Why use forecast when real data is available

One sure learning of global financial crisis of 2008 has been the inherent flaws of over dependence of data modelling. The pricing of derivatives were dependent too much on data modelling and ignores the real risk and ignores the real risk of basis, fact tails. WHO seems to have ignored all such learning and resorted to flawed data modelling for projecting on sensitive topic of pandemic induced debts. Despite India’s objection to the process, methodology and outcomes of the modeling or mathematical model or exercise, World Health Organisation (WHO) released the excess mortality estimates. WHO has done this without adequately addressing India’s concerns and taking into account what India’s system of data generation and production says. The World health agency did this despite the fact that India had already informed WHO that given the availability of authentic data published through the Civil Registration System by the Registrar General of India (RGI), modeling or mathematical models should not be used for projecting excess mortality numbers for India.

The branch of Economics dealing with such projections is Econometrics. Econometrics is the application of statistical methods to economic data in order to give empirical content to economic relationships. A basic tool for econometrics is the multiple linear regression model. Econometric theory uses statistical theory and mathematical statistics to evaluate and develop econometric methods. While using such techniques, Economists are well aware of the limitation of these modeling techniques and try to steer away from controversies esp when real data is available.

Under the law in India, the chief registrar of every state is given one year to send the compiled data on births and deaths to the RGI for collation and publication. India did it right by firmly conveying its concern that the robust and accurate data generated through the legal framework of states must be respected, accepted and used by WHO, rather than relying on factually inaccurate mathematical projection based on non-official sources of data as India has a robust, efficient and comprehensive system for registering deaths. All Covid fatalities have systematically been recorded with full transparency following a legal process in the country.

The WHO and other mathematical modelers’ approach towards the data provided by the Indian agencies, appeared ridiculous as they went ahead with their calculations as if India had no system in place to enumerate the deathcount. The WHO simply plunged into calculating mortality based on minuscule samples collected through informal and unconfirmed channels and sources. All this has happened when Civil Registration System (CRS) and Sample Registration System (SRS) data have been made available. Indian law mandates that the informers and the registrar must complete the process of registration within 21 days regarding death and birth. The RGI has a statutory duty to declare these figures. The CRS figure is about 81 lakh deaths for the calendar year 2020, which is 4.7 lakh higher than the previous year. India has even more reliable system than the CRS is SRS. It is the world’s largest demographic survey and has been in practice since the sixties. Through eight million house visit, a corpus of data on fertility and mortality is created.

But, the WHO’s technical advisory group selected India for its modeling or mathematical model without engaging with the RGI. They relied upon media reports, inadequate information received from RTI responses and other unconfirmed sources without thinking that none of these sources is representative enough to justify its decision to cover a country as large as India. Clearly, it’s a disservice to a time honoured and decade old national system. WHO’s act is also against UN systems, which rely only on national data sources. This seems to be simply an attempt to sensationalise and show the country in a poor light, at a time when in spite of resource churn and poor healthcare infrastructure, its global stature and presence is increasing due to its proper handing of the pandemic handing at home and helping the needy countries. Hence, it was an attempt to tarnish India’s image as a responsible country.

Museum Visits for timeline of Human Evolution

It is a pleasure to present Indian Museums and cultural preservation focused edition of #PBNSdailyMagaize today. Ministry of culture has asked museums to remain open without any entry free for the week of May16-20. The celebrations in India are being done with the theme of ‘power of museums’, which is in sync with the theme of International Museum Day 2022 (18th May), ‘The Future of Museums: Recover and Imagine’. This theme is inspired by the changes the world has experienced in the last year and urging people to re-imagine the museums of the future, to respond to the issues we face in the present. It is interesting to note that DYPIU, Pune organised an online symposium on “The Prehistoric Narrative of Humans in the Indian Subcontinent”. Key themes highlight the need to have a fresh look at our history and heritage. A visit to museums seems to be a must do activity from various perspectives.

