38 minute read
Most Indian businesses now investing in risk management capabilities: Report
Musk to pay $1 bn as deal termination fee to Twitter
New Delhi, July 9 (IANS): Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has cancelled the $44 billion Twitter buyout deal, will have to pay $1 billion in termination fee to the micro-blogging platform. As per an earlier filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), “Musk will be required to pay Twitter a termination
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San Francisco, July 9 (IANS): Amid the high voltage drama happening ever since Elon Musk officially tried to pull out of his $44 billion agreement to buy Twitter, the microblogging site’s general counsel has told employees to not publicly comment on the deal. In an internal memo to Twitter employees sent on Friday and obtained by The Verge, the company’s general counsel, Sean Edgett, told employees to “refrain from
New Delhi, July 8: With an aim to make hybrid work easy and simple for users, tech giant Microsoft on Friday introduced four new features to Teams, including a new “co-organiser” role. The company said that organisers can share control by assigning the new “co-organiser” role to up to 10 meeting attendees. “Co-organisers have most of the same capabilities
New Delhi, July 12: In the current turbulent business environment, nearly eight in 10 business executives in India say that keeping up with the speed of digital and other transformations is a significant risk management challenge, a new report said on Tuesday. Six in 10 executives also feel the need to actively seek external insights to assess and monitor risks in the increasingly disruptive business environment, according to
San Francisco, July 9 (IANS):
Micro-blogging platform Twitter on Saturday announced it was going to sue Tesla CEO Elon Musk for terminating the $44 billion takeover deal. In a surprising move, Musk’s legal team said in a US Securities and Exchange (SEC) filing that he is terminating the deal because Twitter was in “material breach” of their agreement and had made “false and misleading” statements during negotiations. In a following tweet, Twitter Chairman Bret Taylor said that the “board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement”. “We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery,” he added. Musk had put the deal on hold over the actual number of spammy/fake
Seoul, July 10 (IANS): South Korean tech giant Samsung is likely to single-source the processor for its Galaxy S23 series flagship from the US-based chip maker company Qualcomm. According to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Qualcomm will likely be the sole supplier of chipsets (model number SM8550) for the Galaxy S23 series. “S23 may not adopt Exynos 2300 made by Samsung 4nm because it cannot compete with SM8550 in all aspects,” the analyst wrote on the platform. “SM8550 is optimised for TSMC’s design rule, so it has obvious advantages over SM8450/SM8475
New Delhi, July 9 (IANS): The latest Centre-Twitter legal battle over repeated content blocking orders by the IT Ministry has brought an old debate to the fore -- is the country finally ready to penalise foreign intermediaries and social media platforms for not obeying the law of the land or is there still a long way to go? Unlike the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR), and tougher cyber laws in countries like Singapore, South Korea and Australia, the Indian government is using several agencies to tame social media platforms in the absence of a nodal cyber regulator that separately deals with Big Tech. In India, Twitter is in the eye of storm for not complying often with the new IT (intermediary) Rules, 2021. The micro-blogging platform even witnessed a police raid on its offices in Delhi and Gurugram related to the alleged Congress toolkit controversy last year. Twitter was at loggerheads with the Indian government last year over removal of certain posts and being compliant with the intermediary guidelines under the IT Act. As and when the government sends stern notices to Twitter, Google, YouTube and Meta (formerly Facebook) under the available laws (like Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000) to remove controversial content, the platforms immediately knock at the door of the courts, resulting in zero action. The tussle between Twitter, WhatsApp/Facebook and the government has reached its nadir, and the fact is that an absence of a stricter personal data protection law is forcing the concerned authorities to take routes like writing heaps of notices that have resulted in zero action to date, while social networking giants continue to take the country for a ride. According to experts, while the government can initiate action for suspension or blocking of intermediary apps or websites if they fail to comply with its directions over various issues under current laws, a strong data protection law is what
fee of $1 billion”, if he cancels the deal. Musk was expected to provide equity financing of approximately $21 billion on his own. The Tesla CEO had said that Twitter is violating the terms of his $54.20-per-share offer by refusing to give him more information about
how much of the platform’s traffic is driven by fake accounts. He then threatened to blow up the deal over the issue. With him terminating the deal, Tesla shares went up more than 14 per cent in after-hours trading on Friday, as investors reacted positively to Musk’s move. Tesla shares rose 14.51 per cent to close at $752.29. Musk in May committed to provide an additional $6.25 billion in equity financing for his $44 billion Twitter takeover, bringing his total equity commitment to $33.5 billion and bringing relief for Tesla investors. Tesla stock had nosedived more than 30 per cent after Musk announced to fund his Twitter buyout by borrowing against his Tesla ownership stake. Twitter on Saturday announced to sue Musk over terminating the deal.
