OnePlus Launches OnePlus 9 Series Flagship Smartphones and First-Ever OnePlus Watch

 

New Delhi, March 23, 2021 – Global technology company OnePlus today launched its most advanced flagship smartphones yet with the OnePlus 9 Series, featuring a top-tier flagship camera experience with the Hasselblad Camera for Mobile system, next-generation high refresh rate displays and fast wireless charging technology that outperforms the wired charging solutions of its competitors. Additionally, OnePlus also introduced its first connected wearable for global markets, the OnePlus Watch, offering up to two weeks of battery life, multiple health and activity tracking features, and a sleek and stylish design.   The OnePlus 9 Series is OnePlus’ biggest leap forward in camera quality, achieved through its long-term partnership with legendary professional camera manufacturer Hasselblad, whose cameras have immortalized some of the most iconic faces and events in modern history – including man’s first steps on the moon. OnePlus’ new flagship camera system, Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, brings multiple breakthroughs in smartphone photography, centered around the company’s new standard for smartphone color performance – Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad – and premium hardware for improved image quality. The OnePlus 9 Series also offers powerful performance with the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 mobile platform, the superior Fluid Display 2.0 with a DisplayMate A+ rating, and industry-challenging fast charging solutions, Warp Charge 65T and Warp Charge 50 Wireless.   “The OnePlus 9 Series represents a key milestone for OnePlus flagship smartphones. Co-developed with Hasselblad, the new Hasselblad Camera for Mobile will give users the ability to capture their own iconic moments with more accurate colors and premium image quality,” said Pete Lau, Founder, CEO and Chief Product Officer of OnePlus. “Together with the new OnePlus Watch, our latest flagship smartphone series offers a burdenless user experience with even the smallest detail tailored to challenge the smartphone industry and empower our Community through premium technology.” OnePlus 9 Pro   Hasselblad Camera for Mobile on the OnePlus 9 Pro combines state-of-the-art hardware with meticulous software calibration for a significantly improved flagship camera experience. The stunning 120 Hz QHD+ display incorporates next-generation screen technology to improve battery life and gaming performance. Warp Charge 65T and Warp Charge 50 Wireless take charging to a new level, dramatically reducing time spent charging your device. Powered by the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 mobile platform, the enhanced performance ensures that the OnePlus 9 Series is ready to handle the most demanding tasks with ease.   Hasselblad Camera for Mobile   Color is perhaps the most important factor that determines the quality of mobile photography. With Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, OnePlus aimed to bring Hasselblad’s iconic color performance to a smartphone for the first time. This was a significant challenge for both OnePlus and Hasselblad, since smartphone camera systems work very differently from traditional cameras, and Hasselblad has strict requirements for color performance and image processing. To achieve this goal, OnePlus and Hasselblad jointly calibrated the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro sensors, carrying out numerous lab tests using Hasselblad’s high standards for color. They then worked together to optimize hundreds of real-life scenes through computational photography to fine tune the color based on their mutual understanding of color performance as well as smartphone users’ needs and habits.   Now, the OnePlus 9 Series uses OnePlus’ new standard for color calibration – Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad – to bring more perceptually accurate and natural-looking colors to photos taken with the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. The first and most significant outcome of the long-term partnership between OnePlus and Hasselblad, this new color solution required months of thorough verification and fine-tuning by both the Hasselblad and OnePlus research and development teams. In addition, a select group of Hasselblad Ambassadors brought extensive professional photography experience to provide invaluable subjective feedback that helped add a new level of aesthetics to the smartphone camera experience.   The OnePlus 9 Pro’s 48MP main camera features a custom-designed IMX789 sensor, co-engineered with Sony, with an impressively large 1/1.4” sensor. The result is exceptional imaging capability, with leading technologies including 2x2 on-chip lens (OCL), 12-bit RAW, dual native ISO, and DOL-HDR. It offers faster focus speeds, four-times more color information for greater color accuracy, cleaner daytime and night shots, and reduced motion blur in videos.   The OnePlus 9 Pro’s unparalleled 50MP ultra-wide camera uses a 1/1.56” Sony IMX766 sensor, which ensures enhanced image quality and lower noise. Its pioneering Freeform Lens uses a series of unique curves to correct the incoming light, bringing distortion at the edge of photos down to around 1%. The ultra-wide camera also allows you to capture high quality macro photos, with the ability to focus from as close as 4 cm away from your subject.   The 8MP telephoto camera on the OnePlus 9 Pro offers 3.3x (77mm) zoom with OIS to reduce blur, maxing out at 30x digital zoom. A dedicated monochrome camera works together with the OnePlus 9 Pro’s main camera to add detail and layering to black and white photos, while a new tilt-shift simulates the special miniature effect of a tilt-shift lens for more creative photos.   The OnePlus 9 Pro’s main camera features 16-times the pixel count of standard 1080p for high-quality videos. It can shoot at 4K 120fps, giving you more creative possibilities in shooting video and editing, with DOL-HDR ensuring you always get the subject in clear view in backlit environments. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s ultra-wide camera can also create time-lapse video when walking.   The new Hasselblad Pro Mode offers incredibly accurate and natural color for a solid foundation for post-editing. It has been revamped with a new user interface based on Hasselblad’s image processing software to give professional-level users a unique Hasselblad look and feel. It also allows for an unprecedented amount of control for expert photographers to fine-tune their photos, with the ability to adjust ISO, focus, exposure time, white balance and more. Users can also shoot in 12-bit RAW format for 64-times the color compared with 10-bit RAW traditionally found in other smartphones.   Fluid Display 2.0   The OnePlus 9 Pro’s Fluid Display 2.0 boasts a new generation of advanced mobile display technology, integrating low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology, the most advanced backplane technology used in high-end OLED displays, and lightning-fast touch response for gaming. LTPO technology enables the OnePlus 9 Pro’s display to automatically adjust the refresh rate from 120 Hz all the way down to 1 Hz to match the current user scenario, resulting in significantly lower power consumption. Hyper Touch technology also gives you much faster response time when playing certain games by increasing the syncing speed between the processor and display to 360 Hz – up to six-times faster than before.   