MongoDB Hosts AI App Sessions for Thousands in 3 Indian Cities

From September 10 to 19, MongoDB will be hosting exciting .local events across three major cities in India: Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. The MongDB.local series provides developers and technology leaders an in-depth look at MongoDB’s latest innovations, as well as educational breakout sessions, real-world use cases, and 1:1 consulting opportunities.

The India events will kick off in Bengaluru, on September 10, 2024, before moving to Delhi on September 12 and Mumbai on September 19.

With a focus on generative AI, attendees at the .local India events will learn how to accelerate the delivery of production-scale, safe AI-enriched apps; unlock the benefits of edge computing; and build intelligent applications powered by semantic search and generative AI over any type of data.

A diverse lineup of MongoDB customers—including Observe.AI, Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Limited, WinZO, CARS24, Adani Group, ICICI Bank, Jio, and many more—will be presenting at the events. Notable industry leaders such as Chandrasekhar Buddha, Chief Coordinating Officer at AICTE, Ministry of Education, Government of India; Sandeep Jain, Founder & CEO of GeeksforGeeks; Shrey Batra, Founder & CEO of Cosmocloud; and Sachin Chawla, VP of India, at MongoDB, will also participate.

With thousands of developers, tech enthusiasts, and senior executives expected to attend, the Indian MongoDB.local events promise to be a platform for learning, collaboration, and innovation, and will help shape the future of technology across India.

Franklin Templeton launches Franklin India Medium to Long Duration Fund

Mumbai, 2 September, 2024: Franklin Templeton (India) announced the launch of its open-ended medium to long duration debt fund – Franklin India Medium to Long Duration Fund (FIMLDF). The fund will look to invest in debt and money market instruments like non-convertible debentures, bonds, certificates of deposits, commercial papers, treasury bills and government securities, while maintaining a duration between 4 and 7 years. FIMLDF will be managed by Chandni Gupta, VP & Portfolio Manager and Anuj Tagra, VP & Portfolio Manager, India Fixed Income, Franklin Templeton.

Commenting on the fund launch and its investment strategy, Chandni Gupta, Vice President & Portfolio Manager, India Fixed Income, Franklin Templeton, said, “FIMLDF will be dynamically managed, allowing it to adjust its duration exposure in response to changing macro environment, and it may be an ideal investment option for investors looking to deploy money in fixed income funds as a part of their strategic investment allocation.”

Anuj Tagra, Vice President & Portfolio Manager, India Fixed Income, Franklin Templeton, added, “We foresee robust domestic economic growth with a shallow rate cut cycle leading to a steeper yield curve. The fund aims to generate accrual income while opportunistically managing duration risk to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns.”

Speaking on the launch of the fund, Avinash Satwalekar, President, Franklin Templeton–India, said, “We are expanding our fixed income range, having identified gaps spanning major categories in the high credit space. FIMLDF caters to investors looking for a product that can adapt to market cycles and invest in quality debt instruments. Our investment team will use top-down analysis to determine portfolio maturity and a bottom-up approach to security selection and aim to invest in a mix of government securities and corporate debt. The Indian market offers great opportunity for long-term players like Franklin Templeton, and we plan to continue bringing innovative solutions, and global best practices to our investors and partners in India.”

Alliance Française Du BengaleAndTechno India University, West Bengal Join Forces To Launch Salt Lake Annex

Kolkata, 02-09-2024 – Alliance Française du Bengale (AFdB) is proud to announce the signing of a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Techno India University (TIU), West Bengal, solidifying a partnership that has flourished for over a decade. With the vision of strengthening the Indo-French bilateral linguistic and cultural cooperation within the Great Eastern Region of India, this collaboration marks the launch of the Salt Lake Annex of Alliance Française du Bengale, located on the Techno Main Salt Lake (TMSL) campus.

The signing ceremony will be held on August 29, 2023 (Thursday) at 2:00 pm at the premises of AllianceFrancaise du Bengale (57A Park Street, Park Mansions, Gate 3, Flat-15, Kolkata- 700016) in the gracious presence of Mr. Nicolas Facino, Director-Alliance Francaise du Bengale and Mr. Meghdut Roychowdhury,Executive Director & Chief Innovation Officer- Techno India University, West Bengal.

