Latest news with #AyushiJain
Business Standard
11 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Project AAROGYA - Konica Minolta Business Solutions' Flagship National-Level CSR Initiative Brings Cutting-Edge Healthcare Access To Rural India
PNN Balotra (Rajasthan) [India], July 29: In a remarkable stride toward inclusive healthcare delivery, Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Private Limited has extended its flagship CSR initiative, Project Aarogya, to four rural health centres in Rajasthan's Balotra district. Through the installation of advanced Health ATM machines at PHC Jagsa, PHC Indrana, PHC Kankrala, and CHC Sindhari, the initiative is now transforming the way primary healthcare is accessed in underserved communities. With over 50 diagnostic tests now available--including blood pressure, ECG, haemoglobin, blood sugar, HBa1C, lipid profile, and vision testing--rural citizens can receive real-time health insights within 10-15 minutes. Test reports are delivered both as printed copies and directly to patients' WhatsApp numbers, enabling fast, reliable, and tech-enabled healthcare at the grassroots. The initiative, implemented in collaboration with Manav Vikas Sanstha, reflects Konica Minolta's deep commitment to bridging India's healthcare divide through sustainable and scalable innovation. Speaking about the impact, Mr. Katsuhisa Asari, Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., noted that "Aarogya's initiative with Health ATM machines underscores Konica Minolta's global commitment to healthcare equity. By extending essential diagnostic services to underserved regions, we're nurturing sustainable health infrastructure worldwide. This initiative reflects our belief in global solidarity for a healthier planet. Furthermore, at Konica Minolta, we recognize the urgent need for healthcare advancements in India's rural areas. Through Project Aarogya, we're committed to bridging this healthcare gap by providing advanced high-precision Health ATM machines, ensuring critical diagnostic services reach those most in need." Adding to this, Ms. Ayushi Jain, Head - Sustainability Promotion Department at Konica Minolta, emphasized that "At Konica Minolta, sustainability isn't a department--it's a responsibility. This project reflects our belief that technology must be harnessed to address social inequities, and healthcare is one of the most pressing needs in India's rural landscape." As the implementation partner, Manav Vikas Sanstha ensured effective on-ground execution, including training local healthcare staff to operate and maintain the machines. Mr. Akul Vashishtha, Executive Director of MVS India, remarked, "Konica Minolta's leadership and clarity of vision have been pivotal in making this project a reality. Together, we've not only deployed machines--we've delivered dignity, access, and hope to communities that have long been underserved." The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of senior officials including Dr. Narendra Saxena, Joint Secretary - Rajasthan Health Department, and Dr. Vakaram Chodhari, CMHO Balotra, who praised the initiative as a meaningful leap toward democratizing healthcare access in rural regions. To ensure long-term effectiveness, healthcare staff at the respective centres have been trained to operate the machines and assist patients, thus embedding the technology into the existing public health system. Under the same initiative, Health ATM machines will also soon be installed in Bathinda, Punjab, further expanding the reach of quality diagnostics and early-stage preventive care to northern India. Local communities and health officials have lauded the effort, praising its ability to save time, reduce healthcare costs, and provide early diagnosis. With Project Aarogya, Konica Minolta has not only set a precedent in healthcare-focused CSR, but has also reshaped rural healthcare through innovation, accessibility, and inclusive partnerships.