The OnePlus 9 Pro’s display earned an A+ rating from DisplayMate, offering QHD+, up to 1,300 nits of peak brightness, native 10-bit color depth, E4 emitting material, HDR10+, MEMC, automatic color temperature adjustment, front and back ambient light sensing and more. The display offers the most accurate and natural color reproduction with an exceptional JNCD (Just Noticeable Color Difference) of less than 1.0, for color rated as “visually indistinguishable from perfect”, even exceeding the performance of leading professional monitors.   Performance   With cutting-edge 5G, the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 mobile platform delivers lightning-fast speeds and unprecedented power. With 25% faster CPU performance and 35% faster graphics rendering plus the new 5nm process node, the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 offers significant power-savings, allowing for extensive usage on a single charge.   5G connectivity is powered by the fully integrated X60 5G Modem-RF System. A third-generation global 5G solution, the X60 is world’s first 5nm baseband architecture delivering faster, low-latency 5G mobile speeds using 5G carrier aggregation across FDD and TDD. Also, the X60 reduces power consumption and heat, improving performance and battery life in the OnePlus 9 Pro.   The OnePlus 9 Pro comes with both LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage to deliver the fastest and smoothest experience yet on a OnePlus flagship device. Flagship-level LPDDR5 RAM is 1.5-times faster than LPDDR4X and offers speeds up to 6400 Mbps. Together with enhanced power-saving capabilities, these technologies complement a hyper-connected lifestyle, taking full advantage of 5G speeds and making multitasking seamless.   Warp Charge   Warp Charge 65T delivers a day’s power in just 15 minutes – and can charge from 1-100% in just 29 minutes. The OnePlus 9 Pro achieves these speeds using a custom 4,500 mAh battery with an improved dual-cell design to reduce internal resistance and heating while charging. This gives the OnePlus 9 Pro the ability to charge at a higher output for an extended period.   Warp Charge 50 Wireless is OnePlus’ fastest-ever wireless charging technology – and one of the fastest solutions in the industry. With both battery cells charging at 25W, Warp Charge 50 Wireless even outpaces most wired fast-charging solutions, charging from 1-100% in just 43 minutes. The newly designed wireless charger is equipped with two charging coils, so the OnePlus 9 Pro can charge just as quickly both horizontally and vertically.   The power adapter included in the box can also be used to turbo charge non-OnePlus devices including laptops, tablets and more up to 45W using USB PD or PPS.   Design   The OnePlus 9 Pro continues the brand’s vision for burdenless design, offering an integrated, unified and stylish look and feel. With a thin 2.2 mm aluminum frame, the device is very well balanced and comfortable to hold even for extended periods of time. Compared with the previous generation, the curved display of the OnePlus 9 Pro has been carefully optimized to minimize discoloration and mistouches.   The OnePlus 9 Pro comes in three nature-inspired colorways – Morning Mist, Pine Green and Stellar Black  – and offers an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. OnePlus 9   The OnePlus 9 offers a similarly powerful flagship experience as the OnePlus 9 Pro, with a full 120 Hz display, Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 mobile platform, next-generation 5G connectivity, Warp Charge 65T as well as the powerful Hasselblad Camera for Mobile for an all-around fast and smooth smartphone experience.   Camera   Hasselblad Camera for Mobile on the OnePlus 9 uses the same advanced color standards as the OnePlus 9 Pro – Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad. The triple camera system gives users the power to capture stunning images with some of the most natural color on any mobile device for a professional-level photography experience.   The OnePlus 9 uses the same industry-leading 50MP ultra-wide camera as the OnePlus 9 Pro, with a 1/1.56” Sony IMX766 sensor and uniquely curved Freeform Lens to minimize edge distortion. The 48MP main camera also boasts exceptional imaging capabilities, thanks to a custom-designed 1/1.43” Sony IMX689 sensor, 2x2 OCL, 12-bit RAW, dual native ISO and 3-HDR. The OnePlus 9 camera system offers faster focus speeds, 64-times more color information compared with traditional 10-bit sensors, cleaner daytime and night shots and higher dynamic range in videos. A dedicated monochrome camera works with the main camera for detailed and layered black and white photos.   120 Hz Fluid Display   The OnePlus 9’s 120 Hz Fluid Display provides an immersive viewing experience regardless of what you’re watching. Using the same top-notch flat display as the OnePlus 8T, which received a DisplayMate A+ rating, the OnePlus 9’s 6.55” Fluid Display features a 120 Hz AMOLED panel with industry-leading color accuracy and improved automatic brightness control.   The brightness of the OnePlus 9’s display can go up to 1,100 nits with HDR10+ certification, to improve your experience when watching HDR videos. It is equipped with two ambient light sensors with 8,192 levels of brightness for smoother automatic brightness control. Comfort Tone also adjusts the color temperature of the display to match your environment for a more comfortable reading experience.   Warp Charge   The OnePlus 9’s 4,500 mAh battery utilizes an improved dual-cell design that is able to charge from 1-100% in just 29 minutes.   Design   The OnePlus 9 features a sleek look in line with OnePlus’ burdenless design heritage. The curved design on the back and light weight give the device a comfortable feeling in the hand. It comes in three colors inspired by nature – Winter Mist, Arctic Sky and Astral Black.   OxygenOS 11   Co-created with the OnePlus community, OxygenOS 11 brings speed, smoothness, and customization to the OnePlus 9 Series for the most intuitive, efficient and personalized Android experience, and a simple yet bold design that makes navigation easier even with one hand.   The new Turbo Boost 3.0 memory optimization enables you to keep more than 25% more apps open in the background than before. OnePlus achieved this with the help of RAM compression, which makes data on the RAM smaller, and virtual RAM, which turns phone storage into RAM so your phone can have more physical RAM to work with.   OnePlus devices are built to support high frame rate experiences for the highest performance and most demanding games. Pro Gaming Mode unlocks the power of the OnePlus 9 Series’ CPU and GPU and blocks app notifications, calls and other distractions to let users fully dive into their favorite mobile games. An improved five-layer gaming-grade cooling system, OnePlus Cool Play, also helps with heat dissipation during intensive gaming.   Multi-assistant capability   To make the experience more intuitive, the OnePlus 9 Series comes with multiple voice-assistant capabilities. Users can now enjoy hands-free access to multiple voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Alexa, simultaneously. Just use your voice to play music, make calls, open apps, control smart devices, ask for directions and much more, all while on-the-go.   