7, Feb 2024
Amazfit Launches the Amazfit Active Smartwatch
New Delhi, 7th February 2024 – Amazfit, a leading global smart wearable brand owned by Zepp Health, a health technology company, introduces the Amazfit Active Smartwatch, setting new standards in style, AI power, and wellness integration. Rooted in the vision of fostering holistic wellness, this state-of-the-art smartwatch seamlessly merges style, lasting power, and advanced wellness features. Boasting a vibrant 1.75″ HD AMOLED display framed by an elegant stainless-steel frame, the Amazfit Active Smartwatch offers an immersive visual experience while ensuring enduring comfort with its lightweight design.
Packed with cutting-edge features, including the AI-driven Zepp Coach™, precise navigation through five satellite systems, and comprehensive health monitoring, this smartwatch stands as an indispensable companion on your wellness journey. Amazfit envisions a world where technology effortlessly integrates with daily life, promoting a balanced and active lifestyle.
Speaking on the launch, Mr CP Khandelwal, CEO PR Innovations, Official Brand empowerment partner of Amazfit in India, stated, “With the release of the Amazfit Active Smartwatch, we take a significant stride toward realizing Amazfit’s mission of empowering a holistic approach to well-being through seamless technology integration into everyday life. This launch signifies our commitment to empowering individuals on their wellness journey, providing a stylish and powerful companion that transcends the ordinary. By combining effortless style, enduring power, and advanced wellness features, we envision a future where our users effortlessly balance their active pursuits with a focus on comprehensive health.”
AI POWER Unleashed with Zepp Coach™: The Zepp Coach™, powered by artificial intelligence, is at the heart of the Amazfit Active Smartwatch. This AI-driven personal coach caters to users of all training backgrounds, providing more efficient, personalized, and safe workouts. The Zepp Coach™ introduces scientific training methods, evaluating the user’s physical fitness, fatigue level, and training status based on exercise intensity. Whether advising on increasing exercise, suggesting rest, or altering training intensity, the Zepp Coach™ ensures a personalized approach for optimal results.
Lightweight & Stylish Design: The Amazfit Active smartwatch boasts a stylish and feather-light design, weighing just 24g for unparalleled comfort. Crafted with precision, the watch features a robust aluminum alloy middle frame seamlessly integrated into its sleek body. Complementing its elegance is a soft and skin-friendly silicone strap, ensuring both style and comfort. The large 1.75” HD color display with a remarkable 73% screen-to-body ratio delivers an immersive visual experience with 390 x 450 pixels and 341 ppi. The always-on display feature ensures visibility at all times, enhancing the user experience.
STAY HEALTHY
Readiness Score: The Amazfit Active goes beyond traditional health monitoring with its innovative Readiness Score. This score, derived from data such as heart rate, stress, sleep, HRV, respiration, and temperature, assesses your physical readiness each morning. Taking into account both physical and mental recovery, the Readiness Score provides personalized suggestions for the day, contributing to overall well-being.
24H Heart Rate, SPO2, Stress Monitoring: The smartwatch prioritizes comprehensive health management, offering continuous 24-hour monitoring of heart rate, blood-oxygen saturation, and stress levels. With just a click, users can quickly measure these vital health indicators. Additionally, the device features sleep quality monitoring, the PAI health assessment system, and more, providing users with a holistic approach to health and fitness.
STAY ACTIVE
120+ Sports Modes & Smart Recognition: Catering to a wide range of sports enthusiasts, the smartwatch supports tracking data for over 120 sports and employs smart recognition technology for seven sports. The Peakbeats™ workout status algorithm and Virtual Pacer provide motivation, making fitness routines dynamic and engaging.
5 Satellite Positioning Systems & Route Navigation: Equipped with five satellite positioning systems, the Amazfit Active ensures precise navigation. Circularly-polarized antenna technology enhances positioning accuracy, making it a reliable companion for those who want to know exactly where they’re going.
STAY SMART
Connectivity: The smartwatch brings connectivity to the forefront, allowing users to make and receive Bluetooth phone calls directly on the device. The built-in microphone and speaker enable seamless communication. Users can also take control of their phone’s music directly from the watch, adding convenience to workouts and enhancing motivation.
