Malayalam poet-activist Sugathakumari dies of COVID-19

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

Malayalam poet and environmental activist Sugathakumari passed away on Wednesday

Malayalam poet and environmental activist Sugathakumari passed away here on Wednesday while undergoing treatment for COVID-19.

The 86-year-old was undergoing treatment for post-COVID-19 complications at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the demise of Sugathakumari and tweeted, “Deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of poet Sugathakumari. As a doyenne of Malayalam literature and with a career that spans decades, she has left an indelible mark on Kerala’s cultural life. We extend our deepest sympathies to her family and join them in sorrow.”

One of the most noted poets in Malayalam, Sugathakumari was born in Aranmula on 3 January 1934. She is the recipient of many awards, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (1968), Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award (1978), Odakkuzhal Award (1982), and Vayalar Award (1984).

Her noted literary works include Pathirappookal (Flowers of Midnight), Raathrimazha (Night Rain), Manavahridayam (Heart of Humanity), Muthuchippi, Irulchirakukal and Swapnabhoomi.

Sugathakumari was the founder secretary of the Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi, an organisation for the protection of nature and of Abhaya, a home for destitute women. During her lifetime, she actively participated in many environmental movements in Kerala and outside the state as well. 

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Pinarayi Vijayan: Central govt not respecting farmers

Pinarayi Vijayan: Central govt not respecting farmers

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

As farmers’ protest against the Centre’s agricultural reforms entered their 28th day on Wednesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the BJP-led Central government for not ‘respecting’ the ‘anna data’.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was addressing a demonstration by farmers’ organizations in Thiruvananthapuram against the three newly enacted farm laws. “Our country has witnessed many historic protests, of which most big protests were organized by farmers. Even in Kerala, many such protests have taken place. One of the biggest farmers’ agitations is going on in India right now. Farmers are anna data and the present government in the Centre is not respecting them,” said Pinarayi Vijayan.

He said the BJP, in past, had said that they will implement the recommendations made in the report submitted by the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) under the chairmanship of Professor MS Swaminathan.

Pinarayi Vijayan_ Central govt not respecting farmers- Digpu
Source – Pinterest

“The same party who said they will implement the Swaminathan Commission report is ruling the country. Instead of implementing it, they only remember it before Lok Sabha polls,” he added.

Pinarayi Vijayan’s address came on Farmers’ Day, which is observed on December 23 to celebrate the national contributions of farmers and agriculturers.

Even after several rounds of talks with the government, farmers have been protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws-Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

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Rahul Gandhi, other Congress leaders to meet President over farmers protest

Rahul Gandhi, other Congress leaders to meet President over farmers protest

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

Congress MP K Suresh on Wednesday said that former party chief Rahul Gandhi will lead a demonstration tomorrow at 10:45 am from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention over farmers’ protest.
“Rahul Gandhi along with Opposition leaders met President and submitted the memorandum to resolve farmers’ issue.

But there was no action from the President and the government. Rahul Gandhi will lead the demonstration tomorrow at 10:45 am from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhavan with Congress MPs,” Suresh. “After that, he and other senior leaders will meet the President of India and submit a memorandum containing 2 crore signatures for his intervention to resolve the farmers’ agitation,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi, other Congress leaders to meet President over farmers protest-Digpu
Source – Pinterest

Hundreds of farmers are protesting at the borders of Delhi since November 26 against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The Central government on Sunday invited farmer leaders for a fresh round of talks amid attempts to end the agitation. The government has held several rounds of talks with the farmers so far.
On December 8, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had held a meeting with the 13 representatives of farm unions. However, a day later, farmer leaders rejected a proposal sent by the Centre.

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MX Player gets the Filmfare Black Lady home

MX Player gets the Filmfare Black Lady home

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

MX Player Walks Away with the Filmfare Black Lady for Best Unscripted (non-fiction) Original (series/special) that was awarded to Times of Music.

