New Arrival

Title Of Book: Introduction To  Tourism And  Hospitality  Industry

Author: Sudhir Andrews

Publisher: Tata Mc Graw Hill

Cost: Rs. 295

Pages: 250

ISBN: 9780070660212

Basically this book based on the board curriculum for the 3-years degree course of the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology, also it is  is Designed to serve as as introductory textbook on the topic of Hospitality & Tourism. 

Salient Features

Based on the board syllabi of the Course 

International flavour with an Indian perspective 

A rare compilation titled ' The History of Travel in India' 

Lucid and reader-friendly approach 

Useful for those being initiated into the industry 

Deals with a futuristic approach that includes possible trends and changes in the coming decades 

Key terms to remember and Review Quizzes 

Emphasizes the role of technology in the hospitality 

About The Author

A well-name in the Hospitality industry in India. An IIM Ahmedabad graduate,he was one of the first MBA graduates to join the hotel industry.He has worked with various hotel chain like the Oberois,the Welcomegroup etc.He was also the principal of the Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology,Pusa.He has served on the board of many national institutes of Hotel Management.

Topics

Part One tells us about THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND ITS EVOLUTION 

Part Two gives details about  HOSPITALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 

Part three is about TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS 

Part Four is about FUTURE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY TRENDS 

Alu Vadi

Alu vadi has a very important place in traditional Maharastrian cuisine. It is popular snack prepared during traditional functions. It is also made for a good  evening snacks.

Ingredients 3 big Colocasia Leaves (Aluchi Paney) 250gms Chana Dal 1 tsp Jeera 1/2tsp Jeera powder 1 tsp Coriander powder 10-12 Garlic Pods ½ inch Garlic 2 lemon juice 1 tsp grated Jaggery 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 4 Green chillies ½ cup coriander leaves Salt as per Taste 1 small size  chopped onion oil for frying. water.

Method :

To make Paste:

Grind chana dal, jeera, ginger , garlic, green chillies, jaggery, coriander leaves to make thick batter. Later add jeera powder , coriander powder , salt as per taste, lemon juice and chopped onion to batter.

 To make Alu vadi:

Wash  and Pat dry the colocasia leaves. Remove the base stalk from the leaves. Also remove the other excess stalks from the leaves. Now run a rolling pin over the leaves to evenly flatten the leaves.

Now take the largest leaf at the base. Ensure that the dark side of leaf is kept at the bottom. Place the leaf over a flat surface. Apply thin layer of the paste over the leaf . Now fold the leaves from all the side (as per picture) and keep applying the paste before making the next fold. Make sure to make roll tight.

Now steam it in a steamer for 20-30 mins.

After Steaming , allow it to cool. Then cut it into ½ inch pieces. Later deep fry it. Garnish it with chopped fresh coriander leaves and scrapped coconut.

Notes:

1.       In traditional Maharashtrian cuisine , the Alu-vadi is deep fried. However  , it can be shallow fried  to avoid excess oil.

2.       Either one can use big single leaf or 2-3 small leaves to make one roll.

Stepwise Pictures

Leadership

“Good leadership starts with good communication.” Author unknown

To understand out the meaning of leadership, we have an excellent comparison. This comparison is that between a leader and a manager. A manager just manages to get work done using his resources, including human beings, effectively and profitably. However, a leader is more that than. A leader inspires and motivates his colleagues to perform and “leads from the front.” A leader is an example for others to follow.

History is full of examples of leaders who have made a mark in shaping the future and destiny of those who look up to them. Mahatma Gandhi is, perhaps, the most shining example of a leader who can change the lives of millions. Other examples are Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln.

The corporate world is also full of examples of leaders who make a mark in their organisations and guide, inspire others and get the best out of them. Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Shikha Sharma of Axis bank, K V Kamath and Chanda Kochhar of ICICI Bank and Sunil Bhatia Mitta of Aortal are but few of the wide array of leaders our country has produced.

What makes a leader so special? What makes her or him stand taller than the rest? Leaders dream and they dream big. They have a vision and know what they want to achieve and where they want to go. They have a vision for the organisation or the country and with that as a goal; they inspire their colleagues or countrymen to excel. During this process they are faced with the challenges of change and how to manage it. They are also required to innovate to cope with change.

