Category: Changing India

Changing India | Here’s how APD and AMBA are transforming lives of the differently abled 

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a nation where over 26.8 million individuals live with disabilities, the journey towards inclusivity and independence is laden with challenges. Moreso because most of these cases are in rural India with little access to proper healthcare and special education. 

Disability is a taboo and stigma in rural India and that makes the journey more challenging. Yet, some organisations are making groundbreaking strides in transforming the narrative for India’s disabled community. 

From early intervention to vocational training, these entities are not merely assisting but are truly empowering individuals to lead lives of dignity and independence. From empowering differently abled people to win medals in different sports to rehabilitating them to take up regular jobs, the organisations are truly changing India in the true sense. 

At the forefront of this transformative journey is Association of People With Disabilities, a Bangalore-based organisation established in 1987, which has impacted over 284,176 lives specifically in the rural and poor socio-economic backgrounds. 

APD believes that for those who are born with disabilities, targeting one phase or one challenge of disability with monetary support is not enough. For decades, we have seen that disability rehabilitation has been seen as a medical intervention issue, but APD thinks and does more. It follows a life-cycle approach which addresses every aspect of disability care—from early intervention in infants to vocational training for adults. From giving therapies to children with disabilities to getting them admitted in an inclusive school and then to train them to pick up respectable jobs as adults.  

Shaurya’s transformation

4-year old Shaurya, is dealing with developmental delays and autism. The biggest challenge for families with these kids is early intervention and acceptance. Shaurya was brought to APD as a two year-old.  His mother recalls that she was scared when she got to know about Shaurya’s delay and autism. She had no idea what to do other than taking him to a doctor. 

Two years later, Shaurya has started enjoying coming to the APD play school where he is taught various cognitive skills. His mother has been able to deal with the child better. “APD teachers taught me how to deal with him, using flash cards so that the child can communicate his needs, by touch etc. Now after coming here, he has gotten adjusted to sounds and he also makes sounds so he is learning verbal communication also,” says Prashanti, Shaurya’s mother. 

Inclusive approach 

The organisation’s suite of services is expansive, offering therapies like hydro-therapy and sensory integration to cater to various disabilities. At the heart of these efforts is the Shradhanjali Integrated School, a model of educational inclusivity, where children with various disabilities, like Cerebral Palsy, blindness, verbal disabilities and limb dysfunctions, find not only education but also a nurturing space to grow and dream. The kids are taught using audio-visual methods to cater to even low-cognitive abilities. Sign language is also used as a mode of teaching, often by teachers who face some kind of disability themselves. 

However, the challenges extend beyond the physical. India’s 1.5 million spinal cord injury survivors face immense hurdles, from healthcare access to societal integration. APD’s “cot-to-community” approach is a beacon of hope, focusing on rehabilitation and sustainable livelihoods. The organisation’s efforts are a lifeline, offering not just medical care but a path to self-sufficiency and dignity.

The story of 29-Year old Murthy Naveen Babu, a spinal cord injury survivor turned archer and peer trainer is a perfect example of how these organisations are changing the narrative of disability. Naveen’s journey from a traumatic accident to becoming a national-level archery medalist exemplifies the potent blend of personal resilience and supportive rehabilitation.

Even on a wheelchair, Naveen has not only aced the sport of archery, but also swimming with just his upper body. Naveen uses public transport like auto, bus and train from Bangalore to Andhra Pradesh, to visit his family once every month. He has been trained in using his wheelchair as part of his body and he says he has never felt this confident after the accident. 

Leveraging technology

But the movement towards inclusivity doesn’t stop with physical disabilities. NGOs like AMBA are revolutionising the prospects for individuals with intellectual disabilities, leveraging technology to enable them to perform complex tasks like back-office data entry. This initiative is not just about providing jobs; it’s about challenging and changing societal perceptions, demonstrating that with the right tools and opportunities, individuals with intellectual disabilities can contribute meaningfully to society.

“The 30% of the disabled community that we serve have had no opportunity whatsoever. They have been born with a stigma and we had to find a way to help them and the only way I could see that happening was through technology. Our aim is to target rural India with more focus.

So today what AMBA has done is that we use technology and we have created a copyrighted curriculum which works around pattern recognition and enables these young people with intellectual disabilities to do back-end work for companies,” says Sugandha Rituraj, founder, AMBA. 

The work these organisations are doing is revolutionising the way society perceives and supports the disabled. Their comprehensive approaches, focusing on everything from early intervention to vocational training, are setting new standards in disability care and rehabilitation.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Indians spent 6.1 trillion minutes consuming online video and most of it is on YouTube

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Indians spent a total of 6.1 trillion minutes on watching online video in the 15-month period from January 2022 to March 2023. Of this, 88 percent time was spent on just one video platform-YouTube.

Since 2016, the consumption of online content has far exceeded largely owing to fall in internet prices and availability of affordable smart phones. As individuals we often lose track on the number of hours spent on consuming online content each day. A research study by AMPD platform owned and operated by Media Partners Asia (MPA) shows that Indians spent 6.1 trillion minutes consuming online video for a 15-month period from January 2022 to March 2023. This shows the growth in online video industry over the years in India.

