Waheeda Rehman, 85, is a towering legend of Indian cinema known for iconic roles in films like ‘Guide’, ‘Pyaasa’ and ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’
Waheeda Rehman
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on September 26 announced that veteran Bollywood actor Waheeda Rehman would be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021, honouring her stellar contribution to Indian cinema.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 85-year-old actor through an X (formerly Twitter) post. “Delighted that Waheeda Rehman Ji has been honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award. Her journey in Indian cinema has left an indelible mark. A beacon of talent, dedication and grace, she embodies the best of our cinematic heritage. Congratulations to her,” he said.
Ms. Rehman has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Hindi films, prominent among them being Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke Phool, Chaudhavi Ka Chand, Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam, Guide and Khamoshi.
The announcement coincides with the birth centenary of Dev Anand, who had worked with Ms. Rehman in the classics like Guide (1965), an adaptation of R. K. Narayan’s book; and crime thriller C.I.D. (1956), which was her first Hindi film. Earlier, she had acted in Telugu films Rojulu Maraayi and Jayasimha, which were released in 1955.
“In her career spanning over five decades, she has essayed her roles with extreme finesse, leading to a National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in the film Reshma and Shera. A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, Waheeda ji has exemplified dedication, commitment and the strength of a Bharatiya Nari who can achieve the highest level of professional excellence with her hard work,” said Mr. Thakur.
The Minister said: “At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (women’s reservation Bill, 2023) has been passed by Parliament, her being awarded this lifetime achievement award is a fitting tribute to one of the leading ladies of Indian Cinema and one who has dedicated her life after films to philanthropy and the greater good of society.”
The award will be presented during the 69th National Film awards ceremony. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award selection committee comprised prominent Indian cinema personalities, Asha Parekh, Chiranjeevi, Paresh Rawal, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Shekhar Kapur.
Ms. Rehman has worked in more than 90 films. She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her roles in Guide and Neel Kamal (1968). She also bagged the National Award for Best Actress (1971) and was honoured with the Padma Shri by government in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by The Hindu Bureau / September 26th, 2023
Thanjavur-based Shahida Malik, the elder sister of Waheeda Rehman, talks about growing up with her ‘Chand’.
Waheeda Rehman with Shahida Malik | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Many rejoiced at the news of veteran actor Waheeda Rehman being conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021.
But quite above the fan frenzy, is 92-year-old Shahida Malik, Waheeda Rehman’s elder sister based out of Thanjavur, who has been moved to tears of joy at the recognition of her beloved sibling, nicknamed ‘Chand’ (moon and a term of endearment in Urdu), whose innate talent has been finally given its due.
It often comes as a surprise to many that Waheeda Rehman is actually from Tamil Nadu. She was born in Chengalpattu.
With a beautiful dance sequence that marked her debut at the age of 17 in the 1955 Telugu film Roju Marayi (remade as Kaalam Mari Pochu in Tamil), Waheeda Rehman’s body of work spans several decades of unusual roles. Her career in Hindi started in 1956 with the Guru Dutt production CID.
“Waheeda’s Roju Marayi dance was so famous that people used to throw money at the screen whenever the song came on,” says Shahida. “We were amazed to see the reaction to our sister and so proud of her success.”
Trained in Bharatanatyam
Born in 1938 to district commissioner Mohamed Abdul Rehman and Mumtaz Begum, Waheeda was the youngest of four daughters. She and her sister Sayeeda trained in Bharathanatyam.
Shahida, who is seven years elder to the actor, remembers the family fearing for Waheeda’s poor health in her early childhood. They were also worried about the reaction to girls from the Muslim community taking up dance or films as a career.
She was first noticed as a performer at a Bharatanatyam recital for a cultural show organised during a visit by India’s last Governor-General C. Rajagopalachari by her father when he was posted at Vishakapatnam (in what was then the Madras Presidency).
“Father was asked to use only local artistes in the programme. Waheeda and Sayeeda were roped in for the dance,” recalls Shahida. As mentioned in the 2015 book Conversations with Waheeda Rehman by Nasreen Munni Kabir, the family went through straitened times after the death of Mohamed Abdur Rehman in 1951.
Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman at an event in New Delhi | Photo Credit: –
“Our father was transferred constantly, and this affected our studies. My elder sister Zahida and I managed to study up to Class 8, but Sayeeda and Waheeda didn’t get even that far. They worked very hard to stand on their own feet,” says Shahida.
Foray into films
Waheeda Rehman’s success in the Roju Marayi song led to a meeting with actor-producer-director Guru Dutt, who eventually signed her up for a three-year contract with his production house in 1955, persuading Waheeda and her mother to shift to Bombay from Madras.
Their creative partnership flourished in films like Pyaasa, Twelve O’ Clock, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Chaudvin Ka Chand and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. With a ringside view on the world of films, Shahida has many memories of her sister’s heyday as a young actor, and also chaperoning her to shoots in outdoor locations.
Waheeda Rehman in the Telugu film ‘Rojulu Maaraayi’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Shahida and Waheeda are the only two surviving sisters. Family members, irrespective of their age, refer to their star relative affectionately as ‘Chand Khala’. “I nicknamed her after the moon, because she was destined to rise high in life and shine. I am so happy, I cannot stop crying,” says Shahida.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by Nahla Nainar / September 27th, 2023
Madurai, TAMIL NADU / Alice Springs (Arrernte, Northern Territory), AUSTRALIA:
Shameina Ibrahim and Seeni Mohammed are excited about their future in Alice Springs.(Supplied)
Growing up in Madurai in South India, Seeni Mohammed had always aspired to call Australia home.
