Pune seems to be affected by the heat at a greater level in comparison to other cities of India. What has happened? And how do we cope up? Guess! It’s time to beat the Heat!

Pune seems to witness a rise in temperature. Be it students in hostels or people travelling to work, everybody seems to be affected by the heat. Viral illnesses in the air, the heat is getting on to all our nerves. Fatigue comes easily and sleeping has become a sweaty affair.

A study examining the effect of global warming over India undertaken by the National Climate Centre of India Meteorological Department showed that Pune has found a rise of 0.51 degree Celsius in comparison to other cities in India. This study that analyzed the data since the year 1901, also found that annual mean temperature of the country had been consistently above normal since the year 1993.

It is observed that during the past 15 years, annual minimum temperatures in different parts of the country are rising at a greater pace than that of the maximum. The study also confirms the general growing belief that Indian cities are becoming uncomfortable during the summer months due to rising heat and humidity.

Mr. Srivastava, who conducted a separate study, using an index called ‘Discomfort Index’ said that the results indicated that in general there was an increasing trend in the discomfort from the last 10 days of April to June over most Indian cities, especially Pune.

Fever, joint pain and a fall in white blood corpuscles count are typical dengue like symptoms. In spite of all these indications, patients are testing negative for dengue. This, doctors say, is the typical viral fever which is on the rise in Pune city.

We all need to cope with the burns. Below listed are a few do’s and Don’ts to BEAT the HEAT, this summer.

• One must always schedule physically strenuous activities for cooler times of the month. When one is on foot, in the heat in addition to the humidity can make ALL parts of your body sweat, and that includes your poor feet. Dry feet are happy feet!
• Dress in light, loose, cotton clothing.
• You can get painful sunburn smoothly on a cloudy day, so slather on the sunscreen every morning earlier than you start out.
• When working outside, make it a habit to take rest breaks to cool the body. So relax, slow down, pace yourself.
• Drink WATER and Non-Alcoholic drinks! One must not wait until you feel thirsty -STAY HYDRATED.
• Never leave pets and children inside cars while shopping. This is not advisable even with windows open.
• Be extra cautious in the heat if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions.
• Keep fresh with fans, air conditioning, and cool baths or showers. Keep sunspecs or curtains pulled on the sundrenched side of the house.
• Get plenty of siestas and eat light, nutritious, and non-fatty meals. Eat groceries high in water content, like fruits & vegetables.
• Be aware when active in a hot, dry climate both salt and water are lost in sweat. Under such surroundings curbing of dietary brackish by healthy individuals may be unwise. However, salt tablets are rarely necessary.

Deepa Ghodse completed her MSc. in Statistics from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She was a bank officer in the same city. However, she wanted a better pay and had always been more of a career-oriented woman. She was offered a better job in Pune and decided to take it up. Now, her husband lives alone while her only child lives with his grandmother.

Santosh and her husband were born and brought up in the South. He was in the construction business and worked as a worker. He could not find a good enough job at his native place. He decided to migrate and finally settled down in Pune.

V.N. Bhave was in the teaching business for most of his life. His specialty was Chemistry and he has moved across India to pursue his career. He rose from being a teacher to becoming a Principal for schools. He has taught the rich and the famous and has had a very comfortable life. 5 years ago, he moved to Pune for his retirement.

In the past decade, the population of Pune has exploded. One will find different people from different states roaming on the streets of Pune. What does Pune have that other cities cannot provide?

In the recent past, IT parks have been coming up all over the city. Giants like Wipro, Infosys and IBM have made their base here. As a result, job opportunities in the IT business have increased in Pune. These companies are creating more offices due to which the hiring rates have shot up.

A lot of students are living in this city today. Schools, colleges and institutes have made Pune the education centre of the country. All the courses are available and these educational facilities are highly reputed in India. In any ranking list for the best colleges for different courses, a Pune institute would certainly be mentioned.

The weather in this city is best suited for the retired folks. Affordable houses and apartments and the greenery around makes Pune one of the best places for retirement. In addition, compared to other major cities in India, Pune is the safest place for women to live in.

Due to the increase in population, the construction business is booming. Every street has a construction site, which has great potential for job opportunities. The poor come from every state with the certainty that they will find work.

With upcoming companies and industries, the number of people migrating to Pune will keep increasing. All these reasons combined would make Pune one of the most reliable places to settle down in.

