The Indian Panorama

Tag: Indian-Americans

  • 8 Indian AmericansHonored at ASEI Awards

    8 Indian AmericansHonored at ASEI Awards

    CHICAGO (TIP): American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) has recognized four engineering achievers and four service excellence and contributors to ASEI with Lifetime Achievement award going to Naveen Jain. Amit Kumar, Consul General India in Chicago, at ASEI’s 33rd Annual National Convention focusing on Global Engineering & Technologies (GET-2020), held virtually on Dec 5 and 6 presented the awards.

    Kumar emphasized the importance of Indian American engineers and scientists pooling their talents to help India at the finale session anchored by ASEI Board Member Dr Thomas Abraham, Chair Awards Committee, according to a media release.

    The ASEI awardees are:

    ASEI Lifetime Achievement – Naveen Jain

    ASEI Entrepreneur of The Year – Jyoti Bansal

    ASEI Engineer of The Year (Mech/Solar) – Dr Yogi Goswami

    ASEI Engineer of The Year (Industrial Operations and Product Management) – Deval Desai

    ASEI Service Excellence Award – Rakesh Patel

    Hari Bindal ASEI Founders Award – Vatsala Upadhyay

    Leadership and Contribution to ASEI – Rakesh Guliani and Sunita Dublish

    Dr Neeraj Bindal, son of ASEI Founder the Late Dr. Hari Bindal paid a moving tribute to his father as he presented the Founder’s award to Vatsala.

    Lifetime Achievemen awardee Jain, a former Microsoft executive now based in Bellevue, WA, is the Founder & CEO of Viome, a wellness company. He is also the Founder and Executive Chairman of Moon Express, which is developing a robotic lunar lander to explore and mine the moon.

    Jain’s first entrepreneurial venture was InfoSpace, which he founded in 1996, after leaving Microsoft. He rode the dot-com bubble’s rise through the next several years, becoming a billionaire in 2000 when stock prices hit their highest mark, with his personal wealth alone totaling around $2.2 billion.

    The ASEI convention started with a welcome by the organization’s President Jwalant Lakhia.

    In the first session emceed by Anu Gopalakrishnan, keynote speaker Deval Desai, VP Magna Int. spoke about Contributions of Indian Technologists weaving the storyline from mythology to history to modern era.

    In the first technical session on Quantum computing by Dancing with Qubits, keynote speaker Dr Robert Sutor, VP Quantum, IBM Research, said Quantum promises to tackle classically challenging problems across a variety of industries. Prof. Solomon Darwin, known as the “Father of Smart Village Movement”, spoke about agricultural innovations that have the potential to make villages smarter with minimal resources.

    In the session on User Experience Design (UXD), Urmila Kashyap, Senior User Experience Designer with VMware, talked about UX design systems for enterprise products based on her 10+ years of UXD experience working with large companies like Moody’s & VMware.

    Surbhi Kaul, GM and Head of Product at Juniper Networks, sharing from her own experience of building and launching products over two decades at Netflix, Cisco, YouTube, Google and Juniper Networks discussed why UXD is critical to a product’s success.

    In the session on Artificial Intelligence in the Enterprise, Jeff Hannah, Director, NA SBD Automotive and Akshay Desai, Associate Partner, McKinsey tried to separate fact from fiction about autonomous cars.

    Desai focused on the future for autonomous vehicle adoption and the changing AV mobility market. Convention Co-Chair Bhavesh Joshi moderated the session. Nidhi Mathihali, Jyoti Rani and Isha Jagadish were declared the three top winners of the Youth Technology Exposition (YTE) conceived and coordinated by the Conference Content Chair and President of ASEI-Silicon Valley Piyush Malik.

    In a keynote on Leadership in turbulent times, Dr. Satyam Priyadarshy, Chief Data Scientist & Technology Fellow, Haliburton, applied ancient Indian wisdom from Hanuman Chalisa to talk about a framework to face disruption in tumultuous times.

    In the session on Career Management in a Disrupted Economy, Dilip Saraf, an IIT alumnus who has reinvented himself five times to be a Career and Life Coach, spoke about better career management by developing resilient options.

    Piyush Malik, SVP SpringML, and Naveen Jain, CEO Viome & Founder/Chairman – Moon Express discussed Exponential Technologies for Humanity’s Grand Challenges.

    Solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges lie at the intersection of these exponential technologies ranging from artificial intelligence (AI)to computing systems, robotics, and autonomous vehicles, they said.

    In the session on Cybersecurity: Opportunity of Threat? Anand Oswal, SVP and GM at PaloAlto Networks, talked about the three concurrent mega transitions in enterprise IT that are impacting network security viz. Rise of a mobile workforce, Shift to hybrid cloud and Direct to app architectures.

    He was joined in conversation with popular cybersecurity strategist and influencer Matthew Rosenquist who is currently the Chief Information Security Officer at Eclipz.

    In the session on Innovation in the Enterprise, Manoj Prasad, VP & Global CTO, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Prakash Kota, CIO Autodesk discussed issues like how  this pandemic will change the pace of innovation in enterprise technology.

    Speaking on Robotics and Space, Space scientist Dr Sreeja Nag who also happened to be a Robotist at Nuro, shared her experiences on autonomous robots that work on earth as well as in the space.

  • ‘Being Sheela’: Life and times of an Indian American powerhouse attorney, entrepreneur and philanthropist

    ‘Being Sheela’: Life and times of an Indian American powerhouse attorney, entrepreneur and philanthropist

    NEW YORK (TIP): Being Sheela quickly corrals the reader into caring and rooting for the accomplished attorney who is foremost “instinctively and unselfconsciously kind to others.” Author Adithi Rao injects us with very little preamble straight into the heart of the action, adroitly blending real case studies with significant moments from Sheela Murthy’s life to reveal her values and her motivations. With lines such as “her clarity and energy proved infectious” and “she was incapable of doing things in half measure and that included eating Samosas! “We are firmly hooked by the personal and human rendering of this larger than life persona. This is an affectionate and admiring memoir written also with the reporter’s instinct to cover varied perspectives.

