India gained its independence on 15th August, in the year 1947. To achieve its independence, India had to fight relentlessly. India was able to achieve complete independence through the sacrifice of numerous heroes. However, the outrage of rebels started with the introduction of nationalism. The Indian National movement was the first movement that shook the British and the national movement itself paved the path of independence for India and its people. Nationalism played an important part in constructing the history of India and the Indian National Movement. 

How did nationalism arise?

Numerous developments took place in the country and these developments make people curious about certain things. They started asking questions like what is the country of India, and for what kind of people India is meant for? Eventually, the questions were answered. All the people of India together make India where an individual’s class, color, sex, and language do not matter. Additionally, all the resources that are present inside the boundaries of India belong to the people of India as well. As the people of India received answers like this, they started to become aware of the British implementation of control on the lives of the citizens, and resources of India. People started to understand how the British government was compromising the well-being of the country of India and only focused on the development of Britain. The political associations that were formed after the year 1850 were majorly those that came into formation in the 1870s and 1880s. These political associations had well-educated individuals who were professionally a lawyer. Some of the most important political associations were the Indian association, the Bombay Presidency Association, the Madras Mahajan Sabha, Poorna Sarvajanik Sabha, and the Indian National Congress.  The Poorna Sarvajanik Sabha was called so because the word “Sarvajanik” translates to “for or of all the people” (Sarva= all, Janik= off the people).  All of these associations worked in a certain part of the country. The goals set by these associations were goals set by the people of the entire nation.

The goals remained uniform among all the citizens and they did not change according to caste or creed. This was to make India a sovereign country. Sovereignty was a relatively modern concept for the people of India. The idea of sovereignty played a big role in nationalism. In simpler words, the Indian people believed that they must be allowed to take care of their affairs. Then another act was introduced named ‘The Arms Act’. According to this act, Indians were not allowed to carry any kind of weapons. The Vernacular Press Act was introduced to silence the voice of the Indian Press. Then a bill, named Ilbert Bill was supposed to be passed. According to this bill, the Britishers and the Indians would get equal grounds in a court. However, the Britishers did not allow the Bill to pass. This showed the mindset of the Britishers regarding Indian race. The Britishers discriminated based on color. Therefore, due to the passing of such acts and the prevalence of racial discrimination, the Indians started to generate a feeling of nationalism inside their heart.

The nationalism, as we know it, is a modern phenomenon which evolved in eighteenth-century Europe and, in the wake of European hegemony over the globe, spread to all parts of the world. The new form of community, that is nation, was created through imagination and not through shared experiences. Such communities also demanded to have their own representative states, and they succeeded in a large number of cases. It was through this process that the nation-states emerged, which is a completely novel form of state as it is organically connected with the society. Unit 1 will discuss various theories of nationalism and their relevance in Indian case. Indian Nationalist Movement, as you are aware, was a grand and prolonged struggle launched against British imperialism. Nationalism was the main ideology and the instrument with whose help this struggle was launched. In the context of the Indian Nationalist Movement, Indian nationalism represented two major ideas: anti-imperialism and national unity. In other words, any person, movement or organization that practiced and upheld these two ideas, could be considered a nationalist. It would be best to look at Indian nationalism as a case-study of nationalism in general, but as an important and distinctive case-study. It may not be necessary to construct a separate theory of Indian nationalism, but rather that general theories of nationalism will have to be modified and tailored so as to accommodate the Indian case-study. Perhaps one should separately look at the two components of the Indian experience – the Indian component (specific) and the nationalist (generic) one. It should therefore be seen both as Indian nationalism and also as Indian nationalism.

Rise Of Nationalism In India:

For India, the making of national identity was a long process whose roots can be drawn from the ancient era. India as a whole had been ruled by emperors like Ashoka and Samudra gupta in ancient times and Akbar to Aurangzeb in Medieval times. But,
it was only in the 19th Century that the concept of a national identity and national consciousness emerged. This growth was intimately connected to the anti-colonial movement about which you have already read in lesson 4. The social, economic and
political factors had inspired the people to define and achieve their national identity. People began discovering their unity in the process of their struggle against colonialism. The sense of being oppressed under colonial rule provided a shared bond that tied different groups together. Each class and group felt the effects of colonialism differently. Their experiences were varied, and their notions of freedom were note always the same. Several other causes also contributed towards the rise and growth of Nationalism. One set of laws of British Government across several regions led to political and administrative unity.

This strengthened the concept of citizenship and one nation among Indians. Do you remember reading the lesson Popular Resistance Movements? Do you remember the way the peasants and the tribals rebelled when their lands and their right to livelihood was taken away? Similarly this economic exploitation by the British agitated other people to unite and react against British Government’s control over their lives and resources. The social and religious reform movements of the 19th century also contributed to the feeling of Nationalism.

Do you remember reading about Swami Vivekananda, Annie Besant, Henry Derision and many others? They revived the glory of ancient India, created faith among the people in their religion and culture and thus gave the message of love for their motherland. The intellectual and spiritual side of Nationalism was voiced by persons like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Aurobindo Ghosh. Bankim Chandra’s hymn to the Motherland, ‘Vande Matram’ became the rallying cry of patriotic nationalists. It inspired generations to supreme self-sacrifice. Simultaneously, it created a fear in the minds of the British. The impact was so strong that the British had to ban the song. Similarly, Swami Vivekananda’s message to the people, “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached”, appealed to the Indians. It acted as a potent force in the course of Indian Nationalism.

References:

https://mis.alagappauniversity.ac.in

https://unacademy.com

There is a strong connection between sleep and mental health. Getting enough sleep is essential to maintaining good mental health and can help improve mood, cognitive functioning and overall wellbeing. On the other hand ,lack of sleep can increase  the risk of developing mental health conditions such as irritability, difficulty  concentrating, depression and anxiety.

Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health.  Sufficient sleep, especially REM sleep, facilitates the brain’s processing of emotional information. During sleep, the brain works to evaluate and remember thoughts and memories, and it appears that a lack of sleep is especially harmful to the consolidation of positive emotional content. Additional research found that sleep interventions are effective at reducing symptoms of PTSD,10 lessening the severity of ADHD symptoms,12 and improving the overall quality of life for people with both conditions.

Sleep deprivation makes us moody and irritable, and impairs brain functions such as memory and decision-making. It also negatively impacts the rest of the body – it impairs the functioning of the immune system, for example, making us more susceptible to infection. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. Most people don’t need more than eight hours in bed to be well rested. Insomnia is a common problem throughout the world. According to estimates, it is believed to affect approximately 33% of the world’s population.¹Even people without chronic insomnia often struggle with sleep problems.

How Does Lack of Sleep Affect Mental Health?

It’s no secret that sleep plays an important role in good physical health. Lack of sleep is linked to a number of unfavorable health consequences including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. etc,

Some psychiatric conditions can cause sleep problems, and sleep disturbances can also exacerbate the symptoms of many mental conditions including depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Research suggests that the relationship between sleep and mental health is complex. While lack of sleep has long been known to be a consequence of many psychiatric conditions, more recent views suggest that lack of sleep can also play a causal role in both the development and maintenance of different mental health problems.

Brain Fog:

Our brain needs sleep to operate at full capacity. Lack of sleep can lead to brain fog, which often feels like confusion or trouble concentrating. You may find it’s more difficult to recall certain memories or find the right words for what you want to say when you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. You will probably find it difficulty to be productive.

Mood Changes:

Not getting enough sleep may cause mood changes, including increased irritability. Participants in one study also experienced feelings of anxiety and depression as a result of sleep deprivation.

Behavior Changes

Along with mood changes may come unusual behaviors. Lack of sleep can lead to increased impulsivity, hyperactivity, and emotional outbursts. We might notice that we struggle to interact with other people when we’re sleep-deprived.

Stress

Poor sleep can make it much more difficult to cope with even relatively minor stress. Daily hassles can turn into major sources of frustration. You might find yourself feeling frazzled by everyday occurrences.

Psychotic Symptoms

Severe sleep deprivation is linked with the development of temporary psychotic symptoms. One study found that some participants who went 24 hours without sleep experienced hallucinations and other perceptual changes; others who went 60 hours without sleep experienced both hallucinations and delusions.

Depression

Insomnia and other sleep problems can be a symptom of depression, but more recently, research has implicated lack of sleep in actually causing depression.

A doctor may also recommend:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I): CBT-I is similar to CBT, except it’s focused on relieving insomnia. A therapist will help you address the thoughts and feelings that may keep you from falling/staying asleep. You’ll learn relaxation techniques to prepare you for rest.¹⁸
• sleep studies: A sleep study is when you sleep in a controlled environment that is set up like a bedroom; doctors monitor your brain waves, heartbeat, eye movements, and more. They can also determine whether you have a sleep condition such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.¹⁹
• Over-the-counter sleep aids: There are over the counter (otc) such as  melatonin that some people find helpful. However, melatonin should only be used for a short time period. Be sure to consult with a doctor prior to use and report any unusual side effects (like dizziness or confusion) to a doctor right away.²⁰
• Sleep medicine: In some cases, a doctor may prescribe a prescription sleep medicine to help you get a full night’s rest. Generally, it’s recommended you don’t use these medications for more than a few weeks, due to potential side effects and dependency, so be sure to use them only under a doctor’s supervision and report any unusual side effects.

Sleep deprivation can affect your mental health

Sleep and mental health are closely connected. Sleep deprivation affects your psychological state and mental health. And those with mental health problems are more likely to have insomnia or other sleep disorders. Americans are notoriously sleep deprived, but those with psychiatric conditions are even more likely to be yawning or groggy during the day. Chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patients in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population.

How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Mental Health

Americans were having trouble sleeping before COVID-19. Unfortunately, it only got worse when the pandemic isolated us from friends and family, closed our schools and offices, and sent shock waves through the economy.

