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RNI Reg. No: KERENG/2011/42633
Cover Model: Sanam Prasad Photo: Raja Singh
Vol 2 Issue No.12 October 2012
TIMES Managing Editor Ajit Ravi Editor Jebitha Ajit Associate Editor Bejoy George Legal Advisor Adv. Sreelatha Parameswaran Correspondents Dr. Thomas Nechupadam Tressa Varghese Denisha Sahadevan Sheela Abraham Sreerekha R. Nair Creative Design Ashique K, Pigment Creatives Gilsha Bindosh Marketing Pramod
Editorial A big Thank you. Twelve is a magical number. Twelve also gives a sense of completeness, perfection, and of course of a new beginning. Unique Times has reached twelfth issue quite successfully, but not without the support of our readers, contributors and advertisers. Right now there is a sense of fulfilment and an urge to search newer boundaries of excellence. This moment I extend my sincere gratitude to all the readers, contributors and of Unique Times. One person who deserves a special mention is Mr. VP Nandakumar, who has been a guiding lamp in our journey. Without his support, it was almost impossible to bring out this magazine. This edition we have exclusive reports on Minnalai Film and TV Awards, and Ravu the movie along with all the the regular articles for you to read and enjoy. Happy Reading
AJIT RAVI Managing Editor
Photographer Jinish, Photogenic Printed and Published by Ajit Ravi Pegasus L5-106 Changampuzha Nagar Kalamasserry, Kochi-33 Printed at S T Reddiar P.B. No: 3627 Veekshanam Road, Cochin Contact Ph: 0484 3242220, 3292223, 3046432 Mob: +91 98460 50283, 94470 50283 editor@uniquetimes.org
Our Patron Mr. V.P. Nandakumar * All rights reserved worldwide. Reproduction in any manner without permission of proprietors is prohibited.
40 20 Life Management
12 Leadership Thoughts
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22 Books
24 Book Review
36 Wishlist
60 Interview
58
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Letters
UNIQUE TIMES is worth the money. Unique blend of various lifestyle and business related details. The ads portion must be negligible; ads have increased as compared to old issues. Increase the price but no ads please.
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Labin, Bangalore
I have been a subscriber for 4 months now. I have introduced 3 friends on subscription too! It does a pretty good job of summarizing the financial aspects in investment, funds, loans etc. etc. My only criticism might be that it is too short, and I blow through the pages in a day or two, only to yearn for the next issue!
I love this magazine.
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As a person who does not firmly tow a party line, one of the things I enjoy the most about it is on issues that are relevant and emerging trends in lifestyle. It is the only magazine I receive that I can honestly say I notice when it's gone, and I miss it. Gopan, Erumeli
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Unique Diary Yamaha Motor Reveals
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RAY
amaha is taking its turn into the world of scooters, as they have finally revealed the new line with the Ray. With a flood of responses from the consumers, numerous bookings were made per the release. According to the India Yamaha Motor Chief Executive, and Managing director Hiroyuki Suzuki India by 2014, Yamaha aim to achieve 1 million unit sales by the year 2014 and with further expansion in the long term. By the time 2016 comes around, Yamaha Motor is predicting 20 % of the market share to be from the scooter line. Priced at 46,000 Rupees Yamaha’s aim is the young working women, and the college students. Yamaha has signed with Deepika Padukone to be the Ray Scooter’s Brand Ambassador.
Kumar Sangakkara
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umar Sangakkara was named the ICC Cricketer of the year, and the Test player of the year at the International Cricket Council. Along with this he has bagged the People’s Choice Award. He has scored 1,444 runs in 14 Test matches between August 2011- August 2012 with an average of 60.16, with five centuries and five half-centuries. He has also scored 1,457 runs at 42.85 from the 37 one-day internationals as he counted for 42 dismissals as Sri Lanka’s wicket keeper. The voting academy of 32 highly credentialed cricket experts have put Sangakkara first, before a group of players who had been short-listed. ”This is an amazing honor, I’ve seen the people who have won it before me, and the nominees too, to be named alongside them is wonderful,” commented Sangakkara on winning the awards.
TATA Motors
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ata Motors has announced its further venture into Indonesia, planning to launch its products in 2013. On September 20th Tata participated in the 20th Indonesia International Motor Show displaying 14 Tata Passenger and commercial vehicles which serves to be helpful as they plan on making their way into Indonesia with both the passenger, and the commercial vehicles through it’s arm PT Tata Motors Indonesia. Tata is also planning on setting up a manufacturing base in Indonesia which will add to the commercial launch and the local assembly in 2013. By the time the launch is to occur in 2013, PT Tata Motors is planning on having about 10 to 15 dealers nationwide, offering up sales, and service along with spare parts, and in three year time the company plans on setting up 60 full-service dealers country wide.
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UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Kasab's Mercy Plea Denied
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he Mumbai terror attack convict, 25 year old’s Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab’s mercy petition which was presented before the President after the Supreme Court sentenced him to death as a result of the 26/11 case, has been dismissed by Aftab Alam, and C K Prasad. Kasab had been told about the procedures and the rights which he holds as a convict which included moving a mercy petition. “Kasab was given certified copy of his death sentence confirmation,” said an offical of the Arthur Road Jail. The Supreme Court confirmed the death penalty which was awarded to the LeT operative by the trail court, which was later upheld by the Bombay High Court on August 29th. Kasab with nine other Pakistani terrorists had gone on a shooting spree at various places killing numerous people including foreigners, and while he had been captured alive, the other terrorists had been killed by the security forces.
Neil Armstrong
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n July 1969 Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the moon. On August 25th due to complications from a surgery to clear the blocked coronary arteries, Mr. Neil Armstrong passed away at the age of 82. He was remembered by mourners at a cathedral in Washington as a dedicated team player who had shunned away from the limelight for decades. After his involvement with NASA, he had accepted a teaching role at the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Aerospace Engineering. He was a quiet private person who will always be known as the man who made the giant leap for mankind.
Saina Nehwal
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aina Nehwal has just signed a 40 crore deal with Rhiti Sports Management, which currently places her in the top spot for being the highest paid badminton player of India. A three year contract was signed, as Nehwal’s three year contract with Deccan Chargers expired earlier this month. Nehwal is very happy to be in association with Rhiti Sports commenting “they know how to balance things and that is a big plus point.” The London Olympics Bronze Medalist, has rocketed in popularity with her recent success adding to her brand value. The Chairman and Managing Director of Rhiti Sports Arun Pandey commented “we are delighted to have Saina on board, who has brought great pride to the nation with her exploits.”
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 09
Unique Diary Sunita Williams
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ndian American astronaut Sunita Williams has taken charge over the International Space Station, thus becoming the second woman in history to do so. After Soyuz spacecraft separated from the space station on Sunday, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams took over Expedition 33 at the station from Commander Gennady Padalka. The three man crew on board the Russian mad capsule landed with success in Kazakhstan on Monday morning after having spent 123 days at the Space Station.
Twitters Updates
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witter has finally come to unveil the series of design updates which they have been working on along with a new application for the iPad, and new versions of the application for moblie devices. One of the features which has shown improvement is photo sharing. Twitter, claiming to have more than 140 million active users, with the largest number of it being in the United States has made it so that when new header photo on mobile application for iPad, iPhone and Android or twitter.com is uploaded, the same will appear when viewed on the web.
Anna Hazare's Missing FB Page
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Facebook page which was being overlooked by Anna Hazare supporters who are against the movement taking the turn into politics, has suddenly disappeared which is promting demands from them to restore the page. The page known as the India Against Corruption (IAC) page which was being led by Arvind Kejriwal, and maintained by Shivendra Singh Chouhan. The number of followers on the official page known as “Final War Against Corruption,� has shown to be a numerous amount. A spokesperson of IAC stated that the page was not owned by Shivendra Singh Chouhan, but by the movement, also adding that they had writtento Facebook about the issue so Facebook might have taken action. 10
UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Ganesh Chaturthi
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ord Ganesh is the Hindu God of Wisdom, and Prosperity and on Wednesday the ten day Ganesh festival has commenced in Mumbai with the pratisthanpana of Ganpati idols in Sarvajanik pandals and homes. Some of the mandals that are in Mumbai are the 78 year old “Lalbaugcha” Raja, 22 feet Ganpati at Lalbaug, 58 year old GSB seva mandal of the King’s Circle, Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti in Wadala and Khetwadi Ganpati. To welcome Lord Ganesh people were making purchases ofmodaks, karanjis and laddoos.
Football
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ristiano Ronaldo had the last shootout against the Manchester city , scoring within the 90th minute on Tuesday, as Real Madrid came back for a 3-2 victory in the Champions League opener, where the five goals came after the last 25 minutes of the game. Ronaldo scored a shot which slipped right past the goal keeper Joe Hart showing the determination which Madrid had to win. After scoring in his last home game, Ronaldo slid toward the corner before being mobbed by his teammates while Madrid coach Jose Mourinho slid onto the field on his knees with glee.
Agni-IV Missile Tested
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he nuclear capable Agni-IV missile was tested from a defense base in Odisha. The missile which has a 4,000 km range surface to surface was tested from a launch pad at Wheeler Island. This was the third trail of Agni-IV. The missile which is designed to carry a load of 1,000 kg is lighter than Agni-III because of composite rocket motor casings. The re-entry vehicle has heat shield which withstands temperatures of more than 3,000 degrees Celsius.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 11
V.P. Nandakumar MD & CEO, Manappuram Finance Ltd.
Leadership Thoughts
Why
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UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
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ome time back, I was asked this question, “How is it that a place like Thrissur can boast of so many well-known entrepreneurs and successful businesses, and yet other than Manappuram Finance Ltd. there is no other listed company from here?� On the surface, it appears to be a simple question about the differences between listed and unlisted companies and reasons why the unlisted firms find it difficult to make the transition to the status of listed companies. I could have answered it at a superficial level by sticking to the technicalities of the matter. However, because the question had implications that go to the very heart of the values that Manappuram today stands for, I chose to give a detailed, in-depth response. After all, there is a world of difference between listed and unlisted companies that goes well beyond the ownership structure or how they raise resources. The question really was about what prevents entrepreneurs possessed with drive and vision who have attained great success at a local level from transforming their success into a national or even international success story. I speak from experience when I say there are two factors at work. The first of these is the unjustified fear of transparency. It is a fear that translates into a lack of openness in every aspect of the
business, where is to ensure that outsiders do not acquire knowledge about the workings of their business. What is more, even employees who work for the business are denied full or unfettered access to information. There is no interest in spreading knowledge; indeed, the effort is to guard it zealously. Instead of the percolation of knowledge at all levels, what takes place is the ring-fencing of knowledge. Meaningful information about the operations of the firm is restricted to the man at the top and his close family members operating behind a wall of secrecy. It has close parallels with what happened to our dying breed of quality Ayurveda physicians. This was a profession that at one point of time had many renowned practitioners, but over the years, the profession has lost its charm and importance. A large part of the blame goes to its renowned practitioners who made it a point not to share their wealth of knowledge and experience. As a result, the knowledge and skills they had acquired was not fully passed on and the consequences are there for all of us to see. When you go into the reasons for this fear of transparency, there is of course an apprehension about unwittingly empowering your competitors and a fear of a losing your sense of importance. But the obvious reason why transparency often takes a back seat is the fear of the
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 13
Beyond the owners, the employees and the wider society are also critical contributors to the company’s success. taxman. Many have found it convenient to evade taxes by not revealing the full extent of their profits. And I, for one, have always found fault with this approach to business.
You have effectively placed a selfimposed limit on you growth, on your future earnings and profits. 14
UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
The fact is, despite the short term and illgotten gains to be had by evading taxes, in the long run, it is extremely costly to the business. The price is paid in the form of sacrifice of potential growth and loss of reputation. And it is also a self-defeating exercise, particularly for those entrepreneurs who have in them the talent to build world class businesses. Because, when you have decided to be nontransparent in order to evade taxes, the greater part of your creative energies is diverted into sustaining all that web of deceit and deception that go hand-inhand with tax evasion. What is more, when you want to expand and go to the market to raise resources, potential investors are put off by the lack of transparency—they are never sure where their money will finally end up—and banks will lend to you only to the extent of the fail-proof collateral you can furnish. In short, you have effectively placed a self-imposed limit on you growth, on your future earnings and profits. The example of Manappuram is a particularly illuminating case-study. We were established in 1992 and within three years (i.e. in 1995), we went for a public issue of shares with listing at Mumbai, Madras and Chennai stock exchanges. The same year we also went in for a credit rating exercise when ICRA assigned a rating of MA to our public deposits programme. Neither could have come about without transparency in our that
operations. We have never issues with keeping our books open simply because we have never had anything to hide. We also believe in the dissemination of knowledge among our people as a means of growing the business. At Manappuram, executives are rotated through different assignments so that over the years they become familiar with all aspects of our operations. We are very particular about the contributions we make to society by paying our taxes in full measure. In the last financial year, Manappuram paid Rs.285 crores to the government as income tax on our profits. The year before, we paid Rs.141 crores. These are very large expenses indeed, but we see it as a necessary contribution to one of our most valued stakeholders—the wider community we operate in, and from where we draw our strength. And that brings me to the second point why so many entrepreneurs fail to make the transition to the status of a listed company. Briefly, this has to do with the inability to identify or recognise their stakeholders. No business has ever had a problem recognising its shareholders but it takes vision to recognize and reward your stakeholders. Beyond the owners, the employees and the wider society are also critical contributors to the company’s success. When you lose sight of this truth, you end up ignoring their contributions to your growth, and not sharing your success with this vital constituency. Over time, it is your business that pays the price for this folly.
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Jiz P. Kottukappally
16 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Banking
IMPS offers 24X7 interbank electronic fund transfer services
The author is working as Asst General Manager , Catholic Syrian Bank and the views expressed are the personal opinion of the author. Author can be reached at jizpauls@gmail.com
ow would you feel if you receive a call at midnight from one of your friends staying in a different city asking you to transfer some money to his account to meet a medical emergency? Don’t panic or worry. If you have a will to help him , IMPS will provide you the way. This is in stark contrast to the olden days when you had to wait for days for receiving funds transferred through banks.
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then handed over to me. I then had to go to the post office for sending the demand draft by registered post , where again I had to stand in queue. My brother would be receiving the draft on the fourth day or so and then will have to either skip the class or wait till next Saturday for depositing the draft to his account. Thus normally it would take more than a week for him to receive the amount, even after the amount has been paid by me.
