All right. So good morning and welcome to this session on keys to supernatural ministry. We will study about the importance of supernatural ministry from the life of Jesus and what scriptures have to tell us. We will pray and we will get started. So let's all pray together. I'll just begin with the word of prayer. Heavenly Father we thank you Lord for your presence. Father we thank you that you are equipping by your word. We pray in the name of Jesus that Holy Spirit will bring this word alive to us. So God and Father God let Lord what you want to do be imparted into our spirits right now in Jesus name. Father we pray for you to guide us and lead us as we understand the supernatural better. I commit every single one of us Lord and speak a blessing upon each and every student in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Okay. So as the title of the course suggests it is keys to supernatural ministry. This will help us to move in the supernatural. This will help us to demonstrate the supernatural through our lives. So the way we are going to do this course is today is just introductory to help us think about why the supernatural might be important to God. And after this introductory session we will go into the various keys. So we will talk about seven keys that we will cover. We will talk about how one can prepare themselves personally to live out these keys that we are going to talk about. And how can we continue to pursue the supernatural. So the foundational topic today is regarding the importance of the supernatural or the importance of miracles, the importance of healings, deliverances and things like that. So it's going to be more of a discussion that we will have today. For our discussion it will be helpful if we can have the notes from APC publication ministering healing and deliverance. So if you would like to download that that's that's good. But even if you just want to have a discussion that's also fine because I have the notes here and I will towards the end summarize what is given there regarding miracles. The first question that I want to ask all of us is what is the supernatural? You have a mic to speak into. Yeah, please speak into the mic. Something other than natural. Okay, something other than natural. Can you explain? Like if if something happened, like we couldn't believe with our eyes, I mean with our eyes, like the things which which should not happen, which could not happen like that. So like healings, miracles. Yes, so yeah. Okay. Yeah. So something that is beyond the understanding of the natural mind beyond logic, right or beyond the laws of this finite world. For example, when you read about the miracles that took place in the ministry of Elijah, Elisha. It's amazing. You wonder how can oil multiply? You know, how can an axe float? How can you know, like through the bones of Elijah, was it Elisha? Yeah, Elisha, a dead man. How can he come back alive? Right? So it's beyond logic or we're not saying that we can't understand these things, but I'm saying it's it's beyond even if we try to understand it's hard to explain it with what exists in the natural world. In the natural world, we have what we can touch, what we can feel what, you know, we can taste what we can smell. So we function only by our five senses and we think that only what is possible with our in the natural world. If we have proof through these five senses, only those things can happen. If these five senses cannot grasp something, it's not possible. It can't happen. Right? Like there are so many other miracles in the Bible like Jesus is walking on water. Okay. How can that happen? Normally, we know by experience what we have seen what we have observed the research that we've done that if you put something in water, it will sink. Isn't it? But if you if you are using all the science laws and everything, you can create something like a boat or a ship through principles in the natural world to actually float on water. But otherwise, anything that is heavy will sink into water. Right? So our five senses will tell us it's not possible. Water into wine. How can it happen? You can't do that. You can't do it overnight. You can't do it in a minute. You need many years. And we know that, you know, there are wineries around the world, like they keep it, they make the wine age and only then you get wine. But what did Jesus do? We call it supernatural because it's beyond the natural in a moment. Water has turned into wine, not even like, you know, grape juice or a derivative of grape, but water has changed into wine. Wow. That is supernatural. So something that is beyond the natural is what is termed as the supernatural. And there are many such, you know, miracles in the Bible. We see the way Peter caught fish. That also is amazing. In one moment Jesus tells him you put the net on the other side and he's actually catching fish. Or Jesus multiplied the bread. He multiplied the fish. How can it happen? With just a few loaves of bread and two fish, how can you feed, you know, like 4,000 men and women accompanying them children. So these are things that we call as the supernatural. And we also know that in the Bible, there are healings that are talked about. What is a healing as far as, you know, the Bible understanding is concerned? Something supernatural. Now we know that it is possible for us to be healed by natural methods. I can use some home remedies or I can use medicines or just give my body some time to recover. And it recovers. Sometimes we have fever and we just say, hey, maybe I should just take a good rest and eat well for about a week or something. And then you automatically feel better because that's the natural process. But when we are saying healing, at least in our class when we use the word healing, we're not referring to that kind of healing. Though it is a natural healing, we are saying that the Bible talks about supernatural healing.  A woman was bent over. She's suddenly now fine. She's upright. A man is paralyzed, but now he's walking. Somebody couldn't hear. They were deaf, but now they are hearing. And Jesus did those things. We are not saying that, you know, Jesus told them, you take some time, you take these medicines. And through the normal natural process, you're going to get healed. We also say, right, like there are so many things provided in nature, which is what the science of medicine works on. Many things are there in nature. We can use them as medicines. We can use, you know, radiology. We can use the principles that exist in the natural world to also administer healing. But that's not what we are discussing in our course. We are talking about supernatural healing where in moments something happens, which cannot happen otherwise. Right? So things like this are recorded in the Bible for us. They are recorded in the ministry of Jesus. So when we say healing, we are referring to supernatural healing. When we say miracles, we are referring to things like water turning into wine, which is unbelievable. How can it even happen? Or deliverance. Deliverance is when demon spirits are cast out. It was nothing new for Jesus. You see many places where he did that. You see places where the apostles and the other believers also minister deliverance. So this is part of the Bible. This is part of what we are supposed to believe. Okay? So we will talk about all these things. Even emotional healing. So whenever we say healing, it's not just physical healing, even emotional healing. Supernaturally, maybe we've gone through traumatic experiences and you know, we've not come out of it. God can heal our hearts. Okay? So there is basis in scripture for us to believe in these things. Signs and wonders. Signs and wonders are more like something supernatural which points to God. And people may even use healings, miracles. They may call, use the term signs and wonders, but they may be referring to healings and you know, deliverances and all which is okay. But you know, signs and wonders are also part of what God does. So this is an idea of what supernatural is. Okay? Now I just wanted for us to answer the question. You know, why is the supernatural important or why? Let's make it narrower. Why are healings, miracles, deliverances even important for us as believers or are they important? Okay? So let's talk about it. What do you think? They are important. Okay? So if you tell me that something is important, you have to tell me why they are important also. Yeah. It actually testifies to what we are preaching. It shows that it's like an evidence that God is there, like heaven, these are all real. So it shows the power of God. Okay. It shows the power of God. Okay, that's true. Yeah, when something beyond the natural happens, we can't explain it. The only way we can explain it is, oh, there's got to be a higher authority who did it. So yeah, it points us to God. And it's the evidence that God's power, what we are preaching and what's happening is evidence. Yes, yes. So it's the proof of what we are, we are teaching it, but when it happens, it is confirming that whatever we are teaching is reality. Okay? So yeah, it's a proof of what we are teaching. There are some points and some other sports like how they are seen, like these seven and six of those, it's where I was talking about those who are unbelievers. Okay. So again, it's supportive meaning. It's like a proof and it draws unbelievers. When they see what God can do, they start to have interest and put their trust in God as well. Same point, like you grab that tension of the unbelievers, like they will literally, they can believe, okay, this is right. It gets their attention. Yeah. So miracles get people's attention. Yeah. Feel free, let's discuss. I mean, even if there are contrary thoughts. Okay. Okay. So they get people to think about God and what he can do. Yeah. It's showing, there is one God who is alive. So people can believe. So it's, you know, showing us same thing, evidence for God that God exists and he's alive. Yeah. Go ahead. Okay. So these works demonstrate who God is. See, because we all respond on the basis of who we are, our personality, what we value. So when God ministers healing, when God ministers deliverance, miracles in somebody's situation, as Sri said, you know, we can understand that God is interested in our lives. He's compassionate. He's gracious, so on and so forth. Yeah. That's true. Yeah. Anything, Sean? No. Okay. That's fine. Yeah. That's okay. No, I'm saying why is the supernatural important in, or why is the supernatural important in general, the kind of supernatural that the Bible talks about? Or is it important at all? That's our discussion. Okay. Essentially, it gives something people to believe in, you know, like, because of all these things like Prince Aran was telling that because of what we read in the Bible is happening in the world. What we're saying is, what we're reading here is becoming true. It is, it's not anything like, it's not anything false. It has been said here. So, you know, when you see people who are healing and performing various types of miracles and stuff like the Jesus performs through them, we see that what's happening here is actually happening. It gives something for us to believe in. Okay. So, again, same thing, like it affirms what the Bible is talking about, and that is important, isn't it? Great. So, we all, we're all saying that the supernatural is important because it confirms what the Word of God says. It points to a God. It sparks interest in people to know more about God. It reveals the nature of God. Okay. So, yeah, for all these