Unique Diary
Emaar Properties Makes Equity Offer
D
ubai's Emaar Properties is making one of the largest equity offers since the year of 2008 in its region as it has stated that it will be selling up to 25 percent of its shopping mall and retailing unit in a public offer expected to raise 8 to 9 billion dirhams, Dubai Emaar's flagship mall is the Dubai mall, which happens to be one of the largest malls in the world as it is said to have attracted more than 75 million visitors in 2013. The company has also built the Buri Khalifa in Dubai, which is the world's tallest building. The shares that are to be sold will be coming from the unit's current equity. Emaar had previously discussed plans to list its shopping malls before Dubai's financial crisis which had erupted in 2009, however since Emirate's real estate and stock markets had collapsed due to the crisis, Emaar was forced to put a hold on the plan.
“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.” Norman Schwarzkopf
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UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
Barmer Power Plant Restarts
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he Barmer plan in Rajasthan which had been shut down in February due to fuel not being available has been restarted by JSW Energy. In a regulatory filing, the Sajjan Jindal promoted firm stated that, "Two 135 MW units of the Power station at Barmer have restarted operations while the balance units of 135 MW each are expected to restart operations in phase by end March 2014.” The Barmer plant had achieved full capacity of 1,080 MW in March of 2013. The Raj West Power, which is a wholly owned unit of JSW Energy had shut down its 8x135-MW power station in February for about one month due to the non availability of the fuel which fires the plant: lignite.
Unique Diary
Rakesh Sethi: New CMD of Allahabad Bank
I
n a regulatory filing Allahabad Bank has stated that Rakesh Sethi will be becoming its new chairman and managing director. The filing stated "Allahabad Bank has informed BSE that the Government of India have appointed Rakesh Sethi as chairman and managing director of the bank with effect from the date of his taking over the charge," Mr. Rakesh Sethi has been appointed the position until April 30, 2017, the date of his superannuation or until further order, whichever is earlier.
“There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down simply by spending his money somewhere else.” Sam Walton
Double Loans for Women SHGs in Next Fiscal
B
y the end of the next fiscal, the country's largest private sector lender ICICI Bank stated that it will be targeting more than double its cumulative disbursements to women self help groups to Rs. 2,500 crore. Till now they have disbursed around Rs. 1,000 crore and had started lending to SHGs 30 months ago. The bank's managing director and chief executive Chanda Kochhar said that they “are targeting to take the cumulative disbursements under the programme to Rs. 2,500 crore by March 2015.” Over 70,000 SHGs across 164 districts in seven states have borrowed from the bank. It has directly helped 1 million women and adding the number of beneficiaries will rise to 2 million by the end of FY15. According to Kochhar, the bank lends at 14 percent per year to SHGs for one to three years, and the average ticket size of the loans is Rs. 1.6 lakh. In FY13, it disbursed Rs. 330 crore which is expected to increase to Rs. 850 crore by the end of this fiscal.
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Unique Diary
Google Indoor Map Launched in India
I
n order to help users browse and locate the specific locations inside venues like malls and museums, Google has launched indoor maps in India. The Google India director and product manager Suren Ruhela reportedly told PTI that, "using indoor maps, users will find it easy to locate stores, especially in an unfamiliar shopping mall or when they plan a visit to a museum like Salar jung in Hyderabad. With Indoor Google Maps in India, people can access detailed floor plans for 75 popular indoor venues with a few easy swipes," He added that the service will be available free to Android and iOS users. The service is already available as part of Google Maps in countries such as U.S., Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Aside from the metro areas, the maps will cover locations in Bhopal, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jaipur, Kochi, Lucknow, Ludhiana and Moradabad.
“Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.� Andy Warhol
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UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
IntelleGrow Grows...
I
ntelleGrow, a Mumbai based debt financing firm has new investors as the Dell Inc CEO Michael Dell and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar have invested Rs. 28 crore in the company. Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the founders of Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm have invested Rs. 25 crore in IntelleGrow, while Dell's CEO has invested Rs. 3 crore through the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. IntelleGrow provides customized debt finance to small and emerging businesses in India, as it focuses on sectors like clean energy, agricultural supply chain, educatin, financial inclusion, affordable healthcare and water and sanitation. IntelleGrow has up to the present time distributed over 60 loans, totaling more than Rs. 60 crore on SMEs across India.
Unique Diary
Tata Group Firm Indian Hotels to Raise Rs. 1,000 Crore The Tata group firm Indian Hotels is planning to raise up to Rs. 1,000 crore through the rights issue from its existing shareholders. According to the company, "The Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held on March 27 considered and approved subject to the approval of the shareholders to the extent applicable, and receipt of the relevant approvals from the regulatory authorities, as may be required, issue of compulsory convertible debentures by way of rights issue to the existing shareholders of the company on a record date for an amount not exceeding Rs. 1,000 crore.” The Rs. 1,000 crore rights issue would be subject to further approval from its shareholders and regulatory authorities and a committee would be formed by the board of the company in order to look into the issues related to the terms and conditions, entitlement, price and other related matters.
“Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to failure. Every great success has always been achieved by fight. Every winner has scars.”
