Global South to build resilient supply chains, increase trade and promote tourism

 India hosted a special virtual Summit – “Voice of Global South Summit” under the theme “Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose” on 12-13 January 2023. The Summit encompassed inaugural and concluding sessions at Head of State / Government level, and hosted by the Prime Minister, and 8 Ministerial sessions hosted by respective Cabinet Ministers of India.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal, hosted the Commerce and Trade Ministers’ Session, today, on the theme – ‘Developing Synergies in the South: Trade, Technology, Tourism, Resources’. Hon’ble Ministers from 13 countries, namely, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Haiti, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Sudan, Timor Leste, and Zimbabwe, participated in the Session.

Delivering his opening remarks, the Minister called upon countries of Global South to forge new partnerships and mechanisms so that the voice of the Global South is reflected on the decision-making table. The Minister said the objective of the Summit is to pay attention to the issues pertaining to the Global South and those issues before key global forums like G20, the UN and other multilateral settings. Touching upon the theme of the Session, Shri Goyal said these are the key pillars for development of the countries of the South.

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19 on global trade and particularly on developing countries, he stressed upon the need to work together to build resilient supply chains. He also emphasised upon the need for de-politicization of the global supply of essential medicines. He said, “At the WTO Ministerial Conference held in Geneva in June 2022, India, South Africa, and other developing countries worked together to obtain the TRIPS waiver decision providing equitable and affordable access to vaccines. We shall redouble our efforts at the WTO to get the TRIPS waiver extended to COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics.”

Shri Goyal highlighted that the countries of the Global South are now contributing more than half of the world’s economic growth with South-South trade touching $5.3 trillion in 2021. In this regard, he urged for enhanced trade linkages for the mutual benefit of all our countries.

Mentioning that India is providing unilateral duty-free market access to the least-developed countries (LDCs) since 2008 through the duty-free tariff preference (DFTP) scheme of India, he said that India is also open to enter into Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with interested countries in the South.

Calling Connectivity as a defining factor for success in the developing world, Shri Goyal spoke of India’s National Logistic policy (NLP) and the PM-Gati Shakti as the steps in this direction. He said countries of the Global South can work together to exchange best practices in models of connectivity that we employ in our countries.

Shri Goyal said southern countries are also helping to drive world investment. Indian companies are also investing abroad in a big way, including in the Southern countries. Financial cooperation between developing countries is also enabling developing countries to engage more in the global policy debates and shape the international agenda.

Emphasising on the use of technology for development, Shri Goyal shared India’s experience that an inclusive digital architecture can bring about socio-economic transformation. He cited examples of UPI which has transformed India’s Digital Payment Landscape, CoWIN platform which played a key role in the success of India’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.

On tourism, Shri Goyal noted developing countries are now fast emerging from the impact of covid, and the tourism sector has picked up in the last one year. He called for working together with the countries of the Global south to promote tourism. Shri Goyal noted that many countries of the South have huge deposits of these resources and emphasised that we should work closely to use such resources for the benefit of the South.

Shri Goyal concluded by stating that India is ready to share its development experience with the global South, and are eager to learn from other fellow countries and bring forth the matters of our common concern for further discussion and cooperation towards our joint sustainable and inclusive growth.

******

Coal Mine Water Benefitting 18 Lakh people of 900 Villages

 As directed by the Coal Ministry, coal/lignite PSUs are taking several steps for conservation and efficient use of mine water by supplying the same in its command areas for community usages such as drinking and irrigation. Mine water discharged from the operational mines as well as water available in abandoned mine voids of Coal/Lignite PSUs are benefitting approximately 18 lakh people living in about 900 villages in the proximity of coal mining areas.

 During the current fiscal, coal/lignite PSUs planned to supply around 4000 LKL of mine water for community use of which 2788 LKL has been supplied till December 2022.  From this 881LKL has been used for domestic purposes including drinking. The beneficiaries of mine water are mainly tribal people and those living in remote areas. This endeavour is in line with the Government’s Jal Shakti Abhiyan of water conservation effort. 

