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India is already grappling with a significant <keyword id="22641561" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cancer-burden" source="keywords">cancer burden</keyword>, having recorded about 12 lakh new cancer cases and 9.3 lakh cancer deaths in 2019. Even as the <keyword id="22641562" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare-struggle" source="keywords">healthcare struggle</keyword> continues, new research has shed light on an emerging crisis. Analysing data from over 23 million US cancer patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2019, the study found that <keyword id="22641557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cancer-incidence-rates" source="keywords">cancer incidence rates</keyword> have surged among <keyword id="22641558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="younger-generations" source="keywords">younger generations</keyword> for 17 out of 34 cancer types, such as breast, pancreatic, and gastric cancers. <h2>Younger populations more prone</h2>In particular, people born in 1990 have notably higher rates of pancreatic, kidney, and small intestinal cancers compared to those born in 1955. Women in particular are seeing higher rates of liver cancer. Mortality rates are also on the rise for liver cancer (in women), uterine corpus, gallbladder, testicular, and colorectal cancers. The analysis showed that incidence rates have risen with each successive birth cohort since around 1920 for eight types of cancer. The incidence rate for the 1990 birth cohort is approximately two-to-three times higher than for the 1955 birth cohort for pancreatic, kidney, and small intestinal cancers in both men and women, and for liver cancer in women. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112062293" title="Cancers in head and neck rising, account for 26% cases in India: Study" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Furthermore, incidence rates increased in younger cohorts after a decline in older ones for nine cancers, including oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, uterine corpus cancer, colorectal cancer, non-cardia gastric cancer, gallbladder cancer, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, anal cancer in men, and Kaposi sarcoma in men. Across various cancer types, the incidence rate in the 1990 birth cohort ranged from 12% higher for ovarian cancer to 169% higher for uterine corpus cancer compared to the birth cohort with the lowest incidence rate. Mortality rates also increased in younger cohorts for liver cancer (female only), uterine corpus, gallbladder, testicular, and colorectal cancers. <h2>Differing socioeconomic factors to blame</h2>The study’s lead author, Dr Hyuna Sung, emphasised that these increases may be linked to unique social, economic, and environmental factors faced by different birth cohorts during their developmental years. However, the precise reasons for these rising rates remain unclear. If this trend is representative for the rest of the world, it is epecially alarming for India, where the cancer burden is already projected to increase to 29.8 million disability-adjusted life years by 2025. Many experts have blamed factors such as <keyword id="20026286" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lifestyle-changes" source="keywords">lifestyle changes</keyword>, <keyword id="22641563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="increased-consumption" source="keywords">increased consumption</keyword> of processed foods, tobacco use, and <keyword id="21456186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="environmental-pollution" source="keywords">environmental pollution</keyword> for this growing problem, <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112013660" title="Fad-busters: “Sunscreen” pills are the new trend in the market — but should you be taking them?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>“The increase in cancer rates among this younger group of people indicate generational shifts in cancer risk and often serve as an early indicator of future cancer burden in the country,” notes another study author Dr Ahmedin Jemal. “Without effective population-level interventions, and as the elevated risk in younger generations is carried over as individuals age, an overall increase in cancer burden could occur in the future, halting or reversing decades of progress against the disease,” added.” The findings of this research have been published in The Lancet Public Health and can be accessed <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00156-7/fulltext" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

Millennial and Gen X are developing 17 types of cancers far more frequently than older generations, study finds

<keyword id="21333142" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indias-population" source="keywords">India's population</keyword> is projected to peak in the early 2060s at about <keyword id="22386427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="1-7-billion" source="keywords">1.7 billion</keyword> and then decline by 12%, but the country will remain the world's most populous throughout the century, the <keyword id="19896118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="United-Nations" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="United Nations" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="United Nations">United Nations</keyword> has said. The World Population Prospects 2024 report, released on Thursday, said that the world's population is expected to continue growing over the coming 50-60 years, reaching a peak of around 10.3 billion people in the mid-2080s, significantly up from 8.2 billion in 2024. After peaking, the global population is projected to start declining gradually, falling to 10.2 billion people by the end of the century. India, which surpassed <keyword id="19894886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="China" source="keywords">China</keyword> as the world's most populous nation last year, will continue to hold that position through 2100. "The population of India, which is expected to remain the world's largest throughout the century, will likely decline by 12% after reaching its peak in the early 2060s at about 1.7 billion," the <keyword id="19898339" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UN" source="keywords">UN</keyword> report published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), <keyword id="271075" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="population-division" source="Orion">Population Division</keyword> said. According to the report, India's population in 2024 is projected at 1.45 billion and this will peak to 1.69 billion in 2054. After this, India's population is projected to decline to 1.5 billion by the end of the century in 2100, but the country will still remain the most populous nation on Earth. Responding to a question by PTI on population projections for India, Senior Population Affairs Officer, Population Division, <keyword id="6355835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="un" source="Orion">UN</keyword> DESA Clare Menozzi said at a press conference that "India is currently the largest country in the world in terms of population, and it is projected to stay so throughout the century. The population is currently estimated at 1.45 billion, and it's supposed to increase further to 1.69 billion. "It's supposed to peak around the 2060s in size and then it starts to slightly decline. So by the end of the century, India is projected to be around 1.5 billion, but will still the largest country in the world by a large margin." The report said that China's population, currently 1.41 billion in 2024, will fall to 1.21 billion in 2054 and further decline to 633 million by 2100. "It is anticipated that China, the country currently with the world's second-largest population, will likely experience the largest absolute population loss between 2024 and 2054 (204 million)," followed by <keyword id="6355311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Japan" source="Orion">Japan</keyword> (21 million) and <keyword id="6358826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword> (10 million). "Longer-range population projections are more uncertain" for China, it said. "However, due to its large size and sustained low level of fertility, China is also likely to record the largest population decline of any country through the end of the century (786 million people). By 2100, China is projected to have lost more than a half of its current population and to have returned to a population size comparable to that recorded in the late 1950s (50% probability)." Responding to a question on the significantly low population projection for China, Director of the Population Division at UN DESA John Wilmoth said that "it really relates to the level of fertility that's observed currently in China. The current number is right around one birth per woman on average over a lifetime." "Given that you need 2.1 births to maintain the current population without migration, if fertility levels remain at such a low level, even if they come up slightly, any fertility level if it's below two, or especially below 1.8 or below 1.5, you're really getting into low levels of fertility and it produces a long run decline that's quite significant. And that's true for China. It's true for some other countries in this analysis," Wilmoth said. Currently, nearly one-fifth of all countries and areas, including China, Italy, the Republic of Korea and Spain, are experiencing what is sometimes referred to as "ultra-low" fertility, with fewer than 1.4 live births per woman over a lifetime. The report added that the global fertility rate currently stands at 2.25 live births per woman, down from 3.31 births in 1990. "More than half of all countries and areas globally have fertility below the replacement level of 2.1 live births per woman. This is the level required for a population to maintain a constant size in the long run (without migration), with each generation being followed by another of roughly equal size," it said. Pakistan is projected to overtake the US as the third-largest country in the world, with a population of 389 million in 2054. Currently, the US is the third largest country in the world with a population of 345 million and in 2054, it will be the fourth largest with 384 million people. Pakistan will remain the third largest country in the world, with a population of 511 million people in 2100. The report said that the estimated likelihood that the world's population will peak within the current century is very high, with a probability of 80%, a major change in UN projections from a decade ago, when this probability was around 30%. The size of the world's population in 2100 is now expected to be 6%smaller - or about 700 million people fewer - than anticipated a decade ago. In about 126 countries and areas, the population is likely to continue growing through 2054, potentially reaching a peak later in the century or beyond 2100. This group includes several of the world's most populous countries: India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States of America. In 2023, the global number of deaths among children under age 5 fell below 5 million for the first time in recent history. However, 95% of such deaths took place in the 126 countries with populations that are still growing, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. The report added that globally, life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years in 2024, an increase of 8.4 years since 1995. Further reductions in mortality are projected to result in an average longevity of around 77.4 years globally in 2054. Since 2022, life expectancy has returned to levels observed before the emergence of the coronavirus disease in nearly all countries and areas. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth fell to 70.9 years, down from 72.6 in 2019. The report said that by 2080, persons aged 65 or older will outnumber children under 18. "By the late 2070s, the number of persons at ages 65 years and higher globally is projected to reach 2.2 billion, surpassing the number of children (under age 18). By the mid-2030s, it is projected that there will be 265 million persons aged 80 years or older, more than the number of infants (1 year of age or less)," it said.

