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Vol 6 Issue No.72 Oct - Nov 2017

Demonetisation can still be a game changer Shri V.P. Nandakumar MD & CEO, Manappuram Finance Ltd.

India to host

Miss Asia

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DISTRIBUTION & ENQUIRIES 9846050283

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Printed by: Ajit Ravi Published by: Ajit Ravi Owned by: Ajit Ravi Printed at: S T Reddiar P.B. No: 3627, Veekshanam Road, Cochin Published at: Pegasus, L5-106 Changampuzha Nagar Kalamassery Ernakulam-682 033 e-mail: editor@uniquetimes.org uniquetimesindia@gmail.com Ph:0484 3242220, 6555533, 4025666 Mob:+91 98460 50283, 94470 50283 Editor Ajit Ravi Sub-Editor Vignesh Associate Editor Ravi Saini Editor-In-charge Jebitha Ajit Legal Advisor Latha Anand B.S.Krishnan Associates bskrishnanassociates@gmail.com Correspondents Dr. Thomas Nechupadam Vivek Venugopal- Quarter Mile Amrutha V Kumar Karthika S Nair Marketing UAE Phygicart.com P.O. Box: 92546, Al Karama Dubai Mr. Anish K Joy Mob: +971528946999 info@phygicart.com Tamil Nadu Vice president Uma Riyas Khan chennai, Mob: 9841072955 Unique Times, No.6/31, Arunachalam main road, Saligramam, Chennai – 600093 Andhrapradesh & Karnataka PEGASUS Ph: 09288800999 Sunilkumar NN, Saneesh Ashok Your wing Director Shwetha Menon Photographer Ashique Hassan Creative Design PEGASUS Cover Photograph Miss Asia 2017 4

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Editorial A

rtist Denise LaFrance once said: “Do not dissect a rainbow. In other words, do not destroy a beautiful phenomenon by overanalyzing it”.

Pegasus, a famous event management and beauty pageant organisers, strictly follows this philosophy. The famous show, International beauty contest Miss Asia, which aims to appreciate the talent and beauty of Asian & Eurasian women, is back in Kerala. This edition of the magazine gives an overview about this upcoming show.

Pegasus does not want to objectify women’s body in this event. That is why they have excluded the infamous bikini round in which the women’s body is disrespectfully treated as a mere object of beauty. So the show is going to be redefining beauty beyond physical to include intelligence and social conscience.

We have regular columns of V.P. Nandakumar, the MD & CEO, Manappuram Finance and Rajesh Nair. In Auto, our team introduces Hyundai Verna which comes as a fresh choice for those looking for a midsize sedan. Travel introduces Cocos Islands, a small group of islands located near Sri Lanka and Australia which is famous for nature’s beauty.

Here’s another fresh issue for you with plenty of articles on interesting topics like the stock market, gadgets, banking, movie review, and book review etc. And I hope you enjoy the read!

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CONTENTS

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Demonetisation can still be a game changer Time to mentally prepare for the ‘digital future’ India to host Miss Asia Disqualification of Directors Is it a tale of blunders?

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Gadgets

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Recipes

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Night-time routine for women over 50 years of age

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Cocos Islands Nature and Water Lover’s Paradise

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Hyundai Verna

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UNIQUE DIARY

‘China and Pakistan should not proceed with CPEC without considering India’s suggestions’: Chinese expert

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dvising to create a new platform for discussions on the Belt and Road Initiative, a Chinese expert, who have enormous knowledge about the subject of foreign relations, has said that the Chinese government and Pakistan should not proceed with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor program without considering the suggestions and recommendations India wants to make on the CPEC, which is an integral part of BRI.Shen Dingli, the associate dean of Shanghai Based Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies, while speaking at a function organised in India to discuss the subject of ‘Emerging World Order’, has asked why aren’t Beijing discussing the issue of the CPEC, which is expected to pass through the disputed territory between India and Pakistan, with the Delhi government.

Govt likely to link Aadhaar with driving license

“Every time we launch a feature, people yell at us.”

Angelo Sotira

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s a part of the NDA government’s plan to deliver good governance to its citizens through the digital governance programmes, the central government led by the BJP is likely to link the driving license to the Aadhaar card. The Indian government earlier took initiatives to link the PAN card, bank account and phone number to the Aadhaar card, triggering debates on the subject of ‘Right to Privacy’. While speaking at a function organised in connection with the Digital Haryana Summit 2017, the Union Minister of Law and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad, has said that he already discussed the plan with the Union Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari.

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Suzuki set to invest in lithium-ion battery to nourish ‘Clear Fuel Technology’

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dentifying the tremendous growth potential of the ‘Clear Fuel Technology’, the Suzuki Motor Corp is set to invest nearly Rs 1,150 crores to produce the lithium-ion battery, the prime element which is used to make electric cars. The new unit which is going to be established in Gujarat using this investment will become operational in the year 2020 itself. It is said that the car manufacturer is also likely to make electric cars in its unit situated in the state which is slowly emerging as an industrial hub of the country. Toshiba and Denso are expected to work along with the car maker in this ambitious project to manufacture extraordinary electric cars.

Competition among telecom service providers intensifies, with Airtel providing free data to beat Jio

“The most dangerous poison is the feeling of achievement.

The antidote is to every evening think what can be done better tomorrow.”

Ingvar Kamprad

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he competition among the top telecom service providers such as Airtel, Reliance Jio, Idea and Vodafone has intensified, with the Airtel offering near 60 GB free data for six months. It is said that the offer has been launched to popularise the Airtel TV app, which the company has recently introduced in the market with high hopes of winning the hearts of the customers and replacing the Jio TV with it. It is learned that the free data will be provided by the company to all those customers who download the Airtel TV app. Of this 60 GB data, the customers can use 10 GB data each month for six months. It is expected that, in the coming months, other telecom service providers will also come up with similar offers in order to sustain in the Indian market.

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UNIQUE DIARY

CBRE survey places Delhi’s Connaught Place among the ten most expensive office locations

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survey conducted by the CBRE, the popular real estate consulting firm, has placed Delhi’s Connaught Place, one of the most expensive real estate locations in India, among the ten most expensive office locations in the world. The interesting fact is that out of the ten most expensive office locations in the world, nearly seven of them are located in the Asian region. Hong Kong’s Central and West Kowloon, Beijing’s Finance Street and CBD, Tokyo’s Otemachi or Marunouchi and Shanghai’s Pudong are the Asian office locations which find place in the list. Other three locations are New York’s Midtown Manhattan and Midtown South Manhattan, and London’s West End.

IndusInd bank acquires $200 mn from ADB to serve low-income women borrowers

“Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.”

Jack Dorsey

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he IndusInd bank, one of the most popular private banks of the country, has acquired a huge loan of nearly $200 mn from the Asian Development Bank to serve the low-income women borrowers living in the rural regions. As per the report, the loan pact has been signed by the Director of ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department, Christine Engstrom, and the Chief Financial Officer of IndusInd bank, S Zaregaonkar. The ADB director, while speaking about the pact, has said that it would help them to serve the underprivileged women living in the less developed regions. The pact, according to the media report, stipulates that the preponderance of the money should be used to assist the underprivileged women living in less developed states.

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BUSINESS

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

The reaction of India’s punditry following the RBI’s revelation was predictable. Most were of the opinion that the entire demonetisation had flopped because its primary purpose— to unearth black money-had failed.

Demonetisation can still be a game changer

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ecently, the RBI published data indicating that nearly 99 percent of the demonetised notes of denominations of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 have found their way back into the banking system.Earlier, when demonetisation was first announced, one of the stated objectives was to inflict loss upon black money holders who (it was presumed)would be unable to make use of the lawful conversion window to exchange their ill-gotten old notes into new.

