Latest news with #DAM
Axios
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Frame Work: "Dope Women in Media" opens after delay
A new exhibition called " Dope Women in Media" is finally opening to honor how Detroit film, video and photographic artists' experimental and critical work shapes culture after a months-long delay. Catch up quick: The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is hosting the exhibition, which was slated to open in January but had to be postponed and relocated from Detroit Artists Market (DAM). DAM, a contemporary nonprofit gallery, experienced serious flooding in January, temporarily closing its space on Woodward Avenue in Midtown and disrupting programming. The gallery crowdfunded more than $50,000 to offset losses, rent temporary space and plan exhibitions offsite. If you go: The exhibition opened last month and runs through Aug. 1 at CCS' Center Galleries, 301 Frederick St.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Why affirmative action means more than Just quotas
The notification for the conduct of the next population Census has been issued. While the schedule for the collection of data is yet to be finalised, the government has announced that the collection of caste details will be part of the operation. Ostensibly, it is to find the socioeconomic profile of castes so as to take suitable affirmative action. Unfortunately, in common parlance, affirmative action has come to mean 'providing reservations as per the socio-economic condition of a caste'. While one should support any attempt to ameliorate the status of the marginalised communities, it must be noted that the 'provision of reservation' is not the only affirmative action. In fact, it should be the last resort to support the most deprived sections. Babasaheb Ambedkar has argued that reservations should not become the rule or apply to the majority, but rather be an exceptional measure to support the most disadvantaged. For Ambedkar, educating the marginalised is the surest way out of repression. SR Sankaran, the legendary Indian bureaucrat often remembered as the "People's IAS Officer" and a champion of social welfare and justice, particularly for Dalits, tribals, bonded labourers, and other marginalised groups, recognised this fact and set up an affirmative system for all to follow. He argued that there has to be a context-specific model of support that aligns affirmative action strategies with the type of deprivation faced. The Deprivation and Affirmative Action Model (DAM), followed therein has used differentiated interventions as per deprivation levels: free education for the economically deprived, residential schooling for those geographically isolated and enriched mentoring and psychological support for the socially and emotionally marginalised. SR Sankaran was instrumental in setting up the Social Welfare Residential Schools in Andhra Pradesh in 1983. The idea was to provide highest-quality education to the poorest children by setting up Social Welfare Residential Schools. Unlike social welfare hostels (which are present in all states and often badly managed), these residential schools offer an immersive educational ecosystem. A close-knit arrangement nurtures confidence and aspirations-two qualities historically stripped from the marginalised. With over 268 schools and colleges in Telangana and 308 schools in Andhra Pradesh, the social welfare residential schools provide enriched education to more than 2.75 lakh students, nearly all of whom come from highly disadvantaged backgrounds. An exclusive society has been created for managing the institutions, recruitment of teachers and for constant monitoring of the quality of education. Over time, the schools flowered into intermediate, degree and professional education through specialised institutions like Centres of Excellence (CoEs), Sainik Schools, Law and Pharmacy Colleges and Fine Arts Colleges. Teachers in this system are not merely facilitators but pivotal agents of change. Recruitment is handled through a specialised board, and professional development is continuous through initiatives like the Professional Learning for Educators Series (PLES) in collaboration with Khan Academy. Programmes like IMPACT bring parents to schools for dialogues on social issues, while QUEST encourages teachers to visit students' homes, deepening the bond between school and results speak volumes. These schools consistently outperformed the state average in both Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations. Moreover, their students have secured prestigious seats in IITs and medical colleges through NEET, often at nearly double the state average success rate. Some students have even been selected for international exchange programmes and scholarships, highlighting the global competitiveness instilled by the programme. The Society invests heavily in holistic development through programmes like Youth Parliament, sports competitions and adventure camps. Confidence-building activities such as public speaking, cultural festivals and exposure to national and international travel have been embedded into the support of the state governments for residential schools has been pivotal. Governments are convinced that fighting deprivation requires adequate investments; the cost per student has been more than Rs 1.5 lakh per year. Governments have consistently posted highly committed officers like RS Praveen Kumar as head of the Society and given them functional freedom. The social welfare residential schools proved, over the past 40 years, that by providing enriched education, even the most marginalised can be empowered to compete with others. It shatters the myth that excellence is the domain of the privileged. States and educational policymakers must internalise this lesson: social justice in education is not just about access, or about reservations, but about the quality, dignity and the empowerment it ensures. If the goal is to undo centuries of exclusion in a single generation, low-cost, one-size-fits-all approach, it won't suffice. The marginalised deserve the best. The Government of India has recognised the merit of this model and chiselled Ekalavya schools for tribals in the same mould. As the country goes into caste-based Census 2027, affirmative models like this shall get the first nod for forging social justice.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Power play: NSE sees electricity derivatives market surging to $475 billion
