Safe Laboratory Practices Discussed at MCM

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- The Science Society of MCM DAV College for Women organized a highly informative lecture on Laboratory Safety Practices by Dr. A. R. Chaudhary of IISER, Mohali, organized with the aim of sensitizing the participants about the serious consequences of laboratory hazards and the ways to safeguard against them, the lecture was well-attended by students, faculty and laboratory attendants of all the Science departments of MCM.

Dr. A. R. Chaudhary apprised the participants of the different types of hazards one can encounter in the laboratory and elaborated on the pertinent safety theories and practices including the use of emergency equipment and protective gear. This was followed by a visit to Central Scientific Instruments Organization, Chandigarh with the aim to help students experience the laboratory safety practices being followed there. 

Lauding this effort of the Science Society to encourage and promote safe and efficient working practices in laboratory, MCM Principal Nisha Bhargava reiterated the importance of following correct procedures while working in laboratory in order to avoid any mishap.

GGSCW Organizes Talk on Job Prospects and Career Options

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- The Placement Cell of Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26, Chandigarh organized a talk on job prospects and career options for the undergraduates. Medical Transcriptionist or Medical Language Specialist as a career option was the main focus.

Anil Oberoi, Consultant at Renaissance School of Medical Transcription was the speaker for the day. He talked about Medical Transcription as a lucrative career option and apprised the students about the eligibility and basic skill requirement to join this career.

The students found this talk beneficial as they saw it as a great career opportunity for themselves.

Kurkure Expands Brand Portfolio and Celebrates the New True Modern Family

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- Kurkure, the iconic Indian snack brand from PepsiCo, has been known for its innovations in Indian snacks. Keeping true to the essence of the brand, Kurkure announces the launch of a new and tastier version of Kurkure Masala Munch to capture exciting yet familiar ingredients from the kitchen in the pack.

Kurkure Masala Munch is an all-time favorite snack of many Indians and since its launch, it has undergone an exciting makeover. The enhanced version of the new Kurkure Masala Munch is a delicious combination of kitchen spices which boosts the taste and takes one back to the roots with its genuine tastes from real kitchen ingredients. Kurkure Masala Munch is made from dal, rice and corn seasoned with the goodness of ‘Ghar Ka asli Masala’. Coming in a brand new packaging, there is a ‘K’ stamp on the pack declaring the use of kitchen ingredients in the product. The new Kurkure Masala Munch is available pan India across 40 SKU’s across all main price points in snacking.

With new developments in the category, Kurkure reinforces its commitment to understand the Indian consumer’s preferences and introduce products which are best in quality, taste and ingredients. 

Speaking at the launch, Vani Gupta Dandia, Marketing Director, Indian Snacks, PepsiCo India, said that Kurkure as a brand has always been at the fore-front of innovations and has redefined the snacks category. The new Kurkure Masala Munch is a testament of our commitment to use top quality ingredient that enhance the consumption experience. The high quality dal, rice and corn along with ghar ka asli masala in Kurkure Masala Munch promise a tastier snack to the consumers. We intent to give you a burst of flavours with the wholesome taste of kitchen ingredients in every bite of the new Kurkure Masala Munch.

Over the years, Kurkure campaigns have been designed to celebrate the family bonds in its many avatars. With the latest offerings, Kurkure re-invents its calling to ‘Kurkure Khul Jaye Toh Family Bann Jaye’- glorifying the blending of boundaries between people, encouraging them to embrace the wonder of making a family from new bonds we form in the many phases of life.

Kurkure has diversified by constantly adding new categories and varieties to its Masterbrand and innovating the portfolio. It successfully regionalized the flavours in traditional Namkeen category to match the Indian palates, available in 20 varieties that vary within every mile in India. The Kurkure Namkeen range represents the best Indian salty snacks from across the country.  Additionally, Kurkure recently broke new ground with the launch of Kurkure TrAngles, available in four exciting flavors which resonate well with the Indian palate.  In line with Kurkure’s aim to bring the right taste profile to the right regions, Kurkure Trangles comes in the quintessential Masala flavor and a smooth buttery one which is a unique taste profile offered only by Kurkure. Both these are available pan India. Alongside, Kurkure Trangles is also offered in taste bud tingling Achari flavors i.e Mango Achari and Lime Pickle, of which the former is present in the North & East markets, while the latter in South & West markets of India.