Amazon Alexa Built-In: Adding a touch of intelligence, the Amazfit Active comes with built-in Amazon Alexa, serving as a smart assistant on the wrist. Users can ask Alexa questions, set alarms and timers, check the weather, and more, further elevating the smartwatch’s capabilities.
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- By Rabindra
7, Feb 2024
Usha’s Cool Touch Electric Kettle – The Perfect Buy for the Chic ‘n’ Smart!
The timeless charm of iconic pale pink never goes out of style and that’s exactly the sentiment for all the diehard romantics the Usha Cool Touch Electric Kettle caters to. So, this Valentine’s Day, if you are looking for something special that’s a blend of chic and practical, it’s this quaint pretty kettle that will tug at the right heartstrings. This delightfully beautiful kettle is sure to infuse a dash of quirk to any kitchen, making it an indulgence for yourself or loved ones.
This kettle makes for a perfect companion for swiftly and safely boiling water for coffee, tea, or any other hot beverage. Its exterior remains cool to the touch, even during operation, prioritizing user safety and eliminating the risk of accidental burns.
Featuring a sleek and modern design with an ergonomic handle and spout to facilitate effortless pouring, this kettle not only introduces fresh colour but also adds a contemporary quotient to your kitchen. Made using premium material, the 1.8L electric kettle is both durable and efficient. The stainless-steel build ensures longevity, and the rapid-boil technology guarantees minimal waiting time for your favourite hot beverages.
So, elevate your kitchen experience with Usha’s Cool Touch Electric Kettle – a perfect blend of style and functionality. And you don’t really need a Valentine’s Day as an excuse to buy this, that’s how pretty it is.
7, Feb 2024
Sintex, a Welspun World Company Secures PVCO Pipe Technology, Inks Exclusive Partnership
New Delhi, 7 Feb 2024 — Sintex, a Welspun World company signed a definitive agreement with leading European supplier Rollepaal under which Rollepaal will supply its state-of-art high quality PVCO pipes manufacturing lines exclusively to Sintex in India. With the signing of this agreement, Sintex is set to write a new chapter in PVCO pipes manufacturing in India with the already well established cutting-edge technology for PVCO products.
The agreement to this effect was signed between Mr. Ashish Prasad, CEO, Sintex, and Mr Henk Hoven, CEO, Rollepaal in presence of Mr. BK Goenka, Chairman of Welspun World.
Rollepaal, renowned for its expertise and high quality standards in machine manufacturing will provide Sintex with RBlue extrusion lines for PVCO Pipes. Rollepaal’s patented RBlue extrusion lines are designed to enhance efficiency and productivity in manufacturing highest quality PVCO Pipes for potable water applications while minimizing production costs in line with world class standards. Rollepaal has affirmed its ownership of the requisite technology and technical know-how, positioning Sintex to deliver top-tier products to its consumers.
Commenting on the deal, Mr. Ashish Prasad, CEO of Sintex said “Sintex has been synonymous with providing water solutions for 50 years and has been at the forefront of innovations in this segment with many industry-firsts’ breakthrough technologies. The securing of cutting-edge PVC-O technology through our exclusive partnership with Rollepaal marks the next significant leap for our company.” He further added, “This deal is significant step towards our commitment to enhance India’s ability as a country to build water infrastructure faster and in a resource efficient manner.”
Mr. Henk Hoven, CEO of Rollepaal said, “Rollepaal is happy to partner with Sintex in their PVC-O journey. We proudly support them in achieving their vision. This agreement underscores our long term presence and commitment to the Indian market.”
Indian government’s focus on providing tap water supply through schemes like Har Ghar Jal Yojana & Jal Jeevan Mission is leading to an increased demand for plastic pipes owing to their excellent resistance to corrosion, ensuring long-term safety of water supply system. According to industry estimates, the PVC pipes industry in India is poised to grow at CAGR of 14.18% by 2029. Sintex aims to play a key role in this growth by infusing technological advances to upend the standards in building segment in India, beginning with PVC-O pipes.