Infosys Signs 3 Year Contract with Prime Therapeutics Infosys has signed a three year contract with Prime Therapeutics to set up a testing centre of excellence (COE) and to consolidate the delivery of its application testing services. The U.S. based subsidiary of the country's second largest software
Herbert N. Casson
services exporter, Infosys Public Services signed the contract with the PBM firm which process prescriptions for the groups which pay for drugs, like insurance firms and negotiate with drug makers and pharmacies. In a statement Infosys said that, "Prime Therapeutics will streamline and optimise its quality assurance (QA) and testing services as well as enhance its competitiveness with Infosys Public Services' expertise and world-class delivery model." Prime Therapeutics will be able to improve application and service quality, and reduce IT costs with Infosys Public Services' range of QA and testing frameworks, techniques, tools and accelerators, Infosys said. April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
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Unique Diary
Candy Crush The Mobile game maker King Digital Entertainment Pic priced its initial public offering at the mid-point of its expected range valuing the “Candy Crush Saga” maker at about $7.1 billion. The offer marks the largest United States IPO from a booming mobile gaming industry which has been looking to emerge from the shadow of Zynga Inc, the social gaming firm which lost half of its value after a 2011 IPO valued it just below King at $7 billion. Even if King, whose other games include "Bubble Witch Saga" and "Papa Pear Saga", pulls off a strong debut, the real test will be the stock's staying power in coming weeks and months. King hopes to avoid Zynga's fate by virtue of a stronger focus on a mobile gaming market worth an estimated $17 billion. Founded in Sweden in 2003, the company has drawn plaudits for transforming "Candy Crush Saga" into a household name that was the most downloaded and top-grossing free app of 2013 on Apple Inc's app store.
“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” Peter F. Drucker
Indra Nooyi Last year, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi received a pay package that was worth $13.2 million which was a 5 percent increase from the previous year. The increase in pay was due to the higher performance based bonus which reflected the company's improved financial results after having come out of a transitional year in which it had slashed its costs and stepped up the investments in flagship brands. Its results in 2013 were better, with net income and earnings per share increasing. Drinks continued to lag in North America, with soda in particular seeing declines. But executives say having a diversity of products helps PepsiCo weather a variety of challenges. It also notes it's positioned to benefit from the strength of its non-carbonated drinks like Gatorade as people continue to move away from soda. For 2013, Nooyi's pay included a base salary of $1.6 million, stock awards of $7.5 million and a performance-based bonus of $4 million. In 2012, her performance-based bonus was $3.3 million. Nooyi, 58, has been chief executive since 2006 and board chair since 2007.
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UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
Unique Diary
Less Work…More Pay Last year Robert D. Marcus was appointed the chief executive of Time Warner Cable, and less than two months later, he agreed to sell the company to its largest rival, Comcast for a price of $45 billion. For this sale alone he will be receiving nearly $80 million, which is a severance payment which amounts up to more than $1 million a day for the six weeks time period for which he ran the company before he had agreed to sell. Robert Jackson Jr., an associate professor at Columbia Law School said that,”It's not unprecedented, but it is rare and troubling. There's something stunning about such big paydays for such a small amount of work."The extraordinarily large exit package is just one more example of corporate America rewarding executives with outsize sums for sometimes minimal amounts of work, and it comes despite the growing debate over income inequality in America.
“Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were.”
74 Percent Foreign Investment in Federal Bank According to the Reserve bank of India, with an increase in foreign investment limit in Federal Bank up to 74 percent will be allowing overseas investors to purchase stake in the private bank. In a notification by apex bank, it has been stated that Federal Bank has been removed from the ban list and the restrictions placed on the purchase of shares have been withdrawn with
David Rockefeller
immediate effect. It said that, "equity shares of Federal Bank Ltd, can now be purchased through primary market and stock exchanges.” The restrictions were removed as the government approved increasing foreign investment in Federal Bank from 49 per cent to 74 per cent for its paid up equity share capital. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs), non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origins (PIOs) can invest in primary and secondary capital markets in India through the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).
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Business
Corporate Governance
Inclusive Growth & NBFCs
Shri V.P. Nandakumar MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.
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The typical NBFC caters largely to the less privileged sections who are financially excluded. India's NBFCs have, by and large, understood the need for adherence to fair practices and fair treatment of customers who may not be aware of their rights.
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Life Story
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UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
An Outstanding Citizen of Society Dr. Varghese Kurian
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Entrepreneurship
Indpreneur I
s it easy to set up a new enterprise in India? Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Singapore, Dubai or even the United States may come among the first twenty in the list of easy business countries. A research of one hundred and twenty countries put India at one hundred and thirteen. Is it really so difficult to set up a new enterprise in India?
