Archive: December 19, 2022

Listings of ‘Make Your Christmas Merrier at Food Exchange! At Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre will make your Christmas Merrier unforgettable with Ho, ho, ho! Usher in the Christmas cheer by enjoying a scrumptious Christmas eve elaborate dinner at Food exchange on 24th Dec 2022 at Novotel Convention Centre Hyderabad. Celebrate Christmas with Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre.

Where: Food Exchange at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana.

When: 24th Dec 2022, Time: 07:00 PM to 11:00 PM

For Reservations, call: +91 9642326162

Christmas Gifting Options – World of Play

Smartwatches

1. PLAYFIT SLIM2C –

It is a Bluetooth-based CALLING smartwatch with a 1.3″ fashionable and circular dial and a rich IPS display. The complete package of the design boasts of a rich, 500 nits brightness display, an IPS panel providing an all-view angle display visibility, a flat dial surface courtesy of the 2.5D glass which rests on top of the display, and an equally irresistible PLAYtime of 5 days. This sleek innovation incorporates a wide range of technological advancements and features designed to meet the on-the-go lifestyle needs of modern-day consumers.

2. PLAYFIT DIAL
If the person is fitness enthusiast, this is the perfect gift. One of the most cost-effective options on this list is PLAYFIT DIAL, a one-of-its-kind smartwatch, integrated with features like a heart rate monitor, blood oxygen sensor, and others. The PLAYFIT DIAL is also dust and water-resistant and boasts an IPS display with numerous configurable watch faces. This smart device will help your them to stay healthy and fit with incredibly awesome features.

3. PLAYFIT STRENGTH –
If your loved once enjoys fitness and a hands-free life, PLAYFIT STRENGTH is the way to go. It’s a waterproof smartwatch with Bluetooth calling, a touchscreen, activity tracking, sports modes, and wireless networking. With a long list of incredible features, this innovative device will help your sibling achieve their fitness goals on time. Just purchase this small device of wonder and encourage them to lead a physically active and mentally healthy lifestyle.

4. PLAYFIT SLIM

The smartwatch PLAFIT SLIM is “Made in India.” 1.28′′ (240 x 240 pixels) IPS LCD screen, IP67 water and dust resistance, different sports modes, heart rate and fitness tracker, sleep and SPO2 monitor, Bluetooth notification, and more are some of its features. This slimline smartwatch has a trendy band in the colours of Black and Blue, as the name would imply. It includes a 180mAh battery with a 7-day battery life and a 15-day standby time guarantee.

5. PLAYFIT XL

The smartwatch is a large-sized Full-Touch square display watch with a 15-day PLAYTIME that includes numerous features like a heart rate monitor, blood oxygen tracker, calorie counter, and much more.

6. PLAYFIT CHAMP 2

The 1.69″ Full Touch TFT Display, 24×7 Heart Rate & SpO2 Monitoring, PLAYTIME of up to 5 Days, several training modes, IP68 Dust and Water Resistance, and many other features make the PLAYFIT CHAMP2 smartwatch the ideal blend of premium style, performance, and comfort.

7. PLAYFIT DIAL 2

A smartwatch with the capacity to make Bluetooth calls and strong EBEL drivers for music listening. provides uninterrupted use for 5 days. maintains your health and is equipped with many exercise options! Swim without worry with the IP67-rated smartwatch.

Earphones

1. PLAYGO DURA

The PLAYGO DURA features premium looks and an in-ear design, ensuring that the user experiences zero ear fatigue even after extended wear or while performing daily gym activities. The PLAY proprietary Enhanced Bass Extra Loud (EBEL) drivers, well-positioned Microphone, and Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology provide HD sound quality, even in the most boisterous Indian environment. The value it brings to Indian consumers is not only the ability to enjoy bass-heavy music, but also to seamlessly attend to work calls even while in crowded streets or cafés. All of this is complemented by a well-integrated firmware that can invoke voice-assistants as well as seamless wireless connectivity via the latest Bluetooth technology.

