OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED Jan-Mar 2020 | Vol 1 Issue 1

WANDERINGS COVER STORY A CITY FOR THE SKY SIX SENSES PROMENADE QATAR IS NO LIMIT AN OASIS FOR ART AFFICIONADOS

LOUNGE A BRUSH WITH LIFE’S EXPERIENCES

HI-TECH IDEAS THAT FLY

WELLNESS NURTURING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO LIFE

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“The Kannur International Airport is a great boon for people around the world waiting to explore .”

It gives me immense pleasure to see effort to facilitate this by accelerating the remarkable progress of Kannur the physical infrastructure development International Airport in its debut and transit connectivity in Kannur and year, and I am of the firm belief that the adjoining areas. this airport will play an instrumental role in the growth and development I am extremely pleased that this airport of the entire north Malabar region. has successfully bridged the distances Kannur is known for its scenic between north Malabar and the beauty, rich traditions and extremely Middle East where so many of our enterprising people. fellow residents are working in different industries or doing business. Over the years, travellers from around I am hopeful that the Kannur airport the world have been visiting Kannur will get connected with many more to experience local customs and cities around the globe, which will go traditions, explore the beautiful hills a long way toward making this city a and beaches, and taste the famous major investment destination. Malabar cuisine. In recent years, many people have also been visiting Kannur I congratulate the Kannur Vijayan for wellness and medical treatment. International Airport’s authorities for launching this publication which Hon’ble Chief Minister, The Kannur International Airport is will showcase the different facets of Govt. of Kerala a great boon for people around the Kannur. I wish the KIAL management world waiting to explore Kannur. In and staff every success in making the coming years, Kannur will emerge Kannur International Airport one of as one of the top tourist destinations. the best airports in the country. will make every

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FlyKannur| 5 MESSAGE FROM THE MD

“The airport’s growth trajectory will determine the pace of economic progress of the north Malabar region.”

The Kannur International Airport is management is cognizant of this perhaps one of the most ambitious imperative, and it is our considered projects undertaken in the north view to initiate projects that create Malabar region, with the broader more business avenues in the region, objective of bringing about the and spur employment growth. economic transformation of Kannur and areas contiguous to this district Besides, we have envisioned the What is quite remarkable about this airport itself to be more than just a airport is its scalability. In the very transit point. In time, visitors and first year of its operations, Kannur passengers coming to this airport will International Airport is connected be able to have shopping experiences, with all key cities in the Middle East, attend entertainment shows, and the apart from several major cities in like. It is with this broad vision of . We have plans to extend this where we see Kannur International airport’s connectivity to several other Airport in the near future that we have Asian countries, and at full capacity the launched this magazine which will V. Thulasidas, IAS (Retd.) airport will be handling the movement capture the most enchanting aspects of Managing Director, of over 9 million passengers a year. Kannur and all places connected with Kannur International Airport this city, frame by frame. The airport’s growth trajectory will no doubt determine the It would be our constant endeavour pace of economic progress of the to make this airport the very best for all north Malabar region. The airport stakeholder groups.

6 |FlyKannur FlyKannur| 7 OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF KANNUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED For FlyKannur business enquiries: Jan-Mar 2020 | VOL 1 ISSUE 1

North Suresh [email protected]

WANDERINGS COVER STORY A CITY FOR THE SKY SIX SENSES West PROMENADE Sagnik Jaiswal QATAR IS NO LIMIT AN OASIS FOR ART [email protected] AFFICIONADOS

Chennai Vijal Das

LOUNGE [email protected] A BRUSH WITH LIFE’S EXPERIENCES

HI-TECH Bangalore IDEAS THAT FLY Sagnik Jaiswal WELLNESS NURTURING [email protected] A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO LIFE

FlyKannur| 1 Kerala Nitin.V [email protected]

Publisher & CEO Middle East Jalesh Kumar Rajesh Menon [email protected] Managing Editor Sivanandan Sadasivan Finance & Accounts Sudeep A Executive Editor Rajiv Regunath Office Administration Kalavathi V, Arun Vijay Chairman - Editorial Board V. Thulasidas Printed at Managing Director Kannur International Airport Ltd. Anaswara Offset Pvt. Ltd.

Business Director FlyKannur, is Printed & Published by Jalesh Kumar Jigeesh Narayan on behalf of Kannur International Airport Limited Creative Director (KIAL) and Published at VisualNet Pvt Ltd, P. Radhakrishnan #401, Shree Complex, Bangalore – 560 042 and Printed at Anaswara Offset Pvt. Ltd. Design & Layout 48/2123-C, Perandoor Junction, Elamakkara, Ragesh, Rajashree, Vishal Babu Muraleedharan, Babitto, Saranya - 682026. Fly Kannur is published quarterly. Editor - Sivanandan Sadasivan Production Christy Unsolicited articles and transparencies are sent in Image Courtesy at the owner’s risk and the publisher accepts no Maitri Advertising Works liability for loss or damage. Material in this publication Karthik Shriram may not be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, Digital without the consent of VisualNet Pvt Ltd or Sagnik Jaiswal, Renuka Devi Kannur International Airport Limited

The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Unsolicited material, including photographs and transparencies, is submitted entirely at the owner’s risk and the publisher accepts no responsibility for its loss or damage. Submissions to the magazine may also be used on the publication’s related platforms without prior intimation. All maps, including those of India, used in the magazine are for illustrative purposes only. FlyKannur Magazine is not responsible for any controversies that may arise thereof.

All material published in FlyKannur Magazine is protected by copyright and unauthorised reproduction in part or full is forbidden.

8 |FlyKannur COVER STORY The sky is 12 no limit

42 LOCALE Roaring waters of Ezharakund

ENTREE 46 A melting pot WANDERINGS 24 A city for six senses

ADRENALINE Vol 1 Issue | 32 On a high riding the rapids Jan-Mar 2020

CELLULOID Film viewing 52 CONTENTS habits are PROMENADE QATAR – an changing fast oasis for art 38 aficionados

LOUNGE 60 A brush with life’s Experiences

SNIPPET 66 parks FlyKannur| 9 EDITORIAL

68 REALM Wayanad: Many trails Yet to be blazed

HI-TECH 72 Ideas that fly Kerala accounted for 3.8% of the total foreign tourist visits in India in 2018, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. That added up to 10.96 lakh foreign tourist visits. Within Kerala, recorded 5,123 foreign tourist arrivals in 2017, according to a Kerala Tourism report. In the same year, the district recorded about 7 lakh domestic tourist arrivals, which was less than 20% of the domestic tourist arrivals recorded in the Ernakulam

CONTENTS district. These figures suggest that the tourism potential of Kannur has not been fractionally realised thus far. The opening of the Kerala International Airport in December 2018, and the steady expansion of its 78 operations month-on-month will provide the necessary WELLNESS impetus for a tourism boom in the district. Nurturing a holistic The airport itself is poised to become a multi- functional centre, offering various services and approach amenities to passengers and visitors alike, on the to life lines of top airports around the world. This magazine is emblematic of the great vision that guides the development of the Kannur airport, and indeed the AIRSIDE north Malabar region as a whole. It would be our 82 AAI @Kannur constant endeavour to unravel the many hidden International cultural treasures of the region, as well as highlight the Airport avenues that open up for business and investments. I do hope that you will enjoy reading the articles ENDTALK presented in this inaugural edition. Your feedback and 88 Man who suggestions will be greatly appreciated. matters behind the mattress Rajiv Raghunath Welfare of a Executive Editor kind 10 |FlyKannur Edapally Muvatupuzha +Th9op1um-p9ad6y 05667890 +91-9605667890

FlyKannur| 11 COVER STORY

THE SKY IS NO LIMIT

THE KANNUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, COMMISSIONED ON DECEMBER 9, 2018, IS THE SECOND GREENFIELD AIRPORT IN KERALA DEVELOPED IN THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) MODE, IN AN AREA COVERING ABOUT 2300 ACRES. THE AIRPORT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO HANDLE 9 MILLION PASSENGERS PER ANNUM.

12 |FlyKannur Image Courtesy: Maitri AdvertisingFlyKannur Works| 13 COVER STORY

Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

he Kannur International Airport, The major districts in the catchment area of the airport include the whole of Tcommissioned on December 9, Kannur, parts of , , Wayanad, Mahe, Kodagu, Mysuru and 2018, is the second greenfield airport Ooty (Udhagamandalam). This catchment area has arguably the second largest in Kerala developed in the public concentration of NRI population in Kerala, comprising people who are working private partnership (PPP) mode in an or doing business in the Gulf countries. area covering about 2300 acres. The The Kannur airport is a perfect gateway for tourists visiting Wayanad, , airport has been designed to handle Kodagu, Mysuru, and other tourist destinations in the adjoining areas. 9 million passengers per annum. The airport is currently connected with international destinations in the The Kannur International GCC countries -- Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat, Doha, Bahrain, Riyadh Airport has a large catchment area and Kuwait. In the coming times, the airport will also have connectivity with covering the Malabar region in South Asian and South East Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kerala and extending all the way to Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Maldives, etc. and parts of .

14 |FlyKannur TO KODAGU-50KM TO BEKAL-96KM

TO MYSURU-158KM

TO WAYANAD-60KM

THE KANNUR AIRPORT IS A PERFECT GATEWAY FOR TOURISTS VISITING WAYANAD, BEKAL, KODAGU, MYSURU, AND OTHER DESTINATIONS.

The airport is seeing continual expansion, with the runway being extended to 4000m, comparable to the runways of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad. There are also plans to expand the apron, taking the number of aircraft that can be accommodated from the current 20 to 42 and eventually to 80. The expansion of the passenger terminal building will apparently be taken up once the current building is fully utilised. A host of upcoming facilities at the airport includes an airport village, a five-star hotel, budget hotels, a day hotel within the terminal building, an international convention centre, park, an ayurvedic wellness centre, movie theatre, etc. Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

FlyKannur| 15 COVER STORY

RAJIV RAGHUNATH CAUGHT UP WITH Mr. V THULASIDAS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KANNUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF HOW THE ONE-YEAR JOURNEY HAS BEEN FOR THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT, AND TO HAVE A CERTAIN VISIBILITY INTO THE AIRPORT EXPANSION PLANS.

