Category Archives: World Opinion

INTERNATIONAL: INDIAN COMPANY OVERSEAS: TVS Motor Company Expands its Global Footprint; Launches its first TVS Experience Centre in Singapore

TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers with sales of over three million units globally, today inaugurated its first state-of-the-art TVS Experience Centre in Singapore.

This launch is in line with the company’s global expansion plans. The new TVS Experience Centre will offer a range of TVS Motor’s premium motorcycles including the flagship model, TVS Apache RR310 for racing enthusiasts, and the TVS Apache RTR range for the performance seekers.

The company will introduce diverse products offerings, catering to both personal commuting as well as the delivery premium segment in Singapore. This centre will additionally have vehicle servicing facility, spare parts, and the full range of merchandise to choose from.

The TVS Apache series was born on the racetrack, incorporating learnings from more than 40 years of TVS Racing experience-the factory racing team of TVS Motor Company with a history of 40 years in motorsports. Offering superior products into the market that connect with customers who are also racing enthusiasts, TVS Apache series have always been at the forefront of technology and innovation since its launch in 2005. Through the years, the brand has introduced first-in-segment features & technology to the customers, recording strong year on year export volumes across 80 countries.

TVS Apache has redefined the sports segment by focusing on race performance, making it a highly desirable product for sports enthusiasts. This has resulted in creating a customer base of over 4.8 million across the globe.

Speaking at the occasion, Vimal Sumbly, Head Business-Premium at TVS Motor Company said, “The TVS Apache Series have always been at the forefront of technology & innovation since its launch in 2005 and continue to set a benchmark in the performance segment. The vehicles under the stable of TVS Apache series have offered multiple first-in-segment & best-in-class features & technology to the customers, starting from Fuel injection, ABS, Dual Channel ABS, Slipper Clutch, to the most recent SmartXonnectTM, Ride Modes, LED Headlamp, and democraticing racing. Our expansion into Singapore, with the launch of the TVS Apache series, is instrumental in our premiumisation story and we are confident of widening our community of Apache owners in the country.”

Commenting on the Singapore launch, Rahul Nayak, Vice President-International Business, TVS Motor Company, said, “With many years of commitment to building the international business portfolio, TVS Motor Company has set the benchmark in catering to diverse needs of buyers across the globe. Our launch in Singapore is one step further in expanding globally in achieving our global ambitions.”

Commenting on the showroom launch, J Thangarajan, President Director-PT TVS Motor Company, said, “We are delighted to expand our presence in the ASEAN region, with our new TVS Experience Centre in Singapore with Motorsport Pte Ltd. They have a rich experience in the region and share our values of keeping customers at the core of our offerings. This state-of-the-art experience centre inaugurated here in Singapore will further consolidate our presence in the region. It will pave the way for us to explore newer opportunities in the world of mobility, as we introduce our premium range of two-wheelers: the flagship model TVS Apache RR310 and the TVS Apache RTR series along with a slew of other experiences for the auto enthusiasts in Singapore.”

Herbert Teh, Director- Motorsport Pte Ltd. said, “We will be representing TVS Motor Company with great pride to cater to the Singapore customers. With the product technology and quality of TVS Motor products, combined with our market presence and reach, we are confident that we will meet the customer expectation in the country.”

TVS Motor Company has partnered with ‘Motorsport Pte Ltd (part of the Chong Aik Group)’ who will be the distributors for Singapore Market. Motorsport has strong presence in the region with 6 retail outlets and 8 warehouses. Established in 1994, they currently have exclusive distributorship for more than 40 brands, whilst also being the stockiest for genuine parts, apparels, and motorcycle accessories.

TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through Sustainable Mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh in India and Karawang in Indonesia. Rooted in our 119-year legacy of Trust, Value, and Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes.

We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in /the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive four years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate.

For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com.

This story has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

source/content: theprint.in (headline edited)

GLOBAL & NATIONAL RECORDS: TRANSPORT / RAILWAYS: Prototypes of India’s First Underwater (subaqueous tunnel) Rail System & the World’s Highest Railway Arch Bridge, built across the Chenab Bridge in J&K displayed at Indian International Trade Fair

The ongoing Indian International Trade Fair (IITF) at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, witnessed the Ministry of Railway setting up a sprawling pavilion showcasing all of the railway’s technical advancements.

