Happy Flying! // Air Costa Inflight Magazine // November 2014 by Air Costa

VOL 1 • NO. 6 • NOVEMBER 2014

AHMEDABAD

The Wonder City! STAR TRAVEL With Sophie Choudry

FOOD TREND

Meet India’s Raw Foodists

FITNESS

What’s Fact And What’s Fiction?

CONTENTS

The Ahmedabad list

On the cover: Akshardham Temple, Ahmedabad © Dinodia Photo Library

10/

Calendar What’s Happening Around India This Month.

20/

The Buzz All The Latest Travel And Hospitality News.

50/

Gadgets Get Camera Happy With Our Selection!

Fitness Expert Speak—Clearing Fact From Fiction!

In The Raw! India’s Raw Food Movement Gets Going.

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

Star Travel Actor, Singer, VJ Sophie Choudry’s Favourite Travel Spots.

Printer & Publisher Ravikant Sabnavis Editor Raul Dias Editorial Team Blitz Multimedia Team Art Director Nirali Dedhia Art Studio Blitz Multimedia Art Studio Sr. Manager - Production Abbas J Kapadia Head - Marketing & Ad Sales Pradipto Nandy Mobile: +91 9987797269, pradipto@blitzmultimedia.co

Photo Essay The Big Fat Indian Wedding In All Its Pomp And Glory!

56/

Ahmedabad Through The Eyes Of A Cartoonist.

62/

Movies This Month’s New Releases.

64/ Horoscope

What The Stars Have In Store For You This Month.

68/

Kids Corner Aesop’s Fables, Fun Trivia And More…

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Mumbai, Goa, Pune: Dnyanesh Kanchan Mobile: +91 9820393586, E-mail: dkanchan@blitzmultimedia.co Katty Gia Mobile: +91 9870532295, E-mail: katty@blitzmultimedia.co Hanzila Mirza Mobile: +91 9920188604, E-mail: hanzila@blitzmultimedia.co Daniela Barretto Mobile: +91 9819718195, E-mail: daniela@blitzmultimedia.co Smita Sangwan Mobile: +91 9920812199, E-mail: smita@blitzmultimedia.co Ahmedabad: Sheju Mobile: +91 09879561716, E-mail: s&sadvertising223@gmail.com Delhi: Santosh Pandey Mobile: +91 9871386201 / +91 9911186201, E-mail: mediasantosh1@gmail.com Dhruv Kotru Mobile: +91 9818199477, E-mail: dhruv@blitzmultimedia.co Bangalore, Kerala, Puducherry: Sanjay Jariwal Mobile: +91 9900239492, E-mail: jariwals@gmail.com Kolkata: H. K. Jaiswal Mobile: +91 9836210096, E-mail: jaiswal@blitzmultimedia.co Hyderabad: Anand Bichali Mobile: +91 7799651219, +91 9885634618 E-mail: bichalianand@gmail.com, media9.hyd@gmail.com Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry & Guntur: N. Rajashekar Mobile: +91 9246336642, E-mail: nrshekar9@gmail.com Chandigarh: Puneet Arya Mobile: +91 9316969911 / +91 9878869911, E-mail: aryapuneet@yahoo.com Mangalore: Sanjay Mudbidri Mobile: +91 9880483130, E-mail: sanjay.mudbidri@gmail.com The contents of Air Costa - Happy Flying shall not be published or reproduced in any form without the written permission of the Editor. The copyright in the contents of this magazine including photographs printed and published vests exclusively with Blitz Multimedia Private Limited. Printed And Published By: Mr. Ravikant Sabnavis on behalf of Blitz Multimedia Private Limited and printed at Dhote Offset Technokrafts Pvt. Ltd., 2nd Floor, Paramount Estate, Above ‘Booker’, Plot No. 5 A, Off Vishweshwar Nagar Road, Opp. Gambhir Indl. Estate, Goregaon (E), Mumbai-400063. Tel.: +91 22 42389898 and published at Blitz Multimedia Private Limited, A-3, Sangam Bhavan, Ground Floor, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba, Mumbai-400 005. Board No: +91 22-66512600/666. Editor: Raul Dias. Editorial Tel: +91 22-66512631, E-mail: raul@blitzmultimedia.co, Advertising Tel: +91 22-66512605/608. E-mail: advertising@blitzmultimedia.co

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Dear Happy Flyer, Thank you for providing us the opportunity to serve you today. We completed one year of flying on 15th October 2014 and on this joyous occasion our thoughts reach out in gratitude to each one of you who made us reach this far. Your steadfastness and loyalty have been the ramparts of our success and on behalf of the entire Air Costa family I extend our warmest thanks to all of you. Your recognition of Air Costa as a preferred airline motivates us to perform better, to strive for greater excellence and always provide a ”Happy Flying” experience. In response to our guests’ preferences and needs for better connectivity, Air Costa has introduced new daily non-stop flights between Chennai and Jaipur. Our guests travelling on this route can now enjoy seamless connectivity along with a comfortable flying experience. My heart goes out to all the people who are affected due to the recent calamity in the beautiful city of Visakhapatnam. Air Costa employees have contributed a day’s pay towards helping the affected and have together contributed s35 lacs to the Chief Minister’s relief fund for this cause.

In response to our guests’ preferences and needs for better connectivity, Air Costa has introduced new daily non-stop flights between Chennai and Jaipur.

In this ‘Ahmedabad Special’ issue of Happy Flying, we take a meandering trip through the wonders of Ahmedabad. A place where examples of the rich culture and enchanting history are present almost everywhere you look, from the narrow lanes of the old city to the dazzling urban splendours. As we enter into our second year of operation with a focus on new challenges, we take this opportunity to rededicate ourselves to setting new benchmarks in the way we offer our products and service to you. This will be our way of saying, “Thank You”!

Happy Flying With best wishes, L. Ramesh Chairman, Air Costa

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

calendar

Events around India

Pics used for representational purpose.

8-9 NOVEMBER

NH7 Weekender: Bangalore EMBASSY INTERNATIONAL RIDING SCHOOL, BENGALURU

Bacardi NH7 Weekender has earned the tag of “India’s happiest festival” over the last four years courtesy a precise attention to detail in everything from the artist lineup, to the design of the stages, the art installations at the festival, the selection of food, et al. International artists like Imogen Heap, Basement Jaxx, Megadeth, Chase & Status, Seun Kuti & the Egypt 80, and Mutemath have performed for the first time in the country at the festival.

this month 3-6 NOVEMBER

Ganga Mahotsav and Dev Deepavali

9-11 NOVEMBER

Bundi Utsav

VARANASI

Held along the banks of the holy river Ganga, this unique and mystical festival features cultural programs of classical music and dance. However, the highlight of the festival is on the last day, when more than a million clay lamps are floated down the river at dusk amidst chanting of Vedic hymns as part of Dev Deepavali.

BUNDI, RAJASTHAN

Bundi is a picturesque district in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan. The Bundi Utsav brings it alive with the culture, folklore, traditions and craft of the region. The festival commences with a procession, and features an arts and crafts fair, traditional rural sports, cultural exhibition, and folk/classical music and dance program. There’s even a turban competition. Fireworks cap off the festival.

6 NOVEMBER

Tripurari Poornima SANQUELIM, GOA

The Tripurari Poornima festival is held on the banks of river Valvanthi in Sanquelim. It marks the end of the Diwali festival in Goa. There are boat contests held on the river banks wherein a lot of contestants bring handmade miniature replicas of actual boats in different shapes, sizes and colours. This competition draws a large number of spectators from all over Goa. Besides the boat competition there are song performances by famous Goan singers, and other cultural events such as traditional folk dances. 7 NOVEMBER

Wangala Festival GARO HILLS, MEGHALAYA

Also known as the 100 Drum Wangala Festival, this is the biggest harvest festival of Meghalaya’s Garo tribe. Held in honour of the Sun God of fertility, the festival marks the end of the sowing season and agricultural year. It’s celebrated by the beating of drums, blowing horns, and traditional dancing.

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15-16 NOVEMBER

Harley Rock Riders Season V RICHARDSON & CRUDDAS FOUNDRY, MUMBAI

Harley Davidson India and Only Much Louder have collaborated once more for the fifth edition of Harley Rock Riders, which is slated to take place on the 15th and 16th of this month in Mumbai at the iconic Richardson and Cruddas foundry. Pallavi Singh, Director Marketing, Harley-Davidson India says, “Harley Rock Riders is a festival that brings rock music and motorcycle lovers together, both bound by their burning desire for self-expression.” 21-23 NOVEMBER

The Gujarat Jewellery and Gem Fair GUJARAT UNIVERSITY CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTER, AHMEDABAD

The Gujarat Jewellery and Gem Fair is a three day jewel-filled extravaganza that showcases

products like fine finished gold jewellery, gemstones, pearls, diamonds, silver jewellery, machinery and equipment, packaging and display along with ancillary services provider etc. available in the Indian gems and jewellery industry. HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

SHOP STOP

Your must-haves

this month!

Wall Décor from Elementto Lifestyle Add a touch of élan to your home, this season with a range of chic and glamorous wall décor from Elementto Lifestyles. Discover a whole new world of opulence and charm, with a range of exquisite decorative wall accents and wall papers by Elementto Lifestyles Pvt. Ltd. Add a dash of colour and chic to your lives with an unparalleled plethora of products during the festive season. Encompassing bright and bold patterns embossed with various textures, the patterns ensure that you are spoilt for choice. The flamboyant baroque, rich brocades, lavish floral decorations, gold and silver interlacing strike the perfect balance between rich tradition and contemporary beauty. Choose from a range of colours that offer a sensational blend of sleek sophistication and exclusive style, be it simple and elegant shades like plum, wine and ivory or magnificent and ornate shades like fuchsia, blue, hazel and tangerine.

New Anita Dongre Flagship Store at Elgin Road, Kolkata Known for her inimitable style and understated, yet elegant design aesthetic, celebrated designer Anita Dongre offers her signature bridal, couture and pret collection, along with Anita Dongre Menswear, to the fashion connoisseur in Kolkata, with her new exclusive flagship store, at Elgin road. Spread over 1,900 sq. ft, the store is a metaphor for contemporary elegance, aptly combining heritage with a modern sophisticated intricacy, of style and design. With Rajasthan being a source of inspiration for Anita’s eponymous label ANITA DONGRE, the store too, reflects the spirit and charm of Jaipur’s much distinguished and splendid architecture, and vibrant colours. Tranquil grey block printed panels and an abundance of rich shades of blue pottery, contrast with the quiet charm of geometric, deep yellow chequered floor. Replete with jharoka style windows and arches, the store is truly eloquent, capturing the essence of sophisticated glamour.

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SHOP STOP Treat Yourself With Élan!

Élan brings to you an array of bespoke home décor and gifting options for this season. On offer are a variety of gifting accessories like a cage cake stand, beautiful gifting boxes, quirky packaging options like popcorn holders, candy cone holders, chocolate box etc. are available, amongst others that can be well-packaged in one of their unique gift trunks. These wonderful products are specially designed and curated by Vidushi Gupta Agarwal herself to provide the best of the best to her clients. Élan provides a truly unique service for anyone looking for multi-purpose gifting options. Their expert team has a deep understanding of gifting needs, which are well equipped to meet the most discerning standards.

India Circus Presents a Festive Range It’s the time to be jolly and colourful as the festive mood gets underway and what better way to spend your precious moments than around the table with loved ones. India Circus by Krsna Mehta, helps you create and celebrate the spirit of the season in every corner of your home – with flair of your own. This festive season, bring in cheer, colour, and joy to your home with these elegant, chic offerings from India Circus. Bring home or gift a loved one from a vast range of cushions, accessories, dining accessories, candles, votives, premium crockery, floor cushions, apparels and jewellery. While you could of course shop online for the one off line too from a new collection of statement pieces. Special customisation services by are offered by India Circus wherein a product range can be designed depending on the customer’s requirement, preference, taste, etc to create a line of gifts that stands apart and is remembered for being one of a kind.

