Category Archives: News

National Security Day: Vedanta Aluminium recruits transgender security professionals for its largest aluminium smelter

New Delhi; 4th March 2023: On National Security Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has recruited seven transgender professionals for the security function of its plant at Jharsuguda (Odisha), which is one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters. The seven employees Aarunita Payasingh, Aarohi Sharma, Sandhya Yadav, Siddhi Nage, Khushi Dhruv, Pavitra and Roma Dhruw, will join the company’s formidable security team and will be responsible for ensuring strict round-the-clock security of the assets and workforce. This is the second hiring of LGBTQIA+ professionals at Vedanta Aluminium, with the previous recruits working at the company’s Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary, BALCO, in security and material handling functions. Last year, the company embarked upon the mission to expand its recruitment ambit to tap into the LQBTQIA+ talent pool, who are yet to find acceptance in the mainstream and corporate world.

With 14 transgender employees, Vedanta Aluminium is now amongst the handful of manufacturing companies in India and the world to have LGBTQIA+ employees in core operations. Globally, the gender diversity ratio in manufacturing and heavy engineering industries has traditionally been low, and this deficit is even more acute in metals and mining. To build a diverse workforce, Vedanta Aluminium has been working extensively towards attracting high-potential women and LGBTQIA+ professionals to join its ranks.

To ease their transition from the fringes of society to smart manufacturing plants, and help them evolve from semi-skilled people into professionals, Vedanta Aluminium has adopted a three-pronged approach, that includes:

Identification of trans people with minimum required skills for working in a manufacturing industry by conducting skill mapping studies.
Extensive training programs for the recruits, aimed at honing the required skillsets, including soft-skills and business knowledge.
Building an empathetic & inclusive environment by conducting gender-sensitization sessions for its workforce, with respect to the social and psychological challenges of trans people, proper code of conduct and ways of working to build a cohesive and encouraging environment for all. This also includes ensuring required infrastructural augmentations.
Going forward, the company intends to recruit more employees, both directly and indirectly through its business partners, from the LGBTQIA+ community to further increase the diversity of its workforce.

Speaking about Vedanta Aluminium’s endeavours to increase diversity of workforce, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO, Vedanta Limited – Aluminium Business, said, “Our markets, customers and businesses are diverse and complex. To match that, we believe in recruiting people with diverse experiences, skills, education etc so that the business strategies they formulate, the problems they solve, the innovations they make are correspondingly well-rounded. The secret sauce for our healthy gender-diversity ratio includes gender-agnostic job roles, a merit-driven work culture, a host of global experts who train and groom our employees for success, a sharp & rich learning curve, and a plethora of wellbeing initiatives designed to support them at every stage of their lives. Our ultimate objective is to build a wholesome culture, that makes our employees and partners feel welcomed, encouraged and empowered to deliver to the best of their potential.”

Arohi Sharma, one of the newly recruited transgender employees, said, “Vedanta Jharsuguda has taken utmost care towards ensuring a comfortable induction into the organization for me and my colleagues. We have been provided with robust functional and safety trainings, sessions on diversity and equal opportunity, and technical trainings for our roles & responsibilities as part of the company’s security force. Our colleagues are friendly and respectful and have made us feel welcomed. I am thankful to Vedanta for this life-changing opportunity.”

Another employee, Roma Dhruw, adds, “From struggling to survive in society to being given the empowering responsibility to handle the security of one of the world’s largest aluminium plants, I am proud to have come this far. This is a milestone moment in our lives, and the transgender community. I thank Vedanta Aluminium for giving us the opportunity to be part of the company’s growth journey.”

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.27 million tonnes in FY22. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. www.vedantaaluminium.com

Related to:

#vedanta #vedantaaluminium #transgender #LGBTQIA #diversity #diverseworkforce #diversityandinclusion #dei #workforcediversity

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Keep the eyes protected as you enjoy celebrating Holi this year

-Dr. Mahipal S Sachdev, Chairman & Founder, Centre for Sight group of Eye Hospitals

With the festival of colors- Holi approaching, the whole of India especially the northern regions is going to be covered in colour in the coming days. While this time of year is enjoyed by people of every age group with gatherings and get-togethers of friends and family, Holi with itself can also bring agony to the general public’s eyes, skin, hair, and respiratory tracts.

