METRO mart Volume 5 Issue 10 May 2016
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T H I R U VA N A N T H A P U R A M
NEW BEGINNINGS AND NEW CHALLENGES FOR
PINARAYI VIJAYAN RECHARGE YOURSELF WITH
INDIAN SUMMER DRINKS TIPS TO IMPROVE
INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE DAWAT – E- NIZAM @VIVANTA BY TAJ GREEN COVE, KOVALAM
KERALA TOURISM MAKES FURTHER IN ROADS IN CHINA
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METRO mart T H I R U VA N A N T H A P U R A M
A Resort for all seasons....... UDAY SAMUDRA LEISURE BEACH HOTEL & SPA K O VA L A M , K E R A L A
GV. Raja Road, Samudra Beach, Kovalam,Thiriuvananthapuram,Pin-695 527,Kerala, Phone: 91-471-2481654,2485766/67/68,Fax:91-471-2481578,E-mail:info@uds.co.in, www.metromartdaily.com Web:www.udaysamudra.com, www.uds.co.in
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METRO mart T H I R U VA N A N T H A P U R A M
What does God’s Own Country have to offer this month, besides the beaches, tourism and Ayurveda? A new dawn, through a new chief minister in Pinarayi Vijayan, who formally took the oath on May 25, after winning the assembly polls. Hearty congratulations to him, and our best wishes! After all, the political journey is not always a bed of roses, but full of thorns. Vijayan has a long way to go backed by his 19-member cabinet.
Foreword
Dear Readers
Spices Board has come up with a state-of-the-art Quality Evaluation Laboratory (QEL) at the Kandla port in Gujarat. This will help position India as a premier supplier of hygienic and value added spices and herbs to the industrial, retail, and food service segments of the global spices market.
In recognition of their Contribution to Art, renowned artists Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, of the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) were presented the prestigious GoodHomes 2015 award. Kerala has been named as the best family destination in India at the prestigious Lonely Planet Magazine India (LPMI) Travel Awards 2016. What a mixed bag of joy, thrill and pride it is for citizens of Kerala! Keep reading Metro Mart for interesting and innovative updates.
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Siji Nair Managing Editor & Director
The Tourism Sector of Kerala showcased the very best of ‘God’s Own Country’ at the Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) 2016, one of the world’s most prestigious travel and trade fairs. It was for the second time the south Indian state was featured at the annual forum in Beijing which brings together major players in the hugely lucrative Chinese outbound tourism market, considered the world’s largest in terms of volume.
May 2016
CONTENTS
Volume 5 Issue 10 May 2016 www.metromartdaily.com
Read our e-edition-www.issuu.com/metromart
Annual Subscription Rs 400 Publisher Hari Shanker hari@martinfotech.in Managing Editor & Director Siji Nair sijicn@gmail.com Sub Editor
V. Viswanath
Editorial Assistant Senior Creative
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New Beginnings And New Challenges for Pinarayi Vijayan
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Dawat – e- Nizam @Vivanta by Taj Green Cove, Kovalam
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Tips to Improve Interview Performance
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Spices Board set up Quality Evaluation Lab at Kandla
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Premier Skills Phase 3 training concludes in Kerala
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Effective Tips on Guest-reading
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Kerala Tourism makes further in roads in China
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Kerala Tourism makes further in roads in China
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KTM 2016 offers management skill training to sellers
Ampili Nair
Sayan Chaudhuri
GM Sales
Sibu Nair
Business Development Manager Ratheesh Kumar
Baiju Jayakumar
Corporate Office:Metro Mart Thiruvananthapuram MERA 44, Eanthivila Lane, Murinjapalam, Medical College PO,Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 695 011 Tel: 00919995139933 / 9947733339 Email: metromart.tvm@gmail.com Bangalore Office:No:217, 3B Main, OMBR Layout Bangalore – 560 043 Tel: +919038000711 Email: info@martinfotech.in Kolkata Office 313, Dorikal Byelane, Jheel Avenue, Dum Dum Road, Kolkata – 700 074, India Pune Office C-507, Wisteria Fortune Survey No: 95/2, Near New Poona Bakery Wakad, Pune - 411057
Published, Edited and Printed by Hari Shanker A G and Owned by Haritha Media Pvt Ltd and Printed by him at SB Press Private Limited, Statue, Trivandrum 695001 and Published from Tharangam, Kodunganoor Post, Trivandrum 695013 Metro Mart is a monthly journal published from Trivandrum. Views and opinions expressed in the journal are not necessarily those of the Publishers. Metro Mart reserves the right to use the information published here in any manner whatsoever. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information published in this edition, neither the Publisher no any of its employees accept any responsibilities for any errors or omissions. © All Rights Reserved 10 May 2016
RNI No: KERENG/2011/40037
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May 2016
COVER STORY
New Beginnings And New Challenges for Pinarayi Vijayan Kerala, the land of backwaters and tourism in India, has a reason to rejoice. This time, not on the tourism and technology front, but the high and mighty power-and-politics. God’s own country Kerala is upbeat as it gets a new leader - Pinarayi Vijayan, who has taken his oath as the state’s new chief minister on May 25, 2016 after sweeping the polls held on May 16, where he won 91 seats in the 140-member assembly. He shall be handling critical portfolios of Home and Vigilance.
Deepika Dewan
The announcement of the new chief minister designate was made by Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) few days back. Vijayan’s new role puts an end to the Congressled Government led by Oommen Chandy who was in power since 2011. Promising it to be a people’s government, the new CPI(M) Left Democratic Front government will function beyond caste, religious and political barriers. This statement comes from the new Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “Everyone has the right in this government and society should understand that if people turn their back,
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democratic process will not be complete. It is the people’s cooperation which strengthens democracy,” he said, stating that
government will function for justice, brotherhood, prosperity and growth. Well before the swearing-in
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ceremony took place, the LDF had decided to pursue austerity measures with a strong footing. Some of them included giving up of refurbishing of official residences of the ministers. Apart from this, size of the personal staff of the ministers to be reduced from 30 to 25, and no live web-streaming of the Chief Minister’s Office and chamber, something which the outgoing chief minister Oommen Chandy had started. Vijayan belongs to Pinarayi village in Kannur district in Kerala. It was during his student days that he got associated with the CPI(M) cadre. At the young age of 24, Vijayan was inducted into the Kannur district committee of the CPI(M).
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This was his first step in politics which ushered steady growth for him. The legendary A.K. Gopalan was Vijayan’s mentor. Positions Held by the New Chief Minister Vijayan Born in 1944, Mr Vijayan joined the Communist Party in 1964. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a handloom weaver for a year before he took up a Pre-University course. He has been the State President and Secretary of Kerala Student’s Federation, President of Kerala State Youth Federation, and President of Kerala State Co-Operative Bank. Mr Vijayan was elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970, 1977,
1991 and 1996. He served as Electricity Minister in 1996 in the cabinet of E.K. Nayanar. Between 1998 and 2015, Vijayan became the organisational leader in the capacity of the Secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M). He was the longest serving secretary in the party’s history and was member of the CPI (M) politburo from 2002. Mr Vijayan emerged victorious at the elections held in the following constituencies – Koothuparamba in 1970, 1977 and 1991, Payyannur in 1996 and Dharmadom in 2016. The Challenges Ahead for Vijayan
May 2016
The first and foremost challenge in front of Vijayan is to curb the political violence in Kerala that has surfaced after the immediate announcement of the election assembly results. The second challenge lying ahead of Vijayan is to sort out the precarious finances and correcting the public distribution system. Talk of outstanding liabilities, and Kerala touches a whopping figure of over Rs.141,500 crore, which is over 28.5 percent of its GDP. Cash constraints for
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capital and development expenditures are what the new government may have to face. Salaries, pensions and interest payments are three expenditure heads that might take up over two-thirds of Kerala’s budgeted revenue of Rs. 84,000 crore for this fiscal year. The developmental efforts of Vijayan’s predecessor Oommen Chandy had negative shades in terms of scandals such as the solar scam as well as bribery cases. This means Vijayan will have to re-look into 800 decisions spearheaded by the Chandy government, which were announced in
March before the assembly elections. The liquor policy of the previous government will have to be sorted out by the new chief minister. Under the policy, only 27 Kerala five-star hotels are allowed to serve alcohol. This means 700 bars in the state of Kerala to shut their shops. However, the biggest challenge that the new chief minister of Kerala has to cope up with is his wobbly past. Here’s wishing Mr Pinarai Vijayan the very best in leading Kerala to new frontiers in administration and leadership.
