Seasonal Magazine May 2017

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VOLUME 16 ISSUE 5 MAY 2017

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MAGAZINE

Seasonal www.seasonalmagazine.com

Managing Editor Jason D Pavorattikaran Editor John Antony Director (Finance) Ceena Senior Editorial Coordinator Jacob Deva Senior Correspondent Bina Menon Creative Visualizer Bijohns Varghese Photographer Anish Aloysious Correspondents Bombay: Rashmi Prakash Hyderabad: Iqbal Siddiqui Delhi: Anurag Dixit Director (Technical) John Antony Publisher Jason D Pavorattikaran

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Wage a War Against Arms Race “India's freedom must revolutionize the world's outlook upon Peace and War,” the Father of Our Nation wrote, and indeed it changed the outlook in various pockets across the world, the most notable being the American Civil Rights movement and the South African Anti-Apartheid movement.

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EDITORIAL

Gandhi was spot on as no other nation had forced a major global power to end colonization, truly on peaceful means. While Gandhi failed to win a deserving Nobel Peace Prize (which the Nobel committee regretted later), his ideological followers Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela did win the coveted prize, thereby garnering international support for Gandhi’s Ahimsa or Non-Violent means.

Fast forward to 2017, and what is Gandhi’s India doing? It spends more than $50 billion dollars every year as military expenditure.

That is Rs. 3,25,000 crores annually, even when it has no plans to invade or attack any neighbour. Yes, India has the sixth largest military expenditure in the world.

The irony is that the Top-10 spenders for military across the globe are all super-rich USA, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, & UK which spend above us; and so are the four nations in this list below us – France, Japan, Germany, & South Korea. The only odd man here is India, still battling poverty among a significant percentage of its population.

As per the latest data, around 172 million Indians are still living in abject poverty, not having even around $2 dollars to spend for a day’s living. A back-of-the-envelope workout is enough to see that if India had a defence budget half its size, and rerouted it into programs focused on the poor, poverty would have been eliminated already.

But the current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that defence expenditure needs to be grown much more.

In fact, his government has a stated aim of spending $250 billion by 2025 on weapons and military equipment.

Modi is not alone in having such visions.

Everyone from Trump to Putin and even the tiny nations across the world have soaring visions when it comes to military expenditure. This is no coincidence but the

direct result of the growing influence of the military-industrial-political nexus.

Dwight D Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the recapture of North Africa from Hitler’s army in Operation Torch in 1942-43 and the successful recapture of France and invasion of Germany in 1944-45.

After WWII he became USA’s Army Chief of Staff and the first Supreme Commander of NATO. Later he became the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.

Regarded as one of the greatest US Presidents of all time due to his exceptional nationbuilding initiatives (founder of NASA, and DARPA which led to the creation of Internet), Eisenhower had this to say in his Farewell Address to the nation in 1961: “We recognize the imperative need for this (military) development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable

Seems far-fetched? Just have a look at Syria.

Who is supplying all those rocket launchers, bombs, mortars, shells, guns, and bullets to the rival Islamic factions? Who else but USA, Russia, China, UK, France, and the likes? War profiteering of the worst kind, forewarned by that little book ‘War is a Racket’ by General Smedley D Butler in 1935.

Or have a look at how Trump’s domestic ratings shot up when the MOAB was recently dropped on ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan.

citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

spending on defence. And brokering these two sides are the military establishments in most countries through their clamour for better weaponry and their penchant to receive the massive kickbacks.

While Eisenhower is credited with coining the term ‘military-industrial complex’, legend has it that the original term the President intended was ‘military-industrialcongressional’ complex, and that he was advised to change it at the last moment so as not to irritate the politicians!

There are credible viewpoints in history that many a war-mongering dictator including Hitler was the ultimate product of this military-industrial-political nexus. It works best in democracies, and it is still chilling to remember that Hitler came to power and became a virtual dictator through clever manipulations of the democratic processes.

In any case, and in any nation, the dynamics of this nexus is easy to understand.

Politicians need nationalism as a platform to hold on to power, and what better way to fuel nationalism than to spend huge on military and wax eloquent about the sacrifices of soldiers. Defence industries, dominated by pure private sector giants these days, need more and more government

If the weapons weren’t used ever, things would have been better. But many of the items are consumables, like bombs, and even many military durables like jet fighters are lost only in combat. Here is where the darker side of this nexus emerges. They secretly lobby for belligerent postures, escalation of tensions along borders, confrontations, and even all-out wars.

India is concerned about only one thing about its defence expenditure – the share of imports in it. For the last seven years, India has been the undisputed world leader in arms import. Gandhi’s India, playing right into the Western influence from which he led us into freedom.

Now, Modi’s government wants to change it. Bring down the 70% or so that India imports in the defence sector. The Indian solution is promoting Indian defence industries in a big way. God forbid if they also end up exporting arms and ammunitions to everyone from dictators to terrorists, in the future.

We need to be concerned about China and Pakistan, but let us not overplay it. In the new world order, especially in our part of the world, neither China nor Pakistan would be so foolhardy to attempt an invasion of India. Yes, Kargil like intrusions are still possible, but a defence budget that jumps every year, even when the poor are left to fend for themselves, isn’t the real solution for that. Sooner or later, all neighbours will realize that only peaceful, political, and economic solutions can really solve a conflict. If once war-mongering Europe has realized that, so will South Asia. The smart thing is to stop this arms race at the earliest.

Even 1% of the savings from such initiatives would be enough to give better food to our jawans, one of whom Tej Bahadur who got sacked for complaining publicly about the meagre food of one paratha he receives even while the higher officers siphon off food rations. While a BSF enquiry has found his claims incorrect, it is astounding why a disciplined jawan would complain openly risking his career and pension if his claims weren’t truthful.

John Antony SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS Symbiosis International University

EAST AND WEST IN SYMPHONY

WHY COCHIN SHIPYARD IPO IS PROMISING

Seasonal Magazine met Prof.Dr. SB Mujumdar, Founder and Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, for the latest updates from this pioneering private university and this doyen of Indian higher education.

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) the largest shipyard in India by dock-size and the second-largest by revenue is preparing for its IPO. The only consistently profitable shipbuilder in the country, CSL has recently filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP).

WATER HARVESTER COULD COLLECT MOISTURE FROM DESERT AIR

This proof-of-concept device, built at MIT, demonstrates a new system for extracting drinking water from the air.

The sequence of images at right shows how droplets of water accumulate over time as the inside temperature increases while exposed to the sun. Photo: MIT A solarpowered water harvester can pull water molecules directly from the air..

FURTHERING RESEARCH

From being one of the youngest institutions to be awarded the deemed university status in India and then breaking into the Limca Book of Records for achieving university status in 2004, KIIT University isn’t like the everyday trendsetter in this arena.

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LAND ROVER CUTS INDIA PRICES Land Rover has announced new prices of their entry-level SUVs, the Land Rover Discovery Sport and the Range Rover Evoque. The prices have been lowered as exchange rate for the British pound dipped after Brexit owing to lower costs of import.

FORD FIGO S VS VOLKSWAGEN POLO VS MARUTI SUZUKI BALENO VS HYUNDAI I20 Ford has launched the sport version of their long trusted model, Figo. Following is spec comparison of the Figo S with the Polo, i20 and Baleno

KALASALINGAM UNIVERSITY (KLU)

FOCUSING ON INTERNSHIPS & RESEARCH

With students eager to acquire new skill sets that are also relevant to job market needs, Indian universities have been battling it out to see who among them can best provide meaning ful research and internship...

SALTY FOOD INCREASES HUNGER

Ever wondered, why you love those french fries with sprinkled salt and cannot keep your hands off? In first of its kind, a study finds that salty food diminishes thirst and increases hunger, due to a higher need for energy. The results, published in the journal of

HOW DID DR.BASHAR AL-ASSAD BECOME A MASS MURDERER

The heart-wrenchingly succinct statement goes to the heart of my own dismay at the appalling crisis in Syria. More than 400,000 dead, most recently in a nerve gas attack. Six million citizens internally displaced. Five

IS SIYARAM GETTING OVERHEATED?

Post demonetisation blues, Siyaram Silk Mills is up by nearly 50%. What has beckoned investors to ‘come home to…Siyarams’ despite the rough n’ tumble due to the money market turmoil?

Alliance University

PHOENIX RISING!

That news about Alliance University’s casualty was hugely exaggerated.

Yes, its Founder Chancellor has survived a bid on his professional career.

Dr. Madhukar Angur is now fighting back. There are early proofs for success, including placements that have bounced back.

LAMBORGHINI STEPS UP IN INDIA

With the country’s economy moving in an upward trajectory, the demand for super luxury sports cars is also emerging from the hinterland of India. Witnessing the growing trends in the country, Lamborghini launched its superfast car, Huracan Performante in India earlier this month.

ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY

SPREADING THE WINGS

From a primarily health sciences university focusing on nursing, pharmacy, and allied domains, Guwahati based Assam Down Town University is rapidly emerging as a top destination in North Eastern region of India for Engineering, Management, Hotel

VR CAMERA SET TO GO INTO SPACE WITH SPACE X

SpaceVR and Space X team up to capture VR footage of space flight. There are several virtual reality (VR) experiences that hope to show VR users what it is like to be in outer space, from videogames such as Lone Echo to space exploration simulators like Earthlight. Such experiences

MOST PROMISING FLAGSHIP PHONES OF 2017

The hype around Nokia devices is phenomenal as HMD Global is bringing them back from the brim of extinction. A few handsets, namely the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6, have already hit stores in select countries. And now more handsets – Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and

10 YEARS OF GLAM, SCAM & SIXES The Indian Premier League – the unrivalled poster boy of T20 franchise cricket – was born 10 years ago amid euphoric celebrations following India’s world cup triumph. It is ironical that it took inspiration from the NBA and today has surpassed it in terms of average attendance by almost double the margin and has become the 6th most watched sports..

H1B VISA APPLICATIONS DIP FOR FIRST TIME IN YEARS

NIIT University, Rajasthan

EVEN USA UNPREPARED FOR A HUGE ASTEROID IMPACT

CUT TRANS FATS TO CUT HEART ATTACKS

Employers applied for about 16% fewer H1B visas for highly skilled workers this year than in 2016, possibly reflecting concern that the Trump administration is taking a more restrictive approach to the program. Employers seeking visas for 2018 submitted 199,000

A large asteroid will pass uncomfortably close to Earth Wednesday, and there’s not much NASA could have done to stop it had it been on a collision course.

COURSES DESIGNED BY INDUSTRY

In a relatively short span of time, Rajasthan-based NIIT University (NU) has made significant progress in research and innovation with its curriculum development and design.

Established by the special NIIT University Act 2010, NU started

Hospitalisation for heart attacks and strokes is less common among people living in areas that restrict trans fats in foods compared to residents in areas without restrictions, new research has found.

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DESIGNER MANISH MALHOTRA LAUNCHES NEW COLLECTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH MIJWAN WELFARE SOCIETY Indian couturier Manish Malhotra gives an ode to the art of Chikankari as he showcases the stunning nuances of this elegant embroidery technique with Mijwan Summer 2017.

AUDEMARS PIGUET PRESENTS ROYAL OAK CHRONOGRAPHS 2017 EDITION AUDEMARS

BENGALURU-BASED CANE BOUTIQUE LAUNCHES ITS NEW COLLECTION - OPULENCE Relying on its expertise of re-interpreting the ethnic and indigenous into a modern product palette, Bengalurubased interior store, Cane Boutique, is presenting an exclusive array of furniture under the Opulence Collection. Pre-eminent in lifestyle and luxury interior solutions – Cane Boutique has always given a smiling reason to indulge in opulence. The precisely done wooden carving, plush velvet and silk fabrics, luxurious marble tops, and hints of gold are some of the highlights of this collection, which includes sofa sets, dining tables, consoles, mirrors and more.

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Celebrating the launch of its very first, iconic Royal Oak Chronograph, watchmaker Audemars Piguet has come out with a new 20th anniversary 2017 version of the watch. The new range harks back to the look first seen in 2008. All seven models in the new series follow the two-tone dial design, with several new design details: chronograph counters of increased size that expand at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, shorter but wider hour-markers, additional luminescent coating for better readability and new typeset and transfers. The date window has been relocated between the 4 o’clock and 5 o’clock position. The watch is available in four versions with pink gold, which are available on a matching pink gold bracelet or an alligator strap and with a choice of brown or blue ‘Grande Tapisserie’ dials. The steel versions of the watch are offered with a choice of ‘Grande Tapisserie’ dials in black, silver or blue and are fitted with stainless steel bracelets.

MICHAEL KORS DEBUTS THE SPRING 2017 CHAPTER OF THE WALK, A STREET STYLE HANDBAG CAMPAIGN Michael Kors has launched the latest iteration of Michael Kors The Walk, where influencers are captured sporting Michael Kors goods on the streets of Los Angeles. The campaign stars four trendsetters: actor and singer Hailee Seinfeld, actress Kelly Rohrbach, singer, songwriter, dancer and performance artist Jillian Hervey of Lion Babe and model Hikari Mori. The campaign was shot by street style chronicler Tommy Ton. The four stylesetters carry handbags from the Mercer line from MICHAEL Michael Kors, including the Mercer Tote, Mercer Duffle and Mercer Crossbody. London-based illustrator Daisy Emerson hand painted designs on each bag that reflected the individual’s personality. The four girls further customized their bags by layering them with Scout camera bags, Michael Kors x FUJIFILM INSTAX Camera and several keychains and wallets in bold colors.

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LAND ROVER CUTS INDIA PRICES

LAND ROVER HAS ANNOUNCED NEW PRICES OF THEIR ENTRY-LEVEL SUVS, THE LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT AND THE RANGE ROVER EVOQUE. THE PRICES HAVE BEEN LOWERED AS EXCHANGE RATE FOR THE BRITISH POUND DIPPED AFTER BREXIT OWING TO LOWER COSTS OF IMPORT.

Land Rover Discovery Sport he entry-level trim of the Land Rover Discovery Sport, comes with an almost Rs 4 lakh reduction in price and currently selling for Rs 43.8 lakh exshowroom, Delhi. Already, in the month of March, Land Rover replaced the 2.2 litre engine in the Discovery Sport with a 2.0-litre Ingenium series of diesel engines. The price cut is across all trims, increasing to over Rs 5 lakh as we go up the list. Land Rover’s most popular SUV, the Evoque also gets slashed by Rs 3 lakh with a price tag of Rs 45.85 lakh, exDelhi. As we move up the trims, from Pure, SE, HSE to Dynamic, the price cut remains almost consistent.

Land Rover has decided to pass on the benefits of the falling pound to the Indian customers by reducing the prices.

The reduced price tags will also help Land Rover compete more aggressively with German SUVs like the Audi Q5, the Mercedes GLC and the BMW X3 which fall in the same price bracket as the Discovery Sport and the Range Rover Evoque.

The biggest change can be seen in the high-value imports where the drop in the value of the pound has led to a doubled

impact thanks to the price-based import duty structure. The Range Rover Sports that used to begin at Rs 1.18 crores, now carries a price tag of Rs 86.8 lakh exshowroom, Delhi. The top-spec 3.0-litre diesel RR Sport Autobiography comes in at Rs 1.48 crore while the 4.4-litre V8 diesel Autobiography comes in at Rs 1.58 crore. The top-of-the-line Range

Rover Sport SVR that costed Rs 2.08 crore ex-Delhi, will now cost you just Rs 1.78 crore, Rs 30 lakh less.

The huge price cuts will enable the Range Rover Sports to compete with the likes of the Mercedes GLS, Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90 if the buyer wants exclusivity. Also, the Range Rover has now become an alternative that is worth considering for those who might want to go for the Porsche Cayenne, the Jeep Grand Cherokee or the Lexus RX.

Range Rover Evoque he Range Rover, Land Rover’s most luxurious flagship SUV, used to carry a price tag beginning at Rs 2.12 crore for the 3.0-litre petrol as well as the diesel. These cars will now cost Rs 1.57 crore, ex-Delhi. Range Rover has SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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LAMBORGHINI STEPS UP IN INDIA WITH THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY MOVING IN AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY, THE DEMAND FOR SUPER LUXURY SPORTS CARS IS ALSO EMERGING FROM THE HINTERLAND OF INDIA. WITNESSING THE GROWING TRENDS IN THE COUNTRY, LAMBORGHINI LAUNCHED ITS SUPERFAST CAR, HURACAN PERFORMANTE IN INDIA EARLIER THIS MONTH.

also introduced a new LWB variant with a 3.0-litre V6 engine and that comes in at Rs 1.7 crore. The top-spec diesel LWB Rangie will now go for Rs 3.35 crore, more than Rs 50 lakh lower than the previous pricing. The flagship 5.0-litre supercharged petrol Rangie SV Autobiography also comes in at Rs 3.47 crore, ex-Delhi instead of the Rs 3.98 crore tag.

With the new pricing, the flagship Range Rover comes in the league of the Toyota Land Cruiser, which means that the Lexus LX might have to rethink its pricing strategy. Also, it brings the Range Rover closer to the Mercedes Maybach series as an alternative worth mulling over. Land Rover’s decision to slash prices of their cars should reflect positively in the coming financial year as the Tata-owned British car maker asserts itself into the numbers game in India.

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he sports carmaker, which sells cars with a minimum price tag of over Rs 3 crore, will soon introduce cars in SUV segment. Sharad Agarwal, India head, Lamborghini, said that the delivery of the super sports SUV car, Urus, is expected to start in mid2018. “Given the preference for SUV cars among Indians, we believe that Urus is going to be exciting and important product for us. It is going to open up a completely new segment of customers for us,” said Mr Agarwal.

Apart from larger cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the sale of Lamborghini cars is picking up the pace in smaller towns and cities.

With the economy showing a good growth, there is a consistent outlook

projected for the future. This leads the market sentiment to grow positive. Lamborghini has been seeing the demand emerge from tier 1 and tier 2 cities.

“Many entrepreneurs from smaller towns are doing well in their businesses and aspire to drive a Lamborghini,” said Mr Agarwal.

“We are seeing that the firstgeneration entrepreneurs are buying our cars today. Last year, we had the first lady owner of super sports car in the country. Looking at the current trends, I think India is going through a very exciting phase. We are very optimistic about the opportunities in India.” India is becoming one of the strategic markets for Lamborghini for its future growth and volumes.

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S C I E N C E

WATER HARVESTER COULD COLLECT MOISTURE FROM DESERT AIR

THIS PROOF-OF-CONCEPT DEVICE, BUILT AT MIT, DEMONSTRATES A NEW SYSTEM FOR EXTRACTING DRINKING WATER FROM THE AIR. THE SEQUENCE OF IMAGES AT RIGHT SHOWS HOW DROPLETS OF WATER ACCUMULATE OVER TIME AS THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE INCREASES WHILE EXPOSED TO THE SUN. PHOTO: MIT A SOLAR-POWERED WATER HARVESTER CAN PULL WATER MOLECULES DIRECTLY FROM THE AIR – MAKING DRINKABLE WATER AVAILABLE EVEN IN THE DESERT, ACCORDING TO A NEW PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDY IN THE JOURNAL SCIENCE.

he new technology, a collaboration between scientists at the University of California at Berkeley and the Massachusetts of Technology, is based on a passive system that draws moisture into a foam-like material and condenses the water even at humidity levels as low as 20 percent, according to the scientists.