OnePlus 9R Along with the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, OnePlus also announced the OnePlus 9R, an exclusive addition to the India market at this moment. The OnePlus 9R reinstates the brand’s goal to make the premium OnePlus smartphone experience accessible to more users at wider price points. Equipped with Snapdragon™ 870 CPU, the OnePlus 9R empowers users to experience the next level of fast and smooth. Whether gaming, live-streaming, or recording a 4K video, the flagship-level chipset ensures lag-free performance. With a 120 Hz OLED panel, OnePlus’ best flat display, the OnePlus 9R delivers an unforgettable visual experience, together with hyper-fast OLED response times, the 120 Hz screen refresh rate improves scrolling, videos and gaming performance. Powered by hardware like the ultra-smooth 120Hz display, and highly optimized software in OxygenOS, OnePlus 9R takes mobile gaming one step further, with a state-of-the-art multi-layer cooling system and 240Hz touch sampling rate for up to 5 fingers gameplay, curating an unparalleled on-the-go gaming experience. Embodying OnePlus’ new and bold design vision, the OnePlus 9R is a mélange of high-end materials, and meticulous craftsmanship. Adopting the OnePlus ‘burdenless’ philosophy, the OnePlus 9R comes in 2 colorways, Lake Blue and Carbon Black. The OnePlus 9R fashions a versatile quad-camera setup, equipped with the IMX586 main camera sensor co-engineered with Sony, and a 123° ultra-wide camera, allowing users to capture stunning panoramic shots and sharp photos. The OnePlus 9R camera setup also comes suited with a hybrid OIS and EIS solution ensuring remarkably smooth video footage. OnePlus 9R also brings the virtual world into focus with cyberpunk-style filters, OnePlus Watch The OnePlus Watch is the latest extension of the company’s strategic plan to offer the OnePlus experience to more users around the world with its growing portfolio of best-in-class products offering a burdenless user experience. As the company’s first global wearable device, the OnePlus Watch aims to integrate into the daily digital life of OnePlus users, offering stylish design, seamless connection, smart fitness tracking and incredibly long battery life. Design The OnePlus Watch showcases the same sense of craftsmanship and build quality as OnePlus smartphones, resulting in a product that is powerful to use and beautiful to hold. The round design emulates the look of a traditional watch, with a smooth arc on the side of the case that is hand-polished with more than 20 treatments for a refined finish. The 46 mm case is crafted from quality stainless steel, with 2.5D curved glass on the face and a subtle yet radiant glossy CD pattern on the display bezel for an added touch of class. OnePlus Watch Cobalt Limited Edition Complementing the minimalist aesthetic of the Classic Edition, the OnePlus Watch Cobalt Limited Edition takes premium design a step further with materials traditionally found only on luxury watches. The watch case of the Limited Edition is crafted from cobalt alloy, a unique hypoallergenic material that is twice as hard and more corrosion-resistant than traditional stainless steel. Meanwhile, the watch face is made from specially-treated sapphire glass, with a Mohs rating of 9, for enhanced brightness and exceptional scratch resistance. Seamless Connectivity The OnePlus Watch seamlessly connects to your digital life, helping you immerse yourself in every moment of your life. It conveniently allows you to view and respond to notifications, make and answer phone calls, play music and take photos. The OnePlus Watch comes with 4 GB of standalone storage (2 GB for actual use), enough for over 500 songs, and is compatible with most Bluetooth earbuds for wireless music playback on the go. It also connects with the OnePlus TV, acting as a smart remote control that can lower volume when a call comes in or even turn off the TV before when it detects that you have fallen asleep. Powerful Battery, Proactive Fitness The OnePlus Watch gives users exceptional battery life quickly, delivering all-day power in just five minutes or a week’s power in just 20 minutes. The long-lasting 402 mAh battery gives you enough power for up to two weeks of sustainable use, as well as up to a week of power for the most active users. Featuring 5ATM + IP68 water and dust resistance and 110+ workout types, including automatic workout detection for jogging and running, the OnePlus Watch keeps up with the most intense workouts. Push your personal performance with metrics such as pulse, distance, calories, speed monitoring and SWOLF efficiency for swimmers. With a built-in GPS, the OnePlus Watch tracks all your activity accurately, even when the phone is not next to you. It also offers blood oxygen saturation monitoring, stress detection, breathing training, rapid heart rate alerts and sedentary reminders, all easily manageable on the OnePlus Health app. Price and Availability The OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 9 go on sale on 1st April and 15th April, respectively. Prior to open sales, the OnePlus Community can get their hands on the new OnePlus 9 Pro on 31st March as part of the early access sale. The OnePlus 9 Pro starts at INR 64,999 and the OnePlus 9 starts at INR 49,999. Users can also buy the Warp Charger 50 wireless charger on OnePlus.in for INR 5,990. For more information, please visit oneplus.in. The OnePlus 9 Series will be available on OnePlus.in, Amazon.in, all OnePlus exclusive offline stores and partner outlets. The OnePlus Watch will be available at a Special Launch Price of INR 14,999/- across online and offline stores in April 2021. Please visit oneplus.in/oneplus-watch for more information. Full pricing chart: Product Colors RAM+ROM Price (oneplus.in) OnePlus 9 Pro Morning Mist Pine Green Stellar Black 12+256 GB INR: 69,999 OnePlus 9 Pro Morning Mist Pine Green Stellar Black 8+128 GB INR: 64,999 OnePlus 9 Astral Black Winter Mist Arctic Sky 12+256 GB INR: 54,999 OnePlus 9 Astral Black Winter Mist Arctic Sky 8+128 GB INR: 49,999 OnePlus 9R Carbon Black Lake Blue 12+256 GB INR: 43,999 OnePlus 9R Carbon Black Lake Blue 8+128 GB INR: 39,999 OnePlus Watch Classic Edition INR: 14,999 Warp Charge 50 Wireless Charger INR: 5,990 In line with the launch of the OnePlus 9 Series, Red Cable Pro plans will get users cloud storage of 1TB with Red Cable Life plan and 120GB with Red Cable Care plan. This will be available starting 23rd March. Additionally, OnePlus 9 Pro users who activate Red Cable Life plan by 30th April will be given an additional 5TB cloud storage capacity for one year making it 6TB cloud storage for OnePlus 9 Pro users with Red Cable Life. Upcoming offers on the OnePlus 9 Series and the OnePlus Watch: Instant discount of INR 4000, INR 3000 and INR 2000 on OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9 and 9R, respectively, on purchase through SBI Card - credit cards and EMI transactions on OnePlus.in, Amazon.in and across OnePlus Experience Stories, Authorized Stores and Partner Stores, starting 31st March. 9 months no cost EMI on the OnePlus 9 Pro and up to 6 months no cost EMI on OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9R, on purchase using major credit cards on Amazon.in and SBI Card - credit cards on OnePlus.in & offline stores. Customers can also avail benefits worth Rs 6000 with select Jio prepaid plans Additional instant discount of INR 2000 on the OnePlus Watch using SBI Card – credit cards and EMI transactions till 30 April 2021. About OnePlus: OnePlus is a global mobile technology company challenging conventional concepts of technology. Created around the ‘Never Settle’ mantra, OnePlus creates exquisitely designed devices with premium build quality and high-performance hardware. OnePlus thrives on cultivating strong bonds and growing together with its community of users and fans. For more information, please visit oneplus.in.

