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The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Free coaching for competitive examinations for 300 candidates at Davanagere
Sankalpa Free Competitive Examination Coaching Centre, set up jointly by Davangere district administration, Davangere University, S.S. Care Trust and IAS Baba Coaching Centre, will be offering free coaching to 300 aspirants appearing for various competitive examinations, in Karnataka. Inaugurating the centre in Davanagere on July 18, Member of Parliament Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun said that the aspirants selected after an entrance examination would get free coaching from experts, for appearing for civil services, banking and other competitive examinations. The centre has been set up at College of Visual Arts at Vidyanagar in Davanagere. Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun said that centre had been set up with the objective of training young minds from the district and help them crack competitive examinations. 'S.S. Care Trust has tied up with IAS Baba Coaching Centre, and will be bearing the expenses of coaching the aspirants. The students will not have to pay anything,' she said. Entrance exam on July 29 The MP said that aspirants would have to register at Sankalpa Centre for the free coaching by visiting and filling up the Google form before July 24. 'The entrance examination will be held on July 29 at Davanagere. 300 candidates will be chosen for the free coaching. The classes will start from August 4,' she said. She said that thousands of students graduate from colleges in the district. Many shift to bigger cities, like Bengaluru, in search of jobs. 'So, we decided to establish a competitive examination coaching centre,' she said. Dr. Prabha said that Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) is functioning in Davanagere with a workforce of 60. 'They have sought two acres of land. But we are willing to give 10 acres. The smart city scheme buildings can also be used for the purpose. We are searching for 10 to 30 acres of land for IT, BT companies, and efforts are on to build a 'Brand Davanagere',' she said. Deputy Commissioner G.M. Gangadharswamy said that considering the availability of space at College of Visual Arts, a building for the coaching centre was constructed, utilising materials salvaged during relocation of the bus stand at High School Ground. The district-in-charge Minister had released ₹80 lakh for the purpose, he said. He said that the students would also get free books at the coaching centre, which would be run under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner, ZP CEO, Superintendent of Police and other authorities. A library would be opened soon, and required staff would be appointed, he said. Mr. Gangadharswamy said that students from other towns would be provided hostel facilities, but priority would be given to candidates from Davanagere district. Mohan of IAS Baba Coaching Centre briefed mediapersons about the coaching. Davanagere University Vice-Chancellor Prof. B.D. Kumbar said that, for the first time, such a centre had been established in a university. Expert teachers from the university would be giving coaching at the centre, and they had plans to avail services of retired teachers too, he said.
SBS Australia
18-07-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
The final farewell isn't easy. This growing service helped Vibha and thousands like her
In a cosy apartment in Sydney's west, Vibha Gulati is looking at photos of her late mother, Bhusan. "She was an amazing person. She was very compassionate, very loving, very hospitable to people who came to the house." A migrant from India, Bhusan Gulati was 87 when she was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. It was a terrible shock for Vibha who had lived with her mother for 35 years. "The doctors said she had ovarian cancer and that she had less about six months to live. It was shocking. It was really shocking. I was losing my best friend. We loved each other very much." After the diagnosis, Bhusan Gulati refused medical treatment and chose voluntary assisted dying at home in the care of her daughters, Prabha and Vibha. "It was important for her. She advocated for voluntary assisted dying. She wanted control over her death and the whole process of her illness. She did not want any chemo or radiation. Surgery was posed as an option, but that was also refused. She could manage herself quite well. She was just ill during the last week, she was going out to cafes restaurants till the week she passed away." Vibha Gulati says a mix of Buddhist, Hindu and spiritual beliefs helped to farewell her mother in December last year. "We had chanting here while she was passing away. So we had Indian chants, which are Indian mantras infused with spiritual energy. It creates a very calming effect on the mind and on the emotions as well." While faith has supported Vibha Gulati through her loss, the grief remains raw and is, at times, hard to bear. "My spiritual belief gives me strength, trust that I will meet her again and that she has not gone forever. I can feel her presence around me sometimes. So it's really, really lovely. But that loss is still there and I think it takes a lot of time to get used to." It's one reason she turned to an online support platform called the Violet Initiative, a national not-for-profit organisation that helps people navigate the last chapters of life. "I found out about Violet after she passed away and I had some counselling sessions online. The loss was great. It comes in waves so often that you think you're all right and then suddenly you'll be crying. I felt really understood by them. I felt they held the space very well to what I was going through. They didn't negate any feeling that I had." Vibha Gulati is not alone. In recent years more than 30,000 people have accessed the service. It offers guides and digital support, as CEO Melissa Reader explains. "We are really trying to help families and communities be more prepared around the last stages of a person's life. People come to us saying, 'I just don't know where to start. My mum is in her late eighties, dad might've died a couple of years ago. I'm usually the eldest daughter stepping into that caregiving role. I'm managing my own family, work, life, career and I'm completely overwhelmed'." As Australia's population ages services like Violet become more crucial. Caring for dying people in hospital already costs around $4 billion annually, according to Violet research. And Ms Reader says that figure will rise. "We have about 12,000 people turning 85 each year today. In five years there'll be a fivefold increase that'll be 60,000 people reaching that age each year. And our health and age care systems are at capacity today." More than 180,000 people die in Australia each year. Yet Ms Reader says few have prepared a will or left clear instructions about their end-of-life choices. "Up to 90 per cent of us want to be cared for at home for as long as possible with our family and our friends and everything that's familiar to us and the right services and supports. But that is not what's playing out today. So, we see people having at least four hospital admissions through the last 12 months, about 33 or 34 days, and we see one in two Australians dying in hospital. That is our least preferred place to die." Ms Reader knows first-hand about facing the loss of a loved one. She has raised three children since her husband died of cancer. He was just 39 years old. She hopes that Violet can provide the practical and personal guidance that she badly needed. "We were completely unprepared for Mauro's death. He died in intensive care. We were totally unprepared for it and it was a very clinical and impersonal experience and quite frightening for all of us, including him. This is not an easy stage of life. It's very complex, it's very emotional and there's a lot of uncertainty." Mitch Gibson is among Violet's 50 volunteer guides and as someone who has lived through grief and loss, she is proud to provide personal care and support for those struggling. "I was trying to run my own small business, a yoga studio, and then all of a sudden when my dad had just been diagnosed with dementia my life partner, Mark was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. And to say that my world flipped upside down is an understatement." That was 11 years ago and the eventual death of her partner led to a life-changing decision. "I was only 56 years old. And I decided I wanted to work as a grief and bereavement counsellor and care for people who were carers because I'd had lived experience. It was ideal. These are the conversations I want to be having. This is the help I want to be offering. I didn't ask for this to happen to me, but it did. And so I am now in that world as someone who has cared, so why not use that to help someone?" The Violet platform also has an AI-enabled digital companion which offers personalised support in multiple languages. Violet's Chief Product and Technology Officer Yaniv Bernstein explains: "What we have is a really clever, voice-based artificial intelligence agent that talks to people in the manner of a normal conversation. And this is based on thousands of hours of data that we have of experience that we have through our guided support program. People can have this conversation at any time. And what they then get is a real assessment of where they're at, what stage they're in, what their needs are." And those needs are growing. Violet Chair Kate Carnell says action is urgently needed. "We are sleepwalking into the century's biggest economic and social crisis right at the moment. What I think we need to focus on is ensuring that people in the final stage of life get the care and attention and the dignity that they want." As life expectancy continues to rise and the population ages, Ms Carnell says Initiatives like Violet are crucial. "Digital technology is fundamental to having an actual solution to this problem. One-on-one approaches are important, there's no doubt and Violet provides those, but giving people access to information and feedback 24-7 by trusted sources using digital technology and AI will allow all Australians affordable access to the information that they need. And that's what Violet's focusing on." Vibha Gulati and her mother Bhusan are among the few to plan their final farewell. Caring for her mother at home fulfilled her dying wish, she says. "She was very pleased with things, and gave her a sense of peace through the whole process. And also it gave her a sense of control of her own life, which is what she advocated for her whole life and it's how she lived and that's how she passed away." And Vibha Gulati has this advice for others. "Do what you think is best for you and your loved one and listen to your inner self and you'll know what's the best thing to do." Support is available through LifeLine on 13 11 14 or Griefline which provides confidential support on 1300 845 745 and via
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
This Chhapra boy has built a global tech biz for life sciences
Prabha Sinha says his firm, ZS, works with 199 of the top 200 pharma companies in the world; his India centres have become central to the company, and host 10,000 of the 13,000 employees globally; a lot of the work now is around analytics & AI BENGALURU: The day before we spoke, Prabha Sinha had had litti and chokha for lunch, and some more Bihari cuisine for dinner at Potbelly restaurant in Bihar Niwas in Delhi. 'Couldn't resist it,' he says laughing. Prabha, founder of ZS – a US consulting and technology firm that works with 199 of the top 200 pharma companies in the world – was born in Chhapra in Bihar. His father was a lawyer, and they lived in a joint family with his uncle who had a farm. When it was time for school, Prabha was put in a boarding school in Patna, some 70 km away. But he loved visiting his village, loved running around barefoot there. Prabha did well in school, and got into IIT Kharagpur's mechanical engineering course. From there, like many IITians of the time, he moved to the US for a PhD. His advisor in the University of Massachusetts (UMass) was someone who was involved in both engineering and operations research, and so the PhD combined both aspects, and eventually Prabha found himself teaching quantitative methods in business schools – first at UMass, and then at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. At Kellogg, he came across Andy Zoltners, a professor in marketing, and together they did some research on optimisation algorithms for sales forces. They then started applying the algorithms to issues like how large sales forces should be, how best to deploy sales forces geographically, how to optimise size and deployment simultaneously. This was the 1970s. A few companies with mainframes used the algorithms. But the big breakthrough came in 1981, when IBM popularised PCs. 'That allowed us to display answers directly to end-users and interact with them,' Prabha says. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Would you like to know more? Undo In 1983, they founded ZS, a combination of the first letter of their surnames. Initially, ZS worked with many industries, but the biggest traction came from life sciences. This persuaded them to focus on that industry. Today, they work across the life science spectrum, from drug discovery and development to commercialisation and patient engagement. India's central role India began to assume importance for ZS in the 2000s, when Prabha and Andy saw an opportunity in moving beyond IP-based consulting to also implement IT for clients. For one of the most regulated industries in the world, IT was becoming critical, and surely there was no better place for IT than India. That importance surged over the past decade, as analytics and AI became core to businesses. Today, India accounts for three-quarters of ZS' 13,000 employees worldwide, and they are involved in almost everything ZS does. ZS' biggest centres in India are in Pune and Gurugram. It also has centres in Bengaluru, Chennai and Noida. About 10,000 of its 13,000 employees are in India. The company has 385 shareholders. Of them, 13% are in India and 20% started life in India. ZS is becoming more Indian owned, founder Prabha Sinha says Analytics and AI is where ZS is increasingly focusing. Prabha says if there's a rare disease, ZS can help its pharma customers find potential patients for clinical studies by mining patient data in, say, the US. Mohit Sood , who leads the India operations and who has spent 18 years with ZS, says his teams developed a digital twin for a pharma company's supply chain. The system flags possible errors and hindrances in the supply chain much in advance. 'We've been able to improve their ability to match the demand and supply by more than 30%,' Mohit says. In the coming times, Mohit says, bringing far greater efficiencies would become critical as drug development focuses on niche diseases. These, he says, will bring in revenue of only about half a billion dollars, compared to traditional blockbuster drugs for mass diseases that yielded revenue of $3 bn to $6 bn. And there's fierce competition. That means costs of drug development, commercialisation, and patient engagement all have to drop sharply. 'Close to about 500 drug launches are planned from 2026 onwards. So there's going to be a lot of action,' Mohit says. India will be in the thick of it. Prabha was in Delhi because ZS decided to have its annual board meeting here. 'That gives you some insight about how important India has become for us,' he says. --------------------------------------- Prabha Sinha, Founder, ZS Our India team is now part of almost every project we do anywhere in the world. About three years ago, we launched an AI-powered analytics platform for organisations to run their sales and marketing functions. Most of the development and support of that is done in India. Some 150 companies today use it. If a salesperson in the US is going to visit a customer, AI agents advise him on what he should do with the customer, what offers he should make, what messages might resonate. The platform even advises them on which customers they should see. They are getting just-in-time advice. - Prabha Sinha, Founder, ZS Mohit Sood, Regional Managing Principal, ZS India The biggest thing that GenAI and classical AI are able to do together is to narrow down the set of molecules for drug discovery for the particular target you have. So, rather than going to wet labs, injecting it in the patient and seeing what happens, you're able to use AI and a ton of data to be able to conduct in silico experiments (computer simulations). This improves throughput dramatically. Another big impact of AI is in improving the operational efficiency of clinical trials. For any drug, you depend on 100 to 250 clinical sites for trials. The adherence to protocols across all these sites, documentation of all evidence, quality checks, and finally the ability to produce it to the US FDA or the European Agency, is not an easy task. With AI and GenAI, we'll be able to collect the data much more appropriately, identify data errors early on, ensure all data lineage. - Mohit Sood, Regional Managing Principal, ZS India AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Prabhas has cut down his usual fee from Rs 150 crores to Rs 100 crores for 'The Raja Saab': Reports
Picture Credit: X Rebel Star Prabha will be next seen in the upcoming horror comedy film 'The Raja Saab,' which was recently announced is set for a December release. Known for his massive star power in the industry, the 'Baahubali' actor charges lucrative fees for the films. Recent reports suggest that he has reduced his payment for the upcoming movie. Fee cut after 'Adipurush' response Interestingly, as per a report by Siasat, Prabhas is said to have reduced his usual fee from Rs 150 crores to Rs 100 crores for this film, reportedly due to the underwhelming response to his previous film, 'Adipurush,' which was produced by the same house. About the film Speaking of 'The Raja Saab,' the movie has been in the production phase for quite some time, and after delays, it is now announced to hit the theaters on December 5, 2025. The announcement was made recently by the makers, who also revealed that the teaser will drop on June 16. Prabhas is highest paid actor in Tollywood, to charge Rs 100 cr for next film: Report Directed by Maruthi, known for his successful humor-emotional films, 'The Raja Saab' revolves around a man who eyes an ancestral property with plans to turn it into a profitable venture, only to discover that the place harbors mysterious and supernatural secrets. The film also includes Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Ridhi Kumar in key roles. The music of the film is given by Thaman S, and the cinematography is done by Karthik Palani. The movie will release in multiple languages, including Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. Other projects Apart from 'The Raja Saab,' he is working on 'PrabhasHanu,' reportedly titled Fauji, and the cop drama film 'Spirit,' directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Additionally, he will make a special extended cameo in Vishnu Manchu's 'Kannappa.' He will also head the sequels of his blockbuster hits 'Salaar 2' and 'Kalki 2,' which are expected to go into production once his current commitments are completed. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Prabha Ravi Announces Independent Candidacy For Mayor Of Lower Hutt
