Tuesday 19 November 2013 22

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BARKHA KUMARI
DECCAN CHRONICLE

Hyderabad Chronicle

Hairstylist Elton Fernandez

Make-up on

Youtube
DC CORRESPONDENT

Celebrity hairstylist and make-up artist Elton Fernandez is one of the few Indians, and the first Hyderabadi, to have launched a professional beauty channel on Youtube called Elton J. Fernandez. Featuring six videos so far, the channel offers step-by-step tutorials in hairstyling and make-up. Elton has put in a lot of work to get the videos ready and right; from getting models and photographers together to rearranging the furniture in his apartment for the shoots, and even producing, directing and editing them all by himself. However, the viewership has yet to reflect that, with only 7,000 hits so far. Is he disappointed? Not at all! Its not some funny The 12- viral video channel, he minute says, adding, videos offer I want my viewers to get hairstyling the feel of a luxand make- premium ury space. up tips Thats why I have retained the white background in my videos. It will take a while to catch on. At this point, Im not even looking at monetary gains. How did he hit upon the idea? I was shooting for a video with Miss Malini for Loreal and really enjoyed the experience of being in front of the camera. So, I thought why not do it myself, says Elton, who has also roped in good friend and model Nina Manuel to host the 12-minute episodes. With Christmas and New Year around the corner, Elton offers some make-up tips for the ladies: First, there is nothing like soft and supple skin. So, keep yourself hydrated. Secondly, use blush, mascara and lip balm. And, get the shape of your eye brows right. He has another passion keeping him busy during the festive season. He is working on the second edition of his clothing line. I am not a designer, but I seem to enjoy this, says Elton.

If you crib about not having the time to pursue your hobbies, you need to take a cue from Ragasudha Vinjamuri. The professional IATA (International Airport Transport Association) consultant is also a seasoned Bharatanatyam dancer, as well as a Telugu literature enthusiast. Based in London since 2004, she is also a doting wife and mother to a baby girl. And recently, she added another dimension to her personality by bagging the coveted Asian Media Honorary Award for her contributions in the field of culture and language among the Telugu community in the UK. The honour was doubly special as she was nominated by the public, especially since there are so many senior dance and vocal artistes in the UK. I dont know why they chose me, she says. On further thought, Ragasudha, who started l e a r n i n g Bharatanatyam as an eight-yearold in Hyderabad, says, Ive given over 200 performances till date, including one at the World Telugu Conference in Tirupati. On weekends, I also teach dance to around 20-25 kids here. But get ready for her most outstanding contribution. I recently published my research stating that the Telugu language was brought to

Brits brought Telugu to UK

Ragasudha Vinjamuri was recently honoured for popularising the Telugu language and culture abroad
England by the British in 1845, and not by native Telugus. The British started teaching Telugu here in universities. They learnt it during their stay in India, she reveals. Its hard to believe that someone who has transcribed the Telugu scripts found on 70 of 300year-old palm leaf folios in London doesnt hold any master qualifications in Telugu literature. As I child, I was exposed to a lot of books because my father was an avid reader. Thats when I started reading about our language and culture. Since then, Ive studied the migration patterns of Telugu people to Mauritius, Burma and the UK, she explains. How does she find time from her hectic schedule as a travel and tourism instructor? You will find the time if you really want to, says Ragasudha, who recently trained the staff of Turkish Airlines and As I P e g a s u s Airlines in child, I was Turkey . exposed to a lot As principal of Kuoni of books Academy of RAGASUDHA Travel in the VINJAMURI city years ago, she played an instrumental role in training the staff of Jet Airways and Air Sahara in international procedures, as they expanded their operations abroad.

ON STAGE: Ragasudha Vinjamuri. (Left) She is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer