April 4, 2025 – Alcon, the global leader in eye care dedicated to helping people see brilliantly, today announced the launch of wavelight plus, India’s first fully personalized Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) treatment.¹ Alcon is a leader in refractive vision correction and its next-generation wavelight plus technology introduces a new era of precision in refractive surgery, with unprecedented levels of personalization offering patients outstanding visual outcomes with minimal risk and excellent predictability.^1,3,4∞ Wavelight plus has received Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) India approval, CE Mark and recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.¹²

Myopia is the most common refractive error, and globally, more than 30% of the population currently suffers from myopia. This number is expected to grow to nearly 50% by 2050.⁶ In India, cases of refractive errors are steadily increasing because of factors like increased screen time, reduced outdoor activities and lifestyle changes.^9-11 Alcon’s latest refractive technology is an advanced LASIK solution that addresses the growing need with a highly personalized and sophisticated vision correction.⁶

“Today’s generation embraces an active lifestyle, fuelled by diverse passions and ambitious aspirations from an early age. However, wearing glasses can sometimes feel like an obstacle on their journey to fully realize their potential,” said Amar Vyas, Country Head, Alcon India. “Wavelight plus is a breakthrough in personalized vision correction, designed for the younger generation who refuse to be limited by spectacles. We are excited to offer Alcon’s latest innovation in vision correction in India. This launch also marks a new chapter in Alcon’s longstanding commitment to laser eye surgery, as we enable surgeons in India for the first time to deliver a fully personalized procedure, tailored to every patient’s complete eye system.^1-2“

Unlike conventional Lasik treatment, wavelight plus uses Ray Tracing Technology to create a Digital Eye Twin, a highly detailed 3D model of each patient’s eye.^3,4 This allows surgeons to simulate, test and optimize a fully customized treatment plan before surgery, ensuring a high level of accuracy and personalized vision correction.^1-4 By considering the complete optical system rather than just the cornea, this innovation enhances surgical precision, safety and visual outcomes, often enabling patients to achieve vision beyond 20/20.^4-5∞ For more information about this innovative technology, please visit https://www.myalcon.com/in/lasik/

“Many patients come with high expectations for their vision—they are young professionals, athletes, artists who don’t want to be held back by glasses. Whether it’s swimming, adventure sports, dancing, or simply wanting sharper vision for daily activities, they seek the best possible results from LASIK surgery. With Alcon’s latest technology, it is now possible to offer them a truly personalized treatment that is unique to their optical system ensuring the highest level of precision without compromising safety. This advanced technology has transformed the way we approach LASIK, giving the patients 20/20 vision or better, helping them see the world with newfound clarity and confidence,” said a leading Eye Care Professional from Wavikar Eye Institute, Thane, who has completed 100 procedures with wavelight plus.

The real-world clinical evidence of 200 patients who underwent wavelight plus LASIK found that the technology delivered visual acuity results that raised the bar for refractive outcomes, which is in line with Alcon’s clinical study. Key results from Dr. Chandra Bala’s study include:^5*

• 100% of myopic eyes achieved uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 20/20 at 3 months^5*
• 89% of myopic eyes achieved postoperative UDVA of 20/16 and 50% achieved 20/12.5 at 3 months^5*
• 98% of eyes achieved postoperative UDVA within 1 line of their preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) by 3 months^5*
• 94% of eyes achieved the same or better postoperative CDVA than their preoperative CDVA by 3 months^5*

Since LASIK became widely available in India, the technologies have continually advanced from keratometry and refraction to corneal tomography and wavefront aberrometry.⁷ Wavelight plus builds on these advancements, using Sightmap diagnostic technology to analyze and refine treatment plans before surgery, offering patients outstanding visual clarity.³

The decision to undergo refractive surgery is personal and Alcon’s latest technology in refractive surgery can help people reach 20/20 vision and beyond to live free from glasses^1,2,4. This information is for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical practitioner for further details.

Wavelight plus was first launched in China. It is available in several markets in Europe, Asia, and has recently received approval in the U.S.

ATTENTION: Refer to the wavelight plus Operator’s Manual for a complete listing of indications, warnings and precautions.

