Month: December 2016

The Beard Story…!!

There is a notorious group roaming in Manali. Their guilt: Growing Beard. Meet the people working in an adventure sports channel, 4Play.in. Most of them have nourished a beard, with some beards flowing long enough for others to gaze at them with astonishment. You ask anyone in Manali about the place where bearded men live, and they will point to the 4Play Hoffice.


Is it a company policy to grow a beard?”


Well, it’s a personal choice for everyone. It just somehow happens that all the beard fanatics are working together,” says Sukrit Gupta, co-founder of 4Play Media and Communication, and a proud owner of a bandholz beard. The company cites itself as a beard neutral workplace. No one is judged on the basis of their appearance and keeping a beard falls under the same category. Work is of the utmost priority and if that is not hampered, then everything is poised.


“What’s the biggest hinder it can cause at the work? Get dipped into your coffee? Soak all the caffeine required?


Don’t worry. We have three dogs who make sure to keep our mornings active each day,” jokes Prashant Bhatt, Creative lead at 4Play.in.

They do have a point here. Many corporate offices forbid keeping a beard. This is because, according to them, having a beard emits a laid-back attitude towards the person as well as the organization. You look like a ruffian as compared to a clean shaven person. This sounds very prejudiced and unfair in a world where we try to recognize someone on the basis of merits rather than appearance. Hence, growing a beard in an office environment seems to be another ceiling to break. And it looks like this company has got the right tools and attitude to break it.

They are progressing to become a trendsetter in this regards. Moreover, they challenge each other as to who can grow denser and longer beard.

Exhausted with the innumerable questions about their beard, the team decided to respond in a very funny way. By bringing their funny bones into the picture, they made a video explaining their reasons to grow a beard. The reasons are quite humorous and bizarre. This video sends two great messages. One, that they are not shy to make fun of themselves. And secondly, they teach us that there is always a lighter side to tackle trivial issues.

As if this video was not comic enough to circulate among your friends and colleagues for a good laugh, these guys decided to bring our focus to serious health issues regarding men, especially prostate cancer. Hence, for every share and comment on the video, 4Play.in will be sharing Re 1 to Movember Foundation, a foundation tackling men’s health on a global scale, year round. Watching a funny beard video (as rare as it sounds) on a No Shave November was definitely a great and, thanks to this cause, a noble idea.

Goa is here…! Goan Food Festival at the Peninsular Kitchen brings authentic Goan food to Delhi!

We all know that as soon as Christmas and New Years are approaching, Goa becomes one of the hottest destinations in India. We all crave the crazy nights, dancing away, having fun with family and friends and most of all the amazing coastal food. But everytime its not possible to pack our bags and go to Goa, so how about satiating that craving for Goan Food right here in Delhi, yes its true. Peninsular Kitchen brings to you the Goan Food Festival from 9th to 23rd Dec where you can indulge in some amazing Goan preparations.

I was invited on the launch day of the festival to experience awesomeness, by Vickrham from Food Maniacs. It was a pleasant evening and a cozy ambience at the peninsular kitchen and my culinary journey began by trying out the very Goan Kokum Curry or Sol Kadi as it’s popularly called. It’s a natural digestive and serves as an excellent cooler for the stomach especially after the spicy Goan fish curries. It’s prepared with Kokum and Coconut Milk and spices like cumin and it was awesome. It reminded me of homemade Masala Lassi.

Sol Kadi

Next I tried some Rasam, after the cold and refreshing Sol Kadi, this was hot and spicy but equally tasteful.