I still remember my younger days , when my brother was studying in Mumbai and someone from my family would have to go the bank during the first week of every month for transferring the amount to his bank account in Mumbai for meeting his various expenses like tuition fees, hostel fees and of course his out of pocket expenses. Sometimes it was my duty to go to the bank for transferring funds and in such cases most part of my day was lost waiting in long queue for first remitting the money to the account and then waiting for the demand draft to be written , signed by two officers and
Payment and fund transfer options available to the bank’s customers have undergone a sea change during the recent years, thanks to the technology adoption by banks and the proactive role played by Reserve Bank of India. The introduction of RTGS and NEFT facility has made the fund transfer facility much faster and cheaper. But these fund transfer facilities can be used only if you walk into a bank branch. Moreover NEFT transactions are processed and settled in batches, hence are not real time. Also, the transactions can be done only during the working hours of the RTGS system. October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 17
The internet banking facility has redefined payment facilities to the extend that the limitation of geography and time has been done away with to a great extent. But for effecting payments through interment banking you should have a computer with internet connection and you should be a little bit tech savvy also. With the introduction of IMPS this constraint of computer and connectivity requirement is being done away with and now customers are empowered to make payments 24X7 with the help of their mobile handset.
M-PIN or Mobile Banking PIN is a secret password to be used by the customer during transaction for authenticati on and security 18 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Interbank Mobile Payment Service or IMPS offer an instant, 24X7, interbank electronic fund transfer service through mobile phones. IMPS facilitate customers to use mobile instruments as a channel for accessing their bank accounts and effecting payments in a secured manner with immediate confirmation features. This facility is provided by National Payment Corporation of India ( NPCI) through its existing National Financial Switch ( NFS ). The Interbank Mobile Payment Service (IMPS) was launched in November 2010 with the objective of enabling bank customers to use mobile instruments as a channel for accessing their bank accounts and remit funds, making payment simpler just with the mobile number of the beneficiary and to build the foundation for a full range of mobile based Banking services. Currently with 50 member banks and more than 408 lakh registered MMID’s the total number of IMPS transactions during the month of August 2012 has crossed 2.80 lakh with total transactions amounting to Rs 1825 lakh. This is against a total
transactions of 0.12 lakh during September,2011 aggregating to Rs 317 lakh. For effecting payments using IMPS facility the customer should first register for mobile banking service with his bank and get Mobile Money Identifier (MMID) and MPIN from the bank. MMID is a 7 digit number issued by the bank. M-PIN or Mobile Banking PIN is a secret password to be used by the customer during the transaction for authentication and security Once registered the bank will be sending a link to the mobile number of the customer for downloading the mobile banking software . If the mobile handset is not compatible with the application the customer has an option of using the SMS facility in the mobile for IMPS transactions up to Rs 5,000 or lower limits prescribed by the banks. For transferring funds the customer needs to enter a beneficiary mobile number, beneficiary MMID and the amount to be transferred . The transaction has to be authorized by giving the M-PIN. On successful completion of the transaction the customer shall receive a confirmation SMS for the transaction initiated . For receiving money through IMPS you will have to register the mobile number with the bank account and generate an MMID. This MMID has to be shared with the sender and once the person sends the amount you will be receive an SMS confirmation for the money received through IMPS . In addition to mere fund transfer facility IMPS also facilitates merchant payment, through various access channels such as Internet, mobile Internet, IVR, SMS, ATMs etc. The
to enter the Merchant mobile number, Merchant MMID, Amount, MPIN and payment reference . Payment Reference is an optional character field provided. This field will be used to enter the unique reference for the payment that helps the merchant to identify the transaction. The amount of payment by way of SMS is restricted to Rs 5000 and by mobile banking application varies from banks to bank. Merchant initiated transaction (P2M PULL) can be initiated through a merchant application such as merchant website. The customer will have to select the service for which the payment has to be made and choose IMPS in the payment option. Then the mobile number , MMID and one time password generated by the mobile banking application of the bank will have to be provided.
merchant establishments to whom payments are commonly made are Mobile top-up / DTH top-up , Insurance premium payment , Online shopping , Fees payments to schools / colleges / universities , Utility Bill payments , Travel & Ticketing etc. For making payment to a customer through IMPS it is essential that the Merchant needs to get on-board IMPS network with one Bank. The customer can initiate a merchant transaction through the bank’s mobile application or the SMS facility provided by the bank. For effecting the payment the customer will have
IMPS Funds Transfer can be done through ATM and Internet Banking channels as well, in addition to Mobile phones. The authentication will be done for the remitting customers as (Card + ATM Pin) or (User Id + Internet Banking Password / Transaction password) with appropriate existing two-factor authentication method. Since the transaction would be initiated on ATM / Internet platform, the transaction limits of individual Banks for ATM / Internet channel shall apply. The features of IMPS like instant Interbank fund transfer , anytime anywhere service, safety, security, convenience , instant confirmation to sender and receiver and 24*7 availability is definitely set to revolutionise the payment options available to customers.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 19
Fashion
Kochi
INTERNATIONAL
Fashion Week
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he Kochi International Fashion Week was conducted in Casino Hotel, Kochi. The show drew the fashion enthusiasts from far and wide. This edition of the fashion week focused on Bridal Fashion. Our Staff photographer Jinish MV was present to photo- report the mega fashion bonanza.
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October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 21
Books - New Arrivals
Digital Wars: Apple, Microsoft, Google and the Battle for the Internet (Paperback)
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igital Wars starts in 1998, when the internet and computing business was about to be upended by an antitrust case, a tiny startup and a former giant rebuilding itself. It looks at what are now the three best known tech companies, and through the voices of former and current staff examines their different strategies to try to win the battle to control the exploding network connecting the world. Microsoft was a giantsoon to become the highest valued company in the world, while Apple was a minnow and Google just a startup. By February 10 2012, Apple was worth more ($462bn) than both Microsoft ($258bn) and Google ($198bn) combined. The chance had come from tumultuous battles between the three. by Charles Arthur, Publisher: Viva Books Private Limited (2012), Price: Rs. 450/-
Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography (Paperback)
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ulian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography provides a candid account of his personal life, including the circumstances of his birth, his unconventional and nomadic family life, his career as a computer hacker, and his subsequent fame as an investigative journalist and proponent of free and uncensored news distribution. The book also contains his version of the events surrounding the sexual misconduct cases filed against him in Sweden. It also holds his views on providing access to raw news and non-doctored information for the benefit of the people across the world. by Julian Assange, Publisher: Random House India(2011), Price: Rs. 599/-
India Grows at Night: A Liberal Case for a Strong State (Hardcover)
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ndians wryly admit that India grows at night. But that is only half the saying; the full expression is: India grows at night... when the government sleeps, suggesting that the nation may be rising despite the state. Indias is a tale of private success and public failure. Prosperity is, indeed, spreading across the country even as governance failure pervades public life. But how could a nation become one of the worlds fastest-growing economies when its governed by a weak, ineffective state? And wouldnt it be wonderful if India also grew during the dayin other words, if public policy supported private enterprise? Publisher: Allen Lane (2012), Price: Rs. 599/-
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UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Parenting: The Art and Science of Nurturing (Paperback)
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arents bring up their children with the best intentions as far as their knowledge goes. The objective of this book is to create awareness among the public so that many issues that have the potential to become complicated problems can be either prevented or at least arrested in a milder form. This easy read will help parents to find answers to the questions that come up at various stages in the intriguing journey of raising children, the inevitable consequence of which is growing up along with them! Publisher: Byword Books P. Ltd. (2012), Price: Rs. 250
Spectrum Grab: Inside Story of the 2G scam
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his is probably the Mother of All Scams. The 2G scam surpasses all other past fiddles, not just in terms of the money involved but also in the sheer scale of its audacity. It has exposed how deep crony capitalism runs in India and how laws and processes can be subverted with impunity. The scam dragnet has spared no one from politicians to businessmen, from lobbyists to even journalists. Spectrum Grab goes into the roots of the 2G affair, and reveals how the unscrupulous nexus between government, business and the bureaucracy destroyed the promise of the telecom sector. It addresses the unanswered questions and conspiracy theories to piece together the story behind one of the biggest scandals of our time. Publisher: BS Books (2012), Price: Rs. 350/-
My Decade in the Premier League (Paperback)
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ayne Rooney is widely regarded as one of the leading football players of his generation. A talisman for Manchester United, since his transfer to them in 2004, Rooney is their star player and the first name on the team sheet. In the 10 years since he made his debut as a 16 year old for Everton, he has acquired trophy after trophy, accolade after accolade and headline after headline. by Wayne Rooney, Publisher: HarperSport (2012), Price: Rs. 399/-
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Book Review years for ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ and ‘The Times of India’. The book contains as the author says, pieces of writing he had written in various passions – anger, frustration, hopelessness over the state of affairs in India. He tries to bring into notice what young people needs now from society and government.
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Book review What Young India Wants Author: Chetan Bhagat Publishers : Rupa Price: Rs.140/Amith David amithdavid@gmail.com
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UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Chetan begins with a letter to the reader narrating his life. Fans would be extra pleased to have some information of his life as they are very much aware that his novels has some autobiographical touch here and there, but they are not going to get too much here. He just tells why and how writing happened for him and the reason for this non-fiction compilation. The issues that he tries to debate in the book are things that he feels are plaguing India. From great Indian procrastination to our culture, corruption to deprivation, liberalisation to stock scams, student suicides to vote bank politics, Chetan Bhagat sweeps many issues and handles them in such an ease that any common man can understand the issues and the intricacies behind them. He asks many questions to the reader and comes up with some solutions and opinions on them. Sometimes he also comes up with ways through which anyone can reach to a solution to solve the problems that we face. With his experience as a professional with some lead banks around the world Chetan can easily understand the intricacies of our economic system and comments on it rather elaborately.
hetan Bhagat’s attempt on nonfiction is appreciable. Nonfiction seems to rule book market for the time being in India it seems. Everyone - politicians, ex-diplomats, bureaucrats, film stars, poets, cricketers, ex-priests, former thieves and your old nanny - seems to be writing some sort of commentary, memoir or criticism. So why should creative writers keep aloof from those enthusiasts who is there waiting for their opinions. And when a fiction writer – popular, young and one who young minds identifies so much – writes nonfiction it will also be generating so much hype that you pick one for yourself.
The articles are compiled in three sections. Towards the end he adds two metaphorical short stories too.
Chetan Bhagat is a very household name for the new young Indian reader with all his novels becoming bestsellers and novelturned-films reaping much success in the box-office. He had been writing news paper columns and is being trotting the globe as a motivational talker. He comes with his compilation of non-fiction, news paper articles and something from his talking tours in a book titled ‘What Young India Wants’. It’s a selection of articles that has been written over a period of two
The book is written in a very easy and lucid style, a trade mark of Chetan Bhagat novels. The introduction part will make you feel engrossing. He posts many well intentioned questions in between that are supposed to make the reader stop and think or ruminate upon but, it sometimes hinders your reading nerves. And most convincingly he tends to tell about what young India wants – job and girl. Well it’s for you to judge. The titles to the chapters are catchy.
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MBA
PEGASUS THE EVENT MAKERS
AWARD 2012
M.A. Yusuf Ali
Wins
MBA AWARD 2 0 1 2
2 Big Brands 5 Jury Members Come together to proclaim the only Malayalee Business Achiever in the world for 2012 Malayalee Business Achiever
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Auto Review
Entry level M
ahindra Verito retains all its Logan characteristics while moving upwards in the design department. The Verito is a well built lower midsize sedan with lots of space on the inside and and a spacious rear seats in its class. The Verito is a great sedan for someone on a shoestring budget who is looking for a suitable 3 box car. Backed with Mahindra brand and service network, it is an ideal buy.
26 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
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oyota Etios is a made for India Car, Space, refinement, comfort and price all make Toyota Etios a killer product. Toyota has priced its entry level offering very aggressively.The car was Toyota’s first mass market offering and this experiment has met with tremendous success. The hatchback version of Etios, the Etios Liva is also a revenue churner for Toyota.
Sedans F
ord Classic is the rechristened Ford Fiesta Classic. Well known for its mileage and reliability the car is exceptionally fun to drive. Compared to the competition the Classic fares better on the design department. It is considered a young executives first Sedan serving well on purposes, especially on economy and maintenance. Ford Classic will stand out among the entry level sedan’s with its good looks and premium interiors.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 27
Travel
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UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
K
odaikanal is a city in the hills of the taluk division of the Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name in the Tamil language means "The Gift of the Forest". Kodaikanal is a beautiful city in the state of Tamil Nadu which mesmerizes you with its beauty and tranquility. A honeymooners' haven, Kodaikanal nestles beautifully amidst the folds of the Pali hills. Kodaikanal is home to the rare 'Kurinji-flower', which blossoms once in 12 years, imparting an ethereal beauty to the hills. Kodaikanal seems to be bestowed with all forms of beauty by Naturemajestic hills, mighty rocks, beautiful Kodaikanal was established in 1845 as a refuge from the high temperatures and tropical diseases of the plains. Much of the local economy is based on the hospitality industry serving tourism waterfalls, a serene lake, fruit orchards, lush flora which makes it one of the most popular hill stations in South India. Kodaikanal is known for its rich flora. Of the big trees, cypress, eucalyptus and acacia are the dominant varieties. Pear trees are numerous and the fruits are of high quality. Competing with the fruit trees are the flowering ones - mainly rhododendron and magnolia. Large dahlias of different hues are the main attraction of Bryant Park, situated close to the Kodai lake. Water lilies in the park's pond are another pleasing sight. The town abounds in a kind of beautiful yellow wild flowers.
MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Coaker's walk Any tourist interested in morning walk will definitely have to visit Coaker's walk which is about 1 km from the lake and it provides very picturesque view of the plains as well as scenic valleys that is sure to bring a joy in the minds of the visitors. Coaker's walk is named after Lt. Coaker, who prepared the map of Kodaikan .A telescopic view house is there at Coaker's walk that will provide a panoramic view of the valley, plains and the nearby towns and should not be missed by the tourists visiting the place. The ideal time to visit this place is before 2:30 pm in the afternoon as mist will start to set in over the valleys by late afternoons. The Bear Shola falls
HOW TO REACH By Air : The nearest airport is Madurai, which is 120 km from Kodaikanal. By Rail: The nearest railway stations are Palani, which is 80 km from Kodaikanal and Kodai Road Station, which is 64 km away from Kodai.
Sreerekha Ranjith Nair Sreerekha.ranjith @gmail.com
By Road : Kodaikanal is connected by road with Chennai(520km),Ooty (264km), Trichy (197km), Coimbatore (175km),Kumili (160km), and Madurai(120km). There are regular bus services from Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road,Theni Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) and Coimbatore. For local transport, taxis and luxury buses are available for local transportation. There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal.
