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Category: New Age Enterprises

Ground Breaking Ceremony Of Integrated Sports Complex At Svkm’s School & Nmims

10 January 2023: SVKM’s NMIMS Hyderabad (the university and the CBSE School), held the groundbreaking ceremony of the integrated sports complex at its campus at Jadcherla today i.e., December 28, 2022. The ceremony was held in the august presence of the Hon. Collector and District Magistrate of Mahbubnagar District Sri. S Venkata Rao, IAS, Sri Tejas Nandlal Pawar, IAS, Hon. Additional Collector, Mahboob Nagar District, and Sri. R Sudhakar, Divisional Fire Officer Mahbubnagar District, and the SVKM trust members from Mumbai.

In pursuit of this vision, the trust has envisaged a grand state of art sports complex at Jadcherla. The sports complex would be developed on 22 acres, comprising both indoor and outdoor stadiums. The sports complex would house a gymnasium, badminton, and tennis court amongst others. The complex would also house an archery arena. A cycling track shall also be developed. The complex will have a well-equipped cricket ground and football ground amongst others. The trust also plans to develop a state-of-the-art swimming pool.

It is expected that the sports complex shall not only benefit the students of the Institute but also shall be a facilitator of sports events in the district of Mahbubnagar.

The groundbreaking ceremony was followed by a campus tour. The visiting dignitaries visited the school campus, NMIMS University hostels both boys and girls, and the Academic block of the University. The University Campus Director, Dr. Siddhartha Ghosh has briefed the guests about the upcoming plans of the university. The event was followed by the plantation of saplings by the District Collector, Additional Collector, Divisional Fire Officer, Members of the trust, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Principal of SVKM School, and Director, of NMIMS University-Jadcherla Campus.

Shri Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal is a Public Charitable Trust it has 38 institutions of which 29 are educational institutions. The trust envisions equipping students with knowledge and skills in their chosen stream, inculcating values, identifying hidden talents, providing opportunities for students to realize their full potential, and thus shape them into future leaders, entrepreneurs, and above all good human beings.

January 11, 2023
FLAME University’s symposium on sustainable finance sees attendance of globally renowned finance evangelists

India, Pune 11 January 2023: The symposium on sustainable finance, held at FLAME University on January 6, 2023, was an ode to the traditional financial practices of India that place a strong emphasis on an ethical Dharmic approach to sustainable finance. The Dharmic approach is a true reflection of a sustainable financial paradigm that believes in aligning the financial system with sustainable development.

The one of its kind event was coordinated by Prof. Devendra Kumar Jain, Faculty of Finance, FLAME University. Globally renowned expert advisor thought leader, writer, educator, and broadcaster, Prof. Atul K. Shah, was the key speaker of the symposium.

A striking highlight of Prof. Shah’s inspiring journey in sustainable finance is his latest book, “Inclusive and Sustainable Finance – Leadership, Ethics and Culture’ published by Routledge and profiled by the BBC World Service. He spoke at the event with excerpts from his book that showcased his pioneering research on how a few Indian business leaders possess rare and indigenous wisdom for providing exemplary guidance to deal with the challenges that come with adopting a sustainable financial model. The book has already received eminent coverage from various media houses for its noteworthy and significant contribution to the concept of India’s sustainable Dharmic wisdom in times of existential crisis. The other panel members of the symposium were Prof. Yugank Goyal, Faculty of Public Policy, FLAME University, and Prof. Anuja Sethiya, Faculty of Finance, FLAME University.

The symposium aimed at educating students on the developing practices and approaches to sustainable finance that have been ingrained and co-existed in the history of the Indian landscape of finance for decades. Traditionally, investors always evaluated performance based on financial measures only, but the idea behind a sustainable approach is widening our perspective on investment with a heavy focus on Environmental, Social, Government (ESG), and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Before making investments that may be harmful to the environment, financial investors must carefully consider the social consequences of their decisions. The fundamental purpose of India’s sustainable financial system is to serve the economy and wider society by aligning financial decisions with environmental sustainability. The new approach to finance is purpose-oriented, mission-driven, and value-oriented, which is opposite to the traditional role of finance.