The reaction of India’s punditry following the RBI’s revelation was predictable. Most were of the opinion that the entire demonetisation had flopped because its primary purpose— to unearth black money – had failed.That may be true technically, but do recall that when Columbus set sail in 1492 from Spain on the ship “Santa Maria”, his mission was to discover a new sea route to the Orient. For the record, he never got even close to his destination.Going by the narrow yardstick of objective accom-

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plished, the voyage was a failure.

Yet, Columbus discovered America and altered the course of human history.

When I wrote in favour of demonetisation previously (Refer “Macro Policy and Micro shifts in behaviour” in Unique Times January 2017 issue), I had expressed my reservations about the black money angle arguing instead that the real promise of demonetisation was “not about getting rid of black money but about effecting a transformation in mindset.” I had said that demonetisation had to be seen as the start of a new process of “embracing a new and superior way of doing things [cashless] where efficiency gains are passed on to everyone including those at the margins and the bottommost layers.”

Today, in the context of scepticism about what the whole exercise has achieved, let me lay out in greater detail why I still believe demonetisation continues to be

a potential game changer for the Indian economy. I rest my case on three central planks. Firstly, demonetisation has moved India on to a permanently higher orbit of tax compliance.Secondly, India has moved into a permanently lower orbit of interest rates. Thirdly, in conjunction with other reforms such as GST, demonetisation has giving birth to a structural shift in the composition of the Indian economy, with the unorganised sector giving way to the organised sector.Compared to the efficiency of the organised sector, the unorganised sector lacks scale and suffers from low productivity, so the process promises long term benefits to the economy.

a) Tax compliance

To begin with, notwithstanding the bulk of the notes coming back to the banking system, demonetisation did inflict substantial pain on black money holders. Anecdotal evidence abounds about people having to incur either significant cost in converting their old

(unaccounted) currency into new.

Human behaviour is shaped by incentives and disincentives. The major reason why India has come to be awash in black money and why well-to-do and otherwise lawabiding citizens have been willing accomplices is the fact that there was never really a disincentive to dealing in black money. Not only was no one getting caught or punished, gold and real estate offered easy avenuesfor its profitable deployment thus serving as perverse incentive for its continued generation. In fact, transactions in India’s real estate sector had evolved in a way that made it necessary for buy-

ers of property to pay a substantial part of the agreed price in cash.

Today, the big difference is that having burnt their fingers once, many ordinary people who have no innate appetite for tangling with the law, have become more wary of concealing income and inviting queries from the income tax department. And so it turns out that the number of returns filed (up to August 5, 2017) has registered an increase of 25 percent compared to a 10 percent growth in the previous year. Further, for the fiscal year 2016-17, a total of 1.26 crore new taxpayers were added to the tax base as of June 30, 2017.Collection

of advance tax under personal income taxgrew by about 42 percent over the corresponding period in 2016-2017 while collection of self-assessment tax under personal income tax grew 34 percent.

b) Interest rates

Integral to the demonetisation exercise has been the push towards cashless modes of payment. In the cashless mode, funds move from the payer’s bank account to the recipient’s bank account, even as the entire money remains within the banking system. Consequently, deposits within the banking system are higher as compared to when cash is withdrawn. With a higher

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deposit base, banks are able to lend more,and at lower interest rates. It comes as no surprise then that banks have cut lending rates following demonetisation because they are flush with deposits. The following table shows the fall in the marginal cost of funds based lending rates between October 2016 to March 2017.

Over and above the fall in interest rates, a direct consequence of the squeeze on cash is the increasing attraction for financial savings as compared to holding cash, or investing in gold and real estate.

In recent months, India has seen record inflows into all kinds of financial assets such as stocks and mutual funds (in addition to bank deposits). India’s mutual funds are flush with money with the outcome that our stock markets have held up well during August and September 2017,even when foreign portfolio investors pulled out large chunks of money.

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The pain we have experienced in the recent past, what with demonetisation, the push towards a cashless economy, the implementation of GST etc. is quite in line with what is expected of any structural reform. c) Shift to Organised Sector

Following demonetisation, the introduction of GST and restrictions on the use of cash in high value transactions, there is a clear policy thrust in favour of greater formalisation of the economy. The informal sector which relies on cash transactions to stay out of the tax net is on the back-foot. Is that good or bad? Well, the answer is not straightforward.

The fact is, the informal sector may not pay taxes but it accounts for 40 percent of the Indian economy and provides employment

to 75 percent of its labour force.

Any attempt to squeeze the sector is fraught with unwelcome consequences because this is where the maximum job growth happens and where the bulk of our low skilled workers find employment. However, lacking economies of scale and the means to deploy technology, the productivity of the sector lags behind. The only reason it survives is because it does not pay taxes and it can disregard minimum wagesand statutory benefits to its workforce.

The impact of demonetisation and GST has been to take away the

tax arbitrage the sector enjoyed so far. GST has further strengthened the paper trail and it will be increasingly difficult for firms to operate unless they embrace a formal, above-board set-up. The initial impact of the process of formalisation will be to accelerate job losses. As the informal sector becomes compliant with tax and labour norms, costs will go up and profitability will fall leading to widespread job losses. At this point, the cost will appear to outweigh the benefits by far, particularly because the organised private sector in

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India has for many years now shied away from hiring new workers.

However, over a period of time, there will be pressure to ease our overly rigid laws and once that happens, the organised sector will rise to take up the slack. The expansion of the organised sector is automatically an expansion of that segment of workforce enjoying minimum wages and statutory protections. Moreover, given the greater productivity of the organised (or formal) sector, the outcome will eventually be win-win for the economy and for its working classes, a greater proportion of whom will enjoy better wages and statutory protections.

Conclusion

Structural reforms are those

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reforms that would “remove obstacles to the fundamental drivers of growth by liberalising labour, product and service markets, thereby encouraging job creation and investment and improving productivity. They are designed to boost an economy's competitiveness, growth potential and adjustment capacity.” Notwithstanding the eventual good that it does to the economy, structural reforms are hard to push through because the pain is always felt upfront while the gains accrue subsequently over many years.

clearly in the form of depressed growth rates and job losses in the unorganised sector. But, as these things play out, we are also likely to see substantial gains, from lower interest, higher tax compliance, and benefits accruing to the working class from greater formalisation of the economy. For the moment, the pain is more real but my sense is, if we can somehow ride out this phase, we will all be the better for it 

The pain we have experienced in the recent past, what with demonetisation, the push towards a cashless economy, the implementation of GST etc. is quite in line with what is expected of any structural reform. We see the pain all too

(V.P. Nandakumar is MD & CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd., a Board Appointee of Lions Clubs International and Immediate Past Chairman of the Kerala State Council of CII).

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BUSINESS

Rajesh Nair, Director, Ernst & Young LLP Rajesh is also the President of the Kerala Chapter of TiE Global

The digital is the complete transformation of our way of life and work. It is a potpourri of software, the gazillion devices, the interconnected network and the host of exponential technologies connect everything and everyone into one large invisible labyrinthine maze of relationships. The rate of change has also redefine

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hen you look at today’s business, you have to look at both the headlines and the ‘trendlines’. The headlines are being created by companies like Facebook, UBER, Airbnb, Twitter and Alibaba, who defy the normal principles of business modelling and our traditional outlook to assets. These companies have not just edged millions of companies out of business, but have fundamentally changed human habits. A middle-aged professional of today is, at a very interesting crossroad in his/her career, where he/she sees some of the value of her ‘decadesold experience’ of yesterday eroded, because the future course of business requires a new ‘quiver of arrows’. The stark reality in front of his/her or the ‘digital reality’, needs to be understood very differently.

Business memory or history today has little to offer, to decipher this crystal ball of change.

