Archives March 2023

Hyderabad, March 18, 2023, Mahalakshmi Profiles Pvt Ltd (MPL Group), a Hyderabadi firm selected for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the PLI Scheme for Specialty Steel with the Ministry of Steel, Govt of India. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) is an initiative of the Government of India for Steel Producers to encourage them to produce Specialty steels in India.

The ceremonial function for the exchange of MoU with companies selected under the PLI Scheme for Specialty Steel was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today. The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Shri Jyoti Aditya Scindia, Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel and Minister of State (MoS) for Steel Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste and other officials of the steel ministry.

Mr Vinod Kumar Agarwal, Managing Director, and Mr. Hitesh Kumar Agarwal (CEO) were present on behalf of the MPL Group and exchanged the MoU with the Minister.

Mr. Vinod Agarwal of MPL Group, expressed that it is a proud moment for the MPL group to be representing the state of Telangana at the PLI scheme for the steel sector. The project will also give impetus to specialty steel manufacturing in the country replacing expensive imports.

The National Steel Policy of the Government of India (GOI) aims at achieving 300 million tonnes (MT) of Crude Steel making capacity by the year 2030-31. To meet this target the Government of India has devised a unique Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Steel Producers to encourage them to produce Specialty steels in India.

Fitting to the requirements of the PLI Scheme, Mahalakshmi Profiles Pvt Ltd (MPL Group) has chalked out plans to invest an amount of Rs 260 Crores to produce Coated / Plated products of Metallic and Non-metallic alloys, with a capacity of 250,000 tonnes per annum by commissioning its new mega project in the year 2024-25 at its site near Kallakal village Manoharabad Mandal, Medak District, Telangana State.

Hyderabad, March 18, 2023…….SHE M POWER–5th Women’s Conclave & Awards 2023 with the theme “Accelerate Safety & Well-Being in Sustainable World” held on Friday at JRC Convention center, Filmnagar in the city. More than 1000 delegates have taken part in the same.

Mr. Anjani Kumar, IPS, Director General of Police, Telangana; Mr. Stephen Raveendra, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad; Ms Jennifer Larson is the Consul General in Hyderabad; Dr. Gurunath Reddy, CMD, Continental Hospitals, Mr Krishna Yedula, Secretary General, SCSC; Ms Nitika Pant, IPS, DCP-Women and Child Safety; Ms Pratyusha Sharma, Jt. Sec Women’s Forum, SCSC graced the conclave and spoke.

DGP Anajani Kumar launched two She Shuttle Services sponsored by Virtusa and Providence. It had 15 to date and two more added and together are impacting one lakh people a month.

Addressing the gathering Mr Anjani Kumar, DGP said with safety protocols in place, technology will be a wonderful servant. Cultivate the culture of protocols.

One flight either lands or takes off every minute across the world. Except few, not many incidents or accidents are seen because of the adherence to the strict protocols, standard systems, and checks and balances. These protocols have to be evolved in every field he said.

Which are the top most populous countries in the world? he asked the audience. The stock answer we have is China and India. But it is Facebook he said. If Facebook was to be a country, it has 2.4 billion subscribers, more than China or India’s population. Facebook knows everything about you. Your date they have is more vulnerable, he said.

He explained how terrorists used more intelligence than police in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Dr Gurunath Reddy, CMD of Continental Hospital gave the keynote address. And he gave convincing facts about how women are superior to men. Women’s brains work five times faster than men’s. MRI shows that 70% of neurons in women’s brains light up much faster to perform multiple tasks than men. Men can spint well. But women beat men in the long run. Women proved to have more endurance than men in the case of the 195 km long run. No man could ever beat that record. Women have higher physical endurance. Women are healthier, they live longer. Their muscle fiber is stronger and makes them better long-distance runners and bikers. Less women are diabetic, fewer women suffer cancer. They get fewer infectious diseases. Men get more flue attacks than women, he said much to the surprise of the audience.