Symphony Ltd launches new summer campaign “Mann Thanda Tann Taaza Rahe”

 Bengaluru, 23^rd March 2021: Symphony Ltd., world’s largest manufacturer of air coolers has launched a heart-warming campaign ‘Mann Thanda Tann Taaza Rahe’. The brand kickstarts the campaign through this brand film that enlightens fresh and cool air can bring new perspective in people’s lives. With the onset of April heat, it’s the perfect time for this advertisement to strike a chord with the Indian audience. It has been dubbed in several languages like Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Bengali.The 360-degree campaign will be promoted across television, digital, radio, OOH and other mediums. 

  

The ad follows the story of a woman who walks into her home on her birthday and is instantly greeted with refreshing air. As she makes her way into the house, she finds gifts scattered all around, staged by her husband as each room is decorated with presents. In the bedroom as her husband greets her, he jokingly asks about the papers she’s holding in her hands and she replies saying divorce papers which he laughs off. But she’s seen throwing the papers into the hamper, as she accepts his efforts and still finds something to salvage, giving her a fresh perspective after her mind cools down; with a message saying fresh air brings a fresh chapter in one’s life. 

  

Air cooler is the need of the hour this year as India observes early summers with increase in temperature.  Symphony offers a wide range of air coolers, from household to commercial to industrial coolers. These products are portable, sustainable in nature and very cost-efficient. With the range starting from Rs. 5,299, they are easily available on https://www.symphonylimited.com/ and other e-commerce portals as well as all leading retail outlets.

Speaking about the campaign, Mr. Rajesh Mishra, President - Sales and Marketing, Symphony says, “Symphony as the leading air cooler company worldwide, is ready to come forth with bigger, better plans; and what could be better than a story of saving love? With #MannThandaTannTaaza we aim at tugging the heartstrings of our audience by highlighting how imperative it is to keep oneself calm and refreshed, no matter how challenging the times may be.” 

 

Links to the campaign: https://m.facebook.com/Symphonylimited/videos/470434587333438/ 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMWsaTKjHtD/?igshid=11nnw0fn4ycrx 

Teach For India celebrates India’s most impactful education organizations on 24 -27 March 2021

 Bengaluru, 23^rd March 2021: InnovatED, Teach For India’s national platform which incubates its education entrepreneur Alumni, will hold its Launchpad Summit from 24-27 March 2021 at the Ancient School of Wisdom, Devanahalli, Bengaluru. InnovatED is designed to support Alumni early-stage education entrepreneurs that are looking to convert their innovations from a prototype stage to a sustainable organization. The incubator program provides a plethora of resources for edu-preneurs; funding, dedicated coaches, innovation bootcamps, a peer-led community of support, access to the larger ecosystem and a knowledge framework on organisation-building. The 2020 cohort works across multiple areas of education, right from curriculum to empowerment. 

 

About 77% of Teach For India Fellowship’s Alumni continue to work in the social sector with 34% working directly on-ground with children, 31% work in pathways linked to education, 12% work with the government in jobs that impact children and 14% go on to work in the private sector across diverse fields yet staying connected to children and the larger mission. While the Fellows support 32,000 children, Teach For India Alumni are reaching 33 million children across India - that’s 1 in 10 of India’s children. 

 

Entrepreneur bios: 

In Bangalore, Shekar Hariharan founded the Shifting Orbits Foundation, which addresses the issue of inter-generational poverty. Most times, poverty is caused by the inability of low-income families to sustain their children's educational journey and Shifting Orbits Foundation works at a micro level to address this problem.  

 

Catalyst, founded by Ashna Mehta is aimed at improving science instruction in Government and budget private schools in Hyderabad through teacher kits, handbooks, and instruction aids. 

 

Learning Initiatives for India founded by Raman Bahl works on creating voice based academic systems for children in Purkhas Rathi, near Ganaur, Haryana. LII works with 30 families that use these voice lessons every day, ensuring education reaches areas without the internet.  

 

Akshay V, the founder of Edzola works to bridge the technology gap amidst not-for-profits. With surveys to analyse digital literacy, Edzola makes customized reports with recommendations on how to automate processes.  

 

Through Aikaarth Foundation in Hyderabad, Pooja Agarwal works towards providing government and low-income school children access to arts education.  

 

Sai Pramod Bathena’s Alokit empowers educational leaders to create improved school systems and increase student outcomes. Before starting Alokit, Sai worked at India School Leadership Institute where he assisted in setting up their school leadership programme in Telangana.  

 

Sathyanand S’s Aurasky Academy empowers at-risk children to leverage no-code tools and platforms.  

 

Shreya Krishnan, through The Better Design Foundation (TBDF) aims to create equitable development opportunities for the underserved through human-centered design in Bangalore.  

 

Udaan, founded by Sohaib Beg through Udaan envisions building 21st-century skills by developing and partnering with community members using curriculum based on leadership framework in Mumbai.  

 

“Over 7% of our Alumni start their own social impact organisations, a majority of them in education alone. The two year Fellowship builds a deep understanding of education, pedagogy and community in our Fellows and our Entrepreneurs often start solving the problems that they experienced during their own Fellowship. InnovatED helps our Alumni navigate the first tricky years of the entrepreneurship journey, helping them build and grow their organisations. The unique incubation program offers specialised toolkits, opportunities to learn from industry experts, coaching and mentorship, access to the ecosystem and funding support.” - Payoshni Saraf, Alumni Impact Director, Teach For India. 

 

To read more about Teach For India’s Alumni and their impact, read the 2009-2021 Impact Report here.   

 

The event will take place with all the necessary COVID-19 restrictions in place.  

Paytm Payment Gateway Witnessed 61.54% Annual Merchant Growth in Karnataka, Aims to Double the Growth in 2021

 Bangalore: 18^th March 2021 : Rising from the continued impact of COVID-19 pandemic, local businesses in Karnataka have started witnessing the silver lining while undergoing digital shifts in their business models. Paytm All-in-One Payment Gateway, which has been the key payment enabler for merchants, has seen 61.54% growth in the total number of merchants in the state in the last twelve months. This clearly indicates the willingness of local merchants trying to take their businesses back to the pre-pandemic mode or even better by syncing them to the new normal. While they have been cautious during these troubled times, Paytm has helped them significantly with its All-In-One Payment Gateway to evolve their unviable business models.  

