UQ Malayalam

Vol 8 Issue No.90 Apr-May 2019

A VERSATILE ENTREPRENEUR:

Sajan Varghese The case for higher LTV on Gold Loans

Shri V.P. Nandakumar, MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.

The Nissan Kicks

M A D E

F O R

R O Y A L T Y

Introducing Senator from the house of CERA C u r a t e d b y r e n o w n e d I t a l i a n d e s i g n e r, E t t o r e G i o r d a n o .

w w w. c e r a- i ndi a.c om / se nat or Senator Boutiques in Kerala: Ernakulam: Sanitary Equipment Stores, Meera Sreedhar Tower, Opp. Compass Building, Near MC Donalds, Vysaly Bus Stop, NH By-pass, Chakkaraparamb, Ernakulam 682028; Tel: +91 484 4021932, 4033693 • VTJ Homedecor, Chorakuzhy, M.C. Road, Koothattukulam, Ernakulam 686662; Mob: +91 9645566718. Kannur: KPK Rialto, Thana, Kannur 670012; Tel: +91 497 2701865. Kottayam: Steelite Enterprises, Steelite Arcade, M.C Road, Adichira, Perumbayikadu, P.O, Kottayam 686016; Mob: +91 9048785088. Thiruvananthapuram: Saraswathy Enterprises, Saraswathy Tower, Thamarakulam, NH By-pass, Near CRPF Camp, Pallippuram P.O., Trivandrum 695316; Tel: +91 471 2750500. Thodupuzha: Choice Saniwares and Electricals, Crystal Arcade, Kothayikunnu By-pass, Nr. Private Bus stand, Thodupuzha 685584; Tel: +91 4862 220778. Uzhavoor: Jairaj Traders, Koonthamattathil Building, Uzhavoor P.O., Kottayam District 686634; Tel: +91 482 2240258.

Kochi: 1st Floor, Bay Pride Towers and Mall, Marine Drive, Kochi 682031; Tel: +91 484 4052213, 2365440; E-mail: cochin@cera-india.com Thiruvananthapuram: 2nd Floor, CPS Plaza, TC 79/342/5/6, Opp. Nissan Showroom, NH By-pass, Venpalavattom, Anayara P.O. , Thiruvananthapuram 695029; Tel: +91 471 4064101; E-mail: trivandrum@cera-india.com

Editorial

Chief Mentor Mr. V.P. Nandakumar Director & CEO Jebitha Ajit ailure is simply the opportunity Editor Jebitha Ajit to begin again, this time more Legal Advisor Latha Anand intelligently,” says Henry Ford, the

B.S.Krishnan Associates great American business man and bskrishnanassociates@gmail.com the founder of Ford Motor Company.

Sub-Editor Vignesh S.G You will find the inspiring story Associate Editor Ravi Saini of a businessman who thinks that Correspondents Dr. Thomas Nechupadam the failure definitely is the stepping

Vivek Venugopal- Quarter Mile stone of success. Read the story of Mr. Sajan Varghese,

Amrutha V Kumar a big name in Kerala’s hospitality sector, who has tasted Creative Design PEGASUS failures in many of his early ventures such as jewellery Cover Photographer Ashique Hassan designing and film production etc. But through sheer Marketing UAE hard work and relearning he finally arrived at his dream

Phygicart.com business, hospitality.

P.O. Box: 92546, Al Karama Dubai In the regular column, V.P. Nandakumar, the Chair Mr. Anish K Joy man and Managing Director of Manappuram Finance,

Mob: +971528946999 gives the reasons behind the robust growth of NBFCs info@phygicart.com

Plot No 19A, 9th Floor, despite artificial restrains given by regulations.

Green Building, Film City, Our Auto experts introduce Nissan Kicks, the pre Sector - 16A, Noida - 201301 mium compact SUV. Nissan Kicks looks good, feels ro Tamil Nadu bust, has good space inside, drives well, and has a frugal

Vice president diesel engine. In Travel, know about the small African

Uma Riyas Khan country Benin situated in the western region of Africa.

chennai, Mob: 9841072955 Regular staples on, gadgets, movie review, and book

Unique Times, No.6/31, review are there. I sincerely hope you find as much joy

Arunachalam main road, in this issue as it brings me.

Saligramam,

Chennai – 600093

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Printed at St. Reddiar & Sons, P.B. No: 3627, Veekshanam Road, Cochin Published at Pegasus Global Pvt. Ltd. L5-106, Changampuzha Nagar Kalamassery, Ernakulam-682 033 e-mail: editor@uniquetimes.org uniquetimesindia@gmail.com Ph:0484 2532040, 2532080 Mob:+91 98460 50283, 94470 50283

Cover Photograph Sajan Varghese, Chairman & Managing Director of Saj Hotels and Resorts

Printer & publisher Pegasus Global Pvt. Ltd. Kalamassery, Ernakulam on behalf of Ajit Ravi.

Printed at S.T.Reddiar & Sons, Cochin-18.

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CONTENTS

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*advertorial

The case for higher LTV on Gold Loans

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The need for ‘agripreneurs’ for agriculture to flourish

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A versatile entrepreneur: Sajan Varghese

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Salient features of Interim Budget 2019

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Will AI take away your job?

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40

42

46

48

58

40

Gadgets

42

Recipes

46

Natural tips to eliminate dandruff

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As beautiful as ‘Mother Earth’

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The Nissan Kicks

UNIQUE DIARY

States asked to ensure sugar mills comply with Govt’s policy on ‘sugar MSP’

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ll states, which have sugar mills, have been advised by the concerned central authority to ensure that their sugar mills comply with the strict directive of the authority that sugar mills should not sell their refined sugar below the prescribed minimum support price. The directive has been made as the authorities have identified that the sugar mills in the south and the west often violate the authority’s policy on the sugar MSP. The directive is backed by the Sugar (Price Control) order 2018. At present, the MSP of sugar is 31 per kg. Usually, the west and south compete with the north to dominate in the east market, where the demand for sugar is high due to the lack of adequate number of sugar mills. Often, the cut in price is done by the west and south to get an advantage over the north, which is close to the east.

At least 90% of the 10 million jobs lost were held by women

"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can."

Nikos Kazantzakis

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he government’s inability to create new job opportunities is a serious problem. Yet, even more serious is the inability of the government to address the issue of job loss. As per a recent study, women are the ones that have suffered the heat of job loss more than men in India. According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy report, at least ninety per cent of around ten million jobs which lost last year were the jobs held by women. The unfortunate reality is that those fully dependent on the agrarian economy are highly vulnerable to job loss. Sadly, not all ‘vulnerables’ are entitled to the financial support the government announced during the latest budget session.

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IRDAI advises insurers to put in place robust system for ‘crop-loss assessment’

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he Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has advised the insurers, which operate in the area of Indian agricultural sector, to install a strong and foolproof system to record all applications of crop-loss assessment. The IRDAI has directed that if an application seeking insurance is declined a detailed explanation should be communicated to the insured. The IRDAI has also suggested that all crop-loss assessments should be done as per the existing norms. The latest interference of the IRDAI is likely to help all insurers earn the confidence of the insured. It may also increase the strength of the framework in which the insurers operate.

India plans to enter a FTA with Africa

"I never dreamed about success, I worked for it."

Estee Lauder

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ndian senior minister Suresh Prabhu has expressed his country’s plan to reach a Free Trade Agreement or a Preferential Trade Agreement with Africa. The plan has been publicised, while speaking in the fourteenth CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India Africa Project Partnership in the Capital. He has indirectly assured that India’s African plan, unlike others, would be African-centred.

He has asserted that his country wants African to benefit first from the plan. The minister has suggested that India and Africa should work together to earn maximum advantage of the new world economic order. He has emphasised the importance of economic independence during the speech.

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UNIQUE DIARY

WPI-based inflation higher by at least 0.18 % compared to last year

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he inflation rate based on Wholesale Price Index is at least 0.18 per cent higher compared to the WPI-based inflation last year. In the last February, the WPI-based inflation was just above 2.74 per cent. In this February, it is over 2.93 per cent. The WPI-based inflation is also at least 0.15 per cent higher than the previous month’s rate –in the last month, the rate was little above 2.76 per cent. An expert has said that the WPI-based inflation would continue to go upward in the coming months also. The expert has cited the hardening of crude oil price and the reversal in prices of some food items as the prime reasons.

