Transgender people can apply for police constable’s job: Maharashtra govt to HC
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Friday told the Bombay HC it will allow transgender persons to apply in the state-wide recruitment process for police constables.
Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja were told by advocate-general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni that it will provide for a third drop-down option for transgenders after male and female in the online application form by December 13. Transgender candidates can apply before December 15, the last date for submitting the forms.
The state had appealed against orders of Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal in respect of Arya Pujari (23) from Satara and Nikita Mukhyadal (34) from Pimpri-Chinchwad. Both aspirants had moved MAT aggrieved that there was no option for transgenders to apply.
Every person is a Hindu who considers India as his own, asserts RSS chief Dr Mohanji Bhagwat
Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said “Every person is a Hindu who considers India as his own. Accept it in adverse situations. No matter what language a person speaks, what religion he practices or whether he is an atheist, he considers the country as his own, he is a Hindu,” he asserted.
Dr Bhagwat further said, “Every Hindu should be patriotic and it must be his or her basic character. If one loves one’s country, it doesn’t mean the land only, it means its culture, traditions, people, rivers and every aspect encompassing the nation.”
Addressing a gathering during the concluding programme of Tritiya Varsh Sangh Shiksha Varg of RSS at Reshimbagh ground, Dr Bhagwat also said, the RSS has worked for creating awareness about patriotism and imbibing it among the people of the country. Param Pujya Shri Shri Jagatguru Dr Mallikarjun Vishwaaradhya Shivacharya Mahaswamiji was the chief guest of the programme.
The ‘Shiksha Varg’ is the process of imbibing patriotism among the youth, who becomes a Swayamsevak after this course, said the RSS chief. Dr Bhagwat said, India gave the message of peace to the world. Now the whole world looks towards India as the land of peace and happiness. “You need to maintain relations with the world, but on your own terms, and for it, you need to become capable. Those who want to be independent should also become capable in respect of their security,” Dr Bhagwat emphasised.
India has the vision of world peace and now, we are heading towards becoming a Vishwaguru’ with this vision, said the RSS chief. He also said, people should think about what they can give to the country rather than asking what the country or society gives them. “Amid our own progress, we should live our lives thinking about the progress of the country and society,” he added.
Swamiji, in his speech said, the ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’ of India is famous world-wide. “Our history is loaded with such stories that explain the bonding of Guru-Shishya’ and the Shiksha Varg of RSS is also an example of the same culture.” Talking about the effect of westernisation, Swamiji said, “The Western culture has captured the mind of Indian youth and kids. Today, their patriotism is on decline. RSS is on a mission to imbibe patriotism among youths through such training courses, which he added is the need of the hour.”
Earlier, Dakshinamurty, Sarva Varg Sarvadhikari, presided over the event. Ram Harkare, Vidarbha Prant Sanghchalak, and Shridhar Gadge, Nagpur Mahanagar Saha Sanghchalak also shared the dais.
Padma Shri Dr Shridhar Vembu, Founder, Zoho Corp; Folk Music artist Padma Shri Anwar Khan; Rishad Premji, Chief Strategy Officer, Wipro; Vishad Mafatlal, Padmanabh Mafatlal Group; Adinath Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Krishna Mangeshkar, Baijayant Panda, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP; and Anurag Bahl were present during the event as guests.
Hundreds of participants from across the nation participated in this 25-day Varg. The participants demonstrated drills learnt during the training at the concluding event.
State-level Boxing Championships will be held at Gandhibagh Indoor Hall beginning December 10 under the auspices of the Maharashtra Boxing Association.
During a press conference, Secretary Nagpur Mahanagar Boxing Association Arun Bhute stated, “It will be the 21st Elite women state boxing championship, which will be hosted by Nagpur Boxing Association. The championship will be held for women’s ages 19 to 40 years, with 12 weight categories ranging from under 45kg to 80kg+.”
The competition will feature 112 players from 29 Maharashtra districts.
The matches will begin at 11 a.m. on December 10 and will last until December 12. Six teams competed in this competition.
The state association has invited six women and six men to serve as referees “He continued.
Rakesh Tiwari, Secretary of the Maharashtra Boxing Association, stated that those who qualify for the quarterfinals in the state championship will be able to compete in the mini Olympics in Pune, while those who secure gold medals in the state championship will represent Maharashtra in the Nationals, which will be held in Bhopal beginning December 20.”
Asha Bhosle to receive Maharashtra Bhushan Award in the city
Legendary playback singer, Asha Bhosle will soon be presented with the Maharashtra Bhusan award in the city said the State Cultural Minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar on Wednesday.
Starting her career in the year 1943, Bhosle was also mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-recorded artist in history. The younger sibling of the late Lata Mangeshkar received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in the year 2008.
The function is likely to be held on December 21 or 22, 2022 at Yashwant Stadium, Dhantoli.
NPCI to allow credit card holders to use UPI for payments
Razorpay, a fintech platform, is partnering with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to allow credit card holders to use the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) to pay for goods and services. The National Payments Corporation of India, which is responsible for making all payment-related choices, is constantly making decisions to expand the use of UPI throughout the nation. Until now, NPCI had acknowledged the possibility of using a credit card to enhance UPI payment. For this, UPI and Rupay have a partnership. Following this, the Razorpay payment gateway now permits its merchants to accept UPI payments via Rupay credit cards.
Razorpay stated that Axis Bank is a partner of Razorpay. This choice was made with the demands of the traders in mind. The RuPay Credit Card is now accepted by merchants using Razorpay and UPI. You will be able to pay Razorpay merchants using your Rupay credit card through HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank, Union Bank, and Indian Bank as the first banks.
The major benefit of attaching your UPI credit card is that you won’t need to take it with you wherever you go. Through UPI, credit card payments are simple and convenient. When making this payment, you must select the credit card option rather than the debit card option.
1. You need to first launch the UPI app.
2. You then need to select the ‘Add Card’ option.
3. The information for your credit card then needs to be filled out completely.
4. OTP needs to be filled which will be sent to the registered mobile number.
5. You must then validate your card.
6. You will then see the credit option in Payment UPI.
Around 250 million Indians use UPI for daily transactions, according to NPCI data. In this country, 50 million people use one or more credit cards. Now, even those who exclusively use credit cards to make payments will be able to use UPI.
Asian Paints Brings You The Dustiest Wedding Of The Year
December , 2022: The exteriors of a house are often exposed to heat, dust and harsh weather conditions which diminish the beauty of the walls when the paint fades or wears off. Asian Paints Apex DustProof checks all boxes in preventing any loss or damage to the beauty of a home’s exterior walls. The new campaign by the paint and décor giant drives home this point with wit. The commercial focuses on how Asian Paints Apex DustProof emulsionis the ultimate paint solution to fight off any dust storm and to protect home walls from harsh weather conditions. The application of it would shield homes from inclement weather conditions keeping it new and unblemished for years.
The TVC depicts a couple’s wedding ceremony marred by an unexpected dust storm when the bride makes an entry and how Apex Dustproof steps in to save the day. The ace product resists dust from settling on walls and retains the paint for longer owing to its Dust Pick-up Resistance (DPUR). Asian Paints highlights this proposition in the commercial with a touch of humour making it real and relatable. This water-based exterior wall finish also offers 5-year performance guarantee.