In 2022-23, Coal India Ltd. (CIL) has already surpassed its annual plantation target of 1510 hectares by expanding its green cover to 1600 hectares ending December of FY’23. CIL has planted over 31 lakh saplings in the current fiscal till December, 2022.

Greening initiatives inside mine lease area during the last five years in 4392 hectares has created a carbon sink potential of 2.2 LT/year. Coal/Lignite PSUs have covered around 2230 Ha land under plantation in the current fiscal till December 2022 and around 360 Ha under grassing. Use of new techniques like seed ball plantation, seed casting through drones and Miyawaki plantation in its various mines are in place. Mined out areas, overburden dumps and other disturbed areas are concurrently reclaimed as soon as they get delinked from the active mining zones. These afforestation activities and green belt development works are also creating carbon sinks. The dense tree coverage also helps to control air pollution, arrests the suspended dust particles emitted during mining operations.

****

World’s Longest River Cruise – MV Ganga Vilas in Varanasi

 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the World’s Longest River Cruise-MV Ganga Vilas and inaugurated the Tent City at Varanasi via video conferencing today. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for several other inland waterways projects worth more than Rs. 1000 crores during the event. In line with the Prime Minister’s endeavour to boost river cruise tourism, the huge untapped potential of river cruises will get unlocked with the launch of this service and it will herald a new age of river cruise tourism for India.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister hailed Lord Mahadev and greeted everyone on the auspicious occasion of Lohri. The Prime Minister emphasised charity, faith, tapasya and faith in our festivals and the role of rivers in them. This makes the projects related to river waterways all the more significant, he said. He pointed out that the longest river cruise from Kashi to Dibrugarh is being flagged off today which will bring to the fore, places of tourism in North India on the world tourism map. He said other projects being dedicated today in Varanasi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Assam worth 1000 crore will give a push to the tourism and employment potential in eastern India.

Underlining the central role of river Ganga in the life of every Indian, the Prime Minister lamented that the area around the banks lagged behind in development in the post-independence period thereby leading to a massive exodus of population from this area. The Prime Minister elaborated on a twin approach to address this unfortunate situation. On the one hand, the campaign to clean Ganga was undertaken through Namami Gange and ‘Arth Ganga’ was taken up on the other. In ‘Arth Ganga’ steps have been taken to create an environment of economic dynamism in the states from where Ganga passes.

Directly addressing the tourists from foreign countries who are traveling on the maiden journey of the cruise, the Prime Minister said, “Today India has everything and a lot beyond your imagination.” He further added that India can only be experienced from the heart as the nation has welcomed everyone with open hearts irrespective of region or religion, creed or country and welcomed tourists from all parts of the world.

Throwing light on the experience of the river cruise, the Prime Minister informed that it has something special for everyone. He added that those seeking spirituality will cover destinations like Kashi, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila, Patna Sahib and Majuli, tourists looking out for a multinational cruise experience will get the opportunity to via Dhaka in Bangladesh, and those wanting to witness the natural diversity of India will cross through Sundarbans and the forests of Assam. Observing that the cruise will pass through 25 different river streams, the Prime Minister said that this cruise has significant importance for those who have a keen interest in understanding the river systems of India. He also mentioned that it is a golden opportunity for those who want to explore the myriad culinary and cuisines of India. “One can witness the extraordinary amalgamation of the heritage of India and its modernity on this cruise”, the Prime Minister remarked as he shed light on the new era of cruise tourism where new employment opportunities will be created for the youth of the country. “Not just foreign tourists but Indians who traveled to different nations for such an experience can head towards North India now”, the Prime Minister said. He also informed that similar experiences are being readied in other inland waterways of the country to give a boost to cruise tourism while keeping in mind the budget as well as the luxury experience.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that India is entering into a robust phase of tourism as with a growing global profile, curiosity about India is also increasing. That is why, said the Prime Minister, in the last 8 years various steps were taken to expand the tourism sector in the country. Places of faith were developed on priority and Kashi is a live example of such efforts. With improved facilities and the rejuvenation of Kashi Vishvanath Dham, Kashi has seen a huge increase in the number of visiting devotees. This has given a massive boost to the local economy. The New Tent City, infused with modernity, spirituality and faith, will provide a novel experience to the tourists.

