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April 26, 2025
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CSR News: Empowerment of Visually Impaired with Smart Vision Glasses

By
The CSR Journal
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Sony CSR
Sony India announced a significant milestone in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at empowering visually impaired individuals. The distribution ceremony took place at the Sony India’s office in Hyderabad, where Mr. Sanjay Bhatnagar, Vice President, CHRO & CSR Head, Sony India donated Smart Vision glasses to Mr. Bayya Mahesh, a visually impaired individual who has completed his master’s degree and is currently preparing for competitive government exams. To ensure a smooth user experience, Mr. Vijay Chander from the Blind Vision Foundation provided a comprehensive training session, guiding Mahesh on the various features of the Smart Vision glasses.
Mr. Bayya Mahesh expressed his gratitude, stating, “These glasses will be extremely beneficial for my studies and day-to-day activities. I can now read books, prepare for exams, and move around safely without assistance. I sincerely thank Sony India and the Blind Vision Foundation for this life-changing support.”
Sony India distributed Smart Vision glasses not just in Hyderabad, but nation-wide in twenty-one cities such as Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Ranchi, Nagpur, Indore, Vijayawada, and Mangalore to name a few. Each recipient also received a smartphone to complement the functionality of the glasses.
Speaking about this initiative, Mr. Sanjay Bhatnagar, Sony India, said, “At Sony India, we believe in the power of technology to transform lives. Through the nation-wide distribution of Smart Vision glasses, we aim to bridge accessibility gaps and enable visually impaired individuals to achieve greater independence and a better quality of life. This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to inclusivity and creating a positive impact.”
The Smart Vision glasses, powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and LIDAR technology, are designed to assist visually impaired individuals in navigating their surroundings, detecting obstacles, reading printed and digital text in multiple languages, and accessing emergency support features. This advanced device aims to enhance the quality of life for the visually impaired, enabling them to live independently and with dignity. The beneficiaries of this initiative in Hyderabad and other cities have been identified through partnerships with blind schools, eye hospitals and NGOs supporting visually impaired individuals.
The initiative reflects Sony India’s commitment to leveraging technology for social good and supporting the visually impaired in leading independent and empowered lives.
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.

CSR News: Initiative strengthens healthcare access for 1.45 million people by supporting 200 Health & Wellness Centres

By
The CSR Journal
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HWC event
Mondelez India, through its decade old CSR program, Shubh Aarambh, helped strengthen primary healthcare by supporting 200 Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) across four states – Solan(Himachal Pradesh), Bhind(Madhya Pradesh), Tirupati(Andhra Pradesh) & Pune(Maharashtra). This effort has strengthened essential medical services in over 800 villages, reaching more than 1.45 million people who previously had limited access to healthcare. By improving maternal and child health, supporting the management of non-communicable diseases, and encouraging community involvement, the initiative makes a tangible difference in people’s lives, ensuring more families receive the care they need.
Aligned with the Government of India’s Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) initiative, the brand has presented a landmark impact report to relevant government authorities, highlighting key insights from managing these 200 Health & Wellness Centres. The program has led to a 58% increase in patient footfall, with 11,618 high-risk pregnancies identified and referred for specialized care. Additionally, over 7,800 children under five were referred for advanced treatment, while 160 Jan Arogya Samitis were equipped with tools to enhance community-driven healthcare monitoring.
The initiative has significantly strengthened healthcare services across these centres:
– 96% of Sub-Health Centres (SHCs) provide antenatal care
– 84% of HWCs offer postnatal care
– 97% ensure routine immunization
– 87% cater to adolescent health services needs
– 12% increase in pregnancy registrations
– 12 HWCs received Kayakalp accreditation for excellence in hygiene and infection control
– 10 HWCs earned NQAS certification for meeting national quality standards
– 1,028 healthcare workers were trained to enhance maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services
By improving access to essential medical services, the program has also led to a 21% reduction in out-of-pocket medical expenses, making healthcare more affordable for local communities.
Speaking on the milestone, Ophira Bhatia, VP, CGA Lead (India & AMEA), Mondelez India, said, “For over a decade, we have been focused on strengthening communities and improving livelihoods. As part of this commitment, we identified healthcare as a key area – ensuring quality medical services. We worked closely with local health authorities to improve accessibility, affordability, and service quality at the grassroots level by strengthening the government led Health & Wellness Centre (HWCs) ecosystem. We have been able to cover over 800 villages effectively. The insights from this initiative will serve as a model for expanding primary healthcare services nationwide and highlighting the importance of preventive and community-led healthcare solutions.”
Beyond infrastructure and service enhancements, the program has also advanced gender-responsive and socially inclusive healthcare by training over 800 healthcare staff to integrate gender and social considerations into healthcare services. Additional interventions include:
– Iron Sucrose Intravenous administration for anaemia management
– Targeted support for high-risk pregnancies
– Customized health communication materials to improve healthcare awareness
In alignment with the national vision of Viksit Bharat, Mondelez India hosted a Knowledge Exchange Workshop, convening key stakeholders to share best practices and explore strategies for scaling primary healthcare services. Discussions reinforced the importance of HWCs in strengthening healthcare inclusivity and accessibility, emphasizing the need for continued investments in such initiatives.
Disclaimer: This media release is auto-generated. The CSR Journal is not responsible for the content.

