Students of Orchids The International School (OIS), Jalahalli branch participated in the Dikcuchi program organized by the National Academy of Customs, Indirect taxes and Narcotics at NACIN, Bengaluru. Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka, inaugurated the Diksuchi program for the 74th batch of IRS officer trainees. 40 students of the OIS Jalahalli branch performed in the band set to welcome the governor, Shri Gehlot. Shri Gehlot addressed the gathering and urged the young officers to imbibe the Panchpran (five resolutions) envisaged by the Prime Minister to achieve the objectives of New India during the Amrit Kaal leading to the 100th year of independence. Shri Gehlot felicitated Seema Soman, PE teacher, and Swarnalatha Shetty, the operational manager of Orchids The International School, Jalahalli branch, and appreciated the students who performed at the band performance. Other dignitaries present at the event were Smt. Ranjana Jha, Chief Commissioner of Central Tax & Customs, Bengaluru; S RBaruah, Director General, DG System, New Delhi; and Narayana Swamy, Additional Director General, NACIN, Bengaluru.

~Comprises of 18K Rose Gold and Diamond Jewellery studded with semi-precious stones~ ~Launch campaign features brand ambassadors Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Kalyani Priyadarshan~ Kalyan Jewellers, one of India’s most trusted and leading jewellery brands, announced the launch of its newest collection, Lila. This range showcases lightweight jewellery that embodies the essence of today’s young Indian women. The collection features elegant rose gold and diamond pieces studded with coloured gemstones. Lila with its diverse selection of contemporary designs, embodies today’s women as she confidently navigates life with style and grace. The jewellery brand’s Lila TVC features brand ambassadors Amitabh Bachchan and Kalyani Priyadarshan, the actors engage in a light-hearted and fun banter, exploring the exquisite range of designs introduced by Kalyan Jewellers, as part of this Collection. Following a holistic approach, Kalyan Jewellers has also launched a print campaign headlined by the global brand ambassador Katrina Kaif. With the launch of Lila Collection, Kalyan Jewellers aims to strengthen its product portfolio with lightweight lifestyle jewellery. Following an aggressive approach, the jewellery brand is consistently diversifying its offerings to cater distinct audience segments. Talking about the newly launched collection, Mr. Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director, Kalyan Jewellers said, “At Kalyan Jewellers, we understand that jewellery is not just an adornment but a celebration of femininity and the woman who wears it. The all-new Lila collection brings with it, a range exclusive and curated studded lightweight jewellery designs with a timeless appeal. We believe that this collection will complement our existing brand portfolio and garner widespread popularity among the younger customers. With this unique collection that is both eye-catching and functional, we aim to consolidate our presence across various consumer segments and strengthen our market share significantly.” The collection, with its hues of rose-gold, the sparkle of diamonds and the vibrancy of the coloured stones exudes grace and panache. It offers a diverse selection of dainty jewellery, which can be paired with traditional as well as western outfits. The pop of colour paired with the elegance of diamond creates a unique amalgamation of class and aesthetic. Celebrating the new collection launch in unique style, the jewellery brand has announced up to 25% off on making charges for all items as well as the Kalyan Special Board Rate on gold, which is the lowest in the market. Customers can avail the exciting range of offers along with benefits of Kalyan’s 4-Level Assurance Certification on their jewellery purchases, ensuring a seamless service-backed shopping experience. The one-of-its-kind offers are valid until 15th February, 2023. Customers can also avail the benefits of Kalyan’s 4-Level Assurance Certification on gold jewellery. While jewellery retailed at Kalyan Jewellers goes through multiple purity tests and are BIS hallmarked, the 4-level assurance certificate promises customers payment on the value of purity mentioned in the invoice during exchange or resale. Also, it ensures free lifetime maintenance of ornaments at any Kalyan Jewellers’ showroom in the country.

