Author: Sunil Malhotra

Burger King’s Christmas Carnival..!!

Burger King, organised a Christmas Carnival at Burger King, Select City Walk Mall (the 1st store Burger King launched in November 2014) that is running from 16th Dec to 18th Dec and would also be there at Nehru Place outlet for 2 days, on 23rd and 24th Dec.

I visited the outlet today along with my grandson who is a big Burger King fan. The set up was done at a terrace which is right opposite the outlet. The Santa’s Sledge, Christmas Tree, Santa Himself, Christmas Carols being sung, everything was so celebratory and perfect.


Burger King’s very own Santa gave away gifts to the children which added to the experience for the young ones. Apart from this the event had whole lot of musical entertainment, carols, along with hourly magic show. The celebration is happening from 16th-18th December in Select City Walk Mall, Saket outlet. There is still one day to go, so don’t forget to visit this amazing Christmas Celebration with Burger King tomorrow.

Burger King also took a special initiative to organize “Dine with Santa” for NGO kids from “Catalyst India Charitable Trust”. The initiative gave the kids an opportunity to enjoy Christmas like any other kid. Talking about the celebration Cicily Thomas, Vice President, Operations and brand standards, Burger King said, “The whole idea of this Celebration is to let people have their own way of Christmas Celebration. With this Burger King also got the opportunity to play Santa this Christmas for NGO Kids. Burger King invited these kids in light of the Christmas season & spread the joy of giving.”

The event also facilitated the facility of NGO to showcase their talent in the form of Carols in Burger King. The kids enjoyed the best of burger in the town while enjoying the Carols, magic show.

I just loved the overall ambience and then to add to the celebration there were Burger King Burgers and Fries being served.

Parsi Food Festival at Made In India Restaurant by Radisson Blu, Noida

A Parsi Food Festival is going on at the Made in India restaurant of Radisson Blu Hotel, Noida and a special bloggers meet was organised for the launch of the same.

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The menu for this ten day long culinary festival has been specially curated by Master Chef Kaizad Patel, with some of the most authentic and traditional signature dishes from the Parsi kitchen, including a great mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights, like Bhujeli Kaleji, Kid Gosht and Chapat, amongst many others mouth-watering delicacies. Parsi food has its roots in Persian and Gujarati cuisines and much of the food is a meat-lover’s dream come true.

Commenting on the Parsi cuisine and the special menu for the Parsi Food Festival, Master Chef Kaizad Patel said, “Parsi cuisine is a mélange of different flavors and has an eclectic mix of hot and sweet, sour and spice. This delectable cuisine is deeply influenced by various parts of the country that the community has travelled to and its soul lies in the ingredients used to make the mouth-watering delicacies. We are delighted to bring back the traditional recipes and recreate the authentic flavors at the Parsi Food Festival at the Made In India restaurant in Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida”.

Chef Kaizad Patel held a Parsi cuisine Masterclass also at the event, where he shared his experiences and also the recipes for mouth watering Parsi Dishes. Chicken Farcha made in a tomato based gravy with special Parsi masalas and the ever popular Patra nu Paneer or Paneer cooked in Banana leaves were the highlights.

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Being brought up in a Parsi Caterers family, Chef Kaizad says he always knew someday he would always take up this family business. He have always had a different approach on views and always wanted to exceed expectations. This has been his drive and what keeps him going.

Upon completing catering college, He joined the Ratan Tata Institute, Mumbai, as he wanted to broaden his horizon on Parsi food. He came across interesting people who shared their views on Parsi food. After completing almost a year; He joined the Oberoi Hotel’s, Mumbai and worked his way up the hierarchy. After his 3 ½ year employment with the Oberoi Hotel’s, he decided to go and study further in Culinary Arts. He joined the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, which is affiliated with “ Le Cordon Bleu”. He joined the Ritz Carlton, San Francisco as an intern and upon completing his internship, he was hired and trained by the Ritz Carlton values, which changed his life, truly.

