Anvayaa kin Care Bags the Prestigious HYSEA Award 2019

Anvayaa Kin Care, India’s leading, Artificial-Intelligence (AI) enabled, holistic & personalised, one-stop, senior care provider, added a new title to its credit. The Hyderabad based tech start-up bagged two milestones at the Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association, (HYSEA) Awards by winning the honors of “Best Software Product” in the social impact category and for being recognised as one of the hot 10 start-ups for 2019.

The prestigious HYSEA awards which takes place every year, as part of the Summit, was presided by Mr. Vineet Nayar, Founder Chairman and CEO of Sampark Foundation, with guests of Honour, Mr. S. K. Joshi, IAS, Chief Secretary at Government of Telangana, Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Telangana at ITE&C DEPARTMENT and Dr. Omkar Rai, Director General of Software Technology Parks of India.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Prashanth Reddy, Founder-Director of Anvayaa Kin Care said, “Winning these prestigious awards are a testimony of our commitment and core values. It’s a proud moment for all of us at Anayaa Kin Care especially our team of professionals without whom this would not have been possible. The scarcity of trained caregivers to deal with the health, social and emotional needs of an ageing population continues to be perhaps the most serious gap and draw back faced by many countries. Anvayaa Kin Care bridges this gap and has been providing elder care support to over 800+ families since its inception in 2016.”

Anvayaa Kincare, a personalised and App-based service exclusively designed for the Senior Citizens allows one to not only keep a tab on the well-being of their loved ones past their prime, but also help them with essential services. Anvayaa assists with dedicated support staff who can offer round-the-clock service.

Acer Unveils the Future of Gaming, Debuts Eight New Gaming Laptops and Accessories

Highlights:

• The new gaming laptops have been launched in India, with prices starting from Rs. 59,999 and going all the way up to Rs. 4,49,999. There are 8 gaming laptops distributed across a varied price range

• The new devices feature advanced technologies, innovative new designs features, advanced cooling system, powered by up to 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processor, and infused with NVIDIA GeForce

• The Nitro 5 both 15 inch and 17-inch gaming laptops have 80 percent screen-to-body ratio thanks to its 7.18 mm (0.28 inches) narrow-bezel design

• The new Nitro 7 gaming laptop will turn heads with its sleek, mobile metal design measuring 19.9 mm (0.78 inches) thin with a 78 percent screen-to-body ratio and up to 7 hours of battery life

• The redesigned Predator Helios 300 continues to set the bar for midrange gaming notebooks with a bold new look and up to new 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, 2060, or the latest GeForce® GTX GPUs.

• Predator Triton 500 is a powerful 15.6-inch Full HD gaming notebook slimmed down to just 17.9 mm (0.70 inches) thin and weighing 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs.)

• Predator Helios 700 arises with a unique design with an army of the latest and greatest technologies. This machine comes with an all-new 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 or 2070 GPU, up to 64GB of DDR4 memory. It also comes with Dual 4th Gen AeroBlade™ 3D Fans, five copper heat pipes, a vapor chamber and Acer CoolBoost™ Technology.

• Predator Triton 900 features the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 GPU

• The Nitro Stream is a dedicated streaming PC for hassle-free, Full HD streaming on PC or console games

• AOPEN has an extensive portfolio of monitors in various segments that deliver cutting edge technology which redefines the entire viewing experience at affordable price

ACER, the leading global PC brands, today unveiled a wide array of gaming laptops aimed at gaming enthusiasts across segments at a grand event in Mumbai. Acer is the first-ever player in the market to debut such a wide range of product portfolio at a time.

Inheriting the advanced spirit of its predecessors, these devices are ready to conquer the gaming arena with the latest processor, integrated Pass-Through Feature, cutting edge 3D Technology, 4th Gen AeroBlade, Waves MaxxAudio Suite + Waves Nx 3D Virtual Sound and much more to give the gamers an immersive gaming experience, more powerful devices that combine technical prowess. These exciting machines include the powerhouse Triton 900, a beast in a slim form the Triton 500, Helios 700, Helios 300- 17 inch, Helios 300- 15 Inch. To tantalize casual gamers and performance enthusiasts, Acer India also launched Nitro 7, Nitro 5 17-inch, Nitro 5 15-inch, and associated accessories.

