Zing up Life

To provide good quality with innovative packaging at lesser price is the main mantra of Radico Khaitan Ltd. for positioning the company amongst the top liquor ies in India

Having a turnover of Rs. 1600 crore in the year 2007-08, Radico Khaitan Ltd. is one of the largest and most profitable liquor companies in the country. It is best known for its brands 8 PM whisky, Contessa Rum and Old Admiral Brandy. 8 PM whisky has the unique distinction of having touched sales of one million cases in the first year of its launch. Contessa Rum is the largest selling Rum brand among Defence forces. Old Admiral Brandy another winner from the portfolio of Radico is also a part of the millionaire club.
In spite of global slowdown of economy, Radico Khaitan is totally unaffected. “The reasons behind are that the company deals into liquor FMCG goods and it’s festive time also — Diwali celebration has just ended and New Year is fast approaching. So, liquor sales have just gone up. So, no worries in the industry right now!” says COO of Radico Khaitan Ltd. and the CEO of Diageo Radico Distilleries Pvt. Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Diageo and Radico Khaitan, Raju Vaziraney.
Radico Khaitan, formerly known as Rampur Distilleries, was established in 1943. It was initially engaged in the manufacturing of ENA (Extra Neutralised Alcohol) and other spirits for leading liquor companies. After mastering the art of blending and production of spirits Radico Khaitan decided to launch and market its own brands. Today, with a production capacity of 60 million litres p. a. and with the recent addition of the grain distillery which has taken the capacity upto 90 million litres per annum it is one of the largest distilleries in the country.

Innovation – an USP
The company’s strategy depends on innovations – packaging, blending and positioning. These innovations are interconnected. According to Vaziraney one can spot the difference from packaging as it’s world-class. The company does lots of research to understand the need of consumers that is known as consumer insight. Based on that, the company plans its future course of action. Raju Vaziraney divulges, “We have researched the market in last three to four years. What we have come to know is that consumer always wants to upgrade; and technically it is called trade up, for e.g., a Maruti owner always wants to have a Zen car and then from Zen to esteem and so on. The insight of a consumer is resulted only after we dive deeply into their mind.”
But packaging alone can’t promote a product; it has to be other things too. So, the company does lots of innovation in other fields too. It takes care of quality of its products. The blending of the product is high class. Vaziraney tells, “We have the biggest grain plants in the country and it’s not just biggest but also state-of-the-art. Our best engineers control the plant and it’s all done mechanically that means it is computer controlled. Therefore, we can say that we make the best spirit that human being can make and that goes in to our brand.”

Positioning of the Brand
For positioning its products the company works hard. It’s very critical in liquor industry to position the product. The company positions its products at a premium level and offers semi-premium price. “As one of our product Magic Moment Vodka — here a consumer is ready to pay Rs. 500 to 600 (this we got to know in one of our survey), but we position it at Rs. 350, it is called value for money.” Thus, the think-tank in the company positions the products intelligently in mid-price segment. Suppose, there is Royal Challenge and Royal Stag whisky, the company will position the brand between the two with Royal Challenge features.

According to Vaziraney by this way Royal Stag consumer will trade up and Royal Challenge consumer doesn’t feel bad in drinking this brand, because consumer doesn’t drink the pack but he drinks the blend, so blend is good, packaging is good and positioning is good of Radico’s brand.
Radico Khaitan’s brand portfolio comprises of the finest products and brands that cater to every taste preference and offer superior value in every segment and price category the company competes in. The group is represented in almost every liquor and price category, starting from the popular segment and going up to premium offerings.
According to Vaziraney it’s hard to place the brand in the market. He believes in publicity of the brand. People in the liquor industry are making all out effort to make their brands popular. Vaziraney is of opinion that there are three things, which are salable in the country that are cricket, Bollywood and Black Label. He asks, “Name a party Johnnie Walker Black Label and It rocks. But as it’s not our segment, it’s out of question. Cricket has been taken by other competitors, so we are working on the third that is Bollywood. We have tied up with Hrithik Roshan who is our Brand Ambassador for Magic Moment Vodka and Mallika Sherawat for 8 PM whisky.”

Plan to Launch New Products
Vaziraney doesn’t believe in launching new products in a hurry. He feels if somebody launches a product in the market, he should position it as a brand and make it popular and consolidate it, and then it is viable to launch another product. Keeping this thing in mind Vaziraney wants to consolidate company’s young brand’s positioning – Masterstroke deluxe whisky. He says it’s premature to say of any other new launch in near future. This is a product of the Diageo-Radico joint venture.
The company has a joint venture with Diageo and enjoying it very much. It doesn’t want to form any other joint venture as Vaziraney says that he wants Radico Khaitan to be strong first of all. He further states, “If some opportunity comes in our way then we will have a look. We want to give best to the consumer and trade. As we are a public limited company, we want to assure that our shareholder gets best returns. Right now we want to make our presence felt in already operating segments.” The company is doing well at foreign level too. “The export of Radico is very huge since last three years. We are likely to cross 50 crores this year. Our branded business is doing very well and we also export bulk of alcohol abroad in Middle East and African countries,” informs Vaziraney.

