Manipal Academy of Higher Education Expands Global Education Offerings With New Partnership In Nursing Education

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), one of India's premier higher education institutions & Institution of Eminence conferred by GOI , has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Dalhousie. The MOU was signed during the visit of a ten-member delegation from University of Dalhousie and Nova Scotia Health/Government Canada to the MAHE campus.

The main objective of the MOU is to explore collaboration opportunities in the field of nursing at MAHE. This partnership marks a significant milestone for MAHE as it seeks to expand its global education offerings and strengthen its international partnerships to achieve a fruitful collaboration. Key officials from both MAHE and the visiting delegation attended the MOU signing ceremony.

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE expressed his delight saying:  "We are thrilled to welcome the delegation from the University of Dalhousie and Nova Scotia Health/Government Canada to our campus. This partnership will create new opportunities for our students and faculty and enable us to exchange knowledge and best practices in nursing education and research."

This collaboration demonstrates MAHE's commitment to providing world-class education and preparing its students for success in a Globalized world. The partnership is expected to enhance MAHE's nursing program and enable students to gain a deeper understanding of international healthcare practices.

The purpose of this collaboration is to encourage students and faculty to engage in knowledge-sharing and collaborative initiatives, creating new opportunities for growth and development for all parties involved.

ISRO Scientist Urges Use Of Space Technology, Other Experts Inspire Students At The 10th Edition Of TEDxNMIMSBangalore

TEDxNMIMS Bangalore celebrated its tenth anniversary with its annual premiere conference held recently. After the success of the past two virtual events, this year saw the return of an offline event at the NMIMS Bengaluru campus. The event brought  together people from the University, the local community, and beyond in an engaging day of talks and performances.

While delivering a lecture on “Unfolding the Manifold” at the tenth anniversary of TEDxNMIMS, Dr P G Diwakar, Scientific Secretary, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), has called upon the experts to use space technology for preparing an action plan for sustained water resource development in India and also to take help of multi-season data in order to study crop production estimation.

Stressing that "we all are connected to the space in some way or the other”, Dr Diwakar was of the view that “Multi-season data determines how we Indians use the land for crop production estimation.”

The Senior ISRO Scientist said "Use of Geo-Spatial technology puts into the system the ground knowledge for better plans for sustainable development.” Bhuvan Geo portal- a unique platform, provides layers of data for integration and  extraction of unique information regarding the action plan of sustained water  resource development,” he opined.

Dr Diwakar was of the view that "Multilayered GIS data helps to  map out minute details of a given area for the on-ground perspective.”

Dr Bindu Hari, Vice Chairperson, National Public School Chain, said "Teachers lead the learning of their students by empowering and enabling them to become future-ready. Every child is on a learning continuum. Well-being and successful education of children are the ultimate goals. It is the teacher who is the key to a successful and enjoyable journey of the student. All teachers need to know out-of-the-box ways to connect with their students. Teachers build a sense of community, paving the way for socio-emotional well-being through connection,” she said.

Dr Zulfia Shaikh,Founder, Bangalore School of Speech and Drama called upon the student community to listen to their “inner voice” to achieve their goals while Madhurima Agarwal, Country Head India, Microsoft for Startups called upon the students to rewrite their success story in terms of what makes them happy.

Dr John Ebenezer,Renowned Orthopedic Surgeon was of the view that personal success, professional success, and material success are the factors which make one happy in life”. As an Orthopedic surgeon, he stressed on maintaining a bone-healthy life to seek happiness in life.

On the other hand, Dr Jayasankaran Ayyar,Director General BIM,  was of the view that ”Art of learning focuses on how to learn rather than what to learn. Liberal education encompasses the essence of the process of learning. One must learn vocabulary to master one's speech. The ultimate goal of teachers is to develop intellect to the sharpest level.

Suparna Ganguly,Co-founder CUPA Foundation opined "Information is power. Without information, you can’t change anything,” while Pallavi Pareek, CEO of UNGENDER was of the view  that "Law is not justice. When it comes to the intersection of understanding of the law, business, on-ground issues, behaviour, you need an expert. The expertise in the ecosystem has to exist or else you will end up doing more damage”.

