F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075
chairmAn’s Letter ew Year brings with it anticipation N and new insight onto life. Make a resolution to bring strength and spirit
to overcome darkness of the year gone by. Determine to accomplish things with newer inception. I wish the readers of Avant Garde Life, your families, friends and relatives, together with near and dear ones; a cheerful and exciting 2013 ahead. I also take this opportunity to particularly thank the readers for their continued appreciation. May you all find prosperity, better health, peace and jubilance; all along this year ahead. As we draw our focus on making a new beginning, there are several facets which have been enhanced to present the readers exclusivity of what they expect from a premiumluxury lifestyle magazine. To begin with expedition, we present you multiple other objectives like Gastronomy insight and best things to do at a particular holiday destination. In this way, there is much more you can do, much more to know about the people there, their lifestyle and culture. We also present you the best of movies which will be releasing in a month – with cast and synopsis. This is for the fun and benefit of those who wish to know what’s in the theaters, so they can plan their plays much earlier. The cover story features six seasonal dishes from diverse cuisines around the world, with their nutritional values and standard wine-pairing. All you require is time and you can cook any of these dishes by yourself at home. Exteriors landscapes play an important role in complete homemaking. Take a look at how this field has made its progress in India. Flip your pages further to understand the brand new look and feel and standards we will be adhering to, from this issue release. Have a blissful 2013 ahead.
Anith Reddy
Chairman chairman@aglmagazine.com
PUBLISHER’S LETTER A RENDEZVOUS WITH MIND
I
t’s strange the way fond retentions of past, refuse to leave our minds. thoughts have their own way influencing people. They are like magnets. It’s their nature to be extremely powerful. We are what and how we think, perceive and react. Attaining an object of interest instigates with a thought. No matter the time or distance – the deeper and longer they persist in our minds, we feel closer to it. These are called universal vibes. They hit the target, no matter how far IT may be and will come back to us – only to shrink the distance.
F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075
Content 82
food & wine SEASONAL INDULGENCES FROM GLOBAL CUISINES
74
93
celebrity feature
88
exterior landscaping
health & wellness WINTER WORKOUT STRATEGIES
EXCLUSIVE features 68
relationship ARE YOU IN LOVE WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND?
56
motor evolution Rolls-Royce
96
Fashion MANGO, RITU KUMAR AND MORE...
16
Opulence
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F1 Time Machine | Banjara Hills | Road No 12 | Hyderabaad | 040 2342 0075
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Maadhavi Editor Aditya Tej Senior Feature Writers Archana Kapoor Nagpal Lehar Jain Sarah Mathews Feature Writers Sanjay Singh Editorial Contributors Mayank Anand Pinku Bijoy Ghosh Head - Branding &Communications Gaurav Chopra Head - Sales & Marketing Danish Zubairy Mujeeb Qureshie Neha Deshpande Marketing Team Vijay Singh Akash Malhotra
Graphic Designer K.Sridhar Photographer Venkat Reddy Head Circulation G.V. Ramana Reddy Circulation Executive Venkat Jaswant Srinivas Reddy Courtesy Avijit Sharma Madhumita Mohanta Mikki Mohanta Rajat Kumar Roy Prachi Shah Fashion Courtesy Anita Rao Mango Panchami Rao Nagarajan Park Avenue Pria Kataaria Puri Ritu Kumar
For Advertisements advertise@aglmagazine.com Ph-040-2342 0077/72 RNI - APENG/2009/30578. Edited, Printed, Published and owned by Anith Raj Laxman Reddy Printed at Pragati Offset Pvt.Ltd. Registered office and city press: 17, Red Hills, Hyderabad 500 004 AP, Published on behalf of ALR Media Pvt.Ltd,8-2-686/B/12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 500 034. Copyright © 2008 ALR Media Pvt. Ltd. Avant Garde Life is a registered trademark owned by ALR Media Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Avant Garde Life is published monthly by ALR Media Pvt. Ltd, 8-2-696/1/K, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad – 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India, Ph: 040 23376296, 040 2342 0075, Fax: 040 66759191. For subscription assistance contact: ALR Media Pvt. Ltd, 8-2-696/1/K, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad – 500 034, Andhra Pradesh, India, Ph: 040 23376296, 040 2342 0075, Fax: 040 66759191. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Printed at Pragati Offset Pvt.Ltd. Registered office and city press: 17, Red Hills, Hyderabad 500 004 AP, Phone : 04023380000, Fax : +91-40-23390230. Url: www.pragati.com, Email: info@pragati.com. Avant Garde Life does not take any responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material. All disputes are subjected to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in Hyderabad only. Opinions expressed in the articles are the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.
www.aglmagazine.com
Chairman Anith Reddy
OP UL EN CE
HERMES ARCEAU
POCKET AMAZONES
Inspired by the motif of a tie designed by Henri d’Origny, the Arceau Pocket Amazones exalts the spirit of the Maison Hermès through centuries-old hand-crafted expertise - grand feu enameling, along with the miniature painting and paillonné (spangled) techniques. Gracefully swept over by a pair of hands, the paillonné enamel dial highlights the elegance of mounts and their riders. The smallest details of the coat of horse and that of the horsewoman riding side-saddle, give vibrant life to the scene. The delicate nuances and interplay of light and shade endow it with a vitality that only an experienced master-enameller can reveal, by perfectly mastering successive firings of the enamels at a temperature of 800°C. Gold spangles are delicately applied one by one during the enamelling process with a shimmering radiance, lending exceptional depth to this depiction. The timeless Arceau Pocket Amazones embodies the very essence of the Hermès style. The nobility it exudes bears eloquent testimony to the historical knowhow cultivated by the House. The emblematic upper attachment, inspired by the equestrian world and imagined in 1978 by Henri d’Origny, is bridled by a hand-sewn alligator strap. Behind the scenes, the Manufacture calibre H1928 trots steadily and accurately and its manually chamfered and polished finishes, along with the solid gold oscillating weight adorned with a cavalry of H letters; are visible through the sapphire crystal case-back.
Priced at - $ 117,000 16 aglmagazine.com
HARRY WINSTON OCEAN SPORT™ CHRONOGRAPH
Limited Edition
The Ocean Sport™ Chronograph is made to appeal to demanding men who love high-tech, performance and is an epitome of innovation and technology. Its design places it firmly in the avant-garde of a 21st century spirit, distinguished by innovation and accomplishment. Light, hypoallergenic, harder than titanium and extremely corrosion-resistant; Ocean Sport™ cases set the performance bar high. They are made of Zalium™, a material unique to Harry Winston that catapults the collection into the era of ultra-modern technology. Its rarity is matched by its outstanding chemical properties - zirconium is much rarer on earth than titanium and its extreme hardness makes it very difficult to machine. The metal is also corrosive-resistant and hypo-allergic. Calling for a blend of know-how and mastery, Zalium mirrors the qualities of Ocean Sport Chronograph Limited Edition - energetic, contemporary and powerful. The watch features a distinctly notched rotating bezel and a complex, conical shaped, minute counter. The hour counter slides partly under the dial while minutes and hours are indicated by a blue arrow. The date is seen through a window at the end of a riveted insert at 12 o’clock. An electric blue-accented HW symbol glides beneath the window at 2 o’clock.
Priced at - $ 30,000
JACQET DROZ PETITE HEURE MINUTE RELIEF DRAGON The Petite Heure Minute Relief Dragon is a sumptuous celebration of that most auspicious and venerable of Asian mythical creatures. Instead of the usual two-dimensional engraved dragon, Jaquet Droz has created a veritable three-dimensional sculpture. Clearly, the Petite Heuer Minute Relief limited edition timepiece is the fine Swiss watchmaker’s tribute to the Year of the Dragon. Hand-engraved in gold and mounted on the dial, the nimble dragon centerpiece, with its hind claws grasping an incandescent ruby appears to be surfacing from the carved waves of black-mother-of-pearl. We saw this watch in person at Basel World 2012 and we can attest to its superlative qualities. Red gold highlights each detail appearing in relief on the dial. The exquisite beauty of the final product makes these watches among the most coveted in the horology universe. Not surprisingly, they are issued only in limited numbers. The dragon’s tail is engraved on the oscillating weight, also visible through the caseback. Examined dial-side and then on the reverse, the overall effect is that of the dragon weaving its way right through the watch. Other aesthetics which flourish to note are red gold detailing on the dial and an unusual sapphire crystal dome that was created particularly to enhance the visual appeal of the dial.
Priced at - $ 32,500
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IWC
SCHAFFHAUSEN
SPITFIRE CHRONOGRAPH
Classic elegance and technological development are the hallmarks of the new Spitfire Chronograph Pilot’s Watch models in 18-carat red gold and stainless steel. The surfaces of the case are polished until the watch is left with a luxurious high-gloss or silky matte finish. When the watch is rotated, the light falling onto the sun-pattern finish of the slate-coloured dial, moves in circles. The dark colour of the dial and the date display in the form of an altimeter underscore the Spitfire’s classic instrument look. For the first time ever, the Spitfire Chronograph is equipped with the IWC-manufactured 89365-calibre. The sub-dial at 12 o’clock shows the recorded minutes while the seconds can be read off from the central hand. Thanks to the fly-back function, an ongoing time measurement can be deleted and a new one started without an intermediate stop. The red gold model has a brown alligator leather strap with a pin buckle. The stainless steel model is available either with a brown alligator leather strap and folding clasp or with the newly developed stainlesssteel bracelet featuring a fine-adjustment clasp that permits the length to be modified as desired. The hands are reminiscent of propeller blades in terms of shape and are completely coated in luminescent material.
Priced at - $ 55,900
PIAGET
PROTOCOLE
XXL
With its precious extravagance, the Protocole XXL enriches Piaget’s aptly named collection of exceptional pieces. Combining Piaget’s watchmaking expertise with the delicate art of haute joaillerie, this watch driven by the 830P ultra-thin mechanical movement with manual winding is adorned with diamonds on all sides. Only exemplary cutting and setting work can achieve such prowess, as each diamond has been sculpted then individually adjusted on every facet of the watch. A shower of gemstones is draped over the white-gold caseband – even the caseback is gem-set, while the baguettecut diamond hour markers display the time on an onyx dial. A charismatic watch only equaled by the exceptional expertise of the Piaget craftsmen. The 18-carat white gold dial is set with as many as 37 diamonds and features the ancient grand feu enamel champlevé technique. Where the metal is carved out and cells are filled with enamel and fired in a furnace it is then hand-engraved with a grey dragon design. The sapphire crystal back case also features a silvered applied Chinese dragon ideogram.
Priced at – $ 27,000
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GIRARD PERREGAUX WW.TC JOHN HARRISON One of the few authentic Swiss watch manufactures, Girard-Perregaux has unveiled a limited edition of watches, as part of its ww.tc collection, dedicated to renowned British watchmaker and inventor of the H-4 watch, John Harrison. This unique GirardPerregaux ww.tc Enamel John Harrison watch displays the time from 24 time zones around the world. Its dial displays the journey undertaken by John Harrison’s son William from Portsmouth, England, to Port Royal, Jamaica, against a map of the Atlantic Ocean. The contours of the map are engraved on an unprocessed plate of white gold, while the compass rose, showing the eight directions of the wind and measuring no more than 3 mm; is hand-sculpted by a craftsmanengraver. The liquid green and blue enamel, which shows the earth’s most dominant colours, has been applied with the help of a brush, but only after vitrification of the surface at 800 degrees centigrade, which is then cooled and hard brushed by using special paper and stone to give it a smooth texture. The dial is then manually polished with a diamond file, before a last firing called Dorure or gilding adds shine and reveals the enamel’s full splendour. William Harrison’s journey is delicately indicated by a trace of silvered powder stretching from Europe to America. The Girard-Perregaux ww.tc Enamel for John Harrison is limited to 50 individually numbered timepieces.
Priced at - $ 54,550
CORUM ADMIRAL’S LEGEND CUP What makes the Admiral’s Cup 42 Chronograph so exceptional? Historical heritage, a pure design and for the first time in this legend line; a more classical aspiration expressed through a cosc-certified chronograph movement. This legend chronograph reflects a number of the signature codes of the original Admiral’s Cup, united in harmonious blend of sportiness and elegance. Throughout the 20th century, the democratization of sport constantly generated new timepieces - from diver’s watches to pilot’s watches, the industry developed models which were ever more advanced in terms of functions and technologies. Nonetheless, the Admiral’s Cup has always radiated a distinctive aura. Since its creation in 1960, it has been the ultimate Corum sports watch. For over half a century, it has thereby embodied the brand’s tribute to the maritime world and to sailors. In 2011, the legendary collection witnessed the birth of the more classic Legend line in the form of an understated and elegant automatic watch that nonetheless retained the distinctive Admiral’s Cup features. This year, Corum is enriching this lien with the Admiral’s Cup 42 Chronograph, equipped with a COSC-certified chronograph movement, Caliber CO983. This movement driving the hour, minute, small seconds, date and chronograph functions beat at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and boasts a 42-hour power reserve.
Priced at - $ 22,300
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BVLGARI
PAPILLON VOYAGEUR
Bulgari’s new travel watch offers an elegant and artful display that takes a few seconds to grasp. First, the easy parts - local hours are displayed digitally in jump-hour fashion in the large window at 12 o’clock. The second time zone is indicated by the pointed end of the blued, centrally-mounted, teardrop-shaped hand, which points to a skeletonized, guilloché 24-hour sub-dial. The local time is set via the crown, while the 24 hour hand is adjusted forward and back with push-buttons located at 10 o’clock (+) and 2 o’clock (-). Here’s where things get creative - the minutes are indicated by a pair of small hands with points at both ends, each of which turns or spins on a central axis while also revolving as a pair around a central point. Think of two planets rotating or spinning as they circle the Sun and you have the idea. The 60 minutes in each hour are demarcated on a pair of concentric pink-gold semicircles, each with its own minute scale. The inner display marks off each individual minute, with numeric indications for 5, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55 minutes. The outer display has larger numerals indicating 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes. The two small hands mentioned above take turns indicating the minutes, as follows - for most of each hour, only one of the hands is visible and it points to the current minutes. As the end of the hour draws near, the hands perform a changing of the guard maneuver. When the hand that is currently indicating the minutes reaches 55, the other hand reports-for-duty makes a quarterturn, taking over the minutes display at the top of the hour or 00. The minute hand on the right shows the time, while the minute hand on the left is rotating to its hidden position.
Priced at - $ 52,100
S EL HE W T HO
CONQUEST EVADE
World’s Most Expensive Unarmoured SUV
Just by a single look, the body, design and style would lure you towards it. Earlier, Conquest Vehicles Inc. came up with Knight XV, which was a huge car. And the new Evade inherits a lot of similarities from Knight XV when it comes to looks. The new Evade has attractive headlights, chic taillights which have been smartly wrapped around the car, revamped grille and third tandem sunroof, hood scoop, much wider backdoor and well carved out rear bumper. The huge unarmored body of Evade is made from aluminum mild steel blend that makes the new Evade much lighter than Knight XV. Conquest Vehicles Inc. is known for designing and manufacturing some ultralavish, completely armored and handcrafted SUVs. The company is based in Toronto, Canada and has bagged many awards in fabrication, armoring, design, engineering and more that in all create unique SUVs. The firm is certainly setting up a much higher benchmark in the global luxury car SUV car bazaar.
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Talking about the engine and power of the car, the new Evade is blessed with a dynamic and aggressive 6.8 litre of V-10 engine that successfully churns out 400BHP of power along with a bombastic 2215Nm of torque. On the inside, the new Evade is ultra-luxurious and has a cabin space of more than 400 cubic feet. The car beautifully amalgamates military inspired design with sophisticated and premium finishes. The ergonomically blessed cabin and cockpit makes sure the drive and ride in the car perfect. The driver and passengers have the touch screen facility. Evade has been launched with ergonomic 2+2 limousine style seating. The two electronic executive style reclining seats present come with an option of a driver partition or a retractable flat screen television. The cabin space is ample and the third sunroof is amazing in its own way. The other standard features of the new Evade comprise of superior air ride suspension system, power windows, joystick-controlled searchlights, FLIR night vision camera present on the front as well as rear are perfect. In the Indian SUV market, Evade has come as a revolution. The new Evade however comes with some excessive high price tag, but those who can afford, would certainly get the luxury that they have ever dreamt of.
Tech Specs – 400 Bhp horsepower, 6690cc and 2 cylinder engine description, 6.8 litre displacement,7 automatic gears, 2215Nm maximum torque.
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
DESERT WARRIOR III
This is RaBe Race Car’s Desert Warrior 3 (DW3), an off-road racer loosely based on the Range Rover Evoque, designed to compete first in the 2013 FIA Off Road Rally Championship and then in 2014 Dakar Rally. Even though it uses a modified version of the regular Evoque’s body, the Desert Warrior 3 relies on a BMW-sourced, 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six diesel engine producing 271hp (275PS) and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of peak torque in standard guise and up to 345hp (350PS) when unrestricted, for its motivation. A 6-speed sequential manual gearbox drives the wheels of the 1,900kg (4,189 pounds) racer, which also features an insanely large fuel tank with a capacity of 260 liters (68.8 gallons) providing a driving range of 1,200km (746 miles). The car has a bespoke chassis made from T45 tubes, all designed in-house, with RaBe Race Cars stating that it has been tested over the course of three Dakars. The team has worked hard to get the handling and reliability perfect but also keeping fantastic dune-driving ability, which is all too easily lost when designing such cars. 26 aglmagazine.com
SPECIAL FEATURES CCV (Corner Control Valve) - This is a Reiger patented system which detects whether you are on a straight or in a corner. In a corner, it makes the compression damping of the outer wheel stiffer so that you have less roll. This allows you to run a softer anti-roll bar or even no anti roll bar because this system does take over a part of the anti-roll bar function. RCV (Rebound Control Valve) - This system is developed to gain more grip. It detects if the wheels are on the ground or not. If not, it softens the rebound damping so that the wheel drops quicker.