A transition to sustainable finance adopts a broader perspective on sustainable development that emphasizes a wide-scale system transformation. The ultimate goal of sustainable finance is a paradigm shift in the roles of financial agents and markets, which need to stop viewing finance’s dominant role as one of profit and shareholder value and identify new directions for the already emerging new sustainable approach.

Speaking on this crucial topic, Prof. Atul K. Shah said, “The critical role of finance in dealing with climate change is dawning upon the world, but what the world needs to inherently recognize is the critical wisdom of how India is helping to create a sustainable planet at large under highly adept leadership and by focusing on ethical Dharmic wisdom.”

He further added, “At the conference in Glasgow, the major topic of debate was finance. With 30 years of in-depth research findings, my book brings a discerning value to the subject of sustainable finance and breaks the ambiguity associated with the subject by demystifying the concept to make it understandable and contributing to bringing about a radical reform that will influence investment decisions at a global level. The current financial crisis can be resolved with a gregarious approach to financial growth that involves thriving in an economy by establishing harmony with the planet without fear and insecurities.”

Also sharing his valuable insights was Prof. Devendra Kumar Jain, who added, “With the ongoing crisis of global warming, the subject of climate or green finance and sustainable finance is of utmost importance and can make a significant impact globally. At FLAME, we support and facilitate these discussions on sustainable finance, which are in line with our vision of pioneering liberal education.”

Climate change is posing a significant threat to humanity, and while there are countless solutions to tackle this existential threat, the solutions to curb it call for billions of dollars of investment in sustainable infrastructure that reverses the catastrophic effects of climate abuse. Keeping these global issues in mind, sustainable finance is the way forward. The real question is whether the private and public sectors will be committed to mobilizing finance and accelerating innovation for continued sustainable change.

January 11, 2023
Targeted as a Spy: The Surveillance of an American Diplomat in Communist Romania now available from Histria Books

Histria Books is pleased to announce the release of Targeted as a Spy: The Surveillance of an American Diplomat in Communist Romania by Ernest H. Latham, Jr. The book is published by Vita Histria, an academic imprint of Histria Books dedicated to outstanding scholarly works in a variety of fields.

An often-overlooked aspect of the Cold War was the extent of diplomatic espionage that went on in the countries behind the Iron Curtain. Every Western diplomat stationed in the Soviet bloc was targeted as a spy by the security apparatus in these countries. Now with the opening of archives in Eastern Europe, the extent of this diplomatic espionage is revealed for the first time.

Ernest H. Latham, Jr. was a career Foreign Service Officer who served the United States in various posts in the Middle East and Central Europe. From 1983 to 1987, he was the cultural attaché at the American Embassy in Bucharest. During his time in Romania, Dr. Latham was targeted as a spy by the brutal Communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu and subjected to constant, intrusive surveillance by his dreaded and dreadful secret police, the Securitate.

This book is a collection of surveillance reports that Dr. Latham obtained from the Romanian archives following the collapse of the Communist regime. They reveal the extent of the surveillance to which Western diplomats were subjected and, more importantly, they reveal a great deal about the system and society that conducted it.

Latham’s introduction provides the context of his work and Romanian conditions at that time. This book is essential reading for students of the Cold War as well as anyone interested in the mindset and methods of totalitarian regimes.

The esteemed professor of Romanian history and editor of this English edition, Dennis Deletant, has called it “a notable event” representing “a rare case of such a file – of a foreigner…. Latham’s role as the US cultural attaché between 1983 and 1987 marks him out in body as an outsider,” but “in spirit, an insider, sympathetic to the ambivalences and ambiguities of Romania’s past…. His file reminds the reader of the intrusiveness of the Communist regime into the lives of citizens, be they Romanian or otherwise.”

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Targeted as a Spy: The Surveillance of an American Diplomat in Communist Romania, 280 pp., Softbound, Illustrated, ISBN 978-1-59211-195-4, is available at HistriaBooks.com and from all major book retailers. The book is also available in hardcover and eBook formats. Titles published under the various imprints of Histria Books are distributed worldwide by the Independent Publishers Group (IPG). For information on publishing with Histria Books, please visit HistriaBooks.com or contact us at info@histriabooks.com.

