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Punjab Industry Smart Enough, Doesn’t Need Hand Holding

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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An interactive session organised by the PHD Chapter with Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh at the PHD House in Sector 31 on Tuesday found the politicians and the captains of the industry on one page.
Industry in Punjab neither needs doles not hand holding by the government. It just needs a conducive environment to survive and flourish.
The tone for the discussions was set by industry captain and well known Rotarian Rajendra K Saboo, who felt that Captain Amarinder Singh was not a politician, but a statesman, and it was a golden opportunity for him to transform the state into ‘Punjab Unlimited’. While big investment is welcome in the state, the Punjab government must concentrate equally on encouraging new and young entrepreneurs to set up units in the state. This way their future will get linked to the future of the state, he said.
PHOTOS BY: LIFE IN CHANDIGARH
Saboo said Punjab could lea from countries like Switzerland, which have risen from humble backgrounds to become one of the richest in the world, and partner with them on the road to faster development.
Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, himself an industrialist, made a case for reining in the marauding truck unions, which, fuelled by continuous patronage over a decade from the previous government, had made life difficult for industries with their monopolistic and coercive practices.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar was emphatic in saying that not profitability but mere survival was the immediate conce of the industry in Punjab. Doles and hand-holding are not the answer. We have to create a conducive atmosphere for the industry to flourish and let go the government stranglehold on it. Industry needs to be supported with all means if the acute problem of unemployment and underemployment in the state is to be tackled head on, he added.
Assuring of all seriousness of his government in taking swift steps towards ease of doing business in the state, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh asserted that all promises made to the industry in the Congress manifesto, including quality power supply at affordable rates and cutting red tapism, would be implemented in letter and spirit and in a time-bound manner.

Wishing All the Best to City nuuh !!

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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Wearing the Mrs India West 2017 crown, 30-year-old ravishing beauty, Anjali Raut Gill, has her eyes set on winning the Mrs India World pageant to be held in Chennai on July 4. Born to an Indian father from.

Hopping between Singapore, Mumbai and Chandigarh, Anjali, who has walked the ramp in ace fashion weeks like Lakme India, Wills Lifestyle, and was a top ten finalist in Miss India 2010, wants to make Chandigarh another hub for sending beauty queens to national and international pageants and ramp walks.

Anjali Raut Gill
PHOTOS BY: LIFE IN CHANDIGARH
In Chandigarh, on one of her brief visits, Anjali spells out her plans for the region. Running a successful talent management company and modelling school – ‘Cocoaberry Ministry of Talent’ – with her younger sister Alesia Raut in Andheri East Mumbai, she has recently opened a centre in Sector 2 Panchkula. “We have already given six finalists in Miss India 2017 pageant – Miss India Jammu & Kashmir, Miss India Chhattisgarh, Miss India Jharkhand, Miss India Kerala, Miss India Karnataka and Miss India Madhya Pradesh.

“We see a lot of potential in Chandigarh region, where beauty and flawless skin abounds. Height, overall personality and fire in the belly are the other traits required to succeed in this world,” Anjali opined.

“In our Panchkula centre we are giving individual sessions to aspiring models. An all encompassing 5-10 days individual session may cost between Rs 40,000-50,000. We call the trainees at different times of the day for these sessions. We are able to do two batches a month – one in Chandigarh and one in Mumbai. For those who have it in them, but cannot afford to pay so much, we have two full days of group sessions for 20-25 trainees. We also have opportunities for those trained by us to be recruited as models,” Anjali said.

Bo and brought up in Mumbai, Anjali did her initial schooling from Bombay Cambridge, before relocating to Singapore for three years, where her father got posted. She participated in her first pageant, Miss Bombay, in 2006 when she was 17 years old and won the title. There on, studies and modelling went hand in hand. Channel V’s Get Gorgeous title in 2009 followed by a top 10 finish in 2010 edition of Miss India pageant took her to a high point of her career as a girl.

Anjali strongly feels that along with appearing good physically one needs to also focus on spiritual well being. She herself practices Pranic Healing & Nichiren Buddhism and maintains that the spiritual side to her helps her attain mind-body-soul alignment.

In 2011 she got hitched by a Sikh ‘munda’ in Singapore, whom she met through a common friend, and now has a lovely three-year-old daughter, who has already walked the ramp with her as a show stopper. “I’ll let her decide what she wants to do when she grows up. It’s her individual choice,” Anjali said when asked if she would like her daughter to follow her footsteps.

Didn’t she ever think of joining movies? “I was never inclined towards movies. I am happy doing what I am passionate about, modelling and participating in beauty pageants,” she said.