The Bear Shola falls is another favorite tourist spot in Kodaikanal and it is called so, because in earlier days bears used to come and drink water from this fall. It is one of the most ideal picnic spots in Kodaikanal town and is at a distance of about 2km from the lake and about 1.5km from the bus stand. It is ideal to visit the Bear Shola Falls during rainy season to enjoy the beauty of the falls in its fullness. The approach road to this falls is a rugged hill path and hence suitable means of transportation is necessary to reach the falls. Berijam Lake Berijam Lake is the most attractive picnic spot for any tourist in Kodaikanal which is situated about 23 km from the local bus stand. Berijam Lake is a must see place as sighting of bison, leopard and other chirping birds are very common here. Apart from this, the tourists will also be able to take a boat trip along this beautiful lake and it will be a wonderful and refreshing experience for them. Berijam can only be visited with the permission from the District Forest Officer as it is not opened to general public.
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Beautiful flowers and bird species which appeals to the senses of every new visitor of the place
Bryant Park Bryant Park, seen on the lake's eastern side, is another important botanical park that must not be missed by tourists visiting Kodaikanal as it houses plenty of different varieties of flowers, rafts as well as hybrids. A British forest officer by the name Bryant was the one who landscaped this park in the year 1980 and hence it is named after him. This is the place where the annual vegetable and flower show is held during the month of May and is the most visited place by many during the summer months. A glasshouse in the park contains wide varieties of flowers, ferns and other ornamental plants. Devil's Kitchen Devil's Kitchen is a very dangerous deep hidden ravine that looks like small dark gutters but are actually a deep fall. There are plenty of tourists who visit this place and is a must see spot for adventurous tourists. The Devil's Kitchen is found to be lying between Green Valley View and Pillar Rocks. It is better for a tourist to seek the help of localities while visiting the Devil's Kitchen as they are fully aware of the place. It is a very good place to take pictures but due to the deep fall, many tourists hesitate to visit the place. Dolphin’s Nose A scenic point located around 8 km from the bust stand, Dolphin’s Peak is known for offering bird’s eye view of the plains and villages located nearby. The point can be reaches from the old road after crossing Pambar Bridge. From here tourists need to take the rough curve which reaches to this point.
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commercialized and lined with rows of shops to tempt tourists. Kodai Lake
One of the favorite spots of tourists visiting Kodaikanal is the Kodaikanal Lake that is popularly known as Kodai Lake. This is an artificial lake that takes the shape of a star and is spread over 60 acres with greenery all around. The Kodai Lake is a favorite spot for all who like to have fun and enjoy outdoor activities and boating along the picturesque lake will be an unforgettable experience for the tourists. There is a boat club which offers pedaling and rowing boats with different seating capacities at nominal charges. Apart from boating, cycles and horses are available for rental in the lake area. The Pillar rocks
Green Valley View (The Suicide Point).
The Pillar rocks are three granite boulders which are seen standing vertically shoulder to shoulder and it is now a very famous tourist spot for many visitors. These rocks are measuring a height of about 400 feet from the ground and the chambers that are seen between the two pillars are known as Devil's Kitchen.
This suicide point is situated 5.5 kilometres from the bus-stand and near the golf course, has an excellent panoramic view of the plains and a sheer drop of 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) overlooking the Vaigai Damto the south. The stairway leading up to it is highly
The Pillar Rocks have gained popularity as the years have passed by and during the peak season there is a huge rush of visitors to this place. The shady woods that are in the vicinity of these huge boulders are a perfect spot to enjoy a picnic.
The Silent Valley view The Silent Valley view is another important and attractive place that should not be missed by any nature enthusiast. It is situated at a little distance from the Pillar Rock and is seen on the Berijam lake road and the breathtaking view of this valley will be soothing to the eyes. The panoramic view of this place will make the tourists to spend a lot of time The Silent Valley view watching the scenic beauty. Children visiting this place has to be taken care by their parents as the valley is very deep and will at its very best when viewed between early mornings and late afternoons. Silver Cascade falls This is the first attraction that unfolds in front of a tourist on the Madurai Kodaikanal road. The excess water in the Kodai Lake comes down as a fall at about 8 kms from Kodaikanal. It is like a pit stop for vehicles and tourists as there are shops selling fruits and other forest
products. Silver Cascade falls is 180 feet high and the frothy water coming down through piles of rocks will attract any person. The crystal clear water contains various minerals and taking a bath in this fall is very refreshing. Any nature lover can sit and enjoy the beauty of this falls for hours. Bison Wells Bison Wells can is an area that is best known for its tremendous amount of wildlife, as well as for its beautiful vegetation. Wildlife commonly seen in the area include bison, birds, elephants, tigers, monkeys, and deer. Bison Wells got its name from the many bison that come to the natural wells to drink This location is known as a great home base in India for those people that are interested in exploring the region. Naturalists, hikers, trekkers, and bird watchers are all drawn to The Palani Hills, and Bison Wells is a fabulous place for such tourists to stay while they are in the area. October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 31
Kurinji Andavar Temple Kurinji Andavar Temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga who is considered to be the God of the Hills as per Tamil literature. In Tamil, Kurinji means “hilly region? and the word Andavar refers to 'God'? This temple is located at about 5 km from the bus station and the summer festival that is most anticipated event by the locals is celebrated in the month of May every year. Thousands of devotees visit this temple during the summer festival to seek the blessings of Lord Muruga. One can get a good view of Vaigai dam and Palani hills from the hill on which the temple is located. The Subramanya or the Karthikeya temple The Subramanya or the Karthikeya temple is located at a distance of 65 kms from Kodaikanal and is popularly known as Palani temple. It is dedicated to Lord Subramanian or Dhandayuthapani. The word Dhandayuthapani means having a stick in the hand as a weapon. It is one of the famous temples in South India and is located at an altitude of 135 meters. Pilgrims can climb the 659 steps or can 32 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
use the winch facility to reach the sanctum sanctorum. Tai Pusam in January is one of the major festivals of this temple. The Panguni Uttaram is another festival conducted in April which draws many people from all over India and across the globe as well. Kodaikanal Solar Observatory 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand on Observatory Road, at 2,343 metres is the highest location near Kodai. The first observations were commenced here in 1901.Former Director John Evershed discovered the phenomenon of radial motion in sunspots now known as the Evershed effect. The Kodaikanal Terrestrial Telescope can view a grand panorama including: Sothupparai Dam, Vaigai Dam, Periyakulam and Varaha river. This Indian Institute of Astrophysics facility has a comprehensive Astronomical Science museum with organized public tours, access to the astronomy library, and scheduled night-time telescopic sky viewing. It is open daily to the public during peak season, and a few hours each Friday the rest of the year.
