Posted: 21 Sep 2019 12:00 AM PDT

Travel is a great way to discover a new place, and each other, say families in the Club Mahindra reviews.
A vacation is sacred time spent with loved ones that helps strengthen bonds and create an album of memories. However, modern living, while bringing its own advantages of advancement and affluence, is slowly eroding into these simple pleasures. The busy routine of everyday life and rising addiction to digital media turn the basic need of spending quality time together as a family into a rarity, to the extent that even gathering together for dinner becomes rare. Parents feel that their families, which were once closely knit, are now drifting apart and children, who are addicted to the constant barrage of likes, tweets and pings, further disconnect themselves from real-life experiences and conversations. Families who have taken a Club Mahindra membership , however, have a different story to tell.
The Club Mahindra membership offers a unique range of enriching experiences that help families rediscover the joy of spending time with each other. Based on the concept of exploration and discovery, the experiences at Club Mahindra enrich family bonds by bringing back the joy and vitality of being together. These experiences, some of which are included in the Club Mahindra membership fees, also imbibe elements of the resort's scenic surroundings and region's cultural nuances. Club Mahindra members, Arshi and Anmol Singh, say in their Club Mahindra membership review, "Club Mahindra has actually brought us closer to our children as we now take holidays together." Anmol elaborates, "Spending time with my family is incentive enough but the fun-filled activities at Club Mahindra Resorts like bird watching, trekking and night camping only add to the excitement." Arshi further adds, "The air is clean, and it is refreshing to walk amidst the peaceful sounds of nature rather than the angry sounds of the city".

Enriching Experiences with Club Mahindra Membership.

Club Mahindra Reviews: More than a holiday package, it's an "experience package"
India is a land of history, culture and culinary delights and Club Mahindra Holiday Resorts offer a unique mix of experiences curated to the requirements and interests of every member of the family, irrespective of their age. This makes it easier for families to vacation together. "Do you know that the second longest wall after the Great Wall of China is here, in India, in our very own Rajasthan?", asks Venkatesh Raman, a young entrepreneur. "I'd read about this in the Club Mahindra reviews + and the Club Mahindra resort at Kumbhalgarh arranged a visit to this World Heritage Site for us." Vanitha, his wife adds, "The Munnar resort even has a unique feature on its property – the Nilgiri goat, which is the smallest species of goat in the world!" Venkatesh, an ardent tea lover, was so happy with the visit to the tea estate in Darjeeling to the extent that he turned it into an interesting story for his children.

According to Club Mahindra Reviews, parents feel that the need for devices seems to lessen, and in some cases, is even non-existent, when children are taken to stimulating surroundings. Bunty and Namu, Anmol and Arshi's children feel the same. "We make so many friends and we do so many exciting things like participating in sandcastle and art competitions, paintball fights and learning pottery, it's more fun than playing games on the iPad. This is the one-time Mom doesn't mind us getting dirty", they say with a glint of mischief in their eyes. "Moreover, they learn so much when they travel that it brings their history and geography lessons alive", adds Arshi. "For me, real-life education is the best education." Many other parents echo this sentiment according to Club Mahindra membership reviews.

Club Mahindra Members Share Their Experiences.

Club Mahindra Members Share Their Experiences

The best part of the experience is the convenience. As Anmol explains, "With Club Mahindra Resorts, I don't have to worry about planning the stay, sightseeing and other activities. The Club Mahindra membership takes care of most of my holiday which makes it so convenient and allows me to focus on what I came here for – to enjoy quality family time!"

Club Mahindra Membership Reviews find the resorts redefine the F&B experience

Food is an integral part of culture and local delicacies reveal more than just their ingredients. They speak of traditions and customs, of guarded recipes lovingly handed down generations to keep legacies alive. Club Mahindra Resorts transform the mere pleasure of eating into a unique experience that bonds new-age families with ancient culinary styles and contemporary flavours. The resorts even offer a special children's menu which caters to the fussiest of eaters. "My kids love fast food, but my wife and I are pure vegetarians", adds Venkatesh. "With a Club Mahindra membership, whether you're Jain, vegetarian, health conscious or simply a food-lover, there's an interesting menu for everyone!"

According to Club Mahindra reviews, Barbeque Bay, a restaurant at the Club Mahindra Resorts in Goa, Madikeri, Coorg and Munnar find the perfect balance between scintillating kebabs and a scenic topography that is captured with photogenic perfection. The Royal Rajasthani dinner at Udaipur and the Maharaja Maharani candlelight terrace dinner at Kumbhalgarh recreate the region's famed history of indulgence. Travancore Royal Kitchen at Ashtamudi converts a heritage houseboat into an interesting dining experience to make special occasions memorable. Aromi Di Italia, the signature Italian restaurant at Cherai Beach brings alive the flavours of Italy in an authentic ambience.

F&B Review at Club Mahindra Resorts

Finz, the open-to-sky restaurant by the beach at the Puducherry resort turns the fresh catch of the day into a unique sea-side dining experience. Budding young chefs can flaunt their skills at the Junior Chef competition at Varca, Goa. Gangtok proudly presents Ghar Ka Chullah, a traditional outdoor dining experience centred around a bonfire with live cooking alongside. Corbett stays true to the ethos of farm-to-fork and lets you pluck your own fresh vegetables at an organic farm, which are then cooked to your preference. Manali gives you a taste of tradition with dinner served in true Himachali dham, i.e., seated on the floor with everyone eating together.