According to a study of 22,330 adults from 13 countries published in November 2021, one in three participants, had clinical insomnia symptoms and nearly 20 percent met the criteria for insomnia disorder rates more than double what they were before the pandemic. Furthermore, sleep disturbances were linked to higher levels of psychological distress. Anxiety and depression rates were also considerably higher than pre-pandemic levels in the same survey.

“Just like our electronics need to be charged, sleep may recharge or reset the brain to optimize functioning,” Elizibeth zake says, an assistant professor of psychology (in Psychiatry) and a clinical psychologist at the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders.

Columbia Psychiatry News spoke with Zakarin about the psychological impact of sleep deprivation, challenges brought on by the pandemic, the influence of food on our sleep patterns, and effective treatments for sleep difficulties. 

References:

https://www.verywellmind.com

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter

MENTAL ABILITY

 A mental ability is a pre-employment test that assesses a candidate’s ability to comprehend complex ideas, solve problems, and apply learned skills through questions based on abstract reasoning, numeric reasoning, and verbal reasoning. It helps you identify top talent at the pre-hire stage., GMA tests are mainly used for ranking candidates in recruitment settings. Types of general mental ability include: verbal comprehension, word fluency, associative memory, spatial visualization, perceptual quickness, number facility, and reasoning. characteristics of mental ability include, Abilities allow people to acquire knowledge and solve problems. This general mental ability is what underlies specific mental skills related to areas such as spatial, numerical, mechanical, and verbal abilities. The General Ability segment will contain questions from various subjects such as General Knowledge (GK), English, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Current Events.

Important functions of general ability include, General mental ability tests are used as pre-employment screening assessments because they are great indicators of success in the future. In a general mental ability test, a candidate will face different types of questions based on several aptitudes, including reading, writing, and logical skills. Types of mental ability includes , The cognitive and psychometric ability tests are further classified into two: logical/abstract reasoning and verbal reasoning. There are 7 G’s of intelligence which includes, The broad abilities recognized by the model are fluid intelligence (Gf), crystallized intelligence (Gc), general memory and learning (Gy), broad visual perception (Gv), broad auditory perception (Gu), broad retrieval ability (Gr), broad cognitive speediness (Gs), and processing speed (Gt).Importance of mental ability includes, Psychological skills, or mental skills are tools for the mind. This includes skills like positive self-talk, enhancing confidence, goal setting, and achieving the most productive mindset, among many other skills. Improving your psychological skills can enhance academic performance and your overall well-being.

1. Logical/Abstract Reasoning
2. Verbal Reasoning
3. Data Interpretation
4. Puzzles

The mental ability topics for competitive exams include both reasoning and interpretation questions. Nonetheless, there is no prescribed mental ability syllabus for competitive exams. Here is the mental ability topics list that most of the competitive exams cover:

• Assertion & Reason
• Jumbled Paragraphs/Para-jumbles
• Summary Questions
• Reading Comprehension
• Logical Reasoning
• Data Interpretation (Tables, Charts, Graphs)
• Puzzles
• Analogy
• Blood Relations
• Classification
• Coding and Decoding
• Data Sufficiency
• Direction
• Logical Sequence of Words
• Logical Venn Diagram
• Number Series
• Sequence
• Missing Characters
• Spontaneous Reaction

Though candidates should learn and revise the mental ability syllabus for competitive exams, they must comprehend the right tricks to excel.

1. To solve any problem in the mental ability test, the candidate needs to read the question carefully. For example, if you are solving a data interpretation question, try to analyze the data very carefully before concluding.
2. Blood Relation Tricks– Prepare a tree diagram by assigning symbols to different members of the family. For example, you can allot a circle for mother, a square symbol for father, etc. While reading the questions, draw the symbols of the members mentioned in the problem. This will help you to get accurate answers to blood relation problems.
3. Coding-Decoding Tricks: Most of the coding-decoding questions have a particular pattern to figure out the problem. Be it letter codes or substitution questions, the pattern is the key to solve the coding and decoding questions.
4. Analogy Tricks– There are various types of verbal analogy questions.
5. NWI promotes Six Dimensions of Wellness: Emotional, Physical, Intellectual, Occupational, Spiritual, and Social.

Contents of Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability

• Syllogism
• Statement and Arguments
• Statement and Assumptions
• Statement and and Courses of Action
• Statement and Conclusions
• Deriving Conclusion
• Assertion and Reason
• Punch lines
• Situation Reaction Tests
• Cause and Effect
• Analytical Reasoning

Mental ability test includes:

Analogy, series completion, coding-decoding, blood relations, logical Venn diagrams, alphabetical test, number ranking, mathematical operations, arithmetical reasoning, data interpretation, data sufficiency, cubes and dies, construction of sequences and triangles

References:

https://iasexamportal.com

https://www.vedantu.com,

https://www.practiceaptitudetests.com,

https://www.vidhyarthimitra.

In now a days inforamation technology is very useful to learn What type of information have you need.

Advantages of Information Technology:

1.Expand your Knowledge

2.Learn what information what we need

3.It improves our knowledge

4.Easy and quick Communication

5.Technology allows to increase production

Why Information technology is Important:

Information technology refers to the use of systems, particularly computers and communications, for the archiving, retrieval, and transmission of data. Our lives revolve heavily around it. The use of computers, the Internet, and mobile devices is essential. Due to their extensive use over time, we frequently take them for granted.

Ye belongs from Chicago. He was born in 1977, on 8th June. He used to produce beats for other artists before he transformed into a rapper himself. People around him who gave him work thought more of him as a producer rather than a rapper. He used to cook beats for ROCK-A-FELLA RECORDS. People from the Record label accept it today that they did not see Kanye west becoming the rapper he became today. One of the Artists from the record label said “ I knew he was a rapper but I was like stick to the beats kid”.

Nobody saw YE coming. When he rapped one of his verses to Pharell Williams, He was quite shocked. Kanye had been trying to get in touch with Pharell for a while but he couldn’t. Pharell was touched by the piece that Kanye did for him. Birth of a jeen-yuhs was taking place.

Kanye has been involved in some questionable moments all his life. But the life he breathes to his music is above all the white noise that he surrounds himself with. Some people can call Kanye’s energy narcissistic and maybe rightly so. But, I believe this is the energy that makes his music alive. His songs are so Kanye that when you listen to them you know it’s Kanye. This energy has given him a different identity that is unique to him and makes him arguably the biggest rapper of his time.

His mother’s presence in his life is a big reason for what kanye has achieved today. Donda West died in 2007. He released an album dedicated to his mother in 2021. This shows you how much his mother meant to him. There’s a clip in his documentary where his mother is trying to tell him by how he can come off as rude to people sometimes. I expected Kanye to burst out and say something stupid at that moment but he didn’t. He actually accepted it in a way and you could see in his eyes that there was an actual realisation of his action. Donda had her way with Kanye.

Ye’s biggest downfall in his career was when he started having problems with his mental health in 2016. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In his documentary, he said to one of his team members “ man I took pill yesterday just so I can talk to you normally right now”. This can give you some insight into his state. His decision about running for president didn’t help his public image either. People took it as a big joke and questioned his sanity. You could see by the public appearances he made post-2016 that he was indeed troubled.

Nobody exactly knows the reason behind it. But there were a lot of things that happened to him in the last 5 years. Fallout with kid Cudi, divorce, the album pushed back and his mental misery. Ye’s life is so layered and grey. No one can deny that he’s a musical genius but at the same time, some of his acts in the public make him look like a foolish man who is still not over his teenage. There are so many tags you can associate him with. That’s what makes him so interesting.

Ye has done a lot of things which he won’t be proud off but one thing that he did absolutely right was his music. He is such a inspirational artist to so many aspiring rappers. He gave Hip-Hop a much needed new life by his presence.

“’Cause now I see women as somethin’ to nurture, Not somethin’ to conquer”

⁃ Violent crimes by kanye west.

Ye belongs from Chicago. He was born in 1977, on 8th June. He used to produce beats for other artists before he transformed into a rapper himself. People around him who gave him work thought more of him as a producer rather than a rapper. He used to cook beats for ROCK-A-FELLA RECORDS. People from the Record label accept it today that they did not see Kanye west becoming the rapper he became today. One of the Artists from the record label said “ I knew he was a rapper but I was like stick to the beats kid”.

Nobody saw YE coming. When he rapped one of his verses to Pharell Williams, He was quite shocked. Kanye had been trying to get in touch with Pharell for a while but he couldn’t. Pharell was touched by the piece that Kanye did for him. Birth of a jeen-yuhs was taking place.

Kanye has been involved in some questionable moments all his life. But the life he breathes to his music is above all the white noise that he surrounds himself with. Some people can call Kanye’s energy narcissistic and maybe rightly so. But, I believe this is the energy that makes his music alive. His songs are so Kanye that when you listen to them you know it’s Kanye. This energy has given him a different identity that is unique to him and makes him arguably the biggest rapper of his time.

His mother’s presence in his life is a big reason for what kanye has achieved today. Donda West died in 2007. He released an album dedicated to his mother in 2021. This shows you how much his mother meant to him. There’s a clip in his documentary where his mother is trying to tell him by how he can come off as rude to people sometimes. I expected Kanye to burst out and say something stupid at that moment but he didn’t. He actually accepted it in a way and you could see in his eyes that there was an actual realisation of his action. Donda had her way with Kanye.

Ye’s biggest downfall in his career was when he started having problems with his mental health in 2016. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In his documentary, he said to one of his team members “ man I took pill yesterday just so I can talk to you normally right now”. This can give you some insight into his state. His decision about running for president didn’t help his public image either. People took it as a big joke and questioned his sanity. You could see by the public appearances he made post-2016 that he was indeed troubled.

Nobody exactly knows the reason behind it. But there were a lot of things that happened to him in the last 5 years. Fallout with kid Cudi, divorce, the album pushed back and his mental misery. Ye’s life is so layered and grey. No one can deny that he’s a musical genius but at the same time, some of his acts in the public make him look like a foolish man who is still not over his teenage. There are so many tags you can associate him with. That’s what makes him so interesting.