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CENTRE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION KERALA
Charachira, Kowdiar.PO, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Pin-695003. Phone / Fax: 0471-2313065, 2311654 Email: directorccek@gmail.com, Web: www.ccek.org
I. INSTITUTIONS UNDER CCEK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, MUNNAR Approved by AICTE and Affiliated to CUSAT Phone : 04865 - 232106, 232989, 230606 Email : mail@cemunnar.ac.in, Web : www.cemunnar.ac.in
II. KERALA STATE CIVIL SERVICE ACADEMY 1. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Charachira, Kowdiar.PO, Thiruvananthapuram. Phone : 0471 - 2313065, 2311654 Email : directorccek@gmail.com, Web : www.ccek.org
2. PALAKKAD Ayyapuram, Palakkad H.O [P.O], Palakkad - 678001 Phone : 0491 - 2576100 Email : kscsaplkd@gmail.com, Web : www.ccek.org
3. KOZHIKODE West Hill UP School Campus, West Hill .P.O, Kozhikode-673005 Phone : 0495 - 2386400 Email : kscsakzkd@gmail.com, Web : www.ccek.org
4. INSTITUTE OF CAREER STUDIES AND RESEARCH, PONNANI Eswaramangalam.PO, Ponnani, Malappuram District Phone : 0494 - 2665489 Email : icsrgovt@gmail.com Web : www.ccek.org
5. CHENGANNUR 1st Floor, Premier Studio Building, Chengannur, Pin-689121 Web : www.ccek.org
6. KONNI, PATHANAMTHITTA Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Pramadam, Konni, Pin - 689691 Web : www.ccek.org
7. MUVATTUPUZHA Government Model Higher Secondary School Compound Phone : 0471 - 2313065, 2311654 Email : directorccek@gmail.com, Web : www.ccek.org
8. ALOOR SNV Higher Secondary School Building, Aloor, Thrissur Phone : 0471 - 2313065, 2311654 Email : directorccek@gmail.com, Web : www.ccek.org
III. Courses Offered Coaching for Civil Services Prelims Examination - Regular, Weekend & Evening Batches
Limited numbers of scholarship are available for deserving students.
Coaching for Civil Services Mains Examination - Interview Coaching Two Year Civil Service Course - for 2nd year UG, 1st year PG & Professional College students Civil Service Foundation Course for +1, +2 and College Going Students Talent Development Course for High School Students
IV. INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY KERALA [Affiliated to Kerala University and established in technical collaboration with NIFT] Vellimon West PO, Kollam, Kerala - 691511 Phone No : 0474 - 2547775, 2548798, 2549787 Email : iftk.govt@gmail.com, Web : www.iftk.ac.in
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May 2016
COVER STORY
A new dawn in Kerala Kerala see a new dawn as CPI (M) elected Pinarayi Vijayan as the new leader of the LDF at its state secretariat and state committee meeting. The LDF frolicked to power with 92 seats limiting the Congress led UDF to 47 seats in the 140-member Assembly and BJP bagging a single seat. CPI-M led LDF ministry would have a 19-member cabinet.
Radhika Retnam
Incidentally, the latest occurrence of brutal rape and murder of law student Jisha in Perumbavoor shook the conscience of every individual and remains a terrifying and disturbing reminder to the failure of the last government machinery in preventing such crimes. CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s opined that LDF’s victory in Kerala is a verdict of the people against the UDF-led
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government which had failed to protect women. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also said that the focus of the LDF government in the state will be to ensure women protection. Even in their homes, women were not safe, te Chief Minister said apparently referring to this case. The new government that took over in Kerala on 26th May 2016 and it will be a people’s endeavor at large, in the words of the Chief
Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The government would act as a safe haven for all; the Chief Minister told newspersons while briefing to them the conduct of the swearing-in function. The new government will work to ensure the welfare of all. Every person would be treated equal cutting across the political, caste and ideological boundary. The time has come for all to unite for the development of the state. Mutual
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malevolence, hostility and hatred among political parties is bound to end with the elections. “If democracy is to thrive, we must ensure the wholehearted involvement in and cooperation of the people. The society at large must be able to appreciate this and encourage individuals to act accordingly,” the Chief Minister said. The government will work for justice, progress, harmony, and growth. The Chief Minister had welcomed each and every one to the swearing-in ceremony - not just those who voted for the Left Democratic Front but all who exercised their authorization in this election. The ceremony took place at the Central Stadium and the Chief Minister requested cooperation of all since only limited seating facilities were available. Those who were not able to enter the stadium
were facilitated to watch the proceedings live on video walls which were erected at major junctions within the city. CPI (M) general secretary Sitharam Yechury and politburo member Prakash Karat participated in the function. The Chief Minister warned the people not to fall for the guile of imitators claiming ‘proximity to Pinarayi Vijayan’ and offering to ‘resolute things.’ “These people do not seem to know me and my ways,” the Chief Minister said. In an effort to check unnecessary public expenditure, the chief minister instructed his colleagues who are tipped to be cabinet ministers not to go in for revamping of their residences. Pinarayi Vijayan, after being sworn-in as Chief Minister, however, gave permission for carrying
out ‘unavoidable cleaning and maintenance’ work of the buildings. In the past years, whenever the ministry changed, huge expenditure used to be incurred on renovating of ministerial chalets. There had also been several accusations of corruption while carrying out such renovation of residence allotted to ministers. The Chief Minister along with ministerial designates offered floral tributes at the Punnapara Vayalar Martyr’s Column and at the Vayalar Samadhi at Alapuzha before taking up his designation. Addressing party workers, the Chief Minister stressed the prerequisite to wipe out corruption. “That is what people want as it is clear from the massive mandate against the previous Congress led UDF government,” he said. The state’s industrial sector was in a bad shape and due
Council of Ministers
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May 2016
to the boom of price rise of essential commodities during the UDF rule, the life of common man had been badly affected, he said. 97-year-old Gowri Amma, a blazing communist leader, was expelled from the CPI(M) in 1994 for anti-party activities after which she floated her own political party - JSS. Earlier, before taking up charge, the Chief Minister visited her to cut a birthday cake and partook lunch at the nonagenarian leader’s residence. Rumors has
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it that CPI(M) are all set to merge with JSS. The merging of JSS with the communist party was supposed to happen before the May 16 elections. However, it failed to materialize due to some inner party differences in the JSS. The political drama that was expected after the LDF victory, as a result of the rivalry between the two stalwarts of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and former State secretary Pinarayi
Vijayan, did not show up. The transition to power was a smooth affair with Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan chosen as the CPI(M)’s legislature party leader and Mr.V.S. Achuthanandan stepping aside graciously, albeit after some gentle persuasion from the national leadership of the party. Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan was the face of the Left Democratic Front’s campaign, drawing massive crowds to his meetings as he took on the Congress on issues such as poor
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trueberry.in
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May 2016
governance and corruption. But old age and illhealth, as well as political constraints, necessitated the renouncing of his claim on the chief ministership. The LDF did not return to power on a wave of popularity. It is Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, the quintessential organisation strongman, who enjoys the support in all tiers of the party. Having risen through the CPI(M) ranks in north Kerala’s Kannur district, a hotbed of political violence between the Communist and Sangh Parivar cadres, he lacks the geniality and mass appeal of Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan. But during his years as the State secretary, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan became the backbone of the party,
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holding the organisation together within a disciplinary framework that gave no scope for either internal dissent or external threats. Other than his public spat with Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, for which both were suspended from the Polit Bureau, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan is not known for being out of step with the party line. The victory of LDF was facilitated, and in no small measure, by the ineptness of the United Democratic Front, the surge in the vote share of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its role as a keen ombudsman during its years in opposition. Given his age, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan could not
be as active as the leader of the opposition over the last five years as he was in 2001-06. Given the rise of the BJP in Kerala’s politics, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, given his political acumen, may well be the right person at the helm for the CPI(M). But clearly, it is his skills as an administrator that will be under test in the next five years. In his earlier stint in government, as the Minister for Power and Cooperation in the E.K. Nayanar government for two years from 1996, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan faced corruption charges, but was subsequently cleared by a special court. Despite being a hard-nosed communist, the new Chief Minister of Kerala is not averse to big ticket investment, something the State badly needs. Indeed, in this he is more forward-looking than Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan, who is schooled and set in the old ways as an administrator. Kerala needs a more dynamic Left-leaning government, one that harmoniously accommodates both industrial growth and social welfare. Retaining power in Kerala is more easier than regaining it. Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan would do well to remember this as he readies to govern this politically conscious State.