EKYA School, the leading School chain in India, is pursuing an expansion course in Karnataka and has announced the launch of its 5th Branch in Bengaluru from the Academic Year 2023 – 24. The new school is located at NICE Road, Begur-Koppa Road, Mylasandra, Tejaswini Nagar, Bangalore – 560076. The branch will comfortably accommodate more than 3000 students, which will include non-teaching and teaching staff, plus 2000 students for the school and 1000 for PU College. The school has been built on a sprawling 1,76,103 sq ft. approximately. Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including well-ventilated and naturally lit classrooms with panoramic windows, multiple outdoor classroom learning areas, a multi-game sports centre, a digitized library with separate zones for primary and secondary school, a football ground, and 10,000 Sq. Ft. well-lit, spacious Montessori environments containing designated reading, math and role-play areas, an amphitheatre with a seating capacity of 1500, a 750 seater multi-purpose auditorium, an indoor swimming pool with kids pool, an open visual art centre, jogging tracks and a rock climbing wall as the most attractive part among others amenities.  “Ekya School, NICE Road, will open in the first week of June. Children until grade 8 are introduced to a curriculum our in-house instructional designers created. Students from grade 9 are introduced to the CBSE board curriculum,” said Ms Mathangi, Vice Principal, Ekya Schools, NICE Road. “NICE Road Branch Ekya offers ‘deep dive programmes,’ which are beyond the regular curriculum.  Topics like ‘Theatre’, ‘Financial Literacy’, ‘Slam Poetry’, ‘Vedic Math’, ‘Coral Kingdom’, etc., are offered to students over and above the regular curriculum. We also have experts who conduct after-school activities in the following fields: Karate, Chess, Basketball, Dance, Robotics, Drums, Key Board, Vocals, Story Telling, Skating, Violin, Guitar etc.” she was quoted as saying. Speaking on the launch, Dr Tristha, Founder of Ekya School and Provost, CMR University, said Ekya School is launching its largest South Bangalore campus near NICE Road, off Begur-Koppa Road, to further its vision. Our aim is to enable young minds to make a difference in this world. Through this new campus, we shall continue to create thinkers, doers and change-makers empowered to thrive in a constantly changing world. At Ekya, we have always focused on bringing pedagogically sound and best practices from around the world to the Indian education system. We envision making the learning experience engaging, encouraging, and enriching for our students.” The admissions for the 2023-24 batch have commenced, and are already receiving an overwhelming response from parents around that area. We look forward to giving the best learning experiences to the children who take admissions into the New Ekya Nice Road Branch, the Principal of Ekya School, NICE Branch, concluded.   About Ekya School Ekya Schools is a community of learners, thinkers, doers and change-makers. By drawing on the legacy of the CMR Group of Institutions and innovative methods of learning from school systems around the world, our schools were instituted with one aim – to teach children not just what to learn but how to learn. At Ekya, our children are at the heart of everything we do. Our learning paths and curriculum incorporate international standards and research-based pedagogy. We believe in this approach because our schools facilitate a deep love for learning, give children clarity in their conceptual understanding and equip them with real-world skills. Through our innovative curriculum and co-curricular activities, our children are becoming learners, thinkers and doers. We have five campuses across Bengaluru, at ITPL, BTM Layout, J P Nagar, Byrathi and NICE Road. We offer Montessori and Kindergarten programs at the pre-primary level, pedagogically sound in-house curated curriculum for primary and middle school levels and IGCSE, CBSE, and ICSE options at the senior school level. To learn more about us, please visit our website. For more information on Ekya School, NICE Road Branch, click here. For Media related queries, please contact: Umashankara Sharma Mobile: +91-9449145905 E-Mail ID: umashankara.sharmac@k2communications.in

First time in Tamil Nadu, doctors’ team at Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre (MMHRC) performed a novel approach called Stellet Driven LOT ICD to save a 58-year-old woman. She had been suffering from LV dysfunction and Shortness of breath SOB even at rest for the past 5 years. She required hospitalization three to four times each year while on maximal medical therapy for heart failure. The Patient came to MMHRC with severe heart failure. After seen her heart condition, doctors decided to perform Left bundle branch pacing–optimized implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (LOT-ICD) for potential Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implant to wide QRS with Left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology. Talking about the condition, Dr. S. Selvamani, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, MMHRC said, “LBBP is a challenging as we need to add a defibrillator to these patients as they have significant LV dysfunction and makes sure that they are prevented from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The patient underwent Stellet Driven LOT ICD. The patient was scheduled for CRT since it performs well with LBBP.” “Instead of using the conventional transvenous LV lead via the coronary sinus, we explored directly stimulating the left ventricular in this instance. By eliminating a very prolonged procedure, we could achieve similar or better results with less hardware. She received a modified Dual Chamber ICD (LOT-ICD-Left Ventricular Optimized -ICD) since her QRS narrowed without the addition of the LV lead. The procedure helped in desynchronizing the heart without the addition of an LV lead by directly stimulating the LV through the condition system. A specialized deflectable catheter made for condition system pacing with conventional pacing leads, was used for the procedure. Coronary Sinus (CS) lead was not placed and the procedure was stopped” added Dr. S. Selvamani. Dr. B. Kannan, Medical Administrator, MMHRC said, “The majority of patients who can benefit from our advanced therapy are not aware of the facilities available in Tamil Nadu. Our goal is to provide the highest quality of patient-centered care to many more patients in Tamil Nadu, utilizing our interdisciplinary approach and the multi-skilled resources within our team.” The event-less procedure, done under local anesthesia, took around two hours to complete. The patient was discharged 2 days after the procedure and resumed all normal activities. The meticulous treatment plan devised by a multidisciplinary team achieved superior results for the patient. The Cardiology team members were also present during the press meet.

The country’s first AI-driven multi-teacher learning platform enabling schools to attain higher grades in the school accreditation process Bengaluru, Karnataka, India – Vedhik IAS Academy in partnership with iLearningEngines (iLE) formally launched Vedhik eSchools, their AI-powered learning experience platform in Bengaluru. Dr. Shankar Bidari, IPS, Former DGP, Govt. of Karnataka, inaugurated the platform during a function at the Leela Hotel in the city that was attended by the heads of over 100 schools as well as the dignitaries from the Government and education sector. “If we are to equip the next generation to succeed in this rapidly changing world, we need to adopt the latest technology in delivering education. With this AI learning platform, schools can provide personalized education experiences, helps students learn at their own pace, and gives teachers valuable insights into their students’ performance. This is very much in line with the national education agenda, and I am honored to support this great initiative”, said Dr. Shankar Bidari. Vedhik and ILE joined forces one year ago with the goal of making learning more dynamic and accessible to all students in the region. Today, Vedhik eSchools empowers learning institutions to provide world-class education to their students, extending even beyond academics, by leveraging the most advanced AI technologies and educational tools. In launching Vedhik eSchools, the organizers’ goals include improving student performance and engagement, enhancing teacher productivity, and increasing parent-teacher communication, resulting in a more robust learning ecosystem A unique feature of Vedhik eSchools is the multiple teacher experience, which provides an opportunity to learn the same lessons from multiple teachers. Students have the flexibility to choose their teachers based on their own requirements and preferences. Vedhik eSchools helps schools to overcome the limitations and restrictions of conventional