Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (Hyderabad) have developed a low-power device that can monitor electrocardiogram (ECG) and alert patients and doctors in real-time about the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Cardiovascular Diseases top the list of public health concerns compared to other diseases and have almost become the primary cause of human deaths, as per a survey of the World Health Organization (WHO). The main causes include changings trend in lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, tobacco usage, low fruit, and vegetable intake and lack of physical activity and a lot of stress.

These factors necessitate developing a personalized CVD monitoring device powered by battery backup and with a very low form factor to achieve unobtrusiveness that works under the emerging cyber-physical system setup.

This area was researched by a team comprising Mr. Vemishetty Naresh. Ph.D. Research Scholar, Advanced Embedded Systems and IC Design Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, and Dr. Amit Acharyya, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering.

As a proof of concept demonstration, the researchers have taken healthy and various unhealthy cases from the Physionet database to validate the proposed method. Their research has been published recently in the peer-reviewed international journal Scientific Reports, online open access, scientific journal published by prestigious Nature Research.

Speaking about the importance of this research, Dr. Amit Acharyya, said, “CVD is one of the deadliest diseases and irrespective of the economy of the country people are getting affected by it. It is manifested in different forms necessitating the early diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. Hence the proposed work on the classification is going to be of immense help for the society.”

In addition, they also worked on developing different classification techniques and integrating them to make a generic algorithm. A novel System-On-Chip (SoC) architecture is developed in a low complex way by resource sharing concept for the CVD automation. Thus the whole system can cover various ECG abnormalities and finally come up with the prototype board which looks similar to as a smartphone at the patient end.

Speaking about their plans to take this research to benefit the society at large, Mr. Vemishetty Naresh said: “There was an exponential increment in human mortality rate, due to the delayed diagnosis, lack of proper distribution of health care facilities and prognosis centers in the vicinity. There is a need of a robust automated device for the early detection of the vital abnormal ECG signals in chronic CVD patients.”

Access to CVD care in India is relatively poor due to the fact that the primary health care system in India has largely been focused towards the management of communicable diseases, maternal and child health care. Considering the statistics of CVD deaths, the integration of CVD preventive care in the primary healthcare centers in India requires special attention, with a need for innovative models in health promotion.

Cardiovascular diseases healthcare monitoring systems have gained significant importance in recent years owing to their tremendous challenge for portable personal health analysis. With the consideration of portable remote monitoring, it is necessary to develop the remote CVD device having low form factor, consuming minimal power for the prolonged battery life and the device should be reliable enough to extract the significant clinical features for the cardiovascular diseases classification and prediction at an affordable cost.

This work was partly supported by Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India under the ‘Internet of Things (IoT) Research of Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (ICPS) Programme,’ with the Project entitled ‘IOT Based Holistic Prevention and Prediction of CVD (i-PREACT).’

‘I Heard You Paint Houses’, asks Al Pacino in the 56-seconds teaser of ‘The Irishman’ that was launched by Netflix nine months ago, directed by Martin Scorsese. The sentence was a hint to the movie’s plot. Actually, It’s a narrative non-fiction written by the former defense attorney and investigator Charles Brandt in 2004  that documents the life of an Irish mob hitman, Frank Sheeran, who confesses bone-chilling details of killing James Riddle Hoffa, aka Jimmy Hoffa, whose sudden disappearance became a legend and a mysterious tale in the mid-70s in the United States. Jimmy Hoffa in 60s and early 70s was a powerful labor union leader and the President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, IBT. ‘The Irishman’ is based on the book, ‘I Heard You Paint Houses’. 

‘The Irishman’ was the most-anticipated movie of the year as Martin Scorsese pulls off a classic reunion with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. It clearly is the most ambitious project of Scorsese as Al and De Niro have co-starred for the fourth time in their Hollywood career after Godfather II 1974, Heat 1995 and Righteous Kill in 2008. However, they never shared screens in the same frame in Godfather-II and only for 10 minutes out of 170 in the movie ‘Heat’, the famous ‘diner scene’. 

Frank Sheeran

‘The Irishman’ starts with a timeless melancholic melody ‘In the still of night’ written by Fred Perris {The Satins} in 1955. Frank Sheeran {Robert De Niro} narrates the story sitting in an old-age home. 

