The Dialogue hosted its 2^nd Annual International Conference on ‘Competition Law in the Digital Age: Contextualising Global Experiences’, to discuss the role of technology markets in national and global economies and the approach of competition law and policy towards them. The event was attended by eminent personalities from inter-governmental organisations, international scholars and domain experts.

 The experts emphasised the need to test frameworks that prioritise domestic realities and are customised to India’s needs. Most highlighted the necessity of tailoring competition laws to reflect the unique economic, social, and technological contexts of individual countries. 

 Lazar Radic, Senior Scholar for Competition Policy at ICLE and Adjunct Professor of Law at IE Law School, said, “The Digital Markets Act (DMA) primarily focuses on business users and platforms, emphasising ‘fairness’. However, consumers and efficiencies are not part of the equation. While some may believe Europe’s approach will inevitably influence global standards, this isn’t always the case. Europe’s strategy, including its push for digital sovereignty, reflects a form of protectionism that diverges from traditional free market principles. Therefore, other countries with different priorities or free market inclinations need not adopt similar rules. Unlike broad competition laws, the DMA resembles industrial policy, allowing countries to either opt-out or develop alternative frameworks.”

 Stakeholders in the Global South called for a more localised approach to developing competition policies rather than disproportionately relying on frameworks of the developed world, adding that while insights from these regions can be valuable, reliance on them should be minimal. 

 Dr. Amar Patnaik, Former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), said, “In the past two years, a lot has happened. For instance, the Competition Amendment Act 2023 has been enacted. At times, stakeholders have mentioned that the Competition Amendment Act is well-equipped to regulate digital market concerns. On the other hand, it has also been said that the amendments may not be sufficient, and a new law is necessary. While we explore new laws for tech markets, it is worth examining whether the Competition Amendment Act can effectively address these issues of the digital markets. The Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC), in which I was a member, advocated for ex-ante legislation for combating anti-trust issues in the digital space, particularly the Big Tech. This interplay between the amendments and the Digital Competition Bill (DCB) should be looked into. Such interplay exists between the Competition Law and the Consumer Protection Act and the now enacted, Digital Data Protection Act. Time is ripe for principle-based legislations to build trust and the rules can evolve over a period of time as technology evolves.”

 Rahul Rai, Partner, Axiom5, added, “India has a thriving startup ecosystem that drives our focus on promoting and protecting these businesses. In contrast, Europe lacks such an ecosystem and is focused on creating one, while America, having a robust startup environment, aims to address issues within its own market before expanding its approach. We need to consider similarly, how the priorities and experiences of the Global South countries can also be conceptualised in a similar manner.”

 Panelists also discussed the necessity of considering how competition regulations in digital markets can impact consumer welfare and the growth prospects of nascent businesses. Notably, The Dialogue announced a survey-based paper examining the potential implications of India’s proposed Digital Competition Bill for business users in the country. Preliminary observations from the study note that 88.8% of business users believe that the digital services they use are important for the success of their business. Therefore, any law regulating digital services should be mindful of their significance to business users, including startups and MSMEs.

 Experts agreed that going forward, any policy introduced by the Global South, generally and India specifically, should be cognizant of the country’s domestic realities and the policy’s potential implications for consumers and SMEs.

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, today announced a never-before-seen price on Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G smartphones. Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G deliver the best of Samsung’s flagship mobile innovations, and now come with Circle to Search with Google, an AI feature.

 Under the limited period offer, Galaxy A55 5G will be available at a net effective starting price of INR 33999, while Galaxy A35 5G will be available at a net effective starting price of INR 25999.

The Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G have multiple flagship features including Gorilla Glass Victus+, camera features enhanced by AI, Samsung Knox Vault, four OS upgrades and five years of security updates.

 Customers can avail attractive bank cashback of INR 6000 on Galaxy A55 5G and INR 5000 on Galaxy A35 5G, when buying these smartphones using credit cards from leading banks. They can also avail EMIs of up to six months.