Ye has done a lot of things which he won’t be proud off but one thing that he did absolutely right was his music. He is such a inspirational artist to so many aspiring rappers. He gave Hip-Hop a much needed new life by his presence.

“’Cause now I see women as somethin’ to nurture, Not somethin’ to conquer”

⁃ Violent crimes by kanye west.

Ye belongs from Chicago. He was born in 1977, on 8th June. He used to produce beats for other artists before he transformed into a rapper himself. People around him who gave him work thought more of him as a producer rather than a rapper. He used to cook beats for ROCK-A-FELLA RECORDS. People from the Record label accept it today that they did not see Kanye west becoming the rapper he became today. One of the Artists from the record label said “ I knew he was a rapper but I was like stick to the beats kid”.

Nobody saw YE coming. When he rapped one of his verses to Pharell Williams, He was quite shocked. Kanye had been trying to get in touch with Pharell for a while but he couldn’t. Pharell was touched by the piece that Kanye did for him. Birth of a jeen-yuhs was taking place.

Kanye has been involved in some questionable moments all his life. But the life he breathes to his music is above all the white noise that he surrounds himself with. Some people can call Kanye’s energy narcissistic and maybe rightly so. But, I believe this is the energy that makes his music alive. His songs are so Kanye that when you listen to them you know it’s Kanye. This energy has given him a different identity that is unique to him and makes him arguably the biggest rapper of his time.

His mother’s presence in his life is a big reason for what kanye has achieved today. Donda West died in 2007. He released an album dedicated to his mother in 2021. This shows you how much his mother meant to him. There’s a clip in his documentary where his mother is trying to tell him by how he can come off as rude to people sometimes. I expected Kanye to burst out and say something stupid at that moment but he didn’t. He actually accepted it in a way and you could see in his eyes that there was an actual realisation of his action. Donda had her way with Kanye.

Ye’s biggest downfall in his career was when he started having problems with his mental health in 2016. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In his documentary, he said to one of his team members “ man I took pill yesterday just so I can talk to you normally right now”. This can give you some insight into his state. His decision about running for president didn’t help his public image either. People took it as a big joke and questioned his sanity. You could see by the public appearances he made post-2016 that he was indeed troubled.

Nobody exactly knows the reason behind it. But there were a lot of things that happened to him in the last 5 years. Fallout with kid Cudi, divorce, the album pushed back and his mental misery. Ye’s life is so layered and grey. No one can deny that he’s a musical genius but at the same time, some of his acts in the public make him look like a foolish man who is still not over his teenage. There are so many tags you can associate him with. That’s what makes him so interesting.

Ye has done a lot of things which he won’t be proud off but one thing that he did absolutely right was his music. He is such a inspirational artist to so many aspiring rappers. He gave Hip-Hop a much needed new life by his presence.

“’Cause now I see women as somethin’ to nurture, Not somethin’ to conquer”

⁃ Violent crimes by kanye west.

Ye belongs from Chicago. He was born in 1977, on 8th June. He used to produce beats for other artists before he transformed into a rapper himself. People around him who gave him work thought more of him as a producer rather than a rapper. He used to cook beats for ROCK-A-FELLA RECORDS. People from the Record label accept it today that they did not see Kanye west becoming the rapper he became today. One of the Artists from the record label said “ I knew he was a rapper but I was like stick to the beats kid”.

Nobody saw YE coming. When he rapped one of his verses to Pharell Williams, He was quite shocked. Kanye had been trying to get in touch with Pharell for a while but he couldn’t. Pharell was touched by the piece that Kanye did for him. Birth of a jeen-yuhs was taking place.

Kanye has been involved in some questionable moments all his life. But the life he breathes to his music is above all the white noise that he surrounds himself with. Some people can call Kanye’s energy narcissistic and maybe rightly so. But, I believe this is the energy that makes his music alive. His songs are so Kanye that when you listen to them you know it’s Kanye. This energy has given him a different identity that is unique to him and makes him arguably the biggest rapper of his time.

His mother’s presence in his life is a big reason for what kanye has achieved today. Donda West died in 2007. He released an album dedicated to his mother in 2021. This shows you how much his mother meant to him. There’s a clip in his documentary where his mother is trying to tell him by how he can come off as rude to people sometimes. I expected Kanye to burst out and say something stupid at that moment but he didn’t. He actually accepted it in a way and you could see in his eyes that there was an actual realisation of his action. Donda had her way with Kanye.

Ye’s biggest downfall in his career was when he started having problems with his mental health in 2016. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In his documentary, he said to one of his team members “ man I took pill yesterday just so I can talk to you normally right now”. This can give you some insight into his state. His decision about running for president didn’t help his public image either. People took it as a big joke and questioned his sanity. You could see by the public appearances he made post-2016 that he was indeed troubled.

Nobody exactly knows the reason behind it. But there were a lot of things that happened to him in the last 5 years. Fallout with kid Cudi, divorce, the album pushed back and his mental misery. Ye’s life is so layered and grey. No one can deny that he’s a musical genius but at the same time, some of his acts in the public make him look like a foolish man who is still not over his teenage. There are so many tags you can associate him with. That’s what makes him so interesting.

Ye has done a lot of things which he won’t be proud off but one thing that he did absolutely right was his music. He is such a inspirational artist to so many aspiring rappers. He gave Hip-Hop a much needed new life by his presence.

“’Cause now I see women as somethin’ to nurture, Not somethin’ to conquer”

⁃ Violent crimes by kanye west.

Ye belongs from Chicago. He was born in 1977, on 8th June. He used to produce beats for other artists before he transformed into a rapper himself. People around him who gave him work thought more of him as a producer rather than a rapper. He used to cook beats for ROCK-A-FELLA RECORDS. People from the Record label accept it today that they did not see Kanye west becoming the rapper he became today. One of the Artists from the record label said “ I knew he was a rapper but I was like stick to the beats kid”.

Nobody saw YE coming. When he rapped one of his verses to Pharell Williams, He was quite shocked. Kanye had been trying to get in touch with Pharell for a while but he couldn’t. Pharell was touched by the piece that Kanye did for him. Birth of a jeen-yuhs was taking place.

Kanye has been involved in some questionable moments all his life. But the life he breathes to his music is above all the white noise that he surrounds himself with. Some people can call Kanye’s energy narcissistic and maybe rightly so. But, I believe this is the energy that makes his music alive. His songs are so Kanye that when you listen to them you know it’s Kanye. This energy has given him a different identity that is unique to him and makes him arguably the biggest rapper of his time.

His mother’s presence in his life is a big reason for what kanye has achieved today. Donda West died in 2007. He released an album dedicated to his mother in 2021. This shows you how much his mother meant to him. There’s a clip in his documentary where his mother is trying to tell him by how he can come off as rude to people sometimes. I expected Kanye to burst out and say something stupid at that moment but he didn’t. He actually accepted it in a way and you could see in his eyes that there was an actual realisation of his action. Donda had her way with Kanye.

Ye’s biggest downfall in his career was when he started having problems with his mental health in 2016. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In his documentary, he said to one of his team members “ man I took pill yesterday just so I can talk to you normally right now”. This can give you some insight into his state. His decision about running for president didn’t help his public image either. People took it as a big joke and questioned his sanity. You could see by the public appearances he made post-2016 that he was indeed troubled.

Nobody exactly knows the reason behind it. But there were a lot of things that happened to him in the last 5 years. Fallout with kid Cudi, divorce, the album pushed back and his mental misery. Ye’s life is so layered and grey. No one can deny that he’s a musical genius but at the same time, some of his acts in the public make him look like a foolish man who is still not over his teenage. There are so many tags you can associate him with. That’s what makes him so interesting.

Ye has done a lot of things which he won’t be proud off but one thing that he did absolutely right was his music. He is such a inspirational artist to so many aspiring rappers. He gave Hip-Hop a much needed new life by his presence.

“’Cause now I see women as somethin’ to nurture, Not somethin’ to conquer”

⁃ Violent crimes by kanye west.

Love Animals, Discard Cruelty rather extreme Cruelty: Facts from PETA 

Many animals are friends of human beings. Some animals stay in forests but some stay with human beings known as domestic animals. Domestic animals help us in many ways. Anyway, as for food habits, many human beings eat non-vegetarian foods such as eggs, animals’ meat, birds’ flesh, fish, etc. So, food habit is not the question of discussion but cruelty towards animals in many cases extreme cruelty is highly deplorable. And based on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a few facts are being presented.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), founded in 1863, a not-for-profit association representing more than 99,500 veterinarians in the US, “the human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviours essential to the health and wellbeing of both. This includes, among other things, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions with people, animals, and the environment. The veterinarian’s role in the human-animal bond is to maximize the potentials of this relationship between people and animals”.
Anyway, as a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), I became very sad and dejected when I see the most awful and cruel videos (also write-up) because of entertainment or for jackets or for other purposes animals are killed or tortured, etc. A few cases from the PETA are presented and full credit goes to PETA.
A) The dogs are collected from different places and kept in a small room, and then a person sends one by one dog from the room with a big stick, another smashes the head of the dog moment it comes out of the room, another person by hanging the dog from a pole cut its body and de-skinned it and thus many dogs are killed for jackets, simply for jackets dogs are killed. If we discard wearing such jackets then to a great extent this issue can be resolved.
B) Because of PETA‘s initiative, “the U.S. Department of Justice has announced the indictments of eight individuals allegedly involved in a monkey-laundering and -smuggling ring that supplied U.S. experimenters with monkeys captured in their forest homes in Cambodia and falsely identified as captive-born”.
D) PETA shared the cruel video about the killing of ducks. These ducks are kept in a small room with little food and litter in the same place. Many ducks become sick and many also die. Anyway, as per the video ‘ducks are stabbed in the neck and their legs cut off for ‘responsible’ down and left to die, unbelievable cruelty.
E) Every year, up to 16 million UK farm animals suffer in cages. Unbearable pain they suffer till their death for which human beings and their greed are responsible.
F) I salute PETA because of PETA’s initiative many dogs were saved. In one experiment, workers used a drill to bore holes into the skulls of 30 beagles so that the distemper virus could be injected directly into their brains. “Some dogs blinked and even whimpered during the painful procedure, and they woke up moaning. In the days that followed, they banged their heads against the walls of the cages, causing blood to spurt from their wounds”. Following PETA’s exposé of the suffering that dogs and cats endured at Liberty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and State officials cited the company for failing to provide some of the approximately 3,000 animals in its “care” with adequate veterinary care. The laboratory was also suspended from experimenting on animals for three months after its renewal application was denied.
G) For making woollen clothes the way rabbits, sheep, goats, etc., are tortured that is a horrible scene. Extreme cruelty can be observed in the videos.
H) Most shocking and cruel ‘also can be said devils activities by some human beings’ are that babies from the cows are taken away within 24 hours of birth and in many cases, male babies are killed within a few hours (by smashing heads with a hammer) so that all the milk can be consumed by the human beings. We should remember that milk is for her babies and babies are killed for human consumption of cow’s milk.
Many many shocking cruel cases are observed as PETA has been exposing the ‘cruelty of so-called civilized human beings’, and shame to such human beings.
Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

