MONDAY 28 September, 2020 Pages 08, Faridabad Delhi (NCR)
India may face the consquences of theasianchronicle.in
Indo-China tech war Daily E-Paper m
Basim Sheikh
www.theasianchronicle.com m email id: asianchronicleindia@gmail.com m www.facebook.com/asianchronicle
Recent events have suggested that India, China, and America are competing against one another in tech war. American firms still have the upper hand. Amidst the recent clashes around the border, there was an enormous uproar among Indians. More than 200 Chinese apps, including the famous TikTok, has been banned by Indian government. Such moves took place in the wake of restrictions on FDI imposed to undermine Chinese opportunistic takeovers. India is prospecting that such moves will inhibit China from exerting Tech influence in India.
Nevertheless, these restrictions and policies against China has left a void in India’ own start-up ecosystem. Over the past few years, China has made substantial investments in Indian Tech startups. But these investments are noticeably decreasing now. Since later April, when new FDI rules became effective, only six deals has been made between Indian Tech and Chinese PE firms. Comparatively, from January to April— in a period of 4 months— 15 such deals were signed. 37 deals were in 2020. Even Chinese firms are now circumspect in their investments in India. India still has a huge market for Tech start-ups, as there’s a growing demand for mobile phones and in-
ternet. India is considering the risks involved in Chinese investments, all the while sidestepping the risks involved in investments done by America. In this scenario, India may be swayed by the events in Silicon Valley. A recent report by the parliamentary standing committee postulated that Indian startups are no more dependent on outside investments. “Chinese and US tech companies have not come up on their own," said Jabin Jacob, associate professor in the department of international relations, Shiv Nadar University. Foreign funding is imperative for developing economies, as they fall short of adequate funds. 99% bets not paying off for the venture capi-
talist, still enable Indian entrepreneurs to learn, to innovate, and to pay the bills. Indian sources do not have the kind of money needed to fill the void created after removing investments from China. “While domestic investors can provide early-stage funding to home-grown consumer apps, they don’t have deep-enough pockets to provide multiple rounds of capital that some of these usagedriven apps need before they start generating revenue,” said Natarajan. Imposing restrictions on inchoate tech eco-system will only deprive Indian firms of capital and technological inputs. Noticably, doing business in India’s digital economy
is difficult for foreign players. India is considered one of the most protectionist countries in the world. Early investments made by China had helped India sustain an ecosystem. Now, it is unlikely for India to accomplish the same goals in the same timeframe. Policymakers propose to stir up the competition among firms in order to spawn novel innovations in the country. The state is also planning to underpin technological innovations and healthy competition, keeping in mind the welfare of the country as a whole. Even during a unforgiving pandemic, when nearly all other sectors failed to survive, Indian tech companies came off better and exhibited their potential.
Singer SBP no more, the legacy will live on
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
TAC News: Legendary playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, was hospitalised in August after he tested positive for COVID19 and passed away on Friday afternoon at a private hospital in Chennai. He was 74. Balasubrahmanyam was hospitalised in August at MGM Healthcare after testing positive for COVID-19, and initially responded well to the treatment, but later he took a turn for the worse, and was put on a ventilator and ECMO support. On September 4, he tested negative for COVID-19 but was still on the ventilator and ECMO support while participating in passive physiotherapy as well. "In a further setback this morning, despite maximal life support measures and the best efforts of the clinical team, his condition deterioted further and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest. With profound grief, we regret to inform that he has passed away on September 25th at 13.04 hours," MGM Healthcare said in a media release. Popularly known as SPB, Balasubrahmanyam made his singing debut in 1966 with Telugu movie Sri SriSriMaryadaRamanna. With an impressive career spanning more than fifty years, He has
nation
sung over 40,000 songs in as many as 16 languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. Balasubrahmanyam was also a voice-over artist and also acted in a few movies. He was the voice-over artist for actor Kamal Hassan, whenever the latter’s Tamil movies were dubbed in Telugu. He had acted in films such as ManathilUruthiVendum, KeladiKanmani and Si karam, besides scoring music for some films. ‘PaadumNila’ (Singing Moon) as he was called by his fans had a lilting voice with the finest traces of great singers. “His was a breezelike voice of A.M Raja, with the softness of the P.B. Srinivas and the effortlessness of Mohamed Rafi,” said film
music historian Vamanan. He also had won the hearts of several fans across the world for whom his songs have marked milestones. Balasubrahmanyam sang thousands of songs in South Indian languages and in Hindi for five decades for a generation of actors ranging from MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan, down to the stars of the present and is the recipient of six national awards. His voice effortlessly captured varied human emotions and feelings. He could transition from one emotion to the other like it was a piece of cake and left us all wondering in awe at the wondrous spectacle which was a treat to the ears and his expressions a treat to the eyes. He was a master at his craft and a
singer par excellence who gave us a new memory with each song of his. He was an extremely friendly and genial man, full of warmthwho enjoyed his moments with interviewers. He mentored numerous contestants from various live shows. SPB once said he was fond of life and never wanted to die and he shall continue to live through his treasure trove of songs. It is true that one can get lost in his mesmerising voice and hope for a better tomorrow. His voice gave hope and happiness to many. His friends and stalwarts in the industry had only the best words for him, considering him a friend and guide. Various political leaders and people from the film industry took to twitter to offer condolences to the family and express grief over the singers death which has come as a shock for many. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter who have followed their beloved father’s footsteps and are both playback singers and will continue to keep his memory alive for years to come. SPB may be no more, but his voice will live on keeping him alive in our hearts, nevertheless and his unmatched legacy will live on.
