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Best Education Websites to be Named by Web Marketing Association in 29th Annual WebAward Competition

Boston, MA, March 20, 2025 — The Web Marketing Association is looking for the best education Websites in the world as part of their 29th annual international WebAward Competition for Web site development at www.webaward.org. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets benchmarks for 86 industries, including education, schools and university websites, based on the seven criteria of a successful web site. The deadline for education websites to enter to be judged is May 30, 2025.

“The education sector faces intense competition in web development, driven by the high expectations of its digitally native audience,” noted William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. “In today’s digital era, an educational institution’s website is its most vital asset for communication, disseminating information, and engaging students. The WebAward Competition serves as an ideal showcase for educational websites to demonstrate their innovation, creativity, and effectiveness in fostering learning and ensuring student achievement. Websites in the education domain are held to a much higher standard, reflecting the sophistication of students who have been immersed in the internet from a young age and demand exceptional quality to be truly engaged by an educational institution.”

Education Websites are judged on seven criteria including design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use. Each WebAward entry in the Education category is judged against other education entries and then against an overall standard of excellence.

All education entrants benefit from receiving valuable feedback in terms of their specific criteria scores compared against the average scores for their industry. They also may receive specific comments from the WebAward’s professional judging panel on their Web site development efforts.

Winners of a WebAward in the education categories will also receive:
· Increased visibility for their company
· Marketing opportunity to promote the company website to the media
· Links to your site from the highly ranked WebAward site to help SEO
· Social media posts for your company and personal feeds
· A highlight for your resume.
· Admiration of peers, friends and co-workers
· Unlimited bragging rights

Each year, the Web Marketing Association names the Best of Industry for the various education categories based on the score they receive from the WebAward judges.

Recent winners of the Best Education Web Site include:

2024 – Carnegie and Reed College for Reed College Website Redesign
2023 – WSI for Texas Health School
2022 – C&G Partners (Design Firm) and NYU Kress Painting Conservation (Client) for The Kress Program in Paintings Conservation
2021 – Forum One for I’M DETERMINED
2020 – Backpack Interactive for PASSPORT 2 MARS
2019 – Blackbaud K–12 for The Shipley School
2018 – BrandExtract for City of Houston – Out 2 Learn
2017 – eSchoolView for Chagrin Falls School District
2016 – MasterClass for MasterClass Website
2015 – C&G Partners LLC for Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
2014 – Risdall Advertising Agency for Minneapolis School Finder
2013 – RED Interactive Agency for Walking with Dinosaurs
2012 – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for Cure4Kids for Kids
2011 – Florida Institute of Technology for Florida Tech Decision Dashboard
2010 – Risdall Marketing Group for Mounds View Public Schools

Recent winners of the Best School Web Site include:

2024 – Finalsite for Christ the King Catholic School
2023 – Finalsite for The Langley School
2022 – Finalsite for Holderness
2021 – mStoner, Inc. for INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS WEBSITE REDESIGN
2020 – Finalsite for GREATER ATLANTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
2019 – theOrigo Ltd. & Vocational Training Council for VTC Occupation Dictionary Website
2018 – Colburn School and mStoner, Inc. for Colburn School Website Redesign
2017 – Finalsite for Brooks School
2016 – Blackboard Creative Services for Durham Public Schools
2015 – Blackboard Schoolwires Design Team for Barrington 220 Community Unit School District
2014 – Bradley Chee Web Design for Granite Bay High School Website
2013 – Brightlabs for Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
2012 – Bluetube Interactive for UGA Performing Arts Center
2011 – WhippleHill Communications for Glenelg Country School
2010 – Designkitchen for Wheaton College 150th Anniversary Web Site

Recent winners of the Best University Web Site include:

