All for good health
“Of the 2000 people I treated forCOVID-19, 30 to 40 developed adverse health issues like stroke and heart attack because of unknown health reasons during post recovery period. And, 30 percent of them in the 35 to 45 years category were diabetic and not even aware of it,” says Dr Adityan Guhan, director of AGs Healthcare. In most cases, a lack of awareness on master health check up was the reason. “A simple health check up can catch life threatening health issues early on,” explains Dr Aditya on why he chose to promote master health check ups as a gifting option during the festival season, a concept familiar in the West where people gift health screening vouchers, electronic blood pressure machines and glucometers during Halloween and Christmas.
Adityan along with his wife Dr Janani Adityan, a certified dermatologist and founder of The Thol dermatological care have curated a Yellow, Green and White package to put the spotlight on good health during Deepavali.
While the Yellow package covers basic screenings (suitable for healthy adults) including blood tests, ECG, ultrasound and chest X-ray, the Green one is slightly advanced and covers those in the diabetic and hypertension spectrum and includes head to foot blood tests, ECG, ultrasound, chest X ray and echo with cancer marker. The White package suited for people with co-morbidites like cancer, post-cancer or post COVID-19 and also looks into vitamin deficiencies and includes an advanced ultrasound along with cancer markers. “Almost 70 percent COVID-19 patients suffer from vitamin D or B12 deficiency. In the US and UK, there is a health insurance system that makes a master health check up mandatory. Though the basic health check up package costs Rs 7000, we have offered the gift voucher at a 50 percent discount to encourage more people to make use of it. This way, we are also gifting and also giving back something to the community.”
Dr Adityan says a master health check up is a prerequisite, especially when India is considered the diabetic capital of the world. “When youngsters wake up to it later, quality of life shrinks. It can lead to kidney failure that might involve a transplant costing several crores or permanent blindness. When they catch it at say in their 30s, there are novel medicines to reverse diabetes when clubbed with a healthy lifestyle. Hypertension is equally dangerous as it can lead to Inter-Cranial Bleeding driven by factors like stress and alcohol consumption where their entire life is under threat. They can become paralytic too. One can avoid chaos and trauma in the later part of life as well as financial and emotional burden by taking this small step. That’s why we have called it the gift of best health. ”
You can gift this voucher to anyone in Coimbatore from anywhere in the world. Call or WhatsApp 9566755517, 9659455556, 9944333006 and pay against a QR code to generate an online voucher. People can customise the package by adding, for example HIV marker, and get a 15 percent discount on medicines and take free consultation on dermatology, urology and gyneacology.
How green are my indoors?
The journey in adding greenery to urban spaces started ironically with a gift for two friends and neighbours — Dr Vidhya Rajan and Anitha Vadivel, a software engineer. “Anitha gifted me plants and here we are: plant-oriented entrepreneurs,” says Dr Vidhya adding that their strength is constant research on indoor plants. “In cities, land scarcity is an issue to grow and nurture trees. We looked at indoor plants that can grab pollutants, especially chemicals like benzene, toluene, and formaldehyde, emitted from refrigerator, rexin and leather items, to name a few. Even a NASA study concluded and certified that certain plants like palm varieties, pothos, agalonema, anthurium, and fern can act a natural air filter to remove air pollutants. We read up and explored more on the NASA findings before started out three years ago.”
Indoor plants that purify air | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Indoor plants are a necessity and not mere ornamental, she reiterates. The duo clubbed Indian agri and Indian crockery and evolved a corporate gifting model with branding. “Corporates prefer plants as gifts because it lasts. In Gulf countries, is it mandatory to have indoor plants in closed spaces. Gifting industry (valued at over two lakh crores) is dominated by cheap Chinese products. We want to change the focus towards eco-friendly gifting. We source our ceramic pots from units in UP and Rajasthan and the plants from Andhra, Karnataka and across Tamil Nadu. It boosts economic development of such communities that are run like cottage industries.”