LCV (Lateral Control Valve) - This Reiger-patented system detects, during compression, if this compression is caused by the wheel that is going up or the chassis that is going down. If the chassis is going down because for instance you jump into a hole, it further stiffens the compression damping. This allows you to run a softer, more comfortable basic damper setup. HPDP (Hydraulic Progressive Double Piston) - This is a double piston system with a damper that has a speeddependant characteristic. On an impact with high damper speed, the double piston damping will be stiffer than with a low damper speed. The double piston comes in earlier with a high damper speed than with a low damper speed. Tech Specs – 275 Hp and 630 pound-feet of torque output, 8 Reiger coilovers, 260 liters fuel tank, 1,900 Kg weight, 2.8 M (110 inches) wheelbase, 6-speed sequential gearbox.
CHEVY CORVETTE C7
The C7 Corvette is the much anticipated next generation sports car from Chevrolet. The C7 Corvette is rumored to contain a front engine/rear wheel drive configuration with an all new small block V8 estimated to produce 440 hp in its base form. Bolder, more aggressive styling, a reworked direct-injected 6.2L V8, a lightening quick dual-clutch transmission and a world-class interior will make it the mightiest version of America’s Sports Car yet. When it comes to styling, one can expect the C7 Corvette to take
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some design cues from the Corvette Stingray concept (look at the prototype’s lower front grille). The concept’s radical look will be toned down for production, but look for the C7 Corvette to be much more futuristic than the current C6. The C7 will come equipped with GM’s new 6.2-liter L T1 small block V8, featuring a number of technical advancements, including direct-injection and a new combustion system. Power for the new engine is rated at 450 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque.
Thanks to the advanced features, which include Cylinder Deactivation System. Expect a slight increase in overall fuel economy - improving on the C6’s already impressive 26 mpg highway rating. The Corvette’s centrally-mounted quad exhaust tips remain, as do the signature four round tail lamps and the general long-nosed silhouette of the current model. The development mule’s brakes are sizable, with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear
Tech Specs – Yet to be revealed.
calipers. A 0-100km/h time of less than 4.0 seconds is also promised, bettering the 4.2 time of the current model. Magnetically adjustable dampers surely will play a major role in the C7. Chassis details also are unknown, although there’s little incentive to deviate far from the aluminum linkages and composite springs optimized during the past four Corvette generations.
DUCATI HYPERMOTARD
796
Hyper-performance with extreme versatility - Ducati introduces the next generation of the Hypermotard family, taking the innovation and excitement of the original concept and enhancing it even further with this incredible new model – Hypermotard 796. The new range combines Ducati’s latest technologies with outstanding Italian design and engineering to write the latest chapter in the Hypermotard story. The weight loss is split evenly between the engine and chassis, which features 43 mm Marzocchi forks (lacking the 1100’s adjustability), a rear trellis frame section that’s switched from forged components to precision machined parts and various trimmed down bits including a new wiring harness. By keeping the compression ratio high (at 11.1:1) and revising the entire bottom end, the 796 produces 81 horsepower - only 9 horsepower less than its big-twin sibling. Torque drops to 55.7 lb-ft, but those changes also accompany an overall weight loss of 27 lbs which brings the Hypermotard 796’s total mass to 368 lbs dry; pretty svelte, by any standard. The mill is mated to an APTC wet clutch with a slipper function which interfaces with a six-speed transmission. 30 aglmagazine.com
The Hypermotard is also more user-friendly, thanks to a lower seat that now measures 32.5 inches. The 796 features the same 4-piston, radially-mounted front and 2-piston rear Brembo brakes, single-sided swingarm and under seat-style exhaust layout as the 1100, as well as the model’s signature hand guard and flip-out mirrors. A relatively upright riding position makes the Hypermotard well suited for urban traffic and the bike’s hand and foot controls are positioned naturally and comfortably - though the lack of a windscreen makes the bike, a less likely candidate for long distance rides. Turns are even more entertaining on the 796; simply shift the bike’s weight and
lean with light handlebar effort and the whole motorcycle becomes intuitively obedient to your input. Though the 43 mm Marzocchi forks dive somewhat during aggressive front braking, a touch of rear brake tames much of that tendency. Stopping power is formidable (thanks to those 1100-spec Brembos) and despite the absence of a hardedged suspension setup, the 796 hauls itself across tight hairpins with confidence. Straightforward, powerful and remarkably maneuverable; the Hypermotard’s road manners are effortless. The air-cooled engine oozes usable power at nearly any rpm, its tossable handling makes it seem ready for almost anything.
Tech Specs – 803cc engine displacement, 11.0:1 compression ratio, 3.3 gallons fuel capacity, 88m x 66mm bore x stroke, with 6-speed transmission.
YAMAHA MT 01
The MT-03 has a light, compact, fuel-injected engine that’s full of power for instant thrust and a short-wheelbase with a focused centre of gravity that allows remarkable control and excellent traction on all kinds of roads. It is a bike that comes with Kodo as standard, the Japanese word for soulbeat - epitomized by the sound and pulse of the MT-03’s big single in action. This radically styled MT-03 is one of the quickest and most rewarding ways. And out on twisty country lanes, this super-agile, high-torque bike can pack in more action per kilometre than just about any 32 aglmagazine.com
other machine. The MT-01 SP gets new Ohlins front and rear suspension. The 43mm front forks are now tuned to provide a heightened level of feedback from the road and it also features optimal spring and dampening settings to match the unmistakable characteristics of the MT01’s engine and chassis. The rear shock absorbers now come with a separate reservoir which helps in offering a consistent damping performance, which works to improve ride comfort without taking away from the exemplary handling that the bike offers.
Road-hold and stability have been some of the mainstay features on this bike and the new set up is bound to take that a notch higher. Torque like a hammer! The MT-01 puts a massive hi-tech, air-cooled 1,670cc V-twin engine in a minimalist aluminium sports frame - it´s a sports riding revolution. This is a huge torque machine that can knife through the turns. The engine is derived from the Yamaha Warrior XV1700 and modified to suit application in the MT-01, while the forks and brakes are derived from the 2004 to 2005 Yamaha R1. This bike is quite huge and has been designed for adrenaline junkies. Even though the bike is quite large and has an aggressive design it handles easily. The spring as well as damping settings on the Ohlin suspension has been set so as to match the needs of the engine. On the whole the suspension allows for increased stability and exceptional hold of the road. The bike also has powerful brake system and includes 310mm dual disc brakes for front along with 267mm single disc rear brake.
Tech Specs
– 1670ccm displacement, 88.90 horsepower @ 4750 rpm, 8:4:1 compression ratio, 5-speed gearbox, 222 km/hr, 259 kgs, 97.0 x 113.0 mm (3.8 x 4.4 inches) – bore x stroke and 150.30 Nm (15.3 kgf-m or 110.9 ft.lbs) @ 3750 rpm torque.
BIMOTA DB9 BRIVIDO S The Best Diavel Yet
A sport bike on the capacities, created for those who want an excellent way of any road. Like every Bimota, the real masterpiece is the chassis that the Italian company builds around the production motors of other companies. In the case of the Bimota DB9 Brivido, the frame is made from both aluminum and a chromoly alloy, while the forks are 43mm Marzocchi units with the rear shock being from Extreme Tech. Brakes are of course Brembos, while the race exhaust is by Arrow. Bimota quotes the dry weight of the DB9 Brivido as 177kg (390 lbs), though true to the Italian company’s form, that weight can get further reduced with other premium options. Complete with a single perimeter braking disc, the tricked out DB9 Brivido will surely turn some heads at a bike night. 34 aglmagazine.com
The Brembo braking system consists of two 320 mm discs with radial calipers with 4 pads separated, and a 220 mm disc with twin-piston caliper. In the S, front brake system is equipped with single-disc system, peripheral, developed by Bimota Experience Department of incredible effectiveness. The wheels are forged aluminum, a material that helps keep the weight within the 177 Kg. All front two forks are installed upside-down 43 mm while the back uses a mono shock. Both techniques are adaptable for preload, recovery and pressure. All front two forks are installed upside-down 43 mm while the back uses a mono shock.
Tech Specs – 1198 capacity, 11.5:1 compression ratio, 162hp @9500 rpm, 13.1 kgm @ 8000 rpm – maximum torque, 6-speed chain transmission drive, 18 lts fuel capacity, 177 kg dry weight, 800mm seat height, 106.0 x 67.9 mm (4.2 x 2.7 inches) – bore x stroke and V2 with four stroke engine.
GA DG ET S
Corsair Vengeance 2000 Wireless Gaming Headset Gaming PCs can sometimes become so entangled with the connecting wires of peripherals that it seems only a matter of time until they conspire to constrict you in an inescapable death-grip. A wireless headset like the Corsair Vengeance 2000 is therefore always welcome. It enters a market populated by a few star performers, like Creative's Sound Blaster Tactic3D Wrath and a few that are just okay, such as Sony's DR-GA200. It's certainly a comfortable set to wear and boasts a pretty good range of 12 meters probably further than you'll ever need. It has a good battery life too. Once it's fully charged, the Vengeance 2000 can keep going for a full day of gaming. Although it’s mostly constructed from plastic, there are plenty of design flourishes such as the brushed metal effect size adjustment sliders and cloth ear cups. Small blue highlights maintain the colour scheme already set out by the Vengeance 1100 and everything feels firm enough to survive the occasional bout of gamer rage. Comfort is important for any headset, and thankfully the Vengeance 2000 delivers. Each oversized ear cup completely surrounds your ear, while the cushioned headband stops your head from feeling much of its weight. It does not require audio input from the user's onboard or dedicated sound card like many other wireless headphones and headsets do. Next up on the list of improvements is the fantastic volume roller on the left ear-cup, drawing obvious mental ties to Logitech's G-series headsets. The wheel is made of textured metal and has a light ratcheting effect to it for precision stepping, featuring a perfect amount of resistance that allows for swift volume adjustments.
Tech Specs
– 32 Ohms impedance, 20Hz to 20 KHz frequency response, 50mm drivers, up to 10 hours battery life, 7.1 surround sound recreation, USB power consumption – 500 MA. Priced at $ 149
Plantronics Voyager Legend There’s no getting around the fact that the Plantronics Voyager Legend is a big contraption as Bluetooth headsets go these days. With its signature and rather dated boom arm design, the headset is more bulky than compact competitors such as the Motorola Elite Silver, Jawbone Era or even Plantronics own M55. The boom microphone arm is thinner than the one found on the Voyager Pro yet manages not to bend when positioning or appear flimsy. Two buttons live on the arm as well, a Voice key on the bottom edge and Call button at the tip closest to your ear. A standard gel ear tip comes attached to the Voyager Legend but Plantronics also bundles a larger and smaller size along with two foam ear-bud covers. It has stellar sound quality, near to perfect hardware and voice controls, magnetic charging connector and a highly comfortable design. The first time you power up the Voyager Legend, it automatically goes into pairing mode. Subsequent pairings require you to hold down the Call button or simply say ‘Pair Mode’ into the mic. Voyager Legend works with Vocalyst, an app that lets you listen to newsfeeds, send status updates to Facebook or Twitter and organize email messages. It offers up to 7 hours of talk time on a single charge. Plantronics has also added a new ‘Find MyHeadset’ feature to the Voyager Legend, which lets you locate the headset using an Android application. The level of polish on display with the Voyager Legend is worth pointing out.
Tech Specs – Connect facility to mobile phone and tablets, 18 gms weight, stainless-steel windscreens, micro-USB charger and user can pair two phones and answer calls from either one Priced at $ 99.99 36 aglmagazine.com
Padfone Asus
PADFONE ASUS
DynamicDisplay – this ASUS exclusive technology automatically adjusts the PadFone’s display layout when it is placed into the PadFone Station to enable you to view and enjoy more. The intelligent DynamicDisplay technology will also ensure that the app remembers where you stopped so that you can immediately continue playing that new game without having to start all over again when switching from PadFone to PadFone Station and vice versa. The tablet adds two key ingredients which separate the Padfone from other tablets - a big screen and a big battery. The user gets a 10.1" WXGA IPS screen and a 5,000mAh battery (in addition to the 2,140mAh battery in the phone itself). The build quality on the phone is matched by almost none and the rippled plastic cover on the back makes the phone almost stick to your hand. Micro HDMI and micro USB ports on the side make connecting the device extremely easy. Although the screen on the phone might seem small when compared to other flagship Android phones it's plenty enough and this small negative is offset by the fact that you have that 10" tablet screen lying around. The bluetooth capable stylus gets only 8 points as a stylus but has proven to be an invaluable and attractive addition to the device. Although the detachable back cover of the phone feels really flimsy
when detached, it's very solid when attached. Finishing of the keyboard dock is also excellent. The PadStation is a bit on the heavy side but still light enough to hold with one hand. The extended battery makes the device last for a full day through even most abusive days and it lasts easily for days when not in heavy use.
Tech Specs – 129 gms (with battery), 1 GB LPDDR2 RAM memory, Qualcomm GSP, WLAN 802.11 b/g/n connectivity technology, 3.5mm audio slot, Android 4.0 platform, 128 x 65.4 x 9.2 mm (LxWxH), rear 8 megaPixel, auto focus, LED flash and F2.2 aperture. Priced at $ 1195
Gear4 Streetparty Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker Features - Wireless Audio. Use bluetooth to stream your music collection from any bluetooth equipped smartphone or tablet. Built in mic so you can use the StreetParty Wireless, as a portable hands-free speaker phone. Powerful rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery with 8 hours battery life. Compact, perfect for travel. Charges via USB, so you can re-charge the StreetParty Wireless from a USB port anywhere. Bass ported for increased bass response. Price - Yet to be revealed
Harman Kardon Soundsticks Ii
3-Piece Plug And Play Multimedia Speaker System Visually stunning and sonically spectacular, they make listening to music and watching movies on your PC exciting, with a subwoofer that brings sufficient rumble but never overdoes it. If you want a remote control, an aux-in or a speaker system that doesn't have hardwired cables - and all of those are very reasonable priorities - you should look elsewhere. In fact, if Harman Kardon made an otherwise-identical SoundSticks III and added just those things, it would earn a perfect, five-star rating. Still, even with its deficiencies and in a category with a busy revolving door, the SoundSticks II remain our favorite pair of affordable 2.1-channel PC speakers. One of the most uniquely designed PC peripherals you'll find, the SoundSticks II is crafted from clear plastic, so you can see what's going on inside its components. When the system is powered on, the futuristic-looking orb-like subwoofer (10.2 by 9.2 by 9.2 inches—HWD) glows with a soothing blue light. Two long thin satellites are attached to adjustable silver circular bases (10.2 by 2 by 2 inches each—HWD). Each speaker can sit upright, directly on its base or the base can be folded backward so that the speaker is tilted upward at whatever angle you prefer. This is an important feature that you don't always see in competing products; desktop speakers should angle upward in order to deliver sound directly to your ears. Each satellite has four 25-mm full range drivers. The right speaker features touchsensitive volume controls, simply labeled – and +. You get a bass volume control on the 20-watt sub, which also doubles as the power control. Sonically, the SoundSticks II outperform
any other sub-$200 2.1-channel PC speaker system we've tested. The four drivers on each satellite speaker deliver the ideal balance between crisp highs and mid-range frequency presence.
Tech Specs – Normal output power of 40 watts, 44 – 20000Hz response bandwidth, integrated audio amplifier, with component height of 10 inches. Priced at $ 199.95
Gear4 houseparty rise 2 wireless
App-enhanced clock radio for iPod, iPhone and iPad HouseParty Rise 2 Wireless is the ultimate bedroom speaker packed with both aptX Bluetooth and app-enhanced technology. Stream music wirelessly with advance audio coding, and seamlessly control every feature of the speaker from anywhere in the room. Its fabric curvature design and high-gloss finish adds a perfect finish to a complete home stereo experience. Wireless enabled features for the Rise 2 include a dimmable LCD display designed for visibility, without keeping you awake at night. 12 / 24 hour alarm clock with optional wake-up from the classic buzzer sound, FM radio or music from your iPod. A rotary volume dial with full touch, snooze control provides additional functionality when controlling the speaker from the unit. For full features and setup instructions, please view our Help & How-to Video in the gallery to the right. The HouseParty Rise 2 Wireless is covered by GEAR4’s no-quibble,
2 year extended warranty exclusively when purchased on gear4.com. Please retain your purchase confirmation email in the event you need to make a warranty claim in future. The Rise 2 Wireless comes complete with the latest in Bluetooth technology with aptX, the industryleading standard for high quality, efficient audio delivery. This means streaming music over Bluetooth is indistinguishable from when your iPod, iPhone or iPad is docked. The advanced audio coding provides instant delivery and lower power operation from your iOS device, with optimal performance. Dock your iPad / iPhone / iPod touch onto the HouseParty Rise and launch the SmartLink app. The time on the clock radio will automatically sync with that on your device, including synching any alarms already set-up within the SmartLink app. Set alarms on-thego, wake with confidence.
Tech Specs - Dimensions (mm) H x W x D - 140 x 360 x 134, made for iPod touch (3rd and 4th generations only), iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. Priced at $ 182.5
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Wimm one
Android Watch – Wrist Computer Enter the WIMM One, the world’s first Android watch. Available as a $299 preview device for developers, the WIMM One is capable of running a host of custom apps, syncing with your phone and pulling in the latest news headlines from the web using its Wi-Fi connection. The developer kit comes with the module itself, a simple black wristband and a charging kit. The 1.4 x 1.3 x .5-inch WIMM One module, which comes detached from the wristband, is no larger or heavier than many of today’s plain digital watches. The front of the module has a 1.4-inch touchscreen, surrounded by a shiny black bezel, the bottom of which contains the WIMM logo, though we suspect the branding would change as this is licensed to partners. The right side of the module houses its only button, a tiny power button that you should never need to use, except for the first time you turn it on or if there’s a need to emergency reset the device, something we never needed to do in three weeks of constant use. The back of the module has 14 metal teeth that connect to corresponding pins on the charging dock. The device snaps into the tiny dock and stays in place through the use of magnets. When docked, the module can plug into either the wall or a PC’s USB port for charging. When attached to a PC, you can mount the device to copy files back and forth from the non-removable 2GB microSD card. The module pops into the wrsistband securely by pushing it up through the bottom of the band’s mount. Once seated in the band, the module remains securely in place, even if you wave the watch around. Perhaps to underscore that you never need the power button after the first setup, the band’s mount covers it.
