Author: Team

Argonne to Lead Two Microelectronics Research Projects Under U.S. Department of Energy Initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is managing two microelectronics studies that will support multidisciplinary co-design of hardware and software and enable processing of vast quantities of data at unprecedented speeds. Argonne is a premier research institution in microelectronics, the tiny devices that power and control computers, smartphones, electric vehicles and other information processing equipment and leads the projects as part of DOE’s Microelectronics Science Research Centers.

In December 2024, DOE’s Office of Science announced $160 million in funding to establish the research centers, which are being implemented through the historic CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The centers will focus on microelectronics technologies for computing, communication, sensing and power. Researchers in the microelectronics field seek transformative advances in energy efficiency and/or resilience in extreme environments.

One of the Argonne projects, ​“Ultra Dense Memory: Atom Scale Material Dynamics and Systems Consequences,” will be led by Supratik Guha, senior adviser to Argonne’s Physical Sciences and Engineering directorate. The University of Chicago, Purdue University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Chicago State University are academic partners, and IBM and Micron Technologies are industrial collaborators.

The project will focus on future generations of extreme-scale memories — architectures and technologies designed to handle massive amounts of data at exceptionally high speeds, needed for tomorrow’s high performance computers and sensors — and their synthesis for on-chip and off-chip applications. This project is part of DOE’s Extreme Lithography & Materials Innovation Center.

The other project, ​“BIA: A Co-Design Methodology to Transform Materials and Computer Architecture Research for Energy Efficiency,” will be led by Argonne Distinguished Fellow Valerie Taylor, Mathematics and Computer Science division director. Laboratory and university partners are Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, The University of Chicago, Northwestern University and Rice University.

Named for Bia, the Olympian goddess of force and energy, the BIA project includes an industry advisory board with representatives from AMD, Enosemi, Lam Research, Northrop Grumman and NVIDIA. BIA’s goal is to develop a codesign methodology for microelectronics that considers the relationships between vertically stacked, integrated electronics.

Codesign for microelectronics requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of researchers in materials design, devices, computer systems and applications such as high energy physics, working together to address the unique application needs. BIA is part of the Microelectronics Energy Efficiency Research Center for Advanced Technologies.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology by conducting leading-edge basic and applied research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

International Team Analyzes the Universe’s First Light at South Pole Telescope

Data from the South Pole Telescope has provided support for the standard model of the Big Bang universe and new insights for an ongoing scientific puzzle known as ​“the Hubble tension.”

Roughly 400,000 years after the Big Bang, the universe cooled just enough to allow photons to escape from the primordial cosmological soup, an opaque cloud consisting of a plasma of electrons and nuclei. As stars and galaxies formed over the next 14 billion years, these ancient photons — the universe’s first light — continued traveling. This relic light is known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB).

In a new study, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory joined a large team to analyze observational data on the CMB, collected from the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Situated at the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica, the SPT provides high-precision measurements crucial for cosmological investigations. At the heart of this telescope is its third-generation (SPT-3G) camera, equipped with 16,000 detectors — 10 times more than its predecessor. It was installed in 2017 after development by several universities and an Argonne-led team of national laboratories.

“Many mysteries remain about the origin and early history of the universe, and this work provides an important step forward in solving them.” — Amy Bender, Argonne physicist

The team for the present project, led by researchers from the University of California, Davis, aimed to explore the theoretical underpinnings of the standard cosmological model of the Big Bang. The model describes the history of the universe, including its expansion and the growth of large-scale structures over the past 14 billion years.

“We have a largely coherent, detailed and successful model describing these 14 billion years of evolution,” said Lloyd Knox, the Michael and Ester Vaida Endowed Chair in Cosmology and Astrophysics at UC Davis. The study, based on high-precision measurements of the CMB and its polarized light, adds further support to the veracity of the standard cosmological model.

“Our results are kind of crossing a threshold where what we are learning from the polarization maps of the CMB is comparable to what we are learning from the CMB intensity maps,” Knox added. ​“What we are concluding from polarization is also consistent with what we are concluding from intensity.”

“This is the culmination of many years of work,” said Argonne Physicist Amy Bender. ​“We are the host lab for the SPT-3G experiment, and our role was to build the detectors used in the telescope and make the measurements of the CMB polarized light. We were thrilled to find the information in the map for polarization matched that for the intensity of the CMB light.”

A polarizing and winding journey across the universe
In the study, the researchers analyzed two years of polarized light data collected by the SPT in 2019 and 2020. The study’s observations cover 1,500 square degrees of sky and the collected data enabled the researchers to create a large-scale map of the mass in the universe.

Most natural light is unpolarized, composed of a random collection of light waves, each oscillating (waving up and down) with no preferred direction. But when light is reflected it can become polarized, the light oscillating in a preferred direction.

This happens when sunlight reflects off water, or the ground, and is the reason polarized sunglasses can be so helpful for reducing glare. It also happened as the CMB photons underwent their final scattering events in the primordial plasma as it began to disappear 14 billion years ago.

“The light from the CMB is partially polarized,” Knox said. ​“We’re measuring at each location in our sky map the degree to which it’s polarized and the orientation of the polarization.”

After that last scattering, the slightly polarized CMB light streamed across open space. Gravitational forces distort the paths of these light rays. Light from different regions is also distorted differently, resulting in a warped image — an effect called gravitational lensing.

To discover both what the polarized image would look like in the absence of gravitational lensing and also the map of the mass causing the lensing, the team used computers at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) in Berkeley.

“What we essentially do at a really high level is we have this data, and we send it over to this supercomputer at NERSC,” said Marius Millea, a project scientist with Knox’s research group. ​“And the computers are testing this idea, ​‘If this were how the real universe looked, would it produce a map that looks like what we saw?’”

“We have the data, but we also need to have a model that produces or predicts these kind of observables,” added Fei Ge, a graduate student with Knox’s research group and the study’s first author.

The Hubble tension
The team’s research directly addresses a conundrum in the cosmological community known as ​“the Hubble tension.” In essence, scientists can’t come to an agreement on the rate of the expansion of the universe, which varies depending on the methodology used to measure it.

In one method, astronomers use the standard cosmological model, combined with observations of the CMB, to predict how rapidly the universe is expanding today.

In another method, they use observations of stars, and stellar explosions called supernovae, to measure the expansion rate more directly. Measurement from this method comes in higher — a faster rate of expansion — than the standard model predictions. This is the Hubble tension, one of the major puzzles in contemporary cosmology. The origin of the discrepancy is unknown.

The team’s new prediction is precise enough to be discrepant with the supernova measurements at very high statistical significance. It aligns more with the rate of expansion predicted by the standard cosmological model and CMB intensity method. The study thus reveals one more hoop that any solution to the Hubble tension will have to jump through.

“Many mysteries remain about the origin and early history of the universe, and this work provides an important step forward in solving them,” Bender noted.

In addition to Bender, Argonne team members include Lindsey Bleem, Clarence Chang, Zhaodi Pan, Florian Kéruzoré and Wei Quan.

This project received funding from the NSF’s Office of Polar Programs and DOE’s Office of Science High Energy Physics.

Pre Budget Quotes by Experts in the Real Estate Sector

Peush Jain, MD-Commercial Leasing and Advisory, Anarock Group

The office sector growth is expected to stay buoyant with supply to touch a billion sq.ft. by the end of the 2025 with record leasing activity led by GCCs and flex space operators. The Budget must focus on not just maintaining India’s growth momentum but also initiating reforms that will aid India’s attractiveness as an investment destination for both domestic and foreign companies. Input tax credit on fit-outs, review of depreciation and amortisation rates for assets on the backdrop of larger adoption or AI and incentivising new technology sectors would fuel the office demand evenly across the country.

 Ankur Jalan, CEO, Golden Growth Fund (GGF)

AIFs as a tool for wealth diversification have become a preferred choice for affluent individuals as is evident from the fact that real estate contributed the highest share of investment from AIFs at over Rs 75,400 crore in the first half of FY25 with participation from both domestic and foreign investors. Real estate focused AIFs have huge opportunity to tap the untapped potential of the vast real estate landscape in the country by opening up not only funding avenues for development but also wealth creation for investors. The Budget must endeavour to achieve parity in capital gains on listed and unlisted instruments so as to make it more attractive for both domestic and foreign investors. Also ‘gains from investment’ must be classified on similar lines across instruments so that AIFs too enjoy the benefit.

