New Delhi: Indian pugilists Ashish Kumar, Govind Sahani, Varinder Singh and Monika entered the finals of their respective events at the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament in Phuket on Wednesday.Ashish, who won gold medal in the last edition in the 75kg class, lived up to his billing and produced a flawless performance to register an easy 5-0 win over Maikhel Roberrd Muskita of Indonesia in the men’s 81kg semifinal bout.In the men’s 48kg category, Govind had to work hard against Vietnam’s Nguyen Linh Phung as the bout witnessed heavy exchange of punches but the Indian took the charge of the contest in time and tilted the result in his favour by a split 4-1 decision.In the men’s 60kg semifinals, Varinder was given a walkover by Palestine’s Abdel Rahman Abunab.Among women, 26-year-old Monika, who upstaged two-time World Championships medallist Josie Gabuco in the previous round, also looked solid against Tran Thi Diem Kieu from Vietnam in the 48kg last-four bout as she notched up an equally dominating win by unanimous decision without breaking a sweat.Meanwhile in the men’s quarterfinal bouts played earlier in the day, Amit Panghal emerged victorious while Rohit Mor (57kg) crashed out with a 0-5 loss to Thailand’s Rujakran Juntrong. Panghal, the silver medallists at the 2019 World Championships, won comfortably against Thanakon Aonyaem of Thailand by unanimous decision in the men’s 52kg.Bhagyabati Kachari also made her way into the women’s 75kg semifinals after outclassing another Thai opponent Pornnipa Chutee 5-0.The ongoing tournament has been witnessing high-voltage competition in presence of 130 top boxers, including 74 male and 56 females, from Asia, Europe, Oceania and Africa.In the last edition of the Thailand Open, held in 2019, the Indian contingent signed off with eight medals — one gold, four silver and three bronze.—PTI&nbsp;

 Indian pugilists Ashish Kumar, Govind Sahani, Varinder Singh and Monika entered the finals of their respective events at the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament in Phuket on Wednesday.

Four Indian Boxers Enter Finals Of Thailand Open

Suncheon: Top Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth made impressive starts to their respective singles campaign, progressing to the pre-quarterfinals with straight game wins over their respective opponents at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament here on Wednesday.Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, trounced USA's Lauren Lam 21-15 21-14, while Srikanth saw off Malaysia's world no 35 Daren Liew 22-20 21-11 at the Palma Stadium.The third seeded Sindhu, who had claimed the Swiss Open title recently, will next meet Japan's Aya Ohori, while world championships silver medallist Srikanth, seeded fifth, will be up against Israel's Misha Zilberman.Indian men's doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila also progressed to the second round. While Satwik and Chirag got the better of Korea's Tae Yang Shin and Wang Chan 21-16 21-15, Arjun and Dhruv got a walkover from Korea's Ba Da Kim and Hee Young Park.Satwik and Chirag, seeded third, will take on Singapore's Hee Yong Kai Terry and Loh Kean Hean, while Arjun and Dhruv face second seeded Indonesian pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan next.Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli, however, bowed out after losing 5-21 13-21 to second seeded Korean An Seyoung in an women's singles match.Sindhu kept a firm grip on her match, especially in the opening game as she opened up a 7-2 lead early and swelled it to 16-9 at one stage before closing it comfortably.The second game was a see-saw battle initially but Sindhu ensured a one-point advantage at the interval and then reeled off six straight points to come up trumps.In men's singles, Srikanth had come into the match lagging 0-3 in head-to-head count against Liew and the Indian had to struggle in the opening game with the Malaysian producing a tough fight.The Indian managed to be 11-9 up at the break but the Malaysian made it 18-15 at one stage. Srikanth, however, kept his cool and erased the deficit to grab one match point. He squandered one before sealing the game.Srikanth produced a much improved show in the second game, running up a lead of 4-0 early on. Liew clawed his way back to 7-8 but the Indian then scored 8 straight points to pull away from the Malaysian. On Tuesday, World Championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen and fast-rising Malvika Bansod had entered the second round with three-game wins.—PTI

Top Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth made impressive starts to their respective singles campaign, progressing to the pre-quarterfinals with straight game wins over their respective opponents at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament here on Wednesday.

