Shine Spa for Sheraton at the Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway has been awarded with the Best Luxury Hotel Spa award in India at the recently concluded World Luxury Spa Awards. The World Luxury Spa Awards is an annual search for the best spas across the globe based on votes by their guests. This annual voting process pans over thousands of spa guests from 144 countries, who are given the opportunity to vote online. Apart from Shine Spa for Sheraton, other competing spas in 2014 included small sized privately owned spas to globally renowned spa groups.
“We are incredibly excited to receive this recognition,” said Saurabh Bakshi, General Manager, Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway. “This award is truly the icing on the cake to an incredible year. The very heart of the hotel and all its success to date is our staff; an extraordinary team in every way, consistently placing the guest experience above everything else,” he added.
source: http://www.travelbizmonitor.com / TravelBizMonitor.com / Home / by TBM Staff – Mumbai / Thursday, April 24th, 2014
Alsbridge Inc, a leading outsourcing consultancy organisation, has announced the setting up of its first global in-house ‘captive’ centre in Bangalore India.
The key value-add of the centre includes knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) for its various business services as well as software development & support.Alsbridge was ranked no.1 outsourcing consulting firm in the world by the IAOP in 2012 based on the value delivered to their clients. Alsbridge’s outsourcing consulting practice advised on over $5bn in outsourcing contract value. Alsbridge has consistently ranked in the top five over the last six years.
“Setting up our entity in Bangalore, India, is a strategic decision for Alsbridge. We are confident that we can leverage the immense talent that India offers to make our global service more competitive in the years to come,” said Chip Wagner, CEO, Alsbridge Inc.
The US-headquartered firm has already received approvals for its Indian subsidiary and is in the process of setting up the organisation with the help of its local partner – CaptiveAide – a firm that specialises in helping multinational corporations set up and build their India entities.
“We are delighted at this news and we welcome Alsbridge to India. We commend their decision to set up a global in-house centre (GIC) and we are confident that they will benefit immensely from this decision,” said K S Vishvanathan, head GIC Initiatives of NASSCOM.
Alsbridge’s GIC (captive) entry adds to a long list of multinational companies that have set up their own entities in India. These entities benefit in many ways including de-risking of outsourcing, low cost innovation, direct control over results, developing global leadership talent and access to local markets.
E-commerce giant Amazon, whose founder and CEO Jeff Bezos recently spoke of the possibility of drones dropping goods to US homes in the near future, is embracing the neighbourhood kirana store to push the delivery advantage in India.
This week in Bangalore, Amazon, in what’s a first in India, started piloting the concept of enlisting kiranas as delivery points. The move can help it overcome the problem of failed deliveries, a pain point for most e-tailers globally, making the last-mile logistics less complicated.
“We are continually innovating to find solutions that enhance convenience and experience for our customers. We are running a pilot for in-store pick-up service in Bangalore. We have identified and trained staff at small kiosks and stores, run by individual entrepreneurs, to be our shipment pick-up points,” Amazon India country head Amit Agarwal told TOI last week.
What is significant is how — unlike Indian organized retailers like Big Bazaar who have traditionally been pitted against mom-and-pop stores — this move from Amazon will help create a hybrid model where online players leverage corner shops to boost customer convenience.
“Depending on the results, we will take a call on how and what we want to roll out nationally at an appropriate time,” Agarwal said. Amazon will pay a fee to these smaller brick-and-mortar retailers, but the world’s largest online retailer did not give details of its financial arrangement with the offline stores.
The project is an indigenous improvisation on Amazon Lockers, which the company operates in the US and some other markets. Amazon Lockers act as self-delivery locations to pick up parcels from. “We want to be inventive in executing our global strategy locally. We have a team of passionate builders in India,” said Agarwal, who has had a 15-year career with the Seattle-based Amazon, including a stint as executive assistant to the much storied Bezos.
The India head of the $75-billion internet giant, which started off by selling books two decades ago, said the domestic e-commerce market “is still in its early days” and possibly some of the present bigger names wouldn’t exist in the future. Amazon is turning the heat on incumbent market leaders like Flipkart and Snapdeal with its trademark aggression focused on customer convenience, lower prices and a gargantuan collection. Both Flipkart and Snapdeal, which operate on the same marketplace model like Amazon, are well-funded by VCs and strategic players like eBay. The Indian e-commerce market, estimated at $2 billion at present, is expected to grow to $8.5 billion by 2016, according to projections by venture fund Accel Partners.
“The India operation is one of the fastest build-outs for Amazon globally—in terms of selection, sellers, traffic and even mass media advertising,” Agarwal said. Amazon has been particularly sharp-focused on its one-day delivery in top 20 cities and recently introduced a ‘scheduled delivery’ programme for high-value products like televisions.
It entered India ten months ago with a marketplace model since Indian laws place restrictions on foreign investments in multi-brand retail. It had earlier tied up with India Post Services to leverage the government postal system’s extensive reach. “We use IPS for over 19,000 pin codes through 1,40,000 post offices across all 35 states and Union Territories in India. The number of deliveries through India Post has increased from 800 last June to over 10,000 by March this year,” Agarwal said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Business> India Business / by Samidha Sharma & Boby Kurian, TNN / April 24th, 2014
Bukhatir sons greet the Vijay Mallya who once owned two boxes in the cricket stadium
Vijay Mallya with Khalaf and Waleed Bukhatir, sons of Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. / Image Credit: COURTESY: SCC
Dubai:
It was a nostalgic moment for Vijay Mallya, the owner of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. He returned to Sharjah Cricket Stadium, during his team’s match against Delhi Daredevils on Thursday after nearly two decades.
Mallya was a regular visitor for Sharjah’s Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS). “Mallya used to own two VIP boxes in the stadium and he made sure he enjoyed almost all the matches in the company of his friends during the eighties and nineties,” remarked Mazhar Khan, the General Manager of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium to Gulf News.
Mallya is a friend of Abdulrehman Bukhatir, who was responsible for sowing the seeds of cricket in this desert by bringing international cricketers to play in matches at Sharjah. It was also a special moment for Khalaf and Waleed Bukhatir, the two sons of Bukhatir who were very young when Mallya used to visit the stadium. Abdulrehman Bukhatir could not attend the first match as he is abroad and is expected to return in time for the third match at Sharjah.
Khan was also the chief coordinator of the CBFS and hence used to make all arrangements for the VIPs and film stars to be comfortable in their special boxes at the ground which used to have a fridge and individuals small televisions on each box.
Mallya who is one of India’s leading industrialists is an ardent sports lover and owns Force India Formula One team. He had purchased Indian star all-rounder Yuvraj Singh for a whopping Rs140 million (Dh8.52 million) in the player’s auction. After Singh’s match winning knock in Sharjah, Mallya said: “What particularly pleased me was Yuvraj Singh coming back to his old vintage self. His stroke play was magnificent.”
Before the start of the IPL’s seventh edition, Mallya gave a pep talk to his team players and said: “You can do it, you know you can do it. Just go do it and we want to take that IPL-7 trophy in our hands this year, so good luck to all of you and we have a great team, great atmosphere. Play hard and party hard too.”
source: http://www.gulfnews.com / GulfNews.com / Home> IPL2014 / by K. R. Nayar, Chief Cricket Writer / April 19th,m 2014
Bisu Parba, harvest festival is being celebrated in Tulunadu every year on April 14. Bisu Parba – 2013 was celebrated at the aegis of Bantara Sangha Mumbai with mega event as per the heads of all Bantara Sangha.
World Bunts Day – 2014, 40th annual get-together will be organized by UAE Bunts at Armed Forces Officers Club auditorium, Abu Dhabi on Friday April 25. The heads of worldwide Bunts Sangha will be the specially-invited guests present on the occasion.
UAE Bunts Patron Dr B R Shetty will preside the mega event, while Swami Vidyavachaspati Vishwa Santosh Bharati of Barkoor, Udupi district, will inaugurate the programme.
Swami Vidyavachaspati Vishwa Santosh Bharati of Barkoor, Vijayanat Vittal Shetty, and Sarvotham Shetty
Banta Vibhushan Award to be conferred on Sri.Vijayanat Vittal Shetty
The annual prestigious Banta Vibhushan Award will be conferred on Vijayanat Vittal Shetty, in recognition of his entrepreneurship, contributions to social service, sports and religious spheres.
Special attraction – ‘Bale Telipule’ Tulu comedy Skits
Bale Telipule Tulu comedy skits will be presented on World Bunts Day by the award winning Prashamsa theater troupe of Kaup, Udupi district. Kusalda Birse famed artiste Sandeep Shetty Manibettu, Prasanna Shetty Bailoor, Mervin Shirva and Sharat Ucchila will be other casts enthrall the gathering.
The contemporary Tulunadu culture and splendor of Bunts hierarchy will be unveiled during the daylong mega event. The stage has been set to exhibit the folk art talent of children, youth and veterans.
The preparations are underway at the leadership of UAE Bunts president Sarvotham Shetty, along with the executive Committee comprised of members from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain & Norther Emirates.
The executive Committee urges all Bunts brethrens to arrive in traditional attire at the venue, as UAE Bunts have been known to present the show with punctuality and disciple in unveiling the rich tradition and practice of Bunts community.
For more info, contact the executive Committee members:
Bangalore cueist Chitra Magimairaj in action. / Photo: PTI
Leeds, United Kingdom:
Overcoming her early exit in the World Snooker Championships in the WLBSA event, Chitra Magimairaj showed tremendous grit and determination to pocket the Senior snooker title in her first appearance, here on Tuesday.
The Bangalore cueist won all her four matches without dropping a single set against accomplished snooker players from across 13 countries.
En route to her final clash with Alena Asmolava of Belarus, the 41-year-old also met compatriot Umadevi Nagraj in the semifinal match.
The former World Billiards champion Chitra has bagged three gold, three silver and three bronze medals in the WLBSA event so far.
Meanwhile, reigning national billiards champion Uma, who lost to Chitra 0-2, is still looking to regain her Billiards crown.
The Bangalore duo had failed to clear the league stages of the World Snooker event on Monday.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Sports> Other Sports / PTI / April 22nd, 2014
The Mavalli Tiffin Room’s masala dosa is a must-try . / Satish Kumar – The National
“Thick, crusty dosas, tangy bisibele bhaat and freshly ground ‘filter’ coffee are nearly impossible to find at one place in the city,” says the 39-year-old Vikram Maiya, who craved authentic Karnataka cuisine whenever he visited Dubai.
Maiya is the managing partner of Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR), a popular Bangalore-based chain of restaurants with a branch in Singapore.
Call it craving or conceit, but his desire to find bona fide Kannada food in the UAE has resulted in the expansion of MTR to Bur Dubai, where a new branch opened on Friday.
A question of quality
Set up for the first time in the Lalbagh area of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, in 1924, MTR is now an integral part of the city’s heritage. Step into any of the seven branches there any day of the week and you’ll find them doing brisk business.
In fact, the Dubai outlet will replicate the same model, and a band of veteran cooks has even been flown in to set up the kitchen here.
“Urad dal [black gram], a key ingredient in idli, dosas and vada [crêpes and deep-fried doughnuts made with fermented rice and lentil batter] will be sourced from Bangalore, along with the special masalas and coffee beans, which are all essential to good taste,” Maiya says.
And perhaps the best thing is that MTR focuses only on Karnataka cuisine, without the popular Indian favourites such as butter chicken or lamb biryani.
The lunch special
Try the lunch thali (platter), consisting of 16 items and unlimited servings, all for Dh25.
A freshly prepared fruit juice is served before the meal and paan (betel leaf) to end it. In between, there are curries, salad, veggies, sambar, rasam and raita served with puri (deep-fried dough discs) and several kinds of rice including pongal, bisibele bhaat, vangi bhaat and curd rice, in succession.
Three sumptuous desserts are also served; two with the main course and one at the end.
• Mavalli Tiffin Rooms opened at Al Tawhidi Building, opposite Apsara Super Market, Bank Street, Bur Dubai, on Friday. Open on all days except Mondays, from 7.30am to 10pm. Call 04 327 5909 or 056 206 7321 (prices are subject to change)
artslife@thenational.ae
source: http://www.thenational.ae / The National / Home> Lifestyle> Food / by Priti Salian / April 07th, 2014
Karnataka Sangh Qatar (KSQ) will be staging Vasantotsav, cultural extravaganza at Al Ghazal Club, here on Friday May 2 at 4.30pm (gate opens at 4.00pm).
The cultural extravaganza includes comedy and live orchestra. The renowned Kannada comedian, sandalwood actor, dramatist and celebrity chef Sihi Kahi Chandru, RJ Mayur of 92.7 Big FM Unplugged with Mayur fame, Ajay Warriar, Sinchana Dixit and their orchestra team with well known musicians from Karnataka will be performing live in Qatar.
The entire programme is dedicated to visiting artistes. A nominal entry fee of Qatari Riyals 50 per person for above the age of 5 years will be charged. The dinner packet will also be served. Limited seats are available on first-come-first-served basis. The entry passes are available with Maaza Restaurant, Hotel Maharaja, Aryaas, Canara Jewellery, Royal Udupi Hotel and Akshaya Jewellery.