Speaking on the new TVC, Amit Syngle, MD and CEO, Asian Paints Limited said, “Every individual endeavours to maintain the beauty of their homes throughout their lives. However, accumulation of dust can detriorate the exterior of ones homes leading to fading of colour. With Asian Paints Apex DustProof, consumers can protect their home exteriors from the effects of dust while retaining its beauty for a longer period of time. Through the new film for Apex Dustproof, thisproduct proposition has been communicated in a humorous way.”
Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Mumbai, added, “The film takes a dig on dust, humorously. The plot is set in a wedding where everything seems to fall apart because of dust. It is here that Asian Paints Apex Dust Proof comes to save the day and the wedding.”
Please find below the link to the new TVC for Asian PaintsApex Dustproof Emulsion:
Pernod Ricard India leads an industry-first initiative – #OneForOurPlanet to reduce environmental impact across its value chain; removes permanent mono-cartons from its packaging
8 December 2022, Mumbai: Pernod Ricard India (PRI), a global leader in the wine and spirits industry, launches an industry first initiative – #OneForOurPlanet, as it continues its journey towards the removal of permanent mono-cartons from its packaging. With this landmark sustainability initiative, the company is removing 100% permanent mono-cartons from its packaging by June 2023, in a phased manner.
#OneForOurPlanet reiterates the company’s commitment to reduce the environmental impact of packaging across each step of its value chain, from grain to glass. It also aims to nudge today’s purpose-driven consumers to make eco-conscious purchase decisions. Advancing towards a greener tomorrow, with this initiative, Pernod Ricard India strives to generate a holistic impact by reducing carbon emissions every year by 7310 Tonnes, saving 2.5 lakh trees, and reducing waste-to-land fill by 18745 tons. With this initiative, the company aims to reduce cumulative packaging emissions by over 75,000 Tonnes by 2030.
Talking about the initiative, Ranjeet Oak, Chief Commercial Officer, Pernod Ricard India, said, “At Pernod Ricard India, we are driven to make a difference to the planet. Expanding our sustainability agenda to create greater impact, this initiative is directed at reducing our carbon footprint across each step of the value chain – from grain to glass. This initiative also brings to light changing consumer sentiments around eco-conscious purchase patterns to drive adoption of the initiative across markets. We envision this initiative to become a larger movement and our stakeholders to turn into advocates by practicing and propagating eco-conscious consumption. We are happy to see some of our industry peers already joining the crusade.”
Further, Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India, added “The world has entered a new era of sustainability and we are catering to consumers who are becoming increasingly eco-conscious. They are seeking brands and products that bolster a sustainable impact on the environment and planet at large. As a responsible corporate citizen present in India for over 25 years, sustainability is key to Pernod Ricard India’s operations and our new campaign #OneForOurPlanet is a testament to our commitment. Through this campaign we aim to inspire consumers to not only make eco-conscious purchase decisions but also champion this cause and help us evangelize this into a larger movement. We are humbly proud of this initiative and also urge our industry peers and partners to unbox their ‘spirits’ and join this initiative that’s another one for our planet.”
To ensure adoption of this major environment and industry-first initiative, Pernod Ricard India is steering a conscious consumption movement by sensitizing and educating its customers and consumers. The company will also continue to team with local communities, NGOs, industry peers and customers to pave way for a truly circular economy. For the seamless transition through this journey, the company has also introduced recycled and recyclable neck tags, in several states, that redirect consumers to a micro-site solely created around the initiative #OneForOurPlanet.
Leading change in the industry, #OneForOurPlanet is a significant step in achieving the company’s commitment towards zero-waste-to-landfill contribution. This milestone initiative is in line with the company’s ambitious sustainable packaging strategy, which supports a circular economy and aims to protect and nurture the environment. With a commitment to minimizing waste at every step, the company aims to produce and distribute its products in ways that optimize and help preserve natural resources, reduce carbon footprint, and create water positivity. 100% of its packaging will be recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025. The company is investing in technology to maximize the reuse of glass bottles while ensuring quality, with an ambition of using 40% recycled- glass content by 2025. With such programmes, Pernod Ricard India aims to reduce its overall carbon footprint by 50% by 2030. The company has also engaged in water stewardship initiatives through a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recharge approach.
#OneForOurPlanet is aligned to Pernod Ricard’s Global 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap — ‘Good Times from a Good Place’. The four pillars of its roadmap, which include Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making, and Responsible Hosting, address all aspects of its business with clear objectives in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Metro Services on Kamptee Road and Central Avenue Soon
Maha Metro Nagpur, is operating passenger services on 26.5 km route from Kasturchand Park to Khapri Metro Station & Sitabuldi Interchange to Lokmanya Nagar Metro Station. Soon metro trains will be operating on a 13.5 km route. It includes 8.5 km stretch between Sitabuldi Interchange and Prajapati Nagar Metro Station and 5 km stretch between Kasturchand Park Metro Station and Automotive Chowk Metro Station.
With metro services on Central Avenue and Kamptee Road getting operational, residents of both these routes will be greatly benefited as will be connected to Wardha and Hingna Marg respectively.
• Automotive Square Metro Station: The last metro station on the North-South route or the Orange Line of Maha Metro, the station is located on the Kamptee Road and is one of the busiest route of the city. With commercial operations starting on Automotive Square Metro Station, the citizens living in the nearby areas will benefit greatly.
There are a large number of colleges, commercial complexes, banks, government offices on both sides of the said road. Also this road is a major road connecting North and South Nagpur. Also major and historical monuments and institutions like Reserve Bank of India, Kasturchand Park, Sitabuldi Fort line up this route.
The president of Shitla Mata Mandir Krida Mandal Shri Sunil Chaube said that the starting of commercial services on this stretch would be of huge help to the people living in this area. He has appealed to people to avail of this facility and avoid using personal vehicles to commute in the city.
• Prajapati Nagar Metro Station: Prajapati Nagar Metro Station is the last metro station on the East-West route or the Aqua Line and has highest traffic volume. A large number of people from this area travel to MIDC Hingana daily for jobs. Gandhibag, Itwari, Maskasath etc. are major commercial areas adjacent to this metro line.
This Metro Station will cater to people living in and around areas like Mahalgaon, Kapshi, Bhandewadi, and Swami Narayan Mandir. The founder of Jagat Public School Shri Sharad Gandhi hoped that students would be benefitted immensely with the starting of metro services. The school management would encourage students to commute by Metro, he said.
Transport facility is a major issue for this area and will be taken care of once commercial services start on this area. The nature of entire stretch of Central Avenue being commercial, a large volume of vehicular traffic plies here. With the expansion of the city, the traffic on this road has also increased steadily over the years and Metro service is the only option to meet this demand.
Sony SAB’s show Dharm Yoddha Garudenters its last leg! Actors reminisce their memories from the show
Family-oriented Hindi Entertainment Channel,Sony SAB and Producer Abhimanyu Singh came together to bring viewers a mythological drama- DharmYoddhaGarud, depicting the story of the divine creature,Garud. The show revolves around a mighty warrior striving to rescue his mother from the slavery of her evil sister while fighting for the greater good. The mythological show became a fan favourite because of its intriguing story and magnificent graphics. Having showcased the untold story of Garud, the show is close to culmination, leaving the viewerseagerly awaiting the final episode. After a successful run, the last episode of the show will air on 10th December 2022 at 7:30 pm.
The show starsFaisal Khan, Toral Rasputra and Parul Chauhan in the lead and isproduced by Contiloe Entertainment. The story captured various instances from the well-known mythological extravaganzas like the fight between Mahisasur and Katyayani, the story about Sati and Mahadev and their unrequited love, and much more. In the coming episodes, Garud progresses to become Narayan’s Vahan, and completes his journey from Naaglok to Vaikunth.