On his return to India he decided to take over his family business as he felt the need to revamp the image of the business without changing the core values of the community and the business, which were instilled into him. He always looks at a glass full and not the other way around. He has just begun his journey as a Caterer (for the last 10 years) and has a long way to go…..

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After the masterclass, the journey of exploring Parsi Cuisine started with Murghi Na Farcha, really crisp outer with succulent chicken within, this was an absolute winner.

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The next on the menu was Bhujeli Kaleji absolutely soft and delicious. The Makai Cheese Na Pattice, a cutlet made from cheese and corn was an absolute delight as was the Kera nu Cutlets, made from banana.Both very crisp and absolutely delicious.
The main course consisted of Tarapori Prawn Patio, shrimps in a gravy.
Salli Jardaloo Murghi was another delightful chicken creation garnished with crisp n thin slices of Jardaloo.
Then there was Wafer per Eedu, an egg dish made with wafers, coriander and green chilles fried till golden brown and it turned out to be a really delicious dish.
To accompany this was the ever so delicious Patra nu Paneer an absolute delightful dish.

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Then there was the Bhindi Sambhariya, crisp thin Bhindi deep fried and made with special Parsi sambhar spice.
The almost mashed brinjals in a light gravy was another mouth watering dish.
The above were accompanied with some crisp breads.
There was also the Vegetable Pulao Dal for the rice eaters.
The food all in all was good but slightly on the sweeter side to my liking.
For dessert there was the Chapat with Parsi Peg Ice Cream which was really out of this world. Then there was the Lagan nu Custard another winner.

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All in all a very satisfying experience and strongly recommended. Really worth a visit. To indulge in an eclectic mix of hot and sweet, nice and spice, which sums up the Parsi cuisine, make sure you head to ‘Made In India’ restaurant, the home grown name popular for being the pioneers of traditional cuisines and reviving cultural heritage through the medium of culinary art.


What: Parsi Food Festival


Where: Made in India, Radisson Blu Hotel, Noida


When: 14th-23rd October


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Made In India - Radisson Blu Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Flavothon at Cha Bar, Head Straight There For A Surreal Experience..!!

Cha Bar, Delhi’s favourite tea cafe organized “Flavothon” a food lovers meet with Executive Chef Abhishek Basu from The Park sharing tips on multi-dimensional cuisines complemented with some exclusive teas from the extensive Cha Bar menu. Flavathon introduced some mouth watering dishes in their new menu.
Cha Bar, a brain child of Ms Priti Paul, backed by the decades of experience of the Apeejay Group. Cha Bar was created as an integral part of the 90 year old Oxford Bookstore.
Cha Bar provides its customers the experience of browsing through the wide selection of books at leisure, sipping a cup of tea of your choice with some savory snacks being served.

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There was the Erachi Pathri which was really delicious. The Turkish Sigara was another crisp one with both veg n non veg variety. The Cocktail Sausage Roll was a delight.
Absolutely wonderful was the Dahi Bhalla, very soft and the curd was really refreshingly delicious.
They also had the Spinach and Feta Cheese Quiche and Some delicious Chicken n Cheese Toasties which were absolutely mouth watering.

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There was a wide range of desserts like Gulabjamun Cheese Cake, Flurry’s Heritage Chocolate Boat, Pineapple Colada Muffin, Coconut Cookies and Chocolate Rum Balls to name a few paired with some exotic teas like Arabic Spice, Bollywood mix, Cha Bar Blend, Moroccan Mint and a host of other varities to choose from.
A special mention here for there Filter Coffee which was really superb.
From desserts, for me the most delectable was the Gulabjamun Cheese Cake,really worth dying for followed by Rum Balls which were a real treat.
The quite ambience and the mouth watering snacks provided a great sense of tranquility. Highly recommended for a really surreal experience.

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About Cha Bar:


Cha Bar is the first of its kind urban contemporary space that created a rage in Kolkata in year 2000, turning tea from a dry page in history to a lifestyle drink! Ms Priti Paul’s brain child backed by generations of Apeejay Surrendra group’s experience in tea plantation business, Cha Bar was created as an integral part of more than 90 years old iconic Oxford Bookstore in city centre Park Street. The concept was expanded pan India integrated into Oxford Bookstores and customers loved the experience of being able to browse at leisure, leafing through the books of their choice, over a cup of tea from the wide selection available at the Cha Bar or simply unwinding with friends sipping the rejuvenating beverage, iced or piping hot!