India’s first underwater (subaqueous tunnel) rail system and the world’s highest railway arch bridge, built across the Chenab Bridge in J&K has sparked curiosity among the public.

The ongoing Indian International Trade Fair (IITF) at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, witnessed the Ministry of Railway setting up a sprawling pavilion showcasing all of the railway’s technical advancements on the ironic rail bridge over Chenab and water tunnels. The ministry has highlighted many first-of-its-kind and marvellous facets of Indian Railways, which are attracting crowds of curious visitors.

Exhibiting prototypes of various mega projects, the railway has also exhibited the prototype of the re-developed ‘Ayodhya city railway station, of which the designs are inspired by the Ram Janambhoomi temple’s design.

Sharing details with the media on Tuesday, the Ministry of Railway claimed that various themes have been exhibited with their technological and structural advances through photos, translates and models.

“The model showing the world’s highest rail bridge on Chenab and India’s first underwater rail system, which is being built as part of the East-West Metro corridor of the metro railway in Kolkata, has been drawing huge crowds of curious visitors”, said a senior railway official.

The sports gallery exhibits awards won by the railway teams and an earmarked space showing the historic march of Indian Railways from the old days to the days of manufacturing and running high-speed Vande Bharat trains to the working of bullet trains, has also gathered a lot of onlookers.

“Another most interesting part of the railway’s pavilion is that it has made side walls based on the theme of ‘Azadi Ki Rail Gadi aur Station’ which throws light on the strong connection between freedom struggle and association of railways”, said a railway official. They also added adding that the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station with the design inspired by Lord Rama Janambhoomi temple has proved to be one of the huge crowd-pulling parts at the pavilion.

Besides this, the Ministry of Railways has also displayed the prototypes of its mega Sabarmati multimodal passenger hub and the casting yard of India’s first Bullet train project as part of the Mumbai-Ahmadabad high-speed rail corridor.

Not only this but the country’s first-of-its-kind solar plant at Bina in MP that generates solar power directly to 25 kV overhead electrical equipment to haul trains was displayed apart from the country’s first indigenous semi-high speed Vande Bharat train.

To make the visit of people at the railway pavilion memorable, the Ministry has created a special selfie booth titled ‘I am at Railway station’ for people to click pictures.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: ENVIRONMENT: Wildlife Biologist Dr. Purnima Devi Barman Honoured with the UN’s Highest Environmental Award, ‘The Champions of the Earth Award 2022’

Dr Purnima Devi Barman leads the “Hargila Army”, an all-female grassroots conservation movement dedicated to protecting the Greater Adjutant Stork from extinction.

UNITED NATIONS: Indian wildlife biologist Dr Purnima Devi Barman is among the honourees of this year’s Champions of the Earth award, the UN’s highest environmental honour, accorded for their transformative action to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation.

Barman has been honoured with the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 2022 Champions of the Earth award in the Entrepreneurial Vision category.

A wildlife biologist, Barman leads the “Hargila Army”, an all-female grassroots conservation movement dedicated to protecting the Greater Adjutant Stork from extinction.

The women create and sell textiles with motifs of the bird, helping to raise awareness about the species while building their own financial independence.

Barman is also Senior Project Manager of the Avifauna Research and Conservation Division, Aaranyak.

The UNEP website said that at the age of five, Barman was sent to live with her grandmother on the banks of the Brahmaputra River in Assam.

“Separated from her parents and siblings, the girl became inconsolable. To distract her, Barman’s grandmother, a farmer, started taking her to nearby paddy fields and wetlands to teach her about the birds there. I saw storks and many other species. She taught me bird songs. She asked me to sing for the egrets and the storks. I fell in love with the birds,” said Barman, who has devoted much of her career to saving the endangered greater adjutant stork, the second-rarest stork species in the world.

“Barman’s pioneering conservation work has empowered thousands of women, creating entrepreneurs and improving livelihoods while bringing the greater adjutant stork back from the brink of extinction,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

“Dr Barman’s work has shown that conflict between humans and wildlife can be resolved to the benefit of all. By highlighting the damaging impact that the loss of wetlands has had on the species who feed and breed on them, she reminds us of the importance of protecting and restoring ecosystems.”