Many animals are friends of human beings. Some animals stay in forests but some stay with human beings known as domestic animals. Domestic animals help us in many ways. Anyway, as for food habits, many human beings eat non-vegetarian foods such as eggs, animals’ meat, birds’ flesh, fish, etc. So, food habit is not the question of discussion but cruelty towards animals in many cases extreme cruelty is highly deplorable. And based on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a few facts are being presented. 

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), founded in 1863, a not-for-profit association representing more than 99,500 veterinarians in the US, “the human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviours essential to the health and wellbeing of both. This includes, among other things, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions with people, animals, and the environment. The veterinarian’s role in the human-animal bond is to maximize the potentials of this relationship between people and animals”. 

Anyway, as a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), I became very sad and dejected when I see the most awful and cruel videos (also write-up) because of entertainment or for jackets or for other purposes animals are killed or tortured, etc. A few cases from the PETA are presented and full credit goes to PETA. 

A) The dogs are collected from different places and kept in a small room, and then a person sends one by one dog from the room with a big stick, another smashes the head of the dog moment it comes out of the room, another person by hanging the dog from a pole cut its body and de-skinned it and thus many dogs are killed for jackets, simply for jackets dogs are killed.  If we discard wearing such jackets then to a great extent this issue can be resolved.  

B) Because of PETA‘s initiative, “the U.S. Department of Justice has announced the indictments of eight individuals allegedly involved in a monkey-laundering and -smuggling ring that supplied U.S. experimenters with monkeys captured in their forest homes in Cambodia and falsely identified as captive-born”.

D) PETA shared the cruel video about the killing of ducks. These ducks are kept in a small room with little food and litter in the same place. Many ducks become sick and many also die. Anyway, as per the video ‘ducks are stabbed in the neck and their legs cut off for ‘responsible’ down and left to die, unbelievable cruelty.

E) Every year, up to 16 million UK farm animals suffer in cages. Unbearable pain they suffer till their death for which human beings and their greed are responsible.

F) I salute PETA because of PETA’s initiative many dogs were saved.  In one experiment, workers used a drill to bore holes into the skulls of 30 beagles so that the distemper virus could be injected directly into their brains. “Some dogs blinked and even whimpered during the painful procedure, and they woke up moaning. In the days that followed, they banged their heads against the walls of the cages, causing blood to spurt from their wounds”. Following PETA’s exposé of the suffering that dogs and cats endured at Liberty, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and State officials cited the company for failing to provide some of the approximately 3,000 animals in its “care” with adequate veterinary care. The laboratory was also suspended from experimenting on animals for three months after its renewal application was denied.

G) For making woollen clothes the way rabbits, sheep, goats, etc., are tortured that is a horrible scene. Extreme cruelty can be observed in the videos.

H) Most shocking and cruel ‘also can be said devils activities by some human beings’ are that babies from the cows are taken away within 24 hours of birth and in many cases, male babies are killed within a few hours (by smashing heads with a hammer) so that all the milk can be consumed by the human beings.  We should remember that milk is for her babies and babies are killed for human consumption of cow’s milk.

Many many shocking cruel cases are observed as PETA has been exposing the ‘cruelty of so-called civilized human beings’, and shame to such human beings.

Dr Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad

By: Moksha Grover

Image credit: Liknoss

As technology and globalization are expanding, it is formulating a way for new markets to enter and prosper in the consumption economy, beyond rich, industrialized nations. The global economy in the 21^st Century is fluctuating extensively, thus bringing new challenges for current and upcoming CEOs. With the introduction of covid pandemic and change in globalization and economy, the strategies used by most of the businesses earlier for successful operations have proved to be complicated and failed in the modern world. It is now important for all businesses to adapt to changes taking place in their environment and take steps accordingly. “To succeed in the long term, companies must compete effectively and outperform their rivals in a dynamic, and often turbulent environment” (Thompson, 1995, p. 1).

Today, the whole global economy is facing the competition between tech and non tech companies. As technology is upgrading and replacing almost all the fields of business, non tech companies are facing a hard time and an uncertain future. Since the covid pandemic, the competition between both these industries has increased significantly. The industry most affected is the non tech industry. It is therefore, critical for businesses to improvise certain strategies in order to function flexibly and improve strategies that don’t work.

There are many strategies that successful corporates are taking up for longer sustainability of their business. Some of the strategies are listed below:

1. Internationalization of Business: Just with a click on mobile, we’re able to communicate with people living far away, we’re able to share our ideas and spread our talents worldwide through social media and various other platforms. So, why cant we use such profitable platforms for expansion of our business? In the modern world, it is very important for businesses to trade their products internationally for successful operations. Good quality products with low prices are quite attractive for American consumers. If you are a company, which is looking to increase its profits and lower your cost of production, you can buy materials at cheap prices from international markets and also have cheap labour from other countries like china. You can also set up manufacturing units in countries which provide low cost of production. Thus, internationalisation of business will not only assist you in competing with other businesses but will also help you to maximise your profits and enjoy long term benefits.
2. Technological Impact on Businesses: Its quite astonishing to note the adverse changes in technology. We are living in a technology based society where we need the latest technology for almost everything be it buying or selling. So, business world needs to be updated with latest technology in order to ensure innovation in their businesses so as to sustain and flourish. It is very important for all the CEO’s and business students to demonstrate a deep understanding of technology and adopt the technology which is effective and gives you economic benefits. In the end, the business which gives high level of satisfaction to its consumers, is successful.So, businesses need to keep upgrading their technology for giving satisfaction to their consumers.
3. Outcome and Input based Businesses: The 21^st century does not focus much on input based businesses. Successful businesses in 21^st century are mostly outcome based. It is very important for businesses who want to survive in 21^st century to revolutionize their business models and to supply outcomes in such a way that it cuts across value chains.
4. Ecosystem operating vs ruinous competition: The 21^st Century encourages businesses working on collaboration rather than businesses entering destructive competitive environment. The lingua franca of a 21CE is non-homogenous “ecosystems”[1]. These are complex specialized networks where employees, suppliers, providers and consumers collaborate to extend the ecosystem beyond the enterprise with one common motive – to weave together a positive customer experience[2].
5. Personal Strategies: The last but not the least, it is very important for all the CEOs and business students to apply personal strategies in order to raise themselves in productive business environment. Here are some personal strategies that can help you to take your business to a next level: Increasing the speed of your business, embracing new technologies, adopting global thinking and investing in your business for a longer term.

In addition to this, it is very important for all the businesses to operate  in such a way that it does not harm any of the species living on this planet or our environment and also have good CSR activities. People always get attracted and encourage those businesses which are contributing for the betterment of the society and the country as a whole.

There are many changes occurring in our society and our global economy. From all the predictions of great economists, the pace of these changes is likely to increase further. This article highlights five strategies that can help you grow your business further and help in  sustaining your business in this dynamic environment.

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[1] Anant Gupta, ‘5 characteristics of a successful 21st-century enterprise’, World Economic Forum (9^th October,2015) < https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/10/5-characteristics-of-a-successful-21st-century-enterprise/> accessed 24^th December,2021.

[2] Ibid

By Moksha Grover

In September 2020, three controversial farm laws passed by the Indian government sparked India’s biggest protest in history. Tens of thousands of farmers marched to the capital to protest proposed new legislation and upward of 250 million people around the subcontinent participated in a 24-hour general strike in solidarity[1]. This massive protest gained attention worldwide and led to millions of farmers’ protests worldwide. Between six and ten million people took part in protests in up to sixty countries over the weekend of 15 and 16 February[2]. Some of the largest protests took place in Europe. But what are actually farm laws? Why are farmers so worried? Why are these protests taking place? Let us take a brief understanding of all these points

WHAT ARE THE NEW FARM LAWS AND HOW WILL THEY AFFECT THE FARMERS?

The three farm laws Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 passed by the government last year have become a great source of attention due to farmers’ protests. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points since 26 November last year, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws[3]. These laws are said to dismantle the minimum support price system of the farmers and reduce their income. Due to the terms and conditions being handled by big corporate houses, farmers will get a less assured price for their crops, and also the commission agents who pitch in loans for them will be out of business. By weakening the government’s price guarantee system, the laws may end up hurting small and poor farmers, who form 80% of the sector and 23%of those who live below the poverty line, say critics[4]. Because of all these reasons farmers are protesting day and night and demanding a repeal of these laws.  It has now been 1 year since the farmers have been protesting and looking for the government to listen to their demands.

HOW DID FARMER’S PROTEST TURN INTO A PAN INDIA MOVEMENT?