Sony SAB’s show Dharm Yoddha Garudenters its last leg! Actors reminisce their memories from the show
In an emotional setup talking about the show ending soon, Faisal Khan, portraying the role of Garud:“This show has been an integral part of my journey as an actor and has taught me a lot about mythology and the power of love and forgiveness. While it was sometimes challenging to shoot long hours in the heavy costumes and make-up, I enjoyed working on the show as it taught me to be selfless, honest, and obedient just like Garud. It has been a fun journey with my co-actors off-screen, and our bond is incredible. I would like to thank our audiences for the love they have bestowed upon us and the show, and I shall definitely miss this feeling.”
Toral Rasputra portraying the role of Vinta:“I had absolutely fallen in love with my role. It has been an honor to be a part of this amazing storyline with a compelling plot. The show helped me extend my knowledge of mythology, making me curious about the goddess’ existence and anxious to visit the set day after day. I feel happy that the audience appreciated my performance and I have been equally happy to portray a compassionate and affectionate character. I would like to thank my fans for giving me and my character so much of love”
Parul Chauhan Thakkar recalls her days:“Playing Kadru has left an indelible mark on my heart. I am grateful that the producers trusted me and allowed me to improvise and create my own look. I am also thankful to the audience for showering immense love and affection for our show and the characters. Also, thanking the co-stars for making me feel at home whenever I was on the set”.
Watch the last episode of DharmYoddhaGarud on 10th December 2022, 7:30PM, only on Sony SAB.
Airtel launches ‘World Pass’ – One pack for travel across 184 countries
2022: As the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ebb, we are beginning to witness a massive surge in international travel both for work and leisure. India, in fact, has seen a jump of 3X in international traveller’s this year, which is likely to double next year.
In order to make staying connected easy, intuitive and compelling, Airtel has launched ‘Airtel World Pass’. The World Pass re-volutionise’s the experience for all international travel because it works seamlessly across 184 countries. So even if you are en-route at an Airport or travelling to two or more countries one pack now covers all your roaming needs.
This change comes on the back of extensive customer research conducted by Airtel that showed that many customers find International Roaming packs in general confusing across the whole global Telco industry. As a result, many are not connected when they want to be Or they seek complex alternatives of temporary connections abroad. Airtel has now solved this problem structurally with the launch of the Airtel World pass.
Commenting on the launch of the Airtel World Pass, Shashwat Sharma, Director Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel said, “At Airtel, our mission is to solve customer problems so that our experience speaks for itself. The feedback that we have heard on international travel related concerns has compelled us to launch a defining proposition for our customers – the Airtel World Pass. This offers our customers one pack for the globe, significantly greater value, allows them to control what they use on the app and allows for emergency data usage long after the pack allowance is over.”
“With Airtel World pass, we have set a new standard in the global telecom industry. I am certain our customers will benefit hugely from it as they travel the world, keeping their phones switched on, no matter where they are. As a matter of fact, our new plans offer significantly better value than travel or local sims in most countries.” Sharma added.
RBI monetary policy : 7 key announcements by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das
The RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Wednesday continued with interest rate hikes as it raised the repo rate by 35 bps to 6.25%. Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das emphasized that India’s economic growth at 6.8% has been robust and amongst one of the best in the world. With a good monsoon, increase in manufacturing activity and robust services growth, economic growth outlook looks stable. However, the MPC still cut FY23 GDP growth forecast to 6.8%. Das emphasised that the policy has ‘Arjuna’ eye on inflation, and is focused on withdrawal of accommodation while being committed to ensuring adequate liquidity to support growth. Given the continued global headwinds, RBI ensured that it will remain nimble, and take action wherever warranted.
RBI Monetary Policy;
Rate hike continues: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised policy repo rate by 35 basis points to 6.25%, with immediate effect. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate stands adjusted to 6.00%, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.50%. The MPC also decided to remain focused on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target going forward, while supporting growth.
FY23 growth forecast cut: The real GDP growth for 2022-23 is projected at 6.8%, down from 7.1% projected earlier. GDP growth is seen at 4.4% and 4.2% for Q3 and Q4 respectively. The risks are evenly balanced, according to the MPC. Real GDP growth is projected at 7.1% for Q1 of 2023-24, and 5.9% for the subsequent quarter. Despite the downward revision, India will still be among the fastest growing major economies in the world, said RBO governor Shaktikanta Das.
Inflation forecast unchanged: Food inflation is likely to moderate going forward with the usual winter softening and the likelihood of a bountiful rabi harvest. However, pressure points remain in the form of prices of cereals, milk and spices in the near-term. Overall, the CPI price momentum remains high, and risks from adverse weather events add to uncertainty in the outlook. Assuming an average crude oil price (Indian basket) of $100 per barrel, headline inflation is projected at 6.7% in FY23, with Q3 at 6.6% and Q4 at 5.9%. CPI inflation for the subsequent two quarters is projected at 5.0% and 5.4% respectively.
Focus on withdrawal of accommodation: System liquidity remains in surplus with an average daily absorption under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) of Rs 1.6 lakh crore in November. Since then, it has risen to Rs 2.6 lakh crore as on 5 December. “The overall monetary and liquidity conditions remain accommodative and hence, the MPC decided to remain focused on withdrawal of accommodation,” said RBI Governor.
RBI ready to conduct LAF operations: The Reserve Bank believes that in the period ahead, liquidity conditions are likely to improve due to several factors which would include moderation in currency in circulation in the post-festival period, pick up in government expenditure in the last few months of FY23 and higher forex inflows due to the return of portfolio investors. “The Reserve Bank remains nimble and flexible in its liquidity management operations to meet the requirements of the productive sectors of the economy. Therefore, although the Reserve Bank remains in absorption mode, we are ready to conduct LAF operations that inject liquidity as may be needed through our main operations,” Shaktikanta Das said.
Money market hours restored: As part of a gradual move towards normal liquidity operations, the RBI MPC has decided to restore market hours – from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM – in respect of call/notice/term money, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and repo in corporate bond segments of the money market as well as for rupee interest rate derivatives.
Hedging of Gold in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC): India residents are currently not permitted to hedge their exposure to gold price risk in overseas markets. With a view to providing greater flexibility to these entities to hedge the price risk of their gold exposures, resident entities will now be permitted to hedge their gold price risk on recognised exchanges in the IFSC. “This measure will benefit importers/exporters of gold such as jewellers and industries which use gold as an intermediate or raw material,” Shaktikanta Das said.
World Record created by the Nagpur Metro for Longest Double-decker Viaduct
Nagpur Metro in Maharashtra entered the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the longest double-decker viaduct metro measuring 3.14 km on Wardha Road.
Brijesh Dixit, Maha Metro MD received a certificate for the achievement from judge and adjudicator of Guinness World Records Rishi Nath at an event at Metro Bhawan on Tuesday.
The double-decker viaduct has already been certified as the longest structure in Asia and India by the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records respectively.
Dixit said that “Executing the project on Wardha Road was a major challenge. It is part of a three-tier structure, with the metro rail on top, a highway flyover in the middle, and the existing road at the ground level.”
As per an official release, the double-decker viaduct measuring 3.14 km is the longest such structure across any metro rail system in the world and has a total of three stations.
Maha Metro had earlier entered Asia and India’s Book of Records not just for the longest double-decker viaduct, but also for the maximum number of metro stations constructed on a double-decker viaduct.