The concept is similar to an electric dehumidifier found in many homes – but this one can work without using the extra energy that’s not available in extreme environments, said Omar Yaghi, one of the senior authors, a chemist at UC Berkeley and faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

“I call it personalized water,” said Yaghi, in a school statement. “One vision for the future is to have water off-grid, where you have a device at home running on ambient solar for delivering water that satisfies the needs of a household.”

Or it could be used to provide life-saving water in the most inhospitable deserts of the world, they added.

Yaghi and the team in California developed the foundational technology at work in the new tool. Metal-organic frameworks employ magnesium, SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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the 2 pounds of MOF material. The tool was also tested in a real-world scenario: on an MIT rooftop, they said. Yaghi said it could collect 12 ounces of water – about a Coke can’s worth – in under an hour.

aluminum or other metals in a complex arrangement with organic molecules. The particular MOFs capture different molecules. Three years ago, they developed a combination of zirconium and adipic acid that captures water vapor.

The concept was picked up by collaborators Evelyn Wang at MIT and her team of mechanical engineers, and funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Energy. The MIT engineers developed two pounds of miniscule MOF crystals, which were compressed between a solar absorber and a condenser plate.

The air diffuses through the porous MOF. Water molecules bind to the structure. The solar energy drives the captured water vapor toward the condenser, where the liquid collects and drips down, they explain.

The device was able to pull 2.8 liters of water from the air over 12 hours using

Further engineering could refine the tool for use in particular environments.

For instance, a technique of fog harvesting near 100 percent humidity is already employed in select areas like Chile and Morocco.

The refinement of the MOF and its collection methods could be key, said Hyunho Kim, a graduate student at MIT and one of the authors.

“By carefully designing this material, we can have surface properties that can absorb water very efficiently at 50 percent humidity, but with a different design, it can work at 30 percent,” said Kim. “By selecting the right materials, we can make it suitable for different conditions. Eventually we can harvest water from the entire spectrum (of water concentrations).”

The technology could be refined for the world’s harshest deserts, they added.

For instance, the average humidity of the Sahara Desert, the biggest desert on Earth, is 25 percent. The humidity in Death Valley, the most arid place in the United States, is 19 percent.

S P A C E

VR Camera Set To Go Into Space With Space X

paceVR and Space X team up to capture VR footage of space flight.

There are several virtual reality (VR) experiences that hope to show VR users what it is like to be in outer space, from videogames such as Lone Echo to space exploration simulators like Earthlight. Such experiences are carefully coded to balance fun with realism, but with a new project from SpaceVR, realism would not need to be coded in.

SpaceVR are working on a specially designed camera satellite that will be able to capture actual footage of space travel. That footage can then be used as a basis for creating immersive, realistic space experiences for VR users.

The device which makes this possible is about the size of a Thermos and contains four cameras on each end. The company plans to send the special camera into space aboard a Space X rocket some time in August, where it will spend 2-3 hours each month

recording footage until it falls back to Earth and burns up in the atmosphere nine months later. The footage will be transmitted back to earth using X and S band microwave transmissions.

Speaking with Mashable, SpaceVR CEO

Ryan Holmes said: “I saw what happened to the astronauts after that experience. I saw them as being much better people, much more connected to other people [as a result of] seeing our place in the universe. I realized that once that happens to everyone, we’ll fundamentally live in a different world as a species, because we’ll all think differently. My goal is to catalyze that [astronaut experience] by sending this VR camera into space so people can really see what it’s like.”

Funding for the satellite camera came partially from a Kickstarter campaign that launched in 2015, though the cost of booking a place on the Space X rocket far exceeded the funds raised by SpaceVR’s crowdfunding. The gap was filled by funding raised from various venture capitalist firms such as China’s Shanda Group.

The VR experiences crafted from the footage are planned to be made available near the end of a year and will be compatible with various VR headsets including the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

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John Antony

SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

EAST AND WEST IN SYMPHONY Seasonal Magazine met Prof.Dr. SB Mujumdar, Founder and Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, for the latest updates from this pioneering private university and this doyen of Indian higher education.

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niversity of Oxford is one of the oldest universities in the world, dating back to 1096 AD. Even today, prestigious lists like the ‘Top 200 Universities of the World’ are dominated by institutions like Oxford that are several centuries old.

That is the reason why Prof.Dr. SB Mujumdar argues that no institution in India should feel depressed that the country doesn’t have even one representation in such lists. At the same time, he is a passionate Indian to know that the Indian value system predates even the likes of Oxford.

Prof. Mujumdar, a botanist by training and in early career, gives credit where it is due. He feels that India has a lot to learn from the West including their prowess in science & technology, and their penchant for innovation.

As the Founding Chancellor of Symbiosis International University (SIU), his dream is to see India come up with her own model in modern higher education, by mixing the best of East and West, a lofty ideal in which he is

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guiding SIU. Already, Symbiosis is known for attracting students from most nationalities across the globe.

Pune headquartered Symbiosis group of institutions is one of the country’s oldest private higher education providers. It has evolved over the decades into a robust private university with 31 departments across 7 core faculties.

While a few relatively newer private universities have overtaken SIU in student strength and geographic spread in recent years, Prof.

Mujumdar is wise enough to stay content on the wisdom that such quick-paced growth is not the best criterion for quality in academics.

That is why without much fanfare and brand ambassadors, Symbiosis has no problem in attracting fifty times students than it can accommodate, each year. Getting into Symbiosis is getting tougher by the year, as while the seat strength is increasing slowly, the number of applicants is jumping every year as is evidenced by the response to SIU’s national level entrance tests.

Proactive UNIVERSITIES

"ON AN AVERAGE, SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY GETS 50 TIMES APPLICATIONS FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATS. AS A RESULT, WE CAN AFFORD TO KEEP OUR SCREENING STANDARDS HIGH."

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This year SIU has attracted around 1,63,000 applications for its undergraduate and postgraduate courses already. Candidates who pass the written test, will undergo group discussions and interviews.

Since Symbiosis is unable to admit even a fraction of the applicants, SIU has resorted to off-campus study centres in educational hubs like Bangalore.

In sync with India’s newfound focus on skills development, and in collaboration with Maharashtra Government, Symbiosis is starting the new Symbiosis University of Skills & Open Education, which will offer joboriented courses as well as distance education programs.

Symbiosis is also starting a new mega campus in Nagpur with the blessings of its MLA Devendra Fadnavis who happens to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and its MP Nitin Gadkari, one of the most influential Cabinet Ministers in Delhi.

While being thankful for state government’s support for the initiatives of Symbiosis, Prof. Mujumdar is quick to point out that there is still a License Raj in the higher education sector of the country, with regard to its varied regulators and professional councils.

To solve Nagpur’s backwardness in higher education, Nagpur Corporation has given 75 acres of land to Symbiosis to start this campus.

Parental mindsets also need to change for India to achieve its full potential in higher education, says this Chancellor.

Many Indian parents still feel that Indian education is no match for overseas education, which is totally wrong according to him. Due to this, the country is losing billions of dollars every year, says he.

Aided also by the intake of better quality students, Symbiosis has no problem in delivering some of the best campus placement metrics among peer universities. But Prof. Mujumdar is not willing to gloss it over with meaningless claims like 100% placements.

In fact, despite faring well in placements, this Chancellor is one of the rare leaders in the sector to admit that placement level is never a good enough metric in assessing quality of an institution as well as its products, the degree holders.

Rather, he lays stress on the importance of overall development of the student including ethics, values, personality, sporting / cultural skills, leadership qualities, empathy, compassion, and a host of such values. Guided by this vision, SIU has been bullish in developing its Liberal Arts courses, which despite not offering campus placements, have been in increasing demand in recent years.

Prof. Mujumdar strongly feels that it is “not placements but a place in the society” that students should aspire for.

SIU has been focusing big on applied research in recent years, and has allocated Rs.30 crore for the same in its current budget. Among SIU’s SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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research interests is a highly valued waste management program.

He also proposes a solution that revolves around opening up the sector, and inviting all good foreign universities to set shop in the country.

"India is no longer a third-world country but the third largest country in education.

From two or three major universities during the time of Independence, today India has over 800 universities, 40,000 colleges, 2 crore students enrolled, and a few lakhs of teachers."

This will not only stem the outflow of money, but increase competition and ultimately help in upping the quality of education provided by all universities in the country.

Under Prof. Mujumdar’s vision and guidance, SIU is also a source for many best practices in the sector. With no government compulsion, SIU has been offering 22.5% reservation in seats for backward class students. They go on to win jobs in PSUs which offer similar reservation in recruitment.

SIU is also known in the sector for its transparency, with no kind of capitation fees or donation being charged for admissions.

SIU is formally run by Symbiosis Society with Prof. Mujumdar as its President, Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar as its Principal Director, and Dr. Swati Mujumdar as one of its eminent

"The new Symbiosis University of Skills & Open Education will focus on skills development to ensure ready employment, while the Open or Distance Education mode will help the thousands of students who would prefer to work while studying."

members. Both Dr. Vidya and Dr. Swati are his daughters and exceptional academicians and professionals of high repute in India and abroad.

Seasonal Magazine in conversation with Prof.Dr. SB Mujumdar, Chancellor, Symbiosis International University: Since Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET) 2017 has been announced, and registrations kept open, how would you gauge the response from students, both quantitatively and qualitatively?

How do you view the impact of the rising competition in recent years?

Symbiosis International University conducts two entrance examinations.

The one for postgraduate courses like MBA, MA, MSc etc is called Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP). This year around 70,000 students have applied for SNAP. For the

undergraduate courses like Engineering, Law, Liberal Arts etc SIU conducts another test, which is the one you mentioned, the Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET). This year, around 93,000 students have already applied for SET. The response has been absolutely big.

And both these numbers have been increasing each year. While part of this growth is due to the population growth, there is no doubt that the popularity of Symbiosis has been on the rise. So, we have been successful in competing effectively.

But what about the qualitative side?

Are you getting better and better quality students with passing years?

Definitely. I will explain. At Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM) we have just 180 seats, for which we get 40,000 applications.

Similarly, our Law Institute has two

batches of 60 students, and for these 120 students intake, we get 10,000 applications. On an average, I think Symbiosis International University gets 50 times applications for the total number of seats. As a result, we can afford to keep our screening standards high. Subsequent to the entrance tests, we have Group Discussions and Personal Interviews, and we even take into consideration the marks obtained at plus-two and matriculation levels.

This preference for intake quality helps in better campus placements too, as companies are always on the lookout for highly talented students.

Do you think intake of students at Symbiosis should be increased?

It is not possible immediately, especially in a place like Pune, and that is why we had started the off-campus centres in Bangalore.

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SIU had 31 departments across 7 broad disciplines last year. Are you starting any new departments or courses this upcoming academic year?

We call them faculties. Last year we had started a new course in Culinary Arts. This year, rather than start new courses, we are focusing on our new Nagpur campus.

How was the response to Culinary Arts?

The response was good, but not as far as we had expected. But it will pick up in the coming years. We started this under our management institute, and maybe we should consider shifting this to a new hotel management institute.

Can you tell us more about your Nagpur campus?

Well, we have been fortunate in that Nagpur Corporation has given us 75 acres of land to start this campus. Both our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisji and Central Minister Nitin Gadkariji were quite supportive of this campus as they wanted a quality higher educational institution like Symbiosis in Nagpur which they represent and from where they hail from.

Symbiosis has been a leader in the country when it comes to enrolment of overseas students. How has this changed in quantum and quality

"Better quality students prefer the unique ambience of Symbiosis campuses as here there are students from all over the world, as well as students from across India."

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Foreign universities coming to India is extremely good for the country as 1 lakh students to USA amounts to a money outflow of $4 billion from India, currently.

during the last couple of years? Is India’s visibility getting better in global higher education sphere?

I would answer this question with a yes and a no. Yes because India is no longer a third-world country but the third largest country in education. From two or three major universities during the time of Independence, today India has over 800 universities, 40,000 colleges, 2 crore students enrolled, and a few lakhs of teachers. This is, in fact, the second largest educational setup in the world, next only to China, and ahead of traditional education leaders including UK and even USA. While I agree that many Indian private institutions are mediocre, some of them like Narsee Monjee, Symbiosis, BITS Pilani, Manipal, Ashoka, and many such institutions have improved like anything.

And why would you answer that question with a ‘no’ too?

Yes, I was coming to that. This is due to two factors. Firstly, the mindset of many parents and students haven’t changed a bit, and they still prefer going abroad to Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon etc.

What they fail to understand is that some of our IITs and IIMs are no less than Harvard or Stanford. I view this as a social tragedy as while these overseas universities are quite good, our students stand to lose all their Indian values by the time they return, if at all. Also, if they return, many Indian companies are timid to employ them as somebody like a Harvard MBA expects a salary that is not practical for most Indian

companies to offer. They will prefer MBAs from IIMs or even good private institutions like Symbiosis as their students are willing to start off their careers at reasonable salaries and grow their earnings slowly.

So this is the first issue, that of the mindset of parents and students that haven’t changed. Secondly, it is still a License Raj or Permit Raj in Indian higher education space. This should change and it is up to the government to do so.

Would you elaborate on that second point?

You see, around 65% of the Indian higher education space is promoted by the private sector. They don’t have any government support and operate from much smaller campuses with lower staff strength, but make up due to their higher productivity.

Despite this, they have to clear so many obstacles created by the various regulators before any institution can be started. You will be surprised to know that there are over 13 professional educational councils like bar council, medical council, pharmacy council etc apart from governments, UGC, AICTE etc all of whose permissions are necessary to run a full-fledged university. You will hear people talking about their roles as 3C – Control, Command, & Compliance, but I would add a fourth C which is that of corruption. See, this was the situation in the business world too before 1991 when Dr. Manmohan Singh liberalized the Indian economy. You had to wait years for a Bajaj Scooter or a telephone land line!

And see the buoyancy now. Numerous foreign companies have invested billions in India, since then, and it has also resulted in a climate of innovation across the sectors. But, unfortunately, in the higher education space, the License Raj is continuing.

How does it affect an institution like Symbiosis today?

Even a mature university like Symbiosis faces the challenges from this Permit Raj. Take for instance the NAAC Accreditation.

We have already been assessed and accredited twice, but within a couple of years, we have to go in for the accreditation again. Why can’t they allow a permanent accreditation for the better private institutions? It is very much possible.

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But a collapse of the License Raj in higher education would also mean influx of foreign universities into India.

Are you ready for that?

Of course, we are ready. In fact, I prefer that, as for quality to improve there should be competition from better and world-renowned players. Also, it will be extremely good for the country as 1 lakh students to USA amounts to a money outflow of $4 billion from India, currently.

SIU has come a long way in the private university space, and for such a successful institution getting into the next rung of qualitative growth invariably involves attracting higher quality students at every level from undergraduate to doctoral.

Scholarships remains a powerful tool in this regard, and what are your initiatives to attract better quality students?

Symbiosis provides liberal scholarships on merit basis. But we attract quality students also due to several other factors. The first reason I already told you, which is admission based on only two national level tests. Secondly, there is absolutely no donation or capitation at any Symbiosis institutes. Thirdly, the staff members including the entire faculty are chosen only on merit and no religion or caste biases are there.

Quality has to be there. Lastly, better quality students prefer the unique ambience of Symbiosis campus as here there are students from all over the world, as well as students from across India. We are also completely apolitical, which means no distraction from such concerns.

SIU has been an early mover in research, and can you mention a few areas where research by SIU scholars has been making a difference?

Our emphasis on research has improved in recent years. In our latest budget, we have earmarked Rs.30 crore for furthering our research initiatives.

One of SIU’s thrust areas in research has been waste management.

Renowned scholars from BAARC as well as from abroad like Thakur & SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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Dhanorkar are guiding our research teams. We encourage our scholars – both students and faculty – to publish in the best international research journals. In the field of waste management research we have also tied up with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore.

Since last year, there has been a lull in placements that has affected even premier institutions like IITs & IIMs. How was the performance of

Symbiosis in placements?

In our flagship institution, which is this campus, the placement has been 90% to 95%. At other Symbiosis institutes it has been above 80%. There is a reason why the placement is not 100% at SIU, like some other institutions boast. No private or deemed university, other than Symbiosis, offers 22.5% reservation in seats to backward class students. When it comes to placements, some of these students lag, but we

"No private or deemed university, other than Symbiosis, offers 22.5% reservation in seats to backward class students. When PSUs recruit, they have a quota for these students and they easily get good jobs."

aren’t bothered as when PSUs recruit, they have a quota for these students and they easily get good jobs. I have personally introduced this reservation quota without any compulsion as I feel that there is no real social progress if we don’t handhold the weaker classes which come up to around 50% in India.

Also, I feel that campus placement metrics is a poor way to assess the quality of education imparted by an institution.

Why do you say so?

I would any day give higher weight to overall personality development of the student. How he or she fares in ethics, sports, culture, etiquette etc. Education is all about whether you have developed a large heart with a pleasing and winning personality. Just landing a job in the campus shouldn’t be the measure of success. You will be surprised to know that since the last four years, we offer Liberal Arts courses with no scope for campus placements.

They also have to study an additional fourth year to get their degree. But we still get thousands of applications each year for these courses. For many parents and families, landing a job is secondary and they give top priority to whether their son or daughter has achieved a well-rounded personality and leadership qualities. Some of these students hail from business families and they are the future leaders in their family businesses. With regard to the

objective of such courses I often say that it is not placement, but a place in society that is aimed at. This is not only the case with Symbiosis, but even many reputed B-Schools like Narsee Monjee are following such ideals.

Still, more students are in need of immediate jobs in a country like India, isn’t it?

Of course, and Symbiosis is not unaware of this fact. On the contrary, in order to serve such students better, we are starting a new institution – Symbiosis University of Skills & Open Education. This is coming up along the Mumbai Pune Highway, and is based on a Letter of Intent we have signed with Government of Maharashtra.

Construction is complete, and we will start operation this upcoming academic year or the next. While a focus on skills development would ensure faster placements, the Open or Distance Education mode will help the thousands of students who would prefer to work while studying.

Currently the country has only one Open University of high stature, which is the IGNOU in the government sector, and this would be a very effective player in skills and open education from the private sector.

As an educationalist and edupreneur who has achieved much, what remains your dream in Indian higher education?

My dream is that India shouldn’t imitate Western models in higher education, but evolve her own successful model.

We hear so much about not even one Indian institution being in the Top 200 Universities. It is ok to self-criticize but don’t self-condemn. There is no point in comparing any Indian university with Oxford, as it was founded in 1096, over 900 years back! Indian institutions have their own strengths like our values, traditional knowledge, centuries old wisdom etc. We should forge it with the best of West like their objectivity in Science & Technology, their focus on innovation etc, and come up with a new Indian model in higher education.

This is the dream we are pursuing at Symbiosis.