Whether one prefers a rich, full-bodied, strong flavor, or a light fragrant taste, the Cha Bar offers a wide and enviable choice. Cha Bar believes that there is indeed nothing quite like a good cup of tea so every cup of blend we serve has journeyed, be it from the dhabas in India or from across the Globe from other cultures. Today, Cha Bar offers this experience at Oxford Bookstores across multiple stores in Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.


From the Flowering Teas, Organic Teas, Herbal Teas, Diet Teas, Fruit Teas, to an exclusive range of Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Sikkim and Oolong, complimented by the best in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Moroccan, Russian, Sri Lankan, South African and Thai Teas – make up more than 150 varieties on offer to create pure joy for our customers as they browse through a book by their favourite author. Cha Bar’s Menu boasts of exotic and cultural blends like the Moroccan Mint, South African Rooibos, Decaf Teas, Green Teas and Ayurvedic Teas with healing powers and all of them are popular amongst our patrons. Special category of ‘Chai Hindustani’ and the Cutting Cha has been reinvented here at Cha Bar. Single Estate Virginal Teas from our Plantations in Upper Assam are also served here in a truly contemporary setting delivering an experience that has made Cha Bar a preferred destination. It was in April 2007 that we first brought Bollywood Masala Mix Cha, Truck Drivers 100 Mile Ki Cha, Katakali, Formosa Oolong, Yellow Tea, Emerald Green, Vervain Blue, Jasmine Pearl, Chinese Lapsang Souchoung, Verbena Tea, Licorice Tea, Fruit Melange, and Japanese Genmaicha to our Menu.


To complement the collection of Teas, Cha Bar offers a wide selection of Ala Carte savories such as fresh wholesome salads like the Mediterranean salad, classic Caesar salads with a choice of dressings that are perfect for a nutritious meal. Scrumptious finger foods like muddled nachos, chilli cheese toasties, keema samosas, onion pakoras, sev tikki pav are the ideal appetizers to share with friends and family. Other tit bits include the classic English tea sandwiches, pita wraps and rolls, house special soft centered muffins, freshly baked cookies and cupcakes, home-style special cakes and pies like the carrot and walnut apple and cinnamon pie is perfect to round off tea-time or take away. Other delightful savories include Falafel Hummus in pita pockets, Lebanese Choley Frankie in spiced pita wrap, vada chutney, chicken and vegetable pot pie, potato fry basket, Chocolate Croissant Roll, Muesli and Parmesan cookie and Seasonal Fruit Tart.


The stylish and relaxing ambience of Cha Bar can make hours go by browsing through our huge collection of books while one is spoilt for choice with an assortment of Teas blended and prepared with precision, and after exhaustive research, with personalized and informed service. The space dedicated to the Cha Bar adds to the experience. The natural colors of all material generate a serene, placid, refreshing and a comforting environment. The unique design and concept incorporates the original textures of wood, steel, glass, aluminum, onyx which are uncoated and exist in their original beauty and contours. The predominating color white used in our latest Cha Bar in Connaught Place offsets the brilliant mélange of hues of the Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place – the active space brimming with energy.


A unique feature of the environmental graphics across all Cha Bars is the Tea-Pot wall which displays the different traditional tea-pots from across the world. This not only creates awareness about the tradition of tea-serving across different continents but also adds an interesting design element adding to the ambience of the space. It also showcases how different Teas in our menus are served and promotes the dying truck art of Pakistan and the Bollywood poster art of India, for which special artists are commissioned by, Ms Priti Paul, Director, Apeejay Surrendra Group and herself an art aficionado.


