May 2018 100 mb

Page 1

Vol 7 Issue No.79 May - June 2018

India’s Insurance sector is poised for take off Shri V.P. Nandakumar MD & CEO, Manappuram Finance Ltd.




Printed by: Ajit Ravi Published by: Ajit Ravi Owned by: Ajit Ravi Printed at: Sterling Print House Pvt. Ltd. Cochin 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 Dr. 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 Dr. Susan S Sunny Director Shwetha Menon Photographer Ashique Hassan Creative Design PEGASUS Cover Photograph Miss Glam World 2018 winners

Editorial

othing can dim the light that shines from within," says Maya Angelou, "N the American poet. Ajit Pegasus, the Founder, and Chairman of the Pegasus Event Production company, knows this secret of beauty well. Organ-

izing many beauty pageants in the past, he had picked the right winners always. This issue has a special story on The Miss Glam World, the International beauty event, organised to felicitate beautiful and talented women hailing from thirty-nine different countries. Read and enjoy exclusive photographs and writings on the rare, first edition of the event of beauty pageant. In the end, you will know why did Estefania Chavez Garcia from Mexico win the crown. In the regular column, V.P. Nandakumar, the Chairman & MD, Manappuram Finance, explains about the scope of the Insurance industry in India, an area to which Manappuram, which traditionally has the gold loan as the main business, also has entered recently. This article will guide both the freshers and the professionals in the sector to understand the new trends in the Insurance. He gives insights into the history, scope, prospects and awareness level of the Insurance industry in India. The writer also brings forth thousands of reasons to establish the fact that Insurance sector in India is poised to take off! In Auto, our expert team brings reports on Brio hatchback, the Amaze after a test drive. Amaze was the first ever Honda to offer a diesel engine in India. It looks way better proportioned than before, has nicer interiors, more types of equipment and automatic transmissions in both petrol and diesel variants. Another fresh issue which also offers articles on interesting topics like the stock market, gadgets, banking, movie review, and book review etc. Enjoy And I hope you enjoy the read!



CONTENTS

12

16

20

India’s insurance sector is poised for take off

12

The future of education

16

Mexico’s Estefania Chavez Garcia wins Indulge Miss Glam World

20

Being the boss of a brainy business

26

Across the Arabian What drive tourists to visit Dubai and what it reflects?

42


46

48

52

54

58

46

Gadgets

48

Recipes

52

How to maintain hair colour during summer season

54

Nauru the island of unusual landmarks

58

New Amaze


UNIQUE DIARY

Govt targets record food grain output this year

E

xpressing its confidence in the official weather forecast that the country will experience a normal rainfall this monsoon, the central government has put their food grain output target high. While speaking at the conference on planting strategy, Agricultural Commissioner S K Malhotra has announced the government’s food grain output target of this year as 283.7 million tonne. Experts say that if the country gets a normal rainfall in the way what the weather office has forecasted, it could easily achieve the proposed target. Meanwhile, the Agricultural Minister Radha Mohan Singh says that the central government aims to make agricultural policies, less production oriented, more income oriented.

Centre set to constitute board/trust for domestic workers

“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it!” Jonathan Winters

I

n order to solve the problems faced by the marginalised labour class of domestic workers, the central government is set to constitute a central board/trust for them. The existence of issues such as improper wage structure, unfair employment terms and conditions and inadequate social security measures among this working class make them highly vulnerable to exploitation. As per an estimate, there are over five million domestic workers in the country. The estimate says that of this five million at least three million are women. Anyway, the new body, as per an assumption, is expected to benefit workers and employers equally.

8

May-June-2018


NITI Aayog set to open applications for AIM

I

n a bid to encourage those who have capability to come up with innovative market-ready products, the NITI Aayog, the country’s policy think tank, is set to open applications for the Atal Innovation Mission. As a part of the program, a huge sum of one crore Indian rupees will be granted to those who come up with innovative market-ready products. Apart from the huge financial assistance, the authorities will also provide mentorship to all eligible innovators as a part of the ambitious program. The policy think tank runs this most challenging program in collaboration with at least five central ministries.

FM to organise 27th GST Council meeting

“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.� Ralph Nader

T

he Indian Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, is likely organise the 27th Goods and Services Tax Council meeting in the first week of May. In the proposed meeting, the committee members, which include state finance ministers, is expected to discuss proposals seeking simpler GST return forms and amendments in the new tax regimes rules. The meeting is more likely to be conducted through video conferencing as the Finance Minister, who is undergoing a medical treatment, has been advised to avoid all kinds of public contacts in order to avoid all possibilities of contacting infections. There are reports that some radical changes will be proposed in the GST laws during the council meeting.

May-June-2018

9


UNIQUE DIARY

India gets a boost in ‘Global Trade’

I

ndia has received a much awaited boost in its global trade, with the global trade index marking an unexpected increase of over sixteen per cent in the Financial Year 2017-2018 compared with the FY 2016-2017. In the Financial Year 2016-2017, the global trade was below 660 billion United States Dollars. In the last financial year (that is, in the year 2017-2018), the global trade has touched as high as 767 billion United States Dollars. The Latin American Countries has played a significant role in the sudden rise of the global trade index of our country. For last few years, our country’s trade with LAC has been consistently increasing.

RCEP to pressurise India to reduce duties imposed on Chinese goods

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” Maya Angelou

T

he Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the mega trade agreement in which nearly ten members of Association of South East Asian Nations and over six other countries including China, Japan, Australia and India are members, is likely to exert pressure on Delhi to reduce the duties of those goods it trades with Beijing. As the United States is showing more interest to renew the Tans-Pacific Partnership, China is putting more efforts to turn the mega trade agreement of Asian countries in its favour. The next phase of discussion of RCEP is scheduled to take place in the first week of May in Singapore.

10

May-June-2018



BUSINESS

Insurance industry in India is growing at a rapid pace but is yet to reach its full potential. Given the sheer size of the market and the current low levels of penetration, the industry provides ample growth opportunities for all players involved in the sector. Shri V.P.Nandakumar MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.

India’s insurance sector is poised for take off

O

ver the last couple of years, I find that I am asked a lot of questions about the performance of Manappuram’s new business ventures such as microfinance, home and vehicle loans, SME loans etc. The curiosity is understandable. Manappuram Finance Limited was for long known as a gold loan company because that was what we focussed on. It was only from 2014 onwards that we began exploring opportunities in other growth areas too. And people understandably want to know how our new businesses are faring. At the same time, there are a couple of other business areas where our involvement goes back over many years. One of these is forex remittances which we began in 2002 after obtaining a moneychanger’s license from RBI. The other area we got into early on (in October 2002) is general insurance which is the subject of this article. I have chosen to talk about

12

May-June-2018

general insurance because the strong impression I get from our involvement in the business and the kind of growth we are seeing here is that India’s insurance sector is poised for rapid growth in the coming years. Indeed, it may not be long before the insurance industry acquires a size to rival that of our banking sector.

Recent trends

The Indian insurance sector has been growing at healthy rate of 15 to 20 percent and is expected to reach a size of US $ 280 billion by 2020. Even as these numbers appear impressive, the reality is that India being the second most populous nation in the world (at 17 percent of the global population) records less than 1.5 percent of the total insurance premium collected globally. While India is the world’s 15th largest insurance market by volume of premium collected, its insurance density (or per capita

premium) stands at Rs 3,696 as compared to the global average of Rs. 44,486 according to a BCGFICCI report of March 2017. The BCG-FICCI report mentions that India has around 605 million people below the age of 25, and 225 million in the age group 10-19 readying for higher education. Over the next 40 years, India will enjoy the benefits of a youthful and productive workforce even as the rest of the world, including China, continues to age. By 2020, India will have around 116 million workers in the work-starting age bracket of 20 to 24 years, compared to China’s 94 million. The average age in India by 2020 will be 29 years as against 40 years in the US, 46 years in Europe and 47 years in Japan. Even as the labour force declines by 4 percent in the industrialized world and by 5 percent in China over the next 20 years, it could increase by 32 percent in


India. India’s insurable population is anticipated to reach around 750 million by 2020, with life expectancy of around 74 years.

Overview of the Global Insurance Business

The origin of the US insurance industry goes back to 1752 with the setting up of the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire, the first mutual fire insurance company in America. Seven years later, the first life insurance company, the Presbyterian Ministers' Fund, was established. The industrial revolution made both business insurance and disability insurance necessary.

In 1864, the Travelers Insurance Company sold its first accident policy, while in 1889 the first auto insurance policy was issued. As time passed new types of insurance products were devised in keeping with the emerging risks of an increasingly modernising lifestyle. Today, the US is the world’s largest single country insurance market with 29 percent of global direct premiums written in 2016 (according to the Federal Insurance Office, US Department of the Treasury). When viewed as a single market, the European Union’s global share of total direct premiums written around 29 percent - is also comparable to that of the United States.

Globally, direct insurance premiums increased by 3.1 percent to US $4.7 trillion in 2016, as compared to the 4.3 percent growth in 2015. The growth in global premiums was led by non-life business which increased by 3.7 percent, with life business advancing at a slower rate of 2.5 percent. Growth in total insurance direct premiums written was stronger in emerging markets where it increased by 14 percent, as compared to an increase of only 0.7 percent in advanced economies. Interestingly, since 2011, total direct premiums written in China have more than doubled, elevating China to the world’s third-largest insurance market in 2016 (behind US and Japan). In 2011, China was the sixth largest market. Among other emerging markets, India and Brazil (the thirteenth and fourteenth largest insurance markets) also showed good growth. If India’s economy takes off in the way China’s economy has, the potential for growth of the insurance industry here is immense.

