Global Destinations annual issue 2017

E d i t
Global DestinationsAnnual 2017 1
Dear Friends
My recent visit to Ethiopia was an experience. It was my first visit to this beautiful
country and it totally mesmerised me. The Meskel festival was unique and many readers
may not be aware that Meskel celebration has been inscribed under UNESCO’s intangible
heritages. It is a religious feast celebrated by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians across the
country commemorating the discovery of the True Cross by Queen Helena, known in
Ethiopia as Nigist Eleni. Its celebration dates back to 1600 years. This year HH Baselios
Mar Thoma Paulose II, Catholicos of the East and the Supreme Head of the Indian
Orthodox Church was the Chief Guest and I noticed quite a few Indians attending the
festival.
It was also the first time I was flying Ethiopian Airlines – my 35th airline. The airline
has launched their new aircrafts that have state-of-the-art seats from Mumbai and Delhi.
I had the pleasure of interacting with Esayas Wolde Mariam, MD Ethiopian
International Services who has been with the airline since 1991 at their office. I got quite
a few insights including a free stopover package introduced by the airline. It is for transit
passengers with more than 8 hours transit time at Addis where they will be provided free
sightseeing in Addis Ababa being safely deposited back to the airport to catch their
connecting flights to USA/Europe. His interview is covered in this issue.
At Addis Ababa I stayed at the Hilton. It’s a wonderful property with sprawling
grounds, spacious green zones, large geothermal pool, a miniature golf course, basketball,
fitness room, squash, tennis court etc. They have massage rooms, sauna, steam room and
Jacuzzi as well as a well-equipped gym. They also have a 1.8 km walking path – ideal for
a morning walk. For MICE the hotel has spacious meeting venues including a grand
ballroom accommodating up to 800 guests and the lawns can be used for weddings
accommodating up to 4,000 guests. We have also interviewed Claus Steiner, GM, Hilton
Addis Ababa.
Another major story is that for the first time UNESCO has selected forts, located in
different cities of Rajasthan, as a serial cultural property. The Hill forts are six sites
located across the Aravalli mountain range in northern India which represent the seats of
Rajput power. The structural ruins date back to the 8th to the 19th Century AD. The six
forts — Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer, Ranthambhore (Sawai Madhopur),
Gagaron (Jhalawar) and Amber (Jaipur) are recognised as serial World Heritage Sites.
This was only the second time that a Skal World Congress was being organized in
India and first time in Hyderabad. SKAL International is the world’s largest Travel
Organization of Travel and Tourism Professionals founded in 1934 for promoting global
tourism and friendship. Spread over 87 countries, it has 17,000 members. Vijay Mohan
Raj, SKAL Hyderabad Chapter President and Local Organising Committee Chairman
was quite pleased as the SKAL Congress provided an opportunity to showcase Hyderabad
and other tourist places in the State as destinations world to nearly 600 delegates from 85
countries who in turn will promote it for tourists across the world. A mini exhibition was
also held parallel with 30 exhibitors including state governments, airlines like Oman
Airlines, DMCs like Akqua Sun Group, tour and travel operators and quite a few hotels.
Editor - Chandragupta Amritkar, Managing Editor - Chandra Talware, Design - Manoj Durgam
Contact - Global Destinations, B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059, India.
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Annual Subscription Rates - India: Rs. 600; Overseas: US$ 60 (Rates include airmail charges).
Printed and Published by Chandragupta Amritkar on behalf of Global Features B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059
and Printed at Sumangal Press Pvt. Ltd. "Sumangal" G-8 Cross Road "A", Near Marol Bus Depot, MIDC, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 093.
Global Technologies makes all efforts to ensure that the information published is correct and reliable. However the publication holds no responsibility for
any inadvertent errors, commissions or opinions expressed.
Chandragupta Amritkar
Editor
chandraguptaa@hotmail.com
editor@globalfeatures.info
An Indian publication, Global Destinations
framed in a Ministers office

............................22
World Heritage Sites
C o n t e n t s
Global Destinations Annual 20174
Hilton Addis Ababa
............................12
Cover Story
Ethiopia
............................06
MICE
IEIA
........................18
MIT
.........................14
Education
Muchhala
............................30
Education

H
aving romped across the globe to 40+ countires, never
been to an African country apart from Seychelles
(where I was hosted thrice), it was Tadesse Tilahun,
Regional Director, Indian Sub-continent, Ethiopian Airlines who
invited me to experience a part of Ethiopia and his airline. “How
can you miss out on such a beautiful country – the Rock-Hewn
Churches of Lalibela, Nile fall and our unique Meskel Festival,”
said Tadesse Tilahun. Coordinating with Yvonne Rodricks, Senior
Administrative Assistant, Ethiopian Airlines and the Ethiopian
Airlines HQ we planned the trip coinciding with Meskel Festival.
While Ethiopian Airlines was also extending local hospitality I
told Tadesse Tilahun that at Addis Ababa I would like to stay at
Hilton. The next day afternoon I e-mailed Claus Steiner GM,
Hilton Addis Ababa requesting Hilton to host me and by evening,
the same day, I got a reply confirming my stay (efficiency at its
best).
I opted for e-visa as Tadesse Tilahun encouraged me, “We have
recently launched the e-visa and I would like you to try that out.
An initiative taken by our Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam
and collaborating with The Ethiopian Immigration and National-
ity Affairs main Department the e- visa will be issued online on
online approval.” He was right - the process was quick and
simple.
The next step was getting yellow fever vaccination and oral
vaccination, which unfortunately is only done at a handful of
centers across the India. One needs to carry original passport and
confirmed ticket / visa for the registration. It took me two hours
at the center. The vaccination becomes valid 10 days after it is
taken.
After 10 days and all set for my maiden visit to Ethiopia I took
the early morning flight from Mumbai – check in was quick and
fast. The airline calls their business class seats as CloudNine and
their new aircrafts have state-of-the-art seats. The flight took off
on time and my business class seat was as expected full flat. The
service from the beginning was excellent from the friendly
proactive flight attendants. While talking to one of the airhostess
she enlightened me on the upgrade option provided by the airline
where economy passengers can bid for CloudNine seats and pay
only when confirmed. The movie selection was OK. The food
served onboard was good with vegetarian option. I was not
impressed by the amenity kit and I am sure the airline can do a
better job.
The flight landed on time (8 am – Ethiopian time) as I arrived
into Addis Ababa on the eve of Meskel, the Finding of True Cross
festival. I proceeded to the e-visa immigration desk. Being the
second person in line it took hardly five minutes and I was out.
Coming out with baggage is a cumbersome process and I think
the airport authorities should seriously look into this.
C o v e r S t o r y
Meskel Celebrations:
An UNESCO intangible heritage
Ethiopia is beautiful with delightful people, abundant history, rich culture, many UNESCO sites mesmerising
Chandragupta Amritkar by its charm.
The Hilton staff was there to receive me and in 15 minutes I
reached the hotel and was quickly checked into the spacious King
Suite (review of Hilton hotel separately done). In the evening
Ashenafi Kassa, CEO, Celebrity Ethiopia tours, a leading tour
operator from Ethiopia, and his beautiful colleague came to pick
me up for Meskel.
Hilton turned out to be the ideal hotel as Meskel Square, the
venue of the celebrations, is walking distance. We reached the
venue a couple of hours earlier and cleared the security to enter
the square. I think we arrived early and I was a bit disappointed
as there were hardly any crowds or the festive environment.
But how wrong I was to be as the sun started to set and the
crowds turned up in huge numbers with special candles.
Hundreds of priests and deacons attired in Ethiopia’s traditional
plain white clothes were singing and doing the necessary rituals
as we from the media started clicking photos and interviewing
them (I was also interviewed by a couple of local channels
including EBC). As the crowds stared swelling the demonstra-
tions started which were feast to one’s eyes as people, priests,
followers and even school students in colorful clothes, unique
robes joined the parade across the square.
Meskel is a religious feast celebrated by Ethiopian Orthodox
Christians across the country commemorating the discovery of
the True Cross by Queen Helena, known in Ethiopia as Nigist
Eleni. Its celebration dates back to 1600 years.
Demera, the tradition of burning bonfire on the eve of Meskel,
ceremony was lit by HH Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church along with HH Baselios Mar Thoma
Paulose II, Catholicos of the East and the Supreme Head of the
Indian Orthodox Church who was the Chief Guest in the presence
of President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dr.
Mulatu Teshome.
HH Abune Mathias during the occasion emphasized that this
year's Meskel is special for it is marked at the beginning of the
third millennium and the apostolic visit of the Indian Orthodox
Church HH Baselios Marthoma Paulose II.
HH Baselios Marthoma Paulose II said “This religious festival
has made us all witness the reason why this intangible world
heritages of Ethiopia is registered by the UNESCO.” Many may
not be aware but Meskel celebration has been inscribed under
UNESCO’s intangible heritages.
For me it was an eye-opener.
They had organized a dinner for me but I was too fatigued and
opted to rest as the next day was going to be a long day with
travels to other towns in Ethiopia.
(In the next issue we focus on Bhair Dar, Lalibela and Addis
Ababa)
C o v e r S t o r y