Some of the qualities that produce leaders are:

-                    Good communication and ability to influence people

-                    Decision making ability

-                    Risk taking ability

-                    Honesty and integrity

-                    Expertise in their profession

Above all, a leader motivates his people. He is able to bring out the best from them and takes them along with him on his journey. Leading from the front means leading by example, being proactive and anticipating the future turn of events. The leader does all that. Being among his men the leader stands tall.

Festival Time.....Delicacy Time....!!!!!!!!

Ganpati Bappa Morya !!!!

Ukdiche Modak

Ganesh Chathurti for me is synonymous with Modaks (sweet dumplings), Lord Ganesha's favourite food made  out of easily available ingredients such as  rice flour, jaggery and coconuts. These are patent offerings to the Lord during this festival season. 

Method:
To make Ukad (dough)
1) Sieve rice flour  2 to 3 times.
2) Add rice flour to  2/3 cups ofboiling  water, towhich  a pinch of salt and tsp.  of ghee, has already been added. Mix well.
3) Cover and leave for 10 mts.

To make Stuffing
1) Take poppy seeds ina bowl and microwave for 2 mts till properly roasted.
2) Mix jaggery and coconut with poppy seeds and microwave for additional 30 seconds.
3) Add cardamom powder and nuts.
To arrange Modak
1) Wet hands with water as well as some oil and knead ukad (dough) till soft.
2) Split dough in equal size balls.
3) Now pat balls  into small round shapes,  stuff filling and start to make pleats around stuffing.
4) Gather all pleats at the center and  seal edges.
5) Fill water in an  Idly cooker. Make sure that the level of water does not exceed one inch. Place a stand inside the cooker, over that place small thali or plate, cover the same with wet cloth. 
6) Place Modaks over wet cloth, leaving enough space around each modak.
7) Steam for 10 mts over medium heat.

Chocolate Mawa Modak

Ingredients:
1/4 cup mawa (Khoya/Khova in Hindi)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
1.5 to 2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method:
1) Microwave mawa for 30 seconds on high power. Stir and microwave again for 15 seconds.
2) Stir again and microwave for 20 seconds. Continue this process till mawa gets slightly brown in color (overall it will take 1 minute 30 second for this quantity). Stir mawa well for 2 minutes. Then add powdered sugar and cardamom powder. and mix well.
3) Add cocoa powder 1 tsp at a time. Mix and then add another teaspoon, until you get a doughy consistency.
3) Stuff the mixture in the modak mould and make modak.

Tips:
1) You may add chocolate bar instead of cocoa powder. When you are done with roasting mawa  in the microwave, add chocolate pieces over hot mawa. Due to the heat, chocolate will melt. Add sugar and mix well. If the mixture is sticky even after cooling down slightly, add one or two tbsp milk powder to get the doughy consistency. (In this case, you will require little less sugar.)
2) I have tried this modak in a small quantity. During Ganpati festival, you may need to double or triple the quantity to make enough as a prasad.
3) Chocolate modak can be prepared using stove-top method. Roast mawa in a nonstick kadai until color changes slightly. While roasting, flame should be between medium and low, stir continuously. Then follow the normal procedure.
4) If you are using frozen mawa. Thaw it for an hour and then use.

Enjoy soft, tasty modaks this festival season !!!!!!!!!!!!!

New Arrivals

Every Second Counts

By Lance Armstrong



Book Description

The five- time Tour de France winner and Number 1 New York Times bestselling author returns with an inspirational account of his recent personal and professional victories - and some failures - and an intimate glimpse into how almost dying taught him to really live.

In the opening of Lance Armstrong's memoir, Every Seconds Counts (co-authored by Sally Jenkins), he reflects: "Generally, one of the hardest things in the world to do is something twice . " while he is talking here about his preparation for what would prove to be his second consecutive Tour de France victory in 2000, the sentiments could equally be applied to the book itself. And just as Armstrong managed to repeat his incredible 1999 tour victory, Every Seconds Counts repeats -- and, in some ways exceeds - the success of his bestselling first memoir, It's Not About the Bike. 