Rasam

For starters we tried Golden Fried Prawns, Butter Garlic Prawns, Chicken Cafreal, Cauliflower Cafreal, Butter Garlic Mushrooms, Fish Fingers and Prawn Rissoles from the Goan Menu. Golden Fried Prawns reminded me of the saying that somethings are best kept simple, this was one simple recipe and yet to tasteful. I loved it. The Butter Garlic Prawns went on to become my favourites and even the mushrooms in same preparation were drool worthy. A word of caution for the Cafreal preperations, they were hot and spicy. Especially the Cafreal Prawns and Cafreal Chicken was very spicy, it was coated with thick green chilies and coriander masala paste, undoubtedly delicious but definitely spicy. So if you can’t handle spices, give it a miss. Somehow the cauliflower and potatoes in the same masala tasted less spicy.

Golden Fried Prawns
Prawns Cafreal
Butter Garlic Mushrooms
Butter Garlic Prawns
Chicken Cafreal
Cafreal Vegetables
Prawn Rissoles

We also tried the Erachi Vada aka Mutton Vada and Fried Fish Koliwada from the regular menu. The Erachi Vada was completely new to me, I have never tried anything of the sort, a mutton cultlet made of minced meat along with dal, it was crispy yet tender. I really liked it and you must try this one. The Fish Koliwada was good too.

Erachi Vada

Moving on to the main course, we tried the awesome Pork Vindaloo, again thick gravy made with red chilies paste, spicy but delectable. Then there was the popular Goan Fish Curry, Chicken Xacuti, and Vegetable Xacuti and Cafreal Vegetables. I personally loved Vindaloo the most and its surely a must try. It tastes best with a Pav or Appams. The Fish Curry was delicious too, and served with Prawn Rice, it makes for a perfect combination. I also ordered for Chicken Ghee Roast, a very typical costal dish, fiery red, tangy and spicy with an unmistakable flavor of ghee-roasted spices, this authentic home-style chicken dish is not for the faint heart. Try it with Malabari Paranthas and thank me later, but do keep a glass of water ready with you.

Chicken Ghee Roast
Xucati Vegetables
Vegetable Vindaloo
Mushroom Curry
Fish Curry
Pork Vindaloo
Ghee Roast with Malabari Paranthas and Appam
Pork Vindaloo, Fish Curry and Prawn Rice

I loved the entire spread and at no cost one should miss it, so please make the most of it while the Goan Food Festival is there, and even after that keep visiting Peninsular Kitchen for their authentic coastal cuisine.

I brought my spicy culinary journey to an end with sweet caramel custard but I am already craving the spicy dishes as I write about them.

 

Peninsular Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Shahrukh Khan Launches The Raees Trailer With UFO Moviez Across 10 Cities Simultaneously..!!

Digital Era saw yet another path breaking initiativeby UFO Moviez. The world’s first-ever Big Screen trailer launch of movie ‘Raees’ on 7th December 2016 mesmerized audiences in 10 theatres across Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Surat and Moga, thanks to UFO Moviez’slatest initiative ‘Curtain Raiser’.Curtain Raiser enabled King Khan to launch the much-awaited Raees Trailer simultaneously in the theatres and gave him an opportunity to interact live with audience on Big Screen. The platform –‘Curtain Raiser’, introduced by UFO Moviez, empowers a brand to interact live with audiences across their network of over 5000 screens.

The remarkable affair began mid-morning with a brief introduction of UFO Moviez, the initiative and release of thrilling trailer of “Raees”. The Baadshah of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan, stationed at UFO Moviez’s central studio, interacted with the audiences for an hour, with fans fervently asking for more. The audience sitting in theatres in the selected 10 cities could see and interact with the actor himself. The staggering enormity of the initiative truly came across when viewers at one location could hear those at another, while they interacted with Mr Khan.

With King Khan live on screen in virtually every big city, all eyes were locked on the event. With this phenomenal event, UFO Moviez has ignited a spark that will provoke a revolution in the digital wave of Indian cinema. The name of the theatres participated for the interactive session are Mumbai – Gold Cinemas (Milan Mall), Moga (Punjab) – Neelam Nova Cinemaz, Jaipur – Golcha Cinema (Nile), Kolkata – Menoka Cinema,Delhi – Delite Theatre, Indore – Madhu Milan Cinema, Hyderabad– VenkatramanaMegaplexAhmedabad – City Gold Ashram Road, Bengaluru – Q Cinemas, and Surat – DR World (INOX).