    We hear the stories of clients who “were often troubled, tired, sad or desperate and at time all those things at once.” We read that Sheela’s instincts to do the right thing and the fair thing were honed by navigating childhood between an adoring father and a strict mother. We learn that at age 10, after surviving a major illness, Sheela vowed to “overcome insurmountable obstacles by simply never letting anything get her down.”

    From her 2nd year law professor, we hear that he had never before had a student with Sheela’s “tireless determination, enthusiasm or the commitment to win” an all-India Moot Court competition. The 10-year-old went from being inspired to fight injustice as an attorney after reading To Kill a Mockingbird to placing second as a 24-year-old in International Moot Court competition in only her second attempt. We meet and are captivated by the “happy-hearted girl who said what she thought and almost always had something meaningful to say” and who had the smarts and the drive to graduate with a Masters in Law from Harvard.

    Beyond inspiration from reading of her “courage and a fierce ability to love beyond her own limitations that set her apart from every other child,” Sheela’s life journey and the book also offer practical lessons written with a light touch and universal appeal. From Sheela’s humble beginnings in India sharing a rag doll with her two sisters to powerhouse attorney and heavyweight philanthropist in the US, author Rao uses Sheela’s own experiences and hard-earned knowledge to illustrate best practices easily applicable to entrepreneurs, to leaders and managers, to women in abusive situations, to those ensnared in partisan politics, to those wrestling with ethics versus quick results and to immigrants caught between “the reality of being an immigrant in the US and the common perspective that people have of them.” I encourage everyone to enjoy this warm, satisfying and fortifying memoir, perhaps with a steaming cup of fragrant tea in hand, a connection to the many cups of tea dispensed in the book along with the memorable and inspirational stories!

    Copies of the book can be obtained from https://murthynayak.org/book-being-sheela

  • Indian Americans Gautam Raghavan and Vinay Reddy named in Biden team

    Indian Americans Gautam Raghavan and Vinay Reddy named in Biden team

    NEW YORK (TIP): US president-elect Joe Biden has named two more Indian Americans to plum appointments in the post-Trump world: Gautam Raghavan is coming in as Deputy Director in the Office of Presidential Personnel and Vinay Reddy will be the Director of Speechwriting, according to a statement on Tuesday, December 28,  from the transition team. Already, at least eight Indian-Americans have snagged headline grabbing appointments in the incoming government: Vivek Murthy is US Surgeon General nominee, Atul Gawande and Celine Gounder are on the coronavirus task force, Neera Tanden is nominated for Office of Management and Budget lead, Vedant Patel will be White House assistant press secretary and Mala Adiga has been chosen as policy director for First Lady Jill Biden.

    Below is the full text of the introductory notes on the two new appointees from the Biden-Harris team:  Gautam Raghavan, Deputy Director, Office of Presidential Personnel: Raghavan serves as Deputy Head of Presidential Appointments on the Biden-Harris Transition. Prior to joining the transition, Raghavan served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Previously, Raghavan served as an Advisor to the Biden Foundation, and as Vice President of Policy for the Gill Foundation, one of the oldest and largest private foundations dedicated to the cause of LGBTQ equality. During the Obama-Biden Administration, Raghavan served in the White House as the liaison to the LGBTQ community as well as the Asian American & Pacific Islander community, and in the White House Liaison Office for the U.S. Department of Defense and as Outreach Lead for the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Working Group. A first-generation immigrant, Gautam was born in India, raised in Seattle, and graduated from Stanford University. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his husband and their daughter. Vinay Reddy, Director of Speechwriting: Vinay Reddy serves as a speechwriter on the Biden-Harris Transition and served as Senior Advisor and Speechwriter for the Biden-Harris Campaign. He previously served as chief speechwriter to Vice President Biden in the second term of the Obama-Biden White House, after which, he worked as Vice President of Strategic Communications at the National Basketball Association. During the Obama-Biden Administration, he also served as senior speechwriter at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services, deputy speechwriter for the Obama-Biden reelection campaign, and speechwriter for his home state Senator, Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Reddy grew up in Dayton, Ohio, the middle of three sons in an immigrant family and is a product of Ohio public schools from kindergarten to Miami University to The Ohio State University College of Law. He currently lives in New York with his wife and their two daughters.

    (Source: IANS)

  • Indian-Origin Aisha Shah named to Biden-Harris digital strategy team

    Indian-Origin Aisha Shah named to Biden-Harris digital strategy team

    WASHINGTON (TIP): President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have named yet another Indian American to their team as a member of the White House Office of Digital Strategy. Born in Kashmir and raised in Louisiana, Aisha Shah, was named as Partnerships Manager in a 12-member digital team headed by Rob Flaherty, Director of Digital Strategy. She will join at least ten other persons of Indian descent named to senior posts in the incoming Biden-Harris administration, including Neera Tanden as Director of Office of Management and Budget and Vivek Murthy as US Surgeon General nominee. Shah, who served as a Digital Partnerships Manager on the Biden-Harris Campaign, currently serves as an Advancement Specialist for the Smithsonian Institution.

    “A reflection of the critical role digital strategy plays in reaching the American people, the Biden-Harris White House will feature a robust digital team,” the transition announced Monday.

    “In addition to amplifying and engaging users online through traditional measures, the White House Office of Digital Strategy will develop partnerships that are focused on extending the president-elect’s reach beyond his own social platforms,” it said. Shah earlier worked as an Assistant Manager on the Corporate Fund of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, supporting the first-ever expansion of a presidential memorial.

    Shah also served as a Strategic Communications Specialist at Buoy, an integrated marketing firm that specializes in social impact communications, as well as Spitfire Strategies, where she enabled nonprofits to use pop culture as a tool for social change. Shah is a graduate of Davidson College.

    “Communicating transparently and honestly with the American people is one of the most important responsibilities of a President,” said Biden. “This team of diverse experts has a wide range of experience in digital strategy and will help connect the White House to the American people in new and innovative ways.”

    “They bring a shared commitment to building our nation back better, and I am thrilled to have them on our team,” he added. “Digital communities and online spaces have taken on even more importance in the wake of the pandemic,” said Harris. “We’re building a team to speak to the lived experiences of all Americans.”

    “With much of our lives online, it is critical for this administration’s digital efforts to be inclusive and extensive,” she said. “Digital outreach will be a key pillar of the Biden-Harris Administration’s engagement with the public,” said incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. “By bringing a talented team of digital strategists to the White House, we will ensure a robust dialogue with the American people, wherever they are,” he said. These diverse, accomplished, and talented individuals demonstrate that the president and vice president-elect are building an administration that looks like America and is ready to deliver results on day one, the transition announcement said.

  • Indian- Origin  Man Run Over by Train in New Jersey

    Indian- Origin  Man Run Over by Train in New Jersey

    NEW JERSEY (TIP): The incident took place when Praveen Desini, a pharma sector employee, was on his way to work in New York. It was not immediately clear as to how he got on the railway track.

    A 38-year-old man from Telangana was run over by a train in New Jersey’s Edison on Wednesday, December 23.

    The incident took place when Praveen Desini, a pharma sector employee, was on his way to work in New York. It was not immediately clear as to how he got on the railway track. An MBA graduate, Praveen Desini was working in the US for the last five years. His wife Navatha and 3-year-old son were living in the US with him. His body has been kept at the Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner in New Jersey. Praveen Desini’s family in Telangana’s Warangal was informed about his death on Wednesday. According to Gofundme.com page, created to provide financial assistance to Praveen Desini’s family, he was the youngest among three brothers and his father is a retired Panchayati Raj department employee. The note further describes Praveen Desini as an “easy going, jovial personality”.

  • Indian American Suyash Mehta named full- time NBA’s referee

    Indian American Suyash Mehta named full- time NBA’s referee

    NEW YORK (TIP): Indian Americans have been making their mark in the National Basketball Association (NBA) scene lately. Now Suyash Mehta has become the first Indian American official to be named a full-time NBA referee. Mehta, whose parents are from India, had been named to the league’s officiating staff for the first time for the 2019-20 season, according to NBA.com. He was promoted with two other referees, Simone Jelks and Andy Nagy. “We are pleased to welcome Simone [Jelks], Suyash and Andy [Nagy] to our full-time staff,” said Monty McCutchen, NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Referee Development and Training. “They have demonstrated through the growth and the quality of their performance, they warrant working NBA games on a regular basis,” he added. In the previous campaign, Mehta was inducted to the NBA’s officiating staff for the first time. He officiated in 13 games and was one of six to be named under the title of ‘non-staff officials’. He has also officiated five seasons in the NBA G League. Mehta’s parents moved to the US in the 1980s from India. The Baltimore resident also has coaching experience at various collegiate levels including the Atlantic 10, Big South, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, NCAA Division III. But Mehta is not the first person of Indian origin to be in a prominent role in the NBA. Satnam Singh Bhamara was picked by the Dallas Mavericks in 2015, which made him the first Indian-born to be offered a contract by an NBA outfit. Boston’s Sonia Raman became the first Indian American woman coach when she was hired by the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.

    Vivek Ranadive, another Indian American, holds a majority stake in the Sacramento Kings. In 2013, Mumbai-born Ranadive, along with Ronald Burkle and Mark Mastrov, reached an agreement with the Maloof family to purchase 65 per cent stakes in the Kings for approximately $348 million. Before that, he had to sell his stake in Golden State Warriors which he acquired in 2010.

    NBA’s academy in India has also produced several stars recently who have received offers from USA, including Riyanshu Negi, Jagshaanbir Singh, Pranav Prince, Amaan Sandhu and Princepal Singh, according to NBA.com.

  • Microsoft building new password manager for Edge, Chrome

    Microsoft building new password manager for Edge, Chrome

    Microsoft is building a new passcode manager that will work across a slew of products like Edge, Chrome and mobile devices – Android and iOS. According to a report in The Verge, the tech giant is in the process of creating a full password manager for its Microsoft 365 consumer service.
    The new password manager will sync credentials across its Edge browser, Google Chrome, and mobile iOS or Android devices.
    “A preview version of the password manager is now built into Microsoft Authenticator, a free mobile app that’s used for multi-factor authentication,” the report mentioned.
    Autofill only works with consumer Microsoft Accounts and is disabled for enterprise users who are using the app for phone sign-in or multi-factor authentication.
    “Passwords are synced from the Microsoft Edge browser, and can be shared across multiple devices using a Microsoft Account. You can also sync these passwords to Google Chrome, using a new Microsoft Autofill extension,” the report mentioned.
    Japan space agency confirms asteroid soil inside capsule
    Japan’s space agency said Monday it has confirmed the presence of black soil samples inside a capsule that the spacecraft Hayabusa2 brought back from a distant asteroid last week. The pan-shaped capsule, 40 cm in diameter, was dropped by Hayabusa2 from space onto a spot in a sparsely populated Australian desert on December 6. It arrived in Japan last Tuesday for research that will hopefully provide insights into the origins of the solar system and life on Earth. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said its scientists opened the capsule and found an unspecified amount of sandy black particles.
    Samsung to release 4 folding smartphones in 2021: Report
    Samsung is reportedly planning to launch four folding smartphone devices in 2021 with 5G support.
    According to the South Korean news outlet ETNews, the smartphone manufacturer Samsung will release two variants of Galaxy Z Fold 3 and two variants of Galaxy Z Flip 2 and both these models will have support for 5G.
    The report also stated that all four foldable phones are only planned to be launched in the second half of 2021. Therefore, do not expect these devices to be unveiled with the Galaxy S21 series.

    Apple TV app is coming to new Chromecast with Google TV
    Google has announced a sweet surprise for Chromecast users. The company announced the availability of the Apple TV app on Chromecast. The announcement follows the availability of Apple Music on Google’s Nest smart speakers.
    Up until now, the Apple TV app could only be accessed only on Apple devices. That is about to change as now new Chromecast with Google TV users will be able to access the Apple TV on their devices.
    On the Apple TV app, users can access their entire library of movie and TV show purchases from Apple. They can also enjoy personalised and curated recommendations on Apple TV channels. Additionally, users will also be able to save their favourite shows and movies on their Watchlist. Google says that through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share subscriptions to Apple TV channels using the new Chromecast with Google TV.
    With Google TV, you’ll be able to see Apple Originals in your personalized recommendations and search results, making it even easier to find your favorite shows and movies. And, you’ll be able to save them to your Watchlist to catch up on later.
    In addition to this, Google announced that Chromecast with Google TV users will also be able to access Apple TV+ on the connected devices. Of course, users will have to first download the app and get a paid subscription to use the service on the supported devices.
    The catch, however, is that this feature will be rolled out to Chromecast with Google TV early next year. Other devices powered by Android TV OS will get this update in the future.