Coming back to the Chandigarh market, she said “this is an untapped market. Mumbai is more evolved. There is raw talent here which needs to be groomed and polished. I would love to see more and more girls and women from here making it big nationally and internationally.”

Has she herself received professional training ? Pat comes the reply. “No, I haven’t. I am a self made runway model, as I would like to call myself. One needs a lot of self belief to do that. But it does help when you hit the ramp running. When you are raw, people tend to hesitate putting their money on you.”

She has a piece of advice for aspiring models. “Choose the pageants you want to participate in carefully. Preferably go for ones which progress to the international level if you are really ambitious and have the fire, passion in you.”

Here’s wishing all the very best to the Chandigarh ‘nuuh’ (daughter-in-law) !!

Book Your Evening for the Gala Event on Monday

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Winner of Femina Style Diva 2014 Hida Siddiqui, Amazon Fashion Week model Kimmi Kukreti, Miss Earth India Rashi and Pantloons Femina Miss India 2011 Jyotipriya will be among 15 top notch female models from.

Winner of Femina Style Diva 2014 Hida Siddiqui, Amazon Fashion Week model Kimmi Kukreti, Miss Earth India Rashi and Pantloons Femina Miss India 2011 Jyotipriya will be among 15 top notch female models from Mumbai and Delhi on view in ‘Anukama’, the Annual Design Collection show of the premier Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) Mohali, at Tagore Theatre, on Monday, starting 6 p.m. Ten of NIIFT’s own female models and five other male models will also walk the ramp during a showcase of 53 collections created by graduating students of the institute.

 

Each student has individually worked on a theme and would present five ensembles each in the show to be directed by Hemant Mehta. Well known RJ from Delhi Yuvi will conduct the show.

Photo By: Life in Chandigarh

The models and select ensembles were presented before mediapersons here on Sunday, where Inderjit Singh, Director, NIIFT, promised that the show would be spectacular and eye-popping.

According to Dr Simrita Singh, the coordinator for the event, “The show this year comprises varied collections of garments created by the students of sixth semester of fashion design over a period of 6 months. The collections vary from ethnic to modern to traditional to based on craft and art. Students use this platform to present their signature style and statement. They have put in their best work which can be seen in their collections.”

Amit Shah Storms City

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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In stature, he appears to be no less than the Prime Minister of India, barring the protocol and level of security. He carries a distinct air of arrogance around him, but the way he has galvanised the party into action speaks volumes of the charisma in the man. Amit Shah, the BJP national president, on whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi leans so heavily, displayed all of this on his arrival in the city on a two-day tour on Saturday.

There were broadly two major takeaways from his visit. BJP will target to win 406 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections and there is no immediate move to replace Chandigarh party president Sanjay Tandon or Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal.

Photos By: Life in Chandigarh

The profusion of enthusiasm in the party cadres, especially the youth, was to be seen to be believed. A vast majority of them may have just got a distant glimpse of their leader, after preparing and waiting for hours on end, but that was enough for them to feel elated.

“I am tired to the bone,” remarked a youth leader, sweating profusely, as Shah’s heavily guarded cavalcade, piloted and escorted by scores of motorcyclists, reached Kamlam, the renovated Chandigarh headquarters of the party. “But it was worth spending the time to be near our leader and listening to him,” he added.

All along the way from the Chandigarh International Airport, where he was received among others by Chandigarh leaders Sanjay Tandon, Member of Parliament Kirron Kher, Mayor Asha Kumari and former MP Satya Pal Jain, to the party headquarters, Amit Shah, being driven in a Porsche Cayenne-S, stopped at pre-planned intersections in Chandigarh to acknowledge the greeting of the party workers and leaders, who gathered in strength. 

The renovated Kamlam in Sector 33, he inaugurated, projects the corporate image of the party. He also opened a large conference hall and library in the premises.

After a closed door meeting with prominent leaders, he addressed a “Meet the Press” programme at the Chandigarh Press Club in Sector 27, leaving the journalists speechless and smarting from some of his dismissive replies, before stopping for lunch and a meeting with select Media editors at BJP state president Sanjay Tandon’s residence in Sector 18.

A couple of internal meetings at UT Guest House followed, after which he held discussions at an intellectuals’ meet organised by the intellectual cell of the party at Law Bhawan in Sector 37.

Shah is scheduled to leave on Sunday.

Masterstrokes by Leading Artists from the Tricity

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Paintings, graphics, sculptures and photographs are part of the show on at the Government Museum & Art Gallery.

