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INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: PATENTS: IIT Madras records 92% jump in Indian patents granted during 2023

The number of international patents filed, including those granted under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, also recorded a significant increase, going up to 105 in 2023, from 58 in the preceding year.

The Indian Institute of Technology – Madras (IIT Madras) saw a 92 per cent jump in the number of Indian patents granted in 2023, rising from 156 patents in 2022 to 300 in 2023.

Additionally, the number of international patents filed, including those granted under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), also recorded a significant increase, going up to 105 in 2023, from 58 in the preceding year. Furthermore, as many as 221 patents have already been filed during the current financial year (as of December 2023), including 163 Indian patents and 63 international patent applications (including PCT).

Since the institute’s inception, a total of about 2,550 IP (including patent) applications have been filed both in India (1,800) and abroad (750) so far, out of which about 1,100 are registered IPs/granted patents (about 900 Indian and 200 international). Interestingly, the institute started filing patent applications as early as January 1975 (granted in May 1977). The total number of IP applications filed crossed 1,000 in 2016, 2,000 in 2022, and 2,500 in 2023.

Lauding the faculty, researchers, and students on their pioneering and translational research, V Kamakoti, director of IIT Madras, said, “As we are marching towards our 100th year of Independence, for Bharat to become a superpower, it is very important to protect our ideas. In this direction, I congratulate the faculty and students and the Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) who have put together a very comprehensive programme, by which we have created a record in the number of patents filed.”

Researchers at IIT Madras are generating IP in domains such as wireless networks, advanced materials, robotics, additive manufacturing technology, engine advancements, assistive devices, advanced sensor applications, clean energy, aerospace applications, polymer materials, thin films, catalysts, and biomedical applications, among other emerging technologies. The Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) at IIT Madras coordinates the different aspects related to intellectual property and technology transfer. The centre collaborates with faculty, researchers, and students and also has a dedicated legal cell.

Elaborating on the institute’s support provided to researchers, Manu Santhanam, dean (ICSR) at IIT Madras, said, “The institute has made it easy for inventors to access existing patent information through an online AI-based patent search tool. This facility has helped the inventors not only to quickly evaluate the invention by themselves but also to improve their ideas and claims. The emphasis is also equally on the quality of the work being translated as IP. This is only possible because of the collaborative effort of our inventors and the IP team.”

source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: e-COMMERCE: India’s Government e-Market is World’s 3rd Largest e-commerce platform: CEO

Launched in August 2016, the total value of orders placed through GeM in 2018-19 was Rs.17,445 crore, which gradually went up to about Rs.1.07 lakh crore in 2021-22.

India’s ‘Government e-Market’ or GeM portal is the world’s third largest e-commerce platform for public procurement after Korea’s ON-line E-Procurement System (KONEPS) and Singapore’s GeBIZ with a total sales value crossing Rs.4 lakh crore in the current financial year ending on March 31, a senior official said.

“GeM closes this financial year with over Rs.4 lakh crore gross merchandise value (GMV), almost a 100% jump from the GMV at the end of the previous fiscal year, exhibiting its unique ability to promote digital inclusion,” GeM CEO PK Singh said. GMV represents the total value of goods or services sold within a specific period.

Launched in August 2016, the total value of orders placed through GeM in 2018-19 was Rs.17,445 crore, which gradually went up to about Rs.1.07 lakh crore in 2021-22. In the previous financial year (FY23), the value of orders (or GMV) was a little over Rs.2.01 lakh crore.

While both public and private sector companies can sell their products and services through GeM, buyers can only be government entities, including gram panchayats.

Defence procurement is one of the major business activities in the platform. “Assembly of BrahMos missile is being done through GeM as a service contract. In defence, right from supplying eggs up to the missile parts is being done through the portal,” said Singh.

