Bihar heading towards ‘Jungle Raj’, Mahagathbandhan leaders in delusion: Nityanand Rai

New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) Year 2022 was a milestone for the BJP in terms of electoral success as it secured a record breaking win in its strongest bastion, Gujarat. The party also created a record by retaining power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. It, however, failed to form government in Himachal Pradesh. The party that raised the slogan of ‘Congress-mukt bharat’, was defeated by the Congress in the hill state. Given this, now 2023 will be crucial for the saffron party as the elections to be held in the year would decide the course of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The coming year would tell whether Congress has regained its strength or BJP’s slogan of Congress-free India is headed towards success. Out of 10 states and Union Territories- Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and J&K, where Assembly elections are to be held in 2023, the BJP will be engaging in direct contest with the Congress in all the states except Telangana and J&K. The saffron party is expected to hold its national executive meeting in mid-January, 2023 to chalk out a strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls. In Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, which are currently under the Congress rule, the BJP is attempting to oust it from power. The BJP wants to give a jolt to both the Gandhi family and the Congress by defeating Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh, as both these leaders are considered very close to the Gandhi family. The saffron party faced defeat in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh in the 2018 Assembly elections, and gained power much later due to major defection by Jyotiraditya Scindia among others in MP, and the success of Operation Lotus in Karnataka. In order to defeat the Gehlot government in Rajasthan, the BJP has been taking out a Jan Aakrosh Yatra in all the 200 assembly seats of the state and is also preparing for a big campaign by bringing all the factions together. The BJP is trying to unite the party divided into factions in Chhattisgarh, and taking the help of organisations affiliated to the RSS to strengthen its base in the state. The Shivraj government and the BJP high command have been gearing up to win the elections in Madhya Pradesh. To change the political atmosphere in Karnataka in its favour, the BJP high command removed the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and made Basavaraj Bommai the Chief Minister in 2021. Yediyurappa was then made a member of BJP Parliamentary Board Committee, party’s highest and most powerful body, in a bid to appease all factions and caste equations, and to send a political message to the people of the state. Assembly elections are also due in Telangana where the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi) is in power and K. Chandrasekhar Rao is the Chief Minister. Rao is engaged in a campaign to unite all opposition parties against the BJP across the country, while the latter is working on a strategy to defeat Rao in his home state. In view of Assembly elections to be held in 2023 in J&K, the BJP which has a stronghold in Jammu, has been trying hard to strengthen its base in Kashmir. In all these states, the BJP is expected to take the advantage of Prime

Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity, which is why Modi will be seen engaged in more programmes and rallies in these states under the strategy for 2023. Along with free ration being provided to more than 80 crore people, attempts will be made to spread information of the Centre’s other achievements among the people. The party is also eyeing the Muslim votes and has been laying emphasis on preparations to seek the support of the Muslim community, especially the backward Muslims, in these elections. The BJP high command will review its strategy by visiting Delhi and the capitals of the states where the elections will be held in 2023, several times in the new year. These meetings will be held under the command of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda and General Secretary B.L. Santosh. Legislative Assembly elections are also to be held in Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram in 2023. Tripura is currently ruled by the BJP and as part of its election strategy, the party has changed the Chief Minister in the state. In Meghalaya and Nagaland, the BJP-backed government is in power, while in Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) is in power.

Yogi framing SP leaders in false cases: Akhilesh

Kanpur, Dec 27 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has accused the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh of framing party leaders in order to hide its own failures. Yadav was in Jhansi on Monday evening where he met jailed former SP MLA Deep Narain Yadav. The state government’s action against SP MLA Irfan Solanki and Deep Narain was a strong message to the party to act in a similar fashion when it comes to power, the SP chief said. Both of them are in jail on multiple charges and the police have invoked the Gangsters Act against them. “The government has failed on all fronts. It has no solution to problems like unemployment and rising inflation,” Akhilesh Yadav told reporters after the meeting. “Deep Narain is innocent, I have full faith in the judiciary. I am sure Deep Narain will be out of jail soon,” he said, adding: “BJP MLAs are involved in large-scale land grab in the state. This is leading to bad blood between the MLAs.” The SP chief also demanded the government to place all the MoUs it has signed for investments in Uttar Pradesh so that the people could get a clear picture. “The government should tell who is investing and where investment will be made,” he said. Supporting the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav said: “I want the country to stay united.”

YEAREND INTERVIEW: No more Vyapams - Cong to make recruitments transparent: Kamal Nath

With Madhya Pradesh gearing up for Assembly elections in the year ahead, former Chief Minister and state Congress chief Kamal Nath, in an exclusive interview with IANS, shared details of how Congress plans to take on the ruling BJP.

IANS: The year 2023 is going to witness heated Assembly elections, and the state Congress is getting ready to contest a second consecutive election under your leadership. What are your mantras for the party workers to take on the ruling BJP?

Kamal Nath: Every election is different and so is the 2023 Assembly election also. Black and white TV era is outdated now, you have to make a strategy accordingly. We are not fighting against the BJP, but its organisation. We are coming to the Assembly elections strengthening the Congress and we are confident that we will win. ‘Booth jeeto, seat jeeto’ will be our main mantra. The Congress will fight against the BJP’s negative politics strongly.

IANS: The Congress seems energised after facing a back to back jolt in 2020, and the results of urban body polls were an indication of it. Do you believe that the people will support the Congress in the 2023 Assembly elections, too?

Kamal Nath: The Congress received massive support in the urban body polls held recently. The results are clear that people have supported the Congress in both urban and rural areas. The BJP was ruling in all 16 Municipal Corporations, but the Congress this time won five of them. They used money, muscle and administrative power, otherwise, this result would have been more different. Momentum is very crucial in politics and at the present the momentum is with the Congress.

IANS: During elections, communalism goes high and all basic development issues take the back seat. Will 2023 MP Assembly elections be fought on development issues time?

Kamal Nath: See, communalism is the prime agenda of the BJP, and therefore, they are not going to do anything different this time also. We are aware that they will create a heated scenario in an attempt of polarisation, because their development has been exposed now. Their fake claims of development done in the last 18 years have now been exposed. Madhya Pradesh has made high growth in crime against women and atrocities against tribal people. Big events are being organised to hide the reality of the state, but the people of the state have now decided to teach the BJP a lesson.

IANS: Corruption has been a serious issue which affects the people of the state directly and the opposition is targeting the BJP government on this. Will the Congress come up with any strong mechanism to reduce corruption from the governance system?

Kamal Nath: Madhya Pradesh used to be known for peace and harmony, but the BJP has changed its identity in the last 18 years of its rule. Vyapam scams have undoubtedly tarnished Madhya Pradesh’s image across the country. Even then, instead of taking some concrete steps, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has given a free hand to the people behind the scams. During the 15 months of the Congress government, we acted against such people, that is why they panicked. Political leaders and the government officials those involved in corruption will be punished, if the Congress comes back to power in 2023.

IANS: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterating that MP’s fiscal growth (19.76 per cent) is the highest in the country and the state has come out of BIMARU tag. On the other hand, the economic debt burden has crossed Rs 3 lakh crore. How is the state economy going to be affected in the future?

Kamal Nath: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has made a world record of making announcements and presenting fake datas. During the Covid-19 pandemic, economic collapse occurred across the country and everybody is aware of this, however, the Madhya Pradesh government is presenting the BJP’s economic data, which does not match with the real economic data. It’s not about a 3 per cent increase in economic growth, but we need to see how much economic growth has increased in the last three years. If the state’s economy has increased, as the BJP claimed, then why has unemployment increased. Real economic growth means an increase in employment. Centre’s data revealed that the per capita income of the citizens of Madhya Pradesh has decreased.

IANS: With election days getting closer, communal/religious issues have started coming out, instead of real public issues. As an economic expert and the senior most politician, how do you observe this?

Kamal Nath: Madhya Pradesh is reeling under huge debt. The BJP government, on an average, borrows around Rs 5,000 crore every month. Public money is being invested to pay interest and the government is investing money borrowed as loan for organising events.

