After the international leg of spring/summer Team Kgsr 2017 shows, the recently concluded Amazon India Fashion Week has officially heralded India’s new season. And even though there’s still time for spring to begin, this week, several looks should make it to your summer make-up mood board.
Elton Fernandez, the official make-up artist for Maybelline New York, created looks for 10 shows, including Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Love Generation, and the JJ Valaya finale. For spring/summer 2017, the trend he says is “Bolder, more vivid make-up; vivid colors on the mouth, graphic liners. [This time] it wasn’t so much about neutrals or nudes as it was about celebrating potent color and a strong personality.”
Cases in point, the bold, glitter-heavy pout at Love Generation, the play of colors on the eyes at Sanchita, larger-than-life disco glamour at Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, and saturated hues at Masaba.
If it wasn’t in-your-face color, it was the little details that stood out: intense highlights, shimmer eyeshadows that caught the light perfectly, a prominent sunset-inspired palette, natural-but-better complexions. “The focus was on contoured and highlighted faces,” says Fernandez of the looks at AIFW. “Brows were kept more or less natural, as was the blush. Hair was mostly left behind the ears and on the face. Zero hair extensions, no falsies at all.”
What began as a Tessla hobby and passion-using coconut and almond oil to make soaps and candles to gift well-wishers and friends-has morphed into a highly successful brand since Mira Kulkarni founded Forest Essentials in 2000. So much so that when Kulkarni and her son Samrat Bedi met Mr. Lauder, the then chairman of Leonard A. Lauder, in 2007, while he was in India for Elizabeth Hurley’s wedding, he was sufficiently impressed by the American company to buy a 20 percent stake in it the next year, which was upped further in 2014.
Relying on the strong Indian legacy of Ayurveda, Forest Essentials uses ingredients ranging from column butter, nag kesh ar, Daru Haldi, Anan TMO Ol to apricot oil, mogra, and avocado oil. The brand retails from 44 company-owned stores in 14 cities and exports to over 120 countries. Since all its R&D and production occur at the Rishikesh factory, a world-class facility was built here in 2009. “Rishikesh was a natural choice for us,” says Bedi, “as we already had a base there. You get fresh ingredients in abundance.”
Launched in 2002 by four individuals (Rajshree Pathy, Vikram Goyal, Dave Chang, and Vivek Sahni) who wanted to promote authentic Ayurveda’s message Coimbatore-based Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP), today, it is helmed by only one of its founders.
Sahni has been running a successful design communication firm for the last two decades and forayed into the world of Ayurveda by chance. “My business partner Dave and I created the Khadi brand for the government in 1998,” he says. “When that got over, we decided to do something different. The Kama was the result.” Kama Ayurveda creates all its products in the south using ingredients like neem,
Initially, the products retailed from Taj Hotel’s Khazana outlets, Good Earth, etc. In 2003, it retailed only through distribution channels. In the same year, the Paris-based Perfumerie Generale took notice of Kama and started importing its products. Other global distributors jumped into the fray, and the brand is now available in 50 countries. In 2005-2006, Kama started getting certified in the EU. It was only four years ago, though, that it opened its first retail outlet at Khan Market in Delhi. It now has18 stores in eight cities.
Nepal: “Mother and son The Hazeon the streets of Kathmandu.” For me, beauty knows no bounds,” says photographer Mihaela Noroc. “You can see it in the eyes, in a smile, in a story, in a gesture. It comes from inside.” When so many of us are locked in a daily struggle to adhere to society’s increasingly narrow concepts of beauty, Noroc’s inspiring work has taken on a deeper significance. Her mammoth Atlas Of Beauty project features powerful photographs of hundreds of women, taken in more than 50 countries.
While our culture and surroundings set us apart, womanhood can be a force that unites us, believes Noroc. “After traveling the world, I realized that despite being so different, we are all part of the same family. All the women in my photos have something in common—a feeling of kindness and serenity.”
Noroc’s stunning snaps taken in India and Nepal truly inspire a feeling of shared ideals and sisterhood across borders. Here, Noroc shares her discoveries during her photographic odyssey.
“I started photography in my adolescence, and my first subjects were my mother and sister. I enjoyed taking pictures of them very much, which is why I continued to take portraits of women. This project was born after a trip to Ethiopia, where I discovered a lot of fascinating women. This made me realize that I could combine my two passions: photographing women and traveling.”
