Home Blog Page 5036

Tech in the time of pandemic: How Aarogya Setu app has been helping people in fighting the Chinese coronavirus

Nirwa Mehta
-
0
Tech in the time of pandemic: How Aarogya Setu app has been helping people in fighting the Chinese coronavirus

Few days back, a friend of mine got fever and lost her sense of taste. While she did not have cough or cold, the loss of taste has been one of the classic Chinese coronavirus symptoms. Panicky, she tried reaching out to hospitals for getting her test done but they all needed doctor’s prescription. She tried calling the COVID-19 helpline but could not get through.

“Did you try marking your symptoms on Aarogya Setu app? Maybe that could give us an idea on what to do next,” I suggested. Problem with today’s day and age is that there is so much information overdose that when you want one specific information, that evades you when you really need it. She marked her symptoms on Aarogya Setu app and her status turned to ‘high risk’. Usually, if you do not display any symptoms of COVID-19 and have not come in close contact with COVID-19 positive individual, your status will be ‘safe’.

Aarogya Setu app marking me as ‘safe’

Within hours, the health ministry officials got in touch with her through the registered phone number and her testing was carried out. When my friend’s status changed on Aarogya Setu, there was a change in my Aarogya Setu data as well as I had met her a week prior when I visited her place. This is how my ‘contact’ data looked.

2 people I met in last 30 days are ‘high risk’

As can be seen, Aarogya Setu establishes contact with other device via bluetooth and once that person’s records in the server change, the change is reflected in everyone’s app who came in close contact with that person. Thankfully, my friend tested negative for coronavirus and has recovered from her seasonal fever too. However, from the time my friend’s status changed on her app till the time she got back her reports, I had isolated myself at home on my own. One can never be too careful.

Aarogya Setu and contact tracing

Speaking of being careful, here is what recently happened to a distant relative of mine. First of all, despite restrictions on large gatherings, a bunch of people gathered together at a wedding function. The virus isn’t going anywhere, right? We’ve to learn to live with it and take precautions.

So, while the gatherings wasn’t large, as is usual in Indian weddings, it still had significant number of people. One of the ladies who attended the function eventually tested positive for coronavirus. The health officials, through Aarogya Setu contact tracing were able to trace every individual who came in close proximity of the lady. Of the 37 people traced via her Aarogya Setu, 3 were asymptomatic carriers and also tested positive.

In another case, one of my friend’s colleague tested positive for coronavirus. Aarogya Setu status turned ‘orange’ (moderate risk) for a few people and ‘red’ (high risk) for some depending on the proximity and time they had spent with the colleague. Thankfully, none of them tested positive for coronavirus later on.

There are many such instances where contact tracing through Aarogya Setu app has helped health officials trace even asymptomatic carriers in a bid to contain the infection.

In fact, in case you come in contact with someone who has been infected, the app lets you know how long you have been in touch with that person so you can trace back your steps and self-isolate and see if you develop symptoms.

Time one came in contact of infected person

An individual came in contact with an infected person for a few minutes and this is how it propped up.

Aarogya Setu is indicative, not conclusive

Aarogya Setu app can help the health authorities with contact tracing and inform individuals like you and I on how much at risk we are at getting infected. It, however, cannot inform you that you are infected. Even if you mark your symptoms as unwell, the app asks you to get yourself tested as you are ‘at risk’. An individual’s status on app changes to ‘infected’ once your test results are updated on government servers.

Further, there are myths floating around. Some people are afraid to put in details in Aarogya Setu fearing that the health authorities will come and take them away if the app diagnoses them as infected. This, however, is not true. App only indicates you that you may be at a risk of getting infected and urges you to get tested. Further, it informs health authorities to follow up with you in case you are at risk. This still needs to be communicated as some people still believe so. The app and our healthcare system can work only with transparency of data.

For the app to work it is important that it gets public support. Usage of Aarogya Setu app should be internalised and made the new normal like wearing masks and washing and cleaning hands.

