14 minute read
fEsTivAl
from MARCH 2021
by Sunil Kumar
DO YOU REALLY NEED FREE MONEY FOR YOUR CHILD FROM THE GOVERNMENT?
Sandeep Ahuja
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Cont. from last edition
Different options available in case your child doesn’t opt for post-secondary education
If your child doesn’t intend to attend the college/university, you can keep the account open for up to 36 years. Moreover, you can transfer the money to another child (for Family RESP plans) though the $ 7,200-lifetime grant limit still applies. Not only that, you can withdraw your original contribution to the RESP tax-free or can transfer up to $50,000, to your RRSP (though for this, the child must be over the age of 21 and the RESP must have been open for at least 10 years having room for contribution).
Sets a good example for your children
RESP also sets a great example for your kids as it can teach them about the value and importance of education so that they may make sustained and dedicated efforts to get higher education.
As we have seen, RESP is not only a way to get ‘free money’ from the government. It is indeed a great tool that saves for your child’s post-secondary education offering you a tax free growth, plenty of investment options, assistance for low-income groups, flexibility of usage and educational value for children.
As an independent insurance advisor working through Punjab Insurance Agency, I deal with different insurance companies offering plans for different types of insurance. I can explain to you in detail, the insurance plan options and coverage that are suitable for your needs and resources. Besides, I can also help you to purchase mortgage insurance, super visa insurance, disability insurance, critical illness insurance, extended medical plans, group medical plans, RESP, RRSP, travel insurance, TFSA accounts, health and dental plans along with estate planning suitable for your needs and resources.
This article is © Copyrighted 2021-01-21 and can be reproduced only with prior permission. You can call at 604-996-6862
Email: sandeepahuja@ punjabinsurance.ca
Hola Mohalla:
Punjab’s rich and colorful tradition
Aday assigned for mock battles for his troops by the 10th guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, has come to be the symbol of Punjab’s own rich religious and cultural tradition. The festival of ‘Hola Mohalla’, as it is known, takes place around Holi in the Sikh religious town of Anandpur Sahib.
Hola Mohalla, celebrated a day after Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, has carved out its own unique place in Punjab’s and Sikh religion’s calendar. The festival made its beginning around 1701 as Guru Gobind Singh wanted his troops to have mock battles to keep them battle ready.
Tens of thousands of Nihang Sikhs assemble in this town, home to Takht Keshgarh Sahib, the second holiest of Sikh shrines (after Harmandar Sahib or Golden Temple in Amritsar), every year to be part of the festival.
The shrine is famous as it was here that Guru Gobind Singh founded the ‘Khalsa Panth’, the modern day Sikh religion, in April 1699.
During the festivities, various sects (deras) of Nihangs go in a procession from the main gurdwara and pass through the holy town.
The procession then culminates at a stadium where the Nihang Sikhs perform ‘Gatka’, a traditional form of martial art in which age-old weapons and equipment are used to showcase mock battles.
“It is an amazing sight to see the Gatka performance. The festivity around the procession and the colorful atmosphere make it a great spectacle to watch,” travel writer and author Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu told in an
interview.
Though the Hola Mohalla festivities earlier used to be essentially mock combat based, these have gradually also turned into a politico-religious affair.
Leading political parties hold their political conferences before the main event. Millions of devout assemble at the shrine to offer prayers on the occasion.
“It is such an enriching and unique experience to be part of the Hola Mohalla. We have been bringing groups of foreigners from various countries since 2009 to see the event.
“They are amazed at what is on display. The weaponry and colorful atmosphere are a thing to experience,” Harkirat Ahluwalia, who runs a tented luxury farm resort near Hoshiarpur, 75 km from here, told in an interview.
Ahluwalia even bought a group of 22 Germans for the Hola Mohalla in past few years.
In the buildup to the main event of Hola Mohalla, all roads and highways leading to Anandpur Sahib are choked with people being ferried on trucks, buses and other modes of transport. This year was no different — a virtual sea of humanity thronged Anandpur Sahib.
