Search Results

Having a fast-bowling all-rounder in the team serves the best interest of any team. For long periods, Women in Blue lacked one such player who can bowl quicker and score some crucial runs for the time if and when required. But thankfully, in the form of Pooja Vastrakar , they found the perfect player who could do them both. Pooja is a gem who could rattle the batter with her quick deliveries while bowling and could make the quickest of deliveries land in stands. Popularly known as Chota Hardik, the star from Madhya Pradesh has justified her selection right in the first game against Pakistan. When India was in deep trouble, the duo of Rana and Vastrakar had a challenge of helping India to a good total, which they both gladly accepted. With Vastrakar leading the attack on spinners, the duo stitched a century's stand taking India to a good total. When a player of the match Vastrakar was asked how did she deal with the pressure, she just replied " I love playing in pressure situations. Whenever my team Madhya Pradesh was under pressure, my coach used to send me to bat. I love challenges". Her attitude of fighting against all the odds and accepting challenges might have come from her life. The now Indian star and household name Pooja's life was full of challenges. She lost her mother at the mere age of 10 years. At the age of 16, when she had received a national callup, she twisted her ankle in a domestic game, thereby forcing the team to drop her from the squad. In 2018, she finally made it to the playing eleven. She was also selected in the 2018 T20 world cup, but was once again injured in the warm-up, and had to miss the entire world cup. Injuries were always a part of her career. And being a fast bowler, these could've proved fatal. But the never giving up attitude of Pooja worked, and she improved her fitness to a greater extent and was selected in the 2020 world cup. Post that she made sure every opportunity she got, she made it count. Although an all-rounder, she was selected on the side as a specialist bowler. But the few people who had played with her knew her batting prowess. And in one-off matches, she was sent to bat at no5, where she did show her strokes. Playing for her domestic team, she had time and again displayed her quality of hitting long sixes and crunchy drives. In the recently concluded Challenger trophy, she led her team to the finals of the trophy, where she showed her all-around performance. It was due to this, she was given a chance in the world cup squad. And justifying her selection, she played a very mature knock in the first match of the tournament itself. Pooja, who loves to hit long sixes, didn't hit one in the match against Pakistan knowing the importance of her wicket. She played the Pakistan spinners well and her cut shots, her amazing cover drive was a treat to watch. In addition, her quick running between the wickets also added 20 odd runs more to the Indian team's scorecard. She seemed in little pain in the match, but fortunately for India, her injury was not serious. In the matches to come, she displayed her bowling ability taking wickets, and always ensured she kept the scorecard moving whenever she was on the crease while batting. Her all-around ability has tremendously helped the Indian side till now in this ongoing tournament. As of now, Vastrakar has scored 153 runs all-around and has taken 10 wickets. She is the highest wicket-taker for India and is in the hunt to become the highest one in the tournament. She has hit the longest six of the tournament which went to a distance of 81 metres. Till now, she has been the Trump Card for India's success. And Women in Blue would hope this player plays the most important knocks when the team is under pressure, just the way she likes to do it. If that happens, she will be the reason for bringing smiles to the faces of billions. One can hope it happens, but irrespective of it happens or not, one can be sure that this Trump Card of India will be one of the best fast bowling all-rounders of Women in Blue . Authored By:- Ashwin Jangam ( Cricket Analyst, Host and Entertainer) Instagram ID: https://www.instagram.com/cricket_creativity/

Predicting the future is a notoriously tricky business, but schools must do their best to prepare young people for the world of work that will welcome their graduates in a very few years. These emerging jobs will create high demand for both technology-oriented and more human-oriented opportunities that can fulfil people’s aspirations and potential. The jobs of tomorrow cluster around seven themes: 1. caring professions 2. data and Artificial Intelligence 3. engineering and cloud computing 4. green professions 5. marketing, sales and content 6. people and culture 7. product development Some of the more likely ‘hot jobs’ of the future include: • Medical transcriptionist • athletic trainers • exercise physiologists • data scientist • Big Data developer • insights analyst • site reliability engineer (cloud computing) • full-stack students engineer • Python developer • landfill system technician • wind turbine service technician • sustainability specialists • human resources partner • talent acquisition specialist • HR business partner • Quality Assurance tester • Agile coach • Scrum master • digital product owner • social media content producer • marketing growth hacker • customer specialist • chief commercial officer • creative copywriter What skills should schools be helping students to develop for full participation in the jobs marketplace being created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution? Some skills are familiar, having formed the backbone of learning and teaching in schools for many years. Students will always need to read, perceptively, write persuasively, and apply mathematical understanding practically –although now they must do so in digital, technology-rich environments (and with increasing degrees of sophistication). Learning multiple languages is a good idea; so is learning how to manage projects; how to lead and care for others; how to be an active, healthy individual. But there may need some new subjects in the curriculum, and some more attention to the development of opportunities for students to engage with real-world learning that helps prepare them for the world to come. Computers (or more specifically, computer-human interaction), to no one’s surprise, will be key. But data science, data visualization, data storage technologies, data literacy, and data analytics are brave new disciplines for most secondary schools. Allied health professions will be big. It will be important to inspire children with learning engagements that do shy away from the physical body and its care (even if what they learn is through advanced simulations). The creative arts will be ever-more central, and business/ entrepreneurial / management/ manufacturing career courses may need a refresh (and some long-overdue additional prestige). Education in the future: skills-oriented and non-traditional academic pathways Education for the future will likely be more skills-oriented, and less concerned with validating content knowledge. It will always be important to know things, but it is increasingly important to harness knowledge to action. Students also need to learn how to do things. People (‘soft’) skills, digital literacy skills, and technical skills will need to frame the scope and sequence of learning at tomorrow’s schools. Tech skills and content production skills will need to develop new baselines and offer structured learning engagements that bring students into contact with disruptive technologies as they’re emerging. Probably very few teachers are ready to lead this change, so it will be important to soften the edges between school and the world beyond the classroom. We will need powerful partnerships for learning, and an innovative structure to scaffold students’ introduction to tomorrow’s occupations. We will need new academic programs that value careers and perhaps other non-traditional academic pathways for outliers and social entrepreneurs who have often languished in the lock-step progressions of learning that most educational institutions have learned to do so well. The emerging labour market offers opportunities galore—ready or not, here it comes. “The skills necessary at the higher echelons will include especially the ability to efficiently network, manage public relations, display intercultural sensitivity, marketing, and generally what we would call ‘social’ and ‘emotional’ intelligence. [This also includes] creativity, and just enough critical thinking to move outside the box.” “We are now in the transitional stage of employers gradually reducing their prejudice in the hiring of those who studied at a distance, and moving in favour of such ‘graduates’ who, in the workplace, demonstrate greater proactiveness, initiative, discipline, collaborativeness – because they studied online.” traits including leadership, design thinking, “human meta communication,” deliberation, conflict resolution, and the capacity to motivate, mobilize and innovate. Still, others spoke of more practical needs that could help workers in the medium term – to work with data and algorithms, to implement 3-D modelling and work with 3-D printers, or to implement the newly emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence and augmented and virtual reality. Theme 1: The training ecosystem will evolve, with a mix of innovation in all education formats These experts envision that the next decade will bring a more widely diversified world of education and training options in which various entities design and deliver different services to those who seek to learn. They expect that some innovation will be aimed at emphasizing the development of human talents that machines cannot match and at helping humans partner with technology. They say some parts of the ecosystem will concentrate on delivering real-time learning to workers, often in formats that are self-taught. Commonly occurring ideas among the responses in this category are collected below under headings reflecting subthemes. More learning systems will migrate online. Some will be self-directed and some offered or required by employers; others will be hybrid online/real-world classes. Workers will be expected to learn continuously Most experts seem to have faith that rapid technological development and a rising wariness of coming impacts of the AI/robotics revolution are going to spur the public, private and governmental actions needed for education and training systems to be adapted to deliver more flexible, open, adaptable, resilient, certifiable and useful lifelong learning. “The nature of education