A World War II veteran, Frank, is a truck driver who exports beef for a private company lands up in trouble over the charges of theft as he supplies beef secretly to the rival side that saves extra dime for him. He consults a lawyer, Bill Bufalino {Ray Romano} to get away with this. Bill is the cousin of mobster Russell Bufalino {Joe Pesci}, whom Sheeran already had met once met at a gas station before getting introduced by his lawyer Bill in a bar.

The plot unfolds in a bit nonlinear projection like we see in the Scorsese’s movies Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street but I would hesitate say Tarantino’s or Christopher Nolan’s way, they are extreme. 

Loyalty 

Sheeran opens up to Russell about his past life, his role in WWII under a General named Patton. Bufalino finds a loyal man in Frank Sheeran and assigns him some ‘side jobs’ like trafficking trucks filled with arsons. Sheeran also whacks people on the cue of his boss Russell. Every time he kills, mostly on point blank, he throws the weapon in a river which he describes as, ‘..there is a spot in the Schuylkill River, everybody uses it. Today if they send divers down there, they’d be able to arm a small country.’

The scene jumps where Russell and Sheeran with their wives are driving in Russell’s car to the wedding of Bill Bufalino’s daughter. The car trip helps narrator Sheeran to return to the events. There are interludes of the Presidential election in the US and the tensions between Fidel Castro led Cuban revolutionary rebels and the US army. 

Rise of Hoffa and Guilt of Sheeran 

Sheeran first talks to Jimmy Hoffa {Al Pacino} over the telephone when Hoffa asks, ‘I heard you paint houses.’ Sheeran in his narration says that ‘Hoffa in 60s was like Elvis’, and ‘in 70s he was like ‘The Beatles’. Jimmy is a towering personality and loved. He is a charming, short-tempered and hot head leader of the union. He never wants the Democrat John F Kennedy to be the President of the US, unlike his friends and other union members. Sitting with his family, he abuses JFK and the other Irishman in the same breath as Kennedy wins the election and becomes the 35^th President of the US. Threatened by the change in the status quo of his union, Hoffa in public speeches persuaded people to unite against the government and big businesses as they were on to tear apart the union.

In the early scenes, Sheeran’s daughter Peggy (Lucy Gallina as a child and Anna Paquin as an adult) don’t feel very highly of her father. One scene where Sheeran thrashes a nearby grocery guy for allegedly shoving Peggy. It was the turning point of events in Peggy’s life. She hardly has spoken two-three sentences in the film but her eyes filled with pity and remorse for the evils of his father is evident that she didn’t like him. You might think that women in the movie are inconsequential, rightly so, but the silence of Peggy is worth thousand words and actions that drive Sheeran feel inferior to the world and Hoffa. Peggy was in awe of Hoffa. She treats him like a father figure, which she never could for her own father. Usually silent and tensed, Peggy giggles and spends time with Jimmy Hoffa. It irks Sheeran but he couldn’t do anything. Meanwhile, Russell too tries to be amicable with the little Peggy but fails. 

Joe Pesci Quiet Return Is Exemplary

‘The Irishman’ has some similarities to the Scorsese’s classic mob epic, Goodfellas {1990}. But there is less violence than Goodfellas. Joe Pesci’s character of Russell Bufalino is a cool-headed mob leader who doesn’t show off his power to the wise guys. Unlike Pesci played short-tempered and fragile mob character in Casino and Goodfellas, he and quiet and savage as Russell in ‘The Irishman’. He was out of the business of movies for quite some time. Pesci’s quiet and pious return to screens might leave you awestruck at the acting prowess of this brilliant actor. There is still left in his tank. The last scene where he says to his friend Sheeran, ‘I am going to Church.’ Thereafter he goes to the graveyard.

Frank Sheeran is at the center of the play but always away from the epicenter of the main events. He is more like a contract killer who enjoys the patronage of mobsters, referred as wise guys among the others. He is loyal only to his boss Russell. Once a wise guy, Joe Gallo aka Crazy Joe misbehaves with Russell in a bar, Sheeran recreates a masterpiece to kill Joe inside a diner where he was celebrating his birthday with family. Crazy Joe was mentioned even in Goodfellas when Henry narrates the flashback of the crime in New York. 

Racist Slur

Jimmy Hoffa was charged of fraud by the federal agencies and sent to jail right after the assassination of JF Kennedy. Inside there he meets Anthony Provenzano {Stephen Graham}, nicknamed ‘Tony Pro’, whom Hoffa isn’t very fond me. Long simmering tension between the two escalates inside the jail when Hoffa addresses Pro, ‘You People’, which Tony Pro takes as a ‘racist slur’ and punches Hoffa a several times in his face. 

