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Multilingualism in the classroom drives benefits beyond learning – Findings from Macmillan Education India Report
NEW DELHI, Feb. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The beauty of educational institutions lies in their heterogeneity – when one steps into a school or college campus, they overhear conversations in multiple languages. If this is the scene on the campus, why then the insistence on learning only in English in the classroom?
With NEP 2020 focusing on use of home language in the classroom, Macmillan Education India undertook a survey to build understanding of and support implementation of multilingualism. As part of the study, the company reached out to a thousand practising teachers, to explore the understanding and need for multilingualism in classrooms.
The study aims to understand the perceptions of teachers on multilingualism and its significance in Indian classrooms in the coming times. Findings concerning the participating teachers’ understanding and support of the actual concept of multilingualism, its impact and effectiveness varied.
The study identified the following:
- While the participants perceive multilingualism differently, they all welcome the use of more than one language in their classes
- Use of home language can support the understanding of academic concepts
- Usage of multiple languages in the classroom encourages diversity and inclusion
The report on ‘Multilingualism in India’s Classrooms’ was released by Mr. Biswajit Saha, Director Training & Skilling, Central Board of Secondary Education, Mr. Frank Vrancken Peeters, Chief Executive Officer, Springer Nature Group, Mr. Joachim Krieger, Managing Director, Professional and Education, Springer Nature and Mr. Rajesh Pasari, Managing Director, Macmillan Education India and Vandana Juneja, Director, Marketing, Macmillan Education India at an event held in Delhi.
Addressing a gathering of educators, Mr. Frank Vrancken Peeters spoke on the Group’s emphasis on research to advance learning and opening doors to discovery. He said, “Springer Nature is committed to publishing trusted research. This report supports the development of a new idea which could positively influence learning outcomes and play a part in offering a solution to the practical challenge of teaching in linguistically diverse classrooms.”
When participants were asked the question ‘Does student learning improve when you switch between languages during classroom instruction?‘
For a majority of teachers the answer was a big ‘Yes’ for Teaching English with code switching. Based on broad-spectrum observations, given the multilingual nature of India, there is always a general tendency among teachers in both ELT and other classes to code-switch for some reason or another. Said a teacher, “Language switching helps English learners better understand concepts, especially cultural ideas. The phrase ‘Child’s play’ was used in a poem which they understood clearly when a learner shouted ‘Bachon ka Khel’.”
The survey showcased possible outcomes of allowing students to use their home language while learning English in the classroom
Highlighting the significance of the survey report Mr Rajesh Pasari said, “The report documents the multilingual reality and various teaching practices in classes of English language as well as other subjects all over India. It analyses the potential advantages and challenges of linguistic diversity which can impact the learning of Indian learners in educational institutions.”
At a panel discussion held at the event, panellists Prof. Rama Meghanathan, Professor of English, NCERT, Prof. Deepti Gupta, Professor of English, Panjab University and Radhika Gholkar, Head—Academic English, The British Council and Ms Kadambari Lohiya, mentor teacher, Directorate of Education, Delhi all agreed that the multilingual nature of the Indian classroom, must be used as a resource, so that every child feels secure and accepted.
It is a report which will assist Indian teachers to move confidently ahead with deep respect for their mother tongue and improve learning outcomes by allowing mother tongue in the classroom for higher confidence and conceptual understanding of students.
About Macmillan Education India:
Macmillan Education India (MEI) has an unrivalled reputation in the school market. MEI produces curriculum resources in both print and digital form and offers assessments along with teacher training. MEI has been in the school and higher education market in India for over 130 years and today partners with over 15,000 schools and reaches over 10 million learners. It is quite probable that every child from a private school in India would have read Macmillan Education content at some stage of life.
About the Springer Nature Group
Springer Nature opens the doors to discovery for researchers, educators, clinicians, and other professionals. Every day, around the globe, our imprints, books, journals, platforms, and technology solutions reach millions of people. For over 180 years our brands and imprints have been a trusted source of knowledge to these communities and today, more than ever, we see it as our responsibility to ensure that fundamental knowledge can be found, verified, understood and used by our communities – enabling them to improve outcomes, make progress, and benefit the generations that follow.