will change to a mix of models. College education (which will still favour multi-year, residential education) will need to be more focused on teaching students to be lifelong learners, followed by more online content, in situ training, and other such [elements] to increase skills in a rapidly changing information world. As automation puts increasing numbers of low- and middle-skill workers out of work, these models will also provide for certifications and training needs to function in an increasingly automated service sector.” “We will see a vast increase in educational and training programs. We will also see what might be called on-demand or on-the-job kind of training programs. (We kind of have to, as, with continued automation, we will need to retrain a large portion of the workforce.) I strongly believe employers will subscribe to this idea wholeheartedly; it increases the overall education of their workforce, which benefits their bottom line. Nevertheless, I am a big believer in the college experience, which I see as a way to learn what you are all about, as a person and in your field of study. The confidence in yourself and your abilities cannot be learned in a short course. It takes life experience or four years at a tough college. At a good college, you are challenged to be your best – this is very resource-intensive and cannot be scaled at this time.” “The key to education in the next 10 years will be the understanding that we now live in a world without walls – and so the walls of the school (physical and conceptual) need to shatter and never go up again. In the (hopefully near) future, we will not segregate schooling from work and real-world thinking and development. They will seamlessly weave into a braid of learning, realization, exposure, hands-on experience and integration into students’ own lives. And, again, the experience of being a student, now confined to grade school, secondary school and university, will expand to include workers, those looking for work, and those who want or need to retrain – as well as what we now think of as conventional education. One way we will break down these walls – we are already doing so – will be to create digital learning spaces to rival classrooms as ‘places’ where learning happen[s]. Via simulation, gaming, digital presentations – combined with hands-on, real-world experience – learning and re-education will move out of books and into the world. The more likely enhancement will be to take digital enhancements out into the world – again, breaking down the walls of the classroom and school – to inform and enhance the experience.” Online courses will get a big boost from advances in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) Some respondents expressed confidence in the best of current online education and training options, saying online course options are cost-effective, evolving for the better, and game-changing because they are globally accessible. Those with the most optimism expect great progress will be made in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and AI. While some say 2026 will still be “early days” for this tech, many are excited about its prospects for enhancing learning in the next decade. Universities still have special roles to play in preparing people for life, but some are likely to diversify and differentiate Many respondents said real-world, campus-based higher education will continue to thrive during the next decade. They generally expect that no other educational experience can match residential universities’ capabilities for fully immersive, person-to-person learning, as well as mentoring and socializing functions, before 2026. They said a residential university education helps build intangible skills that are not replicable online and thus deepens the skills base of those who can afford to pay for such an education, but they expect that job-specific training will be managed by employers on the job and via novel approaches. Some say major universities’ core online course content, developed with all of the new-tech bells and whistles, will be marketed globally and adopted as baseline learning in smaller higher education locales, where online elements from major MOOCs can be optimally paired in hybrid learning with in-person mentoring activities. Theme 2: Learners must cultivate 21st-century skills, capabilities and attributes Tough-to-teach intangible skills, capabilities and attributes such as emotional intelligence, curiosity, creativity, adaptability, resilience and critical thinking will be most highly valued The skills needed to succeed in today’s world and the future are curiosity, creativity, taking initiative, multi-disciplinary thinking and empathy. These skills, interestingly, are the skills specific to human beings that machines and robots cannot do … “We will see training for the jobs of the past and service jobs. The jobs of the future will not need large numbers of workers with a fixed set of skills – most things that we can train large numbers of workers for, we will also be able to train computers to do better.” Among the many other skills mentioned were: process-oriented and system-oriented thinking; journalistic skills, including research, evaluation of multiple sources, writing and speaking; understanding algorithms, computational thinking, networking and programming; grasping law and policy; an evidence-based way of looking at the world; time management; conflict resolution; decision-making; locating information in the flood of data; storytelling using data; and influencing and consensus-building. young adults need to be taught how to have face-to-face interaction, including one who said they “seem to be sorely lacking in these skills and can only interact with a cellphone or laptop.” Practical experiential learning via apprenticeships and mentoring will advance Because so many intricacies of the workplace – the human, soft and hard – are learned on the job, respondents said they expect apprenticeships and forms of mentoring will regain value and evolve along with the 21st‑century workplace. Theme 3: New credentialing systems will arise as self-directed learning expands As they anticipate the appearance of effective new learning environments and advances in digital accountability systems, many of these experts believe fresh certification programs will be created to attest to workers’ participation in training programs and the mastery of skills. Some predict that many more workers will begin using online and app-based learning systems. While the traditional college degree will still hold sway in 2026, more employers may accept alternate credentialing systems, as learning options and their measures evolve Theme 4: Training and learning systems will not meet 21st century needs by 2026 online formats for knowledge transfer will not advance significantly in the next decade. Theme 5: Jobs? What jobs? Technological forces will fundamentally change work and the economic landscape ‘There will be a parallel call for benefits, professional development and compensation that smooths out rough patches’ in an ‘on-demand labour life’ 14 Future Jobs: #1: Coders Coding is fast becoming one of the most sought-after skills for technology companies and between researcher groups. It has caused some European countries to add coding to the primary school curriculum, and here in the UK, one school has even hired a child coding prodigy to teach coding at a school in Coventry. How old do you think the new member of staff is? Well, she’s just ten years old! There is no doubt that coding is going to pave the way for new jobs in the future. But as it may take some time for those primary school kids to reach the job market, there is an obvious gap that needs filling for the immediate coding market. Reskilling to make this career change can even increase your salary by 38%. So, if you want to seize an opportunity, now may be the best time ever to get into coding. Start your development by searching for the best online coding courses. Whether you’re interested in learning Python, developing your Java skills, or gaining Django certifications, we have something for you. There are so many different things you can do with programming, and with courses, you can try anything that takes your fancy. Perhaps video game design and development or creative machine learning sounds exciting, or maybe building web applications is better suited to you. #2: Blockchain developer Most people not familiar with blockchain technology will have still heard about it – usually its association with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The future of finance is going to be heavily influenced by the rise of blockchain technology, and you can learn about decentralised finance or innovations in fintech in our courses. However, blockchains are not just used for cryptocurrency. They’re standalone technologies that can be useful across industries. They are already been used in the automotive industry to record the history of vehicles to prevent seller fraud. Nobody will be able to lie about the car’s mileage or maintenance when all this information is recorded on the blockchain and 100% secure. They have also been tipped to revolutionise the music industry as a way to allocate royalties among artists, songwriters and others who have earned a cut from the creation of a track. This will prevent people from missing out on what is rightfully theirs because buyers can easily check the blockchain to see who has any rights to a song, and then pay them for it. This will hopefully reduce the number of legal battles taking place in the industry. Overall, the potential of blockchain is massive – and almost every industry will be crying out for blockchain developers in the future. You can gain an introduction to blockchain and DLT or learn about the applications of blockchain. #3: Virtual reality technician It feels like we have been waiting on the edge of our seats for virtual reality for years. And that’s because we have. Although some forms of VR are available, the technology involved is yet to be perfected. When it does finally become what we all imagine it to be, there will be so many virtual reality jobs in different areas. From marketing departments to video game developers, virtual reality is going to be a cornerstone moment for the job market and the whole of society. If you want to get started, try our Introduction to Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality course from Lancaster University. If you already have some VR skills, our Construct a Virtual Reality Experience course might be an exciting choice. #4: Ethical hacker Ethical hacking is a job in the field of network security that many