The risk of infection in the body increases gradually in this period as the synthetic colors used are composed of chemicals and possess a great threat to people’s eyes. These Colors contain chemicals like Mercury Sulphite, Lead Oxide, and Copper Sulphate that are harmful to the eyes. Exposure to these chemicals can result in people suffering from eye allergies, temporary blindness, and conjunctivitis (pink eye). Some other health hazards include skin allergies, dermatitis, drying and chapping of the skin, skin cancer, rhinitis, asthma, and pneumonia.

These synthetic colors can get easily mixed with water and enter the eye causing mild redness and irritation. It is advised for patients that if this irritation and redness do not go away in a day or two, they should refer to an ophthalmologist. The particles present inside color powders (shining mica particles in gulal) can also cause damage to the cornea. The patient can experience pain and watering from the eye and if not treated in time, this can cause an ulcer/ infection in the eye. The corneal abrasion is an emergency and one should consult the doctor immediately.

The use of these synthetic colors can also lead to partial vision loss. A gray patch appears on the retina and blocks sight. It is a serious medical complication and therefore, should not be ignored. Delayed treatment can lead to complete loss of sight. Not only holi colors but also sprays or mace can result in temporary blindness.

There is a gradual increase in the number of patients visiting hospitals Post-Holi due to skin and eye problems. The eyes are the most sensitive part of the body and any chemical that goes inside can cause mild allergy to severe chemical burns in the eye.

The balloons used by children during Holi are also dangerous as they can cause blunt eye injury. There can be bleeding within the eye, lens subluxation, macular edema, or retinal detachment. These can lead to loss of vision or loss of the eye. These are all eye emergencies that require immediate specialist consultation.

Tips you must follow to prevent damage to the eyes:-

• · Cover the eyes while playing Holi – Always cover your eyes whenever there is a chance of color coming in contact with them. Sunglasses are useful for this.
• · Keep your eyes close – Try to dissuade people from applying color all over your face with their hands. If you fail to do so, be especially careful in keeping your eyes and lips tightly shut. Always request the person not to smear the colors near the eyes.
• · Keep the windows closed when traveling by car – The menace of water balloons can be tackled in this way. Water balloons can be most damaging for your eyes as they can rupture the eyeball or even lead to retinal detachment.
• · Remove contact lenses if you feel irritation – If the eye is exposed to aniline dyes during Holi, it causes great irritation to the eye. The exposure to the dye increases for those who wear contact lenses. They should immediately discard the contact lens.

Home-made colors are always better than synthetic colors. Everybody is aware of it and can make these at home. “Haldi” mixed with flour gives yellow color, while petals of flowers of “Tesu/Palash” give you saffron color. The “Beetroot” pieces soaked in water can give magenta color. Even henna powder, gulmohar flowers, or hibiscus flowers can be used to make colors. These homemade colors are safe for the skin and eyes.

Taking this opportunity, I would request everyone to enjoy their festivities responsibly, in terms of maintaining the social distancing norms, being watchful with the synthetic colors, and your health.

Holi related eye injuries are completely avoidable: Dr Agarwal Eye Hospital

Mumbai, March 4, 2023: As the festival of colour, Holi, approaches, experts from Dr Agarwal Eye Hospital, Mumbai have urged people to avoid using chemical-based colours and water balloons. “Holi has become a major cause for eye injuries, and incidences of permanent eye damage especially in Children is a major cause of concern”, said Dr. Vandana Jain, Regional Head – Clinical Services, Vashi, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospitals.

Holi is a festival of colours, and it is unfortunate that during such a joyful occasion, eye injuries incidences across the country spike. Every year thousands of cases of eye injury are reported from cross the country on and after Holi. It is sad that joy and happiness of the festival of colours turns into grief and sorrow for some. Most people are unaware of the consequences of synthetic chemical based colours on the eyes, skin and other parts of the body. Markets are filled with low quality chemical colours which can have a harmful effect on the eyes and in cases may also cause long-term complication, even leading to permanent vision loss.