 Garvit Tiwari, director and co-founder of InfraMantra

The weak urban demand seen in the year gone by, a lot of hope is being pinned on the Budget to help revive urban consumption so that India maintains its growth trajectory. Income tax cut must be the Budget’s top priority. Reduction in GST on both construction material and under-construction properties will help developers to reduce the price of homes. Additionally, land and labour reforms will nudge the private sector to invest in India and help create jobs. Raising the affordable housing limit to Rs 1 crore will help bring fence-sitters into the real estate market and drive demand in the sector.

Mr. Sandeep Ahuja Global CEO of Atmosphere Living

“The luxury real estate sector in India continues to be on an upward trend and is likely to remain so. Therefore it is of utmost importance to lead on the policies that incentivize buyer involvement. Sustainability incentives will help to increase the resonance of green projects, which correspond to the viability of the projects all over the world, and therefore, they are likely to be sought after. Those steps will contribute not only to the attraction of capital but India will also strengthen its position as the leader in the real estate sector. Apart from that, there is also a necessity for policies that enhance the ease of doing business including a relaxation in the FDI norms. These changes will help boost both local and foreign investments, and thus, the real estate market will become more vibrant. With the right blend of changes, the budget can thus be an engine for prosperity in the long run, and the right investors will be heading to India’s enlarging luxury real estate market.”

Siddarth Pai, Founding Partner and CFO, 3one4 Capital & Co-Chair, Regulatory Affairs Committee, IVCA

“2024 witnessed quarter on quarter capital formation via AIFs dip to single digits, compared to double digit growth in 2023. AIFs play a crucial role in terms of capital formation in India and investments in the Indian economy. The last budget saw the rationalization of tax rates between listed and unlisted entities, a longstanding ask of Indian AIFs and startups. The need of the hour is clarity and parity: tax clarity on numerous operations of AIFs, such as the characterization of their gains, tax treatment at the end of a fund’s life, how demataterizaliton of Units will play out with the atx code; Parity between foreign and domestic funds in terms of taxation is also required. Both of these will be crucial to attract foreign investors to AIFs; if they see Foreign Funds enjoying better tax treatment in India, they would prefer these foreign vehicles instead of Indian AIFs. This parity will also attract investors and fund managers to GIFT IFSC as it seeks to establish itself firmly amongsgt international financial centres. As the uncertainty around the elections of 2024 has abated, Budget 2025 must deliver on the twin asks of clarity and aprity to allow AIFs to garner capital and kick start a new investment cycle.”

Doctor Sports a Passion for Pickleball, Pingpong and Pediatric Medicine

For Vikas Dharnidharka, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, playing pickleball and pingpong dovetails with his role as a health care provider to children.

“I think it’s part of a pediatrician’s DNA to be empathetic, caring and humorous,” said Dharnidharka, a board-certified pediatric nephrologist, transplant specialist and Henry Rutgers Professor who also serves as physician-in-chief of The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “When we see patients, we joke with them and use small talk to build trust. These qualities are important when playing recreational racquet sports, too. Empathy and teamwork are especially important if you’re playing doubles. And these sports are much more fun if you don’t take playing them too seriously.”

While growing up in India, Dharnidharka played a variety of racquet sports, including badminton and pingpong. This interest continued through middle age when he began playing tennis while living in Florida. About 10 years ago, he joined a pingpong league in St. Louis. About five years ago while playing in the league, he learned about pickleball, a relatively new sport at the time.

“I find all racquet sports fun,” Dharnidharka said. “There’s physical activity involved, and also skill and strategy.”

The benefits of playing are multifold, according to the doctor. It keeps him in shape, which he believes is important to model as a physician. Compared with tennis, pickleball and ping pong are less impactful on the body and can help quicken reflexes and improve balance. Dharnidharka said he recommends medical students and residents take advantage of the pingpong tables in public spaces on campus.

“Pingpong is a good activity to do for a few minutes between obligations,” he explains. “It’s great for fitness, but also great for relaxing. There’s a table with paddles and balls where the med students sit, but I’ve not seen them play. I’d love to see them use it. Playing provides really good stress relief.”

Dharnidharka’s interest in pickleball has progressed beyond a hobby. He has competed in noncommercial tournaments at the city, state and national levels, both in singles and doubles. For the past few years, appearances on the medal podium at the Senior Olympics in St. Louis or Missouri earned him invitations to the National Senior Games for both pickleball and pingpong. Recently, Dharnidharka learned he has qualified for the fourth time for the National Senior Games in pingpong, which will take place this summer.

Dharnidharka has joined a local pingpong and pickle ball club to keep his skills sharp. His next competition is a friendly pingpong challenge he struck up between the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Medicine.

“When I saw a pingpong table in the middle of the hallway on the seventh floor where the chairs of both departments have offices, I immediately challenged the Medicine Department to a tournament,” he said with a laugh.

The date for the tournament is March 6.

In his proposal to Jeanne Clark, chair of the Department of Medicine, Dharnidharka proposed matches for mixed doubles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles and two singles matches each for men and women.

The reward? Bragging rights on the seventh floor – and perhaps beyond. He also has spoken with a few transplant surgeons about playing as well.

“Medicine and pediatrics already compete in a softball tournament each summer,” said Dharnidharka. “I want to make it a fun experience. There’s already a culture here where the two departments interact in a friendly way, and I wanted to continue that, hopefully involve more departments.”

IIIT-Bangalore COMET Foundation Launches Certificate Program in Future Wireless Communications

Bangalore January 10, 2025: The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) COMET Foundation proudly announces the launch of a cutting-edge Certificate Program in Future Wireless Communications. This program aims to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed for the fast-evolving field of wireless communication, with a specific focus on 5G-NR systems.

The future of wireless communication lies at the heart of global connectivity, driving innovation in IoT, smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and more. Understanding 3GPP standards and mastering embedded system design are critical for shaping tomorrow’s communication networks.

Program Highlights:

Hands-on experience with wireless system design at the IIIT-B COMET Foundation Testbed.

In-depth learning of 5G-NR wireless communication aligned with 3GPP standards.

Opportunities for internships and full-time roles in cutting-edge wireless system design.

Scholarships of ₹15,000 per month for meritorious students.

Eligibility

Open to Diploma/BSc/B.Tech students in Science or Engineering, including final-year project students with an NOC.

Selection Process

Selection is based on an offline test at the IIIT-B campus. Students who meet a minimum threshold can join by paying the program fee, with scholarships available upon successful completion of Modules 1 and 2.

“Wireless communication is redefining how we connect and innovate. Our mission is to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements. This program is designed to empower students to lead in this transformative era with skills that are both relevant and future-focused.”-remarked Mr. Sridhar Pillalamarri, CEO, IIIT-B COMET Foundation.

Iconic Filmmaker Wim Wenders To Visit India For A-First-Of-Its-Kind Retrospective

Not-for-profit organisation Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) in association with the Wim Wenders Stiftung (Wim Wenders Foundation) and in collaboration with Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai announce ‘Wim Wenders – King Of The Road – The India Tour’.

A comprehensive retrospective celebrating the extraordinary career of Wim Wenders, this landmark event marks the 79-year-old acclaimed German filmmaker, photographer and author’s inaugural visit to India, offering audiences a unique opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of his cinematic artistry.

From February 5th to 23rd, 2025, cinephiles in 5 major Indian cities – Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and New Delhi – will have the unparalleled pleasure of witnessing 18 of Wenders’ most significant works, spanning feature films, documentaries and short films. This meticulously curated selection will showcase Wenders’ prolific career spanning over half a century, from his early groundbreaking New German Cinema pieces to his recent critically acclaimed works. This event is poised to be more than just a film screening; offering audiences a first-of-its-kind intimate cinematic pilgrimage. The master of world cinema will personally attend screenings in each city, engaging with audiences, participating in Q&A sessions and fostering meaningful dialogue with film students and industry professionals alike.

Wim Wenders states, ““In all my travels around the world over the years, it seems astonishing that somehow, India fell off the map, not just because it is a country with an abundance of landscapes and images to explore, but also because it is a country where cinema is like a religion. I have known of Film Heritage Foundation’s dedication to preserving, restoring and bringing India’s precious film heritage back to contemporary audiences, so I was very happy when Shivendra invited me to come to India for a retrospective of my films. I am excited to have the opportunity to travel across the country and present my films, and who knows what will emerge from my time on the road in India.”

The retrospective will run from February 5th, 2025 to 23rd, 2025. However, the renowned director, celebrated for his improvisational and often location-driven filmmaking style—a style aptly described as “on the road”—will be extending his stay in India. He will use this opportunity to film new material across the diverse landscapes of Rajasthan and Kerala as part of his debut India tour, continuing his creative process until March 1st, 2025. This demonstrates not only Wenders’ dedication to his art but also a fascinating juxtaposition between a retrospective celebrating established cinematic works and the ongoing creation of new film within the same cultural context.