people do today, but this job is sticking around for the long term. The only way that ethical hackers, otherwise known as white hat hackers, will disappear is if the internet disappears and is replaced with something else. That doesn’t look like a reality shortly, or ever, meaning ethical hackers are not budging. If you like the thought of pretending to hack websites to see where improvements can be made, then one of our cyber security courses online may be interesting to you. You can even start with an Introduction to Ethical Hacking from Coventry University and the Institute of Coding. #5: Big data analyst Data analysts are going to become the new leaders in the niche of business development. And they are already taking over the department thanks to big data and the ability to analyse huge amounts of information for the benefit of their employers. Only by looking into streams of data can they make accurate predictions and inform business leaders to make the right decisions. If you like numbers and breaking down complex information into real-life decisions, this is a current job that should bring home the bacon for a lifetime. Check out our data analytics courses, from marketing analytics with the University of Virginia to big data analytics with Griffith University. #6: Hygiene specialists We already have medical professionals who are experts on understanding viruses and how to mitigate their spread across society. But after the most recent pandemic which has crushed economies to the point of the recession, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see governments invest more in this area. Hygiene specialists could work with businesses to ensure that they are abiding by the safest practices, and to help identify threats before they spread. The most suitable location for these experts would be docks, airports and other border points. You can learn about food hygiene specialists in the course by the International Culinary Studio. #7: AI jobs Artificial Intelligence (AI) is much further along the process compared to virtual reality. With Elon Musk talking of putting chips in peoples’ heads to create superhumans, the possibilities of AI technology really do open your eyes. But AI is not just about creating a new generation of humans. It can be about making functional robots and enhancing business processes. The developments in AI are almost limitless, which means these types of jobs aren’t going anywhere fast. From learning about creative AI to exploring medical robots in the healthcare industry or discovering natural language processing, our AI courses will introduce you to the different career possibilities out there. #8: Data inspector /detective The laws around data handling and data privacy are growing by the decade. There is so much interest in our data because it can be used by marketing teams to help them sell, and by political departments to help them create targeted campaigns. But on too many occasions our data is falling in the wrong hands and being misused or used illegally. This will create new jobs where detectives have to hunt down the use of data by certain companies, namely a data detective who enforces data laws. These types of investigations have already started, as evidenced by the investigation into Cambridge Analytica and how they helped swing the USA election and even the Brexit vote, which can be explained by watching the Cambridge Analytica Netflix documentary. The key takeaway is that more data detective jobs are just around the corner, and you can learn more about data science ethics and data privacy in courses by the University of Michigan. #9: Gene experts/portfolio managers Gene editing is a controversial topic because it allows us to somewhat play the role of a god. But away from choosing our newborn’s eye colour or height, there is a medical use for it. With the power to edit genes and use genetic technologies, we will be able to reduce the risks of serious health conditions and vastly improve the quality of life for many people. But this comes with several hurdles and pitfalls that will need to be addressed with legislation. What can we morally do? And what is off the table? Gene legislators will need to come in to get the industry started – and they already are – and then we will need medical experts to alter the genes and manage the whole system. Although the whole topic can be sensitive, it is undeniably a huge step for mankind. You can learn more about the future of genetics in medicine, how DNA influences health, or how genomic medicine can help diabetes in one of the fantastic genetics courses. #10: Mental health jobs Much of society is working hard to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems, which has opened the door for people to seek help and use professional mental health services. But these mental health worker jobs won’t be going anywhere either. Just as people will always need doctors and nurses, we will continue to need mental health specialists to help us get through tough times. The recent pandemic, recessions, environmental worries and even a boom in remote working could contribute to further demand for psychologists and mental health organisations. Depending on the area you’re interested in making a difference in, There are courses on a range of mental health topics, from depression, anxiety and CBT to helping students with complex trauma. #11: Data brokers Earlier we discussed some new jobs that data will create, and here is another. Just like brokers exist today by helping deals for commodities pass through seamlessly, the broker world will be rocked with a new type of broker – the data broker. The idea is simple. These data brokers will be responsible for facilitating business agreements between data companies and those who want to buy chunks of data. They will make sure the buyer gets their data and that the selling company receives their money. All the while making sure that the data is not shared further, maintaining the integrity of the new data market. #12: Augmented reality developer Did you know that the infamous Pokémon Go game was an April Fool’s Day joke that went on to make an insane amount of money? We’re talking billions. The reason for its success was that it was completely innovative to the mobile gaming world. Combining a franchise that millennials grew up with augmented reality was a masterstroke. Augmented reality changed the face of gaming and set a new bar, but it is proving effective in other industries like fashion, where augmented reality wardrobes enable you to try on clothes from home. The uses for augmented reality are growing and that means there is a new call for developers with expertise in this niche of technology. You can learn more about immersive creative technology like AR in the course by NFTS and Royal Holloway, or try our Introduction to Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality course instead. #13: Drone expert/pilot Drones are becoming more useful and popular by the day. They can help us provide medical supplies safely, assess building structures with ease, and revolutionise delivery services. Drones are becoming part of society’s furniture and are only going to become more present over the next decade. With that in mind, drone experts will be needed to manufacture these machines, maintain them, and arguably the most fun job of all – fly them. If you want to become a drone engineer or drone pilot, then we have good news for you. Expect to see more of these jobs become widely available across sectors in the not-so-distant future. It is, however, important to be aware of the challenges and legal restrictions surrounding drone use, which is why a course on drone safety for managers might be useful to you. #14: Entrepreneur Don’t forget that society is more entrepreneurial than ever before. Fuelled by the internet and technological advancements, the everyday person now has a better opportunity to start their own business or a small empire. With further tech milestones being met, like those listed above, these opportunities to start your own business are only going to get bigger. If you have an idea or business dream, there has never been a better time to learn the entrepreneurial ropes and give your idea a chance to succeed. an extensive list of entrepreneurship courses that are available on the internet might inspire you, where you can learn anything from entrepreneurship in the food industry to building a start-up from scratch. What jobs will not exist in the future? Many of the jobs of today that will not exist in the coming decades revolve around the retail industry. Amazon has already opened a pioneering cashier-less store where secret technology recognises what you take from the shelves and charges it to your preferred payment type. And Forbes has reported that Amazon is now selling their cashier-less tech to other retailers. This is part of a trend where new technologies and artificial intelligence will replace many jobs. But it is not just customer-facing roles in retail that are at risk of extinction shortly. Smart vehicles that drive themselves may make driver jobs – including rail drivers – obsolete. This is a significant worry for governments that may have to contend with higher unemployment rates among low-skilled workers. But simultaneously, the technology involved in replacing these jobs will create thousands if not millions of new jobs that are not even comprehensible right now. Ultimately, big leaps in technological advancements will create exciting new jobs, but it may even create a huge gap between social classes and tensions that have not yet been seen in society. So, what degrees should you consider? There is no question that technology is the driving force behind many of the new jobs in the coming years, and the reason that some jobs will no longer be needed. Subsequently, if you are considering a university degree today, it may be worth considering computer science and technology-related degrees. This is the logical choice if you would like to concentrate on a degree that leads to good employment and a well-paying career – but it should not stop you from studying something you are passionate about, especially if you want to become an academic researcher in your specified field. Education should make you happy as well as securely employed. CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION Proudly presented to: Dr. Pratik Rajan Mungekar for serving as a SPEAKER during ST. PATRICK SCHOOL OF QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES' INTERNATIONAL DAY held at ST. PATRICK SCHOOL OF QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES on MARCH 16, 2022, on the occasion of the school's 54th Foundation day.