Dr Vandana Jain informs, “when synthetic colours get into the eyes, they cause a burning sensation, redness, and swelling. These harmful chemicals also cause allergic reactions and can lead to infections and other injuries. As synthetic and toxic chemical which include industrial dyes, and alkalis are used to make these Holi colours they have a copious amount of hazardous chemicals like mercury, asbestos, silica, mica, and lead which are toxic in nature and very harmful to the entire body. As eyes are one of the most sensitive organs any interaction with these harmful chemicals can permanently damage the eyes, often leading to permanent loss of vision.”

Dr Vandana Jain, further informs, “Water balloon are another major worry. Children often throw them at each other without understanding the consequences. An ill-timed balloon landing on the face can cause ocular damage and permanent injuries to the eyes. We have often seen patients coming to us with fractured eye sockets, detached retinas, and even blindness from water balloon exploding on the face during Holi.”

If we follow certain precaution and measures, then it is quite possible to avoid any kind of eye injury during Holi. It is very important for parents to be aware of what their wards are using to play Holi. Parents must guide their wards and encourage them to speak with their friends on how to celebrate the festival of colours, Holi, in a safe and secure way.

Expert Advice by Dr Vandana Jain, Regional Head – Clinical Services, Vashi, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospitals.

Go for organic and natural colours!

Today, there are better options are available in the market like organic colours and traditional colours which are made from flowers, turmeric and other organics products and dyes which are not harmful to our body.

Say No to Water Balloons!

Water balloons causes impact injury which can damage the eyes permanently. The impact from the water balloon can lead to bleeding eyes, lens dislocation, and retinal detachment. The nature of injury are generally severe and may lead to permanent

Don’t rub your eyes if colours enter the eyes accidently!

Rubbing the eyes can lead to corneal abrasion or can damage the cornea. It may also lead to eye infections and other complications. If the color has accidentally entered the eye, immediately cleanse the hands thoroughly with soap. Then, take a palm full of water and gently try blinking the eyes in the water. Avoid, splashing water into the eye, as it can aggravate the injury. It is also not advisable to use handkerchief or tissue to remove any particulate matter in the eyes as it can further aggravate the injury.

Remove contact lenses before playing with colours!

Contact lenses have hygroscopic properties which mean it can easily absorb water. Therefore, if any color enters the eye, it increases the risk of allergies and infections. The best solution is to use your glasses or opt for a disposable contact lens that can be discarded immediately if there is any sign of eye irritation.

Do not Self-Medicate!

The most important thing to note is to avoid self-medication. In case there are indications of eye injury or damage, then consult an eye expert immediately. We Indians, tend to try home remedies or use any available eye drops or ointment, without consulting the doctor, this often leads to more injury rather that healing. We should immediately rush to the nearest eye care professional, in case of persistent redness, watering, discharge, itching, discomfort, trauma, bleeding.

HearNU, World’s first Non-Surgical Hearing Aid for 100% Conductive Hearing Loss, launched!

Hyderabad, March 4th, 2023: World’s first Non-Surgical Hearing Aid for 100% conductive Hearing Loss, HearNU from WeHear, a Startup supported by Government of India and, was Launched for the first time in the Telugu states (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) by Dr. N.M.S. Reddy, Chief Audiologist, Global speech and hearing Clinic’s, Hyderabad and Adesh Agarwal, Director, Shreem Innovations jointly today, at Helen Keller’s Institute of Research & Rehabilitation for the Disabled Children (HKIRRDC), R.K. Puram, Secunderabad.

Dr. N.M.S. Reddy, Chief Audiologist and Distributor briefing about the product HearNU said, the award-winning patented product, HearNU is world’s first non-surgical solution for hearing impaired individuals with conductive hearing loss, working on Bone Conduction Technology. Bone conduction relies on sound transmission through vibrations on the skull bones and jaw through temporal mandibular joint bypasses the outer ear and middle ear, while transmitting the sound directly to the inner ear, thus enabling the hearing impaired to hear sounds around. It helps patients with damage to physical ear damage, issue with inner ears, conductive hearing loss due to issues with ear drum, ear canal, outer and middle ear issues, to hear sounds. This is priced low for it to be accessible to the common man.

