Happy Planet opens Pune’s largest indoor active play park

Pune, 30^thNovember 2017: Children and the young-at-heart of Pune now have a reason to cheer! Happy Planet, which has been spreading smiles and joy for the past eight years, is all set to open doors to Punekars. All roads will now lead up to Phoenix Market City as the mega 6000 sq. ft. space opens today.

Happy Planet aims at spreading smiles across the country by bringing the great outdoors, indoors. The place is buoyed on the philosophy that Freedom is the single biggest experience that each child must enjoy – Freedom to play and Freedom to choose the play are important aspects of overall growth and development. That is precisely what Happy Planet endeavours to offer within the precinct.

Speaking at the launch, Nimish Kenia, co-founder of Happy Planet said, “Our vision is to create a secure space where children and young adults can be a part of interesting and challenging games designed to develop one’s character and personality. Through tasks such as trampolines, zipline, obstacle courses, challenging rope walks and so on, we believe the child develops a keen sense of competitionand team spirit.”

“Pune is a melting pot of people from across the country who have now made this vibrant city home. Yet, there are not ample options for indoor recreational activities while the potential clearly is there. With Happy Planet, we are confident that the audience will enjoy the space and play-outs will become a more sought after location within the city for children, parents, grandparents anybody else who is looking to have an invigorating time – mentally and in play.”

Since opening in 2010, Happy Planet Mumbai has welcomed almost two lac children into its playpark and hosted more than 1,000 birthday parties in its various spaces. It was a keen understanding of the mindset of the Punekar and sensing the lacuna that existed in such entertainment options that prompted the Happy Planet team to set up this ambitious project in Pune.

The Pune outpost boasts of several firsts at Happy Planet:

1) Largest ever multi-activity place in Pune

2) First indoor zipline in Pune

3) First trampoline park in Pune

4) Multi-level aerial adventure in Pune

Additionally, there are a host of games to keep the children occupied including the twin level aerial adventure [rope course],trampoline park, zip line, sand pit, a dynamic combination of fast steep slide and Ninja obstacle course, elevated kiddyfutball turf, and so on.

“While children walking in to enjoy a good evening, we have designed the space at Happy Planet to curate interesting activities for children celebrating a special day. It, in fact, also houses a few activities for the parents or grown-ups who might pass by the area. We strongly believe that we are in the business of bringing smiles and joys to families, and we try to live upto it each day,” signed off Kenia.

PIC Organises the Pune Release of the book: ‘Securing India the Modi Way’

Pune, 30th November 2017: Pune International Centre (PIC) is organising a Pune Release of the Book ‘Securing India the Modi Way’, authored by eminent Journalist and National Security Analyst Nitin Gokhale on Friday, 1st December, 3:30 PM at the Mini Auditorium, College of Engineering Pune (CoEP), Shivajinagar.

General. Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff of India and Air Marshal S. B. Deo, Vice-Chief of Air Staff will also be present on this occasion along with other dignitaries and members of PIC. The program will be chaired by Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik.

In Securing India the Modi way – Pathankot, Surgical strikes and More, Nitin Gokhale provides an intimate and sweeping account of Team Narendra Modi‘s approach to national security and foreign policy initiatives.

Drawing on internal memos, classified information, meeting notes and hundreds of hours of interviews with key players in the national security team, the book brings alive inside stories ofdecision-making at the highest levels in the government.

Unknown details of the planning and execution of the surgical strikes and other aspects such as New Delhi’s policy towards China and Pakistan, India’s renewed global policy focus on Middle East, cyber space and rebooting the defence sector have also been handled with great depth in this book.

Guest/Audience are requested to be seated by 3:20 PM (Post – Security Screening).

Govt. Issued Photo ID (Driving License/ Aadhar card/ PAN card is mandatory for entry.

5Paisa to leverage surge in investor base to acquire 1Lakh customers by next year, launches unique online, multi-lingual financial education initiative ‘5Pschool’

– Launches online financial literacy initiative ‘5P School’ to handhold new investors entering the market 

– Expects about 1 million users to opt for 5P School’s financial literacy courses by next year

– USP of these online courses is the smart but easy-to-understand content designed by market experts, which can be viewed from multiple onlineplatforms, including mobile phones

– This simple, free-of-cost educative material on financial products and market processes are also available in various regional languages

Pune, 29th November 2017: Leading discount brokerage firm 5Paisa.com has launched a unique investor education initiative ‘5P School’ to leverage on the huge increase likely to happen in new investor numbers over the next two years for bolstering its own customer base by 1 lakh over the next year.

