Society Achievers March 2023

Society
The Magazine With Class

March 2023
www.societyachievers.com
ACHIEVERS
LEGENDS
& ACHIEVERS
Ajay Banga
Michelle Yeoh
Subodh
Agrawal
Dhiren &
Kushal Shah
Umesh Yadav
Dr Anuradha
Paudwal’s
Social
Activism
Namrata
Cinema’s Dark Horse Purohit

Celebrity Fitness
Instructor
Emraan Hashmi
1 Society Achievers - March 2023
High Jewellery
Cufflinks
& Rings
Society Achievers - March 2023 3
Society ACHIEVERS
Publisher: Magnate Publishing Private Limited

Editor: Andrea CostaBir
Associate Editor: Nichola Marie
Assistant Editor: Amber Dias
Correspondents: Tsunami Costabir, Paula Dsouza, Hannah Cardozo
Graphic Designer: Syed Zaid Inamdar
Business Heads
National, West Zone: Sunil Khavnekar +91 9820303096 Preeta Nair +91 9892746767
North Zone: Ravi Roushon +91 9818198689 South Zone: Rekha Kambhoj +91 9845587253
East Zone: Ashim Banik +91 9830056642 Gujarat: Madan Menon +91 9898002522
Contents
Travel 98
The Cover Story 08 Lifestyle 72
Emraan Hashmi opens up about The buzz on food, fashion, fitness, travel Make sustainability a
making the steady, solid and right and more! priority when making
moves in Bollywood. your travel plans.
Health Check 18 Giving Back 74

Staying healthy as you age. Songstress Anuradha Paudwal and the
Food 104
Suryodaya Foundation are on a mission Why coffee has a special
to help those in need. place in tea-loving India.
Product Reviews 20
Talking shop about some of our
favourite things. Fitness Events
78 110
Celebrity fitness trainer Namrata Purohit
Legends & Achievers 22 on how Pilates transformed her life.
Recapping the unveiling
of the February 2023
Meet the men and women who
issue of ‘Society Achievers’
keep pushing the envelope in the
with Manoj Bajpayee.
pursuit of their dreams. Luxe Living 86
A peek at some of the world’s most
Ajay Banga 24 expensive cufflinks and rings. Events 112
Michelle Yeoh 32 Revisiting the unveiling of
Subodh Agrawal 44 Mindset 90 the latest issue of ‘Society
Interiors & Design’ with
Dhiren & Kushal Shah 54 Why keeping it real on social media is Gulshan Grover.
Umesh Yadav 66 the way to go.
Society Achievers is published once every month by Magnate Publishing Private Limited, 501, La-Creme CHS Ltd, Kondivita VLG, MIDC, Andheri(E), Near Akruti Trade
Center, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 400059. Tel No: +91-993-0061-674. Editorial texts and illustrations are the copyright of the publishers of this magazine. No one
may reproduce any material before permission is obtained in writing.
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Editor’s Note
Continually delivering on profit and purpose,
Ajay Banga is one of the most accomplished
professionals in the world today. Leading
our ‘Legends & Achievers’ section, he
is quite the ideal World Bank President
Candidate, and has been nominated by
the US for the top job… Get to know him
better in ‘Society Achievers’.
Following close on his heels is Michelle Yeoh

– the first Asian actress to secure the Oscar
for Best Actress for ‘Everything Everywhere All
At Once’. She is finally getting the roles and global
recognition she deserves, though her climb to the top
has been strewn with roses and thorns. Truly, 2023 is “The
Year of Yeoh!”
Global entrepreneur Subodh Agrawal; SDS BY KUSHAL SHAH Founder &

Creative Director Kushal Shah, and his legendary fashion entrepreneur
father Dhiren Shah; and hotshot cricketer Umesh Yadav all team up to
add solidity and flair to the ‘Legends & Achievers’ section. Kudos to them!
…And now, for the pièce de résistance – The Cover Story, featuring
cinema’s dark horse Emraan Hashmi. He opens up powerfully and
evocatively to ‘Society Achievers’, giving us insights into his brand of
thinking and his unique brand of films. Highs & Lows, Hits & Misses are
a part of everyone’s life, and Emraan is no exception. Yet, he goes about
staying physically fit and mentally strong, while making the right moves
in Bollywood and life. Emraan maintains a lowkey persona in reality, but
is compelling and mesmerising on screen; keeping his faithful audiences
glued to him!
We love the way all these people, and then some more like singer and
social activist Anuradha Paudwal; celebrity fitness trainer Namrata
Purohit and others featured in this issue of the magazine, keep pushing
the envelope in the pursuit of their dreams. Simultaneously journeying
on a mission to inspire… What’s not to love about them?!
- Andrea CostaBir
Photograph: Viraj Shirodkar

Cover Story
“It’s very
important to
take risks!”
Not for Emraan Hashmi the

safety net of the tried and
tested. Led by a yearning
for the unpredictable and
the novel, he prefers the
unchartered waters… and it
has served him well!
By Nichola Marie
Your role as a super fan-turned-nemesis
in the recent comedy thriller ‘Selfiee’ drew
applause. You were praised for your tight grip
on your role, maintaining the middle-class,
humble act even when pulling off heroic
moves. How does the appreciation feel?
Well, it was a very different role for me to play.
It was unlike the rakish characters that I have
played in the past and the genres that I have
done. So, it was great coming back with Dharma
after a couple of years, and working with Akshay
(Kumar) for the first time. I think the camaraderie
in the film and just the way my character shaped
up was appreciated widely by the audience. At
the heart of the film, bringing to the forefront
the father-son relationship, the tussle between
a common man and the star... I wanted it to
be real, but at the same time also dramatic to
give the audience that entertaining feeling. So, I
think from the reactions, it’s a win-win.

Your performance as the conman in the crime drama
‘Jannat: In Search of Heaven…’ (2008) had proved a
turning point in your career. Thereafter, you gained
recognition for portraying unconventional characters
in several commercially successful films, including
‘Raaz: The Mystery Continues’ (2009), ‘The Dirty Picture’
(2011), ‘Murder 2’ (2011), ‘Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji’ (2011),
‘Raaz 3’ (2012) and more. Did you consciously attempt to
embrace the unusual?
This is something that I had to hear at the very beginning of
my career - that I looked very unconventional, I didn’t fit the
‘hero’ mould. So, I had to kind of build my own space and
find my own characters that were heroic, but at the same
time, had a dose of twists, and had something different
and novel to engage the audience with. Therein came the
characters, which were kind of endearing and good at heart
but, at the same time, they did these devious things. They
were grey, but they won the hearts of the audience. So,
there was this dichotomy. And also a very interesting blend
of the good and bad that I could bring to the table. It wasn’t
ever the squeaky clean, righteous characters that I played
in films. I think what worked was the blend of good and evil
that lies within all of us. And that is what I portray through
my characters in my films. At the same time, they become
extremely endearing for the audience; the ride and the
journey that the character embarks on. So I think that was a
space that I found very early in my career. I was blessed to
have found that space because of the writers and the films
that I was offered. And that became part of my brand.
’
Your performances in the action thriller ‘Once Upon
A Time In Mumbaai’ (2010) and the political thriller
‘Shanghai’ (2012) garnered you Best Supporting Actor
nominations at the Filmfare Awards, while you were
also commended for ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’ (2015).
A decade or so later, what do you recall of those
performances and what made them special?
Well, at that point, it was as simple as being offered
good films and good characters, and I just felt blessed
that I could, in a way, portray a certain range to these
characters and films. ‘Once Upon A Time’ being a crime
drama; ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’ being a coming of age,
mature love story; ‘Shanghai’, a political thriller… For
the first five - six years of my career in the industry, I
was, in a way, typecast in films that were perceived as
bold thrillers. Breaking away from that was a task. But
there were a couple of turning points like ‘Jannat’, ‘Once
Upon A Time’, ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’, which turned the
tide around and made the audience realise that listen,
he can also do this. He is not just a one-trick pony. And
I think that has been my goal through and through. I
mean, you can see right now that the films I’m doing
are challenging what people perceive me to be. The RTO
officer in ‘Selfiee’ - people wouldn’t imagine me doing
this. But I was just blessed to have been offered the role.
And I give it everything and then it’s ultimately up to the
audience. But it has been my good fortune to have got
so many different characters to play.

’
“‘Selfiee’ was unlike
the rakish characters
that I have played in
the past. It was great
coming back with
Dharma, and working
with Akshay (Kumar)
for the first time.”
Do you continue to be fascinated with edgy,

dark cinema? The genre has come of age as
audience tastes have matured, and OTT also
offers varied options…
That is my genre of choice as a viewer, as an
audience member, first. And also, I like to believe
that the audience likes to see me in that space.
Having said that, you know, you can’t do just
that because there is a saturation point. And the
audience feels like, you know, what else is there
to see? That’s why it’s always good to give a mixed
bag to the audience. Yes, at the end of the day,
some of them work, some of them don’t. But if you
asked me my personal preference, I always steer
towards the rakish, rebellious characters that are
portrayed in a certain dark noir space. That’s my
personal take on it.

You have stayed clear of industry
cliques, and prefer for people to grow
to like you for who you are rather
than put your best foot forward and
be someone you are not. Has this
approach cost you films?
I think, for me, putting my best foot
forward is to be something that I am - not
something that I’m not. It’s just who I am
as a person - I can’t fake it beyond a point.
In the time and age we’re living in, if you
fake it, it comes across. There is the old
diktat that you fake it till you make it. But
I think I’ve established myself through the
love that I’ve got from the audience and
because of my work and work ethos, that I
don’t have to be anything apart from that.
I always believe that it’s my work that will
put me in the hearts of the audience and
make them like me. Everything else, the
peripheral stuff, at least in my experience,
doesn’t stand. And the audience picks up
“This is something that I had to hear at the
on that kind of artifice and fake approach. very beginning of my career - that I looked
So, I like to be just an honest version of who
I am. And I’ve always said this, from the very unconventional, I didn’t fit the ‘hero’
beginning of my career: If the audiences
accept me for who I am, then I’m okay with
mould. So, I had to kind of build my own
that. But I don’t want to be something I’m space and find my own characters that were
not because I can’t play that act for very
long. And in these times of social media heroic, but at the same time, had a dose
and with the glare and everyone’s opinions,
I think that glaring fake-ness comes across.
of twists, and had something different and
And I don’t want to be that. novel to engage the audience with.”

How different is the Emraan Hashmi of
today from the actor who started off in
the early 2000s?
“It wasn’t ever the
There are a lot of things, life experiences...
I can’t really define it and put it in words,
squeaky clean, righteous
but yeah, I mean, with age, there is
maturity, and in the way you look at the characters that I played in
films. I think what worked
world. Professional experiences build
up and you evolve as an actor. Personal
experiences, life hurdles, obstacles, those
kind of stack up and bring out a new
facet of you. For me, it’s always been this
was the blend of good
from the first day – to want to be the best
version of myself. And I always take this and evil that lies within
all of us. And that is what
approach. I don’t know how I change, but I
feel every day I move forward in life, I just
want to get better. It might be personally,
it might be professionally. Every day, just
kind of keep working on myself to get
I portray through my
better and better as a professional, as an
actor, as a father, as a husband, as a son. characters in my films.”
You once mentioned that the industry wanted
you to change, but you would not. Do you still
feel this way?
Sometimes the industry wants to box you up.
And it’s this constant battle of trying to veer
from being labelled as something and trying
your hand at something new. When you’re
successful at something, people want to replicate
that success. And they see that as a safety net.
If something is successful, they want to repeat
that. As an actor who strives to do something
different, and to be good in the fine arts, it’s
very important to take risks. So again, that’s a
dichotomy. It’s how to bring in the commercial
thing of making something different successful,
because when you do something different, you
stand the risk of failing even more. So, it’s kind
of a blend. Yes, I have played safe at times in my
career for commercial success. And then I’ve got
fed up of that. And from that saturation, I tried
something different and experimented, and I’ve
failed at that also. So, it’s ever-evolving, it’s ever-
changing. It’s not something that’s stagnant. You
know, maybe tomorrow, if I find my groove in a
genre, I might want to own that space and just
play with that space for some time. And that
might be seen as being repetitive. I had done
that before my career; I did so many thrillers that
were successful. So, it depends on the times.
“For me, putting my best foot

forward is to be something that I
am - not something that I’m not.
It’s just who I am as a person - I
can’t fake it beyond a point.”

“With age, there
is maturity,
and in the
way you look
at the world.
Professional
experiences
build up and
you evolve as an
actor. Personal
experiences,
life hurdles,
obstacles, those
kind of stack up
and bring out
a new facet of
you.”
What are some of the projects you
are occupied with currently? After
your spy thriller webseries ‘Bard Of
Blood’ (2019), are you exploring any
more webseries?
I’m doing ‘Showtime’, which is with
Disney Hotstar and Dharmatic. It’s too
early to say what the show is about
because we have just finished shooting
right now. Apart from that, there’s a
film with Excel, titled ‘Ground Zero’.
Yeah, that’s what I could talk about
right now.
Are you a 24x7 work-mode kind of

person? Tell us a little about your
“I’ve always said this, from the daily life.
beginning of my career: If the For the longest time, I have loved
audiences accept me for who I travelling. I have loved fitness. I’ve liked
the feel of fitness, wellness and health.
am, then I’m okay with that. But I I’m in Goa right now. So, whenever I
don’t want to be something I’m not have time off, like I was shooting three
days back, and then took off with
because I can’t play that act for family and friends for the weekend. I
very long.” spend time with family and keep myself
engaged with work even when I’m not
shooting, with scripts.

“For me, it’s always been
this from the first day – to
want to be the best version
of myself. And I always
take this approach. I don’t
know how I change, but
I feel every day I move
forward in life, I just want
to get better. Every day,
just kind of keep working
on myself to get better and
better as a professional, as
an actor, as a father, as a
husband, as a son.”
Your son Ayaan is a teenager now.
What’s it like parenting a teen?
Well, most of the parenting, you know,
is before that. He is slowly inching his
way towards independence. And, yeah,
I think it is a big change when your son
becomes a teenager. He just turned 13
in February, so yeah, a lot of changes. I
think as a parent it is very important to
kind of not forcefully steer him in one
direction in life, but to kind of facilitate
and guide him through and give him
opportunities like his education,
and whatever is facilitating that. And
finally, through his life, he will find his
own path. I don’t want to steer him
into anything. And, of course, being
there, whenever he needs guidance
for whatever it is, professionally - later
on in the field he wants to get into -
and in his personal life. Just be there,
just be someone who is a sounding
board whom he can talk to; not just
the father, but also a friend.
“For the longest time, I have loved

travelling. I have loved fitness. I’ve
liked the feel of fitness, wellness and
health. I spend time with family and
keep myself engaged with work even
when I’m not shooting, with scripts.”
“I’m doing
‘Showtime’, which is
with Disney Hotstar
and Dharmatic.
Apart from that,
there’s a film with
Excel, titled
‘Ground Zero’.”
“I’ve grown up seeing
Bhatt saab’s films, my
grandmother’s films.
There was always this
background score
going on… talk about
films we used to
watch at this theatre
opposite my house
– Ajanta Arts where
most of Bhatt saab’s
films used to screen.”
“I like taking up challenges,

Your family has associations with cinema that
go back several generations. Your grandmother
doing something different, Purnima was a leading star in the 1950s, and
you are also the nephew of Mahesh Bhatt. Do
and that, I will pursue you feel your fascination with film was a given?
I’ve grown up seeing Bhatt saab’s films, my
to my last day in this grandmother’s films. There was always this
background score going on… talk about films we
profession.” used to watch at this theatre opposite my house
– Ajanta Arts where most of Bhatt saab’s films
used to screen. So there was always a kind of
environment that we grew up in that probably had
an effect on me and the other siblings in the house.
But it was not like it was a given. I never had the
dream of becoming an actor. I actually wanted to
be something entirely different; I wanted to be a
pilot, at one point. It was not like this star kid who’s
always had a dream of being an actor, like ‘I’ll turn
20-25 and I’ll pursue my career in acting’. It was
never that, although I was born and brought up in
a film family. I think it just happened, things just
steered and I went this way. But, in a way, I think
the environment kind of facilitated that, took me
in that direction.
Any goals, personal and professional, that

you’re working on to achieve?
Like I said, I just want to get better as an actor with
each film with whatever is offered to me with the
scripts and characters. I like taking up challenges,
doing something different, and that, I will pursue
to my last day in this profession. So yeah, just
keep evolving as an actor and constantly giving
something to the audience that’s new, that’s novel,
and to hopefully keep entertaining them.

