Category: Events & Happenings

Ajjay Mehra Wins ‘International Designer of the Year 2016’

Ajjay Mehra Wins ‘International Designer of the Year 2016’

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Ajjay Mehrra, a leading designer for Men’s Fashion has won the International Designer of the Year 2016 title in London, at the Asian Voice Political & Public Life Awards hosted by the House of Commons, British Parliament.

Ajjay Mehra
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Eleanor Laing presented the award to the Ajjay Mehrra, the only Indian designer  to have won this award.  Also present were several MPs of the British Parliament including Keith Vaz, Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee. 
Ajjay Mehra with British Politician Matthew Hancock

Ajjay Mehra with Mr. D.K. Anand

Ajjay Mehra with Sir Trevor McDonald OBE
Having dressed various eminent personalities, including Prime Minister Modi and various Bollywood and Hollywood stars, Ajjay Mehrra is incredibly proud to bring he award back home and hopes to continue doing great things with Men’s Fashion, especially in India.  

Ajjay Mehra’s Store

Ajjay Mehra’s The Wedding Room Attire

Narendra Modi in Ajjay Mehra Jacket
Ajjay Mehrra also holds a Guinness World Record from 1995 as the only designer ever to host a fashion show on a moving train.


Mercure Debuts in the Heart of Hyderabad

Mercure Debuts in the Heart of Hyderabad

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Hyderabad, April 18, 2016 – Featuring 128 well-appointed rooms, three food and beverage outlets and five contemporary meeting and banquet spaces, Mercure Hyderabad KCP offers modern comfort to business and leisure travelers in the city.


AccorHotels today announced the opening of Mercure Hyderabad KCP, marking the group’s fourth property and its first midscale brand hotel in the iconic city. Located in the heart of Hyderabad’s shopping, historic and business district, which is a quintessential paradise for corporate and leisure travelers, Mercure Hyderabad KCPoffers guests globally renowned standards of service and accommodation infused with authentic local touches, inherent to the city of Nizams. The property is a short drive from the Hyderabad airport and within close proximity to several tourist attractions, with shopping malls such as GVK, City Center, Hyderabad Central and Banjara Hills just a short walking distance away.
Commenting on the hotel opening Kavitha Dutt Chitturi, Executive Director of KCP Limited said, “Hyderabad has witnessed rapid growth in the IT and Pharma sector in the recent past, with leading MNCs making a beeline to the city. This has resulted in an increase in the number of business travelers to the city. We are delighted to launch Mercure Hyderabad KCP with a promise of delivering the best quality product and services in the hospitality sector. Located in the heart of Hyderabad, the hotel offers a warm setting that is both modern and comfortable for guests whether on a business trip, holiday or a weekend break.”
“The opening of Mercure Hyderabad KCP reinforces our commitment towards expansion and brand presence in India. Hyderabad is an important market for us as it enjoys the unique positioning of a globally renowned technology and business hub with a rich cultural heritage. The property joins the brand’s global network of hotels offering authentic local culture and unparalleled hotel experiences,” said Jean-Michel Cassé, Senior Vice President, Operations, AccorHotels India.
The 128 spacious guest rooms and suites offer modern amenities alongside scenic views of the city and Hussain Sagar Lake. Room Type and count is as below
• Superior Rooms – 98
• Deluxe Rooms – 11
• Superior lake facing rooms – 12
• Suites – 07