Mr. Harish Kohli, President & Managing Director, Acer India, stated, “Keeping up with the growing demand for gaming PC’s in India, Acer has always gone the extra mile to ensure that our gaming machines offer the right design and power for the best gaming experience. We are excited to introduce our latest lineup of gaming devices for Indian gaming enthusiasts. The new range is built with an emphasis on strong performance, responsiveness and intelligent design. The innovation and features will please the most discerning gaming aficionados.”



Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer India, said, “We are delighted to introduce an array of gaming machines and accessories. The consumer today has discerning taste and gamers in particular are a knowledgeable lot and know exactly what they want. With this launch, we have our gamers covered in every possible segment. Our new machines are fast, powerful and come loaded with features that are bound to excite the gamers and take their gaming experience to a whole new level."

Specifications - The Predator Triton 900 — the Convertible Gaming Notebook Evolved

The Predator Triton 900 is a gaming notebook in a robust futuristic metal chassis convertible gaming laptop with innovative new design features. The new Predator Triton 900 gaming laptop is its gorgeous 17.3-inch 4K IPS display that floats above the chassis. It features a CNC-machined Ezel Aero Hinge that flips, extends, or reclines the 17-inch display. Users can switch between four usage modes: Display mode for sharing the screen with friends during gaming sessions, Ezel mode for playing games on the touch screen, notebook mode for traditional gaming scenarios, and stand mode — effectively turning the Triton 900 into a tablet for gaming or using creator tools. The Triton series 900’s trackpad is placed beside the keyboard, giving users natural hand placement for gaming using both the keyboard and trackpad. It’s also amazingly thin at just 23.75 mm (0.94 inches).

Featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 GPU and a 4K IPS touch display, the Predator Triton 900 brings gamers a best-in-class gaming experience. With 9th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, two 512GB 1M.2 PCIe NVMe SSDs in Raid 0, and up to 32GB DDR4 memory, gamers can power up the most demanding games and expect smooth, tear-free gameplay with up to 5GHz1Turbo, 8 cores, 16 MB of smart cache, and great battery life. It comes with per-key RGB backlighting, macro keys, and a switchable trackpad/Numpad. Mechanical keyboards will help when it comes to the comfort of typing and offers a better response rate compared to membrane keys. The latter benefits gaming.

Specifications - The Predator Triton 500 — A beast in a slim form

The Predator Triton 500 is a powerful 15.6-inch Full HD gaming notebook sits at a mere 17.9mm in thickness and weighs approximately 2.1 kg, and is aimed for portability. It has a durable, all-metal chassis and narrow bezels measuring just 6.3 mm (0.25 inches) for an impressive 81 percent body-to-screen ratio. The slimmed-down Triton 500 can easily be slipped in a backpack or briefcase, but once taken out and powered on, it becomes a gaming powerhouse. And with up to 8-hours of battery life, users can play their favorite titles on the road or with friends away from home.

The Predator Triton 500 infused with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 GPUs with Max-Q design, up to 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, NVMe PCIe RAID 0 SSDs, and up to 32GB DDR4 memory. Its GPU is overclockable and VR-Ready, letting gamers enjoy the latest cutting-edge gaming and VR experiences. The 15.6-inch 300 nits IPS display brings games to life with 144Hz refresh rates in overdrive at 3ms. NVIDIA G-SYNC technology creates fluid images as they zip across the screen while gaming or watching movies.