According to information on the UNEP website, to protect the stork, Barman knew she had to change perceptions of the bird, known locally as “hargila” in Assamese (meaning “bone swallower”) and mobilised a group of village women to help her.

Today the “Hargila Army” consists of over 10,000 women.

They protect nesting sites, rehabilitate injured storks which have fallen from their nests and arrange “baby showers” to celebrate the arrival of newborn chicks.

The greater adjutant stork regularly features in folk songs, poems, festivals and plays.

Since Barman started her conservation programme, the number of nests in the villages of Dadara, Pachariya, and Singimari in Kamrup District have risen from 28 to more than 250, making this the largest breeding colony of greater adjutant storks in the world, UNEP said.

“In 2017, Barman began building tall bamboo nesting platforms for the endangered birds to hatch their eggs. Her efforts were rewarded a couple of years later when the first greater adjutant stork chicks were hatched on these experimental platforms,” it added.

Barman said on the UNEP website that one of her biggest rewards has been the sense of pride that has been instilled in the Hargila Army and she hopes their success will inspire the next generation of conservationists to pursue their dreams.

“Being a woman working in conservation in a male-dominated society is challenging but the Hargila Army has shown how women can make a difference,” she said.

UNEP said that since its inception in 2005, the annual Champions of the Earth award has been awarded to trailblazers at the forefront of efforts to protect our natural world.

It is the UN’s highest environmental honour.

To date, the award has recognised 111 laureates: 26 world leaders, 69 individuals and 16 organisations.

This year a record 2,200 nominations from around the world were received.

The other honourees include Arcenciel (Lebanon); Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chutas (Peru); Sir Partha Dasgupta of the United Kingdom and Cecile Bibiane Ndjebet (Cameroon).

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / DEFENCE / AEROSPACE: ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre carries out Parachute Airdrop test of Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight programme

The Gaganyaan deceleration system consists of three main parachutes, besides the smaller ACS, pilot, and drogue parachutes, to reduce the speed of the crew module to safe levels during its landing.

ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has conducted the Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT) of its crew module deceleration system for the much-awaited maiden Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme at the Babina Field Fire Range (BFFR) in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh.

The IMAT conducted on Friday marks a significant milestone toward realising the nation’s ambitious Gaganyaan project, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement.

The Gaganyaan deceleration system consists of three main parachutes, besides the smaller ACS, pilot, and drogue parachutes, to reduce the speed of the crew module to safe levels during its landing, the space agency said.

Two of the three main chutes are sufficient to land the astronauts on earth, and the third is redundant, ISRO said adding that the IMAT test simulated the case when one main chute failed to open.

The IMAT test is the first in a series of integrated parachute airdrop tests planned to simulate different failure conditions of the parachute system before it is deemed qualified to be used in the first human spaceflight mission.

In this test, a five-tonne dummy mass, equivalent to the crew module mass, was taken to an altitude of 2.5 kilometres and dropped using the Indian Air Force’s IL-76 aircraft. Two small pyro-based mortar-deployed pilot parachutes then pulled the main parachutes.

The main parachute sizes were initially restricted to a smaller area to reduce the opening shock. After seven seconds, the pyro-based reefing line cutters cut the area restricting line, allowing the parachutes to inflate fully.

“The fully inflated main parachutes reduced the payload speed to a safe landing speed. The entire sequence lasted about 2-3 minutes as the scientists watched the different phases of the deployment sequence unfold with bated breath. There was loud cheer and applause as the payload mass landed softly on the ground and the gigantic parachutes collapsed,” the statement read.

The design and development of the parachute-based deceleration system is a joint venture of ISRO and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

“The overall system design, analytical simulations of parachute deployment and crew module descent under various conditions, the design and development of ordnance devices for parachute extraction and ejection, assembly, mechanical and electrical integration of deceleration system, it’s instrumentation and avionics for conducting this drop tests are done at ISRO’s leading Research and Development centre, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram,” the space agency explained.

Senior ISRO and DRDO scientists and airforce officers were present when the crucial test was done.

“Besides proving the calibre of the scientists of ISRO and DRDO, the test also demonstrated the active coordination between the country’s premier agencies, namely ISRO, DRDO, the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Army,” ISRO said quoting a senior official.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: SPORT / CRICKET: Suryakumar Yadav Activates GOD-mode to make ridiculous look Easy, effortlessly Invincible. Reaches Top of the World in T20 Rankings

Welcome to modern-age T20 batting. The Suryakumar Yadav school of madness and mayhem. A template of batting where nothing is impossible. Swirl your bat around like a stick and it will still bring you results.

