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Cost management is Key to Indian Competitive Advantage

Cost management is Key to Indian Competitive Advantage

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
At Centre of E- Commerce -IMS Noida, Experts Discuss Strategic Cost Management as Key to Managerial Success

Management Development Programme discussed strategies on cost management to devise better managerial decisions and business strategies to remain cost effective

Noida, 19 March 2016: Leading academics, industry insiders and experts in the field of management came together at leading management institute IMS Noida to discuss the latest issues afflicting the industry and solutions towards better cost management strategies that can keep organizations competitive and profitable.

The three-day periodic Management Development Programme organized by IMS Noida had experts, highlight the importance of striking a balance between cost and quality. The event primarily focused on Strategic Cost Management, a crucial subject in management studies that pertains to the economics of reducing costs without compromising on quality and delivery. The second day of the programme started with a recapitulation of the management cases discussed on activity based costing and cost volume profit analysis of the first day. The morning session thereafter began with the discussion on challenges faced by organization on the financial front like transfer price issues, generating profit centres and various aspects of management control systems and performance related issues. Exhaustive cases relating to these aspects were taken up by Professor Rajendra Patel, former World Bank expert and faculty at IIM Ahmedabad. The participants were enriched with one to one discussion on various aspects of financial controls they are currently practicing in their respective organizations.

While the program discussed new perspectives on methods and techniques for appropriate cost planning, importance of managing costs and aligning them with the business strategy of an entity, it also highlighted the importance of improving management practices for long term growth or organizations.



“We had very healthy discussions among management students, experts and industry insiders into the key challenges of running organizations. Through such programs, the students who are themselves on the threshold of entering the industry get a close understanding of the constantly evolving challenges they would face as management executives. Strategic Cost Management is one of the most relevant aspects of management studies today. Cost effectiveness is the key to competitiveness in a highly connected world like ours. Hence, there is greater need today to recognize different costing systems and strategies and devise better managerial decisions and business strategies to constantly remain cost effective. As a discipline, management studies needs to constantly evolve itself to include in its paradigm the changing needs of the time, which keep throwing up new challenges into the discipline,” said Dr KJS Anand, Executive Director, IMS Noida.
Professor Rajendra Patel, shared interesting accounts and experiences as the key speaker. The participants were also introduced to basics such as costing terminology, cost objects, cost drivers, conventional method of indirect cost allocation and others he also discussed broader aspect such Management Control & Organizational Performance, Performance Measurement – Balanced Scorecard – Beyond Financial Numbers and other in detail.

“The event turned out to be really knowledgeable, thanks to the valuable insights by Prof Rajendra Patel. His experience and knowledge undoubtedly helped us to get a picture of need and requirements in the management studies that would further help us to create good managers and entrepreneurs. His experience with the industry as well as an academic gives him a deep insight into the world of business and entrepreneurial challenges. We are thankful to Prof Patel for his precious time and participation,” added Dr. Debarshi Mukherjee, Associate Dean Management , IMS Noida.
The Bigger and The Better-Grub Fest 2016, Delhi

The Bigger and The Better-Grub Fest 2016, Delhi

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

2015 was the year of Grub Fest. Foodies got to witness two extremely successful editions of the festival in April and October, at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi and the Ambience Lawns in Gurgaon, respectively, with more than 200 participating brands and over 100,000 foodies served. The Grub Fest also introduced extraordinary concepts like Grub Stories, Asia’s first high end multi storey travelling restaurant in the second edition. Adding to that, the Grub team presented a unique format like the Grub Weekend in DLF Cyber Hub, which was widely attended and appreciated.




Before expanding its wings across other cities, The Grub Fest, a brain child of young, passionate entrepreneurs- Aman Kumar, Arjun Jain, Chaitanya Mathur & Mani Singh Cheema, headed back to its base camp, JLN Stadium in Delhi to showcase a bigger, tastier and even more entertaining festival from 18th-20th March 2016. Apart from the best of restaurants, artists and renowned chefs, there was a lot more that Grub Fest, Delhi, offered to its fans-



SFL(Super Fight League), Asia’s largest Pro Mixed Martial Arts Promotion known for their Pro MMA fight nights across the globe, came to India to showcase at the Grub Fest. It was a VIP experience from the world of sports & entertainment to watch out for.
Island Bar by Imperfecto and Informal, a first of its kind Ship Bar was curated at the festival by Imperfecto and Informal.
Exhibitors-Social, ATM PCO, Indigo Deli, Kylin, Depot 29, Holy Smoke, Urban Pind, Big Fat Sandwich, Brown Sugar, Wong Sushi House Mafia, Eggjactly, Koyla Kebab, Fluffles, Keventers, Burger Singh, Doner Grill, Kents, Sbarro, Wow Momos, Naturals Ice Cream, Wolfgang, Clay Over and Smaash were some of the brands that showcased their food at the Grub Fest.


Grub Theatre– The Grub Fest entertainment zone had live performances by artists like Nucleya- the electronic king, singer Suryaveer, musician Dhruv Viswanath, Barmer Boys- seasoned performers, who carried forward the centuries old musical tradition of the Manganiyars and were leading examples of Rajasthani folk and Sufi music, amongst other famous artists.

Grub Market– A range of fresh farm produces and organic, pro-environmental preparations were set up like a beautiful bazaar. The range showcased from organic vegetables to salads, to homemade jams, ramekin, wine ice creams, waffles, cupcakes, honey, aam papad, gluten free cakes & biscuits and many more. Some of the exhibitor names included Cremica, Basil Kitchen, Good Juicery, Lyall Farm, Herbi Life, Flavors of Punjab etc.

Tie-Up with the Breast Cancer Patients Benefit Foundation– a fun raising kiosk was also set up by BCPBF, where in they also created a few dishes of their own. The Grub Fest is also contributing a percentage of their revenue from the ticket sales to BCPBF.
A lot this and more happened at the Grub Fest at JLN, and also Grub Fest announced its further plans where in the big news is that Grub Fest Goes National in March 2016, First Stop, Pune!

The Grub Fest begins its nationwide journey right after the Delhi festival, starting from Pune from 25th-27th March 2016, at the beautiful Royal Palms in Koregaon Park. The Grub Fest Pune will offer a remarkable opportunity of indulging in an array of cuisines from top restaurants of Pune along with amazing surprises from New Delhi and Mumbai. The high entertainment factor that Grub Fest is known for will undoubtedly be carried forward to Pune from Delhi with numerous special attractions, including big artists, celebrities, master chefs and more.

Formus presents Neo Kaansa Collection by Designer Fenny Ganatra

Formus presents Neo Kaansa Collection by Designer Fenny Ganatra

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
The Neo Kaansa collection by designer Fenny Ganatra for Formus embodied via The Living Suite is a curation of modern pieces with a timeless appeal outlined with Kaansa or brass. Fenny G’s vision behind the collection arose from the need to reboot classic forms through a vibrant use of colours and sumptuous elements of brass, which are the very inspiration behind the collection.
The existence and use of Kaansa can be traced back to the Indian subcontinent’s history for centuries. Designer Fenny Ganatra explores new routes to use this malleable element through statuesque pieces of furniture. The Neo Kaansa Collection of bespoke furniture made using rich, royal and classic colours, blends minimal designs with desired materials and a touch of Kaansa. Fenny Ganatra’s curious eye does a rendezvous with a broad spectrum of materials ranging from premium natural wood and wood veneer to brass pipes and brass veneer. These accents in brass lend a nude opulence to modern and avant garde design.

Besides Kaansa, the inspiration behind the collection’s design language comes to life through Fenny G’s collaboration with Formus. Formus’s take on timeless forms, and brand Fenny G’s fresh perspective, brings together an artistic mélange of tailored furniture, the Neo Kaansa Collection.

