Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today delivered the Special Key Note Address at the US-India 2020 Summit through video conference.

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is a non-profit organization that works for the partnership between India and the U.S.

The Theme of the 5 day Summit that began on the 31^st of August is “US-India Navigating New Challenges”. 

Addressing the Summit, Shri Narendra Modi said the global pandemic has impacted everyone and that it is testing our resilience, our public health systems, our economic systems.

The current situation demands a fresh mind set. A mind set where the approach to development is human centric. Where there is a spirit of cooperation between everyone, he said.

Talking about the way ahead the Prime Minister said that the country is focussing on ramping up capacities, securing the poor and future proofing our citizens.

Referring to various steps taken to ramp up facilities for fighting COVID and to increase awareness amongst the citizens, the Prime Minister said all such early measures ensured that the country with 1.3 billion people and limited resources has one of the lowest death rates per million in the World.

He expressed his happiness that India’s business community, especially the small business has been proactive. Starting from almost nothing, they made us the second largest PPE kits manufacturer in the World, he said.

Referring to various reforms the Prime Minister said that the pandemic failed to impact the aspirations and ambitions of 1.3 billion Indians.

He said there have been far reaching reforms in the country in recent times which have made the business easier and red-tapism lesser.

Shri Narendra Modi said that work is actively underway on the world’s largest housing program and that the renewable energy infrastructure is being expanded.

Prime Minister also referred to the boosting of the Rail, road and air connectivity.

He said India is creating a unique digital model to build a national digital health mission.

We are using the best of fin-tech to provide banking, credit, digital payments and insurance to millions. All these initiatives are being taken using world-class technology and global best practices, he said.

Shri Modi said that the pandemic has shown the world that decision on developing global supply chains should be based not only on costs. They should also be based on trust. Along with affordability of geography, companies are now also looking for reliability and policy stability. India is the location which has all of these qualities.

Owing to these, he said, India is becoming one of the favourable destinations for Foreign Investment.

He said be it America, the Europe, Australia or the Gulf the world believes in us. We have received over 20 billion dollars of foreign investment flows during this year. Google, Amazon and Mubadala Investments have announced long-term plans for India.

Prime Minister referred to the transparent and predictable India offers and how the system encourages and supports honest tax payers. He said, India’s GST is unified, fully enabled indirect tax system.

Shri Modi referred to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code which reduces risk for the entire financial system. He also dwelt on the Comprehensive Labour Reforms that reduce compliance burden for employers and how it provides social security protection to the workers.

Prime Minister discussed the importance of investment in driving growth and how India is tackling both demand and supply side of it.

He said this is being done by making india one of the lowest tax destinations in the world and with further incentive for new manufacturing units.

Prime Minister referred to the mandatory e- platform based ‘faceless assessment’ and said it will go a long way in helping citizens along with the Tax-payers charter. The continued regulatory reforms in bond markets ensure improved ease of access for investors.

He said FDI into India rose by 20 percent in 2019, when the global FDI inflows fell by 1 Percent and that this shows the success of our FDI regime.

Shri Modi said all of the above steps will ensure a brighter and more prosperous tomorrow. They will also contribute to a stronger global economy.

Referring to the mission embarked by 1.3 Billion Indians to make an AatmaNirbhar Bharat or Self-Reliant India, Prime Minister said it merges the local with the global and that India’s strengths act as global force multiplier.

He said it is about transforming India from being just a passive market to an active manufacturing hub at the heart of global value chains.

Prime Minister said the road further ahead is full of opportunities especially in Private and Public sectors and referred to the opening up of sectors such as Coal, Mining, Railways, Defence, Space, and Atomic Energy.

He also referred to Production Linked Incentive schemes launched for- mobile & electronics, medical devices, pharma sectors along with reforms in Agriculture.

Prime Minister told the summit that for the challenges in India  there is a Government that believes in delivering results, a government for which ease of living is as important as ease of doing business.