“Australia looks after me really well … and I’m happy here with my family and wife, and good culture. And everyone is welcoming,” he said.
Mr Mohammed, 27, believes that “everything is awesome” now that he has obtained his citizenship.
Mr Mohammed is delighted to be an Australian citizen.(ABC Alice Springs: Evan Wallace)
His wife Shameina Ebrahim, 28, has a firsthand understanding of how significant the transition is for her husband.
“Citizenship might not seem a huge deal for some people but living in that position … as a family, and witnessing the struggle, I can personally say we’re so happy and proud of this moment,” she said.
Ms Ebrahim was born in Darwin to a migrant family from Southern India.
In 2018, the pair met through a mutual friend, and married the year after.
As a married couple, Ms Ebrahim has revisited some of the challenges that her own family experienced in navigating the shift to Australian life.
Mr Mohammed had his citizenship conferred by Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson.(ABC Alice Springs: Evan Wallace)
“I’ve always been grateful for my parents making that hard choice and leaving their friends and family to get a better life for their kids,” she said.
“So seeing that growing up and also then going through it with my partner as well … it’s insightful.
“But you know, at the same time, it is rewarding because it keeps me humble.”
Making the transition
After marrying in 2019 at a wedding in India attended by over 1,000 people, the couple have prioritised respect and commitment in navigating married life.
Mr Mohammed has appreciated how a shift in values between India and Australia has shaped their relationship.
“Here everyone is equal, everyone has to have the same rights, everyone has the same part in everything. So that’s quite different,” he said.”Give value for men’s and women’s [rights], give respect to them. And give the words value so the life will be smooth.”
Ms Ebrahim and Mr Mohammed married in India at a ceremony attended by 1,000 people.(Supplied)
For Ms Ebrahim, the transition hasn’t been without its “struggles”.
“Every life has its challenges, whether it be adapting to a new lifestyle, or transitioning from single life to being married … it really depends who you’re doing it with, your personalities need to be compatible,” she said.
“I can’t say that it was easy … we argue all the time, we’re not perfect or anything, but in that we’ve just learned to be supportive of each other.
“In sickness or in health, he’s kept his vows.”
Moving to the red centre
After living in Melbourne together for three years, the couple made the switch to Alice Springs when an exciting career opportunity emerged for Ms Ebrahim to work at the Central Australian Women’s Legal Service.
With the majority of Ms Ebrahim’s cases focusing on domestic violence, family law and housing insecurity, the young lawyer describes her daily life as “chaotic”.
At the same time, she has relished the opportunity to connect with the community.
Ms Ebrahim says respect and commitment has been crucial in navigating married life.(Supplied)
Ms Ebrahim’s commitment to women’s rights has been reaffirmed by her positive experiences as a Muslim in Australia.
Growing up in Darwin, Ms Ebrahim started wearing a headscarf when she was 16 and has welcomed the response.
“I haven’t faced that much backlash in the community,” she said.
“I’ve been accepted and as a legal professional, I’m always out and about. I might be the odd one out, but you know, everyone’s been so loving and accepting.”
Mr Mohammed and Ms Ebrahim lived in Melbourne together after marrying in 2019.(Supplied)
The inclusive and welcoming approach she experienced has extended to the couple’s time in Alice Springs.
“The community really supports you here,” Mr Mohammed said.
“It doesn’t matter about their background, or what ethnicity they’re from — they’re really supportive people, lovely people here.”
A future in Alice Springs
With Mr Mohammed’s goal of citizenship complete, they are now considering starting a family of their own on Arrernte country.
“We have fallen in love with Alice Springs,” Ms Ebrahim said.
“We came for better weather … and after falling in love with the town, we do see a future here and potentially raising a family as well as developing our own careers.
Ms Ebrahim and Mr Mohammed are considering starting a family in Alice Springs.(ABC Alice Springs: Evan Wallace)
Regardless of how long the couple stay in the Northern Territory, Ms Ebrahim is excited to continue building a future with a man who she loves “wholeheartedly”.
For Mr Mohammed, the feeling is very much mutual.
“I love her so much,” he said.
“I should say thanks to the god.”
source: http://www.abc.net.au / ABC News / Home> ABC Alice Springs / by Evan Wallace / March 25th, 2023
Even though there were pockets of tribal-populated areas in Bulsar district, such as Dharampur and Bansda, the district was, by and large, known to be fertile and well served by the monsoon. The southern part of the district contained large tracts of grasslands, mostly owned by the Desais and Parsis. Most of the districts of peninsular Saurashtra, however, had no irrigation facilities. This was before the Narmada Canal took the river water there and solved the problem of both irrigation and drinking, with the rare exception of Junagadh.
I had served in one of the most arid regions of Saurashtra, Surendranagar – rich in history and political leaders and poor in soil fertility and irrigation facilities. Saurashtra was also poorly fed by the monsoons, and since no perennial rivers pass through the region, no large reservoirs, too, could be built to retain substantial quantities of water.
The year 1972 proved a very difficult year for both Saurashtra and North Gujarat. That year the assessment revealed that almost 12,000 out of the 18,000 villages of Gujarat had a harvest of less than 25 per cent. The government, therefore, declared famine conditions in those 12,000 villages, that is two-thirds of the state, and applied the Bombay Famine Relief Code to provide regulated relief.
Since the state faced a major calamity with two-thirds of its population of humans and cattle facing the threat of death by hunger and thirst, the Cabinet met almost every day since the moment the assessment figures came to be known. They had known what had happened in the tragic historical famines in Bengal, Kashmir and Madras, where thousands had perished – parents sold their children, sons abandoned their parents and there were rumours of cannibalism in some pockets. A major famine in Gujarat was quite a scary prospect for the government.
One fine morning, in September of 1972, I was basking in the cool breeze of the sea blowing from the Indian Ocean in the west. After a great deal of persuasion and bribery, my daughter, Gazala, who was all of four years, had agreed to go to school. Then the telephone rang. It was KN Zutshi, the revenue secretary, on the line.
“There was a Cabinet meeting this morning to review the scarcity situation. It was decided to post you as director of famine relief to take charge of the relief operations. You better pack up and move over to Gandhinagar. The chief minister wants you here yesterday. You have 48 hours to reach here. Handover charge to your resident deputy collector,” he ordered me.
Though I had been in Bulsar for more than three years, the normal tenure of a collector, still the sudden transfer came as a surprise. Bulsar was such a pleasant district to govern – open-minded and reasonable people, able and committed staff, and a flourishing club that I had established. When I announced my transfer to my officers as soon as I reached the collectorate, there was all-round consternation. By noon, the whole district had come to know of the transfer. As I was having lunch in my chamber, the peon announced that a delegation of MLAs from the district wanted to meet me.
“Sir, there are so many development works going on. All surplus land has not yet been taken over from the Desais. You cannot leave the task half-completed. You should not move,” they said.
“I have completed my tenure here. If the government wants me at Gandhinagar, I have to move,” I said. Left to myself, I would have liked to serve another four or five years in Bulsar. I learnt later that all the MLAs of the district, including those from the opposition, had driven to Surat. They had persuaded Zinabhai Darji, the president of the state Congress, to accompany them to Gandhinagar to persuade the CM, Ghanshyambhai Oza, to cancel the transfer. One of the MLAs later told me that the CM had asked them only one question.
“Is Mr Moosa Raza unhappy with this transfer? Does he want to stay back in Bulsar?”
“No, sir, but we want him there in the interest of the district.”
“Don’t you think that the larger interest of the state should override the interests of a single district?” the CM had asked reasonably.
They had no answer. The next day, after handing over charge to the resident deputy collector (RDC), I drove down to Gandhinagar to call on the CM. I had known him during my tenure in Surendranagar, his hometown. Having been a member of the Parliament for two terms, Mr Oza was a suave and polished politician, exuding politeness and bonhomie at every movement. He received me graciously, and as I was taking my seat, he pointed to a large pile of telegrams on his table.
“Do you know what they are?” he asked me with a smile. “No, sir,” I replied truthfully.
“Over 500 telegrams from Bulsar district requesting me to cancel your transfer.”
“I had nothing to do with them, sir,” I said. But I would have been less than human not to feel pleased at this show of appreciation from the people I had served.
“But I had to disappoint your fans in Bulsar. The state is facing a severe challenge, and your work in Surendranagar, Surat, Bulsar, and Dangs has convinced the Cabinet that you are the best officer to shoulder the task.”
“We have done a preliminary survey and made an initial assessment of the various requirements. A budget of Rs 120 crore has been sanctioned. Your mandate is to ensure that not a single human life is lost for want of food and water, all cattle are provided fodder, and all villages supplied with water. The Land Revenue Code mandates that the able-bodied villagers are not given doles. That encourages a dependent mindset. You have to organise relief works through which all those who can work are provided employment. The wages should be paid every week. The revenue department will brief you on the organisational arrangements. So, get cracking.”
The next port of call was Mr Zutshi, the revenue secretary. Mr Zutshi, as his name indicated, hailed from a family of Kashmiri Pandits. An old-style civilian, with impeccable credentials, he believed in management by the book. He would not deviate an iota from the rules, and everything had to be put down in black and white before he would commit himself to a course of action. Though he used the telephone as a necessary evil, he would not trust any conversation carried out on that unreliable machine.
One had to go over to his room to discuss even petty issues.
“Bhai, Deolekar has prepared an organisational chart for you. We think you will need around ninety staff to manage this huge operation. I think you should speak with him, and he will help you to get the necessary staff in place. We will ask the various departments to depute the needed staff. The PWD will provide the furniture and other necessary equipment,” he said.
The PWD would naturally dispose of its rejected furniture – broken, roughly repaired and not required by others. Also, the staff would be from those divisions where they had proved their dispensability. I would, therefore, start with a severe handicap, which would never be overcome during my entire tenure as a director of famine relief. Nor would I be able to successfully meet the challenge of the worst famine Gujarat had seen in its decades-old history with rejected equipment and discarded staff.
Excerpted with permission from Of Giants and Windmills, Moosa Raza, Niyogi Books.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Book Excerpt / by Moosa Rooza / December 05th, 2022
Wanaromah Essential and Perfumes at RK Salai in Chennai has been producing customised perfumes since 1933.
