Life & Style

A new official announcement by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) reveals that Nidhi Tewari has been appointed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s new private secretary. The announcement was made on March 31, 2025, following approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Nidhi Tewari is a 2014-batch officer of the IFS and she could be one of the youngest officers to hold this coveted post. She succeeds Vivek Kumar and Hardik Shah, who earlier held the position of the PM’s Private Secretary. Read all about Nidhi Tewari here:
Who is Nidhi Tewari?
Nidhi Tewari hails from Mehmurganj, Varanasi and currently serves as the Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
As per reports, Tewari also played an important role in India’s G20 chairmanship.
Tewari’s new role is reportedly at Level 12 of the pay matrix and will remain in effect until the end of her current position or until further orders are issued.

Nidhi Tewari’s education qualifications
Nidhi Tewari completed her schooling from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. She then pursused her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi. As per reports, she cleared the Civil Services Examination in 2013 and secured the 96th rank after which she was selected in the IFS batch 2014.
Nidhi Tewari’s career
As per reports, Nidhi Tewari initially worked as the Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Tax) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh before taking the Civil Services Examination in 2013. She then worked in the Ministry of External Affair’s Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division. In 2022, she joined the PMO as the Under Secretary, and in 2023, she was promoted to the rank of Deputy Secretary. Reports also suggest that at the PMO, Tewari worked in the ‘Foreign and Security’ section and her feilds included foreign affairs, security, and atomic energy. It was her expertise in foreign affairs and international relations which helped her play an important role at the PMO, and she directly reported to Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor.
5 habits of successful people
Here are five habits that highly successful people often follow:
1. Goal setting and planning
They set clear, specific, and measurable goals. They break big goals into smaller, actionable steps.
2. Continuous learning
They read books, take courses, and seek knowledge daily. They embrace lifelong learning and skill development.
3. Time management and prioritisation
They use schedules, to-do lists, and planners. They focus on high-impact tasks and avoid distractions.
4. Self-discipline and consistency
They stick to routines and avoid procrastination. They maintain focus even when motivation fades.
5. Networking and relationship building
They surround themselves with inspiring and ambitious people. They build strong personal and professional connections.

The signature cocktails, drawn from classics of the era. Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia
| Photo Credit: K Jeshi

As the door opens to The Crimson by Broadway, a lavish, red-hued piano jazz bar, all signs point to revelry. The stylish bar located inside The Broadway Mall on Avanashi Road, inspired by The Great Gatsby speaks of the nostalgia of the Roaring Twenties in Paris with its marble decor, opulent chandeliers, velvet booths and theatre stage for live performances. “We have stuck to the bold colour schemes of red, gold, and black for the classic piano jazz bar, a concept that is new to Coimbatore,” says Neha Satish, a third generation entrepreneur from the Broadway Cinemas chain.

The Silent Note, a tequila-based drink celebrates tropical flavours. Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi

While the high ceiling and stadium-style seating booths offer extra privacy, the jazz performance stage with an acoustic piano and mic serves as the centrepiece. “It’s a conversational bar, there is no dance floor or standing crowd, instead the air will hum with smooth jazz,” explains Neha over plates of paprika spiced corn ribs and avakaya arancini. While the golden corn, dripping with garlic jalapeno butter, makes for crisp bites, the panko-crusted morsels of short grain rice mixed withavakkai(mango pickle) stands out for an innovative fusion. The signature cocktails, drawn from classics of the era take on a new spin retaining the original ingredients.

Strawberry champagne, an indulgent dessert. Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi

My first drink is ‘Shaken not Stirred’, a bold tribute to James Bond’s Vesper Martini featuring truffle-washed vodka, lillet and popcorn cordial finished with white chocolate. It is bitter-sweet and has the refreshing fragrance of truffle. ‘Red Eye’ balances flavours of vodka, tomato, watermelon and the fiery bhut jolokia and is served with cinematic flair of beer foam and gherkin brine on top. It’s an interesting experiment with bhut jolokia chillies that has paid off. But the star drink is the charming ‘A Wes Anderson Drink’, made with green pea liquor, green chilli tincture, coconut and tamarind jaggery crowned with cranberry air for a dash of Grand Budapest pink. While ‘The Silent Note’ , a tequila-based drink celebrating the tropical flavours of guava, coconut, mango and lemon grass warms me up instantly, the brandy-based ‘Paradox’ inspired from Inception makes me dreamy. There is good selection among mocktails too. You can try the classic hibiscus iced tea, blue pea cooler or berry blast or the refreshing ‘Shirley Temple Float’.