Such enormous changes in technology demand immense synergies with education and the future employment scenario. The student who enters the portal of employment and entrepreneurship has some baffling puzzles to solve.

The traditional career ambitions are sure to be disrupted some of the attractive jobs of today will change in nature and character.

Looking from the point of view of

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Time to mentally prepare for the ‘digital future’

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early and professional education, the significant divide in the earlier decades, between the earning capacity of a good student and the below average student was more stark. More college qualification in India, normally, was some sign of future success. Of course, exceptions were always there. Today, this divide is fading. The key competency a professional needs to nurture today is the ability to unlearn and to learn new things. Perhaps, higher education prepares you for this travail, but it is by no means a clear indicator.

In a lot of high literacy environments, much like Kerala, In India, the average youth, has had his/ her fair share of education. What is concerning is also that, a lot of them develop a fatigue towards learning as they learn more. For them, a job is sort of a finishing line of an obstacle course and the fruit of years of hard work. Well, that is not to be. Today, your first job is exactly only that– YOUR FIRST job! Perhaps, the first of dozens!

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‘The time for lifelong education has come’. For the middle-aged, it is time to revert back to the school time routine of reading and thinking and not just trust their business intuition to make decisions. In fact, we are moving into a ‘learn and earn’ future!

One has to continuously keep the eyes on the technology radar and the business disruption around.

Those who refuse to pick up new skills will be squeezed out of the workforce.

So, are the pessimistic soothsayers on technology correct? Will the machines take over? Not really.

From time immemorial, technology has ushered disruption and chaos to order (whether it was the printing press of the past, the computers and, now, automation). It is also of interest to note , automation tends

to bring efficiency to tasks within a vocation and does not obliterate it altogether. But, even the most optimistic of the futurologists will aver that in most occupations, it is of paramount importance to figure out new skills, when the established routines become obsolete.

Employers cannot always give you a futuristic guidance. In most cases, it is difficult to articulate what is the expertise needed in even a smaller time horizon of two to three years.

But, the writing on the wall is

clear! ‘The time for lifelong education has come’. For the middleaged, it is time to revert back to the school time routine of reading and thinking and not just trust their business intuition to make decisions. In fact, we are moving into a ‘learn and earn’ future!

In the early part of the last century, scientists and theoreticians were avidly pursuing research and theory on the human mind.

More specifically, the attempt was to correlate mental abilities and the eventual success in life. Success, as defined during those days, was the material wealth, career, upper-class social status and et.al. The key output of the extensive research was defining the contours of IQ– Intelligence Quotient. As a metric, it gained popularity especially in academic institutions and suddenly every other educational institution in the western world was having the kids being ‘tested’ for their IQs. Organised bodies like MENSA, publicised it further, there was

tremendous chatter around it.

The next wave was when scientists, especially management experts and anthropologists, added another dimension to the ‘pursuit of successes’. The strong opinion was that there is a social element which is critical to fame and glory.

While no one contested the veracity of IQ and the fact that it is an ‘interesting’ metric, the larger dynamics of everyday life, need the common man to be attuned with the social fabric, open to people interactions and have the ability to work with his ‘emotional’ self. EQ –emotional quotient- was born and Daniel Goleman and many others wrote seminal books and treatise on the subject. While it did not take the metric form in quantitative terms like IQ, it was widely figuring in the leadership and management competencies in the past two decades.

Then came the age of technological advances, disruptions

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of business, new revenue models, and innovative asset sweating paradigms; and the flux in the business environment was palpable.

‘Digital’ is the catchphrase and has a larger meaning from ‘technology’.

The digital is the complete transformation of our way of life and work. It is a potpourri of software, the gazillion devices, the interconnected network and the host of exponential technologies connect everything and everyone into one large invisible labyrinthine maze of relationships. The rate of change has also redefined the basic tenets of what ‘long-term’ is, and what is ‘short term’? The strategic plan-

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ning horizons have also changed.

Management intuition is the cumulative precis of all our experiences that drive decision making. But, the recent developments occurred in the business landscape show that there is a significant shift in the very basis of our fundamental business options.

With the changing realities, it is highly imperative that the professionals and students of today understand the ‘digital’ perspective of things. This is not just changing ways in which business is done but also about the large shift in the way we work, communicate and think. In this context, an important

question is –What is your Digital Quotient (DQ)? It represents your ability to understand the digital context, learn new ways of working, unlearn some of the seemingly archaic practices of the past and embrace the digital environment completely. Qualitatively, it means having an eye on the horizon, understanding disruptions not just in the large business landscape but in your respective work domains. So, ‘skilling’ yourself and thinking meticulously are the need of the hour.

The moot question to ask yourself is –how will you differentiate your digital quotient to manage your businesses and your career? 

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India to host

Miss Asia There is where the platforms like the ‘Miss Asia’ gain relevance. Here, in this platform, several beautiful woman delegates who are born in different countries located in the Asian & Eurasian region get the chance to interact, live and learn together (in a broad sense, the event is the union of different cultural traits).

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nternational beauty contest Miss Asia, which aims to appreciate the talent and beauty of Asian Eurasian women, is back in Kerala, after the huge success of the previous editions.

The event, conceptualised by Pegasus Chairman Ajit Ravi, is scheduled to take place at Gokulam Convention Centre in Kochi on 21st November 2017.

In this edition, the contestants from Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tatarstan, Thailand, Tibet, UK and Vietnam, Bashkortostan are expected to participate.

Asia & Eurasia is one of the prosperous regions of the world particularly in terms of its knowledge, wealth and culture. It is necessary that Asians & Eurasians create proper platforms to let the world know how superior our region is. Such a platform will not only

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help the world to learn about us but also help us to know about the richness of our region.

There is where the platforms like the ‘Miss Asia’ gain relevance. Here, in this platform, several beautiful woman delegates who are born in different countries located in the Asian & Eurasian region get the chance to interact, live and learn together (in a broad sense, the event is the union of different cultural traits). In the beginning, their aim might be no different from that of an athlete (that is ‘to win the race’). But, the reality is the experience that they acquire from this platform is much more precious than a mere beauty title.

In a narrow sense, the event provides a platform for talented girls to launch themselves into the prestigious career of fashion, advertising and film industries. The qualities like talent and beauty are not enough to get into this sector. One, who wishes to enter this sector, should be enriched with such skills which are required to establish an unavoidable presence in these sectors. That is what

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V P Nandakumar, MD & CEO of the Manappuram Finance Limited (the main title partner of the event), says; “over the last few years, the Miss Asia pageant has grown to become one of the most eagerly anticipated events of its kind, setting new standards and redefining beauty beyond physical to include intelligence and social conscience.”

At the end of the event, with the help of the proper guidance of the eminent judging panel, groomers and organisers, the delegates will acquire such a confidence that each and every girl who wishes to enter this sector must possess.

tify women’s body in this event’.

The Ajit Ravi’s fashion contests such as the Miss South India, Miss Queen of India, Mrs South India and Miss Asia are the only beauty events where the infamous bikini round in which the women’s body is disrespectfully treated as a mere object of beauty is excluded.

There are many factors which make this event different from other similar events. The prime factor is that ‘no one tries to objec-

V P Nandakumar, MD & CEO of the Manappuram Finance Limited (the main title partner of the event), says; “over the last few

the event does in general terms.

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years, the Miss Asia pageant has grown to become one of the most eagerly anticipated events of its kind, setting new standards and redefining beauty beyond physical to include intelligence and social conscience.”

Recognising the importance of such an event, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs have granted political clearance to the event

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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.

In a press release, the MCA has championed this move as part of Government’s vision to eradicate black money from the country. It is pertinent to mention at this point that this move was not executed after following due process of the law as there is no due process for disqualification of directors under the 2013 Act.