TheBeachCompany.in Presents Body Glove TheBeachCompany.in, one of India’s largest online specialty shops for beach and holiday fashion in the country brings yet another international brand to the Indian market! Internationally acclaimed water sports brand Body Glove retails its men’s swim exclusively in India with TheBeachCompany.in, focusing on a wide range of swimwear options and accessories for men. Body Glove has always had a history of innovation and love of the water that challenges them to make products fitting every waterman’s needs. The board short collection comprises of an array of bright, vivacious hues with shades of aqua, yellow, crimson, with bold prints that would make a statement anywhere in the world. This is a quirky range in sync with the ideology of TheBeachCompany.in. The water repellent polyester microfiber material is soft, smooth, and quick to dry; these shorts are perfect for the poolside or any beach destination. Prices start at R2,950.

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

SHOP STOP Jazzy Jumpsuits for Your Next Party! Spruce up your style this season with Rena Love’s new collection of uber chic jazzy jumpsuits. The collection is vibrant and lively and a must have in every wardrobe! The lush hues will brighten up your aura like a ray of sunshine this autumn. Made from the finest blend of natural fabrics and available in vivacious shades of blue, green, yellow, black and brown, these jumpsuits keep you high on the style quotient with utmost comfort. So ditch the boring evening wears and add some spice with these jazzy jumpsuits by Rena Love; each one is a sure trend setter. Team up these jumpsuits with a clutch and stilettos for a sure shot head turner look.

Villeroy & Boch Samarkand and Caffe Club Collections In the past it was common to mark a special occasion by giving a good friend or a beloved relative an exquisite collector’s piece of porcelain. In recent years, where quality and fine workmanship are again being valued above fast-moving often anonymous consumption, Villeroy & Boch has played some part in gently reawakening this lovely tradition by developing international premium gift article collections. Drawing inspiration from the exotic city of Samarkand to develop a particularly decorative tableware collection of premium bone porcelain is the Samarkand Collection. The colours of the décors – rich ruby, restrained aquamarine, fine cobalt blue and a warm mandarin – are as firmly rooted in the myth-enshrouded Orient as the four animal motifs on the breakfast plates. The Caffè Club is a compelling cup concept distinguished by elegant colours and sophisticated decoration, and combining style and elegance with everyday practicality. The successful basic series is now being extended to include two new colours: steam, a dark grey, and mocha, a strong brown. Both shades are available as plain or decorated versions.

DESIGN: ROCKY ROAD RR 1457 16

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SHOP STOP

The White Window Presents a Candle Carnival The White Window, by Interior designer Twinkle Khanna presents a spectacular Candle Carnival from its luxurious candle line, The Faraway Tree for the festive season ahead. Candles are truly classic and illustrate a sense of design and elegance. They lend a delicate charm to the living space filling it with warmth and peace. The Faraway Tree candles redefine luxury and are made with fine ingredients and quality craftsmanship. They are developed from exotic scents of herbs and trees from the world. The strong fragrances will conjure up images of distant faraway places. The range comprises of aromatic sculpted and gilded candles; they are available in a variety of motifs such as metallic accents, Buddha and luxurious scented container candles. They can embellish the interiors of the house and instantly jazz up the space.

Houseproud.in at Project 7, Mumbai The online destination for exclusive homeware and imported kitchen itemsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; www.houseproud.in recently launched its latest collection at Project 7 that includes a wide range of imported bakeware and eclectic serveware, ideal for your home and as gifts. An exquisite collection of comprehensive array of trays, platters, boxes, mugs, sugar bowls, jars, tea pots and cup and saucer sets. The products are made from resilient porcelain, designed and decorated with vibrant colourful flowers that will undoubtedly be a practical yet funky addition to your tableware. Houseproud.in will also rescue you from your always having to brush bits of bread crumbs off your table, desk or bed with their adorable piggy crumb sweepers. Simple, easy to use and irresistibly cute is what the new funky kitchen collection is about. Look no further than www.houseproud.in for exclusive home needs at incredible prices!

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

Customised Gifting by 2DIVINE The Lifestyle Temple Lifestyle label 2DIVINE - The Lifestyle Temple by Dimple Nahar has introduced a new range of versatile luxury gifting options for the festive season. The range includes an array of products such as silverware, platters, trays, crockery, cutlery sets, glassware, jewellery, aromatic candle, fruits bowl, dry fruit tray, divine idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi and home dĂŠcor accessories. The exquisite range of products can be customised for the client catering to their preferences. The gifts can also be compiled into fancy gift hampers with an assortment of products. The gifts are available from R500 onwards with options catering to different price ranges, with options available in packaging as well.

The Buzz

What’s Hot in the World of

Travel and Hospitality Citrus at The Leela Mumbai unveils two new offerings Citrus at The Leela Mumbai recently unveiled a new Japanese counter and the most comprehensive menu of global cuisines in the restaurant’s history, including more than 50 new à la carte dishes featuring the broadest choice to please every palate. The pièce de résistance of the new menu is the Japanese counter helmed by their young Japanese chef who is known for letting the top notch seafood and his superior knife skills shine. Presenting a wide

Taj Coromandel introduces JIVA Grande to Chennai The Taj Coromandel, Chennai’s first luxury residence for four decades, brings the finest and most contemporary Indian luxury spa experience to the city – the JIVA Grande. The launch of the JIVA Grande further enhances Taj Coromandel’s position as the preferred location for urban rejuvenation. Blending ancient Indian wisdom with contemporary therapies, JIVA Grande offers the best in Indian rejuvenation therapies ranging from Indian

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aromatherapy massages, time-honoured Indian treatments, body scrubs and wraps. Located in the lower lobby and spread across 12,000 sq ft, the exquisite JIVA Grande, spans across three floors and consists of four single spa suites, a couple spa suite, a relaxation area, yoga studio, Ayurveda consultation and treatment room, extensive wet areas, a breath-taking terrace lap pool, a reflexology walk and relaxing lounges – all coming together to ensure that your revival is complete in the true sense of being. The highlight of JIVA

Grande at the Taj Coromandel is the couple spa suite, with a lavish bath tub, overlooking the stunning landscape and swimming pool. The spa treatments are offered using unique products made from Indian aromatherapy oils and special ingredients, native to India. The 100% natural range of JIVA Grande products are made with a deep understanding of the therapeutic benefits of Indian herbs and essential oils. Exclusive to JIVA, the signature experiences are borrowed from royal traditions and ancient Indian healing remedies.

array of Japanese fare with a selection of teas and sake, guests can choose among melt-in-your-mouth sushi and sashimi - from tuna to yellow tail to pepper seared salmon, vegetarian hand rolls, hot and cold small eats, or opt for the set menu or platters to relish chef recommended delicacies. The restaurant is also offering new dishes from the restaurant’s live kitchens curated over countless tasting sessions. The team of chefs invited loyal Citrus fans to taste a wide array before finalising the menu. The result

is scrumptious delicacies that take you on a culinary journey through different parts of the world. From classic American grills and steaks to aromatic Asian delicacies, Middle Eastern platters to robust Italian preparations, the exhaustive menu has a lot to offer, including local Mumbai favourites of kheema pav, wada pav, coastal South Indian curries and delectable desserts like valrhona chocolate and gianduja parfait and warm bread and butter pudding with vanilla bean anglaise.

Turning Point Sangria launched Trinity Vintners Pvt Ltd presents Turning Point Sangrias, a unique new innovation in keeping with the overall brand promise of making wines “young, approachable and fun”. This range of ready to drink sangrias comes after over three years of extensive and continuous research on various flavours. Turning Point ready to drink sangrias come in two variants – Metropolitan (cranberry and orange) and Nashik Mule (orange and ginger ale). Priced at s135 each, the sangrias come in a never seen before and immensely attractive 330ml pack, designed with the utmost convenience of the consumers in mind. HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

This festive season, say cheers with new Jim Beam Car Tin Packs! Stepping up its engagement with the Indian consumer, Jim Beam, the world’s no.

1 Bourbon whiskey has introduced premium limited edition packs in the Indian market this festive season. With an aim to create an excitement amongst whiskey

lovers, these attractive packs are designed on the lines of racing supercars which sets them apart from the other conventional celebratory packs available in the market. Jim Beam comes from the world’s third largest spirits company Beam Suntory’s portfolio and is well known for an aroma which is fresh and soft and a taste which is filled with hints of woods and vanilla. Founded in 1795 with a proud history of more than 200 years, Jim Beam is available in India in two variants – Jim Beam White and Jim Beam Black. These special packs will be available at a price of s1,250 (in Gurgaon) and s1,555 (in Kolkata) and will be available across liquor retail outlets.

The New Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa, Mauritius Set on over 10 hectares of land, the Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa, Mauritius’ 190 beautifully appointed guest rooms, including 38 suites, have been designed to embrace the natural beauty of the island’s unique scenery. All rooms feature the latest in-room technology as well as the renowned Westin Heavenly Bed, Heavenly Bath with rainforest shower and exclusive White Tea Aloe

bath amenities, and Heavenly Robe. Guests can find total relaxation at the Heavenly Spa by WestinTM, offering an array of indulgent treatments dedicated to well-being. The resort also offers the signature Westin Executive Club Lounge for exclusive access to the Westin Club along with complimentary breakfast, evening snacks and beverages. For guests looking to stay active, take a swim in one of the two swimming pools, play tennis or exercise

at the WestinWORKOUT fitness studio. The resort also offers a RunWESTIN experience and Westin Gear Lending programme with New Balance. Sailing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, water-skiing and day adventure cruises are also available. The Westin Kids Club enables families to indulge in services, amenities and meals customised to the needs of their little ones with fun activities like island storytelling and nature walks.

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OZO brings fun times to Pattaya, Thailand with special opening rates Thailand’s second OZO property has landed in the bustling seaside town of Pattaya. Developed by Boutique Group of Companies and located within walking distance of the city’s attractions and beaches, OZO Pattaya is ideal for travellers seeking connectivity combined with a great night’s sleep. OZO Pattaya’s ‘Snooze Zone’ includes 164 sleep inducing guestrooms, comprising ‘Sleep Rooms’, ‘Dream Rooms’ and ‘OZO Suites’. Each room boasts superb bedding, climate control for the optimum sleep temperature and black out curtains so guests can hit the ‘Snooze’ button and sleep off a night out on the tiles. Whether it’s sampling Thai cuisines from far flung corners of Thailand at the Pattaya Floating Market, exploring the beautifully

landscaped gardens of the Nong Nooch tropical garden and cultural village or braving the shark tank at Underwater World Pattaya, guests are spoiled for choice. After a restful night, a healthy breakfast and espresso jolt at ‘EAT’, the hotel’s all day dining restaurant, will invigorate the mornings. For those in a rush, ‘EAT2GO’ the grab and go service is a fast option for breakfast or snacks

on the run. After busy days exploring the local sights, guests can lounge and enjoy some down time at ‘Splash’, the rooftop swimming pool or head to the gym, ‘Tone’ to burn off those extra holiday induced calories. Visitors can enjoy a special opening rate from 1,100 THB per night, exclusive of breakfast, service charge and local taxes, for stays up to 24 December, 2014.

New Delhi’s ‘tealicious’ new Smoke House Deli The newest addition to the fold of the much loved Smoke House Deli restaurants comes to Saket in New Delhi. While Smoke House Deli is already well-known for its quaint illustrated walls and sweet personable design elements, the latest outpost takes things a serious notch up. Set in the charming home of a colonial British tea merchant, the brand new Smoke House is furnished like a dainty tea salon. But even so, the décor breathes colonial history; a mix of woven cane, wrought iron and floral upholstery recreate the furniture of times long gone by. In true British style, Smoke House Deli also offers outdoor seating,

weather permitting that is! While the décor may be a worshipful ode to everything ‘tea’ the menu is an exercise in variety. And that sentence only rhymed because the menu reads like poetry to the ears of food lovers. Everything from a fine range of breakfast to 100 percent char-grilled dishes and an all new range of comfort food make an appearance on the menu. With this restaurant, Smoke House Deli also introduces to its fans, the concept of ‘communal’ dining. Now you can enjoy not just the company of your bestie at your meal but also have their fork dig into your sizeable and ‘shareable’ portion of food. Ordering is bound to be a lot more fun!

