January

Vol 8 Issue No.88 Feb-Mar 2019

The forecast for Gold in 2019 Shri V.P. Nandakumar, MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.

Range Rover Sport

Kuriakose Varghese: A humble lawyer who leads an exceptional law firm

M A D E

F O R

R O Y A L T Y

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

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

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

Printed by: Ajit Ravi Published by: Ajit Ravi Owned by: Ajit Ravi Printed at: St. Reddiar & Sons 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 2532040, 2532080 Mob:+91 98460 50283, 94470 50283 Editor Ajit Ravi Sub-Editor Vignesh S.G 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 Marketing UAE Phygicart.com P.O. Box: 92546, Al Karama Dubai Mr. Anish K Joy Mob: +971528946999 info@phygicart.com Plot No 19A, 9th Floor, Green Building, Film City, Sector - 16A, Noida - 201301 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 Cover Photographer Jinish Photogenic Creative Design PEGASUS Cover Photograph Adv. Kuriakose Varghese Managing Partner KMNP LAW Cover Photographer Saran P.S

Editorial “Who, being loved, is poor?” Poet Oscar Wilde implies the ‘real’ richness of love in the line. In the month of Valentine Day, it is all over love in the air.

Love and beauty are two inseparable concepts. In this edition, you can see exclusive photographs of seventeenth edition of Miss South India 2019 hosted by Ajit Ravi’s Pegasus in association with the Rotary Club of Coimbatore’ Texcity. The golden crown designed by Parakkat Jewellers was won by Keralite Nikita Thomas.

Our cover story is about Kuriakose Varghese, a humble lawyer who leads an exceptional law firm and who believes the legal profession is not only a lucrative profession, but also a dignified one.

Chairman and Managing Director of Manappuram Finance, V.P. Nandakumar in his regular column forecasts the price movements of Gold in 2019.

While in Auto, our experts introduce Rs.1.23 Corer Range Rover Sport, this edition ‘Travel’ unravels the rare facts of a SubSaharan African country called Gabon. Stories on beauty, stock market, gadgets, banking, success, movie, and books are there.

I sincerely hope you find as much joy in the issue as it brings me.

Dr. Ajit Ravi

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CONTENTS

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The forecast for Gold in 2019

12

The Digital transformation moment in entrepreneurship!

16

Kuriakose Varghese: A humble lawyer who leads an exceptional law firm

20

Beauty icons are back

26

Recent Amendments & Proposals in GST–A few key aspects

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44

46

50

52

58

44

Gadgets

46

Recipes

50

Natural tips to improve hair health

52

Gabon: The most prosperous country in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Range Rover Sport

UNIQUE DIARY

PM Modi aims to impress small businessmen with cheap loans

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ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government is going to face its crucial general election in few months, is preparing to impress the section of small businessmen which is one of the most influential business sections in the country- with the offers of cheap loans and free insurance coverage. It is this section which suffered the most during the demonetisation of the highest denomination banknotes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 by the Modi government. It is evaluated that if the concerns of this section are not addressed properly, it will be difficult for the saffron camp to ensure the support of its rural vote base.

Farm loan waivers to affect states’ fiscal deficit

“Failure defeats losers, failure inspires winners.�

Robert T. Kiyosaki

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arm loan waivers are likely to affect the fiscal health of those states which are driven by the political strategy of aggressive populism, as per a report published by a popular rating agency based in India, the India Ratings and Research. The report says that the waivers and similar measures are likely to increase the fiscal deficit of the states where it is encouraged. According to the report, the total fiscal deficit of the country will be not less than 3.2 percent in the Financial Year 2020, which is in fact at least 0.4 per cent higher than what has been forecasted recently.

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China’s economic growth declines

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hina’s trade war with the United States has affected its own economy severely. The latest GDP rate of 6.6 per cent is the lowest the Communist Country has witnessed in the last 28 years. After it experienced the depressing growth rate of 3.9 percent in the year 1990, China has never ever tasted such a humiliation. The present rate is equated to the unimpressive growth rate of 1990s is because of the nature of the present decline. Like the decline happened in the year 1990, the latest is also politically motivated. Anyway, it is satisfactory that the economy of China has performed at least 0.1 percent better than what its experts have predicted it would.

Billionaires see their fortunes swell, poor see it shrinks

“Security or opportunity; you can choose only one.”

Haresh Sippy

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opular International right group Oxfam has shocked the world with its finding that the ‘richest’ have seen their fortunes swell, but the ‘poorest’ have seen their fortunes shrink in the latest fiscal.

The organisation has criticised the economic structure of India severely, especially its tax collection structure. As per the Oxfam’s observation, the Indian ‘richest’ is increasing their fortunes much faster than their counterparts elsewhere. According to the Oxfam, the top one percent of the country’s rich has seen their fortunes grow by at least 39 percent in the last fiscal –which is several folds higher than the rate elsewhere.

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UNIQUE DIARY

India to set up as many as 20 cyber cities

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onsidering the pace by which the digital platforms of India grow and swallow the business platforms of the country, India has decided to set up as many as twenty cyber cities across the country. The crucial information has been publicised by a senior official working in the Department of Science and Technology, when he has attended the pan IIT Conclave 2019 organised at IIT campus in New Delhi. As per what little he has informed the audience about the plan, each cyber city would have a distinct focus. He has said that a huge sum of 3,660 crores has already earmarked for the ambitious project.

French dairy conglomerate acquires Mumbai-based dairy Prabhat

“Be content to act, and leave the talking to others.”

Baltasa

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he Tirumala Milk Products Private Limited, the dairy company completely owned by French dairy conglomerate Lactalis, has acquired the Mumbai-based dairy Prabhat, which has an aggregate milk processing capacity of 1.5 million litres per day and annual revenue of Rs 1,554 crore. One of the world’s top dairy conglomerates has invested as high as Rs 1,700 crore to own the growing dairy firm based in the commercial city of India. The management of the Mumbai-based firm has opined that the acquisition would strength the company and would help it to become one of the most powerful dairy conglomerates in the country.

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BUSINESS

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

Accordingly, we expect the year 2019 to be positive for gold as further dollar appreciation is less likely with slowdown in the US economy and expected pause in interest rate hikes by the US Fed. To put a number to our expectations, we would expect gold price in 2019 to stay within a price band of US $1,210 to US $1350 per ounce with an average price of around US $1,280.

The forecast for Gold in 2019

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s we enter the new year, it is time to take a look at how gold has performed as an investment class and how it is likely to behave in the coming year. One of the reasons why we keep an eye on gold is that unlike other commodities whose prices depend on simple demand and supply, the price of gold has many more variables to it. The state of the world economy and the interplay of political and economic forces have a major role in determining gold price and its direction. Therefore, any meaningful analysis must take into account all these wider issues and it is precisely this aspect which makes the exercise difficult but enlightening and worthwhile.

Our view at the beginning of 2018 – Positive on gold, not so for the US economy

Last January, when predicting gold prices for 2018, we expected prices to nudge higher. Instead gold price ended the year marginally down by 0.93 percent. Our expectation was based on anticipated

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increase in the US fiscal deficit following President Trump’s USD $1.5 trillion tax reform, rising geopolitical risk, and uncertainty over the pace of normalisation of interest rates by the US Federal Reserve during 2018.

We further saw rising risk from a flattening yield curve in the US which is considered an early warning signal of an economic slowdown or recession.

A slowing economy was expected to slow down growth in corporate profits and negatively impact stock markets which had scaled new peaks following the passing of Trump’s tax plan.

All these factors were expected to support gold price. However, the year 2018 turned out highly volatile for gold investors. Gold touched a high of USD $1,355 per troy ounce and a

low of USD $1,178 before closing the year at US $1,279, to register a fall of 0.93 percent over the year.

Snapshot of gold price movements over last five years

The international price of gold experienced a steady and continuous upward trend from US $271.04 per troy ounce in 2001 to its all-time high price of around USD $1,900 per troy ounce September 2011. Thereafter, gold price remained range bound for some months and subsequently started declining steadily from 2013 to reach USD $1,060 by the end of calendar year 2015. Here is a tabular summary of gold price movements in the international markets over the last five years.

Price movements in 2018

The below graph depicts international gold price (US$ / troy ounce) for the year 2018.

The price movements during the year can be divided into three distinct phases.

Phase I: Range Bound

Gold fluctuates within a narrow band of USD $50 per ounce The year started with strong support carried over from 2017, with gold price rise from $ 1,291 to quickly cross the key resistance of $ 1,300 level. The rise in price was mainly attributed to depreciating US dollar since last year, which registered its biggest annual drop since 2003 in the first (Jan-Mar) quarter of 2018.