Twitter tells employees to ‘refrain’ from posting on Musk deal
Tweeting, Slacking, or sharing any commentary about the merger”, and that management would be “very limited on what we can share”. “I know this is an uncertain time, and we appreciate your patience and ongoing commitment to the important work we have underway,” Edgett wrote. As per the website, the notice cites the fact that the merger is an ongoing legal matter. “The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement. We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery,” Edgett said. In a surprising move, Musk’s legal team said in a US Securities and Exchange (SEC) filing that he is terminating the deal because Twitter was in “material breach” of their
agreement and had made “false and misleading” statements during negotiations. Meanwhile, Twitter, in response, said that it was going to sue Musk for terminating the $44 billion takeover deal. In the following tweet, Twitter Chairman Bret Taylor said that the “board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement”. “We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery,” he added. Musk had put the deal on hold over the actual number of spammy/ fake accounts and bots on the platform, and sought a reply from Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal. On Thursday, Twitter claimed it is suspending more than 1 million spam accounts a day.
Microsoft now allows up to 10 ‘co-organisers’ on Teams
as the organiser, including management of Meeting Options,” the company said in a statement. Limitations of the co-organiser role include an inability to create and manage breakout rooms, manage meeting recordings, and view or download attendance reports. Organisers can add co-organisers through Meeting Options. Only invitees within the same tenant as the organiser are eligible for the co-organiser role. Other new features let users customise meeting invites with multi-language support. With this feature, you can customise meeting invites to include the languages with which your users are most familiar and comfortable. Customise meeting invites with multi-language support’ enables administrators to display the join
information in meeting invitations in up to two languages across all email platforms. With the new update, IT administrators can now disable chat write access for non-federated users and unauthenticated users who join Teams meetings through a shared link. “This provides an added layer of security, for all organisations. Disable the chat write access via PowerShell,” the company said. “You can also do this through the admin portal under - Chat in Meetings - policy - Turn it on for everyone but anonymous users. This setting can be applied to a subset or all tenant users,” it added. Once this is set by an IT administrator, a meeting organiser cannot override this setting through meeting options.
Most Indian businesses now investing in risk management capabilities: Report
the report by global consulting firm PwC. While 88 per cent of business leaders are increasing their spending on technology and digital capabilities in the risk function workforce in the country, 64 per cent of business executives report that their risk function is actively seeking external insights to assess and monitor risks. “In an environment where change is constant, risk management capabilities provide the greatest value to board members and business leaders when they are embedded within the organisation’s strategic planning and decision-making processes,” said Sivarama Krishnan, Partner and Risk Consulting Leader, PwC India. The changing work environment brought on by the pandemic continues to disrupt talent and labour markets. Supply shortages, sanctions and rising raw material costs are heightening risks within supply chains as organisations deal with upstream supply chain risks related to subcontractors and other fourth parties that further complicate risks. Many executives find the need to revise and adapt their strategies and operating models at a rapid pace, mentioned the report. “Investment in risk processes, frameworks and enabling systems is needed to help an organisation deploy a standardised and consistent approach to risk management,” the findings showed. When organisations embrace risk management capabilities as a strategic organisational capability, they are five times more likely to be very confident in delivering stakeholder confidence, a growth-minded risk culture, increased resilience, and business outcomes, the report noted. “They’re almost twice as likely to project revenue growth of 11% or more over the next 12 months,” it added.
accounts and bots on the platform, and sought a reply from Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal. On Thursday, Twitter claimed it is suspending more than 1 million spam accounts a day. “That is indeed the real question,” Musk replied on Friday. The new figure doubled the previous update from Agrawal who said that the platform removes 500,000 spam accounts a day. “We suspend over half a million spam accounts every day, usually before any of you even see them on Twitter. We also lock millions of accounts each week that we suspect may be spam -- if they can’t pass human verification challenges (captchas, phone verification, etc),” Agrawal had tweeted in May. In an internal memo to Twitter employees sent Friday and obtained by The Verge, the company’s general counsel, Sean Edgett, told staffers to “refrain from Tweeting, Slacking, or sharing any commentary about the merger,” and that management would be “very limited on what we can share”. “I know this is an uncertain time, and we appreciate your patience and ongoing commitment to the important work we have underway,” Edgett wrote.