MX Player, the Indian entertainment super app, has been widely recognised for its diverse slate of engaging MX Originals. Its unique music reality chat show – Times of Music introduced audiences to a one-of-a-kind concept that celebrated and brought together 20 legendary composers who successfully rewrote history and reinvented each other’s most celebrated tunes.

It also made history with its successful win in the Best Unscripted (non-fiction) Original (series/special) category at the maiden edition of the Flyx Filmfare OTT Awards. 

Elaborating on the win, Gautam Talwar, Chief Content Officer – MX Player said, “Launched during the lockdown, it truly was one of a kind concept and idea that brought the best composers in the Indian film industry, for the first time, on one of the largest musical stages to exist in the digital world. This series is extremely special to all of us and I am so happy that we could pull off a feat such as this – with timeless music, unforgettable conversations and above all, the ode we paid to the spirit of music and the power it has to unite us all.”

MX Player gets the Filmfare Black Lady home - Digpu News

The show brought forth the spirit of camaraderie and highlighted the passion for music in an otherwise competitive industry, giving viewers a new flavour to their iconic favourites and brightening their lockdown.

Amaal Mallik, one of the composers on the show, said “It’s always a pleasure to win the black lady, and it’s all the more special this time because it’s for a show that celebrated the people who are usually the last to be credited – composers. It was such a great experience on set, we were all a part of one team, sharing some of our best stories and doing what we know best, which is creating music. I am honoured to be a part of this rich heritage of Indian music and share the same stage with seniors and legends from the fraternity such as Bappi Da, Pyarelalji, Anandji amongst others.”

Amit Trivedi shared his view saying, “OTT platforms have opened so many new doors for artists, across fields. Part storytelling and led by some of the finest musicians of our time – with this series, MX Player has truly raised the bar of musical entertainment. Getting recognised by a body like Filmfare for a concept like this is a great encouragement for composers. The response to the show has been great and I’m hoping such collaborative shows truly gain momentum”.

Produced by Victor Tango Entertainment PVT LTD & Wobble Creative and Content LLP, the show included preeminent duos like Vishal Shekhar – Bappi Lahiri, Salim Suleiman – Pyarelalji, Sachin Jigar – Euphoria, Shantanu Moitra – Amaal Malik, Amit Trivedi – Agnee, Viju Shah – Mithoon, Rajesh Rohan – Himesh Reshammiya, Anand Milind – Sajid Wajid, Ajay Atul – Kalyanji Anandji, and Indian Ocean – Sneha Khanwalkar.

Download the App Now

Web: https://www.mxplayer.in/

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Bajaj Auto to set up a manufacturing plant in Maharashtra

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

Bajaj Auto is the world’s third-largest manufacturer of motorcycles and the largest manufacturer of three-wheelers

Two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government of Maharashtra to set up a manufacturing facility with a proposed investment of Rs 650 crore in Chakan, the biggest industrial corridor in western suburbs of Pune.

The facility is expected to start production in 2023 and will be utilised for manufacturing high-end KTM, Husqvarna and Triumph motorcycles as well as for electric vehicles starting with Chetak. The state government will facilitate Bajaj Auto in obtaining necessary permissions, registrations, approvals, clearances and fiscal incentives from the concerned departments as per existing policies.

Source: Social Media

“The proposed investment further reinforces the commitment of Bajaj Auto to the state of Maharashtra where the journey began,” the company said in a statement adding that it is being done in the year when Bajaj Auto celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Present in over 70 nations, Bajaj Auto is the world’s third-largest manufacturer of motorcycles and the largest manufacturer of three-wheelers. 

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Exclusive Online Nutrition Portal Clocks a Large Revenue within 3 years

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

HealthXP started as an online store is now expanding to the offline market

Nutrition Supplements have gained popularity among the Indian population for a few years now. This gain in popularity increased the demand for these supplements. To provide to this rising demand, many new players entered the market. One of those players was HealthXp. 

In 2014, HealthXP started its journey in the industry as an e-commerce platform seller under the name Xpresshop. They started their business as a reseller of premium nutritional supplements on e-commerce portals like Amazon and Flipkart. Soon, these platforms were crowded with foreign and local products and sellers. Confusion among the customers was created as to the type and brand of products to buy. There were too many products and very little information about those products.