Cultural preservation too is being seen as an important aspect in New India. Recently, PM Modi has brought back 157 Indian antiquities back to the Indian soil from the US. ASI has retrieved as many as 36 antiquities from foreign countries over the last five years. 55 vigrahas have been returned to India, 42 of which, including that of Goddess Annapurna, have been acquired back in the last 7 years. Parallely, restoration work on heritage sites, historic sites & monuments, excavation processes, renovation initiatives, etc. are being taken up across the country on directions of various govt departments in order to preserve heritage and revive cultural remains.

Whatever we are today has a lot to do with our past and hence study of yesterday and today is leading to our future. Whether it is our biology, perspective or environment, everything present today has its roots in the past. Most of pre-history being studies in classes today are related to holocene period only, which is just the tip of the iceberg. South Asian cultural phases needs to be looked into time periods earlier than that into Mesolithic, Upper and Middle Paleolithic, Acheulian and even pre-acheulian period. What is the significance of studying deep past? Common human origins and complex stories of evolution leading to who we are today, carving out our behavioural and biological evolution.

Last decade has seen tremendous interest in the Cultural History of India. 2020-21 budget mentioned Rakhigarhi, Dholavira and Lothal. Before discovery of Harappan Civilzation some 100 years ago, history of South Asia had discontinuity which got filled with hypothetic scenarios like straight jump from stone age, or Aryan invasion or outsiders bringing culture to this land etc. Now many scholars are looking at multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research with firm belief that small data available at this stage is providing only indication not conclusions. Archaeology, History, Art History, Architectural History, Heritage Science, Geo-archaeology, Geomorphology, Remote Sensing, GIS and Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management are some of the areas that tell stories of true evolution and studies of all these subjects are inter-linked so deeply that answer to one question in one area may emerge as key discovery or clue to solving many other mysteries and enigmas. Thus, research and undertakings here are worth spending resources and time on. Equally important is thinking of ways to preserve and protect such sites from perishing.

Further, Human origin, health and disease are rather closely nit than we imagine. India can be called an ethnic museum with over 4,635 anthropologically well defined population, including 532 tribes, 72 primitive tribes ( 36 still following hunters and gatherers lifestyle). A more detailed scientific study of our past promises discovery of population-specific disease associated genes in South Asia. Though, a genome from Harappan civilisation is from a population that is largest source of South Asians. The population has no detectable ancestry from Steppe pastoralists or from Anatolian and Iranian farmers, suggesting farming in South Asia arose from local foragers rather than from large-scale migration from the West.

Further, Archaeological investigations using remote sensing techniques show astonishing results in expanding our understanding of past. Landscape morphology and spatial patterning of archaeological signature when viewed from above gives a sense of evolution and effects of various natural and human causes. For example, the expanse of Nalanda site is much bigger than the current ASI property, perhaps 40-50 times surrounded by an encompassing canal or Agra having over 50 riverfront palaces, gardens and 2-tier city walling etc.

One who is proud of rich cultural heritage, always works hard to maintain the high level of civilisation and tries to enhance the living standard of fellow citizens. This is where the expand from Angkor Wat, Cambodia to Lebanon’s Baalbek temple needs to have a fresh look and last few years point to a good start of the process. Sea level fluctuations governed the destiny of Lothal, Dwarka, Dholavira, Ramsetu and other coastal towns on Ancient India.

Clearly, Global Warming is big existential challenge humanity is facing right now. Global Warming has clear consequences in terms of Accelerated rise in sea level, change in monsoon pattern, Increase in intensity and frequency of storms, Change in Fisheries pattern etc. Past records from oceanography and geological studies point huge fluctuations in sea level, and highlight the need to delineate natural and human induced changes. New thrust is there to enhance the understanding of past sea level changes through the study of microfossils with special reference to foraminifera in marine sediments of Indian Ocean and adjoining seas.

Leading the Democratic Way

Indian democracy is a torch bearer for modern times, and given its rich heritage, ancient and modern history, it’s story is crucial for sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future of the planet. For context, France became a part of EU more or less from an Empire status, and USA, though an old state, became true democracy only around 60 years back.

The most awaited electoral moment of this year is finally out in the open with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) all set to form its government in three, and AAP snatching Punjab from the Congress. As per the available trends, the BJP is also holding advantage in Goa. The assembly elections in these states- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa have once again amply exhibited why India is considered as the largest and most respected democracy of the world, where federal structures, democratic values and political-electoral choices and differences are always honoured.