Challenge to Grow
Wearing two hats at the same time as COO of Radico Khaitan and CEO of Diageo Radico Distilleries Private Ltd., Raju Vaziraney has almost 25 years of experience in liquor industry. He has a Masters degree in Commerce and Economics and a postgraduate Diploma in Sales and Marketing, Corporate Law, and Business Management. He is a liquor professional. Before joining Radico Khaitan, he was working with Shaw Wallace. Started as a general manager with Radico Khaitan in April 2000 he later rose to the level of COO.
One thing about Radico Khaitan which Vaziraney likes is that it has a good blend of owners monitoring and professional driving. He says, “Our owners know the business but they don’t take day-to-day decision, so decisions are quick and action is swift.” As Radico has its own brands, Diageo has its own and joint venture has its own brands, so the Vaziraney as a leader has a great responsibility to shoulder. “Radico is my parent company, here I am directly involved in all day to day functions, whereas in joint venture company I am link between Abhishek Khaitan, MD of Radico Khaitan and Asif Adil, MD of Diageo and look business on day to day basis.”

Leisure Pursuit
Even if he is busy, Vaziraney takes out time for reading. Books on management skills fascinate him. Right now he is reading a leadership fable ‘The Five Temptation of a CEO’ by Patrick Lencioni. His other all time favourites are ‘One Minute Manager’ and ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’.
He has three interests Beti, Peti and Roti. He is a big foodie, but don’t drink as he is an occasional drinker. He shares, “I am not a person who likes to go out very often other than official commitments. I like to sit and talk with my family who is very dear to me. Contentment is very important thing in life, but it doesn’t come with luxury, it comes from within.” “I drink when I have to taste my brand but whenever I taste, I taste Magic Moment Vodka. My favorite flavours are orange and lemon grass with ginger. It’s brilliant with sprite,” he adds further.

Demand for Model Excise Policy
The future of liquor industry is very bright as it is evergreen industry. It is also the biggest revenue earner for the government. The government has deregulated the excise policies, for e.g., in UP few contractors and retailers or excise contractors used to have monopoly that is no more now. Now anyone can take licence and open the shop. This policy has gone to Punjab, Haryana and many other states, so State Excise department is opening more retail shops and there is growth of more opportunities.
To have uniformity in the nomenclature of taxes, the government has to have a model excise policy, says Vaziraney. He further adds, “One suggestion to the state government would be to work towards modern excise policy. There are two ways to do this, one is there should be uniformity of nomenclature of taxes to be taxed on consumers and manufacturers. At the moment there are bottling fees, franchisee fees, VAT, etc. There may be 30 to 35 of them which are levied from state to state.” The company is working with government to work on the model excise policies. “There are two separate things one is government levy and another is government taxes. Suppose in Goa where excise duty is less as compared to Delhi; it is difficult to have government tax to be the same. So, what we can achieve is uniformity of government levies which will be very big plus for the industry and consumers,” elucidates Vaziraney.
All of us know that drinking is not a bad habit but overdrinking certainly is; that’s what the message the company has spread. Radico Khaitan knows well its responsibilities towards the society. Through their (Diageo-Radico joint venture) ad campaign figuring Shahrukh Khan, the Bollywood heart- throb, they want to tell the consumers to drink responsibly. With this campaign already on, now you can enjoy your drink with a pinch of responsibility. What an idea!

Rock Out at F Bar & Kichen

F Bar & Kitchen is a perfect place to experience the liberty and modernity of your life, one can spend quality time in very cosmopolitan style. The menu, décor, light and music are perfectly timed as it should be by Fashion brand

My close associates know that food is my weakness therefore one of my associate invited me for lunch in the cyber city, Gurgaon. I visited that place after a long time and I was shocked to see the A-class infrastructure and big multinationals has entered that area, I was feeling as if I am in some part of Dubai, the class seems to be very elite. Then we moved to the restaurant and bar which is situated in the DLF Phase 3, F Bar & Kitchen. It is launched by FTV and is situated in a
cosmopolitan area.

F Café Lounge
As I entered the restaurant, I was welcomed by dim lights that were adding beauty to the huge area where big panels with plasma TV attached on the walls. The FTV channel was running where the current international models showcasing current fashion styles on the ramps. There is also a big bar where varieties of mocktails and cocktails are prepared and served by the bartenders. The buffet with varieties of cuisines is placed. The designing of the lounge is done in a global manner, you feel like sitting in a restaurant of Italy and enjoying your wine and dine. From flooring to roofing every thing is created with lots of research and is designed internationally.

Technical Innovations in Sound and Lighting
As you move ahead from F café lounge through the narrow gallery you will enter to F-Prive the name showcases some signs of privacy. If you want to propose or date with your love then F-Prive is the perfect place. The F-Prive is an area separated into a lounge and dining space. It gives you full privacy. A nicely done up lounge in luxurious muted colours with dimmed lights seems warm and cozy. High backed sofas in amber and brown exude a feeling of lavishness. Smartly dressed waiters in black, complement the décor. The placement and nature of the lights are also well thought out. You can order your favourites and enjoy each moment spend there.
The boardrooms and the adjoining lounge area are brighter and done up in champagne ivory. The ambience gets a makeover with bright lights and lighter shades. The music is kept out and if you fancy a quieter ambience, this helps. Here corporates discuss their serious affairs. In the front of the entrance, Hookahs are placed so as one can discuss while having them. There are also separate cabins where meetings can take place uninterrupted.