Guest Ln. P. Ummar Khan said, this hearing aid will be helpful to several people, particularly those who can’t hear through the conventional hearing aids, HearNU aid can help overcome the problem. This is working on bone conduction. I appreciate WeHear for introducing this low cost HearNU instrument and will benefit several children in the country. I am delighted that this product has been innovated and manufactured in India. All this time we have been using hearing aids imported from other countries. It helps hearing impaired children to get best education, enable them to be integrated in the normal school, explore opportunity of higher education and get better job placements and lead a normal life.

Dr. Nagender Kankipati said, this is a great innovation in the hearing aid space. This made in India product has tremendous potential to become popular abroad and we should be proud of it.

The device’s microphone has 20ft range for hearing sounds like car horns etc. and 5ft range for human conversations. HearNU has unique features of Bluetooth Connectivity to connect to devices like Laptop, TV, Mobile etc. It has a rechargeable battery like mobile phones with C-Type charging slot. The hearing aid comes with a warranty of 3 years. This Made in India innovative hearing aid is compliant with high international standards like ISO, CE and ROHS.

Chief Guest Ln. P. Ummar Khan, Founder and Chairman, HKIRRDC, Guest of Honour Dr. Nagender Kankipati, Founder & President, Dr. Imad Khan Founder & General Secretary, Dr. Arif Treasurer, Advisory committee members Dr. Srinivas Ganji, Dr. Premnath Balla, Prof Dr. Rajendra Kumar Porika, Dr. Veena and Dr. Shiva Prasad Boddupally Other EC Members Dr. Anil Krishna, Dr. K.V. Narayana, Dr. Hanmi Reddy, Dr. Yousuf, Dr. Neha Jain of Telangana Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists Association, Hyderabad, formally unveiled the revolutionary hearing aid and graced the occasion. Free HearNU aids were presented to select hearing impaired children from the institute, on the occasion.

As part of an initiative with the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan of the Government of Gujarat, over 2533 kids have already been tested with HearNU device of which the device has been found to be useful for 2249 kids. This Hearing aid got so many appreciations from the Dignitaries like Former president of India Shri. Ram Nath Kovind and Honourable chief minister of Gujarat Shri. Bhupendra Patel and received many awards like GUSEC 2018, 2019 Awards, Social Impact creator Award at Bombay Stock Exchange, and Recognition and Donation by Smt. Sonalben Amit Shah from Indian Red Cross Society and from Leading ENT Surgeons and Audiologists Across the Country.

Star-Studded fiesta – Celebrity Cricket League 2023 Set to Rock Trivandrum

Kerala: 04th March 2023: Celebrity Cricket League 2023 is set to continue its action-packed journey from Bangalore to Kerala, with more exciting matches for cricket and movie fans alike. After 2 successful and thrilling weeks at Raipur, and Jaipur, CCL 2023, promises to dazzle the audience with its Reimagined, Refreshed, and Reloaded edition with matches between Bengal Tigers Vs Bhojpuri Dabanggs (2:30 pm to 6:30 pm) and the match between Kerala Strikers Vs Mumbai Heroes (7:00 pm to 11:00 pm) at Trivandrum International Stadium, on 5th March 2023 (Saturday). In Trivandrum, the excitement is palpable among the fans and players alike. The CCL 2023 is not just about cricket, it is also a celebration of the spirit of sportsmanship, camaraderie, and entertainment.

For the CCL 2023, Trivandrum Matches, we can expect the participation of some of the prominent names from the Malayalam, Bhojpuri, Bengali, and Hindi film actors including, Mohanlal, Riteish Deshmukh, Manoj Tiwari, Jayaram, Prithviraj Sukumaran, etc., besides it is expected that actress Majnu Warrior, Bhavana, Deepthi, etc. might come to cheer Kerala Strikers and many more might be present to support their teams and add to the glamour quotient at the match.