Mohamed Sadik, 56, the proprietor of Wanaromah Essential and Perfumes (Express)
“You can figure out people with the kind of perfume they use,” says Mohamed Sadik, 56, the proprietor of Wanaromah Essential and Perfumes at RK Salai in Chennai, which has been producing customised perfumes since 1933.
“My father Mohamed Hanifa started Wanaromah when he was 18. He was a widely-travelled man interested in aromatic perfumes and so he started this brand. He aimed to make a product here and sell them overseas. He made his first product in his village at Vadakarai, in Thanjavur district. We are a family of five, I am the youngest of five brothers. After completing my graduation, I took over the business here. My brothers are taking care of it overseas. I am the second generation in my family to take care of the business and now my son is also involved and I am helping him in every possible way,” Mohamed says.
Just like there is a difference between wearing a readymade shirt and wearing one stitched by a tailor as per your desire, there is a difference between standard and customised perfumes, according to him. (Express)
Mohamed says people usually associate perfumes with foreign brands and even in the local market, they try to buy those. He terms it as an “infatuation” towards foreign products.
Apart from perfumes, Wanaromah also sells incense sticks and handmade body bars. (Express)
“We can make a better product than any foreign brand. In perfumes, there are two types, one is natural and the other is synthetic. The former has got its natural odour, we cannot bring a fancy fragrance on that. Earlier, when we started here, we were making perfumes for other industries and later we set up our shop here. We started creating fragrances and we work for other companies as well.
Wanaromah’s speciality is that it is tailor-made for each individual. Perfume plays a major role based on your region, and what kind of work you do among other factors. Whenever customers visit our shop, we ask them a few questions and suggest them a perfume as per their lifestyle,” says Mohamed.
“Whatever you eat, you get that in your body odour. Suppose you work outdoors, naturally, you are going to be in a polluted atmosphere and your body odour would not be pleasant so we blend a perfume that would last longer and provide a sense of calmness amid your hectic schedule,” he says.
Mohamed says all the perfumes they blend are to be used on apparels and not directly on the skin. “If you are in a cold region, the perfume lasts longer and in hot places like Chennai, the perfume has to be a bit stronger. So if someone buys something overseas and uses it here, they are not going to get the proper result because the climatic conditions differ.”
Mohamed says people ask their friends and family abroad to bring two things compulsorily; one is chocolate and the other is perfume. (Express)
The proprietor notes that perfumes are made up of more than 25 fragrance families. After analysing various factors of several regions, they decided to blend their perfumes with five fragrance families.
These are ‘oriental/woody’, which is a blend of wood, amber, tobacco and animalic, and is widely used in India as well as West Asian countries. The ‘fresh/aqua’ fragrance has clean bright scents with citric and aquatic notes while ‘floral’ is for spring and evenings. Then there is ‘sweet/fruit’ which is a blend of wild berries and exotic fruit fragrances. Wanaromah’s ‘spicy’ fragrance is made up of pepper, fresh ginger and cinnamon.
“Each fragrance has got its properties. If you are a sports personality, you can use a citrus note, you can use them when you are on a holiday as well. If you are going for a function, you can use oriental notes. Floral and sweet notes are preferred by women,” he says.
Mohamed adds preferences differ by gender and age. “Teenagers prefer berry notes…. If you are in an office, your perfume should be subtle and nice, so we blend it accordingly… For festivals we should be using a different note,” he says.Don’t miss
Mohamed notes that perfume is not just another ordinary product but it is linked intrinsically to our life. “You can think of your loved ones even in their absence by using a perfume which they had used or a perfume which you used that was liked by them. Perfume plays a major role in our life,” he says.
Mentioning an incident that happened while he was travelling abroad, Mohammad says in an area where a thick labour population was located, he noticed the smell of a jasmine fragrant perfume. While he enquired, the labourers told him that these were perfumes used by their wives and since they would be able to go back to their hometowns only after the end of their contract period and they used that fragrance to remember their wives.
Mohamed, curiosly, mentions that several people approach him to suggest a perfume that would attract the opposite gender.
“Perfume plays a major role in intimacy. It is like a time machine which helps you to remember beautiful moments that happened in your life. I had several requests from customers to blend a perfume similar to the one their father or mother had used so that they can feel them in their home even in their absence,” he adds.
Mohamed says people ask their friends and family abroad to bring two things compulsorily; one is chocolate and the other is perfume. Wanaromah is proud that it is making people take their favourite perfume abroad.
“A product made in India, in Tamil Nadu, is going global and I can’t be more proud than that. ‘Made in Tamil Nadu for the world’ was my father’s motto and we are going to realise it,” he says.
Mohamed also stresses the importance of using more Indian products that will boost the economy. He claims people nowadays are attracted more towards foreign brands without realising that Indians were the pioneers in producing aromatic fragrances. He says their attempt to spread more awareness about local products is an act of reviving history.
At Wanaromah, the price of the perfumes ranges from Rs 2,000 for 130 millilitres up to lakhs of rupees. When asked if they have come across requests to lower their price, Mohamed says there is no space for bargaining in their store as it spoils the time of both parties. Also, he doesn’t believe in franchising his business.
“Quality is everything to me. The business is very personally involved with the family members, and hence even in our stores in Indonesia and Singapore, my cousins are taking care of them. Secondly, we can make a perfume with all these ingredients and sell them at a cheaper price but we know when we make that we are cheating our customers, and I will never do that.
We handpick the best quality raw materials and prepare the pure blend. We don’t degrade our concentration level. When the customers use them and tell us that they have never experienced this kind of a product, it sort of gives us satisfaction which cannot be achieved by anything. So I tell my customers that I offer you the best service and the product price range will be accordingly,” he says.
Apart from perfumes, Wanaromah also sells incense sticks and handmade body bars.
Mohamed says he is thinking about expanding the business further but it would take some time.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai> Know Your City / by Janardhan Koushik / Chennai – November 19th, 2022
Ishana Ismail of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, used the money saved by her parents for her marriage for starting a boutique, three years ago. She was only 18 years old then. In a year, she had decided to switch over to making sanitary pads.
Today, Ishana commands a sanitary pad-making unit with nearly three dozen women tailors and has regular clients in her hometown and across India. She has also received business inquiries from the domestic and overseas markets.
With an investment of Rs 8 lakh, Ishana has made a name in the market with her brand ‘Ana Cloth Pads’. These cotton pads filled with terry towels are eco-friendly, leak-proof, and can be reused up to 25 times.
Ana Cloth Pads receives orders from companies and also delivers pads by courier to individuals across India.
Her father’s friend, Rajesh who works as a manager, also invested nearly Rs three lakh in the business. Ishana’s 19-year-old brother, Ijas finds time from his hotel job to help her.
Impressed by her healthy initiative, many colleges and universities in Tamil Nadu have invited Ishana to their campus for addressing the students about menstrual hygiene. She has also been honoured by the Rotary Inner Wheel Club, Coimbatore, and many NGOs.
Ishana Ismail
Ishana completed her Class XII from Krishnammal Girls Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore, and a course in Fashion Designing.
She has so far traveled to Karnataka, Kerela, and Tamil Nadu and yet has a global vision.
Keeping in mind the needs of her five full-time workers, Ishana also allows them to bring their children along to the unit. ” Most of the tailors carry the fabric home and only five tailors work from my premises. At present, we are facing a shortage of orders because people don’t want to reuse sanitary pads. At the same time, some people have suffered by using commercially produced sanitary pads and are now preferring to use eco-friendly pads. We are looking for bulk orders that will also support poor women, some of whom are semi-literate. We would like to give employment to 200 women.’’
After completing a course in Fashion Designing, Ishana was clear-sighted about her choice of career. Her conviction about what she wanted to do was so strong that she did not think twice before investing eight lakh saved by her parents for her marriage.
She succeeded in persuading her parents. Starting the business was not easy. She had hardly settled in when the pandemic threw normal life out of gear. Her father’s untimely death a year and a half back was a huge blow and the family had to face several financial hardships.
Ishana says that she started this boutique in 2019 with the blessings and support of her parents. When Ishana made up her mind to start her own business, the family had modest means. Her father was working as a labourer in a grinding company in Chinniyampalayam in Coimbatore and her mother was running a beauty parlour. However, Ishana was determined.
Initially, she tried selling bridal outfits and then switched over to sanitary pads. During the COVID 19 pandemic, Ishana also made facial masks. Her company recorded a net profit of Rs two lakh a month.
Ishana says that till Class XII she was using sanitary pads available in the market. “I was reluctant to use pads that could have been easily made at home because I was embarrassed about what my friends would think. I decided to use homemade pads as I fell sick. The pads available in the market also cause cancer.’’
Sanitary pads made by Ana cloth pads company
Ishana’s initiative is clearly in the public interest. Most of the sanitary napkins available in the market today are loaded with chemicals and are made using plastic, which can affect health after prolonged use. In addition, after each use, they need to be trashed because there is no recycling mechanism, and they end up clogging up landfills.
Every year, there are around 12.3 billion disposable sanitary napkins that need to be disposed of in India alone. According to the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance of India (MHAI), there are around 336 million menstruating women in the country, of whom 36 percent use disposable sanitary pads.
Initially, Ishana made sanitary napkins only for her use, but when she came to know that her friends are facing a similar problem with the use of regular sanitary pads, she began making more napkins and asked them to try the homemade pads.
Ishana said, “ I am doing this for the people of India. Every girl is facing problems because of regular sanitary napkins made of plastic. They cause health problems like rashes. According to Ishana, the pad can be soaked in turmeric powder after washing and has to be dried in the sun. Before using them the following month, I recommend placing a wet cloth over the pads and ironing it for at least two days before using them for added comfort,” she said.
She added, “Many women suffer from various health problems related to periods. This is mainly due to the synthetic fabrics used in disposable sanitary napkins. These napkins are disposable but not biodegradable.. So, I was thinking of an alternative solution to this. The result is reusable napkins.”
Ishana says, “If the pads are properly exposed to the sun, then washing and re-using will not harm our health. This pad is very easy to handle and can be washed in normal water. It should be soaked in water for 30 minutes before washing. It should be dried first in the shade and then once in the sun. It should be ironed for two days before use next time.”
She wants to educate more people about how to make sanitary pads from cotton cloth.
Ishana is also being approached by traders from Hyderabad and Kerala for pads. On her plans, Ishana said, “In the future, I would like to make pads for bedridden people and also baby diapers”.
Ishana is keen to tap CSR opportunities which will help her unit create more work for her 25 full-time tailors and five tailors.
(The Author is Research Scholar at JMI and President of MSO of India. Additional inputs by ATV)
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz The Voice / Home> India / by Mohd Modassir Ashrafi / November 03rd, 2022
This metaverse technology attracted the attention of these two who had been working as financial professionals for decades. They decided to bring the financial ecosystem into the metaverse as this technology provides the liberty to perform things that is not feasible in the physical setup.
Fido Group
The term “Metaverse” alludes to a three-dimensional virtual environment that is more sophisticated than current virtual reality. It is a place where businesses and entities coexist and collect and use data. The Metaverse enables people to connect without regard for space, allowing them to gain the latest knowledge and entertainment through encounters impossible in the real world.
This metaverse technology attracted the attention of two friends – Dr. K. Mohideen Abdul Khadar and Mr. Balamohan Krishnan who had been working as financial professionals for over a decade. During their work, they encountered limitations and areas for improvement in the traditional financial ecosystem. But improvements in a physical setup could not be feasible, so they decided to bring the financial ecosystem into the metaverse as this technology provides the liberty to perform things that is not feasible in the physical setup.
Dr. K. Mohideen started his career in the Banking sector in 2004 and was serving the RCU division. Since he is a good learner and a great observer, he found some limitations and areas for improvement in the traditional financial ecosystem. This physical setup could not be accessible for all twenty-four hours and seven days a week. Other than accessibility, some areas needed improvements. He left his job and stepped into the real estate division and started Zontia Groups in 2016. But his longing for achieving the best made him explore many divisions and he headed with confidence and persistence. He started Fido Markets Pvt Ltd in the UK in 2020, Zontia Information technology in Dubai in 2021, and established Fido Academy to educate and train individuals in the field of Forex Trading.
As per Dr. K. Mohideen- “A country’s growth is measured by its Infrastructure development.” So he started Zontia Infrastructure. It has a significant presence across the infrastructure space with expertise in operating and developing real estate and other development projects.
He laid the foundation of a technology-based company “Zontia Financizen Technology”. The purpose of this foundation was to offer a complete financial solution by providing a combined service for different domains. He wanted people around him to have the next level of standard of life. The best way to maintain one’s happiness is to give him the best solution for his financial needs. Not everyone can manage their funds in hand. Keeping it into consideration, he founded Srivastham wealth management private limited which helps users in fund and portfolio management.
In the meanwhile, he established a company ‘FIDOMETA’ with his friend Mr. Balamohan Krishnan in Dubai. Balamohan Krishnan has worked with Citi Bank as Vice President and gained expertise in the field of Forex. He Has been the forex business coach, trader, trading trainer, and trading software architect, is also a fund manager, inspiring speaker, and mentor. He has extreme knowledge of the global forex business, trading technologies, forex trading, and personal finance. He acquires experience of more than 15 years in the forex industry in top investment banks.
The duo combined their experiences from their past and implemented them in ‘FIDOMETA’. As per Balamohan – “FIDOMETA is the world’s first financial institution in the Metaverse. It is a project about building the digital infrastructure in the crypto space where all traditional businesses can onboard and expand their business into new territories and client bases. The major goal of the project is to bridge the gap between the traditional business and its presence in the digital space. The project is focused on leveraging the traditional business into the digital space so that the businesses can reach out wider community in terms of sales, clientele, and new territories. To achieve this goal, we will need to build strong financial infrastructure support right from banking services, payment gateways, book maintenance, virtual hiring, training, and many more.”
Considering the fact that numerous individuals rush to call attention to compare internet gaming universes and the metaverse, the degree and kinds of the innovation utilized in the metaverse empower more significant commitment, independence, and boundlessness. It’s likewise striking that non-game organizations are progressively curious about whether virtual settings like the metaverse may assist them with drawing in clients past the typical shop and cell phone applications.
source: http://www.outlookindia.com / Outlook / Home> Outlook Sportlight> Outlook for Brands / April 13th, 2022
Bridlen, a family owned business from Chennai, on its Indo-Japanese collaboration to craft Goodyear welted shoes
Leather shoes, made to order, that fit like a glove, and look like a dream.
That is a rare luxury in a market dominated by e-commerce, where even designer brands are churning out collections by the season. For the true shoe connoisseur, only a customised product, can fashion a sartorial statement. So following slow food and slow fashion, now there’s a focus on slow manufacturing. At Bridlen, a shoemaking enterprise in Chennai that started in 1986, making Goodyear welted shoes the old-school way is a rich legacy that has continued into the 21st Century.
Started by the late K Mohamed Hasan, who began his career in shoemaking with solely creating uppers , he then turned his eye to create not just custom shoes, but footwear that would please, whom he considered the most discerning customers — the Japanese. As a first-generation shoemaker with clients in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal, he found a friend in Jose Maria Watanabe, a Japanese shoemaker with four decades of experience in the business. What started as a unique friendship, then turned into a partnership that coalesced the best of Japanese design and Indian craftsmanship.
Founder of Bridlen shoes K Mohamed Hasan
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How its made…
A Goodyear welt is a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that runs along the perimeter of a shoe outsole. The machinery used for the process was invented in 1869 by Charles Goodyear Jr., the son of Charles Goodyear, American engineering manufacturer and inventor of vulcanised rubber. Charles’s son followed in his father’s footsteps and came up with a manufacturing process that could be used to assemble various parts of a shoe. Using a process called hand welting the upper portion of the shoe would be sewn together with the sole using a boar’s bristle needle and waxed thread.
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The Japanese connect
Following the untimely demise of its founder in 2019, Bridlen is now managed by his son, Mohamed Affan Kolandaiveedu. Affan explains why their Goodyear welt design is a cut above the standard, “ We don’t attach a cotton rib to the insole. We take a channel on a much thicker insole and stitch the welt to that. This is what separates us from most other brands at our price point or even a few brackets above. A search on the authorities of the classic shoe world from Simon Crompton at Permanent Style or Jesper of shoegazing.com have singled out this feature as a point of strength, something that you don’t normally find on factory made shoes,” explains Affan.
The story of Bridlen is fashioned by an Indian team guided by Watanabe. A Goodyear welted shoemaker based in Spain, he worked with a European partner, and was looking for a manufacturing capacity closer to Japan, when he heard about a small factory in India and came to visit. “Watanabe and Hasan really hit it off with their philosophy for quality, ethics in business and demeanour that they decided to do something together even though the original plan to move the Spanish production to India did not work,” states Affan.
Watanabe looked to pass on his skills, to Indian craftsmen who were serious about preserving the trade. “My project with Affan Shoes was the production of a finished shoe, something they had never experienced before, and at the same time it was a quality standard that was accepted worldwide.” Explaining how his mentor acclimatised to the new workspace, he adds, “Watanabe took great pains in the early days to get along with the workforce in our factory. He learnt a bit of Tamil and taught basic Japanese to some of the staff and their children on weekends. He would spend half the year in Chennai, and loved to partake in social gatherings, our festivals, and cultural practices.”
Mohamed Affan Kolandaiveedu at the factory
Pandemic pivot
Watanabe has continued his association with Bridlen, even during the pandemic. Until three days before the first lockdown came into effect in March 2020, Watanabe was in Chennai, and managed to get one of the last scheduled flights out of New Delhi to Tokyo. “We were in touch with him at least once or twice a week through video calls,“ says Affan, adding how the pandemic forced Bridlen to look at doing fittings remotely. The brand took to e-consultations where a potential client could book a video consultation to understand fitting. For clients who ordered a pair of Goodyear welted shoes online, a pair of fit-trial shoes would be shipped to them, to ensure the sizing was right before making it in their preferred style/ colour. “This gave clients a much needed boost in confidence to try a new brand and to speak with someone from the team about the intricacies of wearing them, the break-in period, shoe care etc,” states Affan. Post lockdown, the styling at the brand has pivoted as well, from classic to casual classics, bringing sustainable Goodyear construction to a wider variety of footwear styles: chukka boots, derbies, or semi-formal loafers.
Watanabe, who is currently in Tokyo, says working in India has been a rewarding journey. “Even though we made small batch production runs, it was important for Watanabe that these shoes should be available to a wider audience in terms of affordability.”
While the goodyear welted shoes range between ₹15,000 ($200) and ₹25,000 ($310) depending on specification, the construction remains the same.
A pair by Bridlen
All eyes on India
The craft on display at Bridlen, has kept the shoemakers competitive in the luxury shoe segment in India and Japan, followed by USA, France and Germany, a testament to the foresight of its founder, Affan states. Affan, who calls himself a shoemaker at Bridlen, has carried forward his father’s legacy and is optimistic of his business prospects across the globe, adding, “Our economy and labour market, now, and going into the future, are geared more towards higher value-added manufacturing or services. If you want good quality production, limited batch runs, attention to detail, then India could still prove to be a good place for international brands.”
With international travel picking up steam, Bridlen has been showing its collections at trunk shows in New Delhi in March and London in May. The tour continues with Mumbai in July, Bengaluru and Hyderabad in August, Stockholm and Paris in September and Amsterdam and Kolkata in October.
Japanese shoemaker Jose Maria Watanabe training a staff member
As India’s upwardly mobile middle class looks to buy custom footwear, with wearability, quality, sustainability and longevity guiding purchases, Affan wants his shoes to be the natural choice. “In Australia, you have RM Williams as a rights-of-passage bootmaker. In England, there are Crockett and Jones, Churchs, in the USA, there is Alden; that when you come of age, get to a certain job profile or income level then you aspire to own a few pairs of these shoes. We want to be that brand for Indians!
Box- ALL ABOUT THE LEATHER
Almost all the leathers used at Bridlen are imported from France, Italy or the UK “where strict norms for effluents are followed, source-tracing is available, and all compliance norms are met. Where made locally, like the lining leathers, we use LWG (Leather Working Group) certified, owner- driven micro tanneries where we know they are serious about meeting our local statutory environmental and sustainability laws.
“In Europe, the demand for high quality shoes, by extension for high quality leather has been there for a long time. So tanneries have been catering to this demand for quality for decades. Minimum order quantities are not as high when compared to the good tanneries in India where their expectation is much higher. In India it’s an uphill task to convince a tanner to do smaller quantities of higher quality because the industry is geared towards making more volumes to feed the bulk production shoe factories,” says Affan.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Fashion / by Anisha Menezes / September 17th, 2022
B Abdul Haq at the counter of Connoisseur Collection, originally the Bharath Watch Company, Chennai | Photo Credit: S Aswini Rao
The Connoisseur Collection family has been the guardian of innumerable timepieces in Chennai for the past 64 years. This Madras Week, they share a few memories.
It is easy to lose yourself in the labyrinth that is Spencer Plaza, with its narrow alleys and seemingly identical corridors. But it is worth it, for tucked away between stores selling T-shirts, phone covers and silver jewellery is a quaint space where time has stopped.
Connoisseur Collection, originally the Bharath Watch Company, was launched in 1958 in Pondy Bazaar by R Abdul Bari, then shifted to Spencer Plaza in 1999. It is now run by his son B Abdul Haq who holds aloft the 64 years of legacy single-handedly.
”My father’s work intrigued me, so I entered the field after discontinuing my education,” says Haq, who learned the craft from his father when he was just 12 years, at the shop. Here, dead watches and clocks come alive at the hands of their knowledgeable and skilled owner.
A six-decade-old timepiece at Connoisseur Collection, Chennai | Photo Credit: S Aswini Rao
Haq’s passion is evident in the way he handles the watches, and shows off his collection of rare luxury pieces from brands like Patek Philippe and Rolex. He opens a case to reveal a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711, made in the mid-1970s by the legendary watch designer Gerald Genta. He moves on to reveal similar vintage watches like Patek Philippe Geneve watches made of 18k gold, and a Patek Phillipe 2583 specially made in 1956.
As he carefully places these prized possessions back in a box and locks them away, he reminisces about the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, and actress Sowcar Janaki visiting his father’s shop with timepieces of their own.
“The rarest watch I have repaired is a Moon Phase by Patek Philippe,” he says, adding, “Customers bring in mechanical watches, Rolex, Omega, and other expensive Swiss watches for servicing, usually to fix broken glass dialsor button malfunctions.”
The entrepreneur reminisces the earlier times of Spencer’s Mall, saying it used to be an international hub with tourists from all over the world visiting in search of high-end brands. Those brands have since migrated to other malls, and visitors to Spencer’s have dwindled. But this shop stays put, he says, as the cost of running a business in Spencer’s is reasonable, and those in the know can always find their way to him.
As the self-styled “police officer in the field of watches” fastidiously wipes dials, he disapprovingly speaks of those who run businesses motivated only by money, with no technical knowledge. Gently wrapping each watch in velvet-lined covers he states, “Custom-made watches have no value, there is no originality left in them. When a company manufactures a watch you should not change anything.”
He wears a Rolex Deepsea watch and says his one of his favourite pieces is the Nautilus series from Patek Philippe. His father bestowed him a Vulcain cricket solid gold wrist alarm from the 1950s— his most prized possession.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style / by Shivani Illakiya PT / August 20th, 2022
(From left) Co-authors A R Mashuthoo and Raja Mohd with Education Minister Chan Chun Sing at the launch of the English edition of Singapore Tamil Muslims. PHOTO: TAMIL MURASU
Singapore :
The Tamil Muslim community in Singapore has contributed to the Republic’s multiracial and religious harmony, with collective efforts that have strengthened the nation’s social compact, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing on Saturday (Jan 15).
In 1946, for example, members of the community dedicated a portion of their salaries to help the Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League (SKML) start the Umar Pulavar Tamil School, the first Tamil-medium secondary school in South-east Asia at the time.
The school played an important role in advancing and shaping Tamil language education here, and many graduates have taken up the baton and become Tamil teachers today, Mr Chan said.
“While the school was closed 40 years ago, its name lives on in today’s Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre, which continues the important mission of transmitting Tamil language and culture to the next generation.”
The centre is in Beatty Road.
Mr Chan was speaking at the launch of the English edition of a book titled Singapore Tamil Muslims.
The event was held in conjunction with SKML’s 80th anniversary celebrations in Chui Huay Lim Club in Newton.
The book, which looks to provide a better understanding of the Tamil Muslim community in Singapore, is supported by organisations including the National Heritage Board and Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.
It has forewords by President Halimah Yacob and former senior minister of state Zainul Abidin Rasheed.
The English edition of the book, which was first published in Tamil in 2015, is authored by SKML president Raja Mohamad and deputy president A. R. Mashuthoo.
In his speech, Mr Chan highlighted how the spirit of grit, resilience and service to community has shone brightly among Singapore’s Tamil Muslims.
Many have become successful professionals and leaders of the community, he said.
“But they have all imbibed the spirit of service, and continued to pay it forward to the community and nation.
“Importantly, these collective efforts by your community have also strengthened Singapore’s social compact – where we help the young to have a good start in life, give more to those with less, and enable our people to bounce back from adversity.”
The minister expressed his hope that the book can serve as a reminder, not just for the Tamil Muslim community but also to a broader audience, that Singaporeans must honour and protect what they have, and inspire the next generation to continue paying it forward.
The book can be purchased by contacting SKML, and funds raised will be used for its work to support the disabled community and education needs of children from low-income families.
source:http://www.straitstimes.com / The Straits Times / Home / by Choo Yun Ting / Jan 15th, 2022
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