He described India as a young country with 65% population less than 35 years old which is aspirational and decided to take the nation to new heights. He said India is a country with political stability and political continuity and that it is committed to democracy and diversity.

Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, accompanied by delegation including Defence Secretary and other senior officials is visiting Moscow to participate in the 75th Anniversary Event to commemorate Victory Day by the Russian Federation in the meeting of Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

         Today, Raksha Mantri had a one-hour meeting with Russian Defence Minister, Gen. Sergei Shoigu, at the Russian Ministry of Defence. The meeting was marked by the traditional warmth and friendship, characteristic of the Special & Privileged Partnership between India and the Russian Federation in which Military Technical Cooperation and Military-to-Military cooperation constitutes an important pillar.

         Defence Minister General Shoigu conveyed his warm appreciation to Raksha Mantri for his participation in the 75th Anniversary of Victory Day Parade at Red Square on 24 June 2020, and his participation in the joint meeting of the SCO, CIS & CSTO countries. His meeting with RM was the first meeting he was having with visiting Defence Ministers.

         The meeting covered a broad range of areas of cooperation between the two countries. It was noted that this meeting coincides with the Indra Naval Exercises to be conducted by the Indian and Russia navies off the Straits of Malacca over the next two days. Raksha Mantri noted that these exercises demonstrated the common interests of both countries in maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. There was substantial commonality in positions with respect to challenges at the regional and international levels in the areas of peace and security, reflective of the deep trust and confidence that both sides enjoy as Strategic Partners.

         Raksha Mantri conveyed appreciation for the steadfast support provided by Russia consistent with the defence and security needs of India, and in this context, particularly noted the timely manner in which the Russian had responded to requests for procurement of particular weapon systems. Both sides would continue to maintain contacts to ensure the timely delivery.

         Raksha Mantri briefed General Shoigu on the ‘Make-in-India’ defence programme in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat vision. Both sides welcomed the advance stage of discussions for the establishment in India of an India-Russian Joint Venture for the production of AK203 assault rifles which are considered one of the most modern weapons available for infantry forces. This provides very positive basis for further engagement of Russian defence industry in ‘Make in India’ programme. General Shoigu reiterated commitment of the Russian side to engage actively with our MOD to ensure the success of ‘Make in India’ programme including substantial participation in the forthcoming Aero India Exhibition to be held in February next year.

         Raksha Mantri extended an invitation for General Shoigu to visit India for the next meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission for Technical & Military Cooperation which is expected to be held towards the end of this year.

The recent global COVID-19 pandemic has proved to be a game-changer for majority of us. It really changed the way we used to behave and perceive things in our daily life. We all are experiencing a ‘new normal’ together.

In this article, we are going to discuss that how industries are changing and adopting new trends to shape up their business. So without any further delay, let’s dive in. Have a happy reading ahead.

Education Industry

In this pandemic crisis, children are missing the school and college environment, as they have caged down at home for an uncertain time. Digital and online education has grown fast in this COVID-19 era. Many colleges and schools are adopting different platforms for online teachings and providing assignments to students online. Even online exams are now being held. This is newest thing to happen, that we never imagined ever.

Many faculties are even facing problems to clear the concept of the lesson taught. Therefore, they are using pre-recorded audios and videos to clear the concept. Sometimes even videos are being present in front of student to make them understand the concept. Coaching and home teaching are really suffering back as they have few resources and facilities to avail online teachings. Online platforms like- TCSion platform, Google classroom, MS Teams, Zoom, Byju’s are being used.

Entertainment Industry

We all are missing the movie halls. Right? The cheers and shout of the crowd has lost somewhere. We are missing looking at big screen and eating popcorn. We are really in an uncertain stage, when we will get back this. We are maintaining social distances as virus can get transmitted. Therefore, many big budget movies are being released in online platforms like-Hotstar, Netflix, Disney Hotstar, Voot, Amazon Prime and many more. These have become our priority than a luxury.

These movies are really winning our hearts after a long break and we are adoring them. The nostalgic feeling is being kept alive by the T.V channels.

Work Industry

It has being since a long time, when we used to go to our office and work there. We used to talk face to face with our team mates. We are missing the gossip and energetic workplace right now, as our office has been shifted to home, so called ‘work from home’.

Discussions are made online over video call and conference. Sometimes internet issues are creating problem and making delay in the work. There are many organizations still managing to cope up with this online platforms.

But we will sure cope up with this situation and adaptation of tools and online platforms will help us to experience the magic of internet. It will help us to experience exponential growth.

Hospitality Industry

Hotels and restaurants have been closed since a long time. We don’t know when these are going to open. Many small industries are facing problem due to this condition. The future revenue is really uncertain.

Online and home food delivery started as 30 -50% of the hospitality industry may permanently shut down. This has made us realise the value of branding and good quality services in this industry. Hygiene has become the main concern to attract customers now-a-days.

Self-care Industry

We all got lost in our busy schedules. We forgot to keep our mind and body to treat well. In this pandemic we have realised the importance of self-care during our negative times. We became aware that to lead a healthy life, we need to boost our mind by keeping it motivated all the times.

Doing exercises, reading motivational quotes, having healthy diets and keeping our minds has increased a lot in this global pandemic time.

So we are being forced to adopt the ‘new normal digitalization life’ everyday. These are creating or opening new opportunities in business but at the cost of huge economic loss. Many other industries like tourism, real-estate have also been heavily impacted. Worker must need to adopt the new skills in this new normal situation as change is the permanent thing to happen.

-Nikita

In this pandemic crisis, keeping our audience engage is the main target of business organizations. So today, in this article we are going to discuss how to keep your audience engage during this uncertain time of crisis-COVID-19 era.

So without any further delay, Let’s begin. Have a great reading time ahead.

What will be your considerations:

As there is no face-to face communication in this particular crisis time, so you have to keep in mind certain strategies and key considerations regarding engaging your audience in this time.

Remember that, in this period of time, customers or audience are not at all interacting with brands and they are shopping only the daily-necessity essentials. They are not attending events or bumping up against your service or company, as they used to do in normal times. So as a result, you may face drawback. Therefore you must be prepared to increase your normal of providing to compensate for the customers.

Do not do this carelessly, as it might loose your customer but try to do this job or work very sensitively as brand loyalty gets attached to the customers.

Method: An Important Chanel:

You must know that the consuming of information and buying ideas has undergone certain changes during this COVID-19 era. In the past few weeks, online shopping and using of social media increased a lot. New apps came into the market, to keep audience engage .

Searches for online platforms like Zoom, Google classroom, Skype, Microsoft Teams has been increased by 96% .

So you must review your channels and try to focus on what channels are being used by your audience. Try to re-organise your efforts there. If you are not sure, try to conduct a research on consumer behaviour or you can talk to your members of target market directly, and can come out with better solution. Try not to avoid but to engage your customers with your organisation in this crisis time. It helps a lot.

Collateral Damage:

You must keep a look on the social media channels and website- as are they really saying right rights about you and your company. If they are not providing correct thing about your company, it can hamper your business image. It can also create damage to brand loyalty and your brand might take a lot of time to repair that damage.

Provide and change message Pattern

You have to change your message patterns according to the circumstances to engage your audience. As business status has undergone changes from past few months, it is highly necessary to change.

You have ask yourself that in this crisis time, what your product can alleviate benefit. If your product cannot reduce the pain of customers, your product is of no use.

Make a clear purpose to sell your product and always try to provide correct information regarding the product. Communicating in a a right way also helps to gain customers in this pandemic time and helps in engaging them with your brand.

Engage:

People are looking for their tribes at this particular movement- which group they belong to. So it is the perfect time to engage. It is very help as it taps the challenges of limited shopping opportunities and get solutions to your problems. Try to put fun items and also ask your audience to put and show their own ideas also. There must be two-way communication as one way communication cannot engage any customers.

Each and every brand will have the opportunity to engage their audience. You just have to know the opportunities and act accordingly to fulfil your brand purpose.

Measure your result:

Try to measure your results in every challenging time. It will help a lot to know where your business and brand is lacking behind and what are the future or further steps you need to take to engage or attract more audience to your brand.

So actually in order to engage your customer in this global pandemic time, you need to look into reviewing your channels of communication, check the sites where are your customers right now. Create and re-new your old strategies and messages, check your social media, do they provide right things about your brand, focus on two way or grape-vine communication channel as it engages more customers and lastly try to measure your results.

Energy indisputably a resource on which humanity has been dependent. Without energy, we cannot find or administer medicine to cure disease, prepare food, purify water, drive our cars etc. the current energy need is 15TW and this number is projected to increase.in now a days we are more reliable on fossil fuel. Fossil fuels are also a large source pollution and also a non-renewable source of energy. As solar energy is a renewable source of energy so we are likely to shift our energy consumption from the non-renewable forms to the renewable forms.

Hydroelectricity is electricity generated through generators driven by water movement. It generally consists of barrier blocking a river, making a reservoir, or gathering water pumped in it. The pressure behind a barrel forces down the water pipes to a turbine, if the water is released. This causes the turbine to turn, turning the power generator.

Roughly one sixth of the world’s electricity comes from this renewable energy method. It generates less pollution than steam engine fires. This way, most power is available in some places such as Norway and Québec.

Most hydropower stations have a water tank, a gate or a valve to check the water flow out of the tank and an outlet or place where the water flows downward. Just before water pours down a dam or flows through a hill, water gains potential energy. As water flows downhill, the potential energy is transformed into film energy. The waste water can be used to generate electricity from a turbine ‘s blades and distributed to customers of the power plant.

Two types of hydropower plants are available, the most common of which is a impoundment facility. A dam is used to monitor the water flow stored in a pool or reservoir in the impoundment facility. Water is released from the dam if more energy is needed. After water is released, gravity moves and the water travels through the turbine downwards. When the turbine blades spin, a generator is powered.

A diversion facility is another form of hydroelectric power plant. This kind of plant is peculiar because it is not dam-free. It uses a variety of channels instead for the flow of water from the river to the generator turbines.

The ability to function as a peak power plant is an significant benefit of hydroelectric dams. The dam only holds more water as demand for electricity falls. The water stored in a storage tank can be released, so energy can be produced quickly (let go) when needed. Some hydro generators use pumped energy storage (often in the night) to store excess energy, pumping water into a tank by electricity. When demand rises, electricity can be produced. Hydropower is also a good fit for lower intermittent power sources. This versatility. Hydroelectricity can be generated when the wind does not blow or the sun is not bright.

The construction of large water dams will harm the ecosystem. In 1983, in response to a massive public outrage, the Australian government prevented Tasmania from creating a dam on the Gordon River. The dam was overflowing the river Franklin. The Chinese Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydropower projects in the world and the world’s biggest power plant. The barracks flooded an immense city, needing a population of 1.2 million. Scientists concern themselves with many of the dam concerns such as noise, silt and the possibility of the dam breaking.

How to cope with depression 
“depression is an invisible killer”

“Sucide is not a solution”

What happened with sushant singh rajput was a shock for all of us!! And today I want to share one more shocking fact with you.
According to World Health Organization more than 264 millon people suffer from depression all over the world,in the age groupof 15-30 suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death.Its very easy to say that “suicide is not a solution” but the fact is acccording to WHO every year more than 80,000 people commit suicide and yet we feel depression and sadness are the same.