IANS: There is a strong nexus in the governance system that plays with the future of the youth. Recruitment exam paper leaks have become common in Madhya Pradesh, which indicates that Vyapam ghosts are still present in the system. Will the Congress restructure the recruitment system, if it is back in power in 2023?

Kamal Nath: This is really a worrying situation for the youth in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress is determined to make a transparent system in the competitive exam recruitment process. The corrupt system has destroyed the future of our youths, which we will not allow in anyway. If the Congress wins the elections, first of all we will take action against those running the nexus in the BJP government. The BJP has fixed the rate for recruitment, transfer and posting. Many who are close to CM Chouhan have been found involved in corruption and they are being protected.

IANS: The BJP has been targeting the Congress by creating an impression that the grand-old party has suffered due to factionalism. How would you respond to this?

Kamal Nath: BJP’s ‘jumlebazi’ is not going to work now. At present, the MP BJP is divided into three parts -- Shivraj group, Maharaj group and Naraz (rebel) group. A new Chief Minister’s face emerges every three months. Those who were doing ‘gutbazi’ (groupism) in the Congress, now they are doing partnership there. The BJP should focus on its own and not worry about the Congress.

IANS: What is your message to the people of Madhya Pradesh on New Year?

Kamal Nath: On the New Year’s occasion, I would appeal to the people of Madhya Pradesh to support the Congress in the 2023 elections. People of the state have been cheated for the last 18 years, the kind of situation they have faced during the Covid pandemic and failure of the BJP government left thousands of families helpless. Madhya Pradesh will become a growing state, industrialisation will happen and employment will increase. We have planned to introduce a lot of schemes after forming the government and for that we will need support from the people. Lucknow, Dec 27 (IANS) The Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) presidents will not be joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Uttar Pradesh, when it begins early next month, but both leaders have extended their good wishes to Gandhi. RLD national convenor Anupam Mishra said, “We have received an invitation from the Congress party, but it is not possible for party president Jayant Chaudhary to participate in the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra due to his being preoccupied with other events.” “We, however, wish all the success to the Congress’s Yatra,” he said. There is also no likelihood of Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav participating in the yatra, according to an SP leader. Samajwadi Party national secretary and state spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, “The Samajwadi Party and its national president Akhilesh Yadav are already on the path of struggle against the government. The SP president is busy with his programmes and there is no likelihood of his joining the yatra.” The Congress has invited several leaders of the non-BJP parties to join the Uttar Pradesh leg of the yatra scheduled to enter the state through Loni in Ghaziabad on January 3. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief national general secretary Prof Ramgopal Yadav has attacked the Central government over the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra. He had said that there was no Covid-19 in the country, but the Union government was trying to prevent the yatra in the name of Covid-19.

BJP to begin ‘Mission 2024’ for UP from Jan

Lucknow, Dec 27 (IANS) The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) will begin its ‘Mission 2024’ for Uttar Pradesh from January. The party’s exercise to win maximum seats from Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will begin when BJP President J.P. Nadda,g eneral secretary B.L. Santhosh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah visit the state next month. “The programmes of these leaders are being finalised for January. The process of a constituency wise assessment and, thereafter, candidate selection will begin,” said a party functionary. The party, according to sources, will be replacing a number of sitting MPs who have crossed the age limit of 75 years. Those who have been found to be under-performers are also likely to be replaced to counter the anti-incumbency factor. The BJP leadership, apparently, wants to ensure that there is no rebel candidate when elections finally take place. “We have seen how rebel candidates harmed us in Himanchal Pradesh and we do not want a repeat in Uttar Pradesh. Issues will be decided well in advance so that such factors get diluted,” said the source. The functionary said that performance of the candidate would be high on the priority list in candidate selection because with the double engine government, there can be no excuse for non-performance. Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary has said his party aims to win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2024 and has chalked out a strategy for the same. “In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, we won 64 seats, and lost 16 seats. In the bypolls, we won Rampur and Azamgarh. As of now, there are 14 seats which we do not have. Rae Bareli and Mainpuri are also among them,” he said. While the Congress has the lone seat of Rae Bareli, won by its president Sonia Gandhi, Mainpuri was also retained by Samajwadi Party in a recent bypoll.

Bihar heading towards ‘Jungle Raj’, Mahagathbandhan leaders in delusion: Nityanand Rai

Patna, Dec 26 (IANS) In wake of Nitish Kumar abandoned it to form an alternative government in Bihar with the help of six parties, including the RJD, the BJP is not letting any chance to target the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government, especially on the question of law and order. On the current situation of Bihar, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, in an interview to IANS, said: “Bihar is heading towards Jungle Raj and the leaders of Mahagathbandhan are responsible for it. Murders, rapes, dacoities are the common affairs in Bihar. People are miffed with the current rulers of Bihar. People will reply to them in the next elections.” On the Mahagathbandhan leaders claim to squeeze the BJP within 5 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Rai said: “Those who are making statements like this must know that the BJP will take them to such a situation where they would not be capable of contesting elections again. The leaders of Mahagathbandhan will not live in delusion long... the people of Bihar will break this (delusion) soon. Those who were against the Jungle Raj, went with them and ran the government in Bihar.” On Nitish Kumar’s Samaj Sudhar Yatra, he said: “Nitish Kumar has been ruling Bihar for the last 17 years and he used to go for Yatras every year. Such Yatras would not make any difference. The people of Bihar are understanding everything about how he is running the government.” Rai also stressed that Bihar was on a development path when the NDA was in power. “When Nitish Kumar was with the BJP, development was taking place here. Roads and railway lines were constructed, people were given 24 hours power supply in rural areas. All these happened due to the BJP. The Central government has taken Bihar forward by giving aid in numbers of development programmes. Whatever the development has happened in Bihar, all because of the Narendra Modi government. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was in center, the construction of four-lane roads happened in Bihar,” he said.

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS)

Technology incubator T-Hub on Friday announced the launch of the third cohort of the Atal Innovation Centre (AIC) T-Hub Healthcare programme with 17 startups in the healthcare sector. The startups were shortlisted from more than 200 applications after an extensive screening process by T-Hub, AIC and external industry experts. The shortlisted startups shortlisted are: Xtraliving, HSOL, Sanjiva Homoeopathy, Qurix, Health Compass, Latros Health, Second Consult, Thera Healthtec, Immuny5, Yantram Healthtech, Medtotes, Mediforte, Yeshbio Solutions and Thamsar TeleHealth. The startups were selected based on their cutting-edge deeptech innovations for healthcare and life sciences space, go-to market readiness, scalability and team composition. “Through this programme, we aim to create a strong ecosystem empowering startups and facilitating new-age solutions in Healthcare and Life Sciences. Over the next few months, we will work alongside AIC to provide the startups access to the right mentorship, funding channels and networking opportunities,” said

MSR, CEO of T-Hub. The programme is focused on providing startups with world-class experts and resources to sharpen their understanding of markets, refine their business and product commercialisation plans. The cohort is focused on areas such as Data Digitization, Prevention and Early Detection, Non-invasive medical devices, Capacity Building, Diagnostic Tools for CVD, Cancer, and Eye Diseases and Health Care Workers. “This is the best time for our startups to rethink healthcare innovation. There are enormous opportunities for India to become a healthcare destination,” said Rajesh Adla, CEO of AIC T-Hub Foundation. In the second cohort, T-Hub helped startups raise Rs 7 crore in investments and 11 market pilots’ intervention in various hospitals.