A first of its kind, the launch really garnered great excitement. I was one of the lucky few to experience it first hand at the Delite Cinema, Delhi.

The media was there in full strength and one could feel the underlying excitement of the Launch.
There was a continuous chorus of Shahrukh, Shahrukh very spontaneously orchestrated by DJ Raunaq of 93.5 FM, radio partners of Raees. Huge cheers went up as the screen showed up the launch of the trailer.
If the trailer is anything to go by and the sheer vociferous welcome and applaud by the audiences the movie has certainly risen the expectations from this King Khan starrer.


As Shahrukh appeared live on the screen for interaction,the crowd frenzy was something to see. As always Shahrukh was at his wittiest best and interacted with the audience as only he can do. Answering each question in his own inimitable way Shahrukh won the hearts of everyone. His charisma remains unbeaten and no one can come even closer to the aura and magic that he creates with people.

Here is a glimpse of madness and screams that you can hear, the moment this man walks in..this craze is enigmatic..

Founder & Managing Director of UFO Moviez, Sanjay Gaikwad, said on the initiative: -“It was great to execute and present the World’s first-ever Interactive Big Screen Trailer Launch. We are glad that through ‘Curtain Raiser’, the King of Bollywood, ‘Shah Rukh Khan’, was able to interact live with audiences in 10 theatres through the Big Screen while audiences across UFO  screens enjoyed this exhilarating event live on-screen. The audience response to the event was astounding. We are delightedwith the commencement of our platform ‘Curtain Raiser’ and hope to see the same overwhelming response in the future.As India’s largest digital cinema distribution network and in-cinema advertising platform, UFO Moviez takes pridein emerging as the leaders of the new digital era.”


Commenting on the initiative, Veteran Producer – Distributor Mr Pahlaj Nihalani, and President of Movie Image Makers said, – I am really impressed with UFO’s latest initiative ‘Curtain Raiser’. The LIVE promotion vide the digital technology encourages additional footfalls at the cinemas many of which are going through low occupancy. It was a real gratifying experience for the cinema audience as it brought them closer to their stars and gave them an opportunity to interact with them. This kind of innovative promotions will help enhance revenues for the entertainment industry.


Commenting on the Raees Trailer Launch on UFO’s Curtain Raiser, the film’s Producer, Mr. Ritesh Sidhwani, said, “The trailer of the film has released in as many as 3,500 screens Pan India. The launch is a revolutionary concept which has helped us reach out to a larger audience and celebrate the movie goer in its purest form through the advanced technology of UFO Moviez. We have had a fantastic association, and hope to collaborate on future projects that bring innovation and excitement to the theatre going audiences.”


The trailer has already broken records of it having fastest 10 million views in just about 3.5 hours . It just shows the kind of opening we can expect from the movie. In case you have missed it, here is the trailer

About UFO Moviez India Ltd: (www.ufomoviez.com)


UFO Moviez India Limited is India’s largest digital cinema distribution network and in-cinema advertising platform in terms of number of screens. UFO operates India’s largest satellite-based, digital cinema distribution network using its UFO-M4 platform, as well as India’s largest D-Cinema network.  As on September 30, 2016, our global network, along with our subsidiaries and associates, spans 6,730 screens worldwide, including 5,055 screens across India & Nepal and 1,675 screens across the Middle East (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan), Israel, Mexico and the USA serviced by our subsidiary Scrabble Entertainment Ltd..UFO’s digitization and delivery model has been a key driver of extensive digitization of Indian cinemas and has enabled wide-spread, same day release of movies across India. UFO adds value to all stakeholders in the movie value chain, spanning movie producers, distributors, exhibitors, and the cinema-going audience. UFO provides value to movie producers and distributors by reducing distribution costs, providing reach to a wide network, providing a faster method of delivery of content and reducing piracy through encryption and other security measures. We provide value to movie exhibitors throughout India by providing access to first day release of movies on our digital platform. Audiences benefit from faster access to new movie releases and a consistently high quality viewing experience. UFO has created a pan India, high impact in-cinema advertising platform with generally long-term advertising rights to 3,748 screens, with an aggregate seating capacity of approximately 1.76 million viewers and a reach of 1,906 locations across India, as on September 30, 2016. UFO’s in-cinema advertising platform enables advertisers to reach a targeted, captive audience with high flexibility and control over the advertising process. UFO’s in-cinema advertising platform also allows small exhibitors who otherwise are not able to effectively monetize their advertising inventory due to their limited scale and reach to receive a greater share of advertisement revenue than they are able to using traditional advertising methods.