Both Predator Triton 900 and 500 receive their gaming cred with Acer’s advanced cooling system that includes 4th Gen AeroBlade™ 3D metal fans that increase airflow by 45 percent, and Coolboost™ technology that keeps the notebooks cool during extended gaming sessions and while playing demanding AAA titles. To round out the package, both Triton 900 and Triton 500 features audio by Waves. Waves Maxx™ delivers superior sound quality made immersive with Waves Nx™ with head tracking for a 3D audio experience.

Price and Availability:
Price – INR 1,65,999 onwards
Available at E-Store and Acer Malls.

Predator Helios 300 (15 inch and 17inch)— Creating the Bar for Midrange Gaming Notebooks Specifications

The Predator Helios 300 gaming notebook comes with a new sophisticated design that just got better with the addition of powerful technologies and killer features. Praised for being one of the first notebooks and it comes in two displays sizes -15 inch and 17 inch Full HD IPS display. Both the display features 144Hz refresh rate and 3m response time or a tear-free, seamless gaming experience. Powered by the newest 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processors for premium performance with the addition of the latest of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU with Max-Q Design supported by a Turbo key for one-punch overclocking and Killer DoubleShot™ Pro for fast and lag-free networking. With up to 32GB of DDR4 2666MHz memory and up to two PCIe NVMe SSDs in RAID 0 plus a hard drive, it’s the powerhouse gamers crave for playing today’s AAA games.

Cooling Technology Inspired by Nature

The most noticeable is the notebook’s cooling solution. Keeping the notebook running cool and at peak performance is an advanced and efficient thermal design that unlocks the true potential of the Helios’s powerful hardware. Most critical at keeping the temperature low is a dual-fan cooling system that includes one of Acer’s 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fans. This latest generation fan design was inspired by bionic silent owl flight mechanics that maximize airflow and minimize noise. The new 0.1mm-thin fan blades include a serrated edge, winglets along the top and bottom, as well as a curved fin along the inner portion of each blade. This results in up to a 45 percent improvement in airflow. Coupled with strategically placed intake and exhaust vents and Acer CoolBoost™ technology, the Helios 300 stays calm under pressure and handles intense overclocked gaming sessions with ease.

Also, the metal chassis now rocks the stylish teal blue accents and keyboard backlighting found on other Predator notebooks. A narrow bezel around the display and a redesigned keyboard with contemporary looking Predator fonts give it a hip and edgy look.

Last but not least is a completely new keyboard featuring distinctive Predator fonts and 4-zone RGB lighting. Usability and functionality are improved with new PredatorSense and Turbo hotkeys, an enlarged spacebar, and concave shaped, highlighted WASD keys, arrow keys, and hotkeys.

Price and Availability:

Helios 300 15’’
Price – INR 99,999 onwards
Available at E-Store and Acer Malls.

Helios 300 17’’
Price – INR 1,14,999 onwards
Available at E-Store and Acer Malls.
Predator Helios 700 – a desktop in a laptop disguise Specifications

Powering the uniquely designed Predator Helios 700 notebook is an army of the latest and greatest technologies ready to battle. This machine was built with a high-octane purpose. With an including up to an all-new 9th Gen Intel Core i9 processor for the top of the line overclockable performance, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 or 2070 GPU, up to 64GB of DDR4 memory. In terms of connectivity options, the laptop gets a Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX 1650 and E3000 adaptors delivering up to four times more network capacity in dense environments than previous-generation wireless AC networks. All that power makes games roar to life on the notebook’s 17-inch 144Hz FHD IPS display with 3ms response time and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology. The laptop also comes with five speakers and a subwoofer to keep the games immersive and engage with full and realistic audio.

Introducing HyperDrift for Enhanced Cooling

The all-new Predator Helios 700 features a unique HyperDrift forward-sliding keyboard that helps maximize airflow to keep the system running cool and enable gamers to push the powerful components to their highest potential. By simply sliding the keyboard forward, two additional air intakes are uncovered above the keyboard and below the display, giving the powerful heat-generating components extra airflow for maximum cooling and unleashed overclocking. The glass panel also provides a view of the notebook’s heat pipes. The new Predator Helios 700 consists of two of Acer’s custom-engineered Dual 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fans, five copper heat pipes, a vapor chamber, and Acer CoolBoost Technology.

