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Leading the Way

One of the city’s leading professionals-turned-entrepreneur couple, Raman and Anju Aggarwal take us through their new workspace and mantra for success.

If there ever was a manual on how to do business in the IT industry in Chandigarh, the credits would go to Raman Aggarwal and his wife Anju. And if there was to be a book chronicling the success stories of professionals-turned-entrepreneurs, this couple would fit right in. Wait, there’s more. If there was a looking back series on Chandigarh, especially focussing on its work life three decades ago, then such an article would be incomplete without quotes by the Aggarwals.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

While Raman, a chartered accountant, has more than two decades of experience in accountancy, tax, corporate law, international taxation, and business management services, Anju is an architect who specialises in corporate architecture and has many projects in the city to her credit.

Today, the two spearhead Aeren IT Solutions Private Ltd, a company that has leading international names like Google, Yahoo, Hult Business School as its client. Apart from software development, the company offers KPO (knowledge process outsourcing) services specialising in legal services, accounting and other high-end processes.

Incidentally, Raman Aggarwal who is a super-specialist of sorts in setting up IT operations, was instrumental in setting up Quark Software in Mohali in 1998. “When I look back to the early 1980s when Anju and I came to pursue higher education in Chandigarh, it seems so much has changed. Back then, this city hardly offered any work opportunities as it does now,” reminisces Aggarwal as we meet him in his swanky new office in IT Park.

The credit for the artsy interiors, the vibrant green environs and the cool vibe of the place goes to Anju, an alumna of Chandigarh College of Architecture, who has been instrumental in giving corporate interiors an offbeat look. “While I do homes and private spaces, over the years, corporate interiors have come to be my specialisation,” says Anju who has also worked on cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s home.

Complementing each other in the work space, the couple tells us that the journey this far hasn’t been easy. “We had to carve out our own niche. Also we realised each other’s strengths and worked accordingly. The hard work followed and that paid off in the long run,” says Raman who spent a great deal marketing Chandigarh as an IT hub to companies overseas. Spreading wings, he also acquired a US-based IT company in 2005.

“The mantra to success is simple. Learning never ends and one must put it all the hard work and do it with sincerity,” feels Raman as Anju adds, “It’s good to take on challenges and despite setbacks, it is important to keep at it. Being an architect, my focus has been to think out of the box using easily available and affordable materials.”

Having worked on umpteen projects, the two share their latest endeavour called myconsumerforum.com. “It’s a one of its kind online consumer dispute resolution and redressal platform that provides total integrated dispute resolution solutions right from follow up with merchant, to complaint to police/regulatory agencies, to complaint to consumer court as a ‘one stop shop’ to assist Indian consumers to get their disputes resolved,” informs Raman. The solutions are offered free and the aim, as Raman adds, is to guide consumers who get intimidated by the various legalities.

In a League of His Own

Well-known hotelier and creative whiz, Keshav Suri on his plans for Kitty Su and why local will always rule over global

It’s celebration time at Kitty Su housed in The Lalit Chandigarh. The new age nightclub completes two years today. As the plans for the special night get underway, there’s a special guest in town, who happens to be the host too. Sounds confusing? Not if we tell you, we are talking about Keshav Suri, the executive director of the Lalit Group of hotels.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

Arriving in Chandigarh early Friday, Suri has been on his feet, in meetings, inspecting the hotel, giving media interviews and packing in a visit to a local radio station. “Chandigarh is special to me in many ways,” says Suri as we ask him about his fondest memories of the city. While his mother, Dr Jyotsana Suri, chairperson of The Lalit Group of Hotels, is an alumna of the Lawrence School Sanawar, Keshav remembers all the stopovers he and his family would make in Chandigarh while on their way up to the hills. “My aunt also lives here. I remember visiting Hotel Mountview many times and digging into their hot chocolate,” reminisces Suri who unfortunately lost his father, Lalit Suri, founder of the group, in 2006.

But he has used his experiences in travel and hospitality well to take forward his father’s legacy. With each passing year, not only has The Lalit chain of hotels spread wings but has also reached new milestones. The latest in the kitty is The Lalit Mangar, an eco-friendly resort in Haryana and The Lalit London, a new luxe boutique hotel that formally housed St Olave’s Grammar School.

But it is Kitty Su, a brainchild of Keshav Suri, which has turned out to be quite the game changer. It gave the brand a refreshing new avatar and also brought in a younger audience. For the unaware, the Kitty Su nightclub is a tribute to its namesake, a fictional character created by Suri himself. “It was a story that I wrote and the club is themed around that,” said Suri who is already working on fresh plans for Kitty Su this year. “Apart from Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh, I am looking to open in Bengaluru and Kolkata. We have taken Kitty Su pop-ups there and have had a tremendous response,” informs Suri who also wants to launch Kitty Su virtually. Clothing and merchandise is already available.  

For someone who was closely involved with theatre and grew up dreaming to be an actor, it comes as no surprise that Suri would like to make a film on Kitty Su. “While I dreamt of becoming an actor only briefly, I really see myself as a producer or director. I think the story of Kitty Su would make sense as a movie,” said Suri who has also directed a conceptual short film, ‘White Horse’ (an anti-drug film) that plays out at Lalit properties.

And speaking of the hospitality industry, Suri, who closely oversees the group’s food and beverage section as well, believes that food fads and trends come and go. “The customer today is more interested in knowing where the ingredients are coming from, the freshness, the quality and that’s what we are also emphasising on,” he lets us know.

Spearheading ideas like ‘grow your own’, many of his hotels have their own green patches. “We believe that the customer wants good service and quality. Customers are aware of carbon footprints and question everything. There is an increasing tribe that doesn’t like wastage in buffets and wedding. We reciprocate that. A conscious customer means a conscious business,” Suri explains.

Given that his entire family – his mother and two sisters – are all involved in the family business, dinner table conversations regarding work are inevitable. “The service industry is a 365 days a year, 24 hours a day job and while we try not to discuss work back home, it always does end up happening,” says Suri who credits the strong network of women in his life for his success. “Be it my mother, my aunts or my sisters, I have learnt a lot from each one of them. I consider myself lucky,” shares Suri whose sense of style adds to his affable personality. And he sure knows how to throw a party!

And the Award Goes To…

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi honours writers and poets at its annual award ceremony

It was the perfect milieu of thinkers, writers, poets who had all gathered under one roof. The occasion was Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi’s annual award ceremony organised at the UT Guest House this Saturday morning. The Akademi’s jury sifted through a large number of entries in different categories for the awards.

The award for the best book in ‘Hindi Poetry’ went to Sumita Misra for her book ‘Waqt ke ujaale mein’ while Sulekha Sharma’s collection of short stories – ‘A Magic Chest of Mysteries’ has been awarded the best book in the ‘English Short Story’ category. Renu Behl’s ‘Dastak’ won the award in the ‘Urdu Short Story’ section while ‘One Word’ by Anuradha Bhattacharya won in the ‘English Novel’ category.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

There was also a section that acknowledged the work of writers in children’s literature. ‘Memories of School Time’ by Harsimran Kaur was awarded for best book in English for children while Manohar Shukla took the honours for his book for children in Hindi titled ‘Balveer Chandu Nandu’.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

The award winners were given certificates and a cash prize of Rs 25,000 each. The winners’ list also included Gurmeet Singh (Hindi essay), Sanv Richa (Hindi translation), Hemaa Sharma (Hindi short story), Subhash Sharma (Punjabi poetry), Nirmal Jaswal Rana (Punjabi short story) and Malkit Basra (Punjabi Children Literature).

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

“We have awards recognising all languages including Sanskrit but there were no entries this year,” informed a spokesperson. The award ceremony also honoured well-known personalities from the city for their outstanding contribution to literature/language with an award of Rs 51,000. The award of recognition was given to Jai Prakash Sharma (Hindi), Rajinder Kaur (Punjabi), Rana Nayar (English) and Rehana Parveen (Urdu).

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

Anurag Aggarwal, Home Secretary, UT Chandigarh was the chief guest on the occasion and gave away the awards.

Encounters with Nature

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City-based artist Anu Singh captures the beauty of nature in her ongoing art show titled 'Soulful Sojourn'

In this blistering heat where everything seems fiery including the sights, this exhibition offers respite. ‘Soulful Sojourn’ an exhibition of paintings and collages by city-based artist Anu Singh puts forth soothing artwork. Pastel flowers in bloom, bunch of ferns against a white backdrop, bouquet of daffodils…it’s nature at its beautiful best.

