Latest news with #Subramaniam
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
An AI-led 'scrollworthy' 'Mahabharata' for Indian Gen Z
Marrying ancient stories of India with the contemporary technologies of the world, is what Vijay Subramaniam , group CEO of Collective Artists Network , aims to do with his creation ' Historyverse ' beginning with "Mahabharata" tailored for social media consumption. The adaptation is set to be India's first AI-led micro-drama comprising over 600 episodes, each lasting three to four minutes. This format is designed to resonate with the shorter attention spans typical of Gen Z and young millennials. "For me, the real kick about the Historyverse is how do you marry technology, progress, creativity and formats, that's the trifecta, I don't think AI is the winner here, the fact that you can churn out stories at scale, at speed about the history of the country, AI is the enabler," Subramaniam told PTI in an interview. He said he has designed "Mahabharata" series in a way to capture the attention of the young audience of India as the country one of the largest youth populations in the world. "We've the youngest youth population in the world so my lens is what the kids will see. So, I've to maintain the divinity and devotion of what my grandmother would like but I'm not making her watch it, I'm making the kids watch it, I'm making the rank and file of India watch it," he said. "For me, serving spirituality in a palette that young India can watch is my target without affecting the divinity and the holiness of the text," Subramaniam added. The choice of social media platforms like Instagram for releasing the series, Subramaniam said, is a conscious decision as he wants to transition traditional content into a format that can be "scroll-worthy". Subramaniam believes that there is an attention deficiency across the country so it is his goal to teach his daughter of mythological gods and goddesses in a format that she likes. "If I need to get her (his daughter) out of Captain America and Iron Man and make her watch this, it has to be in that scroll worthy format. So, you're marrying the format, which is micro, you're marrying technology and you're managing and you're marrying rich storytelling, that's the holy trinity. When these three come together I believe magic will happen," he said. According to the creator, him and his team relied solely on AI to generate everything from visuals to voice overs to music, and added that there are no CGI characters or any reliance on body mapping to create the series' characters. "This is completely generated on AI; these faces don't exist on the internet and they don't exist in real life. So, these are unique faces," he said adding that they have recently launched India's first AI travel creator, first AI rock band, among other things. However, developing AI-series comes with its challenges, the producer-creator said, adding that in narrating an epic series like "Mahabharata" it is all about evoking emotion. "Story telling is about getting the emotion right, it has to make you feel something. It's actually not that different, people over-intellectualize AI. We grew up watching the WWF, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Undertaker weren't real, or Captain Planet, Scooby Doo wasn't real, but they all evoked. Why did you follow them? You followed an emotion, you followed the character's emotion," Subramaniam said. Apart from mythological themes, he plans to expand their horizons further and explore narratives surrounding prominent figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and various kings throughout India's history. "We will start with mythology as a theme, then get into kings, then get into history of India, modern history of India. We're developing something for Shivaji, we're developing something for kings, for temple, it will be across the board, it won't be just one (type of show). Because I want young India to view our country from a different palette," Subramaniam added.
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Ports, logistics sector brace for cost impact of US tariff
KUALA LUMPUR: A steeper 19 per cent United States tariff on Malaysian goods, compared with 10 per cent for Singapore, could raise export costs and slow the movement of certain commodities through Malaysia's trade routes, industry players said. Port Klang Authority general manager Captain K. Subramaniam said the higher tariff may place added cost pressures on exporters and reduce trade volumes for commodities routed via Malaysia. However, he said the overall impact on Port Klang's competitiveness is expected to be measured, as the port primarily serves as a transshipment and regional hub rather than a major exporter of US-bound cargo. "Port Klang expects to remain buoyant on the back of strong intra-Asia trade and robust shipping connectivity. "Its competitiveness is anchored not only in tariff considerations but also in its strategic location, cost-efficiency, growing terminal capacity, and comprehensive logistics support," he told Business Times. To retain and grow transshipment volumes, he said Malaysia, particularly Port Klang, is focusing on several key strategies to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. He added that ongoing terminal upgrades and future expansions, including the Westports 2 development, are aimed at increasing capacity and improving turnaround times. The longer-term port capacity expansion plan also includes the Carey Island Port project to cater for future growth. Additionally, Subramaniam said that in terms of digitalisation and trade facilitation, terminal systems are constantly upgraded, adopting the latest digital technologies to ensure speedy and secure data transfer for more efficient supply chain management. On cost competitiveness, he said ports in Malaysia offer top-notch port, logistics, and value-added services at competitive rates, appealing to global shipping lines and logistics companies. Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarders president Datuk Dr Tony Chia Han Teun said the recent tariff changes announced by the US raise significant concerns for Malaysia's trade competitiveness and the logistics sector. He added that this differential could potentially divert transshipment and direct export volumes from Malaysian ports to Singapore, especially for high-value goods where even a few percentage points make a commercial difference. "Malaysia has long served as a strategic hub in regional supply chains, and any tariff disadvantage may encourage multinationals and logistics planners to reroute cargo flows. "This could impact not only our port throughput but also the broader ecosystem, including freight forwarding, warehousing, and value-added logistics services," he said. Chia urged the relevant authorities to engage in dialogue with their US counterparts to clarify the rationale behind the tariff differential and explore avenues for mitigation. "At the same time, we must intensify efforts to enhance port efficiency, reduce last-mile costs, and leverage free trade agreements to maintain Malaysia's position as a competitive and attractive logistics gateway in Asean," he added. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the newly imposed 19 per cent tariff on Malaysian exports to the US is reasonable and will not threaten the country's competitiveness. He added that although Malaysia had hoped for a lower tariff rate, the outcome of the negotiations was fair, as it was achieved without compromising the nation's core policies or sovereignty.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
An AI-led 'scrollworthy' 'Mahabharata' for Indian Gen Z
Marrying ancient stories of India with the contemporary technologies of the world, is what Vijay Subramaniam , group CEO of Collective Artists Network , aims to do with his creation ' Historyverse ' beginning with "Mahabharata" tailored for social media adaptation is set to be India's first AI-led micro-drama comprising over 600 episodes, each lasting three to four minutes. This format is designed to resonate with the shorter attention spans typical of Gen Z and young millennials."For me, the real kick about the Historyverse is how do you marry technology, progress, creativity and formats, that's the trifecta, I don't think AI is the winner here, the fact that you can churn out stories at scale, at speed about the history of the country, AI is the enabler," Subramaniam told PTI in an said he has designed "Mahabharata" series in a way to capture the attention of the young audience of India as the country one of the largest youth populations in the world."We've the youngest youth population in the world so my lens is what the kids will see. So, I've to maintain the divinity and devotion of what my grandmother would like but I'm not making her watch it, I'm making the kids watch it, I'm making the rank and file of India watch it," he said."For me, serving spirituality in a palette that young India can watch is my target without affecting the divinity and the holiness of the text," Subramaniam choice of social media platforms like Instagram for releasing the series, Subramaniam said, is a conscious decision as he wants to transition traditional content into a format that can be "scroll-worthy".Subramaniam believes that there is an attention deficiency across the country so it is his goal to teach his daughter of mythological gods and goddesses in a format that she likes."If I need to get her (his daughter) out of Captain America and Iron Man and make her watch this, it has to be in that scroll worthy format. So, you're marrying the format, which is micro, you're marrying technology and you're managing and you're marrying rich storytelling, that's the holy trinity. When these three come together I believe magic will happen," he to the creator, him and his team relied solely on AI to generate everything from visuals to voice overs to music, and added that there are no CGI characters or any reliance on body mapping to create the series' characters."This is completely generated on AI; these faces don't exist on the internet and they don't exist in real life. So, these are unique faces," he said adding that they have recently launched India's first AI travel creator, first AI rock band, among other developing AI-series comes with its challenges, the producer-creator said, adding that in narrating an epic series like "Mahabharata" it is all about evoking emotion."Story telling is about getting the emotion right, it has to make you feel something. It's actually not that different, people over-intellectualize AI. We grew up watching the WWF, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Undertaker weren't real, or Captain Planet, Scooby Doo wasn't real, but they all evoked. Why did you follow them? You followed an emotion, you followed the character's emotion," Subramaniam from mythological themes, he plans to expand their horizons further and explore narratives surrounding prominent figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and various kings throughout India's history."We will start with mythology as a theme, then get into kings, then get into history of India, modern history of India. We're developing something for Shivaji, we're developing something for kings, for temple, it will be across the board, it won't be just one (type of show). Because I want young India to view our country from a different palette," Subramaniam added.