GST council to redefine ‘Affordable Housing’ post election

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

Conrad Hilton

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he Goods and Services Tax council is expected to redefine the definition of ‘Affordable Housing’ once the election is over.

Many states have approached the council, seeking the redefinition of the term. The GST council could not consider the concerns of the states during the last council session due to the existence of Model Code of Conduct. The affordable housing tag is very important because a house with this tag will not attract anything more than one per cent GST. At present, an affordable house/flat is the one which has a carpet area of (90 sq meters in non-metropolitan cities and towns and 60 sq meters in metropolitan cities) and has value less than 45 lakh Indian rupees. Many states have dispute about the value, as it is felt the value part differs from state to state.

BUSINESS

In these years, India has witnessed momentous decisions such as demonetisation and GST. Gold Loan NBFC’s have evolved, improved processes and harnessed customer-friendly technology.

Shri V.P.Nandakumar MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.

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onsider the paradox, the Indian banking system is facing severe capital constraints and finds itself at its wits end in providing adequate credit for economic activities. This lack of credit is translating into slower economic growth, as indicated by India’s Q3 GDP growth which was just 6.6%, the slowest in 5 quarters.

On the other hand, well capitalised Gold loan NBFCs are artificially restrained by regulations from extending credit beyond 75 percent of the value of the gold jewellery pledged by a borrower. The business of gold loan NBFCs is to provide small loans, particularly to the unbanked sections in rural and semiurban area against their used household jewellery. More than 70 percent of gold loans are microloans (loan amounts of less than Rs. 50,000).

It is a fact that Indians love gold.

We have the world’s largest stock of privately held gold in our homes.

In 2012, as we were importing too much gold, India’s current account deficit surged. To manage the outflow of the rupee, Reserve Bank of India introduced a series of measures to curb excessive import of gold by erecting artificial barriers around it. The customs duty on gold for

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import was hiked to 10 percent besides other non-tariff measures. One among these non-tariff measures was the capping of the Loan to Value (LTV) ratio for loans against gold jewellery. From a situation where there was no regulation limiting how much you could lend against gold jewellery, things changed overnight and gold loan NBFCs were directed not to lend more than 60 percent of the value of the jewellery. Of course, within a year, this limit was revised upwards to 75 percent to make it on par with what was permissible for banks.

These restrictions were a right step then. Now, after 7 eventful years, the circumstances have changed. There is need for a relook and revision in these restrictions. After all, while regulatory prudence is the bedrock of a stable and resilient financial system, it needs to evolve with the dynamic economic environment.

In these years, India has witnessed momentous decisions such as demonetisation and GST. Gold Loan NBFCs have evolved, improved processes and harnessed customerfriendly technology. Having invested in last mile infrastructure all over India, Gold loan NBFCs are well placed

to push the financial inclusion agenda even further into the interiors of the country to serve poor unbanked customers. The regulations such as LTV capping not only impede their normal functioning and fail to fulfil the criteria of prudential regulation, but they have unwittingly given a new lease of life to moneylenders and pawnbrokers in the unorganised sector, who are bound by no such regulations and therefore at liberty to offer higher loan to value as their borrowers may require.

History and common sense are our only guides for future risks.

Presently, gold loan NBFCs are permitted to lend maximum up to 75 percent of the value of gold in the form of LTV ratio to their borrowers.

The calculation of the LTV is based on the value of gold excluding the value of gems/ stones and making charges, taxes etc.

When compared with all the available loan products in the market, continuing the cap of 75 percent on lending against gold jewellery is difficult to justify. For example, regulations allow loans up to 80 percent LTV for a vehicle loan, where the collateral loses 30 percent of its value in the very first year. But for a gold loan where the underly-

The case for higher LTV on Gold Loans

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ing security does not face any depreciation risk, a borrower must be content with just 75 percent LTV. A gold loan is perhaps the only standard loan product where the custody of pledged asset is with the lender, which confers unique benefits to the lender in terms of enforceability of the security and its timely realisation. Therefore, prudential risk management suggests that a correction in this anomaly is now overdue.

As per RBI’s BASEL-III guidelines, gold and gold jewellery are acceptable as financial collateral. The guidelines emphasise the use of a comprehensive approach for ‘exposure value after risk mitigation’ in respect of personal loans secured by gold and gold jewellery. The time

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is ripe to move from standardised risk-based methods (that do not fully consider the differences in inherent risks) towards prudential risk management practices.

With no such cap on LTV is applicable for the unorganised sector (moneylenders, jewellers/pawnbrokers), a cap on LTV imposed on NBFCs thus provides a loophole for the unorganised sector to lure marginal borrowers back to informal channels of financing. Regulations are after all made to assist the poor and to enable them to get the best outcomes.

There is a thus a case for doing away with the LTV cap altogether, not only to help the marginal borrowers but also to increase the options for MSMEs to avail timely credit for their

business activities. Larger disbursement against the same stock of jewellery works as an incentive. It will likely discourage marginal borrowers from getting lured back to informal sources of credit and nudge them towards the formal sector. Gold loan NBFCs are charged up and ready to contribute towards nation building by extending timely credit to the marginal borrowers at a time when banks are grappling with issues like NPAs and inadequate capital

(V.P. Nandakumar is MD & CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd. Views are personal)

BUSINESS

Rajesh Nair Partner-Emerge Ventures Pte Rajesh is also the President of the Kerala Chapter of TiE Global

Modern science has also made inroads into agriculture. Genomics has helped scientists use DNA sequencing to improve the characteristics of the crops and bring efficiency into farmer operations.

Farmers today can look at enhanced phenotypes for their produce using trending scientific methods.

The need for ‘agripreneurs’ for agriculture to flourish

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he state of economics of nations has been the most debated of all topics in recent times. No economy can ignore the primary profession of its citizens. While technology and business models can change the economic landscape, no development is complete unless we make it inclusive and uniformly apply these new principles and science to some of the traditional functions. Theoretically, it is easy to applaud urbanization and laud the movement of the hoi polloi toward the vibrant cities, the centre of commerce. But, there is virtue and value in building growth in the villages and rural environment.

What is the right scorecard for a country when we talk of economic prosperity? Is the gross domestic product? Is it the balance of trade? Is it the per capita income or perhaps

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The Agripreneur is a newly coined management noun referring to a new breed of young entrepreneurs combining their love of Farming and Agriculture with an acquired professional Business Approach.

expendable income of its population? Is it the Human Development Index? Is it the literacy levels? Well, the debate can go on till cows come home and then beyond. The popular sentiment is to take the consensus route of having multiple metrics and make it a composite scoreboard of several dials on the dashboard. And well, no shame in that, after all, we do have a wider view and perhaps a more thorough, deeper look. But, for the armchair economist in me, if there is any metric which could be the ‘mother of all metrics’ – it is the ‘Employment’ indices in an economy. It is about how many people are gainfully employed to meet their demands and the demands of their near and dear ones, and to create wealth for others by consumption.

Emerging regions in India are seeing a sea change in various social economic aspects. There are key life-style changes expected which will result in a transition of the consumer’s consumption patterns. An increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, asthma and obesity resulting in a demand for healthy products Technological changes in agriculture which has helped in state of the art practices like vertical agriculture, precision agriculture, hydropony, polyhouses etc. Increased consumer awareness driven by media penetration and celebrity chefs promoting new cuisines and product categories across urban and rural India

These changes are expected to create not only new opportunities for existing players but also new avenues for potential entrepreneurs.

This demand will need the birth of the ‘agripreneur’ in India.

The Agripreneur is a newly coined management noun referring to a new breed of young entrepreneurs combining their love of Farming and Agriculture with an acquired professional Business Approach.

While the business reasons range and seem similar to every other sector, agriculture has increased significance because of the target category.

Agripreneurs are essential to bring Entrepreneurship and selfemployment to rural areas Inclusiveness and focus on women Technology into agriculture

Entrepreneurship and selfemployment to rural areas

Due to the rising literacy levels and the urban influence, the youth in Kerala are increasingly shying away from agriculture. This has led underuse of land resources and the low labour productivity due to the limited and slow adoption of technology and the inadequate support infrastructure in terms of transportation, warehousing and credit facilities, which impact the production levels and the extent of wastages in production.

Inclusiveness and focus on women

With the increasing focus on the kitchen gardens and intelligent use

of space, agriculture is a high potential sector to bring women into the folds of entrepreneurship. With their active participation, agriculture can emerge with the success footprint similar to the IT industry in India, where industry experts comment that the ability to engage so many educated women who were otherwise confined to child and elder care could actively contribute to the economy.