Introducing the speakers, Dr Narayani Ramachandran, Deputy Director of NMIMS Bangalore said the Institution was ranked first among the private business schools in India and had achieved 100 per cent success in job placements this academic year.

The event focused on unravelling the stratified levels in the library of life's experiences, encouraging attendees to dig deeper through layers and keep the flames of their curiosity alive. The conference sought to inspire the audience to look beyond surface-level appearances and discover the multiple layers of depth and complexity in everything.

The event emphasized learning and featured interesting speakers, which sparked many discussions and had a ripple effect. The personalities, through their work, showed the true meaning of stepping out of one’s comfort zone, personally and professionally, and achieving new heights.

TEDxNMIMS Bangalore believes in creating a powerful and informed community dedicated to lifelong learning. The organization helps world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their brilliant ideas. By conducting TEDx events, TEDxNMIMSBangalore aims to push its community towards a brighter future.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Enables Scaling-Up of Bidadi Industrial Area

* Commits continued support to the State Government, community, and industry towards holistic development of the local business ecosystem 

In its constant endeavour to enhance local infrastructure and foster a positive ecosystem in Bidadi, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has been extending strong support to the Bidadi Industries Association (BIA) through several infrastructural projects and community interventions, to ensure a harmonious business environment for all stakeholders.

Over the years, the local Government and authorities have undertaken various socio-economic interventions in Bidadi in pursing the region’s development agenda. This along with the unique collaborative approach from corporates like TKM and others have further enhanced BIA to develop Bidadi as an important manufacturing hub in Karnataka. Specific efforts have been made to improve safety, health, infrastructure, etc., for the workers, businesses, and surrounding communities under its five operating pillars of Industry Connect, Government Connect, Estate Management, Community Connect & Environment, Health & Safety (EHS).

Speaking about  the emergence of BIA Mr. Mr. Sudeep Dalvi, Senior Vice President & Chief Communication Officer, TKM, said, "The Bidadi Industries Association (BIA) has grown stronger over the years and we at Toyota Kirloskar Motor have been a proud partner in this collaborative journey, having achieved many milestones together. Be it the numerous community development programs or safety initiatives, we will continue to support BIA in creating a safer and more secure environment for our employees and the community at large. With growing synergies between the industries and the local authorities in the region, the unified efforts are to make Bidadi a shining example of being an enabler for the manufacturing and auto industries in Karnataka and India."

As a unique collaboration between TKM and other industries from Bidadi, BIA has acted as a common platform, to implement critical need-based economic and social interventions for the larger good of the businesses and the communities alike. Guided by the concept of FOR THE COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY, BIA continues to work together in partnership with the KIADB, to create a safe and sustainable industrial area for opportunities and industries to flourish in Karnataka.

Under the leadership of safety experts from TKM and other companies, BIA has formed a safety expert committee which endeavours towards achieving the goal of minimizing accidents in the region. The committee recently conducted a detailed study of accident locations to understand the root cause of accidents and identified critical locations, subsequently remedial measures have been suggested, including local police surveillance, road safety infrastructure enhancement, and road safety awareness programs for industry and communities.

Furthermore, several other safety initiatives in the industrial area including the rectification of all potholes, installing Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, rumble strips, retroreflectors, studs, and safety signage boards at crucial spots have also been installed through this partnership. Pedestrian marking, radar vehicle speed monitoring devices, and kerbstone painting have also been carried out, and 24 x 7 patrolling by BIA security personnel has been initiated.

Spearheaded by TKM and other industries, BIA has also undertaken several community development activities which include the installation of RO drinking water plants benefitting around 1000 households with fresh drinking water. This critical support has also enabled the Association to construct five classrooms, benefiting over 500 students of Government Lower Primary & Higher Primary Schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BIA was also guided to sponsor more than INR 2.5 million in relief material and equipment to the local community through the Ramanagara district administration. 

BIA has also ensured strong actions to reduce environmental impact and align with sustainability goals. In 2020, with leadership from TKM and support by other industries, BIA set-up the Centralized Solid Waste Management Facility (CSWMF) with a capacity to process 10 tons per day of municipal waste. Today, in addition to collecting segregated waste from designated pickup points from 11 villages adjoining the Industrial area,121 member industries of BIA have been on-boarded, who subscribe to CSWMF for disposal of their non-industrial, non- hazardous municipal solid waste, in compliance with KSPCB norms, thereby ensuring no waste is sent to landfills and keeping the Industrial area clean and garbage free.

The Bidadi Industries Association (BIA) is an independent body, registered under the ‘Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960,’ formed by the industries of the Bidadi industrial area. This has been done under the eminent leadership of Toyota & Bosch, with the support of other large, medium, and small industries. 

Climate Change And Disaster Risk Reduction - Event On March 7 At Christ University

Young India is full of energy. Whether it is business, governance, sports, or social enterprises, innovative Indians are coming up with ever newer ways to create value and set new benchmarks of achievement. The Youth20 engagement group is exploring ways to help channel this energy to overcome obstacles, transform society, and build a better world. As a Part of India’s Youth 20 initiative, The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in collaboration with the Indus Entrepreneurship (TiE) Bangalore and Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), organized a brainstorming session on ‘Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction’ on 7th March 2023 at Christ University conference room, Bengaluru. The session was attended by more than 70 young thinkers, entrepreneurs, professionals, and scholars. Dr. Pankaj Vashisht, Associate professor, RIS also attended the event. In his opening remarks, he talked about the importance of India’s G20 presidency and briefed the participants about the Youth 20 engagement group and the purpose of the brainstorming exercise. He exuded confidence that brainstorming sessions will bring out policy recommendations to mitigate the challenge of climate change.

Dr. Vashsiht’s opening remarks were followed by a panel discussion involving young achievers and eminent industry leaders. Mr. Ganesh Shankar, Founder FluxGen moderated the session. Participating in the discussion, Mr. Narayan Subramaniam, Chief Technology Officer, AI for Sustainability and Carbon Emission Reduction, pointed out that global temperature is set to increase by more than 2 degrees. Therefore, adaptation is essential to mitigate the risk associated with it. He pointed out that technology can help but in the absence of financing, investment in climate-smart tech solutions has remained inadequate. Vouching for the same sentiments, Lakshmi Santhanam, Founder, of Renkube pointed out that India has more than 80 thousand start-ups but only 2 percent of them focus on climate-smart solutions. Mr. Narayanan and Lakshmi lamented that venture capitalists are not keen to finance climate tech startups due to the long gestation period and urged the government to nudge venture capital funds to invest in start-ups focusing on climate-smart solutions.

Participating in the discussion, Mr. Abhishek Ranjan, Director Brillio, pointed out that a change of mindset is pertinent for addressing climate change-related issues. Dr. Indu Murthy, Sector Head for Climate Environment and sustainability, argued that the impact of climate change is not gender neutral as women are going to be more adversely affected and therefore a woman-centric approach is required. Ms. Shizia Usman, CEO, and Founder of Upciclo, pointed out that promoting a circular economy is key to mitigating risks associated with climate change. She argued that Government should subsidize inputs going into the production of climate-friendly products. The brainstorming was followed by a Q&A session where participants asked questions regarding India’s strategy for green transition and the challenges associated with it.  

Experts Discuss Innovative Advances Driving Healthcare Transformation At 'Future of Medicine 2023'

* The Summit offered insights from research experts and thought leaders on five fundamental pillars shaping the Future of Medicine: Gut Microbiome, Technology & Bioinformatics, Stem Cell Research, Ayurveda & Genetics.

Health and wellness knowledge platform, Happiest Health, hosted the 'Future of Medicine 2023', the first annual summit that shared insights from leading minds in medicine, research, and technology, to foster innovation in the healthcare industry. Happiest Health brought together expert speakers who discussed emerging trends in healthcare such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), human gut microbiome theories, stem cell genomics, bioinformatics and other fundamental pillars of healthcare on the cusp of shaping the future of health and medicine.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Ashok Soota, Chairman, of Happiest Health said, “Our vision with 'Future of Medicine' is to create an interactive experience that encourages industry leaders to explore the potential at the intersection of cutting-edge science and technology to improve human health. If we are to work towards a healthier tomorrow, the healthcare industry needs to collaborate to redefine the notion of wellness and medicine, the healthcare delivery model and the way various fields align to improve health outcomes and save more lives.”