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May 2016
DINING
Dawat – e- Nizam @Vivanta by Taj Green Cove, Kovalam It is time for yet another lip smacking treat from the Kitchen of Vivanta by Taj Green Cove, Kovalam.
Dawat-e-Nizam brings you the traditional delicacies from the Land of Nizams at Curries Restaurant from 24th June to 3rd July 2016. Chef Pankaj and Chef Mahesh from Taj Deccan, Hyderabad brings together their command over the famed cuisine to bring you the best. The Signature Delicacies that are going to be part of the Festival are Kache Gosh ki Biriyani, Haleem (Well cooked lamb cubes mixed with The Nizam’s special spices), Lukmi Kabab and mouth watering Hyderabadi Desserts. The main attraction is that guests who are going to be part of the festival will also be offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to take the experience back to their kitchen. Our Chefs will be showcasing a demo of the dishes on 26th June, 2016. Please contact us on +91-471-6613026, +919249516271 or email us on Bookvivanta.kovalam@ tajhotels.com for further details.
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May 2016
CAREER GUIDANCE
Tips to Improve Interview Performance Sometimes you will have sent hundreds or resumes to various firms, you would have attended multiple telephonic and direct interviews and would not be placed. You will wreck your head on this and maybe even call back to the company to know what’s wrong.
Ameena K
Here come some points that might help fellow job seekers to grab a good job Before going for an interview you can do the following things to impress the recruiter and to improve your confidence Research about the company. When you get the call letter from the employer or a phone call from the recruiter, note the name of the company and browse all the details about the company. You should focus on the functional area of the company and its mission .Always read their job advertisement twice so that you will know in which designation are you going to attend the interview and your expected responsibilities . You can get the review
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about the firm from the internet .Try to find if there is anyone in your known circles who are currently working there .Those people can help you with tips & references. Dress Neatly You might have read this point, each and everywhere you read about interviews .Still, make sure that you dress neatly. A neat, light coloured full sleeve shirt, with dark
coloured pants, a leather belt and polished shoes will bring out the best in you .If you could shave clean and brush your hair neatly, Then you are perfect . There is a misconception about the attire of ladies .Ladies too can wear the above said dress for perfection .If not, wear light coloured simple dresses with minimum accessories. Body posture Sit and stand straight at the interview venue. Look to the
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peoples face while talking .Take stern steps and keeps you head up .Always keep a smile on your face .The recruiter should feel your confidence while you walk to his cabin. Don’t worry about language Language is a medium of communication .If you could use English fluently, your recruiter will be impressed .Even if you are not, don’t worry You can speak to your recruiter in your mother tongue if he knows it .You can only tell him that you are weak in English and will improve soon. Whenever you commit and interview, be transparent. If you have difficulty in speaking, ask for an alternative. You will be given choices. Please don’t prejudice that they are going to insult you. You will be given chances. Take it, and prove yourself. Prepare a neat brief selfintroduction It should contain the details of your past experience like projects, workshops or internships .Point out your strengths and capabilities .Concentrate on what the job requires. For example, if you are going for an interview for sales www.metromartdaily.com
executive, Demonstrate your sales skills .You can tell like ‘I have tried sales in my college; I have sold some computers to my neighbours etc’. If you are going for a programmer position, you can demonstrate your skills like C, C++, Java, .net, PHP or whatever. Be honest To add value to the resume, some jobseekers may add skills that they are not confident at .The recruiter might be contacting you based on that skill .And you might get rejected in the process, as he feels that you are not a right fit . There are chances when there will be an opening that suits your skill set in the firm, but you have been rejected earlier .So,
be honest in the CV also .Write your known skills and speak about that only . Speak politely If the recruiter is asking irrelevant questions or provoking you, reply calm and polite .Use kind and humble words. If you are not interested in joining, you can email the reason and move on .Because he can refer you to another job lately or can help you in future. All the people you meet on you the way to a new job are future references. Be prepared for the technical round Whenever you go for the interview, prepare well .You will get common interview questions from the internet .You can get more details of questions from your circles too. May 2016
can even check the reviews of the firm in websites like glassdoor .com or research their past Job advertisements. Carry the documents Please have 2 copies if resume with your 6 passport size photographs and attested certificates, whenever you go for the interview .The recruiter may ask for these at any time.
Study the answers and be prepared for the technical process Tell the recruiter if you are not aware of the topic .You can tell him what all things you know .An interview is just a process to know the knowledge that you are having.
per industry standards.
Wise remuneration negotiation
The company will certainly have some payment standards. If it is higher than you negotiate for, they are going to pay you higher itself. And if you negotiate too high for your position, there are chances to get rejected.
If you’re a fresher, do a market research before going to the interview .You should have a rough idea about the average payment for the post .You can ask your friends relatives and other circles to know the industry salary standards. If the recruiter asks you bout salary expectations, you can tell the average amount or you can tell that you are a fresher and you expect as
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If you are an experienced person, normally the salary hike percentage in a recruitment scenario will be 30 percentage hike of the present salary. In rare cases, it can go up to 50.
So, be wise while negotiations. Please don’t take a sudden leap. Take small steps instead. That is the safest way. For negotiations, you
Don’t forget the pen! It’s the show runner .It won’t be impressive if you run across the interview hall to lend a pen. So keep 2 pens with you, whenever you are about to attend an interview. Follow-up After completing the interview, wait for 3 days for the results .If it is not declared or intimated from the employer, Just drop a mail that the interview went fine ad there was no response, you can request for the result. If they say you are shortlisted, then you can follow up after a week .Please be careful to use polite language while following up. So, All the best! You are going to crack the next interview!
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May 2016
METRO FOCUS
Spices Board set up Quality Evaluation Lab at Kandla State-of-the-art facility to help exporters meet global quality standards
Spices Board has set up a state-of-the-art Quality Evaluation Laboratory (QEL) at the Kandla port in Gujarat to help exporters and customers ensure that their products meet international standards. Spices Board has set up a state-of-the-art Quality Evaluation Laboratory (QEL) at the Kandla port in Gujarat to help exporters and customers ensure that their products meet international standards. The laboratory is the seventh such facility established by the Spices Board across India and has the latest machinery and equipment to test a range of parameters in spice and spice products. The QEL is being inaugurated today (Wednesday, May 4). It has been set up over 40 cents of land allotted by the Kandla Port Trust, at a cost of Rs 9.9 crores with central government support of Rs 4.98 crores under the Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development of Exports (ASIDE) scheme. “Our long-term vision is to
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earn India the status of an international processing hub and premier supplier of clean, safe and value added spices and herbs to the industrial, retail, and food service segments of the global spices market,” said Dr A Jayathilak, Chairman, Spices Board. “Ensuring that the quality of spices and spice products meet global standards is of vital importance, which is why we have prioritised setting up of these laboratories at all the major producing/ exporting centres in the
country,” he added. Dr Jayathilak said the new QEL will serve exporters and customers in the Unjha/Kandla region. The first Quality Evaluation Laboratory of Spices Board was established in 1989 in Kochi. Regional Quality Evaluation laboratories have since been set up at major production and export centres including Mumbai (2008), Guntur (2010), Chennai (2011), New Delhi (2012) and Tuticorin (2013).
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May 2016
ON FACE
New Director for Kerala Tourism Mr. U. V. Jose IAS has joined as the New Director of Kerala Tourism. He also holds the additional charge of the Director of Department of Social Justice, Kerala.
Prior to this he was serving as District Collector of Kottayam. He has also served as the Director of Kerala Institute of Tourism & Travel Studies, Director of Grand Kerala Shopping Festival and Director of Kerala State Urban Development project. Mr. U. V. Jose is a Civil Engineer with MBA and a Master’s Degree in Regional Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi and has done the Executive Development Institute in Tourism (EDIT) course at the University of Hawaii, USA.
