Indian Ecosystem Research Articles

The future of incubation

Incubators play an instrumental role in nurturing startups and creating a vibrant ecosystem. But as the ecosystem evolves, incubators also need to reinvent themselves to stay relevant. Against a burgeoning startup ecosystem in India, this roundtable deliberates on the future of incubation. The experts discuss what services incubators should offer, how they should measure their impact and how they can become financially sustainable.

Expert Consensus on Improving Stroke Care Ecosystem in India

The stroke burden in India is alarmingly high compared to Western industrialised countries, necessitating immediate action to develop stroke systems of care. Tailored stroke-prevention strategies, adequate resource allocation for stroke management and research, and increased awareness of specialised care in acute Stroke are critical. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for improved healthcare delivery and infrastructure. To address the rising stroke burden in India, comprehensive strategies encompassing prevention, awareness, specialised care and governmental support are urgently required. While the concept of ‘stroke-ready centres’ has emerged, their limited availability hinders widespread benefits. This expert consensus examines the current state of stroke care in India, identifies challenges, and proposes strategies to enhance stroke care systems. It offers valuable insights into stroke management at different levels, empowering healthcare professionals and administrators to assess their existing systems and make necessary improvements. Special attention is given to the role of physicians, including the use of thrombolytic therapies like Tenecteplase, in reducing the stroke burden and improving outcomes across the country. Significant strides can be made in stroke management and care in India by addressing these critical areas.

DEVELOPING MARKETS FOR STRESSED ASSETS: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY CODE, 2016

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) stands as a transformative legal framework in the Indian financial landscape, revolutionising the resolution of distressed assets. This article delves into the multifaceted dimensions of stressed assets within the ambit of the IBC, offering a comprehensive analysis of its significance, challenges, and opportunities. Beginning with an elucidation of stressed asset categories and their emergence factors, the discourse traverses through the historical evolution of the problem, shedding light on regulatory responses. Through a meticulous examination, the article uncovers the intricacies of legal and operational hurdles confronting the development of stressed asset markets juxtaposed with promising prospects for investors and creditors. Furthermore, it underscores the pivotal role of governmental interventions in mitigating challenges and fostering a conducive environment for effective asset resolution. With insights drawn from legal expertise and empirical observations, this article serves as a valuable resource for stakeholders navigating the dynamic terrain of distressed asset management under the IBC, ultimately contributing to a robust financial ecosystem in India.

FinTech entrepreneurial ecosystem in India: Role of incubators and accelerators

Fintech, a fusion of finance and technology, is changing the global financial landscape. The fast-evolving industry is fostering financial inclusion, enabling cost-effective and efficient financial intermediation. The entrepreneurial ecosystem of an economy is pivotal in shaping the prospects of innovations in an economy. This study is an initiative in that direction, evaluating the Fintech entrepreneurial ecosystem in India using a novel firm-level dataset of Indian Fintech startups. The study builds upon a theoretical framework, investigating the influence and interconnectedness of social and founder capital signals on Fintech startup funding in India. Incubator and/or accelerator engagement is considered for social capital signaling. Ordinary least squares and propensity score matching methods are employed for this study. Findings suggest a significant signaling effect from social capital factors: incubator or accelerator support. Sources of founders' entrepreneurial signals, founder network, and experience, have also been evidenced to influence funding received by Indian Fintech startups.

Revitalizing Emergency Care Ecosystem in India through Comprehensive Transformation and Innovative Solutions

Emergency care is a critical pillar of healthcare systems, serving as the initial point of contact for individuals facing acute conditions. However, consistent access to prompt emergency care remains a challenge in many regions, particularly low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where a substantial burden of disease is attributed to emergencies. This paper explores the emergency care ecosystem in India, emphasizing the role of first responders, effective communication, ambulance services, and trained healthcare staff. It also highlights challenges, solutions, technological advancements, and the benefits of implementing an emergency surveillance system to improve emergency care services. The multifaceted approach includes strengthening pre-hospital care systems, equipping communities with basic first aid skills, optimizing ambulance services, strengthening formal education and training in emergency care, harnessing technological solutions, data-driven insights, innovative approaches, and telemedicine. These efforts collectively aim to establish a seamless continuum of care, minimize patient treatment delays, and ensure that healthcare professionals are both incentivized and adequately prepared for high-stress emergency environments. Additionally, addressing violence against healthcare professionals and ensuring equitable access to emergency care are crucial components of the transformation agenda. This transformation is not only essential for saving lives, reducing disabilities, and advancing universal health coverage but also addresses a critical gap in India's healthcare landscape by enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of emergency care services.

