Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance & Artivatic.ai Launches - AI Based Smart Underwriting Platform

-        India’s first connected platform for intelligent data driven underwriting decision with reduced fraud risk and faster policy issuance time.

-        ABSLI partners with Artivatic.ai, part of RenewBuy

-        Leverages AI, ML and Predictive Analytics to deliver faster and superior insurance solutions.

Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (“ABSLI”), the life insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Limited (“ABCL”), has unveiled an innovative AI/ML-driven underwriting platform in partnership with Artivatic.ai- a RenewBuy company. This collaboration signifies a significant change in the realm of life insurance underwriting in India, highlighting a focus on customer-oriented strategies and making decisions based on data analysis.

Smart Underwriting Platform Features:

·        The AI-based smart underwriting platform redefines the underwriting process by harnessing the capabilities of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

·        The platform introduces "AUSIS," an intelligent engine, developed by Artivatic.ai. AUSIS leverages cutting-edge technologies, including AI, ML, and predictive analytics, to efficiently analyse vast datasets.

·        By merging traditional underwriting principles with advanced algorithms, AUSIS empowers insurers to make informed and efficient underwriting decisions, resulting in expedited policy issuance.

·        AUSIS Integrated with PRODX (No Code Rule Configurator) provides seamless onboarding & underwriting experience.

·        Provides a 360-degree view to the underwriter along with underwriting decision recommendation with scores and detailed insights.

The platform's robust risk assessment capabilities offer deep insights into applicants' profiles, thus helping insurers to make well-informed underwriting decisions. The platform also has advanced fraud detection features to help strengthen risk mitigation and ensure a secure and trustworthy insurance ecosystem. The ABSLI-Artivatic.ai partnership's AI-based smart Underwriting Platform is set to redefine the underwriting paradigm, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and risk assessment in the insurance industry.

Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance, MD & CEO, Mr. Kamlesh Rao said, “This partnership aligns with our commitment to harnessing technological advancements to offer innovative solutions to our customers and partners. In today's digital era, our aim is to leverage the digital ecosystem for seamless and efficient insurance coverage. Platforms like AUSIS provide holistic customer views, aiding in selecting the right customers at the right price. In a digital world, risk and fraud mitigation are paramount, and Artivatic.ai has effectively addressed these aspects through this platform.”

Mr. Layak Singh CoFounder and CEO of Artivatic.ai- a RenewBuy company, explained the power of the platform, “AUSIS in addition to AI/ML model has highly configurable Business Rule Engine integrated to configure all underwriting guidelines and provide rule-based decisions. Its pre-trained models are integrated with capabilities to digitise data and ability to fetch multiple public information like Air Quality Index, disease prevalence through APIs. These abilities help in enriching digital data and improve risk assessment and underwriting decisions with faster processing.”

Telangana Partners With Tabreed To Host Asia's Largest District Cooling Project

* Tabreed to invest up to $200 million to develop 125,000 refrigeration tons (RT) of cooling infrastructure for Hyderabad Pharma City and bring in potential savings of 24 million tons of CO2, through a broader collaboration bolstering Hyderabad’s position as one of the best cities to live and work in Asia.

Government of Telangana has partnered with Tabreed, a global leader in cooling utilities, to develop best in class cooling infrastructure for industrial and commercial parks to reshape the cooling landscape in India. Starting with the award of the largest district cooling Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project in Asia for Hyderabad Pharma City (HPC), Tabreed will develop 125,000 RT of district cooling plants and networks, investing up to $200 million to provide more sustainable long term cooling services through a utility cooling as a service model for process cooling and storage requirements of industrial units.

The first-of-its-kind, ground-breaking initiative will bring multi-fold benefits through integration of highly reliable solutions, superior cost-efficiency, and unprecedented economies of scale, resulting in 6,800 GWh of power savings and 41,600 mega litres of water savings, and paving the way for reduced greenhouse gas emissions by saving 6.2 million tons of CO2 over the project lifetime. This pioneering endeavour is set to revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry's cooling practices, contributing to a cleaner and greener environment for various bulk drug manufacturing facilities.