Technology in Agriculture

Modern science has also made inroads into agriculture. Genomics has helped scientists use DNA sequencing to improve the characteristics of the crops and bring efficiency into farmer operations. Farmers today can look at enhanced phenotypes for their produce using trending scientific methods.

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By designing more schemes and easing the process of setting up small ventures, we can create smaller clusters and also build an ecosystem for encouraging the agripreneurs.

The role of the entrepreneur in agriculture is to create linkages which are critical in bringing the producer, processor and consumer together. Supply chain linkages are at a nascent stage in India. Increase in agripreneurs can encourage 1. Transparency and information exchange - Schemes must ensure the growth of trust within the farmer group by providing complete information on the clauses prevailing in the agreement, along with knowledge of the prevailing prices for the farm produce.

2. Farmer support mechanism - To secure the quality and quan-

tity of produce obtained under contract, companies would need to provide farmers with assistance in terms of key inputs, such as seeds and information on farm practices.

Also, since farming in Kerala is a credit deficient sector, financial institutions would have to evaluate a mechanism to provide adequate credit line facilities to the farmer or producer.

3. Profit sharing - Schemes need to innovate and come up with a sourcing model that incorporates some means of sharing profits with the producer. This could be through either individual payment to farmers for their produce or community investments in the sourcing regions or villages.

It is time young entrepreneurs promote agriculture as a career avenue for the bright and young

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A versatile entrepreneur:

Sajan Varghese

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ome entrepreneurs are valiant warriors, someone who rises up from the ashes – someone who fights heroically with the challenges life throws at them. When stones are thrown at them, they use it to take the next big leap. In this edition of our magazine, we introduce the very versatile entrepreneur, someone who is audaciously genuine at heart, Sajan Varghese. Mr. Varghese is an entrepreneur who concentrates on the hospitality sector, owning beautiful resorts across the state. His words transpire energy, passion, wisdom of experience and determination to succeed in life and at the business he is into. He is backed by his talented wife Mrs. Mini Sajan, who says ‘my husband is the only person who inspires and surprises me always’.

Mr. Sajan Varghese grew up his happy childhood at Kottayam and further pursued his studies at CMS

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college and then at Baselious. He fondly remembers that he wanted to attract others into his charm, which led him to focus more on friendship than studies. He could not pursue his dreams of becoming a doctor. He confidently remembers his plight as a young man as someone who had big dreams than the lot around him.

He preferred to independently do business, than to choose a then common company job. Mr. Varghese used to be creatively inclined and one of the prestigious first tasks made him design the first jewellery of Josco at Kerala. As an entrepreneur who is committed to his work, he didn’t bother about the expenses, but wanted to give the best to his clients. This unfortunately resulted in failure, the experience which he converted as bricks to success that he yearned to build up. After stepping into the finance sector and then into the entertainment sector (particularly, the

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cinema industry), he bagged huge glimpses of success. He produced scores of brilliant movies, and quite a few blockbusters including Mammootty’s Avanazhi. He is the proud founder president of Kerala Distributor’s Association; he initiated this as a first time in the state. He was also the founder president of the Kerala Film Producer’s Association. He also performed the President’s role in the Kerala Film Chamber in the 90’s. The jealousy politics of cunning people around played villain again, when life hit him one more time and had to close down his chit company, which gathered much debt on him.

However, a couple of years, through sheer hard work and determination, he bounced back with might to a financial balance. He states that failure, definitely, is the stepping stone to success. In 1991, he entered the airline catering business successfully. In 1993, he could start the second unit in Chennai, then in Calicut, Cochin, Bangalore and then Delhi, and the successful saga continued to grow. In 2004, he was announced

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the second best flight caterers internationally. This catalyzed business through the recognition in the International market. By 2006, airlines started low cost carriers. Many airlines like Air Sahara, Paramount, EastWest etc went bankrupt. This made him diversify into other profitable business and thus he decided to enter the hospitality industry. By 2010, he exited from catering business and profitably sold out the flight catering business he had grown.

He acquired Luciya hotel at Trivandrum. Lands were bought at Wagamon, Thekkady, Munnar, Marari and other exotic places in God’s Own Country, on an intention to build beautiful resorts that will cater to the international tourists and locals. Sajan disappointedly mentions, however, that the government of Kerala is not that supportive to entrepreneurs who genuinely want to positively contribute to the state. Unjustifiable encroachments and unwarned actions like stopping of bars again made a bad hit on the progressive growth. He wished the

government gave more encouragement to investors in the market.

Dirty politics is not doing justice.

People nowadays travel across the globe, spend lakhs just to enjoy their life. He hopefully wishes that our state being this beautiful, the government did something to enhance tourism in an effective way. The government should focus to make people spend money in our own striking locales. Social media promotions should be targeted and controlled in a way that the whole world looks at the state only in a good way, whether it be on flood, Sabarimala issue, or Nipa virus issue. The government should “create” opportunities to investing entrepreneurs, rather than have a social narrow mindedness and leashing unwanted restrictions.

They should devise specific plans for the growing entrepreneurs in the system. He says India gives superior customer support in the world – thankful to the ample manpower we have around, who can serve the tourists and client. However, the intense heritage sites across India

He encourages the youth to dream high. He smilingly says you should dream a Mercedes, then only you can end up with a Maruti. Ambition is the key to growth. is not really exploited well enough.

The authorities should come ahead to identify these brilliant prospect and generate revenue for their states and country. Plans should be devised for each of these gorgeous, as well as ancient, locations.

He encourages the youth to dream high. He smilingly says you should dream a Mercedes, then only you can end up with a Maruti. Ambition is the key to growth. Any big company you see around was a startup once. Think Big. Grabbing opportunities is Business. Being prepared to pounce upon the opportunity is prudence. Mr. Varghese is positive in diversifying again if he sees anything promising. You don’t really have to stick onto only one business all your life, but you should be far-sighted according to what the market demands. All needs are seasonal, we should adapt to the requirement. Be your own model, and develop your own ideas. You need to be different to create your own identity.

He owns one of the most beautiful resorts in Kerala called Saj earth Resorts. The most exciting as well as the most challenging part of his business is Customer Delight. At Saj, every customer is made felt that he is the most important person there.

Saj Earth Resorts is undoubtedly the best destination in Kerala, and the proximity to airport makes it even more attractive. They have the biggest pool in the state, which has a heavenly blue shade to it. He handles his staff with a promising rapport, even though he realizes that this age employees show less commitment to work than before.

He caringly believes that we live in a social community, and does a lot of CSR activities to help people uplift themselves. He also advices we should not simply keep helping people unreasonably, but should handhold people to stand on their own. Unique Times wishes him all prosperity ahead!

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Nizar Abdul Majeedkutty Senior Lecturer Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia

Around the world, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men are at risk of an osteoporotic fracture. In fact, an osteoporotic fracture is estimated to occur every 3 seconds.

OSTEOPOROSISIT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO INVEST IN BONE HEALTH

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steoporosis poses a significant public health issue, causing significant morbidity and mortality. Osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone, is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. This disease is characterized by bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the spine, hip and wrist, although any bone can be affected. The likelihood of these fractures occurring, particularly at the hip and spine, increases with age in both women and men.

The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively. Often there are no symptoms until the first fracture occurs. Around the world, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men are at risk of an osteo-

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porotic fracture. In fact, an osteoporotic fracture is estimated to occur every 3 seconds.

In adults, the daily removal of small amounts of bone mineral, a process called resorption, must be balanced by an equal deposition of new mineral if bone strength is to be preserved. When this balance tips toward excessive resorption, bones weaken (osteopenia) and over time can become brittle and prone to fracture (osteoporosis). Estrogen is secreted into the bloodstream and it has profound effects on bone biology. The major physiological effect of estrogen is to inhibit bone resorption. Estrogen deficiency causes both the early and late forms of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and contributes to the development

of osteoporosis in elderly men.

But, there are other, locally produced signaling molecules that have profound effects on bone physiology. Prostaglandins, particularly Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), stimulate both resorption and formation of bone. PGE2 is a lipid that is formed in various bone cells from a precursor called arachidonic acid. The first step on PGE2 synthesis is carried out by an enzyme called cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and inhibitors of this enzyme can prevent bone formation in response to mechanical stress.