Samsung Galaxy S23 could likely use Qualcomm processor worldwide
in computing power and power efficiency,” Kuo added. A recent report said that Samsung Galaxy S23 series will not come with an under-display camera (UDC) technology, which also means that users may have to wait until the Galaxy S24 for the UDC technology. The report does not state the exact reason Samsung is holding off on introducing an under-display camera on its upcoming flagship S-series. The technology is available only on a few smartphones these days including the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4, ZTE Axon 30 5G, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Another report said that the Galaxy S23 series will come with an upgraded 12MP selfie camera. Both the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23+ are likely to use the same 10 MP resolution for the telephoto camera as the S22 and S22+.
India needs clearer personal data protection law to tame Twitter, others
can tame the social media platforms, the way the GDPR in the EU has achieved. In case Twitter fails to comply with the government directions, the latter has the powers to resort to penal consequences. “In that direction, appropriate FIRs can be registered against intermediaries and service providers and their top management can also be made liable for the said contravention under Section 85 of the IT Act, 2000,” Pavan Duggal, one of the country’s top cyber law experts, noted. The government can exercise its power under Section 69(A)(1). In case, any service provider or intermediary fails to comply with the provisions of the same, there are penal consequences prescribed under Section 69A(3) too. Non-compliance with directions for blocking is a non-bailable serious offence punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine. India has to learn from the EU when it comes to formulating a legal framework to secure data and tackle hateful or abusive online content, the experts said. The EU GDPR has been designed to harmonise data privacy laws across Europe -- to protect and empower all EU citizens’ data privacy and to reshape the way organisations across the region approach data privacy. The Indian government, time and again, has told Internet intermediaries and social media platforms to comply with the law of the land. Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a tweet that all foreign intermediaries and platforms have a right to approach the court and judicial review in India. “But equally, all intermediary/ platforms operating here have an unambiguous obligation to comply with our laws and rules,” Chandrasekhar posted last week, as Twitter moved the Karnataka High Court against the government’s order to take down some content on its platform. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that “be it any company, in any sector, they should abide by the laws of India”. Twitter has clearly said that these blocking orders are being challenged on the basis that “they are procedurally and substantially deficient of the Section 69A requirements”. The micro-blogging platform last year clearly stated that they will listen to the Indian government’s content removal demands seriously only when the Personal Data Protection Bill is firmly in place. The proposed Personal Data Protection Bill also has provisions that impose heavy penalties on companies for non-compliance. It has also proposed to term social media companies as publishers, which will make them liable for the content on their platforms. The moot question is: Once the global tech giants respond to government notices, the matter ends and according to leading experts, data of crores of Indians are still being misused in the absence of a robust mechanism. “As of today, India does not have a dedicated law on privacy or on cyber security,” Duggal pointed out. “It does not have a legal framework in place for protecting all kinds of data. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 is pending consideration before the Joint Parliamentary Committee. Further, India does not have a dedicated policy on data localisation.” According to legal experts, India must fight social media biggies with a strong data protection law in place.
An enlightening guide to the desserts of India through the centuries
By Vishnu Makhijani
New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) Religion might well be the opiate of the masses in India, but maybe the plethora of desserts offered in the name of religion have a role to play in it, says chef, columnist and food writer Rajyasree Sen, adding that in today’s political climate, there are few moments as satisfying as Hindus craving for some creamy sheer korma during Eid, or Punjabis asking their Bengali friends for mishti doi. And the fact that Muslim cooks bake the Christmas cake in Calcutta (“no, I will not refer to it as Kolkata”) for a largely Hindu clientele to celebrate a Christian festival proves that when it comes to desserts and mithai -- and maybe conveniently -- the barriers drop away; one of the biggest reasons to celebrate the sweets of India, she maintains. “I’ve been writing on food for a while now, almost 15 years I’d say. And it all started with me opening my Bengali and Anglo-Indian restaurant, Brown Sahib in New Delhi in 2007 (it shut down a decade ago). The thought behind the restaurant was to serve authentic Calcutta cuisine and to replicate some of the dishes I had grown up eating at home - keema chops, stuffed crabs, smoked hilsa, prawn malai curry. I have a background in journalism and with my interest in cooking, ingredients and in the history of foods and flavours, it was only natural that I’d be writing on food,” Sen told IANS in an interview of her book, “The Sweet Kitchen - Tales & Recipes of India’s Favourite Desserts” (Aleph). She was the Wall Street Journal India’s food columnist for years, and has written columns on food for a variety of publications and also scripted many food shows for Fox, Nat Geo and Discovery. Thus, when approached to write on the history and cultural influences on Indian sweets - a topic which surprisingly hasn’t been written about in detail in any one book - the outcome presents readers with some interesting anecdotes, historical facts and tid-bits about sweets in India, and introduces them to some sweets which they might not be familiar with. Considerable research went into the book. “As I mentioned, for a country which loves sweets as much as India does - and has a plethora of sweets unique to different communities and regions, it was quite surprising that there was no one definitive book, even academic, on sweets in India. I’ve referred to old texts, books, articles, recipes and spoken to people to discover and confirm much of what you will discover in the book,” Sen explained. As a result of her extensive research, Sen discovered historical facts she was not aware of or had even considered. For instance, which desserts must we thank the Persians, the Mughals, the Portuguese, and the French for? While she knew that a sweet had been created for Lady Canning in Bengal, she had no idea which Mughal emperor to thank for bringing halwa to India, or the Sikh connection to the creation of kaju barfi. She has also tried to demystify the very controversial question of whether Bengal made the rosogolla first, or if the credit goes to Odisha. She also discovered that daulat ki chaat, an airy, churned milk dessert available only during the cold winter of North India, has a Mughal origin.