Visit: springernature.com/gp/group and follow @SpringerNature
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Reliance Digital Introduces High-Performance iQOO 15R to its Nationwide Store Network
MUMBAI, India, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reliance Digital announces the offline retail availability of iQOO, the high-performance smartphone brand built for today’s youth and tech-forward consumers. Following strong traction in online channels, iQOO is now extending its presence into physical retail, allowing customers to experience and purchase its devices first-hand at Reliance Digital stores across India.
Known for pushing the boundaries of speed, and power, the iQOO 15R is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, delivering exceptional speed, responsiveness, and sustained performance throughout the day. It packs iQOO’s biggest battery yet in an ultra-slim 7.90mm design, making it India’s slimmest smartphone with a 7600 mAh battery.
The device features a 6.5K IceCore VC Cooling Chamber for stable performance and runs on OriginOS 6.0 based on Android 16 out of the box, supported by 4 years of software updates and 6 years of security updates. It is also equipped with a Sony LYT-700V OIS camera, a 1.5K 144Hz AMOLED EyeCare display, and IP68 & IP69 dust and water resistance, making it a dependable daily partner for professionals on the go.
The brand’s offline expansion marks an important step in deepening consumer engagement by offering hands-on access to its devices, enabling customers to explore iQOO’s powerful performance, advanced display technology, and flagship-grade camera capabilities in a real-world retail environment.
The availability of iQOO at Reliance Digital brings together two brands driven by innovation and consumer experience. While iQOO continues to build its reputation as a performance-led smartphone brand, Reliance Digital strengthens its portfolio by offering customers access to cutting-edge technology brands through its extensive nationwide retail network.
Through engaging in-store experiences, knowledgeable staff, and immersive product demonstrations, Reliance Digital aims to help consumers better understand iQOO’s performance-first DNA. This move further reinforces Reliance Digital’s commitment to staying ahead of evolving consumer preferences and serving as a preferred destination for discovering new-age technology.
With this expansion, Reliance Digital continues to play a key role in shaping India’s consumer electronics landscape by bringing future-ready brands closer to customers, while enabling smartphone brands like iQOO to build stronger connections with a growing, performance-driven audience.
The all new iQOO 15R is now available at Reliance Digital stores nationwide.
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Kotak Alts announces winner of the inaugural Katalyst Awards
Ms Himani Choudhary named Katalyst for the year – India’s Best Financial Content Creator; wins Rs. 25 Lakhs
MUMBAI, India, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kotak Katalyst Awards, a national initiative instituted to recognise excellence and responsibility in financial content creation has announced the winner of its first Katalyst edition. Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Limited (“Kotak Alts”) today announced Himani Choudhary as the winner. The winner was awarded a prize of INR 25 Lakhs, positioning Katalyst among the most meaningful recognitions for financial content creators in India.
Srini Sriniwasan, Managing Director, Kotak Alts, said, “The Kotak Alts Katalyst Awards were instituted to recognize content creators who are contributing meaningfully to financial literacy in India. As investor participation deepens, audiences are seeking clarity, context, and credibility. The response from creators was overwhelming and points to the new generation of financial educators. As the inaugural winner Ms. Himani Chaudhary, exemplifies the standard of financial communication that Katalyst seeks to encourage.”
The first edition of the Kotak Alts Katalyst Awards received over six hundred entries from across 19 states and in 8 languages, reflecting the growing role of digital creators in shaping financial awareness. Conceived in response to increasing clutter and misinformation in the financial ecosystem, Katalyst is designed to recognize creators who place accuracy, transparency, and investor interest at the core of their work.
The winning content, ‘Personal Finance & Major Finance Updates’ by Himani Choudhary, was recognised for its clarity, originality, and credibility. The jury noted the content’s ability to explain complex financial concepts in a clear and measured manner, supported by strong research and a consistent focus on investor education over virality.