PGE2 may be required for exercise-induced bone formation.

There is evidence that fracture risk is increased in people on prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and

glucocorticoid therapy.

Who is at risk?

Although fixed risk factors cannot be changed, people need to be aware of them so that they can take steps to reduce bone mineral loss.

Fixed risk factors also include what is termed ‘secondary risk factors’ – disorders and medications that weaken bone and affect balance.

Fixed risk factors include increasing age, female gender, family history of osteoporosis, ethnicity, menopause, hysterectomy, rheumatoid arthritis, hypogonadism in men etc.

Most modifiable risk factors directly impact bone biology and result in a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD). These include alcohol, smoking, low body mass index, poor nutrition, vitamin D deficiency, eating disorders, insufficient exercise etc.

Preventing Osteoporosis

Genetic factors play a significant role in determining whether an individual is at heightened risk of osteoporosis. However, lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity also influence bone develop-

ment in youth and the rate of bone loss later in life. After your mid-20s, bone thinning is a natural process and cannot be completely stopped.

The thicker your bones, the less likely they are to become thin enough to break. Young women in particular need to be aware of their osteoporosis risk and take steps to slow its progress and prevent fractures.

It’s never too early to invest in bone health. The prevention of osteoporosis begins with optimal bone growth and development in youth.

It is estimated a 10% increase of

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peak bone mass in children reduces the risk of an osteoporotic fracture during adult life by 50%. Bone mass acquired during youth is an important determinant of the risk of osteoporotic fracture during later life.

The higher the peak bone mass, the lower the risk of osteoporosis. Once peak bone mass has been reached, it is maintained by a process called remodeling. This is a continuous process in which old bone is removed and new bone is created. The renewal of bone is responsible for bone strength throughout life. Any factor which causes a higher rate of bone remodeling will ultimately lead to a more rapid loss of bone mass and more fragile bones.

Young people often don’t get enough vitamin D. This is partly due to their increasingly indoor lifestyles.

Parents can help them maintain a healthy level of this key vitamin by ensuring that children spend more

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time participating in sports and outdoor physical activity and less screen time in front of computers or televisions.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

Traditional X-rays can’t measure bone density, but they can identify spine fractures. Bone mineral density (BMD) has to be measured by more specialized techniques. A number of different types of BMD tests are available, but the most commonly used is DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry). DXA is a low radiation X-ray capable of detecting quite small percentages of bone loss.

It is used to measure spine and hip bone density, and can also measure bone density of the whole skeleton.

There are a number of other methods for diagnosing osteoporosis that have been used extensively in clinical trials and epidemiological studies. These include radiological

assessments and Bone Turnover Markers (BTM).

Medical management

Osteoporosis is potentially the most serious of menopause symptoms and it is the most important symptom to identify, prevent, and treat. Estrogen hormone therapy after menopause (previously referred to as hormone replacement therapy or HRT) has been shown to prevent bone loss, increase bone density, and prevent bone fractures. It is useful in preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Estrogen is available orally or as a skin patch.

Estrogen also is available in combination with progesterone as pills and patches. Progesterone is routinely given along with estrogen to prevent uterine cancer that might result from estrogen use alone. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that estrogen therapy be used only at the lowest effective dose

for the shortest possible duration.

Menopausal hormone therapy once seemed the answer for many of the conditions women face as they age.

It was thought that hormone therapy could ward off heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer, while improving women's quality of life. But, beginning in July 2002, findings emerged from clinical trials that showed this was not so. In fact, long-term use of hormone therapy poses serious risks and may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. If you are considering using menopausal hormone therapy to prevent osteoporosis, talk with your doctor about the possible benefits weighed against your personal risks for heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer.

Bisphosphonates are the most commonly prescribed medications to treat osteoporosis. These drugs slow bone loss by causing certain cells involved in bone breakdown to undergo programmed cell death. Bisphosphonates slow the loss of bone mass, while teriparatide increases bone formation.

Exercises that help

Regular exercise is essential.

Exercise has a wide variety of beneficial health effects. The benefit of exercise for osteoporosis has mostly to do with decreasing the risk of falls, probably because balance is improved and muscle strength is increased. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and keep some water handy.

Build up slowly and aim to gradually increase the repetitions of each exercise over time.

A word of caution about exercise: It is important to avoid exercises that can injure already weakened bones. In patients over 40 and those with heart disease, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure, exercise should be prescribed and monitored by physicians. Extreme levels of exercise may not be healthy for the bones. Marathon running in young women that leads to weight loss and loss of menstrual periods can actually promote osteoporosis.

adequate support to your ankles and feet. Sit-to-stand, Mini-squats, Calf raises, Wall press-up, Pushups are good examples. Aim for 10 repetitions – the slower the better.

These simple exercises can be done at home. Low-impact weight-bearing exercises can help keep bones strong and are a safe alternative if you cannot do high-impact exercises. Examples of low-impact weightbearing exercises are low-impact aerobics, using stair-step machines, fast walking on a treadmill or outside etc. Activities like dancing, jogging, stair climbing and tennis are found to be useful. If you have broken a bone due to osteoporosis or are at risk of fracture, you may need to avoid high-impact exercises.

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises

They are also known as resistance exercises and include lifting weights, using elastic exercise bands, using weight machines, lifting your own body weight and functional movements, such as standing and rising up on your toes. Resistance exercises use muscle strength, where

the action of the tendons pulling on the bones boosts bone strength.

Swimming is neither a weightbearing exercise nor a strengthtraining exercise. This means that if you are trying to prevent or fight osteoporosis, swimming should not be the only workout that you do.

Diet is important

Eating a diet that has adequate calcium and vitamin D can be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis.

Excessive alcohol should be avoided by those with osteoporosis. Reduced intake of calcium and vitamin D during periods of growth can have a negative influence on bone development. Vitamin D is important for healthy bones because it helps your body absorb calcium.

It was demonstrated that adequate calcium intake during growth may influence peak bone mass/ density, and may be instrumental in preventing subsequent postmenopausal and senile osteoporosis.

During puberty and adolescence, calcium requirements are greater than at any other stage of life, due to the accelerated muscular, skeletal

Weight-bearing Exercises

Weight-bearing exercises are exercises where your feet and legs support your body weight. When exercising, wear footwear that provides

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and endocrine development. Bone mineral deposition during pubertal growth appears to depend on dietary absorption of calcium, and on reducing its excretion, and this is dependent on adequate Vitamin D status.

Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are probably the best source of calcium. The high bioavailability of calcium in dairy products is related to their vitamin D content and to the presence of lactose, which increase calcium absorption in the intestine. Furthermore, since milk has an alkaline pH, calcium is kept in suspension due to formation of calcium caseinate, calcium citrate and a complex with lactose. Therefore, the lactose, caseinate and citrate in milk and dairy products appear to explain their better calcium absorption in relation to other dietary calcium sources. Vegetables with dark green leaves, such as collard greens, kale, mustard leaves, broccoli leaves and turnip leaves are also sources of calcium, but the calcium they contain has low bioavailability. Sardines, salmon, tuna, bivalve mollusks, oysters and pulses, such as soy, also contain calcium. However, most people can usually get enough vitamin D from supplements and sunlight.

Preventing falls

A person with osteoporosis is especially at risk of breaking bones

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from falling because the bones are so much weaker than normal healthy bones. Here are certain steps that can make a house safer for someone with osteoporosis: • Wear appropriate, flat shoes • Wear glasses with the correct prescription and have this checked regularly • Avoid having loose rugs and carpets or trailing electrical flexes • Make sure the home is well lit • Be extra careful when taking medicines, especially sleeping pills and sedatives that may cause drowsiness, making a person more likely to trip or stumble • Keep the light in washroom switched on during night

nutrition, physical activity and fall prevention makes a big difference.

Impactful public health education initiatives can create awareness about osteoporosis. Online tools, such as program imagery and messaging, infographics, and healthy action community badges, and social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, which provide a number of tools and resources as well as a forum for people to discuss osteoporosis, shall be considered. Community programs and Community Partnerships with national non-profit organizations reinforced at the local level can extend the program’s reach and messages.

Life style factors

• Osteoporosis often develops unnoticed over many years, with no symptoms or discomfort until a bone breaks.

• Eating a diet that has adequate Calcium and Vitamin D can be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis.

• Avoiding smoking can be a key aspect of preventing osteoporosis.