2024 – Red Sage Communications for Alabama Center for the Arts
2023 – Luther College for Luther College Website
2022 – Office of Communications & Marketing for CUNY Graduate Center
2021 – mStoner, Inc. for MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN COLLEGE WEBSITE REDESIGN
2020 – mStoner, Inc. for UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT BRADFORD WEBSITE REDESIGN
2019 – Primacy for Suffolk University Website
2018 – Knowble Media for Illinois College
2017 – The Culinary Institute of America for ciachef.edu
2016 – IN.gov for Ivy Tech Community College
2015 – Westwerk for FOCUS.BoiseState.edu
2014 – Systems Alliance, Inc. for Stevenson University
2013 – Behavior Design for The Cooper Union Website Redesign
2012 – University Marketing and Communications for 30 Days of EnTERPreneurship
2011 – Denison University & Fahlgren Mortine for TheDEN
2010 – Corey McPherson Nash for University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business

Educational Websites can be entered into consideration for the 2025 Best Educational Website and other education-related WebAwards at the WebAward Website.

The 2025 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: PR.com, iContact, and eTailConferences. The Web Marketing Association thanks these companies for their commitment to the entire online marketing community.

March 21, 2025
Extending affordable financial protection to every insurable individual: LIC CEO

IANS

Siddhartha Mohanty, CEO and MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), said on Thursday that the nation’s largest insurer has consistently focused on reaching rural areas and economically and socially disadvantaged sections.

A day after a delegation of LIC agents met the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and raised issues regarding recent changes in rules which make insurance less affordable for the poorest, the LIC CEO denied such concerns, saying, “We aim to extend financial protection to every insurable individual at an affordable cost.”

“We want to clarify that LIC has introduced products that align with the New Product Regulations set by IRDA, effective from October 1, 2024, keeping policyholders’ interests at the forefront,” Mohanty said in a statement.

Stressing that LIC is committed to broadening life insurance coverage, Mohanty said that with a diverse portfolio catering to various customer segments and different strata of society, LIC fully complies with all regulatory requirements.

IANS

“As an example, our ‘Micro Bachat’ plan offers a minimum sum assured of Rs 1 lakh and is exempt from GST, ensuring accessibility. Post changes in product regulations, the commission has not been reduced for agents, it has been given in a staggered manner,” he informed.

Mohanty added that LIC remains dedicated to providing financial security to its policyholders while supporting its agency force’s well-being.

In his meeting with LIC agents, Rahul Gandhi said that the LIC was formed in 1956 to provide affordable insurance to all Indians. The Congress leader assured that he would raise this issue in Parliament.

Meanwhile, LIC recorded a 28.29 per cent surge in group yearly renewable premiums and a 7.9 per cent rise in individual premiums during the first 11 months of FY25, according to the latest industry data.

As of February 2025, LIC’s total premium collection stood at Rs 1.90 lakh crore, reflecting a 1.90 per cent increase from the Rs 1.86 lakh crore collected in the corresponding period of FY24.

(With inputs from IANS)

March 20, 2025
Bangladesh: Security officials arrest commander of Rohingya armed group

ARSA commander arrested in Bangladesh. Photo Courtesy: RAB Bangladesh Facebook page

Bangladeshi security officials have arrested the top leader of a Rohingya insurgent group on charges of illegally entering, sabotaging and terrorist activities in the South Asian nation which is facing political instability since the exit of former PM Sheikh Hasina on August 5 last year.

The arrested leader was identified as Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi.

He is the commander-in-chief of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

Apart from Jununi, police arrested 10 others while conducting a raid in Narayanganj and Mymensingh regions of Bangladesh.

More than 1 million Rohingyas, who fled from neighbouring Myanmar, are currently staying in Bangladesh as refugees.

Remand

Bangladeshi law enforcers had produced Jununi and six others before the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court of Narayanganj and sought a 10-day remand in two separate cases.

After the hearing, the court granted a 10-day remand for interrogation, five days in each case, Kayum Khan, Narayanganj court police inspector, told Bangladesh’s leading newspaper The Daily Star.

The five others arrested were identified as Mostak Ahmed, 66; Salimullah, 27; Asmatullah, 24; Md Hasan, 43; and Moniruzzaman, 26.

RAB also arrested three women and a child along with the six. The four were also shown arrested in the two cases and the court sent the arrestees to jail, reported The Daily Star.