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Mr. Jose has over 15 years of experience in tourism planning and development and has led the Planning and Development Division of the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala for about 10 years as Planning officer and Additional Director (Planning and Projects). Through innovative development strategies he has contributed significantly in positioning Kerala as a leading tourist destination in the country. He is one of the major forces behind the conceptualization and implementation of Rural Tourism and Responsible Tourism initiatives in Kerala and framing the new tourism policy for the state. Mr. Jose was one of the panelists for two panel discussions in the World Responsible Day Celebration held at London on 8th November 2011 on ‘Role of Government
in Making Tourism More Sustainable’ and ‘Making Destinations More Sustainable’. Another feather in his cap was the phenomenal success of the novel venture, Suchitwa Kottayam (Clean Kottayam) that he launched during his tenure as the Kottayam Collector. This programme was widely received as it was the first of its kind that witnessed widespread public participation. The initiative addressed the biggest issue Kottayam faced at the time by dealing with waste management at all levels. He has also worked in CWRDM, Kozhikode; NIO, Goa; Department of Town Planning and Kerala State IT Mission in various positions and has received many awards/ recognitions including the National Award for best paper in Engineering. He has also published many papers in international journals.
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May 2016
METRO UPDATE
Premier Skills Phase 3 training concludes in Kerala The third phase of the hugely successful Premier Skills initiative, run by the Premier League and the British Council will take place in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala at Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) from 4 - 8 May 2016.
The course is jointly organised by the British Council and the Premier League in association with Sports Authority of India, All India Football Federation (AIFF), The Indian Football Association, West Bengal (IFA), Kerala Football Association (KFA) and Goa Football Association (GFA). The community coaching education programme started in November 2014 and, after completing two phases of rigorous training and implementing the same in their communities, the cohort of participants will now take part in a final course in order to earn the title of ‘Coach Educator’. Once through this stage, the successful participants will be able to train new coaches back in their own communities, using the Premier Skills curriculum that they themselves had been trained using. This intensive course will be led by Premier Skills head coaches Jeremy Weeks and Paul Hughes alongside Daniel Landstrom of Manchester
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May 2016
City FC – all of whom have worked on Premier Skills in India previously - for 24 grassroots football coaches selected from across India.
Stages of the Phase 3 training: Stage 1 2 – 7 February 2016: A five-day training
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course where the participants gained better understanding of the tutor skills needed to run adult coach training. Stage 2 February – April 2016: The potential Coach Educators worked on their session plans in their respective communities. Stage 3 4 – 8 May 2016: A five-day training session will be held for potential Coach Educators to run sessions for new coaches, observed and assessed by Premier League trainers. Based on assessment of their performance they will be awarded Coach Educator status. Premier Skills uses football to develop a brighter future for young people around the world, drawing upon the global appeal of the Premier League and its expertise in delivering community programmes in the UK, alongside the British Council’s global network and track record of delivery.
young people.
Through Premier Skills, young people, often including the most vulnerable in society, are given opportunities to become better integrated into their local communities, to develop their skills for employability and to raise their self-esteem. Since Premier Skills began in 2007, 7,600 coaches and referees have been trained in 29 countries, who in turn have reached nearly 1.2 million
Premier League Director of International Relations, Tim Vine said: “India has been a major focus for Premier Skills since 2007, when we first piloted coach training courses in Delhi and Kolkata. Since then we established Kolkata Goalz, our hugely successful project which continues to engage over 1,000 young people a week in football and other activities across
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the city. And now we will have a group of highly trained coach educators capable of passing on what they have learnt to a new generation of other male and female coaches. And it will not stop here - we intend to build on this, working with our Indian partners to utilise these coach educators alongside expert trainers from the Premier League to help deliver more work right across India over these next three years.” May 2016
METRO FOCUS
Sri KarunakaraGuru – A Great Prophet of Love, Swami Poornamritananda Puri Navajyothi SriKarunakara Guru was a great spiritual Master who taught how to love others through one’s life, said Swami Amrithananda Puri, General Secretary of Amritanandamayi Mattam.
The course is jointly organised by the British Council and the Premier League in association with Sports Authority of India, All India Football Federation (AIFF), The Indian Football Association, West Bengal (IFA), Kerala Football Association (KFA) and Goa Football Association (GFA). The community coaching education programme started in November 2014 and, after completing two phases of rigorous training
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and implementing the same in their communities, the cohort of participants will now take part in a final course in order to earn the title of ‘Coach Educator’. Once through this stage, the successful participants will be able to train new coaches back in their own communities, using the Premier Skills curriculum that they themselves had been trained using. This intensive course
will be led by Premier Skills head coaches Jeremy Weeks and Paul Hughes alongside Daniel Landstrom of Manchester City FC – all of whom have worked on Premier Skills in India previously - for 24 grassroots football coaches selected from across India. Stages of the Phase 3 training: Stage 1 2 – 7 February 2016: A five-day training
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METRO FOCUS
Government for stringent action against substances harming humans: Kerala Health Minister The Government will take strong action against substances such as tobacco, alcohol or other drugs that cause harm to the human body. Concerted action will be taken up against tobacco and drug use, said Hon’ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare Smt KK Shyalaja while inaugurating the World No Tobacco Day observance event
The Health Minister, formerly a teacher, expressed concerns over the increasing availability of pan masala and other drugs in the form of candies near educational institutions. She called upon all enforcement agencies to identify the availability of these products and initiate stringent action. In his presidential address, Hon’ble Minister for Electricity & Devaswom Shri Kadakampally Surendran said that schools and colleges are continuing to be centres of easy availability of pan masala, tobacco products and other drugs. “Continued efforts are needed with the support of civil society to achieve success in reining tobacco use in our state,” he added. Director, Subhodham, Government of Kerala Dr K Ambady who delivered the keynote address said that collective and coordinated action that hinges on a threepronged approach including supply, demand and harm reduction strategies are required for bringing down www.metromartdaily.com
use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
Free Educational Institutions in Kerala – Experiences, Challenges & Plans Ahead” The importance of advocacy and ensuing discussions for tobacco control came witnessed thoughts on the to the fore as Dr Babu need for self-control, role of Mathew spoke on the topic students and peers in curbing “Battle against tobacco tobacco use in schools, - the RCC experience”. counseling students with love Dr KR Thankappan while speaking on the “Relevance and care and migrants as suppliers of these products. of tobacco cessation programmes in India” said Dr R Jayakrishnan, RCC made both prevention and control the closing remarks in the are needed to address function in which School tobacco, a silent killer. Health Nurses, Student Police Cadets, NCC cadets and NSS A panel discussion on the volunteers were present. topic “Towards Tobacco May 2016
METRO EVENT
Sayanthanam Music event Concluded A highly spectacular event took place at Muscot Hotel , Trivandrum. Distinguished personalities like Sri.O Rajagopal, Padmashree Sankar, Kanjanamala, Sayanthanam Music Co-ordinator Sri.Harikrishna Kumar along with Smt Jacintha Morris gathered together for a pleasant evening sharing prospective views with sweetness. The meeting congratulated O. Rajagopal who got elected from Nemom.
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The event was followed
had as usual come up
by the release of a
with extra ordinary
visual CD album of
creative art. One of
Smt. Jacintha Morris,
her English poem was
writer, well known for
tuned and she had sung
her versatile talent
and acted in it proving
also Vice President of
that a POET-SINGER-
Sayanthanam Musics
ACTRESS is possible.
May 2016
Sayanthanam Musics President Sri Mohan Kumar gave a special address and Sri Hareesh made the welcome speech. The CD was released by the guest of honour Sri O Rajagopal and received by Smt. Kanchanamala.
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May 2016
HOSPITALITY
Effective Tips on Guest-reading Guests are coming over to your house. That’s great. Once a while, it’s nice to catch up with your close friends and relatives. But apart from taking a close look at what your guests are wearing, how many times have you sit back and analysed your guest through and through? Not much, isn’t it? Bijoy Joseph
Reading someone’s face and body language is not new. It has been around for quite some time. Only thing is most of us tend to ignore the importance of it. Imagine a young couple arriving for a three-night stay. They come with two large suitcases. Chances are they are there to celebrate their honeymoon, wedding anniversary or birthday. The moment they furnish their details in the form of ID card, you get to know a lot about them including their birthdays. If that doesn’t help, you ask in a cordial manner the purpose of their stay. A case in example - Thank you for choosing to stay with us. May we know what brings you to our hotel? Is it just a leisure trip or any special occasion? Usually one doesn’t get to
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see the date of marriage or engagement in most of the visitor IDs. So putting forward an open-ended question gives you a wider scope of answers and helps break the ice. This also gives the visitors an idea that you care and want to make their stay unique, and is more applicable to hotels & resorts which cater to
leisure guests. Well, a question like this will always make the guests feel special, unless they are tired and just want the comfort of a bed to stretch their legs. After all, it’s human nature to find ways for acceptance in any place we go, especially if it’s a new and never-visited one. Finding
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out the reason of the visit isn’t hard at all, but asking the right question at the right time and at the right place is very important. Since too many questions hurled on tired shoulders can create an unpleasant atmosphere, it is better not to do it. Instead, watching them closely can be good enough to get the answers. Backpackers are usually not celebrating any occasion; they are travelling for various reasons. But people with travel suitcase or bags containing expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. are those who could have a special reason to visit the hotel...maybe official too! Question is why do we need to read our guests? How important do you think it is and what sense
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does it make? The front desk should not just be trained on how to behave but reading the guests too! Whether it is marketing your restaurant, boutique shops, special tour packages, or Ayurvedic treatment, first find out what you have to offer. Studying a guest who is staying for more than a night is always a good prospect for purchasing other services & products. What does it cost you to ask your guest about his or her interest? How much time does it take to offer them “On the spot packages” with discounts? An ayurvedic massage/ spa, a special tour, or even special dish packages....oh yes! You never thought of that? You can even offer them a dining package.