Government of Telangana also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tabreed to explore district cooling infrastructure in existing and upcoming commercial districts of Cyberabad and other mixed use development areas which offer potential to reduce over 200 MW of peak electricity demand resulting in CO2 reduction of 18 million tons over a 30 year period while mitigating heat island effect that will further bolster Hyderabad’s position as one of the best cities to live and work in Asia.

Speaking on the momentous occasion, Shri. K.T Rama Rao (KTR), Minister for Urban Development, Industries & Commerce and Information Technology for the State of Telangana said, “As we embark on a journey towards a more sustainable future, we are delighted to partner with Tabreed, exemplifying Government of Telangana’s commitment to environmental stewardship through embracing innovative and implementable solutions. By prioritizing cooling as a key action area through cool roof policies and energy-efficient district cooling, we are shaping a greener and healthier environment for our communities by contributing significantly to our ambitious vision of making Telangana net-zero by 2047”.

Sudheer Perla, Country Head, Tabreed India said, "Meeting our cooling demand through solutions that foster responsible and reduced energy consumption has emerged as a key priority in efforts to meet energy transition, security or sustainability goals for India, as is evidenced by the recent launch of District Cooling Guidelines by the Ministry of Power through the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. We are thrilled to be leading this transformation with the Government of Telangana. Through this MoU, we aim to showcase the benefits of district cooling to drive sustainable infrastructure development in the region and contribute to Telangana's vision of becoming a model for eco-friendly urbanization.”

Khaled Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Tabreed, said, "The collaboration between Tabreed and Government of Telangana represents a watershed moment in the evolution of sustainable infrastructure development. By bringing our expertise in district cooling to the world's largest net zero pharmaceutical cluster, we are not only shaping the future of the industrial clusters, but also setting a powerful precedent for environmental responsibility. Large-scale energy consumption towards cooling is one of the key drivers of greenhouse gas emissions and through this joint undertaking with Government of Telangana, Tabreed is proud to contribute to India’s journey in achieving Net Zero emissions, with Telangana at the forefront”.

About Hyderabad Pharma City: Hyderabad Pharma City (HPC) is the world’s largest integrated cluster in Hyderabad for pharmaceutical industries with thrust on R&D and manufacturing being developed by Government of Telangana and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC). The cluster has been recognized as National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) by Government of India, given its national and international importance. With potential to attract Investment worth USD 9 Bn and exports worth USD 8 Bn, the project is estimated to generate employment to the tune of 560,000 people.

About National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed): Tabreed provides essential and sustainable district cooling services to iconic developments such as the Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World, Emirates Towers, Yas Island, Al Maryah Island, Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera, Dubai Metro, Bahrain Financial Harbor and the Jabal Omar Development in the Holy City of Makkah. The company owns and operates 88 plants in its portfolio across the GCC, including 75 in the United Arab Emirates, three in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, seven in Oman, one in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as one in India. Founded in 1998 and publicly listed on the Dubai Financial Market, it is one of the UAE’s strongest growth companies. Tabreed’s energy efficiency services extend the company’s sustainability impact, helping businesses and organizations to improve their overall energy consumption, in turn reducing CO2 emissions and assisting in the achievement of carbon neutrality objectives.

Photo Captain: (L to R) – Mr. Khalid Al Marzooqi, CEO, Tabreed, Sri K. T. Rama Rao, Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (IT, E&C), Industries & Commerce, and Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA & UD), Government of Telangana and Sri. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Government of Telangana at the MoU Signing event.