While, in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP has made a thumping victory, AAP- a political outfit not even a decade old, is all set to sweep in Punjab, its first full state to rule. Even relatively smaller states like Manipur and Goa appear to head for a clear majority so that the people of these states also relish the fruits of a stable government. Clearly, our democracy is consistently evolving and maturing with the passage of time.

The burgeoning entry and interest of women in Indian political system, coming from all sections of the society irrespective of caste, class and religion, further strengthens democratic system. The way women have voted in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and others, show they prefer peace, security, education and developments over limits and prejudices thrown upon them by some fringe forces.

As Indian democracy is celebrating ‘azaadi ka amrit mahotsav’, every citizen needs to do something towards preserving, protecting and upholding democratic values. First and foremost of them is to differentiate between ‘what is entertainment’ and ‘what is reality’. Breaking political news into byte sized packages has made it an object of entertainment rather than information for views and opinions, on the other hand sports seem to have been presented as content of strong views and opinions rather than entertainment. Self proclaimed political pundits need to engage in their trade with this basic understanding to avoid repeated failure of not judging the mood of voters correctly.

Religious Individuals of a Secular Society

KT Shah had put in demand in 1948 during the constituent assembly debate to include the word ‘Secular’ in the Preamble to Indian Constitution. Though the members agreed to the secular nature of the constitution, yet chose not to incorporate the word in the Preamble.

Dictionary definition of secularism is the belief that religion should not influence or be involved in the organization of society, education, government, etc. The term was coined in the mid-nineteenth century in England by George Holyoake (1817–1906), founder of secularist society which attempted to end religious discrimination in parliament and elsewhere. So, in a generic sense, developing an understanding and respect for different religions is secularism.

It was only in 1976 that the Indira Gandhi government enacted the 42nd Amendment Act and the word ‘Secular’ was added to the Preamble. This was supposed to strengthen the already existing Constitutional Provisions relating to Right of Religion, which are given in Article 25 (Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion), Article 26 (Freedom to manage religious affairs), Article 27 (Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion), and Article 28 (Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain educational institutions).

The interesting thing is that the constitution has not as such defined the terms ‘religion’ and ‘matters of religion’. In a way, it was left to the Supreme Court to determine the judicial meaning of these terms, and one can refer to Supreme Court’s Justice Hansaria’s observation of 1996 in A.S. Narayan vs. State of Andhra Pradesh case that, “our constitution makers had used the word “religion” in these two articles (Articles 25 and 26) in the sense conveyed by the word ‘dharma’.” Justice Hansaria explained the difference between religion and dharma as “religion is enriched by visionary methodology and theology, whereas dharma blooms in the realm of direct experience. Religion contributes to the changing phases of a culture; dharma enhances the beauty of spirituality. Religion may inspire one to build a fragile, mortal home for God; dharma helps one to recognize the immortal shrine in the heart.”

Haryana has joined Odisha, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh to table the anti-conversion bill. The critics are claiming that these bills, by seeking to target conversions, interfere with both the right to dignity and freedom to practise the faith of their choice. They claim that under the light of Article 25 these bills are unconstitutional and some have even gone on to tear the bill in front of the entire assembly. One of the major concerns is the vagueness in defining “allurement” as one of the bases of needs of such bills.

In this light, the ongoing efforts of state governments towards anti-conversion bills and their resistances, bring the matter of personal practice vs impact on social fabric as a matter of debate at the national level. Religion is a matter of personal choice and secularism is the nature of society. India is a country where ardent religious individuals make a strongly secular society. Respecting others’ choices is the basis of this strong social fibre.

Museums for Democratic Musings

In the context of modern democracy, the adage “history repeats itself” is a crucial one for every person to understand and avoid mistakes of the past. One need not repeat the mistakes of the past to learn a lesson, just knowing and studying them can do the trick. This is where monuments and museums play a crucial role. India is a torch bearer for modern times, and given its rich heritage, ancient and modern history, it’s story is crucial for a sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future of the planet. For context, France became part of the EU more or less from an Empire status, and the USA, though an old state, became a true democracy only around 60 years back. As Indian democracy is celebrating ‘azaadi ka amrit mahotsav’, every citizen needs to do something towards preserving, protecting and upholding democratic values. First and foremost of these is to differentiate between ‘what is entertainment’ and ‘what is reality’ – where monuments and museums play a key role.

