1. travel

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30-04-2015
Our lifeline at Nirmal Bang
2
From The HR Desk
A Note From The HR Team
3
North-East-West-South
7
HR Quotient
Why Daily Planning is Critical For Focus?
10
Stalwarts
Richie Benaud
14
Page Turners
Checklist Manifesto
16
Movie Mania
Court
19
Travel Bug
Malvan
23
Body and Soul
10 Truths We Forget Too Easily
27
Foodie’s Delight
Summer Special - Pachadi
Summer Special - Aam ki Chutney
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Techno Zone
Five Best Travel Planning Apps
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Best Employee Of The Month
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Fabulous Forwards
Never give up, pursue your passion
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Word Play
Oxymorons are figures of speech in which
two contradictory terms are combined
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Quizzical
From The HR Desk
Daily planning is important to focus attention on top priorities for the day, ensuring that we have a
laser-like focus on what we want to accomplish during the day. Pulse lists out steps that people can
follow to plan the coming day in the article ‘Are You a Prioritizer, Planner, Arranger or Visualizer?’
in HR Quotient.
Richie Benaud, Australian cricket captain and the sport's most famous television commentator, who
died in Sydney recently aged 84, was a much admired man. He is not only known for his game but
also for being the voice of cricket.
Acclaimed surgeon and writer Atul Gawande finds a remedy to tackle immensely complex problems
with the humblest of techniques: the checklist in his book ‘The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get
Things Right’.
Marathi film Court is a courtroom drama, which focuses on the trial of an ageing folk singer who has
been arrested for abetting a sewerage worker’s suicide through his supposedly inflammatory songs.
It’s surprising how easy it is to lose sight of the important things in life. Busy schedules and weekly
routines have a tendency to put the brain on autopilot. Some of life’s essential truths need
repeating. Pulse provides you with a list that will hopefully come handy when you need a boost in
life in the article 10 Truths We Forget Easily in Body and Soul.
Malvan and Tarkarli are great destinations for travel junkies. Nirmal Bang employees share the
experience of the four-day trip they undertook to these exotic locations early this month and
explain why it is a must-visit for others too.
Unlike in the previous month, we have received an amazing response for Quizzical and hope this will
continue in the future. Finally, we would welcome any comments you have on how you would like to
see the magazine develop, particularly if you feel you have something to contribute to its future
success. Please send in your contributions to [email protected].
On a concluding note, we would like to pray for the lives lost in the devastating earthquake in
neighbouring Nepal and the safety and wellbeing of the survivors. Our heart goes out to all those
people who died in the natural calamity.
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North-East-West-South
An Electrifying Run At Paris Marathon
MUMBAI: Rakesh Bhandari, Director, NBSPL recently
ran in the 39th Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris
alongside 54,000 co-runners. It is one of the biggest
marathons in the world, and known as much for the size
of its field as the performances of its runners.
Nearly 140 nationalities and 50,000 runners come to
tackle the most fabled long-distance discipline in
athletics. In April, this race across Paris, taking in the
Champs Elysées, the Bois de Vincennes and Boulogne,
offered an incomparable backdrop, with spectacular
views and landmarks all along the route.
The marathoners pounded the pavements of the French
capital’s most famous avenues and plazas, from the foot
of the Arc de Triomphe, where they took the start,
towards Place de la Concorde. From the Rue de Rivoli they
then swept through Place de la Bastille. After a glimpse of
greenery in the Bois de Vincennes, views of Notre Dame
and the Eiffel Tower pointed the way home. Every year,
this unique and spectacular setting attracts more and
more entrants.
“Running the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris was an awesome experience. I completed the race in 4.24
hours. I improved my time by 25 minutes when compared with Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in
January where my timing was 4.49 hours.”
- Rakesh Bhandari, Director, NBSPL
3
North-East-West-South
4
North-East-West-South
Vijai Mantri Joins Nirmal Bang Group
MUMBAI: Vijai Mantri has joined Nirmal Bang this month as a Member of the Advisory Board. He is a rank
holding Chartered Accountant and has done his AMP from Indian School of Business (in Collaboration with
Kellogg and Wharton Business School).
He started his career in 1993 as a Management Trainee with Aditya V Birla Group and moved on to the position
of AVP where he was heading the Capital Market Group. He has worked in the NBFC, Mutual Fund, Insurance,
Investment Banking and Broking divisions at the Aditya V Birla Group. In the year 2000, he joined HDFC Mutual
Funds’ start-up team as VP where he helped set up the product, distribution and marketing functions. He was
also involved in the acquisition of Zurich Mutual Fund.
He was instrumental in carrying out the certification exercise involving more than 3,000 distributors and helped
them become SEBI-compliant. He is credited with introducing the world’s first ever ATM card through Mutual
Funds.
In the year 2006, he joined Deutsche Mutual Fund as their CEO and Managing Director and also became a
member of the Executive Council of Deutsche Bank Group in India. During his tenure, the AUM of Deutsche MF
went up from less than Rs 4,000 crore to over Rs. 20,000 crore. He was also involved in the first-ever real estate
investment done by the Deutsche Bank Group. In the year 2008 until 2015, he was CEO and Managing Director
of Pramerica MF, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial Inc. and a Fortune 500 company with a
global AUM of more than 1 trillion USD.
Vijai Mantri brings with him a rich experience of creating and building businesses with top class Indian and
International brands.
