from daijiworld special correspondent

June 28, 2006

Goa Chamber of Commerce AGM on June 30

Panaji: The 98th  Annual General Meeting of Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry will be held at 6-30 pm on Friday, June 30 in Cidade de Goa, Dona Paula.

MP Sachin Pilot, who is the face of a young and resurgent India, will be the chief guest at the general session and Commissioner of Customs & Central ExciseS K Sawhney  will be the guest of honour.

Chairman of Teamlease Services Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and member of Planning Commission for Labour Reforms Manish Sabharwalwill make a presentation on labour reforms in India. 

GCCI president Nitin Kunkolienker will preside over the function.

Marathi language activists plan protest 

Panaji: Marathi language-lovers in the state have chalked out several protest programmes over government decision to implement English at primary level.

"Government should promote regional language schools rather than encourage  English language  at primary level. It is a universal belief that primary education should be in one's own mother tongue," Gurudas Sawal, president, Gomantak Marathi Academy (GMA), said.

The Marathi-lovers have formed Marathi Bachao Andolan and a special committee headed by former chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar for the agitational purpose.

"We are holding taluka-level meetings to spread awareness amongst the people," Sawal said.

The issue surfaced following state education department's decision to make English education compulsory at primary school level.

"We are not making English subject compulsory...We are just insisting that knowledge of English be given to the students at primary level," education minister Luzinho Faleiro had earlier clarified.

Corporate Kitchen Launched in Hyderabad

Panaji: Goa-based La Calypso Resort Private Limited has joined the bandwagon of catering business by starting its new venture, Corporate Kitchen in the city of nawabs, Hyderabad.

Situated in the Hi-Tech City of Hyderabad, Corporate Kitchen is the brainchild of Abhishek Nath, President (Operations) of La Calypso. "This is the unique concept with all new menu complete with sizzling starters to delicious desserts prepared by our master chef to dine with for the staffers of corporate India," Nath stated.

Besides, it will also cater the needs of people from Hyderabadis by providing various types of cuisine—Goan, Continental, Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, Indian and many more. Special chefs have been flown to Hyderabad to prepare specialized food.

The Corporate Kitchen will be opened 24-hours and seven days a week, which cater the needs of Information Technology (IT) industries, outdoor catering—wedding, parties and many more. Besides, the Corporate Kitchen will also have a 24X7 restaurant, which will serve the requirements for the party animals.

According to Nath, till recently, corporate catering simply means providing lunch and dinner to office staff, which was the fief of small and unorganized players. However, with increase in health awareness, hygiene consciousness, growing importance of employee welfare programmes, corporates are looking for professionals to provide food and beverage for their employees.

"We have already got enquiries from top IT companies to have a tie-up with us to provide launch and dinner to their personnel. Besides, we will be soon signing over a dozen of deals with various corporate companies," said Azhar Ali, General Manager, Corporate Kitchen.

Issues like quality of food and service, hygiene are very important for La Calypso. "We are into the corporate catering business and there is lots of demand and we see the business grow. Big corporates prefer going for quality of the food and service and are willing to pay a premium for it," Azhar said.

Moreover, La Calypso's Corporate Kitchen will soon be adding another feature on its website. "One would able to see the food being prepared at the Corporate Kitchen live on our website. We have fixed 15 cameras in the kitchen to judge our quality of food and service and hygiene at our Corporate Kitchen," informs Vinayak Bhatt, Executive Chef, Corporate Kitchen.

After the success of Hyderabad concept, plans are afoot to start similar Corporate Kitchen in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Chennai.