 

The digital evolution story of the country’s IT capital is not limited to its regional contribution. Bengaluru continues to record a significantly high number of digital transactions in the state, in which peer-to-merchant digital payments now play a major role. It is because of the high level of general awareness about digital payment services among the businesses. The merchants think of Paytm as a reliable payment partner, which made them use its payment gateway for adoption of digital payments.  

 

Another reason that made more merchants ‘go digital’ with Paytm payment technology is the rising trend of peer-to-merchant transactions. Most businesses feel that customers look forward to making purchases from the local brands online. They also report that a higher number of customers now ask for digital payment sources. Consequently, more merchants have built their websites and applied for Paytm Payment Gateway integration.  

 

Moreover, they are quite familiar with using Paytm mobile wallet, which has helped them tune into accepting payments online from their customers. This clearly indicates the need amongst businesses for selling products/services online and accepting payments seamlessly. The adoption of Paytm’s All-In-One Payment Gateway is also supported with the lowest transaction charges, which is 0% for startups and individuals in the first year.   

 

Within the total merchant growth in the last one year in Karnataka, several business categories have stood the test of time and shown unprecedented growth. Parking and tolls, event services, and BFSI have taken the top three spots on the growth list, with 207.14%, 138.89%, and 125.93% growth respectively. These numbers signify the upward trajectory of digital growth amongst businesses as they plan to bring all their offerings onto an online platform.   

 

Looking at the surge of businesses willing to partner with the largest payment service provider, a Paytm spokesperson said: “We are uniquely poised to cater to the needs of diverse businesses, big and small, with our payment solutions. The results that came up for our efforts dedicated to the state of Karnataka in terms of merchant growth shows that we are heading on the right path. Secondly, there is still enough headroom to scale up the efforts further like no other competitor. This is one reason that we are aiming to double the merchant growth in the next one year.” 

 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology invites “applications for the academic session of 2021”

Bangalore: 18th March 2021 : The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), ranked No. 1 in Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2020 and featured among the top 30 global universities in the QS World University Rankings 2021, is inviting applications for the 2021-2022 academic session. Applications invited cover some of the university’s most popular courses across Engineering, Science, Humanities and Business streams that are designed to help students with ingenuity, entrepreneurship and leadership skills required for 21st century job market.

The student body at HKUST comes from around 90 countries - with Indian comprising the third largest international student community. They study under the guidance of one of the world’s most qualified faculty staff – among whom 142 were recently rated by Stanford University as the world’s top 2% scientists. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis to allow Indian students with more flexibility amid the pandemic this year. Students are encouraged to submit applications at https://join.ust.hk/apply and visit https://join.ust.hk/updates for admissions related updates.

HKUST has a proven track record in its graduates’ employment and promoting entrepreneurship culture among students. Many Indian students have been successfully placed in organisations like Deloitte, EY, Goldman Sachs, IBM, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and PwC, despite a downturn in global economy and the job market.

Eligibility Criteria for all courses:

Students who wish to apply must fulfil the General Admission, School/Program-Specific and English Language requirements. The university reviews each application holistically, considering both academic performance and non-academic achievements. For students using Indian Boards exams, the requirements are “Pass Certificates obtained on completion of Standard XII (State and National boards)” and reference score of previous students admitted to HKUST is “Overall average of 85% or above”.

Note: Applicants are also expected to submit the Standard X (State and National Boards) results.

More details are listed at https://join.ust.hk/admissions/international-qualifications/

Scholarship Criteria at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The university awards academic scholarships to outstanding students on competitive merit basis. These awards may be one-off or renewable, full, or partial tuition waivers.

All applicants will be considered, and no separate application is required. The highest amount of scholarship is equivalent to Full Tuition Fee plus an allowance of HK$55,000 (INR ₹ 5 lakh 13 thousand approx.) per academic year - renewable for the normal duration of study subject to satisfactory academic performance. For more details about HKUST’s Admissions Scholarship Scheme for IB Diploma Holders & GCEAL/ International AL Qualification Holders, please visit https://join.ust.hk/fees-and-scholarships . For other qualifications, the university awards scholarships on a case-by-case basis.

Webinar next week

HKUST is organizing a special free webinar on March 24, 2021 for interested students and parents. The university’s representatives will walk through its popular programs while Indian students and graduates will share their study and work experiences in Hong Kong. Registration for this free webinar can be done through the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PVAazMIPRJOmGGe_pxyJdQ

SEBI approves @Paytm UPI handle; Paytm Payments Bank now enables fast & seamless applications for IPO

Bengaluru, 16th March 2021: India's homegrown Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) announced that it's @Paytm UPI handle has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to enable fast and seamless payment mandates for IPO application. This move benefits millions of users to invest in capital markets through various brokerage platforms using their @Paytm UPI handle. PPBL is the largest UPI beneficiary bank and has one of the best technology infrastructures for processing UPI transactions. As per the latest NPCI report, it registers the lowest technical decline rate of 0.02% as compared to all UPI remitter banks & 0.04% as compared to all UPI beneficiary banks.


Paytm Payments Bank has also entered into a partnership with Paytm Money to enable payment mandates for IPO applications. Paytm Money is India's growth enabler for wealth products and is on a mission to bring 10 million Indians to equity markets by FY'22. The platform's stockbroking offering is helping to bring in more active direct equity investors in an underpenetrated segment. It aims to open over 3.5 lakh demat accounts by year-end and expects 60% of users to be from small cities. It is focused on wealth creation with investments in Initial Public Offers (IPOs) and has made the process of IPO application completely digital & simple.

Besides Paytm Money, @paytm UPI will soon be activated across all brokerage platforms. The ease of making payments seamlessly in a secure manner will help in promoting IPOs as a wealth product and encouraging more new users to begin their journey in building a healthy portfolio.

Satish Gupta, MD & CEO - Paytm Payments Bank Ltd said, “It has been our constant endeavour to weave the convenience of seamless digital payments to all aspects of the lives of our users. By enabling @paytm UPI to apply for IPO we are giving millions of investors the ease of seamless, secure, and rapid payments to help enhance their financial portfolio. We believe that every Indian has a right to access capital markets and benefit from the burgeoning list of successful companies which are listing in the stock market. This presents a big opportunity and we intend to make the process more accessible to our fellow citizens. This is aligned with our mission to drive financial inclusion across the country.”