If you are a nature lover here is a chance to be close to it. The three-day exhibition was formally inaugurated by Tejvir Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab, at the Government Museum and Art Gallery.

A self-taught artist, Anu Singh is a psychologist councillor by profession and affiliated with American Psychology Association. She made her debut as an artist nine years ago and has since then held exhibitions in cities like Shimla, Delhi and Mumbai to name a few. She has also exhibited her works overseas in cities like Luino, Varize, Italy and the Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, with a recent exhibition held at Manhattan, US a few months back. She was formally felicitated by the Governor of the State of Missouri, US in June last year.

The work in the ongoing exhibition takes forward the artist’s love for nature and landscapes. “This is my eighth show in Chandigarh and there are 80 works on display,” informs Singh who uses gouache, a medium where prints are created on canvas by using Fevicol as base for the colour. Most of the paintings have been made with cardboard or spatula as she wants the paintings to have a good texture.

“Beautiful encounters with nature always fill my heart and art with joy, which motivates me to present these vibrant colours on the palette and paper,” says the 36-year-old artist. While nature is a constant source of inspiration, Singh admits she likes to experiment with not just the medium, but also subjects that interest her. “I have had no formal training in artwork but it was my passion to paint, which I am carrying on and will continue to do so. It is also unwavering support from my family that has helped me showcase my work,” she remarked.

What: ‘Soulful Sojourn’ art exhibition by Anu Singh

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

When: The exhibition is on till April 30

Time: 10 am to 5 pm

Entry: Free

Stretch in Style

A new brand of apparel promises to make your yoga and workout sessions comfortable and sweat-free

It's time to say goodbye to your loose and ill-fitted workout clothes with the launch of stylish, comfortable and breathable collection of yoga apparel by ‘Rrave’. The brand has come up with an exclusive range of garments which are made to suit workout requirements. From perfect fit to support, style to comfort and control to breathability, Rrave caters to the needs of workout enthusiasts without getting them to compromise on any aspect of fashion or fitness.

‘Rrave’ is the brainchild of Roopcee Jain, Rachna Bagdia and Vandana Punia, three friends from different professions who had one common desire – to find comfortable yet contemporary outfits for yoga and fitness sessions. When their lookout for the perfect wear didn’t end successfully, the three thought of building their own brand especially designed for Indian women and keeping the Indian weather in mind.

Their range of outfits boasts of the latest in fabric technology with polyster/nylon/spandex micro-fibre combination for the ideal fit and apt comfort. The apparel, we are informed, undergoes Moisture Management Treatment (MMT) procedure during the manufacturing stage. It enables the fabric to absorb sweat from the body thereby making it dry.

Speaking at the launch held in Chandigarh on Thursday, Roopcee Jain, co-founder and CEO informed, “I have seen many women struggle to find appropriate workout wear that is capable of bearing higher seam stress during various postures and yet is stylish. Now, they have a brand to rely on for all their fitness needs and that too just a click away."

“Who says fitness and style can’t go hand in hand? Rrave has wide variety of stylish and comfort apparel which will not only motivate you to work out but also maintain your style quotient at the same time,” quipped co-founder Vandana Punia.

The collection will be available online at www.rrave.in. “High quality images, distinctive product layout and display make the website stand out. It has been designed to allow the users to make their selection without and hassle,” said the third co-founder Rachna Bagdia.

Manufacturing of the apparel, inform the brand owners, is done under strict quality control norms in internationally accredited plants. The collection brings in yoga bras and tank tops along with leggings and pants in a variety of hues and styles. Prices start at Rs 999.

Kill The Noise Before It Kills You

The offenders are the worst hit because they are the closest of the source of the Noise, but they do not realize. By the time they do, it will be too late

It’s well past midnight and the traffic is still whizzing past. Every few seconds a bus, a truck, an ambulance, a car or a three-wheeler is passing by and the noise is unending. I am unable to sleep peacefully as, apart from the usual vehicular noise, an odd Bullet motorcycle with a modified silencer is blasting away, an odd ambulance has its siren blaring and an odd driver is habitually blowing his horn.