The pandemic is unprecedented and no one was prepared for it. Public participation is essential for the government to control the spread. Aarogya Setu helps in contact tracing so that early detection can be done and we get one step closer to winning over the virus.

Kaagaz Scanner: The India-made document scanner app that was praised by PM Modi in his Mann Ki Baat

Anurag
-
0
Kaagaz Scanner: The India-made document scanner app that was praised by PM Modi in his Mann Ki Baat

This is the story of a Made-in-India app that gained over a million downloads thanks to the ban on Chinese apps, including camscanner by the government of India. Kaagaz scanner, the app that was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Mann Ki Baat address, is filling the void created by the departure of a much-popular rival camscanner after its ban in the Indian market.

How it all started?

Founders of Kaagaz App (From left: Snehanshu Gandhi, Gaurav Shrishrimal and Tamanjit Singh Bindra

Around a year ago, three friends came together and started building a product in a productivity space called Sorted AI, an AI-powered reminders and tasks app. Snehanshu Gandhi (IIT Bombay and ISB Hyderabad alumni), Tamanjit Singh Bindra (AIT Pune alumni), and Gaurav Shrishrimal (IIT Kanpur alumni), when learned about PM Modi’s call for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan and Vocal For Local, they noticed that there is no decent document scanning app available on the app store. They named it “Kaagaz scanner,” as an Indian name felt more appropriate.

Kaagaz’s unexpected growth after camscanner’s ban

When the government of India announced the ban on Chinese apps, including canscanner, users started to hunt for alternate apps, and Kaagaz saw incredible growth in a matter of days. In the first three days, the app saw 200,000 downloads from almost zero. As of now, the app stands at 1.2 million downloads on Google Play Store. 70% of the downloads come from word-of-mouth via WhatsApp forwards and Social Media outreach. Kaagaz became #2 in Productivity on PlayStore within two days of the ban and #11 overall ranking. As of now, the app sees over 70,000 unique users on the app every day. It has been used to scan over 18 million pages so far in just 2.5 months.

Plans for the app

The developers are planning to bring more organizational features to the app to make it more useful. The plan is to include an AI-Powered Document Organizer, a feature missing from the majority of the competitor apps. They are also planning to add custom watermark and regional language options to make it more accessible to the masses.

As of now, Kaagaz is Sorted AI’s primary focus, but they are planning to bring more futuristic products in the market soon. They are building a suite of AI-powered utility tools to manage their day-to-day tasks to make users’ lives easier.

Recognition by PM Modi, education minister and Government entities

Kaagaz Scanner saw a surge in downloads after Prime Minister Modi named it during his address in Mann Ki Baat episode on 22nd August. Simultaneously, the app got recognized by education minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Digital India, MyGov and other government entities that gave it the much-needed boost both in terms of users and morale.

Lack of healthy competition and sad attitude of Indian customers towards indigenous apps

In an interview with OpIndia, Shrishrimal said that there are big players in the app market, and most of the time, it gets more challenging for start-ups to compete with them in terms of marketing. As small start-ups lack finances to market their product, most of the time, their apps go un-noticed by the masses even if they are better than the apps developed by big players. Keeping this situation in mind, the ban definitely helped Sorted AI to get noticed by the masses. Still, the team behind Kaagaz believes that there should be a possibility of healthy competition in the market.

The other problem that developers face is the sad attitude of users to try new indigenous apps by Indian start-ups. Even if the app developers claim to have better options, it is not easy to convince the users to give it at least a try and then decide which app is better in functionality and ease-of-use. Shrishrimal said that it is fortunate for the tech industry that the Indian internet market is growing exponentially. Investors are showing the internet in India-made tech products, and with better infrastructure and sharp young minds, the Indian tech industry is catching up with the rest of the world. Now it is up to users to show support for such India-made apps so that they can do better than their global counterparts not only in India but also in the international market.