As tens and thousands of farmers came together from different states of Punjab, and Haryana and started their protest by moving toward the capital of the country— New Delhi, they were stopped midway by the authorities from entering India’s capital. So, they started protesting on highways to New Delhi. The farmer’s protest is termed as the biggest protest in the history of the world wherein these farmers are supported by different farmers across the globe and also by big companies and brands like Marks & Spencers, Cover story, etc. Many people are supporting them by giving them food, clothes, money, etc.  There have been trials of talks between farmer unions and the government but the ultimate result of these trials has been failure. Several ministers and leaders from Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) have dismissed these farmers’ protests viewing them as demonstrations by a handful of wheat and rice-growing people only from Punjab and Haryana. This is very wrong on the part of government as government is accountable to all its citizens irrespective of the fact that whether they are just some handful of wheat growing farmers. Further, as the days went on, farmers from other parts of the country galvanized into action by either joining the protest near New Delhi or organizing a series of demonstrations in different states[5].

Besides their demand of withdrawal of the laws, farmers have another demand. Their second demand is that governmet has to pass a law in which they’ll buy all the farm produce at a state set guaranteed price. The new demand gained traction among farmers from across the country, beyond Punjab and Haryana – known as India’s grain belt[6].

UTTAR PRADESH— A STATE IN WHICH FARMER’S WANT TO INTENSIFY THEIR PROTESTS

Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state being home to around 240 million people. As farmer’s protest is being more intensified, the union leaders are turning their gaze towards Uttar Pradesh. Modi’s BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, and the state assembly election is due by early next year[7]. In western Utter Pradesh agriculture is a mainstay and before the state assembly elections, farmer’s union aim to declare Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) as an anti farmer party. To achieve this aim, it is said that farmers will go in every city and town of Uttar Pradesh and convey there to the people about the ignorance followed by Modi government to farmer’s interests. The election in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 lawmakers, or more than any other state, to parliament in New Delhi, is seen as a barometer of the popularity of the federal government[8]. Farmers now plan to hit the ruling party at the side which will hurt it the most.

HAS THE FARMER’S PROTEST LED TO THE COMING TOGETHER OF HINDU AND MUSLIMS FARMER’S?

In Western Uttar Pradesh, protests from Punjab and Haryana have turned up into a broad base movement. In western Uttar Pradesh, which sends 130 lawmakers to the state assembly, the upper caste landlords from the Jat community and the farmhands who typically come from the lower strands of the rigid Hindu social hierarchy have joined hands to oppose the farm laws[9]. The most remarkable point about this protest is that Hindu and Muslim farmers have come together to fight against the laws put up by the government breaking away all the communal clashes that had taken place between the two communities. It is said that the unity followed by the two communities will hurt the ruling party. However, BJP has denied fanning communal tension.

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[1] Nitish Pahwa, ‘India Just Had the Biggest Protest in World History’, Slate (9^th December,2020) < https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/12/india-farmer-protests-modi.html> accessed 13^th September, 2021.

[2] ‘2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest’, Wikipedia < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020%E2%80%932021_Indian_farmers%27_protest> accessed 13^th September,2021

[3] ‘Explained: What farmers want and why they are protesting’, mint (26^th January, 2021) https://www.livemint.com/news/india/what-farmers-want-and-why-they-are-protesting-11611662903629.html accessed 13th September,2021

[4] ‘Why Farmers Are Worried About New Laws; It’s The History’, Bloomerang Quint (2^nd December,2020) < https://www.bloombergquint.com/politics/why-farmers-are-worried-about-new-laws-its-the-history> accessed 13^th September,2021

[5] Manisha Sen, ‘How Indian farmers’ protest turned into a country-wide movement’, The Sen Times (9^th September, 2021) < https://www.tkbsen.in/2021/09/how-indian-farmers-protest-turned-into-a-country-wide-movement/> accessed 13^th September,2021.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Mayank Bhardwaj, ‘Explainer: How Indian farmers’ protest turned into a country-wide movement’, Reuters (September 9, 2021) https://www.reuters.com/world/india/how-indian-farmers-protest-turned-into-country-wide-movement-2021-09-09/ accessed 13^th September,2021

Tradition basically means undocumented beliefs and customs that have been passed on from generation to generation,  which we all adhere to in our daily lives either knowingly or unknowingly. It is upto the decision of an individual where to follow traditional values and take them as a lesson or not. Since tradition is unwritten, it gets modified with time to suit the need of the time, but it is a chapter that provides lessons of right and wrong. Adhering to these values doesn’t make us orthodox, it rather makes us more aware of the past, and thus help make right decision. Along with binding  us to our forefathers, it makes our character distinct. In fact tradition are a testimony to our culture and society. While we have modern lifestyle today, one should remember, traditions values are not meant to be erased.

Such is the significance of tradition in our lives, that it can never become an obstacle in progress. It teaches us ways to utilize our time more effectively.The tragedy lies in the fact that usually elders tend to look down upon the younger generation if they don’t adhere to the religious and cultural traits of their parents. This decision should left up to the individual. Moreover, traditional Indian habits like touching the feet of our elders to show respect or visiting the temple with the family on an auspicious occasion are signs of a refined sense of culture, not of backwardness. Tradition cannot be an obstacle.

Knowing this information is essential to understand if you’re planning a global expansion strategy and levelling up in the business world. Additionally, whether in the workplace or personal development, knowledge of more than one language offers us new horizons and the opportunity to expand our cultural understanding.

From the languages that English speakers will find easy to learn, to the more difficult languages, we’ve compiled this all-encompassing list for you based on real data. The German Language is easy to learn, start German Listening

So keep reading to find out what the most spoken languages are.

1. English (1,132 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 379 million
• Non-native speakers: 753 million

Like Latin or Greek at the time, English is the universal language of today. It is the default language in international business, tourism, technology, and much more.

A bilingual person, who speaks Spanish and English, can understand 1 in 3 people who connect to the Internet. In addition, he or she can access over 60% of everything published on the web. 

2. Mandarin (1,117 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 918 million
• Non-native speakers: 199 million

Adding native and non-native speakers, Mandarin is the second most widely spoken language in the world. However, it is the first, if only native speakers are taken into account.

Mandarin is not actually a language, but a set of dialects of the Chinese language. What unifies these dialects under the same name is that their speakers can understand each other.

Interestingly, 20% of people who connect to the internet speak Chinese, but only just over 1% of the content available on the web is in the Chinese language.

3. Hindi (615 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 341 million
• Non-native speakers: 274 million

Hindi is, along with English, one of the 22 official languages of India, the second most inhabited country in the world. The region’s linguistic diversity (more than 1,600 languages coexist) explains the high rate of non-native speakers who use it as a lingua franca.

4. Spanish (534 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 460 million
• Non-native speakers: 74 million

Spanish is the second of the most widely spoken languages globally in terms of the number of native speakers. In addition, it is the most spoken of the Romance languages, and is the third most used on the internet.

Its enormous colonial expansion took it not only to America, but also to Africa and Asia. Due to migration, the United States is the second country with the largest number of Spanish speakers in the world.

5. French (280 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 77 million
• Non-native speakers: 203 million

Colonialism allowed French to spread throughout the world. Today it is the official language of 29 countries on different continents.

If English is the language of business, French is considered the language of culture. Its enormous importance is also reflected in the fact that it is the third language with the largest number of non-native speakers.

6. Arabic (274 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 245 million
• Non-native speakers: 29 million

Arabic is the official language of 26 countries. Due to this territorial coverage, it is actually a set of dialects. It is also the liturgical language of Islam.

It is not only the language that treasures the enormous cultural legacy of the Arab world, but also a necessary tool for the field of business in that region of the world.

7. Bengali (265 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 228 million
• Non-native speakers: 37 million

Bengali is the official language of Bangladesh. In addition, people speak it in some areas of India and Burma. It may come as a surprise that a language spoken in such a small territory appears in a list of the most spoken languages in the world. However, it makes sense when you think about the population density of that region.

8. Russian (258 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 154 million
• Non-native speakers: 104 million

Less surprising is the inclusion of Russian among the most widely spoken languages globally if we think about Russian history and territories. It is the official language of four countries, but people also speak it in all those part of the former Soviet Union. It is the language with the largest number of native speakers in all of Europe.

9. Portuguese (234 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 221 million
• Non-native speakers: 13 million

Portuguese is another of the languages that expanded in the European colonial period. Today it’s the official language of nine countries divided between Europe, America, Africa and Asia. Brazil is the largest country out of those nine and has the most amount of Portuguese speakers. In addition, it is the most widely spoken language in the southern hemisphere.

10. Indonesian (198 million speakers)

• Native speakers: 43 million
• Non-native speakers: 155 million

Bahasa Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world. Peculiarly, it’s not the native language of most of its speakers. Rather, it’s a second language necessary for mutual understanding in a country with more than 200 languages.

Top 20 Languages are as follows

1 English 1.5 B

2 Mandarin Chinese 1.1 B

3 Hindi 602.2 M

4 Spanish 548.3 M

5 French 274.1 M

6 Standard Arabic 274.0 M

7 Bengali 272.7 M

8 Russian 258.2 M

9 Portuguese 257.7 M

10 Urdu 231.3 M

11 Indonesian 199.0 M

12 Standard German 134.6 M

13 Japanese 125.4 M

14 Nigerian Pidgin 120.7 M

15 Marathi 99.1 M

16 Telugu 95.7 M

17 Turkish 88.1 M

18 Tamil 86.4 M

19 Yue Chinese 85.6 M

20 Vietnamese 85.3 M

A web series is a series of online videos that can either be scripted or non- scripted. They first came into existence in late 1990’s with first web series being released on April 1995 , the series was “Global Village Idiots” it was an episode of Bloomington, Indiana based public access program Rox, it was uploaded to the internet on the show’s website at rox.com thus making it the first such series which was distributed via web. The series got a huge popularity at that time thus calling it out as the real impact of digital revolution in pop culture.

But web series gained more popularity in early 2000s and since then they are continuously gaining popularity. The reason behind there increasing popularity is that they are available on a range of platforms and devices including desktop , laptop , tablets and smartphones and by being online they have chance of being by the other country audience as well thus making them extremely popular or go viral. A web series is a group or series of videos and its one video or single instance is called as a “episode” or “webisode” .

