Thursday 28 November 2019

Tara to Meet With a Serious Accident on Tera Kya Hoga Alia


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Sony SAB’s fresh romantic comedy Tera Kya Hoga Alia has kept its audience hooked to the television screens with new and unexpected twists and turns, revolving around the lives of Alia (Anusha Mishra), Alok (Harshad Arora) and Tara (Priyanka Purohit). This light hearted family entertainer of Sony SAB is about to take a rather serious turn where Tara meets with a life threatening accident.
After getting Alok and Tara engaged to one another, Alia finds out that she won’t die and her life comes crashing down as her own misunderstanding led to Alok and Tara coming close to each other. After learning the truth about her death, Alia confronts Tara to break the engagement and in a shocking turn of events, Tara refuses to and confesses that she wants to be with Alok.
A distraught Alia is now determined to break Alok and Tara’s marriage. While Alia starts plotting against creating a bad image of Tara in front of Alok, a tragic turn of event changes the entire course of the story. Tara meets with an accident that gravely affects her memory.
Will Tara be okay? Has Tara lost all her memory? What will this mean for Alia?
Anusha Mishra, essaying the role of Alia said that Alia is stunned that her own misunderstanding has led to her giving up her husband to Tara. There is no way she is going to give up on Alok and is determined to remove Tara from his life. The upcoming episodes will give the audience a sneak peek into Alia’s mischievous side and how she deals with Tara’s accident. Battle between the damsels is on! It will be interesting to watch if Alia will be able to break Tara and Alok’s engagement or not.
Priyanka Purohit, essaying the role of Tara said that Tara is in love with Alok and now that they are engaged, she doesn’t want to give up. Tara so far has agreed to Alia’s wishes and demands but not anymore. In a shocking turn of events, Tara meets with an accident and the situation is critical. The episodes further bring a jaw dropping twist for our viewers and she is sure they couldn’t see it coming. Let the war begin.

Zomaland is Coming to Chandigarh This Weekend


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Zomato is hosting its blockbuster food carnival, Toyota Zomaland, in Chandigarh this weekend - 30th November & 1st December at the Courtyard, Elante Mall.
Toyota Zomaland is a 2-day carnival and will feature 200+ dishes from 20+ Chandigarh’s most celebrated restaurants. The participating restaurants include Baba’s Chicken, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Peddlers, and Tucker House among others. 
Attendees will be able to enjoy 10 power-packed live performances including stand-up comedy acts across the two days:  Excited about Zomaland in Chandigarh, Chaitanya Mathur, Global Head-Events, Zomato, said that Zomato is known to offer first-of-its-kind food experiences. Our desire to build the carnival experience for our users in Chandigarh was reinforced by all the requests we receive from our incredible Chandigarh user base as well as restaurants partners to bring Zomaland to their city. Attendees can expect two days of mouth-watering food, incredible music, games and an unforgettable vibe with some of India’s finest artists.
 This year, Zomaland has received immense support from partner brands including Toyota who are the presenting partners for this complete season. Co-partners TikTok and music partner Jio Saavn will host performances at ‘Zomato Arena’  where India’s most loved comedians and music artists will entertain attendees. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will bring a flavour of Singapore food and immersive games through a Singapore Zone. 
Zomaland will be perfect for a day out with friends and family with stunning attractions, photo opportunities and games for all ages, along with the city’s best food and scintillating performances under one roof.

Motia Group Launches Commercial Project-Motia Guildford Square in Zirakpur


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Motia Group-a Punjab based real estate developer announced the launch of its commercial project- Motia Guildford square today at Chandigarh Press Club. The commercial project spreads over an area of 3.75 acres at Airport road in Zirakpur and will offer spaces of sizes 1440 sq. ft and 230 sq. ft., double height showrooms on the ground floor which stand tall at 23.5 feet height and rooftop dining.
The group is likely to invest Rs 225 crore in the project lending the most attractive buying and leasing offers. The prodigious commercial project will cater to the needs of every vertical by offering ideal destinations for a workplace, shopping, dining, entertainment and strolling.
Located at the fastest developing area of Tricity, near Chandigarh International airport, the project promises numerous business opportunities along with providing high rental value. With improved connectivity and 24/7 operationally Chandigarh International Airport with added destinations, the demand for commercial spaces is increasing in the region, particularly in Zirakpur which is attracting investors from entire north India along with significant NRI investment.
While talking about the project L.C. Mittal, Director of Motia Group said that the commercial real estate sector of Tricity is witnessing the rise like never before. We are happy to add this exciting new project to our development portfolio. With growing needs of people and rising population of Zirakpur, We at Motia Guildford Square are providing a one stop destination for all the commercial and entertainment needs of the people.
Starting its journey from 2005, Motia Group has delivered multiple residential projects - Motia Heights, Royal Fame, Motia Citi, Motia'z Royal Citi in Punjab. In commercial segment the group has delivered Motia Plaza in Himachal Pradesh and High Street in Punjab. The ongoing projects by the group include Royal Business Park which is commercial project on Chandigarh-Ambala highway and Motia Huys which is residential project in Peermuchalla along with few more projects in the pipeline.

Metabolic Surgery: New Ray of Hope for Diabetic Patients


By Tricitynews
Jalandhar 28th November:- The World Obesity Federation recognizes obesity as a "chronic, relapsing, progressive disease process, associated with co morbidities such as diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and infertility.”A recent study also linked morbid obesity to 13 types of cancer. Though India has historically battled malnutrition, the number of obese people in the country has doubled in the last ten years – and this trend is pronounced in urban areas. In Punjab, more than one-third of the population is obese – and this proportion is higher in women, of whom an astounding 37% are obese! India is the 3rd most obese nation with more than 13.5 cr people suffering from Obesity, surpassed only by China and the US.
Dr Gurvinder Singh Jammu, Director and Head Department of Surgery, Jammu Hospital, Jalandhar while interacting with media persons, here in Jalandhar explained that  why obesity should not be taken lightly. He said that Obesity is a complex disease that can impact the physical, mental and socio-economic well-being of the individual. In my clinical experience, obesity in women is associated with depression. This can fuel a vicious cycle – if you don’t feel good, you eat comfort food. Unfortunately, the impact is not only devastating for the individual but also for their personal life – increasingly, obese patients are reporting marital problems that even lead to divorce.
Urbanization often leads to sedentary lifestyles with decreased levels of physical activity and higher consumption of sugary and fatty food – all of which can contribute to rising levels of obesity. Dr. G S Jammu added that the most common cause of rising incidence of obesity in Punjab is sedentary life style and social habits that lead to frequent dining out. There is an increasing tendency to eat junk food or overeat at buffets. Usually these large meals are accompanied by high alcohol consumption. Having said that, obesity is a multifactorial disease and can run in families due to genetic factors. Such families should take extreme care in their lifestyle and dietary habits.
Obesity can also affect children. Dr. G S Jammu stressed that childhood obesity is a growing problem, Lack of outdoor activities can fuel childhood obesity. These days, children are given mobile phones and laptops which they may find more entertaining than playing outside. Not only does this lead to the risk of obesity, but also to Vitamin D deficiency – which is a risk factor for both obesity and diabetes.
Despite the consequences of leaving obesity untreated, obese patients do not always consult a medical professional. Dr. G S Jammu observed that in the Indian scenario, more than 60% of individuals wait more than 6-10 years to seek out medically sound weight-loss procedures. Usually such patients are diagnosed with two or more co morbidities, such as diabetes. In my practice, He has observed a rapid rise in the incidence of infertility, depression, NAFLD, kidney failure, cancers, sleep apnea and heart attacks in patients.
Obesity treatment plans aim to limit weight gain, and eventually help patients reach and stay at a healthy weight. Treatment plans usually include diet and lifestyle recommendations, medications and bariatric surgery for eligible patients. Dr. G S Jammu explained that when obesity is treated effectively, many co morbid diseases also show improvement. For instance, bariatric surgery is proven to help control Type 2 Diabetes in obese patients and other co morbidities, which helps reduce mortality.
Dr. G S Jammu pointed out that patients can proactively consult a physician to understand whether they are eligible for bariatric surgery – before problems develop, most patients seek bariatric consultation when they develop Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or when they are refused a knee replacement surgery by an orthopaedician. But with increasing awareness about the role bariatric surgery can play in controlling obesity and diabetes, patients can proactively seek medical advice before their conditions worsen. Once there is a steady and uncontrolled weight gain, it is best to consult a medical expert who can help identify the cause and advise corrective measures.
Dr. G S Jammu  added that Worldwide, of the four million deaths attributed to excess body weight in 2015, nearly 40% occurred among those whose body mass index (BMI) was above the threshold of obesity, i.e., 30 or above. Stigma associated with Obesity leads to patients not seeking the right treatment and blaming themselves for the condition, obesity is a Disease which needs treatment by obesity specialist, and government is also taking it seriously and taking strong steps to halt the increasing incidence. The National Multisectoral Action Plan for prevention and control of common NCDs. NMF. National Monitoring Framework Ayushman Bharat and Fit India Moment are namely the main ones.

CII’s 14th Surface Coating Show Focused on Development & Sustainability in Paints and Coating Technology


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Indian Paint & Coating Industry has to gear up, not only to domestic, but also to cater global competition in terms of product range, quality and pricing” said, Sameer Gupta, Chairman, CII Northern Region & CMD, Jakson Group while addressing the 14th edition of CII India Surface Coating Show 2019–an international conference cum exposition on Surface Coating Technology held today in New Delhi. He further said, with Paint and Coating industry becoming increasingly competitive, there has been a dramatic change in the area of quality, cost, delivery, service as well as an enhanced awareness about safety and environmental concerns. In this highly challenging global marketplace, the key driver of the future will be the ability to innovate – whether it be technology, process, plant, equipment or facilities, to sustain and develop market position.
In his remarks, Ramesh C Jain, Chairman, India Surface Coating Show 2019 said that the Paints & Coating Industry is robust & dynamic, and has grown to become a major contributor to Indian economy and we are on the threshold of transition from the rigor of practical pursuits to the intensity of business world. The Indian Paint Industry is valued at around INR 50,000 crores and is poised to grow at a healthy rate, expected to reach around INR 70,000 crore by 2021-22. There is a strong co-relation between the Indian Paint Industry and the GDP growth of the Country. It has surpassed India’s GDP growth by 1.5 to 2 times.
Dana Morgan, Advisor, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said India will play a much larger role in advancing the technology in coming future. He further said that China & India expected to become the world’s largest economies in the next 30yrs. He opined India needs to change their image from low quality to high quality.
Michael Berger, Managing Director, Durr India Private Ltd said that with the sustainable technologies usage in paint shop, we can save our motherland by reducing the VOC’s, improving the process efficiency & by reducing the wastages. He also added that the sustainable technologies are very well available but it’s up to the users to carefully look in to that & select them. He has also introduced the “Paint shop of the future” concept which is sustainable, scalable & Flexible.
Coinciding with the Conference, a focused exposition showcasing the latest technologies in the field Surface Coating were also organized. The event witnessed international speakers from various countries like US; Germany; U.K. China; Japan; France and Switzerland to share their experience on the various facets of Sustainability in Paints & Coating Technology. The event was well attended by over 500 delegates.

CarDekho Group Forays into Philippines Acquires Carmudi: Expands Footprint in Southeast Asia


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- In yet another strategic move, Jaipur headquartered CarDekho group, India’s leading full-stack auto-tech company, which owns and operates India’s largest auto sites CarDekho.com, Gaadi.com, ZigWheels.com, Powerdrift.com, BikeDekho.com and OTO.com in Indonesia has expanded its global footprint by acquiring Carmudi, an online car classifieds site in the Philippines. Launched in 2013, Carmudi is the leading new auto player in the Philippines.
 Philippines is the 2nd Southeast Asian country where Cardekho Group has started its operations. In 2016 CarDekho green-fielded its Indonesia operations under the brand name OTO.com, which has since become the number one new auto portal in the country. The acquisition is aligned with CarDekho’s business strategy to expand and fortify its footprint across Southeast Asia. Carmudi has a commanding presence in Philippines, with a robust recall value and sturdy lead generation. With Carmudi and CarDekho coming together and working towards digitalizing the entire auto ecosystem, Philippine’s automotive industry is expected to witness its next disruption.
CarDekho has been a disruptor in the Indian automotive space. The company’s unique ecosystem engages with consumers throughout their car-buying journey with its different transaction models at one platform. In Philippines too, CarDekho will aggressively focus on building up and digitizing the ecosystem and offer end to end solutions to both new and used car buyers.
Leading CarDekho Group’s global expansion, Umang Kumar, Co-Founder and President, CarDekho group said that we are excited to expand our international footprint and invest in the new region. Phillipines underlying macro fundamentals make it an extremely promising market. The market demand for new PVs in Philippines has grown at a CAGR of 14 % during 2014-2018 with new car sales crossing 3, 80,000 units in 2018. We see this growth as a big opportunity to digitize the Philippines auto ecosystem and engage with consumers throughout their online car buying journey. Our strong ecosystem play has made us a leader in India and Indonesia. And now we are expecting the same for Philippines.
 Cholo Syquia, country head, Carmudi Philippines said that CarDekho, a leading full-stack auto tech company backing us will help us in further strengthening our position in this region. This means added enhancements in technology, processes, and platform resulting in great user experience. Carmudi is already known for quality listings, powerful search, and one-stop convenience but the collaboration with CarDekho will enable us to digitalize and simplify the entire auto ecosystem.
All car and motorcycle manufacturers in India engage with CarDekho, accounting for 15-30% of some of its partner manufacturers’ annual sales. CarDekho also works actively with over 4,000 new auto dealerships and 3,000 used car dealers across India, influencing more than 42% of the retail sales happening through their counters. In addition, it works in collaboration with more than 10 financial institutions and 18 insurance companies across the country to facilitate used car financing and insurance to provide a seamless experience for both buyers and sellers. The company recently announced its H1 results for FY 19-20. The overall revenue of the company achieved a YOY growth of 92% over the first half of the last fiscal year and stood at $28 million. Despite the slowdown in new auto sales across the country, the company’s New Auto business segment posted a significant growth of 30%. Its Insurance and Warranty business grew by 525%, Used Cars business by 120% and Financial Services business by 135% respectively.

Team Silent Heroes Lifts 5th Usha Divyang Cricket League 2019 Trophy: Harshal Yadav Awarded Man of the Match and Man of the Series


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Team Silent Heroes emerged victorious and lifted the 5th Usha Divyang Cricket League 2019 trophy by beating team Beas XI in the finals. Supported by Usha International, one of India’s leading consumer durables company, this sporting event was organized by the All India Cricket Association for the Deaf (AICAD) and Deaf Cricket Federation.
In the finals, played earlier today, Silent Heroes won the toss and chose to bat. Harshal Yadav from Silent Heroes played a fabulous innings of 119 runs (not out) and helped his team reach a total of 181 runs in 20 overs. Surinder from Beas XI took 3 wickets in 4 overs. Chasing the target, Ravinder from Beas XI scored 11 runs in 9 balls. Harshal from Silent Heroes also took 4 wickets in 4 overs leading his team to victory. Harshal Yadav was selected as the Man of the Match and the Man of the Series. K.K. Yadav, Secretary Sports, UT Administration, and Saurabh Baishakhia, President–Appliances, Usha International, graced the closing ceremony as chief guests and gave away the prizes.
The 5th Usha Divyang Cricket League was a three-day tournament, played between 26th and 28th November 2019. In its 5th edition, the League included participation from four wheelchair cricket teams, two visually impaired teams, along with eight hearing impaired cricket teams with players from across the country. This year officials from USA, UK, Korea and Germany also attended the event in order sign up for their players to participate in the next edition of the League.
Addressing the audience at the closing ceremony, Komal Mehra, Head – Sports Initiatives and Associations at Usha International, said that the spirit and energy he has seen here today is inspiring and infectious. All the players displayed true sportsmanship. Events like this that make us, at Usha, continue staying invested and support initiatives that provide a platform to ensure inclusion in sports. Sporting events such as this align perfectly with the Usha brand ethos of “play” promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.
Padam Passi, CEO, All India Cricket Association of Deaf said that we are delighted to see such great participation and highly competitive spirit amongst the teams. We are optimistic that this kind of league will evoke more interest and set a platform for the upcoming players. We are grateful to Usha for their continued support since inception and we look forward to growing in our journey in making this platform bigger and better in the future.
The names of the teams that participated in the 5th Usha Divyang Cricket League 2019 are Silent heroes XI, Deaf Warriors, Satluj, Chenab, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum and Aicad XI. Many of the participating players have also represented India as a part of the Indian Deaf cricket team and various other international tournaments.

PAYBACK India Strengthens Travel Portfolio by Partnership with Online Travel Giant Cleartrip


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- PAYBACK India, the country’s largest multi-brand loyalty program, as part of enhancing its ecosystem in the travel industry, has entered into partnership with Cleartrip, the leading travel tech organisation in India and the Middle-East. Redefining the archaic loyalty experience for travelers who otherwise face limitations with stand-alone loyalty memberships, Cleartrip is taking its rewards offerings to next level by empowering customers with choice and exclusive benefits via multi-brand loyalty platform, PAYBACK.
The partnership will give Cleartrip access to PAYBACK’s 100 million+ member base for flight bookings and for PAYBACK members, Cleartrip will be a new major partner to earn & redeem points. Both companies have a customer-first approach and this strategic tie-up strengthens it even further.
Commenting on the association, Rijish Raghavan, Chief Operating Officer, PAYBACK India, said that with Cleartrip, a leading online travel player on board, PAYBACK has deepened its footprint in the travel industry. Travel has been an important category for PAYBACK members and a focused business vertical for us. This partnership will help further our objective of providing members another major avenue to accelerate accumulation of PAYBACK Points and give a seamless rewarding travel experience.
Cleartrip will leverage this partnership to incentivize app users by offering added benefits. The app users will receive 3X rewards as compared to website users. For instance, if a user transacting on Cleartrip website earns 1 PAYBACK Point on every INR 100 spent, an app user will be rewarded 3 PAYBACK points. Cleartrip’s loyal customer base will also get access to promotional offers over & above PAYBACK points.
Speaking on the partnership, Ashish Dhruva, Head of Marketing, Cleartrip, said that we’ve always had a strategic approach to loyalty at Cleartrip. We are delighted to associate with PAYBACK India to enable their members to earn and redeem PAYBACK points seamlessly on our platform. While building this program we will stay true to our core philosophy of simplicity and ensure a frictionless experience for PAYBACK members.
Cleartrip will also leverage customer insights collated by PAYBACK to facilitate upselling, cross-selling, new customer acquisition and retention. In phase two - the earn and redeem program of PAYBACK will also open for the Hotels Booking category in December this year.
PAYBACK India has been focusing on the travel & tourism sector for some time now and been looking for key partners to build an entire ecosystem. With the holiday season approaching, PAYBACK members can enjoy great deals by earning and redeeming points. 

Mrs Chandigarh A Woman of Substance Grand Finale on Jan 12: Auditions in Panchkula on Dec 8


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Neha Julka Arora, the brain behind Mrs. Chandigarh- A Woman of Substance and founder of Bombshell Creations under whose banner, the Beauty Pageant is being held and who is also winner of the title Mrs. Punjab- Pride of Nation 2016, along-with Dr.Ranjana Garg the 2nd runner up of Mrs Chandigarh - A Woman of Substance season 1, formally announced the opening of registrations for season 2 of Mrs Chandigarh-A Woman of Substance.  
Details of the upcoming pageant for married women were shared at a press conference held at MOBE, Elante here, where the beautiful crowns of the pageant were also unveiled. MOBE Elante is the event promoter and the venue partner of the pageant. Apart from Neha & Dr Ranjana many other experts associated with the event attended the press meet. These included–Mohita Saxena, founder of Chandigarh Mom Tribe, tricity’s first motherhood community, who will be social media mentor of the pageant, Megha Chadha Marwah a fashion designer by profession who will be one of the costume and styling experts in the event, Honey Grewal, founder of Soul Grounding, who will be the meditation and spiritual healing mentor of the event, and Sonia Kaushik, founder of Sonia’s Wellness Clinic, who will be the diet & wellness mentor. Abhishek Gagneja , founder- Ultimate Fitness Gyms, which is fitness partner  of the event also participated. It is noteworthy that Paul Merchants Ltd which is the event’s partner and is offering a 4 days couple trip to Bali to the winner of this season.
Neha Julka Arora, who is also the grooming mentor and show director of the event said that Mrs Chandigarh-a woman of substance will be held from Jan 10-12, 2020 at Hotel Park Plaza, Zirakpur. Grooming of finalists will take place over Jan 10-11 and the grand finale will be held on Jan 12, 2020(Sunday). The registrations are declared open in two categories- category I is for married women up to age 40 years and category II for married women above 40 years. Married women from Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali and neighbouring areas can register online by logging onto www.mrschandigarh.com.
Dr.Ranjana Garg the 2nd runner up of season 1 said that we have had a successful Chandigarh auditions recently at the Reef, Sec 7 and are happy to announce the Panchkula auditions on Dec 8 at The Escape, Sec 5, Panchkula, 11 am onwards.
Added Neha that the main titles in category I will be winner, Ist runner up and 2nd runner up, crowns for which were unveiled in front of media. In category II ‘Mrs. Chandigarh- A woman of Substance 2019 (Gold)’ will be announced. There are as many as 16 sub titles also up for grabs. A unique subtitle of Mrs. Self Believer, a woman who believes in herself will be dedicated to a nominee from an NGO / Social club as part of our corporate social responsibility.
On Jan 10, grooming for contestants will start with a session on pageantry aspects which shall be taken by the famous pageant coach Lt(Retd) Rita Gangwani, who has trained Miss World’17 Manushi Chillar, Miss India’14 Koyal Rana etc, nuances of ramp walk and performances will be taught by Neha Julka Arora, make up sessions will be taken up by the event’s make-up and styling partners Tress Lounge academy, dental and oral hygiene session by Kalra Dental Solutions and fashion & styling sessions too.
 Mohita Saxena, who is an educationist & blogger said that there is a unique session introduced this year – social media usage training. He will be taking this workshop under which we will train the contestants on techniques in social media and how to use the same effectively.
Abhishek Gagneja said that fitness sessions will be by Ultimate Fitness Gyms, we will also be offering free annual gym memberships to the winners of this pageant.
Sonia Kaushik from Sonya’s diet clinic said that she will be taking the session on diet and wellness which will focus on diet as a tool to attain physical well-being.
 Honey Grewal from Soul Grounding said that in the meditation & spiritual healing session I will take, we will inculcate importance of meditation; to make contestants confident and help them even fight nervousness on stage.
Megha Chadha Marwah said that during the grand finale, round 1 will be of introduction-and traditional outfits, round 2 catwalk in Western casual outfits and round 3 will be of question and answer- and evening party gowns.

Awareness Campaign to Sensitize on Lungs Diseases


By Tricitynews
Panchkula 28th November:- With an objective to make people aware of lungs related diseases, a breathe free awareness month is being organised at a Panchkula private hospital.
Addressing an informing session on campaign at Alchemist Hospital on Thursday, Dr. Vishal Sharma, consultant-pulmonologist said that in this campaign, we are running special clinics for asthma, allergy, quit smoking, pneumonia and swine flu vaccination.
Apart from this hospital is also organizing health talks at corporate sectors to make aware their employees for lung diseases like the treatment and preventions, so that these diseases can be treated timely, he informed.
Talking about problems arising from air pollution these days, Dr Vishal said that smoke, smog, Freon, sulphates etc. are the major air pollutants that cause damage to the lungs. The development of lung cancer can effectively be prevented by quitting smoking. It is also important to stop yourself from getting exposed to passive smoking as a lung cancer preventive method, he pointed out.

State Level Workshop to Promote Sericulture in Punjab: Scientists and Farmers of Six States Participated


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- To promote Sericulture in the state of Punjab and redress the problems being faced by farmers, the Punjab Horticulture Department today organized State-level Workshop here at Kheti Bhawan, Sector-56, in which experts, scientists and silk worm farmers of six states participated. During this workshop, technical sessions were held, where scientists from Central Silk Board, GoI provided technical information about silkworm rearing and gave solution regarding the problems being faced by the sericulture farmers.
Rajit Ranjan Okhandiar, IFS, Member Secretary, Central Silk Board, GoI was the Chief Guest, while R.K. Sinha, Deputy Secretary (Technical), Central Silk Board New Delhi, Dr. C.M. Bajpai, Scientist-D and Sericulture Nodal Officer, Central Silk Board Bangalore, Sujit Singh, Director Khadi and Village Industry Commission Chandigarh, Dr. Sukhen Roy Chowdhary, Director, CSR & TI Kashmir, Dr. Sardar Singh, Scientist-D, RSS Jammu, Dr. Surinder Bhatt, Scientist-D, STSC Jammu, Dr. V.P. Gupta, Scientist-D, SSPC Dehradun and Dr. Purohit, Scientist, SRS Himachal Pradesh were special guests. Besides, about 50 sericulture farmers from Punjab, Jammu and Himachal Pradesh participated.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest R R Okhandiar said that there is huge potential for the development of sericulture in Kandi areas of Punjab. Giving detailed information on technical and financial assistance provided to the sericulture farmers under different schemes of GoI, he appreciated the initiatives taken for the promotion of sericulture in the state by Director Horticulture Punjab. Interacting with the farmers, he assured that the Government of India is keen to provide all kinds of support for further development of this venture in Punjab. "Present problem of marketing of cocoon in the state will be resolved very soon so that farmers could earn higher income from this profession", he assured the farmers.
On this occasion Mrs. Shailender Kaur, IFS, Director Horticulture Punjab and Gulab Singh Gill, Joint Director Horticulture Punjab welcomed the dignitaries.
Apprising about the present scenario of the sericulture in Punjab, Director Horticulture said that the auxiliary sericulture occupation in Punjab is being carried out in the sub-mountainous districts of Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur and Ropar by about 800-1000 farmers, who earn Rs.10,000 to Rs.12,000 annually. There are total 12 Government Sericulture farms in the state. In Punjab, two crops- spring & autumn schedule is practiced, of that spring crop contributes more than 70 per cent of total production of cocoon. Every year 700-800 ozs silk seed is being reared in the state from which 25,000-30,000 kg of cocoon is produced annually.
She said that the quality cocoons are being produced in Punjab and department is providing technical and financial support to the farmers under SCSP and RKVY schemes for various sericulture activities. She further said that the Khadi and Village Industry Commission, Chandigarh, is being coordinated by the department for assured marketing of cocoon production in the state, so that the silk cocoon can be marketed at the local level which will not only increase the income of the farmers but also help in the upliftment of their economic status. Consent was given by Sujit Singh, Director, Khadi and Village Industry Commission, Chandigarh.
Scientists from the Central Silk Board Centres of different states shared information on the cultivation of mulberry, production and maintenance of silkworms, nurturing of silkworms, Seed sector, cocoon production and marketing during the workshop. A handbook of technological recommendations for sericulture was also released by Chief Guest and Director Horticulture Punjab.
Chaturjeet Singh, Horticulture Development Officer, Miss Meenu Bala, and Miss Inderjeet kaur (Both SOs), Avtar Singh, Manager and other staff of Horticulture department was also present on this occasion.

Indian-Born US Citizen Dr Ravi Bansal Shares His Adventurous Flight Around the Globe for a Cause


By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 28th November:- Dr Ravi Bansal is the only person of Indian origin American citizen to fly solo around the world in his single-engine plane for cancer awareness and also raised Rs. 1.5 crore for cancer and general hospital in his home town Ambala Cantt.. His feat has recently been recognized for inclusion in the 2020 edition of the Limca Book of Records.
Dr Ravi Bansal, said that it was a tribute to his sister-in-law, Sneh Bansal, who was instrumental in bringing him up but died of cancer in Ambala that gave him the mission to create awareness around the world.
Ravi, based in Buffalo, USA, has published his autobiographical book with an account of his solo flight, “Cleared Direct Destination”, which is the final command given by the air traffic controller (ATC) to the aircraft pilot to approach the airport for landing.
Dr Ravi Bansal said that he has taken this title because even before undertaking the flight his destination was very crisp and clear, i.e. to generate awareness about cancer and raise funds for the hospital in his home town. 
Priced at Rs.650 he has gifted all his books to the Rotary Ambala Cancer and General Hospital in his hometown and the entire proceeds of the book go to the cancer hospital. He added that this is not a sale price but a donation that anyone may care to give to the Hospital and this book is a gift to them.
Ravi Bansal, born in Ambala Cantt, after graduating from engineering college Allahabad shifted to the USA in 1971. He did his Doctorate in mechanical engineering Georgia College of Engineering, and during his studies, in 1977; he learnt flying and got a pilot licence.
Dr Ravi Bansal said that flying was his passion and he used to love making paper planes and would send them flying from the Kasauli hillside while standing with his father who was a doctor, and resultantly, when he was in USA, he learnt flying but never got the chance to continue with his passion, since he got busy with his business, which otherwise took him 30 different countries every year, till he sold his business and retired himself to follow his passion.
He undertook the flight from Buffalo, USA, on 4th July 2017 and after 46 days of exciting trip returned home on 20th August 2019, which was to spread awareness and raise money for the Rotary Ambala Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, and was able to raise Rs.1.5 crores to partly fund the acquisition of an MRI machine for the hospital.
The highlight of the journey was when he got permission to land in his home town Ambala on the air force base, an honor no civilian plane has ever enjoyed, and received by the fighter pilots and the IAF commander of the station.
The six-week solo flight around the world went right on schedule, despite some glitches with the plane.  He flew more than 26, 000 miles and had to acquire numerous documents for each trip, customs clearance and insurance spending nearly Rs.75 lakh from his own pocket on the trip.
He said that if you have a single-engine plane and you are flying over land you can usually land safely on a road or field but when you fly around the world, 70% of times you are flying over the water. When you fly in a commercial the plane you are up at 35,000 feet bit he was flying at 10,000-15,000 feet and saw numerous volcanoes just couple of thousand feet below and many of them were active while others were dormant.
The Rotary Ambala Cancer and General Hospital is providing free and subsidized service to the cancer patients and with the support of Ravi Bansal and his wife, and local Rotarians and philanthropists have started a free home service for poor terminally ill cancer patients, named after his bhabhi as ‘Sneh-Sparsh’, who are not only provided medical assistance but also a three months ration is also provided to them.
The hospital has a Rs.25 lakh as monthly running expense which is being supported by Rotarians and the community but in order to continue to provide its service, there is a dire need for funds.
Donation to the hospital can be made through its website and by clicking on the individual donation button, on http://www.rotaryhospitalambala.com/  or  can also visit directly on the linkhttp://www.rotaryhospitalambala.com/donate/paytm-checkout/