Oxford Bookstores which houses Cha Bar is fiercely passionate towards raising funds, raising public consciousness and sharing responsibility towards one horned rhino conservation in India’s North Eastern state of Assam. Oxford Bookstores and WWF-India Partnership seeks to enroll customers of Oxford Bookstores and Cha Bar in the cause of conservation. When customers of Cha Bar choose our Single Estate Assam Teas, a portion of sales of every cup they sip, matched by Oxford Bookstores, helps preserve the life of one-horned rhino and their habitat in Assam as part of one horned rhino conservation efforts by WWF- India. Every time they buy a book, they directly but voluntarily donate towards ‘Give Back to Nature ‘programme of WWF-India, specifically supporting the Wild Wisdom quiz, India’s only national level quiz to sensitize and generate awareness among children by fostering a sense of competition, pride and knowledge of Indian biodiversity.


Cha Bar Menu is refreshed regularly with additional varieties of exotic Teas and scrumptious snacks with in-house experts at Apeejay Tea Group with experience of nurturing tea in our plantations dating back more than a 100 years and renowned Chefs of the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels with nearly 5 decades of experience in fine hospitality and award winning Food & Beverage offerings.


About Apeejay Tea Group:


Apeejay Tea Group is amongst the largest producers of tea in the country with 17 estates spread over 50000 acres in Upper Assam producing 25 million kilograms (approx.) of tea. It is a matter of great pride for us that Harrods, London has appointed Apeejay Tea as its sole India partner for sourcing Indian Teas. An exclusive collection of our single-estate teas, Sessa, Khobong and Pengaree, are on Harrods’ prestigious shelves. Typhoo, our FMCG brand is UK’s third largest tea brand and an over 100-year-old iconic British brand retailing in nearly 50 countries globally including India. London Fruit & Herb, Heath & Heather, Melroses and Ridgeways are some of our other International brands.


About Oxford Bookstores


Established in 1919 Oxford Bookstore is the best equipped ‘base-camp’ for journeys of the mind offering its customers the widest range of outstanding titles and consistently courteous and informed service for close to a century. Today, with India’s first dedicated Children’s bookstore, Oxford Junior, India’s first of its kind tea boutique, Cha Bar, India’s only literary festival created by a bookstore, Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, Oxford Bookstore offers booklovers access to the very best in publishing enhanced by a variety of events which salute books, visual & performing arts and celebrate the word. Oxford Bookstore measures its success by the smiles on millions of happy customers that the brand has served over the last 9 decades. There are a few treats as sumptuous as a visit to Oxford Bookstore in India. Each time you walk into our iconic store in Calcutta where the brand started in 1919, its charm leaves you wanting for more. Our fleet of 200 happy to help expert booksellers and informed hosts work day and night to bring to customers world class reading experience be it through our books or our fine teas and live by the brand’s motto – Much more than a bookstore – at every store, be it Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore or Bhubaneswar. In December 2012 Oxford Bookstore took a chapter from its growth story in India by launching, Katakali, its first overseas bookstore in the luxurious Taj Palace Hotel at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in the exclusive palm-filled oasis of the Palmeraie, Marakkech. In April 2013, with the opening of its most architecturally crafted retail store in a stunning new destination in Delhi’s historic centre, Connaught Place, Oxford Bookstore carved out yet another incredible space for quiet browsing, reading and contemplation. Its growth story continues…


For more information, please also log on to:

www.oxfordbookstore.com


http://www.apeejaytea.com/

 

Cha Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Technology Takes Another Leap.. Way Forward..An Emotional Wellness App To Fight Stress Makes Its Way In Our Lives

A really welcome launch of an emotional wellness app which I feel is the need of the hour.
The really hectic way of lifestyle and the ever increasing competition at work place is taking its toll on most of us. In India and I believe in certain other parts of the world too emotional distress is immediately linked to mental illness and hence a very big stigma is attached to it. Most people go in a denial mode that all is fine till a stage reaches where things worsen and then they reluctantly go for consultation.

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This App allows you to seek help at a click.There are some basic self help measures by which you can monitor your stress levels.

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Emotional distress covers a wide range like anxiety, work stress, work-life balance, conflicts or fights at work.
Then there is performance anxiety, public speaking, exam and interview anxiety.
Also very prevalent these days are marriage related problems, divorce and break up, family problems and issues related to children.

Very much on the rise are cases of depression and sadness, dealing with grief and loss, financial worries and sleep issues and many many more.
The app helps you deal with all of these with some simple do it yourself measures and also gives you the luxury to connect with eminent experts with whom you can connect 24×7 without having to actually go to them. They monitor your progress all along as they guide you with their expert advice. So the app helps you overcome your problems in complete secrecy.
The founder of WayForward is Dr Navya Singh, award winning clinical psychologist and researcher at Columbia University, New York.The other eminent experts on the panel are Prof.Lata McGinnis, Global CBT expert, past president of International association of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Chair Indian CBT Association, Dr A K Singh, Director,Reknowned Neurosurgeon, Max Health Care, Angeleena Kaur,Psychologist, Dr Lisa Napolitano,Clinical Psychologist, International mind fullness and CBT expert and Ms Devika Venkatachalam, Psychologist, speciality Children and Adolescents. They are ably assisted by a team of other experts who are with you 24×7.
I think it is a wonderful concept to be able to overcome your emotional problems without getting a stigma attached to it in the privacy of your own.

You can visit their website and download the app and I am sure you and your near ones will benefit from the same.

 

Book Review: When Arya Fell Through The Fault

This is a book by Reenita Malhotra Hora who is an award winning broadcast journalist,Ayurveda clinician and author of books on Ayurveda and Finance.
Operation Mom:How I Got my Mother a Life and Man her debut fiction novel has been widely acclaimed and recognized as a must-read young adult book written by an Indian author.

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When Arya Fell Through The Fault is her second release in this genre.Reenita anchors a popular morning programme on Hongkong’s RTHK Radio 3.Her weekend storytelling show,Asian Threads won her a Gold Trophy at the New York festivals International Radio Programmes Awards.

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A native of Mumbai,she currently lives in Hongkong with her family.
The book essentially is the growing up tale of a twelve year old Arya a “Brownie” from San Francisco who is continuously ridiculed by his schoolmates be it for his color to his ethnic traditional food.
The boy has been brought up at home on traditional,fascinating and magical mythological stories by his ever cheerful Mom more precisely the Ramayan.
It is a tale of a typical child who is ridiculed by one and all and his endeavor by any means to get rid of the Brownie image by any means
His frustrations and trials and turbulations are aptly described.
In the eagerness to be accepted by others he takes to the path of evil despite his mothers stern warnings.
It so happens that he becomes the cause of a severe accident which leaves his mother in a state of coma.
The one thing Arya holds on to dearly is his mothers copy of the Ramayana.
From hereon the author very cleverly juxtaposes the young Aryas fight against evil through the characters of the Ramayana.
Does good prevail over evil,Is Arya able to save her Mom while fighting his own demons makes for a very interesting read.
Grab a copy and get ready to be transported to the glorious era of Ramayana.
Fascinating Read.
Highly recommended.


Available on Amazon


Price: Rs 125/-


Rating: 4/5 stars

Hugo Barra, Vice President, Xiaomi Launches MI Air Purifier 2 – A smart way to clean air !

Well well Xiaomi one of the leading technology giants who entered India in 2014 with their wide range of smartphones have now launched their first Smart Home Product the MI Air Purifier 2 in India and that too at a very very affordable price of INR 9,999 only.

It is a very intelligent product with really smart features that help you make the air you breathe cleaner and healthier without any fuss.

Bring home a Xiaomi Air Purifier 2, download the MI Home App and turn your smartphone into a remote to control for your MI Air Purifier. Put the Air Purifier on Auto Mode and it will automatically adjust itself to the air around using the inbuilt sensors so don’t have to keep checking time n again. It will also give you a reminder when the filter needs a change. The filter when need to be changed is easily available online.

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With the launch of Mi Air Purifier 2 in India, Xiaomi is poised to play a part in increasing awareness about air pollution in India and how technology can be applied to better people’s lives.

