Author: SITHARA

My passion in life is driven by meeting new people, connecting with them, knowing their stories, because for me that’s the best way to embrace new cultures when you travel.
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Consul General organizes a Welcome Ceremony for International Students from India

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Consulate General of India, Toronto in association with International Education Centre, Centennial College, today organised a Welcome Ceremony for the international students from India at the Progress Campus of the College. This is the fourth such event in the series of Welcome Ceremonies that the Consulate plans to organize. The Ceremony witnessed an attendance of about 1000 Indian students, 550 present & 450 on live-stream.

Virginia Macchiavello, AVP, International Education Centre and Business Development, Centennial College welcomed the students to Canada and briefed them about the various settlement services that the college has for them. Mr. Jagmohan Nanda, Founding Principal, Nanda & Associate Lawyers and Mr. Vasim Sheikh, Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, Nanda & Associate Lawyers took the students through the immigration laws in Canada and their journey through this entire process, right from student permit to permanent residence and eventually Canadian citizenship.

Consul General Mr. Dinesh Bhatia in his address while interacting with the students    emphasized on the most important fact of being an ‘Indian’, which will always remain with them. The students were informed about Canada, its legal system, presence of strong Indian community in Canada, culture and weather of the country, important do’s like registering on the MADAD portal of Government of India and don’ts like not being on the wrong side of the law, how to deal with stressful situations, what to do in emergency situations and introducing all the services of the Consulate General, which the students could make use of. Emphasizing the mantra given by External Affairs Minister of India, Smt. Shushma Swaraj, that Indian Mission is home away from home, he concluded by telling the students that the Consulate is just like their home away from home and they can feel free to contact the officials in any sort of emergency situation.  Continue reading “Consul General organizes a Welcome Ceremony for International Students from India”

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Mississauga Library Receives Generous Donation for Homeless Outreach Initiative

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The Mississauga Library received a generous donation from the P. and L. Odette Charitable Foundation for $390,000 in support of its homelessness initiative the Open Window Hub. The pilot project helps homeless, at-risk individuals and vulnerable youth and adults in Mississauga. The program connects them with resources, outreach programs and better access to services to help raise their quality of life. Over the span of three years, the Library will receive $130,000 per year to support the program.

“We are really grateful to be the recipient of this very generous donation from the P. and L. Odette Charitable Foundation who has a history supporting homelessness prevention initiatives in the Greater Toronto Area,” said Mayor Crombie. “We remain committed to doing everything we can to elevate the quality of life for our most vulnerable citizens. This past week, during our budget deliberations, our City Council agreed to allocate additional Library funding that would transition the Open Window Hub from a pilot program to a permanent community service allowing us to continue to assist at-risk and homeless individuals rebuild their lives.”

The Foundation chose the Open Window Hub for its donation after learning about the work of the initiative from the City’s Homelessness Prevention Outreach Worker, Kevin Berry.

“Open Window Hub addresses the growing needs of individuals experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness, in Mississauga. There has been an increase in individuals connecting with services, so we know there is a direct need for it,” said Lori Kelly, Director, Library Services.“ Continue reading “Mississauga Library Receives Generous Donation for Homeless Outreach Initiative”

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KOHLI CLEAN SWEEP OF THREE MAJOR ICC AWARDS

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Virat Kohli has become the first player in history to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year, the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year and the ICC ODI Player of the Year awards following an extraordinary 2018.

Not only is Kohli the first player to win these three major ICC awards together but he has also been named the captain of the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year for a fabulous run in international cricket. Kohli scored 1,322 runs at an average of 55.08 in 13 Tests with five hundreds during the calendar year while in 14 ODIs he amassed 1202 runs at an astonishing average of 133.55 with six centuries. He also scored 211 runs in 10 T20Is.

The 30-year-old from Delhi, who first came into limelight when he led India to victory at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia in 2008, finished the year as the top-ranked batsman in Tests and ODIs. The highest scorer in both forms of the game in 2018, he was one of only two batsmen to score more than 1,000 runs in Tests and only among three to do so in ODI cricket.

Kohli was the unanimous choice of the Voting Academy* for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy with South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada coming in second to him for both this award and the ICC Test Player of the Year award. Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan was runner up to Kohli for the ICC ODI Player of the Year award.