Sindhu, Srikanth Sail Into Korea Open Second Round

Pune: A scintillating joint fastest half-century by Pat Cummins along with a gutsy innings by Venkatesh Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to a convincing five-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2022 match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, here on Wednesday.It was KKR's third victory in the four matches and they climbed to the top of the table with 6 points. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians' horror run continued as they slumped to their third successive defeat in the ongoing season.Earlier, a brilliant fifty from Suryakumar Yadav (52 off 36) helped Mumbai Indians post 161/4 in 20 overs. With 55 for 3 in 11 overs, Mumbai were in trouble but Suryakumar added 83 runs for the fourth wicket with Tilak Varma (38 off 27) to rescue his side. Apart from Suryakumar and Varma, Dewald Brevis (29 off 19) also played an entertaining knock on his IPL debut while Kieron Pollard (22 off 5) gave the late flourish to Mumbai's innings.Chasing a challenging total, KKR were off to a slow start and the pressure resulted in a wicket. Tymal Mills gave Mumbai their first breakthrough by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane (7) in the 5th over. Shreyas Iyer (10) who came to bat couldn't last longer and got out to Daniel Sams, leaving KKR in trouble at 35-2 in 6 overs.KKR's attempt to stitch partnerships after the first six overs didn't yield great results either as Sam Billings ( 17) and Nitish Rana (8) both made starts but fell in successive Murugan Ashwin overs.Mills, who'd found great success with the short ball all evening struck gold when Russell (11) mistimed a short ball and Brevis took a catch to send him packing. Though KKR kept losing wickets at the regular intervals, Venkatesh Iyer (50 off 41) stayed till the end and kept them in the game but it was Pat Cummins with his attacking knock that turned the game on its head.Cummins walked out to bat when KKR were on 101 for 5 in 13.1 overs, still needing 61 off 41 balls. He brought that down to 47 off 36 with a flick well over deep midwicket and cut placed between point and short third man. In the next over Cummins repeated the feat against Jasprit Bumrah, which dragged the match in their team's favour. But, the Australian wasn't even done with the wild willow-swinging when KKR needed just 35 off 30 balls.Cummins needed just six more of the available deliveries to complete the chase - smashing them all in an erroneous Daniel Sams over which included four sixes - all big clean hits - and two fours. A ball before he completed the chase with a six, he reached a 14-ball half-century.He equalled KL Rahul's record for the fastest half century of all time in the IPL and ended the match unbeaten on 56 off 15 balls and powered KKR to win, with four overs to spare and five wickets in hand.Earlier, invited to bat first, Mumbai Indians had a poor start as Umesh Yadav got rid of skipper Rohit Sharma to give KKK the first breakthrough in the 3rd over of the innings. Rohit tried to take on a short ball that was pounded into the deck quite hard but he could only eke out a top-edge with wicket-keeper Sam Billings running backwards and pouching it safely.The wicket brought debutant Dewald Brevis at the crease and from the very beginning he looked in solid touch even against an aggressive Umesh. His stroke-play injected a bit of momentum into Mumbai's innings and Ishan Kishan was also happy to play the second fiddle as they took their team to 35/1 after 6 overs.KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer then introduced spin after the end of powerplay and both batters chose to not get too adventurous against Sunil Narine. But Brevis (29 off 19) smacked the first ball he faced from Varun Chakravarthy for a six. The shot was then followed by three dots. Brevis missed the 5th ball of the over and Billings was quick to whip off the bails.Suryakumar, who was playing his first match of the season, then joined Kishan at the crease and tried to rebuild the innings for Mumbai. But the run-rate was dropping with every passing over and the pressure was building on Kishan, who wasn't at his absolute best. The southpaw's struggling innings finally came to an end after Cummins dismissed him on a short ball. It could have been worse for Mumbai but Billings and Rahane had miscommunication while trying to grab a catch and it was put down as Tilak Verma got a lifeline.Taking full advantage of the dropped catch, Varma hit a few adventurous shots and gave some impetus to Mumbai's innings while Suryakumar also complimented him well with few timely boundaries. Both Suryakumar and Varma kept the scoreboard ticking and helped MI cross the 100-run mark in the 17th over of the innings.From there on, it was no looking back for Suryakumar and Varma, who went on rampage and scored 17 and 14 runs respectively in the 17th and 18th over respectively. After hitting a fine fifty Suryakumar got out in the first ball of the 20th over but Kieron Pollard provided the sparkling fireworks by smashing Cummins for three sixes.Overall, Mumbai scored 76 runs in the last 5 overs and ended with 161-4 on the board. Kieron Pollard (22 not out off 5) and Tilak Varma (38 not out off 27) remained unbeaten at the crease. On the other hand, Pat Cummins (2/49) was the most successful bowler for KKR while Umesh Yadav (1/25) and Varun Chakaravarthy (1/32) also chipped in with one wicket each.Brief scores:Mumbai Indians: 161/4 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 52, Tilak Varma 38 not out; Pat Cummins 2/49) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 162/5 in 16 overs (Pat Cummins 56 not out, Venkatesh Iyer 50 not out; Murugan Ashwin 2/25) by five wickets.—IANS

 A scintillating joint fastest half-century by Pat Cummins along with a gutsy innings by Venkatesh Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to a convincing five-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2022 match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, here on Wednesday.

IPL 2022: Cummins' Record Fifty Leads Kkr To 5-wicket Win Over Mumbai Indians

Roorkee (The Hawk): National Service Scheme Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (NSS IITRoorkee) today organized and hosted Sustainability Conclave 2022, under the theme"Yearning For Viability", to model and address the rising issues including climate change, environmental degradation, energy crisis, and water shortage. The Conclave aims to empower young innovative minds with the expertise and proficiency of leaders and researchers by bringing them on a common platform. The Conclave is committed to fostering a space for driving collective action for advancing equity and opportunities for all humankind, thereby aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of a better and more sustainable future for all.The event was graced by the presence of Hon'ble Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami who was the Chief Guest, along with Shri Pradeep Batra, MLA, Roorkee, Guest of Honour. Furthermore, the event witnessed the presence of Swami YatindranandGiri, Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhaada.The Conclave was divided into conferences for sustainable development, followed by a series of innovative exchange of strategies to help achieve long-term sustainability, workshops, hackathons, ideathon, case study and policy case competitions, among others.Team NSS IIT Roorkee has worked tirelessly for the Sustainability Conclave. They were guided by the Dean of Students Welfare IIT Roorkee, Prof. Mukesh Kumar Barua, Associate Dean of Students Welfare, Prof. Anil Kumar Gaurishetty and their faculty advisor, Prof. Premlata Jena. The conclave was led by the General Secretary, Ujjval Kumar, with his core team, some of whom are Anuraj Saxena, VedantMeshram and Raman Yadav. The students worked hard enough to conduct the successful conclave. For the Blood Donation Campaign, VanshRuhela and Kritin Agarwal were responsible for overall coordination and completed it successfully. Sahil, Baljeet and Prateek were responsible for leading the “Run for Sustainability”, an event focusing on spreading the message of sustainability in the campus.Furthermore, marking its 175th year of establishment, the institute also showcased,TechSarthi, an IIT Roorkee’s endeavor for supporting industrial units in and around Roorkee. The TechSarthi scheme was officially launched by Hon'ble Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhamiwhich will focus on industries to help adopt technically sound solutions, gear up their growth, and realize the objective of “Local to Global”.This initiative aims to audit industrial units to evaluate the current state of technology, propose practical solutions to their problems, and suggest improvements to boost overall efficiency. Accordingly, the industries can adopt the latest technology or sustainably improvise the existing ones. IIT Roorkee will also provide industry access to its R&amp;D facilities through the I-STEM portal.During the launch, Prof. AkshayDvivedi – Associate Dean of Corporate Interaction, IIT Roorkee, gave a presentation on TechSarthi where industry representatives from Hero Motocorp Limited, Rockman Industries, Napino Industries, AGI Industries, Reprographics India, Zenith Industries, Auxo Ploymers, Jaisanshu Medicare, Senate Laboratories, Pacific Dynamics, Fast Pharma Pvt Ltd, Eapro Global Limited were present.Hon'ble Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, said, "IIT Roorkee as an institute of prime importance has blessed the nation with best talents and again today as i stand here, I am sure that the conclave on sustainability will also bear fruitful results. I would like to point out that any development be it technological or otherwise should be sustainable only then it will work towards building the nation. I would like to thank IIT Roorkee for their untiring efforts towards building a sustainable future.”&nbsp;Swami YatindranandGiri, Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhaada, said, "IITs being one of the drivers of Indian Technology, where IIT Roorkee plays a very important role, however, our best minds from here are moving abroad. I would urge you young minds to hone your entrepreneurial skills making technology the sole motivator and steer the growth of India"Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee, highlighted,"We are delighted that Hon’ble CM launched two of our most important initiatives. While Sustainability Conclave is a timely activity by our students in NSS, Tech Sarathi is an initiative to connect the local industry with IIT Roorkee. It is hoped that Tech Sarathi will play a transformational role in upgrading our industry”The event was concluded by a vote of thanks by Prof. M. Parida, Deputy Director, IIT Roorkee.