Based on intelligence, a team of RAB-11 conducted a drive at the Siddhirganj area of Narayanganj, and Natun Bazar area of Mymensingh on March 16 and arrested the ten, AHM Sazzad Hossain, the commanding officer of Rab-11, told The Daily Star.

A First Information Report was filed with Siddhirganj police station which reportedly mentioned that the arrested people had gathered in the districts and held secret meetings to conduct grievous crimes.

Rab seized Tk 21.39 lakh in cash, a knife, a sharp steel chain and four wristwatches from their possessions, Shahinur Alam, the officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj Police Station, told the newspaper.

ARSA

ARSA is a group that operates from Myanmar’s Rakhine region.

In the region, mostly Muslim Rohingya people have faced persecution.

The group came to light on August 25, 2017 after attacking around 30 police and army posts in Rakhine state, killing 12 people.

The incident triggered a ruthless military counter-attack that forced 740,000 Rohingya to escape to neighbouring Bangladesh.

After the prosecuted Rohingyas took shelter in the squalid camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf, ARSA members have been continuing their targeted killing missions in the camp directed by its commander, reported The Daily Star.

March 19, 2025
PLI scheme for speciality steel expected to attract Rs 27,106 crore investment

IANS

The Centre’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme to promote the manufacturing of speciality steel is anticipated to attract an additional investment of Rs 27,106 crore with downstream capacity creation of around 25 million tonnes, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Specialty steel refers to value-added steel products, processed through methods like coating, plating, or heat treatment, to meet specific properties required in sectors like defence, space, power and automobiles.

Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma told the Lok Sabha that the government has taken various measures to facilitate the reduction of steel imports and to improve the competitiveness of domestic steel manufacturers.

These include the introduction of steel Quality Control Orders which have banned sub-standard steel products in the domestic market as well as imports to ensure the availability of quality steel to the industry, users and public at large.

IANS

The Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) has been revamped and SIMS 2.0 was launched in July last year for more effective monitoring of imports to address the concerns of domestic steel industry, he pointed out.

The minister also said that anti-dumping duty measures pertaining to some steel products like seamless tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of iron, alloy, or non-alloy steel (other than cast iron and stainless steel) (from China), electro-galvanised steel (from South Korea, Japan, Singapore), stainless-steel seamless tubes and pipes (from China), welded stainless steel pipes and tubes (from Vietnam and Thailand) are in place currently.

He further stated that Countervailing Duty has been imposed for welded stainless steel pipes and tubes from China and Vietnam.

The minister also said that there are sufficient reserves of iron ore in the country to meet the current demand by the domestic steel industry. The production of iron ore in FY 2024 was more than 270 million tons and the exports were approximately 46 million tons while the import was 4.9 million tons, he added.

Besides, the government has taken various steps to increase the supply of minerals which include, inter-alia, Mining and Mineral Policy reforms to ensure enhanced production, early auction & operationalisation of mines with expired leases, ease of doing business, seamless transfer of all valid rights & approvals, incentivizing for starting of mining operation & dispatch, transferring of mining leases, allowing captive mines to sell up to 50 per cent of the minerals produced and enhancing the exploration activities, the minister said.

The government has also notified the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy in November 2019. The policy provides a framework to facilitate and promote the establishment of metal scrapping centres in India for scientific processing and recycling of ferrous scrap generated from various sources, he added.

(With inputs from IANS)

March 18, 2025
Agile Transformation in Financial Services: A Strategic Shift or a Passing Trend?
The Evolution of Financial Services in the Digital Era
The financial services industry is evolving, driven by changing customer expectations, regulatory requirements, and the need for real-time data insights. Traditional systems, built on rigid infrastructure, often struggle to meet these demands, leading to increased costs and operational inefficiencies. Manual commission processing, complex broker-dealer platform management, and data integrity issues remain persistent challenges.

To address these issues, financial institutions are adopting agile frameworks and automation. Agile methodologies enhance flexibility, enabling institutions to respond quickly to market changes and streamline workflows. Automation reduces processing time, strengthens compliance, and increases scalability essential for remaining competitive. However, the question remains: Is this shift a long-term strategic transformation or a short-term solution?