Hoffa gets the Presidential Pardon and his parole as Richard Nixon elected as the new President. And it ignites the fall of Hoffa

Betrayal of Sheeran and Fall of Jimmy Hoffa

Four years out of business, he was overpowered by Fitz  {his aide} with the support of Tony Pro. Hoffa in an attempt to get the control of the union back disappoints a lot of his friends and enemies. Russell tries to convince him to not rebel for the union President post and step down. Adamant of his motive, Hoffa refuses every suggestion coming his way.

The car trip scene comes in and meanwhile Russell in the commanding tone orders Frank to do the thing for Hoffa. He says that he tried his best to persuade Hoffa to step down but Hoffa was too stubborn to listen. A meeting in the name of compromise was fixed by the mobsters. It was all a plot to eliminate Hoffa. Frank was briefed about the plan. He was sent to Detroit by a plane. Hoffa expected meet his loyal man Sheeran before the meeting was scheduled. But Sheeran overrides him and goes straight to the place where the set up was done. He meets Jimmy Hoffa there. Hoffa complains why Sheeran didn’t show up early to pick him up. Sheeran says there was a change in plan. They reach the place. Hoffa, confident and brave, goes inside the house first followed by Sheeran. He sees no one there. Hoffa asks Sheeran to leave quick. Hoffa turns to the door. Sheeran follows. He picks out a gun from his waist and shoots Jimmy Hoffa in his head point blank. Hoffa disappeared. 

Scorsese’s Masterpiece

Frank Sheeran in last scene is filled with remorse, guilt and pity for his deeds. He confesses to a Bishop of a church. He wants to talk to his daughter Peggy too but she ends all relations with her father after the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, who she adored and loved.

The real-life story of gangsters is more than a mob epic. It is also more than a tale of loyalty vs betrayal. 

A 3 hours 28 mins movie can be boring, particularly if it not in the form of Series on Netflix, but Martin Scorsese in ‘The Irishman’ has pulled off a real masterpiece by not letting any loose ends in the script, meticulously written by Steven Zaillian. This melancholic mob epic is so far the most ambitious project of Scorsese. 

(‘I Heard You Paint Houses’: This actually is a type of mob code. Sheeran didn’t paint houses, ever. ‘Paint houses’ means killing people and leave the stains of blood on the floor and walls.)

Smart classes and mobile technology is not only transforming education in highly paid private schools of metropolitan cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, but it is gradually making inroads in the government schools set up in the backward and rural areas of Rajasthan. 

Pragyan, a project launched in 2018 by EdIndia Foundation in collaboration with the Rajasthan Council of School Education, is gradually transforming the learning environment in 100 schools of Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur districts of the State by use of technology through educational audiovisual (AV) content on smart TV and mobile App. 

Pragyan focuses on positively impacting the quality of teachers and teaching methodology to make classrooms more interactive with teachers using simple technological tools to prepare for classes and teaching through e-content to encourage students to inquire, ask questions and develop critical thinking ability instead of rote learning.

Under the Pragyan project smart classrooms have been set up in 100 schools of Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur. Each school has been provided a 32” smart TV, internet router and Pragyan mobile App for teachers for accessing e-content for English, Maths and Hindi for classes 2^nd to 5^th. The e-content is based on state government textbooks while mobile App provides content for teachers to plan and prepare, including lesson plans, activity ideas, worksheets and for students content videos and power points. Pragyan also provides mobile based virtual classroom sessions for teachers and is making efforts to enhance teachers knowledge and expertise in ICT on Tech-pedagogy. The project was rolled out in August, 2018 when EdIndia signed a three year MoU with RCSCE and since then about 250 teachers and 5500 students have been positively impacted in the state, informed Pallav Tiwari, head of Pragyan project. 

 Teachers associated with the project shared how Pragyan has impacted teaching and learning in schools. “For past one year I have been associated with Pragyan and teaching Maths has become fun now with students being interested in the subject. I have attended workshops and prepare daily for teaching in the classroom by going through the videos on various lessons on Pragyan mobile app and use it to explain students in simple language with examples from their life. Even complicated topics such as fractions explained to students through educational videos on smart TV giving them clarity of the subject. This way classroom has become interesting with focus shifting from maintaining discipline to make students curious and encourage them to ask questions and develop critical thinking ability. It has also impacted the board result of class fifth students,” shared Rekha Batra, teacher in the Government Upper Primary School, Narsimhmapur Mahal, Jagatpura.

Shankuntala, head mistress of the school who teaches English, said that educational videos have made it easier for students to grasp the concept and learn the subject. “The workshop organized by Pragyan made us aware of the new methods of teaching. Despite time constraint due to my BLO duties, I make a point to go through the lessons shared on Pragyan mobile app so as to learn new ways of teaching which makes students interested in the subject. Now I encourage students to make simple sentences in English about the things and people around them by using the words that they have learnt in smart class through animated videos. Even for writing essays instead of dictating, I encourage students to make sentences on any topic by looking at the objects around them. They may even make sentences in Hindi and then translate it into English, she said. However, initially Shakuntala had faced resistance from parents who were apprehensive about the use of television by school. When she explained and even showed them that the TV would only show educational content, they relented. 

Sushila Dhabai, Maths Teacher in GUPS, Sindhi Sanganer School, was earlier very sceptical about use of technology, but gradually has warmed to the idea. Encouraged with the response of students, she now even makes her own videos of teaching through smart classes and sharesthem to get feedback from Pragyan team. She is also encouraging other teachers to join the mobile App to make their teaching more effective.

“When Project Pragyan started I thought it is more admin related work that will burden us. I also had resistance to technology being never much compatible with use of smart phone and TV. However, following regular support of Pragyan team members and workshops organized by them, I now understand the utility of e-content in classrooms. Earlier, Í used to base my preparation only on textbooks and teaching used to be monotonous. Also, I could never get whether students have actually learned the concept or not.Now I use technology without any hesitation. Through smart classroom I now use simple animation videos on dividing chocolates to teach complicated topics like fraction.It has become easyand fun for me and students also comprehend easily. So, our job has become simple and result has improved with our school being awarded for 100% result,” Sushila shared.

Concurring with her, Rinku Jain, English Teacher in the Government Girls Upper Primary School, Sec -3, Pratap Nagar, said, “Since Pragyan has started working with us technology has become a regular component of my day-to-day classroom practice. English learning had never looked that easy with the blended mix of regular teaching and e content being played on Smart TV.”

 Noticing the growing interest of students in smart classroom, Ritu Rani, Head Mistress of GUPS, Tiba Sheopur has arranged one more Smart TV from another source so that students could get maximum benefit. Ram Dayal, Maths teacher at GUPS, Dehlawas, shared that smart classrooms have made management of students easier for schools.  “With the limited number of rooms available for us in an upper primary school, there was challenge to manage and run classes. Tougher it gets when we struggle to teach different topics for three classes in a single room. With the Smart class in place, we now select and use AV content which can cater to the needs of all three classes where class 3^rd student is also engaged along with class 4^{th  and} 5^th in the same subject,” he shared.

Lalita Gupta, Head Mistress of a Sanskrit school with 189 students, found that the oral learning of students has improved through smart classes. Their grasping of grammar is better. Maths teacher Shyama of the school found the activities conducted by Pragyan team members very helpful not only for maths, but even for learning topics in Hindi.

Ayan Chatterjee, Head of EdIndia Foundation, said that EdIndia believes that technology can change the education landscape of India. It is envisaging to create sustainable educational interventions leveraging ‘viable technology’ to mitigate the effects of unavailability of municipal teachers, while leveraging key teachers in reaching out to larger student audiences. It focuses on government education system to help teachers equip with child centred pedagogy and impact student learning by building conceptual understanding and developing critical thinking skills. It is leveraging the use of virtual classroom infrastructure to provide ongoing professional learning and development to teachers and students. Regular monitoring and assessment of teachers’ performance is done using an 18 point indicator framework using e-tools. Apart from Pragyan, EdIndia had set up Virtual classrooms in 480 schools of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai in 2012. Currently, it runs the Data Support project in 1500 government as well as government aided schools in Mumbai. This project leverages data analytics to convert data based on student’s assessment into usable dashboards for informed decision making. 

Actor and director Dheeraj has been running one of the top YouTube channels of the country which is about to join the ace digital league. His journey has not been an easy one having to face a number of hurdles but leaving no stone unturned Dheeraj had an aim and was on to complete it. YouTube content creation has always been a task to accomplish having tremendous competition in the market but the ones gaining excellence in this field would succeed. A similar story is the one of Dheeraj who has aced the YouTube content creation by polishing his skills and nurturing them for something big. He has his YouTube Channel By Name Karam Jale and He Is Making funny Videos For many Years. In A Interview He Said That He Didn’t Start YouTube For Money His Mission is To Spread Happiness And He Is Achieving Big Goals.

