Month: August 2024

Categories
Business Digital

Nvidia Q2 Results

Nvidia’s Q2, 2025 results were highly anticipated to gauge the ongoing impact of Generative AI. The company delivered robust financials, reporting $30 billion in revenue—a 15% sequential increase and a 122% year-over-year rise—with gross margins at approximately 75%. Net income for the quarter was $16 billion.

Some of the key business highlights were as follows:

  1. Data Center Growth
    1. Data Center revenue reached a record $26.3 billion, up 16% sequentially and 154% year-on-year.
    1. Cloud service providers (CSPs) represented roughly 45% of Data Center revenue, indicating strong demand from this sector.
    1. Inference drove more than 40% of Data Center revenue, highlighting the growing importance of AI inferencing for various applications.
  2. Blackwell Ramp-up:
    1. Blackwell production is scheduled to begin in Q4 2024 and continue into fiscal year 2026.
    1. NVIDIA expects to ship several billion dollars in Blackwell revenue in Q4 2024.
    1. Demand for Blackwell platforms is well above supply and is expected to continue into next year.
  3. Spectrum-X Networking:
    1. Spectrum-X Ethernet revenue doubled sequentially, driven by strong adoption from OEMs, ODMs, and CSPs.
    1. Spectrum-X is well on track to become a multibillion-dollar product line within a year.
    1. NVIDIA plans to launch new Spectrum-X products every year to support the growing demand for scaling compute clusters.
  4. Sovereign AI Opportunities:
    1. Sovereign AI revenue is expected to reach low double-digit billions this year.
    1. NVIDIA is working with countries around the world to build their AI infrastructure and develop their own AI models.
    1. This presents a significant growth opportunity for NVIDIA in the coming years.
  5. Enterprise AI Wave:
    1. The enterprise AI wave has started, with NVIDIA working with most of the Fortune 100 companies on AI initiatives.
    1. NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform is gaining momentum, with its run rate expected to approach $2 billion by the end of this year.
    1. This indicates a growing adoption of AI solutions in various industries and a potential for significant revenue growth for NVIDIA.

The Q2 results of Nvidia indicate that Generative AI adoption is growing at a very fast pace and will have significant impacts to the business environment around the world.

Categories
General Politics Uncategorized

A Missed Opportunity: The Cancellation of Lateral Entry in Government Recruitment

A few days back, the UPSC had issued an advertisement seeking lateral entry of talent into government service for several posts of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary levels. This created a buzz amongst many of us in the Corporate Sector. I thought it was a very good move to add talent and bring in fresh perspectives, new ideas, and specialized skills into the government.

However, there was criticism from the opposition parties because the advertisement did not mention reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the recruitment process.  One of the political parties which is part of the NDA government also criticized the move.  This move by the government was painted as an attack on the Constitution for ignoring reservations.

Yesterday, the Indian government decided to cancel the planned lateral entry. I believe this move is disappointing and undermines the potential for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of government. While it is true that ensuring reservations of SCs & STs in government jobs is crucial, it is important to note that the cancelled recruitment process was meant for specialized positions requiring specific skills and expertise, not for generalist roles.

Moreover, as Karthik Muralidharan, author of “Accelerating India’s Development: A State-Led Roadmap for Effective Governance,” argues, the lack of state capacity is one of the biggest hurdles to India’s development. He highlights the need for a more effective state, emphasizing state-level reforms as critical for India’s advancement. Lateral entry of talent with specialized skills and expertise could have been a crucial step towards building that capacity.

While I strongly believe in social justice and agree that reservations are required, such a policy need not be applied blindly in all situations. It is already well accepted that reservations are not applicable for Single Post cadres in the Government.  If reservations have to be incorporated even for lateral recruitment, the government may not be able to fill the positions or will need to create additional positions just to fill the quota.

The cancellation is a step backwards that will ultimately harm the country’s development prospects. Instead of cancelling the lateral entry process, the government should have explored ways to ensure that it is implemented in a fair and equitable manner.  

Categories
General Healthcare

The Unending Nightmare of Violence Against Women

As a father of two daughters, the recent rape and murder of a young medical student in Kolkata has resulted in despair and anger https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/in-kolkata-rape-murder-and-rampage/article68532922.ece.  My initial response was to ignore the news and the commentary – this after all didn’t happen in Bengaluru – the city I live in. But the protests by the medical fraternity across India forced me to face the reality – if it can happen in Kolkatta – it can happen anywhere.

The details of the crime are too gruesome to recount. But the image of that young woman, her dreams and aspirations extinguished in an act of unimaginable cruelty, will forever haunt me. It is a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of women in our society, even within the supposed safety of a hospital.

The statistics paint a grim picture. India reports over 87 rape cases every day, and the actual number is likely much higher due to underreporting. Every 15 minutes, a woman is subjected to some form of sexual violence. These are not just numbers; they represent the shattered lives of countless women, their families, and their communities.

The problem is not a lack of laws. India has some of the strictest anti-rape laws in the world. The problem is the lack of implementation, the lack of accountability, the lack of empathy. We live in a society where victim-blaming is rampant, where women are told to dress modestly, to stay indoors, to not venture out alone. This is not the solution. The solution lies in changing mindsets, in holding perpetrators accountable, in creating a safe and secure environment for women.

We need to raise our voices against this injustice. We need to educate our sons to respect women, to treat them as equals. We need to hold our leaders accountable for ensuring the safety of women. We need to create a society where women can walk freely, without fear, without shame.

Here are a few actions that I have listed that we can all take:

  1. Demand justice for the victim and her family: Sign petitions, participate in protests, and make our voices heard. These protests have resulted in the Supreme Court of India taking suo moto notice of the case and setting up a task force on safety – https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/will-set-up-national-task-force-of-doctors-on-hospital-safety-chief-justice-6375831
  2. Educate our children about gender equality and respect for women: Teach them to challenge harmful stereotypes and to stand up against violence. We should have modules on this in in schools and colleges.
  3. Support organizations working towards women’s safety:  Donate our time, money, or resources to NGOs and initiatives that are working to create a safer environment for women.
  4. Speak up against victim-blaming and slut-shaming: Challenge these harmful narratives whenever we encounter them.

As a father, I dream of a world where my daughters can walk freely, without fear, and pursue their dreams and aspirations without being subjected to violence or discrimination. A world where they are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.  This dream can become a reality if we all work together to make it happen. Let us be the generation that creates a society where women are safe, empowered, and free.