Uniquetimes December 2021

Vol 11 Issue No.121 Nov - Dec 2021 USD 0.70`50AED 5BD 0.500

THE RISE OF RETAIL INVESTORS IN INDIA AND THE US Shri V.P. Nandakumar, MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.

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Editorial "T

here are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed." - Ray Goforth Business is a field filled with obstacles and risks and in this edition our cover story is one who overcame all the bitterness and succeeded every hurdles with sheer determination, the Managing director of Synthite Industry Pvt Ltd, Dr Viju Jacob.

In this edition, Manappuram Finance Limited MD and CEO V P Nandakumar expresses his viewpoint on 'The Rise of Retail Investors in India and the US'.

This time the travel article will give a unique experience of, America's majestic natural beauty, California's Yosemite National Park.

In auto section our expert gives 15 budget friendly XVU's within a range of 15 lakhs with their unique peculiarities.

Along with the aforesaid articles, the edition has all our regular articles from beauty, movie review and book review to motivation and business articles.

“Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well” – Mark Haddon

Let's converse together!

Enjoy Reading!

Thank You Sd/Jebitha Ajit

Cover Photograph Dr Viju Jacob Managing Director, Synthite Industries Pvt. Ltd.

Printer & publisher Pegasus Global Pvt. Ltd. Cochin (682033) on behalf of Ajit Ravi. Printed at S.T.Reddiar & Sons, P.B. No: 3627, Veekshanam Road, Cochin-18.

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CONTENTS

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Scent of Success

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The Rise of Retail Investors in India and the US

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Find Your Purpose and Write it Down

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Positional Vertigo Can Be Tackled

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Point of No Return

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46 48 50 56

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Gadgets Tackle Your Facial Hair Problem Naturally The Epic California Park: Yosemite National Park 15 SUVs for Rs.15 Lakhs

UNIQUE DIARY

India Is on Track to Reach the 1 Billion Vaccination Mark Today

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ust over nine months after the government launched the massive vaccination effort in the world's second most populated country, India is on track to administer one billion Covid-19 vaccine shots today. According to officials, the Centre plans to commemorate the day with a number of events, including the launching of a song and an audiovisual video at Red Fort by health minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The government will hail the event as #VaccineCentury on social media. Airlines such as SpiceJet will use photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare professionals on the outside of their whole fleet, with the tagline 'Desh Jeetega, Corona Haarega' (The country will win, corona will lose).

Quarantine Rules for Overseas Visitors Are Being Relaxed in India

“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does – that makes you a winner right there.”

Venus Williams

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or international passengers traveling from specific countries, the Indian government has decided to reduce quarantine requirements. On Wednesday, India's health ministry announced new guidelines outlining quarantine requirements for overseas travellers from countries that have signed an agreement with India on mutual acceptance of immunisation certificates for nationally recognised or WHO-approved vaccines. Foreigners from the specified nations arriving in India will be allowed to leave the airport and will be required to self-monitor their health for 14 days following their arrival, according to the new rules, which will take effect on October 25.

According to the instructions, "fifteen days must have passed since the completion of the COVID-19 vaccine program." Passengers must also present a COVID-19 RT-PCR test result that is negative, and the test must have been performed within 72 hours of the journey.

UNIQUE DIARY

India’s September Trade Deficit Widens to Record $22.6 Billion

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ccording to government data released on Thursday, India's merchandise trade imbalance stretched to a record $22.6 billion in September, the largest in at least 14 years, as crude oil and gold imports soared. The Reserve Bank of India is unlikely to be troubled by the rising trade deficit because the trade surplus in services and entry of foreign capital into the stock and debt markets have offered a cushion. At the end of September, India's foreign exchange reserves had surpassed $637 billion. According to figures issued previously by the country's central bank, the current account surplus in the April-June quarter was $6.5 billion.

Licious Becomes India’s 30th Unicorn in 2021

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come.

Get up and make them.”

Madam C.J. Walker

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icious, a Bengaluru-based direct-to-consumer (D2C) fresh animal protein brand firm, has raised $52 million in a Series G round at a $1 billion valuation, headed by IIFL AMC's Late Stage Tech Fund, to become India's 30th unicorn in 2021. Licious has recently expanded its offering to international countries in order to target the $100 billion D2C market in India by 2025. Licious' fresh meat and seafood consumer business is likely to benefit from the new investment. Despite the fact that brands are selling straight online, the vertical's companies have yet to hit a $1 billion value. Direct customer contact is an obvious benefit of D2C, as it allows companies to discover gaps and position their offerings properly. They must, however, go through the rigour of constructing a solid infrastructure that can support expansion and permit rapid scaleup. This necessitates a bottom-up approach and discipline from the start, which Licious was able to achieve, according to the Bengaluru-based company.

Vehicle Sales Drop 41 Percent in September

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he Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, or Siam, reported on Thursday that passenger vehicle sales in September plunged 41% to 1,60,070 units, down from 2,72,027 units in the same month a year ago. High commodity prices and a chip shortage exacerbated automakers' woes, resulting in lower sales.

In the same month last year, the car sector sold 2,72,027 passenger automobiles. On a sequential basis, September's PV sales were much lower than August's 2.32 lakh. In fact, the drop in PV output comes as manufacturers struggle to meet demand due to a severe scarcity of semiconductors, despite the fact that dealers have an order book of over 500,000 units and certain vehicle models/variants have six-month wait times. In September, Maruti Suzuki, the world's largest carmaker, curtailed production by 60%, followed by Hyundai, Nissan, M&M, and MG Motor. Maruti Suzuki claims to have 2,15,000 PV orders outstanding.

Reliance Announced its Master Franchise Agreement with 7-Eleven Inc in India

“Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.”

Shonda Rhimes

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n Thursday, Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) announced that it had signed a master franchise deal with 7-Eleven Inc (SEI) to open 7-Eleven convenience stores in India.

It further stated that the first 7-Eleven store will open in Andheri East, Mumbai, on Saturday, October 9, 2021. This would be followed by a rapid deployment in major neighbourhoods and commercial areas, initially across the Greater Mumbai cluster, according to the retail behemoth. The action comes only days after Future Retail, a subsidiary of the Future Group, announced that its franchise deal with the US-based convenience store chain to manage the outlets had expired. With a rapid expansion strategy in the works, the company expects to be a substantial contribution to local employment and the development of a convenient food eco-system, according to the company.

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World’s Largest Triceratops Skeleton Auctioned Off

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he fossilised remains of Big John, the world's largest triceratops dinosaur, were auctioned off in the French capital.

The skeleton sold for €6.65 million ($7.74 million; £5.6 million), a European record.

Big John roamed modern-day South Dakota in the United States 66 million years ago, and his bones were discovered in 2014. The plant-eating triceratops was a Cretaceous behemoth with its massive collared skull and three horns. Big John's skeleton was purchased by a private, unknown American collector and put on public display at the Drouot auction house in Paris last week. Big John's skeleton was discovered by palaeontologists, who were able to recover 60% of the dinosaur's skeleton. Its 200 pieces were painstakingly built by specialists in Trieste, Italy, including the dinosaur's 2m-wide skull. These bones make up an 8-meter-long, 3-meter-high skeleton.

100-Year-Old Former Nazi Guard Gone on Trial in Germany

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former concentration camp guard has gone on trial 76 years after World War II ended for helping in the murder of 3,518 detainees at Sachsenhausen near Berlin. Josef S is charged with aiding and abetting the shooting of Soviet POWs and the murder of others with Zyklon B gas. Time is running out for Nazi-era perpetrators to be brought to justice, and he is the oldest defendant to go on trial thus far. Lower-ranking Nazis have only recently been prosecuted. The conviction of former SS guard John Demjanjuk ten years ago established a precedent that allows prosecutors to charge persons with aiding and abetting Nazi crimes during WWII. Direct involvement in a murder has to be shown up to then.

Due to German privacy regulations, the defendant was identified as Josef S and escorted into a specially equipped sports hall at a jail in Brandenburg a der Havel, where the trial began under tight security.

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Regeni Murder: Egyptians’ Trial for the Death of an Italian Student Postponed

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court has temporarily halted the trial of four Egyptians accused of murdering an Italian student, citing worries that they are unaware of their charges. In February 2016, Giulio Regeni's dismembered body was discovered in a ditch in Cairo.

Four Egyptian security forces members were set to stand trial in Rome in his absence, accused of kidnapping, torture, and murdering him. However, the trial has been halted by a court, much to the disappointment of his family. After hours of debate, Judge Antonella Capri decided in favour of the men's defence lawyers, who argued that the proceedings would be null and void if there was no proof that the four were aware of the charges against them. The case will now be remanded to a preliminary court. After then, it will be decided whether or not to look for the accused.

COVID: Fears of a Strike as Italy’s Employees Demand a COVID Pass

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n Friday, Italy's Green Pass becomes necessary for all employers, but there are concerns about potential disruptions among transport workers and at ports where Covid vaccination rates are low. While more than 85 percent of Italians over the age of 12 have had at least one vaccination, an estimated 2.5 million Italian employees remain unvaccinated. The attempt to make the Covid pass mandatory for workers is one of the most draconian anti-Covid initiatives in the world.

And it's a decision that has a lot of support. According to an Ipsos poll released this week, two-thirds of Italians believe it is necessary. Opponents, however, rioted in Rome on October 9th. During skirmishes with police, the far-right Forza Nuova party led violent protestors who vandalised the CGIL trade union building in Rome. On Friday, more protests are likely, with indications that workers are intending to strike or not show up for work.

For more info: europetimes.co

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COVER STORY COVERSTORY

SCENT OF SUCCESS

The Story of the Spice King Who Anchored the Extraordinary Growth of Synthite, Dr Viju Jacob 14

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n our lives, we often come across a few who influence us with their words of advice; here is a person who has inspired and motivated us and is still doing so by being himself and always working towards achieving his goals. Employees at Synthite, as well as everyone who comes into contact with Dr Viju Jacob, will vouch for this. Without doubt, he is a man of action and a silent motivator.