Shenbaganur Museum
Eco-nut in Pt- Road has good whole foods, brown bread, Jams, Peanut, Butter, Cheese, Muffins which will be very tasty
Shenbaganur Museum located in the city of Kodaikanal is a very beautiful museum depicting rare pieces of architecture from South of India. The museum is an initiative of the Sacred Heart College of Kodaikanal and it also houses a wide collection beautiful flowers and bird species which appeals to the senses of every new visitor of the place. Trekking Kodaikanal is a paradise for trekking lovers as it offers different trekking routes for the professional trekker to the novice trekker as well. Trekking routes with varying difficulty levels are there and a tourist can select the route according to the fitness, time factor and one's trekking ability. One of the toughest routes is from Periyakulam – Adukkam- Kodaikanal which has a trekking distance of about 18 kms which can be covered within 7 hours. For the trekkers who prefer easy walk, the route from Kodaikanal to Berijam will be the suitable one and the trekker will be able to enjoy the green valleys and the
mountain ranges surrounding Kodaikanal. Shopping The Residents of Kodai grumble since essential household things are always in short supply as everything has to come up in lorries. However the need of tourist viz, Souvenirs, gifts and mementoes can be bought easily and upto fullest satisfaction. Exquisite embroidery, home made chocolates, Kodai Cheese, enough of warm cloths, dried flowers are also available in a wide range of prices. In Anna Salai excellent fresh vegetables available in the town market of the bazaar. Eco-nut in PtRoad has good whole foods, brown bread, Jams, Peanut, Butter, Cheese, Muffins which will be very tasty. Kashmir Handicrafts center in Anna Salai is famous for shawls, Jewellery, Brass, Leather items, Bone and Walnut wood articles. Cottage Crafts Shop (Anna Salai), run by the voluntary organisation Corsock, (Coordinating Council for Social Concerns in Kodai), sells goods crafted by development groups and uses the October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 33
commission charged to help the needy. On PT Rd you'll find Kashmiri shops, as
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UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
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he Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a series of luxury sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The classification was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116 S-Class, which succeeded previous Mercedes-Benz models dating to the mid-1950s. The S-Class has served as the flagship model for Mercedes for over fifty years in its various incarnations. The S-Class has debuted many of the company's latest innovations, including drive train technologies, interior features, and safety systems
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he Jaguar XF is an executive car produced by British car manufacturer Jaguar which was first revealed in autumn 2007 as a replacement for the Jaguar S-Type. The XF was launched at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show following the public showing of the C-XF concept in January 2007 at the North American International Auto Show. Designed by Jaguar's design director Ian Callum, it was a significant design change from its predecessor.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 37
Wishlist
BMW 7 SERIES
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he BMW 7 Series is a line of full-size luxury vehicles produced by the German automaker BMW. Introduced in 1977, it is BMW's flagship car and is only available as a sedan or extended-length limousine. The 7 Series traditionally introduces technologies and exterior design themes before they trickle down to smaller sedans in BMW's lineup. 38 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Audi A8 4.2
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he Audi A8 is a four-door, full-size, super luxury sedan car manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, and now in its third generation, the A8 have been offered with both front- or permanent all-wheel drive—and in short- and longwheelbase variants After the original model's 1994 release, Audi released the second generation in 2002, and the third and current iteration in 2009.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 39
Sheela Abraham
Life Management
WINNER
40 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
?
What is Self esteem S
elf confidence is related to Self esteem. What is Self esteem? It is the value you give yourself. What is our value? Let me share a story I read recently. I do not know who wrote this or from where it is originated. I consider this as one story which really make you understand what is your true value. A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the $20 note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.
You are special - don't ever forget it." Have self esteem and build your self confidence. Self esteem is achieved by knowing yourself and accepting you as you are. As a result, you would become responsible for all your actions and choices and this will make you a winner everywhere!..
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 41
Gadgets
Nokia Lumia 900
N
okia Lumia 900 is a Windows Phone-powered super smartphone, first unveiled on January 9, 2012 by Nokia at Consumer Electronics Show 2012, where it won the Best Smartphone award in January 2012. The phone has 4G LTE support and was released in April, 2012. Nokia Lumia 900 has a 4.3? (109 mm) display and a ClearBlack AMOLED 800Ă—480 capacitive touchscreen. It has a one-piece polycarbonate body and is available in magenta, black, cyan and white
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*All brand showcases are of their respected owners. Pictures are representative e and for informative purposes only.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
T
he Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the much-awaited successor to the Samsung Galaxy Note. Designwise, the Galaxy Note 2 looks like a big Galaxy S3. It features the same basic design, with rounded corners, big screen and thin bezel. If you like the S3 then the Galaxy Note 2 is more likable. similar to Galaxy S3, the new Galaxy Note 2 features a single central home button and capacitive touch buttons on either side – one for the menu, one for moving back.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 43
Gadgets
Samsung
Ativ S
T
he Samsung Ativ S is the first smartphone to be announced which will be using the latest version of the Windows Phone operating system. The new operating system offers support for multi-core processors and higher screen resolutions and the Ativ S makes use of this including a 4.8-inch HD resolution screen and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor.The smartphone also features an 8Mp camera, 1GB of Ram and comes in two versions with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage.
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*All brand showcases are of their respected owners. Pictures are representative e and for informative purposes only.
iPhone
5 T
he iPhone 5 is a most awaited phone since its predecessor was launched almost anyear back. Developed by Apple Inc, the sixth generation of the iPhone. It was announced on September 12, 2012, and was released on September 21. It has a larger 4-inch screen and a smaller eight-pin dock connector than its predecessor, and is lighter, thinner, and contains the Apple A6 processor. It is the first iPhone that supports LTE or has a screen with a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 45
Dr. Thomas Nechupadam
Ask The Smile Expert
Q: I am a 44 year old patient who has bleeding gums and crowded front teeth in the upper jaw. I have been going to the dentist regularly for the cleaning of teeth. But within few weeks the bleeding starts once again causing me to stop brushing the area and the problem worsens. I am a bit worried about it so advise me on a permanent solution for the problem.
Nechupadam Dental GCDA Complex, Marine Drive, Kohci - 682 031 Cont: 93872 77213 www.smiledotcom.com 46 UNIQUE TIMES September 2012
A: From the query I could understand three problems 1, recurrent gingival inflammation 2, crowded upper front teeth 3, bleeding gums. The major cause for all the problems is the crowded teeth which makes the brushing difficult and cause calculus to accumulate in the interdental spaces. There may be another reason for the gingival inflammation like trauma from occlusion where the lower front teeth contact the upper teeth with greater force causing irritation in the gingival area. The bleeding gum is an indication of gingival inflammation. The treatment for such a case is a comprehensive dental management with correction of crowding, relieving biting prematurity (if present) and deep cleaning of interdental spaces. The correction of crowding and biting prematurity could be done by aligning teeth with orthodontic
treatment or by using veneers and crowns to alter the length and width of teeth. Once the teeth are well arranged it will facilitate proper brushing of the interdental spaces and the gum problems will resolve. If there are any permanent defects due to advanced periodontal diseases you may require bone grafting to reinforce the tooth support. Q: I had met with an injury some years back causing broken upper front tooth. We had been to a dentist for repairing the tooth and fixed a crown. Now I am 25 years and there is a black line around the teeth near the gums which is very evident when I smile. The width of the line is increasing and I am losing confidence on smiling. Please tell me what to do.
A: Broken front tooth might need root canal therapy and crown. Metal reinforced porcelain or ceramic crowns when fixed in the front teeth might cause dark margins on the gums. But if you can replace them with all ceramic crowns like Procera, Emax or Cercon where there is no metal in the crown the dark margins will not develop. The other reason for dark margin is the reinfection of the tooth and subsequent discoloration of
Tressa Varghese
Ask The Beauty Expert
Director, Phoebe International
How can I tighten sagging skin on my face? How often should I use a foot file on my dry skin?