Co‐creating innovation ecosystems in contexts of absolute uncertainty: The case of low‐cost heart valves in India

AbstractThe development of innovations aimed at tackling grand challenges requires the support of an appropriate innovation ecosystem. However, there is a limited understanding of how such innovation ecosystems emerge in contexts of absolute uncertainty. We addressed this gap by examining the boundary work carried out by key actors in the creation of the biomedical innovation ecosystem in India that supported the development of a successful low‐cost heart valve over the 1976–1995 period. We developed a process model demonstrating how the ecosystem leader co‐created the innovation ecosystem that led to the development of a low‐cost heart valve by engaging in three types of configuration boundary work: establishing ecosystem configuration, modeling ecosystem configuration, and expanding ecosystem configuration. Our study contributes to the literature on innovations for grand challenges, innovation ecosystems, and boundary work.

Inclusion in Indian Society: A Review of Mental Health Policies in India

This paper presents a critical review of mental health policies in India within the broader context of social inclusion. Mental health is a crucial but often neglected aspect of well-being, with policies in India historically lacking a comprehensive, inclusive framework. The paper aims to examine the current mental health policies, their effectiveness in promoting inclusion, and the systemic challenges in their implementation. It also discusses the role of various stakeholders, including the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international bodies, in fostering a more inclusive mental health care system. Through this review, the paper provides insights into the current landscape, the gaps, and future recommendations for achieving an inclusive mental health ecosystem in India.

A Study on UPI Transactions in India

The Unified Payment Interface (UPI) platform has been in use in India since 2016. The main implication of UPI is that it is helping people in multiple ways. It is not only supporting financial literacy but also contributing to financial inclusion and the economic development of the poor. Cashless payments have the potential to spur economic growth, and digital payments can have a positive impact on economic growth as they facilitate transactions, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. This study will explore the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) Ecosystem in India. It will study the trends and relationship between data usage trend, digital transactions, digital payments, and number of internet users in India. The study also highlights the usage of UPI during the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.Policymakers can use the findings of this study to frame policy for UPI more effectively in the future.

Working Capital Management and the Financial Health of Retail Companies in India: An Empirical Analysis

This study investigates the impact of working capital management on the profitability of prominent Indian retail companies, focusing on Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd., Avenue Supermarts Ltd., Future Enterprises Ltd., Future Lifestyle Fashions Ltd., and Future Retail Ltd. The primary objectives are to assess the relationships between Return on Assets (ROA) and key working capital components, specifically Account Receivable Days (ARD) and Account Payable Days (APD). Altman’s Z-score model is employed to gauge the financial health of these companies over a seven-year period (2014-15 to 2020-21). Findings indicate a significant positive correlation between ROA and ARD, emphasizing the importance of efficient receivables management for enhanced profitability. Conversely, a negative correlation is observed between ROA and APD, highlighting the potential adverse effects of prolonged payment periods to suppliers on profitability. Altman’s Z-score analysis reveals fluctuating financial conditions, with certain years indicating uncertainty and distress. However, the one sample t-test suggests overall stability in the financial strength of the selected companies. Implications of the study underscore the critical role of working capital management in influencing profitability within the dynamic retail sector. Monitoring and optimizing working capital components are essential for sustained financial health, emphasizing the need for proactive strategies to navigate uncertainties. These insights contribute to informed decision-making for both industry stakeholders and policymakers, fostering a resilient and thriving retail ecosystem in India.