The Kannur International one to be developed in the PPP mode. In both the cases, the Kerala state Airport will complete one year government is the principal sponsor of the project. And, in the case of the of operations on December 9 Kannur airport, it was a conscious decision of the state government to go this year. What, in your view, in for an airport here, unlike Kochi are the highlights of this which had a small airport earlier, in the Naval enclave, before they decided to one year journey that you relocate it to a more convenient place. This project started off initially as have undertaken? a joint venture, just like the airports in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, I think the greatest satisfaction for me Delhi and so on. But then the state as well as for others at the airport is the government decided that given the fact that we have received appreciation interest of the people here, it is best to from almost everyone who has come have a public private partnership for to this airport, about the quality of developing the airport. the airport, and the facilities that have Today, we have 7,000 plus share- been provided here. This has been holders that include small shareholders a great satisfaction for me and my belonging to the area around the colleagues here to see that an airport airport, people who are working in that we built and operationalised has the Gulf or doing business there, found favour with passengers and big businessmen, institutions, the visitors government, and others. The Kannur International Malabar as a region was Airport was developed in the relatively less developed than PPP mode. To what extent has other parts of Kerala. the PPP mode contributed to Do you see the airport the project’s success? playing a catalytic role in the Very few airports in India have been developed in the PPP mode. The Kochi economic development of this International Airport was the first part of the state?

16 |FlyKannur Certainly. You are right in saying that Malabar has not had the same kind of economic development as the rest of the state, especially in the area of tourism. Tourism has done very well in Kerala, but mostly in the southern part of the state. It started with in , and then extended to the backwaters of Ernakulam and , and – all confined to the southern part. Culturally, this is a very vibrant place – be it in the arts, martial arts, you name it. Everything is here, but perhaps connectivity was a big issue.

Though the Calicut airport had come Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works up 30 years back, somehow that did not provide the required connectivity for the Malabar region. Now, with this All that is required is proper road One very good thing that we have airport that issue is getting addressed. connectivity to the airport in order to noticed is that unlike the Calicut We are not only providing connectivity realise this infrastructure’s full potential. airport, this airport has been doing very to the northern parts of Kerala, but This airport is going to play a catalytic well in regard to domestic passenger also some parts of Karnataka such as role in the development of tourism traffic. All this is going to make Kannur Kodagu and Mysuru and even some here, and in time, the economic and airport the centre for a large number of pockets of Tamil Nadu like Ooty. business development of this region. economic activities in this region.

FlyKannur| 17 Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works COVER STORY

Are there any plans for developing industrial parks in the proximity of the airport? Yes. Certain state government agencies and companies have acquired land around the airport to develop economic activities. The land acquisition is to an extent complete. Has the airport contributed to more employment generation and entrepreneurship in Kannur? The airport itself gives direct employment to a large number of people. We expect that eventually 2,000+ people will work here. Today, we have more than 1,000 employees. Indirect employment is also expected to go up manifold as the airport activities increase -- with more flights coming in, the cargo operations starting in December, etc. We have 2,300 acres of land that will be used for various types of aeronautical non-aeronautical businesses. These are bound to provide employment opportunities at the airport and in downstream activities outside the airport.

What about the communities Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works living around the airport? that has given land for the airport will What kind of infrastructure Are they benefiting in any be given employment at the airport, significant ways? not necessarily in the airport company, development is happening but perhaps in an agency working with Yes, in fact, the land for the airport the airport. We have already done this around the airport, such that was acquired by the government from for the families that lost their houses in the people living in this area. It was the land acquisition process. people gain easier access to clear at the time of planning the land Besides, we are ensuring that the this place? acquisition itself that the people will local people are engaged in the services be given good rehabilitation packages. provided at the airport, like taxi and The government has decided to Second, one person from each family autorickshaw service. build six major roads that connect

18 |FlyKannur with the airport from six different directions. This will open up the entire hinterland, and includes the road going to Karnataka which has been declared a National Highway. We also have some tourist infrastructure projects coming up. There are seven to eight rivers in this area, where river cruises are being introduced. That will not only boost the local infrastructure but also provide

Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

FlyKannur| 19 COVER STORY and Malaysia. There is also good demand for SAARC destinations like Colombo and Maldives. Currently, I can’t say that there is great demand for more distant destinations like Europe. Do you see scope for foreign airlines to operate at the Kannur airport? There is not only scope for foreign airlines, but there has been a constant demand from them to be allowed to operate at the Kannur airport, especially from the Gulf carriers like Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Oman Air, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, and Saudia. We have been asking for permission to operate from Kannur but the central government is yet to grant that permission. We have seen similar interest from airline operators from SAARC and South East Asian countries. What is the total capacity of the airport in terms of passenger traffic and flights? This airport is built to handle over Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works 9 million passengers or 2,000 passengers every hour. We have an apron that allows for 20 aircraft to be more employment and business from Kerala work or do business in parked, and the runway is built for any opportunities to the people living in the Gulf countries. Some of them have class of passenger aircraft operation. the areas contiguous to the rivers. businesses both in the Gulf and Kerala. We have adequate capacity to take The state tourism department So the primary focus of all airports in care of the requirement for the next has also come up with a plan for the Kerala is to provide the connectivity several years, be it apron, terminal or development of Malabar, considering with the Gulf cities. the runway. We also have also enough that now we have a good airport here As I stated earlier, we have gone land for future expansion. that will encourage more tourists to beyond that. We have connectivity with travel to these parts of the country. all countries in the Gulf now. We need more flights, more frequencies. We need Airports are becoming wide-body aircraft for both passenger In terms of connectivity, traffic and cargo movement. For cargo, shipping and entertainment the Gulf is a major market, especially where do you see this airport, for perishables like vegetables, fruits, centres these days. Are there three to five years hence? etc. Even banana leaves go from here to the Gulf region. any such plans for the Kannur Largely, the connectivity will be the Apart from the Gulf, we notice airport? GCC countries as most of the NRIs good demand for flights to Singapore

20 |FlyKannur Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

Yes. Airports are not just depending on Most tourist destinations becoming a known place flights these days. Some of the modern airports are in fact getting 50% of their also become popular places for organising international revenues from non-aeronautical sources. We have engaged KPMG to help us draw for holding conferences, conventions and major plans for promoting businesses here. We already have outlets that take exhibitions and the like. meetings? care of food and beverages, and retail Do you see the airport That is bound to happen. We are shopping. The first duty-free shop will planning to build a convention centre open in December. contributing to Kannur at the airport itself. With this airport coming up, hotels are adding more rooms and creating conference and convention facilities. The airport should play the role of a catalyst to develop this area in various ways. That will also boost our passenger traffic growth. Will this also lead to medical tourism growth in Kannur? A few ultra-modern hospitals have come up in Kannur in recent times. Similarly, we had a group of Ayurveda ambassadors from several European and Far East countries visiting this region via this airport. So, medical tourism for ayurveda treatment is also growing. We are ready to give land here, both for a multi-specialty hospital and an ayurveda wellness centre.

Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

FlyKannur| 21 COVER STORY

AIRPORT FACILITIES – AT A GLANCE

Full length parallel taxiway provisioned Apron – provides for parking of up to 20 aircraft 6 passenger boarding bridges, all equipped with the Automatic Visual Docking Guidance System (AVDGS) 24 CUTE enabled check-in counters set up, with provision for increasing the number Self check-in kiosks and self-baggage drop facilities available for the passengers Day Hotel with 25 rooms being readied inside the terminal Also available -- world-class F&B, retail services and upcoming Duty-Free outlets Cat-I Instrument Landing System (ILS) Category-9 Fire Station with 4 ACFTs procured from Rosenbauer, Austria Hydrant refuelling facility to be set up

Images Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

22 |FlyKannur FlyKannur| 23 WANDERINGS

AMID AN IMAGE MAKEOVER, DELHI CONTINUES TO OFFER A RICH AND VARIED EXPERIENCE TO VISITORS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE. Meha Mathur

city of changing fortunes that A Delhi is, it has seen the rise and fall of several dynasties over centuries – from the Tomars and Chauhans between the 8th century and the 12th century, to the Turkish rule thereafter, and the Mughal rule from the 16th century till the establishment of the British rule. When the British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi, they gave to the city the bungalow zone with wide, tree-lined avenues. The seven cities of Delhi accommodating the successive wave of rulers enriched it in many ways and introduced new elements to architecture, food, and customs again and again. Post Independence, the refugees from Pakistan making Delhi their home gave a makeover and a new work ethic to large swathes of Delhi, as did the bureaucracy that manned the government machinery, and the large body of professionals who moved to Delhi in search of careers. Sports events like Asian Games and

24 |FlyKannur FlyKannur| 25 WANDERINGS

26 |FlyKannur IT’S A CITY THAT HAS SOMETHING FOR ALL TASTES, AND FOR ALL AGE GROUPS. IT’S ALSO UNRAVELING ITSELF TO DELHIITES THANKS TO THE SPAWNING OF GROUPS CONDUCTING CITY WALKS-- CURATING NATURE, HERITAGE AND FOOD WALKS AND EVEN QAWWALI EVENINGS. THE THEMES OF HERITAGE WALKS COULD RANGE FROM MUTINY TO ECCENTRIC KINGS TO BRITISH NAWABS TO TAWAIFS OF DELHI.

Commonwealth Games further transformed the face of the city. Now, as the Hall of Nations gives way to an ambitious convention centre project at Pragati Maidan in the heart of the capital and much of the surrounding geography undergoes changes beyond recognition; as the quiet lake kissing the Old Fort with rich foliage gets a makeover with a plastic layer at the base, fountains and miniature flora; and as newspapers report that much of the Rajpath, where the Republic Day is celebrated, will undergo transformation and some significant cultural landmarks like the National Museum will be razed, we know that Delhi is bracing for a period of irreversible change. This is not to the liking of many of us who fell in love with the lushness of its gardens and quietude of its monuments and its art offerings centered around the culture district of Mandi house. Whose version of what constitutes a quality life in a city will prevail is being debated as we watch cultural landmarks of the yore being erased, and as the majestic trees characterising the wide roads of Delhi are being replaced by manicured and miniature fauna represented by Ashoka.