Histria Books
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January 11, 2023
KL Deemed to be University Bags AICTE- EduSkills Awards 2022

Hyderabad, December 2022: KL Deemed to be a University, one of India’s leading private universities, bagged the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) EduSkills 2022 Awards under 10 prominent and most popular categories. Exhibiting their exemplary performance across various departments, the university managed to stay ahead and took home Best Performing Institution awards that included AICTE Eduskill Virtual Internships Annual Ranking – All India Rank 1, and also Best Performing Institute- Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Best Performing Institute for Internships -Placements Outcomes 2022. Also, bagged the Vice Chancellor Excellence Award, Dean Excellence Award, Best Mentor for AWS, Best Mentor for Celonis, Best Mentor for PALO ALTO, and Best Mentor for JUNIPER.

The AICTE- EduSkills Awards 2022 were presented in the presence of The Minister of Education & Skill Development of the Government of India and the Chairman of AICTE, New Delhi who were also the chief guests at the function held at Aerocity, New Delhi. These awards are the testimony of the successful accomplishment of students’ internships in respective industries on time and with the utmost learning attainments of live current and futuristic industry-required skill sets.

Applauding the efforts, Dr.G.Pardha Saradhi Varma, Vice Chancellor, KL Deemed to be University said, “We are happy to see that the university has been witnessing great growth year on year, due to its focus on imparting excellence across various departments. We are overwhelmed by the great victory displayed at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) EduSkills 2022 Awards. Winning 10 awards in a row is a great achievement and we shall continue to set new benchmarks for the industry”.

KL Deemed to be University has been associated with the AICTE-Edukills for the past three years for providing virtual hands-on Internships based learning experiences to its students through live projects. Each Industry has a learning academy, offered to partner academic institutions, through the AICTE-Eduskills platform. This year, the University has onboarded 3618 students into 3 Cohorts to successfully complete the internships-based learning, through AWS, Palo Alto, Juniper, and Celonis.

The KL Hyderabad campus also received the 37th Position at the All India level under the Best Performing Institute category. Our faculty members such as Dr. K Srinivas, Dr. Ch. Radhika Rani, Dr. Chandan, and Dr. Nilu Singh have been awarded the Best Mentors 2022. The Dean of Skill Development & Students progression Dr. A Srinath has been awarded for overseeing the entire process, motivating students, following up, and ensuring every student completes the required training on time, and with the best outcomes, and Vice-Chancellor Dr. G. Pardha Saradhi Varma who was awarded the Vice Chancellor Excellence Award for guiding and overseeing the entire process.

December 28, 2022
Global Indian International School (GIIS), Leading Global International School Network Picks Nagpur for Its 17th Campus Worldwide

Pic Credit: prhub.com

Nagpur, December 14, 2022: The Global Indian International School (GIIS), a leading global network of premier international schools and a member of Global School Foundation (GSF), has launched its 17th Smart Campus in Nagpur (Maharashtra). It currently has 16 campuses across Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, UAE and India. The campus to be operational by February 2023 is spread across 6.5 acres and will have 500-seater auditorium, a Design & Innovation Lab besides radio, TV & Visual art studios. GIIS’ award-winning 9 GEMS framework balances excellence in academics with sports, performing arts, entrepreneurship and character development. With a dedicated team of experienced and enthusiastic educators and state-of-the-art campuses, GIIS provides students a holistic growth environment that fosters students’ all-around development thereby contributing to a large talented pool of GenZers.

Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Rajiv Bansal, Director-Operations, GIIS India said, “Our Founder & Chairman Atul Temurnikar hails from Nagpur and it has been his desire for long to give back by setting up one of the best international schools in the region here. Its’ that desire combined with the rapid growth of the city as an IT, logistics and aerospace maintenance hub that has led to our 17th global campus coming up right here in Nagpur. We have left no stone unturned in ensuring a state-of-the-art, new-age powered and technology-assisted smart campus for GenZers here.”