Hugo Barra, Vice President, Xiaomi, who was present for the launch, said: “Air pollution is becoming an alarming public health concern in India. It is heartening to see more conversation around the situation, but there is still a big gap when it comes to consumer awareness. We believe that we are able to play a role in increasing awareness about air pollution by including AQI data into our MIUI Weather app, and by introducing Mi Air Purifier 2 to India. At this game-changing price, Mi Air Purifier 2 is set to disrupt the air purifier category in India, enabling us to bring these technological innovations to everyone.”

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According to the World Health Organization, 22 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities are in India, contributed significantly by industrial and vehicular exhaust. Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) — air pollutants with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less — are small enough to enter even the smallest airways and could result in respiratory and cardiovascular illness.

To increase awareness about air pollution, Xiaomi has now become the first smartphone brand in India to integrate Air Quality Index (AQI) data — which also reflects the measurement of PM2.5 particles in the air — into its MIUI 8 Weather app.

We all present at the launch were absorbing this useful information with great interest, as Mr Hugo Barra, went on to share these details with us.

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Mi Air Purifier 2 quickly removes PM2.5 particles, dust, indoor plant pollen, pet fur and more. With its high 310m3/h CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate), Mi Air Purifier 2 takes just 10 minutes to circulate purified air in a 21m2 room. Even so, the motor is extremely energy efficient with a low power consumption of 4.8W, while advanced aerodynamics reduce noise and wind resistance, resulting in a noise level as low as 30dB in Night mode.

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The 360° cylindrical filter on Mi Air Purifier 2 takes in air more efficiently from every direction compared to conventional air purifiers. Its triple-layer design removes particles larger than 0.3 microns with a high-density EPA filter, while an activated carbon filter removes formaldehyde, bad odour and other harmful substances.

Mi Air Purifier 2 will be available on Mi.com starting 26th September at 12 PM. It will also be available on Flipkart (exclusive partner) from 2nd October.


Here are some key features of Mi Air Purifier 2:

  • Real-time AQI monitoring, Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Mi Home app smart controls (Android and iOS)
  • Aerodynamic air vortex, up to 37m2 (400 sq. ft.) coverage
  • 310m3/h Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR)
  • 360° triple-layer filter, removes harmful PM2.5 articles
  • 4.8W energy saving, ultra-quiet 30dB noise level
  • Compact form factor: 520mm tall and base area smaller than an A4 sheet of paper
  • Replacement filter available online at INR 2,499

I had a terrific time understanding this information first hand from Mr. Hugo Barra at a recently held media event.

I am definitely gonna try this product and I am sure all of you will also do so, as cleaner air is not luxury but a necessity!

S.O.A.R Success Over Adversity Reigns- Book Review

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This is the second book by the author Abir Mukherjee who is an IT professional based in U.S.A.
The backdrop of the book is related to the IT industry.The three protagonists who come together in the book namely Uday, Adhyayan and Rajasekaran take you through a roller coaster journey of friendship, love, ambition and deceit.
The story rests on Uday’s dream of making it big. He hits upon a brilliant idea and leaves his job to pursue his dream. He ropes in his two friends Adhyayan aka Adi and Rajasekaran aka Raja to join him.
The three embark upon the journey which takes them through disappointments and trials and turbulations and breakups.
Then comes a huge shock as Uday gets embroiled in a case of cheating and is arrested.
Hearing the news Adi and Raja leave everything to be at his side forgetting the differences they had in the past.
The ensuing married life of Adi which suffers immensely due to the project and the new found love of Raja make a compelling parallel story.
Will Uday be cleared of the controversy, Will Adi’s married life get back on track and will Raja be able to marry his love, an outcaste marriage?
Grab a copy and find out. The book surely has some editing errors and could have been better in that area, nevertheless it makes a very interesting read for sure.