Welspun World, a US$ 3 billion diversified conglomerate with a strong presence in textiles, steel, line pipes, and flooring solutions, acquired Sintex, a leading manufacturer of water storage tanks and other plastic products through its flagship company Welspun Corp Limited.
7, Feb 2024
My take on ‘take’: Dr Birbal Jha
By Dr Birbal Jha
The word ‘take’ is a general term applicable to any manner of getting someone or something into one’s possession or control as in ‘he took the paper and gave it to me’. Thus, the basic meaning of ‘take’ is to lay hold of something with your hands and gain its possession. In other words, taking something means gaining its possession, whereas giving something means transferring the possession to someone else. For example, let me take a pen and sign those documents once I’m convinced. Then you can take them to the authority as required. However, it has many other figurative and extended meanings, such as I take comfort/ delight in interacting with you.
Remember that ‘take’ is a transitive verb. Hence, it takes an object. Take /teɪk/ falls under the category of irregular verbs as opposed to the regular verbs that end in -ed when they turn into V2 and V3. The second form of take is ‘took’ which has a soft pronunciation— /tʊk/. The third form is ‘taken’, and ‘taking’ and ‘takes’ are the fourth and fifth forms respectively.
Take is one of the most often-used words in English. It is used in many different ways and contexts. Remember that ‘take’ as a dummy verb is used with nouns to say that somebody is doing something, performing an action, etc. In other words, take is used in conjunction with a noun referring to an action. For example, take/ have a look at the sentence. I have taken/ made a decision to brush up (on) my English, taking a break from my job. Hence, I’m taking a course at British Lingua.
To keep my mind and body fresh, I take/ have a shower religiously. Further, I take a deep breath and release air slowly during yoga. It takes a bit of time. But then, it is good for wellbeing. I take a yoga mat to the park where I do yoga. If you take something from one place to another, you carry it there. General advice is not to forget to take/ carry your ID card when you go out.
Have and take are both commonly used with nouns as their objects. There is often a difference between British and American usage. As an example of British usage, I take a bath on a regular basis. The phrase “I take a bath” is typical of American usage. To take a walk or nap is an American usage whereas to go for a walk/ ride/ swim or have a nap is British.
The verb ‘take’ is not used when anything is moved to the speaker or listener. For example, you can’t say, can you take me the book from the desk, please? The correct sentence would be, can you bring me the book from the desk, please? Further, ‘take’ is not used when talking about having a meal or a drink. ‘We took dinner together yesterday ‘is the wrong expression. To correct it, ‘took has to be replaced by ‘had’
To be honest, I must tell you that Laloo can speak English very well, but some people take a dig at his accent because he comes from Bihar. To take a dig or jab or jibe means to make a sarcastic or insulting remark or criticism at someone.
If you say that I’m going to take an exam or test, it means you are a student, and you will write the answers to the set of questions given. In other words, your teacher or an authority gives you an exam, and you take it, sit it, or write it.
It takes time to do something. If something takes a certain amount of time, you need that amount of time to do it. This article is a three-minute read. It means it will take three minutes to read it. Anyway, how much time does it take you to finish an article on the editorial page?
Bring, fetch, carry, and take appear to be synonyms for certain meanings. However, each of them has varying uses. At times, they are not interchangeable.
Happen, occur, and take place look to be similar. They have a similar meaning. But the first two are used to talk about events that are not planned, whereas take place is used to talk about either planned or unplanned events
7, Feb 2024
Cisco’s Pioneering Identity Intelligence Defends Against Most Persistent Cyber Threat
CISCO LIVE EMEA, AMSTERDAM, Feb.7, 2024 — Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the leader in security and networking, today unveiled new innovations within the Cisco Security Cloud as part of its mission to simplify security. First-of-its kind Cisco Identity Intelligence and continued innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities are the latest milestones towards its vision of a unified, AI-driven, cross-domain security platform.
Cisco is introducing an industry-first approach that brings together identity, networking and security to better protect organizations’ complex identity stack against increasingly sophisticated attacker techniques.
