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Fashion Fiesta
It
seems we have not had enough of style and trends. Friday night’s fashion show at Hotel MountView proved it once again that when it comes to fashion shows one does not mind the wind or the chill. What made the fashion fiesta distinctive were the—models! No, we are not referring to the usual human models walking down the ramp. This one had the latest Maruti Zen Estilo models accompanying the models for the launch of Provogue Spring Summer 2007 collection. Organised by Maruti Suzuki in association with Maxim, the event saw around 10 boys and girls showcasing Provogue’s forthcoming collection. While the line of women’s wear, included tiny cocktail dresses with asymmetrical hemlines, denim dangris and short skirts, hot pants teamed with halters, spaghettis, strappy tops and tees, the menswear featured denims, t-shirts and button-down shirts, ivory white trousers and leather shoes. Needless to say, the show ended with the fashion aficionados asking for more.
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Hats off! WE heard about the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh when Jarjum Ete became the chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh Commission on Women. And after meeting Topi Basr, who is teaching law in Delhi University, we realise it’s time one took this tiny branch of Adi tribe seriously, rather than scoffing it off as a patriarchal sub-tribe that practices child marriage and polygamy. Even after 14 long years in Delhi, Topi has retained the freshness of the place she belongs to — West Siang. “I am the sixth among 10 children. I led a normal life in the hills and studied at Rama Krishna Mission School at Along,” introduces the lady who was in the city on a personal visit. But what makes Topi proud is that her parents, who had never been to a school, left no stone unturned to educate all their children. “There were no gender bias in the family. When I told my father that I wanted to come to Delhi for graduation, they were more than happy to send me,” says Topi. In fact, Topi’s sister Tokir is the first graduate from her village. To start with, Topi’s aim was to be an IAS officer, which somehow did not materialise. “I did my graduation from IP College, Delhi, then LLB and LLM from Delhi University”. She cleared her NET and was declared the “Pride of Northeast” by the Delhi University Students Union in 2005. She had a long stint in the national Capital. But what has she retained of her native place apart from her ivory complexion and silky tresses, we question. “The simple lifestyle, the clean environment and, of course, the strong social conscience that most Northeasterners have. I like Delhi for the career opportunities it offers, but I still crave for the simplicity of my home state,” Topi sounds almost nostalgic. Mother of a four-month-old boy, Andrew, Topi is now dividing her time between motherhood and her Ph D. Her topic is the legal protection of traditional knowledge. What we understand from Topi is that her research work will help safeguard artisans and craftsperson from getting exploited. “For example so many music directors have worked on local music and has presented it in a new format without giving credit to anyone. I would like to stop that practice and give the people their due.” Yes, her research work will be a gift for not just the tribes in Arunachal but all over India who are privy to knowledge passed down to them by their forefathers, but her immediate dream is to make her people aware of the importance of extra-curricular activities at school and college level. It does not sound too distant a dream, considering the tribe has people like Jarjum and Topi to guide them.
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In a league of her own She
comes across like any other girl her age. Soft-spoken, a flawless visage, curly locks, very suave. But her profession sets her apart — at 26, Ashrafi Oshidar is one of the few women DJs in the country. With no professional training, DJ Ashrafi, as she is known, started her career as a sound engineer in renowned Punjabi singer Sukhwinder Singh’s studio in Mumbai. This feisty Kolkata girl donned the DJ’s mantle in 2003, at a time when it was a male thing and even now is to a certain extent. “I learnt everything on the job. While I had finished a project at Sukhwinder’s studio and was waiting to join another, DJ-aying happened,” she tells. Though one might expect a DJ with perhaps a dozen metallic rings on the fingers, a hip hop dressing style, loosely hanging jeans or black nail paint, but our lady believes in making a style statement through her music. “I am not a model. I don’t have to be a yo! girl,” she exclaims. This music connoisseur doesn’t believe in sending out wrong signals. “Many a times, one leaves an impression of being very cool and funky but the music turns out to be quite the opposite,” chuckles Ashrafi. So was it easy to become a DJ? “Well I don’t differentiate. For me it was always easier being a DJ,” tells the Parsi lass. Though here for the first time to perform at the promotion party to cheer the men in blue at Rendezvous, Sector 26, on Friday, Ashrafi has performed all over the country and abroad. Nevertheless, it’s the Bollywood numbers mixed with house music that remain her forte. No wonder she had the crowds jiving away! As far as the big plans go, the avid sports lover would soon launch her own collection of Bollywood mixes. So watch out for Ashrafi!
