Annual Meet of Global Schools’ Alliance in Gurgaon from Oct 14

New Delhi, 13 October 2015: Great educators from top rated schools around the world are coming together in Gurgaon for the first-ever annual meeting of the Global Schools’ Alliance (GSA). The agenda for this year’s event is “Co-creating the world’s best schools”. Due to the fact that the first and only school from India, Vega School, was the latest addition to the group, the head of GSA, Lene Jensby Lange from Denmark, chose India as the host country for the inaugural meeting.

Between 13th and 16th October, the heads and founders of progressive schools in the US, UK, New Zealand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Denmark, and India will travel to Delhi NCR to attend the 3 day annual conference and exchange research and best practises about how children learn. The GSA will also set goals on how to collaborate with each other for the coming years and select projects on which children can work together internationally. The three day conference will conclude with a Gala dinner where the international guests will speak with about 250 parents in Gurgaon whose children will form the first class of the school.

Sandy Hooda, Co-founder of Vega Schools, said, “Great educators from truly amazing schools like Allan Kjaer Andersen, Director ofØrestad Gymnasium in Denmark and Sandra Jenkins from Freemans Bay School in New Zealand, are coming here to share their experiences. We think there is a lot for Indian schools to learn from their counterparts and help put the child at the centre of learning.”

GSA head Lene Lange finds Gurgaon a very interesting place educationally. She said, “I see a lot of schools coming up in the region who intend to be progressive in nature. Schools in India still need to change a lot in order to become truly progressive 21st century schools”.

Within the GSA, partner schools and faculty are continuously learning from each other. Schools exchange research studies, best practises, and host other member schools’ teachers for visits and teaching opportunities. Students attending member schools also benefit from the partnership. Barbara Cavanagh from Albany Senior High School in New Zealand finds it very important for children from different kinds of schools to work together on projects, “Through online facilities children are able to collaborate with students in other countries on projects. By doing this they learn about different cultures and how to work together with people from different backgrounds. Our students are really excited about this.”

Read the rest of this entry

Paras Hospitals organises Mini Marathon on World Heart Day

Gurgaon, Sept 28, 2015: India’s leading kabaddi player and captain of U Mumba Pro-Kabaddi league team, Anup Kumar today joined Gurgaon’s citizens for a mini marathon as part of Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon’s initiative to promote the absolute importance of running, walking and exercising to fight the cardiovascular disease epidemic facing India.

The mini marathon saw active participation of a wide spectrum of people from school children, working professionals to the city’s elderly residents who ran across a 5.5 km stretch from Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon to HUDA City Centre.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of deaths across the world, including India. While, the risk of acquiring CVD increases with age, unhealthy lifestyle factors such as poor diet and lack of physical activity today are making relatively younger people prone to the disease.

Anup Kumar, the Arjuna awardee kabaddi player, who recently led U Mumba to a spectacular victory in the 2015 Pro Kabaddi League, joined the mini-marathon as Chief Guest. He advocated greater focus towards sports and physical activities in schools and colleges to improve public health.

“Physical sport is a great way of keeping oneself fit. Fitness is a habit that needs to be instilled in people right from their young age. I believe it is important that schools and colleges give more focus to sports for their students so that we not only reap more successful sportspersons but also a healthy generation of Indians,” said Anup Kumar.

Aimed at encouraging and motivating people to make heart health a focus, the “Our Health Our Heart” mini marathon is a special initiative by the hospital on World Heart Day. The effort aims to awaken people about the importance of healthy lifestyle in ensuring a long and productive life.

“While medical advancements have increased life expectancy of the world’s population, unfortunately our lifestyle shifts have curtailed this achievement by augmenting our risks for several diseases. Factors such as sedentary jobs, near total mechanization of work, heavy dependence on technology, unhealthy food habits, and highly stressful lives that include irregular sleeping patterns form the prime reasons for the surge in prevalence of heart disease today. 

The prevalence of this faulty lifestyle is higher in city like Gurgaon where the people live by deadlines. Long working hours, night jobs resulting in irregular sleep, excessive dependence on fast food, absence of any physical activity and high degree of stress are common factors today. We need to counter these negative factors by adopting positive modes of action such as regular physical exercise, running, jogging and walking every day. 30 minutes of exercise daily goes a long way in reducing our risk for several diseases including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease,” says Dr. Tapan Ghose, Director and HOD, Cardiology, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

Starting at 7 am, the marathon covered a stretch of nearly 5.5 kms, with wide participation from corporate personnel, school and college children and other residents of Gurgaon, the mini marathon recorded an encouraging footfall of nearly 400 Above people from all age groups.

“Cardiovascular diseases are not only the world’s largest killer but also the silent ones. With no specific symptoms, CVD tends to develop slowly until they cause a heart attack or stroke all of a sudden one day. Factors such as hypertension, diabetes, stress or depression often increase the risk of developing CVD. Through a marathon we not only want to draw youngsters to the idea of exercise but also exhort the administration for creating exercise friendly environment in the city including clean and safe spaces to walk, run or cycle,” said Dr. Bharat Kukreti, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

The benefits that running brings to heart health are known to everybody. Running improves heart healthy by increasing blood circulation that further forces the heart to pump more blood. Likewise, not only the blood circulation improves but also the muscles of heart become strong and active. Running helps keep body weight in control, thus checking another risk factor for heart disease. It also helps reduce risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.

Read the rest of this entry

Art Exhibition: The Cycle of Life

Gurgaon: Public spaces along the Gurgaon  will be  brought to life with an exciting, temporary outdoor exhibition organized by  Mr.Nakul Verma. The exhibition will run over the next two months which will include uniquely designed abstracts and pencil art

Mr.Nakul is committed to promoting temporary public art in all its forms as part of his continuing attempts to nurture,beautify and enliven public spaces, enhance public life and create an enabling environment for public art.

Nakul’s paintings are vibrant and have a sensitive approach to his personal feelings on the visual medium. In his abstracts as well as his portraits and drawings, the artist brings the work alive with his individual vision, exuberant brushstroke and highly creative palette. There is a story in every colour, line and stroke.

The artist’s masterful colour uses, sharp lines, geometric cubism, rhythmic strokes and contours recount the saga of his personal feelings and individual beliefs. Thus, Nakul has created an art language of his own. His recent works will be displayed at the exhibition which will evoke innovative forms .

For me, colour expression is very personal. I like using bright colours. When I put them side by side relating to each other on the canvas, it gives me a great feeling,”says, the artistic Nakul Verma.

Nakul, an incessant explorer of art since an early age, believes that human life is firmly intertwined with nature and the universe. “Everything we do in our life has an outcome and we have to remember that truth,” said the artist.