About the Author:


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Abir Mukherjee was born and brought up in Bardhaman, a small town of West Bengal. He is currently based in U.S.A having completed more than 8 years as an IT Professional. He has completed his B.E. in computer science and engineering in 2005 and started working in different software MNCs. ‘S.O.A.R’ is his second novel.Blackbuck Publication has published his first novel, ‘As Life Has No Undo’. He loves to sketch and write in his spare time. He writes to entertain people, not to teach them how to live life, how to be successful in life or any other philosophical lessons


Book Price: Rs 175/- available on Amazon


Rating: 4/5

Her Resurrection- Book Review

Her Resurrection- Book Review

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The book has been very aptly dedicated to Jyoti Singh and all the innumerable victims of sexual violence.
It takes you through the tragic journey of Maya,the protagonist of this highly moving and poignant tale.
The author has beautifully captured the ethos and pain of Maya tracing her journey from a young eight year child,a burden,as referred to by her father. From child sex abuse to the rape of a teenaged Maya.The hatred and ridicule of the Society which still considers women as the weaker sex to be lorded over and abused by the so called superior species of man, this book discovers many shades of her persona, beautifully captured in words.
The centre of her strength through these early disasters in life of Maya is her mother who installs a sense of purpose in her.
Maya from a remote village who despite all opposition sets out to realise her dream of education.
The journey takes her to Mumbai where she is forced into prostitution and her subsequent getaway from a brothel to further deceit and abuse at the hands of men to her eventually overcoming her utmost desire to kill herself and redeem and reclaim her dignity form the crux of this moving story. The book literally showcases the cruelty that our society has to offer especially when it come stop rape victims and women involved in flesh trade. But it also shows the power and strengths that every woman possesses and the fact that she can overcome any challenges life throws at her and emerge as true winners.
A very beautifully penned story capturing the pain, the grief and the undying underlying grit of Maya. Its a tale of survival and reclamation of one’s own identity.
A must read.
Grab your copy today.


Available on Amazon


Price Rs 150/-

Book Review- Once in a Lifetime;Happens Again

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The book is co authored by Mr Ashish Kumar Mall and Ms Lovely Kumari both third year students at KIIT University,Bhubneshwar.While Ashish is pursuing Electronics Engineering Lovely is a Computer Science Engineering student.
The one word the book after reading evokes is Nostalgia.
One can very easily relate to the hero of the book Ashwin and his best friend Ankita.
The book traces the teenhood journey of Ashwin. The adolescent age when one is constantly ready to fall in love at the slightest chance. Each girl who passes your path seems a Princess and the one you happen to get close to a queen.
Those teenhood infatuations,friendship,love,breakups,love lost,new love found makes for an interesting read.
I think most everyone will be able to connect with the situations and lead characters of the book be it Aswin his friend Mitu and the three girls mainly involved Ankita,Bhawana and Ria.
You will find an interesting twist at the end of the book.
Go ahead grab a copy and re visit your teens.


Price: Rs 169, available on Amazon


 

Book Review- The Soft Target

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The book traces the life of the lead protagonist Mohan.
Born in the Village of Bolangir,Odisha to very timid parents who have literally struggled through life.Mohan is blessed with intelligence beyond his young age but at the same time he is cursed with a rarest of rare disease.He is mind is hyper active bordering on genius.But what the mind dictates his tongue cannot relate.Let me give you a small example here.You ask Mohan How are you? His reply would be The Sun is shining bright.But despite this handicap he was a brilliant student topping in the school as well as state level. His parents were worried and garnering all their savings take him to Madras for treatment.The Doctor there is really at wits end and tells them that there is no remedy for this rare ailment but advises the parents to give him psychiatric counseling.
As they return to their village Mohans resolve to excel gets stronger.
He loses his parents in an accident and blames God for everything in his life.
But he challenges God that he will no longer be his soft target and to negate his one weakness he is determined to excel in academics.
From here on the author very skillfully takes you through to Mohans journey from a village to the prestigious IIT Bombay where three other protagonists join him by coincidence and how they form a formidable friendship.
The trials and turbulations at IIT and subsequent success for the four and then the murder and political intrigue in which Mohan gets involved lead to an absolutely fascinating tale.

A perfect weekend read.


Price: Rs 249/- and available on Amazon