 Customers can also enjoy an upgrade bonus of up to INR 6000 on Galaxy A55 5G and up to INR 5000 on Galaxy A35 5G. However, customers can avail either bank cashback or upgrade bonus.

 Circle to Search

 Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G come with Circle to Search, offering a transformative experience of discovery that goes beyond traditional search methods. This feature — the result of a deep collaboration with Google — has continuously evolved to enhance its usability and intuitiveness. As one of the most popular features of Galaxy AI, Circle to Search allows users to search for anything on their screen with a simple gesture – drawing a circle around a text with a finger or scribbling on an object on screen – without the need to switch apps. For instance, if users come across a clothing item they like in a social media post, they can draw a circle around it using Circle to Search to find similar products online instantly. Circle to Search, which has also become a standout in the Galaxy S24 Series, can further help with daily tasks like identifying a landmark, shopping for an untagged item, or exploring details within a video.

 Awesome Camera

 Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G come with a host of impressive features including photography capabilities inspired by Galaxy’s flagship camera innovations and a stunning 6.6-inch screen display that adjusts to users’ surroundings with Vision Booster. Galaxy A55 5G comes with 50MP Main with OIS and 12MP Ultra-Wide, while Galaxy A35 5G comes with 50MP Main with OIS and 8MP Ultra-Wide. Both feature a 5MP Macro. Galaxy A55 5G features a 32MP Front Camera, while Galaxy A35 5G comes with a 13MP Front Camera. The devices also have features such as 4K stabilization due to VDIS + adaptive VDIS (video digital image stabilization) and OIS (optical image stabilization) that keep photos and videos crisp even when filming on the go. The enhanced Nightography feature on Galaxy A55 5G ensures stunning low-light photography, capturing vibrant images even in challenging lighting conditions. Both devices also boast Super AMOLED displays, offering full HD clarity and an immersive viewing experience.

 Moreover, Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G smartphones come with multiple innovative AI enhanced camera features that can take the user’s content game to the next level. Once a picture is clicked, AI-suggested edits like Photo Remaster allow users to enhance their images, Portrait Effect helps focus on what is truly important, and the Object Eraser feature can remove unwanted photo-bombers and reflections. The extremely popular Image Clipper lets users clip the subject of any image and use it as a sticker. The Adjust Speed feature is also phenomenal since it helps dynamically change the speed of the videos and create dramatic outputs similar to professionally shot clips.

 Awesome Design & Durability

 They are rated IP67, which means they can withstand up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of fresh water. They are also built to resist dust and sand, making them ideal for any situation. Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G are additionally designed to withstand slips and falls due to the Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection on the front and back.

 Awesome Performance

 The all-new Exynos 1480 processor built on 4nm process technology powers Galaxy A55 5G while the Galaxy A35 5G has been upgraded to the Exynos 1380 processor built on 5nm process technology. These power-packed smartphones come with several NPU, GPU and CPU upgrades along with a 70%+ larger cooling chamber that ensures a smooth output whether you game or multi-task.

 Awesome Secure like None Other    

 Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G bring one of Samsung’s most innovative security features from flagship Galaxy devices to Galaxy A series users for the very first time – Samsung Knox Vault. The hardware-based and tamper-resistant security solution offers comprehensive protection against both hardware and software attacks by constructing a secure execution environment that is physically isolated from the system’s main processor and memory. It can also help protect the most critical data on a device, including lock screen credentials, such as PIN codes, passwords and patterns.

 For even more ways to stay protected, Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G smartphones offer Auto Blocker, which when switched on can block app installations from unauthorized sources, provide app security checks to scan for potential malware and block potentially malicious commands and software installations to your device while connected by USB cable.

Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G devices are available for purchase via Samsung.com, across Samsung stores, and other online platforms. Galaxy A35 5G is available in three colours – Awesome Lilac, Awesome Ice Blue & Awesome Navy while Galaxy A55 5G is available in two colours – Awesome Ice Blue & Awesome Navy. 