The Prime Minister said that today’s event is a reflection of the policies, decisions and direction taken after 2014 in the country. “This decade of the 21st century is a decade of infrastructure transformation in India. India is witnessing a level of infrastructure which was unimaginable a few years ago.” He said from Social infrastructure like houses, toilets, hospitals, electricity, water, cooking gas, educational institutes to digital infrastructure to physical connectivity infrastructure like railways, waterways, airways and roads, all these are strong indicators of the rapid growth of India. In all the fields India is seeing the best and biggest, he pointed out.

The Prime Minister underlined the low usage of river waterways in India before 2014 despite the rich history in this mode of transport in the country. Post 2014, India is harnessing this ancient strength to the cause of modern India. There is a new law and detailed action plan for developing waterways in big rivers of the country. The Prime Minister informed that in 2014 only 5 national waterways were there in the country, now there are 111 national waterways in the country and about two dozen are in operation already. Similarly, there has been a 3 times increase in cargo transportation via river waterways from 30 lakh metric tonnes 8 years ago.

Coming back to the theme of development of eastern India, the Prime Minister said that today’s events will help in making eastern India a growth engine for Developed India. This connects Haldia multimodal terminal with Varanasi and is also connected with India Bangladesh protocol route and Northeast. This also connects Kolkata port and Bangladesh. This will facilitate business from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal to Bangladesh. 

Emphasising the need for training of the staff and skilled workforce, the Prime Minister informed that a Skill Development Center has been set up in Guwahati and a new facility is also being constructed in Guwahati for the repairing of ships. “Be it a cruise ship or a cargo ship, they not only give a boost to transport and tourism, but the entire industry associated with their service also creates new opportunities”, the Prime Minister said.

Referring to a study conducted, the Prime Minister informed that waterways are not just beneficial to the environment but also help in saving money. He said that the cost of operating waterways is two and a half times lesser than that of roadways, and one-third lesser when compared to railways. The Prime Minister also touched upon the National Logistics Policy and said that India has the potential to develop a waterway network of thousands of kilometres. He also emphasised that India has more than 125 rivers and river streams which can be developed to transport goods and ferry people while also giving impetus to further expanding port-led development. He emphasised the need to build a modern multi-modal network of waterways and informed about the partnerships with Bangladesh and other countries which have strengthened the water connectivity in the Northeast.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister remarked on the continuous development process of developing waterways in India and said, “Strong connectivity is essential for building a developed India.” The Prime Minister expressed the belief that the river of India will give new heights to water power and trade and tourism of the country and wished a pleasant journey to all the cruise passengers.

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adiyanath, Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of Port Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal among others were present on the occasion.

Background

MV Ganga Vilas

MV Ganga Vilas will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and travel around 3,200 km in 51 days to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh, sailing across 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh. MV Ganga Vilas has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the luxury amenities. The maiden voyage has 32 tourists from Switzerland signing up for the entire length of the journey.

The MV Ganga Vilas cruise is curated to bring out the best of the country to be showcased to the world. The 51 days cruise is planned with visits to 50 tourist spots including World Heritage Sites, National Parks, River Ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam. The journey will give the tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh.

In line with PM’s endeavour to boost river cruise tourism, the huge untapped potential of river cruises will get unlocked with the launch of this service and it will herald a new age of river cruise tourism for India.

Tent City at Varanasi

Tent City has been conceptualised on the banks of the River Ganga to tap the potential of tourism in the region. The project has been developed opposite to city ghats which will provide accommodation facilities and cater to the increased tourist influx in Varanasi, especially since the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. It has been developed by Varanasi Development Authority in PPP mode. The tourists will reach the Tent City by boats from different Ghats situated in the vicinity. The tent city will be operational from October to June every year and will be dismantled for three months due to the rise in river water level in the rainy season.