You can download the app from here.

Pakistanis use a 2-year-old image to claim IAF chopper has crashed in Ladakh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pakistanis use a 2-year-old image to claim IAF chopper has crashed in Ladakh

A Pakistan-based news anchor Mubasher Lucman shared an image on September 13 claiming that an Indian Mi-17 chopper had crashed in Ladakh amid the recent India-China stand-off at the Line of Actual Control.

Posting the image on his verified Twitter handle, the Pakistani journalist wrote: “Indians please check is this your M 17 crashed in Laddakh? We will keep you posted of any developments”. Lucman actually thought that he is sharing brand new information regarding the India China standoff in LAC and he tried to even mock India, by sharing a 2-year-old image as ‘latest development’.

Pakistani journalist’s post

Following Lucman’s Tweet, several Pakistani Twitter and Facebook users shared the same image of the crashed Indian Air Force chopper with the similar claim. 

However, the Paksitanis were using a 2-year-old image to peddle their lie. Many alert social media users who were quick to fact-check the claim. the social media users pointed out that the image which the Pakistani’s claimed was a recent one from Ladakh, is, in fact, a 2018 image and is also not from Ladakh.

Actually, the image is that of a Mi-17 helicopter, an IAF cargo aircraft had caught fire while attempting to land near Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand in April 2018. It was widely covered in media.

Screen shot of a 2018 report by Hindustan Times
2018 TOI report

On April 3, 2018, a Mi-17 helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) reportedly caught fire after it hit an iron girder while it was attempting to land in a helipad in Kedarnath in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district. Six people, including two pilots, were injured in the incident.

“Doordarshan is an emotion that reminds the unity of the nation”: Netizens become nostalgic as Doordarshan turns 61

OpIndia Staff
-
0
“Doordarshan is an emotion that reminds the unity of the nation”: Netizens become nostalgic as Doordarshan turns 61

Public broadcaster Doordarshan is celebrating its 61st anniversary on Tuesday, reminiscing the glorious days when shows like Mahabharata, Ramayana, Chitrahaar, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Fauji, Malgudi Days, and several others captured the imagination of the public and which till date remains etched in the public memory as timeless classics.

“Celebrating 61 Glorious Years of #Doordarshan!!” the official Twitter account of Doordarshan tweeted with a video of the signature tune, a slow melancholic tune that became a cherished memory for generations of Indians, and a swirling nebula that finally conjured up the Doordarshan logo.

On this occasion, the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar took to Twitter to express his greetings on the Foundation Day of the state broadcaster.

“Doordarshan is a part of his life. Doordarshan gave many good programs from Ramayana, Mahabharata to the unknown. Even today, India’s public service broadcaster Doordarshan, DDNews, DDKisan, DDBharati, DDNational and DDRetro are connected continuously through so many channels. Happy #DoordarshanDay!” Javadekar tweeted.

BJP vice-president Karnataka, Shobha Karandlaje, wished Doordarshan on its Foundation Day and thanked it for 61 years of unprecedented service to the country.

Popular actor Swwapnil Joshi, who played the role of Lord Ram’s son Kush in the ‘Uttar Ramayana’ on Doordarshan, also wished the channel on its birthday.

Doordarshan’s tweet commemorating its 61st anniversary evoked the feelings of nostalgia among the netizens, who wished the channel on its Foundation Day and expressed their gratitude to it by recounting their childhood memories associated with the public broadcaster.

“This music is redolent with innocence and dreams of my childhood! When the world truly felt like an oyster,” one of the Twitter users posted.

Another Twitter user said that Doordarshan was not just a channel but a member of every Indian family. The user praised the channel for amazing documentaries, Sunday’s Rangoli show and the Independence Day parade.

One Twitter user credited Doordarshan for playing a key role in changing the perception of the country.

A Twitter user said that Doordarshan is an emotion that reminded him the unity of the country.