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G A D G E T S

MOST PROMISING FLAGSHIP PHONES OF 2017 Nokia 9, Xiaomi Mi 6, Samsung Galaxy S8, iPhone 8

The hype around Nokia devices is phenomenal as HMD Global is bringing them back from the brim of extinction. A few handsets, namely the Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6, have already hit stores in select countries. And now more handsets – Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and Nokia 9 – are in the offing. However, the Nokia 9 is the flagship and it will have to compete with the just-unveiled Samsung Galaxy S8 and the yet-tobe released Xiaomi Mi 6 and Apple's iPhone 8.

okia 9 is expected to be released in the second half of 2017. Reports have claimed that it could be launched either in late July or early August. It is expected to come with a price tag of •749 in Europe, $699 in the United States and Rs 44,999 in India.

It is almost certain that the Nokia 9 will take on some of the flagships of 2017, like the Samsung Galaxy S8, Xiaomi Mi 6 and Apple's iPhone 8.

The Nokia 9 is expected to have a new bezel-less design in the front, with dual cameras at the back. It is expected to come with features like an IP68 waterand-dust resistant certification, a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner and an OZO audio. Under the hood, it is expected to have a 5.5-inch QHD OLED display with a 1,440x2,560 resolution, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, and an Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system.

Reports also claim that the device will come packed with a 6GB RAM and a 64GB/128GB internal memory (with microSD card slot), mount a 22MP PDAF camera with Zeiss optics and a

Xiaomi Mi 6

Nokia 9

12MP front-snapper, and powered by a 3,800mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 support. On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 6 is expected to come in two variants. The regular model is expected to be priced at 2,299 Yuan (around $333 / Rs 21,800), sport a 5.15-inch display (1,920x1,080p resolution), powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, run Android Nougat OS, come packed with a 4GB/6GB RAM and a 32GB/64GB/128GB internal memory, mount a 19MP main camera with Sony IMX400 sensor and an 8MP frontsnapper, and house a 3,200mAH battery.

The other model, dubbed as the Mi 6 Plus, is expected to sport a 5.7-inch screen (2,560x1,440p resolution), powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, and run Android Nougat OS. It is also expected to feature a 4GB/ 6GB/8GB RAM, a 64GB/128GB/256GB internal storage, a 12MP dual lens camera with Sony IMX362 sensor on the rear, an 8MP front-snapper, and a 4,500mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 support.

It will be reportedly priced at 3,499 Yuan

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(around $508 / Rs 33,200).

Apple's iPhone 8 may be still months away before release but curiosity around it has started building up. It is expected to come in three variants, with an OLED screen, a new fingerprint ID solution, no physical button and with a wireless charger. The iPhone 8 is expected to sport a 4.7-inch display, iPhone 8 Plus with 5.5-inch screen, and a premium version with 5.8-inch display. The premium variant is expected to be priced at around $1,000 but key specifications are yet to be leaked.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 sports a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1,440x2,960 pixels (570 ppi pixel density), powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (US model) / Exynos 8895 processor (EMEA), and run Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. It features a 4GB RAM, a 64GB internal memory expandable by 256GB via microSD card, a 12MP main camera with f/1.7 aperture, 26mm lens, phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash, 1/2.5" sensor size, 1.4 μm pixel size and 9MP image recording,

FREE JIO FINALLY ENDS, SEE THE NEW PLANS JIO'S WORLD OF FREE SERVICES FINALLY CAME TO AN END ON APRIL 15.

ALTHOUGH SOME JIO SIMS ARE STILL WORKING, COMPANY HAS CLEARLY STATED THAT AFTER A STIPULATED PERIOD OF TIME SIMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECHARGED WITH ANY PLANS WILL BE DISCONNECTED.

Samsung Galaxy S8 an 8MP front snapper with f/1.7 aperture and autofocus, and a 3,000mAh battery. It is priced at $720 in the US (around •669 / Rs 46,706).

Going by the specifications leaked so far, it seems that the Nokia 9 will come with the best technology currently available in the market and would be priced less than the iPhone 8 and the Galaxy S8, and a little more than the Mi 6. There are chances that people would be more attached to the Nokia device as it was the market leader at one point in time. So it is likely to beat the major flagships of 2017, or at least give them a run for money.

iPhone 8

o what happens next? Jio is no more going to be free and you have to pay certain amount of money to the company to resume its services. Now, the problem is that the company has launched and abandoned so many plans, all on almost same timeline, that the users are left baffled.

Many have done the Rs 99 recharge and wondering what to do next while many have taken the Prime subscription but have opted for Rs 149 plan. Everything seems disoriented and unsettled. Well, here is your guide to Jio plans and options now.

First you have to accept the fact that Jio will be charging you now for whatever services you take. The company last week killed its Summer Surprise offer and introduced a new plan called Jio Dhan Dhana Dhan.

Though Jio has revoked its Summer Surprise Offer, users who have already subscribed to the plan before April 11 will continue getting the services until the validity period assured by Jio. Also users who taken plan of Rs 149 or below will be later offered given back as voucher. Jio has not specified the exact time of when will this voucher be given.

Others will have choose from the two

offers that come under Jio Dhan Dhana Dhan: one is for Prime users and the other for non-Prime members.

If you are a Prime user then you have an option to choose between 1GB 4G data per day and 2GB 4G data per day.

For 1GB data you have to pay Rs 309 while for 2GB it is Rs 509. Unlimited calls, SMSes and other Jio services are also included in the plans. The plan validity last for 84 days and this is only for one-time recharge as for subsequent recharges you get less data and less number of validity days.

Non-Prime members too have an option to choose between 1GB and 2GB data plan. For 1GB 4G data per day, you pay Rs 408 while for 2GB it is Rs 608. Free unlimited voice calls, SMSes and Jio bouquet of services are included in the plan and validity is for 84 days.

Just to sum it up, Jio Dhan Dhana Dhan plan in short is going to offer you 84 GB 4G data for nearly 3 months at Rs 309 if you are Prime members and opted for 1GB data cap. At the same time you get 168 GB 4G data if you are Prime user and go for 2GB data cap. NonPrime users will have to pay a little extra to avail Jio services and data. You will pay Rs 408 for 84GB and Rs 608 for 168 GB 4G data. Simple, ain't it?

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EARTH

EVEN USA UNPREPARED FOR A HUGE ASTEROID IMPACT A LARGE ASTEROID WILL PASS UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO EARTH AND THERE’S NOT MUCH NASA COULD HAVE DONE TO STOP IT HAD IT BEEN ON A COLLISION COURSE.

umanity’s best option to stop the asteroid would have been with a massive nuclear weapon, according to NASA scientists.

“I think that we would have tried very hard to launch an interceptor mission,” Dr. Joseph A. Nuth, a senior asteroid scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

“Given the short time to impact this would most likely have been a mission that would target the asteroid on close approach,” Nuth said. “My guess is that the mission would carry the largest nuclear device possible and would try to both disrupt the body and slow its approach.”

NASA’s nightmare scenarios is an asteroid on an impact course with Earth.

Nuth isn’t sure NASA could get a mission together in time to stop it. It could take five years just to build a spacecraft capable of the intercept.

“Given the short warning time, the mission might not work,” Nuth said. ” No design is available for such a mission so everything would be done ‘on the fly’ with little review or testing and probably no backup options. ‘Hail Mary passes’ do occasionally work however, so this attempt might work as well.”

The 2,000-foot-wide asteroid, called 2014-JO25, will miss Earth by 1.1 million miles. That sounds like a lot, but it’s close when it comes to distances in space. There is no possibility the asteroid will collide with Earth, and the last time an asteroid of comparable size SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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got this close was in 2004.

“This is the type of asteroid we should be worried about,” Lindley Johnson, NASA’s Planetary Defense Officer, told TheDCNF. “Not this one in particular, of course, since we spotted it 3 years ago and we now know that its orbit doesn’t put us in danger of an impact from it anytime for the foreseeable future. But even 3 years would have been too short of time to deflect it in space had it been of concern for impact.”

The asteroid’s orbit makes it very difficult to track, meaning a similar asteroid could sneak up on Earth. By the time scientists found the asteroid, it would probably be too late for an intercept mission to be launched, according to Johnson.

An asteroid the size of 2014-JO25 could devastate an entire continent if it hit Earth, even if it landed in the ocean.

“This asteroid is in the type of orbit, being highly elliptical, that is both hard for our current ground-based optical surveys to detect and observe it as it quickly whips through the inner solar system while near its closest distance to the sun, and is traveling at a relatively high velocity – about 33 kilometers per second,” Johnson said.

“It approaches Earth from the direction of the Sun, and our ground-based surveys can’t see it until it passes across Earth’s orbit and is headed back out to the main asteroid belt where it spends most of its orbital time,” Johnson said.

NASA and its European partners focus on finding objects of at least 459 feet in

diameter, which are large enough to devastate whole cities. This means they occasionally miss very small asteroids capable of doing a lot of damage. Such a small asteroid barely missed Earth in February, just hours after scientists first spotted it. The asteroid got within 32,200 miles of the Earth,or about 7.6 times closer than the moon.

“Frankly, we don’t know how many more objects like JO25 may be out there in space, and that is why we need to improve our current NEO detection and tracking capabilities,” Johnson concluded.

Congress approved $50 million for nearearth object observations and planetary defense in 2016, up from just $4 million in 2010. Global asteroid detection programs found more than 16,072 nearEarth objects of all sizes, according to International Astronomical Union.

In recent war games, NASA and other federal agencies were unable to deflect a simulated asteroid on course to hit Earth with four years of warning.

The “city-killer” asteroid ended up landing off the Southern California coast.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel were forced to coordinate a simulated mass evacuation of the Los Angeles area to mitigate the damages of a potential tsunami. In the event an asteroid does hit Earth, NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office would work with FEMA, the Department of Defense and other agencies to coordinate disaster responses.

H E A L T H

Cut Trans Fats to Cut Heart Attacks HOSPITALISATION FOR HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES IS LESS COMMON AMONG PEOPLE LIVING IN AREAS THAT RESTRICT TRANS FATS IN FOODS COMPARED TO RESIDENTS IN AREAS WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS, NEW RESEARCH HAS FOUND.

SALTY FOOD INCREASES HUNGER

“

Our study highlights the power of public policy to impact the cardiovascular health of a population,” said lead author Eric Brandt from Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, US. Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are commonly found in fried foods, chips, crackers and baked goods. Eating even minimal amounts is linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Some communities in the US - most notably New York City - have eliminated the use of trans fats in restaurants and eateries in recent years. To study the impact of restricting trans fats, researchers compared outcomes for people living in New York counties with and without the restrictions. Using data from the state department of health and census estimates between 2002 and 2013, the researchers focused on hospital admissions for heart attack and stroke.

They found that three or more years after the restrictions were implemented, people living in areas with the bans had significantly fewer hospitalizations for heart attack and stroke when compared to similar urban areas where no limits existed.

The decline for the combined conditions was 6.2 per cent, said the study published in the journal JAMA Cardiology.

“It is a pretty substantial decline,” Brandt said.

“The results are impressive, given that the study focused on trans fatty acid bans in restaurants, as opposed to complete bans that included food bought in stores,” senior author Tamar S. Polonsky, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago, added. “If we enact a more complete restriction on trans fatty acids, it could mean even more widespread benefits for people,” Polonsky said.

VER WONDERED, WHY YOU LOVE THOSE FRENCH FRIES WITH SPRINKLED SALT AND CANNOT KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF? IN FIRST OF ITS KIND, A STUDY FINDS THAT SALTY FOOD DIMINISHES THIRST AND INCREASES HUNGER, DUE TO A HIGHER NEED FOR ENERGY. THE RESULTS, PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, SHOWED SOMETHING DIFFERENT: SALT STAYED IN THE URINE, WHILE WATER MOVED BACK INTO THE KIDNEY AND BODY. "It's not solely a waste product, as has been assumed,? said one of the researcher Friedrich C. Luft from Delbr?ck Center for Molecular Medicine in Germany. "Instead, it turns out to be a very important osmolyte - a compound that binds to water and helps transport it. Its function is to keep water in when our bodies get rid of salt. Nature has apparently found a way to conserve water that would otherwise be carried away into the urine by salt,? Luft added. The team carried out a simulated mission to Mars and an international group of scientists found exactly the opposite to be true, where "Cosmonauts" who ate more salt retained more water, weren't as thirsty, and needed more energy. They divided participants in two groups of 10 male volunteers sealed into a mock spaceship for two simulated flights to Mars and were examined for 105 days.

The second group was sent for over 205 days.

Both the groups had identical diets and later they were given three different levels of salt in their food. The results confirmed that eating more salt led to a higher salt content in urine - no surprise there. Nor was there any surprise in a correlation between amounts of salt and overall quantity of urine. The findings suggest that the increase was not due to more drinking - in fact, a salty diet caused the participants to drink less. Salt was triggering a mechanism to conserve water in the kidneys.

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INTERNATIONAL

By Ranjana Srivastava for The Guardian

HOW DID DID HOW DR.BASHAR DR.BASHAR AL-ASSAD AL-ASSAD BECOME A A BECOME MASS MASS MURDERER MURDERER

“I don’t get it. Aren’t doctors supposed to help people?”

he heart-wrenchingly succinct statement goes to the heart of my own dismay at the appalling crisis in Syria. More than 400,000 dead, most recently in a nerve gas attack. Six million citizens internally displaced. Five million refugees fled to neighbouring countries.

An entire country in spasms. And to add to the unspeakable tragedy, at the hands of a president who used to be a doctor.

Not just a theoretical doctor, not one of those who enrolled in medical school but never touched a patient. No, Bashar al-Assad was a proper doctor who by all accounts was personable and polite.

Since it’s too late to switch channels, I say something benign. But the footage continues, leaving her to conclude, “I guess not all doctors save lives.”

A doctor who studied first at the prestigious Damascus University, then committed to post-graduate training and finally went to London to gain further experience in ophthalmology, a niche

Preparing dinner, I bite my tongue as images of the latest atrocity in Syria flashes on the screen.

“Isn’t he a doctor too?” my daughter asks.

“Yes,” I cringe at the “too” and rededicate myself to the carrots.

But she knows that conversations about medicine are usually far more animated in our household and immediately sniffs out my reticence.

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medical specialty with many aspirants and limited places. A doctor whose boss recalled him as humble and whom nurses thought exemplary in reassuring anxious patients about to undergo anaesthetic.

To his medical class he was unassuming, seemingly unaffected by his status.

Perhaps he had secured admission in the way of other entitled offspring, through power and privilege, but he seemed to be at ease with the responsibilities of being a doctor.

Some classmates kept their distance, wary of the dictator-father’s long reach.

Some suspected he didn’t have it in him to be a leader, but then, the world needs good followers and it would have been quite normal for Assad to have settled in a leafy corner of London and practised his craft.

Not necessarily

groundbreaking stuff, but solid, dependable, everyday medicine that relieved the suffering of many. No one thought he would turn out a mass murderer.

Upon becoming president, he returned to London with his glamorous and accomplished wife, herself a cardiologist’s daughter, who presumably possessed insight into a doctor’s obligations. At his old eye hospital, he looked longingly at a slit-lamp and fondly recalled his medical training.

When he was recalled home, Syria was in the grips of a rebellion, Sunni fighting Shia against a backdrop of roiling tensions in the Middle East. Perhaps Assad, the urbane, London-educated ophthalmologist who spoke of Syria’s “own democratic experience”, would be the people’s advocate, the agent of change. But alas, the Damascus spring didn’t last and Assad the kindly doctor transformed into Assad the feared killer.

Revulsion at the horrific abuses perpetrated by the Nazi doctors – Josef Mengele most infamous among them – led to the development of the Nuremberg Code, which govern the ethics of human experimentation.

Radovan Karad•ic was a psychiatrist and a poet before being convicted of genocide in the former Yugoslavia.

British doctor Harold Shipman injected lethal drugs into more than 200 patients, and American cardiologist Conrad Murray was convicted of homicide after injecting Michael Jackson with the anaesthetic agent, propofol.

History has witnessed other doctors turned rogue but Assad’s attack on his own people is staggering by any standard. He has gone from bombing civilians to destroying entire hospitals, and whatever and whoever lies in their wake. Nearly 800 medical personnel have been killed and many others detained and tortured. Four hundred medical facilities lie in ruins, their hapless occupants either dead or badly injured.

Doctors around the world regard Assad’s deeds with dismay and horror Entire cities have been left without medical aid, turning treatable injuries into fatal wounds. The United Nations has pleaded that “even war has rules” but experts say that no previous war has

witnessed such deliberate, systematic targeting of medical facilities and health professionals.

It defies belief, but in a way it makes sense, that a doctor who once felt the pulse of people, knows that the way to still that pulse is by aiming his strongest weapons at the hospitals that keep people alive and give them hope. It would take a doctor to predict the psychological devastation and desperate surrender of a people robbed of gauze for a bleeding wound, antibiotics for a festering sore, surgery for a lodged bullet.

There are interesting views on how someone who once pledged to save lives could so wantonly destroy them.

Perhaps he is striving to prove himself to his dead father who had openly favoured his older son who died in a car accident while Assad was becoming an ophthalmologist. The younger Assad was teased for being interested in human blood rather than the blood of politics – this is the revenge of the bullied.

Or more chillingly, all that medical training was just a show and behind the suave specialist lay a murderer who always had the measure of his power.

Medical training necessarily inures doctors to pain and suffering: imagine how inefficient a doctor would be if he faltered at a patient’s every tear and cried over every wound. Part of becoming a good doctor is to learn to stand back enough to help, but most doctors experience a continual tightrope in maintaining a professional boundary while being empathetic. Perhaps Assad just dumped the empathy while fortifying the boundary.

Doctors around the world regard Assad’s deeds with dismay and horror. They know how many of their colleagues

leave medicine for far, far smaller reasons than killing a patient. Most doctors can’t bear having a stain on their conscience for missing a diagnosis or misprescribing a drug, never mind that the patient wasn’t even hurt. Doctors take their own lives at the mere thought that they did something wrong. It beggars belief that someone who was once one of them could so systematically and remorselessly kill his own classmates and their patients.

History will diagnose Assad one day but in the meantime, when I see my Syrian patients I can’t help wondering whether to just treat their illness or acknowledge their deeper wounds. Their fragility is obvious as is their concern and shame.

Assad’s crimes against humanity seem distant until they are personalised in the form of a son, a mother, a neighbour.

The easiest answer is to feel helpless and stay silent but it just doesn’t feel right.

Another is to express solidarity with our fellow human beings even as they live unrecognisable lives in distant lands.

This, too, can feel inadequate in the face of punitive government policies. A third is to support the courageous professionals and the organisations that are determined to stay put in Syria against the odds. Most of us won’t go to Syria because we are not skilled or capable of working in dangerous and impoverished settings. But we can be effective through donating to credible charities, such as the Red Cross, The White Helmets and Médecins Sans Frontières, who can channel our aid where it is needed.

Our gestures can seem insignificant in the face of so great a tragedy but I hope it says to the Syrian people that while their own doctor president has given up on them, the rest of the world has not.