The First Stepping Stone

To overcome this challenge, HealthXP realized a need for a stand-alone portal. In 2017, they came up with an online portal: HealthXP.in. Alongside, they also started their first store in Bandra, Mumbai. This year marked to be a milestone for HealthXP. The driving factor for starting an online portal was to build the trust of customers. They believe in  Authenticity and Transparency. This is what makes them stand apart from other brands and platforms. The website is completely informative and user friendly as well. 

A Major Milestone

In 2019, HealthXP introduced its own line of products named HealthXP. This was another major milestone for HealthXP. All the products of the in-house brand are made in India. They are also way more affordable than imported products. This decision was taken in order to become a part of the ‘Make in India’ movement. All the products are made from scratch in India itself. It also among the top-selling brands of the website. 

Franchising with HealthXP

Franchising has been the next step towards growth for HealthXP. Franchising with HealthXP comes with a set of benefits. They connect the franchisees directly to the importers. The franchisees have the complete freedom to choose products among the complete inventory as per their wish. The franchisees get to cash out the goodwill already created by HealthXP. The marketing cost is minimal as they also add the store to their list of nearby stores. By default, authenticity and affordability are a benefit to the franchisee. They also get extra margins on products of the in-house brand: HealthXP.

HealthXP charges Rs. 3,00,000 per year as the Franchisee fees for a period of 5 years. According to the set standards, a new Franchisee is supposed to purchase goods worth 8,00,000 in first order to fulfil and place the stores according to Healthxp standards.

Big Numbers and Vision

HealthXp started off as a company with a 5 crore revenue. Over time, the company and the brand grew. With achieving each milestone, the revenue kept increasing and new ideas kept taking birth. Within a span of 3 years, HealthXP went from 5 to 50 crores. In March 2020, they crossed the 50 crore mark as well. Franchising with HealthXP provides loads of benefits. It also provides a chance for others to grow along with them. 

“Our vision is to service customers by procuring genuine and authentic products at affordable prices. Apart from this, we are keeping our focus completely on the Sports and Health Nutrition category and also engaging

customers with our counselling program which includes customized workout & diet plan from professional trainers.”

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K Surendran has welcomed the move by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan

K Surendran has welcomed the move by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Press Releases

Kerala BJP President K Surendran has welcomed the move by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to reject the Speaker’s recommendation

Governor A special Assembly session to pass a resolution rejecting farm laws, which was passed by both Houses of the Parliament and signed by the President. “The move by the ruling-opposition alliance to humiliate democracy was unconstitutional.

Attempts to destroy the country’s federal system are not good for Kerala. Ruling-opposition front, which was affected by political blindness, was embarrassing Kerala,” K Surendran in a press release. BJP senior leader and MLA O Rajagopal has said that the stand of Kerala Governor, who crushed the move of the ruling party and the Opposition to destroy democracy, is “courageous”.

K Surendran has welcomed the move by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan - Digpu
Source – Mathrubhumi English

“The legislature does not have the power to question a law signed by the President, which is passed by a clear majority in both houses of the Indian Parliament. The speaker was trying to do something beyond his powers. The governor, who is responsible for protecting the constitution, blocked this attempt is the victory of democracy,” Rajagopal said.

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India’s Active Caseload slumps below 3 lakh; lowest in 163 days

India’s Active Caseload slumps below 3 lakh; lowest in 163 days

by | Dec 23, 2020 | Press Releases

Active Caseload retracts to less than 3% of the Total Cases

Less than 20,000 daily New Cases lowest in 173 days

Delhi –

India has registered several landmark achievements in the fight against the global pandemic today.

India’s active caseload has fallen below 3 lakh(2,92,518)today.The share of Active Cases in the total Positive Cases has further shrunk below 3% to 2.90%. This is lowest after 163 days.  The total active cases were 2,92,258 on 12th July, 2020.

A net decline of 11,121cases has been recorded in the total active cases in last 24 hours.