• Navigating the Complexities of Data Privacy in the world of AI

• Emphasising Consent Management with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act

• Building a Trust-Based Digital Ecosystem

• Data Sovereignty and Localization

Sony India is proud to unveil the BRAVIA 9, its latest flagship Mini LED television series, loaded with XR Backlight Master Drive this television series can produce vivid image, deep blacks, supreme contrast and beautifully natural colours. Powered by the advanced AI Processor XR, this cutting-edge television series is designed to deliver an unparalleled immersive experience, setting a new benchmark in home entertainment.

 1.    Equipped with XR Backlight Master Drive, BRAVIA9 delivers unparalleled brightness, incomparably beautiful colours

The BRAVIA 9 immerses you in the scene, much like the backlight control technology used in Sony’s professional monitors for filmmakers. The XR Backlight Master Drive, with its unique local dimming algorithm, precisely controls thousands of LEDs to deliver truly authentic contrast and preserve shadow detail in even the most demanding scenes.

 2.    Enjoy faithfully natural scenes in absolute detail, even in the brightest daylight with High Peak Luminance

With High Peak Luminance in BRAVIA 9, imagine a brilliantly sunlit, snow-covered mountain landscape. These exceptionally bright televisions, with unprecedented luminance, can faithfully reproduce natural scenes with absolute detail, even in the brightest daylight.

 3.    BRAVIA 9 Mini LED offers 4 times more pixel than HD for a clearer more detailed picture

The BRAVIA 9 features BRAVIA XR Mini LED technology, providing exceptional depth, intense contrast, and stunning brightness. With four times more pixels than HD, this television ensures a clearer, more detailed picture, bringing every scene to life with remarkable precision. Enjoy an immersive viewing experience with vivid, lifelike visuals that capture every nuance, making the BRAVIA 9 the ultimate choice for discerning viewers seeking unparalleled picture quality.

 4.    With XR Contrast Booster enjoy adjusted brightness for deeper blacks, brighter highlights, and supreme contrast 

The BRAVIA 9 series features a Mini LED panel with XR Contrast Booster 30, which enhances the depth and detail of images by precisely controlling the backlighting. This technology results in deeper blacks and brighter whites, giving a dynamic contrast that brings scenes to life. The Mini LED panel also improves viewing angles, ensuring consistent picture quality from any seat in the room.

 5.    XR Triluminos Pro expresses billions of accurate colours with exceptional black contrast

XR Triluminos Pro technology in the BRAVIA 9 brings your content to life with billions of accurate colors, delivering an extraordinary viewing experience. This advanced technology enhances color precision and depth, ensuring that every hue is displayed with stunning clarity. Combined with exceptional black contrast, XR Triluminos Pro produces vibrant, true-to-life images that closely match the creator’s intent. Enjoy breathtaking visuals with rich, detailed colors and deep blacks, making every scene look remarkably realistic and immersive.

 6.    Powered by advanced AI Processor XR, BRAVIA 9 provides a completely immersive experience

The new BRAVIA 9 series will be available in 189 cm (75) and 215 cm (85) screen size. The advanced AI Processor XR in the BRAVIA 9 series revolutionizes viewing by understanding human perception of sight and sound. This processor features a scene recognition system that detects and analyzes data with high accuracy, optimizing the picture for ultimate realism to reproduce a cinema creator’s intention. The result is unparalleled depth, vibrant contrast, and lifelike colors, creating an engaging viewing experience that brings movies, shows, and games to life with extraordinary clarity and precision. The BRAVIA 9 sets a new standard for home entertainment, transforming your living room into a cinematic haven.