Beginning with ‘Sandesh: Muse of the Bengal Renaissaince’, Sen takes the reader through 13 chapters to discover ‘Rosogolla: Who Stole My Cheese’, ‘The Christmas Cake: Cultural Chameleon’, ‘Payasam, Payesh, Kheer: The Three Avatars of Sweet Pudding’, ‘Halwa: The Arab Who Strayed onto the Indian Palate’, ‘Barfi: When Art Outdoes Nature’, ‘Gulab Jamun: Everybody’s Celebration Sweetmeat’, ‘Jalebi: Sweet Lord of the Rings’, ‘Daulat Ki Chaat: The Lingering Taste of Old Delhi’, ‘Misthi Doi, Shrikhand, Bhapa Doi: Haute Culture Curd’, ‘Goan Sweets: Gems from an Indigenous Pastelaria’, ‘Firinghee Sweets: Delicious Relics of the Raj’, and ‘In God’s Name: Sweetmeats and Culutral Congeniality’. Each of these chapters contains a short introduction of the sweet, details of the ingredients, the method of making, the preparation time and the number of people it serves. Sen also discovered that sweets are not strictly vegetarian -- they can also be made with meat and eggs. “For example, there are some non-vegetarian variants of halwa such as gosht halwa and ande ka halwa which are worth mentioning,” she said. “Giving a whole new meaning to the word ‘sweet meat’, the gosht halwa is a translucent, succulent dessert soaked in ghee and cooked with tender lamb mince. The recipe is referred to in old Persian recipe books, and khansamas who worked in Old Delhi homes have recreated the dish from memory, turning out a delightful dessert prepared by cooking meat for hours by stirring it with milk and sugar till it amalgamates into a thick halwa which is then flavoured with saffron and cardamom. This preparation is supposed to have originated in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. “Ande ka halwa, or egg halwa, is made by cracking eggs into a pan with ghee, milk, sugar, and dried fruits. The mixture is cooked until a thick custard forms, which is then sprinkled with saffron. Most Indian halwas, however, use grains, such as the suji halwa and atta halwa,” Sen explained. She earnestly hopes the book will serve the purpose of breaking down barriers. “Like all good meals are supposed to do, this book should bring people to the same table and help create an understanding and appreciation of other communities and peoples. After all, if we love their foods, we can surely extend some affection towards them as well,” she elaborated. What next? What will her next book be on? “Who knows, maybe I’ll write a historical espionage! I’d love to write a book on Bengali cuisine with recipes. Let’s see, time will tell,” Sen concluded.
(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
Head to Mad Over Donuts or order from their website from the comfort of your own home if you want to indulge in the fluffy and crispy goodness of doughnuts. Brownie Crumble, Chocolate Therapy, Double Trouble, Chocolate Decadence, and other variations on chocolate-flavoured doughnuts are available at this location. It serves bite-sized doughnuts, crunchy Belgian waffles, and eclairs, among other things, in addition to mouth-watering doughnuts with cream or melted chocolate filling.
Poetry by Love and Cheesecake
Poetry by Love and Cheesecake, a lively hangout spot, has locations throughout Mumbai. This cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an American-European style to its customers. It not only serves delicious and nutritious meals, but it also specialises in freshly prepared desserts. On this World Chocolate Day, you can indulge in the Belgian Chocolate Waffle with marshmallows, chilled vanilla ice cream, and maple syrup, or Chocolate OD, for a more traditional yet sinful chocolate treat.
Healthy Eating Habits for Millennials
Eating healthy is not rocket science
July 10, 2022: There is no escaping the fact that there are no shortcuts and that healthy eating is the only way to achieve holistic and sustainable well-being. Millennials make for around two-thirds of the Indian consumer market. The chunk of the population is also known for its unhealthy eating habits and this explains the high percentage of Gen Y contending with lifestyle diseases. However, lately, millennials are becoming aware of healthy eating habits for good health and well-being. These healthy eating habits can help you on your journey to health:
Make a Schedule and Stick to it:
Making a schedule and then sticking to it religiously will help you to discipline your own eating habits. To perfect the habit, take a diary and write everything that goes into your tummy. In addition, keep a close track of the intake of calories. And count how much you need and how much you spend. Within 21 days, you will find a considerable change in your eating habits and if you feel, don’t hesitate to take the help of a professional nutritionist in the journey.
