshops, conferences and seminars. Engineering being a future oriented and increasingly global domain, the intellectual and global outlook of students are nurtured through these multifaceted programs. At the same time the university recognizes the need for having wellrounded engineering professionals who will also become global citizens and leaders of the society. Towards this, many supporting courses are offered like principles of management, soft skills training, Indian heritage etc.
Focus on Industry at ICFAI B-School The best B-Schools across the world have differentiated themselves from the rest of the pack by how well they teach real life business and management scenarios in the classroom. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES The best method that B-Schools have invented for incorporating such industry input is through the pedagogy of business case studies. While no business school today can survive without case studies, the edge is definitely with those B-Schools that are producing the most diverse set of business case studies from different industry sectors and incorporating varied business challenges and solutions. ICFAI Business School (IBS) had recognized this need early on and has put maximum efforts into furthering industry interactions so that a vast pool of case studies can be developed by the faculty members. This effort over the years has paid rich dividends, and ICFAI Business School has been recognized not only nationally but globally for being a leader in developing an impressive number of diverse business case studies. Each year, IBS faculty and research scholars interact with industries indepth to develop hundreds of business case studies. While industries are sharply focused on Return on Investment (RoI), ICFAI Business School has proved and taught to many of them that what ensures RoI is really Return on Knowledge (RoK), as management education is really lifelong. Towards this, IBS has articulated a vision to develop lifelong resources to the industry by integrating Teaching, Research, Institution building, Community development and Knowledge sharing (coined as IBS TRICK). IBS has a pool of faculty members with a blend of strong academic and industry experience which ensures richness in implementing IBS TRICK. The ICFAI Business School has also implemented Syndicated Learning Activity (SLA) which ensures that students get trained on mock
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group discussions, mock company tests and mock interviews with involvement of industry experts. These activities improve the students’ ability to get placed by aligning their knowledge, skills and attitude which are the key requirements of the job market. IBS also takes the Summer Internship Program (SIP), quite seriously so that students get exposure to the dynamics of the professional corporate culture which develops the further cognitive skills of their students.
Focus on Industry at ICFAI Law School Gone are the days when law graduates and postgraduates were self-employed professionals. Today, much like Chartered Accountants, lawyers are increasingly found not just in courtrooms but across the corporate world. This is because, with the explosive growth in technology, intellectual property, complex taxation and demand for exacting standards in customer service, it becomes imperative for all types of companies in all kinds of sectors to have a legal experts’ team of their own. Indeed, knowledge of law has become a coveted edge for companies unlike the case it was barely a decade ago. ICFAI Law School has risen to this opportunity and is grooming a new breed of law graduates who are fit not only for courtrooms but boardrooms. This process starts with ICFAI Law School’s pioneering mentoring program to help new students joining the various law programs. The students are divided into groups and each group will be mentored by one faculty member from the
MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES ICFAI Law School. The process is aimed at helping the students to come out of their academic & nonacademic problems and streamline their inherent skills towards gearing up for the best career options. Courses are categorized as compulsory and optional. Clinical courses are the compulsory courses for the students. These courses are considered as essential tools which help students to learn professional ethics and the skills of drafting, writing, pleading and advocacy. Law internships form an important component of law education at ICFAI Law School. It is an attempt to bridge the gap between the professional world and academic institutions. Law Internship introduces students to real-life situations involving varied Indian and international laws. Students are especially assisted to take up assignments, which are multi-disciplinary, goal-oriented, time bound and involve teamwork. The law students are sent to law firms, corporates, advocates offices of judges of the High Courts and Supreme Court, NGOs, Consumer Courts, etc., to gain practical knowledge in every aspect related with practice of law in different scenarios.
Focus on Industry at ICFAI School of Architecture
Architecture is another profession where momentum is fast switching from self-employment to rewarding careers in the industry. This shift has accelerated in recent years, as the real estate development sector graduated to be a industry with the emergence of stock market listed majors and regulations
like RERA. ICFAI School of Architecture (ISArch), being a modern architectural school, has already identified as one of its prime objectives, the continuous integration of the emerging trends in the field of architecture into the curriculum with a strong interface between academia and industry. Other major guidelines adhered to by ISArch include establishment of links with national and international architecture institutions of repute; having sustainable programs for faculty enrichment for architecture through training and development; and promoting research in the emerging areas of architecture so that contributions can be made to the global arena of architectural research. With such initiatives in place, ISArch is marching on to emerge as a center for excellence in architecture, through a wholesome approach in architectural pedagogy. ISArch student are exposed to various dimensions in architecture, and are supported with the latest technology and infrastructure, that enables them to express themselves freely, as architecture is ultimately about self expression of creativity. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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ACHIEVEMENT
10-YEAR GIRL WITHOUT HANDS WINS US NATIONAL HANDWRITING COMPETITION Sara Hinesley born without hands wins National Handwriting Competition and says she approaches writing like art, with creativity, care and attention to detail.
Sara came to the United States from China about four years ago to join her new family. When she arrived in July 2015, her mother said, she could speak and write in Mandarin.
letters, each point and curve. Writing in cursive feels like creating artwork, Sara said. "I like the way the letters are formed," Sara said. "It's kind of like art." Sara came to the United States from China about four years ago to join her new family. When she arrived in July 2015, her mother said, she could speak and write in Mandarin. She picked up English quickly with the help of her sister, Veronica.
ara Hinesley, 10, doesn't understand why it's so remarkable that she won a national handwriting competition. She paints and draws and sculpts clay. She can write in English and some Mandarin. When she learned to write in cursive this year, Sara said, she thought it was "kind of easy." Never mind the fact that Sara was born without hands. "I have never heard this little girl say, 'I can't,' " said Cheryl Churilla, Sara's third-grade teacher. "She's a little rock star. She tackles absolutely everything you can throw at her, and she gives it her best." Sara, a third-grade student at St. John's Regional Catholic School in Frederick, Maryland, won the 2019 Nicholas Maxim award for her cursive handwriting. The award is given annually to two students with special needs - one for print writing, SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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the other for script. Sara has never worn a prosthetic. When she is offered help or a tool that might ease some tasks - like cutting paper with scissors - she rejects it, said her mother, Cathryn Hinesley. "She has this independent streak where she just knows that she can do it and she'll figure out her own way," Hinesley said. "She is beautiful and strong and mighty just the way she is, and she just lives that way. She really does." To write, Sara grips her pencil between her arms. She focuses on the shapes of
SARA HAS NEVER WORN A PROSTHETIC. WHEN SHE IS OFFERED HELP OR A TOOL THAT MIGHT EASE SOME TASKS - LIKE CUTTING PAPER WITH SCISSORS - SHE REJECTS IT, SAID HER MOTHER, CATHRYN HINESLEY.
"We learned pretty quickly to trust her judgment and let her gauge how much she wants to do and then let her do it," Hinesley said. "That's Sara. She moves through life in this way that you never really see her as having a disability because she has this can-do, I-cantackle-anything attitude." In her free time, Sara likes to draw "things that are around me," like sunflowers. She enjoys swimming, playing with Veronica, also 10, and participating in her school's chess club. There's little she isn't willing to try, her mother said. "Sara is a testament to perseverance and the human spirit," Hinesley said. "Every day I'm amazed at the things she is able to do and that she chooses to do. She doesn't try to find her way to avoid an obstacle, she finds a way to complete the task." Sara will receive her national award a trophy - at an awards ceremony on June 13. The award also comes with a $500 prize. She is the first student from St. John's to ever receive the Nicholas Maxim award, Principal Kathy Smith said. "I feel so excited and proud," she said.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
VELLORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
7 WAYS VIT MAINTAINS oday, most students and even many parents don’t know that VIT is a mature institution with 35 years of stellar trackrecord behind it. One reason is that, be it the infrastructure or be it the campus culture, VIT has always been young and dynamic. It has come a long way since its first campus was opened in 1984 at Vellore, Tamil Nadu. It has been 18 years since it attained the deemed university status itself, which makes it not exactly a new generation university, but in any activity, VIT will give any younger and modern university a run for its money. This includes everything from hackathons to startups to cultural extravaganzas. It has been 10 years since VIT started its second campus at Chennai, and two years since its SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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campuses in Amaravati, AP and Bhopal, MP were started. One secret for the youthfulness of VIT is the evergreen youthfulness of its 81-year old Founder & Chancellor Dr. G. Viswanathan, which has been infectious on the whole VIT team. Led by Sankar Viswanathan and Dr. Sekar Viswanathan, as Vice Presidents, Professor Anand A. Samuel, as Vice Chancellor, Dr. Sandhya Pentareddy as Executive Director and Professor S. Narayanan as Pro- Vice Chancellor, VIT has emerged as one of India’s premier institutions providing world class education in the areas of engineering, management, agriculture and law. Seasonal Magazine identifies seven ways in which VIT maintains its leadership amidst increasing competition.
LEADERSHIP
DR.G.VISWANATHAN - CHANCELLOR
MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY The world over, especially in advanced countries like USA, certain universities tend to rank higher in certain subjects. That is why international rating organizations in education like Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) also publishes subject-wise ranking of the world’s best universities. In the recently published QS World University Rankings by Subjects 2019, VIT has emerged with flying colours. For three subjects Computer Science and Information Systems, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Chemistry - VIT has been ranked within the top 550 of the world, which is an impressive achievement given the kind of worldclass universities applying for QS rankings from across the globe. While the two engineering subject areas were ranked within the top 500 of the world, Chemistry emerged in the top 550. QS rankings are respected as it takes the ‘h index’ and citations of research publications as a criteria for subject ranking, besides perception about the subject areas by academic and industry leaders. Thus QS subject ranking indicates strength of the research output of a university in terms of both quality and quantity. VIT could achieve this since the subjects taught at VIT are research oriented. The up-to-date curriculum is on par with global standards, while effective teachinglearning processes enhance the knowledge of the students. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
LEADERSHIP IN STUDENT PERFORMANCE VIT has always gone all out in promoting its students’ talents on a national and international landscape. And the result shows. In a recently concluded national level hackathon by international technology major Honeywell, VIT students put to rest that old legend that students from premium public institutes and universities fare much ahead of their private university peers. The 36-hour hackathon, WEHACK 3.0 was conducted as part of the Honeywell Automation Challenge 2019, with participation from two publicly funded institutions – IIT Hyderabad and Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai – and only VIT from the private sector. Surprisingly for many, but not for those who know VIT up-close, it was students of VIT who cracked the maximum number of problem statements presented at WEHACK 3.0. With a prize money of Rs. 1,50,000 and problem statements coming from cutting-edge domains like artificial intelligence, machine learning, image processing and data mining, the event was a serious affair that Honeywell has designed to bring the brightest and most creative problem solvers to the fore. Not only did the VIT team crack the maximum problems within the said timeframe, but the solutions provided by the students were out-of-the-box, concrete and at par with world-class universities.
LEADERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES With each passing year, leaders in higher education are outpacing themselves from the also-rans by hosting international conferences in cutting-edge domains in science and technology. But often such conferences are well-attended only if the host university is a powerhouse in that specific subject. In recent years, VIT has emerged as a specialist in leveraging its strengths in many core subject domains to host such well-attended international
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VIT Chancellor Dr.G.Viswanathan receives prestigious award from the Hon’ble President of India Shri. Ram Nath Kovind.
conferences. The best recent example was when VIT conducted an international conference on Chemical Sciences and Nanomaterials. The Chemistry department at VIT has been legendary with the number of faculty in the Chemistry Department of this deemed university surpassing the strength even in IITs, and the recent QS ranking it obtained for Chemistry is further endorsement for this strength in this subject. In overall research output too, VIT occupies a leading place in terms of the number of research papers submitted among all Indian educational institutions, surpassing even some IITs, NITs and other Central and State-funded premier institutions. Over 400 delegates, including young researchers, academicians, and experts from United States, France, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan in addition to the host nation India took part in the three-day conference.
SANKAR VISWANATHAN, VP
DR. SEKAR VISWANATHAN,VP
LEADERSHIP IN ALUMNI NETWORK Alumni networks are a win-win for the institution as well as students because while older students bring laurels to the university, younger students get active help from their elders working in different cities across the world. Like the best universities in the world, VIT takes care to nurture its alumni network worldwide. Needless to say, nurturing alumni networks works only when a university’s alumni has gone on perform exceedingly well in the corporate and social sectors in India and abroad. This is one area where VIT can rest well on its laurels. VIT Alumni Association (VITAA) has 14 national and 15 international chapters with a total membership of over 50,000 professionals. VITAA has active chapters even in worldclass cities like New York and New Jersey. VIT also conducts every year, the VITAA Day, during which outstanding alumni are honoured. During VITAA Day 2019, two young entrepreneurs, Nishant Gupta and Palash Pandey, Directors of Renaura Wellness, which has developed India's first hard water shampoo, received the Young Alumni Achiever Award 2019. The winning duo was of the opinion that VIT had provided them and other aspirants a platform for emerging as young scientists and engineers. Several other high achievers among alumni were also honoured – from as far back as 1994 – in several fields including engineering, entrepreneurship, social development and even Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
LEADERSHIP IN PLACEMENTS Over the past few years, VIT has graduated its focus from quantity of placements to quality of placements. Over 400 companies visit VIT campus every year. When the VIT students start their seventh semester, companies start visiting the campus. Prestigious international companies that have
MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
VIT and UCLM, Spain sign MoU for academic and research co-operation
visited the campus for recruitment include Google, Microsoft, Flipkart etc. Packages of more than Rs.40 lakh were offered to outstanding students. Irrespective of the branches they study for, companies tend to hire VIT students. No wonder then that VIT has entered the the Limca Book of Records for placements for a record 8th time. The institute made its mark in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 (with two records) and in 2016 for the highest number of IT services placements. The latest entry is for the placement done by Wipro Technologies (Wipro Turbo) which made job offers to 139 students with a CTC of ?6 lakh per annum from the 2018 graduating batch of VIT. This was the highest number of dream offers given by a company to the students from a single institution and has found a place in the Limca Book of Records’ 2019 edition. VIT broke its own record from 2017 with 129 offers.
LEADERSHIP IN CURRICULUM VIT has been continually making incremental changes into its curriculum in tune with the emerging SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
international and national trends in technology, management, law and other subjects. From the second semester onward, engineering students at VIT have the freedom to choose many of their courses, and this has also resulted in VIT faculty always staying updated in the emerging domains of technology. Starting with this year, VIT may launch a new engineering curriculum, with immersive learning methodologies and multidisciplinary degrees. Under this new curriculum for engineering, students will learn engineering courses through practical and augmented reality. Also being planned are a more comprehensive curriculum whereby if students need to manufacture an automobile, he or she will get all the information about the making of the vehicle from various engineering departments like electrical, electronics and computer science, apart from automobile and mechanical.
LEADERSHIP IN INFRASTRUCTURE From its early days as an engineering college in the early 80s, Vellore Institute of Technology has always tried to differentiate by way of its infrastructure too. Needless to say, this focus on superior facilities and infrastructure for the VIT students and staff, has turned world-class over the past decade. Today, VIT campus is raggingfree and disciplined, as well as having a state-of-the-art biometric attendance system which is linked to the parents’ phone number. VIT continues to build campuses and campus facilities almost always, the best example being the recent inauguration of a towering 13-floor Hostel Block named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a 5-floor Administrative Block
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named in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi at VIT campus, Vellore. Indian Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Padmaja Chunduru inaugurated both the facilities, as part of celebrations of International Women’s Day. Accomplished young female achiever, G. Muthazhagi, Vice President, Delivery and Support (ERP), Ramco Systems and a former student of VIT, was Guest of Honour on the occasion. VIT builds at a scale and quality that is not attempted by most of its peers and considers no investment too much for the benefit of the VIT family of students and staff. The Hostel Block has been built at a cost of Rs. 105 crore, while the Academic Block has been built at a cost of Rs. 51 crore. Continuing investments in such mega infrastructure and facilities ensure that VIT campus remains the benchmark to beat in overall facilities for students.
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INTERNATIONAL
CHINA'S EFFORTS TO CLEAR ROADBLOCKS IN BELT AND ROAD
tool", though he admitted that "jointly building the Belt and Road is a developing process, it won't happen overnight, and there will inevitably be some troubles." Italy rolled out a red carpet for Xi Jinping in Rome last month and signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road, with Beijing planning to invest in Italian ports. The NATO member country's ascension drew consternation in Brussels and Washington, and even within the leadership of Rome's ruling coalition -Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy would be "no-one's colony".
XI JINPING LED A HARD SALES PUSH AT A BEIJING SUMMIT P RESIDENT RECENTLY, TO CORRAL MORE COUNTRIES INTO A GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT AT THE CORE OF CHINA'S SUPERPOWER AMBITIONS AND WIN OVER THOSE WHO SEE A STRATEGIC THREAT.
he Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) envisages massive investments in maritime, road and rail projects across 65 countries from Asia to Europe and Africa that collectively account for 30 percent of global GDP. If fully realised, it could shape the world economic and geopolitical landscape for decades to come. But its scope and ambition have divided Europe, while US officials have called it a "vanity project", and detractors have warned that it is laden with debt risks and opaque deals favouring Chinese firms and labour. Despite the criticism, momentum appears to be on Xi's side, with leaders from 37 countries flocking to Beijing for the three-day summit beginning Thursday. It's the second such event, with an inaugural 2017 summit bringing 29 leaders together. China added a key nation to its Belt and Road roster when Italy became the first G7 member to sign on to the project last month. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will participate in the summit and Switzerland appears set to sign on with President Ueli Maurer flying to Beijing. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Europe, Asia and Africa will also attend, but major EU nations are sending ministers and the United States said it would not have a high-level delegation. Since Xi launched Belt and Road in 2013, China has invested $90 billion in projects while banks have provided between $200 billion and $300 billion in loans, according to Xiao Weiming, a Chinese government official overseeing Belt and Road. Examples of debt trouble abound. Sri Lanka turned over a deep-sea port to China for 99-years after it was unable to repay loans. Pakistan needs an international bailout. And Montenegro has had to make difficult choices after taking on crushing Chinese debt to pay a Chinese company to build a new highway. It has also become an election issue in some countries. Chinese officials say the projects foster development in poor countries and Xiao dismissed "debt trap" warnings as repeating "the same old tune". Foreign Minister Wang Yi denied last week that the project was a "geopolitical
For China, the initiative is both a practical solution to economic issues at home and a way to expand its global influence -- a key concern for Xi, who frequently trumpets the goal of a "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". It "alleviates a lot of the built up excess industrial capacity that results from the Chinese economic model," said James Bowen of the Perth US-Asia Center. "Chinese workers need jobs and China has materials that need to be exported and built out in other countries rather than in China." The World Bank estimates that Belt and Road funded infrastructure could marginally boost trade and officials there say it is offering funding in areas where it is sorely needed. But the money comes as loans instead of aid, requiring countries to pay China back for the massive projects its companies and people build. Pushing back has proved a successful election issue in Asia, including in Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Malaysia, as the trademark infrastructure push is used to whip up fears about eroding sovereignty. In the Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih claimed victory last year on the back of an anti-corruption campaign targeting the opaque deals with Beijing and "China's colonialism". Opposition candidates in Sri Lanka and Malaysia similarly wielded the debt laden deals to victory. The new Malaysian prime minister cancelled some and renegotiated a rail project cutting 30 percent off the price tag.
