India's doubling rate of COVID-19 cases increases to 11 days from 3.4
The current doubling rate for COVID-19 cases has improved to 11 days as against 3.4 days before the lockdown was imposed, while the case fatality has been recorded at 3.2 per cent, the health ministry said. Addressing a press briefing, health ministry Joint Secretary, Lav Agarwal said the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases was found to be between 11-20 days in Delhi, UP, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Punjab.
Doubling rate between 20-40 days has been seen in Karnataka, Ladakh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Kerala, he added. In the last 24 hours, 1,718 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, taking the total number to 33,050 in India, he said.
Agarwal further said that the current case fatality rate is 3.2 per cent for COVID-19 in the country, with 65 per cent of it males and 35 per cent females.
No way to withdraw the lockdown: Tripura CM
Dilip Ghosh, Bengal BJP chief
'I was dumbstruck on hearing the CM say that she was not involved in the formation of the death audit committee. The CM says she even doesn't know who all are in the panel. Then who is running the govt? It must be a ghost. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a remark'
Biplab Kumar Deb, Tripura chief minister
'We do not find any way to withdraw the lockdown as it is the only viable means to break the chain of the Coronavirus outbreak. It seems we have to continue with the lockdown andwe have to withdraw some restrictions in a phased manner'
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India's COVID-19 tally reaches 33,050; death toll at 1,074
India's COVID-19 tally has reached 33,050, including 1,074 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday. 1,718 more coronavirus cases were reported and 67 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours. Currently, there are 23,651 active cases while 8,324 COVID-19 positive patients have been cured/discharged.
Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with 9,915, followed by Gujarat with 4,082 cases and Delhi with 3,439 cases.
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India's youngest COVID-19 patient recovers in Telangana
A 45-day-old baby boy, said to be India's youngest Covid-19, patient has recovered from the disease and was discharged from a hospital here on Wednesday. Officials clarified that the infant was just 20-day-old when he contracted the infection from his father and was admitted to state-run Gandhi hospital here. After undergoing treatment for 25 days, the baby boy from Mahabubnagar district was discharged on Wednesday. "He is probably the youngest person in the country to have contacted the infection and recovered successfully," the health department said.
Carrying the baby in her arms, the mother was seen walking out of the hospital with a smile. The hospital staff gave warm send-off to the youngest Covid-19 patient and 12 other children who were also discharged with him. The 13 children were among 32 patients discharged in Telangana on Wednesday while the state recorded only seven new cases.
Health Minister Eatala Rajender expressed happiness over the recovery of the youngest patient and other children. He congratulated the doctors, nursing staff and paramedics of the hospital. This was the third straight day in a row that Telangana reported new cases in single digit. With this the total number of cases rose to 1,016.
The number of recoveries has also moved up to 409. The fatalities stand at 25. A total of 582 persons are currently undergoing treatment. Rajender said 10 of the patients at Gandhi Hospital were undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). One of them is on a ventilator while four are on oxygen.
The minister said while the mortality rate in the country is 3.2, the same in Telangana stands at 2.5.
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India's COVID-19 tally reaches 31,332; death toll crosses 1,000 mark
India's tally of COVID-19 cases has reached 31,332, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. With 73 more deaths reported, the number of deaths due to coronavirus in the country breached the 1,000 mark and stood at 1,007. The tally is inclusive of 22,629 active coronavirus cases, 7,695 patients who have been cured/discharged and one patient migrated.
According to the Ministry, Maharashtra has the most number of COVID-19 cases with 9,318 cases of which, 1,388 patients have been cured/discharged while 400 patients have succumbed to the virus. Gujarat has the second-highest number of positive cases in the country with 3744 cases including 434 patients cured/discharged and 181 deaths.
Delhi's tally stands at 3314 cases of which, 1078 patients have recovered while 54 patients have succumbed to the virus. Madhya Pradesh has a total of 2387 positive cases including 377 patients recovered/discharged and 120 fatalities.
