Latest news with #Krishnan
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
After 13 attempts, a reluctant pregnant tribal woman in Tamil Nadu persuaded into hospital visit
A five-and-a-half-month pregnant woman from Onthanai hamlet in the Bargur Hills of Erode district, who is anaemic, repeatedly refused hospital care for prenatal check-ups despite persistent efforts by health workers. It took a 13th visit and four hours of persuasion on Wednesday (June 18, 2025) to finally take her to the hospital. Malliga (21), from the Solagar community, is married to Madesh. While living in Coimbatore two years ago, she suffered a miscarriage two months into her first pregnancy and was diagnosed with anaemia at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. A year ago, the couple returned to their native village. Evasion tactic Four months into her current pregnancy, doctors advised a blood transfusion, which was carried out at the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai. Despite medical advice, she refused to follow up with any visits to the Bargur Primary Health Centre. Over the past two-and-a-half months, she evaded health workers on 12 occasions. On spotting their vehicles, she would lock her house and flee into the nearby forest, just 50 metres away. On June 18, a team led by Anthiyur Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dr. Sri Sakthi Krishnan — along with health staff, police personnel, and local residents — visited her home. Initially, the BMO assured her she would not be taken to the hospital, prompting her to allow a basic check of her vitals. When he explained how untreated anaemia could affect the baby's development, she remained adamant about opting for a home birth. Dr. Krishnan then called her husband, who works in Getticheviyur. Madesh urged her to go to the hospital. Still hesitant, she was warned about the risk of Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). Relatable call A turning point came when Malliga was shown a video of another pregnant woman who had initially refused care, but later benefitted from hospital treatment. The other woman was contacted through phone and she spoke to Malliga, encouraging her to trust the doctor. United effort Though encouraged, Malliga retreated into her house and stayed there for 30 minutes, declaring she wouldn't come. After continued persuasion by the BMO, staff, family and locals, she finally agreed and was taken to the Government Hospital in Anthiyur in a 108 ambulance. 'I spoke to her from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and persuaded her,' Dr. Krishnan told The Hindu. Tests revealed her haemoglobin level was 9.5 — below the normal 11 — confirming anaemia. However, her echocardiogram and ultrasound showed no complications. Malliga was later dropped home in the ambulance and she promised to attend regular check-ups. Dr. Krishnan noted that persuading women in remote tribal hill regions to seek institutional care remains a serious challenge, as health staff continue efforts to raise awareness about the risks home deliveries pose to both mother and child.
Mint
6 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Japan's BeyondNext plans $50 million India fund to back deeptech, AI, semiconductor startups
Japanese venture capital firm BeyondNext Ventures, which focuses on deeptech and deep science startups, plans to raise a $50 million fund to back more Indian ventures, a top company executive said. The firm's rationale is threefold: investing in companies with a strong go-to-market focus, investing in Indians across the world, and bringing these businesses to Japan, where larger conglomerates can act as distribution partners. 'We think of India as a place where there are enormous tailwinds and tonnes of young entrepreneurs," Jay Krishnan, head of India investments at BeyondNext Ventures, told Mint in an interview. 'We want to enable those tailwinds, both from a policy and risk conversion side, and bring them to Japan." BeyondNext entered India in 2019, when it backed 14 startups using capital from its $100 million second fund. 'Back then, the idea was to get a taste, get some exposure. Now, we've decided to go full hog in India," Krishnan said. Also Read | How AI is transforming the role of venture capital for startups Japanese VCs are looking more closely at the Indian startup ecosystem. Clean energy startup Aerem raised about $12 million from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation earlier this year. In November last year, Sumitomo's Asia fund was part of a $35 million funding round in mortgage-tech startup Easy. In July last year, mobility manufacturer Suzuki launched its first India-focused ₹340 crore fund to tap startups working in agriculture, financial inclusion, supply chain and mobility. BeyondNext is fundraising at the moment and will set aside 50% of the fund for 20 to 25 investments in the first five years of the 10-year fund. In the next five years, it will deploy the remaining capital for winners from the India portfolio, reserving $1 million for a pre-Series A cheque and another $1 million for follow-on investments. Bullish on semiconductors The firm will enter companies at the pre-seed stage and is offering cheques that start at $250,000 and go up to $2 million. 'We don't want to do Series A for these startups – we'd rather make them discoverable and visible to investors who come in at that stage," said Krishnan. Also Read | India's venture capital firms are finding that leaner might be better For the India-focused fund, BeyondNext said it is very bullish on the semiconductor industry, specifically startups that are able to disrupt the value chain in the sector. Additionally, the firm is evaluating startups in biotech, space and artificial intelligence. 'We're also eager about anything that has a local/contextualised play where the market is big enough that once they crack India, they can go anywhere," Krishnan said. The firm plans to bring its Japanese deeptech playbook to India. BeyondNext runs an incubation programme called BRAVE, where it matches scientists and researchers with ideas that could become startups with business-facing talent. The programme has yielded 52 ventures, according to BeyondNext's website. Also Read | End of FOMO: Venture capital firms turn cautious over AI startup hype; demand models with clear returns and impact 'We prefer two or three founders where the shortcomings of one are mitigated by someone else," said Krishnan. Some of BeyondNext's previous investments in India include GigIndia, which was acquired by PhonePe in 2022, medical crowdfunding platform ImpactGuru, daycare surgery aggregator Medfin, and low-code digital therapeutics SaaS platform Wellthy Therapeutics.