Tech Specs - 667-MHz ATM 11 processor, Wi-Fi radio, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, 256MB of mDDR memory, 128MB of DRAM, 32GB capacity and 512MB of internal flash. Priced at $ 199
I’M WATCH
World’s First Android Smartwatch I’m Watch connects to your smartphone through Bluetooth™ and delivers to your wrist, calls, text messages, emails, notifications, music, agenda, weather forecasts, pictures and any other app you desire. Intelligent and ergonomic, with a soft and elegant silhouette and a curvedHD touchscreen – I’m Watch is so fast and easy to use that it will leave everything else behind. It is a strongly customized Android version, specifically developed for I'm Watch, in order to fully match the requirements and the potential of this smartwatch. Android open source operating system ensures numerous customization features and an increasingly broader community of developers and active users, who consistently contribute to enhance the system. I'm Droid aims to be a constantly evolving, highly customizable open system. Analogue and digital formats are always ready to use. View the images gallery, enlarge images and restore them to their original size by one touch. Organize your events and get notifications for appointments. Jump from App to App within just a second – the incredible operating system knows no slowing down. Top, amazing performances work at the same time without a battery discharge. Visualize only the news you are interested in, based on your preferences set on I’m Cloud. Read them directly, as soon as they show up on resolution display. Twitter – Receive your list of tweets, followed by the user’s name, anytime, anywhere.
Tech Specs – Height – 52,60mm, width – 40mm, depth –
10mm, weight – 70gms; 4GB flash drive memory, 128MB RAM and 240x240 pixel resolution. PRICE - YET TO BE REVEALED
ADATA HE720
The World’s First 8.9mm Ultra-Slim External Drive The ADATA DashDrive™ Elite HE720 external hard drive is a USB 3.0 compatible device and the world’s thinnest of its kind. The metal brushed metal exterior and elegant overall appearance enhance the fashion sense of technological lives. It represents the unique taste and professional image of successful businesspeople. Sporting a brushed stainless steel surface and with a record-breaking slim profile of only 8.9mm thickness, the DashDrive Elite HE720 demonstrates once again the ADATA’s consistently strong ability to combine top performance with style. The brushed metal case with protective layer provides 9H scratch resistance, which prevents damage and marring even after long-term use. The DashDrive Elite HE720 features “One touch backup” function which naturally backs up and synchronizes data with one easy touch. The HE720 is equipped with a bright blue LED indicator which shines through the transmission process to indicate power and data transfer status. Large capacities of 500GB, the equivalent of 100 DVD movie disc storage, means that consumers don’t have to worry about insufficient hard drive capacity when performing backups, meeting the storage needs for highquality, high-resolution audio and video content. The DashDrive Elite HE720’s USB 3.0 interface offers transfer efficiency up to three times that of older USB 2.0 devices, but retains full backward compatibility with earlier versions. Compared to USB 2.0, in file read/write or data backup, transmission time can significantly reduced up to 70%. Even for large individual files, complete backups can be completed more quickly and easier,
which for business people translates to a threefold increase in productivity.
Tech Specs – 500GB capacity, Titanium colour, dimensions (LxWxH) – 117x79x8.9mm (4.6x3.1x0.4in), 2.5” SATA II interface, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 (backward compatible with USB 2.0) Price - yet to be revealed
Bose sie2i sport headphones Designed For Fitness And Wellbeing
Push your workout to the limit with headphones that are up to the task. Bose® sport headphones are specifically engineered for exercise. They’re sweat- and weather-resistant, stay comfortably yet securely in place and deliver robust Bose sound to keep you energized. It’s a combination of benefits conventional sport earbuds can’t match. It features sweat and weather-resistance using hydrophobic acoustic cloth for workout indoors and out and tonally balanced audio with crisp highs and deep low notes. StayHear ear tips remain in place even during strenuous workouts. If music is your motivation, let Bose sport headphones deliver it in a whole new way. TriPort® headphone technology produces wide-range sound, including the deep, natural lows that give your music and your workout - its pulse. And the in-ear design lets you feel driven without feeling closed off from your environment - a must when you’re running outdoors. Our StayHear® tips conform securely and comfortably to your ears’ shape, even during vigorous exercise. The speaker elements are covered with hydrophobic cloth that keeps moisture out but will let the sound pass through. Cables and connections are optimized for durability. The SIE2i model has an inline remote that offers convenient control over the music on your iPod or iPhone. Skip a tune with the press of a button. No need to touch your device—a great feature for running. There’s also an inline microphone for taking calls and switching seamlessly between calls and music. Bose sport headphones come with another great workout feature—the exclusive Reebok armband. It holds your music device in place when you’re exercising and stores the headphones when you’re 40 aglmagazine.com
not. It even has a separate pocket for your keys. It’s made of stretchy, breathable fabric that adjusts to fit most smartphones and MP3 players and has a touch-sensitive window for easy usability.
Tech Specs – Weight – 0.6 Oz, weatherproof, sweat resistant and triport acoustic headphone structure availability. Priced at $ 149
Plantronics marque ii m165 The top edge of the Marque 2 features a sliding power switch, while the front panel contains a slightly indented, easy-to-find multi-function button for answering and ending calls. The bottom edge holds a combination Volume and Mute button. The first time you power up the Marque 2, it automatically enters pairing mode and delivers voice-prompt-based instructions. One can answer or ignore calls just by saying either word. The Marque 2 now features a dual-mic design; one mic captures your voice, while the other works to detect and then cancel out background noise while preserving the sound of your voice. There’s plenty of gain in the earpiece. Plantronics has slightly improved DeepSleep, a mode the headset slips into if it’s no longer in range of your phone for more than 90 minutes. In this mode, the Marque 2 can now last up to six months, one more than the M55 could. Come back into range of the Marque 2, tap the multi-function button, and the headset wakes up again. It supports A2DP streaming, for listening to podcasts, audiobooks, and background music (in mono, obviously), as well as for delivering voice prompts from GPS apps. You can pair the Marque 2 with up to two devices simultaneously. The headset also works with the increasingly dated Vocalyst, an Android app that delivers news updates, social network updates, and text-to-speech for incoming email. A new MyHeadset app lets you locate the unit if you can’t find it, provided you have an Android phone, and you’ll also see a battery indicator for the headset if your phone runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
Tech Specs – Multipoint technology and battery power up to 7 hours / 11 days.
Price - yet to be revealed
Akai smart box Based on Android platform, Akai Smart Box works with all sorts of televisions, be it CRT, Plasma, LCD or LED and allows users to use TV to browse Internet, play games and use Android apps. Akai Smart Box TV Comes with In-built IM (Google Talk, Skype, Yahoo) and Social Networking Sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) Features. You can access unlimited applications through Google Playstore. It has 4GB Internal Memory, built-in Wi-Fi modem, AV port, HDMI port, Headphone and Mic Jack. The Android-based device, powered by a 1.2-Ghz processor, 2.3 Gingerbread OS, comes with a wireless mouse for navigation. It is equipped with 4GB internal memory, expandable up to 32GB through SD card slot. Smart Box is a digital media device which allows users to access and share digital content like videos, games and websites through Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) function from their mobile phones onto the TV screen using common Wi-Fi and broadband connection. It has 4 USB ports-besides a mouse, keyboard and webcam, one can connect a hard disk drive or 3G Dongle or a USB flash drive. The device connects to the internet using LAN, Wi-Fi as well as 3G Dongle. It also acts as a router/hot spot using which other devices like tablet PCs and laptops can be connected to Internet. With the Android operating system, the Akai Smart Box converts a normal TV into a PC. It also creates a hotspot when connected to a LAN cable or a 3G dongle, as it transmits Wi-Fi signal to operate other gadgets. It also supports 2G network. Users can even print documents from the Wi-Fi enabled printer. By using the HDMI cable one can get Full HD picture quality. It has 4 USB ports. So, besides a mouse, keyboard and webcam, one can connect a hard disk drive or a USB flash drive and view
their contents on the TV. The Smart Box supports all popular formats of movies, music and photos. It can also save photos and videos recorded through the webcam. The Akai Smart Box also supports the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) function, which allows users to seamlessly access and share digital content from their mobile phones onto the TV screen, when connected with a common Wi-Fi device. Users can upgrade their existing TV to a Smart TV which gives Full HD viewing experience without changing their existing TV. Even users who are planning to purchase Smart TVs can choose to buy a normal LED TV and connect with our Smart Box to get the benefits of smart TV at a fraction of the price.
Tech Specs – Dimensions 161 (L) X 128 (W) X 100 (H) mm, ARM CORTEX A8 (1.2GHz Processor), 1GB DDR3 RAM, online streaming services, Wi-Fi support, USB port and HDMI output availability. Price - yet to be revealed
SP OT LIG HT
LIVING
A DREAM...
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What are the core elements of public relations? The main elements are external and internal relations, communications including media relations, crisis management, PR events and employee communications like – newsletters and internal events. Public relations is the backbone of an organization.
Madhu Joshi is a proud winner of Chanakya Award, by Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) as the most promising PR person of the year – 2011 and also the winner of Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi Award for the best PR manager of the year – 2012.
Why public relations? When did you realize this is what you always wanted to pursue as your profession? Initially, I wanted to get into advertising and found ad-making process very interesting. While studying advertising, I realized pursuing public relations was equally interesting and challenging. I remember buying a book on communication during my schooling days. With keen interest, I told my father, this is what I wanted to do. I was fortunate to handle both these functions in my first job itself. Has your professional education in studying advertising, marketing and PR; helped you in achieving your dream? Yes, it is like adding butter to the bread, making it richer and tastier. Having a strong foundation with the help of education always helps. But I also believe that your passion and strong will surpasses everything else. “My
profession is demanding. Public relations industry has grown immensely in the last five years. What lies as a challenge is to serve different aspects of this function with limited resources. This profession is becoming strategic in nature and calls for right approach to those who wish to implement successful public relations and communications.” Is there a fine line between marketing and PR? In what way do these two aspects help in building an organization? If we go by the definition, PR is a part of the overall marketing function. Marketing is a broad term which covers various aspects like pricing, distribution and promotional strategy for a particular brand. However, with the growing need of PR and the vital role it is playing in organization today, PR has become an independent function and has diversified into several sub-functions. But both marketing and PR work in close coordination and both are important in terms of image building as well as returns on investment.
With hotels rapidly establishing in town, how much do you think is the competition to maintain a hotel’s financial standards? What are the measures to be taken to ensure a hotel meets its financial expectations constantly? Competition is good! It helps you to grow further. In a span of two years, the city has seen an increase in the number of hotels in different categories; also witnessed rise in development and gradually the growth with respect to supply. The measures to be taken are maintaining consistency in service and innovating new concepts, products and pleasantly surprising customers. They say marketing is about trying new things, to experiment, to believe in self-ideology and implementing then in a right channel. Unless you execute an idea, you will not know if it’s successful or not. What do you have to say about this? Yes, taking risks gets you better returns but the repercussions needs to be analyzed before. Marketing is also a lot about gut feel. If your instinct says that it is going to be successful, it will be 99% successful. That is what Edward De Bono had described in his book - Six Thinking Hats. Marketing is ever evolving and requires experimentation, although some marketing campaigns depend on tried and tested formulas. 44 aglmagazine.com
How do you keep yourself updated with the newest marketing trends in Hospitality segment? I do a lot of reading. I love to read on various topics. I have a habit if randomly picking up books and that works to my advantage, as I get great ideas from it. Also, reading on subject matter helps immensely. I even write articles on marketing and public relations, which requires research, thereby making me learn new things.
“It is always good to have your own style of organizing your work on a day to day basis. For me, it begins with planning and then understanding the tasks for completion attached to the overall plan and objective. If projects are planned properly, it is never a hard task to execute them.” From whom have you always drawn inspiration? My mother has been constantly guiding me on several aspects of life. In fact, the way she has been managing our home affairs has taught me several management lessons and even aspects like discipline, time management and organization skills. When I visit management institutes as a guest faculty to impart knowledge among students, it inspires me. I also draw inspiration from reading books. I like to read in my spare time. How difficult was it initially, moving from Mumbai to Hyderabad? Do you miss your family, friends and your city? The first year in Hyderabad was tough as I was missing Mumbai terribly. It wasn’t easy, as Mumbai lives in me. I do miss several aspects of my city. My family visits me often, particularly Mother, who is in love with Hyderabad. But this is one of the finest cities in India. I have thoroughly enjoyed living here. I like the city’s blend of modern and old charm, simplicity among people and the festive fervor. What are your marketing resolutions for 2013? To have no boundaries for creativity in marketing and communication strategies. Your message to aspiring marketing professionals? Sharpen your skills. Keep abreast the latest trends and knowledge. Having the right attitude is vital. Believe in yourself and keep the faith.
AR T
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FOR THE LOVE OF ART... Reputed tattoo wizard Pinku Bijoy Ghosh talks to AGL about how he made a profession out of his sole passion, besides the rapidly growing enthusiasm among today’s people, on sporting bodily arts
Your journey as a Tattoo Artist My journey towards tattooing began in 2008, as an apprentice in one of the most famed tattoo studios in Mumbai - Shoryuken, under the guidance of Kevin Andrade. Initially, it wasn’t a smooth sailing. I had done odd jobs in the studio - from cleaning the floor and the station, preparing for a tattoo; to taking my boss’ dog out for a walk, which was a part of the apprenticeship. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am glad to have obtained training under this establishment and under an artist of high caliber. It was a privilege working with Kevin. After a year and half, I moved to Hyderabad and started working as a professional tattoo artist at Hakim’s Aalim Hair and Tattoo Lounge.
I belonged to a traditional Bengali family. Moving to Hyderabad was tough, since I didn’t know anyone one. But my passion and an urge to create beautiful canvas on skin towards tattooing kept me going. When have you decided to become an artist and what inspired you In 2007, I got my first tattoo made by Kevin Andrade in Mumbai. It was a great experience. During then, I was already working with my Dad as a jewellery designer at his factory, but wasn’t happy with it. After getting my first tattoo, I decided this is something which I truly wanted to do all my life. The fact that people wanting to have something inked permanently, was something which inspired me. Besides, I had an interest towards painting, for which I won recognition during school and college days. 48 aglmagazine.com
I belong to a traditional Bengali family. Moving to Hyderabad was tough, since I didn’t know anyone one. But my passion and an urge to create beautiful canvas on skin towards tattooing kept me going.
What sort of art do you specialize in? What do you consistently draw inspiration from I specialize in almost all kinds of tattoos - from blackand-grey to coloured; from tribal to realistic portraits. Realism is my forte. I like to do pieces which are realistic in nature which are well known as 3-dimensional tattoos. Since Indians have darker complexion, I stick to black and grey tattoos with minimal colour. I like to make customized designs for every client and ensure it looks unique in its own way, at the same time, taking their preferences and ideas into consideration. How are coloured tattoos different from grey ones? Which ones do people prefer most these days and why Coloured tattoos look vibrant and eye-catchy, if one is particularly and extremely fair. I can go all out with colours, but if someone is a little darker in complexion, I
would not suggest them to get a coloured tattoo. Blackand-grey is an optimal choice and I personally advise Indians to go for black-and-grey. A decade back, when we see someone with a tattoo in the city, they were not well accepted. But today, every other person will sport a tattoo; irrespective of religion, family background and culture. How personal do you believe tattoos have become these days Well there was a time when the society didn’t approve having tattoos. We were looked differently by the community we lived in. But that’s history. Today tattoos are appreciated everywhere. It’s not only about tattoos, but it is looked as a piece of art that one has it forever. A person getting a tattooed should not be concerned about what others think. It’s a highly personal affair. Belonging to a conservative family myself, today, my biggest support is my family and my Dad - my biggest critic. With right awareness among the society, we will be able to clear every myth related to it and people with tattoos are no longer considered as drug addicts. Is there a fine line between religion and tattoos -
person developing more patience eventually. Is it true A tattoo does have an impact personally. Well I really don’t know about tattoos changing lives. But yes, it does make you feel happy and confident about yourself. You view the world around you with a different eye. It has changed my life for good, so maybe it does have an impact. There is a long going theory on whether it really has an influence personally or not; but I feel people have self-beliefs, opinions and principles. For instance, people get religious tattoos because they believe in it and feel that it might protect them from evil. Some people get religious tattoos solely for the fact that they like the design and structure of it. What have been your greatest achievements in this field My greatest achievement is to see people smile, while they walk out of my studio with an artistic memory lasting forever with them. Thankfully, I have been able to fulfill every small requirement of clients and I continue to make people happy. I love my profession and clients appreciate me for what I do. I still have a long way to go
I personally feel religion is no way connected to any religion. It’s only a matter of personal choice. But there are people in the a few communities, who are concerned with getting tattoos relating it to a particular religion. Your take on the latest tattoo culture which has picked up in the city Day by day, there has been a considerable increase in people getting tattoos. A lot of youngsters these days are interested. One should not take it as a trend or look at it as an accessory. The ‘my-friend-has-it-so-I am-going-get-it-too’ approach is wrong and it doesn’t work that way. Tattoos are permanent and something which is going to portray you as a person, so it has to be taken seriously. Primarily, one has to be very sure of the design and find a professional tattoo artist with a good amount of experience. An extremely important factor which many tend to ignore is hygiene. The tattoo studio has to be clean and hygienic all the time. Also one has to ensure the artist uses fresh sealed needles, opened only in front of the client before the tattoo and dispose it off immediately after the tattoo is completed. The tubes have to be sterilized often enough. Would you ask clients the reason why they want to get tattoos? If so, what are the most common reasons you hear from them Normally, clients come to me with an idea which they want to see it in their tattoos and hence it is left to me using my creative ideas to come up with a unique design for them. I design it for them keeping the basic idea in mind. Most of the reasons shared by clients are - either they want to celebrate a particular moment or a bond in their lives getting permanently inked. But every individual will have his/her particular reason. We hear a few people say - getting a tattoo might change your life from good to better and will also teach you how to tolerate physical pain, leading to a
Contact for appointments - Hakim's Aalim Hair and Tattoo Lounge, 1259/a, Jhanvi Trade Centre, I Floor, Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills. Ph No.23541873/79
PL US TR AV EL
SPLENDID CROATIA
The Mediterranean As It Once Was
‘Croatia is poised to become one of the most popular short-haul destinations in the world. In 2005 and 2008, it had 10 million and 11.26 million tourists respectively.’ ‘Top Pick Destination for 2005’ : Lonely Planet ‘Destination of the year 2006’ : National Geographic Adventure 50 aglmagazine.com
LAND OF THE MODERN DAY ODYSSEUS NAUTICS Sprinkled like pearl drops across the crystal clear blue of the sea, the 1,244 islands, isles, cliffs, reefs and rocks which comprise the Croatian Adriatic; provide 1,244 unique reasons to dream of sailing adventure. Almost ideally distributed with distances between them not exceeding 10 nm, along a coastline extending 5,835 km, from Istria to Dubrovnik, islands offer a real challenge to every modern-day Odysseus. With over 1500 coves, bays and ports on islands and the mainland where one can find a berth, drop anchor or stay overnight - the Adriatic is the very place for sailing under full sail, for a motorboat cruise or simply for enjoying the sea by boat for recreational fishing. Even in olden times the Adriatic Sea was one of the most crucial sailing routes for ancient cultures. Being one of the calmer seas, without large waves or very strong currents, its greatest depth is 1330 metres - and that at its southernmost part - the Adriatic. The extraordinary clarity of waters with visibility to the fascinating depth of 50 metres and an average water temperature of 16 to 21 celcius, the Adriatic is indeed an ideal place for your dream sailing adventure. KRAVNER AND HIGHLANDS The former Venetian island towns of Rab and Lošinj are popular tourist destinations. One of the most varying regions, the entire Kvarner gulf provides striking scenery, tall mountains right next to the sea; overlooking a dozen large islands. Tourist resorts range from coastal towns of Opatija and Lovran, with their feel of Austro-Hungarian imperial decadence, regaining their former prominence. Opatija is the oldest tourist resort in Croatia. Its tradition of tourism ranges from the 19th century. The island is popular with tourists and families for beautiful nature, beaches, heritage and many events; particularly the Rab arbalest tournament and the Rab Medieval festival - Rapska Fjera. With around 2600 hours of sunshine a year, the island of Lošinj has become a popular destination for Slovenian, German and Italian tourists in the summer months. ISTRIA The city of Pore’c here is famous for the UNESCO-protected Euphrasian Basilica, which includes the renowned 6th century mosaics depicting old-style Byzantine art. The region’s largest city Pula has one of the best preserved Amphitheaters in the world, which is still in use for festivals and events. ‘’Zagreb is the host of Zagrebfest, the oldest Croatian pop-music festival, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The Day of the City of Zagreb is celebrated every year with special festivities, particularly on the Jarun Lake, near the southwestern part of the city.’’ GASTRONOMY INSIGHT Istrian olive oil normally has the extra virgin quality. The extra virgin olive oil and olive oil roads you can visit while staying in Istria have become more significant in tourism. The Istrian olive varieties are - Buža, Buža Minuda, Buža Puntoza, crnica, Drobnica, Istarska bjelica, Karbonaca, Moražola, Oblica, Rošinjola and Zizolera. The coastal region is characterized by the influences of the Greeks, Romans, Illyrians and later Mediterranean cuisines like the Italian and French. It features several seafood dishes - squid, cuttlefish, octopus, shrimp, lobster and many more prepared in various ways - olive oil, prosciutto, various vegetables, Dalmatian wines such as Babic, Malvasia, Prosecco and Vrbnik Zlahtina and various liqueurs like the famous Maraschino.