Ola Electric Launches ‘December to Remember’ Offers, Announces Multiple Benefits
Ola Electric has launched ‘December to Remember’ deals for Indian customers. Customers can own the Ola range of electric scooters with no down payment thanks to this year-end discount package. Other advantages include low monthly EMIs of Rs 2499, interest rates starting at 8.99%, no processing fee, and additional discounts on select credit cards. These advantages are only available during the month of December.
The company also offers same-day delivery at all of its experience centers, as well as free use of its rapidly expanding Hypercharger network for up to a year. Customers who purchase an Ola electric scooter in December will also receive a year of free service. Not only can Ola’s existing customers benefit from the ‘December to Remember’ offers, but also from the #EndICEage Referral Program with rewards.
The Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup is also giving away ten free S1 Pro scooters, with the winners determined by a raffle. Customers who want to participate must go to their nearest Ola Experience Centre and take a test ride on the scooter.
Anshul Khandelwal, Chief Marketing Officer, of Ola Electric said, “The EV momentum in India is at an inflection point and the customer preference for EVs is irrevocable. Best products and strong word of mouth have helped us achieve the leadership position. We are now introducing our first-ever referral program with great rewards every month. Customers can also now take immediate deliveries of their Ola scooters at zero down payment and enjoy additional benefits including one year of free usage of our fast-growing hyper charger network, free service for a year, etc. As the market leader, we will drive and accelerate EV adoption even further.”
Mumbai, December 6, 2022: HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector bank will hold a nation-wide ‘Blood Donation Drive’ on Friday, December 9, 2022. The annual campaign is HDFC Bank’s leading healthcare initiative under its flagship CSR program #Parivartan. In its 14th year, blood donation camps will be organized at over 5,500 centers in 1,150 cities across India. This includes large corporates, colleges and bank branches.
Those who wish to donate blood can locate the center nearest to them by checking the bank website at the following link:
Over 4.5 lakh donors are expected to participate in this year’s drive. The Bank has tied up with local hospitals, blood banks and, colleges across these cities for technical and functional assistance. Over 1,200 colleges across the country have been assigned as donation centers.
“It is the 14th year of our All-India Blood Donation campaign – an initiative that we have been
proud to support since 2007,” said Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri, Group Head – Operations, HDFC Bank. “Medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from donors, as one in seven people entering the hospital needs blood. Medical professionals have confirmed that it is safe to donate blood if Covid and other general precautions are in place. Let us do our small part to make a genuine difference in the lives of the communities around us by donating blood this Friday, December 9, at a blood donation camp near you.”
“HDFC Bank #Parivartan is committed to bringing about a positive change in society. The all-India Blood Donation Drive is our sincere effort in this direction and is aimed at creating awareness about the importance of Blood Donation. A single unit of blood can save up to 3 lives. Blood Donation can save millions of lives, and it is the next generation that needs to drive this message in the years to come. I would like to extend my deepest regards to all people involved with this initiative over the years in making this initiative such a huge success,” said Ms. Ashima Bhat, Group Head – Business Finance & Strategy, Administration, Infrastructure, ESG & CSR.
The initiative has been recognized and certified by Guinness World RecordsTM as the ‘Largest (single-day, multiple venue) Blood Donation Drive’ in 2013. The initiative was started in the year 2007 with just 88 centres and 4000 donors.
Sony India introduces the new SRS-XV900, its loudest and most powerful wireless party speaker in Sony’s X-Series
New Delhi, 5thDecember 2022: Sony India today announced the launch of the new SRS-XV900, the most powerful and loudest Bluetooth party speaker in the wireless speaker X-series range. The speaker forms part of the “LIVE LIFE LOUD” vision to deliver exciting sound entertainment experiences to music lovers around the world. Life should be lived at full volume and that means being able to enjoy clear, rich sound from Sony’s new SRS-XV900 speaker to make the most of every single moment.
Omnidirectional party soundwith X-Balanced speaker
Sony India’s new SRS-XV900 lets you enjoy powerful omnidirectional party sound. This wireless speaker is designed to fill the space with sound. The non-circular diaphragm of the X-Balanced speaker unit gives more sound pressure and less distorted sound by maximizing the area of the speaker and jet bass boosterdelivers deep, punchy, powerful bass. The midrange drivers provide excellent vocals while the 6 tweeters on the front, side and back spread high frequency sound all around.
TV Sound booster connectivity for better TV sound experience
The SRS-XV900 speaker features Sony’s unique function, TV Sound booster that lets you enjoy enhanced sound when watching TV. Deep bass and realistic high-frequency sound from the SRS-XV900 fills the room and boosts your TV’s sound to provide a rich audio-visual experience, whether you are watching live performance videos or movies. Simply connect the optical cable (included) and select TV Sound Booster function irrespective of the TV brand or model
Quick charging with long lasting battery life of 25 hours allows to enjoy your party
You can now take your sound anywhere around your home with 25-hour battery life on the SRS-XV900 that will keep the music going day and night. If you find your speaker’s running out of battery, there’s no need to worry. With the speaker’s quick charging, you can get 3 hours of playing time with just 10 minutes of charging. With the Battery Care Mode feature, you never have to worry about overcharging your speaker, making it more dependable for longer.
Mega Bass and Live Sound for enhanced music experience
The Mega Bass feature allows you to dial up the bass on your speaker, providing you with deep and punchy bass. With the new SRS-XV900 speaker, you can enjoy your music like it is live. With the Live Sound mode, you can recreate that unique atmosphere and re-live your favorite music experiences, over and over again. LIVE LIFE LOUD and create memorable moments with the SRS-XV900.
Convenient carry handle and wheels
The product comes with a convenient handle.Whenever you want to move the speaker you can hold the carry handle and tilt it back. Sturdy castors let you roll all the way to the party!
Fun and Entertaining features with karaoke double tracking
SRS-XV900 speaker is loaded with fun and entertaining features making it perfect for your party with friends. Plug in your microphone, pick a song, and sing your heart out. With two inputs (mic & guitar), you can even plug in a guitar and use the speaker as an amp. Further enrich your singing vocals with the Double Tracking feature via the Fiestable mobile app. You will also always have complete control of the speaker with the intuitive top touch panel that allows you to change function settings and lighting with just a touch.
Bluetooth connectivity andParty Connect
Party Connect via Bluetooth® allows you to connect upto 100 compatible Sony Bluetooth speakersto enjoy synchronized sound and lighting for an extra-large party and to make sure everyone’s dancing to the same beat. In addition, the speaker allows you to plug in and play music with USB connectivity. And if your smartphone is running low on battery, you can even plug it into the speaker and have it charged directly.The SRS-XV900 also allows you to instantly connect the speaker to your smartphone using Bluetooth fast pair for Android.
Sony Music Center and Fiestable
The new SRS-XV900 is compatible with both Sony Music Center and Fiestable apps. With SonyMusic Center you can select playlists, cue the next song, change lighting patterns, and sound modes all from the dance floor. Fiestable allows you to access fun features to help create the ultimate party atmosphere, such as making a party playlist, karaoke functions including Voice Changer and Echo, plus DJ control to add sound effects.
Sustainability matters
Sony India products are designed to deliver industry-leading sound quality with the environment in mind. Sony’s originally developed recycled plastic is used in the front and rear panels and internal parts of SRSXV900, reflecting how Sony strives to reduce the environmental impact of our products.