 National Service Scheme Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (NSS IITRoorkee) today organized and hosted Sustainability Conclave 2022, under the theme"Yearning For Viability", to model and address the rising issues including climate change, environmental degradation, energy crisis, and water 

NSS IIT Roorkee Organizes And Hosts Sustainability Conclave 2022

Chennai(the Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Madras Researchers have launched India’s first indigenously developed Polycentric Prosthetic Knee, which aims to improve the quality of life for thousands of above-knee amputees. Called ‘Kadam,’ this ‘Made in India’ product is a polycentric knee for Above Knee Prosthesis developed in association with Society for Biomedical Technology (SBMT) and Mobility India.Kadam makes it possible for above-knee amputees to walk with a comfortable gait. Not just mobility, it also aims to improve the quality of life of users through increased community participation, access to education, livelihood opportunities and overall well-being.It was developed by a team at TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras, which also developed and commercialized ‘Arise,’ the country's first standing wheelchair and NeoFly-NeoBolt: active wheelchair and motorized add-on for seamless indoor-outdoor mobility. R2D2 is involved in research related to human movement, and the design and development of rehabilitation and assistive devices for people with movement impairments.SBMT, which supported the development, was established under DRDO by former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to enable indigenous medical device development. Mobility India, an NGO in Bengaluru, will mass manufacture and take Kadam to the market along with overseeing the processes of fitment and training and ensuring easy access for the users.Kadam was launched in the IIT Madras campus today (8th April 2022) by Thiru. Johny Tom Varghese IAS, State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Government of Tamil Nadu, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Faculty Head, TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras, and other faculty, researchers and students.Addressing the launch event virtually, Thiru. Johny Tom Varghese IAS, State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Government of Tamil Nadu, said, “What bridges the world of a Differently Abled Person with that of others is technology. It is phenomenal to see how technology can usher in inclusion in all walks of life. Kadam is one such innovation, along with other similarly path-breaking products that came out of R2D2 IIT Madras, which will make technology accessible and affordable!”Kadam has advantages over a hinge joint because of the multiple axes of rotation, which provide the user greater control over the prosthesis while walking and maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees to make it easy to sit in cramped spaces like buses and autos. It is designed for durability with high strength stainless steel and aluminium alloy along with hard chrome plated EN8 pins and high fatigue life polymer bushings.Congratulating the Researchers on the successful commercialization of Kadam, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “The need for Technology to meet health and medicine is crucial for a healthy future.&nbsp;The Kadam is yet another example to justify this need.&nbsp;We, at IIT Madras are very happy that our Research and Development efforts are translating to products that could be of benefit to mankind.”Indigenously developed Kadam is affordable and at the same time, of high quality and performance, complying with ISO 10328 standards including 30 lakh cycles of fatigue testing. It provides stability, reduces the risk of stumbling and its patented geometry is specifically optimized for use on uneven terrains.Highlighting the unique aspects of Kadam in comparison with existing products, Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan, Head, TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras, said, “Functional needs, socioeconomic and environmental challenges of Indian users are unique. Kadam’s user-centric design takes these into account. It meets international quality standards while being 4-5 times more affordable than comparable imported knees. ”Through Mobility India, extensive clinical trials have been conducted in various geographical settings – urban, periurban and rural, the feedback from which have ensured that the design is user-centric and functional in different environments. Users instantly recognize the stable nature of the knee. The ability of the user to let go of the safety of parallel bars in the very first trial is a testimony to the performance of the knee.The Unique Aspects of Kadam include:Ø&nbsp;Suitable for short/long residual limbs after transfemoral (above-knee) amputationØ&nbsp;Polycentric 4-bar knee joint provides the user better control of flexion-extensionØ&nbsp;Made of high strength materials: Aluminium alloy - Al 6061 T6, Stainless steel-SS 304Ø&nbsp;Customizable stability adjustment depending on the user’s needØ&nbsp;Frictional swing control adjustment for different walking speedsØ&nbsp;Patented 4-bar geometry (Indian Patent No. 338006) provides stability even on uneven terrain, and improved ground clearanceØ&nbsp;Provides maximum knee flexion of 160 degrees or more (range limited by socket)Ø&nbsp;Multi-centric user testing conducted with users walking on different surfaces and steep slopesØ&nbsp;ISO 10328 Compliant for Proof strength, Ultimate Strength, Fatigue Strength for P4 condition (80 kg user weight)The WHO states that only 1 in 10 people in need, have access to assistive technology and they are not available in adequate numbers and at affordable prices. The TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) at IIT Madras, headed by Prof. Sujatha Srinivasan has been working to fill that gap.&nbsp;The R2D2 centre engineers user-centric affordable products for rehabilitation needs in India and beyond, works with clinical specialists, NGOs, and hospitals, among others, to field-test the designs, and fosters a research environment to evaluate assistive device designs from biomechanical and functional standpoints.

 Indian Institute of Technology Madras Researchers have launched India’s first indigenously developed Polycentric Prosthetic Knee, which aims to improve the quality of life for thousands of above-knee amputees. 

 IIT Madras Researchers Launch India’s First Indigenously Developed Polycentric Prosthetic Knee

