SEEMA April Issue 2022 by SEEMA

APRIL 2022

INSIDE

AGENT MOHAN REKINDLING CONNECTIONS WHERE RHYME MEETS REASON

PLUS

‘HEY, WE DESERVE REPRESENTATION’

ANJULA ACHARIA TURNS TO GOLD

Iftaar—And Two Recipes to Make It Great page 76

The Perils of Social Media page 66

Rituparna Sengupta page 30

5 6

CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS BEYOND LIMITS

RELATIONSHIPS

SEEMA RECOMMENDS

Rekindling Lost Connections

Get, Set, Fit

PIONEERS

SEEMA TEENS

HOROSCOPE

The Deuce Who Came Aces

The Perils of Social Media

101 Forecast With Farzana

‘My Job Is Not to Fix Everything

The Binary World of Teens

on the Planet’ 22

‘Hey, We Deserve Representation’

FOOD & DRINK

Agent Mohan

Her Seasons of Success

Certainly Not Sari

Iftaar—And Two Recipes to Make It Great

Celebrating Her

ON THE COVER

Everything She Touches…

FEATURES 52

Green Fashion

SEEMA BOOKS

It’s Time to Renew You…

Where Rhyme Meets Reason

And Rest That Superwoman

Independent South Asian

Within

Publishing Houses

PHOTO CREDIT: DIVYA AKHOURI

Husband’s Legacy

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CONTRIBUTORS FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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SAJID MOINUDDIN

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ABHIJIT MASIH PRATIKA YASHASWI SWARNENDU BISWAS BINDU GOPAL RAO RASHMI GOPAL RAO SWETA VIKRAM SARAH KAPADIA NANCY AMON MABEL PAIS PALOMA JHINGAN FARZANA CONTRACTOR BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY

ANJALI MANIAM

SEEMA™ ISSUE 04 | APRIL 2022 EMPOWERING SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN GLOBALLY SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER

PUBLISHED AT P.O. BOX 814, PENNINGTON, NJ 08534

ON THE COVER:

ANNJULA ACHARIA (PAGE 40).

PHOTO CREDIT: DIVYA AKHOURI

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EDIT | SEEMA

BEYOND LIMITS SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER

Carpe diem

pril. It’s a month of new beginnings, heralding the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere. Here in the United States, the days are getting longer and the weather warmer. And with that comes a feeling of being lighter. I wake up to the sound of birds chirping, and walk by crocuses peeking through the thin layer of frost in the garden. The air feels clean and crisp and fills me with a sense of optimism. I know challenges lie ahead and that there are the dragons of fear, bias and prejudice to be slain, but I am ready to spring forward and seize the day. Our April issue features many women who have done just that — seize the day, and the opportunity to make a difference in the world, to effect positive change and create

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an impact for society that is bigger than personal victories. Take our cover star, Anjula Acharia. A Punjabi girl from Buckinghamshire, UK, who is now living the American dream. An angel investor to numerous women-led billion dollar companies, Acharia has has been part of the impressive list of Billboard Int’l Power Players, Vanity Fair’s Next Establishment List, and ELLE Magazine’s Top Women In Tech. She also is the brains behind the successful crossover of superstar Priyanka Chopra Jonas from Bollywood to Hollywood and to international stardom. Firmly rooted in Bollywood, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Acharia has successfully managed to combine technology and entertainment and sought and promoted talent in its different forms. I was particularly inspired by her commitment to to be a mentor to women entrepreneurs and helping them succeed — the kind of person she lacked as a young entrepreneur

PHOTO CREDIT: SHRAVYA KAG

herself. Her advice to other South Asian women is to be passionate and persistent and to not give up easily. Her goal is to catalyze success not just for one of us but all of us. That there is room for everyone to occupy the top! That said, you don’t have to be at the top to make a difference. Sometimes the biggest impact is made from behind the scenes as the story of Tanya Mohan demonstrates. Mohan, who specializes in counterterrorism and conflict management, has been resolving these problems in different parts of the world. As a security analyst at the Threat and Risk Service unit of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) at the UN headquarters in New York, she heads a training unit responsible for an analytical course for UN personnel. In her stint with the UN, she has covered almost the entire globe, including the Asia Pacific region, Middle East and Africa. She says her story is testament to the fact that women can do anything they put your mind to, and that international relations and strategy and foreign studies – traditionally male-dominated disciplines – can be fulfilling career paths for women. And that no field or discipline is out of the realm and so, if you are interested in something, just go for it! As we welcome April and also mark important observances like Ramadan, Easter, Ugadi and the Tamil New Year, we are ready focus on family, rekindle connections, give to others and celebrate new beginnings. And we we are ready to spring forward and seize the day.

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT: ELIZABETH WIRIJA

PIONEER | SEEMA

Holding onto each other and fueling each other with their individual energies 8 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

THE DEUCE WHO CAME ACES Sirat and Mannat Kaur are the best-known twins in the modeling world ABHIJIT MASIH

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PIONEER | SEEMA

any siblings have been successful in the modeling world. The Hadid sisters – Bella and Gigi, spring to mind. Then there is the brother-sister duo of Rosie and Toby Huntington-Whitley. Twins have been even rarer. There’s the Ruth and May Bell from Essex, U.K.; Ami and Aya, the pinkhaired twins from Japan; the Paris-based Sabrina and Sarah Guessab; and Se Rim and Se Yeon Lee from South Korea. And back in the 2000s, India had representation in the form of Tupur and Tapar

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PIONEER | SEEMA

Twin-sister act - Sirat and Mannat Kaur APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 00

PIONEER | SEEMA

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“YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO FIT IN INTO ONE CULTURE OR ANOTHER,” MANNAT SAID. “YOU CAN JUST BE WHO YOU ARE, WITH ALL THE EXPERIENCES THAT COME WITH IT. I THINK THAT’S WHEN YOU CAN BE COMFORTABLE WITH LIVING IN THIS DUALITY.”

“We never grew up thinking that you can do work in the fashion industry.”

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“I REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST MOVED HERE, THE SCHOOLING WAS MUCH EASIER. SO WE DID NOT MISS CHANDIGARH SCHOOLS AT ALL. I MISSED THE CITY, THOUGH. I MISSED THE GARDEN IN OUR HOUSE. BUT WE GO BACK [TO CHANDIGARH] A LOT. MOST OF OUR FAMILY IS STILL THERE.” Chatterjee. The Chatterjee sisters were the faces of some of the best brands, and regulars on magazine covers and fashion week shows. Once they went off the radar, there has been no noted twins representing South Asia. Perhaps that has changed now with the arrival Mannat and Sirat Kaur, born in Chandigarh, raised in Miami and currently living in New York. The duo burst onto the fashion scene with a bang, with a campaign for Marc Jacobs, followed by debuts on the New York Fashion Week, and being picked by Rihanna for Fenty. The twins took time out from their busy schedule during the New York Fashion Week to speak to SEEMA, describing how they got from Sector 17 in Chandigarh to the runways of the Big Apple. “Our dad is in the shipping industry as a captain in the merchant navy. He got a job here, and so we were all able to move to Miami,” Mannat said. The parents have now moved from Florida and now live in Houston, Texas. Leaving Chandigarh for Miami when they were just nine years old must have been tough. Sirat, the more chatty of the two, recalled the shift, “I remember when we first moved here, the schooling was much easier. So we did not miss Chandigarh schools at all. I missed the city, though. I missed the garden in our house. But we go back [to Chandigarh] a lot. Most of our family is still there.” Mannat, who was recently in India, plans to go back very soon. She explains what pulls them there:

PIONEER | SEEMA “We have our connections in India, and we actually try to visit at least once a year. That’s what we’ve been doing since we were young. So we didn’t lose that connection.” While in Chandigarh, the young Kaur sisters thought everyone around them came from the same culture. “The biggest shock for us when we moved here was that people don’t look like us,” Mannat said. “When we were in Chandigarh, in India, obviously, you take it for granted that everybody has the same cultural background as you, and they understand certain values about your culture. Whereas here, I think it was really hard to understand, though, that we’re different, and people won’t understand us. In the beginning, it was really hard to assimilate.” She expanded on their dilemma. “Obviously, the way that we would live in India, you can’t live the same way here,” she said. “It’s just not possible. That’s something that we had to work together with our family: How to live and try to find a good balance between both the cultures.” They decided the best way to do that was to hold on to their values, keep in touch with their upbringing and remain close to friends and family. “You don’t always have to fit in into one culture or another,” Mannat said. “You can just be who you are, with all the experiences that come with it. I think that’s when you can be comfortable with living in this duality.” Growing up in India the Kaur sisters spent a lot of their free time in performing seva at the gurudwara and taking part in religious speech competitions. Fashion was not part of their world. “It wasn’t necessarily something we were looking for or even knew was possible, especially growing up with Indian parents, growing up Indian,” Mannat said. “We never grew up thinking that you can work in the fashion industry. You know, when that happened, it was a shock to both of us.” Sirat and Mannat’s milieu shaped them and led them toward the bright lights of fashion. “We always leaned towards the creative side,” Sirat said. “Starting in high school, the people that we were surrounded with – all our friends – were all creative people, some of whom had their own clothing brands. So in high school, we started modeling for our friends, and posted those pictures on Instagram.” Those pictures were fortuitously seen by a senior casting director in New York, which got them to the

Marc Jacobs campaign. Mannat described how the company of creative people helped them both: “By being friends with creative people who also knew others doing similar things helped. So when somebody was looking around for twins, or looking for brown people to cast in a major campaign, our friends thought of us and reached out immediately.” Their most satisfying career milestone is not a campaign, but a “cooler” project, as they described it. “We found out that Rihanna teamed up with a popular magazine and chose 41 people that she thought were reshaping the culture across fashion, music, art, activism and female empowerment,” Mannat said. Mannat, who is older than Sirat by a minute, also described their plans to go beyond modeling while still remaining in the fashion industry. “We have our own little places in the fashion industry already, and we feel comfortable just continuing finding different areas of the fashion industry where we might fit later in,” she said. “Even if it’s not modeling, we’ve already been kind of finding other areas where we excel. I don’t see myself leaving the fashion industry; it’s something that interests me, no matter if it is production, casting, or anything [else].” They are also considering setting up a modeling agency that promotes people who look like them and have similar backgrounds. They say they would like to create a space where people can feel accepted. “If we were to ever start an agency that represents models, we would want them to feel the most comfortable being themselves and would just want to advocate the best as we can for those people,” Sirat said. Mannat spoke for both of them when she gave their advice to newbies: “Once you believe, you can take the steps to get to the path.” They realize that the obsession of the fashion world for twins is unlikely to wane anytime soon. This helps these twins, especially because they are also from a coveted minority in the industry. “I think it helps people notice us more and helps us to be seen more,” Mannat said. “We’re more memorable that way. We definitely acknowledge that it’s an advantage for us. The first few campaigns that we were cast for were because we were South Asian twins.” They hope that trend continues.

APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 15

PIONEER | SEEMA

‘My job is not to fix everything on the planet’ Perhaps not all of it. But Priti Parikh is working to make sure her students can wrap things up

s a teenager in India, Priti Parikh would follow her father, also an engineer, into slums and informal settlements as he worked to improve sanitation and water access for the poor. Today, Parikh, who has a PhD from the University of Cambridge, is the founder of Engineering for International Development (EFID), at the University College in London, and is recognized by Apolitical as one of

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the 100 most influential academics for government and policy-making in climate and sustainability. EFID advises policymakers and charities on sustainable engineering solutions for human development and wellbeing, especially in low- and middle-income countries in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. We sat down to chat with Parikh about her life’s work and to learn from a woman at the forefront of technological innovations about

PHOTO CREDIT: DR. PRITI PARIKH

PRATIKA YASHASWI

Dr Priti Parikh, founder of Engineering for International Development (EFID)

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PIONEER | SEEMA where exactly we stand on climate change.