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Filmmaker And Director, Film Heritage Foundation states, “It’s a dream come true for Film Heritage Foundation to have Wim Wenders, one of the greatest masters of world cinema come to India to support the foundation and to be able to mount a retrospective on a scale that attempts to showcase the breadth and depth of a career of over 50 years in almost every form of cinema from shorts to features, documentaries and 3D films. Wim Wenders is not just a filmmaker, but a poet and a thinker of cinema who has influenced generations of filmmakers including myself. He is truly the King of the Road, but he has never been to India – and it is going to be the adventure of a lifetime to travel across the country with him and show his films. He is also a champion of film heritage – recipient of the 2024 International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) Award – having made some of the most remarkable films on filmmakers besides having archived and restored his films, thanks to which audiences in five cities in India will have the extraordinary opportunity to watch these beautiful restorations presented by the master himself.”

Bjorn Ketels, Director, Goethe Institut Mumbai states, “The films of Wim Wenders have played a pivotal role in the cultural work of the Goethe-Institut (The cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany). We are therefore thrilled to join hands with the Film Heritage Foundation and Wim Wenders Foundation in welcoming Wim Wenders to India. He is one of the pioneers of the New German Cinema (Neues Deutsches Kino) and is considered to be one of the most important representatives of contemporary cinema. The programme includes showcasing 18 of his most acclaimed films in 5 cities in India. This is the first time that such a substantial offering of his work and a chance to interact with the legend himself is being presented in India and we hope that film lovers, students and professionals will enjoy the opportunity and find the experience enriching.”

With a long-term vision to celebrate the legacy of doyens of cinema and exhibit restored film classics from over the past decades, Film Heritage Foundation has brought icons such Giuseppe Tornatore and Sir Christopher Nolan to India in the past.

The screenings are free of charge and available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Wim Wenders’ career demonstrates a remarkable versatility, spanning fictional features and documentaries, photography, and authorship. His films are characterized by a distinctive style blending poetic realism with introspective characters navigating existential themes against the backdrop of evocative landscapes. Wenders’ early work, including Alice in the Cities (1974) and Kings of the Road (1976), established his place within the New German Cinema movement. His international breakthrough came with Paris, Texas (1984), followed by the visually stunning and philosophically profound Wings of Desire (1987). His documentaries, such as Buena Vista Social Club (1999) and Pina (2011), showcase his ability to capture both artistic lives and cultural phenomena. His most recent film, Perfect Days (2023), garnered an Oscar nomination. Recurring themes in Wenders’ work include identity, memory, the search for meaning, and a fascination with the American West. His melancholic moods and exploration of alienation are complemented by his artistic innovations. The breadth of his achievements has led to numerous awards, including prizes from Cannes, Venice, and Berlin film festivals, a BAFTA award, and multiple Academy Award and Grammy nominations.

Brahmakumaris to organise series of program starting tomorrow till Sunday

Hyderabad, January 10, 2025: Minister Thummala Nageswar Rao, the Minister for Agriculture, Govt of Telangana to grace Brahma Kumaris Business conference organised for for the benefit of micro, small and medium business owners to help them harness their inner strengths, powers, empowering them to achieve success

The program will be held at Ramoji Film City on 11th January. A lot of attendees are expected to participate in the same.

The Secretary General of Brahma Kumaris headquarters Rajyogi Brij Mohan ji and a host of Senior Rajyogis… Rajyogini BK Santosh Didi, Jt Chief of Brahma Kumaris, Rajyogi BK Mruthyunjaya, Addl Chief of Brahma Kumaris, Rajyogini BK Yogini, Chairperson, Business & Industry Wing, Brahma Kumaris, Rajyogini BK Santosh, Director, Brahma Kumaris Russia besides a host of dignitaries and celebrities are expected to grace the Conference.

Second phase of Brahmakumaris Silence Retreat was inaugurated on Friday at Mahadev Pally, Bibinagar Mandal in Yadadri Bhuvaniugiri District. It is a free Residential Spiritual Training Complex. It is named as Prabhu Leela Bhavan. It is located in the 3 acre plot of Silence Retreat which has observed its second anniversary. The five floor complex is spread over 27000 sft and expected to organise 30 plus residential training programs a month benefiting 36000 people a year. The facility is inaugurated by Secretary General of Brahmakumaris Shri Brij Mohan Bhai. The center will help enhance Spiritual and Social skills required along with the changing time.