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he Companies Act 2013 (the 2013 Act) was introduced when the earlier law (that is, the Companies Act, 1956) was in need of a substantial revamp to make it contemporary and relevant to global practices.

The 2013 Act has introduced higher standards of transparency and accountability in order to transform the existing corporate governance practices. In the process of bringing the aforementioned attributes to the earlier law, the 2013 Act has stipulated significant changes in the role of directors in a company with an unprecedented responsibility on the directors of the company to act with greater wisdom and prudence. The 2013 Act has brought in provisions that not only prescribe the directors to be aware of the decisions taken by the management of the company in which they participated but also of the decisions which they were not a part. Further, the 2013 Act has

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inserted stringent penal provisions which did not feature in the earlier law. Under the new provisions, a director is not only tied to the law but could also be severely whipped for consequences beyond his/her control. The recent move of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in disqualifying directors without a prior notice would indeed cause a jitter in many minds.

On 12 September 2017, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has disqualified nearly 1,06,578 directors under Section

164(2)(a) of 2013 Act, suspecting them to be associated with shell companies. Consequently, the disqualified directors shall not be eligible to be re-appointed as a director of that company or be appointed in other company for a further period of 5 years from the date on which the company has presumably committed statutory violations. The disqualification is immediate and the Section 167 of 2013 Act provides that on suffering the disqualification under the Section 164 of 2013 Act, the director

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The law is ambiguous on whether the director can complete his present tenure and rectify the statutory violations or prove that the statutory violations occurred beyond his/her control. shall vacate the office and the section 167(3) of 2013 Act comes into play to tackle the possibility of a board-less company by providing that the directors will be appointed by the promoters or, in their absence, by the Central Government. The law is ambiguous on whether the director can complete his present tenure and rectify the statutory violations or prove that the statutory violations occurred beyond his/her control. In a situation where a director is disqualified under the Section 164(1) (that is by becoming insolvent or declared as being of unsound mind), the solution provided under the Section 167(3) of 2013 Act is ideal as the company may be one-person company but when a disqualification is under the Section 164(2) of 2013 Act, it is unreasonable and it is to be noted that such provision did not exist in the earlier law. The Section 164(2) of the 2013 Act provides that no person who is or

has been a director of a company which has not filed financial statements or annual returns for any continuous period of three financial years or has failed to repay the deposits accepted by it or pay interest thereon or to redeem any debentures on the due date or pay interest due thereon or pay any dividend declared and such failure to pay or redeem continues for one year or more, shall be eligible to be re-appointed as a director of that company or appointed in any other company for a period of five years from the date on which the company fails to do so.

In a press release, the MCA has championed this move as part of Government’s vision to eradicate black money from the country. It is pertinent to mention at this point that this move was not executed after following due process of the law as there is no due process for disqualification of directors under the 2013 Act. The leashed directors were whipped by law on the presumption that they were mascots for money laundering and black money in India.

Would such manner of strange disqualification be the linctuses for eradicating black money or putting an end to money laundering?

I wish the solution was this easy!

The press release has stated that the investigation on the disqualified directors will be conducted once the information pertaining to the directors is collected by end of this month. The government has

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the heart at the right place, but executed the move hastily; even a law student in the first year of his college knows that investigation and opportunity to be heard precedes punishment. The government has evidently not learnt from the failure of implementing demonetisation and Goods and Services tax hastily and recent delisting of companies from stock exchange

by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on presumption of being shell companies which were rescued by the Securities Appellate Tribunal as principles of natural justice did not adhere while delisting them.

One could argue that the said

provisions, regarding disqualification of directors, were introduced with effect from the fiscal year 2014-15.

Hence, the disqualification would apply only if no accounts were filed for a continuous period of three years, commencing from the Financial Year 2014-15 till 2016-17. Incidentally, one would argue that since a company does have time to file the accounts for FY 2016-17, the move of the ROC in disqualifying directors was done in haste. I would believe that the action of the ROC in effecting such premature removals can definitely be challenged either before the NCLT or the High Court, depend-

ing on the facts of each case.

At end of the day, a director is a human being with all the rights guaranteed under the constitution of India including right to privacy and her name being put in public domain (list of disqualified directors was published on the website of MCA) as an offender without given an opportunity to defend is gross violation of her privacy and shameful, considering the landmark judgment of the Supreme court upholding the right to privacy of citizens. Such moves of the Government, with the motive of naming and shaming individuals without a hearing, are indeed perverse 

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Dr. Arun Oommen renowned neurosurgeon at Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre, Kochi, India.

Dr Arun Oommen

MBBS, MS ( Gen Surgery), Mch( Neurosurgery), MRCS Ed, MBA Consultant Neurosurgeon oommenarun@yahoo.co.in www.arunoommen.com

T

rauma refers to any injury to any part of our body secondary to road accidents, work site injuries, assaults, ballistics or just simple slip and fall.

Death following trauma is a major social and economic problem world wide as it is the most com-

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The general presumption that helping a trauma victim and transporting the victim to a hospital can entangle those who come forward to help them in police cases and legal issues are absolutely wrong.

mon cause of death in the younger age group ie between 15-45 years.

This global pandemic is really alarming as it claims the major bread winner of a family most of the times. Also, many more are injured and even permanently disabled which is really daunting.

There should be a well structured trauma management system that

can help to bring this pandemic under control. Unlike, many other killer diseases a trauma victim who is cured is cured for life.

Comprehensive Trauma care can be divided into five major sectors; 1. Implementing strict preven-

Timely and Optimal Trauma Care Need of the Hour

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Many of the citizens are totally ignorant of the basic care to be given to a trauma victim on occasions when they encounter a chance. This is largely due to the exiguous training programmes being conducted in our place to educate the public regarding basic trauma and emergency care.

tive measures like the compulsory helmet and seat belts use, avoiding alcohol and drug intoxicated drives, speed controls, obeying lane traffic, following traffic rules and traffic signals, safety measures like air balloons, work site safety gears etc.

2. Educating the public about the basics of initial accident or emergency care to be given at the time of occurrence of the mishap.

3. Emergency Management of the trauma at the site of the mishap and expeditious transport to a well

equipped trauma and emergency care centre 4. Optimal management in the Hospital 5. Post Hospital care and rehabilitation We are way behind compared to other developed countries, especially in the second and third sectors. Many of the citizens are totally ignorant of the basic care to be given to a trauma victim on occasions when they encounter a chance. This is largely due to the exiguous training programmes being conducted in our place to educate the public regarding basic trauma and emergency care. It is really vital to offer timely help to a trauma victim soon after the mishap as this brings a huge impact on the disability free survival of the victim. These include bleeding control, body immobilization, splinting techniques, cardiorespiratory resuscitation etc. Most of the time the victim are denied of this privilege as the onlookers are totally ignorant of how to handle a trauma victim and to make things more complicated careless and insouciant handling of the victim in an attempt to transport to a near

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by health care centre can even induce more harm which is really deplorable.

Also, there is no proper system to transport the victim to a well equipped trauma and emergency care centre on time and the delay most of the time produces deleterious effects on the victim. The initial hour or the ‘Golden Hour’ is extremely vital for a trauma victim and it is the care during this time that decides between, life, death and disability.

Therefore, it is inevitable that frequent educational cum training sessions on trauma and emergency care are conducted regularly in

schools, colleges and various organizations so that every citizen is aware of the basic help that needs to be given to a trauma victim once a circumstance arises. Also, allocating more well equipped ambulances at vitals points can aid to provide timely help when required and treatment can be started in the ambulance itself during the time of transit thus saving vital time.

The general presumption that helping a trauma victim and transporting the victim to a hospital can entangle those who come forward to help them in police cases and legal issues are absolutely wrong.

The supreme court of our

country in the landmark ruling on March 4th 2015 had issued strict guidelines to protect the good Samaritans who have helped the trauma victims to be treated with respect and dignity by the Hospital, police, Court or any other authorities.

