In the previous post, we suggested options for gym membership as an offbeat but highly effective mode to build a ‘healthy’ bond with friends and colleagues who really matter to you and to whom exercise matters owing to their hectic and stressed lifestyle.

You can help them in their quest to maintain themselves that much more with a ‘healthy’ gift. In this post, we shall consider an interesting Yoga-related gift idea. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is indeed a fine body of work.

In a short but sweet compilation, the magical personality offered insight into basic tenets of mysticism and various methods for experiencing altered states of consciousness; setting on a path to absoluteness.

Their website states: “Yoga stimulates the parasympathetic system and thus works against stress. Regular relaxation exercises help in developing the witness attitude and help one, to distance oneself from the apparent causes of stress.

Patanjali yoga, if carried out, true to its original spirit as mentioned in the yoga sutras, can truly calm you in body and mind. Right since 1918, the renowned Yoga Institute in the city of Mumbai (located in the serene suburbs of Santa Cruz) has been disseminating disciplined and graded lessons on

Yoga and has been publishing them in pocket editions. These act as a guide on Yoga and meditation practices. There are popular publications such as the ‘Yoga Asanas Simplified’.

It offers a perfect course of Yoga tenets for daily practice. The books, written by authorities like Shri Yogendra, have given a contemporary touch to the ancient science of Yoga.

The valuable offerings like books, VCDs and cassettes at the Yoga Institute present a balanced course of Yoga and techniques of rhythmic breathing during yoga. You can get books, VCDs and cassettes at the Yoga Institute, which make a timely gift under the circumstances.

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If you are wondering how Bollywood starlet Rani Mukerji managed to shed all those extra kilos and unwanted flab before facing the camera for her latest film ‘Dil Bole Hadippa’, the answer is regular yoga practice.

Apart from following a meticulously planned weight training module, she attended yoga sessions, which appear to have done the trick. It took the actress, according to industry sources, almost close to a year to do away with those extra 10 kg, which made her body look a little inflated in front of the camera.

Determined to lost weight in a systematic and natural way, Rani Mukerji approached a team of yoga and fitness experts to get herself a slimmer look. She had hired yoga teacher Payal Gidwani and fitness instructor Satyajit Churasia for ensuring a new slim, trim look.

Satyajit Chaurasia incidentally is the celebrity trainer, the brain behind Aamir Khan’s starting six-pack figure in super hit flick Ghajini. He was quoted as saying, ” It was in April (2008) that Rani (Mukerji) decided to tone up and lose the flab though she has been working out for a long time (with me).”

The duo chalked out a meticulous combination of cardio plus weight training. According to a news report, Rani Mukerji does weight training for half an hour and walks on the treadmill for exact 45 minutes five days a week. She underwent rigorous workout sessions as well, doing 300-500 stomach crunches and stretching exercises daily.

Why not seek inspiration from her, and ‘present’ your special friend or office colleague a healthy way of life. You may join them in the endeavor of trimming that extra flab and getting fit.

What are those offbeat but highly useful gift options, you sure would like to know! Await our next blog post to know more about them…

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Teachers Day is right here in the first week of this month. As a sign of respect and tribute to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, his birthday is observed all over the country as Teacher’s Day in India.

We have been celebrating Teacher’s Day on September 5 since 1962. Dr. Radhakrishnan was considered one of the most learned persons and a great scholar and teacher of his times.

You can thank your teacher, coach or guide who has been a great source of help, inspiration and motivation to you. Here are some really thoughtful and nostalgic gift ideas that your teacher will definitely appreciate.

Picture it forever: Take a picture of your class and put it nicely into a special or even simple picture frame for the teacher to proudly hang up in the classroom or retain in his/her home office. You can opt to personalize the frame with the teacher’s name and your feelings about the teacher engraved. Ask an artistic student to paint it right onto frame.

Memory album for your teacher: Here is another variation of the above idea. You can put together a memory album for your teacher. Take a photograph of each student creatively against a nice background; develop the roll of film right away.

You can then have many colors of scrap-booking paper cut into same sized triangles for the students to choose from and to write a message for the beloved teacher. Each kid will also sign his or her name on their triangle.