Today there is blind trust between authentication and access solutions, and threat actors have successfully compromised some of the largest organizations in the world in 2023 by targeting these weaknesses. In fact, more than 26% of all Cisco Talos Incident Response engagements in 2023 involved adversaries using compromised credentials on valid accounts.
A user is often mapped to many digital identities and accounts – drastically increasing entry points for attackers and the possibility of lateral movement “across” identities. Too often legacy permissions have not been removed, and security teams are missing crucial context about historical identity behavior, actions across systems and current risk levels that are needed to make trusted access decisions.
Cisco Identity Intelligence runs on top of customers’ existing identity stores and provides unified visibility, as well as AI-driven analytics. Customers can discover their whole identity population, clean up vulnerable accounts, eliminate unused and risky privileges, detect behavior anomalies and block high-risk access attempts – without ripping and replacing their current solutions.
While multifactor authentication (MFA) remains a critical first line of defense against identity-based attacks, malicious actors are using new and creative ways to steal credentials. According to the 2024 Duo Trusted Access Report, Cisco Duo processed 16 billion authentications in 2023, up 41% annually, and saw weaker forms of MFA like SMS and phone calls dip to an all-time low of 5%, yet the volume of identity attacks is higher than ever.
“Identity is the fabric that connects humans, devices and applications in the workplace, and has become an easy target for modern cybersecurity attacks. Organizations need to adopt an identity-first approach to security, which among other things allows them to evolve from just asking ‘can’ a user access a system to continuously assessing whether a user ‘should’ be able to do what they are doing once they are authenticated,” said Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco. “By analyzing the entire attack surface of an organization’s users, machines, services, apps, data and their behaviors, Cisco Identity Intelligence bridges the chasm between authentication and access. We are the first vendor bringing together identity, networking and security into a complete solution to address the largest cyber challenge of modern times.”
Cisco Identity Intelligence is built on a powerful identity graph that pulls data from customers’ many existing third-party sources that manage identity and access. With AI-driven behavioral analytics and Cisco’s unmatched reach into the network, organizations can take a graduated response, such as quarantining an identity, killing active sessions or isolating the network leveraging Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE). Cisco customers will gain visibility with these critical insights through their existing solutions, including:
- Smart Authentication with Cisco Duo: Detect unusual patterns based on behavior and third-party signals.
- Smart Access with Cisco Secure Access: Verify the authentication decision and block unusual or high-risk behaviors.
- Smart Threat Detection with Cisco XDR: Correlate identity signals to provide missing information that traditional endpoint and network security solutions miss.
Cisco Identity Intelligence will be available July 2024. With the addition of Identity Intelligence to the Cisco Security Cloud, customers will get even more value from their existing investments.
“Hybrid work and modern multi, hybrid cloud IT architectures have evolved the perimeter to be based on Identity. The reality is that this modern identity includes islands of embedded legacy identity and corresponding directories, creating a complex, forever-evolving problem. Thus, a zero-trust future does not exist without identity having a prominent seat at the cybersecurity table,” said Frank Dickson, Group Vice President, Security & Trust, IDC. “Cisco now bridges the two worlds of identity and security to offer actionable visibility.”
“Identity is the new perimeter to protect and it’s an ongoing challenge for enterprises as witnessed by recent security breaches. Identity threat detection and response (ITDR) aims to converge identity and security, strengthening controls tied to authenticated access leveraging multiple data sources and analytics,” said Will Townsend, Vice President & Principal Analyst, Moor Insights & Strategy. “Cisco’s announcement is a step forward, combining identity intelligence and actionable insights with its existing network visibility, XDR orchestration, Secure Access and Duo access capabilities.”
Continued AI Momentum
Cisco continues to make AI pervasive across the Cisco Security Cloud to help to tip the scales in favor of defenders, including the recently unveiled Cisco AI Assistant for Security, which helps customers make informed decisions, augment their tool capabilities and automate complex tasks. On the heels of launching the AI Assistant for firewall, today, Cisco’s rapid pace of innovation is on display with additional groundbreaking AI capabilities:
AI Assistant in Secure Access: Leveraging the power of generative AI, customers can create security access policies using natural language prompts within Cisco’s Secure Services Edge (SSE) solution.
