On the occasion of Earth Day, Garden Café highlights how sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into everyday operations. One of Kolkata’s oldest café brands, the establishment has built its identity not just around food and community, but also on responsible practices that reduce environmental impact.

Founded with the vision of creating an accessible and community-friendly space, the café has evolved over the years while staying rooted in its core values. Under the guidance of its founder, Sandip Nowlakha, the brand has been reimagined to reflect a more conscious way of operating without compromising on its inclusivity and legacy.

Today, with five outlets across Kolkata, including its newest in Newtown, Garden Café continues to expand while maintaining a balance between growth and responsibility. A notable example is its waste management approach, where food waste is systematically redirected to piggeries. This simple yet effective practice helps reduce landfill contribution while supporting a circular system.

Further reflecting its forward-thinking mindset is its in-house brand ‘Jiggis,’ which has introduced probiotic potato chips, an innovation seen in only a few companies globally. Alongside this, the café’s association with initiatives like Art of Living and participation in social awareness campaigns reinforce its commitment to mindful living.

Rather than relying on one-off initiatives, Garden Café focuses on consistency in everyday actions from responsible waste handling to conscious product innovation.

Speaking about the philosophy, Sandip Nowlakha shared that sustainability is not a separate effort but a part of daily decision-making, ensuring that growth does not come at the cost of responsibility.

As conversations around sustainability grow louder, Garden Café’s approach serves as a reminder that long-term impact is built through small, consistent choices made every day.

Perceptive Ideas has marked another milestone in structural engineering and design innovation with the Taj Amer Jaipur project. Set near the historic Amer region, the development reflects a careful balance between heritage charm and modern construction. With Jaipur’s cultural richness as its backdrop, the project stands out as more than just a hospitality space, offering a thoughtfully designed environment that connects tradition with contemporary living.

The design of Taj Amer Jaipur draws strongly from Rajasthani architectural elements such as courtyards, chhatris, jaalis, and detailed stonework. These traditional features are combined with modern construction methods to meet current safety and functional needs. The layout has been planned in a way that allows clear views of the Aravalli hills, helping every space feel closely connected to nature and enhancing the overall guest experience.

From a structural perspective, the project required a strong focus on both design and performance. Reinforced concrete framing systems have been used along with carefully planned load distribution to maintain stability. This becomes especially important in large open areas like banquet halls, lobbies, and recreational spaces, where wide spans and minimal columns are essential.

Another important aspect considered during the design is seismic safety. Since Rajasthan falls under a moderate seismic zone as per Indian standards, the structure has been detailed to perform safely under such conditions. Factors like wind pressure and temperature variations have also been taken into account, keeping the region’s climate in mind.

What makes Taj Amer Jaipur visually appealing is how it retains its traditional look while being supported by modern engineering techniques. Stone cladding, jaali work, and decorative elements are fixed using advanced systems that ensure durability and safety. This approach allows the project to maintain its cultural identity without compromising on structural strength.

Sustainability is also a key focus area in the project. Efficient water management, energy-conscious planning, and the use of locally sourced materials help reduce environmental impact. Passive cooling methods, such as shaded courtyards and well-ventilated spaces, have been included, drawing inspiration from traditional Rajasthani design while meeting present-day sustainability goals.

Executing a project of this scale required close coordination between architects, engineers, consultants, and contractors. Attention to quality, careful material selection, and timely execution played an important role in achieving the final outcome.

The interiors of Taj Amer Jaipur reflect a strong sense of detail, with handcrafted elements, rich textures, and a colour palette inspired by Jaipur’s royal heritage. At the same time, modern amenities ensure comfort for both leisure and business travellers, making it a well-rounded hospitality destination.

Speaking on the project, the Founder of Perceptive Ideas Mr Ajay Gupta said:

“Taj Amer Jaipur exemplifies our commitment to creating structures that respect cultural heritage while embracing modern engineering excellence. Our focus was to deliver a solution that is not only structurally robust but also contextually meaningful and environmentally responsible.”

With this project, Perceptive Ideas continues to set strong benchmarks in combining tradition, innovation, and sustainability. Taj Amer Jaipur stands as an example of how modern engineering and cultural sensitivity can come together to create something truly meaningful in today’s built environment.

The Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Hyderabad (IHM-Hyderabad), a premier Central Government institute under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, hosted its Annual Awards Ceremony for the academic year 2025–26 at its campus in DD Colony, Vidyanagar. The event brought together students, faculty, and industry leaders to celebrate academic excellence, strong placement results, and overall student achievements.

The ceremony was attended by several distinguished guests, including Sri Pradyumna Krishna Dasa, Spiritual Leader (ISKCON); Mr. Deep Preet Bindra, General Manager, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace; Mr. Gaurav K. Kumra, VP & GM, Trident Hyderabad; Mr. Ajit Singh Garcha, Area GM, The Park Hyderabad; Mr. Baranirathan Chidambar, VP Operations, Green Park Hotels; Mr. Vishal Srivastava, General Manager, Vivanta Hyderabad; Mr. Nagesh Pampati, Chairman, TAAI Andhra Pradesh & Telangana Chapter; Mr. Krupakar Ravipati, Assistant Director, India Tourism and Mr. Sanjay Thakur, Principal, IHM-Hyderabad.

The programme began with a traditional Ganesh Vandana followed by the National Anthem. In his welcome address, Principal Mr. Sanjay Thakur highlighted the institute’s continued focus on building skilled and industry-ready hospitality professionals. One of the key moments of the event was the unveiling of the annual college magazine CACKLE, which showcased the institute’s achievements and creative work over the past year.

Faculty and administrative staff were also recognised for their contribution to the institute’s growth, reflecting their role in maintaining strong academic and operational standards.

Placement performance stood out as a major highlight this year. Around 40 students secured Management Trainee roles with leading hotel chains, while more than 150 students were placed across sectors such as QSRs, FMCG, retail, co-working spaces, airport outlets, corporate catering, and facility management. Several final-year students are also moving towards international placements, showing the institute’s strong industry connections.

Student achievements were celebrated across multiple areas. Academic toppers and sportspersons were honoured at the Yamuna Ranga Rao Trophy Inter-College Sports Meet. Creative talent was recognised through the Inter-Collegiate Flower Arrangement Competition, while students who performed well in state and national culinary competitions like India Skills and Everest Better Kitchen were also felicitated.

Among the academic award winners, Preeti Chouhan (Alumnus 2025) secured first rank in the final year and topped in F&B Service and Accommodation Operations. Hedaoo Rushil Avinash (Alumnus 2025) was recognised as the second topper of the final year. Rahil Sharma (Batch 2026) was awarded topper of the second year B.Sc., while Nalla Bipin Teja (Batch 2026) secured the second position. Meghana Bhutada (Batch 2026) was recognised as topper in the vegetarian course. In the first year category, Sattwikee Ray (Batch 2027) secured the top position, followed by Akshit Baliyan (Batch 2027) as second topper. Kovvuri Pavani (Alumnus 2025) and Amaresh Samal (Alumnus 2025) were honoured as the first and second toppers respectively in the Craftsmanship Certificate Course in Food Production & Patisserie.

The event also featured insightful addresses from the invited guests, offering students guidance and industry perspectives as they prepare for their careers.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Rachna Agashe, HoD, followed by a rendition of Vande Mataram. Guests were then served a specially curated lunch prepared by the institute’s chefs. A note of thanks was extended to EazyDiner for supporting the event as sponsor.