Latest news with #Bhargavan
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Time of India
Human trafficking victim from Kerala to be airlifted from Malaysia for treatment
T'puram: Mini Bhargavan , 54, from Kattappana, who suffered burns while working as a domestic help in Malaysia, will be airlifted to Kochi on Thursday by an air ambulance. Bhargavan, a victim of human trafficking, has been in coma for over two months with about 26% severe burns and unable to breathe without ventilator support. Although she was admitted to Penang General Hospital at George Town in Malaysia on March 8 after suffering burns at workplace, her employer did not inform her relatives. Her health worsened as she developed a lung infection and kidney-related issues while undergoing treatment. It was her son, Ratheesh, who informed Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS) about the incident. "I was informed by the agent that my mother met with an accident. At first he told me that it was just a minor incident. However, when we could not contact her even after a couple of weeks, we approached the LKS. My mother went to Malaysia on March 4 and the incident happened on March 8," said Ratheesh, who left for Malaysia on Monday to accompany his mother. Ratheesh passed on the information to the LKS representatives in Malaysia. It was through the preliminary investigation by Atmesh Pachatt, an LKS member in Malaysia, that the shocking details about Bhargavan came to light, said LKS project coordinator Akhil C S. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "We are yet to track the exact reason as Bhargavan is not able to talk. The employer did not inform the police about the incident. Hence, we approached the embassy," said Atmesh. Further investigation revealed that Bhargavan was one of the 42 women, including her younger sister, who were trafficked to Malaysia on visiting visas under the false promise of work visas as domestic workers. It was also found that her sister and another woman were held captive in the agent's house. They have now been moved to a special shelter under the embassy's leadership, said Atmesh. The timely intervention of the Indian embassy's labour wing officials expedited actions against the employer and the agent. Due to the progress in Bhargavan's health condition, discussions between hospital authorities and embassy officials have paved the way for her to be brought home for further treatment. The diplomatic intervention by the Indian embassy, which ensured that all expenses for bringing the victim home were borne by the employer under the strength of legal actions against human trafficking, resulted in an air ambulance being arranged for Bhargavan. According to the schedule, she will be brought to Kochi on Thursday night in a special air ambulance of Malaysian Airlines. All arrangements have been made by NORKA at Ernakulam Medical College Hospital for further treatments. This is the first time a Malayali expatriate, a victim of human trafficking, is being brought home using an air ambulance.
The Print
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
ITC leveraging AI for supply chain efficiency, demand forecasting
'We started with the Sixth Sense Centre to monitor social media conversations, identify consumer trends and translate them into actionable insights. Today, we have AI tools that can extract themes such as dietary shifts — like growing millet consumption — and recommend product ideas based on ingredients and recipes people are talking about,' ITC Executive Director Sumant Bhargavan said. The Kolkata-headquartered company's digital transformation journey began around six years ago, he said. Kolkata, May 3 (PTI) ITC Ltd on Saturday said it is leveraging artificial intelligence and a robust digital backbone to accelerate product innovation, respond to emerging consumer trends and efficiently serve diverse retail channels. Bhargavan said it has also developed a fully integrated digital supply chain that supports multiple retail formats — general trade, modern trade, e-commerce and quick commerce. Each channel has unique demands, especially in terms of inventory management and speed of delivery, requiring tailored supply chain models and demand-sensing tools, he said. The company has built pilot plants for various categories, enabling rapid prototyping and testing of products based on these insights. 'That's how we launch over 100 products a year,' Bhargavan noted. 'Quick commerce, for example, demands higher inventory buffers and predictive tools due to erratic consumer behaviour and short shelf life of food products,' he said. On the marketing front, ITC is increasingly shifting to in-house content creation and digital-first strategies. 'We use AI engines to dynamically generate and serve personalised ads to consumer cohorts. If one version of an ad doesn't get a click, another one is served until we know what works,' Bhargavan said at an MCCI event here. 'Each retail format — from 'kiranas' to online to modern trade has a role to play. The key is to minimise channel conflict and serve every format appropriately,' the senior company official said. Meanwhile, Reliance Grocery Retail CEO Damodar Mall said nearly 72-75 per cent of retail is still physical, amid a sharp traction in digital commerce. He said quick commerce is accelerating consumption by narrowing the gap between desire and purchase, but wondered about its sustainability. 'Quick commerce turns a wish into consumption instantly — it's reshaping habits and boosting consumption. However, the service is subsidised by investor capital. 'Consumers are not paying for the service; they are having a free lunch. The question is, when services must be paid for, how many will continue?' Mall said without elaborating. He expects the segment to eventually stabilise with only a few dominant players. PTI BSM RBT This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