A small firm that began with 20 employees in 1972 has grown to be one of the renowned names in the world of spice extract companies. Stepping into the 50th year, Synthite Industries towers over the rest of the manufacturers thanks to its varied offerings. We present Dr Viju Jacob, the managing director of Synthite Industries Ltd., the world’s largest producer of value-added spices.

Spices have always been an irreplaceable factor in Indian cuisines. And our country continues to be the world’s biggest producer of spices. Synthite, which is today the largest supplier of Spice Oils and Oleoresins in the world, was established by C V Jacob in Kolenchery in 1972. For Dr Viju Jacob, the desire for excellence started right from his childhood. After schooling in Kochi, he moved to Thiruvananthapuram to pursue his graduation. His father, the visionary and founder of Synthite Industries Limited, C V Jacob, wanted him to grow up with independence and develop himself.

After graduating in economics and then pursuing commerce at Sacred Hearts College, Thevara, he stepped into his father’s business, helping him get a foundation in the principles of business from an early age.

Not long after joining Synthite, his father gave him the first independent assignment when he was tasked with expanding the business to Australia. He took it as an opportunity to develop his marketing acumen. Soon he finalised a tie-up with an agency that had been extremely successful in the Australian market. Out of his two major achievements, the first one was introducing spice oleoresins and spice powders into the Indian market, thereby raising it to the Rs 500 crore per annum level, and the second was establishing and developing the flower extraction business of Synthite.

Today, Synthite exports Marigold oleoresins,

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COVER STORY COVERSTORY

Jasmine absolutes and other such products to the major perfumery brands around the world.

Even though it meant missing out on a lot of opportunities, Viju’s dad had this philosophy of committing to one project at a time, nurturing it well before moving on to the next. His father was very particular about the integrity and quality of whatever he endeavoured into. They took time and effort to identify the right projects and to understand their core strengths. If there is one thing Synthite never takes for granted, it is the quality of its products.

The company follows strict quality-management practices and has a multi-layered quality control system that begins at the farming stage.

Along with spice and flavour trade with Viju’s initiative, Synthite dived into the hospitality industry by establishing a tourist resort that boasts of its 5-star deluxe recognition today and another apartment hotel, both in Cochin. Since its inception in 1972, Synthite has been successfully growing through all these years adding more and more products and services. Synthite offers more than 500 different varieties of products to its customers.

In 2012, spice powders were launched in Kerala’s retail market with the brand name, 'Kitchen Treasures'. Under Viju’s leadership, Synthite is today one of the leading business corporations in Kerala with an annual turnover of over Rs 2500 crore.

Other than managing the multiple business chain, he is also committed to helping the needy. The company also takes care of its employees by providing assistance in constructing houses and meeting medical expenses. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities of Synthite are conducted under the auspices of CV J Foundation, which spends Rs 5 lakh every week towards medical treatment for deserving patients. Such help is extended not only to

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Not long after joining Synthite, his father gave him the first independent assignment when he was tasked with expanding the business to Australia. He took it as an opportunity to develop his marketing acumen. Soon he finalised a tie-up with an agency that had been extremely successful in the Australian market.

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COVER STORY COVERSTORY

His mantra: “Learn from your mistakes and overcome the failures with a bright smile so that no one can let you down.

Always share your knowledge with others rather than keep it to yourself.”

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the employees and their relatives but also to deserving people outside the company. The foundation also sponsors the education of hundreds of students. In a unique initiative, the Foundation became the first to insure 7,000 families from a whole panchayath.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Synthite made a contribution of Rs 1 crore to the Kerala CM’s relief fund. Synthite had also donated Rs 60 lakh to the same fund in 2018 & 2019 for flood relief. On its own, Synthite has undertaken relief activities to the tune of Rs 40 lakh by means of distributing PPE kits, sanitisers and masks among employees of the company, district hospital administration staff and police department during 2020. Recently, Viju has donated Rs 10 lakh to the Covid Apex Centre set up by the Government of Kerala at PVS Hospital in Kochi. Essential provisions kit worth Rs 5 lakh was donated to cyclone-affected people in Chellanam, Kochi.

Viju also initiated a vigorous vaccination campaign, aimed at vaccinating all the employees of Synthite and a section of the general public from poor socio-economic background. Five thousand doses of COVAXIN were procured from Bharat Biotech and administered to the eligible beneficiaries free of charge.

Synthite has bagged numerous achievements including the First National Award for Outstanding Export Performance in the year 1984-85 from the

President of India. Since then, he has been bagging many recognitions from the Spices Board of India and other prestigious organisations. He will be honoured with Multimillionaire Business Achiever (MBA) Award 2021 for his contribution and success in the field of business, in a grand event conducting on November 2021.

Top management's compassion for employees has long been a hallmark of the Synthite culture. All employees are respected for their job and the directors can be approached by anyone who works for the company. Employees are not only encouraged to excel in their jobs but also given every support to foster their personal growth.

As mentioned earlier, the quality of Synthite's products is something the company never takes for granted. Synthite's quality control

is not limited to the criteria in the client specification; it also adheres to the regulations of the importing country. The standardisation of the product and the constancy of supplies are essential factors in the success of the company. When a business sustainability plan is in place, this becomes achievable. Synthite believes that the guiding principles for its sustainability objective should be consumer centred while also being environment friendly.

A spiritual approach is at the bottom of it all. Prayers are an important part of Viju’s life. He is a believer who has no doubt that God has played an important role in his success. Each and every day of his life begins with a prayer. He makes sure that all of his important business decisions and meetings start with prayers. He acknowledges that the proper words and thoughts come to

him when the meeting begins with prayers.

In every successful person’s life, family plays a pivotal role and for Viju Jacob his family is the source of happiness and stress relief. He is married to Mrs Mini and the couple are blessed with two children: Mrs Neelam Varghese and Mrs Neethi Varghese. Whenever he talks about his success, he gives credit to his family and his entire team for their immense support and hard work.

Viju believes that facing obstacles in the field of business is a part of the process and makes sure that he or his colleagues are never demotivated by the hurdles or any setbacks.

His mantra: “Learn from your mistakes and overcome the failures with a bright smile so that no one can let you down. Always share your knowledge with others rather than keep it to yourself.”

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In comparison to traditional brokers and banks, they have succeeded in broadening the market base by tapping into people who either did not invest in stock markets or who did so only indirectly, for instance, through pension schemes.

Shri V.P.Nandakumar MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.

THE RISE OF RETAIL INVESTORS IN INDIA AND THE US

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hen the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world in March 2020, panic swept through stock markets everywhere including India, and share prices tumbled across the board. However, the story since then has been quite different, as stock markets quickly went on to recoup their losses and post handsome gains thereafter. In India, the Nifty 50 has doubled from its March 2020 lows, driven both by foreign investors who put in $14 billion in FY 2021 and domestic inflows amounting to about $25 billion in the same period.

The sheer strength of the bull market coming so soon after the despair of the pandemic has attracted millions of new investors into India’s stock market.

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According to the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), over 14 million new investors have entered the stock market in recent months. Before March 2020, there were around 11 million active investors in India. Since then, the number has more than doubled to around 25 million active investors. In September 2021, active demat accounts in India crossed the seven-crore landmark, highlighting the growing influence of retail investors in Indian equities.

In fact, retail investors now command about 70 per cent of the market share in the average daily turnover while the turnover of institutions - including foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) declined to 30 per cent from 59 per cent

in March last year. Go further back and as late as May 2015, this share was as high as 89 per cent.

Clearly, the rise of discount brokers like Zerodha, Upstox, Groww, etc. have expanded the base of retail investors, as they have gained wide acceptance among the public with easier accessibility and lower costs. In comparison to traditional brokers and banks, they have succeeded in broadening the market base by tapping into people who either did not invest in stock markets or who did so only indirectly, for instance, through pension schemes. Their key selling point - low or no brokerage charges - has attracted many first-time investors from the smaller, less well-connected cities and towns, and their market share has increased from 26 to 44 per cent in the past year. Further, to extend their reach into the hinterlands, they offer their services in the regional languages as well. With discount brokers, ordinary investors have gained the confidence to invest small amounts in the stock market without fearing that their trading profits would be consumed by brokerage fees, as would happen with a traditional broker.

Remarkably, the trend of the increasing importance of retail investors seen in India has an exact parallel in the US too. The lockdowns and the work-from-home concept that took hold served as a

catalyst for many Americans who now began to think about investing in the stock market. As with India and discount brokerages like Zerodha, the US also saw the rise of a trading app called Robinhood which altered the rules of the game. Prior to Robinhood, anyone who wanted to invest in stocks was charged between $5 to $10 a trade.

They were also required to invest a minimum of $500 to open a trading account. That changed when Robinhood disrupted the market with its zero-commission trading, smart and user-friendly interface, hassle-free account opening process, and making it possible to invest in fractional shares.

According to informed estimates, retail investors accounted for 23 per cent of all US equity trading in 2021 which is more than twice the level of 2019. That suggests that their stock market presence is roughly as big as all hedge funds and mutual funds combined and behind only the high-frequency traders. A Deutsche Bank survey found that almost half of US retail investors were completely new to the markets in the past year. They are young (mostly under 34) and they are aggressive, as seen in their greater willingness to borrow money to fund their bets, to make heavy use of options to make bets on stocks, and to use social media as a research tool to gain trading insights.

What explains the rise of retail investors?

An important factor in the rise of retail investors is that lockdowns and the work-from-home lifestyle gave people extra time to explore the stock markets. They have then nudged into actual trading thanks to online discount brokerages like Zerodha in India and Robinhood in the US. Further, India has seen a dramatic rise in its 4g network coverage and data consumption. The exponential growth in smartphone usage has allowed Indians to access all kinds of financial services efficiently and without hassles. As of March 2021, India had the second largest number of internet users in the world with almost 825 million people actively using the internet each month. The Ericsson Mobility Report 2021 puts the total number of smartphone subscriptions in India at 810 million in 2020, accounting for 72 per cent of total mobile phone users in the country last year.

However, when it comes to altering the behaviour of millions of disconnected individuals and that too in such a short period of time,

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we need more than the existence of enabling factors. We need something that sets off a spark and lights the fire. Around the time the world went into lockdown mode in March/ April of 2020, share prices had collapsed dramatically and shares of many good companies were available at compelling valuations. Many retail investors who first entered the market in that period would have made handsome gains subsequently, thereby increasing their own appetite for more and also serving as successful examples to others, and draw in more investors.