  • Bitcoin surpasses $21,000 for first time amid dizzying rally

    Bitcoin surpasses $21,000 for first time amid dizzying rally

    Bitcoin surpassed $21,000 for the first time, another milestone in what’s been an eye-popping rally for the controversial digital asset this year.
    The world’s largest cryptocurrency surged as much as 10% to $21,293 in New York on Wednesday, vindicating forecasts that were scoffed at months ago and leading to even higher prognostications. Bitcoin has almost tripled this year, with the rally accelerating Wednesday after breaching $20,000 earlier for the first time.
    “We have a new line in the sand and the focus shifts to the next round number of $30,000,” said Antoni Trenchev, co-founder and managing partner of Nexo, a crypto lender. This “is the start of a new chapter for Bitcoin. It’s a narrative the media and retail crowd can properly latch onto because they’ve been noticeably absent from this rally.”
    Bitcoin has surged despite a severe crash in March that saw it lose 25% amid the coronavirus pandemic. Proponents have seized on the narrative that the coin could act as a store of wealth amid supposed rampant central-bank money printing, even as inflation remains mostly muted.
    In addition, some Wall Street firms have taken a greater interest, with many seeking to capitalize on its gains in a world of rock-bottom interest rates. Guggenheim Partners LLC, for instance, recently said it might invest up to 10% of its $5.3 billion Macro Opportunities Fund in a Bitcoin trust.
    Bitcoin’s cross above the $20,000 and $21,000 levels were its latest milestones in recent weeks — the coin at the end of November reached a new high three years after setting a prior peak. It had traded at a few cents for several years after its late 2008 launch by an unknown software developer in the wake of the global financial crash.
    “People tend to pile into momentum trades, so Bitcoin could have more upside from here,” said Ed Campbell, portfolio manager and managing director at QMA.
    Peer coins also rose on Wednesday, with the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index — which tracks some of the major cryptocurrencies — gaining as much as 7.2%. Dash and Litecoin each advanced at least 6%.

  • Russia banned from using its name, flag at next two Olympics

    Russia banned from using its name, flag at next two Olympics

    Russia was banned Thursday from using its name, flag and anthem at the next two Olympics or at any world championships for the next two years.
    The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling also blocked Russia from bidding to host major sporting events for two years.
    Russian athletes and teams will still be allowed to compete at next year’s Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, as well as world championships including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, if they are not implicated in doping or covering up positive tests.
    The punishments are less than the four-year ban the World Anti-Doping Agency had proposed.
    The case centered on accusations that Russian state authorities tampered with a database from the Moscow testing laboratory before handing it over to WADA investigators last year.

  • Mohammad Amir retires from international cricket claiming ‘mental torture’

    Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has retired from international cricket, the PCB has confirmed. Amir represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 50 T20Is, and recently played in the inaugural Lanka Premier League for runners-up Galle Gladiators.
    “Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan spoke with Mohammad Amir this afternoon following reports that the fast bowler had announced his retirement from international cricket. The 28-year-old confirmed to the PCB chief executive that he has no desires or intensions of playing international cricket and as such, he should not be considered for future international matches,” a PCB statement said. “This is a personal decision of Mohammad Amir, which the PCB respects, and as such, will not make any further comment on this matter at this stage.”
    The statement serves as another reminder of the extent to which relations between Amir and the current team management have broken down.

  • Lewandowski beats Messi, Ronaldo to win FIFA best men’s player award

    Geneva (TIP): Robert Lewandowski won the biggest individual prize of his career Thursday, Dec 17, showing that a forward not named Messi or Ronaldo can be voted the world’s best soccer player.
    The Poland captain was named the FIFA Best Men’s Player for 2020 after his 55-goal season lifted Bayern Munich to a sweep of international and domestic trophies.
    Lewandowski topped a three-player shortlist that included Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Voting was by a global jury of national team captains and coaches, plus selected journalists and fans. Lewandowski received 52 voting points, with Ronaldo second on 38 Messi third with 35.
    Though FIFA hosted the virtual ceremony in Zurich, its president Gianni Infantino went to Munich to present the trophy in person.
    “It’s an incredible feeling” said Lewandowski, who at age 32 made the shortlist for the first time.
    Lewandowski joined Luka Modric, the Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder who won in 2018, as the only players in the past 13 years to deny both Messi and Ronaldo the victory.
    “Today I am among them,” Lewandowski said in comments translated from German. “It means I’ve always done the right things in my life.”
    Lucy Bronze was voted the best women’s player to give England its first individual victory at the FIFA awards. A Champions League winner with Lyon, she has since joined Manchester City.

  • Disha Patani Takes a Trip to Dubai with Tiger & His Family

    It is fairly evident that Disha Patani is quite close to rumoured boyfriend Tiger Shroff’s family. She is often seen hanging with his family members, including Tiger’s mom Ayesha and sister Krishna.
    Now, Disha has reportedly accompanied Tiger, his sister Krishna as well as mother Ayesha Shroff on a trip to Dubai. Though none of them have posted a picture together, they shared individual photos and videos from the same hotel on their Instagram stories.
    They are in Dubai for an event of Krishna and Tiger’s venture Matrix Fight Night (MFN), reported India Today.
    Disha posted a picture of a cake designed in the form of a purse. The Bharat actress tagged the hotel and wrote, “Thanks for the cutest cake (sic).”
    Krishna posted several videos on her Instagram stories giving a glimpse from her hotel in Dubai. In the videos, she is seen wearing a black dress for an event. She also shared videos from the event of MFN.
    Tiger Shroff posted a video on his Instagram stories informing his fans that he would be going live for MFN.
    Disha finished shooting for Salman Khan’s Radhe last month. Directed by Prabhudheva, Radhe also stars Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff, Megha Akash and Zarina Wahab in important roles. Disha will also feature in Ekta Kapoor’s film KTina. She also has Ek Villain 2 coming up with Tara Sutaria and John Abraham. Tiger and Disha will soon be seen in a cold drink commercial.