Rangriti curates an exclusive collection for Navratri that captures the nine divine days of worship and celebration. Each of these pieces in the collection deeply reflects the essence of the festival that blends traditional and contemporary styles with grace and elegance. With an exquisite range of intricately designed indo-westerns, ethnic silhouettes, and festive fusion wear, Rangriti sets up the festal mood of fashion enthusiasts. From mix-and-match, stylish ethnic, all-time classics, to dresses, ethnic wear and matching bottom wear, amp up your celebrations by raising the bar of ethnic styling.

Traditional Fusion Accents

Worshiping the Goddess wearing purple bestows devotees with fortune and magnificence. Rangriti’s embroidered straight kurta paired with matching rust pants is a perfect example to don in for your Navratri poojas. Complemented with a printed georgette dupatta, this outfit adds a sophisticated touch of style while balancing traditional and modern flair.

Wear Rangriti’s royal blue fusion fit for that unmatched panache and elegance! The dhoti skirt and jacket effortlessly makes you look chic and classy. The vibrant colour and intricate embroidery represents prosperity and tranquillity that redefine casual dressing and makes you stand out in the crowd.

Festive Elegance

This Navratri, celebrate unparalleled optimism and joy in Rangriti’s yellow three-piece set. This lightweight and comfortable ensemble features a kurta adorned with monochrome leaf print and coordinating salwar with flowing dupatta that allows comfort and style perfect for ritual offerings and Kanya Puja.

April 3, 2025 – Curious Junior, by PW, is trying to assist the live learning experience for students by aligning skill specific NEP-aligned curriculum. Designed for students in grades 3 to 9, Curious Junior provides a structured approach to learning, to help students to strengthen their academic foundations while also helping them to develop essential life skills. The platform offers interactive programs in Science, English, and Mathematics, Social science tailored to a child’s needs.

As an online academic program, it aims to diagnose the learning gaps through interactive live classes and engaging tools enabling better learning experience. Students are offered personalized support and progress is tracked. To retain the attention span of students, a variety of interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, storytelling, mind maps, entry and exit tickets , feedback mechanisms  and hands-on experiments are used by teachers. It provides personalized attention through a two-teacher model, homework support, doubt resolution and an interactive video player.

“Online education is more than just convenience, it’s about trying to  make learning accessible to students. At Curious Junior, we try to assist students towards combining structured teaching to help and create an interactive space where students can learn at their own pace. Our dual-teacher model aims to cater to personalised attention, helping students feel comfortable asking questions without any inhibitions.” – said Supreet Kaur, Academic Head at Curious Junior.

Developed by subject matter individuals with several years of experience, Curious Junior’s curriculum follows a structured approach emphasizing deep understanding rather than rote memorization. The program has several features like personalised attention through a two-teacher model, homework support, and an interactive video player for parent supervision such as weekly test reports, PTMs, and attendance monitoring.

The focus at Curious Junior is to enable the student community with well-structured online classroom experience fostering strengthened curriculum practices with well laid lesson plans delivered through live classroom experience by qualified and experienced faculties. The learning experiences are heightened with engaging classroom activities including the hands-on experiments through learning kits at Curious Junior.

3 April 2025: Haier Appliances India, the No.1 global major appliances brand for 16 consecutive years, made a bold style statement with the grand unveiling of its latest innovation — Lumiere, India’s only 4-door convertible refrigerator — at the prestigious Hindustan Times India’s Most Stylish 2025 event. Designed to transform modern Indian homes, the Lumiere refrigerator seamlessly blends innovation with premium aesthetics, setting new benchmarks in both style and functionality. Notably, Haier is the only brand manufacturing 4-door side-by-side refrigerators in India, underscoring its dedication to providing innovative and premium solutions tailored for Indian homes.

As a celebration of fashion, glamour, and trendsetters, HT India’s Most Stylish 2025 provided the ideal platform for Haier to showcase its commitment to merging innovation with elegance. The unveiling of the Lumiere refrigerator was a showstopping moment, presented by actress and UN Ambassador Dia Mirza, co-host Cyrus Sahukar, and Mr NS Satish, President at Haier Appliances India. The Lumiere series’ stylish design and advanced features perfectly complemented the spirit of the evening, reinforcing Haier’s leadership in premium home appliances.

Haier further amplified its presence by hosting a captivating Brand Zone during the red-carpet segment. Bollywood celebrities such as Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Shikhar Dhawan, Kanika Kapoor, and Farhan Akhtar experienced the sleek design and innovative features of the Lumiere refrigerator firsthand. Its striking aesthetics made it a standout attraction at the event.