Read the rest of this entry

ATDC holds workshop on ‘Skill Knowledge Enhancement’ in Gurgaon

Continuing with its training programs and workshops in the Apparel Industry, ATDC (Apparel Training & Design Centre), India’s largest vocational training network for the apparel sector organized a 3 day workshop on ‘Skill Knowledge Enhancement’ aimed at training the supervisors and floor managers. The workshop was held at ATDC Gurgaon and various experts from the industry guided the participants. Mr. Nimish Dave, CEO & Founder, The Idea Smith; Ms Neera Chandra, Consultant; Team of Experts from Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd under the guidance of Shri J D Giri, Director, Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd imparted the training to the participants. More than 30 participants from various industries of Apparel sector attended the workshop. Prominent among them were Blackberry’s (KLPL), Blackberry’s (AVM), Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd, Gupta Exim India Pvt. Ltd and Panorama Industries.

This training was professionally designed so that the participants could understand their roles and responsibilities and also learn the ‘Best Practices’ from Leading Experts of Apparel Industry. They were enlightened that they should focus on productivity, quality and cost, without applying and implementing these three aspects one cannot contribute to the optimum utilization of the resources and growth of organization. Workshop sessions were conducted and the focus areas were Garment classifications, Measurements Techniques, Fundamental of specs sheets, Seam and stitches, Industrial Engineering basics, Workflow in the apparel industry, SAM/SMV calculations, Productivity and quality improvement and compliances in the factory etc.

Dr Darlie Koshy, DG&CEO ATDC & IAM encouraged the participants and said that “While this 3 days’ training programme has given the impetus for supervisory staff to especially look at Industrial Engineering, Cost Saving Methods and Labour Control and Motivation. It is necessary that training is taken as a continuous process. The example of Mr. Julferkar Ali Bhutto who has been trained for 8 months to compete on the world stage. The word ‘Skills’ are a very different level in Korea, China etc. and we need to train staff at every level including the labour force to become more efficient and productive. He requests the export community to continuous focus on training and retraining for better commitments and for improving competitiveness.

Shri J D Giri, Director, Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd also shared his views “In apparel industry too, we have challenges as well as solutions. This is the time to go full steam. The industry is under immense pressure due to open-costing era and it’s about time to bring greater efficiency in value creation. This calls for higher levels of automation, productivity and quality in manufacturing. He also feels this is hard to keep the shop floor ticking. Correct techniques and knowledge permits automation and this is the key to efficiency.

This workshop was conducted by ATDC TOT Academy, which trains the trainers. It is an institution that operates as a resource centre which sets benchmarks and overall quality parameters for those in the business of skilling in the apparel sector. TOT Academy upgrades the knowledge base and skill levels of the faculty resources to develop industry oriented approach in their pedagogy. The key objective of the Academy is to bring about an overall systematic change in the Apparel Industry while providing better quality trainers for industry.

The training particularly benefitted Supervisors, floor in-Charges/Managers and the middle Level managers who play a pivotal role in Apparel Production Manufacturing Organizations. They are the backbone of the apparel industry and are responsible for training and guiding their subordinates and can ensure finesse and increased productivity.

TOT Head, ATDC, Ms. Roopali Shukla said, “Today newer technologies have swept the skilling movement and it is imperative to provide quality training. It is not just enough to certify learners. It is important to train them well and equip them for a better tomorrow. ATDC as always with its latest strategies & techniques is well poised to train the professionals in right direction”.

Speaking on the occasion a delighted participant Mr. Vipin Sharma, Gupta Exim India Pvt. Ltd said, “I have learnt a lot in this 3 day training programme as it was interesting, easier to grasp and with this learning I can extend my efficiency”.

Read the rest of this entry

Independence Day Celebrations at ITM University, Gurgaon

ITM University, Gurgaon, celebrated the 69th Independence Day with a lot of enthusiasm and gaiety. The environment at the University was full of patriotic fervor. The faculty members, staff, students and children gathered at the occasion to celebrate the Independence Day. Earlier the faculty and staff of the University had set the mood by assembling in vibrant theme dressing. They wore attires in different shades of tricolour. 14 August was also celebrated in the University as Hindi Day.

The Independence Day celebration started with the flag hoisting ceremony by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Brig SK Sharma (Retd). After unfurling the National Flag, Brig Sharma took the salute as the Security Staff of the University marched past the dais. The atmosphere came alive when the national song filled the air with patriotism. After the march past, Brig Sharma addressed the crowd and greeted all faculty members, staff and students on the occasion. He expressed that it is the time for the nation and students in particular to take India to the select list of developed countries.

The University has been a frontrunner in imparting quality education and pledged to continue their tradition of producing not only good professionals, but good human beings for the welfare of the society. The crowd took oath to be good human beings and contribute in country’s development in any possible ways.

Read the rest of this entry

Doctors at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon report rise in diseases

With Monsoon Arrive a New Set of Health Woes: Doctors at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon Report Rise in Viral, Bacterial Infections

· Multispecialty, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon talks about some common disease prevalent during monsoon and measures to prevent them
· With high humidity coupled with heat, bacterial, viral and fungal infections become common

Gurgaon, July 2015: The monsoon season is a time for some much-needed relief from the scorching hot summer months, but it is also a time when diseases such as dengue, malaria, conjunctivitis, allergies, gastrointestinal infections and other bacterial and fungal infestations report a rise.

With patients in Gurgaon already reporting a spurt in infections, doctors at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon are advising people to adopt preventive measures.
“It is just a few days into monsoon and we are already receiving an increasing number of patients (40-50 patients a day) reporting gastrointestinal, respiratory, acute febrile illness as well as eye infections. Poor sanitation, contamination of food and water become more prominent during the season. While common cold and viral fevers are quite common, people are also exposed to several intestinal infections leading to Gastroenteritis, Typhoid and Hepatitis due to intake of unhygienic and infected food and water. Dengue and Malaria are another scourge that rears its head every year during this season. So, we always suggest our patients to keep a watch on health, food ; water hygiene & maintain high level of suspicion of the diseases discussed above and to report to doctor if the symptoms arise. In this season one should avoid eating on roadside joints” says Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Consultant, Internal Medicine.

The best way to prevent from being infected is to have a good knowledge about the cause and spread of the diseases that are common during the monsoon. As only then, you can chalk out the measures to prevent yourself from these diseases. Let’s take a look at the prevalent diseases:

Dengue, malaria, chikungunya
Dengue and chikungunya are acute viral infections transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The common symptoms of the diseases are fever; sever body aches, joint pain and rash. Both are viral infection. Aedes mosquito breeds in clean water (artificial water-filled container habitats). Malaria is caused by female Anopheles mosquito that breeds in the fresh- or salt-water marshes, mangrove swamps, rice fields, grassy ditches, the edges of streams and rivers, and small, temporary rain pools. Malaria is characterized by symptoms such as high fever at regular intervals with shivering, muscle pain, headache and weakness. All the three diseases discussed above can be prevented by preventing mosquito breeding, keeping the surroundings clean and dry; wearing full length clothes; using coils and repellants even during the daytime to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Diarrhea and cholera
Spread by contaminated consumption of foods and water and both spread due to poor hygienic conditions. Increased frequency of watery stools leading to dehydration is the hall mark of diarrhea & Cholera. Adequate intake of fluids with ORS is the key to prevent dehydration & renal failure which may follow loose stools. After every loose stool one should take at least 300 ml of ORS solution. If one is not able to take fluids then one should report to hospital. Both the diseases can be prevented by staying alert on the hygiene quotient.