ACTIVE TOURISM - SPELEOLOGY
As a true Karst region, Croatia is full of caves. The most famous and most magical are the Modra Spilja [Blue cave] on Biševo and the Zmajeva Špilja (Dragons cave) on the island of Brac. The most attractive caves are found in Istria, Gorski kotar and on Medvednica and for real lovers of the underground we recommend Veternica near Zagreb, Cerovacke spilje (Cerovac cave) near Gracac and Lukina jama (Lukina cave) on Velebit.
KAYAK
With the Dobra, Mreznica, Una, Kupa and Korana in the north and the Cetina or Zrmanja in the south that sit in the middle of National Parks, a trip on a kayak offers many undiscovered sights.
CANOE
Did you know that canoeing is a tradition that has been going on for centuries here? Traditional Croatian canoes, which are called Trupice, are used for fishing and transportation on the river Neretva delta even today. They are suitable for family and group excursions and on a canoe trip with a guide you will be led past lots of castles and fortresses such as Trakoscan, Ozalj and Dubovac na Kupi all the way to Radmanove mlinice (Radman’s mills) on Cetina or the old mills of Krka.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
Dubrovnik City Walls - No visit to Dubrovnik would be complete without a leisurely walk around the city walls. Built between the 13th and 16th centuries and still intact today, these powerful walls are the finest in the world and Dubrovnik’s main claim to fame. The views over the town and sea are great, so be sure to make this walk the high point of your visit. The entrance to the walls is immediately to the left of Pile Gate when you enter the city. You can also enjoy Shakespeare’s plays, which are staged on the Lovrjenac Fort terrace during the Summer Festival. Plitvice National Park - The extraordinarily beautiful pocket of wooded hills in this World Heritage site enclose 16 turquoise lakes that are connected by waterfalls and cascades. The mineral-rich waters carve through the rock, depositing tufa in continually changing formations. Wooden footbridges follow the rumbling water for an exhilaratingly damp 18km (11mi). Adriatic Explore - Day trips to Mostar and Montenegro (both 380KN) are very popular. Excursions to Mljet, Korcula and the Elafiti Islands (250KN) are offered, too. Fields Of Dreams - There is a new, and very old, reason to take the short ferry trip from Split to magical Hvar, the longest of the 1,000 Croatian islands. UNESCO has just made the island’s Stari Grad Plain a world heritage site, recognizing it as the best preserved ancient Greek landscape in the Mediterranean. Greek settlers started farming here 2,400 years ago, and nothing has really changed in the quiet routine of cultivating grapes and olives on the same parcels of land marked out by the original Greek surveyors. 52 aglmagazine.com
SPECTACULAR TURKEY
Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Turkey tries to be a bridge between West and East. Well known as a great destination for relaxing beach holidays, it also offers many sporting activities, some of the world’s most important ancient monuments, welcoming Turkish hospitality and a delicious and varied national cuisine‌
ISTANBUL
This splendid city has unique and fascinating features. It is the only city in the world reaching across two continents, with its old city in Europe and modern Istanbul situated in Asia, separated by the Bosphorus Strait. It is also unique in having had capital status during two successive empires, Christian Byzantine and Islamic Ottoman and the legacy from both is visible in the modern city today. Istanbul’s location on the water made it a much coveted site as a commercial shipping port and military lookout and as capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople, as it was known, became extremely desirable as a center of world trade, until Mehmet the Conqueror claimed it for the Ottoman Empire in 1453 and it became the imperial seat of the sultans. After the War of Independence the capital was moved to Ankara, but Istanbul still remains the commercial, historical and cultural heart of Turkey today. The charm and character of Istanbul lies in its endless variety and jumble of contradictions. The fascinating history has bequeathed the city a vivid inheritance of Byzantine ruins, splendid palaces, ancient mosques and churches, hamams (bath-houses) and exotic bazaars. Modern Istanbul exudes trendy bars and nightclubs, western boutiques, office blocks and elegant suburbs.
Fethiye is a traditional market town set around a beautiful natural harbour. It is a big centre for scuba diving and boats leave from here for daily trips around the stunning coastline. There are number of hotels in the town itself, which mostly attract older couples, who enjoy the traditional lifestyle and also like the fact that it is flat and easy to get around. There is a greater variety of shops in the narrow of the bazaar area, Paspatur. In the evenings, head for this lively area for live music and bars. 54 aglmagazine.com
NATURAL WONDERS
Eastern Turkey has a landscape of a different order altogether; a rugged terrain with snowy dramatic peaks, most notably Turkey’s highest Mount Ararat, rising dramatically from the plains and the awesome sight of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers which have their sources there. Lake Van, Turkey’s largest and the highlight of any trip to the southeast of the country, is a monumental and still indigo-coloured lake in a tranquil setting. The volcanic heritage has also meant that the country is dotted with thermal springs where steaming water heated deep underground has found an outlet at the surface. The Aegean region’s gem is the UNESCO world heritage site of Pamukkale east of Izmir, or Cotton Castle in Turkish, a hot spring whose water cascades gently over giant calcified tiers. Crowning it, are the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis; which was sited there precisely because of the nearby spa.
GASTRONOMY INSIGHT
Turkish cuisine is world renowned. Restaurants work hard to preserve the centuries-old legacy of delicious recipes made with fresh ingredients and a variety of exotic spices. Waiters will help you choose what to eat and regional specialties abound. The traditional Turkish drink is Raki, an alcoholic drink made from different fruits. Raki is usually drunk with cold dishes like tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and seafood. Ayran, a yoghurt drink made by diluting yogurt with water, is also very refreshing. Authentic Döner Kebap - Among the most popular meats in Turkey is lamb, stemming from the country’s pastoral heritage, of which comes this most commonly consumed street food. Döner kebap is Turkey’s most recognizable international food. Of similar fame is lahmacun or Turkish pizza, which has a bread crust plus ground meat and onion and seasoned with lemon and parsley.
ACTIVE TOURISM As much as Turkey is a country that feeds your senses, it is a place you can turn to when you are suffering from sensory overload, having been blessed by a geology that gifted it nearly 1,500 natural and thermal springs. A retreat for your body and soul bubbles up at the Ilica Springs, lying beneath Izmir’s peninsular suburb of Çesme. This is one of the main attractions, after enjoying the stunning seashores, charming villages and historic castle of sublime spa retreats located within the cocoon of resort hotels like the Sheraton Çesme, the Radisson Blu and the Altin Yunus.
ROMANCE
Love Is In The Air, Take It All In… For those whose romance feeds off of adrenaline, there is nothing like the rush of hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, paragliding above Ölüdeniz or horseback riding along the beach at Patara. Imagine trekking up along the stark white travertine pools in Pamukkale, followed by a dip in the bubbly of the Sacred Pool surrounded by toppled Roman columns.
FUN FOR THE FAMILY
Let the family loose to scramble over the marble remains of Pergamum, up the colossal steps of the Great Theatre of Ephesus, across the vast garden courtyards of Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace, into the belly of the model Trojan Horse at Troy or around the regally crowned tombs dotting the length of the Mediterranean.
MUSIC AND LIFESTYLE
Nightlife is synonymous with music, culture and food. What makes the rhythms and flavors of Turkish nights stand out are the unique colours representing this fascinating cultural crossroad, a cornucopia of rich diversions that features succulent spreads of traditional Turkish delicacies washed down with Raki, Turkey’s national drink, a glass of home grown wine or a dense brew of Turkish coffee.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE - Seeing the Sultan Ahmed Mosque from afar, with its ascending system of domes and sky-cutting minarets, is already much of a thrill, but come inside and this initial excitement will instantly melt away giving way to speechless admiration and awe. PAMUKKALE THERMAL POOLS - Leave your skis at home for this is not a glacier or any snow formation. No skiing down the slope or speedy slaloms. What you can enjoy instead are healing sessions in thermal pools. The amazing frosty landscape of dazzling white calcareous castles has been formed by limestone-laden thermal springs.
GOREME NATIONAL PARK - Why don’t you feed your travel bug with some moon dust this time? Set in the deep heart of the country, Cappadocia will have you agape and bewildered with its spectacular lunar landscape. With white volcanic ashes sprinkled over fairy chimneys and other astonishing rock formations, it does make you think of space exploration rather than trekking the good old Earth. BLUE CRUISE - Once the Turkish writers realized how powerful an inspiration can be derived from a voyage along the Turkish Riviera, they successfully introduced the concept to literature and even gave it a name - The Blue Cruise. Once the Turkish Tourism Industry realized that the men of letters had bred the hen that lays the golden eggs, they incorporated the term to offer what is now a unique boating experience with connotations in art and history.
EV OL UT IO N M OT OR
TIMELESS ROYALTY Rolls-Royce is one of the most well-known brands in the world. The name is a legend. The reputation is unique. It helps open doors. Not many people can own this - it attracts talented people, it differentiates us and it is a reassurance of trust in our technical capability. Throughout the company’s proud history, Rolls-Royce has been dedicated to the hand-crafting of supremely refined motor cars, commissioned to reflect the personal needs and tastes of individual discerning owners. As a matter of fact, there is no more universally recognized and admired blend of advanced technology and timeless craftsmanship than a Rolls-Royce. Take a look at the revolution the brand has created over the last two centuries and its prodigious global accomplishments‌ 56 aglmagazine.com
UNPARALLELED EXCELLENCE
Great brands are driven by a powerful central organizing thought. MARVELLOUS INCEPTION The history began as Rolls-Royce Limited, which started manufacturing cars in 1903. The factory at Goodwood is the fifth Rolls-Royce UK based car production facility since 1904. The previous four were located in Manchester, London, Derby and Crewe. Rolls-Royce Limited was created over a famous lunch in May 1904. Henry Royce, a successful engineer, struck a deal with Charles Rolls, owner of one of the first car dealerships. The ensuing series of two, three, four and six cylinder cars broke the mould for engineering and craftsmanship. The famous Rolls-Royce badge has two interlocking letters of R and these simple initials of the founders have acquired significance as an immediately recognized symbol of quality, evoking ideas of precision, integrity and innovation.
FOUNDERS CHARLES ROLLS
SIR HENRY ROYCE
Charles Rolls studied mechanical engineering at
Known for his attention to detail and pursuit of perfection,
Cambridge. The first undergraduate to own a car, he soon
Henry Royce registered his first patent (the bayonet
began racing. To fund his passion he set up a dealership,
lamp socket) in 1887. His company produced dynamos,
selling mostly foreign cars. His search for a supplier
electrical motors and cranes. Dissatisfied with his
of reliable English cars led to his introduction to Henry
Decauville, Royce decided to improve on it and turned
Royce. The first aviator to complete a double-crossing of
his attention to building the best cars in the world. By
the English Channel, he was killed in a crash at an air
1903, he had designed and built his first engine. His first
show in July 1910.
prototypes took to the road in 1904.
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Silver Ghost, launched in 1907, was a car of legendary smoothness that completed a 14,371 mile virtually non-stop run, creating the best car in the world legend. The Spirit Of Ecstasy mascot, which has adorned the motor cars since 1911, likewise identifies characteristics of RollsRoyce with a romantic representation of elegance and craftsmanship. What makes a Rolls-Royce car unique is the combination of advanced technology and timeless attention to the finest detail, creating an individually commissioned motor car which meets the owner’s personal requirements.
HISTORYCHECKLIST 1884
– Rolls-Royce grew from the electrical and mechanical business established by Henry Royce in 1884. Royce built his first motor car in 1904 and in May of that year, met Charles Rolls, whose company sold quality cars in London. Agreement was reached that Royce Limited would manufacture a range of cars to be exclusively sold by CS Rolls & Co. – they were to bear the name RollsRoyce.
1906 – Success with the cars led to the foundation of the Rolls-Royce Company in March. The launch of the sixcylinder Silver Ghost, which within a year, was hailed as the best car in the world. 1914
– At the start of World War-I, in response to the nation’s needs, Royce designed his first aero-engine – Eagle, providing half of the total horsepower used in the air war by the allies.
1940 – The Merlin powered the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire in the Battle of Britain. Demand for the Merlin during the Second World War transformed Rolls-Royce from a relatively small company into a major contender in aero propulsion. 1944 – Collaterally, Rolls-Royce began to develop the aerogas turbine, pioneered by Sir Frank Whittle. The Welland engine entered service in the Gloster Meteor fighter in 1944 and Rolls-Royce had the confidence immediately after the war to commit itself to gas-turbine, in which it had a technological lead.
1960 – With the emergence of the widebody airliners during late 1960s, Rolls-Royce launched the RB211 for the Lockheed L-1011 Tri-Star. 1971 – Early problem with the RB211 led the company being taken into state ownership and the flotation of the motor car business in 1973 as a separate entity. The threeshaft turbofan concept of the RB211 established itself at the heart of Rolls-Royce world-class family of engines. 1987
– Rolls-Royce returned to the private sector, undergoing a number of mergers and acquisitions to create the only company in Britain, capable of delivering power for use in the air, under sea and on land.
1998 – Rolls-Royce motor cars were sold by Vickers to Volkswagen, although BMW hold the rights to the name and the marquee for use on Rolls-Royce cars, having acquired the rights from Rolls-Royce plc for 40m pounds. 2004 – Today, it is the world’s second largest civil aero engine company, the world’s second largest defense aero engine company and a global leader in marine propulsion and a leading supplier of energy solutions. All of these businesses have gas turbine technology at their heart. Rolls-Royce celebrated its centenary throughout 2004 with a series of special events for customers, partners from education and industry, as well as employees, families and friends in UK, Germany, Scandinavia, North America and the Far East.
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FAST FACTS
The first 10HP Rolls-Royce was sold for 395 pounds. Today it is worth over 250,000 pounds – about $400,000. Sir Henry Royce’s first job was a newspaper delivery boy for W H Smith & Son Ltd. The oldest known Rolls-Royce still on the road is the 1904 10HP owned by Thomas Love Jr. of Scotland. The largest purchase of Rolls-Royce motor cars in the world is the Scottish Co-Operative Society, 240 in all. The largest Rolls-Royce collection in the world is held by the Sultan of Brunei – 350. The cooling capacity of the air-conditioning system in the Silver Spirit is equivalent to that of thirty domestic refrigerators. You could drive a modern Rolls-Royce from the Arctic Circle to the Equator without having to adjust the air-conditioning – the interior temperature would remain constant. When Rolls-Royce cars were first exported to America, they were so quiet that the licensing authorities refused to believe that they were petrol driven cars, thinking that they must be electrically powered. Rolls-Royce cars use two imitation wooden heels to test the durability to their Wilton carpets. The heels rub backwards and forwards 100,000 times over four inches of the carpet. The drivers on the Silver Spirit clocked up one million miles a year.
CAPTIVATING CRUZ is the only Spanish actress in history to have won an Oscar. One Penelope of the world’s most famous actresses, she is known for her roles in - Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Nine, Los Abrazos Rotos and Volver. Recently, she became the 14th star to be featured on the world famous Campari calendar for 2013.