Doordarshan started as an experiment on September 15, 1959, became a service in 1965, when it started beaming signals to reach television sets in and around the national capital region. By 1972, services were extended to Mumbai and Amritsar and seven other cities by 1975.

Would she say the same if Abhishek was found hanging one day?: Kangana Ranaut hits out on Jaya Bachchan on Bollywood drug abuse case

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Would she say the same if Abhishek was found hanging one day?: Kangana Ranaut hits out on Jaya Bachchan on Bollywood drug abuse case

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday hit out on veteran actress and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan for trying to water down the rampant drug abuse in the film industry.

Responding to Jaya Bachchan’s comments in the Parliament where she said those film actors criticising the film industry should be ashamed of themselves, Kangana asked her would she react the same way if her own daughter, Shweta, was beaten, drugged and molested as a teenager. “Would you say the same thing if Abhishek complained about bullying and harassment constantly and found hanging one day?” she asked Jaya Bachchan to show compassion for those coming from non-film background.

Jaya Bachchan is wife of former Congress leader and veteran Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and mother to Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan. She also has a daughter, Shweta Bachchan, who sometimes appears in television ads.

Kangana Ranaut has one of the most vocal voices to call out rampant drug abuse in the glam world. She had alleged that almost everyone in the film industry abuses drugs. She had said that when she had just entered the film industry, she was drugged by a ‘character artist’. In an interview given to Arnab Goswami on Republic, Ranaut confirmed what was believed for a long time, that drugs flow like water in Bollywood parties, and industry insiders start giving newcomers with drugs from the beginning.

Media shields Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa for demanding the withdrawal of Y-plus security cover of Kangana Ranaut

Dibakar Dutta
-
0
Media shields Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa for demanding the withdrawal of Y-plus security cover of Kangana Ranaut

The war of words between the Congress-backed Maharashtra government and actress Kangana Ranaut is far from over. On Monday, the actress informed her fans that she has left Mumbai after being harassed by the State machinery. Citing the destruction of her house and office by the Brinhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), she reiterated that her comparison of Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was right.

Kangana Ranaut tweeted, “With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days, constant attacks and abuses hurled at me, attempts to break my house after my workplace, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on.”

However, her tweet riled up Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa who practices as an advocate in the Supreme Court. Labelling the decision of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide Y-category security to Kangana Ranaut as waste of ‘taxpayers’ money, the Congress politician demanded withdrawal of her security cover. He claimed that she did not need security personnel to protect her since she was back to her ‘safe’ hometown in Himachal Pradesh and not Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Kalappa wrote, “Y category security for one person costs the Centre over 10,00,000/- each month. This money is borne by taxpayers. Now that Kangana is safe in HP (far away from POK), will Modi Sarkar kindly withdraw the security detail provided to her?!”

The actress was however in no mood to let the Congress leader off the hook. She informed, “Brijesh ji security is not given based on what you or I think, IB ( Intelligence Bureau) investigates the threat, based on the threat my security grade is decided.” The actress further added that she hopes, by the grace of god, if the threat perception to her is diminished in the IB report, the security cover might be withdrawn. If it goes up, it may be upgraded.

However, the media ecosystem was quick to present the argument as a manifestation of a non-political legal mind, concerned about the wastage of taxpayers’ money. Pinkvilla, for instance, chose to ignore the fact that Kalappa is a Congress leader and AICC national spokesperson. Throughout the article, the publication referred to the individual as a Supreme Court advocate.

Screengrab of the Pinkvilla report

Similar attempt at whitewashing the ‘Congress angle’ was made by Hindustan Times and DNA.

Screengrab of the Hindustan Times report
Screengrab of the DNA report

Brijesh Kalappa had been associated with Congress for years. He had been appointed Congress media convenor in 2018 and is also AICC national spokesperson. Kalappa was also the legal advisor of the Siddaramaiah government. He was also given the position of a minister in the earlier Karnataka government by Siddaramaiah. He was hopeful of the MLA ticket for Madikeri which was given instead to HS Chandramauli by his party.