 7.    Equipped with Studio Calibrated mode, it precisely reproduces the image quality intended by the creator for a perfect cinema at home experience

BRAVIA 9 series comes with Studio Calibrated modes that deliver the image quality film content creators intended, right in your home. In addition to the already established Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode and SONY PICTURES CORE (formerly BRAVIA CORE) Calibrated Mode, there is now a Prime Video Calibrated Mode. This new mode offers customers even more ways to enjoy premium entertainment as the creators envisioned. With Prime Video Calibrated Mode, viewers can experience optimal picture quality that is automatically adjusted for movies, series, and, for the first time, live sports. The BRAVIA 9 series is IMAX enhanced and supports both Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®, providing exceptional brightness, sharper contrast, richer colors, and immersive sound. This ensures a superior viewing experience on Disney+, Prime Video, Netflix, and other popular streaming platforms.

 8.    Create your cinema at home experience perfect with Dolby Vision Atmos

The BRAVIA 9 brings studio-quality entertainment to your living room with its cutting-edge technologies. Dolby Vision™ enhances HDR content with striking highlights, deeper blacks, and vibrant colors, delivering a more immersive viewing experience. Dolby Atmos provides multi-dimensional sound, making you feel fully immersed in the action.

 9.    Enjoy IMAX enhanced movies with 80Mbps Pure Stream on SONY PICTURES CORE App exclusively on BRAVIA 9

The BRAVIA 9 Series includes SONY PICTURES CORE, an exclusive platform that offers access to a vast library of Sony Pictures movies. This platform also features 4K HDR and IMAX Enhanced movies, providing an elevated movie-watching experience with superior picture and sound quality. For 24 months, you will receive 10 free credits to stream movies in 4K Blu-ray quality with IMAX Enhanced visuals, bringing the magic of the big screen to your living room.

 With the latest XR 4K Upscaling, XR Clear Image and XR Motion Clarity enjoy 4K action that stays smooth, bright, and clear with no blur

The BRAVIA 9 features the latest XR 4K Upscaling, XR Clear Image, and XR Motion Clarity technologies, ensuring every scene is rendered with exceptional clarity and precision. XR 4K Upscaling enhances lower-resolution content to near-4K quality, while XR Clear Image sharpens details for a crisper picture. XR Motion Clarity technology eliminates blur in fast-moving scenes, delivering smooth, bright, and clear 4K action—perfect for both movies and gaming.

 X-Anti Reflection minimizes reflection and X-Wide Angle™ technology provides vivid real-world colours from any angle

The BRAVIA 9 features X-Anti Reflection technology, which significantly reduces reflections and glare for clear, uninterrupted viewing even in bright environments. Paired with X-Wide Angle™ technology, this TV maintains vivid, true-to-life colors from nearly any angle. Whether you’re viewing from the side or directly in front, the BRAVIA 9 delivers consistent picture quality, enhancing your cinematic and gaming experiences with exceptional clarity and color accuracy.

 Enjoy picture and sound in complete harmony as the screen is the speaker with Acoustic Multi-Audio+, XR Surround with 3D surround upscaling, and Acoustic Centre Sync

The new BRAVIA 9 features Acoustic Multi-Audio+ with a Beam Tweeter at the top and Frame Tweeters on the sides, delivering immersive cinematic surround sound. Every sound is positioned accurately, enhancing the viewing experience. Acoustic Center Sync integrates your sound system, such as a soundbar, with the TV, ensuring that the sound precisely matches the action on the screen for a home cinema setup. The new Voice Zoom 3 technology uses AI algorithms to recognize and adjust the volume of human dialogue, making even soft speech clear and prominent. This feature works exceptionally well with BRAVIA Theatre home audio products, creating a seamless sound experience where audio appears to come directly from the TV screen.