Book Details
Publisher    Yellow Jersey Press
Year          2003
Amount     Rs. 450
ISBN        978-0767914482
Pages       246

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MBA at 16 : A Teenager's Guide To The World Of Business

By Subroto Bagchi


Book Description

You are 16, going on 17. Steve Jobs was all sixteen when he met Stephen Wozniak. What resulted was Apple.

When Sergey Brin and Larry Page met at stanford, they were in their early twenties. They were soon to start Google.

Today s teenagers are our smart generation yet. They are tomorrows entrepreneurs , investors, managers, policy makers, watchdogs and of course, consumers. But do you know what the corporate and business world is all about ? How do business touch everyone s lives ? what really makes an entrepreneur  tick? How does the engine of a company run? Who is a social entrepreneur? And why do we need the world of business good or bad for us?

If you are curious , come join Subroto Bagchi and a group of smart teenagers on their exciting voyage of discovery , and in the process, get yourself a teen MBA!


Book Details
Publisher    Penguin
Year          2012
Amount     Rs. 199
ISBN        978-0143330974
Pages       160

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The Journey

By Brandon Bays


Book Description

The Journey  narrates the inspirational story of how Brandon Bays used mind- healing techniques to cure herself of a life threatening condition.

In 1992, Bradon Bays was diagnosed with a giant tumor of Basket Ball size. Using her own knowledge and also principles taught by experts like cellular biologist Dr. Candace Pert and endocrinologist Dr. Deepak Chopra , She began a quest to rid herself of the tumor with nothing but the power of her mind and guided visualization.

As the first step, she had to give up all her preconceived ideas , and get ready to explore the unknown. Her willingness to do this worked miracles for her. She managed to heal the huge tumor with just six odd weeks , without the use of any kind of medicine , or hospitalization and surgery. After this remarkable event, Bays felt compelled to share what she had learnt with everyone , and so, she wrote out her whole experience in the book, The Journey. 

The Book is bestseller and has helped many people deal with various issues in an unconventional way. Its popularity inspired the author create a series of workshops and conduct seminars , in order to spread the healing method to people across the world.


Book Details
Publisher    Harper Element
Year          2012
Amount     Rs. 250
ISBN        978-000725823
Pages       196

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Among above all three books I would recommend to read "The Journey" by Brandon Bays . As the title says this book describes the journey of Brandon Bays. Her courage and strength overcoming life's trials is truly inspiring . She has a very warm and pure soul and has developed her own unique formula of coping. She shares that formula with us. She is a very remarkable woman who uses her own sight and experiences to help others , overcome their own personal challenges .

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Blogging – Is it useful?

Blogging is a very popular pastime for many people today, irrespective of age and occupation. People express their views freely in their blogs. These opinions sometimes reach the right persons, who take the necessary steps if something is to be corrected. When I read some blogs I am full of praise for the talent that is evident in the writers. I also wonder why these people are not professional writers whose works can gain more “visibility.”

Some of the best blogs I have read are on the travel experiences of the writers and their companions. By reading about places from these blogs, one can learn a lot about them. Some people have a gift of describing places so well that one feels the experience. A couple of people in our faculty also write blogs on their travel experiences. In fact, there are quite a few of our faculty members who write on varied topics. One of my colleagues writes on innovative topics on Art like handbag making, diyas, nail art and so on. Another colleague specialises on food. Her blogs on pastry are very informative and educative and makes your mouth water.....yummy !!!!!!.

There are many blogs relating to current affairs. These are also very interesting since one gets to know various shades of opinion of the general public. I read a few blogs on the anti corruption movement and they gave me an insight on how sharply divided the nation is on the means of protest that the activists employ.

You name the subject, be it finance, marketing, human resources, engineering or any other topic, one can get a huge amount of information and knowledge. Some people take blogging so seriously that they even employ writers for their blogs. These writers draft their blogs and they post them after reading and approving them. I am saying all this because blogging, according to me, is a powerful medium of communication. Further, they comments you receive on your blog will add to your knowledge or make you relook at your point of view.

