Talk of the town

HFO, WHICH helps people let their hair down on Saturday nights is all set to open up in Goa. The jiving starts on December 22 setting the mood for the New Year in the land of exotic beaches.

The HFO, is also planning to spread its wings to rock Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Colombo, the first island neighbourhood overseas city, within a year.

Mr. M. C. Manoj, Managing Director-DMS Entertainment, which runs the Discotheque, says ``under a tie-up arrangement, a bar in a five-star hotel in the heart of the city, will be converted into a `Fun-Pub', to give a new experience to fun-lovers of Chennai''.

HFO and Coca Cola, plan to observe the World AIDS Day, in association with the Indian Network of Positive People (INP plus) living with HIV, an AIDS Awareness Group, by holding an exclusive bash on December 9, again a Saturday night fever, with an added attraction of jazz to be played by MADRAZ, a jazz trio, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., for which there is no entry fee.

Literature on HIV AIDS will be distributed during the show besides a short talk by Mr. Ashok Pillay, a HIV positive person.

Once the spirits soar high on the dance floors when high-powered music, with DJ Suketho, an All India DMC runner-up, takes on the controls of the dancing floor, then it will be business as usual with an entrance fee of Rs.400 per couple.

Mr. Rohit Kumar, Manager-Events and Projects of HFO, says a separate company, HFO Entertainment, has also been floated to make available state-of-the-art music equipment on hire for those planning to have a bash at parties, birthdays or wedding anniversaries.

* * *

MUSIC LOVERS have one more reason to cheer. `Soundrootz,' a one- stop-joint for everything music will open here on December 9.

One could access the best of World Music here, at 2C, Raag Durbar, 52A, Sterling Road as also digital music - MP3 and Liquid Audio file formats.

``The place will function as an information centre on music and the idea is to connect people through music'', say Ranjini and Paul, who are setting it up.

Music workshops, lecture-demos, showcase performances and upcoming events in the city, are also part of the plans.

Soundrootz (www.soundrootz.com) will offer contact info on the business, record labels, production houses and the likes and will also work in the area of facilitating exchange of artists between India and the rest of the world.

* * *

EVEN DOCTORS have to play musical chairs of a different kind sometimes. Some government doctors had the experience in the past few days, during the visit by a team of the Medical Council of India.

With staff shortage ``crippling various government institutions'', the doctors had to be rushed to places where vacancies existed - lest the government cut a sorry figure before the visiting MCI team.

The apex body's members are in the State for annual inspection of various government institutions.

As shortage of hands was noticed in some non-clinical departments, some of the doctors were asked to go there.

This is an annual ``exercise against rules'', as an insider describes it. The ``adjustment'' of temporarily posting people to satisfy the MCI requirements is made even in the State capital.

The vacancies do exist, but is this the best way to meet the stipulation of the authorities, in a state that prides itself as a leader in healthcare ?

By T. S. Shankar,

R. K. Radhakrishnan and

K. T. Sangameswaran.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : More birds arrive at Vedanthangal sanctuary