About “FORMUS”
Celebrating “The love of making”
Formus is a space where ideas turn into form, where creative minds meet and co-create, where their love of making finds its true connoisseurs and passion finds real meaning. A vision of founders Kapil Suri and Gaurav Suri, the Formus flagship store spread over 15,000 sq ft on Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road brings to life some of the finest signatures of design. Formus collaborates with leading architects and curators to create bespoke interiors and accessories using the finest materials and finishes with a contemporary aesthetic.
Discover the “Love of Making” a beautiful form with FORMUS where the intent is to produce something extraordinary, brought to life with a process that involves meticulous study of the design brief, close collaboration with architects and designers, and a step-in-step partnership that honors everyone’s wishes. The authenticity of this process has often led to artistic breakthroughs, because for FORMUSevery project is unique in its own right.
FORMUS makes use of the finest of craftsmen coupled with latest technology to achieve flawless finishes and combines their knowledge to fuse materials together to bring to life signature forms for space design.
Carrying this vision forward, FORMUS announces its first collaboration with acclaimed interior designer Fenny Ganatra (winner of Red Dot award). The collaboration is marked with a Neo Kaansa collection embodied via ‘The Living Suite’. The Living Suite is a curation of modern statuesque pieces of furniture with a timeless appeal outlined with Kaansa or brass.  Fenny Ganatra’s curious eye does a rendezvous with a broad spectrum of materials ranging from premium natural wood and wood veneer to brass pipes and brass veneer.
The Living Suite exudes a contemporary finesse that is resultant of a cohesive combination of unique material, carefully chosen rich, royal and classic colours and elite modernist style. The first collection comprises of four signature special edition pieces, which include: a Center Table, a Milvio Ottoman, a Ritz Sofa and a Beizer armchair.



Six distinct elements make the story of the Center Table playing with diverse forms of wooden, marble and brass blocks inter-layered and combined to create a dramatic juxtaposition of opaque and transparent. 

 The Milvio Ottoman on the other hand is brilliantly crafted with minimal lines and is inspired by Ponte Mitvio, a bridge over the Tiber in northern Italy. The edges in brass trace the outline without overpowering the essence of form. A diverse piece of furniture it can be used in more ways than one.

The Ritz sofa with a brass profile running on its periphery is a perfect blend of superior comfort using classic form and is crafted with plush fabric.
The Living Suite setting gets completed with The Beizer blue armchair that combines the plushness of velvet with magnificent metal work. It’s unorthodox and playful and makes a statement designed to turn heads.
The collection is available at FORMUS:
Address:  FORMUS
MG Road, New Delhi
Ghitorni Pillar No. 111, Next to Ghitorni Metro Station.

Website: www.madebyformus.com

Shahrukh-Salman Bromance at TOIFA rehearsals..

Shahrukh-Salman Bromance at TOIFA rehearsals..

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Ever since they patched up their long lost friendship, Shahrukh and Salman have been seen together quite a lot of times.

Recently they were seen catching up while rehearsing for the upcoming TOIFA awards. As per insiders, both are geared up to give power packed performances at the award function and we can’t really wait to see it..

They both are otherwise busy shooting for their respective films Raees and Sultan which are up for a clash at the box office, but all seems well between the two.
In fact just a few days back Shahrukh even dropped on the sets of Sultan to greet his dear friend Salman.

Now its for some producer-director to cast the duo together and create history..its really gonna be amazing for their fans if they work together on a film, meanwhile enjoy the glimpses of their bromance off screen.

Enjoy Easter delicacies at the Plaza Premium Lounge

Enjoy Easter delicacies at the Plaza Premium Lounge

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
It’s that time of the year, when Easter celebration is around the corner and true to its tradition; Plaza Premium Lounge will ensure that travellers do not miss out on the Easter feast by serving a bountiful buffet and Easter special delicacies.