Evaluate requirements and
never skip meals: Depending upon the activity and profession, the nutritional requirements vary from person to person. Your body’s needs in terms of macro and micronutrients are unique and hence you must first evaluate your requirement and then make a plan for it. Rather than opting for fried foods, popped chips, dark chocolates, and energy bars make for a healthy and filling snacking option.
Choose Intelligently and say no to
Junk: Millennials are part of the specific lifestyle and work culture and hence, eating out comes naturally to this chunk of the population. The option is not best from the health perspective but still, you can choose intelligently on those party nights or weekend trips to save your health plans to go haywire. Consuming Colas and alcohol should also be off your list as both these things can severely hamper your health in the long term.
Choose Food Over Supplements:
Today convenience and nutrition are the challenge for most millennials. To stay healthy, it is important to read the label carefully to know what has gone into the making of the product. Also evaluate the nutritional information, especially the content of fat, sugar, and carbs before buying. “Make sure that products you’re consuming are free from added sugar and unnatural substances,” says Apoorva Gururaj, Co-founder, Foodio.fit. Sugar leads to many lifestyle diseases, hence best to avoid it. Another important healthy eating habit is to keep up the intake of your liquid to the optimum. Water not only maintains our body’s temperature but also helps in flushing out the toxins from our system. Hence avoid sugar-sweetened beverages too.
Consider Plant-Based Options:
Plant-based diets are increasingly becoming popular and for a good reason. Vegan products pack all essential nutrients and are quite easy to digest for our system. In fact, vegan products are now recommended to get rid of many lifestyle diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems among others. Vipen Jain, Founder, of Fitspire reveals that the craze of vegan supplements is on the rise among athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness freaks. The good thing is that you need not follow fad diets nor do you require some fancy ideas for good health. Just stick to basic, fundamentals rules, closely monitor the unique requirements of your body and you’ll be sure to achieve your health goals in an effortless manner. New Delhi, July 3: World Chocolate Day commemorates the most beloved indulgence. So, here are some of the best places in Mumbai to celebrate the occasion:
Hitchki
Hitchki is more than just a fun and quirky diner with amusing Bollywood-themed dishes. The restaurant serves nostalgia on a platter through popular Hindi film dialogues and lyrics that every Hindustani heart can relate to, as the word ‘hitchki’ or hiccup itself stands as a metaphor for remembrance. Dessert filled with cigarette candies, gems, and nuts, as well as generous scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream topped with drizzled chocolate sauce and wafer cones are a must try. Chocolate Lava Kulfi, on the other hand, suggests a delectable twist on the kulfi-and-chocolate-lava combination to enjoy the best of both worlds.
1522 Bar and Kitchen
With its chic atmosphere and festive vibes, 1522 Bar and Kitchen brings life to the city of dreams. Coming from Bengaluru, the place is accustomed to Mumbai’s pace, zest, and spirit. The multi-cuisine dine-in caters to culinary needs while providing visitors with homely comfort. Not only are its royal kebabs and finely curated cocktails prepared with premium ingredients, but so are its chocolate dessert. Ferrero Rocher Entremet comes in first place, combining crunchy wafers and roasted hazelnuts in Ferrero Rocher with the stunning French entremet. For a guilt-free indulgence, try its low-calorie Keto Choco Fudge.
Love and Cheesecake
To celebrate the occasion, Love and Cheesecake, Mumbai’s premium dessert chain, will shower you with the best chocolate cheesecakes and layered cakes. This brand, co-founded by Ruchyeta Bhatia and Chef Amit Sharma, delivers across Mumbai from its fifteen store locations. Love and Cheesecake boasts a dessert menu with over 120 different flavours. From gooey chocolate fudge cake to the unique blend of flavours in Chocolate Banoffee Cake, this bakery’s Chocolate base is limitless.
