Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 69
March 4, 2020
Time for A Change ~ Tough Times Call For Tough Choices
Jane Goodall says,
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”
In the wake of the wide-spreading and deathly corona virus, and other dire news about loss of human life and environmental imbalance that we come across everyday, it seems (to me at least) that the time has come to pause and think about every action and conscious choice that we make.
The biggest decision here is about the resources and kind of living conditions we and the coming generation will have to live in. The rising temperatures, the lack of supply of proper resources, and the level of hazardous gases we’re inhaling in everyday, are enough warning signals that the coming years are going to be tough on all.
Hence, is it a good decision to leave behind the coming generation in a world where surviving would be a struggle? I think that’s something we all need to think about before bringing a child into this world.
Along these line of thoughts, I shared my views in a recent article published in Midday.
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I believe that rather than bringing a new life into a slowly deteriorating world, why not make the life of someone who is already out there, a better one?
What are your thoughts on the same? Would you like to leave behind your offspring in a world where breathing and surviving would be a struggle?
This and much more are highlighted in last Sunday’s article in Midday where a lot of couples (including one of my favorite actors, Atul Kulkarni) have voiced their concerns about this issue. You can go through the full article through link below:
Sunday Midday, 1st March 2020
I would like to thank Jane Borges for writing on such a burning topic which needs to be addressed and spread around. Here’s hoping it makes a difference, even if just a small one.
I have been a crusader of spreading awareness about environmental imbalance through my writings since long.
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In fact a few of the microtales from my recently published book The Untold Stories also circle around this issue. Here is a glimpse at one of them.
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For more of such microtales around contemporary issues, you can find the buying details of my book The Untold stories, through the below link:
The Untold Stories
March 2, 2020
When You Have A Passion To Express Through Your Creativity ~ The Founder and Creative Director of A Home Decor Brand Shares Her Story
Alexandra Chong says to creative women entrepreneurs,
“Build something you’re passionate about. As an entrepreneur, you have to have the passion and drive to stay the course.”
In our #MondayMotivation blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment, we present someone whose passion for design made her a successful creative entrepreneur today. Meet, Pooja Johry, who is the Founder & Creative Director of Inside Out Innovative Designs, which is a home décor brand. Besides a strong online presence, Pooja’s venture (and brand) even has a flagship store at the posh locality of Pali Naka, Bandra West, in the city known for its creative appreciation, Mumbai. How did Pooja start with this venture and what gives her the motivation to keep it going and growing? Let’s find out in her own words.
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“ What got me into this is my passion to create and express through my designs. A strong belief that our environment and what we see around us, impacts our inner world led me to pursue a professional journey which reflected on this principle.
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The struggle was making a professional mark alongside figuring out the personal life dos and don’ts in the ‘city of dreams’. I hail from Delhi so understanding the nuances of Mumbai’s urban market and its customers took time and understanding. Also, setting up my own brand single-handedly with no prior experience or formal education in the same proved to be a challenge.
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In the same year that I started my brand (2016), the government called for demonetization and the following year GST was introduced.
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These required several adjustments in an unstable economy, right from pricing of the products to the expenses involved in every small to big tasks like buying of raw materials and promotional activities.
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Through it all, I have learnt and grown; and as I’m a little experienced now, currently I am looking for like- minded people to partner with to give my business a boost. The turning point was making a strong offline presence besides just our online platforms. In 2017, a year after starting my brand, I opened my first brick and mortar store in the heart of Mumbai, Bandra West.
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Since this was a new brand, the store helped people get introduced to the innovative products as well as the concept and vibe of the brand. Since we sell unique personalized products and even customize products based on individual customer’s requirements, the store helped in introducing that offering to people.
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At Inside Out Innovative Designs, we offer a vast array of quirky products like wall art, badges, coasters, fridge magnets, bag tags, passport covers, mugs and stationery like magnetic bookmarks, greeting cards, journals and notepads.
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We also specialise in hand crafted home décor products like dream catchers, vibrant key chains, fragrant potpourri and hand poured candles in your favourite fragrances and for all your moods.
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My creative passion is my biggest motivation. I follow my heart and believe in elevating the vibe of a place through quirky, heartfelt and personalized designs. Customer response and feedback on our products as well as their stories of how imminent our products become in their lives fuels the drive to grow.