By Moksha Grover

Exploitation of workers is a very common phenomena followed by many employers since a long time in several countries across the globe. This covid pandemic has mainly impacted and increased the rates of child labour and forced laboures. Reports provided by agricultural farms and slaughterhouses, where most of the workforce exploitation is of migrant workers are really horrific. Many workers have been subjected to loose their employment and income. As a result, these affected groups are often subjected to discrimination. These affected groups are mostly children, women, people working in informal sector, religious minorities, LGBTQ community, refugees etc.

There is clearly a need to stop labour exploitation and ensure all the workers have safe working conditions and adequate pay. It is important to ensure that exploitation of workers does not become a ‘new normal’ in this pandemic.

REDUCED INCOME

This pandemic has led to the reduce in income of many households. Many rich business owners have been declared as bankrupt. As a result, many companies have reduced the income of their workers as well as terminated many people from their company to maximize their profits thus, leading to the loss of employment and income. Due to these circumstances, the overall world has seen an increase in social issues like poverty. According to Asia–Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2020: Navigating the crisis towards a human-centred future of work  estimates, the economic backlash of the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out some 81 million jobs in 2020[1]. Due to this reduction in income and loss of employment, many workers have been found carrying a hangover of debt as many had taken loans from friends and other sources and because of the loss they suffered by the pandemic, they were not able to pay back what they had borrowed.

OVERWORKING OF REDUCED WORKFORCE

As a consequence of loss of employment and increased production in certain industries, many people have to work overtime and many have suffered overloads of work. Many of them don’t even get breaks in between their work and are made to work continuously due to reduced labour.      Because of poverty, they even have to work and cannot leave their work due to their helplessness. These labourers are meeting additional pressures to meet their targets and many of them don’t even get good working conditions. Having limited access to healthcare, sanitation, drinking water further increases their vulnerability.

EMPLOYMENT DECEPTION AND FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION

Many people having the hope to have better job opportunities visited countries like USA, UK. However, this sense of job security was sabotaged as when they later reached these countries, they found that these jobs actually didn’t exist. This organised criminal deception represents a worrying trend, given tighter visa restrictions following Brexit, which may encourage workers without employment to seek jobs in the informal economy, with a higher risk of exploitative conditions[2].

In this pandemic, businesses also suffered a lot with respect to high costs they incurred on purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as setting up the systems of offline work in their office and formulating new procedures and guidelines ranging from new health and safety protocols to new audit report systems. Also, while audits into supply chains have continued, these were taken up from a long distance without physical contact which limited businesses’ oversight of their suppliers.

RISKS FOR THOSE ALREADY IN SITUATIONS OF LABOUR EXPLOITATION AND FOR SURVIVORS— MIGRANT WORKERS

People those who are marginalized, discriminated against, and impoverished are at greater risk of exploitation. However, due to this pandemic, they are even at a greater risk of exploitation with inadequate healthcare and some essential facilities. Due to restricted movement including the border closures and travel disruptions during the pandemic, these workers are not even able to return to their hometowns. This is the case with migrant workers. These workers often live in poorly sanitized and unhygienic labour camps and due to inadequate healthcare facilities, they are prone to health risks. And because of this pandemic they are not able to return home. They go to different lands to earn money but often become the victims of exploitation due to any social or religious factor. the sudden announcement of the pandemic left 13 crore migrants with no way to return home and no money in India. When the lockdown got relaxed, many employers got worried about the shortage of labour and whether these migrant workers will return back. However, when these labourers returned back, none of the employers were concerned about their health and facilities. As a result of all these consequences, many people are now facing mental health issues thus, increasing the cases of mental health risks.

CHILD LABOUR

This economic and social crisis is predicted to particularly affect children. An estimated 42-66 million children could fall into extreme poverty as a result of the crisis this year, adding to the estimated 386 million children already in extreme poverty in 2019[3]. Before this pandemic, there was an improvement in child labour almost in all countries around the world. Many children had started going to school and educating themselves. But due to this pandemic, everything got disrupted. The whole education system became online and those who were not able to afford this system unfortunately, had to give up on their studies. This led to thousands of children leaving schools and working as forced labourers.

Due to this pandemic, many households have fallen into extreme poverty as a result, they force their children into child labour. Children who belong to marginalised communities, are disabled or homeless are more prone to indulge in child labour. In addition to being forced in child labour, many children, mostly girls are also burdened with increased household responsibilities and domestic chores.

REPUROPOSING AND INNOVATING OPERATIONS

It is very important to stop labour exploitation and take necessary measures and steps in order to prevent this exploitation. Following steps and measures can be taken to stop workforce exploitation.

• Ensuring workers, a regular and good pay should be made essential for all the companies and organizations.
• Job security should be given to all the employees.
• Government should take adequate measures and frame policies in support of all the labourers and workers and ensure safe working conditions for them.
• In the wake of this pandemic, all the organisations and companies should provide all its workers with personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Overloading of work and overtime of workers should be avoided.
• Working in collaboration with educational institutions for the purpose of boosting re-enrolment and avoiding children engaging in child labour.
• Migrant workers who have been confined to a workplace and are subjected to forced labour should be rescued.

CONCLUSION

In this pandemic, there is a risk of labour exploitation to become the ‘new normal’. The poor labourers are forced to work in informal sectors and face exploitation due to the lack of sources and income. If this issue is not controlled now, it would be very difficult to control it in future. There should be appropriate measures taken to help all the workers who are at a risk of this exploitation and for those who are already facing this exploitation.

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[1] ‘81 million jobs lost as COVID-19 creates turmoil in Asia-Pacific labour markets’, International Labour Organization (15^th December,2020) https://www.ilo.org/asia/media-centre/news/WCMS_763819/lang–en/index.htm> accessed 21^st September,2021

[2] Dr Oana Burcu, ‘Evaluating the risk of labour exploitation among migrant workers in the UK during Covid-19’, University of Nottingham < https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/vision/evaluating-the-risk-of-labour-exploitation> accessed 21^st September,2021.

[3] ‘COVID-19 impact on child labour and forced labour: The response of the IPEC+ Flagship Programme’, International Labour Organization (May,2020) < https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_norm/@ipec/documents/publication/wcms_745287.pdf> accessed 21^st Septemer,2021

Property frauds are majorly done in the form of mortgage frauds. Mortgage frauds in India are very common now. It is to a degree where it’s started to become a problem. Committing a mortgage fraud in India is very simple. Let’s first understand what is a mortgage? So, a mortgage is a loan approved by a bank for housing purposes. A mortgage loan is very common in India . A lot of people apply for mortgage loans. Because it’s so prevalent, there are a lot of mortgage frauds that have been taking place over the past few years.

A man named Rajiv rathee forged property documents to mortgage the same property with six different banks cheating them of a whopping 7 crore. One of the major reasons for the regular occurrence of mortgage fraud is an equitable mortgage. An equitable mortgage is a simple way of getting a mortgage loan. But one of the major drawbacks of an equitable mortgage is that it doesn’t have any public records. So any charges that are mentioned in the equitable mortgage cannot be seen by the public or the bank, unlike a registered mortgage.

Equitable mortgage is a major issue and should be looked into and rectified as soon as possible. Overvaluation of the property also leads to mortgage fraud. It is very simple to present an overvalued sum of the property to get a higher amount of loans. The banks should take measures to cross-check the valuation of the property. There are legal remedies in place to ensure that the bank recovers from the loss because of fraud. But there should be proper measures in place so that the fraud doesn’t happen in the first place.

The first thing that a bank can do is educate its staff. The staff should be able to understand the red flags of mortgage fraud so that they can identify them when they see one. The lender should always check the identity of the person. He should make sure all his identity documents match and are original. The lender should make sure to take the consent of all the joint holders of a property. The lender should cross-check every document and important details. A bank should be able to identify if a property is overvalued to commit fraud. These are some of the ways by which a bank can ensure that a mortgage fraud doesn’t happen.

China initiated trade relations with African countries way back in 1970. Their motive was primarily strategic, i.e., creating new allies and expanding its global influence against the west, mainly the United States. African countries are the perfect victims of China’s predatory lending policies. They are capital-poor and are desperate for an influx of investments to grow and compete with the Western world.

The goal of the African Continental Free Trade Area was to break away from its colonial routes and begin trading and competing with various countries from different continents. However, the most significant benefit of this FTA was reaped by Communist China and its crony-capitalist policies. China expands its network through this FTA through new loans, trade deals, and military support. Chinese companies are dominating transportation and infrastructural development projects in Africa. According to a McKinsey Africa report, about 50% of Africa’s engineering, procurement, and construction contracts were given to Chinese companies. Africa’s extractive economy depends on its natural resources, raw materials, and primary goods. Low production values and infrastructure gap in Africa force African countries to export these commodities to China to be converted into finished goods and imported back to Africa. China also lends money to African nations to create infrastructure and improve connectivity. African countries give China exclusive access to their resources, like mining rights in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to improve regional integration, increase international trade, and stimulate economic growth by connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe via land and sea. The BRI is often referred to as “debt trap diplomacy.” China appears to be giving emerging countries questionable loans for growth capital to strategically use the recipient country’s debt to China for economic, military, or political gain. The ownership swap of Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port, in which China has forgiven Sri Lanka’s massive debt in exchange for a long-term lease of the port in 2017, is a well-known example of this.

Why Loans from China?

Using confidentiality clauses, China seems to be very secretive in its lending policies. It offers far less transparency compared to international lending agencies such as IMF. China must use more competitive interest rates compared to these organizations for African countries to so enthusiastically borrow from them.

What Might Happen in Case of Default?

As in the case of Kenya’s multi-billion dollar railway project and Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port, China seizes control over these assets, i.e., all the revenue generated from the operations of these projects is credited to China’s EXIM bank. There is no formal judicial process in case of loan default as it is in international organizations and other Western countries. The secret contracts enable the Chinese Exim Bank to control these assets.