• Weight-bearing exercise and resistance exercise are particularly important for improving bone density and helping to prevent osteoporosis.

• In patients over 40 and those with heart disease, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure, exercise should be prescribed and monitored by physician

Maintaining healthy habits can also reduce the risk or severity of osteoporosis. Avoiding alcohol and cigarettes will go a long way to slow the loss of bone mass, since both substances quicken this loss in one way or another. Smoking reduces the amount of estrogen the body produces, and alcohol hinders calcium absorption. It's also important to maintain a healthy body weight and not to skip meals or lose too much weight later in life. Weight loss almost surely signifies a loss of bone mass, which puts the individual at risk of developing osteoporosis. Prevention is the key thing. The natural approach to bone health combining

KEY POINTS

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FINANCE

Adv Sherry Samuel Oommen is a practising lawyer at High Court of Kerala who specialises in tax and Corporate Laws.

Presently he heads the tax and corporate law practice of Nash Capital Partners. Apart from being a qualified lawyer, he is also a chartered accountant, cost accountant and a company secretary. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate Degree and is reachable at sherryoommen@nashcp.com.

B

enjamin Franklin in one of his dispositions on a political subject, remarked, “... but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. The manner in which the taxation regime in this country has been changing is rather blindsiding to state the least. In this article, the writer intends to cover some of the salient features of the Interim Budget 2019.

BROAD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

One may argue that on account of the upcoming elections, there has been an increase in planned expenditure by the Government to an amount of INR 27.84 Lakh crores.

The bulk of this increase is primarily directed for agriculture, which has witnessed a whopping 135 percent increase from INR 63,000 crores to INR 1.5 Lakh crores, apart from an increase in subsidies for petroleum as well. For instance, on the agriculture front, the Honorable Finance Minister (FM) did announce an income support scheme for the farm-

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The manner in which the taxation regime in this country has been changing is rather blindsiding to state the least. In this article, the writer intends to cover some of the salient features of the Interim Budget 2019.

ers holding land upto 2 hectares of INR 6,000 per year with effect from 1 December, 2018. The benefit of interest subvention has been extended to farmers engaged in animal husbandry and fisheries, apart from GST registered SMEs on the incremental loan of upto INR 1 crore.

The FM made a key announcement with respect to a pension scheme for the unorganized sector with an assured monthly pension of INR 3,000 per month from the age of 60 years on payment of monthly contribution starting from INR 55 per month. The growth in expenditure is expected to be funded by a similar increase in tax revenues (estimated at 15 percent), whist maintaining the fiscal deficit at 3.4 percent. In the writer’s view, in the absence of their being any rate taxes, with the current growth rate of 3-4 percent, keeping the fiscal deficit at 3.4 percent could be a difficult task.

SUPPORT FOR SMEs

To support the SME, the Government has also proposed to increase the requirement for sourcing from

20 percent to 25 percent. A 3 percent sub-limit has been kept for SME owned by women. This, in the writer’s view, would indeed boost the SME space as Government owned enterprises are indeed one of the largest consumers of such goods.

TAX PROPOSALS

The Union Budget has primarily focused on the lower segment of the tax payers. While no new deductions/ exemptions have been proposed, businesses would indeed benefit from the fact that there have been no changes in the tax rates.

Notably, there has been tweaks in the tax laws which could prejudice a tax payer. Some of the key changes proposed in the Budget as follows: • The FM has announced a full rebate from income-tax for all resident individuals whose net taxable income is INR 5,00,000 or less. The earlier quantum of rebate under section 87A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 has been increased from INR 2,500 to INR 12,500. Further, there have been no changes in the tax slabs for individuals earning more than INR

SALIENT FEATURES OF INTERIM BUDGET 2019

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33

5,00,000. It is pertinent to note that while no tax is payable for an individual earning income of upto INR 5,00,000, he would still need to file his tax return as the total taxable income is more than the amount not chargeable to tax, ie, INR 2,50,000.

• An interesting feature of the above-mentioned increase in the rebate is that individuals earning income of up to INR 9.85 Lakhs may end up paying no taxes considering the various deductions available under the Act. This has been tabulated below:

is also available in respect of pension income.

• A major relief in the Budget is the exemption from taxation of notional rent in respect of the second self-occupied house owned by a person. In his speech, the FM shared that this has been allowed keeping in mind the large number of people who work in a city different from their native place and own two houses consequently.

• In a boost to the real estate sector, a real estate developer who holds any property or properties as

Particulars

Amount (in INR)

Gross Total Income

985,000

Less: Standard Deduction in respect of salaries

(50,000)

Interest on housing loan

(200,000)

Investments under section 80C

(150,000)

Contributions to New Pension Scheme

(50,000)

Medical insurance

(25,000)

Deduction towards bank interest

(10,000)

Net Taxable Income

500,000

Applicable Tax

As per the writer’s view, the above-mentioned amendment will benefit a large section of the tax payers especially the working population earning salary income between INR 50,000 to INR 80,000 per month.

• The FM has sought to increase the standard deduction available for the salaried class from INR 40,000 to INR 50,000. This would benefit pensioners as well, as the deduction

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NIL

stock in trade, notional rent would now be charged from the second financial year after completion of the construction of the property. This will allow real estate developers an additional period of one year to sell off their properties.

• The Finance Bill has also proposed to allow additional relief from tax on capital gains where an individual invests the capital gains on

sale of one residential property to buy two residential houses. This relief has been limited to the small and middle class families, as it can be availed where the capital gain from the sale of the residential property is up to INR 2 crores. Further, the benefit of buying two houses can be availed only once in a lifetime.

• The Bill has also proposed increase in the TDS thresholds. The threshold for deduction of tax at source on interest under section 194A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 has been increased from INR 10,000 to INR 40,000. Further, the threshold for deduction of tax on rent under section 194I has also been increased from INR 1,80,000 to INR 2,40,000.

• On the tax administration front, the FM has announced that processing of tax returns would be made instantaneously with all returns being processed within 24 hours. Further, refunds will also be issued simultaneously by the system once the return is processed.

In summary, the Union Budget’s emphasis on planned income support and interest subvention for farmers would indeed boost rural India. Post the elections in April/ May 2019, the newly elected Government would again get a chance to revisit the proposals including the introduction of the proposed Direct Taxes Code. From the perspective of the taxation landscape in India, interesting days lie ahead. One would only hope that in the words of Thomas Jefferson that a system compelling a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors should not result in the propagation of tyranny

Joel Johnson

Will AI take away your job?

I

f you weren’t paying attention to the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence, its progress will surely shock you. From facial recognition to performing complex robotic surgeries independently – AI is already here, secretly playing a role in your life whether you like it or not.

Dare to disagree? Try logging into Amazon. The products you see have been customized by computer algorithms based on your search results and purchasing behaviour.

Remember the last time you took a photo with your latest mobile phone?

The moment you clicked the capture

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button, the camera application analysed the surroundings, took multiple pictures while adjusting various parameters and presented you the best picture with the best lighting and the best colour tone of your subject. Social media feeds, online advertisements, virtual assistants, navigation apps like Google Maps and Uber, banking systems, security industries and so on employ AI. But, the real surprises lie in machine learning, a sub-category of AI in which machines teach themselves to do tasks. A large portion of modern Americans and Europeans travel in their self-driving cars from Tesla,

which can learn to drive by itself and share that data to other Teslas, or hail a driverless taxi from Waymo.

Today, there are AI algorithms which can write music and even create art.

Another shock came last year when a machine learning algorithm Open AI defeated professional human DOTA 2 (an online video game) players.

Not convinced yet? How about the fact that Google AI created its own AI “child”? This newly created AI is more advanced that anything humans have ever made.

These developments are causing fear in the hearts of people – not whether AI will take over the world

Dare to disagree? Try logging into Amazon.

The products you see have been customized by computer algorithms based on your search results and purchasing behavior.

but instead, their jobs! “Robots will be able to do everything better than us. ... I mean all of us”, says Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and investor in various A.I start-ups. “There will certainly be a job disruption. I am not sure exactly what to do about this. This is really the scariest problem to me,” he added. AI expert Kai Fu Lee stated around 40% of all jobs across the world will be lost to AI and robots. Musk says that transportation jobs will be the first ones to go as autonomous cars are increasing and self-driving trucks from Tesla themselves have been unveiled and set to release in a couple of years.

Delivery bots and self-operating drones will replace postal workers, courier services and pizza delivery.