Protean Launches Its 1st Global Hackathon On Account Aggregator

·        With the aim to help accelerate the financial inclusion agenda for India & Bharat, to solve for more than 160 Million Indians who are credit underserved, according to a recent TransUnion Study

·        Winners get opportunity to participate and network at the prestigious Singapore Fintech Festival

·        Winners to be judged by prominent industry leaders - Rajesh Bansal (Reserve Bank Innovation Hub), Abhishek Singh (NeGD), T Koshy (ONDC), Nitin Chugh (SBI), Suresh Sethi (Protean), constituting the grand jury

Protean eGov Technologies (Protean), a pioneer and market leader in universal, citizen-centric and population-scale e-governance solutions, today announced the launch of its 1st Global Hackathon - Account Aggregator 2.0 at the prestigious Global Fintech Fest 2023, held in Mumbai.

The primary goal to launch this Global hackathon is to call for entries from the world’s best creative minds, including developers, architecture designers, startups, entrepreneurs, and industry experts, to collaborate on ground-breaking solutions that can accelerate the adoption of the Account Aggregator ecosystem, helping it achieve its potential as a transformative Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that India gets to offer to the world.

Esteemed industry professionals - Rajesh Bansal (CEO, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub), Abhishek Singh (President & CEO - National e-Governance Division), T Koshy (CEO, Open Network for Digital Commerce), Nitin Chugh (Deputy Managing Director and Head of Digital Banking and Transformation, State Bank of India) and Suresh Sethi (MD & CEO, Protean eGov Technologies) constitute the Grand Jury and lend expertise and credibility to this initiative.

Winners from each of the four themes of the hackathon will receive an exclusive opportunity to participate and network at the prestigious Singapore Fintech Festival in November this year.

This global hackathon launch coincides with the go-live of Protean’s Account Aggregator services (Protean SurakshAA) recently, with India’s leading FIPs and FIUs. Protean SurakshAA is the highest rated account aggregator app in India on the Google and Apple appstores today.

Suresh Sethi, Managing Director and CEO, Protean eGov Technologies said, "We are thrilled to launch Protean’s 1st Global Hackathon - Account Aggregator 2.0 to drive adoption and foster innovation at population-scale. With this launch we hope to bring together industry's experts & the startup ecosystem together to help usher an era of data democracy. The AA framework is a first-of-its-kind consent framework empowering an individual with control over his or her data, and the ability to securely share the same for availing various financial services. Protean has been at the forefront of creating Digital Public Infrastructure for India for 28 years and we continue to stay commited to our mission of financial & social inclusion.”

India faces a pronounced deficiency in capital accessibility across various sectors of society. Research conducted by TransUnion CIBIL in 2021 revealed that less than 22% of the adult population had access to credit services in the country. Despite substantial progress in enhancing financial inclusion through the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile) initiative, securing formal credit for rural and low-income households remains a formidable obstacle.

Protean’s Global Hackathon - Account Aggregator 2.0 is poised to tackle a range of critical challenges and opportunities in the financial landscape. It will focus on developing affordable Financial Health Management solutions, enabling individuals from various segments of society to access and manage their financial well-being without incurring exorbitant costs. It also aims to enhance the efficiency of delivering government schemes by leveraging the capabilities of the Account Aggregator ecosystem, ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive their entitlements seamlessly. Moreover, the initiative endeavours to revolutionize credit assessment through the creation of more accurate and predictive credit scoring models and risk indicators, thus contributing to sounder financial decision-making.

Protean is delighted to partner with the APIX hackathon platform for this hackathon, which is an end-to-end online platform for Global Hackathons.

For further information about the hackathon, including participation details and guidelines, 

https://hackolosseum.apixplatform.com/h1/proteansurakshaa

About Protean

Protean eGov Technologies Limited (previously NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited) is a pioneer and Market leader in universal, citizen centric and population scale e-governance solutions since its inception 28 years ago.

Digital Public Infrastructure - Protean has been instrumental for modernising the direct Tax Infrastructure ushering in online payment and collection of taxes by the government and  incubated and implemented the Tax Information Network (TIN), which brings together 68,000+ facilitation centres (PAN and TIN). Protean conceptualized designed and implemented the infrastructure for Central Record-keeping Agency and functions as the central recordkeeping agency for National Pension System & Atal Pension Yojna.

