Pune Times - Foodie Article- Karen Anand

Here is another article by Karen Anand, in Pune Times dated 11th May
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwNy8wNS8xMSNBcjA0MDAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

GOURMET’S JOURNEY
I have now been living in the city for 20 years. Most people still think I live in Mumbai and wonder why I keep dashing here. Living in Pune, with work just about everywhere, means that "dashing about" has become an inevitable part of my life. When I am at home, I often don't step out of my environment for days at a stretch, except to buy food. When I first came to this city, I was captivated by the "real" food scene; I went regularly to Kayani Bakery myself and took great pleasure in doing a Marcel Marceau mime act with Kersi behind the counter, who would pass me what I wanted on the side so that I didn't have to wait in the long queue. Now, we are all on nonsensical diets all the time and the children seem to have grown out of Kayani, so I've stopped going. This also means that I have stopped interacting with all those delightful characters in the bakery. My loss. The same with Rusi at Royal Bakery who still produces the best bun pav in the world. The sight of him standing there welcoming customers in his old white sadra, head stooped, moaning and groaning about something or the other, is something I miss. The trek to Laxmi Road to Chitale for bakharwadi cannot be replaced by a trip to the supermarket to buy a mechanised packet version. Desi Bundu for mangoes, Tulsi Baug for fabulous traditional utensils and last but not least, Shivaji Market. Shashikant and Anil, my fishmongers who, because of my pronging and insistence, started introducing new marine life to us like Red snapper, Karimeen, Squid, Ladyfish, Yellow tail and so on. Until then it was Pomfret, Prawns, Bombay Duck and Mackrel and river fish for those who couldn't afford the rest. I must admit that I don't miss the grumpy old Zaiker bai but at one time she was my life force as far as "exotic" vegetables went. Today red peppers, iceberg lettuce and zucchini are no longer that exotic and available in supermarkets. When Dorabjee's changed from a quaint, old grocery store to the modern supermarket it is today, I nearly had a relapse. I missed the smell of coffee being ground and the sight of the chap wrapping ham in grease-proof paper with masses of string. Dorabjee's has now grown into a supermarket catering to the needs of our every increasing global palate. Would you have ever thought that they would be selling green lipped mussels from New Zealand and salamis from Spain? Then we have Koregaon Park which has become another sub-culture. German Bakery, started by Woody and Gopal, who first introduced me to the amazing Yak cheese from Nepal which they used to bring here in great big wheels, Prem's, Green Grocer, all have a life of their own. All this has been part of the last 20 years of my culinary life in Pune. The city is bursting with great products and wild and wonderful people. Unfortunately, the restaurants don't share my enthusiasm. At the traditional end of the scale, you still have the die-hards like Blue Nile, Shreyas, Shabri, Poona Coffee House, Vaishali, Mayur and so on. The new addition to that spectrum is Rajdhani, clearly the best Gujju thali in town, in the Gold Adlabs complex in Kalayani Nagar. Previously, we had only Mayur on East Street and Chetana in Budhwar Peth. For South Indian, Ram Krishna on Moledina Road, joins the brigade of ever popular 'idli-dosa' eateries, only this one is much smarter and larger.

The Maharashtrian eateries of Shreyas, Shabri, Bedekar Missal, Janseva Dugdale, Joshi vada pav, Shree for sabudana kichdi and wadi, Durvankur and Poonam, are still going strong and still serve up consistently good family style Maharastrian fare. I find it heartbreaking that nothing smarter nor more stylish has come along in the last 20 years.
On the seafood front, Trishna from Mumbai has packed up. Mahesh and Coconut Grove serve Mangalorean food, Riverview serves exceedingly good Kerala dishes and Shristi off Tilak Road does Maharastrian coastal. They are all competent and serve fresh seafood but the décor of all is rather lacklustre and uninspiring. Some Indian restaurants, like Sigree, Northern Frontier (actually a very good Kashmiri restaurant), Saat Handi in Kalyani Nagar, Mystic Masala and Chingari, the rooftop restaurant at Le Meridien, are showing a smarter side to Indian food, combining well-prepared dishes with some thought behind the décor and an ambience worth talking about. In the global food market, we have Oriental shining, mostly in the Koregaon Park area with the exception of All Stir Fry at E-Square. Chinese has also spread but it hasn't got any better, there are just more of them, with the exception of Mainland China, which has raised the bar for Chinese in this city. Considering that Pune has such a "cosmopolitan" crowd, there are very few options for European food and very few places which you can really call "elegant". None of the hotels serve European food except the Coffee Shops. Thank Goodness for that breath of fresh Greek air at the roof top Galaxy Grill at Seasons. Sizzlers used to be a Pune special. Unfortunately, some of them have not even maintained their standards. In the last 20 years, I have also seen a mushrooming of horrible places serving "multicuisine" with interior design like a doctor's surgery, insensitive service and food smothered in mass made masala. It's very sad. Pune has, by and large, a good weather. Where are the cafés? Where are the interesting outdoor picnic areas serving local food? Other cities have managed it. Well, we have several new, fancy hotels opening up in the next few years which should shake us out of our complacency and into work mode. Let's hope so.

