Munni of all Trades

Award winning Lifestyle and Travel Blog by Khushboo Motihar

Review

Godrej Aerospace and BrahMos hit a century!

BrahMos Missiles India
The finest examples of Make in India: BrahMos Missiles

Make in India is something that I believe in, and it is heartening to see Godrej Aerospace, after putting in nearly 17 years of research, being successful. On 5th December 2017, they handed over the 100th set of airframe assemblies to BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. for use in its missile systems. Godrej definitely has done India proud by contributing towards building our defense capabilities.

I had the good fortune to attend the event announcing their success and had the opportunity to listen to the history behind this moment. After a panel discussion on India’s defense capabilities and Godrej’s plans for expansion, Dr. Sudhir Mishra, Director General (BrahMos), CEO & MD BrahMos Aerospace was handed the completion documents of the 100th BrahMos Airframe by Mr. Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce

What is BrahMos?

To be very honest, even I wasn’t sure what BrahMos was till I read it up a day before I attended the event. In the current atmosphere, I am sure all of us need a good cheering and what better way to reignite pride into our hearts than talk about India’s success story!

The BrahMos missile is a supersonic cruise missile with a flight range of upto 290 km. It carries a conventional warhead weighing 200 – 300 kilos. It can cruise at an altitude as high as 15 km and as low as 10 m above the ground and maintains supersonic speed (more than 1 km per second) throughout the duration of its flight. Once the BrahMos missile is fired, it doesn’t need any further guidance from a control center. This makes it a ‘Fire and Forget’ missile.

The BrahMos missile is highly versatile and can be launched from positions on land, in air or water. Its sheer speed makes it a highly lethal weapon. Its pinpoint accuracy helps minimize collateral damage.

What has been Godrej Aerospace’s role?

Godrej Aerospace has been associated with BrahMos programme since its inception in 2001. Godrej is a dominant contributor manufacturing most of the metallic sub systems in the BrahMos missile. Besides the main airframe, Godrej supplies control surfaces and nose cap. Godrej also supplies the Mobile Autonomous Launchers, Missile Replenishing Vehicles for the land launched versions.

So what did they discuss?

Here’s what Mr Jamshyd N. Godrej had to say, “Godrej and BrahMos have been partners for 17 momentous years. Over that time, we have taken great pride in doing our bit for nation-building through our contribution to bolstering India’s defense capabilities. This is a proud moment for Godrej, Brahmos and India. It is an assertion of our commitment to serve our country through technologically driven solutions and indigenous manufacturing.”

Dr. Sudhir Mishra shared, “Godrej over the years has made immense contribution to BrahMos and Indian defence sector. The delivery of the 100th set of combat worthy missile airframes marks another milestone in our long relationship. Going forward, I am confident our partnership will continue to set new benchmarks ”

Who made this historic moment possible?

It was with the contribution, support and guidance of DRDO & MSQAA, that Godrej successfully developed and assimilated manufacturing technologies and quality practices to establish a world class manufacturing infrastructure.

Our final word

For me, I am going to start reading up and following Godrej Aerospace and BrahMos’ successful journey and keep myself updated with what they will come up with next. I also definitely want to start focusing on positive news and success stories from different parts of the country! 🙂

Magical Memories with Photojaanic

 

Personalized Desk Calendars by Photojaanic
Personalized Desk Calendars by Photojaanic

Gifting is an art form by itself. I love spending hours trying to recollect conversations, unraveling hints and using my secret formula to figure what would be an ideal gift for my friends and family. The art of gifting is meaningless if you don’t add your personal touch to the present and this is where Photojaanic comes in. Photojaanic which means Photo + Jaan (darling in Hindi) gives you the opportunity to create personal and thoughtful presents for your loved ones.

Take me for example; my mom and dad’s anniversary was coming up in January and I was completely at a loss to find the perfect gift for them. While idly browsing through www.photojaanic.com, I came across the desk calendar.

We all live in a fast paced world, where we often lose track of the time we need to commit for ourselves and for our loved ones. While a default calendar can be found on every computer, they are grey and dull making them impersonal and helping very little in uplifting our moods when we are busy with our commitments.