Dinesh Rai, General Manager, Mercure Hyderabad KCP, said, “We are excited and proud to introduce the Mercure brand to Hyderabad. Mercure Hyderabad KCP is designed in a style that is contemporary and modern, yet blends in perfectly with the local ambiance. Following its opening, the hotel looks forward to welcoming corporate and leisure travellers seeking high levels of comfort, service and quality offerings synonymous with the Mercure brand.”
The hotel infuses a true representation in bringing local culture to life. Behind every painting and every piece of art is a story on its architecture and décor at the property. The Mercure Brand Wall which comprises of Pochampally Silk background is a visual treat for guests and it reiterates the brand’s firm belief in promoting the local culture and history. Guests can experience historical tales of the art and culture of Hyderabad while walking down every corner of the hotel.
The adaptation of local culture and tradition can easily be seen around the hotel’s interiors and décor, and sorrounds the food and beverage outlets, meeting and banquet spaces.
Food and beverage outlets:
The hotel is home to three food and beverage outlets. Cayenne, an all-day diner, offers an eclectic selection of local and intrentaional cuisines. A spice adding zing and pep making everyone come alive with non-stop energy describes the multi-cuisine resturant serving piping hot and delctable dishes. The IQ bar is ideal for an evening wind down. The Impression Quotient of Mercure Hyderabad KCP, it is a trendy lobby lounge and bar that serves a heady mix of single malts, cocktails, mocktails, spirits and wines. Guests can pamper their tastebuds with a selection of pastries and confectionaries for afternoon teas at Macaroon deli patisserie.
For executive meetings, private parties and memorable events, the hotel has five contemporary meeting rooms and banquet halls that can accommodate up to 150 guests. All meeting rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art conferencing technologies. The meeting rooms boast of abundant natural light and ventilation along with amazing panaromic views of the city.


Fitness enthusiasts can enjoy their work out at the roof top fitness centre which offers spectacular views of the city.
To celebrate its opening, the hotel is offering an introductory rate starting from INR 6500 + taxes with breakfast for two and INR 1000/- worth of flexi credit on all hotel services. The promotion is valid from now till 30th  June 2016.
Base room rate is approximately INR 6500 + taxes.
Hotel location and contact details:
The hotel is located at a distance of 1.9 km km from Banjara Hills and 3.5 km from Nampally railway station. The nearest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, 20.9 km from Mercure Hyderabad KCP.

Hotel Address
Mercure Hyderabad KCP
6-3-551 Somajiguda, 500082 HYDERABAD – INDIA Mail: [email protected]

Website
http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-8824-mercure-hyderabad-kcp-opening-april2016/room.shtml
Hotel email address
Hotel phone number for reservations and general information + Tel: (+91)4067888888

ABOUT MERCURE
With Mercure, AccorHotels offers hotels that are all different and rooted in their local community.
Mercure is the only midscale hotel brand that combines the strength of an international network with a strong quality commitment and the warm experience of hotels that are rooted in their local community. Enthusiastic hoteliers and welcome business and leisure travelers manage Mercure hotels across the world. Mercure has over 740 hotels in 56 countries. They are ideally located in city centers, by the sea or in the mountains.
ACCOR HOTELS IN INDIA
In India, AccorHotels operates a network of 7 distinctive brands underpinned by operational excellence, while embracing its European heritage. With 36 hotels across key destinations in the country, AccorHotels is uniquely placed as the only international hotel group with brands that span across all segments from luxury to budget.
As the leader in operating hotels and convention centres, AccorHotels currently manages the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, Lavasa International Convention Centre and Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, the largest all- sea facing convention centre on the east coast of India supporting the growing MICE market segment. Additionally, AccorHotels will add the Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre in its portfolio towards the later part of this year.
ABOUT ACCORHOTELS
AccorHotels is a Group united by a shared passion for hospitality and driven by a shared promise to make everyone Feel Welcome.
Over 180,000 women and men in 3,800 AccorHotels establishments look after thousands of guests every day in 92 countries.
AccorHotels is the world’s leading hotel operator and offers its customers, partners and employees:
– its dual expertise as a hotel operator and franchisor (HotelServices) and a hotel owner and investor (HotelInvest);
– a large portfolio of internationally renowned brands covering the full spectrum, with luxury (Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery by Sofitel, Grand Mercure, The Sebel), midscale (Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter, Adagio) economy (ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, adagio access and hotelF1) establishments;
– A powerful marketplace and loyalty programme Le Club AccorHotels
– Almost half a century of commitment to corporate citizenship and solidarity with the PLANET 21 programme.
Accor SA shares are listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and traded in the USA on the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY)

Follow news on Accor: http://www.twitter.com/accorhotelsnews | www.accorhotels-group.com Book a hotel: www.accorhotels.com
Turkish Airlines, the Official Airline Partner for EURO 2016 takes off on its maiden flight to Paris.