The MoU aims to establish the “Franco-Indian Centre of Excellence for Language and Culture,” a unique initiative designed to promote the French language and culture while facilitating academic collaborations between France and India. The partnership will see the creation of annexes dedicated to offering French language courses at three key locations: Techno India University, Techno Main Salt Lake, and various schools within the TIU group.

The Salt Lake Annex will offer French courses for children and adults every Saturday and Sunday. These courses will be open to both students of TIU/TMSL and the general public, with special discounts available for TIU/TMSL students.

Mr. Nicolas Facino, Director of Alliance Française du Bengale, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “This collaboration with Techno India University, an institution as dynamic and internationalized as Techno India, marks a significant step forward in our mission to promote the French language and culture in Eastern India. The Salt Lake Annex will serve as a vibrant hub for academic excellence and cultural exchange, bringing the best of France to the heart of Kolkata.”

Mr. Meghdut Roychowdhury, Executive Director & Chief Innovation Officer- Techno India University, West Bengal added, “This collaboration represents a powerful step towards nurturing a global perspective within our educational ecosystem. By bringing the rich heritage of the French language and culture closer to our students and the community, we are not just broadening their linguistic skills but also their worldview, fostering a true spirit of international cooperation. Having studied at HEC Paris and being personally connected to France through my wife, Pauline, this partnership holds special significance for me as it brings a cherished part of our lives into the heart of our academic community.”

The launch of the Salt Lake Annex reflects the enduring partnership between Alliance Française du Bengale and Techno India University, West Bengal, deepening the cultural and educational connections that unite France and India.

MARS Cosmetics Partners with Shoppers Stop to Expand Retail Presence Across India

New Delhi, 02 September 2024 ||MARS Cosmetics, a premier name in the beauty industry, is thrilled to announce its strategic partnership with Shoppers Stop, one of India’s most renowned retail chains. This collaboration aims to make MARS’ high-quality beauty products accessible to a broader audience across the country. In the upcoming days, MARS products will be available in 7 Shoppers Stop locations across key cities, including Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Vijayawada, Noida, and more.

This collaboration underscores MARS’ commitment to enhancing customer accessibility and convenience. The company plans to expand its presence to 40 Shoppers Stop stores across the country by the end of this fiscal year by offering a wide range of beauty products to customers in every corner of India.

Rishabh Sethia, Director & Business Administrator of MARS Cosmetics, shared his excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Shoppers Stop, a brand that shares our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. This partnership aligns with our mission to make MARS Cosmetics accessible to beauty enthusiasts across India. With our products now available at Shoppers Stop, we’re confident that our customers will enjoy a seamless shopping experience and also we look forward to expanding our presence even further in the coming months.”

MARS Cosmetics is known for 100% vegetarian & cruelty-free, innovative, and affordable beauty products designed for the modern consumer. The collaboration with Shoppers Stop is set to enhance MARS’ retail footprint and provide customers with easier access to their favorite beauty products.

Sightsavers India Fellows Graduate Ophthalmology Programme

Mumbai, 2nd September, 2024: Sightsavers India is proud to announce the successful completion of the India Fellowship Programme by a distinguished group of young ophthalmologists. This 24-month fellowship, running from August 2022 to July 2024, was designed to provide comprehensive training and hands-on experience in eye care, especially rural eye care.

The six graduating fellows – Dr. Mohd Saif, Dr. Reshma Sonowal, Dr. Faizah Shahreer Ahmad, Dr. Aniza Nagpal, Dr. Saamragye Srivastava, and Dr. M. Srinivasan Gounder -received their specialized training at two of India’s premier eye care institutions, Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, Delhi and ICare Noida. Over the course of the programme, they extended critical ophthalmic services to underserved rural communities, significantly enhancing the availability of eye care in these regions.

Achievements of the Fellows

· The graduating cohort addressed the need for quality eye care services in rural pockets across Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), Jhabua and Satna (Madhya Pradesh), Kalahandi (Odisha), Kasganj (Uttar Pradesh), and Hazaribagh (Jharkhand).

· They extended OPD services and undertook comprehensive clinical assessments of over a lakh rural beneficiaries and performed cataract surgeries for more than 14,000 individuals. Additionally, they participated in outreach camps in remote areas, offering their expertise to those who needed it the most.