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

FITNESS

Hit or Myth? What’s fact and what’s fiction? Our fitness guru Nawaz Modi Singhania debunks some of the most common misconceptions we may have when it comes to our workout… and more!

may be burning other sources of energy like glycogen, quick energy, etc, rather than stored body fats. So, if fat and inch loss is a goal, you would be wasting a lot of time, effort, and possibly money, by overworking, and only end up being very disappointed.

here are so many myths and misconceptions floating around in the fitness industry today that cloud a consumer’s vision and naturally hamper their ability to reach their optimum potential levels of fitness and health. Through this article, I’m hoping to set some of these notions right. You may have heard of a few of the following,

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

and even fallen prey to some yourself. MYTH: The harder I workout, the more fat I’ll burn. Sorry, but if you’ve been working yourself to the bone, you aren’t burning fat. For fat loss, one must stick to working out at moderate intensities for approximately 30-45 minutes, and not at a

very high intensity. In other words, one must remain in one’s fat burning zone/ target heart rate/ training zone. This can be done in various ways. Keeping a tab on your pulse is one way of doing it. Speak to your trainer about working out your individual target heart range. Without this range and the knowledge of how to implement it, one

MYTH: The more I sweat the more fat I burn. Not true. Water loss is NOT fat loss, and sweat is only water loss! Burning fat and sweating often go hand in hand, and are therefore confused as being one and the same thing. However, excessive water loss through sweat can be very harmful, as it can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion and even heat strokes in extreme cases. Water loss hampers the ability to continue any form of cardiovascular exercise as the body overheats, and is unable to effectively get rid of this heat build-up. Let me explain via an analogy. For our purpose, imagine a car to be the human

body. The radiator in a car can be compared to our water stores, while the fuel tank can be related to our fat stores. When the radiator is low on water, the car overheats and performance is impaired. When the radiator is completely out of water, the car will stall on you. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the fuel tank (burning fat, in our case). So, to confuse our fuel tank (fat stores) with our radiator (fat stores) would be absurd. The myth of steam rooms are based on the same theory. After sweating it out in a steam room, your inches and weight will have certainly dropped, but this loss is only water loss, not fat loss, and it’s only very temporary. As soon as you drink water again, it’s going to go straight back to where it came from, and weight and inch-wise, you’ll be back to where you started! While steams and saunas have other health benefits, fat loss certainly isn’t one of them. To facilitate fat loss, one must

For fat loss, one must stick to a moderate intensity workout

Many factors such as genetics influence weight loss

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

is that your body composition will change. In other words, when one is working out, the fat vs. muscle ratio improves. Stored body fat decreases, while muscle tone increases. When one discontinues any form of exercise, fat loss is frozen, and while your inches remain the same, but muscle tone decreases. That’s the way it is with muscle—you either use it, or lose it! In fact, one’s weight on the weighing scales will drop as muscle tone decreases since muscle is heavier and denser than fat. This is provided your dietary habits remain reasonable. If not, get ready to watch all that hard work go down the drain. So eat sensibly—the gates of paradise are narrow! When one is working out, the fat vs. muscle ratio improves

drink water before, during and after exercise to remain well hydrated, or else you’ll just end up exhausted and unable to continue with your exercise programme. MYTH: Electrical muscle stimulators will get me to lose fat and inches immediately! Electrical muscle stimulators, when placed on specific muscle groups, discharge a small electrical current, causing the muscle to contract. While these devices might help in injury rehabilitation, they don’t do anything for loss of body fat/ inches. Due to the stimuli, temporarily the muscles contract, but relax soon after, having one return back to square one. MYTH: Exercise is one sure way to lose all the excess fat and weight that you want. Many factors such as genetics, body type or frame, dietary habits and intake, etc, influence weight and fat loss. There is a wide variation in how different people

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respond to the same training programme. Each person’s development of strength and endurance may vastly vary from the next. All people will not lose the same amount of fat and weight while on the same programme. So it’s important not to try and compete with anyone else. Work at being the best that you can be! MYTH: It can’t be harmful or have any side effects as it’s herbal and therefore totally natural; there are no chemicals or drugs in it (in reference to certain diet pills, fat burners, and appetite suppressants). Totally natural? So is snake venom and poison ivy! Just because it’s not man-made and found in nature’s bounty, doesn’t mean it isn’t harmful! Don’t kid yourself! Take a closer look! MYTH: Once I stop working out, I’ll end up putting on double the weight I began with! Not true. What will happen

MYTH: Diet pills that suppress the appetite are sure ways of knocking those extra kilos off. These ought to be avoided entirely. They usually contain a stimulant such as amphethetamine. Firstly, the effect of the drug is temporary, and so the rate of fat/ weight reduction tapers off with time. Secondly, these can cause insomnia, high blood pressure, dizziness, headaches and more serious complications. They are very addictive as well.

A fitness expert for nearly two decades, Nawaz Modi Singhania is also a successful artist. You can visit her website www.bodyart.in for more tips.

COVER STORY

Dine alongside graves at the New Lucky Restaurant, Lal Darwaza

Here’s to dining with some fairly unexpected company! The fascinating New Lucky Restaurant in Ahmedabad’s historic Lal Darwaza area is actually built on a graveyard. Guests will still find graves inside the restaurant, laid about casually on the ground between tables. Waiters rush around the premises, dodging the graves, as they serve patrons with steaming cups of tea. The story goes that the owner did not want to disturb

AHMEDABAD’S

the graves when he bought the plot, and so decided to let them be as is and build a restaurant around them. Today, New Lucky Restaurant is a bustling eatery, with the living and the dead seamlessly sharing the same space.

Get lost in old Ahmedabad

There is an aura of history and heritage that envelopes you the moment you enter the old walled city of Ahmedabad. Suddenly, you are lost in an era that once was—and the colour and chaos of everyday life only shines brighter. I would strongly recommend that all visitors to Ahmedabad spend some hours walking and getting lost in the lanes of old Ahmedabad—without a map. After all, you only know a city after you’ve been lost in it! Start at the imposing Jama Masjid with its sprawling court-

yard and proceed onward. Explore the pols (housing clusters) that date back centuries and the heritage Ahmedabad Stock Exchange Building, which dates back to 1894. You may chance across a tiny temple that dates back hundreds of years or a beautiful hidden dargah that only the locals know about. You will find lanes so narrow that they can’t be walked through. The locals will greet you with massive smiles and a few words of Gujarati, offering you fascinating stories washed down by a glass of buttermilk in return for your time.

(Clockwise from top left) Akshardham Temple, Amdavad Ni Gufa, old Ahmedabad, an old timer Amdavadi

Chocolate sandwich and more at Manek Chowk

If you love food, all roads lead to Manek Chowk, the ‘Mecca’ of street food in Ahmedabad.

TOP 10

Pics: Shrey Chakravorty, Himanshu Shekhar Mishra; Courtesy: Mithila Mehta

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Travel is all about experiences—unique and unusual ones that bring any place alive in all its vibrancy and vitality. Mithila Mehta curates a list of the best travel experiences from beautiful Ahmedabad—so you can explore the city like never before! HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

As the sun sets, Manek Chowk comes alive with hundreds of tiny food stalls, feeding the thousands of hungry souls thronging to the area! The chocolate sandwich is something of a rite of passage— heavily buttered white bread smeared with a thick layer of chocolate and topped with a mountain-load of cheese. Odd as the combination sounds, it is absolutely delicious! Also try the pineapple sandwich (cut pineapple slices and cheese, tossed together in an interesting sandwich eat) and the gwalia dosa (a plain dosa with gallons of sinful butter). For dessert, tuck into some delicious kulfi—the number of flavours available are just mindboggling! If you love your meat, head to BhatiyarGali for a feast.

Bike to the Chhota Rann of Kutch

Those up for a bit of adventure should plan a biking trip to the Chhota Rann of Kutch—located 93kms away from Ahmedabad. I strongly recommend it—the spectacular landscape of the arid salt marsh (complete with the cracked

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ground which makes for some wonderful photographs) is unlike anything you’ve probably seen in your life! The Chhota Rann of Kutch is also important from a wildlife perspective. It is the world’s last refuge of the Indian wild ass and also home to various water birds such as cranes and land birds such as the Indian Bustard.

Discover the art of Patan Patolas

The historic fortified town of Patan (located 128kms from Ahmedabad) makes for an interesting and offbeat day trip. Patan is home to the famous Patan Patola, the fine art of double iktat weaving. Despite being over 750 years old, the art is on the verge of extinction – it is practiced by only four families today, all in the town of Patan. Visitors may watch the master weavers at work from close up, marveling at the massive looms and intricacy of the weaves. Amazingly enough, it takes from a few months up to one year to make a single saree! If your wallet so allows it, you may also request for a Patan Patola saree to be woven exclusively for you.

Do Dandiya in Navratri

Colour and energy like you’ve never seen before! Navratri in Gujarat is a very special time, vibrant and vivid like the hues of the rainbow. The city of Ahmedabad is a fabulous place to be during the nine days of Navratri! Gujaratis love dressing up for the Navratri night, so it’s fun to follow suit. Spend some time shopping around at the Law Garden. There is a massive range of traditional Gujarati dressing available, which will have you looking perfect for the occasion! The best known Navratri events in Ahmedabad are the the Maa Shakti Garba (listed as the largest in India) and United Way Garba, both boasting of an attendance upwards of 30,000 people. You will be delighted to see beautiful dandiya, deft garba and an atmosphere of fun and intense energy. Dance away, we say!

Pay homage to M.F. Hussain at an underground cave

Here’s a hidden gem for the

art lovers. Few know that M.F. Hussain has a permanent exhibition of his work in Ahmedabad, located at the CEPT campus. Known as “Amdavad Ni Gufa” (The Cave of Ahmedabad), it is a large underground cavelike gallery designed by the architect Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, housing Hussain’s masterpieces. Hussain used the cave’s walls as a canvas, depicting human figures animal motifs, including his beloved horses. His largest work, Sheshnag, is over 100 feet long! Hussain has even painted the doors, window frames and air conditioners in the cave.

(Clockwise from top left) Biking to the Chhota Rann of Kutch, Gir’s wildlife, Junagarh at dusk

Eat the thali at The House of MG

When in Gujarat, eat as the Gujaratis do! The beautiful Mangaldasni Haveli (also known as the House of MG), located in the heart of Old Ahmedabad, is estimated to be over 200 years old and provides the perfect backdrop for this dining experience. The terrace of the haveli is home to Agashiye—where you settle in for a culinary experience HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

Advt.

"Honoured by Asia Pacific Excellence Award 2014 by Prime Minister of Nepal ".

(Clockwise from top left) IIM Ahmedabad campus, snacks at Manek Chowk, Patan Patola weaving, traditional Gujarati thali

of a lifetime. The food here is freshly prepared and the menu changes daily, so you will always find something interesting on your plate every time you visit. Local dishes, prepared authentically, will delight your palette, served to you most generously by the Agashiye staff. You will leave feeling very well fed and looked after!

Campus hopping

We link Ahmedabad with Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad! For ﬂight schedules, please refer to the ‘Flight Schedule’ pages at the end of this magazine.

Ahmedabad is home to a bustling and vibrant campus culture. Don’t miss out on experiencing this if you have an opportunity! The hallowed IIM Ahmedabad (Vastrapur) is a rite of passage for many. The architecture, designed by American architect Louis Kahn, is a major icon of modernism architecture. And has even featured in the recent Bollywood movie 2 States based on the novel by Chetan Bhagat a former student of IIM.