Roorkee (The Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee)and Y. B. Scientific R&amp;D Solutions, Roorkee, jointly developed PRAYASPR. It is a process to produce cement free paver block and wall tiles from waste polyethylene packets/ milk packets and oil packets in an environment friendly way. The waste plastics have been used as a binder and waste stone dust has been used as additives along with some dying chemicals in the development. The PRAYASPR technology reduces CO2footprint by around one third with respect to concrete paver blocks.&nbsp;These products have also a better interlocking and aesthetic look, long lifetime.&nbsp;These are non-breakable and have fair resale value.To prepare one paver block around 250 g of waste plastics is used and to cover a 1 sq ft surface area around 1.5 kg of waste plastics will be needed. The production cost of the paver black is around Rs 45per sq ft which is highly competitive with the conventional paver blocks available in the market. Per piece, the production price is around Rs 7-8. The tiles will be more economic than the paver blocks with per square feet production cost of around Rs 14 only. Both small scale and large-scale production modules are available with an initial capital investment of Rs 25 lakhs and Rs 40 lakhs, respectively. The payback period is around 3.5 years for small scale and 2.5 years for large scale plants, respectively.The team members included Prof. Prasenjit Mondal, Mr. Hemant Goyal, Navneeta Lal, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Roorkee and Mr. Yash Dua, Y.B. Scientific R&amp;D Solution Roorkee, Ramnagar.Taking about the process, Prof, Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee, pointed out, The PRAYASPR technology is a proprietary technology of IIT Roorkee. It can be an attractive option for managing plastic wastes by the waste producers as per the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021. Pointing out the necessity for PRAYASPR, Yash Dua, Y.B. Scientific R&amp;D Solution Roorkee, Ramnagar, said,“The plastic waste generated in India was close to 34 lakh tons in the year 2019-20 with an annual increase of more than 21%. And this plastic waste contains low density polyethylene (LDPE) which creates a problem by choking sewer lines. Moreover, in India waste plastics form widespread littering on the landscape due to the lack of proper management techniques producing harmful environmental consequences. Thus, a sustainable route for waste plastics management was a necessity which has been realized with PRAYASPR under the auspices of IIT Roorkee."Team member, Prof. Prasenjit Mondal, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Roorkee, explained, "The technology involves recycling of waste polyethylene packets for development of cement less paver blocks taking the sustainable route. Plastic packets are first shredded to form granules which are then mixed with additives to soften and further form a slurry which is then molded in a hydraulic press to form blocks. The products may be used in building premises, monument premises, landscapes, public gardens and parks, domestic drives, paths and floor tiles, among others in an eco-friendly way”.

: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee)and Y. B. Scientific R&D Solutions, Roorkee, jointly developed PRAYASPR. It is a process to produce cement free paver block and wall tiles from waste polyethylene packets/ milk packets and oil packets in an environment friendly way.

IIT Roorkee And Y B Scientific R&D Solutions Jointly Develop PRAYASPR For Recycling Waste Polythene

Roorkee (The Hawk): Shri Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister for Labour and Employment, will inaugurate the62ndAnnual Labour Economic Conference of the Indian Society of Labour Economicsto be held during April 11- April 13, 2022, at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee). The three-day conference is being organized by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee and it will be graced by the presence of a large number of well-known scholars and experts.The ISLE Annual Conference has been uninterruptedly organized every year since 1958. Due to COVID Pandemic, it could not be organized in 2020 and 21. After Coivd, it is one of the biggest academic events in the country. The topics for discussions at this year’s Conference are: The Employment Challenge; Migration and Development; and Social Protection for Workers.Additionally, a pre-conference symposium is also being organized on April 10, 2022 with some well-known experts from countries of the Global South on 'Future of Work in the Global South.Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director IIT Roorkee said, "IIT Roorkee is delighted to host this prestigious annual conference which will bring leading economists to our campus and provide a wonderful opportunity to our faculty and students for interaction”.Prof. Deepak Nayyar, President, Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE) and Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi, said,"With new challenges for the future of work emerging as a result of an increasing shift in technologies, the nature of education and skills required for the labour market will be very different. And this meeting aims to cater to these challenges in the global and Indian context."Professor Alakh N. Sharma, President of the Conference and Director, Institute for Human Development, New Delhi, said that “This Conference will deliberate some critical issues facing India and will provide insights for policy making in the areas of employment generation, migration and social protection of workers. The Conference is the most important platform for deliberations for all those concerned with labour, employment and development issues.”Prof. S.P. Singh, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, said, "This conference will providean excellent platform for academicians and policymakers to share their views on employment and labor-related issues and policies. About 500 participants, including several experts from outside India,will attend the conference. In addition to the plenary and technical sessions, memorial lectures, and panel discussions, a symposium on “Enhancing Livelihood and Employment in Uttarakhand” is one of the important events of the Conference. This Symposiumaddresses the burning issue of workforce migration from the hills of Uttarakhand due to insufficient livelihood options. Abating undesirable outflow of people from hills calls fora thorough discussion and debate to evolve appropriate policy imperatives."

 Shri Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister for Labour and Employment, will inaugurate the62ndAnnual Labour Economic Conference of the Indian Society of Labour Economicsto be held during April 11- April 13, 2022, at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee).

IIT Roorkee To Host The 62nd Annual Labour Economic Conference

The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today called upon schools and parents to encourage children to learn any art form of their choice as part of the efforts to preserve and promote India’s rich cultural heritage. Stressing the need to go back to our roots, he called for a cultural renaissance in Indian society.

VP confers Sangeet Natak Akademi and Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowships & Awards	

New Delhi (The Hawk): The negotiations between National Plant Protection Organisations of India and Canada on market access for Indian Banana and Baby corn resulted in Canadian market access for these commodities. In a meeting held between Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary (DA&amp;FW) and H.E. Cameron MacKay Canadian High Commissioner on 07.04.22, Canada informed that export of fresh baby corn from India to Canada may begin from April 2022 after updation of directive D-95-28: Plant Protection Import and Domestic Movement Requirements for Corn and the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). Further, based on the technical information provided for fresh banana by India, Canada has approved, banana for entry into Canada with immediate effect.This decision of the Government of Canada would immensely benefit the Indian farmers growing these crops and would also enhance India’s export earnings.

The negotiations between National Plant Protection Organisations of India and Canada on market access for Indian Banana and Baby corn resulted in Canadian market access for these commodities.

Indian Banana & Baby Corn Get Market Access In Canada

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged all Indians to stand together to secure a just and inclusive India, saying hate and violence are weakening the country. His remarks came a day after communal clashes broke out in Himmatnagar and Khambhat cities of Gujarat during Ram Navami processions, leaving one person dead, and also violence in the JNU campus over serving of non-vegetarian food on the festival."Hate, violence and exclusion are weakening our beloved country. The path to progress is paved with the bricks of brotherhood, peace and harmony. Let's stand together to secure a just, inclusive India," Mr Gandhi said on Twitter.On Sunday, two groups of students clashed at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Kaveri Hostel allegedly over serving of non-vegetarian food on Ram Navami in the mess. Six students were injured in the violence. Several purported videos of the violence surfaced on social media, with one them showing a student bleeding from the head. Officials have not confirmed the authenticity of the videos. —PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged all Indians to stand together to secure a just and inclusive India, saying hate and violence are weakening the country. His remarks came a day after communal clashes broke out in Himmatnagar and Khambhat cities of Gujarat during Ram Navami processions, leaving one person dead, and also violence in the JNU campus over serving of non-vegetarian food on the festival.