You can then put the photographs and the matching triangles together in a creative album that will make an everlasting memory. You can title the first page with your teacher’s name, class and the year. It will sure prove to a big hit as the teacher can share it with his colleagues and family members as well.

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Funskool continues to be in the forefront of developing dynamic games for creative and alert children keeping pace with today’s competitive world. Their products - ranging from traditional to high-tech - are developed keeping the evolving needs of children and changing times in mind. 

In the next few blogs, we shall be checking some interesting games across broad themes. They also have on offer tantalizing travel games and superb strategy games for those who ‘have or claim to have a greater percentage of the gray matter, or for those aspiring to increase that.’

These games are a series of intriguing and exciting ideas that sure will enrich and sharpen your thinking process. On the other hand, their series of travel games ensure that you do not miss out on fun quotient when going on a picnic or a vacation with your family, friends or office colleagues.

Funskool’s fun-filled travel games are compact to carry. They are thoughtfully designed and come with self-contained storage trays, making them absolutely convenient. Plus they have quick set-up facilities. Just open them up and enter a world of boundless fun!

Here are some interesting games on offer from the leading toymaker:

Snakes & Ladders: A game that’s been around for centuries! Land on a ladder to climb, on a lippery snake and oops it’s downhill all the way. Find out who makes it first!

Tr. game stay alive: It’s all about staying alive! A subtle game that needs an alert mind and thoughts that keep racing!

Game of games: For those who can never be satisfied with one game here are 14 games in 1! Action strategy words and chance come together on a single board. 14 times the fun!

Globetrotters’ game: Jet set around the world answering questions on each region. A Trivial Pursuit game that takes you at break-neck speed across continents!

Monopoly deal card game: The fast-paced, addictive card game where your luck can change in the play of a card. 
(Information and image courtesy: Funskool)

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With rains the air, chirpy children are back to school. It’s that time the year to meet old classmates, to study, to shop for books, notebooks and other accessories. If you rewind back to your childhood days, college and school reopening has a charm of its own. As you would recount, making new friends, uniting with old classmates, it’s all fun! Schools have already opened up and colleges will start soon. SSC and HSC students are waiting for their respective admission formalities to be completed.

If you want to strike a bond with a family friend, relative or office colleagues having school or college going children, there can be no perfect occasion than this to give a meaningful and useful gift. You can convert them into exciting gifts for children, and make them happy.

Buying new uniforms, shoes, water bottles, raincoat…the list is endless. Why do make all these a mere routine purchase? Get something for children, which will put a twinkle in their eyes and will bring a smile on their faces! After all, gifting is about spreading happiness, isn’t it? Here are some ideas to help you in making your choice.

• There are unique umbrellas and raincoats specially designed for children and in colors that delight children of all ages. To wade through monsoon waters, you can get specially designed cute umbrellas for little ones.
• Erasers in the shape of Tweetie and Bugs Bunny, water bottles shaped like Winnie-the-Pooh will certainly fascinate the children.
• Fancy lunch boxes will be another good pick. With varieties galore and so much choice, buying a gift for children will be a pleasure in itself.
• Several brands, such as Camlin, ITC, Crayola, Apsara, Sundaram, Maped and Pidilite are leaders in the school products range.

You can only add to the fun by giving some interesting and timely gifts.

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Why not gift a good camera that is built to last to your relative, friend or colleague. He or she would like to receive a highly functional and sturdy camera with a resilient body.

For slightly rough usage, a camera that is both water resistant and shockproof will be a perfect choice. In effect, it will make an ideal companion on trips to muddy hiking trails, sandy beaches, and even underwater adventures. If you can afford, you can certainly consider gifting a camera that is perfect for those tough moments in life.

Let us check the worth of Canon PowerShot D10 as a gifting option. It pitches itself directly against Olympus’ Tough range. In fact, the PowerShot D10 is Canon’s first native underwater camera. It comes with optional longer straps and a super-strong wrist leash.

