SEEMA FEBRUARY 2023

MIND YOUR HEART: SPOTLIGHT ON CARDIO HEALTH

MODERN APPROACH TO MATCH MAKING

DYNAMIC WRITER

SHOBHA

THAROOR SRINIVASAN

Princess Padmaja

PADMAJA KUMARI PARMAR IS REDEFINING ROYALTY

Heart Has Reasons THE Its

Short and sweet. That’s what I love about February. It is the quick exit ramp into March, and the gateway to spring. If you factor in the President’s Day long weekend and the welcome distraction of Valentine’s Day, February goes by super quick.

As the month gets going, the Valentine’s Day marketing machine goes into full swing. Red hearts on storefronts are a constant reminder you that you need to plan something special for your loved ones. Thank goodness, because in our busy lives it is easy to take our loved one for granted. I for one appreciate the reminders and the ready-to-grab last-minute gifts conveniently placed at the checkout (phew)—a welcome safety net for us procrastinators!

Chocolates and roses notwithstanding, my heart beats with unconditional love for my family. As I grow older, Valentine’s Day also reminds me that I also need to give unconditional love to my actual heart—that vital organ in my body that keeps me alive and kicking.

So, Cupid, with all due respect, this February, I am also going to celebrate my own heart health. Like Valentine’s Day marketing, I am also grateful for the Heart Health Month marketing campaign in February, and the National Wear Red Day, celebrated the first Friday this February. The campaign, launched by the National Heart Lung

and Blood Institute, encourages women to pay attention to our hearts, and to wear red to raise awareness that heart disease is preventable, though it is the leading cause of death in women. This is especially relevant for us South Asians women.

As Lindsey Galloway writes in this issue of SEEMA (page 52), women and South Asians face unique challenges. Heart attacks remain deadlier for women because they are often missed or misdiagnosed, and South Asians in America face some of the highest rates of hospitalization for coronary artery disease. In California, where there is more reliable data, that rate is four times higher than any other ethnic population.

Lindsey also informs us about another landmark study, MASALA (the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America), has brought together researchers from across the country to investigate

why South Asians continue to have high rates of heart attacks, which are not easily explained by typical risk factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, or smoking.

The answer: lifestyle changes. Concerted efforts to take good care of our hearts are better than any cure. So, ladies, join me in learning more about this essential organ that works day and night to keep us alive and how to take care of it, literally and figuratively spending February on matters of the heart.

• Seema Kumar, Founder, SEEMA Network

PHOTO CREDIT: M. CLARK VISIONS

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SEEMA™ ISSUE 02 | FEBRUARY 2023

EMPOWERING SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN GLOBALLY

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LIFESTYLE • BOOKS • LAUGHS

Experience

Music to Our Ears

5 Indian and Indian-origin artists are going for gold

Wild About Saffron

Deepika Padukone’s orange bikini song in Pathaan and other controversial Indian movies

Modern Love

Advice from matchmaker

Jasbina Ahluwalia

Music to Our Ears

Indian and Indian-origin artists are going for gold

Most musicians dream of taking home a Grammy one day. But with historic lack of diversity at the awards, South Asian representation at the Grammys is cause for a little extra celebration. The 65th Annual Grammy Awards will be held February 5. Here are five Indian and Indian-Origin artists nominated this year.

Arooj Aftab

Last year, Arooj made history as the first Pakistani woman to ever win a Grammy. This year, the singer, composer, and producer is once again nominated in the Best Global Music Performance category for her song “ Udhero Na.”

In 2014, Berklee Indian Ensemble became a viral hit for its tribute to Grammy- and Oscar-winning composer A. R. Rahman’s “Jiya Jale,” which has racked up 55 million views on YouTube. Now, the group has earned its first Grammy nomination for its debut album Shuruaat, which is nominated in the Best Global Music Album category.

Berklee Indian Ensemble

Norah Jones

Singer-songwriter Norah Jones is no stranger to the Grammys. First nominated in 2003 for her debut album, Jones has since received 19 nominations, including this year for her album I Dream Of Christmas (Extended) in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category.

Anoushka Shankar

Maybe Grammys run in the family. Sitarist, vocalist, and composer Anoushka Shankar is nominated in the Best Global Music Album for Between Us…(Live) and in the Best Global Music Performance category for her collaboration with Arooj Aftab on Aftab’s song “ Udhero Na.” Shankar is the daughter of legendary Grammy-award winning musician Ravi Shankar and halfsister of Norah Jones

Ricky Kej

Last year, Ricky Kej took home the Grammy for Best New Age Album for Divine Tides, a collaborative project with Stewart Copeland The composer and producer has received yet another nomination for the same album this year, this time in the Best Immersive Audio Album category.

Making History at the Golden Globes

The award for best original song in a motion picture went to the film RRR’s “ Naatu Naatu ” by Chandrabose and M.M. Keeravaani, marking India’s first-ever Golden Globe win. The song beat out popular hits by artists including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga , and Rihanna

Wild About Saffron

The bikini controversy over Pathaan, plus three other Indian films that caused a stir

By Rohini Kapur

Pathaan (2023)

Pathaan, a Hindi film starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone was released worldwide January 25, but not before causing plenty of controversy. The release marked an end of a winding journey that began with objections over Deepika Padukone’s bikini color—saffron, a sacred color— and resulted in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)’s demand of 10 cuts in the film.

The saffron scuddlebutt was not the first controversial moment in Bollywood. Here are three memorable films that brought plenty of controversy.

Vishwaroopam (2013)

Starring Kamal Haasan, the film was banned by the Madras High Court (in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu), despite being cleared by the CBFC. Several Muslim organizations alleged that the film portrayed their community poorly. The film finally released in February 2013 in Tamil Nadu, after Haasan agreed to mute several scenes.

Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)

There was a call on social media to boycott this Aamir Khan film because Khan had spoken about “rising intolerance” in India in 2015. Trolls also dug up the actor’s meeting with Turkey’s First Lady Emine Ergodan from 2020, objectionable because Turkey allegedly supports Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. Khan urged the audience to watch his film, but it received tepid critical and audience response.

Padmaavat (2018)

During production, the film’s sets were vandalized by Rajput organizations, claiming the film showed Rajput queen Padmavati in a bad light. The same groups, along with others, demanded a ban on the film. Additionally, several Muslim organizations said the film misrepresented the Muslim ruler Ala-ud-din Khilji.

Modern Match

Whether you started cooking up your biodata in high school or were inspired by the recent Netflix reality series Indian Matchmaker, some matchmakers take a more modern approach to helping people find love.

Jasbina

Ahluwalia, founder and president of Intersections Match—a company known for its progressive approach—grew up in the United States and was a lawyer in her previous life. “I realized that many highly accomplished South Asians focus on their education and career early on, so when they are ready to share their lives with a partner, pursuing traditionally arranged marriages doesn’t always resonate,” she says. To bridge that gap, she pioneered a progressive approach toward finding life partners by blending the best of East and West. Here’s Ahluwalia’s best advice for using a matchmaker to find a life partnership.

Understand the difference between romantic feelings and long-term commitment. When one commits, he or she tends to focus on the perceived positive aspects of the partner and relationship. And as what we focus on evolves, commitment tends to grow into greater relationship fulfillment.

There’s no substitute for investing in meaningful time and interaction with a prospective partner before committing to partnership.

Don’t forget that you are in partnership with your matchmaker, so make sure your feel heard and seen. Ensure that you respect your matchmaker’s mind and approach. Most importantly, you need to build trust.

1 2 4 3 5

Share with loved ones because you want to, not because you feel obligated. At Ahluwalia’s Intersections Match, there is no formal role for the parents, given the vast diversity of family dynamics, personalities, and perspectives within the Indian diaspora.

Online dating can be a great tool to use on the journey to finding the right partner. In fact, some Intersections Match clients benefit from the company’s highly successful online dating support and strategy. Despite the plethora of low- or even no-cost dating sites, many selective singles seek a more personalized and skillful approach; as well as welcome the opportunity to have matches professionally vetted before investing both their valuable time and emotional energy interacting.

Nourish

Feel the Burn

Three health benefits of spicy food

Paneer Pasanda

Passion

Everything you need to know about last year’s mostGoogled Indian recipe colors Spicy Super Bowl

Enjoy the big game your way

Feel the Burn

By Smita Chowdri

For years I’ve dreaded going over to my Auntie Pari’s house for dinner. She cooks amazing Indian food, but her specialties—laal maas and lamb vindaloo—are so spicy that they could peel the paint off the walls. I have a reasonable tolerance for spice, but those meals test my limits. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that spicy food not only makes you sweat and your eyes water, but it also has real benefits to your health. In fact, a study conducted at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health People found that people who eat spicy foods nearly every day have a 14 percent chance of living longer than those who consume spicy foods less than once a week. So beyond delighting Auntie Pari, here are three rea sons I regularly take the heat.

It revs up your metabolism.

Three health benefits of spicy food you should not ignore

Capsaicin is the compound that gives red chili pepper its heat, and it’s also known to burn more calories immedi ately after a meal. In addition to a modest uptick in metab olism, spicy foods are also known to increase feelings of satiety.

Spicy food knocks out body pain.

Capsaicin is also responsible for a reduction of Substance P, which is a neurotransmitter of the body’s pain perception. So while your mouth might be on fire, the rest of your body may get a break from aches and pains.

It does the body good.

Capsaicin and other bioactive ingredients in chili peppers have been found in previous studies to have anti-obesity, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and anticancer properties. And while your digestive system may put up a fight, your heart will thank you for eating spicy. Capsaicin lowers cholesterol in the body and helps fight inflammation, which reduces the risk of heart attack.

Spiced-Up Super Bowl Sunday

By Abhijit Masih

Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ should be as expected—supercharged. Two high-octaine teams are playing, plus the halftime en tertainment promises to be a thrill with Rihanna set to perform. If you haven’t planned a Super Bowl party at home or you’re worried about the elaborate hassles involved in hosting the viewing at home, go simple and spicy. Elevate your Super Bowl Sunday with some of these easy-to-make snacks that take less than 20 minutes to put together. All you need is a pit stop at the local Desi grocery store to pick up the basics. Furthermore, they will complement any brew which can be uncorked, uncapped or unscrewed.

Masala Papad – Fry ‘em or roast ‘em, but make sure to load ‘em up with chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, and a dash of lime.

Dahi Sev Puri – Grab a box of pani puri balls, crack open the top and fill ‘em up with dahi, Haldiram’s bhujia and sprinkle the masala to your taste.

Samosas – This is one is the easiest and an absolute no-brainer. Personally, I prefer the mini ones that are not as bland as the bigger ones available.

Jhal Muri – Known by many names—lai, muri, murmura, pori, or kurmura is a super easy snack. Roasted peanuts, boiled potatoes, chopped tomatoes and onions— toss all together in a bowl with puffed rice, and boom! You’re all set for kick-off.

Paapdi Chaat – Instead of the flat paapdi base, use the scoop tortillas and fill it up with toppings of your own liking. The basic essentials being—dahi, chopped tomato, boiled potato, and the crunchy bhujia.

Paneer Pasanda Passion

By Maureen Petrosky

With so many delicious recipes swirling around on the Internet, how does one rise to the top? Paneer Pasanda had a moment in 2022. Once you meet this beautiful dish, you’ll understand why. This meal takes patience (and just about every spice in your pantry) Here’s what makes it magic.

Paneer, the fresh soft cheese, known for its appearances in the beloved paneer butter masala and saag paneer, just to name a few, gets a full makeover in pasanda. Paneer literally means cheese and Pasanda translates from a HindiUrdu word meaning “favorite.”

Whether store-bought or homemade, the preparation of the pasanda starts with slices of paneer lovingly stuffed with fresh coriander, mint, raisin, and cashew chutney. You can choose to make these tiny sandwiches (think tea-sandwich size) rectangular or triangular in shape. Once stuffed, you gently dip each in a corn starch slurry and lightly fry till golden brown to create the perfect lightly crisped bite. These can be assembled a day or two in advance and fried the day you want to serve. Delicious enough on their own, these are smothered in a decadent onion and tomato gravy that’s loaded with all our favorite spices, like turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and chili powder. The gravy can be made in advance, reheated, and poured onto a large platter for an impressive centerpiece when topped with the fried paneer sandwiches and fresh sprigs of coriander. The tiny sandwiches can easily be made vegan by substituting extra firm tofu in place of the paneer. Try this dish for yourself—you won’t be sorry.

Paneer Pasanda Recipe

1 block or round of paneer, about 17 ounces of paneer

For the filling:

1 T golden raisins

12 cashews

1-2 green chilies, seeded

1 cup fresh coriander (a.k.a. cilantro)

12 fresh mint leaves

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

½ inch of fresh ginger, peeled and rough chopped

2-3 garlic cloves

Trimmings of paneer

Water as needed

For the slurry:

¼ cup corn starch

¼ cup water

For the onion paste:

2 onions, peeled and quartered

¼ tsp turmeric

1 green chili, seeded

2 cups tomatoes, roughly chopped

12 cashews

Trim the paneer to make as many rectangles or triangles as you can. Crumble the remaining paneer trimmings and add to a food processor with the raisins, cashews, chilies, coriander, mint, cumin, salt, and ginger. Pulse to combine adding a little water as needed to make a thick paste.

Spread the paste onto one side of the paneer and top with another to make small sandwiches. Continue until you have used all your slices.

To make the slurry: Combine the cornstarch and the water in a shallow dish. Dip all sides of each sandwich. In a large pan, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once heated, fry each sandwich to golden brown on both sides for about two minutes each side.

To make the onion paste: In a large pot add the onions, turmeric, tomatoes, cashews, cinnamon, cardamom, and water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions are soft. Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods and discard. Place the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth.

In that same pot, add 2 T of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring to cook for 1 minute. Add the onion tomato paste, sugar, chili powder, and chili powder and cook for five minutes. Add the garam masala and cream and cook for two more minutes. Adjust spices as needed.

Serve gravy with fried paneer sandwiches and fresh coriander.

Serves 8

½ tsp cinnamon

2 cardamom pods

Water to cover

For the gravy:

1 T garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, peeled and minced

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp garam masala

2 T cream

Fresh coriander sprigs for garnish

DID YOU KNOW?

Every 100 grams of paneer contains:

265 calories

20.8 grams of fat

1.2 grams of total carbohydrate

18.3 grams of protein

208 mg of calcium

Desi Chic

Designer Megha Rao

fuses street style with vibrant culture

Embrace Your Authenticity

Three skills for speaking up in tough moments

Caste

Consciousness

Q&A with author

Yashica Dutt

Megha Rao

Desi Chic

Designer Megha Rao fuses street style with vibrant culture

by Abhijit Masih

Born and raised in New York with summers spent in Mumbai, Megha Rao set out to create a clothing brand that combined her vibrant Indian culture and city street style. Her brand, holiCHIC by Megha, has been featured in New York Fashion Week and provided costumes for Tesher’s hit video Jalebi Baby. We spoke with her about her diverse career path, inspirations, and what makes her most proud.

On her original inspiration:

As a model for South Asian designers, I would be wearing these beautiful clothes, but would think, “Where would I actually wear something like this?” Maybe a wedding, Diwali or a big function. I wanted to infuse South Asian fashion into my daily life. I wasn’t fully American. I wasn’t fully Indian. So I started creating my own clothes. I would take a lehenga skirt from my closet, mix it with a blazer jacket. I started

“ It doesn’t matter how old you are, it doesn’t matter what your circumstances may be, if you really want it to happen, it can happen.

Megha Rao in the holiCHIC Saya suit, upcycled from a sari

putting these different looks together that identified who I was as a person and that translated to the brand that it is today.

On quitting her corporate job: Corporate experience helped me manage a team and gain experience with marketing, finance and management. My co-founder, Pooja, came from a very similar corporate background and we blended the corporate experience with our passion. That’s what helped us really think with a business mindset. At the end of the day, it can’t all be a hobby.

On the mission of holiCHIC:

Today, it’s an Indo-Western clothing label that aims to help women identify with their roots. These clothes are meant to help you tell your story and show your pride for culture through daily fashion. My goal is to see people taking a sari bag to the airport or wearing a blazer to a business meeting that has a touch of culture. Many of our blazers are made from saris. When I’m thinking about who I want to see in it, it’s people who are caught between two different worlds and are so proud of being South Asian.

On her favorite creation:

The Saya suit is named after my daughter. In Hindi, it means shadow. This suit was a tribute to my mother, who I lost last year. She helped me embrace my roots, be confident, and chase my dreams. Now I can do the same with my daughter. The suit is upcycled from a sari. We created an entire suit, which is a blazer, pants, and a crop tank top. When I first got the sample and put it on, I felt powerful and confident. It reminded me of my mother. It reminded me of what I’m trying to teach my daughter and the values that I’m instilling in her. I love that suit because it’s beautiful and powerful, but also because of the significance and the meaning behind it. When people put that suit on and feel a bit of that power and confidence and strength, I’ve done my job as a designer.

Megha’s Advice for Entrepreneurs

EXPECT COMPETITION.

Whether you choose to go into modeling or designing or art, you’ll always face competition. It’s where people face the most adversity and the most struggle because they don’t know how to handle that, pivot, and continue to grow.

DON’T COPY THE CROWD.

When I was starting out, all these designers were making heavy lehengas and I thought maybe I should make them too. I had to remind myself that I wanted to make clothes that represented me and the many women that share a similar journey. So I tuned out the noise.

STAY TRUE TO YOU.

Find something that’s not being done right now. What is going to separate you? I continued on my path, which was finding this perfect blend of East and West.

holiCHIC fuses cultures for everyday looks

Embrace Your Authenticity

Three skills for speaking up in tough moments

While research shows that embracing our authentic selves can lead to more effective leadership and more successful relationships, it can still be frightening to share certain aspects of our identities at work or at home. “In moments where we want to reveal more of who we are, we often clam up, or we freeze,” says Ritu Bhasin, an inclusion expert, public speaker, and author of the forthcoming book We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging. But the right preparation strategies can help, she says. Whether you want to speak up more in meetings or stop self-censoring yourself around your family or in-laws, try these strategies to embrace your strongest self.