 BRAVIA 9 is an enormous gaming machine which is Perfect for PlayStation 5

The BRAVIA 9 stands out as a top-tier gaming television as Perfect for PS5, delivering an optimized gaming experience with stunning visuals and smooth performance. It includes Auto HDR Tone Mapping for enhanced contrast and color accuracy, and Auto Game Mode ensures minimal lag and rapid response times. Even in dark shadows and bright highlights, fine details and true colors are visible. The BRAVIA 9 automatically switches to Game Mode with the PS5 to reduce lag and maximize responsiveness, then reverts to Standard Mode for movies, providing more expressive scenes. With support for 4K/120fps, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), it ensures smooth and clear movement for responsive gameplay. Additionally, you can control your PlayStation® remotely if you have a compatible BRAVIA connected to the internet. The PS Remote Play app allows you to manage your PS5® or PS4™ console from another room or even a friend’s house.

 Game Menu feature in BRAVIA 9 allows easy access gaming status, settings and gaming assist functions all in one place

The Game Menu feature in the BRAVIA 9 offers a centralized hub for gamers to easily access their gaming status, settings, and support functions. This intuitive interface consolidates all essential gaming controls in one place, streamlining the gaming experience. Whether you’re adjusting settings, monitoring performance, or accessing game-specific tools, the Game Menu ensures that every aspect of your gaming session is effortlessly manageable and optimized for peak performance, enhancing your overall gameplay enjoyment.

 BRAVIA 9 television offers a smart user experience with Google TV which offers endless entertainment

BRAVIA 9 series delivers a smart user experience powered by Google TV, giving you access to 400,000 movies and TV episodes, as well as 10,000 apps and games. Google TV organizes all your favorite content in one place, making it easy to find and enjoy what you love. With voice search functionality for hands-free control and integration with Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, connectivity with your Apple devices is seamless. Personalized recommendations and voice search capabilities ensure you have quick access to a wide range of entertainment options, all tailored to your viewing preferences and needs.

 With the Hands-Free Voice Search feature, you can interact with the TV to play your favorite shows and movies

The Hands-Free Voice Search feature in the BRAVIA 9 provides a seamless and intuitive way to interact with your television. Simply speak to the TV to effortlessly search for and play your favorite shows and movies. This advanced functionality eliminates the need for manual input, making it easier than ever to access content quickly. With voice commands, your entertainment experience becomes more convenient and enjoyable, allowing you to focus on what matters most: watching your favorite content.

 Explore an array of fun new TV experiences with BRAVIA CAM including gesture controls, ambient optimization, Zoom Meetings and Google Meet, etc.

The BRAVIA 9 introduces BRAVIA CAM, which elevates your viewing experience with advanced features. Enjoy intuitive gesture controls for easy interaction and ambient optimization that adjusts screen settings to suit your environment for the best viewing experience. With Zoom Meetings and Google Meet integration, you can effortlessly host video calls directly from your TV. BRAVIA CAM brings a new level of convenience and interactivity, making your entertainment experience more engaging and personalized than ever.

 Minimalist One Slate design to provide a truly immersive big-screen viewing experience

The One Slate concept of the BRAVIA 9 seamlessly integrates the screen and bezel into a single, sleek slate, minimizing distractions and maximizing your viewing experience. The steel stand curves inward, offering an elegant look from every angle. Designed with an almost invisible bezel, its naturally warm, smudge-resistant texture blends effortlessly with your interior decor, walls, and BRAVIA Theatre. The Underlay Stand is a thin, flat steel plate with a metallic hairline finish, providing options for placement: it can be positioned externally, fit within smaller shelves, or accommodate two soundbar positions to suit your viewing preferences.

 Designed with the sustainability and accessibility in mind

Sony has set forth an environmental plan called Road to Zero, which aims to achieve zero environmental impact through its business activities and product life cycles by 2050. To contribute to this vision, BRAVIA will pursue innovations that provide the best viewing experience with high picture and sound quality and a premium design all the while contributing to reducing environmental impact. BRAVIA 9 use Sony’s proprietary signal processing to maximise the characteristics of the panel device (Mini LED), automatically optimising brightness for each scene while achieving both high brightness and low power consumption. In addition, the Eco Dashboard, which allows you to easily set and manage various energy saving settings of BRAVIA all at once, has been further evolved. You can also check the amount of power used and tips for saving energy. The compact, rechargeable Eco Remote is also made from approximately 79.7% recycled plastic. Sony aims to contribute to an inclusive society through its business, increasing accessibility to enable those with diverse needs to utilise its products.