NTPC seeks bids for procurement of biomass pellets to co-fire thermal power plants NTPC Ltd, India's largest power producer and a PSU under Ministry of Power, has invited bids for procurement of biomass pellets for its various thermal plants on the basis of Domestic Competitive Basis (DCB) as part of its endeavour to reduce burning of crop residue on farmlands that cause air pollution. The power producer has envisaged consumption of five million tonnes of pellets in the current year at its 17 its power plants including NTPC Korba (Chhattisgarh), NTPC Farakka (West Bengal), NTPC Dadri (Uttar Pradesh), NTPC Kudgi (Karnataka), NTPC Sipat (Chhattisgarh), and NTPC Rihand (Uttar Pradesh). As per a statement issued by NTPC Ltd, it had first undertaken this unique initiative on pilot basis in 2017 for biomass co-firing by replacing some of the coal with pellet based fuel at NTPC Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. Post successful implementation, NTPC now plans to replicate the model in 17 of its state of the art plants. The invitation for bids would be done through e-tendering at SRM Portal. The bidding process will be followed by the Single Stage, Two Envelope Bidding System. NTPC is confident that cofiring will help create large scale rural employment opportunities in processing as
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well as supply chain for biomass. The power producer will give preference to bids from suppliers from Punjab and Haryana. The bidders needs to notify NTPC about the relevant provisions of the bidding documents before submitting their bids. NTPC had fired 100 tonne of agro residue based pellets at Dadri, Uttar Pradesh in 2017. The test-firing was carried out in four phases, with gradual increase in percentage of firing from 2.5% to 10% along with coal. Till date, the company has fired more than 7,000 tonne of agro residue pellets. As per estimates, about 145 MMTPA of crop residue remains unutilised and most of it is burnt in India in the open fields, creating severe air pollution that leads to health issues. Open burning of agro residue is considered a major contributor to the surge in PM 2.5 in Northern India in post-harvesting season. With a total installed capacity of 62.9 GW, NTPC Group has 70 Power stations comprising of 24 Coal, 7 combined cycle Gas/Liquid Fuel, 1 Hydro, 13 Renewables along with 25 Subsidiary & JV Power Stations. The group has over 20 GW of capacity under construction, of which 5 GW comprises of renewable energy.
Xavier School of Communications, Xavier University Bhubaneswar holds Xtraordinaire 2020
Bhubaneswar: Xavier School of Communications (XCOMM) hosted its first-ever web symposium Xtraordinaire 2020, on the theme “Women as Media Practitioners” on Saturday. Woman plays a significant role in society, and they make a significant contribution in diverse fields, highlighted by Prof. Fr. E. A. Augustine, S.J., the registrar of the Xavier University Bhubaneswar in an inaugural address of the symposium. The acting dean of Xavier School of Communications, Prof. V. Vijay Kumar welcomed the students and faculties from different parts of the country. The keynote speaker, Ms Supriya Sharma, executive editor, Scroll.in., who spoke on the role and importance of mass media in a democratic country
like India. She highlighted journalists must provide trustworthy,
truthful and the credible information. There should be check and
balances of the information before making it public. Taking an example of the press freedom index, she highlights that India has dropped its rank significantly due to various press freedom violations where journalists are being attacked and killed. The current position of India stands 142 out of 180 countries as far as Global Press Freedom is concerned. Without being biased, journalists should play a watchdog role in a democracy and serve the public interest, she said in her keynote address. The other sessions of symposium covered various media domains such as film production, advertising and public relations. The other distinguished speakers were Ms Fowzia Fathima, ISC Cinematographer, Ms Chandana Agarwal, President North, 82.5
Communications (Ogilvy Group) and Ms Paayel Sengupta, Group Head, MSL-Kolkata. These sessions were followed by an interactive conversation with students of mass communication on the role of present-day journalism, future aspects of a cinematographer and the industry, creative aspects of advertisements and role of PR in brand building. This one-day programme was designed to enhance theoretical knowledge of the students into various aspects of mass communication such as journalism, adverting, public relation and film production. More than 250 students and teachers participated in this web event. Towards the end, the symposium was concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof. Arpita Saha, the coordinator of Xtraordinaire 2020.