Seen in the picture are (from right) Artist G.L.N. Simha, Writer Dr. S. R. Ramaswamy, Bhaskar Kalale, Vice-President and Head India Ops – Theorem (USA), D. Ram Singh, Chairman, Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, at Kalaa Dhaaraa art exhibition at Pratima Gallery in city on Apr. 13.
Mysore :
Several works of spiritual art by Mysore artist Gopalachar Lakshmi Narasimha, more widely known as G.L.N. Simha, have been acquired by the Museum of Sacred Art in Brussels, Belgium recently.
This was disclosed by R.G. Singh, Secretary, Ramsons Kala Pratishtana, at the fourth talk of Kalaa Dhaaraa, a mega exhibition of Contemporary Art initiative, held on Sunday at the Pratima Gallery in Nazarbad.
This exclusive museum devoted to sacred art is located in Brussels’ Baronial Castle which has a church attached to it. This church is now called Hindu Art Museum.
Stating that works of artists B.K.S. Varma and Ganjifa Raghupathi Bhat are displayed at Kremlin in Russia and the Victor and Albert Museum in London respectively, R.G. Singh said now an exclusive museum dedicated to scared art has acquired the works of G. L.N. Simha. It is a matter of pride that Kalaa Dhaaraa has the opportunity to showcase Simha’s works, he added.
Earlier, Dr. S.R. Ramaswamy, well-known scholar, writer, critic and editor of Utthana, delivering the fourth talk ‘Mantra Mukura – Artistic Incantations of G.L.N. Simha,’ took the audience on a scholarly journey along path where art diverged into Oriental and Western art. What may be perceived as beautiful by the Western mind, the eastern mind may well see spiritual intonations in the same. It is in this context that one should perceive the unique art of Simha, said Dr. Ramaswamy adding that it would be noticed by the viewer of the paintings on display that there is religious narrative that underlies each painting.
The chief guest of the evening, Bhaskar Kalale, Vice-President and Head, India Ops of the US-based THEOREM at its Mysore campus, spoke of the relevance of art in a person’s life.
The fourth edition of the talk series began with a Vedic invocation by Raghu Dharmendra, Curator and Art Historian of Ramsons Kala Pratishtana.
A few of the gems from Simha’s extraordinary oeuvre on display at Kalaa Dhaaraa are the Swarnamba which creates a contemplative vision of Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Shakti, the Shristhi series from the Kalika Purana, the Shree Sukta of the Rig-Veda which depicts the innate connection between man and divinity by the divinities emanating from the sacred flame of the Yagnya and the one of the Bhairava series that provides a pointer to modes of contemplation.
Senior journalist M. B. Singh, former Editor of Sudha and Mayura and adviser to the Ramsons Kala Pratishtana Trust , was also present.
The works of 15 new artists were introduced to the works already on display: Anil Devadiga (Mangalore), Ashok Vaidikar (Gulbarga), B.C. Devaraju (H.D. Kote), Jayavanth Shettigar (Manipal), N. Kantharaj (Bangalore), N.B. Kaverappa (Mysore), Manjunath Wali (Bangalore), B.R. Naveen (Mysore), M.R. Pavanje (Mangalore), Purushotham Adve (Udupi), N. Rajesh (Mysore), H.B. Raju (Bangalore), Ramesh Rao (Udupi), D.K. Ranganath (Bagalkot) and S.S. Shimpi (Gulbarga).
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / April 15th, 2014
School of Life Sciences, Manipal University will host a two-day India-Australia workshop on “Epithelial Development, Function and Disease — New Frontiers and Therapies” on April 11 and 12.
A number of experts and resource persons from across the country and Australia will take part in the two-day workshop which will facilitate intellectual sharing at two different levels. The first stream is visualized to provide a platform to share real-world experiences and solutions to clinical problems in Australia and India, besides defining achievable directions for delivery of products that will benefit both patients and the community in India and Australia, particularly those in rural and remote communities and with inadequate resources.
The second stream viz. Frontier Research and Emerging Technologies focuses on cutting-edge research and emerging trends in the field. Both streams converge to establish successful productive partnerships towards an improved understanding of epithelial cell function and will be crucial in future for the diagnosis and treatment of epithelial diseases.
The conference overview and introduction to the conference will be given by Dr Sheel Nuna, Director, Queensland University of Technology, Australia and Dr Zee Upton, Assistant dean, also QUT, Australia respectively. Dr MRS Rao of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) Bangalore will give the inaugural address and Vice Chancellor Manipal University; Dr K. Ramnarayan will present a special address.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangalore / by Stanley Pinto, TNN / April 10th, 2014
