REFLECTING THE PAST AND A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE
As Asia Edition of Future of Earth completes 18 months, we go down a trip down the memory lane and revisit the wonderful articles from bright authors from around the world. We also take time to reflect on the year that went by and the promise that future holds for all of us.
An annual round-up of the Asia Edition is an excellent way to reflect back on the year that went by and on the fantastic articles by contributors from literally all around the world. I decided to extend the timeline a little further and go down the memory lane from June 2019 onwards instead of January of this year. There are two reasons for that – one my association as Asia editor started from this very point with Future of Earth and second, since the Asia edition started from the middle of last year, we did not do an annual round-up last December.
During the last 18 months of my association with Future of Earth, the Asia edition has produced 12 issues, 62 articles from 80 contributors hailing from 18 countries across 4 continents – Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. We had some fantastic contributions on wide array of issues that matter. When I look back I do so with a sense of satisfaction that we as a team could treat our readers to a sumptuous and delectable feast of thoughts and words.
We all like to revisit good tastes and memories. So, in this Asia Round-Up Edition we take you once again through the journey for you to relive those articles that you raised a toast to or for some inadvertent reasons would have missed some of these gems.
STARTUP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SPECIAL EDITION, JUNE 2019
This was the first Asia edition that focused on startups and entrepreneurship. Job creation is the need of the hour for the entire world and only the spirit of entrepreneurship can make this possible. In this issue we had contributors from India and Japan.
UNRAVELLING ENTREPRENEURIAL BANGALORE AND ITS STARTUP ECOSYSTEM, DR. RAY TITUS, SEJAL VALERA
POSSIBILITIES OF OPEN INNOVATION BETWEEN JAPANESE COMPANIES AND INDIAN STARTUPS, SACHINO TAKI
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE START-UP CULTURE IN INDIA, PRATIBHASHREE KALPANA SAMPATH
INTERVIEW OF K. SIVAKUMAR FOUNDER & CEO OF SALUTO WELLNESS PVT. LTD.
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL EDITION, AUGUST 2019
Creating value for society and ensuring a just equitable world for everyone lies at the core of humanity and future of our civilization. Wonderful contributions from Sri Lankan and Indian authors.
GETTING YOUR ORGANIZATION TO BE A FORCE FOR GOOD, ANISU K. VERGHESE
LET’S SURVIVE: SOCIAL VALUE CREATOR, CHAMIKARA JAYAKODY
LOOKING AT BUSINESS THROUGH THE LENS OF HUMAN RIGHTS, SUBHADRA GUPTA
UNLIMITED FOOD FOR EDUCATION INTERVIEW OF SHRIDHAR VENKAT, CEO OF THE AKSHAYA PATRA FOUNDATION
SUSTAINABLE PLANET EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2019,
Current generations have a responsibility to ensure that we leave a planet worth living for our future generations. The Sustainable planet edition had lovely contributions from authors hailing from Germany, Bahrain, United States, India and Bhutan.
AN OCEAN FULL OF PLASTIC, INTERVIEW WITH KAI MIETHIG
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR A HEALTHY PLANET, AYANAVA MAJUMDAR
DAY ZERO: BEYOND THE LAST DROP, V. SHRIRAM
NO CARBON IN THE KINGDOM OF HAPPINESS, INTERVIEW WITH LHATO JAMBA
SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT: POPULAR PARTICIPATION IS A MUST, DENNIS RAJKUMAR
BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION EDITION, NOVEMBER 2019
The world of business is undergoing a rapid transformation and Industrial Revolution 4.0 is at the heart of it. Digital Revolution has encompassed all and sundry. Authors contributing to this edition were from United Kingdom, India and Dubai.
TRANSFORMATION WITH INDULGENCE, SAPTARSHI BHOWMICK
SKY IS THE LIMIT, RANAPRATAP MUKERJEE
INTERVIEW WITH R YUVAKUMAR, DUBAI
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS EDITION, DECEMBER 2019
Mental health is perhaps the biggest wellness concern affecting the entire world. Poor mental health plagues a large percentage of people and silently ravages a war on the mind. Worst, there can never be a vaccine for this; only way to prevent is through building a society full of awareness, openness and empathy. Easier said then done, on the contrary, the stigma of mental health is still a huge factor making it even more difficult to deal with the same. This issue had some excellent contributions from authors in Canada, Dubai, and India.
