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RCI awards Gold Crowns to 12 Club Mahindra Resorts

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Uncategorized

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd has received several coveted distinctions further endorsing its commitment towards its members.

RCI has awarded 12 Club Mahindra Resorts the prestigious RCI Gold Crowns & also awarded Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd the prestigious ‘President’s Club’ award.

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd’s resort at Coorg was listed as No.1 in the ‘Top 25 Hotels for Families in India’ and as No.2 in the ‘Top 25 Hotels for Families in Asia’ by Trip Advisor as part of the ‘Travellers’ Choice Awards 2012′. In addition, its resort at Coorg was also included in the ‘Top 25 All Inclusive Resorts in Asia’.

Club Mahindra was voted as the ‘Product of the Year 2012’ in the ‘Holidays and Hospitality’ category by ‘Product of the Year India’ based on a consumer survey across 30,000 respondents.

Shares of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd last traded in BSE at Rs.262.30, down by Rs.1.65 or 0.63%. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs.266 and low of Rs.259.

The total traded quantity was 1145 compared to 2 week average of 3597.

source: http://www.equitybulls.com / Home> Stock Report / April 06th, 2013

Shell Advance Freedom Riders Asia sees Charley Boorman on a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 in India

Sports

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Shell Advance Freedom Riders Asia sees Charley Boorman on a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 in India. Charley Boorman toured India on a Royal Enfield travelling through Coorg, Ooty and Munnar.

Shell Advance along with Star Sports will be airing a bike series known as Freedom Riders Asia which will be hosted by avid bike enthusiast Charley Boorman. This six- part series will see Charley Boorman explore biking cultures in six Asian countries namely: India, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Through these series Shell will showcase how their range of motor oils for two stroke and four stroke vehicles are beneficial in maintaining bikes. The series will also aim to connect riders from these countries and enhance the passion showcased by those taking part in adventure activities. Through these series Charley will not only delve into the biking culture of a respective country but will also take time to engage with the local population and enjoy the culture.

Charley Boorman toured India on a Royal Enfield travelling through Coorg, Ooty and Munnar. He was kept company by avid bike enthusiast Sundeep Gajjar (aka MotoGrapher). Sundeep Gajjar rode a Ducati Multistrada, and Charley took the Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 350 for a ride.The road trip ended at Kochi where he was joined for a press conference Gul Panag and Mr. Kar Tai Koh, the global brand manager of Shell Advance. Freedom Riders Asia will be broadcast on leading sports channel STAR Sports and will be promoted across FOX internationals channels in Asia like Nat Geo, FOX and FX.

Shell Lubricants India Managing Direction Nitin Prasad said: “Freedom Riders Asia is all about celebrating and connecting bikers around Asia, while offering an entertaining travel and adventure experience to a wider audience. Importantly, through Charley, it is also a further expression of what Shell Advancestands for – enabling bikers to enjoy every ride and experience freedom through effortless mobility on the road.”

Simeon Dawes, Senior Vice President of Fox One Stop Media said, “Freedom Riders Asia is being developed specifically for the Asian audience as Asia has a growing population of adventure and travel enthusiasts. We are confident that audiences will appreciate and enjoy the places and activities that Charley will visit and experience, especially due to the local colours and flavours showcased.” “We are delighted that Shell Advance has collaborated closely with usto produce this programme with an innovative show concept aimed at further engaging with the audiences on a deeper level.”

Charley Boorman, host of Freedom Riders Asia said, “Bikes have always been my passion, and I’ve always loved Asia and its diversity. What’s fantastic about Freedom Riders Asia is that the programme is enabling these passions to collide and I’m really looking forward to embarking on the bike trip of a lifetime”. “I’m going to be meeting great local biker groups who will teach me a thing or two about riding in their part of the world and I cannot to wait to get over to Asia to feel the sun on my face, and feeling of freedom on the back of a motorbike!”

Talking about his India experience in the conference, Mr Charley Boorman said “It was an experience of a lifetime to ride through the scenic Coorg –Munnar route, which undoubtedly is an ultimate riding wonder. I also had a great time experiencing the local biking culture, chatting to the local people, learning about different traditions and performing some very interesting challenges. All in all, a great experience and I would love to come back to India.”

Mr. Kar Tai Koh, Global Brand Manager of Shell Advance said, “Freedom Riders Asia as a programme celebrates the spirit of biking across Asia, while at the same time, offers an entertaining travel and adventure experience. Through Charley, it is also a further expression of what Shell Advance stands for – enabling bikers to enjoy every ride and experience freedom through effortless mobility on the road. We chose Charley to represent the programme as we believe he is one of the most suited people around, being a true biker at heart and a familiar face that bikers in this part of the world can resonate with.”

Gul Panag, the much celebrated Indian actor who accompanied Charley for the Press Conference and co-hosted the Indian chapter of the show with him, too was happy with the show. She has been an avid bike enthusiast and had earlier made news during her marriage as her groom’s procession came on bikes. She said, “It is a wonderful format and the entire show is a complete package of adventure and thrill. Being a biker myself and understanding the biking community at large, I am really hopeful that the show would instantly establish connect with the audience. Charley has been a fantastic host and a true biker.”

source: http://www.rushlane.com / Rush Lane Daily News / Home> Shell Advance.. / by Nabanita Singha Roy / April 06th, 2013

Good to have the tie in B’lore: Bopanna

Sports

Two people the Bangalore crowd would have loved to see in action in the ongoing Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group I play-off tie against Indonesia were in the stands on Friday – Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.

Not picked by the All India Tennis Federation, the duo, however, chose to cheer Somdev Devvarman and Co from the stands.

“Just to have Davis Cup here after 28 years is special for the State,” Bopanna told reporters. “It does a lot for tennis here. You know, it’s good that we have such a big event here. I’m happy that I was in town, and could watch the boys play.”

“If you are part of the Davis Cup for the last 10 years, you’re going to miss being part of the team. Sure to say, I would have loved to play this one. I met the entire team just now, but I met Som(dev) and Sanam (Singh) earlier in the week. We had a round of golf.”

Two days ago, Bopanna decided to renew his partnership with Bhupathi for the season ahead, choosing to call off the three-month association with Rajeev Ram. “The thought came up suddenly. Till the Miami Masters I was with Rajeev. Since Rajeev’s ranking is 48, and cut off at Monte Carlo is 49 (combined ranking), there’s no way we could get in. I had to either find a different partner for every week in Masters’ events and play with Rajeev only in the Grand Slams.

“It so happened that (Daniel) Nestor was playing with Robert (Lindstedt) and Mahesh was looking for a partner. We had done well last year, so it was easy to make the choice. We plan to play the entire season,” added Bopanna.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> Sports / DHNS, Bangalore / April 06th, 2013

RB and HP in ‘Premaya Namaha’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg

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Two sweet looking heroines Ramya Barna and Harshika Poonacha have been finalized for ‘Premaya Namaha’. In addition to it the new hero Fayaz Khan son of former minister of Karnataka Jamir Ahmed a strong Janata Dal Secular politician a right hand of former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is making debut.

Fayaz Khan has taken training from Anupam Kher School of acting in Mumbai and gearing up for a love story film. Bhuvan is another hero of the film.

Meanwhile Producer Niyaaz Khan who announced ‘Enidu Manasali’ in the last year coming from Mumbai is introducing Ankith as music director and Harish Nayak is the cameraman.

A politician son becoming hero is not for the first time in Kannada cinema. Kumar Bangarappa, Madhu Bangarappa, Ajay Gundu Rao, Rakesh son of Siddaramaiah are some of the examples already in the pages of history of Kannada cinema.

Jamir Ahmed former minister in JDS ruled Karnataka state son Fayaz Khan is new addition.

source: http://www.indiaglitz.com / Home / Saturday, April 06th, 2013

We learned from our mistakes: Ashwini Ponnappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

Ashwini Ponnappa talks about her partners and the invaluable international exposure in recent times.
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Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta formed the second half of India’s formidable women’s doubles’ pair. Now that the two have gone separate ways, it’s important for Ashwini to play the role that Jwala did when they were together. Before combining in the Olympics last year for the final time, the twosome had won the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold and 2011 World Championships bronze.

Ashwini said, “I would not like to talk about it (split) much as we are not playing together anymore. We have spoken with each other and that’s what really matters. The last three years with Jwala have been wonderful. I’ve learnt a lot from her, I’m thankful for that.”

The 23-year-old soft-spoken Ashwini is settling down with new partners, Pradnya Gadre in women’s doubles and Tarun Kona in mixed. “Pradnya and I have not played a lot together. She does not have Jwala’s experience but she will definitely get there. We combine very well — she at the net, me at the back. I’ve a bit more experience than Pradnya. We are just about a year apart in age. I enjoy the partnership with her,” she said.

Ashwini and Kona came together in June 2012. Though the results in international tournaments have not been spectacular, Ashwini feels the exposure was invaluable. Ashwini and Kona benefited most from being part of the Asian All-Star team that made the semifinals of the Axiata Cup, the richest team championship event with a prize money of $1million. The semifinals and final will be played in Kuala Lumpur on April 13-14. The prelims were held from March 21 to 31 in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Ashwini said, “Tarun and I were selected as mixed-doubles pair for the Asian All-Star team. It has been a really good experience. To be part of a team with top-class players in the form of Chinese Bao Chunlai and Zheng Bo, Korean Lee Huin, Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tsu Ying and Hong Kong’s Yip Yui Yin was a different experience. We got to interact with them. Otherwise, normally in tournaments, you do not get to interact with them. They supported us really well.”

Ashwini believed the experience playing against players from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Europe and Philippines could only take her partnership with Kona forward. “It is a great opportunity to get more matches. We can get better at mixed doubles. We got to play top doubles’ pairs. We learned from our mistakes and got better in the subsequent games.”

Ashwini and Gadre lost in the qualifying rounds of the women’s doubles in last month’s All England Championships. In the mixed doubles, the Ashwini-Kona duo exited in the first round. “All England was not too great. I had an elbow problem,” Ashwini said. After the Axiata Cup semifinals and finals, Ashwini will head to Chinese Taipei for the Badminton Asia Championships (April 16-21) and then to New Delhi for the Yonex Sunrise India Open (April 23-28).

“Getting to the quarterfinals and semifinals and doing better than that in these tournaments would be the aim. I want to take each tournament as it comes. The CWG in 2014 is also something we are looking forward to,” she added.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Sport> Interview / Place:Mumbai, Agency:DNA / by G. Krishnan / Friday, April 05th, 2013

@GKspts

Veterans feted on Gen. Tim’s birth anniversary

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Leaders

Air Cmdr. O.P. Tiwari, Air Officer Commanding, No. 2 Air Force Selection Board, Mysore, is seen unveiling the portraits of Gen. K.S. Thimaya and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa on the occasion of Gen. Thimaya’s 107th birth anniversary today, at the Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya Bhavan (which houses the office of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Department) behind DC office in city.

The function was held under the aegis of Air Force Friends Association, Mysore (AFFAM).

Picture right shows widows of war veterans and senior-most military veterans being felicitated (sitting, from left): Muktha Bai, 94-year-old widow of Govardhan Rao, World War II veteran; K.M. Thangamma, widow of Kodandera K. Machaiah, World War II veteran from Coorg Regiment; Bacharaniyanda Subbaiah, senior Sailor from the Indian Navy and Flying Officer Guruvappa from Napoklu, Kodagu; with (standing, from left) Shakunthala Subramani, AFFAM President M.N. Subramani, Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy, Air. Cmdr. O.P. Tiwari and Lt. Col. K.S. Iyappa, SM, Commanding Officer, 1 (KAR), Engineering Coy, Mysore.
Picture right shows widows of war veterans and senior-most military veterans being felicitated (sitting, from left): Muktha Bai, 94-year-old widow of Govardhan Rao, World War II veteran; K.M. Thangamma, widow of Kodandera K. Machaiah, World War II veteran from Coorg Regiment; Bacharaniyanda Subbaiah, senior Sailor from the Indian Navy and Flying Officer Guruvappa from Napoklu, Kodagu; with (standing, from left) Shakunthala Subramani, AFFAM President M.N. Subramani, Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy, Air. Cmdr. O.P. Tiwari and Lt. Col. K.S. Iyappa, SM, Commanding Officer, 1 (KAR), Engineering Coy, Mysore.

source: http://www.StarOfMysore.com / Home> General News / March 31st, 2013

Starbucks opens sixth store in Mumbai

Coffee News

There are now a total of five stores in Delhi and six in Mumbai

Coffee house major Starbucks, which has a joint venture with the Tata Group in India, has launched its sixth store in Mumbai at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, taking its tally to 11 stores so far.

As things stand now, there are a total of five stores in Delhi and six in Mumbai, with plans afoot to ramp up this number.

Avani Davda, CEO, Tata Starbucks, says the idea of launching stores at airports, its third so far, is to provide convenient locations to consumers. “We have received an overwhelming response to our two stores at New Delhi’s IGI Airport. We hope to continue to cater to the travel channels in the country and extend our experience,” she said.

The 18,000-outlet-strong Starbucks, which operates in 60 countries, has opted to price a cup of coffee in India between Rs 80 and Rs 200, while the food, an assortment of which is on offer at its stores, is also priced in a similar bracket.

After signing a coffee roasting and sourcing deal in January 2011 with Tata Coffee, Stabucks got into a JV with Tata Global Beverages, parent of Tata Coffee, a year later, launching its first store by October 2012. Since then it has moved quickly, launching stores in Mumbai and Delhi respectively. The JV is expected to step into other cities in the near future in its drive to expand its footprint.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News> News / by Viveat Susan Pinto / Mumbai / April 03rd, 2013

Honey is not ‘sweet’ for farmers

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature

Kodagu, which was once famous for honey, now produces just a few tonnes from what it used to produce annually nearly two decades ago. However, the apiculturists are facing several problems in the district.

