1. technology and computing

April - May 2015
Vol. V
Issue 1
Igniting young minds
A
Initiative
Vol. V
Issue 1
Editorial
BRINGING GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS & EDUCATION SERVICES TO RURAL INDIA
Under the aegis of the National e-Governance Plan of Govt. of India
Editor :
Bhavna Chatterjee
Art Editor :
Suman Das
Disclaimer :
The views expressed through the articles in
this newsletter may not necessarily be those
of the organization.
Sahaj e-Village Limited is not liable for any
content and design carried in the
advertisements published in this issue.
Published by :
Department of Marketing Communications
Sahaj e-Village Limited
www.sahajcorporate.com
Ours is an era of economic growth, technological innovations,
social and economic development. It is the right time to channelize
these growth factors towards the development of children, who are
the foundation of a nation's success. Education is a critical avenue
that has the potential to augment a nation's prosperity. Add
technology to it and you have an empowered nation.
Undoubtedly, children learn technology faster than we did because
they're being born into this environment. Now as a mentor our role
should be to stay one step ahead of our smart generation and guide
them to pick the right platform.
Sahaj Digital Encyclopedia, Sahaj's home-grown product, is yet
another service aimed at enhancing the intellect of a child through
animated videos. The product doesn't teach but makes a child learn
about important happenings around us. And this is what we have
focused in the Cover Story – how technology is successful in making
a child eager to learn new things.
Other than the Cover Story, the Sahajites Corner is a must read; it
takes you into the strategies of major e-commerce giants to break
free from the clutter and create a niche. The Feature Story focuses
on the latest debate of Net Neutrality.
As you turn the pages further, you would find useful diet tips for
people having high blood pressure. Go through our Horoscope
section to see what the coming month has in store for you. How can
we forget our regular crossword lovers! We have come again with the
interesting white and black rectangular grid.
We are sure the issue will be a delight to you. We would love to hear
from you. Do write to us at [email protected]
Happy Reading!!!
Follow us on
Table of Content
1
2
3
4
5
• CEO speaks
• Top VLEs
• Other successful VLEs
6
8
G2C Newsreels
Cover Story
Latest News
13 Sahajites Corner
Sahaj Scape
14
Foodies Delight
15
Health Beat
From the Hinterlands
VLE Success Story
16
Feature Story
18
Travelogue
20
Srei 25 years
21&22
Horoscope
C E O S P E A K S
Dear Friends,
The education sector in India is no longer bound to just classrooms. Thanks to new start-ups and higher
internet and smartphone penetration, the online learning space in India is growing manifold. The e-learning
market in India is estimated to be around $3 billion. Plus the Central and State Governments are today seen
putting in more efforts than before in promoting the digital way of learning. We have indeed reached an era
where we are cheering a telco that promotes online learning through its TVCs and are looking at futuristic
learning in the face.
Somewhere one realizes that education today is not only about skilling but about re-skilling too, and a formal
physical education system may be too taxing on resources to carry the latter out. The answer lies in leveraging
technology to facilitate delivery. Technology is the only thing that can help cross all barriers and deliver to the
last mile. And all this at the consumers' convenience.
As per the Docebo report issued in July 2014, the worldwide market for self-paced e-learning reached $35.6 billion in
2011. The five-year CAGR is estimated to be 7.6%, so revenues should reach $51.5 billion by 2016. While the aggregate growth rate is 7.6%,
several world regions have higher growth rates. The highest rate is in Asia at 17.3%, followed by Eastern Europe (16.9%), Africa (15.2%) and
Latin America (14.6%). It is evident that we are quickly adapting to the digital mode of learning and that is where the future lies.
For almost 8 years now, Sahaj has been instrumental in promoting digital learning in the remotest of rural geographies in India. Sahaj
eSikhsha, our unique e-Learning brand already has over 1.50 Lakh students enrolled in the 19 industry-facing courses ranging from the very
basic to highly specialized ones. Having garnered quite some learning in this domain, we have decided that it is time to take it a notch higher
and release CD / DVD based courses in retail mode. The first product in the series, the DIGITAL ENCYLOPEDIA is targeted at schoolgoers and anyone who wants to learn about the science behind simple life happenings around us. The product is available on SnapDeal and
we've received a pretty encouraging response so far.
That apart there are various other innovations and projects that are taking shape, but let's catch up on them in subsequent issues. With the
summers having set in, please take good care of yourselves. Stay hydrated. Stay safe.
Mr. Sanjay Panigrahi
CEO, Sahaj e-Village Limited
TOP
VLEs
in April
Skill up gradation center-Bhuj
One stop solution for
Government Services
• E-District Services • MGNREGA services • PDS Coupon Scanning • Data Entry
• Government Certificate • Chitta Extract • Certified copy of court order • Electoral rolls
• Jamabandi copy • Mutation orders • Public complaints • Electoral card
• Voter IDs • Telephone bills • Electricity bills • Land records
• Employment registration • WBSRDA
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Other
Successful
VLEs
in April
Assam
Assam
Rohit Kumardarzy
Rajashree Devi
Siba Rajbonshi
Mostaque Gani
Bihar
Bihar
RaviKant Kumar
Nirbhay Kumar Mishra
Damodar Kumar
Pushpendra Kumar Roy
Odisha
Odisha
GABAKUNDA SERVICE COOPERATIVE
SOCIETY LTD
B Sabita
Jayantee Pradhan
Kolanara Lamps
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Revathi S
Umapathy B
Gowri S
Kannan R
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Ashutosh Kr. Mishra
Munni Devi
Vivekanand Pandey
Tanwez Ahamad Khan
West Bengal
West Bengal
Debasish Maiti
Mehabub Alam Sek
Sumitra Das
Rajesh Kr. Shaw
Latest
News
new Sahaj Skill
Development
Center was established
in Satna, Madhya
Pradesh and on 18th
April 2015 it was
inaugurated by Chief
Guest Mr. Ramesh
Singh, Chairman - Star Group and Mr. Gaurav Sharma,
Project Manager - NRLM Jilla Panchayat Satna under
Deen Dayal Upadhyay-Gramin Kaushlya Yojna.30
candidates have been enrolled for training in Electrician
trade.