TOXIC WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS CAN RAVAGE MENTAL HEALTH OF EMPLOYEES, ATASHI GUPTA
THE HIGH COST OF POOR MENTAL HEALTH, FERESHTEH AMIRI
TECHNOLOGICAL ADDICTION & MENTAL HEALTH AT WORKPLACE, DR. MANOJ SHARMA, NIMHANS
MILLENNIALS PLACE MENTAL HEALTH AT CENTER OF FUTURE OF WORK, TROY LOGAN
AN INTERVIEW WITH ROSHAN D’COSTA – DIRECTOR-HR FOR BUREAU VERITAS, CIF MIDDLE EAST REGION
WORLD ECONOMY SPECIAL EDITION, FEBRUARY 2020
By the time this issue was published, the pandemic had started ensuing lockdowns around the world and consequently a systemic meltdown of the global economy. The timing of this issue could not have been more serendipitous and provides readers with a view of the global economy just before it was hit by the pandemic iceberg. We had contributors from Mexico, Egypt, Bahrain and India.
DICHOTOMY IN INDIAN ECONOMY STOCK MARKET RISING IN A SLOWING ECONOMY, RAJENDRA BHARTI
FREE TRADE FOR A BETTER, FASTER & SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH, LINO CHORENO
GLOBAL ECONOMY AND GROWING ECONOMIC NATIONALISM, DENNIS RAJKUMAR
MENA’S EARTH MANAGEMENT ROADMAP, PROFESSOR DR.FAREED EL NAGGAR, DR. NEHAL EL NAGGAR
GENERATION Z SPECIAL EDITION, MARCH 2020
Generation Z or Zeners born year 2000 and onwards make up close to 32% of the world population today, constituting the preteens and teens of today, populating homes, schools and colleges. They provide unique challenges to not only parenting but also to academicians, businesses and marketers from around the world, thanks to the unique mindset, attitudes, behaviours they possess and life challenges they are confronted with shaped by none other than the volatile and uncertain times they live-in. This issue focused attention on the Generation of the Future with contributors from Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, India, Egypt, Finland and Dubai.
RESILIENCE: BOUNCING BACK? LET’S TRY BOUNCING FORWARD, SARAH WORDLAW
DON’T PANIC!!! CORONAVIRUS, ARNAB SENGUPTA
EDUCATING GENERATION – Z?, VIOLA ISSAC
NEW ZENERATION PARENTING – FROM A MOTHER’S DIARY, MUKTA BASANDANI
THE LIFE OF A ZENER – BOOK REVIEW BY VAIJAYANTEE BHATTACHARYA
LOCKDOWN DIARIES, MAY 2020
By this time of the year, virtually everyone on this planet had realized the enormity of the pandemic we were faced with it becoming a full-blown health and economic crisis. The partial and complete lockdowns that ensued around the word had thrown life of gear completely and something was happening that was never head, never seen and never anticipated. Social distancing has become the new normal and the only connection that people have left with each other is virtual over the digital platform. During such time Future of Earth connected people by giving them a place to share their lockdown diaries and tell their stories that resonated with millions going through the same turmoil. We had contributors from Italy, Bahrain, Japan and India.
LIFE IN BAHRAIN DURING COVID19 CRISIS, IMAN GHOSH DASTIDAR
LOCKDOWN LIFE IN ITALY, VALERIO FATA
RIDING THE CREST AND TROUGHS OF LOCKDOWN LIFE IN INDIA, SONAL SOMA BHARIJA
IMPACT OF LOCKDOWN IN JAPAN, TARANG SRIVASTAVA
BALANCING MY LIFE AMIDST LOCKDOWN IN INDIA, SUCHISMITA ROY
WOMEN SPECIAL EDITION – JUNE 2020
A refreshing edition focusing on a fresh and more practical take on gender equality and a collection of inspirational real stories of women spreading light and compassion. Stories of homemakers, entrepreneurs, and socially driven women will make you realize once again the power of women changing the world for good.
GENDER EQUALITY IS OUT-OF-DATE, LET’S TALK GENERATION EQUALITY, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Supriti Chakrabarti)
A TOUCH OF GRACE, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Rupashi Bhattacharya)
BAKING A DREAM – INSPIRATIONAL ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY OF A YOUNG LADY, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Sandhya Sureshkumar)
BEACON OF HOPE, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Debaleena)
THE ENTERPRISING RIBIKA GIRLS, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Richa, Bindiya, Kanika)
THE FOOTPATH CLASSROOM, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Juin Dutta)
WHY A HOMEMAKER IS NOT CONSIDERED AS WORKING?, DR. DEBASHISH SENGUPTA (Contribution from Vandana Sengupta, Mukta Basandani, Chhanda Sengupta)
FUTURE PROOF EDITION – SEPTEMBER 2020
With hopes for vaccine rising, the end of pandemic looks imminent. What after pandemic? A world needs to be rebuilt in terms of economy and more so in terms of confidence of people. How can we future proof the world so that we all can have a more secure future, and gift the same to out new and future generations? This issue answered some of those burning questions. Contributors from Malaysia, Qatar, Bahrain and India.
