interview -...

October-November 2017

DR. NARESH TREHAN

ADMIRAL ARUN PRAKASH

AKHIL BANSAL

INTERVIEW

New Zealand Special

2


W-19 Greater Kailash Part 2 New Delhi 110048Ph. no. 011-29217575, www.eventzunlimited.com

It's not just about It's about making

Proud to render the name, identity & execution of Oorja.

Business & Economic Diplomacy

3

“New Zealanders like nothing better than to get together to watch and discuss sports over good food and drink. And it turns out the same is true for Indians when the sport is cricket”,

Editor’sFrom the

Desk

Meenakshi Sharma

said New Zealand High Commissioner Joanna Kempkers after a scintillating ‘Black Caps’ reception at her residence where cricket diplomacy reigned supreme.

Sporting ties are truly the most entertaining and effective tool for building diplomatic relations as well as overcoming cultural differences. The cover story on New Zealand has an exclusive interview with H.E Joanna Kempkers followed by a travel feature to this exciting destination.

If medicine is sacred, then Dr. Naresh Trehan is the Medanta Medicity Messiah as he shares his vision in ‘Maxims of Medicine’. In a somewhat similar vein, Akhil Bansal, Dy. CEO of KPMG in India explains the future of Knowledge Management while CEO of United Way Delhi helps us understand how to fulfil our ‘Social Responsibility’!

An officer and a gentleman describes former Chief of Navy Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash as we interview him at his idyllic Goa home to get a peek into his military and strategic world view.

Food and drink becomes a diplomatic coup as Korean chefs rustle a mean ‘bibimbap’ and ‘kimbap’ at Le Meridien Gurgaon recently. The Big F Awards continue to spread their magic at a star studded night that recognizes good food and felicitates top chefs.

International relations get a topping of culture as Swan Lake mesmerizes, a Jazz Live Festival is all set for a musical start and fashion gets a stylish heads up at the Lifestyle Week.

Don’t miss all this and more in this issue of B&ED and do visit www.businesseconomicdiplomacy.com to keep in touch online.

Consulting Editor Meenakshi Sharma

Senior CorrespondentAnam Hamid

Business Development HeadRuchi Kohli

[email protected]

Administration & AccountsKuldeep Mishra

[email protected]

DesignDesignbox

Printed and Published byKanika Kumria

Alliance Media Group W-19, Greater Kailash Part II

New Delhi - 110048

Alliance Media Group is not responsible for the loss or damage to unsolicited material. The writing,

artwork or photos may not be re published without specific written permission of the publisher.

RNI No: DELENG / 2016 / 69193

4


1. Sporting Ties

2. Kiwi Experience

3. Maxims of Medicine

4. Upholding the highest standards of Knowledge Management

5. The Admirable Admiral

6. A healthier and fitter life

7. UNNINEST

8. Jazz travels to Goa

9. Korean Connection

12. Lifestyle Week

Page - 5

Page - 12

Page - 14

Page - 18

Page - 20

Page - 22

Page - 26

Page - 32

Page - 27

Page - 34

ContentAn exclusive interview with H.E Joanna Kempkers, the New Zealand High Commissioner

An exhilarating vacation in New Zealand

With Founder Chairman of Medanta, Dr. Naresh Trehan

An interaction with Mr Akhil Bansal of KPMG in India

An interview with former CNS, Admiral Arun Prakash

Nutrilite from Amway

Student education and accommodation in Dubai

Enjoy beautiful music that touches your soul

Bibimbap and Kimbap floor foodies

10. Big F Food Awards

11. Russian Ballet

Page - 28

Page - 30

Food Freaks honour their favourites at the Big F Food Awards

Swan Lake enchants Delhi

Sets the ramp on fire with high fashion and style


5

Indians bond with New Zealanders over sports, good food and drink, says Joanna Kempkers even as she highlights Indo- NZ partnerships in creating

sustainable models from Agriculture to Education.

New Zealand100% Pure

Ms Joanna Kempkers, New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India belongs to Christchurch and is a graduate of the University of Canterbury. Her 23 year career has been notable for postings to Paris, Fiji and the Cook Islands with her most recent assignment being Chief of Protocol for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She is currently High Commissioner to India, with cross accreditations pending to Sri Lanka. In an exclusive interview with Business & Economic Diplomacy, she spoke about the close bilateral relations between the two countries which are further

strengthened by Sports, Education, Tourism and Trade.

B & ED: As members of the Asia-Pacific region, New Zealand and India have a close relationship. How do you ensure that these ties are continuously strengthened?

As you have pointed out, New Zealand and India have a close relationship that is built on our shared Commonwealth heritage, a common language in English, respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and our passion for cricket. We also have a historic people-

to-people connection that continues to be strengthened by our extensive education and tourism links. Last year, more than 28,000 Indian students came to study in New Zealand, making India the second largest source of international students for us. In New Zealand, they are receiving a world-class education and creating lasting personal and business ties between our countries. India is also among our top 10 contributors for visitor arrivals with nearly 55,000 visitors from India in the year ending May 2017 and 66,000 New Zealanders coming to India in

6


return. They too create lasting linkages and contribute to building a closer relationship.

As responsible actors in the Asia-Pacific region, India and New Zealand have a strong interest in keeping this region stable and prosperous. This ensures that we work together closely to achieve our common goals. One of the ways through which we do this is regular leader-level visits that help us reinforce our ties and set the stage for collaboration at an international level. Former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee visited New Zealand in 2016 and Sir John Key, who was our Prime Minister until December last year, visited India in October 2016. Besides this, the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Lt Gen V K Singh also visited New Zealand earlier this year.

We also want to develop our relationship with India further by successfully concluding a quality bilateral FTA and engaging multilaterally through a deal under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). A free trade relationship between both countries would certainly help in enhancing trade, which is currently worth $2.5 billion but has the potential to be a lot greater. New Zealand has world-leading expertise across many sectors of interest to India such as agriculture, education, tourism, innovation and technology to name a few. Our experience is that engagement and investment by New Zealand companies skyrockets following the conclusion of a high-quality,

comprehensive free trade agreement that provides them with secure market access, greater certainty on costs and stability of regulation.

B & ED: India is a key economic and political partner for New Zealand. There has also been a recent agreement (MOU) with the Haryana Government to promote NZ’s best agricultural practices that include horticulture and dairy practices. Tell us more about such innovations that create a win-win for India-NZ relations?

Do you know about India’s “Operation Flood” that led the country to self-sufficiency in dairy? The man behind it, Dr Verghese Kurien, studied at Massey University in New Zealand in 1953. After learning about New Zealand’s co-operative model, he returned to India and built the Amul brand of dairy products. Today, we see transfer of knowledge continuing at Binsar Farms, an Indo-Kiwi dairy start-up located in Sonepat and a prime example of what Indo-New Zealand partnerships can achieve together. Launched by three Indian information technology professionals driven by the desire to improve sustainable development for local farmers, the start-up delivers

fresh and pure cows’ milk to over 1000 residential homes in greater Delhi. They have partnered with a well-known New Zealand dairy farmer, Sir Earl Rattray, who has been appointed as one of the Directors of Binsar Farms and together they are sharing their knowledge with other farmers locally. Their nutritious milk is sourced from a herd of about 300 cows that are fed grass and fodder grown on the farm and sourced locally. They employ over 100 staff and supply free fresh milk to the local primary school every day.

Similarly, New Zealand experts, scientists and industry are working with farmers to improve apple productivity in Himachal Pradesh. Yields in this region have been declining as its ageing trees become vulnerable to pests and diseases. Along with the Himachal Pradesh Government, we are collaborating with local farmers to replant traditional and new varieties, improve pest and disease control, increase research and development, and improve water storage and irrigation.

B & ED: NZ is ranked high in gender equality and gender parity. What are the lessons that India can gain from? Are there any CSR practices that encourage similar examples?


