Latest news with #AlokRanjan
New Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Healthy brain, happier life
It's not something we usually stop to think about, but that's the irony. Our brain, the organ that helps us think, feel, and move, often goes unnoticed until something begins to feel 'off'. World Brain Day, observed every year on July 22, is a much-needed reminder for us to take our brain health seriously. Experts decode it for CE. 'Our brain is responsible for our thoughts and actions; it regulates every bodily function. Unfortunately, neurological conditions are frequently still poorly understood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. Increasing awareness lessens the stigma attached to brain disorders and promotes early diagnosis and better care,' says Dr Alok Ranjan, senior consultant neurosurgeon at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills. This year's World Brain Day theme 'Brain health for all ages' comes at a time when lifestyle disorders and mental health struggles are only becoming more common. 'The theme highlights the need of understanding and executing brain care early in life and continuing it throughout. Brain health has an impact on quality of life at every stage, be it learning and development in childhood, acquiring new skills in teenage and middle age, or cognitive decline as the ageing happens,' Dr Alok explains. Prof Dr Rupam Borgohain, senior consultant neurologist and programme director PDMDRC, Yashoda Hospitals, Hitec City, says, 'The theme emphasises how important brain health is at every stage of life, from early childhood to old age. Given the ageing of populations and the rise in neurological disorders linked to lifestyle choices, it is particularly pertinent today. World Brain Day promotes lifelong cognitive well-being and quality of life by emphasising prevention, early diagnosis, and fair access to care for all individuals, regardless of age.' In India, the most common brain-related conditions include Parkinson's disease, stroke, epilepsy, dementia, and migraines. 'There are missed medical conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome, which if identified early and treated can change not just the lives of patients but their families,' Dr Alok points out, adding, 'The difference between a full recovery and long-term impairment is frequently determined by early detection and prompt action.'
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Market fairly valued, all eyes on credit uptick and demand revival: Alok Ranjan
"Earlier rural sector was not doing well. Now rural sector based on good monsoon and good crop, it is shaping up quite well and also urban sector is not doing that well but things will revive there also, festival season is coming, maybe two-three months from now," says Alok Ranjan , ITI Mutual Fund. What is your sense on the market? While there is a big question mark still on tariff. One was hoping that July 9th would finally be the grand finale, but does not seem to be the case. What cues do you think are going to push the markets forward now? Alok Ranjan: See, if you see valuations , so in terms of valuation markets is almost fairly priced. And if you see our GDP growth and inflation, then nominal GDP growth has come down below 10% and maybe it will be remaining around 9% to 9.5% because if you see, 6.5% GDP growth and 3% inflation, so that is what we are expecting. Because of that there is no demand pull in the market although government has done a lot and also RBI has cut interest rates, so a lot of things have happened. So going forward maybe it will have some positive impact. But as of now, we are just bracing for good days to come. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kulkas yang belum Terjual dengan Harga Termurah (Lihat harga) Cari Sekarang Undo But markets are also looking forward to the earnings as well. This time not much expectation that they already building in. But give us your sense, any sectors that you are keenly watching out for which can really be the outperformers this time. Alok Ranjan: I mean consumer sector is going to do well and that is what we all have seen in the numbers also panning out. But what I am really watching keenly is banking and financial services sector because credit offtake has gone down and it has come down to almost 9% and it is very difficult to imagine that it can go down further. So, based on that, things will start improving from hereon and if you can see six months beyond from now, then maybe we will get credit offtake around 11% or 12% and that is what most of the banks also are talking about. So, depending on how do you want to position your portfolio, maybe financial services or sometimes banking can become quite attractive for one to two years perspective from hereon. But within the consumption basket, what is giving comfort to you right now? Is it the beaten down valuations at this point in time or is it the kind of numbers that the companies are already coming out with because for now