Inland Waterway projects

Prime Minister will inaugurate Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal in West Bengal. Developed under Jal Marg Vikas Project, Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal has a cargo handling capacity of around over 3 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) and the berths are designed to handle vessels up to around 3000 Deadweight tonnage (DWT).

The Prime Minister also inaugurated four floating community jetties at Saidpur, Chochakpur, Zamania in Ghazipur district and at Kanspur in Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. Besides, the Prime Minister laid foundation stones for the five Community Jetties at Digha, Nakta Diyara, Barh, Panapur in Patna district and Hasanpur in Samastipur district in Bihar. More than 60 community jetties are being constructed along the river Ganga across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to boost the economic activities and improve the livelihoods of local communities in the region. The community jetties would play a key role in improving the livelihoods of people by providing simple logistics solutions for small farmers, fishery units, unorganised farm-producing units, horticulturists, florists and artisans focussing on economic activities in and around the hinterland of river Ganga.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Maritime Skill Development Centre for North East at Guwahati. It will help hone the rich talent pool in the North Eastern region and will provide for better employment opportunities in the burgeoning logistics industry.

In addition to these, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a ship repair facility and an elevated road at Pandu Terminal in Guwahati. The Ship Repair facility at the Pandu Terminal will save a lot of valuable time as it takes more than a month for a ship to be transported to the Kolkata Repair facility and back. Moreover, it will also result in huge savings in terms of money as the transportation cost of the ship will also be saved. The dedicated road connecting the Pandu Terminal to NH 27 will enable 24-hour connectivity.

*****

Voice of Global South Summit

 Namaskar!


I welcome you to the Voice of Global South Summit.

Over the past 2-days, this Summit has seen the participation of more than 120 developing countries – the largest-ever virtual gathering of the Global South.

I am privileged to have your company in this concluding session.

Excellencies,

The last 3 years have been difficult, especially for us developing nations.

The challenges of the COVID pandemic, rising prices of fuel, fertilizer and foodgrains, and increasing geo-political tensions have impacted our development efforts.

However, the start of a new year is a time for fresh hope. So let me first extend my good wishes to all of you for a happy, healthy, peaceful, secure and successful 2023.

Excellencies,

We all appreciate the principle of globalisation. India’s philosophy has always seen the world as one family.

However, developing countries desire a globalization that does not create Climate Crisis or Debt Crisis.

We want a globalisation that does not lead to unequal distribution of vaccines or over-concentrated global supply chains.

We want a globalisation that brings prosperity and well-being to humanity as a whole. In short, we want a ‘human-centric globalisation’.

Excellencies,

We developing countries are also concerned about the increasing fragmentation of the international landscape.

These geopolitical tensions distract us from focusing on our development priorities.

They cause sharp swings in international prices of food, fuel, fertilizers and other commodities.

To address this geopolitical fragmentation, we urgently need a fundamental reform of the major international organisations, including the United Nations Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions.

These reforms should focus on giving voice to the concerns of the developing world, and reflect the realities of the 21st Century.

India’s G20 Presidency will attempt to voice the views of the Global South on these important issues.

Excellencies,

In its development partnerships, India’s approach has been consultative, outcome oriented, demand driven, people-centric, and respectful of the sovereignty of partner countries.

I firmly believe that countries of the Global South have a lot to learn from each other’s development experiences.

I am happy to announce that India will establish a “Global-South Center of Excellence”.

This institution will undertake research on development solutions or best-practices of any of our countries, which can be scaled and implemented in other members of the Global South.

As an example, the digital public goods developed by India in fields like electronic-payments, health, education, or e-governance, can be useful for many other developing countries.

India has also made great strides in areas like space technology and nuclear energy. We will launch a ‘Global-South Science & Technology initiative’ to share our expertise with other developing nations.

During the COVID pandemic, India’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative supplied made-in-India vaccines to over a 100 nations.

I would now like to announce a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project. Under this project, India will provide essential medical supplies to any developing country affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crisis.

Excellencies,

For synergising our diplomatic voice, I propose a ‘Global-South Young Diplomats Forum’, to connect youthful officers of our foreign ministries.

India will also institute ‘Global-South Scholarships’ for students from developing countries to pursue higher education in India.