Legal Challenges and Considerations in Implementing Telemedicine Services

Through this paper, I examine the legal and ethical issues surrounding telemedicine in India, with the goal of helping to develop a robust and compliant telemedicine framework. I analyzed the current legal framework in India, based on the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, Medical Council Act, and Information Technology Act. The study found gaps regarding licensing, liability, credentialing, and data privacy without comprehensive data protection laws. Ethical issues were also explored, including informed consent, equitable healthcare access, patient privacy, and maintaining care quality in virtual consultations. The research identified a significant gap in existing literature on the legal and ethical complexities of telemedicine specifically in the Indian context. Recommendations were proposed to address these challenges, such as improving data protection laws, establishing a clear liability framework, harmonizing telemedicine regulations across jurisdictions, and promoting public-private partnerships. Leveraging advanced technologies like blockchain was highlighted to expand telemedicine services while ensuring patient data security. This study aims to guide policymakers, healthcare providers, and telemedicine platforms in developing an ethical, secure, and accessible telemedicine ecosystem in India, thereby improving healthcare quality while safeguarding patient privacy and data security.

Ethanol production ecosystem in India: Exploring enabling factors of sustainable policy regime

In recent years, policy-makers and researchers have paid close attention to sustainable energy resources. Biofuel has emerged as a viable option among available alternatives in countries with excess agricultural production. India is also ramping up ethanol production. However, there is limited research available on enablers that can help boost production for enhanced blending, thereby assisting in the achievement of energy security and the transition to a low-carbon economy. Furthermore, India can capitalize on its excess agri-production for long-term energy security, increase farmer income, reduce import bills and foreign exchange outflows, encourage local business participation and accelerate its overall economic development while lowering its carbon footprints. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach is used in this article to investigate the enablers for implementing a policy regime for increased ethanol production. The findings are important for policy-makers in India to identify areas for policy interventions, and they also lay the groundwork for future similar research on this evolving industry in the global markets.

Establishing a Health Technology Assessment Evidence Ecosystem in India’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

ABSTRACT The introduction of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) scheme in India was a significant step toward universal health coverage. The PM-JAY scheme has made notable progress since its inception, including increasing the number of people covered and expanding the range of services provided under the health benefit package (HBP). The creation of the Health Financing and Technology Assessment (HeFTA) unit within the National Health Authority (NHA) further enhanced evidence-based decision-making processes. We outline the journey of HeFTA and highlight significant cost savings to the PM-JAY as a result of health technology assessment (HTA). Our paper also discusses the application of HTA evidence for decisions related to inclusions or exclusions in HBP, framing standard treatment guidelines as well as other policies. We recommend that future financing reforms for strategic purchasing should strengthen strategic purchasing arrangements and adopt value-based pricing (VBP). Integrating HTA and VBP is a progressive approach toward health care financing reforms for large government-funded schemes like the PM-JAY.

Progress in polymerase chain reaction technology and its contribution to the tuberculosis diagnostic ecosystem in India: A mini review

The advent of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) has revolutionized the human molecular diagnostic scenario. Its ability to exponentially generate desired stretch of DNA from chromosomal or complimentary DNA has laid the foundation for sensitive and specific detection of a pathogen or an aberrant stretch of DNA. Importantly, PCR technology has helped generate diagnostic immunity from phenotypic variation of pathogenic targets. The technological evolution of conventional end-point PCR to its real time version further added clinically important features such as enhanced sensitivity and quantification of target DNA molecules. Two important chemistries became prominent in the real-time PCR domain. The intercalating dye-based chemistry comes with convenience, economy and feature such as melt curve analysis but also carries the disadvantage of overestimation of signal due to unwanted signal from primer dimers. Dual labelled probe on the other hand provides unprecedented sensitivity and specificity. Isothermal method of genome nucleic acid amplification has also evolved as a parallel and convenient method of amplification-based detection of nucleic acid targets. Tuberculosis diagnostics has immensely benefitted from these technologies. However, unmet need exists in sputum handling methods and in its adaptation for molecular diagnostics in resource limited settings. Significant dependence for diagnostic needs on the western world is a matter of concern in India. The country will benefit from rapid and indigenous research and development of molecular diagnostic solutions by way of formulating kits for rapid extraction of DNA and RNA from various clinical sources and developing detection technologies that can compete international products in its category. A solution to address sputum transportation, storage and DNA extraction that has enhanced advantages compared to current methods will also be helpful in the efforts to make India free from tuberculosis.

