{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-echo-js","path":"/echos/Echo_2","result":{"data":{"strapiEcho":{"title":"Finding Opportunities in COVID-19 Crisis","volume":3,"issue":4,"date":"July 2020","articles":[{"id":6,"title":"A Message from the Vice Chancellor","type":"message","content":"![Souvik-Bhattacharyya](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594732624/Souvik_Bhattacharyya_2fdd53de79.jpg)\nDear Alumni, The BITSian alumni community of more than 1,45,000 goes beyond generations and geographical boundaries and is known for leading and leaving their footprints. The journey that we started around three years back to connect and engage with our esteemed Alumni have been exciting and fulfilling. It is always a source of great joy to see BITSians achieving great heights in varied domains. We as a team – BITS and the BITSAA worked with vigor to energise our chapters in India and abroad, introduce multiple initiatives to engage with our beloved alumni and develop a constant link to communicate through different channels. Our efforts for the last three years have yielded a tremendous response that will continue to bring terrific support and benefits to the Institute. I personally loved the interactions and the ideas freely flowing across the Institute and BITSAA. \n\nWe have been celebrating the announcement of the third Unicorn among BITSian ventures and the warm welcome pouring in for the incoming BITSAA team led by Harsh Bhargava. My sincere and deep appreciation for the impact the BITSAA outgoing team made which went well beyond Alumni Relations. I am sure the momentum that has been set, would continue to get further strengthened in the coming years.\n\nBITS Echo has undergone changes to connect with Alumni through different themes. This 11th issue has a focus on BITSian talent in Finding Opportunities in Crisis. We look forward to your suggestions to keep strengthening the BITSian community and work together to lift our beloved institution to the next level.\n\n**Prof. Souvik Bhattacharyya**\n*Vice Chancellor*","cover":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1,"src":"/static/cbe71d6169a96e220e68891e65e217fd/1e170/89b6e9c40fe05732dec28c074bc1730c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/cbe71d6169a96e220e68891e65e217fd/d2fbd/89b6e9c40fe05732dec28c074bc1730c.jpg 75w,\n/static/cbe71d6169a96e220e68891e65e217fd/47efb/89b6e9c40fe05732dec28c074bc1730c.jpg 150w,\n/static/cbe71d6169a96e220e68891e65e217fd/1e170/89b6e9c40fe05732dec28c074bc1730c.jpg 300w,\n/static/cbe71d6169a96e220e68891e65e217fd/bc69a/89b6e9c40fe05732dec28c074bc1730c.jpg 450w,\n/static/cbe71d6169a96e220e68891e65e217fd/3e0e0/89b6e9c40fe05732dec28c074bc1730c.jpg 500w","sizes":"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px"}}}},{"id":7,"title":"A Message from the Dean, Alumni Relations","type":"message","content":"![KcdmtqYI](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594732823/Kcdmtq_YI_3801d10cf3.jpg)\nDear Alumni, We are going through an unpreceded phase in the history of mankind as an outburst of COVID 19. I am sure BITSian spirit in us will prevail to overcome this challenge by learning new ways of life and coming out with new opportunities. It has been a great joy to work collectively to give a big push to build a vibrant Alumni community for the past more than three years. We have been receiving awe-inspiring response from each one of you which reflects upon your intense love and emotional bonding with your Alma mater. The programmes introduced along with active support of BITSAA have delivered a great success in all directions and much more would be unfolding in years to come. The fourth BGM organised at K K Birla Goa campus by untiring efforts of a large number of Alumni has left everlasting memories to cherish forever. Congratulations to new team of BITSAA under the leadership of Harsh Bhargava. Looking forward to working closely with all of you taking your Alma Mater to greater heights of glory.\n\n**Arya Kumar**\n*Dean, Alumni Relations*","cover":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.1466666666666667,"src":"/static/b6c3d4194f26b9b91e078fd720c7f6b8/1e170/f0dd9cc645b8c2bc0319768c358419aa.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b6c3d4194f26b9b91e078fd720c7f6b8/d2fbd/f0dd9cc645b8c2bc0319768c358419aa.jpg 86w,\n/static/b6c3d4194f26b9b91e078fd720c7f6b8/47efb/f0dd9cc645b8c2bc0319768c358419aa.jpg 172w,\n/static/b6c3d4194f26b9b91e078fd720c7f6b8/1e170/f0dd9cc645b8c2bc0319768c358419aa.jpg 344w,\n/static/b6c3d4194f26b9b91e078fd720c7f6b8/235ae/f0dd9cc645b8c2bc0319768c358419aa.jpg 496w","sizes":"(max-width: 344px) 100vw, 344px"}}}},{"id":8,"title":"Finding Opportunities in COVID-19 Crisis","type":"cover_story","content":"#### From underneath the clouds of COVID-19\n\n*The world is going through a historic yet unpleasant time with curtailment on movements and contacts, following COVID-19. This has been a wakeup call for humanity. The pandemic has created unprecedented emergencies. This is no ordinary economic downturn: Fundamental changes in consumer behavior, supply chains and market routes are knocking companies off balance. In such a scenario, not all businesses are disrupted; many new business opportunities are making their way along. From underneath the clouds of COVID-19, BITSians around the world are coming together and innovating to minimize the impact on public health and to limit disruptions to economies and supply chains. In these tough times, BITS ECHO has tried to understand the future of startups or corporate world from the BITSian leaders and achievers across the globe.*\n\n> The Game Changer for the Society\n\n**Pankaj Vyas,**\n\n*CEO & MD, Siemens Technology & Services Pvt. | Pilani,’95*\n\n![0](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594733196/0_83f8be47cc.jpg)\nCOVID-19 has emerged as a game-changer in society and the culture of working from home has become a corporate fashion. People’s shift for buying most of the commodities from home has given rise to bright future to some service sectors. Every organization would fundamentally change once the crisis is over. In such challenging times, some Indian startups are growing rapidly and setting examples for other firms on the techniques to fight with and survive these difficult times.\n\n\n> Boost for Education Sector Startup\n\n**Shivangi Nadkarni**\n\n*Co-founder & CEO - Arrka | Pilani,’92*\n\n![self1](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594743780/self1_7982f1ff8b.jpg)\n\nEdutech or e-learning sector startups in India is one sector that was least expected to have a positive impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies like BYJU’s, Whitehat Jr, Unacademy, Toppr, Vedantu have gained up to 3 times surge in usage, since the lock down in March 2020. These startups are bridging the gap and taking education to new levels. Digital education is the need of the hour, and it has seen increased usage; these firms are anticipating an improved top-line growth in this financial year.\n\n> Online will be backbone of lifestyle\n\n**Bernie Alen**\n\n*Founder - Contextual Intelligence Platform | Pilani,’95*\n\n![07d1e4cdfe1ba974f491d40cb4d1e3ee_400x400](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594734583/07d1e4cdfe1ba974f491d40cb4d1e3ee_400x400_408733d8ec.jpg)\n\nIndia’s biggest online grocers and BITS Pilani startup Big Basket have doubled the number of daily deliveries in comparison to last month because more consumers hitting the internet to purchase the essentials. Epharmacy has become the backbone of the cities in their fight against the pandemic. Online pharmacies have become one stop destination for people to buy all kind of medicines. These platforms also provide online prescription services with their registered doctors. They will analyze large consumer data across the country that will be used for planning various health policies.\n\n\n> An Indian will Emerge as a World Leader\n\n**Sharad Mohan**\n\n*Country Head, Citibank | Pilani, '90 *\n\n![maxresdefault](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594734469/maxresdefault_8691c4e844.jpg)\n\nFintech, Edtech and Healthtech are some emerging verticals in India, while e-commerce and aggregators have become mature, according to the Startup India Website. India has not only attracted foreign direct investments to compliment the supply chain of tech, but has also created its own homemade innovations that have contributed to the global tech ecosystem. For a post-corona virus world, these emerging verticals will need to continue. There will be a high probability that Fintech, Ed tech, Health tech, e-commerce and Agri-tech will be at global demand.\n\n\n\n","cover":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7733333333333334,"src":"/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/1e170/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/d2fbd/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg 133w,\n/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/47efb/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg 267w,\n/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/1e170/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg 533w,\n/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/bc69a/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg 800w,\n/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/2175c/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg 1067w,\n/static/7af958f980c6863d7844d8abbcd0752d/2df53/652ae43d58034a2efa8f088f04046f08.jpg 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px"}}}},{"id":9,"title":"In Search of COVID-19 Cure","type":"alumni_success_story","content":"#### A conversation with Scientist S.S Vasan\n\n*Prof. S. S. Vasan (Pilani,‘91) has been working on the COVID-19 response at the CSIRO, (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Australia. He made a major breakthrough in developing a vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19). The Dangerous Pathogens team of the CSIRO, headed by Prof. Vasan has grown the first batch of coronavirus outside China. The Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC) and the English Press Club (Pilani campus) interviewed him. During the interview, he shared both his fond memories and his experiences. Here are a few excerpts:*\n\n![vasan-954x636](https://res.cloudinary.com/bits-echo/image/upload/v1594734690/vasan_954x636_c71a610952.jpg)\n\n**Starting with the present, you are head of Dangerous Pathogens for Australia’s science agency, CSIRO. What is unique about the high-security laboratory where you are based?**\n\nCSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong is the world’s largest operational high-containment facility where in vivo studies on small and large animals can be performed under Good Laboratory Practice conditions. My team is suit-trained and works on some of the deadliest viruses including Ebola, Hendra and Nipah.\n\n**You and your team have been mentioned by the journal ‘Nature’ thrice. What are some of your key achievements in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine?**\n\nWe were the first to make working stocks of this virus outside China and initiate preclinical research. We showed, for the first time, that ferrets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, and with funding from CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), I am running the world’s first multi-vaccine animal efficacy studies. With the Oxford vaccine, I am also investigating if it is better to give it through nose or to inject it in the muscle. We are also downselecting promising and repurposing therapeutics across our in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo systems.\n\n**With the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, how quickly will scenario change, considering that it has to be made available to people all across the globe?**\n\nThere are some 115 vaccines under development, 22 are listed as promising by the journal ‘Nature Biotechnology’. CEPI is funding only 8 of these and is committed to equitable access around the world. \n\n**Why are your preclinical studies important and time-critical?**\n\nIt takes 10-15 years to develop and validate vaccines. Scientists around the world are trying to achieve this in 10-15 months without compromising on safety and rigour. In an unprecedented development, several leading vaccines have entered Phase 1 safety studies in healthy volunteers, and are due to enter human efficacy trials, i.e. Phase 2/3. Before approving the latter, regulators would like to see safety signals and efficacy data from animal studies.\n\n**You are the senior author on the first peer-reviewed study on how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is mutating. What did you learn? Is the ‘D614G’ mutation likely to render vaccines ineffective?**\n\nWe analyzed the genome sequences of this virus published on GISAID, which totaled 181 at that time. We have developed phylogenetic and alignment-free sequence analysis using multi-variate techniques to visualize how the virus quasispecies exist as clouds of variants. An RNA virus such as this, even with a proof-reading mechanism, will mutate, but that is not a cause for panic. We are unlikely to require annual vaccines similar to seasonal influenza, nevertheless, we are keeping a close eye on the virus evolution. We have called for de-identified patient metadata to accompany sequences uploaded on GISAID, so that we can make sense of all the Big Data. I am also doing some experiments to ensure that the D614G mutation will not affect the vaccines that target the spike region.\n\n**Who were your greatest inspiration on campus?**\n\nMy interest in Molecular Biology research was piqued by Prof. Sandhya Mitra. Dr. Alka Kurup, Prof. V. N. Sharma, Prof. G. Sundar, Dr. Anuradha Tandon and Prof. R. P. Vaid were among the strictest ones. They demonstrated that being empathetic is as important as being brilliant in the subject. I found it humbling and inspiring that my batchmates were better than me at most of the things. I learned a lot from them and that experience helped me find my own niche. I also realized that the institute’s broad -based education is our greatest strength. There was another funny lesson that we learnt. We were taken inside a clean room, but before Dr. Tandon could explain how it works she was called away. Some of us were stuck inside for some time and to pass the time we played ‘Antakshari’. Dr. Tandon was horrified when she returned and the whole place had to be decontaminated.\n\n\n\n","cover":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5066666666666666,"src":"/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/1e170/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg","srcSet":"/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/d2fbd/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg 113w,\n/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/47efb/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg 225w,\n/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/1e170/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg 450w,\n/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/bc69a/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg 675w,\n/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/2175c/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg 900w,\n/static/c9e4fa28b787ddcbb1e9007a52589c6e/b86ce/5a2fb140789859e313a1348d75b7d6f0.jpg 954w","sizes":"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px"}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"id":"Echo_2"}}}