The other highlight of the series of programs planned is unveiling of a novel and first of its kind of a project “United Minds For a Brighter Bharath”. This program is unveiled at the Silence Retreat. Over 200 representatives of various NGOs operating in areas such as Spiritual, Social, Religious, in Public Sector and Private Sectors. Many retired bureaucrats, people working in social impact participated.

A Special Program on Harmonising Relationships Through Spiritual Wisdom is planned on 12th January at 5.30pm at Imperial Gardens, Sikh Village Road in Secunderabad. Motivational speaker and spiritual mentor Sis BK Shivani Behnji will address the gathering.

Sister Shivani tours around the world spreading awareness on the need of spiritual wisdom for peaceful, healthy and happy living. Thousands and lakhs of people around the globe benefit out of her talks, relieved from their lifestyle issues through easy spiritual solutions.

Bhoomi Pooja programme for a New Brahma Kumaris Centre at Shamirpet, Silence Retreat Centre at Ghatkesar, Shanti Sarovar, Gachibowli are also lined up

Brahma Kumaris is an internationally renowned Spiritual Organisation embarked on a spiritual movement for the past 95 years and spread to over 110 countries. It has more than 1000 centres and 30000 gita patashala with lakhs of followers. Brahma Kumaris enjoys United Nations’ consultative status in around 7 different wings of UNO. All the programs offered by Brahma Kumaris are free of cost.

Brahmakumaris has 6000 branches across Indias, and 70 in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, The silent retreat at Mahadev Pally is the second biggest in the Telangana.

BK Manju behnji, Secunderabad Sub Zone and BK Satyanarayana, Senior Rajyogi have made elaborate arrangements for these series of programs to be held over next three days.

Finova Capital hands over keys of Royal Enfield to outstanding winners

Jaipur, January 10, 2025 – At a ceremony held at the Jaipur Head Office of Finova Capital, outstanding winners were felicitated with awards in the presence of the company’s leadership team. The highlight of the ceremony was 103 Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles. The winners were presented with the keys of the Bullet for their outstanding performance and dedication.

Mr. Mohit Sahni, Managing Director and CEO, Finova Capital said that we have always felicitated employees who perform outstandingly and innovate. “Finova Capital believes in recognizing and rewarding excellence. These achievements are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team members. We are proud of their achievements.

At Finova Capital, we are committed to supporting and empowering micro and small businesses, as we believe that by doing so we can enrich lives and transform communities. We have a clear vision to revolutionize credit delivery to the unorganized, underprivileged and unserved segments of the population. Mr. Sawhney congratulated the winners and emphasized Finova’s commitment to foster a culture of excellence and motivation among its team members. He also encouraged everyone to aim high and excel in the future.

The keys of the Bullet were handed over to the winners by Mr. Sawhney and members of the leadership team in an atmosphere of pride and camaraderie. The winners expressed their gratitude with joy and pledged to continue their hard work.

Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya Actress Aabha Parmar on World Hindi Day: Hindi Has Played a Vital Role in My Career

In a world where globalization often makes English the preferred medium of communication, Aabha Parmar, who portrays the cherished character of Dadi in Sun Neo’s Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya, shares her heartfelt thoughts on the significance of our mother tongue, Hindi. She passionately highlights the need to honor and embrace our native language, reminding us that while it is essential to appreciate and learn other languages, our roots and identity are deeply intertwined with Hindi.

Sharing her views, Aabha Parmar says, “My biggest message on Hindi Day is that we should respect our mother tongue. Hindi is not just the language of our homes but also the soul of our nation. While we must respect all the languages of the world, we must prioritize our own language. Just as we respect our mothers first, respecting our language elevates our identity, earns us praise, and strengthens our position globally. Hindi is our identity, and we should take pride in speaking it.”

The Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya actress further expressed her concern over the diminishing focus on Hindi, particularly among the younger generation, saying, “It pains me to see that many parents today prioritize English-medium education for their children while neglecting to teach them our mother tongue. I understand the importance of English for global communication, but we should not forget our roots. Even on set, I notice that some young actors struggle with Hindi dialogues because they don’t understand the language’s depth. My message is simple: respect and learn Hindi first, as it is integral to who we are.”