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It has been a great journey of self-growth as well as growth of the business/brand so far. It’s been 2.5 years since I opened my first store and the response to all the product lines has been great. We are attracting more and more new customers each day and the customer recall rate is also good. In the next few months, I plan on creating more brand awareness and generating more sales through online, corporate and offline sources. Also, I look forward to growing from a one- woman army to partnering with like- minded people to give my business a boost.
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My learning has been that one needs to
“Keep working even when the task looks impossible to achieve and to look at the larger picture when the turmoil of the day looks big.”
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And that,
“Each little thing matters, every single day matters.”
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But for it all to happen, what matters the most is,
“To believe; with all your heart that sooner or later, you’ll crack it.”
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To drop in a message to Pooja, have a look at the wide variety of innovative and quirky products she designs and sells through her brand, and to inquire or buy one or more of her products, follow the links below:
Inside Out Innovative Designs website
Inside Out Innovative Designs Instagram page
Inside Out Innovative Designs Facebook page
Inside Out Innovative Designs products on Scootsy
Inside Out Innovative Designs products on Engrave.in
Inside Out Innovative Designs products on Prop Shop 24
If in Mumbai, do drop into their cutesy store to check out the products on display (we guarantee you’ll end up buying at least a couple) at the below address:
Shop No.1, Dunhill Dome, St. John Road, Pali Naka,, Bandra (W), Mumbai- 400050, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050
Working hours: 1pm-8pm (except Sundays)
Phone number: +91- 9999279794
Inside Out Innovative Designs has been featured on LBB, Mumbai and Things 2 Do in Mumbai, too. You can go through their features at the below links:
Inside Out Innovative Designs shop featured on Things 2 Do in Mumbai
Dream Catchers & Fridge Magnets of Inside Out featured on LBB
Quirky Stationery of Inside Out featured on LBB
Dream Catchers of Inside Out featured on LBB
Video tour of Inside Out Flagship store on LBB
Scented candles & potpourri of Inside Out featured on LBB
The must haves of Inside Out featured on LBB
February 28, 2020
When You Are Determined to Make a Profession Out of Something You Love ~ A Designer & Manufacturer of Lifestyle Products Shares Her Story
Wayne Dyer said,
“There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.”
In our #FridayFeature blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment, we’re proud to present a woman whose resolve to chart a professional journey in something she liked doing, made her a successful entrepreneur today. Meet, Aachal Jaju, who is the co-founder and now sole proprietor of Six Folds. Through this venture, she dons the profession of a Designer & Manufacturer of Lifestyle Products like Dining accessories, Trays, Boxes, Leather Organisers, much more. So, how did she find her calling in this profession and what motivated her to start this venture? Let’s find out in her own words.
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“The strong desire to start something of my own and explore more further towards my creative likings got me into this field and towards the path of starting Six Folds. I’m a strong believer of the saying, “Choose a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”, so I knew that a 9-5 professional life was never my calling.
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The struggle was to start out in a field completely new and unknown to me. Being from a management background, I had zilch knowledge regarding the working in this fields. But, I taught myself the small and big tasks, right from learning new softwares to understanding the manufacturing process; and made myself capable of churning out the best quality and economical products. All this, of course was made easier because of the support and creative inputs of my partner Zarna as well. Six Folds was founded by two individuals, Zarna & Aachal and things went on very smoothly as we had divided the tasks and responsibilities equally amongst ourselves. Our creative ideas and thoughts were so similar that working with her was super easy and fun.
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The turning point came when Six Folds became my sole responsibility. D ue to personal reasons, Zarna had to leave the country after the initial 1.5 years and that was a difficult phase when handling all the shared responsibilities became two-fold for me.
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My biggest motivation is overcoming the challenges that come my way. The urge and challenge of being able to understand how products and ranges in my field are manufactured and to have the sheer knowledge about the whole process even if they aren’t currently in my product range, are what keep me going. I always ask myself, “What next?” and that motivates me to move on and keep learning as well as growing.
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The journey so far has been of growth and upward curve. It’s been great with something new to learn every day. Every year we have been able to add something new to the Six Folds kitty of products. We started with
1st year-paper gifting
2nd year- Dining Accessories (acrylic based)
3rd year- Boxes & trays (acrylic & Mdf based)
4th Year- Graphic Design & working with prints
5th Year- Leather Products
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Today, we are exactly five years down and the future plan is to grow vertically as well as horizontally. We also aim to deal more with bulk orders and supply to many more stores all over the world.