Easter is the time where friends and families come together to enjoy the very best food. To mark the revelry of Easter, the team of chefs at Plaza Premium Lounge rustles up an eclectic fare to entice the taste buds of our guests. The chefs have prepared an extensive menu of salads, main course and deserts.  The guests can choose from an array of salad options on offer, which includes fresh Greek Salad, creamy, Ambrosia Fruit Salad, refreshing Citrus Spinach Salad, Herb Infused Caesar Salad and Chicken Romaine Salad. Main course includes favorites like Couscous Royal Au Poulet, Ratatouille, Mexican Rice and Boston Bake.



No Easter meal is complete without desserts. A basket of desserts will be served including Easter favorite Hot Cross Buns, Easter Bunny Rolls, Easter Bunny Treat and Easter Meringue Cups.

So, what are you waiting for? Don’t forget to visit Plaza Premium Lounge in Delhi, Bengaluru or Hyderabad Airport for a taste of exotic Easter on your salver.
What: Easter Special Menu
Where: International Departures, Plaza Premium Lounge at Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports
When: 27th March, 2016
Price: Lounge access starts at Rs.1800 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]
Add Colours to your Holi with a Traditional Indian Menu at the Plaza Premium Lounge

Add Colours to your Holi with a Traditional Indian Menu at the Plaza Premium Lounge

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Holi, one of the most popular Indian Festivals and also known as the festival of colors will be celebrated this year at the Plaza Premium Lounge with a scrumptious Holi special menu.

Holi marks the onset of spring and the triumph of good over evil. The festival is synonymous with wide range of sweets and milk based drinks. Indulge in traditional culinary delights chosen specially for the occasion by our talented team of chefs. The guest will be greeted with traditional hand crafted welcome drink such as refreshing Rajasthani Thandai or lip-smacking Kesar Pista Lassi. These milk based cold drinks are the perfect way to celebrate the festival and also to beat the heat. Guest will be treated to other mouthwatering dishes like Rangila Paneer Tikka, Gulabi Murg, Subz Dum Biryani, Kashmiri Dafli Curry and Murgh Jalfrezi.



Exciting famous Indian snacks such as Bhelpuri, Dahi Bhalla and Aloo Papdi Chaat will be served at the live counter especially curated by the chefs where guest can enjoy the flavour of street food. There will be delightful Holi special desserts to complete the scrumptious menu. Holi special Gujiya sweets and Shahi Tukra will be served for the traditional Indian sweet lovers.

Enjoy the festival of colours with Plaza Premium Lounge while travelling at the Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airport.
What: Holi Special Menu
Where: Domestic Departures, Plaza Premium Lounge at Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports
When: 24th March, 2016
Price: Lounge access starts at Rs.1200 plus taxes

*This promotion is limited to select lounges across Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports.
PVR Nest, Show of Force, and SafetiPin inaugurate the “Campus Ambassador Program; Making Delhi City Safer,” as part of the Frame her Right Campaign

PVR Nest, Show of Force, and SafetiPin inaugurate the “Campus Ambassador Program; Making Delhi City Safer,” as part of the Frame her Right Campaign

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
PVR Plaza, New Delhi, 10thMarch, 2016: On the occasion of the 100th International Women’s Day, PVR Nest, the decade old social program of PVR Ltd., the largest cinema exhibitor of India; Show of Force, implementers of the Frame Her Right Campaign; and SafetiPin, the country’s only audit based safety application, launched a unique youth-led program, “Campus Ambassador Program; Making Delhi City Safer.”

The initiative aims to empower youth to have an active role in developing safer cities. Leveraging a newly developed app, Safetipin, youth are trained on how to collect safety-related data and report on violations or issues around the city. The initiative is part of the Frame Her Right campaign, an initiative inspired by Half the Sky Movement that was launched in 2014 as part of a USAID-funded public-private partnership seeking to challenge harmful gender norms and behaviours.