By: Jaideep Sarin
golden rules to keep
your kidneys healthy
kiDney Disease is a major healTh concern ThaT many people across The globe are The facing ToDay. however, inculcaTing a few simple rules in your Daily life can help you keep your kiDneys healThy anD enhance The overall efficiency of your boDy as well.
Sujit Chatterjee, CEO of Dr. L H Hiranandani Hospital, lists down the golden rules to follow to keep your kidney healthy: Avoid Too Much Medicines & Pain Killers
Intake of too many medicines is one of the major reasons for kidney failure and other chronic kidney diseases. So, whenever possible, go for natural therapies and if possible, go for Ayurvedic alternatives. Keep Blood Sugar in Control
Having excessive blood sugar is never good for your kidneys as to filter the same your kidneys will have work even harder. This, in the long term, can increase the chances of kidney failure. So, check your sugar levels regularly and take every necessary precaution to keep them under control. Avoid Excessive Smoking & Drinking
Smoking and drinking increase the burden on your kidneys by increasing the number of toxins in the body. This can cause a heavy toll in the long term, so make sure that you avoid both to make sure that your kidneys remain healthy for a long time. Keep a Check on Blood
Maintain a HealtHy WeigHt
Being overweight means increased pressure on your organs and more toxin accumulation in the body. So, ensure that you avoid the same for better functioning of your body and to lower the chances of any harmful disease.
Keep Yourself HYdrated
The wonders that regular water intake can do for the body are uncountable and keeping your kidneys healthy is one of them. So, ensure that you drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day, as it helps in removing harmful toxins from the kidney, lowering the chances of harmful kidney-related diseases. Pressure
High blood pressure can cause serious problem for your kidney and in the long run, can even lead to kidney failure. If you face high blood pressure then consult your doctor immediately and get proper treatment. Eat Healthy
A healthy diet helps you in keeping every organ of your body at full efficiency and energy levels elevated. For better kidney health make sure that you eat a diet that is low on sodium. Some of the best options that can go for are egg whites, blueberries, fish, whole grains, and cauliflower. Regular Exercise
Working out regularly not only help your body loose toxins faster but also help in improving the overall body functioning. So, exercise at least 5 times a week and ensure that you follow this in the long-term with proper consistency. Yoga is a good option for maintaining healthy kidneys. Routine Body Check-ups
Having full-body checkups on a routine basis is extremely important as it will help you in knowing about any serious problem in the early stages and eliminating the same before it becomes dangerous for your body. Make sure that you get the checkups done at least 2-3 times in a year.
By: Puja Gupta
Upskilling means to acquire new skills, learn new technology and fundae, and advance on a personal level by acquiring knowledge. Upskilling is the process of continuous learning which helps one adapt to the changing environment and perform the tasks they have much experience with even better.
Upskilling involves undertaking training, reading fresh data and trends of the market and industry, and getting hands on with the latest technology as soon as it comes into the picture.
While it is a task that requires effort and might seem like too much to work on initially, the benefits one reeps from it are endless. Let us go over why constant upskilling is necessary for anyone’s career.
Once upon a time, basic tasks such as data entry and simple computing would take several hours. We have moved on into a world where we cannot imagine spending more than ten minutes on something as simple as these tasks, thanks to the exponential ways in which technology has transformed our work space.
Similarly, upskilling enables one to acquire new digital skills to make their everyday tasks much easier and faster, freeing up time for other tasks- personal and professional.
Why Constant Upskilling is Necessary For Your
2. It helps you adapt to the cultural shift
It is important to stay aware of cultural changes that take over any field of work. The next generation follows the generational trends just like the previous ones have: they are fast paced, rely heavily on the tech of their times, and know hacks to get things done faster.
This is a shift in the way people work as their desire for a more fulfilling personal life is much higher. In such a space, to collaborate effectively with others, it is important to know their culture, and upskilling enables one to relate and prepare for exactly that.
3. It reminds you that you need a global perspective
Upskilling is a global phenomenon which requires people from across the world to increase their productivity and productive capacity relative to how the rest of the world is performing.