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Kacts which play on fears of ill-fate - break-
iss SuperstitionS Goodbye involves 13 taboo
ing mirrors, walking under ladders, opening umbrellas indoors and others. The message of Campari’s 2013 Calendar is that self-confidence overcomes superstition - a mantra Cruz adopted for herself as a teenager while dealing with a few of her own. The calendar was shot by world famed fashion photographer Kristian Schuller. Cruz showcases a series of scarlet designs - from Marchesa and Monique Lhuillier to Zac Posen, Alaia and Emilio Pucci.
During the shoot, were you or anyone else extra cautious? Well, what’s the thing behind being scared about black cats (laughs)? I was superstitious when I was a teenager. I had to fight against that because it made me feel anxious. It’s absurd in the end, so I decided to throw away all those superstitions and that’s why I liked this character. It’s like me saying goodbye to fear. Did you ever create any superstitions of your own? I connect things with numbers because I love them. But I am proud that I was able to send them away, because you’re much more present. And also, I think superstition has a lot to do with fear - the less, the better. How was your working experience with Kristian Schuller? It was a tight collaboration with Kristian. I am a huge fan of photography. I tried to learn about his techniques during the calendar shoot and it was really interesting to see how he works. I like seeing it as being like a day at school. His pictures are like paintings. It’s not just the person he shoots; he takes care of every small detail. I saw the results and it’s beautiful.
“I’ve made around 50 movies, so maybe I’ve learnt
a
little
bit
about directing too. I’ve been approached about it before. I am interested in it. If I direct for the first time, it would be in a humble way and starting from the scratch.”
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Share with us your acting experience in To Rome With Love? It was a great pleasure working with Woody Allen again. It was fun because, I play the role of a prostitute who walks around the Vatican in a miniskirt and dark glasses saying that all the art has been stolen. It was a hilarious role. I love working with him because he makes me laugh, no matter what he does. He is clever, charming and charismatic. I love spending time with him and feel privileged to have been able to do two films with him. I hope we do many more in future. How is your experience working with the designers? There are so many designers that I love. I am lucky to work with so many of them and sometimes, spend time with them. You get to go to events and wear their stuff. It’s fun, but it is what it is. I don’t put a lot of time into it but I respect what they do. There is a lot of work that goes into it. If you think about how many collections a year that Karl Lagerfeld has to do, with Chanel and all the other things he does, you can’t do that unless you are working 18 hours a day. How do you feel like being an ambassadress of Lancôme alongside Julia Roberts and Kate Winslet? It feels incredible. I feel like I am with the best possible company. I admire them for their achievements and know them both a little bit. I can’t think of being with a better company than these two artists. What is your definition of beauty? I read somewhere that people born under the Taurus sign are those who appreciate and admire beauty. I don’t know much about Astrology, but I really identify as a Taurus in that respect, because I love beautiful things, observing beauty, as well as beautiful women. It doesn’t have to be within the parameters which society dictates. My definition of beauty is much more open, much more without rules. It can be the face of a beautiful 90-year old woman who shows in full of stories and emotion, as long as it communicates something to me. Beauty is in what somebody’s eyes communicate. How do you think motherhood changed your life? From the first second, I felt so much love. It was a revolutionary experience. That’s the best way I can describe it. It transformed me completely, in a moment. Nature is very wise and gives you nine months to prepare, but in that moment—when you see that face, you are transformed forever.
“I like so many of the dresses but I am a huge fan of Alaia. I think he really knows the body of a woman.”
Who will be in your guest-list for a perfect dinner? Rudolf Nureyev, Anna Magnani, Audrey Hepburn, Truman Capote, Dalai Lama, Marlon Brando and Billy Wilder. What according to you should be the most important character in a person? Compassion and honesty. What’s your style-statement? My style varies. It depends on the move or the role I am playing, which affects me a little bit. Which places would you like to visit? Oh, there are many. But I would say – Egypt, Galapagos Islands, Kenya, Patagonia and Buenos Aires. How do you explain femininity? Every woman is unique and beautiful in one way or the other. I refuse to follow the rules dictated by society about beauty. We hear people say, thirties are the best times of life. Do you agree? I do believe thirties are the best times of my life. I feel better now than when I was twenty or younger than that. Hopefully, I will be able to say that every decade. This is how I feel.
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MO S T PR EFERRED PIC KS Meryl Streep
Salvador DalĂ chocolates with a glass of wine
Lancome YSL Roady Hobo
Luciano Padovan
YSL Roady Hobo
ET
RE LA TIO NS HI PS
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE Have you have fallen in love with your best-friend? How would you plan to convey your feelings to her/him? What if you lose the friendship which was there in the first place, when you can’t help but to remain glued to this crazy little thing called – love? The only solution to this perplexity is to find it out by yourself, if you are seriously in love with your best friend. But here are few advises you can follow -
ASK YOURSELF This can be a little tricky. But there is a fine line drawn between
having
a
crush
and truly being in love. Ask yourself if you are truly in love and if your feelings are genuine. IF IT’S REAL, IS IT THE TIME YET TO TELL? Even if you are sure of your feelings,
you
shouldn’t
necessarily reveal instantly. If they are dating someone, it would be unfair to sabotage their relationship by sharing your feelings. If you are in a relationship, you need to decide who’s more important to you. If your friend wins out, then you should break up with your boyfriend / girlfriend. It’s not fair to date someone who is only second place in your heart. If your friend is going through some major stress - like if they have got a big game or test coming up or if they are coping with the death of a relative - hold your tongue until their stress has passed. 68 aglmagazine.com
HOW TO TELL YOUR FRIEND? So you’ve decided that you really do love your friend and that the time is right. Here’s what you could do Don’t just blurt it out in the middle of a conversation. Plan on a time and place where you can be alone with them, face to face. Look in their eyes and say a short statement like - ‘I am beginning to like you as more than a friend.’ Don’t use the term love, even if you are sure about it. Love is a big word and you might scare your friend off whether they have feelings for you or not. Keep your tone upbeat. WHAT IF THEY LIKE YOU BACK? By having this conversation with your friend, you’ve made the decision that it’s more important to reveal your feelings than to live in a lie by hiding them any longer. Even if your friend doesn’t like you back, you’re still better off than you were before, because now you know how they feel about you. Your friend is probably hoping that you’ll both be able to forget this conversation ever happened and go back to being friends. That might not be so easy for you. If it hurts too much to hang around your friend, take some time to get over your feelings. You might be able to be friends again down the road, but don’t rush it. Do what’s best for your heart.
FOR GUYS ANALYZE PERSONALITIES You have likely seen your best friend in a relationship with someone else before. Are they flirty with other men even when they are not single or do they become allconsumed in a relationship with someone? Examine their and your common traits when dating someone. OBSERVE HABITS AND BEHAVIOUR Does she do things which completely irritate you or vice-versa? If so, the chances of lasting in a long-term relationship will be affected. Annoying behavior or habits are easy to brush over for a few months before they become all you notice.
ABILITY TO COMPROMISE There is a way more give-and-take in a relationship than there is in a friendship. Can you truly accommodate each other’s wants and needs? And can you do that maturely? TRUST ANALYSIS If you are already best friends, you already knew each other’s secrets and some very personal information about one another. Can you trust your friend not to fall in love with someone else again? Or use that information against you if you break up? UNDERSTAND ATTRACTION If the attraction is physical, a fling may not be worth damaging a close friendship over. If you don’t want to risk the mental component of your relationship, look at finding a casual sex partner elsewhere. SEE IF SHE HAS SIMILAR FEELINGS FOR YOU Remember, she might look at you as a brother-figure and then be shocked when you tell her how you feel about her. This could ruin even friendship, but it could also make the relationship better. Weigh the risks against the possibilities. Be careful about coming out too suddenly and openly. No matter what you have to say, there’s always a gentle way to say it. HUMOUR THERAPY Tell jokes to each other. It serves to entertain you both and if you are lucky, you may get emotionally closer before you even properly realize. If you have an inside joke, use it when it fits the situation.
“It’s important to understand what she needs. If she wants a shoulder to cry on, offer one. If she’s cold, lend your jacket. Over time, she’s bound to notice how helpful you have been. You need to ensure she sees what a great boyfriend you would make and starts thinking about the idea herself. Remember to be there for her because you care about her, not because you expect anything in return.’’ 70 aglmagazine.com
TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL This is often easier for a guy than for a girl because most girls are pretty considerate to feelings. Give her a chance to understand you and when you think the time is right, tell her what you think. Of course, you may risk ruining and / or losing your friendship or at least changing it even if you don´t want to. But if it turns out lucky, then she will be even more considerate of you and your feelings. FINALLY, BE PREPARED FOR A REJECTION If your friend doesn’t end up liking you back, do not be depressed. Be casual and try not to let the friendship get awkward. Try to get things back to the way they were before.
EXPERT ADVISES Take your time. She’s not like any other girl because she probably tells you all of her secrets. If you surprise her, she might be really embarrassed. Perhaps she just wants you to be her friend. If she expresses any negative emotion, it doesn’t mean that she doesn’t like you outright. Maybe she has never thought about the two of you dating. She actually might need time to think about it. Don’t just say you were kidding! She will either see through your lie or think it´s a cruel joke. If you are going to tell her your feelings, talk to her personally. Don’t use text messages or e-mail. Don’t tell her in public because she might get very embarrassed. Also don’t do it drunk because it will be very awkward the next morning, especially if neither of you remember. It’s very hard to keep your feelings inside when you’re young, so you might have given her a lot of signs that you are interested, long ago. She might even know about it and just be hiding it.
If you do choose to tell her how you feel while she has a boyfriend, expect the worst. It’s unlikely she will drop him for you. Try as much as you like to show her, her boyfriend’s negatives. Don’t forget your friendship. If you’re not careful you won’t just lose the girl you love but also your best friend. If she gets a boyfriend during the time you are trying to be with her, be nice to her and there for her. Put your plans to pursue something further on hold. The odds are in your favor if you just tell her your feelings. Often times, girls are likely to fall for their close guy friends.
Appreciate your relationship as friends. Love her, never make her regret anything and be there for her. You’ve been given the chance others would die for. If you aren’t naturally fun or exciting, seek someone who is willing to help those who need it. You will feel sad during this time, but don’t let it get to you and don’t let her see it. Try picking up other girls. She’ll notice that and may get very jealous. If you decide to tell her, say something about it being okay if you just want to be friends and that you can get over it if she doesn’t feel that way. Tell her you couldn’t keep it to yourself any longer, but you can deal with it if she doesn’t feel the same way. If you have that kind of open friendship where you also discuss your love lives and she asks you if you have anyone on your mind lately, or she asks you about a girl you previously dated or that you show interest in, then casually say, “No, not really. Just you. I’ve been thinking about how hot you are.” Laugh and say you’re kidding.
Little jokes like that lighten the mood and can make it easier to proceed to talk about this topic. After you make some kind of joke like this, try to tell her that you have no one in mind and you’re open to finding anyone new. Buy clothes you find stylish and comfortable and wear them as often as possible. Read articles that give advice to girls on falling in love with your best friend. You can then see what she might be looking for. When and if they break up, do not give her the attention she wants. Be there for her a little bit and then go back to being her good friend. If you talk to her while she is in the relationship or right after it’s over, you will be stuck in the friend zone. Don´t be insecure or desperate. This turns off any lady. Develop confidence, but be careful not to slide to arrogance either. If you still have been unable to tell her after a long period, you may find yourselves in situations where you speak a lot less to each other, if at all. Break the ice. When the time is right and you two are alone in a good place, go and talk to her. A good opener would be something like, ‘Am I just imagining this or are you avoiding me?’ Watch how she responds. Does she try to keep the conversation as short as possible or does she talk openly? Practice some chivalry. Open a door for her or introduce her to new friends and acquaintances when one goes by. If you express your feelings and she doesn’t respond positively, drift away from her for a bit. This is going to be very hard, but it’s worth it. She will notice you are somewhat distant. She might realize she has missed you and your friendship may therefore be restored.
LIF E SE X
HAVING SEX FOR THE FIRST TIME? Frequently Asked Questions on losing virginity. What time should we have sex? When you have sex doesn’t really matter. What should matter instead is that you and your partner have sex when you are both comfortable. Some people prefer to make love at the break of dawn, some in the afternoon sun and some in the darkness of night. More important than time of day is the time you have to spend. Give yourself a lot of time to have sex the first time. A weekend is ideal, but at least the whole day, including sleep time. Where should we have sex? Where you have sex is probably a more important decision. Finding a place where you both can be private for up to forty-eight hours can be difficult at that age where most people are planning on losing their virginity. But it’s worth it. Cars are no longer big enough to have sex in, and the outdoors has less privacy, bugs, sand, and pine needles. A bed is probably the best thing to make love in, still. Hopefully you’ll have a room to yourself, with all the amenities that a bedroom affords, including heat, comfort, space, and the bathroom. Take a shower together! If you’re about to have sex, you’ve probably had your hands all over each other before now. Get to know each other’s bodies. Take your time. That’s what lovemaking is about. What do I do first? (for her) You can’t expect him to know what makes you feel good. You’ll have to tell him or show him, and that may mean taking some of the initiative, taking his hands and placing them where they make you feel good. Don’t be afraid to ask him to “be gentler” or change positions. Go slow. If it’s his first time, he may well be totally nervous about what you’re about to do and his penis may not respond at first. Patience, gentleness and understanding are required to bring it back to life and that may be hard for you to achieve, but that’s why we told you to give yourselves lots of time. What position should I use? (for her) Many women prefer to have sex the first time being on top, where they can control the first entry. Others want to be on the bottom and give their lovers that control. Choose what’s best for you. Just remember to tell him to go slow, take your time, and if you feel the need, use a commercial lubricant like KY Jelly.
Is curved penis normal? It is quite normal for a man’s penis to curve or lean slightly to the right or the left when erect. Many will curve upwards too. However, if the penis suddenly develops a lump that causes it to bend abnormally, it should probably be checked by a doctor. It may be a sign of a condition called Peyronie’s disease, which isn’t life threatening, but may be uncomfortable and require treatment. Does sexual intercourse hurt the first time? (for her) First time sex could be painful, as the penis entering the vagina can stretch or tear the hymen (the thin layer of skin that partially covers the entrance to the vagina). Not all girls have hymens (they may have been born without one or may have broken it through sport or inserting tampons earlier in life,) but if they do and it tears; a girl may bleed a little. She may also find this bleeding continues the next few times she has sex, although once the tear has healed, she shouldn’t have any further problems. Being nervous and tense the first time can mean a girl does not produce enough natural lubrication to allow easy penetration. Nerves can also cause the muscles in a girl’s vagina to tense up, making penetration difficult. Both of these problems can make sex more painful. Can a girl still get pregnant, if a boy pulls out before he ejaculates? If a boy pulls his penis out before ejaculation, the girl can still become pregnant. Sperm can be present in pre-come (the lubricating fluid that leaks from the penis before and during sex) and just a small drop in vagina can be enough to make a woman pregnant.
HOT NEW SEX FACTS There is one ultimate goal during sex - to be as sensually stimulated as possible. The secret to achieving that blissful state is by having lots of steamy info. Here are a few justdiscovered facts — some make it easier to orgasm, while others will help you please him – People who have sex about three times a week are perceived to look four to seven years younger. Women place a higher importance on looks than men do when looking for a casual sex partner. But that may not be smart. One poll found that computer nerds make the best lovers, with 82 percent of IT geeks claiming they put their partner’s pleasure above their own. Get it on the night before you need to bring some great ideas to the office. According to anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D., sex triggers brain chemicals that can improve creativity at work. Exploring your spirituality, whether it’s by reading a spiritual book or learning to meditate, could improve your sex life. Women with greater finger sensitivity had more sex with their partner. Giving him a massage may get you excited, as much as him. When women orgasm, the areas of the brain associated with fear shut off. The best orgasms are the ones where all your senses are
engaged. But researchers found that when you’re lying down, some senses are reduced. Try climbing on top. That glazed look a man gets when he sees breasts? His visual brain circuits are on the lookout for signs of fertility. The ‘sexual pursuit’ part of a man’s brain is two-and-ahalf times bigger than women’s. Women are 10 times more sensitive to touch than men are. So before the action really gets going, ask him to run his fingers over your entire body. A man’s body odour turns a woman on. So jump him before he hits the shower post-gym. Lie on top of him for a bit while you’re both naked. Skinon-skin contact floods the body with oxytocin, a hormone that makes you feel close. Women who masturbate regularly are more likely to experience orgasm during intercourse. A woman has a better shot at climaxing during sex if the walls of her vaginal canal are stimulated. A study found that the length of the penis doesn’t help accomplish this, but girth does. Make him feel girthier by keeping your legs together during sex. It creates more friction. Take time to really figure out your feelings—it could help you in the bedroom. See, women with high emotional intelligence experience more orgasms. Snuggle with him while watching TV at night. Couples who cuddle regularly are eight times less likely to get depressed than those who kiss only during intercourse.
WE LLN ES S & HE AL TH
WEATHERPROOF YOUR WORKOUT
A brand new year brings renewed motivation, if you allow it. Fitness is about adhering to an exercise protocol throughout the year. Of all the seasons, winter poses several challenges to active lifestyle. Extreme weather conditions can limit your exercise options, while increasing your risk of injury. Despite the challenges, exercising during winter can be just as rewarding as during the summer. Here are a few tips which can keep the cold away from interfering with your exercise. STAY HYDRATED Although you may not feel it, you still perspire during cold weather exercise. Dehydration increases your risk of muscle cramps, pulls and tears. Drink at least two liters of water each day. Drinking an additional liter during exercise provides further protection. DRESS IN LAYERS If you are exercising outside, you will naturally feel colder at the beginning of your workout than you will, at the end. Dressing in layers allows you to shed articles of clothing as you heat up during your workout. Additionally; for very cold weather, layered clothing traps warm air, keeping you warmer than a single coat can. Clothing specifically intended for athletes is designed for wicking or drawing perspiration away from your body. This clothing will help keep you dry and warm during and particularly after workout. DO NOT OVERDRESS You don’t want to be too warm when you leave the house. Aim for a balanced approach to dressing that will leave you warm, but not so hot that you start sweating a lot. WARM-UP THOROUGHLY The cold can cause muscles to tighten, increasing your risk of injury. Even if exercising indoors, make sure to warm 74 aglmagazine.com
up for at least 10 minutes prior to exercising. Use brisk walking or stationary cycling at a low intensity to gradually increase your body temperature. It is right to stretch after warming up and not before. PROTECT YOUR SKIN Skin is no less vulnerable to the sun’s radiation during cold weather. Due to the reflective effect of the snow, wearing sunscreen is just as important as ever. Cold air also has a drying effect. Avoid overly hot showers; moisturize your skin and lips to help prevent painful drying or cracking.