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
World Contraception Day 2020: Emphasis on protecting women from risk of unwanted pregnancy! nation
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Bhavna Singh
The trend towards family planning is increasing among people for small and happy families. The National Health Mission and the Department of Health are fully focused on bringing the family welfare programs to the people to bring women from the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Despite the presence of permanent and temporary contraceptive devices, this condition of unintended pregnancy does not seem appropriate from any point of view, as it leads many women to opt for an unsafe abortion which is very risky. To protect women from these risks, World Contraception Day is celebrated on 26 September every year. Additional mission director of National Health Mission-Uttar Pradesh, Heera Lal says that while adopting contraceptive tools, the health of women can be improved while maternal and child mortality can also be reduced. He said that awareness of contraceptive tools is to be made and to enable the young couple to take decisions about their family by giving them informed choices on sexual
and reproductive health. The newlyweds should plan for the first child at least two years after the wedding so that the spouses can understand each other better during this time and also raise some capital for better upbringing of the child. Apart from this, a difference of at least three years between the births of two children must be kept for the better health of the mother and
baby. In view of the increasing demand for quarterly contraceptive injection regimen and contraceptive pill shade in the state, its facility is being provided to the Health and Wellness Center close to home. The 'Naya Pahal' family planning kit is being provided by ASHA workers to newly married couples in 57 districts taken under Mission
Family Development. Condom boxes have been installed at selected locations in all districts to maintain consistent availability of condoms. A campaign of '2 yards', masks and family planning is necessary' will be launched from October 1 to October 31 in 13 districts of the state. The campaign will be conducted in Agra, Aligarh, Etah,
Etawah, Fatehpur, Firozabad, Hathras, Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Mainpuri, Mathura, Rae Bareli and Rampur districts. Contraceptive materials were provided to migrant workers on their way home from the quarantine center, citing the situation of unwanted pregnancies from homecoming of large number of migrant workers due to Covid-19. If we look at the figures of the last three years, the number of people adopting contraceptive devices was increasing every year, but the beginning of the 2020-21 season was only during Kovid, so it was natural for these figures to come down but now the situation is normalized. Is being tried hard. Male vasectomy was 3,884 in the year 2017-18, 3,914 in the year 2018-19 and 5,773 in 2019-20. Female sterilization was 25,8182 in the year 2017-18, 281955 in the year 2018-19 and 295650 in 201920. Similarly, in the year 2017-18, 300035, in the year 2018-19 30,52,50 and in 2019-20, 35,87,64 women joined PPIUCD. 23,217 in the year 2017-18, 16,13,65 in the year 2018-19 and 34,45,32 in 2019-20 women chose intravenous injection.
DeepikaSorabjee, who is the head of arts and culture portfolio at the Tata Trusts. Women Shine Through On The JCB Shortlist TejaswiniNiranjana, the chair of the jury this year, said about the shortlist, “What the shortlisted books have in common is their ability to pull out tendencies from our contemporary socio-political world in India and represent them through intriguing characters, sparkling di-
alogue, and accomplished narration.” According to Niranjana, all the shortlisted books share the "ability to pull out tendencies from our contemporary socio-political world in India and represent them through intriguing characters, sparkling dialogue, and accomplished narration". "Time past and time present are projected into possible futures as the writers weave their intricate plots. Whether it's a farm or a basti, a hospital or a housing society, the locales teem with characters that demand our attention and arouse our curiosity. "Here we have some of the best fiction published in this tumultuous year," she said. About The JCB Prize Backed by the English construction manufacturing group JCB, the prize under the JCB Literature Foundation is an annual selection of India’s best author. This year marks the third edition of the JCB Prize, which was first instituted in 2018. The winner of the Rs 25 lakh JCB Prize for Literature will be announced on November 7. If the winning work is a translation, the translator will receive an additional Rs 10 lakh.
Women debut writers dominate JCB 2020 shortlist
Nishica Choudhary
Debut novels from women authors dominated the JCB Prize for Literature shortlist for 2020 that was announced on Friday.Among the five shortlisted books, three have been penned by women first time writers. The list is wonderfully dominated by three debut novels and three women authors who have made it to the top five, from the longlist announced in August. The winner, announced in November, will take home the coveted prize money of Rs 25 lakh. The other nominations on the shortlist will receive prize money of one lakh rupees each.
The shortlisted books include "Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line" by Deepa Anappara, "These, Our Bodies, Possessed by Light" by Dharini Bhaskar, and "Prelude to a Riot" by Annie Zaidi. The five titles featuring on this year’s JCB shortlist are: Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, Deepa Anappara, Penguin Random House India Chosen Spirits, SamitBasu, Simon & Schuster India These, Our Bodies, Possessed by Light, Dharini Bhaskar, Hachette
India Moustache, S Hareesh, translated from the Malayalam by JayasreeKalathil, HarperCollins India Prelude to a Riot, Annie Zaidi, Aleph Book Company, 2019 Out of these, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, These, Our Bodies, Possessed by Light, and Moustache (translated into English from Malayalam) are debut novels. In case the final winner is a translated novel, JCB will award the translator
additional prize money of Rs 10 lakh too. Now in its third edition, the Prize carries an amount of Rs 25 lakh and is awarded each year to a distinguished work of fiction by an Indian writer. It is the most expensive Indian award for writing. This year's jury has been chaired by author and professor Tejaswini Niranjana. Other members include writer AruniKashyap, playwright and director RamuRamanathan and
Best Skin-Care Tips of All Time
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
Looking for skin-care advice? Enter, a dermatologist. Well, more like 11 dermatologists who have generously shared some of their best skin-care tips over here. Now, these aren't your run-of-the-mill skin-care tricks, but rather rules they've learned and recommended to patients throughout their careers. For example, when and where to wear sunscreen (answer: everywhere and always), how to layer your skin-care products, and why chemical peels could be an important part of your routine.