Thereafter, gold started to lose its sheen with rising political uncertainty in Europe leading to gains for the US dollar. In addition, the Federal Reserve kept its policy rate unchanged in its February monetary policy but hinted at hikes in later re-

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views. A higher interest rate leads to higher bond yields which dampens investors demand for the non interest yielding gold. The weaker dollar during early part of the year and the expected hike in Fed policy rate kept gold price within a narrow range of $ 1,300 and $ 1,350 per ounce in Q1 of calendar year (CY) 2018.

Phase II: Declining trend Gold price declined 13 percent from April to August The US Fed increased its policy rate by a quarter percentage in its March monetary policy which push gold price lower. In addition, the Fed also increased the US economic growth forecast from 2.5 percent to 2.7 percent for 2018, and from 2.1 percent to 2.4 percent from 2019.

The increase in the forecast growth raised expectations of more aggres-

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sive hikes in the policy rate which lowered demand for gold as investors shifted to dollar denominated instruments for higher returns. Moreover, with the rise in interest rates, dollar strengthened against a basket of six major currencies pushing gold price to hit its lowest for more than 19 months. The rising dollar index resulted in gold price declining by around 13 percent during April to August 2018.

Phase III: Growth Gold recovered 7 percent during final quarter of 2018 After declining for five straight months to the low of USD $1,178 per ounce in August 2018, gold price recovered from the lowest point by about 8 percent but eventually ended with its first annual decline since 2015. Looking back over the

year, the fall in gold price during the year can be attributed mainly to strengthening of the US dollar amid the Sino-US trade conflicts and the US Fed hiking interest rates.

What analysts expect for 2019

Uncertainty in any form benefits gold in its role as a hedging instrument and safe haven. In predicting the future price of gold, analysts are, as usual, a divided lot. Some of the prominent forecasts for 2019 made towards the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019 are given below: 1. Goldman Sachs: If U.S. growth slows down next year, as expected, gold would benefit from higher demand for defensive assets. Goldman Sachs predicts gold price for 2019 targeted at around USD $1,325/Oz.

2. JPMorgan Chase: “We see gold likely repricing lower through the middle of next year, at which point the Fed’s policy will move into restrictive territory. The curve will invert, the expansion will slow and expectations of Fed easing will build. At this juncture, we would expect real rates to move lower and gold’s fortunes to reverse, as gold tends to benefit from consistent drop in real yields during the lead up to recessions and thereafter.” 2019 gold price forecast: $1,294/oz.

3. Credit Suisse: “The USD has on average depreciated in the latter third of past expansions but there is a lot of variation across cycles, so this is far from certain. In contrast, commodities and especially gold have tended to appreciate consistently.” 2019 gold

price forecast: $1,250 4. BOFA Merrill Lynch: Gold is set to surge over the next year as concerns deepen about the widening U.S. budget deficit and a tariff-driven trade war starts to damage the country’s economy. Bullion could average $1,350 an ounce in 2019 as corporate tax reforms worsen the U.S. fiscal balance.

5. ABN AMRO: “We think the risk reward for entering precious metals positions is quite attractive. If our base scenario plays out, it is likely that precious metal prices will rise this year and next on the back of a cut back in speculative short positions. 2019 price target: $1,400.”

6. HSBC: “HSBC expects gold to average USD $1,292/oz in 2019. With this

aging equities rally globally, if we do get some financial market uncertainty, gold’s likely avenue for a rally will be through a rise in volatility.”

Our view – Continue to be positive on gold

The year 2018 was very volatile for gold which initially benefited from fall in US dollar and rising geopolitical risks. However, with positive US economic growth prospects amid record low unemployment rate and strong growth numbers, and with inflation within the targeted levels, the process of normalisation of interest rates seemed easier. This strengthened the US dollar vis-aviz other major currencies thereby pushing gold lower. Thereafter, gold recovered at the end of the calendar year but not enough to prevent it from registering a fall of 0.93 percent over 2018.

However, gold had started gaining strength towards the end of the last quarter (5 percent gain in the month of December 2018), as most emerging market currencies stabilised and the US dollar weakened amid concerns over slowing economic growth and volatility in global equity market. Besides, the Fed Chairman Jerome Powell hinted at an easing in the pace of future rate hikes amid slowing US economic growth. While in December he had indicated the likelihood of two more rate hikes in 2019, most recently, i.e. on January 30, Powell came out with his strongest statement to date that the central bank is changing its tune on interest rate hikes. He stated plainly that "the case for raising rates has weakened somewhat."

Accordingly, we expect the year 2019 to be positive for gold as further dollar appreciation is less likely with slowdown in the US economy and expected pause in interest rate hikes by the US Fed. To put a number of our expectations, we would expect the gold price in 2019 to stay within a price band of US $1,210 to US $1350 per ounce with an average price of around US $1,280

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

BUSINESS

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

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ntrepreneurship as a concept has been active from time eternal. There have always been entrepreneurs in every walk of life, who dared to dream differently, make a change around them and create wealth for themselves and for people around them. They have been brave pioneers who questioned everything around them and stepped into arenas armed often with nothing more than sheer courage and confidence in one’s belief to do the exemplary.

The word also slowly transitioned its meaning to economic activities.

Over the years, entrepreneurs have been attached to commercial ventures and wealth creation through selling a product or service. The have harnessed the power of ideas and build businesses which went much beyond the basic ideas and

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The youth of today think differently from the generations before.

Social media and exponentially efficient connectivity, aligns their views to the global youth. They are restless, keen to take risks and also rewrite their own careers as often as they deem fit. They are independent in their thinking and do not always have the pressure from parents to follow the trodden path.

like conquerors ventured into new territory and sectors. As the world evolved, they amassed riches rivalling the Kings and Queens and often altered not just economic order but also political order. With businesses passing on between generations, we have witnessed the families control the order by virtue of birth and heritage rather than the possession of entrepreneurial talent. This aggrandization also meant that structures were build, to protect fiefdoms and the natural barriers came up to make difficult the entry of rival businesses. Economists argue that these barriers were the creation of weaker progeny who wanted to protect what was created by their more enterprising forefathers. While the reasons do remain varied, there is clear evidence that it became progressively more and more difficult to start

entrepreneurship ventures and the best minds in arts and science preferred careers away from the hurry and bustle of creating enterprises but rather helping to run them.

Technology and the 21st century seem to have made a change in this process. Digital technology changed the equations on the table. The seed of starting enterprises became again the seat of the great ideas and a new breed of entrepreneurs burgeoned everywhere in the world. Enterprising youngsters could again get a seat at the high table on the power of their ideas and not just because they belonged to an ilk of economic prosperity attached to family business and parental heritage. An opportunity like this also meant, the brightest started looking at entrepreneurship as a clear option, undaunted by the ordeals of setting up

The Digital transformation moment in entrepreneurship! afresh. Truly the digital transformation that we have seen around us in the last decade has created a divine moment in entrepreneurship across the world!

Society and government have taken cognizance of the need to have more of this breed of wealth creators. These men and women have not only created avocations for themselves, but found opportunities to employ others, and contribute to the economy. Like never before governments and law makers take this constituency of stakeholders very seriously and have in varied ways tried to laud and encourage entrepreneurship. Be it infrastructure to ease their setting up or even schemes of providing them with capital, governments and bureaucrats are increasingly looking for ways and means to support the ecosystem.

We have seen time and again in the past the difficulties of those who embrace self-employment avenues and start new businesses. The entire stakeholder community –the govern-

ment, the academia and the society, have never taken a positive and nurturing view towards entrepreneurship. It is not a single issue which can be pin-pointed and addressed.

Starting a business has been viewed as the option of a ‘poor student’ who could not come out with flying colours in his school or college. But this has changed for the better.

This view also synchs with a society where we have not traditionally promoted entrepreneurship. The entrepreneur has been viewed as the unscrupulous, rapacious and materialistic person who will go to any extent to fill in his coffers and often doing severe and heinous activities to hurt the society at large.

But, the current movement in Kerala is nothing short of a miracle.

The Kerala Start-up Mission and KSIDC have take the cudgels of this challenge and have rolled up their sleeves to make a difference. With more than twelve incubators in the state have showed the potential of our youth and how they can be en-

couraged to do things themselves and create wealth and jobs. But, the ecosystem is developing with much wider interest and educational institutions entering the fray.

The youth of today think differently from the generations before.

Social media and exponentially efficient connectivity, aligns their views to the global youth. They are restless, keen to take risks and also rewrite their own careers as often as they deem fit. They are independent in their thinking and do not always have the pressure from parents to follow the trodden path. This is increasing true for the parents of this generation. They have the conviction to trust their children to do the right thing and the courage to encourage them to follow their dreams.

