Spice August 2017 ipad pdf

AKSHAY KUMAR | MONASTERY ESCAPE | DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY 

spice 

Volume 11 | Issue 08 | August 2017 

THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE 

FLEET 

EXPANSION 

WITH HISTORIC MEGA ORDERS 

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES AND 

AJAY SINGH, CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPICEJET

Best Gift For This 

Festive Season 

MUMBAI, INDIA

FROM THE 

CMD’S DESK 

Dear Readers, 

This is the month we attained freedom, 

seven decades back. And, we proudly 

commemorate India’s 71st Independence 

Day at a time when India is assuming a 

position of influence and leadership in 

the comity of nations. 

Recently, I had the privilege to 

travel to Washington and meet with the 

senior American leadership including 

Vice President Mr Mike Pence. These 

meetings were on the sidelines of Prime 

Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with 

President Donald Trump. 

During the visit, Mr Mike Pence said 

in his keynote address at the AGM of 

the US-India Business Council, “I know 

that American companies are going to 

continue to give India’s aviation industry 

the wings it needs to soar. Let me 

take the opportunity, as the President 

(Donald J. Trump) did yesterday, to say 

‘Thank You’ to SpiceJet for investing 

and believing in American workers and 

American businesses.” I am humbled by 

his admission and am, at the same time, 

proud of leading a team that has made 

the global audience sit up and take 

notice of our progress. 

As you know, SpiceJet has recently 

placed an order to buy up to 245 aircraft 

from Boeing and another 50 aircraft 

from Bombardier. Also, as part of the 

deal, SpiceJet in collaboration with 

Boeing will set up a simulator facility 

for pilot training, which is expected to 

be ready in 2018. Naturally, there are 

significant economic benefits of such an 

order. The US Department of Commerce 

has stated that SpiceJet’s Boeing order 

alone is expected to generate 1,32,000 

high paying jobs in the US. Parallel to 

that, we at SpiceJet would be ramping 

up training and skill development 

initiatives and preparing to undertake 

recruitment and training of staff and 

crew, so as to service and maintain this 

fleet over the years. 

We at SpiceJet are at the cusp of a 

massive expansion. Our current fleet of 

55 aircraft will soon expand manifold. 

This will naturally lead to the per-seat 

cost reducing further, making us the 

most affordable airline to fly in the 

Indian skies. Needless to say, we will 

expand the list of destinations we serve 

– both on domestic and international 

routes. 

SpiceJet has been expanding in 

the local routes consistently under the 

UDAN initiative championed by Prime 

Minister Modi. The initiative saw the 

launch of Porbander and Kandla stations 

in July 2017. Starting August 16, 2017, 

Pondicherry will be also join the existing 

list of destinations. With this addition, 

it will be connected to Hyderabad, 

Vijayawada and further to the rest of the 

country. 

You would be happy to know that 

DGCA has slashed User Development 

Fees at the Delhi Airport by 95% for all 

airlines. We are delighted to pass on the 

entire cost reductions to our flyers. 

The fact that we have recorded 

profits quarter after quarter has not 

gone unnoticed. Bloomberg has named 

SpiceJet as the best performing airline 

stock in the world. 

SpiceJet’s foray into the world of 

retail saw us open up the first store of 

our retail venture — SpiceStyle — at 

DLF Galleria, Gurgaon. The collection, 

besides other premium travel-related 

accessories, has a signature Rohit Bal 

range. 

SpiceJet will extend its celebration of 

freedom to the people of this nation by 

announcing exclusive Independence Day 

offers around the 15th of August. So that 

the free spirit in you gets to roam more 

and see new places. 

Jai Hind! 

Ajay Singh 

Chairman & Managing Director 

2 ||||| AUGUST 2016

JOURNEY OF 

THE 

EXCELLENCE 

CONTINUES... 

WINNING AWARDS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE & 

PLACEMENT, YEAR AFTER YEAR... 

RANKED 

1 st 

AMONGST 

PRIVATE 

INSTITUTES 

IN UP 

INDIA’S TOP PROFESSIONAL 

COLLEGES 2017 

SURVEY: JUNE, 2017 

*Amongst Private Institutes in UP

Cover AUG.indd 3-4 

MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES AND 

AJAY SINGH, CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPICEJET 

AKSHAY KUMAR | MONASTERY ESCAPE | DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY 

Volume 11 | Issue 08 | August 2017 

THE INFLIGHT MAGAZINE 

31/07/17 5:10 PM 

spice 

AUGUST 2017 

www.spicejet.com 

FLEET 

EXPANSION 

WITH HISTORIC MEGA ORDERS 

CONTENTS 

44 

FLEET 

EXPANSION 

SpiceJet’s historic 

mega orders 

with the Boeing 

Company was a 

much-discussed 

topic during 

Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi's 

recent visit to the 

United States 

50 

THE HEART OF INDIAN 

CUISINES 

There is an amazing variety of 

red chillies available locally and 

their taste and spice level vary, 

making this easily one of the 

most exciting spices to work 

with in the Indian kitchen 

DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY 

Dr. P. K. M. Pillai reveals some 

simple and effective secrets for 

making great photographs of 

dance and performing art forms 

on stage 

56 

66 

SAVOY HOTEL 

Mussoorie’s Savoy Hotel is 

perhaps the only property in this 

popular hill station that was built 

as a hotel over a hundred years 

ago and continues to attract 

tourists and dignitaries even 

today 

8 

AUGUST 2017

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CONTENTS 

THE TRANSFORMATION 

Akshay Kumar on how his new 

slew of films will help transform 

his action hero image 

70 92 

THE GREAT MONASTERY 

ESCAPE 

The ninth edition of the 

Mahindra Adventure Monastery 

Escape in Ladakh took 

participants on a 10-day 

adventure to some of the 

world’s highest motorable roads 

82 

SPINNERS TO THE FORE 

Indian captain Virat Kohli will 

be hoping his top-ranked spin 

bowlers are in their element 

during the ongoing series 

against Sri Lanka 

SPICEJET INSIDER 

Social media 18 

SpiceVacations.com20 

Spice products22 

My town128 

Onboard menu 129 

Mobile apps130 

News132 

Stars of SpiceJet134 

SpiceJet fleet136 

Route map140 

SpiceJet add-ons142 

14 


CONTENTS 

BACK TO ROOTS 

Indian chefs who have travelled the world know how to bring the 

best of both worlds onto one's plate 

116 

104 

spice 


EDITOR 

RAJU BIST 

rajubist@mwspiceroute.in 

EXECUTIVE EDITOR 

EKTA MOHTA 

ekta@mwspiceroute.in 

ART DIRECTOR 

AMIT NAIK 

DEPUTY ART DIRECTORS 

HEMALI LIMBACHIYA 

TANVI SHAH 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

VIDHI DOSHI 

PRODUCTION MANAGER 

MANGESH SALVI 

SENIOR DIGITAL MANAGER 

JAYESH V. SALVI 

AD SALES 

MUMBAI 

VINOD MOHITE 

+91 9323554207, vinod@mwspiceroute.in 

RAHUL MUKHERJEE 

rahul@mwspiceroute.in 

NEW DELHI & HYDERABAD 

TANVEER AHMAD 

+91 9555098401, tanveer@mwspiceroute.in 

MUDIT SRIVASTAVA 

mudit@mwspiceroute.in 

TAMIL NADU & PONDICHERRY 

CECIL S KOTEY 

cecil@mwspiceroute.in 

P. GOPINATH 

gopinath@mwspiceroute.in 

BENGALURU 

ANURADHA KUBER 

anuradha.kuber@mwspiceroute.in 

TULSI BAVISHI 

080-4121 2043/4121 9043 

KOLKATA 

PRABAL DEB 

SENIOR MANAGER 

spicerouteeast.advt@gmail.com 

ASHIT NARAIN 

kolkata@mwspiceroute.in 

KERALA 

SANJEEV NAIR 

nair.sanjeev1@gmail.com 

MODE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS PVT LTD. 

sanjeev@modemedia.in 

GUJARAT 

SANJAY CHAWDA 

sanjaychawda@gmail.com 

For international advertising contact 

Vinod Mohite (vinod@mwspiceroute.in) 9323554207 

PRODUCED BY 

THE DRUMMER BOYS (AND GIRLS) OF PUNE 

Pune youngsters will be at their exuberant best at Dhol Tasha 

Pathak processions during this month’s Ganeshotsav celebrations 

EDITORIAL & MARKETING OFFICE: 

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All rights reserved worldwide. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be 

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16 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

@flyspicejet Really enjoyed SG3714 Seat 

5A. Crew led by Sumit made our day. 

Excellent service and well empowered 

staff to help the guests 

@sen_kc_fuchan 

@flyspicejet thank you 

once again for wonderful 

experience today flying 

from Hyderabad to Delhi 

SG 126 

With the crew of #SG502 at 30,000 

feet...#spicejet 

kiran.bedi 

@flyspicejet Amazing crew 

Sejal, Hanish, Heena, Sadaf 

- Fab energy levels early 

morning - Super warm 

#Claps #Respect #SG160 

#RedHotSpicy 

@connectswap 

@NareshKawtia 

@flyspicejet Thank you Bharat and 

team for wonderful on board service 

today. Tea was incredible!! And one 

more thing Bharat is highly confident. 

He is really fluid and natural in 

handling passengers. Please pass on 

my compliments to him. 

BUZZ ON 

SOCIAL MEDIA 

@FORSUREAKS 

sg154 cabin crew was very helful. Please let 

them know that we appreciate their effort. 

@flyspicejet an exemplary experience 

of air services on board flight SG 608 

from port blair to chennai..#well done 

Ms. Husna Shaikh 

@vivekmm 

@Sachinp194679 

I’ve flown spicejet from Delhi to 

Goa. We did the golden triangle 

tour, nice staff we were well looked 

after, on holidays from England. 

Congratulations FlySpiceJet for getting 

mentioned by President Donald Trump, for 

placing such a mighty order of 100 boeing 

aircraft... Looking forward to fly with you... 

Lord-John Bratley 

Soaring above the clouds 

awara_hooon 

Abhishek Kumar 

FIND YOUR FAVOURITE AIRLINE ON @FLYSPICEJET ON TWITTER & FACEBOOK 

18 


3 CAMPUSES | 2 UNIVERSITIES | 1 NAME 

Graphic Era has been engaged in fostering innovation and new learning ideas from last 25 years. 

Graphic Era University and Graphic Era Hill University have been working consistently to impart quality 

education and inculcate skills among the youth. Graphic Era University, a deemed university has been 

accredited by NAAC with grade 'A'. Both the universities are receiving recognition and higher rankings 

year after year for their abiding commitment to excellence and relentless pursuit of the best. 

Applications are invited for admissions to the following courses: 

B.Tech 

B. Arch 

M.Tech. 

B.Sc Biotechnology (H) 

B.Sc Microbiology (H) 

B.Sc Food Technology (H) 

M.Sc Biotechnology 

M.Sc Microbiology 

Computer Application 

BCA 

B.Sc (IT) 

MCA 

MCA (Lateral Entry) 

M.Sc (IT) 

Allied Sciences 

B.Sc Physics (H) 

B.Sc Math (H) 

Commerce 

B.Com (H) 

B.Com (H) International Finance & 

Accounting with ACCA (UK) 

B.Com (H) Corporate Accounting & 

Financial Analysis with CMA (USA) 

M.Com 

Humanities & Social Sciences 

BA English (H) 

BA Psychology (H) 

BA Economics (H) 

Management 

BBA (Marketing, Finance, HR) 

BBA (Digital Marketing) 

BBA (International Finance & 

Accounting with ACCA (UK) 

BBA (Corporate Accounting & 

Financial Analysis with CMA (USA)) 

GRAPHIC ERA 

MBA (Marketing, Finance, HR, SCM, 

IB, Entrepreneurship) 

MBA (Business Analytics) 

Hotel Management 

Bachelor in Hotel Management 

Masters in Hotel Management (MHM) 

Dip. in Hotel & Hospitality Mgmt. (DHHM) 

Mass Communication 

B.A Journalism & Mass Communication 

M.A in Mass Communication 

Animation 

B.Sc (Animation & Gaming) 

Law - BBA. LLB 

Fashion Design 

Bachelor in Design (Fashion Design) 

Agriculture - B.Sc Agriculture 

Fine Arts - Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) 

Course Legend GEU Dehradun GEHU Dehradun GEHU Bhimtal 

Graphic Era University 

Deemed University under section 3 of UGC Act, 1956 

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) 

Graphic Era Hill University 

Established by Act 12 of 2011 of the State Legislature Uttarakhand 

Dehradun, (Uttarakhand) 

Graphic Era Hill University 

Established by Act 12 of 2011 of the State Legislature Uttarakhand 

Bhimtal, Nainital, (Uttarakhand) 

GEU ACCREDITED BY NAAC 

WITH GRADE A 

WITH HIGHEST GRADE SCORE 

IN UTTARAKHAND 

DST SPONSORED 

TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS 

INCUBATOR 

AT GEU 

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE PARTNER 

Graphic Era 

GEU Among 101-150 

All India Rank band of NIRF-2017 

(National Institutional Ranking Framework) 

GEHU, Bhimtal campus 

th 

Ranked 11 among 

20 Marvellous College 

Campuses of India

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

SPICEVACATIONS.COM 

GREAT DEALS ON HOTELS AND PACKAGES 

PLAN YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH SPICEJET’S UNIQUE INITIATIVE 

SPICEVACATIONS.COM, A PLETHORA OF END-TO-END TRAVEL SOLUTIONS, MAKING 

YOUR TRAVELS NOT JUST CONVENIENT, BUT ALSO RED. HOT. SPICY 

Now book your 

hotel as soon as 

you land 

SPICEVACATIONS.COM is a one-stop 

shop for hotel bookings and customised 

travel packages, offering services 

beyond the ordinary. Take your pick 

from a vast network of domestic and 

international holiday destinations, and 

book your flights with the right bundle 

of services to ensure an effortless 

journey. Carefully hand-picked hotels, 

quick car rentals, and travel packages 

created in association with local holiday 

experts – you have much to benefit 

from SpiceVacations.com. On the 

website, you can choose between 

cheap, budget and luxury vacations; 

search for the best hotels across India; 

and have a great experience while saving 

money. In addition, backpackers can add 

some comfort to their travels without 

lightening their pockets. For those who 

haven’t booked their hotels, you can 

book your hotel as soon as you land. 

With SpiceVacations.com, you can 

make changes in your itinerary online, at 

every step of the trip. For instance, if you 

want to opt for a bigger car even if the 

package entails a smaller one, you can do 

so with ease. You need to simply decide 

on the theme of your vacation, such 

as pilgrimage, honeymoon, heritage, 

wildlife, beach or hills, and the platform 

throws up a wide variety of deals in 

terms of location, hotel arrangements, 

local sightseeing tours and car rentals, 

among others. 

With this unique initiative by 

SpiceJet, you have the flexibility of 

booking a package at a minimal amount 

and can pay the rest later through 

various EMI options that are made 

available along with other regular 

options on offer. 

As the website is powered by 

SpiceJet, you can enjoy great flight 

and hotel deals. All these culminate in 

smart, convenient and detailed travel 

packages. In keeping with the times, the 

new product will also be connected with 

SpiceJet’s mobile app but this will be 

done at a later stage. 

So, travel the world with SpiceJet’s 

enviable travel packages and experience 

the perfect holiday. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

20 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

INNOVATIONS FOR 

COMFORT 

& CONVENIENCE 

AT SPICEJET, we believe that customer experience can always be improved upon. In 

keeping with this philosophy, we are constantly looking for ways to make travel not 

just a hassle-free experience, but also one that passengers will remember. 

Our latest slew of innovations reflects this: a product that rewards travellers who travel 

only with hand baggage; another that makes life easier for those who carry heavy 

baggage, but not heavy enough to be checked-in; yet another that offers a bigger 

choice of meals on board; products to please those who are always on the lookout for 

extra legroom; a prepaid card that allows passengers to make cashless transactions; an 

add-on service that allows the flexibility of cancelling or changing ticket(s) to suit your 

travel plan; and finally a product that aims at greater customer ease in case of flight 

disruptions. No surprise then that we are the country’s favourite budget airline. 

22 


1SpiceMax 

SpiceJet’s SpiceMax provides more 

comfort and convenience. With extra 

legroom and greater personal space, 

passengers can travel with ease. Apart 

from significantly extra legroom on board, fliers 

can also enjoy other added ancillary products 

such as priority check-in, complimentary 

meal and beverage, 

priority baggage 

handling and priority 

boarding (aerobridge 

gates) at dedicated SpiceMax 

counters at the airport for a 

modest add-on fee per sector. The ease with 

which fliers can opt for this product enhances 

the experience. When booking a connecting 

flight with a stop-over, passengers can purchase 

SpiceMax seats separately for the two flights. 

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

2 

Priority Check-In 

This service provides the 

passenger a hassle free 

and comfortable check-in 

experience at the airport 

with SpiceJet’s dedicated priority 

check-in counter. The passenger 

can buy Priority Check-In while or 

after making the booking. It can be 

bought latest up to two hours before 

the scheduled departure. The service 

is available only on www.spicejet. 

com or via SpiceJet’s Reservations. 