IT IS ALL ABOUT RESTRAINT If you are an avid runner and the weather gets too cold to run outside, try running on a treadmill. It permits you to sweat more than running outside in the cold. Also, running inside will lower the rate of injury compared to running outside with tight, cold muscles. If your family is getting together, suggest a hike, football game or family bike ride. It can be tough to have self-control during holiday meals. One way of controlling overindulgent eating is to pile your plate with healthy options so there is less space for the unhealthy alternatives. Also, say no late-night snacking on leftovers. If you must, go for the turkey, fruit or vegetables. Tell yourself, ‘I am going to run an extra mile for that extra beer.’ That mindset will go a long way. THINK OF A WARM SHOWER AHEAD After fighting with a strong wind, horizontally blowing snow, low temperature and wet-but-still-warm feet; the shower (and sauna) you will have afterward will be one of the best you’ve ever had. The rest of the day, you’ll just feel at the top of your game. EMBRACE THE COLD Use the cold as motivation. Winter is the best time to work-out outside, because you burn more calories if your body has to exercise and keep itself warm at the same time. It can also make you feel macho to be in such harsh conditions. BITE THE BULLET What if you are going to let a little wind and snow lower your level of motivation? If you really want that beach body, you’re going to have to work hard for it. No excuses - just hit the gym and lift some heavy weights. Even if you are constantly travelling over the holidays, you can find time to do some basic push-ups, pull-ups and crunches. You won’t regret it come summertime.
BE THE CHOSEN ONE You’ve got to learn to love being outside in the cold. Once you catch the adventure side of working out outside, you’ll be able to stay motivated. The fact is that we are the chosen ones, the ones capable of running in the cold. If you go running to a park, you’ll notice how the notrunners look at you with that’s-a-mad-man look on their face. You’ll also notice how you exchange looks with other people, like if you were telepathic; knowing that you both have what it takes to run at zero celsius wearing shorts. Of course, always remember to keep your chest warm and to consume sufficient carbohydrates and fruits to improve your defenses before the workout.
AR T
MUSIC A SUBSTANTIAL BLISS DJ wars/awards are only phases. A smiling face on a dance floor when I play is something which I cherish for a lifetime. Meet Daman Sardar, who believes - music is the best way to connect with people and various cultures…
ALL TIME FAVOURITE TRACKS
TOP PARTY TRACKS
ATB - Fields Of Love Armin Van Buuren - Burned With Desire Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (Eric Prydz Mix) Speerit - Friendsheep Chicane ft. Bryan Adams - Don’t Give It Up Jewel ft. Chicane - Spirit Hoobastank - The Reason Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams Sanam Teri Kasam (Remix) Chak De India - Maula Mere
Tommy Trash - Reload / The End Topher Jones - Brohammer (Nari & Milani Dub Mix) Skrillex & Damian Jr. Gong Marley - Make It Bun Dem (Org) Calvin Harris - Sweet Nothing Swedish House Mafia - Euphoria / Don’t You Worry Child Usher - Scream (R3hab Mix) Khiladi 786 - Hookah Bar Lehmber Hussainpuri - Boliyan Leo ft. Yo Yo Honey Singh - Breakup Party Diljit Ft. Yo Yo Honey Singh - Lak Twenty Eight Kudi Da
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Journey as a dj – Passion for music started for me at a very young age of 8, with the exposure to classical music. I have learned Tabla, keeping in that interest went ahead and inducted myself to a drumming lesson, which was seriously fun, but wasn’t satisfied with it. I wanted something more exciting and productive, something with which I can make a career, a name for myself and most importantly share the music I love with people around me and DJing seemed like a perfect outlet. The Initial Push – Influence is something which you tend to attain from people around you in some way or the other. For me it was no different. It was a home affair. My elder brother Nathan Singh (DJ Nate) who lives in the U.S.A now influenced and motivated me, as he was also a DJ there. He gave me the initial push, the basics and the start up music. But the real art of DJing that I have learnt is from DJ Zam (Zamir Rawjee) a well known DJ in the industry and a pioneer with more than 20 years of experience. He taught me fine art of DJing right from the scratch to pro! I can't thank these two people enough. My Mom and Dad were a prime source of inspiration too. ‘’I know this city and people inside-out. They know what music is and are well versed. They are getting themselves educated too with the newest tracks through charts, music festivals, following the artists and blogs. They know genres, artists of the songs and remixes of the songs. What else do you want from them, when they love and understand music so well? It makes a lot easier for a DJ to experiment with new sounds when playing in a club/private show. This city of mine has been and is strongly supporting and loving me. Proud to be a Hyderabadi.’’ Achievements and recognition Let me put it in a simple way – recognition and achievement are good words to hear in life. But practically, it has always been and would always be about making people dance till they drop and keeping them happy till the end of the show. A smile would be the biggest reward I can ask for and I am
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proud of the fact that I have been and I am successfully doing it today. DJ wars/awards are only phases. But a smiling face on a dance floor when I play is something which I cherish for a lifetime. Usp of aN ARTIST A DJ can make or break an event. The right music sets the tone, creates a mood, emits emotion and has the power to leave an incredible mark on that particular occasion. But it doesn't end there. A DJ has to stay updated with music on a regular basis, to play out loud a new track which people have not heard before. That's an advantage of also educating the crowd musically and it becomes easy for me to experiment with new sounds. That's one of the few important things I learned, apart from keeping the vibe alive.
is not about “DJing spinning records, CDs or
playing on laptops. It’s an art form, a passion and dedication towards music.
”
Artists who inspire you Above & Beyond, Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren, BT, Cosmic Gate, Jaytech, Jerome IsmaAe, Daniel Portman, Dinka, Eric Prydz, Joonas Hahmo, B.E.P, Daft Punk, Proff, SHM, Solomun, Finnebassen, Maceo Plex, Andy Duguid, Aly & Fila, Jody Wisternoff, Funkagenda, Michael Cassette, Chicane, Stan Kolev and Steve Anderson. Genres you master in My personal favourite is Progressive. I also play Deep, Techno, Trance, Hip-Hop, Rock (Classic, Alternative and New Age) and Commercial; besides Bollywood and Punjabi. Dj daman or daman sardar (Laughs) When I am playing House and other genres, I would like to call myself DJ Daman and when I am playing Bollywood and Punjabi, it’s Daman Sardar. The best party you played at – Many to mention! But nothing can beat the post IPL party plays. They were amazing. Do you set your plan, before you play I don’t believe in planning before on what or how to play. It’s all about the moment. I judge the crowd and play accordingly to their satisfaction. Does music takes you high – It does, immensely! For others; it could be liquor or a banned substance. But for me, apart from music, I get high only on water (laughs).
WI NE
VI
Nuoc Cham Me
INGREDIENTS 5lb
whole fish
(Vietnamese Tamarind Dipping Sauce )
9
oz shredded fresh ginger root
This Vietnamese Tamarind Dipping Sauce or Nuoc Cham Me
12
finely chopped shallots
is a sweet and tangy sauce that goes particularly well with
4
tsp light soy sauce
seafood like grilled fish. White wine from Viognier will go
4
tsp fresh lime juice
well with this dish.
4
Tbsp oil
INGREDIENTS
4
green onions, cut into bite size
8
oz roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
pepper to taste
Banana leaf or aluminium foil
PREPARATION Oil the banana leaf or aluminium foil. Place the fish on it. Make three slashes across the fish on both sides.
1
chopped fresh chilli
2
chopped cloves of garlic
½
tsp sugar
3
Tbsp tamarind pulp
1
Tbsp fish sauce
1
Tbsp water
Stuff the fish with the shredded ginger and chopped shallots. Season well with the soy sauce, pepper and lime juice.
PREPARATION
NUTRITIONAL SUMMARY
Wrap the fish up securely in the banana leaf. The fish can
1.Bring ½ cup of water to the boil. Take
123
the water off the flame. Soak the tama-
1.33gms fat
rind pulp in the hot water for 10 minutes.
0.31gms carbohydrates
2.Mash the chili, garlic and sugar to a
25.53gms protein
paste.
There are 123 calories in one grilled fish
3.Gradually add the tamarind water to the
fillet.
paste until it is to your taste. Do the same
Calorie breakdown – 10% fat, 1% carbs
with the fish sauce.
and 89% protein
be cooked in an oven, over a barbecue or in a grill pan. Allow it to cook until the banana leaves turn brown. I sometimes prefer to leave the fish exposed on the banana leaf while cooking. Drizzle some oil over the fish so that it becomes crunchy and retains its moisture. In a wok or saucepan, fry the chopped onions in 2 Tbsp of oil until they are soft. Covering the sauce pan or wok will cause the onions to soften more quickly. When the fish is cooked, pour the fried onions and chopped peanuts over the fish. Serve with the Nuoc Cham Me, Sour Fruit Platter and Herb Salad Platter.
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4.Serve with your favorite grilled seafood.
calories
E ES
FO OD
&
M NA ET
This season, indulge yourself in six exclusive signature dishes from varied cuisines across the globe, made by connoisseurs of Ista Hyderabad – Rajat Kumar Roy (Pastry Chef) and Avijit Deb Sharma (Executive Sous Chef). Let the good times roll!
ITA LIA N
PEPPERMINT PANNA COTTA WITH CRANBERRY COULIS
Everyone in the Patisserie world knows that during the holiday season, having a quick winter dessert makes you feel so good. The combination of peppermint and cranberry is contemporary and the flavors work in perfect harmony - a typical from the Tuscany of Italy. Portuguese fortified wine will go well with this dish. CRANBERRY COULIS
PANNA COTTA
240gm
fresh or frozen cranberries
240gm
milk
240gm
extra fine granulated sugar
90gm
extra fine granulated sugar
240gm
water
240gm
fresh cream
15gm Kirsch liquor
5gm
gelatin leaves
PREPARATION
2gm
peppermint extract
Bring cranberries, sugar and water to a
PREPARATION
boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Simmer
NOTE - Peppermint extracts vary in flavor strength.
for 8-10 minutes.
If using pure peppermint oil, only a few drops will be
Remove from heat and using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Run through a chinoise. Once cooled, add liquor or a small amount of water to bring to desired consistency.
needed. Place gelatin leaves in cold water and set aside. Bring the milk and sugar to a boil and remove from heat. Add the heavy cream. Cover with plastic food wrap. Let it cool until 180°F (81°C). Press the excess water from gelatin leaves and add
Pour a layer in glasses of choice and place
to above. Stir until all gelatin is dissolved.
in a refrigerator.
Allow to cool until the panna cotta starts to thicken. Pour gently over the cranberry coulis. Place in a refrigerator. Decorate with streusel, cranberry coulis and chocolate décor.
Rajat Kumar Roy (Pastry chEF)
SW ED ISH
CLOUDBERRY PARFAIT Cloudberry parfait is one of many Swedish desserts based on domestic wild or cultivated berries. It is common to freeze the berries and let them embellish winter desserts. Cognac will go well with this dish.
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
8
egg yolks
Place egg yolks in a bowl. Add sugar and beat vigorously over boiling water to a fluffy,
200ml
strained Cloudberry jam
sabayon-like consistency. Remove from the heat, continue to beat until cooled and blend in
100ml Cloudberry liqueur
the Cloudberry jam (first put through a strainer to remove the seeds) and liqueur.
100gm
sugar
Whip the cream into foam that is not too hard and then carefully pour onto the egg batter.
600ml
heavy whipping cream
Divide the parfait into two low, round molds. Place the molds in the freezer for at least three
NUT BOTTOM
hours or until the parfait becomes completely hard. Mix all the dry ingredients for the nut bottom.
50gm
ground hazelnuts
Beat the egg whites a little, blending them with the butter and with the dry ingredients onto
50gm
ground blanched almonds
an even batter.
25gm
flour
Spread out in three circles (equivalent in size to the parfait molds) on a greased baking sheet
160gm
sugar
or baking paper).
2 egg
whites
Bake in the oven (200°C/400°F) to a golden brown colour.
50gm
melted butter
Take out remove from the surface before they completely harden. To make the sauce, beat the egg yolks, sugar and liqueur into a fluffy sabayon over low heat.
SAUCE
Remove from the heat and continue to beat until cooled. Whip the cream and carefully add to
2
egg yolks
the sauce.
40gm
sugar
Place the parfait bottoms between nut bottoms and sprinkle a little confectioner’s sugar on
50ml Cloudberry liqueur 200ml
heavy whipping cream
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top. Serve with the Cloudberry liqueur sauce.
ITA LIA N
Minstrone With Pesto Croutes INGREDIENTS 2
tbsp olive oil
1
onion, chopped
100g
un-smoked lardons or chopped streaky bacon
2
large carrots , chopped
2
sticks celery, chopped
1
medium potato, chopped
2
garlic cloves , finely chopped or crushed
400g
can chopped tomatoes
1l
vegetable stock (from granules or a cube)
2 tsp
chopped sage leaves, or 1 tsp dried
few
cabbage leaves, shredded
400g
can haricot beans
handful chopped parsley
slices of crusty bread
FOR THE PESTO CROUTES
METHOD OF PREPARATION
NURTITION SUMMARY
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and
274
kilo calories
lardons or bacon and fry for about 5 mins until
13gms
protein
the onion is starting to brown. Tip in the carrots,
28gms
carbohydrate
celery, potato and garlic, stir well and cook for a few
13gms
fat
minutes.
3gms
saturated fat
Add the tomatoes, stock and sage, and bring to the
8gms
fibre
boil, stirring. Reduce heat to simmer and cook partly
12gms
sugar 12g
covered for 30 mins, stirring in the cabbage after
2.56gms sugar
3
tbsp olive oil
1
tbsp pesto
15 mins. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pan with the parsley. Season and serve with pesto cro没tes, see right, or crusty bread. For the pesto cro没tes - Cut 3-4 slices of crusty bread into chunks, about 2cm thick. Tip into an ovenproof pan. Mix the olive oil and pesto, then add to the bread, tossing it with your hands until the cro没tes are evenly coated. Bake in a moderate oven for about 10 mins until crisp. AVIJIT DEB SHARMA (EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF)
AM ER IC AN
Madhumita Mohanta - Executive Chef at Ista Hyderabad presents below two of her several signature dishes
Not many hotels in Hyderabad have women as Executive Chefs? How does it feel to be one It feels good. I’ve been in this industry for over 13 years now, so it’s nothing new. Not only in Hyderabad, but in the whole India there are very few women as Executive Chefs.
soups, salads, coolers, granitas, less spice food is popular; where as in winter - thick soups, cream based sauces; hot or warm desserts are commonly preferred. People like to indulge themselves in seasonal fruits and vegetables, like fresh strawberry or raw mangos are favorites in winter and summer respectively.
Which cuisine(s) do you specialize in My style of cooking is Contemporary. I tried my hand at a wide range of cuisines - Indian, Asian, Western, Tex-Mex, Modern American and even Middle Eastern cuisines. I am a jack of all cuisines and it has worked to my advantage because when I cook, I know how to give a twist to the delicacy and make it look and taste unique. This has also given me an edge to have experimental approach and come up with new ways of cooking traditional delicacies.
How do you ensure giving the best of hospitality combined with the best of quality food By considering everyone’s preference as much as possible. Food is a subjective element. The definition of good food varies from person to person and as a professional, I always keep that in mind.
What challenges do you see ahead of you as an Executive Chef Living in a new city is a challenge in itself. This is my first venture in south India. To understand the food habits, lifestyles, like and dislike of the guests is a task. How do know what guests would like to eat and their culinary preferences – As I said earlier, the most important thing is to judge. With experience and expertise it becomes easy to interpret their choices. How does a season affect in selecting dishes Seasons play vital role in terms of food habits and health. For instance, in summer - cold
New York Cheese Cake
How is hospitality scenario in India, when compared to overseas In overseas, in terms of exposure, resources are more. Do you wish to see any changes in Hotel Industry Hospitality industry in India is going in great guns. Reputed chains of international brands are entering India. Job opportunities have increased. The scope of growth and knowledge is enormous now. The most important factor a chef must remember, in making any dish The most important thing is to know your clientele and to whom you are creating the menu. This will help you to understand their food habits and preferences in terms of spice requirement, age group, occasion and season.
For base Butter Icing sugar Flour Whole egg
For filling 200 gm 150 gm 250 gm 2 no
Cream cheese Whole eggs Egg yolk Fresh cream Castor sugar Lemon jest
I000 gm 7 no 4 no 100 gm 360 gm 20 gm
Procedure (for base) • Cream the butter and sugar • Add eggs one at a time • Fold in the flour • Make flat sheet and bake at 180 celcius for 15 min. • Let it cool. Crush it to powdery form to bake a layered base
For Filling • Cream the cheese with fresh cream and sugar • Add the egg yolks • Fold in the whole eggs • Make a smooth mixture 84 aglmagazine.com
• Strain the mixture • Add the lemon zest • Pour the mixture on the crushed base • Bake it at 140 celcius for 50 min. till the mixture is set • Cool it and serve it with the scooped granite
ITA LIA N
SOREL PESTO MARINATED SALMON
Ingredients Salmon Steak –
Sorrel Pesto -
Sorrel leaves clean – Olive oil – Pine nuts – Parmesan – Garlic –
Green Peas Mash -
Green peas – Onion Chop – Garlic – Salt Pepper Butter – Parmesan grated – Milk – Cream –
Volute Sauce -
Oil – Garlic – Onion – Thyme –
Roux -
Butter – Flour – Water stock – Fish bones – Onion – Leek – Celery –
Prawn mix 180 gms 200 gms 30 ml 50 gm 30 gms 25 gms 200 gms 20 gms 15 gms to taste to taste 20 gms 25 gms 25 ml 15 ml 20 ml 10 gms 15 gms 5 gms 50 gms 50 gms 150 ml 50 gms 10 gms 10 gms 10 gms
Prawn Ravioli - Pasta dough Flour – Egg yolk Olive oil
200 gms (7 eggs)
Chopped pan seared prawn, onion, garlic, bisque, roux, white wine and parsley.