A
S
ahaj has launched
Sahaj Digital
Encyclopedia – a
product under the Sahaj
eSikhsha wing. Digital
Encyclopedia is a topnotch educational
DVDs for students from class V to XII standard.
It's a series of 100 beautifully animated videos for
young learners. The videos help to build knowledge
base of the student both in primary and secondary
standard. This is a unique and first of its kind
introduction given the fact that for the first time
Sahaj has tied up with Snapdeal to market the
product.
S
ahaj has forayed into providing quality
education to Bihar Board students. The
service named Sahaj BiBeL (Sahaj Bihar Board eLearning), provides high quality content to prepare
students of Bihar Board in the best manner. With this
service, Bihar Board students of Standard VI-XII can
prepare for the following subjects: Maths, Science,
History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Economics.
O
n 10th April 2015, new batches of DDU-GKY
program were launched at Harpalpur SDC in
Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh. 2 batches of Electrical and
1 batch of welder trades were launched. Total 105
candidates have been enrolled for this program.
S
T
he candidates of first two batches of Core & Soft
Skills have successfully passed the assessment of
Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission. The certificate
distribution programme was organized in Safipur, Unnao
centers where certificates were distributed to 48 successful
women candidates.
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 2
ahaj network’s itigershop.com – an e-commerce
portal setup to reach out to rural parts of India,
has been launched in Uttar Pradesh. The product
catalogue has been carefully designed keeping in mind
the interests and aspirations of the rural community.
On 24th of April '15, Team Uttar Pradesh launched its
first HUB and itigershop portal in Fazilnagar block in
Kushinagar District. Mr. Deepak Srivastava, State
Head, Uttar Pradesh inaugurated the HUB point of
owner Mr. Angad Singh. The products currently being
offered on the portal are: Dlight S2, S20 and S300, Zen
Mobiles – X 17, M72, 105 Pro, 303 elite, X4 and Tata
Swach water purifiers – Smart and Cristella Plus. The
service shall soon be taken to the other states
SahajSCAPE
New Sahaj Skill Development Center inaugurated in
Satna, Madhya Pradesh
New batches of DDU-GKY program launched at
Harpalpur SDC in Hardoi district, U.P.
Launch of Sahaj Digital Encyclopedia at Sahaj HO,
Kolkata
Mr. Sanjay Panigrahi, CEO speaks at RMAI Rural Conclave
held on 8-9 May 2015.
Traffic Safety and Awareness Program organized by Sahaj SDC, Satna
in coordination with the Traffic Police Department, Madhya Pradesh.
Launch of itigershop portal and first HUB in Fazilnagar, U.P.
Sahaj celebrates Poila Baisakh in Kolkata
Sahajites during Sahaj Euphoria 2015
C
hief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that STEP
(Start up of Technology and Etrepreneurship
Programme) will be flagged off soon for research and
development of rural technology.
Addressing the valedictory of the Rural Innovators' meet at the
Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, on Saturday, Mr.
Chandy said the STEP was aimed at promoting
entrepreneurship based on technology. Rural Technology Parks
will be set up to popularise traditional technology, he added.
n amount of Rs 702 lakhs was released under the
Support to Training and Employment Programme for
Women (STEP) to organizations in the year 2013-14, covering a
total of 31478 beneficiaries.
The amount released in the current year till the end of February
is Rs. 439 lakhs under the STEP Scheme having covered a total
of 24,037 beneficiaries.
The Technology Imperative
.
F
or all the acclaim that India has received for its software
prowess, we continue to fare very poorly in our
government's ability to harness technology to improve people's
lives.
Over the years, there have been several examples of how
Maharashtra Budget 'daring',
will boost rural infrastructure,
says CM Fadnavis
T
he Devendra Fadnavis government's first budget 2015-16
displayed a tilt towards the rural face with emphasis on
agriculture, irrigation and road connectivity in villages. Although
the state boasts of setting aside Rs 20,000 crore for the farm
sectors, what cannot be lost sight of is its dependence on Rs
12,000 crore from centre and increase in loans upto Rs 30,000
crore. To great extent the state government will have to drive its
growth engine in rural Maharashtra with the help of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 4
governments from time to time.
Sun Powers Winds Of Change
In Rural UP
T
his is a new phenomenon. Not very long ago, water of any
kind, let alone RO water, was a distant dream in this
village, bereft of electricity. But solar power has changed all that.
Solar energy has come as a boon for un-electrified pockets of
rural UP still untouched by the conventional electrification
programmes.
Source:http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/
I
n order to provide safe, affordable and high quality solar
lights to people with limited or no access to electricity in rural
India, IFC's Lighting Asia/India program has launched
Suryodaya- a consumer education campaign to increase the
awareness of quality solar lighting products across the country.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the
World Bank Group, is one of the largest global development
institution focused exclusively on private sector in developing
countries.
Source: ttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/
different kinds of technology have been put to use by
IFC's Suryodaya campaign to
illuminate rural households
through solar lighting
Source: hhttp://www.knnindia.co.in/sectors/
A
Collector Seeks Panchayat's
Help For Eco-Friendly Villages
N
agaur district collector Rajan Vishal today urged the
newly elected Panchayati Raj members to make the
villages in the district free of tobacco and polythene.
In a 10-point demi-official letter, Vishal urged the sarpanch,
panch, pradhan and other public representatives to positively
wo r k f o r m a k i n g t h e i r v i l l a g e s " h e a ve n - l i k e. "
Source: http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/
Scheme to popularise rural
technology soon: Chandy
Scheme For Economic
Empowerment Of Rural
Women
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city
The Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
today gave its approval for the Approach and Key
Components of e-Kranti : National e-Governance Plan
(NeGP) 2.0, an official statement said.