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I would like to take this opportunity to extend a special token of thanks and gratitude to my friends & family. Their help has been immense; right from helping my confused mind with which design is better, to providing me mental and emotional support during my low phases. My family has given my work equal priority and importance like other businesses at home, which in an Indian setting, is a huge thing.
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My biggest learning has been that
Any business you do, you have to give it your 100%.
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And that,
Failures are bound to happen, but rather than a setback, they in fact help you succeed better.
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To drop in a message to Aachal, check out her wonderful products on Six Folds, inquire about them or to buy one or more of their products, follow the links below:
Instagram Personal handle
Six Folds has been featured numerous times on other platforms as well. You can check out these features through the links below:
Jewellery box of Six Folds feature
Bridesmaid box of Six Folds feature
Write up about Six Folds along with bridesmaid box feature
February 26, 2020
Author Interview with Ibtesam Rahman
Orson Scott says,
“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.”
Maybe it’s these observations skills of mine that made me who I am today. Right from childhood, I have been more of a listener than a talker and hence my opinions have always been strong. These were fine tuned because of my love for language and reading.
Yes, it took lot of working towards the goal of becoming a writer, and it wasn’t an easy accomplishment, but I finally did manage it! From 2011, I have been into content writing and from 2018 to today, I have now become a published author (of four books) as well.
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This title and achievement comes with its own share of responsibilities and limelight. So far, I believe I have been able to pass on my baton of wisdom about reading and writing through various events and interviews too.
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In this blog, I’ll be sharing another one of the interviews I did with an enthusiastic reader and writer, Ibtesam Rahman. I came in touch with her after the release of my first book A Rustic Mind when I approached her to read and share her thoughts on it. She’s a warm-hearted and lovely girl who is easy to talk to. Hence, when my second book, The Untold Stories came out, she was one of the first reviewers I approached. Here’s a glimpse at her reviews on both my books (A Rustic Mind & The Untold Stories)
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Post reviewing both these books, she asked me if I would be open to doing an author interview with her and I immediately said yes without a second thought. Here are glimpses of the conversation I had with her.
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You can read the full interview on Ibtesam’s Instagram profile
You can go through her review on A Rustic Mind here
You can go through her review on The Untold Stories here
February 25, 2020
An Hour of Teaching & Learning
Last Thursday, I was invited at my Alma Mater Lourdes Convent High School, Surat, for conducting a reading and creative writing session with their students.
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The school has a Literary Club, which engages in book discussions and other bookish activities. I conducted my session with the 40 (active and enthusiastic) girls of this club. Since they already love books and reading, it was easy for me to connect with them about my books.
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I did a small reading activity with the girls, where in they picked up chits of microtale titles (from my book The Untold Stories), enacted the title for the other girls to guess and then read out that microtale from my book. It was an engaging session as the girls tried their hands at enacting and then reading, while the other girls guessed the names of the various titles.
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I also did a creative writing session, where they had to pick up chits with writing prompts for microtales. This was an inspiring session for me as well, because the girls are so talented that some of them ended up writing microtales even better than me.
For both the activities, 3 winners were declared and were given handmade bookmarks (from Bookish Troupe) as a prize.
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It was truly a ‘life coming full circle’ experience to be able to teach at an institute which taught me to read and write. I am grateful to the admin and teaching staff for giving me this chance and am also thankful to the girls of the Literary Club for their enthusiastic participation.
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Here are the buying details of my books:
A Rustic Mind
The Untold Stories
Ten Tales
Zista
February 24, 2020
When You Realize That You Need to Enjoy Work to Have a Wholesome Life ~ An Engineer Turned Writer Shares Her Journey
Maya Angelou said,
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
In our today’s #MondayMotivation blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment, we bring to you a woman who left behind a corporate job to pursue a career in something she loved doing more in comparison to a desk job. Meet, published author, as well as a Fiction and Travel writer, Salini Vineeth. She has three published books under her name already, and she writes tech columns for startups. So, what made her quit her engineering job and turn to full-time writing? And, from where does she draw the motivation to continue her writing passion? Let’s find out in her own words.