Instead, imagine a personalized desk calendar with all the joyous memories and cute captions that will make you smile every time you look at it.

Photojaanic personalized gifting 2018
Designing a Photojaanic Calendar is like taking a trip down the memory lane

A desk calendar as a wedding anniversary present may sound pretty mundane but when you add Photojaanic’s magic into it, you will definitely be impressed.

Designing a personalized calendar is like a trip down the memory lane, I added a photograph of my trip to Karjat, I went through hundreds of photographs to shortlist the ones that would be perfect and spent time coming up with cool captions and adding lovely backgrounds wherever possible. Photojaanic has a number of options but I chose a multi page calendar printed on stiff card paper providing many features like the option to include special occasions like, birthdays and anniversaries on specific dates. It also includes local holidays in the calendar. It is available in 2 sizes (4×6, 4×10, 6×8) and can be purchased in both portraits and landscape style designs.

There are also 14 amazing designs available for you to choose from. This highly personalised and customisable option is my favourite and makes it most fascinating.

After finalizing the design, I placed the order and to my surprise my calendar arrived within two days. The quality was excellent for the price I paid for it and my mom and dad definitely got a little emotional going through all the lovely photographs.

So what is my final message for you?

Photojaanic 2018
I loved spending time creating every page of this calendar

For all the junk on your table today, take some time to begin the year with a special gift to yourself and your family. A new year of sweet memories awaits us and it is up to us how we choose to enhance it. If calendars are not your thing, why not opt for photobooks, wall art, canvas printing or even personalized stationary. Photojaanic has an amazing range of options available and it plays an important part to make a regular present look absolutely wonderful.

Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer: Review

Being a professional in the development sector means two things; one, I travel extensively in rural areas and two, my hand sanitizer is my best friend. Generally, I would just walk to the nearby kirana store and pick up the cheapest one available. To me, they all seemed the same till of course Himalaya Herbals contacted me and asked me to try their PureHands Hand Sanitizer.

Have a look at the variants they offer.

Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer Review, Hand Sanitizer Review 2017, Best Hand Sanitizer 2017
The 5 variants of Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer

Product details

Variants available: Lemon, Green Apple, Strawberry, Orange and Litchi

Price: Rs. 60 for a 50ml bottle

Key Ingredients: Hrivera, Coriander, Lime, Ushira, Neem and Rectified Alcohol.

Directions to Use: Take 0.5 ml or 1ml of the gel on your palms. Rub well all over the palms, back of hands, fingernails, grooves briskly until dry. No water required after use.

Now that you are well acquainted with the product, should I dive straight into my review? Nah. I feel like doing something different. I want to give you a glimpse into my life as well as show you what a typical day of my sanitizer looks like 🙂

So here’s presenting, for the first time ever in the world I think, the day in the life of my Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer!

Himalaya PureHands hand sanitizer 2017 review
See where my Himalaya PureHands hand sanitizer travels with me daily

So here’s presenting, for the first time ever in the world I think, the day in the life of my Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer! I am going to let my hand sanitizer take over now.

A day in the life of Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer 

So, the human loves litchi and she chose me to travel all over the city and the villages she works. She begins her day by using me first thing in the morning. She says she likes her hands to smell good in the morning. After she is done whatever humans do in the morning, I am unceremoniously dumped into her bag. I used to dislike it first but I have made friends with Nivea, the lip balm.

Himalaya PureHands Hand Sanitizer 2017, Review 2017
My selfie with my bestie 😉

She loves travelling in the train and when it rains, in the cab. A drop of me is enough to clean her hands in a jiffy so that she can sink her teeth into that yummy vada pav sold by the old uncle on the street corner.

With her, I get to meet new humans who live far far away form the city and they love opening me and trying me out for the first time. A little human once squealed, “Its so cold” and promptly put a few more drops on his palm.

It is an adventure going to these places and doing so many things with her. We visit different houses and hear so many inspiring stories, too. When she is working, I snugly go to sleep in the pocket of her purse.

And that folks is typically what my day looks like.

Quick note from me

It is true; I love carrying my Himalaya PureHands Hands Sanitizer, the litchi variant everywhere I go. I have been using it for the past couple of weeks and I am happy with the results. It is pocket friendly i.e. it is cheap and it fits perfectly in my pockets, too. Hope you enjoyed the review and glimpse into my day to day life.

And it’s time for a giveaway! 

What will you win? 3 of my readers will win gift hampers from the Himalaya Personal Care range.

How can you win? Share this post on:

1. Your Facebook profile tagging @Munniofalltrades, @HimalayaWellness and 5 friends. Be sure to use these hashtags #HimalayaPureHandsSanitizer and #MunniofalltradesGiveaway

2. Twitter: @kbmotihar and @HimalayaIndia with the hashtag #HimalayaPureHandsSanitizer

3. Leave links to your entries in the comments below and wait for our winner announcement. 🙂

This contest begins on 27th July 2017 and ends on 12th August 2017. It is open to Indian residents only. All the best guys!

Congratulations to Hiral, Ankita and Peeyush! Please email me your details on kbmotihar@gmail.com 🙂

CHEEP: It simplifies your life!

Close your eyes and think for a minute; what is the most difficult task that you have ever done in your life? It’s not passing your board exams, it is not finally graduating from college, starting your first job and I bet is not even introducing your boyfriend/girlfriend to your parents. Because I know that the most difficult task that I have faced is finding a perfect carpenter who will deliver on his promises and not quote ridiculous prices, it is also finding a plumber when my tap just won’t stop leaking or a makeup artist when I want to look all fancy for my office party.

I want to know how trustworthy someone is when I am calling someone over to my house for work and I would also want to read the testimonials of people they have previously worked for. Basically, all I want is a genie who thinks my wish is his command. A far stretched dream, right? Or is it?

It was in May that I received an invite to the launch of CHEEP, a Consumer-to-Consumer home services mobile app and I said to myself, “Khushboo! Your wishes are finally coming true!” I decided not to get overexcited and be impartial as I tried to understand the app’s features. But then you know what happened? I realized that CHEEP has fulfilled my very strict criteria and has gone ahead and added features that I did not even think about.

Dr Nanda at Cheep app's launch
Meet Dr Nanda from Cheep

So what is CHEEP’s philosophy in the founder, Dr Nanda’s words?

“In the modern times, where people are already so drained with the taxing responsibilities at the office and towards the family, finding trusted, qualified and verified domestic services tend to add to the stress and eat into your quality family time. We ask a simple question, “Why work when there’s CHEEP? We bridge the gap between consumers and home care services with our trustworthy and skilled professionals, who attend to Plumbers, Carpenters, Electricians, Cleaners, Tutors, Fitness Trainers, Baby Sitters, etc. I’m proud to announce that CHEEP is here to ensure that household chores are no more a woe.”
I told you it was brilliant right? Let’s just dive in and learn a bit more about its features.

What can you do with CHEEP?
CHEEP is a one-stop solution, bringing consumers and home service professionals together on one app, which empowers users to find any home service at the tap of a button. The idea behind the app is to provide genuine and safe services at your fingertips and ensuring we are always stress-free. All you need to do is select from the listed services, post a task, and tell the professional when and where the task needs to be done to get instant quotes.

How can you communicate with the service provider?
CHEEP allows us to chat with service providers in a secure window where you can share photographs to explain the issue better and discuss the scope of work.

Are the professionals listed on CHEEP well qualified?
Oh yes. Each and every of the 15,000 service professionals listed on the app is completely screened, their backgrounds are checked, a police verification is done along with close inspection of the qualifications required for the job

What about reviews and feedback?
CHEEP not only lists a wide range of service providers, it displays genuine user feedback and ratings, helping users make an informed decision of choosing the right professional.

How do you pay for the services?
Online payment all the way. It ensures that a professional cannot go back on his quotation and excessively charge you and it nullifies the need for cash transactions.

What are the unique features of CHEEP?
Like I said earlier, CHEEP has gone beyond my wildest dreams and has added 2 amazing features to ensure the safety and security of all its consumers.

It has an inbuilt Alert feature that allows women and elderly people to call for help if they sense any threat from any of the professionals at their homes. On receiving an alert, CHEEP’s Command and Control Centre (CCC), sends its trained emergency response teams to ensure that the consumer is safe at all times.

It also provides you with an insurance cover against any unexpected damages during the time of the task.

I was just sold when I heard about these two aspects. What I love is the fact that CHEEP’s team has put a lot of thought and efforts to ensure that the consumers’ needs are a priority at all times.

During the meet, I had the chance to meet the team behind CHEEP and see a live demonstration, too. Have a look at the video.

A beautiful navigation system, access to trained professionals for all services imaginable, an insurance coverage and a security back should the need arises makes CHEEP the best app out there, according to me. So the next time my house falls apart, instead of losing my head, I am just going to calmly CHEEP ☺

Do you have more questions? Visit their website – www.cheep.co.in

Please note: I was invited to be a part of this event, however, my views are honest as always

House of Cards ‘Homecoming of Terror’: Review

A tremendous amount of will power and pep talks with myself is what it took for me not read the many reviews and spoilers of Homecoming of Terror, the first episode of the much anticipated 5th season of House of Cards. It was only last night that I fired up my laptop, got some popcorn and sat to watch the episode

(This post contains spoilets! Proceed with caution :D)

Homecoming of Terror starts off with an address to the nation by FLOTUS Claire who addresses the issue of homegrown terrorism ending with “My husband and I want to protect you. In two weeks’ time, you will be heading to the ballot box to decide what kind of country you want to live in. It’s a profound choice. But no matter who wins this election, we’re going to need to work together, watch out for each other, and yes, watch each other, to keep us all safe and sound. Tell us what you see.” Claire’s demeanour is icy and you literally get the chills as you decipher what she is indirectly trying to tell you; the war is imminent and the Underwoods will go to any extent to hold on their power,

On the other side, Frank Underwood makes his appearance. In his trademark brash style, he storms into the chambers where his actions are being debated upon and whacks the newspaper out of the hands of a congressman. True to his style, he addresses the Congress before he is dragged out on the orders of the speaker. Frank makes it clear; he will not yield and he clearly is above the law.

You can feel goosebumps all over your skin as your realize that the Underwoods’ intend to continue using equal parts manipulation and equal parts coercion to further their agenda of their ‘war on terror, a war against ICO’. The tone is set for the rest of the episode.

During Jim Miller’s funeral, Claire cries silently as Caroline talks about her husband. I couldn’t help but wonder how real the tears were. Are we finally going a new dimension in Claire’s character is season 5? Only time will tell.

The entire episode is peppered with these little moments which hint towards what the fans can expect in season 5.

The scene where Claire is talking to Joshua’s mother is particularly poignant. You think that the Claire will try to cut a sympathetic figure but all you get is a tough interrogation through which Claire wants to “dial up the terror”. You hope that the mother won’t fall for Claire’s tactics but she plays right into her hands.

Hannah’s and Will’s argument over her posting a viral video sympathizing with Joshua’s mother adds a new twist to the tale. Can Will and Hannah really fight the dirty fight to bring the Underwoods down? Or will Hannah’s political naivety negatively affect her husband’s election run since the campaigning has been to a halt? Again you have to wait and watch how this unfolds.

I have to say one thing; I don’t think I will be ever able to predict Frank’s moves. That man is always 5 steps ahead in the game and he proves it this time, too, when it is revealed that Joshua has been in his custody all along. Joshua’s death with its ‘good usable footage’ is something Frank believes will help his war on terror. His ruthlessness makes you wonder, is power really that important?

From all that was shown, the scene that made me stop and think was when Frank and Claire, unaware that a committee had been put together to investigate their crimes, walked out of the White House in their night clothes and shook hands with supporters who had gathered outside the gates assuring them, “you have nothing be afraid of”.

Does that mean he is confident to get his war against ICO? That the immigration ban and stricter screening are going to be executed? Are these going to be the major themes throughout the season? You never know what the Underwoods are going to do next.

P.S. I determine the success of this episode by the fact that I did not touch my food or move an inch for all of the 50 minutes I watched it.

P.P.S. Did you know that Frank Underwood is coming to India with the television premiere of House Of Cards Season 5 on Saturday, 3rd June, 5 PM onwards, only on Zee Café, my favourite channel? Do check their Facebook page for details:  https://www.facebook.com/ZeeCafe