The decor features colour schemes of red, gold, and black.Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi

Neha says the space is designed by Paradigm Shift, a Bangkok-based design firm that pays on ode to the glamour of speakeasy bars of Paris of the 1920s. “Every material was carefully selected to evoke the vintage luxury of the Gatsby era — gold accents, dark red velvet curtains, black marble, and glossy dark wood surfaces.” The antique mirrored ceiling, paired with stunning lighting design, enhances the rich ambience of fashion and social vibrancy that defined the Jazz Age. “It’s a metal heavy space where every corner speaks of some metal work,” explains Neha as I bite into crisp chicken kuk-doo-koo, the makhni chicken croquettes in curry sauce filled with juicy chicken chunks.

‘Molagapodi’ wings or crispy fried chicken wings and iced kold kaapi, a signature dessert. Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi

The sautéed shrimp, named Spanish Gambas, are especially good, thanks to the warm, bold-flavoured spices —garlic, paprika, and olive oil. “The food is crafted paying attention to every ingredient. We are trying to keep an innovative menu. For example, we have included strawberry champagne, an indulgent dessert,” she says. We also try iced kold kaapi, the signature filter coffee cheesecake in whiskey caramel sauce that is decadent, soft, and fluffy. Among starters, there is also the wholesome big kahuna sandwich that has crispy chicken thighs coated in hot sauce and grilled pineapple bringing in a dash of sweetness. I also try molagapodi wings, crispy fried chicken wings tossed in home-made gun powder, and mushroom ravioli stuffed with mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar.

Opulent decor
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Talking about offering luxury services at an affordable cost, VRR Satish Kumar, managing director of the group says that Broadway Cinemas offers a premium experience for visitors with an opulent space designed by Giovanni Castor with crystal chandeliers and etched glass interiors. “The Crimson is on the same lines. The city lacks a space where you can enjoy good food, drinks, and still have business meetings and conversations. When the music is loud, there is no space for an intimate discussion. We want families to unwind over good food where drinks can be supplementary. We are driven by the theme of entertainment and happiness.” Adds Neha, “We want it to be a musical space where conversations, good food, a luxury ambience and good service, all put together leaves you with a smile as the night draws to a close.”

A selection of cocktails. Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi

The Crimson is located at The Broadway mall (near KMCH), Avanashi Road. A meal for two with drinks costs ₹2500 approximately. For reservations, call 8925926049.

Mirra Kannan
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

An old acoustic piano, according to Mirra Kannan, is a time capsule. Beneath its dusty lid and in between its keys, one can find “little treasures” that will offer insights into its past. “These may be old newspapers, a coin or signs of restoration of its previous technicians,” she says. The 29-year-old, who is now based in Edinburgh, Scotland, has been documenting India’s old acoustic pianos as part of her undertaking called Resonant Legacies. It is part of Paraa, her initiative that is an ‘exploration of sound‘. She was in Chennai, her hometown, earlier this year, and has so far documented 15 pianos.

Mirra is fascinated by the instrument. She calls herself “a conservator of buildings on weekdays, and conservator of pianos on weekends”. Her tryst with pianos started a little over three years ago when she went to Scotland for her Master’s in Architectural Conservation. It was there that she came across the Pianodrome, an amphitheatre made entirely of up-cycled pianos. Set up by bandmates Tim Vincent-Smith and Matt Wright, the space and its many ancient pianos set Mirra’s life journey on a new path.   

KM Music Conservatory’s Steinway grand piano
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Mirra went on to apprentice under Benjamin Treuhaft, a piano tuner and technician, who introduced her to the nuances of the intricate craft of piano tuning. Opening up an old piano and seeing its mechanics and architecture took Mirra back to her childhood when she would observe ‘Rao uncle’ (Chennai’s popular piano tuner S Venkateswara Rao), bent at work over her piano at her Chennai home.

An old Bluthner upright piano at Musee Musical
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

For the first time, Mirra got the opportunity to not just observe a technician at work, but to tune a piano herself. “In 2023, I got to practise on the 100 odd pianos at an abandoned shopping centre where people had given them up for adoption,” she recalls. Mirra’s interactions with these ancient pianos got her interested in the history of the instruments back home in India. “This led me to think about the piano tuners of India,” she says, adding that India’s Colonial legacy has left behind several such old instruments that are living, breathing beings that not just resonate with music, but history as well.

Thus began Mirra’s journey to India to document pianos and also meet their technicians. “Talking to the technicians, understanding their journey and experiences with different pianos blew my mind,” says Mirra, who visited Musee Musical in Chennai, Mistry & Co in Mumbai and Braganza & Co in Kolkata. These conversations, she says, showed her that the men saw their work as something “beyond a seemingly menial task of repairing an object”.

