Three interesting Indian festivals to attend

The sheer number of festivals celebrated across the country reflect India's cultural and religious diversity. Out of the hundreds of festivals celebrated in India every year, there are a few that stand out for various reasons.

First-time and seasoned travelers who wish to experience India in new ways should consider attending one of the following festivals.

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1. Nag Panchmi

Snakes play an important role in Hindu mythology, which is why devout Hindus all over India and in some areas of Nepal dedicate one day to their worship. On Nag Panchmi, people cannot dig in the earth as doing so might harm the snakes that live there. Images of snakes are washed with milk or water then worshipped by reciting a certain mantra. In some places, live snakes are worshipped. Offerings of milk, crystallized sugar, rice pudding, and lotus flowers are made.

Nag Panchmi falls on the fifth day of the waxing or waning of the moon, in the month of Shravan (July or August.)

2. Kila Raipur Sports Festival

Often referred to as the "rural Olympics," this festival features many impressive feats of athleticism. These include wrestling and strongman contests, as well as more unusual activities such as lifting a plow with one's mouth, getting run over by a tractor, and forming complicated stunts on motorcycles.

The festival has been held annually in Kila Raipur near Punjab since 1938, and the entire celebration lasts for three days.

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3. Pulikali during Onam

Onam is a harvest festival and the national festival of Kerala. In Thrissur and Palghat, pulikali is an important part of Onam celebrations.

On the fourth day of Onam, men painted and dressed as tigers perform pulikali, the tiger dance. To prepare for pulikali, they shave their body hair and get painted to look like tigers. They also wear masks, fake teeth, and belts with bells. When the paint dries, the performers converge on Thrissur and dance in the streets, shaking their bellies to music played on local instruments, with spectators joining in on the fun and dancing with them.

Festivals in India are celebrations of life, history, and culture. To learn more about them, subscribe to this CKGS blog.

Support services: Tasks you should be outsourcing

In the early days, lower operational and labor costs were among the primary motivations to outsource. However, today, organizations from different industries outsource so that they can continually focus on their core businesses and functions, while hiring outside resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and resources.

Outsourcing has many benefits. It can reduce and control operating costs, improve company focus, and provide access to world class capabilities. Organizations looking for support services should be outsourcing these tasks to maximize their operations:

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In the early days, lower operational and labor costs were among the primary motivations to outsource. However, today, organizations from different industries outsource so that they can continually focus on their core businesses and functions, while hiring outside resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and resources.

Outsourcing has many benefits. It can reduce and control operating costs, improve company focus, and provide access to world class capabilities. Organizations looking for support services should be outsourcing these tasks to maximize their operations:

Administrative tasks. Application processes, documentations, data entry and other non-judgmental tasks can usually be handled by a specialist business process outsource agency. Although these tasks could be crucial to proper operations of an organization, they are not usually the core activities.

Customer service. Customer support workers or “agents” from BPO companies are ideal assistance as companies rarely have time to deal with every customer question and concern.

IT operations. Due to its cost, most entities hire an IT company to handle the maintenance and repair functions of their organizations.

Marketing. From website design to product development, a marketing firm can effectively provide an outside perspective that an internal marketing staff cannot. They can also be efficient, both in terms of budget and time, as they allow you to focus more on the main objectives of your team.

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The best way to hire high-quality business process outsource agency is by assessing them based on their expertise and experience.

Cox & Kings Global Services provides administrative support for diplomatic missions worldwide. Subscribe to this Google+ page for more insights on outsourcing.

Proposed unified Southeast Asia visa nearing full approval

A few years ago, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations planned to adopt a single visa system to enable non-ASEAN citizens to visit any of the group’s 10 member states (Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar) on a single visa. The accord is yet to gather full support from all involved countries since the proposal was floated in 2011, but it seems implementation is nearing.

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Patterned after Europe’s Schengen single visa system, the ASEAN single visitor visa policy aims to enhance and advance the tourism sector in the region, boosting arrivals to member states. To date, only diplomatic missions are given access to the country without the stringent process that a regular visitor usually goes through.

The ambitious plan takes into account global realities and is designed to improve hospitality-related metrics in the ASEAN region. While it has fallen short of fulfilling the Tourism Strategic Plan 2011/2015 (which aims to promote the region as a single tourist destination) within the targeted timeframe, it is still slated to improve the region’s tourism standards and enable tourism employees to work in any ASEAN country.

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The strategy also gained strong support from the so-called ‘Plus 3’ countries, which are comprised of Asian countries China, Japan, and South Korea. In addition, ASEAN is moving toward the implementation of an open skies aviation policy, which is scheduled to come into effect within the coming years.

