5 Travel retreats in North East India

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December 1, 2016

Shillong, Meghalaya — Image credit Sonia Renthlei

When we tired from our daily life, we badly looking for a retreat. In such a situation we do not think much about location, weather, food and heavyweight luggage. Fortunately, India boasts spectacular travel destinations that can be complementary to travel in all season. The present post speaks about the 5 best places in North-East India to retreats yourself during where you can expect ultimate peace and unparalleled experience to cherish in later years.

1. Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh

Source: Gozer

If you think to travelling in summer to take a break from daily lifestyle and looking for a less commercial yet mind refreshing tourist spot, Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh will be the decent place. Observe the beautiful flourishing paddy fields, gurglinged rivulets and placid locale will amaze you and urge you to sit on the edge of a small hillock to feel the nature. The long stretches of greenery that expand as your eyes can see and the pleasant weather would make you feel enchanted. Go exploring the small villages of Apa Tani tribes and let your camera stretch its legs. Observe their friendly lifestyle in minutely and you can see how the women of this tribe sport huge bamboo nose plugs.

2. Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Source: justdial.com

A land which covered multi-coloured canvas painted with the strokes of white-brown and green, sparkling lakes and cascading waterfalls deck this North-Eastern travel destination which seems nothing less than a slice of heaven. Tawang Monastery is India’s largest monastery, and the world’s second largest and is one of the most important Buddhist sites in the world. You can easily plan for a vacation as Tawang has enough to wonder your expectations.

3. Majuli, Assam

Source: Wikipedia

It is also known as the hidden gems, the “World’s largest fresh water island”, this idyllic river island on the River Brahmaputra is located 20 kilo meters away from the city of Jorhat. Referred to as the cultural capital of Assam, Majuli is a beautiful and unexplored place to refreshing.

4. Shillong, Meghalaya

Source: Wikipedia

If you wonder a place to enjoy in North East India without compromising at the level of comfort and class then Shillong should not escape your sight at any cost. The neat and clean roads through the hills, mesmerizing weather and the friendly lifestyle of the locales would inspire you to be here for the second time.

5. Dzouku Valley, Nagaland

Source: Wikipedia

A place to explore the most exclusive natural beauty with open eyes, the dreamland of trekkers who cannot afford difficult grades, this picturesque hill station of Nagaland comes the sobriquet of the “Valley of Flowers of the North-East” for getting carpeted with wild flowers in summer. Dzoku is located on the border of Manipur and Nagaland and trekking expedition in this valley tends to be easy to moderate, If are you wonder a place with your better half then Dzoku is a perfect one.

10 best Indian woman entrepreneurs of the year 2016

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User

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December 1, 2016

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It was the society where the men had the power, authority, and success in any field. So if we think it is the land of the men then we are absolutely wrong. There is a quote that “Every successful man back there will be a supporter of women”, but in the present scenario women are not only standing for the support of men they are also proving themselves as successful and best entrepreneurs, stepping out of their kitchen rooms. To know about it lets us see the 10 best Indian woman entrepreneurs of the year 2016.

And these 10 women are turned as role models for every female in India.

1. Indu Jain

Indu Jain was born on 8th September 1936 in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. Her religion is Jainism. She belongs to Sahu Jains family. Married to Late Ashok Kumar Jain, she has two sons Sameer Jain and Vineet Jain. She works for Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd. Position as Chairman and CEO. She writes spiritual columns for the philanthropic genre of the Times Foundation.

The President of India in 2003, formally launched Oneness Forum and it works under the leadership of Indu Jain. The Forum recently awarded the Mahatma-Mahavira Award to her. She is not only the founder but also President of the Ladies wing of FICCI (FLO). An International Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded by the Indian Congress of Women (ICW) to Indu Jain. Under the guidance of Indu, The Times Foundation has successfully collected national and international acclaim for it. In January 2016, the Government Of India awarded the Padma Bhushan to Indu Jain.

2. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Kiran Mazumdar was born on 23 March 1953 Bangalore, to Gujarati parents. Her father, Rasendra Mazumdar, was the head brewmaster at United Breweries. Her husband’s name is John Shaw. Kiran studied at Bangalore’s Bishop Cotton Girl’s High School then attended Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She studied biology and zoology, graduated from Bangalore University with a B.Sc. in Zoology in 1973. She completed the degree of Master Brewer in 1975. She worked as a trainee brewer in Carlton and United Breweries, Melbourne and as a trainee maltster at Barrett Brothers and Burston, Australia. In 1978 she started Biocon.

It’s evolution spread from industrial enzymes manufacturing company to a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company. Under Shaw’s leadership, today Biocon has established itself as a leading player in biomedicine research in order to focus on diabetes and oncology. Kiran is also a member of the board of Governors of the prestigious Indian School of Business and Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. From the government of India, Kiran received Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma Bhushan (2005). Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2010. In 2011 she was the Financial Times’ top 50 women in business list. She was listed as the 92nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2014. In 2015, she had risen to 85th in the Forbes ranking. In 2014 she received the Othmer Gold Medal.

3. Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi, full name is Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi. She was born on 28 October 1955, Madras to the Saurashtra-speaking family. Her husband’s name is Raj K. Nooyi. She has two daughters. She was studied at Holy Angels Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School in Madras. She did bachelor’s degrees in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics from Madras Christian College in 1974 and a Post Graduate Programme (MBA) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 1976. In 2001 she became the CEO and president of PepsiCo. She was named as one of the 25 Greatest Global Living Legends by NDTV.

In 2007 she received the Padma Bhushan from President of India. In 2013 she received the Honorary Degree from North Carolina State University. In 2015 she received the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. She works as a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, International Rescue Committee, Catalyst and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Eisenhower Fellowships and has worked as Chairperson of the U.S.-India Business Council. Nooyi works as Co-Chair for the World Justice Project.

4. Vandana Luthra

Vandana Luthra was born on 12th July 1959 in Delhi. Her father was the mechanical engineer and her mother was an NGO. She married Mukesh Luthra in 1980 and has two daughters. Vandana started VLCC in 1989 as a beauty and slimming services center. She is also the Chairperson of the Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council (B&WSSC). She received Padma Shri from Government of India in 2013. She received Asian Business Leaders Forum Trailblazer Award in 2012. She received the Enterprise Asia Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2010. Mrs. Vandana Luthra has been ranked 26th in annual Forbes Asia 2016 list.

5. Naina Lal Kidwai

Naina Lal Kidwai was born on 1957 and she married Rashid K. Kidwai. She runs an NGO named Grassroot Trading Network. Kidwai completed Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Delhi in 1977 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1982 and she was the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School and also the first woman to guide the functioning of a foreign bank in India. Kidwai has also worked as the Manager of West India Investment Bank from 1984 to 1987. She worked at Price Waterhouse & Co. from 1977 to 1980. She shows her interests in microfinance and livelihood creation for rural women and environment. Currently, she is the Country Head and Group General Manager of HSBC Group India. And she received a Padma Shri award for her contributions in the field of Trade and Industry from the government of India.

6. Chanda Kochar

Kochhar was born on 17 November 1961 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. She did her schooling from St. Angela Sophia School, Jaipur. She then completed her bachelor’s degree from Jai Hind College,Mumbai. Then in 1982, she studied cost accountancy and later completed a master’s degree in management studies from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. For Excellence in Management Studies, she received the Wockhardt Gold Medal as well as she received in Cost Accountancy the J. N. Bose Gold Medal.

She married Deepak Kochhar and has two children. By The Asian Bank under her leadership,ICICI Bank won the “Best Retail Bank in India” award in 2001 to 2005 and “Excellence in Retail Banking Award” in 2002. At the Asian Business Leadership Forum Awards in 2011, Kochhar was awarded the “ABLF Woman of Power” Award. In Forbes’ list of ‘The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, 2013’ Kochhar was ranked as the most powerful businesswoman in India. By the Time magazine Kochhar was selected in the list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World 2015. In 2015,in Asia Pacific, Kochhar was ranked first in the Fortune List of 100 Most Powerful Women. By India Today, Kochhar ranked 40th in‘High and Mighty Power List 2016’ in 2016. In the same year,in the Forbes Asia she was in the 22nd position in the‘50 Power Businesswomen List 2016.

7. Ekta Kapoor

10 best Indian woman entrepreneurs of the year 2016

Ekta Kapoor was born 7 June 1975 and she is the daughter of Jeetendra (father) and Shobha Kapoor (mother). She did her schooling at Bombay Scottish School, Mahim and attended college at Mithibai College. She has changed the face of Indian television by the establishment of the Balaji serials and Ekta Kapoor is the single woman who founded and made Balaji Telefilms as the household name in the today’s world. For her contribution to the Indian television industry, she has won the Hall of Fame award at the 6th Indian Telly Awards during 2006. In 2012 she won Asia’s Social Empowerment Award- Freedom Through Education.

8. Suchi Mukherjee

Suchi started Limeroad in 2012 along with Manish Saksena, Ankush Mehra, and Prashant Malik. From Lightspeed venture partners, Matrix partners and Tiger Global the company fund has raised to $20 Million. Suchi did her graduation from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and completed her post graduation from London School of Economics. Suchi received K.C. Nag Economics Prize for best student in Economics under 40. Suchi was selected as 1 of 15 women worldwide ‘Rising Talents”, high potential leaders. Suchi is an ex-employee of eBay, Skype, and Gumtree.