Origins of Insurance in India

The concept of insurance has

Source: Annual report Sept. 2017 (Federal Insurance Office, US Department of Treasury)

May-June-2018

13


companies. At the end of March 2017, there are 62 insurers operating in India; of which 24 are life insurers, 23 are general insurers, 6 are health insurers exclusively doing health insurance business and 9 are re-insurers including foreign reinsurer’s branches and Lloyd’s India. Despite the global economic slowdown of 2010–13, there was a remarkable recovery in premium growth in India. The Indian insurance industry has achieved a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.48 percent over the past 12 years based on gross premium written.

roots in Indian history as seen in the works of Manu (Manusmrithi), Yagnavalkya (Dharmasastra) and Kautilya (Arthasastra). These writings describe the process as pooling of resources that could be re-distributed in times of disasters such as fire, floods, epidemics and famine. While it may not qualify as insurance as we understand it today, the germ of the idea is very much there. Nonetheless, we must acknowledge that modern Indian insurance industry owes its origins to the British. The first general insurance company was set up in Calcutta in 1850 as the Triton Insurance Company Ltd., by the British. In 1907, the Indian Mercantile Insurance Ltd., was set up and it became the first company to transact all classes of general insurance business. The general insurance business was nationalized in India with effect from 1st January, 1973 following the passing of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act in 1972. In all, 107 insurers were amalgamated and grouped into four companies, namely National Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance Company Ltd., the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and the United India Insurance Company Ltd. The General Insurance Corporation of India was incorporated as a company in 1971 and it commenced business on January 1, 1973.

India opens up insurance

After operating for many years as a public sector monopoly, the

14

May-June-2018

process of opening up the sector to private players first began in the early 1990s and gathered pace around the turn of the millennium. In 1993, the Government set up a committee under the chairmanship of Shri R.N. Malhotra, to propose recommendations for reforms in the insurance sector. Based on the recommendation, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was constituted in 1999 as an autonomous body to regulate and develop the insurance industry. In April 2000, IRDA was made into a statutory body and it gradually started opening up the market by allowing new players to enter the business. Foreign companies were permitted ownership of up to 26 percent. In December 2000, the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) was converted into a national re-insurer, after its subsidiaries were converted into independent

Bright prospects for general insurance, especially health

Non-life insurance has been recording double digit growth for most years since the sector opened up in 1999. The increasing uncertainties on account of natural and man-made causes have created a situation where many large scale disasters occur frequently causing loss to many. For instance, the Chennai floods of 2015 caused economic losses of around Rs 15,000 crore. Unfortunately, a major part of these losses (estimated at about Rs 10,000 crore) was uninsured, which means that most of those affected by the floods had to recover from the damage using their own limited resources. Unfortunately, despite the frequency of floods (and occasionally earthquakes), segments such as home insurance continue to have a low penetration levels of only 0.7 percent, according to the BCG-FICCI report. On another front, lifestyleoriented diseases are increasing at a frightening pace. Diabetes in India has increased by 50 percent in the last 10 years; and around

The dominance of public sector insurance companies is gradually declining with more and more private player capturing the market share. The market share of private sector companies in non-life insurance segment rose from 15 percent in FY-04 to 48.01 percent in FY17-18 (as of October 2017)


Non-Life insurers include general insurers, standalone health insurers and specialized insurers.

200 million Indians are currently believed to be suffering from high blood pressure. Once again it is unfortunate that despite increase in health problems, the penetration of health insurance (an essential risk protection instrument) is very low. As per 2016 estimates, retail health insurance penetration (excluding social health insurance schemes) was only around 5 percent. Motor insurance accounted for 39.6 percent of non-life insurance premiums earned in India in FY18 (data up to February). Health insurance accounts for the second highest proportion of market with 24.5 percent share at gross direct premium at Rs 32,816 crore (about US $5 billion). Some of the major private players are ICICI Lombard, Bajaj Allianz, IFFCO Tokio, HDFC Ergo, Tata-AIG, Reliance, Cholamandalam, Royal Sundaram and other regional insurers. The general insurance industry underwrote total direct premium of Rs. 128,128 crore in FY16-17 as against Rs. 96,379 crore in FY1516, an impressive growth of 33 percent.

In terms of market share for health insurance premium, the four public sector general insurers continue to dominate at 63 percent during FY16-17. For the last five years, the market share of the public sector insurers has remained stagnant, whereas the share of private sector general insurers in health insurance premium has actually declined from 27 percent in FY12-13 to 19 percent during FY16-17. The erosion in market share of private general insurers was made good by the standalone health insurers whose share increased from 11 percent to 18 percent during this period.

Summing up

Insurance industry in India is growing at a rapid pace but is yet to reach its full potential. Given the sheer size of the market and the current low levels of penetration, the industry provides ample growth opportunities for all players involved in the sector. A growing awareness of the need for protection and retirement planning will support the growth of Indian insur-

ance industry in the coming years. What is more, the strong foundation laid for the growth of the sector has been aided by the recent reforms introduced by government. Several initiatives undertaken over the last couple of years will serve to strengthen the country’s insurance sector. Foreign investments were permitted through the automatic route up to 49 percent. Service tax on single premium annuity policies was reduced from 3.5 percent to 1.4 percent of the premium paid in certain cases. Economic reforms such as demonetization, Jan Dhan accounts, Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and Aadhaar integration have laid the groundwork for a digital and cashless economy. The digital revolution will give a boost to India’s fledgling insurance sector too. Following demonetization and the introduction of GST, there is a clear shift of economic activity from the informal sector to the formal sector. As India’s economy becomes increasingly formalized, a greater proportion of the workforce will become eligible for statutory protections and social safety nets in the form of health insurance, accident/ disability insurance, unemployment insurance and retirement plans. Against this backdrop, India’s insurance sector is truly poised to take off 

(V.P. Nandakumar is MD & CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd. and Board Appointee to the Lions Clubs International’s Board of Directors. Views are personal.)

Health Insurance: In FY16-17, the General and Health Insurance Companies collected highest ever insurance premium over the preceding five years period. The General and Health Insurance Companies collected Rs 30,392 crore as health insurance premium, registering a growth of 24 percent over the preceding year. Source: IRDA Annual report 2016-17

May-June-2018

15


BUSINESS

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

While, there is a lot of truth in all of these and the need to focus and legislate changes, it will also augur well and look at some of the higher education institutes of repute in the world.

The future of

education T

he digital technology revolution around the world has impact in every sector. The changes are not just hype, but will lead to immense changes in habits and daily life. Every skill and every task in the future will have a change element that we have not foreseen today or may seem like science fiction. The key question is: how are we preparing the resources for the future? How are we changing the framework of basic education at primary, secondary and higher studies levels to meet this challenge? Technology is moving much faster than our universities and the syllabi which is being doled out has been constantly want wanting. When it comes to the construct of education and the foundation, there is more or less consensus that the current content is more or less elaborate and covers the needed concepts to seed young minds with basic math, science and language skills. The debate is largely on the delivery models and

16

May-June-2018

how different we can deliver this content. There is core innovation here in the new types of schools of learning academies with a wide spread choice of clever methodologies and pedagogical styles. With the increasing use of digital media, education in schools have become interesting and far more engaging than the past. The average child is far more aware than their senior generations and their propensity to take on new technologies is definitely encouraging. The concern and debate is about the higher education models we see around us. The questions not just veer around the technological upgradation and


May-June-2018

17


digitalization of education, but the very construct of higher education. In the recent ‘#Future’ event in Kochi, some of the interesting conundrums of education came up for discussion. We are, today, seeing a surfeit of institutions and increasing commoditisation of education. The increase in quantity seems to be the key theme and a trajectory, like this, is likely to bring in problems of quality. Again, the moot point was the structure of higher education and not so much the worry of technology. Experts opined on the decreasing availability of faculty and how

18

May-June-2018

there are no more teachers like the ‘good old days’. The antidotes were also much like what we have heard in the last few decades. More industry-academia interfaces, more foreign university collaborations, better return on investment for the students. ‘Autonomy’ is also a concept which gets mooted in most of these discussions. While, there is a lot of truth in all of these and the need to focus and legislate changes, it will also augur well and look at some of the higher education institutes of repute in the world. For the average institute of today, more than 90 % of the revenue still comes from fees they get from

the students. The focus too does not move beyond the completion of the stipulated syllabus. A common initiative nearly all of them begin is the industry –academia interface, which has merits of its own. But, beyond a point, this is not enough! Look at some of the marquee institutions around the world. A recent article in the Economist gives an interesting breakdown of the sources of funds for Harvard Business School: tuition fee (17%), executive education (23%), publishing (29%) and endowments (31%). There is a lot to think about when we look at this funding pattern. The crucial thing to note is that tuition accounts for only a sixth of


An actual consulting engagement in the relevant area of higher studies is a vivid juncture, where theory matches to practical day to day concepts for the students. It also gives the faculty to streamline their pedagogy with actually real life industry examples.

revenues. Close to home, if you attempt to look at one of the more popular institutions like the older IIMs, you will see this figure closer to 45 %.

The fundamental motto should be to enable them to take on the changing world around them.

Before we chide this data as not relevant and how we cannot compare a premium brand or established brand and a new kid on the block, it will be good to remind ourselves that this data should give direction. Increased research and development, white papers, patents and printed articles constitute the skeletal structure of an institute which can attract higher funds

and endowments. The student engagement becomes richer when the institute can attach them to faculty and work on projects which enhance their learning. To start with –a serious internship will itself build the broad contours to this. The recent Kerala Technical University directive to make internships mandatory is a great move and while institutes will face teething problems in the initial years, it will eventually be a great value addition to the respective courses. Another avenue is consulting.

While placements will still figure high on the ‘key performance metric’ for every institution, the point to realise that the roots of these lie in enhanced student experiences and their ability to understand and cogitate about the world around them. The fundamental motto should be to enable them to take on the changing world around them. For these temples of higher learning are to prepare them for life and not just make them earn a living. Placements, endowments and higher ratings will always follow. Our higher education is the last engagement opportunity to prepare our youth for a vibrant, fast changing future. Lifelong learning and the ability to assess, value and embrace change will remain fundamental to their trysts in various careers and streams. The large changes that we need are more fundamental than the issues of digitization and the emerging technologies. We need to focus on much more basic things to modify and implement

May-June-2018

19


B

eauty is an interesting subject. More detailed studies are required to find exactly what one tries to convey with this word. There are many concepts. Some believe beauty lies in heart. Some others argue that beauty is purely a physical thing. The widely accepted definition is that a beautiful thing or person is the one person or thing who or

20

May-June-2018

which has a balanced amount of attract-worthy material and immaterial elements in high quantity and quality. The definition might sound too complicated. It is simple if you take it like this: ‘if a person is highly intelligent and has attractive physical features, he/she is said to be a beautiful person’. Simple! The Miss Glam World, the In-

ternational beauty event organised to felicitate beautiful and talented women hailing from thirty-nine different countries, it seems, indirectly define the concept of beauty. The first edition of the event, which took place a couple of days ago at the Adlux International Convention Centre in Kochi with the support of Indulge, was directed


Mexico’s Estefania Chavez Garcia wins Indulge Miss Glam World

by Dr Ajit Ravi, the Founder and Chairman of the Pegasus, and powered by DQ Watches, Jyothy Laboratories, ICL Fincorp and Joy Alukkas.

and model Isha Talwar and His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa Bin Duaij Al Khalifa were the dignified personalities who crowned the first Miss Glam World 2018 winners.

In the event, Estefania Chavez Garcia from Mexico won the crown, and Fahima Kulow Muhumed Abdi (Kenya) and Aileena Catherine Amon (India) were the first and second runner-ups respectively.

In the contest, several special sub-titles, apart from the top three major titles, were given. Romona Maria (Romania), Sokaina Jbari (Morocco), Doriher Marioly Suarez Rodriguez (Venezuela), Tsonka Milcheva (Bulgaria), Inna Patricia Gita (Philippines), Ngoc Han Phan

Notably, renowned film actress

(Vietnam), Melissa Girs (Belgium), Ring Emily Joyce (Australia), Tanalaksiumy Mahenthiran Rayer ( Malaysia) and Anjali Vinodya Ramachandra Brahakmanage (Srilanka) wristed the Miss Beautiful Hair, Miss Beautiful Skin, Miss Beautiful Face, Miss Beautiful Eyes, Miss Personality, Miss Viewers’ Choice, Miss Perfect Ten, Miss Congeniality, Miss Fitness and the Best National Costume respectively.

May-June-2018

21


It is to be noted that some participants even secured more than one title. Aileena Catherine Amon (India), apart from the second runner-up title, grabbed the Miss Talent title and Estefania Chavez Garcia (Mexico), along with the crown, wristed the Miss Catwalk title. Noteworthy, Yosuman Kholova

22

May-June-2018

(Tajikistan) gained two sub-titles: the Miss Beautiful Smile and Miss Photogenic. The beauty event was one of the most colourful events the city ever witnessed. Primarily, there were three rounds in the event: the National Costume round, Red Cocktail round and White Gown round.

The organisers made no compromises with the quality of the event. There were many dignified figures in the event’s judging panel. Christine Huang (Chief Executive Officer of Global Charity Queen, Queen of Brilliancy International, Golden International Corp and Miss Bikini Universe), Marcel Arnolat Salazar (renowned program producer, actor and singer), Prof.


Dr. Sir GD Singh (Founder & President of World Peace & Diplomacy Organisation), Ms. Marcela Sevcikova (super model and Miss Universe Czechoslovakia), Ms. Srishti Rana (Miss Asia Pacific World 2013), and Mr Edison Thomas (lifestyle journalist) were in the panel. It was the panel which selected

both title winners and sub-title winners. The felicitation of the winners was not limited to crowns and trophies. All winners were awarded huge cash prices. The title winner of the Miss Glam World was gifted a huge cash prize of 3.5 lakh rupees, while the first runner-up and second runner-up were given nearly 2.5 lakh rupees and 1.5 lakh rupees respectively. Notably, the crowns, won by the winners, were the gold-plated crowns designed and gifted by the Parakkatt Jewellers.

The music of PEGASUS, composed by DJ Harvey Steve, was another major attraction of the event. The contestants walked the ramp in the grand finale for this music. All contestants were

May-June-2018

23


made to go through intense grooming session prior to the event in order to help them increase their confidence level to the maximum. In the grooming session which took place at the Marriott Hotel in Kochi, the girls were groomed by an expert panel of fashion choreographers and trainers including Anjali Ruth, Alisha Ruth, Valentina Mishra (Mrs Asia India International), Sudakshana Thambi (Yoga trainer) and Sameer Khan (Fashion choreographer). It is the laudable policies the organisers strictly adhere to that make the event organised by the Pegasus more attractive and

24

May-June-2018

appreciable. Dr Ajit Ravi always makes sure that the infamous bikini round, which encourages the wrong practice of objectification of the women’s body, is totally excluded from all beauty contests organised by his event production company. In a sense, the event has brought an attractive feather into the organiser’s cap. It is learned that it is the first time since the Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s 1996 Miss Wold that a true International beauty contest has happened in the country. Medimix, Scot Wilson, Kalpana

International, Parakkat Resorts and Aiswaria Advertising were the prime partners of the event, which aimed to project our country’s culture and tradition before the world. Ring Emily Joyce (Australia), Aliona Karzhanevich (Belarus), Melissa Girs (Belgium), Olorato Amantle Lefenya (Botswana), Tsonka Milcheva (Bulgaria), Stephanie Blanche Yimga (Cameroon), Li Miao (China), Elodie Pauline Meschi (France), Aminata Jume (Gambia), Peninnah Akosua Payki (Ghana), Liu Liran (Hong Kong), Aileena Catherine Amon (India), Jihan Nabila Putri (Indonesia), Nurajan Janpyeis (Kazakhstan),


Fahima Kulow Muhumed Abdi (Kenya), Abdymomunova Altynai (Kyrgystan), Tanalaksiumy Mahenthiran Rayer ( Malaysia), Estefania Chavez Garcia (Mexico), Alexandra Predus (Moldova), Bolornaran Batbaatar (Mongolia), Sokaina Jbari (Morocco), Ja Seng Bu (Myanmar), Sujata Raut (Nepal), Joy Arhwere Ek Poke (Nigeria), Maria Angela Recalde Ramirez (Paraguay), Inna

Patricia Gita (Philippines), Romona Maria (Romania), Anna Sizova (Russia), Sara Kapunac (Serbia), Naomy Kelly Dennisia King (Seychelles), Neena Macaire Bezuidenhout (South Africa), Sunggyung Kim (South Korea), Anjali Vinodya Ramachandra Brahakmanage (Srilanka), Yosuman Kholova (Tajikistan), Charinee Khudpho (Thailand), Doriher Marioly Suarez

Rodriguez (Venezuela), Ngoc Han Phan (Vietnam), Cecilia Kongwa (Zambia), and Maita Kudzaishe Kainga (Zimbabwe) were the participants of the event. It is worthy to wait for the next Miss Glam World. No beauty contests have ever defined the concept of pure beauty in the way this spectacular beauty contest has done

May-June-2018

25


BEING THE BOSS OF A BRAINY BUSINESS 26

May-June-2018


Prof. Dr. Sir GD Singh is a renowned business consultant, academician, motivation speaker, business trainer and many more. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Unified Brainz Group Holdings Inc. Recognising his excellence in the academic and business research sectors, he has been felicitated with numerous doctorate degrees by prestigious universities such as South Korea’s KEISIE International University and European Union’s IIU School of Doctoral Studies. A study of marketing India as medical tourism destination and building International trade, and a management research on corporate employees to check their resistance, influence and response towards changing organisational culture are the two well-known theses developed by this brilliant business consultant and marketing expert. Mr Singh works closely with several distinguished organisations such as the Confederation of International Accreditation Commission, the Confederation of Indian Healthcare Foundation, Indian Management Academy, Institute of Financial and Management Studies, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Academy, and International Journal of Scientific and Technological Research.

What would you say is your passion in life?

I think it's only passion in life which takes you to achieve any goals. My passion is to see the world happy and peaceful filled with love and humanity for all -a world which is free from the hatred of caste, creed, race and colour and a place where everyone can happily live and express their thoughts. In short, I feel my goals are to work towards the achievement of the United Nations global goals.

You are many things in one, what has been your motivation and what would you tell a youngster who is reading this?

Think big, think logical, act smart and move fast... These are few of my tips for anyone to achieve. Work with passion and dream of your goals every day, since if you keep on reminding yourself about what needs to be done, your subconscious mind creates a ripple effect on your persona and impacts greatly on your overall growth.