Further, in the US, generous welfare payments were handed out by the Federal and state gov-

ernments to their citizens which meant that many people had money in their bank accounts, but without avenues for spending the same given the lockdowns and travel restrictions. Trading in the stock market became an alternative channel to deploy some of this money. Besides, it goes without saying that one’s risk appetite is always greater when trading with money that comes into hand as an unexpected bonus, as compared to money that is earned by the sweat of the brow.

Back in India, interest rates on bank deposits were reduced along with lending rates as part of the measures to deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic. With low returns on conventional bank de-

posits, investors have been looking out for alternative channels to deploy their savings in search of higher returns. Also, the process of financialization of savings had begun earlier with the demonetisation and the implementation of GST causing money to shift away from gold and real estate and into mutual funds which have seen record inflows in recent years. The amount of money flowing into equities through Systematic Investment Plans (SIP) has surged in recent years, pointing to the growing awareness about mutual funds. Average inflows into systematic investment plans (SIPs) more than doubled between 2016 and 2020, going up from Rs.3,500 crore to Rs.8,100 crore a month.

Over the past decade, the Nifty50 Total Return Index or TRI has compounded at 11 per cent per annum and created $1 trillion of wealth. The stock market has therefore become a potent source of sustainable wealth creation in India.

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The good and the bad

Objectively speaking, the rise of retail investors in the stock market is a positive development. The historical trend across countries shows that stock markets deliver the greatest returns compared to other assets like bank deposits or gold. With greater retail participation, more

common people stand to benefit from the greater gains delivered by the stock market. In a way, it’s about democratising the markets and making it less of an elite phenomenon.

Over the past decade, the Nifty50 Total Return Index or TRI has compounded at 11 per cent per annum and created $1 trillion of wealth.

Source: Tweet by Nikhil Kamath, Zerodha

The stock market has therefore become a potent source of sustainable wealth creation in India. It stands to reason that if the wealth created by the stock market spreads more equitably across all classes, it will give free-market reforms a greater degree of acceptance and legitimacy than has been the case so far.

Furthermore, in a country where a mere 5 per cent of household wealth is held in the form of financial assets, stock market investments can drive the financialization of savings and wealth. That benefits the macro-economy as financial savings contribute much more to economic activity than savings in real assets like gold or real estate. When savings flow into financial assets be it bank deposits, government and corporate bonds, mutual funds, or direct investments in the equity market, the funds remain within the banking system and are available for economic activity.

On the negative side, investments in stock markets carry a higher degree of risk which the common investor may not be able, particularly the younger investors who may not have experienced economic downturns or the cyclical ups and downs of the market. Such investors may not be able handle the down-cycles and are more likely to exit the market during downturns after incurring steep losses. However, seasoned investors understand that downturns are frequent occurrences in the

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BUSINESS stock market to be taken in stride and not a trigger for panic selling.

Retail investors are also more likely to follow the momentum of the market, which means they end up buying when the market is peaking.

In this case too, the investor ends up making little or no money from his investments. In this context, retail investor behaviour is often characterised by two significant biases termed the ‘disposition effect’ and ‘overconfidence effect’. The ‘disposition effect’ is the tendency of investors to sell assets in which they have registered gains while continuing to hold assets in which they are making losses in the hope that they would register profits in time. This is reinforced by the ‘overconfidence effect’

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which is the tendency to recognise gains and feel elated about successful trades, while ignoring losses and continuing to hold on to a lossmaking stock in the expectation of a turnaround.

Also, the recent behaviour of retail investors in the US stock markets suggests that retail investors are more prone to chasing momentum.

They seem to be at a greater risk of investing in high-priced stocks whose prices may have entered bubble territory. In fact, there is empirical evidence to show that individual investors who pick their own stocks for investment would earn poorer long-run returns in aggregate and are therefore better off investing in a low-cost index fund. This poor

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performance becomes more apparent when we include transaction costs such as commissions, bid–ask spreads, market impact, and transaction taxes. However, while transaction costs undermine returns, a more relevant consideration is the poor security selection ability of the average individual investor. Therefore, it is important to strengthen investor education with a focus on sensible investment practices that ensure returns in the long run

(V.P. Nandakumar is the MD & CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd. Views are personal.)

BUSINESS

Rajesh Nair Associate Partner, Ernst & Young LLP

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People are constantly thinking, not about the present, but about the past, about things that had happened, so they could learn from them and control the future in a way that would benefit them. We will never be satisfied and want more.

October - November 2021

Find Your Purpose and Write it Down

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s we carry on with our lives, we tend to develop routines and habits and also incorporate elements of inertia. Things tend to happen automatically and are influenced by social drivers. The point of reference is the society around you, your peers, your organisation. Your happiness and sadness become subjected to your comparisons with these mental reference points, and we are slaves to the progression or regression of these external factors and not anything that we can directly control. The worst point of all this is we lose the ability to diagnose this condition among ourselves altogether. We are just like the rudderless canoe being tossed up and down in the crest and troughs of the waves of perennial forces. And then life gives us a knock and we sit, notice, and start talking

to ourselves.

One of the prods to such thinking is pondering into philosophy, which a lot of us consider mundane. But the literary works right from the time of Zeno of Citium are a rich treasure trove of information into such discussion and internal reflections. The literature on the Stoics (individuals who have deep control over their emotions), their ability to maintain a deadpan countenance, and their point of view towards life, deeds and death are interesting ponderable nuggets. But often it is the esoteric nature of such writings that dissuades the common reader from dwelling into them. If we can glean the words and think deep to ourselves, the seemingly confusing readings make sense. Let us look at some of the learnings which you could take away from them.

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Engaging in the Present

It is easy to be negative and critical. Education helps us evaluate things and situations but unfortunately, we are trained to find fault rather than appreciate the best. Any easy exercise is to think about the pleasant things we have now. People are constantly thinking, not about the present, but about the past, about things that had happened, so they could learn from them and control the future in a way that would benefit them. We will never be satisfied and want more.

Exercise of Negative Visualiation

Negative visualisation is to think about things in your life that you rely on. Think about the things that you experience daily, and these can be the people in your life or it could be your vocation. This can also be your health, and these are all just things that are there and they’ve been there for a long time. So, you, being a human, just start taking them for granted. Okay, so negative visualisation says, once you found your thing to think about, now, imagine that you don’t have the thing that you take for granted. Once the ‘taken for granted’ feeling starts to be absent in your life, it makes life more valuable.

It transforms the ‘thing’ into a gift and brings our mind to a mindful appreciation of what we have rather than what we don’t.

Trichotomy of Control ` The dichotomy of control is what the ancient philosopher Epictetus articulated. Look at things from two frames, what you can control and what you cannot control. William Ervine recently came out with the third one – things you may or may not be able to control – somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. When you know what you can control, you can prioritise focus on those items rather than on the noise around us which we cannot control.

The Golden Pause

Often, we are in a rut to just keep completing tasks and we forget to pause and ponder. That moment of pause helps us reflect, recoup and read the situation – is this the best way of doing

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this, is this a good decision considering the decision parameters and the information at hand, etc. The pause also helps us delink from the hardwire of the task and its completion. The ‘Why’ of things gets diffused and blurred the more we get into the ‘What’ and ‘How’ of things.

Priming Your Psychological Immune System

There are gazillion points of comparison around us. Every moment we are viewing something on TV or browsing through the social media, we find things that are appealing – so much so that we tend to delve deeper into them. We are distracted and there is often that detour the mind takes when it wanders into the mundane. Today’s ecommerce ease at times makes us purchase something in a split-second decision. Likewise, an opinion or a negative comment weighs do our mind and it is rattled for more time than is natural. It is this immune system we need to develop – not to be rattled!

Need for a Purpose

We can see organisations having vision statements and slogans outlining their key reason for existence. It is a useful exercise to put pen to paper. We often have vague ideas and when we write them down, we get clarity ourselves. It is like what Joan Didion said – ‘I don’t know what I am thinking till I write it down.’ When we have lines and lines of written down words and sentences, it helps us critically look at what we value the most and help us prioritise.

All distractions and mental anxieties take us away from our core purpose. We often forget the crucial for the mundane and also indulge in what we can do to avoid a little pain now. Our quality of procrastination also stems from the same drive in ourselves to avoid something. It is like when we are not thinking of a key task, it has disappeared or it has solved itself. It does not diffuse away – never. We need to take that extra step – we need to see how it sticks to your purpose!

Use today to write your purpose – never too early or never too late!

Every moment we are viewing something on TV or browsing through the social media, we find things that are appealing – so much so that we tend to delve deeper into them. We are distracted and there is often that detour the mind takes when it wanders into the mundane.

HEALTH

Dr Arun Oommen

MBBS, MS (Gen Surg), MCh (Neurosurgery), MRCSEd,MBA Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon VPS Lakeshore Hospital NH-47, Bypass, Maradu, Nettoor PO, Kochi 682040, India.

BPPV may be experienced for a very short duration or it may last a lifetime, with symptoms occurring in an intermittent pattern that varies by duration, frequency, and intensity. It can be tremendously disruptive to a person’s work and social life, as well as pose a health hazard due to an increased risk of falls associated with dizziness and imbalance.

Positional Vertigo Can Be Tackled

A common complaint-

A middle-aged computer professional has a problem of recurrent vertigo. It comes suddenly and really makes her helpless. Many times there is a tendency to fall with a nauseating sensation. Vertigo is maximum in the morning. Many medications were tried but no permanent relief. Have seen so many doctors and have done many tests. But all seem normal. Tried many exercises as per the doctor's advice but have not produced any satisfactory relief.

Benign paroxysmal positional

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vertigo (BPPV) is the most common disorder of the inner ear’s vestibular system, which is a vital part of maintaining balance. Usually benign and generally not progressive. BPPV produces a sensation of spinning called vertigo that is both paroxysmal and positional, meaning it occurs suddenly and with a change in head position. Its typically unilateral, although in some cases it is bilateral.