Also, the Canon’s tough, funky chassis keeps it safe from water as far as 33 feet deep and even from a four feet fall. It can deliver some great imagery. The issue with many rugged cameras is the picture quality. D10 seems to have all the basic components of a comprehensive camera, as is the feature of other Canon’s PowerShot models.

Basic specs are a 12.1 megapixel CCD imager, a 3x zoom lens with optical image stabilization, and Canon’s latest DIGIC IV processing. The extended battery life, which lasts up to 190 shots at single charge, is another big plus. This definitely makes it a great choice outdoor shoots.

As proclaimed, it is waterproof, freezeproof as well as shockproof. It carries an accurate autofocus. However, its 3x zoom along with a 2.5” display is not really high-end for cameras. But if you want to gift just a point-and-shoot device, its comprehensive range of different scene modes make Canon D10 at a price tag of Rs 20,995 a good choice.

Tags: low cost gifts, Business Gifting
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HSC, ICSE and SSC (Maharashtra board) results have just been declared,. Successful students from your neighborhood, or in your family who have passed with flying colors deserve a pat on the back and also a gift in appreciation of their achievement. One of your office colleague or key client’s son or daughter may have done exceedingly well. Take this opportunity to appreciate their efforts with knowledge based books gifts ill help them in their further studies and personality development will be a perfect choice.

Macmillan’s Knowledge books
Macmillan India publishes a wide range of research based books and academic books for purpose of reference and research. Their publications are recommended for schools, colleges, individual and corporate buyers. Macmillan has on offer topical and general encyclopedias that feature the most reliable and updated information with attractive illustrations, photos, maps, charts, lists and tables.

‘Essential Encyclopedia’, ‘Philip’s Millennium Encyclopedia’, ‘Nature Encyclopedia’ and ‘Science and Technology Encyclopedia’ are some of the knowledge and information based offerings from the reputed publishing house.

The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia
‘15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia’ (Random House Reference Publishing), a revised, new version of the popular title‘10,000 Answers’, is an enchanting trivia encyclopedia that comprises ultimate entertaining and engaging facts. It offers umpteen little-known facts that students will simply love savoring!

Interesting and off-beat titles
‘Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body’ by Neil Shubin (Pantheon Books) is a lively, thoroughly engrossing chronicle of evolutionary history, which unearths the startling secrets behind why we look or behave the way we tend to.

‘Maps: Finding Our Place in the World’ by author James Akerman is a must-have volume for inquisitive minds that challenges them to stretch conventional thought about what exactly constitutes a map. It discusses many different ways for understanding graphically the environment in which we exist.

‘Lonely Planet Gap Year Book’ is a one-stop guide for 18- to 25-year-olds who wish to take time off from studies and career only to travel. It comprises handy regional maps and continent overviews that reveal the best routes as well as must-see attractions. It also imparts essential information on pre-trip planning.

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The recession has left quite a many people without jobs, leaving behind many more insecure about their futures. The smarter ones though, are always thinking long-term going beyond such slumps. They are not worried about ups and downs in life. They want to ensure that they become indispensable in the organizational set-up.

This can be made possible by persistently enhancing your work skills. You constantly need to reinvent yourself. This again is a skill in itself that can be learnt and passed on.

In case you want to offer one of your despondent friends or colleagues a helping hand, you can do so through a host of inspirational and self-help books. Those looking to move on having lost a job will find solace in spiritual and philosophical readings. And the more adventurous ones already thinking beyond jobs, to turn entrepreneurs in their own right, will get the motivation from your timely gift.

Of course, not every one has the confidence and drive to take that radical step, and few indeed can afford going back to B-school. So to feel the breach many advice-providers and authors of how-to business books step in. They tell you how to remain unruffled by the downturn.

We have already checked some titled that might make good gifts in today’s tough times in our recent blog. Here are some more ideas. ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’, a self-help fable about an individual who had everything and simply gave it up for the sake of his soul, is right on top of the heap. But what is the current trend? “Now it’s more human-oriented,” Sugata Ghosh, head of commissioning, Sage Publications stated in a recent interview, summed up the business-books market orientation.

