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Kerala Expands Orientation Sessions to All School Levels to Foster Holistic Student Development

In a significant move to enhance student well-being and social awareness, the Kerala General Education Department has announced the expansion of orientation sessions to encompass all school levels, from lower primary to high school. This initiative, set to commence on June 3 and continue until June 13, aims to instill essential life skills and values in students across the state.

General Education Minister V Sivankutty detailed the program’s objectives, emphasizing the importance of addressing various socially relevant topics. The daily one-hour sessions will cover themes such as road safety, personal hygiene, health and fitness, responsible use of digital devices, protection of public property, and the cultivation of mutual cooperation among students.

To ensure the effectiveness of the program, school resource groups have been tasked with developing age-appropriate modules that seamlessly integrate into the natural learning process. These modules are designed to resonate with students’ experiences, making the sessions both engaging and educational.

The implementation of the orientation sessions will be coordinated by District Educational Officers and Assistant Educational Officers. Academic support will be provided by Block Resource Centres and District Institutes of Education and Training, while the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will oversee the preparation of instructional materials. A structured timetable has been released, specifying the daily themes to be addressed for each student section. This organized approach ensures comprehensive coverage of topics and facilitates smooth execution across all schools.

Previously, the department had announced a six-hour orientation program for Plus-II students, spread over two weeks at the beginning of the academic year. The current expansion reflects the department’s commitment to providing holistic education that extends beyond traditional academic subjects. By incorporating these orientation sessions into the school calendar, Kerala aims to equip students with the necessary tools to navigate the complexities of modern society. The initiative underscores the state’s dedication to fostering an educational environment that prioritizes both intellectual growth and social responsibility.

As schools prepare to reopen, this comprehensive orientation program stands as a testament to Kerala’s proactive approach in nurturing well-informed, responsible, and socially conscious citizens.

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Driving A Path to Sustainable Future by Empowering Students Through Regenerative Education

In an era marked by escalating environmental challenges and social inequalities, the role of education in fostering sustainable development has never been more critical. Traditional educational models, often linear and extractive, are increasingly being questioned for their adequacy in preparing students to navigate and address complex global issues. Emerging as a transformative alternative is regenerative education, a holistic approach that not only imparts knowledge but also instills a deep sense of ecological responsibility and social equity.

Regenerative education transcends conventional pedagogies by emphasizing the interconnectedness of ecological systems, cultural heritage, and community engagement. It encourages students to move beyond passive learning, fostering active participation in creating solutions that are environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. This educational paradigm shift is particularly vital in marginalized communities, where access to resources and opportunities is limited, yet the potential for impactful change is immense.

A cornerstone of regenerative education is the integration of indigenous knowledge systems. Indigenous communities worldwide have long practiced sustainable living, with deep-rooted traditions in land stewardship, resource management, and community cohesion. By incorporating these time-honored practices into modern curricula, educators can provide students with a rich tapestry of wisdom that bridges the gap between ancestral insights and contemporary scientific understanding.

For instance, in South America, indigenous artisans have sustainably utilized camelid fibers, such as alpaca wool, for generations. These practices not only support biodiversity but also promote ethical, community-driven economies. By studying such models, students can learn the principles of circular economies, systems where materials are reused and recycled, minimizing waste and environmental impact. This knowledge empowers students to envision and implement sustainable practices within various industries, including fashion, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Moreover, regenerative education fosters social entrepreneurship by equipping students with the skills to develop businesses that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible. It encourages innovation that is rooted in cultural identity and ecological awareness, enabling students to become agents of change within their communities. Through project-based learning, internships, and community collaborations, students gain practical experience in addressing real-world challenges, from climate change mitigation to social justice initiatives.

The implementation of regenerative education requires a concerted effort from educational institutions, policymakers, and communities. Curricula must be redesigned to include interdisciplinary studies that encompass environmental science, ethics, and cultural studies. Educators should be trained to facilitate experiential learning, guiding students through hands-on projects that have tangible impacts. Additionally, partnerships with local communities can provide students with immersive experiences that reinforce the relevance and applicability of their studies.

In conclusion, regenerative education offers a promising pathway to cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious and socially responsible individuals. By embracing this approach, educational systems can empower students to become proactive contributors to a sustainable and equitable future, ensuring that learning extends beyond the classroom and into the heart of community and environmental transformation.

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Zscaler Appoints Raj Judge as Executive Vice President and Board Member

Zscaler, Inc., a leader in cloud security, has announced the appointment of Raj Judge as Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Venture Investments. In addition to his executive role, Judge is expected to join Zscaler’s Board of Directors at the company’s next scheduled board meeting in May.

In his new position, Judge will lead Zscaler’s corporate strategy initiatives and oversee venture investment activities aimed at driving innovation and long-term growth. His responsibilities include identifying key investment opportunities and forging strategic partnerships that align with the company’s mission and objectives. Judge will collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to accelerate innovation and create long-term value for Zscaler, its customers, and its stockholders.

With over 30 years of experience in law and venture capital, Judge was previously a Partner and co-chair of the emerging companies and venture capital practice at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. His career highlights include driving strategic initiatives, identifying new market opportunities, and cultivating partnerships that resulted in substantial business growth for his clients.

Judge expressed enthusiasm about joining Zscaler during a pivotal time in its growth journey. “I am honored to join Zscaler at such a pivotal time in its growth journey,” he said. “I look forward to working with the talented team to drive strategic initiatives and investments that will position the company for continued success.”

Zscaler’s appointment of Judge underscores the company’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and strategic growth. By enhancing its leadership team with seasoned professionals, Zscaler aims to advance its corporate strategy and invest in new opportunities that align with its long-term vision. The company’s Zero Trust Exchange™ platform continues to protect thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. With over 150 data centers globally, Zscaler’s platform is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform, supporting customers’ digital transformation efforts.

As Zscaler continues to expand its reach and capabilities, the addition of Raj Judge to its executive team and board is expected to play a significant role in driving the company’s strategic initiatives and long-term growth objectives.

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Manoj Awasthi Appointed at Cleartrip as Chief Technology Officer

Cleartrip, the online travel platform owned by Flipkart, has named Manoj Awasthi as its Chief Technology Officer. This appointment is a strategic effort to enhance Cleartrip’s technological infrastructure and advance its goals for sustained growth and innovation.

In his new role, Awasthi will lead Cleartrip’s technology initiatives, focusing on engineering, data, and infrastructure. His mandate includes building a more scalable and user-centric platform that enhances the travel planning experience for users. Awasthi brings a wealth of experience from his previous role as Chief Technology and Product Officer at Julo, where he led large product and engineering teams and developed platforms serving millions of users.

“Over the years, I’ve led large product and engineering teams and built platforms that serve millions,” Awasthi said. “At Cleartrip, I look forward to bringing that experience to modernize our tech stack, make room for faster experimentation, and build systems that make travel planning simpler and smoother for our users.”

Flipkart’s Senior Vice President of Consumer Products & Growth, Ramesh Gururaja, highlighted the importance of Manoj Awasthi’s appointment, stating it signifies a major advancement in creating a forward-thinking leadership team with robust, cross-functional skills. Gururaja added that Awasthi’s onboarding is in perfect harmony with their objective to reinforce their tech platform, thereby fostering sustained growth and innovation.

Cleartrip, acquired by Flipkart in April 2021, has been focusing on enhancing its technological infrastructure to better serve its users. The addition of Awasthi to the leadership team is expected to accelerate these efforts, bringing in fresh perspectives and expertise to drive the company’s tech-led transformation.

With Awasthi at the helm of technology, Cleartrip aims to deliver more personalized and efficient services to its customers, leveraging advanced technologies to streamline operations and improve user experience. This appointment underscores Cleartrip’s commitment to innovation and its strategic focus on building a robust technological foundation for future growth.

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IBM Introduces Hybrid AI Technologies to Empower Enterprise Innovation

IBM has unveiled a suite of hybrid technologies aimed at accelerating enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence. These innovations are designed to help businesses build and deploy AI agents using their own enterprise data, facilitating more efficient and secure AI integration across various industries.

Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM, emphasized the shift from AI experimentation to purposeful integration. “The era of AI experimentation is over. Today’s competitive advantage comes from purpose-built AI integration that drives measurable business outcomes,” he stated.

IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate now offers a comprehensive suite of enterprise-ready agent capabilities. This includes the ability to build custom agents in under five minutes, access to pre-built domain agents, integration with over 80 leading enterprise applications, and features for agent orchestration and observability. Watsonx Orchestrate’s new Agent Catalog offers a central hub of more than 150 agents and pre-configured tools from IBM and partner ecosystems. This simplifies the process of deploying AI agents for diverse business applications.

IBM has introduced webMethods Hybrid Integration, an intelligent, agent-driven automation solution designed to manage integrations across applications, APIs, B2B partners, events, gateways, and file transfers within hybrid cloud environments. This solution aims to streamline complex integration processes, enhancing operational efficiency. The new watsonx.data platform combines an open data lakehouse with data fabric capabilities, enabling organizations to unify, govern, and activate data across various silos, formats, and cloud environments. IBM claims this approach leads to 40% more accurate AI outcomes compared to traditional retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) methods.

Additionally, watsonx.data integration offers a single-interface tool for orchestrating data across formats and pipelines, while AI-powered watsonx.data intelligence extracts deep insights from unstructured data, facilitating more informed decision-making.

IBM has launched LinuxONE 5, its most secure and high-performing Linux platform tailored for data, applications, and trusted AI. This platform is capable of processing up to 450 billion AI inference operations daily and includes state-of-the-art AI accelerators, advanced security features, and significant reductions in costs and power consumption. To support compute-intensive workloads and AI-enhanced data processing, IBM has expanded its collaborations with industry leaders such as AMD, CoreWeave, Intel, and NVIDIA. These partnerships aim to provide new solutions that enhance the performance and scalability of AI applications across various sectors.

IBM’s latest offerings reflect its commitment to providing robust, scalable, and secure AI solutions that address the evolving needs of modern enterprises. By integrating these hybrid technologies, organizations can accelerate their AI adoption, drive innovation, and achieve measurable business outcomes.

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Skillsoft Appoints John Frederick as Chief Financial Officer to Drive Strategic Growth

Skillsoft Corporation, a prominent provider of digital learning and talent management solutions, has announced the appointment of John Frederick as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Frederick will succeed Rich Walker, who is resigning to explore other opportunities. Walker will continue to serve in an advisory capacity until July 4, 2025, to facilitate a smooth transition.

Frederick brings over three decades of financial and operational leadership experience to his new role. He rejoined Skillsoft in August 2024 as Chief Transformation Officer, where he played a pivotal role in refining and initiating the company’s strategic plans aimed at enhancing growth, competitiveness, and efficiency. His prior tenure at Skillsoft includes serving as Chief Administrative Officer from 2018 to 2021, during which he led the finance team and served as CEO of SumTotal Systems, a Skillsoft business acquired by Cornerstone in 2022.

Frederick has held CFO positions at numerous companies, including Indigo Ag, Avid Technology, and Open Solutions. His extensive experience includes leadership roles in both private and public companies, ranging from startups to organizations with over $2 billion in revenue.

“John’s deep familiarity with Skillsoft, our market, and our team, as well as his experience leading finance organizations, make him a natural choice to serve as our next CFO,” said Ron Hovsepian, Executive Chair and CEO of Skillsoft. “John is a skilled operator who has a proven track record of leading transformations, instilling financial discipline, and driving profitable growth.”

In his new role, Frederick will oversee Skillsoft’s finance and legal functions, working closely with the senior leadership team to drive the evolution of the company’s business strategy, measurement, and operating plan execution.

“I am excited to be named CFO at this important time in our strategic journey,” Frederick stated. “We have made progress toward enhancing our operational execution to achieve improved profitability and positive free cash flow. I look forward to helping our team drive growth and enhance value while furthering our mission of unlocking human potential.”

Skillsoft’s leadership transition comes as the company continues to focus on delivering personalized, interactive learning experiences and enterprise-ready solutions. Skillsoft, with its AI-powered platform and extensive partner network, serves a global community exceeding 95 million learners. It collaborates with 60% of the Fortune 1000 to tackle critical business needs such as closing skill gaps and accelerating digital transformation.

The company expressed gratitude to Rich Walker for his significant contributions over the past four years. “Rich has been a key member of the Skillsoft management team, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” Hovsepian added.

Frederick’s appointment as CFO underscores Skillsoft’s commitment to strengthening its financial leadership and executing its strategic initiatives to drive long-term growth and shareholder value.