Regulatory Tech – 'Protean's authentication services (eKYC, Aadhar Authentication, eSign) allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilise a unique digital infrastructure for their digital customer journeys. Protean also recently launched its Account Aggregator services through 'Protean 'SurakshAA' – an individual consent led financial data sharing Account Aggregator platform enabling them with credit services.

Open Networks / 'ODE's – Protean is contributing to and supporting open digital building blocks, including Open Network For Digital Commerce "("ONDC""), accelerating commerce for the network participants and payment gateways through its product. It is also credited with building network for corporate scholarship, grants and education loans through Protean Vidyasaarathi & Vidya Lakshmi.  

It recently ventured into India-focussed Protean Cloud Services an AI-powered private cloud offering for business enterprises and Protean InfoSec Services Limited provides services in areas relating to cyber security consulting, advisory, and assessment services in the field of IT security.

52% Of Organizations Express Security Concerns In Using Generative AI, Remarks CIO Survey

* 42% of the organizations contemplate developing their own proprietary large language models

…pointers from a US-based CIO survey for Indian enterprises looking to adopt Gen AI

Recognize, a technology investment platform that focuses exclusively on the tech services industry, has shared some interesting findings from its recent CIO survey. The Recognize CIO Survey series is a regular panel of 500 CIOs in the US.

The data from this survey helps track spending intentions, changes in technology, product preferences, strategic priorities, and talent challenges.

Key Findings:

Most utilised Gen AI products in organisations

In terms of the most utilised Generative AI products within organizations, Recognize’s CIO survey results show that 82% of the organizations use ChatGPT most frequently. This is followed by Copy.ai at 29%, with open-source solutions close behind at 28%. Bard and Claude are utilized by 27% and 25% of respondents, respectively, while Jasper is used by 24%. Chatsonic, however, appears less frequently used, with just 16% of organizations implementing it.

Approach towards Generative AI

The survey also delved into organisations’ approach to Generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT and Bard. 43% of organizations report having already deployed them in an enterprise application or process. Meanwhile, 21% of respondents have individuals experimenting on their own. Prototyping for enterprise use and large projects underway account for 17% and 13%, respectively.

Interestingly, only 4% of organizations are not using Generative AI at all, and only 1% have explicitly banned its use.

Concerns: Accelerating the deployment of Generative AI

When asked about the main concerns related to accelerating the deployment of Generative AI, security tops the list, with 52% of organizations expressing this concern. Complexity is the second primary concern at 39%. The need for hardware resources and the potential for inaccurate results garnered 33% of responses. The impact on jobs and sourcing talent to manage these systems is 31%. Lower return on investment is a worry for 20% of respondents.

Interestingly, 8% express no material concerns or feel all concerns are manageable.

Building proprietary LLM

This survey reveals that many organizations are contemplating developing their own proprietary large language models. A significant portion of respondents, 42%, confirmed they plan to do so, while another 41% are still evaluating or considering this possibility. Only 7% indicated they have yet to make plans to build their own proprietary large language model.

Future of AI: Impact of AI over companies in the next two years

Respondents hold largely positive views when asked about the expected impact of AI on their organization over the next two years. 46% of the companies predict AI will lead to significant use cases that drive productivity. 24% foresee select use cases, without a major impact. A significant 22% expect a transformational impact from AI. Conversely, a small fraction of organizations, 7%, do not anticipate much impact from AI.

About Recognize:

Recognize is a technology investment platform exclusively focused on the technology services industry. Tech services firms envision, build, configure, manage, and operate software and business processes to deliver digital outcomes for enterprises. The firm provides operational expertise, industry insights, and strategic capital to innovative companies in this sector. Recognize is led by industry veterans Frank D’Souza, Raj Mehta, Charles Phillips, and David Wasserman. To learn more, visit www.recognize.com.

Raahat Commends Karnataka Government For Implementation Of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) For Old Vehicles

Raahat (The Safe Community Foundation) extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Karnataka State Government and the State Transport Department for the issuance of the much-awaited Notification, dated August 17, 2023, regarding the implementation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) for old/existing vehicles (registered prior to April 1, 2019) in the State.