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Other beautiful campuses include MICA (nestled in rural Ahmedabad at Shela Village, it is not uncommon to find peacocks prancing around the beautiful campus), NID Ahmedabad (Located at Paldi, look out for the art amid the red brick architecture) and CEPT.

majestically in its natural habitat. The ecosystem of Gir is also home to diverse flora and fauna—with 2,375 unique species living in the forest. Apart from the Asiatic Lion, wildlife lovers will also look out for the Indian Leopards, Sloth Bears, Striped Hyenas, Four Horned Antelope and the Pangolin.

Lion spotting at Gir Forest

The Gir Forest National Park (located about 300kms away from Ahmedabad) is the sole home of the Asiatic Lions in the world. A visit to the beautiful Gir Forest allows you the one in a lifetime opportunity to come face to face with this massive beast, watching it live

Mithila Mehta is a writer, artist and an avid traveller. You can follow her on Twitter @mith_m

FOOD

In the RAW! Cookery book author and expert on vegan food, Anuradha Sawhney tells us why going the ‘raw’ way in our diet is not just beneficial for our bodies, but our minds too. Raw: The Uncook Book shows us the easy way get started

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ome years ago, when I was first introduced to the concept of following a raw food diet, I was horrified! What? Eat only cucumbers and tomatoes? What about my breads and curries and sautéed vegetables… and oh yes, my desserts? How can people give up all of that? But then, when I calmed down enough to research this diet, I realised that a raw food diet is so much more than eating raw food. There are actually chefs in the US and other countries who make entire pizzas, breads and burgers from ingredients which have not been cooked beyond a very low temperature (in case you didn’t know, to make

pizza bases and burger buns, one must cook them at high temperatures) Amazing isn’t it? Read on to know what this diet is all about. The Lowdown A raw food diet consists of unprocessed foods that have not been heated above 46 degrees Celsius. So that necessarily places an emphasis on vegetables and plants, which are the richest source of important nutrients needed by our bodies. A raw food diet does not advocate eating any processed foods, which therefore means that you will not consume unhealthy ingredients like sodium, trans fat, sugar,

hydrogenated oils, saturated fats, refined flour etc. Avoiding these foods are the best things one can do. When vegetables and fruits are eaten raw, our bodies get their entire benefits. Cooking kills the nutrients, and if food has been over-cooked and then consumed, it can actually be very bad for you. When you cook food, you lose at least 30 percent of the nutrients and 100 percent of the enzymes. And experts say that having a good balance of raw foods in your diet helps reduce toxic risks to your body by flooding your body with the most nutritious food possible, giving your body the ability to heal and rejuvenate at a deep cellular level. To be considered raw, food could be chopped, juiced, pureed or even dehydrated. Famous chef and author of the book Raw: The Uncook Book Juliano insists that the only implements one needs to follow a raw foods diet are a blender, knives, a dehydrator, food processor and a juicer. That’s it! He uses ingredients like buckwheat, flax seeds, almonds walnuts and other nuts to make breads, crackers etc. Pros Aplenty! The benefits of eating raw foods are many, and some of

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

Doing the trAnSition

The Holy Tree in Ludhiana is a beacon of hope for raw foodists

them are increased energy, weight loss, reduced risk of lifestyle diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and better digestion because of all the fibre one ingests. Eat raw foods such as sprouts and fermented foods that are in their growth stage— when the plant is producing the most nutrients. Green leafy vegetables, growing sprouts, and fresh fruits are all alkalising and cleansing, which are great for health. The Raw Movement Eating raw seems to have

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become a way of life in India too. Energy Home, a vegan raw food restaurant has been operating in Pondicherry for over six years now. Recently a store cum café called The Holy Tree has opened in the city of Ludhiana. Run by Dr Vinu Kumar and her husband Vishal Kumar, it is doing brilliantly. Dr Vinu, who has been a raw food practitioner for a number of years, was pressured by her patients into opening this store. She had advised them to follow a no wheat no milk diet, as a result of which many got rid of arthritis, muscle dystrophy, hypertension, diabetes amongst other ailments. No wonder there was a demand for this store! New Delhi has raw food practitioners too. Anjali Sanghi is an avid exponent of raw food and so is her six-yearold son Manikya! Now that is something. Anjali can whip up lasagna, Indian sweets, vegetable curries and even lentil like dishes all with the whir of her blender or her dehydrator. And no cooking involved! What all the people who

go raw have in common is a desire to reclaim their health. Most of the products (fruits, vegetables, grains, spices, cereals et all) that are available in shops today have been either grown with the use of pesticides which can have a bad effect on our health. Cancers, lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease are on the rise. Healthy foods are the need of the hour to help us cope with the frenetic pace of life in today’s world.

If you’re concerned that you don’t necessarily agree with the rationale for eating raw food all the time, the best advice is to give it a good shot. You’ll only know if eating raw food works for you if you try it and see how it makes you feel. Some suggestions for transitioning to a whole or partial raw food diet include: • Don’t agonise over the decision. Pondering the worth of raw foods from an intellectual point of view can be something you allow to bubble away at the back of your mind rather than serving as a hurdle to stop you from beginning at all. Moreover, what matters is how you feel on such a diet; you can gradually come to terms with the nutritional science as you proceed (subject to the warnings outlined below). • Be flexible. It might be that you prefer to eat a partially raw diet for a length of time before advancing to a completely raw diet. In some cases, you may never fully transition to a wholly raw food diet but might mix it with 60 percent raw food and 40 percent vegan cooked food, for example. The need for freshness, unprocessed foods, and organic sources remains pertinent however you choose to mix it. • Trust your taste buds. If your head is bothering you with the whys and wherefores, trust your taste buds first. They’ll reassure you that raw foods are delicious. • Appreciate the ease of preparation. Many raw foods are easy to prepare provided you select the right recipes. Indeed, sometimes there is no need to bother with recipes at all, but just prepare the foods simply and enjoy them in their raw state as salads or in their own right as a snack. • Find recipes that don’t ask for exotic ingredients that are hard to find. You’ll give up easily if you feel that you have to trek across town or order online just to get hold of strange ingredients. An occasional use of these might be called for, but limit most of your daily eating requirements to the ingredients that you can easily source locally. Source: www.wikihow.com

Pune-based Anuradha Sawhney has been ranked amongst Femina magazine’s ‘50 Most Powerful Women in India’ and is the author of The Vegan Kitchen: Bollywood Style! She also runs a vegan food service called Back to the Basics. Visit: www. facebook.com/veganfoodpune HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

P H O T O F E AT U R E

Band, Bajaa &

Bride!

A big fat Indian wedding is all about fun, frolic and festivities as is evident from the work of wedding photographer Joshua Komanapalli who distills all the vivid colours and bonhomie in his brilliant images.

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HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

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Confident Smiles of Success…

IBA’s distinct International Accreditation comes from 14 years of diligence

Asia’s Best Private Education Institute

WORLD CONSULTING & RESEARCH CORPORATION

Ranked among the top 1% B-Schools in India

Process Advisors & Evaluators :

KPMG in India

• INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE

31 All India by CSR – GHRDC B – School survey 2014 • 51st All India by Times of India B – School survey 2014 • 62nd All India by Outlook B – School survey 2014 •

• DUAL SPECIALIZATION COURSE • CAPSTONE & ERP COURSE • FOREIGN LANGUAGES • 6 MONTHS CORPORATE INTERNSHIP • BUSINESS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT • REWARDING PLACEMENTS

Admission Announcement 2 Years Full-Time Residential Programme

* PGDM 2015-17 AICTE APPROVED ** MBA 2015-17 AFFILIATED TO MYSORE UNIVERSITY

Our Recent Recruiters

Approved by AICTE Ministry of HRD Govt. of India

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IBA - Bangalore Lakshmipura, Thataguni Post, Kanakapura Road, Bangalore 560 062 •E-mail: placements@iba.ac.in •Mobile: +91 97418 11100, 93435 18946

www.iba.ac.in

IBA - Greater Noida (Delhi-NCR) Plot No.44, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida - 201 308 •E-mail: placements@ibagreaternoida.org •Mobile: +91-99119 41090, 99102 33667

www.iba.edu.in

* Offered at IBA-Bangalore & Greater Noida, ** Offered at IBA-Bangalore

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HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

wellness

The Botox Back-Up Worried about the risks of Botox? Prefer a natural, pain-free solution? Akcelina Cvijetic brings you the best alternative products to help you diminish wrinkles and get a more youthful-looking complexion naturally. Hail Natralox Organic Natralox AntiWrinkle Cream has been dubbed the ‘supernatural wrinkle fighter’. Its main ingredients include a groundbreaking peptide, Argireline, green tea, howood, bergamot oil and numerous other plant-derived extracts. These ingredients work together to smoothen out wrinkles and slow down premature ageing. Organic Natralox has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 50 per cent in 30 days, without giving you the dreaded frozen-face look! It is loved by many celebrities, including Victoria Beckham. (www.organicnatralox.co.uk) Release the genie of antioxidant firming The Organic Pharmacy Antioxidant Face Firming Serum has been nicknamed ‘the instant face lift oil’ thanks

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to its ability to lift and tone the skin as well as reduce wrinkles, mop up free radicals and reverse skin damage. This is due to its powerful antioxidant mix of organic rose hip, grape seed, alpha lipoic acid, DMEA, carrot and grapefruit oil. No wonder celebrities love it and Tatler magazine called it a “genie in a bottle to grant your skin’s every wish.” (www.theorganicpharmacy. com) Experience the ultimate muscle freezer Rodial Glamoxy Snake Serum has been heralded as the ‘Botox in a bottle’. The serum’s key ingredient is Syn-Ake, a neuropeptide that mimics the effect of the temple viper’s venom and has a ‘freeze-like’ effect on the facial muscles. It also contains a special oxygen carrier Fiflow BTX, which boosts glow and

radiance with its 3D plumping effect. Pomegranate ellagic tannin provides a powerful antioxidant protection. Trials have shown wrinkles appearing less noticeable after just 90 seconds, with a 50 per cent reduction within four weeks. Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Naomi Campbell are amongst the fans. (www.rodial.co.uk) Discover natural facial firming Weleda Pomegranate Firming Day Cream is highly effective at firming the skin thanks to punic acid, which helps the skin preserve collagen and appear plumper. It contains organic, coldpressed pomegranate seeds, argan and macadamia nut oils, which intensely nourish ageing skin and stimulate skin revival. Its high antioxidant levels protect

the skin from oxidative stress and environmental influences, improve elasticity and resilience. With daily use, the skin becomes firmer and smoother, wrinkles and lines less apparent. This product is a firm favourite of celebrity make-up artistes and their clients alike. With a sophisticated scent and light, rapidly absorbed formula, it will leave you feeling reinvigorated and rejuvenated. (www.weleda.co.uk) Add buzz with Bee Venom Mask Heaven Bee Venom Mask has been hailed as ‘nature’s Botox’. The magic bee venom ingredient is the key to this natural botox-like effect mask. It works by controlling the facial muscles and creating immediate lifting, tightening and firming of your frown lines and wrinkles. It also contains soothing and moisturising manuka honey, shea butter, rose and lavender oil. For best results, use it as a mask applied to cleansed skin for 20 minutes and then wash off. Loved by Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities alike, it sure is a star product! (www.heavenskincare.com) Note: A patch test is recommended. It is not suitable for anyone with a bee sting allergy! Prevent wrinkle formation naturally In addition to buying natural product alternatives to Botox, practise the following preventative measures: Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamin C (peppers, kiwis, strawberries) to boost your collagen and elastin production and antioxidants (green tea, pomegranates, berries) to reduce the effects of oxidative stress. Include fish for essential fatty acids, lean protein for amino acids

and plenty of raw vegetables to increase your vitamin and mineral levels. Use sunscreen protection. Staying out of the sun and using sunscreen are great ways of preventing the formation of those lines and wrinkles in the first place. Keep hydrated. Drink plenty of water daily to keep your skin looking smooth and hydrated. Cut out on ageing habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol drinking and eating sugary and processed foods. Exercise regularly. Get your beauty sleep to prevent lacklustre skin. These factors will not just help prevent the formation of fine lines and wrinkles, but also keep you looking younger and healthier for longer! (Please consult your doctor before following any medical advice.)