The Law Commission of India has observed that 50% of those killed in accidents could have been saved if timely service of a skilled and empowered onlooker was obtained. It is very vital to bring the trauma victim in the best possible shape to hospital failing which the definitive hospital care may not produce the required result.

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The expense from first aid to transfer to the approved trauma centre plus the entire treatment cost including rehabilitative care is being taken care of by the government. Patients are even airlifted to the required centres if needed. This is possible due to a well organized Government Trauma care insurance system.

the world. In many developed countries like Australia,European countries, and the West, when a patient meets with an accident he is treated at the full expense of the government and gets treated at the optimal trauma centres approved by the government. The expense from first aid to transfer to the approved trauma centre plus the entire treatment cost including rehabilitative care is being taken care of by the government. Patients are even airlifted to the required centres if needed. This is possible due to a well organized Government Trauma care insurance system. A good percentage of the taxes collected is used for this scheme in these countries. All citizens here irrespective of their financial status get equal care.Hence,it is the high time our government start initiating steps to provide world class treatment for trauma to its citizens irrespective of their financial status.

Preventive measures to control trauma include • Strict prohibition of alcohol driving.

• Construction of sufficient motorable roads, parallel road and flyovers • More scientific traffic regulations like maintaining speed limits, lane traffic, proper pedestrian side way and adequate traffic signals and zebra crossings.

Another major issue is most of the patients meeting with such accidents are unable to afford care in better hospitals and hence forced to depend on smaller ill equipped centres..The result is poor patients meeting with accidents get poor results (ie end up with major disabilities) or they may even not make it. Those ending up with

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major disabilities have to depend on others life long financially and physically. This tragic situation could have been minimized or even avoided many times if world class treatment was offered on time.

Developed countries give top priority in health care but this is not the situation in our part of

• Promoting public transport system by making it more attractive and compliant thus reducing vehicle load.

• Promoting other modes of transport such as train, boat can also help to reduce the traffic load.

• Proper awareness among the public through various awareness programs from different sources can significantly help to reduce RTAs 

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Ajesh Kumar N K CEO at threka.com

An Experiences Specialist having more than 16 years of dedicated services in the field of People Management.

Y

ou Run / Never stop / Gotta win, gotta run till you drop/ Keep the pace / Hold the race / Your mind is getting clearer / You’re over halfway there but the miles / Just never seem to end / As if you’re in a dream - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Iron Maiden A Leader or an entrepreneur, in many ways, is just like a marathon runner. By choosing to lead, we have opted a different life, we have a long distance to run. But, how many of us can say that I have run a marathon? For many, it’s a major lifetime goal. Being a marathon runner is not always easy, but it

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Marathon runners are not born. They are made. They are trained to become marathon runners. It is the discipline and endurance that will take us through passion, as we have chosen to be a leader or an entrepreneur, to the end.

is rewarding. The mental side of getting trained and preparing for a marathon is grueling and sometimes tiring, but the many benefits that it does give us mentally and physically are amazing. But, it is important that we realize that it is not our speed, but our stamina and endurance, which will carry us through. The most important fact to remember is that we are, in this, alone. It is our own race.

Ramesh Kanjilimadhom, the 48 year old software entrepreneur based out of Kochi, who is a long distance running enthusiast and a five times Boston Marathon Finisher Medallion, describes that

‘once you warm up, you definitely get that feeling of "runner's high" for some distance and then, even if you get tired, you enjoy the movement, the wind in your hair and the aftertaste of running, which is a non-stop energy all-day’.

Some of the long distance runners are in the process of becoming complete ‘Zen Runners’ to enjoy the status of ‘‘no confusion in the head, reaching a spiritual level to feel the freedom to control full body and become so effortless to breathe smoothly without gasping and let-out the pent-up emotions.

Marathon runners are not born.

Want to experience a different life, run a mile…

Enjoy the status of ‘No confusion in the head’

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They are made. They are trained to become marathon runners. It is the discipline and endurance that will take us through passion, as we have chosen to be a leader or an entrepreneur, to the end. As mentioned

by Mr.Ramesh, ‘Marathon running is certainly a training-driven skill.

Unless you have a physical disability, almost everyone can complete a marathon - all you need is the right attitude and discipline to be trained. Marathon training and the race are often equated to life in general. Marathons also offer a chance to combine distinct experiences like the sense of accomplishment, the network of friends, the character building, the discipline, the feeling of good health and more importantly, the overwhelming joy and positivity that carries you forward every day’.

Ramesh also believes that ‘the sense of discipline, the sense of empathy and compassion (relate to people who suffer), the sense of invincibility, the sense of a healthy lifestyle, the sense of preserving the earth and et.al are all direct values instilled through marathon training’.

Many of us think that a marathon is beyond our limit and that we could never get trained for one.

The fact is that people of all shapes and sizes and, all ages and abilities run marathons. ‘A marathon field is a tremendous equalizer’. Setting the marathon goal, completing the training and then successfully running our race will prove that we can tackle almost anything if we put our mind to. This experience is one like nothing else. Yes, it’s hard work, grueling, and many times, excruciatingly painful, but it is fun and we get to do something that we haven’t done before.

On the race day, our feeling of success will be one like we have never had before. While we may swear afterward ‘never again’, it’s likely that one marathon may well lead to many more, as Ramesh has completed 65 full marathons since his debut at Marine Corps Marathon in the US, October 2006.

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Do you still need more convincing factors that why we should run a marathon?

Here are some lessons to someone want to big in the life and remain energized; Let’s go! Run a Marathon!

Be emotionally quotient and have physical awareness-

Running a marathon is a major commitment. Runners prepare by running hundreds of miles over weeks and months just to build up the mental and physical strength to complete a marathon. A common training plan has runners building up to a 20-mile training run about 3 weeks prior to the actual race.

To be a marathoner, one has to

practice running- and continually and honestly evaluate weaknesses and strengths. Leadership is no different.

How do we increase our strength, stamina, and effectiveness as a leader? The answer is ‘through practice’. Likewise daily practice session of self-mastery of physical and emotional awareness, and of deepening our communication and listening skills helps to become a good runner. The practice is the process of learning to have powerful inner and external conversations that inspire and motivate ourselves.

Focus on the rhythm of stride

Running a marathon takes anywhere from33,000 to 56,000 steps

Researchers have identified that regular running could contribute to success in other areas of life.

The planning, hard work, and commitment that goes into training for a marathon can help to improve character development, so by becoming a regular runner, you could gain these additional benefits.

other !

Being SMART and fully present

There is a runner’s trick- ‘keeping the run in the box’. When we are actually in the marathon our mind can play tricks on us particularly when we face the reality of miles to go before we finish. Just thinking about all 26.2 miles can be overwhelming. This is where the concept of keeping it in the box comes into play. Instead of focusing on the distance to go, just pick the next landmark to run to. See

that electric pole in the distance?

All you have to do is make it to that pole. Then, once you are there, pick out another spot ahead and run just to it. This can be really helpful later in the race when we are hurting, walking, (Or limping), and will keep the mind occupied with the step that counts. As a leader when the ‘goal’ or completion of the ‘objective’ seems impossibly far away, break your world into manageable pieces, in a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time Based) way.

Focusing on the next task, the next

or so, give or take a few thousand.

Whatever number we use, that’s a lot of steps. While we are running, the only step that counts is the step that we are currently taking. We cannot focus on the finish line, but only on the rhythm of our stride, our breath. In leadership, there are times for looking ahead and strategizing, but more often there is the day in front of us, the countless conversations to go before we reach the finish. As a leader, one has to have the next conversation – the continuous communication. Many times, we stuck in anxiety about the future and various ‘what ifs’ (the whole marathon) instead of just focusing on the next conversation (the next step). Take it one conversation at a time, specifically the one you really need to have. We have to put one foot in front of the

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piece of the puzzle, being fully present at the meeting and not thinking about the next one and keeps it in the box.