Turkish Airlines, the Official Airline Partner for EURO 2016 takes off on its maiden flight to Paris.

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
To celebrate EURO 2016 this summer, Turkish Airlines has unveiled an A330-300 passenger aircraft painted in the competition’s livery. The plane undertook its maiden flight to Paris the location of this year’s final on 10th July, and is just one component of Turkish Airlines’ drive to excite fans ahead of this year’s tournament.


The livery was created by UEFA and Turkish Airlines as part of airlines’ partnership with the competition and role as Official Airline Partner to Euro 2016. The sponsorship will also see the airline announcing a series of ticket giveaway competitions; unique EURO 2016 airport experiences for passengers; and a series of fan zones throughout the host French cities once matches get underway in June. 
As Europe’s best airline for fifth consecutive time*, Turkish Airlines takes an active interest in the continent’s sporting competitions and cultural events. Football’s global appeal, and its unifying force, is reflective of the position as the carrier that flies to more countries than any other airline.
Ahmet Olmuştur, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) said: “Football is a great connector of people, breaking down social and cultural barriers and uniting people around a mutual passion for the game. We are privileged to be able to connect people from across the globe every day, and are delighted to be part of this year’s EUROS. This plane is one of the many things we will be doing to excite fans and our passengers in the lead up to this competition.”
Guy-Laurent Epstein, Marketing Director, UEFA Events SA, said: “We are very excited to see our first-ever airline partner’s plans truly taking off. It will be fantastic to see the plane travelling across Europe, and bringing fans together to celebrate the best in European football, as we approach the kick-off of UEFA EURO 2016 on 10th June.”
The plane wrapped in the EURO 2016 colours will fly to a selected number of destinations across the Turkish Airlines’ network. The airline currently flies to more than 280 destinations. Fans of the plane and the competition can engage on social media with the hashtag; #eurointhesky.

 About Turkish Airlines: 
Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines is a 4-star airline today with a fleet of 308 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to more than 285 destinations worldwide with 236 international and 49 domestic. According to a 2015 Skytrax survey, Turkish Airlines was chosen as “Europe’s Best Airline” for the fifth and “Best Airline in Southern Europe” for the seventh consecutive time. Having won in 2010 the world’s “Best Economy Catering Service”, in 2013 the world’s “Best Business Catering Service”, and in 2014 “Best Business Catering Service” awards, Turkish Airlines was awarded the world’s “Best Business Class Lounge Dining” and “Best Business Airline Lounge” prizes in the 2015 Skytrax survey. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on www.turkishairlines.com.
         About Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United. The integration of Avianca Brasil is currently in progress. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,321 airports in 193 countries For additional information visit www.staralliance.com and/or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or LinkedIn.

King Khan comes to the biggest multiplex- Superplex to promote his upcoming movie- FAN @ Logix City Center, Noida

King Khan comes to the biggest multiplex- Superplex to promote his upcoming movie- FAN @ Logix City Center, Noida

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
What’s first love.. People always say that you can never get over your first love, and in my case its true too. Me and Shahrukh go back a long way, it all started when I didn’t know the meaning of love, but felt extremely excited whenever I saw him on screen. From those days of DD and watching Fauji, to then becoming a heart throb with Baazigar, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, DDLJ and so many more films, to now also giving me goosebumps whenever I see the FAN trailer on TV, he has been and will always be my first love, my favourite actor, and not just an actor, but my favourite person too.

So one can’t imagine the kind of excitement I had when I got invite for the press conference of FAN, which read WITH SUPERSTAR SHAHRUKH KHAN in bold. I nearly fainted, and the first thing I did was to immediately confirm my presence for the event.
PVR was hosting a special press meet for the baadshah of bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan and Manish Sharma to promote their latest blockbuster- FAN in North India’s biggest multiplex- Superplex at Logix City center, Noida. FAN would be released at Superplex in the most sought after 4 DX format to give the patrons a real life experience of the action sequences in the movie.
Excitedly I called up home, informed my mom and my son, who are also big SRK fans, about the event. They both too felt excited instantly and decided to accompany me for the event. None of us got sleep that night, and I was just waiting for the next day to begin, the clock to strike 3PM, and me to get a chance to finally see my love face to face.
Finally the D-day came, and after waiting, patiently, yet excitedly for around 2 hours, SRK walked in the theatre and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. I just could not imagine that I was seeing him live.