 

US Cranberries- America’s Original Superfruit Conducts a Knowledge Sharing Seminar in Delhi!

With the aim to raise awareness and knowledge of US cranberries, the US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) organized a seminar in New Delhi on the versatility, availability and utilization of America’s Original Superfruit™ among industrial ingredient users in India. Rich in Vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants, these tiny berries have been favorites among the healthy food lovers for some time now.

Talking about the US cranberry industry and expansion plans in India, Ms. Alyson Segawa, Manager, International Marketing Accounts at Bryant Christie said, “The Indian market offers enormous potential for US cranberries and is being considered one of the most important export markets for the United States. This seminar is our initiative to raise positive awareness of US cranberries among trade.”

Sharing the Indian perspective, Mr. Keith Sunderlal, India representative, US Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) stated, “The increase in demand of US cranberries among the Indian consumers is testimony to the super fruit’s growing popularity. Through our multi pronged awareness drive, we aim to take its unique flavor and health benefits across the nation.”

The seminar saw participation from over 90 established decision makers from the food and nutrition industry, key opinion makers from the ingredients industry, and culinary experts.  The highlight of the event was an insightful session on US cranberry Industry and Applications by Karen Cahill, Communications & Marketing Specialist, Cranberry Marketing Committee. The seminar agenda included discussions, presentations and a cooking demonstration of Indian and fusion recipes with US cranberry as the main ingredient. Chef Sabyasachi Gorai prepared 3 amazing dishes using cranberries as the key ingredient and all of them were lip smacking.

 

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During the live US cranberry recipe demonstration at the event, celebrated Chef Sabyasachi Gorai said, “US cranberries are an absolute delight to cook with. Their tangy-sweet taste and unique texture gives them the ability to be the star ingredient of any preparation, ranging from drinks, appetizers, main course to desserts. As an innovator who is always trying out new ingredients and techniques, US cranberries play a huge role in my experiments as a budding chef. US cranberries are a versatile fruit that add delicious flavor to a variety of foods, making them the ideal ingredient choice for the Indian consumer.”


About the Cranberry Marketing Committee


The Cranberry Marketing Committee (CMC) is focused on promoting the use and consumption of cranberries worldwide. The CMC was established as a Federal Marketing Order in 1962 to ensure a stable, orderly supply of good quality product. Currently, CMC conducts generic promotion programs in the United States, China, India, Mexico, Pan-Europe and South Korea.


About the SCS Group


The SCS Group is an agribusiness-consulting firm specializing in marketing, international trade and communications strategy related to food, beverage and agricultural products. The firm has been a pioneer in nutrition-based marketing in the country and is organizing the US cranberries trade seminars in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore in India.

Maruti Suzuki National Super League TSD Rally Championship makes grand debut in Arunachal Pradesh

The 5th leg of Maruti Suzuki National Super League TSD Rally Championship 2016 is all set to begin from India’s most pristine and least explored state, Arunachal Pradesh from December 14-17, 2016. The thrill and exhilaration of rallying will be at its peak as the motor enthusiasts drive past lush river gorges and craggy mountain capes in the ‘Land of Dawn-lit Mountains’. The rally will cover approximately 700 kms, passing through dense forests, steep hills and snow-capped peaks crossing Itanagar, Pasighat and Dambuk.

