Latest news with #Sengupta
AU Financial Review
26-05-2025
- Sport
- AU Financial Review
Leadership training builds capacity in not-for-profit sector
The Sydney gathering heard from international cricketer and vice-captain of India's women's cricket team, Smriti Mandhana, about what it means to be a resilient change-maker. Mandhana started playing cricket at a time when very few women played the sport, rising quickly through the ranks from junior level to international stardom, which required immense fortitude. She emphasised how important it is as a leader to reconcile failures and successes. 'You have to understand what's working for you and what's not working for you,' Mandhana said. 'No matter if you score 100 or you score a duck, the next day, you still have to start playing again from zero. So, it doesn't really matter what's happened in the past. Failure is the time when you understand what you can do better.' Mandhana left the audience with a message about balancing the mental space you devote to analysing setbacks versus how you assess your successes. She told the group to avoid falling into rumination and fixation, and recommended meditation and breathing exercises to gain a level head during times of stress. Common Purpose's Sengupta said events like the American Express Leadership Academy are vital for NFP leaders to build their resilience and be inspired. 'At Common Purpose, our heart and soul is about giving people the skills, knowledge and networks so they can be a better version of themselves and solve the complex challenges of society for individuals, organisations and communities,' Sengupta said. 'The academy strengthens the sector and gives its leaders the chance to be inspired and better connected. It's about developing the knowledge to make two plus two into 11, not four, to accelerate their social impact.' American Express chief corporate affairs officer, Jennifer Skyler, said, 'one of the goals of the Leadership Academy is to build bridges between organisations in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. This helps to ensure that everyone has access to the best tools, skills and networks to realise their potential and advance their mission, whether it be for a company, social enterprise or NGO.' 'Going into the leadership academy, I felt I was very consultative and had an understanding of organisational change and change management. But I had never admitted to myself I was a leader until I did the course,' said 2024 academy alumnus Craig Stevens, the CEO of LocalKind, which offers a drop-in support service for vulnerable people living in Sydney. Stevens was one of three alumni to receive $US25,000 as part of their involvement in Leadership Academy to go towards their nonprofits. The course gave him a deeper appreciation of how his backstory can help effect change. 'I learned as a result of this experience I have a story. And that story is linked to our mission and values, and can be used for the good of the organisation in terms of fundraising and raising awareness,' said Stevens. 'It helped me be able to advocate on issues such as domestic violence and trauma-informed care for people who have had complex childhoods and end up homeless or in the justice system.' Stevens said being part of the American Express Leadership Academy also supported his own career ascension to run a large not-for-profit organisation. 'I started my professional life as a support worker, moving into different roles before becoming a CEO,' he said. 'The academy challenged my thinking on how I can lead through change more kindly and using stories, understanding you're going to get better results if you bring people along the journey.'
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
RBI board approves record surplus transfer of Rs 2.69 lakh crore to Centre
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 23 (ANI): The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) central board has approved a record Rs 2.69 lakh crore surplus transfer to the central government for the fiscal year 2024-25. A decision in this regard was taken in the 616th Meeting of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India on Friday. This is the highest-ever surplus transfer by the RBI to the government for fiscal 2024-25 (FY25). The RBI in the financial year ending March 2024 transferred Rs 2.1 lakh crore to the centre. The RBI said in a statement, 'The Board thereafter approved the transfer of Rs 2,68,590.07 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting year 2024-25.' During accounting years 2018-19 to 2021-22, owing to the prevailing macroeconomic conditions and the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Central Board had decided to maintain the CRB at 5.50 per cent of the Reserve Bank's Balance Sheet size to support growth and overall economic activity. The CRB was increased to 6.00 per cent for FY 2022-23 and to 6.50 per cent for FY 2023-24. 'Based on the revised ECF and taking into consideration the macroeconomic assessment, the Central Board decided to further increase the CRB to 7.50 per cent,' the RBI statement added. In its statement, the RBI added that the Central Board at the 616th Meeting reviewed the global and domestic economic scenario, including risks to the outlook. The Board also discussed the working of the Reserve Bank during the year April 2024 - March 2025 and approved the Reserve Bank's Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year 2024-25. Commenting on the announcement, Gaura Sengupta, Chief Economist at IDFC FIRST Bank, said, 'The RBI dividend was in line with our expectations at Rs 2.7 tn vs. last year's dividend of Rs 2.1 tn (IDFC First Bank estimate of INR 2.6 tn to Rs 3tn).' 'In the FY26 Union Budget, dividends from RBI and PSUs are budgeted at INR 2.6 tn, which implies an RBI dividend of ~INR 2.3 tn. While details have not yet been released, income has likely been supported by earnings on foreign exchange transactions,' Sengupta said. (ANI)