Hinterlands
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/
overnment today approved the approach and key
components of 'e-Kranti: National e-Governance Plan
(NeGP) 2.0', which aims to enhance the portfolio of citizen
centric services and ensure optimum usage of core information
and communication technology (ICT).
Source: http://www.igovernment.in/news/
G
From the
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national
Cabinet Approves Key
Components Of NeGP 2.0
VLE Success Story
Entrepreneurial success
for self; service for others
M
r. Abinash Sahoo, VLE for Bhakarsahi Gram Panchyat of Khurda district is one of Sahaj's top entrepreneur
who is associated with Sahaj since the last four years. Mr. Sahoo generates attractive revenue by offering
almost all services that the company provides, starting from Utility service, Education to Financial services. Today he
has more than 500 customers. He has reaped maximum profits from Mutual fund business. Mr. Sahoo has a good
number of Sahaj e-Learning students. He, along with Sahaj state officers conducts at least one e-Learning activity
every month to provide computer awareness among all students of local school.
To enhance his business, today he has purchased two computers that he uses to offer more services to the citizens.
Today he has earned a strong goodwill amongst his villagers, who comes to Mr. Sahoo's centre for their essential
services.
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 5
l
e
e
r
s
New
G2C
Delhi Launches India's First 'eration Card' Facility
D
elhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday
launched the country's first "e-ration card" facility in the
national capital. He said the e-ration card will bring immense
convenience to the people of Delhi as it will cut down the delays
in preparation and delivery of ration cards to the beneficiaries.
"Now the beneficiaries can print the ration card as soon as it is
approved by the department (of food, supplies)," Kejriwal said
during the launch.
The event was held at the Delhi Secretariat.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article
'Transparency, E-Governance Need
Of The Hour'
I
naugurating a seminar on good government at Panjab
University's department of law, union minister of law and
justice, DV Sadananda Gowda said the concept was not a new
one for the country.
Quoting from the Rig Veda, the minister told law students and
faculty members, "In order to achieve good result, a pious
objective is determined first and then followed by good Karma
for its accomplishment.”
“I'm glad that the law department of Panjab University, one of
the oldest departments of the university, is holding a seminar on
an important topic: Law & Good Governance," he said.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Women Have Changed Rural India:
Alva
T
he list of Indian multimillionaires on the global list are
growing every year but the gap between the rich and poor
is getting bigger, former Rajasthan governor Margaret Alva said
here on Friday. She was addressing a conference on Women
Leadership: Advancing Women for Business Growth,
organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII),
Mysuru, as part of International Women's Day celebrations.
Alva said according to the United Nations report, India's human
development index stands at 134, and is coming down.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 6
Rural Schoolgirls Play Their Way To
A More Confident Life In MP
T
he group of girls runs excitedly as they play a game of
handball at the school ground in Madhya Pradesh's
Rajgarh district, their body language oozing confidence beyond
their years. And when they interact, their smartness shines
through their communication.
Students of the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in this small
township in Rajgarh district, about 150km from Bhopal, the girls
are living the time of their lives, thanks to an innovative scheme
of the state school education department called 'sports for
development'.
Hailing from rural areas of the district, these very girls were
introverts not too long ago, many of them school drop-outs.
Source : http://www.hindustantimes.com/
Seluophe Village Sensitized On
NRLM
S
ensitization programme on National Rural Livelihoods
Mission (NRLM), organized by District Rural
Development Agency (DRDA), Dimapur, for Seluophe village
was held at Seluophe village ground on March 28.
Delivering keynote address, Asangla T Aier, Project Director,
DRDA Dimapur, said village development board and village
council should work as one and play its own role for the
development and progress of the village. She said there would
always be a conflict in the village where there is no cooperation
between the village council and VDB. She also urged the public
to cooperate with the VDB and village council.
Encouraging the villagers to take advantage of the facilities,
Asangla said NRLM was brought at their doorsteps for them to
utilize appropriately for development.
Source : http://www.nagalandpost.com
Centre Launches Nationwide
Drinking Water & Sanitation
Awareness Week
T
he Center today launched a National Rural Drinking
Water and Sanitation Awareness Week at Village
Kankrola-Bhanglora of Gurgaon District in Haryana.
The week long campaign inaugurated by Shri Birender Singh,
Union Minister for Rural Development , Drinking Water and
Sanitation and Panchayati Raj will conclude at Kohima,
Nagaland on 22nd March commemorating the celebration of
World Water Day. During the campaign, there will be an
extensive awareness drive on construction and use of household
toilets, keeping the villages clean, safe handling and use of drinking
water, awareness of quality of drinking water, water conservation,
community managed water supply systems in rural areas involving
grassroots level institutions like Village Water and Sanitation
Committees, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Angwanwadi , ASHA
Workers, schools teachers, Women Self Help Groups and Youth
Clubs.
Source : http://www.business-standard.com
CM Inaugurates Ambitious Agri
Scheme
T
racing the historical and economic significance of the first
organised farming modalities propagated by the Ahom
administrator Momai Tamuli Barbaruah in the State, Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi today inaugurated a mega agricultural scheme at
Timtimia village of Kuwaripukhuri area, 24 kms from here.
The scheme named as Momai Tamuli Barbaruah Krishak Bandhu
Achani the Chief Minister asked every farmer of the State to reap its
benefit by availing solar-pump and many other amenities for double
cropping of paddy in all those cultivable fields that remained
abandoned at least for six months after collection is being over in every
winter.
Source : http://www.assamtribune.com
e-governance fillip gaining popularity
P
eople running from one office to another to obtain certificates
and documents from the district administration might become a
thing of past, thanks to the establishment of the Common Service
Centres (CSCs) under the national e-governance programme in the
district.