People tend to spend more when they see that they are saving money (mind you, this happens only if they are in good mood). A young couple (newly married) and an old couple (celebrating retirement) can spend more, but it depends upon their health and activeness. The moral of the story is “Read your guests to retain your guests”! What makes a true difference is not how much they spend, but how worth was their expenditure on the stay and services offered. You can retain guests only when they find every penny they spent was worth it, and there is more coming up in their next visit. Ensure that your guests leave with a smile and not with a frown, because who goes with a smile will always return with a smile!
May 2016
DINING
Recharge Yourself with Indian Summer Drinks The scorching summer is round the corner. Many parents are finalizing their vacation destinations, while children are working hard to finish their exams and have started getting in the mood to enjoy the vacation.
For those travelers as well as those who stay put in an area, summer feelings are alike – Hot, sweaty and thirsty. To BEAT THE HEAT the traditional Indian drinks are a great help. Many of these drinks also provide medically beneficial for the consumers. India is rich with various spices, herbs, veggies and fruits and many of them are unique to a particular area or region. Thus each region of India has some specialty drink. Like in Bihar, for e.g. - drinks made from sattu (roasted chickpea and barley flour) are had during the summers. In western and south
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India, coconuts are easily available and thus coconut water is frequently had to beat the summer heat. A few of the favorite Indian summer drinks are Nimbu Paani or the Indian Lemonade – This is the cheapest and might be the most used summer drink in India. You can add flavor to it by adding mint leaves, roasted cumin powder, black salt or make it sweet or have it salty. Some people also like to add ginger juice but then ginger is healthy. In the western India, this is called as nimbu paani and in north India, its called as shikanji. Tender coconut water – If you are staying in a place
where fresh coconut water is available easily in summers then you are simply blessed. It is one of the best and the healthiest option to beat summer heat. Jaljeera – It’s a spiced Indian cooling drink also used as an appetizer or just as a drink, quite famous in north India. Sweet lassi – Made from yogurt and very famous in north India. You can make it salty or sweet. You can flavor it with cardamom powder, rose water and saffron. Buttermilk or chaas – Made using yogurt. Popular in the whole of India. You can flavor it with mint, ginger,
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cumin powder or curry leaves and even do an oil tempering with herbs and spices.
body hydrated.
Kokum sherbet – Kokum fruit is available mostly in Goa and Maharashtra. It Rooh Afza – It is sweet rose is one of the best summer scented healthy syrup that coolant, reduces heat in is made with fresh fruits, body, anti oxidant and helps vegetables, herbs and roots. in digestion. You can add it to milk, kulfi, Mint sherbet – Mint is falooda, ice cream, phirni or have it simply with plain excellent to beat summers. You can add mint in many water. drinks as well as can use Aam ka panna – It is made it for garnishing. Apart using raw mangoes. Help in from cooling properties preventing heat strokes and mint is good for digestion, keep the body cool. Raw cures morning sickness mangoes are rich in vitamin and nausea and detoxifies c and iron. the body and good source of vitamin C, B complex Juices form a major portion vitamins and minerals like of thirst quenchers. calcium, phosphorous, zinc and copper. Watermelon juice – Watermelon is cooling and Mango juice – Made from is rich in vitamin C. You fresh ripe mangoes, thirst can give different flavor quenching and healthy to watermelon juice by and full with flavours of combining mint, gulkand, mangoes. rose petals or fruits like pomegranate, oranges Some of the with it. cooling
ingerdients for your drinks are: Holy basil or tulsi – You can use it for garnishing or add in various sherbets or even make drink or sherbet. Rose petals or rose water meant for culinary uses – Can be added to many drinks. Gulkand or rose petal preserve – You can add it to milkshakes or sherbets. Fresh mint leaves – You can use their juice or leaves. Also can be added as garnishing while serving. Sabja seeds – Also known as falooda seeds or basil seeds. They need to be soaked for half an hour and then can be added to falooda or nimbu pani or other drinks. They are very cooling.
Musk melon juice – Musk melon also known as kharbuja in hindi reduces heat in the body. It is high in fiber, anti oxidant and helps in controlling blood pressure. Sugarcane juice – The ever popular Indian juice to quench your thirst and give you a boast of energy. Excellent for jaundice. Has digestive properties thirst quenching and keep the www.metromartdaily.com
May 2016
Salt - to taste Method properties, you can make drinks or make stuffed parathas out of it. Barley water – Made with barley grains.
Saffron – Saffron is expensive but adds a good flavor to any drink or dish. It has cooling properties so you can add few saffron strands to your summer drinks. Cardamom power – Add it to milk shakes. Almond milk – It is cooling as well as healthy and you can use it in your milkshakes. Sattu ka atta – Flour made with roasted chickpea and barley. Famous in Bihar region of India. For it cooling
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Few more names which I must mention here are thandai drink, khus roots and betal leaves. Recipe for Aam Ka Panna Ingredients Raw Green Mango - 1 big Sugar - 1/4 cup(adjust according to ur preference) Roasted cumin powder 1/2 tsp Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp Fresh Mint Leaves - 10 Chilled Water - as required Lemon Juice - as required(optional) Ice cubes - few
Dry roast cumin seeds for a few minutes until nice aroma rises. In a mixer add sugar, salt, mint leaves, half of jeera and pepper and grind it to a fine powder. Pressure cook raw mango with enough water (just immersing level will do) until mushy, giving it 3-4 whistles. Peel off skin, take out the pulp alone and discard the seed, add the pulp along with the sugar mint mixture and blend it to a smooth puree with no water. Now your raw mango preserve is ready. For 2 cups (500ml) of water add about 4 tbsp of the preserve, add 1 tsp lemon juice give a quick mix. Garnish with mint leaves and add some ice cubes, sprinkle left over jeera powder and serve chilled.
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May 2016
METRO FOCUS
Kerala Tourism makes further in roads in China God’s Own Country yet again a hit at Beijing International Tourism Expo Further capitalising on its initial forays into China, Kerala Tourism showcased the very best of ‘God’s Own Country’ at the Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) 2016, one of the world’s most prestigious travel and trade fairs.
It was for the second time the south Indian state was featured at the annual forum in the Chinese capital—this time held during May 20-22— which brings together major players in the hugely lucrative Chinese outbound tourism market, widely considered the world’s largest by volume. A whopping 120 million of Chinese tourists travelled worldwide in 2015, an increase of 12 per cent in comparison with the year-ago period. With most of these tourists preferring to holiday
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in Asian destinations, Kerala is well positioned to experience a surge in Chinese visitors. This fact was highlighted again by the presence of a high-level Kerala delegation at BITE 2016. Lead by Kerala Tourism Director Shri U.V. Jose IAS, the team saw judicious representation from the state’s leading hoteliers, Ayurvedic resorts and tour operators. According to Shri Jose, the state “aspires to augment
the strong destination pull it already enjoys”. “The modern traveller in general, and the Chinese visitor in particular, is always expanding his/her horizons, seeking out ever newer experiences,” he said. “The objective of such tourism facilitation initiatives and participation in such high-profile industry events is to highlight the wondrous possibilities on offer in Kerala,” the official added. “In this respect, China is a top priority for us because its citizens are worldly and,
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more to the point, especially well-versed in Kerala and its offerings.” To this end, the expansive Kerala pavilion sought to renew the focus on the state’s rich legacy of martial arts, holistic medical traditions, the beauty of its backwaters and its snakeboat races. Driving home the point were attractions from the private partners: Eastend Hotels and Resorts, Kairali Ayuredic Health Resort, Poovar Island Resort, Somatheeram Ayurvedic Resort and Spiceland Holidays. As was the case last year, the display was an instant hit with the hosts, resonating deeply with Chinese visitors who enjoy a similarly bountiful heritage. The stand saw an impressive number of footfalls as also inquiries – particularly about Ayurveda, underscoring the great potential of its products, therapies and wellness packages in a market welcoming to alternative
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medicine. “It speaks to the successful branding and marketing of Kerala that most of the visitors to the state pavilion knew about our Ayurveda, Kalaripayattu and our backwaters,” Shri Jose said. “That they wanted to know about our intellectual attractions like the KochiMuziris Biennale and our film, culture and dance festivals speak also to the worldliness of the Chinese traveller.” The strategic presentation of Kerala through the prism of its cosmopolitanism, traditions and vistas as also its history and heritage has altered the optics of the state, per Shri Jose. Shri Bandaru Wilsonbabu, First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in Beijing, visited the Kerala pavilion and offered the mission’s full support in helping promote the state in China.