educational models. Dual schooling, home schooling, personalized learning and hybrid learning are all integrated here. With 24/7 virtual support, students also enjoy a teacher guided experience even after school hours and eliminates the need for after-school tutoring. For individual schools that are not equipped with full-fledged facilities, Vedhik eSchools is the perfect platform to help them offer a holistic learning experience without incurring high infrastructural costs. For parents and students too, Vedhik eSchools makes this 360-degree program accessible at affordable fees with increased convenience, on a centralized platform. “With Vedhik IAS Academy we were instrumental in shaping the leaders of the country and with Vedhik eSchools, our vision is to transform the whole country by inculcating the youth with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to contribute to society and make a positive impact in the world. By providing access to quality education, we can break down barriers, reduce inequality, and unleash the full potential of our youth”, said Dr. Babu Sebastian, Founder and Chancellor, Vedhik Group of Companies, former Vice Chancellor, IMG & Kannur University, Kerala. “After a successful launch in Kerala, we are excited to bring Vedhik eSchools to Karnataka, with an all India launch in our sights soon” said James Mattom, Vedhik eSchools CEO. “With this initiative, we are helping schools with valuable insights and are excited to take this concept globally with our commitment to empowering students.” “iLearningEngines is completely committed to helping organizations meet their learning automation needs,” said Balakrishnan A. P., President of iLearningEngines. “Our relationship with the Vedhik Foundation started with their entire IAS academy being deployed through iLearningEngines, and we are very excited to extend this to Vedhik eSchools, a robust and easy-to-use learning experience platform with the amazing mission of accelerating learners’ education, skill development and future-readiness. We look forward to helping Vedhik make this program widely available and successful throughout India and the Middle East.” The Vedhik eSchools platform features multiple modules with access to broad sets of content that have been designed in conjunction with national school accreditation standards and overseen by veteran education professionals. For more information on Vedhik eSchools, go to https://vedhikeschools.com/. The Bangalore launch event was attended by Dr. Shankar Bidari, IPS, Former DGP, Govt. of Karnataka, Dr. Babu Sebastian, Founder and Chancellor, Vedhik Group of Companies, former Vice Chancellor, IMG & Kannur University, Kerela, Shri. James Mattan, Founder and CEO, Vedhik Group of Companies, Shri. B.C. Nagesh, Hon Minister of Education, Govt. of Karnataka, Shris. Balakrishnan A.P., President iLearningEngines. ABOUT ILEARNINGENGINES iLearningEngines is the market leader in cloud-based, mission critical training for enterprises. Deloitte has ranked ILE as the top 20 fastest growing company in North America in 2020 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, and #5 in 2019 Deloitte Fast 500. The Company’s AI and Learning Automation platform is used by enterprises to productize their enterprise knowledge for consumption throughout the enterprise. iLearningEngines is being deployed in some of the most regulated and detail-oriented vertical markets including healthcare, education, energy, transportation and the military. The intense demand for scalable, outcome-based training has led to marquee customer wins across several industry verticals. ABOUT VEDHIK IAS ACADEMY Vedhik IAS Academy is India’s largest and most innovative online IAS Academy and provides affordable world-class IAS Coaching that transforms lives. With residential campuses across India, providing an opportunity to learn from India’s topmost IAS officers, Vedhik offers wide-ranging online classes with AI-supported study programs, videos and personalized evaluation platforms. Vedhik IAS Academy offers a completely digital platform and is the first paperless UN and Indian Civil service coaching Institute in India with the mission of providing online civil service coaching for students across the globe. As the only IAS academy in India to receive the Excellent Global E Learning Award-2020 from the UN, Vedhik trains students for more than 568 competitive exams to prepare them for national and state-level government jobs.