Fresh out- look and all about a new day ahead

We may have had some great marathons and long distance runs.

We might have felt strong, felt alive, and felt as if we could run forever. We have also had marathons and long runs that were a struggle the whole way. It was as if each step was a battle and felt like running up a hill wearing shoes made of cement. Funny thing is that we didn’t know how it was going to go until we started to run.

This is like leadership. We will have great days, days where conversations are clicking and we and our team are in flow and working playfully. Then, there are the days where it seems as if a leader is a public enemy and our conversations and interactions aren’t getting anywhere. Sometimes, we have a bad day. Take a break, meditate, walk, (Go for a run) and reassure yourself that tomorrow is a new day. If we are not enjoying the run, the whole purpose of why we run would be pointless. Have fun doing what you do to make the world a better place. In marathons, "pain is inevitable and suffering is optional" as in the life. So it is the time to run a marathon, it is time to be a

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leader. Find the shoes and hit the road. Enjoy the rhythm of stride and breath. Let’s Go! And lead!

Improve goal-setting skills and succeed

Researchers have identified that regular running could contribute to success in other areas of life. The planning, hard work, and commitment that goes into training for a marathon can help to improve character development, so by becoming a regular runner, you could gain these additional benefits. A study about runners preparing for a marathon found that regular training improved people’s goal-setting, organizational skills and discipline in the workplace and outside it, so there’s another reason to run a marathon if you needed one.

Connecting people and enhance collaboration

At some point, we are going to call on others for support. Training for a marathon and then actually taking part on race day provides a great opportunity to meet and collaborate with new people. To tackle the training, we may well want to join a running club or find a running partner to keep us going on those long hard training sessions.

- There’s nothing like a marathon to bring people with a shared interest together. Whether it’s spectators or fellow runners, the

marathon experience will bring us into contact with people whohave plenty in common. Study after study demonstrates that the more leaders can manage and navigate their networks, the more they can achieve their goals. We need a new mindset and strategy to maintain critical relationships or leverage existing ones. Marathons will bring new dimensions in collaboration with new people.

Let’s take the first stride

If we can manage two to three miles at a time, of either running or a combo of running and walking, a couple times per week, we can get into at least a half marathon shape in 12 weeks. Need to plan on adding a weekend run of slightly longer length _four to five miles then gradually increase the mileage to nine to 10 miles over three months. Let’s plan our trainings on a lifestyle friendly manner; a few days of running, a couple days of cross-training, and a couple days of rest.

The state is going to witness some major marathons in the near future.

Run miles… Instil Endurance & Leadership…

Run, on and on… Run, on and on…

Enjoy the status of ‘No confusion in the head’ 

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GADGETS

Vindus V-007

MRP: N/A 1.8 inches Display 0.3 MP Primary Camera 32 GB Expandable Memory 1000 mAh Battery Capacity Dual Sim 2G Network Support

Gionee M7 Power

MRP: N/A Android v7.1 (Nougat) OS 16 MP + 8 MP Dual Primary Camera 13 MP Secondary Camera 6 inches Display 6 GB RAM 64 GB Internal Memory 128 GB Expandable Memory 2.3 GHz Octa Core Processor

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Kult Gladiator

MRP: `6,999 (approximately) Android v7.0 (Nougat) OS 13 MP Primary Camera 8 MP Secondary Camera 5.5 inches Display 3 GB RAM 32 GB Internal Memory 32 GB Expandable Memory 1.25 GHz Quad Core Processor

Micromax Bharat 2 Plus

MRP: `3,749 (approximately) Android v7.0 (Nougat) OS 5 MP Primary Camera 2 MP Secondary Camera 4 inches Display 1 GB RAM 8 GB Internal Memory 32 GB Expandable Memory 1.3 GHz Quad Core Processor Rs. 3,749 (approximately)

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COOKERY

Toshma Biju

Bread Halwa

Ingredients

• • • • • •

Method Grind bread pieces in to fine powder and setit aside.

Heat ghee in a pan, and roast sliced cashews till it turns golden brown. To the remaining ghee, add the powdered bread. Roast well. To this, add milk and sugar. Mix well till the sugar melts and the milk is absorbed by the bread. Mixture will become thick and wet. Cover and cook the mixture for 4 minutes.

Then, open the lid. Mix well and add cardamom powder, roasted nuts. Keep mixing till the mixture becomes thick, starts to leave traces of ghee in the sides of pan. It will be non-sticky to touch. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot or press the halwa to make shape. Invert in a plate and serve warm or cold.

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Bread slices................................8 nos Sugar.............................6 tablespoons Milk........................................... 1 cup Chopped Cashew nuts...............15nos Ghee....................................... 1/2 cup Cardamom powder......... 1/2 teaspoon

CHOCOLATE FUDGE Ingredients

• • • •

Chocolate chips......................................................... 3 cups Walnuts..................................................................... 2 cups Butter..................................................................200 grams Raisins....................................................................... 15 nos

Method Melt chocolate chips in a bowl over a pan of boiling water on low heat. Add butter to it. Cook stirring until the butter melts completely. Now, add the dry mixture to the chocolate and stir well to combine. Spoon the mixture into a disposable aluminium tray. Refrigerate until set. Cut it into small pieces and serve.

BEETROOT HALWA Ingredients

• • • • • •

Grated Beetroot......................................................... 3 cups Sugar...........................................................................1 cup Milk........................................................................... 3 cups Cardamom powder............................................. 1 teaspoon Cashew nuts............................................................... 10nos Ghee.........................................................................1/2 cup

Method Heat one teaspoon of ghee, fry the cashew nuts in the ghee and keep it aside. In the same pan, add some ghee and add grated beetroot and fry it on low heat until the raw smell goes. Then, add milk and cook the beetroot on low flame, stirring it in between. Cook till the beetroot becomes soft. Then, add sugar, and cook till the sugar dissolves and gets mixed well with the beetroot. Add cardamom powder, remaining ghee and cook stirring it for a few more seconds on low heat. Garnish with cashew nuts.

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COOKERY

CONDENSED MILK SEMIYA PAYASAM Ingredients

• • • • • • •

Roasted Vermicelli....................................................1/4 cup Milk........................................................................... 4 cups Condensed milk...................................................150 grams Cashew nuts............................................................... 10nos Raisins........................................................................ 10nos Ghee................................................................... 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder............................................. 1 teaspoon

Method Heat a teaspoon of ghee, and saute the cashew nuts and raisins in the ghee until it turns golden brown. Boil milk in a pan, add the roasted vermicelli into the pan and cook it stirring until it becomes soft and tender. Once the vermicelli is cooked, add the condensed milk, and cook for around five minutes. Add cashew nuts, raisins, and cardamom powder. Serve it hot or cold.

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TM

A PAGEANT TO DISCOVER THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND TALENT FOR THE WOMEN OF ASIA & EURASIA www.missasiaglobal.org

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BEAUTY

Night-time routine Y

for women over 50 years of age ou have reached your fifties so your body and skin will start to show all those changes that will enhance your age-related looks, from wrinkles to spots. In general people despise this look. But, it is all about loving yourself. After menopause, your estrogen level goes down and your skin will start to show the same. While we are taught that 50 means the beginning of the beauty’s end, it is actually a myth because beauty is a matter of perception. In fact, the age 50 can be your new best friend. One of the major reasons why the skin develops dryness and wrinkles are due to its inability to hold moisture as the skin becomes thinner. But with proper skin care, you can maintain your looks and with age, you will look better. Here are methods by which you could maintain your looks.