Mad Over Donuts
Enjoy healthy and crunchy salads
Mumbai’s healthy cafes are worth a visit June 24, 2022: Salads are one of the most adaptable meals that can be made quickly and enjoyed in summer. As people have become more health-conscious, there has been a dramatic shift towards quick, scrumptious, yet nutrient-dense meals. Here are some of the best spots in Mumbai for you to grab a refreshing salads:
Poetry by Love and Cheesecake Sequel
Poetry by Love and Cheesecake draws attention to its light and artistic salads. This café has a lot to offer, from the gooey Burrata Salad with crunchy walnuts and roasted sweet peppers to the basic Warm Grilled Chicken Salad. To accompany the vibrant and flavorful meal, enjoy a steaming bowl of Cream of Mushroom Soup or a gourmet tea, Little Buddha, this Monsoon season. Not to mention the warm and welcoming hospitality in the prime locations of Juhu, Bandra, and Powai.
Garde Manger Café
Sequel is a popular health club in Mumbai, with locations in Bandra, BKC, and Kala Ghoda. The delectable recipes at this Bollywood-favorite restaurant are made with organic produce. There are numerous options available, ranging from vegan to nutrient-rich to gluten-free. Despite being on the healthier side, Sequel’s salad bowls like The Wholesome Bowl and Pretty in Pink will captivate you.
Pishu’s Café
Pishu’s Café has locations in various parts of Mumbai, including Malad and Andheri. This place has gained popularity among fitness enthusiasts due to its emphasis on healthy and power-packed meals. It makes luscious smoothies of seasonal fruits and berries with super fresh ingredients. Furthermore, there are numerous salad options, including The Exotic Salad, which consists of sprouts, baby corn, bell peppers, and other vegetables sautéed in their homemade sauce.
The Anugita
By Paddy Krishnan
Anugita literally means following the Gita and appears in the Ashwamedha parva. After the end of the war Yudhishtra realises that his treasury is empty and he cannot be a benevolent ruler. Krishna advises Yudhishtra to mine for gold and then complete the horse sacrifice (i.e., the Ashwamedha yagna). Yudhishtra is still brooding over the people killed during the war. The Anugita starts with Krishna telling Yudhishtra not to grieve about the dead people and to focus on ruling the kingdom. He advices Yudhishtra, as king, he has to think and analyse the situation rather than depend on external help or hope for divine intervention. Krishna indicated that there was no necessity for him to stay back and prepares to go to Dwarka. Arjuna wants Krishna to repeat the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna’s reason was that he had forgotten the main lessons after the battle. Krishna scolds Arjuna for forgetting the teachings so soon. Arjuna admits that after the war, he is not in the state of “yoga” and wants Krishna to reiterate all the instructions given to him on the battle field. Krishna states that he cannot repeat verbatim the lessons in the Bhagavad Gita. He agrees to teach Arjuna by using ancient stories. This second round of teaching is called Anugita. Krishna’s teachings are in the form of a dialogue between a husband and his wife. Krishna covers a variety of topics including Karma, rebirth, the role of Jiva (or the individual soul), and means of attaining Moksha. Krishna repeats many of the ideas in Samkhya, including the three Gunas and the role of Purusha and Prakriti, in the creation of this universe. Krishna also talks about Patanjali’s Yoga and how the techniques enumerated there can be used to control a wandering mind. He also talks about the role of knowledge or jnana that goes beyond rituals. Meditation as a means of controlling the senses including the mind is identified as a form of yagna or sacrifice. Krishna teaches about the nature of Atman (or one’s true Self) and the importance of spiritual wisdom. The Anugita outlines different levels of yagnas. It has very little regard for the physical and ritualistic nature of yagnas. These are placed at the lowest level. The Anugita strongly urges people to look beyond the ritualistic nature. The Anugita clearly states that ritualistic sacrifices only leads to the short-lived pleasures. Even those who reach Swarga (heavens) have still not attained the ultimate level in spirituality, namely Moksha. Advertisements REPORT THIS AD The limitation of rituals is explained by a discussion between an Adhvaryu (who is in charge of the rituals) and a learned person on the role of animal sacrifice. The Adhvaryu is taught that the proper sacrifice cannot be ritualistic. It is important that all sacrifices must be internal in nature (and hence no animals need to be sacrificed) and one must focus the mind on the knowledge necessary for Moksha. Initially, the Adhvaryu argues that all he is doing is supporting those wish to conduct rituals that include animal sacrifice. But he later realises that by not educating others, he is not doing his duties. He cannot perform the rituals without understanding their significance. Thus animal sacrifice is not an essential component of the rituals. Krishna teaches Arjuna about the duties of people at different stages of their life (i.e., student, householder, forest dweller and renunciate) leading to the notion of true renunciation which is different from austerity. Krishna uses the example of King Janaka who had overcome the sense of possession