The likes of Yastika Bhatia , Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Richa Ghosh guided the Indian victory over Bangladesh Women. Coming back from the two consecutive defeats from England and Australia respectively, Women in Blue took the upper hand in today's game and emerged victorious with a margin of more than 100 runs for the third time in this tournament. India outplayed the Bangla team in all three departments, and the most pleasing sign was the performance of the youngsters who guided the team to a victory. Winning the toss, India chose to bat. The opening duo of Smriti and Shafali stitched a partnership of 74 runs, which is the highest opening partnership for India in this world cup. Post the quick wickets of Smriti, Shafali and Mithali, Yastika took the control of the crease. Playing at her favourite batting number 3, she played sensibly and took time before scoring runs. Earlier with Harman, and then with Richa, Yastika held one end firmly and played her role in small partnerships. Before she was dismissed, she scored her second consecutive fifty in the tournament. Then came the stars of India's encounter with Pakistan. Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar were initially unable to find boundaries due to excellent bowling by Bangla bowlers, but in the last 3 overs, they displayed their street smartness and played some elegant shots to help India reach a defendable total of 229 runs. Bangla bowlers did a great job to defend the strong Indian batting line-up at a score less than expected. But Bangla batters couldn't do their job to perfection. The India bowlers made good use of the dry surface and slow outfield and restricted opposition at a low score. Barring the resistance shown by Salma Khatun and Ritu Mondal, none of the batters did their job. For India the consistent all-rounders Rana and Vastrakar did a great job with the former taking 4 and later 2 wickets. Experienced Jhulan dismissed 2, Gayakwad and Yadav 1 each Bangla batters. India won the only third match in the tournament, but all the three have come with huge margins of 100+ runs each. With it, India has kept the hopes of the Semi-finals alive. The most amazing thing about this victory was that the pioneers were the players like Bhatia, Rana and Vastrakar who are all playing just their first World cup. With Harman, Mithali not living up to the expectations, the youngsters are showing the right intent in this tournament. They are carrying the expectations of the billion people with them, and are giving them hope of India's triumph. At this point, the tournament is getting exciting with every single game coming forward. Australia has already stormed in the finals with their dominant performance. Pakistan, Bangladesh and the hosts New Zealand are already out of the semi-final hunt. England, after losing the initial 3 matches, is trying every way to make it to the semis. For the remaining three slots for semis, South Africa, West Indies, England and India are fighting very hard. It will be interesting to see who goes ahead in the tournament. Authored By:- Ashwin Jangam ( Cricket Analyst, Host and Entertainer) Instagram ID: https://www.instagram.com/cricket_creativity/

Examination season is again around the corner, students preparing for 10th, 12th and various entrance exams are in a feverish pitch of activity. So, a few suggestions on how to take care of eyes during this period are certainly in order 1. Sleep deficiency : A minimum of 7 hours of sleep is essential to maintain good health for the eyes as well as the whole body and mind, sleep deficiency leads to eye problems like recurrent styes (eye boils), which causes pain and swelling of the eyelid and results in loss of study time. At least plan and manage study time to get enough sleep 2. Dietary deficiency : Students tend to skip meals or depend on fast foods, nutritional deficiencies tend to cause fatigue and loss of concentration and again affects the eyes with blepharitis, dry eyes and eyelid infections Eat balanced healthy meals at regular intervals. Foods rich in vitamins A, D, E, B complex, minerals and Omega 3 are essential for students preparing for exams. 3. Dehydration: Due to the intensity of studies, some students forget to drink enough water and fluids, this results in dehydration and frequent headaches, inability to focus and tired eyes. Drink atleast 3 to 3.75 litres of fluids per day. 4. Postural problems: Bad posture affects the neck, shoulders, lower back and the eyes, especially in students who have poor eye muscle balance and astigmatism. Study, preferably, in sitting posture with feet firmly on the ground arms and shoulders well supported and book at least 20 inches from the eye, the book kept at 60 degrees. Take short breaks to stretch. 5. Duration of study: The stress on eye muscles when studying for 8 hours is equal to the stress on leg muscles from running 50 to 60 km. So studying without rest for 10 to 12 hours causes intense pressure on eye muscles and has now been shown to be related to the development of myopia (glass power), spasms of eye muscles, eye strain, inability to focus the eyes, eye pain and severe headaches. take short breaks every 30 minutes and look at far objects for 10 seconds to relax the eye muscles. 6. Digital Eye Strain: Earlier known as Computer Vision Syndrome, is very common among students nowadays. Redness, irritation, foreign body sensation in the eye are leading symptoms. When computers or smartphones are used for long durations of time the tears in the eye gradually evaporate. Normally a person blinks about 20 times in a minute but during computer and mobile phone use, the blink rate decreases to once or twice in a minute. This reduces the replenishment of the evaporated tears and causes dry eye syndrome. Air conditioning also removes moisture from the skin and eyes and leads to dryness. Students who use computers and mobile phones must be careful to follow the 20 20 20 20 rule. Hold the device 20 inches from the eye. Take a break of 20 seconds every 20 minutes Look at any object 20 feet away. Blink 20 times every minute Air conditioning should be frequently switched off and should never blow directly on to face. Authored by: Dr Shibu Varkey, MS, DNB, DO, FRCS (UK) Regional Medical Director, MaxiVision Eye Hospitals