“Healthcare and medicine are entering a completely new sphere. Technology like AI/ML and the availability of data from medical devices will create a paradigm shift in healthcare from disease-focused to a health-care-centric model,” said Dr. Paul Salins, Managing Director, Narayana Hrudayalaya Multispecialty Hospital & Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation, and Vice Chairman, Skan Research Trust in his keynote address. “AI, ML, and data will now do the heavy lifting of diagnosis, taking much of the burden off doctors. This shift will enable doctors to focus on giving patients the level of compassion and care they need over long term. The model of wellness and healthcare will transform from treating illnesses to managing wellness. Hospitals will rely more on physicians than specialists, and holistic modes of treatment will play a stronger role, over symptomatic treatment.”

Dr Jyoti Nangalia, Clinician Scientist and Consultant Haematologist, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, UK explained, “The mutations in blood cells make each blood cell unique, leaving us with a clear way to study age-related markers. This can help to detect onset of cancer or possibly find undetected cancer. Understanding the breadth of trajectories to adult blood cancers is still unknown, so studies like this can help improve the outcomes for blood cancers and blood disorders.”

With the paradigm shift of healthcare, as more universal data is available through AI/ ML and medical devices, there will also be a shift in health seeking behaviour–people will look more towards managing their own health as compared to how to treat their illnesses. This increases the relevance of India's Ayurveda medicine as a new modern healthcare ecosystem.

Dr Narendra Pendse, Member BOG, Trans-disciplinary University, Bangalore, Medical Advisor, Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative medicine (I-AIM), Bangalore called for synergy and dialogue to break silos between all fields of medicine to explore whether the emerging field of Ayurveda biology can contribute to the advancement of Indian health science. “In the current world, where we can factor in macro-environment into health using technology and tools, Ayurveda can deliver personalised care at a mass scale, accounting for variations in geography and unique genetic make-up of each person. We need to build bridges between pure science, allopathy, naturopathy and Ayurveda to give everyone a sense of health and balance,” he said.

AI and ML capabilities are already shaping the future of medicine and are at the centre of many innovative offerings that will soon become a mainstay in the not-so-distant future. The summit concluded with an interactive panel discussion on the usage of AI and medical devices for smart healthcare. Among the speakers were Mr Graeme Brown, (Chief Business Officer, Quadram Institute Bioscience), Prof. Arjan Narbad (Transactional Microbiome Group Leader, Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, England), Dr Yogesh Schouche (Principal Investigator of National Centre for Microbial Resource, National Centre for Cell Science), Dr Jyoti Nangalia (Clinician Scientist and Consultant Haematologist, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, UK), Dr Narendra Pendse (Rheumatologist, Ayurveda, /Member BOG, Trans-disciplinary University, Bangalore, Medical Advisor, Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative medicine (I-AIM), Bangalore), Prof. Sanjeev Jain (Principal Investigator, SKAN projects at NIMHANS) and Mr Vishal Bali, (Executive Chairman, Asia Healthcare Holdings)

The discussions focused on how advancements in various fields of research are pointing to a new future for medicine, such as how next-gen sequencing is providing a better understanding of psychiatry and mental wellness, how mutations in blood can help predict diseases such as blood cancer, and how the human microbiome is emerging as a new dimension to understand the role of gut health for both body and mind. Another point of emphasis was on how inter-disciplinary collaboration across the globe and across sectors and fields will be crucial for the future of medicine. While the medical sector is familiar with collaboration, but there are issues such as intellectual property rights, which are contentious.

In line with the intent to become the leading forum for the public to hear first-hand from leading healthcare experts, The Future of Medicine will be an annual Summit.