NCB confirms it may soon summon Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh for questioning: Report

OpIndia Staff
-
0
NCB confirms it may soon summon Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh for questioning: Report

According to a report on Times of India, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and Simone Khambatta may soon get summoned in drug cases related to Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. These three were allegedly named by the main accused in the case of Rhea Chakraborty during her interrogation. The agency is keeping an eye on 25 people associated with Bollywood in the drug case as per TOI sources. NCB may summon the three to record their statement on Thursday or Friday.

The report also stated that Sara, Rakul Preet and Simone may be summoned on Tuesday. They are expected to join the investigation by Thursday and may be required to be present for interrogation by the end of the week.

Recently, Free Press Journal had quoted NCB deputy director KPS Malhotra saying that NCB has prepared a list of peddlers and traffickers but not any Bollywood stars, as mentioned in the media reports. He said, “We have not prepared any Bollywood list. The list earlier prepared was of peddlers and traffickers. It’s getting confused with Bollywood.”

On 8th September, NCB took Rhea Chakraborty in custody and sent her to Byculla Jail. The agency had also arrested her brother Showik in connection to the drug-related case linked to Rajput’s death. He is also in judicial custody along with Rajput’s manager Samuel Miranda and domestic help Dipesh Sawant.

Rhea’s advocate said that they are no in a hurry to move to court for bail. According to the report, he said that they will study the order, its implications and developments in the Case at the NCB level and then decide. “There’s no room for speculation. Once it is filed, we will share a copy of the Bail Application,” he has informed.

NCB arrested several people linked to Showik and Rhea

The NCB has raided the residence of Showik Chakraborty’s school friend Suradeep Mehrotra who is allegedly a drug peddler. His name appeared during the initial investigation. According to the Times of India report, he was to be brought to the NCB office on 14th September evening.

The NCB had arrested another six persons on Sunday. They are named Karamjeet Singh, Dwayne Fernandes, Sanket Patel, Ankush Arneja, Sandeep Gupta and Aftab Fateh Ansari, who are part of a drug syndicate. These people are directly or indirectly linked to Sushant, Rhea and Showik. NCB initiated several raids in different parts of Mumbai and Goa over the weekend that led to their arrest. They were produced before the metropolitan magistrate court on Monday for remand.

As per a report in India Today, the NCB in the remand application said that they have arrested the six in connection to the alleged procurement, facilitation and harboring of narcotics substances against Rhea, Showik, and others. The officials said that Ankush bough Hashish and MDMA from Anuj, who is a drug peddler in the western suburbs of Mumbai.

NCB claimed that they had recovered a large amount of contrabands from Keshwani’s property. Kehswani is directly linked to Kaizan Ibrahim, who is also a drug peddler and is currently out on bail is the case. Ibrahim delivered drugs to Dipesh Sawant, the domestic help of Rajput, on instructions of Showik Chakraborty.

Karamjeet, another drug peddler, was in direct contact with Showik, Samuel Miranda, Rhea, and Sushant Singh Rajput. The court sent Karamjeet, Arenja and Fernandes to remand till 16th September while Gupta, Patel and Ansari were sent to judicial custody.

‘Jis thaali mein khaya, usi mein chhed kiya’: SP’s Jaya Bachchan attacks BJP’s Ravi Kishan over Bollywood drug abuse issue

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Jis thaali mein khaya, usi mein chhed kiya’: SP’s Jaya Bachchan attacks BJP’s Ravi Kishan over Bollywood drug abuse issue

Veteran Bollywood actress and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday attacked BJP MP Ravi Kishan for raising the drug abuse issue which is quite prevalent in Bollywood.

Speaking in the upper house of the Parliament, Jaya Bachchan without taking Ravi Kishan’s name said that she is ashamed that one of the MPs who is from the film industry himself spoke up against it. She claimed that just because some people do drugs, that does not mean entire industry should be tarnished.