“THROUGH MY ONGOING FELLOWSHIP I WORK WITH COMMUNITIES IN VILLAGES IN AFRICA TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CURRENT AND FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS. MY INDUSTRY PARTNER, BBOXX, HAS DEVELOPED AND INSTALLED HOUSEHOLD LEVEL SOLAR PANELS TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY IN REMOTE SETTINGS”

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Tell me a bit about yourself and your career. Where did you grow up, and what was your journey into the field of sustainable infrastructure and construction? My parents moved from East Africa, to the UK, [then] to Gujarat in India where I did my schooling, undergraduate studies and early industry work. I then moved back to the UK 21 years ago. So in a way this journey instilled in me an interest in global challenges and the desire to explore why there are disparities in living conditions on this planet. I saw how difficult life was without clean water and sanitation and electricity. I also saw how the provision of infrastructure (water, sanitation, roads, electricity, flood management) transformed living conditions. The process also included a large component of engaging with local communities to make engineering solutions more sustainable. Since then there has been no turning back and now I am heavily engaged in the field of sustainable infrastructure. Tell us a bit about Engineering for International Development (EFID). How did it begin, and what was your vision behind it? After working in the engineering industry for 15 years I joined academia where I noticed a gap in skills in the sector. For example, undergraduate courses in engineering have been very technical and rarely focus on behaviour change which is so important while helping underserved communities adjust to new technology. I first developed an MSc program to train engineers in the development of solutions specifically for marginalized communities, and then founded and now head the EFID center at University College, London. Our mission and passion at EFID is to provide infrastructure to every person on this planet. As a center, primarily we combine technical solutions that can improve human lives with social sciences to understand socialcultural acceptance of technologies. For example in my fellowship funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and industry partner Bboxx Ltd, my team models electricity

PHOTO CREDIT: BBOXX

Dr Priti Parikh stands before some solar panels

consumption trends for people in remote villages who use solar panels. But we combine this work with consumer behavior studies to understand why people use appliances and what their future needs are likely to be so that the sector can develop the right appliances and design energy efficient systems. We also provide evidence to governments and

charities on the benefits of providing infrastructure to marginalized communities. We do that through identifying links between those services and the Sustainable Development Goals. There is a great deal of conversation around how women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, and the role of their empowerment APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 19

in dealing with it. Could you shed some light on this? Women and girls bear the burden of poor infrastructure and climate change. In settings such as slums and villages often they are the ones who are responsible for collecting water and cooking fuels, disposing waste water from houses and sourcing food. So women and girls are already more likely to face hardships, and climate change simply adds another layer or dimension to it. For instance, with frequent flooding it takes longer to collect water and source cooking fuel. It is often difficult for women and girls to quickly evacuate during flood events. Sanitation or the lack of it is hugely problematic due to the risk of violence near public toilets or open fields, especially during nights. With droughts when rural communities migrate to cities they find themselves in new settings where they are more vulnerable and this has an impact on safety and education of girls. One of the most heartbreaking things about climate change is that those who are perhaps least responsible for it are the worst affected — the poor living in urban informal settlements. What are some solutions you’ve come across to address this? Globally 50% of the population mostly in low and middle income countries are responsible for just 10% of the emissions. Most of the urban informal settlements are located in low- and middle-income countries, which are more vulnerable to climate change in spite of being low emitters. Millions of children in South Asia are being put at risk due to climate related events such as floods, storms, heatwaves and droughts. Unfortunately, vulnerable communities who are already struggling to survive and access basic services are the ones most adversely impacted. Children living in those communities face being trapped in poverty, lack of healthcare and education due to displacement as a climate change. We have to act now to provide a safer and sustainable future for our children. We are researching and advancing knowledge on water, sanitation and energy solutions which are climate friendly – which leads to lower emissions and improves the capabilities of communities to adapt to climate change. Our research shows that access to clean water and sanitation services in slums not only improves health, education, income and housing conditions for families in slums but also enhances their 20 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

PIONEER | SEEMA

“THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I FEEL OVERWHELMED, BUT THEN I REMIND MYSELF THAT IT IS NOT MY JOB TO FIX EVERYTHING ON THE PLANET. IT IS MY JOB TO TRAIN FUTURE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE LEADING PRACTITIONERS AND POLICYMAKERS” resilience to adapt to climate change. Our research on solar energy shows that households use of combination of clean and polluting fuels depending on financial circumstances. Transitioning those households to clean fuels will require a combination of technical innovation, targeted subsidies and engagement to raise awareness and change behaviors. What’s in the future? What are you planning to work on? Are there any exciting opportunities coming your way? 759 million people lack access to electricity and 2.6 billion people are unable to cook cleanly. Some 2.2 billion people around the world do not have safely managed drinking water services, 4.2 billion people do not have safely managed sanitation services, and 3 billion lack basic handwashing facilities. We want to a) develop partnerships with governments, private sector and charities to fix this and b) create a future generation of engineers to continue this journey until the last person on this planet has access to basic services and can live a dignified life. How is developing engineering solutions for the poor, the worst-affected by climate change, different from designing for the mainstream? The main barrier for infrastructure is affordability, because people have fluctuating and low incomes. We need to come up with high quality and high performance solutions using principles of frugality. The consumption patterns of those communities are

different too. For instance, in East Africa, despite the availability of LPG, many household revert to charcoal, citing that food tastes better when cooked on a traditional stove or use candles even with solar systems. Through my ongoing fellowship I work with communities in villages in Africa to understand their current and future energy needs. My industry partner, Bboxx, has developed and installed household level solar panels to provide electricity in remote settings. They use a pay-as-you-go business model so that houses with fluctuating incomes can afford to pay their energy bills. This has scaled up electricity in communities that have never used electricity in their lives. This will also enable those households to transition to clean energy sources to reduce emissions from polluting fuels to address climate change. How does working in sustainable construction change you as an individual? Do you ever feel like you carry a huge burden because of the immense responsibility and the urgency to help people and the planet? There are times when I feel overwhelmed, but then I remind myself that it is not my job to fix everything on the planet. It is my job to train future students who will be leading practitioners and policymakers. We are not alone in this. As an academic, working with students is a joy, especially when I see them progress to top positions in the field. Lastly I make sure to be grateful and focus on the little pleasures in life – like a bar of chocolate. APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 21

PIONEER | SEEMA

‘HEY, WE DESERVE

Representation’ Shrina Kurani throws in her hat for the position of the first Indian American congresswoman from Southern California ABHIJIT MASIH

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Shrina Kurani

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PIONEER | SEEMA

hrina Kurani, the daughter of immigrant Gujaratis, has made a name as an engineer, and a serial entrepreneur. Soon she also could be the first Indian American congresswoman from Southern California. Barely 30, Kurani, a Democrat, is taking on the incumbent, 30-year Republican veteran Ken Calvert, in District 41 of the state, which leans Republican. The Democratic Party of Riverside, California, is taking the fight to Calvert, who has been in office since 1993 from the old District 42. “We need representation for our community,” Kurani told SEEMA from her home in Riverside. “You can count on one hand how many representatives we have in Congress. That needs to change.” District maps have been redrawn in California, and District 41, which Kurani is fighting from, has been traditionally been a GOP district. However, she sees opportunity in the fact that a quarter of the voter base is Latino, Asian American or Pacific Islander. “So we have the ability to say, hey, we deserve representation,” Kurani said. “This has never had a female representative has never had a person of color representative. And so it’s time.” Kurani’s district is located in Southern California, which has never had a female South Asian representative. If she wins, beating a host of other Democratic contenders, including former federal prosecutor Will Rollins, she could also become the first woman of color to represent the district on Capitol Hill. What makes her eligible – and dis she stand up? Kurani responds emphatically, “Well, someone has to, right? Someone’s going to be able to bring a fresh perspective, an an immigrant perspective, someone who has gone through what we’ve gone through, but also comes from our value background.” Kurani’s parents immigrated to the US in the 1980s from Mumbai. Though her father had a degree in chemistry,

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he had to settle for a job as a pool boy. The days were tough, but he worked hard. Ultimately, his Mumbai mettle and native business acumen came to the fore and he bought over the pool supply store where he worked. The family now owns over a dozen such stores. “I grew up in my parent’s small business. We started off with just one store and my parents worked seven days a week. My grandparents lived with us when I was younger, and they would take care of me. When I started growing up, I spent all of my days after school, and my summers helping out at the store.” She credits her father with instilling in her the sense of serving the community, since he himself showed her the way by getting involved pretty early on with the planning commission of the local chamber of commerce. He also ran for office for city council when Kurani was about 12 years old. She recalls being part of her father’s campaign. “That was my first time getting politically involved – knocking on doors, making phone calls, and talking to members of our community and saying, Hey! You should vote for my dad,” she said. ‘I’m ready to flip CA41’ is Kurani’s call to action now. She feels that there is a large majority of people that have a lot of fear and are misinformed. She acknowledges that there is the need to change a lot of things that plagues her district. According to Kurani, “The incumbent has sort of left behind the community. He is not supporting small businesses, he is voting against the environment, voting against health care, voting against all of these things that are very important to the voters in our community. So we need to make sure that he needs to go, [one] who has been in office for 30 years. Time’s up, and it’s time to flip the 41nd district.” Kurani, a valedictorian in high school, earned her degree in mechanical engineering at UC Riverside, and worked through school as an engineering consultant in energy efficiency. She has also worked on a design project for NASA’s Johnson Space Center team in Houston to design and test a heat rejection system for a lunar outpost in the Shackleton crater on the moon. She went on to get a master’s degree in sustainability in Sweden, with a focus on climate change mitigation. Besides working over the past few years to start clean technology companies, Kurani has also been actively involved in helping underrepresented women entrepreneurs get access to capital. She states she realized “that the capital formation and capital industries across the US are just kind of broken, and that a lot of people are being left out of that both in terms of who’s getting funded, but also who’s doing the

funding. So we were able to facilitate quite a bit of a capital to companies across the country.” A big part of her focus is towards empowering and finding funding for women-led companies, people of color founders, and people who come from backgrounds that don’t traditionally have access to capital. Her political aspirations, wholeheartedly supported by her family, has been on the table for quite some time. It makes sense, given the struggles her parents endured to make a place for themselves, and for her and her brother Ravi. Kurani wants to be an instrument to change, as the same experiences are not cutting it for families anymore. It is not enough. It is not acceptable to her. In her bid, she wants to throw light on the issues of good quality jobs, to ensure people have access to a healthy and a safe community. So the Kurani family is pitching in however they can: posting, texting, conducting baking sessions, writing letters… Her mother works the phone lines to garner support. Marius, her husband, is also an integral part of the support system. Kurani met him while they were on the same program while pursuing their master’s degrees in Sweden. Despite being built on the bedrock of a close-knit family the campaign has faced problems, the primary one being a dearth of funding. Kurani realized that finding funding for others was easier than getting people to donate for her own campaign. “If you are an older candidate that has established networks of people, then everyone’s writing them checks and rallying in their support,” Kurani said. |And here I have to talk to aunties and uncles, dozens of times saying, Hey, look, this is why this is important. This is why I need your support. This is why I need you to do this now and show that our community is strong. I have to convince our community to make them understand why this is so important, and why we need them to show up and show the strength of our community.” The nascent politician though is employing the latest tech in her campaign with the use of NFTs ( NonFungible Token). It is perhaps the first time that NFTs are being used in a political campaign as merchandise. It has been proving to be a great asset in reaching out to a new, digitally native population. “When we talk about who’s not voting, it’s the younger people and its people of color,” Kurani explains. “So if we can find ways to reach people in new ways, then I think it makes a huge difference. It takes hustle, it takes being resourceful and saying how can we get this done.” And if all that works out, it would mean the next desi candidate in Congress. APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 25

Tanya Mohan shooting a video at the UN headquarters in New York 26 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

PIONEER | SEEMA

TANYA MOHAN KEEPING AN EYE ON DANGER When there’s something wrong in your international neighborhood, that’s who you call ABHIJIT MASIH

anya Mohan knows more about terrorist threats in most parts of the world. As a senior security information analyst at the United Nations Department of Safety and Security, her work is classified, but it certainly revolves around security threat information. She specializes in counterterrorism, and conflict management and its resolution. Due to the nature of her work, an online search for Mohan only throws up a spare Linkedin profile. Unlike the norm, the profile conceals more than it reveals. Mohan told SEEMA something about her work, within the boundaries of discretion, of course. The UN relies on

her for information about active terrorist groups and how and where they operate in the area she is focusing on. “I go into the field and meet people, I get information, open-source information, because in the UN, we don’t do any other source of information,” Mohan said. “Then I advise the senior leadership, for example, where UNICEF mission is going, I look at the trends and the threats and present reports. It’s very analytical, but at the same time, it involves a lot of fieldwork.” In more than 12 years stint with the UN, Mohan has covered areas all around the globe. Moving east to west, she spent years in Manila, Philippines covering the Asia Pacific region. Then there was APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 27

PIONEER | SEEMA

Tanya Mohan with her parents

Tanya Mohan going on a field mission in east Africa 28 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

a four-year tenure in Somalia, then the Middle East, and for the past couple of years, New York. The only continent that she has not worked on is South America. “I like to go in the field and I work in the remote areas,” Mohan said. “I can’t get information sitting in an ivory tower, behind the computer. I’ve traveled extensively, like I was in Somalia for nearly four years and traveled all over East Africa. I worked on the main terrorist group there, Al Shabaab.” Born in an army home in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and raised in New Delhi, Mohan was drawn to strategic information analysis while completing her degree in political science, which included a module on international relations that covered the Cold War. With her family hoping she would join the Foreign Services, like most in the family, Mohan decided to follow her interest in international relations and conflict management. She joined the Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis, which is solely responsible for all India’s external affair policies. “Before I joined the UN [in 2010], I was working in the private sector and doing risk assessment analysis … to counter the risks and threats from the private sector. So for example, if it was a mining company trying to come and invest in a Naxalite-infested area in India or Nepal, we would study that region, study the threats and advise the companies what to do and what not to do.” In the private sector, Mohan worked in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Israel. Her portfolio proved to be instrumental in landing her the UN job. She recalls the unexpected event that led to it. “One day, I was giving a presentation on South Asia and terrorism for the overseas security of American Council in Delhi, and the head of the UN Security was there,” she said. “He complimented me on my presentation and told me that they just opened a position of an analyst in the UN. Please apply.” She did. And after an interview by a panel of seven that lasted two hours, she was in. After training in New York, she was stationed in Manila to cover the Asia Pacific. She worked on the area for seven years, including stints in Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. We learned that the girl with all that the dark information data, was also an artist. She is a classical Indian musician, who can can play the

PIONEER | SEEMA Tanya Mohan being felicitated by the Philippines army chief in 2015

Dhrupad, dances Kathak, and has performed live with her mother, the famous Sufi and folk singer Deepmala Mohan. Discussing her mother and her ancestral home in Lucknow, the conversation moves to the town and its delectable cuisine. Something this writer grew up on during his time at boarding school, one that Deepmala Mohan also attended. The next few minutes were spent talking about Lucknow and the famous Khairabadi and Avadhi cuisine, which Mohan said she is pretty good at making. Temptation enough for me to shamelessly accept her invitation the next time I am in New York. She also shares a story about her father, a 1971 war veteran who died last year. “My father was in the army, and he was my hero. There is an emotional story about a Pakistani soldier who died in his arms during the war and gave him his wallet to send it to his family. My father tried for years. Then, one day, my father met the editor of a Pakistani

newspaper, and relayed the story. The editor published the story with the photograph and the wallet of the soldier and his wife. The family contacted my father, because they thought maybe the captain was missing in action. He had only been married for six months before he died in the war. It was really emotional for my father.” The perils of war, the cost of which is borne by everyone, on both sides of the border, like the story about the Pakistani soldier in a war fought 50 years ago. Not much has changed and we are reminded again today when we see buses carrying women and children to safety and leaving behind fathers and brothers to fight Russian aggression in Ukraine. Mohan’s days must be busier than usual now, but her job is more a passion. But she should have no problem, thanks to some solid preparation. As she put it: “My parents are the ones that I am very thankful to, because they guided me to where I am today.”