He feels that no one is safe from this job disruption. Any job that consists of a human taking down information from other humans, and inputting it into a system is likely to go obsolete.

So cashiers, receptionists, telemarketers, and bank tellers are all on their way out. Factories are also becoming fully automated. Humanoid robots developed by Boston Dynamics can lift heavy weights and are capable of examining its premises to autonomously carry out functions like opening doors. Even our jobs as

journalists are threatened by rapidly improving news algorithms that can gather information and deliver it faster, and more accurately. Companies are always on the lookout for new ways to reduce costs in order to maximize profits and here we have A.I powered systems that require no paternity leave, mandatory vacations or allowances. If your job is one among the aforementioned, there is nothing wrong in feeling worried.

Before you turn gloomy, let us take some time to analyse what happened last time when technology took over human jobs. Yup, it has happened before. Historians

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call it the Industrial Revolution. It was then that newspapers across Europe published tons of articles which predicted that machines would take over human jobs, rendering the population unemployed and unable to feed themselves. Consequently, the wake of the Industrial Revolution saw widespread protest and rising fears. And, what happened? Did machines replace human jobs? Did it cause massive unemployment and starvation? Absolutely not! As old jobs were replaced by machines, new jobs were created. Factories needed workers to operate and repair machines. The population, which were mainly employed in the agricultural sector, moved to cities and took up better paying industrial jobs. As cars arrived to the market-place and gained popularity over trains, majority of railway workers lost their jobs but created new jobs such as mechanics and repairmen. To summarise, the industrial revolution created more jobs than it took away.

Coming to the future, economists argue that such will be the case during the A.I revolution. A report from the World Economic Forum estimated that A.I will replace around 17 million jobs by 2022 but will create a staggering 75 million new jobs in the next three years. You can breathe a sigh of relief now! Robots would be tasked to take over jobs that the coming generations are unlikely to be interested in such as dangerous

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jobs including firefighting, mining, deep-sea drilling, construction and so on. New jobs created would include everything from writing software, repairing and maintaining robots, and developing new and better systems. Furthermore, even though AI can replace every job but do want every single type of job to be replaced by machines? Would you really want a robot as your nurse, babysitter or teacher? Jobs that require creativity, human empathy or compassion are safe, for now!

Although AI is sure to create more jobs, the real concern lies with low income or old workers who cannot be re-trained for new jobs. You

simply cannot teach a 55 year old truck driver to code software. Thus, in a world of robot workers, they might end up working the same jobs with even smaller pay. Add to the fact that AI would only help to drive up the profits of large corporations, we have the case of a future with a staggering economic inequality. This is why many economists and visionaries, including Musk, proposed the idea of a Universal Basic Income system where everyone gets a basic salary without working, in a world where all jobs are done by robots.

Only time will tell the further challenges that lie ahead of us in an AI powered world

GADGETS

Xiaomi Poco F2

` 26,990 (approximately)

Android v9.0 (Pie) OS

6.3 inches Display

16 MP + 8 MP + 5 MP

Triple Primary Cameras

20 MP Secondary Camera

6 GB RAM

128 GB Internal Memory

256 GB Expandable Memory

4100 mAh Battery Capacity

Samsung Galaxy A20

` 14,900 (approximately) Android v9.0 (Pie) OS 6.4 inches Display 13 MP + 5 MP Dual Primary Cameras 8 MP Secondary Camera 3 GB RAM 32 GB Internal Memory 512 GB Expandable Memory 4000 mAh Battery Capacity

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Samsung Galaxy A60

` 27, 990 (approximately) Android v9.0 (Pie) OS 6.7 inches Display 32 MP + 5 MP + 8 MP

Triple Primary Cameras 32 MP Secondary Camera 6 GB RAM 128 GB Internal Memory 512 GB Expandable Memory 4500 mAh Battery Capacity

Realme 3 Pro

` 18, 990 (approximately) Android v9.0 (Pie) OS 6.3 inches Display 16 MP + 5 MP Dual Primary Cameras 20 MP Secondary Camera 6 GB RAM 64 GB Internal Memory 256 GB Expandable Memory 4500 mAh Battery Capacity

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COOKERY

Toshma Biju

Beetroot Pachadi Ingredients

• • • • • • • • •

Beetroot - 1 no Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon Curd - 1/2 cup (beaten) Salt - to taste Oil - 2 tablespoons Grated coconut - 3-4 tablespoons Mustard seeds - ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon Green chillies - 2 no's

For Seasoning

• • • •

42

Mustard seeds - ¼ teaspoon Curry leaves - 1 spring Shallots - 2 nos Dry red chilli - 1 nos

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Method

Wash, peel the beetroot and grate it.

Coarsely grind all the ingredients under 'To grind' and keep it aside. Take the grated beetroot in a pan, add required salt and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the coarsely ground paste to the beetroot. Mix it and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from gas and let it cool.

Add the beaten curd and mix. Finally, heat oil in a small pan and pop the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the chopped shallots and red chilli. Fry till the shallots turn golden brown. Pour this seasoning on top of the beetroot.

Enjoy with white rice.

Parippu Pradhaman Ingredients

• • • • • • • •

Moong dal - 1/4 cup Channa dal - 1 tablespoon Coconut (grated) - 1 no Jaggery - 3/4 cup Cashew nuts – 5 nos Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon Ghee - 1 1/2 tablespoon Banana - 1 no

Method

Add 1 cup water to the grated coconut, pulse it in the mixer. Extract the first coconut milk, keep it aside. Add 2 cups of water to it and pulse the mixer for 4 to 5 seconds and extract the second milk. Keep it aside.

Dry roast the moong dal and channa dal separately, till it becomes golden brown. Soak them in water for 5 minutes. Wash and add 2 cups of water and pressure cook the same for one whistle. Remove from the cooker, add the second milk and boil for 10 minutes. Melt the jaggery with little water, remove the impurities, if any, and add it to the boiling mixture.

When it is blended nicely, boil for another 10 minutes. Add the first coconut milk, cardamom powder and remove from gas. After adding first coconut milk, do not boil. Garnish with cashew and coconut bits fried in ghee. Serve hot or cold, as you wish, with Elaichi Banana pieces.

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Achinga payar mezhukupuratti Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • •

Yard long bean (Achinga payar) (cut into small pieces) – 3 cups Sliced Onion - 1 1/2 cup Coconut slices - 1/4 cup Green chillies - 2 nos Curry leaves - 1 sprig Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon Coconut oil - 2 1/2 tablespoons Water - as needed Salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, add Yard long bean (Achinga payar) pieces, sliced onion, slitted green chillies, curry leaves, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and turmeric powder, and mix it well.

In a pan, heat one table spoon of coconut oil and add coconut slices and fry it until it turns slightly brown in colour.

Then, add the marinated mix and water. Cover it and cook it on low heat till the water content dries up completely and the beans pieces are cooked well, stirring it occasionally. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil, mix well and sauté for few seconds. Remove it from flame and serve it warm.

Pineapple pachadi Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • • •

44

Ripe Pineapple - 1/2 (finely chopped) Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon Curd - 4 tablespoons Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Slited Green Chillies - 2 small Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon Dry Red Chillies - 2 nos Curry leaves –as much as required Oil - 1 tablespoon Salt to taste

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Method

Cook the pineapple in little water, along with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and green chilli, until it turns soft and tender.

Grind the coconut, along with 1/4 teaspoon of mustard and cumin seeds, to a fine paste. When the pineapple is done, add the coconut paste and mix well. Then, reduce the flame and cook for 10 minutes or till it becomes thick. Remove from the fire and add the yogurt. Mix well and adjust the salt.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves. Saute it for few seconds. Pour seasoning over the Pineapple Pachadi.

BEAUTY

Dr. Elizabath Chacko, MD-Kalpana International

Mob: 9388618112

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Natural tips to eliminate dandruff

D

andruff is a serious problem, both in men and women. Actually, it is not a serious disease condition. It is just an irritating condition that no one loves to have. One of the most common symptoms of this condition is itchy scalp. Flakiness is another important symptom experienced in connection with this condition. The symptom of flakiness bothers the affected more than the symptom of itchy scalp, as most affected persons think the former brings shame to them. Of course, no one loves to see a layer of white powder like substance around his/her head every now and then. Regular usage of anti-dandruff shampoos is the best option available to fight this condition. It does not mean that it is the only option available. It is good to remember that no chemical is as good as natural. There are several natural methods available to eliminate dandruff.