Price and Availability:

Predator Helios 700 17’’
Price – INR 2,49,999 onwards
Available mid-September
Nitro 7 – A Striking New Metal Chassis specifications

New Nitro7 gaming notebook is for casual gamers looking to boost their gaming performance as they connect with friends online and equip with the tools to dominate the battlefield for the ultimate gaming experience. The new Nitro 7 gaming laptop will turn heads with its sleek, mobile metal design measuring 19.9 mm (0.78 inches) thin with a 78 percent screen-to-body ratio and up to 8 hours of battery life. Its high-resolution 15.6-inch display reproduces lifelike colors at a 144Hz1 refresh rate with a 3ms response time for a tear-free gaming experience — crucial while in the throes of battle. The all-new Nitro 7 packs with Next-Gen Intel® Core™ processor and the latest NVIDIA GeForce® Graphics to ensure a seamless gaming experience. It also has ample storage, with two slots available for M.2 Gen 3x4 PCIe SSDs using NVMe technology in RAID 0, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM with up to 2TB of HDD storage.

Nitro 5: Designed for Domination Specifications

Acer’s updated Nitro 5 laptop allows users to enjoy their favorite games in exceptional detail with a Full HD IPS display in either a 17.3-inch narrow bezel display or 15.6-inch with an impressive 80 percent screen-to-body ratio.

The Nitro 5 combines a 9th Gen Intel Core processor, the latest NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX graphics, two M.2 Gen 3 x4 PCIe SSDs using NVMe technology in RAID 0, and up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM for superior gaming performance at a value. It effortlessly streams gameplay with Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 with 2x2 MU-MIMO technology. Users can also connect supporting gadgets with an array of ports such as HDMI 2.0, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1, and more.

Aggressive cooling with NitroSense

Users can monitor and manage the Nitro 7 and Nitro 5 with NitroSense, accessible with one touch of the NitroSense hot key. Its twin fans push air out of the back-right edge of the chassis, covering temperatures, fan speeds and more. It also allows for fan speed monitoring and adjusting in real-time, so gamers can customize their speed or set fans to the max when the heat is on. Additionally, users can set up a power plan to achieve optimal power usage in different scenarios, or access Acer TrueHarmony’s six sound modes, turn sticky keys on or off and activate the LCD overdrive to bring the display response time down to 3ms3.

Highlight Gameplay with Supercharged Connectivity:

Nitro 7 and Nitro 5 controls network with Killer™ Ethernet E25002 and effortlessly stream with Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 (aka 802.11ac) with 2x2 MU-MIMO technology. The Ethernet controller automatically detects game, video and chat streams to deliver prioritized bandwidth for virtually lag-free user experience.

Price and Availability:

Nitro 7

Price – INR 84,999 onwards
Available at E-Store and Acer Malls.
Nitro 5 15’’
Price – INR 59,999 onwards
Available at E-Store and Acer Malls.

Coolpad to Introduce its First 5G Smartphones in the Indian Market

Coolpad, a leading global smartphone brand established by Yulong Group, is set to revolutionize the Indian smartphone industry by launching the country’s first 5G ready smartphones. The brand, which has established itself as a synonym for innovation and progress, has been investing significantly in 5G technology since 2012. As a result, it is ready to disrupt the market with future-ready devices as soon as the 5G network is set-up for use in the country.

On the back of its continued innovation, Coolpad India has already filed over 800 patents in the name of 5G. It has also been granted 120 device-to-device 5G patents which put the brand in the position to gain an early-mover’s advantage as far as 5G technology is concerned. The brand is in discussions with Qualcomm and Mediatek on the integration of 5G technology in its smartphones.