To a land that saw over 9 million manually-written sacred manuscripts burnt to the ground as the Nalanda University library was set ablaze for three painful long months, every article of inheritance that can preserve even a bit of India’s lost history matters.

On lines of the commitment between India and US to “combat theft, illicit trade, and trafficking of cultural objects”, US President Joe Biden returned 248 Indian antiquities to India, 157 of which were brought back to Indian soil by PM Modi (following his visit to US in September 2021). Earlier, in March 2021, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism had conveyed taht the Archaeological Survey of India had retrieved as many as 36 antiquities from foreign countries over the last five years. As for vigrahas of Gods and Godessess alone, since 1976, 55 vigrahas have been returned to India, 42 of which, including that of Goddess Annapurna, have been acquired back in the last 7 years.

Along with these retrieval efforts and upgrading existing museums, focus has also been on constructing new museums with engaging exhibits and content, leveraging modern technologies such as digital, augmented reality and virtual reality. From museums based on food security (Food Security Museum at Thanjavur) to museums featuring the Indian railways, there are over 1000s of them in the country. Museums in India have also gone digital, to not only remain relevant during the pandemic but to also use technology to its advantage. As of July 2021, more than 2.8 lakh artifacts of ten government museums and galleries under the Ministry of Culture were available online. Culture Ministry’s ‘Museum Grant Scheme’ provides financial assistance to State governments, societies, autonomous bodies, local bodies, and Trusts registered under the Societies Act for the digitization of art objects in the museums across the country for making their images/catalog available over the website for online access.

In January 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a set of 4 museums at Red Fort, one of which is dedicated to Netaji and the INA, known as Kranti Mandir. The complex includes Yaad-e-Jallian Museum on Jallianwala Bagh and World War 1, a Museum on 1857- India’s First War of Independence, and Drishyakala- a Museum on Indian Art which has 4 historical exhibitions, spanning three centuries, with over 450 works of art. Similarly, the newly built museum of Prime Ministers at Teen Murti Estate is ready now, and these efforts are important to engage every Indian towards a vibrant democracy.

Communicating Love, Peace and Truth

Mahatma Gandhi inspires love, peace and truth in all parties of WWII and others when he says, “If you want to give a message, it must be a message of Love, it must be a message of Truth. I want to capture your hearts. Let your hearts clap in unison with what I’m saying. A friend asked yesterday ‘did I believe in One World?’ How can I possibly do otherwise? Of course I believe in One World!”. A beautiful Telecom Italia Ad of 2004 showed the message being played across all possible audio and/or visual media across the globe and ends with a tagline, “If only he could have communicated like this”. So true!

One of the most important aspects for development and advancement of Human civilization has been Communication. The powerful ideas that shaped and advanced religion, science, politics etc. had a combination of person(s) and technology working together. A successful mass communication can be viewed as the process of creating and sharing ideas, information, views, facts, feelings, etc. among masses to reach a common understanding. A leader may be highly qualified and skilled but if (s)he does not possess good communication skills and knack to use the right technology, all these become irrelevant.

Mann ki Baat, a radio programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proven to be one successful experiment of mass communication. It has helped him to establish dialogue with citizens on issues of day to day governance. Through this monthly broadcast he has been able to reach the masses across the country and has also provided every citizen the opportunity to connect, suggest, and become part of participatory governance. As per the audience data measured by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) of Television Channels, the cumulative reach of viewership of the programme has been estimated to range from approximately 6 crore to 14.35 crores during the period 2018 to 2020. Prasar Bharati broadcasts this programme in 23 languages and 29 dialects on its AIR Network. In addition, Prasar Bharati also telecasts the visualised versions of this programme in Hindi and other languages on its various DD channels. This programme is also broadcast by approximately 91 private satellite TV channels on Cable and DTH platforms across the country. PBNS & DP helps with messaging on social media platforms and also through “NewsOnAir” mobile application and website.