Securing AI: New capabilities in Secure Access will also automatically detect and protect intellectual property (IP) as it flows in and out of AI systems.
AI-based Email Threat Detection: Cisco Email Threat Defense now uses AI to simultaneously evaluate different portions of an incoming email for markers of malicious intent.
Secure Connectivity
Cisco is integrating its robust Networking capabilities with Cisco Secure Access. Experience Insights, powered by Cisco ThousandEyes improves productivity for hybrid workers by quickly revealing connectivity and application issues and fostering faster resolution. There is no additional cost for this feature, as it is included in all Secure Access licenses. Cisco Secure Access also now integrates Catalyst SD-WAN, for a complete Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offering.
7, Feb 2024
ONGC signs Cooperation Agreement with TotalEnergies
Bangalore | 07February 2024: On the occasion of India Energy Week 2024, ONGC signed a Cooperation Agreement with TotalEnergies to carry out methane emissions detection and measurement campaigns using TotalEnergies’ pioneer AUSEA (Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications) technology.
The Cooperation Agreement was signed by Country Chair of TotalEnergies in India Dr. Sangkaran Ratnam, and ONGC Director (Exploration) Sushma Rawat on 6 February 2024.
ONGC has been inviting international technology partners to help reduce its methane emissions in India by 2030, while TotalEnergies has decided to share its AUSEA technology in an effort to pivot the whole industry towards zero methane emissions by 2030. Both companies are party to the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), global industry initiative launched at COP28.
ONGC joins a growing list of national companies who have signed cooperation agreements with TotalEnergies for the use of AUSEA including Petrobras in Brazil, SOCAR in Azerbaijan, Sonangol in Angola and NNPCL in Nigeria.
One-of-a-kind technology by TotalEnergies, the AUSEA gas analyzer is mounted on a drone, and was developed by TotalEnergies and its R&D partners. Consisting of a dual sensor capable of detecting methane and carbon dioxide emissions, AUSEA identifies their source at the same time. This technology marks a step change in methane emissions detection and measurement compared to traditional techniques. By allowing access to hard-to-reach emission points, on all types of industrial facilities, both offshore and offshore, AUSEA is reputed as one of the most accurate technologies in the industry.
“Our industry’s priority in the fight against climate change is to slash methane emissions from operations. Aiming for zero methane emissions by 2030 is our collective ambition as signatories of the OGDC at COP28. We are pleased to collaborate and make our AUSEA technology available to ONGC, in India, to detect, measure and eventually reduce methane emissions on their own assets”, said the Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanné.
Commenting on the pact, ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh said “In line with our collective ambitions as signatories of the OGDC at COP28, ONGC is scouting for new technologies to reduce its methane emissions by 50 % by 2027 and by 80% in 2030 compared to 2020. The introduction of the AUSEA technology will further strengthen our efforts to achieve zero methane emissions by 2038.”
TotalEnergies, a pioneer in slashing down methane emissions. After halving its methane emissions from its operated sites between 2010 and 2020, TotalEnergies set ambitious targets to step up its efforts and reduce methane emissions by a further 50% by 2025 – with the ambition to reach this target a year early, in 2024 – and by 80% in 2030, compared to 2020.
TotalEnergies is also committed to promoting the United Nations Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP 2.0) framework with other national and international oil companies. The Company has now held the OGMP Gold standard status for the three years in a row.
7, Feb 2024
4Day Workshop on Public Speaking
Public speaking is a skill, not a talent. It can be learnt easily: Public Speaking expert
Hyderabad, February 07, 2024….…… Media Junction”, a specialist school for Public Speaking announced its latest batch of 4 Day Workshop on Effective Public Speaking. The four-day session will be held from February 8th to 11th, from 6 pm to 9.30 pm. It will be held at the Premises of Media Junction at Ground Floor 4A, Parthani Towers, Golconda Cross Roads, Musheerabad, Hyderabad.