1. Write the Script. Before a difficult conversation, it’s important to identify what exactly you want to say. To be most effective, Bhasin suggests actually sitting down and writing it out. “With scripting, we take future language and we move it from our conscious brain into our unconscious brain,” she says. “When we are in a stressful situation and the unconscious brain takes over, language is already there for us to share it.”

2. Be Your Own Best Coach.

Many of us can struggle with conflicting internal voices, one that says we should speak up or let our emotions out, and another that says ‘ Don’t say that. Don’t do that.’ But self-coaching can help quiet the negative voice, what Bhasin calls the inner saboteur. “We can choose in advance what language we’ll use to help us in those moments,” she says. “Choose an affirmation that resonates. My favorite affirmation is ‘ Within this scene, stand in your power.’ And the title of my latest book comes from me saying to myself repeatedly ‘You’ve got this.’”

3. Visualize Your Success.

Just like athletes or performers who visualize their success on the field or the stage, we can picture ourselves speaking up in difficult moments or releasing our emotions when needed. “When we picture ourselves engaging in the very behavior we want, it can help us to be more authentic,” says Bhasin. “Like scripting, visualization helps us create the neural circuitry in the brain that will better position us to behave in that way.”

Caste Consciousness

A Q&A with author Yashica Dutt

by Pratika Yashaswi

Yashica Dutt still remembers the day in 2016 when she read the news of the death of Rohith Vemula, a 26-year old university student who took his own life after facing discrimination as a member of the Mala caste, and a Dalit—people who have historically been marginalized due to their caste. His death sparked outrage across the country and gained widespread media attention.

Like Vemula, Dutt was a Dalit. But she spent her entire life keeping her caste identity a secret. After growing up in extreme hardship, she attended the prestigious St. Stephen’s College, and became a fashion journalist before attending Columbia. But if her peers or colleagues discovered her identity, she could have faced discrimination. So she remained silent, until Vemula’s death changed everything.

On Facebook, she declared her Dalit identity. She spoke of shame, of the fear of being caught—and of the strength she had derived from Rohith Vemula’s story. The note went viral, and she later wrote Coming Out as Dalit, a memoir of her life experiences and a collection of essays on what it means to be Dalit in India. Dutt is now working on an updated version of the book that will be published in the United States in 2024.

When Rohith Vemula died, it prompted you to “come out” as Dalit. Had you been thinking about coming out before that?

At Columbia, I was understanding caste from a different lens. In 2016, during the pre-Trump era, there was a robust conversation around intersectional identities. Gay marriage had been legalized not very long ago, so there was this spirit of progressivism in the United States. Seeing that was inspiring. People could assert their identities and feel so free in them. These things got me ready to express who I was in terms of my caste. But the incident that galvanized me to take that step was, unfortunately, Rohit’s death.

When I moved to the U.S., I experienced for the first time what castelessness could feel like. Nobody was asking me what my caste was and I wasn’t worried about running into somebody who would. To the neighbor, the landlord, when you want to go and rent a house or your potential employer here, you’re just like any other Indian person.

What’s been your experience of casteism in the U.S.?

It’s easy to move to another country and cut yourself off from caste networks. That’s what I did when I moved here. I made sure that I wasn’t a part of Indian communities. I wasn’t living in an Indian-heavy neighborhood and didn’t rely on temple networks. You can escape casteism in some ways in the United States, but it’s not that easy.

In India, there’s a safety net. Untouchability is outlawed. We can stand up and say, “This is caste discrimination, and that’s wrong.” People will understand. In the United States, outside of South Asians, people don’t really understand castes. So you also have to explain what is really going on.

Your book is officially coming out in the US, what do you hope for its publication to accomplish?

Coming Out as Dalit has already helped shape the conversation around caste in the United States. The vocabulary of “coming out” as Dalit and revealing your identity came through my work in 2016 and is part of the cultural context for us to talk about caste now, even in the United States. With the official release, the book will find new readers and I’m hoping that more non-South Asian readers get access to it and are able to understand and talk about caste.

Indulge

FASHION • SKIN • BEAUTY

•

Celebrate Your Gal Pals

Show your girlfriends some love on February 13

5

Fashion Influencers

Up your game and your confidence.

Hands On

Build romance this Valentine’s Day with massage oil.

Celebrate Your Gal Pals

February 13—Galentine’s Day—has become an unofficial date to honor your female friendships

Originally portrayed on the sitcom Parks and Recreation, Galentine’s Day—celebrated on February 13—has become more mainstream as women have taken the opportunity to shower their best friends with all the love previously reserved for romantic partners on Valentine’s Day.

While Leslie Knope, the show’s main character, hosts a brunch and serves mimosas for her lady friends on the special day, there’s no hard and fast rule for how to celebrate. Here are a few creative ideas to try:

Combine canvas and cocktails. Book a night out at a painting studio that combines an art lesson with wine or mixed drinks. If you want a cozy night in, you can do the same at home with a few supplies, a subject to draw or paint, and your favorite drink to share.

Host a book swap.

Guests can wrap up their latest, favorite paperback or hardcover book, and exchange for another. Add the genre on a sticky note if you want to give an extra hint so everyone leaves with something that fits their taste.

Mail notes of appreciation.

Take the time to hand-write out letters or cards to your favorite people, detailing what their friendship means to you. Send them in the mail or deliver them in person.

ACCORDING TO RESEARCH BY THE NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY REVIEW, WOMEN WITH A STRONG CIRCLE OF FEMALE FRIENDS LAND HIGHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND HIGHER PAY.

Reference: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1721438116

4

South Asian Fashion Influencers to Follow

Ready to up your fashion game? From the best looks, outfit inspo, and fashion tips and tricks, these four South Asian fashion influencers will have you looking fab and feeling confident.

SAKSHI SINDWANI / @ STYLEMEUPWITHSAKSHI

Sakshi Sindwani is encouraging women to embrace and love their curves. An advocate for body and size positivity, Sindwani’s page embraces the idea that fashion is for all sizes.

stylemeupwithsakshi

2,845 posts 536K followers

2,067 following

SRUTHI JAYADEVAN / @SRUTHIJAYADEVAN

Sruthi Jayadevan is the master of Indo-Western culture. Her looks bring together the best of both Indian and Western fashion, creating outfits that are bold, unique, and beautiful.

sruthijayadevan

834 posts 270K followers

998 following

POOJA MUNDHRA-MAHATME / @THECOZYVIBE

As her handle suggests, Pooja Mundhra-Mahatme knows that being cozy is key. If you’re looking for simple, gorgeous looks that don’t skimp on comfort, Pooja has you covered. Aside from fashion, her page also features great beauty, skincare, and home decor ideas.

thecozyvibe

2,754 posts 620K followers

536 following

NIHA ELETY / @NIHAELETY

Fashionista Niha Elety is all about sustainability, and uses her platform to promote beautiful clothing from sustainable brands. She is also the founder of Tega Collective, a sustainable fashion enterprise that co-creates with Adivasi communities from India and celebrates their textile traditions.

692 posts 31.1K followers

6,456 following

Better Together

Fave V-Day body oils for extra romance 5

Whether you have plans with a partner or not, Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to indulge in a bit of sensuous luxury. These five oil-based formulas can be added to a romantic couples’ massage, smoothed on wherever you need some extra moisture, or applied after showering for that fullbody glow.

AROHA BODY & INTIMACY SERUM

This vegan skin care brand sources their ingredients directly from the Himalayas, and pays a fair and abovemarket wage to the women who farm and process the ingredients. Squalane, coconut, and aloe vera make this serum nourishing and indulgent. $42 | beiabeauty.com

MAUDE BURN MASSAGE CANDLE

Add a little romance to the atmosphere with this soybean and jojoba oil-based candle that can be poured on the skin after it melts. The candle comes in four scents—including sandalwood amber, and balsam—to help set the mood. $30 | getmaude.com

LIFE & PURSUITS TURMERIC BODY OIL

Made with cold-pressed almond oil, this Ayurveda-inspired oil blends brightening turmeric with antioxidant-rich Gotu Kola.

$18 | lifeandpursuits.com

GRAYDON INTIMACY OIL

Azulene-rich blue tansy gives this dry-touch oil its beautiful aqua color (and helps protect sensitive skin), while squalene oil and vitamin E help moisturize.

$49 | graydonskincare.com

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Breathe

American Girl

The doll brand’s first South Asian Girl of the Year

Be a Sport

Manisha Tailor on gender equity in sports.

Is It PoTS?

Understanding an oftenmis-diagnosed condition

An American Girl

Kavi Sharma is the first South Asian Girl of the Year

American Girl recently unveiled their 2023 Girl of the Year, Kavi Sharma, an Indian American girl growing up in New Jersey. The release of the doll has already brought positive impact to the community. Here’s what parents and kids have to say:

“The story is important to all the young girls who will see parts of their lives represented. One story cannot possibly depict the complexity of India or the Indian diaspora. That said, I took immense delight in showcasing slivers of Indian culture, including dance, yoga traditions, food, clothing, and the many languages and diversity of India’s people. It was a gift to include Kavi and her family celebrating magical festivals like Diwali and Holi.” —

Varsha Bajaj, author of Kavi’s story

“I’m so happy! I can’t wait to get one. It makes me feel like I belong more in America, like my story is an American story too. I can even see a day when mixed kids like me have more stuff created for us. I’m ‘comfortable in my skin,’ but not everyone feels accepted or liked. Sometimes I go to Indian cultural classes, like for language or cooking, and I meet kids who are shy about their culture, because the world isn’t always friendly. I hope that the products made for our community help kids feel great about themselves.”

— Samsara, 10 years old

“South Asian representation is important to us because it’s still rare. Because it’s rare, it’s not diverse enough. In terms of cultural and media representation, our hope is to see varying skin, face, body types represented and to see economic, class, caste, faith, and culture diversity, because South Asia is vast and ultra diverse. I think that South Asians are powerful, and we contribute a lot to each society we inhabit. Having grown up in New York and seeing the economic diversity of our communities, I truly hope that the products created for our children are accessible to all our children!”

— Amudha, mom to Samsara

Be a Sport

On February 3, the United States celebrates the National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which aims to inspire girls and women to play, be active, and appreciate their power.

“I got into football when I was eight years old. I come from a sporty family. My dad and mum were into sports, and I would play football with my twin brother. We would watch games at home, sit together, talk about football, watch the matches, and play.

I’m still trying to make a place for myself in football. I’ve come a long way, and that is thanks to courage, determination, perseverance, and resilience. You are often told that you have to have a certain type of personality, a certain type of character, because it’s a tough, ruthless, cutthroat industry. You have to be gritty. You need to be assertive. But you also need opportunities and people to help you along the way.”

ACCORDING TO THE WOMEN’S SPORTS FOUNDATION:

1 in 3

Girls aged 6-12 participate in sport on a regular basis

$1.13m 40%

of teen girls don’t actively participate in sport

The extra amount boys receive from sports opportunities when compared to girls.

When girls do play sports, the benefits are countless. Research finds sports help girls develop skills in leadership and teamwork, and improve their self-confidence.

Women have made huge strides in sports participation, but we still have a long way to go for gender equality.

Manisha Tailor, assistant head of coaching at the Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPR). She’s the first woman and first person of South Asian heritage to hold the coaching role in English football.

Could It Be POTS?

The often mis-diagnosed heart condition affecting young women

By Cate Reynolds

“Do you have a history of anxiety?” For those with POTS, this is typically where the road to a diagnosis begins. POTS, short for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that causes an abnormal increase in heart rate after standing up or sitting down.

Usually, when standing or sitting down, gravity pulls some of your blood downward. Blood vessels narrow and your heart rate increases slightly in response to ensure proper blood flow to the brain and heart. In those with POTS, the autonomic nervous system, which controls these responses, does not work properly—leading to a drop in blood supply to the heart and brain and a further increase in heart rate. The cause and symptoms of POTS can vary by person, but common symptoms can include dizziness, heart palpitations, fainting, brain fog, and fatigue.

Because so many of the symptoms mimic those of anxiety or panic disorders, and because the disorder most commonly affects women of childbearing age who are otherwise healthy, POTS is frequently misdiagnosed as a psychiatric issue. In fact, one study found that nearly 50% of POTS patients were misdiagnosed with a psychiatric disorder before receiving a POTS diagnosis.

SYMPTOMS

• Severe fatigue, lightheadedness, dizziness, heart palpit ations, shortness of breath, fainting, brain fog, nausea and vomiting, headaches, sweating, shakiness, intolerance to exercise or worsening of symptoms after exercise, pale face, purple discoloration of hands and feet when below heart

• Symptoms typically become worse in warm environments, in situations that involve prolonged standing, when fluid or salt intake is low, or during a cold or infection

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

• A POTS diagnosis is typically made when your heart rate increases 30 bpm or more within 10 minutes of standing, continues increasing for more than 30 seconds, and is accompanied by other symptoms.

• Other diagnostic tests may include a tilt table test, active stand test, an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, and blood tests.

• There is no cure for POTS, but symptoms can be managed with medication and lifestyle and dietary changes.

POTS AND COVID-19

Research has found that people have a higher chance of developing POTS following COVID-19 infection. While an increased risk of POTS was also found following COVID vaccination, getting a Covid infection posed a higher risk of POTS—five times greater than after vaccination.

A Princess All Her OWN

Growing up ensconced in and adorned by the history and luxury of the royal house of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India, Princess Padmaja Kumari Parma r is raising her family in America and working to inspire and empower women.

• Abhijit Masih •

PHOTOS: DOUGLAS LEVY

Despite battling jet lag, having flown in from India just the day prior, Princess Padmaja Kumari Parmar was not a minute late for her talk with SEEMA . This was just the first layer peeled off the multifaceted princess and set an informal tone in getting to know the royalty from the House of Mewar—the erstwhile kingdom of Udaipur. In the wide-ranging conversation from her home in Boston, where she now lives with her husband and two girls, the princess unhurriedly revealed her life story which began in Udaipur. Whether she was sharing her experience growing up in Indian luxury or working at the front desk of a hotel in New York City, the princess shattered many of the preconceived stereotypes that are often attached to royalty.

Here’s what SEEMA quickly discovered about the princess. She exudes warmth and humility and is the perfect ambassador for Udaipur and its centuries old culture. The only regal characteristic evident is the very measured tone in which she speaks, which is only broken into a childlike excitement on the topic of her father—the Maharana of Mewar.

The greatest lesson that we can take from her life is that whether you are professional or a princess, striving for independence is so important for women. The princess is a stellar example of a woman who is independent, self-sufficient, and hardworking, even when she has it all. She wholeheartedly asserts that one’s station in life matters much less than how one lives, prioritizing discipline, selfrespect, and contribution to society.

ON GROWING UP AS AN INDIAN PRINCESS.

I was born and brought up in Udaipur and spent all my younger years there. I did come to the US for university and had the opportunity to work in New York—one of my favorite cities in the world. I did that and then I returned home, like a lot of other students who come and do part of their experience or education and then head home. I had no intentions of coming back to live. That wasn’t a part of my plan. Once I returned, I was involved with my father’s business in hospitality and loved that opportunity and the experience. Then all of a sudden, I found my husband. That’s what brought me back. I returned in 2011, once I got married, and I’ve been living here since, but I’ve had the good fortune of being able to still stay very connected to home, while building my life over here.

ON WORKING AT THE FRONT DESK OF A HOTEL IN NEW YORK CITY, FAR REMOVED FROM THE LIFE OF PRIVILEGE OF A PALACE.

I think being a part of hospitality is truly a part of our DNA as a family. Given that the family’s businesses do revolve around hospitality, I was very keen that I got an independent opportunity to be able to get that experience outside of my own hometown. I strongly felt that I would be taken a lot more seriously if I work somewhere else before I came back to a family setup. Once I had that opportunity, I grabbed it. I was fortunate to be recruited at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York. The experience there did a lot for my confidence. As a young 20-something, having that opportunity

prepared me for returning home with confidence and experience. I remember my first year in New York where I did not have a job opportunity, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it. So I had the chance to live that life of uncertainty. It helps you grow up. Then of course, from my parents, I learned the idea of having discipline and a sense of responsibility. All of that came to fruition when I was working and living by myself in New York.

ON BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR

It had a lot to do with what I had seen and what I learned to admire and respect. That is, people who truly lead a life of discipline. Everything wasn’t quite a bed of roses, but I wanted to be able to respect myself before I could go out and be an entrepreneur. Not just for myself, but also for my family and for them to know that I had come back with this experience. I had seen my father and my parents work very hard, so I think that was encouraging and inspiring. I gravitate toward those who take chances and are ready to put their shoulder to the wheel. It’s important to work hard and stay aligned with what inspires you.

ON THE SPLENDOR OF UDAIPUR THROUGH ART

We, as a family, as a community, as a city have been very committed to the preservation of our cultural heritage. We are proud of our cultural heritage and the traveling exhibition [A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur] gave us the opportunity to be able to share that story with the world. The credit goes again to my father, where this conversation took place with the Smithsonian over a decade ago.

“I remember my first year in New York where I did not have a job opportunity, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it. So I had the chance to live that life of uncertainty. It helps you grow up.”

THE BEST OF UDAIPUR

FAVORITE FOOD

Dal baati, Goes without saying with all the ghee in it.

FAVORITE PLACE

Anywhere with the people who mean the world to me. It doesn’t matter where we are in Udaipur, if I’m with the people that I feel truly close to—I’m a happy person.

FAVORITE MOVIE THAT FEATURES UDAIPUR

The James Bond’s – Octopussy. I think shot in 1984. How can I say anything else? The whole town was really excited with Roger Moore being there. We still talk about it as if it’s being shot right now.

FAVORITE ATTIRE

Ghagra Odhna, which is our traditional attire and one of the most comfortable clothes to wear. I love it.

FAVORITE HANDIWORK

The block print. I’m so proud of that skill and talent.

FAVORITE PIECE OF JEWELRY THAT YOU CHERISH

This little pendant I have that was given by my mother. It makes me happy. I don’t think I’ve ever taken it out. The fact that it’s enveloped with love is what makes it special.

The idea was really to be able to bring these intangible aspects of Udaipur in a tangible manner. It came around by means of paintings. These are about 300-year-old paintings that were preserved to the international protocol for them to be exhibited at the Smithsonian. Our goal was to share with an American audience many aspects of Udaipur they may not have known. It brings me a lot of joy to talk about this and about what else Udaipur has to offer. I’m personally very invested in promoting this given that I’m living in America.

ON UDAIPUR’S FAMOUS HOSPITALITY

I’m very fortunate to continue to stay connected to Udaipur. My foundation Friends of Mewar has projects that support grassroots work in and around Udaipur, which gave me the opportunity to stay connected in an impactful way. The reason for this is because of the beautiful memories of not just the city, the people and all the hustle and bustle of my small town. I love the history and the hospitality that have become very popular and famous. But like any other town, we have other aspects that excite us—family, friends few hidden restaurants and everything else that goes with it. For those who have visited before, a lot of this will resonate. For those who haven’t, I hope it’ll inspire you to add Udaipur to your to do list of travels. We get a lot of compliments for our hospitality, but it’s the people that come who truly encourage us to be so open hearted and so welcoming.

ON EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH FRIENDS OF MEWAR

When I moved to America, my heartstrings were always pulling towards Udaipur and India. It gave me an opportunity to consider how I could continue to stay connected without being there. I took about three years to decide and come up with a plan, which was the birth of this foundation, to be able to continue to do work to support the people and the community. It’s truly a passion project. I didn’t want this to be something that was whimsical and because I was homesick. None of that was true. I’m very happy here. So Friends of Mewar was established with three focus areas—women’s empowerment and education, preventive healthcare and the preservation of cultural heritage.

ON COUNTERING PUSHBACK IN A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY

I am a strong believer of the role women have played, and I can talk specifically in my family, it has been very impactful. I truly believe in women. I believe in what they produce, how they work, and their work ethic. So whatever we can do to support, encourage, and inspire each other, let’s continue to do that. There is no lack of belief in women. I’m sorry that there are places and situations where this is not being done to the potential, but whatever all of us are doing in our own capacity—big or small—is meaningful. So please don’t be discouraged.

ON LIVING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES ALL HER LIFE

I was diagnosed 37 years ago, when I was five years old. I had the good fortune of having a very strong mother who never made me for a second feel that I had a disease. I had a condition; I did not have a disease. That difference has empowered the way I feel and the way I act. The reason I chose to become an advocate for type 1 diabetes is because I realized that this is not the message everyone hears. There’s been a lot of noise around type 1 diabetes, which I had missed. I’m glad that I wasn’t exposed to photographs of people with type 1 diabetes being amputated or not having eyesight, for example. I’m happy to share that I live a full life. It’s a disciplined life, but being disciplined is not a negative. I’ve had the opportunity to play sports, travel, work, and be a mother of two very healthy children. There are some stigmas, but I’m here to counter those misconceptions.

I’m a homemaker. I work. I resonate with every woman.

Discipline, respect,

and work ethic— those are some of those aspects that don’t leave me for a second. It’s a part of who I am.

I have been on insulin for 38 years of my life. I’ve had the good fortune of not having any other underlying conditions. I want to encourage others with type 1 diabetes— especially children—don’t feel overwhelmed and bogged down by this condition. It’s not going to stop you from doing anything you wish to do. There are Olympians, actors, and mothers who have type 1. Know that the sky’s the limit for anyone who is type 1.

ON THE LESSONS HER FATHER TAUGHT HER

My father—the Maharana of Mewar—has been an iconic figure in my life. My father was a role model when it comes to discipline, and I think that’s something I’ve picked up from him. The other lesson has been about respect. He’s been very keen that one learns to respect everyone. Work ethic is probably the other biggest lesson I’ve learned from him. Those are characteristics that don’t leave me for a second. It’s a part of who I am. That’s what truly makes you authentic.

ON HAVING SELF-RESPECT, REGARDLESS OF YOUR CHOSEN PROFESSION

I’m a homemaker. I work. I resonate with every woman. Life is not a bed of roses, but it is what we wish to make it out to be. I have the same amount of respect for a homemaker that I would for an engineer, for example. It’s not what you do. It’s not the job title. It is who you are. I’ve been lost at times. I’ve been confused at times. But that is all of me, and I’m okay with that. I’m very fortunate to have a good support team around me, with my family and some very close friends. So I would encourage all women to see what inspires you from within, not externally. Let’s find that within ourselves.

INTERESTS THAT BRING EXCITEMENT TO EVERY ROLE

I’ve come to the realization that whatever I am doing, professional or non professional, it needs to make me feel excited and have fun. Today, I can confidently say that whether it’s my projects or hanging out with my kids, or traveling, whatever it may be, I really ask myself - is it something I’m going to enjoy? This shift is quite recent. Of course, the fun might feel different in what I do with my children or what I do with a project. It can have a different dynamic. But if it doesn’t pull on my heartstrings, I’m not signing up for it. I’m not going to just do something because it feels dutiful. That would feel like a lie to me. There’s got to be magic and fun in what you do and I hope I can continue to do that.

A SPLENDID LAND: PAINTINGS FROM ROYAL UDAIPUR

The exhibition features 70 works of art dating between 1700 and 1900, including paintings from the City Palace Museum in Udaipur and other collections. Many of the paintings have never been exhibited outside of Udaipur, and others have never been exhibited anywhere in the world.

Exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, DC till May, 2023. The paintings will be displayed from June–September 2023 at the Cleveland Museum of Art,

“So the paintings will be in America a little short of a year. I’m really hoping that people take the time to go and see this truly to expand their perspective on Udaipur and learn a little bit more about us and god willing be inspired.”

Onthe

• Lindsey Galloway •

A new wave of doctors and researchers are studying the unique heart challenges that face South Asians. Plus, the lifestyle changes that matter for long-term health.

Since the second grade, Dr. Purvi Parwani knew she loved the heart. When she was asked what she wanted to do when she grew up as a young girl, she confidently answered “a cardiothoracic surgeon.” But it wasn’t until she experienced heart palpitations during her second year of medical school, that she got serious about studying the vital organ. She borrowed a medical textbook and read it like a storybook, finishing it in just two days.

“I was just so fascinated by the physiology of the heart,” she says. “There are so many components that make it work. It’s a complicated muscle that needs electricity, blood supply, nourishment. There was never a dull moment understanding it.”

Today, Dr. Parwani, now director of the Women’s Heart Health Clinic at Loma Linda University International Heart Institute, is one of many medical professionals at the cutting edge of heart health, especially when it comes to women and South Asians, who face unique and understudied challenges. Heart attacks remain deadlier in women because they are often missed or misdiagnosed, and South Asians in America face some of the highest rates of hospitalization for coronary artery disease. In California, where data is more prevalent and available, that rate is four times higher than any other ethnic population.

Thankfully, major progress is being made to better understand these risks, and more funding has gone to raising awareness than ever before. In 2022, Congress passed the South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act, which authorizes the Department of

Health and Human Services (HHS) to grant states funding to promote awareness of heart disease within South Asian communities.

Another landmark study, MASALA (The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America), has brought together researchers from across the country to investigate why South Asians continue to have high rates of heart attacks that aren’t easily explained by the typical risk factors like high blood pressure, obesity, or smoking. That research has started to reveal the mangeable lifestyle changes that can be implemented at any age to make a lasting effect on the heart.

“Whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s, prevention is the best way to cure any disease,” says

Dr. Parwani. When it comes to the heart, here’s where to start.

Good Eats

In addition to coronary problems, South Asians also face one of the highest rates of diabetes, which is also a significant risk factor for heart disease. Certain cultural diet habits can play a part in this, but for Dr. Parwani, it’s all about leaning into the advantages of the South Asian diet and making small tweaks here and there without overhauling it completely or erasing your cultural identity.

“While we have a high rate of carbohydrates and fats, we do not consume that much meat and a lot of our foundations are vegetarian,” she says. She encourages

her patients to lean into that, who may not be addicted to meat in the same way other patients with a Western diet might be. To make traditional meals even healthier, she recommends cutting back carbs like roti and rice, and adding more veggies like spinach to standard dishes.

Swapping out ghee or butter with heart-healthier avocado or sunflower oil can also reduce the amount of saturated fat in the diet. Dr. Parwani also recommends skipping the snacking completely—or if you must, to snack on carrots or a small amount of nuts in between meals. “I tell my patients, ‘Do not bring any snacks home’,” she says. “If it’s at home, you will have it, your kids will have it. Whatever fits in your palm, that is how much you can snack in a day.”

Steering clear of a Western diet is also key, which can be a challenge living in America. “We are an adaptive community, and we want to be incorporated in society, so we eat anything including McDonalds and other processed foods,” says Dr. Parwani. “But you have a cultural advantage that you weren’t born eating these things, so take advantage of that and stay away from Western diets that are full of saturated fat and red meat.”

Get Moving

Studies have also shown that the Western conception of weight as tied to obesity and heart risk actually obscures the risks facing South Asians, and makes many believe they are at less risk than they actually are.

“We take pride in the fact that we don’t have that much obesity, but unfortunately when we look at the internal organs, they are obese internally,” says Dr. Parwani. Even if you’re not overweight by typical standards, it can be important to get other levels checked and stay on top of health risks.

One easy way of doing that is to incorporate more movement into day-to-day life. Physical exercise hasn’t always been highly valued in South Asian communities (especially among women), but it is something that can have a lasting protective effect on the heart.

Many think they have to haul themselves to the gym, but getting started can be much easier than that. “It doesn’t matter if you get 10 minutes of exercise five times a day versus 50 minutes at a time,” says Dr. Parwani. “So if you have a 10-minute break after your lunch, get exercising, because that counts.”

Aging Well as Women

Women can face particular risks when it comes to their heart health. Estrogen has a particularly protective effect on the vascular system, so when menopause hits, the risk for heart disease rises significantly. Women from South Asian communities also often need extra support to take care of themselves, and advocate for themselves.

“South Asian women often have this guilt where they want to take care of their spouses and kids first, and they do not put themselves first,” says Dr. Parwani. And there is still societal bias where women are ignored more, and their medical complaints more often dismissed or minimized. That can be extra damaging in terms of maintaining good heart health, which is already often overlooked in women.

Working women in particular often face stress at home and work, which can increase their odds of heart problems (see sidebar: “Working with Heart”).

Women can fight this by continuing to advocate for themselves and their communities, and taking ownership of their heart health. Studies and physicians are also finally catching up. Trials with heart medicine have often been biased and not inclusive of women, but that is rapidly changing.

“There are more women investigators, more women getting enrolled in the research,” says Dr. Parwani. “I’m really looking forward to the next two decades to watch the women’s cardiovascular field and what changes as we learn what works for women in particular.”

Working with Heart: 3 Tips for the Woman on the Go

Working women often face their own set of pressures that can put undue stress on the heart and circulatory system. Dr. Parwani gives her working patients specific tips to reduce their risk:

• Be a movement leader. If you’re in a position of authority or a committee leader, encourage or lead easy exercises like walks or meditation during the work day.

Plan meals in advance. If you’re able to plan your meals once a week, you’re more likely to make healthier choices, and reduce your daily mental load.

• Face down stress. Simple facial massage like rubbing the cheeks or forehead can provide tension relief, and deep breathing techniques can be deployed after a stressful interaction with a boss or colleague.

STARTING YOUNG

Hiba Siddiqui’s father was only 35 years old when he had a heart attack. The event set her on a lifelong mission to educate young people on the importance of heart health. To that end, this year she officially launched SAHHI Inc., the South Asian Heart Health Initiative, which aims to increase education among young adults in college and provide CPR training in places of worship and South Asian grocery stores.

“I wanted to establish an initiative that’s dedicated to raising awareness especially among young adults who are still in that developmental phase where they

can change their lifestyle,” said Siddiqui, who is currently an undergrad but plans on attending medical school and hopes to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. “This is the age when our lifestyle changes, our nutritional habits, our physical fitness levels actually start to impact the way that our diseases come to the forefront of our life, in our 50s or 60s, even as early as our 40s.”

The foundation, which is donor funded, is currently focused in the Chicago area, and plans to expand to various universities throughout the region. sahhi.org

Amplifying Her Voice

With a dynamic writing portfolio and decades of advocacy work to support individuals with disabilities, Shobha Tharoor

Srinivasan is cutting her own path to leave an indelible imprint.

• Abhijit Masih •

For Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, Tony Morrison said it best—”Your life is already artful—waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art.” Best known for writing children’s books and poetry, she is also an editor and nationally celebrated voice-over talent. As the younger sister of Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, former Miss Calcutta, and the first Amul baby, her most thrilling moment was when Amitabh Bachchan mentioned her book on his television show “Kaun Banega Crorepati”.

Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan talked to SEEMA about how she is making a mark on the world through her writing, voice talent, and her advocacy work.

Tell us about your years growing up in a Malayalee household in Calcutta, then from there coming to the United States as a teenage undergraduate?

My parents were diasporic Malayalees. My father started his career in London, moved to Bombay, and after living there for nine years we moved to Calcutta. I did my high school there and then came on a scholarship to the United States. My parents really believed that we should be comfortable with a pan national approach. Daddy used to say that you should be as comfortable eating with your fingers on a plantain leaf as you should be using cutlery on a plate. So growing up as Malayalees we celebrated Vishu but we also celebrated Diwali and Durga Puja and everything else. We grew up being integrated, national Indians. When I came to America, I raised my children the same way, as global citizens. We were Indian Americans.

You and your younger sister, being girls, were provided the same opportunities as your older brother, which is not often the case in Indian households. Tell us about the progressive mindset at home.

I had a very driven mother, who got married straight after high school and was catapulted to London. I wrote a book recently as a sort of tribute to mothers everywhere, but essentially showcasing aspects of her life. It’s called “Good Innings.” She truly felt that

anything was possible, and that time shouldn’t be squandered. My father went as a teenager to London. So he honed his thinking, his skills then. When you leave a smaller cultural space and go into the large wide world, your sensibilities are honed in a very progressive way. Dad always said my girls and my boy will have the same opportunities. We were brought up with the notion that all of us had opportunities. As Aristotle said, we are what we repeatedly do. ‘Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.’ That’s how we were raised at home.

Tell us about your overachieving brother, Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor. My brother Shashi was this shooting star who did incredibly well at every age, and it was he who encouraged me to apply abroad. He said, I’m just a newspaper executive. If you can get a scholarship, we can’t afford to send you to America to study as an undergrad. My brother is an incredibly prolific writer, and very well known. Of course, he is somebody that I could look up to, and think of as a role model. When my brother came back to India, to run for elections, I actually quit my job, and flew home to support him.

What was it like being an immigrant here and not looking and feeling like everybody else? Call it naiveté, but I felt like a star on campus. Knowing that I was on a full scholarship, I was written up in the local papers, I had all the Indian community

members wanting to host me on the weekends. The fact that I had won a personality contest, had been in theater, it was written up. So I actually grew up without any of that feeling of being unwelcome. For me, it was an incredible experience. I think the best of America is in the university systems, it’s in the school campuses. I threw myself headlong into every activity. I was in the newspaper, I was on the radio station, I was writing a column for the school and I excelled in classes.

You have also done work in the world of nonprofits using your words and influence to bring funding to disability initiatives. So tell us a little bit about that phase of your career?

I was a very young mother, and I didn’t leave the children at home. So I was at home with them for about seven years where I felt I really

You should be as comfortable eating with your fingers on a plantain leaf as you should be using cutlery on a plate.

Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan

needed to go out into the world. I thought I would volunteer in an organization. It was the IRC, an independent living center in Santa Clara County, which is where we lived at that time in California. It’s an organization that is funded by the Department of Education and Department of Rehabilitation. It’s run by people with disabilities, to provide opportunities for people with disabilities. But the whole notion is that even with a disability, we can be independent. I was doing strategic planning and I was on the management team and it was something I did for about 20 years while I was raising the children.

Why did it take you so long to start writing?

Well, I was always writing. I wrote columns in high school and in college. So once you get that sort of excitement of seeing your name, and a byline, the call to write is always there. We grew up in a family where words were so important. It’s all been a continuum, using my words as a voice talent, using my words as a grant writer, using my words, as an author for children.

If you’re from the Tharoor family, you have hundreds of books in you, how do you manage to think, write and publish so many books?

All of us are looking to make connections. Other than the one adult book that I wrote about my mother, I am actually writing for children. I just brought out my ninth book. If you can inspire a child, if my words make them a writer or make them think about something that they hadn’t thought about before, job done. I learned the word “pusillanimous.” It means, sort of cowardly but it’s a word that was written in humor in a book that I liked. When people say, Oh, why are you writing some of these words that children won’t understand? I say, if it means that their mother looks it up for them, or they look it up, it’s great. There’s nothing wrong in doing a little bit more than what is the minimum. How do I do it all? I think I just have a lot of ideas. I would have written more if I had a little bit more time in my life.

You are also using your voice as a professional voice artist. How did you get into that?

I wrote a 300 word piece for a perspective on a public television channel. I had written it and I sent it off,

and they picked it, where they give it to the person selected to do the perspective, they call you into the studio to record the 300 word essay in your own voice. They said that it cannot be more than two minutes. I went to the studio, I read aloud my piece, and I did it in two minutes and one second. They thought I was a voice talent. So I thought, I used to do elocution, I used to do theater, and now I am not working. I

decided it was time for a change. I decided to make a demo tape and was very fortunate to get my first gig through a friend of mine. So, I started marketing myself from there and have been doing voiceover work for about 10 years and audio books and social documentaries. I have done about 50 children’s audio books, and I’ve really enjoyed that. I’ve done a lot of projects in the US for corporations because I have a sort of global voice. It’s neither very Indian nor very American from their perspective.

What would be your advice for young South Asian women to find their full potential?

Don’t wait. If you have a passion, don’t feel locked in thinking, I’m a mother, I have little children, can I even think of doing things. When they take a nap, you can read a book, you can build your skills. For instance, I only started writing books that were published in the last 10-12 years, but I was always interested in books and reading, words and writing. Time will come. There is art in all of us; it’s just waiting to surface. So tell yourself to be positive. It’s about putting that positive thinking into the world because it’s what we give that we get back. I truly, truly believe that.

Tell yourself to be positive. It’s about putting that positive thinking into the world because it’s what we give that we get back. I truly, truly believe that.

Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan

Seaing is Believing Seaing is Believing

Marine conservation artist

Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee is bringing viewers on underwater adventures from the most unexpected places.

If you happen to pass through terminals D and E of Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, you’ll not only be transported to your destination but to an enchanting underwater world. Last fall, artist Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee’s installation, Aquarius, was unveiled, transforming a dull, gray airport hallway into a magical expedition through an ocean landscape.

The awe-inspiring undertaking by the Mumbai-born marine conservation artist and avid scuba diver was the largest of 10 commissions awarded by the Houston Airport System, costing more than $300,000 and plenty of all-nighters by the artist and her team. The installation is vast—240 feet long, 9 feet high, and 22 feet wide— but it only scratches the surface of Mahimtura Folmsbee’s underwater experiences and imagination.

She talked to SEEMA about the origin of her fascination with the sea and how it evolved into a mission to share the magic with viewers through art.

When did you first discover your passion for the ocean, and when did that translate to your work?

I grew up in Mumbai across the ocean. I spent my evenings looking out at the Indian Ocean. It brought me solace and peace. I took a meditative memory with me art school in Chicago. Whenever I wanted that same moment of peace, I found it by the water, by the lake. It wasn’t until I returned home to India that I decided I wanted to dive in the ocean and see what physically connects us all—water. The first time I went diving, I was one with my breath, invited into a world of pure ethereal beauty. I didn’t belong to that world, but I was invited into it. I was not judged; it was quiet and euphoric. It was in that moment that I knew I was meant to create artwork that would transport viewers into that world. My journey transforming spaces into the ocean was born in that moment of that dive.

Can you share some of your most memorable dives?

I have completed 234 dives so far, which is not many in comparison to some of my peers and marine scientists who stop counting dives after their 2,000 th dive. The first time I dived Lakshadweep, a tropical archipelago in India, will always be the moment that hits closest to my heart because it was magical and transformative. I still haven’t seen a migration of sea turtles the way I did back then. There were schools of 40 to 50 green sea turtles—a truly rare sighting. It was before a major bleaching worldwide event in the early 2000s, so now those reefs are mostly dead, unfortunately.

I also did a night dive in Turks and Caicos (the second-largest barrier reef in the Western hemisphere), three days after the full moon, and I will never forget it. We were on the top of the reef wall drop off, which went down 3,000 feet. Five of us turned off our flashlights, and in the darkness of the abyss of night the bioluminescent glow worms began to circle around us. It was magic—it felt like we were diving in space. I have dived some of the worlds treasured and rare sites, including the great expansive reefs of the Red Sea in Egypt where the enchanting hammer

head sharks reside around Daedalus Reef or the whale shark I saw in the Maldives.

I have seen sea horses hiding in plain sight by flourishing reefs with flounder paradise waters in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The strange mountains covered in hanging corals in Thailand kissed with glass fish and wriggly sea anemone that house clown fish and Christmas tree worms are a spectacle to behold. The Flower Gardens off the coast of Texas that have giant corals make you feel tiny alongside dancing mantas and silky sharks, whale sharks, and hammerheads. These are just a few of my dives and adventures, but it’s these experiences that inspire my work.

What do you hope people will feel/take away from your installation at the Houston Airport?

I have visited the site a few times to show it to a family member or curator or journalist, and every time I go I am amazed to see people’s reactions. My favorite is when I saw two families stop with their children—they were so excited, pointing up at the art on the ceiling. Women were taking pictures and selfies with the larger wall art/ murals. Children were asking about the different species and smiling ear to ear. One lady said, “This space is so beautiful—I would like to pray here. She dropped to the floor and started doing her practice of namaz.

That is exactly what I was trying to achieve, making everyone happy and giving them an experience of what it feels like to be in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Texas.

Women were taking pictures and selfies with the larger wall art/murals. Children were asking about the different species and smiling ear to ear. One lady said, ‘This space is so beautiful—I would like to pray here.’ She dropped to the floor and started doing her practice of namaz. That is exactly what I was trying to achieve.

My goal was to bring this landscape to people from all walks of life. Just hearing these international travelers giggle and say, “Look at that one; it’s so beautiful” made my heart melt.

What are some of the unforeseen challenges of creating something on such a large scale?

I was extremely excited about the scope and scale about this project, but planning is key to success. A project like this requires detailed planning, which we did, so we really didn’t have much of a hard time with this project. If anything, I learned that “no” is not in my vocabulary, and like any public work of art you learn to pivot. There is always a solution to any problem, so you think on your feet and move to the next solution.

‘How can a country be truly independent until its women are allowed to flourish?’

Author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni on her new book, set during the partition of India and Pakistan

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s new book, set during the birth of independent India, relives the horrors of partition that followed. Described through the eyes of three sisters, each with their own desires and flaws, it includes real incidents told to Divakaruni by her Gandhian mother and grandfather, who were involved in the freedom movement. The overarching theme of the book is the importance of women to be independent for any nation to flourish.

Divakaruni talks to SEEMA

about

Independence, her latest book.

What inspired you to set the novel during the partition?

The year 1947 was the birth of Independent India—a crucial moment, both dramatic and painful, in world history. Almost a million people died in the process of India becoming free from British rule. This major event of decolonization had far-reaching effects across the world, and encouraged other countries to fight for their freedom, too. (In many ways, Gandhi, who inspired India’s freedom struggle, inspired Martin Luther King’s battle for equality here in the U.S.)

I want people to know of these connections, and to feel the immensity of India’s struggle which, in its essence, is the quintessential human quest for independence. There are almost no novels in English set during the

partition along India’s eastern border, where I was born. I wanted to document the turmoil and tragedies that took place in that time, that geography.

Were you or your family in any way touched by the horrors of partition?

My grandfather and mother were followers of Gandhi and took part in the freedom movement. They told me several powerful, harrowing and heroic stories of that time. My mother, as a woman, was particularly affected by the violence she saw all around her, much of it perpetrated upon women. I wanted to weave some of those incidents into the book before they were lost.

How would Indian Americans relate to the story and the book?

Indian Americans would be very interested in finding out more about this empowering event (decolonization) that granted freedom to their ancestors. It would give them a personal sense of learning (empathizing with the characters) how exactly it felt to live during those exciting but also terrifying times. I am hoping it will interest them in finding out more about their own family stories from that time. Additionally, I hope it will make them think about women’s conditions during those times, and how certain professions, such as that of a doctor, were

considered taboo for women, and how women like Priya, one of my heroines, struggled hard and made it possible for women today to flourish in those professions. Also, there is a strong connection between the freedom movement in India and the one in the U.S. Both countries were struggling to shake off British rule. That, too, is something that Indian Americans can relate to. Finally, on the personal level, the story is very much the tale of a particular family in Bengal, and about three sisters looking for love and a life of independence. I’m hoping many would relate to that quest. I certainly did!

What lessons do the three sisters —Deepa, Jamini and Priya— teach that are relevant today?

A [big lesson] is about the importance of independence for women. How can a country be truly independent until its women are allowed to flourish? To be able to follow their passions in terms of careers, or art, or carving out a place of their own in the world, or even loving the person they want to love. Independence can take very different shapes. Ultimately, it is a very personal word. The other lesson is that, at the end of the day, family matters. In spite of differences, disagreements and other conflicts, the sisters realize they mean something very special to each other. Theirs is a unique bond, for the sake of which they are willing to even risk their lives.

The other lesson is that, at the end of the day, family matters. In spite of differences, disagreements, and other conflicts, the sisters realize they mean something very special to each other. Theirs is a unique bond, for the sake of which they are willing to even risk their lives.

THREE COURSES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

• Bindu Gopal Rao

•

It’s February, which means it’s time to prep for Valentine’s Day.

“There are many ways to express love and food is one of the easiest ways to express your love and an effective way to show you really care. Food is always a symbol of love when words are inadequate,” says Himanshu, pastry chef at Conrad Bengaluru. Indulge in a meal for your Valentine.

Course One: Green goddess soup, courtesy Prakash Negi, Executive Sous Chef, Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, The Savoy Mussoorie

Nutritious ingredients make this soup one of the best immunity boosters for winter. It is always nice to cook with your loved ones and this Green Goddess soup will set the mood for a romantic evening with your partner.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion

• 1 leek

• 1 small bulb fennel

• 7 oz fresh celery

• 8 garlic cloves

• ½ tsp cumin powder

• 1 head broccoli

• Salt to taste

• ¾ tsp black pepper

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 5 cups chopped kale leaves

• 3.5 oz baby spinach

• ½ cup fresh cream

FOR THE GARNISH

• Cream and olive oil for drizzling

• Toasted pesto bread

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook onion, leek, celery, garlic, and

fennel for five minutes until soft.

2. Add cumin and cook for a minute.

3. Add water, broccoli, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the broccoli is tender. Add green peas and let them simmer for a minute.

