Archive: June 30, 2021

Terra Surface Solutions by Häfele

Häfele’s journey with Kitchens began with our core competency in kitchen hardware, and along the way, Häfele introduced many products for the kitchen that drew perfect synergies with our inherent strengths. Our motivation to bring more innovation, choice and expertise in the area of Interior surfaces has brought us to a new milestone today. After changing the face of Indian kitchens with elegant surfaces from our esteemed partnered brands, we now bring you a new range through our first ever in-house brand of premium quartz surfaces “Terra”. Terra defines all that is “Häfele” – it comes with our promise of exceptional German quality; our legacy of understanding kitchens; our expertise in engineered stone materials; and our commitment to service.

Breaking the limitations to find the perfect colour, texture, and style “Terra” which is Hafele’s in-house brand of premium surfaces comes with a uniform and high colour consistency that runs throughout the surface owing to the patented ‘Breton Technology’. Terra surfaces are made with over 90% quartz along with other compositions, giving it an eternal strength along with an innate flexibility to be designed to the tunes of your stories and imaginations. It is available in 20mm thickness, Terra surfaces are easy to fabricate and install in different interior applications. They are food-grade safe and extremely easy to clean, maintain and use. Owing to the inherent properties of quartz, Terra surfaces are non-porous as well as anti-bacterial, making them 100% safe, hygienic and long-lasting. They are also extremely immune to varying temperatures and do not decompose or change character when exposed to anything too hot or too cold.

Owing to its composition and colour consistency, Terra offers uniform and seamless design possibilities. Each colour has a soul and unique characteristic, of its own. Terra comes with 6 elegant yet contemporary colours that add to the versatility of this range. Be it the woody feel of Cinnamon or the minimalistic tones of Alba White; be it the enamour and poise of Moonwhite or the decadent details of Vena Oro; be it the pastel warmth of Eggnog or the serenity of Himalayan White – every colour has the potential to individualize your style, expression and imagination.

Terra is not only ideal for kitchen countertop applications but has also found its place in other areas of the home like the bathroom, living room and bedroom, spanning across applications like flooring and washbasin countertops. This surface can also find an ideal space in office reception counters, restaurant bar counters or even backsplashes and wall-claddings in hotel lobbies and rooms. Terra is the latest range that stems from our DNA and establishes us, for the first time, as a brand that has used its experience and journey to bring a surface range that we call “our own”, to our customers.

100% of hotels in Qatar are now Qatar Clean certified

As restrictions ease within the country, residents can enjoy peace of mind as they visit hotels in the country
Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) marks a milestone in its Qatar Clean programme, with 100% of QNTC-licensed hotels now “Qatar Clean” certified. Launched in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in June 2020, QNTC’s Qatar Clean programme ensures the highest standards in hygiene and cleanliness, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of customers. QNTC’s Secretary General, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker as well as COO Mr. Berthold Trenkel marked the anniversary with a visit to the W Doha, which was the first hotel to be certified Qatar Clean. With 100% hotels now fully certified, the programme is now being expanded to restaurants, and can be rolled out to other sectors including transport, retail and culture.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Secretary General of Qatar National Tourism Council, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker stated: “As we mark one year of our Qatar Clean programme, we are very pleased with its successful implementation. 100% of QNTC-licensed hotels have now been certified Qatar Clean, and the programme illustrates how together we are with our stakeholders and therefore have been able to innovate and adapt to the challenges of the past year. Qatar Clean is a key component of our proposition; those in Qatar can enjoy our award winning hospitality and world class offerings with their safety assured, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from both near and far.”

As Qatar begins to ease restrictions, Qatar Clean certified hotels and restaurants can operate at limited capacity and serve fully vaccinated individuals. And with visitors from the GCC now able to enter Qatar, both visitors and residents can rest assured that the highest standards of health and hygiene are being maintained at Qatar Clean certified venues. Qatar responded quickly to control the spread of COVID-19, instituting a series of measures prioritizing the health and safety of its residents. The mandatory track and trace app, Ehteraz, as well as measures such as the compulsory wearing of face masks and social distancing, have enabled the country to open domestically and to visitors from the GCC, and prepare for the return of inbound tourism.