By investing in IPOs investors get an edge as they are part of the company's business journey right from the start, therefore as the business grows so does the investor's wealth. Based on this year’s IPO data, it can be conveniently said that India represents a huge appetite for IPOs. From FY 2021, the country’s stock exchanges (both NSE and BSE combined) witnessed around 24 IPOs and raised proceeds worth Rs.48,493 crores in total from the capital markets. Some of the most successful IPOs of FY 2021 were Burger King, Happiest Minds, Indigo Paints, and Mrs Bectors Food Specialities which had over 100% listing day gains. Within these, Burger King and Happiest Minds were oversubscribed by 156.65 times and 150.98 times and have delivered a listing day return of 130.67% and 123.49% respectively as per NSE’s data. The IPO market is expecting to have many big names come to the retail market for new offers like Zomato, LIC, Kalyan Jewellers and many more.

Two of Capital India Finance arms - RapiPay and RemitX - partner for international Outward Remittance services

Bangalore: 15th March 2021 : S.K Narvar promoted Capital India Finance Limited (CIFL), a tech enabled SME Finance player, has announced the partnership of its fintech subsidiary RapiPay and its cross-border remittances business vertical ‘RemitX’ to provide international outward remittance services to a varied set of customers. With this development, CIFL has forged an alliance within the group to explore joint synergies by enabling financial technologies taking outward remittances services to India’s vast micro-markets and thereby, consolidate its position. CIFL aims to create a digital ecosystem in financial, payments and banking space to offer its services to customers both in Urban and rural India.

Under the partnership, RapiPay will penetrate the outward remittances services offered by RemitX into the deeper markets of the country by leveraging its vast network of over two lakh agents called ‘RapiPay Sathis’. On the other hand, RemitX will make available its tech-driven, integrated Foreign Exchange services such as outward remittances, buying and selling foreign currency bank notes, foreign currency demand drafts, foreign currency prepaid cards, travel insurance to RapiPay’s business network. With these services at core, RapiPay will be able to offer foreign exchange services to a varied class of customers including the students, travellers going on leisure trips, Overseas Education Consultants, Corporates Houses, Travel Agents and Financial Institutions

Currently through RapiPay, RemitX is offering the two highly in demand services in the international remittance space - outward remittances for Students and outward remittances for overseas Medical Treatment. Post COVID, as the students plan their higher studies abroad this segment is poised to offer vast opportunity in servicing their payments for university fees and personal expenses.

Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Executive Chairman, CIFL said, “We are geared up to offer seamless and real time technology – led foreign exchange remittance services to under-penetrated markets of India. RapiPay and RemitX, with distinct peculiarities, will create a new-model of last mile-connectivity in the foreign exchange segment and help a category of beneficiaries; post COVID.”

On the students’ front, around one million Indian students go abroad for studies every year. Their tuition fee is transferred by their families in foreign currency through banks and the local money changers. In most cases, the conversion rates charged to consumers are either extremely high or have additional bank charges. RemitX will not only offer the best rates but will also ensure a seamless and transparent process. Alternatively, with RapiPay’s pan India presence across Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities, the consumers would be able to remit foreign exchange with a greater convenience.

Similarly, outward remittances for medical requirements is another highly in demand service provided by RemitX. The customers would need to contact their nearest RapiPay agents to meet their remittance requirements. Of late, there has been a strong demand for international outward remittances to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany. “We are expecting a good traction from the Tier II and Tier III cities of Punjab, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, which are emerging as a strong economic hotspot in India.”, added Dr Bhanwala.

Yoga for Unity and Well-being

Bengaluru, 15th March 2021: The honorable President of India, Shri. Ram Nath Kovind and Shri. Kamlesh Patel (Daaji) Guide of Heartfulness and President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission unveiled ‘Yoga for Unity and Well-being’ initiative, with an aim to unite people across the world by practicing yoga & meditation for 100 days for a healthier and happier life. Yoga rishi Baba Ramdev of Patanjali Yogpeeth, Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary Ministry of Ayush, Dr. H. R. Nagendra, Founder Chancellor and Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA) were present to show their commitment to this initiative.

People around the world can tune in every morning into a virtual session to learn asanas by instructors of leading Yoga institutes possessing a legacy of hundreds of years, all under the unifying banner of the ‘Yoga for Unity and Well-being’. Additionally, attendees can listen in to the lecture series on every Wednesdays and Saturday evenings. Daaji will conduct special meditation sessions for seekers to experience transformation through Transmission (life energy). The series will come to an end on the much-celebrated International Yoga day.



In his message the President of India, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind said, “I want to convey my deep appreciation to Swami Ramdev Ji, Dr. H R Nagendra, Shri Kamlesh Patel (Daaji) and other yoga gurus who will be helping the participants with their exceptional effectiveness." He further added, "The world moves to attain progress through science and technology, there is a need to restore the balance between human beings and nature through sustainable methods. The concept of health according to yoga goes beyond physical wellbeing. Yoga is an approach to holistic wellbeing which includes physical and mental fitness. Its benefits lead to freedom from psychological stress and bodily ailments. It results in a high level of positive energy. It is also a path to spiritual calmness. It is not associated with any religion, region, or people but belongs to the entire world and all of humanity."

Daaji, the Guide of Heartfulness said, “India is home to a multitude of practices to explore one's purpose in life. I am proud that the Heartfulness Institute has facilitated the united effort of organisations from across the Globe for people to easily learn yoga & meditation. I urge everyone to take the time to attend these sessions, which are free of charge, from the comfort of their homes to metamorphose their lives."



Earlier, during the International Yoga Conference at Mysore in November 2019, Daaji had given a clarion call for all spiritual organisations to work together for the upliftment of humanity. Since then, Heartfulness Institute has been playing a unifying role in bringing together various spiritual, yoga & meditation organizations along with key government bodies towards the cause of spreading yoga to many more. The message from Daaji was simple - every yoga or spiritual institute individually has tremendous influence and is making a difference in the lives of people, collectively the impact of working together can transform humanity at an accelerated pace.



Yogrishi Swami Ramdev, President, Patanjali Yogpeeth, spoke on the transformative initiative and said, “It is the beginning of a new-era for yoga and meditation in a post-pandemic world. While many have started practicing yoga and its asanas, they are unaware of its full potential to expand our collective consciousness. This series will not only unify practitioners for the goal of collective well-being but also enable them to explore the full potential of a yogic lifestyle and access to wider base of yoga institutes that have perfected and continue the traditional and authentic methodologies.”