Most African carriers are in
red how has Ethiopian Airlines
always been profitable? Can
you share the magic formula?
It’s one word Customer. We
have always been customer centric as our employees are well
aware that they pay our salaries. So service wise we are among
the top airlines globally and certainly the best in African
continent. We try to give best air connectivity as we fly to 120 +
international destinations and as we speak more destinations are
getting added.
We have also invested in the best and latest aircrafts. We have
a fleet of around 90+ aircrafts including some of the best globally.
We recently got 6 Airbus A350-900 and the latest Boeing B787-
9 should join our fleet soon. We have regularly upgraded our
aircrafts so that customers know that they are getting the best. We
have fully refurbished our Boeing 767-300 ER fleet which serves
India too including brand new full flat-bed seats in Cloud Nine,
17 inches screen and in-seat power outlets.
All this has helped us get the vote of confidence from our
customers in turn multiple awards which are a byproduct of our
dedication to customers.
I met an Ethiopian from USA and she was saying that your
airline prices out of USA are expensive and so she preferred
another airline. Your comments.
Pricing is a critical factor. Let me tell you selling an airline
ticket is much more than selling a water bottle. We do have attrac-
tive fares and manage to upscale when required. Many factors are
involved in pricing – location, size of aircraft, type of aircraft,
flight timing, stopovers, amenities provided, in flight service etc.
Also in today’s environment the price fluctuates substantially.
How do you view the Indian market and any specific
expansion plans?
It is a very important market for us. We currently have 28
flights i.e., a double daily flight from Delhi and Mumbai.
Ahmedabad and Chennai are on our radar. More Indians are now
flying to Africa either for business or leisure. We hope to make
our airline as their preferred choice. We also have good connec-
tions to Europe and USA. For our transit passengers we have
introduced a free stopover package.
The free stopover offer sounds interesting. Can you
elaborate?
This is one of the ways to attract transit passengers (with more
than 8 hrs transit time at Addis) to see part of our wonderful
country and then talk about it to friends and come with families
for a longer duration or conduct events. The offer includes hotel
accommodation, free transfers to hotel and back, free sightseeing
in Addis Ababa. Time permitting a nice cultural evening. After
relishing Ethiopian hospitality they will be safely deposited back
to the airport to catch their connecting flights to USA/Europe.
Coming back to the Indian market who are your target
passengers?
As I said both business and leisure. With business expansion
and more Industrial parks coming in Ethiopia I am sure Indians
will find potential opportunities. Then there are the ethnic Indian
Africans. The growing Indian middle class with good spending
power are ideal for leisure market. Pilgrimage can be a major
segment. From Ethiopia we have seen a substantial increase in
medical tourism to Indian and many hospitals have tie-ups with
our airline.
What about MICE?
Huge potential. Addis Ababa is the headquarters for African
Union. We now have a wide variety of international standard
hotels with state of the art conference centers. Our airline has tied
up with several of these hotels. For the delegates there is a lot to
see and experience in Ethiopia and we can provide excellent fly,
stay and experience packages.
You are the largest carrier in Africa as well as Africa’s
largest cargo operator.
Yes, that’s true. Cargo is an integral part of our business and
1/5th of our revenue comes from cargo. It is one of the seven
strategic business units of our group. We have 8 dedicated
freighters including 6 Boeing B777-200LRF and 2 - Boeing
B757-260F. We recently inaugurated a state of the art Cargo
Terminal which can accommodate 600,000 tons per annum. By
2025, we plan to uplift over 820,000 tons per year.
C o v e r S t o r y
“For our passengers we have introduced
a free stopover package”
I had the pleasure of interacting with Esayas Wolde Mariam, MD Ethiopian Interna-
tional Services who has been with the airline since 1991 at their office. He has worked as
Manager Space Control and Yield Country Manager Greece, Nigeria and Germany, VP of
Ethiopian Cargo, SVP Global Sales and now finally as MD Ethiopian International Services. In
an exclusive Interview with Chandragupta Amritkar he highlights the success and future
plans of the airline. Excerpts