2. PLAYGO BUDSLITE
The one-of-a-kind deliverable for PLAYGO BUDSLITE is the sheer TWS performance, which is available in the stunning Marsela Red. With their innovative in-ear design and integrated EAR-HOOK, these EarPods’ distinctive styling and design make them simpler to use during strenuous exercises like (even) Zumba. Additionally, the device is IPX4 waterproof, shielding it from water splashes, sweat, or precipitation. PLAYGO BUDSLITE has a built-in microphone with Bluetooth 5.1 integration for high-definition sound and crystal-clear speech connection. Additionally, it boasts delicate touch controls that make it simple for the user to change calls, change music tracks, modify volume, etc. Additionally, it incorporates the exclusive Enhanced Bass Extra Loud (EBEL) drivers. This guarantees users a potent audio experience that caters to high treble as well as deep bass. The PLAYGO BUDSLITE can also be used for up to six hours on a single set of buds and up to 24 hours with a charging case. The fact that the smartphone supports Type-C connector-based speed charging is significant.

3. PLAYGO FLAUNT

It is a sleek, high-octane device that is lightweight on purpose to improve comfort and convenience. The device, which has a futuristic form and aesthetic, includes in-ear metal buds with fashionable ear-fin hooks in addition to a magnetic attach for wearing around the neck. Additionally, a potent 10mm EBEL driver is built into the back of it for an improved musical experience. Using the device gives you access to high-quality music for about 14 hours. The device charges quickly, taking just 100 minutes to go from zero to full according to industry best practises. PLAYGO FLAUNT has an IPX4 rating, making it resistant to perspiration, water, and dirt. It follows you everywhere, so you may enjoy the monsoon drizzle or work up a sweat when dancing or working out. In conclusion, it excels in the category and is deserving of being shown together with your gadget of choice.

4. PLAYGO N37
The PLAYGO N37 is a smartly built Bluetooth earphone that refers to luxury design elements specifically for the needs of today’s millennials and Gen Z population. It comes in classy Black, Yellow, Teal, and Red colour versions. Wearing these earphones naturally raises the user’s fashion quotient thanks to the ultra-flexible neckband. A fully charged PLAYGO N37 can provide up to 10 hours of playtime. But even with a little, 10-minute charge, the gadget can provide three hours of PLAYtime. The PLAYGO N37 is a treat for users of electronic gadgets because it comes with a mic that is strategically placed for clear voice communication and is compatible with voice assistants like Google, Siri, and Alexa.

5. PLAYGO DUALPODS
One of the best pocket-friendly ear pods on this list, this ingenious invention helps the wearer to work without worrying about distracting background noises. The sound output of these dualpods is incredibly amplified because of Dual-Driver TWS. It is also integrated with Enhanced Bass Extra Loud (EBEL) High-sensitivity Driver Design For Enhanced Sound Performance. PLAYGO DUALPODS are designed with precision for all-day comfortable wear that easily fits in the wearer’s ears. Plus, one can control the volume with just a slight touch. Isn’t it the perfect gadget for your fav person?

Headphones

1. PLAYGO BH47

The PLAYGO BH47 is powered by a Qualcomm chipset and also features active noise cancellation for complete isolation. The BH47 comes with a speaker size of 40mm and comfortable ear cups which enable the users to wear them for longer durations. Striving to provide a refreshing audio experience, the BH47 has a battery life of 30 hours while needing 3 hours to charge completely. Connectivity-wise the BH47 supports Bluetooth v5.0 and consists of an AUX cable for wired outputs as well. BH47 also offers multi-point connection which allows users to pair up to two devices simultaneously.

2. PLAYGO BH22

Available in vibrant Champagne and Lush Lava colours, the PLAYGO BH22 is also powered by advanced processors so that users can experience trouble-free and crystal-clear communication. It also comes with power-packed performance and offers up to 35 hours of PLAY-time while only needing four hours to charge fully. The device is also equipped with dual equalizers and can operate up to a distance of 10 meters. The PLAYGO BH22 packs a powerful punch with multi-point connection enabling consumers to pair up to two devices simultaneously along with dual connectivity that supports both Bluetooth 5.0 and AUX cable. It also comes with a dynamic speaker size of 40mm, making for an exceptional audio experience. Sporting a fashionable, premium, foldable design and new-age voice assistants such as Google Assistant, Siri and Alexa that allow users to change track or accept & reject calls, PLAYGO BH22 is the latest essential young professionals require for better digital communication and entertainment needs.

3. PLAYGO BH70

PLAYGO BH70 is an AI-Based Wireless headphone perfectly suitable for your father. In particular, if your father enjoys working from home, these headphones can easily accompany him. This remarkable device is a secure and comfortable fit with a battery life of approx 24 hours, sweatproof, IPX4 water-resistant and touch control that makes the audio-listening experience incredibly smooth and soft.

Speakers

1. PLAYGO MUZEs Karaoke speaker is PLAYGO MUZE. The device’s 20W, exclusive EBEL (Enhanced Bass, Extra Loud) sound signature makes it pleasantly loud while also being incredibly fashionable & portable. The PLAYGO MUZE is an exciting option for partygoers who want an exhilarating party-music experience. It has a built-in 2400 mAh rechargeable battery that delivers a PLAYtime of an astounding seven hours on a single charge. The device has a Bluetooth 5.0 connection, a smart LED display, and can also be utilised in True Wireless Stereo (TWS) mode, allowing users to maximise their party night by using two (2) PLAYGO MUZE simultaneously.

Lucky Ali LIVE Concert at Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai

Mumbai’s favourite destination mall Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai, has a reputation for hosting the most exciting Indian and international events in the city. From UB40 and Eric Clapton to KK, Mika Singh, and Amit Trivedi, Dublin Square at Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai remains the best Indoor venue for the biggest artists to perform at.

Continuing with the high energy of festive season, the mall presents a soulful concert by LUCKY ALI who will be live in concert at the mall’s very popular indoor performing arts venue, Dublin Square on Friday, December 23rd.

Join the legendary Indian singer-songwriter, composer and actor, Lucky Ali as he performs his soulful but strikingly simple ballads at Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai and enjoy his melodious voice. The concert will have assured hits like O Sanam from Sunoh, the song that not only launched his career but is considered by some to be one of the best indie-pop songs ever. The album established him as a singer and won many top awards in Indian music, including the Best Pop Male Vocalist at the 1996 Screen Awards and the Channel V Viewer’s Choice Award in 1997. It stayed on the MTV Asia Charts in the top three for 60 weeks. Sway to the 90s popular singer at Phoenix Marketcity and have a ball of a time.

Date: 23rd December 2022

Time: 6:00 PM

Venue: Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai

Tickets: https://insider.in/lucky-ali-live-in-mumbai-dec23/event

Let’s Toast To the Greatest Celebratory Night of the Year @Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre

Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) & Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre (NHCC) yet again orchestrates one of the finest celebratory nights ever put together in a luxury setting. Join us at this exhilarating event “ESPOIR 2023” to ring in the New Year with “Hope” and a cheer ushering excellent times to come, in the most captivating city, an epitome of beauty, love, and light, the city of Hyderabad.

What better way to bid an ecstatic adieu to 2022 than dancing our hearts out at the largest dance floor, one of its kind light and sound show using the latest technology L Acoustics sound, and intelligent Madrix Dome lights? The most exciting artist lineups, International Dance acts and performances, and eclectic EDM and Bollywood mix by DJ Akbar Sami, DJ Perch, and DJ Siddie Boy live in the house.

The gala evening includes a repertoire of salads, melt-in-mouth starters, scrumptious delicacies from around the world, and desserts. What’s more, is an unlimited premium selection of beverages to toast to the memories of togetherness and reminisce of the fun times.

Our dedicated Children’s Fun Zone will include a specially curated menu for our young adults giving them a celebration for their idea of fun. Live cartoon and movie screenings, VR games, and engaging activities are crafted for our guests and drive our ‘Family and Novotel’ motto.

A space so inviting coupled with the option of a luxury stay experience is bound to transform this night into an unforgettable memory.

“ESPOIR – HOPE” Let’s come together this New Year and restore joy to our hearts.

Where: Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre

When: 31st December, Time: 7:00 PM
Pic Credit: konnectionsimag

Bringing ‘23 in with learnings from 2022

Foreword

The year 2022 will go down in history as one of the decisive years for the Crypto ecosystem. The year started with hints of a bear market on the horizon, and in the span of a few weeks, we saw the industry turn upside down.

After five years of consistent efforts to provide easy Crypto access to users, we witnessed market sentiments reaching an alarming low. This was in contrast to the positive sentiment we saw in the last few years, especially in 2021, when Crypto saw its best bull run ever.

A few reasons could be behind this:

– Increase in the number of Crypto users: Market perceptions were now dependent on 100 times the number of users as compared to the last bear run. The price fluctuations, as a result, were also drastic.

– Regulatory uncertainty: The country is still on the brink of an uncertain future when it comes to Crypto, with no regulations to protect users in case of massive losses in the portfolio or bad actors who run fraudulent businesses to trap vulnerable investors.

– High Taxes: The last budget session saw the government not committing to grant Crypto legal tender status. At the same time, it imposed high taxes on sale transactions and gains, which indirectly acted as a deterrent for investors from getting into this space. Existing investors also started pulling out because the gains in Virtual Digital Assets would not be for them to keep, resulting in an unfavorable situation. Not just that, there was also a lot of ambiguity on how taxes will be calculated and also about the TDS to be deducted on trading platforms.

The above factor also significantly affected our trading volumes and other market players’ volumes. Starting April 2022, when the tax laws came into effect for Virtual Digital Assets, we saw a drastic decrease in the number of trades per day as compared to last year or even the previous month.

– Collapse of promising projects: Many leading projects, and market aggregators, with a great record and potential couldn’t survive the volatile market conditions. In lieu of increasing scrutiny that the market was subjected to after user portfolios took massive hits, many projects crumbled due to a weak foundation and unethical practices.

User behavior highlights

● WazirX saw a user volume of 10 billion till 30th November 2022.

● 2,122,925 new users signed up on the exchange this year.

● The top tokens traded on WazirX were BTC, USDT, SHIB, WRX, ETH, TRX, DOGE, MATIC.

● Women traded 20% of the top tokens traded on the platform, on an average.

● Women in the age group of 41-60 and above have transacted more in VDA than men in the same age group. Women in the age group of 26-40 contributed to 46% of the total trading volume by all women users on the platform.

● Men between the ages of 18-40 transacted more in VDA than men in the other age groups.

● Women traded more blue chip tokens (tokens which are perceived of high value in the long run with high liquidity).

● Men, on the other hand, invested in meme tokens, gaming tokens, etc., besides blue chip tokens.

● ETH was a popular choice for men and women in the age group of 26-40, with women in this age group contributing to 47.48% of all trades made by women users. Men in the same age group contributed to 56.70% of the trading volume made by male users.

● BTC remained popular among men between the ages of 26-40 with 49% trading volume and women between 41-60 with 40% trading volume.

● Women in the states of West Bengal (42%), Haryana (35%), Uttar Pradesh(25%), and Karnataka (21%) were involved in the most Crypto trades.

Shiba Inu’s popularity run continues

Even in the bear market, Shiba Inu tokens reigned supreme with unfazed popularity. 27% of the first-time Crypto buyers on the platform bought Shib tokens, followed by TRX (11%) and BTC (8%). Men between the ages of 26-40 traded 50% of all Shib tokens traded on the platform.

FIFA World Cup mania

ChiliZ token (CHZ), the official token of the Socios.com fan voting portal, has been a popular token as a precursor to the FIFA world cup. The token offers voting rights to fans for activities related to their favorite teams and players. Among female traders, users in the age group of 26-40 had the highest share (63%) of CHZ tokens, whereas users between 41-60 had 28% of them. Among male traders, users between 26-40 had 58.29% of CHZ tokens, and those between 18-25 held 12.9% of the tokens.

The Elon Effect

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover news reflected in the Crypto purchase behavior of users. News of Musk offering to buy Twitter started floating in mid-April. The trading volume of Doge on WazirX went up by 1300% compared to the previous week at that time. The volume dipped when the deal apparently fell through. However, towards the end of October, when the Twitter acquisition by Elon was near completion, the trading volumes went up significantly by 3000% despite low trading volumes in the previous few weeks.

Traditional gifts get a new twist with Crypto

Raksha Bandhan and Diwali, two important festivals in India, which are observed by exchanging gifts between loved ones. This year, we introduced the Crypto gift card feature on our platform, where users can send WRX tokens to each other, starting at INR 50 only!

It was a success among our users since Crypto as an asset has value unlike any other perishable gifts exchanged usually. We saw gift cards worth a total of INR 1.1 Million (INR 11 lakhs) purchased on our platform for the festivals, with 50% of the gift cards bought during Diwali. For Diwali, we also introduced ‘Shagun’ for users who purchased gift cards for their loved ones. Gestures like these help in driving awareness and adoption of Crypto. The barrier to entering Crypto is low,

and it is inclusive. In the coming years, we will continue to see more such trends where Crypto becomes an integral part of India.

Predictions for 2023

● Increase in awareness: While several surveys involving retail investors claim how they continue to be bullish about Crypto, lack of awareness remains a key barrier to its mainstream adoption. With limited knowledge of the potential of Crypto, users will continue to perceive it as only a store of value. It is important to raise awareness about the pros and cons of Crypto, its volatility as well as its several use cases. Here, organizations focused on educating users on blockchain will benefit in the long run.

● Public-Private partnerships: It is important for the government to give an opportunity to local Web3 players to participate in initiatives where VDAs will play a key role. Web3 companies are poised to tackle the onboarding of users to Crypto as they have experience in the same. State governments like Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, etc, have been actively involved in dialogues with private players to further the cause of blockchain in the public sector and make it mainstream. Next year could see a few more such collaborations.

● Utility of Crypto: We will witness the acceptance of retail Crypto payments in businesses and the need for a sophisticated interface where these transactions can take place swiftly and hassle-free. Exchanges will be the top choices for Crypto exchange among users. For this, they must remain agile with the changing technology trends.

● Security of funds: With some major mishaps in the Crypto ecosystem in the form of the Terra crash and FTX fiasco, users are wary of their funds. They will have second thoughts while investing in digital currencies. Platforms that have the potential to provide security and trust with complete transparency will witness more users preferring them over others.

● CBDC: The RBI’s CBDC trial has ignited the hopes among several Crypto enthusiasts. If rolled out on a blockchain, it will be a glimpse of how digital tokens operate for the public and, in turn, might interest users to get an experiential taste of private digital tokens.

● Regulations: The Hon’ble FM of India has already indicated her intention to regulate Crypto with a collaborative framework with other G20 countries. With India’s G20 presidency, the world is waiting for regulatory clarity that will impact one of the largest user bases of Crypto. There are hopes of consumer protection, removal of high taxes, encouraging local platforms to conduct operations without hindrance, and spreading Crypto education to every corner of the country.

Conclusion

India still has a long way to go in terms of Crypto awareness and adoption. This can only begin by spreading right information, positive use cases, and potential benefits of virtual digital assets. While we have seen many users being affected by the market crash, portfolio value drop, etc., several long term HODLers have continued to trade and invest in Crypto.

The benefits of Crypto will reflect with time and extend to every last citizen in the world. In the coming years, with better regulatory clarity, secure infrastructure for transferring assets, introduction of CBDCs, institutional adoption of Crypto, and more brands introducing services pertaining to Virtual Digital Assets, it’s only a matter of time before Crypto becomes an integral part of our daily lives.

Pic Source:

DPA SmartCloudbecomes India’s first ever organisation to be authorized as a ‘Fintech Entity’ by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA)

Mumbai 19th December 2022: DPA SmartCloud IFSC Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Decimal Point Analytics (DPA), has become India’s first ever fintech start-up to be authorised as a ‘Fintech Entity’ by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA),the omnibus regulator of the financial SEZ at Gift City, Gujarat.

The authorization will enable DPA SmartCloud to offer AI-ML driven solutions, products, andend-to-end data management services on the Cloud.DPA SmartCloud will serve a wide range of financial services firms globally and provide them access to better quality services at a lower cost, along with benefits that come as part of aCloud solution.

Speaking on the development Mr. Shailesh Dhuri, CEO of Decimal Point Analytics, said,“With this authorization, we are all set to launch an extensive bouquet of AI-ML driven products and services over the Cloud that match the requirements of our BFSI client base across the USA and Europe. The offerings from DPA SmartCloud will help us to expand into newer markets and cater to a diverse client-base, who in-turn, will benefit by leveraging our AI-ML driven solutions, all housed under one roof, to make strategic business decisions.”

DPA SmartCloud would be an integrated Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, which would host several AI-ML based data management and analytics solutions and products over the Cloud. AI, ML and Cloud have been the buzzwords going around for a few years now and organizations across the world are exploring ways to implement such solutions to gain even the slightest competitive advantage. Some of the most common challenges faced by BFSIs and particularly Asset Managers are managing large amount of data, ingestingand integrating data from several sources, cleaning and validating the data, structuring of unstructured data to generate insights and training and deploying AI models to ensure accurate results. DPA SmartCloudwould provide Asset Managers access to a comprehensive data management platform with automated data ingestion, data standardization, advanced quality check measures, and more. The cost and implementation time dimension of AI platforms are constant worry for asset managers looking for alpha edge.

Mr. Dhuri further added,“Financial services firms require fast, reliable, and cost-effective data analytics products and data management services to convert data to business value. Cloud-based AI-ML solutions are the need of the hour to address the needs of these firms. However, developing thesesolutions is a costly affair due tohigh infrastructure setup costs along withthe availability of talented and experienced personnel needed to develop them. DPA SmartCloud would allow financial services firms to implement customized AI-ML-based solutions based on their specific requirements at a fraction of the cost and time needed to set up an inhouse system. This, we believe, is a win-win for all stakeholders.”

Mr. Dhuri further added,“The Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is India’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and IFSCA is the unified regulator tasked with regulating financial products as well as financial institutions in GIFT City. IFSC will be the country’s portal to the world catering to institutions and individuals outside the Indian jurisdiction, dealing with finance flows, financial products, and services across borders.The vision encompassed in IFSC is to play a pivotal role in international finance across the globe, and Decimal Point Analytics believes that DPA Smart Cloud will be one of the key enablers to give the technological edge to the IFSC.”

A Christmas Extravaganza at Novotel Pune!

Pune, 19^th December 2022: It’s the time of the year to make merry, meet friends and family and most importantly- party! If you like your holidays to be grand, look no further because Novotel Pune has it all.

The hotel will kickstart the festivities with a Christmas Eve dinner on 24^th December which will include an extensive themed buffet, unlimited sangria and mulled wine, mocktail bar and live music performance and magician for entertainment. The extravagant menu will include red wine poached pears & feta crumbles, chicken & walnut pate, honey orange glace pork leg, Christmas log, strawberry pavlov, chocolate mousse terrine and much more

The celebrations don’t end here and the following day will feature a grand Christmas brunch will unlimited sparkling wine, a carving station, kid’s entertainment corner and live music. As always, the chefs at Novotel Pune will be out doing themselves with live stations, grills and decadent desserts. The buffet will feature a whole roast turkey accompanied with cranberry, braised cabbage, brussels sprouts, garlic confit and turkey gravy. The vegetarians need not be disappointed as there will be a whole lot of festive options to choose from such as ravioli in saffron sauce, roasted zucchini squash with balsamic pesto, lyonnaise potatoes etc. No Christmas brunch is complete without a vast selection of desserts, this one will include traditional Christmas pudding, dark chocolate praline cake, white chocolate mousse with berries and traditional Stollen.

Each guest will be gifted a small hamper of Christmas goodies as a souvenir from the hotel.

Where: The Square, Novotel Pune

When:  24th & 25^th December 2022, 7:30 pm

Price:   INR  1999 ++  (add unlimited mulled wine at INR 399+) (add unlimited sparkling wine at INR 399+)

Contact: 8411956581

Authentic food of Rajasthan that you must try

By Abhilasha Negi, Co-founder – SanKash

Rajasthani culture is one of those exceptional cuisines that features an endless array of delectable meals, including spices in every meal, crispy breads, and extra treats like chutneys, achars, papad, and chhach. The Rajwadi region, home to the Rajputs, is a culinary haven and you can all enjoy these lovely delicacies without having any second thought. Also, if you want to enjoy your trip without worrying about the money. Wonder how? We have good news. The new player in the market – SanKash, which is a synonym to “Money for Travel”, is here to sort your Travel finances! With SanKash by your side, you will be able to travel to all your dream destinations. Just convert your cost into easy EMIs at no additional cost for up to 6 months. Now that your financial worries are sorted , travel to Rajasthan to experience the authentic food of the state and enjoy a hearty meal.

• Dal Bati Churma- The Traditional Delicacy

There’s no want to present this well-known Rajasthani table. Dal bati churma is counted to be the public dish of Rajasthan and is secreted by its ghee-dipped, brickle batis, spicy daal, and sweet churma.

• Laal Maas

The next time you visit this lively state, make sure you sample Rajasthan’s spicy yet delicious food. Laal maas, one of the most popular components of the non-vegetarian dish, gets its fiery red color from red chilies. The meat is cooked in a spicy tomato, chili, and hot spice sauce.

• Gatte ki Sabji

There are numerous Gatte preparations in Rajasthan. Masala gatte or Shahi gatte is a spicy gravy poured over gatte. Without gattes, typical Rajasthani food plates are incomplete.

• Ker Sangri

A truly peppery yet spicy Rajasthani Sabzi is created by combining dried wild beans, Sangari, and a berry that grows wild in the Thar Desert called Ker. It is a firmly established delicacy of Rajasthan.

• Pyaaz Ki Kachori

Pyaaz ki kachoris, a popular breakfast treat from Rajasthan, are delicious kachoris packed with onions, spices, and topped with chutney.

• Ghevar

Those with a sweet tooth will be in love with this crunchy delicacy. Ghevar, which comes in a variety of shapes and forms, is properly referred to as one of the top dishes in Rajasthani cuisine. Numerous sweethearts’ eyes light up at the mere mention of Ghevar.

Sustainable Travel takes Center Stage during Amadeus Hackathon

December 2022, Bengaluru, India: Sustainability in travel was the focus of Amadeus’ worldwide hackathon, which saw more than 2,500 student registrants. The hackathon offered students an opportunity to code on a cloud-native platform and compete for prizes. These included internships with Amadeus and other industry partners.

The virtual event, held over the course of October, saw over 100 university students advance to participate in the final challenges related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Emission Offsetting, and Green Hotels, among others.

A member of the team that won the ‘Sustainable Development Challenge’ and a recent computer science graduate from the Netherlands, Kimberly Dijkmans, said, “I really enjoyed participating in this hackathon and I discovered a lot about sustainability in travel. The topic is very important to me personally – so the lessons I gained from this hackathon will go a long way toward my future career decisions. I also had an opportunity to work with a diverse group of people from around the world and am happy to have made new friends who are passionate about the same subject. I also feel my coding skills improved: I learned Java at university – but through this hackathon – I developed new skills. I used Figma for the first time to create a prototype and React to create a web app. We also worked on GitHub as a team – which was new for me. The feeling of being part of a community was great. Amadeus did a lot to make us all feel involved – we had webinars, and mentor sessions, and the Work Adventure platform created a sense of togetherness.”

Dijkmans’ team developed ‘FlyLight’, an app that rewards travelers when the weight of their luggage remains below an airline’s luggage allowance. This helps airlines reduce the amount of fuel they need for certain flights.

During the two weeks, participants received insights and support from leaders of some of the biggest players in the travel and tech industries, including representatives from Air France-KLM, Etihad, Microsoft, Red Hat, MongoDB, CHOOSE, Woosmap, Airbus, American Airlines, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Saving the Amazon and others. The students also enjoyed a fun coding platform, a virtual DJ, yoga sessions, and interactions with talented mentors.

Christophe Bousquet, Chief Technology Officer, Amadeus, said, “My congratulations to all of the student winners of our worldwide hackathon. The actions we take today to make travel more sustainable could have a profound impact on how the future looks. This hackathon was about empowering the next generation of coders to make a difference. We view sustainability and humanity’s response to climate change as one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime. As such, this hackathon was a prime opportunity to reflect on the way travel and coding can deliver a positive environmental and social impact. The entire travel industry must put its best minds together to come up with the innovative solutions required to create a better future.”

The event offered Amadeus the opportunity to engage with new talent who share an interest to make travel more sustainable.

As an important global player in the travel industry with the ability to drive sustainability through technology, Amadeus has both a responsibility and an opportunity to be a catalyst for positive change. Against this background, the company´s environmental sustainability strategy focuses especially on three main pillars: reducing Amadeus own impacts; supporting Amadeus customers by providing solutions that help mitigate their environmental impact, and collaborating with key industry stakeholders to drive change collectively through a variety of initiatives.

