Year: 2019

The yet another Hikvision Certified Security Associates (HCSA) Program conducted in Kochi (2-3-4 May) and Coimbatore (6-7-8 May) also received an overwhelming response from the young security professional community from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. As ever, the three day comprehensive Program included training sessions on optics basics, turbo HD analog solution, PTZ configuration, network basics, IP camera, NVR, fish eye camera, iVMS 4200, and smart functions and applications. The programs were again convened in the leadership of Vinit Narvekar, Manager Customers – Training, Prama Hikvision India Private Ltd. The idea behind HCSA is to give hands on training and demonstration as a part of the training program. As part of this certification program a dedicated online examination and practical test was conducted after training sessions. “Hikvision has set the industry standard by offering professional video surveillance certification to validate video expertise under Hikvision Certified Security Associate (HCSA) program in India. This Hikvision certification program is specially designed for the security professionals. Besides, Hikvision provides meaningful endorsement to those who succeed in the exam and become Hikvision certified professionals,” said Ashish P. Dhakan, MD & CEO, Prama Hikvision India Pvt. Ltd. The HCSA level certification focuses on training participants in essential configurations, operations and maintenance of Hikvision video surveillance products and its features. It is designed for technical engineers who have worked in the security industry for some years and have already gained knowledge and experience about security basics. The certification program is open to anyone looking to gain expertise in video surveillance and total security solutions. The trainee should have at least one year of work experience in the security industry and be familiar with security basics. The HCSA Kochi program got participants from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Trissure, Kottayam, Kayamkulam and Ernakulam, and the HCSA Coimbatore attracted security professionals from Madurai, Salem and Erode. The successful batch of Hikvision Certified Security Associates (HCSA) program participants will receive the HCSA certificates along with the enriching technology updates and product training experience. The next HCSA program schedule will be announced as per schedule on the Hikvision website.  

The 5th Smart Cities India expo, jointly organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Exhibitions India Group, was inaugurated by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, at the Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 22nd May 2019. The three-day expo was a congregation of innovators and imaginators, academia, policy makers and city administrators, government representatives, business delegates, multinationals etc., that came to strike business deals, expand their markets, and explore new technologies and solutions in the fields of smart cities, water management, solar, transport and infrastructure. The expo saw record visitor numbers and strong sales across all disciplines. It had something to offer to all – trade delegations moved fruitfully from booth to booth, ideas exchanged among compatriots, and business was discussed. The fourth smart cities awards, conducted by Exhibitions India Group on the last day of the expo, received 236 nominations across 17 categories. A jury of 11 eminent members having vast experience and knowledge on the subject of smart cities across various categories such as water, education, infrastructure etc., selected the winners. The awards were presented to 17 winners, while certificates of merit were presented in 5 categories. Among the winners were New Delhi Municipal Council Smart City Ltd. for e-waste collection; Smart City Ahmedabad Development Ltd. for intelligent transit management system – automatic fare collection system; Smart City Ahmedabad Development Ltd. for safe and secure Ahmedabad project; Diesel Loco Modernisation Works Patiala for new electric locomotive – WAP7; Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd. for solar rooftops etc. Meanwhile, talking about their experience at the 5th Smart Cities India 2019 expo, Bharat Kaushal, Managing Director, Hitachi India said, “Cities are complex organisms of people, governments, businesses and organisations, which require holistic solutions that address the needs of all stakeholders. The 5th Smart Cities India 2019 expo is an integrated platform for us to showcase Hitachi’s technological prowess in the smart city space, displaying our diversified social innovation business solutions and our commitment towards enhancing the lives of citizens digitally.” Samson Khaou, Managing Director (India), Dassault Systèmes said, “By 2030, India’s urban population will increase to more than 800 million, and over the next decade, cities will account for more than 70% of the country’s GDP. We have witnessed a push from the state governments to modernise infrastructure and build smart cities that involves building and renovating facilities, as well as construction of roads and highways. This will require significant collaboration and efficient monitoring. In addition, urban planners, architects and engineering and construction firms will leverage our 3d experience platform to deliver ‘more by using less’ in order to create a sustainable city that improves the life of the citizens.” Sharing his experience of the expo, a visitor said, “We, as common people, usually do not realise the hard work put in by our government and local administrators in creating the infrastructure of our cities. This exhibition and the conferences that I attended have been an eye opener for me.” A group of students who had come exploring, discussed in excitement all the new technologies they had seen and were fascinated with some exhibits as well. “We have heard about electric vehicles, but never seen them. Here, we got to experience such vehicles first-hand and saw their charging stations. The EV technology is the future and I am glad to see our government is actively promoting it.” Sharing his views about the exhibition, Prem Behl, Chairman, Exhibitions India Group said, “It has been action-packed three days for us and the response has been overwhelming. From the first-ever Smart Cities India expo, we have grown to emerge as one of the most popular trade shows in South Asia that showcases all facets of a smart city. Today, we cover multiple technologies that shape modern cities. Our intent is to provide a platform to all verticals associated with the Smart Cities to create state-of-the-art infrastructure, capable of providing a holistic experience to the citizens dwelling in the urban habitats. Our focus will now shift to preparing for next year with the vision to give our partners, clients and visitors an experience that would be as business productive, intriguing and enriching. We have already lined up a few surprises that will be unveiled at the 6th Smart Cities India 2020 expo.”  