Sleep: sleep is an underrated phenomenon and extremely misunderstood. Your body needs sleep just as much as it needs food, water, and exercise. Giving a good night’s sleep will directly boot your

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brains and will look fresh when you wake up. Loss of dark circles under the eyes is the major contributor of sleep to your skin maintenance.

Cleanse your skin: Before you

go to sleep, apply a good moisture to give it an extra boost. Apply it gently on your skin. Invest some to get good products and an anti-aging serum that could be used to repair damaged skin.

Eyecare: The skin under your eyes is so delicate that it will develop wrinkles quicker than the other parts. Once you can control it, then everything else is piece of cake. Apply peptide-rich cream under your eyes. You can use natural products like cucumber for the same.

The moisturizer you use should boost the skin’s oil levels. Oily skin is likely to develop fewer wrinkles when compared to a clean skin.

Besides, you may as well rely on natural products rich in Vitamin C, E, and peptides, which are all antiaging and pigment reducing agents.

So care for the skin and you will look enchanting. Excelsior 

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The Cocos Islands or the Keeling Islands is a small group of islands located near Sri Lanka and Australia. The territory, though enjoys certain autonomy, is regarded as the external territory of Australia.

W

52

hat comes first in your mind when you think of paradise? No one in our earth at this moment can correctly describe how the paradise looks like, though our wild imagination power can help us to create a vague image in our mind about it. Beautiful lakes, attractive flowers, magnificent greenery, crystal clear water and white sand beaches are some necessary components which, we believe, will defiantly exist in the God’s paradise.

this edition.

If you agree with the aforementioned statement, we will take you to one such paradise, which has all these elements in abundance, in

The island, which was discovered by William Keeling in the year 1609, was initially a private fiefdom of John Clunies-Ross, who was one

Oct-Nov-2017

The Cocos Islands or the Keeling Islands is a small group of islands located near Sri Lanka and Australia. The territory, though enjoys certain autonomy, is regarded as the external territory of Australia. It comprises nearly twenty-seven coral islands. Of these islands, only two of the islands –West Island and Home Island- are inhibited by the human beings. The surprising fact is that there are only six hundred inhabitants.

of the first settlers. In fact, Scottish merchant Clunies-Ross was the one who brought in the Malay workers, which, now, constitute the major part of the island’s population. These workers were made to work in the copra plantations of the merchant. The Clunies-Ross’s family members controlled the island until it was officially annexed by the British government. Noteworthy, when the territory was handed over to Australia in the year 1955, some of the prime real estate properties were under the ownership of the Scottish merchant’s family.

Neither the merchant’s family nor the, then, governments of Australia and British tried to invest in the infrastructure, health and educa-

Cocos Islands Nature and Water Lover’s

Paradise

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The best plan to experience this island is to explore the land with no plans and expectations. Each and every destination is special. The travellers can either join any tour group or explore the land themselves.

tion sectors, so no development was achieved in these sectors.

The Cocos Malays, who belong to the Sunni Muslim sect, are the prime community. The people share both Malay culture and colonial culture. The island’s economy is very weak, so the preponderance of the population is poor. Anyway, the unemployment rate is very low compared to similar territories in the region, as the tourism sector, construction sector and plantation sector absorb the majority of the employable population.

The healthcare facility and education infrastructure of the territory, which is administered by the Australian federal government’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, is very primitive. The local population have to travel to nearest developed islands or countries to pursue higher education and to access quality health service.

The island, which has no power to decide their foreign policy and defence policy, is a strategical point near the Indian Ocean and the

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South China Sea due to its proximity to both these oceans, located near China.

come under the water activities, while golf and birdwatchers are the prime land-based activities.

Earlier, during the erstwhile Obama era, there were plans to create a US airbase on this island.

When the news was leaked to the International media houses, the US and the Australian government, which handle the foreign and defence departments of the island, had to ditch the plan. Had the US created such an airbase in the region, it would have helped them to closely monitor the developments in the South China Sea and to take complete control of the sea lanes between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The best plan to experience this island is to explore the land with no plans and expectations. Each and every destination is special. The travellers can either join any tour group or explore the land themselves. Each of them provides a different experience to the travellers.

The Cocos Islands is the land of beautiful beaches, coconut trees and natural vegetation. There are many activities waitingon the island for the travellers.

The fun activities organised by the tourism department are classified under two categories: the water activities and the land-based activities. Fishing, snorkelling, kitesurfing, surfing and kayaking

Nowadays, the island becomes a popular wedding location because those who choose this island to do the sacred ceremony find this place more romantic.

There are neither big cities nor shopping centres, but there are some beautiful restaurants and cafe here. The travellers can either taste Malaya cuisine or prefer Western cuisine. It is advised to taste the Malaya cuisine.

The indigenous cuisine contains noodles, rice, chicken, beef, lamb and seafood.

The island is popular for its festivals and celebrations. The local people are friendly and love to mingle with the visitors.

The tourism department and local and International tour operators organise many magnificent events and festivals all around the year. There are traditional celebrations such as the New Year, Christmas and Easter and fun events such as the annual Lagoon swim, in which the participants swim across the lagoon from Home Island to West Island, Music and Wine festival, quiz nights and Cocos Olympics.

The island is located in the cyclone-prone region. It is not safe to visit this island between the periods from October to April as in this period the island usually experiences huge cyclones.

Don’t forget to visit the Pulu Keeling National Park in your visit.

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations here.

The island is very small and less populated. If you are an adventure junkie and love to spend some time with the soul of the world, book your ticket to this island now ď Ź

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VIVEK VENUGOPAL

AUTO REVIEW

The interiors are more European than the earlier car and are a huge improvement in terms of design and layout. The flatter looking dash liberates more space, and the well laid out controls are easier to reach.

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I

n a segment, which, everyone says, is dominated by the Honda City and Maruti Ciaz, the Hyundai Verna enjoys the unique advantage of timing. Every new generation comes across as a fresh choice for those looking for a midsize sedan when its biggest opponents are actually halfway through their product cycle and receiving facelifts. And, if that wasn’t a huge advantage in itself, Hyundai offers so much more equipment, raising the expectations in the segment and making the competition look less valuable.

The earlier fluidic Verna got huge acceptance when it was launched six years ago, competing with the previous generation of the City. The new one, they hope, will be even better than that.

Here, we have the fifth generation of the Verna, which is built on a new platform which will spawn more cars in the future.

It has grown substantially and is now 65mm longer, 29mm wider, although the height remains the same. The wheelbase has increased 30mm; it looks more like a shrunken Elantra now. It has be-

Hyundai

Verna

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57

You get ventilated front seats, six airbags, sunroof, manual blind (for the rear windscreen), cruise control, automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, a cooled glove box, cornering lamps, auto-dimming rear view mirror and et al.

58

come more aerodynamic too with Cd of 0.308. We expected India to get the better looking China-spec car, but this is more in line with the Hyundai line-up we have. The front end has the now familiar ‘cascading grille’ we first saw in the Xcent and Elantra. The large

ers. The rear bumper has a black accent that doubles up as an edge giving definition to it.

The interiors are more European than the earlier car and are a huge improvement in terms of design and layout. The flatter looking

(for the rear windscreen), cruise control, automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, a cooled glove box, cornering lamps, autodimming rear view mirror and et al. The 7-inch touch screen system uses an IPS display, like most cell phones, and has something called

headlamps are well integrated into the shut lines for a cleaner look.

The side profile is quite similar to the old car, but with tighter lines all around. The 16-inch wheels are of a nice design, but the overall size of the car makes them look smaller.

The rear looks like a coupe, with very sharp-looking tail lamps that extend all the way to the rear fend-

dash liberates more space, and the well laid out controls are easier to reach. It doesn’t, however, impart a sense of modern and sophisticated feel like most Hyundai cars when you first see it and the switchgear is of average quality. The equipment levels, however, are second to none. You get ventilated front seats, six airbags, sunroof, manual blind

‘Auto Link’ in addition to ‘Android Auto’ and ‘Apple Car Play’. It lets you connect your phone via Bluetooth to check vehicle health, offer a driving summary, show real-time engine parameters and access to roadside assistance. The front seats are nice, with a perforated leatherlike material, and the adjustable cooling feature is a boon in our

Oct-Nov-2017

climate. The rear seats, though adequately padded for under-thigh support, however, are set a level lower than ideal and the thick headlining eats into the headroom.

There is a smart bootlid function that automatically opens the boot when it detects your presence, which is convenient when you have your hands full of shopping bags.

The boot itself has grown by 20 litres and now stands at 480 litres.

The Verna comes with two

engines variants–petrol and diesel– both identical in capacity and each mated to a new six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. The 1.6-litre petrol engine is similar to the earlier car, except it gets variable valve timing both on the intake and exhaust sides for improved performance. It develops 120bhp and 151Nm torque, which are class leading in its segment. It is a smooth performer and is very good around town. You have to get it revving to make quick progress out on

the highway. The addition of sixth gear is an appreciable decision and the smooth, automatic, torque convertor also has six ratios.

The 1.6-litre diesel has even better midrange and is similar to that in the Creta and old Verna. In the new one, the low down torque has been improved. The Hyundai claims that around 25kgm torque is available from 1250rpm which was about 18kgm earlier. The peak of the torque remains 26.5kgm

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and the power is an impressive 125 bhp. It is one of the best diesel engines in its class. It is quite refined and you can cruise along all day at triple-digit speeds without breaking a sweat. The motor also returns very good fuel efficiency, with the addition of a sixth gear. The previous generation automatic Verna had to make do with a four-speed automatic, but this one gets the same 6-speed unit from the Creta.

It is an automatic torque convertor and can sometimes get confused when you demand quick acceleration, but for the purpose of daily use, it is adequate.

The Verna uses improved

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suspension geometry from its predecessor for better driving characteristics. It rides better than before, with less bobbing motion, and the additional damping is always welcome. In the city, you can easily tackle potholes and speed breakers. It also feels slightly more planted and a bit more eager to turn in than before, but isn’t a car you would buy to have fun in the corners. The steering though more accurate, is lifeless and there is a bit too much body roll than we expect. The brakes are adequate for the job, although the previous generation originally came with disc brakes all round. There was

so much road noise in the cabin, although this could be particular to our test car.

The new Verna is a marked improvement over its predecessor.

It has raised the benchmark for equipment levels in the segment.

You get everything you could possibly want -automatic boot opening, cooled front seats, sunroof, cruise control, and choice of automatic transmissions. Hyundai has even priced it well, right between the Ciaz and the City. The compact crossovers are taking away sales from this segment, and the Verna has nearly everything to put things right

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MOVIE REVIEW

Julie 2

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his is a Bollywood thriller directed, written and co-produced by Deepak Shivdasani. With his exceptional movie, South Indian popular actress Raai Laxmi marks her debut in the gigantic Bollywood film industry. The first look poster of the movie which was released on the last Valentine’s Day went viral on social media networks, receivingboth appreciation and criticism alike for the level of nudity depicted in the sensational poster. Apart from Laxmi, Ravi Kishan, Aditya Srivastava, Pankaj Tripathy, Rati Agnihotri and Yuri Suri appear in lead roles. The important fact is that the film is the sequel to most successful Bollywood film Julie.

Aksar 2

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his is a Bollywood romantic thriller directed and written by acclaimed writer-director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan. In the film, Zareen Khan appears in the lead role as Sheena. Apart from her, Mohit Madaan, Gautam Rode, Abhinav Shukla, Lillete Dubey and Sofia Hayat act in the film. Popular cricketer S Sreesanth is also in this movie. It is an interesting thing to note that renowned actor Emraan Hashmi makes a fantastic special appearance. The film which is produced by Divjot Kaur Bindra is blessed with the music of Mithoon. The film which has been released on October 6 has received good appreciation from the public.

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Blade Runner 2049

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his is a Hollywood science fiction directed by exceptional director Denis Villeneuve. The film tells us about the story of a newly appointed blade runner of the Los Angeles Police Department. It also discusses his mysterious discoveries which prompt him to launch an investigation into the former blade runner’s life. Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista and Ana de Armas appear in the lead roles. The film’s cinematography, the section which has been handled by Roger Deakins, has received appreciation. There is no doubt in the fact that the victory of this film is actually the victory of its technical side.

The Foreigner

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his is a Hollywood action thriller directed by renowned director Martin Campbell. The film tells us the story of a London-based businessman whose one and only daughter has been killed in a politically motivated terrorism. It describes how one person’s past hunts him unexpectedly. Action star Jackie Chan appears in the lead role. There are several mind-blowing action sequences in the movie. In this film, unlike Jakie’s previous films, one witnesses his acting skills more than his martial arts skills. This reality makes it different from other Jakie films. Apart from Jackie, bond actor Pierce Brosnan, Katie Leung, Simon Kunz and Rory Fleck-Byrne act in this film.

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BOOK REVIEW

Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft’s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone Author Price

: Satya Nadella : Rs 449 (approximately)

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he author of this book is the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft.

The book mainly discusses the transformation which is happening in the world’s most powerful tech conglomerate. It also tells us about how the society, particularly the human being, transforms in line with the advent and rapid flourishment of some new technologies such as the artificial intelligence, mixed reality and quantum computing. In the book, there is a different description about the feeling of ‘empathy’ and its relevance in the worldtransformed by the modern technologies. Mr.Nadella includes some of his childhood memories in the book in order to make it more interesting for the readers.

When The Boss Is Wrong Author Price

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: Sibichen K. Mathew : Rs 295 (approximately)

he book is about the boss-employee relation. The writer asks several questions to the readers in the book. Each question is extremely relevant so that all readers who have experience in leading a workplace or working in a workplace can easily relate it to the issues they usually confront in the workplace. The interesting part is that the writer suggests some easy solutions to some of these serious problems.

It is evident that the writer has extreme knowledge in this subject and his writing skills are worth appreciable. The book helps the reader to understand ‘how to become a good boss and how to be a good employee’.

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Oct-Nov-2017 WATCHES

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BOOK REVIEW

How the BJP Wins: Inside India’s Greatest Election Machine Author Price

: Prashant Jha : Rs 311 (approximately)

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he book answers some of the most difficult questions related to the BJP’s election strategies: why didn’t the act of demonetisation of highest denomination bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 adversely affect the BJP’s election strategies; why didn’t the BJP demonstrate a good performance in the Bihar assembly elections against the ‘Grand Alliance’; how exactly the RSS and the political strategy of communalism help the BJP to gain votes. The book is a perfect political analysis work. It is said that the writer has taken numerous interviews of political personalities and political analysts, observers and thinkers and reviewed several documents to develop this piece of classy work.

The Right Time Author Price

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: Danielle Steel : Rs 298 (approximately)

he book tells the story of a young female writer who was forced to conceal her identity behind a male pen name. She blindly believes her father’s admonition that men would not read the crime thrillers written by women.Some claims that the book is a semi-biographical fiction. If we crosscheck the personality of the young writer portrayed in the book with the details available about the childhood and adulthood of Ms Steel, it will not have any extreme difference.Those who read this book will definitely ask themselves whether Ms Steel feared, in any stage of her career, that it is hard for a woman to sustain in the male-dominated publishing industry. Anyway, the book is an inspirational novel which will encourage the reader to chase their dreams.

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Printed On 01/ 10/ 2017

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RNI Reg No. KERENG/2011/42633