Typhoid and Jaundice and Gastroenteritis
Spread due to consumption of contaminated water or food, Typhoid incidence increases during monsoon. Poor sanitation and lack of hygiene favors the growth of typhoid bacteria other viruses which cause infection of liver (Hepatitis). High grade fever, sever headache, weakness, pain are common symptoms of typhoid, while symptoms like sever weakness, decreased appetite ,yellow urine and eyes, vomiting and liver dysfunction indicates Jaundice. Avoiding consumption of street-side food or water and drinking lots of healthy fluid can help avoid Typhoid & Jaundice both. If symptoms arise prompt medical consultation can prevent many complications.

After all Monsoon is not that gloomy, one can & should enjoy rains albeit with precautions as mentioned above. Have a pleasant & disease free Monsoon.

Read the rest of this entry

Therapeutic Benefits of Yoga

Even as yoga has become India’s most famous cultural export to the world, a large number of Indians are oblivious to its efficacy in boosting body’s defenses and improving its mental functionality. To drive home the benefits of yoga in stress-prone Gurgaon city, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon organized a special session on Yoga’s therapeutic benefits for back pain and its ability to boost body’s immunity against cancer.

The session on International Yoga Day was held at Tao Devilal Park, Sector-52, Gurgaon, where the yoga instructors taught the participating people about the yoga positions especially relevant for back pain and educated them about its benefits for building cancer immunity.

The session was held early in the morning was led by Sanjeev Vatta, General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon, and Dr. Meenakshi Sharma , Senior Consultant , Laparoscopic Surgery , Paras Hospitals , Gurgaon who participated in the initiative.

“Therapeutic yoga works like a magic wand for people suffering from back pain. Although, practicing yoga in back pain may sound like an irony but the fact is that therapeutic yoga can reduce pain and improve function in people with chronic low back pain. Additionally, yoga practice also helps people better fight cancer. It detoxifies body, helps neutralize free radicals, increases its immunity, and improves resilience and strength, thereby helping people better fight cancer,” said Dr. Meenakshi Sharma , Senior Consultant , Laparoscopic Surgery , Paras Hospitals , Gurgaon.

Originating nearly 6000 years ago, the practice has the power to rejuvenate soul, body and mind. Yoga further has numerous divisions, which are effective in treating several health issues. For instance, therapeutic yoga is particularly effective in treating back pain and helping cancer patients in speedier recovery.

“People with cancer tend to get weaker and less energetic due to the sickening therapies and treatment. Although, it may sound contradictory, but gentle poses of yoga for cancer patients can help them on many levels. Yoga used as therapy can also help in clearing the toxics in the body accrued during the cancer treatment. Yoga positions also have the ability to stimulate muscles, increases blood flow, enhancing the lymphatic flow in body and enhancing body’s internal purification processes. Yoga for cancer survivors and patients also provides an internal anchor of calm,”added Mr Pradeep, Yoga Intructor, Yoga – On – Call .

Besides curing illness and pain, yoga in general has de-stressing quality because of which it is widely practice across the world. Deep breathing, which is often emphasized in yoga, helps in increasing the current of oxygen-rich blood to the cells, delivering vital nutrients to tired cells and further clearing out toxins. With celebration such as a day like this, more people will be able to get to know the benefits and will be able to connect with the person already in practice to get a guided training.

“The session experienced a good response from the people in the vicinity. With a footfall of over 100 people, the park was full of enthusiasts. People were very keen to learn and know about yoga practices. The excitement of the people was very overwhelming. It encouraged us to conduct more such session in future,” said Sanjeev Vatta , General Manager , Sales and Marketing, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon.

It was effort made by PM Narendra Modi during address to UN General Assembly that influenced United Nations to announce June 21 as the International Yoga Day. The move is supported by more 177 countries including USA, China, Canada and Egypt. Celebrated for the first time in history, the day will encourage and motivate mass of people to opt Yoga in their lives for a better living.

Read the rest of this entry

Adhiveshan 2015, Annual ATDC’s Principals’ Meet

Gurgaon: Adhiveshan 2015, Annual ATDC’s Principals’ Meet was hosted by Apparel Training & Design Centre, India’s Largest Quality Vocational Training Provider for the Apparel Industry at Manesar, Gurgaon from June14-16, 2015. The 3 day Meet was primarily focused on understanding the emerging skill framework in the country and how ATDC plays a key role by contributing to large scale quality skilling of Indian youth specially women in rural/ mofussils and semi urban areas for meeting the rapidly changing skill requirements of Apparel Sector with real time Industry relevant skill modules & new learning solutions, thus providing wage employment for youth specially women. Guests of HonorSri Rajeev Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, GoI and Dr. Latha Pillai, Director, RGNIYD. Dr. Hari Kapoor, VC, ATDC, Dr. Darlie Koshy, DG & CEO, ATDC & IAM also graced the meet.

ATDC today has dedicated verticals to work with Ministry of Textiles, GOI (for ISDS Project), DGE&T, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, GOI (for Longer Duration Vocational Courses) and AICTE, Ministry of HRD, GOI & RGNIYD, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, GOI (for B. Voc. Courses) and is committed to bring in qualitative change by providing industry ready trained professionals to improve efficiency and productivity across all tiers of the domestic, export and e-retail apparel value chain.

ATDC has recently announced B. Voc Programmes in ‘Apparel Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Fashion Design & Retail’ as AICTE, under the aegis of HRD has approved 30 of ATDC Pan-India Centres across as Skill Knowledge Providers (SKPs) under NSQF for implementing various long-term vocational programmes. ATDC has also entered into MOU with the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India which is an “Institute of National Importance” as declared by Parliament (Act of Parliament No. : 35/2012) to provide 1000 hours of general education from the RGNIYD while ATDC would offer 2000 hours of Professional Skill development focused on Apparel Sector leading to a B.Voc Degree on successful competition of both general and domain courses to the Candidates and to celebrate this big leap the day 1 of the Meet concentrated on the new B.Voc programmes being launched.

Sri Rajeev Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, GoI enthused the gathering to make blue collar jobs aspirational and convert the Demographic Dividend to the country’s advantage by offering Degree like B.Voc courses which will definitely lead to ‘employability’ at a higher level with better salary packages.

Dr. Latha Pillai shared, “The ATDC-RGNIYD collaboration is a unique collaborative arrangement which will benefit the youth of India by imparting ‘skills & knowledge’ with help of multimedia digital contents and alternate pedagogy and making class rooms exciting.”

Dr. Darlie Koshy, DG&CEO-ATDC speaking at the session shared while exporters require cycle & through put time to be cut down, the domestic sector wants “Product Lifecycle Management” ‘fast turnaround of store merchandising’, captivating visuals etc. The e-commerce/m-commerce wants fashion to meet instant gratification standard. ATDC is the largest vocational training provider for the textile-apparel chain offering a comprehensive bouquet of courses for ‘career’ progression in an integrated manner by creating a “step ladder-training eco-system” with clear focus on “Skilling of aspirational Indian youth”.