In his message to the assembled media, Atul Temurnikar, Co-founder and Executive Chairman, GIobal Schools Foundation, said, “For long have been wanting to give back to my home city by building a smart campus that will empower young minds here to discover their true potential, hone their skills and develop their personality to be successful global citizens. Today am delighted to see that desire and dream becoming a reality. The new campus will redefine what parents and students in this region have been used to and will boast of globally proven teaching best practices and new-age learning methodologies.”

December 14, 2022
500 KVA Rooftop Solar Power System Installed at IIITB to Cater to 40% of Power Requirements

Pic Credit: IIIT Bangalore & mukeshsingh

Bengaluru 14, December 2022: IIIT Bangalore one of the renowned institutes of India has installed 500 KVA Rooftop Solar Power System at their campus recently.

Inaugurated by Shri S. Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, IIITB Governing body, the solar power system offers 498.43 KWP capacity which is nearly 40% of the power requirement of the institute. IIITB has installed 393 Solar Panels on Rooftop.

IIIT Bangalore always emphasizes on reducing carbon footprint. Now IIITB has upgraded their infrastructure, to tap green energy rather than going conventional ways by installing this solar power.

Speaking about the installation of the solar power system at IIIT Bangalore, Mr. Jagadish P Patil, Chief Administration officer, IIIT Bangalore said, “Our power requirement has shot up to 22% as there is an increase in student strength and the upgradation of infrastructure. A 1000 seater capacity auditorium and new labs are operational. With this new solar power system, we can reduce 40% on the overall power bill. We have a net metering system in this new solar power system.”

Prof. Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT Bangalore said, “The campus of IIIT Bangalore has vast green spaces, a blend of modern and natural infrastructure, perfectly embodying the Institute’s focus on a symbiotic relationship of cutting edge technological research and education grounded in Indian ethos and value systems. The campus has everything that an academic community would want: state-of-the-art infrastructure, facilities that are an invitation to stay physically fit and opportunities to get outside and change the world. In keeping with this ethos, we have installed 500 KVA solar power system.”

Student strength has increased by 25 % between 2017 & 2022. The average power consumption per day has increased by 21.88 % between 2017 & 2022 (from 3,680 units to 4,711 units per day) (One Power unit is 1 Kilo Watt Hour). Power Consumption per student per day is declined by 6.37 %, (from 4.08 units per day per student to 3.82 units per day per student.)

December 14, 2022
FOSTIIMA-Delhi Placements 2022: 30% Increase in Pre-placement Offers; Secures 100% Placements for Batch 2021-2023

14 Dec 22, New Delhi: FOSTIIMA Business School, an initiative of IIM Ahmedabad alumni and recognized aspiring B-school in North India, has completed 100% placements this academic year campus placement with an average package, close to 10 Lakhs per annum for the batch of 2021-23. The AICTE-approved PGDM program’s academia secured a 30% rise in pre-placement offers this year and for the summer internship placement, students have secured up to 80,000 stipend internship for two months in this academic year.

Pic Credit: PRtainment Media & Communications PL

The institution is offering outstanding – “100% placements” with good profiles at attractive pay scales in reputed corporate houses. The highest package obtained by a student is Rs 25 LPA. The average annual packages for the last three batches are Rs 7.78 LPA (2018-20), Rs 8.35 LPA (2019-21) and Rs 9.21 LPA (2020-22) and the median packages are Rs 7.8 LPA (2018-20), Rs 8.5 LPA (2019-21) and Rs 9.5 LPA (2020-22). Collaborative efforts with an excellent team of 50+ IIM graduates and faculty, the institution campus ensures campus placements across the sectors with attractive packages. The stipend for the summer internship placement has gone up to Rs. 80,000 for 2 months this year. More than the highest, FOSTIIMA focused on high median and average placements which have been rising year on year.

Students of the institution have already been placed in prestigious companies such as Deloitte India, MakeMytrip, Wipro, TCS, KhimjiRamdas, BlackRock, Mondelez, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Asian Paints, MRF Tyres, TATA Power, and the list go on. FOSTIIMA offers an IIM environment and good career opportunities to students who have missed out on getting into IIMs.

Commenting on the successful campus recruitment, Mr. Anil Somani, Chairman of FOSTIIMA, said, “The key determinant of B school’s success is the type of placement it offers and the companies that visit them. We have an excellent track record of 100% placement every year, even though the worst economic periods, including pandemic years. FOSTIIMA graduates perform well in the corporate world and are considered valuable human resource assets.”

“At FOSTIIMA we invite a wide spectrum of 100+ companies from diversified industries for campus placements. The CTC graph is going up every year, and corporate houses are selecting our students in huge numbers at high salaries. Our well-oiled campus recruitment process is not only appreciated by students as they get placed in renowned companies but also by corporates as they get to meet excellent talent pools under one roof.” he further added.

FOSTIIMA offers dual specialization to its students with equal weightage that benefits during their career path, in case they wish to switch careers profiles in future. To enroll into the FOSTIIMA PGDM program, the institution considers CAT / XAT / GMAT / CMAT scores and offers scholarships to meritorious candidates based on the set criteria. The campus has its own entrepreneurship development center to encourage students with entrepreneurial goals. Furthermore, International exposure-cum-educational trips and outbound team-building camps are part of their curriculum to enhance relationship-building and personality development.

December 14, 2022
Kasturba Medical College Holds a National-level Medical Symposium to Lay Out an Action Plan for Comprehensive Medical Care in Cases of Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Bengaluru, 14th December 2022: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal in collaboration with India – Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Centre for Clinical and innovative forensics and supported by Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences organized a two-day national-level medical symposium on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

The symposium focused on establishing a survivor-centric model of care across India. Specialists in the field of sexual and gender-based violence, including senior medical faculty (forensic medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry), lawyers, and women’s rights activists highlighted the need for better policies and practices to mitigate the structural and systemic deterrents which hinder survivors’ access to medical and psychological care. These include issues such as mandatory police reporting for POCSO, lack of holistic medical education and training among healthcare workers, prejudiced media narratives, and deficiencies in health-seeking behavior among survivors due to a lack of knowledge and awareness.

Professor B N Gangadhar, Former Director of NIMHANS, Bangalore, was the Guest of Honour, and also emphasized the need for collaborative care and training of doctors in this area. Dr. Achal Gulati, President of The Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the National Medical Council, was also the Guest of Honour at the inauguration, stressed the fact that Policies have to be formed such that Existing barriers are recognized and overcome.

Senior Advocate from the Supreme court of India, Ms. Vrinda Grover said, “Despite the amendments in the law, the bias and prejudices persist even among medical professionals and police personnel while examining the survivors. In terms of public perception, cognizance is quicker when bodily injuries are significant. However, the majority of cases of sexual and gender-based violence in the country do not involve grave injuries but the trauma and damage still need to be addressed as seriously. A woman or a girl child’s body should not be seen just as a piece of evidence but from a humane perspective of care.”

M.D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, Manipal said, “There were several news reports that incidents of sexual and gender-based violence increased manifold during the pandemic. But there is a dearth of proper insight and evidence on the issue as a whole. It is symposia like these that will fill in this gap and will lay out the roadmap for revision of existing national policies.”

Dr Himanshu M., Medical Coordinator, Doctors Without Borders, India said, “According to the National and Family Health Survey of 2015, only 5 among 10,000 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence seek medical care and this happens even though it causes both short and long-term health consequences. We as MSF have been advocating for reforms and we believe these should be led by the health sector and academia.”

The presentations during the symposium emphasized healthcare access barriers faced by women across age groups and economic strata – especially women who are survivors of domestic violence and intimate partner violence. Women’s rights activists also highlighted the access issues in terms of psychological and legal aid for vulnerable populations such as women with disabilities and the LGBTQ community.

Dr Jagdeesh Reddy, Professor, and Head, of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bangalore said, “Multiple guidelines have been issued by the government of India on the subject of sexual and gender-based violence but there are drawbacks in the implementation thereof. There is a need for in-depth research on the issue so that we can make robust policies based on our evidence and not from western countries.”

Dr. H S Ballal, Pro chancellor, MAHE, opined that awareness needs to be created, especially in rural India about the issue, since the majority of the Indian population is from rural areas and Dr. Sharath K Rao, Dean, Kasturba Medical College Manipal welcomed the gathering, and Dr. Vinod Nayak, Professor of forensic medicine proposed the vote of thanks.

The symposium formed multidisciplinary working groups which deliberated and came up with a policy action plan and recommendations, which would be presented to the decision-makers and concerned governmental authorities, to help them understand the existing barriers to providing patient-centric care to SGBV survivors and make the required policy changes

December 14, 2022
40% Indians from Tier 3 Cities say Language is a key motivator as they plan their 2023 travel: Duolingo Language Report 2022

December 14 2022: Exploring how important a role does the local language of a destination play for Indian travellers while building their travel itineraries, Duolingo (Nasdaq: DUOL) – the world’s most popular language learning app – today released the 2022 Duolingo Language Report in the country.

After 2 years of pandemic induced hiatus, the world is up and running again – this time with extraordinary zeal and passion! Keeping the travel spirits high, the world’s #1 online learning platform, this week launched the ‘Duolingo Language Report’. Embracing YOLO in its truest sense, Indian travellers are once again ready to put on their globetrotting shoes to tick experiences off their bucket list. They no longer seek just touristy experiences and want to travel like a local. Language and culture are interlinked, and you cannot learn one of these without having a clear understanding of the other. Knowing the local language of your destination results in a more personal and richer experience with the native culture!

It is also interesting to note that in a survey conducted by Duolingo, the majority of the respondents (40%) belong to tier-3 cities which indicates that language learning is gaining more traction in these cities. Given the huge increase in the discretionary spending capabilities of tier-3 markets across the country, they look at investing more in experiences. Duolingo has also witnessed a huge influx of consumers from tier-2 and tier-3 markets who wish to learn new languages to broaden their horizons.

Commenting on the 2022 edition of the Duolingo Language Report, Country Marketing Manager in India, Karandeep Singh Kapany said, “To help Indian travellers seeking authentic local experiences, wanting to connect with locals in their native, Duolingo has travel specific easy and basic modules. Duolingo enables a smooth and fun language learning process across several languages, and it is encouraging to see Indians willing to invest time and energy in delving deeper and mastering the art of language learning when planning their next trip. We look at promoting language learning as a culture which opens a whole new door of experiences for all our uses.”

Language is an important requisite for making travel plans

The cultural essence of any place is significantly coded in its language. Indian travellers understand this and are becoming more conscious and mindful of their travel choices – of the impact that they leave on the destination and its people. During the survey by Duolingo, about 50% of respondents agreed that the primary language of the destination is an important consideration factor for them while making travel decisions. The majority of the respondents (76%) said that relaxation and exploring new cultures act as the primary motivators for international travel in 2023. What can be a better way to experience the cultural diversity of a place than in its local language

Say Bon Voyage! French tops the charts as the most preferred language for Indian travellers

Being spoken in more than 40 different countries across the globe, it is no surprise that the majority of the respondents (23%) plan to practise and brush up their French speaking skills followed by German, Arabic and Spanish before they venture out to an international travel destination. Most of these respondents (46%) are Gen Z and millennials.

French is the fifth most spoken language in the world after English, Mandarin, Hindi, and Spanish. It holds the official language status in about 30 countries. Popularly known as the language of culture, knowledge of French enables you to access great works in global art and literature. A little research on the culture of the destination before the trip helps one to be more respectful towards local communities and people.

Time spent on learning a new language is time well spent

47% of the respondents are ready to spend a few days to several weeks time to practise a new language before travelling. 20% of respondents also said that in the past, they had practised French followed by German and Arabic ahead of their travelling plans. Learning the native language of the destination not only makes travel easier but also is one of the best ways to show respect to the people and local communities there.

Last year, Duolingo’s language report indicated that most of Indians were keen towards learning Korean due to the influence of pop culture trendsetters including movies, OTT shows and web series.

Shotgun! Language takes a front seat for authentic travel experiences

Indicating that travellers are ready to put in that extra effort at the travel planning stage – 62% of the respondents said that they have practised at least one foreign language ahead of their travelling plans. It is interesting to note that for their future international trips, travellers don’t want to stop at learning just a few basic words and greetings in the destination’s language but have an appetite for learning enough to have a simple conversation in the destination’s primary language! This contrasts with their past behaviour where they were satisfied with knowing a few keywords and phrases to get around the destination. This change indicates that Indian travellers are leaning towards conscious travel. They want to indulge into the socio-cultural experiences of a place in the most authentic way possible.

During the survey by Duolingo, the majority of the respondents (51%) said that they prefer accidentally saying something embarrassing in a new language rather than not interacting with any locals during the trip. And they very well understand that to interact with the natives, knowing their language is extremely important.

Travellers also hold a great amount of respect for the native culture of a place they are travelling to and prefer to show it through their efforts and actions. 71% of them would prefer losing their luggage rather than getting their pronunciation corrected by a local. This indicates that they are ready to spend some extra time on refining their dialect and pronunciation to maintain the decorum of the foreign language.

They also understand that for exploring the depths of the culture and not merely ‘getting by’ the destination, no number of guidebooks and online research can compensate for the basic understanding of the local language. Therefore, during the survey, 54% of the respondents said that they would prefer ordering food in a new language rather than going through the pain of relying on printed maps to get around the city.

59% of the respondents said that they would rather travel somewhere where no one speaks their language than getting their flight delayed. This indicates that experiencing new destinations by travellers is preferred over getting stranded at an airport from where they have limited access to the outer world.

December 14, 2022
Climate Asia Conducts a Masterclass to Understand the Impact of Systems Changes in the Climate Space.

Delhi, 14/12/22: Earlier last week, Climate Asia conducted a masterclass on Systems Change with Moutushi Sengupta (Director, Asia at Co-Impact) to understand the elements of Systems Change, more about Co-Impact, solutions-based approach to make systems more effective and significance of dynamic systems in the climate space.

As systems exist everywhere, Moutushi began the session by explaining, “Systems are interrelated elements that are working with each other, often based on a set of rules to form a unified whole.” Societal systems are norms, policies, laws, and institutions that determine millions of people’s access to resources and opportunities. The predicament of systems is that they are often unjust, inequitable, and inefficient and don’t provide the type of benefit to the marginalized groups while benefiting certain stakeholder groups far better than others. Henceforth, the failure of systems essentially depends upon the power distribution among the stakeholders, making it challenging to be beneficial.

Another feature of it is that systems working in different orbits and levels are also interlinked, especially in the case of climate and gender justice. Therefore, it is essential to have a dynamic approach to keep it relevant. Systems are the source for policy, resource deployment, service delivery, and leadership attitude. Impact on a scale is achievable by fixing and transforming those systems. The solution lies in moving forward with the levers of change and finding a new equilibrium. Here the power structures are moved so that the majority of stakeholders benefit.

Following this, Moutushi touched upon the work of Co-Impact, a global philanthropic collaborative. The work of Co-Impact involves two large funds, namely the Foundational Fund for just and inclusive systems and Gender Fund for women to exercise power, agency, and leadership at all levels. They aim to provide equitable systems change at scale to tackle social inequalities. The ultimate vision of Co-Impact is to build a society where people live fulfilling lives that can be achieved through inclusive systems. The Co-Impact focuses on three sectors: Health, Education, and economic systems. It also focuses on the adverse impact of climate change on women. They also focus on deepening strategic coherence and strengthening key capabilities for partners while learning and adapting. Additionally, Co-Impact also works with organizations with a strategic vision that demonstrates great leadership. Moreover, its agenda is to find “winning coalitions” where one’s capabilities are intermingled with others to come to a holistic solution that benefits the sum.

The session was also followed by an interaction with the audience, highlighting some crucial points. Answering one of the questions regarding the skills required to join this space, Moutushi mentioned that “taking an ecosystem’s view while also looking at the larger play of actors is at the core of the selection process.” Additionally, “understanding of the political economy, honesty in the present competencies and acknowledging that the solutions are for long-term along with resilience and diligence” are the essential skills one needs to have to be a part of the space.

The session concluded with the key message on the importance of having diverse stakeholders on board while also building partnerships on trust to bring out the benefit at the intersection of many, if not all, marginalized groups.

Climate Asia (www.climateasia.org) is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the climate ecosystem in Asia through the capacity building of organizations focusing on talent strategy, capacity building, and thought leadership.

December 14, 2022