88 percent of India’s total online premium video consumption was on YouTube, which is evidently the largest platform in terms of reach and offers differentiated content specifically to suit the local market. However, with the evolution of many Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms in the past 5 to 7 years, its consumption has grown multifold. OTT platforms within a span of 5 to 7 years have changed the consumption patterns of Indians and carved out a share for itself in the video on demand industry. Indians, on an average spend 12 percent of their online premium video consumption time on these OTT platforms. This has grown from 10 percent in 2021.

The 12 percent share compares well with other emerging markets like Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines, where the norm for premium video on demand share is below 10 percent. However, developed markets such as Australia with 35 percent have a higher premium video on demand share in the online video sector. Hence, India is not too far behind markets such as Japan and Korea where the norm is 15 to 20 percent. Expensive TV cable connections is one of the reasons for markets like US, UK, Australia to have a high premium video on demand consumption, compared with India where watching TV is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment for a family.

Source: AMPD Research, MPA Analysis
Note: Total viewership measured during Jan 2022-Mar 2023 for India, excluding sports

Of the total online video consumption on OTT apps in India, Disney+Hotstar leads with 38 percent share driven by the depth of its Hindi and regional offerings. This is followed by MX Player with 23 percent share and Zee – Sony combined entity’s 13 percent share. Amazon Prime and Netflix, though screens popular content, do not command high share among Indians with just 5 percent share each. This is primarily because regional content is favored in India, while Netflix and Amazon Prime are popular for their large variety of international content.

According to the report, 50 percent of the subscription based content consumed on OTT platforms is Indian made. 36 percent content consumed is American-made with leading studios like Warner Bros., Netflix Studios and Disney’s Marvel Entertainment. Korean content is also gaining immense popularity in India.

Source: AMPD Research, MPA Analysis
Note: Total viewership measured during Jan 2022-Mar 2023 for India, excluding sports for paid tier only

Furthermore, viewers that use ‘freemium’ platforms like Hotstar and Zee5 consume ‘catch-up’ TV content the most. ‘Freemium’ platforms offer paid as well as free content. An example of ‘catch up’ content is the daily soaps broadcasted on general entrainment TV channels in India daily, which can be viewed on OTT platforms for free. Catch up content is preferred as viewers can watch the same content available on TV at a time and place of his convenience.

How will the OTT industry survive amidst high competition?

In just 5 years, the OTT platforms industry has managed to gain immense popularity amongst Indians. However, the sustainability in a price sensitive and competitive Indian market is a key challenge. Raising subscription costs poses threats of losing viewership and hence is the least preferred option.

The free live streaming of the men’s IPL cricket ensured that Jio Cinema consumption grew substantially in April 2023. However, its sustained viewership levels will remain critical in the absence of IPL cricket during second half of 2023, as the platform has increased its investment in local content and premium international content, setting the stage for the growth of its premium tier.

The next 6 to 12 months will remain critical for the OTT industry as each player strives to balance monetization and profitability against its content investment. Zee5 is an example with revenues growth every quarter, but losses widening at a faster pace. Disney+ Hotstar retains a strong local entertainment platform, powered by Star’s Hindi and regional content depth.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi says treating sports as extracurricular activity caused huge loss to country

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Treating sports merely as an extracurricular activity had caused a huge loss to the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday while inaugurating a sports event where he also urged athletes to include millets in their diets.

The pitch for the coarse grain comes as the world marks 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

The prime minister said that at one time sport was considered as a means of passing time and so the mentality that games are not important took root, as a result a lot of talents kept away from the playgrounds.

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But this mentality is changing now, he said.

He also advised sportspersons to include yoga in their daily life to stay fit.

“Every sportsperson knows how important it is for him to remain fit, and ‘Fit India Movement’ has its role in this. For fitness, all should include yoga in their lives…it will make them healthy and also help keep the mind alert,” the prime minister said after virtually inaugurating the second phase of ‘Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23’ in Basti.

The first phase of the competition was organised from December 10 to 16, 2022 and the second phase which began on Wednesday will continue till January 28.

Underlining the importance of millets popularly called ‘mota anaj’ (coarse grain), the PM said that “nutritious diet is also important for players, and millets can play an important role in this. On India’s request, 2023 has been declared as the International Year of Millets”.

Prime Minister Modi, who also watched the first event of the competition ‘kho-kho’, said the talents participating here exist in all parts of the country and such an event helps find out them.

The PM regretted that at one time sports were considered as an extracurricular activity, and this caused a huge loss to the country.

“There was a time when sports used to be considered as an extracurricular activity. They were considered only a means of passing time. The children were also told the same. Due to this, generation after generation, a mindset developed in the society that sports are not so important. This mentality has caused a huge loss to the country,” he said.

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“Many talents remained away from the field. But in the last eight years, the country has left behind this old thinking. Work has been done to create a better environment for sports, so now more children and youths are looking at sports as a career option,” he said.

“It’s heartening that even parents are now taking sports seriously,” the prime minister said.

He said that the direct benefit of this change in people’s thinking is visible as India is constantly creating new records in the field of sports,” he said .

“We gave the best ever performance in the Olympics. Best ever performance in the Paralympics. India’s better performance in different sports is now becoming a topic of discussion. This is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go,” he said.

“This ‘Khel Mahakumbh’ will give new opportunities to young players. I am told that about 200 MPs in India have organized similar sports events in their respective places in which thousands of youths have participated,” he said, adding that in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi also, such events have started.