GeM provides a level playing field for domestic businesses, particularly smaller ones, physically distant from popular markets, to grow and thrive. Of the Rs.4 lakh crore GMV orders, nearly 50% have been awarded to marginalised seller segments such as artisans, weavers, craftsmen, micro and small enterprises, women-led units, farmer producer organisations and startups, he said.

The portal has collaborations with over 520,000 Common Services Centres (CSCs) and more than 150,000 India Post offices to link the remotest locations of the country for seamless procurement, Singh said.

“Through supportive handholding at every step to help diverse sellers and service providers grow their business on GeM, the platform has given impetus to hyper-local economies across regions in India, resulting in job creation and greater incomes,” Singh added.

According to Singh, services procurement through GeM is rapidly growing. Procurement of services from the portal was worth Rs.66,000 crore in 2022-23, which jumped to Rs.2.05 lakh crore in the current fiscal year. Goods procurement in FY24 (as of March 28) was valued at Rs.1.95 lakh crore, marginally lower than the services procurement.

“GeM has been exceptionally successful in breaking down the cartel of established and renowned service providers, paving the way for small domestic entrepreneurs to participate in government tenders from anywhere at any time. The vast repository of services on GeM has enabled states to procure innovative solutions that cater to all their dynamic needs,” Singh said.

He said the government wants to develop GeM as a unified procurement portal of the country by including contracts also. Currently, only goods and services are available on the platform. A dedicated page for election-related goods and services, such as catering and webcasting services is also available on the portal.

The portal’s network of over 150,000 government buyers and 2.1 million sellers has helped the e-marketplace to grow rapidly, Singh said. “Through comprehensive onboarding of last-mile buyers and sellers GeM has fostered engagement at the grassroots level, by integrating 89,421 panchayats and over 760 cooperatives within its procurement ecosystem, GeM has facilitated sustainable procurement while ensuring optimisation in public spending at the very last level of administration,” he added.

GeM provides a wide range of goods and services, including office stationery, passenger vehicles, computer furniture, hiring of helicopter services, logistics, waste management, and webcasting.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS LEADERS: Maximum City ‘Mumbai’ has maximum billionaires in India, 3rd in the World and Asia’s billionaire capital making it the fasted growing club in the world

Mumbai was the fastest growing billionaire capital in the world with 92 billionaires, adding 26 in the year, taking it to third in the world and Asia’s billionaire capital.

India added 94 new billionaires in 2023, the most by any country other than the US, taking the total to 271, according to the 2024 Hurun Global Rich List. An individual with $1 billion in wealth is a billionaire.

The collective wealth of Indian billionaires amounts to US$ 1 trillion or 7 per cent of total wealth, emphasising the nation’s substantial economic influence, it said. The average age of Indian billionaires is 67 years.

Dominant industries which India’s billionaires represented include pharmaceuticals (39), automobile & auto components (27) and chemicals (24).

Mumbai was the fastest growing billionaire capital in the world with 92 billionaires, adding 26 in the year, taking it to third in the world and Asia’s billionaire capital. New York ranked number 1 with 119; London was in second spot with 97. Beijing dropped from first place last year to the fourth position with 91, just three billionaires less than India’s.

New Delhi broke into the Top 10 for the first time.

Mukesh Ambani is in the tenth position with a wealth of $115 billion and Gautam Adani is in the 15th position with a wealth of $86 billion, according to UK based Hurun.

At 52, Elon Musk (US $231 billion) reclaimed the title of the richest person in the world for the third time in four years, propelled by a surge in Tesla’s stock. Simultaneously, SpaceX, Musk’s aerospace venture, saw its valuation hit new heights on the back of successful launches, satellite internet ventures, and lucrative government contracts.

Jeff Bezos, 60, rose to the second position with US$ 185 billion, as his wealth grew 57 per cent this year, driven primarily by Amazon’s cloud computing, winning market share and making up for all his losses last year.