His poise, his style, his charm, his wit, accompanied him as always and it was a true delight watching him speak as he answered questions asked by the Media.


I could not believe my luck, when one of the organizers walked upto me, and asked me if I would like to ask anything to King Khan. I was just dying to do that anyways.
I was nervous like hell, when he looked at me, and asked me my name. But somehow, I went ahead and asked my question. I asked him if he has ever been the same scenario as his role of Aryan Khanna, being obsessed by a male fan.. to which he very lovingly answered, “Manish has been the only guy who has been following me since 8-9 years, that’s when he came up with the idea of this movie, and since he has been constantly obsessed with me”. I asked him further, “but have you ever been obsessed by a fan, who is unknown to you, in this way?” He replied even more sweetly, making a slight drooping face, “yaar aaj tak kisi aadmi ne kuch aisa kaha nahi mujhko, sab ladkiyan hi kehti hain”. His answers always leave people in splits, its just the way he say things, the way his wit is always so so charming, that makes people fall in love with him instantly (even those who don’t like him, cannot ignore his charm)



More questions poured in and he answered each one of them patiently and with honesty. His honesty is depicted through his eyes. Especially whenever he speaks about his children, there is a twinkle in his eyes that lets you see deep in his heart, which is so true.
Mr Ajay Bijli, Chairman and Managing Director, PVR Ltd, said, “We are pleased to host the king of bollywood at our property, Superplex. I am a diehard fan of bollywood movies. The movie FAN looks very interesting.  Also, since it would be released in 4 DX format at Superplex, I am quite excited to watch it here at Superplex. I wish Shah Rukh and Maneesh best of luck for their movie.”
Mr Shakti Nath, CMD of Logix Group said, “We are pleased to host the press meet of Shahrukh Khan’s movie FAN at the FIRST SUPERPLEX by PVR today at Logix City Center, showcasing 15 screens cinema with Gold Class, Mainstream as well as one of the largest IMAX screens in Asia. It would also house the first 4DX and first Playhouse concept especially designed for kids. Well known national and international brands in fashion, food & entertainment would provide a one stop solution for all the needs of a modern lifestyle.”
While addressing the media, the king of romance Shah Rukh Khan also added, “I am a Delhi FAN since I am a Delhiite. I love to come back to the city again and again. I love the positivity and the love shown by the city for my movies. Since a major of the chunk of the movie has been shot in Delhi, I am sure people here could easily relate to the movie.
 I am thrilled to know that FAN would be released in 4 DX, all thanks to PVR Superplex and logix Group to have built such a grand property to promote movies.”


The Superplex caters to an audience of 1,544 across its 15 screens that include three Gold Class, one IMAX screen, one 4 DX screen, nine mainstreams (two screens with Dolby Atmos) and one dedicated screen with special seating arrangements for kids- Playhouse. This also marks the launch of the first IMAX in North India.
Located in the heart of Noida at Logix City Center, Superplex offers multiple formats -Gold Class, IMAX, 4 DX, Atmos and Playhouse- all under one roof. Considered as one of the most refined and well-planned formats, this 15-screen Superplex is a one- stop entertainment destination. Logix Group along with PVR Ltd. will provide a holistic, spectacular family entertainment package to the people in Noida and Delhi NCR.


 Shahrukh spent a good half an hour answering various questions poured by the media, and the public got into frenzy when he started to walk out. Everyone wanted to click a selfie with him, hug him, shake hands and just touch him, and he being the way he is, let the people touch him and shake hands. It would have been too crazy to click selfies, but he did whatever best he could.
All thanks to PVR, my day was made. I still would have wanted to click a selfie with the SRK, chat up with him and even hug him, but then there is always a next time.