The prime minister also lauded girls performing well in the sports and made a mention of the spectacular showing of Shefali Verma in women’s Under-19 T-20 hitting 26 runs in an over with five fours and one six.

Stressing that the government was encouraging sportspersons at all levels, the PM said “the government is also providing financial assistance to the players. At present, there are more than 2,500 athletes in the country who are being given more than Rs 50,000 every month under the ‘Khelo India’ campaign”.

The players performing well in Saansad Khel Mahakumbh are being selected for further training at the Sports Authority of India centre and this will benefit them a lot, he said.

“Our players should have adequate resources, training and international exposure…all these aspects are being worked upon,” he said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas 2023: Partnering with Indian diaspora for the ‘Amrit Kaal’ ascent

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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After a hiatus caused by the Covid Pandemic, Government of India will be celebrating the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas (PBD) physically at Indore- the cleanest city in India from January 8-10 . The theme this year has been aptly called the “Diaspora: Reliable Partner for India’s Progress in the Amrit Kaal ‘ as India embarks on an unprecedented developmental journey during the next 25 years called  “ the Amrit Kaal”. 

This will be the golden period to make India a developed country by 2047 through an exponential growth of its GDP to over $30 trillion with requisite economic and political and technological heft as a shaper of the new world order. India recently graduated to the 5th largest global economy, leaving behind UK, as it continues to remain the fastest growing major economy despite the pandemic and Eurasian war related headwinds. In this quest, the role of the Indian diaspora , which has the unique distinction of not being only the largest but also the most successful and proactive in which ever domain they are present, will be very important.  

Interestingly, this year world also witnessed the UK being led by PM Rishi Sunak, a person of Indian origin. There are or have been many leaders in the developed world with Indian connections be it the US Vice President, Portuguese or Irish Prime Ministers let alone host of  others in Africa and the Caribbean or Singapore in East Asia . It is an established fact that Indian origin persons have indeed arrived in their social standing and politico-economic milieu in the countries of their choosing and have become a voice to reckon with.  Rightly, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is the Chief Guest at the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention and Ms. Zaneta Mascarenhas, Member of Parliament of Australia, will be the Guest of Honour at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which will be held on 8 January, 2023. Several topical panel discussions to identify synergies will follow.

In order to celebrate and connect with her 32 million strong diaspora a concerted effort was made through the establishment of PBD Convention two decades ago in 2003 since when several of them have been acknowledged and honored at each PBD with ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards ‘by the President of India for their excellence, integrity and contributions to the enrichment of bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid special attention to this outreach and has made it a point to interact with the community whichever country he visits. Madison Square Garden and ‘Howdy Modi’ events are still fresh in the minds of many. These interactions have made the host country leaders to also participate in such mega events which is an acknowledgment of the critical and influential role that the Indian diaspora plays in that country. 

India is possibly one of the few countries that also looks after her citizens and the diaspora and their welfare with utmost care and importance. This has been clearly witnessed in various evacuations from conflict zones in Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen or Ukraine during the last two decades along with citizens of many other countries. During the pandemic 100s of thousands of Indians were brought back through the Vande Bharat mission flights while rendering humanitarian and medical assistance to those countries.  India follows a 4Cs policy with her diaspora which entails Care, Connect, celebrate and contribute. 

I remember during my various assignments that earlier the Indian diaspora was mostly parochial and regional or ethnicity centric and hardly thought of India or Indian interests in a holistic manner. Promoting India’s interests was barely on the horizon unlike the Jewish diaspora for whom Israel was the centerpiece of their existence and enterprise irrespective of their other affiliations. Even visiting Indian Ministers and dignitaries preferred to meet the diaspora hailing from their region or State only. But that has changed with the Indian leadership being proactive, especially that of PM Modi. Besides the fact that India herself has become an acknowledged economic and IT power and leader as the investment opportunities and likely return on investment continues to exponentially expand, NRIs and PIOs take great pride in it.

The perception of the diaspora towards India and India’s towards her diaspora transformed overtime from ‘Brain drain’ to ‘Brain Gain or Brain trust’. Even several sending states started their own PBDs to appreciate their own as the Government also experimented with regional PBDs abroad for a larger outreach. Various Indians have excelled in politics, business, science and technology, professions, entrepreneurship even the  leadership of major MNCs like the Google and Microsoft . A report from the IOM indicated that in 2021, households headed by an Indian immigrant in the US had a median annual income of $150,000, compared to $70,000 for all immigrant- and native-led households which speaks volumes of their collective heft which could be harnessed as we go forward. 

India’s 9 million strong community of entrepreneurs and workforce both white and blue in the Middle East are greatly appreciated for their discipline, dedication and contribution for the development of their host countries and have become the preferred ones. Recent FIFA 2022 in Qatar is one such testament to their contribution. However, with such large numbers there are occasional labour related issues which the Indian government, through its diplomatic missions and institutionalized arrangements and Labour Agreements including the Migration and Mobility Agreements as well as the Emigration Bill 2021, tries to address in an unprecedented manner and resolve which remains under constant review. This is the Indian diaspora which turned late Mrs Sushma Swaraj into the People’s Foreign Minister due to 24×7 diaspora diplomacy.