Excellencies,

The theme of today’s session is inspired by the ancient wisdom of India.

A prayer from the Rig Veda – the oldest text known to humanity – says:

संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं सं वो मनांसि जानताम्

which means: Let us come together, speak together, and may our minds be in harmony.

Or in other words, ‘Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose’.

In this spirit, I look forward to listening to your views and suggestions.

Thank you!

*****

India wins the 2nd ODI and series against Sri Lanka

In the ongoing series India again displayed a noteworthy performance. The 2nd match of the ODI series was being played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

After winning the toss, the Sri Lankan team choose to bat first. In the first innings, they posted a total of 215. In their inning, Nuwanidu Fernando scored the highest run of 50. From the Indian side, Kuldeep Yadav took 3 wickets.

In the second innings, India started on a strong note but lost Rohit Sharma and Shuman Gill in quick succession. After the fall of both the openers, India was at 41. Then came Virat Kohli, who lost his wicket at a score of 4 and India was at 62 at that moment. Then Shreyas Iyer tried to steady the ship with K L Rahul. Shreyas fell at a personal score of 28 when India was at 86. Then a partnership was built by K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya. They both took India to a respectable score of 161, which kept India in the hunt for the win. Then Hardik Pandya fell for a personal score of 36. After that Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav also came in to take India home. Axar Patel continued his good form and scored 21 at a run-a-ball pace, which also had a six and a four. Kuldeep on the other hand scored 10 runs in 10 balls and made sure that India made it home with 219 on board in 43.2 overs and 4 wickets in hand. Along with this win, India secured another ODI series victory over their home turf. They are now head of Sri Lanka with a 2-0 lead.

https://unsplash.com/photos/bY4cqxp7vos

In the second innings, Sri Lanka also performed well in the beginning. They were able to remove both openers in quick succession. Then, Viral Kohli also rapidly returned to the pavilion. But after that, K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya built a partnership that made sure that India won the match and also the series. In the bowling department, Chamika Karunaratne along with Lahiru Kumara took 2 wickets each. Also, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva was the most economical bowler and gave away just 28 runs in his quota of 10 overs.

With this series win Indian cricket team put their foot forward on a positive note in the new year.  This win will also help them in some way in their preparation towards the ODI World Cup, which will be played this year in India itself. It was an important series as Sri Lanka is the current champions of Asia after they won the Asia Cup in 2022. This series will also give them the confidence to face the next series. The next series for the Indian team will be against New Zealand, which is currently playing against Pakistan.NZ is also currently the winner of the ODI series against Pakistan with a lead of 2-1.

In the upcoming series against NZ, India will be playing 3 ODIs and 3 T20s. New Zealand will be touring India for this series, they will also have a chance to flex their muscle. In the last World Cup in 2019, New Zealand was unlucky to lose against England in the final.    

Benguluru tops among all Indian cities for startup funding in 2022.

Bengaluru topped the startup funding chart in India with $10.8 billion in 2022, followed by Mumbai at $3.9 billion, and Gurugram at a distant $2.6 billion.

Startups based in Delhi and Chennai registered $1.2 billion each in funding, followed by Pune at $1 billion, according to data provided by Tracxn, a leading global market intelligence platform.

In 2021, Bengaluru-based startups had raised $20.8 billion in funding and Mumbai-based startups had pocketed $5.2 billion in the same year, showing the impact of the deepening funding winter last year.

There were 22 unicorns in 2022, compared to 46 in 2021, and average funding before the unicorn round was around $160 million.

It is now taking an average of 5.1 years from Series A funding to the Unicorn round for the Indian startups.

Mercedes announces the car launch date for the 2023 season

The year 2022 was a year filled with ups and downs for various teams in Formula 1. The 2022 season gave us the best competitive racing which we hope for. Now, all the fans of the popular sports are waiting for the announcement of the cars which the teams will be using for this year’s season.

Mercedes has now announced that they will launch the car W14 on February 15. This time they are hoping to get back to winning ways and get their hands on the title again. During the last decade, they won 7 driver’s championships and 8 constructors titles between 2013 and 2021.