As a WORLD PEACE ADVOCATE, what do you feel is missing in the word today?

I think what I see in majority while travelling all across the world is that one thing is missing commonly. That thing, I believe, is– altruism. No one has time to even look into your problem and support or suggest, even if they can help they just don't give time even to look into it. One must change this outlook to be more supportive and humble enough to help till the time one can. Moreover, I believe in creating a path and making more leaders not followers, so one must try to create more leaders than followers in order to gain a better world.

Tell me about your professional life as the President for Unified Brainz Group Holdings Inc?

I always believed in honing the best abilities in an individual -trust me, this is the success formula for me- hence it gave rise to a team called Unified Brainz, wherein professionals from all discipline

May-June-2018

27


assembled on a single platform to raise the bar of any project given to us. Being the President of such an arrangement makes me feel blessed and humbled as I get chance to work with so many unique talents.

What would you say is the biggest challenge that the world faces today?

I think we are all not contented and god knows what is that we are running after. In fact, I think we should all try and relax to spend sometime understanding that how can we actually make a difference to the society and can help create a better world. I will like to advice the world to adapt a formula don't be the rat in the rat race when they can identify the best within them which can make them tigers.

market. And, many times, it’s the brand than the product itself, which plays games in the market. As I always say, "If you want people to be loyal to your brand, be loyal to them in terms of deliveries".

Could you share any unique projects you are working on?

We have come up with India's first Speaking Coffee Table Book: Who's Who of Industry, which is the first Augmented Reality of such proportions, and for which it now has an official entry in the World Book of Records, UK. This would be launched for every state in India; already Gujarat and Ra-

How would you define peace?

In my opinion, when your mind, body and soul are not just working for your own self and are being devoted selflessly for the development of society, peace prevails. Peace at large begins with inner peace.

Being a Branding Guru, how would you define branding?

Branding is not a onetime action, but a process which gets matured with time. Any new product or service takes time in finding its roots in the market, and so does its brand image in the minds of its users. Therefore, the brand owners must, at all times, be on their toes, monitoring the brand performance and making necessary changes with consumer feedbacks. So, there should always be a feedback mechanism which keeps telling you how your brand is performing in the

28

May-June-2018

"If you want people to be loyal to your brand, be loyal to them in terms of deliveries"

jasthan have been covered. Along with India, this is also going to be launched for Sri Lanka. Along with this, we are also going to launch a hyperlifestyle magazine – Passion Vista- soon which will be reader’s gateway to the exquisite! Our third grand project is the first-ever confederation of trade and industry dedicated to the entire Asia and African region



Ravi Saini

Govt. should be now ready to facilitate the business transactions and look for all kinds of NON TAX Revenues instead of putting in place unwarranted and unwarranted rules that pisses off good quality investors from coming to India.

I

ndia is going through various reforms and is on the path of being the top economy of the world. Is it possible to successfully achieve the desired results unless the Administrative Reforms are put in place? We all have been observing that Govt is putting all kinds of efforts in order to bring about these reforms to rebuild India of our dreams but the pace at which we are moving, these efforts may look out of place by the time it happens. We need a huge infrastructure development and for that we need Billions of Dollars of foreign Direct Investment but certain rules needs to be looked into that are hinderances to the investors and India’s financial health. What an investors are asking for whether they are global or domestic investors? They need three basics – 1) Principal Protection 2) Fixed

30

May-June-2018

Income and 3) End use clearly defined. Lets discuss as to how to make it available. Whenever a public servant receives any unsolicited proposal for the development of a project and there is 100% Private Investment and no Govt. subsidies, no viability gap funding, no free land and yet there are prospects of Govt getting additional non taxed revenues, Govt. officials must accept such proposals without any reservations provided the followings are included in the proposals:  The proposed project is being developed under SPV involving Govt. department and offer of 5% free equity stake offered to the Govt.  Mutually acceptable Top Line Revenues for the Govt.  Chairman of the SPV is


Way Forward to Administrative Reforms proposed to be a Govt. nomination and this could be the Local MP, DC, DG Police, Concerned Minister or an IAS/IRS officer.  Technology and EPC contractor being proposed has the relevant experience and have developed projects of such nature.  Security Trustee is an Indian entity.  Banker to the project is an Indian Govt. Bank that will also handle the escrow management.  Reputable auditors are appointed to monitor the project cash flows and the cash flows as mentioned in the detailed project report are the triggers for the escrow account releases. There are experiences that Govt. officials are not acceptable to such moves fearing that there may be question marks on their integrity if direct project allotment route is followed without the bidding and they don’t wish to get involved in any scams. Have you ever wondered why such fears are prevailant? Its because of the way the prevention of corruption act is written. In order to overcome

May-June-2018

31


this fear, the Govt. officials needs to ask themselves that with no public money or assets involved, who would dare to call such projects a scam? Still some logical thinking could be put in place by inviting the proposer of the proposal for an official meeting in which all the threads and bears are discussed in a table top meeting and official minites of meeting are recorded and signed. Representatives each from CM secretariat, Revenues Department and CAG/CVC etc could be invited to be present in the meeting so that everthing is discussed, debated and agreed according to the law of the land. All such unsolicited development project proposals received by the Govt officials must be reviewed and within 15 days its response must be sent to the proposer and dealt with accordingly. If its not workable then there must be rea-

32

May-June-2018

sons and those reasons must also be given to the proposer so that the proposals could be amended, modified and brought back to the table. Govt. should be now ready to facilitate the business transactions and look for all kinds of NON TAX Revenues instead of putting in place unwarranted and unwarranted rules that pisses off good quality investors from coming to India. There is a suggestion to the Govt that if a foreign entity creates its 100% wholly owned subsidiary in India and brings in Non Repatriable FDI then all such investments

Like a soldier is always willing to risk his precious life for the Nation, we all must feel responsibility in pursuing the missionMy Nation First

should be treated at par with local investments and banks should be encouraged to accept the same as an INR deposit. There are numerous self sustainable projects which can be picked and chosen by the depositor and if the FD is offered as a collateral to fund any such projects, bankers must accept the opportunity as it offers ZERO risk to the bank. Every State Govt must issue their own GREEN INITIATIVE BOND to support building new projects that could emply non fossil fuels and creating the jobs for skilled and unskilled people of the state. Administrative Reforms will not be effective if the State Administration is insensitive to the new proposals and they should not have any preconceived notions of any kind. Like a soldier is always willing to risk his precious life for the Nation, we all must feel responsibility in pursuing the mission – My Nation First


Administrative Office L - 5 106, CHANGAMPUZHA NAGAR, SOUTH KALAMASSERY, COCHIN - 682033

YOUR STYLE ICON Registered Office HORNBILL CHRONOTECHNOLOGY PRIVATE LIMITED 914, CORPORATE ANNEXE, SONAWALA RO OPP. UDYOG BHAVAN GOREGAON, EAST MUMBAI-400063

TM


Vinod Kumar

This year of 2018, will give the insight to the people, on the skill of politicians, to manufacture opportunities. There will not be any dull moment, in the reportage in the media.

Electoral

34

May-June-2018


I

ndian people talk about the political condition of our country, with much ease and fluency. This does not mean that the electorate are wise, but certainly, all Indians know something about regional politics. And many know to speak about national politics. Some people avoid talking about it, but yet, politics is not something that any body can totally ignore.

People elect a leader. There are many candidates in the line up, attempting to attract attention of the voter. Actually, people are choosing those candidates, to enable the process of formulating of laws, rules and regulations. Selected candidates may lack in many leadership

He advices the upcoming generation to be straightforward and genuine within your business and character. qualities. But now you have elected them to make the frameworks, the book of law, by which, that you will live in. By electing this person, as your representative, then you have assumed, that he will be your voice among the other lawmakers. But then, did you do a due diligence on this winners, ability to formulate law, rule and regulations? You have in effect recruited him in to the

House of Representatives. But did not do any interviews, background checks or other investigations, before casting your vote. You agreed to abide by the conditions that these representatives will make. They do this constitution. They will govern and administer the method by which you transact, trade and get the infrastructure and other works. But does your accountability end, at the point of election? Now, begins the actual result and consequences of your decision. Your voting this person has ramifications, repercussions and implications. These has to be studied in detail. Or else the candidate who is not

May-June-2018

35


no place for fear in times of contradictions. Controversy has made many people, more popular, than they deserve to be. The leader knows to convert these conflicting situations into an advantage, so as to preserve themselves. Conflicting groups of people and ideas, opinions, actually is what the politician needs. He can thrive and flourish in events that has much contrasts.

worthy of your vote, may become the winner. Did you ever do an actual research, on how these candidates fitted into your scheme of things? These political champions, grew up in your neighbourhood or even a few blocks from you. They involved themselves in most issues and affairs of the people. They became the goto person, when neighbours had problems. The status and their influence grew as they, resolved social standoffs. These young men and women, developed the ability to be great listeners. They had patience to hear out the grievances of the polity. All generation of people would request these candidates to arbitrate, if any conflict would arise. The political people can also discover a faultline, even when there is absolutely no dispute. So, study the antecedents of those who are making appeal for your votes. In leadership, there is

The weaker politicians are the ones who is compelled to blatantly be accusive of all past governments.