BPPV occurs as a result of otoconia, tiny crystals of calcium carbonate that are a normal part of the inner ear’s anatomy, detaching from

the otolithic membrane in the utricle and collecting in one of the semicircular canals. When the head is still, gravity causes the otoconia to clump and settle. When the head moves, the otoconia shift. This stimulates the cupula to send false signals to the brain, producing vertigo and triggering nystagmus (involuntary eye movements).

Symptoms-

Mainly vertigo, then dizziness (lightheadedness), imbalance, difficulty concentrating, and nausea.

Symptoms are precipitated by changing the head’s position with respect to gravity. With the involvement of the posterior semicircular canal in classic BPPV, common problematic head movements include looking up, or rolling over and getting out of bed.

BPPV may be experienced for a very short duration or it may last a lifetime, with symptoms occurring in an intermittent pattern that varies by duration, frequency, and intensity.

It can be tremendously disruptive to a person’s work and social life, as well as pose a health hazard due to an increased risk of falls associated with dizziness and imbalance.

Etiology-

The most common cause of BPPV in people under age 50 is head injury and is presumably a result of concussive force that displaces the otoconia. In people over age 50,

BPPV is most commonly idiopathic, (occurs for no known reason), but is generally associated with natural age-related degeneration of the otolithic membrane. BPPV is also associated with migraine, cervical spondylitis, and ototoxicity. Viruses affecting the ear (such as those causing vestibular neuritis) and Ménière’s disease are unusual causes.

Occasionally BPPV follows surgery or after long periods of inactivity.

Diagnosis

BPPV is diagnosed based on medical history, physical examination, the results of vestibular and auditory (hearing) tests, and possibly lab work to rule out other diagnoses. Vestibular tests include the Dix-Hallpike maneuver and the Supine Roll test. Radiographic imaging such as a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) to rule out other problems such as a stroke or brain tumor, Auditory tests to help pinpoint a specific cause of BPPV, such as Ménière’s disease or labyrinthitis.

Treatment-

Recommended treatment for most forms of BPPV employs particle repositioning head maneuvers ( Epley manoeuvre) that move the displaced otoconia out of the affected semicircular canal and back into their proper location in the utricle.

These maneuvers involve a specific series of patterned head and trunk

movements that can be performed in a health care provider’s office in about 15 minutes. A single particle repositioning procedure is effective in treating about 80% to 90% of cases of BPPV. Additional exercise or repositioning maneuvers may be needed if symptoms continue.

The particle repositioning procedure ( Epley manoevre) begins by sitting up on a bed or table. Turn your head 45 degrees toward the affected ear (see how to determine your affected ear above). Quickly lie back, keeping your head turned toward the affected ear as you lie back with your head slightly over the edge of the bed or table. Wait about a minute or until you stop having symptoms. Without raising your head, turn your head quickly in the opposite direction so that your “good” ear is parallel with but slightly over the edge of the table or bed. Wait about a minute or until you stop having symptoms. Roll onto your side.

Continue to turn your head another 45 degrees in the same direction as the previous step so that your nose is now facing the floor. Wait about a minute. Keeping your chin tucked in toward your shoulder, sit up in the direction your body is facing.

Post-Treatment Considerations

After successful treatment with particle repositioning maneuvers,

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HEALTH residual dizziness is often experienced for up to three months.Patients sleep in an elevated position with two or more pillows and/or not on the side of the treated ear, wear a cervical collar as a reminder to avoid quick head turns, and avoid exercises that involve looking up or down or head rotation.

Other BPPV Treatment Options

If head maneuvers don’t work, other treatment options include home-based exercise therapy, surgery, medication, or simply coping with the symptoms while waiting for them to resolve.

Vestibular Rehabilitation Home Exercises

After receiving training from a doctor or physical therapist, a patient can perform the exercises at home Brandt-Daroff exercises involve repeating vertigo-inducing movements two to three times per day for up to three weeks., it reduces vertiginous responses to head movements in 95% of cases.

Another home exercise method

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is daily self-administration of particle repositioning head maneuvers.

Surgery

If head maneuvers and vestibular rehabilitation exercises are ineffective in controlling symptoms, surgery is sometimes considered.

Several surgical approaches are possible; however, a procedure called posterior canal plugging, also called fenestration and occlusion of the posterior canal, is preferable to other methods. These include removing the balance organs with a labyrinthectomy; severing the vestibular portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve with a vestibular nerve section, thus terminating all vestibular signals from the affected side; or severing the nerve that transmits signals from an individual canal with a singular neurectomy.

Medication

Medications are not beneficial always. Motion sickness medications are sometimes helpful in controlling nausea associated with BPPV and are sometimes used to help with acute dizziness during

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particle repositioning maneuvers.

Medication that suppresses vestibular function in the long term can interfere with a person making necessary adaptations to symptoms or remaining physically active because of side effects such as drowsiness.

Wait-And-See

Sometimes, adopting a “waitand-see” approach is used for BPPV because it frequently resolves without intervention.

Coping strategies during this wait-and-see phase can involve modifying daily activities to help minimize symptoms. This may involve using two or more pillows while in bed, avoiding sleeping on the affected side, and rising slowly from bed in the morning. Other modifications include avoiding looking up, such as at a high cupboard shelf, or bending over to pick up something from the floor. Patients with BPPV are also cautioned to be careful when positioned in a dentist’s or hairdresser’s chair, when lying supine, or when participating in sports activities

The corporate governance standards and norms regulated by the statutes make incorporated companies more transparent, reliable, and trustworthy.

That makes it is easier to raise capital, as equities from the public and debts through loans.

Prem Bashani J

Expert – Taxation & Forensics

The author can be connected at https://www.linkedin.com/in/forensicanalyst/ The Author is a Consultant in the domains of GST, Customs, SEZ, and Foreign Trade Policy. The author is a former Superintendent of Central Excise & Customs, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Businesses The Incorporation Dilemma

T

he decision whether to incorporate a business or not is an important decision to make for all businesses at some point in time. The lack of awareness among entrepreneurs and/or the obscure knowledge of the pros and cons of incorporation, together with the uncertainties and risks associated with businesses, drive the decisions of start-up businesses whether or not to incorporate. Added to this, the dilemma as to whether it’s prudent to discuss your business idea with others makes the decision even more tricky. Nevertheless, it’s advisable to consult experts before starting a business. Because, very often the bulk of the incentives coming from government policies associated with businesses are given on the basis of the date of commencement, seed capital, and the transparency that comes with the project proposals.

In reality, people just start companies either incorporated or not on the basis of their immediate necessities. Therefore, to kickstart the busi-

34

ness and to postpone the decision to incorporate, if the start-up idea allows, is often seen as the ideal way to start a business in most jurisdictions worldwide.

To understand and analyze what suits your business depends on what you plan or expect your business to be like. There are certain fundamentals that usually drive an entrepreneur at the time of starting a business: 1. The promoter wants the authority and control over the business and its capital as his entrepreneurship is driven solely by pledging his own resources, his own business idea and on the faith, he has in himself.

2. The promoter, at the time of start-up, gets exposed to the limits, constraints, and challenges associated with mobilising resources and capital for kickstarting a start-up business.

3. The promoter is wary of the risks of delay in the commercial operations as it can erode the capital resources by way of interest payouts

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and administrative overheads that can significantly defer break-even.

4. The promoter is always averse to stringent compliance regimes as it can be frustrating and exhaust the business resources with unwanted compliance burdens and costs.

5. The promoter is concerned about the higher tax incidence associated with registered businesses.

They see it diluting the rewards associated with the business success and multiplying the losses associated with failures.

Small businesses are mostly not incorporated. By not incorporating, the entrepreneur/promoter wields proprietary control over the business. He has complete autonomy over the conduct of the business operations. He is not answerable to anyone but himself. He can follow his gut and also can have a measured approach to the risks associated with running the business. The reward is his own and need not be shared with anyone. The burden of regulatory compliance is less. The profits of the business are taxed only

once at the hands of the individual as income from the business.

So, ideally, all small businesses and low-risk businesses would like to start unincorporated unless the proprietary interests of the business idea belong to many. For example, self-employment businesses like a Kirana store or a saloon, or an ice cream parlour require relatively small capital and carry limited risks.

And it doesn’t make sense for them to enter into a compliance regime and expend costs. Also, small businesses worldwide are often outside the tax net. And suffer lesser scrutiny, giving them the freedom to focus their energy on business.

On the flip side, unlimited liability comes with business failure. Individuals can be sued for the failure of the business. Therefore, the losses associated with the businesses don’t stop with the company. It extends to his personal assets. And it can eventually push the entrepreneur into insolvency and bankruptcy. Given the high failure rates of business ventures, it is a very risky proposition.

The benefits of incorporating a company are many. Man is a social animal. So, a system of association is natural to revolve around him. In an association, the benefits of synergy will flow. The corporate governance standards and norms regulated by the statutes make incorporated companies more transparent, reliable, and trustworthy. That makes it is easier to raise capital, as equities from the public and debts through loans. Once incorporated, the company is seen as a separate juristic person. It is a separate entity distinct from the promoters. It can buy, sell and own property and is capable of suing and being sued in its own name. And the liability is limited to the company. Meaning, the losses associated with the business stop with the company. It protects the assets of the stakeholders viz. the promoters, directors, or the shareholders from the company debts. That means the promoter can have a reasonable exit option to limit his risks. Nevertheless, personal guarantees and wrongdoings are known exceptions that

can lift the corporate veil and the liabilities can befall the stakeholders.

Another advantage of incorporation is its perpetuity and free transferability. The company survives the death of the promoters. So, the business doesn’t get disrupted in the event of an unforeseen circumstance. The contracts and leases entered into by the businesses are protected and saved. Succession planning is easier and comes with very little or no cost. And free transferability of shares allows liquidity at the hands of the stakeholders. The transparency ensured by the statutory governance standards brings more accountability and therefore commands better respect in the market both for equities/ debts and the sale of products/services. Brand promotion can be easier. Finance institutions find it easier to lend incorporated companies. And the access to funds and resources brings efficiency and expertise into the organisation by attracting better talents.