Mint
07-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Workspace evolution: Gen Z inspires new office design trends
One thing we'd never give up as an organisation is a physical space, a place where real, in-person connections can continue to thrive as we work," says Advait Gupt, co-founder and CEO of Mumbai-based Kulfi Collective, a creative network that produces branded and original IPs for Gen Y and Z audiences. On the cusp of a seismic shift in work culture, various generations are coexisting under a single roof. Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012, is perceivably more vocal about personal growth in a professional setting. As the younger generation steps out to work post pandemic, their non-negotiable ideal of a healthy workplace is causing high attrition and employers are struggling to keep up. The JLL India Future of Work Survey 2024 revealed that in India, 90% of companies now require at least three days of office presence. In this era of conflicting sensibilities, a reimagination of the brick-and-mortar office is helping bridge gaps and retain the love for the workplace. 'A physical intervention can't always be as impactful as a good chat with your team. Real work is built in conversations, not confinements," says Ayushi Jain, a 20-something visual designer from Delhi. But 39-year-old Gupt is one of the many employers of his generation who believe that if designed thoughtfully, a workplace can embody and cultivate these values that younger professionals believe in. His creative agency was founded in 2012 and recently got a redesign at its address in Mumbai's Nehru Centre. When designing the space (later named Kulfiverse) he and his team capitalised on its circular structure to inspire borderless communication and the transparent culture of collaboration. Changing Times The asset is the same: space. How people invest in it is up for a reinvention. 'For a typical professional, an eight-hour workday is often bookended by the need to manage meals, commute, fitness and chores. By having such services in the office, we're freed to focus completely on our work and preserve valuable personal time for hobbies and relaxation outside," says Ashutosh Chauhan, a Hyderabad-based application engineer working at Google India. The MNC has been pushing the bill on creative workplace design for years, with amenities like themed meeting rooms named after animated TV series, food setups, gyms, etc. More corporations are considering such inclusions. Aayush Golecha and Kushaal Jhaveri, co-founders of Mumbai-based architecture and interior design firm The Comma Collective, concur: 'Earlier, the corporate design brief was consistent: maintain efficiency while fitting as many people as possible with the bare essentials. Post covid, founders want sleeping pods, TT tables and wellness rooms." The demand for a more connected and growth-oriented organisation is also evident among Gen Z employees, who place more value on output over process. Such diversity cannot be nurtured without acknowledging factors like creative breaks, cerebral stimulation, sensory comfort, mental health, and productivity cycles. Architecture is thus becoming a way of incorporating these elements into daily culture. The New Blueprint Golecha focuses on thoughtful zoning, materiality and visual cues when designing. 'Modern workspaces must be adaptable and offer what remote setups can't—authentic connection, inspiration and a sense of community," he says. For instance, Google's open plan layout built on a no-cabin system inspires easy conversation across corporate hierarchies. Kulfiverse features breakout rooms and a community space with Lego sets to spark ideas. While brands are playing around with layout, there's still a long way to go for material tweaks. Many continue to demand traditional materials like marble and only as much colour as needed to reflect the brand's identity. However, surfaces like wood, ceramic and concrete balanced with soft textiles can feel warm, grounded and real—qualities that resonate deeply with the younger generation. While Gen Z is mindful of sustainability, designers foresee a considerable journey ahead for companies, mainly because of the initial investment it requires. These, along with visual and tactile cues, can stimulate creativity, break the stereotype around 'work desks" and tap into intuitive work cycles. 'Use materials that tell stories: upcycled tiles from a previous site, marble scraps turned into tables or graffiti walls that double up as memory archives. Design for movement and spontaneity through writable surfaces, modular zones and light that changes with mood," says Smita Thomas, founder of interior design studio Multitude of Sins. The Hurdle in Huddling Though easily definable, this collaborative experiment is a ropewalk of balance between monotony and overstimulation, creative provocation and mental restoration. Jain's field of work is the perfect example: 'My three essentials in a workspace are: a clean room; good lighting; and a solid sound system. If I create something bad, chances are the lighting was off or the music wasn't on." Space and budget constraints can often pose another challenge. But as per Thomas, 'The trick is to design layered zones that cater to different energies in a single space. In our office, Sin City, we made contemplative corners and outrageous installations coexist to our team's liking." Biophilic architecture is another element finding its way into offices, offsetting bold props with soothing greenery. It's a design approach that integrates nature into the built environment to enhance well-being. The new office is also integrating technologically-forward systems into the physical layout, personalising sanctuaries and blurring the gap between home and office. 'As digital natives, Gen Z employees are highly comfortable navigating virtual spaces for personal activities, expecting the same ease of use at work as they experience with apps for online shopping or social media," Gupt shares. While covid initially led teams to experiment with socio-professional communities like Slack, the post-covid headquarters is welcoming physical infrastructure for a hybrid lifestyle. If there's anything this metamorphosis is teaching us, it's that moving forward should be about building on successes from the past. That means reimagining spatial existence to reinforce the personal connection we've always valued as humans. As Thomas puts it, 'The smartest companies we've worked with are the ones who aren't looking to emulate a trend, but asking the right questions: What drives our people? What kind of energy do we want to cultivate?" And that's when new perceptions of the young begin to matter, improving the very blueprint of how we think, feel and act. Ria Gupta is a travel and design writer. Follow her work @ria_gupta. Write to us at lounge@