7

We were the first country to give women the right to vote in 1853. Today, New Zealand is ranked as one of the top 10 countries in gender equality and our Governor-General, Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Justice are all women. We are proud of what we have achieved and are happy to support initiatives that promote gender equality across the world.

In India, over the last two years we have supported Katha, a New Delhi-based organisation, to produce five gender-sensitive storybooks for use in Delhi’s schools. The goal is to inspire children to become agents of change and, thereby, reduce gender stereotypes in our society. We have also supported the work of Asha Society in New Delhi to help women in some of the city’s lesser privileged neighbourhoods empower themselves to better advocate, lobby and lead on public health issues affecting slum residents.

We are also happy to have played a role in the success story of India’s mountaineering twins, Tashi and Nungshi Malik, who are the world’s first siblings and twins to scale the highest peaks on all the seven continents. The sisters studied at the Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill on a New Zealand Government scholarship. In New Zealand, they found an enabling and gender-neutral environment to develop their capabilities as outdoor sport practitioners, specialising in mountaineering. They have since then returned to India and set up a foundation to try and empower girls and women in their state of Uttarakhand through outdoor sports.

B & ED: Since India is one of the largest source of skilled migrants and international students, what measures keep this ever increasing community of students and workers educated and engaged about opportunities?

India is indeed one of our top sources of skilled migrants and students. In 2015/16, India (at 16 per cent) was the second biggest contributor of permanent migrants to New Zealand. Today 4% of NZ’s population, or around 185,000 people are people of Indian origin, and Hindi is the fourth most commonly spoken language in New Zealand. We are proud of the important contribution this community makes to our political, business, cultural and sporting life. From time to time, public agencies in New Zealand run special campaigns to draw top talent from across the world, including India. For instance, this year in March, we received the largest number of applications from India (nearly a sixth of the total applications received) for Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency’s special campaign to attract the best global IT talent to the “World’s Coolest Little Capital”. In keeping with this reputation, the interview process even involves free return flights and accommodation for all shortlisted applicants! Around the same time last year, our Government also launched a visionary three-year fellowship programme – through a new Hillary Global Impact Visa – that seeks to bring together a community of visionary entrepreneurs, investors and startup teams to create positive global impact from New Zealand.

This month and in the next, Education New Zealand will

8


select the finalists in the New Zealand India Sustainability Challenge. This programme brings together groups of smart students from India and New Zealand into teams to create innovative solutions to environmental challenges facing India today.

B & ED: NZ is a much loved travel destination and a hub of adventure sports. How do you promote this outdoor culture of NZ in India and ensure branding of NZ tourism?

Tourism New Zealand is the organisation responsible for marketing New Zealand to the world as a tourist destination. The major tool they use to do this is the 100% Pure New Zealand marketing campaign, a campaign that has evolved over the years to make New Zealand one of the world’s most well-respected tourism brands.

Through the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign Tourism New Zealand takes New Zealand’s story to consumers, the travel trade and the global media, while working with the industry in New Zealand to ensure we deliver on the promises made through the campaign.

Tourism is vitally important to the New

Zealand economy and is the biggest export earner generating $14.5 billion in the current year. India is a priority emerging market for Tourism New Zealand and is among the top 10 source markets for international tourists.

The latest addition to the 100% Pure New Zealand global campaign, ‘Where one journey leads to another’, is inspired by exploring further afield and delves deeper into New Zealand’s unique visitor experience and explores the country through a more regional lens.

The campaign was launched in India on 3 July through digital media including Facebook and Google. In addition to consumer advertising Tourism New Zealand focuses on public relations and trade marketing activity to promote New Zealand to Indian travellers.

In 2015 Tourism New Zealand appointed Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra as its Indian Tourism Ambassador and this partnership has delivered incredibly strong results. His two visits to New Zealand have resulted in widespread media coverage with almost 3000 stories published across print, online, social and TV channels. Thanks to his

support, New Zealand emerged as the most searched travel destination in India in December last year. (Based on the search activity of 50 million users per month, data released by travel search website Skyscanner showed a 52 per cent increase in the number of searches for New Zealand compared to the corresponding period the year before.)

Coupled with natural beauty and innumerable outdoor activities on offer, New Zealand is considered the hub of adventure tourism. Exciting outdoor adventures can be enjoyed around the country – from bungy jump, sky-dive, jet-boat, or exploring White Island, New Zealand’s only active marine volcano.

New Zealand also provides some of the most exhilarating caving, skiing, surfing and windsurfing in the world. For travellers who prefer a more relaxed holiday New Zealand also offers world class food and wine; authentic Maori cultural experiences; quality museums and art galleries and a plethora of sightseeing opportunities – so there really is something for everyone.

B & ED: Do share your personal experiences of living and working in India and how it has enriched you?

I have been here for more than six months now but in this short period I have already experienced more than my fair share of the warmth and generosity India and its people are renowned for. Attending an Indian wedding, soon after my arrival, made me feel like I was living in a Bollywood movie. Getting plastered with colour on Holi and having a yummy shared lunch with staff at Eid were clear highlights. I wasn’t so skilled at the kite flying for Independence Day, but my husband was pleased he managed to cut two kites! We are joined here by our three children, and we are looking forward to getting out and about as often as we can to enjoy the beauty and diversity of India. My parents have been here too and they thoroughly enjoyed our visits to the Wildlife SOS elephant sanctuary near Agra and the Taj Mahal. Now, if only I could stop finding gulab jamun and jalebi quite so irresistible…


9

Sporting Ties

The reception was an elegant and beautiful evening which was attended by over 200 distinguished guests from the field of politics, government, private sector, business and media. Dignitaries like H.E Nadir Patel, Canadian High Commissioner to India, renowned politician Sh. Shashi Tharoor, Counselor and Charge D’Affaires at the US Embassy Ms. Marykay Loss Carlson among others were seen enjoying the event.

The highlight of the evening was an informal interaction with some of the cricketers led by former New Zealand cricketer and commentator Simon Doull. The discussion centred not just on cricket and the ongoing tour but also included a surprise quiz to test the cricketers’ knowledge of India.

The food and drink was as sublime as the evening itself and guests relished premium New Zealand food and drinks like lamb, kiwifruit, apples, avocados and wine!

New Zealand high Commission hosted the New Zealand cricket team for a reception at the High Commission. The event was themed to profile New Zealand’s progress in innovation, particular in the field of sports technology. While the cricket field saw a closely fought one-day international series, which the BlackCaps lost 2-1, New Zealand is now taking on India for a T20 series.

Speaking about the event, New Zealand High Commissioner Joanna Kempkers said, “New Zealanders like nothing better than to get together to watch and discuss sports over good food and drink. And it turns out the same is true for Indians when the sport is cricket! We’re really proud of the success that the Blackcaps and other New Zealand representative sports teams achieve on the world stage, but it is no accident. There is a whole industry of innovation in sports and sports nutrition in New Zealand which sits behind their success. It was great to be able to profile some of those companies working at the interface between science, technology and sports on Monday night while we enjoyed the company of the Blackcaps and some of the superb New Zealand food and wine which is available on the market in India.”

at the Black Caps Reception

10


Glimpsesat the Black Caps Reception

Mr. Kapil Kumria with Greg Barclay & Joanna Kempkers

Ross Taylor, New Zealand Cricketer Ross Taylor, Captain Kane Williamson and commentator Simon Doull

Mr. Kapil with politician Mr.Shashi Tharoor & Ish Sodhi of Black Caps


11

Mr. Kapil with MaryKay Loss CarlsonTom Latham, Trent Bouth, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson and Simon Doull

Mr. Kapil with Tim Southy of Black Caps Black Caps

HC Nadir Patel with his wife Jennifer Joanna Kempkers

12


The KiwiExperience

“I’m 13000km away from home and this is the start of something

incredible.”

by Sarthak Sharma

Photo credits: Neelesh Rampal

After those numerous lectures on international travel, the stress of having to worry about a passport and the anxiety of travelling abroad alone for the first time were finally forgotten as I awoke in a new environment, around a new atmosphere and an inherent chill in the air. Its then that I realized, I’m 13000km away from home and this is the start of something incredible. I knew this was a once in a lifetime chance for me to experience something very few people my age actually get to witness. With this attitude and a sudden burst of confidence, I began my journey to explore the sights and sounds and the natural beauty that is New Zealand.

If there was one thing I probably wasn’t prepared for, it was the really outdoor lifestyle of the kiwis. A rude awakening of sorts welcomed me as I was forced to push my own boundaries to keep up with my cousin in every single thing he suggested I do in order to fulfill the “kiwi experience”. What is this kiwi experience, I thought and why is it so important? Well I sure found out.

The first weekend I was there, we headed to the geothermal heaven and rotten eggs smelling city of Rotorua. This is where nature really plays a game with us. We were always told that


13

volcanoes erupt from a mountain that looks a certain way and volcanic activity can be really dangerous. But in Rotorua, this is just everyday stuff for the people. Tourism is the biggest contributor to the economy and its hard to argue otherwise. With lots of adventure tourism and one of the few places in the world you can witness geo thermal activity at its live best, Rotorua really is a city worth paying a visit.

Things aren’t cheap when you’re an Indian who goes abroad. I had to be really careful with my spending whilst in NZ and staying in a cheap backpackers hostel seemed like the perfect way to go. It’s a system very common among European and American landscapes as it is all over Australia and New Zealand, providing cheap overnight stays to weary travellers who follow their passion of exploring to the fullest. A great way to save a few bucks and meet new people and of course, cook your own food and clean when you are done.

What can be better than seeing hot water erupt from underneath the very ground I stand on? Probably hot water I can swim in! On a cold day in the middle of winter nothing felt more welcoming than a nice dip in the kerosene creek on the way to Taupo, a city on the outskirts of Rotorua. With a temperature of 30 degrees inside the water, it was just what the aching bones needed to replenish and refresh after a couple of days of solid

walking and trekking. A drive around the massive and beautiful lakes of Taupo soon followed and I suddenly realized what I’d been missing all these years. Brilliant maintenance and smooth roads even through utter wilderness proved just how far behind we are when it comes to overall administration. That in itself is worth mentioning.

Taupo provided its fair share of thrills and spills and we capped off the trip with the luge. What’s a luge, you may ask. In basic terms, you get a gondola ride to the top of a mountain and pretty much glide down the slope in a go-kart kind of vehicle meant to go only downwards. It may sound scary but brilliant management has ensured that the vehicle is safe for almost all ages and 100% safety measures are ensured on the track in case something does go wrong. An adrenaline rush nonetheless especially when you bet your fellow 20 year old cousin that you won’t brake while going down!

After a hectic yet enthralling trip to geo thermal paradise, there was no rest for the weary. A mere 24 hours after arriving back in Auckland, we packed our bags and prepared for a 5 AM flight from Auckland to Queenstown, the legit adventure capital of the world. Tired as I was, I was excited for what awaited me.

Mixing with the locals was something I found most exciting. With my cousin

and I, five of his other friends decided to join us as we explored the less traversed south island of New Zealand, known exclusively for its natural beauty and breathtaking views. The same could be seen just as we approached landing near Queenstown as the landscape transitioned from white clouds to white mountains in an instant. As I braced myself for landing through mountains I could see similar excited faces in the flight that reassured me I wasn’t fan boying too much over what was taking place. The cold winds of winter greeted us and the thick jackets came out soon after as we met all our friends and found cars that we were to have for the rest of the week. Over the course of the said week I realized just what a first time tourist should do whilst in South Island.

Keeping the said things in mind, the following are the things one should certainly do while in the South Island in and around Queenstown

• Skiing• Fergburger• AJ Hackett Bungy• AJ Hackett Zipline• Mountain Biking• Luge• Ice Bar• Drive to Milford Sound via Te

Anau• Milford Sound Cruise• Drive along the Lake wakatipu• Glenorchy• Wanaka• Arrowtown• Queenstown Cruise• Paragliding• Sky dive

Highlights

14


From its impressive façade and specialized doctors to the state of the art facilities and efficient processes and protocols, there is much to admire at Medanta - the Medicity which is not just a well-known Gurgaon landmark and an iconic structure but a place of good health, hope and solace for those who are suffering.

The entrance, the lobby, the spacious reception, even the numerous lifts are milling with people who have faith in the vision of Founder Chairman Dr. Naresh Trehan, a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri among other prominent awards.

India is my obsession

We need more Enablers

WITH DR. NARESH TREHAN

Maxims of MEDICINE by Meenakshi Sharma

“

“

A respected citizen with a deep sense of social responsibility, he believes “India is my obsession,” as he explains the vision of the Medanta Medicity project which has been fashioned on the lines of a Mayo, Cleveland, or John Hopkins in its basics but goes beyond the pattern of a conventional medical institute. “Genetically, economically, culturally, environmentally and knowledge wise Indians are very different so we need to develop our own medicine,” says Dr. Trehan who went to the United States in 1969, and by the mid-1980’s when he was earning over $1.5 million a year as a Manhattan heart surgeon, did what few Indian doctors would imagine doing - came back, prompted by ‘’a kind of national pride’’ and set up Medanta! He believes that progression is not only natural but the only way to face the challenges of the future.

Trehan believes that while medicine in India has grown by leaps and bounds with many super specialty hospitals coming up, they are inadequate not because they are few and far between but because most are not affordable to all. Explaining this he says, “It is not about accessibility or affordability but

Tree of Life


15

more because it is out of reach due to the paucity of enablers. While in the West Insurance or Medicare covers 80-90 percent of the population, in India it is barely 20% making it too expensive.”

He is hopeful that in the next 5-7 years private insurance will cover more and more people and that government schemes will increase from 3% to 8-10% as he says, “The transition is needed from private pocket to a more insured set up while another methodology being explored for guaranteeing accessibility is through new models of subsidized Public Private Partnership”.

MULTIPLE MEDANTAS

And here in lies the seed for the multiple Medantas that have begun to spout over North and North East India. His dream of taking Medanta to the underserved areas has well and truly begun and now that Medanta has reached Indore and Patna, he is ready for Ranchi, Chhattisgarh and the North East. The biggest in the pipeline and all set to roll out is the one in Lucknow and Trehan explains why he chose Uttar Pradesh for his 1000 bed hospital with services like Liver transplant, Bone Marrow transplant and high end Cancer care which is

affordable and ensures the highest level of surveillance to ensure that the risk of infection is not there. “With 22 crore population, this was an obvious choice apart from the fact that I studied here and have a bond with the city.”

16


RELEVANCE OF PROCESSES & PROTOCOLS

Dr. Trehan explains how Medanta believes in processes and protocols and has inculcated a culture where there is a complete standardization of procedures to enhance the patient as well as caregiver’s experience.

WORK LIFE BALANCE

A workaholic who is yet a strong believer in balance, he defies his age and works nonstop. Ask him the secret and he says, “I manage to strike a balance because of my mental state and also because of yoga and exercise. But most important because I am enjoying work and I find it gratifying so I do it well. I never feel it is tough to balance even though I am available 24/7.”

“From paramedics to nurses to doctors and attendants, everyone is given proper training. we have nurtured a caring ethos and that spreads everywhere. You will notice that the waiting lounges give an experience of comfort and are well coordinated while we maintain high surveillance to ensure prevention of infections.”

INTEGRATING ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Another proof of his faith in India is his pride in his wholehearted endorsement of alternative medicine like Ayurveda and incorporating the benefits of Yoga in modern medicine. He explains,

MEDICAL TOURISM & EDUCATION

On the growing trend of medical tourism, he says, “From time immemorial, people have always travelled to seek medical help. India has an intelligent and educated doctor base but didn’t have the infrastructure. Now we have the ability and we can do it at 1/10th of the cost. A surgery that costs 20 lacs abroad could be brought down to just 2 lacs in India.”

He believes that medical education needs to grow more. “I am on the DNB (Diplomate of National) Board and have programmes at Medanta where we take 150 post grad students to ensure availability of doctors and yet we haven’t explored at the undergraduate level. We feel one way is to take the BMS (Ayurveda) doctors and give them additional training to bridge the gap and integrate them into modern medicine.”

“The next 5-7 years will be a new era of medicine which will develop from Indian and this will change the way we cure. This will make medicine more effective, less invasive and more affordable.”

Being a strong votary of alternative medicine, Dr. Trehan believes it needs to be integrated in a synergistic manner because “there are strengths on both sides and a fusion works towards the betterment of patients. From pre preparation to rehabilitative phase, it is a sustained effort as it is less invasive and more comfortable”. He explains how there are areas where modern medicine is not very effective like in Parkinson, Alzheimers, Back Pain, Cancer treatment. It is here that he recommends a combination of surgery with alternative medicine and yoga exercises which focus on breathing with excellent results.

Dr. Naresh Trehan


17

18


Upholding highest standards 0f Knowledge Management

In an interview with our Consulting Editor, Deputy CEO Akhil Bansal shares how “quality and integrity is at the heart of all we do” and

reiterates that at KPMG,

Our best is yet to come!“

B& ED: Please share the highlights of your career vis-vis the learnings you have gained in your professional and personal capacity.

This is my 21st year with KPMG in India. Being an integral part of the firm – I have seen it grow and transform with a life and soul. I was one of the early members of the firm, and am proud to have been part of this legacy.

One of the most memorable moments was definitely at the very start (back in 1992) - as I cleared my Chartered Accountancy with an all India rank. That was the real head start and the rest as they say is history.

During my tenure at KPMG in India, I have worn several hats - I have had the opportunity to run a practice, lead operations and

now oversee several businesses. I have always carried forward and applied my learnings from each role to the next one.

As a professional, I have gained tremendously. Whether I talk of client handling skills, crisis/conflict management, or getting the best out of your teams. The key learning I always like to share with people or groups I speak to, is always to take the high road to success. Always compete on your strengths and your capabilities. Disparaging others, be it peers within your team, your organisation, or even competition, is not a good, or sustainable way to win.

Personally too, it has been a rewarding journey. Through all my mentors, friends and colleagues who have influenced the path I have taken, two qualities outshine. The first is ‘hunger’, a desire to achieve. The second is ‘humility’, keeping a modest view of oneself. An individual’s successes will cease if there isn’t continued hunger, and there can be no real learning or openness to ideas without humility.

My family has stood by me like a rock. And over the years, I have discovered newer ways of appreciating the sacrifices they have made for me.

This firm that I am part of, gives a lot more than it demands. I feel like I am a chip of the KPMG block. The association evokes a deep sense of pride within me because I feel I have contributed to where we are today!

B & ED: Since you are responsible for strategy implementation, what have been the positive features as well as the challenges faced by KPMG in India?

Akhil Bansal

As Akhil Bansal shares the KPMG track record of uncompromised ethic, coupled with the high

standards of leading practices. “Our clients figure in Fortune 500 and our services range

across diverse and growing sectors. Our people have been instrumental in our success and have experienced professional and personal growth over the years. Going ahead, we want to be the best - in how we uphold our standards, serve

our clients and our communities, and take care of our people”.


19

There are some hard calls involved – which areas to play in, where to invest, whether to build or buy. And all this, on the back of a market which continues to evolve at a daunting pace. This also makes decisions as well as their implementation time critical, in order to stay market relevant. Clarity about what you want to do, who you need and how to get there, helps focus limited financial and people resources.

Strategy implementation, as a journey, is one of intense learning, both for the organisation as well as the individual. Three aspects, I think which have stood out for me, during the time I have been involved.

One, it helps establish a direction for the firm – sets realistic goals and objectives, consistent with the purpose of the organisation, which can be clearly communicated to its people.

Two, facilitates synergies within existing services and relationships – especially in a business like ours. A well-planned implementation exercise can help create real value by helping discover newer ways to collaborate and engage.

Three, and equally critical as the two above, if not more, it helps evaluates progress, while also providing a basis for judging the quality of progress being made.

There are of course several ‘collateral’ advantages which can be felt, and some of these may be intangible. Like it brings more focus to meetings, helps deal with conflict effectively, and most of all, a motivated workforce showing up at work every day.

B &ED: Please share some of the growth initiatives planned for the coming year for KPMG in India?

In the market we are currently operating in, disruptions are coming from different directions – be it the technological change, transforming business

models, or unforeseen competition. To cope, both individuals and while we continue to build on the strong foundation of our core offerings in the market – we must also bring new and differentiated solutions to the market. Advisory offerings with potential to create demand in the market (if not existing already), include the stressed assets space, automation, large-scale transformation, cyber advisory and customer digital advisory.

Clients also demand deep sector insights, and in order to stay relevant on this front, we are focusing on traditional as well as the sun rise sectors. These include telecom, financial services, consumer markets, technology, infra and energy. In addition, as a professional services firm, we are extremely proud to be working with the government on key national priorities such as ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’, ‘Start-up India’, ‘Ease of Doing Business’, ‘Smart Cities Mission’, etc. Given the government’s reform-based agenda, we hope to continue to play our role in nation building. The rapidly changing markets intensify the need for us to be seen as a go-to firm within these sectors.

All this will require the support of our sharp talent, and a hawk’s eye on internal efficiency and organizational building processes such as hiring and training.

B &ED: There are many young people who aspire to work for a brand such as KPMG in India. What are the qualities you look for in the youngsters and what is your advice or suggestion to them for job preparedness?

I recently read a quote from Warren Buffet – “In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”

Nothing sums it up better than this.

Evaluating technical skills such that they are fit for the position is a given. But now more than ever, hiring based on core values has become imperative. These young people are going to be future brand ambassadors of the firm, and hence, represent the firm in the market.

Attracting purpose-driven talent who can identify with KPMG’s strong values is important as it can go a long way in inspiring confidence in clients and adding to our continuously evolving culture of high performance.

This helps provide some reassurance that people are joining KPMG for the right reasons, after understanding what the firm is about and giving a thought to whether it would be meaningful for them to be a part of this journey. Value alignment also helps build a strong brand.

In terms of preparation, I think the best advice I can share with our country’s young talent is to reflect back on life thus far, and use examples from it to provide insights about their experience, education and personality. There is no better tool today than story-telling and given how digitally savvy today’s generations are, such skills can always be learnt.

In looking for people to hire, you look for three

qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two

will kill you.

“

20


Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd.) shares deep insights about strategic partnerships and the changing role of the Indian Navy

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep”. I was reminded of these lines by Robert Frost as I walked out of the beautiful home of Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd). The home itself is a tribute to his love for Aviation and the Indian Navy as it is recreates the feel of a ship and an aircraft all at once. A cup of tea with an Admiral is indeed a special privilege and in the true tradition of an Officer and a Gentleman, he was gracious and hospitable as B & ED discussed his illustrious career, the changing role of the Indian Navy, Maritime Strategy and India’s relationships with China and the US in an exclusive interview with Consulting Editor Meenakshi Sharma.

Having served as CNS in the Indian Navy, how do you look back on your journey and visualize the evolving role of the Navy today?

Looking back at the 40 years I spent in

the Indian Navy (IN), I would say that it was a most satisfying, and fulfilling experience; full of challenges and excitement. Being a naval aviator, I spent my early years in flying assignments; from the aircraft-carrier and ashore, and then went on to command several warships (including an aircraft-carrier). In higher ranks, one was privileged to head different branches of the Navy and command fighting formations in the field.

The evolution of the IN has been a continuous process, and the Service is fortunate that it had a visionary leadership, post-independence, which charted a path for its growth. During my tenure at the helm, I attempted an intellectual renaissance of the IN, which would streamline the strategic planning process of the navy, and bring logic to hardware acquisition programmes. Having generated a Maritime Doctrine and Strategy, we constituted a

AdmiralThe Admirable

Directorate of Strategy, Concepts and Transformation, in Delhi and a Flag Officer, Doctrines and Concepts in Mumbai; in order to encourage creative doctrinal thinking. To bring sharper focus on our Foreign Cooperation and Naval Diplomacy initiatives, these portfolios were consolidated under a newly created 2-star Admiral in NHQ.

Given India’s huge potential and its positive growth trajectory, the country is on the threshold of major regional power status. The compulsions of globalization, economics and trade, as well as, energy supplies have made India totally dependent on the seas around it. ‘Maritime Security’ and ‘Maritime Power’, have, thus, assumed primacy in our national security matrix. Our navy is poised to grow into a modern and professional maritime force which will have a significant impact on the regional balance-of-power.

What is the role of the military in implementing the country’s foreign policies?

In India, the military plays no role in formulation of any policy, but if used judiciously, it can be a very useful and potent instrument of state policy. Unfortunately, there is inadequate comprehension of the utility of this tool and it remains under-employed.

For example, concerns are frequently voiced about China’s ‘string of pearls’ and, the more recent, ‘Belt & Road Initiative’ strategies. The challenge, for India, lies in crafting long-term alternatives based on economics,

Rafale Flight Istres 2005


21

geo-politics and hard as well as soft-power. The navy certainly has a role because smaller neighbours seek maritime security; either through direct naval presence, or through requests for material aid, training assistance and advice.

In the past, our response to such requests has not always prompt; due to difference of perceptions between the navy, the diplomats and the defence

bureaucracy. These issues are being ironed out. After the navy’s sterling performance during the 2004 tsunami, India’s neighbours expect prompt assistance in times of natural calamity.

India has been trying to give substance to its vision of the Indian Ocean as a unified geo-political space by creating multi-lateral forums. An example is the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) formed in 1997, with trade and economic cooperation as objectives; another is the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), initiated by the Indian Navy in 2008 to bring together the IOR navies. These bodies have great potential and will soon find great regional resonance.

How will China be shaping the business and economy of the Indo Pacific and the world?

Since initiating market reforms in 1978, China has shifted from a centrally-planned to a market-based economy and has seen rapid economic and social development. Before it slipped to ordinary levels, China’s GDP growth had averaged over 10% a year for nearly three decades; the fastest sustained expansion by a major economy in history. Having lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty, China, however, remains a developing country because its per capita income is still a fraction of that in advanced countries.

China was formally admitted to the WTO only in 2001 and had, then, undertaken to offer greater market access to its agriculture, manufacture and service sectors by bringing its domestic laws and trade-related measures into conformity with WTO rules. It was WTO membership that enabled China to become fully integrated into the global market and unleashed its potential as a trading power. However, it has often failed to comply with WTO norms, to the discomfort of its trading partners.

China suffers from a capacity glut

in a number of industries that has contributed to a debt crisis in the country, while also leading to frictions abroad as other countries accuse China of dumping products at below-market rates in a scramble to recoup falling profits. The overcapacity problem is a symptom of China’s earlier policies where government investment in key sectors built capacities far beyond demand.

Future investment and trading patterns in the Indo-Pacific are going to be shaped by China’s emerging ‘Belt & Road Initiative’. However, there are disagreements about the intentions behind it and its possible consequences. While some countries welcome it as a source of investment in their infrastructure, that they cannot afford themselves, other see the initiative as mercantilist and exploitative, in its fine print. India has rejected participation on the grounds that it does not respect India’s sovereign territorial claims in the context of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

China plans to spend roughly $150bn a year in the 68 countries that have signed up to the scheme. By investing in infrastructure, China hopes to find a profitable destination for China’s huge foreign-exchange reserves. It also hopes to create new markets for Chinese companies, and to export some of his country’s vast excess capacity in cement, steel and other metals. By investing in Indo-Pacific countries it hopes to create a favourable sphere of influence and ensure the safety of its sea lanes while bolstering its outrageous territorial claims in the South China Sea.

You are a prolific writer and comment on world affairs. What else keeps you engaged post retirement in a place like Goa.

When I am not swimming in the sea or playing golf, I read and write; and speak at various armed forces institutions.

Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC served as the Chief of Naval Staff and is one of India’s

most decorated naval officers. He retired as India’s 20th Naval

Chief and Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee in 2006. An aviator by specialisation, during his 40 year career, he also logged over 2500

hours in fighters, patrol aircraft and helicopters. A graduate of the IAF

Test Pilots School, Defence Services Staff College and the US Naval War College, . During he was awarded

the Vir Chakra while flying with an IAF fighter squadron in the 1971

War. Post retirement, he served two terms as a member of the National Security Advisory Board and was

Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation. He lives in Goa, and

writes and speaks on strategic and security related topics.

22


cuts both ways. From gym, club memberships, health apps, to adoption of supplements, consumers are indulging themselves to keep themselves fitter.

Nutrilite has had an amazing journey of growth in Asia and across the world. Do tell us a bit more about this.A jewel in the Amway stable of brands is Nutrilite. Today globally, Nutrilite is a $4 billion brand and we take immense pride in having perfected the plant based approach to dietary supplementation. It is this scientific approach that has established Nutrilite as the world’s top selling, rather the number one vitamins and dietary supplements brand. The driving reason for Nutrilite to be a global leader is that it is the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest and process plants on its own certified organic farms.

Nutrilite has a history that dates back to the early decades of the 20th century when a man by the name Carl Rehnborg, set out on a mission. He realized that plant based compounds

CEO, Amway India, Mr.Anshu Budhraja stresses on the importance of dietary

supplements to ensure a better quality of life.

Given the demands of modern-day life, how are dietary supplements enabling people to live fuller, better lives?The human body must get a certain amount of nutrients on a daily basis. Every vitamin, mineral and protein has a certain function in our body and all these are essential for a healthy body. Above all, dietary needs should be achieved by consuming many different foods. However, since most people do not get the recommended amount of vitamins, minerals, or proteins from their diet, dietary supplements help protect against nutritional deficiencies and provide sustained health benefits. Additionally, several studies conducted around the world on the intake of dietary supplements point to the benefit of having direct monetary value as well.

For instance, in the 2013 to 2020 time frame, there is a potential of saving $4 billion in the United States, just by introducing an Omega 3 supplement in the diet. If we add Europe to this, it will be another 13 billion euros in the four year timeframe from 2016 to 2020. Globally, governments also understand that prevention of diseases brings about a hefty saving by avoiding expenses on secondary and tertiary care treatments.

The strength of the wisdom in age-old adages and proverbs is immense and we at Amway firmly believe that prevention is indeed better than cure. Prevention is better than cure is one of the most famous proverb which is a big example to us in our daily life. It teaches us to maintain a healthy, disciplined, and tension free lifestyle. This global push towards prevention

A Healthier & FITTER LIFE

Anshu Budhraja


23

played a crucial role in nutrition. His work led to the development of a unique food supplement which could fill the nutritional gaps in a person’s diet.

Over the years, Nutrilite has pioneered the plant-based approach to dietary supplementation through phytonutrients, as they provide key health benefits. Phytonutrients are the organic compounds found in plants that offer a range of health benefits and promote healthy aging. They play an important role in supporting immune, brain, bone, joint and eye health — as well as supporting energy production.

While it is best to eat whole fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible, Nutrilite products help fill the nutritional gap which arises due to inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables that one needs and what one actually is able to eat in the form of natural plant ingredients.

In keeping with Nutrilite’s strong belief in the goodness of phytonutrients and the use of only the best sources, many of the plant concentrates that go into Nutrilite products come from its own farms or Nutrilite certified farms. Nutrilite is the only global vitamin and dietary supplement brand to grow, harvest and process plants on their own certified organic farms**. Nutrilite owns nearly 6,000 acres of organic farm land in Mexico, Washington and Brazil. Nutrilite conducts more than 25,000 tests each month and more than 500,000 quality evaluations are performed each year for product purity and quality.

Today the Nutrilite brand offers a complete range of food/health supplements and other products designed to address the nutritional needs of different age groups and has a presence in more than 60 countries across the world.

**Source: Euromonitor International Limited. Based on a 2016 review of global Vitamin and Dietary supplement manufacturers, their ownership of the entire production process, from farm to manufacturing, in addition to organic certification of products. Euromonitor does not accept or assume responsibility to any third party in respect to this claim.

24


United Way Delhi (UWD), a non-profit organization working for the local community through innovative programs in education, healthcare, environment and livelihood is led by Sachin Golwalkar who is CEO, United Way of Delhi. Golwalkar tells B &ED about the vision of United Way Delhi, the highlights of the journey and the corporate connect which helps them fulfil their objectives.

understand the concerns of the communities we operate in, identify critical issues and develop implementable strategies and work towards eliminating the root cause of the problem and not just the symptoms, thus maximizing the return on investment and achieving specific and measurable results. To achieve such results, we actively mobilize resources (financial, human and in-kind support) through donors and keep their interests connected to the programs that are implemented.

A corporate connect is a very important part of the work you are doing. Please share some of these connections which have strengthened over time?

United Way Delhi (UWD) is the local chapter of United Way Worldwide, one of the largest non-profit organisations of the world engaged with more than 1800

communities across more than 41 countries.

GOODIn pursuit of the greater

Tell us about the UWD vision and journey.United Way Delhi’s journey started with small but unique interventions from the very first year of inception i.e.: 2008. Gradually the organisation matured and grew over time, so did the dynamics and demographics of project. Smaller piece meal initiatives metamorphose into larger community centric interventions that strengthened the very foundation of the organisation and gave a direction towards creating a larger common good. United Way Delhi handled a variety of diversified portfolio of projects, like projects soft skill session with Delhi Police, Mobile Science Lab, and community centric interventions like Evening Health Clinic and Livelihood projects gave the much needed impetus towards overall growth of the organisation and an identity to stand out tall among the many.

How did United Way deal with the challenges in India due to the diversity and size of the country?Our fundamental approach to fulfilment revolves around our belief that to truly bring about sustainable change in our communities we must build synergies and work in partnership with NGOs, Foundations, Corporate bodies, Government and Volunteers, thus collectively achieving more than any one organization could do by working alone. We endeavour to


25

Corporate connect is an integral part of our approach. There are several example that can be cited here which started as a short term association but went on to become a long lasting mutual relationship. United Technologies Corporation is one such dynamic organisation with whom United Way of Delhi had a very long lasting partnership.

UTC came on board for a small Health initiative to start with in Gurugram which later on became a full-fledged health and community development project and eventually the project diversified into improvement of school infrastructure, soft skills training, skill development and vocational training taking clue with the changing times, CSR scenario and national employment trends.

With Deloitte, a major financial and compliance organisation, the partnership is largely based on two things, employee volunteering and improvement of child friendly school infrastructure.

Cargil, the international nutrition sector giant have been supporting UWD on livelihood, skill development and entrepreneurship development of

women from marginalised communities in certain pockets in Delhi - NCR region. The project is showing huge impact on the lives of the target beneficiaries and Cargill being a responsible business organisation have officially appreciated commendable efforts of UWD into making the initiative a success.

There are quite a few other corporate who have shown faith in UWD’s capacity to implement path breaking development projects, like, GENPACT, Carrier India, SBI Cards, Amway India, Flour Daniel, Carlson Group to name a few organisations.

What are the future plans for United Way Delhi Chapter and how are you gearing up for the same? UWD is in the process of complete overhauling of its own processes and human resources to meet up with the upcoming challenges of venturing into new and larger terrains with a much bolder and robust approach towards finding a holistic solution to the same social issues. UWD aims to double its turnover in next five years and quadruple its area of operation with a new and dynamic human resource to support with fulfilling its larger mission.

Project UMANG

26


Student Education and Accommodations in

DUBAIDubai, a multi-cultural global city with tourism, real estate, and financial services being the major sectors of the economy. Education is the new emerging segment with many Indian and international institutions setting up their campuses. Hence Dubai is fast becoming one of the most sought after destinations among International students. Learning is comparatively less expensive because of the education policies of Dubai. Due to huge development in the area of infrastructure, trade and commerce, the possibilities of finding an on-the- job training is easier.

The qualification for admission to any university with a campus in Dubai is the same as in their country. The documents required are original or certified copy of the degree or certification and proof of English language proficiency (results from IELTS & TOEFL Tests). Similarly, Indian students of the CBSE or ISC board must fulfill the English language requirement by obtaining the cut off score specified in IELTS and TOEFL or securing 70% marks in their English examination.

One very important aspect for students who take admission here is suitable student accommodation, especially on-campus accommodation, which tend to be cheaper and safer. Most academic institutes have the option of on-campus and off-campus accommodation. The problem with on-campus accommodation is that these generally are limited and often students have to look for other options. On-campus accommodation fee for an undergraduate student on a sharing basis can be anything from AED 27,560 to AED 33,075. If you opt for a single room, the charges go up.

Another fact to be pointed out is that for on-campus accommodation the price range of all universities is quite similar, whereas in case of off-campus accommodation, the prices fluctuate depending on the services and facilities you want.

Some universities in Dubai have the option of off-campus residential and hostel facilities. The University of Wollongong charges AED 14,600 (₹ 2.6 lakh approx.) per semester for the

spring and autumn semester for shared accommodation provided in Jebel Ali Gardens. BITS Pilani, Dubai charges AED 40,000 (₹ 7 lakh approx.) per year as hostel fees (which also includes an internet facility fee).

Other institutes in Dubai offering hostel facilities to students are American University, Canadian University of Dubai, Dubai Medical College for Girls, Dubai Pharmacy College, Emirates Academy of Hospitality, Etisalat Academy, Heriot-Watt University, Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Manipal University, Middlesex University etc. Of course, in order to secure a place in an on-campus hostel, registration formalities should be completed as early as possible as rooms are limited and issued on a first-come-first-served basis. There are certain Dubai universities that give preference to first year female students.

Quite a few Dubai universities and institutes offer student accommodation. They also tie-up with local hotels or service apartments to offer rooms at cheaper rates to their students. Unfortunately, if your university does not provide any of the above, you are left to look for accommodation in Dubai on your own. The cost of private apartments on rent in Dubai (on monthly basis) is AED 5,000 - 7,000 for 1 bedroom. This amount includes furnishings, utilities, internet, and satellite TV service. It does not include transportation to/from the campus or any other deposits. Utilities may not always be included in the rent and will cost extra. Shared accommodation is a solution to the expensive cost of renting private accommodation. Rental for shared accommodation may be somewhere between AED 4,500-6,500 per month, based upon the location and number of people sharing the accommodation.

A more convenient and practical solution to this problem is privately owned Student Accommodations. The DSOA student accommodation in the heart of Dubai Silicon Oasis is one such place that provides students with a safe, secure and affordable place to live. Professionally managed, the accommodations have been designed to provide everything that students may need to make their life as easy as possible.

by Shivani Yadav


27

ConnectionThe Korean

Culinary delight descended from the Land of the Morning Calm at Gurgaon through the deft hands of Chef Park and Chef Andy from Korea as Le Meridien, Gurgaon hosted a Korean Food Festival for Indian. The idea turned out to be a

resounding success as Indian gourmands lapped up the hot station menu.

KOREAN CHEFS The two chefs from Korea found it endearing that their India counterparts at the hotel wanted to be part of everything they cooked up and were eager to learn the Korean dishes from the Korean masterchefs in spite of the obvious language challenges. When asked about menu customization for the Indian palate, the chefs candidly admitted that they had to tweak the Korean flavours a tad by adding a little more salt and spice and by substituting certain meats to defer to local customs showcasing culinary diplomacy at its best.

KOREAN SUSHIThe chefs also showcased their sushi prowess by putting up Gimbap which differs from Japanese sushi in using sesame oil and salt in the rice instead of vinegar, sugar and salt. They used the traditional short grain rice and seaweed to make succulent and sweet rice vinegar rolls and maki served with wasabi and

gari. They emphasized that while Korean cuisine was largely based on rice, vegetables and meats, there was equal emphasis on side dishes which complement the main course in a healthy manner. They also reiterated that the cuisine had descended from the Korean royal house and hence, was replete with taste, fresh ingredients and umami flavours.

HEALTHY AND TASTYElements of the traditional full Korean meal, the Hanjoungshik, were put up for tasting. The Chicken Soup had finely shredded chicken spread like gossamer silk on a clear broth with no lipoprotein froth, excellent in taste and health in every sip. The crackling pork belly was also worth a taste, a trifle bland if had by itself, but an absolute gem when coupled with the spicy plum sauce. The winner however, was the Bibimbap, a bowl of warm white rice served with sautéed vegetables, seaweed and a distinct peanut sauce. The non vegetarian version had a fried egg topping, a la American Chopsuey, but way more healthy.

The Korean version of the sautéed prawns danced a tango with the tangy dip and the braised marinated pork was succulent and crisp to taste. They were ably supported by the delicate herb flavoured and soy sauce imbued lamb chops grilled to perfection. The chefs also knocked up an ensemble of mushrooms wherein the taste of the mushroom stems and mushroom buttons were enticingly different, but united in taste. The accompanying glass noodles and stir fried seaweed were a feast for the eyes and the tongue and served as an epic reminder of the richness of the Korean repast. Their desserts too were health oriented and lacked over sweetness. The stir fried crispy sweet potato tossed in honey and the walnut chocolate mousse were light in calories and heavy on taste ensuring that they brought a whiff of Korean calmness into our frenetic lives.

by Rikeesh Sharma

Korean Promotion Chefs

Jellyfish Salad

28


Gurgaon’s biggest and most popular food awards – “The Big F Awards” concluded its fourth season with a flourish and much fanfare. The glittering evening witnessed many well known names not just from the F&B industry, but from the entertainment industry as well. The panel of judges, gracing the occasion consisted of acclaimed chefs Manjit Gill, Kunal Kapoor, and Saby Gorai, while the critics included food historian, Osama Jalali, author and columnist - Anoothi Vishal, well-known critic Rinku Madan and the food writer and founder of The Big F Awards, Indian Food Freak and Gurgaon Food Freak, Pawan Soni.

The top chefs of India, Padma Shri awardee Sanjeev Kapoor was the guest of honour and other special Chefs included Amrita Raichand, Manish Mehrotra, Manisha Bhasin, Rakesh Sethi, and Saransh Goila at the award function where over 95000 votes were casted by public through the web poll system. Other renowned people from the culinary industry who graced the event were Zorawar Kalra, Rocky Singh, Ashish Singh, and Siddharth Talwar amongst others.

Food Freaks honour their favourite

RestaurantsThe evening started off with a bang with live performance of Bollywood’s famous playback singer Neha Bhasin (Jag Ghoomya Fame). There was also The Big F Awards special which honoured the people who have put in hours of hard work to make spaces succeed, from the best-in-house PR professionals, to the Talented Young Bartender, to the Debutant of the Year, as well as the Restaurant of the Year 2017 and the Restaurateur of the Year 2017. The jury specially felicitated Chef Sanjeev Kapoor for becoming a Padma Shri.

The Big F Awards followed a stringent short listing process that went through various stages. Winners were declared across five contenders in each category.

• TJury’s Choice awards where the jury selected their own winners in each category with each jury member having one vote.

• TPopular Choice awards where the nominated contenders were awarded through a public voting system.

Pawan Soni, Anoothi Vishal, Osama Jalali, Rinku Madan, Manish Mehrotra, Amrita Raichand, Rocky Singh


29

WINNERS

CATEGORIES PEOPLE’S CHOICE JURY

INDIAN CUISINES

North Indian Dhaba, est 1986 Delhi Tappa by Punjab Grill

Indian Regional Cuisine Soda Bottle Opener Wala Matamaal, and Coastal Reef

WORLD CUISINE

All Day Dining in a 5 Star Hotel Latitude (Vivanta by Taj) Spectra (The Leela Ambience)

Café Café Delhi Heights Di Ghent Café

Chinese Mamagoto The Kylin Experience

European Chinese Prego – The Westin Zanotta (The Leela)

Mediterranean Olive Bistro Zizo

Other World Cuisine Hard Rock Café Yum Yum Cha

GURGAON SPECIAL

Biryani Biryani Blues Jolly Nizams

Buffet Indian Grill Room Pirates of Grill

Home Baker Sweet Nothings (Anu&Shruti)Dessert Art (DeepaliModi), and Bake & Beyond

(Seema Jain Krishnan)

Home Chefs Shipra’s Kitchen (ShipraMathur)Jayakrishna Foods (KavitaArvind) & Meat4U

(Nalin Jha)

Online & Offline Delivery Outlets with max

seating of 10 guestsWorld in a Box Sandwich & Sons

Pizza Tossin Pizza NYC Pie

QSR’s (Quick Service Restaurant) Chaayos Nukkadwala

NIGHTLIFE

Best Stocked Wine & Whisky Bar The Wine CompanyRubicon Bar and Cigar Lounge (The Leela), and

Whisky Samba

Micro Brewery Molecule Air Bar 7 Degrees Brauhaus

Pub/Bar Prankster Manhattan Bar Exhange

Amrita Raichand, Pawan Soni, Neha Bhasin, Aradhna Bhalla Soni

Inderjeet Singh Banga, Saransh Goila, Anoothi Vishal, Osama Jalali, Jasmeet banga

30


SWAN LAKE

Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is considered the quintessential, classic ballet of all time. It debuted in the late 19th century at the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia, but found its popularity some decades later through the reworked choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.

Swan Lake’s story originates from Russian and Germanic folk tales and tells the tale of princess Odette, who is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. The ballet is considered timeless for its showcasing of themes that have resonated with and continue to speak to its audiences over the past two centuries: The eternal battle between good and evil, and love versus duty.

Production house Navrasa Duende collaborated with the Royal Russian Ballet to bring Swan Lake to India from 22-24 September 2017 at the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi. Kozachenko Kateryna of Ukraine played the coveted

Russian Ballet Enchants India

lead role and Váňa Jan performed as Prince Siegfried. The production saw over 40 people flying into India including dancers and technical crew. While the ballet may be among the most performed in the world, this is the first time in decades that a classical ballet of such a scale has been performed in the capital.

Eager to glimpse this masterpiece so close to home, I ventured out on a Saturday evening to see for myself if the legendary production lived up to its name. An eclectic crowd of all ages had come to attend and before entering the hall, we were greeted by men and women in masks and elaborate costumes walking arm in arm, setting the theatrical tone for the night.