Speaking on the development, Mr Fisher Yuan, CEO, Coolpad India, said, “Since its inception, Coolpad India has aimed to satiate the needs of the value-conscious Indian consumers who expect remarkable specifications at budget-friendly prices. In line with our constant endeavour to exceed customer expectations that we have accelerated the development and launch of our 5G ready devices in the country. Depending on the readiness of the 5G network in India, we are aiming to launch these devices early next year.”

Commenting on the same, Pankaj Upadhyay, Online Business  Head, Coolpad India, said, “With the rapid growth of the Indian smartphone industry in the recent years, we too have started to change its era after the launch of Cool 3 Plus. Consumer-oriented R&D is our top priority at Coolpad, therefore, we are working to expedite the launch of the 5G enabled smartphones and aiming for a higher share in its development. As soon as the Indian smartphone network is ready, we will launch our first 5G smartphones.

Coolpad has been making significant waves in the Indian smartphone market thanks to its innovative and value-driven offerings. Recently, it successfully launched the Coolpad Cool 3 Plus smartphone that features an MT6761 (Helio A22), Quad Core 2.0 GHz Clock Speed coupled with 3 GB RAM, and a stunning 5.7” Dewdrop screen. Now, with this announcement, Coolpad has further positioned itself for exceptional growth in the country, and is well on its way to achieving its goal of becoming the most loved smartphone brand in India.

Coolpad has been operating in India since 2007, having starting operations as a vendor of CDMA handsets to Reliance. It became an original device maker (ODM) for some local brands before entering the Indian market as a standalone brand during 3G to 4G transition. The brand further aims to invest $500 million in India in the next five years to strengthen its presence and to take on its rivals in the 5G landscape.

What you need to know about us:

·         First to Introduce most affordable fingerprint enabled smartphone in India
·         Launched the world’s first CDMA/GSM dual-mode, dual-standby smartphone
·         Consumer oriented R&D is our top priority
·         One of the companies who invested in R&D for 5G develpoment in the earlier 2012
·         Coolpad has more than 800+ patents under the name of 5G
·         400+ service centers across India.

Racold Redefines the Water Heater Category with ‘Omnis’ & ‘Aures’

India is witnessing the monsoon and with the drop in mercury levels, taking hot shower becomes an essential part of life. Ahead of the coming winter season, Racold brand, India’s largest provider of water heating solutions today, announced the launch of its two most stylish and technologically upbeat products – ‘Omnis’ and ‘Aures’ in India. This new range from Racold redefines the water heater category which is rapidly moving from low to high penetration, with disposable income in Indian households going up.

Currently the water heater industry in India is valued at Rs. 2700-2800 crores and is growing at a CAGR of ~8% percent driven mainly by low penetration which is ~less than 5%, due to increasing disposable income and growth in construction sector.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Mohit Narula, Managing Director, Ariston Thermo India Pvt. Ltd. ­­­­­­­­­­said, “Ever since its inception, Racold, has been setting unprecedented benchmarks for the industry by bringing in new technology, enhancing the aesthetics, quality, durability and performance of the product. Backed by a deep understanding of evolving consumer needs and our strong global expertise, Racold has been the frontrunner of technology in water heating. We are pleased to announce the launch of Omnis, our topline range, with India’s first Smart Control technology which is set to redefine the water heating category In India. To add to it, we are launching our new range of online instantaneous water heaters range, Aures. Both these products are a reconfirmation of our ability to constantly innovate and provide value to our consumers.”

Today, bathrooms are transforming in response to the ever-changing nature of the consumer. They are becoming an extension of people's living spaces and personalities and have undergone a sea change. The need is all the more pronounced for luxury bathing applications like range showers, shower panels and Jacuzzis where quantum of hot water required is high. The newly launched ‘Omnis’ and ‘Aures’ range of water heaters that are high on aesthetics, high on performance and compact in size are targeted at the modern and young discerning customers. 