Cox & Kings Global Services provides administrative support and management services for non-judgmental tasks related to the whole lifecycle of visa, passport, and consular applications. To know more about the company, visit this website.

Beyond visa processing: Why choose electronic record-keeping?

There is no stopping technology. Innovations that were deemed impossible decades ago are now commonplace in today’s society. But as technology evolves, so should the practices and systems people employ in their daily lives to keep up.

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Electronic record-keeping is a prime example of how adapting new technology can make systems more dependable. For starters, electronic documentation expedites processes through the retrieval of prompt data. Compared to paper-based systems, electronic documentation facilitates indexing and reference. Through a reliable built-in search structure, required documents can be furnished upon request in a significantly shorter time.

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Backing up documents also becomes more reliable with electronic records management. Since documents are in digital form, the files’ lifetime is extended exponentially. Wear and tear, an obvious problem with paper records, becomes a thing of the past.

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Furthermore, security options have been expanded by digitizing documents. With a competitive security program or software, managers can easily control file access among the employees. They can dictate which employees can see, edit, and even delete certain documents. And in the case of a security breach, reliable security programs also enable managers to quickly detect cases of file tampering.  

Cox and Kings Global Services (CKGS) provides electronic document management services to diplomatic missions around the globe, making it possible for them to secure, index, and retrieve their files in a simple yet reliable manner. Learn more about CKGS by visiting this website.

Visa queries for multiple itineraries

Trips that cross multiple borders are rare adventures taken by the most intrepid of travelers. They pose several challenges, among which is preparing the appropriate travel papers to go from one country to the next.

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Multiple itineraries are taken either as part of a comprehensive trip package or taken by those who want to experience a larger segment of the world all at once. They usually take place in a single region, forming a route around the destination countries. In many regions, booking for multiple visas in advance, one for each of the destination country as required, is often recommended. This depends in part on the visa requirements of the countries involved.

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The rules can get pretty complicated. The states of the European Union (EU) are an interesting case for travelers. The states that participate in the Schengen zone allow travelers from outside the EU to go through their borders using a single visa (with some citizens of certain nations needing only a passport for short stays). Not all EU countries are participants in the zone whereas some non-EU nations within the same general region do.

In some cases, multi-country trips may involve nations that are not part of an itinerary and may require specialist papers to allow temporary passage through the country. Tanzania, for instance, allows travelers to pass through the country for at least two weeks through a transit visa.

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Finally, there are some countries where entries do not need visas, making them easier to add in a regional multicountry trip. As always, extensive research not only hammers out the itinerary but also removes much of the fuss from travel.

Cox and Kings Global Services provides consulates and diplomatic missions with an assortment of business processing outsourcing services. Visit the company's official website for more details on its services.

Renunciation of citizenship and other requirements for an OCI card

An Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card allows the holder access to many of the same benefits and privileges that an Indian citizen enjoys. For example, a person with an OCI card can go to school, work, and invest in a business in India. He or she can also visit India at any time, for any reason.

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There are certain requirements that need to be met to be considered eligible for an OCI card.

The person applying for an OCI card must be one of the following:

• A foreign national who was eligible to become a citizen of India on Jan. 6, 1950 or who was a citizen of India after Jan. 26, 1950

• Was a citizen of a territory that became a part of India after Aug. 15, 1947

• A minor child with at least one parent who is an Indian citizen

• A spouse of foreign origin of an Indian citizen or an OCI holder whose marriage was registered two years or more before sending an application.

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In addition, the person applying must be a citizen of a country that allows dual citizenship. Those who were at any point citizens of Bangladesh or Pakistan or the minor child or spouse of a person who was a citizen of Bangladesh or Pakistan are not eligible for an OCI card.  

Renunciation of citizenship

The Indian government requires numerous documents to be submitted with an OCI card application. One of these is the Certificate of Renunciation of Indian Citizenship.

All individuals of Indian lineage are required to renounce their Indian citizenship upon acquiring a foreign passport. The passport must be surrendered and stamped with "Canceled due to acquiring foreign citizenship" and acts as proof of renunciation when applying for the Certificate of Renunciation of Indian Citizenship. Alternatively, a person who wishes to renounce his or her citizenship can obtain a certificate from the Indian consulate.

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Other supporting documents required to process an OCI card application include:

• Proof of Indian origin, such as photocopies of an old Indian passport, birth certificate, or Indian marriage certificate

• Proof of present citizenship such as photocopies of a foreign passport and proof of residency

• For minor applicants: Photocopies of birth certificates, and proof of Indian origin from at least one parent.

 For more details on the process of acquiring an OCI card, subscribe to this Cox and Kings Global Services blog.

A primer on the Fulbright-Nehru fellowship program

Ever since its inception, the Fulbright program has strengthened bilateral relations between the U.S. and citizens and governments of other nations. It is also the largest U.S. exchange program that offers opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate studies, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary teaching worldwide. Its alumni include ambassadors, members of Congress, judges, heads of corporations, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors, and teachers.

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And one of Fulbright’s grants is the Fulbright-Nehru scholarship awarded by the United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF). The USIEF was one of the first bi-national commissions established to run the Fulbright Program. Since the agreement was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and U.S. Ambassador to India Loy Henderson on February 1950, the USIEF has awarded over 17,000 grants in a broad range of academic disciplines.

Grants for Indian citizens include:

• Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships that allow scholars to pursue a master’s degree program at selected U.S. colleges and universities in the areas of arts and culture management, environmental science, higher education administration, public health, urban and regional planning, and women’s and gender studies.

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• Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowships for scholars who are registered for a Ph.D. at an Indian institution. Among the fields of study are agricultural sciences, public health policy and management, and urban and regional planning.

Meanwhile, scholarships for U.S. citizens include:

• Fulbright-Nehru Student Research that encourages recent college graduates, master's and doctoral candidates, and young professionals and artists to visit India for nine months for personal development and international experience. All disciplines will be considered, but priority will be given to scholars in the fields of agricultural sciences, economics, and education among others.

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• Fulbright-Nehru English Teaching Assistantship program that offer opportunities to graduating seniors, recent graduates, or masters' students to teach conversational English and some composition to middle and high school students in India.  

CKGS handles all Fulbright-Nehru research visa application in the U.S. sent via post. More information about the visa application process and requirements can be accessed here.

A guide to the world’s top BPO hotspots

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Due to the technological advancements and cost efficiency inherent in its setup, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) has easily become a go-to resource for companies to increase capacity and flexibility in their operations. And with increasing demand for outsourced work, several countries today are now particularly attractive to foreign companies big and small as they offer a diverse range of outsourced services.

Based on Tholons’s Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations report, India, the Philippines, and China are currently the most established outsourcing destinations in the world:

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India. Techinasia.com attributes the growth of India’s BPO industry to its market size, which is comparatively bigger than that of other Asian countries like the Philippines. As of 2012, the country had 2.8 million citizens employed in BPO companies, while the Philippines had just an estimate of 750,000 in the same year.

Philippines. Over the years, the Philippines has become a rival to India. According to an Oxford Business Group Report, the country’s BPO sector is expanding by an average of 20 percent annually. In 2013, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) reported that India had lost over 50 percent of BPO industry to foreign competitors, with majority of lost business relocating to the Philippines.

China. Like most Asian countries, China has a good majority of educated young people in its workforce. Unlike India and Philippines, however, the country lags in terms of industry size, language capability, and intellectual rights protection.

With the demand for BPO growing every year, BPO companies need to go beyond their clients’ expectations to retain competitiveness in the global market.

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An expert in BPO, Cox and Kings Global Services is an agency that is focused on serving consular sections of diplomatic missions. Follow this Facebook page for more information about the company.

Best practices for achieving high performance in a BPO

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Business process outsourcing (BPO) has become an effective and efficient management practice adhered to by most companies around the world. Because of its current success, the BPO industry has subsequently entered a new phase of development that requires continuous innovation and discernible improvement in expertise and business solutions for its clients.

To meet these goals, BPO companies must offer new value propositions with a strong business impact. Instead of focusing on cost reductions alone, BPOs must craft new strategies across all aspects of their operations to guarantee high performance at each stop.

Here are some of the widely best practices BPO companies are observing today:

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Adapt an end-to-end approach: According to Infosys BPO, a holistic approach in management can bind multiple functions. For example, both client and provider could collaborate to focus on the operation’s overall process, such as in the rationalization and standardization of its operations.

Prioritize value over cost: According to research by Accenture, majority of high-performance businesses will consider service options with greater value, even at higher cost. In today’s competitive market, entrepreneurs are now looking more on the benefits of a specific rather than fixating on reducing costs.

Explore new frontiers: A journal article by MIS Quarterly Executive emphasizes the importance of new technologies in leveraging the performance of service providers. An example of this is the adaption of automated programs and software to eliminate bottlenecks and improve productivity across all business functions.

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A BPO specialist, Cox and Kings Global Services is a company that provides administrative support and management for non-judgmental tasks related to the entire lifecycle of a visa, passport, and consular application process. Follow this Facebook page for more information about the company.

What is the Tourist Visa on Arrival (T-VoA) scheme?

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Most people are required to go through a lengthy and complicated process of applying for an Indian visa before they arrive in the country. Previously, only citizens from Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, and Indonesia were eligible to be granted a visa upon arrival. As of November 2014, the T-VoA system has been extended to include 43 countries, including the United States.

The T-VoA scheme has its benefits and downsides. The obvious benefits are related to how streamlined the new system is. Travelers can apply online and receive an Electronic Travel Authorization within four days. This removes a lot of bureaucratic obstacles and is especially beneficial for tourists who are traveling for only 30 days or less. For long-term travelers, however, it may be worth the effort to go the lengthy route.

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As mentioned earlier, the first step can be done through a simple online form. This requires a scanned file of the passport photo page and a full face photo of the applicant on a white background. After paying the $60 fee, the applicant can expect to receive an ID via email. The ETA will also be sent via e-mail after four days.


The document should be printed and presented at the immigration desk in one of India’s Visa-on-Arrival airports within 30 days of approval. Once the traveler receives the stamp, he’ll be cleared for travel in India for the next 30 days.

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CKGS is a specialist BPO company that provides support to the Embassy of India and its consulates on tasks related to visa applications. For more information on the Indian visa application process, visit www.in.ckgs.us.

Must-have Indian cuisine for first-time travelers

India’s native cuisine is something every tourist should experience, especially those who are traveling to the country for the first time. A melting pot of flavors heavily influenced by cultural, religious, and traditional diversity, Indian cuisine offers something for everyone from their sweet desserts to their spicy chicken and rice.

Here are some dishes you should try when visiting India:

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• Samosas. These are fried or baked triangular snacks stuffed with potatoes, onions and peas and served with mint or tomato chutney.

• Kati Rolls. These are kebabs (grilled skewers of meat, vegetables, or cheese), eggs, and spices wrapped in a type of flat bread called paratha.

• Tandoori Chicken. The chicken is immersed in a yogurt-spice marinade and then slow-cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor.

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• Biryani. This dish is probably one of the more famous Indian foods in the world. Aromatic rice is cooked with spices and saffron and combined with either marinated chicken or mutton.

• Rogan Josh. This Persian-inspired curry dish is popular in the Kashmir region and uses either lamb or goat (usually goat) as protein, cooked in a mixture of shallots, yogurt, and spices, particularly Kashmiri chili which gives it the red color.

• Gulab Jamun. Small, deep-fried balls of dried milk boiled in sugar syrup. A scoop of Indian vanilla ice cream is a recommended add-on.

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Remember to ask a local tour guide about the places where you can get a taste of these Indian delicacies.

Are you a first-time traveler to India? Visit the Cox and Kings Global Services website for more information about tourist visa application.

Taste of India: Two tea-growing regions to visit

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Tea has a long and storied history in India. Although commercial production didn't take off until the British East India Company started cultivating tea gardens in Assam, Indians have been drinking tea and using wild tea leaves in medicinal preparations since 750 B.C. Today, India is second only to China as the largest exporter of tea, and Indians consume cups of chai on a daily basis.


 Tea lovers who wish to know more about the history of tea as well as take delicious sips of some of the most famous tea brews in the world shouldn't miss an opportunity to visit one of the following Indian tea regions.

Assam 



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Assam, located in the remote northeast of India, is the largest tea-growing region in the world. Tea plants used to grow wild in the Brahmaputra valley but have been cultivated commercially for 150 years. Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of rolling fields and more than 800 tea plantations, as well as take a sip of the strong, malty black tea the region is famous for. The area is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage parks, the Kaziranga National Park and the Manas National Park, as well as numerous monuments, temples and mosques dating back to the medieval era.


 Assam also produces a small quantity of the green and white varieties.

Darjeeling

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Darjeeling, a small town in West Bengal, is home to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and is a popular summer vacation destination among domestic tourists due to its high altitude and cool climate.


Although marketed as black tea, Darjeeling tea actually comes in black, white, green, and oolong varieties. It has a sharp tang which fans liken to muscatel. There are approximately 144 tea gardens in Darjeeling, and each one produces tea with distinct tastes and aromas.



Apart from tea garden tours, there are numerous other attractions in Darjeeling. The view of the sun rising over the Himalayas, as seen from Tiger Hill, is a major tourist destination, as are Darjeeling's monasteries, parks, Japanese peace pagoda, and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.


CKGS assists foreign travelers to India by providing visa services from one of its many application and processing centers worlwide. Discover more about India's top travel destinations by subscribing to this blog.