Residents and visitors can enjoy Qatar’s award winning hospitality, assured that the Qatar Clean programme provides safeguards in line with global health and safety standards.

To maintain a Qatar Clean certification, hotels must adhere to the following:

1. Each hotel facility must appoint its own Qatar Clean Programme Manager responsible for overseeing employee training and overall compliance with programme requirements.
2. Hotels must sterilise their facilities daily, conduct frequent and thorough cleaning, use disinfectant in all rooms, air conditioning systems, water tanks, toilets, and ensure stringent sterilisation of designated guest areas, especially reception halls and lobbies.
3. In order to reduce contact with guests, hotels must adopt mobile or other contactless procedures for check in and check out, while optimising spaces to maintain a distance of at least two metres between individuals.
4. Hotels must carry out daily temperature checks on all employees at the start of their shifts, as well as on suppliers and guests. Anyone exhibiting symptoms of Coronavirus must immediately be placed in isolation, and MOPH would be contacted.

Joint committees from QNTC and MOPH continue to inspect hotels and their facilities to ensure programme standards are being applied and adhered to, with penalties imposed for non-compliance. With the success roll out of Qatar Clean across hospitality, the programme is being considered for other sectors such as transport, retail and culture.
For more information, head to https://www.visitqatar.qa.

TCL launches India’s First Mini LED QLED 4K and Video Call QLED 4K TVs to Unveil a New Era in Home Entertainment

New Delhi, June 30, 2021:TCL, a global top-two television brand and leading consumer electronics company, has launched its brand new 2021 C Series Range LineupTVs: Mini LED QLED4K C825 with Magic Camera, QLED 4K C728 with Game Master and QLED 4K C725 with Video Call Camera for superior home entertainment experience. The latest models feature 120Hz MEMC, Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced, Game Master, Hands-free voice control 2.0, TCL Smart UI, among other features.

Commenting on the mega launch, Mike Chen, General Manager, TCL India, said, “The latest launch underlines TCL’s commitment to constant innovation and delivering excellence in terms of cutting-edge technologies to new-age users. The brand, since its inception, has continued to innovate operations and surprise customers with superior product offerings that come packed with stunning features at affordable prices. This launch will also bolster the brand’s leadership stance in the Indian market, while giving customers more reasons to prefer TCL over other brands when they think ofSmart TV viewing and even for purposes like gaming.”

The Ultimate Entertainer — Mini LED QLED 4K Android 11 TV C825

The new C825 is an all-rounder, be it immersive TV viewing, superior gaming or seamless interaction with friends, colleagues and family.With C825 TCL takes a leap into the world of Mini LED, the TV adopts straight down backlight mode that significantly reduces grain size of traditional LED. Thousands of light control units are used to increase the number of backlight sources. Combined with Full Array Local Dimming Technology, C825 offers more contrast, more accurate color, making black darker, white whiter. Sense of authenticity brings the best immersive experience.

The TV comes with Dolby Vision HDR that transforms your TV experience with an ultravivid picture thatbrings entertainment to life and Dolby Vision IQwhich leverages the full intelligence of your TV to deliver a perfect picture in your room at every moment. It also has120Hz MEMC and TCL’s proprietary software algorithm for seamlessly viewing action-packed content with reduced visual fatigues and enhanced image quality.

It also hasGame Master, an extraordinary gaming feature with HDMI 2.1 which is dedicated for gamers and enables them to play high quality games with smoother processing and powerful optimization. It also sports a1080Pmagnetic magic camerawhich works with Google Duo and Zoom Meet to make online interactions more enhanced and flawless. When it comes to audio, the TV features IMAX Enhanced certified 2.1integrated ONKYO Soundbarwith Dolby Atmos along with a built-in Subwoofer. WithDolby Atmos, listeners will be enveloped in a wave of sounds through rich, immersive audio that will blow away what they thought a TV’s built-in speakers could sound like. Available in 55 and 65 inches the TVs are priced at INR 114,990 and INR 149,990 respectively.

Commenting on the launch, Ashim Mathur, Senior Regional Director, Emerging Markets, Dolby Laboratories said, “We are ecstatic to collaborate with TCL to provide premium entertainment experiences to consumers.With the powerful combination of Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos the TCL C825takes your entertainment to new heights.No matter if you are streaming aTV show or watching a movie, Dolby Vision IQ intelligently optimizes your TV for a perfect picture in your room at every moment and Dolby Atmosgives you an immersive experience”.

