New Delhi (India), April 5: Aspirelabs launched FINILOOP PLASTIC LAB (www.aspirelabs.com/fpl), which is a part of FINILOOP (Financial Inclusion & Improved Livelihoods out of Plastics) – a city-level solid waste management program. FINILOOP is designed to achieve plastic waste-free cities by improving solid and plastic waste management while strengthening the livelihood opportunities of informal waste workers and fostering innovation for plastic waste enterprises. FINILOOP PLASTIC LAB (FPL) is a 14-month-long incubation program to support plastic waste entrepreneurs and startups from across the country who would work to make Udaipur and Amritsar plastic waste-free cities using the circular economy concept.

FPL is supported by the IKEA Foundation (www.ikeafoundation.org) and is being implemented by Aspirelabs (www.aspirelabs.com), WASTE Foundation (www.waste.nl) and Trust of People. It is also being supported by strategic partners like FINISH Society, Take a Stake fund and Shriram Institute of Industrial Research. The launch event held on 27th March 2023 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, featured eminent speakers from govt. and industry. Mr. Ranjit Singh, Aspirelabs founder, Mr. Jeroen IJgosse, WASTE Foundation, and Ms. Sophie Van den Berg, Program Director, FINILOOP, introduced the participants to the scope and objectives of the program and how the startups and cities will benefit from it. The chief guest, Mr. CK Mishra, Former Union Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in his address, emphasized the need for a paradigm shift vis-à-vis plastic and congratulated Aspirelabs for adding a fifth ‘R’ – ‘Reimagine’ to the existing four R’s of plastic – Refuse, Reuse, Recycle and Recover and he hoped that FINILOOP would be able to close the loop on plastics.

The program was divided into three sessions with a common theme of “REIMAGINE PLASTIC”. The discussions focused on accelerating plastic circularity and covered the following aspects – • Policy challenges & interventions • Perspective of startups regarding challenges related to circularity in plastics • Bridging the critical gaps to catalyze circularity in plastics • In the first session, there were individual speeches by prominent researchers, policymakers, academicians, CSR experts & people from industry at large to explain the justifications for the laws and their long-term effects.

Some of them were Mr. Somveer Anand, CEO and Mission Director, Innovation Mission Punjab (Virtual), Mr. Prabhat Pani, Executive Director – CISD, SPJIMR; (Virtual), Prof Anup Kumar Ghosh, Emeritus Professor, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, IIT Delhi, Mr. Harkesh Mittal, Chairman, Startup India Seed Fund Committee, Govt. of India, Ms. Saloni Goel, Head Circular Economy and Plastic Waste Management, UNDP India, Ms. Gitika Goswami, Associate Vice President & Lead Policy Research & Planning, Development Alternatives, Dr. Mukul Das, Director, Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Ms. Rishika Chatterjee, Associate – Startup India and Mr. Pavee Raheja, Chief Strategy Officer, Terraform ESG. • In the second session, we had our first-panel discussion to understand the perspective of startups already working in Plastic Waste Management space and the challenges faced by them.

Panelists were Ms. Sonal Shukla, Co-Founder econscious, Mr. Rakesh Thakur, COO of Dhruven Entreprises, Ms. Sakshi Jha, CoFounder, SarfarazSakshi Innovation, Mr. Pranjul Jha, Chief Operating Officer, Biocrux India, Mr. Mukul Chhabra, Founder, ScrapUncle, Ms. Divya Shetty, COO and Co-founder, Cercle X (Infinite Cercle) and Ms. Anita Ahuja, Co-Founder and President Conserve India. • The third and last session was devoted to the issue of overcoming the challenges faced in accelerating plastic circularity and bridging those gaps. Panelists were Mr. Abhijit Banerji, Member Secretary, FINISH Society & Director FINISH Mondial India, Mr. Mihir Banerji, Co-chairman, Plastindia Committee & Secretary General, PPRDC, Mr. D P Singh, Vice President, Re Sustainability, Dr. Madhab Chakraborty, Joint Director and Regional Head at Indian Institute of Packaging, Delhi, Mr. Arunavo Mukherjee, Vice President – Advisory Services, Tata Cleantech Capital, Mr. Kamlesh Kholiya, Sustainability Manager – South Asia Markets, Tetra Pak. About Aspirelabs Aspirelabs(www.aspirelabs.com) is a startup accelerator and incubator centrally located in Delhi NCR with a network of high-quality business, sectoral, and startup mentors.

Aspirelabs runs customized programs designed to foster entrepreneurship and innovation and to enable young businesses and startups to scale up for profitability. In the last 6 years, we have helped 600+ startups through the following – • Design and implementation of startup acceleration/incubation programs; • Mentoring and assisting startups in scaling up. • Techno-commercial studies, consulting, and advocacy on the environment, waste management, sustainability, and related issues • Direct and indirect funding Lamp lighting ceremony by (L to R); Prof AK Ghosh, Emeritus Professor, IIT Delhi; Mr. Jeroen IJgosse, Solid Waste Expert, WASTE Foundation; Mr. Ranjit Singh, Founder Aspirelabs; Ms. Nivedita Singh, Founder Co-create change; Mr. C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC, Govt. of India; Ms. Saloni Goel, Head Circular Economy and Plastic Waste Management, UNDP India; Mr. Abhijit Banerji, Member Secretary, FINISH Society & Director FINISH Mondial India.

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New Delhi (India), April 6: The film will be backed by Rajshri Productions in association with Jio Studios and Mahaveer Jain.

The Newcomers initiative is a platform that offers opportunities to new talent such as actors, writers, directors, musicians, and technicians from all over India.

Over 23 leading filmmakers in the country have come together with this extraordinary initiative to launch, mentor and support new talent.

This marks the second collaboration between Mahaveer Jain and Rajshri Productions after their successful partnership on the film Uunchai.

This exciting announcement comes on the heels of the recent news that Rajkumar Hirani Films, Mahaveer Jain, and Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios have joined hands to launch two fresh faces through a feature film under the Newcomers initiative.

The collaboration aims to strengthen the film industry’s ecosystem and encourage the growth of new talent. Stay tuned for further updates.

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Guwahati: Guwahati advocate Tajuddin Ahmed on Wednesday filed an FIR at Latashil police station against Mariani MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi for his objectionable and derogatory remarks regarding Taj Mahal.

“Rupjyoti Kurmi Mariani MLA made an objectionable and derogatory remarks regarding Taj Mahal which is the pride of our nation falls under the National Heritage of India. On 04-04-2023, he stated that The Taj Mahal should be demolished and one Temple should be constructed in that place which is very unfortunate. We all aware that the Taj Mahal is run by the Central Government which is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remaines Act 1958,” the advocate stated in the FIR.

The FIR further stated, “Moreover, the UNESCO has recognised the Taj Mahal in the year 1983 as World Heritage Site. The aforesaid statement of Mr Kurmi is very communal and anti-national which may create social unrest and may cause disturbance of Communal harmony at any moment. I urged you to investigate into the matter and register a case under proper sections of law and take necessary action Rupjyoti Kurmi,”.

On April 5, Rupjyoti Kurmi has demanded an inquiry to ascertain whether 17th century Mughal emperor Shah Jahan loved his wife Mumtaz or not.
“An enquiry must be started on Shah Jahan on whether he truly loved Mumtaz or not,” BJP MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi stated.

The Assam BJP MLA further questioned: “If Shah Jahan truly loved Mumtaz and made the Taj Mahal for her, why did he marry four others?”

He also alleged that the Taj Mahal was constructed using the wealth of Hindu Kings of that time.

On Tuesday (April 4), Kurmi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider demolishing monuments like the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar and Red Fort and construct temples in that place.

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Mr. Vipul Mishra, the CEO of Search Homes India

New Delhi (​​India), April 5: Vipul Mishra, a self-made entrepreneur who started his journey from scratch, has made his name synonymous with success in the real estate industry by building one of the leading property search services in India. Mr. Vipul had no bed of roses, and his journey has not been an easy one. However, as the famous quote says, “The greatest things in life are achieved by struggle and hardships,” Mr. Vipul’s unwavering determination and hard work have helped him triumph over obstacles that came his way and he emerged as a successful businessman.

Mr. Vipul embarked on his journey when he relocated to Bangalore in 2011 to pursue his MBA at the International Institute of Business Studies. During his MBA, he tutored students in subjects such as accounting, mathematics, and economics. While he had to suffer the bourgeois riddle of the financial crisis, Mr. Vipul remained committed to his aspirations. After receiving his MBA degree in 2013, he spent two years working across diverse industries prior to discovering his interest in the real estate industry. In 2015, in partnership with Mr. Pankaj Singh, Mr. Vipul Mishra established Search Homes India, which is currently one of the leading real estate service providers in India. With his exceptional expertise in sales, marketing strategies, time management, accounting, and resourcefulness, Mr. Vipul steered the company towards remarkable accomplishment within just a few years.

One of the main motives behind starting his real estate company was to help small or growing construction company owners who struggled a lot to sell their properties due to high competition in the real estate market. Another motive was to help customers buy government-certified properties from verified builders without struggling with any kind of fraud.

Throughout his journey, Mr. Vipul encountered numerous struggles and obstacles. Initially, due to a lack of knowledge about marketing strategy, competition, and delays in receiving payment from builders, he faced a significant setback in the business. After the Government of India announced the demonetization in 2016, the housing demand in India plummeted by 40%, and this severely impacted Mr. Vipul’s business. The Real estate industry was hit again in 2017 with the sudden introduction of the Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA). Construction companies were unable to launch properties without RERA approval, and those failing to complete projects within the registration timeframe were punished. In 2019, the announcement of GST further compounded the confusion of property buyers, resulting in yet another downturn in the real estate market. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic wrought a severe decline in sales, posing a daunting challenge to Mr. Vipul’s company in recovering its fixed costs. However, following the pandemic, numerous properties were launched that provided ample opportunities to expand the business. Since then, Mr. Vipul’s company has experienced exponential growth due to a surge in demand in the real estate industries, coupled with their effective sales and marketing strategy.

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Vipul grew up in a middle-class family. His hobbies and interest, such as playing cricket, reading political news, and discussing entrepreneurial ideas with like-minded people, reflect his imaginative mindset and entrepreneurial drive. Despite all the struggles, Mr. Vipul never lost his motivation and continued to work even harder. He drew inspiration from business leader Ratan Tata, who is known for his risk-taking abilities and the belief that no job is too small or too big. Moreover, his rejection of a job by a PAN India real estate company in 2015 inspired him to take the entrepreneurial route and start his own venture in the real estate industry. He got the much-needed push to pursue his dreams of building a successful company worthy of competing with big real estate players in the market.

With his unwavering commitment, hard work and dedication, Mr. Vipul has emerged as a successful entrepreneur in a challenging industry. Along with this, Vipul endeavours to offer ample employment opportunities for the youth of India. Vipul’s success story is an inspiration to several budding entrepreneurs who strives to make a mark in their chosen field, despite numerous obstacles. With a creative mindset and entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Vipul Mishra aspires to make a positive impact on the world and strive towards a better future.

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Guwahati: In a tragic incident, three persons were killed and another two injured in a road accident in Assam’s Goalpara district on Wednesday.  

The deceased have been identified as Anarul Islam, Nur Islam and Biki Baishya.

According to reports, the accident  took place on national highway 17 near Fafal under Dudhnoi police station in Goalpara district of Assam.

Police said  the accident took place when the car the five persons – three dead and two injured – hit the backside of a truck.

“Three people including the driver of the car died on the spot while two others including a minor girl are injured.The two injured persons are being treated at a hospital,”  a police said.

 The car involved in the accident was travelling from Guwahati towards Dhubri.

The truck fled from the spot after the accident.

“Most of the accidents took place due to overspeeding and rash driving. The people who are driving car or vehicle should be cautious while driving,” said a police.

According to data avilable, Every year, approximately 1.5 lakh people dies on India roads, which translate, on an average, into 1130 accidents and 422 deaths every day or 47 accidents and 18 deaths every hour.

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Guwahati: On the occasion of the 60th National Maritime Day, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways  (MoPSW) & Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the ‘Maritime Awareness Walkathon’ in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The walkathon was flagged off in the presence of Shripad Y. Naik, Minister of State, MoPSW; Sudhansh Pant, MoPSW; Sanjeev Ranjan, Chairman, National Shipping Board; Rajesh Kumar Sinha,

Additional Secretary, MoPSW; Capt. Rajendra Poswal, Nautical Surveyor, Chairman National Maritime Day and various other dignitaries.

During the event  Sarbananda Sonowal greeted people and paid respect, saluting seafarers, port workers and all those associated with the maritime sector for their determination and  hard work.

Highlighting the importance of the maritime sector for India’s economic growth, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Shipping is the lifeline and the route of the prosperity of the nation. This is the first National Maritime Day which we are celebrating during Amrit Kaal.

In India’s Amrit Kaal, shipping will open new boundaries to lead the building of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

“The vision of Amrit Kaal under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is for creation of excellent employment opportunities for the youth. We have to work hard to make shipping a fast-growing sector so that India can become a world leader in maritime infrastructure as well as a lead player in the maritime economy,” said Sonowal.

“Women seafarers are also playing a vital role in the maritime sector. I am thankful for their tremendous contribution,” he added.

On April 5, 1919, for the first time, the Indian company Scindia Steam Navigation Company Limited’s ship namely S.S. Loyalty went from India to London to trade. In his memory, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways celebrates 5th April every year as National maritime day.

National Maritime Day is dedicated to the pivotal role of maritime trade in the development of the Indian economy and its strategiclocation in global trade.

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Guwahati: Saksham (Samadrishti, Kshamata Vikas Evam Anusandhan Mandal) is a charitable national organization in collaboration with Dristi Netralaya has inaugurated a mobile eye clinic and a Dibyang Sewa Kendra at Dristi Netralaya in Dibrugarh on Tuesday.

Dr. Bhanu Saikia (Joint Director, NCPCR, Govt. of Assam) and Dr. Gauri Gogoi has inaugurated both the projects in Dibrugarh.

This is a first of its kind mobile eye clinic which can be used to provide free eye treatment in the far-flung rural areas of upper Assam region.

This service will also assist in furthering the corneal blindness control program of SAKSHAM in the region.

Besides, a Dibyang Sewa Kendra has also been launched during the same inauguration ceremony.

This Dibyang Kendra shall benefit the specially able persons in receiving various kinds of support such as processing Disability (UDID) card, dissemination of information on different government schemes, assistance for employment opportunities etc. the program was graced by many dignitaries and an interesting skit has also been played by Mancha Hilpa, Dibrugarh for generating awareness on eye donation.

Dr. Bhanu Saikia has stressed on eradication of avoidable blindness in upper Assam region and assured all possible help to Dristi Netralaya and SAKSHAM in their endeavour on blindness control.

Dr. Ramesh Aggarwalla has laid out the future vision of Dristi Netralaya in the sphere of blindness control.

Monuj Tamuli (State President, SAKSHAM) spoke on the activities of SAKSHAM in Assam since its inception in 2016.

He opined that SAKSHAM believe the specially able persons are not a burden on the society rather an asset of the nation provided the society utilise their skill for increasing the productivity of the country.

Dr. Gouri Gogoi, retired joint Director of health Tinsukia, Dr. Debojit Sinha and Jotirmoi Devi hosted programme. Shyamal Chakrabarty (State Treasurer, SAKSHAM) offered the vote of thanks.

Dr. Sinha and Devi have jointly hosted the program at Dristi Netralaya.

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Guwahati: INTACH Tripura chapter and citizens of the state of Tripura strongly condemned the use of the erstwhile Durbar Hallat Ujjayanta Place state museum for hosting of the recent G-20 summit dinner on April 3.

“Many persons are not aware but an official dinner was hosted at the Ujjayanta Palace Durbar Hall for a few top delegates. As the name indicates, the Durbar Hall was not merely a room but a historical and sacred place, and has been held dearly, is close to the people of the State and been respected for over 122 years, by one and all. It was used for the Coronation/ Installation ceremony of the Rulers of Tripurawhich were religious in nature and for important, official purposes and never entertainment or dining,” stated Pragya Deb Burman, state convenor of INTACH Tripura.

He said, “Even when the Ujjayanta Palace was used as the State Assembly building in the past, prior to becoming the State Museum, it was used for official purposes by the respected speaker. Unfortunately, the identity of the Durbar Hall is being tarnished now by the State Government and this has shocked us. On the one hand, they speak of respecting our centuries old Indian culture, the visionary Maharajas and our rich historic past but on the other hand, discrete parties are held- such hypocrisy must be known and be condemned by the people,”.

“It seems that the dinner was to be hosted in a 5 Star hotel but the authorities suddenly decided that the Durbar Hall should be used for the entertainment of the delegates. I am sharing photographs and am sure the people of the State who have respected this magnificent sanctum in the Palace will agree and voice their displeasure. The horribly placed statue where the throne used to be and gaudy dining arrangement in the Hall is insulting and shows disrespect for our Heritage and customary, religious practices and rites,” Deb Burman stated.

He further added, “I sincerely hope that this sacred space will not be converted in the future into a party or dining room and will be preserved and revered as it used to be in the past,”.

“There were plans by the Museum authorities to recreate the Durbar Hall with a replica of the Throne/ Chaturdala, for the purpose of educating our fellow citizens but with this disrespectful attitude, we fear the worst and ask the State Government of Tripura to honour our historic spaces and give it the dignity it deserves. I am sure there are several hotels and open spaces in Tripura where such events could have taken place but we must not misuse power and change the status and sacredness of certain religious and historic places,” he stated.

Deb Burman further added, “I would like to make an appeal to the Government of Tripura and their Departments to respect the sentiments of the various communities, minorities and religious customs of the people of Tripura before randomly deciding or holding of events in such historic places,”.

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New Delhi (India), April 5: Cricket fans have a reason to cheer as FairPlay, India’s leading gaming platform, has announced that it will be offering free live streaming of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. Fans can also enjoy playing online games on the same platform, making it a one-stop shop for sports and gaming enthusiasts.

The Indian Premier League is one of the most popular cricket tournaments in the world, attracting millions of viewers each year. With FairPlay’s announcement, cricket fans can watch their favourite teams battle it out on the field without any charges.

Fairplay also provides a special 300% first deposit incentive and a 5% loss-back bonus for each IPL game.

The announcement of free live streaming of IPL 2023 is expected to attract even more users to the platform. Cricket fans can now enjoy their favourite sport and play online games on the same platform, making it a one-of-a-kind experience.
Sports news and updates platform and a new entrant in the Fantasy gaming category, FairPlay News, has launched the ‘Khel Ja’ campaign.
The campaign brings together Indian Olympians MC Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal, actors Ranbir Kapoor and Kiara Advani, and international cricketers Mithali Raj, Sunil Narine, and Eoin Morgan.

“We are thrilled to offer free live streaming of IPL 2023 to our users,” said a spokesperson for FairPlay. “We believe that our platform provides a unique and immersive experience for sports and gaming enthusiasts alike. Fans can focus on what they love – cricket and gaming.”

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New Delhi (India), April 5: Children in India will soon experience the world’s first-ever mantra-singing Hindu-inspired toy brand, Modi Toys – a perfect blend of entertainment and education — launched by siblings Avani Modi Sarkar and Viral Modi. Applying a modern spin on ancient ethos, Modi Toys wants children to stay connected to their roots through their mantra-singing Hindu soft toys and corresponding books.

Nearly five years after successfully launching in the USA, the founders are now announcing their foray into the Indian market as they introduce Modi Toys to the very country that inspired their entrepreneurial journey. Co-founder of the homebound startup, Avani, says, “Viral and I were born and raised in India and moved to the USA over 30 years ago. But thanks to our parents’ upbringing, we’ve always remained fully immersed in our culture. But when we became parents ourselves, we saw a severe gap in the market for culturally representative toys reflective of our Hindu roots. We wanted to raise our kids with the same sense of connection and appreciation towards their culture, which inspired us to start Modi Toys. We have tens of thousands of customers around the world, but nothing gives us more pride than now seeing families in India embrace our products.”

Avani adds, “Making our products educational and meaningful was just as important as keeping them fun and simple because our toys and books serve as a gateway to sparking children’s curiosity. The more accessible our toys are, the more likely kids are to play with them.”

Modi Toys takes pride in the fact that all of its operations, from ethical production to packaging, are 100% Made In India. The company’s commitment to local production not only supports local artisans but ensures the highest standards of quality and sustainability.

Viral Modi, the co-founder of Modi Toys, said, “In addition to our attention to detail and craftsmanship, Modi Toys has taken steps to adopt more sustainable practices across its operations, including its supply chain, packaging, and waste management. Our toys are made from eco-friendly materials, and we hope to leave this world a better place for children.”

The brand is dedicated to making measurable social change and is launching multiple collections, including plush toy figures of Baby Ganesh, Baby Hanuman, Baby Krishna, Saraswati Devi, Durga Devi, Laxmi Devi, and the Shhhanti Musical Crib Mobile – celebrating and promoting the beauty and depth of Hindu culture and theology.

About Modi Toys
Modi Toys is an award-winning modern brand of children’s toys and books inspired by ancient Hindu culture. Founded by two siblings, Modi Toys has delivered smiles to over 80,000 people across 38 countries. Modi Toys seeks to spark curiosity in children about their Indian heritage. Its unique and high-quality collection of plush toys and rhyming books helps create a sense of wonder as children learn about the stories and qualities of the Hindu gods and goddesses. Modi Toys has received widespread recognition in the USA, where it first launched in 2018, by winning prestigious awards like the Good Housekeeping Best Toys Award and Parents Best Toys Award, and has also been recognized as Forbes Next 1000, Inc Female Founder 100, and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.

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