5Paisa sees sees a sizeable number of new investors joining the country’s equity and capital markets in the next two years. The courses offered by 5P School are targeted to handhold such new investors by imparting basic knowledge and providing ‘easy-to-understand’ educative content related to products, processes and investment opportunities in financial markets. The target is to enrol at least 1 million users for the 5P School’s financial literacy courses by the next year. 

The online courses offered by 5P School are completely free of cost and are aimed at educating a broad range of people such as long-term investors, traders and particularly the novice market players seeking to enter the market.  The curriculum includes courses in Equity Markets, Technical Analysis, Mutual Funds, Derivatives and Candlestick Patterns. These courses provide a basic understanding of stock markets, mutual funds, technical analysis methods and charting tools, thus empowering market players to make educated decisions about any market-related move. Apart from the free courses, there are also educative articles, videos and glossaries on financial market terms which can help participants to understand the nuances of financial markets.

Elaborating about the initiative, Mr. Prakarsh Gagdani, CEO, 5paisa.com, says, “5P School is not only relevant but also a much-needed financial education initiative in the context of the changing demographics of today’s financial market participants. Earlier, the market players who transacted in any financial instrument were mostly seasoned players with a basic knowledge about financial products, but they were not comfortable in using technology for participating in financial markets. Today, it is a completely different scenario as most customers are well-versed in using smartphones or computers but have little knowledge about financial products. Here is where 5Pschool can come into play by becoming a ready-reckoner on various financialmarket instruments and the processes.”

The courses and content provided by 5P School can be viewed through the mobile-friendly website of 5Paisa.com or through the 5P School mobile app. Both the website and the mobile app are available in various Indian languages. Educative videos can also be viewed on 5P School’s YouTube Channel too.

5Paisa.com has emerged as India’s leading discount brokerage house on the back of such unique initiatives and a mix of smart product offerings with huge cost benefits.  During the past 10 months alone, 5 Paisa.com has been witnessing a quarter-on-quarter growth of 100 per cent in turnover. Its annual daily turnover has already crossed the Rs 1,000-crore mark. 

Children education drives overseas home buys for Indian UHNWI – Knight Frank Education Report2017

• The 2017 Education Report by Knight Frank records sharp appreciation in property prices around key UK schools
• Asian UHWNIs rate education 8 on a scale of 10 among drivers for property acquisition on foreign soil

 Pune, November 29, 2017: Nearly one in two billionaires (47%) in India believed and invested in overseas education for their children, way above the global average (28%) and the Asia average of 38%, according to The Wealth Report 2017 by Knight Frank.

Now, the Knight Frank Education Report2017, which examines the housing market around key schools in the UK, has revealed that education has become a critical driver of demand across prime residential markets in the country.

Liam Bailey, Knight Frank’s Global Head of Research, said, “Good schools are a key driver of the housing market and their presence often helps to drive local property prices. The world’s wealthy want their children to be global citizens with school careers often spread across multiple locations whilst they gain insight into different cultures and languages.”

According to the report findings, ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI) in Asia rated education at 8 on a scale of 10 among essential factors influencing overseasproperty buys. It also showed that prime property prices around key London schools have risen significantly over the last five years. While the average surge in property prices around top schools in the British capital was 49.5%, similar neighbourhoods in Home Counties recorded an increase of 45.5%.

The global demand for berths in UK schools has also risen over the past 10 years. The number of students from Asia joining UK public schools between school year 2005/2006 and 2015/2016 increased by 41%. Students enrolling in UK schools from India rose by 19% during the same period.

Download the report here: http://content.knightfrank.com/research/1370/documents/en/education-2017-5070.pdf

deAsra Foundation now in Kolhapur to help start and grow small businesses

deAsra Foundation, a not for profit organization formed to contribute to social welfare by enabling entrepreneurship expands its operations to now serve new small business entrepreneurs in Kolhapur. Established by Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Persistent System Ltd. deAsra Foundation aims to generate 1,00,000 jobs by 2020 by facilitating the creation of 25,000 entrepreneurs.

By supporting 2000+ customers, deAsra foundation has established strong roots in Pune. The organization is currently catering to the business requirements of entrepreneurs from most of the parts of Maharashtra through technological and virtual means, now deAsra is set to support aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in Kolhapur.

deAsra is known for giving an hassle free approach to those who want to start, manage or grow their businesses by guiding them through the entire process flawlessly, by providing end- to - end facilitation and hand-holding support in their business journey. deAsra has developed an ecosystem by partnering with various banks & financial institutions, educational institutions, vocational training institutes, government and semi-government organizations, and providing mentor consultancy with industry experts.

In Kolhapur deAsra has created partnerships with; Bank of Maharashtra, Mahalakshmi Bank, Kalyan Janata Sahakari Bank, Vishweshwar Bank, Janata Sahakari Bank & Rajarambapu Sahakari Bank, to help entrepreneurs with facilitation of loans to start and grow their businesses.