If you want to remove dead skin using a foot file, it's best to do it gradually. Use a file twice a week, while being careful not to over-file. The process should most definitely NOT be painful in anyway. Make sure you wash and dry the file after use, too. How body lotion differs from face moisturizers?
Body lotion has thicker consistency than face lotion. While it is true that both types of lotion are used to moisturize the skin, most people need a different level of moisturizing on the face than with the hands. This is because the facial area tends to contain sections that already exude a 48
UNIQUE TIMES September 2012
fair amount of natural oils. The thicker texture of hand lotion allows the product to more effectively treat the rough patches many people develop on knuckles and palms, since a residue will cling to the hands even after washing. By contrast, using this thicker lotion on the facial skin is likely to clog pores and create skin problems. How can I tighten sagging skin on my face?
Cost-effective answer: Egg Whites. Whip up an egg white and brush on face. Let dry 15-20 minutes. Spray water to soften and then wash off. I would suggest getting a couple of ice cubes, and with circular motions, rub the ice cubes all over your face. You will be refreshed and look like you had an expensive facial procedure.
Congratulations
WINNERS
ber 20th
On Septem
An Event Directed by Ajith Ravi, Pegasus
The Techie Column
The Web is full of
BUSINESS
M
arketing at the age of the internet is quite different from it has been some years ago. With internet enabled devices like mobile phones, the tablet computers, the netbooks , the notebooks, the ubiquitous desktops, now even your television and wrist watch, everything is connected to the web. For a marketer this brings a lot of opportunities. Customers are getting in to habit researching it online before actually purchasing it. So many online shopping portals and comparison websites makes it easier for the customers to research. Especially in the case of electronic gadgets, there is a flurry of websites.
50 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Owning a
Have a website for your business.
website is
Owning a website for your business is quite easy. If you know the basics about websites, you can do it alone. There are many web portals which are providing free websites. Some even help you design your own website, all you need to have is your logo, text and other information ready. But ideally you should leave it to the professionals. With the help of a professional you can get your website fully customized.
not just enough, it must be seen by your customers. The most easy way is to get it listed in the first pages in a search engine.
Make it visible on the World Owning a website is not just enough, it must be seen by your customers. The most easy way is to get it listed in the first pages in a search engine. The reason is simple the customer will searching by the generic name of the product or services and not by a specific brand name. For example, the customer will be searching Have a social media platform for your website Social Media portals like Facebook, and Google plus is some great place to find your customers. Sometimes it is a place where the customer will spell out his anger, in case of a
dissatisfaction. You should a have a social media policy on what to do and what not to do in a social media. Have a dedicated person to answer queries If there is enough resources have a dedicated person to handle all your social media queries, response to the comments and so on so forth. Having a dedicated person to respond to the queries will make the customer happy about your company Incorporate a payment gateway Payment gateways are secure ways to make and receive payments via the internet. There are several providers who provide online payment facilities. Once the formalities are done, get your payments fast and easy. Otherwise you can use simple tools like Paypal
Online Ads, Pay per Click You can create online ad campaigns to popularize your product and website. The ads are comparatively cheap and mostly on a pay per click model, that means that you only have to pay if the customer clicks on your website.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 51
er 20th
On Septemb
52 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
The annual Manappuram Minnale FIlm and Television Awards was held at Hotel Flora, Nedumbassery, near Cochin International Airport. The event is jointly organized by the Airport Staff Welfare Club, Pegasus Event Makers and the Angamaly Heritage Rotary Club. The event was inaugurated by Honourable Minister P J Joseph, and Mr. Jose Thettayil was the Chief guest of the evening. Also included in the guest of honour was CIAL MD V J Kurien, Airport Director A C K Nair, Airport Executive Director Shri Shabeer. The Manappuram Minnale Awards is one of the prestigious awards in the industry. The awards were given in fifteen different categories. The awardees included famous Singer K G Markose for lifetime achievement, Krishnachandran and Vanitha Krishnachandran was given a special Jury Award and Iniya for promising actress. It was not just glamour and pomp, there was also good cause that the function supports. A cheque of one Lakh Indian rupees was handed over to the Minister for the Chief Minister’s Disaster relief fund. The big names in the Malayalam film industry also showcased their talents bringing in cheers from the crowd. The successful showcase of the event became another Golden feather in the cap for Pegasus Event Makers.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 53
Sports
G
olf is premier sport. It is played at international levels with fierce competition. Even though the sport is not played by everybody, professional golfers are well known. Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing golfers use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes. Golf does not require a standardized playing area. Instead, the game is played on a "course", generally consisting of an arranged progression of either 9 or 18 "holes". Each hole on the course must contain a "tee box" and a "putting green" with the actual hole, and there are various other standardized forms of terrain in between such as the fairway, rough, and hazards, but each hole on a course and indeed among virtually all courses is unique in its specific layout and arrangement. Golf competition is generally played for the lowest number of strokes by an 54 UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
individual, known simply as stroke play, or the lowest score on the most individual holes during a complete round by an individual or team, known as match play. Stroke play is the most commonly-seen format at virtually all levels of play, although variations of match play such as "skins" games are also seen in televised events. The modern game of golf originated in Scotland, where the first written record of golf is James II's banning of the game in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction to learning archery. To many golfers, the Old Course at St Andrews, a links course dating to before 1574, is considered to be a site of pilgrimage. Golf is documented as being played on Musselburgh Links, East Lothian, Scotland as early as 2 March 1672, which is certified as the oldest golf course in the world by Guinness World Records. The oldest surviving rules of golf were compiled in March 1744 for the Company of Gentlemen Golfers, later renamed The Honourable Company of
The CIAL Golf & Country Club (CGCC) is located near the Cochin International Airport. CIAL owns and operates this Golf course. Edinburgh Golfers, which was played at Leith, Scotland. The world's oldest golf tournament in existence, and golf's first major, is The Open Championship, which was first played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, in Ayrshire, Scotland. Every round of golf is based on playing a number of holes in a given order. A 'round' in golf consists of 18 holes that are played in the order determined by the course layout. On a standard course of 18 holes, each hole is played once in the round; on a nine-hole course, players may play a "short game" playing each hole once, or a "full round" by playing each hole twice. Playing a hole on a golf course is initiated by putting a ball into play by striking it with a club on the teeing ground (also called the tee box, or simply the tee). For this first shot on each hole, it is allowed but not required for the golfer to place the ball on a tee prior to striking it. A tee in this last sense is a small peg which can be used to elevate the ball slightly above the ground up to a few centimetres high, which reduces the interference of the ground or grass on the movement of the club making the ball easier to hit, and also places the ball in the very centre of the striking face of the club (the "sweet spot") for better distance. The tees are commonly made of wood but may be constructed of any material, including plastic. Traditionally, golfers used mounds of sand to elevate the ball, and containers of sand were provided for the purpose. A few courses still require sand to be used instead of peg tees, to reduce litter and reduce damage to the teeing ground. Golfers can walk to their next shot
or drive in golf carts over the course or along pathways beside it. The game can be played either individually or in groups and sometimes accompanied by caddies, who carry and manage the players' equipment and who are allowed by the rules to give advice on the play of the course. A caddy's advice can only be given to the player or players for whom the caddy is working, and not to competing players. Golf is a fast growing sport in India. The most successful Indian Golfer is Jeev Milkha Singh who has won three titles on the European Tour, four on the Japan Golf Tour and six on the Asian Tour. In India, The Indian Golf Union is the apex body of golf . The council is responsible for the promotion and development of golf in India. The council has started with just six golf clubs at the beginning, now it heads 194 golf clubs.