Sichuan Tourism Administration promotes tourism from India to China

Sichuan Tourism Administration promotes tourism from India to China

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
To give a glimpse of the rich art, culture and tradition enjoyed by Sichuan, a Cultural Evening was held at DLF Place, Saket in Delhi on 9th April, 2016 post the conference held by Sichuan Tourism Administration on 7th April in the capital.  The cultural evening, which was attended by guests and dignitaries from China and India, showcased the art and cultural performances by artists from China.

The performances at the cultural evening brought alive the rich culture and tradition enjoyed by various ethnic groups of China. Performances such as Sichuan Opera Face Changing Performance, Tea Art Performances, and interactions with Panda Dolls took place along with some dance numbers and performances from Bollywood as well. The traditions, local customs and culture of Sichuan are celebrated in forms of various art performances which include Sichuan opera, the oldest form of Chinese opera characterized by face-changing, fire-spitting and other stunts; tea art performances; puppet shows; lamp rolling, etc.


The Conference by Sichuan Tourism Administration which was held in the city on 7th April before this cultural evening had also brought out the rich tradition, cultural and ethnic diversity of Sichuan which makes this province an exciting tourism destination to unravel. Being inhabited by multiple ethnic groups with China’s largest Yi ghetto and the only place in China where Qiang ethnic group resides, Sichuan is known as “the Ethnic Corridor” of China.
During the visit, Mr. Wang Ning, Executive Vice Governor, Sichuan remarked “In 2015, Sichuan gained total revenue of 62.10 billion Yuan from tourism, an increase of 27 percent. Now we are making efforts to build Sichuan as an economically powerful province and a world tourist base. Both India and Sichuan are fascinating tourism destination. Just like India, Sichuan has rich ancient heritage, cultural diversity and centuries old civilization which we take immense pride in. I am hopeful that the Conference will help Indian people better understand Sichuan and create a positive atmosphere for the tourism in Sichuan from India.”
Mr. Song Ming, Deputy Director General, Sichuan Tourism Administration also said “With its picturesque scenery, rich wildlife, unique religious beliefs, rustic folk customs and magnificent history, Sichuan is a magical land for traveller who feels after coming to Sichuan that living in utopia is no longer a distant dream.” He further added that “This visit is an important launching pad for us to boost tourism from India to Sichuan and is a precursor of an action plan that includes a number of incentives and trial measures for travellers as well as tour operators from India.”


Known for its Giant Pandas and world famous spicy cuisine, Sichuan and its Tourism Administration aimed through this conference  to spread better awareness about the province amongst Indian travellers with its tagline as “Sichuan – More than Pandas”.
Sichuan Tourism Administration highlighted the province to be home to not only the giant pandas, but also to diverse art and culture, breathtaking natural beauty, unique culinary, ancient history and  vast resources which makes it the tourism cynosure of China.
Sichuan, located in the hinterland of south west China has complex and diverse topography with plateaus in west, Sichuan basin in middle and hilly region in east. Sichuan has favourable geographical and ecological resources with more than 4000 tourist attractions which includes 9 of 5A level scenic spots, 5 world heritage sites, 4 world biosphere reserves, 2 World Geo Parks, 21 China’s best tourist cities. The complex and volatile natural environment of Sichuan gives birth to a rich wildlife making it a home to rare species including 80% of the world’s giant pandas, Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey, black bears, rare birds, plants and trees.


The delegation also highlighted the great reputation enjoyed by the spicy Sichuan cuisine famous worldwide for its spices, unique cooking and heavy local hot and spicy flavour. In nutshell, it reiterated what is often said that “To eat in China, taste in Sichuan”.
Monarch Cruise’s wardrobe partner Amit Behki designs clothes for Ace Cricketers Brett Lee, Shane Warne and Master Chef Shipra Khanna

Monarch Cruise’s wardrobe partner Amit Behki designs clothes for Ace Cricketers Brett Lee, Shane Warne and Master Chef Shipra Khanna

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
New Delhi, 4th April 2016
Australian Cricket stars were present at the announcement of Early Bird Sale of Monarch Cruise and Amit Behki Dressed up the stars for the event. The event took place at The Trident hotel, Mumbai.
Amit Behki has already designed clothes for some of the biggest names in India; master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, rapper and singer Badshah, super chef Sanjeev Kapoor, DJ Khushi and stand up comedian Papa CJ,along with the  chairman of Monarch Cruise  Shane Hodges, Vice Chairman Josh Hill and CEO Somesh Jagga.