· They actively participated in the RAAB (Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness) survey in Samastipur, Bihar which aimed to estimate the prevalence and causes of avoidable blindness and visual impairment in people above 50 years of age and yielded a helpful amount of data.

The India Fellowship Programme by Sightsavers India is a testament to the organization’s commitment to eliminating avoidable blindness and promoting equal opportunities for visually impaired individuals. By training and deploying skilled ophthalmologists in rural areas, the Fellows are making a tangible impact on the eye health sector.

“The success of our fellows is a proud moment for Sightsavers India. Their hard work and perseverance have brought hope and vision to thousands in rural communities,” said RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers India. “We are especially proud of the fact that they ventured into rural India and performed extensive fieldwork. They have set a high standard for future fellows and have made a lasting impact on the communities they served. We look forward to welcoming more dedicated fellows in the coming years and continuing our mission to eliminate avoidable blindness.”

BC Jindal Group Acquires Hyderabad Football Club

Mumbai, 2 September 2024: Jindal Football, under the ambit of the BC Jindal Group, one among India’s leading business houses, announces the acquisition of the sporting license of Indian Super League (ISL) team Hyderabad FC. This acquisition marks the BC Jindal Group’s first venture into the Indian sports ecosystem with the group’s overall focus on raising the aspirational value of sports in India, and providing a platform for young Indian talents to develop and compete at the global level.

Hyderabad FC, affectionately known as the Nawabs, is gearing up for the upcoming 2024-25 ISL season. Their campaign kicks off with an away match against Bengaluru FC on September 19, 2024. As ISL enters its 11th season, the league continues to stand as India’s premier football competition, dedicated to raising the standard of Indian football to international levels.

Founded on August 27, 2019, Hyderabad FC quickly made its mark by clinching the ISL title in the 2021-22 season, triumphing over Kerala Blasters in a thrilling final. The club plays its home games at the G.M.C Balayogi Athletic Stadium, located in the vibrant Hyderabad suburb of Gachibowli.

“With a population of 1.4 billion, India is a sleeping giant in the world of football. Our venture into the sport with Hyderabad FC is driven by a desire to uncover and address the obstacles facing Indian football. Our goal is to nurture home-grown talent and foster the growth of this beautiful game in India. We envision a future where Indian players compete at the highest international levels, and we dream of the day when India participates in the FIFA World Cup finals. This is the vision guiding our efforts in Indian football,” said a Hyderabad FC spokesperson on behalf of the new ownership.

Children’s brain tumours could be diagnosed with 10 minute scan

Newcastle University’s research has shown that children with the most common form of brain cancer could benefit from reduced diagnostic wait times, thanks to a new trial that offers a faster and less invasive method for determining tumor type.

In a groundbreaking study, published in eBioMedicine, a team of researchers from Newcastle University and the University of Birmingham, have discovered a new trial that offers a faster and less invasive method for determining tumor type in children with brain cancer, therefore reducing the diagnostic wait time. The research was funded by the Children with Cancer UK and Cancer Research UK.

Transforming Treatment Approaches

The research involved analyzing cell samples from 86 tumors, using a laboratory test to accurately identify metabolic markers, including chemicals specific to various tumor groups. The study also confirmed earlier research showing that glutamate, a metabolite found across all tumor cells, is closely linked to tumor prognosis.

Importantly, this research could lead to the use of MRI scanning combined with machine learning to assess medulloblastomas based on their unique metabolic profiles, potentially eliminating the need for invasive biopsies and significantly reducing the current 3-4 week wait from initial presentation to full diagnosis.

Professor Steve Clifford, Director of the Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, who co-led the study, said: “Providing a rapid diagnosis using innovative scanning and Artificial Intelligence techniques has the potential to revolutionise patient management, allowing early non-invasive diagnosis, tailoring of treatment decisions and reducing the period of uncertainty for patients and parents while awaiting a full diagnosis.

“Further, our biological findings provide critical new insights into the metabolism underpinning these tumours, and the potential to exploit these therapeutically.”

Jack Bourne, Age Six

These findings could be life-changing for children like Jack Bourne, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma at the age of six in March 2023.