Maharashtra ‘Malhar’ Certification Mutton: हिंदू समुदाय के लिए खास झटका मटन, महाराष्ट्र में शुरू हुआ मल्हार सर्टिफिकेशन

By
Rahuldeo Sharma
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Maharashtra: Nitesh Rane Launches ‘Malhar Certification’ for Hindu Butchers

By
Akanksha Yadav
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Maharashtra, March 10: Fisheries and Port Development Minister, Nitesh Rane, has announced a new initiative to register all jhatka mutton shops under the Malhar Certification. He emphasised that these shops will be run exclusively by Hindus.
Taking to social media platform X, Rane shared the details about the initiative. In the post he stated that MalharCertification.com will serve as a platform for certified jhatka meat vendors from the Hindu Khatik community. He also urged the people of Maharashtra to purchase meat only from shops bearing the Malhar Certification and avoid those without it.

Opportunities for Hindu youth

Rane further compared the new initiative to the existing halal certification which ensures meat preparation according to Islamic law. He highlighted that jhatka meat is prepared by slaughtering animals with a single, swift blow, which is considered a painless method. The minister claimed this initiative would not only provide consumers with access to “pure and uncontaminated” meat but also create financial opportunities for Hindu youth in the meat business.

What does the Malhar website Say?

According to the Malhar website, “Malhar is a certified platform for Jhatka mutton and chicken vendors. It ensures that goat and sheep meat, sacrificed according to Hindu religious traditions, is fresh, clean, free from saliva contamination, and not mixed with any other animal meat. This meat is available exclusively through Hindu Khatik community vendors. Therefore, we encourage everyone to purchase mutton only from vendors certified by Malhar.”
However, Rane’s appeal to boycott shops without Malhar certification has sparked controversy in the state. Critics argue that it promotes religious divisions in trade. However, supporters believe it will provide economic benefits to Hindu butchers and cater to consumers who prefer jhatka meat.

Nitesh Rane’s X Post

Rane in a post on X wrote, “Today we have taken a very important step for the Hindu community in Maharashtra. Malhar Certification.com ( http://malharcertification.com ) has been launched on this occasion. Through Malhar Certification, we will have access to our rightful mutton shops and there will be a 100 percent Hindu community and the person selling will also be a Hindu. No adulteration will be found in the mutton anywhere.”

 

He further wrote, ”I appeal to you to use Malhar certification as much as possible and in fact, not to buy mutton from places where Malhar certification is not available. These efforts will definitely make the youth of the Hindu community financially empowered”.
Meanwhile, the new initiative is expected to trigger further debates, especially as Maharashtra has witnessed past controversies over meat regulations and religious-based certification systems. In November last year, Air India also switched to non-Halal food for Hindu and Sikh passengers.

Big Rallies in Kathmandu On Arrival of Ex-Monarch of Nepal

By
Nitya Choubey
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Gyanendra Shah
Supporters from the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal and the members of other pro-monarch organisations organised rallies across Kathmandu to welcome former king Gyanendra Shah, who arrived in the capital city Kathmandu on Sunday afternoon. RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden and RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa were amongst some senior leaders who participated in the welcoming rallies for the former monarch who arrived at the domestic airport in Kathmandu from Pokhran in a chartered flight. He visited the Alamdevi Temple in Syangja, which is the ancestral shrine of the Shah dynasty. 
The rally was huge and caused traffic descriptions across Kathmandu, specifically dense along the route from the airport to Maharajganj.  

Democracy in Nepal

On February 19th, Nepal celebrated its 17th democracy day after the monarchy was overthrown in Nepal in 2008. On that day, Monarch Gyanendra Shah released a video condemning the current situation of Nepal. In the same video, he subtly requested the citizens of Nepal to support him to get back to power.
“Let us proceed with the awareness that we need to correct past mistakes and errors that go against our nature and culture,” said the ex-king in the video. 