Some Of His Videos Got Viral Over Internet Like ‘ Desi People Always Rock ‘ Which Got 17M Views and Video Named ‘Waqt sabka Badlta Hai ‘ Got 21M Views On You Tuber And His Most Viral Video With Over 40+Million Views Is Named As don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover. Today he has achieved a commendable position in the digital market world and has a number of big-budget projects in the pipeline. Dheeraj today owns one of the top YouTube channels in India with 2 Million plus subscribers and millions of views on his channel making him a digital sensation. His content truly is the king of the digital market with maximum viewers generated.

A computer professional who turned to fashion designing, Kiren Sandhu says her label is a success due to sheer hard work and perseverance.

There are a lot of minds that work together on an ensemble you see your favourite actor or singer togged in both onscreen and off it. Most celebrities have stylists and all stylists have favourite designers. When it comes to the Punjabi entertainment industry, a young designer from Mohali seems to be emerging as a favourite. Her designs have been spotted on Punjabi singers and actors like Sara Gurpal, Himanshi Khurana, Nimrat Khaira, Oshin Brar, Kanika Mann, Anmol Gagan. Maan, Ankita Sharma and lately Jasmine Sandlas. So how did a 24-year-old fashion designer from Mohali become so popular in a short span of time, we find out.

Young and restless

Just four years ago, Kiren Sandhu was an assistant professor teaching computer engineering at the Rayat Bahra University in Kharar. Coming from a family of educationists, pursuing a career in education was expected of her. But Sandhu’s family and friends were well aware of her passion for fashion design. “Back in Hoshiarpur where I studied, we only wore Punjabi suits. I was always designing my own outfits,” Sandhu tells us. And it didn’t go unnoticed. “My relatives and friends would ask me to design for them too,” Sandhu smiles. So she began drawing sketches and approaching tailors to stitch them for her. “It was really exhausting. I would come back from college and then make rounds to the market to buy fabric and embellishments and then head to the tailor.”

Keen to help girls open their own boutiques, Kiren Sandhu decided to start her own training centre.

Traditional as USP

“I love colour and I love traditional Punjabi suits and that became my USP,” admits Sandhu who spent a couple of years building her portfolio. The attention from NRI clients was very welcoming. “I think the fact that I designed traditional suits with a hint of contemporary styling appealed to most of them,” says the designer who continued to deliver orders without having a permanent staff of workers.

Going Online

Buoyed by the response to her creations, Sandhu decided to launch her eponymous label via social media. “I would put up photos of my work and get responses. Initially, it was very slow. There would be a lot of likes but that didn’t always materialise into orders,” informs Sandhu. But those were early days. Today, her Instagram and Facebook accounts have a sizeable following. “It was when celebrities starting posting their photos on social media wearing my outfits that I truly got noticed,” admits the designer. She remembers the day popular singer Jasmine Sandlas called her and asked for four outfits for the shoot of her song ‘Laddu’.

Graduating to a studio

Ask any struggling fashion design student what they dream of and you realise they all aspire to start a successful label and studio of their own. For Sandhu it was no different. “I was overwhelmed with work especially from the Punjabi entertainment industry. I realised I needed to have my own space and team. I needed to go professional,” says Sandhu who is now based in Phase 3A in Mohali. While setting up shop, Sandhu realised that it was important to have her own workshop. “I never realised that at such an early age I would be able to offer employment to someone else,” she beams.

Giving back

Keen to help girls open their own boutiques, Sandhu decided to start her own training centre. “The training is designed like an internship programme,” says Sandhu who is looking to open her studio in Jalandhar and Ludhiana soon. “Given the response from overseas, I should be able to open my store in Toronto, Canada in the next two years,” says the young entrepreneur who is raring to go.

The best investment is to invest in your dreams and of course on yourself. Making his dreams turn into reality, Arham Surana is a young dynamic social media influencer who started working at a very early age of 16. His passion for sharing knowledge drove him to explore different horizons of the internet and experiment with new things on the web. At an age when his friends partied, Arham took a different path of working and making his living. He has consistently been working towards his goal and has helped many brands and entrepreneurs grow their network by building their great social media presence through his unique marketing skills. “I have sacrificed few years of partying for decades of freedom”, says Surana.

Though he has brought up in the UAE, he over the years built great connections there. He also improved his English fluency which helped him get many international clients on board. Talking about gaining success, Arham said, “One must sacrifice his leisure time and work hard to live life like a king. Give 5 years of your time now and hustle as much as you can because I believe this is the time a person can go his way out and make a lot of money. I would say that I sacrificed some good things to get the best things in life and I am really happy about it.” Starting from scratch, he is surely progressing fast and is one of the budding marketers in today’s time. 

What to post at what time on which platform has seen his clients getting the right exposure on social media. With having a lot of recognized international clients and brands, he has established a network of 10 million to promote the brands he has been associated with. Hard work, determination, and sacrifice in life have made his dreams a reality and Arham Surana believes that he is a student by the day and a businessman by the night. Achieving so much at this young age has made the young guy one of the successful social media marketers today.

In small towns, relationships are basis for strong businesses. When the entire country is going digital, our small businesses are left out and need inclusion. They do have smartphones and access to internet but smart business solutions that understand their problem and can create a difference in their lives is missing. A study says that 97% users use mobile phones to access internet and yet the percentage of digitization of small and micro enterprises in minuscule.

Currently, there are more than 60Mn MSMEs in the country, 15Mn+ Kirana stores and yet enterprises using digital solutions to manage business are less than 10%. The retail is pegged to grow to $1Tn by 2020 and traditional trade will still be the largest contribution. Every day a traditional retailer uses a minimum an hour and a half to manage his red colour khata bahi. At the end of every month, he again takes out the red color khata bahi and begins the mammoth task of tallying all his hisaab kitaab. It again takes him hours and hours to reconcile all the balances, let alone the task of recovery from all his stakeholders. This is not only tedious and time taking; it is manual and can be erroneous as well. Now, imagine the efforts that the entire country’s MSME population is putting in this – millions of hours of time and energy are getting wasted in something this mundane and that too when India is known around the world for the rich technical capital/manpower it has. This millions of time and energy saved every day will be utilized in things like expansion of business, acquiring skills, alternative education, better family and social life so on and so forth. 

Mera Cashier is an application which has basic features like adding customers, managing their transactions, sending SMS and payment reminders. While all these are basic must to have features, Mera Cashier has many smart features also. A user can set the credit risk limit of a customer and managing his credit risk and working capital inflow. He can monitor dashboard for timely recover, user QR scan facility to make an efficient use of his limited time and create offers and spread amongst his customer base ensuring footfall and increase in revenues. Considering that data is the new fuel. Mera Cashier empowers the small and micro enterprises to use their own data to help them expand business, minimize risk, rotate working capital efficiently all over their mobile phones in the comfort of their shop/stores. 

It is a freely available app on play store. Currently we are at 90000+ downloads on play store in less than 5 months of operations. Our users love our app and give us constant feedback and appreciation. Our founder Suneel Kumar has grown in up Baraut, a tier 3/4 city in UP. Even though he shifted to Delhi/NCR, he always had a dream of giving back to the society that has given him his roots and identity. A seasoned Chartered Accountant himself, believes in inclusion and has a vision of making the app reachable to all corners of the country and enabling and empowering those businessmen who have been underserved by the markets. Only true inclusion will make the country a superpower in coming decades. 

Music is an integral part of India; our music has grown a lot in terms of popularity. Our music has reached many top countries in the world. The rise of Indian music and singers is a good sign for our next-gen singers. With the growing music industry, we are finding some gem of singers who are ruling social media platforms to every music chart and on television too. 

Out of the top list of next-gen singers, we found Abhishek Mendiratta as a classic vocal artist who is ruling youtube and other social media platforms with his fresh voice. His new song “Love you” got, and fantastic response as more than 2,198,805 viewed and enjoyed his song — Woohoo that’s not a small number. His rising popularity is an alarm to top-notch singers of India. 

Abhishek Mendiratta and Nikhil Mehndiratta is famous as AbhiNikks on social media platforms like Instagram, Youtube, and other social media platforms. Their Oye Hoye song was also and superhit song. They are young and energetic lad loves music more than anything else in their life.

Abhi has chocolaty looks with a fantastic voice; His vocals, lyrics, and style are similar to Honey Singh … nd we can say very soon Abhinikks will rule in Bollywood , their voice is loved by millions not only in India but worldwide. They are a next-gen singer who is perfect in every department. Abhishek Mendiratta knows that only singing can not work in today’s time if you have to grow globally. He works on his looks remains fit and fab to look perfect on screen and also in events, concerts and other places.

Growth of talent like Abhishek Mendiratta and Nikhil Mehndiratta (AbhiNikks ) is a win-win for Bollywood and Indian music as this kind of singers give us global fan following, which means more money in Indian music. 

They have sung many songs in the past few years and many more are going to come in 2020. According to the sources, they are going to collaborate with many big names for albums and movies. Here’s wishing talented singer and star performer Abhishek Mendiratta and Nikhil Mehndiratta (Abhinikks) all the best for the future, we hope that they make us proud with their lovely voice and energetic performances.

Engineering in India is one of the most opted courses that open up a wide arena of options for students to explore. When we look through the prism of courses and its reach, there is a close association between Engineering and Bangalore. Well, we are not oblivious of the fact that Bangalore is anointed the tag of Silicon Valley of India, with most IT and software companies located in this garden city.

Being a cosmopolitan city, it has been continually attracting many individuals from across India and globe who come down to the city in the quest of job opportunities and, more importantly, education. So, let’s see how Bangalore presents engineering aspirants with a broader view of the IT city and why enrolling in top engineering colleges in Karnataka can bring on a lucrative turn to your future.

Why Choose Bangalore Over Other Cities for Pursuing Engineering?

As per studies, Banglore in Karnataka ranks among the top chosen cities for pursuing an education in fields of engineering and management. The city is the hub of maximum software companies in the country and prides itself on its stupendous transportation and basic amenities.

All these points, when combined, bring us to the fore of reasons regarding what makes the city an ideal stop for pursuing engineering courses. 

Advantages of Pursuing Engineering from Karnataka

The state of Karnataka houses over 293 engineering colleges, comprising of 238 private and 55 government colleges. Each college witnesses a huge number of enrollments every year, along with many reputed companies offering recruitment through campus placement. Some of the top names include Google, Deloitte, IBM, CISCO, and much more, with an approximate starting package of 7 to 9 lakhs.

Opens Up a River of Opportunities

The state of Karnataka possesses several top engineering colleges that present to students a vast option and numerous branches to pursue in engineering. Along with being tagged as the IT capital of India, Bangalore increases the prospects in the field of engineering, IT, and other programs after their completion.

Quality Education and a Hub for Illustrious Colleges

Bangalore in Karnataka is known as the hub of top premier engineering colleges in India. These backed by a world-class education, faculties with professional backing. Occasional technical seminars make it one of the most prestigious destinations to pursue engineering. Additionally, some of the colleges also offer scholarships to meritorious students that make it more beneficial for those who wish to pursue engineering.

How to Manage Expenses When Studying Engineering in Bangalore?

Often we come across the thought of managing finances during the stay. Read on the quick top tips that can help in managing the expenses:

Picking the Right College

Choosing the right college and gaining an idea of their fee structure can help to strategize finances. So, here are enlisted top five colleges offering quality education and their fee structure:

• University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering
  

One of the top noted engineering colleges in Bangalore, is a public university established in the year 1917. The college offers B.E. in 8 specializations and M.E. in 11 specializations.

Average Fees – INR 22,430 to 30,000

• R.V. College of Engineering (RVCE)
  

Established in the year 1963, it is a private college that offers Bachelors and Masters programs. The college offers B.E. in 11 specializations, MCA, M.Tech in 20 fields and also M.Arch.

Average Fees – INR 53,000

• International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB)
  

Popularly known as IIITB, it is a deemed university established in the year 1999. The college offers admission to Integrated M.Tech in CSE and ECE, Masters and Research Programmes. The average fee of the integrated course is INR 1,56,000/-.

• Ramaiah Institute of Technology (RIT)
  

Formerly popular as M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, it is an autonomous private engineering institute established in the year 1962. The college offers specializations in engineering, architecture, management, biotechnology, computer science, and technology at UG, PG, and Doctorate level. The college offers B.E. in 12 specializations and M.Tech in 12 specializations.

Average fees – INR 66,000 to 1 lakh

• Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT)
  

BIT is a private university affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). Established in the year 1979, the college offers UG and PG programs in BE, M.Tech, and MBA. The college offers B.E in 8 specializations and M.Tech in 8 specializations.

Average Fees – INR 58,000 to 65,000

Quick Tips on Managing Daily Expenses

Staying away from family for studies and managing stuff is a part of a hard life, yet it is necessary. This way, one learns to manage things on their own. It is a wise idea to save some amount each month for rainy days or emergencies.