Another important geography is Africa whose umbilical connect to PBD relates to the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India. Even though Indians may have been taken there as indentured labourers, today they have become highly successful -yet were not given much attention. I can not forget the words of former Nigerian President Obasanjo that’ Indians were the second largest employers of the Nigerians after the Federal Government’. Since Africa will be the next big opportunity it is imperative that a special attention and initiatives be launched to garner the disconnected diaspora there though it has begun with increase in number of high-level visits to the continent.

21st century will be the period of excellence and edge in technology as India strives to take lead in the AI driven Industrial Revolution 4.0 . Even the workforce requirement will have to be sharply skilled to meet the needs of the countries welcoming Indians like Japan, Russia, Germany, Canada or Australia let alone the GCC countries who are climbing the technological ladder at a fast pace. In this enterprise the India’s living bridge in its diaspora can be a great asset.

Already several initiatives like PRABHASS: “Pravasi Bharatiya Academic and Scientific Sampark – Integrating Indian Diaspora with the Mother Land” has been launched  to develop a database and a virtual platform to bring on board the Global Indian S&T Community to address the Indian social and scientific  challenges and  problems. The main objective of PRABHASS, is to invite and encourage Indian Diaspora to come forward, and join hands with India to help solve challenges being faced by Indian people, thereby making an impact on society at large. In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit, a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian researchers and academicians on Gandhi Jayanti.

 It is a win -win enterprise with realistic expectations in which the diaspora becomes a part of India‘s ascent but staying true and loyal to their adopted homeland.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Views | Enhancing food security through alternative proteins

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Climate change has borne witness to the interconnectedness of our planet and the need for collective action for change. Two days before the commencement of India’s G20 Presidency, the World Bank released a report on investment opportunities in India’s cooling sector which warned that India could be one of the first places in the world to experience heat waves that break the human survivability limit. It went on to forecast that by 2030, India may account for 34 million of the projected 80 million global job losses from heat stress associated productivity decline. This report makes India’s theme for its G20 presidency “One Earth, One Family, One Future” extremely relevant.

The G20 working group meeting in Mumbai, is amongst other issues, focusing on food and energy security. Food security has been a priority issue on the G20 agenda, and the climate crisis has and will only exacerbate this issue. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022 report highlighted the need to transform agri-food systems making them more resilient and providing sustainable nutritious diets globally. In 2021, an estimated 828 million people were affected by hunger, 45 million children under the age of five were suffering from wasting and 16.3 percent of India’s population was undernourished. It cautions us that we are moving away rather than towards the 2030 zero hunger Sustainable Development Goal.

The world’s population is increasing and by 2050 is expected to reach 9.7 billion. Our food system is highly reliant on animal agriculture which harms the climate. We now produce more than 340 tonnes of meat annually; compared to 70 million tonnes of meat in the 1960s.

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock amount to 14.5 percent of total emissions and 44 percent are composed of methane. Over 20 years, methane’s global warming impact is 80 times that of carbon dioxide. Livestock accounts for 32 percent of human-caused methane emissions.

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme, reducing methane livestock-related emissions are critical. It is for this reason that COP26 saw the signing of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) in which over 100 countries agreed to a 30 percent reduction in methane emissions by 2030. At COP 27 150 countries endorsed the GMP and more than 50 countries developed national methane action plans. A GMP Food and Agricultural Policy which focuses on increasing innovation to combat methane emissions was also launched.

Alternative proteins (plant based and cultivated meat) provide an opportunity for us to push the needle on issues ranging from food security to climate change; much like renewable energy and electronic vehicles, they help us live the life we are used to sustainably. In the global north, it can help reduce GHG emissions from food consumption and in the global south can help bridge nutritional gaps. Plant based meats are made from plant-based raw materials; they taste, feel, and look like meat; however, are far more sustainable. Cultivated meat (CM) is made by taking a few animal cells which are then multiplied in a sterile facility. On a cellular level, it is the same as conventional meat. It has the nutritional value that meat would have without the negative externalities. For example, in ten years, if cultivated beef is prepared using renewable energy, it will emit 92 percent less GHGs than conventional beef available today.

The international plant-based food market is expected to grow to USD 77.8 billion by 2025 and USD 161.9 billion by 2030. The CM economy is expected to be worth USD 450 billion by 2040.

Governments around the world have, to varied extents, provided support to the alternative protein sector. Singapore, for example, has given regulatory approval for cultivated meat to be sold commercially. It has included alternative proteins to achieving their goal of meeting 30 percent of their nutritional needs locally by 2030. The island nation has launched a sustainable foods platform which helps companies fast track and scale their products and its holding company, Temasek, has invested more than USD 5 billion in agri-foods enterprises alternative proteins being a key area of focus. Last month, a cultivated meat company in the United States, Upside Foods, has been granted approval from the Food and Drug Administration for their lab grown chicken. Governments of the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and Canada have invested in and are supporting the development of these sectors nationally. However, a key missing piece of the puzzle is global intergovernmental cooperation.

India, because of its agricultural biodiversity and advanced biopharma sector, can be a market leader in this sector and as the chair of the G20 must build international collaboration to develop this solution. Greater research needs to be conducted on how climate hardy crops such as millets and pongamia seeds can be used as raw materials to develop such novel foods and empower vulnerable farming communities. Policy options ranging from creating a favourable regulatory framework, providing economic incentives such as tax breaks, developing grant schemes for research, building structures within the government that focus exclusively focus on the development of alternative proteins and leveraging the power of nudges to encourage consumption of these novel foods must be explored.