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INVESTMENT

10 REASONS

John Antony

WHY COCHIN SHIPYARD IPO IS PROMISING

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) the largest shipyard in India by dock-size and the second-largest by revenue is preparing for its IPO. The only consistently profitable shipbuilder in the country, CSL has recently filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP). The proposal is to issue an IPO of 3,39,84,000 equity shares of Rs.10 each amounting to an equity capital of Rs.33.984 crore. It comprises fresh issue of 2,26,56,000 equity shares and sale of the Government of India’s stake in the yard worth 1,13,28,000 equity shares of Rs.10, both through a public offering in the domestic market. Market sources say that CSL is looking to raise an estimated Rs 1,500 crore from the maiden public offering. The IPO would value Cochin Shipyard at an estimated Rs 4,000 crore. Seasonal Magazine takes an inside look at the strengths of this shipbuilder and its IPO.

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COCHIN SHIPYARD IS INDIA’S LARGEST LARGEST PUBLIC SECTOR SHIPYARD

BY DOCK CAPACITY, AND REFLECTING THIS MARKET LEADERSHIP GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT CSL SHOULD BE THE FIRST OF FIVE STATE-OWNED SHIPBUILDING COMPANIES TO BE PUBLICLY LISTED.

Rare Capabilities

Cochin Shipyard has been building India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for the Indian Navy. No other shipyard in the public or private sector has ever been commissioned for such a work by India or foreign countries. Only four countries have ever been able to build an aircraft carrier on their own - USA, UK, France, & Russia. India is joining this select club thanks to the expertise of Cochin Shipyard and Indian Navy.

The 262 metre long Vikrant has been launched into the waters 3 years back, and is now at phase-II of construction.

Countries needing aircraft carriers are on the rise, and growth potential is huge as only 12 countries own such carriers now.

Market Leadership

Cochin Shipyard is the only major shipbuilder under Ministry of Shipping.

All other major PSU shipbuilders come under Ministry of Defence. In the private sector, there are around 5 to 7 major shipbuilders including new projects that have come up in later years. Cochin Shipyard is India’s largest largest public sector shipyard by dock capacity, and reflecting this market leadership government has decided that CSL should be the first of five state-owned shipbuilding companies to be publicly listed. By business size or revenue, CSL is the second largest shipyard in India, next only to Mazagon Dock which comes under Ministry of Defence.

Wide Portfolio of Products & Services Cochin Shipyard’s portfolio of products and services encompasses all the four major operations at a modern ship making yard, which are commercial ship building and defence ship building, and commercial ship repairs and defence or naval ship repairs.CSL can build practically any kind of vessel, including complex vessels for the oil & gas sector, and if the sector again witnesses an increase in demand due to rising crude prices, CSL will stand to gain. The PSU shipbuilder has time and again proved that it can rapidly meet demands for more and more specialized SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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customizations that shipping companies demand these days.

shipbuilder has been able to squeeze out the last drop to get results.

Consistent Profitability

Steady Growth

Cochin Shipyard is the only shipbuilder in the country – both in the public and private sector – that has been consistently profit-making during the past five years. It is a commendable achievement as during this period, international and Indian shipping industry has been severely hit due to the double whammy of global financial crisis and the later rout in oil prices.

Cochin Shipyard has maintained its profitability by tweaking its product-mix as well as by tightening of internal controls. It will be heartening for the market to know that even in a bad market for shipping industry this

Cochin Shipyard’s revenue or top-line has grown at a compounded rate of 9.25% per year from FY2011-12 to FY2015-16, as per draft papers. Its profit has grown at a CAGR of 16.47% in the same period. Cochin Shipyard’s current order book is around Rs. 4500 crore now. Cochin Shipyard is focused on delivering the maximum within deadlines, and on continually refilling the order book. Favourable market trends for CSL include Central Government’s Make-in-India program and the focus on Defence infrastructure. The fastest growing segment for Cochin Shipyard is ship

repairs on the defence or naval side.

Professional Management Cochin Shipyard Ltd is a Category 1 Miniratna PSU under Ministry of Shipping headed by Minister Nitin Gadkari, and it has has a 170 acres campus at Kochi, Kerala. Cochin Shipyard Ltd is headed by Madhu S Nair as Chairman & Managing Director. A postgraduate naval architect from Japan’s Osaka University, which is incidentally top-ranked for this niche subject, he currently heads a 1800people strong team of ship designers, engineers, builders, managers, and support staff at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). Madhu S Nair, CMD, has been a CSL veteran for the past 28 years, having

Cochin Shipyard’s portfolio of products and services encompasses all the four major operations at a modern ship making yard, which are commercial ship building and defence ship building, and commercial ship repairs and defence or naval ship repairs.

Market sources say that CSL is looking to raise an estimated Rs 1,500 crore from the maiden public offering.

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headed its marketing operations in Europe too.

Impressive Expansion Plans Part of the IPO proceeds, that is from the fresh issue of new shares, will go for part-funding two major expansion plans of Cochin Shipyard - a larger third dry dock, and a new international ship repair facility (ISRF). The planned larger

The IPO would value Cochin Shipyard at an estimated Rs 4,000 crore.

dry dock will open up segments like LNG vessels, new Suezmax / Aframax vessels, jack-up rigs, submersible repairs etc. It is a dock that will be 310 metre long, and it is a step dock with 75 by 60 metres, able to handle ships that are up to 40% bigger. The ISRF will have its own berthing spaces, six workstations on a ship-lift, and every modern facility, and will position Kochi as a major ship repair hub.

Admirable Labour Relations While some trade unions continue to agitate against Cochin Shipyard’s imminent IPO, it needs to be mentioned that despite being in traditionally leftist Kerala, CSL has enjoyed excellent labour relations. There has not been a single day of strike during the past thirty years by CSL’s own workers. This is a record, especially in a state like Kerala.

Cochin Shipyard appreciates the contribution of its employees and the company has set aside 8.24 lakh shares for its 1800-odd employees in the IPO. As per the regulatory filings, the IPO will

also offer a five per cent discount on the final price for the shares offered to employees.

New Exciting Products

Cochin Shipyard has recently entered the Ferry or passenger ships segment.

They have been contracted for making four ferries for the Andaman. Two of them will have passenger capacity of 1200 and two are of 500 capacity. While CSL will do the design side, some strong European companies are also partnering with the shipyard in this contract. Once these vessels come into the market, industry is sure to notice the quality of CSL products. Around 90% of the world ferry market is in Europe, with the rest scattered elsewhere. With this order CSL is opening up the ferry market for India.

Favourable Trends Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has been a strong promoter of coastal and inland transportation. Coastal transportation using ferries is one such area. If such systems come in India, people can travel from, say, Kochi to Mumbai in around 36 hours, enjoying the best of a sea voyage, yet at very reasonable cost. There are these roll-on / roll-off or ROPAX vessels in Europe, where passengers can even drive in their cars or SUVs, use the same for local travel at the destination city, and come back in that ferry the same way. ROPAX vessels are also intended for cargo like transporting new cars etc and this has recently reached Kochi port too. Such trends are favourable for Cochin Shipyard’s future growth.

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FORD FIGO S VS VOLKSWAGEN POLO VS MARUTI SUZUKI BALENO VS HYUNDAI I20 ord has launched the sport version of their long trusted model, Figo. Following is spec comparison of the Figo S with the Polo, i20 and Baleno Ford has launched the sport version of their long trusted model, Figo. The Figo S has a sharper design and features sports set up suspension and wider tyres. The car has been given list of new features inside and out. Launched at prices

starting Rs 631,900 (1.2L Petrol Titanium), the Figo S competes with other hatchbacks in the segment on sale in India. Following is a comparison of Ford's latest offering with Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai i20 and Maruti Suzuki Baleno.

POWER Figo S Ford Figo S is available with a choice of two powertrains - 1.2L TiVCT petrol engine, generating a peak power of 86.7 hp and claimed fuel efficiency of 18.12 kmpl and 1.5L TDCi diesel engine that generates power of 98.6 hp and claimed fuel efficiency of 24.29 kmpl. The engines are paired to five-speed manual transmission.

Polo The Polo comes with two engine options - a three cylinder 1.2L MPI engine that produces 73.9 hp at 5400 rpm and 110 Nm at 3750 rpm and a four-cylinder 1.5L TDI engine that makes 88.8 hp at

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4200 rpm and 230 Nm of torque at 2500 rpm. Both engines are paired to a fivespeed manual.

Baleno The Baleno is powered by a 1248cc diesel engine that makes 190 Nm of torque and 74 hp, and a p1197cc petrol engine that makes 83 hp and 115 Nm of torque. The petrol engine is paired to a five-speed manual or a CVT.

i20 The Elite i20 has three engines on offer - a 1.4L CRDi diesel engine that produces 88.7 hp and 220 Nm of torque, a 1.4L MPi engine that makes increased power of 98.6 hp and 132.3 Nm of torque and a 1.2L MPi engine that makes 81.8 hp and 114.7 Nm of torque. The diesel engine is paired to a six-speed manual gearbox, while the petrol engines come with five-speed manual transmission.

FEATURES Figo The Figo S comes with dual tone exteriors – roof & ORVMs, sporty grille, black inset on headlamp bezel and dynamic graphics on the sides and rear.

On the inside, it gets sports themed allblack interiors with stitched seats.

The sports edition also features MyFord Dock - a first-in-class feature, that offers a solution for storing, mounting and charging mobile phones, MP3 player, and satellite navigation systems, and for integrating these devices into the car’s entertainment system. When not in use, the dock can be closed out of sight.

In terms of safety, Figo S has been given front dual airbags along with ABS, EBD and EPAS as standard. It will be available in five different colours.

Polo The Polo gets a dual-tone interior theme and dimming ambient lighting. The top trim of the Polo comes with automatic air conditioner, automatic rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, touchscreen infotainment system and

cruise control.

In terms of safety, the Polo has dual front airbags, ABS and rear fog lamps as standard.

Baleno The infotainment system on a Baleno supports Apple CarPlay, and the steering wheel has mounted controls for audio, phone and navigation. The car also features voice command. Dual front airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners and ABS are standard across all variants.

i20 In terms of safety, the car features ABS, auto headlight control (turns on headlamps at night and turns them off when there is ample light) and smart pedal (during simultaneous operation of the brakes & acceleration pedal, the smart pedal overrides the accelerator pedal & applies brake only). Along with this, there are six airbags and rear defogger. The i20 comes with a cooled glove box, a large touch responsive infotainment system, automatic air conditioning and the steering wheel is adjustable. It has steering amounted audio and phone controls, parking sensors and a rear AC vent.

PRICE The Figo S has been priced at Rs 6.32 lakh for the 1.2L petrol Titanium and Rs 7.22 lakh for the 1.5L diesel Titanium variant. Prices for the Baleno ranges from Rs 5.28 lakh to Rs 8.69 lakh. The Polo is priced at Rs 5.46 lakh for the base model and Rs 9.21 lakh for the top trim. The base variant of the i20 is priced at Rs 5.35 lakh, while the top model sells at Rs 9.07 lakh. (All prices are exshowroom, Delhi.)

R E A L T Y

Karnataka to Usher in New Realty Law, Homebuyers to Benefit KARNATAKA IS SET TO NOTIFY THE REAL ESTATE (REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT) ACT

BY MAY 1. THE CENTRE BROUGHT IN THE RERA ACT, 2016, TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF HOME BUYERS AND ASKED ALL STATES TO ADOPT IT WITHIN SIX MONTHS. those projects that were launched after the Act comes into force from May 1 this year be brought under the ambit of the State's Act.

dilly-dallying Karnataka will now expedite the process to notify the rules. "We are in the last stage of the process to notify the draft rules and bring in the legislation by May 1, as mandated by the central Act," said Rajeev Chawla, additional chief secretary to the housing department.

But Chawla said the government is bound to implement the Act from May 1 and they will make an interim arrangement till the new body is set up and a fullfledged office is established. He said the states have no power to dilute the provisions of the Centre's Act to favour builders.

State housing minister M Krishnappa said he will hold a meeting this week to finalize the draft before placing it before the cabinet. Only a few states have adopted the Act so far. The Karnataka government had notified RERA draft rules last year.

Official sources said implementation of the RERA Act may get delayed because the government is showing no hurry to notify the rules and set up the regulatory body, as mandated in the RERA Act. This, they said, was because the government was under pressure from small builders, especially those involving MLAs from Bengaluru, who

are seeking relaxation of certain stringent norms incorporated under the Centre's Act. They want time to give possession of housesflats to buyers to avoid penalty provision under RERA for delayed delivery, and want the state government to notify rules in such a manner that only

The big real estate developers are hoping that the new Act will stabilize the housing market by throwing out illegal players. "RERA will put a lot of unorganized players out of the market as they will not be able to start any project before they have all the requisite certificates with them. This will create a trust in home buyers.But at the same time, property prices are expected to see an appreciation of 15-20%," said Suresh Hari, secretary, Credai-Bengaluru.

Xiaomi Mi 5 gets a 20% discount Not impressed with the current selection of 2017 flagship smartphones, or simply can’t fathom paying $700 or more for a new device? If that’s you, a 20% discount on the 64GB Xiaomi Mi 5 may cheer you up. The device is selling for $239.99 in the US or •219.08 in Europe (free shipping included). To top things off, you also get free international shipping.

For that price, you get a phone which was considered to be one of the best devices released in 2016. The Xiaomi Mi 5 is packed with a 5.15-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 16MP Sony IMX298 camera on the back with 4-axis optical image stabilization, 4MP front-facing camera with 2μm-pixels (that’s the same pixel size as HTC’s original UltraPixel camera), fingerprint sensor, USB-C with Quick Charge 3.0, NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 and a 3,000mAh battery.

The discounted $239.99 price of the Xiaomi Mi 5 won’t last long, so we suggest you act fast!

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C R I C K E T

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Carl Jaison

THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE – THE UNRIVALLED POSTER BOY OF T20 FRANCHISE CRICKET – WAS BORN 10 YEARS AGO AMID EUPHORIC CELEBRATIONS FOLLOWING INDIA’S WORLD CUP TRIUMPH. IT IS IRONICAL THAT IT TOOK INSPIRATION FROM THE NBA AND TODAY HAS SURPASSED IT IN TERMS OF AVERAGE ATTENDANCE BY ALMOST DOUBLE THE MARGIN AND HAS BECOME THE 6TH MOST WATCHED SPORTS LEAGUE IN THE WORLD, JUST BEHIND HEAVYWEIGHT LEAGUES LIKE THE EPL & NFL.

he first three matches of IPL 2017 reached 185.7 million viewers, almost 15% higher than last year. It is likely to rake in more revenues in advertisements, with the estimated ad income set to rise to Rs 1,300 crore from Rs 1,200 crore earned last year. The total brand value of the IPL has jumped to $ 4.16 billion and contributed $ 11.5 billion to the GDP. But the IPL has evolved from being a mere substitute to those miserable Indian TV soaps to being a viable alternative for the cinema-crazy public (In 2017 AD, even the TV is being shunned in favor of live streaming matches online on smartphones!)

Initially, if the IPL represented an item SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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song in the Indian psyche, it would be fitting to argue that within a decade, it has acquired the makings of a full-length feature film with an ever widening star cast. In many ways, the IPL’s impact on cricket is similar to the liberalization reforms introduced to the Indian economy and the political climate of the early 1990s. The continuous rut of international cricket (socialism) and the idol-centric fanfare (The Indira & Rajiv years) were replaced with “borderless” cricket (globalization) and the impact made by lesser known talent (like how coalitions governments have become the norm in electoral terms).

grandiose epic, perhaps like the hit drama series Game of Thrones.

The very first edition of the IPL had its fair share of controversies. As is most often the case in India, politicians would latch onto anything they believe is against “Indian sensibilities”. Only this time the cheerleaders, who are a regular feature in most sporting events world over, were at the receiving end of their “sanskari” ire. They were even banned in certain stadiums and people were left to rue the political interference so early

world took notice of the league’s growing popularity and laid the foundation for globalizing the T20 format. There was also plenty of reason to cheer for all the franchise owners as they made a profit for the first time with the Raj Kundra-Shilpa Shetty owned Rajasthan Royals alone getting returns close to Rs. 35 crores.

The 2010 season was unique in several ways. It was the first time that matches were broadcast live on Youtube in order to harness the booming digital wave that

The steady injection of money (and rejection of Lalit Modi) saw to it that the cash-rich tournament remained a lucrative offering for local players, corporate bigwigs and even for its newer playing venues situated in Tier-2 cities.

The IPL is no longer dependent on the personalities of the marquee players as much as it is reliant on the perpetual six-hitting hysteria by the batsmen in order to rake in the crowds. As the IPL enters an exciting phase of its chequered journey, Seasonal Magazine takes a sneak peek into the highs & lows of the adolescent league.

While India ushered in another set of legislation, namely the GST, set to impact the economy, it becomes worthwhile to note that the IPL could also benefit from some wholesome changes with respect to attracting a truly global audience. The involvement of Afghan players is a heartening exercise and perhaps the first step towards taking cricket outside its traditional strongholds & moving away from the revenue surety offered by Indian brands by expanding to other markets.

But, as recent trends seem to suggest, will the IPL also fall prey to an antiglobalization backlash and a yearning for the return of cricket to its pristine form? Exit polls, as we have seen, may have turned out to be damp squibs but the overriding sentiment is in favor of IPL taking the world by storm and developing into a truly international, SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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into the tournament. However, it was the Sreesanth-Harbhajan saga that left everyone scratching their heads: Sree was reportedly slapped by his fellow Indian teammate at the end of the match and was expelled from the rest of the tournament. Arguably, a first in Indian cricket. Was this to be accepted as the new normal? Although the incident was quickly brushed under the carpet, it was an unfortunate blot in the league’s inaugural season.

The 2009 IPL season was shifted to South Africa, courtesy a clash of dates with the Indian general elections that year. Again, politicians reminded us that they were second to none. However, it was to be a blessing in disguise as the

was gripping the country. Yet again, the IPL was forced to succumb to political whims with matches being moved out of Hyderabad. This was attributed to the possibility of unrest due to a Telangana state succession. IPL also welcomed the “rebel” cricketers for the first time from the now-defunct ICL including Kiwi speedster Shane Bond as the BCCI flexed its muscles enough to justify its supreme authority over cricket matters in India. The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee would later give the BCCI a taste of its own medicine.

Following the 26/11 attacks and the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, security was beefed up in all stadiums in India but it still couldn’t

prevent the detonation of bombs in the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

Former cricketers Sir Ian Botham, Brian Lara, Steve Waugh and Shaun Pollock urged the players not to give in to terrorism by opting out of the league.

Although there were no major casualties, the IPL quickly gained traction as a vulnerable target for terror outfits.

Once established, the IPL started with its expansionary goals in an effort to spread the league to a far greater base.

This was manifested through the addition of two new IPL teams – Pune Warriors India & Kochi Tuskers Kerala for the 2011 season. However, having begun just weeks after India’s historic world cup victory, both the fans and players were emotionally drained and fatigue resulted in low TRPs in the early stages of the tournament. As the season panned out, the teams battled it out fiercely to boost enthusiasm among fans. Many uncapped players like Paul Valthaty, Swapnil Asnodkar, Kamran Khan became household names but soon frittered away. As for Kamran Khan, the last he was heard of was when he was working on his father’s field as a farmer and not playing any active cricket. The news shocked many, including the man who first identified his immense talent, Shane Warne.

The following editions continued to throw surprises as IPL franchises got embroiled in ownership issues leading to the termination of Kochi Tuskers Kerala. 5 players, all of them uncapped, were charge sheeted for match fixing.