 BRAVIA develops products with accessibility in mind so that all customers can enjoy the movie experience, regardless of disability or age. Voice commands can be used to operate the BRAVIA TV, such as turning the power on/off and adjusting the volume. BRAVIA TVs are also equipped with shortcut commands that allow you to quickly and easily turn on/off accessibility features, allowing both those who require them and those who do not to use the same TV set without stress.

 Price and Availability

 These models will be available across all Sony Centers, major electronic stores, and e-commerce portals in India.

Bengaluru-based Katidhan, a fast-growing tech startup working at the intersection of cleantech, agri-tech and wildlife-tech has been felicitated by Government of Karnataka at an event held recently to celebrate the winners of its ELEVATE 2023 grant program. The event was graced by dignitaries like Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister of Electronics, IT BT, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka; Siddharth Pai (3one4 Capital); Prashant Prakash (Accel Partners); Anant Narayan (Mensa Brands), among others, where the Bengaluru Innovation Report 2024 was also launched. At the ceremony, Katidhan’s founder Ayan S R was bestowed the ELEVATE 2023-24 Winner Award, along with a winner’s certificate.

Notably, Katidhan, a Shark Tank India-featured startup, had won a non-dilutive grant last year through the flagship ELEVATE program wherein the Government of Karnataka supports innovative technological startups to convert their ideas to POCs and from thereon scale-up their business models. This grant has proven to be highly beneficial for Katidhan as it continues to build its advanced technological solutions to reduce crop losses in agriculture due to wildlife attacks.

Speaking about the achievement, Ayan S R, Founder & Director, Katidhan said, “We are extremely proud and elated to have won the ELEVATE Grant Award. On this august occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation towards the Government of Karnataka for this fantastic initiative – they’re now one of the only state governments in our country to provide capital support to startups without any equity dilution. Apart from this, they are also supportive of us in providing investor connects, market access programs, tax breaks, global networks and numerous other benefits. No wonder, Bengaluru and Karnataka are undisputedly leading the way in nurturing a conducive startup ecosystem that builds world-class companies from India”.

The startup has previously won the ELEVATE Grant under Startup Karnataka, and had raised equity funding on Shark Tank India Season 3

“The ELEVATE grant has played a pivotal role for us at Katidhan to come out with a basic prototype of our ideas, which in turn indirectly helped us bag a deal on Shark Tank India. In fact, ELEVATE is that stepping stone over which we could climb and manifest bigger heights, and are now on track to launch the working prototype of our upcoming AI-enabled product,” added Ayan.

“Karnataka stands as a beacon of innovation and technological advancement, leading India’s startup ecosystem with remarkable achievements. The state, which hosts a thriving community of innovators, has cemented its reputation as a premier hub for technology and innovation”, commented Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister, Department of Electronics, IT & BT, and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Government of Karnataka.

Notably, Katidhan was one of the top 101 startups that were awarded the ELEVATE grant in 2023, out of 15000 applicants from across Karnataka. A total of INR 60 Crore was provided to 263 startups under different programs such as ELEVATE, ELEVATE Call 2, ELEVATE Unnati and ELEVATE Amrita. ELEVATE is the brainchild of Priyank Kharge, who started it way back in 2015, and has been at the forefront of its growth, supporting over 980 startups with grant funding till date.

Earlier this year, Katidhan appeared on Shark Tank India Season 3 and successfully clinched an investment deal from OYO founder ‘Shark’ Ritesh Agarwal. The startup has grown incrementally over the last couple of years, with its innovative solutions having already reached and positively impacted around 2000 farmers across 12 Indian states as of date. Additionally, Katidhan has also established strong GTM partnerships in a bid to ensure that both its current and upcoming products are rapidly scaled across India.