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“I’m a f iction and travel writer. I also write tech columns for startups. I used to be an engineer by profession, however, I quit my job in 2018, after 10 years of being in the electronics industry. I am a keen traveler. From 2014, I have covered most of the archaeological destinations in India. I love ancient art and archaeology.
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There was no sudden transition that got me into this field as I used to write from childhood. However, I didn’t think of making it into a full-time career. I rekindled my passion for writing through my travel blog pickpackgo.in where I write about archaeological destinations in India. Once this gained popularity and I began posting here regularly, then I started writing fiction as well.
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There were no struggles as such, it was just the fact that I lost touch with my writing passion. Writing was with me as early as I could remember. As a child I used to read a lot. Somewhere on the way of my engineering career, I had lost my passion.
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Even though I had a good job and cheerful office, I felt like something was missing. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I couldn’t muster the courage to let go off a highly paying job. I was in a great dilemma for many years.
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It was a struggle to overcome those insecurities about money and take the biggest decision of my life. Another hurdle was my language. I had studied in Malayalam medium till my 12th grade and my language skills weren’t up to the mark. From 2014, I wrote every single day until I published my first book in 2018. Those four years of practicing and correcting myself was a difficult phase.
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The turning point was w hen I published my first book in 2017 – a travel guide for Hampi. Post this, I got the confidence that I could become a writer. This happened was after the birth of my daughter Tara.
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During my pregnancy, I had gone through a tough time which made me realize that life’s too short to do things that didn’t matter to me. So a year after the birth of Tara, I quit my job in the electronics industry and turned a full-time writer.
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As to my motivation, I have ample people around me who push me to give my best. I have a very supportive family to start with. My mother is my biggest motivator. She is incredibly interested in my journey as a writer and she is my biggest fan. My sister is also into creative field – a painter. Even though not a great fan of fiction, my husband stands firm by my side. I am an alumni of BITS Pilani, we have a strong alumni network. Most of my content writing gigs have come from the start-ups founded by my alumni.
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Being a part of such a supportive ecosystem motivates me to pursue this career. I am a big fan of the ‘connecting the dots’ speech by Steve Jobs. I always remember his words “Don’t Settle, Keep Looking”
The journey so far has been of learning and growing. I have published three books through Amazon Kindle Direct Publish. Hampi – History and Architecture, Magic Square – A novella, and Everyday People – A short story collection. My first vote of confidence came from the eShe magazine, where I won an all-India competition for flash fiction.
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Later, my book Everyday People became one of the five finalists in Amazon PentoPublish 2019 contest and that was a huge milestone. Many of my stories have been published in anthologies.
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I am in the last round of editing my full-length debut novel. It’s a novel about the urban dilemmas of my generation and the challenges we face – like depression, peer pressure, and toxic lifestyle. I am hoping to finish it this year. I am looking forward to finding a publisher for my new work. I also plan to write a series of archaeology-travel books to honor the ancient sculptors of India.
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My biggest learning has been to let go of my inhibitions. I was really scared when I quit my job in 2018 December. I was worried that when the money would stop flowing into my account, I will feel vulnerable. To be honest, I was too proud to rely on my family, financially.
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However, after being a writer I have learned that money is only a small part of our life. After becoming a writer, I learned that
“Work is the most important aspect of life. One needs to enjoy the work to have a wholesome life. I learned how much joy work can bring.”
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To drop in a message to Salini, have a look at her many features and go through the raving reviews on her books, or to buy one or all of her books follow the links below:
Social media links:
Website
Instagram page
Facebook page
Book buying links:
Amazon link to Magic Square
Amazon link to Hampi Travel Guide
Amazon link to Everyday People
Awards and Accomplishments:
Link to eShe competition result where Salini won an all-India competition for flash fiction.
Link to PentoPublish competition result where Salini’s book Everyday People became one of the five finalists in Amazon PentoPublish 2019 contest
Link to Salini’s author interview on Querty Thoughts.
Book reviews:
Mompresso review feature on Salini’s book Everyday People
When You Realize That You Need to Enjoy Work to Have a Wholesome Life ~ A Engineer Turned Writer Shares Her Journey
Maya Angelou said,
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
In our today’s #MondayMotivation blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment, we bring to you a woman who left behind a corporate job to pursue a career in something she loved doing more in comparison to a desk job. Meet, published author, as well as a Fiction and Travel writer, Salini Vineeth. She has three published books under her name already, and she writes tech columns for startups. So, what made her quit her engineering job and turn to full-time writing? And, from where does she draw the motivation to continue her writing passion? Let’s find out in her own words.