The sessions on Day 2 & 3 consisted of deep-dive deliberations & strategy discussions for each tier of the ‘Step-ladder’ model of ATDC & total quality management of courses along with sessions on improving the quality & enrolment in the long-term programmes, contents standardization, promotion and quality enhancement of teaching pedagogy through Digital Contents, streamlining of finance & account processes, strengthening the management of Centres’ and new approaches for industry interface, placement, certification and assessment of trained candidates.

Based on the clear agenda of ‘Mobilisation | Training| Employment | Placement’ using both short term- long term courses, the Meet ended on a high note with the team motivated for a stronger growth trajectory for the apparel industry and to strengthen ATDC as a desirable quality brand for vocational education.

Read the rest of this entry

World Environment Day marked at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon

Gurgaon, June, 8: Supporting the cause of environment conservation, the doctors and staff members at the multi specialty Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon, joined by Mr. Ashok Bakshi, the city’s ACP, Traffic Police, came together to participate in a plantation drive around the hospital and talk about the importance of greenery on World Environment Day.

Celebrating the day, 100 saplings were planted across the 2 km stretch of road outside the hospital. The intention is to increase green cover and surround the hospital with greenery in order to ensure a healthy environment to the patients and other people in the vicinity. Through this drive, the hospital intended to encourage more people to do their bit to grow a greener environment and contribute to the nature.

The plantation drive was led by Mr. Ashok Bakshi, ACP Traffic Police, Gurgaon, along with Dr. Kousar Ali Shah,Zonal Director, Paras Hospitals; Dr. Neeraj Bishnoi, Medical Superintendent, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon. Besides, many other members of the senior management extended their hand of support to the effort.

“With pollution levels soaring in the Delhi NCR region, this initiative by Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon is very appreciable. I am honored to be the part of the drive as it is not only expanding the green belt of the city but also helping to give the people a cleaner environment to breathe in. Planting trees is important not only to save the future but also to make the present risk free. WED serves the opportunity for everyone to realize their responsibility towards Mother Earth and to become agents of change,” said, Mr. Ashok Bakshi, ACP Traffic Police, Gurgaon.

Paras Hospitals is an organization with a social conscious. The hospital also conducted a similar drive last year to grow a greener environment in the areas near the institution by doctors, administrators and other staff members of the hospital. The doctors simultaneously talked about the importance to maintain the ‘health’ of the planet, by taking care of the surroundings.

“We are dedicated to provide a clean and healthy environment to our patients. Nothing can be cleaner than a green environment. However, through this plantation drive we not only intend to create a better ambience for our patient, also wish to encourage the society to take care of the environment. With increase in population, natural resources are depleting amongst which trees are the only resource we can add to the nature. This drive is the support to the thought that living well within planetary boundaries is the most promising strategy for ensuring a healthy future,” said Dr. Kousar Ali Shah, Zonal Director, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

World Environment Day (WED) is observed each year on June 5 under the aegis of the United Nations to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the environment. Not just institutions and governments, people and individuals also observe the day by doing something for their environment and spreading a word about it.

“World Environment Day is celebrated every year at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon. Although, we ensure a healthy and clean environment round the year in our premises, on World Environment day, we come together to inspire people as. By coming out on roads and planting trees, we want to persuade people to practice the activity in their societies as well, thereby, expanding the green belt region of the city. It is high time people realized the importance of trees and green environment. Many problems like asthma and skin allergy are primarily due to the pollutants in the air,” said Dr. Neeraj Bishnoi, Medical Superintendent, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

UN decided “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care" as the theme for this year’s World Environment Day. The theme talks about the dependency of humanity, the environment, and the functioning of the economy on planet’s resources. However, there is only little left with nature to serve the people.

Read the rest of this entry

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon Convocation 2015

New Delhi, May, 27: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, a premier management institute in the country, held its 4th Annual Convocation for the class of PGPM (Energy) 2013-15 and PGPM 2014-15 today at the Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park, New Delhi. The event also witnessed commencement ceremony of the new batch PGPM (2015 -16) in the presence of Chief Guest, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Honorable Union Minister for Railways, GOI and Guest of Honor, Dr. Sudhakar V. Balachandran, Professor at College of Business Administration, University of Illinois, Chicago. The venue was brimming with energy reflecting the sense of anticipation among the students wearing ceremonial graduation regalia, waiting to receive their graduation certificates. At this year’s convocation ceremony, 105 students got graduation certificates out of which 38 students were from PGPM-Energy (Post Graduate Program in Management-Energy) 2013-15 and 67 from PGPM 2014-15 (Post Graduate Program in Management).

The Chief Guest for the occasion, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Union Minister for Railways delivered the convocation address and handed over the certificates to the graduating students in the presence of Dr. B. S. K. Naidu, Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, Mr. Mohan Lakhamraju, Vice-Chairman, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Dr. Himadri Das, Director, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, faculty, students and parents.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Suresh Prabhu shared ““Every time we achieve a landmark, we start realizing that we still have to achieve more and that helps us to move further in life. We should never think that we have learnt everything and we don’t need to learn more. If we think that we have finished learning then probably we are never going to learn more in life. Going further, he added that the students who are graduating now are going to be highly benefitted by the growth trajectory that our country is currently going through. Even after reaching to the top in life, one must learn to bend to reach even higher and to enjoy one’s success. Bend and Mend must be the golden rule to follow in life,” said the honorable minister.

Congratulating the graduating students through a video congratulatory message, Dr. Bala V Balachandran, Founder, Dean and Chairman, Great Lakes Institute of Management, said, “I am extremely delighted to share students’ happiness on this joyous occasion” and he congratulated every graduating student. He further added that “there is a saying that goes – ‘Aspire to inspire before you expire’. If one has to grow in the system and become a leader, then one has to have that attitude. We should be ambitious in life and must chase our dreams with compassion and integrity said, Dr. Balachandran. He wished all the students that they will be able to exhibit the talents that they have developed for the betterment of the society. He wished all the students great success in all their endeavours.”

Expressing his thoughts on the occasion, Dr. B. S. K. Naidu, Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, said“advised students on stress management. He elaborated on the fact that stress has become inevitable in one’s life and it is imperative that we all learn how to curb the habit of carrying our stressful thoughts all the time. He further explained that by over thinking and worrying we only waste our time whereas by proper planning and with actions taken well in advance one can very much get rid of stress. Going further he explained that by understanding the importance of prioritisation of work and attending to urgent matters first followed by important ones and then the less important ones, we can improve our efficiency. “I am certain that all of you will take these lessons and skills you have learnt at Great Lakes and would prove to become responsible leaders and contribute towards better future for our country.”, added Dr. Naidu.

Wishing the graduating students the very best, Dr. Himadri Das, Director, Great Lakes Institute of Management Gurgaon, said, “Great Lakes Institute of Management Gurgaon, said, “students and alumni our considered to be strengths of any institute and I am extremely proud of all our students, and I am sure that with all the knowledge and talent that our students possess they will do wonders in their respective chosen fields.”. He further added that “today Great Lakes is a highly recognizable brand in the Indian management education space known for its quality and international perspective. With multiple programs that cater to the entire professional community, an established presence at Chennai and Gurgaon, academic alliances with several reputed and world famous universities across the globe, in-house capabilities for exceptional, cutting edge research and with the motto of going from Good to Great in the next decade, Great Lakes has set itself on a mission to become one of the best B-school destinations in the world.”

Delivering the vote of thanks, Mr. Mohan Lakhamraju, Vice-Chairman, Great Lakes Institute of Management said, “I would like to share with students the fact that success does not come easy, every commendable task involves hardship, sacrifice, perseverance, failure and its own challenges. We should always try to learn from these underlying facts that often get subsumed as we get too busy in marvelling at the success. He also stressed that as we grow in life the meaning of success changes, our goals and ambitions change with time. It is the lessons learnt from failures and challenges from the past that help us in keep growing in life. This is the quest for learning that we try to inculcate in our students. While congratulating the students, he said “I believe that all you would do great in life by crossing every barrier that would come in your way with your never say die spirit.”

As a part of the convocation ceremony, a number of academic honors were handed to the meritorious students. In the PGPM Energy batch, gold medals were awarded to Ms. Rekha Joy for Academic Excellence and to Mr. D N Sai Srinu for Best Outgoing Student. In PGPM batch, gold medals were awarded to Mr. Pawan Tripathi for Academic Excellence and Ms. Saakshi Singh for Best Outgoing Student.

The ceremony was followed by a formal welcoming of the PGPM Class of 2015- 16 with the commencement address byGuest of Honor, Dr. Sudhakar V. Balachandran, Professor at College of Business Administration, University of Illinois, Chicago. Addressing the new batch, Dr. Sudhakar Balachandran inspired the students by sharing his mantras for achieving success. He expressed, “to reach heights one should not be easily content with achievements, we should always set higher targets and then must strive harder to reach those targets”. Further, Dr. Balachandran shared what he calls as “three ingredients for becoming successful”, first is to carefully set target that one thinks of as success and then taking steps to achieve the goal with complete focus without getting deviated. Secondly, one must perform all the duties without having expectations for results, in the end, it is not the result that counts but the perseverance, hard work, diligence and efforts involved in achieving the goal. Thirdly, the students must respect each other, their faculty and the curriculum they are going to study in the institute.

The students of Great Lakes Gurgaon have also performed exceptionally well in several events and competitions and have won a sizeable number of them. Some of the achievements include publishing of case titled ‘Should Cairn India Venture in to Offshore Drilling’ at Richard Ivey, prepared by PGPM Energy students Ajay Srinivas Raghavan and Kartikeyun, the PGPM student Manoj Sinsinwar secured the 5th position in Snapdeal’s “The Next CEO” in the annual Management fest held at IIM, Lucknow, students of PGPM Energy Sushant Kadyan and Shashank received the best project award in the Eco Home Building Competition organized by International Youth Society and so on.

The Energy Management class of 2013-15 was well received by the industry and the average compensation received was Rs. 8.74 lakhs p.a. with the highest being Rs. 13 lakhs. The batch of 2015 received a bouquet of offers from companies across Energy, IT, Internet Business, Consulting, Analytics and Healthcare sectors. The list of companies that participated in the process included names likes Aon Hewitt, Atlanta Energy, Bharat Light and Power, Cognizant, Deloitte US, E Valueserve, Genpact, HCL, HT Media, Indiamart, KPMG, Mahanagar Gas Ltd., NIIT Technologies, Shopclues, Sterlite Grid, Sun Edison, Window Force Management etc.

The 1-year PGPM program (2014-15) graduates also had excellent placements across marquee companies with average compensation of Rs. 9.84 lakhs with the highest being Rs. 13.45 lakhs. Some of the companies that participated in the process were Cognizant Business Consulting, Deloitte, Droom, Genpact, Groupon, Zomato, Delhivery, Knowlarity, Maveric, MuSigma, ShopClues, American Express, PagalGuy, Makaan.com and so on. The profiles offered included Consulting/ IT Consulting, Sales & Marketing and Operations.

Read the rest of this entry

Nature International helps Traffic Police of Gurgaon to beat the heat

Gurgaon, May 27: With the city temperature crossing 40 degrees Celsius, traffic police are sweating it out, standing for hours on the road exposed to the scorching heat, noise and air pollution. With the mercury shooting up mercilessly, it becomes very difficult for traffic sergeants deployed on the streets of Gurgaon to man the thoroughfares. To beat the scorching heat, Sh. Sharad Goel, President, Nature Internationaldistributed water flasks to the cops of Gurgaon traffic police here on Wednesday. The distribution took place in Traffic Tower in the presence of Sh. Navdeep Singh Virk, Commissioner of Poilce, Gurgaon, Smt. Bharti Arora, Joint Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon and Vinod Kaushik, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon and almost all senior officers were present on the occasion. Around 360 flasks were distributed to the cops ranked inspectors and below. The flasks can store 2 liters of water and keeps the water cool for a longer period of time.

“I have personally felt that the traffic police who are on duty are forced to drink water from here and there which is usually not purified and in turn affects their health. Keeping this in mind we thought of initiating this distribution “said, Sh. Sharad Goel, President Nature International.

Sh. Navdeep Singh Virk, Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, said “This is a very noble initiative and we appreciate and thank the Nature International and Sh. Sharad Goel for this thought”.

The same distribution was done last year as well and Nature International has also requested the Gurgaon Traffic Police to let them conduct an Asthma Check Up camp for the Traffic Police of Gurgaon.

Read the rest of this entry

Paras Hospitals joins Cleanliness Drive in Gurgaon

Gurgaon, May 18, 2015: Doctors and staff members of Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon in association with the local authorities and Deputy Mayor Mr. Parminder Kataria launched a cleanliness drive in the city.

Wearing gloves, masks and carrying garbage bags, the doctors of the multi specialty hospital spread out in a residential area and park to send out a strong message of social consciousness and stress the responsibility of citizens in keeping their environment clean.

Joined by the Deputy Mayor and members of his office and administration, the doctors removed dirt, plastic bags and garbage from the park and residential area of Sector 5 in a two-hour campaign in the morning. They also spoke to people present on the roads, in the park and exhorted them to play a part in keeping the city clean and hygienic.

The doctors who participated in the initiative included Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Consultant, Internal Medicine; Dr Arvind Mehra, Consultant, Orthopedics; Dr. Bharat Kukreti, Consultant,Cardiology; Dr. Rakesh Tiwari , Consultant, Pediatrics.

Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon also conducted free blood pressure & sugar check up camp after the cleanliness drive. The health camp was conducted to educate people about prevention and management of hypertension. Raised blood pressure is a serious warning sign that significant lifestyle changes are urgently needed. People need to know why raised blood pressure is dangerous, and how to take steps to control it.

Cleanliness has been one of the major thrusts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s social messages ever since he assumed the office. The hospital staff was happy to play a small role in the Prime Minister’s Swatch Bharat Abhiyan.

As an organization committed to improve the health of the city, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon considers such activities as a social responsibility. On World Environment Day last year, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon launched a plantation drive when its doctors and staff members planted a large number of saplings in and around the hospital, with an aim to increase the green cover of the area. On Republic Day this year, the hospital had conducted a major cleanliness drive in the city.

“We put a lot of stress on healthy practices and lifestyle improvements. However, if our cities are not clean, how can the residents stay healthy? Keeping our cities clean and hygienic can help us fight communicable diseases and keep our children healthy. Unlike what many of us like to believe, it is not just the responsibility of the administration to ensure hygiene and cleanliness, it is the responsibility of each one of us,” said Dr. Kousar Ali Shah, Zonal director, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

Read the rest of this entry

ITM University hosts ‘Lean for Leadership’ Workshop

With the aim to provide its students exposure to best global practices in industry, ITM University, Gurgaon hosted ‘Lean for Leadership’ workshop, an initiative by American Society for Quality (ASQ).

ITM University shapes its students for leadership roles with such initiatives and strives for making them highly competent skilled professionals who are ready to meet national needs and international standards.

“In today’s competitive world it is crucial to delight your customers more than your competitors do. In order to do this, it is imperative for organizations to maintain total quality, instantaneous service, and flexibility in terms of what you want to offer and what the customer is looking for like competitive pricing besides other factors. The workshop will give important insights to our students into crucial need for focus towards quality and global practices,” said Prof. Prem Vrat, Pro-Chancellor, ITM University, Gurgaon.

The session concluded with the thoughts that the country’s policy of ‘Make in India’ will be successful if global quality standards are maintained, and projects are cost effective with minimal wastage to ensure ‘Zero Defect, Zero Effect’.

ITM University is the first university in India to be selected by ASQ and form a Students’ Chapter to usher in world-class process in every part of academic and professional life.

Many eminent people from the industry, including Mr Sachin Garg, Vice President, Max Life and Ms Savita Bradoo, Director Quality, Convergys, participated in the workshop and shared their experiences gained over the years.

Mr Ciby James, Director, ASQ (India), conducted the workshop, which received a good response from the students. Prof. Ravindra Ojha, Director School of Engineering and Technology, ITM University, Gurgaon, led the students of the varsity.

ASQ is a leading authority on quality in all fields, organizations, and industries. ASQ (I) offers high-end training programs leading to certification which are considered a universal benchmark. Besides running a number of useful national and international workshops and seminars, it also conducts Certificate course for student to provide them an enabling foundation for leveraging quality tools to accomplish their major domain projects and objectively enhance their profiles for placements.

Read the rest of this entry

Ms. Bharti Tanjea honored with Magicka Woman Achiever Awards

Ms. Bharti Taneja honored with “Lifetime Achievement Award” Magicka organized an eventful evening called, “Magicka Woman Achiever Awards” on the occasion of International Women’s Day (March 08) under the excellent supervision of Ms. Raizy Bedi. Held at Hotel Taj Vivanta, Gurgaon. 

The event witnessed, Veteran Beauty Expert, Mrs. Bharti Taneja, getting honored with the “Lifetime Famously known as “The Golden Lady of India”, Mrs. Bharti Taneja is a renowned Aesthetician and Cosmetologist, who introduced the concept of Gold Facial in India. Taneja, has been imparting different colors beauty into the lives of people, not only in India but abroad too. She has been rendering ace beauty services to people, through her chain of beauty clinics, famously known as ALPS Beauty Clinics, spread all-over Delhi-NCR.

The event marked the precious presence of Mrs. Nelofar Currimboy as the Chief Guest and Former Miss India & great painter, Mrs. Anjanna Kuthiala as the Guest of Honor. Whereas, the other renowned guests present at the event were – Ms. Shazia Ilmi, Mr. Daler Mehendi and his wife, Mrs. Taranpreet Kaur Mehendi.

Read the rest of this entry

Foodhall’s Wine and Cheese Festival

It’s a love affair that just refuses to end. From the days of Charlemagne — who ordered local tithes to be paid in Pinot Grigio wines— to General de Gaulle, who voiced the dilemma of “governing a country producing 324 different kinds of cheese”. Wine & Cheese have been together for decades enhancing the world’s gastronomic bliss. Foodhall is all set to showcase the best quality Cheese & Wine from all across the globe to add up to India’s culinary eminence. Soak in the spirit of love with a special wine and cheese festival, as Foodhall helps you pair the wines with an array of cheeses and condiments.

Discover the rarest of rare pairings of wine, cheese and fruits as Foodhall unfurls, the widest assortments to pick, choose and pair, from all over the world under its arcade. From Gouda paired with Merlot, from Parmesan paired with Chianti wine to Double Gloucester paired with Zinfandel wine, Foodhall vows to offer an array of cheeses and wines, this Valentine month!

Experience the sweet ways of saying you care, as the innovative kitchens at Foodhall rustle up whole new range of bakery and patisserie products like Cheddar Cheese scones, Sundried tomato and feta baguette, cheesecake, Apricot and Prune cheesecake Soufflé, Lemon ricotta Cheesecake, to pamper the taste buds of you and your loved ones.

An ambrosial range of freshly baked strawberry cheese cakes, heart shaped cookies, heart shaped macaroons, awaits you, under the warm arcade of Foodhall.

The live kitchen at Foodhall promises great infusions with cheese and wine. An extensive range of dips ranging from the Blue Cheese dip to Cracked Pink Peppercorn & Chive Cream Cheese dip to Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Cream Cheese to Tomato Nigella chutney to Caramelized red onion relish, Foodhall has them all to offer!


Date: All throughout February
Timings: 10:30 am to 10:00 pm
Venue: Foodhall@ DLF PLACE Saket, Foodhall@ DLF Promenade & Foodhall@ Central Mall Gurgaon

Read the rest of this entry

ITM University, Gurgaon’s app on Women Safety

Amid growing number of crimes against women, a Women Safety application has been developed by students and faculty of ITM University, Gurgaon which has been recently selected for the National Campaign ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ (Save girl child-Educate girl child).

The University’s app was selected recently during the two-day event held in Panipat by the Haryana Government to create awareness about the campaign. The Android-based application ‘Be Safe Girls’ has been developed by Ms Sujata, Asst Professor, Ms Sakshi, final year student of dept of CSE&IT, ITM University, Gurgaon and development team of the University. The USP of the app, as per the development team, is that it consumes less than 1 MB memory space.

“Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is a great initiative of the government and it is a moment of pride for us that an application developed by our students has been selected for such an important national campaign. The app will infuse a sense of security among women, making them fearless and more confident. We hope that the efforts of our students will help the campaign become successful,” said Prof B S Panwar, Vice Chancellor, ITM University, Gurgaon.

The app has a button that will appear on the mobile screens upon downloading. In an emergency situation, the girl would be able to inform her family, friends and security officials of the university or authorities concerned through a text message just with the pressing of the button. Upon activation, the app would send the precise location of the device to the people concerned.

Application uses location tracker with the help of any of the available technologies like GPS, 3G, 2G or Wi-Fi. The app would be available to the users once it is operationalized.

Read the rest of this entry

Paras Hospitals holds special OPD for people with back pain

Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon, holds special OPD for people with back pain

In winters when muscles stiffen and physical exercise is limited, instances of stiff backs, neck or joint pain too report a rise

At Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon, a special OPD by spine specialists offered consultation to people experiencing back pain, spine problems and other orthopedic issues

Gurgaon, Dec, 2014:As temperatures drop and winds turn chilly, a number of factors lead to increasing pain and discomfort in the body specially the back, knee and other joints.Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon today organized a special day-long OPD dedicated to people experiencing pain or discomfort in the back and spine. The spine specialists offered free consultation to patients and advised them on protecting their back and ways to keep their muscles and nerves active and flexible in the winters. They are also continuing their initiative and have declared every Wednesday of the week as a Free Consultation day.

The change in weather acts on the body in multiple ways. In lower temperatures the nerve endings in our body become extra sensitive even to minor pain stimuli. Now, the nerve endings are responsible for all sensations, including pain. This is why in winters, even a small scratch or a minor hit gives so much more pain. Another reason is that the cold stiffens the muscles and increases the chances of pain or strain. At a time when our muscles need more physical exercise to warm them up, we tend to become indoor animals, confined in blankets and beds. This further gives us pain in the back and joints in winters. Less exercise leaves your body vulnerable to low back pain.

At the OPD, doctors examined people, sifted the ones with more serious problems from those with minor sprains and aches, and advised them for the course ahead.

“Back pain is becoming very common and affects people of all ages and genders. Some back aches may be due to a single injury or minor injuries occurring over a long period of time, others may be due to muscular tension or sprain. The former should never be ignored as spine injuries can lead to more severe consequences if left unhealed. However, in winters a lot of people experience pain in the back due to muscular stiffness or sprain which needs mild medication and a physical routine as a recourse,” says Dr Arun Bhanot, Chief of Spine Services, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon

All people who have played sports in some point in their lives know the importance of warm up before launching into aggressive activity. After long hours of inactivity, muscles tend to stiffen and immediately launching rigorous activity may cause a tear or sprain.

“In winters, when the temperatures are low, the need for warming up increases even further. However, people become all the more sedentary and even forego their daily walking and jogging routines. Sometimes, they then suddenly launch into a rigorous action like pulling a piece of furniture, shifting mattresses or indulging in a game after several days of inactivity. Picking up a child from ground while bending is another such activity. These all are responsible for sprains and tears in muscles,” added Dr Arun Bhanot, Chief of Spine Services, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

Measures to Prevent Back Pain due to Changing Weather:

Warm Up Your Muscles: Muscles may get injured when they are suddenly launched into a rigorous activity without a prior notice. Mild exercise and stretching serves as a warm up to the muscles. When the weather is cold, the stiffness and tightness in the muscles increases even further. This is why we should keep moving and exercising in winter rather than seek cover under blankets all the time. Keep your daily workout routine intact. Warm up by stretching and light lifting every day before you begin the day. In fact, a small two-minute stretching program can be undertaken right in the bed before one puts his feet on the ground.

Cover Yourself up Well: Exposure to chilly winds can also exacerbate pain sometimes. Always cover yourself in layers of clothing to keep the body heat from escaping.

Workout Indoors: To prevent exposure to cold, shift your workout routines indoors. If the ground where you walk or run everyday has gotten too cold, shift to a gym or find an indoor space to walk every day. If your office has a long gallery, you can use it as a walking space for 30 minutes every day.

Adopt back strengthening exercises: Lower back muscles are quite vulnerable in winters. It would help if you adopt exercises that strengthen the lower back. Make sure you learn them under expert supervision.

Read the rest of this entry

Haryana Governor distributes scholarships to ITM University students

Haryana Governor Sri. Kaptan Singh Solanki distributes scholarships to meritorious and under-privileged students of ITM University, Gurgaon

•   Over 200 students were given scholarships amounting to Rs. 1.5 Crores

Gurgaon: In an atmosphere of solemnity and grandeur, His Excellency Governor of Harayana Prof. Kaptan Singh Solanki distributed scholarships to over 200 students of ITM University, Gurgaon to help financially and socially disadvantaged and meritorious students.

This scholarship has been instituted by the University to bring quality education within the reach of every student irrespective of their financial or social status.

Speaking at the occasion, the Governor, the Chief Guest at the Scholarship distribution ceremony, lauded the milestones achieved by ITM University in becoming one of the premier universities in India. He further went on to appreciate the service ITM University renders by awarding scholarships to the merited students and those from the weaker section of the society. He drew attention of all spectators on the tremendous progress made by the State of Haryana in the field of higher education.

“The University should further endeavour to achieve global bench marks in higher education and use emerging technology and pursue research to benefit the people, industry and the country at large,” he added while urging students to become good responsible citizens of this country besides being professionals.

The Pro-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Prem Vrat said, “ITM University holds the pride of one of the first private technical universities in Haryana and offers various undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes under the School of Engineering and Technology, School Management and School of Law. The University has achieved many distinctions over the years since it inception, through hard work, vision and unflinching commitment to excellence.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. BS Panwar lauded the efforts of the student and asked other students to follow their suit. The fee concessions and scholarships amounted to over Rs 1.5 crore.

Earlier, the ITM University staff and students accorded a warm welcome to the honorable Governor. The campus was spruced up for the occasion with colours and flowers and patriotic fervor was created by the University Choir while singing National Anthem and Vande Matram.


For more information:
Teamwork Public Relations
Rishi Sinha/Abhishek Pandey
9911872345/9999858558

Read the rest of this entry

Letting the Girl Child Live: Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon celebrates Children’s Day

Letting the Girl Child Live: Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon celebrates Children’s Day differently! Talks about ‘SHE’- the Girl Child!

• Through Painting and Declamation competition, Paras Hospitals organized a platform for the children to speak their mind on what they feel about the inhuman practice of female foeticide and infanticide.
• Children from schools across Gurgaon come together to celebrate Children’s Day and exhort their parents’ generation to junk the abhorrent practice

Gurgaon: Can we call ourselves a civilized society as long as the despicable practice of killing the female foetus remains rampant amidst us? Can we celebrate Children’s Day without turning our thoughts to the millions of girl children who have been killed in their mother’s womb? These questions were at the heart of a two-day programme organized by Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon to invite children into a movement for change.

Children from schools across Gurgaon came together to celebrate this Children’s Day differently – by devoting their time and energies to express their thoughts about the illegal yet common practice of sex selection in our society.
It is to be noted that Haryana is among the Indian states which have the worst women to men sex ratios in India. In fact, in the 2011 Census, Haryana had the ignominy of having the lowest child sex ratio among all states with just 834 girls for each 1,000 boys in the age group of 0-6 year.

​​‘SHE’ is an initiative of Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon that aims to create awareness against the evil of female foeticide by engaging schools and touching the lives of the next generation so that they know what is right and what is wrong. Paras Hospitals campaign- SHE aimed at involving the generation next – the school children- to discuss and have an opinion against female infanticide and foeticide.