Greening of human-dominated ecosystems in India

Satellite data show the Earth has been greening and identify croplands in India as one of the most prominent greening hotspots. Though India’s agriculture has been dependent on irrigation enhancement to reduce crop water stress and increase production, the spatiotemporal dynamics of how irrigation influenced the satellite observed greenness remains unclear. Here, we use satellite-derived leaf area data and survey-based agricultural statistics together with results from state-of-the-art Land Surface Models (LSM) to investigate the role of irrigation in the greening of India’s croplands. We find that satellite observations provide multiple lines of evidence showing strong contributions of irrigation to significant greening during dry season and in drier environments. The national statistics support irrigation-driven yield enhancement and increased dry season cropping intensity. These suggest a continuous shift in India’s agriculture toward an irrigation-driven dry season cropping system and confirm the importance of land management in the greening phenomenon. However, the LSMs identify CO2 fertilization as a primary driver of greening whereas land use and management have marginal impacts on the simulated leaf area changes. This finding urges a closer collaboration of the modeling, Earth observation, and land system science communities to improve representation of land management in the Earth system modeling.

Toxicity Evaluation of Dual Fungicide SAAF (Carbendazim 12% and Mancozeb 63%) through Physiological Markers in Oreochromis mossambicus

The study was designed to evaluate the acute toxicity induced by SAAF in freshwater fish, Oreochromis mossambicus. Fungicides are widely used for pest management and increase crop output. When used in excessive doses, they are also exceedingly dangerous to non-target organisms. The present investigation is about changes in biochemical parameters in Oreochromis mossambicus due to toxicity induced by the application of fungicides in paddy-cum-fish ecosystem in India. The SAAF fungicide, a mixture of carbendazim (12%) and mancozeb (63%) is used to combat fungal diseases such as sheath blight, sheath rot, blast, and leaf spot diseases of rice plants. The present research aimed to determine the toxicity and evaluate the effect of sublethal concentrations of SAAF on some biochemical, haematological, and histological parameters of Oreochromis mossambicus after 10, 20 and 30 days. Oreochromis mossambicus were exposed to different concentrations of SAAF (10.5 mg/lit, 11.5mg/lit and 12.5 mg/lit) respectively and LC50 was determined. LC50 for SAAF was detected to be 13.5mg/lit using SPSS Vs.21. After 30 days of exposure, the individuals exposed to toxicity were sacrificed and the parameters were checked in the treated fish. Among biochemical parameters, total glucose, cholesterol, stress-related enzymes AST and ALT showed a significant increase while total protein showed a substantial decrease, whereas among haematological parameters, Haemoglobin, RBC, and PCV had risen and WBC and MCV showed a marked decrease. The tissue necrosis was quite prominent in the gill, heart, liver, kidney, and muscle after 30 days of exposure to the fungicide.

Deep sequencing of extracellular eDNA enables total biodiversity assessment of ecosystems

The global decline in biodiversity driven by anthropogenic factors necessitates biomonitoring of ecosystems. However, current approaches are limited to targeted detection of taxa and fail to capture the total biodiversity of ecosystems. We postulated that extracellular environmental DNA (eDNA) represents a genetic repertoire of all the life forms in an ecosystem, which can be retrieved by deep sequencing. The feasibility and effectiveness of this approach were tested through a spatiotemporal study in Chilika Lagoon, a large and biodiverse Ramsar wetland ecosystem in India. Extracellular eDNA was enriched from large-volume filtered water samples using lysis-free methods and over 10.96 billion extracellular eDNA fragments were sequenced from 16 PCR-free shotgun sequencing libraries. The taxonomic classification results show that organisms from all the domains of life, including the low-abundant non-microbial taxa, can be detected with high sensitivity for taxonomic families with representative genomes. Interestingly, despite Bacteria representing a large proportion (87%) of the taxonomically classified reads, Eukaryotes showed the highest taxonomic diversity (73%). Further, using incidence-based asymptotic richness analysis, the total taxonomic diversity of Chilika was estimated to be 1071 families across the tree of life, comprising approximately 799 families of Eukaryotes, 230 families of Bacteria, 27 families of Archaea, and 13 families of DNA Viruses. We also quantified the compositional changes using Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and showed that extracellular eDNA can resolve the broad-scale spatiotemporal variation of biodiversity across the tree of life. These results demonstrate that PCR-free deep sequencing of extracellular eDNA is an effective approach for taxonomic diversity assessment across the tree of life in large ecosystems. With the increasing genomic resources and decreasing sequencing costs, we foresee its widespread application to monitor future biodiversity loss and support conservation, restoration, and management efforts in the Anthropocene.