HE US POLICY TOWARDS IRAN WAS ANNOUNCED IN MAY LAST YEAR, AND ALL COUNTRIES WERE GIVEN SIX MONTHS UNTIL NOVEMBER 2018 TO BRING DOWN OIL IMPORTS TO ZERO.
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DEPLOMACY
has tightened the screws against Tehran, and this is visible in the lack of salaries for Hezbollah fighters and lack of funds to move missiles among other similar activities.
US LEVERAGES ANTI-TERRORISM HELP TO END INDIA'S OIL IMPORTS FROM IRAN THE US BACKED INDIA AFTER THE PULWAMA ATTACK. DELHI, WHICH RELIES ON US SUPPORT AT THE UNSC, HAS A TOUGH CHOICE GIVEN IRAN ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 13% OF ITS OIL IMPORTS. he waiver for India runs out on May 1, and from May 2, India cannot import oil from Iran, or its state-owned or private entities will face US sanctions. With the White House announcing the end of the waiver to buy Iranian oil, Washington has conveyed to Delhi that it has stood by India on combating terrorism after the Pulwama attack and expects reciprocity on President Donald Trump’s commitment to disrupt Iran’s terror network. In its conversation with Delhi, the Trump administration has also assured that the exemption of the development of the Chabahar port project will continue, though its decision to halt the waiver on oil imports to India is guided by its objective of “changing the Iranian regime’s malign behaviour”. Moving to squeeze Iran’s top export, the White House Monday said it will no longer grant sanctions exemption to Iran’s oil customers. The waiver for India runs out on May 1, and from May 2, India cannot import oil from Iran, or its state-owned or private entities will face US sanctions. Hectic consultations are underway between India and US officials, with a top US State Department official, Alice
Wells, visiting India currently to discuss the issue with Indian interlocutors. The US has told Indian officials that the policy is designed to put “maximum pressure” on Iran, and is not targeted against India. The US has been leading the effort at the United Nations Security Council to list Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar a “global terrorist”, and is working with French and British interlocutors in the face of opposition from Beijing. US officials also did the heavy-lifting to get Beijing on board when the UNSC issued a condemnation statement after the February 14 Pulwama attack. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had visited Washington DC on March 11, after the February 26 Balakot air strike and when the UNSC deadline for Azhar’s listing was due on March 13 amid the hectic diplomatic offensive. The assessment in Washington is that the reduction of oil imports from Iran
OVING TO SQUEEZE IRAN’S TOP EXPORT, THE WHITE HOUSE MONDAY SAID IT WILL NO LONGER GRANT SANCTIONS EXEMPTION TO IRAN’S OIL CUSTOMERS.
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The US backed India after the Pulwama attack. Delhi, which relies on US support at the UNSC, has a tough choice given Iran accounts for about 13% of its oil imports. Since Iran lost the revenue from oil over the last year, the US believes that the Iranian regime would have used that money to support terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and continue its missile development, in defiance of UNSC resolution 2231. Earlier this month, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was designated a foreign terrorist organisation. The US policy towards Iran was announced in May last year, and all countries were given six months until November 2018 to bring down oil imports to zero. In November, Washington gave a six-month waiver to eight countries, including India. American interlocutors have told Delhi that the non-renewal of the waiver will impact not just India, but close allies like Japan and South Korea and NATO ally – Turkey as well. They have also conveyed that the deadline for sanctions to kick-in starts May 2, and it is a “preordained process” under US law. Washington is also working with Delhi to keep the oil market well-supplied, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE prepared to export more oil to India. India Tuesday said it was adequately prepared to deal with the impact of the US decision to end waivers that allowed it to buy Iranian oil without facing sanctions. The Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the government will continue to work with partner nations, including with the US, to find all possible ways to protect India’s energy and economic security interests. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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ECONAMY
High Oil Prices Awaits India Post Polls
BENCHMARK BRENT CRUDE PRICES HAS SURGED RECENTLY, TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE NOVEMBER 2018, MAINLY DUE TO THE US DECISION TO WITHDRAW WAIVERS TO ALL COUNTRIES, INCLUDING INDIA, FROM IMPORTING IRANIAN CRUDE OIL FROM MAY BEGINNING. he US sanction against India’s oil import from Iran will not disrupt domestic fuel supply because Indian refiners have made alternative arrangements, but consumers may feel the pinch as oil marketing companies are under immense pressure to hike petrol and diesel rates post-elections, government and industry officials said. “Crude oil imports have become costlier. The US sanction has added to the woes. Oil companies are unable to proportionately increase retail prices of petrol and diesel due to political constraints. Ultimately, the consumer will face the heat as oil companies cannot absorb it [higher crude oil rates] indefinitely,” an executive working for a state-run oil marketing company said on condition of anonymity. Benchmark Brent crude prices on Tuesday surged to $74.70 per barrel, the highest since November 2018, mainly due to the US decision to withdraw waivers to all countries, including India, from importing Iranian crude oil from May 2. Petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan said India will get additional supplies from other major oil producing countries to compensate for the loss of Iranian oil. “Govt has put in place a robust plan for SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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adequate supply of crude oil to Indian refineries.There will be additional supplies from other major oil producing countries;Indian refineries are fully prepared to meet the national demand for petrol,diesel & other Petroleum products,” he tweeted. The average cost of India’s crude import in the first fortnight of current month was $69.84 per barrel, about $3 costlier than the average import price in March, and about $12.4 per barrel more than $57.43 a barrel average price four months ago in December.
pricing of petrol from June 26, 2010 and diesel from October 19, 2014, it keeps an indirect control over its retail rates through state-run refiners – Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan petroleum Corporation and Bharat petroleum Corporation – which control almost 90% of the fuel retail market. Such tacit control is exerted by almost all governments during elections, executives working in state-run energy firms said, asking not to be identified. According to industry experts, while the US sanction against Iranian crude has pushed up international oil prices for all consumers, the discontinuation of crude import from Iran may have its economic cost for Indian refiners. India imports more than 80% of crude it processes. It imported about 23.5 million tonnes of Iranian crude, almost one-tenth of its total requirement in 2018-19 on lucrative terms such as a 60-day credit and other discounts, government officials with direct knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity. Experts feared a spike in international crude oil prices that will adversely impact the Indian economy. DK Srivastava, chief policy advisor, EY India, said, “Global crude prices may shortly touch $ 80. India’s CAD [current account deficit], growth and inflation will be affected in the short run.” The government has little control over international oil prices, government officials said. It may, however, have an option to slash taxes on petrol and diesel to provide immediate relief to consumers, they added.
Despite volatile international crude oil prices domestic rates of petrol and diesel have been relatively stable in last one month. Petrol was sold at Rs 72.95 per litre and diesel at Rs 66.46 in Delhi pumps on Tuesday. HT reported on April 17, that while international oil prices (Brent crude) increased by over 9% from March 10 to April 10 to close at $71.73 per barrel, petrol prices increased by less than 1% during this period.
Officials are, however, confident on the supply side. An oil ministry official, who did not wish to be identified, said Indian refiners have long-term contracts with oil producers such as Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. “The contracts have in-built provisions to import more crude oil from these countries, hence, India is secured from the supply side and refiners will meet 100% fuel [petrol, diesel and kerosene] demand of the country.”
Although the government deregulated
Government officials said the impact of sanctions on supplies would be minimal as Indian refiners were yet to sign the annual crude oil supply contract with Iran. “The terms of the contract were being negotiated for 2019-20 imports. Currently, Iranian crude is imported as per the old contract,” the oil ministry official quoted above said.
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HEALTH
WILL MEDITERRANEAN DIET CURB OVEREATING?
FOLLOWING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET CAN HELP YOU EAT LESSER CALORIES AND MAINTAIN A LOWER BODY WEIGHT, A NEW STUDY CLAIMS. an't stop overeating? Adopt a Mediterranean diet as it not only deters overeating but also protects against obesity and liver diseases, suggests a new study. In the study, published in the journal Obesity, the researchers from Wake Forest School of Medicine, US compared the effects of a Mediterranean diet with those of a Western diet in nonhuman primates. "By comparison, the animals on a Western diet ate far more than they
needed and gained weight," said Carol A. Shively, Professor of pathology at the varsity. The researchers found that the animals, following a Mediterranean diet, chose not to eat all the food available to them, which meant they maintained a lower body weight. "What we found was that the group on the Mediterranean diet actually ate fewer calories, had lower body weight and had less body fat than those on the Western diet," Shively added. The researchers said Western diet was developed by companies that want customers to overconsume their food. "The Western diet was developed and promoted by companies who want us to eat their food, so they make it hyper-palatable, meaning it hits all
"EATING A MEDITERRANEAN DIET SHOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENJOY THEIR FOOD AND NOT OVEREAT,"
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our buttons so we overconsume," "Eating a Mediterranean diet should allow people to enjoy their food and not overeat," Shively said. The study also found that Mediterranean diet protects against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, known as NAFLD, which is associated with obesity and can cause cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. For the study, the researchers included 38 middle-aged non-human female primates, who were randomised to either the Mediterranean or Western diet for about 9 years. WHAT IS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET? Mediterranean diet refers to the diet traditionally consumed in Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, Monaco, Croatia etc. This diet is mostly plant-based and is rich in good fats, good carbs and proteins. Here are some Mediterranean diet staples you should include in your diet today.
1. WHOLE GRAINS (BROWN RICE) 2. FRUITS 3. NUTS AND SEEDS 4. BEANS AND LEGUMES 5. SEA FOOD 6. OLIVE OIL
GADGET
XIAOMI LAUNCHES TWO NEW LARGE BUT AFFORDABLE SMARTPHONES MI ALSO LAUNCHES AN IOT BASED LED SMART BULB THAT WORKS WITH ALEXA AND GOOGLE ASSISTANT.
REDMI Y3'S SELFIE
CAMERA IS CAPABLE OF TAKING GREAT SELFIES EVEN IN LOWLIGHT CONDITIONS AND PACKS SCREEN FLASH SUPPORT TO HELP WITH THE SAME.
he higher model of the two is Redmi Y3's whose selfie camera setup includes a 32megapixel sensor. The sensor size of the Redmi Y3 selfie camera is 22.5 percent larger than the one present on Y2. There are various software enhancements, including AI Beautify, that Xiaomi has packed in the Redmi Y3 to make sure that the consumers are able to capture great selfies. Redmi Y3 packs AI Beautify version 4.0 as well as support for Auto HDR. Redmi Y3's selfie camera is capable of taking great selfies even in low-light conditions and packs screen flash support to help with the same. The AIpowered dual rear camera setup on the Redmi Y3 houses a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel depth camera. The Redmi Y3's rear camera setup also comes with Google Lens integration. The imaging capabilities complements the design and display of the phone, which sports an Aura Design with a 6.26-inch screen with Gorilla Glass 5. The Redmi Y3 will be offered in Elegant Blue, Bold Red, and Prime Black colours. Among other specifications, the Redmi Y3 is packing a 4,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 636 SoC, and 3.5mm audio jack.
Xiaomi's commitment to quality remains and the company has not skimped on the same in the Redmi Y3, which also comes with watertight seals. Redmi Y3 is a significant upgrade over the Y2 and will carry a price tag of Rs. 9,999 for 3GB + 32GB variant in the country. The 4GB + 64GB version will retail at Rs. 11,999 . The phone is available via Mi.com, Amazon, Mi Stores, and more. The second affordable phone that was launched in India is Redmi 7. Touted as the ultimate all-rounder," the Redmi 7 is also powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC. Sharma also revealed that the Redmi 7 packs a
4,000mAh battery. The imaging capabilities of the phone include a dual camera setup with 12megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors. Xiaomi has added host of camera software enhancements, including AI Portrait mode and AI Scene Detection, in the Redmi 7. There is an 8-megapixel selfie shooter on the front as well. Redmi 7 comes with a 6.26-inch 19:9 HD+ Dot Notch display with the company's Aura Design and Gorilla Glass. The phone will be offered in Lunar Red, Comet Blue, and Eclipse Black colours. There is a fingerprint sensor onboard as well with dual-SIM support, 3.5mm audio jack, IR blaster, hydrophobic nano-coating, and a dedicated microSD card slot. The Redmi 7 is also a significant upgrade over the Redmi 6 and price in India will start at Rs. 7,999 for the 2GB + 32GB variant. The 3GB + 32GB version will carry a price tag of Rs. 8,999. The phone is on sale via Mi.com, Amazon, Mi Home stores, and more. Xiaomi also launched an IoT device, the Mi LED Smart Bulb, in the country. The smart bulb supports both Alexa and Google Assistant. It will be available via a crowdfunding campaign on the company's official website. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
JSS ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION & RESEARCH
WHAT MAKES JSSAHER A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH SCIENCE EDUCATION
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
arnataka based JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research has been ranked among top 5 universities in India by the renowned Times Higher Education ranking of United Kingdom, thereby brushing shoulders with IITs and IISc. Around 5,500 students are currently pursuing their professional education, mainly in health sciences, at this deemed-to-be university that offers 147 academic programmes across its four constituent colleges, which are the Mysuru based JSS Medical College, JSS Dental College and JSS College of Pharmacy as well as the Ooty based JSS Pharmacy College. Admission at JSSAHER is coveted by students from across India, looking out for quality health sciences education, and this deemed-to-be university excels in both corporate and academic placements. Seasonal Magazine identifies five reasons for JSSAHER’s blistering performance in recent years.
EXCELLENCE IN VISION JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research is not promoted by a single edupreneur or even a single family. JSSAHER’s promoting organization is JSS Mahavidyapeetha, one of the largest education providers in India. 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. JSS Mahavidyapeetha was officially established in 1954, by Sri Suttur Veerasimhasana Math, focusing on improving the 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.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
However, the roots of JSS Mahavidyapeetha, dates back to 100 years, when Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji, started a small hostel for poor students pursuing higher studies in Mysore in 1928. It has today grown to be a great educational movement encompassing a variety of educational institutions in India and abroad. With extensive infrastructure and an army of highly qualified personnel, the JSS 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. JSSAHER is the pinnacle of achievement for JSS Mahavidyapeetha.
EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP JSS Mahavidyapeetha has soared to greater heights in recent decades under the leadership of His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji, the 24th pontiff and the current President of JSS Mahavidyapeetha. He has steered and guided the JSS Mahavidyapeetha to be home to several Centres of Excellence in learning, societal transformation and human development. The Mahaswamiji is also the Chancellor of JSSAHER, which is a deemed-to-be university. The Vice-Chancellor of
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JSSAHER, Dr. B Suresh, has been actively involved in uplifting the standards of pharmacy education and profession in India, for the past 35 years. In August 2018, Dr. Suresh was elected as President of Pharmacy Council of India for the fourth consecutive time. Dr. Suresh became the president of the PCI for the first time in 2003 and continues to bring the best-in-class policies and practices to advance Pharmacy Education and Profession. He was instrumental in bringing out several land mark regulations including the Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR) during 2015 and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) regulations 2008 which supported the beginning of new era of clinically trained Pharmacists in the country. 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 it to be ranked high. The Registrar of JSSAHER is Dr. B. Manjunatha, an effective leader, an 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 have all helped in guiding JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research to greater heights.
EXCELLENCE IN PERFORMANCE
In September 2018, JSSAHER has been ranked among the top five universities in India, by United Kingdom’s The Times Higher Education (THE) in their World University Rankings for 2019. More than 1,258 institutes of higher learning across the globe, including 49 from India, were assessed for the ranking. With an overall score of 37.141.6, JSSAHER has been ranked along with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Bombay and Roorkee, which also got the same score (37.1-41.6). From Karnataka, four universities have secured the ranking. Besides JSS Academy, the
EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
JSSAHER as its name signifies is also a centre for research. At any point of time, there are around 300 research scholars pursuing their PhD and postdoctoral research here. Over and above this, all students and faculty are encouraged to involve in
Interdisciplinary Research to understand the various advanced technologies. JSSAHER also provides scholarship and research funding for its students and staff. The Karnataka Vision Group of Science & Technology and FIST, DST has recognized JSSAHER’s 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 Centre for Clinical Excellence Research (CCRE), JSS Medical College, as a Centre of Excellence for carrying out clinical trials. The Indian Pharmacopeia commission has recognized JSSAHER as regional coordinating centre for Pharmacovigilance Program of India (PvPI). WHO International Drug Monitoring Programme located at Uppsala, Sweden has partnered with JSSAHER 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 multicountry vaccine safety studies.
EXCELLENCE IN TIE-UPS
JSSAHER has long been a leader in forging meaningful tie-ups with international universities of repute, which has resulted in excellent student and faculty exchange programs.
Dr. C. G. Betsurmath Executive Secretary & Administrative Head, JSS Mahavidyapeetha, Mysore Recently, JSSAHER signed an MoU with Texas Southern University, USA. The MoU will facilitate Student Exchange, Faculty Exchange, Professional Development, Joint Research projects, Continuing Education and Curriculum Development and delivery.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 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 Deemed to be University or its constituent colleges also have tieups 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.
MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; the University of Mysore, and the Manipal Academy of Higher Educationare the others. It is noteworthy that JSSAHER stood its ground among these illustrious peers, despite it applying for the THE ranking for the first time. Last year, JSSAHER was awarded QS 4-Star rating for excellence by QS Quacquarelli Symonds from the UK. It was the first institution in the State and first among the health science institutions in the country to receive the recognition. India’s MHRD, as part of its National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), has ranked JSSAHER at 34th position among universities, in 2019. In 2017, the JSS Academy was rated as a four-star institution with a score of 711 out of 1,000 by the Government of Karnataka and it was first among the young universities in the State to get the status. JSSAHER is also the first among universities in Asia Pacific to get international certification to its Pharm D programme from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), United States.
Dr Manjunatha. B, Registrar SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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HEALTH
IF SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING, WHAT IS THE NEW QUITTING? According to a new study, physical activity is particularly important for people who sit a lot. Reducing sitting by standing would be a good start but is not enough: the most important lifestyle change for such people would be to look for or create opportunities to move more daily.
weekly dose of at least 150 minutes of physical activity could substantially reduce the health risks in desk-bound office workers, a new study has found. Sitting is often touted as ‘the new smoking’, but it is unclear if it is the sitting itself or the lack of physical activity that causes the harm. It has also been unclear what level of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity – routine activities like walking briskly to work, as well as sport and exercises – might offset this risk. Scientists from University of Sydney in Australian have examined the associations of sitting and physical activity with premature death and cardiovascular disease mortality, and estimated what level of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity might offset health risks of sitting. The researchers statistically modelled physical activity and sitting against death records of nearly 150,000 study participants aged 45 years and over and followed up over almost nine years.
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According to the study, physical activity is particularly important for people who sit a lot. Reducing sitting would be a good start but is not enough: the most important lifestyle change for such people would be to look for or create opportunities to move more daily. Replacing sitting with physical activity – but not standing – reduced mortality risk among ‘high sitters’, people who sit over six hours per day, said Emmanuel Stamatakis, from the University of Sydney. “In our study, sitting time was associated consistently with both overall premature mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality in the least physically active groups – those doing under 150 minutes
SCIENTISTS FROM UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY IN AUSTRALIAN HAVE EXAMINED THE ASSOCIATIONS OF SITTING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WITH PREMATURE DEATH AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MORTALITY, AND ESTIMATED WHAT LEVEL OF MODERATE TO VIGOROUS INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MIGHT OFFSET HEALTH RISKS OF SITTING.
of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per week,” Stamatakis said. “For example, people who were physically inactive and sat for more than eight hours per day had 107 per cent higher risk for cardiovascular death compared to those who did at least one hour physical activity per day and sat less than four hours,” he said. Stamatakis said the findings would be useful for public health officials, health care workers, but also people who sit a lot, such as workers in office-based and other sedentary jobs. “Any movement is good for health but physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity – that is activities that get people out of breath – is the most potent and most time-efficient,” Stamatakis said. “Exercise and sports are a great way to be active but are not the only way – walking fast, climbing stairs, and cycling to get from place to place are only some of the many opportunities everyday life offers to move and even ‘huff and puff’ sometimes,” he said.
STARTUPS
PAYTM FOUNDER ON THE VALUE AND PITFALLS OF HAVING A BUSINESS MODEL Vijay Shekhar Sharma explains what having a business model means in the world of startups.
WORKED 10 TIMES HARDER FOR BHARAT THAN ANY OTHER FILM: SALMAN While speaking about his upcoming film 'Bharat', Salman Khan said, "The...work that went into it is ten times more than what I put in any other film." "Bharat...is a journey from the age of nine to 27 to 35 to 45 to 70...I'm playing all those age groups," he added. Salman further said it was tough training for the film.
ELON MUSK REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH US REGULATOR OVER WHAT TO TWEET
icking off an India Internet Day event around unboxing internet in India to get ready for 100 Unicorns, Paytm’s Founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma dished out some very important life lessons. In an energetic keynote at the event organised by TiE in Delhi-NCR, Vijay said that building an impactful startup needs more than capital, a team, or KPIs. What one needs is ‘desire’ - and knowing that if the journey is worth it. He added that the biggest thing we want in life is impact, and the desire to be able to reach millions of people with our products. Vijay suggested internet companies to build a customer moat so that they come to their app even when the company is not promoting. Speaking to a room filled with hundreds of entrepreneurs, the founder-CEO asked, “Have you built a moat that the customer understands?” Talking about how to build a business model to unbox Unicorns in India, Vijay began by answering something he is often asked, “When will Paytm's elusive search for a business model end?” The Paytm chief chuckled and answered that this a perpetual search.
According to him, even the biggest business tycoons in India are constantly looking for a business model, and added, "As soon as you have a fixed business model, you are destined for death.” Vijay challenged the misconception that internet companies do not make money, and said that internet companies do not make money “in the traditional business model”. Naming some of the big traditional tech players, he talked of how they survived and scaled with new models. "Look at banks. They had a fixed business model, but had to go to the next one to survive," he added. He pointed out that when the industry goes through a curve, companies have an obligation to keep moving. “The incumbent is not your problem,” said Vijay, while asserting, “Always remember, as an entrepreneur, you are waiting for curves in the industry, and the time they come, it is your call." Speaking about the general notion that India does not have enough funds for startups, the Paytm chief pointed out the $100-million cheques and the $1 billion funding rounds raised by the companies here, and signed off by stating that India is definitely the first world for startups.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and US Securities and Exchange Commission reached an agreement on Friday that will give him freedom to use Twitter within certain limitations. Musk would require preapproval of tweets on company's financial numbers, car production, among others. The issue started after Musk's "funding secured" tweet last year after which he and Tesla were fined $20 million each.
155 AIR INDIA FLIGHTS DELAYED TILL 8.30 PM AFTER SOFTWARE GLITCH
Air India has said a total of 155 of its flights would be delayed for an average of two hours till 8.30 pm on Saturday. This comes after Air India's passenger service system (PSS) software shut down from 3.30 am to 8.45 am over a technical glitch. The average number of flights that Air India group flies daily is 674.
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MEETING
TWITTER FOUNDER VISITS WHITE HOUSE, TRUMP EXPLAINS HIS GRIEVANCES TWITTER CEO JACK DORSEY RECENTLY MET DONALD TRUMP OVER HIS LATEST CONCERNS OVER THE MICROBLOGGING SITE THAT HAS BEEN HIS MAIN MEDIA OUTLET EVER SINCE HIS LAST PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
As US President Donald Trump makes plans for a state visit to the UK in June, take a look back at his career in profile. If you've been hanging around in the United States for the past few years, the Trump-is-mad-about-his-audience-size story line will seem familiar. Just as was the case with inauguration crowds, Obama has more Twitter followers than Trump -- nearly twice as many, in fact. This isn't really a function of politics so much as timing: Obama was president as Twitter was growing and was included among early recommendation systems the company used to provide initial followers for new users. But it's the sort of thing that would gall Trump. When he talks about socialmedia metrics, he tends to focus not on Twitter (his most famous platform) but on his follower count across platforms. In an interview with Piers Morgan last year, Trump made that case.
ne of the obvious perks about being the president of the United States is that you can essentially snap your fingers and have something appear in your office in short order. Maybe a Diet Coke. Or maybe the head of Twitter. President Donald Trump snapped his fingers and summoned at least the latter of those options to the Oval Office on Tuesday. He'd begun the day with a series of tweets complaining about a series of things including Twitter which, he said, "[didn't] treat me well as a Republican." The service was "very discriminatory" and it was "hard for people to sign on," with Twitter "constantly taking people off list," which is a little hazy as a critique. But - snap - there was Twitter chief Jack Dorsey in the White House. And in short order we learned about Trump's primary complaint. "A significant portion of the meeting focused on Trump's concerns that Twitter quietly, and deliberately, had removed some of his followers, according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation who requested anonymity SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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because it was private," reports The Post's Tony Romm. "Trump said he had heard from fellow conservatives who had lost followers as well." As Romm notes, Twitter regularly removes accounts from its system because spammers and trolls regularly create accounts to spam and to troll. A purge of fake accounts last year saw Trump lose 300,000 followers which sounds like a lot until you consider that former president Barack Obama lost 2.3 million. (Trump's complaint about losing followers came hours after another Twitter purge removed 5,000 accounts that were spreading antiRussia-investigation messages.)
As Romm notes, Twitter regularly removes accounts from its system because spammers and trolls regularly create accounts to spam and to troll. A purge of fake accounts last year saw Trump lose 300,000 followers which sounds like a lot until you consider that former president Barack Obama lost 2.3 million.
"I have so many followers," he said. "You know, I have five different platforms you add it all up and it's like over 150 million people. That's a tremendous amount of people. You get the word out. You can really protect yourself from the lies and all of the things that are being said." Trump - also perhaps unsurprisingly tends to inflate that statistic. Back in 2017 when he was bragging about having 110 million total followers, we tallied his accounts and found that the figure was really more like 93 million. Trump's long shown an affection for numbers that seem to hint at his popularity. Trump's television show "The Apprentice" topped the weekly ratings precisely once, but he still talks about it being a top-rated show and, at one point, had fake Time magazine covers touting the show's ratings success hanging in Trump Organization properties. Trump will generally overinflate the size of his crowds at political rallies, including making claims about thousands of non-existent people waiting outside to get in. Back in the primary, he denied speaking to a halfempty room in South Carolina despite existing photographs of the half-empty room where he was speaking. Numbers like these are to Trump's selfassessed value as stock prices are to Trump's assessment of the economy.
But there's another reason that the Twitter numbers are particularly important to Trump. Regardless of whether he believes his son Donald Trump Jr.'s unfounded claims about socialmedia companies like Twitter cracking down unfairly on Republicans, it's clear that he finds the idea of losing followers worrisome. But there's another reason that the Twitter numbers are particularly important to Trump. Regardless of whether he believes his son Donald Trump Jr.'s unfounded claims about social-media companies like Twitter cracking down unfairly on Republicans, it's clear that he finds the idea of losing followers worrisome. Why? He explained why in that interview with Morgan: He thinks it's his way to speak directly to people without the filter of the media. Trump believes - and is justified in believing - that Twitter lets him say what he wants to his supporters without the hated media weighing in on its accuracy. Twitter is a universe where what he says goes unchallenged and in which he can see in real time how many people appreciate and agree with what he says. It's like "The Apprentice," but with no network editors and with rating numbers that only go up. He also sees Twitter as a platform at which he's uniquely talented. His complaints about it on Tuesday morning began by quoting Fox Business's Maria Bartiromo saying that Trump was the "best thing ever to happen to Twitter." In the past Trump has called himself the Ernest Hemingway of the platform. Hence the concern. Losing followers on the platform that spawned his success, on which he routinely gets tens of thousands of approving comments and where he can make any claim he wants, no matter how true?
GST COUNCIL BLESSES LARGE COMPANIES
THE COUNCIL HAS RECALLED A CONTROVERSIAL RULE THAT RAISED TAX OUTGO OF LARGE COMPANIES.
he Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has recalled the limits placed on companies from February this year on settling their tax liability with credits for taxes paid previously on raw materials and services. The move comes after businesses said the restrictions had led to an increase in their tax outgo.
T
In a clarification issued to field officers on Tuesday, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has granted full flexibility to businesses in using the credits for taxes paid on interstate transactions (integrated GST or IGST) in settling the liability towards GST payable to the Union or state governments. The limitations introduced from February had forced companies to use IGST credits in a certain order that limited their ability to manage their final tax outgo with the tax credits available on the ledger. This, companies have said, led to increased cash outgo in certain scenarios to meet their tax liability while unused tax credits remained on their books. The CBEC clarification explained that credits from paying taxes on interstate transactions (for raw materials and services) can be used for setting off the
GST liability to the central or state governments in any order or in any proportion. The only rider is that if finished goods move across state borders, the IGST credit should first be utilized for settling that liability and the surplus could be used for meeting the tax liability towards central or state GST. The GST Council introduced the restrictions in February as IGST credit remaining on records was going up, which the tax authorities wanted companies to use up. Experts said the latest clarification offered relief to companies. "This was a much-needed clarification, as this should help bring to rest the varied interpretation apprehended by industry experts on the utilization of IGST credit," said Abhishek Jain, tax partner, EY. The restrictions on use of tax credits was affecting big companies as they have large value chain across states and have large amounts of input tax credits on their ledger on account of transactions across state borders. The flexibility to use credits from inter-state transactions is a relief for businesses as it is more fungible and can be utilized for meeting tax liability. On the other hand, credits from CGST and SGST payment cannot be crossutilised. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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BUSINESS
MICROSOFT BEATS APPLE TO BE WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE COMPANY WITH $1 TRILLION VALUATION MICROSOFT CORP.’S CLOUD COMPUTING BUSINESS FUELED QUARTERLY SALES AND PROFIT THAT TOPPED ANALYSTS’ ESTIMATES, BOOSTED BY SEVERAL NEW DEALS WITH LARGE CORPORATE CLIENTS.
continued to boost’’ the company overall, Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood said in an interview. “We saw demand for Azure across all of our geographic regions and among companies of all sizes,’’ including BMW AG and Renault-Nissan, she said. Worldwide public-cloud services sales are expected to grow 17.5% this year to $214.3 billion, according to Gartner Inc. Software and cloud company stocks recovered in the first four months of 2019, with Facebook Inc., Apple, Alphabet Inc. and Amazon all up this year, after a roller coaster end to 2018 that saw shares drop amid concerns spending might be declining. While the PC market declined in the first quarter, corporate machines were a “bright spot," Gartner said. That helps Microsoft, which generally sells business customers a pricier version of Windows and has many of its corporate clients on a regular license for updates.
he company’s shares rose as much as 5.1% Thursday morning in New York, briefly pushing its valuation across $1 trillion before pulling back slightly. The move nosed the software maker ahead of Apple Inc. as the world’s most valuable company. The two tech giants, along with Amazon.com Inc., are all within striking distance of the symbolic $1 trillion mark as their stocks have rallied this year. Revenue rose 14% from a year earlier to $30.6 billion in the quarter ended March 31, the Redmond, Washingtonbased company said Wednesday in a statement. Analysts on average projected $29.9 billion. Net income was $8.8 billion, or $1.14 a share, compared with an average analyst estimate of $1 a share, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The fiscal third quarter featured a flurry of large brands, particularly in retail, signing agreements to use Microsoft’s Azure cloud software. Clients included grocer Kroger Co., Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and oil company Exxon Mobile Corp. Some, such as Walgreens, also committed to using cloud-based Office and security software. The deals reflect Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella’s efforts to draw some customers away from cloud market leader
Amazon.com Inc. and ink more significant clients. Microsoft also is benefiting as more traditional companies that are longtime customers move to the cloud. Azure cloud-services revenue rose 73%, slower than the 76% Microsoft posted in the fiscal second quarter. Some investors
EVENUE ROSE 14% FROM A YEAR EARLIER TO $30.6 BILLION IN THE QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, THE REDMOND, WASHINGTONBASED COMPANY SAID have been concerned that while Azure is still growing rapidly, those increases have slowed from the past when doubling was a regular occurrence. Sales of Office cloud software to business customers rose 30%. “The Azure growth blew away Street expectations," said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. “This was an A+ quarter across the board for Redmond." Commercial cloud revenue, a measure of sales from Azure, internet-based versions of Office software and some smaller products, rose 41% in the period from a year earlier to $9.6 billion. Profit margins for the business widened to 63%. “The strength of our commercial clouds
Microsoft said revenue for the Surface line of devices rose 21% from a year earlier to $1.3 billion. Sales of Intelligent Cloud products, comprised of Azure and server software, will be $10.9 billion to $11.1 billion in the current quarter, Hood said on a conference call. The division’s revenue rose 22% to $9.65 billion in the fiscal third quarter, above the $9.3 billion average estimate of seven analysts polled by Bloomberg. Microsoft sees its productivity and business processes unit, mostly Office software, reaching revenue of $10.6 billion to $10.8 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter, Hood said. The division’s sales rose 14% from a year earlier to $10.2 billion in the period ended 31 March. That compared with an analyst average estimate of $10 billion. More Personal Computing unit sales, including Windows and Xbox products, will grow to $10.8 billion to $11.1 billion in the current quarter, Hood said. The unit rose 8 percent to $10.7 billion in the fiscal third quarter. Analysts projected $10.5 billion on average. Hood said Microsoft expects to spend $10.7 billion to $10.8 billion on operating expenses in the current period, and it will increase capital expenditures to continue expanding its cloud presence. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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AUTO
WHY IS MARUTI ENDING ALL DIESEL CARS? MARUTI SUZUKI, THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL STOP MANUFACTURING DIESEL VEHICLES FROM APRIL 1, 2020 WHEN THE NEW BS 6 EMISSION NORMS WILL BE INTRODUCED.
he high cost of upgrading existing diesel engines to the BS 6 norms propelled the company to take such a decision.
Apart from that, the company reported a 4.6% year-on-year decline in net profit to Rs 1,795 crore for the quarter ending March 31, 2018 as a result of high commodity and forex costs and increased discounts offered by the company to attract buyers since vehicle sales remain subdued.
The company will try to focus on compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid technology driven vehicles to The total vehicle sales of the company compensate the vacuum created by increased by just 0.4% yearthe phasing-out of diesel MARUTI WAS on-year to 4,28,863 units vehicles. ALREADY IN TALKS while the net sales or Maruti was already in talks WITH ITS PARENT revenue dropped by 0.7% with its parent company COMPANY SUZUKI year on year to 20,737.5 Suzuki Motor Corporation MOTOR crore. The operating for discontinuation of diesel CORPORATION FOR margins contracted by 300 vehicles from 2020. DISCONTINUATION OF basis points due to increase DIESEL VEHICLES in commodity cost and According to R C Bhargava, FROM 2020. discounts. chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, from April next In the full year FY 19, the New Delhiyear the company will stop based company reported 2.9% manufacturing diesel vehicles since decease in net profit to Rs 7,500.6 substantially higher development cost crore while the revenues grew by just will not make diesel a viable option 6.3% to Rs 8,3026.5 crore. for consumers. According to Ajay Seth, Maruti's “We have taken this decision so that in 2022 we are able to meet the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency norms and higher share of CNG vehicles will help us comply with the norms. I hope the union government’s policies will help grow the market for CNG vehicles," added Bhargava. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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executive director, Finance, overall increased discounts offered to customers and commodity costs had an adverse impact on the financials of the company in FY 19 and the company will cut costs in different part of its operations to stabilise the operating margins in FY 2020.
FORMER GOOGLE CEO ERIC SCHMIDT TO QUIT BOARD AFTER 18 YEARS Google parent Alphabet announced that former Google CEO Eric Schmidt will not be seeking re-election to the board when his term expires on June 19. The 64-yearold has been on the company's board since 2001 and served as Google CEO until 2011 before becoming the Executive Chairman. Alphabet said Schmidt will continue to serve as technical advisor to the company.
BAN BURQAS IN INDIA: SHIV SENA ASKS PM MODI AFTER SRI LANKA MOVE The Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', demanded that PM Narendra Modi must ban burqa in public places across India as it poses threat to national security. This comes after Sri Lanka banned the niqab or face veil in the wake of Easter Sunday attacks. "It has happened in Ravana's Sri Lanka....When'll it happen in Ram's Ayodhya?" Shiv Sena wrote.
WALMART WANTS MYNTRAJABONG TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT OF FLIPKART: REPORT Walmart's international division president Judith McKenna visited Bengaluru and said Myntra-Jabong will continue to function independently and there were no plans to integrate it with parent Flipkart, as per a report. This comes after Myntra-Jabong CEO Ananth Narayanan quit few months ago and over 200 Jabong employees were asked to leave which triggered speculations of merger with Flipkart.
INNOVATION
TESLA PLANS 1 MILLION DRIVERLESS TAXIS BY 2020
Tesla is taking direct aim at Uber, Lyft and Ola and would be giving its existing car customers a massive opportunity to monetize the downtime of their vehicles by giving them an option to make their cars available for ride sharing.
Elon Musk would be the first one to admit that he sets and often misses ambitious deadlines. 2020 seems to be too ambitious a target if you ask many analysts. But at the same time, the speed and execution capability needed to pull off such a project is only available at Tesla. In short, if this vision of the near future if possible can only be realised at Tesla. Musk has definitely put together an A team to fulfill the grand vision. One of the best minds in chip engineering Peter Bannon heads the hardware design efforts. Andrej Karpathy, arguably the best computer vision scientist in the world heads the AI division. These gentlemen and many more make Tesla a good bet to pull off the level 5 autonomy for cars.
esla announced its robotaxi service that can be seen as a competition for Uber and Lyft wordlwide and for Ola in India. Elon Musk talking at the Tesla Autonomy Investor Day said that he expects to put 1 million Tesla robotaxis on roads by the end of 2020. The fleet of cars will be a mix of Tesla owned cars and vehicles that are put on the fleet by Tesla’s customers. Tesla would be giving its customers a massive opportunity to monetize the downtime of their vehicles by giving them an option to make the car available for ride sharing. Drivers? Not needed. A Tesla will be self-driven and will complete ridesharing trips and safely return to your garage and be ready for you whenever you want to use it. If this sounds too ambitious, Musk has another zinger for you. “Probably, two years from now, we’ll make a product that has no steering wheels and pedals, and if we need to accelerate that time, we’ll just delete parts. It’s easy,” he said at the recently concluded Tesla Autonomy Day. As Musk and Tesla Motors contemplate a future where cars have no steering wheels and your autonomous car will be working parttime as a taxi, many are left wondering if this can even become a reality. Musk also managed to spring a surprise
on Uber and Lyft that are already struggling to cut profit. If Tesla manages to pull off the robotaxi service, it will be a hell of a competitor for the traditional ride-hailing services because of a massive advantage: autonomy. Autonomy in cars will help Tesla to make money just by using the already sold cars’ downtime. Tesla plans to take a 30% share of all the money a vehicle makes for their owners. On a scale of Uber or Lyft this economics should work favorably for Tesla. Tesla wants to make it impossible for people to buy anything else other than a Tesla autonomous car. Buying anything else would be like owning a horse in the car era. “It’ll be like owning a horse in three years. I mean, fine if you want to own a horse, but you should go into it with that expectation,” Musk says. There are several reasons why customers would also prefer a Tesla over an Uber cab. The experience of a ride given by an autonomous car, the reduced cost per ride because of autonomy and the brand itself are enough reasons for people to switch to Tesla’s robotaxi service. Tesla calls the system that drives the whole autonomy in its car as “Full Self Driving Computer.” This says a lot about the thought process that went behind designing the car. The computer itself promises not to take more than the size of a glove box when fitted into the car.
It seems like there is a good possibility that the project will come to reality later if not next year. The science is heading towards making this possible and the market is also getting warmer to the idea of fully autonomous vehicles. Uber is also focusing on AI-driven cars and has raised a massive 1 billion in investment to aggressively up the ante in the market. The investment in Uber went to Advanced Technologies Group inside Uber. The goal of the investment is to reach scale and reach very low hardware and software costs. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently appointed a new CEO for the autonomous division along with a new board. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, is the top brass now, elevated to the top role as CEO. “The development of automated driving technology will transform transportation as we know it, making our streets safer and our cities more livable. Today’s announcement, along with our ongoing OEM and supplier relationships, will help maintain Uber’s position at the forefront of that transformation,” Khosrowshahi said. A fleet of cars can be the only advantage Uber can currently bank on. With increasing interest, Tesla’s sales and consumer readiness in terms of putting their cars to work can tilt the scale in favor of the automotive giant. Uber is rightly doubling down on its efforts to focus on autonomy and create an intelligent fleet of its own, but there is a feeling that it is a tad bit late and has a lot of catching up to do. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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AGRICULTURE
POWERFUL RESULTS WHEN FARMERS TURN CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
In an ambitious initiative of crowdsourcing knowledge, international agricultural researchers are partnering with farmers from three countries including India to make them citizen scientists to generate realistic feedback on seeds and farming methods, making them adapt faster to dynamic changes including climate change.
trials over different seasons and landscapes to obtain a unique dataset covering 842 plots of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Nicaragua, 1,090 plots of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) in Ethiopia and 10,477 plots of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) in India. Trials were carried out between 2012 and 2016 during three cropping seasons in Ethiopia, five cropping seasons in Nicaragua, and four cropping seasons in India (Uttar Pradesh and Bihar), as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. The CGIAR is the world’s largest global agricultural innovation network. The rank-based feedback format allowed even those with low literacy skills to contribute their evaluation data through various channels, including mobile telephones. Scientists then linked the farmer-generated data with agroclimatic and soil data. “We combined the data from farmers with data on the seasonal climate of each plot,” van Etten explained. “Farmers told us when they planted, and we had GPS coordinates of their farms. This allowed us to link the relevant weather data that occurred during the trial on each plot. We then used statistical analysis to see how the seasonal climate influenced how well the varieties did on each farm.”
n a study spanning India, Nicaragua and Ethiopia, researchers have demonstrated how farmers’ involvement in scientific studies can improve and accelerate crop variety recommendations. Scientists applied a nifty crowdsourced citizen science approach called tricot – triadic comparisons of technologies – in which each farmer plants seeds of three crop varieties randomly assigned to them from a broader set of varieties. The farmer then ranks the varieties according to different characteristics such as early vigour, yield, and grain quality. There are several advantages in getting farmers to participate in data gathering, according to Jacob van Etten, senior SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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scientist at Bioversity International and lead author of the paper.
Seasonal climate data was sourced from weather stations and satellites.
“Farmers are the final users of the seeds, so they know best what works for them under local conditions,” van Etten told Mongabay-India. “They test in the environment to which the varieties should be adapted. Also, by doing this on their own farm, they are able to see the full crop cycle from seed to final product.”
It was a lot of fun to visit the plots and talk with the farmers. Each plot had its own little story: wheat growing in an orchard or next to a cooperative and women’s groups getting involved, the researcher recalled in a blog post.
He added: “In other formats for on-farm experimentation, farmers only get snapshots of the crop. Another aspect is that farmers contribute with their land and effort, reducing the costs of the trials. Seeds are generally provided for free, but other formats of experimentation often require renting land.” The researchers spread out the tricot
“One thing we want to test is whether this approach is more cost-effective and less complicated than the usual demonstration plots or participatory variety trials,” he said. “In the new setup, logistics are less complicated because the seed comes to the farmer and the farmer doesn’t come to the demonstration plot.” As the plots are smaller (with only three varieties from 120 grams of seed), they are easier to accommodate.
Discussing the significance of the study, Ambica Paliwal of Bioversity International, India, emphasised that in vulnerable, low-income areas, climatic analysis of variety performance is possible with trial data generated directly by farmer citizen scientists on farms. The unique contribution of the tricot approach is that it integrates aspects of approaches such as multilocation trials, participatory variety selection, variety dissemination and others into a simple trial format. This simple format addresses the challenge of variety replacement for climate adaptation in a way that is, at the same time, scalable and demand led. Tricot trials can track climate trends as they manifest themselves on farms, adjust variety recommendations and recommendation domains, and contribute to understanding how climate affects on-farm varietal performance. For Nicaragua, bean variety performance was linked to the highest night temperature while in Ethiopia the minimum night temperature played a key role in durum wheat’s behaviour. For bread wheat in India, diurnal temperature range during the vegetative period, determined which varieties do better and which worst under certain seasonal climate conditions. Varietal performance patterns changed with the diurnal temperature range, which is the difference between the minimum and maximum daily temperatures. “When the diurnal temperature range is low, the weather is more cloudy, rainier and less sunny,” explained Jacob van Etten. “Certain varieties do better under these conditions. Other varieties do better under high DRT, which means few clouds, little rain and much sun.” To assess what the tricot trial results mean in practice, results were weighed against existing recommendations. For India, findings were compared with the front-line demonstrations of the Indian Institute for Wheat and Barley Research. Some varieties performed well under both high and low diurnal temperature range, especially the double dwarf
wheat variety HD 2967. HD 2967 was indeed the top variety in the tricot trial among the varieties considered by the IIWBR. In the tricot trials, however, K 9107 (a variety released in 1996) outperformed HD 2967 (released in 2011). A key insight was that certain older varieties such as K 9107 are still preferred by farmers, researchers said. “Also, we found that variety recommendations which were homogeneous for the Indo-Gangetic Plains, can benefit if they are more location-specific and based on climate analysis,” van Etten pointed out. “A limitation is the use of the tricot method by government-funded institutions,” he said. “The current approach is to use frontline demonstration plots. The results of the study suggest that the tricot approach could complement that approach, to allow for a more scientific analysis of the climate adaptation of varieties.” Farmers have shown a lot of interest, the researchers observed. As end users, they were keen to carry out field trials and then adopting varieties as per their experiences, said Ambica Paliwal. “They return data in almost all cases, and if they didn’t it was mostly due to external causes, such as the loss of the plot to drought,” added van Etten. “Variety adoption has been very high. We have measured yield increases of more than 30%. This is a very important achievement, that will be published soon.” During the execution of the project, some challenges did come up. Seed arrived late in the first cycle, but farmers were ready to remove other crops or clear spaces to plant the trial seeds since little land is required. Another challenge was to get the women involved. “In the first year, few women participated,” van Etten noted. “For cultural reasons, crop variety evaluation is often seen as mainly of interest to men. VARIETAL PERFORMANCE PATTERNS CHANGED WITH THE DIURNAL TEMPERATURE RANGE, WHICH IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES.
We thought that their participation was important, however as women are often knowledgeable about different aspects than men, especially food preparation.” He added: “We reached out to women self-help groups in different areas and this proved a good strategy. Many women were very enthusiastic to participate.” A survey conducted in April 2017 in Bihar indicates that 83% of farmers in Samastipur, 95% in Chhapra and 95% in Vaishali districts want to grow the varieties evaluated in the participatory trials under Bioversity International’s “Seeds for Needs” initiative which works with farmers to research how crop diversity can help minimise the risks associated with climate change. Before the intervention, the farmers usually used only two to three varieties, but now they know of more than ten varieties of rice and wheat, and their response to different climatic conditions. For instance, Jagdish Singh of Mukundpur village in Bihar says he assesses all the varieties and then selects the better ones for use in the subsequent years. Nirmala Devi, a farmer with a landholding of an acre in Bhatadasi in Bihar, pointed out that before the trials, she knew about only two to three varieties available in the local market. Currently, she grows five wheat varieties on her farm. Jacob van Etten underscored the importance of collaborating with farmers: “I think that farmer collaboration is essential for selecting climate-resilient varieties. Without feedback from farmers, scientists may be promoting varieties that have low acceptance among farmers, even though they may be very tolerant of extreme weather.” He added: “Stress tolerance is only one aspect, and farmers look at the whole crop and its product to evaluate its value to them. On the other hand, farmers have the capacity to produce data that make good sense from the perspective of a crop scientist. The insights we obtained from their data matched other scientific findings well.”
(Credit: Mongabay) SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
LNM INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
WHY LNMIIT IS COVETED FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS Once upon a time, computer science was just another branch of engineering. But the sector having exploded with knowledge during the past few decades, it now pays to study computer science at a university that is dedicated to the teaching of everything computers, with specialist faculty and advanced labs, like LNM Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur. Promoted by the family foundation of billionaire industrialist Laksmi N Mittal and Rajasthan Government, and headed by renowned specialist in advanced computing domains like IoT & Big Data, Prof. Rahul Banerjee, the success of this deemed university's students are seen in the kind of pay-packs offered to them - with an average of 6.397.27 LPA with the highest being 29.5 LPA, last year.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
All-out Support for Talent Development While it is a fact that LNMIIT has already made a name for itself in computer science programs, thereby attracting top student talents desiring to excel in this field, it is another thing to maintain this momentum year after year, given the rapid developments in this field and intensifying competition. One way LNMIIT achieves this is by providing all-out support for talent development in their students. And the results show for themselves. In the recently held Smart India Hackathon 2019, organized simultaneously at 48 nodal centres across India, by India’s Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministry in association with the country’s Research & Development heavyweight Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), LNMIIT students came out with flying colours sharing the first prize with two other premier institutes, one of them being the prestigious BITS, Pilani. More than 200 students from across 13 states of India had participated in the mega event. And that is not all to it. Smart India Hackathon is not any ordinary competition but attempts to solve real world problems of India. It is a unique initiative to identify new and disruptive digital technology innovations for solving the challenges faced by our country. As such, this is also a nation-building initiatives by HRD Ministry and arguably the world’s largest such program. This year the winning teams, from including LNMIIT, successfully solved six of ISRO’s problems. By actively encouraging its students and supporting them by all means, LNMIIT is not only developing talents, but proving to the world how good their students are.
All-out Support for Higher Studies Generally, any Indian university’s prowess is more measured by career placements than by academic placements. But in the developed world, universities are equally judged by their academic placements or in other words, where their students get to study for higher degrees or undertake research. Any university focusing on computer science has to excel in this field as it is a domain where studies never end. Also, computer science students go on to excel in other fields too like management, finance, marketing and even other niche or emerging areas of engineering. While LNMIIT itself has several options for higher studies in computer science and engineering, like its MTech, MS and Integrated MTech programs, it also provides proactive support for those wishing to study at premier institutes in the public domain in India, as well as at the world’s best universities. In fact, several students from almost all batches of LNMIIT have went on to prove that the professional education as well as grooming they received from LNMIIT faculty were enough to land plum
postgraduate or research positions in premier universities. In India, you can find LNMIIT graduates in premier institutes like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Xavier Labour Research Institute (XLRI) and almost all such renowned institutions. And overseas, you can find LNMIITians in reputed universities across the world, in countries including USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Ireland, Canada, Australia, Singapore and many more countries. And these include heavyweight universities like USA’s University of California and University of Illinois; Germany’s Technical University of Munich; and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
All-out Support for Emerging Domains Quality is never an accident even in age old domains of knowledge. In dynamically emerging domains – of which computer science is the finest example – to even say that quality is a hot pursuit would be an understatement. In earlier decades of computing, a new transformative technology used to arrive almost every year. Nowadays, the pace has accelerated like anything, with a new technology arriving every quarter or even shorter. And rather than being transformative, new technologies are disruptive, which means it is a case of adopt or perish. Most engineering colleges in India that handle everything including legacy domains like civil and electrical, can’t meet this demand SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
by computer science. Since LNMIIT is focused on computer science, it handles this demand remarkably well through its dedicated centres for specific technologies. These include LNMIIT Centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (CRAI), The Centre for Machine Learning and Big Data Analytics, The Centre for Cryptography, Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, LNM Centre for Smart Technology (LCST) and Centre for Next-Generation Communication & Networking (C-NGCN). It is a fact that no computer science professor or researcher can master all the emerging technologies. Each will have their own domain of interest. The same goes with students as they try to match their natural aptitude and interest with the demands of these sunrise fields. The creation of such specialized knowledge centres enables LNMIIT faculty and students to group together according to their interests and pursue such interest together. The university goes out of its way to ensure that all such centres are adequately funded so that they have the best laboratories, machines, software, knowledgebase, books, networks and other resources. Each such centre also interfaces with all other requires departments to meet their objectives. For example, the LNMIIT Centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (C-RAI) is a multidisciplinary centre that works at the interface of ME, ECE and CSE with select interactions from Physics, Math and Humanities / Social Science( HSS). The Centre works to evolve into a Centre of Excellence in terms of research, innovation, development and new venture creation in the relevant areas of expertise in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
All-out Support for Placements Information Technology companies continue to provide the best placement offers be it in India or abroad. And as a university specializing in information technology courses, LNMIIT has to perform well in placements to be successful.
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Indeed, year after year, placements continue to be LNMIIT’s main claim to fame. The kind of pay-packs offered to LNMIIT graduates and postgraduates is way above the average for computer science students in India - with an average of 6.39-7.27 LPA with the highest being 29.5 LPA, last year. Major recruiters from LNMIIT include, Amazon India, Adobe, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, Directi , HSBC Software, Soroco India, Oyo Rooms, Samsung R&D, HMEL, Daily Hunt, Delhivery, Sophos India, Innovaccer Analytics, Tek System Global , Cadekho.com, IBM, Global Logic, Secure meters, KPIT Technologies, Sopra Steria and many more. While many factors contribute towards such robust placements, one key contributor that deserves special mention is LNMIIT’s culture of internships. The deemed university provides all-out support for its students to undergo internships at the best organizations possible be it in India or abroad. In India, LNMIIT students have been undergoing their summer internships in reputed companies like TCS, CISCO, Microsoft, Ericsson, Amazon, Samsung, etc. and in academic institutions like IITs, IISc Bangalore, IIIT
MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES Hyderabad, IIIT Delhi, and BITS Pilani. LNMIIT also offers the LUSIP (LNMIIT Undergraduate Summer Internship Programmes) to its undergraduate students. From 2014 onward, this Programme was extended to the students of other academic institutes across the country, thereby signalling its noble pursuit of talent facilitation.
All-out Support for Startups Entrepreneurship development and startup incubation has become the domain where premier engineering universities compete more these days. Since many years now, LNMIIT is a powerhouse in this domain, especially since it is a university focused on computer science and engineering, which is from where most startups source their disruptive technologies. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the fact that several LNMIIT students have went on to establish successful startups speaks volumes about the kind of education as well as practical knowledge they have obtained from while at the institute. These include Lucideus, Bigstep Technologies, The Elite Express, Codescape Consultants, Enuke Software, Neutrino IT Technologies, Dream Animators and many more. Some of these startups have become so successful that they themselves are recruiting LNMIIT students during campus placements. The
university’s entrepreneurship development efforts are spearheaded by the LNMIIT Centre for Technology-Business Incubation and Entrepreneurial Leadership (L-CTBI&EL). It focuses on innovation-enablement and technology-based opportunity creation initiatives having potential to enable early as well as long-term benefits to the world at large. It interfaces with all other specialized technology centres and departments of the university, as well as with outside experts in technology, financing, management, corporate law etc so that its clients – who are potential start-up founders – get access to 360 degrees of support in fine-tuning their business idea into a robust business venture. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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L U X U R Y CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN & SABYASACHI PRESENT THEIR 4TH COLLABORATION Taking their friendship ahead, Parisian accessories designer Christian Louboutin and Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee collaborated again for the fourth time, combining their creative synergy to produce a beautiful amalgamation of Indian and Parisian style craftmanship. Sabyasachi’s Fall Winter 2019 collection celebrates 20 years of the brand by drawing inspiration from his first collection “Kashgaar Bazaar”.
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA UNVEILS 5 PERFUMES INSPIRED BY DIVERSE CULTURES
A 17.43 CARAT KASHMIR SAPPHIRE TO BE AUCTIONED AT BONHAMS
Taking matters beyond interior décor, Ermenegildo Zegna and The Estée Lauder Companies presented the new Essenze Eau de Parfum collection during Salone del Mobile, by celebrating the launch with a dynamic fragrance installation designed and fabricated by Zegna and The Estée Lauder Companies, inspired by material exploration house The Unseen. The Ermenegildo Zegna Essenze Eau De Parfum collection is composed of five special fragrances, each highlighting an individual ingredient and featuring Zegna’s exclusive Bergamot, which is harvested from a single field in Calabria, Italy.
"Sapphires hailing from Kashmir are among the most highly-prized gems for serious connoisseurs,” saya Emily Barber, Director of Jewellery at Bonhams UK. A magnificent 17.43 carat Kashmir sapphire ring, dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, leads the first Bonhams Jewels sale in London this April 30, and is estimated at £300,000400,000. Given its remarkable size together with the fact it comes from the mines of Kashmir, where the world's most sought after sapphires come from, it is expected to gain a lot of interest from buyers and collectors around the world during its pre-sale previews in Geneva, New York and Hong Kong.
HOUSE OF ANGADI LAUNCHES KANJEEVARAM BLENDS FOR SUMMER BRIDE PAYAL SINGHAL LAUNCHES HER DEBUT MENSWEAR COLLECTION “There was an overwhelming demand for menswear from our brides,” said Indian fashion designer Payal Singhal on the launch of her debut collection for men. Using history and culture as her starting points, Ms. Singhal approaches tradition with a renewed outlook to give every collection present-day relevance. After having her finger on the pulse of what the millennial girl looking for, Ms. Singhal decided to extend her signature aesthetic to menswear as well.
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ADVAYA from The House of Angadi, a traditional Kanjeevaram sari brand, unveils “ADVAYA 2019 Chapter 1”, a summer collection of sarees for those who’d like to drape a sari to stand out during summer weddings. Each “ADVAYA” design is infused with details that are peerless. The collection focuses on a range of Kanjeevarams, Jamdhanis and Kotas that represent an evolved design language and sensibility.
SWAROVSKI & NIDA MAHMOOD LAUNCH COLLECTION UNDER CONFLUENCE Taking inspiration from the many intricate styles of art like filigree, Mughal architecture, Indian vintage style marble engravings with a hint of art nouveau and art deco, Confluence has launched the Nida Mahmood collection - India Electric. Indian designer Ms. Mahmood’s collection for Confluence is inspired by various crafts such as the metal work of Moradabad and the detailing in Mughal and Rajasthan architecture. The jewellery is carefully crafted with vibrant colours of India, represented by the detailed enamel work and use of Swarovski crystals.
TREND
MAHINDRA PARTNERS WITH UBER FOR E-VEHICLES MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LTD., HAS DEPLOYED 50 ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE UBER PLATFORM IN HYDERABAD. fter its test phase, it plans to deploy EVs in other cities where charging infrastructure gets developed. Mahindra had earlier announced its strategic collaboration with Uber, to explore the deployment of electric vehicles on its platform in several cities across India. In Hyderabad, Mahindra’s electric vehicles on the Uber platform will include the e 2 oPlus hatch and the eVerito sedan. To make this model sustainable, Mahindra has worked closely with public and private players who have initially set-up over 30 common use charging points across multiple locations in the city. Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric said, “As the pioneers of electric mobility in India we have always been at the forefront of smart and sustainable mobility. Our collaboration with Uber is aimed at accelerating the large scale adoption of electric vehicles on shared mobility platforms, thereby driving a positive change in daily commute.” “Going forward we plan to further deploy our vehicles across multiple cities on the Uber platform,” he said. Deepankar Tiwari, Head, Vehicle
Solutions, Uber, Asia Pacific, said, “Uber is committed towards adoption of cleaner and environmentally friendly technologies to power urban mobility and our partnership with Mahindra and Mahindra is a step in that direction.’’ These vehicles will be deployed through partners such as A to Z universal solutions and others to begin with in Hyderabad. This will make it easier to adopt electric mobility and enable the cities to be more environment friendly. As part of this collaboration, both the companies will also explore deployment of Mahindra electric vehicles in other cities. The joint deployment of electric vehicles will further reinforce the strong relationship between Mahindra and Uber.
SLACK FILES FOR IPO, SAYS MICROSOFT ITS 'PRIMARY COMPETITOR'
Workplace chat software startup Slack has officially filed for US Initial Public Offering (IPO) on NYSE, under the symbol "SK". It is reportedly offering shares at up to $28 apiece, giving it a valuation of nearly $17 billion. Slack has listed Microsoft as its "primary competitor", which had launched its own workplace chat platform Teams in 2017.
MY TRANSGENDER ROLE GAVE SOMEONE COURAGE FOR SEX CHANGE: KUBBRA
Speaking about her portrayal of a transgender character in 'Sacred Games', Kubbra Sait said, "I know someone who said, 'you gave me...courage and I'm going ahead with my (sex change) operation!'" Further, opening up about her nude scene in the show, the actress added, "It wasn't a nudity scene (for me), it was me bearing my soul in that moment.”
As one of the companies to adopt to the electric vehicles, Mahindra has deployed more than 14,000 vehicles in the country and sees this as big unfolding opportunity to play a role in the country’s electric mobility ecosystem. These EVs have capacity to return 180 km on single charge but with AC and in busy traffic conditions could run up about 140 km. It takes about 90 minutes for single charge.
SRI LANKA BANS FACE COVERINGS AFTER SERIAL BLASTS THAT KILLED 250
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said he is using emergency powers to ban any form of face covering in public over the serial bomb blasts that killed over 250 people. "The ban is to ensure national security. No one should obscure their faces to make identification difficult," he added. The restriction will take effect from Monday.
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LAUNCH
New Audi A4 And Q7 Lifestyle Editions Launched Both ultra premium cars feature an array of well thought-of additional luxuries. Following the success of Audi A6 Lifestyle Edition, the German luxury brand has introduced Lifestyle Editions of the A4 and Q7 in India. The Audi A4 Lifestyle Edition starts at INR 43.09 lakhs while the Q7 Lifestyle Edition starts at INR 75.82 lakhs (both prices are ex-showroom).
Nm of torque while the latter is good for 190 PS and 400 Nm of torque. The Petrol engine can propel the sedan from naught to ton in 8.5 seconds while the oil burner can achieve the same feat in 7.7 seconds. Transmission is a 7-speed S-Tronic automatic unit.
Like all the special editions, the new variants offer additional equipment. The Audi Q7 Lifestyle Edition comes loaded with new features such as new Entry LED light (puddle lamp projecting Quattro logo), stainless steel side running boards (capacity of 150 kg each), Espresso Mobil coffee maker, Audi Cool Box, and a rear seat entertainment system with 25.6 cm screens mounted on the front seat head restraints. The screens have a resolution of 1200Ă—800 and an internal memory of 16 GB.
The Q7 is also available with petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol motor is a 2.0-liter TFSI turbocharged unit which produces 252 PS and 370 Nm of torque while the diesel motor is a 3.0-liter V6 TDI unit which has 249 PS and 600 Nm of torque on offer. The flagship SUV comes equipped with standard quattro all-wheel drive system and 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The Q7 petrol has 0-100 kmph acceleration time of 6.9 seconds while the diesel does it in 7.1 seconds.
The Audi A4 Lifestyle Edition sports Entry LED light which projects the four-ring logo, rear seat entertainment system (similar specifications as the one in Q7), rear spoiler, stainless steel pedal covers and smoked LED taillights.
The rivalry between the trio of German luxury car brands has been intense in India for the past few years. Mercedes-Benz is the current king of the premium segment in the country by a comfortable margin. Audi ended 2018 calendar year in the third position behind BMW India with a decline of 18%. With the new special editions of its popular models, the automaker is hoping to drive volume growth this year.
The Audi A4 in India is available with a 1.4-liter TFSI turbocharged petrol engine and a 2.0-liter TDI turbo diesel. The former produces 150 PS and 250
7-YR-OLD SURVIVES ON WATER FOR 5 DAYS AFTER GETTING TRAPPED IN TOILET
A seven-year-old girl in Telangana survived for five days on water after falling into the bathroom of her neighbour's house while playing on the terrace of an adjacent building, police said. As the bathroom's roof had an opening fitted with plastic net, the girl sustained no injuries. The house owner found her after he returned from a tour.
AS EXPECTED, DONALD TRUMP SPEAKS AND OIL PRICES FALL 4%: UDAY KOTAK
India's richest banker Uday Kotak on Saturday said that oil prices fell 4% after US President Donald Trump intervened "as anticipated". Trump on Friday said he called OPEC and told the cartel to lower oil prices. "Hope his open mouth policy works...For India's sake hope oil not much higher than $70," Kotak added as Brent crude's price fell to $71.6/barrel.
KNIVES FOUND NEAR JAPAN PRINCE'S SCHOOL DESK; PROBE UNDERWAY
Japanese police are investigating after knives were discovered near the desk of Prince Hisahito, grandson of Emperor Akihito, at a junior high school in Tokyo, according to Kyodo News. Security camera footage caught a middle-aged man in a helmet and blue clothes entering the school building, and police are searching for the person, Kyodo News said.
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LAUNCH
WHY NEW HYUNDAI VENUE MAY WIN OVER CRETA FANS
THE FIGHT FOR THE CROWN OF THE BEST SUB-4-METRE SUV IN INDIA IS ALL SET TO HEAT UP IN THE COMING MONTHS AS THE HYUNDAI VENUE IS REACHING OUR SHORES ON MAY 21. THE BABY CRETA ALREADY LOOKS WORTHY OF UPSETTING THE COMPETITION, WHICH HAS AN SUV FROM EVERY OTHER MAINSTREAM MANUFACTURER IN INDIA. ut not only is the Venue looking to woo buyers of other subcompact SUVs in the country, it is also looking for a slice of the bigger pie. From what we know so far, the Venue will be a fully-loaded proposition from Hyundai with a host of segment-first features and the only one to offer a dual-clutch gearbox. Its elder sibling, the Creta, came to India in 2015. Even though the Creta and the Venue are not in the same segment, they are likely to overlap each other’s territory when it comes to pricing. Both the SUVs can seat the same number of people, share the same diesel engine, have similar kinds of equipment and most importantly, come from the same lineage. The Creta is longer than its younger sibling by 275mm but the width is only up by 10mm. It also sits higher than the Venue by around 75mm and the wheelbase is also longer by 90mm. The Venue is not the biggest car in its segment, neither is it the smallest. It is right up there with the competition when it comes to size, slotting in between its rivals which include the Tata Nexon, Ford Ecosport, Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Mahindra XUV300. What the Venue is bringing to the table is a brand new 1.0-litre turbocharged engine which makes 120PS ad 172Nm coupled with an all-new in-housedeveloped 7-speed dual-clutch transmission or a 6-speed manual
gearbox. The SUV is also available with the choice of a 1.2-litre petrol engine with mediocre figures of 83PS/114Nm. The Creta, on the other end, comes with a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that makes 122PS/151Nm coupled to a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission. The Venue is clearly ahead of the Creta in the powertrain department as it offers the 1.0litre engine with the 7-speed DCT. The Venue also puts out similar output figures to that of the bigger Creta using a smaller but force-fed engine. Judging by the size and characteristics of the engine, it is also most likely to return better fuel economy than the Creta. The Venue also offers a choice of two petrol engines to pick from, which the Creta doesn't. The Creta and the Venue share the same 1.4-litre diesel mill, which puts out 90PS and 220Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Where the Creta punches above the Venue is with the 1.6litre VGT engine which makes 128PS and 260Nm along with the choice of a 6-speed manual and automatic gearbox. So if diesel is what you’re eyeing for, the Creta makes a strong case for itself. As far as features go, the Venue comes with Hyundai’s latest innovations in the form of BlueLink, a connected feature that helps you interact with the car and toggle functions like engine start/stop, climate control, door lock/unlock, horn honk and light flash and find my car. The
Hyundai Blue Link connected car technology is a segment-first feature that works with an embedded SIM card and utilises a network connection from Vodafone Idea. It has a total of 33 features, out of which 10 are Indiaspecific according to Hyundai. The Creta misses out on the BlueLink but makes do with a basic version of it in the form of AutoLink, which helps you keep a check of the vehicle, driving habits, manage parking, get roadside assistance, and make a service request. The Creta, though, comes with powered driver seat and follow me home headlamps, which the Venue misses out on. Whereas the Venue gets projector fog lamps, HD display screen, wheel air curtains, and eco-coating over the Creta. The upcoming Venue’s prices are expected to start from Rs 7.50 lakh, going up to 12 lakh while the Creta is available from Rs 9.60 lakh to 15.63 lakh (exshowroom India). If Hyundai prices the Venue around these expected lines, what you can get for the price of a fully loaded Venue is a choice between the lower variants of the Creta diesel, which include the 1.4 E Plus and the 1.4 S. When it comes to the petrol models, you can get either a 1.6 SX or a 1.6 E Plus variant. The Venue does offer more choice when it comes to petrol engines, with the 1.0litre turbocharged unit and the 7-speed DCT being the icing on the cake. The story has a different ending if you are considering a diesel though, as the Creta is available with a bigger 1.6-litre diesel engine which is more powerful and torquier than the 1.4-litre unit. Also, the Venue does not have the choice of a diesel automatic variant on offer, which you get with the Creta, albeit with a much higher price tag. With its new connectivity features and a turbo petrol motor, the Venue is looking set to punch above its weight and could woo some potential customers away from the Creta. And while there might be some cannibalisation, Hyundai has already revealed the ix25 in China, which will come to India as the next-gen Creta next year. Not only will the nextgen Creta be bigger and much more feature-loaded with newer engines than the current model, it could also come in a 7-seater version. That will definitely move the Creta up the price spectrum in India, thus widening the gap with its younger sibling. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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INTRIGUE
INVESTIGATING AND EXONERATING: THE ODD TERMS ROD ROSENSTEIN AND PRESIDENT TRUMP SHARED As US Deputy Attorney General submits resignation to Donald Trump, a look into the tumultuous relationship that Rod Rosenstein had with the current US President, that witnessed Rosenstein initiating the biggest investigation against the President and later exonerating him totally!
William Barr as attorney general. The White House nominated a replacement for the No. 2 slot, Deputy Transportation Secretary Jeffrey Rosen, weeks ago. In his resignation letter, Rosenstein said most deputies stay in their post for about 16 months; Rosenstein will have served about two years. Rosenstein intended to leave around mid-March but stayed on for the completion of Mueller’s investigation.
eputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein submitted his resignation recently after a two-year run defined by his appointment of a special counsel to investigate connections between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia. His last day will be May 11, ending a tumultuous relationship with Trump and a tenure that involved some of the most consequential, even chaotic, moments of the president’s administration. When Trump wanted to fire then-FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing the Russia probe, Rosenstein wrote the memo that the White House used to justify the dismissal. But eight days later, Rosenstein took a step that Trump feared would end his presidency: appointing Robert Mueller as special counsel. The move made Rosenstein the frequent target of Republican wrath and angry Trump tweets and left him repeatedly appearing on the verge of being fired. Yet in the end, he was largely in Trump’s corner. He joined Attorney General William Barr in determining that Trump had not obstructed the Mueller investigation _ reaching a conclusion that Mueller himself pointedly did not make. He defended Barr against criticism that he was spinning Mueller’s findings in the president’s favor and stood silently behind him as Barr praised Trump’s cooperation at a news conference before a redacted version of the report was released. In his resignation letter to Trump, Rosenstein paid tribute to the Justice Department’s accomplishments and to Trump himself, even praising the sense SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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of humor of a man who once retweeted an image that showed Rosenstein and other officials jailed for treason. “I am grateful to you for the opportunity to serve; for the courtesy and humor you often display in our personal conversations; and for the goals you set in your inaugural address: patriotism, unity, safety, education, and prosperity, because `a nation exists to serve its citizens,”’ Rosenstein wrote to Trump. Rosenstein’s departure had been expected following the confirmation of
THE INVESTIGATION OVERSHADOWED THE REST OF ROSENSTEIN’S WORK EVEN AS HE PROMOTED THE PRESIDENT’S AGENDA, INCLUDING ANNOUNCEMENTS ON COMBATING VIOLENT CRIME AND OPIOID ADDICTION.
His exit will leave the department without the Justice Department leader most closely aligned with the probe as officials grapple with continued public and congressional scrutiny of the special counsel’s findings and the department’s handling of the report. Rosenstein was part of a small group of department officials who reviewed the document and helped shape its public release after Mueller submitted the document last month. Integral to the start of the probe, Rosenstein was also present for the very end. After Mueller didn’t reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed the investigation, Barr and the deputy stepped in and determined the evidence wasn’t enough to support such an allegation. The deputy attorney general position is a hugely significant job, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Justice Department and the work of
United States attorneys across the country. But it’s largely an anonymous, behind-the-scenes position. Rosenstein even joked about telling one of his daughters not to expect to see his name in the newspapers. That wasn’t the case, though, for Rosenstein, who was thrust into Justice Department drama even before his arrival on the job because of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ earlier recusal from the Russia probe.
THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL POSITION IS A HUGELY SIGNIFICANT JOB, RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WORK OF UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Rosenstein’s May 2017 memo criticizing Comey’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation laid the groundwork for the FBI chief’s firing, though Rosenstein privately made clear that he was unhappy that the White House was publicly characterizing the move as his idea instead of Trump’s, according to Mueller’s report.
Though Rosenstein’s exit was orderly, and he endured in the job well beyond Sessions, his relationship with the president waffled over time and often appeared in the balance. That was especially true last September after The New York Times reported that he had discussed secretly recording Trump and invoking a constitutional amendment to remove him from office.
Trump later said he would have fired Comey even without the Justice Department’s recommendation and said he was thinking of “this Russia thing.” Rosenstein appointed Mueller one week later, supervising his work and defending the investigation against attacks from congressional Republicans and Trump, who repeatedly blasted the probe as a “witch hunt.” Over the next two years, with Sessions recused from the Russia investigation because of his work on the Trump campaign, Rosenstein set the boundaries of Mueller’s investigation, approved investigative steps and, in place of the rarely seen special counsel, twice announced criminal indictments from the Justice Department podium against Russians accused of election interference. The investigation overshadowed the rest of Rosenstein’s work even as he promoted the president’s agenda, including announcements on combating violent crime and opioid addiction. “The Department of Justice made rapid progress in achieving the Administration’s law enforcement priorities _ reducing violent crime, curtailing opioid abuse, protecting consumers, improving immigration enforcement, and building confidence in the police _ while preserving national security and strengthening federal efforts in other areas,” Rosenstein wrote in his resignation letter.
The Justice Department issued statements challenging the reporting, but former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe _ who was in the room _ has said he got the sense that Rosenstein was “counting votes” about which Cabinet members he could enlist in the effort. Rosenstein arrived at the White House days after the reporting expecting to be fired, but he was instead allowed to stay on after private conversations with Trump’s then-chief of staff, John Kelly, and the president himself. In the summer of 2017, with Mueller new in his job, Trump tweeted: “I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt.” The president lashed out the following April after the FBI raided the office of his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and months later retweeted the image that showed Rosenstein, Comey and other investigators behind bars. In his resignation letter, Rosenstein may have made an oblique reference to those chaotic moments and the media attention surrounding them. “We enforce the law without fear or favor because credible evidence is not partisan, and truth is not determined by opinion polls,” Rosenstein wrote. “We ignore fleeting distractions and focus on the things that matter, because a republic that endures is not governed by the news cycle.”
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AIR INDIA WARNS EMPLOYEES NOT TO SPEAK TO MEDIA Air India has asked its employees not to speak to the media and warned of "appropriate action" if the order is violated. Claiming there had been instances where employees had posted videos in uniform and shared views on social media, Air India Director (Personnel) Amrita Sharan stated no employee can issue statements "without prior authorisation in writing by the CMD."
INDIA'S APRIL JOBLESS RATE AT 7.6%, HIGHEST SINCE OCT 2016: CMIE India's unemployment rate in April grew to 7.6%, the highest since October 2016, as per data compiled by Mumbai-based think tank Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). “The lower unemployment rate in March was a blip, and it has again climbed following the trend of earlier months," CMIE head Mahesh Vyas said. Notably, the government recently withheld jobs data.
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INNOVATION
SOFTBANK PARTNERS WITH GOOGLE FOR AMBITIOUS INTERNET DRONE PROJECT SoftBank gets into solar-powered internet drone project by investing $125 million in Google parent Alphabet’s Loon project. include bringing mobile internet to more people and powering the burgeoning IoT and 5G movements.
oftBank subsidiary HapsMobile, a joint venture established in 2017 by SoftBank and U.S. aerospace company Aeroviron ment, has announced a partnership with Loon, an Alphabet unit developing a network of balloons that beam internet access to remote areas. HapsMobile will invest $125 million in Loon as part of a “long-term strategic partnership,” with Loon also gaining the right to invest the same amount in HapsMobile at a later date. Loon is one of more than a dozen Alphabet subsidiaries and was spun out of Google’s parent company as an in independent entity last summer after five years as a “moonshot project.” Loon balloons travel in the stratosphere about 20km above the Earth, where winds can vary significantly in terms of direction and speed. To compensate, Loon leverages algorithms and predictive models to ensure the balloons continue moving in the intended direction. Loon’s balloons have flown some 30 million kilometers through the skies since the project’s inception, and last year the company revealed plans to deploy its technology to beam high-speed internet access to rural populations in Kenya — its first such rollout in Africa. HapsMobile, which is 95% owned by SoftBank, has been developing a solarpowered, internet-beaming aircraft, dubbed Hawk 30. Reports of its maiden test flight from a NASA base in California recently emerged. The company used today’s partnership announcement with Loon to officially unveil Hawk 30, which is an unmanned drone built for “stratospheric telecommunications” that travels at altitudes of 20 kilometers. HAPS is an acronym for “high-altitude platform station” and essentially refers to an aircraft that can be operated similarly to a stationary Earth-bound telecommunications base for the purpose of delivering connectivity to places where it is not feasible to lay cables. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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As SoftBank is one of the world’s largest telecom operators, it’s easy to see why it is investing heavily in HAPS — “flying base stations” will give it greater reach into untapped territories, such as “mountainous terrain, remote islands, and developing countries,” according to a statement. Moreover, as the internet of things (IoT) and 5G continue to gain steam, solarpowered drones can link in with existing telecommunications infrastructure to provide additional capacity while ensuring constant connectivity when unforeseen events - such as natural disasters - hit the ground. “Even in this current era of coming 5G services, we cannot ignore the reality that roughly half of the world’s population is without internet access,” noted HapsMobile president and CEO Junichi Miyakawa in a press release. “Through HAPS, we aim to eliminate the digital divide and provide people around the world with the innovative network services that they need.” The Hawk 30 is 78 meters long, with solar panels and 10 propellers mounted to its wings. It flies at around 110 kilometers per hour and - given that it travels above the clouds - is constantly in contact with sunlight. That, combined with a favorable stratospheric climate, means the aircraft can fly nonstop for several months at a time. Though HapsMobile’s business is different from Loon’s, they do operate in the same arena. And the nature of HapsMobile and Loon’s partnership will extend far beyond financial commitments - they plan to build out various commercial collaborations to “accelerate the deployment of high-altitude network connectivity solutions,” which will
“We see joining forces as an opportunity to develop an entire industry, one which holds the promise of bringing connectivity to parts of the world no one thought possible,” added Loon CEO Alastair Westgarth. “This is the beginning of a long-term relationship based on a shared vision for expanding connectivity to those who need it.” Significant amounts of cash have been flowing into internet infrastructure from across the technology sphere, with the likes of Amazon, Facebook, and Google all investing heavily in everything from satellites and drones to submarine cables. News emerged this week that Google’s very first privately owned subsea cable stretching down the Pacific coast from California to Chile - is now complete. Altogether, Google is now directly invested in around 100,000 kilometers of undersea cables, which equates to nearly 10% of all subsea cables globally. While solar-powered drones won’t replace traditional internet infrastructure anytime soon, they do represent part of a bigger push to increase coverage and capacity by developing new technologies - this includes huge investments in constellations of micro-satellites that will deliver broadband across the globe. Stratospheric drones operate between ground infrastructure and satellites, which helps avoid some of the issues associated with other methods, such as “ground clutter and significant latency issues,” according to SoftBank. “Building a telecommunications network in the stratosphere, which has not been utilized by humankind so far, is uncharted territory and a major challenge for SoftBank,” Miyakawa added. “Working with Alphabet’s subsidiary Loon, I’m confident we can accelerate the path toward the realization of utilizing the stratosphere for global networks by pooling our technologies, insights, and experience.”
CONTROVERSY
WHEN DELOITTE STARES AT INDIA BAN, ITS TROUBLED HISTORY OF GLOBAL BANS INTERNATIONAL AUDIT MAJOR, DELOITTE ONE OF THE BIG-4 ACCOUNTING MAJORS, IS NOW STARING AT AN EXTENDED BAN BY INDIA. HERE ARE THE 5 TIMES WHEN IT FACED HEAT FOR ITS CONTROVERSIAL AUDIT PRACTICES. Deloitte Brazil’s former CEO and managing partner. The pair was found to have contributed to the firm’s failure to cooperate with a PCAOB investigation. This resulted in the board taking out an enforcement order against Deloitte Brazil which revealed that the firm and several individuals had attempted to cover up audit violations — including improper alteration of documents and provision of false testimony to investigators.
f the ban goes through, Deloitte would be the second ‘Big Four’ company to face such punishment after Price Waterhouse. The Indian government might ban Deloitte Haskins and Sells over its alleged role in the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) case, media reports said. The ministry of corporate affairs might invoke Section 140 (5) of the Companies Act to debar the global auditing firm over charges of fraudulent actions and misconduct in the IL&FS audit process. If this happens, Deloitte would be the second ‘Big Four’ company to face such punishment after Price Waterhouse. In January 2009, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) debarred PwC from providing audit services to listed companies and intermediaries for two years for its role in the Rs. 8,000 crore Satyam scam. But this is not the first time that Deloitte is under the scanner globally for its audit malpractices. Here are five other instances when Deloitte faced bans or fines for not following professional standards and rules while conducting the audit process. Four of these instances were by US regulator and one by Saudi Regulator. Interestingly, US regulator had banned, cesured and/or fined Deloitte units in four other countries Mexico, Brazil, Turkey & Canada. Saudi Regulator's Ban on Local Deloitte Unit Deloitte’s unit in Saudi Arabia was banned from doing auditing work in the region for two years beginning June 2016. The decision was made by the Committee for the Resolution of Securities Disputes, the Saudi stock market’s regulator, and was related to the firm’s former client Mohammad Al Mojil Group (MMG), for whom Deloitte provided auditing services between
2008 and 2011. The decision also included a financial penalty on Deloitte & Touche Bakr Abulkhair of SR 300,000 ($80,000). US Watchdog's Ban on Deloitte Mexico Partners The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) had banned three audit partners at Deloitte Mexico for deficient work which they then misrepresented to Deloitte’s US firm. PCAOB said it barred, fined, and censured three Deloitte Mexico partners for deficient work in auditing the Mexican subsidiary of a US public company, as well as for misrepresentations about that work to the principal auditor, Deloitte US, which relied upon the work in issuing two audit reports. PCAOB sanctioned three partners at the Deloitte affiliate firm in Mexico — Galaz, Yamazaki, Ruiz Urquiza, S.C., known as Deloitte Mexico — for failing to appropriately evaluate the 2013 and 2014 loan reserves of Prestaciones Finmart, then a Mexican subsidiary of Texas-based EZCORP, Inc. US Fine and Ban on Then Deloitte Brazil Chairman & CEO US watchdog PCAOB had fined and banned Michael Morrell, the former chairman of Deloitte’s governing body in Brazil, and Juarez Lopes de Araújo,
US Censure & Fine on Deloitte's Turkish Unit For Altering Audit Documents A Deloitte member firm was pulled up for trying to pull the wool over the US audit watchdog’s eyes ahead of an inspection of audit working papers relating to US-listed clients. PCAOB had said that Deloitte’s Turkish firm, DRT Bagimsiz Denetim ve Serbest Muhasebeci Mali Musavirlik AS, agreed to a fine of $750,000 over charges that it planned to improperly alter audit documents ahead of an inspection by the US audit watchdog and then failed to cooperate with the inspectors. The settlement reached with the firm also saw two audit partners – one of whom was the firm’s national professional practice director – censured and banned. US Censure & Fine on Deloitte Canada for Auditing Own Work The US audit watchdog had censured Deloitte Canada and fined it $350,000 for failing to ensure its independence during three consecutive audits of Canada-based mining group Banro Corporation. PCAOB found that the firm had relied on technical reports as valuation evidence, even though it had been prepared by a company which Deloitte’s South African practice had later acquired. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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NEIGHBOURHOOD
By Nishan de Mel
SRI LANKA IS STILL ASKING, WHO? WHAT? WHY? MORE THAN A WEEK AFTER THE HORRIFIC AND MYSTERIOUS ATTACKS, SRI LANKA IS STILL SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS.
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n April 20, the eve of Easter, I invited my mother, brother and fiancée to join me for Easter brunch at the Cinnamon Grand hotel, Colombo. Waking up at 9 am, I set about my morning routine. Glancing at my phone, I saw a message from a colleague, asking: “Nishan, hope you are safe!” Though the message puzzled me, I did not respond or enquire further. I then set aside my phone for the better part of the next two hours. At 10.44 am, when I picked it up again, I saw several other messages from friends and colleagues:
“Nishan are you at church?” “Are you and your family safe?” I then found out about the horrific coordinated suicide attacks across multiple churches and hotels in Sri Lanka that had taken place that morning. One of the hotels that was bombed was the Cinnamon Grand, where I was planning to have brunch an hour later. A week after the horrific attacks, everyone in Sri Lanka is still scrambling to figure out the three Ws – Who, What and Why – of this evil that manifested in our midst. “Did I see it coming?” is a question my friends and clients have asked me frequently in the past week. They ask me this question because I work for Verité Research, a think-tank with perhaps the largest portfolio of clients for strategic, economic, political, and legal analyses in Sri Lanka. People count on us to have analytical foresight about such events. But frankly, we did not see it coming. Even if you were to wind the clock back to the day before the attack and gave us all the information about the young Muslim perpetrators that was available on that day, we would still not have seen it coming. Even today, with all the information we have in the aftermath of the bombings, I still see the overall event as a mystery that is yet to be resolved. Why is it a mystery? It is not because Sri Lanka is a peaceful post-war society in which religious violence is unexpected. In ethno-religious terms, Sri Lanka is far from being at peace. The recent history of the island nation’s social tensions can put things in context. The political discontent of the minority Tamil population in the country escalated into a separatist war that lasted almost 30 years until it ended in May 2009, with the military gaining a complete victory over the fighting forces of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE. This is why Sri Lanka is now referred to as a post-war country. After the end of the war, the government then and now promised to address the causes and consequences of the conflict and enhance the devolution of political
power to Tamil-speaking regions. However, these and other political promises have not been kept, despite pressure from abroad, including from the UN Human Rights Commission. Meanwhile, Tamil political discontent has continued to fester and manifest on several fronts. In Sri Lanka, the category “Muslim” is used as both a religious and ethnic identity. There have been several events of violence against the Muslim community during the nation’s postindependence history (since 1948), but these have been few and far between. However, after 2009, the government irresponsibly fostered and condoned Buddhist monks and movements that gave leadership to the sustained maligning of, and violent instigations against, Muslims in Sri Lanka. These movements gave rise to several smalland large-scale events in which Muslim shops, homes and religious places were attacked by mobs and armed gangs. The state has been, at best, tacitly complicit in such attacks, which have sometimes raged for days. One of the worst of such attacks took place in March 2018 in the country’s Central Province. The Christians in Sri Lanka have had a very different problem. Christian churches in Sri Lanka – mainly Protestant churches and new church groups with converts – have faced attacks at a lower level of intensity and over a longer period. These have been documented over decades. Analysis of that data highlights that the state is tacitly complicit in the violence faced by Christians as well. Therefore, the status quo in Sri Lanka is that the Muslims and Protestant Christians are prone to feel unsafe, and increasingly so with the rise of Sinhala Buddhist hegemony, which has been freshly emboldened and supported by the State after the war ended in 2009. It was expected that the change in government in 2015 would abate insecurity, but the last two years have proved otherwise. In short, the two axes of religious violence in Sri Lanka have two uniting factors: Sinhala-Buddhist groups as the SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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targets that have been its global focus. What makes Sri Lanka a rational focus for an Islamic State attack? That too, for one of the deadliest attacks ascribed to the Islamic State on foreign soil? aggressors and the State-bureaucracy as a facilitator. The sustained status quo, especially the lack of State protection, has kept on increasing the risk of a backlash, especially from the country’s Muslim community, which has suffered more acute and large-scale violence than the Christian community in the last seven years. In the last few years it was also evident that some Muslim groups were exploring means of managing social violence independently of the State.
A second dimension of the mystery is the scale and sophistication of the attacks. What took place in Sri Lanka is probably the most logistically ambitious terrorist attack of this nature that we know of in Asia. It took place in half-a-dozen locations spread over a wide geography within a very short window of time. Where did this capability come from?
One dimension of the mystery then, is the target of the attacks. Three churches (two of them Catholic) were targeted. These churches are not even geographically proximate and were also quite different in character.
In the case of the LTTE, it is no longer a secret that the separatist group developed a fighting force with such deadly capabilities thanks to the training it received in its formative years in neighbouring India, with the assistance of the Indian security apparatus.
In an equation attempting to establish that these attacks were an expression of Muslim grievances in Sri Lanka, the choice of these targets does not add up. The three hotels that were attacked do not fall into that equation easily either. Muslims in Sri Lanka are not inclined towards being anti-western as residents of some Muslim-majority countries are believed to be.
But in this instance, the dominant narrative implies that a small, littleknown, radicalised Muslim group in Sri Lanka with no history of planning and executing such attacks became capable of launching the most logistically complex terrorist operation we have seen in Asia, with only the distant Islamic State as their mentor and helping hand.
The current dominant narrative therefore places this attack as an enactment of the so-called Islamic State, which is completely unrelated to the ethnoreligious politics of Sri Lankan society and connected instead to the global geo-
The third dimension of the mystery is to explain why the Islamic State would deploy such a “capable group” to attack targets that are disconnected from Sri Lanka’s ethno-religious tensions instead of picking high-profile international
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politics of the terror group’s mindset.
Despite the sophistication of the attacks themselves, which occurred during one short hour on Sunday morning, it took the Islamic State communication channel another two-and-a-half days, till Tuesday evening, to claim that its fighters were responsible for the attacks. In terms of answering the “Why?” question, the Islamic State offered no explanation. As Sri Lanka continues to reel from the bombings, the numbers of those who died has been counted, miscounted and corrected. Today, the official toll stands at 253. Many more remain seriously wounded. Sri Lanka’s inept administration and dysfunctional politics have been exposed, once again, and simultaneously, as both tragedy and farce. When I look at this tragedy as an analyst, I continue to ask, “How do we make sense of what happened?” The difficulty with the dominant narrative is the lack of social and geo-political logic by which it can coherently connect the Who (did it), What (took place and what were the targets) and Why (the motive). The key to resolving the mystery, might be information that we do not possess yet. (Credit: Scroll. By Nishan de Mel, Executive Director and Head of Research at Verité Research, is an economist with extensive academic, policy and private sector experience.)
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PARENTING
W.H.O. ISSUES RADICAL SCREEN TIME NORMS FOR KIDS
Children under 5 must not be watching screens for more than an hour a day. Infants under the age of one year should not be exposed to electronic screens at all and “sedentary” screen time for children under five must not be more than an hour a day, according to the WHO’s new guidelines. However, WHO’s new screen time limits aren’t really about screens, but what kids are missing due to screens.
he guidelines were issued as part of a campaign to tackle the global obesity crisis and ensure that young children grow up fit and well, particularly since development in the first five years of life contributes to children's motor and cognitive development and lifelong health. In recommendations specifically aimed at under-fives for the first time, the UN health agency said that about 40 million children around the globe - around six per cent of the total - are overweight. Of that number, half are in Africa and Asia, it noted. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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“Achieving health for all means doing what is best for health right from the beginning of people's lives,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. The new guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age were developed by a WHO panel of experts. They assessed the effects on young children of inadequate sleep, and time spent sitting watching screens or restrained in chairs and prams. They also reviewed evidence around the benefits of increased activity levels. “Improving physical activity, reducing sedentary time and ensuring quality sleep in young children will improve their physical, mental health and wellbeing, and help prevent childhood obesity and associated diseases later in life,” says Dr Fiona Bull, programme manager for surveillance and
population-based prevention of noncommunicable diseases at WHO. Much has been made of the World Health Organization’s new recommendations that caregivers restrict the amount of time young kids stare at screens. But the guidelines are less about the risks of screen time itself, and more about the advantages of spending time doing pretty much anything else. The recommendations are broadly about physical activity and sleep for children under five years old, and are an attempt to create healthy habits during a critical developmental window. Among the recommendations for tummy time and active play, the WHO also spells out that between the ages of two and five, children should spend no more than an hour a day plopped in front of a screen. And children under the age of two shouldn’t engage in sedentary screen time at all, the WHO says.
reader doesn’t. FaceTiming family is fine, too, Willumsen says.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy.
So there’s more to these new guidelines than just screen time. “But I think there has been a lot of interest in the sedentary screen time recommendations in particular,” says Juana Willumsen, a WHO advisor on childhood obesity and physical activity. “It’s something that parents, families, and people in general are concerned about.” Screen time can mean a lot of things: it can mean getting sucked into an endless stream of YouTube videos, watching TV, playing video games, scrolling through social media, or FaceTiming with grandparents. There’s a lot of debate about what all this digital media is doing to people’s especially children’s brains. And the truth is that science hasn’t caught up to the worry raging in places like Silicon Valley, where one parent told The New York Times that “the devil lives in our phones and is wreaking havoc on our children.”
In this case, however, the WHO isn’t basing its recommendations on what screen time can do to the brain. “We didn’t specifically look for evidence about the effects of screens, in terms of the light emitted, for example, or the content that’s on the screen a child is watching, and cognitive development,” Willumsen says. “We were specifically looking at sedentary behavior.” So sitting or lying down and watching TV counts against the WHO’s recommended limit; dancing along with the TV doesn’t. Staring at YouTube on a tablet counts; reading along with a parent on an e-
“ACHIEVING HEALTH FOR ALL MEANS DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR HEALTH RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF PEOPLE'S LIVES,”
Those distinctions are key to iron out as researchers continue investigating the effects of screen time, says Marc Potenza, a professor of psychiatry at Yale. “I would argue that not all forms of screen time are the same with respect to their potential beneficial aspects and potential detrimental aspects,” he says. That doesn’t mean the WHO should have held off on issuing recommendations, he says, just that people should be prepared for this guidance to change as we learn more. “There are children growing up now, and parents have questions about how they should raise their children in this environment.” For Michael Rich, the director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital, focusing on the WHO’s screen time recommendations misses the big picture: “It’s not that the screen is potentially toxic, per se, it is that it is a relatively impoverished stimulus for them compared to face-to-face interaction,” he says. Screen time, in this context, essentially becomes a marker for how people interact with children - and the important part is giving kids a diverse range of experiences, he says. He’d like to see recommendations for easy alternatives - like listening to music. Otherwise, he says, “Setting a screen time limit probably generates more guilt than enlightenment.” With these kinds of screen time limits the burden falls on parents and caregivers to follow them. And Jenny Radesky, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan, hopes that in the future, the WHO also makes recommendations to improve children’s digital environment. “These might include less usage before bed or in the overnight hours, healthier content that’s truly educational not just marketed as such, and reducing persuasive features that young minds can’t resist,” she says. “This would put less of the onus on parents to always be the gatekeepers for children’s media behaviors.” SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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Triumph Speed Twin Launched at Rs 9.46 lakh
TRIUMPH HAD JUST REVIVED THE SPEED TWIN NAME FOR THE MOTORCYCLING WORLD, AND THE COMPANY HAS NOW DECIDED TO BRING IT TO INDIA TOO. The name itself holds weight for the company as it was the original 1938 that set the Triumph on the revival path after the World War II. In terms of design, the bike incorporates the modern-retro styling that seems to be all the rage these days. Body panels are at a minimum with the tank and the seat, harking back to days of yore while the 17-inch alloy rims and the disc brakes speak a more modern language. It is livened up with tech, however. The instrument cluster is dual analogue with digital inserts that show enough of information. Of course, rider aides too come as a part of the package with ride-by-wire, torque-assist clutch, switchable traction control, ABS, immobiliser, as well as a USB power socket. In terms of the powerplant, the
Triumph uses the same, though slightly updated, engine as the Thruxton R and the Street Twin. However, the 1,200cc motor produces 97 hp at 112 Nm of torque, so the same as the Thruxton. The updates come in the form of a magnesium cam cover and a revised clutch assembly. This also reduces the overall weight of the engine. Suspension duties are handled by KYBsourced 41-mm cartridge forks at the front and a preload adjustable KYB dual shock setup at the rear. The stopping power comes from dual 305mm discs at the front with Brembo four-piston fixed callipers and a 220 mm rear disc. The bike also gets three riding modes - Road, Rain and Sport. The Speed Twin sits at the top of Triumph's modern classic range and, with a price tag of Rs 9.46 lakh, the bike really has no direct competitor.
