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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Rohan Bhide always knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur.</li><li>He worked at Meta right after his 2018 graduation.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rohan Bhide, who moved from New York to Pune, India in 2024 to launch his startup. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified his employment history.I always knew I wanted to build something of my own.I came up with my first idea in my second year of college, when I was studying overseas at the University of Pennsylvania. During a trip back home to India, I built a version of a learning management system and reached out to schools to try to get them to adopt it.It didn't work out, but I learned an important lesson about myself. I realized that I loved how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-everyone-in-tech-talking-founder-mode-paul-graham-chesky-2024-9">founders end up wearing so many hats</a>. You're not just an engineer or a product designer, but you're also a content creator, lawyer, and accountant.That drove every single other career decision I made in my professional career.<h2 id="4f8c8e65-9eb7-42ad-afb1-519b1bff5078">Step 1: Take a job with Meta</h2>I'm a risk-averse person, and launching a business straight out of college didn't feel like an option. So I started preparing to be a founder and collecting experiences that would help down the line.Even early on, I was sure I wanted to work on building consumer products. When it was time to look for jobs, I only <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/resume-tips-google-software-engineer-skills-experience-careers-software-tech-2024-3">applied to Meta and Google</a>, companies well known for developing products for the masses.I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-write-big-tech-resume-google-meta-product-manager-2024-6">interned with Meta</a> and landed a full time role at the company after graduating in 2018. The offer was a huge deal for me, and I remember calling my parents back home to share the news right away.My family knew my long-term goal was to work for myself, and they worried that the years would pass and I would never leave Big Tech and its comforts.At Meta, I was careful to select projects that would enable me to become a jack of all trades. I was taking on projects where I could work across several different domains instead of specializing in computer vision or machine learning, for example. I earned a reputation for being an engineer that could get things out the door — whether it was by learning the technology myself or by putting together other engineers for the project.<h2 id="5a48931f-43ad-49e7-9b5a-c1c1087c0cbc">Step 2: Quit Meta to see how startups work</h2>After four years at Meta, I understood that big companies have a way of pigeonholing employees into one role, and I felt like my learning had stagnated.I quit Meta in 2022 and moved to the ticketing platform StubHub, a smaller company. I had an engineering role there, too, but I was also tasked with cross-functional roles like product management and data analysis. I learned how startups had to iterate quickly and work with limited resources. It gave me my first experience leading a team, which I really enjoyed.Besides gaining technical skills, I was also saving so that I could eventually bootstrap my own company. After work, I took online courses to learn accounting and finance and spent time with my brothers, who have experience in management and venture capital.<h2 id="4fb93422-62bd-4fb5-8c57-a5dc6210ae62">Step 3: Moving to India</h2>Living in the US, launching a startup in Silicon Valley felt like an obvious choice, but I was more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-vc-wants-see-5-traits-new-founders-fundraising-antler-2024-8">excited about business prospects back home in India</a>. Internet adoption had skyrocketed since I left in 2014; the population size made it a hotbed for a consumer tech product; and government initiatives like an instant payments system and acceptance toward greater tech adoption made doing business a lot easier. I knew that if I were to set up my own business, it would be for the Indian market.I finally made the call to move home last year after my fiancée proposed to me. We knew we wanted to settle down in India, and our wedding next year became a deadline to get the ball rolling. We decided I would return first, and I quit my job at StubHub and moved back in January this year.My friends had bets on whether I would ever leave the US or a salaried job, and I managed to shock them and collect some money when I announced my decision to quit.I left behind $580,000 in total compensation at the company.<div type="image" title="Two startup founders standing in front of a background with a world map." height="1869" width="2491" msid="113444544" hostid="261" sizebytes="307874"></div>Since then, I have brought on a cofounder, a high school friend who also moved back from the US a couple of years ago. We are working on launching a consumer tech product in the next few months.I love being back, especially because it means being close to my family and my culture again. There are challenges, too — I've had to get used to driving on India's busy roads.Even though I'm glad to be back in India, I definitely think the US is my second home now. I was visiting my fiancée in New York this summer and felt a bit sad when I got on a plane back to India. It's a strange situation, because I always felt upset every time I got on a plane to the US over the years.Are you a startup founder and have a story to share about your unique career journey? Please reach out at shubhangigoel@insider.com

I always knew I wanted to launch a startup in India — so I made 2 key career moves in the US first to minimize the risks     