Zee Cinema to Telecast Hindi Movie Aakhri Shastra on 7th April at 9 PM

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- To take the entertainment quotient to a high, Zee Cinema, the World’s Largest Theatre for Hindi movies, will air Aakhri Shastra, this weekend on Friday 7th April at 9 PM.

Aakshri Shastra carries a strong message that violence is not the solution and it also emphasizes the importance of education. The film has a special dance number by Bollywood siren Neetu Chandra.

A story of the heartland, Aakshri Shastra is about a young man named Bose (Kishore) and his rivalry with the village goon Ukrapandi (Poo Ram). In a village where education comes second to family honour and caste, Bose encourages his younger brother, Thilagar (Dhruva to pursue his engineering. Things take a fateful turn when Ukrapandi’s son brutally assassinates Bose leaving compassionate Thilagar thirsty for revenge.

AIHM organizes its Farewell Function

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition, Sector 42-D, Chandigarh organized its Farewell celebration for the future hospitality professionals of the B.Sc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration and Diploma in Food Production. The graduating seniors were given a pompous send off by their beloved juniors. During the event Devansh Puri was declared MR. AIHM, Anushka Sachdeva declared as a MS. AIHM. The title for MR. & MS. PERSONALITY awarded to Charanjeet and Somya Khurana. Whereas Twinkle won the title of MOST WELL DRESSED person.

The Organizing Club of the institute set mood for a throwback titled “Yes, I’m a 90’s kid” which brought about a sense of nostalgia as the graduating seniors saw a glimpse of the life that had passed by them. The juniors staged several dance performances as well as sung songs to honor and entertain their seniors one last time. Then came the hilarious “Shaktimaan Awards”, the awards which are not real, highlighting all the comical activities performed during the college time. An emotionally overwhelming moment was felt when the graduating students expressed their gratitude for the knowledge imparted by their teachers. 

Following the cultural event, the students were served exotic dishes prepared by the budding chefs of the Kitchen Club of the college, complimented by exquisite mocktails like After The Sunset prepared by the talented students of the Food & Beverage Club.

The Principal and the teachers blessed the students for success and prosperity in the coming future. Mrs. Bharti Tyagi, the principal said that life is all about chances and opportunities. Never leave anything to chance and never let an opportunity get away. Take life as it comes on, and you are sure to succeed.

Seagate Advises Global Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- In response to a new study forecasting a 10-fold rise in worldwide data by 2025, global data and storage leader Seagate is advising business leaders and entrepreneurs to amplify their focus on the mega trends driving data growth over the next several years, and examine their business' course for the future value of data from creation, collection, utilization and management.

The IDC white paper, Data Age 2025, sponsored by Seagate, predicts data creation will swell to a total of 163 zettabytes (ZB) by 2025; indicating that the decade centered around the conversion of analog data to digital is being replaced by an era focused on the value of data; creating, utilizing, and managing ‘life critical’ data necessary for the smooth running of daily life for consumers, governments and businesses alike. Consumers and businesses creating, sharing and accessing data between any device and the cloud will continue to grow well beyond previous expectations.

Further, whereas once consumers were the primary creators of the bulk of the world’s data, Data Age 2025 predicts this will shift, with enterprises creating 60 percent of the world’s data in 2025. Business leaders will have the opportunity to embrace new and unique business opportunities powered by this wealth of data and the insight it provides but will also need to make strategic choices on data collection, utilization and location.

Virtually every enterprise, the white paper indicates, is being affected by the major data-driving trends. Notable drivers of the shift from primarily consumer-led to enterprise-driven data include:

Seagate CEO Steve Luczo said that while we can see from this new research that the era of Big Data is upon us, the value of data is really not in the ‘known’, but in the ‘unknown’ where we are vastly underestimating the potentials today. What is really exciting are the analytics, the new businesses, the new thinking and new ecosystems from industries like robotics and machine-to-machine learning, and their profound social and economic impact on our society. He further said that the opportunity for today’s enterprises and tomorrow’s entrepreneurs to capture the value of data is tremendous, and our global business leaders will be exploring these opportunities for decades to come.