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“I’m a f iction and travel writer. I also write tech columns for startups. I used to be an engineer by profession, however, I quit my job in 2018, after 10 years of being in the electronics industry. I am a keen traveler. From 2014, I have covered most of the archaeological destinations in India. I love ancient art and archaeology.
[image error]
There was no sudden transition that got me into this field as I used to write from childhood. However, I didn’t think of making it into a full-time career. I rekindled my passion for writing through my travel blog pickpackgo.in where I write about archaeological destinations in India. Once this gained popularity and I began posting here regularly, then I started writing fiction as well.
[image error]
There were no struggles as such, it was just the fact that I lost touch with my writing passion. Writing was with me as early as I could remember. As a child I used to read a lot. Somewhere on the way of my engineering career, I had lost my passion.
[image error]
Even though I had a good job and cheerful office, I felt like something was missing. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I couldn’t muster the courage to let go off a highly paying job. I was in a great dilemma for many years.
[image error]
It was a struggle to overcome those insecurities about money and take the biggest decision of my life. Another hurdle was my language. I had studied in Malayalam medium till my 12th grade and my language skills weren’t up to the mark. From 2014, I wrote every single day until I published my first book in 2018. Those four years of practicing and correcting myself was a difficult phase.
[image error]
The turning point was w hen I published my first book in 2017 – a travel guide for Hampi. Post this, I got the confidence that I could become a writer. This happened was after the birth of my daughter Tara.
[image error]
During my pregnancy, I had gone through a tough time which made me realize that life’s too short to do things that didn’t matter to me. So a year after the birth of Tara, I quit my job in the electronics industry and turned a full-time writer.
[image error]
As to my motivation, I have ample people around me who push me to give my best. I have a very supportive family to start with. My mother is my biggest motivator. She is incredibly interested in my journey as a writer and she is my biggest fan. My sister is also into creative field – a painter. Even though not a great fan of fiction, my husband stands firm by my side. I am an alumni of BITS Pilani, we have a strong alumni network. Most of my content writing gigs have come from the start-ups founded by my alumni.
[image error]
Being a part of such a supportive ecosystem motivates me to pursue this career. I am a big fan of the ‘connecting the dots’ speech by Steve Jobs. I always remember his words “Don’t Settle, Keep Looking”
The journey so far has been of learning and growing. I have published three books through Amazon Kindle Direct Publish. Hampi – History and Architecture, Magic Square – A novella, and Everyday People – A short story collection. My first vote of confidence came from the eShe magazine, where I won an all-India competition for flash fiction.
[image error]
Later, my book Everyday People became one of the five finalists in Amazon PentoPublish 2019 contest and that was a huge milestone. Many of my stories have been published in anthologies.
[image error]
I am in the last round of editing my full-length debut novel. It’s a novel about the urban dilemmas of my generation and the challenges we face – like depression, peer pressure, and toxic lifestyle. I am hoping to finish it this year. I am looking forward to finding a publisher for my new work. I also plan to write a series of archaeology-travel books to honor the ancient sculptors of India.
[image error]
My biggest learning has been to let go of my inhibitions. I was really scared when I quit my job in 2018 December. I was worried that when the money would stop flowing into my account, I will feel vulnerable. To be honest, I was too proud to rely on my family, financially.
[image error]
However, after being a writer I have learned that money is only a small part of our life. After becoming a writer, I learned that
“Work is the most important aspect of life. One needs to enjoy the work to have a wholesome life. I learned how much joy work can bring.”
[image error]
****
To drop in a message to Salini, have a look at her many features and go through the raving reviews on her books, or to buy one or all of her books follow the links below:
Social media links:
Website
Instagram page
Facebook page
Book buying links:
Amazon link to Magic Square
Amazon link to Hampi Travel Guide
Amazon link to Everyday People
Awards and Accomplishments:
Link to eShe competition result where Salini won an all-India competition for flash fiction.
Link to PentoPublish competition result where Salini’s book Everyday People became one of the five finalists in Amazon PentoPublish 2019 contest
Link to Salini’s author interview on Querty Thoughts.
