New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) National carrier Air India is likely to seek more time from Boeing for taking a final call on the firm’s proposal offering it 11 single-aisle aircraft in lieu of three wide-body B777s, which were a part of a 68-aircraft order placed in January, 2006.

The airline has constituted a three-member panel to go into the pros and cons of the proposal, which has been pending for nearly four years, Air India sources said today.

Boeing had asked the airline to take a final decision on the long-pending proposal by this month.

Air India had initially planned to cancel the order for the three B777s following the downturn in aviation sector worldover in 2008 but had to deferred the deliveries as there was no “cancellation clause”, the sources said.

Later, the US aircraft maker offered Air India to convert this order into an order for 11 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

“Air India has sought an extension in the deadline as it wants the new chairman and managing director (CMD) to take a call on such an important issue,” one of the sources said.

Air India CMD Rohit Nandan has set up a committee of three functional directors to go into the proposal and submit the report in this regard, they said.

As part of its fleet expansion plan, the national carrier had in 2006 placed orders with Boeing for 68 aircraft: 27 Dreamliners, 15 B777-300ERs, eight B777-200LRs and 18 B-737- 800s. Of these, eight B777-200LRs, 21 Dreamliners and 18 B-737-800s have already been delivered.

Single-aisle aircraft Boeing 737 MAX has a maximum seating capacity of 180 passengers while Boeing 777-300ER has a seating capacity of 230 plus, the sources said.

In 2013, Air India sold its five Boeing 777-200LRs to Etihad for around USD 350 million.

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) With the end of the first quarter earning season, stock markets will look at global events, monsoon rains, movement of rupee and investment trend by overseas investors for further cues, say experts.

Stock markets may see positive momentum going ahead amid hopes of a rate cut based on healthy macroeconomic data.

“July WPI contracted for ninth straight month and cooling of CPI inflation has fuelled the rate cut expectations that RBI Governor may cut rates before its policy in September,” said Gaurav Jain, Director, Hem Securities.

Deflationary trends continued for the ninth month in a row in July with wholesale inflation plunging to a historic low of (-)4.05 per cent.

The WPI number follows retail inflation (CPI) data, which had slipped to a record low of 3.78 per cent in July.

“Global clues will continue to dominate market sentiments.

All eyes will be on Greece ahead of debt repayment deadline of Thursday,” said Vikas Singhania, Executive Director, Trade Smart Online.

“Any further move from China to devalue Yuan will spark fears of a global currency war. The movement of rupee against the dollar and crude oil price movement will also dictate trend on the bourses in the near term,” he added.

Progress on reforms is important for India’s economic recovery, an expert said.

“Movement of index in near-term will depend on further reform initiatives to be taken by the government,” said Vivek Gupta, CMT ? Director Research, CapitalVia Global Research.

Due to disruptions, the government could not get the GST Constitution Amendment Bill passed in the Monsoon session of Parliament which ended on Thursday.

Over the past week, the Sensex fell by 169 points to 28,067.31.

New Delhi: After getting a reprieve from the Bombay High Court on Maggi ban, Nestle India has said it is confident of defending the Rs 640-crore class action suit filed by the government against it before NCDRC.

“… We are confident of defending ourselves when called upon to do so,” a company spokesperson said in an e-mailed response.

He said the company was disappointed with the “unprecedented step of filing of a complaint before the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) against Nestle India”.

When asked if Nestle India plans a counter suit against the government, the spokesperson said: “We will study the issue when we receive the formal details.”

He said based on media reports, the complaint by the government “makes similar allegations which were made to ban the product on June 5, 2015. These issues were awaiting judgement by the Hon’ble Bombay High Court.”

Last week, the Bombay High Court had lifted the ban slapped by food regulators on nine variants of Maggi noodles in India in June while asking Nestle to go in for fresh tests.

On the other hand, the Consumer Affairs Ministry filed a class action suit against Nestle India seeking about Rs 640 crore in damages for alleged unfair trade practices, false labelling and misleading advertisements.