As Wardrobe Partner, Amit Behki will also work closely with Monarch Cruise and create catalogues and design clothes for the entire celebrity line up of some of the biggest names in India;
With preparations going on for more than a month, Amit Behki designed and dressed up the cricket stars Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Master Chef Shipra Khanna in accordance with the theme in signature Monarch Class “bandh gala” suits with gold buttons and the gold Monarch logo on the blazer.
Amit Behki expressed his admiration for the Australian cricketers, “It was a dream come true to meet these stars and am also happy that Monarch Cruise gave me this platform to showcase my designs”

Speaking on the event, Amit Behki was quoted as saying, “It has been a great experience till now to design for such well known celebs and to work with Monarch Cruise. In my whole carrier first time we customised suits without taking any actual measurement.The measurements were taken only though visuals. The celebs were happy and pleased.”

Somesh Jagga, CEO Of Monarch Cruise quoted as saying, “We are happy & excited to have Amit Behki on board as our wardrobe partner and are confident that he will bring The Monarch class designs and catalogues on table, Together we plan to bring the world class custom made options for the Monarch Cruise patrons“
Feel the excitement of Baisakhi at the Plaza Premium Lounge ..

Feel the excitement of Baisakhi at the Plaza Premium Lounge ..

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Baisakhi is a festival celebrated with tremendous exuberance and gaiety. Originating from Punjab, in the northern part of India, Baisakhi is a major festival which marks the beginning of the new harvest season. Plaza Premium Lounge will be celebrating Baisakhi in style with an exquisite menu commemorating the festival of Baisakhi and also highlighting the opulent Punjabi cuisine.
Guests can begin the meal experience with a chilled glass of Badam Thandai, a delicious refreshing drink made with almond, rose petals, saffron & cardamom. There will also be fresh salads such as the classic Fruity Pasta Salad, Carrot Honey Mustard Salad or the authentic Rajma Aloo Chaat. The main course promises to be a gourmet authentic Punjabi Fare with selected dishes like Achari Murg, Aloo Gobi Adraki, Punjabi Kadhi and Kale Chane Ka Pulao.


No Indian festival is complete without deserts and sweets, Baisakhi is no different. Our talented team of chefs will ensure to scintillate your taste buds with the perfect desert. Guests can indulge in some popular sweets of Baisakhi like Meethe Chawal, Besan Burfi, Til Ki Gajak or Cashew Brownie.


At the Plaza Premium Lounge we are committed to providing our guests a seamless airport experience, ensuring that they do not miss out on important festivals while travelling.
What: Baisakhi Special Menu
Where: Domestic Departures, Plaza Premium Lounge at Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports
When: 13th April, 2016
Price: Lounge access starts at Rs.1200 plus taxes
*This promotion is limited to select lounges across Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports.
For more information, please contact:
Harmandeep Singh| 9899666674 | [email protected]

Linda Duo I 8527994422 I [email protected]
Sachin Tendulkar unveils the Ultrabook convertible t.book & premium Smartphone t.phone

Sachin Tendulkar unveils the Ultrabook convertible t.book & premium Smartphone t.phone

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
New Delhi, March 31, 2016: Smartron, India’s first true global IoT brand with “designed and engineered” in India for India and the world, today announced the launch of its first ever range of products, t.book, the impressive high performance Ultrabook convertible, t.phone, the lightest 5.5” Smartphone,  and tron.x, its unique Smartron experience.  On the occasion, Sachin Tendulkar legendary cricketer, shareholder and brand ambassador of Smartron along with Mahesh Lingareddy, Founder & Chairman unveiled these devices, platforms and services in the presence Narsi Reddy, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Rohit Rathi, Co- Founder & President, Smartron and its global partners, customers and vendors.

