“Tech-a-break” as the name suggests is a weeklong of fun activities held every year in Techno Park, Trivandrum, to refresh and rejuvenate the IT professionals in the campus. The event is marked with fun, frolic, entertainment and enthusiasm. It’s a much needed break for all the techies from their hectic work schedule and to reinvent the fun filled days of their yester years.
All the celebrations have been kick started by a colorful rally represented by almost all the companies. The rally is conducted based on fun themes and all the participants of the rally will be dressed up in colorful attire based on the theme. The whole atmosphere of the rally is so electrifying and entertaining that it brings out memories of a great carnival.

Music concerts and dance shows by some of the greatest artists available in the country have been held on every night to further enrich the mega event. There have also been cultural activities, sports, games and other competitions held on day time during the event. Some of the main competitions during the event included singing, dancing, skits, fashion show etc. The event serves as an ideal platform for all the techies to show off their extracurricular talents. Also great prizes are on offer for the winners of all the competitions.
We at e-Team had a bigger part to play during this year’s event. On the entertainment front we have participated in many fun events and the one to mention is the rally for which we won the third prize. Our theme was also well appreciated by many, as it focused on bringing out the hazards of Global warming. At the technical front we were able to bring fun and information to the techno park community, with our interactive touch screen monitor placed at the Food Court inside Techno Park. Pictures and live updates of the mega event were made available and to add to that there were also interactive games on offer too. This venture was a huge success and was received warmly by all the techies.
So do have a look at all the images of the event and send us your valuable suggestions and feedback. Be it suggestions for next year’s event, for the masks or even for the technologies that we offer.

1. The Indian system of education encouraged mental accounting by learning the multiplication table by rote and reinforced by periodical Quiz by Mathematics teacher.
2. The intelligent child among the class is appreciated by teacher and awe by students.
3. Being Nerd meant being in good books of teachers and benefits (Head of class, Monitor, Quiz champion, Class Prefect) followed.
4. Folklores/ lullaby: “Likhoge padhoge banoge nawab, kheloge koodoge hoge kharaab” ( Rough translation-Studies will make your life, sports will mar it). Made famous by a movie called Barood(1986)
5. In Math class teacher gave some problems to solve, smart kids finished faster then could go to bathroom or talk with fellow smart kids, creating for classmates a sense of emergency to finish off too.

(more…)

‘Once upon a time, a weaver dreamt of a girl and wove fabric, the shimmer of her tears, drape of her tumbling hair, colors of her many moods, softness of her touch; and he wove without stopping for many yards. When he was done, he sat back and smiled and smiled’. Folklore says so about the birth of a fabric called sari- renowned worldwide for its elegance. When talking about Indian dress code, it has to inevitably begin with this queen of attire. This 5, 6 or 9 yard wonder has survived centuries and still remains the favorite attire for women of every generation. What makes it so popular is the fact that it renders grace to anyone who wears it. It can also be maneuvered to different styles according to region, custom or simply one’s personal choice. We have a variety of saris ranging from Banaras to Kanchipuram, each having a rich history of its own.

(more…)

There is something irresistibly appealing about the freshly cooked piping hot snacks which the roadside vendors sell. It could be that attraction factor that pulls us to the food even when we are well aware that it was not prepared in the best of hygienic conditions.

Street food has always been in question for how clean and healthy it is. But studies suggest that often it is better than restaurant food, because we hardly ever get to know how they prepare it in the dingy kitchens and how long it is stored. Street food finds its takers amongst all sections of the society, not to mention all places. Like one’s culinary habits, street food also varies from place to place. And thus, in India, we have chaat in North India, jhaalmuri in Kolkata, thattu dosa in South and so on… Research suggests that 90% of street food customers in India are men. Same goes with the vendors, but it is not uncommon to see women vendors as well.

(more…)

An occasion wherein around 1000 people gather to celebrate might be called a festival elsewhere, but not necessarily here. In India, it might be just a wedding- a simple one, rather. It is not just the wedding day that witnesses this massive crowd, engagement day and the days preceding and succeeding the wedding day could be similar too, though slightly less pompous. Friends, family and the entire neighborhood will be invited. And the magnanimity of the wedding is not just restricted to the crowd; the money involved is huge as well.