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The many moods of Rituparna Sengupta

PHOTO CREDIT: RITUPARNA SENGUPTA

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Her Seasons of Success SWARNENDU BISWAS

ince 1992, Rituparna Sengupta has been enriching Bengali cinema with her screen presence. I do not know of any other heroine in the history of Indian cinema who has enjoyed such a long innings of immense popularity. However, along with tremendous popularity many of her superlative performances have garnered considerable critical acclaim, too. Rituparna is one of the very few actresses in Indian cinema (including all languages) who can draw huge audience to theatres without the star power of a male lead. It is a rare feat in male-centric Indian cinema, which of course is a reflection of India’s maledominated society. Even in her late 40s she gave hits with almost unknown heroes, some of whom 15-20 years younger than her.

SOUND, LIGHTS, ACTION!

Her initiation into arts began at Chitrangshu, a cultural school which her elder aunt took her to. She studied there while also doing her regular schooling at Carmel High School. Chitrangshu exposed her to painting, dance, singing and clay-modeling. “Though myriad incidents since my childhood have contributed towards shaping up my aesthetic sensibilities, my initiation into arts in a serious way began with Chitrangshu,” Rituparna said. The vibrant cultural atmosphere at her home also increased her inclination towards arts. While doing her master’s in modern history at the University of Calcutta, well-known film director Prabhat Roy saw her performance in a television series, “Shwet Kapot” (White Pigeon, an adaptation of a Danish fairy tale) and picked to play the second lead in “Shet Patharer Thala.” Prabhat told her to mimic a noted actress, which Rituparna did well and bagged the role.

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“I was impressed by her precise mimicking of a different performer’s voice so well, that too impromptu. It reveals great observation power; an important quality for an actor. I realized that the young lady would go really far,” he said. The film went on to win a National Award for Best Feature Film on Family Welfare. Commercial success and critical acclaim of the film kick-started Rituparna’s career in cinema. She had to discontinue her studies to make time for her film projects.

THE ACTRESS EMERGES

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Rituparna performing at Bangotsav in Singapore

PHOTO CREDIT: NIRMAL CHAKRABARTY

Though she found commercial success early in her career but most of the films in which she acted during 90s are devoid of cinematic merit. In 1994, she also made the first of her multiple attempts to make an impact in Bollywood, but got only forgettable roles in inconsequential films. In fact, in her multiple attempts to make it big in Bollywood only the romantic comedy “Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh” (2005) earned some critical and commercial success. She began seeking aesthetically and intellectually stimulating roles. Her first significant performance after “Shet Patharer Thala” was probably in “Dahan” (1997), in which she played Romita, a victim of molestation and marital rape, with sensitivity. Her performance in “Dahan” (English title: Crossfire) won her the National Film Award for Best Actress in 1998. Rituparna’s sensitive performance in the film probably got serious filmmakers to pay attention to her as an actress. Since then, along with roles in many crass films, she also did well in several critically acclaimed ones. Her nuanced and restrained performance in Aparna Sen directed “Paromitar Ek Din” (2000) is a high point in Rituparna’s career. The film explores the love-hate relationship between a mother-in-law and her daughter-inlaw through a series of emotional scenes. Her performance in “Paromitar Ek Din” can rank among one of the best performances in Indian cinema ever. The same year, she gave another powerhouse performance in “Utsav” (2000), directed by the late Rituparno Ghosh. The film comes across as a telling commentary on contemporary family ethos of middle-class India. In the film,

PIONEER | SEEMA Rituparna was paired opposite Prosenjit Chatterjee; one of the most popular stars in Bengali cinema. Rituparna and Prosenjit are among the most celebrated hit screen pairs in West Bengal’s film industry, also known as Tollywood. Together, they have given several hits over the decades. Another highlight for Rituparna in 2000 was “Sasurbari Zindabad,” where she was paired opposite Prasenjit. “Sasurbari Zindabad” is an escapist entertainer with crude characterizations, with no pretension to cinematic excellence. It went on to become the biggest blockbuster of its time in West Bengal’s film industry. Thus, in three different roles, her performances reflected her versatility, presaging the iconic stature that she would eventually get in subsequent years.

“THOUGH MYRIAD INCIDENTS SINCE MY CHILDHOOD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS SHAPING UP MY AESTHETIC SENSIBILITIES, MY INITIATION INTO ARTS IN A SERIOUS WAY BEGAN WITH CHITRANGSHU”

BECOMING THE HERO

Other significant Bengali movies in her soaring success graph during 2000-2010 include “Alo” (2003), which achieved critical acclaim and commercial success; “Nishijapon” (2005), where she gave a very restrained performance of an apparently cheerful housewife harboring deep latent distress in her marital life; “Anuronon” (2007), a sensitive film dwelling on interpersonal relationship between married couples; the feel-good “Chander Bari” (2007); and the erotic thriller “Trishna” (2009), where Rituparna played a negative role. In between, there were many, many other commercial successes featuring her in pivotal roles. By the second decade of the new millennium, Rituparna was not only among the most bankable actresses of Tollywood, but also emerging as an institution in herself. Heroine-oriented scripts began to be written that were totally centered on her. In many of them, the male leads played second fiddle to her. Cases in the point are “Charulata 2011” (2012), where she played an adulterous housewife in affair with a younger man; “Muktodhara” (2012), where she played a passionate reformer of prison inmates; “Teen Kanya” (2012), where she played a very unusual character (revealing more would spoil the film); “Mukti” (2013), where Rituparna played a school teacher having an affair with her young student.

A V E R S AT I L E A C T R E S S

Srijit Mukherji (probably the most famous film director in the present-day Bengal film industry) directed her in “Rajkahini” (2015), a period film set at the time of India’s independence, where she played a foul-mouthed prostitute with a golden heart. Rituparna didn’t hide her disappointment on not getting a National Award for her performance in the

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Rituparna at the shooting of yet-to-be-released film, “Datta” which she is producing. Seen with her is Nirmal Chakrabarty, the director of the film.

“DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS OUR INDUSTRY SUFFERED SETBACKS BUT WE LEARNED A LOT TOO. NOW THINGS HAVE STARTED LOOKING UP, BUT STILL IT WOULD TAKE SOME MORE TIME FOR US TO REACH PRE-PANDEMIC PHASE” 34 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

PIONEER | SEEMA landmark films of her career during 2016-2020. “In “Praktan,” I was paired opposite Prasenjit Chatterjee after 14 long years but the film’s huge commercial success proved that our winning combination didn’t lose its charm among Bengali audience,” Rituparna observed with satisfaction. Her performance in “Praktan,” (where she played the difficult role of an aggrieved and neglected wife with grey shades) and in “Ahaa Re” (where she played a cook in love with a younger chef ), is nuanced enough to draw comparison to actresses like Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.

THE SHOW GOES ON

The pandemic hasn’t managed to dampen the spirit of the 51-year-old. “During the last two years our industry suffered setbacks but we learned a lot too. Now things have started looking up, but still it would take some more

time for us to reach pre-pandemic phase,” Rituparna said, adding “I also acted in a few films during this period while adhering to all COVID protocols.” During the pandemic, she starred in “The Parcel” (which she also co-produced), and “Bansuri.” “The Parcel” earned her the award for Best Actor Female in a Feature Film at the 10th annual Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF). Many films featuring her are soon to be released. Besides being an actress, Rituparna is a film producer who runs her own production house, Bhabna-AajO-Kal), and is a Manipuri and Odissi dancer who has performed many shows in India and abroad. Rituparna recently acted and sang in “Phoolmati,” a music video composed and directed by music director Bappi Lahiri, who died at the age of 69 on February 15. It has been three decades for her in cinema. But Rituparna still thrives, celebrating woman in an otherwise male-dominated industry.

The many moods of Rituparna Sengupta

PHOTO CREDIT: RITUPARNA SENGUPTA

SOME IMP ORTANT AW A R D S 1998 – National Film Award for Best Actress for “Dahan,” at the 42nd National Film Festival of India 1999 – Anandalok Puraskar for Best Actress for “Dahan” 2000 – Anandalok Puraskar for Best Supporting Actress for “Attiya Sajan” 2004 – BFJA – Best Actress Award for “Alo” 2007 – Anandalok Puraskar for Best Actress for “Anuranan” 2013 – BFJA – Best Actress Award for “Muktodhara” 2014 – Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, for “Alik Sukh” 2017 – Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, for “Praktan”

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PIONEER | SEEMA

Certainly

Not Sari Sonya Singh is an entertainment reporter-

turned-novelist who is all chuffed to release her forthcoming book, “Sari, Not Sari” ABHIJIT MASIH

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ingh is storyteller from Toronto, Canada who started out as an entertainment reporter before becoming a PR expert, then writer. Her debut novel, “Sari, Not Sari,” slated for release this month, has already generated buzz and seems like material for a big screen rom-com. The book follows the adventures of a woman trying to connect with her South Asian roots, and introduces us to a feast of food, family traditions and fun. It is also an ode to Singh’s own dating experiences. Singh began her career as a broadcast television reporter for CBS, the first South Asian hired on air for E! News. Raised in a small town, in Ontario, Canada, by immigrant factory worker parents, she grew up surrounded by a Caucasian culture. The author talks about how she retained her culture there.

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“I THINK THAT CERTAIN THINGS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AND IT DOES REFERENCE A FEW BOLLYWOOD MOVIES THAT I HAVE WATCHED” 38 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

“There actually weren’t a lot of South Asian or Indian families, so my South Asian roots are really embedded in whatever we learned at home,” Singh said. “My parents were really busy working and so we were kind of left to our own in terms of being able to teach each other what the culture was about.” Singh and her two younger sisters learned to straddle both cultures and accept what was going on around them at a time being different wasn’t cool. “When I look back at my South Asian roots, there really weren’t a lot in terms of planting those roots,” she said. “I think that happened over the course of the last decade.” The title of the book was prompted by one of her younger sisters, the working title then being “Operation India,” one that in hindsight makes the author cringe. “I was going to some Indian wedding party, and I looked at my sister, and she was wearing my sari. I said to her, ‘That’s my sari you’re wearing’ and she said, ‘Sari, not sorry.’ That is really how the name came about. It is literally an ode to my sisters.” All the chapters in the book start with a letter to Breakup, a company that masters the art of, yes, breakups. So did the idea for the book stem from personal experience and bitter relationship endings? Singh reveals that she has not gotten over some breakups, but admits that there is no right way to break up with somebody. “If you actually loved somebody, it can be really difficult,” Sing says. “I think that sometimes you can forgive the person, but it’s really difficult to forget. I, unfortunately, have had to break up with several men in my life. The best advice I ever got from an individual that I was dating was, just to be honest, and don’t drag the person through something.” Singh also suggests not ghosting the other person and to at least take the time to tell the person, to have the kindness to give the person closure. “Sari, Not Sari” is not entirely about breakups, and the melancholy that follows, but is about Manny Dogra, the beautiful and young CEO of the successful Breakup. She helps people manage their breakups while planning her own wedding and dealing with the loss of her parents. Speaking about her