While outdoor plants require every day watering routine, indoor plants are easy on maintenance and can be watered once a week.
Orders accepted from across India on inbloomz.com or call 9360256257. They have over 200 varieties of air purifier plants. Prices for a ceramic potted plant begins at Rs 100. They also have franchise option where they want to hand hold young women entrepreneurs in incubation method where they train them on plant knowledge, maintenance and propagation techniques.
Handcrafted, in silver
A miniature stethoscope handcrafted in silver caught the attention of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister during his recent visit at an exhibition in Tiruppur where the team of D Rangarajan and his sons Karthik and Udayakumar of RNG silvers displayed silver miniatures of aeroplanes, helicopters, gramophone, bikes and kitchen items ammi kal, ural and ulakkia as well mixie and grinder. “He congratulated us and inquired if the stethoscope would work,” says Karthik.
Coming from a family that has been into jewellery making, Karthik says handcrafted silver miniatures for gifting is their specialty. “Right now we are completing a miniature cracker set for Deepavali complete with 13 products including sparklers, ground spinners, flower pots, atom bombs, colour matches, and an additional 1.5 inch gun. We will be delivering over 1000 sets across India.”
Miniature gramophone in silver | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Every single item is handcrafted by a 25-member unit at the factory in Kalampalayam. D Rangaraj who holds a Limca Record for making a fully-functional bicycle in 150 milligram gold, says work on R&D is a constant at his unit. “For the last five years, we have been focussing on gifting across India. We keep innovating with new products.
Most of the items are functional and scaled to perfection. For example, a table fan miniature comes fitted 1000 rpm motor and can be operated. So are the helicopters, grinders, and sewing machines. These items make for unique gifting, bring an instant smile and cannot be thrown away as they are valuable gifts. And the market value keeps increasing by the day,” explains Rangaraj who has developed items like calling bells and cinema projector out of curiosity during his school days.
What keeps them going is a constant demand for new items. “For house warming functions, they approach us to make miniatures of a palatial bungalow in silver. We take on the challenge and deliver. We also make toys for children. I have made a gramaphone and camera in silver. Also, a ship in one kg silver and a concord flight as a special gifting order. Though there’s happiness in bursting a 10,000 wala fire crackers, nothing can beat the happening of holding on to a handcrafted one for keeps.”
They offer as many as 200 miniatures. Orders can be places from anywhere in India on their website rngsilvers.com .
Maps and stories
A map of India printed on canvas, that traces the journey of Lord Ram from 5000 BCE: this is MapmyIndia Mappls gifting option this festive season. “This was my father Rakesh Verma’s idea,” says Rohan, the CEO of the deep-tech company that creates digital mapping products. The Delhi-based company, that also has an office Bengaluru, offers Hindi and English versions of the Ramayan Map.
The map, according to Rohan, “Will help people connect with India’s culture and heritage.” Their offering comes as a canvas printout that can be rolled up (25” x 33”), as well as one with a wooden frame (38.5” x 28”). The idea, according to Rohan, is to transport people to a different era and show them how India’s mountains and rivers looked like, hundreds of years ago. In the map, the Bay of Bengal is Purv, Indian Ocean is Dakshin, and the Arabian Sea is Paschum Samudram.
Important events from The Ramayana are juxtaposed on locations across present-day India. The map, that is no less than a printed art work, has been created using geospatial technology, and features descriptions of events that took place at various locations. For instance, a note above the Himalayas explains the significance of medicinal herbs such as Sanjeevani that were one found in the mountains, and how Hanuman uprooted a portion of the Dronagiri range to Lanka to treat a wounded Lakshmana with the herb.
Rohan explains that is has been scaled to Yojanas (a measure of distance that was used in ancient India). “This will help people easily relate to the events as described in The Ramayana,” he adds.
The map on canvas is priced at ₹1,990 while framed one costs ₹7,990. Visit ramayanmap.com
( Akila Kannadasan)