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. NS Satish, President, Haier Appliances India, said, “At Haier India, we take immense pride in being the only brand in India manufacturing 4-door convertible side-by-side refrigerators. This achievement reflects our commitment to innovation and delivering solutions that cater to the evolving needs of modern Indian homes. The launch of the Haier Lumiere Series is a proud addition to our ‘Made in India, Made for India’ vision, combining advanced technology with elegant design. Our association with HT India’s Most Stylish 2025 provided the perfect platform to showcase a product that redefines style and functionality. As we continue to innovate, Haier remains dedicated to introducing appliances that elevate everyday living while complementing contemporary lifestyles with elegance and performance.”

Vijay Nair, VP & Head Branded IP’s, HT Media Group Ltd added, “We are delighted to have Haier India as a valued partner at the 13th edition of HT India’s Most Stylish. As the voice of the nation since 1924, HT has been at the forefront of culture, style, and innovation. This year, we crafted an immersive experience, celebrating 100 years of style through the cinematic lens—where fashion met storytelling in its most iconic form. Haier’s spirit of innovation perfectly complemented our vision, making this collaboration truly special. We are proud to have provided a platform that showcased Haier’s commitment to redefining home experiences with style and functionality through the launch of the Lumiere Series Refrigerator.”

Haier’s partnership with HT India’s Most Stylish 2025 strategically positions the brand at the forefront of innovation and luxury, strengthening its connection with premium consumers. The Lumiere series, with its refined aesthetics and intelligent features, exemplifies Haier’s vision of transforming everyday living through innovation, style, and superior functionality.

The University of Manchester is inviting applications from Indian students for their MA in Social Anthropology for the 2025 session.

The MA in Social Anthropology course aims to convey an anthropologically informed comprehension of social dynamics in both Western and non-Western societies. By exposing you to the vast diversity of human social and cultural experiences, our goal is to prompt you to question conventional assumptions and adopt a fresh perspective on the world. Through core course units, which constitute approximately one-third of coursework credits, you will gain a thorough foundation in classical and contemporary debates in social anthropology, alongside exposure to the unique research methods and ethical stances inherent to the discipline. Additionally, you can select elective modules from a variety of offerings, led by faculty at the forefront of their respective fields, and complement these with a broad selection of units available across the Faculty of Humanities.

Programme delivery: Students will take four 15-credit core course units to a total of 60 credits, including Key Approaches to Social Anthropology, Ethnography Reading Seminar, Contemporary Debates, and Image Text and Fieldwork, and a selection of optional units offered.

Degree Awarded: Master of Arts (MA)

Applications open: October 10, 2024

Duration: 1 year

Entry Requirements:

•  Students should hold a UK bachelor’s degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline for entry to the MA programme; or a UK bachelor’s degree with a Lower-Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline for entry to the Postgraduate Diploma (You need to have 60%-70%).
• Please feel free to contact the team directly for further advice on your specific background and qualifications.

• Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

• IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
• TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70

• To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:

• 6 Week Pre-Sessional Course: IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.
• 10 Week Pre-sessional Course: IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill

Tuition Fee: £30,000 per annum

Scholarship: There are several scholarships and bursaries available for international students like:

• Several postgraduate-taught scholarships and awards to outstanding applicants, such as the Humanities Bicentenary Scholarship of £10,000 for 1 year of study.
• The Global Futures Scholarship, offering £8,000 to South Asian students.
• The Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 fee reduction to Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class bachelor’s degree within the last three years and are progressing to postgraduate study.
• For more information, please check the Fees and Funding page.
• Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan (CSFP) General Scholarship

How to Apply: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/admissions/how-to-apply/

As global e-commerce continues its meteoric rise, retailers face a crucial challenge: How can brands create engaging, accurate, and scalable product content to stand out in a crowded digital marketplace? Lumina Datamatics, a trusted partner to 3 of the top 5 global marketplaces, is transforming the e-commerce landscape with innovative content solutions that optimize the online shopping experience and drive sales growth.