9. Richa

Richa is the first women founder of online lingerie store named as Zivame. In 2002 she did her engineering in BITS Pilani. In 2007 she completed her Master degree in Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies. Before starting of Zivame.com she worked as a retailer for the global technology company. For intimate wear and shaping consumer behavior Richa played a role in India for educating women across the country.

10. Aditi Gupta

One of the things in a woman’s body cycle is Menstruation so society needs to accept the fact and should talk openly about it. For this Aditi Gupta has taken an initiative step. Aditi was born in Garhwa,Jharkhand. Aditi Gupta did her graduation in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering and post-graduation in New Media Design from National Institute of Design. So during her post –graduation at NID she got the idea for Menstrupedia.com. In 2012, Aditi Gupta with Tuhin Paul co-founded the Menstrupedia. This company provides information for the women to stay healthy and active during their menstruation.

Hats off to all of these women entrepreneurs!

5 Raving Breakfast Spots in Chennai

By

Aaliya Thahseen

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December 1, 2016

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Breakfast brings to your mind a beautiful image of a healthy platter of toast, eggs, hash browns and a generous glass of orange juice. To those of us who lean toward a traditional meal prefer dosa, idli or vadas! Either way, skipping breakfast is never considered a wise decision. A bowl of cereal and fruit could produce a massive change in your everyday routine.

Do you have lazy mornings and can’t get past making a decent cup of coffee? Do you want the ultimate breakfast experience dabbling in international cuisines? Here are my five raving breakfast spots to hit when I don’t feel like moving a muscle in the morning. Other than booking an uber that is!

WAFFLES THRU THE DAY

This cafe persists true to its name as they serve waffles, all day, every day! You can opt for waffles dusted with sugar, topped with sugary strawberries and whipped cream or chocolate wary lovers should latch onto the chocolate sauce and banana toppings. And that’s just hardly scratching the surface, their menu scatters in classic pancakes, savoury waffles, poached eggs, waffle pies, crepes and much more. They even have set breakfast menus which go easy on the pocket. If you are looking to make it a waffle date, you know the place!

LLOYD’S TEA HOUSE

One of the most decadent tea rooms in Chennai has more to offer than just tea. An all-day breakfast carte du jour comprising of your favourite classics like eggs benedict to those perfectly stacked pancakes with drizzling maple syrup. Their American breakfast menu is lip-smackingly delicious and so are their corn and cheese balls. I particularly relished their veggie pizza, chocolate cupcakes with crunchy chocolate sprinkles and a nice quiet cup of Chinese tea. The teahouse provides a lulled and hassle-free dining experience, you wouldn’t want to miss out on it.

L’AMANDIER

R A Puram boasts of this cafe with its vibrant variety of European cuisine breakfast buffet. Looking for the ultimate breakfast experience, this is by far the best place I have been to. The L’amandier platter consists of scrumptious eggs, a tall glass of juice, crispy bacon, sausage, herb roasted cheese tomato, potato rosti, toasted bread with butter and marmalade, and a colourful seasonal fruit bowl. All of these for just a reasonable price and you couldn’t ask for more. Next time your stomach craves a big bad breakfast, you know just the place.

SPOONBILL

With its vivacious carte of Chinese, Italian, Portuguese and Mexican cuisines, one must know exactly what the morning cravings of the body are. Though Tibetan momos are not a breakfast favourite, I gobbled them up with my baby hands alongside caramelised crepes and a long glass of lemonade. The Sunday breakfast platter gets a thumbs-up for my side. Located amidst the busy streets of Alwarpet, this spot is an explicit yes!

PANTRY D’OR

Gushing effete croissants, viennoiseries, porridge, pan au chocolate and much more, this cafe implores the goodness of baked delicacies and excellent conversation starters. Everything on the menu is absolutely divine, from greasy BBQ chicken wings to gourmet burgers, this place has it all! It is your kind of quiet and noisy, coupled into one. Your indolent mornings can get transformed into a bold and a bright day.

Does my 5 favourite breakfast spots hit-list tingle your taste buds? Don’t be shy to visit any of the places mentioned above if you are craving that complete and perfect breakfast.

Amazing facts about Rolls-Royce

By

Santosh Jha

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November 30, 2016

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Rolls-Royce was founded over a century ago in 1906 by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce. Rolls -Royce is top of the luxury automobiles present in these days. Rolls Royce was the originally making to produce royal car as the alternative to horses and its carriages.

6 Facts You Didn’t Know About Rolls-Royce

1. Rolls-Royce 10 hp is the first cars produced by the company

Rolls Royce produced only 16 cars to this model but the oldest one is still in motion. In that era the car set the record for its mileage.

Source: Source: BAWS.AE

This model was failed to imposing to the market, but Silver Ghost became one of the most popular models. There have more than 5000 units of they produced initially to satisfy its demand.