Start-ups are developing plant-based products such as kheema and chicken kebabs. While the government has expressed interest in the sector and grants for research have been made, a strategic interdepartmental cross sectoral effort is needed to align and enhance government programmes to develop a cost competitive local alternative protein ecosystem.

In 2021, global investment in renewables was set to rise to USD 1.9 trillion and in comparison, alternative protein companies raised USD 5 billion. While there is tremendous interest from private investors in this sector, government investment needs to be increased and global intergovernmental cooperation and support must be galvanised to effectively use this technology to feed the world nutritious food sustainably. It is the need of the hour and ought to feature on India’s national and the G20 agenda.

—The author Ambika Hiranandani is an alternative protein enthusiast and has just completed an MPhil in Public Policy from the University of Cambridge. 

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Views | Ban on Online Gaming: States should leave the game and let Centre play the card

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Online gaming and gambling industry is again in the focus with some States going all out in their efforts at imposing a ban on “games of chance”; and “online gambling”. The problem is that some States like Tamil Nadu that promulgated an Ordinance and then passed a Bill in the Legislative Assembly do not seem to have much of a clue either about how to define “games of chance” or about how they will enforce the proposed ban.

For now in Tamil Nadu, there is a stalemate with the Governor R.N.Ravi not having granted assent to the Bill. The Ordinance itself (ironically signed by the same Governor) lapsed. When the E-Gaming Federation went to the Madras High Court against the Ordinance, the TN Government embarrassingly, told the Court they had not enforced the Ordinance, (which they pushed through as they felt the matter could not even wait until the next Assembly session a month away) as yet.

The Ordinance which the Tamil Nadu Government passed is believed to be the basis of the Bill now pending clearance. The Ordinance defines “an online game of chance” as any game involving an element of skill and chance where the element of chance dominates over the element of skill. Alternately it says it must involve an element of chance that can be overcome only by superlative skill. What defines superlative skill and how the to be set up, Gaming Authority of the State Government would decide on whether chance exceeds skill in any game is open to anyone’s guess.

Further, while the Ordinance aims to ban online gambling it includes all online gaming in its ambit for regulation. The State Gaming Authority will decide what games of skill are and what games of chance are. Further they are even empowered to decide how much money can be wagered on each game and how much time in a day can be spent on playing each game. How the Government proposes to monitor this without violating the users’ right to privacy is hard to see.

What jurisdiction the Authority would have over a company based outside the State or country is unclear but the Ordinance says that the Non local providers of the banned gaming services must ensure that those in Tamil Nadu will need to be warned that they are not permitted to play the game or alternately would have to give an online undertaking that they are not playing the game from within the State.

That such absurd clauses were added after a Committee was formed under former High Court Judge, Justice Chandru, to frame the guidelines for the Bill does not speak highly of either the Committee or the Government. Further some of the Clauses are sufficiently vague and could include fantasy sports platforms as well where money is wagered.

Many of these issues have already been adjudicated as legal by the Supreme Court including Online Rummy, the rampant playing of which (leading to suicides due to financial bankruptcy) led to the Bill in the first place.

If Online Rummy and Poker have already been declared as games of skill as have fantasy sports what exactly is being sought to be banned here?

The role of the Government is to ensure there is no illegality in the process of online gaming and gambling and that the punters are not being cheated by any manipulation by the companies. Hamhanded attempts at a ban will only be counterproductive and push the Industry further underground.

Tamil Nadu is by no means the only State to pass such a bill. Online gambling is already banned in West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka (Overturned by HC), Kerala(Overturned by HC) and a few other States.

While there is a clear need to regulate and ensure transparency in the Industry, a ban on online gambling is neither enforceable on a State to State basis nor implementable based on the clauses seen in some of the Bills that seek to enforce such bans.

Geo-blocking, the method by which Governments block access to gambling sites can easily be circumvented using VPN’s. The legality of geo-blocking has been questioned in several countries around the world and the EU has adopted regulation which makes it difficult for one EU country to geo-block what is available in another country of the EU. Legality apart the question of feasibility of State wise geo-blocking using the users’ location has also come in for debate. While blocking at the National level is more effective, blocking access to sites and apps at State level is hardly foolproof.

Also thousands of new gaming sites and apps emerge every month. How will a Committee keep track of these to apply bans?

While there is little doubt that there is a societal impact because of online gambling which needs to be addressed, the solutions proposed by Governments are a mere eyewash. They know it won’t work but will go through the motions anyway. After all they believe that they must be seen to be doing something, however futile it may be. Politics of tokenism is the name of the game.

—The author Sumanth C. Raman is a television anchor, political analyst and a sports commentator. The views expressed are personal.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Views | India’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy: A pragmatic roadmap

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India submitted its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), for transition to net zero emissions by or around mid-century to the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) during the just concluded COP27. With this, India joined other large emitters like China, US, Russia and Japan, who had already submitted their strategies. As expected, the strategy is well aligned to and builds on the existing Nationally Determined  Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

The strategy document of India lists seven low emission strategic transition areas that are complemented by research and innovation, adaptation and resilience, Missions LiFE-Lifestyle for Environment, and international cooperation. The seven transition areas include four pillars of the economy such as power, transportation, urbanisation (built environment), and industry; two carbon removal pathways ie. carbon removal by engineered solutions and improving vegetation cover; and finally, the financing aspect of low carbon development. Agriculture is noticeably left out of the list as the government does not want to put additional emission reduction burden on this vulnerable sector.