although he was living in a palace. This shows how one can be Jivanmukta, i.e., one who is liberated when alive. Renunciation is said to be the best penance and such penance enables the understanding of the self. Renunciation in the form of self-control destroys one sins and leads to spiritual enlightenment. A jivanmukta is one who is equanimous. That is, they do not differentiate between life and death, pleasure and pain, and profit and loss. They do not desire what others have and are truly detached, i.e., have no attachments. Therefore, they have no notion of close family or enemy, and no notion of specific religious activities. Krishna states that all actions by a jivanmukta are dispassionate and does not result in any karma. They are true karma yogis where all necessary actions are performed. Krishna also emphasises Ahimsa (non-violence) by indicating that Moksha can be obtained only by showing compassion for all creatures. Like the Bhagavad Gita, there is discussion on what is a just war. Krishna reiterates that even those who are committed to Ahimsa, have to use violence to prevent behaviour that is against Dharma, especially where violence can persist over a long period of time. This is illustrated by the story of Kartaviryarjuna who in his arrogance kills the sage Jamadagni. Jamadagni’s son, Parasurama, kills not only Kartaviryarjuna but also all the kshatriyas. The aim was to reduce the power of the kshatriyas who had become too arrogant and violent, and thus, were a menace to society. Some of the ideas in the Anugita are different from Samkhya. For instance, in Samkhya, every individual soul (jiva) is separate. But Krishna states a more Advaitic view, that one has to see the one true Self in all before one can attain Moksha. Bhakti, which is a major focus in the Bhagavad Gita is not emphasised in the Anugita. But there is more theism in the Anugita than in Samkhya. For instance, the role of Yama as the lord of the ancestors, Varuna as the lord of the waters, Agni as the lord of the elements and not just of fire is stated. Other gods mentioned include Vishnu who is described as the supreme God, Shiva, as Prajapati, the lord of all creatures and Brihaspati as the best of all teachers. Krishna also states that Vishnu is no different from Brahman and is thus eternal, i.e., is not created and also not destroyed. Every being including Yakshas, Gandharvas, and Rakshasas owe their existence to Vishnu. Krishna expands on the notion of Brahman. All experiences are because of Brahman. For instance, the nose’s power to smell, the tongue’s power to taste, the eye’s power to see colour, the ear’s power to sense sound etc. all emanate from Brahman. But at the same time, Brahman is not active. So Brahman does not smell, taste, see or hear for any purpose. Hence Bahaman has no notion of good smells etc. This means that Brahman does not hate or like any object, which means there can be no desire or aversion. Properties such as good smell etc. arise when the three gunas are combined. Therefore, the properties are part of Prakriti. Brahman is said to be Sat, meaning only pure existence. There are two types of Asat or non-existence. The first is the set of objects that are “inconsistent” like a barren woman’s child. The second is the set of objects that come into existence but then get destroyed. So such existence is not eternal. Only Brahman (or Vishnu) is Sat. In summary, the Bhagavad Gita focuses on Bhakti, and Nishkama Karma. The philosophy is based on Samkhya and Patanjali’s Yoga with a focus on rules of actions especially for a conflicted kshatriya. The teachings are also applicable to householders. The Anugita is also based on Samkhya, but is more focused on Moksha based on knowledge or jnana. But it reiterates the importance of Nishkama Karma. Thus it introduces elements of Vedanta, where the idea of a nirguna Brahman is described. Therefore the Anugita has both dualistic and monist ideas.
Kumbh 2025 to be grander than previous one, says UP govt
Prayagraj, June 27 (IANS): The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is gearing up to make the Kumbh Mela in 2025 more majestic and grand than the one held in 2019. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to complete the arrangements well before time, especially in view of the fact that general elections will keep the state administration busy in 2024. The state government expects a high footfall of pilgrims in Kumbh in 2025. In 2019, over 24 crore devotees from across the world had attended Ardh Kumbh and the number is likely to double in 2025. “Besides, we are expecting a strong tourist flow from Prayagraj to Kashi this time since the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor is a major attraction for pilgrims. We will provide world class facilities to devotees and pilgrims,” said an official spokesperson. Yogi Adityanath will be attending a high-level meeting regarding Kumbh 2025 preparations in Prayagraj next month. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, who is also reviewing preparations, said, “We anticipate footfall to double. Devotees will throng Prayagraj to take holy dip and to get a glimpse of the rich Indian culture, tradition, and spirituality on the banks of the Ganga. “The state government has started its planning and preparations for the forthcoming Kumbh and aims to complete all the development projects before the Kumbh.”