Hate, Violence Weakening Country: Rahul Gandhi

Ranchi: At least two people were killed and several others injured after two cable cars in a ropeway collided with each other at Trikut hills in Jharkhand's Deoghar district even as the Indian Air Force on Monday continued its operation to rescue 40 starnded tourists. Acting on the request of the state government, the IAF deployed one Mi-17 and one Mi-17 V5 helicopter early in the morning. The IAF contingent also has a component of IAF Garud Commandos to conduct the operations."A recce was conducted by one of the helicopters in the morning and operations are underway in coordination with the district administration and NDRF," Air Force said.Two people were declared dead and several others injured after two cable cars in a ropeway collided with each other at the Trikut hills close to Baba Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar on Sunday."The exact cause of the mishap would be ascertained only after an investigation. The focus currently is on rescuing the people stuck on the ropeway," said sources.Trikut ropeway is one of the highest vertical ropeways and has a maximum lens angle of 44 degrees. It has been built some 20 km from Baba Baidyanath Temple and is about 766-metres-long. The Trikut hill is 392-metres-high. The ropeway has 25 cabins and each can seat four people.Nishikant Dubey, a parliamentarian from Jhar-khand, thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jharkhand Chief Secretary Sukhdeo Singh for the immediate help. "I thank the Union home minister for taking cognisance of the matter immediately," he said.—IANS

At least two people were killed and several others injured after two cable cars in a ropeway collided with each other at Trikut hills in Jharkhand's Deoghar district even as the Indian Air Force on Monday continued its operation to rescue 40 starnded tourists.

Two Dead In Jharkhand Cable Car Mishap, IAF Rescue Op Underway

New Delhi (The Hawk): The Indian Air Force (IAF), in close coordination with NDRF, local administration and Army, today completed the rescue of 35 stranded persons from the Trikut Hills Ropeway Service, in the Deoghar district of Jharkhand. IAF utilised two Mi-17V5, one Mi-17, one Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and one Cheetah to fly more than 26 hours towards this effort. Having inducted in the early hours on 11 April 2022, IAF carried out an initial recce for preparations towards an operation which presented unique challenges.The contingent included five Garud commandos of the IAF, who had the daunting task of climbing onto the stranded trolleys of the cable cart, while being attached to the helicopter's winch cable, accessing it from outside, strapping up each survivor individually and getting them winched up and into the helicopter hovering overhead. Smaller children were carried up to the helicopter by the Garuds themselves. The helicopter crew was faced with their own challenges where they had to maintain a steady hover, with practically no visual reference, in conditions of strong winds in the hilly terrain. The crew went from one trolley to the next to carry out their task, which was as risky for the crew as it was for the survivors of the mishap.The operation, spread over two days, also saw two unfortunate incidents wherein, despite best efforts, the survivors could not be rescued safely due to the inherently difficult nature of the rescue operation. The IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives of these two individuals and expresses its deepest condolences to their families. The IAF reaffirms its commitment to providing support, succour and relief to our citizens always and every time.

The Indian Air Force (IAF), in close coordination with NDRF, local administration and Army, today completed the rescue of 35 stranded persons from the Trikut Hills Ropeway Service, in the Deoghar district of Jharkhand. IAF utilised two Mi-17V5, one Mi-17, one Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and one Cheetah to fly more than 26 hours towards this effort. 

IAF Concludes Rescue Operations At Deoghar

Pune: Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene says it’s just a “matter of time” before skipper Rohit Sharma plays a big knock, something which his team desperately needs to arrest its slide in IPL-15.The MI captain has failed to capitalise on the starts, managing just 108 runs at an average of 21.60 this season.“If you look at the way he starts, the way he hits the ball, it’s brilliant. He’s timing it, he’s getting some really, really good starts. Yes he’s disappointed as well, that he’s not being able to convert them,” Jayawardene said.“We’ve seen Rohit batting deep, batting for 14-15 overs and getting those big scores. It’s just a matter of time. He’s a quality player and I am not concerned about the form as such.” MI on Wednesday suffered a 12-run loss at the hands of Punjab Kings — their fifth successive defeat — to inch closer to elimination.Chasing 199, Rohit (28) and Ishan Kishan (3) got out cheaply as MI were found struggling at 32 for 2 in 4.1 overs.Young Dewald Brevis (49 off 25) and Tilak Varma (36 off 20) added 84 runs for the third wicket after MI decided to hold back Suryakumar Yadav, who came out to bat at number five, instead of his usual position at four.Suryakumar made 43 off 30 balls before being dismissed in the 19th over. “Today was to try and take the game deep, because we were playing with six batters. And there’s no better person than Surya to finish a game off,” Jayawardene said. “In the powerplay, they would swing the ball a bit and all that. So I didn’t want Surya to go into that situation and not be able to play his natural game also. It was just a tactical thing.” The 44-year-old said the idea was to give the youngsters more freedom in the middle as Suryakumar and Kieron Pollard play the role of finishers.“The two young guys, we know what they are capable of. So given them a bit of freedom to go and control that situation, so that Polly and Surya are able to chase that. That was the initial thinking.“It’s a call that we will take depending on how we’ve set up tactically against certain opposition.” Jayawardene admitted that injured Jofra Archer’s absence is hurting the team as the bowling unit has not been able to sustain the pressure.“…obviously, one of the best bowlers that we’ve bought in the auction is Jof (Jofra Archer) – Jof is not here. So it is tough when you are in that kind of situation, but we are trying to see how best we can manage.“In terms of the last four-five games, we’ve had some really good spells, we controlled things for a while. But we cannot hold that pressure going on, because in certain times, it’s either two or three overs that we go big and that has hurt us.“So that’s something that we really have to nail down and make sure that our execution is better in those situations.” Mayank is backing me a 100 percent: Odean Smith West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith (4/30) redeemed himself after his horror outing (he was hit for sixes in last two balls) against Gujarat Titans as he got three wickets in the final over to help Punjab defend 198 total against MI. Smith attributed his success to the backing that he received from skipper Mayank Agarwal, the coach and the team management.“They have been very motivating. They have helped me mentally to be able to come into this game and put in the performance today. They have been a major help for me. I would like to thank the coach.” “Captain Mayank has been amazing. He has always come to me and told me that he is backing me a 100 percent, no matter what happens. It’s just for me to believe that I can do it because I have the belief of the entire team behind me.” Defending 22 in the last over, Smith was hit for a six in the first ball but came back strongly to take three wickets to seal it for Punjab.—PTI&nbsp;

 Mahela Jayawardene says it’s just a “matter of time” before skipper Rohit Sharma plays a big knock, something which his team desperately needs to arrest its slide in IPL-15.

I Am Not Concerned About Rohit's Form: Jayawardene

Reykjavik: Young Indian Grandmaster (GM) Rameshbabu Praggna-nandhaa added to his growing stature as World's top upcoming chess star by winning the Reykjavik Open chess tournament with a victory against compatriot D Gukesh in the final round.Pragganandhaa, Pragg as he is fondly called, finished the 7.5 points from nine rounds, finishing half-point ahead of four players -- Max Warmerdam of the Netherlands, Mads Andersen of Denmark, Hjorvar Steinn Gretarsson of Sweden and American Abhimanyu Mishra, the world's youngest GM, all of whom finished with 7.0 points.Pragg had a few months back caused a sensation when he defeated World No 1 and reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen in a rapid game.On Tuesday, the 16-year-old topped the field comprising 245 players -- most of them youngsters like him as the organisers had given a 50% discount on the entry fee for players 16 and under.Praggnanandhaa entered the final round on Tuesday sharing the lead with Warmerdam and Andersen at 6.5 points. The two players from Scandinavian countries played out a 16-move draw on the top board, opening up a chance for the Indian GM from Chennai to win the last round and claim the title.Pragg did just that even though his position in the game against Gukesh deteriorated as they reached the middle game. However, Pragg held on and then eventually reached a winning position thanks to back-to-back blunders by Gukesh. He bagged three points in that game and claimed the title outright.Among the other top Indians in the fray, former World junior champion Abhijeet Gupta finished eighth after he tied with 10 players, including compatriot Gukesh, at 6.5 points. Gukesh finished 17th with six points, International Master Tania Sachdev was 21st with 6 points, former national champion B Adhiban ended 36th with 5.5 points while Soham Das was placed 40th with 5.5 points.—IANS

 Young Indian Grandmaster (GM) Rameshbabu Praggna-nandhaa added to his growing stature as World's top upcoming chess star by winning the Reykjavik Open chess tournament with a victory against compatriot D Gukesh in the final round.

India's 16-Year-Old Praggnanandhaa Wins Reykjavik Open Chess Tournament

New Delhi: Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, who was involved in a series of terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and was one of the released terrorists in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999, has been designated as a terrorist by the Union government.He is the fourth individual to have been designated as a terrorist by the Centre in the last one week.In a notification, the Union home ministry said, Zargar alias Latram, 52, belongs to Nowhatta in Srinagar and is the founder and chief commander of terror group Al-Umar-Mujahideen and had been affiliated with Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front.Zargar is currently based in Pakistan.He had gone to Pakistan to obtain illegal arms training and was one of the terrorists released in exchange for the hostages during the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814.The home ministry said Zargar has been running an incessant campaign from Pakistan to fuel terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.He has been involved in various terror crimes including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, planning and execution of terrorist attacks and terror funding, it noted.The home ministry said Zargar is a threat to peace, not only to India but across the world, with his contacts and proximity to radical terrorist groups like the Al-Qaeda and Jaish-e-Mohammed and the central government believes that Zargar alias Latram is involved in terrorism and he is to be notified as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. He is the 35th individual to have been declared a designated terrorist by the government."Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the central government hereby makes the following in the Fourth Schedule to the said Act, after serial number 34 and entries relating thereto, the following serial number and entries shall be inserted, namely:- 35." the notification said.On April 8, the government had designated Hafiz Talha Saeed, a key leader of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the son of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, a terrorist.Three days later, on April 11, Pakistani national Mohiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir, who was involved in the terror attack on a CRPF bus in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, was designated as a terrorist. On April 12, Ali Kashif Jan, the Pakistani handler of the 2016 terror attack on Pathankot airbase, has been designated as a terrorist by the government.The Act empowers the Central government to notify the name of an individual in its Fourth Schedule if it believes that he is involved in terrorism. —PTI

 Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, who was involved in a series of terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and was one of the released terrorists in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999, has been designated as a terrorist by the Union government.

India Designates Zargar, Released In IC-814 Hijack, As Terrorist

New Delhi:&nbsp;Gearing up for the next year's assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is trying to widen its appeal among masses by planning to celebrate the upcoming 'Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti' and has asked its cadres to recite Sundarkand (a part of Ramayana) and Hanuman Chalisa.The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has ridiculed the move as 'hypocrisy' saying Congress leaders had termed Lord Ram as an imaginary character.A letter, issued on behalf of MP Congress president Kamal Nath, directed the party leaders and workers to hold religious programmes on April 10 and April 16 to mark Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti, respectively. "On both these auspicious religious festivals, recitation of Lord Ram Katha, programmes of Ramlila and worship of Lord Ram should be organised. Besides, the recitation of Sundarkand and Hanuman Chalisa should be organised on Hanuman Jayanti," stated the letter issued by Chandraprabhash Shekhar, a vice-president in-charge of the organisation. Nath will issue a message on Ramnavmi and hold a religious programme on Hanuman&nbsp;Jayanti at Chhindwara, his home turf, it said. Queried about the Congress' move, MP Congress general secretary and media in-charge K K Mishra told PTI that this is not the first time that such directives were issued. "PCC president Kamal Nath is a devotee of Lord Hanuman and has been holding such programmes in Chhindwara for the past several years. Congress leaders had organised similar programmes last year," he said. BJP spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said the letter has exposed the hypocrisy of Congress."The Congress plays the politics of appeasement. Congress leaders had termed Lord Ram and Ramsetu imaginary. They opposed the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. A Congress leader equated Hindus with terror organisations like ISIS and Boko Haram. The people know their hypocrisy and can't be misled," he alleged.In the 2018 polls, Congress came to power in MP with the support of Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, but the Kamal Nath-led government lasted in power for only 15 months following the rebellion by a section of MLAs who quit the party along with Jyotiraditya Scindia and subsequently joined BJP.Later, BJP formed the government under Shivraj Singh Chouhan for another term. The next elections in MP are due in November 2023.

Gearing up for the next year's assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is trying to widen its appeal among masses by planning to celebrate the upcoming 'Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti' and has asked its cadres to recite Sundarkand (a part of Ramayana) and Hanuman Chalisa.

 Recite Ram Katha, Hanuman Chalisa: Congress To Workers

Beijing: Of late, China has raised security concerns in the Indian Ocean region with strategic military sales like submarines to Bangladesh and Pakistan. China contends to be a key defence exporter to many Asian and Southeast Asian countries in Indias neighbourhood.Many of these countries, who are unable to acquire expensive military technology from other reliable sources, procure seemingly inexpensive weapons and systems from the Chinese market.To this effect, the Bangladesh military imported two Type-035G submarines of 1970s vintage and Type-053H frigates from China, with its import dependence on Chinese hardware touching nearing 85 percent.Myanmar, after the military coup in 2021 and sanctions by the West, has turned towards China for procuring majority of its military hardware.Pakistan is shifting its reliance to cheap Chinese hardware with its procurement of Yuan class submarines, J-10/JF-17 fighter's aircraft and Type-054 stealth warships.Sri Lanka has been given warships and military aircraft (Harbins, J-7) in recent times. Nepal is also being aggressively pursued by China in the recent years for procuring Chinese military hardware with NPR 2.5 billion grant for the Nepalese Army.Chinese development of overseas bases in the region is also bothering Indian military planners. Commissioning of the Djibouti military base in 2017, development of Gwadar port in Pakistan and taking over of Hambantota port in Sri Lanka gives them a credible infrastructure to position military assets in the region.The new entrant in this club is Pekua port in Bangladesh. China plans to develop this port and offer it for berthing and maintenance of submarines given to Bangladesh. However, its real intent might be to establish a transit base for its nuclear submarines, which are likely increase their forays in the Indian Ocean region in the future. Hence, if we envisage a conflict with China or our neighbouring countries, we can anticipate that stance of these countries will be largely driven by Chinese interest in the region.However, everything is not so rosy for Beijing's customers as it seems. They, at their own peril, however, do not factor the life cycle costs and reliability factors of Chinese products. Poor quality and workmanship of these Chinese military weapons and systems has turned out to be the bane for its clients. Countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal has found this out the hard way.Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on April 4, threatened to cancel a deal for purchase of Chinese S26T Yuan Class submarines, unless Beijing includes the German-made MTU 396 engine.Beijing has supposedly requested modification in the contract to replace the German engines with Chinese MWM 620 engines.Considering the poor reputation related to anything Chinese made, the Thai don't appear willing to go ahead with the deal unless their demands are met. Earlier in January, Nepal Airlines had grounded six Chinese-made aircraft, saying that it was proving to be unaffordable to fly them. These sub-standard planes delivered extremely poor serviceability rates and required heavy maintenance.The loan from China for these aircraft has, however, continued to haunt the airlines. Dues worth $35.1 million, at a steep interest rate along with a service charge and management expenses, are still pending.Beijing had gifted two 1970s era Ming class Type-035G submarines to Bangladesh valued at $100-million each in 2017. These were later re-inducted by the Bangladesh Navy as BNS Nobojatra and BNS Joyjatra.However, both the platforms have been lying idle due to technical issues and could not be used as intended. The year 2020, witnessed China gifting Dhaka with two Chinese 053H3 frigates -- BNS Umar Farooq and BNS Abu Ubaidah. According to sources, the Type-053H3 frigates gifted to the Bangladesh Navy have defects in fire control system as well as in the helicopter fuelling and defueling system.Defects have also been discovered in the gyro compass. The frigates were supplied by Poly Technologies Inc. Poly Technologies is a subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation, a trade company with headquarters in Beijing, which deals with missiles and other military hardware. With regard to naval platforms built by China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Limited, issues that have surfaced are poor metallurgy, lack of spare part support, machinery failure, defective radars and poor armaments.Defects have also been detected in basic trainer aircraft and K-8 aircraft for the Bangladesh Air Force and short-range air defence system for the Bangladesh Army.Pakistan, despite being closest to Beijing, has also faced similar issues. Pakistan armed forces, which have been traditionally used to superior quality products made in the West, has had to deal with defective military equipment supplied by China.The Chinese-supplied WL II UCAVs was grounded within days of induction into the PAF due to serious defects. A similar story has emerged with the joint production JF-17 fighters. As per reports, approximately 40 aircraft are not airworthy due to a shortage of spare parts and the RD-93 engine have reportedly experienced frequent cracks in guide vanes, exhaust nozzles, and flame stabilizers.The Chinese are desperately trying to replace the existing engine with the Chinese made WS-13 engines. However, when these will be made available to Pakistan remains the moot issue. Similar is the case with the SAM system on the Zulfiqar class frigate procured through a multi-million-dollar loan from the Chinese EXIM Bank.The system, itself a clone of the French Crotale system, has been plagued with serviceability issues leading to the Pakistan Navy turning to European suppliers for future inductions.Other cases of supply of poor-quality drones, armoured personnel carriers, missiles and even warships across the globe are well documented.In some cases, loss of lives due to malfunctioning equipment have also been reported. The lack of quality of military hardware from China is increasingly coming under scanner and has brought to fore the substandard capabilities being sold to economically weaker countries in the garb of supporting them.The world over, reliability and quality of defence equipment are known as the true mark of a nation's technology, manufacturing ability and maintenance practices.One would have expected Chinese defence manufacturers to have taken this onboard as an inviolable fundamental. If one is to believe open-source narratives, here too China seems to have missed the mark entirely, opting for quantity and quick delivery over quality. Buyers beware! —IANS

Of late, China has raised security concerns in the Indian Ocean region with strategic military sales like submarines to Bangladesh and Pakistan. China contends to be a key defence exporter to many Asian and Southeast Asian countries in Indias neighbourhood.  Many of these countries, who are unable to acquire expensive military technology from other reliable sources, procure seemingly inexpensive weapons and systems from the Chinese market.

China's Military Sales In India's Neighbourhood: South Asian Nations Be Wary!

Of late, China has raised security concerns in the Indian Ocean region with strategic military sales like submarines to Bangladesh and Pakistan. China contends to be a key defence exporter to many Asian and Southeast Asian countries in Indias neighbourhood.

Many of these countries, who are unable to acquire expensive military technology from other reliable sources, procure seemingly inexpensive weapons and systems from the Chinese market.




New Dehli (The Hawk): India’s exports of Ceramics &amp; Glassware products for 2021-22 hit a record at US$ 3464 Million. During FY 2013-14; India’s Ceramic &amp; Glassware products exports were valued at US$ 1292 Million. The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal highlighted the achievement in a Tweet.44444 The export growth of Ceramic tiles has been achieved because of a surge in shipments of Ceramic Tiles and Sanitary wares products. Today Indian Tile Industry has become global player and earns foreign exchange for the nation with “Make In India” approach and today India’s is World’s second largest manufacturer of tiles.The export growth of Glassware products has been achieved because of a surge in shipments of Articles of Glass Packing of Goods, Made-ups Articles of Glass Fibre, Sanitary fixtures of Porcelain, Glass Mirror, Tinted Non-Wired Glass, Glass Bead and Glass Wool. RELATED POSTSBLK – Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi… Apr 25, 2022PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate 7th edition of Raisina… Apr 25, 2022PM Narendra Modi receives Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award at… Apr 24, 2022India exports to more than 125 countries and top destinations are Saudi Arabia, United States, Mexico, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Oman, Indonesia, United Kingdom and Poland. New markets, like Russia and Latin American Countries, have also been added. The surge in Ceramic and Glassware products exports has been achieved because of sustained efforts on the part of the Department of Commerce.&nbsp;Also, various initiatives have been taken by CAPEXIL, by using Grant in Aid under Market Access Initiative Scheme, such as organizing B2B exhibitions in different countries, exploring new potential markets through product-specific and marketing campaigns with the active involvement of Indian Embassies. This export growth has been achieved in spite of unprecedented logistical challenges like high freight rates, container shortages, etc.&nbsp;Increase in Ceramic and Glass ware products exports has benefitted small and medium exporters from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Over the years, the industry has been modernizing through new innovations and product profile, quality and design to emerge as a modern World class industry ready to take on global competition. Our innovations in terms of new designs, digitally printed tiles and larger sized tiles with varied colours have also found acceptance in overseas markets.

 India’s exports of Ceramics & Glassware products for 2021-22 hit a record at US$ 3464 Million. During FY 2013-14; India’s Ceramic & Glassware products exports were valued at US$ 1292 Million.

Exports of Indian Ceramics and Glassware Products register growth of 168% in 2021-22 over 2013-14

 India’s exports of Ceramics & Glassware products for 2021-22 hit a record at US$ 3464 Million. During FY 2013-14; India’s Ceramic & Glassware products exports were valued at US$ 1292 Million.



New Delhi: With the start of the summer family vacation season in India, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Singapore Airlines, in collaboration with their destination partners, have launched an exclusive campaign to welcome back Indian families to the popular island destination - "Enjoy Your Family Times Now in Singapore."The destination, which is a perennial favourite among Indian tourists, offers a variety of reimagined family experiences during the school holiday season.India has been a major source market for visitor arrivals to Singapore, with family travel being a popular audience segment. With the relaxation of travel restrictions to the near pre-Covid situation, fully vaccinated travellers can now travel to Singapore quarantine-free by presenting a negative pre-departure test upon arrival. The city's Covid safety protocols have also been significantly relaxed.The ease of travel to and within Singapore has resulted in a surge in summer travel interest to Singapore. The "Family Times Now" campaign, which will run from mid-April to 30 June 2022, has been designed with the traditional travel peak during school holidays in mind.Indian families can enjoy Singapore's reimagined experiences with an exclusive deal of 50 per cent off airfares for children under the age of 12 years old, available only on Singapore Airlines. The promotion also includes award-winning Singapore attraction partners Sentosa Development Corporation, Resorts World Sentosa, Gardens by the Bay, Mandai Wildlife Group, Marina Bay Sands, Jewel Changi Airport, and travel experiences platform Pelago, making this summer a great time to visit Singapore with the family.This is STB India's first major tactical campaign following the pandemic, with several fulfilment partners promoting the campaign extensively across India, including Pelago, Make My Trip, EaseMy Trip, Thomas Cook, SOTC, and FCM.Speaking about the family-focussed promotions, GB Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East &amp; South Asia, said, "Singapore is a top-of-mind family destination among Indian travellers. We are happy to welcome them back to Singapore during the peak summer travel season to enjoy their family times."Together with our tourism partners, we have curated a variety of family experiences at half price for children under 12 years. After a hiatus of two years, we are excited to invite Indian travellers to a reimagined Singapore with new and familiar favourite experiences with top-notch hygiene and safety standards."Sy Yen Chen, General Manager India for Singapore Airlines, added, "With international travel having resumed from India, it is once again possible for families to plan a summer vacation together, and what better destination than Singapore? The Garden City has always been among the preferred international family-friendly destinations for the Indian market, simply because it offers something for all age groups. We are seeing strong demand for travel to Singapore, and our special 50 per cent discount on airfares for children is our way of welcoming our youngest customers back on board for a fun-filled holiday."Singapore Airlines currently operates 66 flights weekly from 8 cities in India - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata and Mumbai.(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

With the start of the summer family vacation season in India, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Singapore Airlines, in collaboration with their destination partners, have launched an exclusive campaign to welcome back Indian families to the popular island destination - "Enjoy Your Family Times Now in Singapore."

Singapore invites Indian Families to reimagine their summer vacations with exclusive promotions

New Delhi: The current geopolitical situation necessitates the Indian Air Force to prepare for intense and small duration operations at a short notice, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said on Thursday.In an address at a seminar, he also said that there would be a need for the force to prepare for "short swift wars" and be ready for long drawn standoff akin to what has been seen in eastern Ladakh. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said the recent experiences of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as well as the evolving geopolitical scenario mandates it to be operationally and logistically responsive at all times."The current geopolitical situation necessitates the Indian Air Force to prepare for intense and small duration operations at a short notice. This new paradigm of high-intensity operations coupled with minimal build-up time would require major changes in terms of operational logistics," he said.The IAF Chief said logistics support in such a scenario would be extremely challenging considering the fact that the force has a fairly vast and diversified inventory. Delving into India's security challenges along the northern borders, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said the IAF needs to prepare for all possible security challenges. "In the force, space and time continuum, there would be a need for us to prepare for short swift wars as well as be ready for a long drawn standoff akin to what we are seeing in eastern Ladakh," he said.The IAF Chief said there will be a need to cater for "resources bridging" and transportation for such contingencies. "A focused action plan needs to be developed for indigenisation of all critical components in order to achieve the nation's mandate of 'Atma-Nirbharata' (self-reliance)," he said.Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said logistics have been identified as a critical tool for the nation's economic progress."It has been identified as one of the key drivers for ease of doing business and making Indian supply chains globally competitive," he said.—PTI

 The current geopolitical situation necessitates the Indian Air Force to prepare for intense and small duration operations at a short notice, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said on Thursday. In an address at a seminar, he also said that there would be a need for the force to prepare for "short swift wars" and be ready for long drawn standoff akin to what has been seen in eastern Ladakh. 

India Needs To Prepare For Short And Long-Term Standoffs: IAF Chief

 The current geopolitical situation necessitates the Indian Air Force to prepare for intense and small duration operations at a short notice, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said on Thursday.
In an address at a seminar, he also said that there would be a need for the force to prepare for "short swift wars" and be ready for long drawn standoff akin to what has been seen in eastern Ladakh. 



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