reasons, it's very important. But do we, do we place that kind of importance on the supernatural? What happens among circles of believers? Do we place importance? The thing that we see in the Bible is that most people believe more in the supernatural than in God, once you focus more on that. So, when you focus more on the type of healing and stuff like that, people tend to focus more on that than to actually read the Bible. This is what I see, because if you see here that many people ask Jesus to perform miracles and various things, but they said already that the miracle of Jonah is more than enough for you. Okay. Okay. Thank you for sharing your thought, Sean. But like we'll talk about it. I'll share what I feel about your comment. The importance of supernatural, how is supernatural important? So, we all said that, you know, whenever the supernatural is demonstrated, it points us to God. So, that is one thing. But now what I'm asking is, we know that it's important, but for us as believers, you know, in our practice of Christian life or our meetings or our ministry, do we really place that importance? Are we giving it our attention? Or is it like, yeah, it's important, but you know, it's not really part of our ministry. I think like most of believers and even in most of that, we give importance to it, but we don't actually believe that God can use us to do those supernatural works. Okay. So, we believe that the Bible says these things should happen, but the place where we get stuck is, can it happen through my life? Or can I do? Can I walk in the supernatural? Okay. Yeah. That's a challenge. That's where many of us may be struggling. Yeah. Okay. So, Sean is saying that at some places Jesus said that you don't need a sign like you just have to believe, right? That's what you need to do. But now when we're saying that these miracles and supernatural points to God, and that's why it's important, aren't we talking about a lower kind of a belief? Because we are depending on the supernatural to believe in God, right? Okay. Okay. So it seems like it's not working together is what you're saying. But Sean, like we have to look at it in its context and we have to look at it in its entirety. Now, yes, maybe at one point where Jesus rebuked the people and he said that, you know, why are you looking for a sign? I'm already here. So he rebuked them in that context because they were coming in with unbelief. Okay. But in all other places, if you look at his full ministry, it's filled with healings and miracles.  Because as much as he said that, you know, those Pharisees and those unbelievers were looking for signs, he did demonstrate miracles and he told his disciples and I'll come to that. He empowered all his disciples and he said, now you go, right?  So his mandate is very clear. It was not secondary for him or he never felt that it will, you know, it is a lower kind of a faith to have all these manifestations and then believe in God. It was very much a part of creating belief or interest in God. So it's not contrary. That's my point because you mentioned that word, right? It's not contrary. Yeah. It's the same Jesus who's encouraging these miracles. Yeah. Okay. Sure. So as you said, as of now, I mean, so what my thought is, Jesus only said to us like, you go and do healings and miracles. But the other thing is, this miracles and healings should be a part of our Christian life.  When miracle and healing, when it is happening, it definitely should lead to Jesus, like should lead to the salvation. If we are just projecting this miracles and healings. So when we see in this, when the first miracle when Jesus did, when he changed the water into wine. So when we go through the scriptures of the next chapters, so the people, I mean Jesus also tells like he should not, he didn't commit himself to them. So because he know them, he know the people afterwards when we go to the other scriptures and all after the chapters, the people who are there when this miracle happened, they're not there afterwards. Like when we are doing miracles, when we are, when miracles are happening, that should lead to Jesus. And the other thing is we should not project miracles to just drag them to Jesus. So the ultimate thing, what we have to believe in, faith in Jesus. This miracle is not, should not be the reason to, to, I mean, to drag or to preach about the gospel. It should not be. Okay. So, okay, that's, you know what Anand's view, he's saying that they shouldn't become the focus. The focus should be salvation and Christ.  It should lead to that, not just miracles, separate from salvation and godly life and all of those things. And also he pointed out and said that there were times when though Jesus did the miracles, he identified people who came only for the miracles. And it was not about him, but it was more about the miracles. Okay, we get that. You know, sometimes people can only be about, you know, all supernatural, supernatural without focusing on God, his nature and all. So that, that can become, that can become problematic. Okay, fine. We, we get that. That's okay. Yeah. Maybe most people don't give importance to these things. Maybe because like, maybe they have a not correctly understood or in one verse Jesus tells you guys come to me because of the things that I'm doing. Because I gave you the bread yesterday. That's why you're coming to me. So maybe some people don't give much priority to the supernatural because they understood in a wrong way. Maybe they are understanding like I should not go to him only for miracles. So even if I don't have miracles, it's okay. Yeah. So we, we can think that way that we shouldn't, you know, go after Jesus only for the miracles that he does. But my commitment needs to be bigger than what he can do for me. You know, it sounds very humble and nice. And maybe even acceptable. But we will see that we should take the focus that Jesus had because he's the one who is like pointing to miracles all the time. So when God is doing it and when God is wanting it done through our lives, we should not try to, you know, downplay it and say, okay, miracle, even if miracles are not there, it's okay. Because Jesus never taught like that. We will come to it in one certain place. The disciple, John is, John the Baptist is very sad and upset. Okay. Where he's in the prison. He was the one, John the Baptist was the one who looked at Jesus and said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. You know, he will baptize you in Holy Spirit and fire. So he is affirming that Jesus is the Messiah. But later on we notice that he comes to a place where he's doubting. This is really the Messiah because he's not taking up any position of authority. He's not taking governance into his hands. What is this Jesus doing? You know, is he really the Messiah? So John the Baptist is questioning. And at that point, the disciples of John, they come and they ask, you know, are you the Messiah? So he heals people. He demonstrates all the, all the miraculous works. That's all he tells John's disciples. He says, I won't explain. Go and tell John what you saw. So what is the meaning of that? Him being the Messiah is affirmed by what he did. He healed, he delivered. So Jesus is saying, this is important. Isn't it? And you go tell John, he'll understand.  When he's placing that kind of importance on, you know, science wonders and miracles. Who are we to say that, yeah, even if God doesn't do it, he's wanting to do it. He's very serious about it. Okay. And so when we say, it's okay if there's no, we are not talking a line to what God is doing and what he's saying. That happens. Okay. I'll explain myself further before you start bombarding me with questions. Okay. So just relax. Take a deep breath. I'll come to the online students and then I'll come back to the on-campus students. So about the importance of miracles, healings and all. Jack, Jack is saying important because it makes Jesus more visible as we glorify him through the supernatural. It will make us think that this wouldn't have been possible at any cost in the natural. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Jack. Nina is saying, oh, you can speak out. Yeah, sure. Nina, there's a comment. Do you just want to say it? I've posted something first. Speaking. Speaking. Speaking, but we can't. Excuse us, Nina. Just give us one moment. Yeah. The volume. Is it okay now? No. Are you able to hear me? Can you hear me? No. Then I've posted it. So I'm not sure. Yes. Please try again. Okay. Are you able to hear me now? No. Okay. Sorry about that. I think we are having some technical issues. No, no, no issues. I've posted it. We'll try to fix it. It worked. Okay. Okay. Sorry about that, Nina. It doesn't seem to be picking up your voice. So I'll just read your comment for today. Our apologies. It says, yes, we do. It is challenging to see the miracles manifest in the natural. Prayers are answered, but not always. And sometimes it takes time. Okay. So for all these reasons, it's like our believing in the supernatural can be challenged. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. Prabhu is saying the supernatural. Okay. I didn't get the context, Prabhu. So if you can explain a little more, I think that will be helpful. Ravali, you wanted to share something. Could you please type it in chat? Because we're not able to hear you. Hello Nancy. Can you hear me? Yeah. I can't hear you. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. You can speak, Ravali. Can you hear me now? Yes. Sorry. My thoughts about it is, I mean, why sometimes the perspective of believers being a word of God and supernatural as two different things. I mean, I had that kind of a perspective earlier, but word of God is supernatural, right? Something in the word of God is for us and it has to be in our everyday life, not for a certain occasion or special meetings. Maybe I thought that if we change that kind of a perspective, so it'll be normal. Supernatural is natural for every day. That's what we live. You know, to separate it, I don't know. We always tend to separate it and see it. Oh, word of God, because there is a small fear in everybody that, okay, if I'm going after science and wonders, I might miss the word of God and I might miss concentrating on the word of God. But word of God only is supernatural. It says heal the sickies in the word of God. You know, teachings are in the word of God. So it has equal importance. That's my thought about it. Yeah. Thank you for sharing that, Ravali. It's so true. The word of God in itself is supernatural and that's what we're living by every day. But somewhere where it comes to demonstrations like healings and miracles, there could be a struggle to believe in those things. So, yeah, that's right. Any other reason why we may struggle to really believe or walk in the supernatural? Yeah. Okay, sure. So, yeah, there is a comment. Rin is saying that it takes personal preparation to walk in the supernatural, to manifest the supernatural. And maybe, you know, people don't want to make that kind of commitment to walk in the supernatural. So, yeah, it's possible that that is a limitation for people to walk in the supernatural. Yeah. Any other thoughts or fear? Okay. Fear about the supernatural. And I think Ravali pointed out, she said that it can, we have that fear that when we focus on the supernatural, we should not go away from God. Not only that. Fear like when we do the supernatural, happen or not. Okay, got it. Whether it will happen, whether it will happen. But it's a pure faith. Like faith in God definitely will bring the supernatural to demonstrate, right? Yes. That faith is, sometimes we fear like, okay, my faith is enough or not. Yeah. So, it's all more of like self-doubt and that kind of a thing where we are not sure, though I believe like, am I going to see this happen? Will it take place? So, we have to have that childlike faith when we pray it will happen. Okay, childlike faith. But also, remember scripture say hearing comes from, faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. So, we, these fears and self-doubts the more we learn about the supernatural, we are looking at scripture and our faith should be based on scripture. It shouldn't be based on anything else. So, what should be the foundation? If the scriptures are pointing towards wanting the supernatural, fine, we'll do it. But if the scriptures are not pointing in that direction, it's quite simple. We are not going to do it, right? So, when we meditate on scripture, our faith can be based on that. And even regarding the supernatural, what do the scriptures have to say? So, we will look at the scriptures. So, let me now just take us to some thoughts from this chapter in ministering healing and deliverance and APC publication. This is the first chapter which lays a good foundation regarding the supernatural works of God such as you know, healings and miracles and all of that. So, here we are saying that there are biblical reasons why we must believe and why we must minister the supernatural. These biblical reasons are that miracles, healings and deliverances reveal the reality and the nature of God. So, when God revealed himself back in Exodus chapter 15 in verse 26 he said something like, I am Jehovah Rafa, the God who heals you. So, today if I don't believe that he's a healer, I'm going against his covenant name and what do the covenant names point us to? The nature of God. He's saying, look, I'm not a giver of disease. If that was so, he would have told us.  But what is the revelation that he gave us and covenant names are like God's promise. He says I won't go back. Covenant is a very strong promise where God is He exists forever. So if one, the person who is participating in the covenant ceases to exist, the covenant will die. God has no beginning, no end and the God of the universe said, I am Jehovah Rafa. Meaning I'm never going to change. My promise to you is never going to change. You have a sickness? I'm your healer. So, you notice that we are saying healing, we are saying deliverance, miracles. It's coming from the nature of God. That's what he does. That's what he wants to do. So the nature of God, we are not contradicting the nature of God because he said, for I am the God who heals you. I am Jehovah Rafa. That is who he is and he promised there are many passages of scripture. Exodus 23 where, you know, he said I will read the passage for us verse 25, verse 26 you shall serve the Lord your God.  I will fulfill the number of your days. So as a believer, if I pray and I say God, you will bless my food. My food will be blessed. My water will be blessed. It will impart divine health to me. Okay, by faith I believe what I eat, right? It will give me strength and then I'm saying things like, you know, God will take away sickness from among us. He will take away sickness from my family. He will take away sickness from my church community and other promises that, okay, there should be no miscarriage. There should be no barrenness and God has said I will fulfill the number of your days. That simply means you will live to a long life. You will live a strong life, right? God does not want anyone's life to be cut short. Okay, these are the promises and promises are based on the very nature of God, the very character of God. So when we say that we want to pray for people to be healed, for sickness to be removed, for them to live a long life, we are very much in line with what he's saying in his word. Okay, nothing wrong. Because we are aligned to what God wants to do in people's lives. So look at the nature of God. The miracles that God does are pointing to his nature. The healing that he does is pointing to his nature. No, when we read about the Israelites coming out of Egypt in Psalm 105 it says, how did God bring them out of Egypt? No, in Egypt they were all slaves. So we can only imagine that maybe they didn't have good food, they were overworked, they did not have proper shelter. So all the riches and the blessings of Egypt, they may not have had it. But Psalm 105 verse 37 he says he also brought them out with silver and gold and there was none feeble among his tribes. That simply means the slaves. When they came out of Egypt they were rich, they were strong, they were not sick. How can you explain this? It's supernatural. They were overworked, they were burdened, they were tired but there was none feeble among them. There must have been children, there must have been elderly, there must have been women, there must have been all kinds of people. But what is God demonstrating? He's saying look, if you are my people, there's something supernatural. I give you that supernatural grace to walk in divine health. It's aligned to the nature of God. Another thing, I hope you're noticing this with me, he doesn't change it's the same thing. That's how God is. We can trust God because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today forever. It's not like he healed in the Old Testament and he stopped healing in the New Testament. He healed during Jesus' times and now when we say, Lord heal me, he'll say oh sorry, it's what year is it 2023? I changed my mind. He doesn't do that. So it's very consistent. You'll see passage after passage that is revealing the nature of God. It's revealing what God did and he will continue to do the same thing. I'll read for you one more passage. Nehemiah 9 verse 21. It says 40 years you sustain them in the wilderness. It's talking about the Israelites again. Now, wilderness experience. They came out and all and wilderness experience is happening. But even there, God sustained them and what does the scripture say? They lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out. Their feet did not swell. Same God. Same nature. Same work that he's doing. Wherever these people were in Exodus they were journeying. Then later they're coming out of Egypt. Now they're in the wilderness. But he's covenant with the people. They said I am your healer. I won't change. So the psalmist puts it so beautifully. He says that bless the Lord, oh my soul and forget not all his benefits. Who forgives all your sins and he heals all your diseases. So the psalmist had the courage to say he heals all diseases because there's nothing contradictory presented about God anywhere in between. From the moment he said I am your healer it's the same thing. So the first point that I'm trying to make here is that miracles, healings and deliverance reveal the nature of God and you know the reality of who he is to us. So they are very important. Miracles, healings reveal the greatness of God. When we look at the time when Jesus turned water into wine that is the first time that Jesus is doing a miracle. Till that time and even at that point Jesus said hey my time has not come but since you're asking me I'm doing it and in John chapter 2 verse 11 John records he says this beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him. So it was the beginning of many other miracles that Jesus did later and Jesus was happy it says manifested his glory meaning it showed who he is the glory that he carried on earth. See his heavenly glory, something else. But here on the earth he walked in sonship glory. He wanted to reveal it or in other words he wanted people to see who he is as the Messiah and he revealed his glory. How did Jesus reveal his glory? Through the miracle and it's very specific after the incident it says he revealed his glory not through the way he was born or the things that he was talking about his obedience to his parents. Many other things happened before. Jesus did the miracle but scripture doesn't say that he revealed his glory. This is the first time when he did the miracle that he's saying he manifested his glory or he revealed it like okay look I'm the Messiah sonship glory. I'm showing it to you. This is how it looks how miracle a miracle can happen. So he manifested his glory and what did it lead to? Nothing bad. The same scripture says his disciples believed him. So did it help the faith of his followers? It did. The miracle actually helped them to have faith in Jesus. It pushed them away from Jesus. So let's see what the Bible is saying. The Bible is not saying that the supernatural it's scary, it's dangerous. I wonder where we get all these pictures from. If it's in the Bible, yeah okay let's accept it.  He is beginning to show us that I move in these things. So it's part of my nature. This is the way Jesus revealed his glory. Okay it's time up. Okay fine. So we will pick up from where you stop and let's talk about this okay class. So I'm just trying to have an open discussion and we can do that and we will build from there. So thank you once again for all that you shared and all the comments as well that have come in from our students. We will pray and close for today and I'll request somebody in our class to pray. Thank you Lord Jesus we can pray for you. Amen. Thank you Nikhil. Thank you everyone. God bless you. Please go through your notes and let's connect next week and continue.


You keep your logic aside, place yourself completely in my hands. My presence is like that of a catalyst, things can happen much faster in my presence. The important thing is, it's just my energy which changes their chemistry in some way. But when your chemistry changes, your experience of life changes. If your energies are just revved up to a certain level, you will see you will become madly ecstatic. Do you want a demonstration of ecstasy?


So I'm here in Chinatown since many of you recommend it. I start my day with a classic Singaporean breakfast. This is kaya toast. It's a popular coconut-based jam. The price? $4. The unique thing about Singapore is that you don't only find Chinese culture here. This is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. It's a short walk from a mosque and Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. Many of you recommended going to a hawker center, so here I am. I was told this is one of the best wonton noodles in Singapore. The price of lunch? $6. And this is crazy because this is Michelin-rated. This is really delicious. I can see why it's so popular. There are many Michelin-rated restaurants in this neighborhood and surprisingly affordable. One of you suggested this plant-based restaurant? Let's give it a try. Lasagna and a drink? $25. I ate some amazing food, saw some cool sights, and stuck to my budget.


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My notes say there was something about a car trip. Oh, that is the best, how the idea of Spousely came up. Yes, so I was headed to dinner with a few fellow military spouses, and we were in one car all going together. And I was like, you know what? There's so much talent in just this one car.   You make coffee. I love business. Like, why are we all not doing more together? And how can we support one another? And so I just remember always saying to my friends that so Spousely of you just because I was always just inspired by their way to put a smile on someone else's face, whether it was bringing them homemade coffee or just that special gift. So that so Spousely of you came top of mind.


YouTube team keep it clean. What's going on? It's engraving here with another video and Good morning. Good morning And in this video huge part of the reason what's more Raven's got that second Lombardi trophy that second Super Bowl trophy He will be retiring as about tomorrow Raven today It's gonna be at the game on Sunday to where Spitsburg. Hopefully he don't get tripped up again But he will be retiring as a Baltimore Raven today So then that says a lot too, and I know I mean he did have his most success there as a Raven He was only there like what two years to two years to three years. I think two. I think two years But here's somebody that He got drafted by the Texans. I don't remember what round he got drafted by the Texans like or in And he did decent there not as a right-wire receiver, but more as a return man But things they just I guess they didn't really work out in Texas for in Houston So he was a free agent Baltimore brought him on they needed a return man They needed another receiver and Jacobi Jones did his thing. He did his thing His first it was a shame that his first receiving touchdown as Raven got called back Because they called they called pattern they called off in the past in a fair and set thing It was such a bad call too. It was against the eagles. It was against the Philadelphia Eagles It was in Philly and Jacobi Jones called a beautiful touchdown But they ended up calling it back and we ended up losing that game, but we won a Super Bowl So it's all good. Anyway Before you get into Jacobi Jones and everything that he did for the team.  That's like swerving like really bad They like drifting that off the road and stuff.  I don't like blowing my horn. Okay, they finally move He got the he got a kick return against the Cowboys didn't get one against the Raiders too I forgot but he made his mark as a special team as a kickoff power turner And you just you got excited you got excited every time you knew he was gonna catch one Because you knew he had the potential to take it all the way every single time The guy made history in Baltimore and he he continued to make history during the playoffs to the Miles City America the mile high man That Broncos and Ray's playoff game was divisional I believe it was just everything man that game was like I said in past dreams before Whenever we would go against Peyton Manning. I'm like, oh man, it's always so scary It's always so scary and especially would it be in the playoffs? It's like, oh, I know how we usually do against Peyton Manning and we had actually That year too, I believe we played them that year and they beat us and And they beat us in Baltimore and I believe and Juan Bolton was like, oh, we're gonna see them again we're gonna see them again and we saw them again and That game well, but if we fast forward since we talking about Jacobi Jones, we fast forward to the end of that game And it wasn't even him making an impact on special teams that game It was trending holiday. So they got both the kickoff return and apartment Against us for a touchdown. He scored two times. So getting a special team touchdown was so nice that training holiday to twice and He actually was on I think he was on the Texans at first And they started off the season like three, you know, and then they ended up cutting them and winning streak And he had there was one point where he had never lost the game that season Trending holiday had never lost the game that season because he was on two different teams and both of those teams for the time That he was on the game He hadn't lost the game or the time that he was on the teams. He hadn't lost the game, but Like I was saying Jacobi Jones was the special teams guy the guy he was known for a punt kickoff returns But he wasn't shining on special teams in that Denver game. It was trending holiday But what Jacobi did was something was one of the best plays in Raven's history and it actually Obviously continued our season continued our playoff run because it saved the game We were down. It was like 38 seconds left something like that and we were down by seven we were down by seven it was the fourth quarter and It was I think it was like third and two. I think it was like 32 third and short, I believe But Jacobi Jones ran it. He or he was running the safety Mistimed it Jacobi Jones perfectly timed it black hole perfectly timed it a lot of people They're like, oh, yeah, that does a fluke play. That's a fluke play. That's a fluke play Black hole through the ball. He threw a good pass Jacobi Jones caught the ball the safety Mistimed it misread it. He was out of position for it Wasn't no fluke play to me. It was a great throw great catch and great touchdown, man And that was that man that I remember that game I remember I was almost like dehydrated because I during the football game, especially playoff game I don't I don't like to eat. I don't even like to drink anything. I just like to watch the game and that's it But doing that game. I was so excited doing that entire game Especially that play almost passed out man because I remember we were at a sports ball and when that play happened I was running around going crazy and I Dropped to the ground a little bit. I had to catch my breath It was crazy, man It was crazy and so many people I remember that game and so many people had wrote the Ravens off I remember even doing the game the sports bar that we were at is a couple Ravens fans there. Maybe about five or six um A lot of Broncos, but as the game kept going on I started seeing the Ravens fans leaving they kept disappearing They kept walking out going home like oh man, this is over. We're gonna lose and some people just they don't They can be so losing so they don't like to uh They don't like people to see them win lose me. I don't mind. I don't mind Um I've seen the best of both worlds. I've seen the best of losing the best of winning and all that good stuff But anyway, a lot of people left But like I always say it ain't over till it's over in that game Surely wasn't over and jacobi jones made his mark in that thing and then of course in the Super Bowl he He caught that beautiful touchdown pass from flacco where he made that play happen Flacco threw a perfect pass to him. He caught it But he not only caught it, but he had to get up And like less than a second shake the defender make the other defender be running in for a touchdown That beautiful touchdown then he just opens the second half with a beautiful kickoff return for a touchdown too So he did that at both the rate lowest dance and the fiancee dance All in one game and if you got to do that that means you made some special plays But jacobi jones was a beast. I always liked him Um, he was my one of my favorite players that year. He did his thing. I remember the next year Everybody was a little sad when um, it was He was potentially going to leave it um, because I they originally signed him to a one-year contract um, and then He was a free agent that he had to the Super Bowl You know, we had lost ankwambola. We didn't lose ankwambola and we traded ankwambola into the 49ers for a six-round graphic Um, but so it was tory smith It was tory smith stayed jacobi jones with a free agent and he went up to go visit with the new york giants And I think they offered him a deal But then he ended he didn't take it yet, but he ended up coming back to baltimore They ended up signing him But I think like a two-year deal or something like that. Everybody was super heavy. I know I was super heavy I was a little sad when he was gonna go to new york, but he ended up coming back to baltimore um and staying but It the season wasn't so pretty that's the year we went eight and eight But he got exposed for not getting eight season He was bad off and he went to the steelers for a little bit. That was really weird seeing him in the steelers He's doing good. So happy that he's retiring and raving His career, you know, somebody that all about body could touch this dude and dancing Had to win the Super Bowl shout out to him and they got to win the Super Bowl in their hometown So that's always nice, man. So shout out to jacobi jones. I know they gotta be live I appreciate y'all again. Make sure you leave a like on the video if you haven't done so already Subscribe to the youtube channel if you haven't done so already and I appreciate it So we look forward to seeing what jacobi learned had to say during his retirement speech And we'll see him on sunday In baltimore when we play Pittsburgh too. Anyway, I appreciate y'all watching. Thank you and i'm out


Okay, good morning Anurad. Good morning, how are you? I'm fine, thank you. You and please continue on, I will join you. Yeah, memory is he asked me, there are endless memories when I joined, I mean it was a different. 42 years is a lot of time. There is no cell phones, there is, I mean you know for four decades ago what was there? The industry wasn't completely different, very casual approach, no bottom-line orientation. So everybody was happy and a lot of advertisement, plenty of advertisement, people were reading newspapers, TV was unknown. So it is a different ballgame altogether. So now there's the days past, everything changed, the competition came up, the different media, between different media, the digital came in, the mobile phone revolution. I've gone through everything, everything in these four decades and this company also has grown from a small regional newspaper to a large national conglomerate of television, magazine, newspapers and also very strongly in digital now. So I'm very happy that today as I step down and the MVP has grown to be formidable news media group in the country. Mr. Prakash, one thing let me ask you, as you rightly said, the newspapers were really pre-dominant and you know, you have both an English newspaper which is for a certain PG, the telegraph and of course the Anubhav Patrika and then it's various magazines like Sonanda and so on. Now covering developments in politics 30 years back or 20 years back was a different ballgame than today because the kind of leaders were different, the environment was different. Tell me, what has changed in that context? First of all, there's the editorial policy for each of these are different and they're each on different genre. The telegraph, like I'll say telegraph any, suppose the cricket match is covered in Calcutta, then there will be separate, photographers going for telegraph, photographers separate from the other. So they don't share their stories at all. There is a hard competition between them and the editorial policy is also different.  People can't, the job of the media is to criticize, to find out the goods and best of society, but people want to see only the good not the bad part of it. So anything, I mean, which is not liked, it should be published. So that's difficult situation. But we are the only media left in the country, hopefully, that we are very bold and we publish what we think is right for the society. Okay. Now, let me come into the foray of ABP into news. First, as a JV with the international broadcasting and over the last few years, ABP news. Tell me, of course, you talked about television news can be shrill and can be colored. But you know, ABP news has stood on its ground. You built a formidable network in the ABP news network. Tell us what are your reflections when you look back on how ABP news network has been able to take the venerable ABP brand and build something around it. Yeah, I remember long ago, when we started, when they started, it is good that we did a, I mean, it was a star ABP, JV. And so, I mean, we learned a lot from star that we didn't know anything about television. So these few years, we were there, they were there with us. It was good learning experience. And it was then star star news, if we recall. So, and then, then we bought them over completely. And then we thought that this, we must have ABP name. So this overnight, the star news became ABP news. And there is a, you remember, there was a huge campaign. I mean, it is not easy to change from star to star image to ABP. And even for a few years after that, we used to call us star news. But, but yes, news, basically news is in our blood. So whether it is in television or newspaper, it is only the packaging, how you bottle it. So the technicalities we learned from star, the nuances of television, and the content preparation is our 40, we know what it is. So both clubbed together, we were successful and we knew what to do. And we always, from day one, we thought to be in a premium positioning. We won't, we won't go into those, what is Shani Graha doing and what is that doing in this, this silly, silly, I mean, kind of news production. So we're in serious journalism, serious news, serious content for, for readers. And then you know how it, ABP news expanded into we started Bengali one, it was a loading success. When we launched Maharashtra, ABP Majha, number one in Maharashtra, very soon, we launched Gujarat, Ashmitra from Gujarat. Then we launched, this recently launched ABP Ganga in UP and Uttarakhand. This also we are now within one year we are number two there. So it is, it is a very good story really. And then, and I mean, only thing is now we have to go south. So once he goes, my aim is to within next five years, at the most, actually earlier three years, we should be the number one pan India, regional news, news media, a news book, a network that has should be in language. We are not with our place, not in English, will be language player across India. And we'll be number one language player already in the, in the, in the North India and West India, but South India, when, when we have, have it, we plan to do it soon. So we'll have a pan India presence. And we will be, we will, we should be the number one regional news player in the country. Fantastic. Now let me ask you, the last 12 months have been very different than whatever we've seen in our lives in your 42 years. This 42nd year must have been a very different year like it's been for most of us in our careers in our spheres of influence. Tell us how was the last 12 months for you both personally and professionally? What, what all you had to do at ABP to be able to to weather the storm to be able to stay relevant and at the same time prepare for the future? Yeah, last, last year I remember this day, today it was, we are under lockdown. This day last year was on the lockdown. So we suddenly found everything is, I mean, everything is vanished from under a feet. We don't know what to do. We didn't know how to weather, how to live really, how our food will come from outside, how, how, how I'll get a medicine, how we'll survive, nothing, everything uncertain. And suddenly we found our newspapers distribution fell to almost zero, almost zero, no advertisement. So how do we thrive and expenses cost basis, I mean, fixed, it can't be changed. So we thought if we don't do anything now, it is a disaster, we won't even survive, maybe more than six months at the most with the current results. So we had to do something very quickly, fast and drastic. So we gathered a team, we had the meetings. I remember April, we decided that these, these, these things we must do. And then we, and we have each one was very tough decision. First of all, decided that we have to, we can't run this company with so many people, because people, I mean, if there's avenues zero, and we have so many people, we can't afford it. So we had to, one is to reduce people and so that the others can survive. At the end of the day, we have no point, everybody dying together. So it was people, numbers and the, and the, and the, and the salary also, salary also, we all compromised from, from myself down below, I'm up to a certain level, not everybody at a certain level who decided to, I mean, have a cut in our salary. So that's a huge reduction in cost. Then we decided overnight to stop, to close down all our offices across India overnight.  So this was done within a month's time. Everything was done. We saved a huge cost. And then we decided everybody work for home. So everybody's working from home. Anurag, even I speak today, in our Calcutta office, our own building, we published two news telegraph newspapers published at night with six people, can I believe it? Six people in our building office, a newspaper, a multi-edition newspaper. Another one that takes a bit more, say about maybe 15 people. So 21 people, 22 people, and support staff, technology people. So we don't have more than 40 people in the office any time. Daytime is even like, daytime it is like all empty. And we are used to it now for one year. And people are loving it, our productivity is improved. And I don't think we should ever go back to our normal office work. So that these are the, I mean, so our cost base was reduced hugely. And obviously we are in a much better position, like from July onwards revenue started coming. And by the way, some leading newspaper owners phoned me saying that DDP, we should stop printing newspapers. Why should we print? There's so much waste. We'll generate nobody will buy this. I said, don't make this mistake ever. If you stop printing newspapers, then they'll forget about us. After six months, nobody will read the newspapers. So please don't, I don't want to name them, but very leading publishers of India. And so we continued publishing. There are a lot of, I mean, a lot of issues people are saying, no, the newspaper causes the coronavirus. So we ran a huge campaign.  And it goes untouched to you. And we showed the report, the WHO reports, other science reports that this is, paper is list, list, I mean, a career of this, this thing virus, because of its porosity. So then a campaign and gradually sales improved. And soon, I think by Pooja's, we were about 85% of our original circulation numbers. And today we're distributed 90%. And revenue gradually went up, went up. And then, then I had a town hall meeting, I think sometime in, we had one in June, one in January, I think. So we assured the people, don't worry, we are, we are taking steps. Don't get panicky for heaven's sake, be calm. We are taking steps, company will survive. And, and, and, and add revenue gradually went up with last year, we did about 50%, 50% of last year. But as of today, month on month, we are same as last year. March, this year, we'll do the same revenue as last year.  And cost basis about almost hugely reduced, I don't want to say number, hugely reduced. So see the sustainability becomes very high, profitability is high. I think we've got higher profitability. So there's, I mean, clear roadmap ahead for ABP, we can invest more, and we can grow faster. So I'm very happy to step down at this moment, this juncture, after putting this company in a right track in a very healthy situation. And with a, I mean, muscle and strength and belief that we can, we can face the future. And Mr. Kukhasta, you're stepping down as the MBA and CEO in a week or so, but you will continue to be there to guide the incoming CEO who's been a deputy CEO for a while, and also be on the board and guide the transition. So it's not that, you know, develop your operational role, but for at least for now, you're pretty much there guiding the company, right? And Anurag, it is in my blood, you see, ABP is in my blood. So how can I just, I mean, sever everything and run away? I cannot do that. But yes, I'll have enough spare time to go around.  And I'll be, I'll be part of the, all the associations. I'm board member of INMA. I know you'll be the president of WAN. I'm board member of WANIFRA. I'm taking over presidency of INS this year, and I'll be in the board of ABP, obviously. I'll be in the board of ABP. So I'll be in advisory role guiding ABP, the new management. But I wouldn't be in executive role, but this is a long time I have done that. And I think I'm very happy to step down at the moment that the company is in the right place. You work with ABP, the institution, it's not just a newspaper, and you work with both the promoters. ABP has Mr. Avik Sarkar and Mr. Rup Sarkar. You work with both the brothers. Give us a sense of how we're working with both of them and give us some anecdotes, which convey their approaches.  They complement each other. So we have grown together for 42 years. We are almost same age. So they are like friends. But two personalities are just the diverse. Avik Sarkar is extrovert. He loves to go around, meet people and have his own wine and food. Avik Sarkar is the introvert. He wants to take the backseat and run the organization from behind. So they are two different personalities. Both are equally sharp and both are very, very business oriented. And the biggest thing is they gave us the professional freedom. Somebody if you ask me, why, how did I stay for so long? It is only for two reasons. One is the freedom. Not only us, the down the line, the professional freedom or people get is unbelievable. I think no one else they'll get it. And the trust and the mutual trust between us. So that's it. I mean, I get along very well with both of them, obviously. Fantastic. I also want to talk about Generation Next. Now, Rukh Sarkar's son has been involved. He's the executive director and he's been involved both with the television operation and the newspaper operations. Tell me, again, ABP has chosen an insider to be able to lead, rather than bringing talent from outside. Even a couple of years back when ABP news network, there's an opportunity to lead, you chose an existing leader to lead it. So give us what this philosophy of creating leaders from within and giving them opportunities to lead. That is our strong belief that leaders should come from within. There are a lot of talents in the organization. And like what they could have taken over a CEO, but you decided not to. A family member should not be run. A CEO shouldn't be family member. So it should be run by a professional person like me or anybody else. So Dhubu was chosen as the CEO. He has groomed under me for years. And Othidev also was groomed under me for years. So Othidev will be, I mean, Dhubu will report to him. Dhubu will report to him. So he will be overall in charge. But as a CEO, Dhubu will function reporting to him. Othidev will oversee the news also. So Othidev will look out and oversee news also. And he is basically a journalist. He worked in initial years with many large organizations in UK, in India. So that's the plan. And we want to, I mean, continue with this professional approach. And so family and the professionalism, they're two different things. Family is there in the board. They can, I mean, they can as a shareholder. They have a different view. And the CEO with his team should run the company without any kind of, I mean, I won't say interference, but they should run with full freedom. And I tell everybody, I tell everyone, like when I spoke to my people last week, I said, the first thing is you please learn to say no. You tell you people, tell you down below this, you must say no. In my lifetime, I have said more no than years to my bosses. And I'm still there. So unless you do that, then nothing will happen. If everybody says, yes, sir, yes, sir, nothing is going to happen. There must be no to be said. He may be wrong when we write. And he should be, he should, shouldn't fear to express. He must express his is what he thinks. They should, he shouldn't think he should be intimidated if I say this. So this is a fundamental thing. You must culture this. So it is, it is now in the organization very much, but still it, we have more to go on this. So this is one thing I have told through also and my team. That's my last two questions. One is in Australia. Recent judgment has got the social media giants to pay the newspapers. Now, do you see a similar kind of trend happening in India? And if it happens, what does it offer for the newspaper owners? And second question is, while you're a content company, digital is becoming bigger and bigger. How is ABP building digital footprint and what are the successes? Now, Australian, Australian, they've legalized it now and it's low.  And I'm sure India will follow soon. I think next to come is my belief is next to come is India and Brazil. So, and Google and Facebook can't ignore this large, large economies. The number of people. So this is my belief is to happen very soon. And it is good. Australia has got a very good deal, much better than France has done. So they've got a large, large sum. It is a lump sum amount for they have created now, you know what is happening? Google has created a Google showcase. So you have to put your news in the showcase and then they'll give you a lump sum amount per annum. It is not per click or per visit. And Facebook also is doing the same thing. Facebook amount I'm told is much less than Google. But the trend is right. So this will, in similar manner, it will happen in India very soon. My guess is within next one year, it should happen. But this is my guess. I don't know. It may be wrong. It should happen. So they will get a publisher. So we'll get a fair share from there. We're getting nothing now. Piddle amount, almost like giving arms. So that, that don't have, that don't happen. So that's a very good thing. And digital, yes, it is the future. No doubt about it because digital will, will, will be, especially after this Corona. It has really jumped maybe 10 years. The whole thing has been enhanced by almost 10 years by Corona. So digital has to, we are also doing our best. There are two digital divisions. One is television. We have a VIP live, which is doing very well. That is completely on video, mostly on video. A video is doing very good. And video, video is the future. As you'll see the, how Netflix and Amazon Prime, etc. are doing. So that is doing well. In a VP, digitally also doing pretty well in our, whatever, and content, not text. So that, that we're doing many things there. We're doing something, education, something, many, many, there are many things to do. Digital, there's no, I mean, the sky is the limit. You think about it as it is possible. Like we're doing this. Could you believe such webinars one year ago? It's happening every day. Every day I do about four webinars, four kind of Zoom meetings, very more. So this was not possible. So this is now it will become so easy. So technology is not a hindrance. It will only help and help us. But this is the future. No doubt about it. We all have to go there in that route. Thank you. And I just want to sign off by asking you, you know, you've done it all. You've been leading a company for a long time. You've been able to, as you said, even in the last 12 months, be able to do it in a better shape, be able to bring in a successor, continue to work with promoters in an advisory consulting role and, you know, do other things that help the business and the industry. Tell me, is there a bucket list that has been done? I want to go to travel a lot. That's my dream. I have not traveled to Latin America. So during Corona time, I learned Spanish. I have done a beginner number one, number two, third level course I finished from a Spanish University of Valencia. So I can speak Spanish now, not fluently, but I can understand and speak a little. So I've planned to go to visit Latin America and it is mostly Spanish speaking country. That is my immediate wish. And then obviously, I want to travel to other countries also, especially next two years I'll have extensive travel once everything opens up. And I'm a great foodie, you know. So I love food. So I want to taste different kinds of food abroad. And do you plan to write a book? Yes, that is a good thing you said. I was thinking about this, but now I think it is maturing more now. So I think I should write a book. This is a very checkered journey for the last 42 years. So much dramatic changes have happened over these years. And so many things to say. So I want to leave it there. I mean, and something must be left behind. So I'm thinking of writing writing book very seriously. So that will happen after a year maybe let me, my first bucket list is travel. Fantastic. Clearly, the Indian media landscape in the last two, three decades is going to see change, seismic changes. The last 12 months have accelerated a lot of those. And you know, a lot of times obituary of newspapers have been, you know, tell me what should Indian media owner, specifically newspaper owner should do to stay relevant. Number one is credibility. They should never compromise that. Like MVP people, the name is credible. People know MVP is something coming on MVP is authentic. So we must make sure and we should not compromise on editorial. People are cutting cause they cut through the bone. So editorial should not be compromised much. You may a little bit of a do, but we must have good journalists to write and also provide credible information because I mean, this need for the news has increased actually this new generation of millennials they want to know more. So if we have give them right kind of news and it is good after Corona this is giving us a huge I'm short in arms because there's so much of fake news going around social media so much. So we stand out. This is the opportunity we stand out as a few of us those are leading brands stand out as a credible source of information and relevant as you say it every has to be relevant and relevant and also I would say I'll go one step personalized. So that will happen through digital is not possible through through news for print media. So that will happen to digital but digital and print I don't treat them separately. These are only the medium. How do bottle it?  It doesn't matter. So I don't I'm not very serious about the way it is bottled. So the main thing is both digital or print the content is the king content must be must be I mean Anna Anna's must be whatever they've built in must be more more I mean we should never compromise on credibility and relevance never that's the end of it and those who have done this those who have done this they've succeeded and also the people want to know stories the new new kind of just don't like just this routine information they like to I'll give you example New York Times did a story sitting in India we didn't know about it they did a story about this there's a mountaineers well they climb Mount Everest what do they do? So they send journalists along with them up to the base camp there's something beyond that they stay with them 24 hour and just just found out what do they do daily and what motivates them how do they go to climb the speaks and what drives them to do that and they made an excellent story on that people love love to read it people love this big diversion from a routine lockdown these are now mundane every day is happening these are the new things I mean our journalists also should research and write something new this I mean the daily chore I mean the same thing again and again doesn't doesn't people a young generation don't like they like something which is which is which dividend they never knew about it absolutely Mr. Purugashta you know I've had the pleasure of knowing you interacting with you and you know getting your kindness and kindness Navneet who's the managing director of the Hindu you see of the Hindu group of publication is saying no specific question I just want to say thanks for the lovely conversation and wanted to wish DDB the very best for what he has done for the industry and you know there's one more question where has the thought of because you steer the company through turbulent times has the thought of mentoring startups and people who may have the need for professional guidance come to your mind beyond ABP I'm always there I don't want to be do a commercial and we use it as my this thing earning but anybody I'd love it anybody wants to take an advice I've got a lot of free time they can write to me they can approach me I'll be very very happy and I love to interact with your youth young generation that keeps me alive my young people ask me Mr. Purugashta there's a 73 how to run around so much and why do the stamina I get this from the young people I love to interact with young generation I spend a lot of time with them see if any startup I mean the people want to know want to take my advice without money it'll be pro bono it'll be done thank you so much Mr. Purugashta as known as DDB in the industry as well as within ABP we wish TDP sir all the best and we look forward to more conversations to him hopefully on what are the best places in Spain to go or what are the best places to eat in Spain but I want to let you go by asking you something which is very very topical elections in Bengal around the corner it looks like a very tough contest what do you have to say what do you think we are still a couple of days away and sometimes elections are won in the last few days the Prime Minister rallies are still there but what is your sense of what do you think will be happening in the assembly elections in West Bengal Anurag I don't want to make any prediction on this I don't know do you have seen the come out with many researchers so people have gone through it they go through it you'll know but I don't want to make any prediction at the eve of elections thank you so much Mr. Purugashta we respect that we wish you luck thank you for your contributions and God bless you and keep guiding the young professionals in the industry and we wish you luck to complete your bucket list so thank you so much God bless you thank you keep in touch Anurag foodie have a good good look forward to seeing you soon okay over the next two three weeks things get better and we look forward to interacting okay thank you so much thank you so much bye bye


Okay, everyone. I need your attention as it is time for the biggest owner of tonight hold your breath as We now announce The brand of the year for the third edition of e4m health mark on awards and that goes to any guesses Future generally India insurance Come on. Let's give them a huge round of applause the biggest owners of tonight Need the biggest applause all your trumpets. These are the final awards


Coming up on DTNS, Intel doubles down on AI chips, LinkedIn snuffs out the fakes and the human eye faces some stiff competition. This is for Wednesday, August 21st, 2019 from Studio Feline. I'm Sarah Lane. From Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm Scott Johnson. And I'm the show's producer, Roger Chan. Before the show, Roger and Amos and Scott and I were all talking about backernims. Yes. That's an acronym that goes in reverse, so to speak. If you're confused and want to know a little bit more about how we put this together, you can get the wider conversation on our expanded show. That's good day internet. We do it before and after DTNS. And you can join us and hear all the good stuff like backernims and more by becoming a member at patreon.com slash DTNS. All right, let's start with a few tech things you should know. Google started rolling out an update for G Suite that uses AI for making real time spell check suggestions while detecting potential grammar issues, including the addition of as you type auto correction for common spelling errors. The feature is already available for rapid release domains and is coming to scheduled release domains across all G Suite additions by September 12th. It's like they know me. Google and Mozilla are both blocking a route certificate issued by the Kazakhstan government, which previously had been mandatory to access the internet. Kazakhstan halted deployment earlier this month following legal challenges. The certificate let the government mitigate HTTPS encryption with a man in the middle attack on 37 domains, including Facebook, Twitter and Google. Google also added the certificate to the block list in Chromium source code. Speaking of Chromium, Microsoft released the first beta of its Chromium based edge browser. According to VP of Windows Experience, Joan Belfiore, the company hopes to have a stable release out by late 2019 or early 2020. Previously, Chromium based edge builds had only been available as less stable developer versions or nightly canary builds. The beta is available for Windows 7, Windows 10 and macOS. Very nice minds installing right now. Hey, check this out. Apple announced the Shazam Discovery Top 50 playlist for Apple Music. This will use global Shazam song identification data to create a list of trending songs based either on rapid growth, steady growth or geographic growth. Apple stated that Shazam app is used 20 million times a day to identify a song. That's a really interesting metric, isn't it?  Rather than I know who this is, that's why I like this song. Yeah, it's very interesting. All right, let's talk a little bit more about neural network processors, shall we? At the Hot Chips Conference in Palo Alto, Intel, which is going on this week, Intel unveiled two Nirvana neural network processors designed to accelerate training and inferencing on AI models. Developed in partnership with Baidu, the Nirvana neural network processor for training is designed to handle data from a wide variety of deep learning models like Baidu's Paddle Paddle, Facebook's PyTorch, and TensorFlow, Google's TensorFlow, with 24 TensorFlow processors per chip capable of up to 119 Tera operations per second. The Nirvana neural network processor for inference is designed to make getting insights from train data sets more efficient and faster, offering scalable power from 10 to 50 watts per chip and up to 4.8 Tera operations per second per watt. That translates to capable capability of processing 360 images per second per watt in an image recognition model. So it's big stuff. Reuters reports that Facebook is also already using these new processors. So this, as far as I'm concerned, is next step stuff. Because what we're talking about here is the acceleration of testing of our ability to throw scenarios at AI learning and quickly learn what's sticking and what isn't. Like this is the stage. It reminds me of like, this is the test driving part of the brand new car you're building up till now it's been in the shop. You've seen some cool stuff. You were told it would be cool, but you weren't really sure until you hit the open road.  