The 225 centres run by the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation
Limited, located at the 10 taluk headquarters, Primary Agricultural
Cooperative Societies and other department offices in the district have
enabled persons to get income, community, nativity, deserted women,
and first generation graduation certificates as well as certificates to
avail themselves of assistances under various State government
schemes which include the Chief Minister's Girl Child Protection
Scheme, marriage assistance and inter-caste marriage assistance.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
e-service centres in taluk offices in
Vellore go viral
T
he common e-service centres (CSCs) that were opened in the 11
taluk offices in Vellore district on February 24 are buzzing with
activity, with members of the public thronging them for various
services such as applying for and obtaining community certificates,
income certificates and nativity certificates, and for applying for
benefits under various schemes of the social welfare department.
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 7
A visit to the CSCs in the taluk offices in Walajapet and Arcot as
part of a press tour organised by the Vellore district
administration revealed the demand for the services as seen from
crowds in front of the centres, especially in Walajapet.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
UT soon to become e-district
U
T Administration on Thursday finalized the dates for
phase-wise rollout of as many as 61 public services in
electronic form under the e-District Mission Mode Project
(MMP).
The decision in this regard was taken during a high-level State
Apex Committee - Digital India and National e-Governance Plan
- meeting, which was chaired by UT adviser Vijay Kumar Dev. A
set of 16 services, would go live online in the fourth week of July
and over 45 services would go online in the last week of
December.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
More programmes for rural villages
T
he Department of Sociology of the Periyar
University signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the Rural Education and Environment
Development Society (REEDS), an NGO, to implement
various programmes in the rural areas.
C. Venkatachalam, Professor and Head, Department of
Sociology and S. Dharmarajan, secretary, REEDS, signed
the MoU in the presence of C. Swaminathan, ViceChancellor, Periyar University on Wednesday.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/
e-District Project Finds Many Takers
T
he e-District project has gained much momentum in the
district with the public submitting around 10 lakh
applications through the e-Governance initiative in the last two
years.
All the village offices in the district have been provided IT
connectivity, an official release issued here said. Around 91%
of the applications received through the projects have been
processed.
Currently, 24 certificates issued by the revenue department are
provided to the public through this project, which can also be
accessed through the district's 165 Akshaya kendras.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Igniting young minds
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 8
Cover Story
I
n today's time when information is instantly
available at the click of a mouse, how
important is developing your child's
knowledge on the important happenings around
us? In today's competitive world, it is indeed very
important. Today opportunities do not come to
people who are just good. It comes to people who
are best. Having knowledge on varied fields is not
optional; today it's a necessity.
For an organization like Sahaj e-Village Limited
that works to create and empowered society,
education is the most important tool in igniting the
minds of India's youth who are the foundation for
the country's development. Sahaj e-Sikhsha service
has been a promising platform through which Sahaj
has been able to offer cost-effective digital learning
to the rural youth.
Progressing in its mission to ignite the young
minds, Sahaj launched the “Digital Encyclopedia”
in April 2015. With this, Sahaj has forayed into
Product Manufacturing for the time.
So what is Digital Encyclopedia? Digital
Encyclopedia is a top-notch educational DVD for
students from class III to IX standard. The DVD
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 9
help to build knowledge base of the student both
in primary and secondary standard. The product
effectively leads the child into the concepts behind
important occurrences in nature and the world
around us. And this is critically important. We tell
you why:
According to new research, a child's brain becomes
particularly responsive somewhere between the
age five and puberty.
Intellectual development may then continue
throughout childhood, during which the brain
starts forming crucial maps of neuron pathways,
which is helpful to a person for life.
Why is Digital Encyclopedia crucial in Rural
markets?
Sahaj works incessantly towards the goal of
transporting knowledge and modern information
technology to the farthest reaches of rural India.
Though the product is initially available only
through Snapdeal, in the coming future we plan to
launch it through our centres so that larger number
of rural children can benefit from it.
The product is specifically critical for children
based in Rural India where technology is yet to
Cover Story
keep pace with that of the metros or fast developing
cities. Rural market specialists like Sahaj e-Village Ltd.
are giving full efforts to provide best-in-class products
to rural citizens so that they enjoy every convenience
that technology brings, especially education.
Education or learning via technology is known to be
effective in preparing the child as per the current
trends and requirements of the competitive world.
Through shared access technology, Rural children
who do not have a computer system at home can still
benefit from the Sahaj Digital Encyclopedia.
How is Digital Encyclopedia effective for young
learners?
• Digital Encyclopedia consists of a series of 100
beautifully animated videos. These animated
videos make learning fun-based.
• This exclusive product is available in the
DVD format. Since children spend
h o urs i n sch o o l , wh ere
textbooks are the primary
medium of instruction,
this product lets the
kid enjoy the
animated videos
while still
learning
a b o u t
important
things.
T h e y
d o n ' t
str ug gle
to learn
somethi
n g ;
learning
becomes
fun.
•
T h e
product
contains
videos on
topics like
Nature, Plant and
Animal Kingdom,
Human Body, Science
and Technolog y and
General Knowledge. Hence,
they g et a comprehensive
knowledge.
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 10
• Since research has shown that new information
can only be retained when it attaches itself to
existing knowledge, children can benefit from
the product to expand their core knowledge.
The Way Forward
Given the success of the first set of education DVD
of Digital Encyclopedia, there are multiple new
things on the table. Be the development of the
content in the regional language or entering into new
domains.
The reach of Digital Encyclopedia has been ever
increasing. Presently, 8 Sahaj Digital Encyclopedia
DVDs have been sold through Snapdeal. The
enthusiasm about the product has been exemplary.