Stephen Raveendra, Commissioner of Cyberabad Police said the theme of the conclave is vital to society. We have come a long way in women related matters, but still long way to go. Women’s rights are still challenged. One of the few challenges is the financial well-being of women. The women are financially excluded and discriminated. Education is the cornerstone for women’s empowerment. We see girls excelling more than boys in tenth-class results but subsequently dropping out. Only 9% of co-founders of startups are women. Wellbeing of a woman is another critical component. He urged corporations to pay more attention to the wellness of women employees. Time for change is now, he said and concluded his speech.

Welcoming the gathering Ms Pratyusha Sharma, SCSC Women’s Forum leader said the theme was chosen carefully. How do we accelerate safety, and well-being in a sustainable world by always paying due respect to women, helping them rise and helping them voice and ensure the message reaches more? Margadarshak and sanghamitra trained to date 1500 and cases reported approximately 850 plus she informed. Knowledge-sharing sessions and safety sessions covered 60,000 people. We prepared a safety hostel list to enable employees to look for safe hostels certified by SCSC and Cyberabad police as per the 10 commandments, she informed

Krishna Yedula said SCSC is the single largest touch point serving two million workforces. SCSC’s scale, size and impact haas grown. It has been playing a catalyst role for so many years. She Shuttle services which started with one has now gone to 17 and demand is increasing

Three Panel discussions were held. One was on Vision for SCSC was moderated by Krishna Yedula. The panellists include Apoorva Rao, IPS., SP Nalgonda Dr Ramadevi – Amara Hospitals Anil Rachamalla – End Now Foundation.

Participating in this Apoorva said police are focusing on data and evidence-led policing. She said that cyber crimes are on the rise. Dr Rama Devi spoke about mental health and how to handle stress. Anil Rachamalla said the gifts of technology are addiction, attention deficiency, impatience, instant gratification, and no empathy. In all these common sense is missing in social engineering cases which are on the rise more than cyber crimes. In social engineering crimes they use some data collected online, he said.

The second panel was on Sustainability as a way of Life for a balanced Ecosystem. It was moderated by Padma Priya. Swaraj Priyadarshi, Dexterity Global 2. Elca Grobler and My Choices Foundation were the two panelists.

A fireside chat was held with Murali Krishna, Country Head-Providence, moderated by Pratyusha Sharma on the Health & Mindset of Women in the Workplace.

Nukkad Natak by Meru International Students was performed on Child Safety

Ms Jennifer Larson, Consul General of the US Consulate was the Chief Guest for the Awards ceremony. She highlighted the importance of women in every area of our world. She presented Industry and Individual awards in the category of women’s safety and well-being to the respective winners. Short Film Contest Winners and Key Achievers in the field of safety, well-being and sustainability were also feted.

Special Achievers: Sravanthi Shivaram; Payal Kapur (Sens It Eyes); Shipra Gandhi (Spreading Happiness); G Amulya (Golfer). SHE Teams were also honoured with awards including Mohammadi WPC; Shankaramma WPC; Anasuya WPC; Sarala Wasi WPC; G Pushpavathi WPC; Sangeetha ARWPC. The Sanghamitra volunteers recognised include Ramesh Pittala; Shabana Rehmat; Aashita. Kamble; Nisha Karki. The Margdarshak honoured were Nagesh Reddy Alla; Dr Usha Yanamandra; Chandrakanth AS. The companies honoured were Dr Reddy’s; Metrochem; Cognizant Technology Solutions; Berkadia; Factset System India Pvt Ltd; Tech Mahindra. Two hospitals too were recognised AIG Hospital and Medicover Hospitals

Dupati Govind Raju won the 1st Prize in Short Film Contest; Chandavolu Bhanuprakash, 2nd Prize and Chikati Sravan Kumar, 3rd Prize. They too were honoured by Ms Jennifer.