India's population to peak in early 2060s to 1.7 billion before declining: UN

<ul><li>There are a huge number of <keyword id="946944" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="young-couples">young couples</keyword> choosing not to procreate for a variety of reasons ⁠— sometimes at the cost of finding themselves at the receiving end of 'concern' and/or 'reprimand'.</li><li>Researchers from Lund University in Sweden have found that even a single less child per family can save "an average of 58.6 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year."</li><li><keyword id="10844833" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="couples-without-kids">Couples without kids</keyword> are still treated like errant teenagers making bad choices. </li></ul> India, the second-largest populous nation globally, is racing towards the number one position despite a falling <keyword id="135040" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="birth-rate">birth rate</keyword> of 2.2 births per woman, according to the government’s Sample Registration System in 22 states in 2017. While European countries like Greece and Hungary fear that their dwindling birth rate will lead to massive economic issues and are resorting to paying people to have kids (baby bonus), India continues to face a problem of plenty. But, as it is popularly said about India, just as true as any inference about the country is, the exact opposite has a sizeable number in its favour. So, there are a huge number of young couples choosing not to procreate for a variety of reasons ⁠— sometimes at the cost of finding themselves at the receiving end of 'concern' and/or 'reprimand'. The rationale for not having a child is freely available for anyone willing to listen. "For my husband and me, it was a personal choice we made that just felt right for us, a very special part of which was that my immediate family supported us unconditionally. However, comments from people around us always made us laugh, either they would outright scold us of having enjoyed our freedom enough thereby implying that it was high time to have kids. Or when nothing else worked they choose to instil fear with comments like 'you're young right now but who'll help you in your old age!'" Vandana*, a photographer form Lucknow, shares her experience with Business Insider. However, the decision to not have one is still considered to be a break from the norm. The decision to not have kids can be a personal struggle too: Vibha, a marketing professional, moved to Hong Kong in her 30s. So, while she didn't feel much pressure from her family, in her mid-30s, when most of her friends, who she presumed were not very maternal or fond of kids, started having children, it made her pause and wonder whether her decision was the right one. "It was more of self-inflicted pressure. I was extremely confused, I thought I was making a wrong decision, but I just couldn't see why it would be wrong because I felt very strongly about not having a child." Vandana and Vibha are a few of the many who are branded as 'selfish' for deciding to go <keyword id="2266370" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="child-free">child-free</keyword>. And, while most cannot even fathom why couples choose not to spawn, there are reasons aplenty: To save the Earth: Some couples consciously choose to not have children because of the destructive impact having a child has on the environment. Researchers from Lund University in Sweden have found that even a single less child per family can save "an average of 58.6 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year." Grim world to bring a child into: We do not need to go any further than the current pandemic we are smack in the middle of to realise that the world is not a great place to bring a child into. Asavari Singh, a mother of two, echoes this sentiment by saying, "Air crisis, water crisis, food crisis, war, cyber-bullying, reality TV, climate change… the list goes on and on. It is morally wrong to bring innocent babies into this mess." She acknowledges that while she adores her children, "I have done them no favours by giving them a ticket into this hellhole." Raising a child is expensive: What makes it worse is the middle-class aspirations and peer pressure, which often takes the cost of everything from food to education to healthcare to clothing and other basic necessities like transport a few notches above affordable. The high cost involved in providing the best that one can to the child can be a deterrent for even financially stable people. The challenge is a lot tougher for people with uncertain incomes and less secure jobs, for example, many of those in the gig economy. The forced tussle between motherhood and career: It is a known fact that women who have kids get paid less or lose their income altogether. And should they choose not to compromise and power through, they are subjected to discrimination at work — according to a LeanIn.Org and McKinsey &amp; Company 2017 <a href="https://cdn-media.leanin.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/19212715/Maternal-Wall-Discussion-Guide.pdf">report</a>, "motherhood triggers assumptions that women are less competent and less committed to their careers." Richa Bansal, VP of a private life insurance company, chose the path most working professionals are now opting for by going childfree. She tells us, "Not having a child is definitely an emotional compromise but in our case, we wanted to keep seeing the planet, in particular, off-the-beaten-track destinations and that’s a big challenge with kids. Our decision did make a few heads turn in society but we wanted to live on our own terms. Besides, we also have very demanding corporate jobs, which wouldn’t allow us to give due attention to the child.” Freedom: Many people just choose to avoid both the high and the lows that come with being a parent and that is often considered the most selfish reason of all. A recent <a href="https://www.insider.com/does-having-kids-makes-you-unhappy-2017-8">study</a> recently concluded that the mental and physical wellbeing⁠ of parents declines after the first child. Nitin Gairola, business management professional and adventure traveller, tells Business insider: "In our case, a kid simply didn't fall into the scheme of things from day one, since both of us wanted to do adventure travel around the world. With a child, even your destinations change, besides the time of year or the spontaneity of travel and we didn't want to compromise on this freedom." Being a parent, or not, is a life decision that can’t be made to please anyone other than two stakeholders i.e. the couple in question. But, couples without kids are still treated like errant teenagers making bad choices. Advice flows from all corner⁠ — everyone in between the domestic help at home to the random stranger at the gym. Ironically, not everyone parts with the same jaded wisdom. For instance, in the case of Vibha, among her acquaintances, men have been more 'concerned' about her decision than the women. As she put it, the men she meets find it "very amusing" that she doesn't want to have a child. Some have even suggested, "it's better you freeze your eggs because you are going to change your mind." *Name changed