The Workshop will be conducted by public speaking enthusiasts and communications practitioner D. Ramchandram of Solus Media.
Media Junction has been the pioneer in organising this exclusive workshop on the subject uninterruptedly for the past 19 years. The workshop is targeted at Politicians, Businessmen, Startup Leaders, Corporate Executives, Professionals such as Lawyers, Doctors, Sales, Marketing, Teaching, IT Professionals and everybody and anybody.
For many, “Mike is a bomb”, informs D. Ramchandram, the public speaking trainer. And they continue to suffer all through their life. Thankfully, there is a solution to this problem. Everybody can speak well with a little bit of instruction and guidance. Anyone can master public speaking, added Ram, who has hundreds of workshops to his credit.
“Public speaking is a skill, not a talent”. It can be easily acquired. Please don’t assume that you need to be born a natural public speaker. It is a learnable skill. You need this skill to promote your business/profession to customers, and investors. You can’t outsource public speaking; as an entrepreneur, it’s up to you to be the face of your business. Speakers are leaders and leaders are speakers.
Media Junction gives you the guarantee that you will be able to speak confidently in four days. Give me the dumbest man/woman in the world, we can make him or her “say what he or she wants to say” informs Kalpana, Director of Media Junction.
The workshop teaches the art of Speech Making, Writing, Body Language, Impromptu Speeches, humorous speeches, Content Management for Speech Preparation etc and many such relevant subjects.
7, Feb 2024
Trend of Kamanewala Ghar on the rise in India
The travel bug has caught the imagination of the Indian people and we are seeing the highest figures recorded ever, in the last two to three years. Domestic tourism is seeing a steep growth trajectory as compared to foreign tourism. Travel entails huge cost and now people have realized that hotel stay contributes to a major portion of these costs. Investing in a Resort Home is the new trend that is fast catching the attention of people, where you earn attractive and regular monthly rental income from your property, with zero maintenance and at the same time also enjoy a vacation at your resort home during the year.
There are a number of factors that have contributed to this trend of letting your home earn for you. The new generation of Indians are looking at investments that give the highest returns in the shortest time frame, whilst they can still enjoy a vacation with the family; that too, a paid one.
Further elaborating on this concept Dr. Sachin Chopda, Managing Director, Pushpam Group said, “We have been running a campaign which we have aptly coined “Kamanewala Ghar” – which means a house that earns for you. This allows the investor to retain ownership of his property, earn attractive returns with zero maintenance cost, in addition to holidaying at the resort for a certain number of days in a year. So, in short, he is on a perpetual holiday with absolutely no cost to him. Most importantly, this property becomes an asset to him as it appreciates over a period of time. So, maybe after a few years down the line, if he decides to sell it, he stands to earn huge profits from the sale.”
India’s second & holiday homes, once believed to be trophy assets for the selected few, are now increasingly becoming mainstream. The market is presently sized north of USD 2.1 billion and is growing at a commendable rate of 23.6%, as per a recent research.
Investment in a resort home is a pragmatic decision that an investor makes as it offers assured and significant returns in the short and long term. Most resort homes are low cost investments but with high appreciation value. These resort homes are professionally managed wherein the investor has no maintenance cost to bear, but only stands to gain from his investment, from day one; with benefits accrued, over a period of time.
Tourism in India has got a major boost due to a number of large infrastructure projects that have improved connectivity within the country. This has resulted in people not hesitating to enjoy a holiday or even invest in a resort home of their liking, as they can now travel much faster and with greater ease, to reach their holiday destination.
Beach tourism is the most popular among places visited by tourists across the world. For people living in Mumbai and Pune, Alibaug is panning out to be the most sought-after holiday destination for a short weekend break. It is popular as it is situated on the scenic Konkan coastal town of Alibaug; just a few hours’ drive from Mumbai and ninety minutes’ drive from the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. The inauguration of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) is having a significant impact on the investment landscape for resort homes in Alibaug. This 22 km-long sea bridge has dramatically shortened the travel time between Mumbai and Alibaug by about 45 minutes, making it a highly attractive investment destination.