  • Jacqueline flaunts washboard abs with pop philosophy

    Jacqueline flaunts washboard abs with pop philosophy

    Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez flaunts a toned midriff in a new picture she shared on social media, and fans are thrilled. Along with the picture, she has shared some quick pop philosophy about human nature, too.
    Jacqueline posted the picture on Instagram, where she is seen dressed in black gym wear. A huge mirror catches her reflection.
    “They tell you to be yourself and then they judge you,” she wrote alongside the image.
    Jacqueline will be seen in in films such as Bhoot Police, Bachchan Pandey and Kick 2.
    She recently completed a long outdoor schedule for the horror comedy Bhoot Comedy in locations across Himachal Pradesh, along with the rest of the cast including co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Yami Gautam and Arjun Kapoor.

  • ‘Time being wasted in discussing uniform’: Rahul walks out from defense panel meeting

    ‘Time being wasted in discussing uniform’: Rahul walks out from defense panel meeting

    New Delhi (TIP): Members of the Congress party led by former chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, Dec 16,  walked out of a meeting of the parliamentary panel on defence.
    The Congress MPs walked out with Rahul Gandhi alleging that the Parliamentary Committee on Defence’s time was being wasted in discussing armed forces’ uniform instead of crucial issues concerning national security like how to better equip the soldiers, PTI quoted sources as saying.
    According to sources, during the panel’s meeting today, Gandhi wanted to bring up the matter of Chinese aggression and better equipping soldiers deployed along the border in Ladakh. However, panel chairman Jual Oram (BJP) disallowed the Congress MP.
    Gandhi had made his wish to speak on the issues known when the panel was discussing uniforms of the Army, Navy and Air Force in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat. The Congress MP said that instead of discussing the armed forces’ uniforms, the political leadership ought to take up the issues of national security and discuss how to strengthen the forces who are fighting the Chinese in Ladakh.
    With the panel chairman denying an opportunity to Gandhi to speak, the Congress leader chose to walk out of the meeting. Congress members Rajeev Satav and Revanth Reddy decided to follow their leader.
    It may be noted here that the Congress leader has been vocal in his criticism of the Narendra Modi government over the alleged mishandling of the now-months-long border standoff, during which India lost 20 soldiers in the June 15-16 Galwan Valley clash.
    He has alleged that China has taken control of Indian territory in Ladakh with the Modi government choosing to close its eyes to the development.

  • BJP, GNLF join hands for Bengal polls

    BJP, GNLF join hands for Bengal polls

    Siliguri (TIP): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) will contest the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls in alliance, the two parties announced on Thursday, Dec 17, a development that may impact the electoral dynamics in the Darjeeling hills of north Bengal.
    The BJP, which has won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat since 2009, was looking for a new ally after Bimal Gurung of the Gorkha Janmukti Morhca (GJM) switched his allegiance to chief minister Mamata Banerjee in October. The GNLF was a dominant force in the region since the 1980s because of its leadership in the movement demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland but lost most of its steam in recent years due to the rise of the GJM.
    “We were allies of the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and our electoral partnership will continue,” Ajoy Edwards, GNLF’s Darjeeling branch president, told HT. The BJP confirmed the development. “We will contest the coming polls with GNLF as our ally,” Sayantan Basu, Bengal BJP general secretary, said. There are six assembly seats in the Darjeeling hills, of which the Trinamool Congress holds one and the BJP holds none.         Source: HT

  • Twitter will no longer prompt users to quote tweets

    Twitter is removing the quote tweet prompt it introduced in October. Retweets are going back to the way they were, Twitter announced. Twitter had introduced this quote tweet prompt in a bid to curb misinformation ahead of the US presidential election.
    The reason behind Twitter introducing this was to encourage people to “consider why they are amplifying a Tweet.” Twitter also shared what it observed with the quote tweets prompt. “The use of Quote Tweets increased, but 45% of them included single-word affirmations and 70% had less than 25 characters,” Twitter said.
    Twitter also highlighted that there was an overall 20% decrease in both retweets and quote tweets. The quote tweet prompt did “encourage” users to type something before retweeting it but you could leave it blank as well. Then the tweet is retweeted like it normally does. This renders the feature useless if no text is added along with the retweet. Users can still choose to quote tweets while retweeting them.
    Along with quote tweets, Twitter also introduced another prompt of alerting users to read articles before retweeting them. Twitter is still keeping this feature saying that it “may be more effective than others.” The company also said that prompting users to read articles leads to more informed sharing.

  • Apple may embed antennas, Touch ID in future iPhone display

    Apple is reportedly planning to bring iPhones with larger screens that could have Touch ID fingerprint reader and antennas embedded into the display. The iPhone maker might be working on offering its users better signal reception while still providing a secure user authentication system as well. This would also lead to thinner bezels and notches, offering more screen estate to its customers, reports AppleInsider.
    In the past, reports claimed that Apple is working on an in-display fingerprint reader for its Touch ID system. Various patents had surfaced over the course of last year, which touched on topics like acoustic imaging, infrared, and more.
    Even the renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that Apple could bring the in-display fingerprint sensor on Touch ID on future iPhone models.
    In addition, a patent previously revealed that the RF antenna will be covered under several layers of the display.
    The antenna needs to be exposed to be able to receive signals, which is why Apple patented something called the “Display Integratable Hybrid Transparent Antenna”.
    Apple will use ‘hybrid OLED’ displays on iPads from 2022
    According to the report, Apple has made the decision of introducing OLEDs to iPads from 2022. In fact, it has already made requests to suppliers like Samsung Display and LG Display. What is interesting here is the new OLED tech that Apple is reportedly going to use.
    Precisely, Apple will use “hybrid OLED” displays on the 2022 iPads. These are said to be thinner than typical OLED displays. Samsung will reportedly start supplying these panels in 2022 while LG Display will join a year later. A source for the report says Samsung has already started taking necessary steps for it. Also, if another source is true, Apple will use Samsung’s panel on one iPad model in 2022. Following this, both Samsung and LG will begin the full-scale supply from 2023. Speaking of which, the hybrid OLED panels will reportedly be a combination of flexible and rigid OLED. Basically, the terms refer to the rigid(glass) or flexible substrates that are being used.

  • One in four people globally may not get Covid-19 vaccines until 2022

    Nearly one in four people may not get Covid-19 vaccines until at least 2022 because rich countries with less than 15% of the global population have reserved 51% of the doses of the most promising vaccines, researchers said.
    Low- and middle-income countries – home to more than 85% of the world’s population – would have to share the remainder, said researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the United States.
    An effective response to the pandemic requires high-income countries “to share in an equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines across the world”, they wrote.
    “The uncertainty over global access to Covid-19 vaccines traces not only to ongoing clinical testing, but also from the failure of governments and vaccine manufacturers to be more transparent and accountable over these arrangements,” they added.
    As of November 15, high-income nations had pre-ordered nearly 7.5 billion doses of vaccines from 13 manufacturers, the paper said.
    This included Japan, Australia and Canada who collectively have more than 1 billion doses but accounted for less than 1% of current novel coronavirus cases, it said.
    Even if leading manufacturers’ vaccines reach their projected maximum production capacity, nearly 25% of the world’s population may not get the vaccines for another year or more, according to the paper. The People’s Vaccine Alliance coalition last week said pharmaceutical companies should openly share their technology and intellectual property through the World Health Organisation (WHO) so that more doses can be manufactured.
    The John Hopkins researchers said WHO’s COVAX Facility could play a key role in ensuring fairer access to approved vaccines but it has only secured 500 million doses, far below its target of delivering at least 2 billion doses by the end of 2021.

  • Foods to avoid if You Have Flu-Like Symptoms

    Not only have been worried about staying healthy this year from COVID, but for the past couple of months, you’ve also had to put the flu on your radar, as well. If you feel like you’ve caught the flu, don’t worry, rest, tea, and nutritious foods will help to keep your immune system strong as your body fends off the virus. With that said, there are also a few foods you can avoid to help expedite this process and even make your symptoms more manageable.
    Alcohol
    Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that you can become dehydrated quickly if you don’t drink water in tandem with it. If you have an elevated temperature or the onset of a low-grade fever, dehydration is something you want to avoid, as Kacie Vavrek, MS, RD, CSSD notes in an article for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Opt for sparkling water or electrolyte-infused water to help stay hydrated.
    Greasy foods
    If you’re experiencing gastrointestinal issues, you’ll want to avoid fried, greasy foods. Why? These foods have a high saturated fat content, and are difficult for your body to break down. The last thing you want to do is add more stress on your gut when it’s already feeling wonky.
    Milk
    The science around whether or not dairy milk causes the body to create mucus is inconclusive, however, for some it could help to alleviate pressure in their chest. If you’re already feeling congested, consider ditching the cow’s milk. And don’t miss Major Recent Findings About Dairy You Should Know.
    Sugary foods
    Added sugars are known to cause inflammation in the body, which can suppress immune function. Avoid the candy, donuts, and other sugary foods (and drinks) until your symptoms subside. Instead, reach for nutrient-dense fruits that are rich in vitamin C to get your sweet fix, including oranges and strawberries. Also consider incorporating kale into your diet, one cup (raw and chopped) offers roughly 80 milligrams of vitamin C, which is 89% of your daily value (90 milligrams).
    Quinoa
    Grains that are more difficult to digest should also be avoided when your stomach is feeling upset, such as complex carbs that are high in fiber such as wheat-based breads and pastas and eve grains like quinoa—especially when it’s not fully cooked. Instead, Vavrek recommends sticking to saltine crackers, toast, and pretzels.
    Source: eatthis.com

  • Antibodies depleting faster in elderly patients: Study

    A study conducted by the Transfusion Medicine Department of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) has found that the antibodies are depleting at a faster rate among the Covid-19 survivors above 50 years of age. The study further found that survivors in all the age groups, who were symptomatic for just one day, had stronger and more lasting antibodies in comparison to those who were symptomatic for more than a day.
    These are the two interesting results thrown up for further research on 800 Covid-19 survivors who came for plasma donation after recovering from the disease.
    The results of the study also revealed that antibodies were not only in sufficient numbers but also strong when the plasma was donated within 12-53 days post-recovery.
    According to the head of the Transfusion Medicine, Prof Tulika Chandra, the department conducted the study during collecting plasma from Covid-19 patients, post-recovery, for the blood and plasma bank.
    Of 800 plasma donors, 400 were not found suitable for donation. While 50 of them were anaemic or underweight or HIV positive and had other complications, 70 had contact history but never tested positive through RT-PCR method. About 53 were found unfit because they had come after the lapse of the three-month post-recovery period prescribed for donation.
    However, the remaining 227 donors out of 400 ‘unfit’ donors were such who fulfilled all the criteria — they had confirmed positive, post-recovery period below three months and had no other disqualification but their plasma was not taken because antibodies were either not present or were in insufficient quantity.
    “A majority of such donors, both male and females, were above 50 years of age. “We do not know yet whether antibodies were not formed at all or only short-acting antibodies were formed in these cases, but the result suggests that the threat of re-infection might be higher in people above 50 years,” she said.
    Further, the study revealed that the ‘quality and quantity’ of antibodies among the 400 fit donors was better in Covid-19 survivors who were symptomatic for a day in comparison to those who had symptoms for more days.
    Prof. Chandra said these findings need further research to explain the phenomenon responsible for it and reach any conclusion.