To assess the wide acceptance of the product, we
present the customer's experiences:
Cover Story
Customer Speaks:
“
D
“
“
W
“
T
he Sahaj Digital Encyclopedia for kids can really open up children's minds to new ideas,
increase their knowledge and their vocabulary and even fosters a passion. This Encyclopedia is
full of fun and educational activities. It contains many engaging videos and also easy to read and
easy to navigate. Children can enhance their knowledge in geography as they learn about continents,
oceans and countries noting that these encyclopedias often include full-color map and Kids also find
out about various historical events described through easy-to-read stories and beautiful illustrations.
“
I thank Sahaj for an excellent encyclopedia, packed with simple but detailed information and nice
illustration. It is easy to read, and it includes boxes that highlight interesting information with key facts.
-Santosh Das, Odisha
ad bought me the Sahaj Digital Encyclopedia for my summer holidays. Initially I thought, it
would be just another animation film, which I simply love. The DVD contains 100 animated
videos but it is something different and unique. I enjoyed watching the videos. The videos are
fun to watch while it makes me learn about so many facts of world and nature around us. I've
completed watching at least 20 videos and I'm enjoying it. It has helped me to learn new things, and in
the most exciting ways. When my school re-opens I will proudly tell my friends about what I've learned
this summer holiday. Thank You Dad.
- Anoksha L
e are living in an era of cutting edge technology, where intelligence is the key to success. We
believe every citizen can progress in life if their intelligence is channelised in the proper way
and the sooner it happens the better it is for the individual, especially children. Children are
the future of our nation and hence it is important that they gain knowledge at the proper age. Sahaj has
always worked for the betterment of the citizens in Rural India, especially the youth. This time around,
Sahaj has come up with an innovative and unique product called Digital Encyclopedia in order to ignite
the curiosity of the young minds. The product consists of 100 beautifully animated videos about
various facets of our daily happenings. The learning is inherently fun-based.
On the learning front, this product has been successful in enhancing the intelligence of the children,
while on the business front, it's been a critical service since this marks Sahaj's entry to Product
manufacturing. The product is currently available in Snapdeal and has generated good response. We are
sure this will be a successful product - both for the organization and the end user."
- Harsh Patnaik - SVP Business Development & Emerging Businesses
“
brings you your very own
Social Networking Platform
with
Sahaj Setu • April’ - May’15 • Page 12
Sahajites’ Corner
The
importance
of breaking free from the
clutter for e-Tailers
ave you noticed the recent spike in the television airtime
of leading e-Com players? There are offers, positioning
strategies, and unique brand messages galore.
And all this is an attempt to break free from the clutter.
There is a lot of speculation about the future of e-Tailing,
but all said and done, one must admit that as a domain it is
currently in full bloom. There's so much happening and
the market is changing so much so soon that it at times
gets difficult to keep track. It has been forecasted that the
Indian e-Tailing industry shall touch the $50 Bn mark by
2020 growing at a CAGR of 35%, as per a recent report.
The e-Tailing giants have visibly taken note of the growing
market and the growing competition alongside, and are
trying an interesting lot of approaches to break free from the
clutter.
H
Time bound deals, offers, and schemes are purely hygiene
elements in the e-Com world now, if not passé. It is
fast being replaced by a mad
rush for buyers' mind
share. Take for example the
Flipkart series of ads that
emphasizes on the e-Com
giant's app being a must have
on all smart phones. The
SnapDeal ads have taken a
m o r e e m o t i o n a l r o u t e,
connecting with the audience
by glorifying the joy of
fulfillment through appropriate
deals. At another
end of the spectrum, Amazon is
wooing customers by
assuring deals that would make one jig in joy. What caught my
fancy is the fact that they also tried the time-tested way of teasers
before launching the campaign.
ShopClues on the other hand is
appealing to the wholesale rate
loving Indian consumer. And
the slots are expensive too.
Look at Paytm being well
visible through IPL 2015
match telecasts. They are all
well-directed campaigns, but I
personally feel it's too early in the day to decide whether the
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 13
effect would directly translate into revenues. As of now, they come
across as visibility measures that are aimed at aiding TOMA.
Amidst all this fanfare around the
online selling business, what is an
interesting observation is that
some have done it online without
the use of traditional media too. I
was reading somewhere that eBay,
despite staying away from ATL,
was doing almost as well as
Flipkart which is arguably the
current market leader in India.
Players like eBay have proven
their mettle in global markets. One may argue that the Indian market
conditions are
definitely different, but sometimes it may be
important to “unmarket” too, to stay relevant.
Especially when, most of the e-Tail players
are bleeding. The amount of losses these
firms incur is anything but amusing. As per
studies by a review site, the loss incurred on
every rupee is Rs.2.23 for Flipkart, Rs.1.90
for Amazon, and Rs.1.72 for SnapDeal.
What one also wonders is whether
eventually, this mind-share war will also
lead to the rise of comparison sites. The
average e-Tailing marketer's nightmare
then shall be creating offers and deals that are
constantly better than the competition. Back to basics! However, all
said and done, one must admit that it is a very exciting phase and eTailers are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to Indian
consumers and stay relevant. I could dare go as far as to say that the
Indian consumer today is having a field day picking the right deal for
him/her. The market is changing eve as you read this. So
let's wait for market evolution to take its
course, and see what other measures
spring out of the e-Tailers' think-tanks.
Let Darwinian justice prevail.
Contributed by:
Tamal Chatterjee
AVP, Marketing
Foodies
Delight
Sujay Bag, Sahaj HR
Crispy Sweet Corn Bites
Ingredients:
• Sweet Corn – One bowl
• Corn Flour / Maida – 2 tablespoon
• Finely Chopped Onion – 2 tablespoon
• Finely Chopped Garlic – 2 teaspoon
• Any Dried Green Herb/Coriander
Leaves – 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Chilli Flakes/green chillies – 1
teaspoon
• Chat Masala – 1 teaspoon
• Vegetable Oil to fry
How to make:
Boil the sweet corn for 7 to 10 mins. Remove the water. Add Onion, Garlic,
Herb/coriander leaves, Chilli Flakes/green chillies & Salt, mix well. Now
sprinkle the flour from the top on the mixture and toss well (The flour will
make a light coating over the corns). Now deep fry the corns and remove
from heat. Place a tissue paper and spread the fried corn on it. It will soak the
excess oil from the corn. Now add chat masala and serve immediately.