Jack’s father, Tom, shared their story: “We’ve been through 13 months of treatment but six weeks of that was just waiting to find out what type of tumour he had. We were so scared.”

Jack began experiencing sickness and headaches shortly after starting school, which doctors initially attributed to possible separation anxiety or vertigo. However, when his parents, Tom and Suzanna, noticed he was struggling to walk, they sought a second opinion, leading to an immediate hospital referral.

“When they told me the results of the MRI scan, I didn’t know what to feel,” said Tom. “As we were trying to digest everything, they were asking us to sign consent forms because they wanted to operate first thing the next morning. You’re reading these forms and all you see is – he might not make it out alive. It’s heartbreaking, it really is.”

Jack survived a 10-hour surgery to remove the tumor, but it took over four weeks for doctors to determine the exact type of medulloblastoma so they could treat it effectively.

Tom emphasized the importance of research in improving diagnosis: “The research that’s going into diagnosing tumours is really important. In Jack’s case there was quite a delay while they sent his tumour to Great Ormond Street to be analysed. During that time Jack was given some chemo just to start things off because they just wanted to do something rather than just wait. But all you want is for your child to be given the best possible treatment right from the start.”

Enhancing Outcomes

Medulloblastoma is the second most common brain tumor in children and the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Each year, around 52 children in the UK are diagnosed with this cancer, though it is rare in adults.

Christiana Ogunbote, Head of Research at Children with Cancer UK, stated: “We are incredibly proud to help fund this innovative medulloblastoma research and are excited to see how it could change the experiences of children diagnosed with this disease and their families. Discovering new ways to improve outcomes for children with cancer is at the heart of what we are trying to achieve. Through continued ahannah.churchill@alzheimers.org.uknd sustained investments in research we look forward to a day where every child can survive their cancer diagnosis.”

Dr. Laura Danielson, Children’s and Young People’s Research Lead at Cancer Research UK, added: “Developing quicker, less invasive ways to accurately diagnose the different types of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumour in children, is a crucial step in improving outcomes for young patients. This important study has identified a new way to distinguish between the four subgroups of medulloblastoma. This discovery paved the way for the development of simple imaging tests that could quickly and accurately diagnose the different types of medulloblastoma. This kind of discovery research is important to drive new and improved ways to detect better and treat cancers affecting children and young people.”

Turkish Airlines Completes Financing of Two Airbus A350 Aircraft in Swiss Franc with KfW IPEX-Bank

Bengaluru, 2 September 2024: Turkish Airlines, flying to more international destinations than any other airline, continues to expand its fleet with new aircraft acquisitions. Reaffirming its leading position time and again in this regard, the national flag carrier has completed another unique financing transaction.

Two new-generation Airbus A350 aircraft that joined the flag carrier’s fleet in August 2024 are financed in Swiss Franc by KfW IPEX-Bank under the guarantee of European Export Credit Agencies. This unique transaction showcases Turkish Airlines’ ability to diversify and extend its financier base geographically as well as demonstrates a strong financial management approach to take advantage of cost efficiency while minimizing currency risks.

Commenting on the closing of this transaction, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Board and the Executive Committee, Assoc. Prof. Murat Şeker stated; “This landmark deal between Turkish Airlines and KfW IPEX-Bank reaffirms our commitment to long-term sustainability goals by modernizing our fleet with new-generation aircraft. We are pleased to strengthen our cooperation with KfW IPEX-Bank through this CHF currency transaction, which aligns with our diversification strategies in aircraft financing. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with KfW IPEX-Bank.”

Sebastian Blum, Global Head of Mobility at KfW IPEX-Bank expressed that “We are happy to continue and strengthen the long-lasting relationship with our customer Turkish Airlines. Supporting our client’s fleet modernization fits very well with our ambition to contribute to the transformation in mobility in Europe and worldwide.”

Equipped with the most fuel-efficient engines, the modern Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft form an important part of Turkish Airlines’ core long-haul fleet.

Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Türkiye, flies to more countries than any other airline and ranks among the ten largest airlines globally. The global brand has recently signed a significant purchase agreement with Airbus for 355 aircraft, positioning Turkish Airlines for one of the largest fleet expansions in the coming years.