Garnish -
Blanch tomato peeled and deseeded Blanch tomato brunoise Fried tomato skin Blanch green peas
METHOD OF PREPARATION Marinate salmon steak with salt, pepper, lemon juice and keep aside.
Sorel pesto -
Clean Sorrel leaves and mix with olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic. Blend together and keep it aside.
Green peas mash -
In a sauté pan, add onion, chopped garlic, butter, grated Parmesan, milk and cream. Add seasoning to it. This will be the base for fish.
Volute Sauce -
Roux - In a pan, cook equal quantities of flour and butter. Stock - In a sauce pan, add oil and sauté onion, leek, celery and fish bones. Then add water and let it to simmer. Mix roux and stock together to make volute sauce. Sear salmon steak and put it in the oven for 10 mins. Apply sorrel pesto on top of the salmon steak. Put salmon steak on top of green pea mash, followed by prawn ravioli pasta and garnished with tomato skin. At last pour volute on salmon steak and sprinkle with whole green pea and peeled and deseeded, brunoise tomatoes.
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EX TE RIO R
REDEFINING MAGNIFICENCE
Mayank Anand,
Hyderabad’s own famed Architect states below
the rise and prominence of exterior landscaping in India…
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Welcome to the world of exterior landscaping. How unique is this field of home-making? How aware are people in India and Hyderabad about this Exterior landscape has been a profession for a long time now. This field doesn’t only revolve around residential spaces, but also around industrial and commercial establishments. Since we are talking about homemaking in particular, it has been a big and rough journey for people in Hyderabad to reach today’s stage where architects / contractors actually consider outsourcing the exterior spaces to landscape architects. The ideology of people looking to design exterior spaces has just come to grow in the recent years. Architects have been always consulted to do both interior and exterior. Even today, architects who renounced 20-30 years ago take landscape and interior into their own scope of work, because clients always look for one-stop-shop solution. Clients don’t have to approach a third party; they expect the architect to address all their work on the whole. Formidable growth of this field has been in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai. Slowly, Hyderabad is also developing, looking at the movement of the industry in other cities. Is exterior landscaping as critical as interior designing Interior designing has always been a cherry-on-thecake, alongside selection of essence between the layers of foundation of the cake. In simple terms, the basic cake is the foundation that is the architect provides. The icing is landscape and architecture combined, that complements the building with living entities like - water features, planting, feature walls, gazebos, pergolas, entrance gateways, driveways and intriguing elevation that the building provides. Everything placed together
makes the entire experience worthwhile. Comparisons between different fields of architecture i.e. - architecture/ interiors and landscape, is just futile. Each has its own importance and beautiful aspects.
“People and
companies in India are steadily growing towards the idea of outsourcing the work to landscape architects and interiors designers alike; just to get a new perspective to their requirements.”
How does exterior landscaping give a vibrant look and feel to home interiors – We are habituated to living indoors and forget the outside world, unless we have something to look forward to and enrich our senses. The human organs, asleep or awake are attracted towards experiences like smell, touch and beauty. Landscape space brings you that into your own home, even if it is about worshiping Tulsi which has medicinal values or a Gulmohar tree shedding its flowers during autumn, in your car. We, in the back of minds, reflect on the everyday environment outside our home. The essence of exterior spaces reflects in one’s mind every day. Today’s interior spaces have challenging times ahead where clients are requesting for outdoor spaces to come indoors, such as pergolas, wooden and bamboo ceilings, swimming pools, skylights and balconies. Some apartments are breaking from the regular courtyard concept to give rise to gated communities with jogging tracks, club houses and enhancing spaces for mind, body and soul. Every apartment today has potted plants. Some projects have the by-lanes named after the trees. Even though interiors have its own conceptualization and environmental space, clients today integrate these two contexts and evolve into a more enhanced sense of space. How do you forecast the development of this field in India, along the years to come We have come quite far in these years where people are beginning to understand the reason for a landscape home. The field in India, particularly in Hyderabad; has just grown two fold in the recent five years. We still need to understand that the senses affect us and that these spaces are required in everyday living and not just with parks and outdoor spaces. If we have to understand the 90 aglmagazine.com
development of these spaces and the field on the whole, we have to look forward to a massive change of it all. We look to our neighbouring countries for development. Reputed companies have involved master planners from countries abroad, to give us a better infrastructure and development with our projects. Our growth lies in evolving the norms of roads and government bylaws, to show greater infrastructure and impact on the field; from wall-to-wall construction, to the slums of our nation. Once Indian bylaws cater to the requirement of landscape spaces to ensure increase of groundwater as well as global infrastructure development, we will be able to call ourselves in the true form of the word cosmopolitan of the third world country. We are slowly reaching that position and in due course of time, we shall evolve and achieve something better than our neighbouring countries, keeping in mind our heritage and culture. Events like Biodiversity Summit in Hyderabad have made us aware, for us to grow and we shall definitely grow in the years to come.
How do you keep yourself updated with the most modern equipment required in this field The biggest involvement in growth is the inspiration to grow. We have to look for neighbouring countries for the growth, most of the time. Landscape and its growth has been global since the past few years, adapting to modern design techniques which people have already used before. Books, magazines and internet have been great sources to learn from. Taking challenges and incorporating the new techniques into current design has a thrill in its own, particularly when you develop them and emerge with newer solutions to problems.
“People have grown an edible plant (Methi) from the water of a beach well at Versosa Beach, in Mumbai. These poor people have thought out of the box andachieved the impossible. Such kind of thinking should be encouraged and grown for further development.�
Does the current Real Estate scenario in town favour the development of exterior landscaping Real Estate in town is subjected to the location of the development. And the development in return is depended on bylaws. Hence people are looking for fresher and newly evolved areas in Hyderabad like – Gachibowli, Kondapur and other. The exterior landscaping not only depends on the how the gate community is developed, but also the approach to it. Therefore, development is definitely expected. We also have to look after the natural lakes and landscape existing already in Hyderabad and look to develop the same, if we wish to have better developed spaces in and around. Hyderabad is a plateau which receives 40% summer, 20% rain and 40% winter, in a year. Plant life has been a variegated part of these seasonal changes. People are identifying plant species and have used them to direct people to the location of their homes. For a landscape architect, it is a matter of pride to know that people identify these efforts and understand minor integrities of plant life.
How and where do you have to procure the raw materials and other required products to help create a marvellous exterior landscaping Most of the materials are available in Andhra Pradesh.
there is more vehicle movement. The government must evolve and use such terminology as a code, such as the IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) to reflect in public spaces, so that growth in all cities is unanimous.
Does the nature of soil or flooring affect landscaping in anyway The nature of soil has a major impact on landscaping. The nature of soil can tell us the kind of species we need to grow. One of my projects while working with Dhruva Associates was close to the sea and the ground water was saline. Hence we had to grow hard species of plants which can resist such conditions. What are the standard maintenance measures to ensure longevity of exterior landscaping Exterior landscaping comprises of two major scopes - Hardscape and Softscape. Softscape is the major component that uses more of maintenance in the two, because plants need manure and sensitivity of climate changes. Depending on the global location and species, they need extra care. Grass/lawn that we use is not a part of the Indian climate. The lawn is limited to </=20% for total landscape area in the norms. Lawn needs plenty of water and maintenance for weed removal and plant growth. Hence we see yellow patches, if we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take care of them. We do not have the luxury of the climates like the Balinese or Japanese climate nature where hardscape gets eroded over time but the landscape shows it true nature and colours years later. Ultimately, we must grow what we have and that will flourish in terms of variety of plants and species. Another great addition for landscape is the grass pavers. They allow the use of cars to park over them and allow the use of fire tender to go over them. They are more fruitful in parking areas and landscape spaces, where 92 aglmagazine.com
Do you travel often to gain a deeper perspective and knowledge on your field of interest? How often do you have to travel Travel is not an often venture. But I try and learn new terminology when I enter new hotels and constructions sites. New techniques are often learnt by observation. I usually observe the plant species used in median and roadside, to understand the growth of them throughout the year, to know how they do well in our climate. I usually speak with clients in terms of location of the plant species to make them understand what I am proposing them, so they can relate and feel oneness with their own site. I had recently made a trip to China and I must say the infrastructure and water availability is not a match to Indian standards. The rice in China is more starchy and flavoured than what we get here. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just because of how they are able to manage their resources.
CE LE BR ITY FE AT UR E
“After winning Miss Hyderabad title, she went on to participate in Ponds Femina Miss India Bangalore (for the south division) and became the first runner up. But purple-patch princess - Panchami Rao Nagarajan admits she has a long way to go” Share with us your interest on fashion As a kid, I was completely fascinated with clothes. I loved dressing up and parading around. My parents gave me the freedom to develop my own taste on clothing. I first got introduced to this field due to my interest in textile designing. From the day you participated in the contest, till the moment you were crowned Miss Hyderabad; when did you know that you were going to win? I wouldn’t say, I knew that I was going to win. As a matter of fact, it came to me as a surprise, since my co-participants were competitive. But I had hopes to win during the whole course of my training and when they announced the top five finalists, I realized that my chances to win were good.
Who have motivated you the most upon winning the title? And how? My family, friends and faculty at NIFT have been extremely supportive. Without their motivation, it wouldn’t have been possible. In my family, my Mom believes that every child in the family should help in the household chores despite having a maid. Since I was hardly ever at home, my younger brother and my elder sister played my part without complaining. My family is my emotional support. My sister ensured that I never had a low moment during the training. My friends have helped me completing numerous assignments, thereby reducing my work load. But the person from whom I derived my strength and who motivated me to do my best is my Mom. Have you faced any hurdles / challenges anytime during selection? If yes, how did you overcome? I wouldn’t say that there were any specific hurdles. I walked in with confidence that I am suited for this. But it was definitely competitive. Challenges and difficulties are given only to the people who have the strength to handle them. Have you always been into fitness and diet? Or have you followed a specific regime for this contest? Fitness and diet are integral parts of this profession.
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I have never been the type of person who likes going to the gym and I can’t resist desserts! But once I got selected, I realized it was important to shape up myself. I did follow a diet and a fitness programme and I will continue to do so. What have you learned from your co-participants? There was healthy competition and that’s the best thing about the contest. Every co-participant was friendly and genuine. I made good friends and I am still in contact with them. Besides being crowned as Miss Hyderabad, what more have you achieved and learned in the whole process, right from the start day, to the end? Time management! I was extremely bad at it. There were times when I was rushing around at the last minute, but the whole process taught me how to manage time in a better way. Besides, I learned that keeping yourself fit is vital. It elevates your self-confidence. I have also become richer in terms of experience. This field isn’t only about walking the ramp. There is a lot of effort that goes from every participant to present the final perfect show for people around us.
‘The best part of being in this field is that it is challenging. It is an extremely fast paced industry and it keeps you on your toes all the time. You have to strive to be the best to succeed. There is never a dull moment.’ What more do you wish to pursue in this field of fashion? I would love to win the next title that I am going for - Ponds Femina Miss India. I am also doing by Bachelors of Design from NIFT, specializing in textile design and would want to be established as a successful textile designer. We live in a time when the only thing that remains constant is ‘change.’ How do you think fashion in Hyderabad is going to be, in 2013 and beyond? Or share with us the changes which you expect to see? Hyderabad is already fashion conscious. We have good brands and designer stores. People have become more involved in fashion and are willing to try clothes which are different and new. By 2013 and beyond, I think it will be in par with the other fashion capitals of India. Your top five favourite brands in apparel? Brands are not important for me. It’s the clothes and the way I feel in them matters the most. Style and fitting of the garment should be good. But if I had to name a few, then I would say – Mango and Shantanu and Nikhil. Your top five favourite brands for accessories? I am not much of an accessory person. A watch and a pair of earrings are all that I need to complete my look. How do you think being a student of NIFT has helped you win Miss Hyderabad contest? Being a student of NIFT gave me exclusivity. The amount of support I received from my friends and lecturers has been overwhelming. Your fashion and fitness resolutions from 2013? To tone up! I am going to follow my fitness regime strictly and stay further updated with the latest fashion trends.
‘NIFT is the hub of most modern trends. We receive latest magazine issues on fashion, from India and abroad. Studying fashion, its trends and components is what we specialize in. We even forecast fashion. We predict what the newest trend is going to be after studying and evaluating the past and the present.’
FA SH IO N
LIVE IN VOGUE
THIS JANUARY
Winter dressing has more options. You can go all out wearing fabulous jackets, boots, furs, cashmere and pashmina shawls. If you live in northern cities which are extremely cold, you can make your day-today wardrobe stylish by adding boots, scarves, colourful pashmina shawls, jackets with fur trimmings and trendy belts and hats. Men can keep it fashionable by wearing ankle boots, trendy jackets in tweeds, plaids silk wool, turtle neck sweaters, skivvies, hoodies, scarves, hats, overcoats and trench coats.
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Women can try ankle, knee and thigh high boots. This year; the leather with fur trimmings, fur vests, jackets, boleros, scarves with fake-fur trimmings are in. Biker jackets in leather with rivets or fur trimmings can also set new trends. Colours like burgundy, purple, black, off-white, camel pale peach, reds and greens are most preferred. Skinning jeans, tights tucked into boots, vibrant coloured knits, chunky knit scarves, V-neck sweaters, buttoned sweaters, cashmere fitted dresses are all here to stay for this season. Layering is the flavor to opt for. All you need to do is team a teeshirt under a hoody and top it with a biker jacket or shirt under a sweater top with a blazer or simply layer two colourful tee-shirts or sweaters. This kind of layering can complete the winter look. Accessories to choose One must pick trendy accessories like the lasted boots - ankle burgundy boots with fake-fur trimming that you can pair with your old wardrobe or electric blue knit scarf or burgundy beret. Choose a trendy, yet classic accessory that you can use next winter season too. I usually do not advice people to buy in fads. Keep it chic, yet classic.
CONTENT & PHOTO COURTESY Pria Kataaria Puri (Global Fashion Pro)
FA SH IO N
MANGO introduces the best of apparel, footwear and accessories to choose from – 7,990/MODEL No. – 71900369 COLOUR – VT 4,590/MODEL NO – 73440664 COLOR – 02
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MA KE OV ER WA RD RO BE
MOHAWK
COLLECTION
RITU
This season indulge in Ritu Kumarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mohawk Collection. You can choose from a wide variety of designs and prints. The line comprises of four different styles top, jacket and two dresses. Check out the pure black chic evening line and a perfect party collection for the season â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
A mid length jacket in wool felt fabric can be paired with leggings or denims. To be accessorized with a scarf around the neck.
A straight fit long dress in Lycra jersey with yoke and intricate embroidery adds glamour to the outfit.
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A sleeveless V-neck dress in viscose mulberry. Can be paired with leggings or worn as a dress by itself. Perfect for an evening look.
ON AS SE
COLLECTION
KUMAR
Ritu Kumar unveils an exciting range of Cocktail line that comes as an array of stylish clothing guaranteed to brighten the winter blues this season and giving fashionistas the creative license to experiment with different trends and look. The collection is a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours, geometric prints, sequined designs, stylish cuts and uber cool chicness. The cocktail line includes tunics, tops and dresses in vibrant red, green, coral, white and black. A-line cuts and asymmetric details in the dresses and tops lend a hint of fun element to the entire collection which has been enhanced with the use of sequins and signature Ritu Kumar patterns. The cocktail line gives an option to look effortlessly stylish and classy without trying too hard, making it perfect for an evening out. Be it a knee length tunic or an ankle length dress, each piece is unique on its own, lending the wearer a chance to stand out. Cocktail line by Label, Ritu Kumar is the perfect addition to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wardrobe this season.
LS IA NT SE ES
COCKTAIL
CLOTHES MAKE A MAN Know the parts of YOUR formal attire COLLAR SPLIT YOKE FLACKET POCKET BACK PLEATS SLEEVE SLEEVE PEACKET SLEEVE PLEAT CUFF SIDE GUSSET BOTTOM HEM
WAIST BAND
BELT LOOPS
HIP POCKETS FRONT PLEATS
J- ZIPPER
BACK DARTS
BACK POCKETS CENTER CREASE OUT SEAM
INSEAM CUFF
HEM
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TIE IT THE RIGHT WAY Correct
In Correct
COLLAR VARIATIONS
WIDE SPREAD
PIN COLLAR
TAB COLLAR
Six types of men, based on colours of hair and complexions, are illustrated here, with appropriate colours of fabrics for the suits, hats, neck wear and shirts. These serve as guides for combining accessories in harmonizing and contrasting colours in relation to those of the suit as well as facial tones. The suit fabrics portray colours which may be in the pattern shown or many others available. This also applies to the accessories which should not be confined to the accessories illustrated.
REGULAR POINTED
MANDAEIN
WING COLLAR
BUTTON DOWN
EXTREME POINTED
SHORT POINT
EN TE RT AI NM EN T
COMFORT IS PRIORITY NOT FASHION
K-Stew has come a long way since her Converse-onthe-red-carpet days of yore, but the actress doesn’t always like what she wears for events. She has been willing to take a lot more fashion risks lately, especially during the New York premiere of her film On the Road, where she sported a sheer Erdem ensemble from the Spring 2013 collection and a pair of neon Christian Louboutin pumps. But K-Stew isn’t always thrilled about what her stylist puts her in for events, especially during her busy year. ‘I liked everything I wore this year. I don’t want to offend any of the dresses,’ she told during the NYC première of On the Road. There’s no doubt that Kristen’s fashion tastes have evolved and matured as much as she has — remember when she used to pair black Converse Chuck Taylors with high-end dresses for her movie premieres. Luckily for Kristen’s former designers and stylists, she’s too nice to call them out by name. Kristen no doubt had a busy year in 2012 — the Twilight saga finally came to a close, and she was busy promoting that movie as well as On the Road. But during her press for her latest indie film, she shocked even her biggest fans when she showed off four drastic looks all in one day. She started the day in an incredibly preppy outfit, wearing high-waisted jeans and a Nonoo camel sweater with a button-down underneath. She may not like all of her outfits all the time, but we appreciate her bold style and the confidence to try anything at least once. 106 aglmagazine.com
KATE WITH A BABY BUMP
Pregnant Kate must be feeling better. The Duchess of Cambridge attended a BBC sports awards show, where she showed off her baby bump for the very first time. It also marked her first appearance since her three-day stay at the hospital for morning sickness. Kate Middleton has just been out of King Edward VII hospital for a few days, but she already made her first public appearance — she attended BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards in London as a presenter. Kate was hospitalized for Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a condition described as “morning sickness times a thousand,” when she was just 12 weeks along in her pregnancy. She was released from the hospital and husband Prince William emerged smiling and waving to well-wishers — and Kate looked flawless as always. The Duchess of Cambridge presented two awards at the BBC sports event, including the main sports personality of the year award. The awards ceremony was held at one of the Olympic venues in South London and is one of several sports events the Duchess attended in 2012. She and William were both ambassadors to the British Olympic and Paralympic teams during the London Olympics in the summer and were familiar faces at many of the events.
THE HOBBIT MAKES HISTORY
Bilbo Baggins sure knows how to bag a lot of cash. After bringing in $13 million in midnight screenings and $37 million on Friday alone, The Hobbit has grossed a rock giant-size $84.8 million its first weekend in theaters. And Hobbit’s box office take was enough to set a new record — the film is the largest December release of all time, beating I Am Legend’s $77.2 million in 2007, that coveted $100 million mark, however, still eludes December movies and not to mention the biggest Lord of the Rings release. Armed with higher 3D prices, The Hobbit out-grossed Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King, which took in $72.6 million its first weekend in 2003. And Hobbit scored $10.1 million or 12.3% of the weekend tally at IMAX theaters, averaging $30,982 in 326 locations. Now, if only The Hobbit could resonate with award voters as well — though Hobbit received an A CinemaScore from audiences, Peter Jackson’s latest was snubbed at this year’s Golden Globes. The Hobbit earned $138.2 million internationally according to Warner Bros. for a worldwide tally so far of $222.975 million!
ALL STARS NIGHT
Jersey’s favorite son, along with John Mayer, Lady Gaga, The Black Keys and more joined the Stones for their final reunion show Saturday night at New Jersey’s Prudential Center. Lady Gaga unleashed her massive pipes, as well as an oversized wig and footwear that was more stilt than shoe, at the Rolling Stones’ final “50 and Counting” show on Saturday night at New Jersey’s Prudential Center. A minute and a half into ‘Gimme Shelter,’ Mick Jagger introduced Gaga, who proceeded to strut, mug, hop, swing and wave her arms in full gospel mode for the remainder of the ‘Let It Bleed’ classic. If she was trying to respectfully harness the raw emotion of the song’s original vocalist, Merry Clayton, then she succeeded. Wearing a black-and-gold jumpsuit, Gaga shared verses and dance moves with the Stones frontman, who did his best to keep up with the clearly amped up pop star. Two songs later, Gary Clark Jr. and John Mayer joined the band for a blues guitar-off on ‘Going Down.’ The Black Keys soon followed with the Bo Diddley staple, ‘Who Do You Love’ and later Jersey’s favorite son Bruce Springsteen blew in for a rollicking version of ‘Tumbling Dice.’ There was also a somber moment during the show when Jagger dedicated ‘Wild Horses’ to the victims of the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn, about an hour and 45 minutes away by car.
SP OR TS
HAPPENING HOUSTON
Houston Texans clinched the AFC South title for the second successive year as they beat Indianapolis Colts 29-17. Andre Johnson gained 151 yards receiving and a touchdown, Bryan Braman scored a special teams score on a blocked punt and Shayne Graham kicked five field goals. The Colts (9-5) had won three straight games and needed a win to clinch a play-off berth a year after going 2-14 in 2011. Andrew Luck threw for 186 yards with two touchdowns in the return to his hometown. He had led the Colts to a rookie-record six wins on drives in the fourth quarter or overtime this season and he got the Colts within
six points late in the third quarter. But Houston’s defense shut him down after that and the Texans used Arian Foster to eat up the clock. Foster ran for a season-high 165 yards to leave him with 1,313 yards rushing, giving him his third straight year with at least 1,200. Braman blocked his second punt of the season, recovered it and returned it 8 yards for his first career touchdown to make it 20-3 just before half-time. Ballard finished with a career-high 105 yards rushing. Houston couldn’t do anything on its next drive and punted. But Indy sputtered and interim coach Bruce Arians even drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a punt, giving Houston the ball at the Colts 39.
GLAD TO BE AWAY
Andy Roddick has no regrets about his retirement from Tennis but admits that could change when the 2013 season begins. Roddick said farewell to the sport after the US Open, amid emotional scenes at Flushing Meadows and has since been spending ti of January in the United States for 15 years. You start to identify certain months with certain place, that’s where you are. I wasn’t jealous of the guys going on a 15-hour flight to Shanghai or wherever else. Once I see the guys over (in Australia), obviously I’ll miss it a little bit. I’ve played 50-60 rounds since the US Open. My game’s okay, but I look at things in the grand scheme of sports. I imagine the guy playing next to me in some tennis centre that I was judging and I think I am that guy in golf now. I can hit the ball a little bit, but I definitely don’t want to say I am any good at it at all. Some people leave because they resent the game or they just can’t play anymore. I don’t know that was the case for me in either scenario.
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ON THE DRIVER’S SEAT
Fernando Alonso has challenged Ferrari to follow the lead of their rivals and push the boundaries of regulations in order to improve their car’s performance for 2013. The Maranello team’s design office have been accused of lacking innovation in the development of their recent challengers and although they did attempt a more radical design with this year’s F2012, the approach backfired when the car was over a second off the pace in the pre-season tests. Red Bull and their design guru Adrian Newey, in contrast, have been credited with pushing the design of their cars to the limit in recent years and Alonso says Ferrari also shouldn’t be afraid to maximize the regulations to the full. ‘There were several incidents in which the other teams were at the limit, but not us. But this has always happened and always will,’ he was quoted. ‘However, we too have to think within the confines of the rules while looking for some limits, some holes, like the other teams do in order to improve our performances.’ Although Alonso admits what he considers to have been a perfect 2012 campaign on his side to be tough to repeat, he is confident Ferrari will start off next season in far better shape than they did this - even if he acknowledges immediately closing the gap to Red Bull will be difficult.
WHO’S THE CAPTAIN NOW?
Spain’s Sergio Garcia is happy to be considered as a future Ryder Cup captain, although he hopes the honour comes much later in his career. He shot to fame as a precocious 19-year-old who famously went head-to-head with Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship in 1999. The Spaniard eventually finished one-stroke behind the champion Woods and since then Garcia’s career has not quite unfolded in the way many were predicting. He is now 32-years-old and yet to win a major despite coming close on several occasions, but the talented golfer has had plenty of highlights including several Ryder Cup moments to savour from a European point of view. Garcia holds an impressive Ryder Cup record of 16-8-4 spanning six different European teams since 1999. At this year’s event, he showed tremendous mettle to win a point on the final day against American Jim Furyk in the final hole of their singles’ match it put Europe 13-12 up against the United States as they went on to complete ‘The Miracle at Medinah’ (Trailing 10-4 at one stage, Europe won with 14.5 points to America’s 13.5 points). With Europe looking for their next line of European captains to continue their recent dominance of the competition through to the next decade, Garcia’s name is one that inevitably will pop up. Although considered one of the honours in golf, the captaincy is typically handed to a senior figure in the sport whose golfing game may no longer be as good as his leadership qualities.
FL IC K YO UR
PIC K
SYNOPSIS He promised us that he’d be back and Arnold Schwarzenegger is delivering in a big way. Sheriff Ray Owens is a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction, after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat, after his partner was crippled. After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for the face off. The Last Stand marks the former California governor’s continued post-politics journey on the big screen. CAST - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville, Rodrigo Santoro, Zach Gilford and others. DIRECTION – Kim Ji-woon SYNOPSIS Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and — if he has his way—every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop, except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart. The movie is a colourful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD’s efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time. The film stars Oscar nominees Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling. John O’Mara and Jerry Wooters and Academy Award winner Sean Penn will be shown as real-life mobster Mickey Cohen. The film also stars Oscar nominee Nick Nolte as LAPD Chief Whiskey Bill Parker and Emma Stone as Grace Faraday, Cohen’s moll and the object of Wooters’ attention. CAST – Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Josh Brolin and others. DIRECTION – Ruben Fleischer 110 aglmagazine.com
PO LIT IC S
‘My son is confident of winning the next elections’
-Vijayamma
YSR Congress honorary president Y. S. Vijayamma has said that her son Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy is keen on coming to power through popular mandate and not by bringing
down the Congress government that was brought to power by late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. ‘My son is confident of winning the next elections as people are behind our party,’ she said. Ms. Vijayamma said somewhere in Jagan’s heart there was a feeling that the present government was the result of YSR’s hard work. ‘He wants to show to the people the support he enjoys by winning the next elections comfortably,’ she said. ‘It is the TDP, which has to take the initiative, but it does not want to upset the Congress government’s applecart. ‘My party does not have the strength to bring down the government,’ she added. She spoke at Sirigiripuram in this mandal headquarters about 40km from here, where she came to meet her daughter Sharmila, who is on ‘Maro Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra. During the interaction, Ms. Vijayamma spoke about Telangana statehood issue, party’s prospects in the region, Jagan’s jail life, her daughter’s padayatra, the Congress and the TDP’s criticism of her party. Ms. Vijayamma said the present regime failed to continue the legacy of YSR and people were fed up with the government. ‘No amount of disinformation campaign against us is going to make the difference with the voters,’ she said. She claimed that several Congress MLAs were sending feelers to her in joining the YSR Congress. Jagan is very choosy about taking these MLAs and is strictly going by the survey and assessment reports that are sent to him regularly from the field. The YSRC honorary president said her party was getting good response from the people in Telangana and many Congress leaders were joining the party. She exuded confidence that her son would come out of jail shortly. ‘The 90 day period to file charge sheet ends on January 3.
Manzoor Alam Khan Farad
Sukrutha & Chaitra
Neha
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Samya & Sonia
Saket Talwar
Ritesh
VOLVO’S NEW DIMENSION Volvo Auto-X 2012 which took place at GMR Arena, got off to a fantastic start with MD of Talwar Cars–Volvo; Saket Talwar, waving the checkered flag. It was the first time a motorsporting event of this magnitude has been held in the city. The participation was overwhelming. The event created enthusiasm, with a motorsport racing culture. It was a perfect platform to exhibit the level of skill, focus and responsibility required in motorsports. The APMSC, affiliated to the Federation of Motor Sports Club of India have closely monitored the event. The race was held abiding by the body’s rules and regulations. The event aimed to provide an experience of rallying, in a controlled environment. Extreme care has been taken to see that the well-marked, one-kilometre long, zig-zag track laid at the GMR grounds complied with all the safety regulations of the APMSC. Emergency services and required facilities were present along the track. This event was not just restricted to luxury segment, but also involved other categories. Participants were divided into five categories which were based on engine’s capacity. As an entry-level motorsport, it provided a stepping stone for drivers looking to push the limits. For young motorsport enthusiasts, this was a golden cause to experience the thrill of the race in the real rather than the virtual world. It was thrilling for the participants, effective and fast, yet safe. Mr. Talwar said – ‘This Autocross is just a launch pad. Next year, we will conduct more motorsport events during the year, culminating in a challenge at the end of the year.’ Another event which is a favourite with city car enthusiasts was the off-roader competition that was held recently. Such initiatives make Talwar Volvo cars stand out in the crowd, because an automobile brand belonging to the luxury segment is encouraging sports and concentrating on the technical aspects such as driving and precision as in the case of the Autocross.
BLENDERS PRIDE HIFW The second edition of HIFW witnessed acclaimed Indian fashion designers with newer trends. The event nurtured enigmatic list of budding designers along with collections of established designers who haev shown on Indian as well as international runways and have made a mark or created a spark in the fashion industry. The event has been at the vanguard of fashion with an association built over years. The brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation developed the association further and in one of the most promising south Indian markets.
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Rana Daggubati
Nitin Reddy
Anjana Sukhani
Meera Chopra
Poonam
Sridhar Rao
Swapnil Shinde
Simran Kaur
Nitya Menon
Yami Gautam
Payal Ghosh
Ganesh Venkatraman
Archana Kochhar
Manchu Lakshmi
Zeenat Aman
Himangini Singh Yadu
Mahima Chaudhary
Kashmira Shah
Sabrina
Nadia
Malini
EVENING OF HUMOUR Black Dog Easy Evenings at Taj Krishna, presented the finest acts of unrehearsed and uncut comedy, The Improv; which was the first theatrical production of Centrestage, where six actors performed various scenes from situations given by audience. Piyush & Sonali
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Sofiya
Sonal & Amar Ohri
Rupa
Sabeena
Suhani Pittie & Prashanth
Rummy Azad
Babita & Kajal
Ko Van Den Hil
Venetia
Shail
X-MAS TREE LIGHTING
Jessica
Aanchal
Simran
Kirtana Angara
Arundati
It was an evening exclusively for kids. There was X-mas carol singing by children from fusion church, followed by surprises from Santa Claus. The kids were asked to open the ginger-bread house and turn the lights of X-mas tree, which marked the beginning of the festival.
Saru
Maya & Ramesh
Apoorva & Vikranth
Neeta & Dinesh
Niroop Reddy & Aupana
BIRTHDAY RAVE
Niroop Reddy Nallari, a well-known city architect, also CM Kiran Kumar Reddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cousin; celebrated his birthday at a happening joint. The party had a wide spread of delicacies in Thai and Italian cuisines.
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Veera Prakash & Aparna
Sumana
Sumanth Reddy & Saritha
Lakshmi
Ditya Reddy
Supraja & Rajesh
Jwala Gutta
Dr. Shubi
Anand Kabra
Jasmin
Moni Agarwal
BRIDAL BLUSH Anahita showcased Taramati collection by Anand Kabra and Pearl City collection by Moni Agarwal, for many of their valued customers. Bobby
Maniza
Smita
Prardana
Sheetal
Karuna
Swati
Cherry
Lindsay
Divya
Anushka
Apoorva
Taapsee
MISS MAXIM 2012
The fourth round of auditions for KS Miss Maxim 2013, happened at Kismet. The pageant was an annual property started by Maxim magazine. The pageant established itself as an ultimate benchmark when it comes to a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sex appeal.
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Shubhsri & Dev
Sunny
Prerna
Madhu & Shweta
Shravan
Ritu
Nisha
Amala Akkineni
Namrata ,
COMICAL PLAY After the success of Walimiyaan Shaikpeer Ki Macbeth, St. Francis College Dramatics Society presented Blithe Spirit; a comedy play written by Noel Coward. This event was an effort to promote Performing Arts, Literature and Theatre. Neha
Soha & Rebaica
Ankita
Azani Koda & Varsha
Ankita
Diana Hayden
Ramana Gogula & Nicky
Shweta Goud
Karen Bhatia
BLACK-TIE EVENING
It was Hyderabadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first black-tie event, where gentlemen were asked to dress in tuxedos, black lounge-suits, bowties of traditional bandhgalas and ladies in formal Indian or western wear.
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Mitun & Pooja
Kavitha
Sarabjit & Beenu Singh
Prateek & Janhari
Surender & Rashmi
Brij & Bhupinder Sahney
Archana Rao
Jenny
A HEALTHY INITIATIVE
Dr. Pranathi Reddy
Kavita Golechha
Sheetal
Shreya
Parul
Kajal
Rainbow Hospitals has conducted an exclusive session on women’s health initiative. Dr. Pranathi Reddy (MRCOG) spoke during the occasion. The program was attended by members of Sanskruthi Club (Hyderabad’s oldest club for ladies).
Vajida
Ayesha
Aishwarya
Harpreet & Ashita
Manisha & Anura
MASQUERADE CARNIVAL The much awaited Mask-O-Mania at Villa Maria Junior College was a memorable event. Stil Western Klere was the main attraction of the day, a competition which had girls walking the ramp, displaying various western outfits. Nishitha ,Swati
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Sidra
Soniya
Rachita Jain
Safa
Namrata
Anand Agarwal & Seema Agarwal
Nand kishore Agarwal & Shakuntala Agarwal
Purnima Agarwal &Ram Kumar
A DAY TO REMBER
The marriage of Ram Kumar and Purnima Agarwal was a grand affair at Taj Krishna. Ramesh Agarwal and Bajrang Lal Agarwal (uncles of the bride); Ramesh Agarwal of Ravi Foods and Umesh Agarwal who heads Krishna Pearls and Jewellers in Hyderabad, were a few of the most important personalities at the do.
Sumeet Agarwal & Neha Agarwal
Nitin Agarwal & Ruchita Agarwal
Vignesh Agarwal &Shweta Agarwal
Pujan Agarwal & Khushi Agarwal
Milit
Aarti Agarwal
Puneet Agarwal & Shilpa Agarwal
Disha & Shiksha
Neeru
Anchal Gupta
Sonal
Suchita
NEERU’S NEW VENTURE Neeru’s have launched their new venture which was the benchmark for Hyderabad’s fashion history. They presented its signature store Neeru’s empirio, a luxurious 30,000 sq. ft. of wedding bliss. The emporio boasts of plush interiors with Italian marble finished flooring and a sophisticated architecture, giving it an international appeal while the garments still fit the budgets of buyers.
Ashu Gowri
Bina Mehta
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Raashi & Sushrutha
Trushna
Harish
Kruttika & Sirisha
Neha
Ruchita
Mohit Sarna
Navadeep
Sumrana & Saniya
Isha
Bella & Gabriella
Ishita
Reena
Amisha
Dimple
Komal
Manisha Kapoor
PINK KRUSHER
The mocktail mixing session organized by Manisha Kapoor happened at Aqua, The Park. All the guests were dressed in colourful attractive outfits. The event was followed by high-tea. Sheetal
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Neethi
Rachana
Radhika
Rina
Reena
Preeti
Jasmeet