2. The company has sets world record in all three ways of transportations

There R engine set the records of high speeds in all 3 ways of transportations method on land, water and air. It is also used in airplane on Blue Bird cars and speedboats, which are also develops the record breaking speeds engine.

3. The Spirit of Ecstasy is most expensive car emblem ever

Rights over its name and logo were bought by BMW for £40 million. It’s even comes in a crystal and gold versions it’s also comes with enhanced protection against theft.

Source: BAWS.AE

4. Handmade pinstripe made by the magician Mark Courts

If you ever see a Rolls Royce with its six meter long pinstripes started at the headlights to just before its taillights. It was the artwork by Mark Courts. He is the only who does that. Mark Courts is the last man who touches the Rolls Royce before it goes to the door and there is no any type of mercy for mistakes. Pinstripe paint makes bonds immediately to the underline colour.

5. Hand-made interior

After all that comes to the Rolls Royce perfection is not only in the machines. Something is much expensive, when is amazingly done by hand, it’s also take more time to be completed. This is why the Rolls Royce needs 2 months to produce a Rolls Royce Ghost.

Source: BAWS.AE

6. Company produces jet engines

Rolls Royce played a vital role during the World War II. In the creations of fighters and arm vehicles used in the combat. Company is still producing aircrafts engine. Even its famous model Concord engine is produced by Rolls Royce.

The art of manipulation

By

Gowdham Ravichandran

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November 30, 2016

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Not everything that you find in the internet will be useful. Some may fascinate you, most of it redundant and useless. But being someone who can’t be impressed easily, even I was really astonished when I learnt that a very boring and dull content when differently worded can keep the readers engaged.

Today you shall read about a concept which has revolutionised writing, branding and advertising: The willing suspension of disbelief. As the meaning of the statement itself is not so obvious, I will give some interesting and relatable examples.

This is what you will see if you google “The willing suspension of disbelief :
The term suspension of disbelief or willing suspension of disbelief has been defined as a willingness to suspend one’s critical faculties and believe the unbelievable; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment.

But this isn’t crystal clear as it sounds too philosophical. It is time to bring out the examples:

Fiction

art-of-manipulation The willing suspension of disbelief is the reason why fiction continues to be one of the most popular genre in novels. Read the following lines:

A bright ray of red light shot up from the unidentified object and joined the horizon. It seemed like a signal to the outsiders (aliens). “Tractor rays!” said the professor in a husky voice, “Theoretically impossible.”

This excerpt manipulates us into believing the fact that the alien ship has made contact with the aliens. We may be aware that aliens do not exist, but for a moment, we suspend our disbelief and have faith, just to figure out what happens next. The additional fact that the professor gives it a name and says it is impossible manipulates us into believing in the otherwise unbelievable. The author makes use of the popular belief that professors are intelligent and uses a statistical guess that the readers would blindly believe whatever the professor has guaranteed to have seen through his eyes.

Hotel menu

A few days ago, I saw something that really interested me in someplace that I least expected, yes, a hotel menu. The interesting part though, is in the thought process and not in the menu itself.

The price of the items aren’t rounded off, which forces us to believe that they have a certain price tag for raw materials, processing and have a very small profit that they see for these items. But does a grape juice costing over 70rs make sense? Absolutely not. The crazy menu distracts us from the fact that they are overcharging us and masks the fact by making us willingly suspend our disbelief. Brilliantly played, manager. Witty manipulation indeed.

Popular advertisements.

This is the most obvious case of manipulation. 4 out of 5 dentists recommending a toothpaste. We forget that these 5 people are actors who are paid to say things without reasoning and not dentists who actually test the toothpaste. Here it is, the willing suspension of disbelief in action. And trust me, pricing a product 99rs instead of 100rs can give the seller loads of profit. This is simple manipulation though, and not related to the above case.

And if you are wondering why you found this article interesting, read the third line again. Brilliant concept to win attention, 😉 Hope it worked.

When Indians Became Global Citizens

By

Hijal Chatterjee

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November 30, 2016

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I am quite sure that over past few days your news feed has been flooded with videos of (or posts about) Coldplay performing their hit numbers like Fix You or Paradise on a stage, popping out like an island in a vast sea of waving arms, at the global citizen festival – in MUM-wait for it-BAI! And the musical bonanza does not stop here, to add to the pace of your already fastened heart beats our most beloved musician, the Oscar winning A R Rahman sang along “Maa Tujhe Salam” with Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay! So, to quote a senior in my college, we got our hymn for the weekend, didn’t we?