According to Mr. Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Founder & Managing Director of Celebrity Cricket League, “We are delighted to bring the Reimagined, Refreshed, and Reloaded edition of Celebrity Cricket League 2023 to Trivandrum. Cricket and Films are the most popular forms of entertainment in India. CCL brings both together on one platform. This season offers More Cricket, More Celebrities, and More Fun for the visitors with the new format of a T20 with 2 innings of 10 overs per team. This new format will give celebrities more cricket and viewers more fun with their favorite cine stars as they compete fiercely for the CCL 2023 crown.”

The league has Parle as the Title Sponsor for CCL 2023 and A23 – a skill-based gaming platform- as this season’s Presenting Sponsor.

Actor-producer Riteish Deshmukh is leading Mumbai Heroes, Punjab De Sher captain is actor Sonu Sood, Bhojpuri Dabanggs has actor Manoj Tiwari as their captain, actor Jisshu Sengupta is leading Bengal Tigers, Karnataka Bulldozers will be led by actor Pradeep, Telugu Warriors is headed by actor Akhil Akkineni, Kerala Strikers has actor Kunchacko Boban as their captain and actor Aarya is captain of Chennai Rhinos.

The matches will be telecasted live and exclusively across the ZEE TV network on 6 different channels.

All 19 Games of CCL are to be telecasted on Zee Anmol Cinema, 4 League Matches of the home team, and 2 Semis + 1 Final in their respective Regional language Commentary. Matches of Mumbai Heroes will be telecasted on & Pictures Hindi, PTC Punjab will telecast matches of Punjab De Sher, Zee Cinemalu, Zee Thirai, Zee Pichar, Zee Biskope, Zee Bangla will telecast matches of Telugu Warriors, Chennai Rhinos, Karnataka Bulldozers, Bhojpuri Dabanggs, Bengal Tigers and matches of Kerala Strikers will be telecasted on Flowers TV.

CCL 2023 has a new format never played anywhere in the world.

• T20 match will consist of each team playing 2 innings just like in a test match but each innings will be a maximum of 10 overs.
•  The power play will be applicable for the first 3 overs of each inning.
•  The batsmen coming in to bat in the 1, 2 & 3 positions in the 1st innings will not be allowed to bat in the 1, 2 & 3 positions in the 2nd innings. They can only come into bat from number 4 in the second innings.
•  The bowlers who bowled in the power play of the first innings cannot bowl in the power play of the second innings

CCL 2023 is all set to thrill cricket and movie fans alike in its new season – Reimagined, Refreshing, and Reloaded!

Lord’s Mark Industries bags BARC’s ‘’The Best Conglomerate for 2023’’ Award

Mumbai, March 3, 2023: Lord’s Mark Industries, one of the most prominent diversified business groups, was named “The Best Conglomerate for 2023’’ by the Prestigious Brands Award BARC, a research-based consultancy organisation in Asia. The award is a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence in all aspects of its operations across verticals such as defence manufacturing, healthcare and diagnostics, insurance, automotive, renewable energy, wellness, and others.

Expressing a sense of pride after receiving the award, Mr. Manav Teli, Director, Lord’s Mark Industries said, “We are truly privileged and extremely proud to receive this award. The award is a testimony to our consistent efforts at bringing quality and diversified products to the market. We have been successful in catering to many sectors of society. It is an honour to be recognised as one of the fastest-growing business conglomerates through quality products, an innovative approach, and the trust of our stakeholders. Creating value for our stakeholders has always been our agenda, and now that we have diversified, it will unlock the potential even more.’’

The conglomerate currently has four companies: Brahamastra Defense Techno Products Limited, LordsMed, Lord’s Mark Insurance Broking Limited, and Lords Automative Private Limited, with verticals in renewable energy products and paper. Lord’s Mark Industries will continue to innovate and grow while maintaining the highest standards of quality and excellence. Growth through diversification has been the cornerstone of success at Lord’s.

