US-India Strategic Partnership Forum to Honor Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra & Adobe Chairman Shantanu Narayen

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) announced their third Annual Leadership Summit, titled “US-India Week: Navigating New Challenges”, which will convene virtually this year from August 31- September 3. The week-long program will include a range of strategic discussions between USISPF’s board members that includes which include 21 Fortune 500 CEOsand senior government officials from both countries.

At the summit, USISPF will honour Chairman of Mahindra group, Anand Mahindra and Shantanu Narayen, Chairman & CEO of Adobewith the 2020 Leadership Awards, awarded each year for exemplary vision towards promoting U.S.-India bilateral ties.

Congratulating the awardees, John Chambers, Chairman of the USISPF Board, said, “We are delighted to confer the 2020 Leadership Awards to two business leaders who have displayed tremendous leadership and ambition in strengthening the U.S.-India bilateral economic partnership, especially at a time when the global economy is faced with uncertainties and businesses are forced to pivot from their core capabilities. As a global centre of manufacturing excellence with presence in the United States, the Mahindra Group is a shining example of a true win-win opportunity for our bilateral ties with positive impact in the lives of the American people and across the American economic engine. Chambers further added, “Shantanu’s pioneering work in digital technologies, leveraging support to communities, and deep impact on start-ups have been of tremendous value to governments, civil society, and the overall bilateral relationship. I cannot think of a more consummate candidate for this award.”

Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group said, “I accept this award on behalf of the entire Mahindra Group. At this challenging & transformational time for the world, such a recognition only reminds us that companies must contribute much more towards building a better world.  Mahindra remains deeply committed to the US market which is integral to its future growth and prosperity. Overall, I expect the relationship between India and the US to get even stronger over time with both countries being natural allies given our shared values and mutual economic interests.”

Mr. Shantanu Narayen, Chairman, President,and CEO of Adobe said, “I am honoured to accept the Leadership Award from the USISPF. USISPF’s mission to accelerate the strategic partnership between the US and India brings together two global leaders with the power to create compounding benefits for the global economy. Now more than ever, uniting the strengths, innovations and talents of the world is critical to building bridges and driving economic prosperity.”

Alongside US Vice President Mike Pence, high-ranking U.S. and Indian government officials participating at the leadership summit include: Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs; Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce & Industry; Kenneth I. Juster, U.S. Ambassador to India to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador of India to the United States; Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog; Adam Boehler, CEO, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; Dr. Indu Bhushan, CEO, Ayushman Bharat; Neil Chatterjee, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Chairman, National Innovation Foundation, and former senior officials from both countries. The summit will highlight areas of bilateral cooperation: trade and investment relations; strategic energy ties; India’s position in global supply chains, collaboration in fintech, healthcare, and technology; building a fair tax regime to attract FDIs, among others.

About the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF):

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is committed to creating the most powerful partnership between the United States and India. As the only independent not-for-profit institution dedicated to strengthening the U.S.-India partnership in Washington, D.C. and in New Delhi, USISPF is the trusted partner for businesses, non-profit organizations, the diaspora, and the governments of India and the United States.

Hygiene 2.0 – Smart Bath Ware is Key To Ensuring Personal Cleanliness in the New Normal

By Mr. Sanjay Kalra, CEO, Bath Products & Tiles, Brilloca Limited

Tech innovation - as the essential enabler of our time - is seeing accelerated integration across sectors in a call to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 business and safety. With hygiene gaining precedence as primary line of defense, the ongoing pandemic has significantly reinforced the importance of sanitation and bath ware industry in-turn. The permanent fixtures such as taps and cisterns in a standard bathroom are potential infection hotspot, if not sanitized regularly. This raises the dire need of technological innovations in bath ware products to minimize physical touch and ensure enhanced cleanliness and hygiene. As a result, contactless and touch-free bathroom fixtures have become critical and catalyzed IoT in the bath ware industry.