Key focus areas:

• Product Content Enrichment: From compelling descriptions to SEO optimization, Lumina Datamatics ensures product listings resonate with consumers and rank higher on search engines.
• AI-Powered Catalog Management: Their intelligent platforms automate catalog creation, content updates, and marketplace onboarding—reducing time-to-market for new products.
• Retail Analytics & Insights: Through advanced analytics, they help retailers understand customer behavior, track content performance, and optimize strategies for maximum ROI.
• Global Scalability with Local Relevance: With operations across the US, UK, Germany, India, and the Philippines, Lumina Datamatics delivers culturally relevant content tailored to diverse markets.

As retail rapidly evolves, the synergy between compelling content and personalized customer experiences will define future success. Lumina Datamatics stands ready to help retailers navigate this shift with innovative solutions grounded in industry expertise and cutting-edge technology.

Additionally, we’d love to explore a feature on Lumina Datamatics’ journey and vision for the future of retail—perhaps a conversation with the Managing Director and CEO, Sameer L. Kanodia, on how the company has helped global retailers navigate the digital commerce boom with innovative content and technology solutions.  

Dr. Sowmya. M, Senior Consultant – Neurology, Aster RV Hospital

When you hear the word epilepsy, what comes to mind? For many, it’s a vague image of someone having a seizure – but there’s much more to it.

According to WHO around 50 million people in the whole world suffer from epilepsy which is one of the major neurological disorders. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by episodes of seizures (which may not be easily foreseen) and can occur at any age, in anyone. Though there are various treatments available, many people have a problem controlling the disorder: hence awareness, more research and proper care must be provided. Epilepsy is a neurological condition affecting the brain where nerve cells send irregular signals resulting to seizure. A seizure is a sudden attack that produces losses of muscle control as well as control of perceptions, emotions, and capabilities. Seizure is a little like having a surge across a circuit, where groups of neurons erupt into synchronous firing for a short period of time, disrupting the normal circuits within the brain. These seizures may range from loss of consciousness to only muscle jerking called myoclonus. There are two primary types of seizures: Focal (localized to one part of the brain) and Generalized (involving to both sides of the brain simultaneously).

Causes

• Most of the time a person gets epilepsy, there is no such definite reason of why it happened. While the exact causes of epilepsy can be elusive, some common triggers have been identified:
• Genetics: A family history is included and some people are more susceptible than others due to their gene pool
• Brain injury: Vehicular accidents and sports related severe injuries may develop epilepsy.
• Infections: They include Viral encephalitis, Meningitis and other infection which can inflame and damage neuronal cells and hence cause epilepsy among others Structural causes like tumours, malignancies
• Developmental disorders: There are associations between Autism and Neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy or seizure risk. Developmental malformations, cortical dysplasias can result in epilepsy
• Strokes: Seizures can also arise due to stroke

Treatment

The goal of epilepsy management lies in the management of seizures, patient’s overall functioning and minimizing side effects. Current options include:

• Medication: Anti-seizure drugs are the first treatment option, and they work for about two-thirds of the patients. They play a huge role in helping to prevent future recurrence of seizures.
• Surgery: If the drugs do not effectively manage the seizures, there are surgicsl options. Epilepsy Surgeries like lobectomy or alternatively vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) can in some cases alleviate or totally eradicate seizures.
• Dietary Therapy: Keto Diet has an evidence basis; it works best for children who have epilepsy and have not responded to any medication. This diet has more of fat and protein and low carbohydrates and can be effective in decreasing the seizures by modifying the metabolism in brains.
• Neurostimulation Devices: New working devices are created in order to affect certain areas of the brain to help minimize the number of seizures. For example: the Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) where a device is placed within the human brain and sends electrical current to stop the events that cause seizures.

Though the approaches of treatments have been developed, researchers are still looking for a permanent cure. It can be hypothesized that the genetically driven epilepsy could be treated through gene therapy, which is to reverse the recognized mutated genes that cause seizures. Also, research on precision medicine creates the opportunity for the correspondingly targeted therapy basing on patients’ genetic characteristics. Epilepsy still represents a significant concern worldwide and is still surrounded by immense social stigma in the low and middle-income countries where treatment is still insufficient. According to WHO potentially 70% of the people with epilepsy could be free from seizures if adequately managed however only 10% of patients in developing nations get the treatments they require.

Epilepsy affects millions worldwide, and with the right combination of research, resources, and support, there is hope for a future where treatment is accessible to all.