Vinod Kumar
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Entrepreneurship cannot be without innovation. Design of the product, attracting investments, strategically creating a market and all operational procedures need to begin with innovations. Let us consider the complex challenge of selling. How to communicate the specific measures by which the young entrepreneur can sell the product successfully? We know that people are driven to procure a product to satisfy their personal taste. It could be the toothpaste, the dress or even a car but then there is an impetus to purchase. A uniform dress whether in sports or profession is not personal taste but a team requirement. This is a functional purchase. The third intend to purchase is because it is ubiquitous which means it is a sudden trend, an immediate fashion or an urgent social compulsion. For example, a patriotic memento during a republic day, a religious symbol during festival or even an ethnic dress or a head gear. Many times the buyer seeks to express himself using the product to convey the message, may be through a luxury car or a watch. So welcome to the world of complexities. As a start up entrepreneur, is it the painful news or the pleasurable results that dominates your experiences? There is no formula to
navigate between these two features. To penetrate the market, it's demography must be deconstructed. Centralised strategy born in the marketing board room may be very distant from the actual and local realities at the ground zero. Let us meet Charlie who is a radio jockey in the local radio station. All five hundred thousand people in that town listen to Charlie everyday. People are sure to buy the chewing gum that you want to sell if recommended by Charlie. The chewing gum company will be wise if they make Charlie endorse their product instead of attempting to communicate to all the population of the town. Samantha is an adversary of Charlie. She encourages people to use organic products and to reject the regressive act of gum chewing. Her followers are adversaries of RJ Charlie. Samantha has polarised a good portion of citizens of the town into her activism. Such behaviourial polarisation can become an impediment for the optimum penetration into the market. It is important that the next program innovator should have ample education into the burden of regulations imposed by the formalised purchase behaviours. For example, there is a ban on tinted, dark and opaque films on windows of cars. However good the product is, the regulatory burden is a deterrent for the people to buy a product. Many entrepreneurs are pained by the volume of bureaucratic discretions that delays, if not paralyses the business initiatives. Isn't it surprising that even though India is one of the most difficult places to begin an enterprise, yet Indian youth seem to be
having the capacity and capability to begin new business ventures? Just like the horse must be in-front of the cart similarly you must be encouraged to drive the initiatives and then the competencies will come. Take help from domain experts such as chartered accountants, business advocates, angel investors, venture capitalists, financial experts and company secretaries. Ensure the arithmetics of production, inventory, labour hours and the market dynamics are tallying. Never underestimate the importance of detailed business report which must be ratified by expert businessmen. Ensure that your enterprise coach and the business mentor are integral part of a business enterprise. It is important that you eliminate the deterrents by keeping a focus on the target. The talent of attention -todetail must be practiced to perfection. An expert must design the structure of management, so that entitlements and rights are conferred upon the entrepreneur. Your power as the owner must be established at specific levels. Continuously upgrading your technical skills, updating your people skills alone will give you a competitive edge. Circumvent the challenges and navigate through the complexities and successfully establish your entrepreneurship in India. This will be the great business craft that you must master.
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Business
WORKPLACE MOTIVATION
Rajesh Nair Associate Director/Markets Ernst & Young LLP
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The mastery of work is a great motivator and so is the relentless quest for excellence in what we do. If we create workplaces where people are encouraged and no goaded like cattle, we are likely to trigger this feeling in individuals and teams.
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Gadgets
HTC One M8 Rs. 51,999 5 in Display 2.3 GHz Processor Resolution: 1080 x 1920 Pixels Android 4.4.2 OS 4 Ultrapixel Rear Camera 5 Megapixel Front Camera 2 GB RAM 16 GB Storage
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Rs. 36,990 Display: 4.30 in Resolution: 720 x 1280 Pixels 2.2 GHz Processor Android 4.2 OS 2 GB RAM 16 GB Storage Space 20.7 MP Rear Camera 2 MP Front Camera
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Xolo Q1100 Rs. 14,999 Display : 5.00 in Resolution: 720 x 1280 Pixels Processor: 1.4 GHz OS: Android 4.3 RAM: 1 GB Storage Space: 8 GB Rear Camera: 8 MP Front Camera: 2 MP
Sony's Project Morpheus VR Headset Price: To be announced A prototype headset capable of surrounding a wearer's vision with interactive virtual worlds codenamed Project Morpheus, utilizes a 1080p head-mounted display with head-tracking capabilities and works in concert with the PlayStation 4 console to display imagery on the headset's screen, providing a 90-degree field of view.
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Micromax Canvas Knight Rs. 19,999 Display : 5 in Resolution: 1080 x 1920 Processor: 2 GHz OS: Android 4.2.2 RAM: 2 GB Storage Space: 32 GB Rear Camera: 16 MP Front Camera: 8 MP
Nokia X Dual SIM Rs. 8,599 Display : 4 in Resolution: 480 x 800 Processor: 1 GHz OS: Nokia X Platform 1.0 RAM: 512 MB Storage Space: 4 GB Rear Camera: 3 MP
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Lava Iris Pro 20 Rs. 13,999 Display : 4.7-inch qHD Resolution: 540x960 Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core OS: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean RAM: 1 GB Storage Space: 4 GB Rear Camera: 8 MP Front Camera: 0.3 MP
Lava QPAD e704 Rs. 9,999 Display : 7-inch Resolution: 1024x600 Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core Broadcom OS: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean RAM: 1 GB Storage Space: 4 GB Rear Camera: 3.2 MP Front Camera: VGA
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Wickedleak Wammy Passion X Rs. 22,500 Display : 5 in Resolution: 1080 x 1920 Processor: 1.7 GHz OS: Android 4.2 RAM: 2 GB Storage Space: 16 GB Rear Camera: 13 MP Front Camera: 3 MP
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro Rs. 65,575 Display : 12 in Resolution: 2560 x 1600 Processor: 1.9 GHz OS: Android 4.4.2 Rear Camera: 8-megapixel
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Gadgets
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 Rs. 21,999 Display : 8 in Resolution: 1280 x 800 Processor: 1.2 GHz OS: Android
Asus Chromebox $179 You can connect the Chromebox to a standard monitor just like any other desktop. Like other newer desktops, the Chromebox also has an HDMI port to connect to high-definition TVs. That makes it tempting to turn the Chromebox into a streaming device.With most streaming devices, you need apps for individual services such as Netflix and HBO Go. If there's no app for that service, you can't watch it on the big screen for the most part.