Every great sportsperson goes through a phase in career where nothing he seems to do goes wrong. It is, as people call, GOD-mode, a period where irrespective of whatever a player does, he is near invincible. Nothing can stop him. For the great Sachin Tendulkar, it was 1998 and 2010; Virat Kohli experienced the same in 2016. In fact, for years, no one personified this term more than Roger Federer, as he would activate a near cheat-code like comeback en route to asserting dominance over his opponents. He did it for years – ask his fiercest rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Even the younger generation felt his wrath. No one was spared.

Cut to 2022, and the mantle has been taken over by Suryakumar Yadav. He is defining GOD-mode in batting, and how? Playing the kind of cricket only AB de Villiers was known to play. On occasions, even better than ABD. Tim Southee was fielding at long-on when Suryakumar took Lockie Ferguson on, walloping him for four boundaries and a six in the 19th over. By the time he once again defied physics to loft the ball over deep point, Suryakumar had already played a scoop, a ramp and a cut in that over itself, all three shots bringing boundaries. You would imagine that even for Suryakumar, this is the limit. But apparently not, that near impossible shot left Southee stunned as he turned back and shrugged his head in disbelief, while Ferguson could be seen ruffling his hair.

Welcome to modern-age T20 batting. The Suryakumar Yadav school of madness and mayhem. A template of batting where nothing is impossible. Swirl your bat around like a stick and it will still bring you results. At least, that is what a No. 3 should do in T20Is, and not score 40 off 40. Terms like ‘form’ and ‘in the zone’ are highly cliched, but watching Suryakumar bat actually makes you wonder if they are true. And if that doesn’t suffice either, replay the celebration between Surya and Hardik Pandya when he reached his hundred. After the long brotherly hug, Surya, with a beaming smile, raised his bat and took a moment before resuming. But in between that five-second gap during acknowledging the crowd and taking back guard, time stood still. Suryakumar has already reached the summit of the T20 rankings; here he was on top of the world.

A placard held by one of the fans during the match summed it up. There are only three things guaranteed in this word – death, taxes and Suryakumar Yadav scoring runs irrespective of the opposition. And as corny as it may sound, Surya has not given any reason to think otherwise. The consistency with which he has piled runs in T20Is this year is jaw dropping. In 30 matches, 1151 runs with nine fifties, two centuries, 105 fours and 67 sixes. The second best is 83 and 43 respectively, which portrays the huge gulf between Surya and the rest. Out of 191, 111 were Surya’s, while the remaining seven combined to put 69. Of the 27 boundaries struck by India, he hit 18. Just one of the many gobsmacking, godly Surya trivias.

“The confidence is always there. Yeah, I have a few runs behind my back but at the same time, there is a very thin line between you getting complacent also, when you’re coming into any game after scoring runs. I think you have got to do all your processes and routines the same way what you have been doing when you have done well. 99 per cent I try to do the same things on match days like, for example, if I have to do a gym session or I have to eat lunch on perfect timing or I have to take a nap for 15-20 minutes. These are small, small routines I try to do on game days,” Suryakumar replied during the press conference while answering a query from Hindustan Times.

“And when I come to the ground, it feels good and that is my zone. And also, I spend a lot of time with my wife on off days, speak to my parents a lot, the one thing that keeps me grounded always is they don’t talk about the game, we don’t talk about the game at all, and they keep me in a good space. That is the most important thing and I’m happy to stay in that zone for a long time from here on.”

Among all the stunning range of jaw-dropping Suryakumar played at the Bay Oval or even usually plays for that matter, was the flat six he smoked off Southee through the open mid-wicket. The New Zealand quick took pace off but Surya read it almost immediately at the time of release and whipped it over cow corner. At the first glimpse, it was almost as if Hardik Pandya was the one playing it, with that impeccable initial trigger movement of rocking back. In a rarity, the scoop wasn’t Surya’s most eye-catching stroke of the evening.

