Home Blog Page 55

All Eyes On SUV Hector, From Iconic Brand Morris Garages

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
All Eyes On SUV Hector, From Iconic Brand Morris Garages

Four gleaming and stylish passenger car models displayed in the lobby of the city’s hottest melting pot, Elante Mall, since Friday are catching eyeballs of visitors. But most wide-eyed shoppers are confused…they haven’t seen these models before. The MG badge on all of them is striking. But what is MG? Aficionados of automobiles will of course connect it to the iconic British car maker Morris Garages, which has just announced the name of its still-under-wraps first car being rolled out in the Indian market, a premium SUV christened MG Hector, slated for a pan India launch in May-June 2019.

The British marque, now owned by the largest Chinese automobile company SAIC Motor Corporation, has displayed these beauties for public viewing to showcase its fundamental strengths and let prospective customers witness its global product technology, quality and features. The experience zone will remain open for visitors till Sunday. Chandigarh is the second stop after Delhi in the company’s 10-city tour across India ahead of MG Hector’s launch.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

Though the specifications of the much awaited premium SUV, which is being slotted against the likes of Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V and Jeep Compass, are not being disclosed at this juncture, fleeting glimpses of the car being tested in the harshest cold desert conditions in Leh have been shared by the company on YouTube and on its website.

In a chat with LifeInChandigarh.com on Saturday, MG Motor India Executive Director P Balendran expressed confidence that the SUV will shake up the already competitive market in the premium SUV segment. To be manufactured at the state-of-the-art Halol plant of the company in Gujarat, which it acquired from GM Motors in September 2017, the SUV, built on a global platform, has been heavily re-engineered to suit Indian preferences and conditions. It will have 75% localisation upfront.

MG Hector is expected to be generous in dimensions – spacious, a high roof and a high ground clearance. High safety standards are guaranteed as it goes through the grind of international crash tests. And with an expected competitive pricing it is sure to set a new benchmark in its segment and give its established competitors in the Indian market a run for their money.

Says Balendran “we have already announced Rs 2200-crore initial investment in India and demonstrated our organisational strengths, and set an industry benchmark, by getting our manufacturing plant ready for production in a record 13-14 months. We think that we have got our first product, and timing of its launch, right with the premium SUV currently being the fastest growing segment in the country. An electric vehicle will follow a year from the launch of MG Hector in line with our plans to launch one new vehicle every year in the next 5 years, he adds.

The company has already selected its dealer partner for the region in Sumit Passi, a well known name in the premium automobile business. The first showrooms will open in Chandigarh (Elante Mall), Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar around the same time in May 2019. “Apart from creating a benchmark in product quality, servicing will be a major differential for the company in its quest to rapidly grow in the Indian market,” asserts Balendran.

The company has an overall plan to have 45 partner dealers operating 100-plus sales and service touch points nationally ahead of MG Hector’s launch.

Punjab, which forms nearly 2% of the country’s passenger car market, is apparently a priority market for the new entrant. “We aim to be a sizable player in the premium SUV segment, as spacious SUVs with tall stance are preferred by customers here,” adds the company Executive Director.

About The Iconic British Brand

Founded in the UK in 1924, Morris Garages was world famous for its sports cars, roadsters and cabriolet series. MG vehicles were much sought after by celebrities, including the British Prime Ministers and British Royalty for their styling, elegance and spirited performance, The MG Car Club, set up in 1930 at Abington in the UK, has more than a million loyal fans, making it one of the world’s largest clubs for a single brand. MG has evolved into a modern, futuristic and innovative brand over the last 94 years.

 

https://www.mgmotor.co.in/mghector?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=search-brand-namereveal-hector   

Riding Gen Nexts Unisex Leisure Biking Wave

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
Riding Gen Nexts Unisex Leisure Biking Wave

It’s difficult to describe the inseparable bond between a Punjabi ‘munda’ and his ‘bult’ beyond saying ‘Dil Da Maamla Hai’! The classic Bullet from iconic motorcycle brand Royal Enfield (RE) has become a part of the folklore in a state considered the sword arm of India, so much so that the favourite ride of the youth has been immortalised in many a Punjabi song. The erstwhile British brand, now a division of Either Motors Ltd, is set to take this swan song to an all new level with the recent launch of 650 twins, a next big wave of motorcycles, globally made for the global markets.

Launching the Interceptor INT 650 Twin and Continental GT 650 Twin in Chandigarh, where the brand sells every third motorcycle riding on the city roads, Rudratej Singh, President, Royal Enfield, an avid motorcycle rider himself, in a chat with LifeInChandigarh.com said “Our strong bond with Punjab and Chandigarh has been an immense source of strength to the company. Valuing this love and support, here we are to launch our new offerings, which I am sure will take this romance to an all new level.”

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

At the heart of the twins is the rebirth of Royal Enfield’s legendary twin cylinder engine. The air/oil-cooled all new parallel twin 648 cc engine is claimed to be simple, easy-to-maintain and built for real world riding, with sufficient power to make light work of city traffic or cruise effortlessly on the open road.

The twin engine has been developed at the company’s state-of-the-art UK Technology Centre in Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, near a World War II air strip, which is now a 120-plus employee strong facility working on multiple projects that include development of future products and platforms, in conjunction with Royal Enfield’s UK subsidiary, the legendary  Harris Performance team.

Added Oomph!

Besides adding oomph to the bikes, the team has ensured that the frame and suspension, which has four adjustments, are among the best in the world for that breeze ride. An agile chasis and a simple but state-of-the-art air-cooled engine, producing a punchy yet user-friendly 47 HP, is a winning combination. With increase in weight of the twins being just 5-6 kgs, the company asserts that they are the most nimble and agile motorcycles globally across all segments.

The bikes having been torture tested across terrains in UK, Spain and India, both outdoors and indoors, the company feels that now it has world-beating products in its portfolio and appears confident it can roll out more in the future.

The 650 twins are touted to be by far the most important launch in the Chennai-based bike maker’s history, its first truly global line of products, which are expected to play a strategic role in ushering the next set of Royal Enfield owners across the world and powering the company’s global expansion. The company looks set to ignite the mid-weight bike segment (250 cc-750 cc) in emerging markets like India, South-East Asia and Latin America, while providing a new and disruptive option to buyers in Europe, Australia and the United States.

The company describes both new motorcycles as heritage-inspired machines built to carry Royal Enfield’s legacy and character into the 21st century. While the Continental GT 650 Twin continues the journey of evolution and is as much fun as the original British Continental GT 250, an ode to the cafe racers and cafe culture of the ‘50s and ‘60s, the Interceptor INT 650 Twin marks the retu of one of Royal Enfield’s most loved classic motorcycles.

The brand maintains that while both motorcycles are built around the same engine, the two couldn’t be more different – one is all about that carefree, easy-going feeling, and the other an authentic cafe racer, for the more committed ones.

Why Did Company Wait That Long?

Company President Rudratej Singh answers thus: “We were waiting to get the ecosystem right. Now that the product has been validated internationally, and the service infrastructure upgraded, we are even more confident of the products. We launched the bike first in California where the most renowned motorcycle writers either rode the bikes with our drivers or test drove the bikes themselves. The perception of the Royal Enfield brand went up several notches in their eyes, which gives us confidence of the twin bikes doing great globally.”

The 650 twins witnessed almost simultaneous launch in Milan and South-East Asia. In India, the new bikes first saw action in the Rider Mania – an annual gathering of Royal Enfield riders from all over the world at the lovely beaches of Goa, one of the many motorcycling events and rides organised and supported by the brand globally.

Available In 130 Dealerships

The 650 twins are already available for test drives in 130 RE dealerships, including 4 in Chandigarh and 7 in Punjab, and will be shipped to all 700-plus dealerships across the country by February 2019. With 11 options of colours and graphics and pricing competitive, Royal Enfield looks set to wow lovers of the brand who have been kept waiting for a new big wave of bikes from its stable for over a decade.

Pricing

The Interceptor INT 650 starts from Rs 2,50,000 and the Continental GT 650 from Rs 2.65,000 (ex-showroom Chandigarh & Punjab), being the price for standard variants. Be prepared to shell out a little more for the custom and chrome variants. The twins come with a standard 3-year warranty and Roadside Assistance Service. Customers can also choose from a collection of 40 genuine motorcycle accessories, which again come with a 2-year warranty,  and a wide collection of exciting riding gear.

Has the company ramped up?

Has the company ramped up its production line to meet the expected demand from within India and from the international market? Rudratej says: “We are still in a ramp up stage. Now that we have received a resounding thumbs-up for the twins we are going to move full steam ahead.”

Fastest Growing Automobile Brand

While the motorcycle industry has stagnated globally, Royal Enfield, the oldest bike company in the world in continuous production (for 80-plus years), is racing ahead to become the fastest growing automobile brand worldwide.

From selling 50,000 motorcycles in all of 2010, the company, which markets in 55 countries, claims to have leaped to mind-blowing sales figures of 75,000-80,000 bikes a month. Its turnover has also rallied remarkably well from Rs 3500 crore in 2014 and is close to touching the Rs 10,000-crore mark.

Says Rudratej Singh: “Royal Enfield has had a sustained track record of profitable, competitive and consistent growth, on the back of its single cylinder portfolio for many decades. We are proud to add the next chapter to what, we’re certain, will be the next wave of momentum to Royal Enfield’s growth story.”  

3.5 Mn Owners & Counting

Boasting of 3.5 million owners of its 350 and 500 cc motorcycles in India, Royal Enfield commands 95% of the middle-weight motorcycle segment in the country, though its share in the overall motorcycle market in the country is 6.5%. In Punjab, it commands a 17% share among all segments, nearly three times the national market share, and 35 percent in Chandigarh (meaning every third bike sold in city is a Royal Enfield).

With such robust customer base, Royal Enfield is aiming to expand it further by roping in first-time RE buyers. “Our aim is to attract more and more youth to explore adventure and leisure biking to build on numbers. In recent times we have seen that breaking social and cultural barriers women are increasingly taking to biking for leisure. A few women’s riding clubs have also come up, which is heartening,” shares Rudratej, adding that “moving forward, we are expecting 25% of our business coming from first-time motorcycle buyers.”

More Vintage Stores

To facilitate existing owners of RE brand to upgrade to the new motorcycles, the company plans to open more vintage stores (different from pre-owned stores) to allow seamless transition. “We have plans to raise the numbers of our vintage stores from 7 to 10. One of these will be opened in Punjab soon. The changeover is planned to be friction-free through easy financing. We plan to sell 50% of our motorcycles though financing route,” says the company President.

Online Motorcycle Booking

Royal Enfield has also begun online motorcycle booking facility with the launch of the 650 twins. Interested riders from across the world can log into www.royalenfield.com and book any motorcycle of the brand for deliveries across 750 dealerships in India, to begin with.

Want to be a part of one of the largest communities of motorcycling enthusiasts!

https://www.facebook.com/RoyalEnfield
Follow @RoyalEnfield on Twitter

World’s No. 1 PC Co. Logs In To Growing Gaming Community

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
World’s No. 1 PC Co. Logs In To Growing Gaming Community

The gaming community in India appears to be growing at a breakneck speed and personal computing businesses are logging into it to reap rich dividends. According to an estimate out of the 735 million (73.5 crore) internet users, a staggering 320 million (32 crore) are expected to be gamers by 2021. With such volumes in mind, computing biggie Lenovo has refreshed its gaming brand Legion with new devices, which, while being loaded with latest generation specifications, are aesthetically more pleasing and incredibly functional.

Launching the new devices – laptops and desktops – in the Chandigarh market on Thursday, Vipul Mathur, General Manager-North, Lenovo India, in a chat with LifeInChandigarh.com said Lenovo had emerged as the No. 1 company in the world in its core business of personal computers. In the region comprising Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir also it was commanding a leadership role with a market share of 15%, he added.

Photo By : Life In Chandigarh

The new thrust area for the company and its future investments are expected to be in innovative gaming devices, going by the year on year industry growth of 50% seen in this segment over the last two years. “In line with this thought process, Lenovo conducted extensive research among more than 750 participants worldwide, learning from gamers themselves about their wants and needs with the purpose of bringing them the ultimate gaming experience. And, the result is the latest Legion evolutions which showcase
game-changing designs that are distinct from their predecessors and in sync with what modern gamers today are looking for,” Mathur explained.

To further enhance the experience of customers, Lenovo India has targeted to increase its existing strength of 500-plus exclusive stores by another 100 in the coming financial year. It currently has 4 stores in Chandigarh and 28 in region comprising Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The 650 strong service centre network is also sought to be further expanded.

The company launched 2 laptops – the Ideapad 330 and Legion Y530 – and 3 Legion gaming tower PCs – the C730, T530 and T730.

Equipped with the Intel Optane technology, a smart system accelerator that improves the performance and response of PCs through adaptive machine learning, gamers can now launch their favourite titles up to 2.48x faster, load game levels up to 32% quicker than that on other PCs and rapidly save their progress with up to 2.1x better overall system performance.

The specifications

The Ideapad 330 is configured with the latest 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H processor clocked at 4.00 GHz, 8 GB DDR4 RAM (upgradeable up to 16 GB), and has the Nvidia Geforce GTX 1050 graphics card with 4 GB GDDR5 memory. The laptop has a 15.6 inch Full HD TN Anti-Glare display and comes with a 1 TB 5400 rpm internal hard drive. Price: Rs 69,990 (exclusive of GST).

The Legion Y530 is also powered by the same 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8300H processor and the Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics card with 4 GB GDDR5 memory. It has 8 GB of DDR4 RAM (also upgradeable up to 16 GB), a 128 GB M.2 PCIE SSD and a 1 TB 7200 rpm internal hard drive. Price: Rs 85,585 (exclusive of GST).

Coming to the desktops, the Legion T530 comes with the 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8400 processor (upto 4.00 GHz), 8 GB DDR4 RAM (upgradeable up to 32 GB), Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti with 4 GB GDDR5 memory. It has a 128 GB SSD and a 1 TB 7200 rpm hard drive for storage. Price: Rs 86,299 (exclusive of GST).

Next up is the Legion T730, which comes with the 8th Gen Core i7-8700K processor (upto 4.70 GHz), 16 GB DDR4 RAM (upgradeable up to 32 GB), Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060 with 6 GB GDDR5 memory. It comes with a 256 GB SSD and a 2 TB 7200 rpm hard drive. Price: Rs 1,34,599 (exclusive of GST).

Finally, the Legion C730 comes in a compact Cube shape with the 8th Gen Core i7-8700K processor (upto 4.70 GHz), 16 GB DDR4 RAM (upgradeable up to 32 GB), Nvidia GTX 1060 with 6 GB GDDR5 memory. It also comes with a 256 GB SSD and a 2 TB 7200rpm internal hard drive. Price: Rs 1,34,599 (exclusive of GST).

All the models come loaded with the latest 64-bit Windows 10 Home OS.

An Exclusive Foodie Paradise Aficionados Wont Dare Miss

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
An Exclusive Foodie Paradise Aficionados Wont Dare Miss

one. The country’s first and only travelling food showcase – The Travelling Kitchen – after its first successful stop in Jaipur, is heading straight for the city with the theme Winter Garden. The three day fun food fiesta, with deep focus on exclusive menus churned out specially for you by the head chefs of some of the most popular and trending food and beverage brands from Tier-I cities, opens its tastes, flavours and rich ambience, with lots of complementing music, in the lawns of Chandigarh Golf Association Range & Academy (CGA Range for short) in Sector 6 from January 18.

Its founder and chief curator Bharat Atwal claims in a chat with LifeInChandigarh.com that not many would have experienced any culinary event as personalised and unique as this one. “We have taken personal care to ensure that each of the fabulous line-up of food and beverage brands participating in the event is represented by its head chef before whom it will be a challenge to chu out menus that are imaginative, new and exclusive to us. It’s a ticked event to ensure that all who visit the venue are serious foodies. But the ticket price will be more than compensated by the strictly enforced reasonable pricing of food and beverages with big portions. The idea is that when the event is all about food, then every connoisseur of food should be able to savour every preparation that catches his or her fancy.”

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

The event will have a portfolio of 13 cuisines, including Indo-Persian, Pan Asian, Japanese, Goan and Konkani, with participation from 20 restaurants and 12 retail brands. There will be a great ‘Sushi’ chef. Some others will focus exclusively on desserts, sauces or curries. The trendiest visiting restaurants and F&B retail brands will be seasoned with some of the favourites from Chandigarh, aim being to provide local talent a respectable platform.

To compliment the food, India’s celebrated tea whisperer Namika Singh will serve you a wide variety of her wonderful cupfuls from Anandini Himalaya Tea, which is a rage with international tourists. The live music in the evening will feature some top folk cultural bands, among them ‘Rajasthan Roots’, which will bring Jaisalmer alive with their fusion folk music. There will also be jazz and contemporary music, perfectly complimenting the wonderful array of lip-smacking food.

Having associated with Haryana Tourism, The Travelling Kitchen will have a stall exclusively for five of the chosen best students from as many institutes of hotel management in the state to give them an opportunity to impress the visitors with their own fancy menus.

The stalls at the fun food showcase will not be typically canopy type. Use of bamboo in a striking fashion, and small, big and huge flower decorations using recycled paper will be the hallmark of the chic decor, which will have a profusion of colours and pretty pastels.

On the opening day, the food fiesta will open to food lovers at 4 pm and go on till 10:30 p.m. On the remaining two days it will run from 11 am to 10:30 pm.

https://www.facebook.com/TheTravellingKitchenIndia/

So be there! Enjoy a FunFoodRide!

Haryana CM Claims His Govt Has Turned Around Power Utilities

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
Haryana CM Claims His Govt Has Turned Around Power Utilities

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal has claimed that a carrot and stick policy adopted by his government towards realisation of long standing power bill arrears during the four years it has been in power, measures taken to substantially reduce line losses, including power theft, and prudent fiscal management and reforms have turned around the four public sector power utilities in the state from a position of perpetual losses to profits.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on Thursday, Manohar Lal said these companies had together accumulated a debt of Rs 30,000 crore in 2013-14, which had been completely wiped out, leaving all the four utilities in profits for the first time since their inception. This despite the fact that implementation of the recommendations of the 7th pay commission in the state and extending other benefits had put an additional salaries burden of nearly 80% – from Rs 1400-Rs 1500 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2600 crore. Power tariffs had also been reduced substantially for all categories of less power intensive domestic and MSME sector consumers, on account of which the government’s subsidy component was nearly Rs 100 crore.

Photo By : Life In Chandigarh

With massive upgrade of the transmission and distribution network, and stringent measures to check theft of power, line losses had also been drastically reduced from as high as 30.02% in 2014 to 20.20%. By next year, these are sought to be brought down further to 15%, he asserted.

Adopting a pragmatic approach, power bill arrears of all domestic consumers up to June 2005 had been waived off completely. Additionally, for BPL families, penalties levied on power bill arrears since 2005 had also been waived off, allowing them the liberty to pay their arrears in easy monthly instalments. In doing so the state government has incurred an expenditure of nearly Rs 2,000 crore, he added.

In Annual Integrated Rankings, recently released by the Union Power Ministry, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (UHBVNL) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (DHBVNL) have jumped from 22nd and 24th positions respectively in 2015-16 to 10th and 13th positions respectively in 2016-17.  The chief minister expressed confidence that “the way the two discoms are performing, it won’t be a surprise to find them in the top 2-3 rankings in the next one or two years.”

New Power Substations

Regarding strengthening of the power distribution network, Manohar Lal said during the last four years 140 new 33KV power substations had been added to the existing 538 (as in 2014) and the capacity of 382 existing sub stations had been enhanced. In the same period 86,485 new distribution transformers had been added to the existing 4.70 lakh-plus, and 23,615 kms of new transmission lines laid to strength the existing network of more than 2.38 lakh kms.

44,000 Tubewell Connections

As new year gift to farmers, the chief minister announced that all 44,000 applications for tube well connections pending since January 1, 2014, will be disposed of by March 31, 2019 and demand notices issued to the applicants. All these tube wells, with option to install solar powered pumps, will be given connections within the next six months of issuance of demand notice.

50,000 Solar Energy Connections

The chief minister informed that a target had been fixed to issue 50,000 new solar power connections for tube wells, which when installed are expected to reduce power consumption by 30%. Tenders had already been floated for 15,000 connections, he added. 

To encourage use of solar energy in agricultural tube wells, 468 of these falling under Vayama feeder of Karnal block and Saspur feeder of Yamunanagar block would be converted to use of solar power at no cost to the farmers. The state will incur Rs 25 crore on this scheme.

Farmers are also being encouraged to adopt micro irrigation to recharge the groundwater in red zones and cut down on consumption of power.

Following detection of wrongful charging of inter-state transmission fee by Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) from Haryana for supplying power from the NTPC plant at Jhajjar in the state, the power utilities had saved Rs 300 crore @ Rs 30 crore monthly. Demand for refund of another Rs 1120 crore towards earlier such payments made to PGCI had also been raised.

Smart Meters

Process for installing 10 lakh smart meters by the power discoms across the state had already commenced in Panipat and Karnal and Gurugram districts will also be covered under the first phase of the programme.

Among those present at the press conference were Additional Chief Secretary (Power) TC Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary (New & Renewal Energy) PK Mahapatra and Power Discoms Chairman & MD Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor.

32Stiches, Sidhu Moose Wala, Gulabiqueen To Perform Live

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
32Stiches, Sidhu Moose Wala, Gulabiqueen To Perform Live

This Chandigarh boy had never learnt to play an instrument during his childhood, and yet this crazy dude, who took to music as a way of expressing his feelings following a terrible heartbreak in college, is today arguably one of India’s finest electro-pop music producers. Better known in the entertainment world as ’32Stitches’ (real name Arpit Gawri) the Chandigarh ‘munda’, who has toured across Europe with well known bands, is going to perform for the first time in front of his home crowd alongside some of the best Punjabi singers and promising indigenous bands, at the Switch NYE Fest 2018, touted as North India’s biggest New Year Festival, Flemingo Resort, Zirakpur on December 31.

The festival, which starts at 3 p.m. and is expected to go on well into the New Year, has in the line-up of performers the current heart throbs of the Punjabi music industry Sidhu Moose Wala and ‘Gulabiqueen’ Jasmine Sandlas. Then we have alternative Hindi rock band Rudra, Alterantive Punjabi rock band Snorting Jatts, Argenil, Shubhank Sharma and Aditya Kulharia.

Photo By : Life In Chandigarh

For a New Year party high on freak-out quotient, tickets are rather reasonably priced : Rs 3500 for a couple in the general category (Rs 2500 for single). Tickets for the VIP unlimited section come at Rs 10,000 per couple (Rs 7,000 for single). The limited ultra exclusive VVIP tables come for Rs 60,000 for a group of 6 people.

The resort has a capacity for accommodating a crowd of 2,000-3,000. Organisers are assuring adequate parking and security.

Sariv and Manu from Magical Society, which has conceptualised the event, told lifeinchandigarh.com that the festival, the first of its kind New Year bash, has been inspired by the highly popular Sunbu Festival of Goa. “We have tried to bring in a breath of fresh air, bringing in some really promising bands to perform along with some of the most trending names from the Punjabi music industry. We are sure people are going to love every bit of it.”

Tracing his journey thus far in the music and entertainment industry, 32Stitches, who is the only Indian to have been signed up by Run The Trap Events, the No. 1 trap, hip-hop, bass and beats events of the Netherlands, and one of the biggest events in Europe, says “whether I am dabbling in future bass, trap/bass, progressive or electro, I am definitely not the one to confine to one single set of rules within a plethora of untapped explorations.” He has played alongside the likes of Fabian Mazur, LUUDE, Holly and Jamal on tours and also opened for San Holo and DROELOE at their debut India show.

Crossing over a million streams across platforms, reaching Beatport and iTunes charts in various countries and being picked by some of the most reputed publications and channels for features, 32Stitches has more than half a dozen hit releases to his credit. Among them are ‘Fallout’ (remixes) with remixes from Beauz, Far & Few, Zeus X Crona released via Music High Court, ‘Remember This’, Fallout (a single, dedicated to his pet dog ‘Astro’) and ‘Between Us’ via Illicit/Strange Fruits.

Having done his early schooling from St Kabir School and 12th from KBDAV School, and his college between Singapore and Dehradun, Arpit Gawri after a heart-shattering breakup of a seven years old relationship, felt the need for an avenue to express his feelings and find balance in life. So, what better than music, which he loved since his childhood. His friend Arjun, who runs a music academy by the name ‘I Love Music’, called him over to Gurugram and imparted him the first formal lessons in music.

“Following this brief stint with Arjun, I was charged up, and there was no looking back. My mother nudged me into joining a music school of my dreams in London, where I learnt sound engineering and networked with the big names in the field,” says Arpit.

32Stitches, who has had successful shows in Delhi, Bangalore and Pune, and is excited about performing before his family and friends on his home turf for the first time, feels that for creating mode day music one doesn’t necessarily need to be an instrumentalist. “I am not,” he asserts. “You can configure your music on a laptop,” he explains.

Party all night, at Switch NYE Fest 2018!

Venue : Flemingo Resort, Zirakpur
Date & Time : 31st December, 3 p.m. onwards 

3 Geographical Areas In Punjab & 2 In Haryana Up For Grabs

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
3 Geographical Areas In Punjab & 2 In Haryana Up For Grabs

Considering that the projected increase in domestic production of natural gas in India is set to decrease the burden of imports to much less than the current 50% of the total demand, the central government appears to have gone into overdrive in extending the facility of piped gas to cities, towns and villages across the country. Under the 10th round of bidding for city gas distribution (CGD), coming back to back with completion of the 9th round, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) estimates that it will be able to cover another 24% of the population in the country taking the total coverage in the next eight odd years to 70%.

The board on Thursday held a road show in Chandigarh to attract potential investors from the region to the 10th round of the nationwide bidding process which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 22. Briefing media persons after an interaction with the invitees to the road show, PNGRB Chairman DK Sarraf said 50 geographical areas (GAs) are being offered in the 10th round of bidding, covering 124 districts (112 in full and 12 in part) spread over 14 states, including Punjab and Haryana.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

So far PNGRB has given CGD authorisations in 10 GAs of Punjab covering 13 districts, and 3 more GAs, covering 6 other districts, are being offered in the state under the 10th round of bidding. In Haryana, CGD authorisations in 13 GAs covering 16 districts had already been given, and another 2 GAs covering 3 other districts are being offered under the latest round. “On conclusion of the 10th round of bidding expectedly by end February 2019, Punjab, Haryana and UT Chandigarh would be fully authorised for development of CGD networks,” Sarraf informed.

Giving a feel of the pace at which the CGD network was sought to be expanded in the country, he said 50% additional population would be covered within the next 8 years as compared to just 20% coverage under the network in the last few decades. The entire process of issuing Letters of Intent (LoIs) after receiving bids under the 9th round had been wound up within a month and in the 10th round too, the process will be concluded within three weeks of the last date of receiving bids, which is February 5, he added.

Advocating use of natural gas as a suitable alternative to coal and liquid fossil fuels in household use, transport, commercial undertakings and industry, Sarraf asserted that apart from natural gas being 60% cheaper than petrol and 45% cheaper than diesel, it was much more environmentally friendly with lesser carbon emissions. This was also in line with the country’s avowed mission of increasing the share of natural gas in its energy basket from 6.2% (as against 23.4% globally) to 15% by 2030 and reduce crude oil imports 10% by 2022, he added.

 In pushing the accelerator, the government is apparently targeting substantial employment generation as the 9th round of bidding is expected to crystalise investment to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore and the 10th round another Rs 50,000 crore.

Pitching piped gas supply as a more convenient fuel for household use in cities, towns and villages, Sarraf pointed out that natural gas was safer than LPG as it was lighter, dissipating in the air on pipeline leakage, and was 40@ cheaper than market rate of LPG supplied in cylinders and comparable to subsidised LPG.

The Chandigarh Story

The piped gas network is expected to be available across Chandigarh by the end of 2020 and the CNG stations in the city are also likely to increase to 11 from the current 6 by the end of the current financial year, with the ultimate target to raising their strength further to 27 by end of 2020. Representatives of Indian Oil-Adani Gas combine, which has been given the CGD authorisation for the geographical area of Chandigarh and around, said a 400 km long network of gas pipelines had already been laid in 20 sectors in the city south of the Dakshin Marg and 70,000 connections booked. In the next phase another 20 sectors between the Madhya Marg and Dakshin Marg will be covered and the entire city will be under their network by end of 2020.

Regarding the residents being inconvenienced by dug up streets not being restored due to lack of coordination with the municipal corporation, the company representatives said the issue is being sorted out with Chandigarh adopting the Punjab policy on the issue, and both digging and restoration work is now to be done by the Indian Oil-Adani Gas combine.

Efforts were also being made to speed up the process of opening more CNG stations in existing petrol pumps and increasing number of dispensers where these already existed, the company representatives assured, while admitting that serpentine queues at the current CNG stations were a cause for serious concern.

Get Your Biryani Served In The Handi It is Cooked In

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
Get Your Biryani Served In The Handi It is Cooked In

So what is it about ‘biryani’ that it is driving the foodies crazy. It was said to have outpaced pizza as the most frequently ordered dish by soccer fans in India watching the FIFA World Cup 2018. Industry insiders believe that moving forward it is expected to be the largest category in the food delivery space in India. Speciality biryani dine-in and take away outlets opening up on the trot in Chandigarh tricity and around are also banking heavily on home delivery as the single largest driver of their business.

Delhi NCR-centred biryani brand Biryani By Kilo on Friday announced launch of its second outlet in the tricity, a 60-seater dine-in on the Airport Road in Sector 82 Mohali,  after opening one in Sector 30 Chandigarh in mid October. Readers would recollect that a local biryani brand Petu Pankaj, promoted by a chartered accountant and a corporate chef brother duo, was launched in mid November this year. Both brands profess to serve authentic traditional biryanis from the biryani capitals of India.

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

This is the 15th outlet of Biryani By Kilo (BBK), third outside of Delhi NCR, and 6-8 more are planned to be opened across Punjab, including Zirakpur, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar, and a few more in Mumbai, where it has just one outlet.

Co-founders of Biryani By Kilo (BBK) Vishal Jindal and Kaushik Roy, with expertise and experience in hospitality operations, strategy and finance, shared with Lifeinchandigarh.com over delectable tastings at the Chandigarh outlet that biryani category and food delivery have enormous potential and BBK is at a vantage point to expand both. “We want to create a worldwide food services company from India,” they said.

So, why biryani is in focus, and why ‘kilo’ in the brand name? Vishal is quick to respond. “Biryani is a complete meal in itself and it’s not messy even in delivery, just like pizza. The kilo comes in since we have divided our biryani portions into 1 kg and ½ kg.”

The promoters claimed that with the support of a 450-plus team, BBK had clocked average monthly revenue of Rs 3 crore-plus with three years of launch, and their aim is to achieve Rs 1,000 crore-plus in sales in the next two years. Towards this end the brand has ambitious plans to raise the strength of its outlets across India to 20-plus by the end of the current financial year and to 100 outlets in the next three years.

The brand vows by ‘khansama’ style cooking, wherein each meal/biryani is freshly cooked and served in the same earthern clay ‘handi’. The same sealed handi goes in delivery as well to preserve the freshness, aromas, flavours and warmth of the contents. The handi/s can be put to multiple uses like cooking, plant potting, etc.

“Our range of our authentic biryanis come in three different varieties – Hyderabadi, Lucknowi and Kolkata style – and are made using the finest basmati rice from Daawat and herbs and spices sourced from Kerala”, said Vishal, adding that “Murg Hyderabadi, Gosht Lucknowi, Prawns and Kathal Hyderabadi biryanis are a must try. Our special Malamaal biryani is for those who love meat in their every spoon, as rice and meat in equal quantities are used to ensure that you get chicken/mutton in every bite. The Hyderabadi biryani comes with ‘Salan’ (a curry made using green chillies, sesame seeds, dessicated coconut and peanuts) and the Lucknowi and Kolkata biryanis are served with ‘raita’.”

The brand also serves galouti kebabs, kormas and curries, as also beverages and deserts (matka khirni and Daastan-E-Gul are their speciality). On offer are three different veg and non-veg celebration packages for 2-3, 4-5 and 8-10 persons which variously include biryani, kebab, korma, rotis, paranthas and desert.

Loyalty programmes include Rs 100 off on first order, free khirni tohfa on every order and 10-20% loyalty cash back on every order.

 Orders are taken online at www.biryanibykilo.com or on the brand’s app, and offline on call centre number 9555-212-212

Delivery reaches you within 90 minutes.

Let the feasting begin! 

Egyptian & Other First Time Exhibitors Bring Refreshing Change

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
Egyptian & Other First Time Exhibitors Bring Refreshing Change

Dozens of exhibitions keep making the rounds of the Chandigarh tricity with monotonous regularity, but Chandigarh Mega Expo 2018, a five-day affair which opened at the Parade Ground-17 on Friday, brings some refreshing first time exhibits worth a good, hard look.

Going around the exhibition, which will remain open till Christmas from 11 am to 8:30 pm each day, lifeinchandigarh.com brings you brief details of first time exhibitors which are a must visit.

Photos By: Life In Chandigarh

Pharo Egypt, in its first ever foray into India, has brought amazing home decor items, including models of famous Egyptian monuments like pyramids and sphinx, paper paintings and exotic framed paintings, wall clocks and many more in reasonable Rs 400-Rs 5,000 range. A separate stall also exhibits a range of traditional long tunics in pure Egyptian cotton for Rs 1200 flat.

Says Pharo Egypt CEO Yehia Eldakak, “We are participating in an exhibition in India for the first time ever, and we want to give the people of this vast and great ancient civilisation a feel of another great and ancient civilisation and its handicrafts. We have priced our exhibits reasonably so that all sections of people can keep something memorable from Egypt in their homes.”

H S Exports from Faridabad has brought to Chandigarh for the first time a wide range of genuine leather furniture and accessories, which it exports to all parts of the globe. Among the products on display are high-quality consoles, trunks, whole live bar & bar accessories, home decor accessories, lighting, lamps, jewellery boxes, photo frames and more in different finishes. The collection is handcrafted and hand-finished.

Young new entrepreneur, Simran from Gurugram has brought an exquisite collection of home decor items in iron and wood base, individual pieces of which she has been painstakingly picking up from across Rajasthan. Her brand ‘Little Extra’ is going to make a foray into Ludhiana soon with a franchise outlet. The range starts from Rs 300-400 going up to Rs 5,000-6,000.

Golden DecHom is another exhibitor which has brought striking home decor items sourced from Rajasthan, South India and from foreign lands. It has also a range of Kashmiri pashmina shawls marketed under the brand ‘Shale’.

For the adventure-loving, there is Upaskara.in from Chennai which has for the first time ever in Chandigarh exhibited folding and adjustable camping furniture, including reclining and rocking chairs and couches. These can also be used as garden furniture.

From closer home, Eye Catchers from Mohali has a range of stunning embroidered dresses and dupattas in velvet, chinnon and organza. The embroidery is Kashmiri, Ari work, Gota patti and Benarsi. The brand has also exhibited a range of comfortable footwear.

