A book in Kannada on the life of former cricketer and Pakistan Prime Minister was cancelled as some Hindu outfits staged protests. The book is written by Sudhakar S.B and is titled ”Imran Khan Ondu Jeevanta Danta Kathe” which translates as Imran Khan a living legend.
The book was to be launched in Bengaluru by retired High Court Judge Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das. Some Hindu outfits launched a complaint with the Minister for Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar and with the police as well to halt the book launch as they felt that the book glorified the former prime minister of an enemy nation.
Due to this, the event was cancelled. Spokesperson of the Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi, Mohan Gowda demanded that action should be taken against those who organised the event and also demanded that the book should be banned.
Elon Musk took control of Twitter and sacked CEO Parag Agrawal and some of its other top executives. According to Musk, the reason why he chose to buy Twitter was to have a common digital town square to debate beliefs in a healthy manner. He shared a picture of himself socializing at a coffee bar at the Twitter headquarters.
Earlier, Twitter accepted his unsolicited offer in April but later Musk tried to back out and to cancel the contract. Twitter even filed a lawsuit to bind Musk to the agreement. Therefore the billionaire changed his mind and revived his takeover plan.
Many employees of Twitter put in their papers as they did not prefer to work for Musk but some others were willing to give him the benefit of doubt and were willing to wait and watch.
Akshata Murthy, the wife of new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and author Sudha Murthy. She is the first Indian First Lady and is a billionaire.
She is a fashion designer and Director of Catamaran Ventures in the UK. She met Sunak when both of them were studying at Stanford University in the US. They got married in Bangalore in 2006 and have two school going daughters Krishna and Anoushka.
Akshata says that she grew up in a family of strong women and her husband in a recent interview revealed the secret of her happy marriage is that both of them are very different people. While Rishi is extremely tidy, Akshata is messy. She is also less outgoing than Rishi but this is likely to change now as she has become the First Lady of the UK.
The health and family welfare department of Tamil Nadu has given a clean chit to Nayanthara and her husband Vignesh Shivan in the surrogacy issue. A three member committee was set up to probe into this issue.
The committee found that Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan had registered their marriage on March 11, 2016 itself and it was their family physician who had recommended surrogacy. It was verified that the surrogate mother was of appropriate age, was married and also had a child as required by law. It was found that the surrogacy agreement was signed in November 2021, the embryos were im[lanted in the uterus of the surrogate mother in March 2022 and twin babies were delivered in October this year through cesarean in a private hospital in Chennai. It was also found that the surrogate mother was a relative of Nayanthara. As all the regulations of the Indian Council of Medical Research had been met, a clean chit was given to the couple.
Be ready for a real treat as our chefs pull out all the tricks for ensuring a wickedly good time
From a spread of Spooky fish and chips, Pumpkin & walnut pie, Roasted Chicken with pumpkin mash to a Bloody Raspberry cheesecake, Devil Tiramisu, at Sheraton, we have a magical spread all planned for an eerily memorable Halloween this year
So, join us for a spine-chilling end to the week on Sunday for Brunch and Monday for a dinner buffet. We have a spellbinding menu of fun and quirky dishes that are best enjoyed with family and friends
Halloween Brunch – 30th October | 12:30 PM -3:30 PM | INR 2450 AI
Halloween Dinner– 31st October | 7 PM – 11 PM (Feast Buffet) | 6:30 PM – 12 AM (for Zega) | Price: INR 2150 AI
It is celebration time for the Indian community in the UK. They celebrated the victory of Rishi Sunak by distributing motichoor ladoos. About 20 kg of ladoos were distributed to people. The ladoos got over very quickly as the crowd grew bigger.
Rishi Sunak is the first Indian-origin and Hindu leader to occupy the post of Prime Minister. He is also the youngest PM of Britain in over 200 years. It is believed that Rishi Sunak will not raise taxes for the common people but find some other means to tide over the current economic crisis. This is the first time that the UK is facing an economic crisis. Rishi Sunak will have to make tough decisions but the people are prepared for it.
After being appointed Prime Minister by King Charles III, Rishi Sunak addressed the nation and said that he will unite the country not with words but with action.
