ASSOCOHAM Launches Illness to Wellness, a Awareness Programme Aimed at Promoting Healthy Living in Association with SAVLON

Healthy Living

* Programme to promote healthy living with focus on wellness and preventive health through healthy habits, diet, exercise, and holistic health

* Programme kicked off with a webinar titled ‘Illness to Wellness – The Yoga Way’ with discussion on the role of yoga in fighting the COVID-19 health crisis

* Webinar revealed that the Delhi Government has deployed 30 yoga instructors in COVID centres to help the patients; and yoga therapy is being extended to the contact chain like family members, police personnel, medical professionals among others 

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), one of the apex trade associations of India has started a national health & wellness awareness program called ‘Illness to Wellness’ to promote healthy living and preventive health through holistic measures. 

Supported by the hygiene brand SAVLON, the programme was kicked off with a webinar on the topic “Illness to Wellness – The Yoga Way” which saw leading health and yoga experts and recognized industry leaders deliberate on how Yoga could be the answer for mitigating threats caused by viruses and other ailments like the COVID 19.

A key speaker at the session Dr Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, revealed that, “we have deployed 30 instructors in COVID centres run by the Delhi government, who would teach patients yoga for three hours in the morning. Additionally, we have undertaken yoga lessons for COVID patients in the neighbouring 11 districts. We received 500 applications from Department of Science & Technology to understand the beneficial aspects of yoga especially for COVID patients and so are working on three projects with renowned yoga institutes to arrive at findings.” The programme is being expanded to cover people who have come in contact with COVID patients like family members, police personnel, medical professionals etc. 

For centuries yoga has proven to be a tool for mental and physical well-being. As the focus on boosting immunity grows due to the widespread adverse health effects caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, the role of this ancient and spiritual practice has become prominent in the journey from illness to wellness. Other eminent speakers emphasised the importance of wellness, not just in challenging times, but in general as a way of life.

While sharing his perspective, Mr Rajiv Chandran, director and office-in-charge, UN Information Centre emphatically stated that United Nations embraced the Yoga and 175 out of 193 countries unanimously agreed to celebrate Yoga as an annual International Day. The COVID–19 pandemic has completely transformed the concept of wellness. Now, wellness is not merely an individual's concern rather a community strategy and is being viewed in a very broader perspective of people's relationship with planet and the society.”

Promoting adoption of correct lifestyle and wellness strategy, (Padma Shri) Guruji Dr. H. R. Nagendra, Chancellor, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana & President, Indian Yoga Association said, “During the present COVID pandemic situations, Yoga – A Way of Life – can bring wellness for people at large. Coronavirus has the potential to infect and affect the human lives, however our immune system is also very strong as WBC (white blood cells) acts a gigantic robust army to defend from many viruses including corona. Stress weakens our immunity system and thus it becomes a victim of virus (corona) attack. He further stated that although one can cure through medicines, vaccinations and other supplements, the solution to strengthen our immunity is Yoga only.” 

Sharing his views, Mr Anil Rajput, Chairman, ASSOCHAM CSR Council said, “COVID pandemic has taught human race the hard lesson that medical science may not have readymade answers to emerging health crises. Therefore, we need to go back to the basics by putting focus on preventive measures and healthy living. Illness to Wellness has been timely conceived to bring the spotlight back on aspects we perhaps know at the back of our mind, but many are not able to practice in the rush of a busy life, such as the importance of healthy diet, exercise, hygienic habits, timely preventive practices among others.”

Obama remark on Bangalore misinterpreted, says Nasscom chief

US President Barack Obama's remark that American firms were shipping more jobs to Bangalore than creating them in Buffalo (in New York state) had been "misinterpreted", an IT industry lobby said here on Wednesday.

"Nothing much should be read about Obama's comment on Bangalore and Buffalo. I think his remark has been misinterpreted. What he said was of the additional revenue he would get from his tax reform proposals, he would invest some of it in research and training so that more jobs get created," Som Mittal, president of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) told reporters.

Contending that the current US tax system gave US-based multinationals shipping jobs to places like India an unfair advantage over domestic rivals, Obama Monday announced plans to reduce tax breaks for them.

"It's a tax code that says you should pay lower taxes if you create a job in Bangalore, India, than if you create one in Buffalo, New York," Obama said, spelling out his proposals to close corporate tax loopholes and crack down on overseas tax havens.

Allaying fears of job losses or decline in outsourcing or off-shoring, Mittal said the Obama proposal was not about India but how American subsidiaries were structured overseas in light of the taxation method followed by US firms over the years.

Admitting that Obama's protectionist measure was a matter of concern for the industry, Mittal asserted that Nasscom would study the proposal to assess what impact it would have on outsourcing or off-shoring and do the needful if the bill got drafted.

"The good part is that we have a voice. If we see that it's impacting us in any way, as the bill gets drafted, we will do the needful," Mittal said.

The US accounts for about 60 per cent ($30 billion) of the $50-billion IT export revenue from India. About 70 per cent of the export revenue is generated by Indian firms and the remaining by multinational captives or third party vendors in the sub-continent.

Endorsing Mittal's views, former Nasscom president and Satyam board chairman Kiran Karnik said he was sceptical about Obama's tax proposal becoming a law.

"It (tax reform bill) is unlikely to become a law as US firms will be the hardest hit. Obama's proposal is of concern because it's a sign of protectionism. In the recent G-20 meeting in London, world leaders said they were against protectionism," Karnik said.

In a lighter vein, a leading IT firm head said Obama seemed to have got his geography wrong as he should have mentioned Beijing instead of Bangalore since more manufacturing jobs were shipped to China than to India over the years.

"Looks like Obama got his geography wrong. Jobs are not going to Bangalore but Beijing, as manufacturing jobs are going to China and not India. Only 1000-2000 back office jobs have come to India," the official said on anonymity.

Agencies

India's IT export target of $50 bn will be delayed, says NASSCOM

IT industry association NASSCOM said the export revenue target of 50 billion dollar by 2010 will be delayed by 3-4 quarters due to the global economic downturn, and warned of uncertainties in the near future.

The NASSCOM-McKinsey, however, presented an ambitious scenario for the Indian IT industry for the next 11 years saying the total revenue from export is expected to expand to 175 billion dollars by 2020 and revenues from the domestic market could achieve the 50 billion dollar mark.

"This, however, needs a concerted effort by both the industry and the government to ensure swift and sustained reforms in critical areas of education and infrastructure," NASSCOM said.

On the economic scenario, the organisation said the "global economic crisis will have far-reaching and as yet uncertain impact on the industry. Near term volumes and pricing is likely to come under pressure."

Commenting on the opportunities for the industry, Som Mittal, President, Nasscom, said, "The Indian IT industry is in the midst of unprecedented times because of the current economic environment. We expect the next few quarters to be extremely challenging with companies doing everything required to effectively overcome the challenges."

NASSCOM is of the view that the 2020 business landscape would be different from the one that was witnessed in the last decade as now it would be driven by global megatrends.

There are likely to be new verticals in the public sector, healthcare, media and utilities (which have adopted global sourcing only to a limited extent) along with new customer segments in the small and medium businesses.

"These new opportunities will result in export revenues of 175 billion dollar by 2020. On the back of these megatrends the Indian domestic industry too will experience significant growth and record a four-fold increase in revenues from 12 billion dollar in 2008 to 50 billion by 2020," it said.

"80 per cent of the incremental revenue growth by 2020 will be driven by opportunities outside of the current core markets, verticals and customer segments and the industry needs to redefine its value proposition to capture these," Mittal said.

The NASSCOM-McKinsey report said that India has been the destination for global sourcing over the last 10 years and has garnered a 51 per cent share of the industry today. India continues to be the most competitive among 25-30 low-cost locations even today.

Agencies

Will the Internet economy shrink in 2009?

The Internet economy could shrink in 2009 because of the worldwide downturn, the OECD warned on Monday in a report that forecast contraction of the semiconductor industry and cutbacks by corporate customers.

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said that "with the outlook for the global economy worsening and business and consumer confidence plummeting, growth will remain flat or decline in 2009."

The report also forecast growth of four per cent in the IT industry this year and said some sectors such as software, outsourcing, Internet sales and infrastructure investments would "weather the storm better than others."

The report said the semiconductor industry - seen as a leading indicator for the information technology sector - would fall nearly six per cent in 2009 after weak growth of 2.2 per cent in 2008.

Source: Agencies