we are just seeing that the companies are having a growth in single digit as well. So, any particular segment within the consumption basket you want to flag off. Alok Ranjan: I mean, if you see classical portfolio theory, it can be a good time to buy stocks when they are not looking very attractive and future looks better. So, if you see this consumption sector, it has not given much return in the last three years and also, if you see growth is almost bottoming out and if you see recent numbers, then things are looking much better than what it has done in the past, so based on that and also as I said, government's focusing is on consumption. Live Events Earlier rural sector was not doing well. Now rural sector based on good monsoon and good crop, it is shaping up quite well and also urban sector is not doing that well but things will revive there also, festival season is coming, maybe two-three months from now. So, based on all this, things can look much better than what they are looking right now. And, of course, valuation has corrected, over last two-three years if you see valuation, then it has corrected quite a bit. So, maybe it can be a good time to look into consumer sector. From your latest fact sheet, I understand that you are overweight on healthcare. Could you tell us within the healthcare basket, what are you liking at the moment? Is it hospitals? Is it diagnostics? Where are you placing your bets? Alok Ranjan: Hospitals are looking quite good. They have done quite well in the last two-three years and still the track is quite big where companies can perform and we have definitely got good talent in India and story is panning out quite well. Lot of patients are coming from outside because of our cost competitiveness and at the same time our quality is quite good. So, based on all this, healthcare sector is looking quite good and that is where we are overweight in the past and it will continue. Similarly, what is it that you would currently recommend avoiding in the market, where you do not see either earnings growth or there is valuation discomfort? Alok Ranjan: See, capital goods sector where right now we are overweight, it has done quite well in the last three-four months. It was kind of a contrarian bet and that has worked out well. But unless and until growth comes up, that is where things may be fairly priced now. Basically, my view is that one has to be bottoms-up in this market. There are not very clear pockets of undervaluation where one can just go whole hog and invest and remain overweight, at the same time there are not very expensive sectors also but there might be some pockets. Like it is also looking fairly priced. Capital goods, I mean, stock to stock one can take a call but valuations are definitely they have become quite rich. Let us be a little more specific now. In terms of your latest additions and deletions if you can just help us with some more sectors that you want to flag off because we did talk about FMCG, IT, and consumption basket. But other than that, any of your latest additions and deletions you want to mention? Alok Ranjan: I think cement sector is going to do quite well, so that is something looks good. Then, automobile sector, it has not done well, but going forward it is going to do much better. Interest rates are going to be down and also I am expecting maybe one or two more rate cut post October, November when in US also most possibly we are going to have some rate cuts. So, automobile sector can be looked into at current valuations. IT sector could be another opportunity but that is where again things are looking a bit circumspect and maybe we will have one or two quarters of lull based on whatever is happening in US, but that is where also we can get some opportunity because valuations have started kind of looking attractive.
Scroll.in
14-06-2025
- General
- Scroll.in
‘Roti Ke Chaar Harf': Hindi short stories speak poignantly of love and many forms of disappointments
Social inequalities and injustices are the primary theme of Alok Ranjan's second book, Roti Ke Chaar Harf. The 11 stories in the collection speak poignantly of love, the many iterations of disappointments, pervasive hopelessness, moral dilemmas, and contemporary politics. These themes were also at the centre stage of Siyahat, his debut book published seven years ago. Alok's inimitable style is reflected in the way he writes about old Delhi's food in 'Hum Break Par Main', and how food becomes a matter of survival and ego in the title story 'Roti Ke Chaar Harf'. Through food, he examines the staggering disparities in a city like Delhi, and by extension, of our country. Our need for validation, no matter how trivial, does not always fade with age and wisdom. An old man's attempt to retain his youth blurs the line between truth and lie. He revels in the momentary pleasure derived from being useful to another person. In 'Iss Duniya Ke Kinaare', we see how we barely have any control over the complexes that shape each individual and the choices that they