New Delhi: The electricity derivatives market in India is projected to scale between $175-475 billion (₹14-39 lakh crore), with rising demand from generators, distribution companies and industrial consumers seeking to hedge price volatility in the energy sector. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has launched monthly electricity futures contracts to tap this opportunity and deepen market participation. In a detailed presentation, NSE stated that electricity derivatives could reach a volume of 8,000 billion units (BU) annually, benchmarked to global markets. India's current power generation stands at 1,900 BU, and the short-term market accounts for 16% of all transactions, or roughly 300 BU. The new contracts aim to offer hedging certainty beyond the day-ahead and bilateral deals that dominate this segment. The contracts are based on the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of the Day Ahead Market (DAM) across all power exchanges and are cash-settled. Trading units are set at 50 MWh with a tick size of ₹1/MWh. A total of 12 monthly contracts will be available in a cycle. Client-wise open interest is capped at 3 lakh MWh or 5% of market-wide open interest, whichever is higher. Members can hold up to 30 lakh MWh or 20% of market-wide open interest. 'By offering long-term pricing visibility, these futures can reduce price risk for generators and ensure procurement stability for DISCOMs,' NSE said in its presentation. Generators facing falling spot prices can hedge by locking in rates on futures, while consumers can secure stable rates against expected price surges. Globally, electricity derivatives are known to reduce volatility by up to 50%. In the US and EU, such instruments are widely used by energy firms, retailers, and heavy industries. NSE aims to replicate this success with phased rollout of quarterly, annual, and contract-for-difference (CFD) variants. In India, OTC bilateral trading and DSM transactions still dominate the non-PPA market. NSE's product seeks to offer transparency, standardisation, and a hedging option across sectors including industry, hospitality, and large retail. The exchange added that electricity derivatives will also support power sector reforms by allowing better demand forecasting and enhancing reliability of supply for large users.
GMA Network
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
SB19 performs in Hito Music Awards in Taiwan
SB19 just set the stage on fire during the 2025 Hito Music Awards in Taiwan! The P-pop Kings lit up the stage during the awards night with powerful performances of their hit songs "DAM," "DUNGKA!" and "GENTO." They also joined forces with Taiwanese boy band Ozone for a special collaboration of the group's track "World Top." Ozone also joined them for the "GENTO" dance break. SB19 previously appeared in Taiwanese show "Atom Boyz" Season 2 last year, where they also performed "GENTO." The group dropped their "Simula at Wakas" EP in April. They are gearing up for their "Simula at Wakas" tour stop in Taipei, Taiwan on June 29. The world tour kicked off at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan in May.
CairoScene
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Nawafiz: The All-Arab Festival Making Utrecht a Hotspot for MENA Music
A deeper look into Utrecht's all-Arab festival, providing a space for resistance, community, and regional sounds. Jun 12, 2025 At a time when censorship is intensifying and public expressions of Arab identity are increasingly suppressed, Utrecht's Nawafiz Festival has emerged as a crucial space for free expression and connection through music. With an all-Arab lineup, it offered not only a celebration of music but a gathering point for Arabic-speaking communities across the Netherlands and Europe. The 2025 edition brought together artists from across the SWANA region and its diaspora, not only to perform, but to speak, resist, and be seen. For the second year running, TivoliVredenburg opened its doors to an all-Arab program, making Nawafiz one of the few spaces in Europe where Arab voices are not tokenized, but placed at the forefront. Across four stages, the festival's line-up - co-curated by SceneNoise - showcased a vibrant spectrum of genres, from hard-edged rap and Egyptian mahraganat to experimental electronics, indie pop, jazz fusion, and late-night dabke. Artists like Ziad Zaza, Lina Makoul, Ahmed Eid, Double Zuksh, Lana Lubany, DAM, Narcy, and Noise Diva delivered standout sets, underscoring the depth and dynamism of the region's musical landscape. With this more ambitious second edition of the festival, Nawafiz is quickly becoming a vital platform for connecting SWANA artists with audiences across Europe, while celebrating the diversity and creativity flourishing in the region's music today. Watch the full Afterfilm from Nawafiz Festival here:
