MUMBAI: City-based model and actor Kajol Kumar Khanna has just added another feather to her cap.

The international selection committee for the global pageant Ms India-Asia Worldwide 2024, announced on Thursday that actor, Instagram influencer and model Kajol Kumar Khanna was selected from more than 220 entries from the Asian subcontinent to represent India at the pageant, which aims to create awareness on global warming, climate change and rising sea levels through fashion and fashion events.

The international pageant which will feature participants from more than 160 nations is a very prestigious, international show and will be attended by a host of actors, directors, singers and other international personalities.

The event is scheduled for 1st May this year, and the venue will be announced later. Mumbai will play host to the event.

The 26-year-old Kajol who hails from Mumbai has been modeling and acting for the last few years and is a very popular Instagram influencer.

James Smith Langford, the President of the Ms India-Asia Worldwide jury welcomed Kajol Kumar Khanna to the global pageant and wished her all the best. There will be a series of pre-events and Kajol will spend at least two weeks prepping up. The international finale will be held in September in Bali, though the organisers are yet to announce the date and venue.

The Ms India-Asia Worldwide project is supported by Hollywood fashion photographer Lynn Baxter and his production studio Lynn Baxter Films.

Who is Kajol Kumar Khanna?

Kajol Kumar Khanna has been acting and modeling for the last few years and is Mumbai based. She played the primary character “Leone” in a Reliance venture called “Gul Gul-e Bakawali” directed by Raj Ashoo with Sanjay Mishra, Arbaaz Khan, Ila Arun, Nikita Dutta etc.

She was the lead protagonist in a short film called “Be A Man” which is a remake of “Gone Girl”. She has done an ad film with Dhoni for Zed Black Agarbatti directed by Farah Khan. She was seen in the Samraat Aata TVC and print ads for Imperial Blue Ad films – Men will be Men, Axe deodorant, Skinkraft and the Vedix Ad film with Kareena Kapoor for Samraat Aata. She featured in the short film – Nakshatra for Hotstar.

She has been selected by director-producer Maneesh F Singh for an upcoming web series which will premiere with a leading OTT platform.

In addition, she has done numerous fashion shows in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur and walked the ramp for several of the top names in fashion and lifestyle.

MUMBAI: Owners are often confused about the legality of hosting their flats or bungalows with Airbnb or others for short stays.

There are hundreds of instances where societies or the neighborhood have denied owners from hosting their flats or bungalows with Airbnb or others. This act of the societies or the neighborhood is bad in law, opine legal experts. The owner cannot be denied the right of hosting his property with Airbnb or others.

However, the owner of the flat or bungalow must inform the local police station of his intention. Also, the owner must obtain a GST number in the event the revenue from the hosting is in excess of Rs. 40 lakhs per annum.

So, owners go ahead and host your premises with Airbnb or others for better revenues as compared to the conventional system of leasing or renting out your premises.

Co-operative Housing Societies in Mumbai have been very innovative about this new trend. Rather than merely charge the owner some extra outgoings when an apartment is given on lease, the housing society takes a piece of the cake from the owner by charging 3-5% of the listed price on the website brokering the hosting.

Apparently, there is this super luxury sea-facing 4 bedroom terrace flat at Napean Sea Road listed with Ama Stay & Trails which is a part of the Taj Group of Hotels and deals in hosting uber-luxury properties. This property is listed with Ama Stay & Trails at Rs. 1,10,000 per night. This property is sold out for over 20 nights a month and the housing society earns over Rs. 1 lakh every month in comparison to under Rs. 10,000 a month they would rake in as outgoings for a flat leased the conventional way. So these Co-operative Housing Societies too have joined the bandwagon!

NEW DELHI, (PTI): The Congress on Sunday announced that it will hold a three-day plenary session in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur in the second half of February next year.

The party also announced that as a follow-up to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it will run a massive campaign ‘Haath se haath jodo abhiyaan’ from January 26 for two months as part of which padyatras will be taken out and a letter from Rahul Gandhi talking about the core message of the yatra will be distributed among the people along with a ‘charge sheet’ against the Modi government.

The decisions were taken at the first meeting of the Congress steering committee constituted by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

The Committee unanimously resolved that the 85th Plenary Session of the Congress will be held at Raipur in the second half of February 2023, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said at a press conference reading out a party statement.

”We will have a discussion on various subjects at this three-day plenary session. There will also be a big public meeting,” Venugopal said.

He said the steering committee meeting also held a review of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and a future course of action was decided upon.

”It has been decided that a massive campaign ‘Haath se haath jodo abhiyaan’ will be carried out from January 26 for two months. As per this campaign, block level padyatra covering all gram panchayats and booths, will be carried out,” he said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the party is aiming to finish the Kanyakumari to Srinagar yatra by January 26.

It will enter Delhi on December 24 and the containers will be serviced for a few days here, he said.

In a statement, the party said the committee noted the ”overwhelming success” of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the wide participation of lakhs of people.

”The Yatra listens to and speaks with people from all sections of society every day, especially youth, women, farmers and the working class, directly communicating its message of equality, fraternity and harmony. It is the same message which India’s spiritual leaders and social reformers preached, the leaders of our freedom struggle under Mahatma Gandhi fought for, and our Constitution upholds,” the party said.

”The Committee particularly appreciated the leadership of former president Rahul Gandhi, whose ‘tapasya’, unfailing determination, and love for India and her people have been critical to the success of the Yatra,” the party said.

The party said that while India faces challenges, the prime minister continues to ”deny, distract and divide”.

”His inflammatory rhetoric during the recent election campaigns in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh has further polarised the polity and society at a time when serious discussion and debate are needed,” he said.

Congress president Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel, general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal, senior leaders P Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Meira Kumar and Ambika Soni were among those who attended the meeting.

Rahul Gandhi did not attend the meeting due to the Bharat Jodo Yatra which is set to enter Rajasthan on Sunday evening.

The steering committee was formed in place of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party after Kharge took charge in October.

All members of the CWC were made part of the steering committee soon after Kharge assumed charge as the Congress president. (PTI)

PANAJI: Former Minister of Tourism, Women & Child Development and Ports, Shri Dilip Parulekar was appointed as a new Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Goa Pradesh.

BJP State President Shri Sadanand Shet Tanawde made this announcement in the presence of ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Shri Devendra Fadnavis Ji, and Goa Desk In-Charge Shri C T Ravi Ji, at a press conference held at the Party Election Office today.

Shri Parulekar has been a loyal soldier of the BJP for three decades. He was elected to the Goa Legislative Assembly twice in 2017 and 2012, and also held a Cabinet rank in 2012.

“The Parliamentary Board decided to field Shri Jayesh Salgaonkar in Saligao constituency. We had full faith in the Saligao BJP Block and Shri Parulekar lives upto this faith. He did not think even once to resign from the party, although the ticket is allotted to Shri Salgaonkar. The BJP has decided to appoint Shri Parulekar as BJP Goa Vice-President,” said the Party Chief.

Shri Parulekar is also inducted into the 13-member BJP State Election Management Committee, which is headed by Hon MP Shri Vinay Tendulkar Ji. Shri Parulekar is the new member on board.

Shri Tanawde said that party recognizes the work of all its workers across all the ranks. BJP is not only India’s but world’s biggest political party. It has maximum representation with highest membership.

Shri Tanawde said that Hon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji has immersed himself in service of people and country from a tender age and it is our responsibility to support this mission. “Hon PM ensures BJP reaches out to every common man and each individual gets their due respect,” he said.

Speaking to the media later, Shri Parulekar has extended his full support to the BJP candidate in Saligao. “I respect and accept the decision of the party to appoint me as BJP Goa Vice President. I have been with the party for 30 years and continue to be loyal to the party. I will put in my 100 percent,” he said.

Shri Parulekar further said that leaving a party on not being given a ticket is not correct. The BJP Saligao block members were also present at the event.

PANAJI: The Goa Jobs Network (GJN) in association with several NGOs, semi-government bodies and other corporates from all over India, will conduct the Goa National Mega Job Fair – 2022 (GNMJF) at Bambolim in North Goa, offering around 7.5 to 8,000 jobs in more than 200 companies in Goa and nearby districts.

The mega event which is expected to draw more than 2.5 lakh youth and job seekers from the age group of 18 to 40 will be held during the last week of March, a spokesperson for the mega event said.

The main attraction will be the participation of several IT companies as well as those from the Pharma sector. We are expecting at least 160 IT brands and an equal number of Pharma brands to bring in their HR staff to screen and interview Goan candidates at the job fair.

This job fair is aimed at youth who are graduate or postgraduate degree holders. Final year students also can participate and submit their CV.

Students and candidates are expected to register in advance and obtain a token number, which will enable them to go directly to the companies where they can possibly fit in.

We are screening and shortlisting candidates in advance, doing all the back office work so that they do not have to run from pillar to post at the job fair, said Venus Saldanha of Mapusa, one of the organisers of the mega project.

Opportunities are also available those have completed SSLC, HSC and diploma courses and part-time jobs will be on offer to undergraduates who wish to earn while they learn.

Differently-abled people can attend the job fair as companies with job openings specifically for them are taking part in the fair.

Interested candidates are requested to be present at the venue with the computer generated token no with at least 20 copies of their resume (CV) and 20 passport size photographs. The candidates are expected to be prepared for a personal interview, a group discussion and an aptitude test, which the participating companies may subject the prospective candidates to on the spot.

Some companies are offering spot jobs or spot appointment letters to the right candidates and we hope that most Goan youth will benefit from this exercise, Saldanha explained. The organisers also aim to rope in the various departments of the Goa government to support the endeavor as its in the interest of the local youth.

Niz Goenkars and those residing in Goa for more than 20 years will be given preference in the short-listing process, the organisers informed.

Candidates must take the benefit of this two-month notice to prep themselves up as they will be put through different types of selection processes like Aptitude Tests, Group Discussions and Personal Interviews by prospective employers. Jobs cannot be given to unqualified and undeserving candidates, except in very few cases like when both the parents have passed away. Merit and qualifications are important and candidates must brush up on their GK, personal communication and inter-personal skills, the organisers have suggested.