MediBuddy’s Women’s Day Initiative Encourages Men to Prioritize Women’s Health

India, March 2, 2023: MediBuddy, India’s largest Digital Healthcare platform, has shared that men place higher importance on their health than women as per their data. This concerning trend prompted the launch of MediBuddy’s Women’s Day campaign, #HerHealthMatters, aimed at raising awareness and encouraging women to prioritize their health.

The objective of the #HerHealthMatters campaign is to draw attention to the significance of women’s health and encourage them to proactively manage their physical and mental well-being. The campaign’s video showcases men who lack awareness of the various symptoms experienced by women, such as hair loss, irritability, weight gain, or chronic fatigue. However, it also emphasizes that women themselves may be unaware of these symptoms.

MediBuddy’s data indicated that men accounted for 60% of the total health check-ups done by the digital healthcare platform, while only 40% of women consulted a doctor regarding their health. The #HerHealthMatters campaign seeks to address this gap and further encourage women to take charge of their health.

Commenting on the campaign, Saibal Biswas, Head of Marketing, Partnerships and PR at MediBuddy said, “Through the launch of our new campaign, #HerHealthMatters, our mission is to shed light on the critical issue of women’s health and inspire a movement of change. Our research indicates that women are not prioritizing their health as they should, which is a concerning trend. That’s why our campaign, regardless of gender, wants everyone to join us in raising awareness and promoting positive health habits for women. Together, let’s make #HerHealthMatters a powerful force for positive change. MediBuddy urges all women to take care of themselves first and all men to give the #giftofgoodhealth to the women in their lives.”

The #HerHealthMatters campaign is a timely reminder that women’s health matters and should be a priority for everyone. With its focus on empowering women to take control of their well-being, the campaign has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of millions of women across India. MediBuddy has curated special offers for women on doctor consultations and health check-ups for the entire month of March.

This campaign is conceptualized and produced by MediBuddy’s in-house creative team. The campaign video is titled #HerHealthMatters|Breaking Myths, Speaking Facts|Women’s Day Special|MediBuddy. The total duration of the video is 1 Minute 10 seconds and will be amplified across all social media platforms from March 1, 2023.

Customer won I-phone 13 in Pavilion Smaaash, Super star game

Smaaash an immersive and interactive transit hub with a focus on sports provides cutting-edge games, engaging sports, and delectable fare. One lucky contestant won an iPhone at the Ludhiana, Pavilion, branch of the Smaaash, Super Star game. A unique vending machine called the Super Star Vending Game allows you to play for amusement and win incredible prizes.

Super Star is a game that can be played by people of all ages, making it a magnificent option for social groups and families looking for a fun time. It’s a wonderful way to have fun and win prizes at the same time. The opportunity to win incredible prizes, including the iPhone 13 Pro, and other thrilling prizes, makes this game more exciting.

“Smaaash is advancing and levelling up the gaming and entertainment industry. It is a family entertainment hub with the intersection of strength, action, and gaming. We are pleased to see that the nation’s youth investing time in both their cerebral and physical development. Our objective is to make the Smaaash a paradise for gamers,” said by the spokesperson.

India’s gaming industry relies heavily on antiquated creation and amusement methods. In order to satisfy consumer demands, the gaming industry is improving its facilities and customer service standards. Today’s consumers are informed about the level of entertainment they want. Smaaash is a lavish game zone that combines hospitality and entertainment.

SMAAASH Entertainment Pvt Ltd

Launched in 2012, SMAAASH is one of India’s acclaimed gaming and entertainment centers that blends sports, virtual reality, music and dining into an immersive, evolved, interactive and innovative social experience for family, friends and children alike. Helmed by its creative ideator, Shripal Morakhia, SMAAASH is renowned in the field of sports simulation technology and proprietary gamification technologies such as a unique twilight bowling zone, motor racing and bike racing simulators and go-karting tracks (in Mumbai & Pune). Being a virtual reality-led entertainment gaming center – vastly credited to its in-house research and production capabilities, head-mounted displays are used to produce games such as Walk the Plank, Finger Coaster, Cockpit 360, etc.