Illustration By: Raman Bhardwaj

I am a common citizen of the “City Beautiful” – Chandigarh whose house unfortunately has its back to one of the busiest sector-diving roads in the tri-city. Here the noise of traffic subsides for less than a couple of hours – roughly between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

As if world is going to end

It’s approaching office hours and the traffic is beginning to pile up as the traffic lights come on. Everyone appears to be in a tearing hurry as if the world’s going to come to an end. The ‘smart’ ones look around for cops, and not finding them around, just ignore the red light and speed away. The complying types wait patiently behind the zebra crossing while the restless ones behind them keep honking away, appearing to think that by doing so the light will turn green sooner. The noise is deafening, more so for those who are blaring away to glory because they are the closest to the source of the noise.  

Point of no return

I am sure there are many like me who are slowly but surely falling into a deep hole from where there is no return. A recent study in Germany shows road and rail noise increases risk of heart disease but are we as citizens and the authorities really concerned? No we are not …because who cares. We as Indians love to make noise. Even a Karbonn Mobiles ad once made “Indians love loud music” the centre of their campaign for a particular model of their handset.

Be it our weddings and other family functions, religious ceremonies, birthday parties we apparently don’t appear to enjoy unless the music is ear drum-shattering. It’s “music” to road users when the buses (even school and college buses) and trucks on the highways impulsively and endlessly keep blaring their shrieking musical pressure horns.

Time we did something

It’s time we did something about it before our future generations develop serious hearing disabilities and other health complications like heart disease. We as concerned citizens, the local authorities and the courts must come together to curb this menace through stricter compliance of rules and regulations. More sign boards of no honking zones ought to be put up and violators need to be prosecuted on the roads. We also need to clearly earmark the agency which will strictly implement these laws – whether it is to be the state pollution control committee, or the traffic police, or both.

Inspiring some hope

It was good to see scores of school children forming a human chain to mark “No Horn Day” on Wednesday (April 26). It was a move by National Initiative for Safe Sound (NISS), which under its “no honking” campaign recently tested a small sample of traffic policemen in the city and found 30 percent of them suffering from disabling hearing loss. Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Rotary Club are extending a helping hand to NISS in this campaign.

The campaign appears to have cut some ice with the traffic police and the Chandigarh administration, which have thus far done precious little towards penalizing the offenders of noise pollution laws. Both the Chandigarh home secretary and the superintendent of police (traffic) have assured to work closely with NISS to clamp down on perpetrators of noise pollution.

Let’s hope they keep their word.

The New Age kalakars™

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Meet the contestants and their mentors from Sony TV’s acting reality show ‘Sabse Bada Kalakar’.

The moment you stepped into the conference room of Hotel JW Marriott Chandigarh this Thursday afternoon you could sense the cheerful atmosphere. Soon you heard the giggles and friendly banter. It’s not every day that an 11-year-old and twin seven-year-olds are the subjects of your story. So it made for interesting conversation as we met up with the contestants of Sony TV’s ongoing acting reality show – Sabse Bada Kalakar – along with their mentors.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar
The show, which has a guru-shishya format, is on the lookout for the best junior kalakar (actor) and the jury comprises of actors Raveena Tandon, Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi. After auditions and on-air episodes, the jury has announced the list of ‘Top 10’ contestants.

Doing the city proud are Udbhav and the twins – Tanya and Tanisha – who have made it to the list. “It’s a really nice feeling as this is my first show ever,” said Udbhav, a student of class VII at Ryan International School in Sector 49. “I have never even participated in a school show till date,” quipped the young actor. His mentor on the show, Onisha Sharma, who was present at the conference in Chandigarh, was all praise. “Udbhav is truly gifted and has a natural style. He is so good that he even improvises on stage without much effort,” said Sharma.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar
While initially he found it difficult to distinguish between his students, mentor Mohit Agarwal admits he’s impressed with their professional attitude. “I am the only mentor who has two children to mentor for each week. Both Tanisha and Tanya are young but they are very smart in picking up lessons and have been a delight to train,” said Agarwal.
Both the mentors feel that when it comes to these junior kalakars, they have a lot to commend. “Their schooling and parenting is to credit as they really know when to be serious, when to be witty and they know when have to give it their best,” added Agarwal.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar
Interestingly, Tanya and Tanisha, who study in class three at Sant Isher Singh Public School in Mohali, have got special permission to be able to feature in the show in Mumbai. “Our Principal was very supportive. We love being on the show and will only come back when we win,” said the two who are also trained in kathak and are in awe of their dance teacher.