Reflecting on her personal connection with Hindi, Aabha Parmar added, “The Hindi language has played a pivotal role in my career. Growing up in a North Indian family where our culture and values were steeped in Hindi, I developed a deep love for the language. I studied Hindi literature, poems, and stories, gaining immense knowledge that enriched my life and career. Whether it was theatre, plays, or films, my command of Hindi has always supported me. Acting becomes more meaningful and enjoyable when you understand the nuances of Hindi, as it allows you to bring depth to your dialogues through idioms and phrases, adding a unique touch to the characters you play.”

Aabha Parmar plays Dadi to Kartik (Ashish Dixit), the head of the family, in Chhathi Maiyya Ki Bitiya. This heartwarming family drama, airing on Sun Neo at 7 PM, revolves around Vaishnavi (Brinda Dahal), an orphan who shares an unbreakable bond with Chhathi Maiyya, whom she reveres as her mother.

Porsche partners with Liter of Light to light up dreams in India

Mumbai. Porsche has partnered with non-for-profit organisation Liter of Light to ‘lighten up’ the homes of residents in rural villages of India this Diwali. The local manufacture of 1963 hand-crafted lamps were made by previously unemployed women in Mumbai. Before their donation, the lamps were laid out in a spectacular light installation at the famous Gateway of India in Mumbai. Once the installation was complete, the lamps were carefully packed and taken to the villages in the Maharashtra and Gujarat regions of India, where they were donated with assistance from community organisations including Rotary Club of Bombay Juhu Beach.

 Those receiving the lamps live without reliable electricity and are often dependent on hazardous lighting methods such as burning coal or kerosine. The solar-powered lamps will now bring light to their homes.

 “We are thrilled that we could produce such a spectacular display, and at the same time contribute to an improvement in the lives of those involved in this project, from the women cooperatives we’ve employed with green skills to the families who will ultimately benefit from these solar lamps,” said Illac Diaz, founder and Executive Director of Liter of Light.

 The ‘festival of light’ Diwali is the annual festival of light and one of India’s most significant annual celebrations. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. This made it a fitting occasion to celebrate the project at the famous Mumbai tourist site.

 The installation set a new Guinness World Record for the largest display of solar powered lamps. The 1963 lamps a nod to the birth year of the Porsche 911 Each lamp was hand-crafted by previously unemployed women in Mumbai, including hand painting each in a colour similar to the new Provence look of the all-new electric Porsche Macan.

 The lamps were then laid out in the shape of the Porsche crest in the shadow of the famous Gateway of India. Members of the public gathered at the 26-metre tall structure to observe the spectacle and even assist laying out the lamps as the sun began to set. The lights were laid out by volunteers as well as visitors to the monument, with assistance from school students and members of Rotary Club of Bombay Juhu Beach.

 “Porsche India is honoured to partner with Liter of Light to create a truly meaningful impact this Diwali, celebrating the Festival of Lights by bringing solar-powered light to communities in need,” said Manolito Vujicic, Brand Director for Porsche India.

 ‘Lighting up dreams’ with Liter of Light Liter of Light aims to provide employment opportunities, in particular to women, by involving them in the manufacturing of its lights, thereby offering them a source of income. For this project, ceramic lights powered by a simple-yet-effective solar-set-up.

 “We thank Liter of Light and our colleagues at Porsche India for bringing together this amazing project,” said Manfred Braeunl, CEO of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE. “The spectacular display at the Gateway of India has created amazing images that will be seen around the world. But the real lasting impact of this effort is that we have improved lives of people in a meaningful way.”

Liter of Light
A global ambassador for UNESCO’s International Day of Light, Liter of Light teaches skills and creates jobs for communities. It offers a unique model for community empowerment through its ’net zero initiatives’ for climate action, where it integrates technical knowledge with hyper local production and green skills.

 Liter of Light works with families, local co-operatives, volunteers, and partners to build simple solar reading lights, mobile charging systems, and street lights using readily available materials.
Liter of Light’s programs amplify voices from the most climate vulnerable communities. Through its interactive campaigns that invite everyone to do their part, the social enterprise creates space for new voices to be heard. Liter of Light has illuminated one million lives a year across more than 30 countries since 2013, working with over 650 women’s cooperatives and thousands of volunteers.