Business Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Tictag, Hatch tap AVPN's AI Opportunity Fund to train marginalised groups in AI
[SINGAPORE] When non-profit organisation AVPN surveyed 3,000 respondents, it found that only 15 per cent of them have taken part in artificial intelligence (AI) skill programmes, while 57 per cent were unaware that such resources exist. However, about 91 per cent said they are keen to learn AI-related skills – especially as AI is expected to contribute US$3 trillion to Asia-Pacific's gross domestic product, noted Moutushi Sengupta, senior adviser at AVPN. She added: 'Routine tasks – from scheduling to compliance checks – are increasingly being automated, while new roles are emerging in areas such as AI governance, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.' Therefore, AVPN launched the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, supported by and the Asian Development Bank. Forty-nine organisations across the region have been selected to receive funding and guidance from this US$15 million initiative. Although the fund was initiated last year, the chosen organisations were announced only in early May. The fund aims to train and upskill groups of workers in AI, as part of a three-year programme. Marginalised communities, such as migrant workers and persons with disabilities (PWDs), will benefit. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up AVPN worked with its strategic partners, such as AI Singapore, to develop localised AI training programmes based on Google AI Essentials, said Sengupta. With this fund, AVPN has adopted a train-the-trainer approach to reach a larger pool of beneficiaries. 'By equipping organisations with the resources to deliver localised, language-specific AI training, we enable them to deliver this knowledge directly to their own communities. This approach ensures the training provided is relevant, accessible and deeply rooted in local contexts, while also multiplying its impact and reach beyond what any single organisation can achieve alone,' she added. Upskilling for local communities The two organisations chosen from Singapore were Tictag and Hatch. Both operate in the AI and digital space, running upskilling programmes for local communities. In an interview with The Business Times, Kevin Quah, co-founder and chief executive of Tictag, said: 'We want to be able to foster inclusive AI development by not only involving people within the AI economy, but also providing foundational AI skills training to different communities that have unmet needs across Asia-Pacific.' With this particular fund, Tictag aims to 'deliver more accessible AI-focused training modules' to migrant workers, teaching skills such as data management and collection. These foundational skills can enhance their employability, enabling them to pursue entrepreneurship or higher-paying roles. 'Migrant workers might not see AI in action in their day-to-day jobs. We want to expose them to the larger AI ecosystem and give them the skills they need to hopefully enrich their own communities – not just here, but also back home,' Quah said. 'One of the gaps we identified was that migrant workers expressed a desire to learn other skills besides their jobs.' Tictag works with different social service organisations to reach migrant workers from various sectors, including domestic workers. So far, it has collaborated with 16 such organisations to train more than 200 individuals, including migrant workers, PWDs and refugees. Meanwhile, Hatch uses digital tools to help underserved communities upskill, and runs training and employment programmes. Since it was founded in 2018, it has trained more than 1,400 individuals and has an 87 per cent job placement rate. Hatch uses digital tools to help underserved communities upskill. PHOTO: HATCH With the AI Opportunity Fund, the social enterprise hopes to help a broader range of beneficiaries, including women returning to the workforce, senior workers with limited digital exposure, and PWDs. It collaborated with AI Singapore to develop and customise the curriculum. Yeoh Wan Qing, co-founder and chief product officer of Hatch, said: 'AI changes a lot of things in the digital sector – processes are now shorter and faster. We wanted to help because the groups that we work with fall behind (as) they are not ahead with their skills.' She added that many of Hatch's beneficiaries are employed in industries that are 'quite prone to being automated because of the AI revolution', such as administration. Teaching AI skill sets will help them be more efficient at work. 