IDC SVP Dave Reinsel said that from autonomous cars to intelligent personal assistants, data is the lifeblood of a rapidly growing digital existence opening up opportunities previously unimagined by businesses. Technology innovation will be vitally important to evaluate and fully activate the intricacies of what’s contained within this large volume of data and storage in particular will continue to grow in importance, as it provides the foundation from which so many of these emerging technologies will be served.

Infosys Recognized as ‘Leader' in NelsonHall’s NEAT Report for Big Data & Analytics Services

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- Infosys has been evaluated as a Leader in Big Data & Analytics services in the overall market segment in NelsonHall’s Vendor Evaluation & Assessment Tool (NEAT) report. Infosys has been recognized for its ability to meet future client requirements, drive innovation and delivery capabilities in data and analytics services.

NEAT evaluated 13 vendors across the two parameters of ‘ability to deliver immediate benefit’ and ‘ability meet client future requirements’.

According to the report, analytics, together with automation and artificial intelligence, are key for Infosys and the company has been supporting its analytics strategy with acquisitions such as Noah Consulting and other technology investments in platforms such as Waterline Data Science and Trifacta. The company has also accelerated its investments in the Infosys Information Platform, software products and digital, including big data and services.

Dominique Raviart, NelsonHall’s IT Services Research Director, said that Infosys invested ahead of the curve with its Infosys Information Platform to integrate a wide range of software products and open source software used for big data needs. It now has among the highest number of clients in the industry. The company has accelerated its investment in software products and digital, including big data and services acquisitions. This will provide high visibility for Infosys in analytics over the next years, and Infosys will continue to invest strongly in this area.

Infosys Data and Analytics provides a wide set of big data, analytics and information management services from data consulting to data migration, big data, advanced analytics and data visualization. Infosys is actively developing its service portfolio around automation (through the creation of proprietary accelerators) and software products/platforms (with a view to driving non-linear growth).

PGI Psychiatry Deptt. to Celebrates World Health Day

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has decided that the theme of the World Health Day for the year 2017 is ‘Depression: Let’s Talk’. The World Health Day is being celebrated around the world on 7^th April 2017. ‘Depression: Let’s talk’ encapsulates the twin importance of removing stigma and lack of knowledge regarding depression and also that talking and seeking help from peers, relatives and health care professionals can lead to the path of recovery.

The theme ‘Depression: Let’s Talk’ is particularly relevant given the immense public health importance of Depression. Depression can occur to anybody and causes mental anguish to the sufferer. It also prevents the sufferer from carrying out his day to day activities. In extreme cases, it can also lead to suicide. As per WHO data, 300 million people all over the world today are living with Depression. Depression is also the leading cause of disability and ill health worldwide. Lack of support, awareness and stigma prevent many people from seeking treatment that they need to lead healthy, productive lives.

In India, the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS-3) was carried out in 12 states during 2015-16 and covered 10152 households and 34802 individuals. It was found that 10.6% individuals above the age of 18 years are currently suffering from mental illnesses and lifetime prevalence of mental disorders is 13.7%. Prevalence of mental disorders is 2-3 times higher in urban metros.

Current and lifetime prevalence of depression is 2.7% and 5.2% respectively. In other words, it means that 1 in 20 people suffer from depression in India. Depression was reported to be higher in females, in the age-group of 40-49 years, those living in urban metros and among elderly. 67-70% of people with major depressive disorder experience disability in work, family and social life.

As per census of 2011, population of Chandigarh is 10.55 lakhs of which 97.25% lives in urban areas and rest 2.75% in rural areas. If we assume that Chandigarh has the same prevalence of mental disorders as per the national data, there are nearly 28000 people suffering from depression currently in the city, and nearly 54000 have suffered from depression at least once in their lifetime.

Treatment gap for depression 85.2%, i.e. nearly 85% of the people suffering from depression do not get treatment. Important factors that contribute to this gap are stigma, lack of awareness and affordability of treatment.