Press Release – Prabha Ravi With over two decades of civic leadership and cultural contribution in the Hutt, Prabha Ravi is entering the race with a clear purpose: to deliver smarter council spending, more responsive local services, and inclusive, people-first leadership. LOWER HUTT — Longstanding community advocate and respected governance professional Prabha Ravi has announced she will stand as an independent candidate for Mayor of Lower Hutt in the 2025 local elections. With over two decades of civic leadership and cultural contribution in the Hutt, Prabha is entering the race with a clear purpose: to deliver smarter council spending, more responsive local services, and inclusive, people-first leadership. 'Lower Hutt has been my home for over 25 years. It's where I raised my children, built a business, and formed relationships that have shaped who I am,' says Prabha. 'I'm running for Mayor because I believe our city deserves leadership that's thoughtful, future-focused, and genuinely connected to the communities it serves.' A Life of Service, Rooted in Community Prabha is widely known as the founder and artistic director of Natraj School of Dance, an institution that has trained more than 1,600 students and presented bold, cross-cultural performances across Aotearoa. Her creative direction has brought together Indian classical dance with Māori, Samoan, Sri Lankan and Western forms—celebrating diversity and building bridges through art. 'Through dance, I've seen what's possible when people come together across cultures, generations, and life experiences,' says Prabha. 'That spirit of connection is what I want to bring to Council—not just symbolic gestures, but practical progress.' She has served as Establishment Chair of the Hutt Valley DHB Consumer Council and was on the Hutt City Council Community Panel for the Central ward for two terms. She is a Justice of the Peace, and has received the Queen's Service Medal for her contribution to ethnic communities and dance. She currently sits on the boards of Arohanui Strings, Hutt Radio and Archives Charitable Trust, the Hutt Sister City Foundation, and is a member of the Hutt Valley Rotary Club and the Hutt Multicultural Council. She also holds governance roles with national sports organisations including Volleyball NZ, Baseball NZ, Play Aotearoa, BATS Theatre, and Arts Wellington. A Track Record of Strategic Leadership Professionally, Prabha is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Grow Consultancy Ltd, a firm that supports New Zealand businesses and education providers with international strategy and market development. Her previous senior leadership roles include Head of Engagement at Toi Whakaari, Director of International Education at YMCA Central, Waiariki Institute of Technology, and senior strategy roles with Education New Zealand and WelTec. She has worked at the intersection of public policy, education, arts, and economic development, with a strong focus on strategy, stakeholder engagement, and community-building. This mix of grassroots experience and executive capability is what Prabha now brings to her mayoral campaign. A Vision for a Stronger, Smarter, More Inclusive Hutt Prabha's campaign is centred on results—not rhetoric. Her platform is built around three core pillars: 1. Value for Money: Smarter Council Spending Introduce a Ratepayer Value Charter to promote outcome-based budgeting Audit major council projects for effectiveness and accountability Prioritise frontline services and cost-of-living relief 'Every dollar must work harder. Lower Hutt families deserve more for what they pay.' 2. Transport and Infrastructure That Works Advocate for more frequent and affordable public transport, including on weekends. Maintain affordable council parking and improve reliability 'Getting around shouldn't be a burden. Let's build a city that moves with you.' 3. Inclusive, Connected Communities Launch Community Connect to support grassroots initiatives and local hubs Champion the arts, sport, and youth participation across the Hutt Ensure all communities—especially rangatahi and ethnic groups—are represented and heard 'We're stronger together—and every voice matters. My campaign is about delivery, not division. I'm not here to play politics—I'm here to work for the people of Lower Hutt,' says Prabha. 'Good leadership listens. It acts. It delivers. That's the standard I'll bring.' Biographical Snapshot Prabha Ravi – Independent Candidate for Mayor of Lower Hutt Justice of the Peace (JP) Queen's Service Medal recipient (2017) – for services to ethnic communities and dance Founder & Artistic Director, Natraj School of Dance (est. 1999, Lower Hutt) Principal Consultant, Grow Consultancy Former Chair, Hutt Valley DHB Consumer Council Board Member: Arohanui Strings, Hutt Radio and Archives Charitable Trust, Hutt Sister City Foundation Member: Hutt City Council Community Panel – Central Ward (two terms) Governance roles with: Volleyball NZ, Baseball NZ, Play Aotearoa, BATS Theatre, Arts Wellington Senior leadership roles at Education NZ, Toi Whakaari, YMCA Central, WelTec, and more Finalist, Wellingtonian of the Year (Education, 2016) Mayoral Civic Honour Award, Hutt City (2011) Special Commendation, Indian Newslink Business Awards