The various other teams are also trying their level best to get to the podium. The changes in rules and regulations in the past year have made it difficult for various teams. Mercedes faced the same fate. But lately, they were able to finish on the podium in some of the last few races. This happened, thanks to the good performance of George Russell.

It has been surprising since last year that Lewis Hamilton has not been able to get ahead of the grid. The same has happened with some other teams that showed promise at the beginning of the season. One of the examples has been Ferrari. Ferrari showed promising performance in the first few races, but later on, they started to face issues.

https://unsplash.com/photos/VIVpQ94hf_k

But Red Bull was the one which performed well. They managed to win the driver’s championship as well as the constructor’s championship for the year 2022. This year too, they will try to repeat the performance that they showed last year.

In the case of drivers, Mercedes is allowing Mick Schumacher to be their reserve driver. This gives a new lease of life for the driver with an iconic name. On the other hand, Daniel Riccardo has also been lucky by becoming the third driver for the Red Bull team.

Also, there have been changes to the top management too for some of the teams. This year Ferrari will have a new team principal. Frederic Vasseur has been promoted to Ferrari from being the team principal of Alfa Romeo. Now, if we take a look at the past then the French team principle has been extremely successful for Ferrari. So, we will have to wait until the end of the season to see whether the speculations become correct for the team.

There will also be a lot of doubts related to the cars that the teams will launch for the season. The budget for a team for an entire season will also be under check as last season several teams had to take various engines and damages during the season. The drivers will also have to become comfortable with the cars as several drivers have changed their teams during this season. The change will also likely affect the performance of a team as the teams are still dealing with the rule changes and drivers will also be new for the teams.     

RRR’s “Nattu-Nattu” song wins prestigious Golden Globe award.

Naatu Naatu,’ a song featured in the S.S. Rajamouli blockbuster film RRR won the award for the ‘Best Song in a Motion Picture’ in the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, the ceremony of which was held on January 11.

The song was composed by veteran music director MM Keeravaani and crooned by Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj. Director SS Rajamouli along with his team including Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and MM Keeravaani, among others, were present to represent the film.

This is the first Asian film song to win in the category at the Golden Globes.

India previously made its presence felt in the Best Original Score category over a decade ago, when AR Rahman won for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman was also nominated in the same category for Boyle’s follow-up, 127 Hours. V Shantaram’s Do Aankhen Barah Haath made history when it won the equivalent of the Best Non-English Language Film in 1957. Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi was won the Globe in the same category, even though it wasn’t a foreign production.

RRR's "Nattu-Nattu" song wins prestigious Golden Globe award.

Naatu Naatu,’ a song featured in the S.S. Rajamouli blockbuster film RRR won the award for the ‘Best Song in a Motion Picture’ in the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, the ceremony of which was held on January 11.

The song was composed by veteran music director MM Keeravaani and crooned by Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj. Director SS Rajamouli along with his team including Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and MM Keeravaani, among others, were present to represent the film.

This is the first Asian film song to win in the category at the Golden Globes.

India previously made its presence felt in the Best Original Score category over a decade ago, when AR Rahman won for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman was also nominated in the same category for Boyle’s follow-up, 127 Hours. V Shantaram’s Do Aankhen Barah Haath made history when it won the equivalent of the Best Non-English Language Film in 1957. Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi was won the Globe in the same category, even though it wasn’t a foreign production.

Empower Your Insights with Julius: AI-Driven Analysis and Visualization Support

Daily writing prompt
What snack would you eat right now?

In today’s data-driven world, making sense of vast amounts of information is both a necessity and a challenge. Whether you’re a researcher, educator, business strategist, or data enthusiast, effective analysis and visualization can unlock new perspectives and drive impactful decisions. Meet Julius, your AI-powered assistant, designed to transform complex data into clear insights and visually compelling narratives.

Why Choose Julius?