Telangana Awards Death Sentence For Honour Killing of Dalit Man in 2018

By
Nitya Choubey
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Death Panelty
The Telangana sessions court on Monday pronounced death sentence to a man and awarded life in prison other of the six accused of ‘honour killing’ of a 30-year-old Dalit man in 2018. 
The killing of P Pranay Kumar occurred in the Miryalaguda region of the Nalgonda district. In the matter, the SC/ST sessions second additional court awarded death penalty to Subhash Sharma. The court also imposed a fine of ₹15,000 on Sharma and ₹10,000 each on the other six convicts.

Killing in 2018

The Nalgonda police filed a detailed chargesheet under the Indian Penal Code under Section 302 9murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 109 (abetment). The chargesheet also included mention of the Indian Arms Act and named eight accused in 2019.
Subhash Sharma was hacked to death by a contract killer in front of his pregnant wife, Amrutha. T Maruthi Rao, the father of the woman, allegedly hired a contract killer for rupees one crore to murder Pranay Premulla in September 2018. This crime was caught on CCTV cameras, which led to a public outrage.

Mark Carney Elected as Canada’s PM: Fresh Start for India-Canada Relations

By
Hency Thacker
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Mark Carney, PM of Canada
Mark Carney has been elected as the Prime Minister of Canada, replacing the former PM Justin Trudeau. Mark Carney, the former central banker and governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, secured 85.9 per cent of votes in the Liberal Party leadership contest. The 59-year-old is a political newcomer, known for his adept handling of financial crises and international economic challenges.

Carney’s Vision for India-Canada Relations

Mark Carney before his election had indicated his intention to rebuild Canada’s strained relationship with India. India-Canada relations had significantly deteriorated under the former Justin Trudeau administration even though Indians represent the highest number of immigrants that Canada welcomes each year. Trudeau’s controversial statement made in September 2023 contributed to this, alleging “credible allegations” linking Indian agents to the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.
During a media interaction in Calgary, Alberta, Carney said, “What Canada will be looking to do is to diversify our trading relationships with like-minded countries, and there are opportunities to rebuild the relationship with India. There needs to be a shared sense of values around that commercial relationship. If I’m prime minister, I look forward to the opportunity to build that”.
Carney’s stance towards India is much more conciliatory and pragmatic as compared to the confrontational approach adopted by his predecessor.
The new approach towards India of the newly elected Prime Minister of Canada presents a godsend opportunity for both nations to recalibrate their diplomatic and economic ties. Considering the current tensions with the US under the Trump Administration with respect to tariffs, Canada and India can focus on improving their trade ties, and reduce their dependency on the US,

Challenges Ahead

While the new Prime Minister has shown intent to rebuild India-Canada ties, it might not be very easy to overhaul the foreign policy. Carney has inherited a minority government and is facing a conservative opposition led by Pierre Poilievre, who has demanded early elections.

Fashion Show During Ramzan in Jammu and Kashmir Sparks Outrage

By
Nitya Choubey
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Omar Abdullah
A fashion show during the month of Ramzan held in Jammu and Kashmir and has now caught many eyeballs in the state. On Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah sought a report after the fashion show, held in Gulmarg, drew widespread criticism and hate. Abdullah spoke in the state assembly and said he had no role to play in the event.
Speaking on Monday before the discussion for budget commenced, Omar Abdullah said, “ I want to make clear that the government had no role. Had they sought permission, we would not have given it. It was a private function organised in a private hotel, but strict actions will be taken in case there is any violation of law.”
“The images I have seen show a complete disregard for local sensitivity, and that too during this holy month,” Abdullah added.

Fashion Show ‘Obscene’

Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed the fashion show ‘outrageous and obscene’. People’s Conference President Sajad Lone called the event ‘eminently avoidable’ while Srinagar MP Aga Ruhulla Mehdi and Congress leader Deepika Pushkar Nath publicly criticised the show. 
The fashion show was organised on Friday in Gulmarg to mark the 15th anniversary of designer label ‘Shivan and Narresh’. 