Tourists from China are considered the highestspending in the world. In 2014, Chinese tourists to India numbered nearly 2 lakh. The same period saw an increase of Chinese tourist inflow to Kerala. As well, following a visit to Kochi last year by the Chinese Ambassador to India, the city became the first in India to gain membership to the Beijing-headquartered World Tourism Cities Federation Council, a 135-member league of leading tourism cities from across the globe. An honour for the state that should pay immediate dividends: Foreign tourist arrivals to Kerala in 2015 have been provisionally tallied at nearly 9.8 lakh over the previous year’s figure of roughly 9.2 lakh. With visitors, inquiries and interest in Kerala on the rise, the state’s star looks to soar in the Middle Kingdom.
May 2016
EVENT SCAN
Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu receive GoodHomes Award for ‘Contribution to art’ Renowned artists Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, of the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) were presented the prestigious GoodHomes 2015 award in recognition of their Contribution to Art.
The duo, co-founders of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), received the award —billed as the “the gold standard in design” — for championing a sustainable approach to art. It was the third edition of the annual GoodHomes Awards, which honours achievers from the design and decor fraternity. The function was held this week in Mumbai. Along with the KMB, the biggest art platform in the South Asian region, the KBF, with Krishnamachari as President and Komu as Secretary, also runs several art and cultural education programmes. These outreach platforms work with schools and colleges to fill gaps in institutional art education. “The award is an honour not just for us, but for all the supporters of KMB,” said Bose. “An enthusiastic
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public and those working behind the scenes have been making it an ever grander success with each edition.” Komu noted that the KMB has proven itself a sustainable platform for the facilitation of artistic discourse and promotion of artistic talents in India. Bose’s oeuvre includes drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, design, installation and architecture. His works have shaped the direction of contemporary Indian art.
He has exhibited in several important solo and group exhibitions and undertaken several curatorial projects. Komu is a multimedia artist and activist working towards developing India’s art infrastructure. His critically-acclaimed political works have been exhibited extensively in India and abroad, including several key works on Kerala’s political and cultural history. The third edition of the KMB will begin December 12, 2016, curated by artist Sudarshan Shetty.
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May 2016
SHOPPING
Paisley-seamless Shopping Experience Thiruvananthapuram has witnessed the exponential growth of the Paisley group within half a decade of establishment. Ms. Archana Nair, fashion designer has ventured into the fashions market in a humble way and established herself as a successful entrepreneur and one of the best among the successful fashion boutiques in the city.
The success story is
and put into effective
and harder to achieve
all about the hard
use to make a serious
greater heights. She
work, her creativity
difference in the society.
respects her mother
and commitment in providing the best of services to the clientele.
Her childhood friend Wajida is the inspiration
for her consistent effort in moulding and sharpening her talents.
She is one of the best
behind her getting into
examples for our women
the business. She has
challenges in the initial
entrepreneurs to learn
ideas and creativity but
days to introduce the
and make use of their
the inspired energy and
fashion concept and
strengths and abilities.
strong support from her
over a period of time
It is essential for every
husband and other family
things started working
woman to understand
members have motivated
out better and tasted
their immense potential
her to even work smart
success in every step.
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May 2016
She had to face serious
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May 2016
The challenges are imminent in business but a calm and composed mind enables to take right decisions. Her positive attitude towards issues is a great strength in making things work better. She has given her customers the supreme position in her business. Providing the right products according
in business. She could
under the Paisley group.
to their tastes and
understand the pulse
The aim of the group
needs were prime and
of the customers and
is to establish them as
continues to apply the
act accordingly to beat
one of the most sought
same principle in every
the challenges from
after brand in the city.
step. Balancing the
her competitors. Every
Ms. Archana reiterates
family responsibilities
business organization
the need for women to
and business
survives with its own
understand their power
commitments were a
strengths and abilities.
and various abilities gifted
real challenge but the
Paisley designer boutique
by God at par or better
art of multitasking and
has achieved success with
than anyone else and put
systematic approach
their product quality and
them into effective use.
have helped her greatly.
maintenance of excellent
The consistent top
service levels.
Paisley designer boutique
Paisley group has now
located at opposite
rated performance and deliverables have brought them to the number one position in the city.
ventured into many more business activities in the city. Paisley Beauty Clinic, Paisley Fashion
and beauty clinic is ideally Marikkar Automibiles, Plamoodu, Pattom, Thiruvanathapuram.
Competition never
Consultancy, Paisley
Contact- Paisley, Opposite
bothered her in the
School of Arts and Paisley
Marikar Motors,Pullenvila,
business as she was
Property Consultancy
Plamoodu, Pattom P O,
confident in her
are the other ventures
Trivandrum 695004, 0471-
creativity and ideas
successfully performing
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May 2016
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May 2016
METRO FOCUS
Kochi-Muziris Biennale announces 25 artists for 12/12/16 First list for Biennale’s third edition includes poets, musicians, theatre and performance artists The third edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) will feature internationally-reputed writers, musicians and theatre-persons along with a host of visual artistes from across India and the world. Among them will figure iconic Chilean poet Raul Zurita, who was announced as the first artist at KMB’16 on December 15, 2015.
The upcoming Biennale will host works by artists working across a range of media – in keeping with its mandate to broaden and blur the labels and lines attributed to art, according to KMB’16 curator Sudarshan Shetty. “It is going to be an admixture of styles, schools and sensibilities,” said Shetty, long recognised as one of his generation’s most innovative artists. Shetty was unanimously chosen as curator by an Artistic Advisory Committee appointed by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), which organises the Biennale. KMB’16 will be Shetty’s first curatorial project. The largest event of its kind in South Asia, KMB’16 will run for 108 days from
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December 12, 2016, to March 29, 2017, and will comprise the main art exhibition and an ancillary programme of talks, seminars, workshops, film screenings, and music sessions across a range of venues in Fort Kochi and Ernakulam. Talking about developing a project on this scale and his curatorial vision, Shetty said, “I see the KMB as naturally embodying and carrying forward the multiculturalism of Kochi that is nurtured by both history and myth. The Biennale creates a space for cross-cultural interactions – something that is a fundamental aspect of Kochi’s historical and mythical identity – and can also be viewed as a means of connecting the past and the present, without looking at them in binaries.