The decision not to have a kid is personal⁠ — but the social pressure against the choice is all-pervasive

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Indian economy has grown strongly under Narendra Modi, whose party is set to win another term.</li><li>India's success has caught the eye of figures including Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook.</li></ul>India's powerful economic growth and blossoming middle class under Narendra Modi have caught the eye of corporate titans like Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook.Modi is pretty much a shoo-in for a third term as prime minister after the national election now underway ends on June 1. But the work starts there, as he'll have to navigate thorny issues such as youth unemployment, income inequality, and reliance on sanctioned Russian oil.<h2>Fueling growth and shaking hands</h2>India's economy has more than doubled in size during Modi's decade in charge to more than $3.7 trillion last year.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2024/04/29/asias-growth-and-inflation-outlook-improves-but-risks-remain">recently upgraded</a> its growth forecast for real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a robust 7.8% this year, 6.8% in 2025, and 6.5% in 2026.India has already overtaken Britain to become the world's fifth-largest economy. It's on track to leapfrog Japan and Germany into third spot behind the US and China by 2027.The country's flagship stock index has also tripled in value since Modi took office in May 2014, thanks to wealth gains and growing investment appetites.Moreover, <a target="_blank" href="https://sbi.co.in/documents/13958/36530824/270224-HCES_Feb24.pdf">one estimate</a> puts the percentage of the Indian population living on less than $2.15 a day at below 5%, down from 12% in 2011. However, the <a target="_blank" href="https://pip.worldbank.org/country-profiles/IND">World Bank</a> pegged that figure at nearly 13% in 2021.India's middle class has also ballooned with 60 million people now earning the rupee equivalent of more $10,000 a year — about $37,200 once adjusted for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/profile/IND">purchasing power</a>. Goldman Sachs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/indias-affluent-population-is-likely-to-hit-100-million-by-2027.html">expects</a> the ranks of the relatively affluent to swell to 100 million by 2027."Modi has done an unbelievable job in India," JPMorgan's Dimon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-economy-inflation-recession-stagflation-geopolitics-crypto-bitcoin-2024-4">told</a> the Economic Club of New York last month. "I know the liberal press here, they beat the hell out of him. He's taken 400 million people out of poverty."Musk has <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1781541775183610310">posted</a> on X that he's looking forward to visiting India and meeting Modi this year. He delayed his trip last month, blaming "very heavy Tesla obligations." The pair are expected to discuss Tesla building a multibillion-dollar factory in the country.As for Apple's Cook, he hailed India on a November earnings call as an "incredibly exciting market" and a "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tim-cook-obsessed-india-consumers-iphone-2023-7">major focus of ours</a>" given the explosive growth in potential customers as locals get richer.<div type="image" title="Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook, Narendra Modi, Joe Biden" height="3907" width="5861" msid="109838230" hostid="261" sizebytes="846512"></div>Modi has also met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft boss Satya Nadella, and Alphabet's Sundar Pichai. He's likely to be seeking to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in India — and to capitalize on bosses' <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-china-relations-reshoring-manufacturing-jobs-made-in-america-2023-10">desire to hedge their bets on China</a> given its strained relationship with the US, economic woes, and how disruptive its strict pandemic lockdowns were to global supply chains."India's population and economic growth numbers are causing a lot of global executives to revisit their India presence and consider scaling up," Richard Rossow, a senior advisor and chair in US-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies, told Business Insider."Paired with increased concerns about supply chain resilience and security concerns about China, it's a very good time for a hard push to win investments."The United Nations said that India and China both had a population of 1.426 billion in April last year, meaning India is probably now the most populous given its rising birth rate.<h2>Change for the better — mostly</h2>Modi has instigated a raft of major economic reforms since taking office, intended to make India more business-friendly, and boost government revenues by taxing more of the country's vast informal economy.He rolled out a tax on goods and services, simplified bankruptcy laws, lifted FDI restrictions, cut corporate income tax, and ended retrospective taxation.However, not all of Modi's moves spurred growth."Demonetisation was a key economic policy which had negative effects on the economy," Kunal Sen, a director of the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics, told BI.Sen is the author of several books about India's economy and a professor of development economics at the University of Manchester.He was referring to Modi's sudden declaration in November 2016 that all 500 and 1,000-rupee bills — 86% of Indian currency in circulation — would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-ending-500-and-1000-rupee-bills-to-fight-corruption-2016-11">no longer be accepted as legal tender</a>.The government's goals were to capture undeclared income, get rid of counterfeit currency, broaden the tax base, and bring more activities into the formal economy."The other key economic policy was JAM — the trinity of bank accounts for the poor, mobile numbers and a biometric card. This last economic policy has been revolutionary," Sen said.He was hailing a broader digitization drive under Modi that has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/how-indias-digital-payments-ecosystem-has-evolved-in-the-last-one-year/slidelist/90595832.cms">transformed</a> how Indians bank, invest, pay their taxes, and conduct business.<h2>Prosperity for all</h2>Modi's efforts have helped to usher in a more prosperous era for some Indians, but many have been left behind.Young people are India's beating heart, with about half its population under 25 and almost two-thirds under 35. Matching those hundreds of millions of people with jobs has proven a challenge, with youth unemployment almost tripling from below 6% in 2000 to about 18% in 2019. It still stands at a hefty 10% in 2023, per the <a target="_blank" href="https://webapps.