So even while Robin Sharma’s boom-time hit retains its popularity, many new and upcoming releases tell a different tale. Jaico has on offer a series of affordable business books. ‘The 60 Second Self-Starter’ is a simple, effective, hands-on guide, which one can use to dismantle obstacles acting as barriers to productivity.

The crucial tip offered: “Keep your frustration level low and your energy level high.” Here’s another one: “Theory of Constraints sermonizes that the goal is making money at present, and for the future! Here, ‘future’ is as important as ‘present’.”

Such words of wisdom sound optimistic as well as practically useful. “People want a feel-good factor, a hope for better times” points out Krishan Chopra, chief editor-publisher of HarperCollins. You can impart that hope by gifting something like this Hachette title: ‘I Will Teach You to Be Rich: No Guilt. No Excuses. No B.S. Just a 6-Week Program that Works’ by Ramit Sethi.

Tags: Gifting occasions, promotional products, corporate gifts companies, Popular corporate gifts, Business etiquette, business gifting, Best corporate gifts, gifting etiquette, gifting to clients, low cost gifts

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In today’s hectic work life, your friend or colleague sure would appreciate an offering that eases up their workload. Smartphones are essentially for those who demand literally everything at their fingertips from jazzy voice services to handy productivity-enhancing features, and that too without compromising on the cute looks. There are ample handsets to gift in this category as well.

An overwhelming variety of handsets available in the market only makes the decision even more challenging for those looking to gift something to smartphone lovers. To simplify your task, here is a look at two of the most suitable business phones you can consider for the purpose of gifting.

Nokia E75: the complete multimedia offering
It is a good choice because with it users find easier to adapt to a familiar-looking interface. However, the unique feature that sets Nokia E75 apart from other phones is its ability to allow integration of messaging and email services. Follow a simple three-step process and one is all set to support up to no less than 16 email accounts and this along with third party email solutions like Gmail and Yahoo! Another key feature is a 2.4 inch landscape slide-out keyboard. It will make life a little simpler for executives. You can get this device for Rs 26,299.

Blackberry Storm 9500: A good choice in the business phone category
Blackberry Storm 9500 is another excellent choice that closely follows the leader. Priced at Rs 27,990 it is available on Vodafone networks. The device can serve as a valuable upgrade for those who love Blackberry. Storm can though, disappoint conformists who think that a physical QWERTY keyboard is irreplaceable.

The entire screen of Storm acts as a virtual keypad. Browsing the web, playing music and reading emails is a doodle on the 3.25” screen. The Storm has other usual corporate features like push email as well as administrator control.

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If you thought a ubiquitous travelling case was a mere utility just suited for carrying your clothes and essentials, it’s time think again. The same iron trunk makes an artistic transformation in the deft hands of designer-artist Rashmi Dogra. It becomes a high-end luxury item perfect for gifting. 

After nearly three years of professional painting, the creative artist has moved from working on canvas to lifestyle with her brand Fluke Design to make a ravishing range of bags and fabulous travel accessories, including clutches, big iron trunks, handbags, and much more. She wanted to reach out to more eclectic and art-savvy people with her art hence she conceived the label utilizing an eye for fashion.

The first product took almost a year to finalize as it was very important to ensure the durability and quality of the ingredients and color over seasonal changes, encompassing utility as well. After getting a choice clientele list of Bollywood actors, showbiz celebrities and eclectic international buyers, Rashmi Dogra turned her attention to iron trunks with her creative touch.

Her quirky albeit subtle sense of fashion reflects in the final product, which is conceived out of an iron trunk. It makes an original and highly individualized style statement, which will guarantee curious looks around. The creator states while she would not wish to typecast her buyers, those who tend to travel long distances with heavier equipment and still are keen on maintaining a style statement of their own swear by her flamboyant trunks.

So, if you want to charm of your friends or colleague with a surprising gift, there can be no better choice than Rashmi Dogra’s mesmerizing bags. Her usual trunks are about 20 inches in length, also depending on the specifications. Many people buy small sizes. They want to employ it as a household accessory rather than as a travel accessory.

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