  • Connoisseur’s Choice

    Connoisseur’s Choice

    By Tript Arora
    Zafrani Kheer
    In traditional Indian cuisines, sweet dishes hold a special place. According to ayurveda , the food should have three elements ie. Salt, sour and sweet. Therefore, Every Indian meal is incomplete without a sweet dish. Kheer has always been a favorite of everyone. This recipe includes a tip which reduces cooking time and effort. I have taken full fat milk and added soaked and ground rice and almonds to it, thus making it an easy and quick recipe. For extra flavour saffron or Kesar has been added. To make it more rich some more dry fruits are added. Do try it once you will love the Royal flavours it has.
    We need
    –             1 Litre Full Fat Milk (8%)
    –            75 gm Rice
    –             50 gm Almonds
    –             4 Green Cardamom / 1 Tsp Cardamom powder
    –            75 gm Sugar
    –           Few Strands Of Saffron or Kesar
    –           Cashews and raisins to garnish
    Let us get started
    –             Soak rice and almonds in water for 15 minutes.
    –             Boil 1 litre of milk in a thick-bottom pan. When it boils, keep the flame on low and let it boil for 5 minutes. Keep on stirring.
    –             Drain water from rice and almonds and coarsely grind them.
    –             Add these ground almonds and rice to the milk. Keep on stirring milk while adding them otherwise lumps of rice will be formed.
    –             Keep the pan on low flame for another ten minutes. Meanwhile keep on stirring the milk mixture. Scrap the milk which sticks to the side of the pan.
    –             Take two tbsp of warm milk and mix  saffron strands to it. Keep aside.
    –            Crush cardamom and add it to the rice, almonds and milk mixture. Let it boil for another 2 minutes. Add the saffron milk to the pan and continue to stir for another 2 minutes.
    –            The Zafrani Kheer is now ready. Garnish it with chopped almonds, raisins and cashews. Refrigerate it for two hours and enjoy this Royal Zafrani Kheer.
    Tip
    –            Keep on stirring the Kheer otherwise the milk will stick to the pan and will get burnt. This will spoil the taste

    French Manicure Ideas
    A French manicure is as elegant as it gets. The classic French manicure involves a pale pink base, bright white tips and a top base. If you are doing this for the first time, here’s what you need to do.
    Things you need:
    –             A bowl of warm water
    –            Towel
    –            Base coat
    –             White nail polish
    –             Soft baby pink nail polish
    –           Top coat
    Prep your nails
    Like any manicure, be sure to remove all of your nail polish beforehand using acetone-free nail polish remover. Cut and file your nails into whatever shape you prefer (pro tip: oval nails look divine with French tips). Apply some cuticle oil and gently push back your cuticles. Finish with hand cream to give yourself a salon-worthy experience.
    Paint the base layer
    Pick out two different colors — if you’re going classic, you’ll want to pick a sheer nude color for the base and a white polish for the tips. Start with a base coat and wait two minutes for it to dry, then use the nude polish (or whatever color strikes your fancy) all over the nail, taking care to wait two minutes between coats. While you’re painting, be sure to only do thin coats, and start at the bottom of your nail from the middle before painting the sides.
    Carefully paint the tip
    After you let the second coat dry, you’ll paint the tip of the nail with white (or a statement color). You can do this freehand or use guide strips to help you — just be sure that the second coat of polish is dry enough that the guide strips won’t cause any indents. Wait another two minutes for the tips to dry, and seal it all in with a top coat.
    How to strengthen nails?
    –             Moisturizing is a well-known secret to healthy skin, but it’s often overlooked in nail care. While dry, brittle nails can be the result of many factors, they’re ultimately a cry for moisture, so consider proper moisture the foundation of your nail care routine. When applying hand lotion, give your nails a little extra attention. There are plenty of moisturizing nail products on the market, but applying moisturizer is really only half the battle—there’s more to strong nails than a fancy cream or serum.
    –            It’s common practice to cut, push back, or try to get rid of cuticles altogether, but cuticles are not the enemy. In fact, the cuticle is the nail’s natural protective seal. Messing with your cuticles can do far more harm than good
    Avoid contact with water
    –             Don’t stop washing your hands or shower with gloves on, but do pay attention to ways you can reduce the time your nails spend in contact with water, because excessive water contact can weaken nail structure. (Wet hair is especially vulnerable, and the same caution-when-wet approach you take to handling wet locks can apply to nail care, too.)
    For example, consider wearing gloves while doing the dishes or other wet work.

  • More trouble for Volkswagen in diesel scandal, loses case in top EU court

    There appears just no respite for Volkswagen in the infamous ‘Diesegate’ scandal and the car maker has now lost a case in the European Union’s top court which ruled that it had breached the law by installing ‘cheat’ devices on its cars undergoing emission tests. It also ruled that the car maker’s argument that the devices were used to protect the engines was on weak footing.
    Volkswagen has been facing massive heat since the US Environmental Protection Agency first accused it of a software rig on its ‘clean diesel’ vehicles in the country. This was five years ago, five years of denial, admission and a whole lot of legal tussle and brand image deterioration.
    Volkswagen did admit that millions of its vehicles – 11 million – had been fitted with such devices and that it was not in the US alone. The scandal has cost Volkswagen 30 billion euros ($35 billion) in fines and civil settlements and led to the recall of millions of vehicles.
    The EU top court on Thursday ruled that car makers cannot fit their offerings with devices which go on to help control figures of emissions for the purpose of passing a test.

  • GDP of India to contract 7.8 pc in FY 2021: Icra

    GDP of India to contract 7.8 pc in FY 2021: Icra

    Domestic rating agency Icra Ratings expects the technical recession in the country’s economy to end in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal, limiting the contraction in the GDP to 7.8 per cent in the financial year 2021.
    In the second quarter of financial year 2021, GDP contracted 7.5 per cent as against a decline of 23.9 per cent in the April-June quarter.
    With a steady performance of the agricultural sector and a lagged recovery in the contact-intensive parts of the services sector, the agency forecasts a small contraction of one per cent in the Indian GDP in the third quarter of financial year 2021.
    The rating agency’s Principal economist Aditi Nayar said healthy procurement and a favourable outlook for the rabi season, as well as greater visibility of an approaching Covid-19 vaccine rollout, will strengthen demand and economic activity in the fourth quarter of financial year 2021.
    4G spectrum sale cleared, reserve price lower than TRAI advice
    The Union Cabinet on Wednesday, Dec 16,  approved the sale of 2251.25 MHz of spectrum across seven frequency bands at a reserve price of Rs 3.92 lakh crore.
    These auctions are only for 4G services, as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is yet to finalize the spectrum bands for auction of 5G spectrum.
    The notice inviting applications from telecom service providers will be issued later this month, and the government hopes to complete the sale by March 2021, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
    The new round of auctions is likely to provide a boost to government revenue collections.