With a flourishing private practice on prestigious Harley Street in London, Akcelina Cvijetic is Nutritionist and Life Coach to the royal family, celebrities and business people. HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

GADGETS

Picture Perfect

Olympus E510 (R38,900)

A picture is worth a thousand words simply because it conveys so much. Raj Panneerselvam brings you a few latest DSLR options to capture some everlasting memories on your next holiday!

Pentax K500 (R27,296) Literally no conversation about a DSLR ends without mentioning the names Canon and Nikon. But if you want to be an exception, then here is an alternate for you and the name is PENTAX. This 16.28 Megapixel APS-C module entry level DSLR is from Ricoh Imaging Company under the brand name PENTAX K500. Some solid features of K500 includes sensorbased image stabilisation, 1920 x 1080 at 30fps and SAFOX IXi+ AF sensor module, with 11 AF points. The differentiator from PENTAX is its viewfinder that offers field of view of near-enough 100% with 0.92x magnification as opposed to the 95% and 0.8x magnification found on other entry level

Pro�:

• 13MP camera. • Comfy and large grip. • Price

C�n�:

• AF point not superimposed in viewfinder. • Noisy AF with kit lens.

DSLRs from Canon and Nikon. Also not to forget the significantly high ISO level offered by PENTAX which goes right up to 51,200. Its 3-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 921k-dots would have been perfect if it had a vari-angle variety. Instead it just sits flush to the body. PENTAX K500 is bundled with a D-LI109 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery, with a capacity to shoot up to 480 images without consuming the flash and an optional D-BH109 AA Battery Holder to accommodate 4 AA batteries is just right. A reasonable price tag for all its fabulous functions will push you to open a recurring deposit not just to save tax but also to get this K500 from PENTAX.

Pro�:

• Live view mode. • Sensor-shift image stabilisation.

P�i��

• Sluggish AF. • Availability

The Olympus E-510 is a ‘four thirds’ format, 10 megapixel DSLR with 2x focal length multiplier and a cutting edge Supersonic Wave Filter dust reduction system. This feature rich Olympus E-510 uses a fixed eye-level pentamirror with a 95% field of view. Its 2.5 inch LCD screen can be used as a viewfinder to compose irresistible images. Being the first Olympus DSLR to feature image stabilisation it does it better with live CMOS sensor enabling mechanical image stabilisation where the camera detects movement and compensates by shifting the sensor. The E-510 draws its juice from

a proprietary Olympus BLM1 rechargeable Liion battery which might allow you to use your camera extensively even for two weeks provided you barely use the Live View feature. Though the targeted audience are entry-level users, it still satisfies the next level of DSLR users by offering lot of customisable features along with a function button that can set all your settings in a press of a button. To sum up, the Olympus E510 has its reasons to convince a beginner to buy this DSLR but one such reason won’t be its price therefore if you want to buy this Olympus just wait for the right offers.

Canon EOS 700D (R42,048) Pro�:

Nikon D3200 (R25,700) It is hard to ignore a DSLR Camera that is as neat as Nikon just because of their specialisation in optics and imaging products. This 24.2 Megapixel marvel has a DX-format CMOS sensor and high end EXPEED 3 processor which basically means awesomeness or in other words perfect pictures and hassle free high-definition videos in any lighting. For those who update their profile pictures often, the Nikon D3200 provides an option to purchase an additional Wi-Fi adaptor, the WU1A, which connects the camera to smartphones for remote shooting and uploading images to social networking sites in a jiffy. Other notable features include a 3 inch

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920k dot screen, 95% optical viewfinder, automatic chromatic aberration correction and external microphone input. This Nikon D3200 can absolutely serve you as your first DSLR not just because of all these loaded features but also for its guide mode which leads you into the world of DSLR and it has already proven to be super useful for novice photographers. The Nikon D3200 along with 18-55mm lens comes with an attractive price compared to other entry level DSLRs which is just right for a starter. This friendly beginner DSLR is available in two cozy colours namely black and red therefore all those who like D3200 in red - the choice is easy, so just go ahead.

• Compact and userfriendly. • Guide mode. • Price

C�n�:

• No internal AF motor. • Monitor quality can be better.

This 18 Megapixel matte maverick is designed to be more durable with a freshly coated body and a gracious grip. The Canon 700D with its sensor has a native ISO range of 10012,800 which is extendable up to ISO 25,600 along with a Hybrid AF system on the sensor itself that assures amended AF performance through the combination of contrast and phasedetect technologies. Its Sensor is paired with the DIGIC 5 processor which, although not the new DIGIC 5 version found in advanced Canon DSLRs, still gives a pleasing performance. With the preview option from Creative Filters in Live

View, it allows us to see before taking the shot what it will look like with added effects. For all you home movie makers, here is an optimised option of shooting 1080p footage coupled with the 700D’s ability to continuously autofocus in Live View. The 3-inch variangle LCD display offers a sharp 1,040k-dot resolution, so images look fabulous on them and its flexibility basically means it’s easier to compose shots high or low. Though the display gives 100% field of view (FoV), its viewfinder doesn’t, with only 95% on offer but still 700D from Canon is as powerful as a dragon.

Pro�:

• Hybrid AF. • Responsive vari-angle touchscreen.

C�n�:

• Small buffer means burst shooting is limited. • No Wi-Fi. • Price

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

GADGETS

Sony Alpha SLT A58 (R36,000) The world of DSLR technology is so mature and refined, and ultimately there’s little to choose between similarly priced Canon and Nikon models. Amidst all this competition, Sony comes up with an alternative by providing some genuine choice with cameras such as the Sony SLT-A58. Some of the solid features of the Sony SLT A58 includes Lock-on Autofocus, full HD 25p video with control over exposure and continuous autofocusing, 15-point phase-detection autofocus system with three cross sensors, a high-resolution OLED Tru-Finder with 100% coverage, Sweep Panoramas, Auto HDR and Multi-frame Noise Reduction. The Sony A58 can shoot full-resolution 20.1 megapixel pictures at up to 8fps whilst maintaining continuous auto focus and auto

Pro�:

• Proven AF system. • High-res sensor. • Price

C�n�:

• No touchscreen. • No second card slot for compact flash cards.

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exposure, a very fast rate for such an inexpensive camera comparatively. The A58 features an adjustable rear 2.7-inch LCD which is hinged at the bottom and can be tilted down by 45 degrees and up by 90 degrees. A58 features built-in sensor shift image stabilisation, hence no need to spend extra on specialist lenses to help combat camera shake. On the Sony A58 light sensitivity stretches from ISO 100 all the way up to ISO 16000, with a quasi-top speed of 25,600 achieved by taking and combining six frames at once (JPEG only). As with Live View, continuous phasedetection AF is possible whilst shooting movies on A58 and on the whole this alpha edition from Sony is surely here for the longer run not just because of its long battery life but also for its long list of features.

Pro�:

• 20.1-megapixel resolution. • Fast and decisive autofocus. • Excellent battery life.

C�n�:

• Plastic lens mount. • Electronic viewﬁnder. • Price

Nikon D5200 (R34,360) The Nikon D5200 is a 24.1megapixel DSLR camera that can record Full 1080p HD movies at 1920x1280 pixels with sweet stereo sound. A high-resolution 3-inch variangle LCD monitor enables us to compose classy shots from difficult angles, while the extensive ISO range of 100-25,600 should deal with virtually any lighting conditions. Some neat features from Nikon includes low noise at high ISO, 5fps burst shooting mode, EXPEED 3 image processor, 39-point autofocus system with 3D Focus Tracking, 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, incamera High Dynamic Range mode, Active D-Lighting, seven different special effects for stills and movies and a new generation GUI. The shutter release action on the Nikon D5200 is surprisingly quiet, with a dampened mirror slap

that makes this DSLR actually quieter than rangeﬁnder cameras. The Nikon D5200 is powered by a proprietary EN-EL14 Lithium-ion battery which proves to be just perfect for 660 shots and records videos on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards. It would have been perfect if Nikon had added a second card slot for Compact Flash cards, so that owners of higher-specified Nikon DSLRs who buy D5200 as a second body can use their existing memory cards, but the answer from Nikon is no. For comfortable connectivity there are USB/VideoOut and Mini HDMI ports all sheltered behind a door on the left side of the camera so D5200 from Nikon is filled with features to be your first DSLR device and with a price war between Canon and Nikon you can hear them say it’s GAME ON.

GADGETS

Pentax K50 (R39,168) The Pentax K50 is scandalously similar in appearance and specifications to the K-500, but adds weather sealing, a lithiumion battery and autofocus point indicators in the viewfinder as differentiators. Few features are intended to entice the DSLR beginners such as the ability to shoot different digital filters, such as Toy Camera or Retro and so on. Additionally the option of shooting different custom images will be appreciated by enthusiasts where you can alter saturation or contrast along with a variety of scene modes. Although there’s no inbuilt Wi-Fi, it can be compensated by buying an Eye-Fi card as an addon. This three inch, 921k dot, TFT LCD screen features anti-reflective coating and it neither tilts nor articulates but the optical viewfinder

offers a 100% ﬁeld of view, something unusual for cameras at this price which basically means no shabby surprises when looking back. The K500 sports an Autofocus which is reasonably responsive in live view mode and it takes 2.2 seconds between shots which is almost double the speed of the Canon 700D. Videos can be recorded at 1080p but autofocus is missing while recording and the clip duration can’t be above 17 minutes. The PENTAX K50 can also be custom ordered in 120 possible colour combinations which aren’t clip-on extras, so take enough time to pick your colour and whether you want to go for the younger brother K500 from PENTAX or its costlier yet colourful older brother K50 depends on your view of colour and weather.

Pro�:

• Weatherproof • 100% ﬁeld of view viewﬁnder. • 120 possible colour combinations.

C�n�:

• Noisy operation. • No Wi-Fi and HDMI port. • Price

CANON EOS 1200D (R28,500) Pro�:

• Price • Textured coating. • EOS companion app.

C�n�:

• No touchscreen. • Slow focusing in Live View.

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

Canon with the EOS 1200D has re-entered the entry level DSLR market to answer the wishes of an inexperienced photographer who likes to exploit a DSLR that’s got plenty of imaging power but at the same time easy to use and affordable. Though Nikon and Pentax have tried their best to come up with the right mix, Canon may have got it right with its EOS Companion app, designed specifically to be a learning aid for 1200D owners and by perfectly pricing its 1200D to interest starters. With an 18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and a host of Instagramstyle creative filters for users to play around, 1200D is capable of shooting 30, 25 or 24fps footage at 1080p resolution and can produce video snapshots. Although the 1200D has no builtin Wi-Fi, it’s fully compatible with Eye-fi memory cards, which empowers wireless transfer to mobile devices with ease. Aimed at first-time DSLR users, the Canon 1200D has an Digic 4 processor, 3-inch LCD screen, 3fps con-

tinuous shooting, 9-point auto focus module, ISO 100-6400 sensitivity and an on-screen Feature Guide. There is a built-in microphone for mono recording and a HDMI port for connectivity. The EOS 1200D’s has a built-in pop-up ﬂash with coverage up to 17mm focal length, X-sync speed of 1/200sec and a recycle time of 2 seconds. The camera is powered by a proprietary LPE10 battery which offers power for around 500 shots. Can EOS 1200D from Canon be your ﬁrst DSLR? – YES IT CAN!