The pre-paid service can be bought 

for per passenger, per sector of the 

journey, on the payment of the nonrefundable 

fees. A Priority Check-In 

for flights within and/or originating 

from India costs `200. For flights 

originating from out of India, the fare 

is `300. The fees are refundable if the 

booking is cancelled by the passenger 

or the flight is cancelled by the airline. 

There is no additional fee applicable 

for infant passengers. Passengers who 

have bought Priority Check-In will 

have to check-in for their flight at the 

airport check-in counter. 

3 

Hot Meals 

Passengers have a wide 

variety of meals to opt 

for on SpiceJet flights 

when they pre-book 

a meal. Those flying Boeings are 

spoilt for choice. There are four 

options for breakfast. All-day 

meals (which include snacks, 

lunch and dinner) are spread 

across eight menus. Seven 

Chef’s Choice menus and 

two kinds of Platters 

are available 24x7. 

Passengers taking 

Q400 flights can 

choose from eight 

different types of 

sandwiches. There is a great 

variety on offer – from Vermicelli 

Croquette, Saute Broccoli and 

Chicken Stroganoff to Angara 

Paneer Tikka Sub Roll. Prebooking 

a meal offers other 

choices and benefits, too: 

the option of a glutenfree 

meal; a menu with 

Thai, Continental and Indian 

options as well as Indian 

Platters; discounted rates 

compared to onboard 

prices; passengers can 

wish their loved ones on 

birthdays and anniversaries 

mid-air with a cake on select 

flights; and a takeaway Kids’ 

Meal bag, shaped like an 

airplane. 

PRE-BOOK NOW! 

Pre-book your meals to make 

your journey with us a more 

comfortable experience. You can 

enjoy exceptional discounted 

rates. It makes purchasing food 

and beverages onboard an 

entirely cashless affair. You can 

pre-book at the time of booking 

your flight, or add it later through 

‘Manage My Booking’ on the 

website, www.spicejet.com. 

23 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

4 

Carry More On Board 

Making air travel even more 

convenient, SpiceJet’s ‘Carry 

More On Board’ is a service 

for travellers with heavier 

cabin baggage. It is targeted at passengers 

who carry cabin baggage heavier than 7 

kg, and do not want to check-in. Fliers can 

carry bags weighing up to 5 kg extra, a 

maximum of 12 kg on board, while paying 

a nominal fee for each kg above 7 kg. 

Bags can be heavier, but not larger, and 

the standard free baggage allowances 

remain as before. 

Customers can 

opt for this product 

during airport check-in 

and at airport ticket 

counters. 

5 

Fly For Sure 

Fly For Sure has been launched for greater customer ease in case of flight disruptions. It allows a 

passenger booked on SpiceJet a guarantee of flying in the next 24 hours in case of a flight delay 

beyond 90 minutes, missing a flight not exceeding 30 minutes from airport check-in closure of 

the original flight or a flight cancellation by the airline. With Fly For Sure the passenger gets to 

fly, in spite of the above unforeseen circumstances. It is available while booking for the flight and SpiceJet will 

reimburse the passengers for an alternate flight ticket (not exceeding double the price of the original ticket or 

the cost of second ticket, whichever is lower) on the airline of their choice in the same sector within 24 hours of 

the original scheduled booking with SpiceJet. 

6 

My Flexi Plan 

Planning a trip will 

be easier than ever 

with SpiceJet’s new 

innovative add-on 

service, My Flexi Plan. Passengers 

can now enjoy the flexibility of 

cancelling or changing the ticket(s) 

to suit their travel plan. If they are 

certain about travel but not about 

the dates, then they can book a ticket 

by opting for this service. Customers 

can opt for this add-on at the time of 

booking by paying a fee of `1,125 for 

domestic travel ticket and `1,250 for 

international travel ticket. The service 

will be applicable only for one change 

or one cancellation per ticket. 

7 

Hand 

Baggage Only 

This is another unique product that offers a discount to those 

passengers who carry only hand baggage. Available on most direct 

domestic flights, this fare has a minimum 15-day advance purchase 

period, and no free check-in baggage allowance is permissible. 

Bookings for this can be made on www.spicejet.com, at airport ticket offices, and 

through select online travel portals. Passengers should keep in mind that hand 

baggage allowance does not change. Those who book these fares, but decide to 

check in luggage later, will have to pay more. 

24 


OPENING SHOT 

ENVIRONMENT 

KAYAKING FOR A CAUSE 

THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF ANNUAL EVENTS, 

the Chaliyar River Challenge 2017 is aimed at 

helping raise both awareness and funding 

to clean up of rivers. This year it will be held 

from September 22 to 24. The 68 km paddling 

event promotes the usage of rivers for 

recreational usage and create a connection to 

the river with youngsters and tourists. The 

starting point of the Kerala-based event is 

from Nilambur, located on the foothills of the 

Western Ghats and in close proximity to the 

Nilgiris. The ending point is at Beypore in 

Kozhikode district, where the river meets 

with the Arabian Sea. The three day adventure 

offers opportunities at various levels, for 

beginners and non-swimmers as well as for 

well-established water sports enthusiasts. 

The event will include camping, bonfire and 

team activities. On the riverbank at Marina 

Convention Centre in Kozhikode at the end of 

68 km, the organizers will host an outdoor 

music concert. For those on the water for the 

first time, kayak lessons will be offered on the 

first day to prepare them for the adventure. 

26 


OPENING SHOT 

THE ARTS 

A NEW LEASE 

OF LIFE 

Clockwise from top: Lakhichand Jain 

with one of his creations; the artist 

receiving the National Award from 

former President Shankar Dayal 

Sharma; Ashva – The Horse; and Bade 

Binayak Ji Ka Mandana 

ONE OF THE MOST GRACEFUL ART 

FORMS with its roots in age-old Indian 

traditions, Mandana of Rajasthan usually 

finds creative expression on the walls, 

floors and courtyards of mud houses. But 

as is the case with many other artistic 

traditions, it is on the decline. Luckily, one 

of its practitioners, National Award 

winning Lakhichand Jain of Mumbai, has 

made it his life’s mission to prevent 

Mandana from dying out altogether – by 

giving it a modern twist. Since it is not 

feasible to transplant slabs of mud walls 

and floor surfaces with designs on them, 

Jain has adapted traditional Mandana to 

the canvas as well as modern media. Since 

the last 25 years, he has created about 300 

Mandanas in different sizes on floor and 

canvas as well as contemporary surface 

and textures including those on household 

objects likes umbrellas. 

28 


OPENING SHOT 

ADVENTURE 

Scenes from various treks (clockwise from 

top): Roopkund Trek, Uttarakhand; Rajmachi 

Trek, Maharashtra; Ranikhet Trek, 

Uttarakhand; Valley of Flowers Trek, 

Uttarakhand; and Skandagiri Trek, Karnataka 

THE LURE 

OF THE 

OUTDOORS 

IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR when the 

surroundings wear a verdant look and 

the air is cool and bracing. It is also the 

time when the brave pick up their 

outdoors gear and set off for a trek into 

the wilderness. Luckily our vast and 

diverse land is blessed with many 

destinations that provide the perfect 

backdrop to many exciting treks. 

Depending on your level of 

preparedness, you can attempt any one 

of them. Here are five of the most 

popular ones. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

30 


MELANGE 

EVENTS 

HOT DATES 

DANCE // MUSIC // THEATRE // ART 

THEATRE 

GANDHI – THE 

MUSICAL 

An extravaganza 

comprising over 16 

original songs and 

dances across a variety 

of genres, it showcases 

spectacular sets that 

depict the era of the 

man that shaped an 

entire nation. 

When: August 4-15, 

2017 

Where: NCPA Mumbai 

COMEDY 

PUNCHLINERS: STAND-UP COMEDY SHOW FEAT. 

RAJNEESH KAPOOR 

Rajneesh Kapoor is the creator of the comic strip, ‘This Is 

Our Life’. His clean and idea-driven comedy is a new way 

of looking at the same old world. 

When: August 19, 2017 

Where: Hyderabad 

FOOD 

4TH SUNDARBAN HILSA FESTIVAL 

A weekend trip that combines a tour of the Sundarbans with 

hilsa delicacies. 

When: August 4-25, 2017 

Where: Kolkata 

SHUTTERSTOCK (HILSA FESTIVAL) 

32 


MELANGE 

EVENTS 

ADVENTURE 

FOR THE 

PLUVIOPHILES: 

AGUMBE 

Famous as the place 

where Malgudi Days 

was shot, Agumbe is a 

village in the western 

reaches of Karnataka’s 

Shimoga district. A forest 

like Agumbe takes more 

than a thousand years 

to reach its maturity and 

ecological balance. The 

trek will include climbing 

to the top of Narasimha 

Parvata, dipping into 

waterfalls, and spending 

time in the village. 


Where: Agumbe, 

Karnataka 

COMEDY 

HEADLINERS FEATURING SUMUKHI, BISWA, VARUN 

THAKUR, ROHAN JOSHI & ASHISH SHAKYA 

Get ready for one of the year’s biggest comedy nights. 

Five of the country’s best comedians – Sumukhi Suresh (in 

picture), Biswa Kalyan Rath, Varun Thakur, Rohan Joshi and 

Ashish Shakya take the stage. 


Where: Mumbai 

MUSIC 

MIRCHI LIVE WITH NEHA KAKKAR 

The singing sensation will bring the house down with her 

chartbusting tracks such as as ‘Ladki Beautiful’ and ‘Manali 

Trance’. 


Where: Noida 

34 


MELANGE 

EVENTS 

AUGUST LISTINGS 

1 

2 

What: A Swing at Jazz (Jazz Concert) 

When: 7.00 pm 


What: The Pi Plus 

Duo (A Viola and 

Piano Recital) 

When: 7.00 pm 

Where: Alliance 

Francaise, Bengaluru 

4 

What: Jab Harry Met Sejal (Hindi Film) 

Where: Across India 

5 

What: Piya 

Behrupiya (Hindi 

Play) 

When: 3.00 pm & 

7.30 pm 

Where: Kamani 

Auditorium, Delhi 

6 11 

What: Alarmel Valli and Arundhathi 

Subramaniam (Dance Concert) 

When: 7.00 pm | Where: MLR Convention 

Centre, Bengaluru 

What: Toilet: Ek Prem 

Katha (Hindi Film) 


12 14 

15 

What: Independence Day 


What: Childish Behavior 

– Sahil Shah Special 

(Stand-up Comedy) 

When: 8.30 pm 

Where: Classic Rock 

Coffee Co, Pune 

What: Mirchi LOL 

with Sunil Grover 

(Stand-up Comedy) 

When: 6.00 pm 

Where: Nazrul 

Mancha, Kolkata 

19 20 27 

What: Chelsea de Souza 

(Piano Performance) 

When: 7.00 pm 


What: Bangla Sahitya-er Ekal o 

Sekal: A Heritage Walk 

When: 9.00 pm 

Where: Heart Of the City, Kolkata, 

What: Bangalore Death Metal Fest 

(Music Festival) 

When: 7.00 pm 

Where: The Humming Tree, Bengaluru 

SHUTTERSTOCK (INDEPENDENCE DAY, HERITAGE WALK, DEATH METAL) 

38 


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MELANGE 

INFORMATION 

WHAT'S NEW 

AHMEDABAD DECLARED 

INDIA’S FIRST HERITAGE CITY 

BY UNESCO • 

More than 600 years old, the walled city of 

Ahmedabad, founded by Ahmed Shah, has 

been declared India’s first World Heritage 

City by UNESCO. Ahmedabad’s nomination 

received huge support from around 20 

countries, who lauded the peaceful coexistence 

of dominant Hindu, Islamic and Jain 

communities in the walled city area. According 

to Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner 

Mukesh Kumar, there are 2,600 heritage sites 

and over two dozen ASI protected monuments 

and sites in the walled city. 

INDIA TO HOST 8TH THEATRE OLYMPICS IN 2018 

India will host the Theatre Olympics in 2018, the first time 

since the event’s inception in 1993, at the National School 

of Drama, New Delhi. From February 17 to April 8, 2018, the 

eighth edition of the international event will see over 500 

plays and 700 ambience performances by artists from across 

the globe. Celebrating the cultural and lingual diversity of the 

participating countries, the theatre event is expected to host 

over 50 international and 150 Indian theatre groups over a 

span of two months. 

INDIA WITNESSED 20.9% RISE IN FOREIGN 

EXCHANGE EARNINGS IN MAY 2017 

India witnessed a whopping 20.9% rise in foreign exchange 

earnings from the tourism sector in the month of May, as 

compared to the same period in the last year and a 19% 

increase in tourist footfalls. According to the Reserve Bank of 

India’s credit data, foreign exchange earnings in May 2017 were 

`12,403 crore as compared to `10,260 crore in May 2016 and 

`9,505 crore in May 2015. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

40 


MELANGE 

INFORMATION 

SRI LANKA NAMED 

ASIA’S LEADING 

DESTINATION • 

Sri Lanka was named Asia’s 

leading destination at the World 

Travel Awards. Tourism Minister 

John Amaratunga said the award 

was an important milestone in 

Sri Lanka’s tourism promotional 

efforts. Meanwhile, following 

an invitation extended by Sri 

Lanka Tourism, World Travel 

Awards Executive Committee has 

agreed to explore the possibility 

of hosting the ceremony in the 

South Asian country in 2019. 

TRIPURA GOVERNOR LAUNCHES COFFEE- 

TABLE BOOK ON DALHOUSIE 

A coffee-table book on Dalhousie was released by 

Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, who hoped the 

publication would help enhance tourism in the scenic hill 

station. The book, Dalhousie…Through My Eyes, authored 

by retired civil servant Kiran Chadha, is replete with 

historical information and lavish images of the town. 

UTTARAKHAND GOVERNMENT GETTING 

READY FOR MYSTICAL TOURISM 

After the Union government’s plans to start a spiritual circuit, 

Uttarakhand will promote “mystical and supernatural” 

tourism. “Uttarakhand is not just about the five dhams. We 

are making a new tourism policy and I need to tell you that 

in our state there is an unusual [kind of] tourism – mystical 

and supernatural tourism,” the state’s senior-most cabinet 

minister, Satpal Maharaj, said at a FICCI tourism investors’ 

function in Delhi. These two circuits would concentrate 

on myths and miracles surrounding deities in Jaghdhar in 

Rudraprayag and Joshimath. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

42 


COVER STORY 

GROWTH 

FLEET 

EXPANSION 

SPICEJET’S HISTORIC MEGA ORDERS WITH THE BOEING COMPANY 

WAS A MUCH-DISCUSSED TOPIC DURING PRIME MINISTER 

NARENDRA MODI'S RECENT VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES 

Mr. Mike Pence, Vice President, United 

States, with Mr. Ajay Singh, Chairman & 

Managing Director, SpiceJet 

44 


It was an honour that 

comes the way of very 

few Indian 

businessmen. In the 

last week of June, 

Ajay Singh, Chairman & 

Managing Director, SpiceJet, 

was invited to be part of a 

delegation alongside the state 

visit of Prime Minister 

Narendra Modi to the United 

States. 

During his visit Mr. Ajay 

Singh had the privilege of 

having a one-on-one meeting 

with the Vice President of the 

United States, Mr. Mike Pence. 

The occasion was the 42nd 

Anniversary Leadership 

Summit of the USIBC (US India 

Business Council) in 

Washington D.C. 

While addressing the 

gathering of over 200 business 

leaders from the United States 

and India, the Vice President 

said, “Let me just take the 

opportunity as the President 

(Donald Trump) did yesterday 

to say ‘Thank You’ to SpiceJet 

for investing and believing in 

American workers and 

American businesses.” At their 

meeting, Mr. Singh presented 

the model of a SpiceJet aircraft 

to the Vice President, which he 

graciously accepted and later 

expressed his desire to offer it 

to President Trump! 

Earlier in January 2017, 

SpiceJet had placed with 

Boeing, the largest-ever order 

from this part of the world, of 

205 737 aircraft, valued at $22 

billion. Just a week before this 

historic visit, SpiceJet and 

Boeing had signed a MoU for 40 

737 MAX aircraft at the Paris 

45 


COVER STORY 

GROWTH 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 

President Donald Trump during his June 

visit to the United States 

Air show. The agreement, valued at 

approximately $4.74 billion at current 

turboprops and purchase rights on an 

additional 25 aircraft. 

list prices, was split evenly between 20 

“I am delighted to announce this 

new orders for the 737 MAX 10 and 

new order for 50 Q400 planes. This 

upgradation of 20 existing orders for 

order will help us further increase 

737 MAX 8 aircraft to 737 MAX 10s. 

connectivity to smaller towns and cities 

On this occasion, Mr. Ajay Singh 

and help realize Prime Minister 

expressed his pride for SpiceJet being a 

Narendra Modi’s vision of ensuring that 

part of the launch of the 737 MAX 10 

every Indian can f ly,” said Mr. Ajay 

and to be the first airline in India to 

Singh. 