Sahaj Setu • Jan - Feb ’15 • Page 14
Health Beat
Dietfor
High
Blood Pressure
igh blood pressure (B.P.) is turning
to become of the most
dangerous “silent killers”. Today it has
become a serious health condition and
is affecting millions of people all over
the world. High B.P. occurs when the
blood moves through the arteries at a
pressure higher than normal. The
heart exerts higher level of pressure to
pump the same quantity of blood
within the same time.
Many reasons account for the occurrence
of this health problem. The common
reasons to initiate high BP are: hereditary,
obesity, alcohol consumption, high cholesterol,
stress, lack of nutrients in the body, lack of
exercise, and excessive consummation of diets rich in
sugar, salt and fats. High BP can affect anybody today,
regardless of age. High blood pressure is a serious health
condition and can become worse when not looked into seriously.
Luckily, things can be controlled and we can treat high blood
pressure by bringing a change in eating and other lifestyle habits.
First, you should check if your lifestyle includes habits that are
prone to aggravate the chances of high BP. Stop drinking
immediately. Even if you are an occasional drinker, you must quit
alcohol altogether. Consummation of alcohol instantly raises
blood pressure and damages the walls of blood vessels. High BP
diet completely restricts the intake of alcohol. Secondly, try not to
eat too much salt, sugar and fats. Too much salt fatty food affects
the functioning of the heart.
Diets that triggers high blood pressure are sauces, meat, ready-toeat cereals, fats, drinks, salted snacks, pickles,
You need to choose healthy diet for High BP. There are dietary
recommendations for high BP. Inclusion of diet for high BP can
let you relax. If you are suffering from high BP include this eating
habits. Even if you are not suffering from high BP, you can follow
these diets for High BP and avoid the chances of having it.
Low-sodium diet often helps to control high blood pressure. A
major source of sodium is salt. Hence it is strictly recommended.
H
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 15
Eat as less salt as possible. Following is
the diet for high blood pressure.
Eat fresh foods instead of canned or
p a c k a g e d f o o d s. E a t f r e s h
vegetables. Do not sprinkle salt. For
taste, add a little sugar or lemon
juice to it. Drink low-sodium juices.
Eat seasonal foods and add little
herbs and spice instead of salt to
make it taste good. You can use
onions, garlic, flax seed, lemon juice,
basil, curry powder, turmeric, vinegar or
wine in a limited quantity. However, make
sure that you do not eat too much of herbs
and spices.
Check the food labels for sodium content. Do
not buy foods with a high level of sodium.
When limiting the intake of sodium in your diet, increase the
amount of important minerals like potassium and calcium to
regulate blood pressure. Bananas, beans, potatoes, have good
quantity of such minerals. An average adult needs at least 1000mg
of calcium everyday.
Eat foods that contain an increased amount of fiber. Fiber
decreases blood pressure to a considerable level.
Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products,
and fish to your diet.
Feature
Story
All we need today is
Roti, Kapda, Makaan
aur Internet (of our choice)
R
ecently, there has been a lot of buzz amongst the people
over Net Neutrality. Recently, Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper with 20
questions spread across 118 pages, asking for responses from
service providers, their associations and general public for their
views on regulating OTT or over-the-top applications and
services which are accessible over the internet that came in the
light of a certain Internet Service Provider that decided to
charge VoIP calls separately. Over a million responses were
received. TRAI will eventually decide whether India has to
change its approach to Internet regulation.
Internet is today a basic human right. As far as technology is
concerned, it is the most influential platform for a person's
endeavor for success. In fact it won't be wrong to say that today
basic essential needs does not only include food, cloth and
shelter but also Internet; Internet that is neutral and free of
monopolies, Internet that is purely governed by the principle of
equality – netizens should be free to access sites and apps of their
choice and requirements and not ones imposed by Internet
Service Providers.
If you are still wondering as to what exactly is the concept of
'Net Neutrality' then read the following lines:
'Net neutrality is the principle that Internet Service Providers
and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally,
not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content,
site, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or mode
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 16
of communication.'
The crux of Net Neutrality thus, is that all internet users be charged
equally without distinguishing them or giving them preference on usage
pattern. Users should be treated equally when it comes to internet
traffic, or say bandwith consumption pattern.
The summary of the questions TRAI asked in the
consultation paper was: should Internet remain as it is? A
number of questions asked also related to if or not overthe-top services, specifically apps, needed Internet
regulation. And of course, views were invited on Net
Neutrality.
Telecom providers believe Internet regulations should
undergo change. Because of the fact that telcos have spent
billions of dollars for building infrastructure, they do not
want the innumerable applications use their network for
free. However it should be noted that ISPs do benefit from
the apps that piggyback on them. Simply because more app
usage means more data consumed and hence more money
inflow.
Not letting the Internet remain as it is and altering the core
principle governing the Internet, is being challenged by
netizens all over. if the decision is against net neutrality,
ISPs might favour certain websites over others for which
users might have to pay extra, meaning Website X might
load at a faster speed than Website Y because the particular
ISP has a deal with Website X that Website Y cannot afford.
And the biggest disadvantage that the license to violate net
neutrality will do is it could endanger the very essence and
intrinsic feature of Internet that has, over the years been
crucial in shaping the destiny of online marketplace
globally.
Millions of start-ups have conceptualized, acted and
became successful, thanks to the neutral net. The general
argument of the masses is that if Net Neutrality is rejected,
netizens will be devoid of valuable resources that at one
time has helped millions of people, millions of time.