Pune Times - Restaurant Waiting Queues

The Waiting Game

Serpentine queues outside restaurants in the city have become very common on weekends and even on weekdays. How do Puneites deal with the situation? PT finds out.
It's a really tricky situation. You go to your favourite restaurant with your family or girlfriend, only to find that there is no place to sit. You have to wait for your turn to come. And in some cases, the wait can be really long. Yes, this is a new trend in Pune's culinary culture. Most of the top restaurants in the city are absolutely full on weekends and even some part of the weekdays, compelling you to wait! Because of parking woes in the city on the rise, the problem is greater.

Rajan Ghai can't remember one instance in the last six months when he could find a place in a restaurant on weekends. "Invariably, I have to wait for about half an hour. There is no point in going to some other place because the traffic and the corresponding waiting there will just add up to the same," says Ghai. For some people, clubbing is passe and they would rather go for a quiet dinner with their better half. "But you never seem to get a place instantly. Mostly, we roam around the malls adjacent to the restaurant to kill time. Sometimes the clock just doesn't move. At other times, we completely lose track of time...only to wait again!" says Ketan Agrawal. Restaurants agree that tables are almost full on weekends.
"Pune has always had a great eating out culture. It is only increasing," says Sunil Chandani of Nawab. Cookie Singh of Toscana feels that the solution to this problem is to make prior reservations and come. "That is a better way and saves time," he says.

But it is not something everyone agrees with. Ankita Mehta says, "One mostly makes plans at the eleventh hour, so it becomes difficult to make reservations then. And, when you want to do booking just before coming, mostly it is very late," she says. Her friend Sandip Agrawal seems to have found a way out. "I just pick up some pizzas and diet coke, sit in the car and enjoy. Who is going to take so much effort in waiting? Even my friends enjoy," he says.
Well, not a bad idea!

Well, am happy to note that I am not the only one that feels that eating out on a weekend, in Pune, is fast becoming a torture rather than an adventure.

Crackdown on foreign students.

In a major crackdown on foreign students living illegally in the city, the Pune police has detained 225 students and started the process to deport them.

Since most of these students — from Sudan, Nigeria, Iran and other Gulf and African countries — study at well-known educational institutions in the city, the Pune police has also issued showcause notices to 25 educational institutes, including Symbiosis, Fergusson College, Poona College, Wadia College, BMCC and Spicer College.

The police believes these institutes have become “comfort zones” for foreigners.

Speaking to Business Standard, Senior Police Inspector Bhanupratap Barge, who is heading this drive, said: “There is a distinct procedure educational institutions must follow when admitting foreign students. However, they are ignorant about the visa status of foreign students when they are admitting them. Foreign students are expected to renew their visas every year and then apply for admission. All this has led to illegal stay of foreigners in the city.”

He cited the example of a student from Sudan who came to Pune 19 years ago and has been studying at Poona College ever since. “Every year, he would take admission to the first year BCom course and then not appear for the examination. The college administration did not bother to check his visa status before admitting him,” Barge added.

Following such incidents, the special branch of the Pune police launched a drive to trace these students in September last year. Since then, it has managed to identify 225 such cases. And now, colleges that have failed to report such cases might have to face stringent action. “We have issued showcause notices to all city colleges concerned,” said Barge.

Known as the educational hub of India, Pune city has 8,000 new foreign students who enrol at the 80-odd educational institutions annually. Other than these, a large number of students continue to live in the city illegally even after their student visas expire.

The colleges, on their part, claim they are taking precautionary measures to avert such cases. Hrishikesh Soman, principal of Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, said: “Admissions take place at our college according to the rules of the University of Pune. We are following the directives issued by the Pune police and we do not have cases where foreign students study for years in the same class.”

Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) Principal Aniruddha Deshpande, told Business Standard that generous scholarships offered by Gulf countries encourage students to stay on in India. “Most students come from Sudan and the Gulf countries, which are probably not safe to live in. Students find Pune secure, so they stay here for a longer duration,” he said, adding: “At our college, we admit only those students who come from the university’s international students’ centre. We have been cooperating with the Pune police on this issue.”

Meanwhile, foreign students are worried. “We are aware of students over-staying, but they don’t create problems in the city. The police should not generalise this problem, otherwise genuine students will also suffer,” remarked a student who is studying Arts at Nowrosjee Wadia College.

An Iranian student from S P College added: “A number of foreign students run admission rackets and make money. Colleges also admit foreign students because they earn heavy fees.”

The police has not, however, registered criminal cases against these students. Barge explained: “If we register a case, then the student concerned stays in India till the final verdict is out. Instead, we deport them to their home country and inform the Indian embassy in that country. The student is then blacklisted and never given a student visa by India.”

PCMC recovers only 30% its dues of properties on rent

PUNE: Even as the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on the one hand is trying to impose new taxes on citizens to increase its annual income, on the other, it faces the daunting task of recovering dues from defaulters who have been allotted various municipal properties on rent. The PCMC has been able to recover only 29.65 per cent of the dues from defaulters who were allotted municipal properties like shops in vegetable markets and shopping complexes, cultural halls and others. Speaking to TOI, Subhash Machare, worker welfare officer and assistant commissioner, PCMC, said the civic administration has intensified the drive to recover the dues from defaulters who were allotted municipal properties like shops in vegetable markets and shopping complexes, cultural halls and others from December 2008 onwards. The PCMC has started sealing the shops and other properties for which the dues are not cleared. Machare said, "The total pending dues till Jan 31 was Rs 6.41 crore. The PCMC has recovered dues of Rs 1.90 crore. Still, dues amounting to Rs 4.53 crore are pending." Speaking to TOI, Dominic Lobo, convenor, Common People's Front (CPF) said, "There is a vested interest of corporators and civic officials in not recovering the dues. There is a provision in the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act that the municipal corporation can seal the properties rented to people if they do not pay the dues. The PCMC should seal all the properties given on rent to people who have not paid their dues."

Polo in Pune !

PUNE: Volkswagen India, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the world's third-largest vehicle maker, will start assembling the Polo, its top-selling model, at its greenfield plant at Chakan from next year. It will also introduce the Polo sedan as a variant model next year.

Jochem Heizmann, member of VW's board, responsible for group production, told reporters the Polo would come with a local content of 50%, going up to 80% over the next 2-3 years. Mr Heizmann was standing in for VW chairman Martin Winterkorn, who was slated to inaugurate the group's 61st production site, globally, but called off his visit.

As already reported, the Chakan plant will be the volume manufacturing unit in VW’s India plans. Hence, group company SkodaAuto's small car, the Fabia, is rolling out from here first and will be followed next year by the Polo and its variants. SkodaAuto’s Shendra plant, near Aurangabad, is used for VW group's limited volume cars, which means it assembles the Audi A4 and A6 and VW’s Passat and Jetta.

VW's greenfield site at Chakan is a e580-million plant, with a manufacturing capacity of 1.10 lakh car. Mr Heizmann said they could reach this production number in two-three years. Referring to localisation, Mr Heizmann said they would start with using local steel, plastic components and plastic raw materials.

Ulrich Hackenburg, VW's R&D head, added India is also a global sourcing hub competing with China, VW's other major Asian location. However, there are currently no plans to bring in an engine and transmission manufacturing plant here since the group can offer a variety of engines from its other locations.

Mr Heizmann added VW, Europe's largest car maker, is better placed than its competitors, given the current international economic crisis. "The international economic crisis affects us, too. But we are better placed than our competitors. We are on course in the US with our Chattanooga plans," he said. - India News Online

State to boost milk, meat and egg production

PUNE: The state animal husbandry department will launch four projects to boost milk, egg and meat production and distribution using a Rs 272.40-cr central government grant. The projects are also expected to generate over 4,000 jobs. "The proposal for the projects was submitted under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, a central government scheme. The grant was sanctioned in January and we expect to receive it by the month-end. The projects will be implemented soon after," said D S Zagade, state animal husbandry commissioner. Zagade added that the projects aim to achieve a 4% annual increase in milk production and a 6% hike in egg and meat production. A total of 4,250 artificial insemination centres (AIC) will also be set up. This is expected to bring about a genetic improvement in cows and buffaloes and also lead to more AIs. "We have set a target of increasing the number of AIs conducted annually by 14.88 lakh. At present, the state conducts around 24 lakh AIs every year," he said. The AICs will be set up with the help of private veterinarians. More than 4,000 veterinary graduates and diploma holders will be engaged in running the AICs. The projects are also expected to raise milk production by 15 lakh million tonnes (MT), from 69.78 lakh MT to 84.87 lakh MT. Elaborating on the other projects, an official from the department said, "Over 16 hatcheries and mother units will be established in 16 districts at an investment of Rs 40 cr. The hatcheries will provide chicks to farmers at their doorsteps. A target of increasing egg production by 114 cr has been set. The increased egg production will provide an additional source of income for rural farmers." An official stated that the project also aims to raise meat production from 2.43 lakh MT to 3.24 lakh MT. The farmers will be provided better-quality sheep and goats, which will help increase meat exports.

Govt to ban mobiles in school classrooms

MUMBAI: Schoolgoers fiddling with mobile phones cleverly concealed beneath desks and chairs may soon find themselves on the wrong side of the law. The Maharashtra government has decided to pass a resolution banning the use of cellphones in the classroom. "Students will not be allowed to carry mobiles to the classroom. If they carry cellphones to school, they can leave them outside the classroom in their bags,'' said school education minister Patangrao Kadam, adding that the order would be passed in the next couple of days. While many schools have banned cellphones on campus, some have found it difficult to enforce the rule. Others have tried more flexible rules, but to no avail. "The government order will support our case,'' said Avnita Bir, principal of R N Podar School in Santa Cruz, adding that parents would insist on the need for their children to carry mobiles to school so that they (parents) could keep track of their wards. "We tried being flexible, allowing children to carry cellphones to school but prohibiting them from using the mobiles. But they would invariably use them on campus. We started confiscating the phones from students who used them in school,'' said Bir. "But that too wasn't enough of a deterrent.'' Podar may extend the rule to include staff as well. "This means that we, too, will not use our mobiles during work hours,'' said Bir. Parents, and surprisingly even children, have welcomed the government's decision. Nita Row, parent of a student of Bombay International School at Babulnath, has not given either of her children a cellphone and doesn't intend to do so until they're out of school. "While many parents use mobiles as a leash to monitor their children, I find it totally unnecessary for a kid to carry a cellphone to school,'' said Row, adding that her ENT doctor had even warned her of the damage mobiles could cause to a child's ears. Savita Y, a Std X student of Fr Agnel Multipurpose School in Vashi, agrees with the government's decision to ban cellphones. "While some kids do bring cellphones to school, regular checks are carried out and those found with mobiles are detained,'' she said. Savita does not feel the need to use a mobile in school. "I think it's okay to use one while in college. But during school days, there's absolutely no need to do so,'' she added. "We have banned the use of cellphones in school. As parents have requested us to allow children to carry mobiles, we allow students to bring them to school. But they have to deposit the mobiles with the class teacher first thing in the morning,'' said Carl Laurie, principal of Christ Church School, Byculla. "But we still find some kids using them. In such cases, we invite the parents to discuss the matter.''

Maping the journey of Marathi musicals:

PUNE: The history and development of Marathi musicals (sangeet natak) and rare footage of such theatre greats as the legendary Balgandharva and vocalists Ramdas Kamat and Pt Jitendra Abhisheki, are the highlights of a compact disc (CD) titled Naman Natawara,' which was released recently in the city.

For the Marathi culture aficionados, the musicals have always occupied a special place, with plays like Sangeet Saubhadra,' Sangeet Manapmaan,' Sangeet Sharda' and Sangeet Swayamvar' still attracting large audience whenever they are revived. Besides being an unadulterated musical treat, these have also tackled social issues such as young girls being married off to old men ( Sharda') or the evils of alcohol addiction ( Ekach Pyala').

The CD, conceptualised and produced by writer Sarita Wakalkar and directed and scripted by Madhavi Vaidya, aims to document the changes in Marathi musicals from 1843 to 2008, or from the days of Vishnudas Bhave, the father of musicals, to the recent musical Avagha Rang Ek Jhala'. "My husband was a great lover of natya sangeet (songs from the Marathi musicals) and he would listen to the 15-minute session on All India Radio, without fail, every evening. Gradually, I too started following it. However, after we got involved with horse racing, we lost touch with it," says Wakalkar. It was after she joined the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, a state-level literary body, that Wakalkar thought of doing something for the art form and approached theatre critic V B Deshpande and Madhavi Vaidya. "Once I spoke to Madhavi about the idea, she got back to me with the concept of how we should go about it. It took us three months to finish the work," says Wakalkar. Stressing that the CD aims to make up for the lack of any visual documentation of the Marathi musicals, Wakalkar said it will prove to be a great source of information.

Vaidya, director of the two-and-a-half-hour documentary, explains how it has been presented following the structure of a musical. "We have two narrators and even an interval and a final session before the curtain falls, like in a Marathi musical," Vaidya explains. The CD also contains interviews with prominent actors involved in Marathi musicals, including Prabhakar Panshikar, Chittaranjan Kolhatkar, Ramdas Kamat and Jaymala Shiledar. "Through the making of this CD, I learnt some important things like the continuing involvement of the Shiledar family in the musicals, says Wakalkar, while adding that it is these little-known aspects that need to told to the public. However, documenting the period since 1843 was by no means an easy task. Vaidya says the documentary hinges on the milestones attained at various stages of the development of Marathi theatre. "Be it the changes in music, sets and the drama itself, we have tried to portray all the important factors," she adds.

Collecting these relevant and rare footage was difficult as it meant approaching families and people who had them. But they were collected nonetheless. "We even have some footage of Vasantrao Deshpande singing and of course, you can also hear great humorist Pu La Deshpande." On the current reality of the Marathi musicals, Vaidya says they need to change with time. "We need shorter versions, as, these days people are not willing to spend five hours watching just one musical. At the same time, there are some that are doing very well. Take for example, Avagha Rang Ek Jhala' which has completed almost 125 performances in just one year, which is definitely a good run."

Exhibition on security gadgets

PUNE: Security gadgets, including explosive detectors, body scanners and surveillance CCTVs, will be on display at an exhibition to be held by the Centre for Police Research (CPR) on March 6. The three-day exhibition, to be held at the Shivajinagar police headquarters, hopes to make the public aware of the importance of such equipment and benefit corporate houses which want to incorporate foolproof security arrangements. According to CPR executive director S P S Yadav, this is the first such exhibition in the state and will be held in association with MCCIA and Nasscom. It will be inaugurated by additional chief secretary Chitkala Zutshi (home department). Other equipment on display will include cargo scanners, metal detectors, baggage X-ray scanners, vehicle scanning systems, biometric access control, remote monitoring, perimeter surveillance systems, smoke detection systems and alarms. Bullet proof vests, helmets and vehicles will also be featured. The CPR has appealed to private firms involved in manufacturing safety and security gadgets to rent out a stall at the venue. Those interested in participating can contact special inspector general of police Madhav Karve on 9823129388 and superintendent of police Dilip Bhujbal on 9823411331. The CPR will soon publish a souvenir and a directory with detailed information of firms involved in manufacturing security gadgets.

A.B.C. Farms Pvt. Ltd.

History: Today, A.B.C Farms has hybrid cows and Swiss goats, and is one of India's leading cheese producers - Over 60 varieties of processed and natural cheeses have been developed. Sohrab Chinoy along with his wife Marlene, a Dairy Bacteriologist, provide the expertise necessary to turn out the various high-quality cheeses. They also head the R&D department, the focus being quality improvement and development of new varieties of cheeses, all of which are 100% vegetarian, to suit the Indian sentiment and taste buds. The milk that is produced at the farm daily is supplied to various bakeries, hospitals, hotels and restaurants in Pune. Most of the milk is however used in making cheese besides a range of other dairy products like ghee, butter, and paneer; including a variety of fruit-yogurts, shrikhand and a lemon-flavored variation of lassi called LEMSI. These products are marketed directly out of A.B.C Farms' head office and processing unit in Pune and three company owned outlets in Pune as well as through agents in Bombay and Goa.The products are exclusively sold in Pune through selected outlets, three of which are company owned.
A.B.C. Farms is also very environmentally aware. The farm is used for organic farming of vegetables, grains, maize and alfalfa grass. No inorganic fertilizers or pesticides are permitted on the farm ensuring an ecologically sound environment for the farm to flourish. Part of the dung produced by the livestock is converted to bio-gas. The rest of it along with the bio-gas slurry and the urine of the cattle is the major source of fertilizer used at the farm. Vermicompost is used mostly for the fruit trees. Running hot water is available through the solar heating system installed at the farm. These eco friendly practices enhance the value of our milk, dairy and farm products.