Inside an upright piano
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

In Chennai, Mirra has documented pianos at the Taj Connemara, Musée Musical, and the KM Music Conservatory as part of the Pianos of Madras leg of her journey. In February this year, she was introduced to a 111-year-old Steinway grand piano at KM, and helped clean and tune it. “AR Rahman commented on my Instagram post about this piano!” she says.

Mirra’s documentation involves taking several photos of the instrument. “I note down the brand, its serial number, and if I’m allowed to interact with it, I play something and record it,” she says. She feels that there are several old pianos in India, particularly in hill stations such as Kodaikanal and Darjeeling, and hopes to visit sometime again this year to see them.

Mirra at a piano dissection workshop
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

For her, documenting pianos does not end with merely recording their existence. An important part of her work is engaging with their technicians, whom she feels “are not regarded in a manner they should be”. She adds: “I’m learning so much from such technicians and look up to them.” Mirra continues to fine-tune her skills and feels that she is still at the beginning of her journey.

To reach out to Mirra with information on old pianos, email mirra.k9@gmail.com

Mirra Kannan
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

An old acoustic piano, according to Mirra Kannan, is a time capsule. Beneath its dusty lid and in between its keys, one can find “little treasures” that will offer insights into its past. “These may be old newspapers, a coin or signs of restoration of its previous technicians,” she says. The 29-year-old, who is now based in Edinburgh, Scotland, has been documenting India’s old acoustic pianos as part of her undertaking called Resonant Legacies. It is part of Paraa, her initiative that is an ‘exploration of sound‘. She was in Chennai, her hometown, earlier this year, and has so far documented 15 pianos.

Mirra is fascinated by the instrument. She calls herself “a conservator of buildings on weekdays, and conservator of pianos on weekends”. Her tryst with pianos started a little over three years ago when she went to Scotland for her Master’s in Architectural Conservation. It was there that she came across the Pianodrome, an amphitheatre made entirely of up-cycled pianos. Set up by bandmates Tim Vincent-Smith and Matt Wright, the space and its many ancient pianos set Mirra’s life journey on a new path.   

KM Music Conservatory’s Steinway grand piano
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Mirra went on to apprentice under Benjamin Treuhaft, a piano tuner and technician, who introduced her to the nuances of the intricate craft of piano tuning. Opening up an old piano and seeing its mechanics and architecture took Mirra back to her childhood when she would observe ‘Rao uncle’ (Chennai’s popular piano tuner S Venkateswara Rao), bent at work over her piano at her Chennai home.

An old Bluthner upright piano at Musee Musical
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

For the first time, Mirra got the opportunity to not just observe a technician at work, but to tune a piano herself. “In 2023, I got to practise on the 100 odd pianos at an abandoned shopping centre where people had given them up for adoption,” she recalls. Mirra’s interactions with these ancient pianos got her interested in the history of the instruments back home in India. “This led me to think about the piano tuners of India,” she says, adding that India’s Colonial legacy has left behind several such old instruments that are living, breathing beings that not just resonate with music, but history as well.

Thus began Mirra’s journey to India to document pianos and also meet their technicians. “Talking to the technicians, understanding their journey and experiences with different pianos blew my mind,” says Mirra, who visited Musee Musical in Chennai, Mistry & Co in Mumbai and Braganza & Co in Kolkata. These conversations, she says, showed her that the men saw their work as something “beyond a seemingly menial task of repairing an object”.

Inside an upright piano
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

In Chennai, Mirra has documented pianos at the Taj Connemara, Musée Musical, and the KM Music Conservatory as part of the Pianos of Madras leg of her journey. In February this year, she was introduced to a 111-year-old Steinway grand piano at KM, and helped clean and tune it. “AR Rahman commented on my Instagram post about this piano!” she says.

Mirra’s documentation involves taking several photos of the instrument. “I note down the brand, its serial number, and if I’m allowed to interact with it, I play something and record it,” she says. She feels that there are several old pianos in India, particularly in hill stations such as Kodaikanal and Darjeeling, and hopes to visit sometime again this year to see them.

Meera at a piano dissection workshop
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

For her, documenting pianos does not end with merely recording their existence. An important part of her work is engaging with their technicians, whom she feels “are not regarded in a manner they should be”. She adds: “I’m learning so much from such technicians and look up to them.” Mirra continues to fine-tune her skills and feels that she is still at the beginning of her journey.

