Latest news with #Ahimsa
Fast Company
4 hours ago
- Health
- Fast Company
This pediatrician developed cafeteria dishware that won't leach hormone-disrupters into schoolkids
In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement warning that plastic foodware could potentially leach hormone-disrupting chemicals into children's food. Seven years later, millions of children across the U.S. are still eating hot cafeteria lunches off plastic dishware. Manasa Mantravadi and her startup, Ahimsa, are working to change that. A board-certified pediatrician and mother of three, Mantravadi was spurred by the AAP's findings to launch Ahimsa in 2019 to make steel dishware for children. Having gained traction with direct-to-consumer sales to thousands of families, Ahimsa is now aiming to get into schools across the U.S. Through a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, the company launched a national pilot in 2024 called the Conscious Cafeteria Project, which saw 15 elementary schools (in California, Minnesota, Indiana, and New York) swap their plastic trays and utensils for reusable stainless steel over the course of a school year. The nonprofit Upstream claims that permanently eliminating plastics from these cafeterias can reduce their average annual CO2 emissions by 83%. The project displaced more than 1 million single-use items in total and decreased water usage by 78% (the difference between water used during production for single-use plastic and production for reusable steel). And, by making the swap, each school saved nearly $4,000 per year. One major challenge Mantravadi continues to face is that many school administrators are unaware of plastic dishware's risks. She shares educational content and research on Ahimsa's Instagram account, and the company's website includes additional resources. 'Children can't advocate for themselves—they don't have voting power, they don't make purchasing decisions,' Mantravadi says. 'It's my job as a pediatrician, it's parents' jobs, it's legislators' jobs, it's teachers' jobs. We're the adults in the room, and we've got to make better choices to invest in the health of our children.'
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Despite numerous highs since Independence, many challenges remain
Independence from the colonial British tyrannical rule was still two years in the future when I was born. I was a seven-month pregnancy born premature baby, and there was little hope of my survival in the beginning. There were neither antibiotics nor incubators at that time and even penicillin was rarely in use. But, thanks to the tender care of my mother and her brother, Dr. Gandhi, my maternal uncle and father-in-law to be, a resident in the Madras Medical College at that time, I became a near normal healthy baby by the age of three months. Gandhiji had come to Chennai at that time to lay the foundation stone for Andhra Mahila Sabha, a great welfare institution meant for children, women, and the challenged, and the brainchild of Dr. Durgabai Deshmukh, one of the greatest women India has produced in the previous century. She and my mother, Manikyamba, fondly called Papayamma by friends and family, took me to Gandhiji and requested him to bless me. Thus Mohandas became my name, subsequently changed to Mohan, as I am known today. I have, therefore, no claims to have been a part of the freedom movement. Dr. Gandhi and his father, however, were known for their participation in it. Those were the peak of the freedom movement and Durgabai was just one of the many fiercely patriotic fighters in Gandhi's vast nationwide army. Their valiant efforts soon bore fruit and India became independent from the imperialistic rule. At the stroke of midnight of 14 August 1947, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, stood in Parliament and made his famous speech beginning with the words, 'Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny …', and ended up by asking the people of India, the historic question, '….Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future'? And now, in retrospect, when one looks back over one's shoulder, the question arises, did we prove equal to Nehru's expectations; Or Hamlet's remark in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', 'Ay, there's the rub!' Having become a republic in 1950, India has just celebrated 75 years as an independent nation, a celebration marked with nationwide jubilation and named 'Azadi Ka Amritkal Mahotsav'. This marks for a good time to take stock of the accomplishments and disappointments, the successes and failures, and the state of the balance sheet. On the credit side, the accomplishment with the best claim to a place in it will be the manner in which the country obtained its independence, through a movement informed by the unprecedented spirit of 'Ahimsa', a spirit embraced by the Mahatma, the likes of which have never been seen in the annals of world history from the war of independence in the United States to the recent bifurcation of Sudan. Literally overnight, at the stroke of midnight on 14 August 1947, many scourges that dogged the Indian psyche, as the practice of Sati, untouchability, the system of zamindaris were banished. And several farsighted and forward-looking reforms came to be, including universal franchise, and work began to frame a Constitution for the new Republic. Another significant development was the achievement of food security, thanks to the historic efforts of those heroes of the childhood of the nascent Republic, such as M.S. Swaminathan, Norman Borlaug, M.V. Rao and Verghese Kurien. Their contributions led to multicoloured revolutions in the agriculture sector, green, white, blue, and yellow to usher in an era of food security. A country barely recovering from the nightmarish memories of a ravaging famine soon became not merely self- reliant, but also acquired the ability to export agricultural goods. Yet another important development was the establishment of constitutional and statutory institutions, such as the Supreme Court of India, the Election Commission of India and the Union Public Service Commission, which acquitted themselves admirably and brought laurels to the nation from the nooks and corners of the world. What further enhances one's pride is the eminence accomplished by the sons and daughters of India in different spheres; from working for world peace, by Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and Mother Teresa, through literature, by Bhanu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhashti (recently awarded the Booker Prize), culture through the international popularity of matinee idols Raj Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan, sports, through the spectacular accomplishments of Sachin Tendulkar in cricket and Koneru Hampi in chess, to scientific research thanks to the path-breaking discoveries of CV Raman and Hargobind Singh Khurana and adventure through the achievements of pioneering mountaineer Tenzing Norgay, and Rakesh Sharma and Kalpana Chawla, in space exploration. The second watershed in the history of modern India was the advent of the forces of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. The manner in which the country rode that wave, and emerged, not only unscathed, but refreshed and buoyant, won the admiration of the whole world. In fact, The then Chairman of the Federal Bank of USA, went to the extent of saying that had Dr. Y. Venugopal Reddy, then Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, been in his place, the international financial meltdown might not have occurred at all! That, however, is only one side of the coin. When one flips the coin, what one sees is a bleak and disappointing picture. India remains home to nearly half of the population living below the poverty line, in countries belonging to the South Asia and Pacific region, which, in turn, represents half of the total number of poor people in the world. Access to good quality education health/medical services remains a distant dream. Children are sold as commodities in our metropolitan cities, women are killed in the name of honour in some parts of the country and farmers continue to commit suicide on account of economic distress. Income and wealth inequalities have reached totally unacceptable levels, despite over 75 years of determined effort, rapid growth and sustainable development, the recently concluded Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations notwithstanding. And, on the external front, the attachment to the so-called policy of non-alignment has left the country friendless, both in the neighbourhood and outside. This is not the time, therefore, either to rest on one's oars, to let one's hair down, or put one's feet up with satisfaction or contentment. Nor, on the other hand, is there any cause for despair. While much has been achieved, a good deal remains to be done. The residual agenda, however, is certainly not beyond the ability of the country, and its people. With a gigantic task beckoning the people, everyone will have a role to play, whether politician, civil servant, doctor, engineer, lawyer, architect, businessman, industrialist, scientist, academician or NGO or community-based organization. A light hearted snippet to end this piece: In the 1960s, tribals in Srikakulam district were given bullocks as part of the activities undertaken by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) of the district. The assistance extended by the government was in the nature of a subsidy covering 25 per cent of the cost of the bullocks and the rest of the money came partly by way of margin money from the ITDA and the rest as a medium term loan from a commercial bank. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, who was visiting various parts of the country, to check the pace and quality of the implementation of various welfare programmes, asked his vehicle to be stopped by the roadside in a village and enquired of a farmer how the bullocks were faring. The innocent farmer beamed and said, 'Very tasty sir, thank you!' As a wise guy said, upon hearing the story, a remarkable case of a long-term loan being used for short-term purposes, instead of, as usual, the other way around! (The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Northeastern designers give traditional textile a modern spin
Recently, actor Kareena Kapoor Khan turned heads with a striking off-shoulder dress by Hannah Khiangte, a designer hailing from Aizawl, Mizoram. The sculpted navy silhouette, accented with a cream fringe, stood out not just for its design but for its fabric — the Mizo puan, an indigenous textile rich in heritage. Hannah is not the only designer from the region who is blending tradition with contemporary flair. Textile designers from the Northeast are reviving heritage textiles and showcasing them on the global stage, where they remain relatively unknown. A post shared by Hannah Khiangte ™️ (@hannahkhiangteofficial) 'When we were in college, not much was taught about Northeastern textiles Northeast to design students, but now we see a change in how our creations are perceived,' says Manjushree Saikia, founder of the brand Ura Maku, who hails from Assam. 'We work with Eri silk, also known as Ahimsa silk, which is known to be eco-friendly and natural. People mostly used it in making Mekhela Chador, but I thought of using Eri silk in pantsuits and dresses,' she adds. A post shared by Ura Maku (@ Kintem, meaning 'communities' in the Ao-Naga dialect, was founded in 2023 by Moala Longchar, a former PR consultant who transitioned to textile design in 2018 by helping her mother in her textile business.'We take inspiration from the vibrant visual language and designs of Naga textiles, especially from the Ao-Naga tribe, reinterpreting traditional motifs and using the age-old loin loom technique, handloom and hand sewing the pieces together into a whole cloth. We saw the need to produce diverse designs that are not only commercially viable but also wearable,' she explains. A post shared by KINTEM (@kin_tem) A post shared by E A S T (@east_zimik) Fashion designer Easternlight Zimik focuses on a traditional weaving technique called 'backstrap weave': After graduating from NIFT in 2017 and working with brands like Manish Arora and Gaurav Gupta, I started my brand in 2023 and thought of promoting this long-lost weave. Not many youngsters are interested in learning this weaving technique. It is time-consuming, they are not paid enough, and a lot of cheaper versions of this technique are available. My effort is to present these textiles in the most avant-garde way possible.' 'When I started off, there were very few designers from the Northeast marking their presence, but it is a welcome change to see, so many talented designers doing great work in reviving and promoting their traditional textiles and presenting them to a global audience,' says designer Jenjum Gadi.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
MBC leaders slam new quota, caste inaccuracies in Karnataka census
BENGALURU: Karnataka's More and Most Backward Caste (MBCs) leaders came together under the leadership of actor-activist Chetan Ahimsa on Thursday, to criticise the Backward Classes Commission, and denounce what they said was 'betrayal of social justice.' Terming the newly-introduced 1B reservation category 'unscientific, unjust, and politically motivated', speakers accused the Commission of bypassing academic and employment data and educational statistics to fabricate the category for political convenience. 'This is not social justice,' declared one speaker. MBC nomadic communities demanded their own scientific subclassification. Actor Chetan Ahimsa said that while the Karnataka Socio-Economic & Educational Survey (SES-2015) was billed as a tool for social justice, it is looking more like caste manipulation. Ahimsa pointed to the sudden formation of 1B category in April 2025, which grants 12 per cent reservation to 80 castes, including the Kuruba community, to which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah belongs. He questioned why castes previously under Groups 1 and 2A were reshuffled, and communities like Kurubas (formerly 2A) were placed with some of the state's most vulnerable, such as Devadasis and Hallaki Vokkaligas. 'The math doesn't add up,' he said. '1B has a population of 73.9 lakh, smaller than 2A's 77.7 lakh, yet gets 2 per cent more reservation. What justifies this?'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beyond Meat treads precarious path as economic uncertainty adds to category woes
One has to wonder how much longer loss-making Beyond Meat can weather the storm of muted demand for plant-based proteins as economic uncertainty in the US now presents yet another headwind. 'We saw a slowdown in consumption as the uncertain macroeconomic environment likely exacerbated category challenges,' president and CEO Ethan Brown said yesterday (7 May), a factor sufficient enough for guidance to be scrapped in the first-quarter results announcement. That guidance, presented in February, was for annual sales of $320-335m, 'with first-quarter net revenues expected to be comparable' to the corresponding period in 2024. The fact is, they weren't. Sales fell 9.1% in the opening three months of 2025 to $68.7m. In the same quarter of last year, they dropped 18% to $75.6m. Another decline is now expected in the new quarter, with Brown pointing to $80-85m, compared to $93.2m in Q2 of 2024, when they fell 8.8%. Alongside yesterday's results announcement, Beyond Meat revealed it had secured a $100m financing package from Unprocessed Foods, a unit of the non-profit Ahimsa Foundation. While the funding was not a surprise in itself, as Beyond Meat had flagged in February it was in talks to raise additional cash, the fact Ahimsa is willing to take a punt on the loss-making business perhaps was, especially with consumer demand for plant-based proteins on a shaky path. Perhaps the funding was behind a 0.8% move higher in the share price yesterday, and the fact Unprocessed Foods has an option to take a 12.5% interest in Beyond Meat 30-days from 8 May. But at $2.54 at the close yesterday, the move by the Ahimsa-linked firm appears risky, when you consider the shares were trading north of $100 five years ago. They have lost 34% this year alone, with the decline even larger over the last 12 months at 69%. The strike price for the option has been set at a minimum of $2 and a maximum of $3.75. The lower threshold certainly looks in sight, especially given Beyond Meat reported another quarter of EBITDA and net losses. 'Beyond Meat is a category-leading business with exceptional products, a strong commitment to nutrition and ingredient integrity, and a globally recognised brand,' Ahimsa president Shaleen Shah said in a joint statement yesterday. 'This reflects our expectation to be invested in Beyond Meat's growth and success for the long term.' How long is long might be the ultimate question. As Beyond Meat 'sidesteps equity dilution for now, business erosion is increasingly concerning, and it's hard to see a forthcoming inflection', John Baumgartner, a managing director at Japanese investment bank Mizuho Securities, wrote yesterday. While the uncertain macroeconomic backdrop, financially pressured consumers and the implications of tariffs have been common themes expressed by US food manufacturers during the current earnings season, Beyond Meat seems more exposed given its category dynamics. 'The company is experiencing an elevated level of uncertainty within its operating environment, which management believes could have unforeseen impacts on the company's actual realised results,' Brown said as he explained the reasons for the guidance withdrawal. That was evident in the US market, Beyond Meat's largest when it comes to retail. Those sales fell 15.4% in the first quarter to $31.4m. And similarly in foodservice, sales dropped 23.5% to $9.4m. International was Beyond Meat's saviour, where the company has a more solidified presence in the out-of-home channel with quick-service restaurants, especially in Europe. Those foodservice sales were up 12.1% at $15.3m, while retails sales were more subdued, up only 0.8% at $12.7m. 'Business erosion worsens,' was how Baumgartner headed up his research note, with the exception of international out-of-home. 'Q1 featured a sizable revenue miss versus guidance provided at the end of February and EBITDA also missed by a large margin. Weakness reflected incremental category headwinds from macro pressures and revenue missed our model in three of four segments,' he added. That same erosion had been seen in China, a market from which Beyond Meat officially withdrew in February, and consequently incurred costs in the first quarter of $0.9m related to that withdrawal. Beyond Meat cited those costs, along with a non-cash charge of $4.3m related to 'specific strategic decisions to increase inventory provision for certain inventory items', for the losses in gross profit and margins. Gross profit dipped into the red to the tune of $1.1m compared to a positive $3.7m a year earlier. The margin was a negative 1.5% versus plus 4.9%. Losses in adjusted EBITDA widened to $42.3m from $32.9m. Beyond Meat's net loss was $52.9m, a slight improvement from the $54.4m loss in the same quarter of 2024. 'This facility provides us with additional liquidity as we advance our strategic priorities and invest opportunistically to help us drive our growth plans,' Brown said in the financing statement alongside Ahimsa's Shah. 'We are pleased to welcome a new investor who deeply understands our industry and is mission-aligned with our plant-based ethos. In addition to securing access to this substantial new financing, we are continuing to evaluate opportunities to further strengthen our balance sheet and best position our business for the future.' However, what is substantial when Beyond Meat is saddled with $1.1bn in debt, overshadowed by the big what if should reciprocal tariffs ensue in the company's international markets? It does have $115.8m in hand of cash and cash equivalents but that includes unspecified 'restricted cash'. 'In response to this interruption in our recovery, we are doubling down on cost-savings initiatives in support of our goal of achieving run-rate EBITDA-positive operations by year-end 2026,' Brown said. The market awaits. "Beyond Meat treads precarious path as economic uncertainty adds to category woes" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. 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