The CIAL Golf & Country Club (CGCC) is located near the Cochin International Airport. CIAL owns and operates this Golf course. The Golf course is built on par with International standards. CGCC is designed to play to a length of over 7400 yards and is the only 18 hole course now in Kerala, with Bermuda Tifdwarf on the greens and Bermuda 419 on the tees and fairways. The golf club can be accessed by the public by paying a fee. For a golf enthusiast in Kochi, the CGCC is the best place available.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 55
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www.arvaproductions.com
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avu is a new bilingual movie project from Arva Producitons. The movie deals with the mystery them Ajith Pegasus, the brainchild behind beauty successful pageants like Miss South India and Miss Queen of India, will be directing his debut movie ” Ravu”. The star cast will include Nancy Gupta, Sanam Prasad, Vinu Abraham and Sajimon Parayil. The movie is fast paced, and will be an entertainer. It is a commercial film but will not test your intelligence. There will be some debut actors and the story is by Vinu. There are several highlights of the film. It is a bilingual movie, it’s a thriller.Ajit and Vinu will be doing the lead roles in the Another person who will be acting in an important role will be Sajimon Parayil, who is a designer, model and actor. Sajimon has already acted in a movie named Dolls. Model and actress Nancy Gupta will be cast in an important role. Nancy is the reigning Miss North India and a finalist in Miss Queen of India. Sanam Prasad who shot to limelight with the movies Ambuli 3D and Cinema Company will return to Mollywood with this film. Manasi Thomas, who has done a major role in the Malayalam Film, Pratheeshkayode is cast in an all important role in Ravu Other popular artists from the Malayalam industry like Krishna Chandran and Vanitha will be paired after twenty years and many other actors. Anoop, who has done movies like Crime story, Last Bench and Puthu Mughangal will be doing another important role. The movie tells the story of 4 youngsters who leads a normal life, until and expected incidence to occur to change their lives forever. The movie is the first production of ARVA. ARVA plans to produce more movies that are of artistic and commercial value after this movie.The shooting of the film has concluded and is now under post production.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 59
Interview with Nancy Gupta
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The bubbly Shimla girl
UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
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he bubbly girl from Shimla has flown all over the country, she loves acting, sometimes unwinds by mimicking others. Nancy Gupta a former cabin crew of Kingfisher airlines is now flying in very successful modelling career. She is the reigning Miss North India. She is also the finalist in the much famous Miss Queen of India. Nancy now is stepping into movies. She plays an all important role in Ravu, the debut directorial venture of Ajit Pegasus. Ravu is a bilingual thriller. She came to Unique Times office being part of the promotion of the film. Bejoy George talks with Nancy about her debut movie and more.
What are your expectations about of Ravu, your debut movie?
I am going through the phase, where every actress and someone who stood front of the camera has gone through. I also have all the anxiety of a beginner, but I am very confident that I will be able to perform my part very well. The movie going to be a very interesting one, it is a thriller and it is going to keep the audience glued to their seat, till the very end. How difficult is Malayalam for you?
I have heard that Malayalam is a very difficult language to master, but I am trying very hard to by heart the dialogues. I am good at memorizing and imitating. At home I used to imitate celebrities and I even have done some part during the talent show with Miss Queen of India. About Malayalam Cinema
Malayalam cinema is famous for their directors, actors and technicians. Malayalam cinema has contributed a lot to Indian cinema. I have seen any Malayalam movie till now, but I be seeing some important Malayalam movies during my stay here. Please tell us more about Ravu?
Ok, Ravu as I have said is bilingual thriller; it is directed by Ajit Pegasus. This is his debut movie. But he is the director of famous shows like Miss South India and Miss Queen of India. This is produced by Arva productions. I am quite excited about my character. The name of my character is Nancy itself. The similarities don’t end in the name; Nancy in the movie is similar to my real the real Nancy, a bubbly happy go lucky, cheerful Malayalee girl. She is an aspiring model. I cannot reveal more about the movie, since it is a thriller. Wait for the movie to watch. How about Kerala?
I like Kerala. I have been here for many times, during my stint with Kingfisher. Then I came for Miss a Queen of India. I like weather out here, even though it is raining. The nature is at its best in Kerala, the greenery, the flowers. It is very different from my home town Shimla. About your family?
I have got my parents back in Shimla, I have got an elder sister and younger brother. My elder sister Keerthi is a pilot by profession and she is a model too. She has taken part in the Miss Queen of India 2012.
As Nancy goes back to her room, she thinks and reminds all readers to watch and support the film Ravu.
October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 61
Ashok Mehta
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shok Mehta, a well known Indian cinematographer who was suffering from lung cancer passed away on August 19th at the city hospital in Mumbai at the age of 65. Mehta has been accredited numerous prominent films such as “Bandit Queen”, “Mandi”, “Trikaal”, “Utsav”, “Ram Lakhan”, “Chalte Chalte.” Aside from doing cinematography, Mehta wrote dialogues for “Moksha” and “Hum Tumhara Hai Sanam.” Among the first to check on Mehta when he was at the hospital was actor Arjun Rampal. Director Madhur Bhandarkar noted Ashok Mehta to be the one who changed the vision of Indian Cinema.
Amitabh Bachchan's Kudos for "Barfi!"
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ith the movie having hit theaters on Sept. 14th, it has become a hit amongst the youngsters. And who is praising the cast for the wonderful performance? It’s none other than Big B. Amitabh Bachchan says that the movie “Barfi!” which surrounds a love story of a deaf, and mute boy, and an autistic girl is change in the Indian Cinema. Bachcahn tweeted that “Indian Cinema, its films, directors, actors, techinicans going through a magical phase of change over such exciting times.”
Anurag Basu
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s Anurag Basu basks in the glory of the movie “Barfi!”, he is now all set to take on an issue-based film which is about the Bihar’s innovative educational coaching institute “Super 30 and it’s founder Anand Kumar who has been for the last 10 years helping gifted students from under privileges families. Sources close to Basu are saying that the film “will make a great story of how students from poor families turn a new leaf with just the right opportunity.” Basu gave a visit to Patna in order to see Anand Kumar, so that he may be able to spend time knowing how he works . 62
UNIQUE TIMES October 2012
Jude Law J
ude Law seems to love being part of the "sherlock Holmes" franchise, as he is looking forward to being part of the third movie. Having played the role of Watson in the first movie, and its squeal "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," Jude says "we're a happy team, and we have a lot of fun." Though as to when the shooting will start is not known there is certainly talks of it and a script that is being played around with.
Keira Knightley A
ctress Keira Knightley may have just gotten engaged to musician James Righton, but that does not mean that she will be putting on her aporns as a housewife after marriage. Though the engagnment has changed things for her such as having to using "we" rather than the sole "I", it is a clear factor that we'll continue seeing this talented actress for years to come.
Nelly Furtado
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he's been a star since she was born. Though she had a rough and tough childhood, this Canadian pop star just knew that she would be making it big in the music scene. With the word impossible never being her forte, Furtado had always envisioned herself at the Grammies, opening for U2, anything and everything. However she does not consider her career to be the most important part of her life, rather she finds balance between family, hobbies, and career. October 2012 UNIQUE TIMES 63
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