To reach out to Mirra with information on old pianos, email mirra.k9@gmail.com

Navratri is here and the Studio Ghibli image generation trend is taking over the world. From personal moments to wedding pictures, people are using ChatGPT to turn their treasured pictures into Ghibli-style artworks.

And with the spirit of Navratri, we asked ChatGPT to generate Studio Ghibli style portraits of Maa Durga and her 9 avatars, and the results are beautiful to say the least.

Even without ChatGPT plus, with just a little bit of wait, and the right prompts, we were able to get AI generated pictures of Maa Durga’s avatars, from Shailputri to Siddhidatri, and they are all stunning to see.

Madison Square, Fifth Avenue, Go To Jail, Grand Boulevard. Do these words and places ring any bells? Most of us would have stumbled upon them while playing the popular board game Monopoly. Imagine being a woman in the United States way before they got voting rights who worked hard to create a unique game to teach the negative outcomes of a monopolistic economy to the masses without much success. Fast-forwarding years, the board game went up to one of the most-loved household games to date without any credit given to the woman behind it. This is exactly what the inventor of Monopoly went through, unfortunately.

The mind behind the board

In 1866, in Macomb, Illinois, a daughter was born to James Magie, a newspaper publisher and an advocate of economic reform. Being an ardent fan of Georgism (idea based on the writings of Henry George, a political economist who argued that wealth inequality stemmed from land monopolisation and that land should be taxed heavily to prevent the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few), he had instilled the idea that inequality is one of the greatest threats in his child. This young girl grew up to be an independent and forward-thinking woman who was a strong advocate for economic and gender equality. This was Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Magie.

A Georgist since a young age, Magie loved to create board games that helped convey and educate major economic concepts to the masses. It was in 1903 that Magie designed The Landlord’s Game to illustrate the economic principles of Henry George. The Landlord’s Game also began as an illustration of the dangers of unchecked capitalism and monopoly power. The game had two sets of rules to help the players understand the aftermath of a monopolistic society. One encouraged monopolistic behaviour, while the other promoted a tax-based, anti-monopoly approach. Magie hoped that players would see the negative consequences of monopolistic practices and adopt a more equitable economic mindset.

Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Magie.
| Photo Credit:
Wikimedia Commons

She patented the game in 1904, making it one of the first board games designed by a woman to receive official recognition. She was part of the less than 1% of the female population who held a patent even before having the right to vote! Despite Magie’s best efforts to promote The Landlord’s Game, it failed to gain widespread commercial success. However, it did not go unnoticed. Over the next few decades, various versions of the game were copied and modified by different groups, including colleges and schools, who used it to teach economic principles.

“a practical demonstration of the present system of land-grabbing with all its usual outcomes and consequences. It might well have been called the ‘Game of Life,’ as it contains all the elements of success and failure in the real world.”Elizabeth Magie about her game ‘The Landlord’s Game’

The Landlord’s Game to Monopoly

Until the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, the same game under a different name—Monopoly— was credited to Charles Darrow. An unemployed salesman and a capitalism (an economic system that emphasises private ownership and profit) enthusiast, he came across a modified version of the original game at a social gathering and “reinvented” it by making additional changes like the introduction of fixed property names and a more polished design. He then further marketed it as a new game called Monopoly. In 1935, he sold the game to Parker Brothers, who, believing Darrow to be the sole inventor, promoted him as the genius behind the game’s success.

After acquiring Monopoly, Parker Brothers soon discovered Magie’s patent for The Landlord’s Game when people started reaching out, saying they had been playing the game for years. Realising the potential legal complications, they purchased Magie’s patent for $500. Magie, happy that her brainchild would finally reach the masses, accepted the deal, but she soon realised that her vision had been fully stripped away. The version of Monopoly that Parker Brothers produced glorified monopolistic wealth accumulation rather than critiquing it like how she originally invented it. In a 1936 interview with The Washington Post, she expressed her disappointment that a game she designed to warn against monopolies had become a celebration of capitalist dominance, with no reference to the Georgist ideology she wanted to pass on.

The one that stood out

Unlike most women of her era, she supported herself and didn’t marry until the age of 44. In addition to working as a stenographer and a secretary, she wrote poetry and performed comedic routines onstage. An anecdote popularly known about Magie is how fearless she was in standing up for her beliefs. Finding it difficult to support herself on the $10 a week she was earning, Magie staged an audacious stunt mocking marriage as the only option for women. She purchased an advertisement offering herself for sale as a “young woman American slave” to the highest bidder. The stunt shouted her political stand loudly as she said, “We are not machines. Girls have minds, desires, hopes and ambition.”