Book reviews:
Mompresso review feature on Salini’s book Everyday People
February 23, 2020
Three Thousand Stitches ~ Heartwarming & Life Teaching Stories
“You may be rich enough to buy comfort and luxuries, but the same money doesn’t define class or give you the ability to purchase it”
These wise words are one of the many pearls of wisdom which were imparted to me through my recent read Three Thousand Stitches by Sudha Murthy. As someone who never reads non-fiction books, the fact that I loved reading this one comes as a surprise to me too and is a clear indication of Sudha Murthy’s amazing writing skills. She has managed to capture simple incidents which taught her something in a manner which end up teaching the readers of the book important life lessons too.
The book is a collection of stories about Mrs. Murthy’s experiences and the people she meets as part of her job as chairperson of the Infosys Foundation.Each story has a lesson in it and my favorite was the one which described her work with the devadasis of the Renuka temple in Karnataka.
The highlight of these inspiring stories is the straight-from-the-heart storytelling style of Sudha Murty. There’s no attempt at weaving together complex and pretentious sentences. It’s plain and pure, simple and effective storytelling, which is so refreshing and makes you want to keep reading.
While some stories are inspiring, there are some are which are entertaining and others which impart you important knowledge and wisdom.
What I liked about the book?
Easy language and smooth narration
The Bollywood factor and feeling of pride that Indians are recognized worldwide because of our entertainment industry
How life comes full circle to people who do good unto others without expecting anything in return
The story about Kashi and how Sudha Murthy gave up the one thing which was dear to her, which has now become the defining factor of her personality
What I didn’t like about the book?
Nothing, maybe just the fact that it wasn’t lengthier
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This one’s a truly inspiring and motivating read, highly recommended for readers of all ages.
February 21, 2020
When Making Everything Around You Beautiful is Your Driving Factor ~ A Software Engineer Cum Artisan of Handmade Items Shares Her Journey
John Wilson said,
“In a world where news of inhumanity bombards our sensibilities, where grasping for things goes so far beyond our needs, where time is squandered in busyness, it is a pleasure and a privilege to pause for a look at handiwork, to see beauty amidst utility, and to know that craft traditions begun so long ago serve us today.”
In our #FridayFeature blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment, we present a woman who believes in making everything around her beautiful through her creativity and artistic skills. Meet, Barkha Gagan, who is a Software Engineer by qualification as well as profession, but is also an Artisan of Handmade Items. She does a day job as a software engineer and alongside that also runs a venture by the name SassryArtStore where one can find ample variety of handmade stuff right from candles and other home décor items, to dessert items like cookies and chocolates. How does she juggle between two such varied professions and from where does she draw the motivation to do them? Let’s find out in her own words.[image error]
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“ As a child, my parents always encouraged me to attend creative workshops and classes which made me grow a strong interest in creating artwork that added so much to our home spaces. It also made me develop a knack of handmade gifting which kept growing as I grew older. The challenge in India is mainly about creating an awareness and appreciation about handmade products.
[image error]Here, handmade gifts are not as popular as other forms. Taking my artwork to a larger audience is one of the struggles I face even today. The other major concern is managing time, I have a day job and getting time for my artwork gets difficult sometimes. Initially, my artwork was limited to a tiny circle of mostly friends and families, I never thought of spreading it further. But the kind of love and appreciation I used to get made me realize that it would be worth taking the effort to grow my audience.
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So, I took the help of Social Media to spread my work beyond my existing clientele and when I got my first invitation to set up a tiny little shop in my office space, it really gave me the confidence I needed and it also changed my perspective of how people truly love handmade products. The creative circle I have formed around me continuously motivates me to experiment with new products and learn new techniques.The bigger motivation is the love I receive from clients who order my products. The uniqueness of a handmade product brings very satisfying and positive feedback and smiles on faces which really motivates me to keep going. I was in school when I made my first candle, my first home decor golden leaf centrepiece tree and my first handmade card. From there till now, it has been a journey of self-growth and innovation.
[image error]Ever since then, I have grown in my techniques and variety of products. The major milestone for me, personally, has been the two major exhibitions of my hand made candles I have had during Diwali 2019. These exhibitions helped me deliver more than 200 candles to homes near and far. The future plan? Well, I have always envisioned creating more beautiful products all my life.