True love withstands the test of time and so does Kalyan Jellewers’ intricate and timeless jewellery.  With options ranging from 22K gold designs and diamond embedded jewellery sets among the few, woo your loved one’s heart this Valentines’s Day with exquisite gifting options from Kalyan Jewellers. Kalyan Jewellers brings you the top 6 jewellery picks that are minimal yet versatile. Wear them alone or layer with matching pieces from the collection for an elegant and well-accessorised look. Explore these exquisitely crafted pieces of jewellery, each more precious than the other and get ready to look your very best this Valentine’s Day! To make the season of love all the more joyful, Kalyan Jewellers has announced flat 10% off on this exclusive Valentine’s Day Collection. Customers can avail this special discount across Kalyan Jewellers’ showrooms in India till 14th February, 2023. LISTICLE  The infinity necklace from Kalyan Jewellers, embedded with diamonds, is the perfect symbol of eternal love. The three hearts set onto the infinity element signify the three pillars of a bond- rose gold for love, white gold for friendship and yellow gold for fidelity. This minimal yet intricately detailed necklace is the perfect gift for everyday use.   This pair of infinity studs features diamonds and three hearts in rose, white and yellow gold. Inspired by a love that lasts forever, a universally recognized sign of deep connection – the infinity symbol, makes these earrings an impactful gift for your loved one this Valentine’s. Very similar to the trendy ‘Toi et Moi’ (You and Me) ring, this piece from Kalyan Jewellers wraps around the finger bringing two different motifs together- the diamond embedded star and the detailed, 22K gold heart. The uniqueness and versatility of this ring ensures your loved one would wear this on repeat.   A caterpillar butterfly, studded with rubies carefully placed on an open heart makes this pair of earrings so beautiful and delicate- sure to stand out and amp up your outfit with a subtle and classy pop of color. Rubies are known to be a symbol of love and commitment, while a butterfly symbolizes growth and new beginnings; both intertwined together on the 22K gold heart shaped pendant makes this minimalistic neck piece a standout gift this Valentine’s. Set your heart a-flutter with this romantic Valentine’s themed bracelet made in 22K gold by Kalyan Jewellers. The motif at the centre features a minimal, delicate rose at the core and is also surrounded with two hearts linked to each other on either sides.

Wonderla Holidays, India’s largest amusement park chain, is spreading love and joy this Valentine’s Day by offering special packages at its parks in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kochi. The Valentine’s Week events, taking place from 10th to 14th February 2023, will provide couples with unforgettable unique experiences and memories to cherish. Couples can experience love at 300 feet in the air by dining on the Sky Wheel or enjoy a buffet dinner by the Wave pool, both available at Wonderla Parks in Kochi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The Sky Wheel Dine experience for Rs 399 for a couple (inclusive of GST) is made available from 10th to 14th February and the delightful buffet dinner by the wave pool for Rs 849 for a couple (inclusive of GST) is available only on 14th February 2023. Both these packages are also available with park entry combo packages, offering Park Entry and Skywheel Dine, or Park Entry and Wave Pool Buffer Dinner, to make this Valentine’s Day truly unforgettable and memorable. Guests can take their Valentine’s Day celebrations to the next level with a luxurious one-night stay at the Wonderla Resort in Bengaluru, including Fastrack access to the park, a romantic gala dinner, and a delicious breakfast for two, all for only Rs 8600 + GST. In addition to this, those looking to plan ahead, Wonderla Kochi is offering a special advance booking offer from February 10th to 14th 2023 for just Rs 899 + GST. With these tickets, customers can visit parks from March 1st to 31st on weekdays, providing a fantastic opportunity to save while enjoying a fun-filled day at the park. Show your love and appreciation for your special someone this Valentine’s Day with Wonderla Holidays.  Wonderla encourages visitors to book their entry tickets in advance through the online booking portal and create memories that will last a lifetime. For more details and booking check out the Wonderla website: https://www.wonderla.com/offers.html  or reach out to: Kochi – 0484-3514001, 75938 53107 Bengaluru – 080-37230333, 080 35073966 Hyderabad – 0841 4676300, 0841 4676333 About Wonderla Holidays Wonderla Holidays Limited is India’s largest and most popular amusement park operator. The company currently owns and operates three amusement parks in Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and a resort at Bengaluru named ‘Wonderla Resort’. Many of its rides are custom made and imported from reputed international suppliers, making them unique in India. Wonderla parks have been visited by over 5crores visitors since 2000 making them the most visited amusement parks in India. Wonderla is among the top ranked amusement parks in India and Asia. Wonderla is certified for the Integrated Management System by BV India as per the standards under ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 45001:2018.