Julius bridges the gap between raw data and actionable insights with cutting-edge AI capabilities. Here’s how Julius stands out:

  1. Comprehensive Data Analysis:
    Julius processes structured and unstructured datasets to uncover patterns, trends, and anomalies. From statistical summaries to advanced modeling, it caters to diverse analytical needs.
  2. Dynamic Visualization:
    Presenting data effectively is as crucial as analyzing it. Julius generates visually appealing and interactive charts, graphs, and infographics that are customizable and tailored to your objectives.
  3. User-Friendly Interface:
    No technical expertise? No problem. Julius simplifies complex analysis with intuitive commands, making it accessible for beginners while robust enough for experts.
  4. Domain-Specific Insights:
    Whether you’re analyzing educational trends, financial performance, healthcare data, or market research, Julius offers tailored insights based on the context of your dataset.
  5. Real-Time Collaboration:
    Work collaboratively with your team by sharing live insights, visualizations, and reports. Julius integrates seamlessly with popular tools to ensure a smooth workflow.

How Julius Can Help

  • For Educators and Researchers: Analyze enrollment trends, publication data, or institutional performance. Julius can turn raw academic data into insights that influence policy and teaching practices.
  • For Businesses: Optimize marketing campaigns, sales strategies, and operational efficiency with data-backed recommendations.
  • For NGOs and Social Impact Projects: Use Julius to visualize the impact of initiatives, track progress, and make data-driven funding proposals.
  • For Individuals: Simplify personal finance tracking, investment planning, or academic projects with Julius’s user-friendly tools.

Example in Action:

Imagine you’re working with education data to measure the impact of a policy like the National Education Policy (NEP). Julius can:

  • Analyze enrollment growth before and after NEP implementation.
  • Visualize growth trends in universities, colleges, and GER over time.
  • Generate interactive dashboards that allow policymakers to explore data by region, gender, or discipline.

Get Started with Julius

Unleash the power of AI in your analysis and visualizations with Julius. Whether you’re dealing with complex datasets or just need a clear visual representation of your findings, Julius is here to assist.

Google Play Movies will become free for viewers

Streaming services have been able to get the maximum profits during the pandemic. They have been a lifesaver for several people. As a result, several OTT platforms stream some of the best series for us. But there have been some issues for the users. One of those problems has been the subscription service that platforms have. It is sometimes difficult for the users to shell out money every month for the subscription.

So, there has been a revelation by XDA Developers that there are chances that Google will introduce ad-based movie streaming on Google Play Movies. It has been done to make the platform more popular. It has been revealed after an analysis of the APK of the app. It is similar to the feature that YouTube provides.  

In the entertainment market, online streaming platforms have been the king for the last couple of years. Several movies and shows are being released especially for the OTT platform. As a result, several big production houses like Bollywood, Hollywood and various others all around the world are creating content for the OTT platform.

As a result, platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix and many others are already gaining users and popularity. But Google Play Movies has been on the back foot in this case. The content that is available on this platform is paid. Due to that, the users are finding it difficult to use the platform as they will have to pay individually for each content.

https://unsplash.com/photos/DsmDqiYduaU

So, now Google might launch this service for its users. But there is no clarity that which content will be free and which will not. Once, the confusion is clear then it will be better for the users. 

On the other hand, mobile networks are also making users in India stream more content over the internet. The decrease in internet costs in the country is also making it possible for users to consume more data. All of these changes were made possible by the introduction of the JIO 4G network in the country.

Now, there is another point for streamers to take advantage of. The feature is that of the higher penetration of smart devices in various households. The pandemic pushed several people to buy devices or upgrade their existing one. This was done to complete the various tasks that people need a device for. Also, the new devices helped various people beat their boredom by watching content online. 

The higher usage and the slow but steady expansion of devices that support streaming platforms are also making it easier for people to stay UpToDate with their favourite shows. It is due to the support that various devices like tablets, smartphones and many more have. The continuous software support which is currently being provided by the major smart device companies is also helping in making various devices eligible for use by the users. The constant support is also making the various streaming platforms push out an update for their apps so that they can work on various devices. 

So all of these points are going to help google play movies get more viewers after they release the ad-free support for the users. But for the time being this news must be taken with a pinch of salt.