The writer is designed to create. In their lonely mind space ideas float in and out, some captured to paper or computer screen while others are lost, vanishing to the ether. Those ideas that do get turned into a story, poem or perhaps song are then hidden away from all until the writer plucks up sufficient courage to share and submit, following that begins the anxious wait. It is throughout this process and up to this point that the writer’s fragile ego is tested. Am I good enough? Have I hit the brief? Will other people understand and enjoy what I have written? All of these questions and many more plague the writer and make us wonder, will this be the one, that one piece that leads us down the path to success? All throughout this process, a lucky writer has a muse, or (an even luckier one) many sources of inspiration and support. For me, I have found over the years many forms of support and inspiration but I have only ever had one muse. My angel, my wife of over eighteen years, is someone who has constantly stood by me as I have had knockback after knockback from the big-name publishers. Her amazing words of encouragement have bolstered my fragile ego and given me the courage to resubmit again and again. When I did venture (stumble) down the path of self-publishing it was my wife who bought the first copy of my first novel, the greatest Christmas present that I have ever received. I share with this amazing woman my hopes and dreams, my plans, my failures, even the pie in the sky ideas that have no hope whatsoever. For everything she is there in my corner telling me to go for it, to try. We are a team, over the years together we have been each other’s number one fan and because of this, I have bravely submitted where alone I would have lacked the courage to try. I write, inspired by things I see, hear, remember, but without my muse, those ideas would be left to come and go. Thanks to my wife I am continuing to seek out those opportunities that will help us find financial freedom. We do not believe that my writing will make us rich, but there is a possibility that I can become known. It is my dream to get my name out there as a storyteller as far as a name can go My wife encourages me to achieve that dream. She is there for me when I share with her every success; just the same she waits with open arms and a sympathetic ear when rejection comes. She is my greatest fan even though she has read-only very few of the stories and poems that I have written. I thankfully have others who are willing to cast a keen eye over multiple drafts as a story evolves. Others have joined my family of supporters as the years have gone on. My wife though can name herself my first fan, there from the beginning and I strongly believe that she will be there all the way to the very end. We are a team, and together we will be there for every high, low, and in between. Thank you, my angel, my love, my wife. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement. I believe with utmost certainty that the fragile ego of this writer would severely lack the courage to write at all without you in my life. And for that, I am extremely grateful. Connect with me on https://www.facebook.com/trippin.timmy

There is no specific age for bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards , Rouchelle Dabral is an epitome of this , So dear readers it's time to read out what she says I'm Rouchelle Dabral, a 24-year-old entrepreneur venturing out with my brainchildren. As a serial entrepreneur, I have 2 startups and 1 initiative. They’re namely - Rouvolution: A digital Media company, Willing2Digital for PR services for small business owners and the initiative called ’Scale-up India’ which is to empower small business owners to scale up their existing businesses. The one we are working on for content creators and artists all around the world is called "Rouvolution" which aims at building integrated digital content with creative individuals. We have an outreach in the States, UK, Malaysia and India as of now. We are building a talent community and platform for content creators to build their portfolio on our website that can help them monetise their skills by working with our associate startups and also share their talents with our community. We are both an ecosystem made for creators with a community-run by them. We also hold virtual open mic and poetry events, polls and content for constant engagement. We are currently featuring various authors or poets and collaborating vastly with content developers while having explored various synergies with like-minded brands. Coming to my own story, growing up I stayed in various cities while the varied exposure helped me develop an extraverted personality and a will to change the world in my own way through my creativity. Though I like to spend time ruminating a lot, I also enjoy going out with my friends, networking, exploring places around and travelling. As for my personal interests, I have always been a creative and enterprising person; Fond of public speaking, painting, photography, volunteering, reading, Blogging, storytelling and going for adventures that include visiting destinations out of my bucket list every year! One thing I do specialise in is writing poetry - I have been writing for the last 9 years now and maintain a blog to put up my poetry, articles and snippets. It is called the "Lithium Cure" link - https://lithiumcure.blogspot.com/ and creating content on Instagram, Twitter and various other platforms. Generally, my style of writing is free verse poetry and in articles, I like to specialise in rhetoric writing. It's a constant learning experience but I love to explore new writing styles. A style that I'm still learning is the art of micro-fiction. Being an enterprising person, my journey into being an entrepreneur started off in 2020 Apart from my love for reading and writing, I'm also actively a digital marketing consultant. I make strategies and usher small business owners manage their growth in the digital realm practically and with a set end result. There is always a purpose. In 2018, I learnt of the great power of social media and especially Instagram for it has the potential to connect us with our role models and dream brands. I started sharing my travel pictures and some flatlays at that time and actively interacting with accounts and people who had massive followings. I'd find them through Keywords and searches. On youtube and back to these sites that made them so very easily accessible to me. It was a blessing in disguise. They mentored me to formulate my niche on this platform, approach brands for collaborations and how give the creative skills a fruitful spin into an exchange of services. Through trial, error and even working in the field of PR, I learnt many nuances of communication. Applying the same skills in the digital world is difficult due to the many variables it has, one being the user behaviour driven by big data, the algorithms and the flood of information or misinformation. The juxtaposition between the virtual and real is very fascinating in the digital realm. It should right be a virtual extension of our skin and bones flowing into a world of dynamic visuals, codes and numbers. With a good approach like making a media kit, learning insights and designing content using tools with your creativity, you can become an influencer on this platform and get great job opportunities by being your own personal brand. The best way to succeed is to start small and then position yourself with a USP, your own originality. It will surely be reflected in your posts. Having said that, I too am learning how to be good at so many things. In the end, I would like to say that entrepreneurship is challenging but if you are a student of life, then you learn some and win some! I fondly recollect being a 15 year old and not knowing I would be here almost 10 years down the line. I recently achieved the 'creative entrepreneur of the year' award from TEOI (The Entrepreneurs Of India) and I like to think that I must have made my younger self very proud. Dreams do come true and I am on my way to achieving mine through hard work and resilience. I wish the same for the one reading this article too!

