Karan Arora in Mohali

Mahindra KUV100 NXT Latest Updates The  Mahindra  KUV100 is set to get a price hike from July 1 due to the implementation of new safety features to make it compliant with the AIS 145 safety norms. According to Mahindra’s future plan to shift to BS6 engines, the 1.2-litre diesel engine in the KUV100 NXT will not be updated to meet the BS6 norms. Mahindra has made it clear that updating this engine will come at a cost and with the increase in price, the KUV100 NXT will fall out of competition. Mahindra may call the KUV100 a ‘microSUV’ but you and I know it’s not much more than a hopped up hatchback. With the NXT, the formula has been tweaked a bit in a bid to make it more appealing. Additions include a new front grille and bumper, new alloy wheels and clear-lens tail lamps. The interiors now feature an all-black colour scheme and get a new 7-inch touchscreen. Mahindra has also done away with a couple of dials on the dashboard to reduce the clutter. Most importantly, ...

Kerala – with it’s Beautiful destinations  Exotic beaches, beautiful landscape, serene mountains, peaceful backwaters, vibrant culture – Kerala is truly God’s own country! Kerala conjures up images that even a wizard would find hard to match. A tiny state in South India, Kerala has become a dominant player in the tourism sector. Word of Kerala’s exotic beauty and languid charm has reached the farthest corners of the world and tourists from far and near, from different cultures and religions, come together in Kerala to celebrate the colours of mother nature. So, why is Kerala such a sought after destination? The best thing about Kerala is that you could ask for the sky here and you would not be refused! You can ask for the most beautiful beaches, you can ask for the most poetic hill stations, you can ask for the most pristine backwaters – and you will get them all in Kerala. While some might like to spend a major time of their holiday on one of the beautiful beaches of...

Microsoft: The open source company The times, they are a-changin’—even bits of Windows will be open source. The news from Microsoft’s Build developer conference that surprised me most was that  Microsoft will ship a genuine Linux kernel —GPLed, with all patches published—with Windows. That announcement was made with the announcement of  Windows Terminal , a new front-end for command-line programs on Windows that will, among other things, support tabs. Microsoft’s increased involvement with open source software isn’t new, as projects such as  Visual Studio Code  and  the .NET runtime  have operated as open source, community-driven projects. But this week’s announcements felt a bit different. The Linux kernel will be powering Microsoft’s second generation  Windows  Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The first generation WSL contains a partial re-implementation of the Linux kernel API that uses the Windows NT kernel to perform its functionality...

13 Best Money Skills to Learn Everyone likes to have money. They may not have a need to be rich, but it is certainly nice not to scramble to find creative ways to pay your bills. However, money and finances are certainly skills, and unfortunately they are skills that most people have not learned. There are skills in frugal living, budgeting, personal finances, debt management and reduction, saving, investing and more. If you want to learn a new skill, and you don’t know the skills of finance these would be a great place to start. They can help you make more money, spend less, keep more of what you make and even save money for investment, property or a future, “something special”. 1. Creating a Personal Budget You need to start early to set yourself up for financial success in the future. If you spend beyond your means, you are setting yourself up to accrue debt and develop a poor credit score. Budgets are a lot easier with some good software to back it up. I recommen...

What are things to carry on my Leh Ladakh trip? A list of things to carry on a  Ladakh  trip is one of the topmost questions that I may have answered in the last decade of running my blog. However, I will be concise here and suggest that you may carry the following essentials on any Ladakh trip: Basic Travel Kit Essentials At least two copies of PhotoIDs for all members Pen and a small diary Bag locks (2 or more) Backpack or  Daypack Extra spectacles with cover Torchlight or  Flashlight Small Scissor Hand Watch Sunglasses – Recommended Multi-Plug – Recommended for remote areas Match Boxes or Flint or Cigarette Lighter, Couple of candles Plastic Bags / Plastic Zip Lock Bags Twist-ties, safety pins. You can find twisties at the link: Twist Tie 20m (Pack of 2) Swiss Knife (optional) I have a  Victorinox  Huntsman Red  Swiss Army Knife  which I have been using since 6-7 years. It has helped in many situations in mountains and st...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the bomb blasts in Sri Lanka in which 156 people died and 300 were injured. A string of  six blasts hit five-star hotels and churche s as worshippers attend Easter services. “Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka. There is no place for such barbarism in our region. India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured,” PM Modi tweeted. Contemning the attacks, President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, “We stand in complete solidarity with Sri Lanka.” The  blasts hit several high-end hotels and a church in Colombo , while two other churches were targeted outside Colombo, Sri Lanka police told news agency AFP. The nature of the blasts was not immediately clear and there were no immediate claims of responsibility. Americans, British and Dutch citizens were among those killed in the six blasts, which also injured hundreds of people, AFP quoted a ...

At least 500 wounded as South Asian nation reels from the attacks that targeted churches and hotels across the country. A series of coordinated explosions has rocked churches and hotels in  Sri Lanka  killing almost 300 people on Easter Sunday in the South Asian island nation. More than 500 people have been injured in the worst attack since the  end of the civil war  10 years ago. The blasts targeted four hotels, including the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and the Cinnamon Grand in the capital Colombo. Nearly all victims were Sri Lankan. Dozens of foreigners were also killed. There were no claims of responsibility for the attacks. Here are the latest updates: Monday, April 22: Death toll rises to 290: police The death toll from the  Easter  Sunday explosions in Sri Lanka has risen to 290 with almost 500 people wounded, a police spokesperson said on Monday. The police added that the investigation into the bombings will examine reports ...