Coinciding with the anniversary celebrations of the Government Museum & Art Gallery and the International Museum Day (May 18) is ‘Mastersrokes’, an exhibition of paintings, graphics, photographs and sculptures. On view in the exhibition hall of the museum, the show is indeed special as it showcases works of 24 leading artists from the tricity. It includes artwork by award-winning artists like Malkit Singh, Balvinder, Satwant Singh, S Rajkumar, Vijay Ozo, Surinder Dhami, Madan Lal, Vinay Vadhera, Sadhna Sangar to list a few.

The exhibition, which was formally inaugurated by Dr B N Goswamy, Prof. Emeritus, Panjab University on Thursday, also saw the new website of Chandigarh Museum being launched.

The artworks, including sculptures, showcase the signature style of each of the participating artists in the group show. For instance Madan Lal’s painting is instantly recognisable for its vibrant hues and placements of birds in the scene. Then there’s Bheem Malhotra’s serene landscape painting. The exhibition brings in a variety of themes and hues. After the rain, a painting by Prabhinder Lal showcases the urban life while a bronze sculpture by Mahesh Bhatnagar makes an important point about man and his surroundings. In this mix, the black white photographs by Vijay Ozo and SM Dhami stand out.

If you are looking for a summary of Chandigarh’s vibrant art scene, then don’t miss this showcase.

What: ‘Masterstrokes’ exhibition

Where: Government Museum & Art Gallery, Sector 10, Chandigarh

When: On till May 28

Time: 10 am to 6 pm

NIIFT Students Showcase Design Collections

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Suvyan 2017 showcased designs in furnishings by the graduating batch of textile design

Not just for the students of Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) but the textile industry in the region as a whole keenly look forward to Suvyan, the annual design collection show of home furnishings and apparel put together by the graduating students of textile design department of NIIFT, Mohali.

The final presentation is an integration of the learning that the students imbibe during their three years at the institute. Looking to put forth their creative best, this edition of Suvyan rolled out at Hotel Shivalik View on Thursday. Through the media of colours, materials, finishes and techniques, students expressed individual statements as design solutions for fabrics, home furnishing products, stoles etc.

While appreciating the hard work of the students and inaugurating the annual exhibition, the chief guest on the occasion, Mr Rakesh Kumar Verma, Director General, NIIFT and Commissioner cum Director, Departmen of Industries and Commerce (Punjab) said, “The work of textile design students is par excellence and the textile students have a wide scope in the market.”

Suvyan 2017 showcased 54 collections by graduating students. Each student worked with an industrial client for five months before coming up with their collections. Students created various products as scarves, stoles, range of home furnishing products as bedsheets, cushions, duvet covers etc. The students were guided by their mentors; Ms Deepti, Ms. Shweta Sharma and Ms Indeep.

An eminent jury made up of textile designers, industry experts and art proponents were invited to evaluate the collections for the awards. The jury included Mr Ravi Sharan, CEO, Ananta Exports, Ludhiana, Mr Sanjay Kulshreshta, Assistant Vice President, Nahar Fabrics, Lalru and Mr Arun Grover, Director, Innovative Knits.

“Suvyan plays an important role for our students to uncover their best creations. The collections are very creative, original and visually pleasing. The 3-year degree programs are conducted in fashion design, textile design, fashion design knits and 2-year masters degree programs are for garment manufacturing technology and fashion marketing technology. The degree course is for 10+2 pass outs,” informed Mr Inderjit Singh, Director, NIIFT, Mohali. Also present on the occasion was Dr Poonam Aggarwal, Deputy Registrar, NIIFT, who was all praise for the students.

“Keeping up its commitment for nurturing and promoting new talent in the Indian Textile Industry ‘Suvyan 2017‘ is a platform for our students to reveal their best creations and each design presented  is inimitable and  reflect student’s reverence for art, culture and nature,” said Ms Shweta Sharma, Course Co-coordinator.

Prominent among the students showcasing their talent included Shrishti Gupta, Ravita Kohli, Piyush, Himani and Tulika Sinha. Students worked with renowned companies as Somendra textiles, Swami Textiles, Kavset Exports,Vardhaman, Arvind Mills, D Décor, Trident, Nahar Group etc.

NIIFT Mohali, established in 1995, is affiliated to PTU and offers degree programs at its three centres located in Mohali, Ludhiana and Jalandhar. The Institute has grown with each passing year, thereby adding new courses and continuously evolving strong relations with garment industry.

Applications are now invited for the degree programmes. The last date is May 25, 2017. The entrance test will be held on  June 4. The entrance test is followed by the situation test/ interviews and counseling respectively. Details are available on the website: www.niiftindia.com

Art Exhibit by Kamal Devnath at RAYA

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Get to meet the artist and view his latest works at a two-day show being held at RAYA in Sector 7, Chandigarh

Come Friday and artist Kamal Devnath will be in the city with his latest artworks. Hosted by well-known art curator Neepa Sharma and entrepreneur Sahiba Brar, the showcase is being held at RAYA, The Lifestyle Store in Sector 7, Chandigarh. The event also offers a chance to meet the artist and interact with him. Here are the details:

About the artist: Kamal Devnath was born in Calcutta and is presently based in Gurgaon. He is an artist who works in acrylic, oil and mixed media, and has learnt the art of experimenting with form, colour and texture on his own. The artist does figurative and semi-abstract which shows his love for life. He evokes strong emotions in his viewers which makes him one of India’s promising artists. The artist has a collection of figurative and semi-abstract works which show his love for life and its vibrancy. His work is a mix of the traditional Indian and the modern. He has had many successful shows here and abroad and his works have sold well, both in India and abroad.

About RAYA: RAYA is a beautiful lifestyle store that stocks a carefully curated selection of women's pret wear range from the top Indian designers, sitting alongside gorgeous statement accessories as well as great home decor that makes RAYA a retail destination for the fashionable woman.

What: Art show by Kamal Devnath

When: May 19 (5 pm to 8 pm); May 20 (11 am to 7 pm)

Where:  RAYA, SCF 23, Sector 7 C, Chandigarh

Entry: Free

JW Marriott Celebrates the King of Fruits

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Dig into the 'Mango May-nia', a food festival that makes the most of mangoes

It’s rare to come across someone who doesn’t relish mangoes. The king of fruits makes the horrid Indian summer a sweet affair. As the mercury rises, mangos get riper, so the saying goes. And along with it rises our craving. The prospects of relishing so many irresistibly delectable varieties of mangoes one after the other throughout the summer season can make anyone drool.

Be it shakes, ice-creams, coolers, condiments or pickles, mango is the flavour of the season. Keeping in mind the fondness for the fruit and to celebrate the king of fruits, JW Marriott Chandigarh has organised ‘Mango May-Nia’, a festival celebrating mangoes. The festival is being hosted by Chandigarh Baking Company (CBC), the deli and patisserie at the hotel.

The “Mango May-Nia” at CBC promises to go beyond the popularly known mango dishes. “The menu is a tribute to this majestic fruit and offers a unique gastronomic experience,” says Chef Manjul Myne, who has joined as the new pastry Chef at JW Marriott Chandigarh.

The chef has curated a menu that uses different varieties of mango and across cuisines. In the festival, as the chef informs, five kinds of mangoes have been used. These are Alphonso, Safeda, Kesari, Chausa and Sindoori. Right from standalone mango-based offerings to mango-inspired combo meals, there are many options at hand.

One can choose from mango-based delicacies like Three Mango Mille Feuille, Ginger and Alphonso Cheese Cake with Leather Mango Cheese Straw, Kesari Macaroons, Fresh Mango Brulee, Fresh Mango Tart, Vegan Coconut and Mango Pannacotta, Mango and Cardamom Cake with Fresh Safeda, Katcha Aam Granita and the ‘Mango Mess’.

“Be it coolers, snacks or desserts, we are making the most of the fruit. Also in the line-up are cakes, shakes, tarts, sandwiches and puffs,” says the chef who recommends Fresh Mango Brulee or the Katcha Aam Granita to start with. 

Combo meals (a mix of sweet and savoury) are also a part of the festival. There’s Grilled Honey Glazed Ham and Mango sandwich with Banana and Coconut Smoothie; Vanilla Ice Cream with fresh mangoes; Roast Chicken Puff with Fresh Mango Shake; Vegetable Club Sandwich with Mango Jalapeno Ice Cream and Mango Smoothie.

The Fresh Mango Brulee is a recipe by Chef Manjul which involves cutting a mango into half, sprinkling brown sugar on top of the mango wedges and torching them with flame. This gives the wedges a solid texture on top caused by the burning brown sugar which you need to knock down with a spoon and eat. The burnt flavour of sugar coupled with the sweetness of mango gives the Fresh Mango Brulee a unique taste.

Some other interesting offerings include the Mango and Cardamom Cake and the Kesari Macaroons. The Mango and Cardamom cake explores a unique pairing of cardamom and mango where the Chef has used Safeda mango which does not lose its shape easily. Guests who are fond of macaroons can try out the Kesari Macaroons which have a tangy Kesari-mango flavoured cream in the centre.

