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Feel The Mediterranean Life, Right Here In Chandigarh!

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Move over gin and tonics, here come Teq-tonics & Sorbet Gin-Tos, which together with the delicious Med-meets-European-and-the-world foot menu and the look and feel of the place will have you hooked to it. Charismatic and passionate restaurateur couple AD Singh and Sabina Singh have brought the acclaimed Olive Cafe & Bar of Mumbai to your own city in partnership with local businessmen Vishal Anand and Sampat Singh.

Starting 7:30 p.m. on Sunday (August 7) the signature whites and blues of the place in Sector 26, which pull one into the mirage of being by the Mediterranean Sea, will welcome you to settle down for the evening in its white-walled, open-to-the-sky, candle-lit courtyard with a beautiful view of the starry night sky (weather permitting).

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh/Olive

At a select media preview on Wednesday, AD Singh, originally from Delhi, now settled in Mumbai, who owns and runs a string of other equally exclusive and popular restaurant brands in 9 cities across the country, in a conversation with news website LifeInChandigarh.com passionately described Olive Cafe & Bar, the mother brand, as a “laid back place with a friendly vibe where good food, laughter, culture and conversations come together in a delightful melting pot.

“Olive loves its music,” he says “and patrons can tune in to our curated playlist of all-time-favourite jazz, classics as well as groovy retro tracks that set the vibe of a great night out.”

His wife Sabina Singh, who is the Design Director in the company, along with architect Vivek Popli, apart from Olive’s signature whites and blues, have ensured that patrons are able to enjoy natural light in the day and dreamy candle-lit mood at night.

The coziness of the soft arm chairs, the white pebbled courtyard, lush greens and the bougainvillea blooms make for a warm, inviting and toasty place, geared to instantly put one at ease. Little coastal details are layered every step of the way.

The Olive Group has a star corporate chef in Jyotika Malik, a graduate from Le Cordon Blue, London with an incredible experience of working for Marco Pierre White at his Michelin star restaurant Mirabelle, as also at The Dorchester Hotel in London. Along with her gourmet cafe menu and freshly brewed coffee, bespoke drinks, hand-crafted cocktails and a robust wine list by lead mixologist Harish Chhimwal, the everyday elements on Olive’s menu are just too compelling.

“Guests/patrons should not visit Olive in a rush,” jokes Jyotika. “We prepare everything on our menu with love and care. This takes reasonable time. But our promise is that the preparations will be great each and every time and the wait will be worth it.”

All Day Menu

The signature dishes include Sweet Pots, Chunky Avo, Super Bowl Salad, Wild Waffles, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Bun, Burrito Bowl, Ginger Salmon, Prawn Pil Pil and Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Espetada along with timeless and classic desserts like the French Toast with toppings like blueberries, mango peaches, hazlenuts served with chocolate ganache and salted caramel, which make a perfect ending to a day meal.

Dinner Menu

Olive’s dinner menu captures the Mediterranean by night. The menu is finer and is made using nifty ingredients beautifully paired together. You’ll discover a treasure of dishes vastly diverse yet deliciously familiar. Led by chef Anubhav Moza, the Olive kitchen turns gourmet ingredients into magical small plates, mains and desserts that take you on a culinary journey around the Mediterranean.

From bar nibbles, to Olive’s wood-fired pizzas to a live grill there is a great selection which is likely to satisfy the most discerning palate. The signature dishes include Panzella & Burrata, Miso Roasted Eggplant, Grilled Tiger Prawns, New Zealand Lamb Chops and Prawn Ravioli.

The highlight for both lunch & dinner is the Mezze which comes in a beautiful long wooden platter (feast for the eyes too) with an option for vegetarians, which includes falafel, goat’s cheese & spinach borek, and non-vegetarians with shish taouk, chermoula prawns and lamb koftas. These are accompanied with muhammara, hummus, tzatziki, kalamata olives, feta cheese, pickles and lavaash

Olive’s sweet offerings are a must-have. A rendition of a Tiramisu; as a sweet reminiscence of family picnics in the park; a mascarpone trifle; cherry bombollini or Italian doughnuts, coffee gelato with caramel popcorn, baileys, palmiers and coffee ganache biscotti. You can also try the fire and ice Rum n Raisin Baked Alaska which is flambed on the table.

Signature Cocktails

The beverage menu comprises an array of fresh cocktails and bespoke drinks also inspired by seasonal produce. Olive’s perennial favorite Sorbet Gin-To makes its presence felt on the menu as well. It’s a timeless gin & tonic twisted with a float of flavored sorbets like lemon, berry & passion fruit.

Teq-Tonics in which tequila is infused with herbs, fruits & flowers such as pimentos, hibiscus and grapefruit, and served with tonic water.