To ensure a robust and transparent evaluation process, the awards framework was designed and audited by EY. The top thirty entries were assessed by an academic jury.
The top 10 finalists were subsequently evaluated by a grand jury comprising Kunal Shah, Founder and CEO of CRED; Radhika Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund; and Alpesh Shah, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, and chaired by Ananth Narayan, former Whole–Time Member of SEBI with extensive capital markets and regulatory experience.
The Katalyst Awards recognise financial content creators who priorities financial literacy, substance, and long–term investor interest. Through this initiative, Kotak Alts aims to encourage responsible financial communication and support the development of informed and confident investors across India.
About Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Ltd: Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Limited (‘Kotak Alts’), a part of Kotak Mahindra Group (‘Kotak’), focuses on Alternate Asset Management and Investment Advisory businesses. Kotak Alts was set up in early 2005 and has raised, managed, and advised over USD 22 billion across different asset classes, including Private Equity, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Special Situations, Private Credit, and Investment Advisory. The asset management business and investment advisory vertical are managed by independent specialist teams. For more information, visit https://www.kotakalternateasset.com/
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Paperpal for Life Sciences Establishes HIPAA Readiness, Strengthening Enterprise Adoption of AI in Regulated Medical and Scientific Writing Workflows
MUMBAI, India, March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Paperpal for Life Sciences, an enterprise-grade Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform by Cactus Communications, purpose-built for Medical Affairs and Life Sciences organizations, announced the completion of an assessment evaluating its operational and technical safeguards to support Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. This milestone reinforces Paperpal’s commitment to meeting the rigorous standards of security, data protection, and regulatory readiness required for regulated scientific workflows.
Growing AI use in medical affairs writing and publication workflows is intensifying scrutiny on data privacy, governance, and regulatory accountability. To support these evolving needs, Paperpal for Life Sciences has undertaken an assessment of its systems and processes to evaluate readiness to support HIPAA compliance, where applicable, and now proudly offers the option to execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). This offering gives customers the confidence that PHI or PII, if received, is handled securely and responsibly, in line with regulatory expectations and enterprise risk management practices.
Paperpal for Life Sciences provides AI writing, literature search, source-grounded summarization with citation support, and critical publication checks, powering medical affairs content creation under stringent data privacy and governance controls. The platform accelerates research-to-publication timelines by upto 25%, supporting faster dissemination of clinical evidence and earlier commercialization of new drugs and therapies.
Nishchay Shah, Group CTO and EVP, Products and AI at Cactus Communications, said, “As AI becomes foundational to regulated scientific and medical workflows, compliance and trust are no longer optional. Paperpal for Life Sciences’ HIPAA readiness measures reflect our secure-by-design approach to AI, strong data governance framework, and alignment with real-world enterprise and regulatory requirements. This milestone enables organizations to adopt AI at scale with confidence that their data, processes, and compliance obligations are protected .”
Elvira Dsouza, President, Cactus Life Sciences, added, “Medical Affairs and Life Sciences teams operate in highly regulated environments where scientific rigor, data privacy, and compliance are non-negotiable. HIPAA readiness positions Paperpal for Life Sciences as a trusted AI partner, one that enables organizations to accelerate evidence generation and scientific communication without compromising regulatory integrity .”
With this announcement, Paperpal for Life Sciences reinforces its position as a purpose-built, enterprise-ready AI platform for medical affairs content generation that supports innovation while meeting the highest standards of privacy, ethics, and regulatory compliance.
Media Contact:
Nidhi Amin
nidhi.amin@cactusglobal.com
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India Emerging as Stable Investment Anchor in Turbulent Global Economy, Say Investors at IGF Mumbai 2026
Reliance Digital Introduces High-Performance iQOO 15R to its Nationwide Store Network
Reliance Digital Introduces High-Performance iQOO 15R to its Nationwide Store Network
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