The frenzy was such that even members from the New Zealand media and support staff couldn’t help but marvel at the genius that was unfolding. Suryakumar creamed inside out sixes off Southee, the lofted thump off pacer Adam Milne and even against the left-arm spin of Mitchell Santner, the one bowler who has always troubled India in the past with his variation of speed. During the T20 World Cup, Nasser Hussain mentioned how left-arm spin could be the one weakness Suryakumar has. Clearly, the former England captain would reconsider trusting the WhatsApp ground he got all his information from.

“I also get amazed after seeing some strokes when I go back to the room. I obviously watch all the highlights every time even if I don’t do well. I do watch the highlights but yes, even I get surprised sometimes after seeing some shots that I played,” Suryakumar added.

The way Suryakumar is going, it is near-impossible for the selectors to ignore him for the ODIs, maybe even Tests. At 32, Suryakumar has at max three more good years ahead of him and with the 50-over World Cup knocking, and amid all the change that might transpire in Indian cricket in the time to come, Suryakumar can remain the one constant. In an ever-evolving game, Surya is tweaking the definition of range with almost every innings, and if in him, the world gets to witness the first 720-degree player (360 is passé), then so be it. GOD-mode Suryakumar is what is best for Indian cricket.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: POPULATION: With 177 million, India Largest Contributor to the Global Population Milestone of 8 billion: UN. Expected to Surpass China as the World’s Most Populous Nation Next Year.

India is expected to surpass China as the world’s most populous nation by next year.

India’s population 1,414,815,318 as on 14.11.2022

As the world population touched 8 billion on Tuesday, India was the largest contributor to the milestone, having added 177 million people, while China, whose contribution to the next billion in the global population is projected to be in the negative, the UN said.

India is expected to surpass China as the world’s most populous nation by next year.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), in a special graphic to mark the global population reaching eight billion, said Asia and Africa has driven much of this growth is expected to drive the next billion by 2037, while Europe’s contribution will be negative due to declining population.

The world added a billion people in the last 12 years. UNFPA said that as the world adds the next billion to its tally of inhabitants, China’s contribution will be negative.

“India, the largest contributor to the 8 billion (177 million) will surpass China, which was the second largest contributor (73 million) and whose contribution to the next billion will be negative, as the world’s most populous nation by 2023,” UNFPA said.

The UN said that it took about 12 years for the world population to grow from 7 to 8 billion, but the next billion is expected to take about 14.5 years (2037), reflecting the slowdown in global growth.

World population is projected to reach a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and is expected to remain at that level until 2100.

For the increase from 7 to 8 billion, around 70 per cent of the added population was in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.

For the increase from 8 to 9 billion, these two groups of countries are expected to account for more than 90 per cent of global growth, the UN said.

Between now and 2050, the global increase in the population under the age 65 will occur entirely in low income and lower-middle-income countries, since population growth in high-income and upper-middle income countries will occur only among those aged 65 or more, it said.

The World Population Prospects 2022, released in July this year said that India’s population stands at 1.412 billion in 2022, compared with China’s 1.426 billion.

India is projected to have a population of 1.668 billion in 2050, ahead of China’s 1.317 billion people by the middle of the century.

According to UNFPA estimates, 68 per cent of India’s population is between 15-64 years old in 2022, while people aged 65 and older were seven per cent of the population.

The report had said that the global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1 per cent in 2020.

The world’s population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050.

China is expected to experience an absolute decline in its population as early as 2023, the report had said.

At the launch of the report in July, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin had said that countries where population growth has slowed must prepare for an increasing proportion of older persons and, in more extreme cases, a decreasing population size.

“China provides a clear example. With the rapid ageing of its population due to the combined effects of very low fertility and increasing life expectancy, growth of China’s total population is slowing down, a trend that is likely to continue in the coming decades,” Liu said.

The WHO pointed out that China has one of the fastest growing ageing populations in the world.

“The population of people over 60 years in China is projected to reach 28 per cent by 2040, due to longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates,” the WHO said.

In China, by 2019, there were 254 million older people aged 60 and over, and 176 million older people aged 65 and over.

In 2022, the two most populous regions were both in Asia: Eastern and South-Eastern Asia with 2.3 billion people (29 per cent of the global population) and Central and Southern Asia with 2.1 billion (26 per cent).

China and India, with more than 1.4 billion each, accounted for most of the population in these two regions.

More than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Countries of sub-Saharan Africa are expected to contribute more than half of the increase anticipated through 2050, the report added.

