Medanta opens MediConsult in Chandigarh

·                  Medanta Medicity opens its OPD centre in Chandigarh at Omni Clinic and Diagnostic Centre.

·                  First OPD on joint replacements held for tricity patients.

·                  Super Specialists from various medical disciplines to bring affordable consulting to patients in tricity.

·                  Telemedicine to follow suit to facilitate direct patient-doctor communication

Medanta Group has tied up with Dr Sandeep Singh Chhatwal to setup Medanta’s MediConsult in Omni Clinics  & Diagnostics in the city for running OPDs.

Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman and managing director of Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon, in his message said that growing demand from patients in the northern region for various super-specialities has led to the decision to have its permanent presence in the city through collaboration with Dr Sandeep Singh Chhatwal of Omni Clinics and Diagnostics, to cater to Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Instead of making patients to travel to Gurgaon, the super-specialists would be in the town to examin the patients from different disciplines, said Dr S.K.S. Marya, chairman of Bone and Joint Institute of Medanta who is an international authority in joint replacement with over 15,000 surgeries including 3500 simultaneous knee replacement and 3000 hip-replacement surgeries to his credit.

Dr Marya who conducted the first OPD at Omni Clinics today said that not every patient requires joint replacement  and since the technology is evolving rapidly the world over, some of the latest techniques are revolutionary which are customized to the patients’ actual needs, as we at Medanta hold our accountable to our patients.

We treat patient as a person and not as an object, Dr Marya added.

Dr. Sandeep Singh Chhatwal of Omni Clinics and Diagnostics said that our mission is to help the people get right advice at the right time from the right super specialist, which we shall be facilitating.

Sukesh Thareja, Vice President of Medanta said that some of the super-specialists scheduled to visit the city shall be from paediatrics neurology, cancer, cardiaology, neurology, etc., which would be pre-advertised, and the next step would be to setup a tele-medicine facility so that the specialists at Medanta can be consulted by patients at their convenience too.

Medanta - The Medicity was first set up at Gurgaon in January 2010. Now, the Group also operates two others medical facilities viz. Medanta - Mediclinic and Medanta - Mediclinic Cybercity in New Delhi and Gurgaon respectively.

30 Bridge Enthusiasts to participate in Chandigarh Open Bridge Championship at The Lalit Chandigarh

Chandigarh Bridge Association (CBA)is hosting its annual national level Chandigarh Open Bridge Championship  at The Lalit Hotel in the city.

CBA President Mr. H.S. Dhariwal informed that more than 30 teams comprising five to six players each are expected to participate including from Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand, UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

Sponsored by the Steel Strips Group, the tournament shall have team events of eight rounds of Swiss League of 10 boards per round to be played on 21st and 22nd April, out of which the top eight teams will play Super League on 22nd and 23rd April.

The pair event will consist of three sessions to be played on 22nd and 23rd April, President Dhariwal informed. There is a prize money of Rs.2 lakh for eight teams and eight pairs in the tournament.

Chandigarh Open has been a major attraction since its inception in 2000, and Bridge being the game of patience and intellect, fascinates every age group, he added.

CBA also runs training workshops at the Bridge Coaching Centre that it has opened in the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium, where those interested to learn the fundamentals of this game can join.

Chandigarh team has been participating in international bridge tournaments , and the game stands on the verge of being included as an Olympic sports.

Chandigarh to be shipping-support hub: Capt Harry Banga

Chandigarh can be the shipping-support hub with the evolving ecosystem in this domain, said Hong Kong's billionnaire Capt Harry Banga, who studied in the city till pre-engineering before joining merchant navy. 

Capt Harry Banga was in town on an invitation of The Company of Merchant Mariners of India's Chandigarh Chapter where he addressed nearly 70 senior seafarers from the city at PHD House. 

He commended that the city is now the base for many shipping companies, training and certification institutes, and even recruiting for merchant navies from around the world, but emphasised the need for improving the quality of the manpower lest they are taken over by emerging players, Phillipines and China. 

Sharing his mantra for success, Capt Banga said that one should be excellent, proud, and loyal to whatever one does.  Though lady luck plays a role in one’s journey but even she follows those who do good work, he added.

CMMI Chandigarh Chapter chairman Capt P.S. Ghotra providing an overview of the Chapter activities said that over a period of time the maritime ecosystem is evolving in the city with the advent of many shipping companies opening their offices here besides training, certification, and recruitment agencies also viewing the city for energetic English-speaking youngsters from the region.

Harry Banga’s school-time friend Capt K.J. Sujlana in his introduction shared some interesting childhood memories.