Innovation has always been part of the DNA of the entrepreneur.

They need to innovate every day and every time they face a problem.

That's how entrepreneurs solve problems. The key therefore is not to expect freebies and hand-outs;

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that's not the way an entrepreneur thinks, and acts. Every problem is an opportunity to innovate. It needs more than just hard work, a good team, and a good strategy. It needs above all a VISION to build a world class company. It all begins in the mind. It is important for the entrepreneur to set his goal high, and work back to what he needs to do today to reach that goal. It will involve tough, difficult and unpalatable choices to be made all the time, of walking away from a sure deal because it does not fit in with the vision, from incurring a financial loss to remain faithful to that vision, etc.

Something which is also changing is the mindset- Simon Sinek, in his much watched TED talk , reminds us that there are three frames of our action- the WHAT , the HOW and the WHY. Typically, we are guided in that sequence as well. We spend time on ‘what’ we are to do and the mechanics of ‘how’. What we neglect is the WHY! Why is the raison d'être of our existence. It is the sole reason we are

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in business, our larger purpose and our objective to spend most of lives!

It is like a calling rather than employment.

It is still early days. For every successful entrepreneur there are hundreds who have failed. They are not always people who know how to balance work, leisure and family.

Entrepreneurship is a passion. Like great works of art, music or even writing, they are born of enormous sacrifice. Sometimes there are rewards at the end of the tunnel, very often there are none. True entrepreneurs will pursue their dreams regardless.

It is great continuous journey with several pockets of turbulence.

Learn from what you see around you. Embark on the quest with not just energy and self-confidence but also restlessness and the ability to take risks.

Yet the moment cannot be ignored! Entrepreneurship has found its way into India, which is soon to have the youngest population in the world. The time has come!

Kuriakose Varghese: A humble lawyer who leads an exceptional law firm

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egal profession is not only a rewarding profession, but also a dignified one. This edition, discusses one of the more successful and talented advocates in the country, Mr Kuriakose Varghese. An alumnus of University of London and Delhi University, Mr. Varghese is the Managing Partner of the leading law Firm KMNP Law. There are many things that one should learn from this dedicated lawyer. Let’s hear what he has to say about his career, his college days, his Firm and many more.

What motivated you to enter the challenging profession of law?

In reality, it was not me who selected my profession, but it was the profession that selected me. Initially, I thought of joining a broadcasting channel –at that time, the broadcasting sector was in its beginning stage. Fortunately, I cleared the DU LLB entrance test and joined the college, which was then powered by a set of highly efficient teachers -BB Pande (for Criminal Law), Kamala Shankaran (for Administrative law), and Moolchand Sharma (for International Comparative Law) and the legendary Professor MP Singh.

It was an intellectually invigorating period. During my college days, I got an opportunity to work with Senior Advocate Rajeev Dhavan’s PILSARC. After my studies, I joined the Chambers of the Central Gov-

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ernment Standing Counsel in the Delhi High Court.

The role played by St. Stephen’s College in developing your personality

I was the student of Air Force Bal Bharti School, Delhi. It was my interest to earn a graduation in

In my view, law is an excellent profession.

Occasionally, it also gives an excellent spiritual satisfaction.

There is a divergence between the general perception of law and reality.

any of the liberal arts subjects that prompted me to look for that opportunity in the national capital itself –at that time, not many liberal arts colleges were available in Kerala.

St. Stephen’s College was the best option available. It was not that difficult for me to get an admission in the collage, as I was a school topper.

I was selected by an interview board comprising of Dr. Anil Wilson, Prof.

Tanika Sarkar and Prof. Wanchoo.

There were adequate opportunities for all-round development in the college –from photography to social service, apart from academics. In my third year in the college, I was elected as the Student’s Union president –a position held by Dr. Shashi Tharoor in his days at Stephen’s. It was an incredible journey. The campus gifted me many close friends and excellent teachers –Prof. Baker and Prof. Upinder Singh (the daughter of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) were my teachers.

Say few words about your life in London as a LLM student

I did my LLM from the University of London. The curriculum in the college was built more on an analytical approach and the collegiate LLM had almost 150 subjects to choose from. The students were expected to read from a very elaborate bibliography for each subject. It was fortunate that while I was in London I got the opportunity to learn under the guidance of renowned Professor Muchlinski. I preferred to specialise in the subject of Foreign Direct Investment in Emerging Economies.

In the topic, I received the guidance of Prof. George Walker and Prof. Maria Losa. Multinational Enterprises and the Law was the other major topic in which I received knowledge from the college. It was in my LLM days that I met my life partner for

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the first time.

Say few words about your firm. How difficult it is to run a law firm?

KMNP Law was born out of the chambers of Mr. KK Venugopal and Mr. Krishnan Venugopal. Most of the founding members of the firm were from these two chambers: Adv. AbirPhukan and me (from the Chambers of Senior Advocate Krishnan Venugopal) and Adv V. Shyamohan (from the Chamber of K K Venugopal). The other notable member was Dr. Mathew Kuzhalnadan, a JNU doctorate holder.

We started with one office in New Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave. We now have two offices in Safdarjung Enclave, one in Kochi and Gauhati.

Mr. Nitin Ahluwalia, a Honk Kong schooled and British educated barrister has also joined us as a Partner.

We have a very strong associate presence in Singapore though Barrister Niru Pillai’s Niru.

We now have a clientele which includes an international airline, several mining companies, one of India’s largest steel companies, two

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Liberalization has brought in several changes in our economy and society. It has boosted the economy.

That is one side of the story. The other side is that it has increased the disparity between the rich and poor. very large international hotel chains, one of the world’s wealthiest temples, a Bretton Woods Organization and one of India’s largest spiritual organizations with followers across the world.

KMNP Law has worked on the Coal De-Allocation Scam case, Call drop case, GM Crops, Tiger Conservation and many others in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.

Being a legal partner of a firm is a challenging job. My aim is to bring stronger intellectual growth to the organization.

Is ASEAN becoming a strong union?

All multilateral organisations are under serious threat. A year ago, I was invited to take part in the

ASEAN conference held in Bangkok. I don’t think all possibilities of that multilateral organisation have been thoroughly explored yet. Nowadays, bilateral agreements get more acceptance than the multilateral ones. Our trade with Singapore –an ASEAN country- boomed not because of any multilateral agreement, but because of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement reached between India and that country.

How far India should go with the policies of liberalization?

Liberalization has brought in several changes in our economy and society. It has boosted the economy.

That is one side of the story. The other side is that it has increased the disparity between the rich and poor. Many people have been forced out of their land and traditional jobs due to the policies of liberalization.

What do you want to say to law career aspirants?

In my view, law is an excellent profession. Occasionally, it also gives

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an excellent spiritual satisfaction. There is a divergence between the general perception of law and reality. The contribution of a good law teacher, to the making of a good lawyer is remarkable. Dedication and hard work is paramount.

Say few words about your family

My wife Sunita Kaur Chima, who I met when I was doing my LL.M in London is a corporate lawyer. We have two children: a seven year old daughter Kyra Kuriakose Vyshyan, and a four year old son Ezra Kuriakose Vyshyan.

My father, V K Varghese, is the founder of a well -known catering company Vee Kay Vee’s in Kerala. My late mother Susheela was a retired revenue officer. I have two younger brothers both of whom are in the United States - one in Harvard University and the other in Stern Business School at NYU

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dia South In of Miss ed lk a e w th wly e of 2019, slo centre of t was on t n a s a e le th towards most p coin th e tifully de u s a g e b in n e e th ev h oe l th te of Ho stage in d te ra histor y met the im Her eyes , supid ia n C o a r l. e te M e L it crown M s . N ik beautiful to b a to r e . ful ti u a be gif ted e b to a e posed th s s Thomas, in a w w o ne wh o irl who g e th la m ra o c e K our f the e twenty-f e nd title o ra y g b d e one of th is th organ n ts in petition n p a r ti c ip a io it n th e d s e v e n te e

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BEAUTY ICONS ARE BACK Feb-Mar-2019

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Pegasus.

A few minutes later, she was crowned with the crown which captured her attention. Everyone gathered there expressed their approval with loud cheers. That was the commencement of the price declaration ceremony of the beauty contest hosted by Ajit Ravi’s Pegasus in association with the Rotary Club of Coimbatore’ Texcity. At least three dozen more awards gifted in the ceremony.