What is the difference between a blog and a regular article? In my view, a blog has no restriction on flow and sequence. You can write as thoughts come to you, whereas an article has to be properly structured. The author of an article has to follow proper language usage, whereas the blogger can afford to use non conventional words and expressions to convey his views in text.

Having said all this one has to ensure that certain ground rules are followed while blogging:

• Never make personal attacks on anyone
• Always respect the others’ views. If you want to differ, say so politely
• Blogs on news, current affairs and politics should be posted promptly as soon as things happen. Otherwise they lose their relevance

The old saying: “The pen is mightier than the sword” is very relevant because blogs can send the right messages to the right people. The blog and the response it gets can serve as a pulse to gauge public opinion on any issue.

SO KEEP BLOGGING TAKING THE RIGHT PRECAUTIONS  !!!!!!!!!!!

Controlling Anger

Anger is an emotion that can destroy us if we do not take care to control it. People experience varying degrees of anger. Some of us are “short tempered,” which means that we get angry at the flimsiest of excuses and show irritation and disgust. Display and expression of emotions sometimes results in disastrous consequences, which may result in such people ending on the other side of the law. Some people are good at controlling their emotions and do not show their annoyance and displeasure. Instead they try to reason out with themselves or with others and try to arrive at constructive solutions to problems that were the cause of their displeasure or annoyance.

Anger can cause serious consequences like separation of wedded couples, rebellion by children, suicides by the affected people and so on. Violence resulting from anger can take devastating forms. You must have heard of “road rage” due to which drivers sometimes cause accidents that result in death.

Controlling anger is more easily said than done. Meditation, Relaxation and the like are some of the methods advocated to control anger. These aids allow us to keep our minds free and relaxed and make us concentrate on the better things of life.

Let me share a simple thought with you. Whenever you are provoked why don’t you just close your eyes for a short time and think of how you should react before actually doing so? Think of what made the other person say what provokes you. After all he or she also has a reason. Unless, of course, he or she is trying to deliberately provoke you because of dislike or jealousy. In such cases also showing a temper would be doing what the person wants you to do. Deny him or her the pleasure and smile at him and then say the right thing under the circumstances.

There are many examples that we can emulate though we can not be like them. Gandhiji said that if you are slapped, don’t show your anger, but show the other cheek. This is a bit unrealistic in today’s world, but the lesson we should draw is that no constructive result is possible by stoking the fire. We should try to douse the fire. 

Self Awareness

What is self awareness? One may find different definitions in books and publications. I would like to coin my definition as I see it. According to me, “Self awareness is the honest realization of one’s own capabilities and shortcomings without external influences.”

It is very often said that one must be honest and true to oneself. This appears simple, but is not very easy in practice. We either tend to overrate our own capabilities or tend to underplay them. Both these approaches are harmful.

The most common result of overrating our own capabilities is over confidence. We sometimes try to convince others and ourselves that we are capable of something even though we know that we are not true to ourselves.

Optimism is a desirable and laudable trait. However, optimism should be tinged with cautiousness to make it constructive and meaningful. A cautious optimist is respected for his maturity and foresight. Let me explain this with a small example that is usually quite common in today’s corporate world. A manager asks a young, dynamic, “over confident” executive whether he could make a presentation to an eminent gathering of professionals. The manager jumps at the proposal and readily agrees. His brashness and eagerness prevents him from making a mock up and discussing it with his colleagues. On the appointed day, he makes his presentation, but it ends in a fiasco. He is not able to answer the questions from the audience and cuts a sorry figure.

What effect will this type of incident have on the concerned person? He suffers a loss of self esteem and loss of self confidence. Both these effects are profound, long lasting and debilitating.

According to me a person who realizes and states his true capabilities, is not only mature, but courageous. Further, when he realizes that he has shortcomings, he is spurred to improve upon them. As the saying goes, reality bites. All of us are not leaders. The faster one realizes this, the easier it is for him to decide on his future and set targets for himself.