Moreover, it will curb the desires of all the budding
entrepreneurs who have limited capital and clout to make it
big. If anyone would benefit from net not being neutral it is
definitely the telecom providers, who would act as
gatekeeper and allow access only to people who are ready to
pay for it. The telecos would enjoy monopoly and reap
benefits from both - the consumers as well as the web and
app owners (which they are anyways enjoying, but in
another way). In other words, the ambition of the telecom
providers will ruin the Internet of its most intrinsic essence
and hence the loss of a valuable resource.
Mahesh Murthy, a renowned Venture Capitalist and
Marketing Consultant also expressed his views on the topic:
Dear TRAI, I am writing to express my concern against the actions
that telecom carriers are taking to restrict fair access to the internet
(Net Neutrality). I believe the internet is a vital resource – it helps me
communicate, work, and thrive as a citizen. If telecom operators can
discriminate internet traffic on the basis of which services pay the most,
we are allowing telcos control over a vital and necessary technological
resource. By doing so we allow them to define what information we can
view; what entertainment we can access; and how companies can
innovate.
This is completely unfair and harms India's long term role in the global
market. I strongly believe the growth of telecoms and the well-being of
the internet can go hand-in-hand. I'm asking for a framework to
ensure long term and fair access for all services regardless of size. I
want my generation and those that come after me to have unfettered
access to the Internet, with no telcos or ISPs having the ability to charge
for specific services I use on top of it. Please understand that the
internet is an important resource and vital to me and to every other
Indian citizen. I would like to see it kept free and protected under Net
Neutrality to ensure fair and equal access for all and forever. Regards,
Three, if you do have access to Ravi Shankar Prasad, the telecom
minister – or anybody else in the ruling party – tell them that you
believe strongly in net neutrality and that you expect the government to
take a strong stand on it.
(Refrence: http://www.digitalvidya.com/blog/net-neutrality-thedebate-goes-on/)
When Tim Bernes-Lee, the scientist who invented the
Internet, developed this entity he gave it away to the world
for free. He did not charge the ISPs for designing their
business model on the Internet, a platform completely
conceptualized and designed by him. He introduced the
Internet with the prime objective of bringing very citizen
on the Internet. Do the ISPs today have a right to change or
control the Internet they want?
The debate is endless and everybody has paid attention to
this topic as it hugely governs our lives and requirements
because Internet has an important role to play. Everybody
has their opinion. If you want to express your opinion,
please share it with us at [email protected]. We would
love to hear from you!
Crossword
Quick
Across
Down
Solutions on page 22
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 17
Travelogue
Top 5
– Wildlife Destinations
of India
T
he India Sub-Continent boasts of wonderful natural wonders
of flora and fauna. Apart from sunny beaches, inexplicable
range of mountains, beautiful landscape, India has more to
quench the thirst of a traveler. Indian travel sector has been greatly
contributing to the country's GDP. After trotting over rivers and seas,
hills and mountains, few of the travelers may yet like to experience the
wildlife in India and spent some of their time in the lap of nature in
beautiful natural forests. And India abounds in a rich wildlife that
attracts wildlife enthusiasts from all over the country. There are end
numbers of wildlife sanctuaries, forests, etc. in India. The country is
home to 441 Wildlife S and 80 National Parks. The top wildlife
destinations in India are here as follows:
Corbett National Park
Named after Jim Corbett, Corbett National Park is
situated on the foothills of the Himalayas and is spread
over Nainital and Garhwal in Uttaranchal, in north
India. It is the most beautiful national park of north
India. The greatest attraction of the park is its tigers.
Corbett is also known for its deer, wild boar, elephants,
leopards, Himalayan Black Bear, hedgehog, flying fox,
etc. Other wild animals in the Corbett Park includes
sloth bear, jungle cat, fishing cat, Himalayan Black Bear,
jackal, Indian grey mongoose, goat antelopes, langurs,
fish-eating crocodiles, etc. Also, there are 600 species
of birds are found in the park. Cormorants, darter,
grey, heron, egrets, cattle egrets, parrots, mynas, to are
some of the most important birds found in the park.
Sunderbans National Park
Gir National Park and Sanctuary
Lions and Leopards are the most prominent animals
found in the Gir National Park and Sanctuary. Gir
National Park is located in Sasangir in Gujarat.
Besides tigers and leopards, other wild animals
found in the Gir National Park are sambar deer,
chital spotted deer, nilgai, antelope, chowsingha,
wild boar, langur monkey, hyena, jackal, etc.
Ranthambore National Park
One of the largest national parks in northern India,
Ranthambore National Park is positioned in Sawai
Madhopur district of Rajasthan. Ranthambore has
over 300 species of birds. It is famous for its tiger
population and hence is one of India's Project Tiger
Reserves.
Kaziranga National Park
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the
Sunderbans National Park is located in the state of
West Bengal. The Sunderbans is known for its reserves
of the Bengal Tiger. With more than 250 tigers, easily
become the largest reserves of the Bengal Tiger. That's
not all. The Sunderbans also houses a variety of bird,
reptile, and invertebrate species. Besides, crocodiles,
fishes, red fiddler crabs, Ridley Sea Turtle, Braking
Deer, etc.
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 19
Located in Assam's Golaghat and Nagaon districts,
Kaziranga national Park is a World Heritage Site and
hosts two-thirds of the world's great one-horned
rhinoceros. Kaziranga also has the highest density
of tigers among protected areas in the world. In
2006, it was declared a Tiger Reserve.
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 20
June Horoscope
Aries (March 21-April 20):
A busy, chatty, scattered Gemini Sun boosted by
dynamic Mars and quick-witted Mercury will
make for a varied, fast moving time with plenty
of short distance trips, encounters, discussions
and multiple projects to juggle.Your popularity
will soar. Your rising confidence and mischievous
sense of humour will bring new admirers and
compliments. Just watch that you don't get too outspoken around
mid month or rush so fast you end up tripping over your feet.