“To make a tangible difference to the healthcare industry, industry leaders must keep a pulse on emerging trends. Collaboration and conversation around offering integrated solutions spanning modern science and traditional therapies drive path-breaking advancements. Our hope is for 'Future of Medicine' to become an avenue for industry leaders to regularly connect and share new knowledge that enhances the healthcare ecosystem for a healthier tomorrow.” said Anindya Chowdhury, President & CEO, of Happiest Health.

About Happiest Health

Happiest Health is a global health & wellness knowledge enterprise promoted by Ashok Soota. Happiest Health provides credible and trustworthy health and wellness knowledge with views from globally renowned experts and doctors. The primary knowledge platforms are the daily newsletter, knowledge website, and newly launched monthly print magazine, and knowledge app.

Happiest Health embraces scientific knowledge with a keen focus on medical breakthroughs providing kinder, gentler therapies including cell-based treatments. It also has deep coverage of integrated medicine including Ayurveda, homeopathy and naturopathy. Happiest Health’s focus on wellness is holistic and energizing. They live by their Mission Statement: “Better Knowledge. Better Health.” and convey its benefits to all.

Photo Caption -1 Happiest Health hosted the 'Future of Medicine 2023', the first flagship summit that shared insights on leading minds in medicine, research, and technology to foster innovation in the healthcare industry..

Photo Caption-2 Mr. Ashok Soota Chairman of Happiest Health the Health and wellness knowledge enterprise unveiled the Future of Medicine summit today for better knowledge and better health.

Manchester Museum Reopens With First Permanent Gallery To Celebrate The Experiences And Contributions Of South Asian Diaspora

* Manchester Museum’s new South Asia Gallery, a British Museum partnership, is the ?rst permanent gallery in the UK dedicated to the experiences and histories of South Asian diaspora communities.

Manchester Museum, part  of  the  University  of  Manchester,  reopens  to  the  public  on  18 February 2023 following a major capital redevelopment and this new multilingual gallery explores the connection between South Asia and Britain’s legacy of Empire, presenting fresh perspectives on British Asian and South Asian culture and creativity.

The gallery has been uniquely co-curated by the South Asia Gallery Collective, a group of 30 inspiring individuals including community leaders, educators, artists, historians, journalists and musicians.  Showcasing  over  140  historic  artefacts  from  the  collections  of  the  Manchester Museum and British Museum, alongside new contemporary commissions and personal objects provided by the Collective, the gallery presents a range of personal stories that provide visitors with a window into South Asia. The gallery’s story-led design re?ects multiple voices and perspectives   on   South   Asia   through   six   overarching   themes:   Past   &   Present,   Lived Environments,  Science  &  Innovation,,  Sound,  Music  &  Dance,  British  Asian,  and  Movement  & Empire.

In  Past  &  Present,  the  public  can  explore  the  ancient  Indus  Valley  Civilisation  through  a contemporary lens, which shares perspectives beyond  archaeologists' perceptions of that time. It also presents powerful female ?gures of the Mughal Empire such as Nur Jahan, to re?ect on the role of women and reveal the impact of Gandhi’s visit to the cotton mill town of Darwen,  Lancashire  in  1931;  exploring  the  connection  of  Manchester’s  cotton  industry  to  the Indian independence movement.

Lived Environments illustrates the importance of care within South Asian life, and the impact of the British Empire on the region’s environments. Items on display include postcards of tea plantations,   tea   tokens   from   the   18th   century,  an  opium  pipe  and  a  ?lm  showing  the Bangladeshi environmental resistance through ?oating gardens.

Science & Innovation looks at South Asian innovation through the contribution of three iconic individuals that have often been overlooked, including Satyendra Nath Bose, one of the seminal founders of modern quantum science. Collective member, Fal Sarker, grandson of Bose will share the story of his impact on the scienti?c professions, including correspondence between Bose and Einstein as “a labour of love to my famous ancestry and his impact on quantum physics”.

Another  anthology,  Sound,  Music & Dance, features various forms of musical expression from ancient instruments such as the hakgediya, a Sri-Lankan conch shell, to the secret South Asian Daytimers raves of the 80s and 90s. Work by Aziz Ibrahim features as part of a listening station - a musician in the Collective, recognised for playing with the Stone Roses and Simply Red, as well as developing South Asian blues which mixes English and Punjabi, whose album describes a family journey from Lahore to Manchester.