Bharosa Lounge was set up. Awareness desks on initiatives like Women & Children; SHE Team and on how to file Anti Human Trafficking Cases were set up. Rotary Sumitra stall created awareness of Menstrual Health and Hygiene. Karkinos stall educated visited on how early detection helps reverse the problem. The Naari stall spread the importance of women’s wellness and initiatives.

Queen’s Award

Left to right: Chancellor Margaret Casely-Hayford CBE, Moroccan Ambassador to the UK HE Hakim Hajoui, Vice-Chancellor John Latham CBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands Sir John Crabtree.

Coventry University’s incredible connections with countries across the globe have been recognised in one of the last awards in the name of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the UK’s most prestigious business award, was awarded to Coventry University for its tireless work building relationships with institutions and companies throughout the world, while also drawing thousands of students from around the globe to its campuses across the UK.

The award was one of the last Her Majesty The Queen would have approved before her death in September last year.

This year The Queen’s Award will be renamed in tribute to her successor and son King Charles III, as the King’s Award for Enterprise.

The Lord-Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Sir John Crabtree OBE, was on hand to make the presentation at Coventry University’s new Delia Derbyshire building – part of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities – on behalf of the monarch.

The award, in the category of International Trade, comes as there were 15,565 international students from over 150 nationalities are studying across the Coventry University Group in 2021/22, making it the sixth largest higher education recruiter for international students in the UK.

Coventry University Group’s global outlook has also seen it establish a network of global hubs, in Brussels, Dubai, Singapore, Rwanda and Beijing, in addition to its campus in Wroclaw, Poland, and branch campus in Egypt, as well as a joint institute with Communication University of China that launched in September 2022.

Sir John Crabtree OBE paid tribute to the late Queen and met Coventry University Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham CBE, and the Chancellor, Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford CBE, to present the award to the university.

Sir John Crabtree OBE said: “These awards were introduced in 1966 by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II as she was very keen and determined to support British enterprise.

“Coventry University now has one of the last awards she would have approved.

“This year’s winners will be the King’s Awards for Enterprise which means Coventry University will be in the last batch of The Queen’s Awards, which I think is very fitting.

“It is a real accolade because Coventry University has got this award for an international focus on jobs, skills and work to welcome people to our region.”

Dr Casely-Hayford CBE said: “Sadly we lost our wonderful monarch, the late Queen, last year, so this is one of the last awards that will ever be made and titled The Queen’s Award, which makes it even more special.

“For us, this prestigious award really is something we value as a global education group that is committed to widening access to quality education.

“Our mission is creating better futures and that is not confined to these shores or to the people of this country. We passionately believe in the power of education to transform lives across the world and communities and have five core values that help us achieve that.

“Our international students bring diversity of thought, outlook, their approach to issues, all of which help the university community and the wider community accelerate positive change.”

Coventry University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Latham CBE said: “This is the second time we have won this award and that has happened through innovation, talent, teamwork and determination. This event was a chance to celebrate our international success but also reflect on the legacy of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

“Students from 150 nations study across our group – this is what Coventry is about. We’re a global institution preparing people for a global world as we move forward. We’re so proud to have won this.”

The Moroccan Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Mr Hakim Hajoui, also attended the ceremony as the university prepares to open a branch campus in Casablanca with The British Schools Educational Services Prives.

Sondra Berg brings nearly 10 years of insurance industry experience to her new role.

(St. Louis, Mo., March 17, 2023) AAdvantage Insurance Group recently hired Sondra Berg as its Personal Lines Account Executive. In this position, she will focus on maintaining, expanding, and servicing the agency’s clients. Berg will develop relationships with existing clients, as well as pursue new business opportunities.

Berg has worked in the insurance industry for nearly 10 years. Prior to joining AAdvantage Insurance Group, she worked at a local insurance agency in various capacities. Berg holds licenses in Property & Casualty Insurance, as well as in Life Insurance in both Illinois and Missouri.

Founded in 2009, AAdvantage Insurance Group specializes in auto, home, business, farm, and life insurance. The agency serves clients in 19 states with the majority in Illinois and Missouri. AAdvantage Insurance Group is located at 78 S. Main St. in Glen Carbon, Ill.

“Sondra makes an excellent addition to our growing organization based upon her ability to create customer service solutions,” said AAdvantage Insurance Group’s CEO Josh Kaburick. “She brings an extensive amount of industry experience to her new role, and we look forward to all she will accomplish for both our clients and our company.”

AAdvantage Insurance Group is a member of Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of more than 160 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois. Founded in 2006, sister company Valley Insurance Agency Alliance generates more than $600 million in written premium and is the regional founding member for the Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA), a $11 billion national alliance.

For more information about AAdvantage Insurance Group, call (618) 692-4440 or visit www.aadins.com.

India, March 17: As part of their joint venture to offer a value-added learning experience to students preparing for medical and engineering entrance exams, Edtech platform Physics Wallah and Jodhpur-based test prep company Utkarsh Classes have announced the launch of the Physics Wallah-Vidyapeeth Centre for offline NEET and JEE preparation in Jodhpur.

The joint venture will bring together the capabilities of both institutions to help secure the future of millions of students. Utkarsh Classes and Physics Wallah will work together leveraging tech and offline solutions to help students achieve their goals.

Dr Nirmal Gehlot, Founder and CEO, of Utkarsh Classes, said, “We are thrilled with this partnership. The Physics Wallah Vidyapeeth will be managed by Utkarsh Classes in Jodhpur. This is part of our mission to provide quality education to students at a nominal fee with experienced and excellent teachers and a technology-enabled hybrid education model.”

Dinesh Vaishnav, head of the Vidyapeeth Jodhpur Centre, pointed out that the admission process for entrance exam preparation such as NEET, JEE, and Foundation batches have started at the Jodhpur centre.

It will also see NEET preparation classes for English medium students in Class 9 and 10, science students in 11/12 and 12th pass start in the first week of April. Students can avail of up to 90% scholarship for admission to upcoming offline batches by clearing the PWSAT scholarship test.

Alakh Pandey, Founder and CEO, of Physics Wallah, said, “PW and Utkarsh Classes connect with the students at a personal level. With our combined effort, we can serve the students in Jodhpur in medical & engineering exams and enrich the learning experience at affordable rates.”

Students preparing for NEET-JEE can check their preparation level at the All India level and clear their doubts through Physics Wallah’s doubt-solving interaction platform – PW Saarthi.

Chennai, 17.03.2023: Renowned social development organisation ESAF has commemorated its 31st Foundation Day. Shaji K. V, Chairman, NABARD, inaugurated the event. “Similar to NABARD, ESAF has contributed much to enhance the creditworthiness of the people in backward areas. The achievements of ESAF have been truly remarkable,” he said. K. Paul Thomas, Founder, MD & CEO, of ESAF Small Finance Bank, delivered the Foundation Day message.

Shaji K.V. was also honored at the ceremony for being the first Keralite who took over as the Chairman of NABARD. Adv. K. Rajan, Revenue Minister, Kerala, P. Balachandran, MLA, Thrissur, Mereena Paul, Executive Director, ESAF Foundation, and R. Billy, Vice President, ESAF Foundation, also spoke on the occasion.

Awards for the Best Co-operative Societies were also distributed during the event. Valakavu Ksheera Vyavasaya Co-operative Society and Kulumai Milk Producer Company won the Best Co-operative Societies Award. Jai Sardar Krishi Vikas Farmer Producer Company of Maharashtra also received a special jury mention at the event. Handing Over ceremony of houses built by ESAF Co-operative and felicitation of employees who completed 10 years of service in ESAF also took place during the event.

ESAF Bank’s sixth anniversary was also celebrated eventfully. Vijay Kumar Nayak, Chief General Manager, the Reserve Bank of India, inaugurated the event. P. R. Ravimohan, Chairman, ESAF Small Finance Bank, K. Paul Thomas, MD & CEO, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Dr. Gopakumaran Nair, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Ajayan M. G., Director, ESAF Small Finance Bank, and George Thomas, George K. John, Hari Velloor and Hemant Tamta, Executive Vice Presidents, ESAF Small Finance Bank, also spoke on the occasion.

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New Delhi, March 17: PowerUp has launched two more products, Max Charge 20W USB Type-C Ultra Smart Wall Charger and PowerUp 1.5M Alu-Rub Tough 3-in-One Lightning Cable + Micro-USB + USB-C Cable.

Max Charge 20W USB Type-C Ultra Smart Wall Charger auto-detects the connected device and charges it at the device’s fastest speed. One port has an intelligent IC with an auto-identification feature to provide maximum charging efficiency. The charger is BIS-certified to provide safe and reliable charging. It has built-in overload latch-off protection, over-current and over-voltage protection, short-circuit protection, internal temperature protection, and surge protection.

Its hard-wearing matte exterior, high-gloss detailing, and the cool-blue USB port and Type-C provide a sleek look and soft lighting. The charger’s compact design for lightweight is ideal for traveling. With this ultra-smart wall charger, a tablet and a smartphone can be charged at the same time. The future-proof product charges all devices up to a standard 5V 3A, and up to 5V 2.4A faster charging for non–quick charge devices. Its USB 2.4A and Type-C 3.0A outputs have full power application and rapid charge USB Type-C Ports 2 Smartphones, 1 table+ 1 Smartphone.

Further, the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 delivers charging speeds up to four times faster than standard chargers. It is designed to work with the most popular USB-powered devices, including laptops, tablets, iPhones, Android phones, wireless speakers, and headphones, besides wearable and photography gear.

PowerUp 1.5M Alu-Rub Tough 3IN1 Lightning Cable + Micro-USB + USB-C Cable

This PowerUp Cable is Apple MFi and USB IF-certified and meets the latest Apple and USB-IF standards so that you can enjoy super-speed data transfer, syncing, and charging. It will never show messages saying, “This cable or accessory is not certified and may not work reliably with this iPhone” on your Apple device. It is also compatible with non-Apple devices. These 3-in-1 Lightning USB-C and Micro USB connectors come together and are compatible with most devices that have these ports.

The cable is designed to withstand more than 5,000 bends and which is much more than a standard lightning cable, which basically means it will last much longer than the original device cable. The lightweight and flexible-braided nylon material makes the cable portable and tangle-free. The aluminum rubber shell protects all the connectors.

You will not have to carry any other cables when you are in a car or an office or are traveling. This 3-in-1 cable is an all-in-one portable charging solution for those who are on the move all the time. It is also MFi, FCC, CE, and ROHS-certified.

DishiS Jewels, one of the fastest-growing D2C online designer brands that offer lightweight and affordable contemporary jewellery, is proud to announce the launch of its latest collection of Rose-Pattern Rings. These beautiful rings perfectly blend timeless elegance and modern design, making them the ultimate accessory for any occasion. The latest jewellery collection is unconventional and minimal, inspired by the charismatic features of roses and created in diamonds depicting the world of love and romance.

Each piece in the collection has been carefully crafted by talented craftsmen to capture the essence of the flowers, significantly rose, and its beauty to adorn the beauty that beholds the ring. Made with premium quality metals like yellow gold, rose gold and sterling silver, these rings are designed to be durable, comfortable and easy for everyday wear, making them the perfect addition that best suits their style, preferences & personality.

DishiS Jewel’s latest ‘Rose-Pattern’ collection is modern, bold, and versatile and aims to add a touch of style to women’s mien. The new collection is available at its outlet in Delhi and on its e-commerce website; and can be delivered nationwide.

“Creating this collection of Rose-Pattern Rings was a labour of love keeping the contemporary wardrobe in mind,” said Dishi Somani, founder and creative director of DishiS Jewels. “We yearned to capture the essence of the rose, which has long been a symbol of beauty, love and passion. We believe these rings’ intricate details and stunning design will make them a treasured addition to every diva’s collection.”

The new collection includes a variety of styles and designs, including delicate and minimalist pieces and more ornate and intricate designs. Each ring features a rose pattern, expertly crafted to create a stunning visual impact. The rings are available in various colours and materials, including gold, rose gold, and silver.

DishiS Jewels is known for its commitment to quality and excellence. Every piece of jewellery in the collection is designed and manufactured to the highest standards, ensuring our customers receive only the best.

New Delhi: Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI is one of the most watched-out for events in the country. The bi-annual event attracts audiences not only from India but also from across the globe and is one of the most followed platforms digitally. Earlier this week, the property concluded its four-day-long fashion extravaganza that hosted new and seasoned designer showcases, thought-provoking discussions, sustainable initiatives, crème de la crème of the Indian fashion and entertainment industry, and more. Scroll below to get a glimpse of some of the biggest moments that the platform witnessed at the Jio World Garden, BKC, Mumbai from 9th to 12th March.

Spotlighting emerging talent

Fashion as an industry is challenging to say the least. You finally succeeded in creating your brand, and have been around for a couple of years—but now what? Enter Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI. Their approach to nurturing the design community has been holistic right from the start, from their longest-running INIFD GenNext program to the NEXA Spotlight, the curated emerging talent showcases by the platform has seen up-and-coming designers rise to fame over the years. This year as well, brands such as KoyToy, Hiro, KoAi, Rudraksh Dwivedi, Siddharth Bansal or the FDCI Innovators ft Akaaro and Nitin Bal Chauhan showcased cutting-edge collections that played into fabrics and techniques that wowed the audiences across the 4 days of fashion.

Sustainable initiatives took a front row seat

From RISE Worldwide presenting a unique sustainable showcase by internationally recognized designer Ruchika Sachdeva for her label Bodice during Sustainable Fashion Day to the Circular Design Challenge (CDC) presented by R | Elan™ that celebrated its fifth year since inception by hosting a special showcase by three of its alumni labels – Chamar, Doodlage-Made from Waste and Iro Iro to the grand Khadi show debuting thought-provoking collections that honored and celebrated India’s Fabric of Freedom, Khadi India with a multi-designer runway showcase, sustainability took the center stage. To top it off, Lakmé Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI collaborated with renowned designers Abraham & Thakore to design the exclusive print of reusable water bottles across the venue in a bid to reduce water wastage as well as tackle the use of single-use plastic.

Fashion Forward Showcases

The showcases at Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI were innovative presentations that constantly kept audiences at the edge of their seats. The week saw some showstopping menswear collections by Antar-Agni, Koytoy, Sahil Aneja, and Dhruv Vaish; a tech-meets-fashion presentation through a first-of-its-kind collaboration by Hair tech giant Dyson and fashion designer Arpita Mehta; FDCI presented the “First Cut” show by Pearl Academy where 32 students across campuses in India presented their individual takes on how fashion can bring courage to the present and new hope for the future despite the many disasters taking place worldwide. And a reimagination of street style by designers Two Point Two by Anvita Sharma, Six5Six by Avni Aneja, and Hiro by Hiral Jalal gave the street style a new direction.

A star-studded affair

No fashion runway in Mumbai is complete without a bevy of Bollywood beauties both on and off the ramp. The event saw several actors take to the ramp – from the star cast of the famed show CLASS to Sara Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor and even yesteryear icon Zeenat Aman, who stole the show! Off the runway, a range of starlets made their way to the showcases, leaving fans in attendance starstruck. The event saw attendance from prominent social media as well as TV stars such as Aditya Seal, Sonali Bendre, Armaan Malik, Aashna Hegde, Nimrit Kaur, and more.

On-ground engagement initiatives

Fashion enthusiasts hop, jump, and slide into the Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI venues in a bid to catch the glitz, the glamour, the drama, and more each season. Hosted at the Jio World Garden, BKC in Mumbai, this season the audiences were in for a visual treat with loads to do to keep oneself fashionably busy.

Legendary label, Satya Paul collaborated with India’s distinctive electronica artists Komorebi and Curtain Blue to create a visual showcase Birds & Bees. This unique collaboration called ‘The Satya Academy presents Komorebi and Curtain Blue’ brought to life a melodic intersection of fashion and music via a first-of-its-kind live concert. For a little shopping spree, The FDCI Designer Stockroom returned for its 10th edition which provided leading fashion talent across the industry the opportunity to sell their stock to a large pool of consumers. Over 70 designers panning, established as well as up-and-coming labels displayed their collections (old/ new) for audiences visiting the venue.

A fitting finale

The Lakmé Grand Finale brought the curtains down this season at Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI by retagging tags such as high maintenance, arm candy, gold digger, and whatnot in collaboration with Diffuse by Manish Malhotra. Redefining the power of fashion in being #UnaplogeticallyMÉ, the collaboration was a showcase of the new brand world of Lakmé and Manish Malhotra’s Diffuse Collection, encouraging women to celebrate their individuality.

The biggest ever grand finale in the history of the 22-year-old platform saw an unprecedented 102 models, almost 1000 guests, a front-row filled with stars and creative mavericks with Lakmé brand ambassador Ananya Panday and actor Aditya Roy Kapur closing the show – every detail of the grand finale came together to create a sensory spectacle.

18th March 2023 Kolkata: The very popular art gallery in the town, Gallery Charubasona : Jogen Chowdhury Centre For Arts is soon going to showcase an exhibition titled ‘Rhythmic Nature & Nostalgia’ from 23rd March, 2023. The globally acclaimed painter, Sri Jogen Chowdhury is going to grace the inauguration ceremony on this date. The exhibition will consist of ‘soras’(terracotta discs) and board designs by artist Sourav Ghosh and experiments with papier mache and pen & ink works by artist Trina Chatterji.

About the Artists & Their Works To Be Displayed In The Exhibition

Both Sourav Ghosh and Trina Chatterji have completed their M (Fine) from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan in Printmaking. They have also been colleagues in the Art Department of Sherwood College Nainital between 2008-2010.

Their artistic journeys have varied over the years but in this exhibition, Sourav will be showcasing his love for nature in terms of traditional motifs of Alpona (ornamental floor designs of Bengal) in graceful linearity and pleasing colour combinations whereas Trina’s personal experience and love for nature is expressed through gritty textures and bulging forms both reminiscent of an etching plate and a relief sculpture panel using a comparatively darker palette. But the rhythm of nature is unmistakable in both of their works.

The sense of nostalgia and a return to the roots is quite eminent in Sourav’s artwork in recent times where the motifs are unmistakably derived from the ‘Alpona’ and various units of design in the present show one can see the mastery of lines in the arabesques and swirls as well as the floral forms.

Trina’s artistic explorations on the other hand have been more atmospheric in nature with a later emphasis on textural and tactile detail. Some initial work on papier mache shows the artwork as a flat disc or rectangle. She has then used various types of ‘soras’ as her drape mold by placing and shaping the papier mache on them in order to create similar shapes. The forms emerge from the surface creating a low relief. Her themes range from family, to her surroundings, nostalgic memories, her pet and familiar flora growing in the gardens around her.

Trina’s pen and ink works on paper are once again a reflection of her immediate environment and have been made typically while waiting for the papier mache works to dry at various stages. The textures are more delicately applied but have the same sort of waywardness as those of the papier mache.

To conclude, in this exhibition, both the artists have used circular orientations as well as rectangular and square shapes to express themselves in their own inimitable styles using colours and textures of their choice or moods.