Food is an emotion and Club Mahindra ensures that their enriching experiences satiate the soul.

Club Mahindra takes the road less travelled with its off-beat locations, say members in Club Mahindra reviews

Conventional wisdom dictates that a property's proximity to strategic transit areas and popular tourist attractions is directly proportional to its success. Club Mahindra begs to differ; the decision to find offbeat locations even in the most populous tourist areas enables it to create the most unique and exclusive experiences. Imagine being lulled to sleep or being gently woken up by lilting waves in the luxury of a floating cottage, at the Club Mahindra resort in Ashtamudi. Watching the sky transform into a kaleidoscopic masterpiece painted by a magical sunset at Club Mahindra's Pristine Peaks Naldehra, near Shimla. The guests at Baiguney resort in Sikkim are lovingly serenaded by the mellifluous river that runs beside it, earning it the moniker of "Rangeet ka Sangeet". The Munnar resort, located amongst a sprawling tea estate, welcomes every morning with the aroma of freshly plucked tea leaves wafting into every room. These are the unique differentiators, as mentioned in Club Mahindra reviews.

The Singh family wanted a weekend getaway to escape the chaos of the city and they found their peace at Club Mahindra Hatgad. "It was like our own personal space to just relax in the lap of nature," says Arshi. With the heat of the bonfire radiating warmth to the Singh family huddled around it, busy schedules and unanswered phone calls were soon forgotten. Nostalgia hit Anmol as his father, who accompanied them on one of the holidays, narrated scary tales to the children, his face illuminated by the light of the fire. "I have grown up listening to these tales; watching my father narrate them to my children was a different feeling altogether," he adds.

"The one thing that really surprised me was the fact that not even once did our children ask for their devices while we were on holiday!" says a surprised Arshi. "Club Mahindra Hatgad and its scenic surroundings engaged these children to such an extent that the only time they asked for the phone was to capture and share memories."

Redefining Experiences for Children at Club Mahindra

Children turn to their gadgets mostly to be entertained. However, this can easily be reduced by exposing them to engaging experiences such as travel. Children who are exposed to travel from an early age build up a wide repertoire of sights, smells, sounds and social skills. Experiencing the world also triggers curiosity and creativity. When children interact with other kids, they learn new interests, how to make conversation, play games and sports, all of which contributes to their physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth.

Redefining the experience with Club M Select – A world of exclusive privileges for the select few with Club Mahindra membership

Club M Select Avail access to 12000plus cruises internationally and much more

Club M Select is a privilege programme with offers on 12000+ cruises internationally amongst other benefits.

While a holiday at Club Mahindra Resorts is always tempting, time may not always permit the luxury of a vacation. Club M Select, a privilege programme unique only to Club Mahindra memberships, offers its members a curated bouquet of experiences across dining, travel and cruise holidays, at exclusive prices. Members benefit from special discounts on 2000+ dining options across India (outside of the Club Mahindra resorts), 12,000+ cruises internationally, 4 Lakh+ hotels around the world, and 70,000+ international excursions and transfers. Health and fitness enthusiasts will be delighted by the choice of over 90+ Yoga Studios across 30+ cities in India, which offer a 40% discount if not more. Access to 25 Golf resorts across India is a newly added benefit to the Club Mahindra membership along with a Movies Pass, which promises exciting cash backs on every booking. These offers can be easily availed of directly on the website or the app. A dedicated helpdesk is also available to assist members whenever required.
"Club M Select made my birthday special because I could finally try my hand at golf," smiles Anmol, who also keeps checking his leave schedule in the anticipation of experiencing a cruise holiday. The adventure enthusiast that he is, the numerous diving spots near Pondicherry kept calling out to the explorer in Venkatesh "I was hesitant at first, but the qualified diving expert took us through all the safety procedures and eventually, Vanitha also joined me for the experience."
It is quite evident that Club Mahindra's experiences bring out the best in families by bringing them together. To get to know more, do read Club Mahindra reviews to find out what members have to say about their stay at Club Mahindra Resorts.
Disclaimer: This story has been produced on behalf of Club Mahindra by Times Internet's Spotlight team.

Age is just a number and Club Mahindra Bliss is testimony to this - Times of India

Posted: 15 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST

Having fulfilled their responsibilities, the 50-plus are enjoying their newfound freedom by rediscovering life and making new memories, say Club Mahindra Bliss member reviews.

As Jignesh Shah clicks his suitcase shut, he carefully runs his finger through each item of his itinerary. All boxes ticked, he laces up his trekking boots and hails a cab for himself and his wife, Hemal. This is the moment the Shahs - both retired university professors and Club Mahindra Bliss members in their mid-50s – have been waiting for! A 7-day historical tour across Rajasthan, during which they aim to document the histories of all the popular forts. They are not alone. Joining them on their adventure is another couple, avid travellers Suresh and Sangeeta Nahar, who are in their early 60s.

In recent years, the travel industry is witnessing and welcoming a whole new segment – the Empty Nesters, or "Seenagers", short for Senior Teenagers, as referred to by millennials. According to Thomas Cook India, senior travellers account for 35-40% of the leisure segment. At Yatra, business from seniors has doubled in the past two to three years, accounting for 10-15% of the holidays business. In fact, a report by Frost & Sullivan estimates that around 7.3 million senior citizens will travel from India in 2020.