Delicious Delicacies
After appreciating the beauty of F Bar & Kitchen, now it was time to taste the delicacies of the restaurant. We started from snacks and mocktails. We tasted wild mushroom cigars with sun dried tomato pesto, minted feta cheese triangles, crisp avocado and olive rolls with tomato chilli salsa, paneer tikka in snacks and in mocktails we had blue angle, liquid cranberry frappe, April Lady (a fruity delight with mango juice, coconut cream and ice cream).
But more than food or ambience, the talking point of F Bar & Kitchen would be perhaps, the range of cocktails and mocktails. Contrary to the food menu, the beverages on offer are just mind-blowing and made up with stylish exactitude. You must go for the Infused Vodka in Rose, Raspberry and Strawberry, a different flavour each day. Try the ‘Anaconda On The Loose’. It is mind tingling! There are other surprises such as, ‘Dead Woman Walking’! F Bar & Kitchen has managed to poach the best bartenders from other nightspots in the capital. The bar offers some creative cocktails, fine wine, champagne and an exquisite selection of Cuban cigars.
Next we ordered the main course food. The menu card was full of authentic and international dishes. It was quite a difficult task to finalize what to taste, so we took help from the chef and he got for us some specialty dishes. We tasted pudeena paratha, butter nan, olive bread with harrey masale ka
bhunna paneer, paneer ka subz mela, khumb bhutta methi palak and chilgoza hari phalli (stir fried beans with pinenuts served), really mouth-watering dishes! Sometimes, it is not what you serve but how you serve, which matters and every thing was served in style.
I was full after having so sumptuous lunch, but who can afford to say ‘NO’ to desserts. So, I ordered the remarkable desserts that any one could ever get except in F bar like Orange Panna Cotta (eggless dessert with subtle flavour of orange), Tiramisu (traditional Italian dessert made with Mascrpone cheese layered with coffee soaked lady fingers), Chocolate lava cake, assorted pastries, vanilla cream brulee’s.
The cuisine, of course, the quality of the food is top notch, presented at F bar is very modern and the ambience adds special effects in it. It has a wonderful ambience with dynamic illumination of crystal chandeliers. DJ plays some great hip-hops, lounge and retro music. The experience at F Bar & Kitchen was fantastic. This is a place which offers everything from food to cocktails to music to party to meeting. After coming out of the restaurant one feels going back again and again. It has all the elegance and prettiness that is expected from FTV brand.

Go Goa...

From exotic beaches to magnificent architecture to Goans cuisine, Goa has lots more than this. The festive season, which starts from December and remains till March, is round the corner and Goa is all set for a blast this season

Internationally renowned for providing beach holidays Goa is honeymooners’ paradise. A tiny emerald land on the west coast of India, adjoining the Arabian Sea Goa is the greatest hub for the tourists, as every year tourists in abundance visit this place. Goa seems to be in the mood of party and merry making.
The Goan culture is very easy going and relaxed. Everyone is free to follow the kind of lifestyle they wanted. This is the place where indo-Portuguese people follow tradition as well as remain ahead with the changing time and trends. Konkani is the official language of Goa which is written in Devnagri script but other languages also move very smoothly. The chief feature of the people in Goa is the element of mingling. Elvis Gomes, Director of Goa Tourism says, “The main strength of Goa is its people as its beauty is natural but people add spark into its beauty.” “We are enhancing tourism in Goa by upgrading its infrastructure and by aggressive promotions… Goa is in festive mood 365 days,” he further adds.

Sun, Sand and Sea
In Goa it seems that the sun kisses the beaches and in that ambience one can just relax on the soft sand and gaze at the warm mild sun that drenches the entire environment in its amber-gold embrace. The beaches are clustered into two regions, north and south Goa coastlines with the capital Panaji and nearby Miramar beach, and Bambolim beach in the middle. Anjuna beach is mostly visited for rejuvenating mood. If you are visiting this place in the day time then you can savor the best delights at the famous flea market or the shopping hangout off the beach. If you want to enjoy fishing then Benaulim beach is the right choice and this place is quite safe for swimming too. If you are looking for the beach where you can spend your time personally then Colva beach is a perfect place. Dona Paula Beach has a good relation with romance and myth and tourists throng this place for deceased beloved and is also famous for water sport paradise for water sports lovers, surfing, snorkeling, jet skiing, boogie boarding, scuba diving, water-skiing, parasailing, windsurfing and deep sea fishing are just some of the water sports that can be enjoyed here. Miramar beach is the one of the best tourist place that is known for its lovely golden beach of soft sand, occupied by a thick grove of shady palms, facing the blue Arabian Sea and forming a dense canopy over the area. Clusters of coconut palms border these lovely beaches and add glam to it.

Grand Gala
Due to the Portugal rule, many people converted to Christianity at that time. Yet, they did not forget their Indian roots and Goa is the best example where you will find people celebrating different kind of festivals. Although, Goa seems to be in the mood of festival whole year but in December the mood in Goa is totally different. Each house, market, churches, beaches lights up and decorated and people seems to be in full mood of merry making. The Month starts with St. Francis Xavier Feast that is celebrated in Old Goa on 3rd December with processions and services. The feast of the patron saint of Goa is celebrated on the day he died in 1552. Preceding the feast, nine days of Novenas are held, attended by pilgrims from all over the world. Stalls sell sweetmeats, toys, clothing etc.
Next comes the Christmas that is celebrated on 25th December every year as the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas trees are decorated and the city is also decorated with clay statues or with artifacts made up of box board, millet and hay grass. New Year is also celebrated in full swing as visitors from across the globe throng this place and welcome New Year in very modern way. The most awaited festival Carnival is celebrated for the arrival of spring which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March. Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations. The festivals are also musical in nature and a great deal of dance forms part of the carnivals which are celebrated on special occasions.

Splendid Architecture
Goa is the perfect example of Portuguese architecture as it has unique smooth blend of different architectural styles. Churches and houses bear a striking element of the Portugal style of architecture. Here most of the houses have the bust of Jesus Christ at the entrance. Churches in Goa present a unique blend of the renaissance and baroque styles. They are the next important tourist attraction after the beaches and are thronged by people of all religions. Basilica of Bom Jesus is very famous Roman Catholic Church as it contains the tomb and mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier.
St. Cathedral is built in purist Tuscan style and is staggering in proportions. In one chapel is kept the cross of miracles. Convent and church of St. Francis of Assisi has superb decorative paintwork, woodcarving; and floor are inlaid with elaborately engraved tombstones. Another great example for architecture is the Aguada fort it was used as a prison primarily; the fort stands on the beach south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi River. The fort is so large that it envelops the entire peninsula at the south western tip of Bardez. Built on the mouth of river Mandovi, it was strategically located and was the chief defence of Portuguese against the Dutch and Marathas.

Eat, Drink and shop
Goa is flooded up with tourists whole year, therefore roadsides and beaches are all flourished with traditional Goans market, and these markets are a mirror of Goa’s ethnic culture and provide a glimpse of the typical goan way of doing business. Goa’s each town has something special to sell. In Old Goa one can shop antique, local wine called 'Fenny', cashew nuts or any traditional souvenir for your loved ones. Anjuna Beach Flea Market is very famous Wednesday Market besides Anjuna Beach, started by foreigners. It is an extremely lively spot where souvenirs, beachwear, trinkets and handicrafts are sold at very cheap prices. Mapusa is well known for its Friday market that holds too many attractive items on sale.
If you are going to Goa and not drinking the traditional drink ‘Fenny’, it will not be fared as it is the strength and specialty of Goans. Fenny is prepared and produced in Goa and exported all around the world. Cashew and coconut fenny are the varieties available. On the other hand Seafood is also the strength of the state. Here you will get lots of magnificent culinary delicacies like the prawn balchão and sorpotel which have become famous around the world. Besides fresh seafood, dried and salted fish dishes are also highly prized by Goans. For those who love to take chances in life and play it as a gamble, then Goa has top class casinos with popular games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat and craps.
Goa is a place, where fun & frolic never ends. Exotic beaches, lip smacking cuisine, easy going people, rocking parties and ancient religious places, rock that place. Goa is synonymous with vacations and holidays. This is the only state that guarantees to relax and rejuvenate you. So, Go Goa and enjoy the freedom and dive deep in the full mood of joy.

Lip-smacking Experience with Aadab

Aadab, where you can taste the great authentic Mughlai dishes with the very entertaining soft ambient music, has set alive the very traditional Mughlai cuisine in this modern era. A large painting showcaseing Mughal dynasty and the unique aroma-cooking, infused with spices will bind its visitors to make it a habitual stopover

The capital of India has a significant history with Mughals as its cuisine, culture and heritage and therefore to pay tribute to Mughals predominant heritage in Delhi history, Aadab the new specialty Mughlai restaurant is launched recently. The restaurant is located in the bustling market of GK-II Delhi. As a big foodie I decided to taste the scrumptious and historical dishes of Mughals in a very modern-traditional, Aadab.

Reflective of Time
Invasion of Mughals in India has left a remarkable presence as they brought with them varieties of mouth-watering dishes, which are still significant in this modern era. As we think of Mughals, our imagination starts finding the tasty and delicious dishes as shorba, gosht, subz, murgh and lots more. Mughals’ rich gastronomic tradition has perfectly garnished the existing cuisine of India. The vegetarian pulaos are cooked with meat to create the biryani, and the curries are flavoured with almonds and cashews. The cooking style is larger-than-life and extravagant, reflective of the time itself.

Mughlai’s dedication to fine dining has been unwavering for many centuries, especially among the upper classes. Throughout the centuries, the Nizams were famed for their scrumptuous feasts and their love for fine dining. Even though vegetables are the king of foods in India, Mughal cuisine often includes goat and lamb, served in a variety of ways, as melt-in-the-mouth kababs, roasted, barbecued, or in curries.

Feel of Mughal Era
As you step in the restaurant you will get the feel of the ancient time from within as it is decorated in a simple yet aesthetic manner; the restaurant features large paintings on the walls that remind the visitors of the glorious Mughal days. The soft ambient music of Ghazals also creates a perfect setting for a glorious experience. The kitchen is suffused with the aroma of exotic spices. The seating arena is very ancient cum modern. The tables are loaded up with copper glasses and pots for drinking water. As we go through the menu it seems that Aadab is flourished with large variety in all categories, in the starter menu one can sample the kebabs that are available in various forms and flavours. The authentic Gaulati Kebabs, Shammi Kebabs and traditional mutton kebabs are must to try. The main course features many authentic preparation including the Nargisi Kofta, Keema Murgh Masala, the Navratan Korma and the splendid Raan-e-Sikandri.
The rich preparation of Mughlai food consisting of flavoured sauces and butter based curries is so tempting that food lovers are bound to crave for more and more food. Mughlai food offers an amazingly delicious variety of food ranging from hot spicy shorba or soup to ginger based roasted meats to kulfi with rose petals sprinkled on it. Even, the names of the Mughlai food are so attractive that a person gets tempted to try out different dishes.
The menu also has a special section called the Khaas-e-Aadab that contains many delicacies that are unique to this cuisine and restaurant. One can sample the Murg Musallam, that is traditionally available with a choice of only one filling, This signature dish of Aadab is available with five distinct fillings. In regards to the menu Mr. Shadab Mobin, Co-Owner of Aadab says, "We have kept the menu completely authentic with emphasis on rejuvenating the forgotten tastes and cuisine of the great Mughal Raj in Delhi."
After a long discussion on the menu, we just can’t stop ourselves tasting the dishes, so we odered with some very famous and authentic tikkas after few minutues of our eager wait, waiter served us varities of tikkas in Mughlai serving style that includes in non-veg platter chicken kebabs, mutton kebabs, malai tikka, chicken tikka, and in veg platter Paneer tikka, mushroom, tandoori aloo, hariyali seekh kebab with Green Coriander Chutney and truly speaking it took me back to my history books. I have savored tikkas of different places but the taste it includes feels that the cook must be from Mughals’ kitchen.

That’s not all, we then tasted the Main Course of the food that includes very famous dishes such as paneer lababdaar, which is fresh cottage cheese with traditional lababdar gravy, navratan korma, which is mix green vegetable cooked in rich gravy made out of dry fruits, onion, cream and light spices in veg, and Murgh Biryani, Keema Murgh masala in non veg with tandoori roti and sheermal. Well, sheermal is a sweetened Naan, also known as sweet bread made out of Maida, sugar, milk, flour, saffron and leavened with yeast, and baked in Tandoor or oven. Foodies, now you don’t have to go to Hyderabad to get the very delicious and luscious Murg Biryani and Keema Murg masala made up of combination of pieces of chicken and mutton mince cooked in traditional mughals spices, you can get them right here in Delhi. All these dishes were lip-smacking and they bear the real fragrance of traditional taste.

Last but not the least, the very special dish, Phirni that is the strength of Mughlai cuisine and will just change the your taste. It is a perfect complement to the spicy and delectable Mughlai cuisine. Phirni is a variation of the rice pudding and is very smooth in texture. It is usually served chilled in earthen serving bowls garnished with almonds and pistachios.

The deserts in the menu include traditional favorites like kulfi and phirni. All in all the dining experience at Aadab is an eclectic mix of traditional style cooking infused with spices. These varieties are unique and prepared with centuries’ old recipes that have been perfected with time. Although new techniques have arrived for cooking food but Aadab tries to make it traditional and that too in authentic style.

After tasting the authentic cusine, I started feeling like being in true Mughal era. It was the mind blowing experience at Aadab as the food and atmosphere was very binding and the music adds the special effects. Adab has set alive the culture, artistic abilities and sophistication in manners. It wakes up the oriental glory, reminiscent of the great days of Indo-Muslim culture. It is well known for its hospitality, and visitors to the city will always find a pleasant welcome and Mughal delicacies to dine. Aadab is fully devoted themselves to sharpening their culinary talents with the subtle blending of spices. In the process, they created an amazing range of superb dishes.

Refreshingly different- Genelia D’Souza

Genelia D’Souza, the sultry beauty, who remained unnoticed prior to the release of her blockbuster film, Jane tu Ya Jane Na, has now become a face to reckon with. Her performance in her latest hit was seemingly par excellence and has undoubtedly fetched numerous fans

Latest heart throb of industry who has left very sweet and cute impact through her most happening film Jane tu Ya Jane Na, Genelia D'Souza is rising on her success nowadays. The story of the film is so impeccable that it will flow you in characters. Genelia fell in love with the role as soon as she heard the script as she felt there was a little bit of her in Aditi, the main female character of the film. Due to this hit, Genelia is now recognized by her fans on the street everywhere. In regards to her latest hit she reveals, “It’s not easy being a part of an Aamir Khan production. It doesn’t matter how good you look, how talented you are, how big a name you have.” For her working with Aamir she says it was great, “The biggest compliment he gave me was that I was like Juhi Chawla.” “Aamir was very supportive despite the fact that he never visited the sets even once, his confidence made us believe in ourselves,” adds she.

She might have made a place for herself in everyone’s hearts as the cute Aditi, but Genelia D’Souza insists she became an actress by accident, “Honestly speaking, I didn’t ever dream of acting in my life. I’m a sport person and have been a state level athlete and a national level football player. For me, acting was never on the cards. It just happened.” Her all-time favourite football player is David Beckham. She just admires his looks and the style with which he plays the game.
Tollywood to Bollywood
She first debuted in the Bollywood in 2003. Her first Hindi film was Tujhe Meri Kasam opposite to Ritesh Deshmukh. The film went unnoticed. She left Bollywood for a while to concentrate on the Tollywood industry. Genelia then starred in the Tamil big budget film Boys directed by Shankar. The film was a box-office hit and launched her career in south India.

She went on to star in other successful Telugu films including, Satyam, Samba and Sye. Her second Hindi movie was Masti and was also opposite Ritesh. This film was a moderate success. Her Telugu film, Bommarillu, with Siddharth Narayan, was a major commercial success and she won the Filmfare Award as the Best Actress for her performance, besides other awards. She came back into Kollywood with Santhosh Subramaniam, which is the remake of Bommarillu. The film also turned out to be a rather successful as its predecessor. Her debut film in Kannada Satya In Love grossed four crores in its opening week thus setting a new record in the Kannada film industry. She has won several awards.

She once again appeared in Bollywood in Mere Baap Pehle Aap alongside Akshaye Khanna, which was moderately successful. Her final breakthrough in Bollywood was through the blockbuster, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, her role has been widely admired for her sweetness and freshness, and new style of acting. The movie has debutant Imran Khan, Aamir Khan's nephew, as the hero. The cute actress stole the heart of million of youngsters with her lovely limpid eyes and impish smile and is credited as Harini among the Tamil audiences.

No to Hot Scenes
Genelia has a fixed image of herself. She doesn’t want to do any steamy scenes, and she is against of showing cleavage and wearing bikni, so very clear and strict instructions for producer. She got a vital break through the Fair & Lovely advertisement. The Parker girl Genelia D'Souza is now one of the most happening actresses in the world of cinema.

The bubbly girl is little tensed for her Hindi and says, “Though, I can read and write Hindi but as I come from a Christian background, I am not used to speaking the language, so delivering dialogues is a little difficult but I think I will overcome it.”Is there any plan her saying good bye to Tollywood? She emphasizes that she has not yet decided and she had no plans as such. Let us all wait and watch what is next in line. Though the film industries are different, her job as an actor remains the same. It is cinema that matters most to her, not the industries. Now when it all happens accidentally, she has decided looking at a career here in Bollywood and want to be appreciated. She is enjoying every minute of her success.

People often term her lucky for her films. But she is of a different opinion and shares, “I don’t think I am plain lucky. I have acted in lots of films in South which speak of my abilities. Over the years, I’ve grown up as an actor. It’s an achievement especially for someone like me who does not have a family background in Bollywood. I think I was chosen for these films simply because I fitted the bill.”

Projects in Hand
The very popular Genelia D'Souza with her girl next door image has already won many hearts and the talented actress will now be seen in Anees Bazmee's next titled, ‘Its My Life’ opposite the hearththrob Harman Baweja. The film is a remake of the 2006 Telugu blockbuster ‘Bommarillu’ which also had Genelia in the film with the versatile actor, Siddharth Narayan and talented Jayam Ravi. And now Genelia will once again play the same role but this time in the Hindi remake of the film. “Its My Life is a romantic story but it also focuses on human values and love amongst family members. Portraying the bond between parents and the children in an urban setting, the film is about the tensions that grip every family and how over possessive parents can spoil the lives of their children”, says Genelia.

The reason of having only few friends in Bollywood industry is that she is new here in Mumbai - only few films old. Her take on that is, “But yes, while working in all the flicks that I have done so far, I shared a wonderful rapport with all my colleagues. And I feel that the entire cast and crew of ‘Jaane Tu…’ are my good friends and we had a blast together.”

Genelia is looking for the roles that are challenging as. “I do not wish to do roles for the sake of doing films. I am looking out for some really different and interesting script,” says thinking actress. Like others she is also impressed with Khans and their acting prowess and says, “I am interested in working with all of them as long as a project excites me and yes, of course I wanted to work with Salman, SRK and other talented actors.”

The sparkling beauty has no crush and wants to remain single and plans to stay that way for now. She just wants to focus on her career. Bollywood industry is playing safe and enjoying its lucky time with lots of sizziling actors every now and then and Genelia is one of them, who is remarked as one of the talented lady, whose acting leave an impressive mark on viewers mind and heart. Genelia is moving on Winged Chariot higher and higher as time is moving ahead. Stay tuned and wait for her next film!

What Future Stores For Her
Genelia has just entered the 22nd year of her life and according to numerologists this age will most likely to bring her a lot of stress, depression and loneliness at least till the year-end. She should take every decision with a lot of thinking. Wearing a ‘Pearl’ will definitely help her keep cool, calm and composed. But the year 2009 is again very lucky for her best and from here onwards things will start working for her – both professionally and personally. Especially the time after August 2009 is simply excellent with no stopping.

Honda’s Wings Set to Scale New Heights

As contained in the promo of Stunner CBF, the newest Honda motorcycle, this stunning rock star is truly creator’s commitment, seller’s delight and buyers’ pride. It surely is a jewel in Honda’s crown after rolling out class bikes and scooters like Unicorn, Shine, Aviator, Eterno

World’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers HMSI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Company Ltd., Japan. Dreaming to manufacture two-wheelers of global quality in India, the company also wants to meet and exceed the expectations of Indian customers with outstanding after sales support. And this is one thing, which makes them distinctive. The company’s principle is ‘dedication to supplying products of the highest quality yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction’.The HMSI factory is spread over 52 acres, with a covered area of about 85,815 square metres at Manesar, Gurgaon district of Haryana. The company started its operation from 2001. The initial installed capacity was 1,00,000 scooters per year, which has reached 6,00,000 scooters by the year 2007 and motorcycle capacity was 4,00,000 per annum. HMSI recognizes and respects individual differences. The respect for individual comes from initiative, equality and trust. It is the contribution from each individual in the company that has made the company what it is today and that, which will take it into the future.
Reaching New HeightsHMSI has one manufacturing facility at present, which is in Manesar, Haryana. It doesn’t have any plan to establish another manufacturing plant in near future. “If we go by books then installed production capacity of our plant at IMT Manesar Gurgaon is 1.2 million units. But practically, this capacity can further be scaled up to 1.3-1.4 million units annually through optimizing the Model mix and Productivity Improvements,” says Shinji Aoyama, President and CEO of HMSI. He further adds, “In regards to sales position, we had achieved sales of 9.07 lakh units in the last financial year 2007-08 and we have set a target to cross one million mark in sales in the current financial year.” HMSI broad’s sales projections are that HMSI would be able to reach a sales mark around 2011. So, the company believes that it still has time and only after it reaches closer to full utilization of existing plant, it would take a call for the future plant and expansion.However, the company doesn’t believe in manufacturing newer models everyday. The management believes in brand image. According to them their models of two-wheelers are very popular among the public. On asking about the new variant for customers Aoyama avers, “Our stock remains there at the dealers point only for two-three days, because every model is very well appreciated by customers and there is growing demand, so volume is increasing and brand is slowly growing and that’s what matters. Sometimes too fast expansion of variations does not create good brand image. We want to build goodwill among customer, as customer satisfaction is our first priority; business will follow.”
Cutting-edge Technology“Our fundamental design philosophy seeks to maximize space and comfort for people, while minimizing the space required for mechanical components,” explains Aoyama. With this aim in mind, Honda's R&D activities include product-specific development and fundamental research. Few of the advanced technologies that it has are Combi Break System, HondaMatic Transmission, Fuel Injection System, Idle Stop System, etc.Generally, it is not easy to control a two-wheeler while braking during emergencies and bad road conditions. Combi Break System not only allows easy and simultaneous operation of the front and rear brake but also provides optimal braking performance. The compact, efficient and oil pressure controlled Hondamatic Transmission is the world's first fully automatic transmission system, which delivers a dynamic combination of torque and excellent accelerator response for a constant and superior driving experience. Honda's fuel injection technology is designed to realize ideal combustion, which results in delivering maximum power output, greatly improved fuel efficiency and yet be environment-friendly. Honda has created an advanced Idle Stop System that reduces fuel consumption while totally blocking out toxic exhaust gas and unwanted noise.

It enables the engine to stop automatically for 3 seconds after the vehicle stops moving. And when the throttle is opened, the vehicle engine restarts and takes off smoothly. Customer SatisfactionHMSI has a large number of sales network - 310 dealers and 507 outlets at present. All these outlets are well controlled and well equipped as per norms. They are monitored on regular intervals monthly and quarterly by the company experts. N.K. Rattan, Divisional Head, Marketing, HMSI, tells, “For smaller outlets the monitoring is done quarterly and for bigger outlets is done on monthly basis. We also have a well-built customer service network at all the dealers point. There is also 100% test ride facility available for customers in all dealers point.”

Retaining loyal and satisfied customers is one of the most formidable challenges businesses face. Especially in a wired world where real-time responsiveness and interactivity are being redefined constantly. HMSI has two-way interactive communication with customers ensuring a higher level of service and feedback so that they remain ever satisfied. At Honda, they extend special schemes. Aoyama shares with us, “We have several extended warranty, annual maintenance contract. We have such schemes in which customer with a limited budget can get service of our maintenance of vehicle for a period of 5 years. This is very unique scheme from HMSI and gives an edge over the other players in the market.”
Safety on Roads Enhancing safety on the roads is one of Honda's top priorities. Aoyama feels the importance of safety on roads and says, “We firmly believe that the realization of a comfortable and an enjoyable mobile society depends on the mutual trust that automobile manufacturers like us, share with the consumers and society.” The company uses a three-pronged approach, based on preventing accidents from happening in the first place, minimizing injury in the unlikely event of an accident and our Driving Safety Promotion operations. Honda's safety philosophy emphasizes the development of appropriate technologies for its products, so as to ultimately achieve maximum riding comfort for its customers. By educating the world, Honda is actively involved with driving education across the world for promoting traffic safety. The Honda Driving Simulator and the Honda Riding Simulator are virtual-reality systems and are designed to heighten the user's ability to anticipate and foresee danger. Featuring the latest in macaronis and contents technology, these simulators allow drivers and riders to experience danger while remaining safe.HMSI is not a silent spectator; it participates very actively in making people aware about the safety on roads. “We go to schools to teach students about road traffic rules. By teaching their parents we are taking an initiative. For that, we have our own small bikes, safety drive trainer. Not only this, but we also donate vehicle to ITI for educating them. We have trained ITI schools. We also have donated three-four vehicles to local police of Manesar for patrolling and safety,” utters Aoyama. Developing Green Vehicles According to Shinji Aoyama, Honda’s dream is to pass on the beautiful natural environment to the next generation, and it will continue its environmental conservation activities, meeting the high goals that it has set independently. The company is striving towards developing zero-emission in all the vehicles manufactured by it. To reduce the environmental burden of four-stroke engines, it has developed a unique exhaust air injection system and a programmed fuel injection system, which is currently in use in the HONDA VFR motorcycle. This Honda VFR 800 is to be launched in the current fiscal year only.
Racing Improves the BreedHonda has always played an important role in motor sports, believing it to be the launch pad for technological advancement. Honda has always loved racing, ever since Sochiro Honda took his company into motorcycle competition, sometime in the 1950s. Honda’s engineers have tested themselves on the international stage, proving their technology to be the best in the world. These technologies are tested in the extreme conditions of motorcycle racing, to adapt them for use in vehicles that ply on roads today.In the past, Honda has powered some of the all time great racers, including Redman, Hailwood, Spencer, Gardner, Capirossi and Doohan, to 39 riders’ titles. Even today, some of the greatest motorcycle racers, like Alex Baros, Max Biaggi, Nicky Hayden ride on Honda bikes, at the races.Technologies like these are not just for the racetracks, but are also incorporated in our everyday vehicles. They are first tested, refined and proven under the trying conditions in the races, and then finally adapted in the vehicles, so that two-wheelers like Activa and Dio
Honda's production facilities across the world also actively pursue energy-efficient methods and prevent water pollution by reducing industrial waste. Honda has taken aggressive initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations, by implementing its concept of the "Green Factory". “Abolishing hazardous waste in our products such as lead and reduction of Co2 is our prime motive. There are other things on which we heavily concentrate that is recycling of water and recharging groundwater through rainwater harvesting for our usage. Whatever usage of water we have, we get almost 70 per cent through rainwater harvesting,” says Aoyama as he really lookes concerned.As responsible member of society and industry, HMSI recognizes that well being of humans and conservation of earth's environment is important. HMSI got ISO 14001 certification in Dec. 2002, which is committed to achieve, environmental excellence in all its industrial activities. HMSI established its environmental management system following PDCA cycle and is continuously working to make it more effective.
Green Dealer Concept The "Green Dealer Concept" of HMSI is a step further in the direction of conservation of the environment. The "Green Dealer Concept" would not only help in proper and efficient use of resources such as water, electricity, paper, etc. by constantly monitoring and improving the existing systems thus doing lots of cost cutting but also reducing the polluting activities to minimum. Increasing environment awareness amongst the employees and the general public is also a feature of this unique concept. Aoyama tells with utter satisfaction, “We are one company, which has green dealer concept. We have dealers across the country who are actively participating in this. There is no leakage of oil in drainage system. Our company put very expensive equipment for society’s safety. As a responsible company, we provide vehicles, which are environmentally safe.”
Human Resource as a ChallengeThere is one thing, which bothers company – that is attrition. According to Aoyama the current phenomenon of hopping between jobs in India is not good at all for the Indian industrial development. People are looking for different opportunities. They believe that it is better for them. Shifting from company A to B to C can do no good to people. People should concentrate on existing job. Aoyama opines, “At Honda, we do human resource programmes, which educate them about companies philosophy. We are doing our bit but we cannot stop attrition totally. We have 20 per cent attrition rate in our company like any other company.” Having a turnover of Rs. 3000 crores in the current fiscal year, the company is completely committed towards its customers. The management fully understands the importance of being present in the mind of people, so it has decided to spend 2 per cent of its profit on publicity and advertising.In line with Honda's Philosophy, HMSI conducts all its daily activities in pursuit of the three joys that is Joy of selling, Joy of buying and Joy of creating. The Joy of buying is to carry out the necessary steps for satisfying the customer and establish a relationship of mutual trust with thecustomer through the product. The Joy of selling is to provide products of excellent quality and performance. The satisfaction of customer brings the joy of selling. The Joy of creating is to recognize a sense of joy in our customers, suppliers and dealers thereby, which becomes a source for joy of working.After an all out effort of manufacturing world-class two-wheelers, at the end of the day HMSI gets satisfaction in customers’ contentment. It has always been company’s prime objective to give the best to its customers and leave an environment-friendly atmosphere for the future generations. And it is fulfilling its both the objectives right now.

Will, 61 Independence Day escorts us to Peace?

Samridhi Bhatnagar

So, finally we have completed 61 years of our independence. This is a day when we are more patriotic then other days, we all love our country, its culture, tradition, religion but still we lack in many things. Although we believe in oneness and unity, but still we are not one. We are comprised with several religions then also we are not unanimous. This is a democratic country but still we are not able to find a single person, who really thinks for social-welfare. In spite they think of their wellbeing. In real words our country situation is pathetic. On every 15 August our national leader gives good lecture that please to our ears but it still don't solve our problem.

Every state has some or the other problem, if we talk about heavenly place which is now a days hell, the Jammu & Kashmir situation for land, that has not embellished the daily life of J &K but also other states too. The two-hour chakka jam called by VHP over the Amarnath land, rowed long queues of vehicles in Delhi. Train movement along the Delhi-Jaipur (with blockades near Rewari ) and Delhi- Jammu route was also severely affected by the agitation . At least 30 trains arrived late in the capital after being held up by protesters at different places in UP, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra and Punjab. Purushottam Express (18 hours late) and Jhelum Express (9 hours) were among the worst affected.

On other side, in Noida four persons were killed and 50 others injured, including 15 policemen, in police firing and clashes after farmers agitating for adequate compensation for their acquired land in Greater Noida turned violent. Reports said the fourth victim was a policeman but there was no official confirmation on this.The farmers were demanding enhanced compensation for their land acquired in 2003 and 2005 by the Uttar Pradesh government on the lines of those acquired in 2008. Officials said the crowd turned violent and pelted stones at policemen.Security personnel resorted to lathicharge and lobbed teargas shells to rein in the mob, SSP Noida R K Chaturvedi told PTI.

As the violence continued, police opened fire in which about 50 people were injured. "Four persons were killed in the incident. But we have no information about any casualty on our side," Chaturvedi said.At least 15 police personnel, including Chaturvedi, were injured in the stone pelting, District Magistrate Greater Noida S K Sharma said. Inspector General (Meerut) Gyan Singh claimed that some protestors were carrying illegal firearms. "If they had not opened fire, police would have remained calm. They were stopped at various places but they overpowered us. They were really aggressive, keen to fight," he said.Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal blamed the local administration for the incident, saying it mishandled the situation.

The question arise, what should be done to avoid all these interruption that avoid free flow of daily life. The statement given by the leaders can change the face of our country.

A country where Abhinav Bindra kind of personality is raising our head with pride on the other side all these political leaders are leaving us ashamed. Let's hope that this Independence Day will bring peace in our country and enhance the unity amongst the Indian citizens.