This procedure was conducted only once in Karnataka earlier, making this the second of its kind in the state.  Aster RV Hospital recently conducted a rare and minimally invasive heart procedure on a 71-year-old patient, Shobha (name changed) suffering from rheumatic heart disease, giving her a new lease on life. Earlier, this procedure was conducted only once in Karnataka, making this the second of its kind in the state. Having already undergone two open-heart surgeries to treat her condition, a third open-heart surgery would be high risk and lead to a longer recovery time for the patient. “Shobha was suffering from repeated spells of breathlessness, especially upon exertion, which is a common sign of valve degeneration. She had a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve implanted during her second open-heart surgery 12 years back which has now degenerated. In such a patient, particularly because of her age and comorbidities, conducting another open-heart surgery to fix a new valve can be extremely risky. We advised her to undergo a Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Valve-in-valve Procedure,” explained Dr. S. Venkatesh, Lead Consultant – Interventional Cardiology at Aster RV Hospital. A physical examination, Echocardiogram, and CT Aortogram were performed to evaluate the size of the heart and determine whether there was any extra fluid in the heart or lungs, as well as other procedures to check the heart and assess any potential damage. The patient successfully underwent Tricuspid valve-in-valve implantation on 11 October 2021. “Through a vein puncture in the groin, we accessed her heart and implanted a MYVAL 27.5 mm tricuspid valve within the previous bioprosthetic valve. This procedure typically takes about an hour to complete. She was extubated the same day and had an uneventful recovery,” said Dr. Venkatesh. “I was anxious about going through another open-heart surgery as I have crossed 70 years of age and do not have the strength that I used to have. This non-surgical option was great news to me, and I am glad I was in the hands of skilled doctors who made it a seamless experience. My recovery has been very smooth, and I was able to go back to my normal tasks within a week of surgery. I am enjoying my time with my grandkids!” said Shobha. According to reports, about 70% of patients suffering from valve disease are due to rheumatic heart disease in India. This is a condition where the valves in the heart are permanently damaged because of childhood streptococcal infection and its sequela. The incidence of heart valve disease increases significantly with age affecting the longevity as well as the quality of life of elderly patients. This procedure requires expertise and is done only at specialized centres. About Aster DM Healthcare Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in GCC and in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence, we are one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary healthcare through our 27 hospitals, 118 clinics, 323 pharmacies and 66 labs & patient experience centers in seven countries, including India. We have over 24,350 plus dedicated staff including 3,110 doctors and 7,063 nurses across the geographies that we are present in, delivering a simple yet strong promise to our different stakeholders: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.

Roadshow by Vayana TradeXchange in association with IFSCA on scope and potential of GIFT-IFSC to serve as the region’s trade finance hub  Vayana TradeXchange (VTX) the leading International Trade Finance Services (ITFS) platform conducted a roadshow in association with International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) the unified regulator at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City – International Financial Services Centre (GIFT-IFSC). The event was presided over by Shri Dipesh Shah, ED, IFSCA, other senior IFSCA representatives along with senior members from various Export Promotion Councils, Banks, Factoring & insurance companies, exporters/importers, CFOs of large corporates, MSMEs, and senior officials from Trade Credit Insurance companies. Shri Dipesh Shah hailed ITFS as one of its kind and unique platform which in the coming days will completely change the way exporters in India access trade finance. It aims to democratise the trade finance space by providing an electronic platform that connects exporters, importers and financiers across the globe. Shri Ram Iyer, Founder & CEO of Vayana Network, addressed the MSME exporters at the event and from his experience of running India’s largest supply chain finance platform shared how VTX platform has been built keeping Vayana’s ethos of a zero change in processes for the customer at its core thereby, reducing acquisition and servicing costs and allowing the smallest of businesses to secure finance from the largest of lenders at affordable rates. As the world increasingly moves towards open account trade, trust is the most critical factor in keeping the supply chains moving. With India increasingly becoming an important manufacturing destination coupled with the government’s push-through schemes