Mallikarjun Kharge won the election and took over as the new Congress President. He defeated Shashi Tharoor by a huge margin. Sonia Gandhi expressed that she felt relieved as if a big load had been taken off her shoulder. She held the post of Congress President for almost 23 years.
The Congress party has many challenges before it. According to Sonia, the party has to move forward and succeed. There have been many allegations that the election was not conducted fairly and that Kharge will function as a proxy for the Gandhi family. The Congress has denied these allegations saying that the election was a big success.
Kharge while taking over the reins, praised Sonia Gandhi and her leadership and said that she was always truthful and set an exemplary example to the party.
We have some spooky delights waiting for you for Halloween this year
You can start your meal with the Graveyard by the Gate (Mesclun Lettuce, Pickled Veggies, Grilled Veg, Mezze Vegetarian) Cherry Tomato, and Olive Mushy Slaw in Orange Shells, Cucumber and Berry Yogurt DeathBeds,Chicken Sausage Crawlers, Eerie BBQ Roast Eggs Pickled Fish Graves, Blood and Guts dip (beetroot and cheese),BBQ Chicken Legs, Blackened Fish with cilantro, lime, olives, Mossy pastas and a whole range of dishes that are certain to haunt you in a good way for a long time
For lovers of desi and Asian food, we have some of dangerously good food on the table to choose from to enjoy this magical evening with
So join us for a treat and don’t worry about tricks because this meal is surely going to put a spell on you!
Rishi Sunak will become the Prime Minister of the UK today He will be the third Prime Minister this year and will take power after an audience with King Charles III. He will replace Liz Truss who resigned after holding the post for just seven weeks. Rishi Sunak became the new leader of the Conservative Party after rival contender Penny Mordaunt failed to secure enough nominations.
Rishi Sunak is just 42 years old and will be the youngest Prime Minister in more than two centuries. He is the first person of Indian descent to occupy the post of PM. Liz Truss will hold a final cabinet meeting today before making a departing statement in Downing Street. Rishi Sunak will take over and speak just over an hour later. He has promised stability and unity and he plans to bring not only the party but also the country together.
US President Joe Biden hosted the biggest ever Diwali celebration in the White House. There are several Indian Americans in the Biden administration. Biden wished the Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists a happy Diwali.
He also thanked the Asian American community in the US for making Diwali celebration a part of American culture. Diyas were lit at the White House surrounded by members of the most diverse administration led by Vice President Kamala Harris who is the first Black American and South Asian American to hold the post.
The festival of lights was celebrated with prayers, fireworks, sweets and dance and Biden stated that Diwali is a reminder that each of us has power to bring light to the world. Diyas were lit to celebrate the fight for good over evil and light over darkness.
Amul’s tag line ‘the taste of India’ has instant recall value. A claim that is reinforced by the iconic brand’s witty billboards over decades that many of us have grown up admiring. In just the same way, here’s a name that resonates in culinary circles. A reputation that eloquently oozes from her quotidian facebook reviews of the city’s best and the latest restaurants. A ten-year-old passion in her capacity as a television cookery host has seen Sharmila Moses cover a hundred places to tickle your taste buds, not just in Chennai, or India, for that matter, but also abroad.
Quite the connoisseur of fine dining, Sharmila is a credible ‘go to’ person whenever you want to plan a meal outside. Or even for takeaways. From helping you zero in on the most appropriate restaurant to suggesting dishes, from helping with reservations to even putting in a word for that surprise cake and extra pampering on special occasions, she does it all for friendship or just a lark. Post meal feedback is discreetly sought and shared with the chef or the owners.
(Pic: Sharmila Moses)
Mouth-watering close-up pictures of delicacies that she whips up herself with a grateful heart punctuated with a ‘God is good all the time’ trademark phrase, or sampled at innumerable joints grace her facebook timeline and the feed of her friends. It’s a routine fuelled by her love for “cooking and baking” for which she invests “a lot of time to improve and upgrade” herself. “Reviewing restaurants has helped me a great deal to explore more dishes and cuisines.”