  • Coca-Cola to cut 2,200 jobs worldwide amid Covid challenges

    Coca-Cola Co. is cutting 2,200 jobs worldwide, including 1,200 in the US, as the soda maker deepens its restructuring efforts amid ongoing shutdowns of soft-drink friendly venues like movie theaters, bars and stadiums.
    The reductions, totaling 2.5% of the company’s total workforce, involve a combination of voluntary buyouts and layoffs, a spokesman said Thursday via email. Coke had about 86,200 employees at the beginning of the year, including 10,400 in the US.
    “We are in the process of building an organizational structure that will address” customers’ needs and behaviors, the company said. “The pandemic was not a cause for these changes, but it has been a catalyst for the company to move faster.”

  • Gita Jayanti

    The Bhagavad Gita is the most sacred, important Hindu script that influences numerous people, and Gita Jayanti is the birthday of Bhagavad Gita. This day falls on Shukla Ekadashi of the Margashirsha month. According to the English calendar, this festival occurs during November or December. It is that sacred day when Lord Krishna gave the immortal message to Arjuna in Kurukshetra. Followers of Lord Krishna all over the world celebrate this day. Gita Jayanti is celebrated by reading the Bhagavad Gita and discussing it with learned priests and scholars about how it has been benefiting humanity even today. Followers of Lord Krishna also fast on this as it falls on Ekadashi. Many devotional songs are sung and danced on together. People perform puja and distribute sweets. The main purpose of celebrating Gita Jayanti is to recall the words of Gita and to apply it in our daily life. It allows individuals and families to lead a courageous as well as an active life that is productive.
    Rituals of the Festival
    –          Temples dedicated to Lord Krishna celebrate this day with great enthusiasm, which includes performing puja along with special prayers.
    –             Devotees from different parts of India and abroad, like to visit Kurukshetra on this day and take a holy bath in the sacred ponds.
    –             Apart from holy bath, puja of Lord Krishna can be performed at home with aarti at the end.
    –           Since, it is celebrated on Ekadashi, it is important that devotees who fast on this day do not consume any kind of grains like rice, wheat, and barley.
    –             There have been many organized celebrations taking place to teach the value of Dharma to the youth of today through explanation of the Gita on this special day.
    –            Over the years, Gita Jayanti is being celebrated in not only India but also Singapore and Malaysia in large scale. Temples in India who have deity of Lord Krishna also celebrate this day. Observing this day allows individuals to act correctly for the near future because one reads the holy book of Gita. It has also increased the popularity of Hinduism all over the world. All temples of ISCKON in the globe celebrate this day with proper rituals and offerings to the God.
    Gita, The Crux Of Indian Spiritual Wisdom
    It is said that the Vedas are vast and not very direct when it comes to the conveyance of their message. Several scholars believe that Bhagavad Gita is actually the crux of Vedic wisdom and the summary of Indian Spiritual Knowledge. In fact, Bhagavad Gita contains an ocean of wisdom, which has influenced Indian tradition for the last several millennia. Thus, reading Gita is like knowing a lot about Indian spiritual and philosophical wisdom.
    Sanjay’s Narration Of
    Bhagwad Gita
    The text in Bhagavad Gita is written in the 3rd person, as it was narrated by Sanjay to King Dhritarashtra as it went on between Lord Krishna and Arjun. Sanjaya, the assistant to the visually challenged king Dhritarashtra, was blessed by his Guru Ved Vyas.; Sanjay was given the power to remotely view things on the battlefield as they were happening on the battlefield.
    Importance Of Gita
    Jayanti Festival
    On Gita Jayanti day, devotees read the Bhagavad Gita and discuss it with learned priests and scholars on how is the Gita relevant and most helpful even today. Krishna devotees also fast on this day as it falls on Ekadashi. People sing devotional songs and also dance together. They do puja and distribute sweets (as prasad). The chief purpose of celebrating Gita Jayanti is to remember the words of Bhagavad Gita and make use of its wisdom in practical living. Inspired by Gita, people lead a courageous and active life.
    Gita Jayanti Date
    And Tithi 2020
    –           Date for Gita Jayanti: 25th December 2020
    –           Ekadashi Tithi Begins – 11:17 PM on Dec 24, 2020
    –             Ekadashi Tithi Ends – 01:54 AM on Dec 26, 2020
    Lasting Influence
    The Bhagavad Gita is not just an ancient scripture but also serves as an essential guide to better living, conducting business, and communicating to the modern world. The greatest quality of Bhagavad Gita is that it prompts an individual to think, to make a fair and right decision, and to look at life differently and refreshingly without surrendering one’s identity. The Gita has been addressing contemporary issues and solving for everyday problems of humanity for millennia.
    Kurukshetra, the Birthplace
    This Hindu holiday is celebrated with great devotion and dedication, across the country and around the world, especially in the city of Kurukshetra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), where the famous epic battle of the Mahabharata took place. This place is sacred not only for the battle and the birthplace of the Gita but also because it is the place where the famous sage Manu wrote the Manusmriti and where the Rig and Sama Vedas were composed. Divine personalities like Lord Krishna, Gautama Buddha, and the Sikh Gurus’ visit also consecrated this place.
    Celebrations in Kurukshetra
    The day is observed with the reading of the Bhagavad Gita, followed by discussions and seminars by eminent scholars and Hindu priests to throw light upon the various facets of the holy book and its perennial influence on humankind for generations. Hindu temples, especially those dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna, conduct special prayers and pujas on this day. Devotees and pilgrims from all over India gather in Kurukshetra to take part in the ritual bath in the hallowed water of the sacred ponds – Sannihit Sarovar and Brahm Sarovar. A fair is also organized that lasts for about a week and the people participate in prayer recitals, Gita reading, bhajans, aartis, dance, dramas, etc. Over the years, the fair known as Gita Jayanti Samaroh has gained immense popularity, and a large number of tourists visit Kurukshetra during the event to participate in this sacred gathering.
    Celebrations by ISKCON
    At the temples of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) across the globe, Geeta Jayanthi is celebrated with special offerings to Lord Krishna. Mass recital of the Bhagavad Gita is performed throughout the day. Gita Jayanti is also celebrated as Mokshada Ekadashi. On this day, devotees observe fast and on Dwadashi (or 12th Day) fast is broken by taking a ritual bath and performing Krishna Puja.