Does China overlook human rights violations and labor exploitation when giving loans that other countries may not overlook? Is this ethical?

Most of Africa missed out on the industrial revolution. Therefore, the lack of capital accumulation and the lack of growth (as stated by various development economists such as Solow, Meade, and Robinson)  has been the primary cause of the backwardness of most African economies. This has resulted in the backwardness of physical and human capital in education, skill, and health. China saw the potential to exploit cheap and abundant labor in Africa. More liberal Western countries lean towards protecting employees and safe working conditions. However, a country like China is ruthless when capitalizing on the low labor cost for procurement and activities.

The ethics dimension of the Africa-China relationship is always under question. It can be compared to how the Europeans ruthlessly colonized African, Asian, and Latin American countries and exploited their resources and manpower for their gains. There are both advantages and limitations to China’s lending policies toward Africa. On the upside, countries are moving towards a stage of economic development with capital accumulation and mobility. At the same time, on the downside, prosperity is still not very high due to exploitation.

Everyone wants to become prosperous fast, but is it possible? Should countries live within their means?

There is no congruence between the growth of Africa and that of the rest of the world. However, there is a fine line between growth, development, and prosperity. A country can grow economically, but it may not be developing. A country may be developing, but it may not be prosperous. African nations must keep in mind that improving prosperity is a gradual process. Upliftment is of the poor takes time. According to Gunnar Myrdal’s theory of Circular Causation, there is a backwash effect between China and Africa which means that savings are gradually being siphoned off from poor regions to richer ones.

In the 21st century, countries can’t live within their means. A state of complete autarky can not lift a nation from economic backwardness. A country needs investments and the accumulation of capital to grow. Citing another development economics theory, namely “The Big Push Theory” given by Rodenstein Rodan, a large amount of minimum investment is required to overcome development obstacles in an underdeveloped economy to set it on the path of development. This is where China plays a vital role. China brings in high amounts of investments to push African Economies towards the course of development. International Lending Agencies and Western Countries may be hesitant to invest a significant amount in such emerging countries.

How much leverage is acceptable?

China’s primary aim in Africa is to create allies. African nations risk losing control of their assets due to leverage. However, African countries don’t have many alternatives. Even they need to progress to meet their domestic consumption requirements and increase their international competency. That said, they can not keep increasing their debt just because there are no judicial ramifications. The only thing at stake is the control of assets, which Africans use daily to earn their bread. From Africa’s point of view, a high level of external debt to China is not wrong because of the conditions and clauses involved in their lending. The fact that 88% of Djibouti’s GDP stems from Chinese investments reflects that China has an overwhelming contribution to the economy of such nations. Such a high debt to GDP ratio is not sustainable for any country, and this should serve as an example to other African nations to keep a check on borrowings and the terms and conditions laid out in the contract of loans taken from Chinese institutions.

What sort of reforms and fiscal discipline are required for a strong economy?

Fiscal discipline necessitates governments maintaining fiscal positions compatible with macroeconomic stability and long-term growth. Excessive borrowing and debt buildup should be avoided for this reason. At the same time, authorities must be cautious when it comes to attaining resource allocation and distributional goals and smoothing out output fluctuations. Creating financial buffers is also necessary to respond to both unpleasant shocks and predictable fiscal pressures, such as those caused by high levels of population growth.

The track record of fiscal management in achieving these many goals has been uneven. Weak fiscal discipline, which reflects deficit and debt sustainability issues, has frequently jeopardized stability and growth and, in the worst situations, has resulted in economic and financial disasters. Furthermore, while output stability would necessitate countercyclical fiscal policy, governments tend to favor procyclical discretionary expenditure increases and tax cuts when the economy is performing well. While the countercyclical fiscal policy may be beneficial in “hard times,” urgent deficit and debt sustainability issues make such policy difficult, if not impossible. Procyclicality becomes a significant underlying factor of poor budgetary discipline in good times.

Budgetary discipline is required to maintain overall economic stability, reduce susceptibilities, and improve economic performance. If governments are to benefit from the opportunities provided by increasingly free trade and open capital markets to improve their long-term economic prospects, fiscal discipline is required. They must, however, decrease their exposure to market sentiment fluctuations and capital flow volatility to reduce the likelihood of debt crises.

How can the global community help small, vulnerable countries? Can some frameworks be put in place to control the predatory instincts of China?

For emerging countries, the current structure of international economic organizations has proven insufficient. A positive examination focused on equity, sustainability, and social prosperity is required. Essential international organizations must be reconfigured to reflect inclusion and representative coverage now that different leaders are at the table. Allowing the African Union to join an expanded Group of Twenty (G20) would act as a catalyst, reshaping global policy and allowing for a more inclusive and sustainable world. African and other countries must look for alternatives that would allow them to be independent, as Western and Chinese policy initiatives have shown that their operations do not benefit the host countries.

Concluding Remarks

The credit line extended to other emerging countries is predatory, not benevolent. To begin with, the contracts with the host countries are murky. Contracts frequently include stipulations ensuring that contracts for infrastructure projects are awarded to Chinese businesses and that the labor engaged in these projects is Chinese rather than local. These contracts ensure that a considerable portion of the money returns to China. As manufacturing possibilities decline in China, the country’s large labor force is repurposed and does not become a burden on the Chinese economy.

In many ways, the plan is comparable to what Imperial Britain achieved by establishing colonies, albeit more subtle and with minor tweaks as the CCP adapts it for the twenty-first century. While initially appealing to poorer countries, China’s offering to fund infrastructure projects frequently becomes a trap for them. The projects do not generate enough cash for the host countries to repay their debts to China. China collects its debt by seizing control of the host country’s essential infrastructure, giving it a long-term strategic advantage. These countries’ only hope is that China agrees to rework the contracts, which China typically refuses to do.

India is celebrating 75 years of independence under the banner of Azadi ki Mohotsav.  We are enjoying ourselves, we are celebrating in a joyous mood but we did not get this Azadi / Independence easily. Many people sacrificed their lives, many were physically tortured and crippled, and also many women were assaulted. There are numerous cases of heinous crimes inflicted upon to Indians by the British Raj.  Indians salute all of them and will continue generations after generations. It is also sad that in the school textbooks a few names and their family members’ names are highlighted as if for their sacrifice we have got independence. Here, I am presenting a case of a great freedom fighter who later on became a spiritual leader but was not widely known to many Indians (my observations). He is Sri Aurobindo earlier known as Aurobindo Ghosh.

Sri Aurobindo, the original name was Aurobindo Ghose, (Aurobindo also spelled Aravinda) was born on 15 August 1872, in Calcutta /Kolkata. “ Although his family was Bengali, his father believed British culture to be superior. He and his two elder siblings were sent to the English-speaking Loreto House boarding school in Darjeeling, in part to improve their language skills. Darjeeling was a center of Anglo-Indians in India and the school was run by Irish nuns” (wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo). Later on, “he was sent to England for further schooling. He entered the University of Cambridge, where he became proficient in two classical and several modern European languages. After returning to India in 1892, he held various administrative and professorial posts in Baroda (Vadodara) and Calcutta (Kolkata).  Turning to his native culture, he began the serious study of Yoga and Indian languages, including classical Sanskrit” (britannica.com/biography/Sri-Aurobindo). After that slowly he became a revolutionary. The Partition of Bengal in 1905 led to a general outburst which helped the rise of the extremist party and the great nationalist movement. The British Government dealt with severe repressive measures against the ‘Swadeshi Agitation’. “In 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki attempted to kill Magistrate Kingsford, a judge known for handing down severe sentences against nationalists. However, the bomb thrown at his horse carriage missed its target and instead landed in another carriage and killed two British women, the wife, and daughter of barrister Pringle Kennedy. Aurobindo was also arrested for planning and overseeing the attack and imprisoned in solitary confinement in Alipore Jail. The trial of the Alipore Bomb Case lasted for a year, but eventually, he was acquitted on 6 May 1909. His defense counsel was Chittaranjan Das” (wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Aurobindo). Anyway, the British administration was after him for silly issues they were after him. In view of this, he finally decided to go to Pondicherry, now Puducherry, a French colony (until 1954). In Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo dedicated himself to his spiritual and philosophical activities. During this period, one French lady  Mirra Alfassa popularly known as The Mother greatly supported him.  “When the Sri Aurobindo Ashram was formed in November 1926, Sri Aurobindo entrusted its full material and spiritual charge to the Mother. Under her guidance, which continued for nearly fifty years, the Ashram grew into a large, many-faceted spiritual community” (sriaurobindoashram.org/mother). Before conclusion, a few paragraphs written by Sri Aurobindo himself, in 1934 are presented here.

“All beings are united in that One Self and Spirit but divided by a certain separability of consciousness, an ignorance of their true Self and Reality in the mind, life, and body. It is possible by a certain psychological discipline to remove this veil of separative consciousness and become aware of the true Self, the Divinity within us and all. Evolution is the method by which it liberates itself; consciousness appears in what seems to be inconscient, and once having appeared is self-impelled to grow higher and higher and at the same time to enlarge and develop towards greater and greater perfection. Life is the first step of this release of consciousness; the mind is the second; but the evolution does not finish with the mind, it awaits a release into something greater, a consciousness that is spiritual and supramental. The next step of the evolution must be towards the development of the Supermind and Spirit as the dominant power in the conscious being. Only then will the involved Divinity in things release itself entirely and it become possible for life to manifest perfection” (auroville.org/page/sri-aurobindos-teaching-and-spiritual-method).

On his (Sri Aurobindo) birthday on 15 August 2022, Pronam to yogi, seer, philosopher, poet, and Indian nationalist who propounded a philosophy of divine life on earth through spiritual evolution.

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Introduction: What is Insurance?

To provide financial protection against the risk of some future event. The phrase “insurance” comes from the Latin for “to hedge one’s bets”.

It is also known as a form of risk management and is meant to hedge against financial loss. Insurance exists in various forms and can be categorized as compulsory or voluntary, public or private, or commercial.