FUTURE-PROOFING GLOBAL HEALTHCARE IN THE POST COVID WORLD, INTERVIEW WITH DR. KARUNAKARAN RAMASWAMY
FUTURE PROOF AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAINS POWERED BY DATA AND SMART SENSORS, SAPTARSHI BHOWMICK
FUTURE PROOFING ENTREPRENEURS AND START-UPS WITH ZERO BUDGET MARKETING!, MARCUS TEOH
SOCIAL INNOVATION EDITION – OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020
A world post pandemic will need more innovations focused on improving the lives and livelihoods of people and creating sustainable living conditions. The social innovation edition brought forth some brilliant ideas on a wide range of social issues from preventing infant and maternal mortality, to using AI for better material resource management, to making roads greener and capable of generating electricity, to sustainable use of water in every home through innovative designs, converting e-waste into beautiful jewelry and finally on making people create and fulfill their own energy requirements.
PREVENTING MATERNAL MORTALITY THROUGH UNIQUE BANGLE MARKER SYSTEM JAGDISH GIRI –
GREEN ROADS THAT GENERATE ELECTRICITY – INTERVIEW WITH SOURABH KUMAR, COO POTHOLERAJA
FUTURE OF ENERGY: ADVANCING GREEN HUMAN CAPITAL THROUGH ENERGY BY LOCAL, FOR LOCAL, SHIKHA RASTOGI
WATER RE-USE SUSTAINABLE PROJECT DESIGN, ARCH. AMAL BUENQ
THE MAGIC OF 1 PERCENT, SANA SITRAWI
E-WASTE THE “HIDDEN TREASURE”: CREATING TREASURE FROM THE TRASH, MASOOMA YUSUF AHMED
SPECIAL EDITION – NOVEMBER 2020
Good thoughts can never be made to wait, and so when we had these three outstanding pieces after we had published our November edition, we decided to pull-out a special edition and tr out readers with a ‘dessert after the feast’. I am sure you will find them irresistible.
RITUALS OF MARRIAGE CREATE UNTOLD SUFFERING FOR MILLIONS OF WIDOWS IN INDIA – SHIPRA DEO
LIKE NUTRITION, FOOD SHOULD LABEL HOW SUSTAINABLE IT IS – JAMES MURPHY
STORIES THAT TRANSCEND SPORT – JAMES MURPHY
REFLECTIONS
The year 2020 will be remembered in the annals of history as a landmark year, a year of the pandemic that brought the entire world to a standstill. How would you like to remember this year? Undoubtedly this year has been a source of misery, disease and deaths that have caused immeasurable pain to millions across the globe. But the year 2020 has also been a year of opportunity. This year will also be remembered as a year that ushered in the truest sense a global digital revolution transcending every industry, every sector, and every nation. From school children to university professors, from salespeople to engineers, from entrepreneurs to world leaders, there was only one way to stay connected and stay relevant – the digital way.
The year 2020 has also been a year of realization of the true value and priorities of life. The value of good health, a comfortable and safe home, of family and friends has never been understood or felt to this extent.
This year has brought the best and the worst side of human race. On one hand we have seen horrible stories of how people deserted those in need, leaving them high and dry on the streets as the pandemic spread its ugly tentacles. On the other hand, we witnessed exemplary men and women who risked their lives to save lives of other people. Many of us had a choice to stay at home and work from the protected environments of our homes, but many did not have that opportunity. They went out of their homes to work during such difficult times so that we can be safe and secured. We at Future of Earth salute such people who are the flagbearers of humanity and compassion.
And finally, as the pandemic slowly wears off and things look hopeful again, it is time to rethink the future, time to see how we can use the lessons learnt during this year to make the future better and create a world that we can be really proud of, when we handover the baton to our future generations.
Best wishes for a new beginning full of hope and brightness.
An award winning author, millennial expert, business consultant, professor and a master trainer. His last book ‘The Life of Y’ has recently won the prestigious business book award, got featured in the collections of Stanford University and has been internationally acclaimed.
Dr Sengupta is from Bangalore, India, now residing in Bahrain with his wife and son working as professor with Royal University for Women in Bahrain.
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