TVR plunged to even lower levels with the overdose of T20 cricket taking a toll on viewers (the 2012 edition received 18.7% less viewership than the previous season). Shah Rukh Khan, the owner of the KKR team, was banned from entering the Wankhede stadium for 5 years after a heated altercation with security officials there. Luke Pomersbach, a RCB player, was arrested

on charges of rape of an American woman and assaulting her fiancé. Rahul Sharma and Wayne Parnell were busted at a rave party in Pune and was tested positive for drugs. The IPL began to turn into a liability and earned a bad reputation for these incidents. On the brighter side, the 2012 edition was regarded as the most competitive as it witnessed the most number of tightly fought contests with 19 matches producing results in the very last over.

agnostic parts of the country and earned the BCCI some respite from the barrage of criticisms.

The 2013 edition marked the end of DLF’s title sponsorship, which was bought by PepsiCo for a period of 5 years. 2009 champions, Deccan Chargers were disbanded and were renamed as a new entity called Sunrisers Hyderabad under a new ownership.

This time, political events from across the sea, prevented Sri Lankan players from participating in IPL matches in Chennai as a sign of protest condemning the ethnic violence against Tamils.

However, the incident that really shook the edifice of the IPL, and by extension the BCCI, was the arrest of Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan & S Sreesanth for spotfixing charges. The three were later acquitted but it opened a can of worms from which the BCCI top brass could never really exonerate itself.

Regardless of being India’s best known sports commodity, today the IPL has transcended sports or even current affairs and is embedded in the social system, a replication of our culture – one that embodies all that we as Indians either hold dear or choose to shun. As the renowned sports lawyer Desh Gaurav Sekhi once remarked, “the IPL has taken all of Indian society, thrown it into a blender, shaken it with some olives, and served it as a heady cocktail of intrigue, sport, games, controversy and general entertainment”.

N Sreenivasan’s arrogant refusal to step down, until charges of his nephew Gurunath Meiyappan’s involvement in the scandal were proven, tarnished the image of the BCCI leading to a vociferous public campaign to clean up India’s all-powerful cricket body. For a tournament that thrived on mass public backing, it didn’t take too long for people to turn against the box office success that had put India on the pinnacle of cricketing dominance.

In 2014, the Indian elections yet again came to haunt the IPL organizers and the early phase of the tournament was shifted to UAE. There were mounting tensions between the BCCI and state associations after Lalit Modi was made chairman of RCA resulting in the removal of Jaipur as an IPL venue. Much of IPL’s cricket action took a backseat in terms of the headlines but when news broke of Yuvraj’s record-transfer to Delhi Daredevils for a whopping Rs. 16 crores, the focus shifted back to the 22yards. The Fanpark initiative helped in bringing the IPL to hitherto cricket-

In its 9th edition – the tournament was played without two of its most successful teams, CSK and RR: both outfits banned by the SC-appointed Lodha Committee following their involvement in the spotfixing and betting scandal. In their place, Gujarat Lions & Rising Pune Supergiants made their IPL debuts.

Put simply the IPL is an entity that is fashionable to dislike, but at the same time, is a regrettable necessity for Indian society. It’s a necessity because it embraces so much of Indian culture that it is now synonymous with it. It’s a regrettable necessity because it has been stature-blind in its ability to jilt careers, cause scandal and perhaps also distract exam-goers and pressurize family breadwinners!

Given the immense footprint of the league, the only obstacle in its way was itself, and as frequently happens, it has managed to trip itself up numerous times. While there is much to scrutinize about the murky underbelly of the IPL and its perceived credibility gap, the T20 league is larger than life, and twice as loud.

Leaving aside its controversy-prone existence, the IPL’s astounding popularity can guarantee itself a fantastic future and do wonders for the sport.

Only the most cynical will dismiss it as a mere racket or a fad. The roster of each squad conjures up the image of a sumptuous buffet, which remains the main USP of the IPL. The following players might well turn out to be the season’s special items or like the proverbial “icing on the cake” for their respective team’s fortunes.

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Batsman: Yuvraj Singh

SUNRISERS HYDERABAD Ever since his wedlock late last year, the flamboyant left-hander has had many reasons to cheer about. From notching up a long awaited ODI century to scoring quick-fire cameos in the ongoing IPL, Yuvi back in his elements.

His straight-batted six of Umesh Yadav underscored the old saying ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’. His resourcefulness as a part-time left-arm spinner is also legendary, dating back to the 2nd edition of the IPL when he secured a thrilling hat-trick. With Yuvi slowly getting back into his zone, SRH have in their ranks, not just a valuable all-rounder, but a proven match-winner.

Batsman: Brendan McCullum Who can forget his whirlwind knock of 158 against RCB in the IPL opener way back in 2008? Brash, brutal and brilliant to watch, Brendon McCullum can bruise bowling attacks like few other men in international cricket. A wicketkeeper-batsman, he was responsible for getting the IPL off to an electrifying start, lighting up the tournament's first match and showing what the format had to offer.

His knock against Australia in a Twenty20 international, where he brazenly scooped 155 kph offerings from Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes over the wicketkeeper's head at Christchurch in 2009-10, is regarded as one of the best T20 innings ever. Regardless of his natural wicket-keeping abilities, McCullum is also a remarkable outfielder and has plucked some outstanding catches at the boundary, almost defying gravitational laws.

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GUJARAT LIONS

Bowler: Mustafizur Rahman Fondly referred to as “Fizz”, the Bangladeshi bowling spearhead has catapulted his country to some exciting wins in recent seasons. His uncanny action, in addition to his mesmerizing variations, makes him a potent threat to deal with for most batsmen. However, even with his recent exploits in national colours, Mustafizur is already a household name in the IPL community having shown his mettle by scalping 17 wickets in SRH’s successful campaign last year. He is best remembered for his lethal yorker to KKR all-rounder Andre Russell and will once again look to bring the best in business down on their knees.

Bowler: Basil Thampi Knocking out Steve Smith, yorking Chris Gayle and rattling Keiron Pollard, Basil has already impressed everyone with his ability to generate pace off a quick-arm action. David Warner even handed Basil his shoe after the latter had fallen in his bowling follow-through! Like many Kerala boys, Basil was almost off to the Gulf for work a few years ago, to support his family. The young, tearaway fast bowler was persuaded to stay back and got enrolled at the MRF Pace Foundation, after which he has never looked back. His prime strength lies in his ability to clock the 140 km/h mark without breaking a sweat. He’s also got a nasty yorker ball in his arsenal, earning him the prized-wicket of Chris Gayle. In a rather pedestrian bowling attack, Basil has been the lone bright spot for the Gujarat Lions and looks well on course to knock on the selector’s doors for a senior team call-up.

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Batsman: Virat Kohli

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE

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There is no mountain too high to climb for India’s new commander-in-chief. He is the No. 1 ranked T20 batsman and he was in his brutal best when he single-handedly launched RCB into the IPL playoffs last year, notching up 4 tons in the process.

However, success for the franchise hasn’t gone beyond this. After stuttering at the final hurdle in 3 seasons, including a heartbreaking loss to SRH in the final last year, Kohli will need to ensure a title challenge for their loyal supporters. As usual, RCB has struggled to find the right combination resulting in massive defeats but Kohli knows that his team has the firepower to go all the way. The team & fans, on the other hand, will be gearing up for yet another Kohli onslaught!

Bowler: Yuzvendra Chahal Although he may look pocket-sized, Chahal bowls with a large heart. After his brilliant 6/25 display in the T20 decider against England, the feisty leg-spinner is the go-to man for his captain in the most crunch situations. He is also the darling of the RCB fans who have elevated him to a level alongside Chris

Gayle, AB De Villiers, Virat Kohli etc. The most striking aspects about his bowling are his consistency and courage to toss the ball up to the batsman, both markers of a blossoming spinner.

He’s been their highest wicket-taker in the last two seasons and will be hoping to unsettle batsmen with his wily leg-breaks.

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Batsman: Rishabh Pant The swashbuckling left-hander has left everyone awe-struck with his explosive batting.

After his epic 57-run knock against RCB went in vain, many came to learn the news about his father’s demise only days before. His resilience in the midst of a personal tragedy was lauded by all with renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle remarking that ‘there’s something special about him’. Pant is actually not a new kid on the block. He’s been a prolific run-scorer since age-level cricket days and a fruitful Ranji Trophy season earned him a call up to the senior national team. However, it was his pyrotechnics in the U-19 World Cup which won him accolades. Pant, along with his DD teammate Sanju Samson are serious contenders to take over from MS Dhoni in the limited overs games. Until then, Pant will just continue to make the ball soar high into the stands.

Bowler: Pat Cummins The lanky Australian fast bowler hasn’t looked back since making his first-class debut in 2011 for New South Wales.

He picked seven wickets on his Test debut and topped the wicket-takers’ chart in his maiden Big Bash League.

Sure enough, he became the youngest player to receive a central contract with Cricket Australia. In the last two test matches against India, Cummins replaced the injured Mitchell Starc and bowled with rapid pace and venom, proving that he is shaping up to become the next Brett Lee of Australian cricket.

Like Lee, Cummins has the ability to use the long handle to good effect making him a reliable pinch hitter in the death overs.

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Batsman: Manish Pandey KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

While it is true that Manish Pandey’s name has been doing the rounds ever since he became the first Indian centurion in the IPL, it is equally strange that his career hasn’t picked up as much as he would have liked.

While it took one spectacular innings to thrust him into the limelight, Pandey’s only other notable knock was a matchwinning ODI century against Australia in the CB series. He was unlucky to miss out on a berth due to an excess of talented middle order batsmen in the Indian lineup. Pandey will be hoping to impress upon the selectors that he belongs to the top league as he’s already a mainstay in KKR’s scheme of things.

Bowler: Sunil Narine Another West Indian who needs no introduction in this part of the world. This ‘mystery spinner’ from the Caribbean took IPL 2012 by storm and terrorised batsmen across all teams with his unique skills. Picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders after a successful 2011 CLT20 for Trinidad & Tobago, Narine finished IPL 2012 as the Player of the Tournament with 24 wickets at a miserly 5.47 runs per over. He was the single most prominent reason for KKR’s IPL triumph and was retained by the franchise ahead of the 2014 Player Auction. He continues to be skipper Gautam Gambhir’s go-to bowler in all situations.

With a refined and modified bowling action, Narine would be looking to work wonders like the previous editions.

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Batsman: Nitish Rana

MUMBAI INDIANS

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An attacking left-handed batsman from Delhi, Rana has put up meaningful contributions in the List A circuit and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year apart from being the top run-getter for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. Over the years, Mumbai Indians have invested in and encouraged young openers like Shikhar Dhawan, Aditya Tare, Unmukt Chand etc to play their natural game. Currently, Nitish Rana stands to benefit from the freedom given by his franchise to play a fearless brand of cricket. He’s already played some crucial knocks and has worn the orange cap quite a few times. Having started on a good note, Rana will look to become the surprise package of the tournament.

Bowler: Jasprit Bumrah There is a reason why young Jasprit Bumrah is being touted as India’s “death-over specialist”. For long, India had struggled to find a bowler who could be effective in the death overs. Dhoni’s long search finally ended when Bumrah answered his calls with his ability to bowl consistent, Malinga-like yorkers. Although only in the nascent stages of his career, Bumrah has grown from strength to strength by shouldering the responsibility of finishing off the death overs or cleaning up the lower-order batsman with ease. The credit for his rapid rise must go to Mumbai Indians and he will aim to repay his faith by firing in those toe-crushing yorkers when it matters the most.

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KINGS XI PUNJAB

Batsman: Glenn Maxwell Glenn Maxwell’s potential as an all-rounder was recognized in his debut season in Australia’s domestic circuit, in 2010 itself. A versatile batsman who can bat anywhere in the line-up, Maxwell also adds value with his off-spin and contributes by saving runs on the field. A hard-hitter of the ball, he was recruited

by KXIP in the IPL player auction 2014 and has since made vital contributions to the team. Maxwell despites dot deliveries and can be seen flashing his bat at any ball that gives him width. He is arguably the perfect man to have in the middle if the team is looking to counter-attack or finish off games with aplomb! The Australian was integral to the team’s success when they made it to the final in 2014 and will be hoping to set the stage alight again in 2017.

Bowler: Sandeep Sharma The right-arm medium pacer from Punjab, Sandeep Sharma rose to prominence during the 2012 Under-19 ICC Cricket World Cup. His four wickets in the final propelled India to the title and made him India’s joint highest wickettaker in the tournament with 12 scalps. The pacer, who made his first-class debut in 2011, was also part of the Indian team during the 2010 Under-19 ICC Cricket World Cup. He earned a contract with the Kings XI Punjab ahead of IPL 2013 and was bought back by the franchise in the 2014 auction.

He has earned high praise from experts for his ability to swing the ball and has played a key role for his state side Punjab in recent times.

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Batsman: Steve Smith

RISING PUNE SUPERGIANTS

Australia’s talismanic skipper currently is at the helm of affairs at the Pune franchise, getting the push ahead of India’s former captain MS Dhoni. An acrobatic fielder, a decent leg-spinner and a gritty batsman, Steve Smith has been on a run scoring spree in recent times, including the series against India where he smashed 499 runs. With his comfortable driving and pulling skills against the fast bowlers and quick-silver like footwork against spinners, Smith poses a great threat to the opposition. He is also a brilliant tactician evident from his smart bowling changes in the series against India. With his ability to score runs at a steady pace, Smith will prove to be one of the key players for RPS in IPL 2017.

Bowler: Ben Stokes A year ago, Stokes was brought to his knees by a bulldozing Carlos Brathwaite that spoiled England’s party in the world T20 final. Today, Stokes operates as a critical player in the RPS lineup as he made headlines by becoming the most expensive player (a record price tag of Rs. 14.5 crores) in IPL history. Stokes is an aggressive left handed batsman and a right arm medium fast bowler. He comes with a rich experience in the shorter format of the game and has the ability to take on bowlers, when he is in prime form. Making his debut in the IPL as a quality all-rounder for RPS, it will be great to see how Stokes with his power-hitting skills and with his quick bowling will take on the opposition.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

LIMITED EDITION DUCATI DIAVEL DIESEL LAUNCHED IN INDIA

SHARAPOVA WAS WORLD'S HIGHEST-PAID FEMALE ATHLETE FOR 11 YRS Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova was named the world's highest-paid female athlete for 11 consecutive years, according to Forbes. Sharapova, who turns 30 today, ranked first in the list from 2005 to 2015. She is currently the second highest-paid female athlete in the world with a net worth of $21.9 million, as of 2016.

Unveiled at the Milan Men’s Fashion Week 2017, the Ducati Diavel Diesel is now available on special order at Ducati dealerships across India. One of the most successful Ducati models in India, the Diavel has now donned an exquisite avatar, as a result of a creative collaboration between the Ducati Design Center and Andrea Rosso, Diesel Licensing Creative Director. Diesel will also be presenting a capsule apparel collection of Jogg Jeans, leather jackets and t-shirts reflecting the DNA and roots shared by Ducati and Diesel. Limited numbers of Ducati Diavel Diesel are available on order at INR

19,92,000 (Ex-showroom New Delhi) at Ducati dealerships in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Ahmedabad.

The Ducati Diavel Diesel is characterized by a hand-brushed stainless steel superstructure with visible welding and rivets that make it unmistakable and timeless. Details like the tank cover, front cowl, and passenger saddle cover are examples of craftsmanship and style. The saddle, made of real leather, is unique to this Diavel, on which the pyramid motif appears: the three Ds of Ducati, Diavel, and Diesel.

ROLLS-ROYCE COLLABORATES WITH BRITISH MUSIC LEGENDS FOR SERIES OF BESPOKE WRAITH MODELS The first four of these Bespoke cars were unveiled at the Sanderson Hotel in Fitzroia, London by the artists who created them: The Who frontman Roger Daltrey CBE, Sir Ray Davies of The Kinks, and Giles Martin, son of songwriter and producer Sir George Martin and a world-renowned producer and songwriter in his own right.

Each of the hand-built Wraith are crafted with unique design touches that celebrate the career of a British rock and pop legend. The British music legends involved

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in the project were invited to Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, working in close partnership with Rolls-Royce’s design experts to conceive deeply personal expressions of their music legacies. The resulting highly Bespoke Wraith motor cars represent the ultimate collectors’ items for the most ardent fans of each artist and will be sold later in 2017, with Rolls-Royce donating a proportion of the value of each to charities selected by each artist.

MUKESH AMBANI OWNS THE WORLD'S FIRST BILLION-DOLLAR HOUSE India's richest man Mukesh Ambani is known to have built the world's first billion-dollar house in Mumbai, according to Forbes. The 27-storey building named 'Antilia' is complete with three helipads, a 50-seater cinema, a six-level parking area, nine elevators, a spa and a ballroom.

Notably, Mukesh Ambani's 60th birthday was celebrated on April 19th.

NEWS IN BRIEF HOUSE STYLE: FIVE CENTURIES OF FASHION AT CHATSWORTH OPENS UP FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS The grand rooms of the house are dressed with couture designer dresses; tiaras and headdresses; christening and wedding gowns; coronation robes and 19th century fancy dress; livery and uniforms along with a wealth of ephemera. The effect is to reveal the cast of characters that have graced the rooms of Chatsworth, from 18th century fashion innovator Duchess Georgiana and Duchess Deborah, one of the famous Mitford sisters, through to Adele Astaire, sister and dance partner of Fred, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, sister of JFK and former model Stella Tennant.

THE WESTIN PUSHKAR RESORT & SPA TO OPEN IN RAJASTHAN, INDIA Westin Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., has announced the opening of The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa in Rajasthan, the popular desert state of India.

Owned by Paradise Properties, the new resort aims to bring the Westin’s innovative wellness initiatives to the renowned spiritual destination of Pushkar. India’s seventh Westin property, The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa is surrounded by the picturesque Aravalli Hills and spread across 11 acres. The property offers 98 guestrooms, of which 44 feature private pools. In addition to the signature amenities, including the Westin Heavenly Bed and the Westin Heavenly Bath, the resort embraces Westin’s innovative programming designed to inspire balance and enhance well-being.

ELECTION WILL GIVE UK STRONGEST HAND IN BREXIT TALKS: PM MAY UK PM Theresa May has said that her

MONTEGRAPPA RELEASES A NEW LINE OF 'GAME OF THRONES' INSPIRED PENS A saga like no other, pen company Montegrappa has announced the launch of writing instruments that convey the grandeur of HBO’s Game of Thrones series.

decision to seek snap general election is in the national interest and will strengthen her hand in Brexit talks with the European Union. The motion which requires a two-thirds majority to pass will be put to a vote today. However, Opposition argued that the decision aims to suppress dissent against Brexit.

MASCARA AD FEATURING CARA DELEVINGNE BANNED FOR AIRBRUSHING An advertisement for Rimmel mascara that featured model Cara Delevingne has been banned for using post-production techniques that exaggerate the product's effects. Coty UK, which owns Rimmel, said it had prepared Delevingne before applying the product using individual lash inserts but only to fill in gaps and to create a uniform lash line.

Montegrappa’s collection of writing instruments represents each of the four key families: Stark, Baratheon, Lannister and Targaryen. Each is available as a fountain pen, rollerball and a ballpoint pen. Each pen has been individualised for the family it represents through sigils and emblems.