On Wednesday (Nov 12), a painting competition was organized at various school premises where participating children were asked to draw their hearts out, expressing the theme of ‘Save the Girl Child’. Children came out with remarkable expressions of brush to express their disgust at the inhuman practice followed by their parents’ generation. The painting contest was followed by a Declamation Competition on Nov 13, where children were encouraged to speak about ‘What Can I do to Stop female Infanticide’.


“Female infanticide is a social issue and cannot be dealt with legal instruments alone. We have to work as a community at different levels to get rid of this abhorrent practice that has been responsible for a silent genocide of our unborn girls. This evil can be rooted out only when we as a people junk the preference for the male child and start believing that foeticide is as wrong as murder,” says Dr Kousar Ali Shah, Zonal Director , Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon, who headed the initiative.

​​The declamation & painting competition was judged by prominent social workers who work at the grass root level for woman empowerment. Ms Poornima Savargaonkar, a former ISRO scientist was invited who at present is associated with NGO – Uthaan. Ms Poornima is associated with the rural women of the area and has taken up numerous initiatives for women empowerment; Ms Deepa Antil, President SNP-Sashakt Nari Parishad, Gurgaon; and Dr Rakhee Gogoi, HOD, Radiology at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon also acted as judges to decide the winners of the competitions.

“We believe it is imperative for children to be involved in such a campaign as they are our next generation. It is they who will decide the future course that our society takes on this issue and it will help if they grow up believing that killing the girl child is a horrendous practice. As a community health provider, it is our duty to do whatever we can to engage the community in productive and pertinent discussions. This is why we believe that celebrating Children’s Day by highlighting one of the most significant issues facing our children is the right thing to do,” says Dr Rakhee Gogoi, HOD Radiology, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon

She also added that , “ We as healthcare providers and doctors have a major role to play. Female infanticide may be carried out due to society pressure and miscreant behaviors, however a doctor- sonologist – plays a very important role. The government has over the years has developed strong practices against sex determination, however a gap still exists. We as professionals also have a social responsibility and hence we should all stand against this social evil. It is we after all who decide the change and this change is for the better. “

At the twin competitions held at Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon, children took to different expressions to convey their thoughts about this pertinent question. Most of them went back believing strongly that an evil is rampant in their society, and they need to do their part in abolishing it.


For more information:
Rishi Sinha/Abhishek Pandey
9911872345/9999858558​

Read the rest of this entry

M3M Group, India signs US $5 billion deal with Xian Ji Co. of China

M3M Group, India signs US $5 billion deal with Xian Ji Co. of China for Multi- Trade Exposition Centre’s in India


New Delhi: M3M Group, country’s leading ultra-luxury real estate developer, today announced their strategic tie- up with the Xian Ji Co. of China for massive Multi-Trade Exposition Centre’s in India. Both the companies signed a MoU for US $ 5 billion, planning to build an expansive new convention and exposition Centre in Gurgaon.


This unprecedented collaboration by the M3M Group, Real Estate Development leaders in India,

with one of the largest Chinese Corporations of China, follows hot on the footsteps of the recent meeting held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese Premier Xi Jinping on his last visit to India.


China has shown interest in partnering with India in the urban development sector, including the development of new smart satellite cities and large Expo Centre’s, to foster world trade employing mutual resources and talent. The top leadership of China conveyed its areas of interest during extensive talks that were held between the two great economies. During the talks, both sides decided to set up committees to further examine and concretize the areas of cooperation between the two countries in the context of India’s initiative to build 100 news smart cities.


Pankaj Bansal, Director-M3M Group, stated at a formal signing ceremony on the association between M3M and the Xinji Group, "This is a historic step taken by any Indian company, inspired by our honorable Prime Minister to 'Make in India'! We at the M3M Group are proud to sign this momentous MOU agreement to associate with one of China's best and largest Groups to develop world-class Maxi Expo Centre’s in India".


Commenting on the MOU, India's Consul General in Guangzhou, K Nagaraj Naidu said, “If materialized, such huge Expo-Centre’s could play a major role in showcasing India's products as the country lacks this facility, barring a few like in Pragathi Maidan. China has benefited immensely from developing huge expo- centres in several cities including Shanghai and Guangzhou by holding annual fairs attended by lakhs of buyers from abroad.”



These Centers will have large International Convention Arenas, Hotels, Exhibition Halls, Office Spaces, Retail Hubs and Universal Media Cities. In fact, this type of development will foster world trade for both countries. They will rival and supersede the likes of Pragati Maidan, the Melbourne Darling Harbour Centre and Seoul and Dubai Expo Cities!


M3M will be able to benefit from the experience of Xinji, as the corporation is well known for developing and providing every aspect of the hospitality industry. M3M has the knowledge, experience, land bank (2000 acres) to partner such a venture. Initial information regarding the agreement proposes a joint investment by both groups. A total investment of US $ 5 billion has been planned in over 5 years for the venture which will see numerous Maxi Expo Centers all across India as part of the satellite 'Smart City' concept of the Prime Minister of India. Total 1000 acre land has been identified in Gurgaon for this development.


About the Xinji Group of China


Xinji Group was founded in Panyu, Guangzhou in 1998. It has now developed into a mega corporate with a wide business scope covering real estate, exposition center of hotel supplies, exposition center of home furnishings, urban complex, tourism real estate, convention and exposition economy, international trade and star-rated hotels.


Xinji Group has over 20 subsidiaries with more than 30 projects in many parts of China. Over the past 16 years, Xinji has been expanding its business and set up a total of 6 headquarter bases in Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chengdu, Wuhan, Nantong and Hohhot with business in 32 major cities in the country.


At present, Xinji Group operates in a total area of 1.5 million square meters. With an area of 9 million square meters to be exploited, the Group has an abundance of land resources to offer.

Xinji Group has developed many high-impact projects of commercial and residential real estate including Dashi Furniture Town, Xinji Shaxi Exposition Center of Hotel Supplies, Fuli Plaza, Xinji Town and so on. The Group has become an exemplary player in the industry.


About the M3M Group of India

M3M Group is one of India's premiere business conglomerates with interests in Real Estate (Residential / Commercial / Retail), Hospitality, Education and IT / SEZs. The land bank exceeds 2000 acres of prime land with 11 million sq. ft. of built up space. The organization has already invested over USD 500 million in developing many iconic projects in North India. The projected business value of the organization exceeds USD 5 billion.


M3M has embarked upon 39 projects in Haryana. M3M Golf Estate, the 75 acre uber luxury resort-like residential complex is an example of it venture. This project has won many accolades and awards the world over at Dubai, London and San Francisco. Recently it won the award for the Best Luxury Project in India from NAREDCO, a Govt. of India patronized organization. The group is known for its philanthropist activities in uplifting the weaker sections of our society. M3M is also known to back healthy and clean living by promoting sports and games for the youth. The recent Polo tournaments were sponsored by the company.


M3M is an ardent supporter of all government initiatives. The company directors were part of the recent business delegation to Japan along with the PM and also accompanied the President of India, His Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee, to Finland and Norway.

Read the rest of this entry