36

May-June-2018

If you have an ambition, to be elected by people, to represent them, into a legislative assembly, then work and involve in preparations. Certainly, you must be persuasive to those, whose votes, that you are expecting. Your voters must be convinced that your leadership, will benefit them directly and immensely. For this, it is important that you are proficient in knowledge of the profile of your electorate. Get immersed into campaigning. Are you willing to be rejected by one specific set of people? Nobody can be a leader of everybody. Your competitors also have the capacity to develop followers. Your continuous engagement with people, alone will make you eligible to stand to be elected. Hardwork, persistent research, lengthy studies and speech skills are essential for campaigning. In depth, knowledge of current events and the history of evolution, of the constituency are essential. You must master the craft and ability, to appear to be speaking on behalf of all your followers. You must clear the air, from suspicion to be influenced, on behest of any special interest groups. So do you have a method, to get the views and opinions in all of people, from your constituency? Only with adept intelligence report on development inside each household, can you then formulate the content for your speeches. Your public utterances and behaviours will be monitored and analysed. Emotional intelligence, motivation, reasoning with facts and statistics

and understanding of rules and laws are factors that will provide an edge, in the time of campaigning. Also, comprehension of deep and thorough events that impacted the people, worldwide, will also appeal to young voters. A learning on sentiment analysis is essential. Coordination with industrialists, manufacturers and business peo-

ple, will get you confidence to make assurances for jobs and recruitment. Ability to network and be pleasing to the workers in newspaper company and electronic media, will get you the kind and favourable verdicts in newsrooms. But then, yet, you still need not take this option to stand for elections. But you will agree with me, that these erstwhile neighbours of yours, who shaped and formed the mindset of people, are the new leaders. They give you a sense of pride or safety or security for your daily living. This connect that they establish with the masses, ensures that they get elected. It is a matter of the self esteem of the voter. They project correct personality and performance. And a promise of development. But are you aware of your stake in this process called elections, voting and politics? The three types of people? First are the ones who proactively drives the change. The second category are those who stay away and watch the change that happens around them. But the sleepy and lethargic type of people


are the ones, who keep wondering, about how these changes are happening at all, inside their own habitats. Whether, colony, cluster, row houses, slums, quarters, ghettos, mohallas or even bhastis, none are immune to political wranglings. It all began with the galli (street) politics. Many political groups, become visible, when they can tear into the ideology of opposition. Stronger political parties are equipping themselves to be able to push opposition into a political exile. The talent and strength, that is needed, is to be able to refute criticisms. And then retaliate and succeed to eliminate and isolate the adversary. In effect, to defeat and demolish the opposition. The winning political leader will show much stamina, to cut through the popularity of the opposing candidates. Breaking into the strongholds of other peoples’ constituency, need much strategy and tact, in your political operation. The terminology is called social engineering. Espousing of virtues and noble causes are a trendy tool, to establish aspirational values. Many people who are swing voters are swayed by such, offerings. Whether these are rhetorics, or not, only time can tell.

The weaker politicians are the ones who is compelled to blatantly be accusive of all past governments. Oppressions, poverty, deprivations and denials of convenience, also become tools for the political milieus. The professional politician is enabled, enskilled and empowered by sheer experiences in the field work. The amount of legwork and the quality of the campaigning will be the deciding factor, in the winning or losing. It is justified to call this season as one of political battle. This is a season that will witness, the construction of new possibilities. This year of 2018, will give the insight to the people, on the skill of politicians, to manufacture opportunities. There will not be any dull moment, in the reportage in the media. The content, substance, material for intellectual consumption, quality of concepts, will all get attention. Careers, financial rewards, incentives will restructure the political thinking. Disruptions and delays in developments will be discussed. As a counter weight, then the snappy and progressive decisions and implementations, will be debated. Prestigious awards, rewards, certifications and accreditations will be proposed and proclaimed.

Revitalising community efforts for fair and free behaviour, at polling booths are also social obligations. We are all part and parcel of a collective psychology. There is not much, that is entitlement, meant as alone to one person. The political milieu joins us to give us the access. We all has the right to much utilities that our country has to offer to us. It is the accountability of all the citizens to integrate into a common system of political selections. This season is a chance to display collaborative skills. Get to your own larger network. Each one of you can take charge and do the leader role. This is the method to eliminate the political disparity. The bridge between mainstream and marginalised can be the goal. Economic activity, prosperity and growth, are all dependant on political policies. Political power is in the hearts and minds of citizen. But it’s expression will become evident by the use of your index finger. Make this season as festive and celebrative as you want it to be. Exercise your franchise. When you cast your vote, then you did a duty and responsibility. Be the citizen, that you are

May-June-2018

37


FINANCE

Another aspect that has been missed out by the Authority is the clarification issued by the Ministry of Finance on 10 July, 2017. It is a trite law that such circulars are binding on authorities. 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.

I

n a recent judgment, the Authority for Advance Ruling, Kerala(AAR) has clarified that recovery of food expenses from employees for the canteen services provided by company would come under the definition of outward supply defined in section 2(83) of the Act, 2017 and, therefore, would be taxable as a supply of service under GST. The said ruling pronounced by the GST authority will have an enormous rippling effect across the industry. It will trigger aspects of employer-employee relationship which, till now, seemed innocuous and outside the purview of GST.

Issue before the AAR

M/s. Caltech Polymers Pvt. Ltd., Malappuram (hereinafter referred to as the 'Applicant') was engaged in the manufacture and sale of footwear. The applicant provided canteen facility to its employees wherein actual expenses incurred in running the canteen were

38

May-June-2018

AUTHORITY OF ADVANCE RULING UNDER THE GST REGIME-WILL IT SERVE ITS PURPOSE recovered from the employees as a deduction from their monthly salary in proportion to the foods consumed by them. The Applicant put forth the contention was that it was only facilitating the supply of food to the employees which was a statutory requirement and was recovering only the actual expenditure incurred in connection with the food supply without making any profit, thus, such activity would not fall within the scope of supply as the same was not in the course or furtherance of its business. Based on the same, the question before the AAR was whether reimbursement of food expenses from employees for the canteen services provided by company would come under the definition of outward supplies as taxable under GST Act? In a ruling, which, in my view and with utmost respect, is incorrect, the AAR held that the activity of providing a canteen facility wherein the company is recovering

the canteen running expenses from its employees without any profit margin is well covered within the expression 'business' defined in section 2(17) of the GST Act, thereby treating it as a transaction incidental or ancillary to the main business. The authority also observed that the activity of providing a canteen facility is a composite supply in view of clause 6 of schedule II to the CGST Act which lays down the activities to be treated as supply of goods or supply of services. Further, the authority also held that since the Applicant recovers the cost of food from its employees, there is a consideration as defined in section 2(31) of the CGST Act, 2017. Hence, the Authority held that the recovery of food expenses from employees is a taxable service, thereby attracting goods and service tax. In the above context, it may also be noted that law also defines


"related persons" to cover employer and employee and goes on to lay down taxability of the transactions of supply between related persons even if done without consideration, if made in the course or furtherance of business. It further lays down the principles of valuation when transactions are undertaken between related persons, with or without consideration.

My views

The schedule III of the Act provides an exemption in respect of services by an employee to his/ her employer in the course of or in relation to his/her employment. Consequently, any consideration flowing from employer to employee in this regard will not be subjected to GST. In my view, the provision of such services should be treated as part of the services rendered by an employee to his/her employer and consequently exempt from tax, especially when it emanates from a statutory obligation, as in the above case. Notably, the ruling is silent on whether such recoveries forming part of an employment contract would be subjected to GST. Another aspect that has been missed out by the Authority is the

clarification issued by the Ministry of Finance on 10 July, 2017. It is a trite law that such circulars are binding on authorities. The relevant extracts have been provided below: “It is pertinent to point out here that the services by an employee to his/her employer in the course of or in relation to his/her employment are outside the scope of GST (neither supply of goods nor supply of services). It follows there from that supply by a employer to his/her employee in terms of contractual agreement entered into between them, will not be subjected to GST. Further, the Input Tax Credit (ITC) Scheme under GST does not allow ITC of membership of a club, health and fitness centre [section 17 (5) (b) (ii)]. It follows, therefore, that if such services are provided free of charge to all employees by an employer then the same will not be subjected to GST, provided appropriate GST was paid when procured by the employer. The same would hold true for free housing to employees, when the same is provided in terms of the contract between an employer and his/her employee and is part and parcel of the cost-to-company (C2C)”.

The concept of Advance Ruling was conceptualized by the Direct Taxes Enquiry Committee in 1971 headed by Justice KN Wanchoo. Though the system was ultimately implemented in 1993, the Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR) was instituted as a mechanism to prevent litigation, pre-empt or plan tax liability, and to foster at large a business-friendly environment where tax payers could approach the Revenue authorities for ascertaining the proper legal position. In my view, as in the case of Authority of Advance Ruling constituted under the Direct Tax Laws, it is imperative that the law is amended providing for the inclusion of members who have been part of the judiciary rather than by individuals who have administrative functions to perform. It is imperative that such individuals eschew themselves from any administrative function of the Department for the exercise to be fair to all concerned. Else, I would believe that the system of AAR under the GST regime would never meet the objectives as laid down by Wanchoo Committee. I would also urge the business community to carefully evaluate the option of approaching the AAR

May-June-2018

39


MOTIVATION

Dolly Neena Dolly Neena is founder of Your Wing, a training company born out of a noble cause and spirit. She holds a decade long experience being a passionate mentor and entrepreneur.