The Products:

Omnis: Omnis is top of the line storage water heater from Racold, a combination of highly advanced technology and energy savings features to deliver personalized hot shower. The flagship model of Omnis range comes with the following next generation features

·         Wi-Fi which is operated by Racold NET app, providing ease of control – anytime, any place
·         The Smart Bath Logic, an intelligent function allows the user to set and control the water temperature as per their bathing requirement and save up to 30% of electricity.
·         Auto diagnosis feature offer the best protection against electric shocks as the inbuilt microprocessor continuously checks all product parameters and cuts the power in case of any malfunction. It also protects from overheating.
·         The intelligent Eco Function reads the bathing pattern of the user and customizes the hot water output, thus further saving electricity

The Omnis Range will be available in 10, 15 and 25 liters. The price range, MRP for a 15 liters capacity varies from INR 14,199- 18,459, depending upon the range and is available in residential as well as small and midsized commercial spaces across India.

Aures:

Aures, The No Wait Water Heater, an electric instantaneous water heater is the fastest way to provide unlimited hot water on demand.  This one of its kind sleek and super compact geyser comes with a wide range of power options from 5.5kW to 24kW. The product delivers

·         Hyper speed ensuring no waiting time for your hot water
·         Maintains constant temperature for a comfortable bath to deliver consistent thermic comfort.
·         Limitless luxury bathing applications, be it endless rain-showers, relaxing in bath tubs or Jacuzzi, there is no need to wait any more for hot water.

The Aures range is available at MRP- INR 6,999 for 5.5 KW, INR 19,999 for 9 KW, 24,999 for 12 KW and 42,999 for 24KW product. Aures range is currently available in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. It will be extended soon to the other parts of the market.

NIIT Launches ‘Future Ready Talent’– an Initiative to Skill the Youth of Bangalore for the Jobs of the Future

NIIT Limited, a global leader in Skills and Talent Development, announced ‘Future Ready Talent’ an initiative to encourage youth to enhance their knowledge through future ready programs, together with their regular academic curriculum.

As part of the initiative, Ankit Vengurlekar, a popular anchor and gadget reviewer recently addressed the youth at NIIT centre, Bangalore, on ‘Leading the way from average to unique through data and IT skills’. Speaking about future ready skills, he said, “The NIIT #FutureReadyTalent event was an exciting opportunity to connect and engage with Bangalore's IT professionals. Upskilling is the greatest requirement for the dynamic IT environment of India. Courses from NIIT ensure that the students are workplace ready and can make a positive contribution towards the organisation they join”.

Ankit also shared his experience and journey while becoming an anchor and gadget reviewer to inspire and motivate students. Ankit’s expertise lies in understanding complex technologies and making them simple to understand for the viewers.

NIIT will conduct seminars nationally across 26 centres in India, in the month of July, wherein successful leaders from diverse fields will share their experiences with the youth, building awareness about the importance of new-age future ready careers.

Kshitij Jain, Vice President, Career Education Business, NIIT Ltd., said, “There are multiple career options available in today's digital economy, but the aspiring professional is  often confused due to non-availability of proper information and right guidance. Through this initiative, we aim to build awareness about new career possibilities and provide them with an opportunity to develop and grow in the field of their choice through our new-age career programs.”

According to the Future of Jobs Report (World Economic Forum), jobs in digital technology will grow from 17 % in 2018 to 33 % in 2022. Estimates have indicated that 75 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines, while 133 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to this model. This demonstrates a huge requirement of skilled employees for futuristic industry 4.0 job roles.

Towards this, NIIT offers new age programs in Digital Marketing and Branding, Data Analytics and Predictive Modelling, Full Stack Product Engineering, Banking and Finance and Accounting & Business Analytics.

Infrastructure Around Schools Needs to Improve Reveals NIMHANS-UL Report on Child Safety

Children are susceptible to injuries owing to their difficulty in risk perceptions, curiosity, impulsivity and risk-taking behaviour. A national report titled, Advancing Child Safety in India: Implementation is the Key, was released today by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), an institute of national importance and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety science company. The report emphasizes the need to prevent child injuries and increase awareness about safety standards in schools amongst the key stakeholders. A safe environment for children is an absolute necessity for their growth and development.

Apart from the secondary research from key data sources, the report also includes the insights from safety appraisals conducted across 131 schools (public and private) in Bengaluru and Kolar districts. These schools were assessed and scored on physical infrastructure, road and fire safety and first-aid facilities. The research team developed a digital safety appraisal tool based on various existing national-level guidelines and quantified safety level percentage) in every school at a macro-level.

“Over the years, we have built long-standing partnerships with various government bodies, research organisations and leading academic institutions to conduct independent data and science-based researches. We share knowledge built over 125 years of our existence through safety education, public outreach initiatives and development of standards to ensure safer environments across domains. In India, we have been conducting National Safety Science Campaign, which focusses on educating and influencing children’s behaviour towards safety. The research study with NIMHANS looks at the infrastructure and ecosystem that exists around children that can influence safety outcomes. Policy makers, law enforcement, governments, school managements and parents have a role to play in making India safer for our children,” said Mr. Suresh Sugavanam, vice president and managing director in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa for UL.

Commenting on the significance of the report, Dr. Gururaj G, dean of neuro sciences and senior professor in the department of epidemiology for NIMHANS said, “Death, hospitalization and disabilities due to injuries is a neglected and hidden problem in India among children. There is a need for evidence-based policies and programs that require implementation on the ground. No child should die or suffer disability because of lack of implementation of preventable and workable solutions.”

 Child injury situation in India:

·         Child injuries are a growing public health problem with nearly 5,00,000 child deaths in the last decade
·         Of the total injury fatalities due to intentional and unintentional causes, child deaths account for 15%
·         60% of all child injury deaths occur among those aged between 15-18 years
·         Proportion of child injury deaths at the site of injury in rural areas (58%) was higher than urban areas (33%)
·         Nearly 41% of all fatal injuries occurred on roads followed by 31% at home
·         Road crashes / accidents are the most common cause of child injury deaths. Road traffic injuries (RTIs) accounted for 37-38% of deaths among 0-14 year-old and 62-64% among 14-18 year-old children
·         Burns and drowning accounted for 10-11% and 13-19% of all deaths respectively
·         Falls and poisoning injuries account for 5-6% of all deaths among children
·         Half the child injury deaths can be averted with efficient trauma care systems
·         10% of injured children experience temporary functional limitation varying from one week to several months. 2% of children are left with permanent disability and 12% live with long term (>6 weeks) temporary disability
Some key findings from the safety appraisals of schools in Bengaluru and Kolar:
·         Overall safety in schools was observed to be 50.8% of expected levels
·         Physical infrastructure in schools with respect to safety components (flooring, staircases, corridors, balconies, windows and railings in buildings and classrooms) was acceptable in majority of schools with anti-skid floor being present in 54.2% of the schools
·         Safety of roads adjoining the schools (in terms of school zone signage, speed limit display, presence of speed breakers, pot-hole free roads, footpaths, zebra crossings, supervised lane crossing and designated drop and pick up zones) was scored at 20.8% of expected levels. Only 17% of schools had roads which showed school zone signage and 11.5% had displayed speed limits
·         43% of school buses had closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and 58% had global positioning system (GPS) tracking system
·         Fire safety in most schools was compromised, as it was 20% of expected levels. Most schools did not have a fire safety certificate. Evacuation plans, fire logbooks, detectors and alarms were present in less than 8% of the schools. However, 94% had extinguishers
·         90% of the schools did not maintain any injury related health record

The study revealed that while various policies and legislations like the National School Safety Guidelines, the National Disaster Management Authority’s School Safety Policy guidelines, the National Building Code, etc. are in place to promote safety and prevent injuries to children, there are several implementation challenges. The existing guidelines, legislations and standards need to be strictly rolled out by strengthening mechanisms at the local-level including funding to specifically carry out certain recommendations. Child safety is the joint responsibility of governments, ministries, departments, industries, school managements and parents. Children need to be safe in all places. Proper implementation of existing policies, programs and legislations is the first step and key to reduce child injuries in India, the report concluded.