While the children admit to being really good friends off stage and during rehearsal time, they admit that it is a competition and all of them are looking to win the title. Here’s wishing them the very best.

Empowering the Lesser Privileged

City-based NGO organises 'Empower Diva' pageant as a fundraiser for a first of its kind integrated school for normal and special children

It was a glittering affair all through – from the well-lit up ramp, the celebrities dressed in bling to the dazzling smiles of the children who accompanied them. Wednesday afternoon saw Empower-Joy, a city-based NGO, roll out ‘Empower Diva’ pageant, a fund raiser event for special children that was held at Hotel Hyatt Regency.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

Photo By: Vikram Joy

The NGO is led by co-founders, Bharati Kapoor and Sharmita Bhinder, who work with special children and organise events for their betterment. For the ‘Empower Diva’ event they invited city-based women from different walks of life to take to the ramp along with special children from the Prabh Asara Trust. 

Photo By: Vikram Joy

As the 21 ladies – a mix of entrepreneurs and professionals – took to the stage, the enthusiasm of the children was not hard to miss. “We have organized ‘Empower Diva’ pageant as a fundraiser for our plan to build country’s first of its kind integrated school with normal and special children. We already have three acres of land donated to us at Aerocity,” informed Kapoor. “We want to talk about ability in each human being and inclusion of all in society,” added Bhinder.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

The show, they informed, looked at not just the concept of ‘body beautiful’ but the real person with grace and beauty. Keeping in line with the thought, the NGO also felicitated women for their role in society and setting an example for all. Among those who were honoured included Harjinder Kaur, former Chandigarh mayor; Rajni Sekhri Sibal, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana and Dr Vidhu Mohan, former head of the Department of Psychology, Panjab University.

Photo By: Vikram Joy

Photo By: Vikram Joy

The pageant was judged by a jury comprising of Sharhaan Singh, a television actor popular for his show ‘Uttaran’, Satyam Kaul, a well-known body builder, Anupama Sharma, winner of Mrs Punjaban International, Deepti Katoch, soft skills trainer and winner of Mrs. North India 2017 and Heena Khokha Dang, a professional model and winner of Maxim India. Anil Malhotra, Head of Carnival Group was the chief guest on the occasion.

Look to Nature for Solutions

Nobel laureate in chemistry, Prof. Roger D. Kornberg, feels that the future of science is to go back to the basics

PGI Chandigarh’s Bhargava Auditorium was packed to capacity on Wednesday evening. The authorities, not expecting such a rush, had erected temporary curtains to cut down on the capacity of the auditorium, but these had to be dismantled to accommodate the surge of people.

Photo By: Life in Chandigarh

It was one of those special honours for even the prestigious Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research – hosting Nobel laureate in Chemistry, Prof. Roger D. Kornberg, for his talk on ‘Basic Science : Back to the Future’.

A genial looking Prof.  Kornberg (70), who is currently professor of medicine in the department of structural biology, at the Stanford School of Medicine in the US, had a simple mantra to offer : “Solutions to some of the most challenging and complex medical problems lie in Nature. Have curiosity towards Nature and solutions to the most challenging questions will follow,” he said.

Photo By: Life in Chandigarh

“Not many in the audience would know that what we call as modern medicine is actually 100 years old. As a brash 25-year-old I also erroneously thought that the findings of people who came before me were irrelevant. But no, after 45 years in research I realised that those are as relevant today as they were then. The basics never change,” he averred.

Photo By: Life in Chandigarh

Prof. Kornberg felt that knowledge is limiting. “We might have acquired just a fraction of the information that is there to be had. If we have acquired 0.01 percent of the knowledge, we still have 99.99 percent still to be acquired. So, you can well imagine the enormous opportunities which still lie ahead. Most of the pioneering research which has been done has not been to find solutions to particular medical problems, but because of the yearning to acquire more and more knowledge for knowledge sake, he added.

17 Things We Love About Sector 17

It's the city's most iconic sector and not without reason. We bring you the obvious and not-so-obvious things about Sector 17

Much before the swanky malls opened doors, Sector 17 plaza was the place to head to for a shopping spree. After a brief dip in sales, Sector 17 is in action again but still not buzzing as it used to be on weekends particularly. There are many talks of giving it a makeover and making it a cultural hub as well. While that will happen, when it happens, we feel there are some things about Sector 17 that we have grown to love. You may have your own list too. Here is ours:

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

1. The layout: Styled like an open mall, we have always liked the fact that there’s something for everyone here. While new age malls offer the comfort of an air-conditioned environment, walking in the corridors of Sector 17 while taking in the fresh air is fun too. Winter sun is bliss here.