A

n individual’s performance can always be influenced by an external or internal appreciation or behavior or action such as rewards or reprimands, and thus becomes his positive or negative motivation. Hence there are extrinsic and intrinsic motivations that an individual can fall back onto when they feel low in energy. Most of the times, these motivating factors can be addictive and can directly affect a person’s internal happiness and state of being. Entrepreneurs usually go through a rollercoaster ride of challenges, hurdles and success in their work-life, and it is extremely important for them to have identified their intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Whenever a person is motivated and charged up by internal factors, which arises from within, it is called intrinsic motivation. For example, when you indulge in self-developmental activities like reading, watching motivational videos, taking part in webinars, participating/volunteering in charity programmes and thus evoking a fuelling/contented feel from within, always helps in intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is developed over a period of time, by trial and error, which helps an individual to experience n realize how things work out for himself/herself. In the beginning, it might look diffi-

40

May-June-2018

Eventhough both motivations are indeed needed for succeeding with important tasks in life, you will need to analyse and prioritize which one you need the most. Meaningful work is always done through intrinsic motivation.

cult to identify the right motivation methods to help you encourage yourself. It could be reading a selfdevelopmental book, or watching a motivational video that gives you inputs to what to do in a contingency, or it could be to initiate an activity (solo or group) which engages your happy hormones high. It is to decipher which learning environment works for your temperament. Self-analysis is a major and initial tool in decoding your behavioral types - Understanding self, then to attempt methods or to have mixed solutions which works out better. For some people, it could be when you pursue your life goals to feel that you are unshakable. For some, it could be when you feel that you had a productive working day, full engaged and busy, that you might feel motivated for the next day. For some it could be when you take a break after a hectic work schedule, unwind self so that you can bounce back to your optimum productivity again. Hence, for different individuals it is different solutions to the same concern. Learn to praise yourself for getting things done, than waiting for others to do that. Get encouraged yourself by sharing your ideas. Create ‘Me-Times’ which can help you introspect, unwind and innovate. Get competitive eventhough it might sound counterintuitive, but go for a healthy one, which can elevate your selfesteem to the next level. Compete with yourself everyday, and ensure you win. Do your passion, do things that makes you come alive, spend time with people who fuels the inner fire in you. Try promising gifts n rewards for yourself if the task

is completed on time. Enjoy and relish the achievement. It is to help yourself find that inner drive to meet your purpose here, and to be peaceful within. Extrinsic motivation depends on external factors, as opposed to the internal drivers we have seen above. When a person does not feel sufficient to the internal driving factors that he creates for himself, and feels the urge to take help from outside, he relies on Extrinsic motivation. Those could be tangible rewards or pleasures that invokes appreciation and encouragement from outside. Even a discount coupon, loyalty card, commissions, bonuses or incentives work as external motivation factors. On the contrary, threat of a reprimand or punishment also can be considered examples. At home, we try to bribe our children to do some household chores by offering him pocket money or a toy or a guitar class. Thus, an external bonus makes a chore a desirable activity to do. Extrinsic motivation is highly effective when you find a particular task problematic, demanding or challenging. Or sometimes, you are least interested to do some jobs. Procrastination is a demon that you will have to fight on your way to success, along with other monsters. Hence when you travel having your eyes glistened seeing the reward by the end of the journey, it could be comparatively soothening. Like you work everyday for the paycheck that you see at the end of the month. Most of the works that are not naturally enjoyable to do, are being pushed and got done through


The Carrot or the Stick? What do you think you deserve.

extrinsically motivated minds. It can exert a powerful influence on human behavior that can get those monotonous, boring or uninteresting assignments done quicker. The carrot that you see there, definitely evokes the parts of your brain to do your work much better than when without it. Think about you reading this article putting in your extra effort to benefit your behavioral enhancement, and thus you gain an auxiliary information about another aspect of your self-performance, then you are accelerating your extrinsic motivation. Some pointers to help you with extrinsic motivation is to : Identify a goal, do the modus operandi punctiliously and follow it meticulously. There should always be a reward that you

have promised yourself. Eventhough both motivations are indeed needed for succeeding with important tasks in life, you will need to analyse and prioritize which one you need the most. Meaningful work is always done through intrinsic motivation. As extrinsic motivation is always bound and reliant on external factors and is always selfishly hopeful of a reward. If you do not get a reward, the percentage of interest might collapse halfway. And in such cases, when the individual is not strong enough internally, it can lead to despair and depression. The bouts of withdrawals would be evident. For example, if you focus on excellence than money, eventu-

ally you will excel in what you do and end up getting paid for more than you expected at the onset. If money alone is your motivator, there are high chances that you will get underpaid continuously for a longer time, unless you refocus back on your work performance. Hence one needs to engage more time in cultivating and developing his intrinsic motivation methods inorder to fast-track the positive reaps in life. Even when the external motivators lack, you can always fall back on your internal never-ending storage of intrinsic motivation, if you have found that pot of gold in you. Remember - The quintessential answer to motivation is always YOU! 

May-June-2018

41


Dubai is home to infrastructural marvels, iconic landmarks and shopping paradises; few of the reasons that resulted in an increase in the contribution of travel and tourism to city’s GDP from 5.9% in 2006 to 9.4% in 2016.

Mr. James Mathew is the Group CEO of Crowe Horwath in UAE & Oman and also serves on the Global Board of Crowe Horwath International; the 8th largest accounting and audit firm in the world. Based in Dubai for the last 25 years, he is one of the most celebrated finance professional and leading entrepreneur in the Middle East region. Among several recognitions & professional affiliations, Mr. James is the Former Secretary General of Indian Business & Professional Council, Dubai and Past Chairman of ICAI, Dubai Chapter.

T

here are different expressions that people use to narrate their Dubai experience but I was surprised to hear a unique analogy from a family friend who was visiting Dubai after a gap of almost two decades when he called Dubai as a Showroom City. Fathoming the curiosity on my face, he stated that Dubai is not just a city but a showroom the way it has been developed, maintained and continues to charm the visitors. It is indeed commendable that everything in Dubai seems to be well planned and in its right place; the landscapes, the skyline, every view of the city appears picturesque. Being a resident of Dubai for more than 25 years now, like every other expat resident I couldn’t agree more with the fact that Dubai never misses an opportunity to surprise its residents and visitors alike with its continuous developmental projects and modern tourists spectacles.

42

May-June-2018

Undeniably, Dubai is one of the secured and best cities to live in terms of standard of living globally. According to World Council on City Data, the Emirate of Dubai is ranked among top 10 cities in complying with the first international standard for cities i.e. ISO 37120 in terms of city services and quality of life.

The compelling reasons

In a global travel and tourism industry of over 7.6 trillion US dollars, Dubai has established itself as one of the leading tourist capitals in the world, whether it’s for business, sightseeing, shopping, leisure, recreation or health. Apart from these, Dubai lures many intercontinental travellers to break their trip with a stay in the city. One more reason, why it was the top destination city in the Middle East and Africa with the highest international overnight visitor spend in the world – a stunning $28.50 billion in 2016, according to the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index

2017. Dubai is home to infrastructural marvels, iconic landmarks and shopping paradises; few of the reasons that resulted in an increase in the contribution of travel and tourism to city’s GDP from 5.9% in 2006 to 9.4% in 2016. The share of revenue from international spending was 88 percent. The official figures reflect a record 15.79 million tourists visited Dubai in the year 2017. The Tourism Vision for 2020 is a strategic roadmap to double the number of visitors welcomed in 2012; with the key objective of attracting 20 million visitors per year by 2020, when Dubai would be hosting the mega event Expo 2020.

The cognitive learning

One of the most popular ‘Visit Dubai’ tourism campaign is where Shah Rukh Khan is inviting us saying ‘It’s my Dubai, be my guest’. One can be inquisitive about why an Indian movie star is promoting Dubai


Across the Arabian What drive tourists to visit Dubai and what it reflects?

May-June-2018

43


Tourism and the answer is obvious – India has been an important partner in the growth story of the city whether in terms of the blue collar workers who constitute major part of the construction and infrastructure industry, the largest ethnic expatriate community residing in Dubai, the professionals and businessmen and also because India is the top source markets for visitors to Dubai. The highest share of 2.07 million visitors was from India who visited Dubai in 2017. Dubai, a small land of golden sands in the Gulf has grown and developed itself into a hot-spot tourism on the global map in the recent decades. While it has preserved its ancient culture and heritage, much of the present tourist attractions are manmade and non-natural. Whereas India from

44

May-June-2018

the point of view of geography and historical heritage has much more potential in the tourism sector to grow. The contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP of both the nations falls in same range. Within the tourism sector in India, the lucrative streams are leisure, business, ecological, pilgrimage, historical, medical, Ayurveda and yoga tourism, adventure, sports and wildlife tourism.