(more…)

15th general election in the largest democratic nation in the world is over. Before the outcome, it was considered to be one of the most lukewarm elections with no real issues being raised. A hung parliament was the common verdict. And then May 16th threw a surprise in the form of results- Congress party exceeded its own expectations and went ahead to win 206 seats and together with its UPA partners secured a comfortable majority. A quick recap of the month-long five-phased election campaign: the first phase was flagged off on April 16th in several states and following that in four more dates, different states went to poll. For a young nation, it doesn’t come as a surprise to know that 65% of the voter base was between ages 18 and 35. The year also marked an improvement in youth representation in the contests, and many were given thumbs up by the people, as proven by the results.

(more…)

Recession is in the air; and with it, a fear of an impending saga of lay offs. But it seems that the Indian economy is not affected so much as to crumble under recession. IT/ITES sector has been one of the worst hit. Another was aviation which saw a lot of lay offs, but it seems to be already on the path of recovery. There was news of Air India recruiting cabin crew- an obvious consolation during these difficult times. Recession had its impacts, but the good news is that we could find ways to counter it. Even though BFSI (Banking, Financial Sector and Insurance) sector was hit, banking system was good enough to face the blow. It helped that the nationalized banks are the major players in banking industry. Home loan rates have been lowered to help real estate. Automobile sector showed dip in sales in Nov-Dec. But government has already announced excise rate cuts for auto sector. Oil prices were cut down to increase liquidity. Export industry and IT sector are shifting focus to other countries. In total, recession has taken its toll in India, but the magnitude has been comparably less. A good thinking applied now may help much to gain an edge over many other countries when the bad times are over.

Who helped Microsoft spread awareness about ‘Vista’, Reliance Petrol sell IPO forms, and Yash Raj Films advertise the movie ‘Tashan’? Who has not gone on strike for the past hundred years even while operating in the land of strikes? Who has fascinated b-schools all over the world and has got admirers including Prince Charles and Richard Branson? Don’t rack your brains to find the name of a famed corporate; we are talking about the dabbawallahs of Mumbai.
Though told over and again, the epic of the dabbawallahs ought to reach everyone who has not heard it; such is the awe it inspires. To start with, Forbes magazine rated them as having six-sigma quality literally placing them in the league of Motorola, GM and co. To complement the feat, we have the fact that they did it with no modern technology or the help of management grads, but with only manpower and commitment.
‘Dabba’ is a lunchbox and dabbawallah is the one who carries it. In more detail, dabbawallahs are people who supply home-cooked meals to around 200 thousand people in Mumbai, and also a few in some other cities. They collect the packed dabba from a customer’s home or food counters, as per the customer’s requirement, and distribute it to the customer on time. In the evening these dabbas are reverted back to their origins. To understand why dabbawallahs are so much in demand, first of all we need to understand Mumbai and its people.

(more…)

Kerala is the land of coconuts and spices. And they invariably find their way into any Keralite’s food. Like everywhere else, the cuisine varies from one region to another. Here is a peep into the Malayali’s kitchens.

Northern Kerala, with a relatively larger concentration of Muslims, is home to a multitude of non-vegetarian cuisine. French influence can be seen in Mahe, with the items having made small adaptations to suit the regional availability of ingredients. Central Kerala is famous for the Syrian-Christian cuisine which is again predominantly non-vegetarian. Spicy and tasty, this genre is a sure hit in the food festivals. Southern Kerala boasts of a variety of vegetarian dishes. A marriage feast here is not considered complete without 3 kinds of payasam.

(more…)

In this category, I will talk about some of my travels, memories, and my impressions. It was for a change from the seen and known, and the acclaimed tourism spots, that we decided to visit the eco-tourism site- Silent Valley, located in the Palakkad district in Kerala. No carefully crafted gardens, no bustle of merchants, not even hotels welcoming tourists; the place is preserved without even a dash of make-up. Silent Valley, as the name indicates, is so silent as to be able to inject an instant calm, so green that it is a visual treat. The river Bhavani flowing through the place is so crystal clear that you can even see the shapes of the stones on the river bed, beautifully and naturally chiseled by the flowing river.

(more…)