FORD TO BASE ITS NEXT INDIA SUV ON MAHINDRA'S NEXT GEN XUV500 The first Ford SUV from the Mahindra partnership will be based on the next-gen XUV500 but it will have a unique identity due to a different styling package. Ford India has tied up with Mahindra in an effort to gain market share in the domestic market. As a result of this partnership, Ford will be using the platform of Mahindra vehicles to underpin its India-specific products. The first Ford-Mahindra SUV is less than 2 years away and will be based on the next-gen Mahindra XUV500. The Ford-Mahindra SUV or the next-gen Mahindra XUV500 (codename – W601) will be based on an all-new platform and
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will even get completely new engines. It is said that the new model will be longer than the current version owing to a longer wheelbase and a bigger rear overhang than the existing SUV. The new platform for the Ford Mahindra SUV and the next-gen XUv500 will be developed in assistance with Ssangyong, which has come up with some awardwinning platforms like the X100 architecture of the Tivoli and the XUV300. While the Ford SUV will share the platform with the new XUV500, it won’t be a badge-engineering job. Instead, the Ford Mahindra SUV will look considerably different due to a different styling package. Also, its name will probably start with the letter E, like the EcoSport, Explorer, Endeavour, Expedition and Edge. It will have a more aggressive styling and probably a slightly softer look than the rugged look of the Mahindra product. Other than the styling changes, the Ford Mahindra SUV will even get chassis improvements in the interest of good dynamics. The doors, windows, windscreens and probably the touchscreen system will be shared with the new XUV500. Another thing likely to be shared between the Ford Mahindra SUV and the new XUV500 will be an all-new 2.0litre diesel engine that will be mated to a new six-speed manual transmission. An automatic transmission is also likely to be introduced shortly thereafter.
INDIA SETS A RECORD IN EUROPEAN VISAS
LAST YEAR, INDIANS WANTED TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE MORE THAN EVER BEFORE IT SEEMS. INDIANS APPLIED FOR A RECORD ONE MILLION SCHENGEN VISAS IN 2018! n 2018, over a million applications were filed in India for short-stay visas to the continent’s Schengen Area, a 17% increase from the previous year. The number has almost doubled since 2014, data from the web portal of Schengen visa show. The Schengen visa allows tourists to travel through 26 European countriesAustria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and
INDIA IS LISTED AS THE THIRD-LARGEST SOURCE OF SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATIONS IN THE WORLD, DATA FROM SCHENGEN VISA INFO SHOW. ONLY RUSSIA AND CHINA CLOCKED MORE APPLICATIONS AT 3.6 MILLION AND 2.8 MILLION RESPECTIVELY.
Switzerland—with a single document. Most Indian applicants for the visa in 2018 came from the country’s capital city, New Delhi. “The Swiss consulate in New Delhi received 161,403 applications, topping the list as the busiest Schengen consulate in India,” the Schengen visa portal noted. “Next, are listed the French consulate in New Delhi and Mumbai which received over 140,000 applications together.” Of the million-plus applications from India, less than 10% - 1,00,992-were rejected. India is listed as the third-largest source of Schengen visa applications in the world, data from Schengen visa info show. Only Russia and China clocked more applications at 3.6 million and 2.8 million respectively. Last year, India replaced Turkey, which had ranked third for years. “The transcontinental country is lagging behind (India) with only 879,238 applications filed in 2018, with no important increase or decrease in the last five years,” the data found. However, nationals of 62 countries don’t even need a visa for short stays in Europe. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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FEMALE US PILOT WHO LOST LEGS DURING IRAQ WAR, RETURNS AS SENATOR
TEEN SUES APPLE FOR $1 BILLION AFTER ITS FACE RECOGNITION TIES HIM TO THEFTS
THE 18-YEAR-OLD NEW YORKER CLAIMS HE "WAS FORCED TO RESPOND TO MULTIPLE FALSE ALLEGATIONS" IN SEVERAL STATES, WHICH CAUSED SEVERE STRESS AND DAMAGED HIS REPUTATION.
GAMING PHONE WITH COOLING FAN, 8K VIDEO RECORDING UNVEILED
usmane Bah, who was arrested at his home in November, alleges that the warrant he was served included a photo of someone else. The lawsuit also claims that a detective with the New York Police Department concluded that the thief caught by a store surveillance camera "looked nothing like" Bah.
Chinese smartphone company Nubia Technology has unveiled its new gaming smartphone dubbed 'Nubia Red Magic 3' that has a built-in cooling fan and can record videos in 8K. Equipped with a 48MP rear camera and 16MP front camera, the phone has slow-motion recording capability at 1,920 fps. Further, the phone has a 6.65inch AMOLED screen.
The lawsuit, citing the detective, says that Apple uses facial recognition software to identify shoplifters. The company declined to comment on the lawsuit itself; it would say only that it doesn't use such technology in its stores. Bah said his interim learner's permit, which does not have a photo, had been either lost or stolen. His attorney told The Washington Post that the permit may have been presented as identification at an Apple store, erroneously connecting Bah's name with the thief's face in the company's security system. That means every time the perpetrator walked into an Apple store, his face would register as Bah, the attorney said. This week's iPhone eavesdropping scare is over after Apple shut down a bug in its
THE LAWSUIT, CITING THE DETECTIVE, SAYS THAT APPLE USES FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE TO IDENTIFY SHOPLIFTERS. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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Tammy Duckworth, the helicopter pilot who lost her legs when she was shot down over Iraq 15 years ago, returned to the country for the first time last week as a US Senator. "I returned in a role I never expected," she said. Duckworth served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring from military service in 2014 .
FaceTime group-chatting feature, but a 14year-old high school student in Tucson, Arizona, is hoping for a thank you. Bah had been charged in multiple jurisdictions, including Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York, according to the lawsuit. Three of the cases have been dropped, the suit said, but the one in New Jersey is still pending. A New York Police Department spokeswoman told The Post that the case there has been sealed and that she cannot provide information about it. As for the Massachusetts case, lawsuit said, Bah had never set foot in Boston before his arraignment. He even claimed to have an ironclad alibi: He was attending his senior prom in Manhattan on the day the Boston store was hit. The lawsuit alleged that Bah "was forced to respond to multiple false allegations which led to severe stress and hardship in his life, and also significant damage to his positive reputation that he had put so much effort into upholding." The lawsuit seeks damages of $1 billion, a declaration that Apple "wrongfully and baselessly damaged" Bah's reputation, and a court order compelling Apple to "address the mistake in the stored data" that links Bah's identifying information to the company's facial recognition technology. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
NEARLY 20% OF PHARMA ITEMS SOLD IN INDIA COUNTERFEIT: USTR Almost 20% of all pharmaceutical goods sold in the Indian market are counterfeit, a report by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) said. It further ranked India among top producers for exporting counterfeit drugs to countries including Africa, Canada and the US. A senior official at India's Health Ministry has, however, rejected the findings and claimed the figures are "exaggerated".
LANKAN CATHOLIC CHURCH WON'T ALLOW ANY REVENGE ATTACKS AGAINST MUSLIMS
PAK'S ISI HIDING MASOOD AZHAR IN SAFE HOUSE: INDIA'S DOSSIER Jaish-e-Mohammed chief and Pulwama attack mastermind Masood Azhar has been shifted to a safe house in Islamabad from his Bahawalpur residence by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), as per a dossier prepared by India. The dossier states that JeM has intensified terrorist operations against India and broadened its operational focus by joining Afghan Taliban in attacks against Afghanistan.
I'M TYPECAST AS ACTION HERO BUT THAT HAS GIVEN ME IDENTITY: TIGER CARDINAL MALCOLM RANJITH, THE ARCHBISHOP OF COLOMBO SAID THAT THE CHURCH ASSURES MUSLIMS THAT IT WILL NOT ALLOW ANY REVENGE ATTACKS AGAINST THEM. he Catholic Church in Sri Lanka however said that the government should crackdown on Islamic extremists with more vigour “as if on war footing” in the aftermath of the Easter bombings. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, said the church may not be able to stop people from taking law into their own hands. The cardinal said he is not satisfied with the government’s investigations so far and that it must conduct a thorough investigation to prevent further attacks. Urging the government to implement a “proper programme,” he said, “All the security forces should be involved and function as if on war footing. Further, the church assures Muslims that it will not allow any revenge attacks against them,” Ranjith told reporters. He also said church services would be held coming Sunday after necessary precautions are taken. The number of Masses will be reduced at every church, with police and parish committees entrusted with the task of looking out for strangers.
Churches were shut across the nation on Sunday, a week after the bombings, for fear of an attack by Islamic State group-linked militants. Sri Lanka’s Catholics celebrated Mass in their homes as Ranjith presided over a televised service. The closing of the churches came after local officials and the U.S. Embassy in Colombo warned that more militants remained on the loose with explosives. Even though all of the island nation’s schools are to reopen on May 6, Ranjith said Catholic schools could be kept closed after that date if the church is not satisfied with the security arrangments. Meanwhile, the government has banned all kinds of face-veils that conceals people’s identities. The emergency law, which took effect on Monday, prevents Muslim women from veiling their faces. The decision came after the Cabinet had proposed laws on face-veils at a recent meeting. It had deferred the matter until talks with Islamic clerics could be held, on the advice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
While speaking about his career in Bollywood, Tiger Shroff said, "When people talk about action heroes....one of the names could be Tiger Shroff." "Yes, I'm typecast but this...has given me an identity and made me stand out," he added. Tiger further said that he has been able to establish himself as an action hero despite a highly competitive film industry.
I'VE BEEN AN IDIOT FOR NOT BUYING: BUFFETT'S FIRM BUYS AMAZON STOCK World's fourth-richest person Warren Buffett has revealed his company Berkshire Hathaway has bought shares of tech giant Amazon.com for the first time. "I've been a fan, and I've been an idiot for not buying," the 88-year-old billionaire told CNBC. Buffett added the purchase was made by one of his investment managers and details would be disclosed in Berkshire's quarterly report.
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MENTAL HEALTH
BEWARE, YOUTH SUICIDES MAY BE CONTAGIOUS Are suicides contagious? Learning about a friend's suicide or even suicide attempt appears to transform a distant idea into something very real. New research sheds light on how to help youngsters cope.
ver the past two weeks, two students who survived the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida have died by suicide, amplifying the tragedy that community has experienced. Is this yet another instance of a phenomenon some have dubbed “suicide contagion?” In recent years, research has shown that suicide has the potential to spread through social networks. If someone is exposed to the suicide attempt or death of a friend, it increases that person’s risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts. The consequences can be devastating for families, classmates and townspeople, who are left struggling to understand why clusters of suicides are occurring in their communities. In recent years, we’ve seen this play out in Newton, Massachusetts and Palo Alto, California. But the role of suicide contagion is perhaps one of the least understood aspects of suicide, which puts us at a significant disadvantage when it comes to designing effective strategies to prevent the spread of suicides. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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In a 2015 study, we examined whether knowledge of a friend’s suicide attempt would influence someone’s own risk of attempting suicide. Using longitudinal data, we discovered that adolescents who know about a friend’s suicide attempt are nearly twice as likely to attempt suicide one year later. Youth who lose a friend to suicide are at an even higher risk. Interestingly, adolescents whose friends didn’t tell them about their suicide attempts didn’t experience a significant increase in their risk of suicide one year later. Our study has several interesting implications for suicide prevention. First, experiencing the suicide attempt or death of a friend appears to change adolescents’ risk profile in a meaningful way. We’re all exposed to suicide at some point, whether it’s through reading Romeo and Juliet or simply watching the news. But exposure to a friend’s suicide attempt or death appears to transform the distant idea of suicide into something very real: a meaningful, tangible cultural script that youth may follow to cope with distress. Second, following the old adage “birds of a feather flock together,” some have
By Anna Mueller, Assistant Professor of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago and Seth Abrutyn, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Memphis.
argued that depressed teens may simply befriend one another, which explains why groups of friends have similar suicide rates – and which contradicts the theory of suicide contagion. However our findings add to the literature indicating that suicide contagion is not merely a product of adolescents choosing friends who are similarly vulnerable to suicide. If contagion didn’t matter, knowledge about suicide attempts shouldn’t matter either. Rather, it’s apparent that only if youth know about their friend’s suicide attempt does their suicide risk spike. So what do we do with this knowledge? It’s clear that suicide is not simply a product of psychological illness or psychological risk factors. Exposure to suicide, even if it’s just an attempt, is emotionally devastating, and youth need support when coping with the complex emotions that follow. Here, prevention – or, as it’s sometimes called, “postvention strategies” – becomes crucial. One clear implication of our work is that during screenings for suicide risk, youth should always be asked whether or not they’ve known someone who has
attempted or died by suicide. In fact, many reliable tools for screening youth for suicide include questions about exposure to suicide. This seems reasonable. But then things get murky. Given what our research has shown, it’s only natural to wonder whether or not someone who has attempted suicide should be discouraged from talking about it. There’s the fear that if we talk about suicide, we may be inadvertently promoting it.
RELIANCE JIO'S E-COM PLATFORM IS NEARLY READY MUKESH AMBANI’S E-COMMERCE APP IS BEING TESTED WITHIN THE COMPANY, BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE’S. THE STRATEGY IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE AMBANI EMPLOYED BEFORE TAKING RELIANCE JIO LIVE IN INDIA.
At the same time, if we encourage people to not talk about suicide – particularly young people – we might miss opportunities to help those who are suffering and contemplating taking their own lives. Furthermore, feeling like you belong to a group – supported by friends and family, having a healthy social life – is essential to preventing suicide. If we encourage young people to not talk about suicide, we may unintentionally increase suicidal adolescents’ feelings of isolation, which contributes to risk of suicide. Because of the pervasive stigma of mental illness and suicide, it’s often very difficult for people to admit they need help. So instead of encouraging silence on the topic of suicide, it may be better to train adolescents how to respond appropriately when a friend discloses a suicide attempt or suicidal thoughts. Luckily, evidence-based programs like Question, Persuade, Refer and SOS Signs of Suicide exist. These can teach young people strategies for getting friends help from appropriate sources. Incidentally, these programs are often offered in schools. Additionally, it’s important for parents, teachers and coaches to feel comfortable talking about suicide; they need to be well-versed in the proper responses, and realise that a suicide attempt can have a ripple effect that reverberates beyond the individual. After all, it’s when adolescents are left alone to cope with their friends’ distress that they become most vulnerable to succumbing to the same suicidal ideation and behaviors. (Credit: The Conversation)
ukesh also has a considerable home field advantage compared to Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon India as well as plan to access customers in rural areas.
M
Ambani’s plan also factors in the rural users - one segment of the population that Amazon and Flipkart have been having a hard time bringing online to shop.
Ambani announced his plans to take on Amazon India and Flipkart - the two biggest players etail players in the Indian market - in January, and his progress has been accelerating since. The commercial launch of Ambani’s e-commerce venture should happen by the end of the year.
Jio Point Stores are being put up in over 5,000 towns to bring in last mile connectivity for shoppers who live in rural areas. Not only will that increase connectivity but allow Reliance to cater to new customers that are first-time users or don’t have an internet connection at all. Reliance Retail has already been testing the e-commerce portal in Gujarat where it already has an offline network of 1.2 million local shopkeepers. It has also been pulling its brands from the shelves at Amazon and Flipkart in preparation for the launch of its online avatar.
Experts believe that, since the strategy is similar to the one adopted before the launch of Reliance Jio, Ambani’s arrival in the e-commerce space will be equally aggressive. But, then again, so was Amazon when it initially launched in India. The American e-commerce giant has been able to capture onethird of the market in its five years in India. During festive seasons that share has jumped up to 51%. The symbiosis with Reliance Jio and its 300 million users also makes it easier for Ambani to penetrate the market and take advantage of its strong customer engagement reportedly with 10.9GB of average day consumption per user.
Ambani’s home field advantage over Amazon and Flipkart also extends to the new e-commerce rules implemented by the Indian government in February. Not only do the laws around ecommerce play in its favour, but having been an offline entity for more than 10 years, the brand already has a network of 3.5 million weekly customers that are spread across 6,500 cities in India. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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KARUNYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCES (KITS) (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY)
PROVEN HIGH STANDARDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION arunya Institute of Technology & Sciences (KITS), near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, is a Deemed to be University, that is consistently coming up within top rankings by various national and international agencies. KITS has been consistently ranked among the top 100 institutions in the past years by Indian Government’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). In 2018, KITS bagged the 72nd position under the Engineering Colleges category and was placed in the 89th position under the University Category. International university ratings major, QS has rated KITS as a Three Star Institution overall, and awarding Four Stars for Teaching and Five Stars for Facilities and Inclusiveness. Also, the recent accreditation of the Departments of Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering by US based NBA is a testimony to the quality of education at KITS. All B. Tech and M. Tech programs as well as the MBA programs of KITS have been approved by AICTE. Admissions for the year 2019 are now open for Engineering, Management, Agriculture, Arts, Science, Commerce and Media. Scholarships to the tune of Rs. 5 crore are earmarked for meritorious and needy students.
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Positioned in the verdant valley of the Siruvani Hills, at a distance of 25 km from Coimbatore city is Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (KITS) a Deemed to be University and a Christian Minority Residential Institution in a sprawling 720 acres of land, amidst the green vegetation and misty mountains. The origin of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences dates back to the year 1986, when it functioned as an Engineering College affiliated to Bharathiyar University. Since then there has been a phenomenal progress –with the institution being granted Autonomy in October 1999 and eventually conferred the Deemed to be University status in 2004. True to its name, Karunya which means ‘Compassion’ is an institution with social concern to address the problems of humanity through technical education, research & development, products, patents and extension. The Faculty and students of Karunya are nurtured in character, ethics and spiritual discernment to serve the society with fervour and zeal. Owing to the excellent education imparted by the institution in engineering, biotechnology, food processing, agriculture sciences, arts, media, commerce and management, the accreditation by NAAC is without doubt an acknowledgment of its stature and reputation. The recent accreditation of the Departments of Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering by
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Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Chancellor
NBA is a testimony to the quality of education at KITS. It should also be stated that all B. Tech and M. Tech programs as well as the MBA programs have been approved by AICTE in April 2018. Accepting the recommendations of the UGC and AICTE, the MHRD Government of India, has granted extension of Deemed to be University status to KITS on 8th June 2018. Participating in QS Star Rating, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences has entered into the International Rating System. The QS Intelligence unit has through independent data collection and analysis of performance metrics, rated KITS as a Three Star Institution, awarding Four Stars for Teaching and Five Stars for Facilities and Inclusiveness.