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JBL 56BT Bluetooth Wireless Headphones Rs. 9,990 Dynamic Frequency Response: 20Hz20kHz Microphone Sensitivity: -42dBPa/v @ 1KHz Supported connectivity: Bluetooth and 3.5mm wired Battery life: 10 hours
Bose SoundTouch 30 Wi-Fi Music System Rs. 52,763 Dimensions 9.7-inches H x 17.1-inches W x 7.1-inches D Weight 8.39 kg Wireless network compatibility: 802.11 b/g Supported audio formats: MP3, WMA, AAC Aux input Ethernet port USB inputs
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Samsung Galaxy S5 Rs. 51,500 Display : 5.10 Resolution: 1080x1920 Processor: 1.9GHz OS: Android 4.4.2 RAM: 2GB Storage Space: 16GB Rear Camera: 16 MP Front Camera: 2.1MP
Xolo Play Tegra Rs. 17,999 Display : 7-inch Resolution: 1920x1200 Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core Broadcom OS: Android 4.2.2 RAM: 1 GB Storage Space: 16 GB Rear Camera: 5 MP Front Camera: VGA
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Auto Review
DATSUN 42
UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
Vivek venugopal
GO April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
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T
hose born in the sixties and seventies will remember Datsun and have fond memories of cars such as the iconic 240Z. Once a subsidiary of Nissan, the Datsun brand, dates back to 1914 when it made everything from family saloons to sports cars and pickup trucks. Later, in 1986, the brand was discontinued and cars were sold under the Nissan brand name only. Twenty eight years later, Nissan thinks it’s finally time to revive the iconic brand and cash in on the huge demand for entry level hatchbacks in India. The weapon of choice for its first Indian innings is the GO – a car that can compete with the likes of the stylish Hyundai Eon and venerable Alto 800. The name ‘GO’ was chosen to commemorate the first Datsun car ever made - the ‘Dat GO’. The new Datsun GO measures 3785mm in length, 1635mm in width and 1485mm in height and has the same 2450mm wheelbase as the Micra, making it quite a generously proportioned car for its class. One of the problems designers face when making a cheap car is that curved body panels add to the
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complexity of the tooling and consequently push the costs, they often have to make do with straight edged, flat panels making the end result slightly boring. But Nissan engineers have managed to keep the costs down without making it look like a car built on a budget. The front grille gets a thick chrome surround with black honeycomb pattern and wraparound headlights gel well with the styling of the GO. The bonnet gets sharp crease and style lines that originate from the front grille and flow towards the windshield. The shoulder line runs across the doors and joins the thick bulge just on the rear door. The rear is attractive enough with a rakish rear glass and shapely tail lamps. The door pillars and window frames get the black treatment that makes them look premium. The only grouse we have with the styling is that the 13 inch wheels look tiny and lost in the big wheel arches. There is a single wiper that sweeps the whole windscreen rather well. The wing mirrors are manually adjustable and come unpainted to keep the costing tight. The door handles get body color paint. There is no rear key lock to open the boot lid which
has to be opened by the remote opener besides the driver’s seat. The first thing you notice when entering the GO is the big cabin and the extended seat cushion on the front passenger seat that makes it look like a bench seat, like on old cars. Datsun officials insist that the front seats are only meant for two passengers and not three and the space in the middle is for keeping small items such as handbags. The dashboard is made of decent quality plastic and feels upmarket in certain areas where it is thicker than the rest. You’ll notice the round air-con vents and the control stalks and door handles are borrowed from the Micra. The instrumentation consists of a single speedo dial in the middle and a digital RPM meter with digital fuel indicator in the console. You also get a multi function display that tells you the mileage, DTE and trip meter in the package. The gearlever is mounted high up on the dashboard and at times you will have your elbow fouling with the middle of the seat,
especially if it’s moved forward to make space for a taller rear passenger. In place of a stereo system you get something that Datsun calls as the Docking Station. Basically, a Smartphone dock with AUX input and a USB port to charge your phone, this really is a stupid idea and wasted opportunity as the USB port cannot be used to play music from your thumb drive. You don’t get a Radio or CD player and what it does is block one of AC vents when the phone is kept in portrait mode. It is also annoying to have your USB and AUX wires hanging beside the gear lever. It is best to opt for a regular aftermarket music player if you buy one. What’s more, the glove box on the dash comes without a lid although Nissan says it will have an underseat storage box sold as an accessory for your cars documents. The Datsun GO also gets a utility vehicle style pull type handbrake. The seats have built in headrests and come with slim padding purposely to keep costs down and increase on the
in cabin space. The seats upfront offer good support to the back and under thigh while the rear gets adequate knee room and head room. The extended front seat makes you feel separated from the front passengers and also blocks some of the cold air from the middle AC vents. But the biggest disappointment with the Go is the rear seat belts which do not have an inertia reel mechanism that make them retract like normal seat belts. Not only is it a pain to adjust and hang on the top after each use, but a careless passenger could get it caught up in the door sill and dent it. Boot space on the Datsun GO is large at 265liters and as mentioned the loading area is pretty good. The Datsun GO also comes with speedsensing wipers and follow-me-home headlamps as segment-first features. The Datsun GO is powered by a 1.2litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine, which is derived from the Nissan Micra but is de-tuned and produces 68 PS of power at 5000 RPM with 104 Nm of
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To wrap it up, the Datsun GO has the potential to be the game changer in the entry level segment offering great space, big car feel and Nissan levels of reliability at a very affordable price. We wish they had bothered to offer ABS and airbags as an option, and the rear seat belts were better thought out.
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torque at 4000 RPM as in the Micra Activ variant. The GO is a featherlight, weighing just 769 kgs and this makes it feel peppy and fairly quick. It can do 0-100 kmph sprint in just 14.3seconds, which is very quick for a car of its class. This peppy nature of the 3-pot motor makes it easy to shoot the car in gaps precisely and you would find it very easy to drive around town. The engine is best left to work in its midrange as revving it anywhere close to its 5200rpm redline makes it sound coarse and thrashy. Even with the AC on and three passengers sitting with some luggage in the boot, the GO feels at ease. The gearbox however is not the same on the Micra and it feels a bit notchy. The ride quality is amazing and is unmatched by rivals like the Alto and the Eon. The long travel of the suspension and linear damper can take the worst abuse the Indian roads can throw at it. The downside to this slightly soft, long travel suspension is that it creates too much body roll in
corners. The thin tyres limit grip, but overall handling is good. The electronic power steering has torque sensing motor and it is speed sensitive, so the feedback is linear and positive. To wrap it up, the Datsun GO has the potential to be the game changer in the entry level segment offering great space, big car feel and Nissan levels of reliability at a very affordable price. We wish they had bothered to offer ABS and airbags as an option, and the rear seat belts were better thought out. Otherwise, it is a great choice for someone looking for a cheap city runabout. First time buyers in this segment are too careful about what they put their money on and Nissan has to get its service up to Maruti and Hyundai levels and that’s no easy task. As a product, it is beyond everything else at that price range at the moment.
Supported by
Travel
Enjoying Life like the
Spaniards
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Denisha Sahadevan
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pain is a country that is known for its flamenco music, its dances, bull fights, and the beaches. For many years, Spain has been one of the cultural centers of Europe. The country consists of beautiful cities and towns as well historical monuments and architecture. In Spain Flamenco is the musical tradition, in particular in Anadalusia. Flamenco is a genuine Southern Spanish art. It exists in three forms: Cante, the song, Baile, which is the dance and Guitarra, the guitar playing. In April the Feria de Abril takes place in Seville, an event where singing and dancing takes place for an entire week. If you arrive in Spain two weeks before the Feria, you can also see the Semana Santa for Easter week.
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of good restaurants and enjoy the beautiful views of the beach. Aqueduct of Segovia Attractions and Shopping in Spain
the heart of the festival is the El
Palacio Real
Encierro, the Running of the Bulls,
The Palacio Real known as the Royal
which is an activity that involves
Palace of Madrid is the official
running in front of a dozen bulls that
residence of the King of Spain though
have been let loose on a course of the
it is only used for the state
town's streets.
ceremonies. The Royal Palace was
La Concha
built between 1738 and 1755 and
La Concha which is located in San
King Carios III took up the residence
Sebastian is known to be one of the
in the palace in 1764.
best city beaches in Europe and
Running of the Bulls
Spain alone. It is protected from the
Pamplona is a city in Navarra, that is
strong winds by the steep cliffs and
famous for its San Fermin festival
islands. For those who love surfing
held each year from July 6th – 14th. At
this is the perfect spot, and you can walk along the promenade in search
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The Aqueduct of Segovia happens to be one of the best preserved monuments that have been left by the Romans in Spain. The ancient aqueduct carries water for 16 km from the Frio River to Segovia and was built from 24,000 massive granite blocks without the use of mortar. Constructed around 50 AD probably it still provides water to the city. Cuenca Cuenca, is a city that is situated between Madrid and Valencia which will take you back to the medieval
times. It is built on the steep sides of a mountain. The many houses are built at the edge of a cliff, making the city one of the most beautiful towns in Spain. It is the gem of the province of Castilla La Mancha.
Ibiza Ibiza is one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Spain. If you love parties this is the place to go as It is the most popular party destinations in all of Europe. During the summer the tourists all head to Ibiza to enjoy the night clubs, beach bars and the restaurants. Sagrada Familia Located in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia is a large Roman Catholic church which is one of Spain's most visited tourist attractions. It's a design
by Antoni Gaudi, a Catalan architect
Escorial as a monument to Spain's
who worked on the project for almost
role as a center of the Christian
40 years until he died in 1926.
world. Today it is functioning as a
El Escorial
monastery, royal palace, museum and
El Escorial was the political center of
school.
the Spanish empire under King
Mezquita of Cordoba
Philip II. It is located in the foothills
The Mezquita which is the Spanish
of the Sierra de Guadarrama. King
word for Mosque of Cordoba is a
Philip II had appointed Juan Bautista
fascinating building which is famous
de Toledo as the architect in 1559
for the forest of pillars and arches
and together they designed the El
inside the main hall. The site was
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originally a Roman temple, then a
Madrid
Sunday you shouldn't miss out on the
Visigothic church, before the
Madrid which is Spain's capital and
street market in the centre of the city
Umayyad Moors built the Mezquita.
the largest city is mostly known for its
known as “Rastro.” So if you love the
After the Spanish Reconquista a
sizzling nightlife scenes. It is home to
night life and love shopping just head
cathedral was built into the center of
a number of universities, and is
to Madrid!
the large Moorish building.
known to be one of Europe's most
Alhambra
colorful cosmopolitan cities. The
Part fortress, part palace and part
“golden mile” which is the
Barcelona
garden, the Alhambra is located on a
Salamanca neighbourhood with
Barcelona is located in the
plateau overlooking the city of
Serrano and Ortega y Gasset streets
northeastern part of Spain. It is one
Granada in Southern Spain. The
is home to the most prestigious
of the country's top travel
palace was constructed in the 14th
Spanish brands, alongside world
destinations because if offers
century by the Nasrid sultans. The
names in luxury fashion. If you love
everything which tourists look for in a
Alhambra is now one of Spain's major
the latest fashions then you should
European city from the historic
tourist attractions and many visitors
make a visit to Calle Fuencarral
architecture to a lively shopping,
come to Granada just to see the
where you will find authentic trends
vibrant culture and buzzing nightlife.
Alhambra.
in the Fuencarral market. On a
The architectural marvels of Spain's
UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
and famous ceramics. If you want to enjoy your shopping with sea views, you can visit the Canray Islands, the Balearic Islands or on the Costa del Sol where you should visit the Puerto Banus (Marbella) which is known for their beach fashions and exclusive brands. To get Spain's full shopping experience you shouldn't miss out on The most innovative trends can be found in the Gotico and El Born areas. Santiago de Compostela design and traditions can be found mainly between the Ensanche area and the old town, which has the UNESCO World Hertiage designation and
Cibeles which is Madrid's fashion week held every year in the months of February and September. Here you
is also home to a host of crafts from the Galicia Region.
can get your hands on the latest
famous, the Casa Batllo and the
and cultural capital. The city is home
prestigious designers such as Custo
famous Sagrada Farnilia church is
to many of the beautiful and
Barcelona, Roberto Verino, Victorio y
located here. In Barcelona, there is
important historic landmarks, chief
Lucchinno, Manolo Blahnik and
also an exclusive bohemian fashion
of which is the grand Cathedral of
Davidelfin.
showcase that goes on for five
Seville, where it is believed that
kilometers in the city's streets such as
explorer Christopher Columbus is
the Ensanche area around Avenida
buried. Also when it comes to
Diagonal and Paseo de Gracia which
shopping, the old town is filled with
When you are in Spain, you definitely
is home to the most prestigious
traditional shops where you can
cannot miss out on the food! Spaniards
boutiques. The most innovative
purchase craft items and typical
eat so much, but they keep themselves
trends can be found in the Gotico
clothing such as shawls and flamenco
fit. Usually for breakfast they have a
and El Born areas.
mantillas. In the Nervion area you
strong coffee with bollos (which is sweet
Santiago de Compostela design and
will find shopping centres and major
rolls) with jam, toast with jam or mild
traditions can be found mainly
franchises and exclusive brands.
cheese, or “Maria� crackers dipped in
between the Ensanche area and the
Valencia
hot milk. Some prefer to have a sweet
old town, which has the UNESCO
One of the largest and one of the
and lemony cupcake like cakes called
World Hertiage designation and is
most important cities in Spain,
magdalenas. Tapas is also famous in
also home to a host of crafts from the
Valencia is located in the eastern part
Spain as it is eaten between breakfast
Galicia Region. After you are done
of the country. After many years of
and lunch. Tapas is a small plate of finger
with a day's shopping you will be able
major construction and renovation,
food which may be warm or cold. The
to see that it is no accident that many
Valencia today is famous for its Fallas
dishes vary from region to region and
of the biggest names in Spanish
Festival and the City of Arts and
depend on the season. Some other
contemporary fashion emerge from
Sciences architectural masterpiece.
Spanish foods which you must try are
Galicia.
When you are in Valencia, you can
Tortilla Espanola which is a Spanish
Seville
also find the latest trends in fashion
Omelet also known as tortilla de patata
Exceptional tourist attractions, lively
here. The Colon area and the streets
or potato omelet, Patatas Bravas which is
festivals and a lively nightlife is what
around it bring together famous
potatoes with spicy brava sauce, and
makes Seville one of the best places
designers. Also if you stroll through
Gambas al Ajillo which is shrimp in
to visit in the Southern part of Spain.
the streets surrounding the City Hall
Garlic. Don't miss out on the food, the
As the capital city of Andalusia,
and the Cathedral, you can find
shopping and the nightlife once you land
Seville is also the region's financial
many shops with traditional flavor
in Spain, and enjoy life as the Spaniards
fashions directly, see Spain's most
Spanish Food!
do!
April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
53
Beauty
Keeping Yourself
Beautiful by
Taking It Easy
54
UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
W
hy is it when you look in the
you, and it's better to stop worrying and
mirror that you see a bunch
realize that sooner or later, the problem
of gray hairs? It isn't only the
which you are going through will come to
older generations which have gray hairs
an end. Though putting an end to your
sprouting here and there, but even the
worries is easier said than done, it takes
younger generations. Despite the age, the
practice. You have to learn to face the
“signs� of aging are very common amongst
situations which you are placed in with a
all age groups. So those young and old,
rationalized mindset. When your mind is
one thing that you should keep in mind is
organized then you will be able to focus
that those wrinkles and gray hairs which
properly and think clearly.
reflect back at you are not because you are
Whenever I face a problem in my life, I
getting older, but it is because of the high
always had one of my friends repeatedly
amount of pressure which you may be
tell me this one piece of advice which has
facing every day. And when you happen to
helped me immensely! STOP THINKING!
face an increased level of tension, the
It seems a bit out of line, but the truth is
results are that bad eating habits tend to
that we all think too much. It's a natural
develop and your hormones automatically
tendency to think, think, think! We as
become imbalanced. Always keep in mind
human beings are emotional, tend to be
that the secret to aging beautifully only in
irrational, and drastic with our actions.
number's rather than in looks is learning
This is all because we over think
to cope with everyday obstacles with ease,
everything. There are certain individuals
which will help you to keep breathing easy.
that will dissect their problems
First thing you must learn to do to reduce
unnecessarily, and create more problems
your stress is stop and realize your
from the one tiny problem which they may
problem is just a problem, every problem
be facing at the time. When you do this all
has a solution!
it leads to is wrinkles and gray hairs, if you
There are everyday tensions for everyone,
think about that may be then that will
young or old, whether studying or working.
curb your overwhelming thoughts.