Chanda Kochhar: From Kamath’s angel to jail

By Quaid Najmi

Mumbai, Dec 25 (IANS) The high-profile, much-talented, discussed, rewarded, awarded and decorated woman banker with a ‘Midas touch’, the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the private ICICI Bank, Chanda D. Kochhar, was finally arrested along with her husband Deepak Kochhar. It is some seven years after the first of the complaints surfaced that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) bit the bullet to nab the Kochhar couple in connection with the alleged massive Rs 3,250 crore loan fraud involving the defunct Videocon Group. Among other things, the CBI has accused Chanda Kochhar, 61, of irregularities, flouting banking rules and laws in a series of loans sanctioned to industrialist Venugopal N. Dhoot’s Videocon Group between 2009-2011, when she was lording over the bank. The CBI earlier in 2019 booked the Kochhar couple and Dhoot, besides naming the companies like Videocon International Electronics Ltd., NuPower Renewables Pvt. Ltd., Videocon Industries Ltd., Supreme Energy Pvt. Ltd., under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. In an alleged quid pro quo deal, the CBI claimed that after the Videocon Group got the loan of Rs 3,250 crore from ICICI Bank in 2012, Dhoot reportedly diverted a Rs 64 crore to NuPower Renewables where Deepak Kochhar had a 50 per cent stake, raising eyebrows and questions on ethics, as Chanda had set the credit limits for the Videocon Group companies. The CBI charge sheet said that under Kochhar, the ICICI Bank sanctioned the loans to Videocon Group and others in complete violation of the bank’s policies, and later these were declared non performing assets (NPAs) causing losses to the bank and illegal gains to the borrowers and accused. The CBI also wanted to investigate the role of other ICICI Bank’s senior officers who approved the loans to Videocon Group, among others, allegedly at Chanda’s behest. The loans to Videocon Group companies and others eventually turned into NPAs by 2017, and the CBI said that most were grossly flouting the laws, banking rules and the bank’s regulations, and were red-flagged as ‘frauds’ after the probe. Independent banking circles say that the ICICI Bank reported the maximum NPAs during Chanda’s leadership and as per a RTI reply received by a Pune businessman Prafful Sarda, it had accumulated up to a staggering around Rs 200,000 crore till 2021. Just last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed parliament that among other banks, the ICICI Bank had written off loans worth Rs 42,164 crore. As the heat was turned on, in early-2018 Chanda went on leave and then applied for early retirement, which the ICICI Bank accepted, ostensibly as it was kept in the dark on certain facts and non-disclosures on various issues, which came up later. Rattled by the complaints and media exposures, the ICICI Bank appointed a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice B. N. Srikrishna in June 2018 to probe all the allegations against Chanda from April 2009-March 2018. The report damned her for ineffectively dealing with ‘conflict of interest’ and ‘due disclosure or

recusal’ requirements, violating ICICI Bank’s Code of Conduct, lack of ‘diligence’ with respect to annual disclosures as required by the bank, After this report, the ICICI Bank decided to treat Chanda’s separation as ‘Termination for Cause’ with severe consequences including revocation of all her existing and future entitlements like unpaid amounts, bonuses, increments, unvested and vested and unexercised stock options, medical benefits and clawback of all bonuses paid to her during the probe period and take any further actions as warranted. Shaken by the turn of events, Chanda not only questioned Justice Srikrishna’s report but also challenged her termination by the ICICI Bank in the Bombay High Court and later Supreme Court, only to face disappointment. These developments drew the curtains on the Jodhpur-born and Mumbai educated bright babe of Indian banking falling into disgrace - all within 16 years - from 1984 when she joined the ICICI Bank as a trainee and became the Executive Director in 2001. From there on, she spread her wings and soared up the ladder quickly, to become the all-powerful MD & CEO in 2009, after which the apparent downhill slide started for her and the bank. Over the years, awed by her perceived calibre and skills, Chanda picked up a string of many national and international awards or honours, was conferred the Padma Bhushan, advised the government on policy issues and was a muchsought after speaker at domestic and global events. Chanda’s arrest by the CBI marks yet another grisly end to what could have been a glorious banking career, ranks among several of the high-profile banking scams arising out of the lure of lucre that have rocked the Indian banking industry and she counts among a handful of shining top women bankers to crash under an eclipse of ignominy...

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) DGCA approves Garuda Aerospace’s Kisan drone

Chennai, Dec 24 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued the Type Certification for the Kisan or farmer drones made by Garuda Aerospace, the company said. order book of 5,000 drones. According to Garuda Aerospace, the DGC Type Certification is provided on the basis of the quality check of the drones and is issued after a rigorous testing process for the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The Type certification was introduced by the Indian government in August 2021 under Drone Rules. Following the Type Certification for the GA-AG model, Garuda Kisan Drone - priced at Rs.4.50 lakh- is now eligible for Rs.10 lakh unsecured loan from Agri Infrastructure Fund at five per cent and 50-100 per cent subsidy from the Government of India. “We are powered and blessed with strong demands of manufacturing 5,000 drones in the next five months catering to many opportunities. With receiving approvals we are certain that the necessary utilization of skills with significant sector growth will be seen,” Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO, Garuda Aerospace said. The company is also a DGCA authorised Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) to train people to operate drones. New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) Former BharatPe co-founder and managing director Ashneer Grover has revealed he made a cool Rs 2.25 crore from Zomato IPO within 8 minutes of its opening in July last year. In his memoir ‘Doglapan’, Grover said that with the IPO being oversubscribed more than 30 times, he got an allotment of shares worth over Rs 3 crore. “My RMs (relationship managers), based on grey-market premiums, were expecting the Zomato share to list between Rs 85-90, as against an issue price of Rs 76. I, however, was certain that it would do far better. When the share opened on the listing day at Rs 116 per share, I mandated them to sell all my shares,” he wrote. By the time the trade got executed, “I got a selling price of Rs 136 per share. With my landing cost after interest being between Rs 82-85, 1 ended up making over Rs 2.25 crore,” he said. “Within eight minutes of the Zomato IPO opening, I had made over Rs 2.25 crore.” Grover said that he became a little greedy post the Zomato IPO. “I went in for the Car Trade IPO but ended up losing Rs 25 lakh there,” he said. Grover, currently facing a court case filed by BharatPe that he co-founded, said that he was bullish on the Zomato IPO on several counts. “Of course, I knew of Deepinder (Goyal), and I am a big believer in his ability to persevere and keep building big. Fundamentally, with the pandemic the ticket size of their orders had grown, as people were ordering food from home for 3-4 members in the family, as against single rolls in office, thereby increasing Zomato’s absolute margins,” he wrote. Moreover, with restaurants completely dependent during lockdowns on app orders, there was no risk of the take-rate coming down.

“On the other hand, job insecurity among delivery boys kept delivery costs in check. In fact, COVID magically solved the food delivery economics in the country overnight, just like it skyrocketed UPI penetration,” said Grover. Grover was in a heated tussle with Kotak Mahindra Bank after their financing arrangement during the IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd., which owns Nykaa, failed to materialise.

Adani group to own 64.71% stake in NDTV after Roys decide to cash out 27.26%

New Delhi/Chennai, Dec 23 (IANS)

The two original promoters of New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) -- Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy -- have decided to sell their 27.26 per cent holding in the company to Adani group’s RRPR Holdings Private Ltd. In a regulatory filing, NDTV said that Roys have decided to transfer 27.26 per cent stake out of their 32.26 per cent stake in the company to RRPR Holding. The Roys said in a statement that AMG Media Network, a part of the Adani group, is the single largest shareholder in NDTV now. The Roys said in the statement: “We started NDTV in 1988 in the belief that journalism in India was world-class but needed a strong and effective broadcast platform that would allow it to grow and shine. After 34 years, we believe that NDTV is an institution that has met so many of our hopes and ideals; we are so proud and grateful that across the globe, NDTV is recognised as ‘India’s and Asia’s Most-Trusted News Broadcaster’. “Consequently, with mutual agreement, we have decided to divest most of our shares in NDTV to the AMG Media Network. Since the open offer was launched, our discussions with Mr Gautam Adani have been constructive; all the suggestions we made were accepted by him positively and with openness.” As per the filing, the price at which the Roys would sell their 27.26 per cent (1,75,77,676 shares) stake will not be higher by more than by 25 per cent of Rs 368.43 per share. With this acquisition, the Adani group will hold 64.71 per cent stake in NDTV. The Adani group has acquired 8.27 per cent stake in NDTV through its open offer though it had planned to mop up 26 per cent stake in the channel company. “Mr Adani has invested in a brand that is synonymous with Trust, Credibility and Independence, and we are hopeful that he will preserve these values and expand upon them with all the responsibility required of a leader of an organisation of this nature. We look forward to watching NDTV, and its entire extraordinary team, delivering the next phase of growth, one that India can be proud of,” the NDTV founders said in the statement. Meanwhile, the NDTV board at its meeting on Friday appointed Sanjay Pugalia and Senthil Sinniah Chengalvarayan as additional directors in the capacity of non-executive, non-independent directors.

T’gana: 50 new super luxury buses of TSRTC flagged off

Hyderabad, Dec 24 (IANS)

Telangana Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar on Saturday flagged off 50 new super luxury buses purchased by state-owned Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC). The minister inaugurated the new buses on Tank Bund in Hyderabad in the presence of TSRTC Chairman Bajireddy Goverdhan and Managing Director V.C. Sajjanar. The minister said these 50 buses form part of 776 buses to be purchased by TSRTC in the first phase. The corporation has plans to add a total 1,016 more buses worth Rs 392 crore to its fleet in the current financial year. In the first phase of procurement, the TSRTC has placed an order for 630 super luxury, 130 deluxe buses and 16 sleeper buses. All these buses will start playing on different routes by March 2023. The new super luxury buses procured by the TSRTC are equipped with upgraded technology for the safety of passengers. These buses have a tracking system and a panic button, which is connected to the TSRTC control room. The TSRTC control room will be notified if any passengers press the panic button in case of emergencies. Each bus has 36 reclining seats, LED display boards cell phone charging facilities and TVs for entertainment. For the safety of passengers, security cameras and reverse parking assistance cameras are installed in the buses. The vehicles will also have stateof-the-art fire detection and alarm system (FDAS). The system sends immediate alerts in case a fire breaks out in the bus. It will also have a temperature sensor that will set off an alarm in case of overheating. This is the highest number of buses being procured by the RTC, largest in its history. The minister said though TSRTC suffered a loss of Rs 2,000 crore due to Covid-19 pandemic, the government has been extending all the help to the corporation to overcome the same.

TSRTC Chairman Bajireddy Goverdhan said the TSRTC was procuring a large number of new buses thanks to the support of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He thanked the chief minister for providing Rs 500 crore to TSRTC every year. Bajireddy Goverdhan said that the corporation was able to cut the losses due to efforts of the staff. He also pointed out that the corporation released five pending installments of Dearness Allowance (DA) to the employees. Despite the increase in the price of diesel, the corporation did not increase the fares.

Former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, husband arrested for loan fraud

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) Former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband and businessman Deepak Kochhar were on Friday arrested by the CBI in connection with a loan fraud case involving bank officials and the Videocon Group. A senior Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official told IANS that the arrests were made from Delhi whereas the fraud FIR was filed with its Mumbai branch in January 2019 against Kochhar, her husband and Venugopal Dhoot of Videocon Group. “We had filed an FIR for the offence of forgery, cheating, using fake documents as genuine, hatching a criminal conspiracy and having common intention against the bank officials and the Kochhars,” the official said. Nupower Renewables, Supreme Energy, Videocon International Electronics Ltd and Videocon Industries Ltd were also named as an accused in the FIR. Dhoot allegedly invested crores of rupees in Nupower, months after the Videocon Group got Rs 3,250 crore as loan from ICICI Bank in 2012. The CBI official said that they will produce Kochhar and her husband before a court and will seek their custodial remand. “We have also conducted search operations at their premises and have recovered a few documents connected to the case.”

“Viva Magenta” has been named Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2023. If you haven’t heard of this colour, it’s quite intentional. It is a reddish hue that has its roots in nature and is symbolic of a fresh show of power. Viva Magenta is a bold, brazen colour whose exuberance encourages a joyful, upbeat celebration and creates a fresh narrative. All of these together make Viva Magenta an intriguing shade that has been successfully tickling every fashionista’s curiosity to the max. Anand Singh, Fashion Design Manager, DaMENSCH unravels the why behind Viva Magenta for this year and says “ Unconventional color in unconventional times, a symbolic of much-needed strength and power, a color that induces indulgence and passion when you look at it, a color which reminds you of the time when you were hurt or you were in love. A derivative of crimson red, this color has evolved through times which we have seen recently, there was a lot of turmoil in emotions through the pandemic and the war. Now the color of the year is just not decided or voted but this is more of an evolutionary process that supports what was and what’s going to be.”

Well, if you love the color as well as we do, Anand shares his expert tips on how men can style this hot hue!

Suits

This colour has a very strong individual essence, the trend is simple, and anything solid looks niche and premium. To ace this color with a suit is where we can imagine nice viscose or a silk blend. There’s a rare chance of going wrong with a

cheque pattern where old-fashioned windowpane. Checks fashioned with a base or highlight of this color, probably with a darker tonal magenta (fashion) to a Navy (conversational), or you can go all out with a Ranbir Singh look.

Sportswear

Now if you recall retro influences, nothing can beat a nice cut n sew detail in a street/sport setting. This is a color you can almost pair with

anything in a color block, blues, whites, blacks, use it in majors, and use it in accents as it looks fresh everywhere.

Casualwear

Viva Magenta is all set to rule the men’s top-wear market. Shirts {not solids} structured tees, slightly darker hues in jackets, accents in sweaters, color blocks, stripes, etc are what will be the talk of the town. Washed look of this color in colored denim can also be imagined to be a street-style winner. Men’s polos can be a big market, accents in any category, a devil in the details look of this color lined inside a jacket won’t surprise me, also these winter varsity jackets are big there this color can be a big hit.

Accessories

This market will again make a very big bet on this colour, from men’s caps to sunglasses; this color can make fits stand out. This can become a very nice accent to pop us the whole style. Goes without saying, with so much being done in men’s sneakers, this color is definitely going to kick in! A cherished celebration of the Indian fashion industry

The India Fashion Awards 2022, by Rajnigandha Pearls and sponsored by Mario Foods, the winners. Manish Malhotra, Elnaaz Narouzi, Vagish Pathak, Raghavendra Rathore, Anaita Shroff, were held on December 13 at the Andaz by Hyatt to honour fashion industry visionaries. The top names in fashion from all around the nation attended the gala night to either accept the prizes or to congratulate Rocky Star, VipulGoel, Vijender Singh, Ambika Pillai, Maneka Gandhi, Carol Gracias, and Aparna Bahl were among the eminent fashion designers, Bollywood stars, and business moguls that attended.

The Jury included Sanjay Nigam, Vagish Pathak, Dia Mirza, RaghavendraRathore, Nikhil Kamath, ShaliniPassi, Maneka Gandhi, Ambika Pillai, KunalRawal, CarolGracias, Tarun Khiwaland Ravi Jaipuria and other stalwarts from fashion space. The Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF), supported by the world’s top fashion entrepreneurs, designers, mentors, and investors, was also launched at the event. It is the largest grant programme in Asia and the first fashion-only grant programme in India. The creators of India Fashion Awards have unveiled India’s first of its kind “Fashion Entrepreneur Fund” in an effort to find, encourage, and promote the great ideas and future unicorns. The Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF) aspires to become the most sought-after fashion grant in the world by welcoming persons, concepts, and originality to revolutionise the fashion industry. “In the last few decades, the Fashion industry has contributed significantly to the growth of the Indian economy. This promising sector in the country continues to establish new success milestones and industry benchmarks on the global stage of fashion. India Fashion Awards has been curated to spark a fresh wave of excitement and motivation in the fashion industry and confer the right professionals with deserving praise and admiration,” says Vagish Pathak, Chairperson, India Fashion Awards. India Fashion Awards also provided a platform for the first time for Indian artisans and craftsmen to be recognised for their contributions to the Indian fashion industry. Ansari Shahid Hussain, a Zardozi artist, Dalavai Kullayappa, Krishna Kant Sharma (Chhotu Ji), and Vankar Bhimji Kanji were honoured for their outstanding contributions to art and textiles. Ambika Devi, a master of Mithila, also known as Madhubani art, is a specialist in the ancient craft of making leather puppets. Sanjay Nigam, Founder, India Fashion Awards says, “There are iconic designers in the Indian fashion industry who have taken the global fashion stage by storm and received their due honour. But, a majority of our unsung heroes of the industry, behind the scene of this new fashion revolution are still

(L-R) Vipul Goel, Vagish Pathak, Rocky S, Sanjay Nigam, Anisha Bahl, Anaita Shroff Adajania, Aparna Bahl, Carol Gracias, Raghavendra Rathore, Ambika pillai

waiting for the rightful recognition. The need of the hour is to create more collaborations, repositioning Indian Fashion on global platforms to honour and glorify the tremendous hard work of these unsung heroes. India Fashion Award is an honest attempt to honour and highlight these real heroes’ contributions in front of a global audience.” Additionally, Mitesh Rajani was named Makeup Artist of the Year, Gaurav Raina was named Music Director of the Year, Delnaz Daruwala was named Backstage Manager of the Year, Elnaaz Naruzi was named IFA-Ambassador for Change, Robin Raina and Anchal Jain were named Stylish Power Couple of the Year, Vijender Singh and Karman Kaur Thandi were named IFA Stylist Sportspersons of the Year, and more. Anjali Sivaraman won New Age Model of the Year Ramp-Female, Rabanne Jamsandekar Victor in the male category, Shaurya Atley as New Age Fashion Stylist of the Year, Sasha Jairam as New Age Fashion Photographer of the Year, Vahbiz Mehta & Lokesh Sharma as New Age Show Director of the Year, & A-List as IFA Influencer Management

Agency of the Year, among other significant awards in various categories. Designer of the Year - Handlooms & Textiles was given to Gaurang Shah in this glittering ceremony. Designer of the Year - Men’s Wear went to Rohit & Rahul from Rajnigandha. Designer of the Year - Bridal Wear Fusion went to Gaurav Gupta. Designer of the Year - Jury choice went to Anamika Khanna. Designer of the Year - Popular choice went to Manish Malhotra from Rajnigandha. India Fashion Awards is a singular and cherished celebration of the Indian fashion industry under the ardent guidance of Sanjay Nigam, the event’s founder, Vagish Pathak as chairperson, and Rocky S. as creative director. The originality, passion, innovation, and brilliance of the leaders in the fashion and leisure industries are not only acknowledged, but also encouraged on a global scale. The Mario Foods and Kubershoppepowered third season of the awards was co-powered by Pepsi, DLF Malls, Ebix Cash in partnership with PC Jewellers, Cream Bell, Artize, Vega, Little Tags Luxury, and many more well-known companies.

Registration for the 59th Femina Miss India is now open

To stage 30 state winners from all around the country, on the grand finale night The 59th edition of the VLCC & Trends co-present Femina Miss India 2023 hosted by Manipur Tourism co-powered by ORRA Fine Jewellery & Rajnigandha Pearls, is now accepting entries for participation. Through strategic collaborations that help women to realise their full potential as role models and ambassadors, the Miss India Organization hopes to build an ecosystem of international influence and social effect, bringing honour to India on a global scale. The institution of Femina Miss India believes passionately in the power of beauty to change attitudes, project confidence & empower young women by instilling a sense of individuality, and uniqueness, encouraging self-expression, and creating significant & aspirational value among the youth. To stage 30 state winners from all around the country, on the grand finale night, the pageant has kickstarted a national search to choose delegates from 29 states (including Delhi) and a collective representative for the Union Territories (including J&K). The selection structure for participation will require an online registration process followed by zonal auditions in five cities, namely, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Guwahati, and Kolkata, to be held in January & February 2023. The 30 state winners will participate in the pageant boot camp, which will offer a host of activities, including workshops, photo shoots, sub-title competitions, awards night gala event, and personal interviews, culminating into the grand finale extravaganza. Winning the title of Femina Miss India will not only catapult you to fame but also give you a chance to live in the Maximum city – Mumbai – known to be the hub of entertainment and glamour. In addition, former Miss India and Bollywood star Neha Dhupia will mentor the state winners as they prepare for the grand finale. Talking of her association, Neha Dhupia said, “ Every year, the journey of Femina Miss India takes me back to learnings and experiences I’ve gained and will cherish for the rest of my life. Seeing these young state winners so motivated and ready to take on the world is always endearing. Their determination to succeed never ceases to inspire everyone, including me.” Here is some exciting news for all the Miss India pageant aspirants. The Ace Your Pageant course from The Grooming School - The House of Miss India is now available for all applicants at an attractive price as part of their registration process for the Femina Miss India 2023 pageant. Upskill your preparation for the audition and stand a chance to win the pageant by enrolling in the course. Applicants can visit their nearest VLCC centre for a free fitness certificate and complimentary services. For more details on Femina Miss India 2023 Log on to www.missindia.com

Celebrate the spirit of youth with swag

Pepsi X Huemn limited-edition

Culture curator beverage brand Pepsi® is all set to celebrate the spirit of the younger generPepsi®’s iconography – that will aim at encouraging the youth to be their authentic and true selves. ation through its partnership with disruptive fashion label HUEMN for their latest collection. The collection oozes SWAG, and the spirit of community, through an on-ground fashion show in Mumbai on 17th December 2022. Bollywood youth icon Sara Ali Khan will be seen sporting a coveted Pepsi x HUEMN look that will surely become a cult trendsetter. The collection will be an ode to the Swag generation and aligns with both brand DNA who are known to empower the youth time and time again. The capsule collection will feature HUEMN’s trademark design and aesthetic while staying true to Speaking on the collaboration, Saumya Rathor, Category Lead, Pepsi Cola, PepsiCo India said, “Pepsi is a brand that has always resonated with the voice of today’s generation. This new generation is armed with swag or an inherent confidence in their own abilities. They are not afraid to express themselves and Fashion has always been an important tool through which they can express their identities. Our collaboration with HUEMN is our commitment to celebrate this very philosophy.” Commenting on the collection, Pranav Misra, Co-Founder & CEO, HUEMN said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with a legacy brand such as Pepsi. HUEMN’s signature has always been both - easy sophistication and artistic abandon, which is being presented to a global audience. The collection is testimony to the ethos of both brands that believe in self-expression and confidence. This is our effort to bring an inclusive and fresh collection driven by both - a constantly evolving social landscape; and our 10th year of business.”

By Dr Rickson Pereira

Everybody wants to look their best when the seasons of life change. We all enjoy showing off our youthful, healthy skin that radiates and glows, regardless of our age. However, having skin that is healthy and youthful-looking takes work. Time and effort must be put out.

• There is no instant miracle cure

The first and most important step is to consistently follow a decent skincare routine. However, certain circumstances that are out of our control, such as the loss of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid in the deeper layers of the skin, may be too great for skincare to handle alone. These three vital elements for healthy, firm skin begin to dwindle over time, leaving our skin thinner, drier, and saggier than before. These losses happen as a result of pollutants, ageing, and lifestyle choices.

• What can you do?

Touted as a game-changing treatment that hydrates from below the skin’s surface, bio-remodelling treatment may be the answer to your hydration and anti-ageing needs. Using a slow release of hyaluronic acid, it helps to replenish hyaluronic acid and enhance the formation of both collagen and elastin, both of which make up the structural support of the skin. With this therapy, such ageing defects can be delayed and minimised significantly. Bio-remodelling works differently from other dermal filler treatments since it is formed entirely of hyaluronic acid. It blends seamlessly into the skin and spreads itself adequately to provide the needed hydration and flexibility. The structure of the face is not altered by bio-remodelling treatment, it simply gives you more rejuvenated, radiant and ravishing skin. Another important function that bio-remodelling performs is to fast-track skin regeneration, especially required during wound healing tissue regeneration. This is because hyaluronic acid has tissue repair and anti-inflammatory properties.