Vanuatu Revokes Lalit Modi’s Citizenship Amid Extradition Concerns

By
Saniya Patel
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Lalit Modi, the fugitive businessman and founder of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has lost his Vanuatu citizenship after the South Pacific nation’s government ordered its cancellation. Modi, who had reportedly acquired citizenship in Vanuatu, had applied to surrender his Indian passport through the Indian High Commission in London. This move came under scrutiny, as Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat issued a directive to the country’s Citizenship Commission to annul Modi’s passport, following concerns that the businessman may have used the nationality to evade extradition to India.
Modi, who has been living in London since fleeing India in 2010, is wanted by Indian authorities for alleged financial irregularities during his tenure as the IPL chairman. These allegations involve embezzlement and violations related to a significant television rights deal. Although Modi underwent standard background checks when applying for Vanuatu citizenship, the country only recently discovered that Interpol had rejected Indian requests to issue an alert notice against him due to a lack of sufficient evidence. This alert would have automatically disqualified Modi from receiving Vanuatu citizenship.

Vanuatu’s PM Stresses Citizenship is a Privilege, Not a Right

Prime Minister Napat stated through a public declaration that gaining Vanuatu citizenship represents a privilege that requires proper justification for citizenship issuance. The attempt by Modi to acquire citizenship to avoid extradition purposes was rejected by the authorities. The Prime Minister noted that the Vanuatu government had strengthened its due diligence process for citizenship applications in recent years, incorporating triple-agency checks, including Interpol verifications.

Lalit Modi Drops Indian Citizenship

The Ministry of External Affairs from India verified that Lalit Modi submitted a request to return his Indian passport on March 7. Modi’s case remains under active Indian investigation because the Ministry continues to actively pursue legal prosecution against him according to Indian laws. The judiciary in India maintains active pursuit of legal prosecution against Modi due to his supposed forex violations as well as financial misconduct even after his relocation to UK.
Vanuatu, a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, is known for offering citizenship through its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program. The program requires a significant financial investment, but it has come under increased scrutiny following the Modi case. The Vanuatu government’s decision to revoke his citizenship serves as a reminder that acquiring such privileges must be based on legitimate grounds and not used to evade legal responsibilities.

Madhya Pradesh: Communal Clashes Erupt in Mhow After India’s ICC Victory

By
Akanksha Yadav
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Violent clashes broke out in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow during the celebrations of India’s victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday night. A rally organized by some cricket fans turned violent when it passed through the Jama Masjid area, leading to clashes between two groups. As the rally reached near Jama Masjid area, a large group of people allegedly began pelting stones at them.
The clashes initially erupted near Jama Masjid and further spread to areas like Sewa Marg, Manek Chowk, Market Chowk, and Rajesh Mohalia. Following the unrest, the police resorted to a lathi charge and used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Security Forces Deployed, 13 Arrested

Responding to the clashes the authorities deployed heavy police force from Indore city and rural areas to control the situation. Hitika Vasal Indore Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) confirmed that additional forces were patrolling the area to prevent further violence.
Speaking on the incident, SP Vasal stated, “Tension occurred between the two sides here, and some incidents of violence have taken place. The incident took place after the victory of team India. The incident occurred over firecrackers. The situation is completely under control now. I would like to tell everyone that I do not believe in any type of fake news. Adequate force is here and we are patrolling the area. The incident will be investigated, and all the necessary action will be taken in this regard. Accordingly, the people involved will be punished. Now there is news of three people getting injured here. Further investigation is underway”.
Indore Collector Ashish Singh assured that the police were actively investigating the root cause of the violence. So far, 13 individuals have been arrested, with authorities constantly reviewing CCTV video footage to identify individuals involved. Several seen wearing masks and throwing stones or petrol bombs are also being tracked down by the police.

Shops and Vehicles Set Ablaze

Eyewitnesses from the scene reported widespread panic as the violence unfolded. However, Indore Collector Ashish Singh confirmed that at least two vehicles and one shop had been torched.
Other than three injured, no casualties were reported. According to locals many individuals abandoned their motorcycles and fled for safety. The situation was brought under control with the deployment of additional security personnel. As Mhow is an army cantonment, military units were already stationed in the area.

Authorities Ensure Stability

Senior officials, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Agarwal, visited the site to assess the situation. DIG Agarwal stated, “Forces reached the spot as soon as reports of clashes emerged. The situation was brought under control, and no casualties have been reported.”
Officials emphasised that rumors and misinformation should be avoided, urging people not to spread unverified news. Further investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the clashes.

India’s ICC Victory

India’s historic win in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 led to celebrations across the country. The ICC finals were held in Dubai, where India defeated New Zealand by four wickets. This marks India being the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
As India won the finals, the fans took to the streets, waving the Indian tricolor and dancing with enthusiasm. However, in Mhow, what started as a celebratory rally quickly turned into unrest. The authorities are now working to restore peace in the region.
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