LET ME JUST TAKE THE 

OPPORTUNITY AS THE 

PRESIDENT (DONALD 

TRUMP) DID YESTERDAY 

TO SAY ‘THANK YOU’ TO 

SPICEJET FOR INVESTING 

AND BELIEVING IN AMERICAN 

WORKERS AND AMERICAN 

BUSINESSES 

MR. MIKE PENCE 

order the newest version of the 737. The 

new aircraft, he said, would enable 

SpiceJet to maximize revenues on dense 

routes while having lower unit seat 

costs. He also expressed intentions of 

expanding the existing network with 

this order, while keeping costs low for 

customers. 

In addition to the Boeing order, 

SpiceJet had also signed a Letter of 

Intent with Bombardier Commercial 

Aircraft, for up to 50 Q400 turboprop 

airliners at the International Paris Air 

Show. The LoI includes 25 Q400 

SpiceJet’s efforts at opening new 

opportunities for American companies 

in the Indian growth story was widely 

cited in the American media. According 

to the US Department of Commerce, the 

value of this sale creates or sustains 

approximately 132,000 jobs in the US. 

The historic deals were also mentioned 

in the Fact Sheet issued by the White 

House after the meeting of the 

American President and the Indian 

Prime Minister. The Fact Sheet listed 

the highlights of the cooperation 

between the two countries. In their 

ALAMY 

46 


COVER STORY 

GROWTH 

meeting at the USIBC event, VP Mike 

Pence expressed to Ajay Singh his desire 

to visit SpiceJet’s offices when he travels 

to India. Prime Minister Modi has 

invited the Vice President which he said 

he has accepted. The exact date of the 

visit, however, has yet to be finalised. 

In his keynote to the USIBC, VP 

Mike Pence also said, “There are many 

places where this nation’s (US) firms 

can benefit our great partner (India). 

You know India is projected to become 

the world’s third largest market for 

planes and passengers. American 

companies are already providing airport 

infrastructure and the airplanes 

themselves”. 

Other dignitaries during the 

leadership summit included many US 

Congressmen and Congresswomen 

besides Navtej Sarna, Indian 

Ambassador to the US; Mary Kay 

Carlson, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy 

in India; John Chambers, Chairman, 

USIBC and Executive Chairman of 

Cisco; Mukesh Aghi, President, USIBC; 

and Anurag Bhargav, Board Member, 

USIBC and SpiceJet. From the business 

community, apart from Mr. Ajay Singh 

there was also Andrew Liveris, CEO, 

The Dow Chemical Company and Adi 

Godrej, Executive Chairman, The 

Godrej Group, besides many others. 

Gaurav Verma of USIBC and Kamal 

Hingorani, SVP, SpiceJet, were the 

minds and hands behind facilitating 

this historic event. 

The opportunity was also grabbed 

by newswires and electronic journalism 

giants like Bloomberg, CNBC and 

Reuters who interviewed Mr. Ajay 

Singh live on prime time shows, getting 

into the nuances of the deal Mr. Singh 

also spoke about the recognition that 

has come the way of SpiceJet. “It is 

great, fantastic,” he said in one such 

interview. “It is a great testament to 

what SpiceJet has achieved and we are 

glad we were part of the important 

meeting.” 

Ajay Singh (centre) with (from left) Adi 

Godrej, Andrew Liveris, John Chambers and 

the moderator at a USIBC panel discussion 

I AM DELIGHTED TO 

ANNOUNCE THIS NEW ORDER 

FOR 50 Q400 PLANES. THIS 

ORDER WILL HELP US FURTHER 

INCREASE CONNECTIVITY TO 

SMALLER TOWNS AND CITIES 

AND HELP REALIZE PRIME 

MINISTER NARENDRA MODI’S 

VISION OF ENSURING THAT 

EVERY INDIAN CAN FLY 

MR. AJAY SINGH 

48 


FOOD 

RED CHILLI 

EACH SPICEJET AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER 

A PARTICULAR SPICE. IN THIS ISSUE WE TALK ABOUT 

THE BENEFITS AND USAGE OF RED CHILLI 

variants across the country. “Guntur 

chillies from Andhra Pradesh add heat 

due to their high spice quotient. Dhani or 

Bird Eye chillies from North India are 

commonly used for cooking, pickling and 

in the preparation of chutneys. Naga 

chillies are one of the hottest in the 

world. Mundu chillies from Tamil Nadu 

and Andhra Pradesh enhance flavour. 

Jwala chillies from Gujarat are a very 

popular variant and are used extensively 

in home-style cooking. The unique and 

flavoursome Kanthari chillies from 

Kerala are pale when ripe and mature. 

Karnataka’s Byadagi dry chillies are long 

and thin, and are very similar to 

paprika,” says Chef Subrata Debnath, 

Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj – 

Gurgaon. Sunil Agarwal, Director, Kraft 

Appliances, adds, “Punjabi and 

Rajasthani cuisines are well-known for 

their spicy food and using red chillies in 

abundance. Red chillies are dried or 

Goan Chicken 

pickled in order to store them for a longer 

period of time. They are also used 

AT THE HEART 

OF INDIAN 

CUISINES 

WHAT IS COMMON TO BHUT JOLOKIA, 

Byadagi, Bird Eye, Jwala, Guntur and 

Kanthari? All of them are varieties of red 

chilli – the spice you may love or hate but 

can never ignore. “Chillies are integral to 

Indian cooking and most of us Indians 

have developed stomachs of steel having 

grown up eating chillies. Used in almost 

every dish, it’s a major commercial cash 

extensively for making sauces which are 

used to add spice to other dishes.” 

India is the largest producer of red 

chillies in the world besides being the 

largest exporter and consumer of the 

same. “Andhra Pradesh is the largest 

producer of chillies in India with more 

than five of the 18 to 20 chilli types in 

India as identified by The Spices Board 

crop in our nation and though the chilli 

of India. Our country boasts of multiple 

THERE IS AN AMAZING VARIETY OF 

arrived in India only in the 16th century, 

regional cuisines and the food taste 

RED CHILLIES AVAILABLE LOCALLY 

it has now become synonymous with our 

varies literally from one state to the 

AND THEIR TASTE AND SPICE LEVEL 

cuisines,” says Swadeep Popli, Owner, 

other. So, depending on the state cuisine, 

VARY, MAKING THIS EASILY ONE OF 

The Chatter House, New Delhi. 

the chillies are used accordingly,” says 

THE MOST EXCITING SPICES TO WORK 

WITH IN THE INDIAN KITCHEN. 

BY BINDU GOPAL RAO 

Red Chilli is mostly used in three 

forms: fresh red, dried red and powdered 

red. Kashmiri chillies are mild and 

therefore one of the most popularly used 

Chef Ravi Saxena, Corporate Chef, 

Dhaba By Claridges, which operates 

restaurants in Bengaluru, Gurgaon and 

Hyderabad. 

KOPPER KADAI 

50 


FOOD 

RED CHILLI 

carotenes and flavonoids - they have 

about twice the amount of vitamin C 

found in most citrus fruits. The heating 

nature of chillies is associated with their 

ability to stoke the digestive fire so chilli 

powder is often added to buttermilk and 

consumed to boost appetite and 

strengthen digestion. They are great for 

speeding up the metabolism and thus, 

would be really helpful to those trying to 

lose weight,” says Shivangi Chatterji, an 

Ayurvedic Expert at AllAyurveda.com. 

If you have a headache due to cold, 

mix a little chilli paste with sandalwood 

paste to make a fast-acting, pain 

relieving poultice. Diabetics can benefit 

Chili con carne 

Apart from being used as a 

from this spice by mixing a few drops of 

chilli oil with isabgol (psyllium husk) 

tempering, there are several dishes that 

and consuming it twice a day. This also 

use red chillies as the main ingredient 

helps those with bacterial infections 

like Rajasthani Lal Maas, Awadhi Mirchi 

such as UTIs. Navin Kacherla, owner of 

Korma and Goan Pork Vindaloo. Satyajit 

The Charcoal Kitchen, Mumbai, avers, 

Kotwal, GM, The Resort Hotel, Mumbai, 

“A good quantity of red chillies added to 

explains, “Chillies are used widely for 

food can be a good source of Vitamin C. 

pickling purpose. Whole/chopped red as 

However, an excess of it can cause 

well as green chillies are used along with 

acidity and heart burn. Indian food 

other spices to make them into delicious 

without red chilli often misses the 

pickles. Also, dishes are made using 

essence of flavours required.” Tanu 

whole chillies – it could be Mirch ka 

Arora, Head of Department, Clinical 

KNOW YOUR CHILLIES 

Salan or Mirch ka Pakoda.” 

India cooks with chillies that have 

Nutrition and Dietetics, Aakash 

Healthcare, adds, “Red chillies have rich 

The best relief from the burning 

sensation of chillies is to drink 

milk, have a spoonful of yogurt or a 

spoonful of honey 

Scoville Heat Unit [SHU] is the 

measurement of the hotness of chillies. 

A sweet bell pepper scores 0 on the 

Scoville scale, a jalapeno pepper 

scores around 2500-4000 units, and a 

Mexican chilli called Habaneros scores 

200,000 to 500,000 units 

Chilli is reported to be a native of 

South America 

It was first introduced in India by 

the Portuguese towards the end of the 

15th century 

The Bhut Jolokia is the spiciest red 

chilli in world. It is grown in Assam and 

Nagaland 

Chilli is botanically a fruit. But 

legally it is classified as a vegetable 

always been known as ingredients that 

add spice to Indian food. “In ready-to-eat 

salads, chaats or chutneys, fresh red 

chillies give a great aroma and taste. 

However if my recipe calls for cooking 

chillies then I prefer using powdered 

option when I need velvety texture in my 

curries and crushed dry chillies when 

using for tempering or making a dry 

preparation,” says Chef Akshay Nayyar, 

Co-owner, Kopper Kadai, Bengaluru. 

Most of them are fiery in nature but 

chillies score high on their health 

benefits. This is primarily due to a 

chemical called capsaicin. This chemical 

is well-known for its anti-inflammatory, 

analgesic, and heart-healthy benefits. 

“Also, chillies are rich in antioxidant 

contents like Vitamin C and Provitamin 

A. It also helps in clearing the congestion 

of stuffed noses and congested lungs.” 

Chillies are the heart and soul of 

different cuisines across India - they are 

cultivated in different parts of the 

country, and are one of the most 

important ingredients in Indian recipes. 

“Fresh green or red chillies are used in 

salads and pickles and are also ground to 

a paste, for various marinades. Dried and 

roasted red chillies are commonly used 

for tempering curries while the ground 

red chili powder is used to enhance 

flavours of curries,” says Chef Saurabh 

Udinia, Chef de Cuisine – Modern 

Indian, Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. 

Chillies are known as the queen of 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

52 


FOOD 

RED CHILLI 

Red chilli garlic chutney 

spices and have a lot more to offer apart 

from just adding spices. Executive Chef 

Anil Dahiya, The Bristol Hotel, Gurgaon, 

advises, “Each palate has a distinct level 

of tolerance for spice; use your judgment 

to increase or reduce the quantity of 

chilli pepper in your food as suited to you 

and your family. Children don’t have a 

well-developed spice palate; like all 

other foods, it helps to introduce spices 

in small amounts from a young age to 

build their liking for flavours.” 

Excessive usage of red chillies can 

not only make a dish unfit but can also 

become bitter and excessively spicy if 

overused. Chef Paul Kinny, Shizusan 

Shophouse & Bar, Mumbai, advises, 

“While making red chilli paste, add 

vinegar instead of water as this will 

increase the shelf life and add a tangy 

taste to the paste. While tempering the 

chilli be careful not to burn it as it could 

ruin the entire dish.” 

Vikas Kumar, Executive chef, Flurys, 

Park Street, Kolkata, adds, “One of the 

most important things to understand 

about red chilli is the fact that it can vary 

a lot in its hotness/ spiciness and must be 

used with extreme care and restraint. 

There really is no way to balance a dish 

that has turned to be too spicy due to the 

use of the chilli and there is also no way 

to add extra chilli once a dish is ready, 

since it requires a certain cooking 

technique.” 

Chef Milan Gupta, Cafe Haqq Se, 

Mumbai, has the final word when he 

says, “Never add too much chilli in the 

beginning in the recipe as the oil 

released from it will take some time 

before it permeates evenly through 

the dish.” 

CHILLI JAM 

RECIPE AND IMAGE COURTESY 

KRAFT APPLIANCES 

INGREDIENTS 

Red chillies 

(Stems removed) 60 gms 

Garlic cloves 

(Crushed) 125 gm 

Grated ginger 125 gms 

Tomatoes 1 kg 

Sugar 825 gms 

Red wine 

vinegar 30 ml 

Salt ½ tbsp 

Worcestershire 

Sauce 2 tbsp 

METHOD 

• Blend the chillies with the 

tomatoes in a mixer until it turns a 

smooth paste. 

• Put the mixture along with 

all the other ingredients into a 

saucepan and bring it to boil slowly, 

stirring to dissolve the sugar. 

• Cook for about an hour, 

frequently stirring it, until the 

chilli jam has thickened. 

• Cool and pour it into jars. Store 

in a cool dry spot and consume 

within six months. 

KOPPER KADAI 

54 


PHOTOGRAPHY 

DANCE 

10SECRETS OF DANCE 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

DR. P. K. M. PILLAI REVEALS SOME SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE SECRETS FOR MAKING 

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS OF DANCE AND PERFORMING ART FORMS ON STAGE 

Contemporary dancer Astad Deboo 

Dance performances 

happen in every 

religion, culture and in 

places all over India. 

These are great 

opportunities to make good pictures and 

to hone your skills. There are a variety of 

situational problems that you are bound 

to encounter. Yet, following a few simple 

practices can ensure that even your first 

attempt gets you some fantastic results. 

KNOW THE 

DANCE FORM 

■ Practised, repeated 

1 

movements and 

expressions are a part of 

any dance performance. 

In a dance, fluid motion 

often ends in static, momentary poses. 

If you know when and how the action 

will occur, you will be better prepared 

to capture it. It always helps to have 

seen the dance form on television, at 

other live shows, or during the onstage 

dress rehearsals. 

IMAGE COURTESY ASTAD DEBOO 

56 


PHOTOGRAPHY 

DANCE 

2 

GET 

PERMISSIONS 

WELL IN 

ADVANCE 

■ Dress rehearsals give 

you the chance to shoot without the 

constraints that accompany the actual 

performance. After the rehearsal, you 

can request the dancer to enact a 

posture or an expression. Backstage, the 

drama before the dress rehearsals is not 

just exciting, but offers an unlimited 

variety of pictures. 

3 

MASTER 

YOUR 

EQUIPMENT 

■ Inside an 

auditorium, the dim 

lights will not allow 

you to see the camera controls. You 

need to preset your camera 

according to the expected 

conditions and know your gear well 

enough to change settings quickly, 

in the dark. 

KNOW THE CAPABILITIES OF 

YOUR LENS 

■ A standard zoom lens is great for capturing group 

4 

performances. You will need focal lengths of 200mm for fulllength 

shots. You may require lenses up to 300mm for capturing 

facial expressions. Be prepared for problems associated with 

the kind of lenses that you have, from shallow depth-of-field to 

non-availability of large apertures, to camera shake caused by the weight of your 

lens. A light tripod or a monopod is always a great help. 

5 

THE 

VANTAGE 

POINT IS 

CRUCIAL 

■ Choose your 

position well to avoid 

distractions like banners and stage 

lights entering your lens, which may 

happen despite the use of a lens 

hood. A low vantage point from the 

foot of the stage can help avoid 

these distractions and heighten the 

mood in your pictures. If you can 

get permission to shoot from the 

wings of the stage, it will give your 

pictures a perspective that none in 

the audience would have seen. 

ALL IMAGES COURTESY NCPA ARCHIVES 

60 


PHOTOGRAPHY 

DANCE 

6 

COPING WITH LOW 

LIGHT 

■ Flash photography is usually 

prohibited because it disturbs the 

artistes. In this situation, large aperture 

lenses are useful. Do not be afraid to 

boost the ISO to get the required shutter speed. Even 

images shot at ISO 3200 can give you good-looking, 

medium-sized prints. 

7 

SHOOT IN RAW, 

USE SHUTTER 

PRIORITY 

■ It is more important to time 

yourself and release the shutter 

at the perfect moment rather 

than bother about 

technicalities. In the Shutter 

Priority mode, you only need to 

control the shutter speed. Use 

Center Weighted or Spot 

Metering, if your camera 

allows you to. Leave settings 

like ISO and WB to Auto. Shoot 

in RAW to recover details while 

post-processing. 

8POETIC BLURS OR FROZEN ACTION? 

■ Sharpness is vital in pictures in which you want to show the 

delicacy of an expression or a posture, or the energy of a dancer in 

mid-air. Shutter speeds of 1/250sec or faster can help freeze the 

action. On the other hand, you can use shutter speeds from 

1–1/20sec for creative blurs that capture the sheer beauty of the 

dancer’s movement. Blurs work better if the performers are wearing colourful 

costumes and if the background is dark. 

62 


PHOTOGRAPHY 

DANCE 

9 

MOVEMENT, 

EXPRESSIONS AND 

FORM 

■ Great dancers experience 

moments of truth. As a 

photographer, keep in mind the 

three cornerstones of dance – 

movement, expressions and 

form, while you concentrate on 

capturing these moments of 

sheer joy and abandon. 

SHOOTING TIPS: 

Rapturous moments of expression lend 

themselves naturally to telling pictures. 

Coloured gelatines used on spotlights 

sometimes lend accents to postures and 

costumes. 

Go for the moments of truth. Statuesque poses 

are passé. Body language and expressions 

convey so much more. 

Lighting situations can continuously keep 

changing. Watch out for distracting shadows 

and wait for the dancers to turn towards 

the light. 

One may reach the soul of the dancer when 

your lens meets the dancer’s eye. Look for 

these opportunities. 

Look for moments when the ecstasy of the 

dancer is projected through their body posture 

and movement. 

Capture billowing costumes and drapes to 

show off the dancer’s energy and motion. 

Get your pictures to bring out the power of the 

dancer’s movement. Do not kill the tonal values 

with flash or WB settings. 

The rendition of mood depends on how you 

capture and convey the spirit of the performer. 

10 

MORE THAN 

APPRECIATE, 

KNOW 

■ Finally, the best 

photographs come from 

knowing and feeling the 

passion and obsession 

that drives the artistes to 

spend decades in 

perfecting their art. 

Almost any camera can do 

a good job if you use it 

well. Dance photography 

sharpens your sense of 

timing and the speed with 

which you react. More 

than this, it teaches you to 

appreciate the poetry of 

the human body. 

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM BETTER PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE 

64 


TRAVEL 

HOSPITALITY 

ENDURING 

CHARM 

MUSSOORIE’S SAVOY HOTEL IS 

PERHAPS THE ONLY PROPERTY IN 

THIS POPULAR HILL STATION THAT 

WAS BUILT AS A HOTEL OVER A 

HUNDRED YEARS AGO AND 

CONTINUES TO ATTRACT TOURISTS 

AND DIGNITARIES EVEN TODAY 

Top to bottom: The beautiful hotel 

facade; one of the well-appointed 

rooms; and the English Garden 

SpiceJet flies from Delhi to Dehradun 

thrice daily. The hotel is a two hour 

journey by road from Dehradun 

airport. Log on to www.spicejet.com 

for flight details 

Its pristine façade, well-appointed 

rooms and modern amenities may 

suggest a recent history but 

Mussoorie’s WelcomHotel The Savoy 

goes all the way back to 1850. Before 

becoming famous as one of the most 

elegant hotels in India, the Savoy (as it is 

popularly called) started life as a school 

for the upper crust of Mussoorie society. 

When the school shut down in 1899, 

the 21 acre property was purchased by an 

Irishman and barrister, Cecil D. Lincoln, 

who built a palatial hotel with six 

buildings, a large dining room, public 

spaces, a glassed-in verandah, and tennis 

courts. From the 1920s to the 1940s, life at 

this popular hotel was like an extended 

party. In the summer of 1946, the Savoy 

was bought by Rai Bahadur Kripa Ram 

Jauhar. For 50 years, he and his son, 

Anand Jauhar, ran the hotel, which was 

eventually passed on to Mr. Kaya in 2005. 

Today, WelcomHotel The Savoy 

continues to delight famous dignitaries 

and royalty from India and abroad. The 

elegant and historic hotel has been built in 

the English Gothic style. The 50 guest 

rooms and suites at WelcomHotel The 

Savoy have been specially crafted to make 

a statement. The colours are soft and the 

design, unique. 

The well-appointed rooms include 

the Superior Room Mountain View, the 

Premium Room Mountain View and the 

Savoy Suites. These rooms offer an 

unparalleled view of the mountains and 

feature high quality amenities. The Grand 

Dining Room is a perfect place to dine 

with family and friends. 

WelcomHotel The Savoy has 

traditionally been one of Mussoorie’s 

most eminent and glamorous venues. 

Whether you are hosting a wedding, 

corporate event or private celebration, the 

highly experienced events team helps 

with every detail. The Royal Ballroom is 

ideal for hosting grand affairs, while the 

State Rooms are perfect for more intimate 

gatherings. The Savoy’s Function Room is 

suitable for social and corporate events, 

for 30 to 400 guests. 

The wellness centre is an independent 

two-storey wing and provides a 

breathtaking view of the magnificent 

mountains, which you can enjoy while 

working out at the gymnasium. The spa 

offers therapies and body treatments to 

rejuvenate the synergy of mind and body. 

Steam and sauna facilities enhance the 

wellness experience, while the 

Recreation Zone located on the first floor 

is a treat for those young at heart. 

66 


WHEELS 

ADVENTURE 

THE GREAT MONASTERY ESCAPE 

THE NINTH EDITION OF THE MAHINDRA ADVENTURE MONASTERY ESCAPE IN LADAKH TOOK PARTICIPANTS ON A 10-DAY 

ADVENTURE TO SOME OF THE WORLD’S HIGHEST MOTORABLE ROADS. BY ALSHAAR KHAN 

The convoy on its 

way to Khardung La 

“IT IS A MISTAKE TO BELIEVE that the 

crucial moments of a life when its habitual 

direction changes forever must be loud 

and shrill dramatics, washed away by 

fierce internal surges. This is a kitschy 

fairy tale started by boozing journalists, 

flashbulb-seeking film-makers and 

authors whose minds look like tabloids. In 

truth, the dramatics of a life-determining 

experience are often unbelievably soft. It 

has so little akin to the bang, the flash, of a 

volcanic eruption that, at the moment it is 

made, the experience is often not even 

noticed. When it deploys its revolutionary 

effect and plunges a life into a brand-new 

light giving it a brand-new melody, it does 

that silently and in this wonderful silence 

resides its special nobility.” 

As I sit down to pen my journal from 

the ninth edition of the Mahindra 

Adventure Monastery Escape in Ladakh, a 

couple of weeks after returning to urban 

life , I’m reminded of Pascal Mercier’s wise 

words above from his gripping 2004 novel 

Night Train to Lisbon. And on the pretext 

of not belonging to the sensational cadre, 

the voyage to the enchanting valleys of the 

Himalayas now comes across as a subtly, 

yet deeply, life-changing experience; 

matter-of-factly, it didn’t accompany a 

figurative bang or a flash. 

But before getting to that, let me first 

draw a picture of the adventure that the 

Monastery Escape was. The 10-day 

motorsport-standard event gives both 

Mahindra and non-Mahindra owners the 

chance to experience the terrains en route 

some of the world’s highest motorable 

roads. Flagged off from Delhi, the convoy 

of 26 expedition-ready vehicles reached 

Leh via Manali, Jispa and Tso Moriri, at 

the half-way mark in the drive. I was a part 

of the contingent that joined the convoy 

for the second part of the trip, which was 

slated to then travel higher up the Jammu 

& Kashmir mountains — we were already 

around 10,000 ft above sea level, FYI. 

The eclectic mix of participants on the 

journey had folks from all walks of life sign 

up for this exciting expedition. From 

newly-married couples and gentlemen 

who became friends after meeting for the 

70 


WHEELS 

ADVENTURE 

(Top) En route the Thikse Monastery and 

(bottom) The convoy bunching up 

first time on the trip 

to petrolhead 

neurosurgeons and 

female drivers who 

expertly steered 

these brawny 4x4s 

through the journey, 

you couldn’t have 

asked for a wider 

variety of people. We 

were introduced to 

the convoy, at our 

accommodation — 

Hotel Shangri La in Leh — where we 

were garlanded with traditional white 

khadasks (like stoles), before heading out 

past the Potala Palace to the Thiksay 

monastery next morning. 

At a distance of 19km to the east of 

Leh, the largest gompa in Central 

Ladakh offers stunning views — sit down 

for a brunch here and you can thank us 

later for the recommendation. Another 

great option for your mid-day meal could 

be the delectable thin crust pizzas baked 

in wood-fired ovens at the nearby eatery 

Cafe Cloud. Warning: The area doesn’t 

serve any non-vegetarian food on no 

moon days (Amavasya); so foodies please 

plan your visit accordingly. 

My assumption that I’d already 

clicked the best possible photographs for 

my Instagram feed was dispelled the 

minute I stepped out from the hotel later 

that evening. The sight of the gorgeous 

dusky skies made it easier to walk uphill 

to the old town local bazaar which, at 

first sight, looks like any other ‘Mall 

Road’ from North India’s touristy hill 

stations. It’s when you tread deeper into 

its maze-like lanes that you actually 

discover the soul of the desert city. 

Locals help you find the best places for 

momos and thukpas — quite literally run 

out of domestic kitchens — and the tiny 

bakeries owned by Kashmiris from 

further up north, who introduce you to 

fascinating new bread varieties that 

people of the neighbourhood consume 

during the course of the day. 

Fetch a few of these to accompany 

the piping hot tea from one of the popular 

tea shops back in the main market, and 

the dropping temperatures, prompted by 

Easterly winds, would feel like an old 

ally. Talking of bakeries, there are a few 

more well-established ones on the other 

end of the market. Amusingly, some 

might pride in branding themselves as 

German bakeries, but their bread rolls 

are actually not bad. 

Back at the accommodation, all 

participants were greeted by a delightful 

cultural show before they retired to their 

rooms. Local performers showcased 

various dance and music forms of the 

region. The jabro, usually performed on 

festive occasions, had the men and 

women groove to the tunes of a flute and 

a regional percussion instrument called 

damman. The centuries-old Drugpa- 

Rches dance had everyone tapping their 

feet alongside the dancers. 

Having acclimatised for two nights, 

we were raring to lay our hands on the 

SUVs on offer the next morning. Our 

friends from Mahindra Adventure had 

handed out AWD Scorpios to each set of 

participants while there was a Getaway 

pick-up truck, the all-alluring Thar and a 

brave KUV100 for the media. As I 

74 


WHEELS 

ADVENTURE 

climbed into the Getaway, some fellow 

(automobile) journalists were certain 

that the best part of the drive was 

already behind them. Little did they 

know what lay ahead. 

As the convoy bunched up to head 

towards Khardung La Pass (K-Top), 

the highest motorable road in the 

world, we came face-to-face with some 

treacherous terrains. As if the climb all 

the way up to 18,380 ft wasn’t tricky 

enough, the journey down proved to be 

even more challenging. I could almost 

hear my butt say thanks when the car’s 

tyres finally hit tarmac over the sand 

dunes of Nubra Valley, after hours of 

struggle on broken (sometimes nonexistent) 

roads. The day’s efforts paid 

off with some more striking views 

awaiting us as we retired at our serene 

campsite, with the Diskit Monsatery 

watching over us. 

The convoy was supposed to take 

the same route back to Leh, but we 

were fortunate enough to get 

necessary permissions from the 

authorities to drive around the other 

side of the mountain past the Shyok 

Valley, which is otherwise a protected 

wildlife area. The lunch halt on the 

rocky banks of the Shyok River has to 

be the highlight of my trip. In the 

company of only nature, the meal, 

though without anything fancy on the 

menu, could easily have been among 

the best ones of my entire life. 

The testing drive, in the KUV, 

thereafter culminated in truly 

breathtaking views at the top of the 

snow-capped Warila Pass, located at a 

staggering 17,427 ft. While we were 

running out of oxygen due to the 

altitude, there was no shortage of 

inspiration among the service and 

medical teams of the convoy to iron out 

the creases in testing times. 

The final stretch of my journey 

rolled in the Thar, with a kickass offroader 

behind the wheel. In 

addition, we also encountered 

road repair and construction 

activities being carried out by 

the Border Road Organisation, 

famously known as BRO, whose 

prominently quirky signboards 

kept us entertained en route to 

Leh. 

At the end of this 

phenomenal adventure, which 

also happened to be my first visit 

to the state, I’d been on two of 

the world’s highest drivable 

roads, driven through snow, 

gravel and off-roaded to the best 

of an SUV’s capabilities. The 

2017 Monastery Escape was an 

escapade that stayed true to its 

rugged nature and induced the 

most amounts of adrenaline in 

my body in the longest time. 

While on the flight back to 

Mumbai the next morning, a 

retired Wing Commander, who 

was also a member of the convoy, 

occupied the seat next to mine. We 

discussed the challenges in taking 

off at high altitude and even the 

daunting beauty of the mountains. 

As the aircraft looked over the 

exquisite Himalayas through the 

clouds, in a dreamlike state, 

moments before dozing off, I heard 

the peaks echoing the contents of a 

cheeky BRO signboard – ‘Dear I 

like you, but not your speed.’ 

And while the adrenaline 

levels have certainly gone down a 

fortnight after the trip, what has 

subconsciously stayed with me is 

the slow-paced spirit of the 

mountains that has enlightened 

me to step back and breathe; look at 

my inner demons in the eye and 

make peace with them, with a 

‘wonderful silence.’ 

From top to bottom: The dunes of Nubra 

Valley in all their glory; local musicians gear 

up for a cultural performance 

76 


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VIEWPOINT 

YOGA 

THROUGH THE 

MYSTIC EYE 

RANKED AMONGST THE 50 

MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN 

INDIA, SADHGURU IS A YOGI, 

MYSTIC, VISIONARY AND 

BESTSELLING AUTHOR. 

SADHGURU HAS BEEN 

CONFERRED THE PADMA 

VIBHUSHAN BY THE 

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA IN 2017 

Like many people around me, I am seeking 

the ultimate Truth and the right guidance 

to experience it. Sadhguru, can you tell us 

how a person finds his Guru? 

SADHGURU: If you are truly a seeker 

of Truth, Truth cannot hide from you. It 

is in the lap of Truth that you have 

happened. Most people who claim to be 

seekers are only seeking security, solace, 

or the fulfillment of their desires. Their 

life is just an expression of their greed 

and fear. Do you see, many people in the 

world shamelessly claim to be Godfearing? 

They are not God loving, they 

are God-fearing. Unless you have fallen 

in love with the creation, how can you 

love the one who created it? Like Jesus 

said, ‘Love thy neighbor.’ Everyone can 

love God, because He does not demand 

anything from you, but to love the one 

next to you right now costs life. It is a 

challenge. It takes much courage to do 

this. ‘Love thy neighbor’ is a very good 

device for breaking your illusion of 

loving the one who is in the heavens. 

A genuine seeker, a person who 

develops an urge within, will always 

find his Guru. He may find it in a man, in 

a woman, or he may find it even in a rock. 

He will definitely find it somewhere; 

there is no doubt about it. When any 

being calls or really yearns, the existence 

answers. If the thirst within you is 

strong enough, God always answers. 

SpiceJet welcomes its passengers to ask Sadhguru questions on yoga, health, wellbeing, and other topics of 

general interest. Select questions will be answered in forthcoming issues. Please email your question to 

mediarelations@ishafoundation.org. For more of Sadhguru’s wisdom, visit isha.sadhguru.org 

80 


STAR BUZZ 

AKSHAY KUMAR 

STORY IS THE 

REAL HERO 

AKSHAY KUMAR ON HOW HIS 

NEW SLEW OF FILMS WILL HELP 

TRANSFORM HIS ACTION HERO 

IMAGE. BY AARTI KAPUR SINGH 

Akshay Kumar is taking the 

offbeat route in 2017. And it 

seems his National Award 

(for best actor for Rustom) 

will definitely be the turning point in the 

‘action’ hero’s career. Kumar, who has a 

Midas touch, what with delivering three 

hits a year, and sometimes even five, is 

now preferring to do off-beat roles. Jolly 

LLB 2, directed by Subhash Kapoor, took 

a dig at the Indian judicial system. The 

star currently has eight films on hand. 

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, which is based on 

the concept of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan 

and talks about the unhygienic 

conditions in rural India, has him paired 

with Bhumi Pednekar and releases this 

month. 

Then, he has the quirkily titled film 

Padman, which will be wife Twinkle 

Khanna’s first production under her Mrs 

Funnybones Movies. It’s said to be based 

on the life of Arunachalam 

Muruganantham, who became famous 

for making affordable sanitary napkins. 

Kumar will also be seen in Neeraj 

Pandey’s Crack and as the arch villain 

opposite Rajinikanth in Shankar’s 2.0. 

Here is the actor talking about changing 

courses and being responsible to society. 

You are riding a high. The National Award 

has been a turning point in your career… 

Of course, 2016 has been fantastic, I 

couldn’t have asked for more. I don’t 

think anything can top this National 

Award win. I think my aim is to be honest 

with my work and give my best to people 

82 


STAR BUZZ 

AKSHAY KUMAR 

Akshay Kumar with Bhumi Pednekar in 

Toilet ek prem katha 

who trust me with their 

money and love. Itna 

keh sakta hoon main ki 

ye award bhi maine 

imandari se jita hai. 

Maine aaj tak cheating 

nahi ki. Neither have I 

ever made a call to 

anyone to win an award 

nor have I given money 

or done favours for it. In 

the past I would get 

offers from organisers 

of award shows telling 

me that , `If you perform 

at the show, we can give 

half the money and an 

award as well’. But I tell 

them that they can give 

me complete payment 

and keep their awards 

with them. The love 

and 

support 

that I get from my fans is 

more important. This is 

what allows me to do the 

kind of work I like because I 

know awards or no awards, 

my fans will love my films. 

Of late, your choices in cinema 

- the kind of work you are 

doing - are very different from 

what you have done earlier. Is 

that a conscious decision? 

I think that is bound to 

happen when you grow - as 

an actor and as a person. 

Also, when you grow in age 

and maturity, after a point of 

time, one starts looking at 

the kind of work one is 

doing. Whether it is making 

you do something you have 

not done before. For me, the 

real hero of a film is the 

story. I enjoy challenges. 

KNOW AKSHAY 

KUMAR BETTER 

According to 

Forbes, he is the 

ninth highest paid 

actor in Bollywood 

with a worth of 

$32 million. 

Wherever he may 

be, his workout 

routine is inflexible. 

He wakes up at 4 

am every morning 

to run, practice 

martial arts and 

other fitness routine. 

But he avoids 

weightlifting. 

Among his 

nicknames are Akki, 

Mac and Khiladi. 

Akshay Kumar 

treasures his first 

watch as well as 

bike - and still has 

them. 

He first played a 

villain’s role in 2001, 

as Vikram Bajaj in 

Ajnabee 

That’s why I have got something 

different in all my upcoming films. Be it 

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha which takes 

inspiration from the Swacch Bharat 

initiative or Crack, which focuses on 

schizophrenia. Then there is 2.0 (Robot 

2), where I play a completely negative 

character; Gold, which is a biopic; and 

Padman, for which I will start shooting 

soon. I like taking up characters that are 

different, that are real. Even Padman will 

be as real as is possible. 

But having said that, I am not here to 

make a documentary. Of course, we 

won’t preach, but what we have to say 

has been done carefully, with slight 

humour, subtlety and maturity that the 

subject demands. Because the audience 

is also changing. They are looking at 

cinema not just as a medium of escape, 

but also a medium of constructive and 

positive change. Real issues need to be 

discussed. It’s time to not 

look back, but look ahead. 

Tell us about your next, Toilet: 

Ek Prem Katha. 

In India, one of the most 

heavily populated countries 

of the world, there are many 

problems. Cleanliness is one 

of the main problems in our 

country right now. I feel 

ashamed when I see people 

spit on the road. They throw 

things on the road from an 

auto, cab or car. My house is 

at the beach, and around 

three-four years back, I 

literally used to ask people 

to clean the beach whenever 

they made it dirty. But it is 

easy to sit on a fence and 

simply talk about them. 

Nobody takes in lectures 

and bhaashans well. In this 

scenario, we have to say 

what we want to say in a 

84 


STAR BUZZ 

AKSHAY KUMAR 

Akshay Kumar in Airlift 

language that the masses 

understand. The film has a 

commercial side along 

with a strong message, and 

focuses a lot on cleanliness. 

And I am sure people will 

be affected by what the 

core message of the film is. 

You have also taken to social 

media rather actively to voice 

your opinion on a wide 

variety of issues. Do you 

think this will serve to rouse 

collective consciousness? 

In our vast and diverse 

country, it is impossible to 

change everything in just 

one go. It took years to pile 

up the garbage, so 

obviously, nothing can 

change in one day. What 

we can do is hope that 

people become sensitive 

and intelligent enough to 

understand this. I do my own work, by 

putting up small videos, where I ask 

people to think about our country. I 

never criticise them. When people think 

of their family and friends, so why not for 

their own country? I have a 

responsibility as a public figure. I think 

of my growing up years when hamein 

lagta tha ki hero toh sab kuch kar sakta hai. So 

if I have that kind of adulation from 

people, it is a shame if I can’t use 

it for something more positive. I don’t 

know if I will be able to inspire people 

or change thinking, but I can try to 

tell them ki dekho tumhara hero yeh 

keh raha hai. Maybe a few will actually 

listen. 

Not just socially, you are a style icon, even at 

50, for youngsters half your age… How do 

you manage that? 

Even if they don’t believe I am an icon, I 

would like to believe so anyway. But the 

credit that I wear good clothes goes 

entirely to my beautiful wife. She has 

really helped me evolve a sartorial sense. 

My mother-in-law (veteran actress 

Dimple Kapadia) is a style icon and 

wouldn’t have me any other way. I have 

no option but to match up to the ladies in 

the family. When my house was being 

made, my only contribution was to say 

nothing. And it looks pretty damn good. 

The same way, when she tells me what to 

wear, whether it’s by bullying or not, I 

just follow her instructions. 

On the personal front, you and Twinkle 

have given ‘relationship goals’ a whole new 

meaning. What keeps your bond strong 

after 16 years of being married? 

It’s all about the friendship that we 

share. That’s exactly what keeps us 

going. Whenever there is an outdoor 

shoot, I always feel the need to come 

back. Space is also very important for a 

couple. We share responsibilities. Due to 

my hectic schedule, I don’t get the 

chance to spend enough time. But, 

Twinkle does take care of the kids fully. 

When it comes to outdoor activities like 

swimming or martial arts, I am the one 

who takes them out. And she will point 

out in her very nice way - when I falter 

(laughs). 

So does your wife call the shots on the sets, 

especially with regard to Padman, which is 

her debut as producer? 

She hardly comes for the shoots! She is 

allowing the director R Balki to take 

charge of the material exactly the way he 

wants. Since she was a part of the 

industry and has seen her parents at 

work, a film set is the last place she wants 

to be in. She hates it. But she has her own 

way of being hands-on and I admire her 

for the way she can juggle so many things 

effortlessly. When the script was in the 

works, she was clued in to every step of 

the research. 

88 


INDIA’S 

No.1 

Best 

On-Time Performance 

in the year 2016-17 

Highest Occupancy Rate 

for 27 consecutive months

SPORTS 

CRICKET 

Ravindra Jadeja is among the bowlers 

spearheading the Indian spin attack 

SPINNERS 

TO THE FORE 

INDIAN CAPTAIN VIRAT KOHLI WILL 

India after an outstanding home 

season will be playing their first 

overseas series this year as they 

face a depleted Sri Lankan side in 

a full series of three test matches, five 

ODIs and a one-off T20 game 

commencing from July 26 at Galle, the 

south-western Sri Lankan city. Sri Lanka 

BE HOPING HIS TOP-RANKED SPIN 

BOWLERS ARE IN THEIR ELEMENT 

DURING THE SERIES AGAINST 

SRI LANKA. BY MKM FAIYAZ AHMED 

come to the series after having suffered a 

huge blow as Angelo Matthews resigned 

after a humiliating defeat in the home 

series to Zimbabwe in a five match ODI 

series but followed with a 

JULY 21 

SERIES FIXTURE 

2 DAY WARM UP MATCH COLOMBO 

record run chase in the one 

off test match at Colombo. 

The Sri Lankan selectors 

JULY 26 1ST TEST MATCH GALLE 

have named Upul Tharanga 

AUGUST 3 2ND TEST MATCH COLOMBO 

as the captain for the limited 

AUGUST 12 3RD TEST MATCH PALLEKELE 

overs format and Dinesh 

AUGUST 20 

AUGUST 24 

AUGUST 27 

AUGUST 31 

SEPTEMBER 3 

SEPTEMBER 6 

1ST ODI 

2ND ODI 

3RD ODI 

4TH ODI 

5TH ODI 

One off T20 

DAMBULLA 

PALLEKELE 

PALLEKELE 

COLOMBO 

COLOMBO 

COLOMBO 

Chandimal in test matches. 

It will be interesting to see 

how the captains will lead a 

team of young and 

inexperienced players 

against a top quality Indian 

side. 

Since 1982-83, India and Sri Lanka 

have faced each other in 14 test match 

series of which India won seven , Sri 

Lanka three and four have resulted in a 

draw. The odds of India winning the 

series are high but with the experience of 

Ranganna Herath, Indians can never 

write off Sri Lanka in their backyard. 

Forty-year-old Herath is Sri Lanka’s 

second most successful bowler with 384 

scalps out of which 258 have been taken 

in Sri Lanka. He, along with the young 

spinners, will not allow India to win 

without giving a fight. 

In a short captaincy career span, 

Virat Kohli has done exceptionally well 

as he has lost only three test matches out 

of 26. He will be touring Sri Lanka for the 

second time — India won the previous 

series 2-1 in 2015. Indian opener KL 

Rahul has been recalled after he passed 

the fitness test. However, Murali Vijay 

who was initially included in the squad 

has been replaced with Shikhar Dhawan 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

92 


SPORTS 

CRICKET 

due to wrist injury. 

conditions has always been the spin 

The in-form 

department and once again Kohli will 

Dhawan did well in 

hugely rely on the successes of top- 

the ODIs recently 

ranked bowlers Ravindra Jadeja and 

but has not played a 

Ravichandran Ashwin. The duo has 

test match since he 

always been a threat to bat against in the 

was dropped for his 

conditions favouring them. Twenty- 

poor scores on the 

two-year-old slow-left arm Chinaman, 

Caribbean tour last 

Kuldeep Yadav has been included in the 

year. Both the 

squad for his impressive figures of 4 for 

openers will be 

68 against Australia in the only test 

itching to score 

match he played at Dharamsala earlier 

runs and remain fit 

this year. 

throughout the 

Surprisingly, Ishant Sharma who has 

series. 

taken just six wickets in eight innings 

The left- 

against Australia at an average of 53.00 

handed opener 

and strike rate of 111.00, has once again 

from Tamil Nadu, 

been preferred ahead of many emerging 

Dinesh Chandimal is the Sri Lankan 

captain for test matches 

Abhinav Mukund, 

has been retained 

after he failed in the only test match he 

fast bowlers. Even though Sharma has 

been playing for over a decade now, he 

hasn’t been a potential threat to 

played against Australia in Bengaluru 

opponents except during a few good 

earlier this year. Strangely, Karun Nair 

comeback spells. 

who scored an unbeaten triple hundred 

Selectors have once again shown 

against England last year, has been 

their faith in Mohammed Shami who is 

dropped after he struggled to make an 

injury-prone and is often dubious ahead 

impact against Australia as he managed 

of any series. The most improved fast 

to score just 54 runs in four innings. 

bowler for India in test matches over the 

But one man’s loss is another man’s 

last 18 months has been Umesh Yadav - 

gain and Rohit Sharma has been recalled 

who may well lead the bowling attack 

after his valuable scores in the 

along with Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. 

THE PLAYERS 

INDIAN SQUAD: Virat Kohli, 

Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, 

Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya 

Rahane, Rohit Sharma, R 

Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, 

Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant 

Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik 

Pandya, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, 

Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep 

Yadav, Abhinav Mukund 

SRI LANKAN SQUAD: Ranganna 

Herath, Upul Tharanga, Dimuth 

Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, 

Angelo Matthews, Asela 

Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, 

Dhananjaya De Silva, Danushka 

Gunathilaka, Dilruwan Perera, 

Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, 

Vishwa Fernando, Malinda 

Pushpakumara, Nuwan Pradeep 

Champion’s Trophy in England. The 

right-handed batsman had broken into 

international cricket with a magnificent 

177 on debut against the West Indies in 

2013 but hasn’t made his spot own yet in 

the longer version due to his inconsistent 

scores. He will be looking forward to 

score heaps of runs against Sri Lanka. 

The emerging and confident Hardik 

Pandya has been picked for the progress 

he has shown in batting as well as 

bowling in recent times. Pandya has not 

played too many First Class games and 

does not have numbers in his favour. But 

the selectors have shown their belief in 

him which may fetch the best out of him. 

India’s strength in sub-continent 

Kohli had a bad series against 

Australia and will be looking to get back 

to his best. The likes of Pujara, Kohli and 

Rahane make India a strong batting line 

up. The valuable contributions from 

Wriddhiman Saha lower down the order 

are a good sign for India’s progress. 

However, Ashwin’s batting failure this 

year will force skipper Kohli to rethink 

his strategy of playing him as a number 7 

batsman. He may play Rohit Sharma at 6 

and may push back Ashwin to number 8. 

Will India play with five bowlers or 

stick to a four bowler strategy? This is 

something the skipper and newlyappointed 

head coach Ravi Shastri will 

have to ponder. 

ALAMY 

96 


Jadavji Anchorwala Enterprise 

www.myanchor.in

Much of the raw 

material for the 

restaurant is 

grown in-house 

STYLE AND 

COMFORT 

JAKSON INNS IN PHALTAN, SOUTH 

MAHARASHTRA, ATTRACTS LEISURE 

TRAVELLERS, LOOKING FOR 

SOMETHING MORE THAN LONAVLA, 

KHANDALA AND MAHABALESHWAR 

SpiceJet flies to Pune, two hours away. 

Log on to www.spicejet.com for details 

TRAVEL 

HOTELS 

Originally a business hotel, 

Jakson Inns now caters to 

leisure travellers 

Its location – in way-out 

Phaltan, Satara district, 

Maharashtra – may raise 

eyebrows. But dig a little 

deeper and you discover that 

Jakson Inns, launched in 

October 2014, makes sound business 

sense. The well-maintained property, 

located over six acres, caters to leisure 

travellers (mainly from Mumbai and 

Pune) interested in exploring the 

historic and other attractions in the 

locality (see box). 

City slickers are often seen making a 

beeline to the property. Jakson Inns 

offers rustic experiences in modern day 

environments. The city-bred can give 

their children experiences of milking 

cows, riding bullock carts, watch 

sugarcane turning into sugar crystals, 

see a mullberry worm turn into silk 

garments, learn ancient pickling 

recipies, have masala chai under a mango 

tree, eat zunka bhakar on the lawns or 

enjoy horse riding. The hotel is also a 

popular destination for guests seeking to 

visit the famous Kas Pathar, 

Maharashtra’s very own valley of 

flowers. 

Jakson Inns has 69 deluxe rooms of 

290 sq ft each and four suites, each of 560 

sq ft. There are rooms tailored for the 

single female traveller as well as for the 

physically challenged. The hotel boasts 

of a contemporary bar, a vibrant multicusine 

restaurant and round-the-clock 

in-room dining service. 

Jakson Inns Phaltan is India’s first 

three star LEED GREEN platinum rated 

hotel and is located on a former 

pomegranate farm. Many of the 

vegetables and fruits used in the 

restaurant are grown in-house. As part 

of its initiative to promote 

environmentally and culturally friendly 

tourism, Jakson Hospitality is presently 

promoting eco and village tourism in 

Satara district. Smoking is not allowed in 

the hotel and much of its electricity 

needs are met by solar panels installed 

on the roof. Used water from the rooms 

and restaurants in recycled for 

gardening purposes. 

The management has mandated that 

30 per cent of the workforce should be 

women. They are selected from amongst 

widows, divorcees or those with abusive 

husbands. Their children can stay at a 

day-care centre attached to the property. 

This social concern extends to other 

areas of employment too. For example, 

the massage centre is manned by Dattu 

More, 30, who lost his eyesight a decade 

100 


TRAVEL 

HOTELS 

The Pussegaon windmill site (left) and 

the spacious restaurant at the hotel 

ago after a smallpox attack. A 

native of Kalyan, 250 km away, 

he learned the art of massage at 

NAB (National Association for 

the Blind), Mumbai. 

There are indoor as well as 

outdoor recreation facilities 

suited for families. A full service 

gym is at the disposal of fitness 

enthusiasts. The hotel is part of 

Jakson Hospitality which aims 

to have its presence throughout 

the country with quality hotels 

and recreational resorts. Apart 

from Jackson Inns, Jakson 

Hospitality owns and operates 

Jakson Residency, Jakson 

Hotels, Jakson Spa and Jakson 

Resorts. 

The hotel has been 

promoted by 60-year-old Jakson 

Ltd., headquartered at Noida, 

Delhi, and a pioneer in power 

generating solutions. Jakson 

Ltd. owns and operates in the 

silent commercial generators 

and solar power business. It has 

more than 1800 employees on its 

rolls. 

Windmills picnic 

Ajinkyatara Fort 

Phaltan Rajwada 

Thosegar Waterfalls 

THE OTHER ATTRACTIONS 

Phaltan is renowned for its 

farms, forts, museums and 

other historic structures; 

windmill farms and 

waterfalls, among other 

attractions. The helpful staff 

at Jakson Inns can organise 

outings of your choice. 

Located 3,300 feet 

above sea level in the 

Sahayadri Mountains, the 

Ajinkyatara fort offers 

a magnificent view of 

Satara. For the best view, 

enthusiasts must start 

climbing up the hill from 

the base of the fort at 

around 3.30 pm. Inside the 

fort are a series of water 

tanks. It is a favourite 

target for hiking, trekking 

and mountaineering 

enthusiasts. 

The Aundh Museum 

houses rare paintings and 

sculptures by well known 

Indian and European artists. 

Phaltan Rajwada is 

the former residence of 

the Phaltan royal family. 

Tourists are attracted to 

the grandeur of this palace 

along with its architectural 

beauty. 

The Pussegaon 

windmill site, with around 

100 installations and set 

amidst adjoining hills and 

lush countryside, offers a 

chance to view the rotating 

fans from close proximity. 

Thoseghar waterfalls, 

located very close to 

Jakson Inns, are a series of 

small and big waterfalls. 

Tours can be organised 

to pomegranate orchards 

and sugarcane farms 

as well as Gladiola and 

Rose plantations. 

102 


Executive Portfolio

FOOD 

RECIPES 

WE MAY TRAVEL THE WORLD FOR 

WORK OR FOR PLEASURE, but it’s 

always home sweet home in the end. 

For better or for worse, the place 

where we were born and raised or to 

which we belong usually retains an 

iconic status. Three leading chefs 

from India, who have travelled the 

world, share notes about crafting 

palate-pleasing delicacies influenced 

by their roots as well as the skies 

where they have spread their wings. 

Here is a look at traditional Indian 

dishes given an international twist by 

these globe-trotting chefs. 

BACK TO ROOTS 

INDIAN CHEFS WHO HAVE TRAVELLED THE WORLD KNOW HOW TO BRING THE 

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS ONTO ONE'S PLATE. BY AARTI KAPUR SINGH 

CHEF ASHAY DHOPATKAR 

Executive Head Chef, À Ta Maison, 

New Delhi 

It is said that one’s childhood influences 

the course of one’s life. Chef Ashay 

Dhopatkar inherited a rich legacy from 

his parents – a passion for the culinary 

arts. Growing up in Mumbai, he was at 

the table when his parents had regular 

dinners for family and friends. “I helped 

as they spent whole days planning, 

shopping and preparing for these feasts. 

Home was a place where cookbooks took 

up more shelf space than novels, and 

cooking shows took precedence over TV 

serials,” he recalls. “Our family had the 

world on our plates. Dad took me to new 

restaurants every week and I never 

missed a chance to sneak a peek into the 

kitchen and admire the chefs.” That left 

Dhopatkar with two things – a love of 

European cuisine and the determination 

to become a chef one day. “I passed the 

medical entrance test with flying 

colours but I had other plans. Having 

cracked the IHM entrance examination 

as well, I only had to convince my 

parents to let me become a chef. I 

wanted to prove that people don’t 

become chefs because they are left with 

no options, but that becoming a chef can 

be a career option, too.” 

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE CHEFS 

104 


FOOD 

RECIPES 

“HOME WAS A PLACE WHERE 

COOKBOOKS TOOK UP MORE 

SHELF SPACE THAN NOVELS” 

From IHM Goa, Dhopatkar 

continued his education in 2006 at the 

IHMES Hotel Institute in the Isle of 

Man, UK, where he also apprenticed 

with Manx chefs. A diploma in culinary 

arts from the Hammersmith and West 

London College, in 2007, followed. “I 

was in seventh heaven when I was 

chosen by the Michelin-star chef, 

Herbert Berger, to work at No. 1 

Lombard Street, London. I also worked 

with OBE Raymond Blanc, chef Shane 

Osborne and chef John Campbell.” 

After completing his MBA in hospitality 

from the University of Wales, 

Dhopatkar received an opportunity to 

work with the celebrated Gordon 

Ramsay at the Savoy Grill. “Working in 

London with these greats, I realised 

that a kitchen is the least discriminative 

work environment in the world – your 

nationality, background, past and 

future have no significance. The only 

thing that matters is what you put on 

the plate,” he says. But even after almost 

a decade, Dhopatkar missed home and 

the flavours of his mother’s kitchen. 

“I love my mother’s classic 

coriander and chilli crab curry. In our 

house, it is a family ritual to make this 

one-pot curry in a gigantic biryani 

handi for the family at least 

one Sunday every month. I also love 

kheer – all kinds. From payasam to rice 

kheer and my nani’s phenomenal 

sabudana kheer,” he reminisces. But the 

one dish that this young chef cannot 

resist is the ubiquitous baingan bharta. 

“My favourite one is very subtle, almost 

like a dip made with hung curd, 

coriander and asafoetida. I interpreted 

this subtle flavour when I designed my 

signature Aubergine Crème Fraîche 

with Guacamole.” 

Aubergine Crème Fraîche with Guacamole 

INGREDIENTS 

For the aubergine caviar: 

500 gm aubergine 

80 gm crème fraîche 

1 red pepper 

1 yellow pepper 

½ cup fresh coriander 

1 bunch of shallots 

1 tsp garlic paste 

salt to taste 

For the guacamole: 

1 kaffir lime 

1 fully ripe and 1 semi-ripe avocado 

3 large plum tomatoes 

For the asafoetida oil: 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 pinch wasabi paste 

1 pinch asafoetida powder 

with For the British garnish: culinary giants such as 

½ cup mixed salad leaves of your choice 

METHOD 

Whisk all the ingredients for the asafoetida oil 

dressing together and let it infuse overnight. 

Hang in a muslin cloth over a bowl and let 

it drip overnight inside a fridge. Pierce the 

aubergines on all sides with a fork. Cover in tin 

foil and cook in a preheated oven at 180 degree 

for about 40 minutes until tender. You are 

simply roasting the aubergine as you would for 

a bharta. Meanwhile, dice pepper and shallots in 

3mm cubes and finely shred the coriander. Take 

the stem off the tomatoes and pierce its other 

end in a cross. Blanch for 15 seconds in salted 

boiling water and refresh in iced water. Remove 

the tomatoes, peel the skin, take the inner pulp 

out and dice coarsely. Take the aubergines 

out, keep the flesh and discard the skin. Mince 

the aubergine finely. Add the diced peppers, 

shallots, garlic paste (freshly made if possible), 

salt and crème fraîche. Fold this mixture well. 

Season well and refrigerate. Take half the ripe 

avocado and whisk it well with kaffir lime juice 

till you get a smooth paste. Dice half the semiripe 

avocado and gently fold in the mixture with 

the tomatoes that have been diced. Season well. 

TO SERVE 

To serve, add the coriander to the aubergine 

caviar mix and fold in. Put it through a plating 

ring in the middle of the plate. Place the 

guacamole on top of the caviar and spread 

evenly with a small knife. Dress the salad with 

the asafoetida oil. Garnish with sliced leaves, 

fennel tops and green peppercorns. Enjoy 

chilled. 

105 


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FOOD 

RECIPES 

“THE 

KNOWLEDGE 

THAT WE 

GATHER 

FROM TRAVEL 

CANNOT BE 

SUBSTITUTED 

IN ANY 

CLASSROOM” 

Gari Chuski with Kala Khatta Caviar 

INGREDIENTS 

100 gm gari (pickled ginger) 

30 gm sugar 

5 gm black salt 

5 gm chaat masala 

5-10 ml lemon juice 

salt to taste 

Kala khatta syrup 

30 gm agar agar 

METHOD 

For the chuski: Mix gari, salt, sugar, black 

salt, lemon juice and chaat masala and 

blend. Freeze the given mixture for at least 

two hours or until fully frozen.Using an 

ice shaving machine, shave the mixture to 

form the chuski. 

For the kala khatta caviar: Heat the kala 

khatta syrup with some sugar and add 

little water and cool the mixture. Prepare 

the agar agar mixture by mixing it in water 

– in a separate bowl, just pour some cool 

water. Now, fill the caviar dropper with the 

kala khatta mixture and drop the same in 

the agar agar mixture carefully to form the 

caviar. Using a perforated spoon, strain 

out the caviar and drop it in a bowl with 

fresh water. 

TO SERVE 

Take a martini glass filled with crushed ice 

and place a part of a banana leaf on top. 

Place the chuski quenelle in the centre and 

top it with kala khatta caviar. Garnish with 

some mint sprigs and serve immediately. 

CHEF NISHANT CHOUBEY 

Executive Sous Chef, Dusit Devarana, 

New Delhi 

Chef Nishant Choubey rose to fame after 

being selected to attend Master Chef 

classes at the World Gourmet Summit in 

Singapore. Choubey was one of the six 

chefs selected from across the world to 

train at John Folse Culinary Institute of 

America in Louisiana. Having worked at 

many prestigious and coveted hotels 

such as the Taj Group, Oberoi Group, 

Jumeirah Beach Hotel (Dubai) and then 

restaurants such as Olive Bar & Kitchen, 

LAP, Olive Beach and Cibo, he now heads 

Dusit Devarana, where he fuses Indian 

flavours with South American, French 

and German cuisines. 

Ask him what he enjoys the most 

about his profession and he says, “I enjoy 

the creativity part of this profession. I 

can walk into the kitchen any time and 

freely create an artistic masterpiece.” 

Stressing on how important it is for 

someone in the culinary field to get a 

taste of global flavours, Choubey says, 

“Travel makes me happier than any 

leisure activity because it involves 

learning, too. The knowledge that we 

gather from travel cannot be substituted 

in any classroom. My recent trips to 

Bangkok, Argentina, South Africa and 

Kenya made me more confident, and I 

have left an Indian mark on those 

countries.” Despite living out of a 

suitcase, Choubey loves coming home to 

Indian food. “I am really partial towards 

Bengali raw materials and dishes. I love 

the fish dishes and mishti doi and often 

reinterpret Bengali fish cooked with 

gondhoraj lemons by cooking it in a 

braising stock that has lime and ginger. 

But, most of all, I love the traditional 

chuski [ice lolly]. It takes me back to my 

childhood when we used to beat the heat 

by having the most refreshing chuskis. 

My Gari Chuski with Kala Khatta Caviar 

is inspired by my childhood memories.” 

108 


FOOD 

RECIPES 

Crispy Baguette topped with Orange 

Marmalade Chutney 

INGREDIENTS 

For the chenna: 

Full cream milk 

Juice from 1 lemon 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tbsp heavy cream 

For the orange marmalade chutney: 

Rind of 1 orange 

2 tbsp orange marmalade 

1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup fresh orange juice 

10 ml lemon juice 

1 tsp roasted cumin, ground 

1/4 tsp black salt & 1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp black pepper, crushed 

Sliced and toasted bread 

Basil leaves for garnish 

METHOD 

Bring the milk to a boil and as it begins to 

boil, add the lemon juice and stir till the whey 

separates. Drain the whey from the lumpy 

chenna and tie the chenna in a fine muslin 

cloth to drain the remaining whey out. Once 

the liquid is drained, whisk the chenna with 

cream and add a pinch of salt. For the chutney, 

cook all the ingredients in a pan for 5 minutes. 

Spread some chenna on the crispy baguette 

and top with the orange marmalade chutney. 

Garnish with torn basil leaves and serve. 

CHEF KUNAL KAPUR 

Patiala by Kunal Kapur 

Chef Kunal Kapur is a celebrity Indian 

chef, restaurateur and media 

personality known for his food-focused 

television shows, as host of MasterChef 

India (seasons 1-3), for his cookbook and 

as a favourite of political dignitaries. He 

presented saatvik cuisine to PM 

Narendra Modi and German chancellor, 

Angela Merkel. He also cooked for 42 

first ladies of the India-Africa Forum 

Summit besides conducting an 

interactive cooking session with them 

during their recent visit to India. His 

latest venture has been the launch of his 

fine-dining restaurant, Patiala by Kunal 

Kapur, at Souk Al Bahar in Dubai. 

Winner of several culinary and 

television awards, Kapur insists his real 

training happened outside college. 

“Even when I became a chef, I got my 

experiential training only through 

travel. Also taking time out of my job 

and learning from home chefs, 

especially women, has been one of the 

best training areas for me as a chef.” 

A typical Punjabi, Kapur loves 

regular North Indian food. “I love fresh, 

home-made paneer in all forms. As a 

child, I would eat it while the paneer or 

chenna, as we call it, was still warm with 

sugar sprinkled over it. I would help my 

mother tie the chenna in a chunni to 

drain out the water. I also love mango 

pickle – a staple in every North Indian 

home. My mom makes this amazing 

karele ki subzi that I am very fond of, 

too.” Kapur loves to experiment with 

food. “Cooking complex recipes may 

give the ‘wow’ effect but at the same 

time, cooking simple recipes with subtle 

innovations makes for some great 

dishes. I love to innovate with a dish and 

bring it back with a twist. So I have 

created a dish with Creamy Chenna 

served on a Crispy Baguette topped 

with Orange Marmalade Chutney.” 

110 


KSB RECEIVES GREEN MARK CERTIFICATION 

AS A LEADING SUPPLIER 

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i.e. from product design 

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These pumps 

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virkar@ksb.com Website : 

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IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

111 


TRAVEL 

HILL STATIONS 

THE MYSTIC 

LAKE TOWN 

NAUKUCHIATAL WILL AMAZE YOU 

WITH ITS BREATHTAKING SCENERIES 

AND IDYLLIC QUIETUDE. 

BY NEHA KIRPAL 

Top: The popular tourist destination of 

Naukuchiatal lake. Bottom: Candle shopping 

in the town's main bazaar 

Of the four tals in Nainital, the 

Lake District of India, the 

Naukuchiatal lake – the main 

attraction in the hill station by the same 

name - is deepest at about 40 metres. The 

pristine lagoon, fed by an underground 

perennial spring, has beautiful lotus 

flowers growing in it and is surrounded 

by gulmohar trees. The placid lake gets 

its name from ‘nau’ or its nine corners, 

and is shaped more or less in the form of 

India’s map. It is believed that if one is 

able to view all nine corners with both 

feet on earth, one can disappear in a 

cloud of smoke to attain nirvana. 

This picturesque lake village with a 

population of only about 5,000 is located 

just four kilometres from the twin town 

of Bhimtal. Since the more visited hill 

stations surrounding it get most of the 

tourist traffic, it is still relatively 

untouched. As you drive through the 

twisting mountain roads to get here, a 

great spot to break on the way is Kainchi 

Dham, the secluded mountain ashram 

town of the revered Neem Karoli Baba 

Maharaj. This pilgrim centre located at 

the confluence of two rivers gets 

hundreds of visitors every day. 

With its lush green mountains, 

sparkling blue waters, and plenty of 

opportunities for walks, hikes and treks, 

this lakeside getaway is perfect for all 

adventure lovers, birdwatchers and 

honeymooners. As soon as you enter the 

enchanting valley of Naukuchiatal, a 

52-feet high imposing statue of Lord 

Hanuman greets you on the main road. 

The temple is encircled by an artificial 

cave designed on the lines of the Vaishno 

Devi shrine. There are many adventure 

activities for tourists to indulge in, 

including angling, rowing, yachting, 

paragliding, zorbing, parasailing, 

kayaking and horse riding. 

Further, one of the country’s longstanding 

music festivals, the Escape 

Festival of Art and Music, is another 

huge attraction in Naukuchiatal. Taking 

place at Lake Resort on the banks of the 

Naukuchiatal lake in the month of May 

every year, this three-day extravaganza 

features a variety of artists, 

photographers, bands, painters, potters, 

and tattoo and graffiti artists from all 

over the world. 

There are several local shops and art 

emporiums surrounding the lake, selling 

everything from candles to woolen 

souvenirs, handicrafts, ponchos and 

stoles. If you would like to carry 

memories back home with you, then 

consider going to the governmentauthorized 

Kumaon Textile 

Development Corporation (KTDC) 

store. Here, you will find everything 

from locally produced sarees, bedcovers, 

readymade clothes, mirror work 

paintings, quilts, brassware, marble, 

precious or semi-precious jewellery, and 

papier-mâché items. 

A trip to Naukuchiatal is incomplete 

without sampling some of the traditional 

Kumaoni food. For the best local meal 

experience, make sure you enjoy a platter 

consisting of at least some of the 

following: bhatt ki dal, madue ki roti, 

kadi pakora, palak ka kappa, and kukde 

ka baat. You could later top it off with a 

lip-smacking raita made of cucumber, 

rye and turmeric, followed by some 

delicious seviyan ki kheer. 

NEHA KIRPAL (CANDLE SHOP) 

112 


KIET AT A GLANCE 

IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

Dr. J. Girish, Director -KIET 

Group of Institutions 

STARTED WITH 180 

STUDENTS IN 1998, KIET 

has 5300+ students on its 

rolls today. The institute 

has set benchmarks every 

year and has grown into an 

Institution of Excellence in 

technical education. One 

of the great milestones of 

KIET is maintaining the 

consistency of achieving top 

results at the Dr A.P.J Abdul 

Kalam Technical University, 

Lucknow. KIET has 311 

faculty members on its roll. 

More than 100 technical 

papers have been published 

in journals and conference 

proceedings (national/ 

international) by faculty 

members. KIET has some 

interesting initiatives to its 

credit. It launched KIET E, 

a learning portal to facilitate 

students by providing a 

learning platform through 

availability of notes, chat 

server facility and videos. It 

has also launched its first 

Mobi App, which provides 

instant information sharing 

to all Mobi App users. 

KIET gives equal 

importance to curricular, 

co-curricular and extracurricular 

activities. It has 

organized a plethora of such 

events to give maximum 

opportunity to groom the 

students into confident 

and strong personalities. 

Thus, Epoque is an annual 

techno cultural fest, literary 

event, and sports meet. 

Prabhudda is an intercollegiate 

quiz fest. And 

Rann is an inter-collegiate 

sports fest. The institute 

has gained a distinct image 

among technical institutions 

of Uttar Pradesh due to 

its inclination towards 

innovative and skill-based 

education. 

One of the key focus of 

KIET is that significant time 

and resources are spent on 

bridging the gap between 

industry and academia 

through inviting subject 

matter experts, deputation 

of faculty to industries, 

industrial visits, industrial 

consultancy and job-related 

skill training. KIET is 

consistently achieving good 

placements with blue chip 

companies. It strives hard 

to bring utmost satisfaction 

to the lives of its students 

through ample campus 

placements. 

Major recruiters of the 

institute includes Samsung, 

TCS, Dell, Indian Navy, 

Indian Army, Honda, Tech 

Mahindra, Wipro, CSC, 

Cummins, HCL, Hitachi, 

Fiserv, Amazon, Airtel, 

Capgemini, IBM, Sanofi, 

SUN Pharmaceuticals and 

GlaxoSmithKline. 

113 


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MONTAGE 

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115 


PHOTO FEATURE 

FESTIVITIES 

THE DRUMMER 

BOYS (AND 

GIRLS) OF PUNE 

PUNE YOUNGSTERS WILL BE AT THEIR 

EXUBERANT BEST AT DHOL TASHA PATHAK 

PROCESSIONS DURING THIS MONTH’S 

GANESHOTSAV CELEBRATIONS. 

TEXT BY PRANJALI BHONDE. 

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RAHUL WEDPATHAK 

SpiceJet flies to Pune. Log on to 

www.spicejet.com for details. 

A 

mesmerizing mix of kurta-clad youngsters, a sea of people in 

red turbans , a pinch of vermillion and thunderous beats of 

drums - Pune will reverberate with the Dhol Tasha Pathak 

spectacle this month during Maharashtra’s most important 

festival of Ganeshotsav. With heavy dhols strung around their 

necks, city youths will be seen playing the oversized drums in a harmonious 

rendition. The air will rent with the powerful beats of the dhol, drummed in a 

breathtaking tempo and impeccable co-ordination, as the group moves along. 

Pune has been the seat of Marathi literature and culture and Dhol Tasha 

Pathaks reflect the rich cultural heritage of Pune. The services of the various 

groups are generally availed of during religious celebrations, social events or 

festivities where more than 150 people beat the drums for hours together. 

Currently, there are around 200 Dhol Pathaks in Pune. These include more 

than 25,000 volunteers, with each pathak comprising 150-650 volunteers. 

These groups see people from all walks of life coming together to follow their 

passion and give something back to society. 

Initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893, the now famous Ganesh Festival 

aims at bringing people together and promoting social harmony. This 10 - day 

festival provides a platform for local artists to display their talent through 

ALAMY 

116 


cultural programmes organized by 

various mandals in the city. 

Ashutosh Deshpande, founder of 

Shiv Mudra Pathak in Pune says, “I 

never got a chance to play Dhol Tasha 

when I was in school. I would see my 

elder brother play since his school 

promoted it. Thus, I wanted to provide a 

platform for people to come together and 

play the Dhol Tasha.” 

He formed this group along with 

Swapnil Soman in 2004. At that time, 

there were only a few pathaks, unlike 

now. They started by playing with for 

their society’s Ganpati celebrations. But 

it wasn’t long before the group became 

bigger and now they have 600-650 

people playing for it. Now Shiv Mudra 

Pathak plays for some of the most 

revered Ganpati mandals of Pune. 

Similarly Anand Khandelwal, 

Secretary, Nadbrahma Dhol Tasha 

Pathak Trust, Pune, says, “We started 

with a modest team of 50. However, now 

we have grown to over 650 people and 

40 per cent of the participants are girls.” 

The groups see people from all walks of 

life and age is no bar. Says Deshpande, 

“We have doctors, lawyers, sportsperson 

and even students. Anybody who is 

Class10th pass is allowed to join our 

group. We even have participants who 

are more than 60 years of age.” 

It was the passion for music and 

rhythm that inspired Indraja Gugle, a 

writer with a marketing 

research company to 

join Shiv Garjana, one of 

the first Dhol Tasha 

groups in Pune. “I grew 

up watching the 

procession from my 

uncle’s shop on Laxmi 

Road. We used to camp 

in the shop on the day of 

Ganpati immersion. The beats of 

traditional Maharashtrian percussions 

always stirred me. It was a musical 

heritage. I always wanted to be a part of 

it,” says Gugle. 

Another Dhol Tasha enthusiast, 

Devendra Mali, who is a PR professional 

and plays for Tal Vadyapathak says, “I 

was always in awe of people playing dhol 

tasha and was fascinated with the 

feeling of walking with the `miravnuk’ 

(the procession) along with ‘bappa’ 

(Lord Ganesha), where only participants 

are allowed!” It is this undying faith in 

`bappa’ that gets many people to join 

these pathaks. 

While dhol tasha groups maintain 

they make very little money from their 

performances, they pledge a part of their 

earnings for social cause and yearly 

maintenance. Says Khandelwal, “Our 

earnings are used towards maintenance 

of the equipment, transportation to the 

venue, food for participants and first aid. 

We also use the money for social 

activities that include cleanliness 

campaigns, support for HIV/AIDSafflicted 

children and traffic rules 

awareness drives.” 

With more and more pathaks 

springing up in Pune, encouraging 

people to come together for a greater 

cause and promoting harmony through 

music, Pune’s cultural heritage seems 

well intact. Not only do these pathaks 

offer a break from the mundane routine, 

they also transport participants as well 

as onlookers to a different world. 

117 


IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

KLU PREPARES INDUSTRY-READY SUDENTS 

K L COLLEGE OF 

ENGINEERING 

was started in 

the academic 

year 1980-81. 

The K L College 

of Engineering 

attained 

autonomous status 

in the year 2006 and in 

February 2009, the Koneru 

Lakshmaiah Education 

Foundation Society was 

recognized as Deemed to be 

University by the University 

Grants Commission (UGC), 

New Delhi under section 3 

of UGC Act, 1956. The vision 

of KL University is to offer 

students a globally relevant 

learning experience, by 

providing high-quality, 

affordable and accessible 

education. The mission is 

to impart quality higher 

education and to undertake 

research and extension with 

emphasis on application 

and innovation that cater 

to the emerging societal 

needs through all-round 

development of students of 

all sections enabling them to 

be globally competitive and 

socially responsible citizens 

with intrinsic values. KLU 

offers 15 bachelor’s, 26 

master’s, 14 dual-degree, 

and 14 doctoral programmes 

to over 13,500 students and 

1,685 PhD scholars from 

across India and 16 countries 

from Asian, African, and 

North American continents. 

It has 950 faculty in 

various departments 

like engineering, 

sciences, management, 

law, commerce, hotel 

management, architecture, 

fine arts, psychology, etc. 

Amongst them 350 faculty 

members are doctorate 

degree holders. 

KLU faculty published 

over 2,800 papers in 

national and international 

Journals. It envisions 

fostering innovation-driven 

entrepreneurship through 

incubation in alignment 

with K L University 

vision, to become a global 

University. CIIE comprises 

of Centre for Innovation 

which aims to inculcate a 

spirit of innovation; Centre 

for Incubation (TBI) which 

aims to inculcate the 

innovations through product 

development, services or 

process development and 

Commercialization and 

Centre for Entrepreneurship 

(EDC) which aims at 

fostering entrepreneurial 

skills among the students. 

The main motto is that the 

students will be provided 

knowledge-based education 

which help them to be 

industry-ready when they 

step out of the university. 

KL University offers several 

flexibility for students at 

both undergraduate and 

post-graduate levels. 

118 


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aqua, canary yellow, fuchsia and gold. Or if you would 

rather not lose touch with the ground beneath your 

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IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

ZOYA’S NEW 

PARIS-INSPIRED 

COLLECTION 

ZOYA, THE LUXURY DIAMOND 

BOUTIQUE from the House of Tata, has unveiled 

‘Musee Du Luxe’ - Museum of Luxury, a collection 

inspired by the sublime architecture, rich culture and 

inherent joie de vivre of Paris. In keeping with its core 

brand values of unique design and fine craftsmanship, 

the skilfully crafted collection is an ingenious tribute 

to the city’s glorious legacy, sculpted in gold with 

the finest diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and 

pearls. The new collection is eclectic, contemporary 

yet timeless. Through this collection of necklaces, 

earrings, bracelets and rings, Zoya narrates tales of 

true Parisian ethos, blending a modern style palette 

with vintage charisma. 

121 


AFFORDABLE 

DESIGNER VILLAS 

FROM ST. ANGELOS 

VNCT VENTURES 

MADE IN INDIA 

EMBRACES THE 

DIGITAL ECONOMY 

WE LIVE IN A 

WORLD THAT IS 

INCREASINGLY 

defined by 

overarching 

technologies 

of hyperconnectivity, 

supercomputing, 

cloud computing, cyber security, 

and smart products that are 

giving shape to a new paradigm 

of Digital Economy. Management 

Academy for Digital Economy in 

India (MADE in INDIA) has been 

conceived in the context of rising 

global digital economy and India’s 

national endeavour to leapfrog 

this profound multifaceted, 

transformation. India has embarked 

IN FOCUS 

MONTAGE 

AGNELORAJESH AND 

NAGU CHIDAMBARAM 

are creating waves in 

the affordable luxury 

segment for designer 

villas being developed 

by their company , 

St. Angelos VNCT 

Ventures, which is 

into villa development 

near Mumbai, Chennai, 

Madurai and Hyderabad 

and multi-storey 

apartments in Coimbatore and 

Dubai, with projects being 

launched in Alibaug and Lonavala 

shortly. Agnelorajesh has built a 

new format of developing designer 

villas in Shahapur which is just 75 

km away from Mumbai and 45 km 

away from Thane on the NH3. 

This zone is witnessing a very 

rapid appreciation for properties 

on an ambitious goal to become 

a global knowledge hub of 

Digital Economy. This Academy is 

dedicated to train entrepreneurial 

creative minds to generate wealth 

in the digital world. 

The Academy has evolved clear 

set of objectives in pursuit of the 

vision ‘Digital India’: 

1. To develop high-end digital 

skills and talent and enhance the 

quantity and quality of digital 

leadership skills and creative talent. 

2. Create a digital entrepreneurial 

culture to leverage the digital 

potential, to advance start-up 

and innovation driven economy 

and improve the image of digital 

entrepreneurs and promote their 

role in society. 

3. To accelerate the adoption and 

use of digital technologies by 

industries in order to transform 

existing business and operating 

models thus fostering productivity 

and competitiveness. 

due to fast development of 

infrastructure. The White Villas, 

Shahapur, designed by celebrity 

designer Ms. Sussanne Khan, has 

become the talk of the town for 

its style, design, materials used, 

height and the finish. The sample 

villa is ready and the project 

boasts of being amongst the first 

RERA-approved villa projects in 

India and one of the tallest villas 

with an overall height of 29 feet. 

Costing below Rs. 1 crore , each 

villa comes with land ownership 

title and has used materials like 

American shingles for roof, Jotun 

paint, Kohler fittings, designer 

tiles, open-to-sky terraces and 

amazing surroundings in a gated 

community and with paver block 

internal roads with water and 

power backup. You can find more 

details at www.savvglobal.com 

4. Facilitate the access to finance 

and enhance investments. Improve 

access to finance for each stage 

of enterprise development and 

support the growth of digital 

entrepreneurial ventures. 

The Academy believes that the 

Digital Economy is the economy 

of ideas and entrepreneurship 

where the new businesses will 

co-evolve with an environment of 

ideas. Therefore, education at the 

Management Academy for Digital 

Economy in India is intended to 

facilitate unbounded exploration 

of ideas. With the synergy of 

new technology, knowledge and 

management tools it has evolved 

integrated curriculum to train 

young entrepreneurs to create new 

businesses in the Digital Age. The 

Management Academy for Digital 

Economy in India aims to become 

a leader in Indian education space 

providing industry integrated 

education. 

122 


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SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

MY TOWN 

Our ongoing series in which we look at various Indian cities 

through the eyes of SpiceJet staffers. This month, Praveen Kumar, 

Line Check Cabin Crew, holds forth on Pune 

Top to bottom: The Aga Khan Palace; and 

the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum 

SpiceJet flies to Pune. 

Log on to www.spicejet.com 

for details 

Connection to the city: I am 

originally from Pune and have been 

brought up in the city. 

Best thing about Pune: Its pleasant 

climate, greenery all around and 

cool breezy evenings. Life here is 

peaceful. It is a small city so you 

don’t have to commute much for 

work. You get plenty of time to 

spend with your family or to visit 

close friends and relatives. Pune is a 

major educational centre. In addition, 

there are plenty of job opportunities 

here thanks to its many IT and BPO 

companies. 

Favourite eating place: I am a big 

foodie. My favourite eating place is Cafe 

1730 located in Serene Bay, Koregaon 

Park. I like the place for its amazing 

food, great service and live music. It is 

famous for Continental and Goan food. 

My favourite here is Mix Meat Lasagne. 

The dish is made with several layers of 

lasagne sheets and exciting sauces. 

Best places to hang out: There is an 

active night scene here. The best places 

are Mi-a-Mi at JW Marriot in West Pune, 

as well as Swig and Mix@36, both in 

Koregaon Park. 

Local attractions: I would recommend 

the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, a 

three-storey structure housing rare 

artifacts; the 125-year-old palatial Aga 

Khan Palace, where Mahatma Gandhi 

was incarcerated by the British; the 

Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park (popularly 

known as Pune Zoo), spread over 130 

acres and home to 362 species of 

animals, of which 147 are endangered; 

and the Osho Garden, a beautiful 12-acre 

park created from former wasteland. 

Recommended places nearby: There 

are many well-known hill stations near 

Pune like Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani and 

Lonavala-Khandala. 

Pune when compared to other cities: 

I have stayed in Mumbai, Chennai and 

Bengaluru but Pune is a much better 

place because of its bracing climate, 

especially during the monsoons. Pune is 

the cultural capital of Maharashtra. The 

tree cover here is extensive and I will 

have no hesitation in calling Pune the 

Green Capital of India. That alone makes 

it a lovely place to stay in. 

SHUTTERSTOCK 

128 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

THE MID-AIR MENU 

SpiceJet's 'pre-booking only' menu offers Thai, Continental 

and Indian Platters 

SPICEJET'S EXTENSIVE INFLIGHT MENU will leave flyers delighted with their onboard 

experience. The 'Hot Meals' section will bring a warm smile to your face. From filling 

breakfast options to lip-smacking snacks, from sumptuous lunch and dinner options to 

vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies, SpiceJet offers a multitude of meal choices on 

pre-booking. In addition, special meal categories such as Jain meal, Navratra meal, meal 

for diabetics, gluten-free meal and cakes are also on offer, along with Thai, Continental 

and Indian platters. Hot favourites like Pringles have been retained in the nonperishables 

section to entice kids. All in all, SpiceJet's menu is a red, hot, and spicy treat 

for your taste buds. 

THAI CHICKEN CURRY 

You can now even prebook 

a menu with Thai and 

Continental options 

o 

NON-VEG 

TANDOORI PLATTER 

Hearty platters are for 

your asking 24x7 

o 

o 

STEAMED RICE 

WITH KADI 

PAKODA 

Enjoy traditional 

and mouth-watering 

home-like food up in 

the sky 

CHICKEN STROGANOFF 

WITH YELLOW RICE 

Check out this variation 

of a mid-19th century 

Russian dish 

EXCLUSIVE OFFER 

ON PRE-BOOKING 

PRE-BOOK A MEAL 

THROUGH WWW. 

SPICEJET.COM AND GET A 

FLAT 20% OFF ON YOUR 

NEXT FOOD DELIVERY 

o 

129 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

FLIGHT BOOKINGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS 

SpiceJet’s popular mobile app offers never before convenience and speed for customers on-the-go 

With SpiceJet’s new mobile 

app, customers will find it 

more convenient than ever 

before to make and manage bookings, 

check flight status, and receive 

exclusive offers on their mobile devices. 

The interface is so simple that even the 

origin of journey helpfully gets autofilled 

thanks to inbuilt geo-tagging. 

The app also allows customers to 

book or add exciting SpiceJet add-on 

products such as choosing premium 

SpiceMAX seats, in-flight meals and 

Priority Check-in. Customers can also 

pre-book excess baggage at discounted 

rates through this app. 

The payment gateway of the app 

offers a variety of options like Quickpay, 

credit card, debit card and Internet 

banking. The Quickpay option ensures 

instant booking with just a single click. 

You can download the official 

SpiceJet app from Google Playstore 

and App Store. 

Spice First Check-in 

SpiceJet has raised the 

bar of customer comfort 

and convenience with the 

effective integration of 

technology into its services. 

In a first of its kind initiative 

by any airline in the country, 

the carrier has launched 

Spice First Check-In. This 

enables customers to get 

their boarding pass on their 

smartphones at the click of 

a button. The service will 

be initially introduced at 

Hyderabad as a pilot project. 

The airline which has 

set a new benchmark in 

the country by launching a 

slew of customer-friendly 

and innovative products 

and services has effectively 

incorporated Near Field 

Communication (NFC) 

and Beacon technologies 

with its mobile application. 

This enables customers 

who have booked tickets 

through the SpiceJet mobile 

app to receive boarding 

passes directly on their 

smartphones. Customers 

will thus be relieved from 

standing in long queues 

thus further enhancing their 

travel experience. 

STEP: 1 

The main 

menu screen 

offers four 

options. To 

book a flight, 

select Flight 

Booking 

130 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

ENJOY EXCLUSIVE OFFERS 

With Spicejet’s hot new mobile app, one can not only book flight tickets on the go, prebook 

spice add-ons, check flight status and manage one’s bookings, but also get access to 

exclusive discounts. Book through the mobile app and get up to 7% discount on flight 

tickets and 50% discount on meals 

STEP: 2 

Choose the required field. Fill in 

the details and click on the Search 

Flights options 

STEP: 3 

Flights options according to date of 

travel are displayed. The fare details 

are at the bottom 

STEP: 4 

On selection of the button, the 

detailed fare sumary is displayed 

STEP: 5 

Once the required flight option 

has been selected, fill in your 

contact details 

STEP: 6 

Fliers can choose numerous add-on 

options that will make the journey 

hassle-free 

131 


STEP: 7 

Customers can pay via Credit or 

Debit card. QuickPay option saves 

transaction time

NEWS 

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

SpiceJet selects TCI 

Cabin Interior to design and 

manufacture Galleys of its 

B737 MAX fleet 

SpiceJet has inked an agreement 

with TCI to design and manufacture 

galleys for its 155 B737 MAX planes, 

deliveries of which start next year. 

TCI is a global player in aviation 

industry in design, certification and 

manufacturing of cabin interiors. On 

the occasion, Mr. Ajay Singh, CMD, 

SpiceJet, said, “We want to offer the 

very best products to our passengers, 

and our agreement with TCI is yet 

another initiative in our constant 

pursuit to further enhance our quality 

of service.” 

SpiceJet launches its first SpiceStyle retail store 

SpiceJet unveiled its first brand store for its newly launched e-commerce retail 

venture – SpiceStyle at Galleria, Gurgaon. The store will function as a premium 

channel to offer the latest in fashion and lifestyle across 12 different brands, including 

a signature Rohit Bal collection. With SpiceStyle, the airline aims to further boost 

its ancillary revenue income, which has witnessed a phenomenal growth from 6% 

to around 17% in the last two years. The launch of its first physical store marks 

SpiceStyle’s entry into the offline segment besides its ecommerce portal and a brand 

store launched in association with Amazon. 

132 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

SpiceJet flags 

off 4 daily, direct 

flights from 

Patna 

SpiceJet has inducted 

Patna, the country’s 

5th fastest growing 

city, on to its domestic 

network. The airline 

flagged off 4 new 

daily, direct flights for 

the Patna-Mumbai, 

Patna-Hyderabad, 

Patna-Kolkata and 

Patna-Bengaluru 

sectors. 

SpiceJet flags off two daily, direct flights on UDAN routes of 

port cities 

SpiceJet has launched two daily direct flights on the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) 

routes of Mumbai-Porbander (right) and Mumbai-Kandla (below). 

SpiceJet awards LIFT for 

Tourist Class Seating in 737 

MAX & 737 Next Gen Aircraft 

SpiceJet has awarded a seat programme 

to US-based commercial aircraft seating 

manufacturer, LIFT by EnCore for its 

first 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. A part 

of SpiceJet’s current Boeing 737 Next 

Gen fleet will also be retrofitted with 

the new seats. Owing to its superior 

design, lighter weight and extra legroom, 

passenger-centric Tourist Class Seating 

has garnered tremendous popularity in 

the global aviation space. It is also wider 

than other seats in the aircraft category. 

SpiceJet launches third daily, direct flight on the UDAN route – 

Hyderabad to Pondicherry 

SpiceJet announced its third daily, direct flight on the UDAN sector of Hyderabad- 

Pondicherry effective August 16. The announcement further reiterates SpiceJet’s 

commitment towards the national agenda of regional connectivity. SpiceJet is the only 

regional player under this scheme not to take any subsidy from the government. With 

this new flight, Pondicherry will be connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, 

Tirupati, Ahemdabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Vijaywada and Varanasi with convenient 

onward connections. 

133 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

ST RS OF SPICEJET 

Meet SpiceJet achievers from various departments who have stood out 

for their outstanding work 

CHANDHNI 

CHAUDHARY 

GURGAON 

Internal appreciation: 

Chandhni has successfully 

managed the Front Office. She is a 

dedicated performer. She knows her 

responsibilities and excels in every 

kind of situation that she finds herself 

in. We are delighted to have her in the 

team. 

Experience with SpiceJet: SpiceJet 

means a lot to me. I am immensely 

happy to be a part of this incredible 

family, which has an extremely safe 

and friendly environment to work in. 

It is wonderful to meet new people 

every day. This helps me mould into a 

better person. Every day brings new 

challenges and our seniors are on hand 

in helping us cross the hurdles. 

ANUP KUMAR 

SINGH 

DELHI 


Anup has always worked over and 

above his job profile. He is very 

hardworking and always brings a 

positive attitude to the table. He 

is a valuable team player, always 

supportive towards his colleagues. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I joined 

SpiceJet a year ago and the 

experience has been incredible. I 

am very attached to SpiceJet. The 

seniors here are very supportive. 

I am proud to be a part of the 

SpiceJet family. There is a homely 

feeling here. But at the same 

time, the work atmosphere is very 

professional. I look forward to 

continuing my journey here. 

ADMINISTRATION 

CATERING 

VIKESH KUMAR 

GURGAON 


Vikesh is a good team 

player. He is dedicated to his work and 

we are happy to have him as a part of 

our organisation. He is very efficient 

with his work and does not shy away 

from facing any kind of challenge. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I am proud 

to be a part of the SpiceJet family for 

the last five years. There are lots of 

happy memories associated with this 

place. SpiceJet has given me maximum 

learning exposure and a robust platform 

to prove myself. The support from my 

seniors has always been encouraging. 

My passion for working here has grown. 

I want to contribute more to SpiceJet, 

and I am happy to be associated with 

this organisation. 

NARESH CHAND 

GURGAON 


Naresh goes the 

extra mile in whatever task is 

assigned to him. He is courteous and 

hardworking and a big asset to the 

department. It is always a pleasure 

to work with him. His dedication 

to the task on hand is admired by 

colleagues and seniors alike. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I am very 

attached to SpiceJet and dedicated 

towards my work. I am proud to be a 

part of the SpiceJet family and look 

forward to continuing my journey 

here for many more years to come 

through my hard work. There is a 

very good work environment here. 

If you are upto it, there are many 

learning opportunities. 

134 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

BILLING 

TRAVEL DESK 

PARITOSH BRAVE 

GURGAON 


Paritosh is very 

hardworking and has a positive 

attitude. He is very systematic in his 

work and is always ready to help 

others. He goes the extra mile in any 

work that is assigned to him. It can be 

correctly said that he is an asset to the 

organisation. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I have been 

associated with SpiceJet for more 

than two years. It has been wonderful 

working here. I have enjoyed each 

and every moment that I have spent 

here. I am thankful to my seniors for 

giving me such a platform to prove 

myself. The working atmosphere here 

is very good with colleagues as well as 

seniors always ready to help. 

PANKAJ 

CHAUDHARY 

GURGAON 


Pankaj has always been appreciated 

by colleagues and seniors for his 

dedication and never-say-die spirit. All 

his tasks are aimed at the betterment of 

the company. He is very efficient at his 

work and is always game for learning 

new things. It is a pleasure to have 

someone like him in our organization. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It has been 

a great journey working with SpiceJet. 

I have been working here for the last 

four years, and my endeavour is to 

work hard and stay dedicated to the 

profession. Thanks to our customers, 

and the motivation that I get from 

SpiceJet, I look forward to my work 

every day. 

NIDHI PANWAR 

GURGAON 

Internal appreciation: It’s 

been an immense pleasure 

to have Nidhi in our Travel Desk team. 

She has served as a backbone in handling 

the Travel Desk concierge. She has the 

necessary zeal to work towards her goal 

and reach it. She is dedicated, hardworking 

and sincere and impresses everyone with 

her sense of duty. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I started my 

career with SpiceJet two years ago. I 

have learned many things here which 

helped me in my professional as well as 

personal life. I am lucky to be surrounded 

by supportive seniors and an enthusiastic 

work atmosphere with lots of positive 

vibes. I have honed my skills here and the 

positive atmosphere here has contributed 

immensely to developing my personality. 

CUSTOMER RELATIONS 

NIHARIKA SINGH 

GURGAON 


Extremely soft-spoken 

as well as a good team player, Niharika 

is dedicated and always supportive 

towards her colleagues. She is always 

up for learning new things and taking 

responsibility. 

Experience with SpiceJet: I joined 

SpiceJet in February 2016 and it is a great 

feeling to work for a company that puts 

its people and customers first. Flying can 

be fun and exciting yet also excruciatingly 

stressful and we at customer experience 

department are told to proactively initiate 

a solution to a potential problem. I really 

enjoy how much a customer appreciates 

what we do. I live by this famous saying: 

“Choose a job you love and you will never 

have to work a day in your life.” 

SIDDHARTHA 

SANKAR DE 

KOLKATA 


It’s been an immense pleasure to have 

Siddhartha in our Transport Team. He 

has served as a backbone for transport 

systems and upgradation. He is an 

excellent and dedicated performer and 

ably handles every task that is assigned 

to him. 

Experience with SpiceJet: SpiceJet not 

only gives you a platform to work but also 

provides you a family type of environment 

which I have never experienced anywhere 

in my entire carrier. Out here, strangers 

become familiar with one another in a 

short space of time. Support from our 

colleagues as well as from our seniors 

cannot be expressed in words. I am a 

proud member of the SpiceJet family. 

VIKAS POONIA 

GURGAON 

Internal appreciation: Vikas 

is sincere and honest. He 

has left no stone unturned and has gone 

the extra mile to achieve perfection in 

whatever he takes up. He is always very 

well aware of all his responsibilities. We 

have seen him excel in various kinds of 

situations. 

Experience with SpiceJet: It has been five 

years, nine months at SpiceJet, all adding 

up to an incredible journey. Each day here 

is phenomenal. I have something new to 

learn with every step taken forward. You 

can find here the most astonishing work 

environment, one can ever expect in an 

organisation. The colleagues are more like 

buddies. Every senior is like a booster 

who boosts an individual to become a 

real-life champion. 

135 


SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

Boeing 737 - 700/800/900ER Series 

Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 700 (149 Passengers) 

Interior arrangement of Boeing 737 - 800 (189 Passengers) 

Row 1 -32 

Entry / Exit 

Row 1 -26 

Emergency Exit 

Entry / Exit 

Entry / Exit 

Emergency Exit 

Entry / Exit 

Row 1 -20 

Passengers 

(single class configuration) 

* 

BOEING 737-700 

2 

149 


BOEING 737-900 ER 

BOMBARDIER Q400 

28 

4 

20 

189 212 

78 

6200 km 

5,600 km 

5000 km 

2000 km 

0.79 M (840 km/h) 

0.79 M (840 km/h) 

0.79 M (840 km/h) 

666 km/h 

Speed unit M denotes Mach Number; 1 Mach is equal to the speed of sound. 

*These numbers exclude wet lease aircraft. 



BOEING 737-900 ER 

BOMBARDIER Q400 

112 ft 7 in (34.3m) 

93 ft 3 in (28.42m) 

117 ft 5 in (35.7m) 

110 ft 4 in (33.6m) 

41 ft 2 in (12.5m) 

11 ft 7 in (3.53m) 

107 ft 9 in (32.83m) 

24 ft 4 in (8.34m) 

8 ft 2 in (2.49m) 

The above mentioned descriptions are accurate at the time of magazine printing.

SPICEJET 

INSIDER 

ADD- 

Know more about SpiceJet’s 

innovative products and services 

SEAT SELECTION DOMESTIC INTERNATIONAL SPICEFLEX 

(DOMESTIC) 

SPICEFLEX 

(INTENATIONAL) 

SpiceMax Seats M 600/1000/-* M 1200 /- M 600/1000/- * M 1200/- 

Preferred Seats - on Boeing /Airbus 

Ahead of exit row window /aisle M 300/- M 450/- Free Free 

Ahead of exit row middle M 150/- M 300/- Free Free 

Behind exit row window /aisle M 200/- M 350/- Free Free 

Behind exit row middle M 99/- M 99/- Free Free 

Preferred seats Q400 Free Free 

Front half of cabin window /aisle M 200/- M 350/- Free Free 

Rear half of cabin window / aisle M 100/- M 250/- Free Free 

PRE-BOOK EXCESS BAGGAGE 

5 kgs M 500/- M 2450/- 

10 kgs M 2,000/- M 4,900/- 

15 kgs M 3,500/- NA 

20 kgs M 4,667/- NA 

30 kgs M 8,000/- NA 

PRIORITY CHECK-IN M 200/- M 300/- 

BAG OUT FIRST 

1 Bag M 100/- NA 

2 Bags M 200/- NA 

3 Bags M 300/- NA 

CARRY MORE ONBOARD (FREE ALLOWANCE 7 KG; BUY UP TO 5 KG MORE) 

Pre-book M 250/- per kg M 450/- per kg 

At Check-in M 350/- per kg As per current excess 

baggage rate 

At boarding gate M 350/- per kg As per current excess 

baggage rate 

MY FLEXI PLAN M 1125/- M 1250/- 

HAND BAGGAGE ONLY FARE - CHARGE AT AIRPORT 

Fare type change fee if checking-in bag at airport 

after purchasing HBO fare 

Up to 15 kgs - 

M 400/- 

NA 

SPICE CAKE M 750/- M 800/- 

SPICE LOUNGE (Delhi/Bengaluru/Hyderabad/Kochi/ M 750/- M 1400/- 

Varanasi/Guwahati/Jaipur) 

FLY FOR SURE M 299/- Only ex-India M 499/- 

VALUEPACK 

a) Pay M 499/- and get a SpiceJet voucher worth M 1999/- 

b) Pay M 999/- and get a SpiceJet voucher worth M 3999/- 

*SPICEMAX SEATS OFFER SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LEGROOM, PLUS COMPLIMENTARY MEAL, PRIORITY CHECK-IN, PRIORITY BOARDING 

(AT AEROBRIDGE GATES), AND PRIORITY BAGGAGE HANDLING. *BASIS AIRCRAFT TYPE/SECTOR **NA STANDS FOR ‘NOT AVAILABLE’ 

*THE ABOVE MENTIONED PRICES AND FEATURES ARE ACCURATE AS AT THE TIME OF MAGAZINE PRINTING, AND ARE SUBJECT TO 

CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE 

142 


MELANGE 

TAROT 

YOUR FORECAST THIS MONTH 

BY SRINIVAS IYER 

Aries 

A financially beneficial 

Taurus 

You impress others 

Gemini 

You make great 

Cancer 

Health is not as 

Leo 

Innovative ideas 

Virgo 

Your period of good 

month lies ahead 

with your flow 

progress in fields 

great as you wish 

come naturally to 

luck continues. 

for you. You are 

of words. This 

like painting and 

it to be. Health of 

you. Do watch how 

There could be 

surrounded by beauty 

results in financial 

other forms of 

your siblings comes 

you communicate, 

health worries. Lots 

and you make good 

gains from others. 

creative pursuits. 

under focus. They 

as there could 

of meditation and 

progress on the 

Those in the fields 

It is also a great 

should take extra 

be some 

exercise will help you. 

professional front. 

of insurance and 

phase money-wise. 

care. Health of your 

misunderstanding 

Overseas travel is 

Romance is indicated. 

consultancy do very 

You may move to 

children too needs 

if there is no clarity. 

strongly indicated. An 

Be careful - there are 

well. Some health 

a bigger house 

attention. Your 

Think positive 

increment/promotion 

slight tensions on the 

issues may bother 

and prosper if in 

intuition continues 

and speak well of 

is clearly seen on 

home front. 

you in a small way. 

buisness. 

to be strong. 

others. 

the cards. 

Libra 

Relationship with 

Scorpio 

Stress levels will 

Sagittarius 

The phase till 

Capricorn 

Financial intuition 

Aquarius 

You are spiritual. A 

Pisces 

Partnership matters 

your siblings will 

be high and you 

the middle of 

is good and you 

belief in the power 

may wobble for 

be under stress till 

should not let this 

September is good 

make the best 

of prayers is very 

a while. With 

August-end. However, 

affect your health. If 

for those in the 

of judgements. 

strong. There could 

persistence you make 

this only strengthens 

not taken seriously, 

hotel industry. Your 

Self-expression 

be some sense of 

progress in your 

your bonding with 

you are likely to go 

career will go in 

is very strong in 

directionless in 

career. Keep faith in 

them in the long run. 

under depression. 

different directions. 

partnership and also 

your professional 

yourself. This is the 

There could be a 

This phase comes 

But that will only 

in the home front. 

matters. Have 

right time for those 

temporary change of 

to an end in 

be for a short 

Health matters need 

patience for the 

planning to start a 

residence for some. 

September. Married 

while. Invest in 

second opinion and 

next two months 

family. Children shine 

Professional life will 

life is also under 

overseas properties 

could be related to 

and things would 

a lot in their students. 

be great. 

stress. 

for gain. 

mental worries. 

be fine. 

A great period ahead. 

The above is based on the sun sign and planetary transits thereof. It is general in nature. For specific readings, seek out expert advice based on 

your individual chart. (Astrologer Srinivas Iyer is based in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He can be contacted on shrinivaasiyer@gmail.com) 

143 


R.N.I NO:DELENG/2015/63282

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