On the operation side, an incorporated company carries more cred-

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ibility in the domestic and overseas market owing to its transparency in publishing the audited balance sheets with the regulators that are open to the public. The conduct of the businesses by the directors are also a subject of closer scrutiny through transparent and mandatory declarations. And erring managers are personally penalised. Big businesses and foreign companies prefer doing business with incorporated companies. The scrutiny of financial transactions is lesser for incorporated companies under the evolving AMA and antibribery law regimes.

Participating in government tenders and ICBs becomes easier.

Subsidies and Tax concessions are extended as incentives as a matter of industrial policies by various governments to attract investments and promote employments. Such policy benevolences benefit mostly

36

the incorporated companies. Also, there are income splitting opportunities for promoters by way of distributing dividends on shares held on inert share-holders in the lesser income bracket.

Today, digitalisation has made incorporation easier and affordable. Compliances are comparatively eased out. Provisions to allow amortized deductions of pre-incorporation expenses have brought down the costs of incorporation.

The new “One person company” permitted under the new Companies Act, 2013 comes with limited compliance requirements. An OPC gives a balance between the benefits of incorporation and the desire to retain control and authority over the business by the promoter and to minimise the risk and hold the reward for self.

Therefore, small businesses and

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MSMEs can explore the option to start as a proprietary/partnership business and can be eventually incorporated when the businesses move to the exponential growth phase unless the incentives and benefits flowing from the industrial policies and operational necessities require incorporation at the time of start-up. Big investments, including technology companies that is fully dependent on policy incentives in the form of land allotments, capital subsidies, tax holidays and venture gap fundings that often comes with defined eligibility criterion can go for incorporation at the time of starting up. It will be wiser for all businesses to get incorporated beyond a certain milestone, where transparency, efficiency, expertise, and professional accountability can benefit all the stakeholders of such businesses

FINANCE

Adv Sherry Samuel Oommen This article is authored by Adv Sherry Samuel Oommen. Adv Oommen, who specializes in constitution, tax and corporate laws has also cleared the final exams of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, the Institute of Cost Accountants of India and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He has also completed his Masters Degree in Commerce, apart from obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Business and Corporate Laws from Symbiosis Pune. The views expressly are personal and should not be construed as a legal opinion.sherryoommen@nashcp.com.

The Hon’ble Court has concluded that the grant of ‘excess’ tax paid by BAL would have a cascading effect on the recipients and suppliers associated with the concerned transactions. On the contrary, in my view, the denial of such credit would result in a cascading effect of taxes, which would have to be ultimately borne by the consumer

W

ay back in 2011, there was once an advertorial of ‘Airtel’ that had a really interesting tagline, “Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hai”, which meant “Every friend is important”. Post which, the brand had another interesting ad campaign with the slogan “Har Ek Friend Kamina Hota Hai”, which principally meant that every friend is a ‘rascal’ (i.e., kamina). True to the changing tune, the tale of Airtel in litigation that entailed an amount of Rs 923 crore has resulted in a ‘friend’ changing colour. I leave it to the reader to determine the chronology of the change. I wonder whether this advertorial is a mere happenstance or a sign of the times to come.

What Was the Issue?

Bharti Airtel Limited (‘BAL’ or ‘the Company’) had inter-alia challenged the denial of the functionality in the GST portal permitting amendment of its returns for the months of July to September 2017. In a writ petition filed before the Hon’ble High

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Court of Delhi, BAL alleged that owing to the absence of necessary systems in the GST portal which would disclose the input tax credit available to a taxpayer, the Company had paid excess taxes amounting to Rs 923 crore. The Company consequently approached the Delhi High Court seeking revision of its returns.

The Hon’ble High Court allowed the writ petition filed by BAL and ordered as follows: “Thus, in light of the above discussion, the rectification of the return for that very month to which it relates is imperative and, accordingly, we read down para 4 of the impugned Circular No. 26/26/2017GST dated 29.12.2017 to the extent that it restricts the rectification of Form GSTR-3B in respect of the period in which the error has occurred.

Accordingly, we allow the present petition and permit the Petitioner to rectify Form GSTR-3B for the period to which the error relates, i.e. the relevant period from July 2017 to September 2017. We also direct

Point of No Return

the Respondents that on the filing of the rectified Form GSTR-3B, they shall, within a period of two weeks, verify the claim made therein and give effect to the same once verified.

In view of the fact that the final relief sought by the Petitioner has been granted and the petition is allowed, no separate order is required to be passed in the application seeking interim relief. Accordingly, the said application is disposed of as such.”

Pertinently, the Hon’ble High Court noted that the Company was eligible to claim the input tax credit, which was not denied by the Department. Consequently, the Hon’ble High Court held that as the Department had failed to gear up to the elaborate electronic procedure as

envisaged in law, it permitted BAL to revise its returns. Being aggrieved by the judgment of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court, the Department had challenged the same before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.

In this article, I intend to share my thoughts on the impact of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Union of India Vs Bharti Airtel Limited which is reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 1006. The Hon’ble Supreme Court allowed the appeal filed by the Department thereby reversing the judgment of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has now laid down the following propositions in law which would now have a bearing in the way the provisions of the

GST Law are interpreted.

1. The Hon’ble Supreme Court held that the obligation to undertake a self-assessment of tax and discharge the related taxes, either in cash or by utilisation of balance in the credit ledger was entirely at the discretion of the taxpayer. Once the taxpayer opted to pay tax in cash, this was entirely the exercise of discretion by the taxpayer. Hence, for such exercise of discretion, the Department cannot be faulted.

2. The Court has held that the return filed in Form GSTR-3B, albeit being a stop-gap arrangement, is still a ‘return’. It has therefore consequently rejected the proposition of law laid down by the Hon’ble Gujarat High Court in AAP & Co, Chartered

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FINANCE Accountants (2019-TIOL-1422), where the Gujarat High Court held that Form GSTR-3B would not qualify as a ‘return’.

3. The Court has held that there lies a statutory obligation fastened upon the registered person to maintain books of accounts and record under the GST Act and the Rules, which are primary documents and source material based on which a self-assessment is done by the registered person including about his eligibility and entitlement to get the input tax credit and of output tax liability.

4. The Court held that Form GSTR-2A is only a facilitator for making an informed decision while doing such self-assessment. Nonperformance or non-operability of Form GSTR-2A or for that matter, other forms, will be of no avail because the dispensation stipulated at the relevant time obliged the registered person to submit returns on the basis of such self-assessment in Form GSTR-3B manually on the electronic platform. Thus, it becomes even more onerous on taxpayers to ensure strict compliance with the law.

Defeating the Purpose of GST

This judgment in my view ap-

40

pears to display the reluctance of higher courts in granting relief especially when the constitutional validity of a provision is challenged.

The Hon’ble Court has concluded that the grant of ‘excess’ tax paid

by BAL would have a cascading effect on the recipients and suppliers associated with the concerned transactions. On the contrary, in my view, the denial of such credit would result in a cascading effect of taxes, which would have to be ultimately borne by the consumer.

Further, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has failed to recognise that a taxpayer in law has the option to rectify his returns in a month without any restriction. Notably, even in the dispensation prior to GST, there was no restriction in the revision of returns. Thus, the rigidity being ascribed to Form GSTR 3B, as per the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, would defeat the very purpose and objective of GST. It appears that there is a clear gap between the intent and the actual implementation of the law unless the intention of the Government was to unsettle the settled.

To me, the Hon’ble Court should have upheld the judgment of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court especially since GST even now is at a

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nascent stage. The industry would indeed agree that the Department has always reckoned the ‘common portal’ as the truth and notices have been issued on the basis of the same. Thus, the contention by the Government that the ‘electronic portal’ was a mere ‘facilitator’ is indeed fatuous going by their own conduct.

Further, an interesting question still remains, which has not been answered by the Hon’ble Court –How can one claim the input tax credit as one of the conditions under section 16 of the Act mandate that the tax charged on the supply should have been paid by the concerned supplier? How can a recipient satisfy the said condition on the basis of his own records? Wasn’t the electronic portal a means towards ensuring that the supplier actually pays taxes? In such an eventuality, isn’t the Department dutybound to ensure that necessary systems are put in place to enable a taxpayer to claim credit in due compliance with the law?

With every passing day, I wonder if GST is indeed a ‘Good and Simple Tax’!!! Is this the ‘tax’ that we imagined? Perhaps, it's time that the implementation of the law is re-examined

MOTIVATION

When you find lost amidst the tough times, always remember to pause. Speed can crash us. But slowing down when you are in doubt, helps you to have an understanding of the depth of the issue you are in, analyze the surroundings, figure out possible outcomes and solutions, and take the next step/action mindfully.

Dolly Neena Dolly Neena is founder of THE IGNIST, a training company born out of a noble cause and spirit.

She holds a decade long experience being a passionate mentor and entrepreneur.

Whatever You Fight, You Strengthen; What You Resist, Persists!

L

ife is full of ups and downs.

One day you might feel like you figured out everything when the next second things fall apart unexpectedly for you and you might have to start all over again. Life throws unexpected challenges at you all the time. It’s almost two years that the Covid pandemic began. Lakhs of SMEs and microenterprises are trying their best to keep their ships afloat. Covid-19 has particularly weighed down on business owners and has caused 46% of their mental health challenges. One of the recent surveys tells us that: 29% of entrepreneurs experienced ADHD. 27% of entrepreneurs suffer from severe anxiety. 30% of entrepreneurs are struggling with clinical depression. If you are an entrepreneur, stress is going to play a very important role in your life. We are speaking for and about our fellow entrepreneurs from all walks of life.

Everyone has their own preferences on how they face and confront chal-

42

lenges. But most important is that you do take that effort to take care of yourself, and survive the tough times.

The stress of a crisis can take a toll on your mental health. Anyone who desires a calm and peaceful life usually steers away from risks and confrontations, and they try to run away from problems. But, entrepreneurs are a different breed altogether. They know that escaping a problem is not the right way to go about and boldly face them to find solutions. Entrepreneurs aspire to rise and shine and achieve their goals one day. Worries and anxieties are a part of an entrepreneur’s life, and an entrepreneur usually always strives to be a step ahead of others.

The more ambitious and larger your goals, the greater will be your challenges and obstacles.

“Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” – Kobe Bryant.

Life doesn’t usually go by the

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book. Hence, It’s always good to expect the unexpected; to be prepared to face any unanticipated encounters. Hence making a plan in advance would be the best choice to move forward with. Write down your goal, the possible challenges, and contingencies, Always assess what could go wrong, and have a plan B. Review your plan daily and weekly and analyze your travel trajectory and distance to the destination. Work backward, as in reverse, to end your goal. You need to visualize the end in mind.

Life happens spontaneously and a positive attitude and optimistic behavior are other skillsets that a winning entrepreneur should have.

When you are thrown a curveball, it is your positive instinct that helps you not to fall out. Challenges will come your way, that’s an inevitable part of life. You cannot avoid struggles. It should be considered as an opportunity to strengthen and grow.

Sometimes when you go through

the really tough times, you feel like your world is falling apart, and you cannot handle this on your own, or that you cannot move any further.

A support group or an environment like that will always help you to vent out, and also to find out that you are not alone in this struggle. Success is a team sport, so build your team for it. Seek help – at times, we feel embarrassed to voice out our weaknesses, but your own tribe will embrace you and help you in your distressed times. People who truly care for you do not abandon you in your troubled times, because they know your essence and that you will reemerge stronger from this fire.

Challenges always help you grow, help you evolve into your true might,

teach you the right things if you are a good learner, and transform you into a better being if you are open to change. You might endure an onslaught of multiple difficulties in life – the more you survive stronger and powerful you emerge out.

Welcome adversity. Learn to untangle yourself from worrisome thoughts and try to view them objectively and calmly. This helps you to develop the grit and resilience that helps you overcome many challenges life poses ahead of you. It could be a pandemic, financial breakdown, loss of a loved one, personal issues, or losing a job or a relationship issue Try out the STOP technique when you think you cannot survive a hardship. It is used in Dialectical Behav-

ior Therapy. STOP stands for Taking a Step back, Observe, and Proceed mindfully. When you find lost amidst the tough times, always remember to pause. Speed can crash us. But slowing down when you are in doubt, helps you to have an understanding of the depth of the issue you are in, analyze the surroundings, figure out possible outcomes and solutions, and take the next step/action mindfully.

At times, you might have to give in to grief, which is also an acceptable thing to do. Being defensive or denying might not be the right thing to do when you want to overcome a problem. Always be brave to confront the problem on face. It is vital to accept that difficulties in life cannot be avoided. But making necessary posi-

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MOTIVATION

tive changes is always up to you.

It is your choice what action is to be taken next; what attitude should guide you ahead. Problem-solving is a process. It is absolutely ok to take time to come to a conclusion or a solution. Not every problem can be solved in a hurry. In the meantime, tend to your motions and master them.

Mastering your own emotions makes you mighty and powerful.

Most importantly forgive yourself for the mistakes you

44

might have made and move on.

Visualize the new you, The new beginning – your tomorrow. Keep your focus intact on the larger goals, even when you stumble and struggle today. The story you tell yourself matters the most, what you are going to become tomorrow is your reality and that is your truth. Hence, choose your story and keep reminding yourself of that wonderful success story you going to live. Inspire yourself with the success you

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foresee. Tell yourself, “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.” Help yourself, Go exercise, start a journal, spend time with nature, read a book, get yourself a spa or pampering, spend more time with your loved ones, go back in time to celebrate all your summits, and keep encouraging yourself on how far you’ve come already.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

- Gandhi 

GADGETS

Samsung Galaxy A52s

Rs. 32,450 (Approximately)

Android v11

6.5 inches (16.51 cm) Display

64 MP + 12 MP + 5 MP + 5 MP

Primary Camera

32 MP Front Camera

6 GB RAM

128 GB Internal Memory

4500 mAh Battery Capacity

Samsung Galaxy F42 5G

Rs 20,999 (Approximately) Android v11 6.6 inches (16.76 cm) Display 64 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP Primary Camera 8 MP Front Camera 6 GB RAM 128 GB Internal Memory 5000 mAh Battery Capacity

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Asus ROG Phone 5

Rs 49,999 (Approximately) Android v11 6.78 inches (17.22 cm) Display 50 MP + 48 MP + 12 MP +

8 MP Primary Cameras 8 MP Front Camera 12 GB RAM 256 GB Internal Storage 4500 mAh Battery Capacity

Vivo X70 Pro Plus

Rs 79,990 (Approximately) Android v11 6.78 inches (17.22 cm) Display 50 MP + 48 MP + 12 MP + 8

MP Primary Cameras 32 MP Front Camera 12 GB RAM 256 GB internal storage 4500 mAh battery

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BEAUTY

Tackle Your Facial Hair Problem Naturally

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hen it comes to facial hair, we all seem to be unsure of how to get rid of it and whether it is really worth it. We can clear up your doubts and provide some painless methods for removing facial hair. This greater hair growth has always been a concern for women. Fine facial hair growth is normal but sometimes the hair growth exceeds due to numerous reasons.

Hormonal problems are one of the main causes of facial hair in women.

Some Chronic medical conditions like polycystic ovarian disorder (PCOD) can also cause this problem. Cushing syndrome causes hirsutism, which is the excessive growth of dark or coarse hair in a male-like pattern. Virilization is a condition in which a female develops secondary male sexual characteristics that cause thick facial hair in women. There are quite a number of natural home remedies for removing facial hair. Let’s go through it.

Sugar and Lemon Juice

Sugar is a natural exfoliating agent, and warm sugar sticks to your hair, not your skin. Lemon juice works as a natural bleach for the skin hair, and also helps to lighten the skin tone.

Dr. Elizabath Chacko, MD-Kalpana International

Mob: 9388618112

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October - November 2021

Mix two tablespoons of sugar and lemon juice, along with 8-9 tablespoons of water. Heat this mixture until bubbles start to appear and then, let it cool. Apply it on the haired areas and keep it for about 20-25 minutes. Wash it off with cold water, rubbing in a circular motion.

Lemon and Honey

Honey helps in moisturising the skin, and hence this method is highly recommended if you have dry skin. Lemon and honey are great ways to reduce facial hair.

Take four tablespoons of honey and two tablespoons of lemon and blend them together. Dab it in a cotton ball and apply it to your face. Leave it for 10 minutes before you rinse it off.

Oatmeal and Banana

The grainy texture of oatmeal makes it an excellent exfoliating agent to remove dead skin cells and facial hair.

Mix 2 tablespoons of oatmeal with 1 ripe banana and mix well. Apply a generous layer of the paste on your skin and massage in circular motions. Allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes before washing off with water. Suitable for all skin types, use this remedy at least once a week.

Papaya and Turmeric

Papaya contains an enzyme called papain which is known to help remove fa-

cial hair, and turmeric gives the skin a healthy and radiant glow, making this home remedy an effective one to remove hair.

Slice papaya into small pieces and mash them to form a paste, then add half a teaspoon of turmeric to it. Mix well and only apply in areas where you have unwanted hair growth. Massage for a few minutes and then let it stay for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water. Repeat this home remedy to remove facial hair twice a week for best results.

Gram Flour and Rose Water

Gram flour has great exfoliating properties and when combined with rose water, it inhibits hair growth.

Mix 2 tablespoons of gram flour with 2 tablespoons of rose water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix well to form a paste and apply it on your face, let it dry completely, and rub it off with your fingers to get rid of facial hair. For better results, repeat this method thrice a week.

Stay Healthy!

Stay Beautiful!

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49

TRAVELOGUE

Giant sequoias are the third-longest-living tree species, with the Grizzly Giant in the Mariposa Grove being the park's oldest tree.

This grove contains roughly 500 mature giant sequoias and is the simplest to reach for park visitors.

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October - November 2021

THE EPIC CALIFORNIA PARK: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

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osemite National Park established the benchmark for all other national parks in the United States. The park was founded in 1890, and while it is not the oldest national park, it was instrumental in the formation of the National Park System.

Because of the California Gold Rush, Yosemite Valley, located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, began

to attract a large number of inhabitants, miners, and tourists in 1849. Conservationists pushed President Abraham Lincoln to establish Yosemite Valley a public trust of California to protect the area from human-caused devastation.

This was the first time the US government set aside land for allowing tourists to enjoy recreational activities on it.

The park has a total area of 759,620 acres with an eleva-

tion range of about 2,000 to 13,114 feet. Granite cliffs, gigantic sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, and streams are all featured in Yosemite. Almost all of the park is designated as wilderness, which is home to a diverse range of plants and animals.

In 1868, John Muir, a Scotsman who grew up in Wisconsin, saw the Yosemite Valley for the first time. "No

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TRAVELOGUE temple built by man can compare to Yosemite," wrote the amateur naturalist. Muir bemoaned the destruction of the forests and huge meadows that surrounding Yosemite Valley, which was under state control. His popular essays in newspapers and journals contributed to the formation of Yosemite National Park in 1890 by raising awareness of the region's grandeur.

Yosemite is open all year, although the summer is certainly the busiest. During the summer months, the park attracts thousands of families and international visitors on vacation. Of course, this can result in some suffocating crowds. In fact, the uncomfortable crowd levels were one of the main reasons my family had not been to Yosemite with our children until this year. Spring and fall are ideal times to visit if you have more flexibility in your schedule and want to avoid even more crowds. In fact, late April might be the greatest time to visit Yosemite. The month of May, in particular, is when snowmelt causes waterfalls to flow at their maximum levels, and the weather is moderate enough for hiking. Yosemite in the winter is a very different national park. Every year, Tioga Road closes from roughly November through late May or early June.

However, much of the rest of the park is accessible, with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing options.

est time to visit these waterfalls is in the spring (May and June), when the snowmelt is at its most abundant. By August, the waterfalls are usually dry, but a rise of rainfall in the fall brings them back to life. Yosemite Falls, Ribbon Fall, Sentinel Falls, Horsetail Fall, Nevada Fall, Vernal Fall, and Chilnualna Falls are among popular waterfalls in the park. Yosemite Falls, at 2,425 feet, is one of North America's tallest waterfalls.

Famous for Its Giant Sequoia Trees

Yosemite is known for its massive sequoia trees, which are thought to be 3,000 years old. They can reach a diameter of 30 feet and a height of more than 250 feet. Giant sequoias are the third-longest-living tree species, with the Grizzly Giant in the Mariposa Grove being the park's oldest tree. This grove contains roughly 500 mature giant sequoias and is the simplest to reach for park visitors.

Because park visitors must hike to the Tuolumne and Merced Groves near Crane Flat before seeing any sequoias, they are less trafficked.

Home to One of the Tallest Waterfalls in North America

Yosemite is home to a plethora of breathtaking waterfalls. The great-

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Hiking is the Best Way to See the Place

Hiking is one of the greatest ways to experience Yosemite National Park, and there are trails ideal for hikers of all skill levels. Yosemite Valley is open for hiking all year, and the valley's routes are frequently highly busy. The Half Dome Hike is one of the most popular walks, and it is best suited to the more daring hiker. It's a 14-mile roundtrip hike that takes 12

Mirror Lake Trail is also popular with park visitors because it is one of the park's easiest walks. Mirror Lake is an excellent spot for seeing the Half Dome's face.

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TRAVELOGUE

hours and includes a lot of elevation gain, cables, and exposed terrain.

The hike begins on the Mist Trail and continues to Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and the backside of Half Dome.

Another well-known climb is the Yosemite Falls Trail, which leads to a beautiful overlook from where visitors may see the falls from above.

The roundtrip distance is around 7.2 miles, with a 2,700-foot elevation gain. Mirror Lake Trail is also popular with park visitors because it is

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one of the park's easiest walks. Mirror Lake is an excellent spot for seeing the Half Dome's face.

Mariposa Grove

The massive and majestic trees are one of the attractions of California's outdoors.

Mariposa Grove has some of the best gigantic sequoias in the world. Visitors can walk through the Grizzly Giant and the California Tunnel Tree, which are only two of the 500 trees preserved in this region of the park.

Guests can take a

shuttle from the Mariposa Welcome Center to an arriving point under typical park conditions. The simple Big Tree Loop (a third of a mile) and the moderate 2-mile Grizzly Giant Loop Trail are just a few of the trails that start here. However, because to COVID-19 limits, your only option is to travel 2 miles each way from the parking area to the arrival location, making hikes here much more time consuming.

Tuolumne Meadows & Tioga Road

Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road are popular destinations for

visitors wishing to get away from the congestion and bustle of Yosemite Valley. This high elevation alpine meadow area is only accessible in the summer and early fall and is located past the park's Big Oak Flat gate on Highway 120 along Tioga Road.

As you travel along Highway 120 after leaving Crane Flat, make a stop at either the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias or the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias. Stop by Olmstead Point for a unique perspective of Half Dome and a picnic near Tenaya Lake. Along Tioga Road, there are a

variety of moderate and severe treks as well as numerous car pullouts with spectacular vistas.

Escape into Yosemite’s Natural Beauty

Yosemite is a national park that should be on many people's travel bucket lists. It's a national park that caters to a wide range of people, offering both easy and strenuous walks as well as a variety of stunning views.

Happy and Safe travel!!

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AUTO REVIEW

Vivek Venugopal is one of India’s top automotive writers with over a decade’s experience in road-testing and reviewing cars.

He is currently the Editor of Quarter Mile magazine and a columnist in several leading magazines and newspapers. He is also a highly sought after consulting engineer and market analyst for many automobile manufacturers.

15 SUVs for

Rs.15 Lakhs

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October - November 2021

Tata Punch

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They were once all hatchbacks at this price point, but now everyone wants SUVs and car manufacturers are trying to make crossovers in all sizes. At least Tata has gone the extra length and given it an upright stance, big 16 inch wheels, and some off-road hardware that mimic a limited-slip differential.

The driving position is great, the interiors are well made and it’s safe in a crash, should you get into one. Speaking of downsides, the 1.2-liter 84bhp engine lacks punch (ironically), the AMT feels confused on the drive and the pricing is a bit on the higher side.

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Renault Kiger

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Nissan Magnite

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After years of struggle and with no new products to sell, the Magnite has come as Nissan’s savior. Bookings went through the roof and for good reason – it’s well priced, the interiors are decent, the 99bhp 1.0-liter turbo petrol feels punchy and it also has a CVT option. The handling isn’t that great and from the front, it looks a bit like a Datsun product.

But you can have the base model for roughly the same money as a WagonR.

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From a distance, it looks like a bigger Kwid and that’s not good. But when you see it up-close, the design is much more interesting and in-tune with their global cars. It is essentially the same car like the Nissan Magnite but the interiors and the suspension are much better. There is also an AMT option on the non-turbo 1L variant which the Nissan misses out on.

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Maruti Brezza

Maruti S Cross

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It doesn’t look like much of an SUV, but the S Cross has a lot of hatchbacks, estate, and crossover elements are thrown into the mix. It drives like a family sedan but has the bad road capabilities and ground clearance of several crossovers. It is dated, there is hardly any fancy tech and the 1.5-liter engine is pretty ordinary, but it is still a lot of car for the money. It is well built and offers good space for sub 4 meter SUV money, the boot is large, the handling is confidence-inspiring, the cabin is decent quality and it’s going to be endlessly reliable over the years.

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If anything time hasn’t done to the Brezza, it is to take away the sales – because five years since its launch, it still sells decent numbers. The interiors were already dated when it was new, and now the styling is dated as well. But if you can look past that, you get a well-designed compact SUV that’s easy to live with. The driving position is superb, it lets you see the far corners of the bonnet. The 1.5-liter petrol engine had decent drivability, good fuel efficiency and will go on forever. The 4-speed automatic torque convertor – while it looks unimpressive on paper – does its job reasonably well. It also scored well in crash tests and if you want a ‘buy it, forget it’ type of car, in today’s age of complicated, high-performance turbo engines and dual-clutch gearboxes, this is it. Want a different look and a different badge? Get the Toyota Urban Cruiser.

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AUTO REVIEW

Kia Sonet

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This is our pick of the compact SUV lot. It looks bigger than the Venue with which it shares its underpinnings, there are lots of variants to choose from and it is better equipped than most of its rivals. There is the basic 1.2L petrol, a 1.0L turbo petrol, and a 1.5L diesel. There is a choice of Manual, IMT, DCT, and torque convertor gearboxes – depending on what engine you choose. The pick of the range is the diesel automatic. The downside is that it gets very expensive when you go for the higher-spec models at which point a Seltos with more space makes better sense.

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Hyundai Venue

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Hyundai was clever enough to take on the success of Creta and offer it in a smaller package at a more affordable price. On the flip side, it looks a bit too small from the back and the sides – a problem the similar-sized Kia Sonet addresses with flared wheel arches and a clever design. The interiors, though not cavernous, are smartly designed. The engine choices are great and it’s easy to live with. There is no diesel automatic like in the Sonet, but for most people, the 1.0litre DCT does the job.

Tata Nexon

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Tata’s foray into the compact SUV market with the Nexon was a successful one. It is the only car on our list that is available as petrol, diesel or electric. The 1.2-liter turbo petrol isn’t known for its fuel efficiency but is very drivable, the diesel is even better with good fuel efficiency and adequate power.

The Nexon EV has lots of performance and impresses with its refinement although the range could be better. All cars have lots of space, a good safety record, and excellent ride quality.

The products could do better in terms of overall reliability and we wish they had better after-sales to back it all up.

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Hyundai Creta/Alcazar

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This is the perfect size for most people and the Creta seems to draw sales in big numbers to prove that. The second generation isn’t the looker it could have been, but it is packed with features, spacious and comfortable. There are three engine options including two petrol and one diesel, each with the option of an automatic as well. The Creta is easy to drive and has good ride quality. If you want to do one better, get the Alcazar which is better looking, has an extra row of seats, and comes loaded with even more features.

MG Astor

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This is the surprise package of the lot and it’s brimming with tech in the top-end spec. The Astor is actually an updated ZS – the bestselling MG in the world. Thanks to the generous use of Volkswagen bits, it feels the most European of all their products too. There are two engine options – a 1.5 liter naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.3-liter three-cylinder turbo petrol. The 1.5 liters comes paired with a manual or a CVT, while the 1.3litre is available only as a torque converter automatic. And we will let you into a little secret. The base model ‘1.5 Style MT’ is the pick of the lot and has nearly everything on it including climate control, touch screen, ESP, hill descent control, all-wheel disc brakes, etc, and costs just 11.4 lakhs on road. That’s compact SUV money for a medium-sized family SUV.

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October - November 2021

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AUTO REVIEW

Kia Seltos

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This is another car we are big fans of and for good reason. It looks good, it is more engaging to drive than the Creta it is based on and it is loaded with features that can rival cars costing three times as much. There are a lot of engine and transmission combinations – right from basic 115bhp 1.5 petrol, to 140bhp 1.4 turbo petrol and 115bhp 1.5-liter diesel, each mated to a choice of manual or IMT or CVT or DCT or Torque Convertor automatic transmissions. Then there are about 9 trim levels that are divided into Tech Line and GT Line with a focus on luxury or sportiness, in addition to special trims like the X-line. The number of permutations there are, with the engine, transmission, trim, and color options are staggering. While it makes the life of a Kia salesman difficult, it guarantees that you get a car that suits your requirements and your budget.

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VW Taigun

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The latest from VW is betting big on the SUV craze in India. Based on an India-specific MQBA0 IN chassis, the Taigun is a heavily Indianized version of the T-Cross – their Polo-based crossover. A sedate design by modern standards, the Taigun looks very European. There is some low-rent interior trim in places, but it feels well built. The seats are good but it’s only good for four people. There are two engines on offer – a 115bhp 1L and a 150bhp 1.5L – both turbo-petrol units with a choice of the torque converter and dual-clutch transmissions respectively. It handles well and the 1.5 liter is very entertaining to drive fast.