Meanwhile, Goa (seven cases; all seven recovered), Arunachal Pradesh (one case; now recovered), Manipur (two cases; both recovered), Tripura (two cases; both recovered) have reported no new cases of COVID-19.
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India should look to convert world's 'hatred' for China into economic opportunity: Gadkari
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said India should look at converting the world's "hatred" for China amid the coronavirus pandemic into an economic opportunity for itself by attracting large-scale foreign investments.
Interacting with overseas Indian students via video conferencing, the minister for MSME and Road Transport and Highways said across the world now, there is "hatred for China. Is it possible for us to convert it into an opportunity for India?" Referring to the economic package announced by Japan for its businesses exiting China, Gadkari said, "I feel that we should think on that and we will concentrate on it. We will open the Indian scenario for that. We will give the clearances and everything to them and attract foreign investment."
Asked if India can take any action against China incase it is found to have deliberately "suppressed" information on coronavirus, the minister said this was a sensitive subject related with the Ministry of External Affairs and the prime minister, and therefore it will not be appropriate for him to comment on it. Gadkari said all government departments, particularly the finance ministry as well as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), are formulating policies to win the "economic war" post the COVID-19 pandemic and fulfil the prime minister's dream of making India a USD 5 trillion economy. "At the same time, we can make infrastructure of Rs 100 lakh crore," he added.
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India's COVID-19 count reaches 26,496, deaths at 824
With 1,990 more COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's count of coronavirus cases has reached 26,496, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday. Out of these, 19,868 patients are active cases and 5804 cases have been cured, discharged, or migrated. The death toll stands at 824, with as many as 49 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. According to the morning update by the ministry, Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit State with 7,628 cases of which 1,076 patients have recovered and 323 patients have died.
Gujarat now stands in the second spot with 3,071 cases, of which 282 have recovered and 133 people have died. Meanwhile, Delhi's count stands at 2,625 of which 869 patients have recovered, while 54 patients have lost their lives. Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 figure stands at 1,821 with 960 patients recovered and 23 fatalities. Rajasthan has reported 2,083 cases of which 493 have recovered and 33 patients are dead.
Madhya Pradesh has reported 2,096 positive cases so far of which 210 patients have recovered and 99 patients have lost their lives due to the virus. In Uttar Pradesh, as many as 1,793 people have confirmed COVID-19, of which 261 recovered and 27 people have succumbed to it. In Kerala, which reported the country's first COVID-19 case, 457 people have been detected positive for coronavirus.
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Indian Railways transports 25,588 tonnes of manure for Moradabad farmers
In order to ensure that farmers continue to get all necessary inputs for farming amid the coronavirus lockdown, the Indian Railways has carried 25,588 tonnes of manure to Moradabad through 12 goods trains. "To ensure that no farmer faces any issue here, we have transported all the essential items for agriculture including urea via goods trains. These goods will be delivered to farmers with the help of the traders," Manohar, an Indian Railways official, told ANI. The official further stated that they are also ensuring that labourers who are unloading the manure from the trains are following social distancing norms.
"Labourers who have been asked to unload the items have been made aware of social distancing. All the workers have been issued lockdown passes so that they do not face any problem while commuting," he added. Also, Indian Railways recently has also identified 63 routes for Parcel Special Trains since the start of the lockdown for transportation of perishable commodities including fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products and seeds for agriculture purposes.
The Parcel Specials have been planned to connect all the major cities of the country, viz Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. In addition, proper connectivity has also been ensured to Guwahati, to ensure supplies in the North-Eastern region of the country. Other important cities connected via these trains are Bhopal, Allahabad, Dehradun, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Ranchi, Gorakhpur, Thiruvananthapuram, Salem, Warangal, Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam, Rourkela, Bilaspur, Bhusawal, Tatanagar, Jaipur, Jhansi, Agra, Nasik, Nagpur, Akola, Jalgaon, Surat, Pune, Raipur, Patna, Asansol, Kanpur, Jaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Gwalior, Mathura, Nellore, Jabalpur, etc.