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The tech company Sea.AI is helping boats avoid collisions and unseen dangers at sea.</li><li>Its software uses thermal cameras and AI to identify objects in the ocean and alert sailors.</li></ul>Will Harris has been a professional ocean racer for over 10 years. The skipper, or boat captain, sails with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.team-malizia.com/">Team Malizia</a> and has spent more time away from land than the average person."The thing about being at sea, or one thing that's very challenging, is when you are in the middle of the ocean, you really are some of the most isolated humans at those moments," he said.Safety is a top priority for sailors. For decades, boats have relied on technology such as radar to detect major obstructions. But objects like garbage, debris, fishing boats, and buoys often aren't seen until <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/two-boats-competing-the-ocean-race-rammed-by-orcas-2023-6">a collision is imminent</a>.To avoid these obstacles during a race, Harris uses software from <a target="_blank" href="http://Sea.AI">Sea.AI</a>, a startup that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-artificial-intelligence-customer-experience-business-applications-2024-5">employs artificial-intelligence</a> detection and proprietary thermal cameras to give boats a better view of the ocean. Founded in 2019, the French company has been collecting data on over 10 million objects that radars cannot detect. Solenn Gouerou, the head of marketing communication at Sea.AI, told Business Insider that 500 vessels used its AI tech.Sea.AI's widest adoption has been in boat racing to evade collisions. "These are multimillion-pound boats," Harris said. If a collision occurs, he added, the race has to stop because it's "obviously very dangerous."<div type="image" title="Will Harris adjusting the sail of the J2 during a boat delivery." height="2384" width="4240" msid="111691318" hostid="261" sizebytes="304330"></div>Harris started using Sea.AI the same year it launched and has sailed over 100,000 miles with the tech. "We're really trying to use data to our advantage now because <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-ai-extended-reality-disrupting-changing-technology-industry-2023-8">it's a technology race</a> for us," Harris said, adding that boats have several sensors that measure metrics like speed, depth, fuel, and the boat's infrastructure.The Malizia-Seaexplorer, the boat he cocaptains with Boris Herrmann, uses Sea.AI, which helped Team Malizia place second on May 6 during the first leg of the Transat CIC race from France to New York.<h2 id="a39fdd57-fd8b-4b02-83fb-54f5a00e9159">How the technology works</h2>Sea.AI's founder, Raphael Biancale, previously worked in the autonomous-car industry. When he got his first boat, he noticed that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-looking-for-drones-ai-tools-to-help-shipyards-2023-10">watercraft technology was lacking</a>. When he sailed at night, "he didn't have a proper system to help him see in front of the boat," Gouerou said.Sea.AI uses a large thermal camera that can attach to the front of a boat or on a mast to scan the water. Using thermal imaging and night vision, the software detects items that the naked eye would struggle to see.The camera's imaging can be accessed through an app or connected to a boat's multifunction-display system. When objects are detected, the software automatically sounds an alarm to give the skipper enough time to divert the ship's course.<div type="image" title="Boris Herrmann looks at the screens in the boat's cockpit." height="2384" width="4240" msid="111691316" hostid="261" sizebytes="609338"></div>Sea.AI's system then logs the object to help train the software to detect more types of obstructions. Harris said because sailors aren't always looking at the camera — "we're looking at the sails, we're sleeping, we're resting" — Sea.AI's alarm is a "really important" feature.Harris recalled avoiding a collision while his team was sailing "25 to 30 knots," or about 29 to 35 mph, near Gibraltar. He said they weren't monitoring the camera but heard an alert from Sea.AI notifying them of a fishing boat about 100 meters away: "We were probably 10 or 15 seconds away from crashing into it."<h2 id="dd41d159-9208-40a4-9447-07023d1e73be">Building a more well-rounded navigation system</h2>Sea.AI was developed to be used in conjunction with radar tech and an automatic identification system, a tracking system that allows boats to see each other's geographic position.The company's partnership with Garmin, a manufacturer of multifunction displays, has allowed Sea.AI to integrate more seamlessly into Garmin's software. The MFDs centralize information for sailors who are surveilling multiple systems that help a vessel operate."I was interested by the innovation that they put into the market because looking for floating objects was always a critical area," Andrea D'Amato, the business-development manager of the marine subset at Garmin International, said."Our display can be divided into two windows," D'Amato told BI. "For example, in one window you can be focused on the radar, and in the other window you can be focused on the Sea.AI features."<div type="image" title="Sea.AI screen detection" height="1365" width="2048" msid="111691323" hostid="261" sizebytes="77806"></div>Harris said he had the displays for Sea.AI, the automatic identification system, and the radar next to each other on his MFD. The radar and AIS displays <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-artificial-intelligence-autonomous-systems-help-shipping-sustainability-goals-2023-11">help with navigation</a>, and the Sea.AI display indicates where objects are relative to the boat's position. "It's telling us straight away which direction we need to look to see the object," he added.Romain Attanasio, a skipper for Fortinet-Best Western, recently used Sea.AI while transporting the boat across the Atlantic. He told BI that avoiding fishing boats, which are heavily present near shores, was one of his biggest navigational challenges, especially when entering and exiting ports.<div type="image" title="Romain Attanasio stands on the Fortinet-Best Western boat as he sails past the Statue of Liberty in New York City." height="2260" width="4024" msid="111691324" hostid="261" sizebytes="480012"></div>Attanasio said many fishermen don't use an AIS because "they don't want the other fishermen to know where the fish are," which makes it harder to see fishing boats' locations. Fishermen's nets, he added, are also invisible dangers since they create large concentrations of fish and rope just below the surface of the water — an area that is mostly invisible to AIS and radar tech but easier to monitor with Sea.AI's imaging.Sea.AI, automatic identification systems, and radar each have their benefits and disadvantages, Gouerou said. "Each sensor has its own capabilities," she said. "We are an optical sensor. So, for example, if there's really, really heavy rain, it's tricky for us."<h2 id="43a9fb36-8aaf-4a78-a8b2-dc7ed70e2df2">Expanding AI in the maritime industry</h2>Gouerou told BI that Sea.AI was expanding with the launch of Brain, its software-only machine-vision product that can identify objects in the ocean. Unlike Sea.AI's preceding software, which worked exclusively with the company's camera units, Brain is compatible with third-party thermal cameras. The goal, Gouerou said, is to reduce the cost of using Sea.AI's system by eliminating the need to purchase both the software and the cameras from Sea.AI.<div type="image" title="Malizia-Seaexplorer captain Boris Herrmann and his team leave Brooklyn marina to join the start of the New York Vendee sailing race, in Brooklyn, New York, on May 28, 2024." height="2095" width="4190" msid="111691321" hostid="261" sizebytes="403776"></div>The company also plans to enter other markets, such as cruising, commercial vessels, and ferries. Gouerou said Sea.AI recently conducted trials with search-and-rescue boats in France, the UK, and Germany.The future of Sea.AI will be building technology with an "automatic avoidance" capability to reduce the need for human intervention, Gouerou said. Harris' boat uses a prototype of this feature; it connects to the ship's steering system to help automatically avert collisions with small nearby objects. "It's still a work in progress, but it's definitely something that's going to be developed more and more in the future," he said.

An AI startup focused on maritime safety is helping sailors navigate the ocean and avoid collisions

Mumbai, D'chica's, a brand that curates puberty-essential products tailored specifically to the needs and preferences of teen girls, has bagged a deal of Rs 80 lakhs with <keyword id="20292047" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="namita-thapar" source="keywords">Namita Thapar</keyword> and Vineeta Singh on the new episode of '<keyword id="19913228" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="keywords">Shark Tank India</keyword> 3'. In a bid to propel D'chica to new heights of success, its co-founders, Richa Kapila and <keyword id="20348209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vani" source="keywords">Vani</keyword> Chugh from Delhi made a debut on the business reality show. From stylish bras and period panties to fashionable athleisure and footwear, the brand strives to empower young girls during their crucial teenage years with its meticulously crafted collection. Bound by both family ties as sisters-in-law and a shared passion for business, Richa and Vani, the founders of D'chica, embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey after facing setbacks with their previous venture focused on infants and toddlers. Despite the challenges that led to the closure of their initial business, the sisters-in-law remained undeterred. Instead, they embraced failure as a powerful teacher, drawing invaluable lessons from the experience. In 2019, they founded D'chica, a brand committed to celebrating the transition from adolescence to womanhood. They launched their first inner wear collection in 2020. Through their determination and hard work, Richa and Vani transformed D'chica into a brand that resonates with the Alpha and Gen Z generations. On the show, they asked for Rs 80 lakhs in exchange for one per cent equity. Amit Jain, CEO and co-founder of CarDekho Group, asked: "Do you do the manufacturing yourself or have you given a contract to someone for it?" Richa replied saying, "We currently have five manufacturing units which we operate out of." After seeing the products, <keyword id="20380308" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="namita" source="keywords">Namita</keyword> Thapar, executive director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said: "Dr. Garima is a new angel (pointing to the packaging)." To which the founders replied: "Dr. Garima is a consulting gynaecologist with us. We have onboarded a gynaecologist whom customers can reach out to for guidance. We do it for community building." Finally, they sealed the deal with Namita and Vineeta (Co-Founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics), at Rs 80 lakhs for two per cent equity plus one per cent royalty until the sum is recouped. Sharing her excitement on being a part of the 'Shark Tank India', Vani Chugh, co-founder D'chica Fashion Lifestyle Private Ltd, said: "Shark Tank India helped our teen and young women inner-wear brand D'chica reach millions of Indian homes and create mainstream conversations about subjects as taboo as periods to common youth issues like body image and confidence." "With our body adapting bras, reusable period panties and chafing-free underwear D'chica is laser focused on the fast growing market of 12 crore plus girls," she added. 'Shark Tank India 3' streams on Sony LIV.

Body-adapting bras, reusable period panties & more help this startup bag ₹80 lakh from 'sharks'

Domestic firms will <keyword id="6356112" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="lease" source="Orion">lease</keyword> an estimated 60-65 million square feet of <keyword id="181150" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="office-space" source="Orion">office space</keyword> between 2024 and 2025, according to <keyword id="20060150" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cbre" source="keywords">CBRE</keyword> South Asia's report, '<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> Inc's Ascension - The Rise of Domestic Firms as an Office Demand Driver'. Domestic companies have been responsible for nearly 47 per cent of office leasing activity from 2022 to H1 2024, marking a departure from the traditional dominance of global corporations, particularly American firms. During 2022-2023, domestic firms experienced a 60 per cent surge in office space absorption compared to the pre-pandemic period of 2018-2019. Key occupier groups have secured significant spaces in prime locations across major cities, with <keyword id="19913115" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-ncr" source="keywords">Delhi-NCR</keyword> leading, followed by <keyword id="6354321" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="Orion">Bengaluru</keyword> and Mumbai. E-commerce and life sciences companies have driven occupancy in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, respectively, while Mumbai has captured a substantial 43 per cent share of domestic <keyword id="19910880" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bfsi" source="keywords">BFSI</keyword> leasing, with strong contributions from Delhi-NCR and Chennai. The report attributes the robust growth of India's office market to several factors, including government initiatives like Make in India and the <keyword id="19952889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="production-linked-incentive" source="keywords">Production Linked Incentive</keyword> (PLI) Scheme. These programs, along with increased domestic manufacturing, employment generation, and a well-capitalized banking sector, have created a supportive environment for business expansion. Other contributing factors include low corporate leverage ratios and improved access to capital, which have enhanced the investment capacity of Indian companies. India's talent pool, with approximately 2.5 million STEM graduates and a thriving start-up ecosystem featuring over 100 unicorns, has also been a major driver of growth. With over 38 sector skill councils, the government's focus on bridging the skill gap is preparing domestic firms for future demands, further bolstering the office leasing sector. Flexible space operators, technology, and BFSI sectors have emerged as the primary drivers of office leasing, collectively accounting for two-thirds of all domestic activity. The RCA sector, which includes legal, taxation, HR, and media services, is also playing a significant role in boosting domestic leasing. Additionally, Indian engineering and manufacturing firms, which currently represent 7-8 per cent of domestic office leasing, are expected to expand into <keyword id="20270212" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tier-ii" source="keywords">Tier-II</keyword> and Tier-III cities, which are emerging as manufacturing hubs. Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East &amp; Africa, CBRE, said, "India's rapidly expanding start-up ecosystem and talent abundance are major drivers of this demand. As India's major urban centers continue to grow and diversify, the demand for premium office spaces will shape the future of the commercial real estate market, setting new standards for innovation and excellence. He added, "India's top nine cities are poised to see an impressive addition of ~185 million sq. ft. of premium office space by 2026. This dramatic increase in office space is a testament to several key factors driving the transformation of the commercial real estate landscape". Ram Chandnani, Managing Director, Advisory and Transaction Services, CBRE India, said, "Advances in technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), are poised to further transform the office sector. While AI may cause job displacement in some areas, it will also create new opportunities and necessitate comprehensive workforce reskilling. The surge in workforce needs, driven by digitalization, evolving workplace strategies, and enhanced business confidence, has substantially boosted leasing activity."