The biggest gainers of the year were Mark Zuckerberg, adding US$ 90 billion, and Elon Musk adding US$ 74 billion. Jensen Huang of Nvidia saw his wealth double to US$ 48 billion and a place in the Hurun Top 30.

Despite losing 155 billionaires, China is still the world capital for billionaires with as many as 814. The USA was just behind with 800 billionaires, adding 109. Between themselves, China and the USA — the  ‘Big Two’ — have 49 per cent of the known billionaires on the planet, down 4 per cent, says the Hurun Rich List.

The 2024 Hurun Global Rich List underscores India’s ascension as a future economic titan, poised to secure its place as the world’s third-largest economy. Surpassing all but the United States, India’s unprecedented billionaire boom propels Mumbai past Beijing, crowning it as Asia’s billionaire epicentre,” said said Anas Rahman Junaid – Founder and Chief Researcher, Hurun India.

The USA had a strong year on this latest Hurun Global Rich List, with its 800 entrants contributing a notable 37% of the overall wealth of the list. Adding 132 new faces, the American landscape continues to showcase entrepreneurial dynamism.

source/comment: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH CARE / CANCER : Group of Oncologists launch Free-of-Cost second opinion Helpline Number for Cancer Patients

The number — 9355520202 — will be operational from 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday.

A free-of-cost second opinion helpline number for cancer patients has been launched by a group of oncologists under their “Cancer Mukt Bharat Campaign”.

Cancer patients can call on this number to speak to oncologists directly or even do a video call to discuss about their treatment.

It can be accessed by anyone in the country and promises to be a game-changer in the fight against cancer, Dr. Ashish Gupta, who is heading the campaign, said.

“Second opinion is recommended to almost all patients who have been diagnosed with cancer as it is a matter of life and death. It is also important if their condition does not improve despite treatment or if their diagnosis or treatment is in doubt. For cancer treatment, costs may be high and differ from hospital to hospital, so cost is another important reason to get a second opinion,” Gupta said.

The helpline will serve as a valuable resource for individuals faced with the daunting challenge of cancer, offering them the opportunity to consult experienced oncologists without the burden of financial constraints, he said.

The free second opinion helpline will help in ensuring that patients receive the most accurate and up-to-date information about their condition and treatment options, Gupta said.

Sharing the reason behind starting this helpline number, he said there is been a rapid increase in the number of cancer cases in India and there is a dearth of healthcare facilities and healthcare doctors.

In the rapidly evolving field of cancer treatment, where new medicines and innovative therapies are continually emerging, a second opinion becomes invaluable, Gupta said.

“With continuous research, we are witnessing advancements in cancer care that were unimaginable just a few years ago. These breakthroughs translate into better outcomes and improved quality of life for cancer patients. The second opinion helpline ensures that patients can tap into these advancements and receive update on the most effective treatments available,” he said. PTI PLB ANB ANB

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : DAIRY EXPORTS: In a First, Amul to launch Fresh Milk in US within a week: MD Jayen Mehta

Mehta said fresh milk will be available in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington, Dallas and Texas among others.

For the first time, Amul fresh milk will be available outside India, with the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) launching four variants of milk in the US market within a week, to cater to Indian diaspora and Asian population.

“We have been exporting dairy products for many decades. This is the first time we are launching fresh milk outside India,” GCMMF MD Jayen Mehta told PTI.

He said “the GCMMF has tied up with 108-year old cooperative organisation Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) to launch fresh milk in the US market,” The milk collection and processing will be done by MMPA, while GCMMF will do marketing and branding of Amul fresh milk.

“Recipe will be ours. Within one week, Amul Taaza, Amul Gold, Amul Shakti and Amul Slim n Trim will be available in the US market,” he said.

Mehta said fresh milk will be available in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington, Dallas and Texas among others.

GCMMF will target non-resident Indians (NRIs) and the Asian population.

Asked about the selling target, he said GCMMF will focus on branding and marketing for the next 3-4 months.

“We are expecting a good response from customers,” he said.