This shifts parameters of comparison from domestic to international, which means innovation is measured in terms of its global value. This sets in a mindset of growth that isn’t limited to growth within spaces and states but is focused on the entire world.
4. It helps you advance in your career faster than anticipated
No longer are we in a world where promotions require a stipulated number of years in a company or working in a given vertical. Acquiring skills is not related to how much time one spends doing the same thing, instead it is about how many things one does and how many hacks they find to save resources.
Hence, upskilling enables one to grow in their career outside of the outdated parameters of judgement for growth, letting people progress several rungs ahead in a very short period of time.
Final Words
Upskilling is such an important task in the ever evolving world that in Singapore it is a national interest initiative. Upskilling is not a simple concept, neither is it the same for every vertical. It requires one to understand and show awareness of where their industry is progressing so that they can be on top of what is still to come.
It is a space that requires agility and drive, and for those who are willing to go one step further and attempt the life-long-learning lifestyle, upskilling is nothing but an avenue to confront endless growth, personal and professional, through not only their career but also through life.
Ritika Tiwari
Freelance Writer/ Blogger/ Content Strategist
Hard PlaYiNg
catch up with fitness Around 80 per cent New Year’s resolutions are resolutions? dropped by the second week of February. Strava conducted a research using over 800 million userlogged activities in 2019, which found that most peo ple give up their resolutions by January 19, often referred to as “Quitters In the generation we are living in, approximately 2.1 billion people are overweight or obese, which means, obesity is a very common condition globally. Hence it is natural that most of us resort to weightloss as a resolution. If you’ve made it past the “quitters” list and want to be a part of the 20 per cent who don’t drop out by the second week of February, here are a few key pointers to keep you motivated to achieve your weight goal. Baby steps Rome was not built in a day, and no one expects things to change overnight either. However, it is important to identify the tiny milestones by making small changes in your daily lifestyle. The first step for fitness is simple, say no to sugar -- switching from table sugar to low calorie sweeteners, swapping chocolate with sugar-free dark chocolate, consuming fresh fruit instead of canned juices, etc. These tiny changes take you a Day”. Getting into ‘best Try looking at your long way! shape’ or ‘losing weight’ is resolutions as reflections I have observed a pattern of how the resolution kept most by Look back and observe what went most people who sign up to resolupeople, over the years. right the last time you signed up to something, use that sense of accomtions usually become complacent around the first week of February. plishment to sign up to your next With festive occasions like Valentask. The term ‘resolution’ could be tine’s Day approaching, people find daunting, so don’t let it overwhelm it hard to keep up to their resolutions you. Do not overhaul your lifestyle especially if it has anything to do with unrealistic changes as you will with sugar or calories. Here’s where end up slipping into your old your lifestyle and sweet tooth can enways. joy alignment. Make simple changes Pen it down in your day, like swapping white sugar for low calorie sweeteners to People often keep a load observe achievable results. of all the things that they’ re going to do/change in a Do not deprive yourself from incloud of thought in their dulging, but indulge right. You don’t head. Physically penning it need to completely give up your sweet down on paper makes it cravings, it’s the sugar that needs the tangible, and a lot more ditching. Resolutions are only the real. Affirmations act as first step towards change. We’re only a constant reminder in human, and temptation and lethargy days of doubt, so use your are bound to find you. It is completely time to make a list of all okay if you have almost given up as the things you’re proud long as you identify the fact that you of so far and all those that you’ re did and restart from scratch. We all going to be proud of soon. The stumble, but it’s those who get back universe has its way of pat- up that make the difference. Don’t say ting you on the back. Be sure no to your cravings. Eat sweet, but not to throw it out there! sugar.
Be specific
It’s very convenient to pen down, “get in shape”, however this resolution of yours can be made a lot more achievable with a -- “get in shape by taking the stairs in my building”. These are small in scope but have a very high success rate in compari- son to vague, broad-bracketed goals.
In case you’ve stumbled upon a resolution hurdle and found yourself contemplating its worth, now’ s your time to jump it and keep running. It’s never too late! Re-align but don’t resign!