This production of Swan Lake directed by Anatoliy Kazatskiy was performed in four Acts, and through the two hours of dance and drama, the audience was held riveted:

by Anam Hamid


31

this betrayal and flees, and the Prince finally realizes his folly and rushes after her. The ballet ends with the two reunited through the triumph of good over evil, and its immortal message of love indeed conquering all.

While the small size of the stage and use of recorded music instead of a live orchestra took away from a complete experience, yet Director Kazatskiy managed to maintain the classical nature of the performance, and the troupe brought alive the wide gamut of emotions that Tchaikovsky’s musical score is known for.

In a poignant story without words, it is the dancers’ vivid emotions and Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable and moving score that have such a profound effect on their audience time and again. The varied moods of the performance are as different as the title character’s white and black swan- there is light and darkness, there is the tenderness of newfound love and the pain of betrayal, there is sweetness and melody on one hand and cunning and deceit on the other.

The light steps of the ballerinas, their dainty movements and nimble footwork, the graceful turns, the majesty of each movement that conveyed so much emotion without a word spoken, set off by a grand music score and beautiful sets altogether made a grand spectacle indeed.

The ballet begins with a ballroom scene in which Prince Siegfried has to choose his bride. After much light-hearted revelry he sets out with his companions to hunt and chances upon Odette, the Swan Princess, who reveals her true form and explains the curse of the evil sorcerer. She can only be saved by the promise of true love and eternal fidelity. The two fall in love and celebrate their union joyously, and the prince invites her to a ball to marry her and reverse her spell. However, misfortune strikes as the sorcerer disguises his daughter as Odette at the ball, and the Prince confesses his love to the wrong woman. The audience holds their breath as the real Odette witnesses

To Kazatskiy, Swan Lake is a fantasy tale based on human emotions, which

would explain why audiences continue to relate to it to this day. That and

its message of ‘love conquers all’ will ensure that the ballet has universal

appeal for all time to come.

32


JIC’s Goa International Jazz Live Festival, arguably one of the most promising contemporary jazz festivals in the region, headlines Swiss jazz fusion pioneer Jojo Mayer along with his music collective NERVE. To be held at the Stone Water Eco Resort in Goa on the 9th and 10th of December, JIC’s Goa International Jazz Live Festival (GIJLF) is an experimental, up-tempo, funky celebration of jazz identified with diverse genres like punk, funk hip-hop, R&B and other forms of music. The 2017 edition of GIJLF bears witness to the fist-pumping, head-shaking music that has become synonymous with the Swiss-born genius Jojo Mayer along with fellow headliner and equally gifted trumpeter Eric Truffaz in collaboration with Mumbai-based ambient electronic musician Riatsu, and a stunning line-up of Indian and international acts that transcend diverse modern-day interpretations of jazz. Tickets and exclusive Festival Packages for GIJLF 2017 are available on the Jazz India Circuit website www.jazzindiacircuit.com. A Festival Package includes two Festival Passes, Airport Transfers, a double occupancy room with breakfast at the selected hotel, F&B coupons, a jam session with the in-house band, Acapella by the Bay and priority registration for activities like water sports and martial arts workshops.

Listed by the Modern Drummer Magazine as one of the ‘50 Greatest Drummers of All Time’, Jojo Mayer has toured with Monty Alexander and backed up jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie and Nina Simone. His signature style of blending genres like drum ’n’ bass and jungle has made him a legend in his own right, having rocked most major jazz venues, including the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival. Mayer headlines GIJLF with his music collective NERVE, which evolved out of Jojo’s legendary party event ‘Prohibited Beatz’ in NYC during the late 90s. NERVE cross-pollinates premeditated formats with real time-improvised music performances, bringing in jazz traditions of innovation to the digital age.

Swiss-born trumpet player Erik Truffaz has gained prominence in the international jazz community for fusing the post-beebop and early fusion styles of trumpet legend Miles Davis with more contemporary forms of music such as electronica, acid rock, and hip-hop. Truffaz’s musical synthesis is often nostalgic yet

simultaneously fresh and dance floor-ready. Match that with Riatsu’s sea of ambient music that stretches from techno to dark and that’s a heady concoction of jazz which is signature to JIC’s Goa International Jazz Live Festival.

Also performing are London-based ‘guerrilla jazz’ band Kefaya, an eclectic group of immigrants, travellers and international artistes seeking to find common ground between folk traditions of the world and cutting-edge sound rooted firmly in the 21st century; The Latination, one of those rare, genuine Latin-jazz acts in the country which blends salsa and rumba with contemporary jazz, dance-compelling Afro rhythms with strong, sophisticated harmonic sounds and Caribbean melodies; Pol Belardi’s Urban 5 which takes on a groove-driven, exciting blend between jazz, soul, hip-hop and electronic music with

Jazz travelsto GOA

Urban Voyage


33

a colorful set of fresh, thriving original compositions; and yet another Swiss wonder, pianist Florian Favre in the Florian Favre Trio featuring compositions which are not only refined, intense, and imprinted with a mastered minimalism, but demonstrate a will to transverse stylistic barriers. The musical agility of his talented accomplices, Manu Hagmann (bass) and Arthur Alard (drums), allow the trio to exploit a rich palette which offers the opportunity for remarkable innovation.

The GIJLF experience will be eclectic and special for attendees – the salty air and the gentle December sun, lush ocean-front vistas, picturesque festival hotels, jazz-lovers congregating at the sylvan Stonewater Eco Resort - the concert venue, a permeating sense of both languor and zest, the bustle of The Merry Melange: an artisanal food stall hub, the zing of sorpotel and xacuti washed down with chilled lager and bubbling golden wines, being spoilt for choice between jam and acapella sessions, water sports and martial arts, all finally building up to the delicious anticipation of the electrifying shows of some very heady contemporary jazz in the evenings. This will be a weekend to savour and remember.

Erik Truffaz

Pol Belardi

Jojo Mayer

34


Lifestyle WEEKBollywood diva mesmerized the audience as the showstopper for fashion designer duo, Falguni and Shane Peacock.

The Kohler Delhi Times Lifestyle Week culminated on a highly glamorous note with the gorgeous Diana Penty walking the ramp as showstopper for the designer duos, Falguni and Shane Peacock. The splendid event held at Andaz Delhi, a luxury lifestyle hotel by Hyatt, saw some of the country’s biggest designers such as Rocky S, Mandira Wirk, Pia Pauro, Siddartha Tytler and Falguni and Shane Peacock, showcase their couture and prêt collections, which was greatly appreciated by the audiences.

Bollywood diva, Diana Penty mesmerized the audience as she walked the ramp as the showstopper dressed in a golden outfit for Falguni and Shane Peacock. The collection presented by the outstanding duo showcased their signature use of feathers, sequences and prints. While Pia Pauro’s collection, Wonderflip, presented by Sunar Jewels, plays with lots of colours, nomadic embroideries, layering and cool cotton fabrics to make those long hours of dancing comfortable; designer Siddartha Tytler’s collection crafted in black, earthy tones with highlights in gold was all about Indian designs with a contemporary twist.

Celebrated models Laxmi Rana, Sonalika Sahay, Candice Pinto, Deepti Gujral, Donna Masih and others walked the ramp showcasing the work of the designers. While model Deepti Sati (Miss India 2014 finalist and actress) opened the show for Falguni and Shane Peacock, Anukriti Gusain (fbb Femina Miss Grand India 2017) closed the show for designer Pia Pauro amidst a thunderous applause from the audience.

The 2-day premium lifestyle week was an extravagant affair with labels, designers, models and celebrities like fashion designer Jatin Kochhar, Charu Parashar, Rina Dhaka, TV actor Karan Vohra, stand-up comedian Amit Tandon, and actress Anshul Chauhan among others putting their best foot forward.

Siddartha Tytler

Pia Pauro

Designer Falguni & Shane Peacock with Diana Penty at Kohler Delhi Times Lifestyle Week


35

36


interview -...

Documents