• Where can you use it?

The common areas of the body suitable for treatment include the face, neck, and hands. This highly hydrating injectable moisturiser encourages the natural production of collagen while filling in the lines while lifting the skin and improving the skin's firmness, elasticity and tightness.

• Who can use it?

Bio-remodelling is suitable for anyone who has skin laxity, crepey skin, or fine lines and wrinkles they wish to target five key areas: the lower and mid-face for nasolabial folds and laughter lines, cheek, chest and decolletage, as well as the hands. It is recommended to anyone who is looking to address signs of early ageing, as well as younger people, to strengthen and hydrate their skin. For most, a depletion of hyaluronic acid begins around thirty the late twenties. Profhilo is one of the trusted brands out there that offer natural, non- toxic, and patient-centric skin relief using 100% hyaluronic acid. Reactions to bio-remodelling have rarely been documented because hyaluronic acid is considered safe, even for pregnant women and nursing mothers. However, it is important to consult your doctor to determine your suitability for this treatment.

(Dr Rickson Pereira, Consultant Dermatologist, Aesthetic Physician, Trichologist, Venereologist and Dermatosurgeon at Dermatherapie Clinic)

Vegan beauty brand supports girl child education

A campaign initiated with Save the Children

‘Project Blackboard’ – an initiative to support girl child education by vegan beauty brand Plum, has a philosophy of “Goodness that Delivers”. Nearly 40 percent of adolescent girls in India lack access to education*, stemming this thought, the brand has unveiled a digital film executed by Famous Innovations featuring its Founder and CEO- Shankar Prasad urging the audience to take one step in the right direction today that can create a positive impact for generations to come. What happens when one little girl goes to school? She becomes an inspiration for millions of others. Her education not just empowers her, but also drives many others to go to school, and has the potential to improve countless lives around her. And this is exactly what Plum captures in its commemorative film. With the traditional multiplication tables forming a musical backdrop, the film opens in an empty classroom and travels through an empty school, with the voices of many more little girls reading out their tables. An interplay of little girls’ names and the crescendo of “multiplying” voices captures the joy of more and more girls inspiring each other to come to school. Beautiful cinematography, real people, and memorable music together pay a fitting tribute to the noble objectives of Plum’s initiative ‘Project Blackboard’. As part of the initiative, the brand along with its brand ambassador Rashmika Mandanna flipped text on their social media handles for a day to show how little girls feel when they don’t know how to read. Plum also roped in brand ambassadors Mithila Palkar endorsing their skin and Ananya Panday endorsing their fragrance category, to mobilize even more support for the cause. The brand will be collaborating with multiple NGOs for the initiative. The campaign is currently being initiated with Save the Children, India’s leading independent child rights NGO, who, since their inception have impacted the lives of more than 14 million children across 16 states. Under this initiative, whenever a customer chooses a Plum product, a part of the sales proceeds will go towards girl child education.

A bridal skincare regime for your big day

The secret to glowing bridal skin is to have moisturized, plump skin

One of the most significant days in your life is your wedding day. Being a bride is the most and impurities you’ve encountered throughout the day. This will help to keep your skin clear, healthy, and providing your skin with the right nutrients. To help you achieve radiant, luminous, and glowing skin, sentimental experience you will ever have, and this is the time you want to look impeccable since all eyes will be on you. You would want to appear stunning and stand out, looking like you are straight out of a bridal magazine, with your stunning lehenga and immaculate makeup. You prepare for your special day for months, choosing your outfits, jewellery, diet, and other specifics. You can’t possibly miss your skin in all this planning. In our efforts to look perfect, we frequently make serious skincare errors that may backfire on us. To save you from these blunders, Cetaphil’s team of skincare experts shares tips for your skin to look flawless on your wedding day.

• Timely Cleansing

Your face is exposed to a lot of pollutants including dust and dirt during the day. Cleansing is important as it deep cleans and gets rid of all the excess dirt, makeup, radiant. Without cleansing, your skin will be more prone to breakouts, dehydration, and premature aging.

• Deep Moisturization

The secret to glowing bridal skin is to have moisturized, plump skin. Your entire makeup look might be ruined by dry, flaky skin. A moisturizer can aid in retaining the moisture in your skin. Daily moisturizing helps lessen the likelihood of developing extreme dryness as well as excessive oiliness. Both extremes are damaging to the skin and are the root of frequent skin problems like acne.

Bedtime Skincare

Despite the hectic schedule linked with wedding preparations, do not neglect your nighttime skincare routine. As soon as you go to sleep, your skin begins to repair. The healing process will be substantially accelerated and made simpler by use something like Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Night Comfort Cream. It contains niacinamide, which helps to reduce dark spots, and also has hyaluronic acid which contains rejuvenating properties that your skin will thank you for. Sun Protection It is essential to use the right SPF for your skin type even if the sun rays are not that strong in winter. Prolonged exposure to the sun can have long-lasting effects on your skin and is one of the leading causes of skin damage. The effects of unprotected sun exposure on your skin include hyperpigmentation, sunburn, dark patches, and sunspots.

• Sensitive Skin Friendly Ingredients

Use products that are compatible with your skin as you strive to stick to a skincare regime to make sure your skin is flawless. You don’t want unexpected flare-ups ruining your plans. Niacinamide, as an ingredient, can increase skin hydration by preventing the loss of moisture and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. For those with sensitive skin, this is a go-to ingredient to eliminate all their skin woes.

Reverse the signs of ageing with hyaluronic acid

It is the dermatology equivalent of the proverbial “holy grail”

By Dr M Shraddha

Most people wish to appear and feel younger than they actually are. Along the skin’s layers. Utilizing supplements like hyaluronic acid is one of these steps. with concerns about wrinkles and other outward symptoms of ageing, the idea of growing old causes its own share of anxiety. According to a recent Forbes Health Survey, about 50 percent of Americans are terrified of getting older, largely due to how it will affect their health. Similar circumstances can be found in India, where many people express fear about getting older. They would wish to stop the ageing process if they could. Because some people wonder if ageing can genuinely be reversed if it is a natural process, reversing ageing and its numerous symptoms is a hotly debated topic. The solution is straightforward: while the indications of ageing cannot be totally stopped or reversed, they can be slowed down and postponed. Have you ever seen a 60-year-old who is so firm and young-looking? A balanced diet, regular exercise, and an active lifestyle can help you achieve this. However, there are certain methods you may take to counteract these effects if you’ve already started to see the signs of ageing, such as wrinkles, skin thinning, loss of skin elasticity, fragility, and diminished fatty tissues beneath

Using hyaluronic acid to counter the signs of ageing

The body has a slick, sticky fluid called hyaluronic acid (HA). It is a naturally occurring acid that functions as a lubricant or cushion in the body’s joints and other tissues. Although hyaluronic acid (HA) is primarily a moisturiser that keeps the skin hydrated and strong, ageing can cause HA levels to drop. The suppleness and richness that the skin needs to stay younger and healthier as you age can be provided by HA. Hyaluronic acid administration depends on the type of therapy being used. Profhilo, a bio-remodeling injectable therapy that helps to provide the proper amounts of stabilised HA to reconstruct skin tissues, is one of the most advanced HA treatments currently accessible. A further advantage of HA’s texture is that it is evenly dispersed in the crucial areas that need filling, such as the hands, chin, neck, and under the eyes. Lack of moisture is one of the reasons why the skin starts to age. Skin thinning is unavoidable without the proper quantity of moisture. Because the Profhilo treatment goes beyond the typical dermal filler or skin revitaliser, it comes with a lot of expert advice. It also encourages comfort because fewer treatment sessions and injection sites are required because the proper concentrations of HA are delivered to the parts of the body where they are required. Other age-related worries that many individuals have are justified, such as definition loss, fine wrinkles, and drooping skin. The face, arms, neck, and abdomen are the main areas to take into account. The two main causes of these disorders are loss of collagen and thinning of the epidermis. By increasing collagen production and creating the moisture that your skin’s epidermis needs to be supple and full, HA can firm up those body flashpoints. The dermatology equivalent of the proverbial “holy grail” is hyaluronic acid. The scientific community is still raving about the benefits and wonders it has discovered, particularly in relation to its anti-aging capabilities. Hyaluronic acid is exactly what you need if you want to keep the proper structure of your skin for as long as possible or if you want to appear hydrated and plump.

(Dr. M Shraddha, Senior consultant dermatologist & aesthetic dermatologist, Helios Skin & Hair Clinic)

Zara launches its first ever Beauty line

Developed under the creative direction of renowned British makeup artist Diane Kendal

With the goal of creating a range of products that anyone - regardless of skin the idea of beauty, Zara launched its first ever comprehensive Beauty line this December. The best ingredients, colour, gender, age, or personal style - will want to use, embracing individuality and a new perspective on cleanest formulae, and refillable containers are used to create each product.

Full Edit Stiletto Demy-Matte Lipstick

The line of cosmetics for the eyes, lips, face, and nails was developed under the creative direction of renowned British makeup artist Diane Kendal, who has worked on some of the most recognisable runway looks in New York, Paris, and Milan as well as some of the most recognisable fashion photography in history. It is the outcome of careful deliberation and was developed over the course of more than a year with virtual communication between the team in Spain and Diane in New York. “When Zara approached me to lead the creative direction of Zara Beauty, I saw an opportunity to make something that everyone would want to use. Zara has always reached such a diverse audience, and I wanted to bring that same big vision to beauty with a collection that is clean, refillable, and accessible to all. I am really proud of what we have created: an expansive array of consciously unique formulas for eyes, lips, face, and nails. To have this breadth of color and sense of playfulness, while also being clean and using high-quality ingredients, is something that hasn’t really existed before. Through a multiplicity of faces and looks, the collection celebrates what I believe to be most important in our industry: there is no beauty, only beauties,” shares Diane Kendal.

The Soft Edit of Nail Polish

Eva Lopez-Lopez, who leads Zara Beauty, remarks, “Our goal was to create something truly inclusive in which many can participate - innovative products with a playful, personal and individualistic character, all made with the high-performance ingredients and true colour innovation. Those were mutual ambitions that we shared with Diane, so she is the perfect person for us to work with.” New York and Paris based creative agency, Baron & Baron, have developed unique and custom packaging. Inspired by the “Z” from the Zara logo itself – the entire line is on a slant – elegant, re-fillable

and designed to enhance the experience of using each product that it contains. Baron & Baron also developed the brand concept, the launch and strategy and the 360 creative, digital and social program: “Instead of gearing their concept towards specific targeted markets, which is something very common in the beauty industry, Zara has opted to cover the entire market with a groundbreaking line that is flexible with its products to obtain any look for any beauty. This is what inspired our overarching brand message, of celebrating something for everyone,” stated by Fabien Baron.

Tinted lip Balm

At the 10th North East Festival in Delhi

The eagerly anticipated North East Festival, the largest and liveliest festival in the capital, will take place in Delhi from December 23 to 26 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (gate no. 14), New Delhi. The ninth North East Festival has a lot to offer, including exhibitions, book launches, B2B meetings, and a variety of cuisine, craft, and cultural events. Narayan Rane, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of India, who is going inaugurate North East Festival, said, “North East Festival, a colourful festival showcsing the spectacular cultural diversity of North East India, Art, cuisiness, craft, agri horti products, tourism destinations, musical extravaganza etc are being organised in Gate No 14, Jawarharl Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. Ministry of MSME is assisting in organsing a large exhibition which will bring authentic products from NER. I will present to inaugurate the Exhibition at 3.30 PM on 23rd December. All are invited.” Like every year, the festival features an intriguing lineup of musical

Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, Governor of Assam & Nagaland will inaugurate the cultural evening of 10th North East Festival. Arvind Singh, Secretary of Tourism, Govt. Of India will chair a A B2B Meet on Tourism with national tour operators on 23rd December. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will do a session with farmers and various stakeholders on 26th December.

concerts, fashion exhibitions, mask presentations, dance performances, open-mic nights, and much more. Various rock bands from around India will participate in a North East Rock Battle. Expressing the excitement to perform at the festival, Jimmy Thang of Traffic Jam band said, “The North East Festival is one festival we look forward to every year and this year would be even better…to celebrate Christmas! It is a platform we are proud to stand in because we get to represent our identity and share our rich cultural heritage with the world. So many colours, dialects, cuisines, traditional dances, folk music, talents, traditional attires and cultural history that have stood the test of time. My band Traffic Jam is extremely honoured to be a part of the North East Festival and share the stage with some great artistes of the North East, that I personally really look up to and admire. As part of the ever-loyal rock lovers of the North East, we will be playing rock mostly, which will comprise of a few of our originals and some rock anthems that have always hummed in the voices of the North East people. We are looking forward to a great time and amazing experience of food, culture, music, art, sights and sounds.” The festival is expected to be graced by G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Government of India; Piyush Goel, Minister of Commerce & Industry (2019-present), Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution; Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways & Ministry of Ayush, and respective Chief Ministers of the region among other dignitaries. Chief Organiser of North East Festival, Shyamkanu Mahanta said, “This is not just a fest but an emotion, an expression of liveliness. Through the festival, we want to unite people, providing opportunities to enthusiasts to explore our rich cultures, traditions, and heritage. I hope people will embrace the beauty, diversity, and integrity that North East India holds. Since the festivities have already begun, the tenth edition will be even more special. We want to make these 4 days the best days of the year for the entire audience.”

The exhibition area, which intends to highlight goods made in the North East, will include an MSME zone where more than 100 North East Indian MSME businesses will display agri-horticultural goods, handicrafts, processed food items, and more. For this show, some 140 booths will be set up, and a market place will be developed where guests can peruse and purchase genuine and original goods from

the area. Additionally, tourist information booths will be set up to advertise the region’s well-known and unusual destinations. In the presence of the icons of North East India, a booklet titled “Know Your North East” will also be released. This booklet will be given out in schools and universities to inform and motivate people to discover and recognise the region’s rich legacy

Anoushka Shankar to pay tribute on the 10th anniversary of Nirbhaya

‘In Her Name’ is a substantially developed version of 2013 ‘In Jyoti’s Name’

In addition to being a world renowned musician, Anoushka Shankar is also an activist, producer, and film composer. Nikita Gill, a well-known British-Indian poet, playwright, writer, and illustrator, will be featured in Shankar’s new song, “In Her Name,” released soon on December 16th, 2022, ten years after the horrific event that served as its inspiration—the gang rape of Jyoti Singh in New Delhi in 2012, which left her injured and dead 13 days later. The song was debuted live for the first time on December 16, 2022, in Mumbai as part of Shankar’s first multi-city tour of India since the pandemic. This release follows Shankar’s nomination for Best Global Album at the Grammy Awards for “Between Us,” a live album featuring Manu Delago, Jules Buckley, and the Metropole Orchestra that was released by LEITER earlier this year. For their joint song, “Udhero Na,” from the Deluxe Edition of Arooj Aftab’s album “Vulture Prince,” Shankar and Aftab were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Global Performance. Now, Shankar has an astounding total of nine nominations during her career. ‘In Her Name’ is a newly recorded – and substantially developed – version of a track originally released in 2013 as ‘In Jyoti’s Name’, included on Shankar’s ‘Traces Of You’ album. The new title reflects its significantly expanded horizons, and acknowledges how little has changed in the decade since the atrocity that first provoked the song as well as headlines across the world. Six months afterwards, in July 2013, the United Nations estimated that one in three women would be beaten or raped in her lifetime. Almost ten years on, that harrowing figure remains constant. ‘In Her Name’ now bears witness to the global ubiquity of violence and sexual violence against women, the policing of women’s bodies, and the increasing erosion of women’s rights in more insidious but no less dangerous manners throughout the world. “One of the reasons I’ve come back to this song,” Shankar says, “is because of this endless wave of horrifying story after horrifying story, and each time there’s this wave of pain and grief: ‘When is it going to stop? When is enough enough?’ What happened to Jyoti should have been the last time anything like that ever happened. The song was about her, but now it’s also about everyone else like her.” This, sadly, is a theme acutely close to Shankar’s heart. In 2013, in the wake of Jyoti’s tragic death, she recorded a message of support for One Billion Rising, a campaign whose very name highlights the number of women who will suffer sexual violence in their lifetime. The organisation’s founder, V (formerly known as Eve Ensler), asked her to tape a gesture of solidarity, and in her video Shankar chose to reveal that she, too, is a victim of abuse. “There’s been a real change over the last decade,” she explains of her decision to open up, “but at that time there were very few people talking about this, especially where I come from. So it felt important to universalise it, to say it’s not a one-off, it’s not only in a certain demographic, to say that ‘If I’m not safe, no one’s saf This time, Shankar turned to Nikita Gill to help articulate her feelings, inviting her to contribute a text for the song’s middle section which could communicate the all-encompassing nature of this ongoing threat. “She’s like a sister to me,” Shankar confides. “She’s one of the people I would have wept on the phone to when, for example, Sarah Everard died. She speaks from a very particular place culturally, as a modern, female, Indian-heritage poet, and that chimes with me, while sisterhood is also a very strong theme in her work. It was a very natural, obvious connection, and when I said ‘Would you please write something?’ she didn’t even wait for me to finish my sentence.” Shankar delivers Gill’s lines in calm, collected fashion during a meditative musical passage midway through the song, enabling these powerful sentiments to strike with more force before its ultimate climax. “Let our fury echo through the pages of history,” she recites firmly. “Do not let this death be quiet like all the thousands before it. Time cannot devour what we will not allow to be forgotten.” Her accompaniment, meanwhile, conveys her anger in a similarly eloquent manner, especially in its repeated, syncopated phrases. “There are different stages to the song,” Shankar elaborates, “but, though it’s not overtly raging, fury is a driving factor. Anger can often be stifled, especially in women, and yet it’s such a propelling force, a fire that generates an energy to create change, especially that feeling of collective fury that starts in my belly, that I feel in other women’s bellies too.” Shankar selected additional partners with whom she shares a similar cultural background and aesthetic sensibility when it came to the song’s artwork and video. The cover image and bronze sculptures in the remarkable video, which was shot in London and Los Angeles and stars Indian-American Bharatanatyam dancer Mythili Prakash, were created by contemporary Indian artist Shilo Shiv Suleman, who co-founded the activist art collective Fearless Collective in 2012. “Mythili and I have been close since childhood and have an ongoing artistic relationship. I trust her artistry implicitly, and I knew she could embody the song in a suitably sensitive but still striking manner,” Shankar adds. “She brings forth unbelievable power, depth and nuance through her choreography and performance. Shilo and I connected more recently through other like-minded artists. Her work is deeply passionate and poetic and I’m so grateful to feature her powerful sculptures in the video. Crucially, Nikita, Mythili, Shilo and I all have a shared experience as women and particularly as Indian women, in how we were affected by what happened to Jyoti, whilst as artists, we speak a common language across our mediums that goes beyond our cultural roots but carries them at the core.” Shankar recorded ‘In Her Name’ this autumn at London’s Guildhall, with regular collaborators Pirashanna Thevarajah adding mridangam, the south Indian double-headed drum, and Tom Farmer on bass. “It’s a really interesting sonic space,” Shankar says. “Having upright bass pulls the sitar out of a certain sound world that people are used to hearing it in, and yet the Indian percussion gives me the intricacy that I feel like I can really fly with. Echoing similar sentiments, Achurjya Borpatra, remarked, “I am supremely excited to be coming and performing at the North East Festival. This is my first at this popular carnival. North East Festival brings the diverse culture and tradition of North East India, exhibitions of the finest products of the region, the best of musical bands, ace fashion shows and many more all under one umbrella. We will be performing our regional hit songs like ‘Biya’, ‘Bidurgeet’, and a fusion of some Bihu hits.” As many as 50 food stalls will present diverse food items not only from Northeast India but across Delhi-NCR to encourage cross-cultural awareness and exchange. “As the stall names says, we are representing Nagaland and we will showcasing our authentic Naga cuisine. We are expecting good vibe, good crowd, nice music like the last time we participated before COVID-19 took over. Some of our signatures include Purple Sticky Rice, Smoked Pork with Axone (fermented soya), Pork with Fresh Bamboo Shoot, Chicken Curry Naga style, and Momo (veg and non veg),” commented Roudy Buchem of Taste of Nagaland. The fashion shows will see 16 designers of the region featuring local fabrics and designs on models and celebrities from the states. Sukalpa Das, fashion choreographer and stylist for the event said, “Delhi has been a witness to North East Festival for the past few years (excluding the years of lockdown at COVID-19). This is one event that brings the whole of the region to one venue for everyone to enjoy irrespective of age, caste, culture. This year for fashion we have some amazing lineup of new, talented and creative team of designers, models and backend support. We are aiming at taking the North Eastern traditional fabric, motif and product to greater creative heights where it can be versatile enough for everyday choices as well as grand enough to make a statement in a crowd.”

Upcoming events in 2023

Shakti 50th Anniversary India Tour & the Mahindra Blues Festival 2023

People go to festivals to experience the energy, the flavour of the region, and the diverse group of artists who occasionally come together for a carnival of artistic expression. To plan a few grand celebration evenings when artists and their supporters can assemble and celebrate society’s creative spirit in a happy and uplifting setting. If you enjoy music and theatre and can’t get enough of the thrill of attending a live performance, Hyperlink promises to make 2023 a great year for you.

Shakti 50th Anniversary India Tour – 4 cities

The Groundbreaking Super Group Shakti’s 50th Anniversary World Tour will take place across 4 cities in India this January, and it will be one of the most recognisable and immersive live music performances in January 2023. The group, which consists of living legends John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan, and Selvaganesh Vinayakram, embarks on a world tour in 2023 that begins in India and visits Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, and New Delhi before continuing to Europe and the United States in the summer and fall. • Mumbai – 20th January 2023 at NSCI Convention Centre • Bangalore – 22nd January 2023 at Jayamahal Palace Hotel • Kolkata – 24th January 2023 at

CCFC

Delhi – 28th January 2023 at Weightlifting Auditorium

Mahindra Blues Festival 2023 - Mumbai After a long hiatus break, the Mahindra Blues Festival will return for its 11th edition in 2023. In this season, Buddy Guy, who is now on his farewell world tour, The Damn Right Farewell Tour, and Taj Mahal, two blues luminaries, will perform. They will be accompanied by Christone Kingfish, a 2022 Grammy winner, as well as Ivan Singh and the Arinjoy Trio from India! 11th and 12th February 2023 at Mehboob Studio

Arijit Singh – One Night Only Tour – 4 cities

The Arijit Singh One Night only Tour kicked off in November in Mumbai and will see 4 more cities between December and March. • Hyderabad – 17th December 2022 at GMR Arena • Kolkata – 18th February 2023 at

Eco Park • Bangalore – 4th March 2023 at

BIEC • Delhi – 18th March at 2023 at

JLN Stadium, Gate No. 2

Aadyam Season 6 – Mumbai & Delhi

The pioneer theatre initiative by the Aditya Birla Group will return in 2023 for its 6th season. There will be a total of 6 plays performed this year in Delhi and Mumbai. For a far more comprehensive theatre experience for its viewers, Aadyam will also welcome new initiatives and events this season. On this, more details will be provided.

The season will run from January to September 2023