This is super exciting. If you're into this stuff and you've been following it all or at all, this is a huge jump forward. I'm kind of one of those people who if I have, let's say I'm buying a new computer and I've got like base model versus fully loaded model. I try to find reasons to get the fully loaded model even if I know I don't really need to access all that power. This is one of the things where I'm like, I want one of these for my AI collection to process things really quickly. We'll get there. Yeah, one way or the other we'll get there. But I do, I predict we're on the fast track now. Things are going to get real interesting real fast. Both good and bad. I'm excited. Tuck in everybody. Also in the news, LinkedIn announced a blog in a blog post rather that it blocked or remove 21.6 million. It's a lot fake accounts from January to June of this year. That's 2019. LinkedIn's head of trust and safety, Paul Rockwell wrote that 19.5 million were auto blocked at the registration at registration stage and never went live. So they were never there to begin with. LinkedIn took down 2 million live fake accounts and members flag 67,000 more compared to Facebook has removed 3 billion fake accounts between October 2018 and March of 2019. LinkedIn fake accounts problems could be worse. Yeah. It's funny. Just just over a week ago, we we New York Times ran a story about how LinkedIn seemed to be faring very well in the age of social networks having to battle a lot of a lot of this, you know, privacy issues, trust issues, fake accounts, fake news. And it's almost like LinkedIn is like, well, we get it to everybody. We're just pretty good at it. You know, between us, our automated system, flagging stuff pretty quickly and then having the community handle the rest. We're mostly on top of it, but it did get me thinking. I had never considered because I'm a I'm a trustworthy person. Please hire me. I had never considered making a fake LinkedIn account. Now that's not necessarily what they're talking about making a fake account where you lie about where you went to college. But I'm sure that happens all the time. A lot of the examples that LinkedIn point to where he just kind of spammy stuff, people getting messages from bots and just stuff that was was adding to noise that wasn't really part of the LinkedIn experience or shouldn't have been. But yeah, you know, that's something that LinkedIn has to be on top of right.  Sure. Plus the services, you know, supposed to be a bit of a social network for the working world, right? Like this is where you're networking and finding people and making recommendations and relying on each other for good information. So they're no different than anything else. Anything of this scale, I would assume at this point, I think I used to be kind of naive to this. But I assume at this point anything with any sort of front facing, free account creation type service, whatever it may be aimed at, whether it's just Twitter or something like LinkedIn is probably just infested with bots at this point. And I suspect that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps maybe more millions of LinkedIn accounts that are purely just bought accounts and they just haven't discovered them yet or figured out that they are bots yet because that stuff just gets smarter and smarter and better and better. I finally, I feel like this is more of a personal anecdote, but I feel like we finally got into a place where I'm starting to be kind of okay with it, because I'm accepting it for what it is. Like, I just don't think it's possible to have a successful service that isn't a large number of people who are who are bought accounts. And I'm not even blaming the companies. I'm not saying all I'm saying they're getting better at fooling people better at fooling algorithms certainly better than fooling or better at feeling, you know, fooling the people that are supposed to be watching this stuff. And they also get better at it's like viruses or whatever same idea except bots are just so proliferated they're everywhere. So, you know, Well, do you think you feel okay with it because you're able to discern what's real and what isn't because I think that's a that's a big. That's that that's a that's a that's a side of the fence or that you know if you feel like hey I don't know what's real or not this is horrible this is bad for my experience because I can't trust anything on on a platform. That's different. Or I agree I mean in this particular case. That's weird because my relationship with LinkedIn is kind of lame. Like I barely use it even when I was working in sort of a corporate world. I had to count but I never really did anything with it. So never really found much use for me but I get fake messages constantly from LinkedIn. I get a message all the time from some account that's got I am absolutely 100% sure is not real. And so I don't know if that's just I'm my experience is indicative of what's happening lately and that's why they've had to make some of these moves to remove so many accounts. But it just is a reminder I think to everybody out there that it doesn't matter what service you're on right now just know that have your have your own base level of education about the sort of thing know what signs to look for. And then it'll be easier for you to sleep at night because most of the stuff is fake it turns out. I had to tell a friend of mine to take down an Instagram post that was one of those I hear by Forbid Instagram from using my likeness in the future Channel 13 told me to you know I was like please this is like the Internet's longest running hoax take that down. Anyway, yeah LinkedIn probably happening on LinkedIn as well. Moving on to Amazon the company launched a new campus in Hyderabad India, which is now its largest campus in the world. The new digs are spread out over 9.5 acres and will house more than 15,000 employees. The new Hyderabad campus will host employees across divisions including Amazon Web Services and others. Amazon already has 62,000 employees in India and a third of those are already based in Hyderabad which is down in the south of the country big country. Amazon founder and really rich person Jeff Bezos has committed an investment of over $5 billion for India operations going forward. Big market for Amazon, a lot of competition for Amazon in India at this point. But yeah, this is a big commitment. Amazon is saying we are here. We will hire many of you in a place that is already known to have a lot of Amazon employees. And it sounds like, yeah, Washington State, you've got competition. Also Hyderabad campus is just a really rad thing to say out loud. I like how it sounds. There's a lot of people 15,000 employees. They already have 62,000 employees. Like that's talking about an investment in a place that isn't here. And I know a lot of people would say, well, why don't you expand in the States? I think there's still this overriding reality that right now it's just a lot less expensive to do the kinds of work that they need to do over there overseas. So if you're going to do support work, if you're going to do certain kinds of fulfillment work like Roger, the place to do it is India and parts of China and the east. That's where we go. I think it also cements the fact that Amazon considers India one of its, if not currently a tentpole market, a future tentpole market where they need to have a presence physically in the country in order to be a successful player. And this, I mean, partly it might be, you know, off-shoring work, but I think a lot of it is also they want to develop Amazon as a key growth area for their business. I mean, China is operating a lot of successful Chinese businesses already operating in that market and Amazon wants to be able to compete. And you can't really do that unless you have a good presence in that country. Yeah, like all of them. Like I would argue, I mean, you see the same kind of movement from Google and Apple and Samsung and everybody else, everybody knows that it's already a big market and a huge potential market. Like there's parts of India that nobody's gotten to in any major way. And so it's the next big place to really kill it. So why not Amazon? Why not Bezos? Why not 60,000 employees? Why not? I say Bloomberg reports that YouTube is finalizing plans to stop targeted advertising on videos aimed at children. According to sources, the US Federal Trade Commission recently reached an undisclosed settlement with YouTube over an investigation into violations of the Children's Online Privacy Act. Although it's unknown if these changes are part of that settlement. But anyway, going forward, videos would be used or sorry, videos would use contextual ads based on the content of the video rather than based on a digital identifier of the viewer. It is unclear how YouTube will define if a video is directed at children sort of quote unquote there. This is super interesting because my kids are all getting older now. My youngest is 19. But they, you know, my kids were all junior high high school when YouTube started to be this huge thing and everything. But it really isn't until recent years that you started to see content directed at children. And by that, I mean as young as toddlers who can't talk yet. My niece was over. She's barely learning how to talk herself. She's got a tablet. She's sitting on the couch. I went and sat by her and said, what are we watching? And I looked at it and it was this succession of Japanese people and Japanese subtitles and no English running around throwing pies at each other. And it was just pie after pie in everybody's face. Everybody's getting hit with a pie and laughing and smiling and pulling the pie out of their eyes. And then it would end and then she would start it up again and watch that pie commercial or that pie video all over again. So children's programming today, even by like teletubby standards is pretty weird.  But it's not really children's programming either. No. And that's like what kind of ad gets served up after, you know, around that video based on the content of the video. Yeah. No matter who's watching the video of the pies. Exactly. In TV, we have rules. If I'm watching Super Friends, the rules kind of narrowed it down. We were talking pre-show about this, but narrowed it down to like a lot of serial commercials and toy commercials. That's kind of what I was fed as a kid. And that's TV for you in YouTube's case or in the case of online video. It's a much weirder space of sort of Wild West and nobody really knows what is defined as children's programming. It can be anything from this pie throwing stuff to weird cartoons where they just hum the whole time. I've seen that. There's some just weird stuff going on out there that is not like Sesame Street and the things we're used to. I'm willing to say I may not understand the latest and greatest and what kids really glom onto and want to see. But now we got to rely on computers to sit around and go, well, I think these are the ads we should serve these kids that really like Japanese pie throwing contests. It's a very odd thing to even see them try to address the talk. It is. It seems like a better idea than saying, well, who's watching this video? Who cares whatever reason they're watching this video? But let's target an ad based on the human attached to those eyeballs that are watching this video. At least the content of the video seems to be going in the right direction. But yeah, without a lot of explanation, it is unclear to me if this is going to turn into a good experience for a lot of kids. On Monday, Gizmodo posted a story detailing an email exchange between a Gizmodo writer and the UN police department in New Jersey showing a quote from that town's chief of police that Amazon had edited by removing the sentence quote, security cameras have been proven to be essential in deterring crime and surveillance systems have assisted in closing cases. That was taken out of a statement that was then released to local news outlets. Now rings contracts with police do give them final say over statements that police can issue regarding the product. So they didn't do anything wrong. But you in PD announced that it was adopting rings neighbor neighbors app back in March allowing police to request footage captured from doorbell cameras. We talked about that when it happened back in March and the fact that it was making some folks uncomfortable. And before we kind of kick this around, Tom had a really good interview with SMR podcast Chris Ashley gave us a very interesting consumer perspective and somebody who uses ring and had a lot of really great thoughts daily tech news show dot com definitely check out that interview because it does reference a lot of a lot of probably echoes what some of our thoughts are here. But Scott Roger Amos Amos I know you've you've recently put put some ring products into your home. Is this this is unsettling. Well, personally, I to me it's an opt in opt out thing I should be able to opt in or opt out on whether or not it's actually used by local law enforcement. I would personally opt in because I enjoy a safe neighborhood and I don't have anything here to hide. That's probably a controversial point of view, but it should still be something that as the user, I can allow or disallow police to use my footage because it is my product. I think what's really unsettling is that Amazon or ring gets final say on any kind of statements or publicity regarding the ring unit from police statements right. So they removed they wanted them to remove the word surveillance and security cameras because that would send I guess ring with felt that it would send the wrong message to what their product was.  Well, I look at the whole edit security cameras have been proven to be essential in deterring crime. And surveillance systems have often assisted in closing cases but the first part security cameras have been proven to this essential in deterring crime. I mean ring from a legality standpoint and whatever fleet of lawyers they had look at this may just not have liked that line and said well nothing proven where what proof. Yeah, but it's but it's a police statement issued by the police it's not what Amazon is or ring is pushing out. That's my point they edited ring said take that out because we don't agree with it.  And I'm not to say that, you know, they were wrong or anything but it is it seems a little unsettled unsettling since it's a contract to use their service, and you can only reference. Now and Amazon's, you know, argument is hey this just you know when you say things like security and surveillance, we don't want people to think that they need to use a certain product and that's not what we're saying so we're trying to reduce confusion in the public eye. And there may be some truth to that, but it does come down as so Amazon gets to tell the police what to say. Yeah, it that's the weird juxtaposition here. It does feel funny, but I think the stuff that they removed is more about a marketing thing and them saying well that a that's not proven so don't say it's proven. And also be that's not really the focus of the product we're trying to sell this as a different thing. Like, I don't know if they. It seems like they want it both ways they want to be real picky about what the police say but at the same time they're the ones that kind of wanted to get into bed with this whole thing. So, so I don't feel too bad for them getting the scrutiny, but also we're in weird times this is like folding at home for security in kind of a weird way, you know where we're all contributing a little if we want if we opt in like Amos says we're all contributing a bit or two to the cause potentially and it's very new thing it's weird. It's not really at home, but for people who might break into your house right felons at home feloning at home wait. I don't know what it was an acronym for this somewhere, we'll find it eventually. Well researchers at Harvard john a pulse and school of engineering and applied scientists that's the SES have created a new lens that outperforms the human outperforms rather the human eye by focusing in real time thanks to an elastometer This is important to note that the human eye is right now anyway the fastest focusing device on the planet happens to be a biological one and jammed on our heads but it nobody's been able to do better than that. Until now says here but also adjusting for astigmatism and image shift both of which lead to blurry vision for humans. Only one centimeter in diameter metal lens is flat rather than spherical. That is new using tiny nanostructures to focus light by focusing the entire visible light spectrum in one single point a metal lens is much less bulky than a traditional lens which uses multiple elements to get the same result. Bottom line. This thing will perform better than your human eye although it's not meant to be an eye replacement. Let's not get this confused. We're probably going to go into you know some cool VR headsets right. Point I hadn't even thought of that like VR benefits from VR is number one area of growth comes from speed, not just processing speed and rendering speed but how quickly the image is rendered how how much the eye is is is convinced that what that is just as real as if it was looking at something with its with its natural vision. So sure yeah absolutely this could feed into that but also eventually the sort of stuff makes it into our phones it makes it into our SLR cameras. It'll be expensive at first it'll come down and then pretty soon will be commonplace. But the idea that we're finally getting to a place where optics are outperforming at least in a speed in a speedy way the human eye is pretty intense. Yeah, and even I mean even if you really took the technology which again is it's some years away still, but thought of the next gen of bifocals that are really thin, you know, and you take a lot of bulk off of something that you might be wearing on your face that works a lot better than. I mean, we have variety of prescription glasses that do the trick, but there's, you know, you have to you have to give up some stuff you got to wear something it's got to look a certain way. And this opens up a lot of avenues to the future of better eyesight. Better, smaller, faster. Better, smaller, faster. Yes, thank you, meta lens. Thank you in advance anyway. To get all the tech headlines each day in about five minutes you can subscribe or right now or in a few to daily tech headlines.com. Got a couple of mail bags today. Let's start with one from Sean. Sean has a little tip for anybody who might have the same product he does. He says, for a while now I've been contemplating the inevitable demise of the Harman Kardon Invoke Smart Speaker with Cortana's voice assistant I purchased it last year. Then I had an epiphany, and he actually shared a tweet which then he shared with us. Tweet says, don't kick your Harman Kardon Invoke Smart Speaker with Cortana down the road just yet. Give it new life by simply connecting an Amazon Echo input device to your Cortana Invoke Speaker using Bluetooth. Now you can either use Cortana or Amazon's assistant voice commands and experience the great sound quality of the Invoke Speaker with both. That's awesome. I didn't know any actual, this shows how little I follow the Cortana stuff, but I didn't know actual Cortana functioning assisted devices went out. I didn't know that too many speakers did or anything else. There were some, yeah, it's like a couple CES's ago. And Harman Kardon, I've got, well, no, I have a different car now. I used to have Harman Kardon speakers in my old car. They're nice. I mean, good speakers. Yeah, they're good brand. Nothing wrong with these guys. I just, I don't know, I always felt bad for Cortana feeling like it was the one that was going to get left out the most. I felt like Alexa, sorry, Echo, I almost said the A1. Amazon's assistant. Yes, the Amazon assistant. And that combined with like Google's assistant and maybe Siri a little bit, but obviously a little more Apple control. But I always felt like those were going to be the ones that got out there more. And sure enough, they kind of are. They're the third party integrations that you see. You see cars with Apple Play. You see home thermostat systems with Echo capability, that sort of thing. And the Cortana stuff, I just never seem to hear about anything. Well, Microsoft has shifted, the winds have shifted a bit, putting a lot more kind of built-in Cortana stuff into the Windows experience. So it hasn't died. It has merely pivoted. Nice. Yeah, new life. But yeah, thanks, Sean. Also, Kimberly, the Texas teacher weighed in on our story. Unsurprisingly, Kimberly, I knew you would. Yesterday we talked about AI exam grading and the fact that sometimes humans aren't involved. Is a robot as good as a human teacher when you're talking about grading stuff that could be really important for students in schools in the future. Kimberly said, you seem to assume that people marking the tests were even teachers. In 2013, a report found an ad from Pearson on Craigslist recruiting anybody to mark fourth and seventh grade level state writing tests. And the high school English, one and English to end of course exam. She links us to a Washington Post article about it. She says this was corrected according to the state, so they're not doing anymore, but they still don't tell us who's grading the essays. Kimberly thinks it's probably not trained teachers. She says, unless your state explicitly says the teachers are grading writing samples, it might be a consultant making minimum wage hired off the streets. Especially essay stuff.  Actually, part of the reason I know why, this is terrible to admit, but I used to insert a bunch of fakery in the middle of my essays. Mostly to see if I could get away with it. There were still long well thought out essays, but in the middle, I'd say things like, then the incredible Hulk ate an entire car. How is this possible?  I'd still get A's on these things. Wow. I didn't notice. So I was convinced in high school that no teacher was actually grading anything, that it was all a ruse and I'm still not totally unconvinced that that's not true. Man, I wish I had some of your teachers.  Everything was always too long using too many commas. I think it just depends on where you're at, what you're dealing with district wise or whatever. But yeah, like I'm with this email that they're probably not teachers as much as you think they are. There's some, I'm sure, but they're, they aren't sitting up all night reading 150 essays. Well, and I think, I think Kimberly was also moved to write in because Patrick, who was Patrick Beja, who was, who was our co-host yesterday was like, this is crazy, you know, our schools really just like for, for going human grading of exams that are written exams and, you know, require thoughtful analysis. And Kimberly saying, well, you know, that's not really necessarily happening either, at least in certain areas. So yeah, depends on humans have bias too.  All right. Scott Johnson, this was a fun show. Thanks for being with us on this fine hump day of ours. Let folks know where they can keep up with the rest of your work. Well, they want to follow me around and see the kind of stuff I'm pumping out. They can check me out over at frogpants.com. In particular, I've been putting up a bunch of new artwork. You can find that over on the comics and art tab on that site over at frogpants.com. It's always fun to dig through there and look at that stuff. So check that out if you are interested. There's associated prints and things in the store. If you want them, that's at frogpants.com. All the shows are there. You can also find me on Twitter. I'm over there at Scott Johnson. We mentioned Tom's interview with Chris Ashley regarding the ring that you all should check out. You know what?  Patrons get all sorts of perks, not only stuff in advance but cool behind the scenes, special episodes from us, newsletters, all sorts of information on how we do the show. Sometimes we look at the tech of Christmas past, not really Christmas, but tech from a few years ago and how things have changed. It's a good time to be a DTNS patron. So head on over to patreon.com. DTNS and join our little clan. Our email address is feedback at dailytechnewshow.com. We are live Monday through Friday. Join us if you can. It's 4.30 p.m. Eastern. That's 2030 UTC. And find out more at dailytechnewshow.com. We're back tomorrow with Justin Rubber Young. Talk to you then. This show is part of the Frog Pants Network. Get more shows like this at frogpants.com. Diamond Club hopes you have enjoyed this program.