A huge crowd of over 80,000 poured into the MMRDA grounds at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai on the 19th of November to attend the inaugural Global Citizen Festival India. Other than Coldplay, Demi Lovato and Jay Z were the other international big names who performed at the concert. Lovato, performing for the first time in the country just like Coldplay and Jay-Z, made sure the audience did not give their heart a break (you remember her 2011 number “Give your heart a break” right?). Jay-Z the evergreen rapper from Brooklyn got the crowd grooving to the beats of “Empire State of Mind”, “99 Problems” (my personal favourite), “Niggas in Paris” and other hit numbers. He performed for almost 45 minutes. The Vamps, another British band, performed a set of 20 minutes.

coldplay Coldplay, the British rock band performed for the first time in India even though they had shot the music video of “Hymn for the Weekend” in this country which was released earlier this year. They were indeed the biggest attraction of the night they literally made the crowd go berserk. They sang back to back hit songs, older ones and newer ones alike. Then during the 30 minute encore they sang “Maa Tujhe Salam” with AR Rahman. And that’s not all. They ended the show singing “Channa Mereya”. Chris martin promised to perform in India soon.

Aside from the international performers, our very own desi kalakars also rocked the stage. Farhan Akhtar, King Khan, Big B, Ranveer Singh all got huge applauses from the global citizens. Farhan rocked on with his rocking performance and even invited Amitabh Bachchan on the stage to sing with him “Yaari Teri Yaari” from the movie Wazir. AR Rahman, with his short yet enthralling performance stole the show. He sang “Humma Humma”, “Dil Se” and “Tu Hi Re”, the crowd joined in the chorus of “humma humma”. Amithabh Bachchan recited a few lines from his recent movie “Pink”. PM Modi could not be present at the concert but he addressed the crowd through a live video link.

Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor during the press conference to launch of Global Citizen Festival of India hosted by Global Education and Leadership foundation in Mumbai, India on September 12, 2016. (Sanket Shinde/ SOLARIS IMAGES)

Global Citizen is Festival is an annual music festival that has been held since 2012 in New York. Chris Martin is the creative director of this festival and it is organized by the Global poverty project as a part of the movement to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. This year besides the New York concert which was held on 24th September another concert was hosted in Mumbai. So We Finally Became Global, and the Stars Signed bright for Us!

5 Offbeat Tourist Destinations of Rajasthan

By

Rohit Agarwal

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November 29, 2016

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The mysterious land of Rajasthan still echoes the ghost of its past. The ancient palaces, lovely villages, authentic cuisine, traditional wear of its people charm everyone who visits this land of Rajputs. Also a famous tourist stops, Rajasthan is one of the most visited holiday destinations in the country. With places like Ranthambore National park, Pushkar Lake, Jaisalmer fort, Hawa Mahal etc., which take your breath away, there are several other lesser known places in Rajasthan that are equally enchanting if not more. These offbeat destinations are less crowded and will offer you a peek into both the past and the present culture of Rajasthan and its inhabitants. Listed here are 5 of these amazing places:

Ranakpur Temple

This remarkable Jain temple was built in the 15^th century and is 90 kilometers from Udaipur. The exemplary architecture and rich assortment of art here makes this temple one of its kind in the world. The temple is supported by more than a thousand intricately carved pillars. The uncommon architecture has been analyzed over the years by various scholars who have since declared it as an entirely west-Indian-type architecture uninfluenced by its north-Indian contemporaries. It’s not just the interior of the temple that will leave you in awe, but the view outside as well. The surrounding lush green hills stand as if paying homage to the grandiosity of this temple.

Bhainsrorgarh Fort

Rather famously known as “The Impregnable Fort”, Bhainsrorgarh Fort sits at a height of 200 ft above the Chambal river. A very picturesque spot, the fort is still occupied by the royal family who have transformed it into a hotel. The stay will provide you with a rural experience of Rajasthan as well as the comfort of luxury in a palace. The clear reflection of the river below will invoke an artistic feeling within. The nearby village houses warm and friendly people in colorful small houses. A walk along the village will make you feel like a celebrity. You’ll see what I am saying when you visit there.

Rawla Narlai

This 17^th century villa sits beneath a gigantic 350 ft rock in the village of Narlai. Now a heritage home, the architecture like all other palaces in Rajasthan, is marvelous and the intricacy is meticulous. A stay here will provide you with a royal treatment and luxuries. A stroll in the village gives an insight on the colorful rural life of a remote Rajasthani village.

Baroli Temples

If you are not a fan of architecture, this temple might change that for you. This set of 8 temples in Baroli village of Chittorgarh district guides us back to 10^th century A.D. when they were built. The complex is about 1 kilometre long enclosing these 8 most ancient temples with their sophisticated details. Col. James Tod, a British historian described these temples back in 1820s as “Unrivaled taste and beauty of Baroli’s sculptures and architecture.” One of the oldest structures in India which is in such a splendid condition. Worth a visit, don’t you think?

Bundi

With a palace, an accompanying manmade lake and the range of lush green mountains, Bundi is an unblemished sight. The Taragarh Fort or “Star Fort” is the most cherished sight of this small town. It was constructed in the 14^th century on the hillside and provides a sight which is insatiable to the eyes. The town also has a Bundi Palace which is known for its art collection. Various traditional style murals and frescoes are housed here. Nawal Sagar is an artificial lake in Bundi which holds a small temple in the middle, a dedication to God Varuna. Located 210 kilometers from the city of Jaipur, Bundi is a scenic spot with the dense Aravalli hills surrounding the region.

These are just 5 of what could easily have been 10 or 15 places in Rajasthan that are relatively unknown but breathtakingly beautiful. The state is known for its grandiose palaces, unique architecture and unbeatable cuisine makes for a worthwhile and enjoyable holiday destination especially for those interested in the history, culture, and architecture of India.

World Kickboxing Championship Tajamul Islam

By

Dr. Neha Satoiya

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November 29, 2016

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Amid the closure and restrictions, there’s positive news from Kashmir. An eight-year-old girl from a remote area within the Valley’s north has won the gold medal in the Sub Junior category at the 2016 World Kickboxing Championship that was held in Italy.

The time when killings, burning of schools, colleges, strikes and curfews are creating headlines in the valley, achievements of an eight-year-old kid from a remote village of the valley has changed the mood within the violence-hit region.

Tajamul Islam, an eight-year-old Indian girl from Kashmir, inscribed her name in the history books when she clinched the gold medal at the World Kickboxing Championship. She defeated her rival from USA to win the championship held in Italy’s Andria, where ninety countries participated in the event.

At the world championship, she remained unvanquished in her run up to the finals and the kid prodigy won six bouts in 5 days to raise the trophy within the sub-junior class.

Tajamul has shown ultimate courage considering her tender age, however her success is that the combined efforts of her parents, who supported her in each doable manner, her teachers at Goodwill school, who worked extremely laborious to outshine her natural endowment.

Behind her cheerful nature lies a robust willed girl who is focused and wants to do something for the family, state and also the country.
Tajamul’s hidden potential for kickboxing was 1st noticed by the Army Goodwill School in Tarkpora. However, there was no proper infrastructure in situ to coach for the sport.

It was this potential that her coach Faisal Ali Dar recognized and groomed her to become a champion at a really tender age. Dar, who heads Ali’s Sports Academy, a non-public self-defense school operating in a tin shed in a very native sport stadium here, trained Tajamul free of cost in order that she may create a mark in this sport. Despite these odds, Tajamul persevered and practiced at least 25 hours a week.

It was after the national laurel wreath that she was seen as a true hope for the world Kickboxing Championship, and in Sept 2016, she moved to Delhi to start training for it.
Her 1st major win was in the state-level championship in Jammu in 2015 where she won a gold medal in the sub-junior category.

Tajamul’s victory has greatly inspired her sister to compete in kickboxing and she has started professional training for the same.

The best fighter of the state, Tajamul’s story is exalting a lot of women to interrupt barriers and accomplish their dreams.

“Our village is extremely backward, however I, together with other children like me, are progressing to take it to new heights,” she said. “I am happy that I won and I am proud of it. I want to appeal to all the Indian parents to support their children and encourage them and motivate them towards sports,” she said in an interview with ANI.

In fact, kickboxing isn’t even her forte. She excels in Wushu and is additionally doing well in taekwondo.

Like martial arts, Tajamul stands 1st in her class too, and aspires to become a neurosurgeon and serve in the Indian Army. First, I’ll break bones, then I’ll fix them too, as a doctor,” aforementioned Tajamul (giggles).

Tajamul’s triumph is beyond words, for she is a fantastic girl who belonged to a valley that’s presently battling militancy and political problems.
She is unquestionably a champion and making India proud!

Kudos to this wonder kid!

Dr. Neha Satoiya

Must Read Review of Dear Zindagi

By

Ankita Bachhawat

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November 29, 2016

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Post English Vinglish, Gauri Shinde took a long break before she began scripting Dear Zindagi (DZ). What sets Shinde apart from other film makers is the utter honesty of her writing. They are far away from fiction and yet fictional. The names and characters are the seeds of her imagination, but the story is our story, yours and mine and everyone else’s. English Vinglish was the story of a middle class-middle aged Indian housewife who, clad in her culture steps on a foreign land and struggles with speaking English. Her dilemmas, embarrassments, resilience, courage, inner strength underlines and defines thousands of such unheard stories of Indian women. DZ, years later, enunciates the story of another woman from another generation, younger and independent, successful and alone, beautiful and broken, determined and confused, impulsive and insecure, idealistic and clueless, weary and yet hopeful.

The Story…

Dear Zindagi The story begins with Kaira, a successful cinematographer, brimming with a lot of ambition and energy, just waiting to spew forth bottles of talent on the world through her dream of making her own film. Her personal life is as messed up as it could be. She seems to feel disgusted every time she has to speak to her parents, criticizes everything they say, irrationally so. Meeting her parents once in a while is work, while work is relaxing and fun. Her world is a complete topsy-turvy. She cheats on her boyfriend, and breaks up and then goes depressed and sleepless. Then gets cheated on by another potential boyfriend, again gets depressed and sleepless.

Amidst all this, deals with stereotypical misplaced concerns of her relatives regarding her marriage, and their sexist views on homosexuality. Until one fine day she decides to visit a therapist. The film takes a magical turn at this point with the appearance of Shahrukh Khan as Dr. Jehanghir Khan. Shinde also interpolates in her script the views of the society who look at people undergoing psychological or mental treatment, or seeking counseling and therapy, as mentally deranged and are therefore tagged as so for life.

Where the magic begins…

main-bhi-chahta-hoo The second half of the film radiates positivity in the theatre, turns the air therapeutic. It makes you want to shout, “This has happened with me, I have been through this,” “I was in utter need of this advice,” “I have thought so before,” etc. Dr. Jehangir or Jug has this marvelous way of dealing with his patients where he just does not tell them that they are going through this and that is why they are feeling like that. He lets Kaira speak, and makes her feel absolutely normal about what she is feeling and going through without judging her or someone else who made her feel so. He gives her a space where she can be herself. He is a listener.

The subtlety and simplicity with which he takes Kaira through the vicissitudes of life makes her forgiving, accepting and she feels finally uncaged from her past, her insecurities and he says, “Zindagi ek jigsaw puzzle ki tarah hai. I can help you find the pieces, but you’ll have to complete the game.” This and a dozen such dialogues evidently makes you want to applaud at the film maker’s brilliance.

The healing

There are such ordinary moments in the film which all of us must have been through and therefore, each one of us will connect at some level with Kaira’s situation. Kaira’s estrangement with her parents was a result of something that happened when she was just a child. Her parents were undoubtedly at fault but Kaira too, showed immaturity by not understanding their situation at that point of their life and thus, continued to be cruel and unforgiving. Jug did not make any attempt to explain her who was at fault and how. He just asked her give them a second chance, another chance to love her, turn their baby once more and see how they bring her up and how they dote on her. There is just no human on earth who has gone through life without making a mistake he does not regret. Kaira must move on and so do you and so does everyone.

Jug taught us to keep our expectations low, that there cannot be one perfect relationship because the perfection is just spread out, it’s there lying in front of you but it is not a complete whole, it is broken into bits and pieces and the broken pieces are picked up by many people and not that one special person. So perfection can be brought into your life by many individuals- a coffee friend, a gossip friend, a friend who shares the same taste in music, another whose intellect matches yours. So why burden that one person by expecting so much from him?

Jug taught us that we can only give our 100% to a relationship when the fear of losing goes away, when the insecurity goes away, when your love becomes unconditional and undemanding. Jug taught us about the inner circle of life which comprises of just 5 people. He taught us why friendship is better than all other relationships. Jug says, “Genius is not someone who has all the answers but someone who has the patience for all the answers,” “rona, gussa, nafrat kuch khulkar nahi express karne diya. Ab pyaar kaise express karen?” and pours forth many such words of wisdom.

The winning feeling

When you come out of the theatre you have learnt a lesson. You have seen life in all its nakedness and its impurity. You have seen the ugly body and the beautiful face of life. You have, at the same time, decided to forgive life for everything that it did to you and for everything that it will do.

THE STRANDED AND THE STATELESS: THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS

By

Madhubrata Bhattacharyya

-

November 28, 2016

0

The plight of the Rohingya Muslims-its length and breadth,its causes, and why safeguarding their rights is an urgent issue. At Nature’s Mercy: Deprived of basic rights like food and drinking water,Rohingyas at a refugee camp try to make do with what nature has to offer. Image Source:The Star

“no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you have to understand, that no one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land”

These poignant lines by Warsan Shire, Kenyan born British poet of Somali origin,a refugee herself, are striking in expressing the angst that comes with displacement. One cannot help recall her poem when Mabia, living, if one can use the term for someone surviving in conditions as adverse as hers,in a refugee camp in Sittwe, recalls the day when her son set off in a boat for Malaysia. People are talking of leaving on the boats again, and Mabia is horrified.In her opinion, it is too dangerous.[1]

Mabia is a Rohingya, a member of Myanmar’s brutally persecuted minority community. A look at the squalid refugee camps her people are confined to, and one isn’t surprised that so many of them have chosen to leave. Malnutrition is widespread, as are waterborne diseases. To top it off, aid groups in the region have been evicted by the Myanmar’s authorities. As a result, mortality levels among the refugees have spiked to horrifying levels.