4. Remove pot. Add spinach and kale, then blend with a stick blender until mostly smooth. This will result in a smooth texture. Drizzle with extra cream and olive oil. Served it with pesto bread.

Course Two: Cornish chicken pie, courtesy

Deepak Kashyap , executive chef, Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Jim Corbett

The color and flavor of this Cornish chicken pie can set the mood on a romantic date night with your partner. Moreover, Cornish pies are very lean and rich in niacin, which help in reducing bad cholesterol, ensuring your beloved a delightfully healthy dish.

INGREDIENTS

½ lb chicken breast cubes

• 1 ¾ oz chopped garlic

• 1 ¾ oz chopped leek

• 3.5 oz chopped white onions

• 1/3 tbsp rosemary

• 1 ¾ oz chopped chives

• 1 ¾ oz chopped carrots

• 3 1/3 tbsp white wine

• 1.2 lb chopped New Orleans potatoes

• 1/3 lb bechamel

• 9 tbsp milk

• 1/3 tbsp yellow butter

• 3 lb puff dough

• 1 lb dehydrated butter

• 2 lb white flour

• ½ quart water

• 5 tsp salt

• 4 eggs, numbers for basting puff

METHOD

1. Knead dough with flour, water, salt. This has to be rolled dehydrated butter in the threebook fold method.

2. Sauté garlic, onions, leeks, carrots in butter.

3. Add fine chopped chicken and chopped potatoes sauté well till it is about 85 % cooked.

4. Add white wine to the chicken mixture. Then add bechamel sauce to bind the mixture

5. Let the mixture cool. Roll the puff dough, add mixture and cover with puff dough again.

6. Baste with beaten egg for light golden color.

Course Three: Heaven on Earth, courtesy Himanshu, pastry chef, Conrad Bengaluru

A dessert to make you fall in love with berries. The dish personifies the important elements of Valentine’s Day with regards to its name and presentation and uses aphrodisiac food elements that elicit excitement and well-being.

INGREDIENTS

Strawberry Eton mess

White chocolate mousse

6 egg yolks

3.5 oz castor sugar

• 9 oz fresh cream

11 oz melted chocolate White

Callebaut

5 gelatin sheets

Strawberry confit for insert

9 oz fresh-cut strawberries

3.5 oz castor sugar

• 1 ½ oz pectin

1 ½ oz agar agar

Italian meringue for garnish

9 oz castor sugar

7 tbsp water

3.5 oz egg whites

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

METHOD

1. Trim the strawberry, discarding the greens. Mash the strawberries in a medium-sized bowl until you have a

chunky purée.

2. Add agar agar and pectin. Puree the mixture in the tray to cool down and keep in the chiller.

3. For the white chocolate mousse, set over simmering water in a double boiler or small saucepan. Then combine the egg yolks with sugar in a large bowl. Beat for several minutes, until the yolks are thick and pale yellow. Separately, malt the chocolate.

4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl containing the egg yolks and stir with a rubber spatula to blend. Fold the egg whites into chocolate gently and add gelatin.

5. Transfer the mousse and strawberry confit and fill the mold. Keep in the freezer for 12 hours.

6. For the Italian meringue garnish, heat sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over high heat, stirring only until it comes to a boil. Cook until sugar syrup registers 240°F on an

instant-read or candy thermometer. Brush down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water as necessary.

7. Meanwhile, combine egg whites and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Set the mixer to medium speed and mix for about two minutes until soft peaks form (when lifted, the head of the mixer should form gentle peaks in the egg whites that very slowly collapse back into themselves).

8. While the mixer is running, carefully and slowly drizzle in hot sugar syrup. Increase speed to high and whip for desired stiffness.

9. Bake the meringue on a silicone mat at 195°F for an hour.

ARIES

March 21 -

April 19

Help the universe reach you quicker. Apply for something inspiring. Ask the one you desire out. Make an introduction or pitch that idea—your luck is likely to befriend you! You can make anything happen, so hone your radar to find opportunities. Or fly by the seat of your pants, and see where life takes you. Look for smarter ways to make your money grow. Don’t just think outside the box, break it! Follow your instincts and have a blast. All that you have patiently waited for is likely to come your way, so build a life that you are proud of. Invest in travel or a short getaway.

TAURUS

April 20May 20

Challenges can be transmuted if you look at them in a new light. When you grasp your power, you can go from victim to victor. Heed warnings, but also remember not to let emotions rule all your decisions. Be mindful in money management. It may be a time for a raise, a promotion, or the option to work on a new project. Remember, improved communication is the key to stronger, deeper relationships. It is time for less judgement and more understanding.

FORECAST WITH FARZANA

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

You may have an opportunity to collaborate on a project. You may notice that people appreciate you more. Expect smooth sailing at work and in life, with you winning arguments through tact, kindness, and compassion. Ask for help or call in a favor to achieve your goals. It is a good time to bring that passionate romance alive. If single, you may find yourself in a budding relationship, with your feelings being reciprocated. Vet every financial decision. This is a fertile time to plant an affirming and generative seed in your life. What your intuition says is important. Keep giving generously to receive in great measure.

CANCER

June 21 -

July 22

This is an opportune time for you to step out of your comfort zone. Use the time for research on whatever is calling out to you now. Stretch yourself and explore cross-country opportunities. Allow your creative spark to guide you. Dot all the i’s and cross the t’s. What’s coming next could be important. Stay resolute when your plans change with time. It

will give you the courage to conquer risks and embrace your future. Seek a mentor to navigate this phase. You are likely to find meaningful love.

LEO

July 23 -

August 22

Some new information, or a sudden decision, could fundamentally transform your life. That may have you off balance. However, it’s an opportunity to outgrow an old way of doing something. Resisting inevitable change will make it more painful. Let go of fear and take a chance. It is time to reassess, and focus on your career, your relationship, health, and money. Trust that life knows what it’s doing. You can get to your goals if you believe in yourself more. The odds seem to favor you. Love and encourage yourself regardless of what is happening around you.

VIRGO

Aug 23 - Sept 22

The month is a reminder to embrace the ebbs and flows of life. The only constant in this life is change. Nothing stands still, and nothing lasts, forever. If you’ve been going through a challenging time in your life, it signals an end to this diffi-

cult period. Make calculated moves. Stop behaviors, situations, or people that aren’t serving you. Be the initiator so you can keep things moving in the right direction and create a ripple effect—in love, life, wealth, and health. Everything will work out according to divine intervention and timing.

LIBRA

Sept 23 - Oct 22

Make way for celebrations and reunions. You are likely to be in high spirits and ready to have a good time. Expect new ideas to come to life and be well received by others, too. Working in a team of three will bear positive results, with gains that may warrant a pat on the back. You may land a promotion, a meaningful contract, increase sales, or ace in an evaluation. Be mindful in your relationships and balance your love and friendships. Anything you overdo will not serve your peace. Focus on areas that might be disjointed, and work on piecing them back together.

SCORPIO

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Choices will put you in a quandary. Go with whatev- er your heart says. If unsure, resist the temptation go by impulses, especially at work or with investments. Collaboration, co-operation and alliances are likely to pan out. However, mixing business with romance may not be wise. If you have been short on money, help may be on the way. If you are single, expect the beginnings of a romance. If in an existing relationship, you may renew a soul connection. Leverage the opportunity to invest in your creativity and diplomatic skills.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22 - Dec 21

All you need is in front of you. Let go of your fears to allow you to make a choice and move ahead. In case you are having trouble being motivated or making big decisions, step back, and look at what’s really important to create the best life for yourself. If you wholeheartedly believe in the dream of a fulfilling relationship, job, business or wealth, it’ll come to fruition before you know it. Do not be pressured to take on more than you can. Say ‘no’ to anything that takes away your peace. Accept, receive and be open to the good things being offered to you, at this moment.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22 - Jan 19

If you are dealing with issues that feel unfair, resolution is on its way. Whatever the struggle—a legal case, job, project or any negotiations—you are likely to settle. It is for the best because, one way or another, balance will be restored, and justice provided. This success may come, thanks to someone powerful who has your best interests in mind. Stay grounded, grateful, and view things through the lens of the future. It’s also possible that you will sign contracts that power you forward—for a job, project, or an alliance. Be fair and play fair.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20 – Feb 20

Extricate yourself from limiting beliefs, people, and situations that block your personal and professional

growth. Dream big. The universe is setting the stage for a new project or job. Follow your intuition, and let the chips fall where they may. Choose a grounded and patient approach. If you are vying for a leadership role, now is the time to initiate meaningful conversations. A financial windfall, a new project, or a job opportunity is likely. Take the lead in the area of love. Remember, relationships grow through communication. Arrogance, pride, and overconfidence can stomp on your chances of victory.

PISCES

Feb 21 – March 20

The month is a reminder to keep your head down and finish what you started. Remember, slow and steady wins the race, be it at work, a project, a job, a business opportunity, monetary deal, or personal relationship. No matter how frustrating it may get, be patient and vigilant. At any moment, you can go from waiting on it to walking in it. Pay attention to the unfulfilled voice. Infuse your life with the elements that light you up, such as self-love and time off. Take a little break or focus on the little things that make your life run smoothly.

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