Hans India
13 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Corporate biggies calling the shots in farm sector: AIKS
Hyderabad: The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) National General Secretary, Viju Krishnan, expressed concerns regarding the concentration of power in the agricultural sector, highlighting that four corporate companies now control 46 percent of it. He criticized the BJP government for enabling this trend. Speaking at a seminar organized by the Aribandi Foundation in the city on Thursday, Krishnan linked the liberalization policies introduced since 1990 to the alarming increase in farmer suicides, with four and a half lakh fatalities recorded over the past 30 years. He pointed out that the BJP government has failed to fulfill its promises of doubling farmers' incomes and has not implemented the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee. Krishnan noted that there have been no reported farmer suicides in West Bengal and Gujarat, yet he criticized the reduction in funding for labor provisions. He opposed the installation of meters for agricultural motors, arguing that it would impose an additional financial burden on farmers. He argued that the support prices linked to reduced production costs primarily benefit corporations, resulting in significant losses for farmers, especially in the cotton sector. He recalled the farmers' protest against three controversial agricultural laws, which were ultimately repealed after many lives were lost. Furthermore, Krishnan criticized the new agricultural marketing policy, stating that it resembles the repealed laws and perpetuates inequalities caused by subsidies in other countries. He warned of potential losses arising from free trade agreements and called for the adaptation of farming practices to address climate change, advocating for dairy integration and multi-crop cultivation.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
2010 Mangaluru plane crash victims' kin continue battle for compensation
KOZHIKODE: Fifteen years after the tragic Mangaluru air disaster, families of the victims continue to wage an uphill legal battle demanding rightful compensation as mandated under the Montreal Convention. Despite initial assurances of Rs 75 lakh per deceased passenger, many kin allege they have received only a fraction of the legally entitled amount, forcing them to seek justice through the judiciary. The 2010 crash of Air India Express Flight IX-812, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Dubai, remains one of India's deadliest air disasters. The aircraft overshot the table-top runway at Mangaluru International Airport and plunged into a gorge, killing 158 of the 166 passengers and crew on board. Krishnan, one of the bereaved family members and a petitioner in a case before the Kerala High Court, expressed anguish over the meagre payouts. 'We lost everything that day including our loved ones, our savings, and our future. Yet the compensation offered is a mere token. It's an insult to our loss,' he said. Alongside him, Mayankutty and dozens of others have also filed legal petitions contesting the compensation process. According to Narayanan Killingom, president of Mangaluru Air Crash Victims' Families Association, the airline has yet to disburse the full statutory or 'no-fault' liability amount under the Montreal Convention. 'My brother Gangadharan worked as a truck driver in Dubai. His death devastated our family. We were promised `75 lakh, but later negotiations reduced that. For the families of the deceased, these negotiations should never have applied,' Narayanan said. He confirmed that 42 families remain in legal pursuit of the balance compensation. Compensation discrepancies and legal loopholes Under the Montreal Convention of 1999 ratified by India and incorporated into Indian law via the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Act, 2009, victims' next of kin are automatically entitled to up to 100,000 Special Drawing Rights, an international currency basket defined by the IMF, amounting to roughly Rs 1.52 crore at present exchange rates. This automatic entitlement is classified as 'strict liability,' requiring no proof of fault on the airline's part. Beyond this limit, families can claim additional damages if they can demonstrate negligence or fault by the carrier. However, the onus of disproving fault lies with the airline. In many cases, the airlines have resisted higher payouts by settling quickly and quietly with economically weaker families, offering them reduced compensation in exchange for signing waivers.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Ravi Krishnan aims to blend sport, culture & commerce with new venture Abler Sports & Entertainment