The experience of the Department of Psychiatry also underscores the importance of recognizing and treating Depression. The number of patients approaching the Department of Psychiatry PGIMER for treatment has been steadily increasing over the years. Currently the number of patients of either gender or all ages is above 13000 per year. Of these patients, about 30% are diagnosed to be suffering from mood disorders among which Depression is the most common diagnosis. In addition to the above, another 30% of the patients seen in the department are diagnosed as suffering from anxiety disorders in which Depression or depressive symptoms are often prominent. The Department of Psychiatry also has a community psychiatry program in the rural areas of Haryana and Punjab and the diagnostic break up of patients approaching this service is also broadly similar as described above. Depression has also been found to be common in patients approaching the Drug Deaddiction and Treatment Centre of the Department of Psychiatry PGIMER. Studies done in PGIMER also show that Depression is very common in patients suffering from other chronic physical illnesses.  

The Department of Psychiatry has been at the forefront in providing treatment to patients with Depression. In addition to medications and psychotherapy, the Department has also recently added repetitive transcranial magnetic brain stimulation therapy in its armamentarium. However we realize that treatment is not enough, we also have a responsibility to spread awareness about the early detection and treatment of Depression.

Therefore, the Department of Psychiatry and National Institute of Nursing Education (NINE) with the Indian Public Health Association are taking the opportunity of the World Health Day on 7^th April 2017 to contribute to this cause of raising awareness about Depression. The events being organized are as under:-

1.      A walk for awareness on Depression will be organized. This walk will start at 6.30 AM and end at 7.30 AM on 7^th April 2017 from Sukhna Lake to Rock Garden and back. The faculty and staff including the Director of the PGIMER and NINE along with members of the general public will take part in this event.

2.      Event for Depression awareness at the NINE auditorium PGIMER Chandigarh starting 10 A. Mon 7^th April 2017 (Friday). This will feature a keynote address on Depression by Prof Ajit Avasthi (Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry PGIMER Chandigarh) and a panel discussion on Depression by various stake holders (10.15 A.M and 11.15 AM respectively).

Orane Engages Top Global Experts to Raise Beauty & Wellness Standards in India

By Tricitynews Reporter

Chandigarh 05^th April:- Beauty and wellness Industry is growing at the rate of 20 per cent every year and this includes jobs such as hair stylist, beautician and make-up artist. This has escalated the demand for skilled professionals in this sector. With an aim to provide highly skilled professionals, India’s growing chain of institutes in beauty and wellness sector, Orane has engaged top global expert now who is set to raise standards in the beauty industry in the country.

Orane has got associated with one of the topmost internationally recognised experts in the beauty and wellness arena, the UK-based Ms Susan Butler so that students could acquire those skills which are internally accepted. She was in Chandigarh on Wednesday to address the students on the occasion of 9^th annual convocation of Orane. The convocation ceremony also witnessed the scintillating fashion based on theme ‘Innovative Tribal’ which was conceptualised by students.  

Held in the highest esteem in the beauty and wellness domain, Ms Susan Butler has vast experience in this arena gained through her association with various international companies and educational institutions in the United Kingdom, as well as the Confederation of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (CIBTAC). Ms Susan Butler spoke on many career opportunities globally for skilled beauty and wellness professionals and prevalent international standards.

While sharing his vision, Co-Founder and CEO of Orane, Dinesh Sood said that the beauty and grooming industry in the country is booming and credit goes to the growing desire among both men and women to look stylish and feel good. We have a chain of 75 institutes and we will take tally to 105 within a year. He added that besides, as per our expansion plan in international markets, we will set up one institute in Canada and two in Australia. Since the inception we have trained 40,000 students and we have always strived that they should establish themselves well in international market. We have empowered them with the requisite industry-oriented skills which have helped to get well-paying jobs and most of them have gainfully become self-employed. Our vision is to train 2 lakh youngsters including women by 2020 and we are aiming at making them financially independent.

He further shared that Orane aimed at taking advantage of Ms Butler’s presence in Indiato facilitate a close working relationship between her and the Beauty and Wellness Sector Skill Council. He added that the idea was bring the largely unorganised and fragmented Indian beauty and wellness sector more in sync with global benchmarks.

Shedding some light on country’s scenario, Dinesh Sood said that ever since its formation in May 2014, the present Government under the dynamic leadership of Narendra Modi has laid tremendous emphasis on skill development.  The ‘Skill India’ mission has been carried forward with tremendous vigour by the Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who has already distinguished himself for making skills a buzzword in the country. This will help our industry to grow a faster pace.