Celebrated fashion designer Gaurav Gupta recently unveiled his brand’s debut couture store at Galleria 1910 in Kolkata. In a chat with the author, he opens up about fashion, his brand and more... What is your view of Kolkata fashion. I think Kolkata is a very interesting city. It is a cultural hub in general. It has a lot of rich literature, detail to thought and design and appreciation of design. Fashion wise, I think Kolkata people have an attention to detail and fine things. Fashion here is not ..

   BY BIRAJ DIXIT : “Nothing succeeds like success.” Indeed, success is the ultimate destination for every dream cherished, every step taken, every effort made. And yet, like an elusive maiden, it may not smile on every endeavour. Upon the long chequered path, at the end of which success resides, many have lost their way and many have slipped in the final moments. Only a few make it to the other side. Success, the sweetheart, has given immense joy and acute sadness to so many. ..

 By BIRAJ DIXIT :  LIVING in a democratic state all your life where you get to vote regularly, tweet condemnations virtually every day, write letters to the editors of newspapers, issue threatsto sue people in courts and blast your own government’s economic policies in drawing room discussions, you tend to believe in equality a tad too much. Alas! That myth has been busted now.     The Orwellian wisdom of ‘some are more equal’ and definitely above, ..

By ANANYA BARUA : “From discovering a crucial gene to pushing a ban on landmines, the women speakers at this year’s TEDx Gateway Salon have some truly inspiring stories to share!” Born out of the centuries-old oral tradition, the art of story-telling has always been a powerful tool of communication. We all are storytellers capable of spinning tales to entertain, to influence, to inspire, or to express our thoughts. But sometimes, the stories of a few incredible individuals ..

Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of supporting it. ~Thomas Paine What indeed is a nation, if not its people, their strength and their sentiment of oneness? Indian Nation has often seen many attempts to analyse it - people picking up a fragment to confuse it for a whole or looking at the whole with fragmented eyes. Yet, understanding its soul and wit has been an arduous task. It is as gigantic as the nation itself and as miniscule as ..

  By BIRAJ DIXIT:   OF all the skills that humanity has known and nurtured, talking is the one most practised. Despite wise men and women of all times having counselled against it so strongly, the human race’s inherent devotion to tongue-wagging always tips the balance in its favour. Wise people of all times insist that for the betterment of the world, it is the skill of listening that should have been the most-practised. But when has mankind listened to wisdom? The ..

 Accessories can be real statement pieces and a way to show your personality in an otherwise classic outfit. Fashion accessories are a great way to spice up any wardrobe, especially one that could use an updating. Are you interested in updating your appearance, at least in terms of your fashion? If you are, you may not only want to examine the latest in clothing fashion trends, but also the latest trends in fashion accessories. Fashion accessories are rapidly increasing in popularity, particularly ..

 By Madhumita Mookerji: Is it mandatory for women to wear high heels at workplace? A raging debate has been going on in Japan where actress and writer Yumi Ishikawa submitted a petition to the country’s labour ministry complaining against an employer-imposed diktat that makes high heels a part of women’s dress code in office. Apparently, this has been a simmering dissatisfaction among the Japanese women working in the corporate sector.  Otherwise why did the petition amass ..

 By margaret austin, trna chatterjee, tara lang, ian nickens  As the sun rises over Kolkata, India, Agnika Banerjee settles behind a desk in the corner of her room, preparing for 8 to 10 hours of crafting delicate and detailed miniatures. Nine hours later, as daylight warms the Midwestern plains in Columbia, Missouri, Melissa Tipton gets ready to mold polymer clay into tiny versions of colourful foods. These two women on opposite sides of the world are turning creative passions into profitable ..

  “ Gone are the days, when the society used to look up for men as leaders of business. In the modern era, women are breaking the clichéd roles of housekeeping and discovering new domains. FromTech, Auto, Fintech to lifestyle and health verticals, women entrepreneurs have done wonders in their venture. We can proudly say that women entrepreneurship is not an obscure concept any longer With everyone working towards an economic setup where women entrepreneurs are completely ..

 By Bhavya Chawla: Be it clothes or accessories, don’t go overboard with them during this season... Embrace Indian wear Do: Nothing like Indian clothing for the summers since we Indians have mastered the art of using natural fabrics quite effortlessly for almost all occasions. Sarees and kurtis are perfect for workwear and completely HR approved ! Buy sarees that are made of natural fabrics, team them with hakoba blouse or cotton crop tops with boat neck or peter pan collar. As far ..

  By Biraj Dixit:  In another couple of days, the nation would know its mandate. People would know whether their inked finger has left its mark or got chewed in anticipation of a nail-biting finish. The final outcome of the massive exercise of elections would end up with some toned muscles while some others flexing theirs. And finally curtains would be drawn on elections as held in the drawing room discussions and studio hullaballoo. The predictions of the exit polls will finally face ..

 By shahnaz husain: Do you love desserts, pan, sweets after hearty meal? If you can’t do without sweets and sugar laden food items then chances are you are unknowingly damaging your skin. While you might consider yourself to be following a reasonably healthy diet, the average person in Indian Metropolitan cities currently consumes a whopping 300 teaspoons of sugar each week - often without even knowing it. Indeed a large proportion of our deadly sugar intake is hidden within seemingly ..

  By shahnaz husain Easy Fixes For Your Worst Summer Hair Problems  There’s a lot to love about summer, but awkward tan lines, sun ravaged dry hair, ugly sweat stains, are some of the embarrassing summer beauty issues that are coming our way, With a little care like bearing turban, drying your hair with a cotton t-shirt instead of a towel, use an Argan oil in your wet hair, using a wide toothed comb you can look drop dead gorgeous by taking simple home remedies instead of ..

 By Biraj Dixit:     RELIGIOUS festivals - those meeting points of superlative enthusiasm, ritualistic precisions and co-existential chaos in divine presence - had kept me engaged for many days now. I have been utterly religious these past few days. Religion has this propensity to bring the deepest within you out in the open and I am so delighted to meet myself. “Deeply religious,” they have called me, and I am pleased to no end. Yet something deep is somehow ..

   Do you despair every time your kids get grubby? Time for a re-think. Being outside and exploring nature is a vital part of your children’s development and getting filthy is all part of it. Here’s why… It keeps them naturally fit The benefits of the natural exercise your kids get from running around outside, playing games like hide and seek, ‘it’, or cops and robbers, are immense. Kids who are active have stronger bones and muscles and are less likely ..

By shahnaz husain: Is the stress starting to show on your face and your skin is losing its radiant glow, luster and texture due to growing age, pollution and hectic life style. Is the dull skin making you feel less than your best in the midst of friends, work and relationships and there’s absolutely no time to head to the spa for a facial due to professional commitments . The professional facials are fantastic and decent to get back glowing skin typically seen as a sign of healt..

  By sumit paul;  “Eating crabs is a sublime art and very few are good at it,” late Anthony Bourdain aptly observed. Though a crustacean like prawns and lobsters, crab wasn’t very popular among the Indian foodies until a couple of decades ago. The reasons being its rather bizarre shape, which’s not very good to look at and the difficulty in breaking its shell open to scoop its flesh which’s not much in quantity. But thanks to social media, exposure ..

  Make your life easier while travelling by rolling your clothes while packing and carrying a tote handbag for utility, suggest experts. Shivani Malik Director, Da Milano and Tushar Ved, President Major Brands India Pvt Ltd, for Charles and Keith have shared simple tips for travelling. Packing style: It is always advisable to roll your clothes.  When it comes to packing toiletries, always carry smaller bottles. If you can arrange for sachets, nothing like that. Choose a proper handbag: ..

   By MAHESH S KALE, Cardio for women and strength training for men - this is nothing but a myth that this article tries to dispel.  What if women knew that a specific type of training might help them with improved metabolism, enhanced muscle strength and power, healthier heart and lungs, high energy levels, sound sleep, corrected body posture, better mobility, clearer complexion, low stress and anxiety levels, increased bone density, shedding those extra pounds all while ..

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