Inaugurated by the guests of honour, H.E. Mr. Richard Verma, US Ambassador to India and H.E. Mr. Nadir Patel, Canadian High Commissioner to India, this initiative encourages and builds the capacity of the youth to partake in developing better city planning and design. The program will roll out the ‘SafetiPin App’- a United Nation’s supported tool to enable the development of safer cities through the collection of data, crowd sourcing and information sharing. The launch included a power-packed session with a panel of eminent thought leaders, and awards and felicitations of women leaders who have worked impeccably for women issues. The event also premiered the exciting campaign film, which will be screened across select PVR screens for the next 90 days.
Speaking about the occasion, H.E. Mr. Richard Verma, US Ambassador to India said, “The launch of the Campus Ambassador program is both timely and necessary as India has the world’s largest youth population. Globalization, technological advances, and the spread of social networking offer new opportunities for youth to connect and become more active participants in finding solutions to the world’s toughest development challenges. The U.S. Government is supporting this and many other such programs that support the goals of preventing gender-based violence and protecting the rights of women and girls.”

Further H.E. Nadir Patel, High Commissioner for Canada to India added, “Canada has long been at the forefront of developing smart and safe cities, and we are happy to associate with this great initiative by PVR Cinemas. I am confident that this drive will encourage young minds to generate fresh ideas to city design, attempting to make Indian cities safer for all residents.”


On the occasion, Ms. Niharika Bijli, daughter of Mrs and Mr Ajay Bijli, welcomed the guests with her powerful welcome note. Further, Mr. Ajay Bijli- Chairman & Managing Director- PVR Limited also added, “Storytelling, if used along with supportive technology, has immense power to transform the society. Since the ultimate crusaders of this women safety program are our youngsters, PVR Ltd. will connect with them through various films and student focused content. If our student ambassadors are motivated, we will surely witness a self- sustained social change.”


Leading the power-packed session, Ms Kalki Koechlin, eminent film and stage actor, producer, playwright and screenwriter said, “I am glad that the society is consciously moving in the right direction towards women safety and empowerment. What is most exciting about this program is that so many different stakeholders have joined together to contribute for a significant cause.”


Participating in the power-packed session, Ms. Kalpana Viswanath – Co-Founder, SafetiPin, talked about the SafetiPin app that was launched during the event. She said, “SafetiPin believes in leveraging technology to make our cities safer and more inclusive for women. This mobile application provides critical information that helps people make safer decisions while moving around a city and alerts you if you are in an unsafe area.  I am happy to be a part of this program as the youth can play an important role in creating safer cities.”
Adding to the panel discussion, Ms. Karishma Srivastava – Country Director of Half The Sky Movement Global Engagement Initiative, said, “One of the most important reasons for suppression of women across cultures is the lack of awareness and sensitivity to these issues. “Half the Sky Movement Global Engagement Initiative” is a transmedia program that is supported by USAID and seeks to leverage the use of media and technology to introduce new ideas, challenge norms, and bridge this knowledge deficit. Being a part of this larger women’s day celebration program will help us take our message further and make long lasting impact.”

Special guest and program partner, Ms. Smiti Kanodia, Director – Essar Group added, “Women play a pivotal role in the development and progress of society. Therefore, women empowerment is one of the six key focus areas for the Essar Foundation. Being associated with this program takes the foundation a step closer towards its greater mission.”
The occasion was also graced by the top management of PVR Ltd.: Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Bijli- Joint Managing Director, PVR Ltd.; Mr. Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Cinemas; Mrs. Selena Bijli- Trustee, PVR Nest and Ms. Niharika Bijli; along with Ms. Patricia Barandun- Deputy Representative of UN Women Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka; Ms. Kamla Bhasin- Feminist, Activist and Social Scientist.