PTI

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY/ INNOVATION: Samsung’s Initiative ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ Selects 3 Young Winners with Unique Solutions ‘Sputnik Brain, Udaan & Alpha Monitor’

The competition took into account real-life issues and the three winning teams are Sputnik Brain, Udaan and Alpha Monitor got a total grant of Rs 1 crore.

The last few months saw an interesting competition unfold across the country — Solve for Tomorrow, an initiative by Samsung. Like the name suggests, it was about coming up with solutions that will help people in the future.

The competition took into account real-life issues and the three winning teams are Sputnik Brain, Udaan and Alpha Monitor who get a total grant of Rs 1 crore and a six-month incubation by the Foundation for Innovation & Technology Transfer, IIT Delhi, to strengthen their prototypes, and seek real-world consumer validation for their products and services.

There was no first, second or third place, for all the three teams are winners and they have come up with equally good solutions to real-life problems. In June, as part of its Solve for Tomorrow programme, Samsung invited 16-22 year-olds in India to come up with innovative ideas in the areas of education, environment, healthcare and agriculture, the priority UN Sustainable Development Goals for India. A record 18,000 plus registrations were received in the inaugural edition.

Let’s look at the three winning entries. Sputnik Brain’s Shankar Srinivasan is working on a wearable device that will help reduce stress by “productising pleasure through safe brain modulation”. His safe brain modulation wearable device for mental health transmits waves within the FDA’s limit of frequency, intensity, and Pulse Repetition Period to mood centres in the brain. Considering stress causes high blood pressure, hypertension and a host of other issues, the 22-year-old decided to work on an innovation to reduce stress.

The trio of Prisha Dubey, Anupriya Nayak and Vanalika Konwar of Udaan are from Port Blair and Delhi and they have developed eco-friendly, affordable and washable sanitary pads using shredded sugarcane bagasse. The all-girls team wants to solve the social stigma around menstruation and reach out to underprivileged and rural women with their product.

Hemesh Chadalavada of Alpha Monitor from Hyderabad has developed a smart wristband to monitor Alzheimer’s patients and alert their caregivers about changes in their behaviour. The 16-year-old’s device monitors the patient’s health parameters, such as pulse and blood pressure and the caregiver and doctor are automatically alerted if the patient gets out of bed and starts wandering.

 “All the young Solvers are the future of India. They have the potential to change India and the world,” said Ken Kang, president and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia. “The jury found it extremely tough to choose the top three winners as all the participants had brilliant ideas. We are delighted to support them in their future journey to unlock their full potential and strengthen our vision of powering digital India,” said Partha Ghosh, head, corporate social responsibility and communications, Samsung Southwest Asia.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: LEADERSHIP / G20 Presidency Handed Over to India by Indonesia as Bali Summit ends

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while taking over said the Presidency of the grouping is a matter of pride for every citizen in India.

Indonesia on Wednesday handed over the G20 presidency to India for the coming year at the Bali summit here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi terming it a matter of pride for every Indian citizen.

At a brief ceremony, Indonesian President Joko Widodo handed over the G20 presidency to Prime Minister Modi at the conclusion of the two-day G20 Summit here.

“Together with every country’s efforts, we can make the G20 summit a catalyst for global welfare,” Modi said.

The handing-over ceremony came as the member states finalised the joint declaration.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that India has contributed ‘constructively’ to drafting of G20 ‘outcome document’.

Delegations from the member states had differences on how to characterise the Russia-Ukraine war, with Ukraine’s western allies said to be seeking outright condemnation of Moscow.

There were fears earlier that the member states may not agree to a final document. G20 declarations require consensus of all members.

The declaration was not immediately released. Though the main business of the Summit ended in the afternoon, heads from some countries including India had scheduled bilateral talks on its sidelines for later in the day.

Modi was scheduled to leave Bali in the evening.

The G20 comprises 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union.

Prime Minister Modi has promised a presidency that will be “inclusive” and a voice of the developing countries.

The next summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9-10.

Foreign Secretary Kwatra said the Indian delegation guided by the prime minister played a “key role” in the successful resolution of differences over the “outcome document.”

He said the “particular global context” was reflected in the consensus documents.

He said Modi’s observation that this is not an era of war and his advocacy of diplomacy and dialogue helped in reaching a “successful” outcome.

His message helped in consensus building, Kwatra said.

Modi met French President Macron Emmanuel in the morning. After the closing ceremony he was scheduled to have bilateral meetings with leaders from Indonesia, the UK, Australia, Germany and Singapore before leaving for Delhi.

On Tuesday, he had brief formal meetings with US President Joe Biden and Indonesian President Widodo.

The foreign secretary characterised the handshake between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a dinner on Tuesday evening as an exchange of pleasantries.

The two leaders had talked briefly and shaken hands, sparking interest as they have not held a bilateral meeting after a border clash in 2019.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

GLOBAL: INDIA APPLAUDED: Bali G20 Summit: WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanks Prime Minister Modi for Collaboration in Building a Global Traditional Health Centre to ensure ‘Health for All’

Centre, supported by an investment of $250 million from India, aims at harnessing the potential of traditional medicine from across the world.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for collaborating with the world health body on hosting and building the global traditional health centre.

Prime Minister Modi, World Health Organisation Director-General Ghebreyesus and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth laid the foundation stone for the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Gujarat’s Jamnagar city in April.

The centre, supported by an investment of USD 250 million from India, aims at harnessing the potential of traditional medicine from across the world through modern science and technology to improve the health of people and the planet, according to the WHO.

Taking to Twitter, Ghebreyesus, who is in Bali to attend the ongoing G20 summit, tweeted, “Thank you #India Prime Minister @narendramodi for your collaboration with @WHO on hosting and building the global traditional health centre. Together for #HealthForAll! #G20.”

Ghebreyesus also posted a picture of him with Prime Minister Modi at the G20 Summit in Bali.

According to WHO, around 80% of the world’s population is estimated to use traditional medicine. To date, 170 of the 194 WHO member states have reported the use of traditional medicine, and their governments have asked for WHO’s support in creating a body of reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products.

During his address at the G20 Summit, Ghebreyesus underlined that food and energy are fundamental to human life, and human health. The lack of either, or their over-consumption, can have severe consequences for health and economies.

“The heaviest price for the crises in food and energy security is paid in human health. My ask for the @g20org leaders is to ensure that measures to protect and promote health are central to the global response,” he added

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

WORLD: RECORDS: World Record Created by Nandan Choubey, a Climber from Bihar as he Unfurled the 328ft Tallest Tricolour in Lahaul-Spiti’s -Mount Kanamo peak

Nandan Choubey, a resident of Sarenja village of Bihar’s Buxar district created a world record by hoisting the tallest Tricolour of 328-feet on the top of Mount Kanamo.

He made a world record in August by conquering Mount Yunam located between Manali and Leh and Mount Kanamo located in Lahaul Spiti district of the Himalayas.

Choubey says that mountains seem small when one has the spirit and will to make the right efforts to reach the destination. He is the only mountaineer from Bihar to have achieved this success.

He added that conquering the peak, which has scarce oxygen, is considered to be very difficult.

“Carrying a flag weighing 10 kilograms is a big deal,” Choubey said.

Elated on his achievement, the mountaineer added that he is passionate about climbing mountains, exploring and taking up new adventures.

His success has been included in the World Book of Records and International Book of Records.

Choubey in a conversation with IANS said that he visited Kedarnath and Kedarkantha for the first time in 2017. His passion for mountaineering gained momentum after seeing the Himalayan Range from close.

He trained from Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering (JIM) in Jammu & Kashmir and the National Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) in Uttarakhand.

Choubey’s journey from the Sarenja village to the mountain tops has been special and difficult too. His morale has increased by this success.

The mountaineer considers Reinhold Messner and Jimmy Chin as his idols.

He said that he has climbed many high peaks, including Kedarkantha, Kalanag, Yunam peak, Kanamo, Stok Kangri, Kang Yatse II, Dzo Jongo, Rudragaira, Friendship peak, Satopanth peak and Nun.

He dedicated the record to the country and other mountaineers. When asked about his upcoming plans, he said that he wants to hoist the Tricolour on Mount Denali in Alaska, North America.

He added that the biggest goal for him is to reach Mount Everest for which he is working exceptionally hard.

Choubey has received awards like ‘Iconic personality of India’, ‘Kalam Youth Leadership award’ and ‘Global Bihar Excellence award’ among others.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)