“3 myths about depression”

1. Sadness is an adjustment disorder:
   Sadness is different from depression,sadness is something we feel when we are not comfortable. 
   Example-After living in a city for 10 years,when you shift to another city,you leave your comfort zone behind .Because you come out of your comfort zone ,you take    time to adjust to your circumstances.

2. Depression is extreme sadness:
   No,there is a difference in grief,sadness and depression.
   Grief is the direct response to loss but over a period of time grief reduces because you move on.
   An example of grief is ,the feeling that you have after you lose someone,the death of a relative.

3. depression need not have any logical reason:
   How many people you have around you, how wealthy you are,how close you are to your family,or how much your previous film earned.depression doesn’t have to be connected to any of this.
   if you are a dancer and if dancing is your passion and suddenly one day you lose this passion,you feel you have lost all your energy and this feeling lasts for a very long time then maybe you are depressed.

What is depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.It affects your feeling,thinking and behavior and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problem.One may have trouble doing normal day to day activity and something you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.

People  consider depression as a sign of weakness but its not true.Just like other disease depression can have many different causes.One of the reason can be chemical imbalance in your brain.Many people think that people act depressed just because they want attention but its the other way around.Many people are depressed but they act happy all the time.

Positive quotes or self help books don’t cure depression. If any of your friends is seeing a therapist then please don’t judge instead,extend your support.Even being there ,being with them counts.

It’s easy to say suicide is not a solution on social media ,it’s equally easy to start a conversation on mental health because the more we talk about mental health ,the more people will understand that talking about mental health is not weakness . The more we talk about it ,the more people will understand the importance of meditation . The more we talk about it ,the more people will stop bullying and spreading hatred ,because a lot of student commit suicide and this news does not even reach us.

 So lets create an environment thats not just us but even a SUSHANT says that  suicide is not a solution!! 

If you’re a curious traveler, adventure lover, history buff, or are simply fascinated by black magic, then Mayong, where silence and mystery lurk all around and which is often regarded as the seat of Black Magic in India is surely awaiting you.
This village, located on the banks of Brahmaputra in Morigaon district of Assam, is known as the land of the occult. While some villages pass down the skills of farming or craftsmanship to the next generation, the elders of Mayong pass down sorcery and magic to the town’s youth.
Over a hundred wizards and witch doctors reside here, locally known as bej/bez or Oja. No stone or previously dormant powers are the sources of their talents, as opposed to what the movie would have us believe. These skills have supposedly tumbled down the family tree as earlier descendants pass on the craft.

There are many stories about how this place got its name. According to the locals, the place got its name from the Sanskrit word ‘Maya’, which means illusion. Many people also believe that earlier people from the Maibong clan used to live in this area and the place might have got its name from them. While some other people claim that the place is a part of a Goddess called ‘Maa-er-ongo’. The name comes from this term.

Mayong has been India’s center for witchcraft and wizardry since its inception many centuries ago. In the early days of Mayong, legend has it, if you chanted “Uran Mantra” you would be able to fly through the air and land directly beside your true love.
In this area, people who know the black arts use to serve the people by using their magic to treat the diseases. These people not only know magic but they know quite a bit about Ayurveda as well.
This village in Assam has solutions to all your problems.
Lost something? The tantric will put a flower in a metal bowl, which starts moving by itself and moves directly to the place where the stolen item is kept

Local folklore and ancient scriptures such as the Mahabharata validate Mayong’s connection with black magic, and archaeological findings of weapons and sharp objects suggest human sacrifices as well.
Stories and accounts of people vanishing, locals being converted into animals, beasts being miraculously tamed, and fatal diseases being cured have been long associated with Mayong.
One such story is of Muhammad Shah and his army. It is said that during war times in the 1330s, Muhammad Shah’s 100,000 horsemen disappeared near Mayong due to black magic and witchcraft and not a single trace was left behind.
There’s no way to attest to the authenticity of these stories, but the whole experience of opening yourself up to this world is certainly something worth writing home about.
This ancient land is rich in wildlife as well. Visit the Probitora Wildlife Sanctuary nearby, home to the largest population of one-horned rhinoceros in the world. one can also explore archaeological remains, ancient artifacts, and books associated with black magic, witchcraft, and Ayurveda at the Mayong Central Museum and Emporium.