The document outlines four key considerations that form the bedrock of India’s LT-LEDS: Firstly, India has contributed little to global warming; second, India has significant energy needs for its development; third, India will pursue low carbon development based on its national circumstances (India is already committed to Net Zero); and fourth, India is a climate vulnerable country and, therefore, building resilience is critical to maintain its development outcomes.

The leading transition sector ie. the power sector will continue to push ahead with its renewable energy (RE) foray. Currently, RE, including hydro, constitutes nearly 42 percent of India’s installed capacity and 22 percent of its electricity basket. The document reaffirms the approach that hinges on India’s energy security and the need to use the right mix of fuels, including coal, to power its development. All low carbon technologies such as hydro and nuclear power, offshore wind and solar power, and other forms of RE such as bio-fuels will be expanded under the strategy. India’s vision to be a global hub for green hydrogen and an exporter of green hydrogen and green ammonia is called out throughout the document.

The strategy for low carbon transport system similarly embraces multiple levers such as increasing fuel efficiency, mandatory scrapping, a phased adoption of cleaner fuels like natural gas, bio-CNG, bio-diesel, ethanol, and green hydrogen, expanding public transport, electrification, and adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). India already has a policy for fuel blending (20% ethanol in petrol and 5% biodiesel in diesel by 2030) and Indian Railways is committed to net zero by 2030. The strategy envisions green aviation with sustainable aviation fuels and becoming a hub for green hydrogen fueling for maritime transport.

With an estimated 600 million people living in urban areas by 2030, the strategy document rightly includes urbanisation as a key transition area. While the strategy presents many government programs and standards for energy efficiency and building standards, there is little on incorporating adaptation and enhancing resilience through urban planning and design, except the implementation of an early warning system for climate events. Low carbon municipal services through resource efficiency in water and waste management is listed as an important lever, but a challenge to implement.

The industry sector will undergo low carbon transition through improvements in energy and material efficiency, fuel switching supported by a natural gas supply network, circularity, green hydrogen and related infrastructure, and sustainable development of medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) through capacity building and incentives. Hard-to-abate sectors like steel and cement will see adoption of best available technology and use of green hydrogen.

Carbon removal through engineered solutions such as Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is included almost as a placeholder, highlighting its place, potential, and need. The nature-based removal or the vegetation cover is a part of India’s NDCs and includes several policy measures to restore and conserve forest cover and green cover outside forests.

India’s LT-LEDS essentially is its strategy to become net zero by 2070. We have already heard our industry leaders predicting India being a 40 trillion economy before 2050. By then, our economy must be well on its way to net zero and significantly decoupled with emissions growth. Estimates show that it could take over $10 trillion to reach net zero by 2070 and 500 billion by 2050 for adaptation. Availability and access to low-cost finance is a theme that runs through the document for a good reason. The document presents various financing options along with fiscal measures such as carbon taxes. It alludes to the need of a climate financing framework and some early measures taken by the RBI and SEBI. Financing through carbon markets finds only a casual mention.

Considering that the LT-LEDS has a mid-century and beyond outlook, it calls out key transition sectors and interventions. India has already made good progress in the low-carbon transition, as reflected in its recent ranking among the top 5 climate performers. The LT-LEDS aims to build on that foundation. By laying out the opportunities and challenges, possibilities and financing needs, the strategy document presents a well-balanced and pragmatic roadmap to India’s net-zero goal and growth ambitions.

— Bose Varghese is Senior Director-ESG, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. The views are personal.   

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Bal Gangadhar Tilak Birth Anniversary: A look at his contributions to India’s Freedom Struggle

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Great nationalist, social reformer and mass leader Keshav Gangadhar Tilak, popularly known as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, was born on July 23, 1856. A strong advocate of Swaraj or self-rule, Tilak played a pioneering role in building a mass political consciousness towards the Indian independence movement. His call for self-rule with the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” inspired millions during the freedom struggle. He was conferred the title of Lokmanya, meaning “accepted by the people as a leader.”

Tilak was born in Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. His father, Gangadhar Ramchandra Tilak, was a Sanskrit scholar. Tilak was himself a mathematician, philosopher and scholar. Tilak was well read in Hindu scriptures, and also he was influenced by Western thoughts of metaphysics and politics. He had read Voltaire, Rousseau, Hegel and Kant. He graduated from Deccan College, Pune, in 1877, with a first class in Mathematics. He also obtained a law degree.

After his graduation, Tilak with his friends GG Agarkar, MA Chiplunkar and Mahadev B Namjoshi, started the New English School in Pune in 1880 and later founded the Deccan Education Society in 1884 and the Fergusson College in 1885.

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He also launched two weeklies, Kesari (in Marathi) and Mahratta (in English), which criticised British policies of the time. In 1890, Tilak joined the Congress.

The political discourse of the Indian freedom movement significantly changed during the period between 1900 and 1908. It was under the leadership of political triumvirate, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, popularly known as Lal-Bal- Pal, Swadeshi movement gained momentum across the country. The trio also mobilised Indians against the Bengal partition. It was during this period that the trio proposed the Swadeshi movement and boycott of foreign goods.