In a changing sports and entertainment landscape, veteran sports marketer Ravi Krishnan is focusing on the intersection of intellectual property (IP), data, and popular culture through his new venture, Abler Sports & Entertainment (ASE).The veteran sports marketing executive aims to reimagine how sport and entertainment are consumed, monetised, and experienced—not just in India, but internationally. ASE is backed by a group of investors from media, technology, sports, and private equity. Notable investors in ASE include Suv Mohapatra, Managing Director at Accenture Singapore; Josh Liberman, Co-founder and Chairman of CVS Lane Capital Partners; Mike Dolan, former Chairman of IMG and former CEO of Bacardi; and Ashutosh Srivastava, former CEO of APAC at his early career at IMG South Asia to initiatives like the Sahara Cup and Lakmé Fashion Week, Krishnan has focused on innovation and long-term strategy. His latest venture centres on fan engagement, IP ownership, and a digital-first approach. He sees this as an opportunity for India to play a more prominent role in the global sports ecosystem. Krishnan's perspective is straightforward: sport remains one of the few true real-time entertainment experiences.'If you want to watch Royal Challengers Bengaluru play Punjab Kings, you need to watch it live. That urgency gives sport an edge,' he says. However, he notes that most digital engagement today still focuses on awareness, rather than driving he believes, is where his company comes in. It positions itself as an 'awareness-to-action' platform—where fan interaction leads to revenue generation, data-driven decision-making, and better returns for rights holders and sponsors.A central element of Krishnan's strategy is the creation and control of IP. 'Everyone wants to build value now,' he says. 'Celebrities don't want a one-time payout to generate $100 million in revenue for others. They want IP ownership.' He contrasts the long-term value of Lakmé Fashion Week, which he launched while at IMG with the Unilever brand as its title sponsor in 2000, with the more transactional nature of properties like the IPL, which has had several title sponsors over the years. His point: lasting IP creates long-term brand equity. Krishnan also sees growing interest in India from global rights holders. 'Manchester City doesn't need more fans in Manchester. They need to monetise fans in India, Indonesia, and Africa,' he argues that while many international entities highlight their Indian fan bases, few have been able to translate that interest into sustainable company seeks to help bridge that gap—supporting both foreign brands entering India and Indian brands looking to expand abroad. 'In the '80s it was Japan, in the '90s Korea, then China. India will make its mark on the globe even more substantially in the future.'With offices in London, Mumbai, San Francisco, and Melbourne, Krishnan describes his venture as a 'global business with an Indian heart.' This positioning, he believes, allows the company to serve as a conduit between Indian and international points to partnerships like Infosys at Grand Slams, TCS with global marathons, and Apollo Tyres with Manchester United as signs of India's increasing presence on the global sports stage.'Indian culture, IP, and commerce are poised for global relevance. And we want to be at the centre of it,' he sees significant untapped potential in women's sports. 'Women's sport is an absolute rising tide in the world of sports,' he says. From growing participation and audiences to rising sponsor interest, he expects the category to grow quickly. His company is already working with World Rugby on the Women's World Cup and integrating women-oriented content on its digital platform, Stepathlon. 'If companies have $100 to spend on sport, they won't spend it all on men in the future.' Another area Krishnan highlights is the 'festivalisation' of sport—blending athletic competition with music, fashion, and food to create a broader experience. 'The Australian Open is a festival with a tennis tournament,' he says. He sees the IPL as another example, having become more than just a cricket goal is to develop IPs that span platforms, cultures, and generations—not just as media products, but as cricket continues to dominate the Indian sports landscape, Krishnan is also exploring tennis, football, and multi-sport formats. He is particularly focused on creating properties that don't rely solely on traditional broadcast models, which he says are heavily tilted toward the IPL.'There's very little left for other leagues. We need to find alternative monetisation models—direct-to-consumer, sponsor-led, or data-driven,' he says. His company is also developing year-round engagement platforms, including non-live content and fan describes India as a 'head and heart' market, where success depends on local insights, cultural nuance, and long-term thinking. With most of the population under 25, he sees both an opportunity and a challenge: the demographic potential is there but remains also sees parallels with other emerging markets such as Africa and Latin Krishnan, sport is more than a business opportunity—it's a tool for positive change. His platform Stepathlon aims to address health challenges by encouraging physical activity.'Wellness is a $6.3 trillion industry. Sport is $500 billion. The connection between the two is undeniable,' he says. 'We use popular culture not just to entertain, but to heal, inspire, and mobilise communities.'Krishnan believes the coming decade could be pivotal for India in global sport and entertainment. He sees the potential to drive change through smart partnerships, IP creation, and a technology-first approach.'We're ambitious—quantitatively and qualitatively,' he says. 'Our goal is to be a thoughtful leader in a rapidly transforming global industry.'