Olive Group’s lead mixologist Harish Chandra Chhimwal has crafted a diverse and eclectic cocktail menu that lets you take a sojourn to the scenic and charming Mediterranean. From Parisian Bling, which is crafted from gin, and lavender to Turkish Delight made with Bourbon, Kahlua and espresso, there’s also Morocco inspired Jack Rose, which is a concoction of JD Old no.7 with pomegranate syrup and lime juice. Spaniard is realised from a heady quartet of gin and basil. Tripoli Punch, which is inspired by Lebanon and is made of tequila, is going to be quite the showstopper.

You’ll also find deliciously exclusive cocktails that pay homage to this wonderful city we now call home. Made with locally sourced ingredients, Olive’s favourites include Chill Mango Tango, where mango and bird eye chili complement each other in tequila. Popcorn Party is a heady cocktail which is a sublime union of fat-washed scotch with mustard oil, blended well with popcorn syrup.

Wine List

The Mediterranean wine drinking culture has been brought all the way to Chandigarh. In this menu, you will find exciting, bubbly and rosé wines for the discerning drinker, and exclusive old-and-new-world labels from around the world. Order a glass, order a bottle. Either way, you are in for a good time.

Beverages

Beverages are concocted with equal love at the bar. Hearty shakes, freshly roasted coffee, hand-rolled teas (you will love the lavender and lemongrass first flush blend!), freshly squeezed juices and Glow & Berry Kambucha – a fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened black tea – are also the highlight of the menu.

Olive’s claimed average cost for two for food only:

Rs 1500++ for lunch

Rs. 2200++ for dinner

For bookings: 8872300001

 

Olive Legacy

The first white-walled Olive, opened by restaurateur AD Singh, found its home in a laid-back neighbourhood of what was then Bombay in November 2000. It became a favourite with the crowds ever since it opened its signature blue doors. In 2003, Olive Bar and Kitchen opened in New Delhi and quickly Olive became one of the most popular and best-loved restaurant brands in the country. Mumbai and Bengaluru followed, In 2005, AD also opened Olive Beach in a quaint bungalow in Bengaluru.

In 2018, Olive Bar and Kitchen launched in an alfresco space situated on the stunning Vagator beach of North Goa, with a casual, rustic ambience overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Olive Bistro & Bar, another brand embodies the spirit of Olive in a more affordable and casual avatar. In 2013, Olive Bistro opened in Hyderabad, and two years later in Goregaon, Mumbai.

Some of Olive group’s successes include SodaBottleOpenerWala – a Bombay Irani Café & Bar that serves typical Parsi and Irani specialties and pearls from the streets of Bombay and its old-world clubs. Ek Bar (a new Indian cocktail bar serving a fresh, regionally-inspired modern menu and award-winning innovative cocktails), Olly at DLF CyberHub, Gurugram (Olive’s all-day café and bar where freshly roasted coffee, bespoke drinks and honest food blend with a laid-back vibe), The Hoppery, Hyderabad (Olive Group’s first microbrewery nestled between lush foliage and boasting a gorgeous lake view, with seating spread across a quaint glasshouse, an alfresco space and a wooden deck) followed.

Other notable names under the Olive umbrella are India’s first gastropub Monkey Bar, Guppy (one of India’s first Japanese restaurants), The Grammar Room (an all-day cafe borne out of a mutual love for grammar, food and coffee), Serai (a culinary cocktail bar), The Fatty Bao (an Asian gastro-bar) and the East Village, NYC inspired and gastronomically curious Toast and Tonic and Chinese bar house Cantan.

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676

 

Is AAP Losing Its Perception Game In Punjab!

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Successful politics is all about generating a favourable public perception in your favour and against your rivals. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been seen to be playing this perception game successfully, capturing a second state after Delhi within seven years by making mincemeat of all the dominant parties in the border state of Punjab. But within months of the stupendous victory in the February 2022 assembly elections, is it losing the grip on its own game!

Punjabi comedian and two time Member of Parliament from Sangrur, Bhagwant Mann, after becoming chief minister, riding on a wave of popular support, despite coming good on a string of promises, including on corruption front, plugging revenue leakages, providing government jobs and free electricity up to 600 units in bi-monthly billing cycle, anti-gangster and anti-drug drives, getting vacated illegally possessed forest and panchayat lands, and more, is still finding himself increasingly embattled on several fronts.

File Photo

The party losing the bye-election to the Lok Sabha seat from Sangrur, especially when it had been vacated by Bhagwant Mann himself in the middle of his second consecutive term and within a couple of months of his assuming office, was largely attributed to a perceived spiral in daily crime graph, and the audacious and sensational gangster killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.

The sacking and arrest of Health Minister Vijay Singla in just over two months of his appointment on charges of seeking commission in award of a contract, basis voice recordings, was a serious setback to the party’s avowed anti-corruption plank.