Tilak was arrested by the British on the charges of sedition in 1908 and sentenced to six years of imprisonment in Mandalay (Burma). Inside jail, Tilak composed a monumental philosophical treatise titled the ‘Gita Rahasya’.

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After returning from Burma, Tilak was involved in the Home Rule Movement and joined Anne Besant’s Home Rule League. In 1918, he visited England to popularise the Home Rule Movement.

He passed away on August 1, 1920.

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LNG Shines Light on the Future Fuel Pathway for International Shipping

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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LNG has gained significant traction in international shipping! It is clearly one of the signs of this fossil-derived fuel overcoming controversies surrounding its green credentials, and how it is able to maintain its place as a primary energy source well into the net-zero emission future.

The year 2021 has already witnessed a record high of nearly 200 LNG-fueled vessels placed with shipyards, according to leading classification society, DN Alternative Fuel Insight portal.

Globally, LNG-fueled new-builds on order exceeded 240 strong at the end of last year, out-numbering 48 for those with LPG, 22 for methanol and just four for hydrogen, according to DNV data.

This surge in investments coming through despite the COVID-19 pandemic and record LNG prices, is nothing short of remarkable. It is a visible proof of how advance LNG is in winning recognition as one viable marine fuel to slash ship emissions.

Ship owners pouring vast new-build investments on LNG-fueled tonnage, are banking on the fuel to stay relevant through the decades-long vessel lives as well as meeting a net-zero target for 2050 endorsed by the International Chamber of Shipping.

Along with the expansion of LNG-fueled tonnage, global LNG bunkering fleet count has jumped to 35, up from 27 in 2020, with another two dozen on order, DNV data showed.

Shipping has thus far refused to accede to a call from the World Bank last year to halt LNG bunkering investment. Delving deeper into the rationale for doing so offers invaluable lessons for net-zero transition efforts in other key economic sectors.

The World Bank released a report last year, raising methane slip concerns to back up a call for a stop on LNG bunkering investments and divert resources instead to developing ammonia and hydrogen as marine fuel.

Methane slip essentially refers to unburned LNG escaping from ship engines into the environment as methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. Yet, shipping, like many other core industries, could not afford to sit still on ship emissions while waiting on ammonia and hydrogen marine supply chains to scale up globally.

The industry is of the consensus that the required ammonia and hydrogen infrastructure to power up shipping, which carries over 90% of world trade, will take many years to develop going by the experience gained with LNG. The shipping community has long been aware of the emission reductions that are achievably by switching from oil products to LNG. Burning LNG instead of fuel oil can slash emission of Sulphur by 99%, Nitrogen Oxide by 90% and Carbon Dioxide by 20%.

Still, the marine use of LNG has developed slowly, beginning with bunkering for coastal shipping using LNG trucks then followed on with small tankers before progressing to ship-to-ship transfers for ocean-going tonnage.

The first marine LNG bunkering facility in North America that started operation in 2018 is the shallow-water barge, Clean Jacksonville, was commissioned to supply TOTE Marine’s 3,100 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) containerships. AG&P’s Gas Entec performed the detailed design for cargo, machinery and electric systems of the barge capable of holding 2,200 cu m of fuel.

More than two years later over the other side of the globe, ship-to-ship bunkering for ocean-going vessels began to take off in an earnest only after a vessel with thrice the tank storage of Clean Jacksonville, the FueLNG Bellina came online in Singapore, the world’s busiest bunkering hub. Singapore will further augment its LNG bunkering capacity later this year when the largest tanker of its kind in Asia, a 12,000 cu m new build is due to be delivered to co-owners, Pavilion Gas and Mitsui OSK Lines. AG&P’s Gas Entec is undertaking the final stage of work on the cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for Singapore’s second LNG bunkering tanker that is earmarked to refuel the world’s largest LNG-fueled containerships on French shipping giant, CMA CGM’s operating fleet.

Today, ship-to-ship LNG bunkering necessary to support ocean-going vessels is available across key choke-points of world trade, offering the visibility needed to support further construction of LNG-fueled shipping tonnage.

Ports in Japan have embarked on LNG bunkering while concurrently piloting the use of ammonia and hydrogen.

The first LNG bunkering vessel destined to operate in Japan’s Tokyo Bay was commissioned last year. The vessel, Ecobunker Tokyo Bay, is equipped with LNG storage tankers fabricated by AG&P’s yards in the Philippines. It is designed to bunker ships with either fuel oil or LNG and will be deployed to supply an LNG-fuelled cruise ship being built for NYK Cruises out of Yokohama.

Yokohama, which ranked among the busiest ports in Japan, has embraced LNG bunkering as part of its broader decarbonization plan. To be clear, however, port administrators and ship owners did not adopt LNG plainly because of the time pressure to slash emissions. The shipbuilding industry has already introduced technologies that curbs the methane slip risk from combusting LNG onboard ships.

Wärtsilä as a leading manufacturer has laid claim to reducing methane slip from LNG dual fuel ship engines by more than 70% over the last 25 years. Major ship owners also view switching to LNG as both the most pragmatic means to immediately lower emissions with a visible pathway to a net-zero future. Research showed the volumetric energy densities of liquid ammonia and liquid hydrogen are only about 40-50% that of LNG. This implies ships need to sacrifice more revenue-earning cargo space to store and burn liquid ammonia and hydrogen compared to LNG especially over long voyages.