Keep reading to learn one (or 21) new skin-care tips and tricks — all approved by dermatologists. g Period skin is real
Everyone's skin suffers from periods when nothing is working. But masks balance skin quickly: Clays reduce oil, and gels calm redness. — Ellen Marmur g
Kick dryness at night
beauty
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Be patient when using retinol
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Acne products come in many formulas
Using retinol is a marathon, not a sprint. It stimulates collagen but can irritate. Start using it once per week, over a moisturizer. —Joshua Zeichner
Benzoyl peroxide kills P. acnes bacteria; use it all over to prevent breakouts. A 2.5 or 5.5 percent formula works without flaky side effects. —WilliaZeichn g
Blackheads hate salicylic acid
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Integrate fatty acids into your routine
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Apply sunscreen — everywhere
Salicylic acid is really only ideal for blackheads and whiteheads. If it dries you out, look for it in a face wash and let it sit on your skin for 30 seconds. —Zeichner
Your skin uses omega fatty acids to produce lipids (moisturizing oils) and studies show that omega-3 supplements improve skin's lipid levels and hydration. —W
If you wake up with dry skin, change your bedtime routine, not the morning one. It’s easier to head off dryness at night than to reverse it the next day. — Doris Day
Don't forget sunscreen on your ears, hairline, neck, hands, and chest. Dermatologists can look at your décolleté to see how old you are. —Ranella Hirsch
Face wipes may be more convenient than oldschool cleansers, but don't rely on wipes to detox skin if you live in a city where pollution is high. —Zoe Draelos
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Pack an extra pillow for puffy eyes
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Peel pads are almost too easy not to use
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Don't towel off
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Swap out your sunscreen
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Fight hyperpigmentation during the day
g Cleansing cloths shouldn't be your first line of defense
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Multi-mask
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Take your time when applying products
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The sun is responsible for fine lines
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Consider a chemical peel
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Glycolic acid works, too
You don't have to use one product on your entire face. Try glycolic acid on the T-zone to minimize breakouts and thick creams elsewhere. —DendyEngelman When layering, let each product absorb for two or three minutes so it's not counteracted or diluted by the next one you put on. —Neil Sadick Ninety percent of fine lines are caused by sun exposure, which makes sunscreen the ultimate ingredient for younger-looking skin. Use an SPF 30 or higher daily. —Day
Weekly chemical peels help healthy bacteria grow. Gritty scrubs have the opposite effect, triggering collagen-destroying enzymes. —Whitney Bowe New to chemical peels? Try glycolic acid for normal skin, salicylic acid for oily or combination skin, and gentle lactic acid for dry or sensitive skin. —Day g
Vitamin C is your friend
Use brighteners (we like vitamin C) within six months of seeing a dark spot. Melanin goes deeper into skin over time, so it's harder to reach. —Jessica Wu g
Sweep up oil with a foaming face wash
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Self-care with a sheet mask
If you're breaking out along your hairline, it could be from the oil in your hair products. A foaming face wash cuts through the oil without being harsh. —Patricia Wexler
Sheet masks push hydrating ingredients into the skin. Put one on over your moisturizer for 10 minutes at night, and your skin will be dewy the next day. — Day
If you wake up to puffy eyes, add an extra pillow under your head while you sleep — gravity drains enough fluid to help with next-day puffiness. —Zeichner
Glycolic acid treats lines and dark spots. It's most effective in individually wrapped peel pads (the pH of glycolic acid can change when it’s exposed to air). —Wu
If your skin is ashy, make one easy change: Don't dry it completely before moisturizing. Creams seal in hydration and work best with a little water. — Hirsch
Dryness, redness, and tight skin are signs that you may need to switch to a higher SPF. Try a new sunscreen and see if the issues go away in a few days. —Sadick
Treat dark spots using antioxidants during the day. At night, apply topical retinoids to enhance cell turnover to shed pigment.
Shivani Shukla
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DO IT RIGHT
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
life style
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Evlyn Ann
push ourselves but bad when it makes us overtrain, ignoring our other requirements.
●Mix it up
Exercise not only changes your body, but also changes your mind, attitude, and mood. The physical activity requirements of a human being depend on his/her body type, habits, and routines. It is an unopposed fact that exercises, when rightly done make us fit and healthy. But do we know how it’s rightly done? What happens if we overdo it? What are the symptoms of overdoing exercises? How to prevent injuries? Well here are some useful tips, precautions, and warnings that will help you in your fitness journey.
Mixing your routine with different exercises can make you less acquainted with your regular sets of workouts and can reduce the tendency to overtrain. It can prevent injuries. Once in a while, you can compensate for your exercises with other physical activities like cycling, running, playing sports, etc. This can help you recover from injuries too.
● Pay attention to your mental state
Assessing our mind and mood before starting the regime is a good way to avoid overtraining. When we are under stress or feeling angry or anxious we unconsciously push ourselves beyond our limit and it can cause injuries. Cut back or stop exercising when you don't feel well or are under a lot of stress.
How to do exercises properly? g Consult a doctor or physiotherapist
Before embarking your fitness regime, it is important to get the help of a doctor or physiotherapist to understand the actual requirements of your body. It makes you conscious of your bodily needs and can help you find a suitable routine. g
Set a Goal
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Pace yourself
● Eat healthy
Maintaining a balanced diet and drinking an adequate amount of water can not only help you boost your immune system but can also increase your efficiency. Proper exercises along with healthy eating habits help to achieve the set goal faster without overtraining. If needed one can consult a dietician to find out a suitable diet.
