SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, BENGALURU
JUNE 11, 2017
I still have the bat Yuvraj
hit six sixes with
The new Modi on
the block talks like a
seasoned businessman.
In a chat, Ruchir Modi
discusses his plans, the
impact of the past on his
present, being his fathers
son and the prized
possession hanging in his
bedroom, Yuvis
six-hitting bat
sujata.reddy@timesgroup.com
H
e is just 22, but Ruchir Modi, son
of embattled businessman Lalit
Modi, also the founder and archi-
tect of the Indian Premier League,
is aware that his father is the ba-
rometer for everything he does or will do in
the future.
But the young Modi takes it on the chin.
Dressed in a Ermenegildo Zegna button-down
shirt and trousers, with a Rajesh Pratap Singh
bandi thrown over, and Berluti shoes, Modi
hands out a gold-embossed visiting card as he
settles down for a chat in his Mumbai office.
Appointed as the additional director at
Godfrey Phillips India last year, Modi says
he has been busy having taken roughly 50
flights since January. But his primary inter-
ests, he says, are sports and finance.
Ask Modi what his strengths are and his
reply is instant: Organisation and the ability
to get what I want done without leaving things
mid-way. Shedding some light on his equa-
tion with his family, Modi junior gives a peek
into his life controversies et al.
Being Ruchir Modi
What drives me is the inspiration from my
father. My family has always wanted me to
Sex in space: An out of the
HOT TOPIC
world experience?
Its not rocket science. For if you thought getting frisky in
zero gravity would be a walk in the park, think again
gizmodo.in
Microgravity sex is an idea that
has inspired many movies, but with
space tourism approaching as early
as next year, its not. However, it
might not be as sexy.
The first dilemma is the
lack of privacy. According
to Mark Shelhamer, for-
mer ch ief scient i st at
NASAs Human Research
Program, close quarters
might make things a bit awk-
ward for astronauts. If SpaceX
sends two people to the moon In Passengers,
[in 2018], its likely that there Jennifer Lawrence over time. This also means
would be a third professional played Aurora
astronaut with them, he said. who gets intimate in the lower extremities, or as
Apollo spacecraft were very with Jim, played
cosy and I cant imagine some- by Chris Pratt,
thing that would be ready as aboard a starship generating an erection.
early as next year would be very
large.
SpaceXs Crew Dragon cap-
sule holds seven passengers at
most. If the sex-havers were able
to look past the crowded quarters
and lack of privacy plus the in-
evitable motion sickness they
could probably do it, but it would be
tech IT
A handy gadget, smart ring
reimagines wearables
With a charge lasting nearly five days, the ring is so subtle, no
one will know youre wearing a sleep and activity tracker
businessinsider.in
There are two main problems with mod-
ern fitness trackers: they constantly
need to be charged, and they often look
ugly on the wrist. But the Motiv ring
solves those problems. The ring is de-
signed to be worn on your hand 24 hours
a day, and its charge lasts for up to five
days.
Motiv is a heart rate sensor, fitness
tracker, and sleep tracker, and its
about the size of a wedding ring.
The company has been
working on the ring for
five years to make it
small and slim, while
still counting your steps,
tracking your runs, and stores it in an app, where you set fitness
helping you get some sleep. and sleep goals for yourself. For now, the
The ring has on-board memory for up app will only be available to iOS users.
to five days, so you dont have to be teth- The ring is able to track active minutes,
ered to your phone for the ring to work. active heart rate, calories burned, dis-
It comes in two colours slate gray and tance, activity type, sleep duration, rest-
rose gold. ing heart rate, and steps. It is made from
The ring tracks your activity and ultra-light titanium.
focus on the family busi-
ness of tobacco and chemi-
cals. But I have a strong
passion for spor ts a nd
finance. So, thats where
my focus lies. My parents
support me in whatever ca-
reer I choose. Im looking to
launch a micro-finance plat-
form by the year-end, with the
aim of doing something big in
rural India.
A lost game
Over the past four months,
I have been caught up with
the Rajasthan Cricket
Association elections
[which he lost to CP Joshi
recently], for which I was
running for President.
Now that the results
are out, Id like to con-
g ratulate CP Joshi.
There were some tur-
bulent times during
the elections, but Im
happy that of the three
constitutional posts, two
secretary and treas-
urer were won by our
panel. The office cant be
run without the support of
CP and these people.
difficult with microgravity.
The first challenge is sim-
ply the result of moving about in
near-zero gravity: every push or
thrust will propel the astronaut in
the opposite direction, said John
Millis, chair of the department of
physical sciences and engineer-
ing at Anderson University.