Domestic firms to lease 60-65 million sq ft office space by 2025: CBRE report

Nearly 88 per cent of the investments made by Alternative Investment Funds (<keyword id="1006423" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="aifs" source="Orion">AIFs</keyword>) under the Startups <keyword id="3483659" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ffs" source="Orion">FFS</keyword> (Fund for Funds) Scheme have gone to five states. <keyword id="6354780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="karnataka" source="Orion">Karnataka</keyword> has topped the list of states with an investment of Rs 4,687 crore out of the total investment of Rs 14,077 crore spread across the country. The Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) Scheme was approved and established in 2016 with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore, with contribution spread over the 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycle based on progress of implementation, to provide a much-needed boost to the Indian startup ecosystem and enable access to domestic capital. As on December 31, 2022, under FFS, Rs 7,980 crore has been committed to 99 AIFs and Rs 3,400 crore has been disbursed to 72 AIFs which have in turn made investments of Rs 14,077 crore in 791 startups. The government data said that while Karnataka got an investment of Rs 4687 crore for 240 startups under the scheme, Maharashtra's 176 startups received an investment of Rs 3,426 crore and Delhi's 138 startups got Rs 2,254 crore. Similarly, in Haryana 60 startups received an investment of Rs 1,148 crore and in <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword>, 29 startups got an investment of Rs 826 crore. Under FFS, the Scheme does not directly invest in startups, instead it provides capital to SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), known as daughter funds, who in turn invest money in growing Indian startups through equity and equity-linked instruments. The <keyword id="104385" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="small-industries-development-bank-of-india" source="Orion">Small Industries Development Bank of India</keyword> (SIDBI) has been given the mandate of operating this Fund through selection of suitable daughter funds and overseeing the disbursal of committed capital. AIFs supported under FFS are required to invest at least two times of the amount committed under FFS in startups. The Government with an intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups and encouraging private investments in the startup ecosystem of the country launched Startup India initiative on January 16, 2016. The flagship Schemes including Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), <keyword id="9949511" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="startup-india-seed-fund-scheme" source="Orion">Startup India Seed Fund Scheme</keyword> (SISFS) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) support startups at various stages of their business cycle to enable startups to graduate to a level where they are able to raise investments from angel investors or venture capitalists or seek loans from commercial banks or financial institutions. Officials said that over 50 regulatory reforms have been undertaken by the Government since 2016 to enhance ease of doing business, ease of raising capital and reduce compliance burden for the startup ecosystem. Besides, to enable ease of procurement, Central Ministries and Departments have been directed to relax conditions of prior turnover and prior experience in public procurement for all DPIIT recognised startups subject to meeting quality and technical specifications. Further, Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Startup Runway has been developed which is a dedicated corner for startups to sell products and services directly to the Government. The Government also implements flagship annual exercises and programs including States' Startup Ranking, National Startup Awards and Innovation Week which play an important role in holistic development of the startup ecosystem. The Government also facilitates participation and engagement of the Indian startup ecosystem at international platforms. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/chatgpt-wrote-6-love-letters-as-the-bard-chandler-bing-an-srk-fan-more-heres-what-it-missed/articleshow/97823242.cms">ChatGPT wrote 6 love letters as the Bard, Chandler Bing, an SRK fan &amp; more – here’s what it missed</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/direct-tax-collections-fy-2022-23-records-growth-at-15-67-lakh-cr/articleshow/97821630.cms">Direct Tax Collections (FY 2022-23) records growth at ₹15.67 lakh cr</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/poet-amjad-islam-amjad-passes-away-at-78-adnan-sami-pays-condolences/articleshow/97815855.cms">Poet Amjad Islam Amjad who wrote Man Ki Lagan, passes away at 78</a>

88% of ₹14,000 cr AIF funding goes to startups in 5 states - Karnataka tops the list

These 44 pitch decks helped fintechs disrupting trading, investing, and banking raise millions in funding