Ruby - The Birthstone of July
The birthstone for July is ruby, whose vibrant red hue perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this sultry summer month, when days are long, hot, and intense. These rich red gemstones, known as “the heart of mother Earth,” are versatile and elegant, and have long been associated with passion, prosperity, and protection. Rubies have been treasured by everyone from ancient warriors and Hindus to the Chinese, who revere the “lucky” colour red, since they were formed deep beneath the earth’s crust 500 million years ago - an amazing feat of nature involving intense heat and pressure. They’re still a favourite of A-listers like Jennifer Garner and Gigi Hadid, and they’re frequently seen on the aptly named “red carpet.” Much has been written about their talismanic properties: in ancient times, warriors wore them into battle, and they were frequently placed beneath the foundations of buildings to protect those who lived and worked there. Ridhi Mehta is a practicing numerologist,healer,tarot card reader, crystal expert and hypnotherapist. She entered the field of occult around 5years back.She has her Youtubechannel by the name Insights by Ridhii. Ridhi comes from a corporate background having an experience of more than 10 years. However, she has always inclined towards the world of divination. So, she followed her heart and after taking professional qualifications she started practicing the science. She also taught over two hundred students in the above fields. She has many success stories and believes that if we understand to work with energies then there are many things that we can alter in our lives. She can be contacted on ridhi22_mehta@yahoo.co.in / +918054317326 for any queries/ consultations/ classes.
Rubies are regarded as a fashionable alternative and complement to diamonds. They sit beautifully alongside their colourless counterparts, in bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings, and also hold their own in a statement piece: the Sandy Leong x Gemfields Halo ring, featuring a large, striking Gemfields’ Mozambican ruby, is one perfect example. They range in colour from orangey to bluish reds, with pure intense, or even fluorescent, red gemstones being the most sought after. There is no better way to add a playful element to an outfit while also harnessing the power of colour than by incorporating coloured gemstones. Rubies are ideal for adding a splash of fiery red fun and glamour to any outfit. Coloured gemstones, particularly rubies, are an excellent way to make a strong personal statement.To that end, the Francis de Lara x Gemfields Safari Sunset Bloom Ring, which features petal-shaped rubies in a flower formation, exudes confidence as well as concern for the environment. The AYA x Gemfields Chete ring, on the other hand, is understated and ideal for stacking. Gemfields is a world-leading miner of responsibly mined coloured gemstones and the majority owner of the most significant recently discovered ruby deposit: Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) in Mozambique, where rubies were first discovered in 2009 and where some of the world’s largest and most exceptional rubies have originated, including an extraordinary pair that were recently auctioned off. When it comes to purchasing rubies, there are “6 Cs” to keep in mind. Diamonds have traditionally been measured and defined by the famous “4 Cs” - colour, cut, clarity, and carat - and with rubies, two more are added to the mix, character and certification, in recognition of the many subtle features of coloured gemstones. Each ruby has its own set of values and personality, making the purchasing process both fascinating and personal. Top buying tips include looking for evenness of colour and saturation, viewing a gem in daylight, and accepting inclusion as part of a gemstone’s unique character. The most important rule, however, is to simply follow your heart and choose the ruby that you fall in love with.
Ridhi Mehta
RELEASE DATE: 22 July 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: Yash Raj Films DIRECTOR: Karan Malhotra
RELEASE DATE: 29 July 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: TSeries, Balaji Motion Picture DIRECTOR: Mohit Suri CAST: John Abraham, Arjun Kapoor, Disha Patani, Tara Sutaria SYNOPSIS: 8 years after Rakesh Mahadkar reigned terror on Mumbai, another serial killer has taken birth. More brutal and more dangerous but one that uses the RELEASE DATE: 29 July 2022 LANGUAGE: Punjabi (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: Karaj Gill DIRECTOR: Amrinder Gill CAST: Amrinder gill, Binnu dhillon, Karamjit anmol, Sargun mehta, Sydney eberwein SYNOPSIS: Looking to earn money for his family, a young man in the early 1900s travels to Canada to join a small group of fellow Punjabis
CAST: Ranbir Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt SYNOPSIS: Shamshera is a period drama film set in the pre-Independence era of the 1800s. It chronicles the story of a dacoit tribe fighting against the British for their rights and independence. The film is believed to be the Indian adaptation of Howard Pyle’s “Merry Adventures of Robin Hood” with a few creative liberties in line
EK VILLAIN RETURNS
same cover, the Smiley Mask. Ek Villain Returns is the story of two men in one sided love. The paths they choose to fulfill their love stories decide who the Hero is and who is the Villain. working in a lumber mill. While there, the men face difficult working conditions and a growing threat, as locals begin to fear the implications of a rising trend in foreign immigration.
LAAL SINGH CHADDHA
RELEASE DATE: 11 August 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: Aamir Khan Productions, Viacom18 Studios and Paramount Pictures DIRECTOR: Advait Chandan CAST: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor SYNOPSIS: LAAL SINGH CHADDHA, a simple man whose extraordinary journey will fill you with love, warmth & happiness.