“As these entrepreneurs start new businesses, we’ve witnessed their power to create new jobs and help to shape local economies. Our entrepreneurship initiatives give young men and women the foundational knowledge, training, and resources to start, lead, and grow small businesses.” Says Mr. Anand Deshpande

deAsra has a robust website – www.deasra.in . The website consists of 70+ business guides that help the user walk –through all stages of business such as Planning, set–up, market and actual execution. At the end the user is left with a clear idea about his position in the business and the action items he must work upon.

deAsra foundation provides a broad array of support services such as ; business planning, Funding legal support, compliances, marketing support, business performance management, professional services & tech. All of deAsra foundations services are simplifies, bench-marked and tech. enabled, with customer friendly functionality convenience and speed.

deAsra's One-day Workshop on Finanacial Management to become a Successful Entrepreneur

On Friday, deAsra Foundation organized one day workshop on ‘Small Business Financial Management’ for new & existing entrepreneurs at S M Joshi Auditorium, Pune. The workshop was held for the entrepreneurs who are looking for the guidance in how to grow business by managing financial management & its importance.

deAsra is known for giving a hassle free approach to upcoming businesses by giving them a mentor to guide through the entire process flawlessly.

Mr. Sudhir Gijare, retired Deputy General Manager of State Bank of India, with an experience of 40+ years in Financing SME’s, risk management etc. guided the attendees. He quoted that “Entrepreneurs need to keep a close check on their expenses without affecting customer satisfaction”

Along with deAsra Foundation’s Mr. Prakash Agashe also stated that, “Strong financial literacy and management is a key skill for any successful entrepreneur to ensure the sustainable development of scalability of a business.”

The workshop touched upon financial management and moved on to financial strategies for growth, financial planning, cash flow management, risk management and resource management. The workshop helped participants to interpret and understand financial and economic data to support the key management tasks of planning, decision- making and creating value within the business and how to assess the risks and opportunities using financial data.

The workshop which was also attended by Mr.R R Shantapaa, Mr. Onkar Kumar, Mr.Shashikant M Choudhari, Mr.Anil Sawant, Mr.Amit Anand, Mr.Nitin Bhargave Chief Manager Lavale, Mr Rajesh Kumar Baitha, and  Mr Umesh Joshi all from Bank of Maharashtra. The workshop received a huge response and was attended by 100+ businessmen, who benefitted from the valuable insights which were shared by experts.

Taxi rides in Pune get simpler with RezurvRide

New cab aggregator promises freedom from surge pricing, better incentives for drivers

Pune – RezurvRide, a new cab aggregator service which safeguards the interests of customers while incentivising drivers, was launched in the city. The innovative app offers a vastly better alternative to existing players in the cab aggregator market by simplifying the process of booking rides and offering over 90 per cent of ride revenue to drivers.

Some of the cutting edge features offered by the service are

• Reservation of ride as per convenience with advance Cab Booking feature both for local and outstation
• Option to mark “Favourite Drivers” based on experience
• Option to ride with favourite drivers first
• Selection of drivers based on their rating which takes into account cleanliness,etiquette and timeliness of the drivers
• Option for tracking the ride by third parties through GPS for additional security
• Outstation rides charged on distance covered and not fixed slabs
• QR code enabled to start and stop rides, thus restricting misuse by drivers
• No surge pricing
• A Driver’s First approach, which entails incentivising drivers through higher revenue share, unlike other aggregator services.

The need for cab aggregators is growing exponentially in India, given the low car penetration and poor public infrastructure. Research indicates that the cab/taxi demand is scheduled to grow at a CAGR of 15 per cent till 2020. A recent Soft Bank study says the app based taxi sector will be worth USD 7 Billion in India (Rs 45000 crore) by 2020.

‘Based on this research and inspired by the market need for a fully functional cab aggregator that can effectively address the needs of both customers and drivers, we have decided to enter the market with a completely transparent product named RezurvRide that will take the Indian taxi market to the next level,’ said Mrs SeemaMangal, Director, RezurvRide.

RezurvRide has already conducted the soft launch and intends to target 8000 cab drivers in Pune by the end of 2018. 800 drivers have already registered for the RezurvRide service. Mrs Mangal said, ‘RezurvRide aims to launch in 15 cities by the end of 2018, with 75,000 drivers on its roster.’ The long term vision is to launch in 51 cities with 141,000 drivers by 2022.

About RezurvRide

KIHARAS Group LLP., Operating under the trade name RezurvRide is an Indian online transportation network company. It was founded as an online cab aggregator in Pune on Sep 1 st , 2016. The company launched its services in the Pune market in Oct 2017 and plan to rapidly expand to 15 key cities in India by end of 2018 with a driver base of 75000. RezurvRide will be launched in 51 cities by 2020 and projected to gain a driver base of more than 1 lac.

The company operates with “Drivers First” strategy and firmly believes in “Simplicity with Commitment”. As drivers in India are agitated by declining in their income by other cab aggregators, RezurvRide commits to pass on at least 90% of the ride revenue to its drivers.

For more details please visit – www.rezurvride.com

Challenging Chawa wins Kallakar Cricket League Season 3

Pune November 2017: Kallakar Cricket League concluded in Pune with team Challenging Chawa taking home the trophy. The captain if the team was renowned Marathi actor Sanjay Jadhav. Kallakar Cricket League is one of Pune’s most awaited celebrity cricket league and is brought to you by Kallakar Factory in association with Four Pillars Event Management Services.

After two successful and entertaining seasons Four Pillars keeps its promise to bring together well known faces of the Marathi entertainment industry for the cricket fans. “We had ensured that all games are as entertaining as the celebrities work has been. Kallakar Cricket League is a league that all fans feel close to as they watch they favourite TV celebrities clashing against each other”, said Sameer Pawani, Director, Four Pillars Event Management Services.

“A lot of planning went into conceptualizing ‘Kalla’kar Cricket League. The first season had celebrities like Mahesh Manjrekar, Swapnil Joshi, Siddhartha Jadhav among other well known faces. The championship title for the first season was bagged by Ratnagiri Champions headed by Mr. Siddhartha Jadhav, which showed promise from the start of the league”, said Pankaj Satav of Kallakar Factory.

Season 2 also was a huge success thanks to the support of the team franchise owners and the Cricket loving artists. The new additions to the 2nd season were the very popular Akash Thosar, the love-story champ Prathamesh Parab, the popular Lord Malhar on TV Devdatta Nage and the bad-dad Suresh Vishwakarma. The winners of the second season were Thane 11 headed by Mr. Akash Pandharkar.

This season has celebrities like TV’s most popular wrestler Hardik Joshi, model and actor Sameer Dharmadhikari, popular actor Sanjay Narvekar, popular comic presenter and actor Sumeet Raghavan, and shala fame actor Amol Gokhale.

Nehru Stadium was filled with cricket loving enthusiasts who came to watch their favourite celebrities play against each other.

HCC in Association with MMRCL & Nightingale’s Home Healthcare Service Initiate Heart Care Awareness Drive

~Organised Cardiac Emergency Demo to Educate Resident~

~More than 150 residents from Girgaon society participated in CPR training and understanding techniques to combat Heart ailments in emergency~

Mumbai, 27th November, 2017: HCC organised Heart Care Awareness drive in association with MMRCL, Nightingale’s Home Healthcare Service & Dr. Bipeenchandra Bhamre, Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgeon in Mumbai. More than 150 residents were given demonstrations on CPR training & how to handle & react during a cardiac emergency at home.

“In the event of a cardiac arrest, administering Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, an emergency life saving procedure helps the patient to receive care till medical help arrives or they reach the emergency care center. In such situations, reaching the hospital within the golden hour is essential. Those who have training of basic life support stroke or CPR  facilitates to provide proper  care during such crucial times. Residents should be trained in BLS and CPR by a medical professional for managing emergency  situation . Due to panic, most of the times the kith and kin of the patient with cardiac arrest end up doing things that may not be favourable for the patient. But if proper training is provided, they will ensure proper care and  call the ambulance immediately along with administering CPR” said Kiran Joshi, Regional Head, Nightingale’s Home Healthcare Service in Mumbai.

Dr. Bipeenchandra Bhamre, Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgeon at Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre Said “The current sedentary lifestyle combined with stress has led to an increase in the number of youngsters with coronary heart diseases. Chronic stress leads to hormonal changes, Hypertension, diabetes and heart diseases. If those in their 30’s are under stress for a longer period, are leading a sedentary lifestyle, then can lead to coronary artery diseases at a later stage. Multiple factors collectively cause heartproblems. Normal stress experienced during driving, commuting or handling daily activities are manageable. However, acute stress experienced among elderly can cause heart attack while youngsters are capable to handle such situations. If those with pre-existing heart ailment face any stressful situations, mentally or physically, can precipitate heart problems.”

Dr Bhamre further Said “It is imperative to create awareness among the residents, such sessions if conducted on a regular basis will help to build a responsible society. Residents will not panic and instead come forward and react in the event of such situations. It is essential to make them understand the gravity of such emergencies and act with a calm mind and avoid any serious illness. Importance of taking the patient immediately to the nearby hospital. Conducting such demonstrations will help women at home.”

5th National Conference on Teaching, Learning , Leadership and School Excellence Awards held in Pune

Lifetime achievement Awards presented to Nalini Sengupta and Revathi Srinivasan by Chief Guest Padamashree Mrs Lila Poonawalla

Pune, 27th Nov 2017 : Brainfeed, one of the pioneers in the field of Education hosted its 5th Annual Conference in Pune at The Westin this year.  Over 200 leading educationists, entrepreneurs, principals of various schools were present for this function.  The inaugural address was delivered by the Chief Guest Padmashree. Lila Poonawalla, Chairperson of Lila Poonawalla Foundation.

The Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Ms. Nalini Sengputa of Vidya Valley School, Pune and Ms.Revathi Srinivasan, Principal, Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania School Thane by Padamashree Lila Poonawalla.  Also present on this occasion were Guest of Honours, Madhuri Bhaduri, Nationally acclaimed artist, Mr. Joy Basu, CEO Amplify Mindware and Ms. Puneeta Ranjan.

Speaking at the occasion, Padmashree Lila Poonawalla said, “This is a very good initiative taken from Brainfeed but we should also extend this to children who are not so financially sound.  Teachers of today should include Moral Science in the schools which is one of the most important aspect which includes, value education, teaches children about empathy and mannerism.”

The event was spearheaded by Mr. Brahmam of Brainfeed magazine Hyderabad.  Professionals from the education industry ranged from the primary sections to high schools.

Also present today were Principals and owners who had an interactive session about the new trends in education, any changes required in our system or the way we educate our children who are the future of our Country.

I do not understand the mania of making Adhaar compulsory in illegal fashion

​’I do not understand the mania of making Adhaar compulsory in illegal fashion’

– Says Adv. Arvind Datar

Pune, 25 November 2017: ”Adhaar card should not be made mandatory. Other documents for identification- like Voter id, Passport etc. should be enough to be linked with the bank accounts. I do not understand this mania of making Adhaar compulsory in illegal fashion,” expressed Arvind Datar, Senior advocate of Madras High Court.

”If you want Adhaar, take away all other things. Today I must have a Pan Card, Passport & many other identification numbers,” he said. Adv. Datar was speaking on the topic ‘The Right to Privacy- Past, Present and Future’, today at Navalmal Firodia Law College, in a lecture organized by Pune International Centre (PIC).

Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, President, PIC, Dr. Vijay Kelkar, Vice President, PIC, Kumar Ketkar, Senior jornalist, Prof. Amitav Malik, Trustee, PIC, Prashant Girbane, Honorary Director, PIC, were present among the dignitaries.

‘The right to left alone must be respected irrespective of the technological improvement,’ Datar quoted. He mentioned several cases & judgments that involved right to privacy in some or the other way. Also the case that he presented & lost in the Supreme Court regarding linking Adhaar with the Pan Card.

”According to the Adhaar act, Adhaar card is for ensuring that the government subsidies go to the correct person. As per the section 3 & 7 of the act,Adhaar is optional. So not everyone need to take Adhaar card. In last year’s budget, the government said that If you do not link Adhaar to your Pan card, your Pan card will be invalidated. One gets a Pan card after doing a thorough check. Now If he or she doesn’t show their Adhaar, their Pan card will get cancelled, which has no point. If the Adhaar is optional in the parent act, then how it can be made mandatory in the Income Tax Act. This was my argument in the case which I lost,” he said.

”Every time answering the debate, the governments points to the terrorism in J & K  & the black money. They say that linking Pan to Adhaar will be useful to weed out fake Pan cards. We argued that, As per the government data, only 0.4 percent of the Pan cards are fake. So why torture 99.6 percent people & ask them to link Pan with Adhaar,” Datar mentioned.

He also mentioned the privacy controversies with the non state actors like Social media.  Datar said that, From the legal standpoint the future will be extremely exciting & challenging time. ”Every technological benefit has a flipside. If you see the history of the constitutional law, It’s a history betweenthe liberty of an individual & the needs of the state,” he said.

About Pune International Centre (PIC)-

Pune International centre is a think tank that works independently with a main objective to create a platform for open discussion and for stimulating debates by mobilizing the intellectual resources. The organization also promotes activities and programs with strong emphasis on involvement of youth so as to help build future leadership and to inspire a new generation to create positive social change.

Pune Shines at MusiQuest Piano Festival 2017

Pune November 2017: The sixth iteration of the national piano festival / competition MusiQuest concluded in Pune on November 18 and 19th, 2017. Presented in an informal and friendly workshop/ masterclass format with unrestricted repertoire choice,participants had a unique opportunity not only for public performance but to extend their musical learning experience by receiving instruction at the piano as well as written adjudications and participation certificates from an international panel of adjudicators.  The emphasis was on encouragement and positive feedback.

 All ages and musical levels performed within 4 main divisions : Preliminary (Beginner to Grade 2), Junior (Grades 3 to 5), Intermediate (Grades 6 to 8), Advanced (Diplomas).  The age range of participants was 4 to 64!

The international adjudication panel included internationally renowned teachers/pedagogues from the USA

• Mark Neiwirth (Advanced)
• Phyllis Alpert Lehrer (Intermediate)
• Timothy Brown (Junior)
• Pierce Emata (Preliminary)
• Katherine & Jeffrey Savage (Ensemble)
• Andrew Linn (Popular Music & Jazz & Composer in Residence)
• Fred Karpoff (Technique Expert in Residence)

 Additionally, the adjudicators gave private lessons and piano masterclasses during the festival.  Each of the adjudicators also presented workshops for participants and for the professional development of the participating teachers.

Post adjudications the adjudicators performed in a spell binding concert on November 18, 2017 and the prize winners’ announcement followed.  There was an aura of expectancy and suspense … followed by celebration and accomplishment!!  A majority of the prize winners were from Pune!!

The top grand prize being first prize in the Intermediate division (a ND21 piano and a scholarship to the International Institute of Young Musicians) went to 11 year old Trisham Bepari.

The 2nd prize in the Intermediate division went to 11 year old Candice Rocha.  She was also awarded a very special prize instituted from this edition of the festival THE MARY TICKNER PRIZE for the most musical performance at the Honors Concert.  This decision was a unanimous vote of all the adjudication panel.

The first prize in the Preliminary Division was awarded to 7 year old Srihita Gottipati.

The first prize in the Preliminary Mature Division was awarded to 11 year old Kaavya Singh.

A majority of the prizes were won by the students of the Academy of Music, Pune.  A press conference of all the prize winners can be arranged.

The festival culminated on November 19, 2017 with an Honours recital presenting the winners in performance and the awards ceremony

This is a unique festival fostering musical performance, learning and interaction among budding young talent across the country. MusiQuest 2017 is the sixth edition of this popularfestival.  The 2017 festival drew a response of 125 participants and 21 teachers from across the length and breadth of India.

Each of the divisions (Preliminary, Junior, Intermediate and Advanced) were awarded three attractive prizes packages including Cash, music Books etc.  Several international music publishers have supported the event with book prizes.  Additionally prizes were awarded for the original composition, Jazz/Popular categories as well as for ensemble (piano duets, two piano and concertos).

MusiQuest is a private non-profit festival and operates solely on the receipt of entry fees and program advertising and is further supported by The Academy of Music in Pune and the Framroz Foundation.

Symbiosis International University (SIU) and Pune International Centre (PIC) are jointly organising a memorial lecture

Greetings from Symbiosis International University

 

Symbiosis International University (SIU) and Pune International Centre (PIC) are jointly organising a memoriallecture, to remember Late Dr. Dileep Padgaonkar, PIC’s Trustee and Chairperson of the Programme Committee and the R.K. Laxman Chair Professor at the Symbiosis International University.

 

Well-known senior journalist and Consulting Editor, India Today Group, Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai will deliver a lecture, which will be held at the Symbiosis Vishwabhavan (auditorium), Senapati Bapat Road at 5 pm on 27 th November (Monday). 

 

Dr. Padgaonkar impacted many lives through his sharp wit and intellect, his acumen for understanding people and society, and his prolific work as a journalist and Editor of the Times Group.

 

Dr. RA Mashelkar, President, PIC, Office bearers of PIC and Symbiosis, friends and family of Dr. Padgaonkar will be present at thememorial lecture.

The programme will be chaired by Dr. S.B. Mujumdar, Founder and President of

Symbiosis Society.

 

Entry to the programme is FREE and OPEN to all.

GoAir launches the “12” fare promotion celebrating the 12th Anniversary

• Fares starting from Rs.312 to Rs. 2412 (offer is available for travel starting from 7 cities: New Delhi, Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.)
• How to book: www.goair.in
• Booking Period: November 24, 2017 – November 29, 2017
• Travel Period: December 1, 2017 – October 28, 2018
• Limited seats, offer available on first-come-first-served basis

Pune, November 24, 2017:  GoAir, one of India’s fastest growing airlines, today announced the launch of “The 12 Fares” promotion with tickets starting as low as Rs. 312 going to Rs. 2412 (plus taxes) on select sectors for the travel period from December 1, 2017 – October 28, 2018.

These tickets will be on-sale for purchase from November 24 (16:00 IST) and available until November 29, 2017 (23:59 IST), unless they sell out sooner.  “The 12 Fares” will be available on 54 routes from 7 cities: New Delhi, Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.

“The response for anniversary offer was encouraging which reiterates the customer’s faith in our services. We are delighted to witness load factor in excess of 97 per cent on average across the 12 new flights which commence today. This new offer is yet another innovative endeavor to ensure that we make air travel affordable for our customers. We are extremely proud of the legacy of service and performance that we have been come to be associated with over the past 12 years and will continue to work towards enhancing our customer experience.” said Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir.

Tickets for The 12 Fares promotion go on-sale from this afternoon and can be booked through the GoAir website (www.Goair.in),  GoAir Call Centre, GoAir Airport Ticketing Offices,GoAir App (available on Apple iOS and Google Android) or through your local travel agent. Passengers will be required to download the latest version of the App to be able to makethe bookings.

This offer is not valid on infant and group bookings and cannot be clubbed with any other on-going promotional offer. Fares are subjected to Standard Cancellation & Rebooking policy applies. Go Air reserves the right to cancel / modify / substitute / alter any aspect of this offer either partly or entirely, at its sole discretion without reason or prior notice. For other terms and conditions and limitations of liability applicable as per ‘Citizen’s Charter’ displayed on www.goair.in

About GoAir

Launched in November 2005, GoAir is the aviation foray of the Wadia Group and currently operates across 23 destinations with over 1544 weekly flights and approximately 2,000 plus connections weekly. The airline uses state-of-the-art Airbus A320 and A320neo aircraft fleet to maintain the highest standards of safety for its passengers.

GoAir is committed to providing travellers a value for money proposition through highest standards of customer service delivery and affordable air fares. The airline is committed to provide secure and efficient transportation at all times with attention to essential details whilst strengthening its position of ‘The Smart People’s Airline’.  With a wide array of services being made available to enhance the travel experience for economy and business travelers alike, GoAir ensures it lives up to its theme of ‘Fly Smart’. The airline flies to Ahmedabad, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Jaipur, Jammu, Kochi, Kolkata, Leh, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Port Blair, Pune, Ranchi, Srinagar and Hyderabad.

Vandana Shah announces the launch of DivorceKart

– India’s first app for legal queries around Divorce –

November 24, 2017 : Vandana Shah, an award winning Divorce Lawyer, Author and Columnist with her team today, amongst family and friends launched “Divorcekart”  – India’s first legal app that focuses on answering legal queries regarding divorce instantly. The App which is available free on both IOS and Android platform is going to serve as an online help platform for those couples who may feel that the marriage is over, and are unsure of their legal rights and process if and when they file the divorce. The app will only be a help platform to understand one’s legal rights and would not recommend or advise any person to end a marriage or continue with it.

The app was formally unveiled via a live demonstration with a real litigant who posed queries to Vandana as she took the litigant through the app. Present at the launch were also Actor Ranvir Shorey – who is battling a divorce himself; 4 times National Award winning filmmaker Aruna Raje Patil, who has gone through a divorce about 3 decades ago; Padamshri Recipient Dr. Deshpande- An Oncosurgeon and Ms. Rashmi Bansal who was the moderator of panel discussion for the evening.

Divorcekart, in English language to begin with will offer free immediate legal solutions, the app offers instant chat 24X7 and will guide the person who has downloaded the app about the court procedures. As the person goes through the app asking questions, the confidentiality stays intact with attorney client privilege being applicable and no third party gets to know about personal details of the person posting queries. The App hopes that with the advice and guidance being offered free to the litigants, it would play a role in minimizing the emotional and financial turbulence a litigant may be going through.

Post the launch Vandana Shah commented. “I am happy to have thought of this kind of an app and thankful that it has been launched today. This app was built keeping in mind thelitigant’s dilemma and pain and empathy I experienced in my journey through divorce as a litigant myself then as a counselor and finally a divorce lawyer. India is witnessing significant changes across its socio economic & cultural areas and while marriages continue, the emerging trend is to discontinue and end unhappy marriages as both women and men alike do no longer want to carry on a partnership which may not be mutually fulfilling.” Ms Shah also said, that as the stigma is receding around divorces, one can witness a steady increase in divorce cases being filed, now what happens post filing is a series of developments which are unexpected and leaves a litigant confused and helpless – at times such as this, she hopes that Divorcekart app would come handy and be able to offer wise and smart customized solutions.

Note on Divorces in India: Findings from the 2011 Census:

Consider the key findings from the 2011 Census:

* The urban divorce rate has increased substantially from 1 in 1000 marriages ten years ago to about a recent figure of 13 in 1000 marriages, so divorce has grown 13 times in India over a decade.

* States like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh have higher rates of divorce in rural areas, than in urban areas.