A Chennai-based IT entrepreneur with a ﬂair for technology and writing, Raj Panneerselvam is a computer engineer with a decade’s worth of IT experience with various MNCs under his belt. You can follow him on Twitter@kingfkings

I L LU S T R AT I O N S

Rishabh Mehta draws everything by hand; he is the Founder of Cartoonwala.com your One Stop Illustration Shop

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

S TA R T R A V E L

Which is your most memorable vacation destination? I’ve been blessed to have had amazing vacations ever since I was a kid. All those Disneyworld and Disneyland trips as a kid, trips to LA which are always memorable, an amazing road trip to the south of France with my friends... It’s hard to pick one! Nonetheless, I visited Tokyo and that has to be one of my most memorable trips ever! What an incredible city in terms of fashion, culture, food, people! Those three days were far too short and I can’t wait to go back again!

TravellingDiva Actor, singer, and former VJ Sophie Choudry shares her fun-filled travel diary with Surabhi Rawat.

Where was your last holiday, and what did you enjoy the most during that trip? Thanks to all the live shows I do I’m blessed to travel a lot and so I don’t take many holidays... Bali, Mauritius are recent trips and were great fun. However, last year, after ages, I decided to take two weeks off and my mum and I took off to New York and London. London is of course home to me and although I’ve been to NYC before this time we were there for a while and really enjoyed the city! From museums to musicals, shopping to great food… we enjoyed it all including walks in Central Park!

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

What is your idea of a perfect vacation? I love being by the sea. It puts me in a really happy frame of mind. However, I don’t like completely dead places. There needs to be nightlife, things to do, places to see. That’s perhaps why I love Thailand... Phuket had beautiful beaches but crazy fun night life too. I even love Bali. An ideal vacation for me would be going to the beach and yet having city life like Miami! What are the places that would never feature on your must-visit list? Even though I was born and brought up in London, I really

Sophie loves being by the sea and strolling through New York’s Central Park

don’t like super cold weather much so I would avoid such places. Otherwise I absolutely love to travel and it’s my dream to see as many places as I can! The place that has maximum repeat value for you? That’s so difficult because I love Europe and particularly France especially since I studied there. However, I’m a big fan of Thailand because from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to Koh Samui, that country has it all - countryside, beaches, city life, great food and an amazing spa culture which I love! HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

Asian food... Japanese, Thai tops my list. You grew up in London. Tell us the best places and restaurants to visit there. London is where I have spent most of my life... My childhood, school, college days were all spent there so I have far too many memories to share! London is the most amazing city in the world because it’s so cosmopolitan, so historical and fashionable ... Soho is full of some of the trendiest restaurants, Nobu Berkeley, Coya, Novikov are all amazing. Also Yauatcha, Le Caprice, Cipriani, and Blue Elephant. Walking while on vacation tops Sophie’s list of things to do!

Do you have a bucket list of places you want to visit? Absolutely!! I still haven’t been to South Africa! I’m dying to check out the Caribbean, Maldives and South America because of my obsession with Latin music. I really want to experience that culture! Have you ever tried a bizarre food item while on a trip? I’m a really picky eater so I don’t like to try weird things. I lived and studied in Paris and always avoided escargot (snails). However on a recent trip to my fave restaurant in Dubai, my friend convinced me to try it and it was delicious. Definitely not something I would eat regularly but I will try it again for sure! Also when I was in Tokyo I was lucky enough to have dinner with the legendary Mr. Nobu and he made me a crab avocado roll… I never imagined I’d eat that but when I did, it was like an explosion of flavours in my mouth. Unforgettable! Which are your favourite restaurants that you have visited on a holiday? Nobu in Tokyo, Zuma in

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

Istanbul, La Petite Maison in Dubai, Sarabeths in NYC has the best breakfast, Costes in Paris, Thai at Banyan Tree Bangkok... I’m a complete foodie and always check out great restaurants! I love Pan

You look fabulous. Do you have a fitness routine for vacations? I’m generally a healthy eater… I don’t like too much junk! On vacation I eat whatever I want but I make sure I walk a lot... Something I love doing

but can’t in Mumbai! I stay active on my vacations and eat well, indulge. What’s the point of being on vacation if you are going to be so strict with yourself! But I never binge like crazy. Also fitness is a part of my life so I can’t be lazy on vacation. If I feel like I’m not walking enough, then I will go to the gym even to walk for 20 minutes! What are your tote bag essentials? I don’t carry a tote! Women are known to stuff their handbags and the bigger they are the more they stuff them. I like to travel with my Chanel or LV bag which is just enough to fit my wallet, a small make-up pouch with lip balm, perfume, powder, lipstick and my phone! If I’m in the sun then definitely some sun block too! What are the things that you always pack for travelling? I’m not at all a light traveller. I always look like I’m moving to another country! Despite the fact that I travel so much I still haven’t perfected the art of packing... It’s quite ridiculous. I just feel one should have options and picking shoes is the real problem! What’s on your checklist a day before you head out on a vacation? I start making lists of how

many days, how many outfits, essentials and some extra items. I’m methodical like that. Just that the lists can become too long! Any dos and don’ts while on a trip? That’s very general but I always stick to two credit cards on any trip and keep two in the hotel safe for an

emergency... I travel with minimum jewellery and advise that everyone should pick fun, statement jewellery to travel with rather than real! Stay safe. Don’t walk around in deserted areas alone. And try to really explore the city or place you are in… Don’t just go to the typical tourist places! Get a sense of the culture, history and people!

Sophie says: “Don’t just go to the typically tourist places, but explore the unknown!”

Who is your ideal travel companion? My mum is my partner in crime! We have the best time together be it shopping or looking around! We laugh, talk and bond! Who decides where you would go on a holiday? I barely take any holidays at all! If I have a few days off I run off to London to visit my brother and his family. So there is never much decisionmaking and if there is, my mum leaves it to me! HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

MOVIE calEndar TELUGU

New Releases

Rowdy Fellow The title of this film says it all! Written and directed by Krishna Chaitanya and produced by T. Prakash Reddy under his banner Moviemills, and presented by Cinema 5, this hybrid genre film stars Nara Rohit and Vishakha Singh in the male and female leads respectively. Other cast members include Rao Ramesh, Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao, Posani Krishna Murali, Gollapudi Maruti Rao, Talluri Rameshwari, Ajay, Ahuti Prasad, Satya, Praveen and Lal. Sunny has composed music for the film. Interestingly, Rowdy Fellow will also feature an unused number by the late music director Anil Reddy.

this Month! HINDI

The Shaukeens Promising to have you rolling in the isles laughing your guts out, The Shaukeens is a comedy film directed by Abhishek Sharma. The film features the trio of Annu Kapoor, Piyush Mishra and Anupam Kher in the lead roles alongside Lisa Haydon, while Akshay Kumar features in a cameo playing himself. The film is a remake of the 1982 film Shaukeen directed by Basu Chatterjee, starring Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, A. K. Hangal, Rati Agnihotri and Mithun Chakraborty. The remake is expected to release on the 7th of this month with over 60 percent of it being shot in Mauritius.

TAMIL

Thilagar This action movie direction by G Perumal Pillai and Produced by Mathiyalagan is based on a real-life incident and revolves around the rivalry between two groups. The film has newbie Dhruvva and Mrudhula Basker in the lead. Kishore has played a pivotal role in the film and Neetu Chandra has done a special number.

Kill Dil This one’s from the house of Yash Raj Films (YRF) and is directed by Shaad Ali. Starring YRF’s blue eyed boy and girl Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra in the lead roles, Kill Dil also has Ali Zafar and Govinda (who plays a negative role) as part of the cast. A romantic action film, the plot is a closely guarded one as with most YRF films! But we do know that Ranveer has choreographed one of the songs in the film whose music is scored by the trio of ShankarEhsaan-Loy.

KANNADA

Mass Mass is the remake of the Telugu movie of the same name. Sudeep and Pranitha are in lead roles. Mass (Sudeep) is an orphan, who bonds well with his landlord’s son and is in love with a collegian (Pranitha) who happens to be the daughter of the city’s dreaded mafia don. (Note: Movie release dates are liable to change)

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

Your Forecast For The Month Of November By Manisha Koushik ARIES

CANCER

Repayment for something you have purchased may assume importance at this juncture and prompt you to cut corners. You will be able to get your ideas implemented at work and make your mark. Your strong showing on the academic front is likely to mark you as an achiever. Adopting an active lifestyle is indicated for some and will help achieving good health. Differences with someone who dislikes you can be expected on the social front.

You are likely to remain in high spirits as your wish comes true. Someone may convey his or her indebtedness to you for your help, in a most touching manner. You may be singled out for a special honour on the professional front. Academic excellence is likely to help you achieve your dream. Financial worries become a thing of the past, as money comes from unexpected sources. You will feel fit and energetic, like never before!

Lucky number: 22 Lucky Colour: Dark Blue

Lucky number: 5 Lucky colour: Green

TAURUS

LEO

Manisha Koushik is a well-known tarot card reader, numerologist, name therapist, chakra healer and a Vastu-Feng Shui expert. You can get in touch with her by visiting her website www.askmanisha.com, emailing her at support@askmanisha.com or via phone on +91-11-26449898, 26489899.

LIBRA

Luck favours you on the financial front, so expect money to flow in. Joining a group of health-conscious people will prove immensely beneficial for your health. Someone may persuade you to accompany him or her on an interesting excursion. Those searching for accommodation near their place of work or study may get lucky. Keeping seniors informed of the developments on the work front will be in your interest. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let personal differences spoil the fun on the social front. Lucky number: 6 Lucky colour: Green

SCORPIO

CAPRICORN

Things remain in order on the professional front, as you go about your tasks efficiently. Your attempts to curry favour with those who matter on the academic front will succeed. You may resolve to save money for paying an outstanding amount. Not breaking your daily routine will help you in retaining good health. Some development at home may not be to your liking and can pit you against others. An official trip may need to be postponed. Lucky number: 17 Lucky colour: Green

AQUARIUS

You are likely to participate in a social event and enjoy your heart out. An old flame is slated to enter your life once again and brighten the romantic front. A decision on the spur of the moment to go on a trip will prove most exciting and adventurous. A good price can be expected for a property, if you are interested in it. A task delegated to someone may not be completed in a satisfactory manner and may need supervision.

A pleasant period greets you and promises to climax towards an exciting finish. A change of scene, just to resurrect your love life is possible. Property owned by you will start giving good returns and will add to your wealth. You will be able to maintain the balance between food intake and workouts to benefit on the health front. A treat, coupled with an enjoyable outing, is likely to make your month. Travel plans will go on without a hitch.

Your initiative on the health front is likely to give good returns. Investing all your money in one venture or scheme is not recommended, howsoever attractive be the prospects. On the professional front, you will do well to refurbish your professional image to attract better clientele. A family youngster may join the family business soon. You may need to search out a mutual friend who can introduce you to the one you admire on the romantic front!

You are likely to organise a gathering, just to remain in touch with your near and dear ones. A business trip will prove fruitful in bagging a lucrative deal. On the professional front, chances of getting selected for something prestigious cannot be ruled out. Those going steady may think on the lines of solemnising their relationship. You may spend more than you had budgeted for in setting up a new house, but it will be worth it.

Lucky number: 3 Lucky colour: Yellow

Lucky number: 15 Lucky colour: Rosy Brown

Lucky number: 4 Lucky colour: Sea Green

Lucky number: 1 Lucky colour: Baby Pink

GEMINI

VIRGO

SAGITTARIUS

PISCES

You may visit a family member living out of town or overseas, so expect the family reunion to prove most memorable. You may be compelled to go on an official trip, but will end up enjoying it! Lagging behind in a project on the professional front may translate into getting a mouthful from the boss. Taking an instant liking for someone is possible, so expect romance to knock on your door soon. You may become financially tight.

This is a good time to clear the backlog on the professional front. You will be able to raise your performance level on the academic front through outside help. Financial stability will be maintained by concerted efforts. Someone may induce you to a new exercise regimen to make you fit. A spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s habit that you dislike may get on your nerves. Be realistic enough to take no for an answer from a potential lover on the romantic front.