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7
Commandments of success Celebrate
failure — only man as successful as Gurgaon-based ‘management guru’ Arjun Seth can say this with philosophical authority that comes with the sweet taste of accomplishment. Associated with Franklin Covey South Asia — one of the world’s largest training companies — Seth offers the highly acclaimed ‘Seven habits for highly effective people’ programme developed by management expert-cum-author Dr Stephen Covey. The ‘fundas’ he propagates promise to help you climb up the corporate ladder on the rungs of practicality. We catch up with him at Chitkara Business School for taking down the seven professional commandments he hands out. Thou shalt now read the same for earning bread from the sweat of thy brow all the more effectively. Be proactive Thou shalt leave behind the laid back attitude and compete with the changing environment. But first you will work towards identifying your strengths. Instead of focusing on the negative, you shall discover what you are good at and then polish your skills. “You must realise the world is changing faster than you can anticipate, so align yourself to meet the challenges”. Begin with end Thou shalt constantly indulge in self-feedback. Before taking a professional, or even a personal, decision think of the result. Be self-aware. “And after six months or one year provide yourself the feedback of your action, whether the results are according to your expectations. Plan further action accordingly.” First things first Thou shalt be clear about thy priorities. Differentiate between urgent and important. Do the urgent immediately, but do not ignore the important. And don’t waste your precious time on all things unimportant. It’s not worth it. Think win-win Thou shalt think in terms of providing benefit to yourself and others. Do not compromise on principles. Also say no to quick-fixes and shortcuts that lead you to an ‘I-win, you-lose’ situation. They do not pay in the long run. Place yourself in a win-win situation by offering the best to others while safeguarding your own interests. Seek first to understand Thou shalt first understand others and then be understood. Even if you plan to argue, first listen to what the other is saying. Understand his point of view and then make sure you are understood. “Indulge in dialogue, not monologue”. Also understand your own voice, and appreciate that of others. “Look beyond the immediate, see the soul.” Synergise Thou shalt gain the trust others and repose faith in their abilities for working together to achieve larger goals. In the absence of trust, the organisation will hit roadblocks. Apply the principles of cooperative creativity and value differences. Share work by delegating it, but adopt `I will solve your problem’ approach. Line your mission statement with that of the company. Sharpen the saw In the end, thou shalt understand thy own capabilities. But before that you will leave behind your ‘dependence mentality’ of blaming the mood or the environment for not working.
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Of modern b’day bashes Sreedhara Bhasin While
living in the US, I acclimatised myself with the new breed of birthday parties. The parties were outsourced to video arcades and pizza parlours, where kids were entertained in a structured and routine manner. Games were preset, food was typical and store-served, time period was fixed and everything worked clock-wise upholding the final motto of the party– maximum fun with minimum hassle (something that the overworked and maid-deprived American parents really deserve). When I came to Chandigarh, my daughter received her first invitation to a birthday party and to my ignorant mind that was a reason for surprise as the party was being hosted in Pizza Hut. America had once more conquered another niche in the world of outsourcing! Since then I have been to many such birthday parties. Parents bring the cake and the mother looks radiant in her best clothes. The young boys who get the kids riled up over musical chair and dance are quite professional. The food is standardised and often good. At the end of it all, the kids go home, full of high-calories and sugar and the parents shell out in rupees for what they skipped in the kitchen. This is truly a far cry from my childhood. I was a fortunate kid, who managed to get grand birthday parties (being the youngest in a large family has its benefits). My mother and the cook and whoever was willing to help, spent the entire day in the kitchen, kneading and frying and rolling. We, the kids did the decoration with paper strings and balloons, determined the games and there were of course, no prize for the winners! There were just as many uncles and aunts, as friends as birthdays were family affairs. The cake was, of course, the grandest attraction and lasted only a few seconds. My mother who slaved all day, despite the pre-party shower and her fresh saree, looked overwrought and damp. It was pretty much the same story when we went to other birthday parties. Sometimes, the dreaded task would fall upon us to regale the guests with our singing or whatever talent we were ill famed for. Sometimes, we would play at the party for hours, till the mother would politely throw us out of the house and then we would walk back home making plans for the next party. A lot has changed since then and in Chandigarh too birthday parties have become awfully efficient. Food does not run out, cutlets are not over-cooked, cake does not arrive late, magician does not abscond, aunts do not bring unexpected guests and nobody is forced to sing out of tune. I am not sure I can get used to so much of perfection!
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Fast FOOD It’s
Navratras time and starting Monday special menu with out onion and pure vegetarian is being prepared. Just drive down the city roads, through the hustle and bustle to enjoy the good food specially made for the Navratras. Go right ahead and try paneer and potato dishes prepared just for you without onion and garlic. Savour the taste of aloo chaat and tikki. Or else order the complete Navratra thali. In comparison to normal food prices, the thalis go easy on the pocket. In case you are going shopping to Sector 17, remember to check Sindhi Sweets. Deepa Bajaj of Sindhi Sweets says: “We serve Navratra special thali and individual food includes aloo ki tikki, fruit chat, paneer, rice, aloo raita and kheer. The thali costs just Rs 85. You can pick up items individually as well as like aloo paneer chaat and aloo chat with chatni. In sweet dish we have stick kulfi, raj bhog and kesar rasmali.” You can also go to Sagar Ratna, Sector 9 Panchkula for savouring special Navratra thali consisting of purees, three vegetables including paneer, samak rice, cholai or saboodana kheer and a host of other things. It’s scrumptious. As you cross the joints, the whiff of deep fried singhara-atta purees mingles with the aroma of raw banana vegetable and jeera aloo to give you the taste of religious delight. Rajesh says: “We arrange nine items in a thali and sabzi will change by routine.” You need not worry as the kitchen preparing Navratra special stuff has separate cooling equipment and cooking oil. Even the crew handling vegetarian food is separate. So, Happy
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Now, sugar-free potatoes
If
being health conscious or diabetic has prevented you from relishing potatoes all these years, there is good news for you. Farmers in Gujarat’s Deesa and other northern districts have taken up cultivation of sugar-free variety of potatoes through the CIPC (Chloro Iso Profile Phenomena Carbament) method. Deesa-based Potato Research Centre introduced the CIPC technique to Gujarat farmers. It has released two varieties of high- yielding, low-sugar potatoes for cultivation.
The total area under potato cultivation is 1.28 million hectare in India, which produces 22.49 metric ton potatoes annually. In vegetables production, India is next to China with an annual production of 87.53 million tonnes from 5.86 million hectares, to account for a share of 14.4 per cent to the world production.
— ANI
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Dreamy colours He closes his eyes and visualises a colourful world. And when his visualisation reaches the canvass, it tells an eloquent story, where form blends with colours to create a dreamy situation. So each painting has a happy story with colour in abundance and forms bordering on abstraction. Though J. R. Yadava categorically tells us that everything comes from his imagination, one can see the roots of his imagination in nature, which often takes the tinge of a fantasy with forms appearing from nowhere and merging into nothingness, creating attractive images in the process. He has painted with oil colour, using his fingers. Hence, though the ultimate result is dreamy and misty, his strokes are bold and each frame comes with plenty of movement. “I do not know how the forms appear or how my canvasses catch all that movement. I only start playing with colour, the shapes follow,” says this 74-year-old artist, who feels he owes his artistic achievements to the late, Dr M. S. Randhawa. “I met Randhawa when I joined Panjab University as a calligraphist. He encouraged me to take up art seriously,” remembers Yadava. And that was just the beginning. Yadava had a degree in Fine Arts, which helped him get started. He started exhibiting his works and was soon showing all over the country. He was awarded by the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi thrice and by AIFACS, New Delhi, in 1993. “Now I paint just for the love of colours,” says the artist. And that take us back to the comment of Dr B.N. Goswami: “There is a joy he (Yadava) seems to have discovered in colours and in work after work he appears intent upon scattering and sharing it…” Overall, alluring enough for one to take un-hurried steps around the Government College and Art Gallery and have a close look at each of Yadava’s 100 works On till March 22.
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Cricket on Bollywood pitch What made you choose this subject particularly? I need to feel excited about a subject because only if I am thrilled about something can I pass on the excitement to the audience. The subject of ‘Hat-trick’ really interested me. So I decided to take it up. How was it working with UTV Motion Pictures? It is always good to work with new people who are full of ideas and spirit. UTV has been known to create new benchmarks with each venture. I enjoyed working with producer Ronnie Screwwala. How was your experience working with Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal, Danny Denzongpa and Kunal Kapoor? Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal and Danny Denzongpa are seasoned actors but Kunal Kapoor is just two films old. Danny makes a comeback with this film. It was really fun working with them. You have directed a thriller like Taxi No. 9211 but this one is cricket-based. For a director it does not make any difference as to which subject he is handling. The important thing is that is should be from the bottom of the heart. — Dharam Pal
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A winner all the way
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Lifestyle caught up with the three sisters for a chat on their career. With acting as the common passion, it was just a matter of time before the three became popular on small screen.
“I am excited about two forthcoming films Subah Tak and Golden Boys, “ she adds. Shalini Kapoor has been a regular face on television and Gujarati films. Currently she is enjoying her stint on small screen in Solah Shingaar. After being crowned Miss Kolkata in 1996, a dream to make it in the Bollywood and Tellywood brought Shalini to Mumbai. Though she has dabbled in both films and television, she says she will not trade one for the other.
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Write to Renee I am a 32 year-old-woman working in a multinational. I just transferred from a big city to a small town. Here I feel like a complete alien as I do not know anybody. I am becoming an introvert. I feel rather unhappy and lonesome. How do I make my life better? Ruchita Kakkar You must realise that modern life brings its own complexities and we have to cope with it. By avoiding your feelings or allowing them to turn inwards is of no help. Leaving the job is not a solution either. Find a way of adjusting within yourself. Try to be friendly with you colleagues. They will slowly open up to you. I am 18-year-old boy with a fairly good personality and good academic background. But I suffer from low self-esteem, especially when it comes to girls. I was rejected by a girl once. I envy all my friends who brag about their conquests and their girl friends. I feel like a completely inadequate, unequipped to handle a social life. I do not want to turn into a recluse. How can I make myself noticeable and ask some girl to go out with me? Sumit Sehgal , PatialaYou are not the only one suffering from such a problem. One negative experience should not be allowed to colour your whole life. Learn to just believe in yourself. You have suffered a minor setback in terms of girl friends; you need to toughen up if you want to make a place for yourself in the social circle. Also build up in other areas of life. Concentrate on making friends with both sexes. Remember, if you have the confidence and at ease with yourself, girls will be attracted to you. I am a 38-year-old-woman with a good job. I am single and still looking for a partner. I have had a few proposals but they all seemed interested in money. I do not feel comfortable about getting married. But my family and friends are very upset with me for this. Why in society single women are not regarded as responsible citizens? Suchitra Menon , PatialaIn today’s world, the role of a woman is going through a change. The womans role is fast changing from that of the lone homemaker to that of an all rounder. She is as active in society outside the home, as a bread-winner and also deals with her traditional roles at home as the mother, sister, wife, daughter in law etc. If the men who are interested in marrying you do show an interest in your income, it could also be because they have an upwardly mobile attitude, which could even have a positive side. After all life is only comfortable with a double income. So just steps out of your childhood conditioning and view the world with a newer perspective. And of course marriage is not the answer to everything. Enjoy your single status and indulge in hobbies and social work etc. Once you are well adjusted with yourself your soul mate will surely find you.
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The
Go Bananas Kids Club is organising a two-week Spring Camp for children of all ages from Sunday. According to Anu Vala, club director, “This camp highlights various fun activities for little ones during their spring break like dance, theatre, martial arts, yoga and creative arts. Additionally, there are softer workshops like grooming, nutritional counselling and social awareness programmes. We also have some special introductory sessions on games like chess and golf, which will be conducted by professionals. A party and a picnic is also on the agenda!” The workshop, to be held at the Skating Rink in Sector 10. Registrations for the camp will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. The fee is Rs 1,550 a child.
— TNS
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Dreams to live Not
too long ago, they were just another bunch of children subsisting on the fringes of society, only to vanish without a sign. But today they are the cherished members of an ever-growing family started in 1980 when Vineet Khanna dreamed a dream. His was a mighty mission — through the Youth Technical Training Society (YTTS), he wanted to change the lives he touched. Years after him, his dream is taking shape. Every year, over 1,000 underprivileged children instructed at 12 YTTS centres are enrolling in government schools across the city. Most of them don’t drop out. And some are stepping beyond the boundaries and finding themselves new horizons. Nineteen-year-old Renu is one of them. Daughter of a gardener, she is in-charge of YTTS projects at Mauli Jagran. She runs a crèche, instructs slum children and takes special classes for the brighter ones who can learn faster. Says Col Ravi Bedi, chief functionary of YTTS, which now also works out of Himachal: “Renu started taking classes in 2003. The concept was to handpick promising students from different classes and provide them focused attention so that they could graduate faster.” A promising teacher with a spotless record, Renu is in charge of 25 destinies. She is also pursuing BA to upgrade her skills and she wants to continue being a teacher. Among the best in Renu’s class is Jaikaran. After taking the class VIII exam, he is now eager to learn computers. Son of a fruit vendor, Jaikaran has always dreamed of supplementing his family’s income. “Here at the centre, everything seems possible,” he beams, referring to friends Bhanupriya, Rahul and Nagma, who represented Chandigarh at the National Children’s Conference organised in Mumbai last year. Wards of a daily-wager, a shoemaker and a tailor, respectively, Bhanu, Rahul and Nagma, are the new faces of YTTS. For Nagma, the comeback has been special – she had once dropped out of school under community pressure. But now she is raring to catch up with her peers, says Dr Sangeeta Jund, senior coordinator, YTTS, which gets funding from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, among other sources. Another special section of the NGO’s beneficiaries are disabled children like Kamlesh and Prahlad, who have, through motivation, reached new heights. While Kamlesh, whose infected leg the YTTS recently helped treat, is in class IV, Prahlad, a polio-affected child, has graduated to class VI and joined Sikhia School in Sector 46. Another profile in courage is that of Gurmail from the Sector 25 slums. He joined the non-formal education system of YTTS as a 10-year-old. Today, he motivates others to seek education. “It is a fruitful escape from drugs which aimless children take to,” he says. Gurmail is a treasure for his school. He has represented it twice at the national wrestling championship, and is now helping YTTS set up a handball team. The successes have been heartening but we have a long way to go, says Bonny Sodhi, vice-president of YTTS, who has helped broad base the NGO’s activities by linking education with vocation. “Recently we started working children’s project from four centres. From housekeeping and beautician’s courses to babysitting and cooking, we are promoting everything to help children make money while being at home. We even have a permanent counter at Panchayat Bhavan from where we market our children’s products,” she says. One such centre is Vineet-17, which houses working children who have no family ties. After the day’s work, they return to the home, attend evening classes, have dinner and sleep for another fresh start. “The idea it so provide holistic care,” says P.H. Vaishnav, president of YTTS, who is trying to collaborate with National Institute of Fashion Design, Sector 8, to market the crafts of children. “We want to set up a design centre where children can prepare base materials for further supply to NIFD,” he says. Notwithstanding new partnerships, YTTS’s core strength is their volunteers, who have strived equally in sun and shade to take education to children on the fringes.
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Om
Prakash, 17, was wasting his life in the slums of Rajiv Colony, Sector 38 when YTTS picked him up in one of its surveys. He was schooled and after eight years of study, he now heads a special class of 38 slum children which runs out of Sector 38 West gurdwara. Ajay Kumar joined YTTS as an office boy eight years ago. Through his teaching and motivational activities in Sector 25 slums, he brought over 500 children into the non-formal education system. Today he is in charge of Vineet-25. Renu, daughter of a gardener in Mauli Jagdish Chand, the 2005 recipient of Tara Chand Saboo excellence award for school teaching in slums, is credited with teaching children against all odds. He used to travel on a bicycle and often take classes under the shade of trees. He is now senior supervisor,
YTTS.
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Braving The odds
Looks
like we live in a ‘disabled’ society, which has failed to deal with its handicap of chronic discrimination and constant harassment to physically-challenged people. While the latter have learnt to deal with their physical limitations, they are yet to find a panacea for the insensitivity of the able-bodied. “People forget that our disabled bodies have a normal mind and we share exactly the same sentiments and feelings that a normal-bodied individual would in a given situation. We are as bright as the others but are always side-stepped when it comes to jobs, promotions or responsibility. But, we haven’t given up. We will make the world sit up and take notice of us, address our needs and extend the basic courtesies due to us. We need to create a new awakening in society and it will happen,” says Dr Vikram Jaswal, president of the All-India Physically Challenged Association (ALPHA). He maintains that ‘their lot’ has been at the receiving end from all quarters——the bureaucracy, the judiciary, the government and just about everybody else. The association has a long list of cases, which didn’t go their way despite all the reason and rationality and only a couple of them where they met with ‘partial success’. So, as it emerges, the greater part of the challenge for people with disability comes not from inside but outside. Look around and there are hardly any disabled-friendly systems in place despite all the laws and Acts that recommend the same. Ironical as it may sound, but ALPHA today found no place to host its function to launch a helpline for those with disability. Though not the perfect venue, Aggarwal Bhavan, Sector 16, Panchkula, was one of the few options available to them. So, here, too, some people with disability were carried into the hall while others had a tough time getting in with their wheelchairs. Determination, it seems, has no substitutes. Each of them who sat through today’s function seemed to epitomise that. Ask Dr Vijay Nagpal, a professor of law, Panjab University, about his disability and he breaks into a smile. After amputation of his legs and numerous rounds of surgery, today, he can do everything any of us can do. “As a child, I would crawl on all fours and was unable to stand. I ran away from home at the age of 15 to seek medical aid to correct the disability and ended up with amputation after which I got artificial limbs. Today, I am as good as any of you and have a happy supportive family behind me,” he says. Nagpal lives by the adage that while pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. He has overcome his disability to enjoy his life to the hilt. In fact, it is individuals like him who are the real people of substance. They focus less on their disability and more on turning their lives around for the better. Bhup Singh Bhambu, secretary of Alpha, deaf from his right ear is another one who had learnt of people’s indifference the hard way. Then, there is Vikas Sahni, who has been on the operating table repeatedly to rectify his disability but with no significant outcomes. With no source of income and only his aged father to rely on for all sorts of financial help, he says, “I don’t know where I am headed to but that’s no discouragement. We will cross the bridge when we come to it. Dwelling on the disability will only add to my sorrow. So why think,” he states. An employee of the Punjab Government, S.K. Trivedi’s life changed after he met with an accident. Son of an Army man, he is known for his ‘never-say-die’ spirit. Now, supported by crutches, he goes about his routine without a thought to his disability. And, there are more of the same genre who believes that there is life beyond and outside of every disability and they are in the world to be a part of that beautiful life. Disability is absolutely no challenge for these brave hearts. The mindset of people around them is.
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Health tip of the day
Excessive bed rest in cases of low back pain could result in deconditioning, bone mineral loss and also economic loss.
— Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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Interestingly so, for the male models it was a bare-it-all show as they walked down the ramp sans shirts for two rounds. The event also saw debutante singer Arjun enthral all the present with two of his singles from his album Rang De.
Produced
For
Says Malini, “It is my personality which was reflected in serials like Saathiya, Kum Kum, Hawaiyan, Dekho Magar Pyar Se and currently in
Zaara.”
And for Reena Kapoor, she is presently enjoying a great married life along with acting on small screen. Talking about her break in Tellywood she says, “I started working with Sahara One and for Rajshri productions for Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki. I have already played the role of Rani, the delicate, pampered girl and presently playing the character Pari in this serial. I shoot for more than 20 days. I am completely focused on this character. I just hope to give my best shot to each and every scene and do justice to all. I will proceed to doing something even more creative,” Reena concludes.
— Dharam Pal