To add to the enthusiasm, the rallyists will also be able to witness the Orange Festival of Adventure and Music at Dambuk.

The championship is a combination of six different rallies namely Uttarakhand Rally, Deccan Rally, Backwaters Rally, Mughal Rally, Rally of Arunachal, Rally of Gujrat and offers a chance to more and more amateur rallysts to participate in motor rallies.

Speaking about the championship, Mr. Vinay Pant, Asst. Vice President, Marketing, Maruti Suzuki said, “This is the first time we are taking the thrill of Maruti Suzuki motorsports to Arunachal Pradesh and elated that the rally championship is coinciding with the Orange Festival of Adventure and Music. We have received a very encouraging response to all our rounds of the National Super League TSD Rally Championship. As more and more people come forward to pursue their passion for rallying, it helps us touch more lives and reach out to a larger span of motor enthusiasts every year.”

The Maruti Suzuki NSTSD rally championship is open to all four-wheeler makers. There is no need for any customization in cars to participate in the championship. The Rally follows Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) format which is a highly recommended rallying format that tests the skills of driver and the navigator, and retains the adventure of competitive motorsport, thus making more and more amateur drivers to participate in the motorsport activity.

 

Maruti Suzuki & Motorsports: Maruti Suzuki has been actively promoting safe motorsports in the country for over 15 years now. To popularize action sport, the Maruti Suzuki motorsport calendar is packed with exciting motoring events. Be it for a motorsport enthusiast, an amateur or a professional, there are events that offer the thrill and joy of motorsport to one and all. The annual calendar of events includes cross country rallies including Maruti Suzuki Raid-De-Himalaya, Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm and Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare. Recently Maruti Suzuki has added the National Super League TSD Rally Championship and Maruti Suzuki Autocross championship to its motorsport calendar making it even more exciting. These events provide rallying thrills as well as promote safe driving habits. To ensure safety of the participants the rally is conducted professionally in supervision of top class marshals.


For more information please visit: http://www.marutisuzukimotorsport.com


Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MarutiSuzukimotorsports


Twitter – https://twitter.com/MS_motorsports


Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/maruti_motorsports/

Beat the Blues with Biryani Blues..!!

Everyone has those days when you don’t want to cook and neither go out for dinner, and hence the best option is to get some amazing food delivered at your door step, and recently one of the days I did just that..!

I ordered a single meal in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian option from Biryani Blues… Why single meal??? Because it gave me a chance to explore both their famous biryani and some really delectable starters. In the non-veg meal, I got a more than sufficient quantity of Chicken Biryani along with Mirchi Ka Salan and Raita, and I got a generous quantity of Chicken Nizami as a starter. I simply loved the Biryani and was totally bowled over by the Nizami Chicken, the biryani was just perfect and the best part was that in most restaurants biryani is over powered with spices in the name of authenticity, but this one was perfectly balanced. The taste was mild and no spices over-powered each other thus retaining the essence of Biryani.

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The Nizami Chicken was tender, succulent and perfectly spiced. I was very skeptical before ordering, but now I am specially going to order a full portion of the same.

 

Now coming to the vegetarian meal, it too had Veg Biryani with Mirchi Salan and Raita and Paneer 65 as the starter. Being a non-vegetarian one always feel that Chicken Biryani is the best, but all I can say is this was no less, its heaven for vegetarians and the Paneer 65 was simply awesome. I have never been fond of non-vegetarian food with South-Indian touch, but now my perception has been changed forever.

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All in all, if you really want awesome food, at reasonable prices and that too at the comfort of your home, just go for Biryani Blues, you will love it!


 
Biryani Blues Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR, BIKER & ENTREPRENEUR KAPIL PATHARE’S BOOK “A TALL ORDER” WAS UNVEIILED BY SRILANKAN CRICKET LEGEND SANATH JAYASURYA

The launch was a grand affair with Sanath Jayasurya launching the book. Author of book Kapil Pathare read Yuvraj Singh’s chapter where he spoke in depth about his journey. After the chapter reading Sanath Jayasurya addressed the media & spoke a few words about the book & Kapil Pathare.

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The launch saw the presence of- Sanjeev Kapoor, Munisha Khatwani, Jyoti Saxena, Aneel Murarka, Garima Pandey, DJ Sheizwood, Manpreet Arora, Hansa Singh & Harsha Bhatkal and many more. RJ Archana who anchored the show wore a beautiful gown by designer duo Bhumika & Jyoti.  

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It isn’t surprising that a sport that goes on for days, often without result, inspires this much writing.  “A book is your best visiting card” says Author, Biker & Entrepreneur Kapil Pathare who launched his book “A Tall Order” which traces the cricketing careers of ten best cricketers from India in the last 25 years. The book is an account of a golden era in Indian cricket. A galaxy of stars descended on the cricket field , shone like never before and left us with over lasting memories. Each of these men brought laurels to India in their unique ways “The book echoes about the lives of 10 extra ordinary cricketers. Their contribution to the sport has made the country what it is today. Together these 10 cricketers have fashioned the fortunes of cricket in the country. We have never been as blessed as we have been in the last 25 years thanks to these gentlemen. This truly is the league of extraordinary gentlemen for Indian cricket because it has raised the standards of the sport in the country and gained the country enough respect worldwide. The book is dedicated to my late father Mr. Jaykumar Pathare”

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Sanath Jayasurya says “I am so happy to be a part of this launch. A Srilankan cricketer who comes & launches a book which talks about ten cricket legends of the country & to really do this is overwhelming. I wish Kapil all the best for the book and his future

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“These cricketers have impacted lives of us all as they have carved out a niche for themselves in the cricketing landscape. These cricketers have been at the forefront of a revolution that has engulfed world cricket thanks to their achievements. The fact that cricket is still surviving as a sport is because of the impact these gentlemen have made on cricket and helped create an economy. This book hopes to do justice to the work put in by these gentlemen  in front of our eyes in the last 25 years” says Kapil Pathare whose moto is plain and simple – Live Life every day as if it’s your last. No wonder, his enigmatic personality attracts people and the limelight wherever he goes.

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Kapil Pathare has penned his success story not just by his sheer corporate skills but quite literally as an established author. His first book was ideated on a cricket pitch when he saw the Indian cricket team in a huddle “What if cricket and management can be interlinked. After all, cricket is more of a mind game and strategy sport. If one draws the right strategies from cricket, they can be used on the corporate pitch as well. More so, for budding entrepreneurs, start-ups and women in the corporate world who did not watch cricket but were really good at their management skills”


The book features- Sachin Tendulkar, Anil  Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS  Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Virendra  Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni. You can read the review here .

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Testimonials- 


Our history of overseas record actually saw a positive turn in the era that we all played together. What we seeing now is progression of what our era achieved – Zaheer Khan.


I have been fortunate as a player and as chairman of selectors for having seen from close quarters there extraordinary cricketers – Kiran More.


It was really great for Indian cricket that we all were at the peak of our powers at the same time – Harbhajan Singh.

Meenakshi Lekhi, Vijay Goel, Javed Abidi address 5000+ crowds at India Gate on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated every year on 3rd December.

Proclaimed and promoted by the United Nations, this international observance is marked the world over to intensify efforts aimed at the sustained effective action with a view to improving the situation of persons with disabilities. The day was marked by a ‘walk to freedom‘ for 5000 persons with disability; organised by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People   in partnership with American India Foundation (AIF) at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate.

Celebrated with yellow and blue balloons, the colours of disability, it was a pleasant surprise to see the same colours worn by Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, National Spokesperson of the BJP. Also present was the Hon. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Vijay Goel.