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_921154.pdf">International Labor Organization</a>.The report found that nearly 30% of India's graduates were unemployed in 2022, and only about 10% of the working-age population was formally employed.<div type="image" title="A farmer uses oxen to plow fields for lentils in Nimaj, Rajasthan, northern India." height="3464" width="5196" msid="109838232" hostid="261" sizebytes="690700"></div>"Unemployment is a big issue," Rossow said, emphasizing this isn't just a problem with recent graduates but a "much, much larger bubble: the underemployed farm laborers."Rising agricultural productivity is likely to help farm workers make a faster transition to city life in the years ahead, but they'll struggle to secure modern jobs in the services industry "without significant reskilling and education," Rossow said.As a result, lower-skilled manufacturing and assembly jobs and lower-end services jobs will be needed, he added.Another major challenge will be tackling a widening wealth divide. The richest 10% of the population hold more than 72% of the nation's wealth, per an Oxfam report <a target="_blank" href="https://d1ns4ht6ytuzzo.cloudfront.net/oxfamdata/oxfamdatapublic/2023-01/India%20Supplement%202023_digital.pdf?">published</a> last year.Business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani both rank among the world's 15 richest people, per the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a>. Luxury-goods sales are booming with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.carwale.com/news/mercedesbenz-lineups-waiting-period-reduced-in-india/">long waitlists</a> for flashy purchases like the Mercedes "G Wagon."<div type="image" title="The Ambani family onstage with Rihanna." height="854" width="1280" msid="109838233" hostid="261" sizebytes="99148"></div>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anant-ambani-pre-wedding-festivities-lack-empathy-india-radhika-merchant-2024-3">lavish pre-wedding party</a> thrown by the Ambani family earlier this year was singled out by some as an affront to the huge number of Indians living in poverty.Almost 1.3 billion people live on less than $3,500 a year by one estimate, and India ranks 111th on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalhungerindex.org/ranking.html">Global Hunger Index</a>, below even North Korea.Rising equality is partly explained by a "capital-intensive mode of economic growth along with increasing power of business conglomerates," Sen told BI, referring to how huge companies like the Adani Group secure huge government contracts to build ports, bridges, highways, and other infrastructure.A third challenge is regional inequality, as some states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh haven't experienced the same growth and modernization of their economies as others, Rossow said.<h2>The Russia riddle</h2>One striking aspect of Modi's economic boom has been its reliance on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in early 2022.India went from getting 2% of its crude oil from Russia before the war, to 35% last year. During that period, the US and Europe slapped sanctions on Russian oil to defund Putin's military machine and punish Moscow for attacking a sovereign nation.Despite that, India purchased an estimated $37 billion of Moscow's oil in 2023 — 13 times the amount it bought annually prior to the conflict. Its buying helped Russia rake in a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-economy-oil-sales-india-ukraine-war-moscow-western-sanctions-2024-2">record $320 billion</a> of federal revenue last year.Indian demand for Russian oil has <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-oil-trade-crude-india-discount-barrel-sanctions-price-cap-2024-2">cooled</a> in recent months as new sanctions have made it <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-economy-oil-energy-exports-india-imports-revenue-sanctions-discount-2024-3">more expensive</a>, but the buying remains controversial.Officials in India have <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/crude-oil-prices-india-russia-trade-geopolitics-opec-supply-puri-2024-2">defended</a> the purchases, saying that if they'd bought Middle Eastern oil instead, global crude prices would have shot up.India is also one of the world's largest oil refiners and has helped Western nations to maintain access to refined petroleum products even as they're refraining from buying Russian crude directly.Yet the country imports 85% of its oil, so its overriding interest is securing the cheapest oil possible to support its development, said Neelima Jain, a senior fellow and chair in US India Policy Studies at CSIS."India will continue to buy Russian oil if the price remains favorable and allows for firm volume guarantees, as the country prioritizes energy affordability and accessibility during its rapid rural-to-urban transition, which has led to a 6% year-on-year growth in energy demand," she told BI."In an inflationary environment, economics [rather] than geopolitics will drive India's energy choices."<div type="image" title="Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin" height="3196" width="4714" msid="109838234" hostid="261" sizebytes="426292"></div><h2>India the IT hub</h2>Under Modi, India has made big strides in modernizing its economy, combating bureaucracy, and appealing to foreign investors.Big Tech stalwarts like Microsoft have a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-has-so-many-patents-its-outsourced-the-job-to-india-2013-5">long history</a> of outsourcing to India, but recent efforts to cut red tape and slash corporate taxes appear to have fueled fresh interest.Sweeping layoffs at Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Salesforce and other US tech titans in the past few years could presage a large exodus of jobs to India.Sanjay Shetty of Randstad India <a target="_blank" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/outsourcing-hubs-like-india-to-bag-40-of-jobs-lost-to-layoffs/articleshow/101088673.cms?">told The Economic Times</a> last summer that he expected 30% to 40% of the tech jobs eliminated globally to move to India by 2025."India is going to be the biggest gainer in the medium to long term, as almost every company that we speak to is looking at expanding its India base," Shetty said.Even if that pans out, it won't be a panacea for a country facing not just unemployment and underemployment, but also stark income inequality, regional disparities, and the risk of alienating Western allies by continuing to buy Russian oil.Yet overall, India appears to be headed in the right direction."The growth is real, if focused on a few key states," Rossow said. "India's dynamic technology services sector is to IT services what China is to manufacturing. So there is much to cheer, even as the reform agenda seems to never end."

Tech titans love Modi's economic powerhouse India — despite mass unemployment and abject poverty 

New Delhi, The staggering number of nearly 1.5 million women of reproductive age in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> grappling with epilepsy highlights a critical need for tailored care and support, said experts on International Epilepsy Day on Monday. World Epilepsy Day is observed every year on February 12 to raise awareness and timely intervention for people suffering from the neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures. The disease affects approximately 50 million individuals worldwide, with a significant portion residing in India, where 10-12 million people are affected. Social stigma and reluctance to seek medical intervention often hinder women from receiving the care they need. Concerns related to reproductive health are a significant issue within the community of women with epilepsy. But experts stated that proper treatment can help women lead a normal and healthy life. "Despite the disease prevalence, there exists a considerable treatment gap in the management of epilepsy, particularly in low-resource settings like rural areas of India. With nearly 1.5 million affected women in India, special attention must be given to women of reproductive age with epilepsy, as pregnancy poses unique challenges. Issues such as teratogenic effects from antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and increased infertility rates are significant concerns,'' said Dr. <keyword id="20554579" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="siby-gopinath" source="keywords">Siby Gopinath</keyword>, Epileptologist and Professor of Neurology at Amrita Hospital, Kochi. Neuroinfections, head trauma, and metabolic abnormalities significantly contribute to the burden of epilepsy in India, especially among women of reproductive age. Children also bear a substantial impact, with the highest incidence occurring in the first year of life and peaking between ages 1 to 12. Diagnosis in children poses challenges due to various seizure imitators, necessitating evaluation by trained paediatric neurologists. The experts said that women with epilepsy can plan pregnancies if they have been seizure-free for two years or more. Collaboration between neurologists, gynaecologists, and paediatricians is essential to manage medications during pregnancy and address any seizures promptly. "Women with epilepsy can lead a normal life with timely and proper treatment. It is crucial to address the unique challenges faced by women, including social stigma, to ensure they receive the necessary medical attention. Women with epilepsy should plan pregnancy so that anti-epileptic medications do not harm the baby as well as the mother," Dr. <keyword id="20554581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ak-sahani" source="keywords">AK Sahani</keyword>, Director and Chief of Neurology, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) New Delhi, told IANS. However, the doctor said that the ongoing medication dose can be optimally minimised to reduce the risk to the baby and prevent epilepsy in the mother. "Otherwise, drugs can be switched over to other safer drugs for pregnancy. Women with epilepsy can go safely for pregnancy under the supervision of a neurologist and they can have normal delivery," Dr <keyword id="20554580" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sahani" source="keywords">Sahani</keyword> said. The causes of epilepsy vary, including birth defects, oxygen deprivation or hypoxic sequelae, genetics, brain infections, head injury, stroke, and brain tumours. "Diagnosis involves a comprehensive approach, including medical history, physical examination, and various investigations like blood investigations, bedsides EEG, video EEG, CT, MRI of the brain. These tests and investigations help in identifying potential causes and plan appropriate treatments. Treatment options include anti-seizure medications, with the caveat that finding the right medicine and dosage may take time," said Dr. Amlan Mandal - Senior Consultant - Neurology, Narayana Hospital RN Tagore Hospital. "<keyword id="19935980" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="surgery" source="keywords">Surgery</keyword> is also considered to address underlying causes more so in drug resistant epilepsy such as removing brain tumours. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) may be required in cases where the origin of seizures is unclear," the doctor said.

1.5 million women of reproductive age in India affected by epilepsy: Experts

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11897862" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> says people should be more concerned about the "<keyword id="11920876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="population" source="Orion">population</keyword> collapse."</li><li>The <keyword id="11908743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="spacex" source="Orion">SpaceX</keyword> CEO has said the company will land humans on <keyword id="12055530" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mars" source="Orion">Mars</keyword> in five to 10 years.</li></ul>Elon Musk wants people to be more concerned about the falling birth rate.The entrepreneur shared his worries in a series of tweets on Wednesday, following a general decline in birthrate amid the pandemic. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pandemic-baby-bust-smaller-than-expected-2022-1">In the US,</a> the birth rate fell 4% from 2019 to 2020, marking the country's lowest number of births since 1979.Musk, who is the founder and CEO of space exploration company SpaceX, is aiming to put humans in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-government-mars-colony-direct-democracy-no-representatives-shorter-laws-2021-12">settlement on Mars.</a> He said in a podcast last month that SpaceX will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-mars-spacex-land-starship-rockets-2030-europe-2021-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">land humans</a> on the planet with its Starship rocket in five to 10 years.But if the demographic crisis doesn't let up, there won't be enough people for Mars, he said.It's not the first time Musk has shared his worries about the falling birth rate.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-on-demographics-population-ageing-2021-12">Last month,</a> he said that unless people have more children, "civilization is going to crumble.""I think one of the biggest risks to civilization is the low birth rate and the rapidly declining birthrate," said the father of six at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&amp;postSource=bi%7C61aee03b9a6f022ca601f537&amp;sc=false&amp;type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Flivecoverage%2Fwsj-ceo-council-tesla-intel-reddit-pfizer&amp;sessionid=1642575824755b1u3ywm0" rel="nofollow sponsored noindex">The Wall Street Journal's annual CEO Council.</a>According to the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CBRT.IN">World Bank,</a> the global birthrate has been steadily declining since 1960. Economic uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the trend of falling birthrates, wrote Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos, a market research firm on the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/birthrates-declining-globally-why-matters/">World Economic Forum</a> website.Birth rates are also falling in the world's two most populous countries, China and India.<a href="http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202201/t20220117_1826409.html">China's Department of Statistics</a> announced on Monday that the country's birth rate plummeted to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/birth-rate-mainland-china-2021-drops-record-low-2022-01-17/">record low</a> of 7.52 births per 1,000 people in 2021. That's even though the country scrapped its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-one-child-policy-demographic-time-bomb-2017-5">decades-old one-child policy</a> in 2016 and is now allowing couples to have up to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-three-child-policy-kids-limit-low-birthrate-2021-5">three children</a>. And India's fertility rate fell to below a key replacement level last year, according to the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/for-first-time-indias-fertility-rate-below-replacement-level/articleshow/87899133.cms">Times of India.</a>

Elon Musk laments the declining birth rate: 'If there aren't enough people for Earth, then there definitely won't be enough for Mars'

<ul><li>The <keyword id="11924074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="Orion">Shark Tank India</keyword> judge says gatekeepers of the app ecosystem – Apple and <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google" source="keywords">Google</keyword> – are the new East India Company and they operate with complete arrogance and impunity.</li><li>Just as startup founders are coming under pressure, venture capitalists and auditors too need to be held accountable for their behaviour.</li><li><keyword id="20225195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank" source="keywords">Shark Tank</keyword> India has become a catalyst for driving entrepreneurship and giving it legitimacy. </li></ul> <keyword id="127971" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="anupam-mittal" source="Orion">Anupam Mittal</keyword> is India’s original internet entrepreneur, who is the founder and CEO of People Group. Way before platform economy became a buzzword, Mittal built a platform for Indians seeking life partners. And even today one million Indians find their partners on shaadi.com every year. Call him the OG of startups or a serial entrepreneur, he is a man who does not mince words. In a free wheeling chat with Business Insider’s Malini Bhupta, Mittal talks about unfair trade practices of Google, his investment in Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal and what he thinks is the biggest achievement of Shark Tank India. Edited Excerpts: With some high profile startups like Paytm and Byju’s coming under lens, what do you think is wrong with the startup ecosystem? I think the Paytm issue is a little different. There are two issues there in my view – one is valuation. The company came out with its IPO at the height of the unicorn boom and as a result, their valuation was corrected when the pvt. market corrected. This is part of the pricing game and one can hardly blame them for it. Eventually, they would have grown into their valuation is what I believe. However, the second issue which is regulatory in nature is far more serious. Whether it is justified or not I don’t know. I think there is a little heavy-handedness here as what you are talking about is a payments bank KYC stuff being the reason to shut them down, which could be seen as over-reach since they are not a significantly important lending institution. Talking about what is wrong with India’s ecosystem and why founders are behaving badly is a common issue that occurs when there are high levels of greed. When there is massive liquidity in the system people think they can take advantage of the situation. In the US you have seen Theranos, crypto frauds and an industry that was created around SPACs. Billions of dollars have been lost on that. What is happening in India is a small reflection of that. Greed manifests in two ways – one is the founders who are ambitious who see the ecosystem celebrating unicorns and that gets weaponised. Over time a few start with minor refractions and very soon they start fabricating revenues and manipulating auditors to keep up with the image that has been created. They are riding tigers they can't get off. The venture capitalists too want to see their investments being marked up as their future fund raises depend on the portfolio's net asset value and so they play along and at times actually drive the founders at a velocity that is unsustainable. I think they need to be held accountable by their LPs. Auditors have a very important role here and are perhaps the ones who need to pay the highest price through government censures. They are market participants who have been entrusted with a certain job for which they get paid hefty fees. When they start looking the other way, the system breaks. You have been waging a pitched battle against the unfair trade practices of Big Tech companies in India. What, in your view, are the steps that need to be taken by the government to prevent such unfair practices by large global players? Fundamentally the experience of the internet is through apps – two companies control the entire app ecosystem Google and Apple. Both operate with complete impunity. Two years ago the CCI passed an order against Google around <keyword id="963171" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google-play" source="Orion">Google Play</keyword> Billing System (GPBS). Now they have changed the name to User Choice Billing. If you look at the order CCI says there will be no discrimination at all. Being on the App Store means nothing unless you advertise on Play Store. Startups spend anywhere between 10-50% of revenue on advertising on these platforms already. Essentially, the app store is worth nothing if you don’t have content. What choice does a company have but to adhere to their unfair practices… Now they say that any transaction that happens on apps downloaded via the store will be subject to 15-30% tax/commissions. What this means is that they want 50% of the revenues of the startups. It is the new East India Company and they operate with complete arrogance and impunity. The problem is in getting these companies to comply. Their strategy is to stretch out the legal process and tire the system. Our government and regulators have the right intent but sometimes democracies are messy. As a government, we have to ensure that nobody becomes the gatekeeper to our economy which is what these companies are trying to do. There should be penal provisions for anybody who abuses the law or twists and turns it while violating the very spirit of it. Non-compliance with judicial orders is contempt of court and so there is an opportunity to send a very strong message. These bullies need one arm chopped off in the form of penalties, a rap on the knuckles will not work as they are too big to care about a couple of hundred million in penalties. What is the biggest achievement of Shark Tank, which has now become a huge hit in India? In life timing is everything. Shark Tank’s first season was in December 2021, which was the peak of the startup hype cycle, and it demystified the whole conversation around startups and funding. Shark Tank has become a catalyst for driving entrepreneurship and giving it legitimacy. India is a land of entrepreneurs with every second person running some small business, many from home. A decade ago, if you told someone you are an entrepreneur, you would be told to come back when you get serious. The show has played an amazing role in celebrating entrepreneurship and the startup ecosystem. A lot of companies have done very well. About 8-10 companies that got funded in Shark Tank are doing very well out of 180 companies that came to the show. This is an early stage game and will play out the same way. When you invest in 100 early stage companies, 4-5 will do very well and help recover the investments and some will become very big. A majority will fail. What I found amazing was that the companies that came to the show were not the elites who came from IIT or IIM. These are small businesses founded by housewives and family members. Entrepreneurship is not the reserve of the few. The next decade will be defined by Indian entrepreneurs globally and so there is no better time to be an entrepreneur than now. Shark Tank has put belief in every Indian that they can do it and that changes the game. Many of the founders that come to Shark Tank can do even better than the founders who have come from an IIT or an IIM. I believe that these people understand commerce and ‘dhandha’. The elitist founders are used to being served everything on a platter. Many professionals who come out of large companies or consulting firms cannot start without large funding. Out of the 100 unicorns we have, many will spectacularly fail in 2024 as they were built on the wrong foundations. These companies were built on a template of Ivy League founders and old school networks and so they got funded. Of the businesses that come to Shark Tank, what sectors can do well and stand a better chance of being funded? Indians now have the same aspirations as people in other parts of the world. Anybody who comes in and can bridge the gap between aspiration and affordability will do well especially in lifestyle. For example - Companies in the clothing and jewellery space will do well if they can deliver high aspiration at a value pricing. Last year a company called Snitch came with a revenue of Rs 60 crore and is now doing Rs 250 crore in sales. A company called Skippy, which makes ice pops was funded on Shark Tank too and has a run rate of Rs 50 crore from a few lakhs before ST. I funded a company called Sharmaji Ka Atta which has a revenue run rate of Rs 20 lakh a month in less than 12 months from less than 1 lakh. Another one called Whatsapp Wellness just got funded by HUL. Fundamentally, companies that can build premium products but don’t break the bank on affordability in categories like fashion, lifestyle and food will do well. People read labels now and the young generation is focused on what they are eating. Beauty and wellness products will do well as a secular trend for most of our history Lakme meant beauty, that’s how unbranded we were. Do you feel Shaadi.com is still relevant after Tinder and other dating apps came about? Let’s understand why Tinder is used, it is for hookups and is struggling to grow its revenue in India. Shaadi.com is not an arranged marriage platform. Shaadi.com is a planned marriage platform. Indian culture has four stages of life and marriage is one of the life stages. When you are planning to marry you look for compatibility and it is not about a chemical reaction. On Shaadi.com the family and parents collaborate to find a partner. The old community networks are now dying and we replace those networks. We are bringing together people in the same life stage to find a like-minded partner. The hook-up sites don’t do that and don't understand the Indian ethos. They are applying the same global model to India which does not work beyond a certain point. You were the original internet entrepreneur with a disruptive product. Why did you not create a large business that went on to become a decacorn or a unicorn? It depends on how you define success. If the definition is labels such as decacorn and unicorn, then that's not the game we are playing. Those are vanity labels that I would rather not pursue. Our definition of success is value creation and we are long-term compounders, much like Berkshire &amp; LVMH, so in a sense our ‘overnight’ success story is still waiting to become obvious to the world. From that lens, our ROCE is perhaps the best in the industry we have only ever raised about $20 mn but created several billion in value between our operated and invested cos. Our investee companies employ thousands, have raised over $20 bn and will go on to create $100 bn in value over time, in the bargain generating tremendous wealth for the country and hopefully for us too. We boast an IRR of 52% consistently for more than a decade which is extraordinary by any standards and a testament to our approach and story. Many people build businesses but we were fortunate to create entire industries such as online matchmaking via Shaadi.com, which we still run; proptech company Makaan.com which we sold to NewsCorp very handsomely; India’s first &amp; still the largest digital ad agency, Interactive Avenues, which we sold to IPG at a benchmark price that is yet to be crossed; India’s first mobile gaming company, Mauj Mobile which spawned a massive industry. So, whether it is our customers, employees, shareholders, the country or society at large, I think we have already impacted 10s of millions and while we don’t have a market listed entity like Jio or TCS to show for it, we have delivered massive national and global level impact. Keep in mind that we are most often the first to check into investee cost and every company we have founded has been the first in its industry. Our innovations have generated billions of dollars in wealth and given rise to innumerable founders and entrepreneurs who have learnt at our companies and gone on to build massive companies of their own. Further, I am still very young and the Indian opportunity is only now unfolding. In the next couple of years, you will see some of our other bets in space exploration, mobility real edtech, &amp; sustainable fintech come into the limelight besides something very special we are building on our own. So, in short, I still remain the OG and if you force me to use your labels we have birthed not one or two but several Unicorns &amp; Decacorns and that too with very limited capital. It is perhaps one of the most spectacular untold stories of value creation in the digital economy. Ola is one company that is headed for an IPO and you own 2% in the company. How did that happen? When we invested in Ola, there was not much of a concept of venture funding and the company did not have any suitors so we were able to get in at a very attractive valuation and hold an extremely healthy minority stake which obviously has been diluted over time. I think the network effects are so large that it is hard for others to get into it. I am still a shareholder and looking forward to the initial public offering. I invested in 2012 and when I met Bhavish first, I did not understand the problem he was solving as I live in Mumbai where cabs are available. So I did not think there was a problem. A few days later when I was in Delhi and needed a cab, I was told that they would call a taxi stand. After I came back from Delhi, I realised there was a problem everywhere. And I used to call the call centre and Bhavish used to answer the call centre, which showed me his commitment and reminded me of myself when I had started and so I invested.