A.B.C Farms Pvt. Ltd is also into Technology and Know-how Franchising, Dairy Consulting, Farming and Cattle breeding, Dairy Cultures, and Farm Restaurants.

Operatons: A.B.C. Farms Pvt. Ltd. is involved in several operations, which include milk processing, research and development, organic farming, farm restaurants and consulting besides others.

MILK PROCESSING
A major part of the milk is converted to cheese, however, a substantial amount of liquid milk is also being distributed throughout the city. Natural cheese accounts for 70% of the cheese production while the rest is processed. For its milk processing A.B.C. Farms uses a very versatile range of equipment carefully selected from leading local and international manufacturers. This enables A.B.C. Farms to manufacture a wide variety of dairy products at a quality highly acceptable to the domestic and international consumers.

QUALITY CONTROL -
Research and Development
A.B.C. Farms Pvt. Ltd. has a full-fledged functional laboratory for chemical and bacteriological analysis. Besides being used for quality control and plant hygiene, the laboratory is also extensively used for ABC Farms Research and Development. ABC Farms' research and development capability is proven through its wide range of products as well as its ability to develop new products within a short lead-time, the latest addition being "Paprika Mozzarella", "Marble Cheese" or "Blue n' Mascarpone Torte".

Dairy and Agro-based Consultancy
A.B.C. Farms' "Preach what you Practice" philosophy has gained wide appreciation and attracted a wide range of clientele. A.B.C. Farms has undertaken consultancy assignments to set up dairy farms from the concept to self-sufficient operational stage. In addition A.B.C. Farms is also into Technology and Know-How Franchising.

Cattle and Goat Breeding
A.B.C. Farms' basic herd started with a 50:50 bloodline of Gir/Holstein cows. The herd has been steadily upgraded with Holstein to bring in more hybrid vigor. A.B.C. Farms also has a herd of pure-bred Swiss Saanen Goats, local goats and crossbred goats. The milk is used for producing goat milk cheese and the meat for high quality mutton.

Dairy Cultures
A.B.C. Farms, from a number of strains, formulates and maintains various cultures that are bacteriological as well as fungal. These are used selectively for various fermented milk products as well as cheeses. These cultures are also sold to some select institutional clients.
Farm Restaurants
ABC Farms cultivates controlled quantities of organic wheat and rice besides a variety of herbs and fruits. All these together with A.B.C. Farms dairy products, are given expression through the restaurants owned by A.B.C. Farms in Pune and Goa. Each restaurant has a distinctive and different cuisine ranging form local Garwali and Moghlai to Swiss, Japanese, Italian, Thai and Mexican.

Products:

No matter how far archaeological finds go, there is evidence that cheese came into being in prehistoric times. As a component in our daily diet, cheese is rich in calcium and concentrates almost all of the protein found in milk. Today's fast paced lifestyle has more people eating out than ever before. A.B.C. Farms can develop specific cheese formulations that give your menu items distinctive taste and customer appeal. A.B.C. Farms' innovative packaging concepts will help you reduce preparation time and reduce labour costs. Our customers depend on the convenience, consistency and superior quality of our brands when they need to create an award winning menu item. Maybe it's because we know cheese; or because we have first hand knowledge of using cheese as an ingredient...

Whatever the reason, we at A.B.C Farms recognize the specialized needs of customers who use cheese as an integral part of their product formula.

A.B.C Farms have professionals who provide: Technical Support Product Knowledge Specific Product Application Customized Formulations Market and Industry Information

Customers: Over the years, A.B.C Farms has established a large and varied clientele throughout India. These clients depend on the high-quality cheeses produced by A.B.C Farms. A.B.C Farms has pioneered the efforts to educate people about the different kinds of cheeses and their uses in different cuisines.The variety of uses includes, Table Cheese, Cheese Starters, Salad Cheese, After Dinner Cheese, Confectionary Cheese & Deserts, Organic Cheese, and Diet Cheese.

A significant consumer segment and propagator of A.B.C. Farms' cheeses in Pune and around the country are the thousands of foreign tourists. This confirms A.B.C. Farms' product quality as being internationally comparable and acceptable. A.B.C. Farms products are marketed directly out of its Pune office and outlets as well as through agents in Bombay and Goa. The products are available through several outlets, three of which are company owned in Pune and others around the country besides various retail chains. Major consumers are hospitals, hotels, restaurants and pizzerias.

Press Opinions: Following are a few lines from press coverage that A.B.C. Farms Pvt. Ltd. has received over the past few years: "The little cheese farm of Pune speaks... Teaching the Puneites the ABC of cheese was hardly a (ch)easy task. But 32 flavours later, our relationship has fermented into a many-flavoured wonder. A cheese spread for you to gorge on".

- Citadel Magazine
"Sohrab Chinoy, India's leading cheese supplier believes that maintaining quality standards is the ticket to achieving success. Navnita Melwani charts his rise from a small outhouse to a sprawling farm, producing the best cheese money can buy".
-Hotelier & Caterer.
"Sohrab Chinoy, cheesemaker extraordinaire, is today big in the domestic cheese market, where an awareness of cheese only waxes day after day. His cheese-making plant in Pune, A.B.C. Farms Pvt. Ltd., puts out a magnificent smorgasbord of 55 varieties".
-Times of India

"A.B.C. Farms Pvt. Ltd. manufactures quality products that conform to exacting standards. Chinoy interjects emphatically, The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low cost is forgotten".
-Times of India

Railways wake up to energy conservation

PUNE: In a bid to conserve energy the city railway division has installed solar-energy-based systems at more than 50 level crossing gates between Pune-Daund and Pune-Lonavala railway routes. The division has also made initiatives to use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and metal halide lamps at more than 10 railway stations in the division.

The initiatives have been made following a policy decision by the railway board asking all divisions to use CFLs. A special committee has also been set up to monitor the process.

Officials from the division stated that the energy conservation move has helped reduce electricity bills and it should also help reduce the division's expenditure on maintenance. "Although the extent to which these measures have helped conserve power are yet to be calculated, we expect 40 to 50 per cent reduction in bills," said M P Khobragade, divisional electrical engineer (general), Pune division.

Khobragade said that solar-energy-based systems will soon be installed at the additional 30 level crossing gates in the division. He added that the division is working towards installing the hybrid model, based on wind andsolar energy, at the level crossing gates on busy routes. "The hybrid model could be used as the primary source of energy," he said.

"Work of replacing all existing lamps and installing new CFL and T5 lamps is currently underway at more than seven stations. Three more stations will be covered under the drive and certain parts of stations, like waiting halls, dormitories and retiring rooms, will also be made energy efficient. Other railway properties, like residential quarters and running room at Pune and IRICEN hostel, will get solar water heaters and CFLs, soon," Khobragade.

Ban entry of outsiders, SP college told

PUNE: The Vishrambaug police have directed the authorities of the Sir Parashurambhau (SP) College to prohibit outsiders' entry on the college premises.

The directive, issued on Saturday, came as a preventive measure in the wake of two separate incidents of attack on students of the college.

On Friday night, two students, Amit Kharade and Ranjit Kadam were beaten up by two unidentified persons in the college campus. As the news spread, more than 100 students from the hostel gathered on the premises and attacked the security cabin. A police team from the Vishrambaug police station, headed by senior police inspector C D Jadhav rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The police have filed a non-cognisable offence against unidentified persons.

Three days back, another student, Ritesh More was assaulted with sharp weapons by two people who were later arrested by the police. Following the incident, inspector Jadhav held a meeting at the college which was attended by officiating principal of the college Madhav Pendse and other officials.

Jadhav said, "We have asked the authorities to restrict outsiders' entry on the premises. We have also asked them to deploy a few teaching and non-teaching staff at the entrance of the college every morning so that they can identify outsiders and prevent them from entering the college. We even suggested CCTVs."

The police also suggested that the authorities ban all student groups in the college. "We also asked the authorities not to allow the groups to erect big banners inside or outside the premises," Jadhav said, "We are planning to start the Mrityunjay Club in the college and involve as many students as possible. A meeting in this regard will be held on Tuesday."

Officiating principal Madhav Pendse said, "The police have given us some directions and we are working on it. Our campus is spread over 30 acres and there are several entrances. We are planning to restrict the entry of outsiders and discipline our students to wear identity cards," Pendse said.

Meanwhile, the special squad of deputy commissioner (zone I) was deployed in the college on Saturday. The Vishrambaug police personnel also patrolled the college campus on Saturday.

Pune Airport

These are the proposed pictures of Chaka Pune international Airport....

If it completes it will be the Number-1 in South Asia.... and also Those pictures contain the proposed Express Highways in Chakan Pune .....

Pune to get 3rd Sukhoi sqn..!

The multi-role strike fighter squadrons of Sukhoi 30MKI, which had moved out of Lohegaon Air Force station have now returned in style — after a successful Red Flag excercise in the US. In the next few months, the fleet will be enforced with a third squadron, making it one of the strongest airbases in the western region.

Although the squadrons returned from Jodhpur a few weeks ago Saturday's comeback was more apt following the multinational air exercise in the US.

The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of South Western Air Command (SWAC), Air Marshal K.D. Singh said that the Lohegaon Air Force base will get a new Su-30 MKI squadron by Dec 2009. Currently, the Lohegaon Air Force base has two squadrons of Su-30 MKI, 'Lightnings' and 'Rhinos'.

The Su-30 MKIs will roll out from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited factory at Nasik. Recently, the Jaguar Squadron was shifted and located to Jamnagar airbase in Gujarat for strategic reasons. "Pune was primarily developed as a base for the Sukhois and a lot of investment has gone into this," said another Air Force officer.

On Saturday afternoon a batch of four Sukhoi 30 MKIs arrived, flying side-by-side, then peeling off one by one, signalling their arrival after a successful mission at Exercise Red Flag at Nellis US Air Force base in Nevada.

The team comprised eight Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, two IL-78 mid-air refuellers, one IL-76 heavy-lift aircraft and about 250 air warriors (90 among them were officers). They pitted their skills against American F-15s and F-16s, as well as French Rafale fighters and South Korean F-15K jets.

Air Marshal K.D. Singh welcomed the IAF's top-gun pilots as Sukhois returned to Pune from Abu Dhabi — their last stopover — while the other aircraft went back to their respective units. Also present was NDA Commandant Air Marshal T.S. Randhawa, who is the Commodore Commandant of the no 20 squadron (Lightnings).

An elated group leader Wing Commander George Thomas said, "It was a great training opportunity for IAF to integrate our assets in an adverse environment thousands of miles away along with a country (USA) which is technologically quite advanced."

"Each mission was done to perfection. The main thrust of the exercise was on training. The threat environment was tailored to what your needs are — air, ground, space and water," he said.

It was a triumphant return for the Indian Air Force (IAF) team, which impressed the mighty US in this two-week exercise, indicating that more such wargames could be in the offing on a regular basis. It was one of the rare occasions in the 33-year-old history of the Red Flag that an invitation was extended to a non-NATO nation and the first time the IAF participated.

Air Marshal Singh said: "We would like to have more such exercises. But it's a decision taken at the government level."

Giving details about the exercise, Wg Cmdr Thomas said, "During this phase, a present-day air campaign was replicated, in which opposition forces or the 'Aggressors' F-16 and F-15s, were threats to the Blue Land (IAF) and its forces.

"The tasks are carried out by 'Strike Packages' comprising Su30s flying along with the US Air Force, French Air Force and Korean Air Force.

"The main challenge during the exercise for the team IAF was to adapt to the USAF network and also carry out 'Stand Alone' tasks simultaneously. Our young IAF pilots (average age: late 20s) have done this with amazing dexterity," he said.

The exercise was preceded by two weeks of work-up training at the Mountain Home Air Force Base of the US. The IAF flew over 200 sorties with the USAF.

On its return, the contingent also made a week-long stopover at Al Dafra, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and participated in an air exerice with Mirage 200-9 and F-16 aircraft of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence.

Three drown during idol immersion

Three youths drowned in the canal near Dias plot on Sunday at around 4 pm while attending the Ganesh immersion process.

The victims were identified as Rajesh Jarmandi (25), Rahul Jindal (21) and Naresh Mykal (24) all from Solapur. Fire brigade officials fished out one of the bodies, that of Mykal from the canal on Monday.

The trio had entered the canal near Dias plot for Ganesh immersion. However, they failed to return to the shore due to the strong current of water. The search operation for the other two, Jindal and Jarmandi, was carried out till late Monday evening.

In another incident, Ratankumar Das (22), a resident of Bangerwadi in Lonavala drowned in an immersion point in Lonavala.

A Love Story in Pune

An excellent and Great Love Story of Narayana Murthy (Infosys Founder) and Sudha (From Sudha's Autobiography)

An Inspiring Love story,, its worth, Read it !! Love Story of Narayana Murthy (Infosys Founder) and Sudha (From Sudha's Autobiography) It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend Prasanna who is now the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco(TataMotors). Most of the books that Prasanna lent me had Murty's name on them which meant that I had a preconceived image of the man. Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy,bespectacled and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner. I was a bit taken aback as I thought the young man was making a very fast move. I refused since I was the only girl in the group. But Murty was relentless and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m .. at Green Fields hotel on the Main Road ,Pune. The next day I went there at 7' o ! clock since I had to go to the tailor near the hotel. And what do I see? Mr. Murty waiting in front of the hotel and it was only seven. Till today, Murty maintains that I had mentioned (consciously!) that I would be going to the tailor at 7 so that I could meet him... And I maintain that I did not say any such thing consciously or unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as anything other than a friend at that stage. We have agreed to disagree on this matter. Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty's experiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insisted that Murty as trying to impress me because he was interested in me. I kept denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want to tell you something. I kn ew this as it. It was coming. He said, I am 5'4" tall. I come from a lower middle class family. I can never become rich in my life an! d I can never give you any riches. You are beautiful, bright, and intelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will you marry me? I asked Murty to give me some time for an answer. My father didn't want me to marry a wannabe politician, (a communist at that) who didn't have a steady job and wanted to build an orphanage... When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal. My mother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemed intelligent and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What's his job, his salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a research assistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go dutch with me on our outings. My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular day at10 a. m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take care of my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father. At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work to Bombay , was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired a taxi(though it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law. Father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he wanted to become in life. Murty said he wanted to become a politician in the communist party and wanted to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO. I don't want my daughter to marry somebody who wants to become a communist and then open an orphanage when he himself didn't have money to support his family. Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages something, which Murty wanted to do 25 years ago. By this time I realized I had developed a liking towards Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to marry Murty because he is an honest man. He proposed to me highlighting the negatives in his life. I promised my father that I will not marry Murty without his blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. My father said he would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job. But Murty refused saying he will not do things in life because somebody wanted him to. So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life.. The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship took us to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune. In those days, Murty was always broke. Moreover, he didn't earn much to manage. Ironically today, he manages Infosys Technologies Ltd., one of the world's most reputed companies. He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and he would say, I don't have money with me, you pay my share, I will return it to you later. For three years I maintained a book on Murty's debt to me.. No, he never returned the money and I finally tore it up after my wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4000. During this interim period Murty quit his job as research assistant and started his own software business. Now, I had to pay his salary too! Towards the late 70s computers were entering India in a big way. During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as General Manager at Patni computers in Bombay .. But before he joined the company he wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US after joining. My father gave in as he was happy Murty had a decent job, now. WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY'S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 10, 1978 WITH ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING EXPENSES CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS 400 EACH. I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encouraged me to see America on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America for three months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will remain fresh in my mind forever. Like the time when the New York police took me into custody because they thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs in Harlem . Or the time when I spent the night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an old couple. Murty panicked because he couldn't get a response from my hotel room even at midnight. He thought I was either killed or kidnapped. IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO CAPITAL...initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting into business. We did not have any business background ... Moreover we were living a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and I didn't want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating good quality software. I decided to support him.. Typical of Murty, he just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainy day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I have. Take it. I give you three years sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needs of our house. You go and chase your dreams without any worry. But you have only three years! Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981,with enormous interest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with Murty. We bought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys office. I was a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job as Senior Systems Analyst with Walchand group of Industries to support the house. In 1983 Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore . Murty moved to Bangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to Hubli to deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was born, Murty left for the US on project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was unable to join Murty in the US because my son had infantile eczema, an allergy to vaccinations. So for more than a year I did not step outside our home for fear of my son contracting an infection. It was only after Rohan got all his vaccinations that I came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in Jayanagar and rented another house as Infosys headquarters. My father presented Murty a scooter to commute. I once again became a cook, programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant et c al. Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys) and his wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini babysat my son, I wrote programs for Infosys. There was no car, no phone, and just two kids and a bunch of us working hard, juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys was taking shape. It was not only me but also the wives of other partners too who gave their unstinted support. We all knew that our men were trying to build something good. It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking out for one another. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter Akshata with all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all of us. Murty made it very clear that it would either be me or him working at Infosys. Never the two of us together... I was involved with Infosys initially. Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but Murty said he did not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was shocked since I had the relevant experience and technical qualifications. He said, Sudha if you want to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily. I was pained to know that I will not be involved in the company my husband was building and that I would have to give up a job that I am qualified to do and love doing. It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind Murty's request..I realized that to make Infosys a success one had to give one's 100 percent.. One had to be focussed on it alone with no other distractions. If the two of us had to give 100 percent to Infosys then what would happen to our home and our children? One of us had to take care of our home while the other took care of Infosys. I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty's dream. It was a big sacrifice but it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murty says, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are responsible for my success... Great na.... That's the Power of Love. Every man need s a wom a n to motivate him and to give him a reason to live....

A story of delays and missed deadlines

About two years ago, when the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) announced its plans to strengthen the city’s infrastructure in view of the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG), citizens were excited about the brand new look the city would wear.

However, with less than 45 days remaining for the inauguration of the Games, the civic body is struggling hard to meet the deadline which has been postponed twice. The Games are scheduled to be held at the Balewadi sports complex from October 11 to 18.

In September last year, MP and chairman of CYG's organising committee Suresh Kalmadi and municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi had announced that detailed project reports and plans for strengthening the road projects were completed and work would begin soon thereafter.

While it was announced that the work would be completed by June 30, the deadline was later extended to August 15 when the pace of work slowed down for one reason or the other. Pardeshi then announced that the projects will be completed by the end of September.

The plan involved widening, concretisation and beautification of 13 main roads, resurfacing of 10 link roads and developing parking lots and pedestrian facilities.

Although priority was given to the roads leading to Balewadi complex, including airport to Ramwadi octroi post, Sancheti hospital to university chowk, Hotel Greenpark to Balewadi stadium and airport junction to Vishrantwadi chowk, only less than 50 per cent work has been completed on these roads.

According to details of status of road works furnished by the PMC to TOI on Wednesday, on some roads like the Sancheti hospital to Harris bridge just 20 per cent work is complete till date although the work order was given on January 24, 2008. Kalyaninagar junction to Alandi road has been completed just about 30 per cent. Work on Shivaji road, Nehru road and Bajiroa road are only 50 per cent complete.

Similarly, out of the 12 parking lots, four will not be coming up at all as the PMC has not been able to procure land for them at Baner, Wadgaon, near Alka theatre and near Bopodi octroi post.

Work is still on at plots at Moledina hall, Revenue colony, Ramwadi, Parvati, Kothrud bus depot and JM road and opposite the PMC building and near the Savarkar bhavan.

A senior civic official cited land acquisition as a major reason for the delay in projects.

An e-waste disposal plant

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will soon have an e-waste management system in place with the standing committee on Tuesday approving a proposal to allocate five acres of land to set up an e-waste disposal plant at Yevlewadi. The e-waste management and disposal project will be run on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The PMC will also take up awareness campaigns to inform the public about the health hazards of e-waste and the need for its proper disposal. The proposal states that the quantity of e-waste being generated is rapidly rising in the city due to the presence of the large number of information technology companies and also the increased usage of electronic goods at individual levels. According to an e-waste, electric and electronic equipment assessment study undertaken by the air quality management cell of the PMC, more than 2,584 metric tonnes of e-waste is generated per year in Pune. This is increasing every year. The study states that discarded electronics equipment contain hazardous materials and if not disposed properly, they pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. To address the issue of e-waste management, Sarathi, a city-based NGO, had recently organised a seminar on e-waste management involving IT companies and the PMC. E-wastes include discarded IT and telecom equipment like personal computers, monitors and laptops; large household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines; consumer and lighting equipment; electrical and electronic tools, toys, leisure and sports equipment and medical devices.