Infancy of injustice: a child at a refugee camp in Myanmar

rohingya-refugee-crisis Image Source: The Independent

The Rohingyas hail from the Rakhine region of Myanmar, and the history of their people is a much contested one. While some trace the roots of the Rohingyas to the area now known as Bangladesh and paint them all as illegal immigrants, the Rohingyas see themselves as descendants of Muslim settlers who came to Myanmar a long time ago,mostly Persians and Arabs. Rohingyas claim their identity as distinct from Bengalis.

There is some truth in both narratives-claims of immigration may not be entirely untrue,but the complete confluence of Rohingyas with their neighbouring Bengalis is.The Rohingyas hve a cultural identity and a language unique to them-closely related,however to the Bengali one.

Indeed,the red line that appears below the word Rohingya when one types it out on Microsoft Word,pronouncing the identity to be an erroneous notion,is a reflection of the views held by many in Myanmar.

Passing off the Rohingyas as “Bengalis” erases their identity as a distinct community,and is in keeping with Myanmar’s policy of projecting the Rohingya identity as a fabricated one.

Denying their authenticity as Burmese people paves the way for systematically dehumanizing the Rohingyas,which in turn,furnishes justification for denying them basic rights and committing atrocities against them.

The history of the community’s persecution is not a recent one.The Rohingyas have been the victims of wanton discrimination and violence for decades by both the Rakhine peopleand agents of the central government.

Their supposed Bengali identity,as well as their subscription to the Islamic faith are the primary grounds of the detestment for them by the Buddhist majority Burmese population

Ironically enough, Myanmar’s transition from a military-led government to a somewhat more democratic system ushered in some of the worst violence against Muslims. According to Reuters,the national government has tacitly permitted the rise of the 969 movement, a group of Buddhist monks who employ “moral justification for a wave of anti-Muslim bloodshed.”[2]

rohingya_people_in_rakhine_state In 2012,Rakhine mobs used the incident of the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman by three Muslim men to rampage through the region, with the intention of driving away the Rohingyas.Hundreds were killed,tens of thousands forced into camps where they were deprived of access to jobs,educational institutions and medicinal aid.The number of Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar since 2012, is roughly estimated at 140,000.

The Myanmar government has carried on with its policy of erasure-after attempting to obliterate the Rohingya identity,it proceeds to erase the record of the atrocities against them.

The vehemently anti-Muslim and anti-Rohingya nature of popular opinion has been made full use of by politicians. Such discriminatory rhetoric has been spouted by nationalists in their election campaign.

Compelled to leave behind their homes,the Rohingyas have been left to the mercy of the high seas,where they have not fared well.

The “closed door” policy of neighbourhood countries have left many refugees stranded,while others have found temporary refuge in countries like Malaysia and Singapore,but their future is uncertain.

Much has been said about the Rohingyas-from the United States of America’s President Barack Obama,former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and even The Dalai Lama condemning Myanmar’s injustice,little decisive action has been taken.

The violence against the Rohingyas is inhumane,senseless anda blatant violation of human rights. While the government of Myanmar has been grossly complicit in driving out the Rohingyas,it would not be possible if public opinion saw the Rohingyas as barely human.The Rakhine’s.resentment at the Rohingyas not voting for their political parties,for taking up jobs and economic resources as cause of resentment this would be impossible if they did not already perceive the Rohingyas with hostility.[3] The Islamophobic and xenophobic rhetoric would not have gained impetus if the ground was not ripe for it to. The atrocities against the Rohingyas show the extent of brutality possible once aggressive nationalist ideas,particularly those largely based on religious identity,gain ground among the people of a country.

While the ethnicity of the Rohingyas has been debated,their humanity clearly can not be.The crisis is an urgent one,and one that needs members of the region to work in close cooperation to solve.While rehabilitating refugees should be a priority,necessitating pooling of economic and other resources if necessary,it is also important that Myanmar is made accountable for its actions.The international community must pressurize it into dealing with the issue seriously.

SOURCES:

[1] Rohingya refugee crisis: Burma’s Muslim minority face choice of life in open-air camps or dangers of fleeing by boat. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/rohingya-refugee-crisis-burma-s-muslim-minority-face-choice-of-life-in-open-air-camps-or-dangers-of-a6721516.htmleeing by boat)

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The Story…

Where the magic begins…

The healing

The winning feeling

Infancy of injustice: a child at a refugee camp in Myanmar

[1] Rohingya refugee crisis: Burma’s Muslim minority face choice of life in open-air camps or dangers of fleeing by boat. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/rohingya-refugee-crisis-burma-s-muslim-minority-face-choice-of-life-in-open-air-camps-or-dangers-of-a6721516.htmleeing by boat)

[2] Why is no one helping Myanmar’s Rohingya?

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[3] Myanmar’s Rohingya conflict ‘more economic than religious http://www.dw.com/en/myanmars-rohingya-conflict-more-economic-than-religious/a-18496206

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