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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Healing Beyond the Clinic

Dr Kirti Samudra “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” This thought by Mother Teresa finds reflection in the life of Panvel-based diabetologist Dr Kirti Samudra, who has spent decades caring not only for her family but also thousands of patients who see her as their guide. As we mark International Women’s Day, stories like hers remind us that women of substance often shape society quietly through compassion, resilience and dedication. Doctor, mother, homemaker,...

Healing Beyond the Clinic

Dr Kirti Samudra “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” This thought by Mother Teresa finds reflection in the life of Panvel-based diabetologist Dr Kirti Samudra, who has spent decades caring not only for her family but also thousands of patients who see her as their guide. As we mark International Women’s Day, stories like hers remind us that women of substance often shape society quietly through compassion, resilience and dedication. Doctor, mother, homemaker, mentor and philanthropist — Dr Samudra has balanced many roles with commitment. While she manages a busy medical practice, her deeper calling has always been service. For her, medicine is not merely a profession but a responsibility towards the people who depend on her guidance. Nagpur to Panvel Born and raised in Nagpur, Dr Samudra completed her medical education there before moving to Mumbai in search of better opportunities. The early years were challenging. With determination, she and her husband Girish Samudra, an entrepreneur involved in underwater pipeline projects, chose to build their life in Panvel. At a time when the town was still developing and healthcare awareness was limited, she decided to make it both her workplace and home. What began with modest resources gradually grew into a trusted medical practice built on long-standing relationships with patients. Fighting Diabetes Recognising the growing threat of diabetes, Dr Samudra dedicated her career to treating and educating patients about the disease. Over the years, she has registered nearly 30,000 patients from Panvel and nearby areas. Yet she believes treatment alone is not enough. “Diabetes is a lifelong disease. Medicines are important, but patient education is equally critical. If people understand the condition, they can manage it better and prevent complications,” she says. For more than 27 years, she has organised an Annual Patients’ Education Programme, offering diagnostic tests at concessional rates and sessions on lifestyle management. Family, Practice With her husband frequently travelling for business, much of the responsibility of raising their two children fell on Dr Samudra. Instead of expanding her practice aggressively, she kept it close to home and adjusted her OPD timings around her children’s schedules. “It was not easy,” she recalls, “but I wanted to fulfil my responsibilities as a mother while continuing to serve my patients.” Beyond Medicine Today, Dr Samudra also devotes time to social initiatives through the Bharat Vikas Parishad, where she serves as Regional Head. Her projects include  Plastic Mukta Vasundhara , which promotes reduced use of single-use plastic, and  Sainik Ho Tumchyasathi , an initiative that sends Diwali  faral  (snack hamper) to Indian soldiers posted at the borders. Last year alone, 15,000 boxes were sent to troops. Despite decades of service, she measures success not in wealth but in goodwill. “I may not have earned huge money,” she says, “but I have earned immense love and respect from my patients. That is something I will always be grateful for.”

How India’s Electricity Exchange is Charging up the Future

Record trading volumes at the Indian Energy Exchange signal a shift toward cleaner, more efficient and market-driven energy.

In a country where power shortages once dominated headlines and diesel generators hummed in affluent homes, a silent transformation is underway. The Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) - the country’s premier electricity trading platform - has quietly become a barometer of India’s energy ambitions and a force accelerating its transition to a greener, more market-oriented power sector.


In the fiscal year ending March 2025, IEX reported a record 121 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) traded, marking an 18.7 percent rise over the previous year. While such figures may seem arcane, they reflect a deeper trend: India’s power sector is growing up. Long dominated by opaque bilateral contracts and overburdened state utilities, electricity is increasingly flowing through transparent, price-discovery platforms like IEX. For a nation whose power demand is surging due to economic growth, rapid urbanisation, and intensifying heatwaves, this is welcome news.


The numbers are as electric as the product itself. IEX’s consolidated net profit jumped 22.3 percent to Rs. 429.2 crore, while revenues climbed 19.3 percent to Rs. 657.4 crore. The last quarter alone saw 31.7 billion kWh traded - an 18.1 percent year-on-year rise with quarterly profits up by 21.1 percent. More than just a financial windfall, it is an operational triumph for a market-driven model in a country still wrestling with the legacy of power sector inefficiencies.


At the heart of this boom lies demand. India’s electricity consumption has been growing steadily, driven not only by middle-class air conditioning and industrial growth but also by increased rural electrification and digitalisation. Yet traditional long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) have often proved inflexible or politically fraught. Power exchanges like IEX offer a nimbler solution, enabling buyers and sellers to match demand and supply on a real-time or short-term basis.


Consumers benefit, too. A robust spot market improves price signals and encourages surplus generators to sell power during high-demand periods. In theory, and increasingly in practice, this reduces blackouts and price spikes. For state electricity boards, often plagued by poor finances and load management issues, exchanges provide a tool for course correction. For industrial consumers, they offer cost savings and flexibility.


But perhaps the most significant shift is ecological. The green energy revolution, often discussed in solar farm ribbon-cuttings and ministerial speeches, is finding an unlikely ally in IEX’s trading terminals. The exchange recorded a 136.3 percent surge in Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) trading in FY25, hitting an all-time high of 178 lakh certificates. These RECs, bought by companies to meet regulatory clean-energy obligations, are vital in a country where coal still accounts for over 70 percent of power generation.


Going a step further, IEX’s wholly owned subsidiary, Indian Carbon Exchange (ICX), has become the first accredited issuer of International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs) in India. Though still modest in revenue, the move places India firmly on the global clean energy trading map. For multinationals operating in India, I-RECs are a crucial mechanism for meeting global ESG (environmental, social and governance) commitments. For India, it is a validation of its growing clout in the decarbonisation value chain.


The stock market has taken note. IEX’s earnings per share rose to Rs. 4.83 from Rs. 3.95 last year, and the board has declared a final dividend of Rs. 1.50 per share - a signal of confidence in future earnings. Analysts forecast steady growth in revenue (around 4.8 percent annually) over the next two years, driven by sustained demand and the increasing sophistication of India’s electricity market.


But challenges remain. Power exchanges still account for a fraction of total electricity traded in India, a meagre 7 percent compared to more than 30 percent in mature markets like the U.S. or U.K. Regulatory clarity, especially around market coupling and the introduction of new trading products, will be key. Grid stability, a perennial issue given India’s variable renewable generation and ageing infrastructure, also needs urgent attention.


Globally, India’s experiment with electricity market liberalisation is being watched closely. As countries seek models for integrating renewables while maintaining grid reliability, the IEX story offers useful lessons. It shows how digital platforms, policy nudges, and market incentives can collectively steer a fossil-fuel heavy economy towards cleaner horizons—without waiting for perfect infrastructure or complete reforms.


For Indian consumers, the changes may still feel abstract. There is no “IEX” button on the wall that powers their ceiling fans or refrigerators. But behind the scenes, every traded kilowatt-hour and every renewable certificate is shaping the future. The exchange’s success is not merely a corporate milestone but a symbol of India’s changing relationship with energy: more open, more efficient, and crucially, greener.


As India marches towards its ambitious target of 500 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2030, platforms like IEX will be indispensable. In a future where electrons must travel smarter and greener, IEX is proving that the power of markets can indeed power the market of power.


(The author is a digital product leader passionate about energy innovation, manufacturing and driving impact through technology. Views personal.)

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