The journey towards implementing HSRPs for new vehicles (manufactured post-April 1, 2019) began in Karnataka with the introduction of G.S.R. No. 1162(E) dated December 4, 2018, and S.O 6052(E) dated December 6, 2018. Karnataka has earned recognition for its proactive approach to decision-making, efficient enforcement of road safety measures, and the digitalization of transport-related services.

The HSRP scheme directly contributes to national security by enhancing vehicle safety and security while curbing vehicle-related criminal activities. With the issuance of the HSRP Notification dated August 17, 2023, and a detailed circular dated August 18, 2023, by the Karnataka State Government, affixing HSRPs on vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, is now mandatory, aligning with Supreme Court guidelines, amended Rule 50 of the CMVR, and notifications/statutory orders by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Raahat would like to mention that State Government of Karnataka has adopted the OEM model i.e. affixation of HSRP will be carried out by the authorised automobile dealers of the vehicle manufacturers only. Several other States like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim etc. had adopted the OEM model for old vehicles in their respective states and is implementing successfully.

Key Features of the HSRP Scheme and How to Affix Them:

Authorized automobile dealers of OEMs will affix HSRPs on old/existing vehicles.

Approximately 4000 dealer points across the state will install HSRPs.

HSRP manufacturers authorized by OEMs are the sole suppliers to authorized dealers.

A unified web portal, www.siam.in, allows vehicle owners to order HSRPs, select dealer locations for affixation, and choose convenient installation dates and times.

Affixing HSRPs is a cashless transaction, with fees payable online.

The State Transport Department has approved the option for affixation at the vehicle owner's residence or workplace.

Appeal to Vehicle Owners of Karnataka:

Order HSRPs exclusively through the www.siam.in portal, directly linked to authorized HSRP manufacturers of OEMs. Avoid procuring HSRPs from the open market, as they are considered illegal.

·         As per the guidelines issued by the Transport Department, no transactions at the RTOs such as change of ownership, address modification, duplicate RC, insurance update, fitness approval etc. shall be allowed without the affixation of HSRP in the State.

Vehicle owners have been advised to affix HSRP on their vehicles at the earliest and not wait till the last date of 17th November 2023 for affixation of HSRPs.

Appeal to the Karnataka State Government:

Appeal to State Government of Karnataka

Counterfeit/ Lookalike plates: A major impediment to this delayed implementation of HSRP scheme for old/ existing vehicle in the State, is a flourishing market for counterfeit/ lookalike HSRP plates. These are nothing but ordinary number plates which are made in such a way that they resemble High Security Registration Plates in appearance. Such plates do not have the unique laser codes, which is a key feature of HSRP plates and is updated in VAHAN portal of the Transport Department. These plates also lack other security and safety features of HSRP such as high visibility in low light due to retro-reflectivity.

Unauthorised HSRP manufacturers: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued an advisory dated 09.06.2023 to the Transport Departments of all States and UTs in India. The extract of the advisory is as follows: “It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that some HSRP vendors have been involved in the manufacturing and affixing of unauthorised High Security Registration Plates to the vehicles across various states in India. These manufactures are neither authorised by the State/ UTs nor are they approved by the respective OEMs to affix HSRPs to the OEM’s brand of vehicle, thereby rendering the HSRP affixed as unauthorised.”

The same advisory further quotes “5. States are advised to take strong punitive action including blacklisting / termination against such unauthorised HSRP agencies which are opening supplying au authorised HSRPs in the market to unsuspecting and gullible vehicle owners.”

Vehicle owners are therefore advised to refrain from procuring either look alike/counterfeit/duplicate number plates from the open market or from such unauthorised HSRP manufacturers.

The State Government of Karnataka has thus launched one unified portal of SIAM www.siam.in to order HSRPs irrespective of brand/ make/class of vehicles.