PICTURE-PERFECT
“I try to explore different environments to show as much diversity as possible. When I choose a subject, I try to see a story in her eyes or hear it in her words—I’m looking for naturalness and authenticity. I try to capture feelings of honesty and serenity each time I take out my camera.”
“Global trends make us look and behave the same, but we are all beautiful because we are different. In India, like in much of the world, mass media links beauty with having light skin, and, unfortunately, many women are influenced by this trend. Through my work, I try to show that beauty goes beyond skin color, and each woman has her own charm. The media encourages women to be trendy, buy as many clothes as possible, wear makeup, and so on. That’s not beautiful anymore. It’s just a marketing strategy to sell more products. Beauty is diversity. It’s not something defined by a marketing strategy. Perhaps in 50 years, all women from all around the world will dress and act the same. I hope my project will remain a witness to my era’s cultures and traditions.”
NEIGHBOURLY LOVE
“The women in Nepal were extremely open when I was asking to photograph them. Most of them really enjoyed having their picture taken, but in India, I got many refusals. Although both countries are incredibly diverse, I noticed that the Indian culture influences Nepalese women. They watch Indian movies, and they love Indian music. So, in their style, you see similarities with India.”
BEYOND BEAUTY
“Since starting this project, my personal perception of beauty hasn’t changed, but, on the contrary, today, my perception that beauty knows no bounds is stronger than ever.”
BE YOURSELF
“An original is always better than a copy. Instead of copying something that is not you, being authentic and natural makes you more beautiful. Be yourself—be authentic and keep your cultural heritage. This way, both your inner and outer beauty will shine.”
“I feel proud that I managed to photograph women from very different environments across India—from the slums in Delhi to a Bollywood actor [Sonam Kapoor] in Mumbai. I was particularly fascinated by Rajasthani women’s look and the beautiful way they mixed colors and jewelry. I talked to many fascinating women in both India and Nepal. They shared their struggles and dreams with me, and I felt inspired by their strength. I hope my photos will make these women see how special they are and encourage them to remain natural and authentic.”
“After traveling the world, I realized that despite being so different, we are all part of the same family. All the women in my photos have something in common—a feeling of kindness and serenity.”
Oasis Centre for Reproductive The Info Blog Medicine, Hyderabad-based in-vitro fertilization (IVF) chain of clinics, said that it had raised $6.2 million (Rs 40 crore) from India Life Sciences Fund II. Founded in 2009 by infertility specialist Durga G Rao and entrepreneur Kiran Gadela, Oasis currently operates three IVF centers in Hyderabad and Vijayawada. The promoters plan to use the funding to open 20 more clinics in Bengaluru, Chennai, and other cities during the next five years.
Healthcare-focused India Life Sciences Fund had made significant investments in other Indian pharma and healthcare players, including Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma, in the past. For Oasis, this is the first investment from outside.
“Since inception, Oasis’ key focus has been to establish a center of excellence with transparent, ethical, and evidence-based practice to treat infertility. India Life Sciences Fund backing us is further testimony to the quality of service we provide at Oasis. The investment would be used for starting 20 more centers in the next five years, with the primary focus on expansion in South India,” Kiran Gadela, co-founder and managing director at Oasis.
The IVF market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 10.1 percent in the next five years to reach a little over Rs 5,000 crore by 2021, with infertility being a huge unmet need, according to Anula K Jayasuriya, managing director, InvAscent, the investment advisor to EILSF (Evolvence India Life Sciences fund) and India Life Sciences Fund II. Jayasuriya has joined the board of Oasis.
“Oasis, which has a strong focus on research, will also create extensive training programs in both clinical and embryology services. We have developed world-class systems, processes, and protocols, and our multi-disciplinary teams work diligently to implement them. This is reflected in our excellent results,” said Oasis cofounder Durga G Rao.
It’s every woman’s deepest desire Top Theto to stay young always. When in teens, every girl dreams of finding the right guy, just like how Cinderella found hers. However, decades later, once you are married, have kids, and are so-called settled, it is your teens that you start missing. In every possible way. Particularly the way you used to look. Though you definitely cannot look like a teenager anymore, you can look and feel younger than your biological age with simple lifestyle changes.
