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Unique times Magazine is powrered as indian online magazine, online magazine india, online portal india, online fashion magazines and we has an objective provide a launch pad to aspiring stylists and designers. We don’t restrict ourselves to designer wears or accessories; we also deal with everything about living in style. Who said style is permanent and fashion is temporary, Unique Times is out to prove them wrong.
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Managing Editor
Ajit Ravi
Editor
Jebitha Ajit
Associate Editor
Bejoy George
Legal Advisor
Adv. Sreelatha Parameswaran
Correspondents
Dr. Thomas NechupadamTressa VargheseDenisha SahadevanSheela AbrahamSreerekha R. Nair
Creative Design
Ashique KGilsha Bindosh
Marketing
Pramod
PhotographerJinish, Photogenic
Our Patron: Mr. V.P. Nandakumar
Printed and Published byAjit Ravi
PegasusL5-106Changampuzha NagarKalamasserry, Kochi-33
Printed at
S T ReddiarP.B. No: 3627Veekshanam Road, Cochin
Contact
Ph: 0484 3242220, 3292223, 3046432Mob: +91 98460 50283, 94470 [email protected]
Cover Photograph:
Ravi Menon
RNI Reg. No: KERENG/2011/42633
T I M E ST I M E ST I M E S
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Our PatronMr. V.P. Nandakumar
12 The Micro- Entrepreneurship route to financial inclusion
V.P. NandakumarMD & CEO, Manappuram Finance Ltd.
16A Lot of business over a cup of coffee
18
C o n t e n t
24
Manappuram Miss South IndiaCurtain Raiser
Interview withRavi Menon
08Unique Diary
32 Travel
38Auto Focus
30 40
C o n t e n t
Gadgets
44
Books
Interview withDr. Madhulika Guhathakurta
50
MovieReview
52Ask thesmile expert
62
C o n t e n t
56
What'sGoing On
60
LifeManagement
Interview with
Aishwarya Devan
The Calendars are being changed; new diaries are organizers are in front of us waiting to be
opened. New Year Resolutions are being decided on. Every New Year brings with it a lot of hope
and excitement. Hope that the New Year will also bring great success to you.
There is small anecdote which the character played by Christopher Walken says in the film Catch
me if you can. “Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and
drowned. The second mouse, wouldn't quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that
cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.” A story
that tells us about the hard work we have to do before we attain success.
Miss South India, one of the best beauty pageants in India will be held at Lulu Convention Centre,
on the 9th of January 2013. Unique Times will cover this elegant show in a comprehensive manner.
Tune to our online edition for instant updates.
This edition we have an interview with Mr. Ravi Menon, Chairman of Sobha Group. In the interview
Ravi speaks in detail about his company. We also have an interview with Dr. Madhulika
Guhathakurta who is an astrophysicist at NASA as well as the Lead Program Scientist for NASA’s
initiative called “Living with a Star” (LWS).
Also we have our regular articles; V P Nandakumar writes about the micro-entrepreneurship route
to financial inclusion. Sree Rekha writes about Aurangabad in her travelogue. We also have an
interview with Aishwarya Devan, a leading actress in South Indian films
Cruise well through the New Year and enjoy your reading.
Ajit Ravi
Editorial
Unique Diary
08 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Polar Bears Extinctionhough for a millennium, white polar bears have roamed the frozen lands T of the Arctic, according to two Russian experts, Nikita Ovsyanikov and
Masha Vorontsova, the “monarch of the ice” could be extinct in 25 years time
due to human incursions into their traditional habitat. Their present
population is 20,000-25,000 globally. Both of the scientists feel that hunting
and the trade in body parts are the most serious threat facing in the polar
bear. The polar bear has been hunted by the indigenous Arctic people
including the Inuit and Eskimos in Alaska and Canada and Yupiks, Nenets,
Chukchis and Pomors in Russia. “A high percentage of cubs are lost. Females
can’t breed. Individuals become famished. Also, there is pollution, oil drilling
and increased susceptibility to diseases,” said Ovsyanikov. “What is needed is
more lobbying for the endangered animals,” he added.
Apple v/s Samsungpple Inc’s request for a permanent injunction against Samsung Electronics’ A smart phones has been denied. Apple and Samsungs struggle for industry
supremacy as they have been involved in the patents dispute. In August it was
found that Samsung had copied some of the critical features of the iPhone and iPad
upon which Apple had been awarded $1.05 billion in damages. For most of the year,
Apple had been successful in its U.S. litigation campaign against Samsung by
convincing U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California to impose sales bans
against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus. In October, a federal appeals
court reversed the ban against the Nexus phone, ruling that Apple had not
presented enough evidence that its patented features drove consumer demand for
the entire iPhone.
V/S
Nokia�s Lumia Sell Outes, you might have seen Nokia’s Lumia Smartphones being sold out in many Y stores across Europe and America, however it’s just too soon to lay a bet that
Nokia is on the road to recovery just yet, as the retailers are saying that supplies
have been short ever since the lunch of the Lumia. The positive online reviews of
waiting lists for the 920, as well as Nokia’s sales deal with China Mobile, have helped
Nokia shares rise over 40 percent in the past month. The Lumia 920 and 820 which
was launched just last month was a “make or break” deal for Nokia, who used to be
an undisputed leader in the mobile phones industry. However analysts are saying
that there is no proof that Lumia phones are making significant inroads on market
leaders Samsung and Apple or that CEO Stephen Elop’s risk strategy of betting the
company’s future on Windows software was paying off.
Chocolates&
09January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
Women id you know that warning women that eating chocolate can make them fat D may actually drive some to eat more? The joint study of the University of
Western Australia with the University of Strathclyde in Scotland found that low
restraint eaters meaning those that are not on a diet showed to have a strong
impulse to eat chocolate when presented with negative messaging, including
warnings that chocolate could lead to obesity, reported News.com.au. This is so
because those not on a diet are less preoccupied with regulating their food intake.
Researchers found that the dieters shown the ads featuring thin models prompted
an increased desire to eat chocolate coupled with greater feelings of wanting to
avoid consumption, or indulged in higher consumption and ultimately felt more
guilt. This reaction of a warning having a contrary effect is known as “reactance,”
according to lead author Professor Kevin Durkin.
Tattoos Used for Identificationccording to a provincial minister the terrorist groups A in Pakistan have been using tattoos like skulls and
horns in order to identify themselves. “One of the terrorists
killed recently also had a tattoo on his back,“ said
Information Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Mian Iftikhar. Due to the timely action of security forces, a
number of terror plots, including a plan to take over an air
base, were foiled, Geo TV quoted the minister.” The
terrorists are neither Muslims nor Pakistanis, and they do
not deserve to be called humans,” he said. He told
reporters in Peshawar that “U.S., Pakistan and Afghanistan
Queen Elizabeth II ueen Elizabeth II, scripted history when she attended a Q cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, becoming the first
British monarch since George III in 1781. George I ceased to chair
cabinet in 1717. According to BBC’s report the Queen’s father, King
George VI had attended war cabinet during the Second World War.
Prime Minister David Cameron greeted the 86 year old Queen at
the door of Number 10. Once inside, the Queen was introduced to
each of the government’s senior ministers who presented her with a
gift to mark her Diamond Jubilee after 60 years on the throne. After
the Queen and the cabinet had taken their seats, Cameron formally
welcomed her to the meeting and outlined the agenda. The
meeting started off with Chief hip Sir George Young talking about
the change to royal accession rules, to allow a first born girl to
become head of state even if she has a younger brother.
Unique Diary
10 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Man�sEscape fromNAGGING
Wife
36 year old restaurant owner with the surname Bai, came up with an A idea which was sure to get him arrested and taken to a nice, quiet
prison, reported The Star. Bai went to a supermarket in Taichung city, Taiwan
where he clearly stated his plans. He shouted “I am here to rob. Call the
police!” he shouted, according to the newspaper. The Man kept yelling and
pleading with the workers to call the police. The so called “robber” then
bought a pack of cigarettes and went outside. When the police arrive they
found him waiting for them in front of the store while having a smoke.
Unfortunately for Bai, his plan failed. The police released him once they
realized his intention was not to commit a crime that he only wanted to
escape his nagging wife.