With digital driving hygiene today; few key innovative trends emerging to make bathrooms smarter are observed as below;

Automated Sanitation (E-Clenz)

Automation in water closet is key to avoiding physical contact and maintaining proper hygiene. Self-cleaning nozzles for instance will not only facilitate ease of clean-up for the users but will clean it requiring minimal manual intervention. Remote controlled water closet provides the facility of avoiding physical contact with the cistern. Automated seat covers too will aid in contactless use of sanitary ware propagating the touchless element for added personal hygiene.

Sensor Integration (Touchfree WC & Sensor Faucet)

Among the bathware, contactless faucet fixture or sensor enabled flushing water closets are not just favorable and convenient choices but the need of the hour. Not only at home but in public areas like restaurants, schools, colleges, airports, clubs and hotels; sensor faucets are extremely beneficial for washrooms/ restrooms. For instance, contact-free handwashing allows frontline healthcare professionals to maintain optimum levels of cleanliness while performing their duties. The no-touch element expands to sanitaryware as well – such as modern water closets and their inbuilt sensor for flushing.

Breaking silos between public and private hygiene

In curbing the expedited spread of Covid-19, accessories that don’t need physical contact are indispensable today. Hands-free fixtures that can be installed in both public and private bathrooms and washrooms are deemed to be the new normal providing higher levels of hygiene. This is not only valid for homes but also public space; thus paving way for decelerated spread of infection by touch. 

A new wave of innovation has indeed emerged in bath ware segment to ensure of safety by making our bathrooms cleaner, more hygienic, and also comfortable. While the smart bathroom accessories will enhance the aesthetic appeal and add to our convenience, higher level of personal hygiene will assuredly be the dominant intent. Design & Innovation is the need of the hour to encourage minimal contact with the surfaces and to have a healthy living.

Win $10 million prize for building a best power saving bulb

The US Energy Department has declared a contest in which the company that makes the best power saving bulb will get a prize of $10 million. The contest winner will also receive consideration for federal purchasing agreements and will have a head start at cracking a vast consumer marketplace. The Energy Department will also award $5 million to the creator of an LED reflector lamp.

The L Prize has attracted significant attention in the lighting industry. Currently, 60 watt incandescent lamps represent 50 percent of all the lighting in the United States, with 425 million sold each year. The Energy Department says that if all those lamps were LED equivalents, enough power would be saved to light 17.4 million American households and cut carbon emissions by 5.6 million metric tons annually.

So far, Philips is the only company which has submitted its entry. The company has developed a led based bulb which uses one-sixth energy of a 60 watt incandescent bulb. "Philips is confident that the product submitted meets or exceeds all of the criteria for the L Prize," Rudy Provoost, Chief of Philips Lighting, said in a statement to New York Times. Philips has delivered 2,000 prototypes of its bulb to the Energy Department for testing.

Apart from few changes, the incandescent bulb continues to be similar to the Thomas Edison creation. But now the incandescent bulbs will be outlawed by new energy standards that go into effect in 2012. LED bulbs are now available but they have limited output and high prices.

The energy department has made certain criteria for the competition. All bulbs must be able to provide as much light as 60 watt incandescent bulb in 10 watt. The bulb must also last for more than 25,000 hours - about 25 times longer than a standard light bulb. Also, at least 75 percent of the bulb must be made or assembled in the United States. Philip's prototypes currently meet up in all criteria.

Speaking about the contest, James R. Brodrick, Manager of the Solid State Lighting Program of the Energy Department says that these will be the most publicly tested bulb ever. "We've probably eliminated almost 25 products that were horrible," said James R. Brodrick, manager of the Solid State Lighting Program of the Energy Department. "We test LED bulbs today that claim on the package that they're equivalent to 40 watts, but are really like 20-watt bulbs."

Kevin Dowling, Vice President for innovation at Philips Solid State Lighting Solutions, is confident that the LED light bulb can become an affordable option. "Over the long term, we can absolutely get the cost down to the $20 to $25 range," he said.

Agencies