such as Make in India, PLI, it is critical that factoring is adopted as a means to build trust and minimise risk in a transaction to increase trade velocity. World over, for the global economy to completely recover from the shock of the disruptions caused by the pandemic and for supply chains to become resilient, ITFS platforms such as VTX are need of the hour. Shri Kalyan Basu, MD & CEO of Vayana TradeXchange shared, “Transactions on the platform are moments of truth and VTX platform is well past that stage with 6 financiers from India and abroad, 10 sellers (exporters), from India and 7 buyers (importers) outside India. This end-to-end digital auction-based cross-border trade platform has no precedence across the globe and putting it together has been an amazing journey that has just begun.” The platform offers a win-win for buyers sellers and financiers as they simply enter into a one-time agreement with VTX, enabling them to access new markets and grow their business. Mr. Vinod Parmar, Director, Vayana TradeXchange, gave the closing remarks and said, “Through ITFS we envision a future where Indian exporters will be emboldened to grow their ambitions and expand their footprint across the world deepening their presence across global supply chains. This is India’s decade and VTX will play a pivotal role in making India the leading manufacturing hub.” The ITFS platforms like VTX will in near future allow buyers and sellers from anywhere in the world to access trade finance from multiple financiers through a unique bidding mechanism that will help them discover the best possible rates. Vayana TradeXchange will soon sign MOUs with various Export Promotion Councils and trade associations to further create awareness about the platform among their members.

Ujaas, an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust, will partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work towards advancing women’s health and economic empowerment in rural areas of Maharashtra  Ujaas, an Aditya Birla Education Trust initiative, has partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work on women’s health and economic empowerment in Maharashtra. Through this initiative, Ujaas will work with 100 Women Self–Help Groups (SHG) in rural Maharashtra to help generate income sources for women by providing training to manufacture cloth pads at Gram Panchayat, schools, Zilha Parishad, Community halls etc. and create awareness, accessibility, and availability of period products for the rural population at affordable prices. Ujaas will also empower women with financial literacy and undertake research studies on issues related to women’s health and hygiene. The SHGs will be trained to manufacture and market cloth sanitary napkins for Online and On ground sales. Moreover, Ujaas will also conduct a workshop to educate the women of SHGs on menstrual health and hygiene management. Since its inception in December 2021, Ujaas has reached out to 79,447 beneficiaries, conducted 2,070 awareness sessions, and distributed 815,998 menstrual pads, covering 378 Schools across 13 locations. In response to this partnership, Advaitesha Birla, Sociopreneur and Founder of Ujaas, stated, As Ujaas grows we are proud to forge a meaningful partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work on women’s health and economic empowerment.  This work can have an impact not only to empower women through knowledge and financial literacy, but also contribute to the country’s economic growth. Together we want to drive impactful change, provide opportunities for livelihood generation and increase access to hygienic period products to improve women’s health. At Ujaas we make the change one girl at a time”.  Women have a critical role to play in India’s growth trajectory and the Government of India is committed to transforming women’s development into women-led development.  We are inspired by this mission and honoured to support India on this journey, by accelerating progress towards a more gender-equal world with a focus on new enterprise creation, skilling, training, access to markets and greater participation in the labor force, as critical levers to driving greater economic empowerment for women. We are excited about partnering with Ujaas to advance these goals in Maharashtra.” said Hari Menon, India Country Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. About Ujaas Ujaas, an initiative by Aditya Birla Education Trust aims to create a positive and sustainable impact in the menstrual health landscape in India by reducing period poverty and by empowering adolescent girls and women to adopt effective menstrual health and hygiene management practices. At Ujaas, we understand problems related to the affordability of sanitary products and sustainability. With our distribution channels and awareness campaigns, we want to propel a legacy of CHANGE and form a cycle of sustainability that is passed down to generations. Menstrual health is one of the most glaring but under-prioritized issues, which unfortunately gets compartmentalized as a woman’s problem instead of getting noticed as a public health challenge & a barrier to progressive nation-building.