On the other end of the spectrum are those who are falsely “modest.” This modesty can arise out of a person’s inherent nature or out of lack of self confidence. I have also found that sometimes this effect arises because of a penchant for detail. Such people, in my opinion, have low self esteem. They are not sure of themselves, though they are capable. They hesitate to grab opportunities because they feel that challenges overwhelm them. Some of these people try to put on a show of modesty to conceal their basic, lazy nature.

There are certain other factors that relate to self awareness. As is clear form the foregoing paragraphs, self awareness is dependent of many factors, most of them behavioural.  Self awareness can also be induced by affected by harmful effects of certain relationships. A dominant spouse, parent or boss can cause a harmful effect on a person’s confidence. When this effect persists over a long time, the damage can be permanent and cause a loss of self esteem.

On the positive side, self awareness enables us to be free from unnecessary pressures and concerns and allows us to live life on our own terms. I am reminded of a signboard that I saw a few days back advertising a career option. It showed a smiling, confident lady telling her friend, “I’m not a MBA. So what?”

Summarizing, it is important to know and be aware of our own capabilities. It makes life more enjoyable and free from artificial pressures. It gives us the opportunity to know our drawbacks and work on them. Most important, it enables us to protect our self esteem.  

Friends and Friendship

“A friend in need is a friend indeed,” may be an old saying, but it summarizes friendship in as simple a form as possible. Friendship is something we live on, it is what sustains us and keeps us going. The best way of realizing the value of friendship is to ask honestly of ourselves how life would be if every one of us keeps to ourselves and refrains from sharing our thoughts and experiences with others.

The bond of friendship can be very strong if it is real. I say this because we are witness to and also at times experience the withering away of so called friendships when they become inconvenient.

When a person is successful there he has a lot of friends. He is surrounded by “friends” who are ready to do what he says. The same person becomes an untouchable for most of these “friends” when he falls from grace. 

Good friendship flows from a genuine concern for others, a desire to help and, of course, good breeding. It is a bond that is permanent and can be broken only by deceit and breach of trust.

A friend is somebody you can confide in, somebody with whom you can share your joys and pleasures. True friendship is a relationship that knows no barriers and obstacles. It is a relationship that is free from the desire of personal gain. The only benefit one derives out of friendship is a feeling of companionship and trust. It transcends all boundaries of blood relationship. To quote an old saying once again, a friend is “a shoulder to cry on and a smile to lean against.”

Having said all this, friendship sometimes is so close that it becomes blind to life’s demands and even makes one compromise one’s own principles. The best example of such blind friendship is, perhaps, found in the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata where Karan sacrifices his principles and supports Duryodhan knowing that both of them are going to meet their doom. A true friend is one who has the courage to caution and advice when he sees that the other person is doing even at the risk of incurring his wrath.

There is a lot more that can be said about friendships and good friends. A good friend brings a smile to our faces, and we are comfortable in his company. Let us thank nature and Providence that the world is not all about commerce and money. Friendships make this world a good place to be in.

Internet Relationships

Are internet relationships good or are they to be avoided? I wish I had an answer. Probably this question lurks in the minds of all people who indulge in them. I can safely say that the answer lies somewhere in between these extreme positions. Such relationships can be used effectively to one’s advantage if proper discretion is exercised. They can also result in unfavourable, unenviable and dangerous situations to unknowing users, who do not exercise proper care.

What is good?

Internet relationships, if properly used have many benefits like

-        One can make good friends with whom a close and lasting relationship can be developed. However, care should be taken not to reveal too much about oneself before checking whether the other person is genuine and is talking the truth about himself. The genuineness or otherwise of the person is revealed if the relationship is built up step by step. This means the user should converse or chat with the person over a period of time and look for suspicious statements or unnecessary haste on the other person’s part to know more about you before he shares information about himself

-        Chats on specific subjects like sports, entertainment and business are usually harmless

-        Sometimes one meets interesting people on the net who are very knowledgeable and are willing to share and teach. One should encourage such relationships

One common practice by people is to lie about their age. The only way out is to question them and try to trap them by asking them questions so that they falter at some point.

What is to be avoided?