The truth comes out

It was in the 1970s that the involvement of Magie in creating Monopoly came out during a legal battle. Ralph Anspach, an economics professor and creator of the game Anti-Monopoly, was in a legal battle with the Parker Brothers when he discovered documents that traced Monopoly’s origins back to The Landlord’s Game. And that’s how the deceitful story behind the popular board game came about.

Today, Magie is slowly gaining recognition for her work, as historians acknowledge her as the true creator of Monopoly, and her contributions to economic education and game design are celebrated. Nevertheless, her story is a reminder of how women’s achievements have often been erased by history due to inequalities and the societal structures of the past and present.

niranjana.ps@thehindu.co.in

Losing weight doesn’t always require extreme diets or hours at the gym. Sometimes, the smallest lifestyle changes bring the biggest results. Many people have shared simple yet powerful habits that have helped them shed extra kilos effortlessly. From chewing food properly to walking after meals, these tiny adjustments can prepare the body for weight loss and prevent unnecessary weight gain.
Here are some tried-and-tested home remedies and everyday habits that truly work like magic.

Chewing each bite 32 times for better digestion

One of the simplest ways to control food intake and improve digestion is by chewing food thoroughly—ideally around 32 times per bite. This habit slows down eating, allowing the stomach to send fullness signals to the brain, preventing overeating. Well-chewed food is also easier to digest, reducing bloating and improving gut health, both of which play a role in weight loss.

We all are on our feet almost every day. This daily activity, walking, is also considered one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay fit. But did you know that small mistakes in our walking routine can lead to pain, injuries, and even long-term health issues?

Walking 1000 steps after every meal

A short walk after eating can do wonders for digestion and metabolism. Walking at least 1000 steps (or around 10–15 minutes) after meals helps regulate blood sugar levels, preventing fat accumulation. It also aids in better nutrient absorption and reduces post-meal sluggishness, making it an easy and effective weight-loss trick.

Drinking warm water in the morning

Starting the day with a glass of warm water, preferably with lemon or a pinch of turmeric, helps flush out toxins and kickstarts metabolism. Warm water improves digestion, prevents constipation, and supports fat breakdown. Many people swear by this simple habit for maintaining a healthy weight.

Eating dinner early and keeping a 12-hour gap

Eating the last meal at least 3–4 hours before bedtime gives the digestive system enough time to process food. Additionally, maintaining a 12-hour fasting window between dinner and breakfast can improve fat-burning, control blood sugar, and promote weight loss. This approach, often called intermittent fasting, has been backed by many studies for its effectiveness.

Using smaller plates to control portions

The size of the plate directly affects portion control. Switching to smaller plates creates an illusion of a fuller meal while reducing calorie intake. This psychological trick has helped many people eat less without feeling deprived. Mindful portion control prevents excessive calorie consumption, leading to steady weight loss over time.

In its 25th year, the Lakmé Fashion Week 2025, in partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) was less about spectacle and more about sensibility. Theatrics took a backseat to thoughtfulness, as designers re-evaluated what fashion means in a climate of change — climatic, cultural, and consumer-driven. There was no singular aesthetic dominating the five-day showcase, but rather a quiet recalibration of technique, proportion, and intent.

From seasoned couturiers to new-gen labels, the collections spoke of dualities — tradition meeting tech, comfort meeting structure, and art meeting wearability. Instead of chasing virality, designers leaned into craft. Surface embellishment was purposeful. Colour palettes were restrained. Gender norms blurred. Heritage, once treated with nostalgia, was now layered with a future-facing lens.

Refined maximalism

While the West continues to orbit around quiet luxury, Indian designers at Lakmé Fashion Week offered a counterpoint — maximalism, but measured. It was a season of drama laced with discipline; ornamentation wielded with intent.

Anamika Khanna’s Silver Collar collection set the tone. Deconstructed tailoring met opulent embroidery — structured bralettes, high-waisted metallic trousers, and chainmail flourishes. It was less about flamboyance, and more about confidence laced with craft.

Model walks the ramp during the LAKMĒ X AK|OK ANAMIKA KHANNA PRESENT ‘SILVER COLLAR’ show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 26th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
Sanjay

Showstopper Ananya Panday with designer ANAMIKA KHANNA during the LAKMĒ X AK|OK PRESENT ‘SILVER COLLAR’ show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 26th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
Sanjay

Rahul Mishra’s The Silk Route, under his prêt label AFEW, drew from flora, folklore, and textile legacies. The collection wove Nature into couture, presenting hand-embroidered ecosystems that rippled with detail but never tipped into excess. The intricacy was intense, but the message — sustainability and quiet wonder — came through loud and clear. The collection highlighted visual exchanges across borders, mirrored in the parallel evolution of India’s bandhani and Japan’s shibori. A quiet ode to craft, culture and shared histories.

Model during RAHUL MISHRA show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Models during the NEXA PRESENTS AFEW RAHUL MISHRA show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Show stopper Janhvi Kapoor with designer RAHUL MISHRA show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Amit Aggarwal took maximalism in a futuristic direction. His collaboration with tech brand Nothing resulted in a line where Banarasi brocade collided with industrial polymers — ballooning trousers, corseted blouses, and sharp tailoring gave tradition a glossy, sci-fi sheen. The palette was monochrome, but the craftsmanship spoke volumes.

Show stopper Bhumi Pednekar during the NOTHING X AMIT AGGARWAL show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Models during the NOTHING X AMIT AGGARWAL show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Models during the NOTHING X AMIT AGGARWAL show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Falguni Shane Peacock, known for high-octane glamour, showed restraint — relatively speaking. Their collection delivered sculptural jackets, crystal-studded corsets and feathered gowns, but with a controlled silhouette and tonal palette that leaned urban rather than theatrical. There was still shimmer and drama, but anchored in a kind of futuristic femininity.

Showstopper Tamanna Bhatia during the LUFTHANSA PRESENTS FALGUNI SHANE PEACOCK show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Showstopper Karan Johar during the LUFTHANSA PRESENTS FALGUNI SHANE PEACOCK show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Models during the LUFTHANSA PRESENTS FALGUNI SHANE PEACOCK show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Models during the LUFTHANSA PRESENTS FALGUNI SHANE PEACOCK show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Reimagining masculinity

This year, a quieter menswear revolution took shape — one that moved beyond functional staples to embrace emotional nuance, historical references, and craft-led expression. The GenNext designers moved away from minimalism without tipping into costume, offering garments that were expressive, yet wearable.

Models during the NIF GLOBAL PRESENTS GENNEXT – ABHICHIQ show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Models during the NIF GLOBAL PRESENTS GENNEXT – ABHICHIQ show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Abhishek Shinde, under his label Abhichiq, offered a Sicilian summer through Ciao — a collection of handwoven, block-printed separates layered with embroidery and nostalgic tailoring. Oversized blazers, striped shackets, and Bermudas hinted at ease but were grounded in artisanal polish. His approach balanced playfulness with longevity, creating resort wear with structure.

Models during the NIF GLOBAL PRESENTS GENNEXT – THAT ANTIQUEPIECE show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Models during the NIF GLOBAL PRESENTS GENNEXT – QUARTER show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Yash Patil, of That Antiquepiece, drew from archival photographs of the Rana queens of Nepal, blending moulded silhouettes, corsetry and ballroom drama. Though presented as womenswear, the construction-heavy garments (a visual treat of rich detailing with braids, jewels and sheer textiles) shared a meticulous, sculptural quality often aligned with contemporary menswear’s move towards androgyny and theatricality.

Models during the NIF GLOBAL PRESENTS GENNEXT – QUARTER show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Somya Lochan’s label Quarter took a more introspective route. Her collection The Dichotomy of Loss was born from a social experiment on grief, translated into garments made from Tanchoi silk and Himroo brocade. Embellished with handmade brass buttons and beaded embroidery, the pieces — boxy jackets, flared trousers, and padded coats — were gender-fluid in structure and emotional in tone.

Together, these designers challenged the binary of menswear as either utilitarian or ostentatious. Their work suggested a middle ground: introspective, referential, and unafraid to be emotionally resonant.

The rise of active-leisure

This season, designers brought clarity to a shifting category: clothes that sit comfortably between function, movement, and leisurely indulgence.

Namrata Joshipura continued her exploration of performance-driven fashion with a collection anchored in engineered fabrics like R|Elan Kooltex and GreenGold. Bodysuits, cropped jackets, singlets, and shorts were cut for movement but styled for the street — mirroring the global mood where activewear is no longer confined to the gym. Breathable textiles and recycled fibres underlined the emphasis on wearability and conscious design.

Malaika Arora for Namrata Joshipura
| Photo Credit:
Dipayan Bose

Models during the R l ELAN PRESENTS NAMRATA JOSHIPURA show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 28th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Shivan & Narresh leaned into art-as-leisure with a capsule inspired by French painter-sculptor Fernand Léger. Their resort wear — swim trunks, ponchos, relaxed robes and knit coordinates — tapped into a holiday state of mind, but with deliberate cuts and saturated prints. Textural summer knits and hand-finished accessories created an easy tension between craft and escapism, offering men and women equal space in a wardrobe designed for transit, sea, or poolside pause.