Herald Sun
01-08-2025
- Health
- Herald Sun
Bulk billing doctors and GPs in SA, rising fees and costs
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News. South Australians are being left up to $74 out of pocket to visit their GP, contradicting claims by Anthony Albanese that people would only need a Medicare card – not a credit card – to visit the doctor. It comes as the Australian Medical Association SA says the state should follow Queensland's lead and abolish payroll tax on GPs. A check of many Adelaide GP clinics by The Advertiser revealed a Medicare card can only get you so far, with nearly all metropolitan clinics only offering limited bulk-billing services to select groups of the community, such as veterans or children. Most are charging patients an out-of-pocket expense of $49 for a standard consultation, with prices broadly tied to suburbs. North Haven and Port Adelaide offered one of the cheapest gap fees at $35, while Glenelg had one of the highest at $68. Unley and its surrounding suburbs also had high gap fees, ranging from $61 and $74. Some centres had low gap fees such as $30 but then charged patients 'admin fees' between $5 and $10, while others had card payment surcharges on top of the fees. AMA SA president Peter Subramaniam said SA's payroll tax on GPs means patients here are paying more than those interstate. 'The payroll tax on GPs was abolished with bipartisan support in Queensland last year, because both major parties recognised it was costing patients more and costing the system more,' Associate Professor Subramaniam said. 'This isn't just a tax on doctors – it's a tax on access to healthcare. When patients can't afford to see their GP, they get sicker,' he said. 'That puts pressure on overcrowded emergency departments, adding to the stress and costs on the system.' According to the AMA, the cost of seeing a GP in South Australia has increased by roughly $10 per visit as a direct result of the payroll tax – a cost Queenslanders are now not paying. Prof Subramaniam's comments come as new figures show Australians paid more than $151m in June to visit their GP, highlighting the mountain the Prime Minister has to climb to fulfil his pledge. Following a week in which Mr Albanese stood in parliament and repeated his election campaign shtick of waving around his Medicare card, new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed Australians have also paid more than $2.2bn out-of-pocket to see a doctor in the past year. Labor's election pledge to ramp up bulk-billing with an $8.5bn investment, which it says will enable an extra 18 million bulk-billed visits a year, is yet to start, with figures showing Australians continue to take a hit to the hip pocket. 'Anthony Albanese promised Australians that 'All you need is your Medicare card, not a credit card' and that it would be 'free to see a GP',' Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said. 'While he was waving around his Medicare card and misleading the public, Australians were forking out billions of dollars in out-of-pocket costs – presumably charged to their credit cards.' Health Minister Mark Butler said increased bulk-billing would begin in November. 'We know too many Australians are paying too much out of pocket when they go to the doctor because of the Liberals' cuts to Medicare,' he said. 'On November 1, we will expand bulk-billing incentives to all Australians and create an incentive payment for practices that bulk-bill every patient.' Mr Butler said the move would result in nine out of 10 GP visits being bulk-billed by 2030. Originally published as Rising GP fees leave SA patients out of pocket despite Anthony Albanese's Medicare claims Read related topics: Anthony Albanese
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BBDO India elevates Shruthi Subramaniam as Mumbai's executive creative director
BBDO India has announced the elevation of Shruthi Subramaniam to the role of executive creative director – Mumbai. With over 14 years of experience, Subramaniam brings a powerful combination of creative excellence and strategic acumen to her new leadership role. At BBDO India, Subramaniam has been the creative force behind campaigns for iconic global brands such as WhatsApp, Bumble, Neutrogena. Her portfolio also includes work for industry giants like Unilever and Mercedes-Benz - projects that are as impactful as they are culturally meaningful. Most recently, she was honoured with a prestigious CLIO Music Award , earning recognition alongside international names like Harry Styles and Ozzy Osbourne - a testament to her ability to create work that resonates across borders and audiences. In her new role, Subramaniam joins BBDO India's core leadership team, where she will help shape the agency's creative direction, lead key client partnerships, and mentor emerging talent. Her focus will be on driving innovation in both storytelling and 'story-doing,' while pushing the boundaries of modern advertising. Commenting on Subramaniam's promotion, Josy Paul said, 'Shruthi's work is famous, her craft is brilliant, and her vision for the future of advertising is inspiring. She's been an integral part of BBDO India's growth story. With our vibrant, diverse talent pool, we're confident she'll bring even more value to our clients while moving the agency and industry forward.' Speaking on her new role, Subramaniam shared, 'The BBDO Ashram is my home - I want to decorate it with ideas, fill each room with the warmth of conversation, and have people over who never want to leave. Belonging is the start of everything. My wish is to make people belong, bloom and become.'