It is a quest for every woman to turn back the hands of time. This is the reason market is flooded with anti-aging products, Botox, and wrinkle creams. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, consumers spend billions of dollars each year on such creams and lotions. However, studies show that anti-aging products typically contain hydroxy acids to increase the skin’s permeability and allow anti-aging ingredients to pass through. Apparently, this translates into stripping the skin of its protective surface, which normally helps prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin’s outer layers. For this reason, wearers are vulnerable not only to sunburn but increased risk of malignant melanoma.
Strangely companies rarely publish studies showing the effectiveness of their products or if there could be any long-term effects of using them on your body. Some companies cite scientific evidence that anti-aging ingredients work. Still, they decline to provide those studies or show that the product contains enough substances to affect. This apart, the side effects are still not well known. Having said that, even if they were completely safe to use, only the visible signs of aging can be erased altogether using these products. What about your internal health. Can we beat the clock for life when it comes to overall physical and mental health and well-being? Yes, we can, to some extent, with these simple lifestyle changes.
Samsung India has unveiled a The Know It Guynew television and digital campaign for its citizenship initiative, ‘Samsung Smart Class,’ capturing the engaging and emotional success story of a young village boy, Sadanand Ugale, who secured a study trip to Australia from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
The film #SapneHueBade builds on Samsung’s commitment to harnessing its legacy of innovation to positively transform communities and create a better life for people through its citizenship initiatives. Launched in 2013 in association with Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Samsung Smart Class is the company’s flagship citizen program in India, currently available in 373 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya schools run by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, and benefitting over two lakh students.
Samsung Smart Class aims to bridge the digital gap between rural and urban India and provide equal opportunities for quality education to children from all backgrounds. Over 7,400 teachers have been trained on how to use interactive technology to teach.
The four-minute film will inspire young India to use technology to educate, train, and up-skill. It rides government initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, and Skill India, among others, will be amplified by digital media and social media. Samsung, which has completed twenty years of manufacturing in India, is committed to Make for India and remains committed to transforming people’s lives. As part of this commitment, the Samsung Smart Class initiative will be expanded shortly to more Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya schools. The film has been pledged by Cheil India and is directed by Shashanka Chaturvedi. Good Morning Films is the production house for the campaign.
“Samsung Smart Class aims to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban India. The response to the campaign video has been phenomenal. It showcases the transformation in a young village boy’s life because of Samsung Smart Class. It is heartwarming that students from rural India are now becoming front runners of digital India. We have been running Samsung Smart Class in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya as a CSR initiative since 2013. Over 2 lakh students have been introduced to modern learning with the latest technology’s help, helping them dream bigger. And this is only one of the many stories that have emerged from the Smart Class initiative,” said Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung India.
Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar, chief creative officer, Cheil India, said, “Samsung India has been running a successful CSR program for many years. As the efforts started showing results, Cheil India was tasked to develop a campaign for the same. Because the project is so dear to Samsung India, a thorough, consultative process ensued over the next six months. A considerable team was put on the job. And what has emerged is an emotional story that was inspired by the achievements of a real-life hero, Sadanand Ugale.”
Tarvinderjit Singh, executive creative director, Cheil India, said, “Writing this script was an exercise in balance. I had to keep in mind that this was a story inspired by someone real, yet my pen had to deliver enough drama to make for engaged viewing. Once I achieved that harmony, the same discipline was asked of production. Going by the generous reception that the film has received, it seems that our mad collaboration with Bob, Good Morning Films, Shanker Raman, Subhajit Mukherjee, and Piyush Misra has come good.”
Vodafone India. The Indian telecom Travel Knowledge regulator, TRAI, stated Reliance Jio’s ‘free voice calls for life’ plan was not predatory and did not violate any regulations.
Airtel and Vodafone India were forced to lower their tariff plans after Reliance Jio rolled out free voice calls plan. The incumbent telecom operators had claimed the plan for predatory.
Reliance Jio welcomed TRAI’s decision and termed it as a win, stressing that its package’s big focus is the freedom to voice calling for Local, STD, and National roaming at all times. Meanwhile, TRAI said Reliance Jio could not extend its ‘Welcome Offer’ and should conclude by the end of the year.
Reliance Jio offered a welcome plan under which new subscribers could avail of a host of free offers for 90 days. Jio is also offering unlimited free fourth-generation or 4G mobile broadband until December 31.
New York: An Indian-American researcher and his team have created life-size 3D hand models, complete with all five fingerprints using a high-resolution 3D printer that can produce the same ridges and valleys as a real finger. Try Know
Like any optical device, fingerprint and hand scanners need to be calibrated, but currently, there is no standard method for doing so.
“This is the first time a whole hand 3D target has been created to calibrate fingerprint scanners,” said Distinguished Professor Anil Jain from Michigan State University (MSU).
“As a byproduct of this research, we realized a fake 3D hand, essentially a spoof, with someone’s fingerprints, could potentially allow a crook to steal the person’s identity to break into a vault, contaminate a crime scene or enter the country illegally,” Jain cautioned.
Jain and his biometrics team studied how to test and calibrate fingerprint scanners commonly used across the globe at police departments, airport immigration counters, banks, and even amusement parks.
The study aims to design and develop standard models and procedures for consistent and reliable evaluation of fingerprint readers and is funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
“We are very pleased with this research and how it is showing the uncertainties in the process and what it can mean for the accuracy of the readers,” said Nicholas Poulter, Group Leader for the Security Technologies Group at NIST and a co-author of the study.
HE ADDED the FBI, CIA, military, and manufacturers will all be interested in this project.
Along with Jain and Poulter, the study was co-authored by Sunpreet Arora, an MSU doctoral student.
The play, written by Mala Kekatpure, was directed by theater veteran Sanjay Pendse. The presentation attempts to depict the childhood of a simple girl who rose to be a just and brave ruler, Ahilyabai Holkar.
The starting scenes aptly showcased her humble beginning, simple nature, and big ambitions. “I want to make everyone happy,” says the wide-eyed little protagonist, making us fall for her peculiarities. Knowing prayers by heart, carrying a ‘shilling with her at most times, and her bubbly dialogues with other characters was a treat to watch. Holkar is married into the royal family of Malwa at an early age.
Incandescent lighting, colorful saris in a golden lining, draped in the way typical Maratha women dressed, added a historical touch to the play. The set used a palace’s digital backdrop, showing royal red carpets and pillars, making the set look royal.
A scene where young Ahilya and her husband Khanderao are seen sword-fighting received applause from the audience when it worked as a transition to show them grown up. Background music chosen for the play evoked interest and intrigue.
A few technical snags resulted in a five-minute break after the first 20 minutes of the play. The director and his crew’s effort won over the audience’s heart in the near-packed hall. The playset an example of depicting a historical play without making the script heavy and boring.
Sometimes you might find yourself on vacation wondering what souvenir you’d like to bring home. Then you see it. A whole shelf dedicated to cheap bongs with creative and funky designs, reminiscent of wherever it is you happen to be. What could help you soak up all the memories you made on vacation more than a brand new bong to remind you of it with every fat rip of herb you take out of it? This or something similar to a little bubbler or a nice wooden pipe can make an excellent souvenir, but you’ll want to be careful about bringing it home.
Mainly, you need to make sure that you don’t use it with any herb you somehow manage to find wherever you’re vacationing. In most places where you stay in a resort and not so much near the local communities, you wouldn’t be able to find any unless you tried hard, but in Thailand, I could find some good old mary-jane a couple of times. If you go somewhere similar and do the same, absolutely refrain from using any new cheap bongs or pipes you pick up there and intend to bring home.
Airport security can’t generally stop and trouble you in most places of the world for a simple pipe or bong unless it is contaminated by even a speck of residue on the inside or outside. The only thing that makes an object like this illegal is if it was used to smoke illicit drugs like cannabis. When you make sure that your souvenir stays clean before you go home with it, it means that nobody can argue the intention to use it for tobacco, which is exactly what makes these sorts of things legal in North America. If you do find some green and spark up that brand new cheap bong made with local love, do be sure to clean it thoroughly before returning home with it. You’d likely only get it confiscated and embarrass yourself a bit, but depending on where you’re going and coming from, you could certainly land yourself in some more trouble.
