Confirmed: Satyameva Jayate Gears Up For A Bigger Sequel With John Abraham & Divya Khosla In The Lead

Mumbai, October 1, 2019: Ever since the high-octane vigilante action drama film — Satyameva Jayate hit the screens last year and turned out to be a big success, one has been anticipating a sequel to the film. And voila, the makers have now announced the second installment to the Satyameva Jayate franchise. John Abraham, who played a vigilante who goes on a corrupt cop-killing spree in the original is pairing up with Divya Khosla Kumar to bring Satyamev Jayate 2 for their fans. The movie, to be directed by Milap Zaveri and produced by T-Series and Emmay Entertainment & Motion Pictures, will go on floors soon. 

Milap, who is charged up about the project, says he is looking forward to working with John again and Divya for the first time. While Milap and John had collaborated earlier, it was with Satyameva Jayate that they tasted mega success as the movie crossed Rs 20 crore on the first day itself making it Milap and John’s highest opening ever. The vigilante action film was also high on emotion and drama, making it an overall entertainer for the masses. The makers now want to take the story ahead. 

Says Milap, “Satyameva Jayate 2 is twice the action, emotion, Power, patriotism and punch. Led by John Abraham back as a crusader for justice and with Divya Khosla Kumar joining the franchise I hope next Gandhi Jayanti we provide the audiences with a powerful entertainer that also gives a strong message against corruption.” 

John, too, is excited about being part of this venture. “I genuinely enjoyed the story and telling of the original film. I could tell it was a story that the audience will find engaging. With SMJ2, the aim, once again, is to entertain the audience with a story that’s relevant in today’s times,” he says. 

The fresh pairing of John and Divya, who returns to acting after directing two movies of her own, is another highlight of the project. “I didn’t want to act in a film just for the sake of it,” says the latter. “For me, what mattered was the story and the role, and I got the right opportunity with this film,” she adds. 

Nikkhil Advani of Emmay Entertainment believes the sequel will be an even bigger entertainer. He says, “John and Milap make for a formidable team and we are happy to push the envelope with a project that’s not only for the audiences to enjoy but is socially relevant as well.” 

Satyameva Jayate 2 produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar (T-Series), Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani, Nikkhil Advani (Emmay Entertainment) is slated to release ‪on October 2, 2020.

MERCER REMIX OF DJ SNAKE’S “RECOGNIZE” FT. MAJID JORDAN RELEASES TODAY

— (Santa Monica) — Today, French DJ/producer Mercer releases his official remix of “Recognize” by DJ Snake (Geffen) ft. Majid Jordan (OVO).

Listen to “Recognize” by DJ Snake ft. Majid Jordan [Mercer Remix]

HERE:  https://umgi.lnk.to/RecognizeMercerRemix 

A fellow member of Pardon My French — a musical collective comprised of DJ Snake, Tchami, and Malaa — Mercer brings his signature disco stylings to his deeply infectious remix of “Recognize.” Featuring Toronto based Majid Jordan, signed to OVO who’s first global hit ‘Just Hold On We’re Going Home’ with Drake topped global charts.

The original version of “Recognize” appears on DJ Snake’s sophomore album Carte Blanche, a July release featuring guest spots from such superstar artists as Cardi B, Offset, J. Balvin, Sean Paul, and more. In addition to “Recognize,” Carte Blanche includes the triple-platinum single “Taki Taki” ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B (a #11 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and DJ Snake’s second global #1 record), “Enzo” (a collaboration with Sheck Wes, featuring Offset, 21 Savage & Gucci Mane), the India-inspired club smash “Magenta Riddim,” and the bilingual summer anthem “Loco Contigo” (with J. Balvin & Tyga). Carte Blanche recently reached #1 on Billboard’s US Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, as well as the top 50 on the Billboard 200.

With its title translating to “the freedom to do whatever one chooses,” Carte Blanche finds DJ Snake fully embodying that spirit by breaking all musical and creative boundaries. The album arrives as the follow-up to the multi-platinum producer’s first studio effort Encore — a 2016 release that debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 and offered up the smash single “Let Me Love You” ft. Justin Bieber (a four-times-platinum hit that shot to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100).

For more info on DJ Snake, visit: 

www.djsnake.com

https://twitter.com/djsnake

https://instagram.com/djsnake/

https://www.facebook.com/djsnake.fr

https://www.youtube.com/djsnake

Celina Sharma and Emiway Bantai - Lean On

CELINA SHARMA TEAMS UP WITH EMIWAY BANTAI

FOR DEBUT SINGLE “LEAN ON”

LISTEN TO ‘LEAN ON’ HERE 

Rising starlet Celina Sharma has teamed up with one of India’s premier artists, Emiway Bantai for her debut single ‘Lean On’ which is out now on Virgin EMI.  

The track perfectly weaves Celina’s taste for house influenced pop with Emiway’s unique lyrical stylings to create a song that mixes influences from both Western music and Celina’s Indian heritage. 

The Australian 17-year-old got started sharing covers on TikTok as a teenager and over time amassed nearly 200k thousand followers worldwide on the platform, and was discovered when international cricket legend Chris Gayle posted a video of her on his Instagram.  Since then her profile has been growing and growing, to the point where she’s performed with the singer Yashua during his support slot for CNCO in Miami in front of 30,000 people and has been named a BBC Asian Network Future Sounds Artist 2019, all before she’s even dropped her first single. 

Emiway Bantai, is an independent artist and one of India's best rappers. He released his first hit single ‘Aur Bantai’ in 2014, and since then several of his tracks have crossed millions of views on YouTube. He’s considered the king of underground music with over 7.3 million YouTube subscribers and over 1.5 followers on Instagram. Emiway is one of the very few music artists in India that have catapulted themselves into superstardom solely with the use of social media. With his lyrical dominance, dynamic flow, and organic reach, Emiway is ready to make a global impact.

With a diverse group of influences (everyone from Freddie Mercury and Aretha Franklin to Rihanna), Celina is setting out to fuse western pop with Indian influences as she starts to write her own material and people can expect much more to come. 

For more information on CELINA go to:

INSTAGRAM – TIK TOK – SPOTIFY

AMBUJA CEMENT FOUNDATION BAGS LAURELS AT THE ANNUAL NATIONAL WATER MISSION AWARDS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Photo caption - R to L Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Shekhawat felicitating ACF’s Manoj Agarwal (DGM) and Brajeshsingh Tomar (DGM-Community Development) with the award

- A sum of Rs 160 crore invested in water resource management

- The project has reached 473 villages across India

October 1st, 2019, Mumbai: Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF), a pan-India grassroots implementing organization, was today awarded by Sri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Hon’ble Minister of Jal Shakti, for its work in water resource management in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The award has been received for the category ‘Focused attention to vulnerable areas including over-exploited areas’, which is one of the major goals of the National Water Mission.

ACF has worked in water resource management for the past 25 years, across 11 states, from the deserts of Rajasthan, to the mountains of Himachal and Uttarakhand, from the interiors of Maharashtra to the coastline of Gujarat. It is important to understand that water issues in India vary greatly from region to region. Keeping this in mind, ACF has been working with local communities, corporates and the government to ensure a water secured future. 

The project interventions for water resource management presented by ACF for National Water Mission Awards were implemented in three districts, namely, Gir Somnath of Gujarat and Pali & Nagaur districts of Rajasthan. 

While the main issue faced by Gujarat was that of saline water intrusion, Rajasthan saw a challenge in water supplies due to scanty rainfall and drought. These lead to financial and social hindrances among individuals as well as ecological problems in the above regions. ACF adopted interventions that had a holistic impact on the community, through the following framework:

• Water Harvesting & Storage: ACF uses traditional practices followed in the region with technology to enhance the effectiveness of water harvesting and storage solutions. Construction of Check dams, Khadins, Nadis and sub-surface dykes in Rajasthan to reviving old mining pits and linking them to rivers and canals in Gujarat, has ensured all year round water supply for our communities.

• Drinking Water: Drinking water solutions too need to be adapted to local conditions, such as, Rooftop rainwater harvesting structures in areas of abundant rainfall, handpumps where natural springs are found, to water ATM’s where groundwater is unsuitable for drinking. ACF educates local communities on the benefits of investing in these solutions, provide technical support for the installations and financial subsidies where necessary.

• Water Use Efficiency: Once water has been made available, the communities are educated about its management and efficient usage. 

Through the water project by ACF, water is now made available for additional 3-4 months in the impact areas. Moreover, there is an overall improvement in the health of the community because of the availability of clean drinking water. ACF has built over 160 people’s institutions in the above regions who ensure maintenance of the water bodies as well as educating others about water efficiency. 

Commenting on this achievement, Ms. Pearl Tiwari, Director & CEO of Ambuja Cement Foundation said “We believe in harnessing the power of various stakeholders while addressing societal issues. It is only because of this that ACF has been able to create water solutions thereby sustaining communities across India. We would like to extend our gratitude to the Government of India for honouring us with this award and their constant support in our projects.”

According to The United Nations World Water Development Report, by 2030, India’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six percent loss in the country’s GDP. Taking adequate measures is the need of the hour in order to ensure water availability across India. The water resource management measures implemented by ACF are replicable and can hence be adopted in similar regions which are suffering from water scarcity.

About Ambuja Cement Foundation

About Ambuja Cement Foundation

Established in 1993, Ambuja Cement Foundation is a grassroots pan-India implementing organization that has been building sustainable, prosperous, rural communities. With the mission to 'energize, involve and enable' communities to realize their potential, the organisation focuses on strengthening people's livelihoods through the following thrust areas - Water Resource Management, Agricultural Livelihoods, Skill Development, Women Empowerment, Health and Education.

Yashveer Choudhary ready to enchant the audience as Ajit Yadav in “The Red Land” The trailer of “The Red Land” an instant hit with its launch

Mumbai: Yashveer Choudhary who played a pivotal role in “Mirzapur” along with the renowned actor Pankaj Tripathi, is going to treat the audience with his upcoming project “The Red Land” Directed by Vivek Srivastava.which will be streaming on Gemplex, from 14th October onwards. The Trailer of The Red Land was launched on 27th September 2019 and in just a span of a moment it went viral and the audience could not stop praising Yashveer as Ajit Yadav. 

The Red Land is a movie that is based on one of the most sensitive topics prevalent in India i.e Casteism. The caste system has been a part of Indian culture since ancient times and the matter is becoming graver day by day as we can daily read about lives been taken at the pretext of caste.

For Yashveer acting is like paying a tribute to his father who had once dreamt of him becoming an actor. The actor could not control his emotions as he said “It’s a great feeling when people refer you through your work. It’s indeed a moment of pride that “The Red Land” is being appreciated and as an actor, I have given my hundred percent to this character. Thus now I can pray that Ajit Yadav gets as much love as my character in Mirzapur”. 

The Red Land revolves around two tyrant brothers Amarpal Singh and Samarpal Singh who have ruled the land on their own terms for more than three decades, things changes when they cross path with a young boy Ajit Yadav who happens to be the son of their driver, then begins the battle of Casteism, power, and greed that threatens the throne of the land without law. It is an interesting topic and I have also enjoyed working with such a great star cast.

Talking more about the issue Yashveer says, “As per my opinion, the caste system disturbs the culture by making the people more visible to prejudice, stereotyping and other things. It is totally based on our thinking of how we look at it. While shooting for the movie I was so excited to work because it is a sensitive topic and I need to be identical with my acting skills in front of the reputed star cast who are so known in the industry and showcasing everything in one go was a tough task. Hopefully I have given my best but eventually, it depends on the audience how they see it”.

About Yashveer Choudhary

Yashveer Choudhary is a blooming theatre artist, actor, and dancer who has completed his course from the National School Of Drama. He is committed to acting in an intrinsic manner. One who was named to win the truth changed into someone who earned fame for his contribution. Very few people know the real name of Yashveer is Satyajeet Kumar. Though his birthplace is Vaishali in Bihar originally, his forefathers were residents of Varanasi. He has worked with the National School of Drama and other notable theatre groups. He played pivotal roles in movies like Sendhmar and After the Last Lecture. He got a breakthrough in web series through Mirzapur.

TPL to conduct talent day on 23rd Oct

Mumbai 1st Oct:  The 2nd edition of the Tennis Premiere League which has garnered a huge response this year will be hosting its talent day at Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, Cooperage on the 23rd of October 2019. 

The talent day is a part of a 4 city talent hunt in which the organisers will select the best of talent in the boys U-14 and girls U-18 category who will get a chance to feature in the Mumbai franchise and play along with the top players of the country. The 2nd edition has received tremendous support with the like of Leander Paes, Sonali Bendre and Rakul Preet associated with the event. The event has also seen participation from some of the top players of the country like Somdev Devvarman, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, Saket Myneni, Purav Raja, Vishnu Vardhan while on the women's side, Indian No 1 Ankita Raina, Pranjala Yedlapalli, Rutuja Bhosale and Riya Bhatia will be seen in action.

The Registration fees for the talent day is 590 and apart from the chance to get featured in their home team, the participants will get t-shirts, medals and 2 seasonal passes worth 500 each.  The last date of registration is 5th October and the participants can register by logging on the Website www.tplsport.in 

Supervisory Board Appoints Martin Fischer to ZF Board of Management

·                Dr. Martin Fischer to become new member of the ZF Board of Management

·                The 49-year-old electrical engineer has many years of experience in the industry and the U.S. market

·                Responsible for the Electronics and ADAS, and Active and Passive Safety Systems divisions, North and South America regions, and Corporate Quality

Friedrichshafen. ZF Friedrichshafen AG’s Supervisory Board has appointed Dr. Martin Fischer as a new member of the ZF Board of Management.  The 49-year-old, who holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering, is expected to join the Board on 1 November, 2019, and will take over from Dr. Franz Kleiner at the start of 2020, who will then retire.

“Dr. Martin Fischer has worked in leading functions with major automotive suppliers for around two decades, many years of which were also spent in the USA. During this time, he gathered extensive experience in electronics," explained Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, chairman of the Supervisory Board. "Following his positions in the areas of body electronics, chassis electronics and driver assist systems, he most recently shaped the transformation from conventional to electrified transmissions and as such is very well versed in the challenges facing our industry today."

Dr. Martin Fischer studied engineering at the Technical University in Darmstadt and received his doctorate in the field of electrical engineering from the same university in 1999. Following a graduate program at Siemens Automotive, he took over a range of responsibilities including the product areas of chassis electronics and wireless products at Siemens VDO Automotive, before joining automotive supplier Hella in 2006. At Hella, Fischer held a range of top management roles in the Electronics business - initially in Germany and then from 2007 in the USA.

In 2014, Fischer joined listed U.S. automotive supplier BorgWarner where he served as vice president and general manager of the turbocharger division for Europe and South America. In 2018, he became president and general manager of the group’s global Transmissions Systems business unit headquarted in Detroit, USA.

Based in Livonia, Detroit (USA), Dr. Martin Fischer will succeed Dr. Franz Kleiner on the ZF Board of Management from January 1, 2020, and will take over his responsibilities for Electronics and ADAS as well as Active and Passive Safety Systems, the North and South America regions, as well as Corporate Quality. “As a Member of the Board of Management for ZF’s U.S. location, Dr. Franz Kleiner made crucial decisions concerning the rapid integration of TRW, acquired in 2015. He therefore made a significant contribution to ZF’s corporate success,” said Chairman of ZF’s Supervisory Board Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen. “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I would like to offer my sincere thanks and wish him all the best for this new stage in his life.”

Upma Kapoor is felicitated with the 'Priyadarshni Award' for Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur 2019

• The company is creating a buzz around the organic beauty space with high-quality natural products using organic products and Ayurvedic principles
• Teal & Terra is also a socially responsible organization that works towards women empowerment. The company has a team of 18 female employees who work from home and takes care of marketing, sales, and administrative roles.

Delhi, 1st October 2019: Upma Kapoor, the founder of Teal & Terra, an emerging organic beauty start-up, was felicitated with the Priyadarshni Award 2019 at the India-Afghanistan International Trade and Investment Conference, organized by the FIWE (Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs).

Ms Kapoor has received this award for her excellent work for Teal & Terra which has exhibited an outstanding success within the short period of two years and her role for empowering women. The company has grown from 8 Lakhs to 2.5 cr in a short span and continues to grow. The company hires women on a work-from-home model to allow homemakers to have a profession while taking care of their families.

Speaking about this, Ms Upma Kapoor said, “It is indeed an honor for me to receive this award. It is a reaffirmation that my efforts in my line of work are being recognized and supported by a global body. It is also an encouragement for me to direct my efforts at bettering what I do and contribute to the women and society at large. My endeavor is to change the Indian Organic beauty landscape by using natural ingredients and the age-old principles of Ayurveda. My purpose is to provide a trustworthy brand for Skin and Haircare.”  

About the company:

Teal & Terra (https://tealandterra.com/) is a Delhi based organic beauty start-up founded in the year 2017. The company aims to harness the power of Ayurveda and use the wisdom of 5000 years to create purely natural beauty products. Through extensive research and development by lab technicians and biotechnologists, the company has managed to create a formulation that contains onion oil’s benefits and in a fragrant way that attracts customers. Every Teal & Terra formula undergoes strict sampling and quality check processes conducted by lab technicians and bio-technologists. The company has its own online retail portal and its products are also available on major eCommerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart. After the positive response to the existing hair and skincare products, Teal & Terra is now working on an upcoming winter care range, and there are plans to launch a baby care range in another couple of years. 

Palava ties up with AIMS Hospital to bring holistic healthcare solutions to the region

Mumbai, 1 October 2019

Ranked as India’s No.1 smart city*, Palava is a nurturing haven for its residents that ensures healthy living and well-being. The city will soon have holistic healthcare solutions in association with Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, popularly known as AIMS Hospital, which will benefit not only the 1 lakh residents of the city but lakhs of people living in and around Palava.

The 100+ bed multi-specialty hospital coming up at Casa Rio in Palava will provide a boost to the healthcare facilities of the region in and around Palava, providing access to emergency care through 24X7 cardiac ambulances which will be instrumental in providing cardiac aid within 5-10 minutes.

Facilities at AIMS Hospital, Palava

·        International standards Operation Theaters

·        ICU, ICCU, Pediatric ICU, Neonatal ICU

·        Advanced Cath Lab

·        Endoscopy Suite & Birthing Suite

·        Daycare Center

·        Dialysis Department

·        Advanced Diagnostic Facility : X ray, USG, Doppler, Bone Density, Mammography, 2D Echo, Stress Test, CT Scan

·        Pathology

·        Dental Department

·        24*7 Cardiac Ambulance

·        24*7 Pharmacy

AIMS Hospital is accredited by NABH & ISO for its efficient quality healthcare services and is envisioned to be a centre for clinical excellence, education and innovation, by delivering world-class care and exceptional services.

The hospital expanding into the smart city is a testament to Palava’s commitment to providing quality life and superior healthcare services to its residents and those living nearby.

Dr Milind Shirodkar, Founder & Director, AIMS Hospital speaking on ever-growing healthcare landscape at Palava, says, “AIMS will provide high-quality medical services with its highly qualified doctors, state-of-the-art infrastructure, modern-age technology and efficient allied services. This step will further strengthen our objective to care for all with courtesy, compassion and competence.”

“With a strong intention to provide quality healthcare solutions in addition to the city’s natural surroundings and open spaces we are excited to partner with AIMS Hospital. The first multi-specialty hospital will benefit not only the citizens of Palava but also those living along the Kalyan-Shilphata road and nearby areas in the KDMC region” says Shaishav Dharia, Regional CEO, Lodha Group.

Bhoomi Pujan of the hospital was organized on 29^th September 2019, on the occasion of World Heart Day and was followed by health talks by expert doctors from AIMS Hospital. The citizens were also offered free health check-up covering tests for Blood Pressure, ECG, Body Mass Index and Physician Consultation.

Apart from the multi-specialty hospital at Casa Rio, Palava will also have AIMS Medical Centre at Lakeshore Greens in phase II. The satellite medical centre will be fully equipped with emergency care, pathology and diagnostic facilities. The city will have a 24X7 cardiac ambulance facility integrated with the city’s emergency service number 911, to provide easy and quick access to emergency care within 5-10 minutes.

About Lodha Group

Lodha Group is India’s No.1 real estate developer by residential sales for FY 17-18 and has achieved net sales of over INR 7,163 crore in India. Lodha Group has delivered a staggering 19,670 homes over the last 2 years of which 15,800 homes were delivered before time, i.e. every 4 out of 5 homes were delivered before time^.

About Palava

Spread over 4500 acres, Palava is located at the economic triangle of Navi Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan. In just 9 years, Palava has become home to over 1 lakh residents making it India’s fastest growing new city.  The concept of Live-Work-Learn-Play comes to life in the city where every resident finds himself surrounded by world-class amenities and opportunities to excel in every field. Designed by some of the best companies from around the world including Suez Water Technologies and Solutions, IBM, Amplus, and many other majors, Palava is envisioned to be among the world’s top 50 places to live. 

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Kerala is all set for an in-flow of travellers this festive season with Champions Boat League

Mumbai, 01^st Oct 2019: Kerala is getting ready to cheer for the very first edition of Champions Boat League (CBL) in its stunning backwaters, and with the Onam Week celebrations also around the corner, we can look forward to an in-flow of more travellers this season. The CBL, kick-started from late August, would go until the end of November. Conceived in the IPL format, it is going to be the main driver of monsoon tourism this year.

Touted as a game-changing initiative, the CBL is meant to professionalise Kerala’s largely scattered snake-boat races. The boat league commercialises them in a positive way. The CBL, whose Rs 5.9-crore prize money makes it the fourth highest in all sports in India, will mark a paradigm shift in the state’s age-old culture of boat races.

Every weekend any tourist who comes to Kerala, will be able to witness one ‘Champions Boat Race’ in any of the tourism backwaters. It will end with the President’s Trophy Boat Race in Kollam on November 23^rd, holding 12 races during the intervening weekends. It will be a world class experience for tourists.

The schedule for the ticketed CBL’s snake boat races goes thus: September 7 (Thazhathangadi, Kottayam), September 14 (Karuvatta, Alappuzha), September 28 (Piravom, Ernakulam), October 5 (Marine Drive, Kochi), October 12 (Kottappuram, Thrissur), October 19 (Ponnani, Malappuram), October 26 (Kainakari, Alappuzha), November 2 (Pulinkunnu, Alappuzha), November 9 (Kayamkulam, Alappuzha), November 6 (Kallada, Kollam), and November 23 (President’s Trophy Boat Race, Kollam).

Buoyed by a healthy surge in domestic tourist arrivals, Kerala Tourism is all set to kick-start a new aggressive marketing campaign with a string of Partnership Meets to be organized in Ten Indian Cities, showcasing a combination of the state’s traditional art forms and its attractive products of touristy appeal.

With remarkable participation in Patna, Lucknow, Indore and Bhopal during July 2019, and in Pune during August 2019, and in Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Surat during September, Kerala Tourism officials are delighted to be in Mumbai now and look forward to the Partnership meet being held later on at Nashik.

Tourism Minister Shri Kadakampally Surendran said the meets, coinciding with the Onam festivities, would provide opportunities for the tourism trade in these cities to interact with over 50 tourism industry players from Kerala. “We are expecting 60-70 buyers from the respective cities to attend each show,” he added.

The Partnership Meet will also showcase the presentation of a short 30-minute cultural programme, a visual storytelling that encapsulates the various art forms of Kerala, to unveil the village life and folklore of God’s Own Country.

Domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala in the first quarter of 2019 stood at 41,90,468 as against the figures of 38,77,712 during the corresponding period in 2018, registering an increase of 8.07 per cent.

Tourism Secretary Smt. Rani George said the increase in domestic tourist footfalls is a firm reiteration of the fact that the state’s tourism has recovered completely from January 2019 onwards. The increase in domestic tourist footfalls, especially in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Idukki — the districts that suffered the brunt of floods last year — is a pointer that Kerala’s tourism is back on track.

“Travellers from across India will find the state not only heritage-rich and enchanting but also a welcoming destination during their visits this Onam,” she added.

Smt. George said “Our mission is to peg Kerala as a soul-stirring travel experience for travellers of all hues, be it an upscale tourist, a backpacker, an adventure-seeker, a history buff, or a honeymooner.”

Tourism Director Shri P. Bala Kiran said Kerala has added an array of new and exciting products and experiences that are tailor-made for the domestic traveller and would also make the state a 365-day destination.

“A special attraction would be Jatayu Earth Centre, which houses the giant statue of Jatayu that is 200 feet long, 150 feet wide and 70 feet in height, making it the largest functional bird sculpture in the world. The destination is easily accessible as it is right at the epicentre of the south Kerala tourist spot,” he pointed out.

Another riveting product is India's first biodiversity museum, which is tucked away on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. This museum, once a boathouse, is now home to the state's first-ever Science-on-Sphere (SOS) system.

The Muziris Heritage Project, which promises to transport history buffs into a bygone era, is the largest heritage conservation project in India. The remains of a once thriving port frequented by Arabs, Romans, Egyptians as early as the first century BC is today preserved across 25 museums. Another offering in the historical space is the Spice Route Project that rekindled the 2000-year-old ancient sea links and shared cultural and culinary legacies with 30 countries.

Shri Bala Kiran said the inauguration of Kannur international airport has made Kerala the only Indian state to have four international airports. Home to the piquant Moplah cuisine, land of forts and folklores, the airport will establish Malabar, which shares boundaries with Coorg, Coimbatore and Mysuru, as the new tourism gateway to South India. It will also help the state to leverage its established destinations in North Kerala like Bekal and Wayanad, while giving thrust to lesser known destinations in Kannur and Kasaragod districts, like Valiyaparamba backwaters, Kuppam and Ranipuram.

In a bid to make tourism a sustainable enterprise, Kerala has made PEPPER (People’s Participation for Participatory Planning and Empowerment through Responsible Tourism) as the mainstay of its new tourism policy. Its main objective is discovering unexplored destinations in a sustainable fashion with the active involvement of the local community.

Kerala is also keen to figure prominently in the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) tourism destinations of the country. The Tourism Department held the national convention of MICE stakeholders in Kochi during August in association with Indian Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), a body formed under the Ministry of Tourism to promote the country as a venue for international conferences and exhibitions. It will put Kerala firmly on the country’s MICE map.