make. Men and women If the men are always irritable and eager to flaunt their bravado, the women maintain a calm facade. The best examples of this can be found in 'Iss Duniya Ke Kinaare', 'Mahatwapoorn Aadmi', 'Talaikuttal', and 'Swaang ke Baahar'. The richness of the language tethers the reader to the ever-increasing desperation of the working class, with each story weaving an elaborate emotional tapestry. There's lingering beauty in the bleakness that the stories acquaint us with. In 'Jalte Sabke Makaan', romantic love is struggling to breathe, and in 'Wapas Laut-te Hue', parental love finds validation despite the miseries the family is struck with. The changing nature of compassion is empathetically written about in the two stories. The author also writes about the pressures of securing a government job and their impact on struggling families. The young of the families suffer as they trade their dreams for an illusion of a secure future. From indifference to nonchalance, they never quite recover from the blows they are dealt by their own expectations and those around them. Women and water The lightness of 'Kharpatwar Ke Phool' and 'Bright Baatein' provides a much-needed balm for the soul in the midst of the profundity of the other stories. In these stories, Alok looks at the common humanity that binds us. One of the most intriguing stories, 'Swaang Ke Baahar', is deeply felt and sombre. We unwittingly bear more than what we can tolerate. Resilience comes at a price. The story asks, how much can a person tolerate till the dam of their limit breaks? In these stories, the desperation that imbues everyday life highlights the deep divide between the rich and the poor. Alok succeeds in capturing the evolution of hunger into poverty, and how it becomes a social and economic marker in a country like India. Women's struggles and their daily battles do not escape the author's attention, especially those of the marginalised. In 'Talaikuttal', he writes about the dated custom of Tamil Nadu which robs widows of their last shred of dignity. Water is also an essential theme in Alok's stories. A symbol of life and death, water is as much a source of sustenance as it is a reason for despair. In 'Talaikuttal', water is seen as wastage in the form of human perspiration, reminding us of the value of life itself. Roti Ke Chaar Harf, to me, is a remarkable contribution to the Hindi literary world, especially in the way it highlights deep-seated, glaring injustices. Alok's razor-sharp language is an additional delight.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Time of India
Sloth bear sighting prompts security vigil at Chittor Fort
1 2 Jaipur: A sloth bear sighting at the historic Chittorgarh Fort prompted local authorities to launch a heightened security and wildlife monitoring operation. Special teams were deployed on Saturday to track the animal and prevent any potential threat to visitors and residents around one of India's most densely visited heritage sites. The bear was first spotted twice on May 22—once in the morning and again in the evening—near the Suraj Pol Gate, a prominent entry point to the fort. The forest department and local administration lost track of the animal after the second sighting, triggering an alert advising locals to remain vigilant. Forest officials suspect the bear may have strayed from one of the nearby wildlife habitats, including Menal Forest, Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary (approximately 35 to 45 km away), or even the Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary, which is known for its significant population of wild animals. "We deployed dedicated teams to monitor the area and ensure the safety of both the public and the animal. The situation is being treated seriously, considering the fort's high footfall and the dense population in and around it," said Alok Ranjan, District Magistrate of Chittorgarh. "Locals have been instructed to report any further sightings immediately to the forest department. Our operation will continue until we are confident the bear has safely returned to its natural habitat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scalable retail: Video analytics firm enables more traffic thanks to robust computing power - Google Cloud: Future of Infrastructure CIO | Google Cloud, AMD Undo " The incident reignited public concern, especially in light of a recent tragedy in Rajsamand, where a sloth bear killed an elderly man in April. Rahul Jhajhria, DFO, Chittorgarh, confirmed that forest teams have been equipped with tranquilizers and are prepared to relocate the bear to Menal Forest if necessary. "Since there have been no sightings in over 24 hours, we suspect the animal started its retreat. However, we will maintain full vigilance until its safe location is confirmed," he said. The forest and wildlife department continues to patrol the area with support from local law enforcement, while tourist activities at the fort remain under cautious watch. MSID:: 121381428 413 |