Renowned costume designer Niharika Bhasin has been honored with the Best Costume Designer Award at the prestigious Nexa Streaming Awards for her exceptional work in the film Tumse Na Ho Payega. This recognition highlights her innovative approach and ability to capture the essence of modern youth culture through costume design.

A Passion Project Born from Friendship

The journey of Tumse Na Ho Payega began with a personal connection. Introduced to the project by a close friend, Niharika was immediately drawn to the film’s storyline and characters. After a captivating narration by director Abhishek Sinha, she was inspired to dive into a project that aimed to explore the new-age dynamics of Gen-Z.

Bringing Characters to Life with Unique Wardrobe Choices

Niharika’s work on the film focused on creating distinct identities for each character. The male characters’ wardrobes were highlighted by personalized tees that reflected their thoughts and personalities, serving as a vital element of their characterization.

For Mahima, who works in a celebrity agency, Niharika crafted a wardrobe that embodied the casual yet vibrant spirit of a young Bombay girl. Her costumes captured the city’s pulse and energy, adding authenticity to the film’s setting.

Celebrating the Spirit of Bombay

The film’s setting in Bombay allowed Niharika to draw inspiration from the city’s vibrant life. From office spaces to the warm kitchens of Bombay’s neighborhoods, the costumes reflected the diverse landscape of the city’s culture. The characters of Ishfaak’s mother and Anu Aunty were particularly noteworthy, portrayed in sarees that added layers of maternal warmth and ambition, respectively.

Niharika Bhasin’s award-winning work on Tumse Na Ho Payega exemplifies her ability to blend traditional elements with contemporary fashion, capturing the essence of the characters and the bustling life of Mumbai.

The rapturous tune joins the festivities. Dr CV Ranjith, the composer, seems a bit excited and enthusiastic as the moment approaches. A dental surgeon by profession, the passionate musician  from Kannur, has been striving hard, journeying through the heartlands of India, struggling against the ticking clock in the recording studios, setting and revising the tune to capture the imagination of the people through his innovative project – Vande Matharam – A feel of Patriotism– a patriotic song, looks excited as his dream project is all set to release during this Independence Day.

“I feel excited and a bit emotional to see that this musical journey has reached the final destination.  Though it was quite arduous, physically taxing and a race against time, it was also exciting and seemed like a journey of soul searching for me. I was enjoying the struggle and quite happy to see that the efforts have paid off well”, Ranjith said.

“Vande Mataram,” composed and directed by Dr. CV Ranjith, is slated to be released on 12 August ,a few days ahead of Independence Day. “Ever since the incomparable musical masterpiece of AR Rahman’s Vande Matharam, I think, no other patriotic song has come to inspire the Indians like this. This is my humble attempt in this direction as I have tried to portray the historical beauty and natural brilliance of this country through my musical production. This would surely inspire the patriotic Indians, I think”, Ranjith said. Shot in breath taking locations spanning from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, this song promises a fresh and captivating experience, he said.

Dr. CV Ranjith shared that he had dedicated a year to crafting this 6-minute-long anthem. The filming commenced in July last year, capturing diverse views of both rural and urban India, including Delhi, Agra, Amritsar, Kullu Manali, Ladakh, Kedarnath, Srinagar, Keran, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hampi, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Jaipur, Ajmer, Meghalaya ,Kolkata, Varanasi, Baroda, Lucknow, Kanyakumari, Dhanushkodi, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kannur.

Dr. CV Ranjith recalled his unforgettable experience filming in Keran, noted as India’s first village, where the borders of India and Pakistan are separated by a river.

“It was a challenge to come up with a new tune which would instil both patriotism and musical excellence as hundreds of such songs would come up during the Independence Day and Republic Day. It was a hard task to set a different track to meet the standards demanded by the aficionados. But, I believe, I have done full justice to the project”, he said. Ranjith, who also directed the video album alongside composing the tune. The lyrics for “Vande Mataram” was penned by Sumita Ayilliath, a Dubai-based radio host and lyricist, and the vocals were performed by Aslam, a singer based in Mumbai. The song’s sound mixing and production was handled by Ashwin Sivadas, while cinematography credits go to Sanil Koothuparamp, PV Ranjith, and Dr. CV Ranjith himself. Editing was done by Deepti and Nived.

The song is produced under the banner of renowned Bollywood Producer Mayur K Barot’s White Measure Entertainment, Mumbai.

Dr. CV Ranjith, known for his earlier hit “The Song of Kannur: Heaven of Tourism,” which was awarded the Babasaheb Dr. BR Ambedkar International Award, has also created songs in 20 Indian languages, including a tribute to cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

“Vande Mataram” will be released through the renowned music label Muzik 247, aiming to resonate with the youth and inspire a renewed sense of patriotism across the nation.

“The ocean is a constantly moving fluid that houses the largest three-dimensional living space on Earth, supporting various habitats”, said Dr. Sachinanda Babu, from NASA, while inaugurating of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing (GRSS) Student chapter at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Bengaluru on 26th July. He further added, “We coexist with over 8 million species on our planet, and we are currently witnessing unprecedented global-scale changes to our Earth.

For instance, the North Atlantic is home to highly productive “forests” each spring, where carbon-rich phytoplankton blooms fuel the fisheries of New England. The clear waters around Florida host productive coral reefs and fisheries, but are at times affected by toxic phytoplankton. While today’s satellites can measure the quantity of phytoplankton at the ocean surface, they are unable to detect the diversity of species. The recently launched NASA PACE’s mission will, for the first time, help us predict the “boom or bust” of fisheries and sidentify marine hazards such as harmful algal blooms”. He encouraged students to explore these space-based observations which offers a comprehensive perspective on Earth’s resources, encompassing the atmosphere, and oceans.

 The event hosted by GRSS and ECE Department, MIT BLR aims to empower students in Geoscience and Remote Sensing. Dr. Sachidananda Babu, Technology Program Manager at the Earth Science Technology Office of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the USA was the chief guest at the event. Dr. Babu discussed NASA’s technology development efforts to support future remote sensing missions during the inaugural function.

 He said, “We are excited to officially open the MIT Bengaluru IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Student Chapter. This will act as a link between theoretical knowledge and real-world application by giving students exclusive chances to take part in research initiatives, and create ground-breaking answers to urgent problems. I urge every student to explore how Earth Observation data can be used to prepare for climate change and mitigate, adapt and respond to environmental challenges across the country”.

 “The establishment of our institution’s IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing (GRSS) Student Chapter is a significant step toward enhancing our students’ academic experiences. They will have an unmatched opportunity to learn about the cutting edge of remote sensing technology, encourage creativity, and dig into the intriguing field of geosciences with this chapter. I am eager to see how this program encourages our students to break new ground in their fields and help address global issues”, said Dr. Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE BLR. 

 Dr. Ujjwal Verma, the Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engg who is also the Faculty Advisor for the IEEE GRSS Student branch, mentioned that IEEE GRSS is a technical society of IEEE, USA, providing a platform for researchers and practitioners to collaborate and design tools to understand the interactions with Earth’s ecosystems, monitor environments, oceans, and ice caps, and characterize potential risks. He highlighted that the student branch at MIT BLR will organize various events on geoscience and remote sensing, including workshops/ lectures by ISRO, NASA, and ESA experts, and field visits to ISRO and DRDO facilities.

 Dr. Jagannath Korody Director, MIT BLR and Dr. Balachandra Achar, IEEE SB Advisor, MIT BLR along with other dignitaries were present at the inaugural ceremony.