Price and Availability
The SRS-XV900 speakerwill be available across all Sony Centers, major electronic stores and e-commerce portals in Indiafrom5thDecember 2022 onwards
IIT Gandhinagar crosses Rs 100 crore milestone in philanthropic fund receipts since its inception
In a landmark feat, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has crossed Rs 100 crores in philanthropic fund receipts since its inception. Starting with modest donations in 2008, the 14-year young Institute has been consistently raising more than Rs 10 crores annually over the past five years.
IITGN has reached this remarkable milestone in such a short span with generous philanthropic support from its well-wishers spread across the globe, who have responded to its far-sighted educational innovations and institutional governance practices over the years. Most of its contributors are non-IITGN alumni donors, predominantly of Gujarati origin, based in India or abroad.
Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, said, “IITGN is a trailblazer that has opened many new horizons for its contemporaries. Crossing Rs 100 crore in philanthropic receipts, principally from non-alumni well-wishers, is a tribute to not just its ideas and vision, but also to their transformation into actions and results. We thank our donors for their trust and their support for excellence in various areas, and commit ourselves to embracing new challenges and championing innovative ideas for the advancement of science and technology for societal good.”
Lauding the extraordinary achievement, Mr. Ruyintan Mehta, President of the IITGN Foundation in the US and an ardent, long-term well-wisher of the institute, said, “For a young IIT, raising 100 crore rupees in such a short period of its existence is a huge achievement. It speaks volumes about the unique culture, academic rigour and the wonderful infrastructure at IIT Gandhinagar. I am proud to serve as President of IIT Gandhinagar Foundation in the US.”
Congratulating the Institute, Mr Maulik Jasubhai, Chairman, Jasubhai Group, Mumbai, who has supported several programmes at the Institute, praised the institute’s leadership and governance, and said, “This milestone achievement is a great reflection of the innovative and purposeful leadership of IIT Gandhinagar. Knowing IIT Gandhinagar, this landmark will only accelerate and motivate this Institution to achieve far greater heights in the service to our nation.”
The sentiment was echoed by Shri Mukesh Shah, Managing Partner at Ahmedabad-based Shah Bhogilal Jethalal & Bros (AAAG India), who has set up an endowment to support academic and research excellence at IITGN, said, “With advanced infrastructure and strength to conduct world-class research, it is no wonder that IITGN has earned reputation around the world and achieved this landmark in less than 15 years. We are proud to be associated with this premier Institute and I can confidently say that this is just the beginning of a much larger success story for IITGN.”
While a large proportion of the philanthropic support to the institute so far has come from non-alumni donors, IITGN alumni have also shown a strong commitment to giving back to their alma mater. Although in the early phases of their professional career, more than 50% of them contribute to the Institute’s annual giving, which is among the highest proportion in the world, and several have established endowed scholarships to support current students.
Philanthropic contributions to the institute support financial aid to students, scholarships for academic excellence, research support, faculty and programme-specific Chairs, community welfare initiatives, etc.
IITGN is widely recognised for its commitment to academic and research excellence with a global outlook through its carefully crafted educational programmes and initiatives on leadership, critical-thinking, creativity, project-oriented and experiential learning, interdisciplinarity, entrepreneurship, and societal engagement. Many of its pioneering programmes, such as the Foundation Programme, Explorer’s Fellowship, and dignified housing for campus construction workers have been adopted nationally.
Sri Lanka to resume flights from Jaffna to Chennai next week
Sri Lanka will resume flights from the northern Jaffna peninsula to Chennai by next week, a senior minister has said, a move that will help the cash-strapped country’s tourism sector and provide a fillip to its beleaguered economy.
The tourism sector is the main source of foreign exchange earnings for Sri Lanka.
However, the onset of the pandemic in 2020 severely crippled the tourism sector and was one of the major reasons for Sri Lanka’s economic travails.
The island nation’s earnings from international tourist arrivals for November touched USD 107.5 billion, with the cumulative tally in the first eleven months of the year notching up a whopping USD 1129.4 million, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
“The flights to India from Palaly will resume soon, most probably by December 12,” Sri Lanka’s Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament on Monday.
Flights will be operational between Jaffna and Chennai, the minister said.
“There are still some improvements to the runway that are needed,” he added.
The present runway can only accommodate 75-seater flights.
The airport was named the Jaffna international airport in October 2019.
The first international flight to land there was from Chennai.
The 2019 redevelopment of the airport was funded by both Sri Lanka and India.
Earlier, India’s Alliance, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, operated three weekly flights from Chennai to Palaly. However, after the government changed in Sri Lanka in November 2019, flight operations were halted.
Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its independence from Britain in 1948.
There have been street protests in Sri Lanka against the government since early April due to its mishandling of the economic crisis.
In September, the IMF announced a USD 2.9 billion bailout package to help the country tide over its worst economic crisis.
A crippling shortage of foreign reserves has led to long queues for fuel, cooking gas, and other essentials while power cuts and soaring food prices have heaped misery on the people.
India’s Largest Retail Finance NBFC is Here – Shriram Finance Limited. Shriram Transport Finance and Shriram City Union Finance are now Shriram Finance
Mumbai (India) Dec 5, 2022 – Shriram Transport Finance Company, the largest financier of commercial vehicles, and Shriram City Union Finance, the largest two-wheeler financer and leader in micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) lending, have been merged to form Shriram Finance Limited (Shriram Finance). Shriram Finance will be a diversified player with a robust net worth of Rs 40,900 Crs and Assets under Management (AUM) of Rs 1,71,000 Crs, the Company caters to over 6.7 million customers across India. The growth strategy for the Company will be focused on driving the self-employed and the MSME economy.
India’s Largest Retail Finance NBFC is Here – Shriram Finance Limited. Shriram Transport Finance and Shriram City Union Finance are now Shriram Finance
Mr Umesh Revankar, a long-serving Shriram veteran, will serve as Executive Vice Chairman of the merged entity. Commenting on the merger he said, “It is the natural culmination of a journey of 43 years. With the balance sheet strengthened through the merger, we can serve the needs of the market better than ever before. As a customer-focused company, we can bring more products and assist them with access to credit faster. We have invested heavily in technology to improve efficiency and customer service levels. We are looking forward to an exciting phase of sustained double-digit growth.”
Mr YS Chakravarti, MD & CEO, Shriram Finance commented, “The timing of the merger is brilliant. As India is growing, we are seeing robust demand for credit among MSMEs. We are always close to the market with our 3600+ locations. All our business segments– financing commercial vehicles, MSMEs, Personal Loans, Gold Loans, or Vehicle Loans – are poised to grow.”
Shriram Finance further announced the appointment of Mr Jugal Kishor Mohapatra as Chairman of the Company and Mrs Maya Sinha as an Independent Director.
The company also announced its growth strategy – Driving the Self-employed and Small Business Economy and has chalked out five strategic pillars to drive future growth:
To be the country’s most preferred financial services destination
Focus on self-employed, small businesses and new-to-credit customers
Diversified product portfolio across credit, insurance and investing to capture a larger wallet share
Generate an industry-leading Return on Asset (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) in the long term
Delivering customer delight in rural and semi-urban areas by leveraging technology and through empowered employees
Founded in 1979 by the legendary Shri R Thyagarajan, Shriram always worked with a social consciousness that business must first and foremost serve the people. It is particularly proud of the fact that it has brought credit to millions of people who were otherwise denied access. The contrarian view has helped build one of India’s foremost financial institutions. Shriram Finances’ 57,000-plus employees will attest to this.