Kohli said: “It feels amazing. It’s a reward for all the hard work that you do throughout the calendar year. I feel really grateful and very, very happy with the team doing well at the same time myself performing. Continue reading “KOHLI CLEAN SWEEP OF THREE MAJOR ICC AWARDS”

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Canadian International AutoShow Introduces Inaugural Luxury & Supercar Forum

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Toronto is a North American leader in sales of luxury and supercars, and the Canadian International AutoShow helps drive that reputation forward with one of the most comprehensive showcases of exotic vehicles on the auto show circuit.

Two days before the 2019 AutoShow opens to the public, it will play host to the inaugural Luxury and Supercar Forum, featuring luxury and supercar designers from McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Devel Sixteen. This exclusive event will not only provide an early look at some of the most exotic cars appearing at the AutoShow, but will also provide a unique insight into how the designers of the most exclusive cars in the world see the super car genre evolving.

“Toronto has quickly become a super car mecca,” says Jason Campbell, General Manager of the AutoShow. “We are a continental leader in sales of luxury cars. Pfaff McLaren is one of the world’s largest McLaren dealers, and Grand Touring Automobiles is one of the North America’s largest retailers of Rolls-Royce, Lamborghinis and other super premium luxury products. The strength of this marketplace is well known within the luxury and exotic brands, and those that want to get a foothold in this space.”

Two years ago, Aston Martin picked Toronto for the global auto show debut of its AM-RB 001 — the hypercar it developed in partnership with Red Bull and since re-named the Valkyrie. Last year, Swedish luxury car maker Koenigsegg brought its record-setting Agera RS to open the AutoShow — the world’s fastest production car that can reach speeds approaching 450 kilometres per hour. Continue reading “Canadian International AutoShow Introduces Inaugural Luxury & Supercar Forum”

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Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue

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Civic Theatres Toronto presents the glitter and sparkle of Bollywood with the Canadian premiere of Taj Express, at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts Theatre November 23 – December 1, 2019. Tickets go on sale to the public this Friday, January 18, 10AM and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.ca, by phone, or in person at select Civic Theatres Toronto box offices.

Set to an unforgettable soundtrack featuring the songs of Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) Taj Express explodes with the sounds of India and captures the vibrant, expressive spirit of the world of Bollywood movies that have been entertaining billions of people for generations. Through a fusion of film, dance, and music, this dazzling international sensation takes audiences on a live cinematic journey through modern Indian culture and society. The production is a high energy celebration of new India’s pop music, Bollywood culture, and deep traditions featuring colorful costumes, joyful dance, and thrilling live music.

Featuring a cast of 26 and 3 on-stage musicians, Taj Express is full of high-energy music and sensational dance scenes. Continue reading “Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue”

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‘2019’ is the ASEAN India- Year of Tourism

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Tourism Minister of India co-chairs the 7th ASEAN-India Tourism Ministers meeting at  Ha Long City, Viet Nam

India’s Union Minister for Tourism, Shri. K. J. Alphons attended the Seventh Meeting of Tourism Ministers of ASEAN and India held in Ha Long City, Viet Nam today.               Shri. K J Alphons co-chaired the Tourism Ministers’ meeting with the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien. The Ministers’ meeting noted the strengthened tourism performance of ASEAN and India in 2018 with preliminary numbers of  139.5 million tourist arrivals to ASEAN and India in the year with an increase of   7.4 per cent as compared to the previous year.

During the meeting, the Ministers welcomed the decisions of the ASEAN-India Informal Breakfast Summit held on 15 November 2018 in Singapore. As a follow up to the Summit, the Ministers launched the ASEAN-India Tourism Cooperation Year 2019, and looked forward to enhancing cooperation with a view to increasing two-way tourist visits and promoting greater people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and India. Earlier, during the ASEAN – India Commemorative Summit in January 2018, the Prime Minister of India had proposed designating the year 2019 as ASEAN-India Tourism Year. This was also discussed during the 20th ASEAN-India Tourism Working Group meeting in Thailand, and it was decided to prepare a calendar of activities commemorating the ASEAN – India Year of Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has prepared and shared a calendar including various events for celebrating tourism year. Continue reading “‘2019’ is the ASEAN India- Year of Tourism”

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Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada

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The Art Museum at the University of Toronto Presents Vision Exchange : Perspectives from India to Canada
February 2 – March 23, 2019

The Art Museum at the University of Toronto is pleased to present Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada from February 2 – March 23, 2019 at the University of Toronto Art Centre. Vision Exchange presents the work for 20 internationally recognized artists based in India and Canada.

Vision Exchange includes works by Ashim Ahluwalia, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Atul Dodiya, Gauri Gill, Tanya Goel, Shilpa Gupta, Sunil Gupta, Jitish Kallat, Reena Saini Kallat, Amar Kanwar, Bharti Kher, Divya Mehra, Akbar Padamsee, Jagdeep Raina, Raqs Media Collective, Dayanita Singh, Umrao Singh-Sher-Gil, Vivan Sundaram, Thukral + Tagra, and Rajesh Vangad.

Highlights include: the cartographer’s mistake by Sarindar Dhaliwal, where the artist renders a map of the Indian subcontinent using marigolds to indicate the lines of Partition. Dhaliwal’s use of marigolds to depict the borders and territories of her native land lends a curative gesture to the otherwise destructive consequences of this history; and Points of Departure by Bharti Kher, a framed series where the artist uses bindis, paper and maps, each of which date to around the time of Partition, 1947. Swirling with vibrancy, the historical implications of these documents are thrust into an engagement with present-day geographies, planetary migrations and border politics. Continue reading “Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada”

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RIU Hotels & Resorts is coming to Canada

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RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced the construction of a hotel in its Riu Plaza urban line, in Toronto, the largest city in Canada and the cultural, business and financial centre of the country. The Spanish company intends to invest around 100 million dollars in the project, that will establish the first RIU hotel in Canada and will add continuity to the hotel company’s plan to expand into the world’s great cities.

The project, designed in a sophisticated avant-garde style, as a part of the Riu Plaza line, is now near the end of the design phase and is set to open in 2021. The building, a newly-built modern tower block, will be located in the city’s financial district and is mixed use. RIU’s investment in the part intended for the hotel will have 350 rooms, meeting rooms, a gym, bar and restaurant; while the upper floors will be for residential use.

Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts, has made it clear that the opening of the first hotel in Toronto “is a big step forward in our commitment to expanding the Riu Plaza hotel line in the world’s key cities, establishing the RIU brand beyond more traditional vacation destinations. We hope this hotel attracts RIU customers around the world to discover the city of Toronto with us, and also hope that the loyal customers we have in Canada decide to discover our urban product. This project means a new drive to raise awareness of our brand within and beyond the country.” Continue reading “RIU Hotels & Resorts is coming to Canada”

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JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa reinvents fine-dining restaurant with Trabocchi’s new locally-inspired dining concept

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Michelin-starred Chef and Restaurateur, Fabio Trabocchi to Unveil Fiola at Dopolavoro Venezia, an Exclusive Epicurean Experience at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa

“We are delighted to welcome Fabio Trabocchi to JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa and are excited to lead our guests through a dynamic culinary journey with the unveiling of Fiola at Dopolavoro Venezia,” said Mitzi Gaskins, Vice President & Global Brand Leader, JW Marriott. “Fiola at Dopolavoro Venezia will feature a vibrant menu thoughtfully curated by Trabocchi, with cuisines deeply rooted in traditional flavors from Italy and the Adriatic.”

Nestled inside JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, the city’s premier hotel that enjoys a splendid location on Venice’s private island, Isola delle Rose, Fiola at Dopolavoro Venezia will incorporate culinary highlights from the celebrated menu of Trabocchi’s existing Michelin-starred restaurant, Fiola DC. Continue reading “JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa reinvents fine-dining restaurant with Trabocchi’s new locally-inspired dining concept”

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India, a bright spot in global economy

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Right time for foreign investors to tap the huge potential; World community must chalk out strategy to extradite economic fugitives

The Vice President of India Shri M Venkaiah Naidu said that a steady growth rate of almost 7% coupled with a series of reforms made India, the most favourite destination for investments in the world. Shri Naidu said that it was the right time for foreign investors to tap the huge potential offered by India in various sectors from real estate to healthcare.

Shri Naidu said that government’s initiatives and reforms helped India achieve 11th rank in the Global FDI confidence index 2018. Referring to a report by UBS, he said that the annual FDI inflows would rise to $ 75 billion over the next five year and added India with its growth momentum would soon become $5 trillion economy.

Describing India as a bright spot in the world economy, he said India would continue to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, quoting the World Bank’s latest forecast. It said the GDP is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent this fiscal year and at 7.5 per cent in the following two years.

Shri Naidu said that the robustness of India’s institutions, resilience of its policy frameworks, the reforms initiated by the government and the responsiveness of Industry bodies such as CII have insulated its economy from stagnation and helped in achieving the dual distinction of being a stable democracy and one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Continue reading “India, a bright spot in global economy”