SMAAASH implores the child in you to joyously revel in an unmatched range of activities ranging from highly interactive sports simulators to many more thrilling and recreational attractions. Redefining sports entertainment and customer engagement with ground-breaking entertainment ideas and novel dining concepts, SMAAASH has something for everyone, anyone of any age making it a perfect destination for “kids” of all ages. With its current presence in large metros and mini-metros like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Raipur, Gwalior, Vijayawada, Madurai, Mangalore, Kanpur; many more upcoming properties across Pan India. SMAAASH is also touted as one of India’s entertainment powerhouses present in 21 cities with 30 centers in total.

Radio City is back with Freedom Awards Season 7 To Celebrate the Artistic Expression of Indie artists

India, 2nd March 2023: Radio City, the largest FM radio network in India, announces the launch of one of the most premium properties Radio City Freedom Awards (RCFA) with this year’s theme being ‘Bridging Boundaries’. Over the last few years, independent music has had a meteoric rise in terms of acceptance and consumption. Today independent music is no longer niche, artists are performing across the country and going on international tours, independent music is being accepted on mainstream media, brands across segments are collaborating with independent artists to tell their brand story, independent music is truly bridging boundaries within the media and entertainment ecosystem.

Radio City Freedom Awards is a pre-eminent platform for commemorating, appreciating, and celebrating the innate talent of the indie music culture in India. In addition to recognizing authentic compositions, Radio City Freedom Awards also recognizes outstanding non-music contributions to the independent music community. The seventh edition of Radio City Freedom Awards has been launched on 28th February 2023 and the award ceremony is slated for 28th March 2023 via a virtual platform.

New-age artists and music has been thriving in India and the idea behind launching Radio City Freedom Awards was to draw attention to and garner support for independent musicians while also exposing the audience to a diverse range of performers. To celebrate the work of emerging and veteran artists from India’s independent music culture, the nomination categories for this year’s Radio City Freedom Awards are Best Hip-Hop/Rap Artist, Best Folk Fusion Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Rock Artist, Best Metal Artist, and Best Electronica Artist. In addition to categories based on musical genre, there are awards for Best Video, Best Independent Collaborator, etc. To keep the audience engaged, Radio City plans to conduct various concerts across Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore during the nomination and shortlisting phase.

Mr. Ashit Kukian, Chief, Executive Officer, Radio City said, “Over a decade ago, Radio City became the first FM radio station in the country to build a platform to promote Indie music culture. In today’s time, India’s Indie culture is echoing the international trends and the indie artists are booming. The objective of Radio City Freedom Awards is to celebrate the musical journey of indie artists, and edify listeners with premium quality music in a variety of genres. With the seventh edition of Radio City Freedom Awards, we aspire recognizing the fortitude of indie music and artists whose work celebrates the nuances of Indian folklore.”

Radio City has always been a catalyst of inspiration for countless creative people around the nation and is popularly known for being the pioneer of promoting indie culture. The latest edition of Radio City Freedom Awards is set to be most electrifying as it will feature India’s most talented independent artists and musicians from across genres. This year’s jury consists of stalwarts from the music industry namely Atul Churamani – Managing Director of Turnkey Music & Publishing Pvt. Ltd., a company he founded to support independent artists publish and self-release music; Anurag Tagat – Assistant Editor at Rolling Stone India; Vijay Basrur – Founder of OK Listen Media; Heena Kriplani – Head of TuneCore; Aishwarya Natarajan – Founder of Indianuance; and Narendra Kusnur – Freelance music journalist, online music show presenter, content consultant in music apps. RCFA has grown to become one of the most sought-after awards with each passing year, garnering rising curiosity and integration from artists across the globe to participate in this celebration of musical creativity and diversity.

