Pavan Lall And Aneesh Phadnis

Stories by Pavan Lall And Aneesh Phadnis

MG puts its bets on smaller cars for Indian market

MG puts its bets on smaller cars for Indian market

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2021

The MG Motor India management is focused on scaling up and launching smaller cars to play the long game in the country, says Pavan Lall.

Mini Convertible, maximum joy

Mini Convertible, maximum joy

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2021

Zippy and comfortable, the Mini Convertible is a perfect car for short jaunts, but this isn't the ride you'd choose to take your entire family to the airport or pick for a long family excursion, says Pavan Lall.

'Jet Airways' revival plan is discriminatory'

'Jet Airways' revival plan is discriminatory'

Rediff.com   3 Sep 2021

Challenging the "illegal" reduction in its claim by the erstwhile resolution professional (RP) in the Jet Airways revival plan, the Punjab National Bank (PNB) has moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) citing discrimination. The NCLAT on Thursday issued notices to RP Ashish Chhawchharia and the committee of creditors on PNB's plea to set aside the insolvency court's approval of the airline's revival plan. It has posted the matter for further hearing on September 21.

Why foreign car-makers are betting big on track car models

Why foreign car-makers are betting big on track car models

Rediff.com   2 Sep 2021

Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini are some marquee badges that have introduced track cars to excite hard-core customers who want to push their cars to the limit, says Pavan Lall.

Are Artificial Diamonds the Future?

Are Artificial Diamonds the Future?

Rediff.com   2 Sep 2021

Don't expect the synthetic stones to surpass natural ones anytime soon because the world's biggest miners of diamonds aren't looking to get into man-made diamonds.

Why Air India is leaving passenger luggage behind at Delhi airport

Why Air India is leaving passenger luggage behind at Delhi airport

Rediff.com   23 Aug 2021

Air India is leaving behind some 50 bags at the Delhi airport as it flies to the US, reducing what it carries after the closure of Afghanistan's airspace increased flight time by at least 30 minutes. Air India flies the Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft to New York, Newark, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco.

Indian students hung out to dry

Indian students hung out to dry

Rediff.com   21 Aug 2021

With Canada, Australia extending restrictions, admission seekers are deferring their studies or looking elsewhere.

More bad news: Vodafone Idea may get notice for licence fee delay

More bad news: Vodafone Idea may get notice for licence fee delay

Rediff.com   20 Aug 2021

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is in the process of issuing a show-cause notice to Vodafone Idea (Vi) for delaying the payment of licence fee. Companies pay 8 per cent of their adjusted gross revenue as licence fee. This also includes a universal service obligation levy. The fee is collected from each of the 22 telecom circles in the country on a quarterly basis.

The latest BMW 5 is like Jackie Chan!

The latest BMW 5 is like Jackie Chan!

Rediff.com   20 Aug 2021

It has get-up-and-go and is possessed of immense agility, observes Pavan Lall.

Vi lost 12.4 mn subscribers in Q1, most since March '20

Vi lost 12.4 mn subscribers in Q1, most since March '20

Rediff.com   16 Aug 2021

Vodafone Idea (Vi) lost 12.4 million subscribers in the first quarter of FY22, the most since the fourth quarter of FY20, as the second wave of Covid hurt its operational and financial performance. Vi had managed to trim subscriber losses in the third and fourth quarters of FY21. However, it lost 12.4 million subscribers and its customer base shrunk to 255.4 million in the first quarter of FY22. Sequential fall in 4G users was modest, indicating that most of the loss was in the low-margin 2G segment.

Audi's electric SUV -- no gear, no sound and no engine!

Audi's electric SUV -- no gear, no sound and no engine!

Rediff.com   10 Aug 2021

However, it has an auditory feature that throws up a soft but audible whirring sound like a spaceship while driving as well as a different tone on the outside to let bystanders know a car is on its way, says Pavan Lall.

Minimum one-way Delhi-London airfare zooms over Rs 1 lakh

Minimum one-way Delhi-London airfare zooms over Rs 1 lakh

Rediff.com   9 Aug 2021

Minimum one-way air fares between Delhi and London are priced upwards of Rs one lakh in August due to limited number of seats, data collected by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) shows. The United Kingdom has included India in the amber list and the change came into effect from Sunday. With this, passengers from India needn't undergo institutional quarantine and can self-isolate at home for 10 days.

How India can 'keep' Vodafone Idea

How India can 'keep' Vodafone Idea

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2021

The government should convert Vodafone Idea's (Vi) debt into equity to avoid a duopoly in the telecom sector, Deutsche Bank Research said in its report on Monday. This, the bank suggested, would be the only viable solution in the backdrop of the Supreme Court dismissing the telecom company's application for recomputation of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues.

Hyundai Alcazar review: Packs in a premium feel

Hyundai Alcazar review: Packs in a premium feel

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2021

The car is built in a manner that stands tall and rugged on the city streets, without ever being uncomfortable, says Pavan Lall.

'Photography is to capture the times we live in'

'Photography is to capture the times we live in'

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2021

'If journalism is the first draft of history, then photojournalism is the first draft of its evidence,' Raghu Rai, arguably India's finest living photojournalist, tells Pavan Lall.

Tata Sons sets the ball rolling for buying Air India

Tata Sons sets the ball rolling for buying Air India

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2021

Tata Sons has started the process of due diligence of state-owned Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express. Sources said the group has appointed Bain and Company and Seabury Group for this purpose. Once complete, a financial bid will be submitted and a deal to take over the airline is likely to fructify by end of this year or even earlier, people involved in the process said. Simultaneously, the group has brought in veterans in the aviation business from Delta and United Airlines to prepare a plan for post-merger integration of Air India with its existing airline ventures. Tata Sons operates Vistara - a 51:49 percent joint venture with Singapore Airlines and Air Asia India, in which Tatas hold 83.67 per cent stakes.

Over 200 Indians stuck in Serbia due to surprise quarantine rule

Over 200 Indians stuck in Serbia due to surprise quarantine rule

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2021

Serbia has become one of the transit points for Indians heading to Canada and the US. Canada requires passengers from India to take an RT-PCR test from a third country, while the US wants them to spend 14 days outside of India. As a result, many students are taking the Serbia route to Canada, and the US.

Will Jet Airways manage to get enough airport slots?

Will Jet Airways manage to get enough airport slots?

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2021

As and when Jet Airways applies for slots, these would be allocated among all airlines according to guidelines, without any claim of historicity in favour of any airline. Slots would be given to Jet only from the available remaining pool.

95% Jet staff must consent to Kalrock-Jalan proposal or lose benefits

95% Jet staff must consent to Kalrock-Jalan proposal or lose benefits

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2021

At least 95 per cent of Jet Airways employees will have to give their consent to the Kalrock-Jalan consortium's proposal or lose benefits offered to them under the revival plan. Voting on the consortium's offer for employees and workmen began on Monday and will go on till August 4. The National Company Law Tribunal cleared the consortium proposal to revive the airline on June 22. While Jet Airways had admitted claims of around Rs 15,000 crore, the consortium has offered to settle claims of Rs 475 crore of financial and non financial creditors.

Glimmers of Mehul Choksi's 'empire' that was built on fraud

Glimmers of Mehul Choksi's 'empire' that was built on fraud

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2021

Despite recent developments that have accelerated the impending extradition of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, who has been in custody in London's Wandsworth Prison for over two years, the last month has seen his uncle Mehul Choksi dominate the headlines instead with his circus-like exhibition in the Caribbean that has involved red herrings such as a "girlfriend", to whom his wife seemed to have no objection, and possibly concocted stories of being kidnapped and manhandled. Choksi was widely regarded as Modi's Svengali in Mumbai when he returned from Belgium to expand his business. He had fled to Antigua well before news around how Modi finagled thousands of crores from Punjab National Bank (PNB) and other institutions through a series of allegedly coordinated and fraudulent actions involving letters of undertaking, or LoUs.