Rentals- Hostel/PG/Flat

As a student, the first thing that every student would look out for when coming to a foreign city is finding a house/PG/hostel on rent that can charge reasonable rent. In Bangalore, the charges tend to vary depending mainly on the area. A place nearby to college, the rent may be a bit on the higher side while a little far off, it will be less. It is just that how well one manages their pocket, rest is all sorted.

Food Crises

You do not have to worry if you have chosen a hostel over PGs and flats. They provide food at a lower price. Worry not, if PG or flat is your thing, the city houses numerous food joints and restaurants that serve delicious breakfasts and dinner at cheaper rates than would approximately cost 120 per person. For better saving, learn to cook, Maggi cannot be a lifesaver.

Electricity Bill- Say no to Lavish Life

The city has terrific weather that falls in favor of those when it comes to electricity. Only in peak summers, you may require cooler otherwise fan works all the months. This can very well help one in spending an average monthly electricity bill of INR 250 to 500 for a 1BHK house. January is the coldest month and April the hottest.

Transportation and Daily Costs- Use Public Transport

It is time to get smart. Use apps that give coupons and cashback on every transaction. Go for a family pack for things that are used often, and the expiry date is far away. For things that are rarely used, small packs would work.

Shop during sales and buy a monthly pass for transportation. Using public transport to your college or taking a monthly pass will help save a few bugs and manage finances well.

There is some good news for women, particularly those not having access to healthcare. The Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi has contributed in developing an Artificial Intelligence-powered point-of-care device to screen for cervical cancer. The device analyses microscopy images with high accuracy. This project has been taken up in collaboration with Aindra Systems Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru.

Cervical cancer is among the deadliest forms of cancer.  Early detection and treatment are vital for those diagnosed with cervical cancer.

The research was undertaken by a team led by Dr. Anil Sao and Dr. Arnav Bhavsar, Associate Professors, School of Computing and Electrical Engineering, IIT Mandi with their research scholars Ms. Srishti Gautam and Ms. Krati Gupta. The team, along with the industry collaborators, has developed AI-based algorithms that enables the device to undertake automatic screening for cervical cancer.

The gold standard in screening for cervical cancer is the ‘Pap smear test,’ in which, cells extracted from the cervix are examined by specialists using a microscope. While the Pap smear test has undoubtedly helped in early detection of cervical cancer, it involves subjective analysis and is associated with risks of false diagnoses; various research studies have shown the accuracy of the Pap smear test to range between 60 per cent and 85 per cent. 

Pap smear test has been the standard examination for testing for cervical cancer. However, the patients need to travel to the hospital for this test and this could be a problem, particularly in geographically distant areas or in regions without basic diagnostic infrastructure, there could be delays in interpreting results. 

Speaking about the practical advantages of the device created during this Research, Dr. Arnav Bhavsar said, “The difference between a conventional system and Aindra’s point-of-care system is that, the latter is portable and can be taken to the potential patients. In the conventional system, the people have to visit the pathology laboratory to get themselves screened.”

The researchers have applied for an international patent for the device and algorithm in 2016 and their research results have been published in many international journals and conference proceedings in the past two years.  The device prototypes are currently undergoing clinical testing at Kidwai Memorial Hospital, Bengaluru, Manipal Hospital, Karnataka and Raja Rajeswari Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru.  The accuracy of the developed prototypes has been consistently around 88 per cent.

The IIT Mandi team first analysed Pap smear images provided by the industrial partner, Aindra, and characterized them into ‘normal’ and ‘potentially cancerous.’ They developed a computer program that could differentiate between the two.

“We could demonstrate performance improvements over some of the contemporary methods, with relatively simpler, and arguably more efficient methods”, said Dr. Bhavsar.

The developed algorithm is based on the recent deep learning paradigm of artificial intelligence. The advantage of this type of program is that it can be used in situations where in one can encounter a large amount and variability in data.

Dr. Anil Sao said, “Given the shortage of pathologists in India, these algorithms will help in automating the process of screening Pap -Smear images. Thus, there will be a significant reduction in time spent by the pathologist, thereby reducing cost and improving the screening accuracy.”

The classification of cervical cells as normal or abnormal depends on the segmentation/differentiation of the nucleus of the cell.  The researchers have also developed an efficient pre-processing technique to detect cells in images, which were then subjected to the Convolution Neural Network algorithm, for accurate classification of cancer cells.

Work-related to this development is described in papers in the Workshop on Computational Pathology 2018, and in Proceedings of Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) 2018.