The Multi-talent – Video Call QLED 4K Android 11 TV C725

C725 provides all the stunning features that make it a flawless home entertainment device. With the video call camera, users can enjoy video calling via Google Duo on the QLED display. For the picture, it comes with Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ technology, 4K resolution, AiPQ Engine, and supports both MEMC and HDMI 2.1 to deliver impressive picture.

The TV is integrated with ONKYO certified soundbar with Dolby Atmos for a premium entertainment experience. Besides, it also offers hands-free voice control 2.0 for better and faster voice recognition when it comes to searching and playing music, shows, movies or opening an app.

When it comes to Smart features, C725 operates with TCL Smart UI, which includes TCL Home Entertainment Center, where users can enjoy all kinds of global and local contents in TCL Channel 3.0, and also play games with your loved ones via air-console in the Game Center with no additional game pad required; and also the Home Control Center, with Mirroring and MagiConnect for better mobile casting experiences, and the personalized Screen Saver, as well as the Quick Panel, which users can hit the shortcut button and select from your most frequently used apps, making switching between your favorite functions easier and more seamless. Available in 50, 55 and 65 inches, the TVs are priced at INR 64,990, INR 72,990, INR 99,999 respectively

Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media said, “We have always believed in making our multilingual, multi-genre and multi-format library available to users across different ecosystems. Through our long-standing partnership with TCL, we have been able to offer their users an engaging entertainment experience. We are glad to partner with them once again, for their new range of C-series TVs and are certain that the users will enjoy exploring, discovering and watching our content with an immersive sound and display quality.”

The Gaming Champion – Gaming QLED 4K Android 11 TV C728

Engineered for superior gaming on bigger screen, C728 is a premium offering by TCL for all gamers out there. It features Game Master backed by HDMI 2.1 and premium tech-driven elements such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), eARC, and the company’s proprietary software algorithm, thus giving best-in-class gaming experiences to gamers. It has QLED Display Technology ensuring over 100% color volume for enhanced visual impact.

And with Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ, and Dolby Atmos, the C728 transforms entertainment with incredible picture and sound.

The device also offers 120Hz MEMCand offers hands-free voice control for seamless user control through simple and direct voice commands to the TV. Available in 55, 65 and 75 the TVs are priced at INR 79,990; INR 102,990 and INR 159,990 respectively.

*Disclaimer: (Exclusive to TCL Store India)

Preventive Wellness- The shift from reactive to proactive care

By Mr. Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach – Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine and Founder of YouCare – All about YOU by Luke Coutinho

The current pandemic has woken so many of us to a rude shock. All of a sudden it has shone a light on the importance of immunity, which was the basics of health and something that each of us learned about in schools. We forgot the basics of what it takes to keep illnesses at bay, in this whole complexity of chasing our goals and dreams and adopting fancy and fad diet programs, exercise routines.

All of a sudden people realized how dangerous it can be to live with diabetes, COPD, and hypertension during pandemic times, because of their vulnerability to the virus. Till then, they believed what society made them believe, “Take your pills and don’t worry. You can have a drink, enjoy life, diet doesn’t matter, there is no research stating sugar is bad, enjoy your life.” There was zero focus on lifestyle. It’s just prescription after another, with no emphasis on addressing the root cause and addressing a change in lifestyle so people could have a chance at recovery and healing. The point is, why did it take a virus for us to realize this? We have taken our health for granted and taking good care of it has been the least of our priorities till we get sick.

The Future of Health is – Preventative Healthcare 

The future is prevention. It always has been but was never given its due importance. The age-old proverb – “Prevention is better than cure”, is something that we, our parents and grandparents studied since their school, but unfortunately, complication and quick fixes took over and we moved from a preventive model to a model of symptomatic approach and quick fixes with no care for side effects, a mentality of convenience and ease which found no place when a virus almost shut down the world. Today, people are forced to move back to looking for prevention, looking for a reversal of lifestyle diseases.

