Air India clarifies for diverting Delhi-Coimbatore flight

Air India on Friday said a Delhi-Coimbatore flight was chartered to ferry Indian Premier League (IPL) players and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel's daughter Poorna for commercial reasons.



"It was absolutely a commercial decision. Chartered flights make a lot of money for the airline. We keep combining flights according to our operational demand. The IPL anyway has been our customer ever since it began," Arvind Jadhav, chairman and managing director of the airline, said in a statement.

He was reacting to a media report that said the minister's daughter, who works for IPL, had the Delhi-Coimbatore Air India flight IC 7603 April 20 aborted less than 12 hours before departure to allow the aircraft to be deployed to ferry her and some IPL players from Chandigarh to Chennai.

But a directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) official said that airlines could provide chartered service only if a particular aircraft was not being used for a scheduled service.

"Diverting a scheduled passenger flight for charter operation is not permitted," the official said.

Pizza shops in Coimbatore

Pizza Hut

Phone: Home(0422) 4393839 , Home(0422) 39883988
Address: 356, Silver Montt Building, Ground Floor, DB Road, Rathinasabapathy Puram, Coimbatore- 641002
Landmark: Opposite Kennedy Theatre


Dominos Pizza

Phone: Home(0422) 2578333 , Home(0422) 2578334
Address: 1391, Avinash Road, Peelamedu, Coimbatore- 641004
Landmark: Near Hotel Aryas



Chill & Chilly

Phone: Home(0422) 2477399
Address: 318, DB Road, Rathinasabapathy Puram, Coimbatore- 641002
Landmark: Near ING Vysys Bank


Dominos Pizza India Limited

Phone: Home(0422) 2380444 , Home(0422) 2380724
Address: 27&28, Nehru Stadium, Gopala Puram, Coimbatore- 641018
Landmark: Opposite VOC Park

Jet Konnect flight to provide meals

Naresh Goyal-owned private airline Jet Airways is understood to be considering providing meals on its all economy service Jet Konnect.

The airline is also likely to convert a few front seats to business class in Jet Konnect, sources said. "We are considering providing meals on Jet Konnect flight as well as converting a few front seats to business class," a source close to the development told PTI.

Jet Airways had launched an all economy, no frills service Jet Konnect in May last year. Jet Konnect mainly operates flights to Ahmedabad , Amritsar , Bengaluru , Bhavnagar, Bhopal, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi , Hyderabad, Jaipur , Jodhpur , Kochi, Madurai , Mangalore, Mumbai , Pune, Udaipur and Vadodara.

Air Arabia summer offer to UAE

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, on Monday announced the launch of a special promotion aimed at bringing families and friends closer to their loved ones living in the UAE.



The VFR package (VFR - Visiting Friends and Relatives) includes a return air ticket and visa for Rs 13,650 from across the airline's 13 destinations in India to the UAE, said a company release.

The promotion includes a simplified VISA process that is valid for 30 days from the date of entry, subject to approval from the General Directorate of Naturalization and Residence. This offer is inclusive of surcharges and exclusive of airport taxes and is valid across the airline's 13 destinations in the country till 15th June 2010.

The low fares come with the additional benefit of free hand and checked baggage allowance.

"At Air Arabia, we have always laid emphasis on making travel as simple as possible. This package, which includes a visa to the UAE, has been especially designed to make it even easier for our passengers to travel and connect with their loved ones in the summer holidays." said AK Nizar, Head of Commercial Department, Air Arabia.

Air Arabia flies directly from its hub in Sharjah to Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Kochi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Thiruvanathapuram, Hyderabad, Kozhikode, Delhi and Goa.

Narain Karthikeyan felicitated by Young Indians

Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan was felicitated here on Tuesday by Young Indians, a group created by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) to offer a platform to young Indians, for having received the coveted Padma Shri award.


On this occasion, Karthikeyan said: "This year is pretty busy. There are 25 races across the world, mainly Europe and America. I am really happy to be living my dream. I am living my dream, for sure," said Karthikeyan.

"Without the help of my families, my sponsors, especially the Tata group, Bharat Petroleum, Amaron and others, and recently MRF, this journey would have been impossible. It would have been impossible for me to be where I am today," he added.

Karthikeyan said he was positive and looks forward to grab a chance to race in the Indian Grand Prix that is to be held in 2011.

Karthikeyan, who was recently honoured with the fourth highest civilian award of India, thanked the Central Government for such an honour and for giving recognition to motor sports in India.

The Formula One driver Karthikeyan, further said, that his ambitions have not gone down.

"I worked very hard to get up to this point. I would definitely like one more crack at Formula One 2011 being an inaugural ground in India. It would be really nice if I get to drive," said Karthikeyan.

At the event, he released the logo of Young Indians and also gave away awards to some young industrialists.


--ANI

Greatness of Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad

Noted management guru Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad who died in San Diego after a brief illness late Friday, was among the best known global thinkers on the subject and author of several bestsellers.

Forever a believer that India will grow into an economic power that the world will go on to eventually admire, Prahalad's vision on these lines were reflected in his best-seller "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profit".

A member of India's National Council on Skill Development, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Prahalad was conferred the Padma Bhushan and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman last year for his accomplishments - among the numerous other global honours.

A die-hard capitalist, his theories form the genesis and practices of many global corporations, including several in India. He himself had started his career in the corporate world with Union Carbide, before moving on to academics.

What appeased him to Indian policymakers, civil society, think tanks and the corporate houses was his vision for his country of birth.

"In today's changed global scenario, where established institutions are in disrepair, there is an excellent opportunity for India to shape the new world order," he said in a recent lecture in New Delhi.

"But for that we need to innovate, address issues such as poverty, income inequality and corruption," he said.

Several of his admirers held that should there have been a Nobel prize for management and public administration, Prahalad would have be a sure winner.

"A brilliant teacher at the University of Michigan, he may well be the most influential thinker on business strategy," Business Week magazine said in an article on him.

In fact, the company he founded was mainly based on his vision and road ahead towards people's empowerment. It was named Praja Inc - which in Sanskrit translates into a kingdom's subjects, common people or citizens.

"CK was one of the foremost lateral thinkers of our times," said ICICI Bank chairman K.V. Kamath, who was instrumental in roping in Prahalad for outlining India's vision for skills development.

"He had this uncanny knack of looking into the future as far as business and life around us was concerned," Kamath added.

After a degree in Physics from the University of Madras, Prahalad went on to get a master's from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and then went to Havard for doctoral degree in business administration.

He then taught at his alma mater at Ahmedabad and then went to the US as the Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor of Strategy at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.

He has also consulted with a host of global companies as AT&T, Cargill, Citicorp, Kodak, Oracle, Philips, Quantum, Revlon, Steelcase and Unilever and served on the boards several others.

Yet, teaching remained his main passion for this revered guru who was born to a family of nine children. He is survived by his wife Gayatri and two children - Murali Krishna and Deepa.

Sale Event at Coimbatore

“We clothes and things” announces a sale. Apart from discounts on apparels and footwear there will be a 25 per cent discount on sarees. The sale is on till April 24. For details call: 0422- 4200919

Date: April 17 to 24

Venue: 79/2 KC Arcade, TV Samy Road (East)

R S Puram

Summer Computer classes at PSG Polytechnic College

The Continuing Education Cell of PSG Polytechnic College is conducting summer computer classes.

According to a release, the classes include C Programming, summer computer camp for kids, Plus-One computer science, Plus-Two computer science, MS Office and Internet, CNC Programming and Maintenance, Linux Administration, PLC Programming, computer maintenance and repairs, and computer networking for beginners.

Certificates for the above programmes will be issued by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

For details, contact 0422-2595425.

Franklin Electric plans for Coimbatore

Franklin Electric, the U.S.-based manufacturer of submersible motors and water and fuel pumps, is studying the capabilities and capacities in Coimbatore for business cooperation.

The company's consultant for India, Anil Keswani, said Franklin was in its inception stage in India. It was in the process of formally launching its Indian operations.

It proposed to market its products in India. India was a growing economy and there would be an ongoing need for effective use of water. The market was ready for new technologies in this sector, he said. The company was studying the potential of each market segment, including domestic, agricultural and industrial pumps and motors in the country.

Franklin was also looking out for sourcing opportunities and local partners. It made a presentation at the recently-held Techno4 exhibition here.

Green Garden Centre for Handwriting, Coimbatore.

Making plans for your summer holidays? How about giving a couple of hours to improving handwriting?

It is necessary to improve handwriting because a good one makes a positive impression, says K. Chellappan, handwriting trainer and consultant, Green Garden Centre for Handwriting, Coimbatore.

The centre will conduct summer camp, which will go on till May 27. Students of Stds. I and II will undergo the course for a month; those from Stds. III to V will have it for 25 days and those in Std. VI and above will attend lessons for 20 days.

“Students will be taught the right way to hold a pen, place the paper, correct posture to write, etc. This is because good writing depends on factors like pen pressure, pen angle, pen hold, notebook/paper position, sitting posture, choice of pen, ink, size of letter, spacing between letters, words, lines, etc,” he says.

Coordinator Ranganayaki says students can attend sessions according to convenience. The Centre also conducts regular and weekend classes. “Students enrol following suggestions from parents or teachers,” Mr. Chellappan says and adds that some schools also partner with his centre to make it part of co-curricular activity.

M. Sujitha, mother of M. Pragadeesh, who underwent the course, says her son's handwriting is now neat, legible and attractive.

Details about the course can be had from Green Garden Centre for Handwriting, 216, Thadagam Road, Opp. Avila Convent, Venkitapuram, Coimbatore 641 025 or 0422-2442332.