SHIVAN & NARRESH 

Saaksha & Kinni, through their Myrah collection for Lakmé’s Sun Stopper show, used Gujarat’s Adalaj Stepwell as a springboard. Their silhouettes comprising layered kaftans, printed jackets, and pleated dresses balanced movement with structure. Lycra-infused swimwear sat beside breezy cottons, while sandstone tones and water-inspired blues grounded the palette in place. It was resortwear as a state of cultural storytelling, shaped by geography and intention.

Models during the LATELIER 1664 X SHIVAN & NARRESH show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Indie cool: emotion with edge

A new wave of designers leaned into a softer, more self-aware fashion — marked by slow techniques, layered storytelling, and a firm sense of identity. Less trend-chasing, more intention. Less gloss, more grit.

Designer Anurag Gupta during the FDCI presents The Boy’s Club – Anurag Gupta show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Models during the FDCI presents The Boy’s Club – Anurag Gupta show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Anurag Gupta’s Metamorphosis captured this shift. With a palette drawn from dawn and dusk, and silhouettes that eased between structure and fluidity, the collection explored personal growth as process, not performance. Textures felt grounded, even raw, while 3D-embellished layers and tonal gradients kept things visually sharp. This was not fashion for show, but self-reflection.

Designers during the R| ELAN CIRCULAT DESIGN
CHALLENGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UN IN INDIA PRESENTS R-KIVE CITY show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 27th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

The R-KIVE CITY show

The R-KIVE CITY show

Rkive City, the winner of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, channelled the same spirit through Reclaim The City. Their pieces comprising overlays, trousers, and shirts, built entirely from salvaged textiles, revived old workwear and rejected garments into fashion that carried memory, place and subculture. Sleeves referenced municipal uniforms; pockets nodded to everyday street life. Nothing flashy. Everything felt lived in.

New-age luxury: fashion that fits the everyday

This season, Indian luxury moved out of the drawing room and into daily life. On the Lakmé Fashion Week runway, designers redefined what it means to invest in fashion: less fantasy, more flexibility.

Shantnu & Nikhil’s Piazza Nova marked five years of their bridge-to-luxury label, S&N. The collection reflected the brand’s core idea: heritage tailoring with urban sensibility. Slim bandhgalas, printed shirts, and embroidered jackets allowed wearers to mix statement with staple. Designed for the aspirational buyer, it bridged occasion and everyday through modular pieces that lean modern but nod to tradition.

Models during the S&N BY SHANTNU NIKHIL show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
Sanjay

Models during the S&N BY SHANTNU NIKHIL show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
Sanjay

Show stopper Ibrahim Ali Khan during the S&N BY SHANTNU NIKHIL show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide

Tarun Tahiliani’s OTT Season 2 took a similar route. The focus was on fluidity — layered separates, draped gilets, and convertible silhouettes styled live on stage to highlight versatility. Traditional crafts like chikankari and Rabari embroidery were recast in contemporary forms, and archival prints reappeared in fresh palettes. The idea was simple: luxury that adapts to the wearer, not the other way around.

Models during the OTT TARUN TAHILIANI show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Models during the OTT TARUN TAHILIANI show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Models during the OTT TARUN TAHILIANI show in the 25th year – Lakmé Fashion Week 2025 at Jio World Convention centre in Mumbai, India on 29th March 2025.

Photo : Perfect Shadows / FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week / RISE Worldwide
| Photo Credit:
RAJNEESH

Together, both collections signalled a shift. Luxury was less about exclusivity, more about expression — quietly confident, wearable, and rooted in the idea of fashion as a personal tool, not just a spectacle.

Rising heartbeat, breathlessness, shaking, and sweaty palms—many of you might have experienced these when a teacher asks you a random question or when you are on stage for public speaking. While it could be occasional fear or anxiousness, if it goes beyond certain situations and starts interfering with your daily life, relationships, and wellbeing, it might be a sign of anxiety disorder. Now, what is anxiety disorder, and how do we understand what’s happening to us without typing out your symptoms to Google or ChatGPT?

Well, anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting millions of people worldwide. Anxiety disorders are characterised by excessive fear, nervousness, and apprehension, which can lead to physical and emotional distress. Unlike normal stress, which may be situational and temporary, anxiety disorders persist over time and can become debilitating. In order to fully understand whether you have an anxiety disorder, it is extremely important to seek professional help through a psychologist and a psychiatrist.

Is it the same for everyone?

Anxiety disorders are of various types, and some of them are generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, etc.

Anxiety disorders, as mentioned before, can show a wide range of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms. These symptoms can vary depending on the specific type of anxiety disorder, but often include physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat or palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness or lightheadedness, sweating and trembling, and gastrointestinal issues where you might experience nausea, diarrhoea, or stomachaches, as well as insomnia or difficulty sleeping. If any of these symptoms persist for a long time, it is best to consult a psychologist or ask for professional help. 

Anxiety disorders can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, apart from interference in their daily activities. Chronic anxiety may also contribute to physical health problems, such as high blood pressure, digestive issues, and weakened immune function. Additionally, individuals with untreated anxiety disorders are often at a higher risk of developing depression and substance abuse disorders as well.

The brave art of seeking help

Telling someone that you need help when required is one of the bravest things an individual can do, and there are a variety of ways in which you can help yourself through professional aid when it comes to anxiety disorders. 

– Therapy is one of the most widely used methods to cope with anxiety disorders, as it helps individuals to identify and challenge negative thought patterns through various techniques. There are different kinds of therapy, like cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, etc. 

– Medications can often help manage anxiety symptoms, along with therapy. A psychiatrist will be able to help you out with understanding whether you need medication and dosage. 

– Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise to release endorphins and improve mood, eating a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, meditation and relaxation techniques, adequate sleep to improve overall mental health, and avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drugs that can trigger anxiety. These can help in managing your mental health better, especially while seeking help. 

With the introduction of technology in the education sector and several debates about banning smartphones in schools in the country, we need to understand the good and the bad side of the internet. While the world is literally at your fingertips, the same is true vice versa; your data is also at the world’s fingertips. Thus pointing out how important it is to look into privacy and safe browsing while surfing the internet. The other side of the internet is the abundance of opportunities to learn and develop various skills. Diving into the internet to learn something can be often overwhelming, and despite many useful platforms being there right in front of us, it is easy to get lost. So, here are a few free platforms from which you can access

Swayam Prabha

SWAYAM Prabha is an initiative of the Ministry of Education to provide 80 high-quality educational channels through DTH throughout the country on a 24×7 basis. It covers all the major subjects and ensures new content is out there regularly.

National Digital Library of India

The National Digital Library of India (NDLI) functions as an online repository of educational resources, including textbooks, articles, videos, audiobooks, lectures, simulations, fiction, and other instructional materials for the academic community. This initiative is managed by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, through its National Mission on Education via Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT). The platform is developed, operated, and maintained by the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.

eGyanKosh

eGyanKosh is a national digital archive to store, index, preserve, distribute and share the digital learning resources developed by the open and distance learning institutions in the country, maintained and run by IGNOU.

SWAYAM

SWAYAM is a free, open online platform provided by the Indian government that offers educational courses for university and college learners. The SWAYAM initiative was launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) (now Ministry of Education), Government of India, in 2017 under ‘Digital India’, covering all advanced education, high school, and skill sector courses.

freeCodeCamp

freeCodeCamp (also referred to as Free Code Camp) is a non-profit educational organisation that consists of an interactive learning web platform, an online community forum, online publications and local organisations that intend to make learning software development and computer programming accessible to anyone, beginning with tutorials that introduce students to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, C#, etc.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is an American non-profit educational organisation created in 2006 to create a set of online tools that help educate students. The organisation produces short video lessons as well as supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators. It has produced over 10,000 video lessons teaching a wide spectrum of academic subjects, including mathematics, sciences, literature, history, and computer science, that are available for free.

ePathshala: NCERT

ePathshala is a portal or app initiated jointly by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, CIET, and NCERT and launched in 2015. It hosts educational resources for teachers, students, parents, researchers and educators in English, Hindi and Urdu. The platform offers a slew of educational resources, including NCERT textbooks for classes 1–12, audio-visual resources by NCERT, periodicals, supplements, teacher training modules and a variety of other print and non-print materials. These materials can be downloaded by the user for offline use with no limits on downloads.

DIKSHA

DIKSHA, or Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing, is a national platform for school education, an initiative of the NCERT, under the aegis of the Ministry of Education. DIKSHA can be accessed by learners and teachers across the country and currently supports 36 Indian languages. DIKSHA policies and tools make it possible for the education ecosystem to participate, contribute and leverage a common platform to achieve learning goals at scale for the country. Under the PM eVidya initiative, which was declared as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat, DIKSHA has been declared as ‘One Nation, One Digital Platform’.

A few platforms you can check for materials are resources for higher studies, including e-PG Pathshala, ShodhGanga, which is a reservoir of Indian theses from the INFLIBNET, the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), and TestHQ: aptitude tests.