-        Keep clear of people who are aggressive and ask you a lot of questions that they need not know

-        Avoid giving your telephone number and other details till you trust the person

-        If you are a lady you can immediately sense when the conversation is crossing its limits. In such cases tell the other person clearly and firmly to avoid contacting you. If he persists, IGNORE him

-        Choose your usernames and email address carefully . They should not include personal details like age, birthday , gender etc.

-         Be even more careful with your webcam. Only use it with people you know offline, and make sure you turn it off when you're done.

Finally, remember that your net community is a virtual world and not reality till you develop real friendships. With proper care, virtual friends can become real friends.

The Reading Habit

According to an international journal, “Reading habit is the art of personal investigation and self study. It should be followed by self thinking and analysis, and only this kind of study, on one’s own accord, can develop into good reading habit.”

So true. Reading has to be followed by thinking, introspection and analysis to assimilate what we have read. Otherwise reading is an exercise that has no value or use. Text book reading is generally done out of compulsion, as when we study for an examination or for other academic pursuits like research and so on. This type of reading cannot be classified under “reading habit.”

When we read something we should be able to think of what the writer or author is trying to convey in the written piece. Sometimes it is necessary to decipher the hidden meaning of what is written and conveyed.

Apart from all these theories, it is a fact that a good book can teach us a lot, can expand our horizons and, sometimes, the fictitious characters are large as life and teach us a few things. I recently read an article in a website whose author advises that if one has set times for reading every day.

If I were to advise a person who wants to develop the reading habit I would tell him that he had to reduce watching television and browsing the net. These “distractions” are responsible for the reading habit losing its appeal on youngsters. Having said this, it must be admitted that the proportion of youngsters in book shops is still high.

It is very important that we help youngsters inculcate this habit. Actually they can be introduced to reading at a very early age. Youngsters become more inquisitive and curious when they see written matter and graphical illustrations and pictures. Curiosity and inquisitiveness help develop young minds and makes them ready for more information.

A good source of reading material, apart from the good bookshops, is shops that sell used and old books. We sometimes get very good and rare books here, as some people are not aware of their value and sell them off.

As a librarian , I want  my all books to be issued with all shelves empty.... :)

Summarizing, it must be said that a determined effort is necessary to popularize the reading habit. The onus of this is on the present generation.

Business Etiquette – As seen by a layman

 Etiquette is “not about fork and knife” – it’s about consideration and respect toward the people around us.

Etiquette is a very important factor in our daily lives, as it defines our behaviour with people with whom we come across. Display of good etiquette makes a strong statement on our general manners, our upbringing and our concern for others. In business, etiquette is important, especially in international dealings as it gives others an idea of our country and our values. In this short note, I am listing some good practices concerning business etiquette as I see it

·         When a visitor comes to your office see that he is welcomed and taken to the person or persons he or she wants to meet. This is especially important in companies where knowledge is guarded. Apart from showing courtesy to the visitor it ensures that he does not move into restricted areas

·         In any meeting where guests are present, welcome them at the start and inform them on the location of the washrooms and evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency

·         When walking with others in a corridor, ensure that, if you are in the lead that you follow certain good practices. When you approach a door that opens outward go ahead, open the door and move aside with the door opened to let the others pass. If the door opens towards you, hold it open to allow the others to pass first

·         When in a meeting allow others to talk without interrupting them midway. They should be allowed to finish what they are saying after which you can respond

·         Be punctual. You cannot waste others’ time

·         Dress well. It gives a good impression

·       Do not pull up your subordinates in public. You can do it in private. If done in public it will hurt his pride

One thing I was in doubt till a few years back was whether there was any protocol or norm to be followed when introducing people. This is because introductions are practically the first thing we do before a meeting or official interaction starts. Let me share with you what I have learnt after studying some literature on the subject.

Introductions have to be done in the proper manner to make the all important "first impression.” Here are some tips that may make you wiser.

-     In social situations remember to introduce the man to the lady

-     In business situations the person with a higher rank is introduced to the rest first

-     In formal meetings it is always good to add a line on the person’s background or achievements when making introductions

-     Finally, if it is possible, try to space out the introductions so that people remember each other