Vaidhya Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, India said, “Ministry of Ayush is also working in close collaboration with various reputed leading Yoga Institutions for making IDY a true mass movement. The Ministry is supporting a major IDY-2021 related initiative from Shri Ram Chandra Mission/Heartfulness Institute under the theme ‘Yoga for Unity and Well-being’.”



Dr. H. R. Nagendra, Founder Chancellor, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA), said, “We are thankful to the Shri Ram Chandra Mission for unifying authentic traditional schools of yoga and enabling an interactive experience with a global audience. These 100 days of practice will create an immersive experience for participants to make yoga and meditation an integral part of their daily lives.”

Last month, Prime Minister Modi speaking at celebration of the completion of 75 years of Heartfulness practice said that “The world is battling the evils like pandemic, depression and even terrorism arising out of a fast-paced life. In such situation, Sahaj Marg and Heartfulness program along with Yoga are like the beacon of hope for the world.” The “Yoga for Unity and Well-being” program is another step by Heartfulness Institute to unify everyone for achieving the highest goal through interconnectedness amongst ourselves without any barriers.

Yoga for Unity and Well-being: March 15th – Jun 21st, 2021
Through this series, Heartfulness Institute is uniting the leading traditional yoga schools and bringing their practices onto a single platform for the benefit of humanity. The entire series is free-of-cost for participants. 75+ Yoga practice sessions from different lineages, 30+ weekly lectures by Yoga experts, and weekend masterclasses with Daaji will be conducted, starting from 15th March for the next 100 days on the Heartfulness YouTube channel and social media platforms. Participants can register on https://heartfulness.org/en/yoga4unity/ for free access to all the sessions.



The event is supported by The Ministry of Ayush, the UN Information Center- UNIC – India & Bhutan, Yoga for harmony and Peace, and the Association of Indian Universities.






Program Format

100 DAYS OF YOGA BY Heartfulness Institute

15th March 2021 – 20th June 2021


Daily Morning



6:30 – 7:30 AM

Evenings: Wednesdays and Saturdays

5 PM

Special Session Sundays

9:00 AM


30 mins

Asana and pranayama Practice

Lectures and Panel Discussions by

Yoga & Lifestyle experts

Meditate with Daaji


30 mins

meditation

Interesting Discussions























Heartfulness under the aegis of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (also known as Sahaj Marg)

Heartfulness under the aegis of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (also known as Sahaj Marg) has been propagating the modern-day version of the ancient Raja Yoga system of meditation amongst millions of people across 160 countries worldwide. Heartfulness Institute is organizing the series to make yogic practices accessible to the masses and enable traditional, lesser-known yoga institutes to engage with a global audience.

Two of Capital India Finance arms - RapiPay and RemitX - partner for international Outward Remittance services

Bangalore: 15th March 2021 : S.K Narvar promoted Capital India Finance Limited (CIFL), a tech enabled SME Finance player, has announced the partnership of its fintech subsidiary RapiPay and its cross-border remittances business vertical ‘RemitX’ to provide international outward remittance services to a varied set of customers. With this development, CIFL has forged an alliance within the group to explore joint synergies by enabling financial technologies taking outward remittances services to India’s vast micro-markets and thereby, consolidate its position. CIFL aims to create a digital ecosystem in financial, payments and banking space to offer its services to customers both in Urban and rural India.

Under the partnership, RapiPay will penetrate the outward remittances services offered by RemitX into the deeper markets of the country by leveraging its vast network of over two lakh agents called ‘RapiPay Sathis’. On the other hand, RemitX will make available its tech-driven, integrated Foreign Exchange services such as outward remittances, buying and selling foreign currency bank notes, foreign currency demand drafts, foreign currency prepaid cards, travel insurance to RapiPay’s business network. With these services at core, RapiPay will be able to offer foreign exchange services to a varied class of customers including the students, travellers going on leisure trips, Overseas Education Consultants, Corporates Houses, Travel Agents and Financial Institutions

Currently through RapiPay, RemitX is offering the two highly in demand services in the international remittance space - outward remittances for Students and outward remittances for overseas Medical Treatment. Post COVID, as the students plan their higher studies abroad this segment is poised to offer vast opportunity in servicing their payments for university fees and personal expenses.

Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Executive Chairman, CIFL said, “We are geared up to offer seamless and real time technology – led foreign exchange remittance services to under-penetrated markets of India. RapiPay and RemitX, with distinct peculiarities, will create a new-model of last mile-connectivity in the foreign exchange segment and help a category of beneficiaries; post COVID.”

On the students’ front, around one million Indian students go abroad for studies every year. Their tuition fee is transferred by their families in foreign currency through banks and the local money changers. In most cases, the conversion rates charged to consumers are either extremely high or have additional bank charges. RemitX will not only offer the best rates but will also ensure a seamless and transparent process. Alternatively, with RapiPay’s pan India presence across Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities, the consumers would be able to remit foreign exchange with a greater convenience.

Similarly, outward remittances for medical requirements is another highly in demand service provided by RemitX. The customers would need to contact their nearest RapiPay agents to meet their remittance requirements. Of late, there has been a strong demand for international outward remittances to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany. “We are expecting a good traction from the Tier II and Tier III cities of Punjab, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, which are emerging as a strong economic hotspot in India.”, added Dr Bhanwala.

VMSIIHE - First Hospitality Institute in India awarded by FSSAI with the prestigious ‘Eat Right Campus’ certification

Bangalore: 15th March 2021 : One of Goa’s leading private hospitality institute, the V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE) located in the pristine village of Manora-Raia recently obtained the coveted government ‘Eat Right Campus’ certification with 5 star rating.





The prestigious certification has been obtained under the central government’s ‘Eat Right Campus’ initiative of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which aims to promote safe, healthy and sustainable food practices in educational campuses, workplaces, hospitals, tea estates, etc. across the country.



VMSIIHE is the first hospitality institute in India and also in the state of Goa to obtain the certification, which requires passing a thorough audit of institutional practices.



The overall objective of the certification is to improve the health of people and the planet and at the same time promote social and economic development of the nation.



“The certification is a formal endorsement of the cutting edge institutional systems and practices already in place at the VMSIIHE. The extensive certification process was carried out by the Institute in assistance with Indianeers Food Safety Management, an empanelled agency and training programme partner of Food Safety Training and Certification (FOSTAC) authorised by the FSSAI,” said Chef Sebastian Breitinger, Professor of Culinary Arts at the institute.