On this occasion CMMI Chandigarh Chapter recognised the contribution of some of the maritime institutes including Capt Y Parmar of Maritime Academy,  Capt Vijay Arora of Ascent Register recruiting for Samoa islands, Capt Raj Narula for Charting and Broking, and Master Mariner Arjun Singh whose startup 49 Webstreet is developing software solution to the shipping industry.

Amritsar getting ready for Digital Revolution

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ravi Shankar Parsad laid the foundation stone of the Software Technology Parks of India at Amritsar pm 7th November. 

The Amritsar incubation centre to be built on 2.72 acre of land at an estimated cost of Rs.20 crores will be fully-furnished air-conditioned three-storeyed fully-secured facility with state-of-the-art Network Operation Centre (NOC), informed STPI Director Dr. Omkar Rai. 

The Union Minister along with other ministers including Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and Shri Vijay Sampla, and Punjab's IT Minister Shri Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, in their addresses considered it to be the beginning of the new Digital revolution in the State. 

The Union Minister had earlier inaugurated an ultra-modern seven-storeyed incubation facility at Mohali on 25th October built at a cost of Rs.60 crores which would give boost to the entrepreneurship and encourage startups to make their ideas come true through plug-and-play facility. 

STPI is contributing to the IT and startup ecosystem by reaching out to academia, industry and investors community so that the young startups can have access to everything at one place, said Dr Omkar Rai. 

Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Parsad reiterated the point that the region has seen exponential growth in software exports from the region which used to be around Rs.7 crores in 1998 when STPI Mohali was established, and today, has crossed Rs.3,000 crore mark, a milestone for any Tier II City, Dr Rai added.

The new facility would serve the IT/ITeS exporting units by offering modern infrastructural facility including incubation facilities, high speed data communication and connectivity and exports facilitation, creating new direct and indirect employment opportunities too.

Dr Omkar Rai complimented the Government of Punjab and Shri Adaish Partap Singh Kairon for giving flip to startup culture in the state by not only providing land for the projects but also facilitating the entire process of extending STPI's reach in different areas. 

Shri Kairon remarked that giving Punjab's youth another push to make the best use of the evolving digital economy was his dream, and having lived and studied in Amritsar, the STPI unit would change the lives of youth here. 

The overall exports done by STPI registered IT/ITES units in the country increased from Rs 2,93,797 Crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 3,19,569 Crore in 2015-16, an increase of 8.77%, and the largest contribution has been from the STPIs setup in the Tier-II cities.

France confers National Order of Merit on Mac Sarin

Ambassador of France advices people of Chandigarh to preserve its rich heritage

Chandigarh, April 23: The Government of France has conferred the second highest  award on the city’s senior Advocate of Punjab & Haryana Higha Court, and President of Alliance Française, M.L. (Mac) Sarin.

The Ambassador of France in India, Mr. Francois Richier, presented the Chevalier de l'ordre National du 'Merite on behalf of the President of France at a function held at Alliance Française here today.


This is the second highest award in France, which has been conferred on Mac Sarin for his exceptional contribution to the promotion of Indo-French relationship, and his continued dedication and pioneering service to strengthening Alliance Francaise in the city.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Francois Richier said that Chandigarh has a rich heritage and one of the smartest cities in the country, which must now have community participation in preserving its rich heritage including its buildings, designs, furnishings and furniture that are housed in those grand architectural beauties so that the true spirit of the city gets protected.

He said he was proud that France is actively engaged with the city to make it more 'smarter' , and is already working on another project with the Indian Railways to setup rail link between Chandigarh and Delhi that could reduce the travel time to mere one-and-a-half hour.

Some of the famous personalities who have earlier been conferred this award include President Charles DeGaulle, President Francois Mitterrand, Marshal Tito of former Yugoslavia, etc.

Mr. Richier commending Mac Sarin as an exceptional personality, who got associated with Alliance Française in 1985 as a student, and recognizing his dedication and goodwill he was inducted into the Executive Committee of Alliance Française.

He rose to become the President of Alliance which he has served efficiently for the last over 25 years now.

Earlier also he has received the award of Chevalier des Palm Acadamique in 1999 from the then Ambassador of France, Mon. Claude Blanche Maison. The Ordre des Palmes académiques (Order of Academic Palms) is a national order of France for distinguished academics and figures in the world of culture and education.

Mac Sarin has been former Advocate General of Punjab & Haryana High Court, and is known for his philanthropy and contribution to voluntary blood donation movement in the city.

the who's-who of the city were present including the Canada's Deputy High Commissioner Christopher Gibbins, wife of British Deputy High Commissioner, judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and numerous other dignitaries. 

Chandigarh to host Chandigarh Open Tennis ATP Challenger in October

A high-level team of world-class tennis tournament organizers visited Chandigarh to inspect the facilities and arrangements for the Chandigarh Open ATP Challenger Tour 2016. 
Fabricio Valdivieso from Ecuador, who would be the tournament director along with Tournament Manager Javier Sansierra, and Luis O’Cleiry of Spain, went around the tennis stadium facilities for the ATP Challenger.
The CLTA shall be hosting the Chandigarh Open ATP Challenger 2016 in October-November which carries a prize money of US$ 50,000 plus hospitality, equal to $75,000, informed Fabricio.

Fabricio was all praise for the world-class facilities and well-maintained tennis courts at CLTA and looked forward to healthy partnership for this international event.

To be telecast by national and international tv channels, the Chandigarh Open ATP Challenger would greatly enhance the tennis lovers interest in the city besides tourists, across the globe, he said.
The visiting organising team from Spain and Ecuador, along with the CLTA's advisor Dr. V Paes (father of  later met with the officials of CLTA and interacted with some of the prospective sponsors in the city.

The ATP World Tour’s global TV audience has soared in recent years and is projected to exceed 900 million viewers globally in 2015 (www.ATPWorldTour.com)
Matches will be made available to ATP Media’s global broadcast right holders and will also be shown on its official live streaming service TennisTV.
The ATP is the governing body of the men's professional tennis circuits - the ATP World Tour, the ATP Challenger Tour and the ATP Champions Tour.
With 62 tournaments in 31 countries, the ATP World Tour showcases the finest male athletes competing in the world’s most exciting venues.
From Australia to Europe and the Americas to Asia, the stars of the 2016 ATP World Tour will battle for prestigious titles and Emirates ATP Rankings points at ATP World Tour Masters 1000, 500 and 250 events, as well as Grand Slams (non ATP events).
At the end of the season only the world’s top 8 qualified singles players and doubles teams will qualify to compete for the last title of the season at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Madrid Tennis Foundation renews protocol with CLTA

Spain’s Madrid Tennis Federation MoU with CLTA renewed for three years.

With the success of the mutual agreement that Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) signed with its Spanish counterpart, Madrid Tennis Foundation (MTF) in 2013, a fresh protocol was signed here today, extending the arrangement for another three years (from 2016 to 2019). 
The renewed protocol signed by Miguel Diaz Roman, President of Madrid Tennis Federation was handed over to Rajan Kashyap, Patron-in-Chief of CLTA and Chairman of Chandigarh Academy of Rural Tennis (CHART), for his signatures by MTF representative Javier Sansierra at CLTA tennis stadium here today.
With this protocol the CLTA shall continue to receive the world’s top tennis coaches to the city to upgrade the training of tennis players here, and the best performing players from the CLTA would continue to visit Madrid, Spain, annually for advanced coaching, informed Rajan Kashyap.
 CLTA’s endeavours to pick up the talent from rural areas and training these students in the world-class facilities, with opportunity to learn from the world-class coaches have helped the high performers at CLTA tremendously. The young boys and girls selected from remote villages in Punjab and Haryana are showing spectacular results in tournaments in India in their respective age groups.
Jai Singh Gill, President, CLTA informed that under the last agreement (during the period 2103-16)  6 to 10 tennis players accompanied with a coach had visited Madrid three times in the period 2013-16, while four of the world-class coaches came to the city for training the locals.
On behalf of Madrid Tennis Foundation Javier Sansierra expressed complete satisfaction with the progress demonstrated by the young potential tennis champions in tournaments played by them in Madrid, Spain. He announced that on April 24, he himself, along with a group of 8 trainees (six boys and two girls) and  Romen Singh, Chief Coach CLTA would be travelling to Spain for a 3 week attachment in Madrid.
Later during the year, around November, 2016 MTF would be sending one of the best coaches from Spain to work with the trainees at CLTA for a period of two weeks.
On hand at the signing of the MOU were Birbal Wadhera and Robin Kumar Dhingra,  two distinguished champions from  the first batch of CHART enlisted in the year 1988. These alumni are role models for the new crop of players

About CLTA
CLTA has one of the best tennis stadiums in the country, having 10 hard courts, 2 red clay courts, four mini-courts (for 4-8 year olds), two wall practice areas, fully-equipped multi-gym, common rooms, commentators box, and well-appointed guest rooms and players hostel facilities, both for boys and girls.  Of the 450 young players receiving specialized training at the CLTA Stadium, 30 boys and girls are CLTA’s adopted children, and  a part of the residential Chandigarh Academy for Rural Tennis (CHART), which is CLTA’s flagship project. 

www.clta.org