In a world where we all have a mobile on pretty much 24/7, procrastination is literally on taps and you're absorbed with dopamine filling self-esteem killing consumption, hence, we procrastinate. I recently had a conversation with someone who is by far the most productive person I know and that radically changed my perspective. This one person has so much going on but never complains about anything. So a few tips that I got to learn: 1) Work is never as hard we imagine it to be - Sometimes its dull and sometimes there are things that are difficult to deal with but on the whole, work isn't that hard. 2) Learning and working are opportunities that many people don't have - This is something that should be celebrated in our head rather than looking at it as a chore that we have to do. 3) Work itself can give us satisfaction and at that point , I have had a belief which I didn't even realize was a belief that I took it as truth that work is and has to be painful is the point that we've all heard stories about dredging about the work and I can bet you can name someone in your team at work who moans about all the stuff they've to do. The point is that these productive things are associated in our mind as pain and opposed to enjoyment & pleasure we've been indoctrinated with this idea that efforts equal pain. Our chimp brains that are supercharged by these narratives overestimate the pain that work will cause and underestimate the fulfilment it will give us and that's why we procrastinate our inner chimp on high and the fake news that work is some form of torture to be avoided. A few ideas that help me to see the productive work as painlessly as possible: 1) Visualize the pleasure that you would get once your work is done - Whatever you're doing on Instagram, YouTube or Netflix, none of those things would be satisfying as sitting down at the end of the day guilt-free knowing you can do whatever you want because your work for the day is done. 2) Start small - Little things that go into accomplishing that bigger task. Plan to do that small thing. Once you get into that, you will get into momentum and suddenly doing the bigger task becomes so much more feasible. 3) Create artificial deadlines - This is something often recommended so that you do not suffer from anxiety that kicks in from leaving things to be done for the last minute. Create artificial deadlines to stay ahead in the game. 4) Make your work discursive - For me chatting about something makes it much less intimidating than formal writing about it. So start where you feel most comfortable. If you want to read my Linkedin Feed, follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jharunima If you want to follow me on Instagram, here's the link https://www.instagram.com/trulynomadlychic/

India is one of the top sides at the moment when it comes to fielding. The fielding standards of the Indian team were raised with from the past two decades. The likes of Robin Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Harleen Deol, Deepthi Sharma have made Indian fielding look very stronger. The experience and record of Dravid and Rahane made Indian slips stronger. But it was not the case earlier. In the days, when fielding was considered the least in cricket, one man always played like a live wire on the field. The finest forward short leg, who set fielding standards for Indian cricket and took Indian cricket forward is Eknath Solkar. Playing 5 decades earlier, he put all that he had on the field in all three departments of the game. He was an all-rounder, who had a century to his name. He was an excellent left-arm spinner, but could also bowl medium pace if required. But his most notable contribution for India came in the department which is least talked about, fielding. He was excellent in fielding at a close position, and his standard position was forward short leg. The forward short leg is the most dangerous position, but it was his favourite. His super flexibility, concentration, and anticipation helped him grab stunners to dismiss the batters. His heroics in 1971 dismissing Allan Knott and Keith Fletcher with impossible catches at a crucial time in the second innings, helped India register its first test victory in England. Solkar himself considers Knott's catch as his best in his entire career. Likewise, he took 53 catches in 27 test matches, having the highest ratio of catches per match for a non-wicketkeeper. Astonishingly, he did all the wonders fielding at the most dangerous position without using a helmet. When asked the reason for his Superman fielding, he said "I only watch the ball". His fielding was a result of his childhood practice. Growing up as a child of groundsman of PJ Hindu Gymkhana in Mumbai, he used to update scorecards. Post the match, he used to do his catching drills on a pitch roller, thereby increasing his speed, accuracy and strengthening his reflexes. While playing for his school days, he had captained the side having Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath. Playing for the Indian side, Solkar's contribution was much more than just his fielding. He scored 1 century and 6 half-centuries playing at the highest level. In the historic Oval test, apart from the 2 blinders, he took 3 wickets and scored 44 runs. He was one of the batters who could bat at any given position. As a bowler, he had little success, but one of his achievements was against Goefry Boycott when he sledged and dismissed Boycott on 3 consecutive occasions. On one of the occasions, the Australian captain in 1970 was so impressed with Solkar's fielding effort to dismiss Bill Lawry, that he gifted him his own bat to show appreciation. In another instance, Solkar's Sussex teammate and one of the greats to have played the game Tony Greig termed Solkar as "The best forward short leg I have ever seen in my life ". This goes on to show what level of a fielder he was, and what energy he brought to the field. Every player who plays the game leaves a legacy. Solkar was a great all-rounder, but the legacy in fielding he left for world cricket he left is huge. The spin quartet of Bishan Singh Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrashekhar, Erapalli Prasnna and Venkatraghavan, with Solkar at forwardingPrasanna short leg made life difficult for batters. This is why, even 4 and half decades after Solkar's retirement, he is regarded as the best forward short leg to have ever played the game. If the cricketing world sees players putting their efforts into fielding now, it is the result of people like Solkar who raised the bar and set standards of fielding. This is why, till cricket continues to be in existence, Solkar will always be remembered as the player who raised the bar of Indian fielding. On this day, we wish the greatest forward short leg a very happy birth anniversary. Authored By:- Ashwin Jangam ( Cricket Analyst, Host and Entertainer) Instagram ID: https://www.instagram.com/cricket_creativity/

During Post Covid 19, the Indian film Industry was in search of much needed newness to the storytelling methods the industry was long stuck with. The film travels through the Pondicherry and it is quite nice to see the scenes shot. Planet Marathi Originals, Akshay Bardapukar presents another film which is shot entirely on Smart Phone and with the minimum crew in Pondicherry. The film starring Amruta Khanvilkar, Sai Tamhankar and Vaibhav Tatwawadi, is one of the films, where we see three different lives perspective and their way to look at life. Nikita and Manasi respectively Sai and Amruta are one of the top actresses in the industry and their role is very good. Vaibhav as Rohan, a sort of grey character, has tried in a negative perspective of his role. A chocolate hero we say has a different character, which is nice to see on screen. The story is about relationship and their importance to each other. Vaibhav playing ex-husband of Amruta develops a soft corner with Sai. Also, he is on a way to sell the homestay house, in which he is staying as a guest. Another role, which can't be avoided is the Ishaan played by Tanmay Kulkarni. Such an adorable and stable child, who is waiting for his father to come back, hoping to know the news about him, as his father is serving in the Navy. Amruta ' role say a lot . She suddenly has to face her ex-husband at her holiday plan and also with her fiancé on a voice call too. Three of the characters depicts strong emotions in their life and are in a chain to solve and recover from them. The cinematography shooted on iPhone is fantastic. The dialogues mean a factual talk between the characters making it a conversational way to solve the issues. Sachin Kundalkar has worked on the script, the exact fact of why relationships shatter and also why they become again together. Marathi industry needs such kind of films which not only gives us entertainment but an emotional experience too, where we connect to the things we see. Neena Kulkarni also has a vital role, which is executed nicely. Overall, it is a film to be watched for, where people are confused in their relationships. With an IMDB rating of 8.5/10, it is streaming on Planet Marathi OTT Do download the app and subscribe with a yearly membership to watch more Marathi content worldwide. Follow me on Instagram - I'm on Instagram as @neel.deshpande. Install the app to follow my photos and videos. https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=zxz30mw2uoqe&utm_content=nc2or08 Visit my website - www.neeldeshpande.in for more film reviews. Also like my page neel designs on Facebook

DR. PRATIK RAJAN MUNGEKAR awarded Certificate of Recognition for being the PLENARY SPEAKER during the 12th Global Virtual Conference on Multidisciplinary Trends in Academic Research with the theme: "Converging and Diverging Paradigms and Approaches: Academic Research in a Changing World," organized by LEAD Philippines Global - Qatar held virtually on March 11 to 13, 2022 via Zoom. Given this 13th day of March in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Two in Qatar. He exhaustively presented the topic Inclusive Education Inclusive Education As We all know Education is not only a fundamental right but has also been declared as one of the human rights. This means that every child has the basic right to education. Each and every child should get admitted to the school. After the child gets admitted to the school, who has to take care of imparting education to the child? Yes, you are right. It is the teacher who has to shoulder this responsibility. We as teachers know that every child is unique and so, the education we impart should be meaningful. You know that each child is unique. Can you identify a few areas of uniqueness? Key Elements of Inclusive Education Inclusion: All children should have the opportunity to learn together, should have equal access to the general education system, and should receive individual accommodation where needed based on disability or other differences. Inclusion in the CRPD favours transition from separate, segregated learning environments for persons with disabilities to schooling within the general education system with the necessary supports to make inclusion meaningful. The principle of inclusion is a component of accessibility, availability, acceptability and adaptability. Accessibility: Educational institutions and programmes must be accessible to persons with disabilities, without discrimination. Accessibility, reflected in Article 9 of the CRPD, has three overlapping dimensions, including non-discrimination together with reasonable accommodation; physical access; and economic access. Non-discrimination and reasonable accommodation in education require that education be accessible to all persons, including the most vulnerable persons with disabilities, without discrimination based on disability. Non-discrimination also requires that persons with disabilities be accommodated in accessing their right to education at all levels (primary, secondary and university education, along with tertiary education. A reasonable accommodation is defined in the CRPD as “necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”7 In the context of education, an example would be developing an independent education plan that lays out the reasonable accommodations needed by a particular student. Physical accessibility as applied to education means that schools must be within safe physical reach and they must be accessible for persons with disabilities, both in terms of getting to the school, and moving around within the school building and all facilities. Physical reach may mean access through attendance at some reasonably convenient