Pushpam Group, a major player in resort homes, is developing a resort home in Alibaug named Balibaug. It is being designed, inspired by Bali’s temples and palace architecture. This resort will consist of 2 &3 BHK luxury villas with private pool and gardens, open shower, terrace Jacuzzi, international standard interiors, sloping roofs, decorative crowns and other Balinese elements. In addition, the resort will have 20 plus amenities like 3 restaurants, spa, banquet hall, party lawn, gym, etc. The resort will employ green practices like rain water harvesting system, EV Charging station in addition to Wi-Fi facility and generation backup for its residents.
In conclusion, we can safely conclude that an investment in a resort home is a rational one, looking at the immense potential that it provides to investors and home buyers alike, over the years ahead.
7, Feb 2024
Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsava Day-3 Marks the Return to Roots
Alandi, Pune, 7 February 2024: The tone of the day was set with the Haripath written by Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Ji in a set of 28 Marathi Abhangas by 750 Warkari students organised by Geeta Pariwar. Followed by Chiranjeev Pujan, a ceremony to pay obeisance to spiritual gurus as a mark of respect.
The 2 nd day of Shrimad Bhagavad Katha Saptaha began by paying respect to all the Spiritual Gurus present. Today being the Shat Tila Ekadashi happens to be the day when Param Pujya Swami Shri Govind Giriji Maharaj was born. Kathakar Pujya Swami Shri Rajendradasji Maharaj quoted, “Persons of great significance are destined to be born on a divinely auspicious day, and Swami ji happens to be one of those greats. Today’s focus in the discourse is on the attainment of the divine through the simplest path.” He further stated, “There remains nothing else to attain in this world after the attainment of the divine.” The scriptures highlight the wisdom of our scholars, suggesting that understanding even a single syllable of the secret scriptures may take many lifetimes.
Swamiji also said, “प्रमाद ही मृत्यु है, प्रमाद को जीत लिया तो मृत्यु को जीत लिया।“ It alludes, “Carelessness is death, but if carelessness in conquered, death has been conquered.” Sharing his perception, he also added, “One who is referred to as sleeping like a log is kalyug. One who is yawning is Dwapar Yug. One who is steadfast in performing his duties is Treta Yug. One who is disposed to perform one’s duties diligently or with mastery is Satyug.
A rejuvenating atmosphere descended on the 3rd day of Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsava with the revival of the rich Guru-shishya tradition in its enriching form- The Vedshastra Samvad, an interactive debate involving many Vedic scholars from all corners of our nation. This captivating event became one of the cornerstones of the ceremony, highlighting the importance of our ancient tradition of imparting wisdom.
Vedshastra ensured the legacy of oral rendition of Vedas & scriptures carried forward. Param Pujya Swami Shri Govind Giriji Maharaj’s vision is to revive this traditional method that got concealed for various reasons over a period. It was a great experience for all present to witness this event with the presence of great scholars from across the country.
Amidst the vibrant atmosphere of recognition and accolades, the Sant Pujan ceremony took place, where revered spiritual gurus got acknowledged for their unwavering commitment towards fostering spiritual growth and community well-being. Many acclaimed Vedic Scholars who have scaled greater heights in their field of expertise were honoured as per Swamiji’s wish of felicitating the men of wisdom during the ongoing celebrations.
Kerala Governor Shri Arif Ji Mohammad Khan presided over today’s celebration, where spiritual gurus M.M. Geeta Manishi Shri Gyananandji Maharaj, Shri Lokesh Muniji Maharaj, Pujya Swami Shri Visveshwaranand Giriji Maharaj, Shri Sadanandji Maharaj, Pujya Maruti Kurekar Maharaj were felicitated by Param Pujya Shri Govind Dev Girji Maharaj and the Governor. He paid respect to all those present in this divine place Devachi Alandi to carry out the Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsava- celebrating 75 years of Swamiji.
Expressing his views, the Governor expressed, “This celebration is a celebration of wisdom, devotion and Swamiji’s mission of awakening the nation’s consciousness and power in the individual, society & universally too, and for the well-being of mankind at large. The Governor stated, “What does the legacy of our Saints says- “संतो भूमि तपसा धर्यन्ति” which means the saints sustain the land through their penance and devotion.