CMA CGM, which ranked among the world’s three largest container lines, has undertaken further trials proving up the net-zero transition pathway for LNG-fueled ships. Several of its vessels including the 23,000-TEU Jacques Saade, were successfully refueled with over 10% bio-LNG blends, demonstrating ships built to run on LNG derived from fossil sources do not need retrofits to burn bio-LNG, a widely recognized zero-emission fuel. Under the Poseidon Principles – a widely applied green ship finance framework, LNG-fueled vessels that use over 10% bio-LNG can also qualify for a preferable funding, trade group SEA LNG stated in a published analysis.

Bio-LNG is still very costly though the price of this green fuel may well come off significantly if concerted efforts are put in to ramp up its production. Shipping’s experience with LNG has gone to show that by proactively investing in future fuels and the appropriate technologies, industries stand better to weather the pain in transitioning to a net-zero future.

Karthik Sathyamoorthy is President, AG&P LNG Terminals & Logistics. 

This is a partnered post. 

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View | 5 things cos can consider to motivate and retain women staff

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) have evolved considerably over the past few years. D&I is not just a good thing to do anymore but is a business imperative. With the changing demographics of customers across almost all industries, it has become important for employees to mirror their customers in order to provide a meaningful and superlative customer experience.

There is no ‘one secret ingredient’ for improving inclusion. Organisations must have a holistic, integrated inclusion strategy backed by senior leadership commitment. An organisation’s inclusion strategy cannot be treated as a flavour of the month, instead, it is a journey that requires a sustained multi-year gameplan. Organisations must craft a customised inclusion strategy backed by data and specific actions in order to move the needle.

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Here are five tips organisations can consider attracting, retaining and developing the careers of women in their workforce:

1.Promote women leaders as talent magnets: Studies show that having more women role models in leadership positions can create a safe and supportive network that will encourage more young women to join the organisation. It is, therefore, important to celebrate the success of women who have had thriving careers in the organisation, and getting them to talk about their journeys will inspire existing employees as well as aspirants.

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It is a known fact that the gender ratio significantly and swiftly drops at senior levels. Therefore, organisations must find creative ways to bolster women’s participation at the leadership level. Programs to accelerate the growth and development of top talent, identifying leadership roles, and hiring for niche roles will go a long way towards improving the gender ratio, especially at senior levels.

2.Build ecosystem support: There are a few areas that organisations can focus on to build ecosystem support: 

• Role of managers: Managers play a pivotal role in promoting inclusion, and this tenet can never be underestimated. Managers should act as coaches and confidantes who can spur the careers of women professionals to newer heights. They need to co-create the career paths of women professionals and nudge them to ‘raise their hands’ and make use of opportunities that come their way. Managers must learn to be bias-free and lead with ‘empathy and trust’ to have supportive conversations with women constantly. This practice is even more important in the current situation, where the pandemic has had a significant impact on the D&I dimension in the workplace.
• Learning and development: Organisations should provide sufficient opportunities to enhance the functional skills of their women professionals. These opportunities could be in the form of classroom trainings, peer learnings, or on-the-job power assignments. Leaders and managers should identify creative ways of offering learning opportunities to ensure women don’t feel overwhelmed, especially in the current pandemic situation. Senior women leaders can also lead by teaching emerging women leaders on various topics – this will create a natural networking opportunity for other women colleagues across levels, to interact and learn from one another.
• Best-in-class benefits: Providing best-in-class benefits is an important factor. These benefits can include, but are not limited to, elements such as leave benefits, flexible work arrangements, hybrid working options, and so on. It is also necessary to create a strong workplace culture that will be psychologically safe, so that women can avail of these benefits without any fear of impact on their careers.

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3.Create Employee Resource Groups: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are self-empowered affinity groups that help create a strong ally network for the cause they are supporting. ERGs are usually powerful groups because they can build a positive groundswell and have the potential to create many allies. These groups can support women and enable them to thrive. For example, a buddy network for new joiners can help them imbibe the organisation’s culture and provide them career nudges from women who have experienced success in their own careers. Similarly, inclusion champions can facilitate the re-entry of women into the workforce.

4.Build sponsor networks: It is said that women get plenty of mentoring and training opportunities, but not adequate sponsorship. Sponsors are individuals who are powerful advocates for women at the leadership table and provide them opportunities, visibility, and influential assignments. They have the potential to ‘lift’ the careers of women professionals in the organisation. Ideally, sponsors are senior-level executives in the organisation who have a voice at the table and are among the key decision-makers.

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5.Promote senior leaders as inclusion champions: Senior leaders should role-model inclusive behaviours and talk openly about their inclusion journeys and pledges. Leaders should provide a safe environment that encourages courageous and uncomfortable conversations on inclusion among employees. Open dialogues that address these difficult questions can promote an organisation’s inclusion journey. In closing, it would be appropriate to quote Brené Brown: “To not have the conversations because they make you uncomfortable is the definition of privilege. Your comfort is not at the center of this discussion”.

(This article is written by Lakshmi R Rajagopal, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Fidelity Investments India)

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow