Category: Lifestyle

Prashanthi Atukuri, Founder, JUMPIE

Mumbai, Aug 18: As a matter of course, extracurricular activities play a crucial role in a child’s mental well-being. To nurture that developmental side of children, JUMPIE, an AI-driven hobby learning space for children, came into existence to make hobby learning accessible and affordable to all children with fun and flexibility that fits the best basis of the child’s schedule and cater to their fancies.

JUMPIE- when technology meets innovation, India’s one of the best platforms that enable your child to learn and excel in the activities of their interest with its best possible structure to impart the skill to the child. The modules include Dance, Piano, Drawing, Painting, Crafts, Doodling, and calligraphy. AI-Powered sessions which are live keep intact the interactivity required.  

The idea of JUMPIE came from the personal life of its founder Prashanthi Atukuri. She shares, as a child, she was very fond of different kinds of activities, but she couldn’t get access to learn all those activities, and the most challenging part was the location of the classes. She is clear that with the advancement of technology through the challenges have been reduced a bit. The course fees remain a question for middle-class India. So, keeping the fee structure and schedule in mind, Prashanthi was motivated to create a fun, flexible and accessible, and affordable product. 

“Having worked in start-ups most of my career and having closely worked with people who have built start-ups, I got the experience and the motivation that is needed to build something of my own. Besides, I have also got the right guidance and encouragement to go ahead with my decision,” said Prashanthi.

Each module has been designed by handpicked artists who have excelled in their field and mastered the art of imparting their skills to small children. They also conduct competitions and workshops on the occasion of father’s day, Independence Day, etc. 

“JUMPIE is coming up with its new modules of live AI-driven piano and dance which are video-based live like sessions to retain the interactive benefits of the live session such as on the spot feedback, evaluation and so on.”

Prashanthi sums up by saying, “We strive to solve all the problems that come in the way of any child’s passion by making them engaged in a manner embedded with fun and subsequently make it a prominent tool of learning for a child. We have a mission to give every child access to first-class extracurricular learning who is passionate about not just one hobby but more than that by 2025. We aim to give them wings so that every Jumpie Kid can fly high with a bundle of creativity.”

It’s an excellent opportunity for all the children to adapt to new hobbies online within budget with JUMPIE. You can connect with JUMPIE via either of the platforms. 

Website: https://www.jumpie.in/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jumpiefun 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jumpiefun

Kochi, Aug 13: Linen Trail, a slow fashion label based in Kochi, creates timeless 100% pure linen clothing for the mindful individual. Made from 100 per cent natural sources, garments produced by them support the traditional craftsmen like the hand block printers to the women of the Toda tribe for their embroidery, based out of the Nilgiris. Director of Linen Trail, A 100% Pure linen apparel brand hand-crafted for Men & Women. Anirudh Kollara talked to us. Here are a few excerpts:

Linen Trail wants to be a sustainable (slow) fashion label in the following ways: Why did you choose Linen, and what is the viability you see in the fabric?

Linen is the oldest fabric known to man. It is currently still more popular in the Ready-to-stitch segment; this trend had continued into the 21st century even with the popularisation of Ready-to-wear in the Garment Market. It is primarily because Linen has a high shrinkage percentage (The garment would shrink after the first wash). Linen Trail was conceptualised to bridge the gap in the market for 100% pure Linen Ready-to-wear apparel for Men and Women. Positioned as Linen specialists, we strive to get the perfect fit, finish and fall for all of our pure linen pieces through the linius process to ensure zero shrinkage for the product.

According to you, how has the market for Linen been, and what are the trends you are picking?

Linen’s intrinsic value in the market is more expensive than its natural counterparts like Cotton, hemp or Jute. The Indian market has a strong affinity towards luxury goods, which has helped Linen Trail grow its base of customers. Over the past year, we have seen a 15X growth through our website LinenTrail.com. The change in consumer behaviour (the shift to online shopping) post-COVID is a primary reason for the spike of growth in the category coupled with the affinity for premium/luxury goods and sustainability in the Indian market.

Consumers choose linen apparel; why? What sets this fabric as an industry trendsetter in recent years?

Linen garments were regarded as an expensive buy, but the mood has changed over the years. Linen apparel is a natural and more sustainable choice than Cotton. Linen garments can make a subtle statement of class; it doesn’t even require a logo; the customer knows its value, appealing to the growing affinity towards Luxury goods in India. Linen is also naturally breathable, adaptable, and anti-bacterial.

Retailing linen garments: The future that you are eyeing?

The future is all about sustainability, and Linen is a sustainable choice as its production is a natural process that requires less water. The need for sustainability is now more than ever. We have successfully created a business model for Linen ready-to-wear online based on real demand, which has helped focus on what the customer wants while having an inventory turnaround ratio of about 6. It has helped fuel the growth for the past year, even with the pandemic affecting our retail outlets. Retail for Linen will pick up, but online is where the real growth is for the category.

New Delhi, Aug 12: Mrs India Queen of Substance 2021 was hosted on a lively night in the millennium city Gurgaon at Hyatt Regency on 8th August 2021. Bollywood Actress Mahima Chaudhary & Aman Verma Crowned Mrs India 2021 Priyanka Bajaj from Qatar, Isha Rajdaan from Ghaziabad in Ruby category & Dr Prerna Gupta from Uttar Pradesh in Emerald category.

The parent to the brainchild, the concept of “Beauty with Cause” is the Power Couple Mrs. Ritika Vinay & Mr. Vinay Yadawa, the Founder and Director of Mrs India Queen Of Substance Pageant. The event is held for married women to exemplify beauty, talent, intelligence, and compassion— around forty stunningly gorgeous contestants from India & other parts of the globe.

The Grand Finale saw many known dignitaries like Bollywood Actress & Former Mrs India Queen Anshu Varshney, Mr Ssameer (Music Director), Mr Sudheer Aziz (Director AMD), Rtd Capt Mrs Rita Gangwani who is renowned as the trainer of Miss World Manushi Chillar, Dr Varun Katyal (Diet & Nutrition Expert), Mrs Nupur Gupta (Makeup & Hair Expert), Ms Raman Deep (celebrity makeover Expert) & Ms Pammy Kaul.

This year, Mrs India Pageant supports the project “Save the Little heart” & Ration Drive for Covid, affecting families in association with Philanthropy partners HCWA & Ketto.

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 12: Saurav Anand (Founder) & Akanksha (Director) of Star Entertainment Production presented a mega platform to promote and felicitate the young and gorgeous talents for a renowned beauty pageant on 1st August 2021 at Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur.

We at Star entertainment production are known for giving a platform to young and fresh faces, and we are happy to provide these opportunities to talent, said Saurav Anand.

It’s interesting to see this new talent participating, getting groomed and shining bright, said Akanksha.

Contestants from different parts of India such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Jharkhand, Bihar, and more were short-listed for the Grand Finale. Well-known faces Rohit Khandelwal and Suman Rao were the juries for the Grand Finale. The show was directed & choreographed by Lokesh Sharma.

The winners for the Miss Teen Category were Palak Jain (Winner), Khushi Verma from (1st Runner-up) and Sanskriti Sharma (2nd Runner-up)

The Winners for the Mr. Teen Category were Nishant Singh Rajput (Winner), Hari Vignesh (1st Runner-up) and Priyanshu Chauhan(2nd Runner-up)

The Winners for the Miss Face of India Category were Anju Krishna Ashok (Winner), Kajal Pawar from (1st Runner-up), Sheryashri (2nd Runner-up)

The Winners for the Mr. Face of India Category were Amal Rajesh from (Winner), Pratik Darku (1st Runner-up) and Ganesh Shetty (2nd Runner-up)

The event followed safety precautions, and the organisers followed all social distancing norms.

Aug 12: Thriller is an expeditious story which entails the situation around conflict, tension, suspense, unexpected twist and high stakes that takes the readers on the roller coaster ride and leaves them on the edge of their seats. Author Anandajit has returned with his intriguing and suspenseful plot-driven story “Pink Gender: The Extended”. The ‘Pink Gender’ series was inspired by Pink, which circulates our human thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Author Anandajit Goswami revealed various characters and mysteries in the first book ‘Pink Gender’ in 2019. Now he came back with the extended version of the prequel with its sequel “Pink Gender: The Extended” that takes its readers to dive deep into the reasons behind the behaviour of the characters in the first book, being the story and the background remain the same with an insightful plot.

The story “Pink Gender: The Extended” revolves around the lives of three characters named Shapno, Ravi and Indu, who all are somehow interconnected through a weird incident, and they figured out the same when they are called for interrogation in the police station about a mysterious adventure. It unfolds various incidents about their life, which are interconnected amongst the three characters. The author has presented the story with a specific message about gender preference which is still a taboo in our society. 

The story somehow is inspired by the author’s journey of life filled with observations, experiences and memories of people he has come across. He unveils, “There’s nothing imprecise about the characters; it’s simply how various events had taken a turn in their lives and how they responded to it. They share stories of their sexuality, abusive relationship, gender bias, and social depictions and their response trying to get out of it.”

The story somehow highlights the dark side of human mentality and its response which takes its readers into that perception of the world that affects internal thoughts and beliefs and gender identity. As stated by the author, the book is a kind of psychotherapy session where each character opens up about their pain that relieves themselves from the heaviness in the heart. 

An excerpt from the book

One day, a man, a woman and a transgender person who is a dream are being called for police investigation at the police station regarding an unintended, mysterious accident. Their stories and mysteries unfold in the Counseling room of the police station, and a connecting link between the levels is established. This story is all about these magical mysteries of life, which are explained, self-explained, unexplained in their ways by opening all bright and dark corners of the human mind and Psychology.

About the Author

Anandajit Goswami was a faculty at TERI School of Advanced Studies. Currently, he is an Associate Professor (Liberal Arts), HOD, Department of Political and Social Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Manav Rachna International University. As TERI Africa Coordinator, he was based at United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). He led research projects supported by ADB, UK-Aid and worked for Niti Aayog, Copenhagen Consensus Centre and WWF India. 

He completed his Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and has obtained PhD in Energy Economics and Policy from TERI School of Advanced Studies. He has co-authored & co-edited academic books, published academic papers, popular articles. He has also co-authored and authored three sci-fi books titled ‘Lucy meets Artificial Intelligence’, ‘Lucy and the Train: Tryst with Sustainability’ and “LUCY 3 – LUCY AND THE RISE OF THE PARABOLA” along with a unique crime thriller on gender neutrality – “Pink Gender”. He has instructed courses like – Art and Sustainability, Applied Mathematics for Sustainability, Economics of Climate Change and created movements like music and sustainability, art from the heart for climate action and sustainability. 

He writes regularly about his opinion pieces on his own blog space – http://geekonomistdiary.blogspot.com/and has his music channel on music and sustainability – https://soundcloud.com/user-464461940

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8194417287/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_glt_i_45QR87JYYRHM2NWMNHR1

Currently, he resides with his mother in New Delhi.

New Delhi [India] August 12: Dr. Aditya R. Nighhot is known for writing contemporary romance novels and books that have received critical and public acclaim. The success of his books, Internationally and Nationally, have reached a point where regional publishers are approaching him, and soon his books would also be available in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Assamese, etc.

Now he comes out with his new book ‘Unhooked & Unbooked’ published by Invincible Publishers. The book tells a story that is completely relatable to our “Online generation”. He engages us in his riveting tale of two couples who have completely different and opposite beliefs from each other. He talks about the current dating culture and relationship values through his book. He believes life is not about a single character or single story but multiple characters and their stories. His inspiration for his fictional stories comes from true events and real-life characters from his everyday life.

Apart from being a well-established author and entertainer during the pandemic, Dr. Aditya is also a frontline warrior, dealing with covid cases day in and day out. He is fond of photography and is also a member of the Screenwriter’s association, and is currently working on a few scripts for leading production houses. A leading production company has picked up the digital rights of his books, and the web series/film shall release soon.

The young, energetic and talented author can also be approached on various social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin etc.

Mumbai, Aug 11: Fashion was something that she always loved and she knew that she wanted to do something in this field. But coming from a middle-class family, it was difficult for her to do what she loved since it was a lot financially and her family was not financially stable at that time.

In 2013, she was working in a fashion brand and she quit her job 5 years ago to achieve her dreams.

She did a 3 months course in digital marketing. Where every Sunday and Sunday she used to go to classes and Monday to Saturday she used to work.

She then started blogging. It was hard, but she knew that if she works hard and she is true to herself and her audience, she will be able to achieve something good from this.

She is here today because of her hard work and her love for fashion.

She’s worked with over 50 brands over the span of 3 years. It’s been a long journey. To name a few Myntra, Shoppers Stop, Engage, DW, Sky Bags, Brand Factory, Lenevo, Mcaffeine.

She believes that as a blogger it’s very important to stay true to your own style. Since her blog is about her personal style, she would never take up something that doesn’t go with her personality or something that doesn’t seem genuine to her.

Being consistent is what works for her. She always tries to ensure that her pictures have good composition. She tries to come up with new things, for instance, She started out with fashion and then went on to beauty. She tries to be authentic and she tries to bring forward a wide range when it comes to creating content. And that’s how she is able to connect well with her audience.

Follow The Snazzy Diva on Instagram: @thesnazzy_diva

Mumbai, Aug 11: Pragya Pathak, 24, of Delhi, has always had a keen eye for social media marketing. During the course of her graduation, she was exposed to this newfound and budding field and before she knew it, she was way too into it. Pragya would watch YouTube and Instagram videos, the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content, and the concept of social media blogging fascinated her.

2016 was the year when Pragya began her journey as a blogger. With 5-6k followers in the growing years of social media blogging, she signed up herself on a few platforms and that itself was a kick start towards a career she is growing at. Her first 2 collaborations came in with Cadbury and Fastrack. The two major collaborations gave her the power to take a risk and move on to taking up social media blogger as a full-time career. In 2018 she went on her first-ever trip as a travel blogger with a Mumbai-based agency, and a new niche of travel blogger came up to her. She knew she loved fashion and travel, and so, with the knowledge, passion, and love for creating new content, travel, and social media, she set herself on the path of becoming a content creator and travel blogger.

In the course of 5 years, Pragya has grown immensely and not just in her social media presence, but also in her personal growth. As a content creator or a digital creator, her journey hasn’t always been filled with flowers and sunshine. She has struggled her way through; she has worked immensely with great dedication and hard work to be able to reach where she is today. “Being a content creator or a digital creator gives me enormous joy. Good things don’t come to us overnight. And it shouldn’t be, since you are willing to work in the field and if you wish to grow, you have to give your everything and not just do things for the sake of it,” Pragya’s words give the kind of motivation that one truly needs today. Her growth as a person and the heights of success that she has reached today is truly commendable and Pragya is truly the person people should look up to.

Pragya’s forte as a blogger goes wider than just travel and content. She loves to create fashion and make-up hacks and content that is just as entertaining and amazing to look at. With her recent milestone of 100k Instagram followers, one can only imagine how much the Instagram family loves to see her content. Pragya has created content for various sectors and brands that includes; JW Marriott, Himalaya, Wetside, PopXo, L’Oréal, Garnier, Goibibo, Thomas Cook, Skull Candy, Xiaomi, Maybelline, Amazon, Daniel Wellington, Myglamm, Center Fresh, and many such brands.

Pragya is one of those bloggers who not only create content for fun but also has a major influence on her followers. With the kind of persona she holds, it’s only a matter of time until she reaches the peaks of success, higher and much greater than she already has achieved.

Follow Pragya Pathak on Instagram: @pragyapathakk

Mumbai, Aug 11: Turning a dream into reality!

How did you start travelling?

When I was in 3rd grade, my dad took me on a road trip of the complete India tour. We covered the trip in a time span of around 45 days.

I had never been away from my home for this long before. But strangely, travelling felt like home.

I understood, at a very young age that this ‘traveling thingy’ of mine will eventually end up being a precious part of my life.

And I proved to be right. Once I passed college, there was never looking back. Hopping from one destination to another, meeting new people, discovering a variety of cultures, and hearing incredible stories from all over the country, gives me the joy that nothing else could ever replace.

How do you manage your profession and passion?

I’m a doctor by profession. To be completely honest, initially, it was very difficult to manage both my profession with my passion. Medical is a demanding profession and it only got harder with time.

Don’t get me wrong. It was all there – A stable and respected job. Good company around. Satisfaction from my folks. All the boxes were ticked.

But something was missing. The void of not being able to travel kept growing. I had to take a risky decision. And I took the leap.

I quit my 9 to 5 job but I didn’t leave my profession. I found a way to achieve balance. Now I only accept home visits to patients, according to my travel schedule, and save the money from the visits to support my monetary needs in exploring new destinations. So I guess, it’s a win-win.

Your love for travel!

A thought used to emerge in my mind, which I kept ignoring for a while, but eventually couldn’t. A thought that – when you CAN explore the entire world and have experiences of a lifetime, then why the F would you still choose to stay wherever you are for the rest of your life?!

Every trip to a new destination has given me something invaluable. Only travellers can really relate to this.

I look at life, not in the terms of achievements but the terms of experiences. At the end of my journey here on earth, I want to proudly say that I didn’t stop exploring. That’s how I choose to live. That’s how I choose to die.

Our lives are limited but my love for traveling isn’t.

Follow her on Instagram: @Aishwarya_borgaonkar

Mumbai, Aug 11: People Say Beauty comes in all sizes and this Plus Size Super Model Jaanvi Hatte A.K.A Curvy Jaanvi will definitely make you believe in it. Jaanvi is from the wine capital of India, Nashik. She is married and is also a Mother of an eight-year-old boy. Being married or being a mother has nothing to do with your career or lifestyle choices were the message she started her journey with. Jaanvi and her husband wanted to spread the message that even after marriage a woman can become whatever she wants, can wear whatever she is comfortable in. A small journey that started from Instagram with pictures clicked on a simple Mobile phone soon turned into a big success story. She says all the credit goes to her mother-in-law and her husband for supporting and guiding her. In just one and a half years Jaanvi has received over Two Lakh followers on Instagram and has collaborated with many brands like Shien, Parfait, Shimmer House, and many more during this time. She has done Celebrity Dance workshops with Saroj Khan & Ganesh Aacharya, where being impressed with her dance Saroj Khan gave her a bakshish of 101 Rs in her signature style.

Where people go through Body shaming every day let be because of their size or weight or colour; Jaanvi being plus-size has made her name in the fashion industry as a plus-size Model & Influencer. She has won several titles & awards like Mrs. Lumiere Queen Plussize 2019, Mrs. Lumiere Queen viewer choice 2019, Body Positivity influencer 2020, Women’s excellence achievement Award 2020, and much more. She was also a part of a Dance Reality TV show “Dancing Queen size large full charge” by Zee Marathi where Marathi superstar Sonali Kulkarni and Mumbai ki Rani Rj Malishka were the judges of the show. She was also seen on the famous Marathi comedy Show “Chala Hava Yeu Dya” for the promotion of Dancing Queen. She has also won a new upcoming TV Reality Pageant “Maharashtra’s Super Model” where she won in the Plus size category and was crowned by Mugdha Godse & Pooja Reddy. The show will be on a leading Marathi TV Channel Soon.

Now Jaanvi is preparing to set the Ramp on fire at India Cult Fashion Lifestyle Week as a Showstopper and has many projects lined up for the year. if you think you are not good enough, if you think you don’t look good because of your size or colour visit her on Instagram @curvy_jaanvi_official and get ready to re-think your beliefs.