India’s Largest Retail Finance NBFC is Here – Shriram Finance Limited. Shriram Transport Finance and Shriram City Union Finance are now Shriram Finance
Airtel Business wins IoT solution mandate for Smart Meters from Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Limited, (TPWODL)
2022: Bharti Airtel (Airtel), India’s premier communications solutions provider, today announced that it has won a cellular IoT solution mandate with TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited, (TPWODL), a Joint venture between Government of Odisha and Tata Power. The mandate will see Airtel power 200,000 Smart Meters with IoT solution, of which 70,000 will be delivered in the first phase.
The connectivity mandate will be augmented with Airtel’s proprietary IoT platform, “Airtel IoT Hub” which will help the utility track and monitor these smart meters with advanced analytics while maintaining extremely high reliability augmented with telco grade security. Smart metering is one of the most rapidly advancing use case for cellular IoT in India with several power distribution companies looking forward to invest in this space to prevent revenue leakage.
Smart metering is also one of the fastest growing service lines within IoT business portfolio for Airtel. The company is working with multiple state utilities in Punjab, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar. The Government of India has a big ambitious vision of replacing 300 million conventional meters with Smart Meters in the next 5 years as part of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) initiative. Airtel IoT aims to play a pivotal role in enabling this vision of government with its unique capabilities. Power sectors digitisation aided by Government of India’s push to usher in transparency and consumer friendly measures in this sector will see innovation such as Smart Meter become commonplace.
Speaking about the partnership, Mr Gajanan Kale, Chief Executive Officer, TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited said, “We want to create a customer focussed, technology savvy and future ready distribution company that’s sustainable. We believe that technology can provide us a lot of answers as we step out to create such a company. We are looking forward to deploying smart meters for billing in partnership with Airtel and making best use of their IoT technology to deliver reliable and customer friendly services.”
Speaking about the partnership, Mr Siddharth Talawadekar, Business Head – IoT at Airtel said, “Airtel is delighted to partner with TP Western Odisha Distribution Limited in their attempt to bring best in class technology to consumers across the state. As India’s electricity sector embraces changes ushered in by new reforms, we look forward to set an example demonstrating how technology can enable efficient service delivery solutions for companies that are customer friendly. With capabilities of remote network feasibility, advanced diagnostics and a future-ready IoT platform with readily available APIs for seamless integration, we are confident to serve our customers well in this space.”
Airtel IoT is one of the fastest growing businesses for Airtel Business. The company counts several leading Indian companies across domains such as electric vehicles, automotive, utilities, logistics and fin-tech as its clients.
MOC, the largest chain of cancer daycares enters Nagpur
Mumbai Oncocare, the largest chain of cancer daycares in Mumbai and Maharashtra launched its new cancer daycare in Nagpur today, 4th December 2022, Sunday; at the esteemed hands of Hon. Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari. The senior most oncologist and the director of National Cancer Institute, Nagpur, Dr. Anand Pathak was invited as a Guest of Honour and was present at the ceremony. Chief Oncologist at MOC Nagpur, Dr. Makarand Randive, Director of Mumbai Oncocare, Dr. Ashish Joshi, Dr. Vashishth Maniar, Dr. Pritam Kalaskar and Dr. Kshitij Joshi along with oncologists of MOC, Dr. Chandrashekhar Pethe, Dr. Smit Sheth, Dr, Asmita Pethe, Dr. Mangesh Mekha and Dr. Pradip Kendre were present to bless the occasion.
MOC, the largest chain of cancer daycares enters Nagpur
Dr. Anand Pathak mentioned that he is overwhelmed with the entry of MOC in Nagpur. He mentioned, “Cancer incidences in Nagpur and peripheries are increasing rapidly. All these patients deserve timely diagnosis and world class treatment in an affordable cost. Hence I welcome MOC that they have come to Nagpur with a genuine intent to help all these patients. Dr. Anand Pathak congratulated Dr. Makarand Randive who is chief oncologist at MOC Nagpur, who will ensure patient care in the most convincing fashion.
Dr. Makarand promised to deliver cancer care of highest standards on this occasion. He mentioned while speaking to our reporters that 90% of the chemotherapies can be delivered on a daycare basis and patients do not require 24-hour hospital admission in that case. Treatment compliance improves in the process while MOC ensures all the safety protocols are maintained at all their cancer daycares. Patients can be given absolute comfort, physically, mentally and financially in this process.
MOC is a five year old organization that has dedicated all their services to the utmost care of cancer patients. MOC has 14 cancer daycares across Maharashtra, 18 medical oncologists in the current capacity and they have a legacy of treating over 2 lakh cancer patients so far.
In the East Nagpur neighbourhoods of Pardi, Punapur, Bha-ratwada, and Bhandewadi, the Smart City project’s halted construction will resume. 165 crore worth of tenders have been floated for unfinished road and bridge construction projects.
It was resolved to appoint new contractors at the most recent meeting of the Smart City board of directors on behalf of the Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited (NSSCDCL). This came after cancelling the contract for development work with Shapoorji Pallonji Company Pvt Ltd. In accordance with this, the Smart City’s contractor appointment process has begun. The tender sure approach will be used for all development work.
The road construction work is in progress on 1,730 acre premises in Pardi, Bhan dewadi, Punapur and Bha ratwada areas of East Nag pur under the tender sure project on behalf of the Smart City.
ED seizes unaccounted Betel nuts worth Rs 11.5 crore in Nagpur
Nagpur: The Enforcement Directorate has seized unaccounted betel nuts of 289.57 MTs valued at roughly Rs 11.5 Crore under PMLA at Nagpur. While searching 17 premises of various persons involved in the smuggling of Betel nuts of Indonesian origin across Nagpur and Mumbai, ED reportedly confiscated Rs 16.5 lakh cash and Betel nuts worth Rs 11.5 crore, sources informed.
The agency informed on Twitter, “ED has searched 17 premises across Mumbai and Nagpur under PMLA, 2002, covering office and residential premises of various persons involved in smuggling of Betel nuts of Indonesian origin, smuggled mostly via Indo-Myanmar Border.”
According to the news agency ANI, an ED investigation has revealed that there was a well-organized syndicate of suppliers of Indonesian betel nut, commission agents, logistic providers, transporters, hawala operators, and buyers who were smuggling Indonesian betel nut into India via India-Myanmar Border.
Earlier, in a press release on December 1, the ED said that it provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs. 82.77 Crore belonging to Pooja Singhal, IAS in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The properties include one Super Speciality Hospital namely ‘Pulse Super Speciality Hospital’, one diagnostics centre namely ‘Pulse Diagnostic and Imagining Centre’ and two land parcels situated in Ranchi, the statement further read.
Dwayne Bravo on Friday announced that he has decided to retire from the Indian Premier League and continue with Chennai SuperKings as their bowling coach.
Bravo was let go by the franchise ahead of the upcoming IPL 2023 auction after being an integral part of the championship winning sides under MS Dhoni. CSK has announced the West Indies all-rounder as their new bowling coach with Laxmipathy Balaji taking a break for a year. Bravo opened up on his excitement in taking the role and said he was happy to be a part of IPL history.
“I’m looking forward to this new journey because it’s something I see myself doing after my playing days is fully over. I enjoy working with bowlers and it’s a role I’m excited about. From player to coach, I don’t think I have to adjust much because while I’m playing, I always work with bowlers and try to come up with plans and ideas on how to have that one step ahead of the batsmen. The only difference is I will no longer be standing at mid-on or mid-off!