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North-East-West-South
Training Programme Held at Pune
PUNE: A training programme on product information, delivery and/or forward contracts was conducted for the
employees of Nirmal Bang’s Pune branch by Swapnil Shivhare of National Commodity and Derivatives
Exchange (NCDEX) on Saturday 11th April, 2015. The programme was well-received by the employees.
6
HR Quotient
Are You A Prioritizer,
Planner, Arranger Or Visualizer?
Why daily planning is critical for focus, attention and top priorities
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HR Quotient
Recent business news reported that prominent companies like Walmart and Starbucks are starting to think
consciously about how they schedule their employees’ work shifts.
Why?
Because their employees and their employees’ families want and need predictability, stability and flexibility.
We’ve all been there.
We’ve all felt the panic, frustration, and stress of waiting for someone else to provide project plan deadlines or
confirm whether or not our vacation request has been approved. It is stressful because of the schedule
reverberates far beyond you – it impacts the time, schedules, and routines of your team members, partners, and
children.
Bottom line: When someone else can influence and impact your schedule, it’s hard for you to structure your time.
Which brings us to what I think is one of our innate human needs: structure.
And the best place to start creating structure in your life is to focus on what you can control – where you choose
to allocate your time and energy.
To create more structure and direct your time and energy towards high return on time investment projects and
tasks, it is time to take your daily planning to the next level.
Daily planning is designed to focus your attention on top priorities for the day, ensuring that you have a laser-like
focus on what you want to accomplish during the day. By deciding what to focus on before the day actually starts,
you can minimize the impact of distractions, competing projects and other people’s agendas that often come up.
Here Are The Recommended Steps To Plan For Tomorrow.
Review Your Current Projects And Tasks. Before you do any work (including checking email), decide on your
top three priorities for the day. Use these to guide and structure your day.
Go High-value Early In The Day. Start your day by tackling your highest-value task - one that is aligned to your
goals and relates to the revenue line, which is where you and your organization make money.
Respond Smart. Respond to shifting priorities and demands, and decide what to do next during the day by
considering the following:
Check your required tools. Do you have all the tools necessary to complete a given action on your
schedule for today? Many to-dos require a specific location (at the office or a client site, for example) and/or a
specific tool (a phone or computer application). Make sure all the tools you need are in place as you start your
day.
Check your buffer time. If you have only five minutes between meetings, your action choices are limited.
Try to re-arrange one or more activities to give yourself some breathing room in the course of your day.
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HR Quotient
Check your energy availability. Some projects and tasks require significant amounts of fresh, creative
mental energy. If necessary, move one or more activities so that your most demanding projects and tasks are
scheduled for the times when your energy is likely to be highest.
Prioritize your activities. Considering the required tools, time, and energy available, which to-do offers the
highest return on time investment?
Each of the daily planning best practices above work for all of the Productivity Styles. However, there are slight
differences in each style that need to be considered for optimal planning.
How You Plan Daily If You’re A Prioritizer: As a Prioritizer, you are naturally goal oriented; planning your
months, weeks, and days to achieve your goals is easy for you. At times, however, your focus on the outcome
tends to impact your understanding of how the work needs to be completed, who needs to be involved, and why
it is important. On a daily basis, make sure you start your day with your highest priority project or task.
How You Plan Daily If You’re A Planner: As you would imagine, planning comes naturally to the Planner. At
times, however, your focus on how to complete work can create a myopic plan that overlooks or minimizes what
actually needs to be accomplished, who needs to be involved, and why the work is important. Because of that,
make sure to schedule open or buffer time each week to allow for unexpected opportunities, issues, or problems.
How You Plan Daily If You’re A Arranger: You intuitively know what work needs to be completed and by when.
At times, however, your focus on the people involved in the work or project can overshadow what the goal or
outcome is, how to efficiently complete the work, and why it is important. To avoid letting that focus on others to
take over, schedule specific time in the day to connect and interact with people.
How You Plan Daily If You’re A Visualizer: You are a strategic, big-picture thinker, and long-range planning is
in alignment with your natural preferences. At times, however, your big picture orientation tends to interfere with
your determining the shorter-term intermediate goals and action steps needed to realize a broader, strategic goal.
Keep your calendar visual at all times and stick to simple, basic time frames
People want to succeed—to take on meaningful, purposeful tasks and produce high-quality work. Your team –
and you – will make this valuable work happen when you know there’s a structure in place that you and your
leadership team adheres to, respects, and appreciates. Start structuring your day – today.
Carson Tate is the founder and principal of Working Simply, a management consultancy. Our mission is
to bring productivity with passion back to the workplace. We do this by providing tailored solutions that
help people to work smarter, not harder.
Her new book, Work Simply, was published on January 2, 2015.
9
Stalwarts
Richie Benaud
A Marvellous Life, indeed!
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Stalwarts
Imitation, so they say, is the sincerest form of flattery. In
some notable cases, imitation morphs into mimicry and
simultaneously, flattery yields to full-scale admiration.
That being so, former Australian cricket captain and the
sport's most famous television commentator Richie
Benaud, who died in Sydney last week aged 84, was a
much admired man.
Throughout his 50 years on television, following an
impressive career as a player, Benaud's stylish and
measured delivery, along with his perfectly coiffed silver
hair and tan that contrasted perfectly with a signature
off-white blazer, inspired much mirth and impersonation.
Nonetheless, with Benaud, the ribbing was almost always
affectionate. In early 2014, as the Australian cricket team
put England to the sword in an international series of
five-day international matches known as "tests," a group of spectators populated a section of the Sydney Cricket Ground,
resplendent in silver wigs, cream Colored jackets and giant foam microphones, creating a "sea of Richies." It was an
amusing and heartfelt tribute to a man who had held the public's attention with a distinct broadcasting style that spanned
six decades.
Benaud stood apart from his colleagues behind the microphone, not just in terms of sartorial elegance. As with most sports
around the world, professionally trained commentators with journalism backgrounds have slowly given way as television
networks court former players for their insights. Whilst some make the transition and become entertaining and fearless
observers, most check whatever flare they demonstrated on the field at the commentary box door. Their contributions tend
to range from laboured anecdotes, delivered in a euphemistic style amid sniggering in the background by former teammates
in on the joke, to breathless hyperbole where not a moment can pass without some attempt to fabricate excitement. In this
subtlest of contests, where intrigue comes in a variety of guises, and fortunes of teams and players can turn on a dime,
viewers don't need contrived drama; they need articulate insight. Less is almost always more.
This was never lost on Richie Benaud. Despite having been a top-level player himself, he had also worked as a reporter for
a Sydney newspaper while still playing professionally. He had learned to craft words with economy to convey a picture, a
skill he expanded upon when he started commentating on Britain's BBC in the early 1960s. It showed throughout his time
in front of the camera. His delivery was sparing, offered calmly with dry wit permeating shrewd observation. Where his
peers are anxious to make grandiose pronouncements lest they be perceived as boring and old-school, Benaud almost made
an art form out of the silence between his utterances. He was a master of understatement. He is famously quoted as telling
fellow commentators: "Put your brain into gear and if you can add to what's on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up."
Nonetheless, he wasn't afraid to give both barrels when he felt it needed. Below is his unconcealed outrage following one of
cricket's most infamous incidents, a game between Australia and New Zealand in 1981, in which Australian captain Greg
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Stalwarts
Chappell had just instructed his brother Trevor to bowl underarm on the last ball of the match. Greg's directive ensured
that New Zealand batsman Brian McKechnie could not hit the ball over the fence to get the required six runs to tie the
game.
Cricket has for much of its 500 years of chronicled existence been a byword for decency and sportsmanship of the highest
ideals, where deviating from the spirit as well as the letter of the law is unthinkable. Benaud clearly took the sullying of the
game's reputation personally as he calmly but forcefully made his displeasure known.
So renowned for such a long period was he as a commentator throughout the cricketing world (that is England and her
former colonies including Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, India and Pakistan) that it is easy to forget
Benaud's accomplishments as a player.
Benaud played 63 test matches for Australia between 1952 and 1964, scoring 2,201 runs and taking 248 wickets. He was
what is known as an "all-rounder"; that is, he was capable both as a batsman and a bowler (baseball fans, a bowler is like
a pitcher, only he can't bend his arm when he delivers the ball and he runs in to deliver, rather than from a stationary
position). He captained his country in 28 tests for 12 wins, four losses, 11 draws and, famously, one tie. In 1963 he became
the first player in the world to take 200 test wickets and score 2,000 runs.
He is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, captain Australia has ever had. And, perhaps in keeping with his
dress sense, his leadership was characterized by a subtle flamboyance, imbued with a sense of daring that won the hearts
and minds of cricket followers not only in Australia, but across the cricketing diaspora.
He took the game, floundering in the late 1950s in his home country and helped make it exciting again, declaring that he
would get rid of "dull" cricket. If he'd been in charge half a century later, the media would've declared he'd brought sexy
back to cricket. It is difficult to say what Benaud's reaction might have been to such an accolade, but a raised eyebrow in
bemusement was probably the most demonstrative he'd have become.
It is perhaps no coincidence then that Benaud was at the
helm in 1961 when Australia and the West Indies played
in the first "tied" test match in Brisbane. A tie, as distinct
from a draw, occurs when scores are level at the conclusion
of the second innings of the side batting second. Ties are
rare: In almost 140 years of test cricket, there have been
two. Notwithstanding the fact that there is no winner in
such a contest, the match is still considered to be a
showpiece of the game, and one of the most exciting games
ever played.
It has been intriguing this week to watch the reaction to
Benaud's death. Predictably there was a fine body of
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Stalwarts
obituaries in newspapers from London to Lahore, and Melbourne to Manchester. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott
offered his family a state funeral, which was declined.
With his droll delivery and undemonstrative demeanour, he seemed an unlikely candidate to have a catchphrase. He almost
certainly never intended to have one and probably would have been aghast at the idea. Yet for many Richie Benaud's
on-screen persona is encapsulated in a single phrase.
Typically, it was succinct -- a single word: "Marvellous."
RICHIE BENAUD - 8 RULES OF COMMENTARY
The former Australian captain's golden rules for commentating on the game he loved have stood the test of time for all of
sport. The former Australian cricket captain, who has died aged 84, revealed his secrets to calling the game he loved in an
email to an Australian journalist, Christine Sams, in 2012, after she asked him for his fondest memories of working for TV
station Channel 9.
His reply offers a fascinating insight into his principles while working behind the microphone and have been widely shared
on social media since news of his death broke in the small hours of Friday morning. Here are how his unofficial 'rules' break
down:
1.
Never ask for a statement.
2.
Remember the value of a pause.
3.
There are no teams in the world called 'we' or 'they'.
4.
Avoid clichés and banalities, such as 'he's hit that to the boundary', 'he won't want to get out
now', 'of course', 'as you can see on the screen'.
5.
The Titanic was a tragedy, the Ethiopian drought a disaster, and neither bears any relation to a
dropped catch.
6.
Put your brain into gear before opening your mouth.
7.
Concentrate fiercely at all times.
8.
Above all, don't take yourself too seriously, and have fun.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com, www.telegraph.co.uk
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Page Turners
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Page Turners
Acclaimed surgeon and w r iter Atul Gawande fi nd s a remedy to tac k le i m mensel y
com plex p ro blems w ith the humbl est of tec hni q u es : the c hec k li st.
Fi r st in t roduced d ecad es ago b y the U.S. A i r Force, c hec k li sts have enabled p i lots to
fl y aircraft o f mind- b oggl ing soph i st i cat i on. Now i nnovat i ve c hec k li sts are be i ng
ad op ted in ho s p ital s around the world , hel p i ng doc tor s and nu r ses res p ond to
ever y t hing f rom flu ep id emic s to avalanc hes. Even i n the i m mensely com ple x worl d
o f sur ger y, a simpl e ninet y- second var iant has c u t the rate of f atali t i es by more than
a t hird .
In r ivet ing stor ies , Gawand e takes u s f rom Au str ia , w here an emergenc y c hec k li st
saved a drow ning v ict im w ho had s pent hal f an hou r u nder water, to Mi c hi gan, w here
a c lean liness check l i st in intens ive care u ni ts v i r tu al ly eli m i nated a t y p e of dead l y
ho s p ital in fec t ion.
He ex plain s how check l i sts actual ly work to p rom p t str i k i ng and i m mediate
i mp rovemen t s. A nd he f ol l ow s the c hec k li st revolu t i on i nto fi eld s wel l beyond
medic ine, f ro m homeland secur it y to i nvestment bank i ng , sky sc rap er constr u c t i on ,
and bu sinesses of al l k ind s.
A n in tel lect ual ad venture in w h ich li ves are lo st and s aved and one s i m ple i dea
makes a t remend ou s d i fference, The Chec k li st Mani f esto i s es sent ial readi ng f o r
anyo ne work ing to get things r ight.
A bout At ul Gawande
At ul Gawande, MD, MPH, i s a surgeon, w r i ter, and pu bli c health researc her. He
p ract ices general and endocr ine surger y at Br i gham and Women’s Ho s p i tal and i s
p ro fesso r in both the Depar tment of Health Poli c y and Management at the Har vard
S c hool of Publ ic Heal th and the Depar tment of Su rger y at Har vard Medi cal S c hool .
He i s E xecut ive Director of A r iad ne L ab s , a jo i nt center f or health s y stem s
i n novat io n , and Cha ir man of L i f eb ox , a nonp rofi t organi zat i on mak i ng su rger y s af er
gl obal ly.
At ul has been a sta ff w r iter f or The New Yorker magazi ne s i nce 1 9 9 8 and has w r i tten
t h ree New York Times b estsel l er s : Com pli cat i ons , a fi nali st f or the Nat i onal Book
Award in 2002; Better, one of the 10 best book s of 2 0 0 7 by A mazon.com ; and The
Check li st Mani festo. He ha s won t wo Nat i onal Magazi ne Award s , AcademyHealth’s
Impact Award for highest research i m pac t on healthcare, a Mac A r thu r Fel low shi p,
and t he L ew i s Thoma s Award f or w r i t i ng abou t sc i ence. Hi s latest book i s Be i ng
Mor tal : Medic ine and W hat Matter s in the End .
S ou rce : Com p i l ed f rom the Inter net
15
Movie Mania
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Movie Mania
If you haven't had a brush with the Indian
legal system, you may picture courts with
lawyers who breathe fire and brimstone,
yelling "Milord!", "Tareeq pe tareeq!" or
"This whole trial is out of order!"
28-year-old director Chaitanya Tamhane's
National Award-winning Marathi film
Court is the antithesis of the typical
Bollywood and Hollywood courtroom
dramas that we were raised on.
Here a female prosecution lawyer dryly
wishes that a defendant could be thrown
into jail for the next 20 years, just because
she cannot bear to see the "same boring
faces again and again" during the trial.
The case being discussed is of Dalit
protest-poet Narayan Kamble (Veera
Sathidar) who is accused of inciting a
manhole worker to commit suicide
through his lyrics. Tamhane, making one of
the most assured debuts we've seen in
recent times, takes an observant
approach; it's obvious that this is an
open-and-shut-case.
Yet
Kamble
languishes in prison under trumped up
charges while his case is debated before a
judge, month after month.
'Court' review: The film is a biting
commentary on society
Court is a film that offers a wealth of
meaning.
Vinay Vora (Vivek Gomber), an activist
lawyer arguing for Kamble, is often baffled
at how ridiculous the charges are. You can
almost picture him biting back
exasperation at the system, yet he
patiently soldiers on to get Kamble out of
jail. Meanwhile, prosecution lawyer
Sharmila Pawar (Gitanjali Kulkarni)
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Movie Mania
approaches the case propped by outdated law books than by any cool logic. This courtroom troika is completed
by Judge Sadavarte (Pradeep Joshi), more obsessed in court procedure and his supreme power as a decider of
fates than in dispensing any real justice.
There is Kafkaesque absurdity and black humor mixed in the proceedings as witnesses fail to show up, or when
an archaic Victorian law is delivered by rote by the prosecution lawyer. In the corner of one frame, you see a
lawyer catching a nap. So often you wonder, "Is this for real?"
The beauty of Tamhane's film lies in the fact that it is so real. Court is a biting commentary on society, a wry
fly-on-the-wall take on the farcical way in which our judicial system and its antiquated laws decide the fate of
our people. The lead performers cease to act, and just let their characters breathe through this subtle script. It is
how Tamhane tells his story that we are drawn in - occasionally choosing to strip the characters of their day jobs
and taking us into their lives.
Vinay is wealthy by birth, a fact established through scenes of jazz-filled evenings and supermarket outings
where he lazily picks up wine and slabs of cheese. Is it then that he can afford to have compassion and fight for
the oppressed, because of his privileged background? What of the middle-class Sharmila, who takes a local
train, picks up her son from a crèche, cooks dinner that the family consumes before the TV and painstakingly
writes out her argument for the next day? Can she afford any compassion, caught in the rigor of her tough life?
Tamhane leaves us with uncomfortable questions, compounded through the life of Judge Sadavarte. He's seen
letting his hair down at a picnic in a beach resort, but later he dispenses advice mixed up with the superstition
of numerology and lucky stones.
Court is a film that offers a wealth of meaning. The drama unfolds languidly, often taking on the somnolent
nature of the lower courts, and the camera observes from afar, holding a scene until we absorb it. Moments stay
with you, like that desperately poignant bit where the manhole worker's widow talks of her dead husband in a
monotone, or when she politely refuses to take money from Vora and asks for work instead. There's the
humorous outburst that Vora has with his parents, furious when they casually discuss his single status with a
client. Typical - the strange embarrassment that only parents can bring you.
Tamhane's film excels in revealing these terrific vignettes of life, and in the process it ends up moving you. The
film allows us to judge, and yet, suggests that we don't judge too much - after all, this is life with all its
complexities and everyone is human.
Source: Rajeev Masand, CNN-IBN
18
Travel Bug
Malvan
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Travel Bug
Summer had just begun. We were in the middle of the
season when we chanced upon an opportunity to
escape the concrete jungle for a few days in the lap of
nature.
When the idea of a trip to Malvan and Tarkarli was
broached by our friends – Shraddha Karanjekar and
Ajay Mayekar - we decided to make the most of the
holiday from April 2 to April 5 by visiting these popular
destinations.
We - Shraddha Karanjekar (MIS), Aparna Gambhirrao
(Group Activity), Namrata Pai (Group Activity), Mohan
Pothhu (MIS), Anand Mulik (Institutional Equities)
embarked on our four-day vacation on 1st April,
2015, ably led by Ajay Mayekar (MIS).
Although we boarded the Rajyarani Express train post
midnight, 12.05 am to be precise, we were too
energetic to retire to bed. Instead, we indulged in
card games and dumb charades and a host of other
fun activities oblivious to the crawling dawn ahead of
us.
What an amazing journey it was! The train snaked
through beautiful locales of Ratnagiri, Vaibhavwadi,
Kankavli and Sindhudurga. We alighted at Oras
station in Sindhudurg.
It must have been around 10.30 am when we
alighted at Oras station. And we headed to a beautiful
cottage belonging to our colleague and friend
Shraddha. Nestled amidst swaying coconut palms and
lush greenery, the cottage was a sight to behold.
After resting for a while, we started out for Chivla
beach, a favourite among locals. The pristine beach
stretching as far as 1.5 km is ideal for an evening
stroll. On the left are government rest houses and tiny
rocks jut out on the right closer to the beach.
The fishing community resides close by. Early in the
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Travel Bug
morning or in the evening, one can see fishermen
returning in small boats with their catch.
Since time permitted, we also made a quick visit to
the Rock Garden, one of the famous destinations in
Malvan.
The next morning, on 3rd April, we experienced live
fish auction right at the beach. During an auction, the
catch in sold to the highest bidder who then retails it
by pocketing a decent profit.
Not to miss the chance, we decided to buy fresh fish
directly from the local fisherfolk. We settled for King
Fish (Surmai) and Prawns (Jhinga), which were
deliciously prepared by Shraddhaʼs mum and, hence,
we have given Mrs Karanjekar the title of ʻMaster
Chefʼ for rustling up culinary delights for us.
After a hearty meal, we visited Sindhudurga fort. We
reached this sea fort by boat. The fort gets its name
from the region Sindhudurga. This fortress stands on
a rocky island, known as Kurte, barely a km, from
Malvan. It is said that Sindhudurga fort was built from
rocks on the Kurte island. No wonder Sindhudurga
fort is a testimony to the vision and foresight of
Maratha warrior king Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and
is a fine example of the engineering prowess of the
Marathas.
In the afternoon some of our friends enjoyed scuba
diving, while we regaled ourselves by clicking
amazing pictures. That evening, we headed towards
Tarkarli beach and enjoyed parachute ride, camel
ride. We also played throw-ball and had ice-golas on
the beach and did a lot of masti before calling it a day.
Finally, it was time to head back to Mumbai. As we
bade goodbye, we brought along with us fond
memories of our short, yet sweet trip. We hope that
we will visit these places sometime soon in the near
future.
21
Travel Bug
22
Body and Soul
23
Body and Soul
Itʼs surprising how easy it is to lose sight of the important things in life. Busy schedules and
weekly routines have a tendency to put the brain on autopilot.
Some of lifeʼs essential truths need repeating. Keep this list handy and give it a read any
time you need a boost.
1. BEING BUSY DOES NOT EQUAL BEING PRODUCTIVE
Look at everyone around you. They all seem so busy—running from meeting to meeting
and firing off emails. Yet how many of them are really producing, really succeeding at a
high level?
Success doesnʼt come from movement and activity. It comes from focus—from ensuring
that your time is used efficiently and productively.
You get the same number of hours in the day as everyone else. Use yours wisely. After all,
youʼre the product of your output, not your effort. Make certain your efforts are dedicated
to tasks that get results.
2. GREAT SUCCESS IS OFTEN PRECEDED BY FAILURE
You will never experience true success until you learn to embrace failure. Your mistakes
pave the way for you to succeed by revealing when youʼre on the wrong path.
The biggest breakthroughs typically come when youʼre feeling the most frustrated and the
most stuck. Itʼs this frustration that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box
and see the solution that youʼve been missing.
Success takes patience and the ability to maintain a good attitude even while suffering for
what you believe in.
3. FEAR IS THE #1 SOURCE OF REGRET
When itʼs all said and done, you will lament the chances you didnʼt take far more than you
will your failures. Donʼt be afraid to take risks.
I often hear people say, “Whatʼs the worst thing that can happen to you? Will it kill you?”
Yet, death isnʼt the worst thing that can happen to you.
The worst thing that can happen to you is allowing yourself to die inside while youʼre still
alive.
4. YOUR SELF-WORTH MUST COME FROM WITHIN
When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself to
others, you are no longer the master of your own destiny. When you feel good about
something that youʼve done, donʼt allow anyoneʼs opinions or accomplishments to take
that away from you.
While itʼs impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you donʼt have
to compare yourself to others, and you can always take peopleʼs opinions with a grain of
salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes
24
Body and Soul
from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is
certain—youʼre never as good or bad as they say you are.
5. YOU'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS THOSE YOU ASSOCIATE WITH
You should strive to surround yourself with people who inspire you, people who make you
want to be better. And you probably do. But what about the people who drag you down?
Why do you allow them to be a part of your life?
Anyone who makes you feel worthless, anxious, or uninspired is wasting your time and,
quite possibly, making you more like them. Life is too short to associate with people like
this. Cut them loose.
6. LIFE IS SHORT
None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Yet, when someone dies unexpectedly it causes us
to take stock of our own life: whatʼs really important, how we spend our time, and how we
treat other people.
Loss is a raw, visceral reminder of the frailty of life. It shouldnʼt be.
Remind yourself every morning when you wake up that each day is a gift and youʼre bound
to make the most of the blessing youʼve been given. The moment you start acting like life
is a blessing is the moment it will start acting like one.
After all, a great day begins with a great mindset.
7. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN APOLOGY TO FORGIVE
Life goes a lot smoother once you let go of grudges and forgive even those who never said
they were sorry. Grudges let negative events from your past ruin todayʼs happiness. Hate
and anger are emotional parasites that destroy your joy in life.
The negative emotions that come with holding on to a grudge create a stress response in
your body, and holding on to stress can have devastating health consequences.
Researchers at Emory University have shown that holding on to stress contributes to high
blood pressure and heart disease.
When you forgive someone, it doesnʼt condone their actions; it simply frees you from being
their eternal victim.
8. YOU'RE LIVING THE LIFE YOU'VE CREATED
You are not a victim of circumstance. No one can force you to make decisions and take
actions that run contrary to your values and aspirations.
The circumstances youʼre living in today are your own—you created them. Likewise, your
future is entirely up to you. If youʼre feeling stuck, itʼs probably because youʼre afraid to
take the risks necessary to achieve your goals and live your dreams.
25
Body and Soul
When itʼs time to take action, remember that itʼs always better to be at the bottom of the
ladder you want to climb than at the top of one you donʼt.
9. LIVE IN THE MOMENT
You canʼt reach your full potential until you learn to live your life in the present.
No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future.
Itʼs impossible to be happy if youʼre constantly somewhere else, unable to fully embrace
the reality (good or bad) of this very moment.
To help yourself live in the moment, you must do two things:
1)
Accept your past. If you donʼt make peace with your past, it will never leave you
and, in doing so, it will create your future.
2)
Accept the uncertainty of the future. Worry has no place in the here and now. As
Mark Twain once said, “Worrying is like paying a debt you donʼt owe.”
10. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE - EMBRACE IT
Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an open mind
and open arms if youʼre going to recognize, and capitalize on, the opportunities that
change creates.
Youʼre bound to fail when you keep doing the same things you always have in the hope that
ignoring change will make it go away.
After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and
expecting a different result.
Life doesnʼt stop for anyone. When things are going well, appreciate them and enjoy them,
as they are bound to change. If you are always searching for something more, something
better, that you think is going to make you happy, youʼll never be present enough to enjoy
the great moments before theyʼre gone.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the #1 bestselling book,Emotional
Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world's leading provider of
emotional intelligence tests and training, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500
companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available
in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek,
BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal,
The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.
26
Foodie’s Delight
PACHADI
A fine blend of coconut, curd and pineapple combined with fiery chillies and spices
INGREDIENTS :
1/4 cup curd
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 to 4 whole red chillies
1 tsp green chillies
4 to 5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1 cup diced pineapple
2 tbsp coconut paste mixed with spices
and mustard oil
METHOD
• Heat oil in a pan and add some mustard seeds. Allow
them to pop.
• Add green chillies, red chillies, curry leaves and ginger.
• Now add pineapple and coconut paste.
• Cook for few minutes.
• Finally add curd.
• Mix well and serve.
27
Foodie’s Delight
AAM KI CHUTNEY
A nice and tangy side-dish made with mangoes, peppercorns, bay leaf, asafoetida
and cloves. Savour it with rice or spread it over sandwiches/rotis or simply use it as a
dip for snacks, this will come handy in most of your dishes.
INGREDIENTS :
1 kg raw mangoes-peeled and grated
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup salt
1/4 cup chilli powder
1 tbsp peppercorns powder
2 bay leaves
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tbsp cloves
An airtight sterilised jar
METHOD
• In a steel or a glass bowl, mix grated mango and sugar.
• Tie with a piece of muslin and keep in the sun, stirring twice a day for about 4
days.
• Mix salt, chilli powder, peppercorns and powdered garam masala and continue
sunning till the sugar dissolves.
• Transfer into a sterilized jar and store.
Source: cooks.ndtv.com
28
Techno Zone
Whether you're hitting the road or taking to the skies this travel season, you could do with a digital companion
to help you plan your itinerary, make sure your tickets and connections are all lined up, and that you have plenty
of time to do everything you want (or need) to do while you're travelling. This week, we're looking at five of the
best travel planning apps or services, based on your nominations.
Keep in mind we're talking about travel planning, not travel booking, so the apps that can help you find a good
deal and land a great price may not be the same apps as the ones that will show you all of your flight details,
make sure you'll make your connection, help you dig out your rental car confirmation number, and so on.
Without further ado, here's what is suggested, in no particular order.
29
Techno Zone
TripIt
TripIt is the type of app that almost needs no introduction.
When it comes to travel planning, it won't suggest
destinations for you, or help you plan the best possible
way to spend your time in town wherever you go, but
what TripIt does offer is a complete, hassle-free way to
combine all of your travel confirmations, itineraries,
tickets, hotel bookings, rental car reservations, and the
rest in one simple view. That view then becomes the
central hub for all of your travel needs-no more fishing for
a confirmation email to get your reservation number, or
wondering what flight number you're on before you check
in; it's all right there, and it's all incredibly handy. It'll even let you know if there's a better seat on your flight so
you can switch to it. As someone who uses TripIt when he travels, I wouldn't leave home without it.
We covered TripIt when it launched, and we've mentioned it several times since then. Those of you who praised
it in the call for contenders called out the fact that it's also easy to share trip plans with people who may need
to know where you are, like friends in town or loved ones picking you up from the airport, so they know what
flight you're on and when you'll arrive, or where you're staying and when. Sync it with your Google Calendar,
set up a few mail rules to push your travel confirmations to TripIt, and you have a custom built itinerary,
automatically, every time you travel.
TouristEye
TouristEye is a little different; instead of helping you
organize your trip or helping you find the best prices and
options for your trip, it helps you build a "wishlist" of
destinations where you'd like to travel and experiences
you'd like to have. It doesn't have to be as fancy as a
once-in-a-lifetime trip, either: the app is great for
planning your annual family vacation (if you get to take
one, that is), or if you want to just take a few day trips
here or there. Of course, you can build your bucket-list of
places you want to see before you die, and you can share that list with friends or family and collaborate with
them on them. They can add waypoints and things to check out in the area, specific things to do when you're
there, and together you can plan a trip together. Then, when you're on the road, you can look back over those
plans with detailed information, links, maps, and more.
Those of you who praised TouristEye highlighted the collaboration aspect of the service, and the fact that it's easy
to get ideas for trips of all sizes, find inspiration of places to go, or just read travel tips and suggestions from
other users. The service was recently purchased by Lonely Planet, which ideally is a good thing, and while the
service is coy about its features on its front page (it prompts you to just start planning trips), you can read more
about its features here.
30
Techno Zone
TripCase
Much like TripIt and WorldMate, TripCase is another
service that aims to centralize all of your travel
documentation and planning in one handy interface
that's easy to refer to both before you leave for your trip,
and on the go while you're out and about. TripCase gives
you an easy to use interface on your mobile devices to
add your flight, train, hotel, rental car, and other
information, or you can send all of your confirmations
directly over to TripCase and have them automatically
organized for you.
From there, you have the option to view your trip in the
timeline-based "itinerary" view, where you see each step
of your trip laid out in front of you along with relevant
times and places for each, or the "action" view, which
adds more detail for each step of the way and shows you important information for each leg, like flight alerts
and other notifications (flight alerts, which it should be noted, are free with TripCase.)
Those of you who highlighted TripCase noted the fact that it integrates nicely with corporate travel systems like
Sabre, and while it's a matter of opinion, said that it was easier to use than its alternatives. To its credit, TripCase
does make getting things like driving directions, alternate flights, and other on-the-fly travel info that you may
need in a pinch very easy at a time when it may be most frustrating to run down-when you're on the go and
using your phone.
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is the quintessential travel planning service.
It's not going to collect your travel information and help
you plan out each leg of your trip and when you need to
get where you have to go, but it will help you plan your
trip from the beginning, much like TouristEye (and unlike
TripIt, WorldMate, and TripCase.) Plus, since TripAdvisor is
arguably the web's largest repository of hotel and
destination reviews, ratings, photos, and other
information, it's difficult to use any of the other services
without finding TripAdvisor data integrated somewhere. If
you're headed to a hotel you've never stayed at, TripAdvisor is your best bet to see if there are amenities you
need, or if people who have stayed there before report horror stories in their wake. Similarly, it's a great site to
use to plan destination getaways, huge trips, or find resorts and other places you'd love to retreat to.
Those of you who praised TripAdvisor highlighted the fact that it's a fantastic resource for travellers of all stripes,
and the fact that it's great for finding new and interesting destinations as well as figuring out what to do when
31
Techno Zone
you're in a given place. Of course, if you know you want to go to a specific place but don't know how to get
there, where to stay, or what to do, TripAdvisor will help walk you through that process as well. Just tell it where
you want to go and when, and it'll help you find hotel rooms, flights, and so on. It'll even keep all of those
confirmations organized in your account for easy reference later. It is, by and large, the default service to answer
the question: "I'd like to go to X place, I wonder what I should do while I'm there." Plus, it's packed with travel
tips and tricks from experts, business travellers, and enthusiasts.
WorldMate
WorldMate is aimed firmly at business and frequent
travellers, but you don't have to be one to use and make
the most of the app. Like other robust travel planning and
organization tools, you can use it to get all of your
itineraries and reservations in one place, and then add
other destinations, appointments, meetings, and events
that you need to attend when you're out and about.
WorldMate has some very business-friendly service
integrations too, like LinkedIn, for example. You can use
WorldMate on the web or on your smartphone to
organize your trips, and you can either use their TripCatch service to automatically pull in your travel info, or you
can send it over piecemeal, whichever you prefer.
One useful feature that WorldMate offers above some of the other tools like it are its automatic travel briefings
and alerts; or notifications when there's something you should know about the place you're going, your
scheduled events for the day, connecting flight information (as soon as you land), and so on. Paying users get
features like flight status alerts. Everyone gets some other useful features, like a real-time currency converter,
weather forecasts for your destination (or each leg of your trip), world clocks, and more.
There you have it! Each app is a little different from the others, and they all have their own strengths, but as
always, only one can be the community favourite.
Source: Alan Henry , Gawker Media
32
Best Employee
Mumbai (Malad)
Name: MK Varghese
Designation: Manager
Department: DP
Associated With Nirmal Bang Since: June 1994
Criteria For Selection: He is sincere, hardworking and takes up new responsibilities
Mumbai (Malad)
Name: Trupti Mirkute
Designation: Sr Executive
Department: KYC
Associated With Nirmal Bang Since: January 2015
Criteria For Selection: She is sincere, hardworking and takes up new responsibilities
Pune
Name: Abhishek Gadekar
Designation: Equity Manager
Department: Equity
Associated With Nirmal Bang Since: March 2013
Criteria For Selection: He has been a consistent performer and has been
selected for winning 2nd position in the ‘Holi Contest’ for equities.
33
Fabulous Forwards
Never give up, pursue
your passion!
It s a story that Harsha Bhogle, India s most loved cricket
commentator, loves to tell, over and over again. Making his debut in
Test cricket for Sri Lanka, Marvan scored a duck in his first innings.
And again, in his second innings.
They dropped him. So he went back to the nets for more practice.
More first-class cricket. More runs. Waiting for that elusive call. And
after twenty-one months, he got a second chance.
This time, he tried harder. His scores: 0 in the first innings, 1 in the
second. Dropped again, he went back to the grind. And scored tonnes
of runs in first-class cricket. Runs that seemed inadequate to erase the
painful memories of the Test failures. Well, seventeen months later,
opportunity knocked yet again. Marvan got to bat in both innings of
the Test. His scores: 0 and 0. Phew!
Back to the grind. Would the selectors ever give him another chance?
They said he lacked big-match temperament. His technique wasn t
good enough at the highest level. Undaunted, Marvan kept trying.
Three years later, he got another chance. This time, he made runs. He
came good. And in an illustrious career thereafter, Marvan went on to
score over 5000 runs for Sri Lanka. That included sixteen centuries
and six double hundreds. And he went on to captain his country. All
this despite taking over six years to score his second run in Test
cricket.
How many of us can handle failure as well as he did? Six years of
trying, and failing. He must have been tempted to pursue another
career. Change his sport perhaps. Play county cricket. Or, oh well, just
give up. But he didn t. And that made the difference.
We all hear stories of talented people who gave up before their potential was realized. People who changed jobs and
careers when success seemed elusive.
34
Word Play
Oxymorons are figures of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined in order to
create a symbolic effect by paradoxical means. The word oxymoron is derived from Greek words
oxys = sharp/keen and moros = foolish. Oxymorons are extremely useful in written English
because they can make effective titles, add dramatic effect, add flavour to speech, and can
sometimes be used to achieve a comedic effect.
Here are 5 examples of oxymorons in sentences. In each example, the oxymoron is underlined.
1.
Suddenly the room filled with a deafening silence.
2.
The comedian was seriously funny.
3.
You are clearly confused by the situation you have found yourself in.
4.
His new girlfriend really is pretty ugly.
5.
I let out a silent scream as the cat walked through the door carrying a dead bird.
35
Quizzical
Quizzical - 33
Which is the odd one out ?
B
A
C
D
E
Hey guys, thank you for a stupendous response to the previous quiz. Now get ready for the next round of quizzical. Answer the
question mentioned above along with the reason and win the cash prize. So, put on your thinking caps and send us your
answers on or before Friday, 15th May, 2015.
Two entries will win a cash prize of `500 each.
Hurry!!! Mail your answer to [email protected].
*The winners will be chosen on a random basis.
36
Quizzical
Answer of Quizzical – 32
Answer
54
.
.
3
.
.
9
=
2
The lucky winners of Quizzical - 32 are:
Sheetal Divkar (Lower Parel) and Hiral Mehta (Lower Parel)
37
Our Team
Harshad B Pawar
Kiran V Uchil
Dwiti Bhuta
Disclaimer: This newsletter has been prepared solely for the employees of The Nirmal Bang Group. The information is prepared on the basis of information available on the Internet and sources have been attributed wherever necessary. Moreover, the information
mentioned herein is meant for general reading purpose and not to serve as a professional guide.