There is ample opportunity for beekeeping in Bhagamandala. A few farmers are engaged in apiculture. However, in the recent years, farmers from Kerala keep the beehives in the coffee estates and collect honey and take it to their hometown for sale. This has become a headache from the local farmers.

Apiculture was taken on a large scale in Bhagamandala during 1990. The farmers started rearing malliferous bee brought from Kerala. The drastic decline in the production of honey was due to sacbrood disease affecting the honeybees.

Now, apiculture has started reviving in the district. Farmers from Kerala have started keeping beehives in the coffee plantations after taking permission from the owners. A few plantations have 100 to 150 beehives.

In Kerala, honey is produced only from rubber tree flowers. As there was no great demand for such honey, natural flowers are available in plenty in Bhagamandala region. Hence, growers from Kerala have started keeping their beehives in Kodagu.
A honeybee starts the honey making process by visiting a flower and gathering some of its nectar.

In the process of gathering nectar, the insect transfers pollen grains from one flower to another and pollinates the flower.

There is a great demand for ‘Coorg honey.’ The beehives from Kerala is kept in the plantations at Cherangala, Thannimani, Thavoor and others areas. In the past, the apiculturists were getting 25 kg honey from one beehive. However, now its has been reduced to three kg, said apiculturist.

At a time when apiculturists in Kodagu are getting ready to revive apiculture by availing loan from the banks and financial assistance from the government, honeybees and beehives from Kerala entering the district has become a headache. Gram panchayats should initiate suitable measures in this regard, said the farmers.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Napoklu, DH News Service / April 04th, 2013

‘Agri budget aimed at attracting youth to farming’

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

somwarpetKF04apr2013With more number of farmers drifting away from agriculture due to the lack of basic facilities, the government has presented a separate agriculture budget to retain farmers in the farming sector, said District-in-Charge Minister Appachu Ranjan.

He was delivering presidential address at Krishi Utsav jointly organised by Krishi Utsava Management Committee, Taluk Panchayat, Pragathi Bandhu SHG, at Balagunda village near Somwarpet on Monday. He gave a call to the farmers to have knowledge of various government schemes that are exclusively designed for the welfare of farmers. The new generation youth lack interest in farming and are turning their faces towards the urban life. But the situation will change and the same youth will return to villages to take up agriculture, Appachu Ranjan hoped.

He said “the small farmers should cultivate crops that are suitable for the local climate. The crops should be grown and supplied based on the public demand.”

Inaugurating the Krishi Utsav, national award winning progressive farmer Nirmala Prakash expressed concern over the increased use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture.

Understanding the impact of these harmful chemicals, the farmers should come forward to adopt organic farming, she said.

Zilla Panchayat President B Shivappa, Taluk Panchayat President G B Somaiah, Sri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Project Director Radhakrishna Rao and others were present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Somwarpet, DHNS / March 18th, 2013

‘38 GPs in Kodagu yet to win Nirmal Gram Puraskar’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

60 GPs in the district have won the award.

Zilla Panchayat CEO K B Anjanappa has said that measures will be taken to ensure that 38 gram panchayats will win Nirmal Gram Puraskar in the future.

Speaking at a workshop organised by the Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, he said as many as 60 gram panchayats have won the award.

Measures will be taken to construct individual toilets in households, schools and anganwadi centres in the remaining 38 gram panchayats. Under Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, a sum of Rs 4,700 will be given for the construction of individual toilet and a sum of Rs 4,500 will be given under MGNREGA.

A sum of Rs seven lakh to Rs 20 lakh will be given for scientific disposal of wastes in gram panchayats.

ZP Chief Project Officer Srinivas Rao said that additional funds are being released to those GPs which have won Nirmal Gram Puraskar. Door number for newly constructed house should be given only after confirming the fact that the house has a toilet.

Gram panchayats that have not won Nirmal Gram Puraskar are Chembu, Karike, Napoklu, Nariyandafa, Perake, Sampake, Aigooru, Alooru Siddapura, Besuru, Chettadalli, Chowdlu, Ganagooru, Handli, Hebbale, Nakooru Shirangala, Nidtha, Tholooru Shettalli, Shanthalli, Koodumangalore, Valnooru Thyagathur, Chembebellur, B Shettigeri, Hathooru, Halugunda, Hudikeri, Balyamandooru, Birunani, T Shettigeri.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Madikeri, DH News Service / March 17th, 2013