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54

Bahrain BD 1.50 Kuwait KD 1.50 Oman OR 1.50, Saudi Arabia SR 12.00 UAE DH 10.00 UK £ 3.00, US $ 3.00

16 YEARS

Rs. 50

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 5 MAY 2017

55

ALLIANCE UNIVERSITY

Phoenix Rising!

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Proactive UNIVERSITIES That news about Alliance University’s casualty was hugely exaggerated. Yes, its Founder Chancellor has survived a bid on his professional career. Dr. Madhukar Angur is now fighting back. There are early proofs for success, including placements that have bounced back.

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DR. MADHUKAR ANGUR IS NOT JUST A TEXT-BOOK SCHOLAR BUT A RENOWNED ENTREPRENEUR IN TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTHCARE BEFORE HE BECAME A PASSIONATE EDUCATIONALIST. UNDER DR. MADHUKAR ANGUR'S LEADERSHIP, ALLIANCE UNIVERSITY IS FIGHTING BACK, AND THERE ARE EARLY PROOFS FOR SUCCESS, INCLUDING PLACEMENTS THAT HAVE BOUNCED BACK.

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n internationally renowned expert in business strategy and marketing, educated and having educated other scholars in a developed market like USA and other countries, Dr. Angur is not giving up by any stretch of the imagination and is fighting for a broader purpose of not only clearing his name but also to ensure that the very purpose for which he returned to India, despite a very lucrative career in the United States, i.e., to promote, invest and found an institution of higher learning that would provide worldclass education to the citizens of India and beyond is not compromised.

Anyone else in his place would have been submerged long back. But he is not just a text-book scholar but a renowned entrepreneur in technology and healthcare before he became a passionate educationalist. Instead of getting bogged down by the unsavoury controversies surrounding the university he founded, he is rebuilding the great institution.

There are early proofs for success, including placements that have bounced back. Learning from the challenge, Dr. Madhukar Angur is dedicating more resources to value based education and social outreach programs. Choosing a road less travelled he is aggressively going forward to include more humanities in professional courses like engineering, business, & law. This as he eloquently puts it, “will safeguard next-generation employability of Alliance graduates even while ensuring that they are more capable of contributing to the society.�

Always a private university at the cutting-edge of higher education in the country, Dr. Angur is plotting a new battlefront of international accreditations and international placements for Alliance students. Also on the anvil, is a foray into health science courses including MBBS, Nursing, & Pharmacy.

Things are back to normal at Alliance University, and the latest evidence is that it has called for Engineering Admissions as well as admissions to other professional degree programs in Business and Law on schedule.

The university has launched a new official website allianceuniversity.edu.in

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and is taking this opportunity to remind parents and students to follow only the instructions provided at this new website.

It appears that the coverage in the media has been mixed and quite one-sided. In fact, Seasonal Magazine has been one of the few in media that provided a balanced view of the university and the leadership of Dr. Madhukar Angur.

Seasonal Magazine’s story ‘Why Alliance University will Bounce Back’, is happening now, and Alliance University is indeed bouncing back.

Despite the confusions and chaos of the past months, the university has managed significant placem ents. Even though it is not up to the earlier level, of course, but the fact that it has happened reveals that the mindshare of Alliance among corporate recruiters remain strong.

A few years down the line, Alliance University is planning to start health science courses including

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TO SAFEGUARD THE NEXT-GENERATION EMPLOYABILITY OF THEIR GRADUATES, ALLIANCE UNIVERSITY IS INCLUDING RELEVANT HUMANITIES SUBJECTS INTO PROFESSIONAL COURSES.

MBBS, Nursing, Pharmacy etc.

Currently the university is in the planning and designing stage. The University has big plans in this field in addition to making a significant big push on international placements, both on the career and the academic side.

Currently, Alliance University is focusing on their three largest

THE UNIVERSITY HAS LAUNCHED A NEW OFFICIAL WEBSITE allianceuniversity.edu.in AND IS REMINDING PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO FOLLOW ONLY THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED AT THIS NEW WEBSITE.

ALLIANCE UNIVERSITY HAS RECENTLY CALLED FOR ENGINEERING ADMISSIONS AS WELL AS ADMISSIONS TO OTHER PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS IN BUSINESS AND LAW.

contingents – Business, Engine ering, & Law. These are the schools that Alliance University have been most famous for, and top priority is being given to perfecting the affairs at these three departments. All efforts are on to ensure best-in-class placements at these schools.

Alliance University has been created through a Legislative Act in the Karnataka Assembly, titled the Alliance University Act 2010 with Dr. Madhukar Angur as the Founder Chancellor.

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KIIT University and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS)

Furthering Research From being one of the youngest institutions to be awarded the deemed university status in India and then breaking into the Limca Book of Records for achieving university status in 2004, KIIT University isn’t like the everyday trendsetter in this arena. While its faculty members pursue path-breaking research funded by organizations like Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), it also functions as the mentor institution for conducting faculty development program in eastern India under the auspices of AICTE. imply put, KIIT University’s contribution towards national development, through its close association with govern ment agencies, cannot be understated. Under the visionary leadership of Mr Achyuta Samanta, KIIT University has scaled great heights to earn the reputation of being one of Odisha’s premier educational institutes.

In fact, in a year when only a few institutes from Odisha made it to the Union HRD Ministry’s first ever ranking framework for higher educational institutions, KIIT University’s achievements deserve greater attention.

Further, not a single State governmentrun institute of higher learning from Odisha had made it to the list. In the national list, KIIT University secured 60.09 points, finishing at a commendable 53rd position. In the engineering category, the university is only behind IIT Bhubaneswar, placed 32nd in an otherwise abysmal performance by the state’s institutions.

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Proactive UNIVERSITIES

The university also achieved an A grade in the NAAC grading system after the UGC decided to grant extension of the same grade to the top ranking educational institutions which have performed consistently well during earlier assessments. KIIT University secured a high score of 3.48 out of 4 points (87%), thereby joining the league of 11 elite institutions like IITs, JNU, TISS and other reputed universities. The university is not only accredited by NAAC but is amongst the few in India to receive a Tier 1 (Washington Accord) accreditation by NBA of AICTE for engineering streams.

KIIT University in a short span of just 12 years has evolved into a nationally acclaimed institute providing world class education in technology, medicine, law, media, biotechnology, management, rural managements etc.

Earlier, in 2001 and 2008, KIIT was granted ‘A’ Grade by NAAC. The extension is applicable for a period of two years. In light of this achievement, KIIT University is in contention to receive the same grade for seven years instead of five years earlier as according to the plan, the scheme becomes applicable to the institutions which Achyuta Samanta

obtained highest grade for two cycles.

KIIT University sprawls over 25 sq.km area with one million square meters of aesthetically built up area. There are 28 constituent schools adopting moderntechnology enabled campuses offering graduate, post graduate, doctoral and post doctoral programmes in a wide range of disciplines like engineering, bio-technology, medicine, manage ment, law, computer appli cation, rural management, fashion, film studies, journalism and sculpturing etc.

Most of its students who appear in campus placement opportunities are assured of competitive job offers from big IT and corporate companies. Last year, KIIT University achieved near cent percent placement with 91% of the total 3214 registered and eligible students of the passing-out batch placed in companies like Wipro, Accenture, Cognizant, Infosys etc.

The School of Engineering (B.Tech. programme) recorded 92% placement while the School of Rural Management and School of Management achieved 100% and 83% placement respectively.

Similarly, School of Law and School of Biotechnology registered 85% and 98% placement respectively. The School of Computer Application achieved 84% placement for its MCA students.

The four major companies - Accenture, Wipro, Cognizant and Infosys - that visited the campus came up with a total

3406 job offers. While Accenture led the list with 1414 job offers, Wipro, Cognizant and Infosys followed with 899, 705 and 388 job offers respectively. Salary package offered last year was higher compared to previous years, with the highest package being Rs. 33 lakh and the average salary being Rs. 4.6 lakh.

The students are also admitted to reputed international universities and institutions for Ph.D and higher studies courses in Switzerland, France, Norway, Canada, Poland and Germany.

In its quest to promote research collaboration and capacity building of the Northeast region, KIIT University recently signed a MoU with the Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD). IBSD is a premier national institute under the aegis of Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.

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Radiochemistry (NUCAR) organized by the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) and Indian Association of Nuclear Chemists and Allied Scientists (IANCAS) was held at KIIT University.

The university was also a major associate partner of the event, which is regarded as the country’s oldest and most prestigious symposium of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

BIRAC - The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, the government's nodal funding agency for the biotech industry, partners with KIIT University’s business incubator to propel startup initiatives in this industry.

Besides their pioneering presence in the fields of technology, engineering and research, the university is a shining example of how emphasizing on the social sciences needs to be an integral

part of the ethos of an institution. The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) is a step in that direction. Primarily a residential institute for the underprivileged sections of society, KISS provides state-of-the-art educational development, social empowerment and employment opportunities for over 25,000 tribal children each year.

KISS, run by the KISS Foundation, was the only NGO from India selected to participate in the United Nation's 55th session of the Commission for Social Development, held at the UN Headquarters in New York last year. The institute was also placed among the 10 best NGOs of India in the prestigious ranking of world NGOs published annually by NGO Advisor, a Genevabased independent media organization.

Earlier, it had been conferred Special

Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) - the highest recognition to an Non Government Organization by the United Nations.

In her recent visit to KIIT University and KISS, the Asst. Secretary of United Nations and Dy. Executive Director, UN Women, Ms. Laxmi Puri showered accolades on the university’s exemplary contribution towards social justice and women empowerment in the country.

The campus was also visited by Ms. Katherine B. Hadda, U.S Consul General, who reiterated their long standing relationship with KISS through the English Access Micro Scholarship Programme. The institute conferred the KISS Humanitarian Award 2016 on the American actor-activist and Global Goodwill Ambassador for the UNFPA, Ashley Judd at the KISS premises earlier this year.

The institute has also been awarded the Guide Star Champion Level Platinum Certification by Guide Star India for NGO Transparency. It is one among only 14 NGO out of 51,400 to get the Platinum Certification. KISS has also been playing an important role in curbing Maoism in tribal areas of Odisha by admitting children from the worst hit regions of the state. Supported by the KISS Foundation and financial aid from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, KISS has already set up branches in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and plans to expand its presence to at least 10 other states in the next two years.

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KALASALINGAM UNIVERSITY (KLU)

FOCUSING ON INTERNSHIPS & RESEARCH

With students eager to acquire new skill sets that are also relevant to job market needs, Indian universities have been battling it out to see who among them can best provide meaningful research and internship opportunities. Delivering job-ready candidates having the requisite hands-on experience can be quite challenging in a country suffering from a severe skills-gap vis-Ă -vis industry needs. However, Kalasalingam University (KLU) seems to have the answers to this puzzle and is surely leading the pack with their innovative strategies in the higher education space.

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Proactive UNIVERSITIES stablished in 1984, the university was granted deemed university status in 2006 along with an accreditation by NAAC and NBC for its various engineering programs. The university has also obtained an ISO certification from RWTUV, Germany.

Over the years, Kalasalingam University has opened multiple research centers, collaborated with foreign universities for twinning programs, and started practical schools to promote industry awareness and part-time courses for working professionals at undergraduate and post-graduate levels.

With respect to foreign university tieups, KLU students are sent regularly on exchange programmes to institutions such as Soongsil University and Hannam University in Korea.

Every semester, three to five students are sent to present papers at conferences abroad. In another tie-up with Tessolve, a semiconductor engineering services company based in Bengaluru and Coimbatore, KLU faculty are trained by the company and students get to intern for a stipend during the third semester. The students are then evaluated jointly by Tessolve and KLU and qualified students are employed by the company. Given their market sensitivity, KLU strives to ensure a smooth transition to the workplace for its students.

The university also ensures a dynamic academic environment for its faculty with ample scope for innovation. KLU allows researchers in its laboratories the flexibility to even make changes in the syllabus if they find something new and interesting. Recently, a portable toilet which could be used by deep sea fishermen ensuring their safety and also hygiene was designed and patented by the faculty of KLU. One of its most accomplished professors, Dr. M Swaminathan was recently awarded Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) by Cambridge for his outstanding research contributions in photochemistry, photocatalysis, environmental remediation, green chemistry and methanol fuel cells.

Stressing on the need for transparency in administrative governance, KLU has a unique Student Information System (SIS) through which all the students' academic requirements are made available to them, their parents and their local guardians in one database.

This elaborate network lists students' performances semester-wise, with credits and attendance details on every course recorded, making reference a lot easier. "We believe in using technology to instill more effectiveness on the part of the teachers and simplify processes of learning for the students," says S. Saravana Sankar, vice chancellor, KLU. Among its well-known research centers include the TIFAC-CORE in Network Engineering (TCNE), Centre for Biotechnology, Centre for Composite Materials and Centre for Multifunctional Material Research.

Kalasalingam University was the first institution in the country to get nCARDMATH, with a view to promoting research, development and advanced training in Discrete Mathematics. Inaugurated by Former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the initiative is aimed at setting up a National Centre for Advanced Research in Discrete Mathematics.

KLU also houses the state’s first Center of Academic Excellence for Data Science & Big Data Analytics, specifically for the benefit of B.Tech students to do international certification programmes.

Kalasalingam University organised, along with The International Institute

Thiru K. Sridharan, Chancellor

Dr. S.Shasi Anand, Director

for Knowledge Management (TIIKM), a two-day international conference on Nano science and Nano technology (ICNSNT- 16) at Colombo recently. A memorandum of understanding was also renewed to make KLU as academic partner and for both institutes’ collaborative research initiatives.

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NIIT University, Rajasthan

COURSES DESIGNED BY INDUSTRY In a relatively short span of time, Rajasthan-based NIIT University (NU) has made significant progress in research and innovation with its curriculum development and design. Established by the special NIIT University Act 2010, NU started off with programmes catering to the engineering and IT aspirants but soon introduced MBA programmes such as the one in finance and banking (in partnership with ICICI Bank) and expanded its doctoral study programmes.

he other sought-after programmes of the university include the Integrated MBA Program in Business Analytics in collaboration with WNS, MTech programme in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with ESRI, M.Tech (Cyber Security) with PwC, PGDBRM with Federal Bank, PGD (Banking & Finance) with United Bank of India, PGD (Banking & Finance) with Bank of Maharashtra and MTech (Educational Technology).

The curriculum has been designed in such a way so as to accommodate the core strategies of the university and

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plugging the employability gap. NU offers a six-month compulsory internship programme and the latest elearning technology used to enable students to connect with industry leaders while research projects are made mandatory for all students.

With respect to its foreign university tieups, NU has partnered with University of Missouri-Kansas City in developing a 5-year collaborative dual-degree programme. Keeping in sync with the vision of its promoter-chairman Rajendra S Pawar, the university has been investing heavily on promoting industry-linked and research-intensive

courses with the long term goal of developing into a world-class, multidisciplinary university. The university is also building research capabilities in areas such as biotechnology, mobile healthcare, cognitive radio, educational technology, and next-generation networks.

As the university affirms to the principle of providing a well-rounded education, students are also required to select electives from the humanities and languages and two co-curricular activities from physical education, performing arts, community engagement and crafts. Due to its

Proactive UNIVERSITIES

Prof V S Rao, President, NIIT University

Mr. Rajendra S Pawar Chairman, NIIT Ltd.

Mr. Vijay Thadani Vice Chairman & MD, NIIT Ltd.

proximity to a 750-acre hillock range, there are ample opportunities for rock climbing, trekking, adventure sports and other recreational activities.

residential buildings and a 240-seat auditorium. While many of its competitors in the state struggled with administrative difficulties, NU continued to pocket other prestigious awards in the very first few months of the ongoing year. NIIT University was recognized as the “Best Institution for promoting industry-academia interface” at the 10th ASSOCHAM Higher Education Summit 2017. The award was handed over by Prakash Javadekar, Union HRD Minister, Government of India. The summit focused on the role and contribution of universities in building entrepreneurial ecosystems.

“NU has been developed as an institution of higher education that works closely with the industry to create higher education programs that are aligned to their needs. "The industryacademia connect has been designed to create ‘leaders of tomorrow’ who can adapt to the fast-changing global economy and contribute meaningfully to the growth of their organizations and the society at large”, said Prof V S Rao.

to the graduating students. The students have also been successfully placed in leading corporates across India like Amazon, IBM, PwC, Reliance Jio, Airtel, Just Dial, Cognizant Technologies, MakeMyTrip, Grofers, Shopclues, Cleartax, Grant Thorton, Vodafone, Sapient, Tech Mahindra, Urban Clap etc. The statistics of last year’s placement drive indicates that around 93.75% of eligible candidates were offered job packages in the above mentioned companies. While the average salary was Rs. 4.38 lakhs per annum, the highest salary was Rs. 13 lakhs per annum.

Situated against the towering and scenic presence of the Aravalli Hills, the world’s oldest fold mountain range, the campus takes pride in its eco-friendly identity. The 100-acre eco-friendly campus was recently recognized as the ‘Greenest University’ at Clean & Green India Awards 2016. “At NU, we believe that quality education can be imparted only through world-class technologyenabled infrastructure. The ‘green’ NIIT University campus is an example of how a modern campus can be created in the heart of the Aravallis, without disturbing the pristine surroundings, said Prof V S Rao, President, NIIT University.

Along with its core environmental considerations, NIIT University has also bagged the “Best Infrastructure of the Year” award at the Indian Education Congress & Awards 2017. Instituted by Franchise India, group of publications, the Indian Education Awards are one of the most prestigious awards that recognize excellence in the education sector. The campus architecture was developed by globally-renowned construction firm YRM (London) Ltd, which has also designed campuses at Brunel (London) and Cyprus universities. The sprawling infrastructure includes a fully-wired technologyenabled classroom which are earth-air cooled, 17 state-of-the-art laboratories, a well-equipped library, picturesque

In a clear validation of its coveted recognition, NIIT University was officially appointed as the ‘Academic Partner’ of Microchip Incorporation.

Microchip is the industry leader in 8-bit microcontrollers and has recently acquired another semiconductors manufacturer, Atmel.

Recently, NU’s 6th Convocation ceremony was hosted at the university campus, with Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog, handing over degree certificates

The university also offers a thriving startup ecosystem and supports studentrun ideas right up to the acceleration stage. Czar Securities, a cyber-security start-up company founded by NU Alumni, Shikhil Sharma and Anand Krishna recently won the ‘French Tech Ticket’ program run by the French Government which is also making an equity free investment in Czar Securities. Both of them are receiving mentorship and office space in the world-famous incubator Startup42.

While the higher education space continues to throw up new challenges, NIIT University has set its eyes on incorporating study programmes in the humanities, life and behavioral sciences in the near future. There is also an impetus being given to attracting PhD scholars to boost research initiatives at the university and foreign student intake to turn itself into a world-class university.