According to a US-based global leader approval tracker, Morning Consult, PM Modi continues to be world’s most popular leader with an approval rating of 71% of India’s adult population, much ahead of Italy’s Draghi (60%), USA’s Biden(43%) or Australia’s Morrison (41%). He has seen a significant jump in the number of supporters since the worst of second wave of Covid-19 in May 2021, when it was 63%. Remarkable aspect of his popularity as a leader is the low and declining number of disapprovers (May 2021: 31% to Jan 2022: 21%). Clearly, masses are connecting with his message that “In the eyes of the world, being prime minister and chief minister may be a very big thing but in my own eyes, these are ways to do something for the people”. More than a crore postcards received from youngsters for his MKB is proof of connect with Gen Y and Z and perhaps even with Gen Alpha.

As for the medium of MKB, Radio is going to be back when roads allow large number of long distance travelling feasible . With tools like podcasts, streaming services over Satellite internet and Satellite Radio, the technology can prove to be an instrument of peace. The access which the Mahatma lacked in the struggle for Independence is now available to be exploited not only for commercial use but also for spreading the right word about humanity and coexistence of communities. In a future ready setup for radio technologies by moving from conventional networking over terrestrial hops to satellite routes bolstered with a wide array of optical networks, one can truly establish a meaningful global village. In Radio broadcasts, from Air Waves to Space waves is the future, From Aakashvani to Antrikshvani!

 

Courage and Strength for Freedom

What a fantastic day to remind us that Freedom is the most cherished thing. In the celebrations of the return of Mahatma Gandhi or Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Parkash Parab on the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and also on the occasion of Ramana Maharshi Jayanti, we are continuously reminded of the immense struggle to achieve freedom.

Martin Luther King Jr has said that “Freedom has always been an expensive thing . History is fit testimony to the fact that freedom is rarely gained without sacrifice and self-denial.” Young Indians need to dwell on his remarks that “There is nothing more majestic than the determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their freedom and dignity.”

While celebrating the Pravasi Bharatiya divas, it is worth noting that India is among the very few countries which has an extensive and evolving policy framework for engagement with diaspora. Youth, both from India as well as the diaspora community, have made a remarkable journey in innovation, technology and creativity and PM Modi‘s priority is to build everlasting links with the Indian diaspora the world over. India’s capabilities always benefit humanity and it has been at the forefront of mitigation of global challenges specially against colonialism and terrorism which gave strength to the world to face these menaces.

One must always remember Ramana Maharishi’s message of absolute freedom coming out of self-inquiry where he demonstrated a life of absolute consciousness. People across the world are struggling with hectic ambition and stressful loneliness and one sure way of total freedom is delving upon “Who am I?” and following the teachings of Bhagwan. He has said that “…Freedom is not somewhere else…The real freedom is only knowing the Self,within yourself. Concentrate, and you will get it.”

In his life of 42 years, when an ordinary youth is bogged down with issues of settling in life, Guru Govind Singh ji sacrificed his entire family to save the dignity and heritage of the Motherland. Wielding the mighty power of his Kripan, not to terrorise, but to defend against the oppressive and brutal Mughals. A true democrat, he established the seat of the Panj Payaras, an order that had place for all, beyond the barriers of religion, caste, creed or gender. Prime Minister Modi has shared that starting this year, 26th December shall be marked as “Veer Baal Diwas” as a tribute to the courage of the Sahibzades and their quest for justice.

Some of the enemies in today’s times are different and one urgent fight for youth today is against substance abuse. COVID-19 has exaggerated the problem and reportedly more people are using drugs due to the economic downturn. Recently, the chief Justice of India NV Ramana has also expressed serious concerns over youth getting addicted to drugs. He said, “I am alarmed at the reports of an increased number of youth falling prey to intoxicants. I urge them to disassociate themselvesFrom substance abuse. Your mental and physical health is in your hands.” The fight to freedom is indeed manyfold and challenging but perhaps the most important thing to do in life.

Peacekeeping, Maritime Security & Counter-terrorism

The world order has experienced a tectonic shift in last two years. COVID-19 pandemic has already shaken the global disposition. Exacerbated situations and political unrest in nations like Myanmar, Afghanistan, Israel, Sudan, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and many others lately, have left the world to realize there is a need to strengthen and restructure multilateral institutions across the globe. India has long been of the view that the structure of the United Nations Security Council fails to fit into the actualities of the 21st century and is in need of an immediate reform.

This very concern of India makes its present two-year tenure at the security council even more crucial, a year of which has already gone by. India’s entry into the Security Council as non-permanent member (from 2021) happened in a post-covid era, and coincided with systemic uncertainty, political polarization, absence of global leadership, and climacteric environmental concerns. In such a scenario, picking the three domains of peacekeeping, maritime security, and counter-terrorism as agenda items, can be considered a good start. But New Delhi, which has for so long been seeking acquirement of a permanent seat at the high table, also had to demonstrate its capability of bringing an unprecedented and effective global change. This got manifested with the rollout of India’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative under which it has supplied 1154.17 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines around the world (commercial + COVAX).

India’s sitting at the council is also significant as far as Beijing is concerned as the membership stays as a key with India to keep a check on further Chinese incursions along the LAC. China, one of the five permanent nation at UNSC, had opposed India’s candidature to chair the 2022 Counter-Terrorism Committee. Despite, Beijing’s disagreement, India is chairing the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee today (effective for one year, starting January 01, 2022). “As the chair for CTC for 2022, India will make determined efforts to further enhance the role of CTC in strengthening the multilateral response to counter-terrorism, and more importantly, ensuring that the global response to the threat of terrorism remains unambiguous, undivided and effective,” stated India in its explanation of its vote.

On 31st August, 2021, India had completed its ‘critical’ one-month-long rotating presidency of UNSC, which kept New Delhi busy throughout the month. All the focus had gone into countering the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan & Taliban’s rapid military advance to power. “The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Monday that calls for the Taliban to facilitate safe passage for people wanting to leave Afghanistan, allow humanitarians to access the country, and uphold human rights, including for women and children,” read the August 30 resolution on Afghanistan, that was passed by the council under India’s presidency.

As India begins the 2nd year of its tenure at UNSC, and as a potential third wave awaits the attention of the government within the country, carrying out both national and international discretions is going to be a tough row to hoe.

Decisive Decade of Growth

Atmanirbhar Bharat is shaping up as a mass movement in a similar manner to Namak Satyagraha. This clarion call from PM Narendra Modi backed by reformist attitude towards Governance has put India on a path of Decisive Decade of Growth in 2020s (DDG). Sabka Prayas is becoming the operative word towards employment and wealth generation by start-ups across the country. Achieving saturation i.e. covering 100% of population is the new mantra of the Government, which is also playing pivotal role for supporting start-up mindset. On 75th Independence Day, PM Modi had said, “Just as we have made electricity accessible to 100% households, and have made authentic efforts to construct toilets in 100% households …Now, we have to move even further. 100% villages should have roads, 100% households should have a bank account, 100% beneficiaries should have Ayushman Bharat card, 100% eligible persons should have gas connection under Ujjwala scheme and 100% beneficiaries should have Aawas…”

PM Modi had promised, “Our priority will be to ensure that the services reach the last person seamlessly. For the all-round development of the nation, it is essential to end the unnecessary interference of govt and government procedures in the lives of people.” In spite of continued hindrances to legislative work of Parliament, ease of doing business has remained key delivery domain of Modi government. Not less than 1500 old and obsolete laws have been repealed since 2014. Now, India has emerged as world’s 3rd largest start-up ecosystem with around 61,000 start-ups recognised by DPIIT. Though these are clustered around Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, the spread is across 600+ districts of the country. Number of investors has grown 9 fold, total funding amount as well as available incubators have grown 7 fold. These are indeed exponential growth parameters.

Year 2022 of this Decisive Decade of Growth is all set to build upon the recent success. While China was slated to win growth story in 2021, India’s resilience is on display in combating devastating second wave and emerging as the fastest growing major economy globally in 2021. Building on the mantra of Atmanirbhar Bharat, India has added 44 unicorns in 2021 alone, bringing the total number to 81. This exponentially growing number of unicorns is not only backing innovative solutions but also large scale deployments.