Apart from the winner title, the most important ones were the title for the first and second runner-ups. Ms. Tarini Kalingarayar (Tamil Nadu) and Ms. Deepa Thomas (Kerala) were awarded the first and second runner up respectively. When the winner was crowned by the previous year winner, Ms. Lakshmi Menon, the first and second runner-ups

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were crowned by the MD and CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd, Mr. V P Nandakumar. The regional titles and sub-titles were other important ones awarded in the ceremony. The regional title winners were: Nandita Kaviti (Miss Queen Andhra); Rashmi Madhuri (Miss Queen Karnataka); Konchitha John (Miss Queen Kerala); Deepika Vaddani (Miss Queen Telangana); and Tarini Kalingarayar (Miss Tamil Nadu).

And, the sub-title winners were: Akila Narayanan (Tamil Nadu) (Miss Beautiful Hair);

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Deepa Thomas (Kerala) (Miss Beautiful Smile); Tarini Kalingarayar (Tamil Nadu) (Miss Beautiful Skin); Sharlett Riya (Tamil Nadu) (Miss Beautiful Face); Rashmi Madhuri (Karnataka) (Miss Beautiful Eyes); Laila Abuwani (Telangana) (Miss Congeniality); Deepika Vaddani (Telangana) (Miss Personality); Konchitha John (Kerala) (Miss Catwalk); Nikita Thomas (Kerala) (Miss Perfect Ten); Niranjana Suresh (Kerala) (Miss Talent); Deepa Thomas (Kerala) (Miss Photogenic); Ashwini Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) (Miss Viewers’ Choice); Jismi Thomas (Kerala) (Miss Social Media); Shivani Jain (Tamil Nadu) (Miss Fitness); and Akila Narayanan (Tamil Nadu) (Miss Humaneness).

A million words are not enough to mention how spectacular the entire event was. The event, supported by DQUE watches, SAJ

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Earth Resorts and Convention centre, Josco Jewellers and UT World (utworld.in), was a perfectly designed collaboration of dance, music and b e a u t y.

The classical dance per formance of Bonny and Anna, music of Sam Siva, and the violin performance of Viswanathan were the notable ones, apart from the stunning performance of the talented participants in the three different rounds – the designer saree, red cocktail and black gown rounds.

It was not a surprise that each participant was better than the other. That competitiveness was the end result of a professional grooming session organised as part of the event in Saj Earth Resorts and Convention centre in Kochi few days before the day of the event. Each participant was individually trained by professionals in yoga, meditation, personality development, beauty care, catwalk and photo shoot.

The event was special in every sense. That even reflected in its choice of judges. Everything was done to bring together an eminent judging panel comprises of established personalities from film, media and fashion sectors. Mrs. Uma Riyas Khan, Mr. Siddhaanth Surryavanshi, Mrs. Toshma Biju, Mr. Kuriyachan and Ms. Alesia Raut

were the main members in the panel.

The golden crown designed by Parakkat Jewellers was not the only gift offered to the winners. The cash prices of one lakh Indian rupees, sixty thousand Indian rupees and forty thousand Indian rupees, gifted by Manappuram Finance Limited, were awarded to the title winner, first runner-up and second runner-up respectively.

It is not over. The event is just a beginning. It is the first step towards the national and International beauty contests organised by the same organiser, such as the Miss Queen of India, Miss Asia and the Miss Glam World. The winners of the event will be offered opportunity to participate in the higher beauty contests organised

by Pegasus, the event conglomerate which has gained enviable global reputation within a short period of time.

The event organised by Pegasus is not only popular for its professionalism, but also for its commitment towards Indian culture.

Pegasus is the only International beauty contest organiser which openly disapproves the inclusion of bikini rounds in beauty contests.

Moreover, it is one of the very few beauty organisers which have a foolproof audition policy. Even the participants of this regional contest were selected after a thorough audition session.

It is hoped that the organisers would come up with similar exceptional beauty contests in the future. Only those who think out of box deserve success. In that sense, what the beauty conglomerate has achieved is what it truly deserves

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Vinod Kumar

Be supportive to the emotions of the potential consumer.

The purchasers need your encouragement. But yet, you must appear as honest and people with integrity. The electronic commerce are beginning to fill this space of authenticity and care for the buyer. The product and its messaging must occupy the mental moments of your buyers.

Wwoooo...

T

he male peacock attracts all the people. People flock to see it, dance in the rain, or even just advance. The peacock, opens up it’s feathers. The colorful feathers are neatly visible in a specific formation. This resembles that of a fan. A Japanese fan, opening to be of utility. The objective of peacock in its beauty and grandeur, is to attract the peahen. Yes, in the mating season, the peacock is endowed with skills and talent to woo and attract the female. The counterpart sees the appeal. Becomes tempted and is lured to its potential mate. This system of attracting attention from the opposite gender, is evident in every species. Also, this bait and snare is evident in people. A brightness and shine that is irresistible is visible on the faces of young men and women. Can you deny, that all wants to express and then communicate? They wish to connect with the other and the another.

This messaging has to be exact and accurate. A careful study alone will ensure that there is no error in the messaging. The communication material should be directed at the correct audience. The specificity in

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the content alone will get you in the eyeballs. Your listener will understand the message only if it is designed precisely, to persuade.

The international Advertising Association is conferencing in Kochi city of Kerala State on February 2019. The 44th IAA World Congress, will come together, in Bolgatty island in Kochi. Experts in the industry of Advertising and Marketing is arriving to communicate with each other.

Their fraternity will make presentations and learn on developments in advertising, marketing and communicating, to the target audience.

Fundamentally, to sell a product, then merely, visibility of a product does not ensure that a consumer will execute the purchase. Perhaps, this is because, there are too many products in the market. The rudimentary or most essential purchases, does not need much investment, into advertising. Sometimes to bring about a social change or a transformation in specific regressive habit in people, need innovative messaging. Governments employs services of advertising experts, to convey teaching and lessons in reshaping community beliefs. For bringing reforms in pat-

terns of behaviour among people, also can rely on experts to code their content for communication.

But selling a product, needs to get insights into the profile of your consumer. Therefore collection of data is imperative. Many computer softwares are applied in data analytics. Categorising and classifying consumer behaviour will give clarity on the purchasing decisions. So experts in technology and computing are essential. Information Technology will be the chief talent that is required to be relevant on internet and social media. So, Artificial intelligence must get good stage time, in the conference of The international Advertising Association.

The art and science of selling has evolved over centuries. The emergence of professionals and experts may have developed over many centuries. Basically we are talking about, that profile of people who enjoys the action of selling a product. Advertising messaging is an art of packaging the message and the communication medium. In Advertising, many accessorising elements are fitted on to the basic products. The aesthetics, beauty, grandeur, and opulence

help in layering the nucleus product. The product has to convince people, that they can add more convenience and comfort. Therefore, advertising agency must splash the sweetener and smack the product with juicy and syrupy context.

So that, the consumer to taste this product. Marketing will then have to bring the product through rigorous and exhaustive supply chain.

The experts and logistics handling, must also know the promises that are made to the public, by the advertiser and marketer of these products that they are handling. The deal has to go through without miscarriage.

Only then, the purchasers get a memorable buying experience.

Today environmentally friendly products can get traction. The perceptions in the purchaser has changed. Clean energy and organic foods are taking the thought space.

Yoga gurus in India and many parts of the developed world, are manu-

facturing fast moving consumer goods. The spiritual gurus also have shops for apparels and textiles. The yoga trainers are advertising, their personalised brands of yoga practices. We can safely infer that, the yoga practitioners are in the fast track of innovation and creativity. The spiritual sympathisers are redefining, the purpose of purchase. People with purchasing power are being taught to get a new meaning, into the need to indulging in shopping.

The deep study must be towards the Eight “re” principles. This is the method that I have devised, to persuade the reader. The first “re” is to do immense REsearch on the product and the market. The second is to construct the method of transaction.

Then REpresent your product earnestly. Design your communication to invoke desired REaction and REsponse. We have covered the third “re”. The fourth “re” is to ensure that the consumer understands,

RElates and REsonates, with the messaging and the medium. You can conduct a survey to measure the REflection about the product, inside the purchaser. This is the “re” number five. Get the opinion leaders to write and publish REviews about your advertising campaign. Establish the consistent relationship between the brand and the buyer. And finally, broadcast the activity that you can do, to give evidence and proof of REspect, to buyer of your product. The Advertising Association Congress will add value to all, if they have a structured method, to incorporate the eight “re”of marketing. To REtain the interest of consumer, you must REpeat your advertising campaign.

People buy a product to eliminate an inconvenience and discomfort. The purchaser decides on the effective deletion of an imbalance in their routine. The person in the advertising industry must know to

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identify these areas of concerns in the people. Your message must speak louder and subtler, than the product of your competitor. The market is loudly proclaiming clearance sales, discounts, and money savings. And also messages of schemes that gives one unit, totally free of cost, on the purchase of three units. Many loyalty programmes are binding the consumer to specific brands. The advertisers and marketers work with instinct of hunters and capturers. Many sellers behave that, they are mostly, in the combat zone.

Be supportive to the emotions

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of the potential consumer. The purchasers need your encouragement.

But yet, you must appear as honest and people with integrity. The electronic commerce are beginning to fill this space of authenticity and care for the buyer. The product and its messaging must occupy the mental moments of your buyers. Amplifying and broadcasting the messages, of wwooing, is the primordial instinct.

Multiplying your listeners, using large platforms is the skill for the future. Start scaling up to the reach and influence of your mediums.

Winners will be the ones that can

woo the heart and touch the minds.

Learn from the peacocks, their art of wwooing. Publishing more ideas of advertising campaigns will bring academic value to this career. Many young people must decide to become experts, in the industry of Advertising. The international Advertising Association can begin a training program for the young people, who take interests, in the science of animation and other methods of originating content of persuasion. India must host numerous such conferences and conventions. Get to this craft of wwooing

LIMITED EDITION

TM

WATC H E S

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FINANCE

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

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

Introduction

GST law has witnessed key amendments and proposals pursuant to the recent meetings of GST Council. These amendments and proposals are major takeaways towards accomplishment of the avowed objective of One Nation One Tax One Market. This Article gives an insight to the recent changes and proposals in GST regime from the period of December 2018 till date which are the outcome of 31st and 32nd GST Council Meetings.

While the GST Council in its 31st meeting worked towards removal of the difficulties faced by taxpayers in coping up with compliances on introduction of new tax regime; the 32nd meeting focussed on assuaging the concerns of MSMEs and SMEs from the compliances of GST and opening up a platform for them, ensuring ease of doing business.

An upshot of the 31st GST Council Meeting

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This Article gives an insight to the recent changes and proposals in GST regime from the period of December 2018 till date which are the outcome of 31st and 32nd GST Council Meetings.

Introduction of GST although initially led to several instances of chaos and confusion in procedural compliances on behalf of taxpayers, delay in e-enabling of forms, technical glitches etc., the Government persistently attempted to iron out wrinkles in the system, as a part of which several taxpayer friendly amendments have been made by the Council. A summary of significant decisions of the Council is provided herein: •Due Date for furnishing the Annual Return in Form GSTR-9/9A as well as Reconciliation Statement in Form GSTR-9C further extended till 30th June, 2019. This has been a great relief to the Tax Professionals and taxpayers considering the delay in notifying the forms, lengthy tedious procedure of GST Audit etc.

•Extension in availing of Input Tax Credit of the invoices issued by the supplier in FY 2017-18 till March 2019 is made by the GST Council subject to specified conditions.

Thus, it is now possible for the tax-

payers to avail the eligible Input Tax Credits for FY 2017-18 and take the same by March, 2019.

•Late Fees has been completely waived off for all the taxpayers in case of Forms GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and GSTR-4 for the period July 2017 to September, 2018 furnished after 22nd December, 2018 but on or before 31st March, 2019.

•One more window for completion of migration process has been allowed. The due date for the taxpayers who did not file the complete FORM GST REG-26 but received only a Provisional ID (PID) till 31.12.2017 for furnishing the requisite details to the jurisdictional nodal officer has been extended till 31.01.2019.

•Following services have been included in category of services for which tax is payable by Reverse Charge Mechanism vide Notification No. 29/2018- Central Taxa.Services provided by business facilitator (BF) to a banking company

Recent Amendments & Proposals

in GST–A few key aspects

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b.Services provided by an agent of business correspondent (BC) to business correspondent (BC) c.Security services (services provided by way of supply of security personnel) provided to a registered person

Amendments Proposed in the 32nd GST Council meeting

The 32nd GST Council meeting was held on 10th January 2019.

The major focus of the Council was on assuaging the concerns of MSMEs and SMEs from the compliances of GST and opening up a

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platform for them, ensuring ease of doing business. Further, changes have been incorporated in the present Composition Scheme working towards simplification of filing returns by the Composition dealers.

The Council also had deliberations in respect of GST on real estate sector and uniformity of taxation on lottery and other issues arising out of lottery.

The GST Council resolved to increase the threshold limit for registration from 20 lakhs to 40 lakhs for suppliers of goods. The threshold limit for special category states has also been increased from earlier

limit of 10 lakhs to 20 lakhs. However, the State Governments shall elect either the higher threshold or confine to the previous threshold.

This decision is in fact a major relief to the small industries relieving them from the GST bracket. There is no change in the threshold limit for supply of services.

The threshold limit for existing composition dealers has been raised to 1.5 Crore from the earlier limit of 1 Crore. The Council also decided to widen the scope of Composition Scheme, including within its ambit the service providers and mixed supplies of both goods and services,

besides those supplying food for human consumption, where their annual turnover is less than 50 lakhs.

Such service providers have to pay GST at flat rate of 6%. This has lessened the small businesses engaged in supply of services besides the existing composition dealers from the compliance provisions under law.

Further the composition dealers are no more required to file GSTR4 every quarter and pay tax on monthly basis. The Council has provided for simplification of returns by allowing them to file a return on annual basis with quarterly payment accompanied by simple declaration.

The Council permitted Government of Kerala to levy 1% cess on all intrastate supplies of goods and services for maximum period of two years to revive from the loss of revenue caused by the recent floods.

This is in tune with Article 279A of the Constitution which provides for levy of any special rate or rates for a specified period, to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster.

One amongst the agendas that invited differences of opinion was with respect to GST on real estate sector. At present GST payable on under-construction property is at the rate of 12%, affordable housing projects attract 8% GST enabling builders to avail credit on inputs, whereas, ready to move-in properties does not attract GST. It has been urged on behalf of real estate sector that the sector has witnessed a slowdown previous years due to

series of measures like RERA, Demonetisation, and GST. In order to delve into these issues of real estate sector, the Council suggested for constituting a seven-member panel of Ministers. It is pertinent to note certain terms of reference to the panel which are as follows: •Studying GST rates and problems

The changes proposed in the 32nd meeting of the GST Council are indeed welcome. The concessions provided would largely come into effect from 01 February 2019, which would, indeed, benefit small dealers/service providers. the residential segment faces under the new indirect tax regime.

•Suggesting a scheme for the sector like the composition scheme where taxpayers can pay a flat GST rate without the option of availing credit on inputs for traders.

•Examining GST on transfer of development rights and development rights in a joint development agreement.

•Examining legality of inclusion or land in composition scheme and suggest valuation mechanism.

The question of uniform taxation for lotteries also invited diverse opinions. Currently, a state-organised lottery attracts 12 per cent GST while a state-authorised lottery attracts 28 percent tax. The disparity in tax structure is critically refuted and questioned by the private players and the Council has therefore constituted a Panel of Group of Ministers to look into the same.

Conclusion

The changes proposed in the 32nd meeting of the GST Council are indeed welcome. The concessions provided would largely come into effect from 01 February 2019, which would, indeed, benefit small dealers/service providers.

One would hope that states would also provide similar exemptions in their local GST Laws. On a separate note, I do have reservations on the imposition of 1 percent of Kerala Flood Cess, as this would create a parallel for other states to also levy similar taxes, thereby distorting the very purpose of GST. Additionally, with the compensation being provided to states under the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 on the basis of a compounded growth rate of 14 percent, the need to impose the additional cess of 1 percent is, indeed, debatable, especially the average growth rate of state revenues on a year on year basis was around 8 percent

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.

There are several skills you can’t avoid in order to have a successful work life. Listening is one of the extremely important skills one should acquire. “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

As deaf as the man who cannot listen!

D

o you know how important is for you to have effective social skills to succeed at your workplace?

In today’s competitive market, having technical skills might not help. Modern labour market is fuming with distractions, insensitivity and lack of listening skills. In turn, catalyzing human interaction with stronger relationships is still at the ultimatum when it comes to bringing out results and productivity; and the ultimatum to land you on your dream job. This means that higher levels of social skills and emotional intelligence are best asked for, for better teamwork and success. Like every other skill, this also can be acquired by persistent practice.

There are several skills you can’t avoid in order to have a successful work life. Listening is one of the extremely important skills one should acquire. “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

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Listening skills could sound very overlooked, most underestimated and ignored silly trait, but one of the most useful skills in life.

It’s an art where you use both your verbal and no-verbal skills, your communicational excellence and body language, to enthral another.

It’s a learning of your brain to understand and reflect, and analyse the situation at its best. This trait impacts the interaction between the company, management, employees and the clients -internal and external. Listening is a physiological and psychological skill helping you to acquire information from your surroundings, from the person you are talking to etc. so that you may analyze the data absorbed into your brain, interpret and decode it, and then respond or react accordingly. Active listening is what’s needed here, as passive listening won’t help you much to gather essential data. Non-verbal cues can contribute to 60% of the communication. The additional inputs and insights your brain imparts to you while listening can be

the major game-changer. Listening helps you build trust as the person talking to you recognizes that you really values what he is trying to say, as he can see you spend time listening to him. That improves the benefit of Teamwork, which invariably is the most important asset to a company. A good leader will always be an active listener. It helps him acquire critical information which is significant to finish the picture and retrospect through it. If the review feedback from the employees’ side falls onto deaf ears, it is going to be detrimental for the company’s growth, as it hinders indispensable improvement.

Mastering listening skills will help you not to interrupt the other person when he or she torrents out his emotions or awareness. The ability to place your focus squarely upon the speaker to retain information is a prerogative. It’s a talent to comprehend the speaker’s exact emotions. As you both stand in entirely two different worlds, it is indeed so difficult to hold a grip onto the exact emotions the other

person is trying to portray. Assuming can be very much damaging the entire relationship. Hence, you really need to put a genuine effort to “empathize” with him –put his shoes, may be walk a mile with him while he echoes his heart. Anyone can do the ‘hearing’ part, you don’t need any special skills for that, you just need two ears –but it takes a lot of courage and humaneness to “Empathize”. Sympathy is just hearing and probably leaving at it then and there. Empathy, in contrary to sympathy, focuses on ‘Act’.

It is the ability to understand another’s feelings, and also to “respond” in accordance to it. That’s learning the language of life’s experiences.

It definitely requires a wide range of sensibility and experiences. “I’ve always thought of acting as more of an exercise in empathy, which is not to be confused with sympathy.

You’re trying to get inside a certain emotional reality or motivational reality and try to figure out what that’s about so you can represent it.” -Edward Norton.

How do you convince another

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person that you are actively listening? Definitely, it is through your body language and response. Be present. Give full attention to what you are hearing and seeing. Nod while listening. Relax, don’t jump into conclusions and listen without judgments first. Your alert face and forward-body will give solid cues to the speaker that you are very well trying your best to grasp what she is trying to convey. Smile if you like what you are hearing.

Be expressive while you are engaging another person. It adds on positive dynamics to the whole discussion. Try to mentally screen out the distractions around you.

Fidgeting with your phone and looking distracted will cause undesired repercussions. Do maintain a steady eye contact to the person you are talking with. This shows your confidence, involvement, and also your refined personality. Your

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consistent verbal affirmations, like ‘I see’, ‘I understand’ etc., during the conversation will reinforce the above stated fact. Ask questions if you didn’t quite understand a point. It shows that you are really interested in this dialogue. It could be open-ended questions or close-ended as per the given situation. If you have a concern, do place it across the table in order to adhere the empathy. Your demonstration of real empathy will definitely move the speaker and want to open up honestly before you. This can be utilized for future productive engagements at work. Your attempt to ‘Paraphrase’ what you have interpreted from what the speaker said will blow the speaker’s mind, as it shows your keen listening skills and attentiveness on the subject. Try to recall some events that she had mentioned before if that relates to the

current conversation. The whole idea is to identify a solution, and also to have a productive directive to what’s lying ahead.

This is a winning trait! At work, listening skills help you to gather where you stand currently and how far you need to travel before you reach your first milestone. It helps you to analyse how people assess you, how your boss gauges you, how genuine are your sub-ordinates to you, what is to be placed in front of a client, how to negotiate, how well to convince, how effectively to sell, how to upsell, how to close a project faster, how better you can work as a team, eliminate misunderstanding or arguments, to win an interview to get a job, to uplift performance thus, succeed consistently and much more. A good listener is a winner, at home, work, and at the social gathering.

Listen!

GADGETS

Lenovo Tab P10

Rs. N/A

Android v8.0 (Oreo) OS

10.1 inches Display

8 MP Primary Camera

5 MP Secondary Camera

4 GB RAM

64 GB Internal Memory

256 GB Expandable Memory

7000 mAh Battery Capacity

Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite

Rs. 27,890 (approximately) Android v8.0 (Oreo) OS 10.1 inches Display 8 MP Primary Camera 8 MP Secondary Camera 3 GB RAM 32 GB Internal Memory 256 GB Expandable Memory 7500 mAh Battery Capacity

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Realme C1

Rs. 7,499 (approximately) Android v8.1 (Oreo) OS 6.2 inches Display 13 MP + 2 MP Dual Primary Cameras 5 MP Secondary Camera 2 GB RAM 32 GB Internal Memory 256 GB Expandable Memory 4230 mAh Battery Capacity

Jivi Flip 6

Rs. N/A 2.4 inches Display 0.3 MP Primary Camera 126 GB Expandable Memory 1200 mAh Battery Capacity

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COOKERY

Toshma Biju

Chocolate Pudding Ingredients

• • • • • • •

Sugar- 3 tablespoons Cornstarch- 2 tablespoons Salt- 1/8 teaspoon Coconut Milk- 2 cups Cocoa powder- 1 tablespoon Free dark chocolate chips- ¼ cup Vanilla extract- ½ teaspoon

Method In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt until well combined. Set it aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, cocoa powder and chocolate chips, and cook until the chips have melted into the milk beverage. Once the chips have melted, pour in the dry ingredients and continue whisking until the pudding begins to boil. Turn the heat down to low, and stir until the pudding thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour the pudding into individual serving cups. Serve warm or chilled.

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Chocolate Candies Ingredients

• • • •

Chocolate bars-2 nos Butter-2 tablespoons Brown rice syrup-1 tablespoon Semi-sweet chocolate chips-1 tablespoon

Method

Break choco bars into four sections, for a total of eight pieces. Set it aside.

Blend butter with brown rice syrup. Mixture should pull away from the bowl and form a ball. Set it aside.

Place one level teaspoon of butter mixture on the top of one section of choco bar. Flatten and form butter mixture to cover the choco bar piece. Cover a tray or plate with wax paper and place finished candies on top. Continue with remaining choco bar pieces. Place 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips in a small plastic sealable bag. Place bag in microwave leaving the top unsealed. Heat in short intervals gently pressing the softened chocolate to make sure the chocolate melts evenly.

When chocolate is almost melted, remove bag and press out any remaining lumps. Remove any air from the bag and seal bag. With a scissors, snip a very tiny hole in one corner of the bag. Beginning on the wax paper, drizzle the melted chocolate back and forth over the candies. Allow chocolate to harden about 20 minutes.

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Heart Cookies Ingredients Cookies

• • • • • •

Coconut butter-½ cup Coconut sugar-1 cup Brown rice flour-1 cup White rice flour-1 cup Vanilla extract-1 teaspoon Unsweetened Coconut Milk-11/2 cups

For Icing

• • • • •

Icing sugar-1 cup Beet powder-½ teaspoon Coconut butter-1 teaspoon Salt-a pinch Unsweetened Coconut Milk-31/2 teaspoons

Method Cookies

Preheat oven to 180 Celsius. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add coconut butter and coconut sugar. Mix well until blended.

Add brown rice flour, white rice flour, vanilla and coconut milk. Stir until a wet dough forms. Moisten your hands with warm water. Shape into rounds.

Flatten with warm, moist hands. Shape about 2 inches in diameter. Bake for 15 minutes.

Icing

In a medium bowl, add the icing sugar and beet powder. Whisk until blended. Add the coconut butter, salt and Coconut Milk. Whisk well until it becomes light and fluffy. Place in Icing in a piping bag with a regular tip. Make hearts on each cookie.

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BEAUTY

Natural tips

to improve hair health H

air fall is a serious problem that hunts most beauty conscious ones. All age groups are equally vulnerable to this condition. Though it is difficult to find a permanent solution to this issue, there are many simple ways available to reduce the impact of this condition. To effectively control this, it is important to accept that hair fall is a natural process. It is not necessary to use heavy chemicals to fight hair fall. It is pertinent to be aware that the use of heavy chemicals may lead to other serious health issues. Experts recommend the use of natural remedies over chemicals to deal with the issue.

In this edition, some simple natural tips are presented to help fight the worrisome heath condition of hair fall.

Aloe Vera

This is the most recommended Ayurvedic medicine to reduce hair fall. Apart from conditioning scalp and hair, Aloe Vera reduces dandruff. Apply Aloe Vera gel at least three

times in a week. Hair conditioners which are made up of this product are widely available in the market.

Coconut Oil

It is the widely used natural product for healthy hair. Keralities are very fond of this oil.

They use this oil for almost anything and everything. It is not that fondness that encourages them to use the oil on their hair.

There are several studies available to support the argument that Coconut oil is capable to reduce hair fall. Apply Coconut oil every day. It can either be used minutes before the hair is washed or minutes after the washed hair is completely dried.

Fish

The regular conception of fish considerably reduces the issue of hair fall. Fish contains an amazing component called Omega fatty acid, which is very useful for the overall health of hair. For healthy hair, include fish in daily diet.

Dr. Elizabath Chacko, MD-Kalpana International

Mob: 9388618112

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Onion

Many experts say that onion is a very effective natural medicine to reduce the threat of hair fall. It is not clear how it works, but it is clear that it somehow fights the condition.

Apply Onion juice at least once in a week. It is advised to apply it directly on the scalp of head for better result. The problem with this method is that many find it difficult to tolerate the smell of onion.

Lemon

A new study reveals that lemon oil reduces hair fall. Lemon is the source of numerous vitamins and minerals, capable to address many health issues of human body, including the issue of hair fall. Apply lemon oil at least three to four times in a week.

Hair health depends on several factors. How healthy your hair has a relation with how sincere you are in the task of maintaining your hair.

In the task, consistency

is an important factor. Don’t expect the methods suggested above will work overnight. Most of the aforementioned may take years to show result. If you want an immediate result, better go for chemical methods. Only if you want a permanent result, go for the natural ones mentioned above.

To understand a hair problem, it is vital to recognise its root cause. Sometimes, the cause may be simple. Other times, it may be complex. Not all causes are to be addressed similarly. If you feel that your hair fall problem is not a natural one and is an unusual one, hesitate not to approach a doctor at the earliest.

Health is Wealth!!! Stay Healthy!!!

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TRAVELOGUE

Gabon: The most prosperous country in Sub-Saharan Africa

W

hat comes first to your mind when you think about Africa? Naturally, poverty, civil wars, ethnic conflicts and diseases come first. If this is the way you think, you know nothing about this beautiful continent. In reality, Africa is not that bad. It is one of the most gifted regions in the world. Its climate, natural beauty, animals, birds, culture, cuisines, architecture, art and even its human beings are special. If you want to enjoy its true beauty, you need to open your heart, along with your eyes.

Once it is seen with your heart, all of your misconceptions about this land slowly vanish.

Our journey through Africa has brought us to Gabon this week. Not many have heard about this land prior to this introduction.

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Gabon, or the Gabonese Republic, is a small country situated in the western coast of Central Africa. Its population is less than 2 million. Its total area is 270,000 square kilometres. The country is still under the indirect influence of France, on which it depends heavily for its security needs.

Until the year 1960, the country was under the direct control of its colonial masters. On the aforesaid year, it entered into the path of self rule. Unfortunately, the independence brought noting significant in the ground.

A major boost in the economy, along with its social and political life, was achieved, when the lucrative natural resource of oil was discovered in the region. It was the day the country recognised its potential.

That discovery has gifted a kind of financial autonomy to

Libreville, Lambarene, Franceville, Port Gentil and Lope-Okanda Reserve are the prime attractions of this country. It is important to note here that the country’s tourism infrastructure is not that developed at this moment.

That limitation is what that prevents the entrance of many potential tourist destinations into this list of attractions.

Gabon. It has invested heavily in its economic and health sectors. Not many years have been taken by this country to become the leader of Africa’s education and health sector.

Now, most African countries admire this country for that.

The literacy rate of Gabon is 83.2 percent. It is one of the very few African countries where the law for compulsory primary education is in place. Gabon’s education sector is governed by two ministers: one takes care of its school education section; and another its higher education. It shows how much seriousness the country gives to the sector of education.

Meanwhile, when it is looked through the prism of health, Gabon is the country with developed health infrastructure, less infant mortality rate, high life expectancy, better health service accessibility and

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proper preventive policies. Gabonese people’s confidence in their health structure is that much that no disease outbreaks bother them.

Unfortunately, what that has helped the country to gain this much is slowly disappearing. It is evaluated that by the year 2025 its oil reserves will drain out completely. At present, the majority of its economic activities are linked to its oil reserves. It constitutes at least 46 percent of its budget, over 43 percent of its GDP

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and, importantly, as much as 81 per cent of its export. Most of the country’s financial experts are in the herculean task of finding a replacement to oil. It is where the opportunity of tourism comes to relevance. Many believe the sector which has done magic in several countries across the world would bring magic to Gabon also. Observers say that Gabon has everything to emerge as an attractive tourist destination. As per their observation, its biggest advantage is

its commitment to the maintenance of peace and stability. What its lack is the privilege of infrastructure, according to them. If a major achievement is expected from the sector of tourism, Gabon will have to consider their plans for infrastructural development more seriously.

Libreville, Lambarene, Franceville, Port Gentil and Lope-Okanda Reserve are the prime attractions of this country. It is important to note here that the country’s tourism in-

frastructure is not that developed at this moment. That limitation is what that prevents the entrance of many potential tourist destinations into this list of attractions. Once the issue of infrastructure is addressed, at least a dozen more potential destinations will find place in this list.

Libreville is the capital city of Gabon. It is where the majority of the official buildings are situated. The Cathedral of St Michael, national Museum and the Presidential Palace are the prime attractions here. It is one of the most vibrant cities in the country. There is no better shopping destination in this part of the world other than this.

Lambarene is the most famous historic town in the country. It is popular for its connection with famed tropical disease specialist Doctor Albert Schweitzer. In his name, there is a health museum in this town. It attracts a considerable number of tourists to this town every year. Evara Lake is what that gives an additional beauty to this town. It is unwise to miss the chance to visit this beauty.

Franceville is one of the most developed towns in the country. It is

where the burial site of late supremo Omar Bongo is situated. Bongo’s Statue, Saint Hilaire’s Church, and Poubara Waterfalls are the popular

Gabon is not only famous for its captivating destinations, but also for its art, culture, architecture and cuisine.

tourist destinations in this town. The Franceville market is also worth visiting.

Port Gentil is where travellers go to experience the night life of Gabon. Its casinos and night clubs are even popular in the west. Travellers from across the world come in large

numbers every year to experience this. This town of entertainment is not all about nightlife. It offers the opportunity to experience all kinds of water sports possible in this part of the world. River Ogooue and St Louis Church (one of the oldest churches in the country) are other major attractions in this town.

Lope-Okanda Reserve is where travellers go to get a glimpse of the natural and wildlife wealth of Gabon.

Every traveller who has visited this natural reserve at least once admits that if there is a heaven in the world it is here in this wildness. The reserve is a home to numerous animals and birds.

Gabon is not only famous for its captivating destinations, but also for its art, culture, architecture and cuisine. The contribution of its colonial past is evident in all these four, apart from the influence of the local factors. The country’s cuisine is the fine bend of the French cuisine and local African cuisine. That exceptional blending is seen in the country’s art, culture, architecture and, even, in its language also.

The land is waiting for you. Plan your trip now!!!

RECIPES

Teznim Aziz

Limchai chicken Ingredients

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Chicken boneless - 250 gram Soya sauce - 1tsp Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp Egg - 1/2 Sugar - 1pinch Salt to taste Cornflour as required Ginger - 1/2 tsp chopped Garlic - 1tsp chopped Green chillies - 1chopped Onion - 1 chopped Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp Garlic powder or paste - 1/4 tsp Vinegar - 1/2 tbsp Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp Sugar - 1/4 tsp Celery - 1tbsp chopped Water - 2 tbsp Oil

Method

1.Slice boneless chicken into thin sheets then cut into strips.

2.Marinate chicken with 1/2 egg, 1tsp soya sauce, 1/4 tsp pepper powder, 1pinch sugar & salt keep aside for half an hour.

3. Spread cornflour in a plate, roll chicken stripes over the cornflour until the chicken stripes are coated well.

4.Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry chicken pieces.

5.In a small bowl, add chilli powder, garlic powder and vinegar. Add water and make into a paste.

6.Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan, add ginger garlic and green chilli. Saute well.

Add chilli paste and stir well. Add all the remaining ingredients and boil.

Add chicken and toss well.

Cornflakes cookies Ingredients

• • • • • • •

Cornflakes - 2 cups (powdered) Vanaspati - 200 gm Sugar - 3/4 cups (powdered) Maida - 1-1/2 cups Cashew nut - 1/2 cups (crushed) Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp Cornflakes - 1/4 cups (crushed with hands)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree 2. Mix maida, cornflakes Powder & sugar powder well.

3. Add vanaspati & vanilla essence and knead well.

4. Add crushed cornflakes & cashews. Mix well.

5. Roll teaspoonful of dough. Place cookies 2" apart on parchament lined baking sheet. Bake@180degree.

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AUTO REVIEW

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

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

T

here is something about the Range Rover Sport that it looks just right. It isn’t too compact and chic like the Evoque or too big and stately as the full size Range Rover. The glass area to body ratio is better than the swanky Velar which looks like it has

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At Rs.1.23 crores, this updated Range Rover Sport sits in a crowd of very capable SUVs from the Land Rover brand -all in the same price range. For the style conscious people, there is the Velar, which is more road-based and sportier, and, then, there is the larger more versatile and rugged Discovery for the outdoorsy ones.

a very high waistline because of the small sloping silhouette. The proportions are spot on. Ever since this second generation Sport came out, it has been my favourite in the entire Range Rover range and it still is, despite the slightly stiff ride and tight rear seat. There was a facelift

in 2018 and it’s been some time since I have been behind the wheel of a Sport. So, while I was in Mumbai, I rang up the good folks at JLR to see if I could borrow one for a few days. And, what better way to enjoy the city views than from the lofty driver seat of a Range Rover.

The facelift isn’t very radical but it brings it in line with the rest of the range. The elliptical and curved LED signature makes for sharper more chiselled look. There is a new grille, new bumpers front and rear and new tail lamps. And, aren’t those optional Style 5085, 5-split spoke, and 21 inch wheels in Diamond Turned finish just delicious? They look the right size for the Range Rover Sport and give it a thoroughly modern and elegant look.

The bigger changes are inside where you now get the new dual touch screen infotainment system that first came out in the Velar. The upper screen tilts electrically to avoid glare while the lower screen uses physical knobs and their functionality change depending on what is on the screen. For instance, the

Range Rover Sport

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Powering this one is a 3.0 litre TDV6 with 258bhp and 600Nm. It feels responsive and refined within the city, but when you floor it, it takes off with a strong punch.

Land Rover says it will do 0-100 in 7.7 seconds. knob that controls the AC temp setting can be used to toggle between the terrain response options when that menu is chosen. Same goes for the steering mounted controls which take some getting used to.

The gauges are digital, the switchgear all around the cabin has been improved and there is more tech everywhere. The rear seat isn’t the most spacious around, but you would still be comfortable here. The front seats are very well cushioned and offer great visibility all around.

With the suspension raised, the commanding position is up there with the Mumbai bus drivers. You

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can see over most cars and that gives so much confidence in the city.

Powering this one is a 3.0 litre TDV6 with 258bhp and 600Nm. It feels responsive and refined within the city, but when you floor it, it takes off with a strong punch. Land Rover says it will do 0-100 in 7.7 seconds. The 8 speed ZF gearbox is very smooth and shifts seamlessly. What’s nice is that this V6 also sounds good when you accelerate.

If you want more sound and speed, the Range Rover Sport also comes with a 4.4 litre V8 diesel and two patrols –a 3.0 litre V6 and 5.0 litre V8– both supercharged of course.

The Range Rover Sport gets its name from a time when it was the sportier and slightly smaller offering to the big luxurious off-roader that is the Range Rover. You have to respect the size and weight this thing has before hurling it around, although Range Rover had tried to give it a dynamic edge. It is not a Porsche Cayenne or an SVR but it well still do respectable speeds with-

out making you feel uncomfortable.

The air suspension has been set up to give it more handling prowess than a pampering ride.

At Rs.1.23 Crores, this updated Range Rover Sport sits in a crowd of very capable SUVs from the Land Rover brand -all in the same price range. For the style conscious people, there is the Velar, which is more road-based and sportier, and, then, there is the larger more versatile and rugged Discovery for the outdoorsy ones. The Sport gives the best of both worlds, by being good on and off the road. And, with the update, it is better than ever

MOVIE REVIEW

Gully Boy

I

t is a musical film directed by highly talented filmmaker Zoya Akhtar.

The songs of the movie are the contribution of musical trio ShankarEhsaan-Loy (Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa).

The movie tells the story of a boy born and brought up in a ghetto in Mumbai. The movie shows how he beats all constraints that obstruct him from embracing his dream of becoming a rapper. The movie clearly portrays the socio-economic structure of the present day Mumbai. The movie also tells a romantic story, along with the main storyline. Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Vijay Raaz and Amruta Subhash appear in the lead roles.

Sonchiraiya

I

t is an action thriller directed by acclaimed filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey.

No any movie in the near history that has covered the life of dreaded Chambal valley as good as how this movie has portrayed the valley.

Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Bajpal and Ranvir Shorey appear in the lead roles. There are several mind blowing action sequences in the movie. The movie is produced by Ronnie Screwvala. Almost all lead actors have done their part exceptionally good. Mr Sushant Singh and Ms Bhumi Pednekar deserve special mention. So far, all reviews about the movie have been positive in nature.

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Cold Pursuit

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t is an action thriller directed by popular Norwegian filmmaker Hans Petter Moland. The film tells how an ordinary snow plough driver transforms himself into a dreaded vigilante to avenge his son’s murder. There are several exceptional action sequences in the film. The film is based on ‘In Order of Disappearance’ created by Kim Fupz Aakeson. Liam Neeson, Emmy Rossum, Tom Bateman, Julie Jones and Laura Dern appear in the lead roles.

The film has received mixed reviews.

The presence of Liam Neeson is what that makes this movie more attractable. The film is distributed by Summit Entertainment. Its music director is George Howe.

Alita: Battle Angel

I

t is a fantasy thriller directed

by American filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. This science fiction movie discusses not the story of this generation, but the story of a future generation. For that reason, there are several indigestible elements in the movie. The central character of the movie is Alita. She is a mysterious character. It is through her eyes that the viewers see the world. Like the viewers, the character is also alien to that world. Why her past is hidden is the central question which is answered as the movie progresses. Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Ed Skrein, Jennifer Connelly, and Mahershala Ali appear in the lead roles.

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BOOK REVIEW

The Great March of Democracy: Seven Decades of India’s Elections Author Price

: S Y Quraishi : Rs. 419 (Hardcover)

T

he credibility of the electoral system of India has been questioned by a hacker recently. No sensible citizen may have believed the claims made by the hacker. Still, it exposes how little Indians know about their electoral system. It is important to learn about this system, because it is an integral part of the democratic system of the country. Coincidentally, this book, going to reach book stalls in few days, seeks to help gain a deep insight about the subject of the Indian electoral system. It is a set of quality observations made by noted intellectuals on the subject. India at present is just a few months away from its seventeenth Lok Sabha election or General Election. It is the most suitable time to explore this subject.

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power Author Price

I

: Shoshana Zuboff : Rs. 629 (Paperback)

n contrary to the most popular belief of the bygone days that technology would liberate human beings, it has enslaved us. Already, many of us have even sacrificed our privacy, apart from many other precious things, on the altar of technology. In the modern world, technical experts steel our behavioural patter including our likes, dislikes and personal thoughts, and sell it to those who offer the highest amount for that information. In most occasions, that information reaches on the hand of those with the intention to misuse it or gain profit from it. In this book, it is clearly discussed how technology influences our social, political and economic interactions.

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BOOK REVIEW

The Legends of a Startup Guy Author Price

: Prachi Garg : Rs.131 (Paperback)

I

t is the story of a rich kid who struggles to establish his own identity. The tool he uses for that task is start-up. Apart from the general problems all start-ups usually face, his start-up faces another serious problem; that problem is expectation. His family background hunts him.

How he defeats all these is what the story tells. Most middle class youngsters can relate the story of the book to their life. It is its closeness to the middle class youngsters of the country that makes it attractable to that section of the society. The writer intertwines the lead narrative with the stories of Hindu mythology, to make it more interesting, and to expand its readership circle.

The Age of Awakening Author Price

S

: Amit Kapoor : Rs. 449 (Hardcover)

ince independence, the Indian economy has witnessed several ups and downs. These ups and downs are the natural outcomes of choices. To learn the complicated subject of Indian economy deeply, it is important to understand who made these choices, on what circumstances those choices were made, and why those were made. The book contains all those are necessary to answer the aforesaid questions. What makes this book different from other similar books is the fact that it goes far beyond the limitations of statistics. Unlike most others that discuss the subject, it addresses directly the crux of the subject. It is why it stands above all.

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Printed On 01/ 02/ 2018

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