An analysis of the financial performance of tech startups: do quantum and sources of finance make a difference in India?

ABSTRACT Researchers widely agree on finance's vital role for tech startups, considering their diverse financial needs for growth and success. However, limited research investigates how financing impacts a tech startup's financial performance throughout its lifecycle. The existing literature lacks clarity on how various financial sources influence a tech startup's financial performance. This empirical study examines financing's impact on a tech startup's performance at a specific lifecycle stage, using primary and secondary data. Primary data, gathered through questionnaires and founder/CEO interviews with 93 tech startups in Bangalore, were analysed using Multiple Linear Regression and Boosting algorithms. The findings confirm the significance of financing at a given stage, but also reveal that the sources of financial infusion have varying effects. Given the importance of financing, the primary policy implication is to enhance the accessibility of financial sources for tech startups, particularly during their initial stages, fostering a robust startup ecosystem in India.

Molecular signatures and diagnostic nucleotides for the fishes of the tropical brackish water lake in South Asia for conservation and management

The Pulicat Lake habitat is one of the most productive and precious ecosystems in India. This study aimed to develop the species-specific molecular signatures and determine the phylogenetic relationship of fish species distributed in the Pulicat Lake. In the present study, a data set of 1008 mtCOI sequences was obtained from the published resources and used to screen character-based molecular diagnostic keys for species in silico. DNA barcodes were generated from 29 fish species fish representing 7 orders, 28 genera, and 21 families. Species-specific probes with a length range of 18–32 bp were designed on the basis of identified diagnostic nucleotide sites. The probes, developed in this study, could be used to develop DNA chips to identify fish species more quickly and accurately. The developed molecular signatures in this study will be helpful in the effective fishery management of these fish genetic resources.

Understanding carbon sequestration trends using model and satellite data under different ecosystems in India

This study discusses carbon sequestration variability in different ecosystems of India. Four different biosphere regions, each over 0.5° × 0.5° area, have been selected considering the geospatial and climatic variability of these regions expanding from Central India (CI), the Northeast region (NER), the Western Ghats (WG), and the Western Himalayan region (WHNI). The climatic conditions of these four regions are different so are the biosphere constituents of these regions. We expect the Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) to enhance during the all India summer monsoon rainfall season but in varied magnitudes suggesting a role of climatic parameters and flora in these regions. The GPP from FLUXCOM for the duration of 2001 to 2019 (19 years) and satellite-derived vegetation indices like the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) are used in this study to understand the response of regional vegetation to this variability. EVI seems to be better related to GPP in comparison to NDVI in the preliminary analysis. Further analysis suggests LAI correlates better to GPP than EVI and NDVI in different seasons in these four regions. Also, meteorological parameters like surface temperature, rainfall, soil water, and other derived parameters like Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) are studied. It is also observed that the year-to-year variability in the climatic conditions could also have a role to play in the observed features. It is proven that the climate around the world is experiencing changes. Vegetation is one of the potent markers to monitor the impact of climate change. These long-term data and trends were studied to understand if there is any significant impact of the changing climatic conditions on the vegetation in these regions. Our study shows that there is an increasing (positive) trend in GPP at these locations though at different rates. WG and WHNI have shown a significant high rate of increase (6.44 and 5.36 gCm−2 y−1, respectively) in GPP over the last two decades.

The Arbitration Amendment Act, 2019 and the Changing Arbitration Eco-system in India: Needs a Re-look?

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