Meet Kannada cinema's first Khan, the son of JD(S) MLA Zameer Ahmed

Kochi, Jan 22: Rail passengers from Kerala are a happy lot as the state’s traditional food items such as appam and eggcurry, puttu and kadala curry have found their way back to the revised menu of the Railways in the wake of protests over reports that they were replaced by north indian delicacies.

The popular Kerala dishes were reinstated to the list following social media backlash over the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s reported decision to replace the favorite cuisine of Malayalis from its menu with north Indian dishes such as Kachori and Chole Bhature.

Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, who had shot off a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal raising the issue of alleged discrimination against Keralites, got an assurance from the IRCTC officials that popular items, including snacks such as unniyappam and sukhiyan will be served through its outlets in the state.

Eden said the IRCTC officials who visited him at his home on Wednesday morning have presented him with the list of delicacies to be served by its local vendors in Kerala. In his letter to the minister, the MP had stated that dishes which are very important to Malayalis for breakfast such as appam, egg curry, porotta, dosa, steam cake (puttu) were excluded along with snacks such as banana fry (pazham pori), kozhukkatta, unniyappam, neyyappam and sukhiyan.  He had also raised the issue of hike in price of food items.

According to him, price of meals has been increased from RS 35 to 70 and that ofsnacks such as vada from Rs 8 to 15.  While the price of vada has not been reduced, the fare of snack meal like parotta, chappathi, idiyappam, appam and puttu with kadala curry or egg curry will be served at Rs 50.  According to IRCTC, a passenger will have to shell out Rs 20 for unniyappam/sukhiyan/neyyappam, 2 numbers each.  Informing Goyal of the changes in menu, he said Malayalis are discriminated in trains and railway refreshment rooms by the food which is the right of every passenger.

He had sought urgent intervention of the Minister and speedy action in the matter.

Bengaluru, Jan 19: Technology hub Hyderabad has edged out 129 other cities in the world to emerge as the world's most dynamic city, according to the seventh edition of the City Momentum Index by global real estate services firm JLL.

The city has pushed Bengaluru to second place to regain the top position after a gap of one year. Chennai is at fifth and Delhi is at sixth place.

While Hyderabad and Bengaluru are the top two cities globally for socio-economic momentum, a more active real estate market helped elevate Hyderabad to first position in the overall ranking, says the report released by the US-based Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) on Saturday night.

Hyderabad recorded the highest office net absorption in 2019 (as a proportion of existing stock) of any city globally, while it is also among the world's best-performing cities for prime office rental growth.

While all seven major Indian cities feature in this year's Global Top 20, cities in south India in particular - Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai (5th) "are ahead of their northern peers, supported by favourable demographics and business climates".

"Their expanding tech industries and start-up cultures make them a magnet for young and ambitious talent from across the country, with Bengaluru having one of the world's largest concentrations of 'engine room' population (20-40-year-olds), typically the most dynamic and productive age cohort," says the report.

Kolkata and Mumbai made it to the top 20 and stood at the 16th and 20th positions. Despite an economic slowdown, India leads the 2020 Index with seven Indian cities in the top 20.

"Commercial real estate in south Indian cities is growing at a rapid pace. Hyderabad has seen tremendous growth in 2019 in line with that of Bengaluru. The city has actively embraced technology-driven economic growth and attracted large tech giants and e-commerce players. The state government's focus on business-friendly policies and provision of high-quality infrastructure along with availability of quality talent pool and superior quality business parks has given Hyderabad a competitive edge," said Ramesh Nair, CEO and Country Head - India, JLL.

Telangana's Minister for Information Technology and Industry K T Rama Rao said he was thrilled over Hyderabad not only regaining the top slot but also over the fact that it was competing with cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai in innovation economy.

The minister said 50 percent weightage from socio-economic indicators beside the remaining 50 percent from commercial and real estate was also heartening.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, noted that in 2014 when Telangana attained statehood, Hyderabad was not even in the list. He recalled that when Telangana was formed there were many doubts as to what would happen to Hyderabad. "It entered the top 20 in 2015 and rose to fifth place in 2016 and third position in 2017. Hyderabad topped the list in 2018 and finished second the last year. This year it is back at the top," he said.

The JLL City Momentum Index identifies a number of key growth drivers, including talent attraction, the expansion of innovation hubs and better urban planning, that cities can employ to meet the challenges faced by rapid momentum.

Several cities in the top 20 stand out as they transform their urban environments in pursuit of a low-carbon future. In India, Hyderabad is looking at technology to reduce the demand for air conditioning with cool roofs that reflect sunlight and absorb less heat, it said.

"The growth of "micro-mobility" is another positive step, illustrated by Hyderabad's introduction of smart bikes and electric cars. Smart city solutions, such as bike rentals, improved quality of life, help increase inclusion and aid in the transition to a low carbon environment."

Bengaluru, Apr 28: Ayurveda company, TotalAyurvedaCare.com recently launched a novel telemedicine platform that blends traditional Ayurvedic practices with modern technology, giving patients face-to-face interactions with Ayurvedic doctors.

Through the website, patients can book an appointment with a doctor and receive a consultation. Following this consultation, the doctor will prescribe Ayurvedic medicines and provide nutritional advice.

"COVID-19 has brought many unexpected changes to our lives, especially in the healthcare sectors where patients are now asked not to visit hospitals or doctors clinics unless it is a dire emergency. While social distancing and hand washing are some of the keys to containing the spread of the virus, we realized that boosting one's immunity plays a very vital role in keeping healthy. Our Telemedicine portal is ideal as patients can have access to Ayurvedic doctors at the comfort of their homes while minimizing risk to both patient and doctor", said Ed Lateef, Founder and CEO of TotalAyurvedaCare.com.

"The holistic care and treatment is completely personalized for every individual. With highly qualified and experienced doctors, we are on a mission to make the global community a healthy and happy place with Ayurveda. The online platform of TotalAyurvedaCare.com is for everyone to transform their lives. Ayurveda is the science of life and longevity and teaches us about the power of nature, its cycles, and its elements. We understand that Ayurveda is aimed at not only treating the condition but also helps to maintain the balance of soul and mind", he added.

TotalAyurvedaCare's objective is to increase accessibility of Ayurvedic treatments, with the streamlined website allowing patients to register for online consultation easily.

During the registration process, the patient will have to select their condition, doctor of choice and schedule the appointment. Payments occur online through a secured payment gateway.

Currently, the platform supports payment methods including netbanking, debit card, credit card, and PayTM. The platform also allows patients to review their doctors.

TotalAyurvedaCare.com is a division of Total Herbal Care, a company with strategic interests in herbal brands. Founded by Ed Lateef in 2001, for the retail and distribution of Ayurvedic products in the US, it also began operations in Europe in 2003 and then was merged with The Himalaya Drug Company LTD Europe (SIA The Himalaya Drug Company), which was co-founded by Ed Lateef.

As a part of their launch, TotalAyurvedaCare.com is offering free appointments of 30 minutes each for the first 200 participants. The online Ayurvedic Doctor consultation from Total Ayurveda Care is suitable for all the age groups including children.

The highly qualified and experienced Ayurvedic physicians offer personalized consultation for multiple health issues like diabetes, obesity, skin conditions, hair issues, hypertension, stress, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, etc.

Total Ayurveda Care also offers specialized nutritional consulting, which is based on your current state of health, dietary habits and health issues.