These next generation of smart IoT devices, platforms and services from Smartron are built on the breakthrough concept of Internet of TronsTM (IoT) to deliver truly amazing “tron xperience” for the discerning customer at home or on the go or at office or in the car. Tron.x seamlessly integrates all the devices, software, cloud, crowd, hub, services and care platforms to deliver highly intelligent and personalized experience through hubtron. Hubtron comes with every Smartron device and customer can access all his or her profile, data like documents, content like pictures and music, services like professional and payment, care, community as well as can manage all other IoT devices.

Smartron t.book, the perfect mobile workstation will go on sale exclusively on Gadget360.com starting April 8th, 2016 and the t.phone booking will start on April 18th, 2016. All Smartron devices come with hubtron to enjoy the amazing tron xperience (tron.x).
Smartron believes that it is the right time to size up the opportunity of Internet of Things (IoT) and design products in India with an impressive technology for a global audience. Positioned as  “We are Engineers at Heart” “building Smart things to life” Smartron aims to create a network of integrated smart devices for seamless communication.
Speaking on the occasion, Sachin said, “We are moving towards Internet driven experiences and Smartron’s vision in unlocking the potential of IoT will bring compelling experiences to people, making their life more productive, safe, intelligent
and convenient. An Indian brand making a great leap into technology product innovation is commendable. I am delighted to be associated with Smartron, a global technology brand from India.” 

Speaking at the launch, Mahesh said, ‘The success formula for making India globally competitive and respected is to ensure a holistic approach to the products and services and ensure they go hand-in-hand. Realizing the need for developing products and global brands from India for a global market, Smartron aims at innovating in this sphere’’.
On the product line up, he further said, “we have an exciting line up of products for 2016, beyond smartphone and ultrabook segments across mobile, home, auto, enterprise and infrastructure markets. Our aim is to make customer’s life simpler, smarter, and safer using Smartron products”.

Smartron commissioned its operations in Hyderabad and Bengaluru in August 2014. The company has so far invested over $10 Million to support the R&D activities and plans to spend $ 100 million over the next couple of years to establish Smartron as a global brand. Striving to innovate in the smart devices and IoT segment, the launch of the first two products, t.book and t.phone coupled with tron.x is the first step towards achieving this goal.
Powered by Intel® Core™ M processor and a Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System, the t.book aims at enhancing the user experience.  The device comes with Hubtron, a one-stop destination to access all the data, content, services and care and to shop for all other devices and accessories and to be participate in the community and to enjoy the amazing tron xperience. Hubtron will be active across all Smartron devices. Apart from this, the t.cloud feature will enable Smartron users with free unlimited storage and the data can be accessed across all devices using Hubtron. The Smartron customer service, which is known as t.care, will offer online and offline support. The offline support will be present across 100 cities and with doorstep services making it hassle free.


The premium built t.phone is designed to be the world’s lightest 5.5” smartphone. More details will be announced in a separate event in April 3rd week this year.


About Smartron
Led by experienced management and passionate engineering teams and funded by investors from US, India, Middle East and others, Smartron started as a global organization from day one with R&D centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru and teams around the globe to enable global technology sourcing, marketing and sales. Smartron has been working closely with vendors, partners and customers to co-create and collaborate in building a strong product ecosystem.
Smartron website: http://forum.smartron.com/

Mr. Neeraj Kumar, Ex Commissioner of Delhi Police Talks About His Debut Book-Dial D for Don

Mr. Neeraj Kumar, Ex Commissioner of Delhi Police Talks About His Debut Book-Dial D for Don

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
How often do we get a chance to peep inside real crime stories.. how often do we get a chance to know how the CBI functions.. how often we get to know the truth behind the criminal investigations, the informers network, the encounters and the police instincts..
The real answer would be RARELY.. Because all our information is based on what we see in films or TV serials and some random books.. But their authenticity is always questionable.
And for those who always wanted real answers for these questions, comes a book that talks about 11 CBI cases, and is written by none other than a top ex cop, the ex police commissioner of Delhi, Mr. Neeraj Kumar.
The title of the book in itself intrigues the reader, to grab a copy soon and turn the pages of this thriller, its called DIAL D for DON.