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F5 and Red Hat Expand Collaboration to Advance Scalable and Secure Enterprise AI

In a significant move to simplify and secure AI adoption across enterprises, F5 has announced an expanded collaboration with open-source leader Red Hat. This strategic partnership is set to address the growing demand for scalable and trustworthy AI solutions by integrating F5’s application security expertise with Red Hat’s AI-native platform, OpenShift AI.

As companies increasingly invest in AI to improve operations and competitiveness, many are discovering that deploying AI models at scale presents numerous infrastructure and security challenges. With this partnership, F5 and Red Hat aim to eliminate those barriers by offering integrated solutions that streamline data processing, protect sensitive information, and ensure performance reliability in production environments.

A key focus of the collaboration is the support of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows, a technique that enhances large language model responses by incorporating proprietary enterprise data. Using F5’s infrastructure tools alongside Red Hat OpenShift AI, organizations will be better equipped to serve AI models quickly and securely while maintaining control over sensitive content. This is especially vital for industries like finance, healthcare, and government, where data privacy and security are paramount.

Another important aspect of this partnership is improving data ingestion and model training efficiency. F5’s technology helps enterprises accelerate the movement of large data volumes into AI models, reducing time-to-value and supporting more dynamic decision-making. When paired with the storage and orchestration capabilities of Red Hat’s platform, it creates a powerful foundation for enterprise-grade AI.

Security remains central to this collaboration. F5 brings advanced protection against evolving AI-specific threats, such as prompt injection attacks and unauthorized model access. By embedding these protections directly into the application layer, organizations can confidently scale their AI usage without compromising security or compliance.

This partnership also arrives at a critical moment. AI adoption has surged dramatically, with recent industry reports suggesting that nearly all large enterprises are now exploring or actively deploying AI solutions. Yet, the transition from experimentation to full-scale deployment often proves difficult. F5 and Red Hat’s combined offering aims to close that gap by providing enterprises with the tools and support to manage AI lifecycles more effectively.

Executives from both companies emphasized their commitment to open, secure, and accessible AI innovation. By aligning their strengths—F5’s leadership in application delivery and Red Hat’s open-source AI capabilities—they are creating a blueprint for how enterprises can approach the next wave of intelligent transformation.

With plans to showcase this enhanced partnership during the Red Hat Summit in Boston, the two companies are poised to set new benchmarks for AI adoption in complex, mission-critical environments.

By combining F5’s expertise in application delivery and security with Red Hat’s open-source AI platform, this partnership aims to provide enterprises with a robust, flexible, and secure foundation for their AI initiatives.

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CloudSEK Secures $19 Million to Accelerate Global Cybersecurity Expansion

CloudSEK, a Singapore-headquartered cybersecurity startup specializing in AI-driven digital risk management, has raised $19 million in a new funding round. Tenacity Ventures and Commvault spearheaded the investment, which also included participation from Inflexor Ventures, MassMutual Ventures, Prana Ventures, and other strategic investors.

CloudSEK, established in 2015 by cybersecurity specialist Rahul Sasi, delivers a range of cybersecurity products focused on proactive threat identification and mitigation. Their main offering, XVigil, provides real-time security insights by monitoring the surface, deep, and dark web for data leaks, brand risks, and identity theft. Additionally, CloudSEK offers BeVigil, a complimentary security search engine with over 10,000 individual users and 400 corporate clients, enabling application security evaluation for users, developers, and researchers.

CloudSEK plans to utilize the new funding to accelerate its global expansion, particularly in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and North American markets. The company aims to enhance its sales and marketing efforts, as well as ramp up research and development to combat the increasingly sophisticated global threat landscape.

CloudSEK’s clientele includes prominent organizations such as ICICI Bank, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), CRED, Sun Pharma, Reliance, Tokopedia, Ola Cabs, and Decathlon.

Anvesh Ramineni, Managing Director at MassMutual Ventures, commented on the investment: “CloudSEK is addressing a growing demand for automated assessment, classification, and remediation of cyber threats and for transforming large-scale security teams to an agile threat-centric approach. The platform’s ability to monitor and manage threats and infrastructure at the enterprise level is world-class.”

With this latest funding round, CloudSEK is well-positioned to strengthen its global presence and continue innovating in the cybersecurity space, aiming to build a risk-free digital security ecosystem for organizations worldwide.