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Shri Vijay Goel praised the four para-lympians who won at the Rio Olympics earlier this year and saluted the spirit of para-athletes.

Coming straight to the point, he warmed the hearts of the 5000+ people gathered at the event, by speaking about the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill which is scheduled to be considered for discussion and passing in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, 5th December. He said, “ I will not only talk to my own party members but also across party lines for the smooth passage of the bill.”

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Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament, and the Chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) assured her commitment towards accessibility and inclusion. She expressed, “ I support the passage of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill.  Monday will be a day of celebration for all of us and not just persons with disabilities if the Bill gets passed.” 

Other dignitaries present at the celebration included Shri Zorin Singha, President; Shri A.S. Narayanan, Secretary, National Association of the Deaf and Shri Javed Abidi, Honorary Director, NCPEDP.

Says Javed Abidi, “I was hoping that the Bill would be passed yesterday. It would have been a gift to the disabled community from the Indian parliament. We look forward to the 5th, and I would like to thank the 5000 + crowd that has turned up here today. I also congratulate all the performers who put up a great show.”

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For India which is home to over 70 million people with disabilities, with few rights, few entitlements, and even fewer opportunities, this day assumes a greater significance, creating visibility and awareness on the issues faced by people with different disabilities before a larger audience.

This year, has special significance. It is not only the 20th year of NCPEDP, but also


1. It is the 10th anniversary year of United Nations-CRPD – the first human rights convention concerning persons with disabilities. 


2. It is the first anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the accompanying 17 SDGs which have provided for a disability inclusive development agenda for the first time.


3. 3rd December 2016 also formally marks the first anniversary of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s flagship ‘Accessible India Campaign’ or ‘Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan’ which has brought the issue of accessibility outside the disability discourse into the public realm in India.

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Health at what cost– a session for fitness freaks!

“Health at What Cost” an interesting talk session was held at Oxford Bookstore Connaught Place recently. The session was organised to discuss the key reasons beneath the healthcare and fitness issues in India. The concept was to highlight the solutions through day-to-day practices in the masses towards fitness. The event was moderated by Shrey Khanna which had a talk session, headed by esteemed group of panelists like  Sonu Wassan– a holistic yoga expert, Sapna Khanna-a well-known fitness coach and Nidhi Mohan Kamal– Indian nutrition and health expert.  The esteemed panelists talked about how to maintain routine fitness with absolute comfort in this busy and competitive life. The discussion went ahead resolving the common myths of workouts that changed the way one think about fitness & healthy lifestyle. The panelists also discussed about the benefits of yoga, losing weight with normal Indian diet and the nutrients and supplements required for having a healthy and fit body. The panelists also interacted with the audience suggesting some interesting workout routines like indoor rock climbing, hula hoops, yoga sessions etc. to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The event was hosted by Ms. Neena Gulati

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ABOUT THE PANELISTS


Sapna Khanna


Sapna Khanna a certified fitness enthusiast believes that the fitness is customized to individual needs, skills lifestyle and aptitude. She spoke about the common mistakes people do while exercising, the correct way of exercising which people are following. Doing crunches and running and spending an hour for workout is not just needed for losing shed and to be fit. You can lose weight and still gain muscle; likewise, you can also gain weight while still losing fat. The quality of your workouts is more important than the quantity.

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Nidhi Mohan Kami


Nidhi Mohan Kamal helped in guidance with losing weight with normal Indian Diet, the truth about protein powders and weight training for women makes manly or helps in losing weight or not. Protein has become a staple supplement for most bodybuilders and other athletes but has more recently caught on with the anti-aging groups also for its effects on immunity.