A piece of good news on the social front may get you into a celebratory mood. Your romantic endeavours prove fruitful, as you go around spreading your charm! An exciting trip may materialise and take you on a tour of beautiful sites. Your current exercise regimen will make you feel stronger and fitter. Financial worries will be overcome through some deft manoeuvring. Your burden of work on the professional front is set to increase, so tighten your belt.

The month promises much fun and gaiety, as you get the time to mingle with your social circle. Increased earning and perks are likely to give a boost to those in the private sector. An old ailment disappears, as you step on the path to perfect health. Initiatives taken on the professional front will get due recognition from those who matter. Misunderstandings doing the rounds on the family front will be sorted out, so expect domestic harmony to prevail.

Lucky number: 11 Lucky colour: Orange

Lucky number: 11 Lucky colour: Lemon

Lucky number: 2 Lucky colour: Violet

Lucky number: 17 Lucky colour: Violet

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

BOOKS

PICTURE ABHI BAAKI HAI

FRAUDSTER By R. V. Raman

By Rachel Dwyer

When Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge released in 1995 it marked a watershed moment in popular Hindi cinema—gone were the thakurs and the judwa bhais; in came the celebration of love with expansive sets foreign locales and beautifully decked up stars. No longer was Bollywood just the Hindi film industry, instead it became a zeitgeist of India’s expanding liberalisation and the corresponding rise of the new middle class. In Picture Abhi Baaki Hai eminent Hindi film scholar Rachel Dwyer looks at Bollywood films since 1991, the year of India’s economic liberalisation, and explains how the films have corresponded to—and in some cases birthed—India’s changing dreams and hopes fears and anxieties. Published by Hachette India; R499

There are those who will do anything to silence the ones who come in their way, those who will stop at nothing, including murder. A young banker is found dead a day after she deposes before a commission investigating large-scale financial fraud... A doyen of corporate India falls to his death from his south Bombay flat... A highsecurity server room of a multinational accounting firm is hacked, and the hackers aren’t looking for just company secrets... Illicit finance, highstakes crime and vicious manipulation come together in this story of corruption, greed and treachery among corporate India’s black sheep. Arresting, fast-paced and written by an insider from the corporate world, Fraudster will keep you on your toes till the very end. Published by Hachette India; R250

KATHMANDU

UNDER DELHI

Kathmandu is the greatest city of the Himalaya; a unique survival of cultural practices. It is a carnival of sexual license and hypocrisy, a jewel of world art, a hotbed of communist revolution, a paradigm of failed democracy, a case study in bungled western intervention, and an environmental catastrophe. Kathmandu follows Thomas Bell’s story through a decade in the city, and unravels the city’s history through successive reinventions of itself. Erudite, entertaining and accessible, it is the fascinating chronicle of a unique city. Published by Random House India; R599

Ladies: throw away your pepper sprays. You don’t need them as long as your lips are armed with the potent word ‘bhaiya’. Fire at will. Don’t eat fast food. Eating needs you to use your mouth in front of men which is just “asking for it”. Always agree to any man’s sexual proposition—just say “Yes!” to everyone. Most importantly, before making any wardrobe choices do consult with the President’s son. He’s never too busy to help you out with his insightful fashion tips. OR ignore these wise words and go out and kick men like that in the grapes and fight back. This is that story. The story of Tanya Bisht, over and under Delhi. Published by Hachette India; R299

By Thomas Bell

By Sorabh Pant

—Compiled by Raul Dias

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

One year of happy flying! Thank you for your patronage

Kids

CORNER

Aesop’s Fables (Translated by George Fyler Townsend)

The Farmer and the Stork A farmer placed nets on his newly-sown plough lands and caught a number of cranes, which came to pick up his seed. With them he trapped a stork that had fractured his leg in the net and was earnestly beseeching the farmer to spare his life. “Pray save me, master,” he said, “and let me go free this once. My broken limb should excite your pity. Besides, I am no crane, I am a stork, a bird of excellent character; and see how I love and slave for my father and mother. Look too, at my feathers—they are not the least like those of a crane.” The Farmer laughed aloud and said, “It may be all as you say, I only know this: I have taken you with these robbers, the cranes, and you must die in their company.” Lesson: Birds of a feather flock together.

Trivia Time!! Between 1900 and 1920, Tug of War was an Olympic event.

The Cape of Good Hope once was called Cape of Storms.

Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift apart.

The first advertisement for chocolate appeared in English newspapers in 1657.

Some cats are allergic to humans. Nutella was invented during WWII, when an Italian pastry maker mixed hazelnuts into chocolate to extend his chocolate ration. It is impossible to say a long, strong “hmmmm,” if you hold your nose. Try it! Istanbul is the only city in the world that is situated on two continents.

No word in the English language rhymes with the word “month.” Anteaters can eat up to 30,000 termites per day. Zebra strips are as unique as fingerprints. The most popular ice cream flavour in the world is vanilla.

The Fawn and His Mother A young fawn once said to his mother, “You are larger than a dog, and swifter, and more used to running, and you have your horns as a defense; why, then, O mother do the hounds frighten you so?” She smiled, and said: “I know full well, my son, that all you say is true. I have the advantages you mention, but when I hear even the bark of a single dog I feel ready to faint, and fly away as fast as I can.” Lesson: No arguments will give courage to the coward.

The Tortoise and the Eagle A tortoise, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the seabirds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly. An eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and demanded what reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float her in the air. “I will give you,” she said, “all the riches of the Red Sea.” “I will teach you to fly then,” said the eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried her almost to the clouds suddenly he let her go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell to pieces. The tortoise exclaimed in the moment of death: “I have deserved my present fate; for what had I to do with wings and clouds, who can with difficulty move about on the earth?” Lesson: If men had all they wished, they would be often ruined.

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

Just For Laughs Q: What do you call cheese that’s not yours? A: Nacho cheese!

Q: Where do pencils go for vacation? A: Pencil-vania

Q: Why was 6 afraid of 7? A: Because 7 8 9

Q: Why do bananas have to put on sunscreen before they go to the beach? A: Because they might peel!

Q: What do elves learn in school? A: The elf-abet Q: Why did the boy bring a ladder to school? A: He wanted to go to high school.

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

“Hello” – the opener!

By Dr. M. C. Das

Feedback dear Sir, It was for the first time recently that I flew with Air Costa. When I entered the Jaipur airport, your counter staff very kindly informed me about the details of my journey. They did so with so much care and attention that I felt I was flying with my very own airline! I was happy to see the in-flight magazine and read about Air Costa’s chairman. I requested a certain Mr Sishodia for a window seat that he organised over the wing side. I enjoyed the journey very much which was pleasurable. I thank you for your hospitality and co-operation. I would like to be informed about the various offers and special fares offered by Air Costa and would like to be updated about the same. If any opportunity arises in the future, I will definitely travel with Air Costa. Thanking you. Regards, P. V. Ravivarma

‘air costa to the Rescue’ as reported in The Hindu newspaper! The 21st of October was a day of joy for us at Air Costa when we were able to fly out NovoSeven—a life-saving drug out of Ahmedabad to Chennai for a patient at the city’s Apollo Hospitals. The drug is used to stop bleeding, and was needed urgently for a patient, Thalaimalai, a resident of Chennai, who had undergone a liver, pancreas and intestine transplant in June this year. The hospital contacted the drug manufacturer who said stocks were available in Ahmedabad. Since the drug was urgently needed, the only way to get it was by flight. An Air Costa flight was flying out of Ahmedabad at 9.10 p.m. and its crew volunteered to take the three vials, weighing a total of 150gms, and bring them to the city.

Good, bad, ugly… your feedback is welcome. Do write to us at: feedback@aircosta.in

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

“Hello” opens the gates for friendship and fellowship! “What do you say after you say hello?”—Dr. Eric Berne posed this question in the 1950s. Even till today it remains unanswered. Some people talk about climate, some about accidents, some others about politics! Anything is fine! Hello is normally followed by the exchange of smiles, which brings people closer. Human beings are basically gregarious! They can’t survive without interacting with fellow human beings, who may be family members, friends or even strangers. What happens to one’s body and mind when the word hello is uttered? Positive energy starts generating in the body, leading to the secretion of endorphins, the natural pain killer! Hello is normally coupled with a smile, which makes the face glow with joy. If you start your day with a hello coupled with a smile at home, you make your day keeping yourself and your family members happy the whole day. If you start your work with a hello to your colleagues, the work place becomes a paradise. Start your journey with a hello to your fellow passengers and see what happens? Relations among the family members, colleagues; between the bosses and subordinates improve and become better through ‘Helloing’! A hello costs nothing but pays more!

Our Founder and Executive Chairman Mr. Lingamaneni Poorna Bhaskara Rao

n its eventful, 26-year-long journey, the Lingamaneni Group has faced many challenges and has crossed several milestones in its way to make a strong place for itself in the corporate world. It has changed and adapted its business plans according to present situations and has reached the highest pinnacle of success. But still, the Lingamaneni Group never forgets what it took to achieve such success. The Lingamaneni family made its foray into the real estate business in 1983. It was in that very year that it purchased several acres of land which it then went on to sell to real estate developers and housing colonies, thus kick-starting its first innings in the real estate business. It started this journey in the real estate market by entering into small ventures and has thus far completed many such ventures very successfully! Mr. Lingamaneni Poorna Bhaskara Rao proved that dedication, relentless effort and most importantly viewing work as worship are the key factors for any success in life. Born into a family with an agricultural background in the Pedamukthevi village of Krishna District, Mr. Bhaskara Rao was interested in business right from childhood. Keeping in mind the words of his grandfather, that any job which is appreciated by the people will only achieve success, he started his career as a small employee. He studied the ins and outs of the real estate business at a young

age. He then went on to purchase acres of land in Vijayawada, Kannur and Vanasthalipuram and sold them to developers, thus gaining valuable experience in this field. With this experience, he established Lingamaneni Enterprises and purchased lands in Vijayawada where he started a real estate business dealing with small ventures. Mr. Bhaskara Rao believed that people should be offered exactly what they require and that has been a key factor of his success. Vital infrastructure facilities like drinking water, electricity and roads were provided in all his ventures at the onset, thus encouraging clients to construct their houses immediately. All this instilled a great amount of faith among the people of Vijayawada towards this small real estate company. With this inspiration, he started Lingamaneni Estates Pvt. Ltd (LEPL) in 1996 and engaged his sons Mr. L. V. S. Rajasekhar and Mr. L. Ramesh as part of the LEPL group. With their impetus, the company started growing and flourished to include multiple ventures such as Infrastructure, Residentials, Shopping Malls, Townships, Power, Health Care and Aviation. When developing the company, Founder Chairman Mr. Bhaskara Rao’s progressive thinking made him conscious of the need to offer custom-made solutions in housing which are both affordable and of high quality at the same time. In 2006, it started a R400 crore project

with IJM Corporation, Malaysia by the name ‘Rain Tree Park Dwaraka Krishna’ in the district of Guntur, opposite Nagarjuna University, which was successfully completed by the LEPL group. By being a dedicated visionary and a member of the distinguished group of first generation entrepreneurs in India, Mr. Bhaskara Rao has carved a niche for himself in the infrastructure development sector. His futuristic vision has ensured that the LEPL group has become a significant company in Southern India. Mr. Bhaskara Rao’s achievements are by no means restricted to just infrastructure development. He stands as a testimony to his concern for society because he firmly believes that an equitable society can only be achieved if each and every individual is ready and willing to do their part. Accordingly, he has established a charitable foundation with a mission to enhance both the quality of and contributions towards the establishment of orphanages, educational institutions and merit scholarships. HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

E v E n t s At A i r C o s tA

Air Costa’s Various Charity Initiatives on the occasion of our 1st Anniversary

Our Group Chairman Shri Poorna Bhaskara Rao serving breakfast to old age destitutes at the Nirmal Hriday Bhavan, Raghavaiah Park, Vijayawada along with Dr. M. C. Das, Management Consultant.