India's government <keyword id="21309215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare-spending" source="keywords">healthcare spending</keyword> appears to be on the rise, but a closer look reveals a concerning trend. While the headline figures might suggest an increase, the reality is a steady decline in health expenditure as a proportion of both the <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">budget</keyword> and GDP over the past five years (2018-19 to 2023-24). This decline is even starker when adjusted for inflation. In real terms, spending has barely kept pace since 2019-20. As a percentage of the total budget, health spending has shrunk from 2.4% in 2018-19 to just 1.9% in 2023-24. Similarly, the share of GDP allocated to health has fallen from 0.30% to 0.28%, as per a report from the Times of India. <h2>Growing expectations ahead of <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword></h2>As the Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> prepares to present the full budget for the current fiscal on July 23, the expectations from the health sector has only been growing. “The Union Budget 2024-25 is a pivotal moment for India's healthcare sector. Building on the ₹64,180 crores allocated in 2023-24 under the Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, we need enhanced tax incentives and financial support for healthcare startups to catalyze innovation. Significant investments in <keyword id="21226679" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-health-infrastructure" source="keywords">digital health infrastructure</keyword>, particularly AI, will improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency,” says Dr Sravani Reddy G, Founder &amp; CEO, Soprav Healthcare Consulting. “Strengthening public-private partnerships will improve healthcare accessibility and quality, leveraging private sector efficiency. Additionally, focused efforts on affordability and access, such as reducing out-of-pocket expenses and improving insurance coverage, are vital for a more equitable healthcare system.” “The healthcare sector in India is on the brink of excellence. There is an increased focus on treating unique patient cases, robotic surgeries, and increasing prominence of AI for accurate diagnosis. To reach the next phase, emphasis must be laid on innovation, research &amp; development, and infrastructure development. These are the foundations for India’s health sector to achieve an international standard of treatment for all,” hopes Joseph Pasangha, Group COO, SPARSH Hospital, Bengaluru. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111730426" title="Pan-India rollout of U-WIN to track routine immunisations likely by Aug end" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Health tax not helping enough </h2>This situation is further complicated by the introduction of the <keyword id="22446013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-cess" source="keywords">health cess</keyword> in 2018. This tax levy was intended to boost government spending on healthcare, particularly for the underprivileged. However, the collected funds seem to be merely filling the gap created by cuts to regular budgetary allocations for health. In 2022-23, over Rs 18,300 crore of the central government's health spending came from the health cess. Excluding this amount, the actual budgetary allocation for health stands at a concerning Rs 59,840 crore. This is lower than the pre-pandemic level of Rs 66,042 crore allocated in 2019-20, even without adjusting for inflation. <h2>Where's the money going?</h2>The intended purpose of the health cess seems to be falling short. In 2018, health spending accounted for 2.4% of the government's total expenditure. If this ratio had remained constant in 2023-24, the health budget should have been over Rs 1.07 lakh crore. Instead, the revised expenditure, including the health cess, stands at just Rs 83,400 crore. Even the additional allocations for the COVID-19 pandemic (Rs 10,655 crore and Rs 15,955 crore in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively) cannot mask the overall decline. When combined with the regular health budget (excluding health cess), the total spending in these years still falls short of what it would have been if the 2.4% share of 2018-19 had been maintained. <h2>More for alternative medicine</h2>While the share allocated to Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga &amp; Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has seen a significant increase, spending on crucial areas like health research has seen only marginal growth. Additionally, a major portion of research funding goes to the Indian Council of Medical Research, with only a temporary increase during the peak of the pandemic response. The most concerning decrease is in the allocation for health and family welfare, encompassing national programs, the National Health Mission, and health system strengthening. This critical area has seen a substantial decline in its share of both GDP and total budget expenditure, falling from a peak of over 2% in 2017-18 to a mere 1.7% in 2023-24. Excluding the health cess, this figure drops even further to 1.5%. <h2>What this means</h2>This decline in government health spending raises serious concerns about India's commitment to public healthcare, particularly for its most vulnerable populations. Increased investment in health is crucial for a growing nation like India, and a reversal of this downward trend is essential to ensure accessible and quality healthcare for all. The 2024 Interim Health Budget saw a boost in total healthcare expenditure from Rs. 79,221 crore to Rs. 90,171 crore. Experts have opined that The healthcare budget should encompass at least 2.5% of the total budget. But it remains to be seen how the exact picture will turn out to be on July 23. “The 2024-25 budget presents an opportunity to build on past successes while addressing shortcomings, ensuring that India's healthcare system remains resilient, innovative, and patient-centric. This budget can pave the way for a healthier, more equitable future for all," concludes Dr Reddy. (With inputs from TOI) <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111689743" title="Union Budget 2024: A handy FAQ guide to decode the upcoming budget" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

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