A team of 21 food handlers from the Institute’s various departments were trained as part of the certification programme, to improve processes related to documentation of foods, as well as to set up collaboration with food suppliers in order to ensure efficient traceability of sourced goods.



VMSIIHE had already put in place safety precautions against Covid-19 to safeguard its campus. The institute had also started a dynamic poster campaign to highlight the perils of food wastage and how to control the phenomenon. To further create awareness about food wastage, VMSIIHE has initiated the practice of weighing leftovers and putting the statistics on display on the institute’s notice boards, to make students and faculty conscious of food wastage and take steps to eliminate wasteful trends.



The evaluation by the team of auditors was a thorough, elaborate procedure with the team minutely assessing staff members of the Institute, as well as examining all documentation processes.



“VMSIIHE takes pride in having gone through a strict appraisal and meeting the standards held by the auditor that visited the institute on the day of the evaluation,” says Prof. Irfan Mirza, Director/Principal at VMSIIHE.

Shri Swarup Kumar Saha appointed as "Executive Director of Punjab National Bank"

 Bengaluru, 11^th March 2021 : Shri Swarup Kumar Saha assumed the charge as Executive Director of the Punjab National Bank. Before taking up this assignment, he was Zonal Manager (Chief General Manager), Lucknow in Punjab National Bank.  

In a career spanning over 30 years, he has worked in different capacities and has worked across the country. He has wide exposure in Human Resource Development, Treasury, International Banking, Credit, Risk Management, Organization Restructuring and Board matters. During his tenure at Head Office of erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce, he headed Treasury and International Banking, Human Resource Development Division and Board Division.  

Shri Saha, a graduate in Science from University of Calcutta, Kolkata, started his career in Banking in erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce in the year 1990 as Probationary Officer. He is a Certified Associate member of Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB). He also holds a Diploma in Treasury, Investment and Risk Management (DTIRM) Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) and Certificate in Risk in Financial Services from IIBF in collaboration with CISI, London along with various certifications related to IT Security, Cyber Crimes and Fraud Management. 

He was one of the participants for the flagship Leadership Development Program of Banks Board Bureau (BBB) in 2019 conducted through IIM, Bangalore. Shri Saha has also participated in Advanced Management Program conducted by CAFRAL/Stern Business School, New York and Leadership Development Program conducted by NIBM & Kellogg School of Management, USA. 

“With 12 Million Known and Over 90% Undiagnosed Cases, India May House World’s Largest Number of Glaucoma Patients”

 Bangalore, March 11, 2021: “India can easily be the world’s capital of glaucoma, a group of eye disorders that leads to irreversible blindness, with the disease affecting 12 million people, and remaining undiagnosed in over 90% of the cases. Increasing population of senior citizens, diabetics and people with refractive errors, the known potential risk factors, are set to make glaucoma a rapidly emerging non-communicable ocular disease in the country, which already houses 20% of the world’s blind,” said Dr. Bindiya Hapani,  Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, India’s largest chain of eye hospitals. 

 

She added that there are no known measures to prevent glaucoma. The only way to prevent blindness from glaucoma, which shows no symptoms in the early stage, is early diagnosis and treatment that could halt the progression of this silent thief of sight. 

 

In a press release, issued in connection with the World Glaucoma Week 2021, being observed from March 7-13, 2021, Dr. Bindiya Hapani,  Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, said that nearly 40 million people in India, including 1.6 million children, are blind or visually impaired. Next to cataracts, and untreated refractive errors, glaucoma is the third leading cause of blindness in India. However, glaucoma is more complex and dangerous as the sight loss caused by it is progressive and, unlike cataract, is irreversible. Glaucoma is both under-diagnosed and under-treated. It occurs when the pressureinside the eye (intraocular pressure) increases. The pressure is normal so long as the rate of production of aqueous humor, the clear liquid inside the front part of eyes, matches the rate of its drainage. However, when the channels carryingthis fluid get blocked, the pressure insidethe eye increases. This increased pressuredamages the optic nerve, which passes the visual messagesto the brain. 

 

Dr. Bindiya Hapani,  Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, said that there are two major types of glaucoma: open angle glaucoma, and close angle glaucoma. Open angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma. It accounts for at least 90% of all glaucoma cases. It progresses very slowly and the patient may not feel any loss of vision until it affects the central vision. This results in permanent damage if the patient does not get an eye check-up. 

Glaucoma can strike one at any age - it is reported that people have about 2.3% lifetime risk of glaucoma. However, those who are over 40 years, and who have a family history of glaucoma, and diabetics, and people with refractive errors and those who take steroid medications, eye drops, pills, inhalers, and skin creams are considered at risk populations. They should screen for glaucoma, every year. 

 

 Dr. Bindiya Hapani,  Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, said that when diagnosed early, glaucoma can be treated effectively to avoid or minimize visionloss. Diagnosis is divided into two categories: clinical examination and diagnostic testing. Clinical examination involves the assessment of the eye with specialised equipment such as slit lamp biomicroscopy, tonometer, and gonioscopy. Diagnostic tests include perimetry, pachymetry, photography of the optic nerve head, optical coherence tomography, scanninglaser polarimetry and confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscope. 

 

Since intraocular pressure is the only modifiable factor in glaucoma,treatment modalities revolve around normalisation of this pressure. Typesof treatment can be medical(eye drops, tablets) laser therapy (aimed at opening of blocked channels) and surgical (aimed at the creation of new channels for draining the fluids inside the eye). Surgical correction also includes a variety of devices that can be placed to help with the drainage from the eye. 

 

The main objective of World Glaucoma Week is to eliminate glaucoma blindness by motivating people to have regular eye check up, including optic nerve examination. The 2021 themeis “The world is bright, save your sight!” It reflects the hope that with regular testing, people continue to see the world around us: full of beauty, charm, and adventure. 

 

Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, through its network of hospitals, is creating awareness among the public that clinical examination is the only way to catch glaucoma and early detection and treatment will preventvision loss. And with promptattention from the patients and with contribution from the primary care physicians and prompt referrals to the ophthalmologist, glaucoma can be controlled and kept in check. 

 

About Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals: 

 

Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital a comprehensive eye hospital offering a one-stop solution for eye ailments; was started in the year 1957. Now the hospital is in its 61st year of offering quality services in eye care. It has 80+ hospitals across India. With a visible footprint in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andaman, West Bengal, and Rajasthan. A tertiary eye care centre at Mauritius marks its first step towards establishing an international presence extended up to 13 branches covering the Indian Ocean region, African countries and East Asia. For more information, pls visit: http://www.dragarwal.com/