Skoda Kushaq

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In line with their other SUVs – the Kodiaq, Kamiq, and Karoq, this Czech cousin of the Taigun have a similar sounding Indian name which in Sanskrit means –the Emperor. The rest of the car is Indian too with lots of localization to make it competitive in terms of pricing and profitability. The Kushaq has different styling to the VW – front, and rear – and reflects on the new age Skoda family design. The engine options are the same 1litre and 1.5 liters, and we think the automatics are the one to go for if you drive predominantly in the city.

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Mahindra Thar

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Call it impractical or utilitarian, but this is the most desirable car from Mahindra yet, and once a year after its launch, they are everywhere now. Bookings are all-time high and despite making thousands of units every week, Mahindra can’t simply keep up with the demand.

The Thar looks the part, there is a 150bhp petrol and 130bhp diesel engine with a choice of manual or torque convertor automatic and you can have it in soft top, hardtop or a folding convertible variant. The high seating position, the toys, and the relatively compact dimensions make it an easy car to live with on a daily basis.

Mahindra XUV 700

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Another car they are running out of booking forms at the dealerships with is the new XUV700. Part of the reason why it’s such a big hit is the sticker price which started around Rs.11.99 lakhs ex. showroom, initially.

For that, you get a 200bhp, 200kmph, 4 cylinder turbo petrol, full-size SUV that appeals to the heart and head alike, while competition is offering you a compact SUV with a 3 cylinder engine with half the power. The higher trims are better loaded, but prices climb rapidly as you go higher up, in the range. The car is a massive improvement over the old XUV500 – the interiors are well thought out, the engines are decent, it drives well, and is comfortable over long distances. It’s always good to see a homegrown SUV that can rub shoulders with the best, the world market can offer.

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October - November 2021

15

MOVIE REVIEW

Bhramam

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hramam is an Indian Malayalamlanguage black comedy crime thriller film directed and filmed by Ravi K. Chandran. The story is about an ace pianist, Ray, and a pretentious blind man accidentally gets thrown into a famous yesteryear celebrity's murder, which turns his life upside down. This film is a complete remake of a Hindi film named Andhadhun which was a super hit black comedy film. The story is developed and connected as a chain of believable events and we tend to sympathize with the hero while at the same time building a delusional and satirical black comedy.

The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Unni Mukundan, Mamta Mohandas, Raashi Khanna, and Shankar in pivotal roles.

Miracle: Letters to the President

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iracle: Letters to the President is a South Korean romantic drama film directed by Lee Jang-hoon starring Park Jeong-min, Lee Sung-min, and Im Yoonah in important roles. The film is based on a true story of a high school mathematics genius Joon-kyeong. Set in the 1980s in a remote town of North Gyeongsang Province, inspired by the real-life story behind the establishment of Yangwon Station the first privately owned train station in Korea made by local residents in 1988 it tells the miraculous story of a boy and with a warm sensibility.

The small town harmonized with nature, and the whole setting that brings nostalgia back to the 1980s are delightful to watch.

And it is easy to dive into the story because there’s no villain figure that causes brutal conflicts. Its flow, its clean narrative, and the sense of humour sprinkled throughout the movie make it a good film to watch.

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Madres

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adres, the new film directed by Ryan Zaragoza, claims that it is “inspired by true events,” like many other paranormal thrillers before it. The story revolves around a Mexican-American couple expecting their first child to relocate to a migrant farming community in 1970s California. When the wife begins to experience strange symptoms and terrifying visions, she tries to determine if it's related to a legendary curse or something more nefarious. The film acknowledges real tragedies and injustice inflicted upon Mexican immigrants.

Ariana Guerra and Tenoch Huerta are seen in the movie playing important roles. In general, the music cues in "Madres" are far too obvious (whether it's a choir voice or the ol' music box device narrative trope), and the investigative edge, discovering more about the underlying tragedy of it all, is full of hand-holding with minimal innovation.

Rashmi Rocket

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ashmi Rocket is an Indian Hindi language sports drama film directed by Akarsh Khurana. The film features Taapsee Pannu in the lead role, alongside Priyanshu Painyuli and Abhishek Banerjee.

Taapsee plays the title role Rashmi where the film follows the thunderous journey of an athlete, Rashmi Vira from Kutch village to an Asian champion before she is banned due to the high amount of male hormone in her bloodstream, and is subjected to a humiliating gender test. Taapsee gives her best to portray the titular Rashmi. After a bunch of gripping roles played in Tappad, Pink, and Game over Taapsee is back with yet another bold character who wins against all odds. This film had a beautiful message towards the end that failure or success whatever the outcome be, working hard should be our priority.

October - November 2021

63

BOOK REVIEW

Martita, I Remember You Author : Sandra Cisneros Price : ` 969 (Paperback)

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artita, I Remember You is a psychological fiction novel written by Sandra Cisneros. The story follows Corina, who after rediscovering an old letter, finds herself revisiting the heady, heated summer she spent with Martita and Paola in Paris. Over the years, the three women disperse to three continents, falling out of touch and out of mind until a rediscovered letter brings Corina's days in Paris back with breath-taking immediacy. Told with intimacy and searing tenderness, this tribute to the life-changing power of youthful friendship. Unfolding in a controlled spool of memory, the story is told in a combination of correspondence and narrative silhouette. Yet it works as a stand-alone volume, especially when paired with its Spanish translation.

The Man Who Died Twice Author : Richard Osman Price : ` 1,478 (hard cover)

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he Man Who Died Twice is a crime novel written by British comedian and presenter Richard Osman. It is a perfect follow-up to The Thursday Murder Club. The story is about Elizabeth who received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He has made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. “The Man Who Died Twice” is noticeably more relaxed and familiar than it was in book one. A clever, funny mystery peopled with captivating characters that enhance the story at every quirky turn. The new novel does not waste any time in allowing time to pass, which is understandable, yet we have the impression that things have progressed. Everything is coming together wonderfully.

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The Archer Author : Shruthi Swamy Price : ` 1,716 (paperback)

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he Archer is a literary fiction novel written by Shruthi Swamy. It is a beautiful coming-of-age story, with the book divided into five sections, each one dealing with a different part of her life. We can see the protagonist grow from a young girl who finds her passion in dance, and how she strives to continue to live a life that honors her art, even though society asks something else of her. If you are someone for whom art is your passion, you will get even more from this beautifully written story. The Archer is a marvelous experience, a journey into a girl’s growing awareness of herself as a person in a world that presses to squash her individuality.

This book is about the transformational power of art and the possibilities that love can open when we're ready. It's intensely poetic and incredibly sensual, with writing as rhythmically captivating as Kathak itself.

The Corpse Queen Author : Heather M. Herrman Price : ` 1,193 (Hardcover)

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eather M. Herrman's The Corpse Queen is a gruesome horror novel told in the voice of 17-year-old orphan Molly Green, who joins her aunt in the business of illegally obtaining dead bodies and then selling the corpses to an anatomy professor. In this dark and twisty feminist historical mystery, this teenage girl starts a new life as a grave robber but quickly becomes entangled in a murderer's plans. Heather provides a thrilling mystery coupled with expansive character arcs with important messages woven throughout. If you’re a fan of the dark and horrifying stories that dig into the earthy underbelly of society, then you should grab yourself a copy of The Corpse Queen. There are important messages woven throughout, and it's a quick read, so it's perfect for real crime lovers.

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EASY & BREEZY

Sujit Chandra Kumar

is an independent journalist who has earlier worked with leading publications for three decades

In the fitness

of things

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yms have reopened. Those sweaty, smelly, noisy days of collective endorphin release are here again.

Compulsive fitness freaks among us have rediscovered their purpose in life and are walking around with a spring in their step and their upper arms unconsciously held aloft to avoid a clash between their triceps and the latissimus dorsi muscles on either side.

For lesser mortals like me, just to enter that highly competitive space is itself a bit underwhelming. First of all, yours truly would easily qualify to be among the oldest of the lot. The other two oldies who share the same time slot are clearly veterans who have been gymming all their lives

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and putting up a spirited fight with advancing years. Why this late-in-life adventure then on my part, you may be tempted to ask. Because, one is blessed with lifestyle diseases despite not boasting of any exciting lifestyle and according to experts, the health benefits of walking are grossly exaggerated and something slightly more intense is required to make any difference to your state of being.

Once inside, you encounter people of all sizes and shapes, belonging to both genders. If you don’t want to be struck by a sudden bout of inferiority complex, one trick is to avoid looking at those smart youngsters who bring down the house with their grunts and lift up hundreds of kilograms. Instead of staring at the rippling biceps of the guy next to you, just walk around as though you just don’t care and that your fitness goals are entirely different from theirs.

It is a plan that was working well for me till one of the two veterans accosted me unsuspectingly even as I was attempting one of those difficult stretching exercises, which the trainer called ‘dog bird’ or something. Convinced that he was no longer a match for the highly-motivated youngsters, he must have turned his attention to the dead meat in the form of poor old me. “You are not supposed to bend that knee,” instructed the self-proclaimed guru in a tone that reeked of irritation and disapproval. I didn’t know what to say but I knew that if I didn’t bend that knee, I would fall flat on my stomach. “I know, I know,” I mumbled, not looking straight at his eye, lest it encourages him to

October - November 2021

come up with more such unhelpful tips. I wound up the routine quickly and studied the posters on the walls intently in order to avoid his gaze and put a stop to the conversation.

But then, the guy with the unimaginably oversized muscles in the picture seemed to be staring at me with a mocking expression.

I then decided to focus entirely on those who were worse off than me when it came to fitness and all of a sudden, I felt very calm. There were enough of them out there who were obese and in need of immediate medical help. There were a couple of girls who did not have even an ounce of fat on them but were working out with a vengeance, making me wonder if they were trying to maintain status co or put on the pounds. There was also this lady whom the girls called auntie; muscle-building was not on top of her agenda and the mouth was the part that she exercised the most. While others seemed to be in a hurry, she would make it a point to meet, greet and have small talk with everyone.

She wasn’t stretching anything except her tenure in that establishment.

Well-equipped gyms have been mushrooming of late, that too not just in urban areas, but the pandemic forced them to down their shutters. Now that they have been allowed to function, let us remember that if can’t beat them, then it is better to join them

Printed On 09/ 11/ 2021

RNI Reg No. KERENG/2011/42633