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Adobe’s Strategic Pricing and AI Integration Drive Growth Amid Market Volatility

Adobe Inc. is leveraging strategic pricing adjustments and advanced AI integrations to bolster its growth trajectory, even as it navigates a competitive and volatile market landscape.

In the first fiscal quarter of 2025, Adobe’s Digital Media segment reported a 12% year-over-year increase, largely driven by a 35% surge in subscription revenues. This growth is attributed to the successful incorporation of generative AI features, such as Firefly and AI-assisted tools in Acrobat, enhancing the company’s appeal to enterprise customers. 

Analysts remain optimistic about Adobe’s prospects.Analysts predict a one-year average target price of $526.11 for the stock, indicating a potential 49.26% upside from its current price of $352.47. This target is based on estimates from thirty three analysts, ranging from $380.00 to $660.00. Adobe’s competitive advantage is supported by its pricing strategy, which includes tiered options for enterprise clients and new AI-powered add-ons like the Acrobat AI Assistant for current subscribers. These strategies aim to enhance customer value and create new revenue opportunities for Adobe.

Despite facing challenges, including increased competition from free generative AI tools and a 15% year-to-date decline in stock performance, Adobe’s financial health remains robust. The company’s gross margins are nearing 90%, and it continues to invest in innovation to stay ahead in the market. Adobe’s commitment to ethical AI practices further strengthens its market position. By training its AI tools on ethically sourced, licensable data, Adobe ensures that the content generated is suitable for commercial use, addressing a critical concern in the AI industry.

Looking ahead, Adobe’s strategic focus on pricing optimization and AI integration positions it well for sustained growth. As the demand for AI-driven creative tools continues to rise, Adobe’s comprehensive product offerings and commitment to innovation are expected to drive long-term value for shareholders.

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GUVI Breaks Language Barriers to Revolutionize Tech Education in India

In the dynamic landscape of Indian edtech, GUVI (Grab Ur Vernacular Imprint) has emerged as a transformative force, redefining how technology education is delivered and consumed. Founded in 2014 by Arun Prakash, Sridevi Arun Prakash, and SP Balamurugan, GUVI began as a humble YouTube channel offering coding tutorials in regional languages. Today, it stands as a testament to the power of vernacular education, having empowered over 3 million learners across India and beyond.

GUVI’s core mission is to democratize tech education by providing courses in native languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam. This approach addresses the significant challenge faced by many aspiring technologists in India: the language barrier. By delivering content in learners’ mother tongues, GUVI ensures that complex technical concepts are more accessible and comprehensible, thereby fostering a more inclusive learning environment.

The platform offers a diverse range of self-paced courses and live classes, covering areas like web development, artificial intelligence, data science, and more. Interactive tools such as CodeKata and WebKata provide hands-on coding practice, enhancing the learning experience. GUVI’s Zen Class career programs further bridge the gap between education and employment, offering mentorship and placement support to learners.

Recognizing the importance of linguistic diversity, GUVI has integrated advanced AI technologies into its platform. The introduction of a Large Language Model (LLM) powered by colloquial data sets allows users to interact with the platform in their native languages, including colloquial blends like ‘Tanglish’ (Tamil-English). This innovation not only enhances user engagement but also ensures that learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds can access quality education without language constraints.

GUVI’s impact extends beyond individual learners. The platform has collaborated with educational institutions and government initiatives to organize hackathons and upskilling events, such as the ‘AI-for-Women’ program, which benefited over 30,000 women during International Women’s Week in 2023. These initiatives underscore GUVI’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive tech community.

The company’s growth trajectory has been impressive. From its inception as a YouTube channel, GUVI has evolved into a robust edtech platform with a valuation of INR 120 crore as of 2022. Its acquisition by HCL Group in 2022 further bolstered its capabilities, enabling it to expand its reach and enhance its offerings.

Looking ahead, GUVI aims to extend its vernacular education model to international markets, targeting regions with similar linguistic diversity and educational challenges. By continuing to innovate and adapt, GUVI is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of tech education, ensuring that language is no longer a barrier but a bridge to knowledge and opportunity.

In a country as linguistically diverse as India, GUVI’s vernacular-first approach is not just innovative—it’s essential. By aligning technology education with the linguistic realities of its learners, GUVI is not only breaking down barriers but also building a more inclusive and empowered tech ecosystem.

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