Pioneering Research in Financial Services Transformation
Sarita Gahlot’s recent research offers valuable insights into how agile, and automation are improving financial services.

In her paper “Transforming Commission Processing in the Financial Services Industry: Challenges, Strategies, and Best Practices” (co-authored with Abdul Samad Mohammed and Prabhu Muthusamy), published in the American Journal of Autonomous Systems and Robotics Engineering, Sarita examines the limitations of traditional commission processing. The study outlines how automation and centralized management reduce processing time, improve compliance, and enhance scalability.

Another notable work by Sarita is “Agile Project Management in Large-Scale Financial Technology Conversions: Lessons from a Broker-Dealer Platform Migration” (co-authored with Lakshmi Durga Panguluri and Prabhu Muthusamy), published in the Essex Journal of AI Ethics and Responsible Innovation. The research explores how agile methodologies improve data integrity and regulatory compliance during broker-dealer platform migrations.

Key Insights from the Research
Sarita’s research identifies several strategic takeaways:
- Centralized Commission Processing: Automation reduces manual errors and improves processing speed.
- Agile Frameworks for Flexibility: Agile approaches enable quick adaptation to market changes and regulations.
- Operational Efficiency: Automation reduces backlogs and improves service delivery.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Agile enhances alignment between business and technology teams.
- Data Integrity and Real-Time Insights: Real-time insights enable faster and more accurate decision-making.
By identifying inefficiencies, Sarita’s research provides a strategic roadmap for improving financial services operations.

Sarita Gahlot: A Thought Leader in Financial Services Transformation
Sarita Gahlot is an experienced advisor with over 15 years of expertise in financial services, specializing in strategic project management and digital transformation. Currently a Manager at major professional services firm in the United States, Sarita leads projects in insurance, wealth management, and capital markets, focusing on improving operational efficiency and driving strategic growth.

Among her key achievements are leading a multi-million-dollar commission transformation and broker-dealer platform migration for a major independent broker-dealer in the U.S., reducing processing time and improving scalability. She also managed the integration of client servicing, account management, and onboarding into a single platform using low-code technology improving customer satisfaction and reducing operational costs.

Sarita’s expertise in agile frameworks has been instrumental in her success. She has directed cross-functional teams of over 20 members, delivering Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) on or ahead of schedule. Her leadership in process automation has consistently achieved 90%+ customer satisfaction scores and high resource utilization rates.

Sarita holds a variety of industry-recognized certifications, including PMP®, Certified Scrum Master®, SAP Activate Certified, Six Sigma Green Belt (IIT Delhi), MDRT Financial Professional (USA), and Unqork Certified Configurator. She also mentors emerging professionals and contributes to industry thought leadership through white papers and panel discussions. Her ability to align business strategy with technical execution has established her as a respected figure in financial services transformation.

Sarita also mentors young professionals and contributes to industry thought leadership through white papers and panel discussions. Her ability to align business strategy with technical execution makes her a respected voice in financial services transformation.

Agile and Automation: A Sustainable Model or Temporary Fix?
The financial services industry stands at a pivotal moment. Sarita’s research demonstrates that agile frameworks and automation offer effective tools for improving operational efficiency and regulatory alignment. However, the long-term success of these strategies will depend on how well institutions sustain this momentum through continuous improvement and strategic alignment.
While agile methodologies enhance speed and flexibility, financial institutions must also build a strong foundation for future growth. Real-time data insights, enhanced scalability, and improved client experience are essential for staying competitive in an evolving market. Financial institutions that fail to adopt a strategic approach to agile and automation risk falling behind in a rapidly changing environment.

Sarita’s work provides a clear blueprint for financial institutions seeking to drive sustainable growth through agile and automation. Agile is not just a short-term solution it represents a strategic shift in how financial institutions operate and compete. Institutions that embrace these changes thoughtfully and strategically will define the future of financial services.
March 18, 2025
Sensex, Nifty close higher, financial, pharma stocks lead

Sensex, Nifty close higher driven by financial, pharma stocksIANS

The Indian stock market closed with strong gains on Monday, driven by buying in financial, pharma and select metal stocks.

