The buzz of Kochi having its own Indian Premier League team has been around for quite sometime. Here is more information on the bidding process. The cities that have been offered as the home location for the franchises are Pune, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kanpur, Dharamsala, Vizag, Rajkot, Cuttack, Baroda, Cochin, Indore and Gwalior. The auction is scheduled to happen on March 9th 2010.

• This time the process of bidding for teams is extremely difficult unlike in 2008. Among the most contentious clauses is the requirement for the bidder to privide a bank guarantee equivalent to 100 per cent of the money that the winning bidder offers for the 10-year contract within seven days of winning the bid. Where as in 2008, the initial franchisees of the eight IPL teams had to provide only 10 per cent of their bids as bank guarantee.
• Bidders also need to have a net worth of $1 billion as a pre-requisite and offer a pre-bid bank guarantee of $100 million. In the 2008 auctions, prospective bidders paid a pre-bid deposit of Rs 20 crore.
• The minimum bid price has been fixed at a staggering $225 million (Rs 1,042 crore), compared to the base price of $50 million (over Rs 230 crore) when the first auctions were held in 2008.

Here is an interesting fact. A list of India’s 10 most affluent cities was recently published. Following is the list

1. New Delhi – Has IPL Team (Delhi Daredevils)
2. Bangalore – Has IPL Team (Royal Challengers)
3. Mumbai – Has IPL Team (Mumbai Indians)
4. Chennai – Has IPL Team (Chennai Super Kings)
5. Hyderabad – Has IPL Team (Deccan Chargers)
6. Kolkata – Has IPL Team (Kolkata Knight Riders)
7. Kochi – One of the home locations thats on offer in 2010
8. Pune – One of the home locations thats on offer in 2010
9. Jaipur – Has IPL Team (Rajasthan Royals)
10. Ahmedabad – One of the home locations thats on offer in 2010

7 out of the 10 most affluent cities in the list, have an IPL team. All 6 cities above Kochi has an IPL team. All 3 cities that dont have an IPL team are on offer as a home location for the auction on March 9th.

Mohanlal and Priyadarshan has shown interest in bidding. Also Muthoot Pappachan Group is said to have making efforts for a Kochi team by partnering with Mohanlal and Priyadarshan. Also there are reports that Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan is interested in picking up a team. Sheiks and Malayalees has been sharing a very good bond from the past couple of decades . Keeping that in mind, we hope he bids for Kochi too . There are reports that YusufAli MA, M.D of EMKE group and person behind LULU group (who is also building India’s biggest mall in Kochi) is keen on a Kochi team. As per some reports Salman Khan is keen on bidding for an IPL team and is interested either in Kochi or Nagpur.

Making this entry on Kochivibe has made us dizzy. Especially the Rupees and Dollars part . We hope that Kochi is one of the 2 lucky cities to get an IPL team. We are amused to see “Dharmsalsa” as one of the cities up for grabs. That just DONT sound like one of the cities that would have an IPL team (sorry Dharmsalians). Kochi would make a better team anyday! .  Fingers crossed for March 9th.!

This Year’s Biggest College Event, right at Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology, Kakkanad, in partnership with NOKIA, presents Techkshetra. Be prepared to be blown away!

Good news for students, an event you don’t want to miss. Hosted at one of the best colleges in Kerala. An event for the best of the best. March 12th 2010 will have a new meaning to students all over Kerala.

From events galore and not just the tech-related stuff, fun and random events, online games and many more. Presentations, Seminars and Project presentations, there is just about everything to keep you on your toes. With exciting and surprise events poised to be held any moment, you just can’t keep away from anything. Gifts, vouchers, cash prizes, fun and everything great that makes a Tech-Fest awesome!

From tech events like C Decoding(hash_include), Electronic Junkyard, etc and non-tech like gaming, Best manager contest(the one), you have so much to choose from. Challenge yourself and let the adrenaline rush through you.

And to top it off, expect NOKIA to come up with some exciting stuff. Surprise Surprise…So hang onto to the edge of your seats or well your pants or anything you can get your hands on. If Tech Fests could get fun and exciting this is as fun as they can get.

Like they say, be there or be square!

click on for more info

EPLFC will be screening Ingmar Bergman’s Persona on 18^th February, 2010(Thursday) at 6 PM. The screening will be at the Ernakulam Public Library.

Plot: A nurse is put in charge of an actress who can’t talk and finds that the actress’s persona is melding with hers.

Details

• Title: Persona
• Director: Ingmar Bergman
• Year: 1966
• Genre: Drama
• Time: 85 mins
• Color: Black and White

EPLFC(Ernakulam Public Library Film Club) Announcement

EPLFC will be screening Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock on 14^th February, 2010(Sunday) at 10 AM. The screening will be at the Ernakulam Public Library.

Plot: A man working at his parents’ motel in the Catskills inadvertently sets in motion the generation-defining concert in the summer of 1969.

Details

• Title: Taking Woodstock
• Director: Ang Lee
• Year: 2009
• Genre: Comedy, Music
• Time: 120 mins
• Color: Color

EPLFC(Ernakulam Public Library Film Club) Announcement

Kochivibe  is always on the lookout  for Talents who are making it BIG in life and one of the searches ended in Ifthikar Ali – a singer , music composer and producer.  At the age of 17 he launched his first musical album and then two years later he launched another musical album mantra. I caught up with “Ifthi” for a quick interview!

1) Tell us something about yourself ?

I was born in Trikarpur in Kasargod District, Kerala and did 3 yrs diploma from Arena Multimedia Bangalore and was in Dubai from 2005-2009. I am now back in Bangalore and is the CEO of RightClick Interactive.

2) Somethign about Ifthi the talent musician

Self taught musician, composer, singer. Had training of harmonium (carnatic) for a month, but later stopped so that I can concentrate on piano and chords.

3) How early did you begin developing your music talents and the path taken?

I was 10  when I first started playing around with keys, a casio keyboard which I got as a birthday gift. First song that I composed was the prayer song  for Vidyathiraja School when I was in 9th grade.

4) What all instruments do u play?

Keyboard.

5) The Kind of music you like?

I love all kinds of music. I go by a rule ‘Sounding Good’. Anything that’s appealing to me. No definite description for that. Depends on the mood.

6) Tell us about the work you have done so far?

First album was Dil Hai Deewana, released in 2 districts. First professional project was malayalam album Mantra in 2003. Then an un-released project October, still sorting out the release issues. An International instrumental album ‘in-conceivable’ with a singaporean artist. One single ‘Show me love’ with canadian producer Moilim Yacoub aka MY.

7) It said the new comers are always asked for money to get a chance to sing in movies? Would u pay to get a chance to sing in a movie?

I have had offers like that. I haven’t done so far, I won’t be doing. I take music as a passion. I don’t need to invest in that to get recognized. For an artist, his talent is the investment.

Your take on Reality Shows (Singing)

It’s a good platform for the new comers. Hope the back end of such shows are genuine.

9) Your dream aspiration and role model?

AR Rahman

10) What is your recent project?

Right now working on a international album for a chennai/bangaore based company Tune4. Mix of instrumental, hindi and english. I have few other projects in the pipeline, but not clear as such to speak about.

11) Valentines Day is near do u have a valentine and what plans for valentines day?

Nope I’m working this valentines, travelling from friday to monday for an album project.

12) Your concept of Love? and Recommend Top Romantic Songs of your choice for Kochivibe readers!

If you think about the fantasy side, Love is something u cant live without… everyone in this world loves something or someone….. the heart skipping a beat or goosebumps, missing someone badly etc etc

Practical side, it’s how you adjust with someone…it is the level of understanding between two individuals and willingness to sacrifice small things in life. It’s about how well you share and care each other.

Love for me as a musician is a source of inspiration. Anything around the concept of love is a spark.

and my top pick of romantic songs would be

• Manju Pole of the film Dost (All time fav – Malayalam),
• Bole Sajni from Doli Sajake Rakhna (Sonu Nigam/ARR),
• When you say nothing at all (Ronan Keating)
• Right here waiting (Richard Marx)

You can catch Ifthikar in this facebook fanpage.

EPLFC will be screening Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream on 11^th February, 2010(Thursday) at 6 PM. The screening will be at the Ernakulam Public Library.

Plot: The hopes and dreams of four ambitious people are shattered when their drug addictions begin spiraling out of control.

Details

• Title: Requiem for a Dream
• Director: Darren Aronofsky
• Year: 2000
• Genre: Drama
• Time: 102 mins
• Color: Color

EPLFC(Ernakulam Public Library Film Club) Announcement