With an almost incessant flow of invitations from many restaurateurs and chefs and membership in certain hotels such as HDC, Hyatt Dining Club, ITC and Novotel, she has an informal tie-up with just about every fancy place you can think of.
That Sharmila has been lending her expertise free of cost can be attributed to her inherent social service background. But with “offers for Food Pop Ups” and roles as a “Consultant” that have come her way, she does sniff out business potential in this activity.
The bond with the chef fraternity and restaurateurs goes beyond food as she often helps them get school and college admissions by tapping into her network. For instance, when a chef was duped of five lakh rupees, she escalated the issue with senior police officials and recovered the money. What’s more, during the first two waves of covid, “as a token of appreciation for all the good food I have had in many restaurants I cooked meals and sent it to many chefs around the city. I tried to be a ‘Food Samaritan”! A trusted sounding board, she has also had many chefs confiding in her before switching jobs. Blessed with arguably “one of the largest collection of cookbooks in South India”, which her hubby and daughters periodically gift her, Sharmila often lends them to chefs to gather “new ideas and recipes.”
The hospitality industry is happy to reciprocate. “Koox, Novotel Chamiers Road celebrated my wedding anniversary by surprising me as my husband, a mercantile marine Captain is always away at sea. The entire Koox Team right from the General Manager Mr. Supreet Roy to the chefs made my day and I felt overwhelmed.”
The rapport and personal touch that Sharmila shares with the industry, coupled with her depth of knowledge of gastronomical delights, sets her apart from the dime a dozen food bloggers and youtubers. “I am seriously considering a youtube channel. My culinary guru is Ms Chandri Bhat and the founder of Chennai Culinary Institute ‘Hotbreads’ Mr Mahadevan. They trained homemakers like me to cook professionally. On these lines I want to share tried and tested recipes with the public with correct techniques.”
A predictable dream is “to have a cafe or restaurant, God willing, as food is my passion.” Sharmila’s commercial pilot daughters are as adept in the kitchen as they are inside the cockpit. And the trio compete with each other to come up with gourmet fare.
What are her favourite picks and eateries? “Ghai Phad Prik (Chicken with basil) at Soy Soi restaurant, kulchas and Amritsari chole at The Dining Room, Park Hyatt, Thayir Sadaam Fritters at the Broken Bridge Café, Wok tossed mushrooms at Stix at Hyatt Regency and Malabar chicken at Cafe Mercara, ITC Grand Chola” rank pretty high up in her list.
From Sharmila’s very own kitchen, Hainanese chicken rice, a Singaporean dish, chicken malai kebabs, a Pakistani delicacy and moist orange cake with mint are a must have.
Egged on by her zest for food, Sharmila recalls her “Master Classes at JW Marriott” in her formative years. “I would sit in the front row and watch keenly the preparations by the chefs. As a student back then, I would find it unnerving”. These Masterclasses in many star hotels such as Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Taj Coromandel, ITC and Feathers “have shaped me a great deal and improved my knowledge.”
Through the eyes of an ‘insider outside’, Sharmila’s key takeaways from star hotel kitchens is the “vital role” that hygiene plays. “I am happy to note how waste is disposed and the counters are spic and span in most places even during a casual visit. High pressure burners help in cooking swiftly. Time management is on display when the order is processed and executed. All this has taught me to be disciplined in planning a meal at home.”
This culinary journey has also witnessed a competitive twist. “I was selected by the Thai Consulate to represent Chennai at a National culinary contest at Mumbai. Although it was during the covid time, I was able to attend and emerged the first runner up, representing Benjarong restaurant in Chennai.”
The social service streak has always shown up with remarkable verve. When she was the Community College Chairperson for underprivileged girls, Sharmila took them for a cookery demo to Raintree at St Mary’s Road. “I just loved the way the management treated these students with utmost care and kindness. The girls were so excited to see water just flow from the tap as soon as the hand was placed beneath it. It taught me never to take anything in life for granted.”
A former President of the Young Womens Christian Association (YWCA) of Madras and the Vice President of the CSI Ewart Alumni Association, Sharmila is quite the busy bee in the social circuit. As a qualified pianist having completed Grade 8 with Trinity College, London, she keeps striking all the right notes in every fulfilling day’s menu.
(Sanjay Pinto is an Advocate practising at the Madras High Court, a Columnist, Author of 4 books and Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24×7. His 4th book ‘High & Law’ published by Thomson Reuters is available on amazon)
FILE - Rishi Sunak meets supporters as he arrives to attend a Conservative Party leadership election hustings at the NEC, Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. Sunak ran for Britain’s top job and lost. Now he’s back with a second chance to become prime minister. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
Rishi Sunak is likely to become the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He is of Indian descent. His opponent Penny Mordaunt has to secure the support of 100 MP’s by today the 24th of October. In case she is unable to get support, Rishi will be poised to become the next Prime Minister. He already has the backing of 142 members.
FILE – Rishi Sunak meets supporters as he arrives to attend a Conservative Party leadership election hustings at the NEC, Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. Sunak ran for Britain’s top job and lost. Now he’s back with a second chance to become prime minister. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson pulled out of the race and is not contesting for the leadership of the Conservative Party as he felt that a united party in Parliament is essential to form an effective government.
Rishi Sunak tweeted “The United Kingdom is a great country, but we face a profound economic crisis. That’s why I am standing to be Leader of the Conservative Party and your next Prime Minister.” He also stated that he wants to fix the economy and unite the Conservative Party.
According to reports, the marriage of actress Hansika Motwani has been fixed and is likely to take place in December this year. It is stated that she will get married to a Mumbai based businessman and the wedding will be a lavish affair and will take place in the 450 year old Mundota Fort and Palace in Jaipur. It is the same place where her elder brother Prashant got married.
The name of the groom is still not known and the actress has not yet confirmed the news. It appears that the 31 year old actress has given the green signal for the wedding.
On the work front, Hansika has several films on hand that are in various stages of production. Some of the films are Partner, 105 Minutes, My Name is Shruthi, Rowdy Baby etc. She also has 2 web series on hand titled Nasha and MY3.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a mega job fest titled ”Rozgar Mela” which is a drive to recruit about 10 lakh people. It will be launched on October 22 by video-conference. It is reported that 75,000 people will receive appointment letters on this day.
This is seen as an important step towards providing job opportunities for the youth and thereby ensuring the welfare of the people. This move has come at a time when the BJP government is facing flak for alleged lack of employment opportunities. This mission mode will ensure that various government departments and ministries will undertake to recruit 10 lakh people in the next year and half.
The newly recruited candidates will join 38 ministries or departments and will join the government in Group A and B (Gazetted), Group B (Non Gazetted) and Group C.
After serving as the Prime Minister for just 6 weeks, Liz Truss has stepped down as PM. She will remain as Prime Minister until a successor is chosen. She has become the shortest serving prime minister in British history.
There is now a scramble to replace her in a party that is both demoralised and divided. The likely choice is Boris Johnson, the previous prime minister whom Liz replaced after he was embroiled in a number of scandals and forced out of power. Liz Truss was the third woman prime minister after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May but she lost control of her party and government.
The UK is currently in an economic crisis, political crisis and a food crisis as well. The Opposition Labour Party has called for an immediate general election but the Conservative Party is not required to call one until January 2025. The country will soon have a fifth prime minister in six years.
“Thottil Maternity” by Abhi Kalyan – New Age Maternity and new mom’s apparel store was inaugurated by Dr. Priya Selvaraj (Obstetrician, Gynecologist, Fertility Expert Associate Director, G. G. Hospital Nungambakkam), Brindha Sivakumar (Singer & Entrepreneur) & Rayane R Mithun (Head of New Media-Radaan Mediaworks) on Friday, 7th October, 2022 in the presence of Chennai’s most popular mommy bloggers and many of Thottil’s loyalist mom’s.
For more Information:
Address: No 20/15, C.P.Ramaswamy Street, Abhiramapuram, Alwarpet, Chennai – 600018
(Sanjay Pinto is an Advocate practising at the Madras High Court, a Columnist, Author of 4 books and Former Resident Editor – NDTV 24×7. His 4th book ‘High & Law’ published by Thomson Reuters is available on amazon) 