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SonuWassan

SonuWassan is a Delhi based yoga instructor and started her experience with yoga seven years ago, with Sivananda Yoga. She followed this with a specialised teacher training course from the Aurobindo Ashram on yoga for children and adults. Sonu has trained under the direct guidance of Swami Vidyanand, and is a certified Master and Grand Master of transformational Yoga. Sonu has taught yoga in the prestigious Aurobindo Ashram, and has since conducted her own independent yoga classes. She emphasizes on traditional gentle yoga working upon the body, mind, breath and awareness, leading to a transformed you with good health, balanced attitude and vitality to deal with urban and modern day lifestyle and stress. Sonu offers personalized classes, to suit all age groups and all levels of experience in yoga.


Guests who attended the event were: Salma Sultan, Nishant Choubey, Aashmeen Munjaal, Niladri Paul, Deepa Sondhi, Shuchi Khanna, Minu Talwar & many more.

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Relish the Goodness of Winter Veggies at Plaza Premium Lounge!

As the temperature is gradually getting colder and one can feel the chill in the air, Plaza Premium Lounge unveils its new Winter Special Menu. A wide array of dishes with healthy food that are loaded with nutrients, antioxidants, and immune-boosting powers, which your body requires to get through the chilly weather.

The new menu offers seasonally inspired dishes, thoughtfully prepared by Executive Chef Ankit Mangla and his team of culinary experts who only work with the highest quality of fresh ingredients available in the local market.


In winters our body craves for high energy and protein rich foods which provide warmth along with nutrition. The menu uses fresh seasonal vegetables like carrots, radish, yams, garlic, spinach, mustard leaves, goose berries, oranges and guava. A lot of protein rich foods such as paneer, ghee, butter, cheese and khoya are also used. The menu also has some healthy items made of whole grains like millet and corn and whole spices with anti-microbial properties.

filafel-with-winter-vegetables

Some exciting dishes includes Pasta with Assorted Winter Vegetables, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna, Falafel with Assorted Winter Vegetables,  Methi Murgh Masala, Gajar Mutter Gobhi masala, Corn Spinach & Mushroom Fondue, Vegetable Cannelloni, Thai Veg Green Curry, Ratatouille, Assorted Vegetables in Sichuan Sauce, Murgh Saagwala to name a few. Guests may also enjoy variety of salads and dessert options such as Gajar Ka Halwa, Gulkand Phirni, Carrot Olive Mint Salad, Banana and Honey French Toast etc.

mushroom-and-spinach-lasagne

“The new menu went through a lot of thought and considerations before the final list of dishes were set. We wanted to make sure that each and every item reminds the guests of the beautiful season ahead and that they enjoy a flavorful meal before their travel”, said Ankit Mangla, Executive Chef, Plaza Premium Lounge.

The new winter menu will emphasize on the best of Plaza Premium Lounge while showcasing an irresistible range of newly curated dishes that will give our guests a wider variety of options to choose from. These new menu items are sure to impress and please any palate with a fusion of flavors.

pasta-with-winter-vegetables

No more worrying about the boring food at airport, head to Plaza Premium Lounge to indulge in a wonderful winter meal


What: Winter Special Menu


Where: Plaza Premium Lounge at Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports


When: December till February


Price: Lounge access starts at Rs.1200 plus taxes


*This promotion is limited to select lounges across Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports.


About Plaza Premium Lounge


Plaza Premium Lounge, the world’s largest independent airport lounge network, gives travellers a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the airport, a home away from home, by providing a space with top-notch services and facilities for travellers departing, transiting and arriving at major international airports including Abu Dhabi, Brisbane, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London Heathrow, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Toronto and Vancouver.

Comfortable seating, enticing food and beverage selection, showers with amenities, private resting suites, VIP rooms, recharging stations, Wi-Fi, computer workstations are but a few of the services offered to enhance the airport experience.

As the first airport lounge network to achieve ISO 9001:2008 certification and the World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge by Skytrax, we are committed to consistently providing quality services and continual improvement for valued customers. By putting into action, the best ideas and practices from across the network and around the world, we focus on innovative and quality products and services.

 

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