The best time to visit Mayong is during the dry season, between November – March. April – October is summer in Assam when temperatures climb up and the state experiences a lot of rain (especially between June – September). Plus, November sees the Mayong Pobitora Festival which makes your trip even more exciting.

During these tough days the whole country is suffering from a dangerous virus known as Corona Virus.It is the biggest outbreak till now.The whole country is going through several crises due to the lockdown. The most affected field is the education field.For the safety all the

Online teaching — the new normal to emerge during the lockdown — seems to be losing steam with teachers refusing to conduct classes due to “bullying” by students’ parents. Several teachers, who switched over to the new platform just days ago,are already overwhelmed by the digital experience. They say they are under tremendous pressure, with parents constantly complaining about the poor quality of teaching, spelling mistakes, improper pronunciation, harsh tone of voice, lack of warmth towards children etc. Some videos depicting teachers in poor light owing to their pronunciation have gone viral on social media. 

The interference by overenthusiastic parents has triggered debates in academic circles. Teachers of several prominent private schools across Karnataka have told their managements that they will not conduct online classes anymore. Many have said goodbye to e-teaching sooner than they thought.

As the report given by Hindustan Times teachers are facing many harassment by the students over online class.

As online classes in colleges across the Delhi University (DU) begin amid the lockdown, many teachers have complained that some “mischievous elements”, who are not on the rolls, were “misusing” the medium and harassing teachers with obscene messages and posts.

Several teachers in DU colleges said they were abused and harassed by some attendees during the online classes. The teachers said they have informed the university administration about the misbehaviour.

An assistant professor at a South Campus college, requesting anonymity, said he was taking an online class on the Zoom app last week when a person logged in and started writing obscene messages on the chat. “It was so sudden that it took us a few minutes to realise what was happening. It was embarrassing for us all. We had to abruptly suspend the class. We later went through the recorded video of the lecture to identify the person. We found that there is no student by the name in our class,” he said.

Another faculty member, who teachers at an all-women college in west Delhi, said a person logged in to his class with the username of an adult movie actor, and started posting abusive messages against women. “It’s come to our notice that some outsiders are logging in to our classes using the links we send to our students every day on our college WhatsApp groups. We share our screen during the online classes with our students and everyone can use that and post their views and questions. We are trying to find out a way to address this issue,” the teacher said.

DU executive council (EC) member Rajesh Jha said such incidents are being reported by many teachers over the last few days. “Several women teachers have also informed us that they were abused and harassed during these live classes. The teachers send the invites for live sessions on Zoom or Google Meet to their students every day. The students can log in simply by entering their names and email IDs. These incidents clearly indicate that students are sharing these invites with outsiders as well. Many countries are facing similar issues in conducting online classes,” he said.

According to foreign media reports, Singapore banned some video conferencing applications for teaching purpose after hackers posted obscene images during the classes.

DU Teacher Association (DUTA) secretary Rajinder Singh said they have also received some complaints from teachers. “Teachers have now started taking precautions. Some of them have told us that they immediately remove the person from class who writes or shares any unnecessary messages,” he said.

A senior university official said they are looking into the matter. “We are aware of these incidents. We are looking into the matter and trying to fix it. We may file a police complaint in the matter soon,” a DU official said.

I just want to say that old teachers who doesn’t know how to use the internet and all other things related to internet is trying to teach the students for the sake of student future and carrier. Learning at this age is not so easy for them but still they are trying to cope up with the flow of the nation.so harassing and abusing the teachers doesn’t seems cool.May be students know more about internet but still can’t replace the essence of teacher. I think we should help our teachers to make this online class a successfull step to overcome this pandemic.