Against a global backdrop, holograms continue to be widely deployed as an effective weapon in the fight against counterfeiting and anti-tampering, offering product authentication benefits to business and commerce. As small unobtrusive devices, they are also seen as handy platforms for the unique identifiers required as part of advanced track and trace programmes. Growth in hologram usage is being driven by increased global consumption on the back of rising populations, particularly in developing parts of the world and geographic regions with nascent economies. As demand has grown, so has the trade in illicit goods produced by ever more skilful, determined and resourceful counterfeiters and criminal organisations. However, innovative technologies and processes are helping holograms to reach out, broadening their appeal and secure new markets where they can play integral roles in resisting the dark underbelly of illegal trade in place like Asia and the Far East, where authentication procedures are not so strenuous and the dangers more acute. In India, for instance, holograms are supporting new ways to protect indigenous industries such as fishing. The state government of Kerala in India has introduced 300 Holographic Registration Plates (HRPs) in a move to tackle the increasing number of unregistered fishing vessels that infiltrate coastal regions and have been identified as being involved in criminal activities including human trafficking. Chair of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association considers how holography is finding a new role in the battle to protect fishing. – Paul Dunn The HRPs, which are designed as a tetrahedron to be visible from all sides, feature embossed security holograms which are extremely difficult to duplicate. Individual plates are fixed on top of the wheel house with an identification ion number laser etched to ensure each of the vessels has a unique identifier. The application of holograms in this way is replacing the traditional registration marks applied to boat hulls, or to the beading on top of the wheel house. This is enabling the authorities to better track fake fishing vessel, improve coastal security, boost the recognition of unregistered vessels out at sea and in conducting rescue operations more effectively. The project is already reaping benefits, according to S Venkatesapathy, Director, Fisheries Department, Kerala who is quoted as saying HRP will prove extremely helpful in ensuring coastal security and vessel identification. Looking to the future, the department is considering the practicality of creating an HRP networking system for real-time monitoring of sea-going vessels through incorporating the HRP with GPS functionality. A microchip containing the details of the vessel and the crew could also be fitted with it. The capacity for holography to incorporate other data forms and recognition information continues to grow in importance but for now it is clear the technology demonstrates an ability to thwart criminal activity in challenging and difficult to monitor industries. With advancements in technology and widening applications, there’s no reason why the technology should not continue to play a critical part in the on-going battle to remain one step ahead of the counterfeiters. The IHMA is made up of almost 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world, and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards.  

In pursuit to educate, skill and upskill the aspirants for private security industry as well as the private security personnel, and to upscale their technical knowledge, Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice (SPUP), Jodhpur (Rajasthan) to establish a collaborative relation between the two institutions towards academics and research. The MoU was signed by NRK Reddy, IPS, (DGP – Prison, Jaipur) and Vice Chancellor of SPUP, and Kunwar Vikram Singh, Chairman, CAPSI at the headquarters of CAPSI New Delhi. Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice (SPUP) is a statutory body which was established under an Act passed by the State Legislature, Government of Rajasthan in 2012. Mr. Reddy appreciated CAPSI for their efforts to bring quality security knowledge to security personnel as well as the community at large. With this association, they will cooperate and work together to frame the syllabus, and conduct degree, diploma and certificate courses in security management as per the requirements of the industry. They have also decided to put their joint efforts in arranging for easy internship and placements for the successful students. These advance courses will help security personnel to get job overseas. In their first step in this endeavour, SPUP and CAPSI have framed the syllabus for BA in Security Management, and launched the course which will start from July this year. This course will be a launch pad for aspiring students who are willing to work in supervisory and managerial positions in the private security industry. “There is a need for specialized courses on security management. Our association in collaboration with SPUP will help in getting good quality of managers and supervisors for private security industry. There is a growing demand for private security personnel from all over the globe. Our trained manpower with proper degrees and certificates will increase their employability abroad, particularly in Europe and Gulf nations where demand is sky high,” said Kunwar Vikram Singh. “Our collaboration with CAPSI will help in getting more and more trained personnel on the ground. Going ahead we will introduce new courses and training modules for guards as well as supervisors,” said Mr. Reddy. The MoU signing ceremony was attended by dignified representatives of both SPUP and CAPSI. Earlier CAPSI also introduced BBA in Security Management under the aegis of Noida International University, Noida.