Pune is one of the most diverse cities in the country. People from different regions of the country and world come here to build a life. Different dialects can be heard when walking on the roads of Pune. As you venture into the city, you find the old Pune in the heart of the city.

The old Pune looks and certainly feels different from the one that is coming up now. The first thing that one would notice about old Pune is that everything is built close to each other. Roads are narrow, the small buildings hardly have place between them and people mostly walk instead of using cars. As you start listening to the sounds around you, you realise that most people here are Marathi speaking.

The old Pune consists of all the ‘vadas’, 17 ‘peths’ and Lakshmi Road. The rest of the city is termed as new Pune. Marathi literature, art and drama are a major part of the old Pune’s culture. People living there are very religious and the most prominent religion there is Hinduism. Countless famous Marathi writers, poets, singers, artists and actors live here. Scholars and intellectuals were born here. Old Pune is a very traditional area. Their lives are full of history and they take immense pride in it. One can still see the structures created by the Marathas and the Peshwas.

The new Pune on the other hand is completely different. The culture has been influenced by the thousands of westernised students coming to the city. They brought with them fashion, malls, multiplexes and technology. Young IT professional contribute to the same. The rest of the citizens quickly caught on to the trends and were not left far behind. Ironically, Lakshmi Road is the most favoured shopping destination for all the mall goers.

The one common thing between the two opposite cultures is love for food. However, there is a difference within this category too. People living in the heart of Pune like to have various kinds of food from all over India, whereas, the modern Pune loves to try out Indian and international food.

Night life in the old Pune hardly exists. Pubs, clubs, bars and hotels are found in the rest of Pune, especially Koregaon Park. Sports are more common in the new Pune than the old one.

Although these are two completely different cultures, they co-exist beautifully. There is mutual respect between the two. Pune is a classic example of how the old and the new can live in peace and harmony.

Everyone has a sweet tooth – some form of sweetness they cannot resist. Once you start eating, you cannot stop yourself. The Chitale family saw potential here and tapped it to become one of the most favoured ‘mithaiwales’ in the country.

Shri. Raghunath Rao (Bhausaheb) Chitale started Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale in 1950 in Pune. The idea was influenced by Shri. B. G. Chitale, Raghunath’s father, who had a thriving dairy business in the Sangli district at Bhilawadi in 1939.

The first office was opened at 985, Sadashiv Peth, Kunte Chowk, Pune. This office was a small-scale office. As the business grew bigger, they had to shift to a new location in Sadashiv Peth in 1964 – 777, Sadashiv Peth, Bajirao Road, Pune.

Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale offers a range of sweets, namkeens and milk products, which have high quality. To give themselves an edge in the market they emphasised on quality and combined it with the latest technology. Their priority is customization of food and giving their customers total customer satisfaction.

Over the years, the Chitale group has created a brand image due to which their customers have been loyal to them. They have become a major supplier of food products in India. They rose from being a household name in only Pune to being known in the entire Maharashtra. Now they are recognised all over India and the major countries of the world. They export their products to USA, Singapore and Israel.

Chitale Bandhu has three main manufacturing units with the latest machinery to give its customers various salted, sweet and ready-to-eat products. With time, they have modernised themselves, but the quality has never been compromised on.

Four generations of Chitales have handled this now 100 crores business. Each Chitale has brought on new things to the franchise. Shri. S. G. Chitale was the inspiration behind the idea. Shri. R. B. Chitale helped establish and promote their products in the market. Raghunath Rao’s younger brother, Shri. N. B. Chitale (Rajubhau) modernised and expanded the already thriving business. These four look after the production and marketing functions amongst themselves. Shri. Madhav, Shri. Shrikrushna, Shri. Sanjay and Shri. Kedar Chitale (the third and fourth generation) manage the business by looking after production and marketing functions.

They have diversified themselves into B.G. Chitale (Chitale Dairy), Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, Chitale Foods, Chitale Agro Industries Pvt. Ltd. and Chitale Digitals.

Source: http://chitalebandhu.in/, http://agriculture.indiabizclub.com/profile/1653616~chitale+bandhu+mithaiwale~pune_india

ROBOCON 2010

Robocon, short form of robotic contest is held among the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union, ABU’s member countries. It was initiated on 24 august 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand. It is an interesting game- cum- intellectual exercise for enthusiastic engineers and their encouraging instructors, determined to create machines for producing the desired results. In the era of constantly evolving technology, the event is a platform for young engineers to exhibit their talents to meet the growing demands of the industry.

Robots play a major role in assisting humans for various purposes. The challenge for the participants is to create an efficient and user-friendly device within the framework provided.

Participation in this activity is a cutthroat competitive experience from concept design of a system of robots programmed to perform according to rules of the game played with high precision. All this is to be done based on a theme declared by the host country. International Robocons are sponsored by Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) members, which include Doordarshan (Prasarbharati) of India and other organizations of member nations. Doordarshan as a member has been organizing all activities in India for last five years with collaboration with Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Pune, India.

The goal of the event is to improve cultural relations, nurture friendship between the students and to develop technical skills, creativity and ability to make the optimum use of technology. Asia is fast emerging as the leading developer of high-end technological devices and this event thus promotes young talent. The participants share information and discuss about their machines months in advance on various social flat forms.

Robocon 2010 will be held in Cairo, Egypt with the theme of Robo-Pharaohs Build Pyramids. ‘Robo-Pharaohs Build Pyramids is a game based on a virtual time machine that takes ancient Egyptian Great-Pyramids builders inside classrooms of technical schools. The new target is to build parts of the three Pyramids (Khufu, Khafraa and Mankaura) in sequence in three minutes,’ says the official website of Robocon 2010.

MIT, Pune will represent India at Robocon 2010. About 47 teams from reputed institutes fought the battle to represent India at the international event. After a tough competition, MIT emerged winners at the Robocon India contest held from March 4-6 in Pune.

We hope that the winning team makes us proud in Egypt. All the best to MIT. Go India!!

The details for the Contest are available on http://roboconegypt2010.com

Obesity, extreme weight loss and diseases due to not keeping fit or eating right has been increasing in the world. The need to look your best and feel your best is making Puneites visit the gyms on a daily basis.

The gym industry is thriving in the city. Every area, almost every street and now in every society, gyms are being built. In the past few years, working out has become part of our culture. There are several reasons as to why Pune has suddenly been going to the gym – some good and some bad.

It is said that fresh air does wonders to your body. Early morning walks keeps you energetic for the rest of the day. Why is it then that gyms have become a necessity for us? Pune’s roads hardly allow cars to have a safe ride, let alone pedestrians walk on the roads safely. Sidewalks are non-existent on many streets. If sidewalks can be seen, they are either obstructed by huge trees and ‘thelas’. It is nearly impossible to have your jogs in the fresh morning air. People believe in staying fit and since they do not much of an option, hitting the gym is the way to go for most.

On the other hand, gyms work irrespective of the weather outside. They are open at least 6 days a week and can be visited for most part of the day. The temperature is controlled to make people as comfortable as possible while burning or adding calories.

Mantra for most gyms is having a sound body, which would enable you to live longer. This is possible only when the trainers and nutritionists know about your body as extensively as your family doctor does. Many gyms in Pune do not ask for your medical certificate. They simply ask you if you have any illnesses or problems. This is highly dangerous and can be fatal, as many do not go for half-yearly check-ups as advised. Giving the wrong form of exercises can cause heart attacks and other serious injuries to those who hit the gym every single day.

On 22^nd October 2009, the SAP India CEO died due to a cardiac arrest after he was coming back home from the gym. He was a known fitness freak and a highly energetic person. He was just 41 when he passed away. Speculations say that some personal incident caused his sudden death. It is time gyms thought of having a sound mind too. Mental health is sometimes more important than physical health.

Pune has decided gyms are the way to go, but the city has to be wise about the gyms they choose. Your desire to keep fit can have adverse effect if you are not cautious about yourself.

Birthdays are a joyous occasion, a celebration of your birth. People who love you make you feel glad that they are happy because of your birth. Gifts, kisses and tight hugs put you on cloud nine. We have everything we have ever asked for and it is time to spread joy and love among others.

1. Spend the day at an orphanage – Children without parents have the worst time in the world. They usually do not get someone who pays special attention to them. They feel lost without adults guiding them. Give them warmth and affection on your birthday. Shower them with gifts and give them all some attention. They appreciate any form of kindness shown to them and you will find happiness by seeing the smiles on their faces. Some orphanages in Pune are – Niradhar Balsangopan Anath Ashram and Antya.

2. Give joy to the visually challenged – Although they cannot see things, they go about their life as normally as possible. Pune’s Blind School in Koregaon Park may not allow birthday celebrations but they always welcome volunteers for their programs. You will certainly learn about the bravery and fearlessness the children show.

3. Old Age Homes – As one becomes old, they start thinking of their impending death constantly. Old age homes are usually very grim as most of the elderly are left there due to their child’s lack of love for them. These golden people become extremely negative and go into depression. It is up to us to give them one day of pure happiness simply by spending time with them. Their life stories are bound to make you admire them.

4. Adopt a farm puppy – Those who love animals, this is definitely a way to spend your birthday. Animals are treated harshly in farms and are considered lucky if they are rescued from a horrendous environment. Give the little puppy respite from all the torture and unhappiness by going adopting it.

5. Tree plantation – Trees are being cut and pollution levels are rising in the city. Give back to Mother Nature by planting a tree in your area and grow it for all to see. A tree can bring happiness in many different ways – sometimes simply by giving shade on a hot, sunny day.

Do something different and start a trend. Little things matter a lot and what better way to start but celebrating your birthday.

Now Alert; Pune Secure:

Pune is trying really hard to cope with security threats. Bomb scares and Mock drills have now turned the security system of this growing city to its feet. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, are we finally safe? Will we ever be? Will anyone ever be?

Pune seems to have slapped Mumbai right where it hurts with its new attitude of action and security. After the Taj Hotel blasts, the train blasts and all the other serial blasts in Mumbai, the city yet again seems to sleep over its security threats. But Pune seems to have grown a new leaf. Below are the areas where a remarkable change has been witnessed. The only hope that Pune city dwellers now aim for is for this ’safe zone’ period to last and last really long.

Lohegaon Airport: A National Security Guard (NSG) team will take stock of the security at the Lohegaon based Pune Domestic and International Airport.

This body will make a complete assessment of the threat discernment to the airport following the terror blast in the city and review the entire security set-up. It will also adhere to any changes if required.

“The team is expected anytime by this month end. And it will make a complete record of the airport. We will surely put forth our suggestions to enhance the security,” stated Deepak Shastri, Airport Director.

He also quoted that Pune Airport is considered ‘one of the most sensitive airports in the country’ since it functions from the Indian Air Force (IAF) base.

Railway Stations: While the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are maintaining a strict vigil at the Pune and Shivajinagar railway stations, besides the Lohegaon airport, policemen, including those in civil clothes, are being deployed at bus depots near Pune station, Shivajinagar and Swargate.

Colleges: Identity Cards have been made mandatory. Students without ID; s are being sent back. This ensures campus safety. Parking provided by colleges is now being monitored. Several housing societies have now installed cameras outside their buildings to maintain a security check.

Malls: Checking of bags and people has been doubled since the blasts and threats.

A senior police official at the commissionerate stated, “Police patrolling has also intensified at major installations, including the defence laboratories in the city. Shopping mall owners and managements of multiplexes have also been asked to maintain a close tab on the vehicles being parked onto their premises.”

The Police: “The Police conducted mock drills all over the city. The exercise created panic among citizens,” stated a DNA Correspondent.
Three weeks after the German Bakery blast, the city police conducted mock drills across the city. This created fear amongst the citizens, but the police conducted the drills to prevent and reduce the damage to life and properties in the event of any further blast incidents.
The police have till now conducted the drills at Sambhaji Park on Jungli Maharaj Road, The State Transport Bus Stand at Pune railway station and Vallabhnagar Stand in Pimpri. The latest mock Drill was at Gold Adlabs Multiplex in Kalyaninagar.
Around 4.15 pm, a team of police arrived at Gold Big Cinema and ordered the theatre management to vacate the premises immediately. Around 500 people were watching movies. Screenings were stopped and the police conducted the mock drill.
Senior police officers took command of the exercise and were instructing their officers on how to deal the situation and tackle chaos. The police also vacated Sambhaji Maharaj Road, Vallabhnagar stand and Pune station ST stand in the similar fashion. Policemen were deployed at the ST stand and several ambulances were rushed to the spot.

Feedback is Healthy. To be secure we need to start working at an individual level and grow. And that is exactly what the Pune Police is aiming at.

Living in the city with the highest per capita income in the country comes with its disadvantages as well. Higher living cost. From food to fuel, Pune will charge you more than any other the city.

With the rising inflation, life has indeed become difficult. While vegetable prices are soaring, the cooking gas supply is facing a severe shortage. So you shell out few more rupees. Movies have become a distant dream with multiplexes hiking rates by almost 50 percent to cover up their losses incurred during the strike.

Every single day has become a struggle even for the kids as they are constantly told that their demands cannot be fulfilled now.

While some have taken to terrace gardening, others are changing their eating habits. Sales and offers have suddenly found new customers who otherwise dreaded the long queues. A constant lookout for cheaper options has become the monotonous pastime.

Today the buzz word is conservation- from electricity to food. Puneites are finding innovative means to conserve their precious hard earned resources. Community restaurants, terrace gardening and car pools have suddenly become popular in the city. Many housing societies have encouraged terrace gardening with nurseries providing them with the practical know- how about the job.

Farmers mandi, was started in the Market Yard area five months ago which has become immensely popular. The farmers themselves sell the produce directly to the customers thus eliminating the middlemen. The market is full of buyers who travel long distances to save that extra rupee.

The homemakers are not alone in their endeavors. Daily commuters who include office employees, students and other individuals have started car- pooling and even bike pooling for that matter. Share autos have become common. On every bus and auto stand, commuters are seen waiting for their mates.

The rise in the petrol and diesel price has added to the woes of the citizens. Says Anuradha Matke, a banker, “Making both the ends meet is becoming increasingly difficult for even a middle class family with two working members like ours. The government should first take note of this primary problem affecting all rather than focusing on women’s issues. In such times by default women suffer the most.”

If a middle class family with a steady income is feeling the pinch, how is the fifty percent population of the country living in poverty surviving? Is it of concern to our leaders?  Or we need another Bill to discuss the alternatives for inflation?

Women fill the theatres at Gold Cinemas:

GOLD CINEMAS STRIKE GOLD

Advertising takes its hilt: Target ‘Women’

This March 08, International Women’s Day made its 100^th Anniversary Milestone. Messages were sent and free tickets gifted. Vouches were won and smiles were brought to all the faces around, especially the ones that were oestrogen charged. Women thank Big Cinemas for giving them a great day!

Taking a marketing advantage of this opportunity, BIG Cinemas, a division of Reliance Media Works came up with an irresistible offer of free movie tickets to women on the occasion International Women’s Day.

The multiplex chain offered female audiences an opportunity to watch any movie free of cost. The movies on offer included all hit and new releases such as ‘Road Movie’, ‘Teen Patti’, ‘Karthik Calling Karthik’, ‘Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge?’, ‘My Name Is Khan’, ‘Thanks Maa’ and ‘Legion’.

To avail this offer, all the women audiences had to come to the box office 45 minutes prior to the movie show, which was not tedious at all, and had to collect their respective free tickets. They furthermore got a chance to partake in lucky draws plus win gift vouchers from Kaya Skin Clinic and Titan Raga.

Gold Cinemas, Kalyani Nagar witnessed uncontrollable bursts of students and families and every show was a house full. Students bunked colleges to come grab some popcorn.

“As soon as the major female crowd got into the theatre, a girl from the last row yelled enthusiastically, “Happy Women’s Day” and all the other women in the audience yelled back with “wish you the same.” The feeling was so strong. It was a first time and memorable experience of sitting in a theatre with a woman to men ration of 100:1. It was outstanding. GO GIRLS!” Quoted Urvi Bhanushali, Student at Symbiosis who caught the evening ‘Karthik Calling Karthik’ Show and had the time of her life!

Hoards of students came an hour before the show, didn’t mind standing in long queues and filling out slips, then getting their tickets stamped. The adjoining fast food joints of KFC and Mc Donald’s made stunning profits as that is where the time before the movie was spent. Since, people did not spend money on their ticket, they didn’t mind spending it on the popcorn.

“I wish for the first time today, that I was a woman, I want to watch a movie for free!” said men as they stood in the lines and waited to pay Rs. 200/- just to accompany women being treated as queens.

A forward that caught smiles was:

“To all the girls out there, Here’s to the shit we talk, the guys we stalk, the way we shop, The gossip we spill, the looks that could kill, to having each other’s back, To the next morning of getting our facts, Downing the beers and spilling the tears, We’ll stay together, Always, through all the Years!”

It was indeed women’s day! Women did have the cake and they surely ate it!