It does not matter, the type of job which
Thinking is not a bad thing, but when you
you may have, or the amount of studies
over think your problems, then you are
which are loaded up on you. Everyone
only creating more problems for yourself.
feels as if the weight of the world is on
Questions! Questions! Questions!
their shoulders, though the truth of the
In school, they have always taught that it
matter is that the problem which each
is always good to ask questions, because
individual is facing is not as bad as it
when you want to know something, you
seems. However as we are going through
should obviously ask questions. It is the
the motions of the dilemma we do not
only way to make yourself knowledgeable.
tend to stop and realize this tiny factor,
However there are necessary and
because our minds are in a hurry burry.
unnecessary questions in life. In
We think so much that it feels like
education it is fine to ask any questions,
everything is crashing around us, and
but in life situations it may not always be
what we need to do is realize that if there
the best thing. Life situated questions are
is a problem, there is always a solution.
the result of over thinking. When you
There is never a problem without a
think more than you need too a downer is
solution, so all the worrying which you are
that it will only lead to more questions
doing now is only going to take a toll on
about your problem and the people
April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
55
Have you ever stopped to think that may be reacting might not be such a good idea?
56
UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
involved in it, and when you ask too
situation is naturally react. Here's a
many questions, what happens is that
piece of advice DON'T REACT!
one question leads to another question
A very wise person once told me that I
and it continues like a never ending
should never react. When someone is
cycle. Always know that for each
scolding at you in the office, the first
question that is asked there will always
thing you will tend to do is react in a
be answers, but those answers will only
way which will only lead to create
lead to more questions, so it's better to
more issues. Have you ever stopped to
just keep mum and not ask anything
think that may be reacting might not
and keep your mind and mouth shut.
be such a good idea? Some people
When questions over crowd your head
tend to react because they think they
you will never be able to think straight,
have to defend themselves, or speak
though as human beings our emotions
up for themselves, but later on are left
leads us to question everything and
with more problems than which they
everyone, but when you stop
started out with. When someone is
questioning, life just becomes a tad bit
angry with you, don't show the anger
easier to handle.
back. Why do you want to fight fire
The first thing that anyone does in any
with fire? It's very clichĂŠ, but when
someone is attacking you, the best
Another beauty secret, always keep a
way to solve that issue is not to attack
beautiful smile on your face! A smile
back, but just to keep cool, and
not only brightens up your day, but
control that raging wrath against that
also the day of anyone that might
person who might be attacking you
come across your way, so you are not
and shredding you into pieces
only helping yourself by smiling, but
whether it is in front of everyone or
you will be making others' day as
personally face to face. Learn
well. You don't need a reason to
humility, it will help you a lot in your
smile, you just smile even if your day
life. Just remember what goes around
is going bad if you keep smiling, and
comes around, you only reap what
everything will only become better.
you sow, so treat other's as you would want to be treated and make sure
Think positive!
that no matter how bad a person may
No matter how bad a situation might
treat you, to just keep smiling and
be, learn to keep a positive mindset.
treat them with kindness. You will be
Negative thoughts will make you feel
very happy that you did so in the long
edgy, over stressing your mind and
run!
makes you feel as if you can't
Let go of the past, learn that every
breathe. Negativity is never a good
day is a new day with a new
thing, it will only make your
beginning!
situations worse, and your life seem
One of the many reasons why we
like a nightmare. No matter how
have so many issues at times in our
horrible a situation might be, you
relationships or in life in general is
have to train your mind to learn to
due to insecurities. These
think positive. Like I said earlier, it is
insecurities tend to be a result of
easier said than done, that is why you
things which have impacted us in a
have to learn to practice thinking in a
negative way in our past. Something
positive way.
which will always help is to realize
You are the only one responsible for
that you need to let go of the past. It
all the stress in your life. When you
is called “the past� for a reason, we
are able to obtain a control over your
only need to keep the lessons which
emotions, you will only be helping
we learned in the past with us, but
yourself. Every day you are starting
cannot be stuck in it. When we
new, and you have to understand that
become stuck in the past, we will be
you can never control anyone or
unable to live our lives to the fullest.
anything but yourself. In this life first
Life is a gift, and we should enjoy
thing which you must always do is
every day of it rather than spending
take care of yourself and how you
all our time worrying about all that
handle everything rather than looking
has been done and said long ago.
at what others are doing and how
Once you are able to let go of all that
they are handling their situations.
has already happened, you are taking
When you learn to look after your
a baggage off your shoulders and you
own matter's and learn that you
will feel more free and able to move
should change the way you think and
on with everything in our life. Just
act rather than the world around you,
learn to let go!
happiness will come within a snap of
Always keep smiling!
your fingers.
April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
57
Books
Invent It, Sell It, Bank It! Invent It, Sell It, Bank It!: Make Your Million- Dollar Idea into a Reality by Lori Greiner
H
ere's a hands on guide as to how to make a product or a company into success. As Lori Greiner explains how you first
have to turn your idea into reality, then become your own boss,
then make your first million, achieve the financial freedom. As Greiner shares her own secrets and personal stories on how she turned her idea into success, she gives important information and advice and talks about the valuable lessons which she learned from the mistakes that were made on her path to success. If you want to make your ideas into reality and learn to become a success with guidance, this book is a must read.
Relentless Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover
M
ichael Jordon, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, and many more of the great athletes who you can think of became great with the help of the legendary trainer Tim Grover. Now Grover
writes about how to become great and what it takes to get the results which he achieved in making such celebrities into the greats which they stand to be now. He shows how to find success in whatever it is you desire to do and how to be relentless. This book teaches a person as to show to trust your own instincts and control and adapt to any situation, and how to find your competitor's weakness and attack at the right time in the right way. In this book Grover shows you that anything is possible if you know how to handle the situations in the right way.
Shifting the Monkey Shifting the Monkey: The Art of Protecting Good People From Liars, Criers, and Other Slackers by Todd Whitaker
W
hen you have a company you have to make certain that you are able to know which of your employees work hard, and which ones are the lazy ones. Once you know which ones
are the lazy ones, you have to find a way to get them motivated, so that they do not become a burden on your company. This book teaches you how to focus on your good employees who take up the extra work which the lazier employees leave for them as they create disruptions and have the good employees shift the “monkeys� of the company back to the underperformers. 58
UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
The Evolution of a Corporate Idealist The Evolution of a Corporate Idealist: When girl meets Oil by Christine Bader
T
hough this book, Christine Bader's experience with BP and then with a United Nations effort to prevent and address human rights abuses linked to business is written out to help intertwine
the stories of other corporate idealists working inside some of the world's biggest and the best known companies. Though Bader's story is not different theme based, it is unique in its details. It reveals how she felt like an outside both inside the company and outside the company, and how despite dealing with the frustrations of a corporate life, was committed to create a change within the company.
The Promise of a Pencil The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change by Adam Braun
W
hen you think what you want to do in your life and what you want to become, any individual has the desire to do something which gives meaning to their life helping them to be remembered in a
unique way. In this book, the life changing ideas which you feel have a certain purpose if you carry the idea out is taught to be turned into reality as Adam Braun describes his journey through more than fifty countries to find his calling. Each chapter goes onto explain the steps which every individual can take in order to follow their passion and potential. Braun's story shows the readers the scenes with the business moguls and village chiefs, world famous celebrities and hometown heroes. This book will set readers on their own journey to discover what their passion is and who they are.
Execution IS the Strategy Execution IS the Strategy: How Leaders Achieve Maximum Results in Minimum Time by Laura Stack
S
trategy cannot be separate from execution rather it has to emerge from
execution. According to the realities you have to adjust your strategy.
Laura Stack talks about how you can quickly drive strategic initiatives
and get great results from your team. Her LEAD Formula outlines the Four Keys to Successful Execution being the ability to leverage your talent and resources, design an Environment to support an agile culture, create an alignment between strategic priorities and operational activities, and drive the organization forward quickly. She has also included a leadership team assessment, group reading guides, and bonus self development resources. April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
59
Choose the Life You Want Choose the Life You Want: The Mindful Way to Happiness by Tal Ben-Shahar
I
n life, we always pay keen attention to the big decisions which we make, but have you ever stopped to think that maybe even the smallest of decisions matter more in how it affects our life in the long run? In this book, Tal Ben-
Shahar has a life changing lesson to share. As he draws on the latest psychological research, he shows how to make the right choices. These are not the once in a
lifetime choices, but the tiny choices which we carelessly make without a minute's thought which happen to have a long lasting impact on our happiness. The book covers 101 such choices and gives real life stories to help you identify and act on opportunities large and small.
Conference Crushing Conference Crushing: The 17 Undeniable Rules of Building Relationships, Growing Your Network, and Crushing A Conference Even If You Don't Know Anyone by Tyler Wagner
W
hether you are a student who is trying to get a job, an entrepreneur who is trying to grow your business or someone who wants to expand their network, making the most of the networking events can be
difficult at times. So how do you go on about growing your network and maintain strong relationships with everyone you meet, and how can you make sure that you are maximizing your return on investment at every networking event which you attend. In this book Wagner explains how you can able yourself to become more successful and how you can grow your network by attending the networking events the correct way by using examples from his time as a student, entrepreneur, and years of coaching.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz, Narrated by Kevin Kenerly
S
ometimes it might be hard to squeeze in a time to sit back and read a book, and when that's the case, the audible audio editions of books might come in handy. In this book, the cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz and
one of Silicon Valley's most respected and experienced entrepreneurs, Ben Horowitz analyzes the obstacles which leaders have to face on a daily basis as he shares his experience in developing, managing, selling, buying, investing in and supervising technology companies. Through lyrics from his favorite songs, Horowitz talks about everything from firing friends to beating the competition and teaches how to cultivate and maintain a CEO mentality to help know when the right time is to cash in. 60
UNIQUE TIMES April 2014
Team Work
Creating Effective
Teamwork Ajit Ravi
April 2014 UNIQUE TIMES
61