Tea Tree Oil

It is the most effective natural remedy available to eliminate dandruff. It has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. And, it is even capable to fight fungus. A recent study proves that it can reduce the symptoms of dandruff by at least 41 per cent. Apply diluted tea tree oil gently on the scalp of head at least 3 times a week; for dilution, little coconut oil can be added into this.

Coconut Oil

It is the most popular natural remedy used to fight dandruff. In Kerala, traditionally, people use this oil to protect their hair from all conditions that affect their hair growth. May be it is the abundance of coconut oil in this part of the country that makes this oil so popular here. It contains all the properties that tea tree oil offers. In addition to that, it has an impressive skin hydration property also. A recent study discovers that it is as effective as

tree tea oil. Apply coconut oil daily over scalp for best result.

Aloe Vera

It is normally used to fight burns and cold sores. A recent study proves that it can also be used to reduce the conditions of dandruff. Aloe Vera also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Apply it directly over scalp, and wash it off after few minutes with clean water. It is better to use it during hair bath.

There is no guarantee that these natural remedies can work far better than your chemical shampoos. But, it is actually suggested to make you less reliant over the chemical options.

A recent study discovers that there is a relation between stress and dandruff. As stress increases, dandruff also increases.

And, as stress reduces, dandruff also reduces. Those living with the unpleasant condition of dandruff should try to decrease their stress level, if they really want to contain their dandruff issue

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TRAVELOGUE

As beautiful as ‘Mother Earth’ The country, like our mother earth, is abundantly blessed with natural treasures such as beaches, mountains, forests and water bodies.

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D

o you know how beautiful our mother earth is? She is actually the most beautiful thing exists in the universe. It is hard to define that beauty with words. Even renowned nature poets could not do it. Then, how is this writer supposed to define it with the aid of limited words he/she possesses? Wait! It is true that he/she cannot define it fully. But, can’t he/ she be able to describe it, at least, partially? Yes, he/she can. What the writer does here is he/she takes a piece of land which is as beautiful as our mother earth to perform his/ her task. That land is Benin, the small African country situated in the western region of the, so called, Dark Continent. The country, like our mother earth, is abundantly blessed with natural treasures such as beaches, mountains, forests and water bodies.

lonial France transformed the country almost fully. It was during the period of colonisation that the slave hub acquired many developments that the country now boasts of –importantly, almost all great infrastruc-

tural achievements the country now possesses were actually contributed by the colonials during the period of colonisation. Unlike other West African countries, Benin, in reality, benefited greatly through the coloni-

Let’s discuss a bit of history

The history of Benin actually began with the conquest of this country by the colonial France. Before that, it was just a slave hub. The co-

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sation. The gains were not without any losses. In a sense, the colonial structure was erected over the traditional structure existed there, almost entirely demolishing each and every thing their forefathers left behind proudly.

Moving to the post-Independence period

In the year 1960, the country tasted the sweetness of independence. Unfortunately, that sweetness never lasted for long. Not too long after the independence, the unwelcoming taste of bitterness engulfed the sweetness, gifted by the independence, in the form of coups, military rules and internal conflicts. In the post-colonial period, the country even fell under the clutches of a ruthless Marxist-Leninist regime (it was between 1975 and 1990).

Fortunately, an immense relief was achieved when finally the undemo-

cratic elements succumbed to the common people’s desire for democracy in the year 1991 (it was in that year that the country became the multi-party Republic of Benin).

time, the present Benin is also very keen not to let anyone dictate it its policies in the pretext of financial support.

The beautiful present

It is a small country located in the western part of Africa. It is located near Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Niger. It is a Christian-dominated country (at least 42.8 % of the total population of the country are Christians). The official language of Benin is French, though a section of people speaks indigenous languages, such as Yoruba, as well. It is in the area of literacy rate that it falls far behind its neighbours; the literacy rate of Benin is as low as 38.4 %. The health infrastructure of the country is not also appreciable; as per a latest survey, only little more than 30 % of the country’s population has access to health care services. It is its economic limitations that prevent

Now, this exceptional agrarian country is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, the African Petroleum Producers Association, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, and many similar organisations aimed to bring peace and stability. The country is one of the few stable countries in that part of the world. To an extent, it is still under the support of France. As there is no significant economic activity exists in the country other than agriculture, it is not easy for it to meet its requirements without such a support. At the same

In short: Benin

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this country from earmarking more funds to develop the highly important sectors of education, infrastructure and health. The present Benin views the development of the tourism sector in the West Africa as an opportunity.

About that beauty (from where we have begun)

Ouidah, Porto Novo, Bohicon, Parakou, Lake Nokoue, and Nikki are the popular tourist attractions in Benin.

Ouidah is where one should go to understand it clearly how the Portuguese and French culture has influenced this country. There are several colonial ruins in that destination. Its beaches are what that enhances its beauty.

Porto Novo is the capital of Benin. The Royal Palace is one of the

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main attractions in this destination.

Other important attractions are the museums of the Porto Novo kings; it is situated inside the palace itself.

However, there are not that makes this land special. It is its gardens and parks that make it appealing.

To know the exact culture of a place, its market is to be explored.

Bohicon is the home to the biggest market of Benin. There are several shops and cafes in this part of the country.

To get a glimpse of the Benin cotton and textile industry and its architecture completely, Parakou is to be visited. It is the centre of the Benin cotton and textile industry. That makes it richer than the rest of the country. For the same reason, it is also the most populated region. The said is not the reason why it attracts a large chunk of tourist each year.

It is its architecture that enhances its attractiveness. No Parakou visit is complete without tasting a traditional kind of beer prepared in the factories situated in that city. It is advised not to miss that opportunity.

Water bodies always excite travellers. It is one of the reasons why Lake Nokoue always finds place in every list of most attractive places in Benin. It is a heaven for bird watchers, as many rare species of African birds are found in and around the lake. The only problem is that the lake is polluted to the highest extent.

There are several ancient palaces located in this country. In Nikki, there is an ancient palace worth visiting. It is well preserved for the tourism purpose.

Nothing is more exciting in West Africa than Benin!!! Plan Your Trip Today Itself!!!

RECIPES

Teznim Aziz

Raffaello cookies Ingredients

• • • • • •

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Maida - 1cup Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup Desiccated coconut - 1 cup Almond (powdered) - 15 nos Baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup (approximately) (or enough to knead)

Apr-May-2019

Method

In a pan, mix the maida, and baking powder. Mix all the dry ingredients well.

Add some oil into the mix and knead well.

Shape it in to small balls. Roll these balls in desiccated coconut, and flatten them a little bit. Bake in a preheated oven at 170degree for about 13 to 15 minutes.

Linzer cookies

Ingredients

• • • • • • • • •

Butter - 1/2 cup Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup Egg yolk - 1 no Vanilla extract - 1/2 teaspoon Maida – 1 cup Almond (Powdered) - 1/2 teaspoon Salt - 1 pinch Jam - as much as required Icing sugar - as much as required

Method

Mix maida, almond powder and salt in a pan. Cream the butter and icing sugar. Add the egg yolk and essence to it. Beat it well. Fold the maida. Roll into 1/4 inch sheet and cut with a cutter. Cut the centre of half of the cookies with a small round cutter. Bake it at 190 degree for 15 minutes. Let it cool.

Spread jam on the whole cookies. Dust the icing sugar on the ring cookies, and sandwich the cookies with jam.

Cinnamon cookies Ingredients

• • • • • • • • •

Maida - 1 1/2 cup Cream of tartar - 1 teaspoon Soda powder - 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon powder - 1/2 teaspoon Salt - 1 pinch Butter - 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup Egg - 1 Vanilla - 1 teaspoon

• •

Cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon Castor sugar - 3 tablespoons

Topping

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Method

Mix maida, cream of tartar, soda, cinnamon and salt in a pan. Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla into the mix. Beat the mixture well.

Add maida and mix well. Shape it in to balls. Roll these balls in cinnamon mixture and flatten it a little bit.

Bake it in a preheated oven at 190degree for 10 minutes.

Pink blossom cookies Ingredients

• • • • • • •

Butter - 1/3 + 1 teaspoons Powdered sugar - 4 tablespoons Egg yolk - 1 no Vanilla essence - 1/2 teaspoon Maida - 100 gm Salt - 1 pinch Red colour - 1 pinch

Method

Mix maida, salt and cashew. Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg yolk, colour and essence into it and beat well. Add maida into it and mix well.

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AUTO REVIEW

Vivek Venugopal is one of India’s top automotivewriterswithover a decade’s experience in road-testing and reviewing cars.

He is currently the Editor of Quarter Mile magazine and a columnist in several leading magazines and newspapers. He is also a highly sought after consulting engineer and market analyst for many automobile manufacturers.

T

he Nissan Kicks is Nissan’s foray into the premium compact SUV market after the Terrano. It is for those who want a more modern looking, stylish crossover to suit their urban lifestyle. We got to sample one just as our last issue went to print, so this report is coming to you a little later than we would have liked.

Unlike the Kicks sold abroad, ours is based on the Duster platform. It is an ‘Indianised’ version of the Renault Captur – with similar looks, but with more cost effective underpinnings. You can tell the Indian car from its much more sloping windscreen and side claddings that

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The Kicks has good handling giving you plenty of confidence.

There is good amount of steering feel and it doesn’t lose its composure mid corner if you hit a bump. Straight line stability is excellent, and it doesn’t get fazed by the road surface underneath. Brakes are good too, with the Kicks coming to a dead stop in a straight line with no drama at all.

s k c i K n a s The Nis

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go all the way to the bottom of the door sills. It is also longer than the international Kicks, but certainly not as sharp looking. The Kicks is larger than the Captur and the Creta. The styling is quite good, with the Nissan SUV grille flanked by slim headlamps, a contrasting roof and large 17 inch alloys. The edgy styling goes all the way to the rear where striking tail lamps extend into a very uniquely shaped boot lid.

Inside, it is a better deal than the Captur, with better quality and more space. The cabin looks plush with chocolate brown leather covering all the important bits, including the dashboard. The seats also get quilted leather and the steering is nice to hold. The 8.0 inch touch screen unit looks well designed and is feature packed. The Kicks comes with first in segment 360 degree surround camera, four airbags, hill hold, vehicle dynamic control, auto-

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matic headlamps, rain sensing wipers, cruise control, climate control etc. Certain things like the climate control and meter console are carried over from the Captur. The ergonomics aren’t perfect, with the arm rest fouling with your elbow or

The Kicks starts from Rs.10.85 lakhs going all the way to Rs.14.65 lakh for the diesels

wrist when shifting gears or pulling the handbrake lever. There is no dead pedal, the foot-well is slightly cramped and the steering only adjusts for rake. There aren’t any cupholders in the centre console and there is just one USB connector for the whole car. Still, the front seats are large and accommodating and visibility is good. The rear seats are wide and have good headroom and legroom. The door bins are large, and the boot is a very usable 400 litres.

Powering the Kicks is the familiar 1.5 litre Renault K9K diesel with 110bhp and 240Nm. It is an old engine, but this is by far, the best application we have seen it in. The refinement is immediately better and the engine has better drivability than ever. There is a useable amount of midrange power, and it feels more energetic than a Captur. The six speed manual is easy to use and the

clutch action is positive.

The Kicks has good handling giving you plenty of confidence. There is good amount of steering feel and it doesn’t lose its composure mid corner if you hit a bump. Straight line stability is excellent, and it doesn’t get fazed by the road surface underneath. Brakes are good too, with

the Kicks coming to a dead stop in a straight line with no drama at all.

The Kicks starts from Rs.10.85 lakhs going all the way to Rs.14.65 lakh for the diesels. There is also a petrol variant powered by a 1.5 litre engine which we are yet to sample. You can tell that Nissan has worked hard on the Kicks. It looks

good, feels robust, has good space inside, drives well, has a frugal diesel engine, and is easy to live with every day. Although Nissan has missed out on an opportunity by not launching an automatic variant, the Kicks has almost everything else to trade punches with its established competition

Apr-May-2019

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MOVIE REVIEW

Romeo Akbar Walter

I

t is an action thriller directed by talented filmmaker Robby Grewal. The film discusses the story of a cunning spy. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. There are several stunning action sequences in the movie. John Abraham appears as the central character of the film. Apart from the popular actor, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff, Sikandar Kher, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi act in the film.

No negative review has emerged against the film so far. The way in which the lead actor carries his character is worth appreciable.

Undoubtedly, it is one of the best performances that Mr John has done so far.

Notebook

I

t is a romantic movie directed by young filmmaker Nitin Kakkar. The film revolves around an army officerturned-school teacher and a book, which belongs to a woman who previously held the position that he now holds. The central character slowly falls in love with the women through the book. Actually, it is an unusual love story. The film has received positive reviews from the audience.

Notably, the film is produced by Salman Khan, along with few others.

Pranutan Bahl, Zaheer Iqbal, Mir Sarwar, and Muazzam Bhat appear as the central characters. It is one of the most interesting romantic movies that have been released in this year.

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Hellboy

I

t is a fantasy thriller directed by renowned filmmaker Neil Marshall.

It is based on the graphical novels written by American comics artist Mike Mignola. The story of the film revolves around the Hellboy and a sorceress, who is hell-bent on revenge. David Harbour appears in the movie as its central character Hellboy. Apart from Mr Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim and Ian McShane act in the lead roles. There are several exciting action sequences in the movie. Several reasonable changes have been made in the original story to make the movie more interesting and exciting. The film is produced by Lloyd Levin along with few others.

Shazam!

I

t is a fantasy thriller directed by popular filmmaker David Sandberg. It is a superhero movie. Yet, it is extremely different from similar superhero movies. It is a brilliant mix of comedy, action and many other interesting elements. Nothing is more and nothing is less. A fourteen year old boy is the central character of the movie. The film portrays several beautiful things that come to the central character’s life once he discovers the superhero in him. Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Mark Strong, and Djimon Hounsou appear in the movie.

Importantly, not many negative reviews have been released against the film so far.

Apr-May-2019

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BOOK REVIEW

India Misinformed: The True Story Author Price

: P Sinha, S Shaikh, and A Sidharth : Rs. 299 (Paperback)

F

ake news is a very serious problem. With the existence of social media platforms, anyone can trigger a fake news campaign anytime without much effort. With the unavailability of a proper mechanism to differentiate between fake news and genuine news contests in the social media platforms, no one can contain the circulation of a fake news campaign through these platforms. The propaganda of fake contents circulated through the social media platforms has led to many serious issues from mob attacks to riots. The book contains a detailed study about the subject of misinformation or fake contests. It imparts necessary skills to differentiate between fake and genuine contests.

The Hundred-Year Marathon Author Price

C

: Michael Pillsbury : Rs. 499 (Paperback)

hina is the second largest power in the world in terms of its economic capabilities, after the United States. It is the US that has helped China to reach this height. The US at present perceives no serious threat to its global dominance from China. Moreover, it is very proud that they have managed to bring China into the global order that it has created for its own benefit. These are the views that many of us have.

Most experts acknowledge these to an extent. But, what this book gives is an entirely different picture. As per this book, China is on a well-planned march towards the top of the global economy. The book opines that the community country would reach there in few decades. The book urges the US to rethink its foreign policy towards China.

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Apr-May-2019

BOOK REVIEW

Dare Eat That: A Guide to Bizarre Foods from Around the World Author Price

: Divya Anand : Rs. 240 (Paperback)

P

eople love adventure. The word ‘adventure’ alone is enough to fill curiosity, enthusiasm and happiness in people. There are many kinds of adventures. Trip adventure is the most popular among them.

Anyway, this book introduces to us a new kind of adventure –the kind of adventure which is less possible to come to our mind when we think of the term adventure. That adventure is food adventure. Once you go through this book, you will understand this adventure is not as simple as it sounds. The book narrates the journey of an adventurous couple (Divya and Vivek) which is adventurous enough to taste almost anything and everything that is available in the dining table, and is passionate enough to travel even days or months to try any dish capable to trigger excitement.

The 10X Rule Author Price

D

: Grant Cardone : Rs. 374 (Hardcover)

o you fear that your business is not going in the right direction and it is likely to break into pieces in no time? Or, do you fear that you business is struck in a deep trouble and there is no way around to escape from that? Don’t worry. What you need is a magic formula to sort out this crisis. That formula is what this book unveils. The book will completely change the way you approach your business –especially, the way you address your business problems. The book asserts that you will not experience failure in your business (even in your life) if you apply this exceptional formula in the right way.

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Printed On 01/ 04/ 2019

RNI Reg No. KERENG/2011/42633