Mehta said GCMMF would also launch fresh milk products like paneer, curd and butter milk in the near future.

During the 2022-23 fiscal, the turnover of GCMMF stood at around Rs 55,000 crore, up 18.5 per cent from the previous year.

GCMMF is already exporting dairy products in about 50 countries.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: SPACE / MOON LANDING: Chandrayaan 3’s landing site name ‘Shiv Shakti’ gets International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognition

Chandrayaan 3’s moon lander’s landing site was named Shiv Shakti on August 26 by Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 26 had announced that the landing site of Chandrayaan 3’s moon lander would be named Shiv Shakti. Six months later, the internationally recognised body for nomenclature of celestial objects has officially granted it recognition.

International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature on Tuesday approved the name ‘Statio Shiv Shakti’ for the landing site of Chandrayaan’s Vikram lander.

Chandrayaan 3 — India’s moonshot

Chandrayaan 3, India’s third lunar mission, took off from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 14. After about a month, on August 23, the Vikram lander successfully touched down on the moon, along with the Pragyan Rover. This historic achievement positioned India as the first country to land near the lunar South Pole and only the fourth to achieve a controlled lunar landing.

Following 10 days of exploration on the lunar surface, both the lander and rover entered sleep mode. Meanwhile, the propulsion module remains in lunar orbit after separating from the lander.

What is Shiv Shakti point?

On August 26, PM Narendra Modi declared that the landing site of Chandrayaan 3’s moon lander would be named Shiv Shakti .

“In Shiv, there is a resolution for the welfare of humanity, and Shakti gives us strength to fulfil those resolutions,” said Modi, while announcing the name.

The IAU’s Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, where the name was officially published, described it as a compound word from Indian mythology representing the masculine (“Shiva”) and feminine (“Shakti”) duality of nature.

Why are celestial bodies named?

Planetary nomenclature is like naming places on Earth. It helps us identify and talk about specific features on planets and moons. This list, created by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), includes all the names given to different spots on planets, moons, and even some ring systems since 1919. It makes it easier for scientists to locate and describe these places.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / REGIONAL: MEDIA: The Hindu Group wins 06 Awards at WAN-IFRA Digital Media South Asia 2023

The Hindu Made of Chennai, a campaign to celebrate the city, won gold in both ‘best in audience engagement’ and ‘best in native advertising campaign’ categories.  

The Hindu’s projects bagged six of the WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards South Asia 2023 presented at an event recently organised in New Delhi.

The Hindu Made of Chennai, a campaign to celebrate the city, won gold in both ‘best in audience engagement’ and ‘best in native advertising campaign’ categories.

Chennai-A-Maze, an online cryptic crossword challenge, bagged silver in the ‘best in audience engagement’ category. The crossword was rolled out on The Hindu Crossword and website as part of the Made of Chennai campaign for Madras Day (August 22, 2023) for 10 days. The activity was organised along with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation and was powered by Storytrails, a company that organises story-based walking tours in India.

A ‘Made of Chennai song’ — an audio-visual tribute to the city that was part of the campaign — won a special jury mention in the ‘best use of video’ category. The track reinforced the uniqueness of the coastal city.

The Hindu website won silver in the best news website category. The Hindu’s meta description for news articles using generative artificial intelligence bagged silver under the best use of AI in the newsroom category.

L.V. Navaneeth, Chief Executive Officer of The Hindu Group, said, “With Made of Chennai, we embraced the city’s passion points and crafted engaging activities around them. The resounding success of our campaign underscores our deep understanding of Chennai and its vibrant community. With digital technology, we intend to elevate the user experience on our platforms and foster deep engagement with readers. The Hindu website is reshaping how we deliver top-notch news content, particularly to young audiences. This acknowledgement from WAN-IFRA fuels our drive to elevate the efforts.”

The World Association of News Publishers is the global organisation of the world’s press. Its mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers to operate independent media.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)