The circumstances leading up to the early exit of state police chief V.K. Bhawra, Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari and Advocate General Anmol Rattan Sidhu also left many people  perplexed.

The high expectations raised by the party with some of the high-cost election promises made, and the way these were aggressively presented before the people by the top leadership, is also weighing down the fledgling Bhagwant Mann government. People are increasingly becoming impatient and the party leaders, including the chief minister, ministers and MLAs, are finding themselves pushed on the defensive. Their repeated assertions of sincerely working towards the fulfilment of the party’s promises, and appeals to the people to be patient have few takers.

Another aspect of the Bhagwant Mann government’s functioning, which appears to betray its sense of insecurity, is quickly panicking and buckling under the demands of various pressure groups without getting the issues properly examined at the government level.

It has been seen in the hasty decision announced by the chief minister to scrap the Mega Integrated Textile Region & Textile Park near Mattewara Forest in Ludhiana district along the Sutlej river. This followed the chief minister’s meeting with a delegation of Public Action Committee (PAC), an NGO spear-heading the agitation against the project, which was  approved during the tenure of Congress chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

On other occasions also the government has meekly surrendered before the demands of farmers and agitating unemployed/temporary staff after initially seeking to take a tough stand against their aggressive agitations or announced plans for agitation.

Moreover, the manner in which some of the party MLAs, local leaders and even ministers have been conducting surprise inspections and raids, with the media in tow, and bluntly humiliating officials in public is not being appreciated by a wide cross section of the society. Such actions, which people believe could have been done in a more civilised manner, have given credence to observations that the inexperienced elected first timers may not be able to judiciously handle their newly acquired powers. Videos of these frequent raids have been routinely going vital on social media.

The latest video of the current Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra, publicly humiliating Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor and distinguished orthopaedic surgeon Dr Raj Bahadur over torn mattresses at the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College & Hospital, Faridkot, has created a furore across the medical fraternity. There is a public outcry against the minister’s conduct on social media. Only the diehard party supporters have come out in support.

Having personally known Dr Raj Bahadur, an embarassed chief minister is in damage control and has reportedly personally apologised to the VC and requested him to withdraw his resignation from the post.

Bhagwant Mann is also having to contend with another growing public perception – that he is acting as a puppet of the party’s National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The appointment of one of the latter’s closest aides Raghav Chadha, recently elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, as Chairman of Punjab Government’s Advisory Panel is also widely being viewed as a way of remote controlling the functioning of the Punjab government from Delhi.

This despite the fact that the people of Punjab whole-heartedly embraced AAP largely because of the image of Arvind Kejriwal they had conjured up in their minds and hearts. They perceived him as a bold and transformational leader who would help steer them out of the seemingly never ending vicious cycle of dirty politics, decaying government machinery, corruption, gangsters and drugs. But what the people of Punjab are known to detest the most is to be dictated, which should explain their change of heart towards Kejriwal.

The Opposition is playing its own usual part. Sensing this atmosphere of uncertainty and insecurity within the Bhagwant Mann government, it is losing no opportunity to corner the chief minister and thus regain a foothold in the battleground which it had all but lost.

AAP needs to quickly get into a midfield huddle and rethink and re-strategise if it wants to come back strongly into the game.      

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676

This Modern-Retro™ Bike, Offering Stress-Free Riding Experience, Is For Explorers

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

In Japan’s feudal period, a ‘samurai’ without a lord or master, in other words a drifter or a wanderer, was called Ronin. And Chennai-based home bred leading two & three-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company, with a global reach in 55 countries, has named its newest offering in the 150-350 cc segment motorcycle just that.

With the 225.9 cc RONIN, the domestic market leader in the 150 cc-200 cc motorcycle segment claimed at a launch ceremony in Chandigarh on Friday that it had forayed into the “premium lifestyle segment” with a ‘modern-retro’ motorcycle.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

So, if you are not exactly mad after power and speed, and would rather be an explorer seeking a comfortable riding experience across terrains, then RONIN is for you. The 225.9 cc, single cylinder, air/oil-cooled engine linked to a 5-speed gearbox, delivers a maximum output of 20.4 bhp at 7,750 rpm and 19.93 Nm of peak torque at 3,750 rpm.

The ex-showroom prices across three variants are Rs 1,49,000 for single tone, Rs 1,55,500 for dual tone and Rs 1,68,750 for triple tone. Though the company had started taking bookings much earlier, it has started shipping the motorcycle to its dealers only in the first week of July.

In the impressive presentation at Taj Chandigarh, Vimal Sumbly, Head Business – Premium, TVS Motor Company, shared with the media that “Motorcycling at the global level is changing. It is moving from serving a functional purpose to enabling self-expression, freedom and the willingness to explore. With the RONIN, we are not only offering a brand, but an entire brand world with it.”

The company emphasises that for a stress-free riding experience across terrains, the motorcycle, besides impressive technology, offers convenience features like dual-channel ABS, voice assistance and enhanced connectivity. It is also in the process of launching an exclusive range of branded world-class merchandise and custom accessories. An online configurator will allow you to see how your desired accessory will look on your RONIN.

A riding community – TVS RONIN CuLT – is also in the offing which promises the coming alive of culture, lifestyle and travel.

TVS dealers with the bike

Later, in a separate interaction with select media, Vimal Sumbly sought to bust a ‘myth’ that TVS is purely a South Indian brand. He asserted that in fact North India bundled with few other areas is the biggest market for TVS motorcycles constituting roughly 40% of the company’s countrywide total annual sales of motorcycles.

The company continues to grow as a global brand having exported 11 lakh units to 55 countries so far, he asserted.     

Key features

  • All LED lamps
  • Signature T-shaped pilot lamp within round headlamp
  • Asymmetric speedometer
  • Exhaust & muffler design
  • Chain cover
  • 9-spoke allow wheels
  • Block thread tyres
  • Digital cluster (DTE – distance to empty, ETA – estimated time of arrival, gear shift assist, tu by tu navigation, incoming call alert/receive, custom window notification
  • Ride analysis on TVS SmartXonnect App
  • Rain & urban ABS modes
  • Integrated starter generator (ISG) for low noise feather touch start
  • Upside down front fork
  • Rear monoshock
  • Glide through technology
  •  Assist & slipper clutch
  • 3-step adjustable lever

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676 

Another Swanky Facility For Social Gatherings Comes Up In Sector 30

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Another newly constructed community centre, one of the many such swanky facilities coming up across the city, was dedicated to the residents of Chandigarh by Member of Parliament Kirron Kher in Sector 30-B, on Monday.

Calling such newly constructed community centres as well constructed top-of-the-line facilities for social gatherings at reasonable rates for the residents with a well lighted large air-conditioned hall, granite flooring, rooms for bride and groom, a bridal room, a family room, senior citizen room, toilets for gents, ladies and differently abled on both floors, a library, gymnasium, pantry, and lift, etc., she made an impassioned appeal to the people to ensure cleanliness and upkeep of these community centres in their own interests.

All the women: Smiles all around (left to right) Kirron Kher, Mayor Sarbjit Kaur Dhillon, Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra (behind) and lady councillors at the inauguration.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

The creation of more such facilities in the Union Territory should be kept above ‘partybaaji’, she maintained and appealed to representatives of all parties to work together instead of fighting over such matters in the interests of the public in general.

Despite her making such an appeal, it is well known that there is partiality being followed in the construction of such swanky new community centres. Public representatives who have an ear of the powers that be are able to get the newly constructed community centres in their respective areas prioritised over others.

This community centre in Sector 30-B for example was pushed by former Congress councillor, now a BJP leader Devinder Singh Babla, who proudly claimed it as his achievement. Kher acknowledged having got it prioritised on a request made by Babla.

Pantry

In stark contrast community centres like the one in Sector 44-B are too small and in a ramshackle condition. Though the Sector 44 facility is under renovation, the plea of the residents that the space is highly inadequate for large gatherings, and that it needs to be reconstructed, has fallen on deaf ears despite the sector being represented by a ruling party councillor.

The community centre in Sector 30 has been built on a one acre plot with a covered area of 18,500 square feet. The building, which has cost Rs 4.5 crore, can accommodate an estimated 500 guests at a time. It has been constructed by the Engineering Wing of the UT Administration and handed over to the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh.

The parking, claimed by authorities to be sufficient, will in practice prove too inadequate in case of a large gathering.

What’s a government building without telltale signs of seepage on inauguration

The building already has a few eyesores with rainwater seepage quite visible on the walls in the staircase leading up to the terrace on the 3rd level.  

Bookings for the community centre can be made through the Sampark centres.   

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676 

Get Quality Dental Treatments With Promise Of Ethical Practice

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

A natural offshoot of an uptrend in lifestyles in a fast growing economy is an ever increasing number of people facing dental issues of all kinds. This, and the growing consciousness among the young and the old alike to look and feel good is fuelling a proliferation of modern multispeciality dental centers providing all-under-one-roof facilities.

One such upmarket facility, Crest Multispeciality Dental Clinic & Implant Center (www.crestdentalclinic.com), opened up recently in the busy Sector 20 market, Panchkula where the husband-wife duo Dr. Manoj and Dr. Shifali Bansal have provided smart and modern infrastructure for comprehensive cosmetic and restorative smile treatments.

Photos: Life In Chandigarh

Both MDS, Dr. Manoj is qualified in conservative dentistry and endodontics and specialises in root canal treatment and smile makeover, while Dr Shifali has trained in oral and maxillofacial surgery and specialises in implants and trauma care.

Speaking to socially oriented news website LifeInChandigarh.com, Bansals, who have moved to Panchkula from Punjab, where they had been practicing since 2013, shared that “we have put together smart facilities with instrumentation and materials sourced from reputed international level brands. These will be complimented with expert and professional services and assured ethical practices,” they added.

Crest multispeciality dental center has three modern dental chairs placed in three separate cabins. While the Bansals themselves will be providing 90% of all treatments, a visiting orthodontist will complete the services.

All Covid and other hygiene and safety protocols, as mandated by the government and Indian Dental Association, will be followed at the dental practice.

Among the treatment and services offered by the Crest multispeciality dental center are single/two sitting near painless root canal treatment, fiber reinforced and cosmetic composite restorations, metal free porcelain/Zirconia crowns and bridges, and conventional and invisible braces.

The cosmetic dentistry services available include porcelain vaneer/laminates and bridal dentistry and tooth jewellery. The implant dentistry category has full mouth rehabilitation, dental implant surgery, sinus lift surgery and socket preservation with bone graft. Pre prosthetic surgery and jaw fracture management are among the oral surgical facilities on offer.

Among the other facilities at Crest Multispeciality Dental Clinic & Implant Centre are laser dentistry, paediatric and preventive dentistry and digital radiography. 

For appointments : 9877098779, 0172-4102709

 

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is a socially oriented enjoyable digital reading endeavour, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676

It Was A Sweet Journey Down Memory Lane To Days Of Childhood & Youth

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

I must confess at the outset that it was after ages that I partook of langar at a gurdwara on Friday. But as soon as I entered the gurdwara in Sector 44A on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Prakash Purb, memories came flooding of childhood and youth in Sector 8C gurdwara where our ‘gang’ of friends commanded a near monopoly of serving the sangat.

There were already massive crowds in, and many more pouring in every minute. Not surprisingly, the large premises of the holy place appeared to further expand in size, as it were, to absorb the never ending stream of devotees immersed in the religious and festive spirit of the occasion.

Photos By: Life In Chandigarh

People were queued up in large numbers inside the main hall to pay their respects to the Guru Granth Sahib as teams of ragis rendered shabads. The more devout among them were seated in the hall, absorbed and apparently connected with the Guru and his teachings.

In the gurdwara compound, hundreds on hundreds of devotees were seated in dozens of rows in the open and roofed langar area as the volunteers, unmindful of their clothes smeared with sabji-dal, served them with devotion and “Wahe Guru Ji” on their tongue.

The menu was a sea change from our times, more elaborate than those simple times. I remember, when we used to serve the sangat it was just plain dal, alu-gobi di sabji, parshada and kheer, apart from the most sought after burning hot kadha parshad.

Bundi ladoo were being served with kadha parshad, the alu-gobi had been replaced by matar-paneer-alu and the mixed dal had chanas added in. There was also chawal and kadhi, pickled salaad, and jalebi to boot.

A surprise awaited the devotees after partaking of the langar. Some volunteers were seen serving them packaged Lahori Zeera Soda and biscuits.

Overall, the experience, which took me down memory lane, was worth cherishing all my life, just as similar experiences of childhood and youth!              

 

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676 

On Way To Becoming Google Of Next-Gen App Testing & Quality Assurance

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0

The secret of seamless functioning of the popular apps we use in our daily lives lies in their softwares being put through rigorous testing and quality assurances before being launched. It is in this field of testing and quality assurance (QA) of apps built on latest technologies like AI/ML, RPA, IoT, etc. that Manish Gupta, a Chandigarh engineer and serial entrepreneur, is creating waves globally.

In his late 40s, London-based Manish Gupta-piloted company TestingXperts (Tx), positioned as leaders and innovators by leading analysts, NelsonHall, is already among the top five largest testing companies worldwide, and on course to becoming, like Google in search engines, the de facto choice for software testing and QA.

Photos By : TestingXperts

The Next-Gen QA and software testing services provider, headquartered in London, with 12 global offices and test labs in US, Europe and in India (Chandigarh, Bangalore, Noida and Hyderabad), 850+ employees and 300+ clients in 25+ countries, claims to have successfully delivered more than 400 major projects, and counting.

In an exclusive telephonic conversation with news website LifeInChandigarh.com, from his London headquarters, Tx Founder and CEO Manish Gupta says, “We have an impressive global presence in USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands, India and Australia, along with successful partnerships with industry giants like Microsoft, UiPath, etc.

“The year 2020 marked the newest of many milestones for Tx, we became gold partners with UiPath, a leading enterprise software automation company.  The vision is to deliver Fully Automated Enterprise™, allowing client companies to use optimum automation to unlock their greatest potential.

“Our partnership with UiPath will help us automate our own testing and QA activities, accelerating us further on the road to becoming world leaders and the world’s first unicorn ($ 1Bn Co.) in our area of specialisation,” he adds.

Born in Sangrur (Punjab), Manish (48), who did his initial schooling in Amritsar and later shifted to Chandigarh to complete his high school from YPS Mohali/DAV College and degree in civil engineering from Punjab Engineering College, today presides over a $ 35 Mn company and exudes confidence of achieving his goal of making it the world’s No. 1 in testing and QA.

“We have utilised our alliance with UiPath, the worldwide pioneer in robotic process automation with $ 35 Bn valuation, to rapidly automate our own processes of testing and QA with a view to further accelerate our growth. Covid 19 has heightened the critical need for automation to address challenges and create value for companies. The pandemic has also thrown up newer verticals like Edtech and Healthtech for adoption of automation, which further expands our horizons,” Manish informs.

However, as happens with many other success stories, Manish’s journey as an entrepreneur was peppered with struggles and pain. He had pursued engineering studies with a view to carry forward his family legacy of manufacturing and construction business. But by the time he graduated, the family business had all but fizzled out.

He preferred to become a first time entrepreneur over taking up a salaried job, co-founded a construction company, Indotech, secured a few good contracts, but his calling lay somewhere else.

So, when the IT boom hit India in the 90s, Manish, immediately spotted a golden opportunity to fulfil his dreams of getting to work abroad. “Technology has always fascinated me, and somehow I knew this was the next big thing.”

He followed his instincts and after handing over the construction business to his partner, co-founded his IT services company, Damcosoft in 1996-97.

Post the dot com bust, Manish, by now married and blessed with a son, chased a lead from a friend, packed his bags and shifted base to his ‘dream city’ London to set up business there.

Meetings were lined up. Meetings failed. “I was stubborn, still am,” he shares. His passion and persistence paid off – after a year of rejections in London, working from a small study table in his bedroom, walking miles, to just save on cost of bread, to opening his company in UK from scratch in February 2001, diversifying, moving base the same year in November, Manish had embarked on a new journey. Headquartered in London, he then managed both US and India.

In the following years the company grew in size, and so did Manish’s fortunes. In nearly a decade-and-a-half he had made enough money to secure a bright future if at any time he wished to retire. Though he made lots of money deep inside he could not digest his company being a relatively unknown entity, one among thousands out there, with no brand recognition.

He soon realised that he no longer wanted be a jack of all trades, and a switch over to a specialised field had become absolutely necessary if he was to make a mark for himself and his team.

“So, in 2014, when the world had started predicting the demise of software testing functions with the evolution of fast-changing digital and cloud applications, I strongly believed that eventually, when everything will be automated, software testing will remain a weak link, and only testing could ensure that the software remained seamless in its functioning and delivered continuously at the touch of a button,” Manish recounts.

He set out to build a state of the art Next-Gen specialist software testing and QA company which would provide ultimate solutions for a complete range of software testing needs. TestingXperts came alive in 2014 and instantly stamped its arrival, landing a major deal with a US based product company.

Manish built and mentored a star team at Tx, established offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Singapore, and created multiple delivery centres across India. In barely six years, TestingXperts climbed the ranks to make it to the top 5 largest pure play testing providers globally.

In 2020 the pandemic set in and the partnership with UiPath happened, catapulting TestingXperts to a higher trajectory.

Manish gets nostalgic when talking about the 100,000 sq ft state of the art Chandigarh office, which opened in 2015. It boasts of a 400+ strong staff, and growing.

“Chandigarh is my hometown, and I want to give back to the city I grew up in. We are passionate about reaching out to the youngsters in the city, spotting talent at the college level itself, hiring and mentoring those with the right technical mindset and open to learning,” says Manish.

So, what is the mantra for success he would like to share with the younger generation?

rn

    rn

  1. From fresher to the most experienced, learning has to be a continuous curve, never wavering, never stopping, because when you stop learning your career ends.

    2. rn

  2. There is no substitute to persistence and hard work. Yes, you need to think and work smart, but hard work always pays.

    3. rn

  3. Constant effort at innovation, need to quickly adapt to fast changing global environment.

    4. rn

  4. Other traits: Agility, Commitment, Transparency, Integrity, Ownership

    5. rn

rn

 

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676

French Behemoth Accor Lights Up City’s Hospitality Scape

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Taj Chandigarh in 2006, JW Marriott in 2011, The Lalit in 2014 and Hyatt Regency in 2016, the branded international hotels have made a cautious and gradual entry into one of the most admired cities in the country. So, when French hospitality behemoth Accor SA, the largest hospitality player in Europe and 6th largest worldwide, makes a grand entry with its popular Novotel brand midscale hotel it is bound to create a huge buzz.

Ideally located on the crossroads of highways leading up from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, the modern and contemporary hotel, which opened its warm and comforting infrastructure and services to guests last weekend, is certain to light up the city’s hospitality scape.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh & Novotel

Brought to Chandigarh in franchise mode by the well known hospitality group KLG Enterprises, Hotel Novotel, adjacent to the Tribune Chowk, offers modern, easy living, with 120 contemporary rooms, two food and beverage outlets with indoor and alfresco seating, an outdoor plunge pool, a modern gymnasium and multiple meeting and wedding venues of different sizes spread across 8,100 sq. ft. pillar-less space, claimed to be the largest in the city.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, managing partners of KLF Enterprises, Akshay Grover and Karan Grover, shared that the Food Exchange is a contemporary all-day dining outlet that offers a melange of international cuisines and local delicacies with interactive cooking stations. Guests can choose from a wide selection of cuisines ranging from Continental, Italian, Pan Asian to local and regional offerings.

Curves is a modern, upbeat lounge bar and an urban hangout where guests can enjoy distinctive flavours of innovative cocktails along with classic concoctions, mood-setting music, scrumptious delicacies that come together to provide an experience like no other, they added.

Novotel Chandigarh is accredited with the ALLSAFE label, which has been developed alongside and vetted by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspections, and certification. The ALLSAFE programme is based on a range of guiding principles and commitments and consists of over 200 standard operating procedures, keeping cleanliness and safety at the centre of all policies.

Novotel Chandigarh is also a part of ALL – Accor Live Limitless – Accor’s Lifestyle loyalty programme, which provides a gateway to advantages, services and unique experiences.

Besides the attractive facade of the building and the surrounding greenery, what strikes a visitor or guest as he or she enters through the glass revolving doors, is a first of its kind luxury car Porsche Cafe right in the middle of the hotel lobby. A large mural behind the reception, which embodies some of the design elements of Le Corbusier, the Swiss-French master planner of the city, is another key attraction, as is the illuminated wooden staircase  leading up to the Food Exchange.

The well-appointed rooms are spacious, comfortable and elegantly done. The Superior room comes with twin beds and the Executive room with a king bed. The tariff starts from Rs 7500 plus taxes, inclusive of buffet breakfast and wifi.

Talking about Accor’s expansion plans, he said, "We are increasing the footprint of Novotel hotels in India. Novotel New Delhi City Centre, Novotel Mumbai International Airport, Novotel Goa Panjim, Novotel Bhubaneswar and Novotel Bengaluru City Centre will be opened by 2023."

Accor SA now has 54 hotels and resorts across India and Sri Lanka. This includes a network of 10 distinctive brands encompassing every segment – from its acclaimed luxury Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel brands; premium brands Pullman, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure; as well as the popular Novotel and Mercure midscale brands and the much-prized economy brands,  including ibis and ibis Styles.

Taking a positive view of the massive hit the hospitality industry has taken due to the pandemic, Dhawan asserted that hotel business is long term play, and Accor has a long term vision towards its business.

Pan India the occupancy has been on the upswing last few months and currently stands at roughly 60%, he said adding that Chandigarh and Goa have been bright spots amidst the lockdowns and restrictions. In Chandigarh, industry data shows that occupancy is upwards of 70%, room rents are robust and demand for rooms is growing, he added. 

Book your stay on www.all.accor.com

For reservations: +919875968001  

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676

Now, Buy A New Home, Transfer Balance Loan Starting Just 6.5%

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Looking for lowest home loan interest rate to buy a new property this festive season, or transfer the balance of your existing home loan with a higher interest rate to reduce your EMI burden, then the latest limited period offer for a home loan from Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) could be just tailor made for you, with interest rates starting from as low as 6.50 %.

Speaking specially about the Chandigarh market in a recent virtual media interaction, Ambuj Chandna, President – Consumer Assets, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said “this is perhaps the best time for people to consider buying a home when home loan interest rates are at a decadal low and major real estate companies have adequate ready-to-move-in inventories.”

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

The Chandigarh region, he said, has been a key focus area for the bank, with its CASA (current account saving account) deposits in the region showing a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 15% as on 30th June 2021. Total advances in the region have also shown a YoY growth of 10%, standing at Rs 1667 crore as on the same date, he added.

Emphasising that home loan is a clear growth driver for retail asset at Kotak Mahindra Bank, he informed that its home loan interest rates have been on a constant downward trajectory since October 2020, when these were starting at 6.9%.

It came down to 6.75% in November 2020 and further to 6.65% in March this year. Considering the festive season, when people are keen to gift themselves a new home, the bank has cut it further by another 15 basis points to 6.50%, the lowest in a long long time, and 20 basis points below those offered by some of the bigger banks, he remarked.

The limited period festive season offer can be availed till November 8, 2021 with focus on salaried and self employed customers and on both fresh sales and balance transfers. The loan rates starting at 6.50% are available across all loan amounts and are linked to the borrower’s credit profile (a credit score of 800 or above for a salaried customer is considered good for offering a home loan at the lowest rate of interest).

Chandna claimed that on Kotak Digi Home Loans, home loan applicants can now apply for and receive an instant in-principle sanction letter along with their loan amount eligibility, the tenure of the loan, interest rate and EMI in an end-to-end fully digital, paperless and contactless process. Existing Kotak customers can also apply through the Kotak mobile banking app or net banking.

In offline mode, home loan applicants can approach the bank’s branches across 180 cities and towns in India.

Are you taking the plunge! 

 

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676 

For The Beer-Lovers, 2 New Freshly Minted Flavours, Appetizers Galore

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

No prizes for guessing, beer-lovers need no occasion or excuse to celebrate! But the moment an opportunity comes calling for them to try out new flavours of the frothy delight, freshly minted at that, a mad rush to be the first one to grab a mug is surely on the cards!

Starting Sunday (Oct 3), one such opportunity has come their way. Popular sister microbreweries and kitchens Hops n Grains on Airport Road in Sector 79 Mohali and The Great Bear on the Madhya Marg in Sector 26 Chandigarh have laid out an irresistible weeklong Oktoberfest beer and appetizers festival for their guests.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh & Hops n Grains

Oktoberfest is modelled on the world famous annual beer festival by the same name in Munich, Germany.

Fun, merriment, and drinking freshly minted beer the whole day around is what Oktoberfest stands for. Hops n Grains and The Great Bear may not have all of these Bavarian elements you get to see in the German festival. But the principal functionaries of both microbreweries promise that the spirit and the vibe would be the same.

Your own news website LifeInChandigarh.com previewed the festival for you, and here is what new to expect during the week, though the two new freshly minted beer flavours and four each veg and non-veg accompaniments will continue on the menu at the two popular joints for a month.

As the inherent characteristic of Oktoberfest is freshly minted beer, at The Great Bear the guests can enjoy two new beers – Golden Ale and American Barley Wine, and at Hops n Grains – Dunken Weizen and Belgian Wheat.

These will be accompanied with vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers like Saute Mushroom, Kali Mirchi Paneer Tikka, Glazed Chicken sausages and Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tikka among others at Hops n Grains. Care has been taken that accompaniments served go well with the drinks.

Head brewer for the microbreweries Gagan shared that Dunken Weizen, blackish in colour with 5.4-5.6% alcohol content, is a heavy-bodied beer with a slightly chocolaty and caramely taste, and Belgian Wheat, yellowish in colour with 5.2% alcohol content, has a fluffy head with slightly citrus taste.

Head chef Paramjeet Singh, on his part, gave a taste of the appetizers he has prepared specially for the festival. Among the vegetarian accompaniments is Sauté Mushroom, prepared with button mushrooms pan-seared with onion, garlic, herbs, olive oil and balsamic (malt) vinegar.

The BBQ Paneer Bao is a steamed Chinese bun (Bao), stuffed with BBQ paneer, onion and capsicum. A third vegetarian appetizer is Kali Mirch Paneer Tikka, which is prepared by cooking cottage cheese stuffed with black pepper masala, containing hung curd and cream.

The special veg appetizers menu is rounded off with Fresh Bocconcini Pizza, prepared on thin crust pizza with rich topping of mozzarella cheese and balsamic rucola leaves.

Among the non-vegetarian delights, head chef Paramjeet Singh claims guests will love Meat Croquette, which is prepared using chicken and mutton seekh kebab stuffed with cheese, with a coating of bread crumb for crispiness, and served with mint mayo.

The Glazed Chicken Sausages, prepared by deep frying sausages, are served with homemade mustard maple soya sauce.

Another non-vegetarian delicacy is Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tikka. It is coated with Parmesan cheese and bread crumb and tandoor baked.

For the non-vegetarian pizza lovers, Hawaiian Pizza is a must try. In this, fresh dough thin crust pizza base is baked with topping of ham, pineapple, jalapeno and crispy bacon.

There is also a Mezze Platter, which is an assortment of small Lebanese/Arabic dishes eaten as appetizers or a light meal.

Vital statistic of the Oktoberfest

Time: Daily 12 noon to 12 midnight till October 10

Meal for two: Average Rs 1200 plus taxes

 

LifeInChandigarh.com  by APR Media House is an enjoyable digital reading startup, which keeps you abreast of the latest meaningful happenings of interest to large sections of folks in Chandigarh tricity, and expats from the region. It has been promoted by a public spirited senior journalist and media consultant with a view to encourage good quality and healthy journalism, a dire need of the times.

To keep in touch, drop an email or call :
kochhar.apr@gmail.com
9815617676

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