2. Softy special: Sector 17 is one place that sells ice-cream, or isn’t it called frozen dessert now, that’s relished all through the year. Summer holidays to the time you had nothing much to shop for, a softy in hand is what Sector 17 is synonymous with. You also have the option of sipping on a cola or strolling in the plaza munching on popcorn.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

3. The Book Shops: Be it English Book Shop or Capitol Book Depot or Universal Book store, Sector 17 has been a go-to place to buy the bestsellers and stock up on stationery. The fact that you could browse the shelves at ease without being hounded to buy is an added plus point.

4. Phulkari emporium: When your distant NRI cousin comes visiting and is looking for souvenirs from Punjab, you always steer them to the Phulkari state emporium in Sector 17. They have added new products in the past and are usually well stocked. But count yourself lucky if the sales staff is in a cheerful mood.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

5. Indian Coffee House: Yes, it’s always packed to the brim. Yes, there are no air conditioners here. Yes, it can be a long wait for a table but don’t we just love the warmth, the aroma and the food at the Indian Coffee House. We challenge you to walk past it on a weekend and resist the temptation to step in for a piping hot coffee and dosa. The French toasts are good too and despite the trying conditions, the staff is seldom rude. But they will always let you know that ketchup here doesn’t come for free.

6. Run, kids run: We love the fact that there is a lot of open space in Sector 17. Buy the bachcha brigade some balloons and bubble tubes and you will have them out of your hair for good. The excitement is hard to match, though adult supervision a must.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

7. The musical fountain show: Every evening the fountains in the plaza turn on a show complete with a medley of music and laser lights. Even if you have caught it a couple times, it is still fun to watch. 

8. The umpteen fashion clothing stores: Be it a bridal lehenga or an outfit for the best friend’s wedding; denims or dungarees, branded Western wear to custom made sherwanis for the groom, Sector 17 market offers it all and at different price points. From flowing fabrics to stitched suits to accessories like scarves and stoles, take your pick here.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

9. The shoe stores: Just as there are umpteen stores offering clothing options, there are that many shoe stores in Sector 17. Here too there are choices galore and at various price points. We have always found the largest variety of Bata shoes at their Sector 17 store. Ditto for Woodland.

10. The shoe polish team:  The corridor next to Neelam theatre is where you will find the ‘shoe specialists’. For as little as Rs 20 you can give your leather shoe a true makeover. On offer are various services like repair and polish, new laces and even sole jobs. In fact, most times when a neighbourhood mochi is missing in action, you know you can find the man on the job here.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

11. Budget conscious: One of the things that we really like about shopping here is that you will find what you are looking for within budget. Big stores like Jainsons, Kapsons, Catwalk, Kohinoor etc realise the need to stock up on all varieties and seldom disappoint.

12. The eating places: A trip to Sector 17 wouldn’t be as exciting if there was no chaat to dig into at Sindhi’s or kathi rolls to munch on at Hot Millions. A number of vendors also offer bhelpuri and roasted sweet potato in the evenings.

13. A place to hang out: Even if you don’t have shopping on the agenda, Sector 17 is big enough to stroll around and window shop. Park yourself on the parapets under the various trees or benches and see the world go around. The vibe is fun and you rarely come back without having spotted a relative or friend.  

14. The Bridge Market: That’s a whole new world out there. Clothes, shoes, belts, perfumes…this market space under the bridge in Sector 17 has its own clientele that is looking for casual buys at affordable prices.

Photo By: Sumit Kumar

15. Kids’ Own: One of the first of its kind play areas in the city, Kids’s Own in Sector 17 has gone on to become a kiddie birthday party hub. We love the play gym areas, the cafe upstairs that dishes out simple yet delicious fare and the alert and always courteous staff, more fondly called ‘didis’ here.

16. Empire Stores: One of the most iconic departmental stores of Sector 17, Empire Stores has been offering everyday essentials under one roof. Anyone who has grown up in Chandigarh, will remember this store as it was one of kind back then.

17. It’s central: Don’t we just love the location? No matter which sector you live in, Sector 17 never really seems far.