* Delhi, Bengal, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, UP, Assam, MP, J&K and Uttarakhand have higher urban rates of divorce than in rural areas.

* Interestingly, Gujarat’s divorce rate is greater than of Belarus, and Bihar’s closer to Georgia suggesting a “striking level of regional diversity.

Note on Vandana Shah: Renowned lawyer and columnist, Vandana has been practicing law for the last 5 years, and specializes in Divorce cases.  BBC has made a documentary, ‘Invisible Women of India, about her work. She is also the author of ‘Ex-Files-The Story of my divorce’ published by Penguin under the Shobhaa De imprint. Ex-Files is now part of theJudicial College syllabus. Vandana has been involved with the family court since 2001 in varying roles as a litigant then a counselor in running India’s first support group for those going through divorce and now a lawyer.

The “Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence” presented to Sister Lucy Vacachalil Kurien

Pune: Celebrating Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s 92nd birthday, the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust, in a splendid ceremony held the “Sri SathyaSai Award for Human Excellence” at Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli, Karnataka on 23rd November, 2017.Sister Lucy Vacachalil Kurien from Pune has been awarded “The Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence” in the “Unity of Religions” category. The award was conferred by the winners from last year and the jury members from the respective category. Eight other inspiring women from various parts of the world have also been bestowed this award for their contributions in different fields.

Sister Lucy Kurien established ‘Maher’ in 1997 which translates to ‘my mother’s home’ in Marathi, an institution in Pune, Maharashtra that works with destitute women, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. The centre has a range of services that range from awareness programmes to creches,Balwadis (kindergartens), tutorials, workshops, and self-help groups that help these women lead independent and dignified lives. Over the course of 15 years, Maher has helped more than 15,000 women and children achieve a life of normalcy and currently houses over 860 street children and more than 320 destitute women.

TAFE Chairman & CEO, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, speaking on behalf of the awards’ organizing committee said, “These exemplary women are powerful beacons of hope for the world and for all women. Inspirational, worthy of emulation, symbols of courage, conviction and sacrifice, they have set thebench mark for excellence and have gone beyond; transforming societies, enriching the world and bringing hope, joy and succor to millions through their tireless and passionate effort. Each one of them, in her unique innovative way, has made a lasting impact on human values and built a model of change that is globally relevant, living up to the ideal that each one of us, through our creativity, compassion, love and endeavor can make a difference towards a better world for all”.

The awardees are individuals who have led a life of service and sacrifice fostering mankind in various fields of social relevance towards the goal of transforming lives. The Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence recognized people in seven categories: Education, Environment, Health, Music & Fine Arts, Unity of Religions, Woman & Child Welfare and Sports. An eminent jury comprising members representing the award categories, carefully analyzed and evaluated the nominations.

Other individuals recognized for their outstanding work include:

§  Dr.Sakena Yacoobi from Afghanistan in the category, Education.

§  Ms. Lorna Rutto from Kenya in the category, Environment.

§  Dr. M. Sarada Menon from India in the category, Health.

§  Prof.Prema Pandurang from India in the category, Music & Fine Arts.

§  Ms.Leymah Roberta Gbowee from Liberia in the category, Unity of Religions.

§  Ms.Kousalya Periasamy from India in the category, Woman & Child Welfare.

§  Ms.Anuradha Koirala from Nepal in the category, Woman & Child Welfare.

§  Ms.Meenakshi Raghavan from India in the category, Sports.

About the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust:

The Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust (SSSLST), setup under the aegis of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, is a front-runner in providing free value-based educationto all. The first educational institute based on the teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was started by Sri Madiyal Narayan Bhat, who established the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva High School at Alike, his birthplace and a remote village in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, way back in 1961. Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institutions at Alike and Muddenahalli were later established in the year 1963 and 1973 respectively, by visionary Sri Madiyal Narayan Bhat under the divine guidance of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

The educational institutions run by the SSSLST aim to impart sound liberal education on modern lines, blending it with the noble values of Indian heritage in an atmosphere of devotion, discipline, love, and mutual cooperation. These institutions are contributing immensely to the cause of nation building by creating strong individuals with brilliant intellect, compassionate heart and competent hands. A group of 21 schools and colleges, functioning across eight districts in Karnataka, have been dedicatedly imparting quality education to over 3500 boys and 1500 girls, without any fee.

The Trust has also been striving hard to improve the living conditions of people in the surrounding areas by providing material amenities and spiritual inspiration. It has been providing free medical care to the needy by conducting regular healthcare camps and establishing institutes of specialty healthcare. The Sri Sathya Sai Health & Education Trust began the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh in November 2012 to provide quality paediatric cardiac care to all, free of cost.