geographic location (e.g. a neighbourhood school) or, provided not used as a means of segregation, it can encompass access via modern technology (e.g. access to a "distance learning" programme provided by a university). Education must be economically accessible in the sense that it must be affordable to persons with disabilities. International law requires that primary education be available "free to all," which must apply equally to students with disabilities. In the case of secondary and higher education, States are required to achieve access based on progressive realization. Availability: the concept of availability in securing the right to education implies that functioning educational institutions and programmes for students with disabilities must be available in sufficient quantity within the jurisdiction of a State. This is often a problem for students with disabilities who may need to travel to a distant urban area to find a school that can accommodate their needs. Acceptability: The concept of acceptability relates to the form and substance of education. As emphasized by the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, the realization that socialization is a key element of an acceptable education means that inclusiveness is highly prioritized over segregation. Other aspects of acceptability include a choice of the language of instruction. For children with disabilities, this could include, for example, the provision of sign language. It could also encompass the provision of instructional materials in alternative formats such as Braille or plain language or easy-to-read formats. Curricula and teaching methods must be provided in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual student. This might include, for example, teaching in sign language for students who are deaf or providing educational materials in Braille or audio formats for students who are blind. Adaptability: The concept of adaptability as applied to education for persons with disabilities pertains to flexibility to meet the needs of students with disabilities. At least two aspects of adaptability are essential to meet the needs of students with disabilities. These include: (1) the provision of reasonable accommodation, where needed, to meet individual student needs; and (2) the provision of support within the general education system to facilitate education. Adaptability also requires responsiveness to the changing nature of education. For example, in the transition to inclusion, adaptability would mean recruiting teachers with disabilities. Meaning & Concept of Inclusion: Inclusion is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. It also means the act of including someone or something as part of a group, list, etc. There is a lot of debate and discussions regarding the meaning of the term ‘Inclusion’ in Education. For some, it means, “Mainstreaming” students. Under the concept of mainstreaming, students with disabilities are taught in resource programmes until their academic skills increase to the same, or very nearly the same level as their same-age peers in regular classrooms. Students with disabilities will then be “mainstreamed” into the general education setting. Thus, the emphasis is on changing the child to better fit the “regular” system of education. Need and Importance of Inclusive Education
There have been efforts internationally to include children with disabilities in the educational mainstream. To achieve truly inclusive education, we need to think about and incorporate children with special needs into regular schools. Especially, because these kids face some sort of barriers to learning and participation in the classroom. As general education classrooms include more and more diverse students, teachers realize the value of accepting each student as unique. In effective inclusive programs, teachers adapt activities to include all students, even though their individual goals may be different. We have learned that inclusive education is a better way to help all students succeed. Researches show that most students learn and perform better when exposed to the richness of the general education curriculum. The growing body of research has shown that children do better academically when in inclusive settings and Inclusion provides opportunities to develop relationships. Some of the benefits include friendships, social skills, personal principles, comfort level with people who have special needs, and caring classroom environments. The most important function of friendships is to make people feel cared for, loved, and safe. In an inclusive educational setting, low-achieving students can get extra help even though they did not qualify for special education. Classmates of students with disabilities also experience growth in social cognition, often can become more aware of the needs of others in inclusive classrooms. An interesting side effect is that these parents report that they also feel more comfortable with people with special needs because of their children‟s experiences. Students with disabilities can create long-lasting friendships that would not be otherwise possible, and these friendships can give them the skills to navigate social relationships later on in life. Conclusion Right to Education Act 2009 ensures education to all children irrespective of their caste, religion, ability, and so on. It is essential to build an inclusive society through an inclusive approach. In doing so, we have challenged commonly held beliefs and developed a new set of core assumptions. Inclusion is more than a method of educating students with disabilities. It stresses that each child, regardless of the intensity and severity of his or her disabilities, is a valued member of society and is capable of participating in that society. A good inclusive education allows all the students to participate in all aspects of the classroom equally or close to equal. To meet the challenges, the involvement and cooperation of educators, parents, and community leaders is vital for the creation of better and more inclusive schools. The Government of India is trying to improve its education system focusing on the inclusive approach. The challenges can be overcome by raising awareness of human rights in communities and publicising positive examples of disabled children and adults succeeding in inclusive education and Every life beyond school as a result. We need to develop an inclusive design of learning to make the education joyful for all children so that the education for them is welcoming, learner-friendly and beneficial and they feel like a part of it not apart from it. Therefore, Inclusion arose as a good solution to the question of how to educate these children more effectively.

40-year-old Gurminder Kaur, a Talent Acquisition Specialist at Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd., says, "After a 7-year hiatus, despite my lack of confidence in myself, I decided to return to work and told myself that it was time I did it for myself. I remember feeling so insecure and unsure that any company would even consider hiring me. I had given up at one point, but everything changed when I received a call from Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd. I was ecstatic that this organisation believed in my abilities and welcomed me with open arms. So far, I've been working with Molecular Connections for 6 months, and it's been one of the smoothest transitions back into the corporate world." Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd., a Bengaluru-based data science and big data solutions company, has always prioritised gender diversity since its inception. In 2021, over 300 people were employed, with women accounting for 85 per cent of those employed. In 2020, prestigious groups “AVTAR & Working Mother, New York, named Molecular Connections as one of the 100 best companies in India for women to work. Although the employment crisis in India predates COVID-19, the pandemic has further caused a decline, due to which it has become even more difficult for women in the country to find jobs. Also, due to the adverse effects of the pandemic, more women are dropping out of work and being let go as compared to men. Studies have found that many women drop out of their jobs in an increasing number when they are posed with tough decisions like marriage, family planning, and family. To prevent these harmful trends and set a meritocracy-driven culture within the organisation, at Molecular Connections, programmes such as the provision of flexible work hours, sabbaticals, unpaid time off to take care of ailing family members, and reduced work hours are all institutionalized to enable retention. Flexible ways of working are one of the most commonly followed practises at Molecular Connections, as this is highly effective in retaining female employees while they enjoy a balanced work life. Although the employment crisis in India predates COVID-19, the pandemic has further caused a decline, due to which it has become even more difficult for women in the country to find jobs. The adverse effects of the pandemic have further worsened making more women leave work voluntarily or being let go, as compared to another gender. Recent studies indicate that more women drop out of their jobs when they are posed with tough decisions like marriage, going the family way, supporting aged, ailing parents and or nurturing their growing children. Molecular Connections have always and continue supporting such women through institutionalizing programs Vis-à-vis. Flexible (work at your convenience); reduced work hours and short sabbaticals. This flexible environment supports women getting a proper work-family life- balance, in turn, continuing with the work. Mr Jignesh Bhate, CEO of Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd., tells us, "We are steadfast in our goal of making Molecular Connections a world-class enterprise that truly celebrates and prioritises gender diversity and inclusion. It gives me great pride to say that at Molecular Connections we have worked extremely hard over the years to implement several women-centric policies that allow our female colleagues to thrive and excel in a variety of disciplines." Several research-based pieces of evidence have shown that organisations with more gender diversity, particularly at senior levels, outperform those with less diversity in terms of productivity, innovations, profits, and shareholder returns. Dr Arathi Raghunath, Director at Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd., tells us, "When I joined Molecular Connections in 2004, including me, there were ten members altogether. I remember feeling so inspired at the time to be led by two outstanding female scientists and to learn from them. Over the next 18 years, I grew and led as the team grew larger and larger with each passing year, and I groomed many people along the way. The "healthy tolerance" work culture of the organisation encourages individuals to perform to the best of their abilities, and the mutual care, respect, and support was shown to one another makes the organisation a commendable place to work. Furthermore, the policies in place for all employees are designed to ensure that each employee has a healthy work-life balance and that all possible barriers are addressed.” Lately, because of the Indian press's scrutiny, there has been widespread awareness of gender diversity over the years. Many Indian businesses are catching up and making deliberate efforts to increase gender diversity. This trend must pick up at an even more rampant pace so that more workplaces are created that encourage women to rise in the ranks and go on to form a strong community of globally recognised leaders. About Molecular Connections : With over two decades of experience in Big Data and Data Science Solutions, Molecular Connections (MC) has been using AI-powered proprietary models to help customers achieve digital transformation. We have been able to successfully build a data-driven decision-making strategy for our customer’s digital transformational journey. MC leverages AI, ML, and the Linked Data Store to build efficiencies in various verticals and generate new revenue streams for its customers. MC’s decades of industry presence and a strong focus on innovation have led us to work with the world’s leading pharma and STEM industries to offer end-to-end software development and data insights powered by proprietary workflows and platforms, enabling content engineering across multiple domains. With over 70% of its workforce being women, MC is ranked among the top 15 best companies for women to work for in India.