Naseer HussainBlasts India after Loss
fter India’s 2-1 series loss to England in the fourt-match series former A England captain feels that India paid the price of thinking that preparing
turning tracks could be enough to beat England in the just-concluded Test series
as the visitors had better tweakers to exploit the dustbowls. According to Hussain
“the tourists were fitter, both physically and mentally, and hungrier for Test cricket.
India would not have been able to take four wickets late in a day, after two
sessions without a wicket, as England did. India went one up and just thought they
could prepare a turning pitch and England would crumble. They showed too much
bravado. And England made them pay very heavily indeed for that.”
Messi, Puyol & HernandezStay On arcelona has announced on their official website that they B have reached an agreement with Hernandez Xavi, Carles
Puyol on a contract extension until the summer of 2016, while Lionel
Messi will stay with the club until 2018. Puyol’s previous deal was
due to expire at the end of the 2012-13 campaign, but now it seems
that the 34 year old defender will remain for three more additional
seasons. Xavi, midfielder originally had a contract with Barcelona
until the summer of 2014, and now has reached an agreement for
two more seasons. Messi who was initially under a contract with the
camp Nou side until 2016, however after his impressive
performances in 2012, Barcelona offered him a new deal till 2018.
The Argentinean player scored his 89th and 90th goals of the
calendar year in a 4-1 rout of Altetico Madrid to extend his world
record haul and cement his status as the world’s top player.
11January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
All Futures forBritain Imaginable
ritain’s Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted for the fist time B that he can indeed imagine Britain quitting the European Union
(EU), The Sun reported. Cameron talked of how the prospect of Britain
pulling out of the EU after MP’s grilled him about last week’s Brussels
summit. When asked if he could envisage Britain leaving the EU,
Cameron said “all futures for Britain were imaginable. We are in charge of
our own destiny, we can make our own choices.” Cameron, however
stressed withdrawal was not his “preference”. He wanted Britain to stay in
the EU and to renegotiate relations with the EU (based in Belgium) to
seize back key powers.
Two ProbesCommanded to Crash
pair of the NASA moon mapping probes smashed themselves A into a lunar mountain on Monday, ending a year long mission
that is shedding light on how the solar system formed. The Gravity
Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft had been flying
around the moon, enabling scientists to make detailed gravity maps.
Out of fuel as it edged closer to the lunar surface, the probes were
commanded to smash themselves into a mountain near the moon’s
north pole, avoiding a chance encounter with any Apollo or other relics
left on the surface during previous expeditions. On December 6, the
probes nicknamed Ebb and Flow, had flown down to about 7 miles in
order make one last detailed map of the moon’s youngest crater.
Sachin Tendulkarachin Tendulkar, without question the world’s best batsman S announced his retirement from One-day Internationals. The
batsman from Mumbai ends his career with 49 hundreds, 18,426 runs, 463
appearances, and 96 half-centuries and a world cup win to add to his
glory. Sachin will turn 40 in April, exited the 50-over-format rather quietly.
The Board of Cricket Control in India’s website announced that Sachin had
his decision to the board’s president. The announcement of his
retirement was surprising for his fans. Earlier media reported that Sachin
had made himself available for selection for the upcoming games against
Pakistan.
12 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
V.P. NandakumarMD & CEO, Manappuram Finance Ltd. Finance
ne of the surest ways to
O promote the objectives of
financial inclusion and inclusive
growth is to kick start micro enterprises
and empower our micro-entrepreneurs
who struggle against great odds. How can
this be done? Let me talk from my
experience with the gold loan customers
of Manappuram Finance who increasingly
happen to be small shop owners, traders,
the self employed etc. These are the
people who belong to the class of what
may be called micro-entrepreneurs.
We are familiar with typical micro
enterprises like small shops and retail
establishments, push-cart vendors,
grocery stores, service and repair outlets
etc. In fact, micro enterprises contribute
directly to society by improving the quality
of our lives (e.g. we get to buy fresh
vegetables at our doorstep). Moreover, by
standing on their own feet, they are not
dependent on the government, and don’t
strain the social welfare budget.
People come into micro entrepreneurship
by inheritance, by emulating the examples
of others around them, or because of a
sheer lack of alternatives. The process of
starting a micro enterprise is always
informal and it can even be a spur-of-the-
moment decision. Micro enterprises
cannot get started when complexities are
imposed, like preparing project reports, or
compliance with many statutory
requirements etc.
Therefore, for micro-entrepreneurship to
take off and thrive, it is essential that entry
barriers be lowered. When the entry
barriers are high, people low on skills and
education are easily deterred. Indeed, the
only requirements that may reasonably be
expected of a micro-entrepreneur are
access to some capital, some contacts,
some idea about the business, and a
measure of confidence.
The other important point is that the
major investment of the micro
entrepreneur is not capital but time.
Therefore, the make or break factor is not
ROCE (return on capital employed) but
what may be termed ROTE (return on time
employed). This is a crucial distinction that
must be made before any meaningful
discussion on financial inclusion. Too
often, with our focus on ROCE, we assume
that the cost of capital is the significant
TheMicro-Entrepreneurship route to financial inclusion
13January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
constraint faced by micro enterprises and
that a solution to their woes lies in reducing
the cost of capital. This is a fallacy.
A vegetable vendor borrows Rs.500 in the
morning to buy vegetables for the amount.
A day’s hard work nets him a profit of
Rs.250, i.e. 50% returns in a day. Work out
the return over a period of one year (with
300 working days) and it’s a staggering
15,000%. No MNC, not even monopoly
businesses, earn these kinds of returns.
Indeed, a financial analyst looking at these
numbers would say this is a great business
to be in, but we know better than to go by
these (misleading) numbers. Look at the
return on his time instead. If he works for
ten hours a day, it turns out his fabulous
return of 15,000% p.a. is worth exactly Rs.25
for every hour of effort. In such a scenario, if
he pays an interest of Rs.50 every day on
the amount borrowed, the rate would be
calculated as 10% per day, or 3,000%
annualised! Is that a crippling burden?
When you consider that it still leaves him
with Rs.200 in his hands, enough to take
care of his family, maybe not.
In a micro enterprise, the capital required to
get going is always modest. At the same
time, since those who take to micro-
entrepreneurship are usually quite poor,
they may not have even this modest
amount with them. That’s why one of the
biggest entry barriers to micro-
entrepreneurship is access to capital. But,
it’s not the cost of capital, measured by its
annualised rate of interest, that matters,
rather its timely availability. Every day lost is
earnings for the day lost. The promise of
cheap loans entangled in bureaucratic
procedure is no help. Indeed, it can even kill
the enterprise. It follows that if access to
small loans can be eased, you are
automatically promoting micro-
entrepreneurship.
Until fairly recently, it seemed that
microfinance was the ideal way to fill this
gap. However, recent developments have
belied the promise. Is there anything else
that would work? Consider this. On Nov.30,
2012, the Economic Times carried a front-
page article with the title “Entrepreneurs
Bond with Yellow Metal”. It featured the
story of Aneesha Binu, a woman
entrepreneur in Idukki District (Kerala) who
runs a beauty parlour. Aneesha had set up
her business with money obtained by
pledging her jewellery. Aneesha,
incidentally, is a customer of Manappuram’s
Rajakumari Branch, and we have come
across thousands of examples like hers.
We are familiar with how mobile telephones
made things easier for small businesses and
services. Earlier, the cost of renting a shop
or office space, and waiting for the
telephone connection to materialise was a
huge stumbling block to the common man
who wanted to start off on his own. Now,
with a mobile phone, anyone can operate
from home and be in business overnight.
Likewise, many have dreams of starting
something on their own but arranging for
adequate working capital is a hurdle. With
access to hassle-free gold loans, they can
get started immediately, without having to
go chasing after a bank.
Gold loans promote micro
entrepreneurship. In a country with low
levels of financial literacy, micro-
entrepreneurs require access to small loans
that are readily available without elaborate
paperwork and procedure. A gold loan is
ideal for this purpose. Aneesha’s example
proves that gold loans lower the entry
barriers to micro-entrepreneurship.
That’s why, today, about a third of
Manappuram’s gold loan customers
belongs to the micro enterprise
segment—traders, shopkeepers, the self-
employed etc. They use gold loans as a
hassle-free source of working capital to
meet the requirements of day-to-day
business.
In a country with low levels of financial literacy, micro-entrepreneurs require access to small loans
that is readily available without being tied up in paper work and procedure.
14 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
16 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
A lot of
businesscan happenover a cup of coffee
Entrepreneurship
ndia was known as the country
I of tea lovers, but of late coffee
lovers are growing in number,
thanks to new lounges and cafeterias
which serve varieties of Coffee. The
coffee culture is much prevalent
among the young generation.
Students and young professionals
throng coffee outlets and spend
their free time in the company of
their friends. The coffee market is
worth more than USD 230 million
and as per industry experts, by 2017,
the market will be around USD 410.
Starting a coffee chain may be the
best decision you can now make. As
the disposable income in the hands
of young generation increases, the
more will they spend on.
There are several factors which drive
the coffee business ahead. First of all
the enhanced purchasing power of
Indians over the recent years and
most of the families go out
especially the young ones. The new
generation of India, do not bother to
spend some extra money for an
expensive coffee from an expensive
outlet. Coffee shops also become
points of social gathering, especially
for the techie young generation, free
Wi fi and similar connectivity options
make these places quite attractive.
Apart from social meetings
entrepreneurs and businessmen find
it attractive to sit in coffee outlets
and discuss business. These outlets
help them to get a meeting place,
with all facilities at a rather small
price point. Consider the cost of
renting a place and two cups of
coffee. These people find this ideal
place to meet and finalize a deal.
The franchise model helps the brand
owners to spread their brand far and
wide. The world over franchising
methods help Coffee brands reach
more customers and the only
important factor is to replicate the
brands quality and service standards
to all locations. Training teams are
made and recruitment is done at a
central level to maintain the quality
and service standards. Almost all
major brands operate on a franchise
model.
In India many brands are share the
market, but are mostly concentrated
in the metro and urban areas. Cafe
Coffee Day and Barista are present
nationally. Starbucks recently started
their first outlet in India. Even this is
a lucrative business there is much
competition and challenges. Over
the recent years several Cafe’s
sprang up sensing in the
opportunity and thus diluted the
market. Many brands could not
sustain the service demands of the
customers and closed down. Another
major problem looming is that of an
economic slowdown.
People like to go out, sit with friends
and talk about what is happening in
the world. Friends like to meet up in
some place and share their
friendship. Businessmen will need a
place to sit and talk. As long these
basic needs are there, Cafe’s will be
thronged with people. The only thing
you need is to sustain the service
levels and quality. The smell should
be there not only on the cappuccino
cup, but also on your faces. A smile
can bring you business like a Coffee.
17January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
The new generation of India, donot bother to spend some extra money for an
expensive coffee from an expensive outlet.
Watch the beauties bring
fire from the heaven and lit
up the ramp during the most elegant beauty pageant in South India
Events
Manappuram
MissSouth India
2013
A CurtainRaiser
20 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
21January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
T he 10th edition of Manappuram
Miss South India 2013 will be held
at Lulu Convention Centre, Thrissur
on 9th of January 2013. The Pageant aims to
discover the freedom of expression and
talent of the women of India. This edition of
the pageant will bring together the youth of
South India and showcase it in its entire
splendor, its exciting blend of culture, tourist
destinations and natural beauty to the entire
world.
The Miss South India pageant is conceived
and executed by Pegasus event Makers.
Pegasus was established in the year 2000 as
a proprietary firm. Initially the firm was into
the event management alone. The idea of
conducting beauty pageant under the title
Miss South India was conceived in the year
2002 and the said title was crowned for the
very first time in the same year.
The final event of the pageant consists of
three and a half hour program with three
sequences and cultural extravaganzas and
will be directed by Ajith Ravi Pegasus. The
Event would be judged by Miss World 1st
runner up Ms. Parvathy Omanakuttan, South
Indian Actor Mr. Babu Antony and Actress
Ranjini (Chithram fame), Famous Tollywood
Actress Ms. Nikitha Narayan, Famous
Mollywood Actress Ms. Aishwarya Devan,
Famous NRI fashion designer Mr. Sajimon
Parayil and Media Personality Mrs. Toshma
Biju,
In this edition of Miss South India, 16
contestants will walk the ramp on the grand
finale. The grooming sessions will start on
the 5th of January at PJ Princess, Vypeen,
Cochin. These sessions will consist of yoga,
meditation, personality development,
catwalk, beauty tips, Photo shoot,
Interaction, Talent search, etc.… This will
help the contestants to enhance their
strengths and overcome their weaknesses.
Grooming section will be completely
focused on the culture and tradition of
South India. The girls are groomed by an
expert panel of fashion choreographers and
trainers - Mr. Arun Ratna of Fashion Runway,
Mr. Sameer Khan of Elite Model Flattt; Ms.
Valentina Ravi of Valen’s Model
Management, Former Miss South India 1st
runner up Ms Geethu Tony Chungath, yoga
trainer Ms Nuthan and Jebitha Ajit, MD,
Pegasus.
The stage for the eve is made to the reality
by the team headed by Mr. Diliip of Akshay
inco. The handmade Ribbon for the
contestants, subtitles and title winners are
designed by Mrs. Christeena Jomy, MD of
X’tina’s design.
The winners will be getting a gold plated
crown designed by Mr. & Mrs. Prakashan
Parakkat. The title winner will win a Lakh
rupee sponsored by Manappuram Group,
the first runner up with Rs.50, 000/-
sponsored by Riti Jewellery and second
runner up with Rs.25, 000/- sponsored by
MAcare. All the subtitle winners will be
given with gifts.
Apart from the title winners, the other
subtitles to win are Miss Beautiful Hair, Miss
Beautiful Smile, Miss Beautiful Skin, Miss
Beautiful Face, Miss Beautiful Eyes, Miss
Congeniality, Miss Cat Walk, Miss Perfect 10,
Miss Talented, Miss Viewer’s choice and
Miss Photogenic. The three sequences
include the designer saree round, Casuals
and Black & black. The subtitles will be
judged by a panel of expertise headed by
Dr. Thomas Nechupadam.
Yoga, meditation, personality development, Catwalk, beauty tips, photo shoot, interaction, Talent search, etc.�
You are in fashion
www.asiavogue.in
You are welcome to the world of FASHION
MODELS PHOTOGRAPHERS GROOMING PROFESSIONALS
CHOREOGRAPHERS MAKE-OVERS HAIRSTYLISTS
ASIAVOGUE
Auditions in Mumbai Delhi Kolkata and Bengaluru
Entries are invited
be theMiss Queen of India
Win 2 Lakhs &
www.pegasusindia.org
www.missqueenofindia.com
24 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Interview
25January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
LEGACY AHEAD
Ravi Menon:
SOBHATaking the
avi Menon joined Sobha Developers in June 2004 as a Director and was
R designated the Vice Chairman in January 2006. He was appointed the Chairman
this year in June 2012. Born in Kerala, he did his graduation in civil engineering
from Purdue University, USA with a distinction. In a span of eight years, as an executive
member of the Board, he has contributed significantly to product execution which has
resulted in the Company’s delivery levels increasing from 6 Million Square Feet in the
financial year 2004-05 to over 50 Million Square Feet in cumulative during 2011-12, a
new milestone in the history of the Company and the construction industry in India as a
whole. During the same time, the turnover of the Company increased from Rs. 6,248.34
Million in the financial year 2005-06 to Rs. 14,144 Million in the financial year 2011-12,
an increase of around 125%. He has played a pivotal role in devising the corporate
strategy, diversifying through product lines and entering into new geographies thereby
strengthening the foundation of the Company. He has been actively responsible for the
launch of new product lines and attainment of the highest standards of quality. Under his
leadership, the Company has consolidated its operations and become a widely
recognized and acclaimed brand.
A man of details, he has brought about tremendous value addition to the organization in
terms of creating Project Management Information Systems, detailed Technology
Manual, elaborate Quality Evaluation Procedure, Customer Care Structure, Innovation
Culture, and Sobha Academy, which is focused on the Technical and Behavioral
development of all employees. He has been instrumental in strengthening the execution
by focusing on micro level tracking of cost, quality and time. Highly organized, he aims
to transform Sobha into a system driven organization by documenting each and every
process of the Company. His objective is to transform Sobha Developers into an
organization of the future. For his dedicated service and achievements, Ravi Menon has
been bestowed with the ‘Young Achievers’ Award’ at the Real Estate Awards 2012 and
the ‘Star Realty Magnetic Young Icon’ award at the Star Realty Awards 2012. Ravi Menon
in a conversation with Bejoy George talks in detail about Sobha and what makes his
company distinct.
Sobha is known for its quality. How do
you ensure the same?
Sobha Developers was established in
1995 with a clear vision to transform the
way people perceive quality. Today 302
projects later, Sobha is a brand trusted for
perfection.
Sobha has an in-house Quality & Safety
Department, comprising experienced
German master craftsmen, that ensures
the quality of the product at every stage
of construction.
It is our assiduous attention to details,
constant innovation, meticulous
execution and strong adherence to
international standards that helps us
differentiate from others and add
significant value to our products.
What are Sobha’s broad product
verticals?
Sobha is primarily focused on residential
and contractual projects.
The Company’s residential projects
include presidential apartments, villas,
row houses, super luxury apartments,
luxury apartments, semi-luxury
apartments and plotted development
along with amenities such as a clubhouse,
swimming pool and shopping complexes.
In all its residential projects the Company
lays strong emphasis on environmental
management, water harvesting and high
safety standards.
On the contractual side, the Company has
constructed a variety of structures for
corporates including state of the art
offices, convention centres, software
development blocks, multiplex theatres,
hostel facilities, guest houses, food
courts, restaurants, and research centres.
Some of Sobha’s prestigious clients
include Infosys, Taj, Leela, Dell, HP,
Timken, Biocon, Institute of Public
Enterprises, and Bosch amongst others.
We understand Sobha has constructed
over 50 million sq. ft. of space. Can
you provide us with the latest data in
terms of completed projects?
As of September 30, 2012, in the past 17
years, Sobha has completed 81
residential projects and 221 contractual
projects covering about 53.73 million sq.
ft. of space.
How many projects are in the pipeline
as on date?
The Company currently has 39 ongoing
residential projects aggregating to 24.54
million sq. ft. of developable area and
17.35 million sq. ft. of super built-up area,
and 41 ongoing contractual projects
aggregating to 9.93 million sq. ft. under
various stages of construction.
Please elaborate on Sobha’s backward
integration model.
The backward integration model is one of
the key competitive strengths of Sobha.
This literally means that the Company
clearly has all the key competencies and
in-house resources to deliver a project
from conceptualization to completion.
Backward integration includes an interiors
division with one of India’s largest
woodworking factories, a metal works
and glazing factory, and a concrete
products factory.
The Interiors Division is engaged in wood
work and manufacturing wood or wood
based products of international quality,
superlative finish and incredible durability
Sobha's backward integration literally means that the Company clearly has all the key
competencies and in-house resources to deliver a project from conceptualization to completion
26 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
including doors and windows, wooden
floorings, ceilings, panels, pillars and
staircases, and custom built furniture for
commercial and residential use. In
addition, this division also includes an in-
house wood working design studio and a
dedicated design team that provides
interior design schemes and production
specific drawings.
The Glazing & Metal Division carries out
metal fabrication work such as aluminum
windows and doors, structural, and
architectural glazing. The fabrication
activities are carried out at the factory
premises, whereas assembly and the
installation are carried out at the project
sites.
The Concrete Block Making Division
manufactures concrete blocks, pavers,
kerbs, water drainage channels, paving
slabs and related landscape products.
What is the architectural design
expertise that Sobha has?
Architectural Design is the process of
integrating the Client’s functional
requirements with the Architect’s ideas
and the environment. Sobha’s
Architectural design studio comprises of
Architects, Graphic Designers, Model
Makers and 3D Visualizers and is
equipped with the best of technology.
The design process begins after the
technical feasibility study of a potential
piece of land. Once found feasible,
conceptual plans are prepared. On
approval of concept plans, drawings for
marketing and statutory purposes are
prepared.
This is followed by the preparation of
good for construction drawings, which
entails preparation of a comprehensive
set of drawings, comprising of
architectural, coordinated structural
engineering and services drawings.
On an average, the count of the total
number of drawings for a typical
residential building would range
between 350 to 400 numbers. And, in
order to prepare these drawings,
approximately 2800 man hours are
spent.
Detailing is the key to the success of our
projects. Many of our details are
standardized and well documented.
Interestingly, about 40 percent of the
total set of drawings are detail drawings.
And it is these details that help our
engineers to precisely construct all the
finer components that make Sobha’s
buildings truly world-class.
Please explain the measures you take
to ensure environmental friendliness
in your projects and the different
Quality certifications that Sobha has
obtained.
We try our best to bring in eco-friendly
measures at every stage of development.
Our commitment to sustainability comes
to life through a well-structured
management process that is pivoted
around the PDCA principle “Plan – Do –
Check – Act”.
Our attempt is to ascertain the Genius
Loci, i.e. ‘the guardian spirit of a place’
during the initial stages of identifying
land parcels. We observe and identify
the specialties of that place and its
surroundings and make every attempt to
retain the inherent character of the land.
Our buildings are planned along natural
contours in order to minimise earth
cutting & filling. We, in fact, capitalise on
Detailingis the key to the
success of our projects
27January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
the contours available to create different
levels in our plan. This prevents not only
soil erosion but also reduces pollution.
In all our projects, we lay strong emphasis
on environment management practices
like rain water harvesting and recycling of
waste. More than 40% of our construction
area is dedicated to green spaces. A
Sobha home is designed for maximum
ventilation and natural lighting, thereby
curtailing the use of electricity during the
day. For instance, the size of the window
and its orientation is planned in a manner
that reduces the requirement of air
conditioning and prevents the glare
through direct sunlight.
We use solar lighting, water efficient
fixtures, energy efficient lifts &
equipments, reflective ceramic tiles,
insulation materials, heat-resistant paints
and heat-repellent glasses that are in
synergy with the environment. Storm
water management techniques are also
used to prevent soil erosion. Many of our
developments subscribe to the green
guidelines laid down by IGBC (Indian
Green Building Council) and LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design). Such initiatives are highly
appreciated by our customers.
We were one of the first companies in the
industry to obtain the ISO 9001
certification. We have also received the
OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 14001:2004
certifications for our Environmental,
Health and Safety Management System.
How do you interact with your
customers?
Sobha has an in-house Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) team as
well as a unique Customer Care Cell (C3).
The CRM team keeps customers informed
about the progress of our projects and
provides any other after-sales services
28 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
that the customers may require after
the completion of the sales process.
The C3 provides support to
customers during the one-year
warranty programme.
Our focus on customer relationship
management has yielded significant
results over the years, in the form of
satisfied customers, higher levels of
transparency to customers and
improvement of internal processes
to deliver a better customer
experience. The outcome of this
concerted effort is high referral
sales.
How do you train your workforce?
Sobha nurtures its talent pool with a
myriad of skills and capabilities. It’s
the only company in the real estate
sector to have a full-fledged training
centre - The Sobha Academy. Set up
at Bangalore, it is a unique centre for
learning that offers both the
management staff and workforce
specially designed skill development
programmes.
In order to make Sobha’s staff more
proficient, the Technical Training
Department at Sobha designs and
coordinates modules which relate to
the various aspects of technical
operations. These training sessions
aim at providing all-round,
functional training of the various
processes that are followed at Sobha
sites, with specific emphasis on
critical tasks and detailed
procedures.
The Sobha Academy conducts
courses for tradesmen, who are the
key resource of the Company’s
project sites. Fresh recruits are given
intense training to make them adept
in specific work skills like tiling,
granite masonry, gypsum works,
water-proofing, electrical, and
plumbing works.
The Technician Supervisor Model
adopted by the Company for on-the-
job training at the sites stresses on
the importance of hands-on-
experience.
The comprehensive in-house
construction handbook on building
construction activities communicates
the best construction practices to the
execution team across the
organization at all the project sites.
Additionally, a knowledge
management system also offers
learning opportunities to the
employees.
Sobha is known for serving the
community. Can you throw some
light on Sobha’s CSR initiatives?
The Company believes that for the
overall well-being of the society, a
comprehensive and sustainable
development of rural India is a must.
It is in this context that
Graamasobha, a unique social
developmental programme was
initiated by the organisation in 2006
in two grama panchayaths -
Vadakkenchery and Kizhakkenchery -
in Palakkad district of Kerala. The
programme covers key human
development verticals like education,
health, employment, water, sanitation
and housing besides various social
empowerment measures.
Various social institutions have been
established for the development of
the rural poor.
The Sobha Academy has been
created to empower the rural poor to
break away from the vicious circle of
poverty, ignorance, deprivation and
exclusion by providing their children
high quality education comparable to
the best anywhere in the world.
The Sobha Health Care Center has
redefined the limits of a primary
health care institution run anywhere
in the country.
Sobha’s Hermitage is the epitome
of humanity, tendering love, care and
support to the neglected segments
of society - senior citizens as well as
young widows and their children.
Sobha Vocational Training Center
(SVTC) with its advanced resources
and facilities aims at providing
functional vocational training.
The Sobha Community Center’s
core purpose lies in organizing social
functions and feeding the poor,
several of whom are fed free every
single day.
In the history of Indian villages, our
initiatives are perhaps the first of
their kind, undertaken with so much
investment in designing, developing
and delivering state-of-the-art
infrastructure to the poorest of the
poor. Graamasobha stands as a
successful model for others to follow
to usher development at the village
level.
The company has a full-fledged training centre - The Sobha Academy
29January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
iPad
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he iPad Mini is a mini T tablet computer designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 23, 2012, as the fifth major product in the iPad line and the first to feature a reduced screen size of 7.9 inches, in contrast to the standard 9.7 inches. It features similar internal specifications as the iPad 2, including its display resolution. It was released on November 2, 2012 in nearly all of Apple's markets
he Samsung Galaxy T Note II is an Android Smartphone marketed by Samsung and noted for its combination of a large display, and software optimized for an integral self-storing stylus. Because the display places the device at the large end of the Smartphone and small end of the tablet size ranges, the Galaxy Note II has been called a hybrid of a phone and tablet, or a phablet.
40 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Top Gadget Launches of 2012
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he iPhone 5 is the sixth T generation of the iPhone and succeeds the iPhone 4S. The phone is a slimmer, lighter model that introduces a higher-resolution, 4-inch screen in the series with 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio support. The phone also includes a custom-designed ARMv7 processor called the Apple A6, an update to Apple's mobile operating system known as iOS 6, and support for LTE.
okia Lumia 920 is a N Smartphone developed by Nokia that runs the Windows Phone 8 operating system. It was announced on September 5, 2012, and was first released on November 2, 2012. It has a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Krait CPU and a 114 mm (4.5″) IPS TFT LCD display, as well as a high-sensitivity capacitive touchscreen that is covered by the curved Gorilla Glass. It supports inductive charging and is compatible with Qi Inductive Charging; further, it features an 8.7 megapixel PureView camera with optical image stabilization for still images and videos. It comes with 32 GB internal storage.
41January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
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42 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
icrosoft Surface is a M series of tablets designed and marketed by Microsoft. It was announced on June 18, 2012, by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at Milk Studios in Los Angeles. The Surface comes in two versions: one with Windows RT and another with Windows 8 Pro. The Windows RT model uses an ARM CPU, while the Windows 8 Pro model will use an Intel CPU. Both models are able to install new applications via the Windows Store, however only the Windows 8 Pro model allows the installation of traditional third-party desktop programs.
he Samsung Galaxy T Camera is a point-and-shoot camera which combines the photographic capabilities of a small super zoom camera with the versatility and connectivity of a small tablet computer with 4.8 inch screen, running on Android 4.1.. Samsung announced the camera in August 2012 with the slogan "Camera. �Reborn." The camera also features Wi-Fi, GPS and also has 3G capabilities to share the photos from anywhere to anywhere. The Samsung galaxy camera features a 16 Mega Pixels CMOS sensor and 21x zoom.
Top Gadget Launches of 2012
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43January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
he iPad is a line of tablet T computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., which runs on Apple's iOS operating system. The first iPad was released on April 3, 2010; the most recent iPad models, the fourth-generation iPad and iPad Mini, were released on November 2, 2012. The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard. The iPad has built-in Wi-Fi and, on some models, cellular connectivity.
he MacBook Pro is a line T of Macintosh portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple Inc., and now in its third generation. Replacing the PowerBook G4, the MacBook Pro was the second model, after the iMac, to be announced in the Apple�Intel transition. It is also the high-end model of the MacBook family and is currently produced in 13- and 15-inch screens, although a 17-inch version has been offered previously.
44 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
LIVING WITH THE
STARDr. Madhulika Guhathakurta
Interview
45January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
eing the daughter of a RBI Banker, the late Mr. Suchandra Guhathakurta and B Mrs. Rani Guhathakurta, Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta is a Kolkata born
Indian native who is an astrophysicist at NASA as well as the Lead Program
Scientist for NASA’s initiative called “Living With a Star” (LWS) . Having grown up in
an intellectual environment where there were more books in the household than
there were furniture, and with a father who was a mathematician by training and a
philosopher, Dr. Guhathakurta is an admirer of Tagore’s poetry, and of the night sky
which has fascinated her since her childhood. After having received her Masters in
Astrophysics from the University of Delhi, she moved to the U.S. at the age of 22 in
order to pursue her PhD in Physics at the University of Denver. In 1993 she joined
NASA, and in 1998 she begin working at the NASA headquarters, and throughout
her career she has had the chance to work as a scientist, mission designer, instrument
builder, directing and managing science programs and teacher and spokesperson for
NASA’s mission and vision in the Heliophysics Divison. Having achieved much
throughout her career, we sit down for a chat to find out more about her and her
success as an astrophysicist at NASA. Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta talks with Denisha
Sahadevan about her life and experience in NASA.
46 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
WHAT IS YOUR SPECIALTY HERE
AT NASA?
I am an astrophysicist by training
and at graduate school I specialized
in just one star, the Sun. In my
research career I expanded this
specialization to include the study of
sun’s effects on earth. And today I
am the science manager of a
program called “Living with a Star”
(LWS).
HAVE YOU GOTTEN TO DO
ANYTHING UNIQUE WHILE
WORKING FOR NASA?
I have done a lot of things that you
may call unique!
From 1993-1998 at NASA’s Goddard
Space Flight Center, I was the project
scientist on “White Light
Coronagraph” (WLC) experiment
which was part of a payload on
SPARTAN (Shuttle Pointed
Autonomous Research Tool for
Astronomy) 201 missions. This was a
free-flying payload that studied the
solar wind and the sun's corona to
increase our knowledge of sun’s
effects on the Earth. This was truly an
unique experience in that I was able
to work in a laboratory for
instrument and spacecraft
development as well as interface
with astronauts who were assigned
to deploy this payload. In addition
the science from these series of
missions and Ulysses mission
established the beginnings of sun-
earth connection science.
At NASA headquarters, since 2001, I
have been the Lead program
scientist for a program called “Living
with a Star” (LWS) within NASA’s
Science Mission Directorate. This
program is quite unique in that LWS
plan consists of flight missions,
supporting targeted research and
technology, and small space
environment test-beds (orbital
laboratories for new LWS concepts),
all with the objective of providing
science with societal impact.
NASA’s LWS program gave rise to
another initiative know as
“International Living with a Star”
(ILWS) where all the space faring
nations (27) of the world come
together to cooperate and
collaborate on the system science of
sun-earth and sun-solar system
connections. I served as the chair of
this group for the past four years
and remain as a member on its
steering committee.
With the help of LWS program I was
able to produce three advanced
graduate school level text books,
(Heliophysics Vols I, II and III)
published by Cambridge University
Press. These are first of its kind text
books to articulate the system
science that LWS program strives to
understand and to address the
science of space weather. This new
science is called Heliophysics.
Can you please tell us about the
field of study of heliophysics?
Heliophysics wasn’t even a subject
when I studied at the university. It is
a brand new discipline which we
have developed. It encompasses the
study of the system composed of
the Sun and its interaction with the
planets and other objects in the
solar system. It is a combination of
many different sub-disciplines, solar
physics, space physics and plasma
physics. These are all very traditional
sub-disciplines in our field that were
all pursued separately, and
heliophysics combines all of these
different physics into one single
discipline. Heliophysics can be
described as an environmental
science, a unique hybrid between
meteorology and astrophysics. It is
the science behind “space weather”
which is weather outside of our
atmosphere.
What weather phenomenon do we
observe outside the Earth's
atmosphere?
We live in the outer atmosphere of
the sun. All objects in the solar
system experience space weather
created by the Sun. Space weather
can be described as conditions and
phenomena in space and specifically
in the near-earth environment that
may affect space assets or space
operations. Most of the time the
Earth’s atmosphere and its own
magnetic field protect us from the
more violent effects of solar storms.
But our communications, TV,
weather, scientific and military
satellites as well as our space
explorers are subjected to the effects
of space weather. Like weather on
the Earth, Space weather comes in
different forms and different
strengths. However, space weather is
governed by an 11-year solar cycle
that allows us to predict, at some
level, when effects are likely to be
most severe. This period is called
‘solar maximum’ and is likely to occur
between 2012 and 2015.
Modern society depends on a variety
of technologies that are susceptible
to the extremes of space weather.
These events can disrupt the
Heliophysics wasn�t even a subject when I studied at the university. It is a brand new discipline which NASA developed.
operation of power grids, railway
signaling, magnetic surveying and
drilling for oil and gas. Magnetic
storms also heat the upper
atmosphere, changing its density
and composition and disrupting
radio communications and GPS
units. The storms’ charged particles
can be a hazard to the health of
astronauts and passengers on high
altitude flights.
What impacts will Living with a
Star Program have on our
understanding of space weather?
Until recently, forecasters could
barely predict space weather in the
limited vicinity of Earth.
Interplanetary forecasting was out of
the question. This began to change
in 2006 with the launch of the twin
STEREO probes followed almost four
years later by the Solar Dynamics
Observatory. These three spacecraft
now surround the sun, monitoring
active regions, flares, and coronal
mass ejections around the full
circumference of the star. No
matter which way a solar storm
travels, the STEREO-SDO fleet can
track it. This has improved our
ability to predict space weather
with longer lead time.
Can you please explain further
the importance of knowing about
the space weather and its
relationship to Living with a Star
Program?
As I mentioned earlier, more than
500 active satellites circle the Earth.
We rely on them for TV, telephone,
internet, GPS navigation and weather
forecasting; all are vulnerable to
space weather. Humans orbit Earth,
too, onboard the International Space
Station. The ISS is located inside
Earth's magnetic field, so it enjoys a
degree of protection, but future
astronauts en route to the Moon and
Mars will be outside the magnetic
bubble. Their spaceships are going
to be in direct contact with the sun's
atmosphere.
NASA's Living With a Star Program
was formed in 2001 to deal with this
reality. If we're going to live inside
the sun's atmosphere, we need to
learn more about it—especially how
to predict the storms, The basic
strategy is the same as weather
studies on Earth: We're going to
launch a fleet of 'weather stations' –
spacecraft that observe different
aspects of sun’s atmosphere and its
impact on Earth. LWS has four
missions in various states of
operation and development.
Together they will surround and
explore the sun-earth system in
ways no spacecraft has done before.
The Solar Dynamics Observatory
(SDO): Launched in February 2010 it
is providing HDTV quality
photographs of sunspots and solar
flares, revealing the onset of storms
in never-before-seen detail.
The Radiation Belt Storm Probes:
There's no point in studying the sun
if we don't understand what it does
to Earth. Launched in August 2012,
this mission makes the crucial Sun-
Earth connection. Wisps of the sun's
atmosphere can become trapped by
Earth's magnetic field, inside
radiation belts, where energetic
particles lie in wait for astronauts
and satellites trying to leave or
simply orbit the planet. The
Radiation Belt Storm Probes (two of
them) will explore these regions and
discover how they are populated
47January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
and energized by space weather.
Solar Orbiter Collaboration: Solar
Orbiter is a mission from the
European Space Agency which will
station itself at an inclination of
about 30 degrees from the sun's
equator, providing the first truly
polar view of solar magnetic field.
The equatorial view from Earth limits
studies of solar polar magnetic
field—a problem Solar Oribter will
remedy. It is in development for
launch in 2017.
Solar Probe Plus: This is the most
exciting mission of all. It is a heat-
resistant spacecraft designed to
plunge deep into the sun’s
atmosphere where it can sample
solar wind and magnetic fields in
situ. No spacecraft has ever been as
close to the sun as Solar Probe Plus
will go, only 7 million km from the
surface. That's unexplored territory,
and we expect to learn a great deal
about the sun's atmosphere by going
there. It is in development for launch
in 2018.
You came to the U.S. as a student
to do your PhD in Physics, was it
easy or tough for you as a
student?
I went to a relatively small school
where I was the only female
graduate student in a class of 10-15
graduate students. Before my fellow
graduate students got to know me,
they were really upset with me
because my grades were typically
higher than theirs. This was a difficult
situation but in about five months
they got to know me as a person,
LWS has four missions in various states of operation and development. Together they will surround and explore the sun-earth system in ways no spacecraft has done before.
and we became friends. While in
India at Delhi University during my
M.Sc., I never experienced this sense
of resentment from my male
classmates because I did better than
them in exams. So the first time I felt
discriminated as a woman was in my
first few months of graduate school
and I thought to myself that I have
come from a third world country to a
first world country and this is where I
feel my first gender discrimination”!
But since then I learnt to navigate
the situation and never felt
discriminated under any
circumstance. What I realized is that
once you get to know people all of
these pre-conceived notions about
people/gender etc dissolve and this
is true in every situation in life
whether it’s religion or race or
something else, once you make the
effort to get to know someone none
of these barriers matter because
ultimately we humans are allmore
alike than not in our dreams and
desires and pursuit of life.
India and China seem to be taking
more of an interest in the space
programs nowadays than the
usual players such as U.S., Russia,
and France. What is your opinion?
I think I am really glad that space is
now becoming an international
frontier. U.S., Russia, Europe, have
already advanced in this area and
India, and China still have to catch
up to that. So the fact that these
countries are taking interest in space
science research and leading
scientists, and engineers is a
wonderful thing. With limited
resources in every country I think we
need a lot more players in this field.
After all space doesn’t belong to any
one country, it belongs to all.
What are your thoughts regarding
India’s space program?
I am pleased to see that the Indian
Space Research Organization has
made great progress from an
engineering standpoint with great
achievements. Now I think that the
country needs to enable it’s
scientists so that they can be in the
fore front of space science research.
Would you please tell us about
the space cooperation between
the U.S. and India?
Well there has been the Chandrayan
Mission, where there was
cooperation with the NASA and
ISRO. There is a future dialogue
going on for Mars mission and in
general there is a good dialogue in
space science cooperation between
India and NASA.
Have you always aspired to be an
astrophysicist?
When I think about it the answer is
yes, I was always interested in
science. From my very early years
when I was a little girl in Kolkata I
was absolutely fascinated by the
night sky and always wondered
about the stars. My aunt told me
that when someone dies that person
becomes a star in the sky and I
wondered about where we came
from and where are we going. These
are just very fundamental human
questions which I have always been
intrigued by. I love the night sky.
Whether your career had given you
one particular highlight?
I don’t know about one highlight.
But I think what my career gave me
is working with some of the best
minds in the world. You know
interaction with them on a daily
basis. For me it is stimulating. And I
don’t work with only NASA people,
right? I have also been Chair for
ILWS for four years and work with
people all over the world, and they
are about as smart as they get. I
have loved sharing some of my
knowledge with the general public.
That is something that if I were just a
pure researcher I wouldn’t have time
for. That has been extremely joyful.
At NASA, we are privileged to see, to
know so many things that ordinary
people don’t get a chance to
experience – some of our imagery! I
came up with a story line to share
the LWS program and show some o
these exquisite imageries. I helped in
the creation of two major
planetarium shows, “Cosmic
Collisions” and “Journey to the Stars”
in partnership with American
Museum of Natural History in New
York and National Air and Space
Museum in DC. I also helped in the
production of a 3D IMAX and
planetarium show featuring the
STEREO mission, “3D Sun”. These
shows are running all over the world.
Children, general public, older
people, are learning something
about the cosmos that they had no
way of knowing otherwise. So these
are some of the highlights, I would
say.
48 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Avoid BlameGame and be
Responsible
50 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
''If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams.'' Les Brown
Life Management
Sheela Abraham
oday, our society is being T infected by an illness that
could be dangerously
contagious and eventually seriously
affect our entire nation. It’s nothing but
the irresponsible “blame-game” we all
tend to do every time. .This can
weaken any one which would reflect
on our nation in due course of time.
We see people not being responsible
on what they do. For instance, for
failing in any situation, people often
put the blame on others. Irresponsible
parents blame teachers when their
children do not do well in academics.
Politicians blame the opposition party
for everything. No one is ready to
accept personal responsibility for their
own failures.
When we fail to accept personal
responsibility for our actions, we
inevitably fall into the blame-game
trap. As long as we do this, we will
never resolve our personal or national
problems
A story about some sea gulls in a
fishing village is worth mentioning
here. For many years, they were fed on
the scraps the fishermen left and when
the fishing industry in this area was
closed, they had forgotten how to find
food for them. In the end, these sea
gulls died of starvation. The same
principle applies to us too. When we
are over-dependent, we destroy our
growth and maturity.
One of the great principles we need to
stress on to keep our society healthy
and productive is the principle of
personal responsibility. It's a principle
that needs to be programmed and
etched into our belief system from our
childhood. It has to start from the
family teaching how to demonstrate at
every phase of our lives. This will
reflect in our behavior and manners.
Though we are not responsible for our
upbringing, we are fully responsible for
what we become. It is interesting to
see how people view responsibility
now days. Following examples will
make clear what I am trying to convey.
"If a man cuts his finger while slicing a
mango, he blames the Knife.
"If a person is a chain smoker for many
years and die of lung cancer, the family
of the victim blames the tobacco
company.
"If a person crashes into a tree while
driving home drunk, he blames his
vehicle or the median on the road.
"If children are unruly and
irresponsible, the blame falls on
television.
This is the pattern of our life. We are
reluctant to accept the responsibility
for our choices and accountable for
our actions. We are comfortable to be
in ‘’not my fault’ status.
It is important to know, two of life's
greatest abilities are dependability and
responsibility. Both are closely related.
When Dependability keeping the
commitments we make, Responsibility
is realizing that we are responsible for
our actions.
No matter what happened in the past,
we are responsible for what we do
about it and for what we become. As
another has wisely said, "I may have
been a victim in the past, but if I
remain a victim, I am now a willing
volunteer."
As long as we fail to accept personal
responsibility for our lives and blame
others for the difficulties we have, we
will never overcome them. No matter
what situation we are in, we are always
contributing something to it. Our
responsibility is to see what that is and
to correct it.
It is true that people who take
complete responsibility of their 'life'
experience joy and confident in any
circumstance. They are able to make
right choices and be accountable for
them. We are responsible for our Lives.
This is the fundamental principle one
51January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
This is the fundamental principle one
must adopt if plan for happiness and
success in life. In my profession
, I have met many who are reluctant to
take responsibility for their not up to
the mark performances and failures.
According to them, everything is
someone else's fault. No one can live
your life for you. When we repeatedly
do anything for others that they can
and need to do for themselves, we can
make and keep them over-dependent,
immature and irresponsible. It is not
the loving thing to do. It is being
irresponsible. You are in charge and
each event in your life is the result of
choices you made or making.
So, empower yourself behaving
responsibly to make life meaningful.
Here are some steps you can take to
become a more responsible person
Listen to the experienced
Don't nose around in other
people’s business
Stop making excuses
Do any work assigned gracefully
and timely.
Give hundred percent
commitments in whatever you are
asked to do.
Be genuine in everything you
involve.
BE trustworthy
Listen to yourself.
Try to be the best and shine
wherever you are.
Be accountable for everything.
Some of us are prone to believe that
our failures are created by others.
What we need to understand is that
YOU and I are responsible for what we
become. Need of the hour is nothing
but personal responsibility.
You are in charge and each event in your life is the result of choices you made or making
Let Justice Be Done
??52 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Nechupadam Dental
I had undergone orthodontic treatment 7 years back but there are some spaces
left in my upper and lower jaw. Some of my teeth look shorter while others are
longer/ larger. I am a professional model but I am not able to smile confidently as
my photographers always like my non-smiling picture. I do not have time for
braces as I am busy with my career. How can I improve my smile? How long it will
take without braces?
The size and shape of the teeth can be altered by gum contouring and veneers to
give you a better smile. The spaces between teeth could be closed by nano
ceramic restorations in a single appointment. The gum contouring and veneers
may need 2 appointments and maximum of ten days to correct the problems. You
can have smile simulation prior to the procedure to understand what can be done
for your teeth.
My father 78 years old has lost most of his teeth. He has been wearing a removable
denture for quite sometime. Recently we changed the denture as the old one were
loose. Now he looks different and older and complains that he is not able to chew.
Can you fix the teeth permanently. Is it necessary to take out all teeth before
doing dentures?
When you replace an old worn out denture you will have a fresh look. If you can
get the photographs of your father during his younger days, we can try to make
the approximate facial profile while making the new denture. The existing healthy
teeth have to be preserved to get better retention and support. You may choose
to go for implants to permanently fix the teeth to the jaw, if your father has no
medical complications.
GCDA Complex, Marine Drive,Kohci - 682 031Cont: 93872 77213www.smiledotcom.com
Askthe
SmileExpert
For Amanat, India's brave daughter, Our humble homage.Let justice be done now.
54January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES??What's causing my toenail fungus?Toenail fungus is actually athlete's foot (often picked up from shared showers or
borrowed shoes) that has spread into your toenails. The most effective treatment
is a prescription antifungal pill, but be warned: These treatments are only 70 to 80
percent effective at best, and even when they work it takes nearly a year and a half
for the toenail to fully grow out. Prevent a recurrence by wearing shower slippers
every time you rinse off at the gym and by not borrowing shoes.
How can I get rid of dark circles?Here are some natural remedies for dark circles under the eyes: one is bananas—
the potassium helps eliminate circles under your eyes; the second is by using real
lemon juice and honey—it’s a natural lightener as well. Mix one tablespoon of
lemon with four teaspoons of honey. Smooth on dark spots or under eyes, wait 15
minutes, and rinse!
Askthe
BeautyExpert
Tressa VargheseDirector,Phoebe International
56 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Interview
How would you describe yourself to
be?
I am a very silent person when it
comes to my work place. I hardly speak
to people on sets. It takes some time
for me to open up when am working
with people whom I haven't worked
with before. People call it my attitude
but that's how I am, but I see to it that
whoever works with me should feel
that I am a sweet girl. Otherwise I am
a fully outgoing person, I live up to the
fullest with my family and friends.
What was it like working with
Director Bala in the movie The Hit
List?
I knew Bala as an actor. He is hard
working, and talented as well, being
able to work with him was too good of
an experience.
Please tell us about your experience
in working with Mohanlal sir in the
movie Karma Yodha?
Working with Lal ettan was my dream
and I must thank director Major Ravi
sir for making my dream come true
through the movie Karma Yodha. I
didn't have much combination scenes
with Lal ettan but still there was so
much to learn from the bundle of
talent like him. It was definitely a
learning experience.
Of the movies which you have done so
far do you have a personal favorite?
Karma Yodha. I think this film is where I
get to prove more as an actor than a
heroine. The role which I have essayed
has so much to perform.
Could you please share with us as to
what it was like working with
Prithviraj sir in the movie
Simhasanam?
Prithviraj is very hard working and very
professional as an actor. He is very
friendly. Working with him was a very
good experience. He was very helpful
on sets as I was new to the Malayalam
industry.
Which directors/actresses/actors do
you aspire to work with in the
future?
I would love to work with directors like
Renjith sir, Lal Jose sir, Aashiq Abu, and
Gautham Menon
AishwaryaDevan
By Denisha Sahadevan
s a humanities student studying at the Kendriya Vidyalaya NAL in Bangalore, the daughter of Mr. Devan, a bank A employee and Mrs. Devan, a homemaker, Aishwarya Devan a fashion fanatic had originally dreamt of becoming a
fashion designer. But when a Telugu movie director approached her through Facebook asking whether she was
interested in movies everything changed as it led to her taking the first steps into the world of Indian cinema. Having made her
debut in the film industry through the Tamil film Yuvan in 2012, this well to do talented actress has already had snatched roles
in around six films within the year. She has already worked with big time actors like Prithviraj and Mohanlal, and now her
dream is to become a Bollywood queen.
57January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
It was my dream to work with Lal lettan
and through the movie Karma Yodha it
came true. I would like to work with
Mammootty sir and Jayaram sir. I
admire Shobana madam, so I would
love to work with her.
What do you find to be the most
captivating about the acting world?
What is it that drew you into the
world of acting?
An actress. I think actresses are
something which the film industry is
incomplete without. I feel Heroines pull
in people towards the acting world and
I am glad that I am a part of the
industry which I feel is overall
captivating. The glamour, and fame
drew me in. I used to watch TV a lot
when I was a kid, and I wanted to be
like every other actress or model. I
wanted people to know me when I
step out.
What are some of your favorite
movies?
Manichitrathazhu, Chithram , Amaram ,
Black. A recent would be 22 Female
Kottayam.
How supportive is your family when
it comes to your acting career?
My family is fully supportive to the
profession which I have chosen. They
totally understand every aspect of film
industry. Especially my mother. My
mother was, is and will be with me in
every stage of my life.
What differences have you found in
your life after having entered into
the film industry?
After entering into film industry I have
become much more responsible,
careful, and independent in my life.
Life is more colorful. I am enjoying it to
the fullest.
Who would you say is your
inspiration in life?
My mother.
Do you have any other interests
other than acting?
Other than acting I love singing.. I love
Indian music.
Have you signed on for anymore
upcoming projects?
As of now I haven't signed any. I will
take up projects only after January.
I used to watch TV a lot when I was a kid, and I wanted to be like every other actress or model. I wanted people to know me when I step out.
58 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
The King of event managementreaches the tinsel town
60 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
Movie Review
by: Cherry Mathew Philipose
ng Li’s Life of Pi is a visual treat and has to A be savoured in its full glory in the darkness
of a theatre with those 3-D glasses on. No
other type of viewing would do justice to that
experience. When Ang Li decided to adapt Yan
Martel’s 2001 book of the same title movie goers
would not have expected anything less than this. The
book that Ang Lee terms as ‘fascinating and mind-
blogging’ posed a challenge in terms of screen
adaptation; however, in the words of the Yann Martel
Ang Lee had this capacity to capture the ‘small and
the intimate as well as the large and the spectacular’
with equal felicity.
Movies are not meant to be preachy and Life of Pi,
though handling a complex subject about the
existence of God, too toes the line. Is there a god and
does that god care are questions left to the audience
to ponder.
Life of Pi is the story of a sixteen-year old boy Pi Patel
in a life boat castaway in a sea where he has to
survive with a tiger for over two-hundred days. The
3D technology is brilliantly exploited to visualize what
goes inside the mind of Pi. It captures the journey of a
person in relation to the nature, to the self.
The film is in the form of a flashback. The opening
sequence takes us through a wonderful private zoo
with a tamil lullaby in the backdrop. Once the title
credits are done we’re carried away to the living room
of the adult Pi who’s entertaining a Canadian writer.
The writer is experiencing a writer’s block and was in
Pondicherry where he heard met ‘mamaji’ through
whom came to know that Pi has a wonderful story to
tell. So he came all the way to listen to that story and
the story unfolds – of how Pi got his name, his
childhood, his early trysts with religions, his life at
Pondicherry. Over the course of the day the wonderful
story of Pi is told and along with the writer the
audience is all awe-inspired about the story. In the
end, at the behest of the Japanese insurance company
Pi tells a new story that really catches everyone off
guard.
The US official trailer terms it as a life of adventure,
hope, and triumph. The book that talks about faith,
illusion, and hope was once dubbed as not suitable
for the screen. However, in the hands of Ang Lee that
ruling has to be taken back. The very fact that the
director can engage the audience with a movie that
predominantly has only a sixteen-year old boy and a
tiger at sea scene after scene itself bears testimony to
the craft of one of the greatest directors of our times.
The adult Pi is played by Irrfan Khan and through him
the transitions in the movies are well played out. He is
like the ‘soothradhar’ found in Indian theatre tradition
– helping the audience in finding their feet in this epic
saga where faith and hope are put beyond its normal
tests and have to meet their spirituality counterpart.
The character of sixteen-year old Pi is brilliantly
portrayed by Suraj Sharma who with his innocent, lost
looks brings out that coming-of-age of a boy whose
trip half way across the globe turns out to be a
personal journey of introspection.
The film that took four years to make already has
three golden globe award nominations to its credit
and might make it big on Oscar night.
The book that Ang Lee terms as ‘fascinating and mind-blogging’ posed a challenge in terms of screen adaptation
61January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES
hough this year’s pop charts have been Tdominated by the younger singers in the
industry, it is the veteran music stars, led by
Madonna, who are commanding big money in
the tour ticket sales, according to a new
Billboard list released on Tuesday. Earning an
estimated $228.4 million in ticket sales from her
sold out ninth worldwide tour in support of her
12th studio album “MDNA,” Madonna, has
topped Billboard’s List of Highest grossing live
tours. The top five highest grossing tour acts of
2012 included Bruce Springsteen, E Street band,
Pink Floy’s Roger Waters, Crique Du Soleil’s
homage to the late Michael Jackson, and
Coldplay.
Madonna in the Lead
ctress Vidya Balan and Disney UTV Amanaging director Siddharth Roy Kapur
were married in a quiet ceremony which wove
together Tamil and Punjabi rituals. Both the
Tamil and Punjabi traditions kept in mind for
their exchange of vows in what was a
completely privat affair, according to close
friends of the couple. The ceremony tok place
at the Green Gifts bungalow inupscale Bandra,
and was only attended by the couple’s family
and close friends. The bride looked simple, and
said to have changed her wedding attire thrice.
Vidya Balan
sin has enjoyed a success rate of over 80% Ain the film industry, and five of her six
Bollywood releases have turned out to be
successful, however instead of signing some
more films, Asin has decided to take a step back
and take a break. A source close to the actress
said that “she has taken a break and would be
reading new scripts after her holiday.”
Understandably, after enjoying a good record in
Hindi as well as South cinema, she has now
declared that her role has to be really
substantial before green l lights a film. “Till
someone comes to her with a meaty role, she is
staying away. Neither does she wish to get
repetitive nor does she want to do a part just for
the sake of visibility,” said a friend of Asin.
Asin Takes a Break
62 January 2013UNIQUE TIMES
What's Going On
his director believes that he understands the Ttaste of the viewers so well that he is
confident that his films will never fail. Sajid Khan’s
three ventures “Heyy Babyy”, Housefull”, and
“Housefull 2: The Dirty Dozen did brisk business at
the box office. He is very much sure that his next
film “Himmatwala” a remake of 1983 will follow to
be a hit as well. “I have learned films by watching
them, and I make films as an audience member. I
know what the audience wants, and that is why
my films will never flop,” said Sajid. He has
guaranteed that “Himmatwala” will run full house
and people will not get tickets for three days.
Sajid Khan
niversal Pictures and Walden Media Uannounced that Academy Award winning
actress, director and producer Angelina Jolie is
in talks to direct the WWII drama “Unbroken.”
The film is based on Laura Hillenbrand’s 2010
best seller “Unbroken: A World War II Story of
Survival, Resilience, and Redemption,”
chronicling the life os Olympic athlete Louis
Zamperini, who was captured by the Japanese
navy and detained at a prisoner of war camp
after having suffered a near fatal plane crash
and surviving on a raft for 47 days.
Jolie to DirectWWII Film
irector Michael Bay debunked the D“Transformers 4” rumours, saying that the
leaked scrip is not his film. The Plot details from
“Transormers 4” emerged on the internet recently.
With Bay dismissing the reports, he says only he and
screenwrier Ehren Kruger are in possession of the
story. “Some internet sites reported that some
document recovery guy has found a legitimate 120
page script of “Transformers 4”. I can absolutely 100
percent say this is completely false,” Bay stated. “The
upcoming installment of the action movie will
feature Mark Wahlbery in the lead role, replacing
former star Shia LaBeouf. The movie is due to be
realsed in 2014.
Leaked Scrip Fake
63January 2013 UNIQUE TIMES