The closing remarks

We are talking about the two

Dubai, a small land of golden sands in the Gulf has grown and developed itself into a hot-spot tourism on the global map in the recent decades.

nations across the Arabian and possibilities, potentials of the tourism sector herein. While one is the global hot spot, the other has a potential of developing many such cities within the country. There could be multiple ways to progress and achieve the same, I would stress on only one point that could win it for India – ‘cleanliness & preserve’. The present government in India is propagating and pursuing ‘Swachh Bharat’ on a mission mode. If this one campaign achieves its intended goals, it can be a game changer for the tourism and transform the sector in India; one favourable outcome among the others expected. India and Indians have always attracted globe, as Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed -To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a pilgrim



GADGETS

Vivo Y83

MRP: `11,990 (approximately)   Android v8.1 (Oreo)   6.3 inches Display   13 MP + 2 MP Dual Primary Camera   8 MP Secondary Camera   3 GB RAM   32 GB Internal Memory   256 GB Expandable Memory   3300 mAh Battery Capacity

Alcatel 1T 10

MRP: `7,990 (approximately)  Android v8.1 (Oreo)  10.1 inches Display  5 MP Primary Camera  5 MP Secondary Camera  1 GB RAM  16 GB Internal Memory  128 GB Expandable Memory  4000 mAh Battery Capacity

46

May-June-2018


Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 32 GB

MRP: `9,690 (approximately)  Android  10.1 inches Display  2 MP Primary Camera  0.3 MP Secondary Camera  2 GB RAM  32 GB Internal Memory  256 GB Expandable Memory

Moto E5

MRP: 12,190 (approximately  Android v8.0 (Oreo)  5.7 inches Display  13 MP Primary Camera  5 MP Secondary Camera  2 GB RAM  16 GB Internal Memory  128 GB Expandable Memory  4000 mAh Battery Capacity

May-June-2018

47


COOKERY

Toshma Biju

CARAMEL POPCORN

Ingredients

• • • • • • •

48

Butter....................................... 1 cup Brown sugar.............................2 cups Honey..................................... 1/2 cup Salt.................................... 1 teaspoon Baking soda.................... 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract.................... 1 teaspoon Popcorn....................................5 cups

May-June-2018

Method

Preheat oven to 95 degrees C. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, honey and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat. Place in two large baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.


CHOCOLATE HONEY BALLS

Ingredients

• • • • • •

Oats...................................................................................... 1 cup Peanut butter.................................................................... 1/2 cup Crushed cashew................................................................ 1/2 cup Chocolate chips................................................................. 1/2 cup Honey................................................................................ 1/3 cup Vanilla extract............................................................... 1 teaspoon

Method

Combine oats, peanut butter, crushed cashew, chocolate chips, honey and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll it into balls, about 1 inch in diameter.

May-June-2018

49


COOKERY

CREAMY TOMATO TUNA PASTA Ingredients

• • • • • • • •

Packed tuna.................................................................. 100 grams Penne pasta.........................................................................2 cups Grated parmesan cheese..................................................... ¼ cup Tomato soup........................................................................3 cups Water................................................................................... ½ cup Garlic cloves...............................................2 nos (finely chopped) Black pepper and salt....................................as much as required Dried oregano and red pepper flakes.............as much as required

Method In a sauce pan, add tuna with olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic and oregano and saute on low heat. Stir the ingredients and cook for a couple of minutes. Once the ingredients start sizzling, add the tomato sauce soup and water. Increase the heat to medium flame and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Cook the pasta and stir it into the soup mixture in the saucepan. Mix well. Then, stir in two-third cups of parmesan cheese for two minutes. Season with black pepper powder and salt. Cover with a lid and cook for another minute. Garnish with remaining parmesan and serve.

50

May-June-2018



BEAUTY

HOW TO MAINTAIN HAIR COLOUR DURING SUMMER SEASON

S

ummer is the one factor that could be the enemy to your hair. There are several aspects that you need to watch-out for. The UV rays from the sun, water retention due to excess sweating, chlorine and the saltiness can affect your hair. But, you could do these methods to keep them intact and they will only take a fraction of your time. Here are the methods with which you could maintain your hair colour.

Moisturize

You have to protect your hair from salt and chlorine. For that you could use coconut oil. When coconut oil is below 75 degrees, it will harden and form a barrier that will prevent the effect of salt. Apply the oil on your scalp. If you would like to go for a swim in the pool or if you go to the beach, then make sure that you shampoo your hair afterwards.

Use moisturizing shampoo as often as possible. Let your hair dry.

Protection

Always cover your hair with a hat or a shawl when you go out. It will protect your hair from UV rays. Make sure that your hair is covered completely if you are travelling by bike, do not leave your hair open. Excess dryness can lead to hair fall.

Trimming

Due to the accumulation of sweat the hair may become dry and splits will form at the end. It is always better that you trim your hair at the end. Then, the hair could grow in a fresh manner.

Food

Eating apt food items will make sure that the hair will remain strong and intact. Eat the following food items to

Dr. Elizabath Chacko, MD-Kalpana's International

Mob: 9388618112

52

May-June-2018

give your hair extra strength. Eggs: protein will help in building of cells that will result in hair growth. Spinach and other iron rich food: your hair needs to be provided with rich oxygen and other nutrients. Your blood transports the same. For that you have to eat Iron rich food. Carrots and Vitamin A: Carrots are rich in Vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for hair root cells which are the fast growing cells in human body. This is applicable for men also to avoid baldness. Try these methods. Be happy and look nice.


May-June-2018

53


T

rip is often referred as a search for tourist landmarks. When one reaches such a landmark, he/she feels accomplished and satisfied. So, it is fair to assume that it is for the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction one goes for a trip. There are some who expects more feelings. Often, they prioritise the outcome of their trips in an order in which the feeling of excitement comes above accomplishment and satisfaction. Normal landmarks usually fail to excite such people. Only, unusual landmarks succeed in their case.

In the present world, the majority of travellers want to gain excite-

54

May-June-2018

ment as an end result of their trips. For our enthusiastic travellers, in this edition, we offer you the information regarding one of the most adventurous countries which have unusual landmarks.

is over 10,000. It is blessed with phosphate rocks; this rocks until recently was a backbone of the country’s economy.

Nauru, officially known as the Republic of Nauru, is an Island country located in the Central Pacific region. It is famous for its white sand beaches, attractive hills, marvellous caves and wonderful natural beauty.

This strategically important country in the Pacific region was once a colony of the might German Empire. After the bloody First World War, it came under the wings of the League of Nations; during that time, Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand indirectly controlled the administration of this country.

Nauru is the third smallest country in the world in terms of area and the second smallest country in the world in terms of population. Its total area is less than 21 KM * KM and its total population, as per the 2011 census,

This status quo underwent a radical change, during the beginning of the Second World War, particularly after the aggressive Japanese administrators began showing deeper interest in the western controlled regions in the


Nauru

f o d n a l s I The s k r a m d n a unusual l For our enthusiastic travellers, in this edition, we offer you the information regarding one of the most adventurous countries which have unusual landmarks.

May-June-2018

55


Pacific. Japan occupied the country and established their army base in Nauru during the WW2. It remained in the hand of the Japanese administrators until the angry Asian partner of Axis faction was defeated towards the end of war. Subsequently, the island again fell under the rule of western powers, with the United Nations voluntarily assuming the power to administrate this land. However, after it was offered freedom in the year 1968, it ventured into an enviable journey of economic growth. This journey was actually fuelled by its one and only wealth, phosphate. Unfortunately, when this wealth totally exhausted, this country became a dependent nation. At present, it completely relays Australia for their economic needs. The new developments indicate

56

May-June-2018

This country’s tourist sector is in a primitive state, but it has huge potential to emerge as a powerful element of their economy. that tourism might help this country to regain its prominence as an economically powerful country. Yaren, Buada Lagoon, Moqua Well, Moqua Caves, Anibare Bay, Command Ridge and Central Plateau are the popular tourist locations in the country. Unlike common landmarks, most of the tourist landmarks in the country are worth triggering excitement in travellers. This country’s tourist sector is in a primitive state, but it has huge potential to emerge as a powerful element of their economy. It is an undisputed fact that the sector urgently needs serious infrastructural investments.

Yaren is the official capital of Nauru. It is where the majority of its government buildings are situated and the preponderance of its population resides. It is the most developed region and the centre of all business activities –both public and private. Buada Lagoon is the most attractive element of Nauru. Unfortunately, the water in this lagoon is not fit for swimming. But, it is an ideal place to spend some valuable time walking aimlessly. It also helps those click photos with the lagoon as background to make magnificent photos. Moqua well is not actually a well. It is actually an underground lake flowing inside this mysterious island. The people of Nauru owe a lot to this lake; it was their lifeline during the disturbing periods of wars. It is the most popular tourist location in the country and situated close to the one and only Interna-


tional airport of the country. This island is filled with spectacular caves. Travellers who visit this country often spent a considerable amount of time exploring the Moqua caves. Anibare Bay is the most spectacular beach situated in this island. It is ideal for swimming, surfing and all other enjoyments. Travellers are advised to listen to the directives given by the local administers before they enter this beach to explore it. Command Ridge is the highest point in the island. When one

stands in this point, the entire island is under his/her observation. This point is where the Japanese soldiers established their military base during the Second World War. Central Plateau is a less inhibited region. It was once the wealth bowl of the island as it was where the preponderance of its phosphate deposit situated. The natural beauty of this unexplored region is mind-blowing. Several tourist agencies organise adventure trips to this uninhibited region. The people of this island are very friendly. They love to see and

spent time with new people. The country’s health care system is not good, but satisfactory. Travellers are advised to bring essential medicines with them if they are suffering from any uncommon disease conditions, as it is not easy to find medicines for such diseases in the Island. It is better for travellers to hire local guides, as the guides often help to learn more about the regain and give warning about the potential dangers. It is a nice country. Plan your trip now!

May-June-2018

57


AUTO REVIEW

VIVEK VENUGOPAL

New Amaze The new Amaze is a thoroughly improved version of the earlier car. Whereas, the old one was a Brio with a boot, this one has been designed grounds up to be a sub 4-metre sedan.

58

May-June-2018


D

eveloped from the Brio hatchback, the Amaze was the first ever Honda to offer a diesel engine in India. It was the most spacious car in its class, when it came out in 2013, but competition was strong and has now taken the game much forward. The first generation car had sold over 250,000 units in 8 years and the replacement is likely to do much better. We sample a pre-production version to see how good it really is. Honda has gone in a completely

different styling direction with the new Amaze. Where the old one was a short-nose, cab-forward Brio with a boot stuck on, the new Amaze tries to look like a conventional three box sedan. The bonnet is much flatter, the shoulder line is much more horizontal and the boot is so cohesive. The front and rear end styling are influenced by the International Civic, with a clear emphasis on making the car appear wider. The squared grille extends into the headlamps and appears to be one long element. The car has a 65 mm longer wheelbase than

before. The Amaze also gets wider track which has gone up by 17 mm and 25 mm at the front and rear. It is also claimed to be 40 kg lighter than the model it replaces. The new Amaze also promises to be bigger on the inside with more knee and legroom. Shoulder room at the rear has gone up by 45 mm. The front seats are much plusher now with extendable head restraints and are a big improvement from the slim units in the earlier car. The rear seats also feel wider and the back rest angle is

May-June-2018

59


good, although taller people would wish for more headroom. The dashboard and trim are finished in black and beige and plastic quality are satisfactory for most part. The texture and grain finish impart a premium feel to the cabin. Equipments include keyless entry, push button start, automatic climate control, cruise control, dual airbags, ABS EBD etc. The top end variant also gets an infotainment unit with Android Auto and Apple Car Play, which none of the automatics get at the moment. The boot space has been increased by

60

May-June-2018

The old Brio platform was fun in the corners and the new Amaze doesn’t disappoint either. 20 litres and is now 420 litres. The old Brio platform was fun in the corners and the new Amaze doesn’t disappoint either. Yes, the steering could do with a bit more weight, but it is precise and the car

feels eager to turn into a corner. The wheel size has gone up by an inch to 15 inches and the diesel uses a slightly wider 5.5 J rim (petrol 15x5 inch), but both models have identical 175/65 R15 tyres. The car feels planted and stable at high speeds too. Honda has limited the top speed of all Amazes to 145 kmph, but it feels composed at that speed. Ride quality is far better than the previous generation, with revised damper ratios, altered damper angle and urathene bump stops in place of natural rubber ones. The ground clearance has


been increased slightly to 170 mm, but then it tends to bottom out with full complement of passengers at the rear, than we remember the old one did. The big news this time is the diesel CVT. The Ameo uses a dual clutch gearbox and the Dzire uses an AMT, but Honda has stuck to the tried and tested CVT unit from their petrol cars. It must be noted that the Amaze CVT has 80 bhp and 160 Nm torque, while the manual transmission model has 100 bhp and 200 Nm. Honda, although it cited many reasons for detuning its diesel including drivability, has reduced the torque output by 40 Nm for the CVT to cope without any slip. Although it is the first time that Honda has done it globally, the diesel CVT combination works well here. It is quite smooth and pulls along nicely at low revs thanks to the torque convertor doubling the torque. With the accelerator all the way down, the engine is held at a steady 3600 rpm and the car accelerates seamlessly. You don’t feel that it is that much slower than the 100 bhp

MT version because of the constant pull at that given engine speed, not having to deal with a varying power band. The engine makes an incessant drone when you do that, but thanks to new insulation material under the engine cover (it is less clattery than ever before). It also returns very good fuel efficiency and the combination is perfect. The diesel CVT has an L mode to lock the gearbox at a lower ratio such as when going down a slope, but doesn’t get the paddle shifters which the petrol CVT comes with. The 1.2 litre 90 bhp, 110 Nm iVTEC motor also gets a CVT gearbox, but it is the same engine and gearbox combination we have seen in the Jazz. It is a fine car for city driving, but out on the highway, when driving fast, you will not be pleased. Anything more than 50 per cent throttle and it makes an awful lot of noise sending the engine to the highest part of its power band and letting it sit there while the car picks up speed very gradually. Mercifully, you can reduce the noise by tugging one of the paddles on this stepped 7 speed

CVT gearbox. But, you always feel the engine is strained beyond its comfort zone when you are driving fast and want to dial it down. It is very good inside the city when driven sedately. Fuel efficiency is also way better than the old Amaze petrol AT, which had a conventional torque convertor gearbox. The new Amaze is a thoroughly improved version of the earlier car. Whereas, the old one was a Brio with a boot, this one has been designed grounds up to be a sub 4-metre sedan. It looks way better proportioned than before, has nicer interiors, more equipments and automatic transmissions in both petrol and diesel variants. It also promises to have the cheapest service costs in its class and comes with 3 years unlimited kilometre warranty extendable up to 5 years. Our pick of the lot is the diesel CVT which although on paper, is down on power, feels well tuned for city and highway use. Since this is a pre-launch drive, prices aren’t known to us yet, but we expect Honda to price it at par with the Dzire

May-June-2018

61


MOVIE REVIEW

Raazi

I

t is an espionage thriller directed Meghna Gulzar. It is based on a renowned novel written by Harinder Sikka. The film tells us the story of an Indian woman spy, who gets married to the son of an influential Pakistani. There are many thrilling sequences in the movie. Alia Bhatt appears as the central character of the movie. Apart from this actress, Vicky Kaushal, Soni Razdan, Jaideep Ahlawat and Rajit Kapur act in the lead roles. Actually, this film definitely has something more to tell us, than a normal spy story. The lead actors deserve special appreciation for the effort they put.

102 Not Out

I

t is a family drama directed by Umesh Shukla. It is a story of a 102-year-old person, who aspires to become the world’s oldest living male, and his son, who looks like he has nothing more to do in his life. The laudable fact about this film is that renowned singer and music maker A R Rahman is the music director of this movie and legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor appear in the lead roles. Mukesh Hariawala and Jimit Trivedi are the other prime actors of the movie. There are many beautiful songs and numerous fun sequences in the movie.

62

May-June-2018


Deadpool 2

I

t is a science fiction directed by David Leitch. Like other popular science fiction, there are many thrilling sequences in this movie. The big budget film is produced by the Marvel Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Genre Films and the Donners’ Company. The movie has a long cast list. Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Brianna Hildebrand, Morena Baccarin, Jack Kesy, T J Miller, Julian Dennison, Stefan Kapicic, Leslie Uggams, Bill Skarsgard, Terry Crews, Shiori Kutsuna, Lewis Tan, Karan Soni and Eddi Marsan appear in the lead roles. The film is about a boy for whom the deadpool joins forces with three mutants.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

T

his is a science fiction directed by Ron Howard. It is the latest film of the Star Wars Anthology Series, which has millions of fans across the world. The story of this latest series revolves around Han Solo who meets his future co-pilot and a notorious gambler through a series of escapades. Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Thandie Newton, Joonas Suotamo, Paul Bettany, Jon Favreau, Warwick Davis, Clint Howard, Ian Kenny and Richard Dixon act as lead characters. There are many daring action sequences in the movie. It is a big budget movie and is likely to receive good response.

May-June-2018

63


BOOK REVIEW

Anita Gets Bail: What Are Our Courts Doing? What Should We Do About Them? Author Price

: Arun Shourie : Rs 525 (Hardcover)

J

udiciary is the true protector of society. It is a laudable fact that those constructed the Indian constitution provided ample powers to the Indian Judicial System to help it perform its duties without any difficulties. Unfortunately, day by day the people’s confidence in the system is gradually eroding as the political rulers of the country are showing no interests to fix the flaws emerged and purposefully erected. In the book, the journalist-economist turned politician exposes the present state of the Indian Judicial System and the reasons for this condition with the help of examples. The writer truly deserves a special appreciation for the effort he has taken to put forth a powerful appeal against the negligence our generation is showing towards the problems faced by the system.

Love A Little Stronger Author Price

L

: Preeti Shenoy : Rs 127 (Paperback)

ife is a mysterious thing. It is filled with experiences –both good and bad. This little book tells its readers that small things often bring big happiness in life. It also makes a genuine appeal to love a little stronger. The writer has a different writing style. It will definitely attract youngsters and oldies alike. The writer deserves a special appreciation for the intelligent way she has selected the words to convey the right meaning. Do you want to see the world from a child’s point of view and discover how beautiful our world actually is? Choose this book for it!

64

May-June-2018


WATCHES


BOOK REVIEW

Fascism: A Warning Author Price

: Madeleine Albright : Rs 525 (Hardcover)

F

ascism is a dangerous error of our violent past. The world has not yet completely recovered from the injuries it inflicted. Have the world learned anything from its past? The writer, who was the first women to hold the prestigious position of US Secretary of State, in her book, explains the disasters inflicted by the selfish ideology over the world and its people and exposes the present day fascists and their similarities with the old fascists by examining their operations and policies. There is no dispute that the writer is the most ideal person to warn the world about the evil ideology which is slowing expanding its clutches once again across every society.

How Women Rise Author Price

Y

: Marshall Goldsmith : Rs 539 (Paperback)

ou may be a highly talented woman. You may be sincere in your job. Yet, you often get no appreciation and recognition from your organisation for the efforts you put. Why this happens? Have you ever thought about it? It might be due to your self-defeating habits. This book will help you to find these habits and teach you how to overcome these habits to find success in career. The writer, in the book, extensively describes nearly twelve self-defeating habits –how it grows insides inside human mind and why it pokes out naturally making human vulnerable to failures- and several simple strategies help to overcome these habits.

66

May-June-2018



Printed On 01/ 05/ 2018

RNI Reg No. KERENG/2011/42633


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.