Sonya Singh with her sisters

book, Singh pulls off a few layers of the story that also touches upon some Bollywood influence. “My debut is very fast paced,” she said. “I think that certain things happened very quickly and it does reference a few Bollywood movies that I have watched.” Accepting their own culture comes a tad late for most second-generation South Asian Americans, after the constant struggle of trying to fit in among friends or trying to cope with their dual identity. Singh’s leading character, raised as an all-American girl kept away from her own heritage, is perhaps inspired by her own experience. She recalls, “For me, personally, it’s just in the last 10 years that I’ve really been able to understand how beautiful our culture is. When I was younger, I just sort of [took] the trajectory of anything that had nothing to do with being Indian. I didn’t really understand our culture and our traditions. I really wanted to look like my friends, [get] blue contacts, gray contacts. I remember scorching my hair to the point that I was trying to dye it blonde, and really chop it off.” Perhaps there is a heightened awareness and pervasiveness of the Indian culture which makes it easier for her to own and adapt. Singh’s parents came to Canada when they were 18 and 19 and tried to establish a place for themselves. Singh credits them for making it without any help, or nearby relatives, and taking care of

the three daughters. In her book, Singh says, “It’s every Indian parent’s dream to see their child grow up and marry into another Indian family.” Singh’s advice to them: “Do not put that much pressure on your children. I’m not married, and both of my younger sisters are, and it doesn’t make me any less of a daughter or a sister or a best friend. And so I think that as the generations come up and, you know, start to make our own traditions, and we really hone in on having better relationships with our parents that aren’t necessarily focused on marriage, things will change.” As for millennials with profiles on all the dating apps, like one of the characters in the book, Singh suggests they brace themselves from ugly breakups and heartbreaks. “A lot of times, those dating apps can cause a little bit of anxiety, a lot of insecurity.” Singh says, “You have to upload six or seven pictures of yourself. I can’t even sometimes find one picture. Their work is cut out for them and my advice is, after all of that, just have fun with it and that’s part of the journey.” Change has been a constant in Singh’s life. She has been a PR pro, entertainment reporter, a published author, and maybe a producer of a film adaptation of her book. For now, though, she is satisfied to just bask in the success of her first book. APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 39

COVER STORY | SEEMA

EVERYTHING

SHE TOUCHES…

…Anjula Acharia turns to gold. If in doubt, ask performers Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Lady Gaga, and unicorn entrepreneur

ABHIJIT MASIH

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PHOTO CREDIT: DIVYA AKHOURI

Payal Kadakia

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Angel investor Anjula Acharia

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PHOTO CREDIT: DIVYA AKHOURI

COVER STORY | SEEMA

njula Acharia wanted to be an actress while growing up in the nineties in Buckinghamshire, UK, but was dismayed to find little prospect for a brown girl in the field. While she still had hope, she told her parents that one day she would be in America – in Los Angeles to be precise. She fulfilled her American dream, though she took a different route. Among other things, she is manager to actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas. “I always dreamed of being in Hollywood, which is funny, but I did end up being in Hollywood,” she says on a late evening video call with SEEMA. “I lived in LA for a long time. But the actual reason that brought me here was destiny.” She now lives in New York, having curtailed her travels after being infected with the coronavirus. When scheduling the interview, we had hoped to go beyond her association with Chopra Jonas, and focus on this trailblazer who is not just an entrepreneur, but has been behind many a successful womenled start-up. No matter how much you try to divorce her from Chopra Jonas, the superstar keeps popping back into our conversation. In fact, Acharia was chatting from the actress’s home in New York after attending a get-together celebrating the South Asian nominees to the Oscars the previous night. For someone with no experience in tech or entertainment, Acharia seems to have had the right pitch every time, whether it be for music executive James APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 43

COVER STORY | SEEMA Iovine, or Chopra Jonas, who was a stranger when she first met her. “I don’t really have a pitch,” she says. “One thing I just know is that if you have a vision and an idea, which is groundbreaking, you have to inspire people to go along on your journey with you. The key for me is how can you inspire someone to want to go on a journey with you? Because ultimately, that’s what it is. They are investing their time and their energy and their money in going on a journey with you.” Acharia describes her own journey. “I went to drama school and grew up wanting to be an actress,” she says. “But back then in England, it was really difficult to get roles. Everyone kept telling me I was going to be a poor actress and never get any roles because there were no roles for brown people. So I guess I just kind of decided to be a rich businesswoman instead.” The move to the US has indeed been a profitable one. Fresh off the boat, Acharia began her entrepreneurial journey through DesiHits.com, a company that paired South Asian artists with Hollywood producers and created a fusion world of music. What is less known is that one of the most life-changing moments for the entrepreneur was meeting Jimmy Iovine, the founder of Interscope Records. A meeting that was to last 15 minutes went on for over four hours. “Meeting Jimmy, took me on a path which was very different to the one that I had planned for myself,” she says. “He introduced me to people like Lady Gaga, who then [let] me to expand her career across Asia. Then he convinced me to manage Priyanka. He encouraged me to invest in a company called ClassPass, which became a billion-dollar unicorn company... He opened up a whole world to me that I had not touched before.” Acharia’s work with DesiHits and the connections Iovine provided saw her bringing about collaborations between the best in pop culture, such as the one between Lady Gaga and Bollywood composers Salim-Suleiman. Acharia singles out the House of Gucci star’s first Indian tour as her most satisfying DesiHits project. She says, “I think the most amazing thing was watching [Lady Gaga] perform on a stage in Noida. She came offstage, she held my hands and asked, ‘How did I do?’ And I was just like, ‘Oh, my God!’ It was the moment that took my breath away.” The discussion comes back to her work with Chopra Jonas. 44 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

Anjula Acharia with Priyanka Chopra Jonas

“When I met Priyanka,” Acharia reminisces, “she was very famous, very successful in India. She didn’t have a plan to come to America. I changed the destination of our flights.” Acharia argues that success is based on a meritocracy. Perhaps what Brian Epstein was for The Beatles and Peter Grant for Led Zeppelin, Acharia is to Chopra Jonas. Epstein and Grant helped make British bands popular across the pond here in the US, where they reached meteorical heights. Similarly, Acharia helped Chopra carve a niche for herself in Hollywood, and establish herself as no other Bollywood actor had done before. Growing up in the UK was not easy, and Acharia faced discrimination based on the color of her skin. The lack of South Asians where she grew up was challenging, leaving her feel isolated. Being bullied and called awful names did not help, but it prepared her for what she does now: putting her might behind women who look like her and have the same fire in their belly. Now, Acharia is not just a manager to Chopra Jonas; she seems more like family, which was why our scheduled call was pushed ahead by 15 minutes. The two were catching up at the star’s home in New York. Acharia gushes when she speaks about Chopra Jonas:

“WHEN I MET PRIYANKA, SHE WAS VERY FAMOUS, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN INDIA. SHE DIDN’T HAVE A PLAN TO COME TO AMERICA. I CHANGED THE DESTINATION OF OUR FLIGHTS”

Anjula Acharia with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and business person and marketing executive Bozoma Saint John

“I got to tell you, she’s just brilliant. I can put her in any room, and she will just be amazing. She’s just a multihyphenate. She’s a businesswoman, an artist, a creator; she’s just so many things. And I really spotted that in her when I first met her.” However, it took a long time for her to get a meeting with Chopra Jonas. It took a lot of stalking to get the actress’s attention, and it must have been a serious pitch to convince a Bollywood actress on top of her game in India to move from movies to music – which was the proposal Acharia pitched. “If you know her, you can press that button,” Acharia says. “I didn’t know to press that button when I met her. But I did – and it worked. Because she swims against the tide in everything that she does, and she had a genuine passion for music.” It almost took a year for the deal to finally crystallize and, when it did, it was done at the Monkey Bar in New York. After establishing Chopra Jonas in Hollywood through musical collaborations with Will. I Am and Pitbull, and graduating to both tent-pole films and prime time TV shows, what are her next plans for Chopra Jonas? Acharia admits she has not mapped that out yet. “The sky’s the limit,” she says. “I think anything and

INVESTOR, ADVISOR, BOARD MEMBER TO A HOST OF COMPANIES. • ClassPass – Fitness • Hooked – Storytelling • Bumble (Blackstone) – Dating • Bulletproof – Coffee • The Muse – Job Search • Health-ade – Kombucha • Skinny Dipped – Snacks • YUMI – Baby food • FounderMade – Event management • Gobble – Meal kits • The Well – Wellness • Joro App – Sustainability • Pop & Bottle – Beverage • Sprayology – Wellness • LP for Seedcamp • Clubhouse – Social media • LP for BBG Ventures • Olipop – Beverage • Mayvenn – Beauty

46 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

everything’s next, I think there’s nothing she can’t do. You never know which opportunities gonna be in front of you. So I don’t know what’s next for Priy, any more than I know what’s next for me. I just know that when the opportunity arises, we’ll fix it.” But she rattles off a list of projects that are in the pipeline. There’s Farhan Akhtar’s “Jee Le Zaraa” at the end of this year with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif, the TV show “Citadel,” helmed by the Russo brothers, best known for the last two action adventure Avenger films, and an upcoming Hollywood romantic comedy, “Text For You.” Other than her artistic pursuits, Chopra Jonas is following Acharia into entrepreneurial ventures as well. “Obviously, we do some entrepreneurial things, too,” Acharia says. “She founded a company called Anomaly, which is a hair-care brand, and she’s also investing with me.” While known for her work with Chopra Jonas, Acharia is a celebrity in her own right and a serial investor in Silicon Valley with an eye for ideas that make billion-dollar companies – as she did with Payal Kadakia’s unicorn, ClassPass. Other notable companies that she has been associated with are the dating app company Bumble, job search site TheMuse, gourmet meal company Gobble, and online shopping platform The Hunt. Acharia is now on the list of every person looking for investment in their startup project through her company A – Series Management & Investments. She has been included on the Billboard’s ‘International Power Players’ list and has managed to successfully bring technology and entertainment together in her personal portfolio. Like she did with ClassPass founder Kadakia, who was on our cover in February, the lady encourages other women to pursue their dreams. “If you don’t bet on yourself, why would I or anyone else?” This is what Acharia asked Kadakia, who approached her for investment. She then helped get ClassPass to be valued at over a billion dollars. This was one of her first investments, one which has surprised her most with its success. She explains why. “Probably because I’ve been on the longest journey with them,” Acharia says. “I was the first check into that company. I incubated them in my office. Who knew that they would become a billion-dollar company, sell to Mindbody? Yeah, I think that’s probably the biggest surprise.”

PHOTO CREDIT: DIVYA AKHOURI

COVER STORY | SEEMA

PHOTO CREDIT: DIVYA AKHOURI

COVER STORY | SEEMA

“I THINK, ULTIMATELY, I’M AN ENTREPRENEUR AS I ALWAYS WANT TO BUILD THINGS AND CREATE THINGS. I’M ALSO A TALENT SPOTTER, WHETHER THAT MEANS I SPOT AN ENTREPRENEUR OR SPOT SOMEONE LIKE PRIYANKA OR LADY GAGA OR WHOEVER” 48 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

Anjula Acharia shared her journey at an International Women’s Day event organized by the UK Parliament

As a limited partner in funds like Seedcamp and BBG Ventures, Acharia’s advice to entrepreneurs on raising capital is simple: “Don’t try and raise money. Just talk about the journey that you’re going on, and what you want to achieve and how you want to inspire. Just come at it as a passion and try and get people to come along on your journey.”

Acharia has also encouraged Chopra Jonas to make her own investments in the past couple of years. Chopra Jonas has invested in Bumble, Apartment List, coding education start-up Holberton School, etc. “She’s getting heavily involved in different companies that we’re investing in together,” says Acharia, and points out that the actress has a penchant for business and is a great sounding board for her. “She would always have such incredibly smart feedback for me. She has instinct, insight – and that has evolved into her saying, ‘Can I invest in that company or can I do that?’” The angel investor has been God sent for many startups but what does it take to get her attention? What should you include in your pitch deck to her? She tells me what she looks for in the companies that seek investment. “It is really about the founder first… the magic in the founder. When I think they have something special about them, then it’s very much about what problem they’re solving? They don’t have to have experience in that problem. It means they have a perspective. They’re just … disruptors and they just figure things out.” So what is she? Investor, entrepreneur, business advisor or business manager? “I think, ultimately, I’m an entrepreneur as I always want to build things and create things. I’m also a talent spotter, whether that means I spot an entrepreneur or spot someone like Priyanka or Lady Gaga or whoever. I just like to see talent and try and find the water to put on the seeds and help it grow. That’s also an

A PERSISTENT CLIENT The moment Priyanka became a Guess girl “Make me a Guess girl.” Priyanka Chopra Jonas had thrown the idea to Acharia while sitting in the Heathrow lounge flipping through a magazine that had the brand’s ad. Sure enough, Chopra Jonas became the first brown model for Guess. Perhaps it was to do with her being a mega superstar in India, which aligned well with the brand’s strategy for a country where it had opened its first store in 2005. Acharia laughs as she recalls the moment.

“I looked at her and asked, ‘You are joking?’ and she said, ‘No I [am] not.’ And I said to her, ‘Priy, you are not blond-haired with blue eyes.’ And apart from Noami Campbell, all other Guess girls (Claudia Schiffer, Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton) have been blond. She just shrugged her shoulders and said, “I will be the first.” “When she gives me a job like this, I take it very seriously, and we made it happen,” Acharia adds. Excerpt from “Priyanka Chopra – The incredible story of a Bollywood star” – Aseem Chhabra

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PHOTO CREDIT: ANJULA ACHARIA

COVER STORY | SEEMA

Anjula Acharia with Indra Nooyi, former chairperson and chief executive officer of PepsiCo

Anjula Acharia at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in 2020

entrepreneurial thing. Being an investor, you invest in early-stage businesses or people. Most of my investments have been in people first. I think what excites me is the ability to do lots of things and do them well.” The project she is most excited about is her book, which she completed and handed over to her agent the day before we spoke. No, it’s not a memoir or a self-help book. “It’s about two South Asian girls growing up in London in the nineties. It’s really a time when music was the backdrop for what was happening in England for South Asians. Where we were mixing bhangra with hip hop, R&B and reggae, where South Asians created a sub-culture which was a mashup of British and Indian cultures. So the book is set in the backdrop of the music of the time, a story about the fusion of cultures and then serves its own story within a wider story of what’s happening in England at that time.” At SEEMA, through our various platforms, we often bring the topic of South Asian sisterhood, or its absence, in our community. Acharia experienced the dearth of it while growing up, and in her initial days as an entrepreneur. “I didn’t have any female mentors and that was very disappointing to me,” she says. “I never found women wanting to help me; I felt that they just felt competitive. For me, I have this deep desire to see women succeed,” she says. Indra Nooyi, the former chief of PepsiCo who was on our cover this January, was in fact the first mentor who reached out to Acharia, then a stranger to her. Nooyi had mentioned to us about the importance of South Asian women banding together and helping pull each other up. Acharia paid it forward by helping Kadakia and many other women-led companies that she has funded. Acharia says she believes in creating more opportunities to make the community bigger, so that the impact is larger and more opportunities spring from it. Madeline Albright, the former secretary of state who passed away late last month, had once said, ‘There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.’ Acharia, through her investment portfolio that consists primarily of women-led companies has perhaps built herself a stairway to heaven.

“I DIDN’T HAVE ANY FEMALE MENTORS AND THAT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING TO ME, I NEVER FOUND WOMEN WANTING TO HELP ME; I FELT THAT THEY JUST FELT COMPETITIVE. FOR ME, I HAVE THIS DEEP DESIRE TO SEE WOMEN SUCCEED”

FEATURES | SEEMA

GREEN FASHION Sustainability in fashion is no longer just a buzzword as brands focus on the environment BINDU GOPAL RAO

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PHOTO CREDIT :

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ustainability is an important area to focus on for the clothing industry There are efforts being made to adopt sustainable apparel manufacturing. Sustainability is all about keeping it simple and classic and preserving our clothing for

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“Sustainability is not only about protecting the Earth, but also the people on it,” says Malika Mehta, co-founder and CEO, Style Island. “An important part of sustainable fashion production is, therefore, the people producing the clothes and we at Style Island truly believe this by supporting Sustainable Cotton Farming and all our products are environment-friendly. Also, we ensure the safety and security of our employees and artisans.” According to Ashwini Seth, founder, Dennison, “When we talk about sustainability we should also understand water footprint issues as everyone is more focused on carbon footprints. For example If we switch to hemp, we can reduce water consumption to onethird. To understand this better, for 1 kg (2.2

lb) of raw cotton we require approximately 1000020000 liters (2,600-5,300 gallons) of water, which gives you 700-750 grams (1.5-1.65 lbs) of cotton fabric.”

SLOW FASHION

For a brand, sustainability is creating products in a way that leaves little to no negative footprint. There is no one way to make clothes sustainable. “At Posette, we incorporate slow fashion as a very important part of our business model,” says Sonia Sachdev, founder and business head, Posette. “We believe that sustainability lies in designing timeless pieces with zero or minimum wastage. We focus on sharp tailoring and high-quality garments that would last a lifetime. Also, most of our collection includes reasonless designs created using simple/ plain fabrics. This allows us to stock limited raw material and helps us with our no wastage motto.” Meha Bhargava, founder and CEO of Styl Inc. adds, “At Styl Inc., we believe that the most sustainable garment is the one that is already in your wardrobe. Reuse and recycle your clothes in as many ways you can and don’t indulge in impulsive shopping, instead plan for everything you put in your cart. The crux of sustainability is to let go of excessive shopping. Hence, the most important trend to follow for that will be that of having a cluster or a capsule wardrobe.”

CREDIT: PHOTO

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MATERIAL MATTERS

Natural fabric like cotton is ideal and the most used for clothing as it is strong, yet lightweight, and breathes. It is also easy to recycle and can quickly be turned into new garments. Hemp, organic linen created from flax plant, is highly versatile, easy to grow, and popular. It is strong and durable, absorbent, and can expel bacteria. “In sustainable wear, there are certain aspects that need to be taken care of, like the choice of material, working conditions, and its impact on the environment,” says Nitin Pamnani, co-founder, iTokri. “It is crucial to use organic or natural materials in which harsh chemicals are not used. Apart from production, repairing and redesigning, trending methods are applied by artisans in creating sustainable clothes. Redesigning and recycling of garments is in, which also means saving on raw material and natural resources.” Dyes procured from natural raw materials are

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sustainable in nature. Indigo is known as one of the most natural dyes used in clothing. “Ahimsa Silk, Khadi, Kala Cotton, Muslin and Organic cotton are some of raw materials used in while manufacturing responsible fashion. Using the latest technology, bamboo, orange, aloe vera, and eucalyptus fibers are also obtained from the plants to make sustainable clothing,” says Chetan Daruka, founder, Lotus Veda.

PRICE FACTOR

Sustainably produced garments may be more expensive but last longer, thus saving money in the long term. “However, with time we are witnessing that the clothes made using sustainable material are also

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coming at par with regular clothes in terms of cost,” says Akhil Jain, executive director, Madame. “We believe our customers, and other customers as well, are aware of the environment and want to do their bit to protect it. Therefore, we only need to assure them that the clothes that we are manufacturing are sustainable and they will buy them. Also, once the demand for sustainable clothes increases, the prices will automatically come down and their market will become competitive.”

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People are also becoming more aware of where their clothes are coming from, whether the brand can be trusted, and if the manufacturing is done ethically. Ethical fashion should be both environmentally friendly and fair. Local production in fair facilities not only guarantees ethical working conditions but also reduces transport and the associated CO2 emissions. Pooja Monga, founder, Saltpetre, says, “the most sustainable clothes are the ones that you have been using for the longest time. New clothes that are constructed for longevity of use, using low impact, minimal waste raw material and processes are essentially sustainable.” Another trend that slows the purchase of new clothes and disposable fashion is renting and sharing. In recent years, more and more start-ups, apps, and platforms help consumers swap and borrow clothes. So are you ready to give a green spin to your wardrobe?

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FEATURES | SEEMA

IT’S TIME TO RENEW YOU… AND REST THAT SUPERWOMAN WITHIN 58 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

PIONEER | SEEMA SWETA VIKRAM

hen the pandemic hit, the storyteller, Ayurveda counselor, mindfulness coach, yoga teacher, and meditation guide in me was called in to help. Be it kids or adults, mental health crises became of utmost importance. How do you support people’s emotional well-being? What are the best ways to strengthen immunity? How do you keep congestion at bay? How do you move your body if the gyms and yoga studios are closed? Through articles, workshops, speaking engagements, and one-on-one coaching, I was able to share my work. September 2021 also welcomed my new book, “A Piece of Peace.” I was featured in the first Ayurveda documentary with Dr. Deepak Chopra and other Ayurvedic experts. Along with others, Pfizer invited me to give a talk on the power of mindfulness, Ayurveda, and holistic health to their team of medical professionals. Don’t get me wrong, two years later, I still am grateful for how my work has shaped up and the fact that people feel a connection and curiosity to holistic wellness. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I miss having a little space to breathe and be silly. I know that I am not alone. Research will tell you that women are exhausted and burnt out from the pandemic. Between focusing on their career, taking care of children, managing elder care, managing home, starting families, launching businesses, returning to school … There is very little time left to focus on YOU and what brings joy. It’s important to own who you are. But remember that there are health risks (physical, mental, and emotional) involved when you ignore yourself. Because our diet, lifestyle, emotions, sleep, hormones, relationships, career etc. are all tied together. MEDITATE DAILY: I think of meditation as mental flossing. During the pandemic, the mind has been working nonstop. Fear, anxiety, self-told stories, depression, angst, sorrow, loss, joy, hope … a gamut of emotions. It’s imperative to pause. When it comes to a crisis, we can’t always control what’s happening in the world around us, but we can change how we react to it. It’s easy to get into a reactive mode, want to blame someone, and make up stories because that distracts us from what’s really going on.

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Bringing the attention back to your breath helps. MOVE YOUR BODY EVERY DAY: I don’t mean necessarily signing up for a 10K. Choose small steps and activities that interest you. Workouts offer ME-time. Some studies show that exercise can work quickly to elevate depressed moods in many people. The Guardian tells us that a 2010 study saw participants put through eight weeks of daily yoga and meditation practice report a reduction in stress. And their brain scans showed a shrinkage in their amygdala — a brain structure responsible for fear and anger. Exercising even moderately boosts endorphin levels, and these feel-good chemicals protect our brains and bodies while reducing the risk of depression. Yoga can also help reduce stress, improve the quality of your sleep, lower anxiety, and increase the flow of creative juices. PRACTICE ABHYANGA: In Ayurveda, anointing oneself — from head to toe with warm oil — is called abhyanga. Having a massage therapist anoint you with oil daily falls under the realm of impossible and unaffordable for the majority. This is where self-abhyanga comes in — a practice where you massage your own body with warm oil before taking a shower. It can be energizing, stimulating, and relaxing depending on the season and the oil you use. It lowers stress, improves your sleep, enhances the appearance and quality of skin, helps you sleep better and so much more. EAT MINDFULLY Notice if your appetite feels low when you are stressed: or if you find yourself face down in a pint of ice cream to cope. Do you pour yourself that third glass of wine on a Wednesday night because you have a deadline at work? Do you start happy hour at 3 p.m. on some weekdays? Ask yourself if you are hungry before mindlessly serving your plate again. Sit and eat slowly in silence. Chew your food. No arguments or debates at the dining table. Rely more on seasonal foods and try to eat according to your Ayurvedic dosha. DO ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING: One of the great techniques for balancing and harmonizing our brain is the alternate nostril breath,

known as Nadi Shodhana, which is very rhythmic, soothing, and grounding. Nadi Shodhana is excellent for not only releasing physical tension, but also for supporting a clear mind, enhanced tranquility, and stress reduction. You can read here about how to do it. PURSUE YOUR PASSION: It’s important to be responsible and do what you need to do to provide for yourself and your family. It’s equally important to make time for fun and what uplifts you. And no, this must be something that isn’t related to your career development or higher learning. For example, dancing is what brings me joy. CONNECT WITH YOUR TRIBE: It doesn’t matter whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, the human connection is a real part of balanced living. Whether you see people virtually or meet them in-person or do a phone chat, make sure to stay connected to your community. No one can do it alone, or should do it alone. It’s important for us and our mental health to feel supported, heard, and not isolated.

GET YOUR SLEEP ON: Did you know that inadequate sleep is linked to chronic illnesses like Type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease, chronic inflammation, and a few others? Ayurveda has a great deal to say about how to support balanced sleep in general: get into bed before 10 p.m., and be awake latest by 6 a.m. Often, simple adjustments to routine, exercise, diet, and lifestyle habits can have a profound impact on sleep. BUILD HEALTHY BOUNDARIES: It doesn’t mean lack of empathy or care. Boundaries don’t mean abandoning people; they mean showing up with a wholesome attitude. Boundaries mean freedom. They help us own our personal and emotional space, so we don’t show up depleted. Partners, children, friends, and family will understand if you communicate what you need instead of lash out in frustration. This spring, let’s make a sustainable plan, so we can continue down our path with fervor and longevity instead of crashing and burning recurringly. “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud” ~ Coco Chanel APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 61

RELATIONSHIP | SEEMA

REKINDLING LOST Connections The pandemic has riven many relationships. Now it’s time to mend them RASHMI GOPAL RAO

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RELATIONSHIP | SEEMA As a first step, review the relationships closest to you – that is, with your spouse and children. Take time to reflect on what could be wrong and what you can do to improve the rapport with your loved ones. Do not let stress get the better of you; instead, be calm and learn to communicate your point of view. Communication, mutual respect and honesty go a long way in cementing long-lasting relationships. Further, being empathetic and patient go a long way in weeding out negative vibes and instilling a positive environment at home. Remember to leave bygones as bygones and be prepared to start on a fresh slate.

relationship is like a house. When a light bulb burns out, you do not go and buy a new house, you fix the light bulb. It is not an understatement to say that the coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives forever. Words like quarantine, self-isolation, and lockdown, once unheard of, became an intrinsic part of our lives. While official estimates peg the number of deaths at around 5.5 million, the actual numbers are definitely much more. Today, as the pandemic’s ugly tentacles recede, people are slowly limping back to normal life. But there’s no doubt that COVID-19 has changed our social life forever. It has altered the way we meet and greet people, the way we celebrate, and even the way we mourn. Most importantly, the pandemic has taught us the value of a home, loved ones, extended family, friends, and the fact about how fragile life is. C H A N G E S I N P E R S P E C T I V E Given the way coronavirus has upended our lives, it is not surprising to note that the pandemic has sparked a change in the way we look at relationships and our outlook on life. Now is the time to re-evaluate the relationships that matter to us; whether it is with your own spouse, family or friends. Balancing work and family life amidst the chaos of everyone working from home, isolations and restrictions has definitely not been easy on anyone. Challenges like illnesses, job losses and tragedies have only added to the complexity. Hence, it is quite natural to have had arguments, negative interactions and being hurt in the entire process.

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R E N E W I N G L O S T R E L A T I O N S H I P S Just like at home, Zoom fatigue and lockdowns have taken its toll on relationships with those outside. With the lapse in communication, it is natural that some relationships have become frayed, with some even fracturing. Often, there is awkwardness when you try to connect back. Reassess the situation and the importance of the relationship in your life, and make an attempt to get in touch. It could be the best and first step to revive the bond. Many a time it could have been a small misunderstanding, a rift, or an argument you never had a chance to resolve once the pandemic came in. In such cases, there is a hesitation from both sides to connect. Being proactive helps. Even if it does not work, it can give you the satisfaction that you tried. M A K E T H E F I R S T M O V E If you feel it strange to pick the phone, try a text message and then take the next step. In extended families, choose to be more open on family WhatsApp groups and then make a personal connection once you have built a rapport. Make an effort to meet over a coffee if you live close by, or invite them over for a meal. Such occasions are the perfect excuse to have a heart-toheart conversation about past misunderstandings and miscommunications. Once the initial discomfort eases, it should be a smooth and fruitful meeting. One feels lighter after clearing the air, and letting go of the past and starting on a fresh note is definitely pleasant. Try to connect and meet up with common friends. Step out for a meal together and get talking. If you were part of a club or have played a sport together, organize a meet-up. Remember to be positive. Do not be afraid of a lack of reciprocation. If the relationship matters, and adds value to your life, it is worth making the first move.

L E A R N I N G T O L E T G O While it is important to make an effort with relationships that are fruitful and mutually satisfying, some others take a toll on your mental health. It is imperative that you assess such connections and determine whether there was anything beyond time and distance that caused the relation to fray. If letting

go of such relationships is what gives you peace and happiness, make that choice. Instead of dwelling on the past, move on, pursue a hobby or keep yourself occupied with anything that gives you joy and contentment.

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TEENS | SEEMA

THE PERILS OF SOCIAL MEDIA A teenager speaks from

experience about what it can and cannot do for us SARAH KAPADIA

teenager’s life now revolves around social media, with around 90 percent of teenagers having their own accounts. It gives them the freedom to share ideas, opinions, and information by creating virtual networks and communities. Almost everyone on the planet now has a social media account, with around 4.5 billion users on social media worldwide.

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TEENS | SEEMA

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Social media gives teenagers the opportunity to connect with people across the globe and develop their social life. In the past, apps such as Instagram and Facebook became a platform on which teens could share opinions and ideas freely. Whether teenagers are organizing fundraisers or donating to a worthy cause, social media helps them make a difference in their communities. Some social movements began when teenagers used social media to raise awareness about a problem. While social media might make adults feel more lonely, experts believe the opposite is true for teenagers. According to a 2015 study, even while kids have fewer friends than they did a decade ago, they nonetheless report feeling less lonely. However, teenagers are blinded by these platforms and fail to see the adverse effects they can have. While social media does give them a sense of belonging, the mental and physical impairments that it brings along can be dangerous. Recently, researchers have found a link between depression and social media. Teens who use seven social media sites are more likely to encounter depression compared to those on only two. There is a personal and emotional connection built with these accounts. They are under pressure not just to respond swiftly online, but also to have excellent images and well-written postings, all of which can increase pressure on them, resulting in worry and anxiety. The other perils that teens have to contend with are body-shaming, cyberbullying and plain old meanness. Receiving messages from your friends or even strangers saying horrible things about your personality and body can drastically affect one’s self-esteem. Insomnia resulting from spending too much time on social media causes teens to lose sleep. Sleep deprivation can result in moodiness, a reduction in grades, a lack of physical activity and binge-eating. It has also known to worsen existing disorders such as depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As a result, logging in to social media in the middle of the night can be hazardous to their physical wellbeing. Lack of sleep even has an impact on your immune system. While jealousy and envy are natural feelings, they may wreck havoc on a teen’s psyche if they compare themselves to their friends. Olivia Roderigo perfectly summed up every teens thought process through her song “Jealousy Jealousy.”

All your friends are so cool, you go out every night In your daddy’s nice car, yeah, you’re livin’ the life Got a pretty face, pretty boyfriend, too I wanna be you so bad, and I don’t even know you All I see is what I should be Happier, prettier, jealousy, jealousy All I see is what I should be I’m losin’ it, all I get’s, jealousy, jealousy Co-comparison is killin’ me slowly I think, I think too much ‘Bout kids who don’t know me This competitive mindset eventually leads to teenagers changing everything about themselves, from their wardrobe and their body language to their entire personality. In the process, they lose their uniqueness and the idea of being the best version of themselves. Soon it will be like all the teens are clones of each other and the diversity of the world will be crippled. I mentioned that social media is great for socializing and bonding with others, though it is impossible for a teen to see the opposite person’s facial expressions and true reactions while texting – leading to several misunderstandings. A genuinely funny or sarcastic comment is likely to get perceived in the wrong way and result in further repercussions. Many teenagers spend so much time online monitoring statuses and likes that they neglect to communicate with the individuals in their immediate vicinity. Teens who prioritize social media will frequently focus on the images they take to demonstrate how much fun they are having rather than really having fun. Because critical brain development happens during the teen stages of life, it is essential to be aware of the impact of social media. Too much nor too little of anything is good. I believe that teenagers have to strike a balance between social media and their other activities because it seems teens are being brainwashed and controlled by software. What was once a conflict in a movie is slowly coming to life with the excessive usage of these platforms. How do we keep ourselves from being consumed by social media? A regulation on the time spent on it would be the first thing to do. Try other activities that would make you happier, such as reading, painting or cooking. Second, unfollow people whose updates or messages bring you down. Third, remind yourself constantly that social media is not a representation of reality.

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TEENS | SEEMA

THE

BINARY WORLD

OF TEENS

If you are 13+, you are defined by your digital connections and identity SARAH KAPADIA

he digital world defines a teenager’s life, and it is impossible to envision a teen without a digital presence. Being a teenager in the modern world requires you to have

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a network, to voice your opinion and connect with people around you – which can all be achieved through the digital platform. I often like to compare a teen’s digital life to a ship’s crew voyaging through the vast seas.

TEENS | SEEMA Around 95 percent of teens own a computer, smartphone, or iPad. Each of them spends around 9 hours a day on their devices, including 3 hours and 32 minutes on social media. Aside from that, guys spend an extra two hours playing video games, and 23 percent of students watch television while completing their schoolwork. These capabilities have not become an integral part of a teenager’s life, with the most prevalent use occurring after school and before bedtime. Jumping back to the ship – the most important part of this vessel is the captain. I believe that social media steers the digital life of any teenager. Facebook for them is old news; they have found more innovative platforms that allow them to access more creativity. While parents might think social media is destroying their children’s personality and depriving them of experience, teens have a valid counter. The developmental requirements of teenagers are wellmatched to what social media has to offer: making friends, finding out their identities, and gaining social status by being “in the know.” For example, it is common for teenagers to experiment with several identities based on popular culture. One of the most prevalent motivations for utilizing social media is to maintain existing friendships. As today’s teenagers mature, they see social media as a place to “hang out” online and interact with people who have common interests. Consider the environment in which today’s teenagers are developing. Celebrities in the fields of entertainment, sports, and politics live their life in the spotlight. Ordinary individuals can become famous as a result of television reality programs or a viral social media post. Schools, universities, news organizations, and businesses all have social media accounts. Social media has also played a great role in teen activism as seen in the Black Lives Matter movement. One of the most popular social media apps is Instagram. On the web, Facebook may have dominated social photo sharing, but on mobile devices, Instagram reigns supreme. The program allows users to shoot photos and videos, and then add a filter to them before sharing them with their friends. Teenagers are the ones that utilize the private texting option the most. Teens place a great deal of value and happiness in the number of likes, shares, and comments they receive on their postings. Next on the list is Snapchat, one of the funkiest apps used by teens today. It allows you to send self-destructing snaps, as well as video and text messages. This social networking site is jam-packed with features that teens love. You may use a variety of lenses, stickers, funny faces, and other features

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to capture images. Send text or image messages to pals, or even call them using the app, and post articles about what you’re up to. No one can go without mentioning the famous TikTok, a platform that went viral overnight. It is a video-sharing social network that allows you to post short videos. It primarily consists of teenagers lip-syncing to popular songs, but it also contains some original material. Some of our most famous celebrities such as Charli D’amelio and Addison Rae started their journey with TikTok. For a teenager, the first mate is YouTube, while Spotify is the second mate. Teenagers are more engaged than ever before on YouTube, the fastest-growing influencer and blogging community on the planet. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 85 percent of teenagers say they use the site. You may use the app to watch and upload videos of various kinds. YouTube features channels that discuss science, education, music, and even mental health, in addition to giving you insights into someone’s life. Pewdiepie, a gamer, and Smosh, a creator of amusing short films that help kids to unwind after a long day, are two of the most popular channels among teenagers. Emma Chamberlain and Liza Koshy deserve credit for making YouTube a welcoming environment for teenagers. Spotify is essentially a cool platform to listen to music and

jam like nobody’s watching. Ariana Grande, Billie Eillish, Beyonce, Rihanna, Eminem, XXXTentacion, Juice World, Conan Gray and Olivia Rodergio - Spotify gives the teenagers the latest and trendy songs by all the beloved artists. Another alluring feature is that the app auto-creates playlists for the users according to their search history, saving them so much time and effort. The video games that teenagers are addicted to are like the rest of the crew according to me. Research shows that in comparison to all the time spent online, games come at the bottom. So, what is it about video games that so many teenagers enjoy them? To start, let’s state the obvious: video games are played, and play is fun. However, in addition to adopting video games as a form of entertainment, teenagers may be engaging in something more complex. Teens are using video games to increase their well-being by addressing their psychological demands, whether they realize it or not. Call of Duty, Fortnite, Minecraft, Mario Kart, League of Legends and Tetris – all have importance in a teen’s life. The digital platform is and always will be an integral part of a teenager’s life. Whether they use it to relax, create mind- blowing apps like 13-year-old Arit Roa, or change mindsets like the Instagram account Zenerations, the digital platform has a unique definition for each teenager.

FOOD & DRINKS | SEEMA

Iftaar – and Two Recipes to Make It Great Ramadan means fasting, charity and being kind to others. Iftaar is one of its defining elements NANCY AMON

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ftaar is an exceptional experience for Muslims across the world. As part of religion and customs, many celebrate Iftaar, which is part of the meal that breaks the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Still, the way South Asians celebrate Ramzan, another term for Ramadan, may not be quite the same way that people in the Middle East do. WHAT IS IFTAAR? It is only during Iftaar that Muslims can break the fast that lasts the whole day. Iftaar is essentially breakfast, a smaller meal, more of a snack, eaten before the evening prayers. The light meal fuels you after a long day of fasting without overwhelming you at a time the call for the evening prayer (Maghrib) occurs. Indus Iftar is similar to Arabic Iftaars, but Iftar may be a bit heavier with a light snack meal later on during the evening. COMMUNITY AND TOGETHERNESS During the Holy month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world celebrate. During it, the practices include abstinence, going without food or water, negative thoughts or treatment of others, including abstaining from abusive language or anything else that will sully defy the spiritual practices during that time. In other words, Ramadan is the month of willpower, reflection, giving to others and fasting from sunrise to sunset. In some customs around the world, Iftaar is shared with friends, family and the community. While other customs demand that the main meal (the one that follows the iftaar snack) can be shared only

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with close family. While all Muslims partake in Iftaar, every country has different ways to do it. India’s different regions buzz with activity and economic growth is seen during Ramadan. Iftaar snacks and rations are often served free in mosques. Family and friends will break their fast together. Iftaar foods are also available at street markets where folks shop till late. In Iran, for instance, festive-style meals with others are not a custom. Instead, families have their Iftaar meal and their main meal in their homes. In Pakistan, everyone celebrates just before breaking their fast and then commencing evening prayers. Like India, Malaysia also has Iftaar street food available before the evening prayers. With Ramadan comes a special prayer reserved only for this time; it goes in coordination with Iftaar practice in Muslim communities. For example, you will find family and friends eating with each other, gathered around a table and getting ready for a large dinner. There is a lot of preparation and work that goes into Ramadan. After the sun has set, the food is already prepared in advance, which allows for sufficient food even if more family and friends come over to eat. Most importantly, during this time, many Muslims share food with strangers and non-Muslims. This is one of the most common charity practices that is often rewarding, and it ensures that everyone has something to ea IFTAAR RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Families are very creative regarding iftaar snacks and the meals that follow. Iftaar, although a lighter meal, provides energy, protein and sustenance after the 15hour fast. Some communities serve samosas (triangle crisp fried pastry with vegetable or meat filling). Beverages like soybean milk are often served, too. There are also fruit like dates and a drink of water or other fruit beverages. While it isn’t heavy, it is a good way to ease your way back into eating without shocking your body.

FOOD & DRINKS | SEEMA

IFTAAR SNACKS TO MAKE AT HOME CLOSING THOUGHTS Iftaar is an integral part of Ramadan that also encourages closeness between communities, families and friends. We hope you enjoy making one of these simple and quick recipes.

DATE TRUFFLE

coconut. Serve with water or other Iftaar snacks, or have it as is.

Dates are common in the Middle East and South Asia and have been cultivated for millennia. It is a great source of energy (having healthier natural sugar) and are rich in antioxidants. Best of all, dates are vegetarian and vegan-friendly, and undoubtedly an ideal Iftaar snack to break the fast.

DRY FRUIT MILKSHAKE

INGREDIENTS • 2 cups of pitted dates • 1 cup desiccated coconut • 1 cup of roasted almonds • 1 tablespoon of honey

INGREDIENTS • Almonds • Pitted dates • Figs • Raisins • Chilled milk (you may use a yogurt)

METHOD 1. In a blender or food processor add all the ingredients (other than coconut) and blend it into a paste. 2. Next, roll the paste into balls and coat it with the

METHOD 1. Blend everything together. 2. serve chilled

Dried fruit is a rich source of energy and this fruit milkshake also gives you protein and calcium.

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Celebrating Her Husband’s Legacy Barkha was the force behind the late Floyd Cardoz. Now she is stepping in front... MABEL PAIS

orking silently and steadily behind the scenes, Barkha Cardoz was partner, wife, and mother, and played business collaborator and chef to her husband. The late Floyd Cardoz was a pioneering, New York’s Indian-born American restaurateur, who won Top Chef Masters Season 3 in 2011, wrote cookbooks, and was a mentor and philanthropist of note. THE CARDOZ SPICE LINE LEGACY Floyd’s New York restaurants were known for food

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melding Indian flavors and spices with Western cuisine. Barkha Cardoz says, “Floyd....started making garam masala for everyone with just a few spices so you can use it everywhere – in curries, of course, and I’ve used it to make apple pie and Christmas cake.” Floyd Cardoz died in March 2020, shortly before he was to launch the Spice Line. He conceived the Spice Line in 2019. Barkha refused to let the project die with him. “This is his legacy,” she says. “It was his dream to get every person on the face of this Earth to have Indian spices in their kitchen cabinets. He just wanted everyone to love Indian flavors as much

as he did. He didn’t get to do it completely. I can’t sit quiet and let it go.”

PHOTO CREDIT: CARDOZ LEGACY LLC

Barkha launched Floyd’s initial three blends of spices: garam masala, Goan masala, and Kashmiri masala on October 4, 2020, two days after what would have been Floyd’s 60th birthday. In October 2021, Barkha and her business partners launched 3 more blends: Green Tikka Masala, Chaat Masala and Vindaloo Masala. $1 of every jar purchased goes to a charitable foundation. The blends are available at FloydCardoz.com/spices Learn more about Barkha Cardoz at FloydCardoz.com/Barkha-Cardoz SIGNIFICANCE OF EASTER TO BARKHA AND HER FAMILY Barkha says, “Floyd and I grew up with different religious upbringings: He was Catholic and I am Hindu. When we started our life together, we knew that there were holidays that were special to each of us, and we wanted to share the joy of celebrating them with our boys (Peter and Justin, now 29 and 24 respectively). So started the traditions of all holidays in the Cardoz home.” Easter was special to each of them for different reasons. Their sons loved seeing their cousins and having fun Easter egg hunts together. For Floyd, it meant the change of seasonal ingredients gave him so many new ingredients to cook with. His garden was now also ready for planting, and that brought him immense joy. Barkha Cardoz loved Easter because it signaled new life and the earth shedding cold and dormancy, and coming alive with color in the form of daffodils and tulips. THEIR DAY STARTED WITH MASS. “It was then followed by the kids’ Easter egg hunt, baskets filled with candy and goodies, and a beautiful meal prepared with love by Floyd,” Cardoz says. “This centered around a fish and either a leg of lamb or a ham. We would have asparagus and peas, fresh greens, potatoes, and other spring veggies. Dessert was my joy — to feed and to eat. I loved making cookies, fruit tarts, and mango mousse, which was an all-time favorite that all the young ones enjoyed.”

Barkha and Floyd Cardoz (in chef attire) at the Hawaii Food Fest in 2015. APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 81

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FLOYD AND BARKHA’S EASTER RECIPES F L O Y D ’ S S L O W C O O K E D S A L M O N W I T H F E N N E L A N D C O R I A N D E R Salmon is a good fish to serve to a large group because it’s usually universally liked. However, overcooked salmon can be a disaster. Floyd first prepared this for Christmas dinner at his home for about 40 people and it became his favorite method of cooking salmon for a big group. Serves: 12 Cooking time: About 35 minutes INGREDIENTS: • 1½ lbs/680gms center-cut salmon, 1½ inches thick cut into 12 equal rectangles • Sea salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 1 small fennel bulb • 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened • Minced zest and juice of 1 orange • 24 thin slices garlic • 2 tablespoons minced shallots • 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger • Leaves from 3 tarragon sprigs, thinly sliced • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground medium fine • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground fine • 12 thin slices serrano chile (about 1 chile) • 3 tablespoons olive oil

and set aside. 3. Remove and discard the fronds and the tough tops of the fennel bulb. Thinly slice the bulb and the remaining tender stalks, keeping them separate. Set aside. 4. Brush the bottom of a large Pyrex or ceramic dish with butter. 5. Sprinkle the thinly sliced fennel bulb over the bottom of the dish. Pour the orange juice over the fennel. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of each of the following: orange zest, garlic, shallots, ginger, tarragon, coriander and fennel seed. 6. Arrange the salmon in a single layer in the dish. Place a slice of serrano and a slice of garlic on each piece of salmon. Sprinkle with the sliced fennel stalks and the remaining orange zest, garlic, shallot, ginger, tarragon, coriander and fennel seeds. 7. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. 8. Bake the salmon for 25 minutes. Avoid cooking it until it turns opaque and the white albumen comes out. Usually, when the salmon is done the plastic wrap is really tight and shiny and there’s a little mist on the underside. But if you don’t see the mist, just let the timer be your guide. 9. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Remove and discard the plastic wrap and serve.

METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Season the salmon with salt and pepper

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FOOD & DRINKS | SEEMA B A R K H A ’ S M O U S S E

M A N G O

PHOTO CREDIT: LAUREN VOLO

Floyd once confessed, “The first few times Barkha made this, I teased her mercilessly (it’s not a chef’s dish). But the Cardoz’s friends’ kids called it “Aunty Barkha’s specialty of the house.” Of all the dishes the Cardoz family serves up to their guests, the mango mousse is what they beg for. It had created magic for Floyd’s future dishes. Serves: 6 Cooking time: About 10 minutes / Inactive time: about 1 hour for cooling and 3 to 4 hours to set. INGREDIENTS • Two 3-ounce/85 gram packages orange-flavored Jell-O • One cup boiling water • One cup room temperature water • 2 to 2¼ cups diced ripe mango (or 1 cup defrosted frozen or canned mango puree) • 1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened

Barkha Cardoz making mango mousse

METHOD 1. In a large bowl, combine the Jell-O and boiling water and stir until the Jell-O is dissolved. Add the room temperature water and stir to combine. Set aside to cool completely. (Make sure that the Jello-O mixture is completely cool before adding the mango and ice cream, or the mousse will be dense. However, don’t let it sit so long that it gels and the mousse will become lumpy.) 2. If using ripe mango, puree it in a food processor or blender. You should have 1 cup. 3. When the Jell-O mixture is cool, stir in the mango puree. Gently fold in the softened ice cream until well incorporated. Transfer to a serving bowl, and refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours. 4. Spoon the mousse into cups to serve. Recipes: Slow-cooked salmon and mango mousse – Excerpted from Flavorwalla by Floyd Cardoz (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2016.

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PHOTO CREDIT: BARKHA CARDOZ

Mango mousse

BOOKS | SEEMA

Where Rhyme Meets Reason The top South Asian spoken word poets to listen to PALOMA JHINGAN

outh Asia is a region of diversity with a peculiar cultural unity. Rich in history, languages, literature and philosophy, the region has explored humanity through religion, art, monuments, food, music, dance, and poetry. Increasingly, poetry today is becoming a striking method of self-expression. Spoken word poetry especially reaches out to a wide audience base and builds a powerful platform for artists to speak on various social issues through their own identities and experiences. WHAT IS SPOKEN WORD POETRY? It is a broad term that defines poetry intended for performance. It can contain elements of rap, hip-hop, storytelling, theater, along with jazz, rock, blues, and

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folk music. The main characteristics that encompass spoken word poetry is that it includes rhyme, repetition, improvisation, and word play. It can draw influence from music, dance, or other popular themes to connect with the audiences. Spoken word poetry doesn’t always have to rhyme, but certain parts can be rhymed to emphasize an image or give it a lyrical quality. WHEN DID PEOPLE START USING IT? A majority of the American spoken-word poetry traces its origin to the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance, blues, and the beat generation of the 60s. It relied heavily on the African-American culture, which is rich in literary and musical heritage. The form of poetry then made its way to other parts of the world to places in South Asia.

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S O M E

S O U T H

S H O U L D

S I M A R

A S I A N

D E F I N I T E L Y

P O E T S

Y O U

L I S T E N

T O

S I N G H

The 16-year-old founder and curator of UnErase has made waves. His poems challenge how far we’ve really come with gender equality and discuss themes like power structures, marital rape, toxic masculinity, the misogyny and normalized violence that still exist. One of his hit poems in 2018 was on the same topic. It is very well articulated and certainly provides some food for thought.

D I K S H A

B I J L A N I

This 22-year-old poet often makes her works based on personal experiences and thoughts, which are quite relatable. She has always felt that schools, and their systems leave less and less space for individual freedom. Her poems talk about current and important issues like mental health, politics, dissent against society and its institutions, the objectification of women, and so on.

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I S H M E E T N A G P A L

You may have seen or heard the poem titled ‘Before You Commit Suicide’ on some form of social media. The moving poem boldly talks about someone that is on the verge of doing so, and is a very, very powerful work. Nagpal is also part of an NGO called Save The Children, which focuses on improving the lives of underprivileged children in India. Some of her other poems revolve around topics like gender issues, sexuality and mental health.

Q A I S

J A U N P U R I

Jaunpuri, who is a civil engineerturned-founder of Aao Kahen Dil Ki Baat (a sharing program that allows people to share their secrets in public), writes defiant pieces that usually question social institutions and power dynamics. Along with that, he is also a part of the renowned theater group Jashn-E-Qalam Storytelling. His poems are typically performed in Hindi and Urdu, and are beautiful because of their simplistic qualities, making them that much more impactful.

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B H A R A T H D I W A K A R

S A V I T H R I

Bharath Savithri Diwakar is a Bangalore-based poet and storyteller. Not subscribing to gender norms, they speak about sexuality, mental health and body image issues. They were a mentor for India’s first National Youth Poetry Slam and frequently featured in Airplane Poetry Movement events. After the success of their solo show, Fluid, they recently performed at Spoken Fest in Bombay.

S A B I K A

A B B A S

Abbas’s origin story stems from the unfair treatment of marginalized communities in India and the perpetual state of fear they live in. She uses Urdu and Awadhi, instead of English. Her poems, which aim to amplify the voices of marginalized communities, are performed in public spaces. She emphasizes how in times of shared grief, especially in India, people can instill hope in one another by standing up for what is right. The 25-year-old Abbas, who is originally from Lucknow and now lives in Pune, has given a TEDx talk, “Challenging The Order of Patriarchy.”

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H O W C A N Y O U S U P P O R T T H E S E A R T I S T S ? In the digital age, it’s very easy to find any of these poems online. To make them more popular and help them get the recognition they deserve, you can watch, like, comment and share it with your friends and family. This article is our endeavor to explore the South Asian spoken word poetry and highlight some thriving artists in the field.

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INDEPENDENT SOUTH ASIAN

PUBLISHING HOUSES It takes courage, integrity and nimble strategy to survive in the face of persecution and heavyweight competition. Here are five companies that have done it PRATIKA YASHASWI

e’d never have books and the publishers who stand by them. And with South Asian publishing, rife with economic troubles, a dwindling readership and sometimes violence, the obstacles are great. In South Asia, the independent publishing world is a bloodbath — and for some the risks are more than just financial. To put out work that can truly change the world, publishers often have to stand up to authoritarian governments and violent religious factions, sometimes risking their lives along with the authors creating such work. Take for example, “Naxalbari,” a comic created by cartoonist Sumit Kumar,

which talks about the history of the Naxal movement in central India. While it was being published, Kumar was nervous that the book would be seen as propaganda and insisted that his publisher print it in the dead of the night so as to avoid an altercation with the police. As you will see in the stories below, some publishers in the five South Asian countries below have reason to worry for their safety. It’s a career promising anxiety, stress and immense financial pressure — yet, they show up to work in spite of the myriad challenges involved. And the payoff? Books spark revolutions, change lives and open the world up across time and space. This World Book Day, let’s celebrate these heroes of our time.

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ZUBAAN BOOKS, INDIA Zubaan books is a leading feminist publisher (an imprint of Kali for Women) putting out books on, for, by and about women in South Asia based out of New Delhi, India. Zubaan is a Hindustani word meaning tongue, voice or language. Zubaan is synonymous with high-quality fiction by women in South Asia, both in translation and written in English. Additionally, they also publish titles in non-fiction and young adult fiction. If you want to get your hands on any of their titles, many are also available as e-books.

SHUDDHASHAR PUBLISHING HOUSE, BANGLADESH Award-winning publishing house Shuddhashar is phenomenal. It has the rare mix of commercial success as well as a long history of moral courage. Several years ago, two of its authors, Avijit Roy and Ananta Bijoy Das, were killed during a wave of violence against secular voices in Dhaka. Cofounder Ahmedur Rashid Chowdhury himself almost didn’t survive a brutal machete assault when the publisher’s office was attacked by a radical militant Islamist group. Read their magazines and blog in English, or order any one of their wonderful e-books in Bangla here.

ZUKA BOOKS, PAKISTAN Pakistan’s literary publishing scene is due to reach its prime, so till then, most Pakistani authors go to get published in their neighbor’s more mature industry. One can imagine how underserved marginal voices, including those of women’s must be. But not on Zuka’s watch. The woman-led Zuka Books calls itself Pakistan’s cultural resistance in the form of the written word. Earlier this year, Zuka made it into the shortlist of the UN Women award for its efforts to create more literary space for female authors.

KATHALAYA, NEPAL Apart from the financial trials and distribution difficulties typical of the business, Nepal’s publishing industry’s challenges are also geographical in nature. Despite these constraints, independent publisher Kathalaya ensures that Nepalese children continue to read. Besides publishing, Kathalaya also organizes activities to promote reading culture among children and the youth, through literary festivals, workshops and collaborations with schools. It has also released Nepal’s first e-book reader app, called We Read.

PERERA HUSSEIN, SRI LANKA For nearly 20 years, Perera Hussein has been putting out quality fiction and non-fiction titles in Sri Lanka for all ages. Many of these books are nominated for local and international awards. Featuring over 50 percent women authors on their list, and a growing number of regional and international authors, their books, available in several English-speaking countries, such as Australia, India, Singapore, the UK and the US, can be ordered from www.pererahussein.com. APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 95

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This month, our team recommends fitness tools to help reach your health goals

BlenderBall by Blender Bottle I developed quite an affinity for protein shakes to not only get some nutrition but also to help with my fitness goal of bulking up a bit. I think the handiest tool to have is a blender bottle for your shake, easy enough to just dump your ingredients into and then mix around. The BlenderBall helps combine everything together. Plus, it’s like a shake weight, a little workout for your arm on the side. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ B07TL6PNLD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_ s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

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Yoga Workouts by Daily Burn Subscription There was a (short-lived) time I tried to become a master of yoga. This app really helped me kickstart that journey. It not only helps you set goals for the progress you want to make, but provides a large set of instructional videos for the varying levels of difficulty, based on what you think you can accomplish. The trainers are all comforting and easy to listen to, and it’s a good way for you to get into yoga, whether you’re just dipping your toe or adding to your workouts. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yogaworkouts-by-daily-burn/id1441637708

Theragun Prime by Therabody The biggest craze and hottest item in wellness right now. This simplified smart percussive therapy device prioritizes the features you need while maintaining the power and effectiveness of Theragun’s deep muscle treatment. Ease discomfort, soothe tightness and tension and recover faster - in seconds. https://www.therabody.com/us/en-us/prime-us.html

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Calm App Gift Subscription, by Calm Calm’s relaxation-inducing meditations are excellent for presleep rituals, plane rides, work stress, and pretty much anything else. A gift subscription gives them a year — or a lifetime — of access to the app’s library of guided meditations, sleep sounds, focus music, and more. https://www.calm.com/gift

Withings Body + Body Composition Wi-Fi Scale by Withings When it comes to weight, there is so much more behind that single number staring back at you on the scale. This smart scale (which works with multiple health apps), breaks down your body’s composition and accounts for things such as your muscle, bone, and water weight. Plus, it can track up to eight users at once, so it’s great for the whole family. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ withings-body-body-compositionsmart-wi-fi-scale-black/5869533.p?sku Id=5869533&irclickid=U11VrTWggxyI UPzRYH2TSQJ8UkGTCRSRUXRXzE0 &irgwc=1&ref=198&loc=Skimbit%20 Ltd.&acampID=0&mpid=10078

Papier My Wellness Journal by Papier For the person who’s just getting into journaling, we’d suggest this wellness journal that comes with prompts for reflecting on their goals and habits, as well as space to catalog everything they’re grateful for. https://www.papier.com/us/joy-31150?awc=15522_16 47378046_415e91d105ce387925bbf4162bb1b782&u tm_medium=Paid_Affiliate&utm_source=Awin&utm_ campaign=Skimlinks&utm_content=78888

Hydration Reminder Bottle Accessory by Ulla Get subtle hydration reminders to help you drink eight glasses a day. Ulla turns your drinking vessel into a smart water bottle. The silicone band fits over a bottle or glass, with an accelerometer inside to track movement. Go more than 30-40 minutes, and Ulla’s light will blink. https://www.thegrommet.com/ products/ulla-hydration-reminderbottle-accessory

Self Guided Strength & Flexibility Kit by Gaiam No more digging through the Internet for exercise how-tos. The self-guided kit adds some education to physical recovery, with exercise instructions printed on three resistance bands. With light, medium and heavy strength bands, you get simple directions for reconditioning and sculpting your muscles. https://www.gaiam.com/products/restore-self-guidedstrength-flexibility-kit#

PIONEER | SEEMA

Resistance bands by Kenko When dumbbells get boring, bring out the resistance bands! I love a good band workout once in a while and I find them perfect for a quick workout while traveling or recovering from muscle fatigue. https://www.kenkostores.com/product-page/expanderdouble-maple

High Density Foam Roller Massager by The Original Body Roller Even a few minutes with the foam roller after a workout can make oodles of difference to your recovery. The textured rollers are especially great at soothing those painful points on your back, almost like a mini-massage! https://www.amazon.com/Original-Body-RollerBack-Myofascial/dp/B07Q8DV256/

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The Reversible Mat by Lululemon Can there be anything more important than a good yoga mat to protect and support your knees and back? A good mat encourages me to hold poses longer, push myself deeper, and go further into the pose. We all need one! https://shop.lululemon.com/p/yogaaccessories/The-Reversible-Mat-5mm/_/ prod6750166?color=52518&sz=ONESIZE

HOROSCOPE | SEEMA

FORECAST WITH FARZANA Mar 21 - Apr 19

Competition might try to bully you, but individuality and independence are your strengths. You have a chance to make a positive splash and receive recognition with your confidence, optimism and unbridled energy. Go with your intuition and focus on what you want, instead of all that is holding you back. If you are looking for a job or a promotion, the signs are positive. Things are fairly good, financially therefore, resist the temptation to overspend. Being spontaneous in love could go a long way. Get out there and mingle in case, love is what you seek. Life could do with some lightening up. So let your hair down and chill.

Apr 20 - May 20

This month is a reminder to be both persevering and adaptable when dealing with life’s challenges. Make sure that you divide your energy, time, and resources, wisely and delegate when you can. You are fully capable of being victorious in whatever you place your attention on. If you have more money going out than you have coming in, then keep a tight leash on your wallet. In the love area, focus on finding a steadiness or vitality

in your relationship. Whatever it is that you need to keep yourself at your best, make it a priority. The future is likely to be promising if you balance your life well.

May 21 - Jun 20

Embrace the shifts occurring right now and dive in. The breakthrough you seek is already on its way. Don’t give up now. If you feel stuck in emotional dynamics that are no longer working, take the plunge and act now. Make peace with your past and release any unhealthy attachments holding you back. A major phase in your life is ending. Expect changes in your job profile or relationship status. It’s a good idea to reassess how you handle your relationship, money and things you value. What might seem disappointing or uncomfortable, will open doors to your victory. Your efforts are being watched so pay attention to detail. Resisting change may limit your future.

Jun 21 - Jul 22

Focus on minimizing conflicts and picking your battles this month. Even though, you think you have won, you might still lose in the big picture. Step away from any toxic situation, if you feel overwhelmed. If conflict is inevitable, be mindful about

what you say as you may land up saying things you regret. Be not bullied and stand in truth, the chances of victory are high. And, remember real talent has its own light. Work to harmonize what you want with what is currently possible. Tact, being a better team player, maintaining clear boundaries and assertiveness are recipes for the peace you seek in your relationships as well.

Jul 23 - Aug 22

Your inspiration and motivation will get you further than your doubts and fears ever will. Get ready to level up and stop throwing yourself under the bus, to appease the egos of the weak. To reach victory, begin by loving yourself fully, and unapologetically. Call attention to your talents and be brave to ASK. You are likely to receive praise, awards, recognition, or applause for a job well done. Acknowledge those who helped you get where you are. Stay in gratitude and acceptance. If you have been experiencing relationship issues in the past, it is about to change for the better. For the single, your soulmate may be on the horizon.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Career and business are the focus this month. You may find yourself, burning the midnight oil to secure your future and create financial independence. Juggling home and family APRIL 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 101

HOROSCOPE | SEEMA

with work related responsibilities and your own interests may seem impossible. Examine how you are spending your time; identify the time wasters and free up time for your own pursuits and passion. You have the power to make things happen. A resourceful mindset can convert opportunities and your hard work is likely to pay off through monetary abundance and more warmth in relationships. In a new relationship, discernment would be sensible. Add more sparks of indulgence in an existing one.

Sept 23 - Oct 22

If in the past, it may have felt like you have been in a boring streak, where everything seems to be on repeat with little change; well, things are about to get exciting. Don’t be surprised with unexpected flashes of inspiration. Explore your creative and emotional self - try things like reading new books or dust off that watercolor set and create a masterpiece. Be sure to check your mailbox for unexpected news and messages from far. Perhaps a loved one you haven’t heard from in ages is about to make an appearance in your life. You may find yourself a tad sensitive so rise higher from petty dramas around you.

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Life is teaching you to balance your relationships and elevate your self-worth. If you feel trapped in indecision, place your hand on your heart and breathe into that space. Clear your head, stay focused and be flexible. Reassess your relationships, workplace situations and your financial status. In order to achieve victory, sometimes waiting is the best solution. Remember, you can’t push a wave onto the 102 | SEEMA.COM | APRIL 2022

shore any faster than the ocean brings it in. What looks like taking a step backward may be a calculated process, to realign your path with something, more fulfilling to you. Letting go, is your tip of the month. Have faith that all will work out, and the transformation will greet you in ways you never imagined.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

The universe sets the stage for an opportunity for a new project, job or a business venture. Think and dream big. Go with your intuition and let the chips fall where they may. With your ability to manifest, step out of the shadows and reawaken optimism. Yes, your to-do list might be longer than the day allows, so work smart. A financial windfall, or an investment is likely to pay off. There is no place for arrogance, pride and overconfidence. Take the lead in the area of love and remember, timing is everything and it takes real work to make a commitment stick not just a racing heart.

Dec 22 - Jan 19

There is light at the end of the tunnel. If you have been experiencing a challenging time, open your heart, realize your inner strength, and trust that the best is yet to come. You will be inspired to rise again. Aim for the promotion, ask for a raise, or pitch a new contract. You have a small window time to make these things happen. So, don’t delay. We are continually attracting what we desire through our beliefs and thoughts. Drop any baggage you are carrying in the love area. Let go and accept the ones you love the way they are. It is time for you to keep putting the little victories together, and shine spiritually and emotionally.

Financially, it’s a positive month.

Jan 20 – Feb 20

While it’s important to be keenly aware of your desires, it’s also crucial not to become wrapped up in them. Be sure to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. If financial or romantic opportunities seem too good to be true right now, they probably are. It’s best to delay any important decisions until you have a clearer view. Especially if they are commitments, you can’t back out of later. A new love interest may appear in your life. If you are already in a relationship, this may augur problems or make you question your current relationship. If single, you may have more than one suitor in your life.

Feb 21 – Mar 20

An opportunity to work in a team of two or collaborating on a project, is likely. You may notice that the people around you appreciate you more. Expect smooth sailing at work and life when you win arguments through tact, kindness and compassion. Go ahead, ask for help, or call in a favor to achieve your goals. It is a good time to bring alive some passionate romance in the love area. If solo, you may find yourself in a budding relationship with reciprocal feelings. There’s no need to color between the lines. Use your manifestation powers and place the right intentions out there. Listen to your emotions, the things they have to say, are important. Farzana Suri is a Victory Coach who coaches people through their life’s challenges to take the leap to victory, using the science of numerology. For a personalized forecast, you may contact Farzana at surifarzana@gmail.com or visit her website www.farzanasuri.com

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SEEMA April Issue 2022

Articles inside

Where Rhyme Meets Reason

Get, Set, Fit

Celebrating Her

Iftaar—And Two Recipes

Rekindling Lost Connections

Agent Mohan

The Perils of Social Media

Her Seasons of Success

‘My Job Is Not to Fix Everything

The Deuce Who Came Aces

Green Fashion

It’s Time to Renew You