Voluntary liability insurance provides protection to the policyholder against liability arising from an incident that triggers a policy obligation. Public automobile insurance is compulsory in most countries and private auto insurance often exists only where required by law.

Commercial Auto Insurance Policies are designed to provide coverage for motor vehicles used in a business enterprise – these policies typically provide coverage on an “occurrence basis” rather than “claims-made basis.”

What Is Life, Home & Auto Insurance?

Insurance is one of the most important aspects for everyone to consider. There are two types of insurance: life and property. The first one ensures you don’t die from a disease or accident that happens, while the second one covers any damages that happen to your belongings such as your car, house, home appliances or anything else.

Life Insurance

Life insurance is a type of insurance that covers the potential risk of all or part of someone’s life, for example, if they die early or get left with dependent children. Life insurance rates are different and depend on many factors including age and smoking. So, always talk to a qualified advisor before deciding on the best option for you. Life Insurance quotes online in India could be what you need to find the best coverage at an affordable rate.

The general rule is to always have enough insurance coverage. This will allow you to replace items that are lost or damage due to accidents/incidents. Life insurance rates are different and depend on many factors including age and smoking. So, always talk to a qualified advisor before deciding on the best option for you. Life Insurance quotes online in India could be what you need to find the best coverage at an affordable rate.

Home Insurance

Home Insurance is a must for any homeowner and is a legal requirement if you are renting or have rented your home. Home insurance can be confusing because there are so many factors that need to be taken into consideration as well as different products and providers.

The type of coverage you need will depend on what you want to be covered, how valuable your home is, who will live in the home and your budget. Below are some suggestions on how to choose the right kind of coverage at the right price.

* Which level of coverage do I need?

* How much does home insurance cost?

* What can I get with my policy?

* What else should I know about home insurance?

* Should I buy flood insurance too?

Auto Insurance

Auto Insurance is a must-have. It might seem expensive, but it can save you from financial ruin in the event of an accident or from being stranded on the side of the road.

Auto insurance rates depend on several factors, such as where you live, your annual mileage and your credit score. You can get quotes online for free to find out how much different options would cost you – but consider shopping around and trying to find a policy that fits within your budget.

Summary

In conclusion, insurance is a critical part of protecting your car, home, and life. It can help you recover from damages, replace lost belongings, and give you peace of mind in knowing that you are financially protected against unexpected events. Be sure to shop around for the best rates and coverage for your needs, and don’t hesitate to ask questions to make sure you understand your policy. Thanks for reading!

By Moksha Grover

Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world completely, with affecting almost all the countries around the globe. Today, the whole world is struggling against covid-19. Amidst this fight, it has been declared that with the help of WHO we can win this fight against covid-19. Covid-19 has been declared as a pandemic by world health organization on on March 11, 2020 and since then, WHO has been helping a lot to end this pandemic situation. Safe and effective vaccines, being manufactured everyday are really crucial to end this pandemic. WHO has been working tirelessly in manufacturing and developing these vaccines and also ensuring equitable distribution of theses vaccines.

UPDATING COVID CASES

WHO plays a significant role in determining the covid cases around the globe. For the production as well as the distribution of vaccines, it is important to know how much Covid cases each country has, so that the vaccines can be manufactured and distributed accordingly. This task is being accomplished by World Health Organization (WHO).  WHO updates about covid cases worldwide with the help of statistical tools used for analyzing like graphs and histograms. There is one graph for the overall worldwide covid situation and separate graphs for each country. WHO also helps in providing a better understanding of covid situation by using graphs and histograms in such a way that even a layman can understand it.

This is a recent graph provided by WHO showing 221,134,742 total covid cases and a total of 4,574,089 deaths by covid around the globe as of 7^th of September, 2021[1].

WHO also has kept us updated about some vital information about covid like when it became airborne, its second and third wave etc. It also uses apps like twitter and Instagram to update people about the latest information relating to covid. To accomplish all these tasks, WHO has set up a full support team for updating people time to time and also providing assistance to people in this pandemic.

DEVELOPING OF VACCINES

WHO has brought together 400 of the world’s leading researchers to identify research priorities for the manufacturing of vaccines[2]. “Solidarity Trial”, an international clinical trial, involving 90 countries is also one initiative launched by WHO, to help find effective treatment[3]. WHO has also taken up research protocols for better understanding of the virus. Approximately 130 scientists, funders and manufacturers from around the world have signed a statement committing to work with WHO to speed the development of a vaccine against COVID-19[4].

In addition to this, the world health organization is giving its best in making people understand about vaccines, its side effects, its importance etc. by uploading various pdfs and data files on its site.

Above is the cover page of one pdf file uploaded by WHO on their website which tells everything about the working of the vaccines, its benefits, vaccines by different companies etc. In addition to this, WHO has also answered the most asked questions about covid-19 vaccines.

WHO has also given details of various vaccines launched by different companies and have listed their side effects too. It has also helped in the approval of various vaccines given by Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford, Serum Institute of India etc. On its website of Covid-19 vaccine tracker, WHO lays down the list of all the approved vaccines along with the number of countries approving these vaccines and the number of trials in other countries.

EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINES

The world health organization (WHO) has a very big role to play in the equitable distribution of vaccines. For equitable distribution of vaccines, WHO has unveiled its global plan to fairly distribute covid-19 vaccine. two-thirds of the world’s population have joined its plan to buy and fairly distribute COVID-19 vaccines around the globe[5]. As per WHO’s “fair allocation mechanism” distribution of vaccines will be conducted in two phases.

In the first phase, all countries would receive vaccine proportional to their population; initially enough vaccine to immunize 3% of their population, with the first doses going to frontline workers in health care and social care[6]. Then, additional vaccine would be delivered until 20% of a nation’s population is covered. WHO envisages that these doses would be used to immunize those at the highest risk from COVID-19: elderly people and those with comorbidities[7].

Second phase would be dealing with the countries where vaccinations are needed to cover additional people on the basis of the urgency of immunizations needed. The priority will be decided on the basis of two criteria’s.

• The magnitude of spread of virus whether it is spreading very fast and whether other pathogens like influenza are also spreading at the same time
• Whether the health care system of the country is strong or weak, whether it has sufficient beds in hospitals for its patients and other intensive care units etc.

 RESULTS OF THE PLAN LAUNCHED BY WHO

The plan by World Health Organization (WHO) is still in progress and it is said that additional 38 countries are expected to sign soon[8]. Access to the vaccines in the COVAX portfolio will be given to these countries and they will pay for their own doses. It has secured an estimated 700 million vaccine doses so far and wants to provide 2 billion by the end of 2021, with the aim of providing coverage to at least 20% of the population of participating countries[9]. The WHO has also called for moratorium on Covid Vaccine Booster Shots till end of September to address the drastic inequity in dose distribution between rich and poor nations[10].

WHO ASSISTANCE TO COVID-19 ECONOMY

The world health organization (WHO) in collaboration with other organizations initiated a global collaboration known as the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT Accelerator) with the motive of accelerating the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

 So far 10 countries have contributed $2.4 billion to the work of the ACT Accelerator, with the United Kingdom committing just over US$ 1 billion, and Germany, Canada, Japan and France committing US$ 618 million, US$ 290 million, US$ 229 million and US$ 147 million respectively[11]. In just seven months, the ACT Accelerator’s progress has been significant: over 50 diagnostic tests have been evaluated and new rapid antigen diagnostics have been developed and being made available for LMICs; life-saving Dexamethasone treatments are being rolled out, research into monoclonal antibody treatments is advancing; and through the Health Systems Connector, the health system requirements for delivery of COVID-19 tools have been mapped in 4 out of 6 world regions[12].

It is now being reported that the countries who have contributed to ACT will now be able assess economic benefits to advanced economies in result of their contributions. Global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines estimated to generate economic benefits of at least US$ 153 billion in 2020–21, and US$ 466 billion by 2025, in 10 major economies, according to new report by the Eurasia Group[13]. With the help of introducing these policies and initiatives, WHO is now helping the falling economies of many countries to come to the positions they were on before this covid pandemic.

CONCLUSION

In order to sum up, I’ll like to say that WHO is working tirelessly to improve the covid-19 situation across the globe as well as supporting many economies in these hard times. Furthermore, WHO has also given certain guidelines for people to follow that’ll surely help in decreasing covid cases. Guidelines on vaccines are also given. All these guidelines are available on WHO websites. WHO has also conducted free campaigns to spread awareness. These efforts by WHO will only be fruitful when people follow all the instructions and guidelines in relation to covid 19 prevention and also get all the vaccinations properly for immunization. In order to win this fight against covid-19, it is advised to all the people to take necessary precautions and get vaccinated as soon as possible

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[1] ‘WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard’, World Health Organization < https://covid19.who.int/> accessed 8^th September,2021

[2] ‘5 reasons the world needs WHO, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic’, United Nations (9^th April 2020) < https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061412> accessed 8^th September,2021

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Kal Kupferschmidt, ‘WHO unveils global plan to fairly distribute COVID-19 vaccine, but challenges await’, Science (21^st September,2020) < https://www.science.org/news/2020/09/who-unveils-global-plan-fairly-distribute-covid-19-vaccine-challenges-await> accessed 8^th September,2021

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] ‘World Health Organisation Calls For Moratorium On Covid Vaccine Booster Shots’, NDTV (August 04, 2021) < https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/coronavirus-world-health-organisation-calls-for-moratorium-on-covid-vaccine-booster-shots-2502715> accessed 8^th September,2021.

[11] ‘Global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines estimated to generate economic benefits of at least US$ 153 billion in 2020–21, and US$ 466 billion by 2025, in 10 major economies, according to new report by the Eurasia Group’, World Health Organization (3^rd  December 2020) < https://www.who.int/news/item/03-12-2020-global-access-to-covid-19-vaccines-estimated-to-generate-economic-benefits-of-at-least-153-billion-in-2020-21> accessed 8^th September,2021.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid.