News

The Hindu : y>Now, a nano paint coating product to protect your vehicle

Car care products are becoming increasingly popular with Indian car owners partly due to the boost that they give to resale prices. To cater to this market, Sonax has recently launched its Premium Class Nano Paint Coating product, which is aimed at the DIY market. According to the company, this product uses a hybrid formula that can protect car paintwork for upto nine months and was developed after several years of experience in the use of nanotechnology. It does not contain hard wax, instead using a layer of modified fluorocarbon nanoparticles that are as hard as glass.

Sonax was introduced by Methods Automotive with a limited range of products and currently offers shampoos, polishes, interior cleaners, protectors and tyre care products.

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The Hindu :

Seema Biswas is queen of the screen when it comes to decoding complex roles

The stage is her soul. Here, Seema Biswas is the faultless foil to Satish Kaushik’s salesman Ramlal. As the diffident Ganga, she toes Ramlal’s line, soaking in his anger as ardently as she did it in their first performance.

As the rehearsal of “Salesman Ramlal” gathers vigour and stretches on, Seema, in between her scenes, untangles her beginnings in theatre. Her link to theatre began with watching her mother on stage as a child in Assam. “She used to put me to bed, and then go for performances. I would hear the car starting and wake up screaming. My father would then take me to the show.” Seema, then aged four, saw her mother perform — often tragic roles. Music and dance were part of childhood, but she soon knew: “I wanted to be like mom on stage.”

An introvert

A loner and an introvert, Seema kept her dreams to herself, till she took part in a local play. “I was not sure if I would be able to handle it. But on the first day itself I was very comfortable,” she says.

That led to a three-month workshop organised by the National School of Drama, which culminated in a play where her performance was appreciated. It set her heart firmly on theatre. She recollects travelling with her mother in the train from Nalbari to give her NSD exams. “The train was 19 hours late, and I spent time studying.”

But the route to NSD had heartaches in store. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was beyond the means of many families to have two children studying out of town.

As her brother was set to go away, the family decided to keep Seema at home, until a last-minute intervention from her parents’ friends saw her take the train to Delhi.

Ever since, theatre…More

The Hindu :

Clutchless with a T-Matic gearbox, the TVS Jive is a modern commuter bike

As a manufacturer, TVS clearly wants to make a difference to two-wheeler riders, giving them something special and also delivering a better experience. So here comes the Jive, a modern commuter bike which is also a clutch-less motorcycle. How handy is it in the real world?

The Jive is a modern-looking commuter bike that follows a black theme for its front forks, smart alloy wheels, engine, silencer, rear suspension and matt-finish grab rail. A sleek, bright headlight and small bikini fairing give the motorcycle a purposeful look. Its twin-pod instruments are clearly legible, even on the move, and include a speedometer, fuel gauge as well as gear indicator. The handlebar-mounted mirrors are TVS-typical, firmly mounted on tall stalks and offer good rear view vision. While the Jive’s palm grips are adequate, its comprehensive switchgear also includes a pass-light.

The muscular fuel tank provides sufficient support to a rider’s thighs but a staid chrome filler cap looks dated and out of place on this bike. The white stitching on the seat lends a smart touch. TVS has managed to fit in the utility of a storage bay under the Jive’s seat. The Jive silencer’s upswept design seems sporty, but is marred by an unsightly chrome heat shield. The motorcycle gets neatly sculpted side and tail-fairing bits with trendy graphics and also a handsome tail light. Paint sheen, fit and finish and overall quality are all satisfactory on the Jive.

The Jive comes with a 109.7cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke and air-cooled engine. Operating two valves, this carburetted unit develops peak power of 8.4bhp at 7500rpm, with the max torque of 0.8kgm made at 5500rpm.

Engine bore and stroke measure 53.5mm x 48.8mm. While the Jive’s engine is otherwise similar to those used by most Indian bikes, its piece de resistance is TVS’s T-Matic twin-clutch system….More

The Hindu : y>

The Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE) carpet exhibition is on at their premises on M.G. Road. The exhibition features an exclusive collection of tribal and herbal carpets. The exhibition is on till December 31. It offers woollen carpets, silk on cotton carpets, silk on silk carpets; herbal washed dhurries and kalamkari dhurries. Exhibits from Jaipur, Kashmir, Amritsar and Uttar Pradesh are on display. Tribal carpet making is believed to have originated in the Caucasian region near the Black Sea over 2000 years ago. The art form came to reflect the culture, customs, practices, art and talent of the nomadic tribes.

As part of the exhibition, CCIE is providing a great deal of information about carpets, including the history, process, uniqueness of carpet traditions and its importance in various cultures. It is also creating awareness about the care of carpets and the precautions that can be taken to prolong the life of carpets.

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The Hindu : y>The CRY calendar brings out the expressions of childhood

A SMILE Could start your day

For the year 2010, CRY Worldbrings out a new range of deskcalendars called “The Expressionsof Childhood”.Priced at Rs. 66, these calendars,with a colourful collage of images,can be ordered online at www.cryworld.cry.org or call Anita on022-23096845.”Our products (greeting cards,calendars, diaries and notebooks)go a step beyond conveying goodwilland wishes or generating financialresources for CRY. Theyare silent reminders of the situationof marginalised children in India.”"All our products carry a messagehighlighting the situation of India’schildren and encourage theparticipation of the public inspreading the message of hope andoptimism for children,” say themakers.

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The Hindu : y>Dancer Mallika Sarabhai talks to MANAS DASGUPTA on howInterArt 2009 has been bringing together cutting edge works of variousforms of art from across the world for over 30 years now

Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.CHURNING The festival generates a thinking audience, says Mallika Sarabhai

InterArt 2009 is the 34th edition of theVikram Sarabhai International ArtsFestival in Ahmedabad, and MallikaSarabhai, the director of Darpana Academythat organises the festival, says:”But, every time, it is different from theprevious years.”

It was her parents, famed scientistVikram Sarabhai, and Bharatanatya exponentMrinalini Sarabhai, who set upthe Academy, an arts and cultural institution.Held every year from December28 to 30, the festival is celebrated inmemory of her father, a great lover of thearts, who passed away on December 30,1971.How did Vikram Sarabhai InternationalArts Festival begin?The festival InterArt was born a fewyears after my father’s death in 1971. Hewas a connoisseur, and it was felt thatthe best way to remember him would beby organising a yearly multi-arts festivalin his hometown Ahmedabad. The venueis `Natrani’, our own stage at the Academycomplex, on the banks of the Sabarmati.Why is it called international artsfestival, when it is never taken outof Ahmedabad?Because, it offers international fare.For instance, for the last few years, Darpanahas produced works with artistesfrom Peru, Egypt, Israel, Australia, Colombia,Spain, France, the U.K. and theU.S. This year’s collaboration is withJosh Hogan from Australia. The play”Ahmedabad ki aurat bhali – Ramkali”,is an adaptation of German playwrightand director Bertolt Brecht’s famouswork “Good Woman of Setzuan”. It wasalso taken to Mumbai and Delhi. Yearsago, another play “Kanan”, based on thesame play, was staged in Ahmedabad. Ihad wanted it to travel to every part ofGujarat and the country, but funding is ahuge problem.How is this year’s festival differentfrom the previous years?It is the only festival in India thatshowcases all forms of art – dance, music,mixed media, new media, puppetry,theatre, and all the crossovers possible.This year we have a…More

The Hindu : y>Car and bike questions? We have the answers

I would like to know if the 5 J/13 size alloy wheels on the Hyundai Accent can be used on the Santro Xing as well. Is the Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) the same for both?

Manjit

Yes, you can use the 5J X 13 Accent wheels on the Santro Xing as both the PCDs are the same (100 mm).

I currently own a Hyundai Santro Xing, and want to upgrade to a saloon within Rs. 8 lakh. I have short-listed the Fiat Linea Emotion petrol and the Honda City S. My monthly usage is around 250-300km. As the Linea diesel costs around the same as the Honda City, should I also consider it? If I do opt for the City, can I fit alloys and bigger-diameter tyres onto it? What would be the appropriate size, and which brand of tyres would be best?

P. Trivedi

There is no doubt that the Linea Petrol is considerably cheaper than the City; if your budget cannot be stretched, then it is a good option. Yes, the City may be more expensive, but remember its resale value is likely to be better than the Linea’s. So that does, to a certain extent, compensate for the premium you pay for the City. It’s a good idea to upgrade the City’s tyres, if you go in for it. The most appropriate upgrade is 185/65R14 tyres, which give a good balance between superior handling and comfortable ride. You can go in for 195/60R14s as well if you want better grip and handling, but that would compromise ride comfort. Also, keep in mind that a City with improved exteriors is expected in October this year.

I am planning to buy an SUV, and my options are Toyota Innova, Tata Safari and Mahindra Scorpio. Which one is good with respect to performance, stability and luxury, over long distances?

D. Dhawan

The…More

The Hindu : y>Places to hit this New Year’s eve

Ring in the New Year any which way you like — shake a leg, eat, drink, play games, listen to a Carnatic concert, have your face painted, listen to rock ‘n’ roll, watch a pole dance. These are just some of the offers in the city for December 31. And if you still have the energy and the inclination, continue the celebration into January 1, with brunches galore.

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At the ITC Windsor (22269898), unlimited beverages, a dedicated dance floor, seafood and live grills, a liquid meal, or a south Indian meal with Carnatic music are just some of the options you have on December 31, to ring in the New Year.

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At Eagleton-The Golf Resort (99005-58883), the New Year Eve Extravaganza will feature singer Kaustav and DJ James. Shadowz, a dance troop, will present Bollywood dance sequences. There will be face painters, a magician and caricaturist.

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At The Gateway Hotel (66604545), Stir will host the New Year eve party with a gala dinner and free flow of alcohol from the select bar. There’s also a New Years brunch on January 1, 2010 with interactive live counters with unlimited liquor from a select bar.

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At the Taj Residency (66604444) New Year’s Eve celebrations will feature gourmet fare, an unending array of drinks. At Ice, DJ Mike Kogglin and in-house D.J. Vanshi entertain, along with pole dancers. Café Mozaic turns into a Hawaiian beach shack and there’s a three-piece band, wine and beer. At Graze there’s a Jazz band with a seven-course meal, paired with wines. At Memories of China, the live band and extensive menu is coupled with an array of spirits. On January 1, 2010, a brunch by the poolside is on the cards.

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At Taj West End, (66605660) the Blue Bar pulsates to DJ Yon’s music and there’s a…More

The Hindu : y>

Leading lady Sadaa juggles film shooting, award shows, interviews and travel with the thing that she finds most fulfilling — playing a saviour in real life. Recently, the actress heard the sorrowful mews of an orphaned kitten in the neighbourhood and decided to investigate when the mewing continued late into the night. “My mum knew that something was wrong and I went to check. It was hiding under the car and ran from one hiding place to another but my dad managed to get it out. We kept it for a week until PETA helped us by adopting her,” she says of her latest rescue, as it’s not the first time she’s taken notice of an animal in distress. “Pigeons, wild birds, ducks…” she says, trying to recall the various species that her family has lent a helping hand to, while on their morning walks.

Last year, she found an injured kitten whose spinal problems rendered her hind legs unusable. “We admitted her to SPCA where she passed away. The animal may or may not survive, but we have to try.” She’s motivated by empathy. “My mother has always said ‘put yourself in that position when you think of tying a string around an insect and dragging it’. Parents should guide their children not to be cruel”.

Speaking about what happens after she nurses a fallen bird back to health, she says –“Freedom is important to a bird. I let them go”. The star says that success and adulation come second to the rush that comes from saving a life. “I don’t think any feeling can match that,” she signs off.

BOW WOW

If a man aspires toward a righteouslife, his first act of abstinenceis from injury to animals.Count Leo TolstoyWe can judge the heart of aman by his treatment ofanimals.Immanuel Kant

Hero of the week

Kaustav Majumder was driving from Kodaikanal from Bangalore…More

The Hindu : y>There’s a lot to look for at the 2010 Auto Expo to be held from January 5-11 in New Delhi

LUXURY LINE-UP : VW Touareg, BMW 5GT, Mercedes-Benz (Gullwing), Maruti Kizashi and Toyota I-Real

Volkswagen

The Volkswagen Polo is easily the most awaited car at the moment and visitors will get their first look at it. VW will display more than one variant including the Polo Cup race version. The company is squarely targeting Maruti’s Swift and the Ritz with a Rs 4.5-lakh on-road price for the base Polo. At its launch, power will come from the 1.2-litre petrol (the same one in the Fabia), a 1.2-litre three-cylinder diesel and there’s a 100bhp 1.6-litre petrol too, which could come in at a later stage. Also at the Expo will be the recently introduced Touareg SUV and Beetle.

Mercedes-Benz

The poster boy of sportcars will be here. That long bonnet, those massive sills and gullwing doors could well start a riot. Power comes from a mammoth 6.2-litre V8 engine that develops 563bhp. Developed from the ground up by AMG, the new two-seater not only aims to project Mercedes-Benz back into the thick of the supercar ranks, but also sets out to resurrect the spirit of one of the most revered sports cars of all time — the classic 1954 300 SL, or Gullwing. This is a menacing-looking car: low, wide and tremendously well-planted.

The surprise at the Mercedes stand will be the GL-class, which goes on sale soon in India. This is Mercedes’ idea of what a super-luxury off-roader should be. The GL-class interiors come with three rows of forward-facing seats which can accommodate seven passengers; even the rear pair of chairs has good head and legroom. The E-class coupé, which is a replacement for the CLK in international markets, will only be at the expo for display and Mercedes has no plans to sell it in…More