'We've decided to customise a certain part of the curriculum into applications for different sectors – coming up with more use cases on how they can see these skills being applied in their own work and daily lives,' Yeoh said. Those who require moderate support such as early career workers can tap Hatch's AI Readiness Program Core Track, a structured online learning programme; while those who require additional guidance and accommodations such as PWDs can tap the AI Readiness Program Enhanced Support Track. In the fund's second phase, will commit an additional US$10 million to AVPN for AI upskilling initiatives to support micro, small and medium enterprises in South-east Asia.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Most Indian heart failure patients not getting lifesaving therapy, finds survey
Nagpur: A first-of-its-kind nationwide physician survey found that a majority of heart failure (HF) patients in India are not receiving guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) — a proven set of treatments that can significantly reduce hospitalisation and means using the best combination of medicines that have been proven to work for heart failure. These medicines help the heart pump better, reduce symptoms like breathlessness or swelling, and most importantly, help patients live longer and stay out of the across 27 states and one Union territory, the study gathered responses from over 5,000 doctors, making it one of the most comprehensive real-world assessments of heart failure care in India to date. The study, which recently appeared in the Journal of Cardiac Failure, was spearheaded by Dr Shantanu Sengupta, a senior cardiologist and researcher from Sengupta, the lead author, warned that the findings expose a serious gap in the standard of care for common Indian patients suffering from heart failure."This data tells us that many patients who should be receiving GDMT are simply not getting it — either due to lack of physician awareness, patient affordability, or systemic barriers," said Dr Sengupta, speaking to 54% of doctors said that only 1 in 4 of their patients were on proper GDMT, just 15% believed that more than three-quarters of their patients were receiving the recommended care. This means that thousands of patients may be left vulnerable to worsening heart failure due to under-treatment, despite clinical guidelines established by global and Indian cardiology typically includes a combination of medications, each targeting different aspects of heart failure pathology. When used in appropriate doses and combinations, GDMT has been shown to reduce mortality by nearly 60% in certain groups of heart failure patients."Patients and families must ask whether the following treatment plan includes GDMT. It's a matter of life and death," Dr Sengupta Common Patients Should Do* Know your EF (Ejection Fraction): Ask your doctor about your EF status* Demand clarity on medicines: Check if you're receiving beta-blockers, RAAS inhibitors* Monitor symptoms: Shortness of breath, leg swelling, and fatigue* Regular follow-up: GDMT needs regular dose adjustments and monitoringGDMT Gap in India* 5,012 doctors surveyed across 27 states and 1 UT* 53% physicians, 44% cardiologists, 2% endocrinologists* 54% said only 1 in 4 patients receive GDMT* 15% said more than 75% receive GDMT* 58% doctors in South zone say 25% patients on GDMT
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bandhan Bank's Q4 net profit rises 6-fold to Rs 318 crore
Kolkata: Private sector lender Bandhan Bank's net profit for the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year jumped nearly six-fold to Rs 318 crore from Rs 55 crore in Q4 FY24, driven by lower provisions. The bank's provisions in Q4 FY25 slumped to Rs 1,260 crore from Rs 1,774 crore in Q4 FY24. However, its FY25 profit-after-tax grew by 23% to Rs 2,745 crore. The bank's operating profit grew 11% year-on-year to Rs 7,389 crore in FY25 from Rs 6,639 crore in FY24. But in Q4 this year, the operating profit slumped to Rs 1,571 crore from Rs 1,838 crore in the same quarter of the previous year, according to the board of directors who announced the bank's financial results on Wednesday. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata For FY25, Bandhan Bank's net revenue grew 16% year-on-year to Rs 14,458 crore, while net interest income (NII) rose 11% to Rs 11,491 crore, said Partha Pratim Sengupta, MD and CEO of the bank. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Vietnam: New Container Houses (Take A Look At The Prices) Container House Search Now Undo The gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio increased to 4.7% in Q4 FY25 from 3.8% in the same period a year ago. "Our net revenue in Q4 FY25 stood at Rs 3,456 crore, marginally lower than Rs 3,560 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. As of March 31, our bank's capital adequacy ratio stood at 18.7% against a regulatory requirement of 11.5%. Total deposits stood at Rs 1.5 lakh crore against Rs 1.3 lakh crore in the previous year, showing a year-on-year growth of 12%. The CASA deposits stood at Rs 47,437 crore, while the CASA ratio stood at 31%," said Sengupta. For FY25, Bandhan Bank's net revenue grew 16% YoY to Rs 14,458 crore while net interest income (NII) rose 11% to Rs 11,491 crore.