British  Asian  explores  identity  through  a  range  of  expressions  from  pop  music  to  art,  and celebrating stories not usually represented by mainstream British Asian culture including women and queer communities. A powerful contemporary painting by female painter Azraa Motala,  explores  what  it  means  to  be  British  Asian  today,  whilst  Taslima  Ahmad,  a Collective member, discusses garment manufacture and South Asian working lives in Manchester.

Finally, Movement & Empire looks at South Asian identity in relation to voluntary and involuntary migration, including the impact of war and the trauma of Partition, which was one of the largest migrations in human history. An NHS display celebrates the importance of the South Asian community  to  UK  medicine,  from  the  1950s  movement  of  medics  to  the  UK  as  well  as   the signi?cant contribution of the community during the Covid pandemic.

New commissions also populate the space, celebrating contemporary South Asian creativity and innovation, including a rickshaw imported from Bangladesh and decorated by communities in  Manchester  and  a  17-metre-long  newly commissioned mural from British artists, The Singh Twins, illustrating an emotional map of South Asian diaspora experience.

A dedicated space at the centre of the gallery will be shaped by ideas and contributions from the Collective and events will be programmed in collaboration with both local and international artists and performers.

Nusrat Ahmed, South Asia Gallery Curator at Manchester Museum, says: “As a ?rst-generation British-born South Asian person, it is really exciting to be part of such a groundbreaking project.  The  co-curated South Asia Gallery envisages a collaborative, iterative space that will generate new perspectives and connections. We hope to engage further  diaspora communities on its opening and support its continual evolution. This personalised approach humanises the gallery, telling stories about real people and their objects.”

Hartwig Fischer, Director of The British Museum says, “The British Museum is delighted to be collaborating with Manchester Museum on the new permanent South Asia Gallery, a British Museum  Partnership.  We  have  learnt,  and  will  continue  to  learn,  a  great  deal  from  the communities and colleagues in Manchester on this innovative project. Creating partnership gallery spaces like these is a vital part of our national programmes work to share our collections with audiences across the UK.”

Bharti backed OneWeb Confirms Successful Deployment of 40 Satellites Launched With SpaceX

* Launch 17 brings the total OneWeb constellation to 582 satellites

* OneWeb’s third launch with SpaceX is its penultimate mission to achieving global coverage

Bharti backed OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, today confirmed the successful deployment and contact of 40 satellites launched by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Lift-off took place on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at 2:13pm ET (local). OneWeb’s satellites separated successfully from the rocket and were dispensed using 3 separation groups over a period of 40 minutes, with the last separation occurring 1 hour and 35 minutes after launch. Signal acquisition on all 40 satellites have been confirmed.

This launch is OneWeb’s 17th to-date and the penultimate mission as the company is set to complete its first-generation (Gen 1) LEO satellite constellation and enable global coverage in 2023. With 582 satellites now in orbit, OneWeb will complete global footprint of its Gen 1 constellation with a launch set to take place later this month with ISRO/NSIL.

Today’s launch enables OneWeb to continue expanding its connectivity capabilities as it grows its fleet of satellites and seeks to initiate services for more partners around the world. OneWeb already has connectivity solutions active today in key geographies across the globe and is bringing new areas online by partnering with leading providers including VEON, Orange, Galaxy Broadband, Paratus, Telespazio, and more. OneWeb and its partners are relentlessly focused on the mission to bridge the digital divide and provide internet connectivity to a greater number of unconnected and underserved rural and remote communities and businesses.

Neil Masterson, Chief Executive Officer of OneWeb, commented: “Today’s launch is an exciting milestone as we are now just one mission away from completing our Gen 1 constellation, which will activate global service in 2023. Now more than ever, OneWeb is dedicated to continuing the momentum we have garnered from the past 17 successful launches, to innovate alongside our trusted partners and deliver connectivity solutions at scale. Each launch is a group effort, and today’s success would not have been possible without the dedication of the entire launch team and our partners here in Florida.”