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ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY

SPREADING THE WINGS FROM A PRIMARILY HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY FOCUSING ON NURSING, PHARMACY, AND ALLIED DOMAINS, GUWAHATI BASED ASSAM DOWN TOWN UNIVERSITY IS RAPIDLY EMERGING AS A TOP DESTINATION IN NORTH EASTERN REGION OF INDIA FOR ENGINEERING, MANAGEMENT, HOTEL MANAGEMENT, AND MORE. obody would dispute that among all domains in higher education, health sciences remain the most challenging for universities to deploy and deliver. This is also the reason why most multi-disciplinary universities execute the health sciences diversification after maturing in other mainstream domains like science, engineering, & management.

But here is a university that has mastered the health sciences domain first. Guwahati headquartered Assam Down Town University has been a powerhouse in the North Eastern part of India, in delivering professional courses in nursing, pharmacy, allied health sciences, and paramedical education.

This is no surprise when you know that Assam Down Town University, at Panikhaiti, near Guwahati, is the SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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Dr. N. N. Dutta, Chancellor

Prof. Dr. Ramesh C. Deka, Vice Chancellor

Prof. H.K. Das, Pro-Vice Chancellor

Prof. Bandana Dutta, Dean of Studies

brainchild of Dr. NN Dutta, MS (AIIMS), FICS, a renowned medical doctor, surgeon, & professor, who is also the Founder, Chairman, & MD of Assam Down Town Hospital.

Being a noted teacher at Guwahati Medical College for 14 years, Dr. Dutta was inspired to first start a nursing college, then a paramedical and pharmacy college, which all was transformed into a private university in 2010. Currently, Dr. Dutta serves as the Chancellor of Assam Down Town University (ADTU).

However since the last several years, Assam Down Town University (ADTU) has made its mark in all other mainstream segments like science, engineering, computer applications, management, hospitality etc.

In science and engineering, ADTU runs BTech course in five popular branches, MTech in four

specializations, Bachelors in Computer Applications, BSc in Digital Filmmaking, and BSc in Information Technology. It also offers lateral entry BTech in four branches for those students with Engineering Diplomas.

ADTU’s management faculty delivers courses like Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA), as well as a specialized MBA in Health Care.

Assam Down Town University’s core schools like engineering, science, and management also collaborates to offer integrated courses like BTech/MTech, BCA/MCA, and BTech/MBA. Its hospitality school offers both Bachelors in Hotel Management, as well as Diploma in Catering & Hotel Management.

The success of these courses is evident from the kind of solid placements

ADTU graduates have landed. The university has an independent Placement Cell that not only facilitates campus placements but also imparts training in soft-skills, personality development, written & oral skills, and also about how to tap the dynamically changing employment trends in both public and corporate sectors.

All modes of placement like oncampus, off-campus, & pool campus are systematically addressed.

Renowned experts in HR and industry like Dr. Tridip Chakraborti (ex-IIM), Rajiv Khurana (renowned trainer), Rajnish Virmani (management guru), Tridip Sharma (industry veteran), and others of similar profiles have successfully educated the placement seekers of ADTU. No wonder then that HCL, IDBI Bank, CMC, HDFC Life, ITC, and Le Meridien are only a few among several SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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companies that have successfully recruited ADTU graduates.

Assam Down Town University continues to shine in its traditional stronghold of Health Sciences, and this leadership can get only better with the passage of time. There are several reasons for this.

The Vice Chancellor of ADTU is Professor Dr Ramesh C Deka, Former Director of the prestigious All India

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Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Assam Down Town University is promoted by a Trust sponsored by Assam Down Town Hospital, the first corporate multi-speciality hospital in North East.

While Doctors lead this Trust, there are professionals from other walks of life like Engineers, Educationists etc who provide the guiding vision to this private university.

ADTU’s in-campus Teaching Hospital Block is a sprawling 2,10,000 sq ft affair, incorporating the Teaching Hospital and modern classrooms, libraries, clinics, labs, lecture theatres, seminar halls, & auditorium.

The Trust also runs a rural charitable hospital near Guwahati to provide affordable care to common people, and the two hospitals provide the additional infrastructure for training students of Assam Down Town University.

This North Eastern university’s Nursing College has been running its flagship BSc program for the past several years.

ADTU’s Pharmacy College offers an innovative 5-year Integrated BPharm plus MBA, apart from regular courses like Bachelor in Pharmacy (BPharm) and Diploma in Pharmacy (DPharm).

ADTU’s Nursing College has all

popular courses like Auxiliary Nursing & Midwifery, General Nursing & Midwifery, Post Basic BSc Nursing, BSc Nursing, & MSc Nursing.

The university also has an impressive Allied Health Sciences department that offers courses in biotechnology, biochemistry, dietetics & nutrition, microbiology, social work etc.

ADTU health science graduates also excel in placements, landing jobs in healthcare majors like Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, Fortis-Escorts, Himalaya etc.

The university also has emerged as a leader in distance education as well as research, with its scholars recently bagging some prestigious research projects with government funding.

ADTU also hosts several professional seminars and conferences.

Prof. Dr. HK Das, a renowned engineering educator serves as the Pro Vice Chancellor of ADTU. Dean of Studies at ADTU is Prof. Bandana Dutta, who retired as HoD of Anthropology at Cotton College, Guwahati, after 35 years of teaching. One speciality of ADTU’s top management is that its Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of Studies have done their higher studies or professional training in UK or USA.

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IN-FOCUS

IS SIYARAM GETTING OVERHEATED? POST DEMONETISATION BLUES, SIYARAM SILK MILLS IS UP BY NEARLY 50%. WHAT HAS BECKONED INVESTORS TO ‘COME HOME TO…SIYARAMS’ DESPITE THE ROUGH N’ TUMBLE DUE TO THE MONEY MARKET TURMOIL? emonetisation demons spared few, and Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd was no exception. For a company that has grown its profits 7 times within the last 7 years, Q3 was a disappointment. Both sales and bottomline were down, year-on-year as well as sequentially. Then why has Siyaram started surging as soon as demonetisation drew to a grinding halt?

Share Holding Pattern (SHP) for Q3 revealed that two major institutional investors had upped their stakes substantially in Siyaram during the Q3 battering. The reputation of these investors - DSP Blackrock Micro Cap Fund or Reliance Capital Small Cap Fund – is what helped the subsequent rally in the stock.

Despite being in operation for around three decades now, and despite being a noteworthy branded player in men’s suiting and shirting, Siyaram is still a SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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small-cap firm with equity of Rs. 9.37 crore and market capitalization of just Rs. 1607 crore.

The company has been pushing for premium products, under Chairman & Managing Director, Ramesh D Poddar’s vision, but it has so far achieved only partial success.

From yarns to retail, and everything in between like fabrics, home furnishing, & ready-wear, Siyaram has already come a long way in three decades. But it has been trying to add value through the creation and deployment of 13 brands on which Siyaram crafts over 60 million meters of fabrics annually.

Apart from the core Siyram’s brand, other brands from the firm include J. Hampstead, Oxemberg, Royale Linen, Siya, Casa Moda, Mistair, Moretti , Little Champ, Miniature, & Unicode. Now, the company is upping the premium brand play by focusing on its most

lucrative brands as well as by bringing in Italian fashion label Cadini.

Siyaram is also growing its Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) for driving premium growth. Siyaram's current brand ambassadors include movie stars Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan.

Siyaram enthusiasts are obviously hoping for better valuations going forward as the stock is up by 35 times during the past 8 years. But is Siyaram Silk Mills likely to live up to the expectations? Seasonal Magazine takes an in-depth look into the company’s dozens of core parameters including size, liquidity, potential, debt, return ratios, & valuations to find out.

Volume / Liquidity One of the first points while considering

a stock like Siyaram Silk Mills is its liquidity or daily trading volume. It’s NSE 30-Day Average Volume currently is 4000 shares, while its BSE volume for the same period is 925 shares, which adds up to a total daily average traded volume of less than 5000 shares or Rs. 85 lakhs at current prices. What this means is that large or even mediumscale investors or traders can cause unexpected volatility in the stock, especially since it has moved up considerably. While many low liquidity stocks have historically outperformed the market, this calls for caution at this stage.

Q3 & FY’17 Performance Demonetisation blues didn’t spare Siyaram Silk Mills. Q3 sales was down by 18.47% on a Year-on-Year (YoY) basis, while it was down by 19.34%

sequentially or Quarter-on-Quarter (QoQ) basis, both on standalone numbers (standalone & consolidated performances differ negligibly on annual figures). Net profit for the said quarter ending December 2016 was down 34.47% on YoY basis, and down by nearly 49% on QoQ basis. While the performance is in sync with how some comparable peers performed due to demonetisation, it reminds investors that Siyaram is highly sensitive to consumer sentiment. Already, FY’16 had witnessed a slowdown in both topline and bottomline growth compared to preceding few fiscals.

Recent Price Action Siyaram Silk Mills jumped post December 2016 end when demonetisation ended, and hit its alltime high of Rs. 1770 in BSE on 20th February 2017. While the market, and especially its small-cap segment, has still soared on Uttar Pradesh election results during the month since then, Siyaram has been unable to make a higher high for over a month now. While this signals consolidation after a quick up-move, it also reveals caution on the part of Siyaram enthusiasts that the higher end of fair price range might have been breached already. Taken together with the falling 10-Day Average Trading Volumes, it calls for prudence.

Conservative Management Siyaram Silk Mills’ management comes across as quite conservative, given that despite nearly 40 years of existence, its annual revenue run rate has still not breached the Rs.2000 crore mark, nor its yearly profit run rate crossed the Rs.100 crore mark. While conservative managements are safer for investors, returns from companies with conservative managements tend to be below par. While during the past eight years Siyaram stock has broken this convention surging by 35 times as it moved from market obscurity to reasonable visibility, whether it can do an encore in the coming years remains to be seen as branded garments is today dominated by young, non-conservative managements.

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Market Positioning Consumer taste has been moving momentously towards ready-mades, and while Siyaram hasn’t missed the bus, it’s brands are still not clear-cut leaders in the RMG segment. Consumer buying on the other hand has been moving rapidly into the online portals, and here too Siyaram is yet to make a mark of its own.

This segment may be unappealing to the company too, given its conservative management as well as the wafer-thin margins that online portals offer. RMG segment is facing increased competition too with some of India’s largest business houses including the Aditya Birla Group leading consolidation in this sector through large takeovers.

Origins Siyaram Silk Mills, though still a smallcap company, has a long track record in fabrics and garments. Founded in 1978 as part of the SiyaramPoddar Group, its corporate headquarters is still at one of India's best-known but erstwhile textile hubs - Lower Parel of Mumbai. Registered office is at Tarapur in Palghar District of Maharashtra where one of its major textile plants is located.

The other two Siyaram factories are at Daman and Silvassa.The company has a claim of being India’s largest producer of blended high fashion suiting /shirting fabrics, manufacturing over 60 million metres of fabric annually.

Business Siyaram Silk Mills, as its name signifies started off as a textile mill specialising in manufacturing blended fabrics from

polyester viscose. Over the three decades of its existence, however, it successfully achieved forward integration by manufacturing readymade apparels for men & women, readymade garments, institutional products like uniforms, and home furnishing. The company also sells yarns to other garment manufacturers. It is a major innovator and exporter of speciality blended fabrics into world markets including USA, UK, France, South East Asian, Australian and Latin American countries.

Retail and Branding During the last decade, sensing the shifting consumer trends beforehand, Siyaram Silk Mills ventured into retailing in a big way. The Siyaram’s Shop is an exclusive chain of retail outlets with 170+ showrooms at premium locations across the country housing a wide portfolio of menswear fashion fabrics and apparels. It is run under a franchise model and available brands include Siyaram’s Suitings & Shirtings, J. Hampstead Fabric & Apparel, Oxemberg, Mistair, Moretti, Royale Linen and Miniature. Siyaram products are also available from 1 lakh textile shops across India. Current brand ambassadors include Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan.

Respect for Equity Siyaram Silk Mills Ltd currently has total share capital of Rs.9.37 crore, made up fully of equity share capital of Rs.9.37 crore with no preference shares in its SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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capital. Equity capital is made up of 93.7 lakh shares of Face Value Rs.10. The equity capital base has remained at the current level of Rs. 9.37 crore since the last 10 years which reveals reasonable Respect for Equity. Also, at no point since 2000, has the company issued preference shares to anybody including the promoter group signalling healthy Respect for Equity.

Debt / Equity Siyaram currently has total debt of nearly Rs.365 crores and networth (shareholders' equity) of Rs.508 crores, which makes its debt/equity ratio stand at 0.72. While it is not perfect nor too high, especially given that it is a textile company, it needs to be noted that the current D/E ratio leaves little room for further leverage without sacrificing its attractiveness on this core metric. Also, the split-up of its total debt reveals nearly 50% as unsecured loans, which is not a very desirable status with regard to debt.

Sales & Sales Growth For a company currently valued at Rs.1587 crore, Siyaram generated annual revenue of Rs.1622 crores in FY'16, which is impressive and signals attractive price-to-sales ratio of around 0.98. However, this is surprising given that during the last four fiscals, Siyaram could increase its revenue by just over 77% which while healthy doesn't signal robust sales growth. In fact, sales growth has been slowing and in FY'16, it grew just 7.40%. It would be a miracle if

consolidated basis in FY'16. While these are not exceptional figures, these are not unhealthy either.

Dividend Yield

FY'17 ends up as anything different due to sluggish sales performance so far, with demonetisation woes also weighing in.

Profits & Profit Growth FY'16 consolidated net profit stood at Rs.85 crore, which reveals a consolidated net profit margin of just 5.23%. Profit growth during the last four fiscals were slower than sales growth, at just 50%. Net Profit Margin has dipped during the last four year period, but during the last two fiscals, it has been inching up steadily. Similar are the cases with PBDIT, PBIT, & PBT margins, all of which are recovering now after the first half of the last four-year period. The recent recovery in margins is due to the greater focus on its premium brands.

Return Ratios - RoE, RoCE, RoA Return on Equity (RoE) or Return on Networth (RoNW) currently stands healthy at 16.71%, but it is sharply down from the 21.23% it was four fiscals back.

However, on the related core metrics of Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) and Return on Assets (RoA), Siyaram's performance has been more stable during the last four years signalling capital efficiency. RoCE stood at 13.41% and RoA stood at 7.09% on

For the year ending March 2016, Siyaram Silk Mills has declared an equity dividend of 110.00% amounting to Rs 11 per share. At the current share price of Rs 1690.55 this results in a dividend yield of 0.65%. The company has a good dividend track record and has consistently declared dividends for the last 5 years. While the dividends have steadily increased from 75% to 110% during these five years, the dividend payout ratio on net profit is still only around 12% with the earnings retention ratio by the company being at 88%.

Also, 12 foreign portfolio investors together holds 0.77% stake in Siyaram.

Institutional Holding

Promoter Holding & Pledges

Of the nearly 33% public shareholding in the company, the biggest chunk is made up of non-institutional investors including retail investors which make up 23.70% of the total shareholding.

However, there are two highly reputed institutional investors in the stock as per the latest share holding pattern for Q3 end. They are DSP BlackRock Mirco Cap Fund holding 5.25% stake and Reliance Small Cap Fund holding 2.70% stake in the company. Both funds had upped their stake significantly in Q3.

Promoter holding in the company is currently robust at 67.07%. This has been quite stable during the past four years and even beyond, despite the stock moving up sharply during this period. The promoter holding is extensively distributed among 35 entities including members of the Poddar family and several investment and holding companies by members of the promoter family. The relatively high promoter holding leaves room for the company and promoter to consider fund-raising instruments like QIP in the future. There are no significant pledging of shares.

Valuations Siyaram Silk Mills stock currently trades at 19 times its standalone earnings for the trailing twelve months. Some analysts have estimated that it is trading at 10X FY'18 P/E, which makes it attractive. But it remains to be seen how the recent sluggishness in performance and demonetisation would impact the forward valuations. On other valuation fronts like Price to Book Value and Price to Sales, Siyaram is more attractively positioned, trading at just 3 times P/BV and 1 times P/S. After the recent run-up in prices, further movement is likely to be based only on verifications of performance in Q4, and Q1 of next fiscal.

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IN-FOCUS

SINTEX DEMERGER

COSMETIC OR RADICAL? SINTEX INDUSTRIES MADE A NEW 52-WEEK HIGH OF RS.111.40 ON BOTH BSE & NSE YESTERDAY. THE STOCK OF THE DIVERSIFIED MIDCAP PLAYER HAS BEEN RISING FOR LAST THREE MONTHS NOW ON THE IMPENDING DEMERGER OF ITS PLASTICS & INFRA BUSINESS. HERE IS A LOOK INTO WHETHER THE CHANGES ARE OF LASTING VALUE OR OF FURTHER TROUBLE. intex Industries stock opened today’s trade Rs.109.40 in NSE, down by 0.65%, while the key Sensex index opened down by 150 points.

While hundreds of comparable midcap and small-cap companies have been hitting continuous 52-Week Highs during the past two years, the case of Sintex Industries has been a little different during this period when it fell for the first year in this period, and stayed stagnant for the next year in this twoyear period, until the beginning of 2017.

The trigger for the recent up-move in the Sintex stock has been an upcoming demerger of two broad divisions from this diversified company.

Sintex Industries has three broad verticals - custom moulding or the plastics business, building products or the infra business, and the textiles segment including spinning and fabrics.

There is also a degree of overlap between the first two segments as some of its building products are plastic based.

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The company is now seeking the demerger of these broad plastics and infra businesses into two separate companies which will be housed under a new holding company that will be listed separately.

This new holding company to be created would be Sintex Plastics Technology Ltd. Its subsidiaries are to be Sintex BAPL which would house the entire custom holding operations in India and abroad, and Sintex Infra Projects Limited, which would house the infra or prefab business.

After the demerger is complete the main activity of the original Sintex Industries would be textiles – the spinning and fabrics businesses.

Investors in Sintex Industries at the record date would be issued equal shares in the new holding company, Sintex Plastics Technology Ltd, which will be listed separately at a subsequent date.

The idea behind the demerger is to isolate the revenue generating textile business and the cash generating plastics & infra businesses into two separate companies.

While on paper the proposal looks good as it bifurcates a too diversified midcap company into understandable segments, whether it would actually make a difference on the ground for investors

Sintex had acquired France based Nief Plastics and renamed it Sintex NP Group, while in USA it acquired Wausaukee Innovative Composite Solutions, which now is called SintexWausaukee Innovative Composite Solutions.

Dinesh Patel, Chairman

remain to be seen.

This is because, after showing high promise between the years 2004 and 2008, where it appreciated by 30 times, from Rs.10 to over Rs.300, Sintex Industries stock had fallen to as low as Rs.17 by late 2013, on several miscalculations with regard to debt and demand for its products.

While the stock recovered in the general bull run preceding and following the new government at the Centre, it never recovered to even half of the 2008 level – to Rs.150 – making most long-term investors still sit on irrecoverable losses.

The prime reason for Sintex Industries lackluster performance at the bourses has been the way it has accumulated significant debt for many overseas and Indian acquisitions, promising high growth in niche areas, which never really came through even after nearly 10 years.

Sintex had acquired France based Nief Plastics and renamed it Sintex NP Group, while in USA it acquired Wausaukee Innovative Composite Solutions, which now is called SintexWausaukee Innovative Composite Solutions.

In India, it had bought Bright AutoPlast, a custom moulding business operating in the automobile sector.