The food festival is on till May 31.

Rupnagar Wetland Offers a Perfect Setting

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Recently we got an opportunity to be part of a field visit to the Rupnagar wetland, a 1365 hectares expanse of forests and water bodies declared as of “international importance” under the Ramsar Convention, to observe conservation measures, and we stumbled on a perfect venue for a weekend getaway. The trip was part of North Regional Workshop on Conservation & Management of Wetlands organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India and Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST). We share some of our enjoyable experiences of the trip to facilitate individuals, groups, families and schools to plan their outings after taking approvals.

 

A Bat Park was the last thing we had expected to come across as we hit the nature trail in the Sadabrat Forest, covering over 30 hectares within the wetland area, about 50 kms from Chandigarh. But there it was hundreds of Fruit Bats, most of them in their usual hanging perch and others gliding in the air with their large wings spread out.

PHOTOS BY: VIKRAM JOY
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rnSince we reached the place in blazing sunshine, there was not much more of wildlife to be seen, but forest officials informed that several other habitants of the wild like sambars, porcupines, pangolins, wild boars, peacocks, neelgais, snakes and pythons can be found here.


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rnWell known wildlife rescuer Nikhil Sengar from Nawanshahr, who was accompanying us, apprised us of interesting traits of some of these species and related some of his memorable experiences of rescuing injured pythons, big cats and others.


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The forest is also home to 25 different species of trees, the most common being  Sheesham, Arjun, Amla, Peepal, Taali, Kikar, Khajur, Lasoora, Amaltas, Jamun, Kendu and Bamboo.

A narrow seasonal nallah also runs through the forest area.

Nikhil Sengar shares his experiences
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Participants on the nature trail
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 A facilitation centre is fast coming up with the assistance of Asian Development Bank near the forest guest house to promote eco tourism. Currently individuals, groups, families and schools are allowed into the nature trail after seeking permission from the Divisional Forest Officer, Rupnagar (Phone No. 01881-222231)

The lake
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Next on the itinerary was the Ropar headworks, where the water gushing into the Sirhind canal from the vast expanse of the lake was a treat to watch. Going upstream we were witness to the calm and serene environs of the Satluj river.

Expanse of Satluj river
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Nearly 25 kms ahead, we are told, is Kikar Lodge, luxury nature retreat & spa, which its website boasts is India’s first private forest reserve spread over 1800 acres.

Water gushing into Sirhind Canal
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Conservation measures are underway from various line departments like irrigation department, forest department and soil conservation department, which are planting more trees and bushes and erecting check dams in the entire catchment area to minimise the flow of silt into the water bodies.


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rnThe wetland is actively being considered for a biodiversity park proposed by the Government of India, Dr. Jatinder Kaur Arora, Executive Director, PSCST, informed the participants of the field visit during a brain-storming session.

Panoramic view of Kikar Lodge
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rnAmong other measures suggested were fencing of the forest with the help of a bio fence (a wide hedge wall) and innovative steps to make local population, including adults and school students, stake holders in the ongoing conservation process.

Shimmy and Shake in the Pool

By
Sanjeev Kochhar
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0

Oxy Gym rolls out aqua zumba classes at Hotel Shivalik View

Come summer and swimming pools in the city see heightened activity. After all, summer’s just the time to be splashing about in the cool waters and have some fun. While swimming in itself is a wonderful exercise, what if it also packed in a complete workout? That’s where Aqua Zumba comes in. The low-impact, high-energy aquatic exercise is now offer at Hotel Shivalik View by Oxy Gym.

For the unaware, Aqua Zumba blends the Zumba philosophy with water resistance. There is less impact on your joints during an Aqua Zumba class, so you can really let loose. Water creates natural resistance, which means every step is more challenging and helps tone your muscles.

“Our purpose at Aqua Pool is to change lives through health, wellness and overall happiness. Our number one goal is to support fitness and inspire everyone to get off the couch and get moving in a Zumba class,” said Munish Bajaj, Executive Director, Oxy Gym at the formal launch.

Styled like a dance party, the Aqua Zumba classes have been designed for anyone who can follow instructions and manage being in the water. It is suitable for both beginners and Zumba fitness enthusiasts alike. The classes are being conducted by trainers Naveen Arya and Zinia Ratta.

For further information, contact: Hotel Shivalik View, Sector 17, Chandigarh. You can get in touch with them at 0172 4013333, 4000550

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