India has achieved a new low in daily cases. Less than 20,000 daily new cases (19,556)were added to the national tally in the last 24 hours after 173 days. The new added cases were 19,148 on 2ndJuly, 2020.

India’s active cases per million population are amongst the lowest in the world (219). The figure is much higher for countries like USA, Italy, Brazil, Turkey and Russia.

The total recovered cases have crossed 96 lakhs (96,36,487) which translates to a Recovery Rate of 95.65%. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases continues to grow and presently stands at 93,43,969.

30,376 cases have recovered in the last 24 hours. New recoveries have been exceeding the new cases continuously since last 25 days.

The high level of testing on a daily basis combined with high levels of recoveries along with steadily declining new cases have led to a slide in the mortality rate.

Image

75.31% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs.

Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries with 6,053 recoveries. Kerala follows with 4,494 new recoveries. West Bengal recorded another 2,342 daily recoveries.

75.69% of the new cases are concentrated in 10 States and UTs.

Kerala reported the maximum daily new cases numbering 3,423 in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra recorded 2,834 new cases while West Bengal reported 1,515 new cases yesterday.

Ten States/UTs account for 76.74% of the 301case fatalities reported in the past 24 hours.

18.27% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra which reported 55 deaths. West Bengal and Kerala follow with 41 and 27 new deaths, respectively.

Source : PIB

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The passenger from the UK test Covid-19 positive

by | Dec 23, 2020 | Press Releases

Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan on Tuesday said, Passenger from UK Covid-19 positive, but not confirmed if it’s a new variant

Amid rising concerns over the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus in the UK, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan on Tuesday said that a man who arrived from the country tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, but added that it is not confirmed if he is infected with the new variant of the virus.

“We are testing for COVID-19 passengers of flights originating or halting in the UK. One such passenger tested positive yesterday. It’s incorrect to presume that he is infected with the UK variant of COVID. We will send his samples to NIV in Pune,” said Radhakrishnan.

Source: Social Media

He added that state authorities are also identifying the people who travelled to the UK in the last 10 days and ensuring they all test negative in RT-PCR testing.

On December 20, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had informed the public that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been found in the UK.

“Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned,” he had tweeted

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IT, pharma stocks lift market sentiment, HCL Tech top gainer

by | Dec 23, 2020 | Press Releases

The National Stock Exchange were in the positive terrain with Nifty IT advancing by 3.3 per cent, pharma by 2.2 per cent, metal by 1.3 per cent and auto by 0.8 per cent.

Equity benchmark indices closed nearly 1 per cent higher on Tuesday in an extremely volatile session as investors weighed the impact of a new strain of Covid-19 on global economic recovery.

Fresh lockdowns in Britain and concerns over the near-term growth impact dampened investor sentiment worldwide. Indian markets, however, defied that trend. The BSE S&P Sensex closed 453 points or 0.99 per cent higher at 46,007 while the Nifty 50 edged up by 138 points or 1.03 per cent to 13,466.
All sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were in the positive terrain with Nifty IT advancing by 3.3 per cent, pharma by 2.2 per cent, metal by 1.3 per cent and auto by 0.8 per cent.

Among stocks, HCL Technologies gained by 5.3 per cent to close at Rs 917 per share. Tech Mahindra was up by 4.1 per cent, Infosys by 3.6 per cent and Wipro by 2.9 per cent.

Adani Ports ticked up by 5.5 per cent to Rs 468.90 per share while Sun Pharma added gains of 2.6 per cent to wind up the day at Rs 566.90 per unit.
GAIL, Power Grid Corporation and Nestle India too close with gains of over 2.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, European stocks steadied in early trade after heavy losses a day earlier sparked by fears over a highly infectious new strain of Covid-19 as Washington approved an 892 billion dollar pandemic relief package.
But Asian shares slipped with Japan’s Nikkei down by 1.04 per cent and Hang Seng by 1.03 per cent.

The new strain of coronavirus, said to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the original, caused travel chaos and raised the prospect of food shortages days before Britain is set to leave the European Union.

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