Leaders Meditate Together at an Event Organised by Heartfulness Institute and IIM Bangalore

Over 350 thought leaders from Bangalore and further afield, including leaders from the corporate world, business, government, and research institutes, were witness to an evening of reflection, shared insights, interactive learning and an experience of the life-enhancing Heartfulness Meditation at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. This corporate event was a precursor to the 3-day international conference on 'Elevating Consciousness Through Meditation for Global Harmony'. The conference was co-hosted by the Heartfulness Institute (http://www.heartfulness.org) and the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, (https://www.iimb.ac.in).

Guests were guided through the experience of relaxation and meditation by Daaji, the Heartfulness Guide. In his opening remarks, he said, “In Heartfulness, the thought we maintain in our heart is a divine thought. In this way of meditation we don’t have to do anything. A lot is done by the Master or Guru and we witness the impact of the Transmission in our hearts. At each chakra there is a different level of consciousness and there can be a galactic shift from one to the next. One has to be receptive, open and sensitive. Interest is important.”

The experience introduced the audience to pranahuti or Transmission, the specialty of Heartfulness Meditation. The effect of Heartfulness Meditation with pranahuti on brainwave patterns, heart rate and blood pressure, vagus nerve activity and telomere length on chromosomes, amongst other things, has been supported by research. Many feel the effects of Transmission in their first meditation session and are often surprised at their own ability to plunge into an absorbed meditative state.

After meditation, the rejuvenated audience had an interactive session with Daaji that include a talk and a Q & A session. “Meditation is about becoming one with the Self. The idea of meditation is to move from thinking to feeling. All great leaders are good followers, following their heart and listening. They are empathetic. In general women are better leaders, as they have a higher level of empathy. Meditation is all-encompassing and if practised diligently it can create transformation in our lives. It helps in leading more meaningfully, be it for managing the self, managing relationships, managing people or managing situations,” said Daaji.

Some of the questions from the audience were about the purpose, goal and benefits of meditation: how meditation can make one a better leader; the need for prayer; the difference between idol worship and spirituality; the ultimate goal of meditation; how to understand the chakras; and various states of consciousness, among others. Daaji’s simple, deeply insightful and relatable responses allowed the audience to delve deeper into the subject.

Among those who had enriching and profound experiences at the session were Basavaraju, IAS - Chief Election Commissioner, Karnataka; Rajiv Raghunandan, Managing Partner, SeedX; Padmashri Dr Bhagavatula Dattaguru; Sri Dr V K Aathre, former scientific advisor, Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India; Sri Shekhar Ramamurthy, Managing Director United Brewries Ltd; Dr A.R. Upadhya, former Director National Aeronautics Limited; Atul Satija, Founder & CEO, The Nudge; Lakshmi C, Managing Director, Accenture; Usha Jamadagni, Managing Director, Accenture; Ramesh Halagali, Lt. General, PVSM (Param Vishist Seva Medal), Indian Army; Unmesh Pawar, Partner and Head, People, Performance and Culture, KPMG India; Dipesh Sutariya, CoFounder and CEO at EnAble India, and President, Disability NGOs Alliance; Dr. Naresh Shetty, President, M S Ramaiah Memorial Hospital; Vaani. N., Jt. Controller, Commissioner of Transport; Prof. S. Settar, Emeritus Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, IISc. Campus and Dr. Sisir Roy, Visiting Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies.

Professor Ramnath Narayanswamy, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore said, “IIMB is delighted to bring Daaji and Heartfulness to this august audience. In this very fast-paced world we are in dire need of a path that helps us to experience a life with purpose in a fulfilled way. Meditation has been known to create a positive impact and there are numerous examples of it changing the lives of renowned leaders across the world.”