Tapping into probable synergies it had also invested further and directed some of these companies to collaborate with each other. For instance, Bright AutoPlast has a Precision Parts Division in Chennai, which has been set up in technical collaboration with Nief Plastics, now Sintex NP.

Demergers have changed and destroyed fortunes of investors in India, and it is up to Sintex Industries to prove that it would do everything possible to shore up lost confidence among investors.

At the same time, its debt had ballooned to nearly Rs.5840 crore by FY’16 end, and even worse, much of it was taken in FCCBs to fund the foreign acquisitions which brought in further hits by way of currency fluctuations and subsequent dilutions.

While that much goes for its debt driven acquisitions, some of its largest bets especially in the pre-fabricated buildings side has never really played out in its

Similarly, Bright AutoPlast had also partnered with Sintex-Wausaukee Composites, to start a pioneering fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) production cell for OEM products using Light Resin Transfer Molding (LRTM) technology in Pune.

Signaling that such diversifications from its core textiles and plastics business has not delivered, during the last few years Sintex has tried to return to its roots as a textiles company.

This has resulted in significant fresh capital expenditure into its spinning division, which is expected to clock sizeable earnings only in the long run.

Even after the demerger, there would be significant debt remaining in the books of both the companies, with Sintex Industries saddled with Rs.2200 crore in debt, while the bigger portion of Rs.3640 crore would be the responsibility of the new plastics/infra company.

At best, what this can mean is that the textiles division is left free to take up more debt as it has still more capex requirements in sight. The plastics/infra division would deploy much of its earnings over the next several years to pare its higher debt.

Demergers have changed and destroyed fortunes of investors in India, and it is up to Sintex Industries to prove that it would do everything possible to shore up lost confidence among investors. It is to be noted that during the last 8 years, when Sintex tanked to less than half, several of its peer midcaps in India has grown to be largecaps.

Yet another acquisition in India was Zep Infratech Ltd, operating in the pre-fabricated buildings construction.

Despite all these acquisitions spanning several years, Sintex Industries is still struggling to clock an annual turnover of Rs.8000 crore and net profit of Rs.700 crore.

key market of India. This has also hurt the revenue growth.

Mr. Rahul Patel, MD

The strategies of Sintex so far appear only to be cosmetic, while the way the company’s miscalculations and misfortunes post 2008, and apparent lack of interest in investor interest, have played out, calls for high caution.

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AUDEMARS PIGUET PRESENTS ROYAL OAK CHRONOGRAPHS 2017 EDITION

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

GEHNA JEWELLERS PRESENTS THEIR FLORAL INSPIRED SPRING COLLECTION

I ndian

fine jewellery label, Gehna Jewellers, presents their latest collection inspired by blooming buds this springsummer. The jewellery projects delicate motifs inspired by flowers and butterflies.

Each piece is crafted in vivacious hues of blue, red, and rose gold. The collection highlights modern silhouettes crafted in diamonds of various cuts and shapes which are crafted in 18kt gold and rose gold. Chandelier earrings and finger rings are extremely versatile and can be teamed with almost every attire. Diamond earrings set in 18kt gold can transform from daily wear to cocktail evenings.

2017March 6, 2017: Celebrating the launch of its very first, iconic Royal Oak Chronograph, watchmaker Audemars Piguet has come out with a new 20th anniversary 2017 version of the watch.

The new range harks back to the look first seen in 2008. All seven models in the new series follow the two-tone dial design, with several new design details: chronograph counters of increased size that expand at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, shorter but wider hour-markers, additional luminescent coating for better readability and new typeset and transfers. The date window has been relocated between the 4 o’clock and 5 o’clock position.

Available at: Gehna Jewellers, Kakad Palace, Turner Rd, Bandra West, Mumbai, India

THE 59.6 CARAT "THE PINK STAR" TO BE AUCTIONED AT SOTHEBY'S

Auction house Sotheby’s has announced that The Pink Star, a great natural treasures, will lead its sales of magnificent jewels and jadeite in Hong Kong on April 4, 2017. Estimated in excess of US$60 million / HK$468 million, this 59.60-carat oval mixed-cut pink diamond is the largest Internally Flawless Fancy Vivid Pink diamond that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has ever graded.

The Pink Star has received the highest colour and clarity grades from the GIA for pink diamonds and has been found to be part of the rare subgroup comprising less than 2% of all gem diamonds - known as Type IIa: stones in this group are chemically the purest of all diamond crystals and often have extraordinary optical transparency.

DESIGNER ADARSH GILL UNVEILS NEW COUTURE LINE AND HOME COLLECTION WITH THE FLAGSHIP STORE Indian designer Adarsh Gill, has launched a store in New Delhi, India, that exudes highlights of the royal colonial past. Large chandeliers and mirrors give the space a grandiose and opulence. Retailing from this space will also be Ms Gill’s silver home collection, four poster beds, art deco sofas, Queen Anne chairs, accessories and décor artifacts such as vases, ashtrays, champagne buckets and much more. The furniture has a royal hangover with a colonial touch, silk tapestry and diverse hues of green blend in beautifully with the sheen of silver, giving the pieces the aura of regal splendor. Resham, zari, pearl, SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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sequins and crystal embroideries make a beautiful women’s couture collection.

Embroidered accents with Swarovski detailing take the weave story to another level. The saris are done with mirror work and paired with brocade bustiers and blouses. The color palate used for the Spring Summer Collection are pastel shades of pink, greens, yellows, turquoise with the dominance of white and Ekru. Flowing dresses with fitted jackets, haute tops and short skirts with coats, silk brocade skirts and tops with appliqué detailing, and gossamer lace with lame chiffons find space in the store.

NEWS IN BRIEF STOP INCITING PEOPLE AGAINST ME: ROBERT VADRA TO KEJRIWAL

APPLE TO BUILD A FLOATING SOLAR FARM IN JAPAN

TINDER SECRETLY RUNNING APP ONLY FOR RICH AND ATTRACTIVE Dating app Tinder reportedly operates a

Congress President Sonia Gandhi's

Apple will build a floating solar farm in

son-in-law Robert Vadra took to Facebook to slam Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying that the AAP convener should stop inciting people against him. 'Robert Vadra' seems to be the most referred name in the dictionary of the Delhi CM, he further wrote in his post. Vadra also asked Kejriwal to speak to him directly.

Japan to power its component supplier Ibiden's manufacturing entirely on solar energy. The move is aimed at curbing the country's emissions problem. The farm will generate 2.5 billion kilowatthours per year of clean energy, which is equal to taking over 4 lakh cars off the road for a year.

secret version of the platform called Tinder Select, which is meant to serve "CEOs, supermodels, and other hyperattractive/upwardly affluent types."

According to the report, Tinder invited a select group of people to the platform, some of whom can 'nominate' others.

Tinder Select members can switch between regular Tinder and the exclusive platform.

COURT UPHOLDS SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT'S IMPEACHMENT

IVANKA TRUMP RENTS HOUSE FROM BILLIONAIRE SUING US GOVT

PARLIAMENT PASSES BILL TO RAISE MATERNITY LEAVES TO 26 WEEKS

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill which raises the maternity leave for all working women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for the first two children. The Bill also provides leave up to 12 weeks for mothers who adopt a child below the age of three months. The Rajya Sabha had already passed the bill.

The South Korean Constitutional

Court today upheld the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, removing her from office over a corruption scandal accusing her of extortion and bribery. Park, the first democratically elected South Korean leader to be forced from office, can be prosecuted as she also loses her presidential immunity. A new president must be elected within 60 days.

US President Donald Trump's daugh-

ter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner have reportedly rented a house from billionaire Andronico Luksic who is suing the federal government over lost mineral right leases for a proposed mine in Minnesota. Luksic's company filed suit to force renewal of its leases after Barack Obama's administration announced that it would not renew the mineral rights.

COLOMBIA NAMED WORLD'S MAJOR PRODUCER OF COCAINE The cultivation of coca crop in Colombia has reportedly hit record levels for two years in a row, making the country the world's major producer of cocaine.

The area under coca cultivation in Colombia grew 39% in 2014 and 42% in 2015 to 3.9 lakh acres.

Peru and Bolivia follow Colombia with 1.3 lakh and 90,000 acres of land respectively.

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INDIAN DESIGNER MANISH MALHOTRA TO SPEAK AT PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART

MONTBLANC’S TRIBUTE TO JAZZ MUSICIAN MILES DAVIS

the importance of Indian crafts and textiles in a global world, Indian designer Manish Malhotra has been invited by the Philadelphia Museum of Art to speak on the craft of Phulkari, an embroidery work from Punjab. To be held on April 28, 2017, the conversation will be hosted on the sidelines of the Museum’s ongoing retrospective spotlighting the Phulkari technique at their Joan Spain Gallery. Ensembles from Mr Malhotra’s 2013 Collection, ‘Threads of Emotion’, are also on display at the exhibit. The only designer to be part of this tribute, the collection is an inspired endeavour – it took an average of three months to complete each outfit which was created by a single craftsman in order to retain the uniformity in the design. On display are outfits that re-imagine Phulkari through a contemporary lens, including silhouettes like gowns and jackets paired with cigarette pants.

The German manufacturer of accessories

Highlighting

CHICAGO'S FIG & OLIVE INTRODUCES AFTERNOON HIGH TEA MENU

Restaurant Fig & Olive Chicago, in collaboration with Tea Forté, has launched its new afternoon high tea menu that includes classic teas and light bites along with customized delicacies such as Champagne steeped teas. Beginning March 22 and continuing every Wednesday through Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Fig & Olive welcomes guests to sit down to a high tea service in the French Riviera-inspired front lounge. Loose tea selections, provided by Tea Forté, include Bombay Chai (blend of black tea and spices found in a traditional Indian masala chai); Wild Berry Hibiscus (tart-sweet juicy berries punctuated with hibiscus tea brewing flowers and rose hips); Rum Raisin Biscotti (black tea with the taste of rum-soaked raisins and sweet blackberry leaves); and Moroccan Mint (blend of Moroccan nana mint leaves and hand-rolled rare gunpowder green tea).

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Montblanc has unveiled a set of three Great Characters pens as a tribute to American jazz musician, Miles Davis (1926-1991). Davis was a famous trumpeter and composer during the second half of the 20th century.

Montblanc has been designing the ‘Great Characters Limited Edition’ pens since 2009 to honour personalities who have left a lasting impression in their respective fields. The list of personalities includes the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci, John F Kennedy, and Andy Warhol.

FENDI INTRODUCES ABCLICK CHARMS FOR ACCESSORIES Continuing with its trend of attaching furry friends to our style, luxury fashion brand Fendi has now introduced ABClick, a set of alphabet jewel-charms with a touch of fur. ABClick has a practical mini hook that can be attached to necklaces, bags, Strap Yous, wallets or even shoes.

The 26 letters are created in gold metal, and embellished with a touch of coloured fur, adding a fun twist like Fendi always does. So add a chic and personal touch with ABClick, pick your initial, combine it with other fun symbols or play with multiple letters to make up your name.

VILA VITA PARC RESORT & SPA TO PRESENT FINE WINES AND FOOD FAIR

One of Portugal’s most exotic luxury resorts, VILA VITA Parc Resort & Spa, is all ready with the knives, forks and spoons to present their Fine Wines & Food Fair, which happens once in two years. It offers a week of peerless gastronomy, delectable cooking and innovative culinary creativity, paired with finest wines from around the world, all under one roof. To be held from May 15 to 20, 2017, VILA VITA Parc will host a stellar repertoire of renowned chefs, wine makers and gourmet producers. The event’s aweinspiring programme includes the now-famous ‘Kitchen Party’, as well as a new series of five exclusive dinners hosted by top culinary talent in the hotel’s recently-renovated Ocean and Atlantico Restaurants. Participating chefs include Marcus Wareing (Marcus at The Berkeley, UK), Eckart Witzigmann (Hangar 7, Austria), Klaus Erfort (GästeHaus, Germany) and Tanja Grandits (Stucki, Switzerland), as well as more than 30 other luminaries from the world of fine dining. The special, themed dinners include an evening dedicated to exceptional Bordeaux wines, on May 15, and four dinners (on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th), hosted by international Michelin Star and Gault Millau guest chefs, complemented by delightful amuse-bouches prepared by Ocean’s two-Michelin-starred Chef, Hans Neuner.

ADDRESS HOME PRESENTS AURUM DINNERWARE WITH 24 CARAT GOLD Address Home, a luxury home décor brand, has introduced the Aurum collection of dinnerware which portrays the golden era of Persian art, inspired by an Iranian mosque commissioned by queen Gohar Shad. Befitting her name, the dinner set is a bejeweled symmetry of 24 Carat gold and platinum decal. Impeccable craftsmanship and richness of Persian art is vividly visible on this classy collection.

The ultra fine porcelain dinnerware comprises of dinner plates, quarter plates, portion bowls, medium bowl, small bowl and a round platter for a complete dining experience.

CHOPARD COLLABORATES WITH RIHANNA TO LAUNCH SPECIAL CREATIONS Swiss luxury jewelry and watch brand, Chopard, announced a collaboration with performer Rihanna, to capture her vision and ideas in the form of stunning jewelry collections. For the RIHANNA CHOPARD collections, Rihanna and Chopard CoPresident and Creative Director, Caroline Scheufele, worked closely together to combine their creativity and passion to develop Haute Joaillerie and Joaillerie collections that blend urban chic with classic glamour.

LOUIS VUITTON AND JEFF KOONS UNVEIL A COLLECTION OF BAGS AND ACCESSORIES Continuing on the legendary collaborations it has had with artists such as Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Stephen Sprouse, Cindy Sherman, Olafur Eliasson and Daniel Buren, luxury brand Louis Vuitton has now worked with the New York-based artist, Jeff Koons, to create a new range of bags and accessories to be launched on April 28. One of the most widely recognised figures in contemporary art, Mr Koons has brought imagery from his long-standing ‘Gazing Ball’ paintings – a series of large-scale hand-painted reproductions of works by the Old Masters – to a range of Louis Vuitton products.

PART OF THE ZEGNA TOYZ COLLECTION, ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA INTRODUCES A RANGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ACCESSORIES During the 56th edition of Salone Del Mobile, menswear fashion brand, Ermenegildo Zegna launched an exclusive collection of men’s accessories, entertainment and home products in Pelle Tessuta.

Part of Zegna’s comprehensive offer of masculine accessories is the “Technological” collection which consists of a series of multimedia accessories, such as headphones, earphones and speakers, created in collaboration with Master & Dynamic, a premium audio brand known for its sophisticated sound tools.

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H1B VISA APPLICATIONS DIP FOR FIRST TIME IN YEARS Employers applied for about 16% fewer H1B visas for highly skilled workers this year than in 2016, possibly reflecting concern that the Trump administration is taking a more restrictive approach to the program. Employers seeking visas for 2018 submitted 199,000 applications this year, compared with 236,000 last year, US Citizenship and Immigration Services said Monday.

he H1B visa programme, which is designed to let companies hire highly skilled workers for technical jobs based in the US that they’re having trouble filling, is a central policy focus of the technology industry.

As in past years, the number of applications far exceeded the 85,000 visas available. But this was the first time in the past five years that the total number of requests decreased. While the federal government made some incremental changes this year, it didn’t make any fundamental shifts—much to the frustration of some officials who have been pushing for sweeping reforms. There are several bills in Congress that would implement bigger adjustments, but they wouldn’t impact the program until next year at the earliest. The changes the new administration did make were intended SEASONAL MAGAZINE

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to cut back on aggressive use of the visas by outsourcing companies. These companies tend to use the visas to hire less-skilled workers at much lower rates of pay. Indian information-technology companies have begun to prepare for a policy landscape that undercuts their current reliance on the program. To the extent those changes would cut back on the use of the program by India-based IT companies, it would benefit Silicon Valley giants that say they’d like to hire more employees on H1B visas.

lower, either from outsourcers or from direct employers,” he said. “I don’t think there were ever 230,000 jobs that were going to be filled.”

Bruce Morrison, who helped create the H1B programme and is now a lobbyist for tech-worker advocacy group IEEEUSA, said that the drop in applications reflects a shift in strategy rather than a true change in demand for the visas.

Because the visas are granted via a random lottery, many companies apply for far more than they actually plan on using. “I don’t think the demand is

As a candidate, President Donald Trump was critical of companies who use the H1B programme to displace American workers. It’s too early to say how his administration’s changes have affected the program this year.

As in past years, the visas were granted through a random lottery.

The government didn’t release any data on which employers won.

Infosys Ltd, one of the heaviest users of the H1B programme, has said that it’s looking for other ways to hire given the changing atmosphere.

“Because of the visa-related matters, we have to get more local hiring done,” Vishal Sikka, CEO of the Bengaluru-based company, told investors last week.

R E A L T Y

Jaypee CEO Promises Apartments Delivery in Next 3 Years THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF JAYPEE GROUP, MANOJ GAUR, ON MONDAY ASSURED AGITATED HOMEBUYERS OF DELIVERY OF ALL HOUSING UNITS IN HIS JAYPEE’S WISH TOWN PROJECT IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

he announcement came after 224 homebuyers filed a case of cheating at the Expressway police station in Noida Sector 135 on Sunday against the realty major over late delivery of flats.

Gaur said the integrated housing project was delayed due to many reasons like fund crunch, environmental clearance and a ban on ground water extraction for construction by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Read: No sign of flats even after paying 90% cost, homebuyers protest outside Jaypee office in Noida “We have already given possession of 6,500 flats. We assured them that we will hand over 6,000 more flats between August 2017 and March 201,.and the remaining flats soon after. We plan to give all 32,000 flats in the next three years,” said Gaur.

Gaur will meet the buyers on April 29 and share a scheduled plan of delivery.

“We need Rs9,000 crore to restart the work and finish the project. We need to recover Rs7,000 from our investors and buyers. We will raise Rs2,000 crore funds from various banks. Banks have agreed to lend us Rs1,700 crore and the remaining Rs300 crore will soon be arranged to restart the work. We will restore the buyers’ trust and deliver as promised,” said Gaur.

Home buyers shout slogans against Jaypee builders inside the SSP office in Surajpur, Greater Noida.

The developer said it had earned Rs14,000 crore by selling housing units in this project and invested the money in construction.

We have given Rs1,000 crore to our buyers who sought refund. Now buyers should trust us and we will deliver the project. The project got delayed because the realty sector has been facing recession for the last five years,” said Sameer Gaur director, Jaypee Group.

Jaypee Infratech had in 2007 proposed to build 32,000 flats and some plots under the Integrated Wish Town project located in sectors 128, 129,131, 133

Home buyers shout slogans against Jaypee builders inside the SSP office in Surajpur, Greater Noida.

and 134 along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

Jaypee Infratech, which developed the 165-km Yamuna E-way and Formula One circuit, had promised buyers of delivery of flats from 2011-12.

Around 400 aggrieved buyers questioned Jaypee Infratech officials in a meeting held in the sector 128 office on Monday.

“I had booked a 3BHK flat in Wish Town and I was supposed to get delivery by 2012. But in the last five years, we have suffered humiliation at the office of Jaypee Group in Wish Town Sector 128.

Whenever I went to the builder’s office, the bouncers of the Jaypee Group pushed me and even misbehaved with me. If they cannot deliver flats, why do not they refund my money,” said Ashok Narang, a homebuyer.

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