Health Check
Aging - The Healthy Way

Aging comes with challenges.
But these renowned doctors
show you how to stay on top
of your game.
Dr Manoj Chawla, MBBS, Diploma in Diabetology; Director
& Consultant Diabetologist at Lina Diabetes Care &
Mumbai Diabetes Research Centre; Elected All India
Executive Committee Member, RSSDI; Technology Task
Force Member, RSSDI; Scientific Chairperson of Diabetes
India 2023; Principal Investigator for various global clinical
trials for new antidiabetic drugs.
Staying Healthy After 50
Aging causes your organs to get old too. This results in a range of
health problems in 50+ men. Most men develop their first chronic
condition in their 50s and that progresses to complications by
the 70s. This is usually because the nutrient intake of 50+ men
is insufficient to optimally support healthy aging. The general Another common issue faced by older men is BPE (benign
health conditions they face are physical, emotional, cognitive, prostate enlargement), which is an age-related condition
and social issues. Multiple comorbidities such as diabetes, that irritates or obstructs the bladder when enlarged, and
CVD, and asthma are common. These conditions accelerate can cause frequent uncomfortable urinary symptoms. This
the process of cognitive decline due to hormonal imbalances in negatively affects quality of life and may lead to chronic
the brain. What we ingest has a direct effect on the production, kidney problems or prostate cancer. Lifestyle factors such
regulation, and secretion of our hormones. Nutrition plays a as dietary changes can be quite effective in managing the
vital role to develop and sustain normal cognitive functions. symptoms as well as the prevention of BPE. Nutrients along
Also, adequate intake of micronutrients helps to regulate blood with antioxidants modulate the hormonal and enzymatic
pressure, maintain hormonal balance, and improve memory. activity to reduce the risk of BPE significantly.
Dr Sanjay Kumavat, MCPS, DPM (Psychiatry); MD Nutrition has a significant impact on sleep wellness. Natural
(Psychiatry); Consultant Psychiatrist at Jupiter ingredients, amino acids and micronutrients play an important role
Hospital, Fortis and Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai; in restoring sleep and regulating the circadian rhythm. Sleep aids
Director of Insight Mind Care Centre, Thane; Former based on plant extracts along with neuroprotective nutrients are
Deputy Director, Health Services, Govt of Maharashtra; generally safe and well tolerated by the population. Certain nutrients
Medical Superintendent, Regional Mental Hospital, have established efficacy to relieve anxiety and improve mood.
Thane; Secretary - State Mental Health Authority, Stress management is
Govt of Maharashtra. key to a good night’s sleep
along with a balanced diet
Say Goodbye To Insomnia and exercise.
Healthy sleep has three components - how much sleep one
gets, sleep quality, a consistent sleep schedule. Excess worry Some sleep hygiene tips
and fear make it harder to fall asleep. Sleep deprivation can include: Regular bedtime,
worsen anxiety, spurring a negative cycle involving insomnia light dinner, avoiding tea,
and anxiety disorders that adversely affect metabolism, coffee, colas and alcohol
particularly glucose. In India, more than 5% of the population before bedtime, reading
and 30% of professionals are suffering from primary a book or listening to
insomnia. There is a higher incidence of sleep cycle disruption music. Maintain good
with increasing age, modern lifestyle and comorbidities sleep decorum which
such as diabetes. Elevated stress levels also influence sleep includes dim light, no
patterns. Sleep deprivation has been reported to negatively noise, no TV or mobile
impact the metabolic, endocrine, and immune systems. usage, soothing air etc.

Dr Gagan Priya, MBBS, MD, DM Endocrinology; Senior Consultant
Endocrinologist at Fortis Hospital, Mohal; Editor of several books
on endocrinology, international publications and book chapters;
Founder & President of FLAME (Forum of Ladies in Medicine), and
the Brand Ambassador of DiaBeaters, plus the Associate Editor of
DiaBeaters India.
Coping With Menopause
Menopausal transition is an important period in a woman’s life
typically marked by the stopping of menstrual cycles and a decrease
in the function of the ovaries. Many women may also experience
varied symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, pain
during intercourse, urinary incontinence, mood swings, disturbed
sleep and fatigue. The risk of osteoporosis and fractures rises.
Menopause is also associated with metabolic disturbances such as
a tendency to gain weight and increased risk of diabetes mellitus,
hypertension and heart disease. Some women may also complain
of impaired psychological well-being, anxiety or depression.
A healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet, optimal intake of Unfortunately, most women do not meet the
essential nutrients, physical activity, adequate sleep, avoiding recommended dietary intake of most micronutrients. The
substance abuse and spending time for relaxation can go a long use of well-balanced health supplements can augment
way in ensuring a smooth menopausal transition. Women should and fulfill the dietary needs of a woman at this time.
ensure that they are taking adequate protein, calcium, and vitamin
D to maintain their bone health and prevent osteoporosis later. With a healthy wellness regimen, women can
The body also needs sufficient amounts of vitamins, minerals reinvent themselves and redefine menopause as
and antioxidants to reduce inflammatory and metabolic stress. “ME…NO…PAUSE”.
Dr Rohit Batra, MD (Dermatology, Venereology

& Leprology); Medical Director at Dermaworld
Skin and Hair Clinic based in Delhi; President
of IADVL Delhi; Consultant at the prestigious Sir
Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi; He is a regular
speaker at various national and international
conferences.
Healthy Hair Awaits
More than 50% of women are predicted to go
through visible hair loss at some point in their
lives. Thinning, damaging, or abnormal shedding
of hair not only impairs the physical protection of
the scalp, but also affects quality of life. Triggers for
hair loss can be hormonal dysfunction, insufficient
sleep, underlying medical condition, or even tight
hairstyles, dyes and chemical treatments. From
dietary deficiencies to stress, hair loss in women can
have several causes. Inadequate intake of nutrients
leading to micronutrient deficiencies typically
manifests as changes in the scalp and hair.
Healthy hair indicates the adequacy of nutrients

in the body. Like how a flower needs healthy soil
to bloom, our hair needs necessary vitamins and
minerals to be healthy from the inside and shine
from outside. The supplementation of vitamins Hormonal imbalance and dysregulation of hair growth cycles can be
and minerals, together with a healthy lifestyle improved with nutritional support. Micronutrients have scientifically
and balanced diet, can contribute to the well- established a role in the management of hair health. Supplementing
being of hair. Micronutrients are important for deficient micronutrients like iron, vitamin D, folate, and vitamin B12
hair growth and thus suitable to offset hair fall. can prevent premature greying.

Product Reviews
Shopper’s Choice
Here’s a peek at some of our favourite things.
Cool Closet
Rugged Chic
A hike through the Swiss mountains, filled with adventure, breathtaking
views and high on energy - that’s the inspiration behind the new
Victorinox Journey 1884 range of watches. The design pays tribute to
its inspiration with a hand design replicating the Swiss hiking signs, a
dial featuring the rough texture of a hiking path, and a sporty rubber
strap. Shock and water-resistant, this resilient collection, with easily
adjustable straps, is designed to weather every adventure.
Shop at: Victorinox stores and online portals

Check it out at: www.victorinox.com
Grooming Kit
The Sweet Touch

When they say chocolate is good for you, they
definitely mean for your skin. And the proof is in
the Cocoalicious range of skincare products from
Skivia. Infused with cocoa, it nourishes, moisturises
and claims to reverse skin damage; leaving you
with healthy, radiant skin. Combined with other
nourishing ingredients, each product offers an
indulgent and fragrant experience that pleases the
senses. Free from parabens and sulphates, this
range of products is refreshing, rejuvenating and
promises to be a sweet treat for your skin.
Cocoalicious Body Oil Cocoalicious Lip Scrub Cocoalicious Lip Balm
Shop At: skivia.in
₹314 ₹209 ₹209
Cocoalicious 2-in-1 Face Cocoalicious Face Mask Cocoalicious Body Wash Cocoalicious Body Scrub
Wash & Scrub ₹349 ₹300 ₹314 ₹279
20 Society Achievers - March 2023 Compiled by Amber Dias

Legends &
Achievers
They are bold, brave and brilliant; and constantly working to improve the
world in their own unique ways. Meet the men and women who prove every
day that ‘never say die’ is their motto.

Global Indian
Ajay Banga: An Ideal

World Bank President
Candidate
One of the most
accomplished
professionals in the
world, Ajay Banga has
been delivering on
profit and purpose.
There are reasons
aplenty as to why he
was nominated by the
US for the World Bank
top job…
By George Soman
Frissons of excitement ran through the country and

diaspora as US President Joe Biden announced that
the United States was nominating Ajay Banga, “a
business leader with extensive experience leading
successful organisations in developing countries and
forging public-private partnerships to address financial
inclusion and climate change,” to be President of the
World Bank.
The sheer delight his nomination sparked was reflected
in Derek O’Brien, Trinamool Congress spokesperson’s,
tweet: “What a champion you are, Ajay Banga… From
Kolkata Branch Manager of @Nestle dreaming up the
Maggi Quizzes three decades ago, to this!”

Ajay Banga has indeed come a long way. A naturalised US He also has critical experience mobilising public-private
citizen raised in India, he could become the first person resources to tackle the most urgent challenges of our
of Indian origin to assume the prestigious post, should time, including climate change. Raised in India, Ajay has a
the board of directors approve his nomination. As the unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges
largest stakeholder in the institution, the US usually facing developing countries and how the World Bank can
selects who will lead the World Bank; however, other deliver on its ambitious agenda to reduce poverty and
countries have yet to put forward their own nominees. expand prosperity.”
If appointed, Banga would succeed David Malpass, who Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen noted that Banga’s
announced recently that he intends to step down at the experience “will help him achieve the World Bank’s objectives
end of June. of eliminating extreme poverty and expanding shared
Leading Banga’s nomination, the statement from prosperity while pursuing the changes needed to effectively
President Biden read: “Ajay is uniquely equipped to evolve the institution,” which include meeting “ambitious
lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history. goals for climate adaptation and emissions reduction.”
He has spent more than three decades building and Over the course of his career, Banga has served as
managing successful, global companies that create jobs advisor to governments, companies and organisations
and bring investment to developing economies, and of all kinds, advocating for partnership and systems that
guiding organizations through periods of fundamental deliver on profit and purpose.
change. He has a proven track record managing people
and systems, and partnering with global leaders around
the world to deliver results. A Suitable Choice
The US Government has nominated Ajay Banga mainly
for his expertise in handling global challenges including
“A business leader with climate change, which is its topmost priority. World
extensive experience leading Bank has often been criticised for being hostile to
undeveloped nations. Banga has extensive experience
successful organisations in lending in the developing world and in advocating for
in developing countries equity and the environment. His nomination is a strong
and forging public-private signal that the United States wants to help developing
countries switch to greener forms of energy. His track
partnerships to address record is stellar, including 15 years at Citigroup, rising
financial inclusion and to lead the behemoth’s Asian operations, before taking
charge of Mastercard.
climate change.” What’s more, Banga is a bona fide climate financier.
By choosing a banker who cares about the planet,
- US President Joe Biden Washington indicates that green finance (structured
financial activity that’s been created to ensure a better
environmental outcome) is a political priority.
Banga, with his close ties to emerging markets, could well
assume a job that oversees billions of dollars of funding.
The Promise Of Things To Come

Biden’s faith in Banga is amply justified. Banga is
considered one of the most accomplished professionals
in the world. His candidature to lead the 189-nation
World Bank, which fights poverty and intends to put
climate change at the forefront, is entirely apt. Banga is
renowned for openly expressing his concern about the
difficulty of addressing climate change. Under his past
leadership as CEO, Mastercard, he spearheaded the
effort to form the Priceless Planet Coalition in 2020. This
was a collection of around 100 businesses dedicated to
making financial contributions to halt environmental
degradation.
As writer Michael Sheldrick points out in ‘Forbes’,
“With his vast experience in the private sector, Banga
has the potential to bring constructive changes
to the organisation.If he effectively leverages his
skills and expertise, Banga’s leadership could mean
transformational reform at the World Bank, which is
an urgent necessity in light of the pressing issues of
extreme poverty and the climate crisis our world is facing.

A naturalised US
citizen raised in India,
he could become the
first person of Indian
origin to assume
the prestigious post
[President of the World
Bank], should the board
of directors approve his
nomination.
This is a prime opportunity for change that
must be seized without delay, and some
leading voices are hopeful that Banga will
rise to the occasion.”
Vouching for Banga’s climate credentials,
Lord Nicholas Stern of the London School
of Economics emphasised that under
Banga’s leadership, Mastercard was a
leader in setting targets for net zero and
the first such institution to gain approval
from the Science-Based Targets initiative.
This is considered the optimal approach in
corporate climate action.
Hailing his nomination, Luis Alberto
Moreno, who worked closely with Banga
while serving as President of the Inter-
American Development Bank, said that
Banga’s work in India and other emerging Banga is a bona fide climate financier.
markets, his “obsession” with expanding
financial inclusion, and his deep knowledge By choosing a banker who cares about
of new technologies could help bridge
the divide between rich countries and
the planet, Washington indicates that
emerging markets. green finance is a political priority.

Banga is also a passionate supporter of closer connections
“If he effectively leverages between India and the US. In 2019, he asserted that the
world needs a “mahagathbandhan” of the sort represented
his skills and expertise, by the Indo-US strategic relationship, and that the “two
greatest democracies” can contribute to this.
Banga’s leadership could
mean transformational A Valuable Journey
reform at the World Bank, Ajay Banga currently serves as Vice Chairman at General
Atlantic. Previously, he was President and CEO of
which is an urgent necessity Mastercard, leading the company through a strategic,
in light of the pressing technological and cultural transformation.
According to the White House website, over the
issues of extreme poverty course of his career, Banga has become a global
leader in technology, data, financial services and
and the climate crisis our innovating for inclusion. He is honorary Chairman
world is facing.” of the International Chamber of Commerce, serving
as Chairman from 2020-2022. He is also Chairman
- Michael Sheldrick of Exor and independent director at Temasek.

Luis Alberto Moreno said that
Banga’s work in India and
other emerging markets, his
“obsession” with expanding
financial inclusion, and his deep
knowledge of new technologies
could help bridge the divide
between rich countries and
emerging markets.
He has worked closely with
Vice President Harris as the
Co-Chair of the Partnership for
Central America, to mobilise
resources for Northern
Central America from the
governmental, corporate, and
non-profit sectors.
He became an advisor to General Atlantic’s climate-
focused fund, BeyondNetZero, at its inception in 2021. He
previously served on the boards of the American Red Cross,
Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. He has also worked closely with
Vice President Harris as the Co-Chair of the Partnership
for Central America, to mobilise resources for Northern
Central America from the governmental, corporate, and
non-profit sectors.
He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a founding
trustee of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum, a
former member of the National Committee on United
States-China Relations, and Chairman Emeritus of the
American India Foundation.
Banga is Co-Founder of the Cyber Readiness Institute,
Vice Chair of the Economic Club of New York, and served
as a member of President Obama’s Commission on
Enhancing National Cybersecurity. He is a past member
of the U.S. President’s Advisory Committee for Trade
Policy and Negotiations.
Awarded the Foreign Policy Association Medal in 2012,
he was also awarded the Padma Shri by the President
of India in 2016, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the
Business Council for International Understanding’s Global
Leadership Award in 2019, and the Distinguished Friends
of Singapore Public Service Star in 2021.
Did you know…?

When Banga was the Chief Operating Officer at Mastercard, he earned a whopping ₹52,60,000 per day, till
he retired from the company last year. His earnings of US$23,250,000 per year at Mastercard translated to
approximately ₹1,92,32,46,975.
As per CNBC, Banga’s net worth was US$206 million in 2021. This translates to over Rs 1700 crore. He has
US$113,123,489 worth of Mastercard stocks. Over the last 13 years, he sold stocks worth lakhs of dollars.
‘A Leader Listens’ is a reproduction of Ajay Banga’s inspiring convocation address delivered at IIM Ahmedabad
in March 2015. He demonstrates the key responsibilities of being a good leader in today’s world. Among
other points, he emphasises that the world is getting smaller and more interdependent, which makes
leadership and developing a sense of globality more important than ever. According to Banga, the leaders
of today need to understand the value of their time and develop the need for urgency, but not at the
cost of listening — to clients and employees. Taking thoughtful risks and being competitively paranoid are
qualities that should be ingrained in today’s leaders. Listening is the first step to true knowledge, and a
good leader knows that knowledge is invaluable, he stresses.

Early Days
He was born Ajaypal Singh Banga on November 10, 1959,
in Khadki cantonment of Pune, Bombay State, where his
What is a naturalised US citizen?
father, a Lieutenant General in the Indian Army, was Naturalisation is the process to become a US
posted at the time. Belonging to the Sikh faith, his family citizen for those born outside of the United States.
is originally from Jalandhar, Punjab. Eligibility includes factors such as being at least 18
Schooled at St Edward’s School, Shimla, and at the years of age at the time of filing the application;
Hyderabad Public School in Hyderabad, he went on to being a lawful permanent resident for the past
graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in
three or five years (depending on category); having
Economics from St Stephen’s College, Delhi. He followed
it up with a PGP in Management (equivalent to MBA)
continuous residence and physical presence in
from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. the United States; good moral character etc.
In 1981, he started his career with Nestle, where he
worked for 13 years. He later joined PepsiCo, and has
also worked with Citigroup and Nestle in India. Over his
30+ years of experience, he has been on the boards of According to the White House
American Red Cross, Kraft Foods and Dow Inc. Banga
was a naturalised US citizen in 2007. website, over the course of his
After 12 years at the helm of Mastercard, he retired in December career, Banga has become a
2021. During his tenure, he is acknowledged for helping 500
million unbanked people join the digital economy. He also global leader in technology,
averted layoffs of the bank’s 19,000 employees during the
Covid-19 pandemic, and led work on climate, gender, and
data, financial services and
sustainable agriculture. innovating for inclusion.

She was also a member of the women’s lacrosse team. She
went on to earn her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of
Business. She has worked for major tech companies such as
Instagram and Facebook.
Ajay Banga’s brother, Manvinder “Vindi” Singh Banga, is an Indian
businessman. He is a senior partner at the private equity fund
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. An IIT Delhi graduate and an IIM-A MBA,
he worked for Unilever for 33 years, serving as Chairman and
CEO. Banga is a non-executive director on the boards of Glaxo
Smith Kline, Thomson Reuters and Marks & Spencer. He is also
on the board of the Confederation of British Industry. He served
on the Prime Minister of India’s Council for Trade & Industry
from 2004 to 2014. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the
President of India in 2010. He was appointed as Chair of the UK
Government Investments.
He is a member of the
Trilateral Commission, a
founding trustee of the U.S.-
India Strategic Partnership
Forum, a former member of
the National Committee on
United States-China Relations,
and Chairman Emeritus of the
American India Foundation.
What is the World Bank?

Meet The Bangas
The World Bank is an international development
Banga’s wife Ritu is the Co-Founder of Zoomdojo, a consulting organisation owned by 187 countries. Its goal
firm. Holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lady
is to eradicate poverty by providing financial
Shri Ram College, she earned an MBA from Indian Institute
of Management, Ahmedabad. Her professional experience
assistance to the governments of its less wealthy
includes being on the advisory board of South Asian Youth members in order to boost their economies
Action; member of the National Advisory Council of Virtual and raise the standard of life for their people.
Enterprises International; investor and advisory board In terms of research facilities, the World Bank
member at SmartPurse – the money coaching and learning is among the biggest in the world. It includes
e-toolbox; investor and advisory board member at QuadFi, specialist divisions that counsel nations on
a Canadian online lender; and a member of the Board of issues pertaining to health, education, nutrition,
Fellows, Weill Cornell Medicine. finance, justice, law, and the environment. The
His elder daughter Jojo (Jyotika) Banga was born in 1991 in World Bank Institute, a different division of the
the US. She attended the prestigious Harvard College for bank, provides local research and educational
undergraduate studies in 2009. She graduated Magna Cum facilities for local government and other official
Laude with high honours in 2013. According to her LinkedIn
training. Founded in 1944 to aid in the post-
profile, she is senior director, Growth at CLEAR, New York City
Metropolitan Area. Her experience includes manager, brand World War II reconstruction of Europe and Japan,
strategy and integrated marketing at Peloton Interactive; HBS it was formerly known as the International Bank
Leadership Fellow; and associate at McKinsey & Company. for Reconstruction and Development. It had 38
Younger daughter Aditi Banga is a digital strategist. Born in members when it originally started functioning
1993, Aditi completed her undergraduate studies in economics in 1946. The majority of the world’s countries are
and psychology from Harvard College. During her time at currently members.
Harvard, she served as the Vice President of the Harvard
Democrats and worked on a number of political campaigns.

Global Icon
The Year of Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh is finally
getting the roles and
global recognition she
deserves. But the road to
becoming the first Asian
actress to secure the
Oscar for Best Actress
In a Leading Role has
had its fair share of
roses and thorns.
By Tsunami Costabir
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ has become the buzz

around town, winning every possible prestigious award,
and leading lady Michelle Yeoh’s stellar performance has
been lauded, celebrated and how!
Over her four-decade-long career, Michelle

has been battered, bruised, and rejected,
but she hasn’t relented. And it doesn’t look
like she’s ready to stop any time soon.
Her message goes out not just to the

youth of the world but to anyone
with a dream. Anyone who has ever
been told that they’re too old, too
ethnic, too bold — or too anything.
Michelle huddles between extremes
and breaks any and all barriers that
show up in between.
To better understand the person in

question, here’s a fun story: While
filming for a stunt, she leapt off a
speeding van onto a convertible,
bounced off the windshield, and
had a near-death experience as she
tumbled onto the pavement. She
then got up and did the stunt again.

History Maker
2023 marks the year Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian
and the second woman of colour to win the Academy
Award for Best Actress for her performance in ‘Everything
Everywhere All At Once’. In the artiste’s own words, she
“kung fu’d the glass ceiling” with her historic best actress
win. On Oscars night, the film went on to win seven of the 11
nominations, including Best Picture. Among its other wins
were Best Original Screenplay and Best Director for the duo
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
Michelle gushed while accepting her Oscar, “For all the little
boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a
beacon of hope and possibilities. This is proof to dream big,
and dreams do come true.” She went on to add: “Ladies,
don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
Michelle already made history with just a nomination. At the

time, she said her Oscar win would be, “for a whole community
of Asians who need their stories told.” With her award, she has
also entered the history books for becoming the first Malaysian-
born performer to be honoured with a Best Actress Oscar.
Yeoh’s secret to success just might be the way she takes

failure in her stride. Once you make a mistake, you “know
what you didn’t do right.” So it’s the perfect time for you to
get back up and try it again, she told a publication.
Where It Started
Born on 6th August 1962 in Ipoh, Perak, to a Malaysian-
Chinese family, Michelle started learning ballet at age 4. At 16,
she moved to London to study dance at the Royal Academy.
At the time, she dreamed of a career in ballet, but her limbs
were declared “hopelessly stubby” by the faculty of the school.
She continued to pursue her dream, hoping to be a teacher of
dance, but a back injury thwarted that plan.
Upon her return, her mother entered her in the Miss World
“Light that fire in your soul and stay Malaysia beauty pageant. Michelle was reluctant but complied
in the hopes to “shut her up”. After winning the pageant, she
on the path. Believe. Dare to dream. competed in the Miss World pageant in London and then
Because if you don’t dream, it’s took part in the Moomba festival’s international beauty
impossible. Nothing is impossible. competition in Melbourne, Australia, in the March of 1984.
Look at me; I’m here.”

Michelle’s first working job was a commercial with Jackie
- Michelle Yeoh Chan. In the ad, she rides past Chan on a scooter, catches his
eye and causes him to fall off his bicycle. A startup production

say: Stop or I’ll shoot!” only to see her flip backward, shatter
glass, and leap across escalators to kick goons!
In 2000, Michelle starred in her first Mandarin-language
martial arts film, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. The
critically-acclaimed film was nominated for 10 Academy
Awards and won four. Michelle’s performance earned her a
BAFTA Best Actress nomination.
Vetted By The Industry
Michelle’s triumphant return to the screen alongside
Jackie Chan in ‘Police Story 3’, better known in America as
‘Supercop’, caught the attention of many. “I was just a huge,
company in Hong Kong saw the ad and cast Michelle in her

first two film roles – first as a damsel-in-distress and then as
an action hero. Her ballet skills only helped. “[Because of]
years of training as a ballerina, as a dancer, I was able to learn
movements in a very short period of time,” she said. Yeoh and
Chan’s on-screen partnership would go on to span 15 films.
She has opened up about facing discrimination in Hollywood,
with people questioning if she “even speaks English.” After
her 1997 role in the Bond film ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’, she
didn’t work for two years because of the stereotypical offers
she received.
Michelle exudes a message for young people through her
unrelenting work. “My guiding light is you do it because
you want to do it — with passion. Our life is a gift, and
hopefully, when it’s time to go, I will say: I lived it to the
fullest,” she says.
Way To The Top

According to her impressive IMDb profile, Michelle currently
has 59 acting credits under her belt. Much of those ventures
have been blockbuster films, but some of her buzziest work
has actually been for the small screen, including her role in
‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’.
In the 1985 film ‘Yes, Madam!’, she played the role of a
detective. About audience expectations, Michelle says with
a chuckle, “They expected that I would just pull a gun and
Michelle Yeoh became the first

Asian and the second woman
of colour to win the Academy
Award for Best Actress.
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She didn’t work for
two years because
of the stereotypical
offers she received.
huge fan of hers. There was always a twinkle in her eye,”
director Quentin Tarantino has commented. According
to him, that was the movie that motivated Uma Thurman
during the filming of ‘Kill Bill’.
Paul Feig, American filmmaker and writer, recalls his first
dinner with Yeoh. “I was terrified. I thought this stoic person
could beat me up,” he said. But, instead, Michelle made him
laugh so hard, he cast her in his next two comedies, ‘Last
Christmas’ and ‘The School for Good and Evil’.
In ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’, she’s a
shapeshifter who embodies multiple emotions in a
scene. She plays dozens of Evelyns: Blind Evelyn, Chef
Evelyn, Actress Evelyn, an Evelyn with hot dogs for
hands and an Evelyn made of rocks, showing her facility
to switch between comedy and martial arts and then
real emotion. Jaime Lee Curtis, her co-star, says by way
of explaining her admiration: “I challenge anybody to
come up with a better performance.”

When asked what it meant to the Daniels to craft a cinematic
love letter, Daniel Kwan said, “When I think about my love
letters, when I truly love someone and write to them, they aren’t
precious. They’re wild, and they’re, they’re inside jokes, and
they’re filled with just a room for that person to grow.” He added
with reference to Michelle, “I think what we did by accident was
we created a love letter to Michelle Yeoh in which we gave her
that space to grow, which is what real love is, right? This movie
was able to hold all of her past in a small pocket, but also, it just
opens up the world and says, ‘You deserve to show off so much
more of who you are and what you’re capable of’.”
Michelle was said to be a lot more vulnerable and funny
than the Daniels imagined or expected. On working with
Michelle on set, Daniel Scheinert said: “It’s hard to faze her.
Also, Jamie Lee gave Michelle a huge boost of confidence.
The two of them would take turns doing such crazy things,
like partners in crime.”
On A Personal Note
Michelle Yeoh was previously married to businessman
Dickson Poon for four years, from 1988 to 1992. A few years
after her divorce from Poon, she became engaged to Dr
Alan Heldman, an American cardiologist from Baltimore,
who met Michelle in London during her movie tour for the
James Bond film ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’. Heldman popped
the question in 1999, but the two parted ways in June 2000.
Michelle Yeoh “kung fu’d

the glass ceiling” with her
historic best actress win.

“If this is your
passion, this is
your love, you have
to stand up for
yourself and for
what you believe
in and for what you
want to do.”
- Michelle Yeoh
Michelle is now engaged to longtime partner Jean Todt, the
recently retired president of the Fédération Internationale
de l’Automobile. The federation oversees the Formula
One World Championship. The couple met in Shanghai in Looking Forward
2004 and became engaged the next year. Michelle doesn’t “I go forward because life is about moving forward.
drive: “I’m hopeless. I’ve taken my own licence and put it Failures make us stronger.” Michelle has several (about
in the safe!” she says. Michelle and Jean are rumoured to 11) major movies on the horizon, four of them expect
be tying the knot this year. to release in 2023. At 60 years old, Michelle’s career is
While she doesn’t have any children, she has been very open nowhere near its end!
about her desire for them. Fertility issues have prevented the
actress from having kids of her own and were the reason for
her ending her marriage with Poon. In an interview, Michelle
said: “As it turned out, I was unable [to have children]. And
if I’m being honest with myself, I didn’t want for us to be
bitter 10 years down the road. Because in Asian families,
people want to have sons and daughters [because] they are
an extension and a legacy.
“When you have the realisation [that you can’t have kids],
you have to deal with it. You deal with the curveballs that
are thrown at you.”
“Ladies, don’t let

anybody tell you you’re
ever past your prime.”
- Michelle Yeoh

Her secret to success just
might be the way she takes
failure in her stride.
Lessons from the GOAT

What sets her apart from the rest is her ability to harness
diverging creative talents. She has power-packed action
movies like Jackie Chan with the acting abilities of a Meryl
Streep type.
Part of her success can be owed to her work ethic.
Something that people from the east have ingrained in
them. Michelle recalls her early days on the American film
set, where she was rather surprised by the pace at which
things happened. “In the East, we don’t have the time or
money for long setups. We work efficiently and quickly,”
she says.
Even a character like Elenor Young from ‘Crazy Rich
Asians’, she took as an opportunity to showcase the varied
dimensions of Asian mothers. Only Michelle could pull off
the role of the evil antagonist and be adored the way she
was. The Asian community around the world resonated
with that nurturing, committed and dutiful mother.
Time and again, she manages to understand and portray
the true depths of the characters she plays, with all their
nuances. She doesn’t take up roles just for fun. She
commits to the “sincerity of the character”, acting out the
depth of emotion it calls for.
There’s so much to learn from this iconic powerhouse of
a human and artiste. After her Oscar win in 2023, she told
reporters backstage while holding up her award, “If this is
your passion, this is your love, you have to stand up for

What sets her apart from the
rest is her ability to harness
diverging creative talents.

Time and again, she manages
to understand and portray the
true depths of the characters
she plays, with all their
nuances. She doesn’t take up
roles just for fun.
yourself and for what you believe in and for what you want
to do. I’m still here today… Finally, after 40 years, I get this.”
Yeoh continued: “Light that fire in your soul and stay on the
path. Believe. Dare to dream. Because if you don’t dream,
it’s impossible. Nothing is impossible. Look at me; I’m here.”
Her performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’
was the performance of a lifetime. When she read the
script, she knew it was something she’d been waiting for
“for a long time.” She felt like it was the first time someone
understood her potential. “To be funny, to be real, to be
sad - finally, someone understood that I can do all of those
things,” she said.

“I was just a huge, huge fan
of hers. There was always a
twinkle in her eye.”
- Quentin Tarantino
Michelle is a trailblazer for Asians and women around the

world. The kind of person we would call limitless. No barriers
of discrimination with race, gender or age have managed to
curtail her creative and artistic genius.

Business
“ Learning is the only

constant in life.”
Entrepreneur Subodh Narain Agrawal opens up
about his passion for business and making a
difference with every endeavour he undertakes.
By Nichola Marie
A seasoned entrepreneur with What are the key factors that powered your entrepreneurial journey?
decades of top-level global I believe there are seven elements that are key to becoming a successful
business experience, the UK- entrepreneur in any field. Self-belief, Curiosity, Risk-seeking attitude, Ability
based Subodh Narain Agrawal to convert challenges into opportunities, Perseverance, Willpower, and
has built a multi-domain group Luck. However, these could never become possible without building strong
with business interests in relationships, which is the crux of every business venture.
sectors as diverse as new-age
digital technology, renewable
energy, investment banking, How much did your upbringing and environment contribute to your
commodities trading, natural growth as an entrepreneur?
resources, mining and more. In I come from a business family community called baniyas, who are considered
this interaction, this Founder the best business-minded people in India. I was brought up among some
and Executive Chairman of of the best leaders in the world and was privileged to be a part of such a
Biocube Technologies shares community. Although my family has a flourishing business, I decided to take
insights into his entrepreneurial a leap of faith and entered a self-built path, which eventually transformed
journey… into what it is today.
With Shri Eknath Shinde, Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra (L), and
Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (R).

You founded Biocube… What are the key ways in which Biocube
benefits users? “There are seven
Biocube is very close to my heart. I began working on Biocube as a
result of challenges I encountered personally. During a visit to Russia,
elements that are
due to the change in the visa issuing policy, there was a requirement for
biometrics and visiting a visa centre physically. I faced several hassles
key to becoming
during the process and realised subsequently that the majority of the
population needs a visa to travel everywhere and some others need
a successful
a visa for selected countries due to reciprocal arrangements. Looking
at the inconvenience for all travellers, I decided that there should be a
entrepreneur in any
system through which people could apply for a visa remotely, and not field: Self-belief,
compromise the security of the nation’s border. As a result, I started
working on this concept of a digital biometric visa, which is the first Curiosity, Risk-seeking
stepping stone for Biocube.
A year later, my identity was stolen and, as a result, I lost lots of funds. attitude, Ability to
Subsequently, I discovered that hundreds of thousands of financial
frauds happen daily. Driven by a passion that no one should go convert challenges
through what I have gone through, and that identity fraud should
come to a full stop, I decided to enhance the product to become
into opportunities,
a comprehensive platform for a new paradigm of user identity. I
am so happy and satisfied that finally the research, innovation and
Perseverance,
development is successfully completed from India, which is now
patented. We successfully went to market with our product last year.
Willpower, and Luck.”
With Family - Elder daughter Tarunna (L), wife Abhinanda

(Ctr), and younger daughter Shruti (R).

“Biocube is the world’s
first and only artificial
intelligence and data
analytics-enabled multi-
factor and multimodal
biometric identity platform
that truly redefines the
paradigm of identity
verification.”
Biocube is the world’s first and only artificial intelligence
and data analytics-enabled multi-factor and multimodal
biometric identity platform that truly redefines the
paradigm of identity verification. In today’s digital world,
when we consume 80% of our day-to-day services in a
digital format using our smartphones and laptops, identity
authentication is key. And that should be done without
disrupting the user experience and maintaining the utmost
security of user data, which is possible with Biocube.
Biocube will help the world eliminate fraud, curtail ID theft,
make verification faster, and assure user convenience at each With Mr Bill Clinton,Honorable Former
President, United States.
stage. At Biocube, we offer a range of products and services
that benefit global organisations and government bodies.
With HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.

We also have a product called BioKYC, which is targeted toward
full-fledged digital remote KYC with zero risk of ID fraud. The “I believe creating a better world
IDenTrip product is focussed on digitising passenger journey
at the airport, railways or any transit hub - and no paper for our future generation is our
document verification is required. Similarly, we also have
solutions for healthcare, education, tourism, agriculture, law responsibility.”
and order, and border security, among others.
With Mr Rudy Giuliani, Honorable Former Mayor of New York. With Mr Lior Suchard, the Master Mentalist.
Biocube is also aligned with the United Nation’s You co-founded Sunways Global. What spurred your
sustainability development goals. It not only eliminates interest in clean energy?
fraud and makes people’s lives more convenient, but it I have been a keen initiator of renewable energy. In 1995,
also helps minimise paper usage and reduces carbon I first initiated the launch of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in
emissions by the usage of additional hardware and India because it produces 40% lower carbon dioxide (CO2)
devices. than coal and causes a direct environmental impact. As we
are seeing, global warming has become a critical issue for
mankind and every country and global bodies like the UN,
What are your learnings from leading a multi-domain UNESCO, and WEF are putting a greener environment as
business group? their key agenda. I believe creating a better world for our
I do not come from a technical background. When the future generation is our responsibility, and that is the story
journey of creating Biocube began, it was a black box. of the germination of the Sunways Global venture.
The only thing I was very clear about was the concept of
the platform and the belief that it could be developed.
And with God’s grace and years of persistent effort in How fulfilling has this enterprise been?
research and development, we have been able to create Sunways is focused on decentralised solar energy, and
such a globally unique platform, offering products in 10 solving the critical problem of global environmental
different verticals. I’m happy to tell you, we started our issues. It gives power to the last mile connectivity, saves
go-to-market in 2022. And, within a short span of time, wastage of transmission loss, and helps farmers go to their
we conducted numerous pilots in multiple domains and farmland in the night time. Sunways has a current pipeline
finally converted projects across four continents with of 1000MW projects, focussed in India, South East Asia and
government and private bodies. Shortly, we will start a the Middle East. Currently, in India we are developing a
full-scale expansion of the product. total of 200MW projects at various locations.

“I have come across
so many people from
different parts of
the world, and the
exchange of knowledge
from these people
enriches my learning
curve on a daily basis.”
You mentored the setting up of ViviRooms.
What are the unique features of this platform?
For ViviRooms, I am guiding my two daughters
in creating this innovative product and starting
a unique e-commerce business. My daughters
realised the challenges of online shopping
during the pandemic and decided to develop
this platform. ViviRooms is revolutionising the
online apparel shopping experience by blending
technology into the user experience. By using
a 3D virtual avatar-based fitting room, a user
can try clothes on her own digital twin through
a completely immersive experience. It uses
artificial intelligence to give an online buyer a real
look and fabric experience, just like they would in
a trial room. The AI experience helps customers
feel the fabric as if they were wearing it and
assists with better buying decisions. Thus, it helps
With Shri Narendra Modi, Honorable PM of India.
in reducing the return rate of the clothes, making
the logistics much simpler and providing a unique
user experience.
As Founder and Chairman of Euromax Capital, what were

some of the high points achieved?
Euromax became a top boutique investment bank of India, South
East Asia and Africa; and became a banker of choice for all leading
large groups in a short span between 2002 and 2005 - and that
is my biggest achievement and a matter of satisfaction. In 2016,
I received the Leader of the Decade award for creating bonds
beyond boundaries at the Women’s Economic Forum. I was
honoured with the Entrepreneur of the Year award a year later.
In 2018, I was bestowed with the Global Indian Icon award for
exceptional business achievements, among others.
Participating in merger and acquisition transactions valued

at more than US$30bn, you have also advised on equity and
other financing globally… Could you shed light on the role you
broadly played?
Mergers and acquisitions require strong mediation and fine
balancing of the interests of both parties involved. As investment
With Mr Raila Odinga, bankers, we played a critical role in helping the stakeholders achieve
Honorable Former PM of Kenya. their consensus while creating long-lasting and ever-growing
bonding between two or more unknown/unfamiliar organisations.

You have many more achievements to your credit, including
developing a strategic partnership with the China Centre “I have always entered
spheres in which I
for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), pioneering
LNG in India in 1995, and serving as a member on the
boards of various public and private companies across a
wide spectrum of industries. Even as you contributed your had a keen interest.
time and expertise, how did these activities help your
learning curve? Therefore, I never
Learning is the only constant in life. Every day is a new learning
for me. I learnt that leadership is a quality - and for leading people
get exhausted from
you have to lead by experience, by mentoring them through the
right path. So, throughout my life, whatever sectors I have got
learning something
into, it has only helped me to become more knowledgeable,
given me a new thinking approach and expanded my horizon of
new daily.”
looking at the world.
With Team Biocube.
Serving as a goodwill ambassador and You have the confidence of business and political leaders in
spokesperson for the Secretary-General for India, Southeast Asia, Africa, Mid East, and East Europe. Do
IIMSAM, an intergovernmental institution give us an insight into this world.
under a charter of the United Nations for Staying committed to building any success requires dedication
micro-algae spirulina against malnutrition, toward relationship-building and honesty, caring for each other,
what role did you play in this endeavour? and watching others’ interests over your personal interest and
IIMSAM desired someone who could advocate goals.
their organisational goal and provide Leaders are always looking for someone who is understanding,
humanitarian service pro-bono. So, I stepped up adaptive, resilient and can be trusted. The most important thing
to take the initiative. I brought my international in this relationship-building exercise is to help but not expect to
business experience to support the IIMSAM and be recognised or get any benefit out of this.
the United Nations SDGs 2030.

“Hiring the
correct workforce
is the primary
challenge for any
organisation. The
success of the
business depends
on these people.” With Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Your vast body of work is staggering!

What is the secret to your endless drive
and numerous accomplishments?
I have always entered spheres in which I
had a keen interest. Therefore, I never get
exhausted from learning something new
daily. And it makes me believe that my
chosen areas of interest are correct and
scalable. It keeps me motivated to enter
new markets and pursue new goals.
What are some of the challenges you

faced over the course of your vast and
enriching career?
Challenges are part of life. There are
challenges in building trust, making people
believe that you have a realistic goal and
an honest intention, and building relations With Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan,
with new people. Also, since I have always Honorable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
introduced new ideas and ventured into
unexplored arenas, I constantly face issues
of creating and revamping them. But these
challenges are the fun of life and keep
motivating me to wake up every day and
do something meaningful in solving some
critical problem. Also, several times, I faced
rejection and resistance from different
levels of people. However, persistence and
passion paved the way for getting ahead.
These days, what are some of the

things that spark your interest and
imagination?
The evolution of technology in recent years
really fascinates me. The innovations
in generative AI, virtual assistants,
metaverse, blockchain and other such
technologies are revolutionising the
world. Also, the spirit of entrepreneurship With Uri Geller, the famous Israeli-British
in the younger generation today is very illusionist, magician and television personality.
comforting to see.

What is your reading of this current age of
mushrooming startups? “My work is my relaxation,
my passion, my kick.”
New-age entrepreneurs are of two kinds. One of
them falls under the category of dedicated, while
the other one gives up very easily. Most budding
entrepreneurs have undergone depression.
The fighters often make a great impression
in their first venture. However, they often lack
the same enthusiasm for the next one. The
new-age startup stakeholders often have the
same tendencies. They often put their best foot
forward while starting something new but lower
their dedication, eventually. The trendsetters
among these two types would be the fighters,
i.e., dedicated entrepreneurs who pursue every
business venture with the same dedication as
the first one and never fail to try untested fields.
What are some of the challenges facing

business and our world today? With Mr Shinzo Abe, Honorable Former PM of Japan.
Hiring the correct workforce is the primary
challenge for any organisation. The success
of the business depends on these people. A
company can easily succeed if such a workforce
receives the right direction and access. However,
if the access or the power is restricted to a
person(s), it will likely not work in the long run.
The global financial crisis the world is going
through, the economic crisis thrust upon us due
to the Russia-Ukraine war, the upcoming risk
of recession in various parts of the world – are
serious challenges to the rising startups and the
entire business world. It is important that there
is peace and harmony – the common man can
lead a much better life.
Do you credit any mentors for inspiring and

guiding you on your journey?
I admire five people - Narendra Modi, Sheikh
Mohammed, Dhirubhai Ambani, Lakshmi Niwas
Mittal and Anil Agarwal. All of them achieved
phenomenal success against all odds.
I am inspired most by the Prime Minister of
India, Shri Narendra Modiji. In the last eight
years, Mr Modi has truly reformed the entire
landscape of India on the world map and given
India a very special, respected position. I was so
inspired by Mr Modi’s passion and vision that I
decided to set up the research and development
centre of Biocube in India – a truly Made-in-
India innovation that can solve a critical global
challenge of digital identity.
Sheikh Mohammed forged his path to create
a place like Dubai. I admire his self-confidence
and belief in achieving his dream. He converted
a small emirate into a global centre of the world,
created an airline that is the finest in the world,
unparalleled connectivity, has ease of business, With HRH Prince Abdulaziz Sattam Aal Saud.
security for the people etc.

“I would advise new-
age entrepreneurs to
be dedicated to their
ventures and not
give up hope when it
gets tough.” As the Special Guest at Miss Universe, China.
Similarly, Dhirubhai Ambani, who started from

nothing, and built an empire with sheer vision, What are the key beliefs you adhere to in life, both personal and
common sense and persistent effort. Another professional?
man with unparalleled focus and dedication
I don’t believe business and professional life are two different things;
that I dearly admire is Lakshmi Niwas Mittal.
everything is personal. To make a success in your personal life, you
He started from humble beginnings, and the
need to have a balanced approach in people relationships. You need to
dedication and focus to be No. 1 eventually took
connect with the right people. In an organisation, you should hire the
him to the zenith of the world’s largest steel-
right people who have confidence in the concept and a belief in you.
making company.
Organisations that have a sound business plan but don’t hire the right
Anil Agarwal started getting into business at 16 people or believe in them, never achieve their full potential. A sensible
without a formal college education. He took a idea must also have a great business plan supporting it.
gamble and moved to Mumbai at the age of 19,
and later on to London and started a business
globally. Even the lack of knowledge of English
did not become a stumbling block in his path. “A sensible idea must also
I found common sense, determination, resilience,
and belief as the common denominators in all
have a great business plan
my mentors, and I forged my path by getting
inspired by them.
supporting it.”
Attending an event with several Heads of African States.

“I admire five people
- Narendra Modi,
Sheikh Mohammed,
Dhirubhai Ambani,
Lakshmi Niwas
Mittal and Anil
Agarwal. All of
them achieved
phenomenal success
against all odds.”
How do you strike a work-life balance?

I spend time with family and friends. But true
relaxation, for me, is to keep myself engaged in
work. I am a workaholic. My work is my relaxation,
my passion, my kick. Besides, meeting new people,
sharing knowledge with them, takes away all my
burdens and gives me new perspective.
What’s a regular day like in the life of Subodh

Narain Agrawal?
I usually work 14 hours a day. My typical day
starts and ends with meetings either in person
or over zoom. I make frequent office visits to
interact with the team, and set the progress
path and strategic roadmap.
What is your message for budding

entrepreneurs?
New-age entrepreneurs must be dedicated to their
ventures and not give up hope when it gets tough.
With Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, Honorable Former President of Nigeria. They should not fail to try untested areas, as it can
benefit their growth and offer new avenues.

Fashion
SDS BY
KUSHAL SHAH
makes Indians
fashion- forward!
Sheetal Design Studio (SDS) single-handedly ushered in

the ready-to-wear garment trend in India. Dhiren Shah,
Founder-CEO, and Kushal Shah, Founder & Creative Head,
SDS BY KUSHAL SHAH, share the stunning SDS story.
By Nichola Marie

“Sheetal transformed shopping for clothes into a I launched India’s first ready-to-wear trousseau label
family event!” - the first to offer exclusively crafted readymade
trousseau and wedding wear. We were the initiator of
Dhiren Shah, Founder-CEO, Sheetal Design
the concept of trousseau design. We became not just
Studio, gives us a glimpse of how a concept grew
a designer label, but also a household name in India
into the much-loved brand that we know today.
and abroad.
I predicted a new need and created a new category to
Sheetal Design Studio (SDS) is a legacy brand, several suit it. I then went on to launch India’s first designer
decades old now. How did it all begin? prêt label for the new generation Indian.
The beginning of Sheetal dates back to 1969, at a time
when the concept of branded ready-made garments
was virtually non-existent in India. People were more
accustomed to visiting tailors to get their clothes stitched.
“We aimed to fill the
We envisioned a one-stop shopping experience where
families could find clothing for every member, catering gap in the market
to all age groups and occasions. This was the thought
behind opening Sheetal which we positioned as India’s
first branded ready-to-wear line store, where clothes
for professionally
were available for the entire family - right from infants
to children to men and women. Though I didn’t have a designed and
formal background in fashion, it was my passion. I had
a good sense about what people were looking for in
apparels, as well as, the creativity and desire to offer it to
fabricated garments
them. That’s what drove me to establish Sheetal.
and provide a new
“ We envisioned a one- shopping experience
stop shopping experience to Indian customers.”
where families could
- Dhiren Shah
find clothing for every
member, catering to all What have been some of the high points of your
journey?
age groups and occasions.” The journey has been a remarkable one, marked by
numerous milestones and high points. In 1969, my
- Dhiren Shah father, family and I jointly opened the first 800 sq.ft.
Sheetal store. In 1984, the company increased retail
What were the USPs of Sheetal at that point in time? space and brought in new merchandising experience.
Sheetal’s unique selling points during its early days were In 1986, Sheetal met all the fashion needs of the
its pioneering status as India’s first departmental store for Indian family. In 1990, the Sheetal designer label
garments, and the convenience of offering multiple labels became a household name in India and in the UK. In
under one roof. This transformed shopping for clothes 1999, the Sheetal Design Studio (SDS) label for the
into a family event, as everyone could find something global Indian was launched. In 2002, Sheetal opened
to suit their preferences. We aimed to fill the gap in in Dubai, followed by a store in New Jersey. In 2004,
the market for professionally designed and fabricated Sheetal expanded its reach to Singapore, with plans
garments, and provide a new shopping experience to for more stores worldwide.
Indian customers.
The highlight was forming India’s first exclusive in-
house design studio with a strength of 35 award-
How involved were you in the designing and creation winning designers headed by three key designers -
of the garments, as well as the business side of it? Hemant Trevedi, Manish Malhotra and Aki Narula to
I was deeply involved in both. In 1990, I formed India’s change the face of fashion retailing.
first in-house design team, which was headed by the
We dressed on-stage winning gowns for Miss World
young and talented Hemant Trevedi, who has since
become a global icon. We revolutionised the fashion winners like Aishwarya Rai, Yukta Mukhi, Diana
retail landscape in India, creating multiple designer labels Hayden, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, and many more
that catered to different customer segments. alongside Hemant Trevedi at SDS.

We were also the couturiers to Bollywood’s hottest stars Today, we are positioned for every fashion-conscious
for award-winning blockbusters – ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi man who understands aesthetics and is looking to
Gham’ (2001), ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ (2005), and many more dress as a reflection of his own individuality and
under Manish Malhotra and Aki Narula at SDS. wants to ‘look good and feel divine’. We are positioned
We had a fashion show on INS Vikrant – India’s first in the luxury prêt, couture, and bespoke segment for
indigenous aircraft carrier and the largest ship ever menswear providing a one-stop solution for all men’s
built in the country’s maritime history. We also did fashion needs.
many international fashion shows overseas. SDS has also embraced technology to offer a better
shopping experience to customers. For instance,
There must have been challenges too. How did you the brand has introduced augmented reality to help
tackle them? customers visualise how a particular outfit would
look on them.
Over the years, we faced several challenges that
tested our resilience and determination. Educating
the manufacturing and sales staff to bring
professionalism to the process of producing and
selling high-end fashion products was a significant “We dressed on-
hurdle, as skilled labour was scarce. Piracy of designs,
with our designs being copied and mass-produced in
sub-standard quality, was another issue. We tackled
stage winning
these challenges through constant innovation,
learning, and perseverance. gowns for Miss
World winners like
“I predicted a new Aishwarya Rai,
need and created Yukta Mukhi, Diana
a new category to Hayden, Priyanka
suit it.” Chopra, Lara Dutta,
- Dhiren Shah and many more
How big a part did advertising play in the
alongside Hemant
popularity and success of SDS?
It did play a major role in the popularity and success Trevedi at SDS.”
of SDS as we were the pioneers in coming up with
innovative and qualitative ad campaigns with the right
positioning and placement in the right publications/
- Dhiren Shah
media. We were the first garment brand to advertise
on television as well as in videos in those days (back in
the day this was a big thing), which put us in a leading Your son joined SDS and is credited as the
position. We also advertised not only locally but also in Founder-Head of SDS BY KUSHAL SHAH. How do his
domestic and international markets in magazines like involvement and contribution benefit SDS?
‘Stardust International’, ‘Vogue’, ‘GQ’, and ‘Bazaar’.
My son Kushal’s involvement in and contribution
to SDS has been immensely beneficial. Being from
Today, where do you feel SDS is positioned and a younger generation, he feels the pulse and his
who is the target market? fashion sense is more in tune with contemporary
The audience is the new Indian. Young, evolved, needs. He has shadowed me since his school days
upwardly mobile and westernised. A global mindset and has always been inclined toward the business.
rooted in an Indian soul. For this unique creature, His dedication and understanding of modern fashion
SDS introduces SDS BY KUSHAL SHAH - cutting-edge trends have helped carry forward the SDS legacy and
clothes with an Indian feel. bring fresh ideas to the table.

“We are positioned
in the luxury
prêt, couture, and
bespoke segment
for menswear
providing a one-
stop solution for
all men’s fashion
needs.”
- Dhiren Shah

“I have a holistic view of fashion as an I kept in mind that creativity can come from many sources
experience for customers.” and that it’s important to stay open and receptive to
new experiences and ideas. Whether it’s through travel,
Kushal Shah, Founder & Creative Head, SDS BY
food, music, art, or any other form of inspiration, being
KUSHAL SHAH, spills the tea on growing up in
curious and open-minded has led to new discoveries,
the family business and charting his own course.
developments and breakthroughs in my creative work.
What was it like growing up as the son of the Founder-
Owner of Sheetal Design Studio?
Growing up as the son of Sheetal Design Studio’s founder-
owner was an enriching experience, allowing me to be
“I spent a lot of my
exposed to the world of fashion and business from a
young age, which fuelled my passion for the industry.
time with my family
It was surreal to be surrounded by people who are
extremely creative. I was exposed to creativity in many
and learned about
forms, including fashion and personal style.
I enjoyed the process of meeting and interacting with
the family business
clients and understanding their styles. At Sheetal Design
Studio, I was able to learn and understand how people
too. This kind of
experimented with different styles, colours, and textures
to figure out what their style was and what suited their hands-on experience
body type and skin tone.
has been incredible
“It was surreal to be and invaluable in
surrounded by people developing my skills
who are extremely and knowledge.”
creative. I was exposed
- Kushal Shah
to creativity in many
forms, including fashion Tell us about your learning curve.
and personal style.” Professionally, I studied business and fashion in Michigan
and New York. My experience in the United States was
- Kushal Shah extraordinary as I was educated by one of the best
professors and received a lot of in-depth understanding
of this industry. It provided me with a strong foundation
in business practices, which I now apply to various
Tell us how your interest in fashion grew. situations and roles.
My interest in fashion grew through my exposure to my I spent a lot of my time with my family and learned about
father’s work and observing how the business evolved over the family business too. This kind of hands-on experience
has been incredible and invaluable in developing my
the years. I was inspired by the creativity, innovation, and
skills and knowledge.
business acumen that went into building Sheetal as a brand.
It was also important for me to focus on developing my
Every day after school, I would spend quality time with my
own skills and strengths. While training and learning from
father and family. My father has a natural inclination toward my father, I identified areas that interest me and where I
creativity and he actively sought out new experiences to feel I can make a contribution, and seek out opportunities
fuel his creativity. It was a valuable and unique experience to learn and grow in those areas. I have always been
as I was able to see first-hand how a garment is made and open-minded and willing to take on new challenges and
how a brand operates under his guidance. Being exposed responsibilities as I saw my father build Sheetal Design
to the different stages of the process, from production to Studio from scratch.
customer service, gave me a deep understanding of the I have been lucky to be able to carry forward a legacy that
fashion industry and the skills required to succeed in it. has been upheld by my father.

Working with my father has been an incredible learning
“Working with my father experience. I admire his vision, dedication, and ability to
adapt to changing market trends. We have separate areas
has been an incredible of responsibility, which allows us to bring our unique
strengths to the table and ensure the continued success of
learning experience. SDS.

It’s also impressive that my father recognised the importance
I admire his vision, of diversification and chose to expand the family business
into real estate, which shows a willingness to adapt and
evolve with changing market conditions.
dedication, and ability What do you see as some of the challenges today?
to adapt to changing Some of the challenges today include staying ahead of fast-
changing trends, maintaining brand identity in the face of
fierce competition, and adapting to the increasing shift
market trends.” towards online shopping and digital marketing.
I am also committed to promoting sustainable fashion
practices and helping my clients express their individuality
- Kushal Shah through their style choices. By prioritising these two aspects
in my brand experience.
You are the Founder & Creative Head of SDS BY
KUSHAL SHAH. What did you set out to offer this often In this age of social media, is SDS also using this powerful
neglected section of buyers? means of digital marketing to stay visible?
My goal was to cater to the often-neglected male clientele SDS has recognised the importance of digital
by introducing interesting and innovative concepts in men’s marketing and is using various platforms to stay
fashion. We focused on providing unique, stylish, and high- visible, engage with our audience, and showcase our
quality clothing that allowed our customers to express their latest collections and innovations.
individuality.
SDS offers a wide range of styles and options for men.
Right from casual/loungewear for a movie out, to attire so
chic that one can wear it to a fine dining restaurant or a
night out. We’ve also got various collections of Indian wear
(kurtas, achkans, bandis, bandgalas, sherwanis, tuxedos) that
can be worn to various occasions by the groom or his family
at his wedding, or if one is attending another’s ceremonies.
Also, a client can be part of the process from start to end
which includes understanding the client’s fashion, need,
personality, individuality; choosing the type of silhouette for
the occasion that they are looking at; fabrics/textiles, type of
embroidery, colours; and having the creative founder/head
designer being involved every step of the way.
What are some of the changes you have witnessed over

your years at SDS in terms of user preferences and
demand?
Over the years, I have witnessed significant changes, including
a greater emphasis on sustainability, personalisation, and
embracing digital platforms for shopping.
Many men have come to recognise the importance of
presenting themselves well in both their personal and
professional lives. This includes paying attention to details
such as fit, colour coordination, and overall style, which can
have a significant impact on their confidence and success.
What is it like working with your father?
My father had a thoughtful and strategic approach to
passing down the family business to me. By exposing me to
different aspects of the fashion industry, he gave me a well-
rounded understanding of what it takes to build and sustain
a successful fashion brand.

“My goal was
to cater to the
often-neglected
male clientele
by introducing
interesting
and innovative
concepts in men’s
fashion. ”
- Kushal Shah

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Sports
“Playing for India has

been one of the best
moments in my life!”
As he prepares for the new
season of the IPL, fast bowler
Umesh Yadav looks back on
his surprising start and opens
up about the game he loves.
By Amber Dias
His rapid pace and stellar performance in the Ranji Trophy

caught the eye of national selectors, but Umesh Yadav’s
debut with Team India wasn’t a smooth start. But as it
is in the tale of every hero’s journey, the fall only leads
to rising up stronger and better than ever. It took him a
while but he found his footing, sharpened his skills and
bowled over opposing teams and spectators alike. Now
he’s gearing up for new challenges, starting with the new
season of the IPL, and perhaps a spot on India’s squad for
the 2023 World Cup.
Excerpts from the interview…
Your journey has not been an easy one. What inspired

you to pursue a career in cricket?
My entire cricket journey was a surprise, I don’t know how
I got here. I used to play cricket for fun, I never decided I
was going to play for the state or the Ranji Trophy, or even
at the international level. Where I come from, there was
no one who represented us at the state or national level in
cricket. So, it was difficult for me as a young boy to imagine
that I would be playing for India and that I could make my
career in cricket.

“It [challenges]
inspires you to
bring yourself
to that level
because you
know you are
going to compete
with some of
the best.”
We didn’t have any kind of ground or equipment.
Also, cricket gear is very expensive, you need
spikes, a bat, and everything. I did not belong to
a rich family. As a coal mine worker’s son, I could
not ask my dad for all these things and put a bigger
burden on him. I used to just play tennis-cricket
with my friends. Then one day, my friend - who
used to play for a club - asked if I could play for his
club as they were short of one player and needed
a fast bowler. That’s how I started playing with a
season ball and got into club cricket.
Can you name some of the toughest batsmen

you have faced?
The toughest batsman… I never thought of any
batsman as being very tough. Because when
you think like that, there is added pressure. But
sometimes during the game, you find yourself in
a situation where the batsman is hitting very well
and whatever plan you have doesn’t work and he is
just one step ahead of you, that’s when you feel like
the situation is tough.
“Being consistent
is the best chance
of getting a wicket.”
You have performed exceedingly well in all formats, from
Test matches to T20 and especially in the IPL with the
Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Which format are you most comfortable with and why?
And which one do you feel is most challenging?
I think all three formats are challenging. You can’t think that
because in T20 you have to bowl only four overs, that it is
easier. You still have to think about how you are going to give
fewer runs and get wickets. In ODIs, you have 10 overs to bowl
and each one is important, especially the last three or four,
so you have to pay close attention to how you manage them.
Test cricket is of course challenging because you have to bowl
for a longer spell, close to 15-20 overs. And no matter how
tired you are, it is very important that you bowl in a certain
area with your line and length consistent. Being consistent is
the best chance of getting a wicket. So yes, all three formats
are challenging because they are all different. T20s are fast
and aggressive, while ODIs and Tests take more time and you
get mentally and physically tired. I personally would like to play
more Test cricket, as you have more time to show your skill.
“I think it’s good that I made

mistakes because I learnt from
them. I was young and raw, so
I got a little time to work on
the things I needed to and then
start afresh.”

You made your ODI debut in 2010, but it was a faulty
start and it took you a few years to find your place
in the national team. Walk us through the journey
of finding your rhythm and showing critics you have
what it takes to represent India internationally.
There are ups and downs in life, and cricket is also like
that. Sometimes you do well, sometimes not. This is a
journey, this is life. When I debuted in 2010, that was
not a good start, and I got injured in the third ODI. After
that, it took me one or two years to come back… and
making my place in the team took time. But I think it’s
good that I made mistakes because I learnt from them.
I was young and raw, so I got a little time to work on the
things I needed to and then start afresh.
I learnt a lot because at around the same time, the

IPL started and as they say, the more you work on
something, the better you get. Bowling is also like that,
the more you play, the more you learn about your body
and how you need to move. I paid attention to all of that
and made my comeback, and now I am representing
the country and I’m doing well.
“The more you play, the more

you learn about your body
and how you need to move.”

“Yes, I was injured and some years didn’t go so well,
but that is the time you need to back yourself the
most. At that moment, your confidence, your family
and the atmosphere around you are very important.”
What have been some of the best moments playing for
Team India at the international level? Similarly, what
have been some of the most challenging moments?
Playing for India itself has been one of the best moments in
my life. Because I now have the things I never imagined I could
have. Because of this team, and because of the opportunity to
play nationally and internationally, I have received love, trust
and support from so many people. Every moment is special.
At the same time, when you play at this level, challenges

will always be there, be it about performance, fitness or
just keeping yourself at that level. Without challenges, you
won’t enjoy the sport. It inspires you to bring yourself to
that level because you know you are going to compete with
some of the best.
“What is very important for me

right now is to stay fit, strong
and confident.”
You had some setbacks with injuries and poor

performances a while ago. How did you bounce back?
This is a sport, and in sports, things don’t always go your
way. It can happen to anyone as it did to me. Sometimes
things are good, sometimes bad. In this journey, sometimes
you are going to get hurt, you are going to experience joy,
anger and pain. That’s what makes life interesting. Yes, I
was injured and some years didn’t go so well, but that is the
time you need to back yourself the most. At that moment,
your confidence, your family and the atmosphere around
you are very important - how positive it all is. When you are
surrounded by happiness and positivity, coming back is easy.
Support from the people around you is also important. My
wife supported me a lot and so did my family and friends.
The biggest thing - when coming back from an injury - is your
mindset, how positive you are and how active you are.
Has Team India become like a second family to you? What are your goals for the immediate future?
The team is definitely like a second family. Wherever we I can’t believe in long-term goals because you don’t know
travel, the atmosphere is always like that of being with one’s what is going to happen in the next few months. So I am just
family because we’ve known each other for a long time, focusing on small goals. At the moment, I am playing in test
whether it’s the players or the support team. We are definitely matches and then the IPL is coming up. I’m just taking it one
making memories which one day, once we have retired by one, not thinking about a long-term plan. What is very
from cricket, we will sit around and talk and laugh about. important for me right now is to stay fit, strong and confident.

Lifestyle
• Suryodaya Foundation - a lesson in giving back with Anuradha Paudwal.
• Celebrity trainer Namrata Purohit’s take on the transformative power of Pilates.
• Green tips for sustainable travelling.
• Mindset: Real Self vs Ideal Self
• The most expensive cufflinks and rings in the world!
‘Society Achievers’ explores all this and more…

Giving Back
“If anybody comes

to me for help, I
can’t say no!”
Songstress Dr Anuradha Paudwal fills Amber
Dias in on why reaching out to those in need is so
important to her, and why she is always striving
to do more through the Suryodaya Foundation.
Bollywood buffs will be familiar with Padma

Shri Dr Anuradha Paudwal’s melodious
crooning in the background of some of their
favourite films. But there is so much more to
the award-winning playback and bhajan singer.
Key among them is her big heart which she
does not shy away from opening to those who
need help. From donating where she could, to
starting the Suryodaya Foundation - through
which she supports several causes, including
health, education, water conservation and
support for farmers - her pursuit of lending
a hand wherever she can continues, all the
while still courting her first love, music.
The Start Of Something

Today the Suryodaya Foundation is involved
with diverse causes, helping improve lives
where they can, but all of this stemmed from
personal heartbreak. In 1983, Anuradha
lost her 25-day-old daughter to pneumonia,
but that shattering moment, as painful as it
was, sparked a desire to help other children
avoid a similar fate. She reveals, “It was a
harrowing experience for me. While I was in
the hospital, I came across so many young
children who needed intensive care very
badly. When I lost her, I decided to donate a
new intensive care unit for neonatal care, so
that other children could benefit from it. That
was my first donation and after that, I made
it a yearly practice.”

After taking this first step, Anuradha tried to help as many Alongside this, they planted over 1 lakh trees and built
people as possible, when someone suggested starting a ferrocement dams. “That has helped so many thousands of
trust. Hence the Anuradha Arun Charitable Trust came people and it is very gratifying to see the improvement today.
into being, through which she used to donate to various And, of course, people from those villages came forward to
hospitals and causes. Eventually, in 1988, she founded help us. So the cost of labor was cut down,” she adds.
the Suryodaya Foundation to expand the work she had
“I think once you

already taken on and widen her reach.
are geared up
A Diverse Undertaking
The Suryodaya Foundation was created with the intent
to do something
to help as many people as possible, as Anuradha tells us
she cannot turn away someone in need of help, which
is the primary reason the foundation does not focus
on a single cause, but dips its toes into diverse social
and economic segments. “Acchi ya boori baat ho, but if good, help just
comes around.”
anybody comes to me for help, I can’t say no. I can’t
say, ‘no, no, but we are only doing work for education.
So if you are sick, you will have to go elsewhere’. I can’t
do that. I just do my bit, and wherever I feel that I can
In Mangaon too, they took on the job of building a pipeline
help anybody in any way, I make it a point to meet their
so that women, especially older women, would no longer
expectations,” she explains.
have to manage steep climbs to procure water. “As a
result of this, there was water everywhere in the area
Some of the work the foundation undertakes includes and you know, those people started growing vegetation
supporting farmers. In 2016, they donated 25 buffalos and now they have started selling vegetables to marriage
and foodgrains for cultivation to help those who were parties and restaurants. So it’s a very nice experience.”
struggling, and reduce the burden they were carrying
so that suicide did not seem like their only option. The
Stepping Up
foundation also put together scholarships for their
children, so that their education did not suffer. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Suryodaya
Foundation was among the first NGOs in Maharashtra to
mobilise and assist with aid. And this initiative too stems
The foundation also does a lot of work for water from its founder’s proactiveness. While visiting JJ Hospital
conservation. Anuradha reveals, “We did a lot of water to get her vaccination, she learnt that they needed oxygen
conservation work in Beed. In 2019, we adopted 10 concentrators. As she tells it, “That was a time when there
villages in Nanded where it was horribly dry. People used was only terror everywhere and oxygen concentrators
to find it so difficult, they had to walk five kilometers only were frightfully expensive. Forget the expense part of
to get some drinking water. So we started excavation it, they were not available. So I requested, jo mere badhe
there, and everywhere that we took up this work, there bhai jaise hai, Sunil Deshpandeji, who is from the RSS. I
were natural springs. We dug trenches in the mountains said, ‘dada, I need this anyhow’. On the 9th of May, which
and took those stretches to all the fields.” is my husband’s birthday, I wanted to donate that.”

Anuradha lost her
25-day-old daughter to
pneumonia, but that
shattering moment,
as painful as it was,
sparked a desire to help
other children avoid a
similar fate.
It was not an easy find, but once she received the first
one and word got around, people stepped up, helping But because of my singing and the fact that this is also
her secure nine concentrators which she donated to connected to sound, I felt there was some way of putting
JJ Hospital. This act also inspired other people to come it all together.
forward and make donations to the hospital. “After
that, we also donated these concentrators in Ayodhya
“He was the one who introduced me to this field. And
and Benaras. We were also able to donate a cardiac
through him, I got to know how many people needed
ambulance to JJ Hospital as it needed one. …I think once
this. And he has always been an inspiration and always
you are geared up to do something good, help just comes
helped me whenever I needed to hold camps. Like we
around,” she says.
did in Bhubaneswar where we checked about 400 people
there - the youngest being two-and-a-half years old, and
A Cause Close To Her Heart the eldest being 98 years old. Out of the 400 people that
Arguably, a lot of the foundation’s work has centered around we screened and checked, there were about 360 people
healthcare, especially in providing resources when scarce. who needed hearing aids. Mr Pawar was a big help. It was
Anuradha’s latest focus has been on reaching out to those very sweet of him to give me these hearing aids at cost
with hearing impairments. “Nowadays, I find myself more and price. That was how we conducted our first huge camp.”
more involved with the cause for speech and hearing. I was
shocked to know that a good 9-10% of the population needs Helping Hands
hearing aids. So I am dedicated to that cause,” she says.
And like Avinash Pawar, there are several others who
have stepped up to lend a hand when required. Notable
How did she get involved with this? It started with among them are Krishna Mahadik, who looks after the
Avinash Pawar, CEO, Sivantos, approaching her Nana Palkar Hospital. He has been instrumental in helping
to be the brand ambassador. She recalls, “To be the foundation connect with those who need help, like
very honest, I really didn’t know what I was going bringing to their attention the need for a hospital floor for
to do, because I never thought about all this. HIV+ children in Latur.

The biggest support in this foundation, however, has been Coping With Hurdles And Moving Forward
Anuradha’s daughter Kavita. “Relentlessly she takes care of
As with every task, there are challenges to be faced. But
all the finances and how things are put together because
managing time between her career and the foundation is
I’m very bad at all these things. I just take a decision that
not one of them. While it is a big part of her life and she
this is what we have to do and make way for the finances
has begun pursuing more causes, it does not interfere with
through my programmes. But actually, she’s the one who
her music.
puts things on paper in an orderly way. And without her, I
can’t see what I would have done,” says the proud mum.
In addition, she also credits Nishant who has been a Challenges here take the form of people questioning
great help in maintaining paperwork, which is extremely the long-term effects of the projects the foundation
important when running a foundation like this. undertakes. To them, she says, “It is my job to do the work.
It is practically not possible for me to go there every six
months, once a year or once in two years, just to see that
On A Musical Note the villagers are taking care of it. Of course, it is their duty
Running a charitable foundation is a lot of work, but having to do that. I have done my initial work.”
a dependable team on her side means that Anuradha has
plenty of time for her musical pursuits as well. She reveals,
“I am practically recording every day, nothing in particular
though. However, there is something very important that I “Nowadays, I find myself
am planning on building, God willing, and that is the works
of Shankaracharya. We have already started recording this; more and more involved
my daughter Kavita and myself. We intend on doing about
50 kritis or rachnas of Adi Shankaracharya. As for albums, with the cause for
I have not planned anything in that direction, but yes, I am
doing plenty of programmes and shows.” speech and hearing.”
While there are other hurdles that appear in her path as
well, Anuradha does not believe in overthinking, but simply
taking things as they come. “If you look at all the hurdles and
all that, it becomes very difficult even to take one step. I feel
what is important is that we do what we can. And we should,
even if in a very small way, try to contribute - maybe not in
kind or cash, but a word of strength. Even one sentence like
this goes a long way.”
And so, undeterred, the foundation’s work continues but

help is always welcome. “There’s so much to be done in this
society. Of course, it would be wonderful if people come
forward and join hands with us. It’s not an easy task, because
all this costs quite a bit. And we try to collect the money
from my resources, my programmes, but sometimes it’s not
enough. So, of course, if people come forward, it would be
wonderful. And rest assured, every penny that is spent, goes
into the work they want to get done.”

Fitness
Making Fitness, Fun!!

Pilates expert and
trainer to the stars,
Namrata Purohit
gives Hannah
Cardozo a glimpse
of how Pilates
transformed her
life and how it can
benefit everyone.
A sportsperson and fitness enthusiast at heart,
Namrata Purohit believes in enjoying the process
that keeps one fit. And that’s a belief that she tries
to pass on to all her clients, which include actresses
Sara Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha and Janhvi Kapoor.
She is also a firm believer in practicing what she
preaches, and lives by the mantra KISSS - ‘Keep It
Safe, Simple and Smart’.
We sat down with her for a chat about discovering

the power of Pilates, her journey to the top, and the
lessons she’s learnt along the way.
At 16, you became the youngest trained Stott

Pilates instructor, what made you choose Pilates
over any other form of exercise?
My journey started with a fall. I fell off a horse when
I was 15 and badly injured my knee and had to
undergo surgery. For almost a year after that, I tried
various fitness forms to get back on track. I went
to the gym, to physiotherapy, and a lot of different
things. Eventually, I tried Pilates, because my
father, Samir Purohit, was hosting a Pilates course
in Mumbai. And just four days into the course, for
the first time in an entire year, I was pain-free. And
that’s when I felt the magic of Pilates. And I thought,
‘If this can help me so much, it can help a lot of other
people out there’. And I became a believer in Pilates.
That’s how my journey started.
You’ve come a long way since then… could you

tell us a little bit about what Pilates is and how it can
transform a sedentary life?
Pilates was started by a man called Joseph Pilates for men at
war. And then it was transformed for ballet and contemporary
dancers. So I always say, when you do Pilates, you’re gonna get
the best of both worlds - the strength of a warrior, but the lean,
long, flexible body of a dancer.
Pilates involves mindful movement. It requires focusing on

your breathing, focusing on your mind, and then moving the
entire body. Core engagement is a very big principle in Pilates.
There are various benefits of Pilates – strength, flexibility, lean
body mass, stability, balance, endurance, agility, coordination
and concentration. It can be done by anybody and everybody
because it can be customised for each individual’s needs. It is
a pain-free way to exercise and not only helps you if you are
in pain, but also helps prevent injury. If you do it right, there is
zero chance of injury.
Should one complement Pilates with any other form

of exercise?
Pilates doesn’t need to be done with any other form of exercise.
However, you could add cardiovascular exercises, depending
on your goals, needs and lifestyle. But otherwise, Pilates alone
is sufficient because it works the entire body. It’s great for
sportspeople, athletes, those who want to gain weight, lose
weight, everything.
Pilates works your body and mind simultaneously; how
“When you do Pilates, you’re has it transformed your life?
gonna get the best of both The biggest thing that I learnt when I started Pilates is that our
body is amazing. It’s a machine that we really do not appreciate
worlds - the strength of a war- enough. It’s taught me to love my body. This also helps me
train others as I can help them understand their bodies better,
rior, but the lean, long, flexible appreciate their bodies for what they are, and just be more
body of a dancer.” positive about their bodies. Pilates has also helped me stay
positive and calm.

“The most important
thing is to give your
body rest because
your body transforms
during the rest period,
and not during your
exercise.”
“There are various

benefits of Pilates –
strength, flexibility, lean
body mass, stability,
balance, endurance,
agility, coordination and
concentration.”
Food is an equally important part of staying fit; as a sports
nutritionist, what are some mistakes you often notice
with eating habits? How can one change them?
There are two to three big mistakes that people tend to make.
The first is when they start a regime or when they think about
losing weight, specifically, they think about eating less. And
that is a big mistake; it’s not about eating less, but about eating
right. Food is not our enemy, food is our friend. We need to
take in the right nutrients and nutrition to get the best out of
our bodies, and eating less is not the solution. It can harm the
body, the mind, energy levels, our hair, our skin, everything.

The second thing is when people are starting anew or
suddenly have a new goal that’s come up, they want it
tomorrow. So they push themselves to the brim. Fitness
or exercise or diet - a word I hate - should be sustainable.
Working out is important, but train smart rather than train
hard. And lastly, rest well; sleeping less is not a solution.
Do you find it challenging to stay consistent? What

motivates you to push through?
I genuinely don’t think it’s hard to stay consistent if you
are enjoying what you’re doing. I think with anything, even
in fitness, if you find a fitness regime that you enjoy, be it
Pilates, Zumba, EMS or even just playing a sport, the most
important thing is to enjoy what you’re doing and you are
more likely to stick to it. Another thing that helps people is
to either have a buddy or trainer who motivates them, or an
equation with people where you enjoy training with them
because any activity should not be stressful. Those things
are really important to stay consistent in your workout.
“Food is not our enemy, food

is our friend. We need to take
in the right nutrients and
nutrition to get the best out of
our bodies, and eating less is
not the solution.”

Even with food, if you know how to make delicious, healthy food,
“I tried Pilates be- you’re less likely to go out and binge; or if you eat at the right time
and give your body the right nutrients, even if you have to push
cause my father, Samir yourself the first week, the second week your body will crave those
nutrients and crave the bad stuff less.
Purohit, was hosting a
Pilates course in Mum- What have you learnt along the way that you would not
recommend doing?
bai. And just four days I do not recommend overdoing exercise because that actually
causes more harm than good. The most important thing is to give
into the course, for the your body rest because your body transforms during the rest period
and not during your exercise. Because when you exercise, you tear
first time in an entire microfibers. So if you’re going to exercise, and tear microfibers, and
then exercise again, and tear microfibers, when is your body getting
year, I was pain-free.” a chance to build those microfibers back in a stronger way? It’s really
important to realise that rest and recovery are the building blocks of
your journey. I can’t emphasize enough the need to rest.
You’ve been working with some of the biggest celebrities and

“Working with
Bollywood celebrities
and sports
personalities has been
an incredible journey.
They’re the most
focused, dedicated
and hardworking
people out there.”
sportspersons. Can you tell us about some of them, what

they enjoy about Pilates, what their fitness goals are, and
what motivates them to be consistent?
Working with Bollywood celebrities and sports personalities
has been an incredible journey. They’re the most focused,
dedicated and hardworking people out there. After all, that’s
their profession. And they know that they’re scrutinized on
every little inch and every little thing that goes right or wrong.
They’re extremely motivated. And because they are motivated,
they come regularly. And because they come regularly, they
enjoy what they do, they don’t like missing their workout. And
that makes my job a lot easier.

It’s also fun because their needs keep changing.
The goals keep changing, depending on the time
of the year with sportspeople, because sometimes
it’s performance time or recovery, and sometimes
it’s rehab. It is also fun because it’s challenging. You
have to keep using your mind and using all the things
you’ve learnt and putting it together to make sure
they get the results they require. So it’s been an
incredible journey, whether it’s with Sara Ali Khan,
Janhvi Kapoor, Leander Paes and even with Kareena
Kapoor Khan when she wanted to lose weight after
delivering Taimur.
It is no secret that you love sports… what are some

of your favourite sports and what do you love
about them?
At the moment, I’m enjoying my equestrian sports.
I’ve been playing polo and show jumping. What I like
the most about it is that I can also connect with nature
and animals while I’m playing a sport and being active.
It’s just such a wonderful journey because you’re also
learning so much through the horses because they are
also athletes. And so not only am I training myself, I’m
training my horses.
I also love playing squash - I played at the national level

- football, and I’m a water baby as well. Whether it’s
scuba diving or surfing, kayaking, wakeboarding, water
skiing, or swimming in general, I love my watersports.

“It is a pain-
free way
to exercise
that not only
helps you
if you are
in pain, but
also helps
prevent
injury. If you
do it right,
there is zero
chance of
injury.”
What does your workout
playlist look like?
Oh my God, it’s a huge mix.
I would say tropical house,
techno, a little bit of deep
house and sometimes I can go
into Indie tech and psychedelic
trance as well.
Pilates is not a form of

exercise that is widely
accessible to the general
public. What kind of
exercises can a layperson
do at home that mimics
Pilates?
The reformers and all the
equipment takes Pilates to a
different level because you
have equipment that could
challenge you or assist you.
But at the same time, Pilates
can also be done on the mat.
You can do exercises using
your own body weight, as well
as props like a foam roller or
Swiss ball, and even resistance
bands. These are a few props
that you can keep at home
that could sort of mimic what
you do on the reformer.

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Mindset
Which you, is you?

Paula Dsouza explores the gap between our real
and virtual selves, and discovers why authentic
self-expression on social media might just be
the real deal.
The chance to be anyone you want, that’s always been one

of the biggest lures of social media. Creating a profile where
we control what people see and know - who wouldn’t want
to jump on that train? In the process, we end up creating
our very own social media doppelgängers. They look exactly
like us - most of the time - but appear to live thoroughly
contrasting lives, almost as if they were a different person.
One so different, a Myers-Briggs Personality Test wouldn’t see
the similarity between the two.
It’s new, fun and exciting, but sometimes we get so wrapped

up in perfecting the persona we’ve created that we disregard
significant parts of ourselves. Fundamental characteristics are
discarded with the excuse of consistency, or lost in the pursuit of
creating that perfect post. As a result, we create a gap between
who we really are and who we are on social media. Eventually,
this takes a toll, impacting our real lives, and not in a good way.

When the ‘real self’ and ‘ideal The Problem With Doppelgängers
Social media thrives on trends and for a long time posting
self’ do not meet, it creates a glamorous, high-on-adventure or exotic images was the
sense of deep dissatisfaction, only way to get those coveted Likes. ‘Pics or it didn’t happen’
could easily be translated into ‘Posts or it didn’t happen’. And
which if allowed to simmer the race to keep up and keep posting - even when real life
didn’t match up - was on. And one could argue that it still is.
for a long time, can severely
impact mental health. To stay in the race, the ‘real self’ easily gives way to the ‘ideal
online self’ and allows it to take over, and therein lies the
biggest conundrum. Once you create this doppelgänger,
it’s not easy to go back to posting something authentic. You
are consistently haunted by: ‘What will people think?’; ‘Will
people like my post?’; ‘Will my friends think I’m boring?’;
‘Have I done enough?’. In creating this virtual version of
yourself, you have unknowingly committed to becoming this
person, putting on yourself the burden of always having a
new adventure, doing interesting things, doing something
productive or unusual and so on. If the gap between the real
and ideal self is too wide, the attempt to keep up could put
a great deal of stress on your resources, time, energy and
your mental health.
Moreover, a sense of dissatisfaction and frustration with your

real life begins to set in. You could become uncomfortable in
your own skin and space, and consequently lash out at the
people around you. Jealousy is another side effect, especially
if you are constantly exposed to other virtual selves and
feel that you are unable to match up. This further adds to
Real Self vs Ideal Self discontentment and as studies show in extreme cases, this
dissatisfaction and the stress of living a “double life” could
What do psychologists have to say about this? In one of his lead to depression and other disorders.
theories regarding human personality, psychologist Carl Rogers
spoke about how everyone has a ‘real self’ and an ‘ideal self’.
The ‘real self’ is who an individual actually is; their characteristics,
abilities, inclinations and preferences at the current moment.
The ‘ideal self’, on the other hand, is who the individual aspires
to be. It is the kind of person they believe to be ‘ideal’ based on
what they’ve learnt and experienced. The further apart these
‘selves’ are, the more uneasiness it creates.
Our social media doppelgängers or our virtual selves are

reflections of this ‘ideal self’, the person we would like others to
see us as. And as Rogers explains it, when the two selves do not
meet, it creates a sense of deep dissatisfaction, which if allowed
to simmer for a long time, can severely impact mental health.
He also points out that an individual’s self-worth diminishes
with an increasing difference between the real and ideal self.
“Inauthenticity on social media can lead to feelings of self-doubt
and disconnection. Authenticity allows for a deeper sense of
connection and fulfillment,” says Dr Brené Brown, professor,
author and podcast host.
Is This An Argument Against Social Media?

By no means. It could, however, be considered a wake-
up call for how we use the platform available to us. As Dr
Sherry Turkle points out, “Social media provides a powerful
platform for self-expression, but it’s important to be
authentic and true to yourself to avoid feeling disconnected
from your own identity.”

It’s Time To Get Real
So, how does one avoid falling into this trap? If you ask Carl
Rogers, the answer would be: ‘Self-Actualisation’ - having the
ability to finally and entirely recognise one’s true potential.
Be it intellectual, creative, emotional or social. Rogers
believed this to be the ultimate goal for most humans. This
tends to happen as the ‘real self’ and the ‘ideal self’ begin to
overlap.
It’s the same when dealing with the ‘virtual self’. Self-
acceptance and expression can bridge that gap. It’s something
that a lot of people are realising, adopting and are happier
for it. Authenticity is becoming the new keyword for social
media posts and is leading to more meaningful connections
and expressions. According to Dr Tamar Chansky, author
of ‘Freeing Yourself From Anxiety’, “Authenticity is key to
building genuine relationships on social media. People want
to connect with real people, not just a curated image.”
Researchers at New York’s Columbia Business School

conducted a study where they asked students to put up
authentic posts on a social media platform for a week,
followed by putting up idealised posts for another week. The
results clearly showed that their mental state was far better
“It’s important to stay true to who
when posting authentically. you are, even on social media.”
- Selena Gomez

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“Authenticity is key to
building genuine relationships
on social media. People want
to connect with real people,
not just a curated image.”
- Dr Tamar Chansky
Flipping The Switch

“Social media is about being yourself, not trying to be
someone else,” says singer and songwriter Ariana Grande,
and she makes a good point. And as we see the trend shift
toward more authentic posts, it seems a lot of people agree.
But is it that easy to make the switch? Yes, it is.
The questions that haunt you about social media presence

and reactions will always be there, but you can’t let them
take over and make your decisions for you. Expressing the
real you, will help you tap into what the medium was meant
for - connecting with like-minded people and sharing real
experiences.

REMODELING
EXPECTATIONS
YOUR KITCHEN
W W W . H E R I T A G E K BSociety
. CAchievers
O -M March 2023 95
So, why hide who you truly are from yourself and everyone
else? Also, authenticity breeds authenticity. The more
people you surround yourself with who stay true to who
they are when presenting themselves online, the more
you find yourself wanting to do the same. American singer,
songwriter and actress Selena Gomez says, “It’s important to
stay true to who you are, even on social media.”
What you must do then, is stop comparing yourself to other

people. Look inward and what it is about your ‘real self’ or
your ‘real life’ that you enjoy and share that with the world.
There is little sense in trying to one-up other doppelgängers.
Instead, focus your energy on doing things that make you
happy. Stop worrying about whether what you are up to is
exciting or not; if it means something to you, then there is a
story to tell and there are people who are waiting to listen.
It’s one of the biggest ways you can cut down on anxiety.
Another is to simply take the pressure off posting consistently

and aggressively. If you don’t have something to post, don’t.
You might argue that consistency is key to maintaining a
following. If you are an influencer or a brand, that does hold
a semblance of truth. However, as an individual, you are
not obligated to post consistently. As actress Emma Watson
says, “It’s important to use social media in a way that feels
true to who you are.”
“It’s important to use social

media in a way that feels true
to who you are.”
- Emma Watson
“Social media is about being

yourself, not trying to be
someone else.”
- Ariana Grande

“Social media provides a
powerful platform for self-
expression, but it’s important to
be authentic and true to yourself
to avoid feeling disconnected
from your own identity.”
- Dr Sherry Turkle
A Post In The Right Direction

Social media as a medium is a wondrous thing, it is a virtual
playground with so many possibilities, but it’s up to us to
decide how we use it. The pressure to outshine other
posts and stand out is real, but so is the anxiety and all the
problems that come with it. But a shift toward authentic
posts is happening and that’s one trend you must hop on to.
Some days it may feel like the world around you is moving
way too fast, but that’s okay. There will be days that to you
may seem too good to be true; exciting, productive days.
And there will be days where you can’t seem to drag yourself
out of bed or wish you hadn’t. That’s okay too. Remember,
it’s not a race, it’s a way to connect and the only way you can
genuinely do that is by being the real you.
“Being yourself is the most important thing. Don’t be afraid

to show your personality and your quirks,” says actress and
producer Mindy Kaling. So, take a leaf out of her book and
let the lines between your ‘real self’ and ‘virtual self’ blur,
until all you have left is you.

Travel
Explore The World - The

Green Way
Hannah Cardozo
shows you how to
travel responsibly,
keeping sustainable
practices at the top of
your checklist.
As we become more aware

of the impact of tourism
on the environment and
local communities, it’s
essential to consider our
actions as travellers.
Travelling is a wonderful experience that allows us Take A Walk On The Green Side
to explore new cultures, try new foods, and make
unforgettable memories. As we become more aware Sustainable travel is a growing movement that encourages
of the impact of tourism on the environment and local responsible practices that benefit both travellers and the
communities, it’s essential to consider our actions as places they visit. It’s crucial that we all take responsibility
travellers. From carbon emissions to waste generation, for reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible. Let’s
travel can have a significant negative impact on our planet. explore some of the best sustainable travel tips to help you
travel more responsibly while protecting the planet.

Find the most eco-friendly transportation options
Transportation is one of the most significant contributors
to carbon emissions. When planning your trip, opt for non-
stop flights instead of connecting flights to reduce your
carbon footprint further. If possible, consider taking public
transportation or renting an electric or hybrid vehicle. You
can also reduce your impact by choosing to walk, cycle, or
use electric scooters in urban areas.
Hollywood celebrities like Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, and Amy

Adams choose to fly with commercial airlines instead of
private when travelling.
Pack reusable items and reduce waste

Single-use plastics are another major contributor to waste
in the tourism industry. To reduce plastic waste, pack
reusable water bottles, shopping bags - like those made of
canvas or jute, cutlery and metal straws. Many destinations
offer refill stations for water bottles, which makes it easier
to avoid plastic bottles. When eating out or buying food on
the go, choose restaurants and cafes that follow sustainable
practices. Reduce food waste by ordering only what you can
eat and if there are leftovers, pack them up.
Actress and model, Dia Mirza, has been a strong advocate
of protecting habitats and the environment. In an interview,
she spoke up about sustainable travelling practices, “One
of the things that I do before I travel is that I actually find
out whether the place has an adequate waste management
system. If they don’t, then I ensure that I don’t carry items
which are not degradable. Secondly, being respectful to
the culture and community of that area. Exploring the local
cuisine and interacting with people, but also treating them
with dignity and gratitude.”
To reduce plastic waste,

pack reusable water bottles,
shopping bags, cutlery and
metal straws.

Choose sustainable accommodation
The accommodation you choose can
have a significant impact on your
environmental footprint. A hotel that
uses renewable energy sources or
has implemented energy-efficient
practices will have a lower impact
on the environment than one that
doesn’t. These practices include using
renewable energy sources like solar
or wind power, implementing water
conservation measures, and reducing
waste by recycling and composting.
Alternative accommodation like

eco-lodges and homestays can
also be a more sustainable option
than traditional hotels. These
accommodation options often use
local materials and resources in their
construction and operations, reducing
the burden on natural resources.
‘Made in India’ actor Arjun

Mathur is a strong believer
in sustainable travel and
is the ambassador of the
‘Responsible Tourism
Society of India’ (RTSOI).

Support local businesses
Supporting local businesses is an excellent
way to travel sustainably while also
immersing yourself in the local culture.
Buying from local markets instead of
big chain stores not only supports small
businesses, but can also help reduce your
carbon footprint by reducing transportation
emissions.
Eating locally sourced food supports local

farmers, while also helping lower your
carbon footprint by reducing transportation
emissions from imported foods. Visit
farmers’ markets and try out traditional
dishes from local restaurants.
Buying souvenirs from local artisans instead

of mass-produced items made abroad
supports the local economy, plus gives you
a unique keepsake from your trip.
Visit farmers’ markets and

try out traditional dishes
from local restaurants to
help lower your carbon
footprint by reducing
transportation emissions
from imported foods.

Respect wildlife and natural areas
Environmental degradation caused by human activities
has a devastating impact on wildlife populations across the
globe. As tourists explore natural areas like national parks or
beaches where animals live, it’s imperative that we respect
their habitats’ boundaries, leaving them undisturbed. Avoid
getting too close to or touching wildlife, and refrain from
feeding them as it disrupts their natural behaviour patterns.
Single-use plastics like straws and water bottles can harm
wildlife if they end up in oceans or other natural habitats
where animals live, even if you do not litter.
Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Ian Somerhalder and his

wife Nikki Reed have been big advocates for creating safe
and undisturbed environments for animals.
Pick responsible tours and activities

Recreation is an important part of travel for travellers
seeking adventure in nature. However, it’s important
to pick responsible tours and recreation so that you
don’t harm natural areas or contribute to negative
environmental impact.
Tours can have a huge impact on the environment if not

managed correctly. Look for tour companies that prioritise
sustainability through responsible practices like using
energy-efficient vehicles / boats / hot air balloons.
Avoid tours that promote interacting with animals

excessively since they have been known to abuse animals.
Wildlife reserves and conservations look out for the animals
and are the best options if you want to explore safely.
Bollywood belle Alia Bhatt loves animals and promotes
cruelty-free practices. She often chooses sustainable travel
practices. Hubby Ranbir Kapoor even proposed at Masai
Mara in Kenya, one of the largest wildlife reserves in Africa.
Avoid getting too close to

or touching wildlife and
refrain from feeding them
as it disrupts their natural
behaviour patterns.

Use eco-safe products
Two products that can cause a lot of damage are sunscreen
and bug spray. When you swim in the ocean, it’s important
to use reef-safe sunscreen. Some sunscreens have
chemicals that can harm coral reefs, like oxybenzone and
octinoxate. Make sure to read the labels and avoid them.
In places where it’s hot and humid, mosquitoes can be a
big problem. They can even carry diseases. However, it’s
important to use a non-toxic bug spray. This will help keep
the animals safe and healthy.
Put Sustainability First

Sustainable travelling is crucial if we want future generations
to be able to enjoy this beautiful world just as we do
Prince Harry founded today. Choosing sustainable accommodation, supporting
‘Travalyst’ to help people plan local businesses, and being mindful of wildlife habits are
all effective ways in which we can make positive changes
their trips in a sustainable towards minimising the negative impact we could have on
the planet whilst still enjoying amazing experiences.
manner; from transport to
accommodation, the website However, this all begins at the planning stage and requires
gives helpful suggestions research, so don’t rely on the most popular tourist
information, and be conscious of the choices you make.
and information. This way you will not only protect nature, but also create
unforgettable memories along your journey!

Food
Grab a
cuppa
Rushina Munshaw
Ghildiyal, Curator
& Editor in Chief,
Godrej Food Trends
Report 2022,
explores why coffee
holds a special place
in tea-loving India.
Coffee cultivation in India dates back to the 1600s.

According to legend, Sufi Saint Baba Budan propagated
seven coffee beans smuggled from Yemen in southern
India. First grown as a garden shrub, coffee was initially
cultivated as a commercial crop in India in the 18th century
under the aegis of the British Empire, exclusively as an
export commodity.
The Rise of India’s Coffee Culture India’s Coffee

India’s Coffee Culture began some 20 years ago and has
recently taken on a meteoric rise. In the 1940s, came the Culture began
some 20
Coffee Board. Sunalini Menon, founder of Coffee Lab and
Asia’s first woman to be a professional coffee taster, shares,
“In 1996, the Coffee Board went on to liberalise trading
of coffee, allowing growers to trade in the open market.”
Menon lauds this movement for pushing the importance of
years ago and
quality in a competitive market. “Around this time, we also
realised that export wasn’t everything, that we should also has recently
taken on a
look at the domestic market,” she adds. This catalysed the
launch of Café Coffee Day (CCD) with the opening of its first
café outlet in Bengaluru that same year.
“Today, the segment of discerning consumers is growing,”

meteoric rise.
says Shivani Unakar, Food Researcher & Communicator.

“Today, the
segment of
discerning
consumers is
growing. They
know what makes
good coffee, and
they know what
exactly they like!”
- Shivani Unakar
“They know what makes good coffee, and they know what
exactly they like!” She goes on to explain that each wave of
evolution in coffee culture saw at least one step of backward
integration. The first wave saw consumers focus only on the
final product. The second wave brought ‘baristas’, and their
skills in crafting beverages and elaborate latte artistry into the
limelight. The third wave saw roasters taking agency. And now,
the fourth wave presages producers at the farm level getting
innovative with their offerings! “It was this period, between
2012 and 2015, that India began seeing a nationwide shift in the
market, viewed as India’s third wave of coffee,” she concludes.
Specialty Coffees Take Centre Stage

According to the Godrej Food Trends Report, 72.3% gourmet
Indian coffee trended in 2022 and 47.7% agreed that cold
brew tea and coffee options would drive their upward curve
at a robust pace in 2022. 52.4% felt gourmet Indian-origin
artisanal coffee/tea brands would continue to grow.

In the last
few years,
specialty
coffees
moved into
the home
spaces in a
big way.
Ashish D’Abreo who began Flying Squirrel Coffee in Bengaluru, which

has today evolved into Maverick & Farmer, shares an interesting
There are some great
insight he gained a few years ago when Maverick & Farmer launched
a sampler pack. The idea was for people to taste different varieties,
innovations happening;
and then buy what they like the most. But consumers kept coming
back for the sampler pack. The company discovered consumers
capsule-based
were actually enjoying the variety the sampler pack offered. This is
reflective of coffee aficionados today. Not only are they buying larger
coffee machines will
volumes, but their home pantry is often stocked with a selection of
their favourite coffees. Interestingly, in the last few years, specialty
revolutionise the home
coffees moved into the home spaces in a big way. coffee experience, most
For The Love Of Joe roasters are introducing
According to the above report, experts believe that Indian consumers
did not want to compromise on their coffee and actively sought
easy-pour drip bags,
to improve their home consumption habits. Today, Indian coffee
consumers are more appreciative of the skills and effort that go into
and consumers can pick
brewing a good cup, and they expect cafés to deliver a beverage that
is at par with or better than what they would brew at home.
from an ever-widening
selection of gourmet
Simultaneously, there is also an effort to offer simpler and more
convenience-driven solutions. There are some great innovations instant coffees, and
happening; capsule-based coffee machines will revolutionise the
home coffee experience, most roasters are introducing easy-pour ready-to-drink cold
drip bags, and consumers can pick from an ever-widening selection
of gourmet instant coffees, and ready-to-drink cold brew options. brew options.
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Social media played
a big role for cafés.
People began virtually
checking in at cafes
with friends and
posting pictures of
latte art on social
media platforms.
Today, the way the Indian coffee market is evolving, knowing

or asking about the origin (of your coffee) is a given. The
Godrej report says all this indicates that the coming years
will see the specialty coffee experience becoming more
complex. The expansion of the café culture in these parts of
the country strengthened coffee’s status as a lifestyle drink.
Social media played a big role for cafés. People began

virtually checking in at cafes with friends and posting
pictures of latte art on social media platforms. Around this
time, during the early 2010s, the adoption of higher-end
With the number of people gourmet coffee, be it a Starbucks latte or a well-brewed
brewing coffee at home, pour-over, was much more rapid outside southern states.
There was suddenly a blossoming of coffee culture in totally
the consumer base has unexpected places like Surat, Jaipur and Chandigarh. With
cafés, there is a logistical limit to how many consumers you
also grown. This movement can serve. With the number of people brewing coffee at
home, the consumer base has also grown. This movement
is also pushing cafes and is also pushing cafes and professional baristas to raise their
benchmarks. Coffee became a social event and a personal
professional baristas to indulgence, spiked with caramel or chocolate sauce and
topped with whipped cream if one so wished. This was a
raise their benchmarks. turning point in the coffee industry.

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S
Events
creen
tealer
Manoj Bajpayee
shines in the
spotlight at the
unveiling of the
latest issue of
‘Society Achievers’.
The dashing and dapper Manoj Bajpayee won
over the media and audience at Invincible at
C’est la Vie, Mumbai, where he unveiled the latest
issue of ‘Society Achievers’. The award-winning
actor joined media magnate Nari Hira; Ashok
Dhamankar of Magnate Publishing; and Andrea
CostaBir, ‘Editor’, ‘Society Achievers’, to unveil the
cover in the presence of the media at the fabulous
Invincible at C’est la Vie, Mumbai.
“It all looks miraculous for me. I never thought

that I would survive for this long in the industry.
This is a great time to see yourself on the cover
of a magazine of this magnitude. I am thankful to
Mr Nari Hira and the entire team. Thanks a lot for
supporting me,” said the actor.
Riding high on the success that followed the release

of ‘Gulmohar’, Manoj was joined by producer
Gitika Aggarwal; director Rahul Chittella; and
castmates Suraj Sharma, Kaveri Seth, Shriharsh
Sharma, Jatin Goswami, Utsavi Jha and Abhinav
Bhattacharjee. They all took a moment to share
how excited they were for Manoj and offered their
best wishes to him and the magazine.

‘Society Achievers’ also took a moment to felicitate achievers from With the ceremonies wrapped up, celebrities and
different spheres and recognise their immense contributions. This dignitaries posed for the cameras and mingled
illustrious list included Author & Philanthropist, Dr Manju Lodha; over drinks and snacks as the night came to a close.
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Dr Rohan Palshetkar; Breast Specialist
& Oncoplastic Surgeon, Dr Karishma Kirti Palshetkar; CMD, Bright The magazine would like to give a special
Outdoor Media, Yogesh Lakhani; Director, Dome Entertainment, shoutout to Basab Paul and his team
Mohomed Morani; Founder of Shiva’s Stylo, Shiva Bhandari; and at Invincible, ‘C’est la Vie, for being our
Founder, Naarad PR & Image Strategists, Anusha Srinivasan. hospitality partner.

Events
A Date With
Design
The dynamic and
erudite Gulshan
Grover unveiled
the new ‘Society
Interiors
& Design’
magazine cover!
Celebrating the very best in architecture and design is
what ‘Society Interiors & Design’ does best! And joining
in on the action to celebrate the magazine’s latest issue
was none other than Bollywood legend Gulshan Grover.
The award-winning actor joined media magnate Nari

Hira; Ashok Dhamankar of Magnate Publishing; and
Swati Balgi, ‘Editor’, ‘Society Interiors & Design’, to
unveil the cover in the presence of the media at the
fabulous Invincible at C’est la Vie in Mumbai. Gulshan
then spoke extensively to the media, who made him
recount his amazing journey in Bollywood, Hollywood
and various other film industries across the world too.
Media Moghul Nari Hira also presented the ‘Stardust 50th

Anniversary Honours’ commendation to Bollywood’s
favourite ‘Bad Man’, powerhouse actor Gulshan Grover,
and gorgeous and brilliant performer Divya Dutta for
their incredible contribution to the film industry.

‘Society Interiors & Design’ also took a moment to
felicitate achievers from different spheres and recognise
their immense contribution to the world of design. This
illustrious list included Praveen Hingad and Aarti Mehta
of ICE India Coverings Expo, Arch Sachin Gupta, Arch
Yatin, Interior Designer Neha, Architects Ahmed Sheikh
and Firoz Sheikh, Mr Jhunjhunwala, Arch Manjunath
Hatwar, Arch Heena and Arch Alden from ANA.
‘Society Interiors & Design’ would like to give a special
shoutout to Basab Paul and his team at Invincible, C’est la
Vie, for being their hospitality partner.

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Society

The Magazine With Class

Cinema’s Dark Horse Purohit

Publisher: Magnate Publishing Private Limited

Health Check 18 Giving Back 74

Following close on his heels is Michelle Yeoh

Global entrepreneur Subodh Agrawal; SDS BY KUSHAL SHAH Founder &

Photograph: Viraj Shirodkar

Society Achievers - March 2023 7

Not for Emraan Hashmi the

8 Society Achievers - March 2023

Society Achievers - March 2023 9

Do you continue to be fascinated with edgy,

10 Society Achievers - March 2023

Society Achievers - March 2023 11

“For me, putting my best foot

Society Achievers - March 2023 13

Are you a 24x7 work-mode kind of

14 Society Achievers - March 2023

“For the longest time, I have loved

“I like taking up challenges,

Any goals, personal and professional, that

Society Achievers - March 2023 17

Aging - The Healthy Way

18 Society Achievers - March 2023

Dr Rohit Batra, MD (Dermatology, Venereology

Healthy hair indicates the adequacy of nutrients

Society Achievers - March 2023 19

Shop at: Victorinox stores and online portals

The Sweet Touch

20 Society Achievers - March 2023 Compiled by Amber Dias

22 Society Achievers - March 2023

Ajay Banga: An Ideal

Frissons of excitement ran through the country and

24 Society Achievers - March 2023

The Promise Of Things To Come

Society Achievers - March 2023 25

26 Society Achievers - March 2023

Society Achievers - March 2023 27

Did you know…?

Society Achievers - March 2023 29

30 Society Achievers - March 2023

What is the World Bank?

Society Achievers - March 2023 31

The Year of Yeoh

‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ has become the buzz

Over her four-decade-long career, Michelle

Her message goes out not just to the

To better understand the person in

32 Society Achievers - March 2023

Michelle already made history with just a nomination. At the

Yeoh’s secret to success just might be the way she takes

Look at me; I’m here.”

Society Achievers - March 2023 33

company in Hong Kong saw the ad and cast Michelle in her

Way To The Top

Michelle Yeoh became the first

MRJ TRADING PVT LTD.F/201, Shyamkamal C Bldg, Wing 1

36 Society Achievers - March 2023

Michelle Yeoh “kung fu’d

Society Achievers - March 2023 37

“Ladies, don’t let

38 Society Achievers - March 2023