If you are a beginner, it is very important to set a goal. Once you set an ideal goal it becomes easy to pick the regime, decide the time constraint, and pace your work accordingly. It helps you get used to doing the same exercise every day at the same intensity thereby making it effortless.
We all tend to work harder as we see positive results. We push ourselves further to achieve the goal faster. But it is essential to take proper breaks in between each set and take recovery breaks after 2-3 days of rigorous workout. If you are injured or in pain, consult a doctor, or seek help immediately and take rest till the pain fades. g
Warm-Up and Cool-down
Stretching your muscles before and after the workout is a key to avoid injuries. It allows your muscles to move easily and freely. Sometimes we are unable to attain certain positions or finish the set, stretching helps in coordinating and increasing the range of motion. It prepares your body for exercise and develops body awareness. It reduces muscle tension and relaxes the body after the workout.
Stay Hydrated, Watch out the Posture, and Be conscious of your Breathe g
Drinking water or water-based products during and after exercise is important in regulating body temperature. It can increase your productivity and keeps your joints
lubricated, facilitating easy movements. While doing each exercise one should pay attention to the posture of the instructor and should follow them religiously. A good posture helps the body to function effectively and will minimize muscle strain and injury. Pacing your breaths and coordinating it with your moves can bring a great difference in the result. Deep breaths promote the transfer of oxygen and eliminate unnecessary gases. It energizes your body and increases efficiency. Our body requires proper nourishment and the right exercises to stay healthy and fit. Although we are aware of different exercises and activities, we are oblivious to the way of carrying it out. There is a false notion that the more you do exercises the faster you achieve the goal. Nowadays, people are suffering from Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) which starts with extra muscle soreness and a feeling of fatigue. Overtraining can occur when the intensity and/or volume of exercise
becomes too much for the body to properly recover. The following are the symptoms of overdoing exercises and the ways to prevent it.
Symptoms;
1.Feeling tired and unable to perform at the same intensity. 2.Troubled sleep 3.Frequent mood swings, anxiety, and irritability 4.Uncontrolled loss of weight 5.Severe injuries, sore muscles, and heavy limbs. 6. Stagnant progress rate and reduced immunity
●Adjust your routine
Preventive techniques
We should select the exercises based on our goal and should take adequate breaks in between to let our muscles breathe. Taking a day or two off from working out is good to maintain our energy, prevent injuries, and regain the pace. Keeping a workout diary to monitor your daily routine will help to avoid overtraining.
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Be cautious of Competitiveness
There is a trend of resorting to workouts and bodybuilding to take one’s mind off something painful or to compete with others. We should realize that workouts and fitness is not a self-punishment or weapon to agonize others. It is to maintain our health and well-being. Being competitive can be a boon as well as a curse. It is good if it motivates us to
Injuries and pain are part of the fitness world. It cannot be avoided but can be minimized. Thorough research throughout the course is necessary to achieve the goal without injuring ourselves severely. One should be aware of the risks associated with each workout, its preventive tips, and first aid measures.
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
Swimming Pools Continue Under Lockdown Even As Other Sports Open Up misc
Shubh Mathur
In the latest set of guidelines issued by the Government of India on the fourth phase of unlock, restrictions on the resumption of sporting activities have been lifted. Nevertheless, swimming continues to be an outlier in the case. The Swimming Federation of India has been requesting the sports ministry to resume the pools inside the sports complexes for the elite swimmers on the ground that it is different from the pools that are used for recreational purpose. The SFI called it “illogical” to allow malls and temples to open but not the swimming pools for the athletes. “It will take at least 6 months for our athletes to be in competition form for the Olympics next year,” said Monal Choksi, Treasurer, SFI. In May, the federation also wrote to sports ministry, Sports Authority of India and Indian Olympic Association to seek permission to resume training but has not been granted the same. The athletes have complained that continued restrictions could take a toll on their mental health as well as affect their performance in the coming years. Asian Games bronze medallist Virdhawal Khade tweeted that he might consider retirement from the sports if the lockdown persists. “Wish swimming was
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treated the same as other sports in India.” He tweeted. Besides the athletes, there are coaches who are struggling to stay afloat. Nisha Millet, an Arjun Awardee and former Olympian, said that she had to drain two of her pools in Bengaluru as it was getting unaffordable to maintain them. Eklavya Awardee Shreesh reddy says that due to pandemic, the student population at his academy has already reduced by 25%. “It takes three to four years to train a competitive swimmer. We have already lost swimmers who were in the system for 3-4 years. For every single day lost, you have to slog for 3-4 days to make up for it.”
Is swimming safe during the pandemic?
Shreesh reddy adds that there is no robust evidence to confirm that virus spreads in water. “In fact, the chlorine in the pool will neutralize the virus.” Adding to this, Nisha Millet said that swimming is good for health as it makes the lungs strong.
Other Sports receive green signal
Meanwhile, the SAI has been giving green signals to Olympic-bound athletes to resume indoor training. For instance, the national training camp for archers has begun from Au-
gust 25 in Pune. For the ongoing Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings players utilized the MA Chidambaram stadium to practice indoors. The SAI has allowed the para-athletes qualified for Tokyo Olympics and those who have not qualified for the Olympics to resume training at National Centers for Excellence
(NCOEs) from October 5. The permission has been granted for 9 disciplines, as of now. Sporting activities have resumed all over the world, although with empty stands. While some are engaging with virtual experience, only a few countries have allowed spectators.
Don’t want to detain election but repercussions may take ‘years’ with mail - in voting: Trump
Maithillee Zaveri
WASHINGTON: Hours after provoking a political contestation, US President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday he does not want to detain the election, but conveyed trepidation that calculating of mailed ballots might take weeks & impede the repercussions instigating to a compromised poll. US presidential elections are programmed to be held on November 3. Seeking his second successive term, Trump is confronting an imposing challenge from Democratic applicant & previous vice president Joe Bidan, who, in obedience to crucial national polls, is instigating in twofold numbers. The presidential election date in the United States constitutional is ready as “ the Tuesday right after the first Monday in the month of November” uniforming “ the first Tuesday after November 1.” For the first time, on Thursday, Trump straight forwardly drifted the proposal of detaining the presidential elections in November, quoting asymmetries within the mail – in vote. The recommendation was promptly censured by pioneers of the rivalry Democratic Party. Later within the day, Trump strolled back. “ I don’t want to detain. I want the
election to take place. But I also don’t want to have to hold up for three months & then discover that the votes are all mislaid & the election doesn’t mean anything.” Trump informed correspondents at a news convention when inquired about his tweet proposing election be detained. “ With Global Mail – In Voting (not non – attendant Voting, which is nice), 2020 will be the foremost IMPRECISE & CORRUPT Election in history. It will be an incredi-
ble humiliation to the USA. Detain the Election until individuals can appropriately safely & securely vote???” he had tweeted. “ Mail – In Voting is so far demonstrating to be a disastrous fiasco.Even testing zones are way off. The Dems converse of foreign impact in voting, but they know that Mail – In Voting is an effortless path for foreign nations to enter the race. Even after that, there is no precise tally!” tweeted Trump, who has mentioned serious concerns over
asymmetries in mail – in - vote. Trump told correspondents that mail – in – vote would detain the calculation of votes & election repercussions. “That doesn’t incorporate non - attendant. Non – attendant is different. Non – attendant you have to work, & you have to send in for petitions. You have to go through a complete policy. For example, I’m a non – attendant voter since I can’t be in Florida since I’m in Washington. I’m at the White House. So I’ll be a
non – attendant voter. We have many non – attendant voters & it works,” he stated. Democrats are impelling for mail – in – votes. During the COVID – 19 widespread time, a large amount of Americans are anticipated to choose mail in voting to avoid standing in queue & going to a voting booth to work out their authorization. Trump has conversed trepidation that this might be fixed & the tallying of votes itself may take a long time & the repercussions would not be announced on the night of November 3, which usually takes place. “ It’s exceptionally unjustifiable to our nation. If they do this, our nation will be a standing joke all over the globe since everyone knows it doesn’t work. How many polls is he sending in California? Is it 28 million or so huge number? Other states are sending out millions & millions of polls. Well, they did it. They had tests. They had news companies testing,” he claimed. “ I think we’re doing exceptionally well. We have the same fake polls, but we have the actual polls. I just absconded from Texas & Biden came out against fracking. Well, this means that Texas is going to be one of the foremost unemployed states in our nation.” He claimed.
haryana
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Haryana's Renowned Doctor Commits suicide! Shockwave across the State
Bhavna Singh
In Rohtak, Haryana, a doctor committed suicide by consuming poison. As soon as the doctor's wife came to know about this, she jumped into the water tank with two daughters. The wife and young girl died in this, while the elder daughter survived. She swam out of the tank. According to the police, Dr Pramod Saharan was a professor at the Nursing College of the Health University of Rohtak. He had consumed poison near Kanheli village at 6 pm on Wednesday evening. The body was found some distance away from his car. 5 pouches of poison were also found in the doctor's pocket. Police has also recovered suicide note from doctor's car. However, the reason for suicide is not written in it. Doctor's wife jumps into Sonipat Road's water tank As soon as wife Meenakshi got the news of doctor Pramod's suicide, she left the two daughters on the scooty and left
the house. Jumped into the water tank (Jalghar) of Sector-2 on Sonipat Road with her two daughters. The younger daughter and Meenakshi died of drowning. The elder daughter survived, she swam out of the tank. The body of the doctor's wife and daughter was removed from the water tank on Thursday morning. The doctor wrote this in the suicide
note Dr. Pramod Saharan wrote in the suicide note- I am fed up with the runaway of life. God is responsible for his death. Do not blame anyone else for the death. Dr. Pramod was originally from Rajgarh district of Rajasthan. He was married to Meenakshi Sangwan of Charkhidadari. Meenakshi is a biology lecturer in a government school.
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
NCDC sanctions Rs 19444 cr for MSP operations support
National Cooperative DeCorporation velopment (NCDC), the apex financing organization of Union Agriculture Ministry has sanctioned as first instalment, funds amounting to Rs 19444 crores to the states of Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana for Kharif paddy procurement under Minimum Support Price ( M S P ) operations.These amounts have been sanctioned to assist the States/ State MarketFederations in ing undertaking paddy procurement operations in a timely manner through their respective cooperative organizations. Chhattisgarh gets the highest amount to the tune of Rs 9000 crores. Haryana has been sanctioned Rs 5444 crores and Telangana Rs
5500 crores.This proactive step by NCDC during the COVID pandemic will give the much needed financial support to farmers of these three state who account for nearly 75% of production of paddy in the country. The timely step will help the state agencies start procurement operations immediately. It will provide the much needed support to farmers to sell their produce at the government notified minimum support price.Managing Director, NCDC, Mr Sundeep Nayak said that in response to the clarion call given by Hon’ble Prime Minister, NCDC was ready to assist more States in carrying out MSP operations for giving fair value to farmers in the light of historic farm related legislations.
IIIT-Delhi held the Virtual Ceremony of its 9th Convocation
TAC New Delhi: IIIT Delhi conducted its 9th Convocation ceremony today. The ceremony was conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the students’ achievements could not be celebrated in the traditional manner, the Institute left no stone unturned to make sure that the event was equality inspiring and memorable for the students. This ceremony was a celebration of the achievements of the students during their time at IIIT Delhi. During the Convocation, the Institute conferred degrees upon 237 B.Tech., 203 M.Tech., 2 M.Tech. dual and, 12 Ph.D. students. This year, Raghav Sood and Shravika Mittal joined the IIIT Delhi Hall of Fame by being awarded the Chancellor’s Gold Medal, whereas Pulkit Madaan (B.Tech. CSAM) and Raghavv Goel (B.Tech. ECE) became a part of Institute’s legacy by being awarded the Best Academic Performance award. Raghavv Goel (ECE) also won the coveted All Round Performance Medal along with Abhishek Agarwal (CSAM) and Tanish Gupta (CSE). M.Tech students, Aditya Khandelwal and Prateek Singh, also marked their presence in Institute’s academic history by being the recipients of the Gold Medal for Excellent Academic Performance.Professor
Joachim Frank (Columbia University, USA), recipient of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was the Chief Guest and delivered the Convocation address. Prof. Frank mentioned in his address, “We have two choices: despair at the overwhelming chaos in the wake of the pandemic, or take it as an opportunity to rethink, in a radical way, the state of affairs and the way things should be run. As someone who has experienced utter chaos once before, at the beginning of his life during World War II, and then experienced the return to civil order, decency and prosperity in Germany, my country of birth, I’m biased toward the second choice”. Professor Frank further added, “With your knowledge, expertise and certified cre-
dentials that you expected to receive today, the world would be wide open to you. Now, as a consequence of the pandemic, some of these career choices have come to naught because the economy has changed, other priorities have emerged that demand training in different trades, and travel restrictions may have created insurmountable barriers. Yet, on the other hand, entirely new choices are opening up in unexpected ways. As we all must take the pandemic as a wakeup call for the necessity of global cooperation, you all need to realize that your choice of career is a point where you can make a difference, a point that requires careful thought about your place in the world community and your aspirations as a re-
sponsible human being.” On the occasion, Shri Anil Baijal (Chancellor) and Shri. Kiran Karnik (Chairman, Board of Governors) congratulated the graduating students, and shared their words of wisdom. Shri Baijal conveyed to the students, “What makes you unique is the spark that you carry within. This spark is your inner voice and you must nourish it, so that one day it helps you overcome the limitations of the mind.” Encouraging the graduands, Shri Karnik said, “In sync with IIITDelhi's philosophy of creating Thought Leaders and Change Masters, we trust that you will be the face of this nation.”During the event, Director, Prof. Ranjan Bose presented the Director’s report for
the year 2019-2020. Prof. Bose shared in his report some of the major initiatives taken by the Institute. Specifically, he mentioned that IIIT-D has been selected for being a host for the Technology Innovation Hub with a budget of Rs. 100 crores, the starting of a new Center of Excellence in Healthcare at the Institute, the initiation of a Minor in Entrepreneurship, the Research Innovation and Incubation Showcase (RIISE) and the contributions of IIIT-D faculty in helping the Delhi government for tackling the effects of the pandemic.Encouraging the graduating students, Prof. Bose mentioned that the experiences the students have gained will become a part of who they are and how they face challenges in the future. While reminding the students that every crisis is also an opportunity, he inspired them to use these difficult times fuel their creativity. He encouraged them to ‘ride the change’ using their talent and the skills that they had learnt. He also iterated that the students are entering a world that needs not only their talent, but also their insight, courage, and compassion. He concluded by challenging the students to ‘invent the future’. The Convocation ceremony was streamed live on the Institute's YouTube channel and Social media handle.
The growth shackles for e-sports in India
28 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
nation
8
Pratyasha Mohanty
The advent of Indias online gaming industry can be dated back to 2000s, when console and PC gaming brought several middle-income group Indians on digital gaming platforms. This adoption was facilitated primarily through global games by international developers. Indian development ecosystem acted primarily as service providers for international developers. Since then, India has been a volume based story enabled by rise in internet penetration and increase in smartphone user base. Online gaming market realized impressive volumes with 120 million online gamers and market value estimated at 290 million USD in 2016. While the ban on PUBG Mobile has created some uncertainty for the future of the esports market in India. Given that it was the prominent game for competitive tournaments in the past couple of years, there is bound to be some flux, but the market is expected to bounce back with the likes of Call of Duty Mobile, Garena FreeFire, and even Indian alternatives such as FAUG expected to take the place of PUBG Mobile. India is fast emerging as the next hot destination for esports games and companies, given the huge penetration seen by PUBG Mobile. An estimated 175 million plus users in India had downloaded the game, so the Indian market is on pace to compete
with its global counterparts. Among the encouraging factors for esports growth in India,it has the largest favourable demographic, with more than 50% of the population under the age of 25 and more than 65% under the age of 35. These are the primary target groups for esports gamers and viewers, which bodes well from an engagement perspective. India is anticipated to contribute around 9.8% to the global esports market in 2020, with aggregate revenue of $95 Mn in FY21, as seen in the analysis . But the esports follower market in India is only 3.1% of the total global esports audience. However, due to the growing number of championships, this number is expected to grow multifold in the coming
years. India's esport growth is at a nascent stage and thus theres no running away from the fact that there are some hurdles that are dragging the market down. This is down to a mix of policy and socioeconomic factors as well as the potential to earn money. One can also point to Indias relatively slow internet speeds as a hurdle for esports growth. According to Speedtests August 2020 report, India was ranked 129 out of 140 countries in global mobile internet speed rankings despite the penetration of 4G mobile internet. There are, of course, other factors weighing down the esports segment. Even there is no formal recognition for esports or a governing
body for esports in India outside of multiple private bodies. Even though esports was a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games, where India won a bronze medal, there has not been much of a push in the formal policy or from the sports ministry. Private esports teams such as Fnatic India, Team Brutality (backed by Dell), and individual players have also increased the profile of esports in India. But much more remains to be done to give esports a push from the government side, which will also encourage investments in the field. Finally, perhaps one of the largest hurdles along the esports highway is the potential for monetisation. In esports, the value creation happens at the publisher
level or at a developer level, and these entities primarily earn revenue through selling the game or in-game purchases. While most PC or console gamers in India pay to purchase games, the casual audience is more interested in free-to-play titles.Thus to have steady revenue from the Indian market across games, esports companies have to tackle the price-sensitive mindset of Indian consumers and convey a sense of value in in-game purchases just like PUBG Mobile did. Esports companies, developers, and publishers can focus on non-primary revenue channels, such as sponsored contests, discounts for products and events, media rights, merchandising, ticket sales, video streaming partnerships, third-party content to attract more viable users. On otherhand it is also needed to understand that just like any other athlete, esports players also need to maintain physical fitness as well as mental clarity and wellbeing. And thats just not for everyone who is into video games in other words, it takes years of work and dedication as well as money to train and be a professional and the careers are not too long in esports either as finger agility is a key factor. On the bright side as we already discussed , that the esports market has got much-required engagement and adoption push due to the Covid-19 lockdown and the industry is expected to mature further once many of these problems are considered and a way to slove those are being found.
Book Review: The Institute by Stephen King
Bhoomika Mohan
After sitting on this review for a few days now, I've wrestled with how much to say, and I feel like "less is more" will be the key here. The synopsis gives a distinct feel of kids facing an evil entity (in this case an institution), which is correct, but the focus is more on the journey that the kids experience, with a small bit of intense action closing out the story. His writing draws you in like a toasted bagel with butter, that you can’t wait to sink your teeth into. Here, King features a large cast of characters, some of whom have been stolen away from home, and now reside in “The Institute.” Luke Ellis was taken from his home in the middle of the night. When he wakes up, he’s in a room at “The Institute.” It looks almost exactly like his own room back home, except for the fact that there are no windows, none. Not a one. There he meets Sha, Nick, Avery and quite a few others. They draw strength from each other. Some are teens, like himself
and a few are just kids. They go through some crazy experiments. A few of them have extraordinary powers: TK and TP. No matter what happens to them, they all end up going to the back half. Some, sooner than later. Don’t ask me to explain. You have to rip roar through the pages of this crazy read to find out what I’m saying. If you are looking at the size of the book and feel like it might be a bit daunting – no worries! I think you will find it to be a very quick read with the pages flying by! And, while I don’t often say this, I think you could start King with this one if you wanted to. Often, I send people back to the early ones, but this is a pretty good book with a lot of King feel to it that I think it would be a good one if people want to start out with one of his newer works. What happens here is sheer insanity. You almost can’t believe it, however it actually seems real and it works and works well here because of how the story is told and that my friends is because of the genius of Stephen King’s storytelling. Time and again he reinvents himself
and while there might be smidges of this story that seem familiar it is wholly new and fresh and I loved every second of it. I felt like somebody dragged Mr. King away from his keyboard while he’s writing this book and Duffer Brothers sat on his seat to create crueler version of Stranger Things with meaner adults and gifted but a little unlikable kids version. After being enthralled for almost 600 pages, my only real critique is the fact that the ending felt like a bit of a let-down; after such a promising setup, I think I just expected more, and I even feel like the final portion after the big showdown was unnecessary and should have been left off. Looking at the big picture, this was a highly satisfying experience, and the author's note after the conclusion had me tearing up big time. Highly recommended for Stephen King newbies or longtime fans alike. In summary – lots of nostalgia-inducing content for King fans and a great entry point for new King readers. I am always glad to see that the King remains the King!
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