Commenting on the launch of Radio City Freedom Awards Season 7, Rachna Kanwar, Chief Operating Officer – Digital Media, Radio City & Mid-day said, “With Radio City Freedom Awards, we’ve come a long way from the first season way back in 2013. The journey has been exciting and fulfilling and we feel fortunate that along the way, we became a part of many inspiring journeys of indie artists and the industry itself. This is an exciting time for us as we unveil the seventh season of Radio City Freedom Awards. Over the years, Radio City has built the most coveted platform for artists to showcase their talent and connect with music lovers. Once again we look forward to receiving nominations from across the country and listening to some exceptional music. We are confident that through Radio City Freedom Awards, we will continue bridging boundaries and strengthening the aura of indie culture.”

Radio City started supporting the indie music culture from 2012 with the launch of the first web radio station called Radio City Freedom. The following year, Radio City introduced Radio City Freedom Awards, the biggest platform in India for celebrating and recognizing indie musicians across genres and languages. Over the seven seasons, Radio City Freedom Awards is India’s only audited & indigenous award for Indie Artists.

Free Fire 2023 Esports Roadmap features two key tournaments taking place in May and November

Cairo, Egypt, February 28 2023 – Garena has announced the Free Fire 2023 Esports roadmap, unveiling updates to its international Esports tournament format. In addition to the flagship Free Fire World Series (FFWS) that will take place in November, fans and players can look forward to the very first Free Fire SEA Invitationals (FFSI) that will soon commence in May.

The new addition is coupled with various adjustments to the tournament format, which will now comprise two milestone stages — the Group Stage and Grand Finals — in an extended tournament period. These updates to Free Fire Esports are expected to shake up the competitive Free Fire scene and raise the bar for both players and fans.

There will be one team from Free Fire Middle East and Africa (MEA) representing the region in the FFSI. As currently Free Fire Middle East and Africa running their professional tier league “Free Fire MEA Super Star” from 18th February till 18th March 2023, The Champion of Free Fire MEA Super Star will qualify directly to the FFSI. The event has 2 divisions, each has 12 teams from different countries across MEA including the big names such as WASK team from Morocco “the Champion of Free Fire Arab league Season 5”, and Alpha team from Algeria “The Champion of Free Fire Arab League Season 6”, Clear Vision from Kuwait, Viking team from Iraq, Dictators team from Tunisia, Police team from Egypt, and many more.

Fans and players can look forward to two key tournaments in 2023 — FFSI and FFWS
This year, Free Fire Esports will launch the FFSI, a new multiregional tournament designed to focus on the rivalries between select competitive regions. Set to take place in May across three weekends, the FFSI will look to host 18 teams across the regions of MCPS , Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Europe, MEA , Taiwan, and Pakistan.

The iconic FFWS will also make its return in the second half of the year in November, featuring a spectacular line-up of the best Free Fire teams hailing from major competitive regions including Brazil and Latin America. Fans and players can look forward to an enhanced Esports experience, with more information to follow down the line.

Various Free Fire local leagues around the world will be held between February to April, and for a second time between July to October. Similar to previous years, local league rankings will determine the final teams promoted to FFSI and FFWS.

Upcoming key tournaments will feature a refreshed tournament format
Free Fire will introduce a new tournament format for its international Esports tournaments, which features a Group Stage and Grand Finals.

The Group Stage will take place over two weekends and will see 18 teams compete for 12 slots to the Grand Finals. The teams will be divided into 3 groups of 6, with 2 groups facing off across 6 games on each match day of the Group Stage. The top 12 teams based on the total number of points will then advance to the Grand Finals, which consists of 18 matches held across three days. Final placements will be based on the total points accumulated by the 12 finalist teams across the three days.

Newest adjustments seek to elevate Free Fire’s competitive landscape
The newest adjustments have been implemented with intentions of elevating the Free Fire Esports landscape. In the upcoming FFSI and FFWS, teams will be required to exhibit a greater level of skills, versatility, and consistency throughout all matches, and against different competitors. With an extended tournament period, Free Fire fans will also be able to fully immerse and progress along with their favorite teams and players as they strive to remain among the top Free Fire teams.

Stay tuned to the official Garena Free Fire Esports channels for exciting updates:
● Website
● YouTube
● Instagram

Free Fire can be downloaded on both the Apple iOS App and Google Play store.