Congratulations to all the winners:

Inspiration phase challenge winner: PlanIT, an app to plan trips and minimize carbon footprint at every step along the way with eco-friendly suggestions
Carbon offset challenge winner: Eco Motion, a mobile application used to compute multi-modal itineraries and compare them based on time, cost, and information like CO2 consumption
Green hotel challenge winner: Sustainable Hotel Booking, provides a selection of hotels using metrics such as distance, transport type, type of area, cost, and space
Sustainable development challenge winner: FlyLight, an app that rewards travelers when the weight of their luggage remains below an airlines’ luggage allowance
Open data challenge winner: Lug Lite by the sustainable developer, a mobile application to help reduce the amount of baggage checked in by passengers
AF/KLM cargo/maintenance challenge winner: 5+2=5, a solution that reduces the time to compute the right location of pallets and containers
Etihad green development challenge winner: Smart CPM Parser & Sustainable Message Processor, a smart parser app for Etihad cargo messages, allowing cargo flights to be more accurately planned, and potentially more fuel-efficient
Microsoft business travel challenge winner: B.R.A.S.R.- Bitmasking Recursive Scheduling and Routing, a customised approach for commercial vehicular route optimisation to reduce carbon emissions
Delighted with the outcome of the hackathon, Mani Ganeshan, APAC Engineering Head and Centre Head, Amadeus Labs said, “Building a sustainable path within the travel industry can become a major challenge, with less to be achieved in isolation. 1Hack4Sustainability is an innovative approach that brings people and technology together to ensure that global travel can grow responsibly and create a positive community impact. We congratulate everyone who participated in the hackathon to build sustainable solutions that will enable businesses to meet their present requirements without jeopardizing the industry’s long-term prosperity. The hackathon also allowed us to draw attention to sustainable travel while encouraging future leaders and providing them with a direction to the sustainable travel industry. Sustainability is a journey rather than a destination, and consistent improvement is essential for continuous progress on the industry’s environmental goals. Through these initiatives, we continue to invest in the young minds of the country facilitating the opportunity to unitedly create a greener, more sustainable world.”

Fact checking the misconceptions about Skin cancer

Dr. Deepak H, Consultant, Surgical Oncologist, HCG Cancer Centre Kalaburgi.

Skin is the largest and most active sense organ in the body. It performs a multitude of crucial duties for the body’s basic functions. One of the major functions of skin is that it protects the internal organs from the outside world. In recent times, there is a significant rise in cancer rates due to environmental stresses that can have an impact on the skin and raise the risk of skin cancer. Although there are several risk factors for skin cancer, UV radiation from sunlight is considered the main cause of skin malignancies.

Early detection of skin cancer can increase the chance of cure and recovery, like any other cancer. Hence, it is important to be aware of the early signs of skin cancer which include changes in the appearance of a mole, skin changes after a mole has been removed, itchiness, persistent oozing, a sore or spot that won’t go away, scaly patches, vision problems, changes in your fingernails or toenails.

There are several myths around skin cancer that need to be debunked and facts need to be stated for better awareness. Here are some of them.

Myth: Dark-skinned people don’t get skin cancer

Fact: This, however, is not true. While most commonly, skin cancer is seen among patients who are of light skinned, considerable number of dark-skinned people too develop skin cancer. Melanoma, one kind of skin cancer that happens in light skinned people, is commonly found to occur on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet among dark-skinned people. Pigmented basal skin carcinoma, another kind of skin cancer is more commonly found in dark-skinned people.

Myth: Only exposure to the Sun causes skin cancer

Fact: While Sun exposure is one of the main causes of skin cancer, it is not the only cause. Skin cancer causes an alteration in the genetic makeup of the skin cells. Once that happens, there are several other factors that can cause skin cancer to develop. This change in genetic makeup of skin causes cancer in the areas that are not exposed to the sun like the genitals.

Myth: Any sunscreens are good to prevent skin cancer

Fact: Sunscreens with higher SPFs – a measure of how much solar energy (UV radiation) is required to produce sunburn on protected skin, are better. A minimum SPF of 30 is recommended in sunscreen to enhance skin protection against UV rays of the Sun.

Myth: Only older people get skin cancer

Fact: This is untrue. While a majority of people getting skin cancer are those above 60, youngsters also get it. Over the last few years, skin cancer has become more common in the younger generation too. Melanoma type skin cancer is also a major health concern.

Myth: Skin cancer is not deadly

Fact: Unfortunately, it’s not true. Non-melanoma skin cancers tend not to be deadly only when they are detected early and treated appropriately. It is extremely crucial to detect skin cancer as early as possible as it leads to fewer complications.

These and several other myths have led to various misconceptions about skin cancers which have led to delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment. All these can be avoided if these myths are debunked at the right time.