Not a bucket list, but Bliss – Club Mahindra's membership programme for the 50-plus
In contrast to the over 50s of a few decades ago, today's not-so silver generation redefines retirement with enthusiasm and an itinerary. Their exposure to smartphones, YouTube, OTT platforms like Netflix and Hotstar, and satellite television keeps them updated with technology as well as global trends. The popularity of international culinary, culture and travel shows is also instrumental in taking them further away from their routine lives and deeper into the wonders of wanderlust, as revealed in the Club Mahindra reviews.

Technology keeps them updated with trends

For a majority of the silver segment, the good life begins at 50. Having fulfilled most of their responsibilities, their time is their own and can be spent discovering new experiences, places, cultures and cuisine, at a leisurely pace. Club Mahindra Bliss is the perfect answer to this new, evolving segment. Club Mahindra Bliss membership has a 10-year tenure and offers travellers who are 50 years old and above a chance to explore the world, at an affordable cost:

Over 61 destinations in India, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand
33 Holiday Club resorts in Finland, Sweden and Spain
140+ partner hotels & resorts in India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bali, Vietnam, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, USA and the Netherlands
4200+ RCI resorts across the world

The resorts are located across different geographies and topographies ranging from deserts to beaches, rivers to backwaters, hill stations to mountains, cities to weekend getaways. Each of the resorts offers leisurely paced activities curated and suited to their comfort level and interests. Furthermore, the Club Mahindra Bliss membership works on a convenient points system which makes vacationing flexible by allowing members to choose from weekday vs weekend; different accommodation types ranging from a studio to a 2-bedroom apartment; luxury and premium category of resorts; and off-peak vs peak season. Points can be conveniently topped up should the member decide to take more vacations or invite guests along.

Every resort is an experience

Each and every Club Mahindra resort bears its own signature experiences across accommodation, cuisine or location. Club Mahindra Ashtamudi offers floating cottages on the scenic Ashtamudi Lake with a magnificent view of the tranquil blue waters. The resort also has a floating restaurant. The resort at Kanha offers accommodation in luxurious tents which are complete with modern amenities and facilities. Each location imbibes regional food cultures and traditions into the menu. Club Mahindra, Mussoorie is famous for its Royal Garhwali Dinner - a regional menu that serves forgotten mountain cuisine with traditional wear for the couple dining, to recreate an authentic experience. The Gangtok resort offers Ghar ka Chullah, a dining experience where the food is cooked in front of the guests on a wood fire. Each resort also has its own activity centre.

Sumedh and Shikha Alva, recalling their experience at Club Mahindra Kandaghat, Shimla, say in Club Mahindra resort reviews, "The property is known for its beautiful floral gardens and you'll actually find 40 types of roses grown there. However, we were more interested in zip lining as we'd never tried it and it looked like fun. You should've seen the faces of the youngsters in the queue; at first they were shocked, but when they saw us flying like birds, they congratulated us on our spirit!"

Unique regional dining experiences that capture culinary cultures, themed nights, entertainment by local artistes, outdoor explorations and indoor activities, Bliss members are experiencing a world that meets their imagination and expectation, state Club Mahindra reviews. Suresh Nahar says in Club Mahindra reviews, "You spend all your life running around your boss or your kids so for once, it was nice to be treated like royalty. We took a circuit holiday across Rajasthan and Club Mahindra actually treated us king-size. From the traditional royal welcome ceremony in Jodhpur to the folk singers serenading us in Jaisalmer and the Maharaja Maharani candlelight dinner at the terrace restaurant in Kumbhalgarh, everything was grand!"

Rekindle the romance

A new lease of life

According to Club Mahindra reviews, this rapidly growing segment of 50+ travellers are venturing beyond the constraints of their children and their retirement pension, to discover the world and finally, do the things that delight them. They have lived their lives as successful professionals or businessmen and while they may crave for family, they do not want to be dependent on or bound by them. "For us, it's almost like a new lease of life", says Hemal. "We've settled our children, cleared all our loans; our duty is done. Now it's time to live for ourselves and create memories around the things we'd like to indulge in, not as parents or son/daughter in law, but as independent individuals." Her husband echoes the sentiment. "Documenting the forts of Rajasthan has always been a dream", adds Jignesh. "We knew we would do this one day and now, the time is right! The Club Mahindra Bliss membership made our stay convenient and affordable as we booked in all the resorts on the route." Seeing his enthusiasm, Hemal quips in, "Jiggy has been planning this trip since we got married and has actually been keeping himself fit all these years, in preparation of the arduous walks."

Creating memories around the things they enjoy

According to Club Mahindra reviews, today's Empty Nesters are fitter, active, more social and make plans that focus around the things they've always wanted to indulge in but never had the chance to enjoy. Sangeeta Nahar says," Both Suresh and I think of this phase of life as a new beginning. Earlier, we would plan everything around the kids. Now it's time to follow our own passions and pursuits."

Being active is a blessing

There's always something new to discover

For most adults over 50, however, travelling out of their comfort zones is not an easy task, especially if they have not been frequent travellers. Sumedh Alva corroborates this fact in. "I was so involved in my business that I never found the time to take off. Being a solopreneur meant I was on call 24x7x365. After the buyout, I had all the time but none of the social skills or travel sensibilities. This is where Club Mahindra Bliss made a huge difference. The staff is super intuitive and attentive to our needs." His wife, Shikha adds, "The experiences and activities organised for us are not hurried and there's always someone available to answer our queries. Our son is also relieved to know that we are in good hands."

Bliss members will never find a moment of boredom. The rooms in the Club Mahindra resorts are far more spacious than the typical hotel room and offer scenic views that are refreshing and invigorating. Each resort also has a Happy Hub which organises exciting events and activities and this gives members a chance to socialise with other members who have similar interests and make new friends.

The perks of being a Club Mahindra Bliss member also extend beyond holidaying at their resorts. Bliss members are entitled to Club M Select – a special privileges program that offers great deals on fine dining, golfing, spa therapies, cruise vacations and other unique experiences.

Indulge in the things you love

With over 23 years of experience in creating unforgettable leisure holidays, Club Mahindra provides its Bliss members with a safe and secure holidaying place, with consistent Club Mahindra Hospitality catering to special requests. A dedicated helpdesk offers travel assistance and answers all queries pertaining to food, stay and activity requests, even offering suggestions in selecting a destination. Here is their chance to explore a world full of possibilities and live life on their own terms. This is their time when the memories they make will define the coming years of their life, a life that will be full of fun and adventure.
Sign up for Club Mahindra Bliss membership, as a decade full of worry-free vacations await you!
Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Club Mahindra by Times Internet's Spotlight team.

Top Current Affairs & GK for August 2019: Here's the round-up - Femina Miss India

Posted: 06 Sep 2019 12:00 AM PDT

1) M S Velpari takes over as Director (Operations) at HAL

M S Velpari has taken charge as Director (Operations) at Bengaluru-headquartered Hindustan Aeronautics Limited from Sunil Kumar who superannuated.
Velpari, who joined HAL as a management trainee in 1985, was earlier holding the post of Chief of Project (LCA Tejas) at LCA-Tejas Division.

Velpari holds a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai. He did his Masters from IIT Madras in Aircraft Production Engineering.

2) London named world's best student city in new rankings

UK's capital London has been named as the world's best city for students for the second consecutive year, beating international cities like Tokyo and Melbourne that came second and third respectively on a new worldwide rankings released.

According to the rankings, India's best student city is Bangalore (81st), followed by Mumbai (85th), Delhi at 113 and Chennai at 115 out of a total of 120 cities ranked in the list.

3) Ramesh Bais becomes the Governor of Tripura

Chattisgarh MP Ramesh Bais is the new Governor of Tripura. He will the 18th Governor of state and succeeds Kaptan Singh Solanki.

4) DFS Secy Rajeev Kumar appointed member of RBI's ECF panel

Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary Rajeev Kumar has been appointed a member in the RBI's Economic Capital Framework (ECF) panel in place of Subhash Chandra Garg.

Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Atanu Chakraborty was nominated to the RBI Central Board.

5) Arif Mohd Khan, who quit Rajiv govt, made Kerala Governor

BJP leader Arif Mohammad Khan, who quit the Rajiv Gandhi government and the Congress in 1986 over the Shah Bano case and was vocal in supporting the Narendra Modi government over the law to ban instant triple talaq, was appointed new Kerala Governor.

6) President gives assent to triple talaq bill

President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the triple talaq bill passed by Parliament, making it a law.
The bill, which prescibes up to three years imprisonment for Musli men giving instant triple talaq to their wives, was passed by Parliament.

7) Journalist Ravish Kumar wins 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award

Senior journalist Ravish Kumar was awarded this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award, regarded as the Asian version of the Nobel Prize, for harnessing journalism to give voice to the voiceless.

Kumar, 44, who is NDTV India's senior executive editor is one of India's most influential TV journalists, the award citation by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said.

He is among five individuals who were declared winners of the award, which is Asia's premier prize and highest honour and celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia.

The four other winners of the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award are Ko Swe Win from Myanmar, Angkhana Neelapaijit from Thailand, Raymundo Pujante Cayabyab from the Philippines and Kim Jong-Ki from South Korea.

8) Girraj Prasad Gupta takes over as CGA

Gupta, a 1983-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Officer, has worked at higher positions in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Ministry of Finance.

9) IIT-KGP researchers develop tech for solid waste management

A research team at IIT Kharagpur has developed a technology which can generate energy from solid waste with high moisture content. The new technology - Hydro Thermal Carbonization (HTC) - can convert municipal solid waste to biofuel, soil amendment and absorbents.

10) One Nation, One Ration Card
In a bid to implement 'One Nation, One Ration Card' across the country by June 1, 2020, the Centre kick-started inter-state portability of ration card between Telangana-Andhra Pradesh as well as Maharashtra-Gujarat.

This means beneficiaries living in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh can buy their quota of ration from the Public Distribution System (PDS), also called ration shops, in either of the state. Similar would be the case in Maharasthra and Gujarat.

11) India successfully test-fires 2 quick reaction surface-to-air missiles (QRSAM)

India successfully conducted two back-to-back flight tests of its state-of-the-art quick reaction surface-to-air missiles (QRSAM) against live aerial targets from a base in Odisha.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the two missiles from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur.

The all-weather and all-terrain QRSAM system has been developed for the Army, with search and track on the move capability having a very short reaction time. QRSAM uses solid-fuel propellant and has a range of 25-30 km. The first trial of the QSRAM was conducted on June 4, 2017.

12) Saudi Arabia allows women to travel independently

Saudi Arabian women will no longer require a permission from a "male guardian" to travel or obtain a passport, according to a royal decree signed by King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Until now, Saudi women have had to seek permission from a male guardian - a husband, father or other male relative to obtain a passport or travel abroad.

13) Breastfeeding Week

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said the first week of every month will be dedicated to sensitising people about the multiple benefits of breastfeeding. The awareness campaign will be strongly observed till 2022, he said.

14) French "Flying Man" crosses English Channel on jet-powered hoverboard

French inventor Franky Zapata succeeded in crossing the English Channel on a jet-powered hoverboard he designed, zooming over the Strait of Dover in just over 20 minutes.

Flanked by three helicopters, he reached Britain after a stop on a boat halfway through the 35-km crossing to refuel, waving to onlookers before landing safely in Saint Margaret's Bay, close to Dover on Britain's southern coast.

15) President Kovind honoured with National Order of Merit

President Ram Nath Kovind has been conferred with the National Order of Merit, the highest award of Guinea, during his official visit to the West African Nation.

Kovind dedicated the honour to the people of India, to their respect and regard for the Guinean people and to the long-standing mutual friendship between the two countries.

16) Article 370 scrapped

The Central government scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution that conferred special status to Jammu and Kashmir and barred people from the rest of the country from buying property there.

17) Vinesh wins 3rd successive gold in 53kg in Poland Open

Star India grappler Vinesh Phogat has bagged her third consecutive gold in women's 53kg category after winning the Poland Open wrestling tournament in Warsaw.

The 24-year-old prevailed 3-2 over local wrestler Roksana in the final of the competition.

Vinesh had earlier beaten Sofia Mattson of Sweden, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist, in the quarterfinals of this international tournament.

18) LS passes Surrogacy Bill

A bill which seeks to ban commercial surrogacy in the country was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday by a voice vote.

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 also provides for constitution of surrogacy boards at national and state levels, as well as that the intending couples should not abandon such a child under any condition.

Some amendments moved by the opposition were rejected by voice vote.

19) LS passes Surrogacy Bill

A bill which seeks to ban commercial surrogacy in the country was passed by Lok Sabha by a voice vote.

20) Kandikuppa Sreekant becomes Power Grid CMD

State-owned Power Grid Corporation said its Director (Finance) Kandikuppa Sreekant has taken over as the company's chairman and managing director.

21) Rajesh Kumar Srivastava takes charge as ONGC Director (Exploration)

Rajesh Kumar Srivastava took charge as the new Director (Exploration) of energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Limited. He takes over the reins of exploration of India's flagship explorer upon the superannuation of AK Dwivedi.

22) Serena again tops Forbes list of highest-paid sports women

US tennis superstar Serena Williams topped Forbes magazine's list of the highest paid women in sports for the fourth straight year on Tuesday.

The business publication calculated that the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion earned $29.2 million in the 12-month period ending June 1 -- with just $4.2 million of that coming from prize money.

Japan's Naomi Osaka became just the fourth woman to earn more than $20 million in a year -- after Williams and tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Li Na.

23) Army officer, soldier who died fighting terrorists honoured

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet in an aerial combat with Pakistan in February and was held captive for three days, has been conferred the Vir Chakra.
Sapper Prakash Jadhav and Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal of the Indian Army were among those warriors who were posthumously awarded Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra, respectively.

24) DAC approves the acquisition of two BrahMos missile batteries

25) India's archery body suspended over governance violations

The Archery Association of India has been suspended by the sport's world body over violations of governance rules, raising fresh concerns about the participation of Indian archers under the national flag at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

26) Pranab, Nanaji Deshmukh, Bhupen Hazarika conferred Bharat Ratna

Former president Pranab Mukherjee, late Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh and late singer Bhupen Hazarika were conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, on Thursday.

President Ram Nath Kovind gave the award to Mukherjee, Hazarika's son Tej and Vikramjeet Singh, a close relative of Deshmukh.

27) National Film Awards 2019: Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Keerthy Suresh win big

The winners of the 66th National Film Awards were announced by Rahul Rawail, head of the jury for feature films. Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khurrana were named Best Actors while Keerthy Suresh took home the Best Actress award.

A total of 419 films competed for the awards this year. The Every year the awards are announced in April and the ceremony is held on May 3, but this year the event was postponed in the wake of the general elections.

28) Huawei rolls out its own HarmonyOS

Huawei has officially rolled out its own operating system called, HarmonyOS at its Developer Conference in Dongguan, China.

Unlike Android and iOS, HarmonyOS is a distributed OS that allows developers to build their apps once and then flexibly deploy them across devices. HarmonyOS is expected to arrive into other devices also, including cars and wearables over the next three years.

29) Every child to get rotavirus vaccine

Every child will be administered rotavirus vaccine by the end of the year as Union Health Ministry is set to expand its vaccination programme across the country.

"We are committed to ending morbidity and mortality in children due to diarrhea by 2022. In our ambitious plan under the 100-day agenda, it has been decided to provide rotavirus vaccination to every child across all 37 States and UTs by September," said Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.

30) Punjab's Virasat-e-Khalsa museum enters Asia Book of Records

Virasat-e-Khalsa, a pioneer museum in the Sikh holy town of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, has entered the Asia Book of Records for receiving a record visitors. This is the third entry of Virasat-e-Khalsa into record books.

31) Govt signs peace pact with Tripura terror outfit NLFT (SD)

A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed in New Delhi between the Central and Tripura governments and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

The MoS was signed by Union Home Ministry's Joint Secretary (North-East) Satyendra Garg, Tripura government's Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Kumar Alok and Sabir Kumar Debbarma and Kajal Debbarma on behalf of the NLFT (SD faction). NLFT (SD faction) has agreed to abjure the path of violence, join the mainstream and abide by the Indian Constitution.

32) Child care leave for male service personnel

The Defence Ministery has approved extending benefits of child care leave to single male service personnel. The decision is in sync with an order by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The minister has also given his nod for giving certain relaxation in child care leave (CCL) provisions in case of women officers in defence forces

The minimum period of CCL that can be availed at a time has been reduced to 05 days instead of 15 days.

33) BCCI comes under NADA

The BCCI agreed to come under the ambit of the National Anti-Doping Agency. All cricketers will now be tested by NADA.

The implication of this development is expected to be massive as BCCI now becomes a designated National Sports Federation (NSF) and will face more pressure to come under the government's Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The BCCI had been vehemently opposed to signing up with NADA, calling itself an autonomous body, and not a National Sports Federation which relies on government funding.

34) Ghotu Ram Meena is India's new envoy to Republic of Congo

Currently, Meena is serving as a counsellor, Embassy of India in Kyiv, Ukraine. India had donated medicines worth USD 2,00,000 in 2010 to the Republic of Congo.

35) Champions Book of World Records: 15-km-long tricolour unfurled by forming human chain in Chhattisgarh

Thousands of students and members of several social organisations unfurled a 15-km long national flag by forming a human chain in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur, ahead of the Independence day.

The event, organised by Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam Foundation, entered the Champions Book of World Records (for the longest tricolour).

36) Bajrang Punia wins gold at Tbilisi

Bajrang, who had won a gold at the same event last year as well, prevailed 2-0 over Iran's Peiman Bibyani in the 65kg final of the men's free style competition in the capital city of Georgia. The event was organized by Georgian Wrestling Federation.

It is fourth gold of the season for the Asian Games champion Bajrang after standing atop the podium at Dan Kolov, Asian Championship and Ali Aliev tournament.

37) BCI imposes 3-year moratorium on opening of new law colleges

Taking note of mushrooming of law colleges in the country, the Bar Council of India has imposed a three-year moratorium on opening of new institutions barring national law universities, if proposed by a state.
The apex bar body said that it would lay stress on the improvement of standard of existing institutions and that the ones without any proper infrastructure or faculty would be closed down in the next three years.
38) Aishwarya Pissay annexes FIM World Cup for women
Aishwarya Pissay became the first Indian to claim a world title in motorsports, annexing the FIM World Cup in the women's category after the final round of the championship at Varpalota, Hungary.
The 23-year old from Bengaluru also finished second in the FIM Junior category.
39) Chandrima Shaha elected INSA's first woman president

Former director of the National Institute of Immunology Chandrima Shaha has been elected as the first woman president of the reputed Indian National Science Academy (INSA).
40) Yes Bank appoints Anurag Adlakha as group CFO

Adlakha replaces Raj Ahuja who is re-designated as group Chief Strategy Officer. Adlakha was bank's senior group president & head - financial management & strategy.
41) World's 1st museum on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
The world's first museum dedicated to the life and teachings of 16th-century saint and social reformer, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was inaugurated at the Kolkata's Baghbazar Gaudiya Math on August 13.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the technically-enabled 'Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum' built to preserve information related to the great saint. Inaugurating the museum, Banerjee said it was an effort to showcase the ascetic's teachings amidst the "prevalent cruelty, clashes or say intolerant situations".
42) Priyam Chatterjee is 1st Indian chef to receive French honour
Priyam Chatterjee became the first Indian chef to be awarded the 'Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricoleto' by the government of France to recognise his contribution towards reinventing the gastronomic scene in India.
Chatterjee (30) is best known for revisiting the traditional dishes from his native state of West Bengal and giving it a French twist.
43) TN CM Palaniswami trifurcates Vellore district
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced trifurcation of the large Vellore district and asserted his government's commitment to the two-language formula.
Two new districts with Ranipet and Tirupattur as headquarters respectively will be carved out from Vellore and K V Kuppam in Vellore district will be upgraded into a new taluk. Vellore will continue to function as a separate district.
44) Andhra Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy launches 'Village Volunteers System' on I-Day
'Village Volunteers System' - the scheme, aimed at providing governance services at doorsteps of people, will involve over 2.8 lakh volunteers.
The scheme would be launched on October 2, which also marks 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Under the scheme, one volunteer will cover 50 families in each village. Identity cards will be given to each volunteer and they would get an honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month.
45) ISRO chairman honoured with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam award
ISRO chairman K Sivan was honoured with the Tamil Nadu government's Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Award by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.
The award was announced in recognition of Sivan's stellar work in the promotion of science and technology.
The award carries an eightg gram gold medal, Rs five lakh in cash and a citation.
46) IIT-H researchers produce bone implant materials using eggshells
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H) and National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar developed bone implant materials using eggshells, thereby paving way for a non-toxic and inexpensive process of developing bone substitutes.
The team of researchers developed a process by which bone implant materials such as such as ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP), can be synthesized from waste eggshells. Currently, synthetic chemicals are used as bone replacement materials because of the presence of chemical residues that are toxic if not eliminated completely. However, researchers found massive potential in eggshells which are largely made of calcium containing minerals (95.1%) along with small amounts of proteins and water.

47) Harshad Pandurang Thakur appointed NIHFW Director
Harshad Pandurang Thakur has been appointed as the Director of National Institute of Health and Family Welfare. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appointed him for a period of five years.
48) Odisha gets Naval Tata Hockey Academy

The Naval Tata Hockey Academy (NTHA), Odisha to groom hockey players of the state was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The hockey academy is part of the three-pronged Tata Odisha Hockey Programme, a joint initiative of Tata Steel, Tata Trusts and Government of Odisha to nurture sports talent in the state.
The academy is named after Naval H Tata to commemorate his contribution to Hockey in India, his achievements as an outstanding sports administrator and passion for sports.
49) Paid to take a mortgage
Jyske Bank this month became the first in Denmark to offer a negative rate on a mortgage (Home Loan), in effect paying customers 0.5% to borrow money for 10 years.
The borrowers would still make monthly payments towards the initial amount they borrow, but they would eventually pay back less than the original amount.
While rare, the move in Denmark is part of a broader trend in tumbling mortgage rates globally. Borrowing costs on U.S. 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages have fallen to their lowest since November 2016.
50) World Junior Track Cycling Championship: India register best ever performance

Indian Esow Alben bagged two medals at the World Junior Track Championship to help India win a gold, silver and bronze each to finish sixth in the medals tally. Germany, New Zealnd and Greece claimed the top three places respectively.
The trio of Esow, Ronaldo Singh and Rojit Singh scripted history by grabbing a gold in the men's sprint event.
51) Kerala Tirur betel leaf, Tamil Nadu's Palani Panchamirtham get GI tag

Palani Panchamirtham, a temple 'prasadam' from Tamil Nadu, Kerala's Tirur betel leaf and two other products have been awarded Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
The two other products that received the tag include Tawlhlohpuan and Mizo Puanchei from Mizoram.
GI is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined geographical locality.

52) FDA approves new treatment for highly drug-resistant forms of Tuberculosis

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug for the treatment of a deadly type of treatment-resistant tuberculosis, one of the world's leading infectious causes of death.
The tablets called Pretomanid is approved in combination with bedaquiline and linezolid for treating a limited and specific population of adult patients with extensively drug resistant, treatment-intolerant or nonresponsive multidrug resistant tuberculosis of the lung.
In 2017, a total of 10 million people fell ill with tuberculosis, and 1.6 million died from the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
53) Ravi Shastri stays on as India head coach

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian Men's senior cricket team for a second successive term.
Shastri has been re-appointed for a 2-year term, which will stretch till the 2021 ICC World T20, scheduled to be played in India.
This will be Shastri's fourth stint with the national team, having served briefly as the cricket manager (2007 tour of Bangladesh), team director (2014-2016) and head coach (2017-2019).
54) Hima Das and Muhammed Anas win gold in 300m in Czech Republic

Top Indian sprinters Hima Das and Mohammad Anas won a gold each in women's and men's 300m races respectively at the Athleticky Mitink Reiter event in Czech Republic.
This was Hima's sixth gold in European races since July 2 though the field in most of them has been mediocre. Her last win was on July 20 when she clinched a gold in her pet 400m event at Nove Mesto in Czech Republic.
Muhammed Anas bagged clocked the timing of 32.41 seconds to claim the first spot in the event. India's Nirmal Tom also clinched a bronze medal in the same event by clocking a timing of 33.03 seconds.
55) All CAPF personnel to now retire at 60
All personnel working in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will now retire at a uniform age of 60 years.
The Union home ministry order, accessed by PTI, corrected the anomaly where personnel between the ranks of Constable to Commandant ( Senior Superintendent of Police equivalent) in four forces -- Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police force and Sashastra Seema Bal -- superannuated at the age of 57, rather than 60.
56) RuPay JCB Global Cards launched in India