Trains are being run even on those routes where demand is less, so that no part of the country remains unconnected. Trains have been given en-route stoppages at all feasible locations, so that maximum possible clearance of parcels may be done.
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India's additional barriers for FDI is discriminatory, says China
India's new norms featuring "additional barriers" for foreign direct investment from specific countries violate WTO's principle of non-discrimination and are against the general trend of free trade, a Chinese embassy spokesperson said on Monday.
The impact of the policy was clear on Chinese investors, the official said, adding India's action was also against the consensus arrived at the G20 to realise a free, fair and non-discriminatory environment for investment. Last week, India made prior clearance by the government mandatory for foreign investments from countries that share land border with India to curb "opportunistic takeovers" of domestic firms following the Coronavirus pandemic.
Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong said China hoped that India would revise the "relevant discriminatory practices" and treat investments from different countries equally while fostering an "open, fair and equitable" business environment.
India's decision to tighten norms for FDI came amid reports of China eyeing to take over several Indian entities following fall in their valuation after the economic downturn in the wake of the pandemic.
"The additional barriers set by Indian side for investors from specific countries violate WTO's principle of non-discrimination, and go against the general trend of liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment," the spokesperson said in a statement.
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India ranks 122nd in happiness index
Oslo: India ranked 122nd, behind terror-riven Pakistan and poorest-of-poor Nepal in the global list of the happiest countries, according to a United Nations report released on Monday.
India came down by three slots, as last year it was placed at 118th spot. It was behind the majority of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) nations, apart from war-ravaged Afghanistan, that stood at 141.
Among the eight Saarc nations, Pakistan was at 80th position, Nepal stood at 99, Bhutan at 97, Bangladesh at 110 while Sri Lanka was at 120. However, Maldives did not figure in the World Happiness Report.
Norway took the top spot from Denmark as the happiest country in the world.
The Scandinavian nation, which was ranked fourth in last year's report, jumped to the top this year on the basis of several key calculations, including levels of caring, freedom to make life decisions, generosity, good governance, honesty, health and income.
Other factors by which 155 countries were measured in the annual World Happiness Report are: inequality, life expectancy, GDP per capita, public trust (i.e. a lack of corruption in government and business), and social support.
Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and Finland round out the top five, while the Central African Republic came last in the World Happiness Report.
Western Europe and North America dominated the top of the table, with the US and Britain at 14th and 19th positions, respectively.
Syria placed 152 of 155 countries -- Yemen and South Sudan, which are facing impending famine, came in at 146 and 147.
The World Happiness Report was released to coincide with the United Nations' International Day of Happiness on March 20.
Indians cheat on spouses when it comes to watching Netflix
New Delhi: If you think your spouse is not watching Netflix shows in your absence, you are wrong. Forty-six per cent Indian couples -- second only to Hong Kong -- cheat on their significant other by binging ahead to watch Netflix shows, a new survey has revealed.
Surprisingly, 39 per cent streaming couples in India even said watching 2-3 episodes ahead would be a reason for a breakup.
Conducted by the online survey firm SurveyMonkey and involving 30,267 responses for on-demand streaming website Netflix, the report defines cheating as watching a TV show ahead of your significant other.
"In India where 79 per cent couples believe that streaming is a way to spend time together, almost 60 per cent of couples consider binging ahead as cheating and nearly half have even admitted to this 'offence,'" the findings showed.
The Indian culture has a reserved place for humour. So unsurprisingly, 61 per cent of the couples cheat on comedy shows -- higher than the global average of 44 per cent.
"A third or more of Indian respondents have watched ahead on every other genre polled, including documentaries, sci-fi, fantasy, drama and horror," the study noted.
Netflix cheating in India is not intentional as 78 per cent of cheating is unplanned. It is the temptation that makes Indian couples fallible.
Forty-three per cent of Indians 'cheat' out of 'fear of missing out' (FoMO) so that they could keep up with conversations with friends and co-workers.
Cheating on your partner even when you share a room requires special skills. Forty-two per cent Indians said that when one partner falls asleep, they secretly watch Netflix shows.
But some relationship rules are bizarre. A quarter of Indians said that a partner who falls asleep deserves to be cheated on.
Hong Kong has 59 per cent of cheaters in Asia followed by 46 per cent in India. Globally, the Netherlands has the most loyal viewers at 73 per cent.
Indian derby build-up: Laced with optimism
Suraj Narredu astride Lady in Lace
Growing up in a racing family and watching my father (Satish) and uncle (Malesh) riding as top jockeys, shaped my destiny, and I started riding at a young age. Though record books will tell you that I climbed the ladders of success rather swiftly, no jockey can experience a real sense of fulfillment unless he wins the greatest race of them all — the Indian Derby at Mahalaxmi.
And because both, my father and uncle, had won the great race as jockeys, it was almost a question of continuing the family tradition. So it was a dream realised when I won the 2015 Indian Derby with Be Safe (trained by Malesh), who matched the record of my father, having won the big race both as jockey and trainer. Be Safe thus marked a new chapter in my career. Now I get another opportunity to have my moment in the sun. This Sunday, I will ride another, very capable Derby aspirant in Lady In Lace, trained by Prasad Raju of Hyderabad. Here's why I consider her so special.
I was on the bench with an injury when Raju sent her into the care of my trainer-brother Rajesh Narredu in Bangalore. From the sidelines, I watched her winning two races — one with an apprentice rider (M Ayyer), and the other, with jockey YS Srinath, who also went on to win two more races, including the Fillies' Championship, when she went back to Hyderabad. The trainer optimistically pitched her in the Hyderabad Derby, and in blinding rain, Prevalent Force (ridden by jockey Srinath who had switched allegiance) had to go to the bottom of the well to contain Lady In Lace.
It was a big let down for Raju. Though I had not ridden the filly yet, I felt she was high-class material. The Pune Derby was round the corner. I used my persuasive skills to convince Raju that Lady In Lace should take her chances. She was supplemented at a prohibitive cost with a late entry fee. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Lady In Lace put up a jaw-dropping show. It was Raju's first Derby winner, and I was thrilled to be part of his team.
Later, Lady In Lace did not even break a sweat when winning the Golconda 1000 Guineas. Shapoor Mistry, a keen judge of horseflesh, opted to buy a 50% share in the filly — that's vindication of the class I always knew she had. She further confirmed my opinion about her when storming past her adversaries late in the lane in the Indian 1000 Guineas. An infection disrupted her training schedule, and she skipped the Indian Oaks. However, she was impressive in a recent mock race. I galloped her on Monday over a mile, and she could not have done better. I strongly believe Lady In Lace is peaking at the right time.
India hockey eves raise Rs 20 lakh for COVID-19 victims
The Indian women's hockey team has raised funds to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indian team raised the money through an 18-day fitness challenge, which concluded on May 3 and resulted in raising Rs 20, 01,130. The funds have been donated to Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation. The funds will be used to provide basic necessities for patients at various locations, migrant workers and slum dwellers.
"The response we have received was really overwhelming. People, especially Indian hockey lovers from across the globe took part in the challenge and contributed to the cause. "On behalf of the Indian Women Team, I would like to thank everyone who took part in this initiative to help the poor," India skipper Rani Rampal said.
The challenge involved the team members who came up with different fitness tasks that ranged from burpees, lunges, squats to spider-man pushups, pogo hops and more. Each day a player gave a new challenge and tagged 10 people on their social media handles to take up the challenge and donate Rs 100 to the fundraiser.
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Indian rowers good but don't expect medal in 2021, says coach Bajrang Lal Takhar
National rowing coach Bajrang Lal Takhar, 39, wants India's ace rowers, Sawarn Singh and Dattu Bhokanal to make the most of the Coronavirus-caused lockdown by working on their mental toughness.
Takhar, the first to win an Asian Games individual gold [Guangzhou 2010], is keen that the duo fine-tune their technique and emerge mentally stronger when the lockdown is over.
"Dattu performed well at the Rio Games in 2016 [finishing 13th in men's single sculls] in his maiden Olympics. Sawarn is also a good rower. My advice to them is to become mentally strong if we want to win at the Olympics. At the top level, there is not much to differentiate in terms of physical fitness. Being mentally strong can make a huge difference. They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] also need to work on their technique," Takhar, who has been guiding the rowers via video conferencing from his hometown in Maganpur, Rajasthan, told mid-day on Monday.
Meanwhile, Takhar urged patience from those expecting a rowing medal at the Tokyo Olympics. "They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] will surely qualify for the Tokyo Games. They will make it to the final as well, but we may have to wait for another Olympics [Paris 2024] to win a medal," felt Takhar.
Sawarn, 30, has won gold in quadruple sculls along with Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, while he bagged a bronze in single sculls at the Incheon Games in 2014. Bhokanal, 29, won silver in single sculls at the 2015 Asian Rowing Championships in Beijing.
Takhar has urged the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) to concentrate on rural areas if they wish to tap upcoming talent.
"The RFI needs to search for talent in rural regions. Getting physically strong people is extremely crucial to succeed in rowing. We have worked on certain plans to train aspiring players," he concluded.
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India buys what is shown on celluloid: Report
India is riding the fashionable wave inspired by Bollywood as 2017 saw movie buffs buying trends inspired by their favourite stars online, says an annual fashion report by e-commerce site Flipkart. The latest findings and trends of 2017 by Flipkart Fashion saw shoppers getting their hands on trendy outfits inspired by Bollywood.
According to the findings, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan starrer "Badrinath Ki Dulhania"; Aditya Roy Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor starrer "Ok Jaanu"; Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha starrer "Half Girlfriend"; Vidya Balan starrer "Tumhari Sulu"; Salman Khan starrer "Tubelight" and Kangana Ranaut starrer "Simran" ruled the fashion sense of the millenials.
According to Flipkart fashion report, Alia Bhatt's latest hit became the fashion guide for Indian outfits in 2017. Her style statement in the movie refreshed shopper's style quotient by purchasing cold shoulder cholis, bandhani lehenga skirts and jhumkas donned by her in the movie, said a statement. Flipkart sold thousands of jhumkas and bandhani skirts within the first month of the movie's release. The first week alone saw the sales of 2,500 plus pairs.
Shraddha made a popular fashion statement of embroidered shorts and skirts in the remake of the iconic Rahman classic "Humma Humma" in "Ok Jaanu". She again made fashion trend with skater dresses, off shoulder tops and layered looks in "Half Girlfriend". From silks to Kanjeevarams to georgettes and crepes, Vidya has always shown her love for the sari. In "Tumhari Sulu", the actress created trends again with people buying saris inspired by her looks. Smaller cities like Bhopal, Chandigarh, Nagpur and Indore shopped for the Vidya Balan look.
Another fashion trend that hit the country was the Kangana-inspired red dress from the movie "Simran". Also men's fashion wasn't far behind as Salman Khan's look with the brown shoes hanging around his neck in "Tubelight" created a lot of buzz making fans wanting to get their hands on a pair at the earliest. The brown shoes topped men's footwear search across cities for two weeks on Flipkart after the movie released.
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India's tribal mythologies
When speaking of Indian mythology, the focus is on the stories, symbols and rituals of major religions such as Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. We ignore the mythologies of the various tribal communities of India, who have lived in the subcontinent long before the arrival of Aryan migrants. Their stories are fascinating.
The Santals found in Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand speak of how humans emerged from the egg of a goose and a gander, created by the gods, which included the High God, Thakur-Dev, the smaller spirits known as Bongas. In the beginning, they say the whole world was water, until the earthworms collected earth and placed it on the back of a turtle. Did this story inspire the Hindu idea of the earth on a turtle upheld by elephants?
The Korkus, scattered across the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, tell the story of a deer pursued by their ancestors that disappeared in a mountain cave. While waiting outside the cave, they were met by an ascetic, who gave them some rice to eat. The ascetic then introduced himself as Shiva and asked them to permanently settle down as farmers, not hunters. Another story recounts how Ravana strayed into the scenic but unpopulated forests. When he prayed to Shiva to populate those forests with people, Shiva directed his messenger, the crow, Kageshwar, to collect red soil from the hilly region. Shiva made two statues from the soil, of a man and a woman. However, before Shiva could infuse them with life, an angry Indra got his horses to destroy the statues. This, in turn, angered Shiva, who made two dogs out of the red soil, infused them with life and drove Indra's horses away. Shiva then remade the two human statues and infused life into them. Known as Moola and Moolis, they are the ancestors of the Korku tribe. The Korku worship Shiva, Ravana and the dog. And the driving away of Indra does allude to some rejection of 'civilised' Aryans, though Shiva himself is a Vedic god.
The Baigas are a tribe dispersed across Madhya Pradesh. They say that in the beginning, there was only water all around and no land. Then, Brahma made land in the midst of the water. Immediately, two people emerged from the land—one a brahman and the other a sadhu Naga Baiga. Brahma gave the brahmin some paper to start studying and writing. He gave the Baiga a tangiya, or a sickle. He also gave the Baiga some kodo and kutki grains and ordered him to start farming. From that day on, the Baigas have been farming, while brahmins focussed on getting educated.
Because there are over 500 tribes in India, and each one has a unique mythology, their mythology is often ignored when studying wider trends and patterns. They are often seen as being simpler, etiological (explaining causes), sometimes proto-history, but rarely having deep psychological insight. This could be the prejudice of the researcher or simply the nature of tribes, where the focus is less on introspection and more on ritual rhythms of life. It is easy to see the influence of Hindu lore on tribal mythologies, but the reverse flow is also true.
Stories of boars raising earth from the bottom of the sea found in Vedas could very well have tribal origins.
The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com
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India Post steps in to help Madh Islanders facing cash shortage
India post – a subsidiary of the Ministry of Communications – stepped in to help the residents of Madh Island, after a report in mid-day highlighted their plight regarding cash. They had been plagued by dysfunctional ATMs since the national lockdown was announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But very few transactions were successful, since most residents didn't have their active mobile numbers linked to their Aadhaar cards — which is a must for availing the service.
After reading mid-day's April 26 report, India Post sent a team of three postmen to the area on Monday, to provide door-to-door cash withdrawal services — at no extra charge — via their mobile phones. Using their government-authorised mobile phones, these postmen helped residents withdraw money from their bank accounts and handed the cash to them—provided their bank accounts and active mobile phone numbers were linked to their Aadhaar accounts. Although a handful of residents were able to carry out successful transactions, a majority of residents could not avail the service since either their active phone numbers were not linked to their Aadhaar cards or their bank accounts.
One postman = 1 micro ATM
Speaking to mid-day, Saranya U, senior superintendent of Post Office of Mumbai North Division (under whose jurisdiction Madh Island falls), said that each of the postmen deployed for this service is equipped with government-approved mobile phones that are pre-loaded with the India Post Payment Bank (IPPB), as well as a biometric scan device that can be connected to the mobile phone. "For us, each postman acts like a micro ATM. Using their mobile phones, each of them could enable people to withdraw up to R50,000 from their bank accounts," she said. This limit was extended from R10,000 to R50,000 in the light of the COVID-19 situation.
She explained that a person had to simply run their biometric fingerprint scan through the device connected to the postman's mobile phone (Aadhaar requires thumbprints to cross-confirm). "If a bank account has been linked to the Aadhaar account, then money can be withdrawn from that account. The person's current active mobile number is also required since an OTP will be sent to it. Another step also includes authenticity confirmation from UIDAI," she said.
If all these criteria are fulfilled, people can withdraw money from the comfort of their homes. "However, we were able to distribute only R11,000 in total because most people either don't have their Aadhaar or active mobile numbers linked to their bank accounts. We carried out a total of 25 transactions, but only 4 of them were successful," said Saranya, adding that India Post's door-to-door cash withdrawal service is more popular in rural areas.
'It was easy'
India Post also reached out to Manisha Suryavanshi, a resident who is disabled with polio in a leg, and was mentioned in the mid-day report. "I was surprised to see them. They ran me through the entire process… and I got the amount instantly in my hands. I also received a debit message on my mobile phone…it was easy and we were not charged for the service," she said.
4
No. of successful transactions
25
No. of total transactions attempted
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India against the world: The future of gaming in the country
Representational picture
In India, gaming is considered as a hobby and was less than inclined towards gaming from the get- go. But the scenario is slowling changing. Looking at the growth of the industry over the years, we have finally come to a point where families have started being supportive of this career choice. Rather than opting for a 9-to-5 job, more and more gamers have started taking their careers seriously and are transitioning into professional esports athletes and streamers.
So what is gaming? Gaming is a form of entertainment which is consumed via interaction, participation and viewership. It encompasses PC gaming, mobile gaming and console gaming and is multi-billion dollar industry globally. This industry comprises of gamers who can be a casual or an enthusiast, an amateur or a professional, a player or a viewer. Gaming can be as simple as picking up your mobile and launching some birds at hostile pigs in a castle, or as complex as dedicating years to learning and mastering a game and competing against other similarly dedicated players globally with millions of dollars at stake.
The term 'esports' seem new but the concept isn't. Esports is the part of gaming that’s competitive, where various genres of games are played competitively against other players, on different platforms. From fighting against your friend at the local arcade with a barrage of virtual punches and kicks to being seated together and connected to 100s of other gamers and being the last person alive in a perilous deserted island. Esports is as old as gaming is. The only difference we see nowadays, is the higher stakes and the dedication gamers put in to reach the top. With prize pools running in the millions and a loyal audience who travel halfway across the globe to watch their teams play, esports has become a global phenomenon with major brands investing heavily in the industry and corporations building stadiums larger than conventional sports stadiums.
Professional athletes train their body and mind, regularly to stay at the best of conditions and are supported with the state-of-the-art facilities and a salary for playing their game. Another term people might be unfamiliar with is "video game live streaming”. Streaming is a form of online video broadcast on specialised platforms where you play games and entertain your viewers. A viewer might be engrossed by your playstyle or your witty humour. There can be thousands of players watching you at a point of time and cheering for you. Streaming has become a full-time job for a lot of people with them earning a comfortable six-figure income monthly by just regularly entertaining their viewers. Brands sponsor these streamers to advertise and endorse their products on their stream.
The global gaming industry is still growing at a rapid pace with a valuation of $108.9 billion and a YoY growth of 7.8% in 2017. The Asia Pacific region contributes to 47% of this with India ranked 17 th globally valued at $818 million with an 11.14% CAGR. Gaming in India is still nascent with a lot of scope for growth and recognition. Esports plays a huge part in gaming with $696 million market and whopping 385.5 million viewers watching their favourite teams and players fight for glory. That’s thrice as many subscribers Netflix has.
So how far has India come? India is slowly catching up with the rest of the world. We have 253.2 million gamers in India with 81% of them in the age group of 16 – 30. We have professional teams in India who compete globally against other teams. We have people who have taken up streaming as their jobs. Rather than pursuing a regular career like your average John and Jane, we have emerging brave souls who want to stand out and make their dreams come true. And the space is filled with brands who want to work hand in hand with these people, empowering and enabling such a career into reality.
Insight of target audience by COBX games
Gaming in India has been given a boost in the recent years with the advent of 4G and FTTH. Prices have grown more competitive which has helped not only companies but also gamers across India. We have seen a spike in mobile gaming with 4G being introduced in India and will play a major role in the industry. FTTH, which is already being deployed in tier-1 cities, provides high-speed internet connection over optical fibre directly to your home from the ISP which has increased the quality of service. In tier-2 cities, gaming cafés and colleges act as hotspots for gamers and most tournaments are hosted in these colleges, due to the presence of stable infrastructure which, in turn, promotes the growth of gaming.
Esports is on the rise in India with multiple tournaments being announced with unprecedented prize pools. Esports is dynamically changing the industry with numerous brands joining in and helping the space flourish. Monthly tournaments provide a scope for professional gamers to sustain a living and also provides growth to multiple domains attached to esports like cosplayers, shoutcasters, and analysts and so on. From small tournaments in cafés and college labs to huge events filled with gamers, esports has come a long way in India. 2018 saw numerous companies invest heavily in esports by announcing multiple tournaments with prize pools of over Rs 1 crore.
Mujahid Rupani, Co-founder & C.E.O of COBX Gaming says, "We are also expecting an increase in VR and AR gaming in India. VR gears are being readily accessible to people and families are opting in for the virtual reality experience. Mobile phones are growing powerful every day and proving to be effective AR devices. New games are being launched every day which take advantage of augmented reality and taking use experience to a whole new level. Mobile gaming is also on the rise in India due to the ease of entry and affordable and stable internet connection. With the amount of time people invest on mobiles, a lot of developers are shifting their focus to mobile games and catering to a big chunk of gamers who prefer mobiles over expensive PCs and consoles as their gaming gear. With the number of game development studies in our country, the next big title might be from India."
With the ecosystem growing and evolving every year, the future for gaming in India is bright. Gaming in India is an incipient industry and has a long way to go. We hope to see more professional players, more streamers and more parents supporting their kid’s dream. There was a time when you would idolise a sportsperson, the day is here when kids idolise their favourite professional gamer or streamer. We have a generation of parents who are gamers too and encourage their kids and help them balance gaming along with other life priorities. We hope to see more companies and brands invest their time and resource in the gaming industry and maybe one day, a kid who wants to grow up and be a professional gamer.
Also Read: Hrithik Roshan: Gaming In India Gaining Exponential Popularity
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Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 11.09 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 19.11 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Half Yearly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 10.76 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 8.49 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 10.75 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 9.64 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Growth Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 17.12 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Regular Plan - Half Yearly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 10.28 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Regular Plan - Monthly Dividend option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 9.86 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Blue Chip Fund - Regular Plan - Quarterly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Large Cap Fund |
| NAV | 10.22 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 10.1161 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 10.2141 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Direct Plan - Half Yearly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 8.1796 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 7.4924 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 8.175 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 9.3614 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Regular Plan - Growth Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 9.3631 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Regular Plan - Half Yearly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 7.6691 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Regular Plan - Monthly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 7.2653 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Value Fund - Regular Plan - Quarterly Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - Value Fund |
| NAV | 7.0794 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Tax Savings Fund- Direct Plan- Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - ELSS |
| NAV | 8.05 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Tax Savings Fund- Direct Plan- Growth Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - ELSS |
| NAV | 8.06 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |
Indiabulls Tax Savings Fund- Regular Plan- Dividend Option
| Category | Equity Scheme - ELSS |
| NAV | 7.87 |
| Repurchase Price | |
| Sale Price | |
| Date | 08-May-2020 |