We on the behalf of Raahat (The Safe Community Foundation) requests the State Government to restrict sale of ordinary/ lookalike number plates as well as take immediate action against the unauthorised HSRP manufacturers who are cheating the innocent vehicle owners.

Awareness Campaigns:

Awareness Campaigns: We also appeal to the State Government of Karnataka to carry out mass awareness campaigns regarding the mandatory affixation of HSRP on vehicles registered prior to 1st April 2019 through electronic/ print/ radio/ social media channels.

We have been advocating for a pan-India implementation of HSRP scheme on all vehicles for many years since HSRP is one of the resources that enhances Road Safety and helps in identification and prevention of criminal activities and miscreants. In States where this has been implemented thoroughly, it has been observed that the driving behaviour of vehicle owners overall has improved post affixation of HSRPs as the number plates are caught by traffic cameras and drivers tend to be more careful. It has also led to a decrease in crime arising from use of vehicles.

Moreover, implementation of HSRP scheme on the one hand generates huge employment opportunities for the youth, also generates revenue for the State in the form of the taxes. The same has been witnessed in all those states who had implemented this scheme in the past.

Raahat Foundation is confident that the proactive citizens of Karnataka, one of India's most progressive states, will readily adopt High Security Registration Plates on their vehicles, contributing to safer roads and better driving experiences for all.

Furlenco Goes Omni-Channel, Opens Offline Stores In Bengaluru

Furlenco – India’s leading furniture and lifestyle brand – today announced its expansion into the offline retail space. With the grand opening of their flagship store in HRBR Layout, Bengaluru covering 5500 sq. ft., and another medium-sized store in HSR layout, Furlenco aims to ensure customers enjoy a hands-on experience of Furlenco’s diverse furniture offerings. 

Furlenco intends to bridge the gap between its online presence and physical interaction, offering customers the opportunity to experience the products and make  informed purchase decisions. The store showcases a wide array of furniture options, from sofas to beds and dining tables, covering various price points and preferences. The store will allow customers to furnish their homes with comfort and style, with the option of buying brand new and renting furniture.

Ajith Mohan Karimpana, Founder & CEO of Furlenco, stated, “While the online platform has been instrumental in building our brand, we understand the value of offline touchpoints. As Furlenco expands its horizons beyond the confines of a furniture rental brand, we are committed to seize the untapped potential of offline opportunities to scale our operations and propel growth. These stores mark the beginning of our omni-channel approach, aimed at enhancing customer experience and catering to diverse buying habits. At our stores, we believe that experiencing furniture manufacturing is just as important as selecting the perfect piece for your home.”

The stores are thoughtfully designed with multiple touchpoints, offering educational and enriching shopping experiences for the consumers. Furlenco’s design expertise is showcased through a Material Library at the stores with physical material swatches, miniature furniture displays, furniture joinery, and award-winning finished products showcasing the brand's commitment to craftsmanship and durability. The store's multi-level layout provides excellent product visibility, while the carefully chosen wall colors blend modern aesthetics with a homely touch, creating a unique retail experience. The brand’s in-house manufacturing capability offers greater flexibility in customizing the furniture according to the consumer’s preference.

Furlenco plans to expand its offline retail footprint by opening more stores across major Indian cities, ensuring wider accessibility to its furniture solutions. Presently, the Bengaluru-based firm has made its online mark in major urban hubs such as Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Hyderabad & Chennai, and has served more than 2.5 lakh customers across 10 cities.

Visit the new Furlenco store at: 

Furlenco Store

7th Main Road, 1st Block, Opposite ICICI Bank LTD, 

HRBR Layout 2nd Block, 

Kalyan Nagar, 

Bengaluru

About Furlenco

Founded in 2011, Furlenco is India’s leading furniture and lifestyle brand, offering consumers a basket of access with the freedom to rent, purchase new or refurbished furniture. With a team of experts and award-winning designers, Furlenco is committed to crafting high-quality, stylish, and sustainable products. Whether you are a renter or homeowner, Furlenco makes it easy to create the living space you have always wanted. 