Woke.buzz has brought the delicious and nutritious flavoured ‘makhana’ snack in sour cream & onion, jaggery & cinnamon, mint, cheese & herbs and peri peri flavours.

For those who swear by Ayurveda, Vaid Sarjubhai Rajgaundh from Ahmedabad has brought his Vanbandhu Dhanvantry ‘Ayurvedic Deshi Jarhi-booti Upchar’.

Entry fee is Rs 30 per head.

 

 

 

Youth Health Critical To Indias Economic & Political Glory: Prof Vinod Paul

Sanjeev Kochhar
-
0
Youth Health Critical To Indias Economic & Political Glory: Prof Vinod Paul

Niti Aayog member and chairman of board of governors of the reconstituted Medical Council of India Prof (Dr) Vinod K Paul, here to deliver the landmark 50th Colloquium lecture of the Panjab University on the subject ‘Healthy & Smart Youth For A New India’ on Wednesday, was surprised to find that there is no health programme for the students of the university. In the midst of his lecture, during which he emphasised that India’s future glory as a top economic and political power depended on the demographic dividend of having a very young population, he met with silence when he generally inquired whether the university had a health programme running for the students.

Himself an alumnus of the university, he wondered, if schools in the country can have a health programme, why not colleges and universities, because 35% of the health issues develop during adolescence and need to be identified and checked at that stage itself.

Niti Aayog member Prof (Dr) Vinod K Paul (left) at PU on Wednesday

Photos By : Life In Chandigarh

With PGI Director Prof (Dr) Jagat Ram seated on the dais as Guest of Honour (both hail from Himachal Pradesh), Prof Paul remarked “With such a prestigious healthcare institution of national importance right next to you, why can’t we make Panjab Univesity a role model health-promoting university in collaboration with the PGI. Can we have a preventive-promotive health action by creating a health and wellness buzzzzzzzz……”

He rubbed it in further saying “the health programme should not be by default, or minimalistic. I would like to see health and wellness become a flagship programme in Panjab University. This can be one of the missions of the university: “Our students enjoy a very high level of health; for them healthy lifestyle and wellness is a way of life!”

Making out a case why the country needs to invest effectively in the youth of the country, and why health was a crucial part of that pursuit, Prof Paul said “we have just about 3 decades to harness our demographic dividend of being a very young nation – with half our population under 25 years of age, two-thirds under 35 years and overall average age being 29 – and maximise our economic growth potential. This generation is going to make a difference, providing we are able to create pathways for their potential to be optimally utilised. One of the imperatives for our nation becoming a top economic and political power is to keep this young population in good physical and mental shape.”

Listing out the key health issues the youth of the nation are facing, which need to be tackled at an individual level and at the level of the society and government, he said though we may not realise this but anaemia is a big issue. A recent survey had pointed to half the adult population in the country being anaemic. A UGC paper has highlighted high level incidence of various psychological issues among the school and college going children, he added.

Among the other lifestyle-related health concerns were large sections of youth being overweight or obese, lack of adequate sleep, addiction to mobiles, hypertension, etc.

Later talking to lifeinchandigarh.com on the phone, Prof Paul addressed concerns over adequate budgetary provisions not being made by successive governments for healthcare, and not enough efforts being made to tackle other factors which impact the health of the nation,  like air and water pollution, sanitation, food adulteration, etc.

Pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pronouncement earlier this month to double the health expenditure in the country to 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), he said it was reinforcement of the commitment made in the national policy. Even otherwise budgetary constraints were not being allowed to come in the way of making additional expenditure on healthcare as was evident from the Rs 700 crore-plus worth of free treatment provided to the poor within months of the launch of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, he asserted.

1...545556...102Page 55 of 102

LIfe in chandigarh

About us

Anchored by a senior journalist, LifeInChandigarh.com is a digital endeavour, a news portal with a positive and progressive outlook, to keep you up to date with the latest developments as they happen in the Chandigarh tricity area.

Latest Articles

Chandigarh Golf League’s Newest Team GB Legends Announces Major Mentorship Program

Golf 0
GB Realty, which owns the team, aims to nurture...

Hello High School Grads! HCLTech Brings TechBee Program To Chandigarh, Adjoining States – Earn While You Learn

News & Views 0
Skill, earn and pursue graduation, post-graduation for rewarding careers...

Tarlochan Singh Kohli Memorial Scholarships Awarded To 26 Students At Rotary Club Chandigarh Event

Lifestyle 0
Deserving students get Rs 10,000 annual educational scholarship each,...

Most Popular

Chandigarh Golf League’s Newest Team GB Legends Announces Major Mentorship Program

Golf 0
GB Realty, which owns the team, aims to nurture...

Hello High School Grads! HCLTech Brings TechBee Program To Chandigarh, Adjoining States – Earn While You Learn

News & Views 0
Skill, earn and pursue graduation, post-graduation for rewarding careers...

Tarlochan Singh Kohli Memorial Scholarships Awarded To 26 Students At Rotary Club Chandigarh Event

Lifestyle 0
Deserving students get Rs 10,000 annual educational scholarship each,...

Subscribe

Copyright 2023 Life In Chandigarh All Right Reserved.