Both the Sensex and Nifty saw a positive finish despite a mixed start to the day. The Sensex opened on a cautious note, briefly slipping to 73,796, down 33 points in early trade.

However, it quickly gained momentum, rallying to a high of 74,376, which was 400 points above the intra-day’s low. After trading in a consolidated manner for the rest of the session, the Sensex ended the day 341 points higher at 74,170.

The Nifty index also started on a weak note, opening with a 44-point loss at 22,353. But it soon recovered and climbed to an intra-day high of 22,577. By the end of the session, the index settled at 22,509, gaining 112 points or 0.5 per cent.

Among the top-performing stocks on the Sensex, Bajaj Finserv surged 3.8 per cent to Rs 1,875. Adani Ports, Mahindra & Mahindra, Axis Bank, and Bajaj Finance also recorded gains of around 2 per cent each.

Other key gainers included Zomato, ICICI Bank, Sun Pharma, UltraTech Cement, Tata Motors, and Tata Steel.

Sensex, Nifty close higher driven by financial, pharma stocksIANS

On the downside, ITC declined by 1 per cent, while Nestle India, SBI, and Reliance Industries also ended in the negative territory.

In the broader market, the BSE MidCap index gained 0.8 per cent, while the SmallCap index closed flat. Among sectors, the BSE Healthcare, financial services, auto, and metal indices gained around 1 per cent each on Monday.

“As the session progressed, profit booking led to a 100-point decline from the day’s high, reflecting market participants’ cautious stance,” said Sundar Kewat from Ashika Institutional Equity.

He added that on the global front, sentiment received a boost as China unveiled a strategic action plan on Sunday to stimulate domestic demand.

“Additionally, better-than-expected industrial production and accelerating retail sales growth in China further supported optimism,” he mentioned.

Rupee traded strong by 0.27 at 86.86 against the dollar, supported by a weak dollar index and lower outflows in the secondary capital markets in recent days.

“The dollar’s weakness continues to provide support to the rupee, while market participants are closely watching key US economic data releases, including retail sales, the Fed’s policy meeting, and its statement later this week,” said Jateen Trivedi from LKP Securities.

(With inputs from IANS)

March 17, 2025
How Government Support Can Elevate Indian Music, Insights from a Nationwide Survey of 1,200 Musicians

In a first-of-its-kind study, local musicians identify key enablers for India’s music leadership, internationally

Highlights that 82% of musicians anticipate that new compliance requirements will limit creative diversity and uniqueness, while 72% predict an adverse impact on their music release schedules

INDIA: The Dialogue, a public policy think tank, has unveiled Tuning into Change: Empirical Insights Into India’s Evolving Music Industry, a first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed study surveying 1,200 Indian artists. The report highlights India’s booming music-creator economy, its role in cultural diplomacy, the rise of regional talent, and structural challenges that need to be addressed for long-term sustainability. The study, covering artists across 21 languages, outlines key trends and policy recommendations to sustain India’s global music ascent.

First, it highlights concern among Indian musicians about the potential impact of proposed content evaluation standards. Nearly three-fourths (72%) of respondents anticipate such compliance requirements could disrupt music output or delay music releases. 77% worry that global collaborations could become more difficult if these regulations were introduced.

Second, the study underscores the broader implications of regulation for creativity and diversity in the Indian music industry. A staggering 82% of the respondents believe that any new compliance measures, pre-release scrutiny, or alignment with prescribed standards, would limit musical diversity and creative uniqueness. In this context, the overwhelming industry sentiment points to the need for a flexible, balanced framework that nurtures artistic innovation.

Kazim Rizvi, Founder, of The Dialogue, highlighted the transformative phase of India’s music industry, stating, “India is experiencing an unprecedented musical renaissance. The challenge now is to implement frameworks that protect and empower, while ensuring compliance without compromising the dynamism that defines today’s Indian music industry”.

Third, financial constraints emerge as a key concern. If pre-release scrutiny were mandated for music streamed online, 80% of artists predict that compliance costs would strain their budgets. Additionally, 75% of musicians fear that such pre-release content reviews would add operational complexity and thwart creative expression.

Finally, the study points to the strategic interventions that can fuel industry expansion: 51% of musicians emphasize the need to lower entry barriers and facilitate wider access to streaming platforms, while 48% highlight infrastructure gaps in India’s live music ecosystem, signaling an opportunity for investment in performance spaces and technical enablers.

With 46 crore daily streams and industry revenues projected at ₹3,700 crore by 2026, Indian music is at a pivotal moment. Digital platforms drive 87% of revenues, fuelled by millions of paid subscribers. India stands as the second largest music streaming market today second only to the US. The Indian market constitutes 14% of the total Global audio and video streams. Yet, regulatory uncertainties, piracy, and infrastructure gaps may thwart this growth.

Authored by Pranav Bhaskar Tiwari and Garima Saxena from The Dialogue, the report recommends empowering regional artists by investing in recording studios, structured training initiatives, and government-backed grants. To elevate India’s influence in global music, it highlights the need for greater international collaborations, government-facilitated participation in music festivals, and improved infrastructure to promote music tourism. As the industry already operates in compliance with the IT Rules 2021 to tackle harms in the digital space, artists surveyed in the report caution against additional regulatory layers that could hinder growth.

Ensuring comprehensive representation, the survey captured responses from musicians across regional, classical, folk, indie, hip-hop, and contemporary genres. It included musicians who create content in Hindi (69%), English (64%), and various regional languages (15%).

March 17, 2025
The Need for Financial Support in Non-Filmy Music After the 1st Marathi Indie Music Awards

Eminent music composer Ashok Patki was conferred with the prestigious ‘Sangeet Ratna Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of non-film music.

PUNE: “Independent music allows artists to express themselves freely. Therefore, Independent Marathi non-filmy music should be acknowledged as a startup and receive financial aid similar to Marathi films,” noted singer Vaishali Samant. She was speaking at the first-ever Marathi Indie Music Awards (MIMA) recently. The program was organized by Maharashtra Kala Manch and Just Collab, with Ajay Naik and Kaustubh Dabadage at the helm.

Eminent music composer Ashok Patki was honored with the ‘Sangeet Ratna’ Lifetime Achievement Award for his remarkable contributions to non-film music at the hands of Prasad Lad, Member of Legislative Council, State Government. The program was held at the Shakuntala Shetty Auditorium, Erandwane, Pune

“If Independent Marathi non-filmy music receives government financial aid, it will spread globally,” said Vaishali Samant. “We are passionate travelers in the world of music. This award has given us all a small shore to stand on today, and that’s a comforting feeling. The fact that our hard work is getting a platform is reassuring,” she added.

We will organize the next MIMA program in Mumbai, and I will ensure the Chief Minister’s attendance, Prasad Lad assured. He further stated, “Following Marathi’s recognition as a classical language, there’s been a surge in Marathi-related activities. In this context, we will submit a proposal to the Chief Minister within 20 days, seeking subsidies for Independent Marathi non-filmy music under Ashok Patki’s guidance.”

Ashok Patki reminisced about the song ‘Radha Hi Bawari’, saying, “Initially, the lyrics were different. Swapnil Bandodkar didn’t like it. He called me insisting I write the song. I tried to explain I’m a composer, not a lyricist, but he persisted. That night, the tune came to me, and I wrote the song.” Patki chuckled, ” ‘Radha Hi Bawari’ gave me the confidence to write songs.”

“In today’s era, education is readily available everywhere. However, values and cultural heritage are lacking. We learned music from renowned artists, but Ashok Patki sir instilled values in us beyond just education. These values remain with me today. One important value is passing on what we’ve learned to the next generation,” said Avadhoot Gupte, while accepting the award.

“We’ve been in this industry for over 25 years, but there wasn’t an award specifically for indie music. This initiative marks the beginning of a new journey for non-film music, and it will inspire and motivate the new generation of music composers and lyricists,” said Swapnil Bandodkar.

Noted singers-composers Avadhoot Gupte, Vaishali Samant, and Swapnil Bandodkar were honored with the ‘Marathi Indie Music Icon’ award. Additionally, Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar, Anand Bhate, and Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar received awards for Best Classical Vocalist, while Jeevan Dharmanandhari and Vivek Kajvekar were recognized for Music Arrangement.

Additionally, ‘Gaarva’ was recognized as the First Iconic Marathi Indie Song, honoring poet Saumitra and composer Milind Ingle. Also, ‘Aayushyavar Bolu Kahi’ was awarded the First Iconic Indie Marathi Show, recognizing composer-singer duo Sandeep Khare and Salil Kulkarni.

March 17, 2025
HOW Universal Postal Union and IsDBI are Innovating Digital Islamic Financial Services

JEDDAH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) hosted a high-level delegation from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to discuss collaboration on Digital Postal Islamic Financial Services. The delegation included UPU representatives Ihab Zaghloul, Juan Moroni, and Hashim Elhaj, along with Farrukh Raza from Islamic Finance Advisory and Assurance Services (IFAAS).

Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, warmly received the UPU delegation and expressed the Institute’s willingness to work together in developing innovative financial solutions that align with the needs of IsDB member countries (MCs). The discussions centered on leveraging Islamic finance principles to enhance postal financial services and developing operational models that can serve customers in both urban and rural areas.

The UPU is keen to explore Islamic finance as a complementary business model for postal financial services, acknowledging its potential to enhance financial inclusion, diversify income avenues for postal operators, and provide ethical financial solutions to underserved populations. These aspirations align closely with the Digital Postal Islamic Financial Services Project, which aims to leverage postal networks and digital platforms to offer Shariah-compliant financial services, particularly in regions with limited access to traditional banking.

As a specialized agency of the United Nations, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) plays a key role in promoting international cooperation among postal operators and advancing the global postal sector in its 192 Member Countries. The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), the knowledge and innovation arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), is committed to developing and promoting Islamic financial solutions that contribute to sustainable economic development in its 57 Member Countries.

The visit marks a significant step towards fostering a strategic partnership between IsDBI and UPU, with the aim of developing innovative, inclusive, and technology-driven financial solutions that will benefit postal operators and the communities they serve.

March 16, 2025
Anurag University to celebrate 76th Republic Day with 200 plus Student Inventions and social impact projects

Hyderabad, January 27, 2025: TEJAS 2K25 –an Engineering Expo with 200 innovative and social impact projects/products developed by Anurag University Engineering Students to be held on 27th January 2025 at Anurag University in the city outskirts.

Telangana’s first private University, Anurag University is organising TEJAS 2K25 –an Engineering Expoat its campus on Monday. A poster of the event was launched on Friday. These 200-plus student inventions will be showcased in a day-long event on Monday.

Several school children from private and government schools are invited to check out innovations and get inspired

TEJAS 2K25 is a unique project that will be organized successfully for the second time to kindle an innovation culture among engineering students of the University informed the Anurag University in a press note issued in the city today. Also, we wanted to celebrate the 76th Republic Day with 200 social impact projects and products, he added.

It will be formally inaugurated on 27th at college premises. Prof UB Desai, Chancellor of Anurag University; Dr. S. Glory Swarupa, Director General, National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; Dr. Shanta Toutam, Former Chief Innovative Officer, Govt of Telangana and Mr. Arjun Rumalla, Director Manufacturing and Country Head Technip FMC-India will grace the inaugural.

We want to see our students as problem solvers, and not creators. We don’t want to see you as a country of ranters. Instead, we want you to be problem identifiers and solvers. This ‘Project Expo’ is the first in the series and is an opportunity created for the students to identify the pain points in the society we live in and then propose a solution. This is the prized skill that differentiates you from the rest of the world, the press note added.

January 27, 2025