Microg ravity cou ld also
make it difficult for a male as-
tronaut to get an erection. In
space, blood travels to the brain
more easily, meaning the heart
does not have to work as hard,
which can cause it to weaken
less blood readily available
Millis put it, the region that
the body pulls from when
Long duration
spac ef l i g ht a l so c au se s
a drop in testosterone
levels. If, however, a couple
was able to look past the com-
plicated mechanics, they could
probably do it. Two people in a
sleeping bag would probably do the
trick, said Shelhamer.
Pic: Getty Images
The battery lasts for three to
five days and comes with two
chargers that magnetically
snap to the ring
15
This GPS tracker
works anywhere in
the world
It is waterproof,
dustproof
and designed
to withstand
anything daily life
Lalit throws at it
Modi
Looking back,
Aliya and
Minal Modi
having to
Pics: Nishikant Gamre, Getty Images
leave India
was a learning
with my family being in the headlines every
day. These things didnt affect me person-
ally, perhaps because I knew that my father
experience for me
would overcome it. But with all this expo-
sure, I had to grow up too soon. My sisters businessinsider.in will start to ring,
went to school in Switzerland and I was with even if you set it
my father. I travelled extensively with him Magpie is a new de- to silent. Magpie
and attended more than 200 games. vice with a simple also lets you set
Sticking it out Looking back, having to leave India was a goal: to help you find up safe zones for
Only now am I getting used to specula-
tion. People say I was the one to cancel the
learning experience for me. I had two assas-
sination attempts on me in 2010 in Mumbai.
the things you lost.
The GPS tracker is about
your kids . If your
child leaves one of those
RCA elections. Of course, the Rajasthan My father has survived multiple attempts. an inch in diameter and syncs zones, Magpie will send you an
C o m m i s sio n O f f ic e r c l a r i f i e d All of this changed my perspective of life. with an Android or iOS app. alert.
that it was he who had called it Its waterproof, and it can be Magpie has a built-in ac-
off. Honestly, Ive been prepared Most memorable possession attached to everyday items celerometer. If you attach it to
to ha nd le st ress from a you ng A cricket bat given to me by Yuvraj Singh. like keys, wallets, or laptops, or your bike and your bike moves
age, having seen my father do so. He hit six sixes in the 2007 T20 World Cup in your childs backpack. Magpie while you left it unattended,
Im running three to four businesses, so South Africa against England. The night can also be attached to your Magpie will let you know. It
every hour comes with its share of stress before the game, he was having dinner with dogs collar, so you will always can be recharged by plugging
for me (laughs). When Im in a tough situa- my father, who was the VP of the Indian know where your furry friend it into any USB port, but you
tion, I tell myself s**t happens and Ill over- Cricket Board at that time. Indian cricket- is. wont need to charge it often.
come it. Ive seen some great times and hit ers were not earning what they are today. There are a lot of GPS track- The company says its battery
rockbottom in my life, so nothing surprises Yuvraj told my father that he wanted a ers on the market, can last up to three
me anymore. My father says, s**t happens, Porsche and my father said Go hit six sixes many of which are It tracks people, months on a single
Yuvraj but dont regret what youve done. and Ill get you a Porsche. And the guy actu- about the same size pets and things charge.
Singh
ally went and hit them. He gave me that bat and have some of the you love, no Since Mag pie
Daddys son and I still have it hanging in my bedroom. same capabilities as has its own SIM
I would say the idea of being Lalit Modis He got the Porsche in Jaipur during a crick- Mag pie. But what
matter the card, the company
son sounds better than it is. Theres a lot of et game he played a month later. For me, the sets Magpie apart is distance says its device will
pressure and responsibility that comes with story of how the cricket bat reached me and its built-in SIM card. work even if you
it. We have seven businesses in this country. what he accomplished that day makes it This means it has an are out of the coun-
The responsibility lies on me because Im the priceless to me. unlimited range and try it will have an
only one from the family to come to India. can work anywhere unlimited range.
Expectations and comparisons to my father Living the high life theres a cellular net- Theres a service
are inevitable, I guess. My family has always kept a high profile work 185 countries fee of $60 per year
and theyve done what they wanted to even to be exact. to use the location-
A lesson learnt before the IPL. We come from a big business A nother sa fety tracking services.
It was a tough few months for us in 2010, family. Leading a flamboyant life is a part feature for your kids: T he compa ny is
when we had to leave India [following al- of growing up. No one has told me to tone it If they need to get pledging an ini-
legations of financial irregularities in down, but I do feel that now is the time to a hold of you, they tial $5 to Magpies
the IPL]. I was in school in Mumbai... it get serious and start working. Im really can just squeeze the Kickstarter to get
was tough leaving my life behind and enjoying it. Magpie. Your phone you the device.
7 smart accessories to jazz up your tablet
techradar.com
The iPad Pro 12.9 and iPad Pro 9.7 are
a pair of powerful, versatile tablets,
Another use for your
Smart Connector
The Smart Connector is a good idea,
made even more so by Apples Smart but for the most part its only used
Connector, which gives you one more for keyboards. Logitech decided to
way to hook up accessories. But the world improve on that with its Base charg-
of iPad Pro accessories extends far be- ing stand, which uses the Smart
yond Apples official selection. Whether Connector to power up your iPad
you want to work, play or create on your Pro. Magnets in the charging cradle
iPad Pro theres an accessory for you, and ensure your slate is aligned, making An artistic alternative to
these are some of the best. it easier to use than if you had to plug the Apple Pencil
the tablet in. The Apple Pencil is great for writing
and sketching, but for the artistically-
inclined among you theres the Sensu
A feature-packed keyboard case Artist Brush and Stylus. As the
Integrating an ergonomic keyboard within the confines name suggests, it has a brush, mak-
of a slim 9.7-inch iPad Pro case is no easy feat, but Incipios ing it ideal for digital artists. Theres
ClamCase+ backlit keyboard case has done a stellar a stylus too if you want to sketch, and
job marrying the two, and it has even thrown in LED in a pinch, you can even write with it,
backlighting for good measure. A smart hinge attach- although not with as much precision
ing the keyboard to the tablet can be adjusted 360 de- as the Apple Pencil.
grees. With Bluetooth pairing, syncing the two is
also quick and easy.
Get a new perspective
Most iPad stands offer a limited range of posi-
Keeps your iPad going tions, which can make it difficult to get an ideal
The on-the-go convenience of having an view of whats on the screen. The Spider Monkey
extra full charge for your iPad Pro cant be from Octa solves those problems, thanks to the
understated, and the Techlink Recharge unlimited degrees of freedom offered by its
12000 battery bank offers exactly that. Its got flexible steel frame. The adaptive neck can
dual USB ports, so you can easily charge your be wrapped and curled around everything
iPhone at the same time as your iPad, and it from bed knobs to lamp stands, or it can be used
automatically stops powering your devices easily on its own as a stabilising mount.
as soon as theyre at full capacity, so it wont
waste any of its 12,000mAh of power.
A bag thats almost as
high-end as your tablet A stylish case with
The Pad & Quill Valet leather bag useful features
isnt cheap, but it is made with attention If you want a little protec-
to detail, using full grain leather and tion for your tablet, the STM
parachute-grade stitching throughout. Atlas case will get the job done.
There are pockets inside the sleeve
holder bag for an iPad Pro (up to 12.9
inch), lightning cable, charger, two neat
A slim design keeps it looking
classy, and ensures it doesnt bulk
up whatever bag you chuck your iPad into.
pen/stylus holders, and even space for
a notepad and a wireless Apple Smart
Keyboard.
It also folds out into a stand, and theres a
slot for the expensive but easily lost Apple
Pencil.
Pic: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images
How to make Ma and Son bet their money on you
Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma reveals why he ditched a power point presentation
while making a pitch to two of the worlds leading foreign investors
masoom.gupte@ More specifically, for tips for those na r rate you r same, Sharma said. He set up the
timesgroup.com who may someday be walking in history. If you internet connection for the lady
his shoes. In response, Sharma a re meeti ng who managed the operations for an
His personal success story outlined three key points from an investor, international publication in India.
a s i d e , V i j ay S h e k h a r his sound and light you s hou l d s Value trust. If you go into a
Sharma is a man show that included resonate room, the question is can I trust this
sought-a f ter for action, emotion and with them, person or not. Trust is an amazing
h i s c on ne c t ion s drama. He gave Vijay Shekhar Sharma said. thing, Sharma said.
with some of the t he p ower p oi nt Sharma Reason: People s And lastly, talk about the poten-
Jack Ma biggest names in present ation t he like people who tial growth opportunity. I was
the global business boot as he believes have had similar life able to communicate [to Ma] the
arena currently. The no passion comes out experiences. The common ground excitement of India. The problem
Pay t m fou nder cou nts of those. for Ma and Sharma was their re- with China is that all their num-
A libabas Jack Ma and s Resonate, he said. spective brush with media. bers are so big, that any number in
Softbanks Masayoshi Son I was told [by the He [Ma] picked up India is not big enough, he said.
as investors. investors who newspapers from the His solo learning was to speak
At a r e c e nt e ve nt , arranged the press and delivered about acceleration and deltas; the
Sharma was asked about meeting] that them. In my time, numbers that can be achieved in
his first meeting with Ma. you shou ld Masayoshi Son I n e a rly d id t h e just a few months.
Pic: Nishikant Gamre, Getty Images, AFP