About PVR Nest:

PVR Limited (the Company got incorporated in 1995,) has been an early adopter of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. Sustained economic performance, environmental and social progress has been our key factor for holistic business growth. We established the PVR Nest foundation in 2006 as a not- for profit nodal body aimed at providing dedicated approach to community development and also to fulfill our corporate s social responsibility commitments. PVR Nest foundation works with Children at Risk (Childscapes) on their complete rehabilitation, education, nutrition, healthcare and employability, additionally, through its infrastructure-business enterprise- PVR Cinemas, it fosters the largest film-based education program (Cine-Art). PVR Nest partners with local communities and builds its capacities to mitigate the issues and challenges the communities face.
A plant’s life

A plant’s life

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
I don’t want to be a pet plant that depends on its caretakers for water, sunlight and air. Nature has given me the ability to make my own food and only by depending on the nature itself, my creator and no one else.

My life would not depend on any caretaker, that till the time he look after me I blossom and if he doesn’t, I just wither away, because then I won’t die a natural death, I would be killed because of his ignorance, negligence or sheer lack of interest in me.

I want to grow like a plant, a flower in the wild, get my energy from the sun, dance with the winds and get drenched by the rains, I want to be nurtured by my creator.
If I die in the caretakers home, I will be thrown away like a trash and my journey after death would also be denied, but if I die in the arms of nature, my death would find its purpose too, I would mingle with the soil and make it more fertile, and I will somehow germinate again for a new life.

I therefore deny to be dependent on others, my happiness, my blooming, my withering, my death, my rebirth, is all mine, for I am what I am, the perfect divine creation of the GOD.


And the quest begins…

And the quest begins…

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Seven billion people, searching for connection, redemption, meaning. Oprah Winfrey presents the seven-night event, “Belief,” a groundbreaking television event exploring humankind’s ongoing search to connect with something greater than ourselves. 
Journeying to the far reaches of the world, and to places cameras have rarely been, “Belief” searches the origins of diverse faiths and the heart of what really matters. From the epic to the intimate, webbed throughout each hour are stories of people on spiritual journeys, taking them to sacred spaces.
Starts 1st February, Every Monday 9PM, only on Discovery Channel. Don’t forget to tune in..!!


Bear Grylls Takes Hollywood Celebrities To the Wild

Bear Grylls Takes Hollywood Celebrities To the Wild

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra
Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson, Ed Helms, James Manderson, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and other renowned personalities take on a one-on-one adventure challenge of surviving the wild with Bear Grylls
Famed adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls returns for a second season of ‘RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS’. The programme will take eight of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities and sports stars into the most pristine locations around the world for a 48-hour journey. RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS will premiere February 1 on Discovery Channel and will air Monday to Friday at 7 pm.


The celebrities that will join the survival expert Bear Grylls in the season II are Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, Oscar nominee Kate Hudson, ‘Hangover’ star Ed Helms, Emmy nominee and ‘Modern Family’ star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, ‘Furious 7’ star Michelle Rodriguez, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees, and award-winning film and television actors James Marsden of X-Men: Days of Future Past and Michael B. Jordan of ‘Fantastic Four’.
Together, they will tests their survival skills and mental and physical limits as they enter into uncharted territory and wilderness. From skydiving into the Catskill Mountains, to rappelling down the cliffs of Utah and battling torrential wind and rain in Scotland, Bear Grylls and each celebrity will push themselves to the limit in some of the extreme environments to successfully complete their journey.
Commenting on the programme, Rahul Johri, EVP & GM – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said, “Discovery Channel continues to offer differentiated content that delivers supreme viewing experience to our viewers. The new season of RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS will show leading celebrities challenge themselves in the harsh wilderness.”
Join the action-filled one-hour episodes every Monday to Friday at 7 pm on Discovery Channel, Discovery Tamil and Discovery HD World from February 1.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel, the flagship network of Discovery Communications, is devoted to creating the highest quality pay-TV programming in the world and remains one of the most dynamic networks on television. First launched in 1985, Discovery Channel reaches 210 million subscribers in Asia Pacific. It offers viewers an engaging line-up of high-quality non-fiction entertainment from blue-chip nature, science and technology, ancient and contemporary history, adventure, cultural and topical documentaries.