C o v e r S t o r y
I
t was my friend Dagmar Muhle, GM, Hilton Munich Airport
who connected me to Claus Steiner, who was then the Cluster
General Manager – Seychelles Hotels. She talked highly of
him and his efficiency and I thought I should meet such a person.
Due to time constraints was not able to visit him in Seychelles.
When Ethiopian airlines invited me to cover Ethiopia as a
tourist destination as well as promote their airline experience
especially the new business class seats to Addis Ababa to my
august readers, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity
for me to meet Claus Steiner who had subsequently moved as
GM, Hilton Addis Ababa and also cover his property.
Having e-mailed him in the afternoon by evening, the same
day, I got a reply confirming my stay (efficiency at its best). He
connected me to Seifedin Badi, Director of Business Develop-
ment, Hilton Addis Ababa with whom I co-ordinated the stay.
Arriving into Addis Ababa, I was impressed when the Hilton
staff at the Hilton kiosk, right after international customs, recog-
nized me and greeted me even before I reached the kiosk. When
queried he said we were all informed about your arrival and had
then seen your photo. Pretty impressive.
Getting into the shuttle I reached the hotel in 15 minutes (The
hotel offers a scheduled shuttle from/to airport). Seifedin Badi
was there to greet me and so was the smiling staff who quickly
checked me in. The lobby is huge with an ancient touch.
I was allotted the extremely spacious King Suite, a corner suite
featuring a large living area, a cozy bedroom, a small kitchenette
and three bathrooms. The view from my room the balcony superb
– the huge expanse of greenery with a geothermal pool giving me
a fair idea of the huge area covered by the hotel.
After freshening up went down to meet the Claus Steiner who
guided me to a small patio overlooking the pool. Over the conver-
sation he not only enlightened me on the hotel but also on
Ethiopia and what to see around. After spending an informative
hour with him, I proceeded for lunch at the Gazebo Bar and
Restaurant (offers covered outdoor dining) adjacent to the large
geothermal pool. I was surprised to see vegetarian samosas on the
menu and without hesitation ordered it. The pool seemed quite
popular among guests as it was quite full.
Later Seifedin Badi took me around for a show round of the
hotel. What a property – with sprawling grounds, spacious green
zones, a miniature golf course, basketball, fitness room, squash,
tennis court etc. The lobby has two Ethiopian Airlines offices –
one exclusively for airline gold members.
There are a few shops just below the restaurant as with any five
star hotel. But what I did not expect was a nice supermarket and
coffee/pastry shop on the outside around the back of the hotel. It
can be easily missed if you are not aware. “Yes but it’s quite
popular among the localities. Many come to pick up the cakes –
which are quite popular,” said Seifedin Badi.
On the accommodation side the hotel has multiple room
options – almost a dozen options. Connected with the hotel is are
the apartments, which also have a separate entrance. They have
many guests staying for long duration including one guest who
has been staying for 26 years.
For MICE the hotel has spacious meeting venues including a
grand ballroom accommodating up to 800 guests. “The lawns can
be used for weddings accommodating up to 4,000 guests. For
other marriage rituals our meeting places can be used. We have a
It was truly an experience visiting Hilton Addis Ababa
with all its grandeur and getting treated like a royal
says Chandragupta Amritkar
Hilton Addis Ababa
A Green Oasis for Leisure, MICE and Weddings
What do you think are the uniqueness of the property?
There are quite a few. Firstly it’s spread over 14 acres with
almost all the necessary facilities for a luxurious resort - right
from a golf course to tennis courts to a squash courts to large
pools and huge banqueting facilities etc. But located in the heart
of the city. Also it is a historic hotel that was opened in 1969 - the
second Hilton Brand to open in Africa following Hilton Nile in
Cairo – so most of the public areas date from 1969.
This is a heritage hotel – seen as a social hub – a place where
business meets pleasure for many of our guests. This hotel has a
soul and we have loyal customers for decades and many residents
and expats love to hang around the place. Infact one of the guests
was mentioning how his father adored this place and he continues
the tradition. The hotel is inspired by the famous Lalibella Cross
Church and is the only hotel with geothermal outdoor swimming
pool, an 18-hole mini golf and a paid members club in Addis
Ababa.
Unlike many city hotels your hotel has so many room
options.
Yes that’s true. We try to give our guests multiple options.
Earlier we used to have 256 rooms now we have 372 rooms. So
apart from our normal Guest rooms and Executive rooms we have
the Presidential Suite with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchenette,
separate living room; Ambassador Suite (1571 sq. ft.); King
Duplex Suite that features a wooden stair case; King Junior Suite
(796 sq. ft.); King Corner Suite (893 sq. ft.); 1 and 2 bedroom
apartments and configurations offering mountain, park, pool,
garden or city views.
What are your options for dining?
That’s where we score in a big way. We have some excellent
chefs (I had to agree as the executive chef Yvonnick Jegat-Deniau
made some excellent vegetarian food for dinner) and from far and
wide guests and from far and wide guests come to relish our
dishes. Most popular venues include the Kaffa House, the Sheba
Lounge, Jacaranda restaurant,
Lobby bar and the Gazebo
Restaurant. For the Indians we
have plenty of vegetarian
options.
In today’s scenario MICE is
very important for the success
of any hotel. What is the scene
at your hotel?
We have been fortunate from the start. With our lush green
lawns spread over 14 acres and huge banqueting spaces we have
always been the preferred option for MICE and weddings for
over four decades. Most International events right from Africa
Hotel Investment Forum, financial forums, government meetings
prefer our venue not just for the space but also as it also gives the
event a historical touch.
We are able to cater for large and small meetings, conferences
and exhibitions. The Rose Garden next to the Ballroom is ideal
for special exhibitions and large weddings. Our Ballroom is
capable of hosting up to 800 guests and if required split into three
rooms. Add to this seven spacious and functional meeting rooms.
We have the latest presentation equipment including bright LCD
projectors. Most MICE guests today want to relax as well as
remain fit during conferences. For them we have massage rooms,
sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi as well as a well-equipped gym.
We also have a 1.8 km walking path for those who love a morning
walk.
The hotel is nearing 50 years and does require restorations.
Also any expansion plans in Ethiopia?
Absolutely. We are regularly doing refurbishments. Now we
have planned to do it in phases starting with lobby and then
moving on to dining areas and rooms. Hilton has huge plans for
Ethiopia. We have signed 2 Hilton resort hotels and a double tree
Hilton is expected soon.
huge parking space for up to 650 vehicles,” said Seifedin Badi.
The hotel provides a sumptuous breakfast buffet including a
selection of breads/pastries, International variety, freshly made
smoothies and juices. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.
The hotel is ideally situated for exploring the capital city with
several attractions in close vicinity or just a few kilometers away
including The National Palace, the Economic Commission for
Africa, Stefanos church, the Trinity Cathedral and St. George
Cathedral, Grand Mosque, the National and Ethnological
museums etc.
The hospitality was remarkable and I believe all guests should
sample the multiple hotel facilities.
C o v e r S t o r y
In a tête-à-tête with Claus Steiner, GM, Hilton Addis Ababa he spoke fondly of his
property and his vision as the property gets ready to celebrate its golden jubilee year.
Excerpts
“This hotel has a soul and we have loyal
customers for decades”

E d u c a t i o n
I
t was during our COEP (College of Engineering, Pune)
alumni meet that I caught up with Swati Sankhye, CIO,
Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune. She mentioned
how MIT has grown and is now looking to expand globally and
look at more industry interaction. She then invited me to the MIT
campus saying it’s currently run by two dynamic youngsters – Dr.
Mangesh Karad and Rahul Karad. She was able to fix up a
meeting with Dr. Mangesh Karad, Executive President, MIT-
ADT University, Pune.
Entering into the campus you tend to get floored by its
grandeur. “But that’s how Dr. Vishwanath Karad sir has always
planned his campuses. They should look majestic and the
students should take pride in showing the campus to their parents,
relatives and friends,” said Swati Sankhye.
Meeting Dr. Mangesh Karad turned out to be a pleasure. Soft
spoken, down to earth, I could sense the respect that he has for his
uncle and founder of MIT Dr. Vishwanath Karad. Dr. Mangesh
Karad after joining MIT took keen interest to expand the horizons
of MIT and went on to set tie-ups with several overseas institutes.
With a view to expand on new avenues and bring focused
education Dr. Mangesh Karad set-up the MIT University of Art,
Design and Technology which now ranks as the 5th Private State
University of Maharashtra.
It’s at this venue that I interacted with Dr. Mangesh Karad. Just
behind his desk is the photo of his uncle and mentor Dr. Vish-
wanath Karad. “The whole idea of bringing private engineering
colleges goes to Dr. Vishwanath Karad who was a professor at
COEP. In 1980 he started seeing the acute shortage of technical
education in Maharashtra. Capable students scoring 90+ percent-
age had to opt
for BSc as there
was no policy
for private engi-
neering colleges.
A few opted to
go to other states
like Karnataka
where private
e n g i n e e r i n g
colleges were
plenty. He wrote an article on
the need of more engineering
colleges in a leading
newspaper and it was revolu-
tionary as this was debated in
the assembly house.”
It was in May 1983,
Sudhakar Naik, then Minister
of Technical Education of Maharashtra had come to Pune for
some function. He visited Dr. Karads home and said the then CM,
Vasantdada Patil too was convinced of his idea of private engi-
neering colleges. This led to the formation of nine first private
Engineering colleges of Maharashtra.
“Initially eight colleges were put on list as there was a criteria
of Rs. 30 lakh deposit and 20 acre land. Dr. Vishwanath Karad
also expressed his desire for starting a college to the CM, who
said that would be great. But being just a professor money and
land were a problem. But thanks to some close friends and well
wishers this hurdle was overcome thus giving birth to MIT – the
first urban engineering college in Maharashtra and city of Pune,”
said Dr. Mangesh Karad.
Apart from the regular branches MIT also launched new engi-
neering branches like petroleum, polymer etc. giving fresh talent
and opportunity to pursue non-conventional branches but those
having great potential. Infact almost all students of the initial
batches got opportunities to go abroad.
It was in 1990 that they expanded into medicine by launching
the first medical college in latur which is today attached to a 750
bedded hospital. In 1993 one more was opened in Talegaon.
“In 1996 I joined and then I and my team worked out a strategy
to have one more satellite engineering college in Pune at Alandi,
an MIT women’s engineering college, followed by pharmacy,
BBA and MBA colleges. In 2001 we went in for maritime and
2006 design colleges. Our efforts paid off when in 2014 we
became a private university,” said Dr. Mangesh Karad.
Today MIT group of Institutions has 65+ colleges and schools
with more than 50,000 students enrolled with nice residential
complexes for outstation students.
After spending 2 hours and getting a good insight, Dr. Mangesh
Karad invited us to have lunch at his abode. It was hospitality at
MIT Art, Design & Technology
University: A tech savvy University
Dr. Mangesh Karad
E d u c a t i o n
its best as I fully relished the lunch and the casual conversation
that we had.
Post lunch I went on a tour of the campus of MIT Art, Design
& Technology University. Located in Loni Pune this center of
excellence is spread over more than 125 acres with a lush green
lawn. This was where I was informed that the legendary film
maker and actor of Indian Cinema, Late Raj Kapoor owned a
large piece of land on the bank of the river Mula-Mutha and his
wish that this land be used for academic and educational purposes
after his passing away. Accordingly, in 2003, MIT obtained this
land from the inheritors of Raj Kapoor and the Rajbaug Educa-
tional Complex of MIT was started.
The University offers a large number of programs both at the
Under-graduate and Post-graduate levels. “Our aim is to provide
hands-on learning experience through both theory and practical.
My team (staff) keeps continuously updating the courses as well
as our labs. We have a huge library, a well set playground and
many more activities,” said Dr. Mangesh Karad.
The main courses conducted at MIT Art, Design & Technology
University include MIT School of Fine Art & Applied Art that
offers B.F.A. & MFA Degree in Applied Art. MIT School of Bio-
engineering Sciences and Research, established just a year back
aims to harness together the knowledge of medical
science and engineering to promote welfare of the
society by creating enabling technologies and
people with skills for improvement of human
health and health care.
MIT Vishwashanti Sangeet Kala Academy
(VSKA) aims to promote Indian Classical Music
and Dance. They have courses on various styles
and forms of Indian Classical Music and Dance,
including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak and pure
Hindustani Classical Music. It also includes
courses on different types of instruments like,
Sitar, Sarod, Tabla, Santoor, Flute, Harmonium etc.
“As you must have noticed we are on the banks of the river
Mula-Mutha making it an ideal location for VSKA. Even our
design is unique. As a tribute to the Seven Musical Notes, VSKA
consists of seven domed musical halls arranged in a circular
pattern. Each domed chamber represents a musical note,” said Dr.
Mangesh Karad.
MIT School of Film & Television provides degree and diploma
courses in Film and Television with considerable industry
exposure, and hands-on training with evolving technology.
Students can specialize to be either a Film Director, Cinematog-
rapher, Editor, Sound Designer, or a Screen Play Writer.
MIT International School of Broadcasting and Journalism
which is focused on becoming a center of excellence in media
education and training. MIT School of Vedic Sciences aims to
equip youth with the wisdom and skills embodied in the Indic
Scientific Tradition. Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education
& Training aims to impart world class Maritime Training. During
my visit I could notice many budding marine cadets dressed in
the typical white Navy dress.
The other courses are - MIT Institute of Design, MIT School of
Architecture, MIT College of Food Technology, MIT College of
Management, MIT School of Education & Research.
MIT Institute of Design
One of the best courses run by the university is MIT Institute of Design which
has in a decade become a leading design institute in India. Vinayak Kulkarni,
Associate Dean, MIT Institute of Design took me on a quick tour. It was quite
impressive as I was able to see quite a few interesting and innovative
designs, including a beautiful car.
The MIT Institute of Design provides programs in Product Design (has been
since the inception of Institute in 2006), Transportation Design, Interior
Space and Furniture Design, Graphic Design, Retail Design, Animation
Design, Film and Video Design, Fashion Design, User Experience Design, MBA Design Programmes.
The Bachelor of Design is 4 years (8 semesters) duration and one can be 10+2 from any stream, (State BoardsAISS-
CE/ IB/ ISC). The Master of Design program is 2 years (4 semesters) duration one needs to be Graduate or its equiv-
alent (10+2+3 minimum).
MIT Institute of Design is a member of Cumulus - the only global association to serve art & design education &
Research. It currently consist of 257 members from 54 countries. It is also a member of World Design
Organization(WDO) - an international non government organization that promotes the profession of Industrial Design
& its ability to generate better products, services & experiences & ultimately a better environment & society. WDO
has grown to include over 140 member organization from 40 nations.
MIT Institute of Design also has collaboration with International universities like Middlesex University UK, Northum-
bria University UK, Abertay University UK, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
“In near future we are looking at tie-ups with more International universities from numerous countries. Also we aim
to increase our Industrial collaborations – both to make sure we are updated with what the industry requires and
also to get the required guest faculty from the industries. This will in large benefit our students,” MIT Institute of
Design.

Firstly congrats on again becoming the President of IEIA.
What are your plans for the betterment of the association?
Many innovative initiatives were taken up during my last
tenure and the amazing 130% growth in membership numbers is
a demonstration of our hard work. We were successful in bring
more people into the fold of IEIA. Our annual event IEIA Open
Seminar is now a much larger scale with a substantial increase in
international attendees. We were also able to launch global
programs like the Global Exhibitions Day, the Certified in Exhi-
bition Management, etc. in India, which have helped us in our
advocacy to promote the exhibition industry in India. IEIA is now
a stronger body and in this term I would like to focus on strength-
ening the secretariat and ensure that we get closer to our members
and stake holders through regular and engaging activities. We
continue our mission of collaborating with industry associations
around the world.
MICE industry in India is growing but at a slow space.
What needs to be done?
MICE industry in India is poised to grow at a higher rate in the
years to come. There are three things that are bound to happen -
governments will take an active role in promoting MICE
industry; MICE infrastructure in India is set to grow by 200% in
the next five years and more international players will come to
India to organise their events and will participate in mergers, col-
laborations, joint ventures and investments.
What was the purpose of visiting BRICS MICE Coopera-
tion Forum 2017, China?
BRICS countries together represent 40% of the global popula-
tion and 30% of the global GDP and cooperating in terms of
MICE between BRICS nations will benefit all of us. This cooper-
ation will initially facilitate in exhibition industry players to work
closely with counterparts in the BRICS nations. Signatory associ-
ations will help players from BRICS nations to work/collabo-
rate/partner in their countries. Chinese organisers are now
looking to go international and rest of the BRICS nations will
benefit a lot from this move.
You regularly attend Expo! Expo! event. How beneficial
has it been?
IAEE’s Expo! Expo! is the best MICE event in the entire world
- the content and participation in this event is unmatched. There
are lot of takeaways for IEIA or any MICE association. The event
is packed with multiple parallel sessions spread over four days
benefitting the attendees to update themselves on the latest in the
industry. Some sessions focus on personality development, career
management, people management, new sales techniques, etc.
helping attendees professionally. You will see some of the traits
of Expo! Expo! At our next year’s IEIA Open Seminar being
hosted at Hyderabad from 9 – 11 May 2018. I am also happy to
be inducted into the CEM Commission this year and will work to
make CEM more relevant globally. I am happy to be part of the
Asian Advisory Council of IAEE, there is clearly lot of focus on
Asia at the IAEE forum and our continued participation at Expo!
Expo! will help draw business to India.
M I C E
Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) is India’s one-stop source of information pertaining to exhibition industry and
all segments related to the exhibition industry. This year at the 11th AGM of IEIA KV Nagendra Prasad, COO, HITEX
Ltd. was re- elected as President thanks to his multiple initiatives and increased activities of IEIA at both national and
international fronts. To get an insight into his plans for IEIA and his presence at global events Chandragupta Amritkar
interviewed KV Nagendra Prasad. Excerpts
“We continue our mission of collaborating with
industry associations around the world”
The newly elected Executive Committee of IEIA