According to a report released on 2nd March titled "Women in Leadership: Unequal Access on the Journey to the Top" shared by SHRM (the Society for Human Resource Management), several women attempting to advance in their careers face a number of obstacles, including less tangible support from their managers to foster deserved leadership growth and reduced access to promotion opportunities. The report's research also reveals an alarming trend in which women become increasingly disillusioned with equal access as they advance up the ladder, whereas men are more likely to feel included and taken seriously as a leader. As we celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, it’s important to take notice of detrimental organisational trends such as these, and repairing this broken rung on the career ladder for women should be a top priority for all organisations. Several studies have found that organisations with a higher proportion of women in leadership have better business outcomes, including greater innovation and productivity. In recent years, due to the scrutiny of the print media, widespread awareness among organisations has been picking up. But at the same time, this is turning counter-productive due to the adverse effects of the pandemic. More women are dropping out of work and being let go as compared to men. To combat these effects, Dr Usha, Chief Scientist at Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd., a Bengaluru-based data science and big data solutions company, tells us, "Organisations should aim to eliminate all hidden biases in the leadership pipeline in order to ensure equal access for men and women to advance to the top of the ladder and access growth opportunities. The most impact can be made by setting both realistic and meaningful goals in terms of business objectives and instilling them within the work culture. Organisations must regularly audit their practises and policies, from recruitment and hiring to performance and development, promotions, and advancement to leadership ranks, to ensure that both men and women are equally supported as they move up the ladder.” With over 30 years in the wet lab and in silico research, Dr. Usha made a switch to the informatics domain. When asked what made her make this shift, she replied, "I was immensely inspired by Mr. Jignesh Bhate, Founder and CEO of Molecular Connections, when he came over to give a talk at an organisation that I was working at at the time. Although Molecular Connections was a new company with a very small team, I was inclined to join it instantly, and up until this day, I am so glad that I did. Over the last 18 years, the care and support that I have received from Mr. Jignesh and the company have been so endearing. Being a mother at that time to a young son, the work culture that was set up at Molecular Connections helped me create a perfect balance between work and my family. Even as early as 2003, the organization's care policies aimed at women were a testament to the organization's forward-thinking, as was its commitment to gender inclusivity. It gives me great pride to be the woman I am today, and I have also seen women around me at work excel in their careers, with zero compromises on their responsibilities.” Further on in the interview, when we asked Dr Usha to mention the real challenges for women who aspire to break the glass ceiling in the workplace, she responded, "In my 44 years of experience as an academic and working in a corporate set-up, women around me have been facing various kinds of barriers, whether it may be in securing jobs or holding onto jobs cornered with male scrutiny or having a desirable work life, salary, and other work-related benefits. I believe, in times of adversity, it is important to voice your challenges in a constructive way and bring them forward to the concerned. Also, it is about time that women stop remaining silent and begin demanding what is rightfully theirs. There will be multiple barriers along the way, and it is critical that women find their own voice and break free from male-dominated norms. Prior steps should be taken when choosing an organisation, such as conducting extensive research and evaluating the work culture, benefits, and gender inclusivity. It is also in the women’s power to invoke change in organisations, by raising a voice against biases and garnering support from men with respect and a rightful attitude. It is important to always be strong and fight these barriers with all the grit that one has and soon these very same barriers will cease to exist.” In conclusion to the interview, we asked Dr. Usha to give advice to all the women who are navigating work and family post-pandemic. She says, "Striking a balance should be a ‘priority’ and, in unfavourable circumstances, initiating a dialogue with the organisation’s management and family to work out a desirable and suitable plan, should be an action step. ‘Complaining’ and suffering the plight cannot be the answer and will only further deter your growth and journey. I always believe that seeking out solutions is very important because it is up to you to take the lead and not depend on others to save you. The pandemic has caused several setbacks for women across the world, and there will be many more possible circumstances in the future that will do so as well. Remember, to always prepare your mind and initiate constructive conversations with the concerned. There is a huge community to back you up. Seek their help out and use it to your advantage. " About Dr Usha Mahadevan: Dr. Usha Mahadevan is from Bengaluru and has worked as an academic at the Cancer Research Institute in Mumbai, the National Institutes of Health in the United States, Harvard University in the United States, and the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru for over 24 years. With her remarkable experience, she made a transition to the corporate world and joined Molecular Connections Pvt. Ltd., as a Chief Scientist in 2003 and she oversees MC’s content business closely. Dr Usha has published more than 30 research papers in scientific journals of repute. At MC, she has actively engaged in training, mentoring and grooming young scientists. About Molecular Connections: With over two decades of experience in Big Data and Data Science Solutions, Molecular Connections (MC) has been using AI-powered proprietary models to help customers achieve digital transformation. We have been able to successfully build a data-driven decision-making strategy for our customer’s digital transformational journey. MC leverages AI, ML, and the Linked Data Store to build efficiencies in various verticals and generate new revenue streams for its customers. MC’s decades of industry presence and a strong focus on innovation have led us to work with the world’s leading pharma and STEM industries to offer end-to-end software development and data insights powered by proprietary workflows and platforms, enabling content engineering across multiple domains. With over 70% of its workforce being women, MC is ranked among the top 15 best companies for women to work for in India.