On Saturday, 26th March, Mr. Neeraj Kumar discussed his book with a few book lovers from the very renowned Delhi Book Lovers Club run by Mr. Kunal Gupta, at the Oxford Bookstore in Connaught Place.


The session was moderated by Mr. Sumant Batra, the Founder and the Chief architect of Kumaon Literature Festival.
Also present at the event was Mrs. Bubbles Sabharwal, a woman who wears many hats. She is the director of two theatre companies: ‘Kidsworld’ which works with children from 3 years upwards; and ‘Theatreworld’ which works with adults. She has published a book of one act plays, Runaways and Other Plays and a novel, Tomorrow’s Promise. Bubbles runs a ‘Book Club’ at the India Habitat Centre and writes a weekly column for the Financial Chronicle.
Mr. Sumant asked many questions related to the chapters in the book, and Mr. Neeraj Kumar answered all of them with great detail and interest.


Through the book, Mr. Kumar recounts 11 of his most intriguing investigations- from bringing the Memon family back to India from the UAE to the nabbing of Beant Singh assassin Jagtar Singh Tara; from the thrilling capture of the Dawood of Gujarat- Abdul Latif to the conversations with Dawood Ibrahim himself; from the arrest of American Centre mastermind Aftab Ansari to nailing culprits of match fixing and the spot fixing scandals in cricket. These investigations have been part of the crime history of India yet have been untold and unrevealed so far. Dial D for Don opens the world of policing and tracking of some of India’s most wanted men and women and the successful arrest of terrorists and criminals in operations led by Kumar while serving in the CBI between 1993 and 2002. 
The book published by Penguin Random House has received an overwhelming response and already figures on the bestseller lists of Amazon, Nielsen and Crossword. Through this book, Kumar recounts and reveals spellbinding details of eleven of his most thrilling investigations during his tenure as Joint Director CBI and Commissioner of Police, Delhi.  Riddled with astounding facts and intriguing details, Dial D for Don is a rare insight into the most high profile CBI and police missions that reinforced the fear of the law amongst underworld operatives in India and abroad.
It was a really enlightening session, where in all the nitty gritties of crime stories were shared by Mr. Neeraj Kumar.
I haven’t read the book so far, but I am very convinced that it will make for a very interesting read and hence I am gonna grab my copy now..!!
My little stint with Tisca Chopra for Lal Hit

My little stint with Tisca Chopra for Lal Hit

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

How do I describe what I felt, when late at night around 10:30 I got a call that I have been selected as a wild card entry for the SuperHit Vacation Contest by Lal Hit and that Tisca Chopra would be visiting my home the next afternoon…??
Sooo damn excited…!!
I hardly got a proper sleep that night.. as I was super excited to host Tisca Chopra at my house.
I was also told that our conversation will be recorded for a digital promo ad and this made me feel even more excited and restless.
Somehow the wait got over, and at about 3 in the afternoon, Tisca Chopra along with her crew, rang my doorbell.
It was such a pleasure to meet her; she came across as a very warm, down to earth and humble person. Everyone at my home was really keen to meet her, and she very calmly chatted with all of us.

I have no experience of being in front of the camera, and was a little nervous, but all thanks to Tisca, she made me feel very comfortable and encouraged me to take it as normally as possible and that it wasn’t a film shoot and I don’t need to memorize any dialogues, it will just be a candid chat between the two of us.
 And yes, it happened exactly like that, Tisca asked me very normal questions about the day to day hygiene practices in kitchen that we adopt especially during summers, and I answered whatever I normally do. Being a food blogger, and food fanatic, kitchen hygiene comes naturally to me and more specially because I am a mother too. To a lot of people it may appear that I said that I use Lal Hit to keep the cockroaches away in summers, as a part of the promotion, but the truth of the matter is that Lal Hit is so affective that I believe in the brand and do use it regularly, even if I don’t participate in any contest.

But in the end I was so glad that entering this contest gave me a chance to meet and chat up with Tisca Chopra, and I am thankful to the brand for that.