FlyKannur| 27 WANDERINGS

28 |FlyKannur But in the midst of this shift, whose couplets we all studied in Hindi Delhi still offers an immense variety lessons, is located in the tony locality of experiences for the six senses. of Nizamuddin, or in discovering the It’s a city that has something for all remnants of Qila Rai Pithora near tastes, and for all age groups. It’s also from where Prithviraj Chauhan ruled. unraveling itself to Delhiites thanks to But you will find that you are the spawning of groups conducting city not alone there. College crowd— walks-- curating nature, heritage and serious students as well as selfie food walks and even qawwali evenings. seekers —throng every perceivable The themes of heritage walks could spot now. Don’t be surprised range from Mutiny to eccentric kings to bump into a wedding shoot to British nawabs to tawaifs of Delhi. sequence in the wildest corner of Mehrauli. Many of the hitherto TAKE A STROLL IN THE quaint sites have now become MEHRAULI ARCHAEOLOGICAL popular spots for the youth. PARK AND YOU WILL BE Rang de Basanti and PK TRANSPORTED TO A LAND popularised Agrasen ki OF MEDIEVAL RESIDENCES, Baoli, and Padmavat BAOLIS, TOMBS, AND EVEN generated interest in PICNIC RETREATS IN A STATE Allauddin Khilji’s OF RUIN tomb in Hauz Khas monuments, leading to an unparalleled interest, with some The majestic parks like Lodhi of these unticketed monuments now Gardens and Deer Park have preserved boasting online ticketing facility. a rich variety of flora and are an The city is aligning itself to youth archaeological delight at the same and to their tastes in other ways. Early time. As you walk deeper and deeper mornings see students of photography into the woods, away from the din of and design descend upon the Lodhi traffic, you find yourself at the gate of Art District to appreciate, draw and a Lodhi, Tughlaq or Mughal era tomb capture the works of public art in this at a nook where you would least expect residential colony for government human intervention. Unencumbered employees. Otherwise a quiet and by restoration efforts, some of these simplistic colony, this neighbourhood are in a pristine state with wilderness saw a makeover of the façade thanks all around. In fact, the charm of the city lies not just in accomplishing the bucket list of world heritage monuments – Qutb Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb—but in those eureka moments, like the realisation that the tomb of the famous Rahim,

Humayun’s Tomb

FlyKannur| 29 WANDERINGSTRAVEL to this art initiative. To the serious popular destination for crafts lovers, art critic, this body of work might the now under-rated emporia at Kharag be kitsch, but the residents, and the Singh Marg is a surprise revelation for visitors are not complaining. the millennials in terms of diversity Other major draws include the Sundar of crafts one can get at reasonable Nursery adjacent to the Humayun’s rates. And of course, there are exciting Tomb, recently developed as a heritage markets like Shankar Market, Karol park. Some 16th century Mughal-era Bagh, Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar. monuments have been restored in this And some non-descript markets like park, walkways created and a central Mehr Chand and Khanna Markets, canal brought back to life. The utterly characterised by mechanic shops, have sanitised park comes to life during seen a change in fortune, with several night time when the bulbs along the designer shops and exotic eateries now. pathway are illuminated. There is a reversal in the The War Memorial at India fortunes of Connaught Place (i.e. Gate, located adjacent to Rajiv Chowk). Its showrooms are the Children’s Park, also increasingly shutting down, giving way looks enchanting after to exotic eating outlets and pubs. sunset, for the same reason. This brings us to food. A journey to For that matter, Delhi Delhi is not complete without visiting Tourism has done wonders its mind-boggling variety of restaurants. by way of lighting of several And facilitating this culinary journey monuments and has opened is Delhi Metro, enabling access to these for night tourism as well. eateries across Delhi—from Old Delhi While planning a trip to and Jamia Nagar to fashionable Delhi, also keep track of theatre Hauz Khas and Greater Kailash. and other performing arts shows Some simplest of spaces are being at the National School of Drama, transformed thanks to investment in Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, decor —pleasing colours, kitsch art, Kamani Auditorium and LTG inexpensive furniture imaginatively auditorium, comprising the core done up—and in chefs who serve theatre district of the capital, art international and Indian cuisine. exhibitions at Triveni Kala Sangam, Cuisine which is also insta-worthy. Lalit Kala Academy, numerous private arts galleries, and now even Metro stations. Art activities like experiments in dance by training schools, music bands amid the serenity of Nehru Park, folk art performances at the Crafts Museum are indeed an experience one would remember. A visit to Rashtrapati Bhawan Museum is must. It has developed some very interactive displays, and you can listen to the first renditions of our national songs, view the fascinating gifts that visiting heads of state have brought for our Presidents, personal belongings, and a display of utensils and serving dishes used in the official residence of the President of India. A cosmopolitan city that Delhi is, craft traditions of all the regions of the country also converge here and find a huge market. At Crafts Museum, you can occasionally get a demonstration of these crafts. While Dilli Haat is a 30 |FlyKannur FlyKannur| 31 ADRENALINE ON A HIGH, RIDING THE RAPIDS

WE HEARD A FRIEND SAY “RAFTING”, AND THAT TOO IN KANNUR, JUST 350 KM AWAY FROM BENGALURU WHERE WE ALL WORK.

32 |FlyKannur Tejaswini River BANGALORE-BASED IT PROFESSIONAL DEEPAK ARVIND RECALLS THE RIVETING EXPERIENCE HE AND HIS COMPATRIOTS FROM THE GARDEN CITY HAD IN THE PICTURESQUE RIVER TEJASWINI THAT SPRINGS FROM THE HILLS OF KARNATAKA AND RUNS THROUGH THE DISTRICTS OF KANNUR AND KASARAGOD BEFORE FLOWING INTO THE ARABIAN SEA NEAR NILESWARAM

am rewinding the clock to recall how we discovered the adventurous offerings in our own Kerala. It had been a few I months since we had hit the highways. So, what next? The hills? The beaches? We heard a friend say “rafting”, and that too in Kannur, just 350 km away from Bengaluru where we all work. It was the monsoon season, just the right time for the rafting experience. The rafting there happens in the pristine Tejaswini river that springs from the Brahmagiri hills in Kodagu and runs through the districts of Kannur and Kasaragod before flowing into the Arabian Sea near Nileswaram. The river is 64km long of which about 20km is ideal for rafting. The rafting course has class 2 & 3 rapids that none too testing for the uninitiated. Once we set our minds on the rafting experience, in the last week July 2018 we rushed through our office routine and headed for Kannur by road. We were six of us from Bengaluru and two other friends were to join us from south Kerala. So we hit the Bangalore - Mysore highway and proceeded to Hunsur, Gonikoppa before entering Kerala at . In about 8 hours we reached where we located the Palavayal Farmhouse for our stay.

FlyKannur| 33 ADRENALINE

THOSE WANTING TO CHASE TOUGHER RAFTING EXPERIENCES LIKE IN RISHIKESH AND HIMACHAL CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT RIVER TEJASWINI AS A STEPPING STONE.

noticed four guides with four rafts were Cherupuzha offers very limited waiting for us and others joining for stay options as it is relatively less that day’s activities. The guides briefed explored. The Palavayal Farm- us on the safety measures, the right way of paddling and what to do when you house is an excellent option fall out of the raft. under the circumstances. With life jackets on and paddles A riverside resort nestled amidst in our hands and a couple of GoPros 15 acres of lush green farm, The fixed on to the helmets, we were ready Palavayal Farmhouse is a perfect for the rendezvous with the rapids. I was seated in the middle of the raft getaway for a complete retreat while my friends took the sides to get into the nature. The property the perfect balance. Of course, being can easily accommodate the photographer, I needed to be in the 10 guests and maybe up to 12. middle of everything. The interiors are well maintained Paddling looked easy until we came across the first rapid. We could see the and clean. Parking space is avail- rapid from the distance, the violent able. The Tejaswini river is just a waves, the roar of water and the stones stone’s throw from the resort. in between. They looked like a team wanting to stall our spirits. But we took the rapid right in the middle, and The next morning we woke up soon we found ourselves combating the in a serene environment. A quick strong current by rowing in sync and breakfast followed and then we left for paddling as hard as we could. YMCA, the meeting point Once the first one was over, we for the rafting activity. Once there, we all suddenly felt comfortable with the filled up the mandatory declaration flow and everyone started enjoying forms – mostly medical and then like experience. The chilling water waited for the jeeps to take us to the drenched us all, but we didn’t stop to rafting location. paddle. And in midst of all that we The rafting is managed by Xtreme took a few moments to just raise our Adventures and they offer a few heads and look around. The rocky packages (half day to 2 days including river, green dense surroundings of instructor support, transportation, Cherupuzha, slight drizzle, jungle and food, etc). As we reached YMCA we its sounds, low hanging trees dipping

34 |FlyKannur THE CHILLING WATER DRENCHED US ALL, BUT WE DIDN’T STOP TO PADDLE. AND IN MIDST OF ALL THAT WE TOOK A FEW MOMENTS TO JUST RAISE OUR HEADS AND LOOK AROUND.

FlyKannur| 35 ADRENALINEADVENTURE

WE ALL JUMPED INTO THE RIVER -- IT WAS LEVITATIONAL. IN SOME TIME, THE FAR END OF THE RAFTING COURSE HAD ARRIVED AND WE PULLED OURSELVES OUT OF THE RAFT, TO BE TAKEN BACK TO YMCA.

36 |FlyKannur into the river -- all seemed magical. naadan dishes kappa, fish curry, “Bend Down” shouted the guide as parotta, rice, curries, etc., that were we saved ourselves from the drooping finger licking. We spent the rest of the branches of the jungle trees on the evening listening to the sides of the wild river. songs of the 1980s and 1990s. “Everyone, Forward Paddle”, Next day morning, Francis shouted the guide as another rapid chettan, the gentleman in-charge at approached. We tightly held on to our the farmhouse, took us for a river-side paddles and started making our way walk. We took it that it would be a to the rapid. The rapid came and the relaxing walk but there was another raft began to wobble. We stuck to the wild side of river Tejaswini. We instructions and stood like warriors crossed quite some bushy areas before battling the waters. The raft almost stepping into waist-deep waters to stood on its nose. Drenching all of reach some cut-off stretches of land us, and in the midst of that I could in the river. Francis chettan took us hear “Thithithara Thi Thai” in the to a stretch which was deemed safe air. As our raft entered a calm stretch, and there we cautiously let ourselves the guide said we could take a dip in into the water. In no time we were all the water while holding the rope that spraying water all around us, while draped the raft. We all jumped into the soaking in the nature’s bounty. river -- it was levitational. In some time, That done, we made our way back the far end of the rafting course had to the Palavayal house. It was time arrived and we pulled ourselves out of to pack our bags and head back to the raft, to be taken back to YMCA. Bengaluru, which we did, but not Well the rafting had ended but not before expressing our collective wish the trip. There was more to come – that we will ride the rapids in the especially the food. Tejaswini river again, some day soon. At the Palavayal House, meals are prepared in-house. The chef Johny chettan dished out scrumptious

FlyKannur| 37 CELLULOID

Rajiv Raghunath

It was in 2010 that Lijo Jose Pellissery made his feature film directorial debut with the making of ‘Nayakan’, the story of a artist who joined the underworld to avenge the fatal attack on his family members. The movie won critical acclaim, and soon after lijo directed ‘City Of God’ that was released in 2011, ‘Amen’ in 2013, ‘Double Barrell’ in 2015, and ‘ Diaries’ in 2017 which was a resounding success at the box office, while also receiving critical acclaim. Just a year later, lijo won the kerala state film award for best director at the 48th kerala state film awards and the silver peacock award for the best director at the 49th international film festival of india (iffi), 2018 for ‘Ee.Ma.Yau’. He has produced and directed ‘Jalikkattu’, a film based on the story screenwriter s hareesh. Lijo shares his perspectives on film-making and how they relate to the audiences, edited excerpts of the interview:

38 |FlyKannur I might add that Indian films command a much greater reach across geographies, than a decade ago.

Your father Jose Pelliserry It’s been nearly a decade was a known film and since you made your theatre actor. How much of directorial debut. What an influence has your father changes have you seen and had on your own journey experienced in the realm of into the world of movies? film making in these years? I was fortunate to grow up in a family that had a culture of movies and The wide reach of the internet has theatre. My father ran a theatre group made it possible for people in Kerala then. Growing up in an atmosphere to watch global cinema. In the past if like that surely influenced me. I was wanting to watch a Thai film, I remember that during my school for instance, I couldn’t have had vacations I would spend time with the the opportunity of seeing that film theatre group. anywhere in Kerala. But, internet has made that possible now. As a result, there is a discernible change in the way Coming back to your career audiences perceive films today. as a film director, are you Also, a decade ago, there were not that many TV channels other than, drawn to any particular say, Doordarshan and Asianet. That’s genre when it comes to another big change that has come about, with so many TV channels these deciding upon a project? days broadcasting films. Add to that OTT platforms like Netflix, and you It’s not that I look at any particular can very well see the different avenues genre. What’s important to me is that that have opened up for movie makers the concept should hold my attention. and the audiences. And when it comes to planning the I believe that the film viewing shots, it’s not that everything is pre- habits too have changed. Other than planned. I do go by my instincts of watching entertainers, audiences are what will make powerful scenes in the also taking to serious films. movie. It was particularly so when I was

FlyKannur| 39 CELLULOID

names of great movie makers, but I wouldn’t do that now. To make a movie, there is a lot of groundwork to be done. You get ideas from life.

Do you see a difference in the way your movies are received by audiences in India and the overseas?

I believe it is all the same. Any story that you would want to tell should actually appeal to any audience. It’s the context that matters. Ideas are universal, so it depends on how you locate them in the local contexts. making ‘Angamaly Diaries’. Perhaps, It’s not that one is making a movie I was somewhat bookish in my earlier to please the audiences. As a film- approach to work. It is an evolving maker, I should actually think about process, after all. the ideas that I need to take to the audiences. In the process, I would perhaps also enrich their viewing How much has world cinema habits. I am not really planning with a view that I would want to see audiences influenced you as a film clapping or howling in the movie director? theatres. I wouldn’t say I started with that If such a question was posed to some approach. It just turned out that way years ago, I would have taken a few down the years.

40 |FlyKannur How do you view the changes taking places in regard to film-making?

Technology is becoming a key factor. Today, it is so much easier to visualise one’s ideas and showcase them. You don’t have to be a greater narrator or writer to be able to visualise those ideas. If you have a compelling idea, and a strong film-making sense, that will take you a long way. At the same time, when everyone has the opportunity to showcase their ideas, you will have to be really good to achieve your desired success.

You have also done a few cameos. Any ambitions on the acting front?

None, on that front. I am not keen to be in front of the camera.

FlyKannur| 41 LOCALE ROARING WATERS OF EZHARAKUND Rajiv Raghunath

THE SEVEN DIFFERENT WATERFALLS HAVE ROCKY NATURAL POOLS BELOW EACH LEVEL WHERE THE WATER FLOWS CALMLY BEFORE DESCENDING IN ALL ITS FURY TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

42 |FlyKannur ROARING THOSE VISITING THIS PLACE HAVE THE OPTION WATERS OF OF TREKKING UP A 1.5 KM WALKWAY TO GET TO THE HIGHEST POINT WHERE EZHARAKUND THE ORIGIN OF THE WATERFALL CAN BE SEEN

even waterfalls in a 1-km stretch. That is what greets visitors at SEzharakund (meaning seven and a half gorges in Malayalam), the picturesque waterfalls situated in the Paithalmala valley in Kannur, close to the Kerala-Karnataka border. The seven different waterfalls have rocky natural pools below each level where the water flows calmly before descending in all its fury to the next level. The Ezharakund venue is maintained by the district tourism department. Those visiting this place have the option trekking up a 1.5-km walkway starting from the Chathamala Facility Centre, to get to the highest point where the origin of the waterfall can be seen. The waterfalls make great viewing particularly in the monsoon months when the water gushes down in all its glorious fury. The water is crystal clear, and one can see the rock bottom. The trek is ticketed, and a guide accompanies people to the top, and brings them back. The visitors are required to wear safety gear like a helmet and life jacket before starting the trek. People are advised not to step into the waters during peak monsoons.

FlyKannur| 43 LOCALE

HOW TO GET THERE Ezharakund is located 52 km north-east of Kannur via and Kudiyanmala It is a 1.5 hr drive via Chirakkal - - Kololam Rd/ Puthiyatheru - Kambil - Mayyil - Sreekandapuram Rd/Puthiyatheru - Mayyil - Kololam Rd

44 |FlyKannur Where experiences are forged

Looking to lose yourself in the midst of nature, a moment you can truly call your own? Look no further, embark on a unique experience with us, one that you are sure to never forget. Nestled in the watch as the grandeur of the mystical mountains reveal themselves to you. We offer you the ultimate passage to serenity.

House boat Swimming pool Ayurveda centre

Stone Hills “The Valley” | stonehillsresort.com

Partothmala Poovanchal, Alakode, Kerala 670 571 075599 20866 FlyKannur| 45 ENTRÉE

A MELTING POT he concept of a ‘melting pot’ is a favourite when it comes to talking about the merging of various cultures to create a homogeneous society. Despite the forests that made the area difficult to navigate, Wayanad also fits the description, with a population whose ancestors are diverse not only in terms of geography but also religion. Wayanad is occupied by tribal communities – majority of whom are Paniyas – and settlers Tfrom other parts of Kerala and Karnataka. Jainism came to Wayanad from Karnataka almost over 300 years ago. The settlers from within the state are mostly Muslims from the Malabar region and Christians from .

WHILE ONE COULD UNDERSTAND THE IDENTITIES OF THESE PEOPLE BY LEARNING THEIR HISTORIES, IT WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTING TO EXPLORE THEIR LIVES THROUGH RECIPES.

46 |FlyKannur FlyKannur| 47 ENTRÉE

Crab curry – from the Paniyas

Initially, the Paniya people mostly ate what they could hunt or gather. A group of tribal men with bows and arrows running across fields hunting wild rabbits, civet cats, porcupines and even monkeys were a fascinating but regular sight for those who have lived in Wayanad in the 70s and 80s. Today, they have mostly embraced the mainstream, but some of their food habits are still intact. The crabs in this recipe are not from the ocean. They are very small crabs that are collected from paddy fields and small streams.

The crabs are washed and then smashed to extract the meat from the shells. The shells can be cooked too. Most parts of the crab are used, but the smaller legs are removed. The crabs are boiled in a mixture of coriander powder, meat masala, salt and chilli powder. Plantain or papaya can be added to the boiling mixture as well.

48 |FlyKannur Kappa Biryani – from the Christians

Kappa, or tapioca in English, is easily available in Wayanad. Kappa biryani, a delicacy and a must have for Christian weddings in Wayanad (preferred to be relished in the previous night along with your favourite choice of brandy, rum or country liquor) is usually made with red meat (with bones), but chicken can also be used. First, the tapioca is cleaned, pressure cooked and mashed. Then the meat is also cleaned and marinated. The marinade used is a mix of salt, chilli powder, ginger, garlic, and coriander powder. The meat is also pressure cooked and then stirred into a mixture of onions and curry leaves that have been sautéed in coconut oil with chilli powder and garam masala. Once the meat is fully prepared, it is mixed with the tapioca and the Kappa Biryani is ready.

FlyKannur| 49 ENTRÉE

Kaya Pola – from the Maapilas

The Muslims from the Malabar region, especially , are known for their rich and flavourful food. If you haven’t tasted a Malabar biryani, your bucket list is incomplete. However, biryani is so popular and recipes are all over the YouTube, so introducing a popular but interesting recipe, Kaya Pola. This is a dessert made with egg and plantain. First, the bananas are chopped into small pieces and gently roasted. Then eggs are blended well with sugar and cardamom powder. The eggs and banana are mixed along with fried cashews and raisins. This mixture is then poured into a buttered pan and cooked. The final product, the Kaya Pola, almost looks like a cake.

50 |FlyKannur Obbattu – from the Jains

Obbattu is originally a recipe from Karnataka, and when the Jains from the state migrated to Wayanad, they took this recipe with them among others. The specialty of Jain food is that they don’t use any root vegetables, neither do they use onion or garlic. Obbattu is a sweet dish, almost like flat bread, with jaggery and dal filling. First, the dough is prepared using oil, maida, turmeric and a pinch of salt. The dough is left to rest for 6-8 hours. For the stuffing, toor dal or urad dal is cooked, ground into a paste with grated jaggery, grated coconut and cardamom. The paste is lightly sautéed in a pan to remove any excess moisture and once the stuffing turns into a hard and non-sticky mixture, it is rolled into small balls upon cooling. To fill the stuffing in the dough, it is rolled into small balls and the dough balls are then slightly flattened and wrapped around the stuffing. The obbattu balls are then flattened out and cooked on a pan with ghee.

FlyKannur| 51 PROMENADE

QATAR - AN OASIS FOR ART AFICIONADOS QATAR IS A UNIQUE DESTINATION FOR TRAVELLERS. NOW, THAT IS ONE CLICHÉ TRAVEL WRITERS USE FOR MOST DESTINATIONS – UNIQUE, DIFFERENT, BREATH- TAKING ETC. BUT, FOR QATAR IT MAKES SENSE. WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE IN THE REGION IS THE WAY IT MANAGED TO JUXTAPOSE THE MODERN WITH TRADITION.

National Museum of Qatar

52 |FlyKannur atar is a small country - 11,571 square km area - with just one big city – Shutterstock.com Doha. A tiny, rich country tucked away in the Arabian Peninsula. It is not a conservative society like its neighbour Saudi Arabia nor a modern fairyland like its other neighbour Dubai. While keeping its Arab culture intact, it has bought in modern lifestyle to coexist with the old culture. This interesting eclectic mixture makes it a very ‘unique’ place for visitors. You can immerse yourself in the old-world Arabic hospitality in the alluring Qbackground of the desert or indulge yourself in the cosmopolitan night life in one of its many luxury hotels. But what makes Doha, the capital city of Qatar, truly unique are its buildings.

FlyKannur| 53 PROMENADE

Qatar has invested heavily in using outside but will take you by surprise the skillset of legendary architects, by its enormity from the inside. The whose artworks dot Doha skyline, built geometric patterns of the building give some of the architectural wonders of it a postmodern feel and this design the modern world. If you are new to element continues inside the museum. Qatar and need to see the best among Pei has managed to cleverly marry the these in the shortest time, then head postmodern elements to the traditional towards Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) designs while retaining the Islamic and the National Museum of Qatar identity. (NMoQ). The huge foyer offers a nice play Depending on how big a of light and the panoramic view of museumgoer you are, there is a third the Arabian Gulf through the glass one - Mathaf: Arab Museum of façade, which cover the five floors, is Modern Art, which can be thrown worth the visit to Qatar, even if this into the itinerary, depending on the is the only thing you get to see on a time in your hand as there many other stopover. The huge dome, typical of interesting things like dune bashing, Islamic architecture, makes you admire visit to a souq, shopping malls, beaches the enormity of the structure while the and more to be done. museum takes you into its fold and the The main two time stands still as museums will take Timings Tickets you dive into years’ approximately a Sat-Sun: 9am to 7pm Adult: QR50 worth of history day if you don’t displayed in each Friday 1:30pm to 7:00pm Children up to 16 & linger around the floor. Residents of Qatar artefacts too much. You don’t enter free If you hurry a bit have to be an avid even Mathaf can museum goer to be squeezed in. If you have only a few enjoy the place. You can easily spend hours in Qatar then head to MIA, it is a day admiring the architectural not too far from the airport and worth masterpiece and browsing through one the effort, plus the Souq Waqif is close of the largest collections of Islamic Art by for a quick dose of tradition and in the world. They come from far and food. wide and many are centuries old. The MIA, designed by the Islamic artworks including legendary Chinese-American architect metalwork, ceramics, jewellery, I M Pei, the man behind the famous woodwork, textiles, coins, paintings, Louvre pyramid in Paris, is a must see. glassworks and manuscripts are He is a Pritzker Prize winner, which displayed nicely with proper is considered as the Nobel Prize of explanations that even someone who is architecture, and was coaxed out of not into history or museums will end retirement by Qatar to design this up spending hours browsing through iconic building. the permanent gallery. The way they The museum, made on an used light accentuates the environment artificial island, is a breath-taking and adds to the whole experience. piece of work and draws influence There is café on the ground floor from ancient Islamic architecture, to take a hunger break or if you are in a notably the Ibn Tulun Mosque in mood to indulge yourself then head to Cairo. It looks deceptively small from the IDAM restaurant on the top floor

54 |FlyKannur THE GEOMETRIC PATTERNS OF THE BUILDING GIVE IT A POSTMODERN FEEL AND THIS DESIGN ELEMENT CONTINUES INSIDE THE MUSEUM

Shutterstock.com

National Museum of Qatar

FlyKannur| 55 PROMENADE

THE MODERN HISTORY OF QATAR, EACH THEME IS PRESENTED ACROSS ELEVEN HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL GALLERIES.

run by the legendary French chef Alain Ducasse, who holds three Michelin stars. Just on the other side of the road at walking distance from MIA angles — all inspired by the local This is unlike any other retail store is the National Museum of Qatar, desert rose. I have seen till now. which opened in March this year Organised in three “chapters” — after a complete makeover. The old Beginnings, Life in Qatar, and The Opening Hours Tickets Qatar National Museum was not Modern History of Qatar, each theme really somewhere you would want is presented across eleven highly Sun-Wed: 9am-7pm Adult: QR50 to spend your time in. All this has individual galleries. Thu & Sat: 9am-9pm Children up to 16 & changed dramatically after the whole There are many interactive displays Fri: 1:30pm - 9pm Residents of Qatar area was transformed into a ‘desert that will keep the young and the old enter free rose’ inspired modern masterpiece. occupied. The collection offers a The exhibits inside might not excite glimpse into the olden days of Qatar’s If time permits and if you are everyone but the overall experience culture and traditions. In case if you a fan of modern art then you can make it worth the visit. are not much of a history buff then head towards Mathaf: Arab Museum Designed by another Pritzker Prize head to the gift shop designed by of Modern Art, which is around winning French architect Jean Nouvel, Interior designer Koichi Takada. The 20 minutes away from the other the museum makes a dramatic addition magnificent design of honey-hued two museums if the traffic is light. to the Doha landscape; with its curved timber curves is inspired by Qatar’s There are shuttle from MIA disks, intersections, and cantilevered Dahl Al Misfir (Cave of Light). and NMoQ to Mathaf. They usually

56 |FlyKannur Shutterstock.com

Museum of Islamic Art Qatar

Shutterstock.com FlyKannur| 57 PROMENADE

THEY USUALLY SHOWCASE CONTEMPORARY WORKS BY REGIONAL ARTISTS. IT’S BETTER TO CHECK OUT WHAT’S ON BEFORE BOARD THE .

Shutterstock.com

Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art

58 |FlyKannur showcase contemporary works by regional artists. Its better to check out whats on before you board the bus. They had on display a big collection of legendary artist late M F Husain. There were many exclusive paintings by the Indian great commissioned by Qatar. So check the website here (http://www. mathaf.org.qa) to see what will interest you or else you can head to the Fire Station, an art gallery situated inside an old fire station – recommended only for serious art aficionados.

Timings Tickets Sat-Sun: 9am to 7pm Adult: QR50 Friday 1:30pm to 7:00pm Children up to 16 & Residents of Qatar enter free

There are other interesting places to visit just for their architectural beauty like the Qatar National Library by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas or the multiple award wining Burj Doha (Doha Tower) another masterpiece by Nouvel. If you think too many museums and buildings are tiring you down, then head to the traditional Souq Waqif for a cup of Kahwa and indulgence on the lap of Arabian hospitality.

FlyKannur| 59 LOUNGE

60 |FlyKannur A BRUSH WITH LIFE’S EXPERIENCES MURAL AND PORTRAIT ARTIST FIROS TURNS EVERY CHALLENGE THROWN AT HIM INTO EVERLASTING CREATIVE IMPRESSIONS Rajiv Raghunath

FlyKannur| 61 LOUNGE

n artist lives many lives in one. AIt is that irrepressible quest to explore the inner recesses of life seldom seen and experienced by common people that defines an artist’s creative expressions. For the widely acclaimed mural and portrait artist Firos, life’s been a roller-coaster, with the highs powering his ambitions even as the lows strengthened his resolve to scale new peaks of excellence. It was his indomitable spirit to create an artistic rendition that relates to the vast multitude of people that drove Firos to take up the project offered by Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL) to create mural

62 |FlyKannur WHILE I WAS SUPREMELY THRILLED TO GET THE ADDITIONAL WORK, THE CHALLENGE FOR ME WAS THAT IT WAS A 6-MONTH WORK TO BE COMPLETED IN JUST 2 MONTHS master-pieces inside the airport building. “The project was a turning point for me,” says Firos, while he recalls that initially KIAL had commissioned the work for a 15m space, to depict Kerala’s art forms. That work impressed the KIAL management so much that Firos was approached for murals to be crafted on another 69m space inside the airport. “While I was supremely thrilled to get the additional work, the challenge for me was that it was a 6-month work to be completed in just 2 months, as that was all the time that was left before the airport were to be inaugurated in December 2018,” he says. Firos had a few of his artist friends joining him for the project, and they worked ceaselessly to paint the murals that have created an immersive experience for the passengers. “I am equally pleased that I had the opportunity to engage my artist friends for the landmark project,” says Firos,

FlyKannur| 63 LOUNGE

64 |FlyKannur while adding that hereon he would Hyderabad, Chennai, and others. look to undertake projects that create “Thirty of my paintings are on display opportunities for a large number of at the Chinnaswamy Stadium alone,” artists. This ambition is no doubt says Firos, while explaining that his shaped by his determination to take on portrait paintings won the admiration life’s challenges to realise his dreams. of celebrity cricketers like Sachin Firos was all of 10 years when Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni his father, an artist in his own right, and Virendra Sehwag. J K Mahindra enrolled him at the Universal Arts and former India cricketer S Sreesant centre in Kozhikode, where he was in had also helped Firos to hold sports the midst of students and artists 25-30 art exhibitions in Bengaluru. years older than him. “My work was For all the accolades that Firos highly appreciated at that early age earned in his early life, he had had itself,” he recalls. However, his stint at to battle many a financial challenges Universal Arts was short-lived owing to that even took him to the Middle East certain financial constraints that the countries for taking up rather low-paid family faced then. jobs. In those harsh conditions, and By the age of 21, Firos decided to particularly when he was working in work with small advertising agencies Saudi Arabia, Firos created a collection to earn a livelihood. He was engaged of his works and shared images of those in commercial artwork. It was when with the icon M F Hussain. working at a friend’s ad agency that “M F Hussain called me to meet him. he got the opportunity to paint the I planned to meet him in London, but portraits of all Vice Chancellors of unfortunately he passed away,” recalls the Calicut University, which is on Firos. He then undertook to create a display in the university’s seminar body of work that was his tribute to the complex. When he came to know that legend. Those works were exhibited in then President A P J Abdul Kalam different cities. was visiting the university on a special “I have this ambition to meet occasion, Firos won himself a VVIP the US President and present him a pass to attend that event. “My work portrait painting,” he says as he look at impressed the Vice Chancellor and he the goals that fire his ambitions. Firos took upon himself to get me a pass to is also aiming to take up international attend the event that would have the projects that will create new avenues presence of then President A P J for promising artists. Abdul Kalam. I did a portrait of Life’s indeed a large canvas for Firos President Kalam, and presented on which his powerful stokes create it to him at the event. It was magical, immersive art. an overwhelming experience for me when President Kalam embraced me and said he was truly impressed by my work,” narrates Firos. For Firos, there were a few more turning points waiting to happen. A few years later a senior sports editor introduced him to former Kerala state cricket captain J K Mahindra who helped him get art assignments at well- known cricket stadiums in Bengaluru,

FlyKannur| 65 SNIPPETS

A Museum on the anvil

To preserve the traditional art form Theyyam, the government is establishing a Theyyam Museum in the Kalyassery area of Kannur district. The Lonely Planet cites that the ritualistic art form Theyyam supposedly predates Hinduism, originating from folk dances performed during harvest celebrations. An intensely local ritual, it’s often performed in kavus (sacred Coconut parks groves) throughout northern Kerala. coming up in Kannur, Kozhikode

The Kerala Government is reportedly planning to set up two coconut parks – in Kannur and Kozhikode districts – to promote coconut-based industries. Toward this, the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation has been tasked to identify 100 acres of land each in the two districts for the parks. In Kannur, the park will come up at . Various companies have expressed interest in the development of the coconut parks, and proposals for the same have been submitted with the government. Among various activities, the parks will promote the making of coconut-based products and coconut wood furniture.

66 |FlyKannur ‘Fit Kannur’ mission gets underway

The Kannur district administration is promoting the ‘Fit Kannur’ mission in collaboration with the District Sports Council, the District Tourism Promotion Council and the District Police. The objective is to help both the young and the elderly to engage in physical activities and exercises to keep them fit. Common facilities are being planned to encourage people to undertake the fitness activities in groups.

Farm tourism coming up soon –

The district agricultural farm at Karimbam near Thaliparamba is being developed as a farm tourism destination at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The farm will attract both tourists and researchers, and there are also plans to expand the bio-diversity park at the farm. Electric vehicles will be available to take the visitors around the park.

FlyKannur| 67 REALM

WAYANAD: MANY TRAILS YET TO BE BLAZED

Rose Maria Alexis & Thomas Valayil

ANY FEATURE, VIDEO OR CONVERSATION ABOUT WAYANAD TERMS THE PLACE AS ‘COZY’, ‘QUIET’ AND ‘THE LAP OF MOTHER NATURE’, BUT THESE ARE ALL TERMS USED TO TALK ABOUT KERALA AS A WHOLE. SO WHAT MAKES WAYANAD DIFFERENT? WHAT IS THE HISTORY UNIQUE TO THIS LAND? WHAT LANDSCAPES ARE EXCLUSIVE TO THIS REGION?

68 |FlyKannur FlyKannur| 69 REALM

THE FOLKLORE IS THAT THEY CALLED A MANTHRAVAADI, A LOCAL PRIEST, WHO CHAINED KARINTHANDAN’S SPIRIT TO A TREE.

70 |FlyKannur o narrative of Wayanad will be warriors from Wayanad. His tomb is located in the district, in . complete without the haunting Around 40km from Mananthavady, is the town called , formerly Nstory of Karinthandan, known as Sultans’ Battery. The place got its name because of , who without whom Wayanad would have invaded the area and used it as a battery for his army. probably still remained untouched and Wayanad’s history is not limited to its rulers though. The terrain is what it unknown – a land of indigenous tribes. is now because of settlers who moved in from other parts of Kerala and from It was around 400 years ago, during Karnataka. They cleared the dense forests, braved attacks from wild animals and the British rule in India. A British diseases to turn Wayanad into the fertile land rich with cash crops that it is today. engineer was hired to build a road from Now, Wayanad is not only a popular tourist centre and agricultural treasure, Wayanad to Calicut. He contacted but being in the Western Ghats, it is also part of conversations about the a local tribesman, Karinthandan, to environment and sustainability. Here’s a glimpse into a Wayanad known for its help him navigate the path through ‘natural beauty’ and, a Wayanad yet to be discovered. the forest. Once he understood the route, the engineer decided that he wanted all the credit, especially since Wayand to Calicut Road the Viceroy at the time had declared a reward to the person who built a road across the mountain pass. He killed Karinthandan. It is believed that even after death, Karinthandan’s spirit haunted the region. Several vehicles that passed through the mountain pass met with accidents, and the road safety authorities were unable to determine any logic to why these accidents happened. The folklore is that they called a manthravaadi, a local priest, who chained Karinthandan’s spirit to a tree. EVER SINCE, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO PASS LAKKIDI PAY RESPECTS TO THE ‘CHAIN TREE’, CALLED ‘CHANGALA MARAM’ IN MALAYALAM

Another important figure in the history of Wayanad is Pazhassiraja. He was a warrior prince who ruled over . Skilled in martial arts, he fought a guerilla war against the , with the help of tribal

FlyKannur| 71 HI-TECH IDEAS THAT F LY

CAN WE SOON BUCKLE UP AND TAKE TO THE SKIES?

Shanil Shine

WE AS HUMANS, FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, HAVE BEEN FASCINATED BY THE ABILITY TO FLY. IT HAS BEEN ROMANTICISED IN MYTHOLOGY, COVETED BY SUPERHEROES AND POPULARISED BY SCIENCE FICTION. OVER THE PAST CENTURY WE HAVE DEVISED MANY A MODE FOR DEFYING GRAVITY AND SPEEDING UP THE WAY WE GET AROUND. BUT, THERE IS ONE CONVENIENCE THAT HAS BEEN ELUSIVE TO ACHIEVE, YET HAS CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF MILLIONS. FLYING CARS.

72 |FlyKannur “SPINNER” WAS THE NAME lade Runner was an astonishing visual treat and feat for the times it was FOR THE FLYING POLICE CARS released in and has been quite uncanny in predicting some aspects of future Blife. Ironically, the film is set in 2019, which over 30 years ago seemed like IN BLADE RUNNER, AND THEIR time enough for us to have the technological acumen to achieve the advancements pictured in the movie. “Spinner” was the name for the flying police cars in Blade JUXTAPOSITION OF BULK AND Runner, and their juxtaposition of bulk and grace surely had heads spinning upon GRACE SURELY HAD HEADS the film’s 1982 release. Legendary designer Syd Mead teamed up with the equally SPINNING UPON THE FILM’S talented Douglas Trumbull to bring the brutal butterfly-doors to life, and with their Vertical Take-Off and Landing capabilities promised to be the most practical 1982 RELEASE. path to develop a real flying car. “I call science fiction ‘reality ahead of schedule,’” Syd Mead famously said.

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TIME TRAVEL MIGHT BE FAR-FETCHED FOR TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY, A FLYING CAR IS STILL WITHIN SIGHT.

Now, Back To The Future Part 2, was a movie that predicted many innovations that came to life way after the 1989 movie was released. While the holographic shark effects may not be as impressive by today’s standards, the Augmented Reality sequences are very comparable to what we have now. Along with wearable tech devices similar to Google Glass. Even the hoverboard from the film has become a reality thanks to Hendo’s functioning prototype. But what is most impressive is the DeLorean time machine which is a fictional automobile-based time travel vehicle device featured in the Back to the Future franchise. In the feature film series, Dr. Emmett L. Brown builds a time machine from a retrofitted DMC DeLorean car, to gain insights into history and the future. Although time travel might be far- fetched for today’s technology, a flying car is still within sight.

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The Jetsons were a remarkable take on a futuristic way of life. When this THE Hanna-Barbera classic debuted in 1962, John Glenn had just become the first American to orbit Earth. The JETSONS Jetsons made suburbia cool for the year 2062, and the American Dream isn’t complete without the dream wheels. MADE Cars in the Jetsons’ future can fold up and fit into suitcases, which has prompted generations of viewers to SUBURBIA wonder, “Why are there still so many parking lots?” Based on all these and more works COOL FOR THE of fiction, we have been promised a viable flying car but technology hasn’t delivered, yet. But, this might soon YEAR 2062. change as two major technology players are partnering in order to fulfil what has captured our imaginations for a long time now.

76 |FlyKannur Aircraft giant Boeing and German Boeing and Porsche said they signed a Memorandum of sports car maker Porsche are teaming up on Understanding “to explore the premium urban air mobility market a flying car – specifically, a self-driving air and the extension of urban traffic into airspace.” Under the deal, taxi. The two companies announced that engineers from Boeing, Porsche and Aurora Flight Sciences – a Boeing they’ll work together to develop a concept subsidiary that designs and builds drones – will work together to for an upscale commercial passenger drone design an autonomous, all-electric “premium air mobility vehicle” that and to evaluate the potential market for can take off and land vertically. Once the design is done, the team will such a vehicle. build and test a prototype. A premium air-taxi service is one part of a larger vision for Boeing NeXt, the aircraft maker’s future-mobility subsidiary. Boeing NeXt works to create a “next-generation mobility ecosystem” in which IS THIS JUST autonomous and human-piloted air vehicles can safely coexist. While this may be a premium service which is well out of reach of the common man, it is still a good start that might eventually cascade A FLIGHT OF to more economic versions. Let’s keep the dream alive and look forward to saying goodbye to gridlocked traffic and usher in an age of FANCY, OR IS IT safe and cheap air travel for everyone. A PEEK INTO THE NEAR FUTURE?

FlyKannur| 77 WELLNESS

NURTURING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO LIFE

78 |FlyKannur Only if we understand who or what we are, can we know what will satisfy us. Since man is constituted of matter, human beings have a physical dimension; but they also have a mental, emotional and spiritual dimension, apart from the social needs. Factors for good health include genetics, the environment, relationships and education. A small example of our lungs being able to function and sustain the body, only as long as there is good quality of air on the outside, and further we are unable to survive without food from outside sources, indicate that we are dependent on the world outside in a big way, for our existence. Most people dedicate a lot of time and energy to develop one dimension at the cost of the other dimensions and very few people have an inkling of their great spiritual potential. In fact, many have no idea this exists at all as we are too engrossed in the world and its objects. It is very surprising to note that United States spends the most money on healthcare, and yet has one of the lowest life expectancies among all developed nations. What is imperative is to have a stable, rounded and integrated personality that leads to holistic health. In one survey of almost 3,000 nurses diagnosed with breast cancer, researchers discovered that women who ellness is a positive aspect had fewer than 10 close friends were WELLNESS IS MORE THAN BEING of health implying a four times more likely to die of the FREE FROM ILLNESS; IT IS A Wwholesome, contented disease than women with 10 or more self, whereas illness is existentially a close friends. In yet another study of DYNAMIC PROCESS OF CHANGE breakdown of one’s self that requires men in Sweden, researchers discovered AND GROWTH to be set right. Wellness is more than that the leading risk factor for heart being free from illness; it is a dynamic attack after smoking was having only process of change and growth. a few friends. Acharya Muraliji It is defined as a good or satisfactory More recent research has shown that A Spiritual Teacher, Lifestyle Trainer condition of existence; a state people living with a lifelong condition and Yoga Guru characterised by health, happiness like heart disease do better if they share and prosperity their experiences with others going So what are our needs as humans? through the same thing - even if those Do we know our nature? people aren’t their friends.

FlyKannur| 79 WELLNESS

Eastern cultures have mostly focused on the preventive aspect of wellness which gave rise to solutions in the form of ‘integrative’, ‘alternative’ and ‘complementary’ health. The types of complementary and alternative medicines which is being increasingly used and can be classified as below:

Traditional Alternative Medicines: Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and Chinese or Yoga offers a plethora of benefits consisting of body, ‘pranic’, mind, Oriental Medicine. intellect and spiritual wellness, and has become a prescription for Body Therapies: Chiropractic, psychosomatic diseases (PCOS, thyroid Massage, Body Movement related, arthritis, lower back pain, diabetes, stomach related disorders, Therapies, Tai Chi, Yoga. migraine, liver problem, depression, kidney problem and blood pressure Diet: Dietary Supplements, problem) which are controlled by Herbal Medicine and allopathy and some other forms of medicine. Yoga offers cures and Nutrition/diet. also spiritual benefits if taken in the comprehensive and integrative format. External Energy Therapy: There are a few institutions which offer these complete formats in India, and Electromagnetic Therapy, those are only a handful. Reiki and Qigong. Taking advantage of the high incidence of illness due to stress in Mind: Meditation, western cultures, some Asian countries including India are offering body and Biofeedback, Hypnosis. mind level treatment packages which are becoming popular and lucrative. Some states in India are known as Senses: Some practitioners believe wellness destinations. that the senses, touch, sight, hearing, The limitation of allopathy is that it smell, and taste can affect the overall treats the symptom not the root cause, health. Therapies include Art, but when it comes to diagnostics and Dance, Music, Visualisation and acute serious injury or illness care, the Guided Imagery. benefits of allopathy are without equal. A healthy lifestyle includes a healthy It is also true that allopathic doctors diet, healthy physical activity level, receive little or no education regarding healthy body weight, no smoking nutrition and healthy living, which is and no alcohol, which has led to essential for preventing diseases. impressively longer lifespan.

80 |FlyKannur Taking advantage of wellness being an active process of becoming aware of and making choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life, marketing experts have now used the wellness concept while selling; like Fiat Car Company creating wellness concessions, and Nike bringing into market new smart footwear which can be integrated into certain apps for monitoring. Further, some medical companies using GPS- based devices for forward feedback to manage distance monitoring of parameters for quicker diagnosis. Wellness is therefore an outcome of a contented self having a positive, integrated relationship with the outside world. Resolution of the inner conflicts and those with others too is a key to well-being. In a nutshell, wellness is a shift from ‘I’llness to ‘We’llness,’ - that is, the difference between ‘I’ and ‘We’.

FlyKannur| 81 AIRSIDE AAI @ KANNUR Protecting Kannur’s airspace and ensuring smooth aircraft movement AAI plays a critical INTERNATIONAL role in the airports smooth operation.

Pradeepkumar G, Jt.GM(ATM) AIRPORT Tijo Joseph SM(ATSEP)

Shutterstock.com

irports Authority of India, the Airport, by providing the various Equipment (DME), which was carried a Joint Venture Partner in regulatory assistances and other out during 2017, and the same was AKannur International Airport, consultancy services. Engineers from successfully tested by the Calibration is fulfilling the role of Air Navigation AAI were a part of the team which built Flight on 18.02.2018. Service Provider (ANSP) for the entire the Airport buildings and the Runway. Later the Instrument Landing Indian Airspace of 9.5 Million Sq. AAI had set up its unit in 2016, to System(ILS), Air to Ground Km. This includes continental and provide Air Navigation Services, Communication Systems comprising oceanic region beyond the continental Shri. R Thangarajan, DGM(CNS) and of VHF Radios and its networking jurisdiction of India. Indian Air space Shri. G Pradeepkumar, DGM(ATC) infrastructure were installed with is divided into Four Flight Information were initially posted to the station for various other ancillary facilities. regions -- Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi this purpose. AAI completed the required work and Chennai. Kannur falls under the The first installation was that of the with the active support of Kannur Chennai region. Aircrafts departing Primary Navigation aid- Doppler Very International Airport’s management from / arriving to Kannur are High Frequency Omni Range (DVOR) team and their contractors (M/s L& T). continuously under the control of and associated Distance Measuring ILS was flight calibrated on 01.09.2018. different Air Traffic Control Centres till landing. Air Navigation Service is vital to the existence and growth of sustainable aviation industry. ANSP provides Air Traffic Control Services through Communication, Navigation and Surveillance equipment and Air Traffic Management Systems both during flight and on-ground. This ensures the timely and safe arrival of the aircraft at its destination. AAI has been working with Kannur Airport since the planning stages of

82 |FlyKannur Beyond physical installation of equipment and facilities, AAI has designed and implemented the Air Traffic Management Plan for Kannur Air Traffic Control Zone comprising of about 30 NM of airspace up to a height of 15000 Feet. Based on VOR/ ILS installations, Instrument Approach procedures required for Kannur is designed by Air Traffic Management department of AAI and published for the knowledge of pilots and other aviation professionals. Air Navigation Services were mission ready by December o6, 2018. Specially trained Technical officers (Air Traffic Safety Electronics

and Glide Path Equipment with DME and orderly expeditious flow of aircraft provide, Central line and Angular with the help of Navigational Aids guidance respectively to the aircrafts and Communication facilities installed. while landing. It is the responsibility of the Air Traffic Controller to prevent collision between aircrafts and other obstacles while on Professionals-- ATSEP) are working for flight and on ground. the maintenance and up keeping of ATCO and ATSEP are functioning the sophisticated Communication and as per the ICAO-International Civil Navigation Systems installed. Aviation Organisation- regulations Communication Systems provide and guidelines and National aviation continuous communication link with guidelines by DGCA- Director General all the phases of flights from the closure of Civil Aviation. of Aircraft door to opening of the door Air Traffic Controllers posted The Kannur Control zone is at the destination. at Kannur are trained and rated for sandwiched between Calicut and DVOR/DME provides direction providing Air Traffic Control Services. Control zones. At Kannur, and distance information to the aircraft Pilots of all Civil/Military aircrafts are Air Navigation Services are provided to help it to travel over and arrive at subjected to Air Traffic Control Services 24Hours/365 days by Airports Kannur. ILS comprising of Localiser and Air Traffic Controllers provide safe Authority of India.

Image Courtesy: Maitri Advertising Works

FlyKannur| 83 AIRSIDE

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Sweeping Changes CLEAN INDIA

THE SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN, LAUNCHED ON OCTOBER 2, 2014, HAS BROUGHT ABOUT TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES IN URBAN In the five years since the launch of the Mission, people from all walks of AND RURAL INDIA’S HYGIENE AND SANITATION life have stepped forward to give legs to the mass movement for cleanliness. PRACTICES, WHILE EDUCATING THE MASSES OF THE From government officials to jawans, Bollywood actors to the sportspersons, CRITICALITY OF HYGIENE FOR SOCIAL PROGRESS industrialists to spiritual leaders, have all contributed to the cause. little over 5 years ago, on As on December 3, 2019, dynamic Millions of people across the country October 2, 2014, Prime updates on the Mission’s website have been day after day joining the AMinister Narendra Modi suggest that 10,15,58,443 household cleanliness initiatives of the government launched the pan-India Swachh Bharat toilets have been built across the departments, NGOs and local Abhiyan in New Delhi with the express country since October 2, 2014. Not community centres to make India clean. goal of ushering in a Clean India by just that – 5,99,963 villages have been Various cleanliness campaigns too have October 2, 2019. “A Clean India”, open defecation free (ODF); 699 been unveiled to spread awareness in the Prime Minister’s words, “Would districts have been made ODF; 36 about hygiene. be the best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi states and Union territories too have on his 150th birth anniversary in been made ODF; and 63.6% of the 2019”. On the Mission’s launch date, rural population is now practicing solid when 30 lakh government employees liquid waste management (SLMW) across the country joined the Prime processes. Minister in taking a cleanliness pledge, The hallmark of the Swachh Bharat it was evident that a socio-economic Abhiyan is that unlike other critical transformation of the country had been missions launched by the Government, initiated. Yet, the scale of change was it was principally people-led and hence not so widely known. Five years later, was defined by a ‘bottom-up’ approach the stats representing the Mission’s and not a ‘top-down’ execution. outcomes are truly staggering.

86 |FlyKannur of the Government in an elaborate, accountable and sustained manner – with the over-riding message being that the imperative of cleanliness should be a high priority for all ministries and departments of the Government. To ensure that the activities under the Mission adheres to the highest As such the Mission is being quality standards, the Ministry of coordinated by the office of the Urban Development, Government Secretary, Department of Drinking of India commissioned the Swachh Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Sarvekshan, an extensive sanitation • Municipal solid waste, sweeping, Ministry of Jalshakti, Government survey across several hundred cities collection and transportation of India with two Sub-Missions – the to check the progress and impact of • Municipal solid waste, processing, Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and to foster and disposal of solid waste and the Swachh Bharat Mission a spirit of competition among the cities. • Open defecation free and toilets (Urban). A Swachhta Action Plan has The survey, conducted by the Quality • Capacity building and eLearning been drawn up to mainstream the Council of India, was based on six • Provision of public toilets and Swachhta elements across all sectors parameters: community toilets • Information, education and communication, and behaviour change Highlighting the sweeping changes brought by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, World Health Organization (WHO) has cited that about 1,80,000 diarrhoeal deaths were averted in rural India since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission. In the civil aviation space, the Mission encourages the airlines to play the Swachh Bharat anthem on board, get the flight crew to wear swachhata badges, place Swachh Bharat booklets in aircraft seat pockets. it has also been stated that a competition to promote cleanliness across airports may turn out to be a game-changer for accelerating the progress toward a complexly Clean India.

Household Toilets 10,15,58,443 Built Since 2nd Oct, 2014

efecatio efecatio efecatio SLWM ( n D n F n D n F n D n F ing OD e re e re e re ic F p e p e p e ct P O O O a lu r s P ) 5,99,963 63.3% 699 36 Rural Villages Districts States/UTs Population

Source: NARSS 2018-19

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Man who Matters Behind the Following your MATTRESS entrepreneurial success, you have been involved in social activities. Can you elucidate? I believe that every rupee earned, tells a story of sacrifice, hard work, and dedication. So I keep a part of my profit for charity. When I launched ‘Jai Ho’ mattress, people across the country accepted it with applause. It was in fact a paradigm shift in the marketing strategy of mattresses, for it was rolled out with a uniform price tag across the country, without compromising on quality Tell us about your mantra of success? The story of Sulfex is not one person’s success, it is the result of decades of hardwork by hundreds of individuals, it’s the success of Team Sulfex. I am proud to be the captain of such a dedicated and hardworking team. The Sulfex story was written by our team, every employee has played a part SULFEX, ONE OF THE LEADING MATTRESS in taking us forward and am sure their MANUFACTURERS IN INDIA WITH STATE-OF-THE- support and commitment will remain strong in the years to come. ART PLANTS AND CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES HAS A HUMBLE MAN BEHIND ITS SUCCESS. Can you tell us how a HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE JOURNEY THAT SAW mattress is manufactured and STRUGGLE, AND THEN THE JOY OF LEADERSHIP. what are its unique features? We source indigenously available Tell us about outing with After completing my education, raw materials such as natural coir I decided to embark on my first career and rubber latex from , entrepreneurship? in the Gulf, which was my spring Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. board. Even while rendering service in I was born in 1957 and had my We also import from Malaysia. different GCC countries, I had pinned early schooling and intermediate at After inspection and strict quality hopes of an entrepreneurial venture all Trikaripur in Kasargod district. I did checks, coir is transferred to the drying along, which culminated in the birth of my graduation in B.A. English from chamber where dust and moisture are Sulfex Mattress Co in 1985. College and pursued a removed by special German technology I always embraced the traits of grit, Diploma in Computer programming machines. The coir raw material is perseverance and resilience which from Bangalore. moved to the untwisting machine, helped me scale new heights. after which the raw material is

88 |FlyKannur transferred for sheet making. This process consists of spraying Achievements latex and then passing the material • International who’s who of Professional Managment-1999 through a press and finally forming • Advisory Board Chairman, Engg. College, Kannur coir bare blocks. These blocks can be • President, GKPA, Kasargod District of different thickness and density. The • President, Chamber of Commerce and Industries bare blocks are then covered by anti bacterial quilted foam fabric imported from Belgium. The sides and edges are Professional Feats tacked and properly fixed with German • Managing Director, Sulfex Matress Company, Kannur made Tap Edging machines. • Consultant and Business advisor of Rawabi Group of Companies, Saudi Arabia Once the final Product is ready, • Country Sales Manager, Rawabi Al Mafhar, Saudi Arabia they are sent to the Quality Control department to ensure the product CSR Activities satisfies the norms and standard of Bureau of Indian standards and ISI. • Conducting classes on ‘practical management tips’ every last Saturday of every month at Sulfex Mattress Company, Head Office at Dharmashala, Opp: Engg. College, Kannur Where are your • Extending a helping hand to the distressed and destitute in the society manufacturing centers? We have two centres both in Kannur do you keep your employees As part of our Corporate Social district . Our manufacturing centers Responsibility initiative we had are state of the art technology, ISO motivated and customers introduced, for flood-effected 9001:2015 and BIS Certified facilities happy? households, a combo kit that includes spread across 100,000 sqft. mattress, pillow, bedsheet and pillow We have one at Dharmasala, Sulfex employs over 400 employees in our cover at a nominal costs of Rs.1500 Parassinikkadavu and the second manufacturing centers. We have always and Rs. 2200. Sulfex Jaiho is the only at Elamberampara, . maintained our emphasis on adhering to brand available across the nation at the a high ethical standard and maintaining same price. Sulfex manufactures custom You should have a lot of superior quality in our products. It is made mattress as per the customer employees especially in perhaps due to this culture, that in over requirement in less than 48 hours. 28 years, we have not lost a single working manufacturing, how day due employee strikes.

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Welfare of a KIND

A MAN OF HOSPITALITY, WHO KNOWS THE CULTURE Blue Nile in Kannur. We expanded to the second project, Blue Nile Beach OF KINDNESS, RAVINDRAN VELIYAMBARA. MEET View Resort, Payambalam Beach Road, THE MULTI-INDUSTRIALIST, PHILANTHROPIST, AND Kannur. The third project, Blue Nile PROPRIETOR OF HOTEL BLUE NILE 4-STAR BUSINESS Residency, Fort Road, Kannur and the fourth is our upcoming 5-star AND LEISURE HOTEL. HE IS ALSO THE FOUNDER OF project, Blue Nile International, SOLACE ELDERLY HOME, A CHARITY ARM TO HIS Mangattuparambu, Dharmashala MANY BUSINESS DREAMS. junction, Kannur University campus. These are all part of an expansion plan that will consolidate our brand across a You are the proprietor wide geography of Hotel Blue Nile 4-Star Business And Leisure Hotel, Tell us about your firm’s Blue Nile Beach Resort, Blue charity role? Nile Residency, Cannanore I am the founding member and Home furnishings, Lifestyle treasurer of Solace Home for Elderly. garments. So many firms and Achievements: one man to control all. Does • Ravindran is a recipient of the first it get on your head? Outstanding Industrialist Award I was brought up in a humble 2003 from North Malabar Chamber background and it has helped me keep of Commerce; one of the 12 selected my feet on the ground. I have always members for the Indian trade kept the ‘down-to-earth’ attitude. promotion organisation under Growing up in an authentic weaving family in Kerala, I started weaving to guidance of union governments to support my family at the age of 12. promote handloom products in UK The constant pursuit for improvement and Germany for an official delegation helped me to set up the Home campaigning 2003 Furnishings Exports Firm. As the project progressed expanded How did you get into the • MTVA award for Business achievement over 10 years, it led to setting up in 2010 multiple manufacturing units in hospitality industry? Kannur and Bengaluru with product • Kannur Rajana Puraskaram for presence in the USA, Europe, GCC Hospitality industry was a strategy achievements in the hospitality and nations, Japan and Australia. Keeping following the requirement from Kannur tourism 2012 in mind the necessity of horizontal International Airport and the lack expansion, lifestyle garment was set up of premium hospitality partners in • Kalakairali Puraskaram for the achieve- with the manufacturing unit spanning Kannur. This led to us, launching our ments in hospital & tourism in 2012 across the south of India. 4-star business and leisure group -- Hotel

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