It is important that we look at this Biennale as part of that larger flow (from the past) that comes down as a great waterfall to the present and flows through our contemporary realities and artistic practices in the form of many streams or rivers.” “I see my role as the curator of the Biennale as tracing the trajectories of those
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streams. Incorporating this idea of the streams or rivers into my curatorial approach allows me to see the Biennale as a force and flow that continues beyond its own physical time frame and space,” said Shetty, whose work was featured in the debut KMB in 2012. The First 25 Raul Zurita (poetry/ installation, Chile), Ouyang Jianghe (poetry/installation, China), Sophie Dejode and Bertrand Lacombe (sculpture/installation, France), Caroline Duchatelet (video, France), Achraf Touloub (drawing/ video, Morocco/France), Sharmistha Mohanty (poetry/installation, India), Avinash Veeraraghavan (embroidery/video, India), Orijit Sen (graphic arts, India), Anamika Haksar (theatre, India), Praneet Soi (drawing/sculpture/ installation, India/Holland), T.V. Santhosh (painting, India), Desmond Lazaro (painting, India/UK), Daniele Galliano (painting/ performance, Italy), Yuko Mohri (installation, Japan), Katrina Neiburga and Andris Eglitis (installation, Latvia), Valerie Mejer (poetry/painting, Mexico), Camille Norment (sound installation, USA/Norway), Pedro Gomez-Egana (installation, Colombia/ Norway), Hanna Tuulikki (sound/word/video, UK), www.metromartdaily.com
Charles Avery (drawing/ public space installation, UK), Gary Hill (video, USA), Dana Awartani (drawing/ painting, Saudi Arabia), Erik Van Lieshout (performance, Netherlands), Naiza Khan (video installation, Pakistan/ UK) and Pawel Althamer (performance/sculpture, Poland). Shetty’s curatorial note for KMB’16 and a second list of artists will be announced in the coming months. Venues of KMB’16 The past two editions used heritage properties, public spaces, and galleries in Fort Kochi and Ernakulam. KMB’16 venues will include Aspinwall House, Pepper House, David Hall, and
Durbar Hall. The largest and primary setting in Fort Kochi is Aspinwall House, a seafacing heritage property with warehouses, a residential bungalow, and an office building. Aspinwall House has been loaned to the KMB by DLF Limited in association with the Gujral Foundation. Other venues include the historic Durbar Hall in Ernakulam, renovated by the KBF; David Hall, a restored Dutch bungalow in Fort Kochi; and Pepper House, a colonial-era spice warehouse that now serves as a venue for exhibitions, artist residency studios and art workshops. May 2016
education, and foster wider debate and discussion on the topic of contemporary art.
The Kochi Biennale Foundation The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), an artist-led non-profit institution founded by renowned artists Riyas Komu and Bose Krishnamachari in 2010. Since its inception the KMB has established itself as a catalyst for artistic engagement and dialogue in India, becoming a repository of ideas and ideologies, an occasion to reimagine both past and present, and reflect upon the notions of diversity and cosmopolitanism as represented by the pluralism of Kochi itself. Previous editions, in 2012 and 2014, showcased the works of 183 artists from around the world, and had a combined draw of nearly a million visitors. In addition to the Biennale, KBF also manages several education and outreach activities to augment art
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The Biennale’s third outing will present a multifaceted programme that also showcases the results of the KBF’s outreach efforts among students of all ages such as the ‘Students’ Biennale’, a nationwide outreach project involving 60 Indian art colleges and curated by 15 young curators, and ‘Art by Children (ABC)’, India’s first children’s-only art event, a project aimed at initiating youngsters into art and art appreciation with children as both artist and audience. About the Curator Sudarshan Shetty is one of the most significant figures of contemporary Indian art. Originally trained as a painter at the Sir JJ School of Art in Mumbai, he moved early on to sculpture and installation and more recently into film. He is well known for enigmatic, large-scale installations in which physical objects, composed and joined in unfamiliar ways, become the media for contemplating loss, absence, death, emptiness and regeneration. His work rigorously explores dualisms and polarities as they are articulated through the binary oppositions
of human being and object being, life and death, absence and presence, seeking and revealing their immanence in all forms of being. In his recent work, Shetty has actively engaged with other artistic forms, including poetry and writing, music and architecture to consider the distinctions between action onscreen and off-screen, the real and the imagined, tradition and the contemporary. An artist who came of age in India before the liberalisation of its economy and the internationalisation of its art world, Shetty’s career highlights a struggle with approaches that are conditioned by another’s vision and with the global canons of art history. In this spirit, his work is rooted in the knowledge that remains tacit and taken for granted in his own experience of music, poetry and storytelling traditions in Indian idioms, but which refuses to be positioned as elucidating a foreign worldview or a specific point of view on empirical reality – instead creating experiences that can be shared by viewers everywhere, drawing on their own resources. In a career spanning nearly three decades, Shetty has exhibited widely, at some of the most prominent and prestigious international and Indian venues, most recently at the 20th Sydney Biennale.
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Bose Krishamachari to curate inaugural edition of Yinchuan Biennale Co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale will provide artistic leadership to biennale in China Internationally acclaimed artist and co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) Bose Krishnamachari will curate the inaugural Yinchuan biennale in China, shaping the city’s first foray into the global art scene along a roadmap set by India’s only Biennale.
Titled For An Image, Faster Than Light, Krishnamachari has already chosen 40 out of the 80 international artists who will showcase their works within the dramatic environs of the Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan (MOCA Yinchuan) from September 9 to December 18, 2016. The featured artists will explore a range of contemporary issues, in keeping with the breadth of Krishnamachari’s creative vision and the cosmopolitan ethic that is also the hallmark of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The extensive and pluralistic list of participating artists includes Ai Weiwei, the iconic Chinese dissident artist; Anish Kapoor, Riyas Komu, cofounder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, and Sudarshan Shetty, curator of the 2016 edition of the Biennale in Kochi. Speaking of his curatorial concept, Krishnamachari said, “This biennale in China can postulate different themes, including spiritual www.metromartdaily.com
and social consciousness, an examination of political narratives and critical global engagement and an acknowledgment of a collective responsibility therein.” “A light to be seen through art’s eyes. It is indeed a circle in which we seek, from beginning to end, a light to hold within the image of a finger bowl,” he added, noting the potential of a cultural extravaganza to create discourse and frame conflicts confronting the modern world. The biennale will also see a host of cultural activities like music programmes and seminars on the various aspects of the concept note. Krishnmachari’s oeuvre includes drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, design, installation and architecture. His works have shaped the direction of contemporary Indian art. He has exhibited in several important solo and group
exhibitions in Amsterdam, Norway, Denmark and Rome. He has also undertaken many curatorial projects apart from being the artistic director of the first KMB in 2012. The Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan is the first contemporary museum along the Yellow River in the northwest of China. It is considered among the best new museums in China. Many of the sitespecific works will involve artistic residencies in MOCA Yinchuan’s International Artist Village. May 2016
AWARD
Kerala Named India’s Best Family Destination in 2016 ‘God’s Own Country’ continues to enjoy success at Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel awards The most discerning of travelers have once again voted Kerala as the Indian destination that best caters to and offers the most rewarding experience for families.
God’s Own Country’ further entrenched itself as the best family destination in India at the prestigious Lonely Planet Magazine India (LPMI) Travel Awards 2016. The state has regularly won the distinction at the awards – considered the definitive metric in gauging the Indian traveller’s satisfaction. Kerala Tourism Director Shri U.V. Jose IAS received the award at a glittering awards show in Mumbai on Monday. The annual awards, which feature a who’s-who of the Indian travel facilitation industry, showcase the best travel experiences available to Indians and anoint the best service providers, the preferred places to stay and the destinations Indians most love to visit. Kerala, described as a
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“tropical symphony” where “travelling is as easy and rewarding as a glide through its backwaters”, was judged by the magazine’s readers as the “destination that makes it as easy and convenient as possible for you to travel with your family, offering lots of attractions, activities and sensibly-priced accommodation and dining options, as well
as having a local culture that’s friendly and caring towards children and senior citizens”. Nominations for the awards are shortlisted by a panel of travel experts and professionals, following which readers vote both online and in the magazine. Besides being judged the best place to take the family along for a holiday, Kerala was also nominated
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in the best destination for culture and to relax categories. There were 20 categories in all. Ranked alongside the United Kingdom, which won the corresponding award for best international family destination for Indian travelers and is considered the state’s most important tourist market, the Lonely Planet describes Kerala as “a world away from the frenzy of elsewhere, as if India had passed through the Looking Glass and become an altogether more laid-back place”. The world-renowned travel magazine noted that it was hard to begrudge Kerala its now-synonymous moniker as ‘God’s Own Country’. The felicitation from Lonely Planet is the latest accolade for Kerala Tourism, with its recent multimedia campaign for responsible tourism ‘New Worlds’ bagging the prestigious
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Golden City Gate Award -- dubbed the Oscar of Tourism communication – in March at the world’s leading travel trade show, the Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin (ITBBerlin) 2016.
Kerala Tourism had earlier won the Ulysses Prize of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation for its contribution as a global leader to sustainable tourism.
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FOCUS EVENT
KTM 2016 offers management skill training to sellers The training programme will elevate B2B (Business-to-Business) interactions to international standards Sellers at the upcoming edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) are being offered help to raise their sales and marketing skill to international standards with a series of training programmes ahead of the event in September.