Anupam Mittal hits out at Google — 'Tech bullies need one arm chopped off in the form of penalties'

<ul><li><keyword id="9560611" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="national-simplicity-day" source="Orion">National Simplicity Day</keyword> honours <keyword id="2975069" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="henry-david" source="Orion">Henry David</keyword> on his birth anniversary. </li><li>Civil Disobedience by Henry David influenced prominent figures such as <keyword id="6355532" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mahatma-gandhi" source="Orion">Mahatma Gandhi</keyword>, <keyword id="168376" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="leo-tolstoy" source="Orion">Leo Tolstoy</keyword>, and Martin Luther King Jr. </li><li>The theme for 2022 is ‘Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities.</li></ul>National Simplicity Day is celebrated every year on July 12 to honour American philosopher and writer Henry <keyword id="3076079" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="david-thoreau" source="Orion">David Thoreau</keyword> and his initiative toward simplicity. "As you simplify your life, the universe's rules will become simpler," Thoreau had said to celebrate the unadorned standard of living with little or no tribulations. Apart from being a philosopher, he was also a naturalist, abolitionist, historian and transcendentalist writer. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="History and significance" comment="subhead" text="History and significance">History and significance</cmsannotation> Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts, USA. Through his notable essay on civil disobedience, the author influenced prominent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, and Martin Luther King Jr. The special day arose from the desire to be free of worldly things that cause stress in our daily lives. It highlights the importance of breaking free from the shackles of the modern world and learning how to live life to the fullest without spending time in the virtual world. Worldwide, people spend most of their time on social media, mobile phones, and other forms of technology. The National Simplicity day can help to break the technology chain and help live ordinarily. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The theme for 2022" comment="subhead" text="The theme for 2022">The theme for 2022</cmsannotation> This year, the National Simplicity Day theme is ‘Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities’. The theme suggests that people should spend a bare minimum scrutinizing the world's current situation with the rising inflation rate and crisis. People should spend their money on necessities rather than engage in frivolous purchases. ALSO SEE <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/meet-sini-shetty-a-bharatanatyam-dancer-the-winner-of-femina-miss-india-world-2022/slidelist/92651317.cms" style="">Meet Sini Shetty, a Bharatanatyam dancer &amp; the winner of Femina Miss India World 2022</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/some-interesting-facts-about-shakuntala-devi-a-human-computer/articleshow/72492144.cms" style="">Shakuntala Devi - Contribution of Shakuntala Devi in Mathematics</a>

National Simplicity Day, the birth anniversary of the man who influenced Gandhi and Martin Luther King

<ul><li>Under the <keyword id="5287702" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pradhan-Mantri-Matru-Vandana-Yojana">Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana</keyword> (PMMVY) scheme, the government extends ₹5,000 to the expecting mothers as the conditional compensation against wages. </li><li>Merely 12% women received all three installments under the centre’s scheme — with Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh benefitting the most. </li><li>A recent <keyword id="56000" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNICEF">UNICEF</keyword> report shows that the mortality rate in case of <keyword id="113952" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stillbirth">stillbirth</keyword> and early deaths stood at almost 23 for every1,000 live births.</li></ul>Four in five expecting mothers in India did not receive any assistance under the government’s <keyword id="105406" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="maternity-benefits">maternity benefits</keyword> scheme in 2018-19, Indiaspend <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/maternity-benefits-what-centre-can-learn-from-tamil-nadu-odisha/">reported </a>citing the Ministry of Women &amp; Child Development. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana <a href="https://wcd.nic.in/schemes/pradhan-mantri-matru-vandana-yojana">Yojana</a> (PMMVY) scheme, the government extends ₹5,000 to the expecting mothers as a conditional compensation against wages. However, this is applicable to first live birth only and is offered in three installments. Merely 12% women received all three installments under the scheme — with Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh benefitting the most. This may also be due to the lack of awareness on — nutrition, rest, healthcare and medicines — among expecting and lactating mothers. These latest findings are in line with that of Jaccha Baccha Survey which also said that more than 90% of pregnant women did not benefit under the PMMVY in five of the six surveyed states — Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Odisha women however benefited the most as over 65% of all its nursing women were covered under the ‘Mamata’ scheme, as per a recent <a href="https://www.ijisrt.com/assets/upload/files/IJISRT19AUG801.pdf">survey</a>. According to a UN report, roughly 122 women in every 100,000 pregnant women in India succumbed to death during pregnancy or after childbirth during 2015-17. This is way higher than the UN’s target maternal mortality rate of 70 per 100,000 live births. In addition to this, the country’s infant mortality rate stood at 33 per 1,000 live births — higher than that of the neighbouring nations Nepal, Bhutan and China. A recent UNICEF report shows that the mortality rate in case of stillbirth and early deaths stood at almost 23 for every1,000 live births. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/uns-list-of-top-10-countries-with-gender-equality-is-empty/articleshow/72123061.cms">Which country can achieve gender equality by 2030 ? The answer is none, UN laments</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/one-in-every-nine-people-globally-is-suffering-from-hunger-says-un/articleshow/70239270.cms">Asia has 60% of the hungry people in the world, says UN</a>

Four in five expecting mothers in India deprived of government’s maternity benefits scheme

<ul><li><keyword id="7363049" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="janitri" source="Orion">Janitri</keyword> provides ‘medical-grade fetal and maternal monitoring solutions’ to use at hospitals or homes. </li><li>The Bengaluru-based startup started selling its products in March 2021, after spending five years on development. </li><li>Arun Agarwal, the founder of Janitri, walked away with an investment of ₹1 crore for a 2.5% equity stake from <keyword id="544908" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Namita-Thapar" source="Orion">Namita Thapar</keyword>. </li></ul>Despite medical advancements, high infant and maternal mortality rates remain a prevalent concern in India. As of 2019, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India <a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1796436">stood </a>at 30 per 1,000 live births. Lack of institutional births, low-birthweight babies and maternal mortality are other challenges that the country faces. The government introduced several schemes and frameworks like the Janani Suraksha Yojana in 2005; and a framework — Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) in 2013 to address these challenges. However, lack of access to primary healthcare centers and other issues affect women and child development in India. Janitri, the latest startup pitched on <keyword id="11924074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shark-tank-india" source="Orion">Shark Tank India</keyword> S2, aims to tackle this problem with “medical-grade fetal and maternal monitoring solutions” via wearables, and affordable AI-enabled devices and software. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A patch, a wearable and a software" comment="subhead2" text="A patch, a wearable and a software">A patch, a wearable and a software</cmsannotation> Founded by Arun Agarwal, Janitri is a Bengaluru-based startup that launched operations in March 2021. It offers three products — Keyar Patch, Daksh, and Navam wearable. Navam wearable can be worn on the wrist and helps in fetal monitoring, but it’s still a prototype. Made of silicone and plastic, Keyar Patch can be attached to the stomach of a pregnant woman and it monitors fetal heart rate, maternal heart rate, labour contractions and fetal movements. It’s available for ₹29,000. Keyar Patch connects to Daksh, which is a mobile application that can run on any Android-backed mobile or tablet. It helps monitor mothers during intrapartum and postpartum periods of labour by continuously sending relevant information to the doctors. It also generates critical alerts, notifies the staff, and is available for an annual subscription cost of ₹10,000. Together, Keyar Patch and Daksh allow doctors to remotely assess fetal movements to help both the mother and the child. Aggarwal claims that timely monitoring during the last trimester and labour can help save 80% of the women and/or newborns who succumb to complications during pregnancy. Most hospitals traditionally use a cardiotocography machine commonly known as a fetal monitor. However, it isn’t digital and produces graphs in thermal print that doctors study. It also requires the nurse to change the position of the probes on the mother’s belly every 30 minutes. These machines cost ₹1 lakh or more apiece, claimed Agarwal. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Bring a change at the grassroots level" comment="subhead2" text="Bring a change at the grassroots level">Bring a change at the grassroots level</cmsannotation> Originally hailing from Alwar, Rajasthan, Agarwal did his graduation (Bachelor's in Technology) in Electronics from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), before pursuing a Master’s in biomedical engineering from VIT. His decision to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering stemmed from his desire to bring a change in the healthcare system in India. “I had a dream to solve the grassroot level problems in healthcare through technology. I heard my grandmother’s story of how, among the six siblings she had, one died within a year of being born. When I started my B.Tech I deduced, this a huge problem globally, and technology has not yet reached this area,” shared Agarwal. He worked as a patent analyst in the healthcare industry for two years to gain financial stability, and gained further insight into the industry by attending Healthcare Hackathons, visiting hospitals, and watching live deliveries, before starting Janitri. For five years, he worked on R&amp;D, clinical trials, and regulatory compliance for Janitri. During this time, the company received grants from Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), BIll &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Karnataka. It also raised ₹2.35 crore in February 2020 in a seed round at a valuation of ₹15 crore from an angel investor. It raised an additional ₹1.15 crore via convertible notes in April 2021 from the same investor. As per Agarwal, Janitri has raised ₹7 crore so far in an equal mix of grants and equity. The startup has applied for 12 patents, four of which have already been granted. In its first year of operation, the company earned a revenue of ₹1.03 crore. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Offers galore, but conditions apply" comment="subhead2" text="Offers galore, but conditions apply">Offers galore, but conditions apply</cmsannotation> While all the sharks were impressed by the product, Namita Thapar, executive director at Emcure Pharmaceuticals, was the first to make an offer — ₹75 lakh for 5% equity, with ₹25 lakh debt. While she did match the past valuation of the startup, the founder remarked that the past valuation was an older, pre-money valuation. After which, Thapar doubled the valuation to ₹30 crore and made an offer of ₹60 lakh for 2% equity and ₹40 lakh debt. “In this country, if we wish to make healthcare effective, we can’t do it without the help of technology. The day pharma and technology join hands, we can create magic,” said Thapar. Lenskart co-founder Peyush Bansal and CarDekho co-founder Amit Jain made a joint offer of ₹1 crore for 2.5% equity, valuing the company at ₹40 crore. However, the offer was contingent on Janitri making sales worth ₹20 crore in the next year, failing which the sharks’ equity will double to 5%. Thapar matched this offer while adding that with her support, Janitri could easily achieve sales worth ₹50 crore. Ultimately, Aggarwal went with Thapar’s final offer of ₹1 crore for 2.5% equity, but on the condition that if the company does not achieve revenue of ₹20 crore in the next financial year, Thapar will get an additional 2.5% equity. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/we-are-looking-to-acquire-new-airports-through-govt-bids-adani-airports-ceo/articleshow/97088266.cms">We are looking to acquire new airports through govt bids: Adani Airports CEO</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/360-one-takes-controlling-stake-in-mumbai-angels-two-new-funds-announced/articleshow/97083831.cms">360 ONE takes controlling stake in Mumbai Angels; two new funds announced</a>

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