The day-long celebration concluded with an enchanting Kirtan Sandhya by H.B.P. Shri Chaitanya Maharaj ji Deglurkar.
Reflecting on the importance of Vedshastra Samvad, Pujya Swami Shri Govind Giriji Maharaj expressed, “It’s our age-old Guru-Shishya tradition that gave us access to the knowledge and scriptures. Our Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita, along with other ancient texts, have been transmitted through virtuous Indian roots. Vedshastra Samvad serves as a platform for exchanging
ideas and disseminating ancient wisdom, ensuring the continuity of our rich cultural legacy.”
Geeta Bhakti Amrit Mahotsava continues to be a beacon of cultural richness, celebrating the traditions that connect generations and provide profound insights into our rich Indian heritage.
7, Feb 2024
Indian Government Doubles Cybersecurity Funding from Rs 400 Cr to Rs 750 Cr 2024
The landscape of cybersecurity in India is set to undergo a significant transformation as the 2024 interim budget reflects a momentous decision by the Indian government. In a strategic move to fortify the nation’s digital defenses, the allocation for cybersecurity projects has witnessed an unprecedented surge. From a modest Rs 30 crore in 2022-2023, the budget allocation experienced a substantial leap in the 2023-2024 period, reaching Rs 400 crore. However, the most noteworthy revelation lies in the latest budget, where the Indian government has nearly doubled the allocation, elevating it to a formidable Rs 750 crore for the fiscal year 2024-2025. These substantial funds are predominantly dedicated to projects spearheaded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Dr. Kailash Katkar, Managing Director of Quick Heal Technologies Limited, mentioned “I applaud the government’s dedication to advancing our nation comprehensively, focusing on the pillars of demography, democracy, and diversity. The ‘Sabka Prayas’ approach promotes inclusive growth, a vital component of our progress. The doubling of the allocation for cybersecurity projects reflects a commitment towards making India ‘atamnirbhar’ in the cybersecurity sector, evident from measures like the announcement of a one lakh crore rupees interest-free loan over fifty years, which will catalyze entrepreneurship. Strengthening deep-tech technologies for defense purposes is also a step in the right direction.
The emphasis on robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and cutting-edge technologies, coupled with the recognition of increased digital risks, underscores the immediate need for heightened cyber safety awareness and secure digital practices. As our nation actively contributes to economic growth, the role of cybersecurity providers becomes even more crucial in ensuring holistic protection for individuals, businesses, and government enabling a digitally resilient ecosystem thereby creating cyber secure India.”
Raj Sivaraju, President APAC, Arete IR LLP added, “We appreciate the Union Government’s visionary commitment to nurturing a Golden Era for our tech-savvy youth. The substantial boost in funding for cybersecurity projects in the 2024 interim budget stands as a testament to our nation’s recognition of the pivotal role technology plays in our lives. As we embark on this journey of digital transformation, the infusion of Rs 750 crore, nearly doubling the allocation from the previous year, reaffirms our collective responsibility to fortify our cyber defenses.
In the words of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, ‘As innovation is the foundation of development,’ let us harness this financial impetus not only to secure our digital landscape but also to catalyze pioneering research in the sunrise sectors.
The increased investment underscores the government’s commitment to staying ahead of evolving cyber threats, ushering in an era where technological changes empower our nation and its citizens. A resilient digital future awaits, ensuring that our strides in cybersecurity mirror the rapid advancements in technology, safeguarding our progress for generations to come.”
As the government allocates a significantly increased budget to bolster cybersecurity initiatives, the trajectory for the nation’s digital resilience takes a promising turn. The surge from Rs 30 crore in 2022-2023 to the current allocation of Rs 750 crore in 2024-2025 underscores a clear commitment to fortifying our digital infrastructure. With the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) at the forefront, these cybersecurity projects are poised to shape a more secure and resilient digital future for India. As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, this substantial investment is a testament to the government’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding our digital assets and ensuring a robust cybersecurity framework for the years to come.