The KTM society is organising short courses on skill development, including topics such as selling skills, customer/ guest centricity, entrepreneurship and revenue management, for its members of the show. KTM, the largest gathering of tourism stakeholders, organised in partnership with the Department of Tourism, will be held at the Samudrika and Sagara Convention Centre, Willingdon Island from September 28 to 30. The programme will also train the sellers on how to handle people from different nationalities. “As KTM is an international event, our sellers have to deal with people from varied nations who speak diverse languages. Cultural sensitivity is therefore a must,” said Abraham George, President, KTM Society. “The Society will hire experts from the respective fields and conduct workshops covering tourism
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promoting destinations of Kovalam, Ernakulam, Munnar, Thekkady, Wayanad and others. The programme will be conducted before the start of the event.” The ninth edition of KTM, with its focus on ‘Responsible Tourism’ and ‘Muziris and Spice Route’, is expected to attract around 1,500 buyers from around the country and abroad. As many as 265 stalls of different sizes for the
exhibitors within Kerala will be featured at the venue as part of the event. The Mart will be a platform for B2B networking.KTM brings together business entrepreneurs from Kerala offering various tourism products and services, including tour operators, hotels, resorts, home stays, houseboats, Ayurveda resorts and cultural art centres, on to a single platform and facilitates their meetings and interactions with buyers from around the world.
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METRO FOCUS
Accurate Trade LinksAccuracy Par Sophistication Accurate Trade Links is a name to reckon with, in electronic weighing machines sales of top brands, backed by excellence in services through several service stations in Kerala. From a humble beginning in 1998 to become a formidable unit today, ATL has equipped itself with the best of gear & tools and skilled manpower to offer total sales and service support.
Accurate Trade Links have the approval of Kerala State Legal Metrology Department to do business in Kerala,to establish sales and services of about 500 models of weighing machines of numerous capacities from .0001mg to 100 Metric Ton. Accurate Trade Links customer base includes small& big entrepreneurs to the industries of diversedimensions.
ATL Table Top Price Computing Scale
pertaining to that era. Over the years weighing machines technology has ATL has post- sales service progressed to be highly facilities to facilitate our precise and kept up with valuable clients at different the present day computer locations. Accurate Trade Links centric technology. have qualified and skilled Accurate Trade Links quality service engineers to provide conscious consumers come 24 x 7 prompt service. from cross section of the business world, who need Clients base hi-tech Electronic weighing Weighing machines have been machines. Accurate the need of human beings Trade Links customer from the oldest of times, list is long.Food related as Indus Valley Civilization industries, food courts and 2400- 1800 B.C. evidences restaurants,Hotels, Travel point towards the presence of and tourism,Institutes weighing system for trading Industries small, medium Skill based Service Centers
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ATL Platform Weigh Scale and large, Health centers and ms, Hospitals, Construction sites Cargo companies and transporters,Departmental stores, vegetable & fruits vendors, Sales outlets and over the counter selling shops etc are some of segments.The list is endless, and its growing wider and bringing many more valuable customers to serve. Products & applications - Table Top- There are innumerable numbers of modelsavailablefor all the needsof the business houses, even the table top weighing
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machines can be customized too according to exclusive needs. Generally, optimal all the fields of business have been covered to present weighing machines for all needs. - Economy Table Top- The economic and user friendly machines are available in different brands. - Price Computing- For modern day needs of Super markets and vegetable & fruit vending outlets, these computing machines are available in several models, flattering all in one needs of weighing, computing, stock pricing, commodity availability, client record and assorted add-ons etc. - Bench Scale- If heavier items are to be weighed say around 50-100 kg, then the bench scales models catering to variety of product sizes are available. - Platform Scales- For Big vehicle’s load, dead heavy metal wares or equivalent, the platform scales are very useful that can weigh from 60 kg to 5000 kg. - Hanging Scales- Hanging scales are digital and based on spring technology. These machines are designed for space saving. It can precisely weigh 10- 60 kg of weight, depending on its designated model. - Gold Scales- There are www.metromartdaily.com
few Gold weighing digital models available, it can weigh with 100% accuracy. Plenty of models are available according to the needs of the users. - Silver Scale- Silver scale is able to precisely weigh about maximum 1.5 kg silver metal, the weighing machine has good battery life to support the machine and business in the process. - Laboratory- Lab weigh machines need lot of precision and smooth functions, where the technicians are required to deliver the correct volume of chemicals or physical elements. This is where only the best works. Different models for different needs are available to give required results. - Industrial- The industries have variety of light and heavy needs of weighing machines for various applications. Our machines can weigh lightest to the heaviest of all industrial needs. Post sale service at the site is also given, so not to lose a moment of fruitful work because of malfunction.
POS-315/314 : A Compact, All-in-One Touch POS solution to delight your customers and boost your profits! Chhotu Box, Kitchen weighing machines, Sketch me and health scale. - Billing Printers- We have billing printers cum teller machines suitable for various needs and diverse quantum of work in grocery stores, super markets and assorted stores. We deal in all kinds of automated billing printers.
Accurate Trade Links is a company with a vision. The vision is simple and long reaching, to reach out to the masses with the Electronic weighing scales and standing firm with their motto to serve well. ATL has a mission to continue with their qualitative work and upscale services to satisfy the customers. ATL feels that sales are important - Other Premium Modelsbut keeping good relations We have machinesfor all through excellence in services purposes, just name it. Right is the crux of their business from Baby scales, Smiles policies. and BMI Machines for health and hospitals, Milk For more information- http:// Scale, Oil filling machines, www.accuratetradelinks.com May 2016
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BSNL Land Line: 155300 BSNL Mobile: 0471-155300
Fire Station 101
Anti Piracy Cell 0471 2460001 Mob: 9447210124, 9497981037 E-mail: spapc.pol@kerala. gov.in
Civil Supplies 1967(Toll free no:) 1800-425-1550 (Toll free no:)
Food Adulteration Helpline 1800 425 1125 (Toll free)
Anti-Ragging Helpline 1800 180 5522 (Toll free) Online Enquiry: www.antiragging.in Chief Electoral Officer Control Room: 04712301080 Fax: 0471- 2301081 E-mail: ceo_kerala@eci. gov.in
Coastal Police Alert and State 0471-2556699/ 2320101 Police Monitoring Room Commercial Taxes 1800 425 4777 (Toll free) 9446505527 (Mobile) E-mail: vathelpline@ keralataxes.gov.in Consumer Toll Free Helpline 18004251550
Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund 04712518513/0471-2518487/ (CMDRF) 0471-2518795/0471-2518332
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Chief Minister’s Grievance 1076 (From BSNL) Redressal Cell 18004251076 (From others) 91-471-1076 (From Outside India)
Disaster Management Helpline 1077 (Collectorate)
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1070 (State Control Room)
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E-filing Call Center 080-26982000 (for e-filing of return)
Citizens Call Centre 0471-2115054/98, 2335523
Election Helpline 1950
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Forest Helpline BSNL Land Line: 155 300 BSNL Mobile: 0471 155 300 Other Networks: 0471- 211 5054/98, 2335523 General Administration 0471- 2518463 (Co-ordination) Helpline for Ex-Service Men 1800-11-3999 (All working days: 9.00 am5.30pm) Helpline to nab Garbage offenders 9496434517 (Only for Thiruvananthapuram) Highway Alert 9846 100 100
Kerala Public Service Commission 0471- 2554000 Call Centre KSRTC Helpline Control Room Tel: 0471 - 2463799/ 04712471011 ext 238 Mobile: 94470 710 21 Kudumbashree Travels
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0471-2728454 call centre number (for Thiruvananthapuram city)
(24X7 Toll free No.)
8590000543
PWD Helpline 1800 425 7771
State Consumer Helpline 1800-425-1550 (Toll free)
Labour Minister’s Helpline 155 300
Rail Alert 9846 200 100
Sutharya Keralam 155 300
Police Station (Nearest) 100
Ration card renewal Tel: 0471-2320379, 9495998223, 9495998224, 9495998225.
Police Helpline (Head Quarters, Thiruvananthapuram) 0471-324 3000/4000/5000 Police Message Centre 94 97 900000 Police High Way Help Line 9846 100 100
Sabarimala Virtual Queue 0471-3243000/ 3244000/ 3245000 Secretariat Central Agency Tel: 0471- 2327558/ 2518202 (Out of Office hours)
Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana SLBC Call centre: 1800 425 11222
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Tourist Information toll free 1-800-425-4747 Trivandrum Medical College 0471-2528300 MCH Casualty : (24 hrs) UID/Aadhaar 1800-4251-1800 (Toll free number) Website: uid.kerala.gov.in Vigilance & 8592 900 900 (Toll Free Number) Anti-Corruption Bureau Women Helpline 1091
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