Customers can access the latest offerings at: www.furlenco.com 

Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao: Initiative To Celebrate Childhood And Foster Lifelong Growth

* 75+ organisations  come together to champion the cause of children's well-being and learning

* Launching a short film to encapsulate the simple yet profound joys of childhood

“Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao" is a societal mission to celebrate childhood while nurturing holistic development of every child. It is not just a campaign but a nation-building opportunity and societal mission, fostered by the vision that the early childhood experience (0-8 years) empowers every child in India to reach their full potential, equipping them to thrive in their future endeavours.

The launch of this initiative marks a significant milestone in advancing early childhood development and the foundational stage in India. EkStep Foundation is incubating the growing network of 75+ organisations who are aligned to solving for the growth, well being and development of India’s youngest. EkStep is co-founded by Nandan Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani and Shankar Maruwada.

This initiative underscores the pivotal role of collaborative action in realizing every child's fundamental right to holistic growth. "Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao" collabaction (a term derived from collaboration and action) is committed to forging partnerships that drive, sustain, and scale actions for lasting inter-generational impact.

Rohini Nilekani, co-founder, EkStep Foundation, shared her vision for the initiative, stating,  “Bachpan Manao, Badthe Jao’ is a societal mission to nurture the learning journey of India’s children by celebrating childhood itself, which is the greatest teacher of all. The youngest citizens of our country are the future. Every year, about 25 million children are born in India, and every year we have the opportunity to ensure that every generation of children is learning. We have the best opportunity to give that firm foundation of learning for every child in the country. A growing network of organizations has come together to complete this unfinished task of giving every little child the strong foundation needed to become a lifelong learner in a rapidly changing world. Come, let’s all help to democratize the joy of learning."

As part of the initiative, the mission is launching a short film that encapsulates the simple yet profound joys of childhood, the moments where children learn and grow best. This heartwarming film aims to encourage viewers to "Celebrate Childhood" and opens their hearts and minds to the larger mission of optimizing the foundational years. This unified effort aims to encourage caring adults especially parents and teachers to see the holistic growth of every child and understand the window of opportunity these early years present while recognising the importance of the power of exploration and play as a means to strengthen foundational learning for every child.

Scientifically, it is known that the brain’s plasticity is strongest during the first 8 years and over 85% of an individual's brain development occurs by the age of 6. These early years lay the foundation for a child's future, shaping their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Recognizing the profound and lasting impact of this phase on a child's overall well-being, "Bachpan Manao, Badhte Jao" is dedicated to ensuring that every child in India experiences a nurturing and empowering environment.

Adding further, Shankar Maruwada, said, “This mission urges us to relook at the way we approach early childhood in today's world. It invites us to understand, value and celebrate the abundance within and around each child.  Our role is to be a catalyst for this mission so that it can grow further, carried proudly on the shoulders of all collabactors”

Building on the work and developments of decades of implementation of government policies, scientific research, the initiative brings to focus the promise of curriculum frameworks and the need to recoginse and see the abundance inherent in childhood and also the abundance in the ecosystem working towards the wellbeing of India’s youngest children no matter where they are. Every caring adult recognising and celebrating the first eight years of childhood as a festival of growth would be a powerful narrative for every child in India.

About EkStep Foundation:

EkStep Foundation is a philanthropic, not-for-profit organisation co-founded by Nandan  Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani, and Shankar Maruwada, with complete philanthropic funding by the Nilekanis. EkStep Foundation focuses on education and skilling, the organisation has  been deeply involved in creating digital public good and infrastructue for the scale of India. In its work, EkStep continues to  engaged with questions such as  How can we enable an equitable societal transformation, leveraging technology and existing ecosystems leveraging the power of networks? How can this be done at the scale, diversity and complexity of the population of India, in a sustainable way, while keeping people at the centre of the transformation? These are some of the questions that EkStep has been asking and answering for nearly a  decade.

Website: https://bachpanmanao.org