Sorting out loose ends of joint finances and relying on your own
resources will be a good idea. Home will be where you are happiest,
so find time to relax, though you'll also be keen to relax.
Taurus (April 21-May 21):
Your priority will be two-pronged. On the one
hand you'll demand pleasure no matter what
your indulgences cost. The second pulling the
other way will be to boost security. So you'll be
redoubling your efforts to improve your
personal finances. It'll be important to keep an eye
on detail and read the fine print of agreements. Keep
your eagle eye focussed and no one will pull the wool over your eyes.
There will be a harmonious, frivolous mood at home and within the
family. One close relationship will land you with heavier
responsibility after mid month and there may be a chill in the air.
Don't take it to heart. A busy schedule in the final ten days will keep
you occupied.
Gemini
(May 23-June 20): In high
spirits and better shape than for a while you'll be
firing ahead on all cylinders. Your exuberant
and at times forceful approach will
miraculously clear the path ahead of you.
Luckily your silver tongue will rescue you from
a few sticky situations and you will be more
open to other viewpoints than usual. Everyday
mates at work and in the neighbourhood will be
appreciative and admiring so you won't have to go far
to find affection in small ways. Mercury, your ruler, goes direct on
the 11th so recent irritating delays will disappear. Hard work will be
inevitable after mid month so you'll need to boost your stamina. A
new project or friendship will get the go ahead on the 22nd. After
that making money will be on your mind.
Cancer (June 21-July 20):
Always an active sign who likes to take the
initiative you may feel strangely held back
until late in the month. Don't think of this
pause as wasted time. You may be standing
on the side lines or in the background, but
you can plot, plan, reflect over recent events
and get yourself geared up for a major spurt
ahead
. Money will roll through to allow for treats and
extravagances so you will have fun. The final ten days will bring
good luck on the cash front and a burst of high energy.
Leo (July 21-Aug. 22):
Normally you like being centre of attention
but for now you'll be happy to be one of the
gang with friends and team mates, all pulling
together in the same direction. You'll be
networking like mad and not letting the grass
grow under your feet. Future plans and
projects will all be coming together in your
mind ready for action. Though there may be
tensions at home or within the family from mid month for a while. You'll
need to put in effort to sort practical domestic efforts. Try to organise a
slower schedule after the 20th. Take a break and recharge your batteries.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
This is your peak of the year where work and
community matters are concerned. You'll be
putting in extra effort and expecting everyone else
to do the same. Sweep others up in your
enthusiasm and you'll get on better. You'll
certainly be in demand for your views so don't
hold back. You won't be as sociable as usual but
will be more than content with your own
company, pampering yourself in the quiet
moments. Towards end of the month you'll be firing
ahead with future plans surrounded by good mates.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
Flying high, spreading your wings and giving
voice to your opinions you'll be enthusiastic,
and exuberant. No one will miss hearing what
you have to say. You'll also be keen to travel
further afield since you'll be keen to broaden
your mind and mix with fun company. So you'll
be setting your sights higher and thinking big.
Warm hearted and enthusiastic friends will be
around ensuring you feel good and have support.
From mid month Saturn back in Scorpio for a brief
three months hints that saving money and cutting out a few extravagances
will be good. Then with the Sun followed by Mars moving across your
midheaven after the 21st you'll be taking the lead at work and elsewhere.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
Slow but sure should be your motto to push
ahead with the Sun, Mars and mercury in the
deepest, most confidential area of your chart.
You'll be determined to get better agreements,
financial and emotional, with those close. But
you won't get it all your own way. You'll need to
stand firm and be flexible at the same time.
Perseverance will pay off so by the month's end
you will feel more secure on several fronts and glad
you made the effort. You'll be lauded and applauded,
admired and complimented, doing wonders for your
morale. From mid month you may be more serious and slightly withdrawn.
Just don't push away those close.
Contd...
Sahaj Setu • March’15 • Page 21
/sahajevillageltd
Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 18):
Hand in hand with close partners at work and
at home, you'll feel better as part of a
twosome and make faster progress. Cooperation will get you further, faster than
confrontations. Try not to give into self
doubt after mid month when you need to
take a step back to clear up a few matters from
the recent past. Just know that what you are doing
is essential and constructive since you'll clear the decks for the future.
Socially you'll be light hearted and adventurous. Though there'll be
confidential matters needing attention from the 21st so buckle to and face
up to problems and get them sorted.
All should be well in your universe with
a passionately enthusiastic and high
energy clutch of planets in your chart
area of romance, parties and children.
You'll be having fun and playing
games. Just try not to boss loved ones
around since they may not be quite as
revved up as you. But whatever
happens you'll find yourself centre
spotlight and popular. You'll be in demand
socially for your knack of putting others at their ease. Your
positive approach will prove infectious so you'll rarely be left in
your own company.
Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 20):
Too many chores, not enough help may
weigh you down for a few weeks. There is
a remedy. Delegate more. Your
perfectionist tendencies may complain
that no one can do it as well as you but
you'll just land yourself with too many
commitments that way. Putting as much
energy into keeping fit as you do into
being dutiful will also help. That way you'll
sail on through everything that needs done.
Pisces (Feb. 18-March 20):
Home will be where you are at your
most comfortable. Though at
times, your constant buzzing
around and re-organising may set
loved ones teeth on edge. Try to relax
more even if one pet project is on a go
slow. Take time out to unpick mistakes and you'll
be glad you did. Have heart to heart chats with those close in the
family since that way you'll understand certain tricky situations
which have been bugging you recently.
Source: http://www.star4cast.com
Training to placement
for a standard livelihood
^amogm
˜mg h¡,
ghO nmg h¡
Crossword
Solution
/sahajevillageltd &
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 20):
Registered Address: Sahaj e-Village Limited. “Mirania Garden”, Plot No.: 43, 10B/1 Topsia Road (East), Kolkata - 700046 • www.sahajcorporate.com • Follow us on
June Horoscope