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
A documentary on saving the critically endangered turtle in Kasaragod wins the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
It was around six years ago that ecologist Ayushi Jain arrived in Kasaragod, Kerala, in search of the Asian giant softshell turtle (a large freshwater turtle). She interacted with the community, took them into confidence and eventually spotted the turtle. She went on to document the critically endangered species, with the support of the people, who continue their efforts to protect the turtles. Ayushi's efforts are told in the documentary Saving the Bhimanama: Ayushi Jain and a Giant Turtle, directed by Bahar Dutt and Vijay Bedi, which recently received the award for the best documentary (jury) at the 15th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2025. The 11-minute documentary is produced by Roundglass Sustain, which has been 'telling stories of India's wildlife and habitats to create awareness and support conservation'. 'This documentary is part of the Science in Action series, which talks about the scientists and their work through which we know more about the species. Ayushi's story stands out not just because of the turtle but also because of the community's involvement,' says Samreen Farooqui, who produced the documentary for Roundglass Sustain. She adds, 'In spite of being the largest and rarest, the turtle was overlooked. At Roundglass, we talk about things that are overlooked.' The olive-brown turtles, exceptionally long for a freshwater turtle (one metre) and one of the largest, weighing up to 100 kilograms, is called the Asian giant softshell turtle due to its distribution in Asia. It is also known as the Cantor's giant softshell turtle, after Dr Theodore Edward Cantor, a zoologist and botanist. In the local parlance, it is often referred to as Bhimanama (bhiman means giant and aama is turtle) and Palapoovan, since its features resemble palapoo or the flower of Indian devil's tree. In an email interaction, Ayushi, currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Miami, says, 'In 2022, when the documentary was filmed, it was the second video documentation ever of how they hatch in the wild. The first such shoot happened in Cambodia.' The only clue that Ayushi, a Zoological Society of London–National Geographic EDGE fellow, had when she reached Kasaragod was a report by a Kerala-based scientist about the turtle being sighted by a fisherman in an estuarine habitat several years ago. 'There were hardly any documents available to read about the turtle. So I approached the fishermen who used to get these turtles in their nets as bycatch,' Ayushi says in the documentary. Once she gained the trust of the people, she educated them about the turtle and trained them to release those caught in their nets. In return, the natives, especially the fisherfolk, told her about its nesting sites so as to protect the eggs. For the turtle Ayushi, who did her graduation in Zoology, completed her Masters in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from Pondicherry University. Ayushi says, 'My research interests broadly circle around understanding the ecology and conservation of freshwater turtles along with community-led approaches for sustainable management of threatened species. My ongoing work as the Habitats Trust Conservation Hero grantee involves training local community members and forest managers for the long-term protection of species nests and nesting grounds in Kerala. As a PhD student in the Conservation Ecology Lab, my goal is to make policy recommendations and management strategies to reduce threats to freshwater turtle populations and their habitats.' It was difficult to study the turtles because of their secretive nature, writes Ayushi in an article. They lie buried in the riverbed waiting for the prey. Ayushi notes that their eyes, present on the top of their head allow them to detect their prey while they remain hidden. So they are 'highly specialised ambush predators with aggressive behaviour, a lightning speed strike and a powerful jaw'. Ayushi, 29, who hails from Agra, adds that illegal and check dams, and extensive illegal sand mining have posed a threat to their natural habitat, the riverbeds. Ayushi's work is the first such long term documentation on the turtle. Bahar, a prominent name when it comes to reporting some of the path-breaking environment-related stories, says the documentary was special on many accounts. 'When we were informed that the eggs were about to hatch, we rushed and reached the spot on time to witness the babies come out of the shells. The heartening moment was that the entire community was present when the baby turtles were released into their natural habitat. It was not staged. Everyone wanted to be there and the exhilaration of the community was overwhelming,' says Bahar. She recalls that the documentary had also won a silver award in the Video Spot News/Feature Reporting category in the 2023 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards. The officials with the Department of Forest, who were extremely supportive of Ayushi's work, were also present at the time of releasing the turtles. Ayushi says, 'There are continued efforts in Kasaragod to protect the nests and release the hatchlings into the Chandragiri River, with community and the forest department playing a central role in this initiative. Having established a rapport with the community and developed close relationships with some local families, it was incredibly fulfilling to see my mission of protecting the turtles become a shared goal among the community.' As part of her PhD, she is focusing on improving the management of the Bavikkara Dam to prevent nest inundation for the species in Kasaragod. 'During the first four months of this year, I conducted nesting surveys in Kasaragod and studied dam management to propose strategies for its sustainable operation,' she adds. Watch the documentary on Roundglass Sustain's YouTube channel.