Technology, programs such as Aerospace, Biomedical, Civil, Computer Science, Electrical and Electronics, Electronics and Communication, Mechanical Engineering and Robotics & Automation are offered. In the School of Agriculture and Biosciences, programs such as Biotechnology and Food Processing Technology extend the spectrum of engineering applications to the vital thrust areas of the University- water, health, food and energy, thus integrating Engineering with Sciences. Moreover, Karunya distinguishes itself
from other institutions by offering a unique set of Agriculture programs such as B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture, B.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture and B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering. The School of Sciences, Arts, Media and Management encompasses the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Nanosciences, Information Technology, Commerce, Management and Media. With the introduction of programs such as M.A Media &Communications, B.Tech ECE with specialization in Electronics and Media Technology, B.A Criminology, B.Sc. & M.Sc. Information Security and
In recognition of its contribution to academic excellence and for taking a stand to resolve the societal and technological problems in the areas of food, water, energy and health, KITS has been consistently ranked amongst the top 100institutions in the past years by NIRF, MHRD GoI. In the year 2018, the institution bagged the 72nd position under the Engineering Colleges category and was placed in the 89 th position under the University Category by NIRF. In the School of Engineering and SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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institute from being a Center of learning to a Center of research and change.
provide guidance and management structure for creating the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE:
CENTRE FOR PLACEMENT & TRAINING
KITS has established Centers of Excellence in collaboration with SIEMENS, CISCO, NOVELL, IBM, SALZER and LANCET. These Centers bridge the gap between the academic world and industry.
IQAC
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The IQAC of KITS ensures sustenance of quality stipulated by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) by organizing periodic academic audits thereby strengthening teaching-learning, research and student progression. The cell has developed a robust system to prepare the institution for national and global assessments and ranking. Digital Forensics, KITS has gained recognition for offering unique and distinctive programs. Furthermore, Postgraduate programs in basic sciences such as Physics, Chemistry, Nanoscience (5 year integrated program) and Mathematics are also offered. The MBA is a flagship program of the institution. KITS also hosts program in the domain of commerce (B.Com. accredited by ACCA, UK) Karunya has carved a niche for itself by introducing a wide array of interdisciplinary and departmentspecific postgraduate programs, such as Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Aerospace, Biotechnology, Biomedical Instrumentation, Communication Systems, Cyber Security, Embedded Systems, Engineering Design, Environment and Water Resources Engineering, Food Processing Technology, Geotechnical Engineering, Renewable Energy, Structural Engineering, Thermal Engineering and VLSI Design. The institute takes immense pride of its faculty comprising of learned academicians, avid researchers, eminent scientists and inspiring teachers. Most of the faculty members in KITS have doctorate degrees and continue to undertake research in their areas of specialization transforming the SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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IAESTE KITS serves as the Local Chapter for the I nternational A ssociation for the E xchange of S tudents for T echnical Experience (IAESTE) India, facilitating student exchange programs for technical internships abroad. The Karunya Chapter holds the privilege of being one of the major pivotal points of contact for several aspiring students in India to go abroad for internships and a portal to international students who visit India in exchange. The Karunya chapter has thus far facilitated the exchange of more than 250 foreign nationals from different countries to pursue their internships in KITS and in the R&D sector of India. On exchange, we also provided opportunities for more than 250 students of KITS to pursue their internship with an average stipend of USD 750 per month (approx. INR 50000).
KARUNYA INNOVATION & INCUBATION CELL (KIIC) Karunya Innovation and Incubation Cell was setup to foster innovation, research and entrepreneurial activities in technology related areas. The goal of the cell is to promote technology based entrepreneurship and thereby facilitate creation of ideas and inventions that solves the problems of humanity. To achieve its objectives, KIIC has adopted an incubation procedure and policy to
KITS trains students with professional ethics to set a benchmark of excellence in the corporate world. Offering information, advice, guidance and support for Job seeking students are considered to be the primary responsibilities of the Placement Cell. Its graduates and postgraduates are highly regarded by employers from industries in private and public sectors. 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., Trained staff are appointed to work with the Director (Industry Academia Collaborations) and the Training and Placement Officer.
MoUs The institution has numerous collaborations with academic institutions and universities and has signed MoU with several of them. KITS has been privileged to pursue research with Ben Gurion University(Israel), Technion - Israel Institute Of Technology, RWTH Aachen University(Germany), University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee, USA), Hebrew University(Israel) and Bar-Ilan University (Israel), Cape Breton University(Canada) and National Dong Hwa University(Taiwan). For Research & Development to be on par with the global research fraternity, KITS 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. Admissions for the year 2019 are open for Engineering, Management, Agriculture, Arts, Science, Commerce and Media. Scholarships to the tune of Rs.5crore are earmarked on meritorious and needy students.
AUTO
WHEN SUZUKI BALENO BECOMES TOYOTA GLANZA
IT HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR A WHILE NOW THAT TOYOTA’S FIRST NEW PRODUCT UNDER ITS JOINT VENTURE WITH MARUTI SUZUKI IN INDIA WAS TO BE A BADGE RE-ENGINEERED BALENO, WHICH IS NOW READY FOR LAUNCH. Exclusively Petrol Toyota is set to offer the Glanza with only a petrol engine, with gearbox options expected to include a 5-speed manual and a CVT unit. The engine in question will be a 1.2-litre unit – also sourced from Maruti – tuned to meet BS-VI regulations. However, it is not sure whether it will be the new DualJet unit that recently made its debut on the Baleno in India or the older 1.2-litre unit shared by the Baleno, Swift, Dzire and the new Wagon R. Only Two Variants
he Glanza is the first of a family of badge reengineered models set to come from Toyota, with the company having confirmed that it will also be sharing the popular Vitara Brezza compact SUV, the Ciaz sedan and the Ertiga MPV, while Maruti will be building a few Toyota models, dominated by Corolla. Just last week, Toyota officially revealed the name of their new premium hatchback – the Glanza – accompanied by a teaser video that gave a brief glimpse of the car ahead of it's expected launch in June 2019. Here are five things you should know about the upcoming hatchback: Similar Styling The teaser only revealed a portion of the hatchback, and for the production hatchback, Toyota may not make any sheet metal changes, with cosmetic differences likely to come down to tweaks to the grille and a different front bumper on the outside. The cabin too is expected to feature a few cosmetic changes, though they are likely to be minor as well.
The Toyota Glanza is expected to come in only two variants, which will likely be equivalent to the Maruti Suzuki Baleno Zeta and Alpha trims. As per sources, the Glanza will be offered in a mid-spec G and a top-spec V trim. Costlier than Baleno The only two variants, which are the top end ones, will cost a fair bit more than the Baleno variants they will be based on. This means the Glanza's entry-level G variant will likely sit much higher on the price chart than the base variants of its rivals like the Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Better Warranty Packages In a bid to make the car more attractive to prospective buyers and set it apart from the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota is expected to offer the Glanza with a standard three-year / 1,00,000 km warranty, as against Maruti’s two-year / 40,000km warranty. Toyota is also likely to offer its extended warranty plans, including the five-year True Warranty package that can be opted within the period of standard manufacturing warranty, and the sevenyear Toyota Timeless Warranty package that can be purchased after the standard warranty is over.
MULTIPLE SURGICAL STRIKES DURING UPA'S TENURE: EX-PM MANMOHAN
Stating the Armed Forces were given a free hand to respond to threats during the previous UPA government, former PM Manmohan Singh said, "Multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure too." He added, "For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces than to be used for vote garnering exercises."
COCAINE, BANNED PESTICIDES FOUND IN SHRIMPS FROM UK RIVER
Researchers have found cocaine, other illicit drugs and banned pesticides in freshwater shrimp in UK's Suffolk. They collected samples from five catchment areas, and 15 sites across Suffolk and found cocaine in all samples tested. "Although concentrations were low, we were able to identify compounds...which might pose a risk to wildlife," a researcher said.
EATING MORE RICE COULD PREVENT OBESITY, STUDY SUGGESTS
Obesity levels are substantially lower in countries that consume high amounts of rice (150g/day/person) than countries with lower rice intake (14g), as per a study comprising 136 countries. Researchers accounted for factors like total energy consumption, smoking, and GDP per capita. Scientists estimate that increasing average rice consumption by a quarter of a cup could reduce worldwide obesity by 1%. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL
HOW SYMBIOSIS MAKES A DIFFERENCE une headquartered Symbiosis International is one of India’s earliest deemed universities in the private sector. Home to students from the world over, Symbiosis has used this early mover advantage to good effect by making a positive difference in the life of their students. Under the visionary leadership of its Founder and Chancellor Dr. SB Mujumdar and operational excellence of its Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, the university continues to scale heights by following many emerging as well as ancient principles in grooming global winners out of the students who have put their faith in the Symbiosis name. Seasonal Magazine identifies five such strategies from Symbiosis that makes a difference in their students’ lives.
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
Dr. SB Mujumdar
INTERDISCIPLINARY AND HOLISTIC APPROACH Gone are the times when an engineer is an engineer, or a lawyer is a lawyer, or a manager remains a manager. The rapid strides in technology have ensured that no field is immune from technological advancements and that each field requires a reasonable understanding of many other fields. As a pioneer in the higher education space of India, and as a pioneer in embracing the latest trends as and when they happen across the globe, Symbiosis International has been implementing this interdisciplinary approach since a few years now. An engineering student at Symbiosis not only studies core engineering subjects but seemingly unconnected ones like liberal arts and foreign languages. A lot of stress is also laid on acquiring hands-on knowledge rather than just theoretical knowledge. Symbiosis does this through a never ending stream of guest lectures, workshops, buddy sessions, industry visits and niche courses. When interdisciplinary knowledge couples with hands-on know-how, the students become lifelong learners who are complete professionals – complete engineers, complete lawyers, complete managers – as demanded by today’s world. But even this is not considered enough by Symbiosis as it is evident that in the dog-eat-dog corporate world, sustainable leadership is possible only for those whose ethical grounding and holistic values are strong. Towards this, Symbiosis students are groomed to be conscientious human beings sensitized towards their role as individuals in a society. As much stress that is placed on emerging skill sets is also given to teaching ethics and values.
PUTTING TECHNOLOGY TO EXCELLENT USE Universities and engineering colleges call the shots in technology these days. However, when it comes to where they themselves stand with regard to technology adoption for their own operational excellence, the adoption rate is woefully inadequate. This is most evident from their own exclusive reliance on pen-andpaper model for exams. As a pioneer in technology adoption among all Indian universities, Symbiosis International implemented a revolutionary new idea – of digitising the conduct of exams. Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), a constituent of Symbiosis International, went paperless for their exams. Towards this, SIBM provided every student with a tablet with inbuilt question paper as well as a stylus to write on. As many as 200 students appeared for the mid-term exams and the benefits were immediately evident. Firstly, huge time savings for both faculty and students assessment was rapid. Even, requests for revaluation of an answer were undertaken in the same digital mode. Secondly, the environment benefitted as it was an obvious green initiative, as each of the 200 students appeared for 15 subjects, and each subject would have required around 40 pages. Students were pleasantly surprised as all kinds of papers – objective, subjective, drawings, coloring, calculations etc were well taken care of by the hardware and software. Students in fact saved time as drawing diagrams and coloring are much easier on tablets. Teachers could assess, tabulate and index marks much more faster than on papers. On final assessment, not only was life made easier for both students and teachers, but they found the experience fun, and it is sure to provoke more pioneering uses of technology in this deemed university campus. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES
START-UP INCUBATION THAT WORKS IMPRESSIVELY
It is rare now to find a private or deemed university worth its name without an entrepreneurship development cell. But there are only very universities in India providing start-up incubation, and even more importantly with a start-up incubator that works! Symbiosis International, when it decided to establish an entrepreneurship and innovation centre, decided to do it in an inimitable class, which is typical of this pioneering deemed university in the private sector. Last year this centre came into being, funded by, a grant of Rs. 20 crore from the Indian Government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), with matching funds from Symbiosis Society. The centre hit the ground running with a few start-ups already working from it at the time of launch, with several other business proposals by start-up founders in the pipeline. The entrepreneurship centre caters not only to Symbiosis students but to outsiders who have the idea but not the infrastructure to make it into a viable business. While startups in many domains are housed here now, the centre’s specialization is in artificial intelligence and healthcare based start-ups. The services provided by the centre are truly comprehensive and amazing in its depth and diversity. These include training on how to raise funds from investors, training sessions from domain-specific and tech-savvy experts, assistance in legal matters of establishing a business, training in moving up the startup value chain and assistance in searching for matching co-founders, access to prototype design and
manufacturing lab, apart from office infrastructure with cabin space and an innovation lab with high bandwidth. Some of the start-ups operating from the Symbiosis Centre include Zucate, Easebuzz and Crowd Share. The success of this centre is largely due to the contribution of expertise from different Symbiosis schools like its Engineering, Business and Law Schools, as well as from its alumni who are in coveted positions in industry or are themselves successful start-up founders. Encouraged by the success of this Centre, Symbiosis is now planning to set up incubators designed for women entrepreneurs as well as in social entrepreneurship.
PROVEN INDUSTRY INTERFACES WITH GIANTS
The best universities in the world work in collaboration with the industries around them, and in India too this trend has been picking up. But over here, not many universities have gone beyond basic collaborations like conducting joint seminars, talks by industry experts, industry inputs into curriculum design etc. Symbiosis is doing all these and has gone even one step forward by offering joint post-graduation programs to an industrial giant, Tata Motors. The tie-up with the automotive major started with the offering of a post-graduate management program at Jamshedpur and was expanded last year to a second batch at Pune for the EPGDBM course. Exclusively open only for Tata Motors’ managers from various functions, the executive program covers comprehensive general management courses covering
Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar
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MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES operations, finance, people management, supply chain and marketing among others. The focus is to sharpen managerial skills at multiple levels in the organisation. The partnership is helping both partners to provide avenues for collaborative research, content development and knowledge exchange between industry and academia. The EPGDBM program comprises of four semesters over 24 months, where the program pedagogy involves concepts learnt in the classroom and applied on a real-time project in diverse functional areas across Tata Motors. Symbiosis bagged this prestigious tie-up by working out a highly customised design, best suited for the working professionals in this manufacturing company. Tata Motors aims to prepare a future-ready workforce that is world class, strategic yet adaptive, has razor-sharp business sense and innovative enough to lead the vibrant ecosystem in the marketplace, especially when disruptive technologies are emerging every day. The company considers this partnership with Symbiosis International as a win-win opportunity that will help the company push the boundaries of learning for their managers and help create a repository of case studies and related teaching capabilities. For Symbiosis International it has come as a shot in the arm, as it opens the doors to more industry majors seeking it out to harness the combined force of industry and academia working together.
residential campuses of private universities. The university has been following the cleanliness ideal ever since the time of its inception. This involves not only keeping the outside of the building clean, but also the inside. From classrooms, corridors, to toilets and canteens, every single place has always been maintained properly by the personnel of each campus. The supervisory staff are mostly retired army personnel to ensure discipline. For Symbiosis, this was also about keeping students motivated and healthy. The focus has always been on treating the place as a second home and it has paid off huge dividends for Symbiosis through this coveted award. Several strategies were followed for waste management. From using food waste from canteens to making biogas for cooking, to using sanitisation water for gardening, or even making students strictly follow the waste segregation procedure, the campus has stretched itself towards a positive change. Going one more step forward, Symbiosis not only keep their campuses clean, but also hold awareness drives and cleaning drives, around the neighbourhood and in the various villages it has adopted.
EXCEEDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Symbiosis doesn’t just excel in making its students successful in careers. Rather, this deemed university ensures that students graduate also with a full sense of their social responsibilities. As proof for this mission came last year’s Swachh Campus Rankings 2018. Symbiosis International emerged as the winner, being ranked the Number 1 Swachh campus in India in the category of SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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HEALTH CARE
THREATENING-3 WITH 3-FOLD RISK: STRESS, SLEEP & BP NEW RESEARCH SHOWS WORK STRESS AND IMPROPER SLEEP COMBINE WITH HYPERTENSION TO BE A LEADING CAUSE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DEATH. ork stress and improper sleep cause of cardiovascular death Highlights Stress at work and trouble in sleeping are associated with a threefold increase in the risk of cardiovascular death in employees diagnosed with hypertension, finds new research. The research was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Study author Karl-Heinz Ladwig, said, "Sleep should be a time for recreation, unwinding, and restoring energy levels. If you have stress at work, sleep helps you recover. Unfortunately, poor sleep and job stress often go hand in hand, and when combined with hypertension the effect is even more toxic." One-third of the modern working population has hypertension or high blood pressure. Previous research has shown that psychosocial factors have a stronger detrimental effect on individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular risks than on healthy people. However, this was the first study to examine the combined effects of work stress and impaired sleep on death from cardiovascular disease in hypertensive workers. The study included 1,959 hypertensive workers aged between 2565, without cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Compared to those with no work stress and good sleep, people with both risk factors had a three times greater likelihood of death from cardiovascular disease. People with work stress alone had a 1.6-fold higher risk while those with only poor sleep had a 1.8-times higher risk. During an average follow-up of nearly 18 years, the absolute risk of cardiovascular death in hypertensive staff increased in a stepwise fashion with each additional condition. SEASONAL MAGAZINE
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Employees with both work stress and impaired sleep had an absolute risk of 7.13 per 1,000 person-years compared to 3.05 per 1,000-person-years in those with no stress and healthy sleep. Absolute risks for only work stress or only poor sleep were 4.99 and 5.95 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. In the study, work stress was defined as jobs with high demand and low control - for example when an employer wants results but denies authority to make decisions. "If you have high demands but also high control, in other words, you can make decisions, this may even be positive for health. But being entrapped in a pressured situation that you have no power to change is harmful," said Ladwig. Impaired sleep was defined as difficulties falling asleep and/or
IN THE STUDY, WORK STRESS WAS DEFINED AS JOBS WITH HIGH DEMAND AND LOW CONTROL - FOR EXAMPLE WHEN AN EMPLOYER WANTS RESULTS BUT DENIES AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS.
maintaining sleep. "Maintaining sleep is the most common problem in people with stressful jobs. They wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning to go to the toilet and come back to bed ruminating about how to deal with work issues," said Ladwig. "These are insidious problems. The risk is not having one tough day and no sleep. It is suffering from a stressful job and poor sleep over many years, which fade energy resources and may lead to an early grave," noted Ladwig. The findings are a red flag for doctors to ask patients with high blood pressure about sleep and job strain, said Professor Ladwig. "Each condition is a risk factor on its own and there is cross-talk among them, meaning each one increases risk of the other. Physical activity, eating healthily and relaxation strategies are important, as well as blood pressure lowering medication if appropriate." Employers should provide stress management and sleep treatment in the workplace, he added, especially for staff with chronic conditions like hypertension.