It’s Never Too Late to Start

No matter what your age and health status are, it’s never too late to start to understand that this amazing and intelligent human body needs a deeper yet simpler approach towards cellular health at a physical, emotional, mental, intellectual and spiritual level. You can be fit or already dealing with one illness or more, but you can still start focusing on preventative wellness. This approach is not just for the healthy, but for the ailing too.

E.g.: If you have diabetes, preventative wellness would mean focusing on managing your blood sugar levels and all the possible damage high blood sugars might be doing to every cell of your body, controlling inflammation, making lifestyle changes and certain shifts in your eating habits, sleep, exercise, emotional health to manage your condition better, taking measures to manage the side effects of medications, etc.

If you are genetically predisposed to a certain disease and there is nothing that you can do about it, don’t give up. Focus on preventative wellness because there is so much that you can still do. Here the focus would be on analyzing the possible risk factors for you that would trigger the development of disease later on and slowly working towards removing those risk factors, regular check-ups to understand your vital parameters.

While there may be many cases where nothing much can be done, it still doesn’t stop us from trying and starting to support the human body and mind with new lifestyles that suit us and are aligned with nature.

Preventative Wellness is NOT a replacement for your current treatment or therapists

Preventative wellness is not about replacing your current medical treatment or therapy. You still need your medicines, doctors, therapists, surgeons, super specialists, medicines, psychiatrist, etc, by your side, but also put a parallel focus on managing side effects of your medications, addressing the root cause of your disease, quality of your relationships, emotional health, improving your inner and outer environment, the building your lifestyle and being coached into adopting certain lifestyle practices and habits that benefit you.

Every medicine depletes one or more vitamins, trace minerals, micronutrients that are required for the functioning of your vital organs at a cellular level. What is depleted, has to be replenished to prevent the further onset of new ailments, conditions, diseases, and deficiencies. Certain medications weaken the bones, some cause more acids, some suppress it, some weaken the immune system, some stimulate the immune system, some lead to muscle soreness, etc. Preventive and integrative medicine takes into account all of this and helps you build over and above your prescribed medicines to look at your overall health and life from 360 degrees, prevent further damage and give a possibility of actual and complete recovery.

Preventative medicine is not alternative, it is integrative and what can you do to prevent the current health condition from getting worse. All facets of life and health are taken into consideration, analyzed, and introspected.

So, while the pandemic bought suffering, loss, and pain along with it, how many of us are seeing a silver lining? The silver lining of a realization that – health is everything that should matter and will matter to us in the future too, no matter what.

Invest in prevention and recovery. Yes, “invest” because it is not a cost, but the best investment that you can make starting from this very moment. It is not okay to be okay living with lifestyle diseases. There is always something that can be done. Sit with experts, talk about it, prioritize, explore and do it the right way.

And yes, making lifestyle changes doesn’t ever have to be boring. You can be the most jet-set, happy, social, full of fun and life, and still be disciplined with your lifestyle.

Zeon Lifesciences Announces the Covid 19 Vaccination Drive for its Employees

New Delhi, 29 June 2021: Zeon Lifesciences Ltd, a leading manufacturer of health and wellness products, has announced a vaccination drive for its team of about 1000 people. So far 300 + employees are vaccinated under the initiative. Zeon will cover the costs of the vaccines for all employees, as well as allow them time off to recover from any minor after-effects of the vaccine.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Zeon has implemented a number of health and wellness initiatives for its employees on the company’s premises. Addressing the recent need for oxygen concentrators, Zeon has been arranging oxygen concentrators and other essential medical aid for its employees as well as residents in Noida and Paonta Sahib (the company’s manufacturing unit) as part of its CSR initiative. Employees in need can either take it from the company or can also get it delivered to their homes by making a request to the concerned department.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr Suresh Garg, MD and Founder of Zeon Lifesciences said, “Our Zeon Family’s health is of the utmost importance to us. We have been working diligently to lessen the pandemic’s impact on our workforce. In these unprecedented times, our employees’ safety is our top priority, and the vaccination drive is a step in that direction.”

The company has also installed air purifiers and thoroughly cleaned all of the premises in its manufacturing plant in Himachal and the Noida office. The company is dedicated to creating a COVID help group that shares verified leads for medicines, oxygen concentrators, doctor information, and recovery equipment, among other things.