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Japan Credit Bureau (JCB) International have announced the launch of a new credit card -- RuPay JCB Global Cards -- in Mumbai. The partnership was established in 2015 to connect to a global network of merchants and ATMs.
Eight banks in India will issue RuPay JCB Global Cards. NPCI and JCB are offering a special cashback programme for transactions at selected popular destinations.
57) Robot that can hold objects like a human hand developed by IIT-M
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed a robot with grasping and locomotion abilities like a human hand that can be used for industrial purposes and in search and rescue operations.
The multimodal robotic system named 'GraspMan' comprises a pair of graspers (machine-equivalent of human hands) that enable it to conform to the geometry of an object being grasped.
58) RBI transfers highest-ever surplus of Rs 1.76 lakh cr to govt
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the transfer of record Rs 1.76 lakh crore dividend and surplus reserves to the government, boosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led regime's prospect to stimulate the slowing economy without widening fiscal deficit.
Governor Shaktikanta Das-led RBI central board gave its nod for transferring to the the government a sum of Rs 1,76,051 crore comprising Rs 1,23,414 crore of surplus for the year 2018-19 and Rs 52,637 crore of excess provisions identified as per the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF).
59) India to offer 30-day e-tourist visa with $10 fee during April to June lean period
India will introduce a flexible e-tourist visa regime for over 160 countries based on tourist footfall, with higher fee for the peak season of July to March and a considerably lower fee during the lean period of April to June.
The fee for e-visa with a validity of 30 days to five years ranges between $10 and $80. However, there will be no visa fee for tourists from 14 Pacific Island nations belonging to Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) -- Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue Island, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu -- and Myanamar, Argentina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa and Uruguay.
60) DRDO hands over design of Mobile Metallic Ramp to Indian Army
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over to the Army on Tuesday the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) for strategic mobility of armoured and mechanised units as well as formations of the Army.
Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, handed over the design of MMR to Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Devraj Anbu.
61) Ravinder Takkar becomes the MD and CEO of Vodafone Idea
Mobile operator Vodafone Idea on Monday said Balesh Sharma has stepped down as its CEO citing personal reasons.
Ravinder Takkar, currently Vodafone Group's representative in India, will be appointed as the new MD and CEO with immediate effect.
62) Wipro inks pact with IISc for research in robotics, 5G
Wipro Limited announced a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to conduct advanced applied research in autonomous systems, robotics and 5G space.
The two organisations have jointly set up the Wipro IISc Research and Innovation Network (WIRIN), an industry academia collaboration unit.
63) CCMB scientist K Thangaraj awarded JC Bose Fellowship
Dr K Thangaraj, Chief Scientist at CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) was awarded JC Bose Fellowship. He was given the fellowship for his outstanding contributions in the field of population and medical genomics.
The JC Bose Fellowship is awarded to scientists in recognition for their outstanding performance by the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, a release said.
63) Paytm promotes CFO Madhur Deora as President
Gearing up for the next phase of growth in consumer Internet and financial services, digital payments player Paytm on Monday announced the promotion of its Chief Financial Officer Madhur Deora as the company's President.
Prior to joining Paytm in October 2016, Deora served as Managing Director in Citigroup's investment banking business.
64) Amazon burning: Brazil reports record forest fires
Wildfires raging in the Amazon rainforest have hit a record number this year, with 72,843 fires detected so far by Brazil's space research center INPE, as concerns grow over right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro's environmental policy.
The surge marks an 83% increase over the same period of 2018, and is the highest since records began in 2013. INPE said satellite images spotted 9,507 new forest fires in the country, mostly in the Amazon basin, home to the world's largest tropical forest seen as vital to countering global warming.
Images show the northernmost state of Roraima covered in dark smoke. Amazonas declared an emergency in the south of the state and in its capital Manaus on Aug. 9. Acre, on the border with Peru, has been on environmental alert since Friday due to the fires.
65) Rajiv Gauba takes over as cabinet secretary
Rajiv Gauba, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer took over as the new Cabinet Secretary in the Government of India after the superannuation of the incumbent P.K. Sinha.
Gauba is an IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre (1982 batch) and has held important assignments like Union Home Secretary, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India and Chief Secretary, Jharkhand. He has also represented India at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
66) Ajay Kumar named new defence secretary
Ajay Kumar was appointed the new Defence Secretary. He will replace Sanjay Mitra whose term ends on August 23, according to the Prime Minister-headed Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Subash Chandra, IAS (of 1986 batch), Special Secretary, Department of Defence, is the new Secretary, Department of Defence Production. He will take over from Ajay Kumar, IAS (1985 batch). Brij Kumar Agarwal, IAS (1985 batch) has been appointed Secretary to the Lokpal in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.
67) Railways not to use single-use plastic from Oct 2
Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who appealed to the nation to shun single-use plastic during his Independence Day speech, Railways has decided to stop its use across the network.
All vendors and staff across Indian Railways are to be encouraged to use reusable bags to reduce plastic footprint. A pledge will be administered to cut use of plastics on October 2.
68) Bahrain confers The King Hamad Order of the Renaissance to PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in recognition of his efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with the key Gulf nation.
Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit Bahrain, received the honour on Saturday night when he called on the King of Bahrain.
69) Bank fraud touches Rs 71,543 cr in 2018-19: RBI annual report
The number of cases of frauds reported by banks saw a jump of 15 per cent year-on-year basis in 2018-19, with the amount involved increasing by 73.8 per cent in the year, RBI's annual report showed.
In FY19, banking sector reported 6,801 frauds involving Rs 71,542.93 crore as against 5,916 cases involving Rs 41,167.04 crore reported in 2017-18.
70) CVC sets up panel to examine bank fraud above Rs 50 cr

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has constituted Advisory Board for Banking Frauds (ABBF) headed by former Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasin to examine bank fraud over Rs 50 crore and recommend action.
The panel in its previous avatar called the Advisory Board on Bank, Commercial and Financial Frauds.
71) "Janaushadhi Sugam" app launched

The government of India launched Jan Aushadhi Sugam Mobile App for locating Jan Aushadhi stores along with details of generic medicines available in these stores.
Through this app, people they can avail a host of user-friendly options like locating nearby Jan Aushadhi kendra, search Janaushadhi generic medicines, analyse product comparison of generic vs branded medicine in form of maximum retail price (MRP) and overall savings.

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Club Mahindra brings back the joy of family time with unique enriching experiences - Times of India

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