It was for the first time that the ministry dragged a company to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) using a provision in the nearly three-decade-old Consumer Protection Act.

Reiterating that Nestle India remains committed to working with FSSAI, FDA Maharashtra and other stakeholders, he said: “We hope that this issue will be resolved soon.”

On the company’s preparedness to bring back Maggi in the market, he said: “The process of bringing Maggi noodles back on the shelves is lengthy and complex. It requires alignment with several stakeholders, including our suppliers, distributors and retailers, among others, as well as our continuous engagement with the authorities.”

He further said that the Maggi noodles business, which is an important part of Nestle India “is currently at a standstill”.

“It is Nestle India’s endeavour to get Maggi noodles back on the shelves as soon as possible for the benefit of our consumers,” the spokesperson said.

In June, central food safety regulator FSSAI had banned Maggi noodles, saying it was “unsafe and hazardous” for consumption and the company also withdrew the product from the market.

BAKU, Azerbaijan – Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev opened the 14th International Travel and Tourism Exhibition in Baku on April 3.

The traditional exhibition brought together 371 companies from 42 countries representing proposals for 80 tourism destinations in Azerbaijan on April 2-4.

AITF has recently turned into a main event in Azerbaijan’s fast growing tourism market attracting a large number of international participants and trade visitors from year-to-year. Moreover, AITF is the leading international exhibition in the Caucasian region.

This year, the exhibition presents 17 national groups in attendance from Argentina, Bulgaria, Iran, Georgia, the Dominican Republic, India, Malaysia, Morocco, UAE, Slovenia, Thailand, and Turkey, among other countries. The Maldives makes its debut among the national stands.

Exhibitors include tour operators, national tourism organizations, hotel chains, sanatoriums, health and recreational centers, spa centers, as well as sports and environmental tourism organizations. The potential of the country’s regions Gabala, Gakh, Guba, Ganja, Zagatala, Ismayilli, Lankaran, Masalli, Mingachevir, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Khachmaz, Sheki, as well as other regions attracts many visitors.

Traditionally, the exhibition has a stand for Karabakh, which acquaints guests of the exhibition with the cultural and historical heritage of the region.

The president and his spouse, Mehriban Aliyeva also reviewed two exhibitions held along with AITF: 9th Caucasus international exhibition of equipment and accessories for hotels, restaurants and supermarkets HOREX Caucasus 2015, and 2nd Caspian International Boat and Yacht Show CIBS 2015.

Horex Caucasus 2015 exhibition presents an excellent opportunity for choosing necessary equipment, utensils, food, and drinks from leading international manufacturers and distributors of HoReCa sector for newly built and future facilities. The leading companies from Azerbaijan, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Russia, and Turkey present their products in the exhibition.

CIBS 2015 exhibition is comprised of the Azerbaijan State Maritime Administration, Arcadia Marine House, the Azerbaijan Sailing Federation, the Baku Marine Service, Regal Boats, and Seagull Caspian, among others.

The exhibition presents powerboat technology products, related products for outdoor activities, as well as the latest technological advances of the industry for professionals, amateurs, and visitors. Participants range from those in Azerbaijan, to Ukraine, and the U.S.

“The AITF exhibition is really leading here, taking into account the number of its participants, as well as the territorial coverage,” Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfas Garayev said at the opening of the exhibition.

“AITF is now not just an exhibition but also a forum. It features tourism potential of different countries of the world as well as hotel equipment and other areas. All this is not accidental as Azerbaijan has already taken a position on the world tourism map,” he said.

The minister noted that beside other countries, the exhibition features expositions from all Azerbaijani regions.

“Azerbaijan has become the center of international events, and that imposes great responsibility upon us for high-quality development of the sector. Azerbaijan has made great moves in the sphere of development of tourism,” Garayev added.

The exhibition is supported by the Azerbaijan Culture and Tourism Ministry, The World Tourism Organisation, Azerbaijan National Confederation of Entrepreneurs Organizations, International Tourism Trade Fair Association.

The event is organized by Iteca Caspian LLC and its partner, the British ITE Group Plc.

There was something simple, something cute and something downright sexy on the evening of Day 4 at Amazon India Fashion Week 2015 in the Capital. Veteran designer Poonam Bhagat’s label Taika, on Saturday, took an artistic interpretation of Cubist painter Pablo Picasso’s fascination for lines and dots, transferred the constellation drawings from the canvas to the fabrics, and presented a simple and unique collection on the ramp.

Long skirts, dresses with outwardly curved thighs, full-sleeve shirts with wide peplums, boatneck tops and cut-out jackets formed the range in ivory, cobalt blue, black and orange, paying ode to the setting sun. Special ‘constellation headgears’ were crafted by Tokyobased milliner Satsuki Nakagawa for the show. The collection was minimal yet chic, and brought to the fore the designer’s skill for traversing through younger styles with a sophisticated sensibility. Speaking of sensibilities, Pero by Aneeth Arora brought explored identity through art with her 1930’s militaryinspired collection , juxtaposed with adorable little dolls created by a Gurgaon-based contemporary artist. Miniature dolls lined either side of the ramp and small green-coloured first-aid military boxes lay on the seats-with knick-knacks like Swiss knives, patterned band-aids, badges and postcards- while chants in a foreign language filled the room.

As guests took guesses over what the collection was going to be about, they were called to attention by a live marching band belting out beats on a drum and tunes from synchronised bugles. The show began with models strutting down in feminine-androgynous ensembles-check jackets with loose jeans and boots, berets with pompoms on top, dresses with softly pleated skirts boasting of dot and star prints, dungarees, oversized parkas and gallaces over wide trousers-while Princess Pea dolls played as accessories

Fabrics comprised handwoven wool (from the Himalays) with Scottish checks and indigo resist block-printed khadi from Gujarat. Also on display on garments were enamel brass buttons made by Rajasthani silversmiths. The showstopper was the artist herself who walked the ramp wearing an oversized doll head covering her face.

The final show for the evening was by one of the hottest tickets among the fashion fraternity, designer Gaurav Gupta. Lame fabrics made a comeback at the show with draped one shoulder dresses, hooded tops, and pre-stitched saris in shimmering blue and plum tones. Elements of the customary ‘goth’ in G.G. Studio was presented with subtle elegance.

Three party dresses with irregular gold and black sequins were wellcrafted and received admiration and applause from the spectators. Structured bows and shoulders added dimension to the garments while men’s suits in grey pinstripes brought a masculine edge

The panellists discussed if India needed to make efforts to win the West or if there was already enough to grab their attention. Adding historical context, Kumar said, “India has faced too many years of carrying a colonial hangover. We were a poor country, yes, but we were never poor in textiles. We need to build on our strengths.” Rhodes-who has designed for the likes of UK’s Princess Diana and singer Freddie Mercury- confessed she fell in love with Indian textiles, saris and salwar-kameez in 1980s. In 1987, she even did a show on saris.

Beeche, meanwhile, said, “India riveted my whole being. My senses were on fire with the colours, smells, emotions and devotion. I thought this was better than a Paris catwalk, and decided to give it all up to stay here and photograph the beauty I saw.”

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amazon-india-fashion-week-2015-for-the-love-of-picasso-and-dolls/1/426369.html

Aditi Arya was declared fbb Femina Miss India World 2015 at a star-studded event at the Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai on 28th March. Aafreen Rachel Vaz walked away with the fbb Femina Miss India 2015 first runner-up crown, while Vartika Singh was fbb Femina Miss India 2015 second runner-up!

Gurgaon girl Aditi Arya, a research analyst, received the crown from Miss India 2014 Koyal Rana. Aditi will represent India at Miss World 2015 to be held later this year. She believes in staying busy with constructive activities and says every woman must possess grace and compassion.

Mangaluru’s Aafreen Rachel Vaz, fbb femina Miss India 2015 first runner-up,is a medical student who has spent many years growing up in New Zealand. The leggy lass earned applause during the semi-final round when she was asked to part with one motivational quote that influenced her life. “Be your own best friend,” she said. She was crowned by Miss India International 2014 Jhataleka Malhotra.

Lucknow’s Vartika Singh was crowned fbb Femina Miss India 2015 second runner-up by Miss India United Continental 2014 Gail Nicole Da Silva.. She also went on to win the title of fbb Beauty With a Purpose. Singh has a keen interest in dance and sports.

The grand finale boasted an eminent jury of top names from the field of entertainment and fashion — Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Manisha Koirala, Shilpa Shety, Sonali Bendre, Chitrangada Singh, filmmaker Feroz Nadiadwala, designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and choreographer Shaimak Davar.

The show was hosted by the exuberant Manish Paul and he was joined by the gorgeous Neha Dhupia for a segment.

The Top 5 finalists — Aafreen Rachel Vaz, Aditi Arya, Vartika Singh, Deeksha Kaushal and Tanya Hope walked the ramp with popular TV actors such as Gautam Gulati and Karan Tacker, amongst others. The evening witnessed glorious moments of glamour, verve and determination where the finalists were adjudged on various parameters of grace, elegance, intelligence and presentation.

The Grand Finale also saw the crowning of two sub-titles- fbb Miss Beauty with a Purpose and Reliance Digital Miss Multimedia. Guwahati’s Rewati Chetri was declared the winner of Reliance Digital Miss Multimedia and was fastracked to Top 10. Vartika Singh, the winner of fbb Miss Beauty with a Purpose was gratified with a Style wardrobe from fbb worth Rs 50,000.

Touted as the most glamorous and credible beauty pageant of the country, fbb Femina Miss India 2015 saw electrifying performances by Bollywood stars Kareena Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandes, Shahid Kapoor and Famous singers like Kanika Kapoor, Meet Brothers, and Shalmali Kholgade. The 52nd year of fbb Femina Miss India 2015 was celebrated with glamour and panache.

TV characters from `Comedy Nights With Kapil’, Palak and Daadi draped actor John Abraham in a blue sari, terming the phenomenon “wardrobe malefunction.” The actor played to the gallery with a catwalk. Paul, on his part, indulged both the judges and contestants in goofy banter, egging four contestants to dance to Sonu Nigam’s songs.

The evening also saw actress Kalki Koechlin make a swift entry on stage to talk about her upcoming film ‘Margarita, With A Straw’. In the film Palki plays a girl suffering from cerebral palsy.

The stunning 21 finalists were introduced in gorgeous saree gowns by designer Mandira Wirk. The collection was complimented by diamond jewellery by PC Jeweller. A special collection of fbb created by Sailex featured the finalists draped in luxuriously elegant styles of the house, crafted as per the fbb Spring Summer 2015. Reflecting the brand’s vibrant color palette for the season, the ensembles are created in shades of ivory, cream, peachy pink and washed indigo.

Gorgeous evening gowns by Gavin Miguel, a collection called Jewel Luxe, adorned by the contestants, was inspired by jewels and defined by colour, cut and finesse.

The unprecedented success of the grand finale follows the super-successful city editions that received an overwhelming response from participants across the country. This year the pageant featured 13 city auditions, 3 regional auditions and 2 city pageants which culminated into a gala final round of auditions, and gave wings to larger-than-life aspiration of millions of young women out to redefine their destiny.

The pageant’s title sponsor is fbb. The pageant is powered by Neutrogena, with PC Jeweller as the crown and jewellery partner. The pageant is held in association with Reliance Digital. Sofitel Luxury Hotels, Mumbai BKC is the Hospitality partner.

Sunny Leone’s upcoming film Ek Paheli Leela boasts of some peppy tracks including ‘Desi Look’ and ‘Saiyaan Superstar’ where we spotted the actress doing some sensuous moves. But the bubbly actress wasn’t the only one to shake the leg during rehearsals on the sets.

During the shoot of ‘Saiyaan Superstar’, producer Bhushan Kumar visited the sets, which was constructed in Mumbai, to see how the song is looking and to have a meeting with the other producer and choreographer Ahmed Khan. During a break, when the producers were having an important discussion, Sunny Leone made the three dance to the tunes of the song. She taught them some steps and made them do a small jig which was captured by the photographer on the set. The on lookers there couldn’t hold back and supported Sunny. Ahmed being the choreographer was a pro but Bhushan was having fun while shaking his legs.

Produced by T-Series and Paperdoll Entertainment and directed by Bobby Khan, Ek Paheli Leela also stars Mohit Ahlawat, Rajniesh Duggal and Jay Bhanushali and it is all set to release on April 10.

​Philips presented a captivating collection by ace designer Wendell Rodricks at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015

Mumbai, March 22, 2015: Ace designer Wendell Rodricks did not fail to impress yet again with his collection ‘Popology’ at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/ Resort 2015 presented by Philips.
Highly roused by the ‘Pop Art’ trend, Wendell let loose a burst of colour on stage, mesmerising the awaiting audience. This collection was also a referral to the concept of pop-up stores that merchandise at unusual places, making it accessible to a wider group of ​consumers. His idea was to fit into the concept of youthful fashion that made it attainable in an instant.
The collection unfolded onto the ramp in a sensational array of hues like sunshine yellow, burnt orange, olive green, pale mint, dove grey, black, candy pink, pale lilac, Turkish blue, turquoise blue and signature white. Each garment sent out a precise Pop Art statement in terms of the cut, colour and freshness, which radiated from the ensembles.
Based on a wave of nostalgia from the 1960’s style and silhouettes, the line brought a very fashion-forward touch to the ramp. The signature style carried out by Wendell Rodricks, who is known to excel in his craft and expertise, was clearly evident as the models cat-walked, leaving the audience in awe.
The models danced down the runway to upbeat music like “Uptown Funk’ in a fun and catchy way that was contagious. The clothing line commenced with a black Lycra bikini and hotpants under silk crépe rectangular beach shirt. Soon it was the 60’s silhouettes like the purple crépe silk dress featuring a yellow satin stripe, olive and dove grey ribbons that were worn over yellow linen Capris.
Some of the men’s wear that accentuated the collection was a candy pink linen jacket that edged in black silk and paired with grey linen beach pyjamas and another that was a pop art men’s grey linen shirt worn over turquoise linen beach pyjamas.
The show stopping garment was preceded with a hunky model wearing an orange linen men’s jacket with lavender silk detailing and crépe silk beach pyjamas.
Show stopper, Waluscha took the spectators by surprise when the lights dimmed to neon blue and she walked out wearing a jet black swimsuit over a wool crépe pleated peplum skirt. She was the perfect defining icon to the youthful collection.
‘Popology’ by Wendell Rodricks presented by Philips was a vibrant, fun, young line of clothing that had all the fashion divas swooning over it.

(Exclusive reporting Real News of India team )

Shilpa Reddy and Ridhi Mehra presented amazing style directions at Jabong stage during Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015

RIDHI MEHRA REFLECTED A STUNNING COLLECTION AT JABONG STAGE DURING LAKME FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2015.

22 March 2015, Mumbai: Youthful designer, Ridhi Mehra showcased a timeless spectrum of clothing titled ‘A Mirror Affaire’ at Jabong Stage during Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015.

Taken by the intriguing interior decoration of the Sheesh Mahal – the palace of unbelievable beauty, Ridhi incorporated tastefully the essence of the palace onto her garments. Based on oriental charms juxtaposed with the subtleness of the romantic West; a fusion was artistically created to merge the romantic era and the craftsmanship of the Mughals.

Dainty soft-powdered hues like blush, nude, peach were balanced with bolder tones of mint green, orange and dreamy white dominated the colour palette.
While staying true to her signature look, the designer played around and achieved an elegant, refreshing mix of aari and mirror work brought to life with hints of zardosi. The compilation, this season consisted of grand anarkalis, jumpsuits, capes, jackets with peplums, saris, blouses and cholis.
The designer also played with a unique concept of embellishing see-through fabric with flower motifs, which appeared to float on one’s body in an almost dream-like manner.
Embellishments comprised rich thread work, which graced each form, as Grecian drapes helped to soften the feel of the collection.

Riches from the orient such as Chanderi silk, georgette, chiffon, satin and net were used to create the airy feminine silhouettes radiating a delicate tease.
The showstopper was lovely Bollywood star of the film; “Fugly” Kiara Advani who graced the runway in a gorgeous green choli, with the skirt enriched with several layers of embroidered fabric.
Footwear by Dune London and jewellery by Prerto added to the beauty of the collection.

‘The Mirror Affaire’ by Ridhi Mehra was a bold step towards the romantic mirage of a woman, who moves towards glory.

SHILPA REDDY’S ENSEMBLES WERE VISIONS OF BEAUTY AT JABONG STAGE DURING LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2015

Shilpa Reddy showcased an ethereal collection titled ‘Moon Lit Sand’ inspired by the moon at Jabong Stage during Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015.

Staying true to the essence of the range, the colour palette comprised gold, silver, white, sand, royal blue, copper, grey and nudes for a timeless edge.
The Indo-western range showcased easy-to-wear, timeless silhouettes like skirts, jackets, tops, blouses, capes, pants and lehenga cholis that floated down the ramp in luxurious fabrics like malka and khadi silk.

Floral motifs, thread work, embroidery and subtle texturing added to the fresh, fun and flirty vibe of the outfits.
The designer played with each form, adding a whimsical western touch to traditional Indian outfits.

Embellishments like beads, sequins and crystals were used to add a brilliant, luminous effect to each piece – a reflection of the moon and were balanced with a solid strip of colour at the bottom.
Some of the pieces which stood out were a unique pre-stitched sari with pants in tangerine with a bead encrusted blouse; while a shimmering gold blouse stole the spotlight as a fashionably functional separate that could be paired with pants, shorts or a skirt.
Lastly, the show stopper, actress Nimrat Kaur known for her role in the movie “Lunchbox” took the catwalk in a stunning forest green embroidered lehenga teamed with a half sleeved jacket worn over a sensual low cut blouse.

Beautiful, elegant and eternal, Shilpa Reddy’s collection ‘Moon Lit Sand’ is sure to have any fashionista feeling like a Goddess.

About Lakmé:

Contemporary Indian beauty expert Lakmé continuously innovates to offer a wide range of, high performance and world class color cosmetics, skincare products, and beauty salons. In addition to leveraging Unilever’s worldwide expertise, Lakmé also partners with the leading cosmetic house Milan-based Intercos Italia, Schwann Stabilo Germany and Paris-based Fiabila. Combining international cosmetic technology with an in-depth understanding of the Indian woman’s needs, Lakmé also offers its consumers a comprehensive beauty experience through its products and services at the Lakmé Salons and Studios. For further information log on to www.lakméindia.com

About IMG Reliance:
IMG Reliance Pvt Ltd., is an equal joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India’s largest and most recognized private sector company, and IMG Worldwide (IMG), the world’s leading sports marketing and management company. The joint venture company will develop, market and manage sports and entertainment in India. Its current assets include India’s premier fashion event, Lakmé Fashion Week and South Asia’s only ATP World Tour event, the Aircel Chennai Open. IMG Reliance has entered agreements with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to create a new professional basketball league and manage all aspects of the commercial rights to the game in India and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), to improve, popularize and promote the game of football throughout India, from the grassroots to the professional level. IMG Reliance has also created a scholarship program to identify and train talented young Indians from sports including – basketball, soccer and tennis-at IMG’s world-class sports training facilities at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.

( Exclusive reporting by Real News of India Team)