Nagpur to Bilaspur train to be the sixth Vande Bharat express in the country. In a matter of pride for the city, the South East Central Railway (SECR) will be launching one of the high-tech trains from the city to Bilaspur.
The Vande Bharat Nagpur-Bilaspur Vande Bharat express will be the sixth train in the series to run in the country. The train will run on all days except Saturdays.
The Vande Bharat train will have halts only at Raipur, Durg, and Gondia. The other five Vande Bharat trains are Delhi Varanasi, Delhi-Katra, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi –Chandigarh, and Chennai- Mysuru.
It will start from Bilaspur at 6:45 am and reach the city at 12:15 pm. From Nagpur, it will start at 2:05 pm and reach Bilaspur at 7:35 pm.
It will cover a distance of 412 km in just five and a half hours. Till now all superfast trains cover this distance in 6 to 7 hours. The Vande Bharat trains run at speed of 130 km/h. Out of the 412 km run the SECR Nagpur division has already upgraded the track between Nagpur and Durg.
Sources in railways say that the train may be commissioned on December 11 at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be here to inaugurate the Samruddhi Mahamarg between Nagpur-Shirdi and Maha-Metros two sections in the city.
Sony WH-1000XM5 one of the best in noise cancelling headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5, the successor to popular and best-selling WH-1000XM4 was launched in India recently. The new wireless headphones from Sony bring a new design and industry leading noise cancelling experience.
The biggest change with WH-1000XM5 comes in the form of a complete redesign and looks distinct from previous 1000X series. The headband of WH-1000XM5 is thinner than its predecessor and there is a single stem now holding the ear cups at both sides. This redesign makes WH-1000XM5 more comfortable to wear but does impact the mobility offered by XM4s.
The minimalism and refined design means the ear pads are a bit wider and the memory foam material also improves overall comfort. The ear cups still pivot and turn just like their predecessor but they don’t fold anymore. They also bring support for wearing detection enabling instant pause and instant play on the headphones.
With WH-1000XM5, Sony is balancing the act between extended comfort and premium design.
Another change with the 1000XM5 is Sony’s decision to switch from 40mm drivers in the XM4 to new 30mm drivers providing good sound quality and ANC. While this switch is not a big one, it brings a slight change in sound profile. The most significant change is visible with XM5’s ability to bring more details to the forefront.
They are even among the most natural sounding headphones in this segment. Sony WH-1000XM5 excel at bringing a refined, detailed sound profile and also sound spacious. You can even use the Headphones Connect app available on Android and iOS to bring the energetic sound profile of XM4.
A dual processor now aids the natural sounds of XM5 to improve the noise cancellation. It is more adept at cancelling street noise or ambient noise than its predecessor while maintaining the benchmark performance of noise suppression on a plane. If noise cancellation on XM4 was great then this brings subtle but noticeable improvement to that experience.
Another area where WH-1000XM5 brings marked improvement over its predecessor is voice calling experience. The 1000XM5 has a total of eight microphones and four of those are used for voice. The microphone performance paired with AI-powered noise reduction, XM5 delivers big improvement over XM4.
The WH-1000XM5 supports LDAC, Sony’s codec for high-resolution audio, with or without wires. Though limited to Android, the feature allows users to listen to hi-res music on streaming music platforms like Apple Music. It also brings support for multipoint, which comes handy in hybrid work environments allowing you to connect to two devices at once.
Sony WH-1000XM5 also supports 360 Reality Audio to deliver an optimised and immersive listening experience by analysing individual ear shape.
With the XM5, Sony has also improved its “speak to chat” feature which can detect when you are talking and automatically pause the music and enable transparency mode. The feature seems to trigger more naturally now than its predecessor. The operation is similar to XM4 wherein you control them with taps and swipes on the right ear cup.
Sony claims the XM5 will last for 30 hours with noise cancellation and it’s hard to argue against the claim. However, you can stretch that endurance further by disabling some of the AI-powered features and noise cancellation. It also supports quick charge offering three hours of playback time after just 3 minutes of charge.
Sony WH-1000XM5 breaks from tradition with its refined design and comfortable wearing experience. It also retains its industry leading noise cancellation while offering a clear and natural sound. It may not be a huge upgrade over XM4 but they are undoubtedly the best noise-cancelling headphones out there.
The group stage of the Qatar World Cup is coming to an end. But this means that the knockout round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 are set to kick off on December 3. Netherlands take on USA in the first round of 16 clash.
Here is the full knockout round schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Nations Qualified for the knockout round
Group A
Netherlands – Qualified as group winners
Senegal – Qualified
Group B
England – Qualified as group winners
USA – Qualified
Group C
Argentina – Qualified as group winners
Poland – Qualified
Group D
France – Qualified as group winners
Australia – Qualified
Group E
Japan – Qualified as group winners
Spain – Qualified
Group F
Morocco – Qualified as group winners
Croatia – Qualified
Brazil – Qualified
Group H
Portugal – Qualified
Match Day 3 Results
Netherlands 2-0 Qatar; Ecuador 1-2 Senegal; Wales 0-3 England; Iran 0-1 USA; Australia 1-0 Denmark; Tunisia 1-0 France; Croatia 0-0 Belgium; Canada 1-2 Morocco; Japan 2-1 Spain; Costa Rica 2-4 Germany
Round of 16
December 3, 2022 (Saturday)
Netherlands vs USA | 8.30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Khalifa International Stadium
December 4, 2022 (Sunday)
Argentina vs Australia | 12:30 AM IST. 8:00 PM CET | Ahmed bin Ali Stadium
France vs Poland| 8:30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Al Thumama Stadium
December 5, 2022 (Monday)
Engalnd vs Sengal |12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET | Al Bayt Stadium
53 – Japan vs Croatia| 8:30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Al Janoub Stadium
December 6, 2022 (Tuesday)
54 – Winners of Group G vs Runners-up of Group H | 12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET | Stadium 974
55 – Morocco vs Spain | 8:30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Education City Stadium
56- Winners of Group H vs Runners-up of Group G | 12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET | Lusail Iconic Stadium
Quarter-finals
December 9, 2022 (Friday)
58 – Winners of 53 vs Winners of 54 | 8:30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Education City Stadium
57 – Winners of 49 vs Winners of 50| 12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET| Lusail Iconic Stadium
December 10, 2022 (Saturday)
60 – Winners of 55 vs Winners of 56 | 8:30 AM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Al Thumama Stadium
59 – Winners of 51 vs Winners of 52 | 12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET | Al Bayt Stadium
Semi-finals
December 13, 2022 (Tuesday)
61 – Winners of 57 vs Winners of 58 |12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET | Lusail Iconic Stadium
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
62 – Winners of 59 vs Winners of 60 |12:30 AM IST, 8:00 PM CET | Al Bayt Stadium
December 17, 2022 (Saturday)
63 – Third place play-off | 8:30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET | Khalifa International Stadium
Final
December 18, 2022 (Sunday)
64 – The World Cup final | 8:30 PM IST, 4:00 PM CET| Lusail Iconic Stadium
MX Player brings viewers a stellar line-up this December - From an MMA reality series to enthralling international content
The end of the year is here, and that mostly means great travels, great company and great weather. To add to this, the leading entertainment super app MX Player is releasing some great binge-worthy international shows with its slate of VDesi shows – in your preferred language as well as a first-of-its-kind MMA reality series hosted by Suniel Shetty ! Now, that’s ALL we want for Christmas!
Immerse yourself into different worlds this December with:
Hot Stove League – 7th December
The award-winning show is based on a baseball team named Dreams, which has been the poorest in the league for four straight years., which results in their current manager resigning. The team appoints a new general manager, Seung Su, who has no experience in baseball. Will he be able to lead them to the championship? Tune in to find out. All 16 episodes of the show will be available on MX Player 7th December onwards in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam as well.
Warrior Hunt – 10th December
Kumite 1 Warrior Hunt is India’s first reality series based on Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). It is a highly competitive combat sport that demands a strong hold over both the mind and body. This MX Studios Original will be hosted by MMA aficionado Suniel Shetty, and will feature 16 of the best male and female MMA champions in India battling each other in the ring – all competing to be the nation’s ultimate Kumite 1 warrior. Beginning on December 10th, 2022, stream Kumite 1 Warrior Hunt on MX Player.
Love Script – 10th December
Xuan Wen abandons all of his everyday responsibilities and passes over management of his business to others so that he may concentrate on creating a castle for himself and running his thriving empire. People close to him seek expert assistance on his behalf, as they’ve run out of options but then entrust the care of her companion to Luo Kai Huai, a mental health professional whose desperate need for cash prompts her to take on Xuan Wen’s peculiar case. All 24 episodes of the Mandarin drama will now be available in Hindi on 10th December.
Dance of the Sky Empire – 14th December
The story is set against the backdrop of the prosperous Tang Dynasty in an era where humans and demons co-existed. The arrival of Li Xuan, a human and demon hybrid, breaks the fragile peace of the dynasty. What happens next? Watch the show to find out, now available in hindi launching 14th December.
MX Player brings viewers a stellar line-up this December – From an MMA reality series to enthralling international content
Here to Heart- 17th December
The Mandarin drama is sure to sway your hearts with a tale of unending love. The story is about a young couple who were separated due to a family tragedy. But even a tragic break-up cannot alter this young, immature, but intense love. The two couldn’t heal their injured hearts even after having found new companions. Will they decide to lure each other back? Watch all episodes streaming on MX Player to find out. All episodes available in Hindi 17th December onwards.
Don’t Dare to Dream – 21st December
The drama depicts romance as well as intense competitive rivalry between an anchor and a weather forecaster working together for a television news channel. The series touches base on career, family, love and jealousy – making it a relatable and engaging show. Catch all 24 episodes of this charming Korean series that will be available in Hindi on 21st December.
MX Player brings viewers a stellar line-up this December – From an MMA reality series to enthralling international content
My Unfortunate Boyfriend – 24th Dec
Yoo Ji Na is a young professional who has no problem lying to achieve what she wants. She starts to fall for the sincere to a fault, Yoon Tae Woon. Their blossoming romance ends up being a burden for Ji Na’s competitive corporate employment. Will the lovers succeed in maintaining their commitment to one another? The drama will demonstrate if their unlikely romance turns out to be true love. Watch all 16 episodes of the Korean series to find out. Episodes available in Hindi from 24th December.
A Love to Last – 28th Dec
The plot centres on Andeng and Anton, two distinct characters who will test whether or not two damaged hearts can rekindle their romance. The Filipino drama is sure to get you hooked/invested in the storyline leaving you wanting for more every week. Watch the show in Hindi on MX Player, 28th December onwards.
The One and Only – 31st Dec
The One and Only is a romance drama showcasing the lives of three terminally ill women who meet at a hospice. They decide that before they die, they want to take down one bad guy before they go — and in their attempt to do so, one of them ends up meeting “The one and only” most valuable person of her life. Tune in to find out what happens next as all 16 episodes will be available on 31st December in Hindi.
Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape and Sulakshana Naik You in new selection committee: BCCI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India have announced a fresh Cricket Advisory Committee on Thursday, 1 December 2022. Former selectors Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape and Sulakshana Naik have been named in the panel, which is expected to take the big call on the new selection panel for men’s cricket.
The BCCI pulled the plug on the earlier selection panel under the guidance of Chetan Sharma, who were responsible for the selection of the India squad that went to 2021 T20 World Cup, Asia Cup 2022 and the recently concluded T20 World Cup in Australia. India suffered shock 10-wicket defeats in both of their last two World Cup outings, one against Pakistan and one against England.
The Indian side were knocked out in the 2021 edition of the tournament from the Super-12 stages, failed to make it to the final of the continental competition and then were knocked out from the 2022 edition of the ICC tournament in the semi-final against England.
In a statement released on their official website, the BCCI announced the appointement of Malhotra, Paranjape and Naik in its new Cricket Advisor Committee.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday, announced the appointment of its Cricket Advisory Committee.”
“The three-member committee comprises Mr Ashok Malhotra, Mr Jatin Paranjape and Ms Sulakshana Naik.”
“Mr Malhotra has represented India in 7 Tests and 20 One-day internationals and recently served as the President of the Indian Cricketers’ Association. Mr Paranjape has played 4 ODIs for India and was part of the Senior Men’s Selection Committee.” “Ms Naik, who played two Tests, 46 ODIs and 31 T20Is for India in a career spanning 11 years, continues to be a part of the three-member CAC,”
Bangladeshi National gets a new lease of life in Wockhardt Hospital, Nagpur
Nagpur: Complex cardiac procedure of rotablation was recently conducted on a patient from Bangladesh at Wockhardt Hospitals, Nagpur.
The 64-year-old patient was admitted under Dr. Nitin Tiwari, Consultant- Interventional Cardiology with a previous cardiac history.
He was diagnosed to have coronary artery disease along with hypertension.
Dr. Nitin Tiwari treated the patient with rotablation technique which needs high skills.
This is where a guide wire is passed into an artery in your heart that has become narrowed by a build-up of plaque. A tiny balloon is inserted along the wire and then inflated to squash the plaque to the sides and improve the flow of blood through this section of the narrowed artery.
Wockhardt Hospitals is known for handling high end cases and this was one of them.
Nagpur‘s Bhavan’s BP Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines overcomes intense competition to qualify for the Semi-Finals of HistoryTV18 CBSE Heritage India Quiz 2022
It took a lot more than just knowledge, as the students of Bhavan’s BP Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, Nagpur put on an exemplary display of teamwork, strategy and steely nerves to book their place in the semi-finals of HistoryTV18 CBSE Heritage India Quiz 2022 by coming out on top in the regional round that took place at Nalanda Public School, Mumbai.
Launched in 2001 by CBSE, the Heritage Quiz today is the benchmark for pan-India inter-school quizzes and attracts the brightest and the sharpest young minds from various prestigious CBSE schools. Its success can be gauged by the fact that more than 8049 students participated in the preliminary elimination rounds followed by regional rounds, where 90 students from 30 schools faced the challenging questions from quizmaster Ajay Poonia.
Representing Bhavan’s BP Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, Nagpur the winning team of Aaditya Agrawal, Harshal Dorkhande and Madhura Dani put on a display of harmony and synergy that kept them on the front foot right from the beginning. Competing against teams from 30 prestigious schools for a spot in the semi-finals, the team from Bhavan’s BP Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, Nagpur held on to its nerves under pressure to emerge victorious.
Bhavan’s BP Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, Nagpur will now be competing with 3 other schools in their semi-final round in their quest to be grab a spot in the National Finale of the quiz competition.
Schools from all over the country were invited for the quiz competition with the central theme of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. The inter-school quiz competition was divided across 16 zones under which 2683 CBSE schools sent their entries via online registration.
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