Our Group Chairman Shri Poorna Bhaskara Rao, Capt. K. N. Babu, CEO and Dr. M. C. Das, Management Consultant handing over cake and a charity cheque to Navajeevan Balabhavan Trust Management, that supports over 600 street children for their food and education needs.

Our Group Chairman Shri Poorna Bhaskara Rao and Dr. M. C. Das, Management Consultant serving food to orphaned children at SKCV Children’s Trust.

Our Group Chairman Shri Poorna Bhaskara Rao, Capt. K. N. Babu, CEO and Dr. M. C. Das, Management Consultant visited Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development – an orphanage established for especially serving the girl child, Kaza, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh.

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

Air Costa’s 1st Anniversary Press Conference on October 15, 2014

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

E v E n t s At A i r C o s tA

Air Costa’s 1st Anniversary Dinner Celebrations

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

HAPPY FLYING! / NOVEMBER 2014

Fleet Information Embraer E 170

Take-off to Cruise: Air Costa’s journey so far… Air Costa is a one year young airline having celebrated its First Anniversary in October 2014. It is a great moment for everyone at Air Costa to have been part of this successful and challenging journey. It is still vivid and clear before me when our founders, Mr. Ramesh and Mr. Rajasekhar unwrapped to me their vision of starting an airline based out of Vijayawada. It was a brave and bold move that involved stretching beyond the ordinary to start an airline from a Tier II city with close to little or no airline infrastructure. Only a few discussions were had and we were already into the airline business, becoming the seventh operational airline in the country. As the proverbial icing on the cake, the airline portfolio was a strategic fit within our parent company (LEPL) that was into transforming the landscape of Tier II cities with its diversified business units such as infrastructure, renewable power, health care, and education. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has laid down very stringent financial and technical norms for an airline to secure a valid Air Operator Permit. Of the 16 companies that were awarded

NOVEMBER 2014 / HAPPY FLYING!

an NOC in the last five years, we are proud to say that Air Costa is only one of the two companies successful in securing an Air Operator Permit on 18th September 2013. We started our scheduled operations soon thereafter, on 15th October 2014, with our maiden commercial flight from Bangalore to Vijayawada. Starting with 300 employees and two Embraer aircraft to four destinations, we have grown exponentially within in a year’s time, with four aircraft serving nine destinations, and close to 700 employees. As many of our metros were near saturation, we believed that the next big growth wave was going to come from the developing cities. Our vision was to the tap the burgeoning and promising Tier II markets by improving their air connectivity to Tier I cities. Our choice of Embraer aircrafts (E170 with 67 seats and E190 with 112 seats) perfectly complemented this vision of ours. To cater to our expansion plan, we placed an order in February 2014 for 50 Embraer E2 Jets that are equipped with the latest avionics and upgraded engines with better fuel consumption. Our next move is to obtain a Pan India Operating

Embraer E 190

EMBRAER 170 INTERIOR LAYOUT

By Capt. K. N. Babu, CEO Air Costa licence and we hope to have it by the end of FY14-15. Our strategy is to grow slowly and steadily with an undeterred focus on profitability. My team and I understand the need to remove unnecessary financial drag and keep the organisation lean and agile. Within a year of our operations, we clocked the highest load factor of all airlines in May 2014 with 81%. As it is imperative to balance a good load factor with good yields, we have been careful in our choice of routes and have managed to carve a niche for ourselves within Tier II markets. I am very happy with the initiatives taken by our government in giving a new life to Indian aviation. With the first move coming in the form of ATF tax reduction, I am sure airlines can expect many such benefitting moves.

EMBRAER 190 INTERIOR LAYOUT

PRODUCT & SERVICE OFFERING • • •

No middle row seating Wider aisle Larger windows

EMBRAER 170 • Seating

• •

7C 60Y

Increased leg room Greater stowage capacity

EMBRAER 190 • Seating

112Y 36.24 m 28.72 m

•

Length

Wingspan

29.90 m 26.00 m

•

Wingspan

•

Maximum Range

2,000 nm

•

Maximum Range

•

Maximum Weight

38,600 kg

•

Maximum Weight

2, 200 nm 47,790 kg

•

Engines

CF34-8E

•

Engines

CF34 -10E

•

Speed

Mach 0.78

•

Speed

Mach 0.78

•

Length

•

Flight Schedule (Valid till 30 Nov 2014) Flight No.

From

Frequency

Transit*/ Transfer**

Dep.

Arr.

Ahmedabad

Our Airport Offices

Flight No.

From

Frequency

Transit*/ Transfer**

Dep.

Arr.

Ahmedabad

Hyderabad

LB652 / 634

Hyderabad

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Su

Chennai**

14:25 19:40

LB614

Ahmedabad

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

08:10 10:20

Air Costa,

LB652 / 634

Hyderabad

Jaipur

Tu, Sa

Chennai**

15:20 19:40

LB633

Ahmedabad

Chennai

Daily

Non Stop

22:15 00:35

Domestic Terminal – 1,

Ticketing Counter #08 – B, Level – F,

LB671

Hyderabad

Tirupati

Daily

Non Stop

13:15 14:15

LB614 / 646

Ahmedabad

Hyderabad

Daily

Bengaluru**

08:10 12:50

Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport,

Passenger Terminal Building,

LB636

Hyderabad

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

11:35 12:25

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Ltd.,

LB656

Hyderabad

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

20:20 21:10

Shamshabad – 500409

LB651

Hyderabad

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Non Stop

07:05 08:10

Phone : +91 – 8978081308,

Lb636 / 664

Hyderabad

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Vijayawada**

11:35 13:35

LB671 / 665

Hyderabad

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Tirupati**

13:15 16:55

Sardarnagar,

Bengaluru LB613

Bengaluru

Ahmedabad

Daily

Non Stop

19:50 21:55

Ahmedabad – 382475

LB666

Bengaluru

Coimbatore

Daily

Non Stop

08:40 09:30

Phone : +91 – 8511109922

LB673

Bengaluru

Coimbatore

Daily

Non Stop

17:35 18:25

+91 – 79 – 22850087

LB692 / 652

Bengaluru

Hyderabad

Daily

Visakhapatnam**

10:40 13:55

E-mail : amd.airport@aircosta.in

LB646

Bengaluru

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

11:40 12:50

LB611

Bengaluru

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Non Stop

14:05 16:35

Bengaluru

LB692 / 664

Bengaluru

Tirupati

Daily

Visakhapatnam**

10:40 15:15

Air Costa Ticketing Office,

LB646 / 671

Bengaluru

Tirupati

Daily

Hyderabad**

11:40 14:15

Kempegowda International Airport,

LB655

Bengaluru

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

19:45 20:55

Bengaluru – 560300

LB692

Bengaluru

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Non Stop

10:40 12:15

Chennai

Phone : +91 – 80 – 66784230 E-mail : blr.airport@aircosta.in

+91 – 40 – 66605066 E-mail : hyd.airport@aircosta.in

Jaipur Jaipur

LB612

Jaipur

Bengaluru

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Non Stop

16:55 19:25

Air Costa,

LB635

Jaipur

Chennai

Daily

Non Stop

20:05 22:45

LB672 / 673

Tirupati

Bengaluru

Daily

Hyderabad**

14:35 17:05

LB672

Tirupati

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

14:35 15:35

LB665

Tirupati

Vijayawada

Daily

Visakhapatnam* 15:40 18:05

LB672 / 656

Tirupati

Vijayawada

Daily

Hyderabad**

14:35 21:10

LB665

Tirupati

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Non Stop

15:40 16:55

LB666

Vijayawada

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

07:15 08:20

LB666 / 666

Vijayawada

Coimbatore

Daily

Bengaluru**

07:15 09:30

LB667

Vijayawada

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

07:45 08:35

LB669

Vijayawada

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

18:45 19:40

LB666 / 611

Vijayawada

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Bengaluru**

07:15 16:35

Gannavaram Airport,

LB666 / 692

Vijayawada

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Bengaluru**

07:15 12:15

Vijayawada – 520004

LB664

Vijayawada

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Non Stop

12:45 13:35

Phone : +91 – 8676 – 252297,

Visakhapatnam

Terminal – 2, Jaipur International Airport, Near Jawahar Circle, Jaipur – 302029 Phone : +91 – 7726000109, +91 – 141 – 2725207 E-mail : jai.airport@aircosta.in

LB632

Chennai

Ahmedabad

Daily

Non Stop

05:20 07:45

LB651

Chennai

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

05:25 06:35

Chennai

Tirupati

LB634

Chennai

Jaipur

Daily

Non Stop

17:05 19:40

Air Costa,

Air Costa Airlines (LEPL Projects Ltd. - Aviation),

LB651 / 656

Chennai

Vijayawada

Daily

Hyderabad**

05:25 12:25

Counter #8, New Domestic Terminal,

Tirupati Airport,

LB651

Chennai

Visakhapatnam

Daily

Hyderabad*

05:25 08:10

Meenambakkam, Chennai – 600027

Coimbatore

Phone : +91 – 9940387684,

LB646

Coimbatore

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

10:35 11:20

LB655

Coimbatore

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

18:45 19:25

+91 – 44 – 22562225

LB636

Coimbatore

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

09:50 11:10

E-mail : maa.airport@aircosta.in

LB646 / 611

Coimbatore

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Bengaluru**

10:35 16:35

LB636 / 671

Coimbatore

Tirupati

Daily

Hyderabad*

09:50 14:15

LB636

Coimbatore

Vijayawada

Daily

Hyderabad*

09:50 12:25

Coimbatore

Air Costa,

+91 – 8978180213

Visakhapatnam

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

08:35 10:10

LB652

Visakhapatnam

Chennai

Tu, Sa

Hyderabad*

12:40 16:35

LB652

Visakhapatnam

Chennai

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Su

Hyderabad*

12:40 15:35

LB652

Visakhapatnam

Hyderabad

Daily

Non Stop

12:40 13:55

Civil Enclave, Visakhapatnam Airport,

LB665 / 669

Visakhapatnam

Hyderabad

Daily

Vijayawada**

17:15 19:40

Visakhapatnam – 530009

LB691 / 611

Visakhapatnam

Jaipur

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su

Bengaluru**

08:35 16:35

Phone : +91 – 8978033666

LB664

Visakhapatnam

Tirupati

Daily

Non Stop

14:00 15:15

E-mail : cjb.airport@aircosta.in

E-mail : vtz.airport@aircosta.in

LB665

Visakhapatnam

Vijayawada

Daily

Non Stop

17:15 18:05

Note: Details are subject to change.

* Transit: Same Aircraft | ** Transfer: Change of Aircraft

Air Costa,

Civil Aerodrome (PO),

LB673 / 613

Hyderabad

Ahmedabad

Daily

Bengaluru**

16:00 21:55

LB673

Hyderabad

Bengaluru

Daily

Non Stop

16:00 17:05

Coimbatore – 641014

LB652

Hyderabad

Chennai

Mo, We, Th, Fr, Su

Non Stop

14:25 15:35

Phone : +91 – 9940284069,

LB652

Hyderabad

Chennai

Tu, Sa

Non Stop

15:20 16:35

LB667

Hyderabad

Coimbatore

Daily

Non Stop

09:00 10:15

* Transit: Same Aircraft | ** Transfer: Change of Aircraft

Vijayawada

LB691

Coimbatore International Airport,

Hyderabad

Renugunta - 517 520

Tirupati

+91 – 422 – 2574425

E-mail : vga.airport@aircosta.in

Visakhapatnam Air Costa,

Note: Details are subject to change.

Route Map

Connecting to with

9destinations

34 flights daily

Jaipur

Ahmedabad

Visakhapatnam Hyderabad Vijayawada

Tirupati * Bengaluru

Chennai

Coimbatore

New route Existing route * New destination

India

Map not to scale, graphic representation only