I
t was due to my good Skal friends Vijay Mohan Raj, SKAL
Hyderabad Chapter President and Local Organising
Committee Chairman and Hari Kishan Valmiki, EC Member,
SKAL International Hyderabad that I decided to attend the SKAL
congress for just the first couple of days (I was scheduled to leave
for Dubai) and it turned out to be a good decision. The event
proved to be an excellent opportunity for many of my travel fra-
ternity friends to interact with their community from across the
globe. The theme of the Congress was “Together We Can”.
This was only the second time that a Skal World Congress was
being organized in India and first time in Hyderabad. SKAL
International is the world’s largest Travel Organization of Travel
and Tourism Professionals founded in 1934 for promoting global
tourism and friendship. Spread over 87 countries, it has 17,000
members.
Vijay Mohan Raj was quite pleased as the SKAL Congress
provided an opportunity to showcase Hyderabad and other tourist
places in the State as destinations world to nearly 600 delegates
from 85 countries who in turn will promote it for tourists across
the world.
The proceedings started with a welcome party on the evening
prior to the inauguration/ opening ceremony and guests were
welcomed with colorful turbans and beautiful pearl necklaces.
The opening ceremony also known for its flag ceremony
showcases the countries of the delegates represented as all the
flags are brought to the front.
Deputy Chief Minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali inaugurated the
four-day 78th Skal World Congress and stressed that Telangana
was committed to the development and promotion of tourism.
“Plans are afoot to increase the number of foreign tourists visiting
Telangana from the current 2.5 lakh a year to 10 lakh by 2020,”
he said.
Speaking on the occasion, David Fisher said, "Today's traveller
is looking at a fuller experience of a place and wants to explore
the local life and cuisine and have the feel of the place."
B. Venkatesham said that the state had a great potential for
tourism, while mentioning that 30% of pharmaceutical drugs
used in the world were produced in Hyderabad and that the world
famous Kohinoor diamond was mined here.
The Congress elected Susanna Saari from Finland elected as
their new World President who hosted a Presidential Dinner. The
outgoing President David Fisher, felicitated members for their
outstanding contribution.
Some of the countries from where the delegates participated
were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Spain, Fiji,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya,
Cyprus, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland,
Turkey, Uganda, UK, USA, Zimbabwe, Denmark, Norway,
Sweden, Columbia, Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong
Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil and others.
2017 is the “Indo-US Tourism Year”. A large contingent from
USA participated in the SKAL World Congress besides Australia,
Mexico and many other countries. During the Congress, 12
Indian cities (SKAL Chapters) twinned with 12 USA cities
(SKAL Chapters). It is the first time any entire nation has fully
twinned with another SKAL Nation. Hyderabad twinned with
SKAL Clubs in Sacramento and San Francisco. The SKAL World
Congress launched the Young SKAL Hyderabad, the first such
club in Telugu states. Speaking on the occasion Hari Kishan said,
“Ours will be the fifth Young SKAL Club in India and first in the
Telugu region. The whole aim is to infuse the young blood in
SKAL.”
A mini exhibition was also held parallel with 30 exhibitors
including state governments, airlines like Oman Airlines, DMCs
like Akqua Sun Group, tour and travel operators and quite a few
hotels.
SKAL Mombasa, Kenya will host the 79th Skal International
World Congress from October 17 to 21, 2018.
E v e n t R e v i e w
With 600 delegates representing tourism boards of 85 countries the 78th SKAL World Congress in Hyderabad was quite
successful feels Chandragupta Amritkar
SKAL World Congress Hyderabad: A Grand Success

F
rom very early history to modern times, walls have been a
necessity for many cities. Termed as forts or fortifications
these have basically been buildings designed for defense in
warfare. India has its fair share of forts across the country from
all periods - late Stone Age to the British Raj.
Understanding the importance of old and historic forts for the
first time UNESCO has selected forts, located in different cities
of Rajasthan, as a serial cultural property. The Hill forts are six
sites located across the Aravalli mountain range in northern India
which represent the seats of Rajput power. The structural ruins
date back to the 8th to the 19th Century AD. The six forts — Chit-
torgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer, Ranthambhore (Sawai
Madhopur), Gagaron (Jhalawar) and Amber (Jaipur) are recog-
nised as serial World Heritage Sites.
The History
The earliest findings have been dated to the 5th century, discov-
ered at Chittorgarh Fort and Ranthambore Fort. However, a local
legend claims that Kumbhalgarh Fort was built by a Jain Prince
of the Maurya dynasty in the 2nd century BC.
Construction of the fortifications started later. First at Chittor-
garh, where Chitrangad, also of the Maurya dynasty, erected a
stronghold in the 7th century. In Ranthambore and Gagron, the
earliest certain reference to fortification structures is from the
12th century, when Ranthambore was a well-established Jain
holy site and Gagron was being constructed by the Khinchi
Chauhan Rajput clan.
The Fort of Chittorgarh was expanded in the 13th and early
14th centuries, when it served as the capital of the Kingdom of
Mewar under the Guhila Rajput dynasty.
In the 13th and 14th centuries many of the forts were taken
over by the Sisodias of Mewar. The Fort of Chittorgarh acquired
its most important constructions still present today, including the
Rajput palace structure. These were built in particular during the
reign of Rana Kumbha (1433-1468), who constructed amongst
other things the Vijay Stambh (1440-1448).
Kumbhalgarh Fort displays evidence of the Sisodias of Mewar
during the first half of the 15th century under the rule of Rana
Kumbha, during which time many of its structures were built.
This includes the walls, the gateways and several temples. Kumb-
halgarh Fort was only ever captured once and for a short period
by a general of Akbar in 1578 AD. With this single short occupa-
tion, Kumbhalgarh has proven the most successful of the Rajput
defence structures throughout its history.
Rana Kumbha of Mewar also left his mark at Gagron Fort.
After the fort came under his control in 1439. it became the site
of several battles between Mewar warriors and Mahmud Khilji,
who took over the fort only to be defeated by the Sisodia Rajput
ruler Rana Sanga soon after. Sanga held Gagron until 1532, when
it was conquered by the ruler of Gujarat and held for 30 years,
until it was captured by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1561.
In Rathambore the earliest structures were destroyed during its
sack in 1301 following Alauddin Khilji’s victory. It was captured
shortly after by the Sisodia Rajput of Mewar and expanded
during the reigns of Rana Hamir Singh (1326-1364) and rana
kumbha.
In the mid-15th century, the Mughal Emperor Akbar began
capturing the various hill forts, including Gagron Fort in 1561,
Chittorgarh in 1576 and Rathambore in 1569. Akbar eventually
controlled every fort but one, Kumbhalgarh. It was during this era
of Mughal control that the construction of the Amber Palace was
started. The surviving form was built under the Kachchwaha ruler
Bharmal (1547-1574), who had established a political alliance
between the Kachchwaha Rajputs of Amber and the Mughal
Empire. The expansion was continued by the following genera-
tions, most particularly under the Kachchawaha ruler Mirza Raja
Jai Singh (1622-1667), who is credited with having laid out the
entire ground plan of Amber Palace.[1] Under Mughal rule, the
Rajput signed peace treaties which contained clauses regarding
their responsibility over the forts, such as a treaty with the
W o r l d H e r i t a g e S i t e s
There are six hill forts of Rajasthan in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Global Destinations focuses on these forts.
The Hill Forts of Rajasthan Mughal Emperor Jehangir, which returned Chittorgarh Fort to the
Sisodias but prevented them from undertaking any repairs or con-
structions. Other forts were granted as feudal estates to the allies
of the Mughal rulers, such as Ranthambore to Sawai Madho
Singh (1753). Gagron was awarded to Maharao Bhim Singh, the
ruler of Kota, from the Hada clan of the Rajput. Following the
weakening of the Mughal imperial powers, which were faced
with several famines and internal disputes, the Sisodias signed a
subsidiary alliance treaty with the East India Company in 1818.
This constituted the basis for new construction and restoration
activities, which were initiated for example at Chittorgarh and
Kumbhalgarh. Finally, following the independence of India in
1947, the forts became the public property of the Rajasthan State
government and were designated as monuments of either national
or state importance.
Chittorgarh Fort
The Chittor, the ancient Chitrakuta occupies a place of pride in
the history of Rajputs as it remained an important seat of Rajput
power from the 7th
to 16th cent. AD.
Covering an area of
about 700 acres, the
fort stands on a
152mt. high hill. The
construction of fort
is ascribed to Chi-
trangad of the Mori
dynasty in 7th cent.
AD. It has been a
witness to the rulers
of several dynasties
such as the Mori or
Mauryas (7-8th
century AD), Prati-
haras (9-10th
century AD),
Paramaras (10-11th
century AD),
Solankis (12th
century AD) and
lastly by Guhilots or
Sisodia clan of
Rajputs.
Historically, Chittorgarh is established as an indomitable
Rajput hill fort withstanding several attacks by Muslim invaders
such as Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD, Sultan Bahadur Shah of
Gujarat in 1535 AD and finally by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in
1567 AD. Each time the Rajput women and children committed
the ritual of Jauhar (group immolation by the women and children
of a besieged fort when the fall of the place seems inevitable).
Hence, the Fort has strong associations with these sacrificial
events. Its eventful history and rich monumental heritage is char-
acterized by strong fortification, gateways, bastions, palaces,
temples, towers and reservoirs which are fine examples of Rajput
architecture. The Kalikamata temple, originally dedicated to
Surya, is one of the oldest surviving shrines datable to 8th century
AD which is corroborated by an inscription attributing the con-
struction of the temple by one king Manbhanga. The Samadhis-
vara temple, dedicated to Lord Siva is identified with the temple
of Tribhubvana Narayan built by the Paramara king Bhoja in the
eleventh cent. AD. The remains of Kshemankari and brick temple
are datable to 9-10th cent. AD while the Jain Kirtti Stambha,
dedicated to Adinath
or Rishabhadeva, the
first Jaina Tirthankar
is one of the most
interesting Jaina
monument datable to
13th cent.AD and is
adorned heavily with
sculptures and
mouldings from base
to sumit.
Jain Sat Bis temple
dates from the 11th
century, the 23
metres high Kirti
Stambh from the
12th century,
followed by the
oldest surviving
Rajput Palace in the
Fort complex - the
Choonda's Palace
from 1400 AD in a
ruinous condition.
A number of 15th century structures added by Rana Kumbha
include: the 37 metre high nine storey Vijay Stambh (1440-1448
AD) embellished with images of gods and goddesses and
inscribed slabs of the fragmentary prasasti containing genealogy
of the the Guhilots family; the Rana Kumbha's Palace; temples of
Kumbhasvamin, Sringar Chauri, Sat Bis Deori, Adbhutnath, etc.
The palaces of Ratan Singh and Padmini are other important
buildings besides large numbers of temples, reservoirs, residen-
tial complexes, etc. The Gaumukh Kund, a historic water body in
the fort complex has religious associations.
Gagron Fort
Gagron Fort, located 5 km. north-east of the Jhalawar town is
dated from 7th-8th century AD and stands as a witness to the
valour of the Khichi Chauhan clan of Rajputs. Surrounded by the

waters of the Ahu and Kali Sindh rivers on three sides, it is con-
sidered as one of the finest example of water fort, looming out on
the crest of the Vindhyan hill range at the confluence of two
rivers. The vertical cliff, locally known as Gidh Karai or Vulture's
Cliff is a strong natural feature.
The Khichi Chauhan clan of Rajputs under their Raja Jaita
Singh, successfully withstood a siege by Allauddin Khilji in AD
1300. Raja Achaldas Khinchi held this fort valiantly against the
Hoshang Shah of Malwa and the fort records the ritual events of
Jauhar performed during the invasion. The fort went through 14
battles and Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, besieged it
unsuccessfully for 11 years. Rana Kumbha of Mewar (AD 1433-
1468I disposed Mahmud Khilji, the Sultan of Malwa in AD 1439
and held it till AD 1532 when Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat
conquered it. In 1561 AD, the Mughal Emperor Akbar captured
Gagron and the Mughals held it till 1715 AD when it was gifted
to Maharao Bhim Singh, the ruler of Kota belonging to Hada clan
of Rajputs. Jauhar, the Rajput ritual of women immolating them-
selves during enemy attack, was performed thrice in the history
of Gagron fort. Gagron remained one of the favourite retreats of
Zalim Singh Jhala in the 19th century.
The Gagron fort is famous for its natural and strategic location,
massive construction and glorious history. Ganesh Pol,
Nakkarkhana, Bharaiv Pol, Kishan Pol, Silikhana-ka-Darwaza
are important gateways inside the fort. The Diwan-e Am, Diwan-
e-Khas, Zanana Mahal, Madhusudan Mandir or Rang Mahal are
important built structures in the fort complex. Silekhana which
was the storehouse for arms and ammunition exists in the form of
small cells along western wall of the fort.
Kumbhalgarh Fort
Kumbhalgarh (or Kumbhalmer), situated about 80 km.
northwest of Udaipur on the peaks of the Aravalli range rises 213
meters above the surrounding countryside, with a commanding
view of the Aravallis. Its construction is attributed to Rana
Kumbha between1443-1458 AD. It was constructed under the
supervision of his famous architect Mandana. The site originally
housed an earlier structure that traditions ascribe to Samprati, a
Jaina prince of the second century B.C.
The only time the fort was invested by an outsider was in 1578
AD when it was taken by Mughal forces during Emperor Akbar's
reign. The fort is approached through a series of protective walls
and strong defensive fortifications having perimeter of about 12
km. with 5 meters wide abutting wall on the inner side of the for-
tification further supported by a series of round bastions. The fort
has ten gates with several groups of temples devoted to Hindu
and Jain pantheon which includes the Ganesh temple, Neelkanth
Mahadev temple, Vedi temple, Parsvanath temple, Bawan Deori,
Pitaliadev temple, Mamadev temple, Golerao roup of temples and
Jain temples No. 1,2,3, etc. Other monuments within the fort
include Badal Mahal, Kumbha Mahal, Jhalia Mahal, Birth Place
of Maharana Pratap and ancient bunds, reservoirs and step-wells.
Most of the monuments/structures are datable to 15-16th century
AD except Badal Mahal which was constructed by Rana Fateh
Singh (1884-1930 AD) and is the highest point of the fort. The
Kumbhalgarh inscription from 1460 AD records the history of
Rana Kumbha's period.
Ranthambore Fort
Ranthambore Fort is a formidable fort and has been a focal
point of historical developments of Rajasthan. The fortress of
Ranthambore is said to be constructed by Maharaja Jayanta in 5th
century AD. The Yadavas ruled over it till they were expelled by

Prithviraj Chauhan in 12th century AD. The fortress commands a
strategic location, 213 metres above the surrounding plain sur-
rounded by a Wildlife Sanctuary.
After the defeat of the Chauhan king Prithviraj III by
Muhammad of Ghor in 1192 AD, Ranthambore became the
center of Chauhan resistance to the expanding Sultanate of Delhi
during the reign of Govinda Raja, grandson of Pritviraj III. The
Delhi Sultan Iltutmish captured Ranthambore in 1226 AD, but the
Chauhans recaptured it after his death in 1236 AD. Sultan Jalal ud
din Firuz Khilji briefly besieged the fort in 1290-91 AD. Hammir
Deo (1282-1301A.D.) was the most powerful ruler of Ranthamb-
hore who patronised art and literature and fought bravely against
Alla ud din Khilji during a siege in 1301 AD.
The fort was captured by the kingdom of Mewar under Rana
Hamir Singh (1326-1364 AD) and Rana Kumbha (1433-1468
AD). After the reign of Rana Kumbha's successor Rana Udai
Singh I (1468-1473AD) passed it to the Hada Rajputs of Bundi.
Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat captured the fortress from 1532
to 1535 AD. The Mughal Emperor Akbar captured the fortress in
1559 AD. The fort passed to the Kachwaha Rajputs of Jaipur in
the 17th century, and it remained part of Jaipur state until Indian
Independence. The area surrounding the fortress (Ranthambore
National Park) became a hunting ground for the Rajput rulers of
Jaipur.
The fort is well strengthened by massive fortification provided
with seven gateways, known as Pols namely, Navlakha Pol,
Hathia Pol, Ganesh Pol, Andheri Pol, Sat Pol, Suraj Pol and Delhi
Pol Pol. Important monuments inside the fort are Hammir
Paalace, Rani Palace, Hammir Badi Kachehari, Chhoti
Kachehari, Badal Mahal, Battis Khambha Chhatri, Jhaura-Bhaura
(Granaries), Dargah, Hindu and Jain temples. Ganesh temple is
the most visited shrine inside the fort.
Jalor Fort
Jalor Fort is situated on a rocky outcrop about 336m high in the
southern part of Jalor town with a fortified wall and bastions. The
fort was built by the Paramara Rajputs between the 8th- 10th
century AD. Kirtipala, ruler of Nadol and the founder of the Jalor
line of Rajputs captured the fort from the Paramaras in 1181 AD.
In 1228 AD, Iltutmish circled Jalor but the fort was defended by
the then Rajput ruler, Udaysimha. Jalor was attacked in 1311 AD
by Alla ud din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi during the reign of Kanhad
Dev Songara who along with his son Viramdeo Songara died
defending the fort. Many women performed Jauhar, the Rajput
ritual of self immolation during this event. The path to the main
entrance, cut in rock, is well over two miles long and it negotiates
three distinct lines of defense because of which Jalor fort could
valiantly resist wave after wave of Muslim invasions.
Measuring about ¾ km in length and ½ km in breadth the fort
has 4 gateways -Suraj Pol, Dhruv Pol, Chand Pol and Sirhe Pol.
At present the fort complex includes several historic buildings
such as the palaces of Man Singh, two step-wells, three Jain
temples, one Shiva temple, dilapidated temple of Jogmaya,
Chauki of Vikramdeo and dargah of Malik Shah.
Among the Jain temples, the one dedicated to Parsvanath is the
most magnificent and impressive. Rathore clan ruler Man Singh
of Jodhpur lived here and the fort records arrest of freedom
fighters Ganeshlal Vyas, Mathuradas Mathur, Fatehraj Joshi and
Tulsidas Rathi in the 20th century. The mahal or the residential
palace inside the fort is now desolated, and what is left of it are
the ruined symmetrical walls with huge rock formations around
it. The cut-stone walls of the fort are still intact at many places.
The Kila Masjid (Fort Mosque) within the fort is also noteworthy
as they demonstrates the widespread influence of the architectur-
al decorations associated with late 16th century architectural
styles.
Amber Fort
Amber is located in a valley formed by a range of Aravallis
known as Kalikho hills. The Palace and Fort are located on top of
the hill with the city on slopes, and the valley protected by fort
walls with four gates in the four cardinal directions. Kakil Dev
(1036 - 1038 AD) is said to have laid the foundations of the for-
tifications of Amber, though the capital was shifted to Amber
only between 1179 and 1216 AD. The construction of the fort
began in 1592 AD by Man Singh I and was completed, later, by
his descendant Jai Singh I. It shows the evolution from the purely
defensive fort settlements of the early medieval period to the
palace fortress type of architecture typified in the 16th century.
This palace fortress was never attacked or invaded.
The fort comprises of number of gardens, courtyards and
palatial spaces derived from Mughal architecture such as the
Diwan-e-Am, Diwan-e-Khas, etc. The construction of the palaces
within was started by Raja Bharmal in 1558 AD and saw later
palace structures made by Raja Man Singh and Jai Singh. The
most significant architectural features in the whole complex are
the Shish Mahal, the Ganesh Pol and the temple of Mata Sila
Devi.
Bala Kila
The fort was originally built in the 10th century as a mud
structure, it was expanded and improved over the centuries by the
Mughals and Jats. It stands 305 metres above sea level, is spread
5 kms across North to South and nearly 2 km from east to west.
Part of the rampart of Bala Kila was built by Raja Hasan Khan
Mewati from the Jadon clan of Rajput in 1550 AD. It passed from
the Mughals, to the Marathas, to the Jats, till it was finally
captured by the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs of Jaipur. It is known
to have housed Mughal rulers from Babur for a night halt to
Emperor Jahangir when he was Prince Salim and spent 3 months
in exile.
There are six entrances to the fort which are, Chand Pol, Suraj
Pol, Jai Pol, Kishan Pol, Andheri Gate and Laxman Pol. The fort
comprises of 15 large and 51 small ornate stone towers surround-
ing the frescoed palace of Nikumbh Mahal.
It was at an event organized by CNIEL (National Interprofes-
sional Center of the Dairy Economy, France) that I had the
opportunity of meeting François Robin (who has been awarded
one of the best Cheese Monger in France) and relishing some
of his tasty and yummy cheese. Europe is already well known
for its artisans and big producers who use their ancestral know-
how to produce a wide variety of fine cheese. From French
Camembert to Italian Burrata, the range of cheese is very
diverse. Strict regulations by the European Union, makes
cheese from Europe, the best and safest products for the
consumer.
Taking a lead to promote dairy products and to facilitate rela-
tionships between dairy producers and processors cheese is
CNIEL a privately-run organization. The European Union and
the CNIEL have several initiatives in the world lined up to
create more awareness about cheese. As part of the “Open your
taste” program, India is one of the key market to showcase the
wide & rich cultural diversity of cheese from France & from
Europe.
CNIEL organized Cheese tasting of Vegetarian Cheese with
François Robin, who has been awarded one of the best Cheese
Monger in France, preparing various delicacies with European
cheese & Indian spices. Chef François Robin partnered with
Chef Jyoti, Park Hyatt Chennai who developed the concepts of
the Indian recipes displayed in the buffet. Mansi Jasani,
founder of Cheese Collective in Mumbai, spoke about cheese
consumption of European cheese by Indians; how & when to
consume the cheese etc.
Though cheese consumption in India has increased by 15-
20% in India in recent years, Indian consumption of cheese is
quite low compared to world consumption (200gms vs 7kgs).
Mainly due to the fact that Indians are big consumers of dairy
products and cheese is consumed as a part of meals or as a
snack. France ranks 3rd as a supplier of cheese to India after
Italy & Denmark, with a market share of around 13% and the
consumption of French cheese has been steadily rising in India.
Cheese Tasting in Mumbai

E d u c a t i o n
As per a recent report by ICRA India has over 25,000 premium
rooms under construction expecting to bring the premium supply
in the country to over one lakh rooms by FY20 in 12 key cities.
Add to this India’s rising middle class and increasing disposable
incomes resulting in many opting to traverse across the country
and the globe.
“We had foreseen the potential in this segment and had initially
a tie-up with American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute
(AHLEI) which was quite beneficial to our students. But due to
some permission issues related to AHLEI we opted for the 3 year
Degree BSc. in Hospitality Studies, affiliated to University of
Mumbai. Now we plan to again tie up with AHLEI,” said Aarav
Muchhala who heads the education wing of the Muchhala Group.
Established in 1997 in Thane with the intention to develop
skilled hospitality graduates for the hospitality industry, Arun
Muchhala International College of Hotel Management has turned
out to be a premier hospitality educational institute in Thane.
“Hospitality is no longer just about food and lodging, it’s much
more than that and the potential has increased multi-fold. On the
other hand today it requires polished students who have good
communication skills in at least 3 languages including English
apart from strong interpersonal skills. They can seek job opportu-
nities in a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises,
adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film,
rural and religious tourism. The remuneration has also increased
substantially and has good growth prospects. There is huge
potential for them to become entrepreneurs and start their own
hotels, restaurants or just take on catering projects,” said Aarav
Muchhala.
Having paid a visit to the college I was pretty impressed by the
infrastructure. The college has well ventilated learning resource
centers/classrooms, training kitchens (basic training kitchen,
quantity training kitchen, advance training kitchen), housekeep-
ing lab (to learn housekeeping skills),guest rooms, two training
restaurants (to enhance food and beverage service skills), library-
spacious enough to accommodate 100 students at a time, dining
cafeteria ( to accommodate 300 students at time for lunch).
Located in a multi storied building next
to a four star hotel and the famous Surj
water park the college is able to take
benefit of this locality for its students. The
faculty members, who are industry
experts, develop and mould students in to
future hospitality professionals to face the
challenging global business environment.
“We have courses that help students get trained in all aspects of
the hospitality industry – F&B, front office and housekeeping,”
said Bipin Jadhav, Principal.
Students undergo upto 20 weeks compulsory Industrial
Training after completion of first year in the college. The Training
is given in some of the best star hotels (Hotel Grand Hyatt, Taj
Mahal Palace and Towers, Taj Vivanta, Hotel St. Regis. Hotel
Trident Oberoi) in India or even Abroad (Hotel St. Regis , Hotel
Tang Plaza Marriott, Hotel Amara Singapore, Hotel Milleniuim ,
Hotel Avillion Port Dickson Malaysia).
“This training provides an opportunity for students to familiar-
ize with the environment of the hotel industry and develop their
hospitality skills to create a career. It also help them know which
specialization option is most suitable to them. On the placement
side the college has achieved 100% placement in reputed hotels,”
said Bipin.
Apart from hotels and resorts jobs opportunities for B.Sc in
hospitality are plenty including - Catering departments of
railways, banks, armed forces, malls, corporate etc.; forest lodges
and guest houses airline catering and cabin services; on cruise
liners; hospitals; hotel and catering institutes etc.
Training in all aspects of hospitality at
Arun Muchhala International College of
Hotel Management
With more and more International brands coming into India and the present ones
expanding across even tier 2 and 3 cites, this is the best time to opt for a career in
hospitality industry and Arun Muchhala International College of Hotel Management
can be a good option feels Chandragupta Amritkar Aarav Muchhala
Bipin Jadhav

For Your Information
November 02-05 The Luxury Travel Fair, London (Olympia)
November 03-05 SKIEXPO, Sports, Skiing & Winter Tourism, Helsinki, Finland
November 06-08 World Travel Market (WTM) London, ExCeL, London, United Kingdom
November 11-12 Photo+Adventure, Vienna, Austria
November 12-15 56th ICCA Congress, Prague, Czech Republic
November 23-26 PHILOXENIA 2017, Thessaloniki, Greece
November 24-26 HOTELIA 2017, Thessaloniki, Greece
November 24-26 IITM Pune
November 28-30 IBTM WORLD 2017, Barcelona, Spain
December 04 – 07 ILTM - International Luxury Travel Market, Cannes, Paris
December 11 – 14 Interntional Golf Travel Market (IGTM), Cannes, Paris
January 08 – 11 Horecava (fair for catering professionals), RAI Amsterdam, Netherlands
January 11 – 13 India International Travel & Tourism fair (IITT), Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
January 11 – 12 Vacances, Geneva, Switzerland
January 17 – 21 FITUR 2018 (International Tourism Trade Fair), Madrid, Spain
January 18 – 20 OTM, (Outbound Travel Mart), Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai
January 20 – 28 boot-Düsseldorf (Int'l Boat Show), Dusseldorf, Germany
January 25 – 28 EMITT (East Mediterranean), Istanbul, Turkey
January 26 – 28 New York Times Travel Show, Jacob K. Javits Center, New York
Jan 31 – Feb 02 SATTE 2018, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India
February 05 – 06 Hotel Investment Forum India, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, India
February 06 – 08 IBTM Arabia, Abu Dhabi , UAE
March 03 – 05 WTM Latin America, SAO PAULO, SP
March 05 – 07 21st International Hotel Investment Forum, Berlin, Germany
March 07 – 11 International Tourism Exchange (ITB) Berlin 2018, Messe Berlin, Germany
March 13 – 15 MITT (Moscow Int'l Travel & Tourism Exhibition), Moscow, Russia
March 14 – 16 GASTRO Helsinki 2018, Helsinki, Finland
April 22 – 24 Great Indian Travel Bazaar, Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre, Jaipur, India
April 22 – 25 Arabian Travel Market, Dubai
April 24 – 26 International Medical Tourism Exhibition & Conference, Muscat, Oman
May 04 – 07 Taipei Tourism Expo, Taipei, Taiwan
May 08-10 Indaba, Tourism Fair, Durban, South Africa
May 09-11 IEIA Open Seminar, HITEX, Hyderabad, India
May 15-17 IMEX, Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events, Frankfurt, Germany
June 01 – 03 Karibu Travel Market Tanzania, Arusha, Tanzania
July 12-14 Global Travel Marketplace (GTM), Hollywood, Florida, USA
July 25-26 MICE INDIA and Luxury Travel congress, Hyatt Regency Mumbai, Mumbai, India
July 31 – Aug 01 MICE INDIA and Luxury Travel congress, New Delhi, India
October 16 – 18 IMEX America, Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, USA
Exhibitions and conferences not only give you an opportunity to see and hear about the latest destinations, services
and products but also becomes a venue to meet and interact with International partners. One should plan much in
advance to participate in an expo so that he can get in touch with existing and prospective customers. We have
compiled a list of travel related Exhibitions for 2017-18
If your event is not listed, please e-mail us at editor@globalfeatures.info. It's free!
Your Dateline
If you are organizing an exhibition/Conference not listed above please get in touch with us at-
Global Technologies, B-701, Customs Colony, Military Rd, Marol, Andheri(E), Mumbai-400 059, India.
Phone - 91-22-29252569, Mobile - 9224339001 / 9223419060 e-mail: globalfeatures@lycos.com

Global Destinations annual issue 2017

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