Lashing out on Kishan, Jaya Bachchan said, ‘Jis thaali mein khaate hai, usi mein chhed karte hai (criticising or destroying something that provides you livelihood)’. She said that those who have earned name and fame by working in the industry should not defame it.

On Monday, the first day of monsoon session of the Parliament, Ravi Kishan had said that drugs abuse and trafficking is ruining lives of young people. He had said that actors are considered role models for some and if they are indulging in narcotics, it would be bad influence. He said that drugs are trafficked in India from China and Pakistan through Punjab and Nepal.

Under construction Mughal museum in Agra to be named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: Yogi Adityanath

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Under construction Mughal museum in Agra to be named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: Yogi Adityanath

On Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave his nod to name the under-construction ‘Mughal museum’ in Agra after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The decision was taken after he reviewed the development works in Agra through video conferencing.

In a statement, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister emphasised, “How can our heroes be Mughals? The very name of Shivaji will invoke a feeling of nationalism and self-esteem”

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “The museum, which is being built in Agra, will be known by the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. In Uttar Pradesh, there is no place for the ‘slave mentality’ and its symbolism to thrive. Our hero is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”

After the UP CM’s announcement, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has welcomed the decision.

Nature of the project likely to change

Reportedly, the foundation of the ‘Mughal Museum’ was laid by former CM Akhilesh Yadav in January 2016. As per the initial proposal, the museum was to be built on 6 acre land near eastern gate of Taj Mahal. It was to be dedicated to the al history, culture, weaponry,and attire. However, citing sources, Indian Express reported that the nature of the project will change, post the name change. In 2016, Akhilesh Yadav had also approved plans for projects such as Agra Heritage Centre and Taj Orientation Centre.

‘Haramkhor means lazy’, Congress leader Arshi Khan says on television debate, claims PoK is part of Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Haramkhor means lazy’, Congress leader Arshi Khan says on television debate, claims PoK is part of Pakistan

Congress leader and reality show contestant Arshi Khan, who joined Congress ahead of 2019 general elections, in a television debate made outrageous claims that PoK, the part of Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan, is part of Pakistan.

In the debate with BJP leader Sambit Patra, Arshi Khan kept referring to PoK as part of Pakistan. When confronted with whether she even knows what PoK means, Khan continued to evade the question. BJP leader Sambit Patra asserted that PoK is an integral part of India and under no circumstances can it be referred to as part of Pakistan.

In later part of the debate, Patra questioned Khan whether she agrees with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut referring to Kangana Ranaut as ‘haramkhor ladki’.

Khan then said that ‘haramkhor’ is not abusive. She claimed that ‘halal’ and ‘haram’ are Urdu words and ‘halal’ means the one who lives by hard work and ‘haram’ means one who lives ‘without hard work’ or ‘lazy’. Except, ‘halal’ and ‘haram’ are Arabic words where ‘halal’ means ‘permissible by Islamic law’ and ‘haram’ means ‘forbidden by Islamic law’. As per Islamic law, any act forbidden by Allah is ‘haram’.

So ‘haramkhor’ would be one who lives off ‘haram’ deeds, i.e. not permitted by Allah.

Who is Arshi Khan

Reality show Bigg Boss contestant Arshi Khan joined Congress ahead of 2019 general elections. Prior to that, she had appeared nude with Pakistan flags painted on her body. Reportedly, she was born in Afghanistan but moved to India when she was four. She has quite often taken to social media to pronounce her love for Pakistan and desire to take up Pakistani citizenship.

There have been reports that Arshi had also decided to participate in a Pakistani reality show ‘Arshi Ka Swayamvar’ for which she was to be paid Rs 2 crore. Amusingly, she had never named this Pakistani channel which offered her the show.

You could read more about her here.

1...5,0355,0365,037...7,645Page 5,036 of 7,645