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So, SassyArtStore is like my breathing space which helps me live my dream every single day. I deeply desire to have my own fully functioning website to have all of my artwork available to the world. In today’s age and era, gifting someone is a special and kind event. On top of that, if that gift is handmade and is able to express the gifters’ expressions, it adds so much more love and fondness.
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Running SassArtStore for a couple of years now, I have learned that nothing can beat a special, expressive handmade gift. The love it carries, the affection it borrows – is truly out of the world.
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This love and affection drive me every day to try to make my work better and every product I make helps me learn more about my techniques, audiences, and process of heartfelt gifting.
“I would like to encourage every individual to try to achieve their dreams big or small and always try and take those small and big steps that can take them further. Trust your instincts and give your best. “
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To drop in a message to Barkha, to have a look at her varied handmade items, and to inquire or buy one or more of her amazing handmade gifts, follow the links below:
February 20, 2020
The Day I Looked Best ~ Throwback to the Most Special Day of My Life
Elizabeth Gilbert says,
“The fantasy of the wedding day is that it represents undeniable public and private truth that you have been chosen. For that one day, you are the most valuable creature in the world; a treasure, a princess, a prize.”
On 21st February, 2017, I felt like the most special and beautiful person on this planet. The reason? It was my wedding day. It’s been three years since that day, but I still feel (and know for a fact) that it was the day I looked my best.
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Of course, one of the reasons for feeling this way is that is that I also felt happy from within and smiled as well as laughed from my heart that day. After all, I’d found the person I’d be spending my life with and we were taking our wedding vows in front of the people we loved, so what was not be happy about?
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Though I strongly believe that ‘Beauty is skin deep’ and that one cannot be defined as ‘beautiful’ just by the way they look, I do believe that a bride needs to look her best on the day when she takes her wedding vows. And, we all know that just happiness and that inner glow isn’t enough to complete that bridal look, right? So how did I look so pretty that it made everyone’s heads turns and eyes glued to my face?
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Have a look yourself at some of my best pics from that day. Aren’t you in awe of my bridal look too? Would you too like to look this drop-dead-gorgeous and head-turningly beautiful on your D-Day?
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Then I’d recommend the bridal package and services provided by Rahul’s Salon, Surat. They’re thoroughly professional and I did not need to waste a single ounce of my energy in either following-up or in any suggestions as to how I wanted to look on my D-day. Despite that, just look at the results!
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The best part about their service was the quickness with which they got me ready. I reached their salon at 3:30 pm (after the Haldi ceremony and Grah Shanti pooja on the morning of my wedding day) and they had me ready in just an hour. I was back at the wedding venue by 5 pm, with ample time for my bridal photo shoot and before the Baarat came in.
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Also, they have an amazing studio type ambiance at their own salon (which I now regret not having taken advantage of). So, you can have an amazing bridal photoshoot in their salon itself!! I did manage to take one photo of myself and it still remains one of my top favorites from that day. Just look at royal looking sofa and table, which would be perfect props for a royal bridal photoshoot.
Rahul sir ( the founder of the salon) tries his best to make you comfortable, engaging you in easy chit chat, and making sure your pre-wedding jitters are taken care of. Till today, that day has been etched in my memory as a special one, and it will stay that way for a long time to come. And, one of the major reasons behind this is the quality of service provided by Rahul’s Salon, Surat.
I sign off reminiscing that day as we celebrate our third wedding anniversary. As Richard Needham says, “You don’t marry one person you marry three, the person you think they are, the person they are, and the person they are going to become as the result of being married to you.” and so our marriage continues to be strong because we both, despite turning out to be different than what we expected, have become better versions of ourselves as a result of finding and being married to each other.
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To inquire about their bridal packages, and other services via social media, follow the links below:
You can drop in and inquire personally at their salon too (address below)
Shop No 12 – 15, Anmol Complex Sargam Shopping Center, Parle Point, Surat, Gujarat 395007 (Working hours: 10 am to 7:30 pm)
Police Station, G-14 Titaanium Complex, Althan – Sarsana Rd, opp. Bhimrad, Surat, Gujarat 395007 (Working hours: 10:30 am to 7:30 pm)
If it’s not possible for you to visit personally, you can call and inquire too (number below)
(+91) – 9825306772
