OptraSCAN completes mass validation of futuristic Digital solution to fight Cancer!

• Conceptualized by bio-medical engineer and technocrat Abhi Gholap
• Will replace optical microscopes and usher in era of objectivity in Cancer diagnosis & research
• Digital Pathology platform to be made accessible to all through affordable business model

Pune, Jan 31st: The war against Cancer just got a worthy and powerful ally in OptraSCAN’s end-to-end Digital Pathology platform and solutions that seeks to bring in greater objectivity and precision in both cancer diagnosis and research.

The path-breaking solution has successfully completed the mass validation of its whole slide digital scanner with the continued support of the Government of India’s Biotechnology Industrial Partnership Programme (BIPP) and is in keeping with the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Make in India’ initiatives.

The Digital Pathology platform is the brainchild of Pune’s very own bio- medical engineer and reputed technocrat-entrepreneur, also the founder and chairman of Optra Group of Companies  Abhi Gholap, who has bagged 17 intellectual rights patents. The maker’s mission is to make digital pathology easily accessible through an affordable and socially responsible business model for the benefit of masses.

Speaking on the occasion, Gholap said: “India has long been recognized as IT-Services country, though recently, Infosys founder Mr. Narayana Murthy had expressed disappointment over the fact that India had not produced any earth-shaking invention to delight global citizens for the last few years. Hopefully, OptraScan’s latest work should fill the lacunae. In fact, we are poised to do away with the 150 year old Optical Microscopes and bring in much-needed objectivity in pathological diagnosis and research. By removing subjectivity in microscopy and replacing it with digital pathology, we hope to make cancer diagnosis more precise. Soon multinational companies will license technology from us and this will great benefit people on a mass scale.”

He further added: “Confined earlier to only research applications, OptraSCAN now offers a perfect tool for transition from conventional microscopy to digital pathology for the effective acquisition of Whole Slide Images, viewing, sharing as well as analysis and management of digital slides and associated metadata.”

“It was indeed a great experience to work on the validation project for OptraScan, digital pathology platform. Its small footprint makes it useful for even small sized laboratories. The image comparison with the light microscopy images is satisfactory and bigger advantage is facility to do Image analysis in the same setting. Entire technical team was very enthusiastic and proactive for whatever software or hardware refinements needed during the validation process.

I wish all the best to the entire team and I am sure this platform should make transition from conventional to digital pathology very smooth for all the users.’ Said Dr. Sujit Joshi, Consulting Oncopathologist- Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital & OncoSight Diagnostics

“I have seen OptraSCAN product in action & also have validated whole slide scanner. The results are very encouraging and I am very impressed with the technology & affordability which will surely be very beneficial for easy adaption to our digital pathology needs.” Dr.Bageshri Gogate- Prof and Head, Dept of Pathology, Incharge, Central Clinical Laboratory, Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College, Pune

OptraSCAN solution will enable easy and quick transformation from conventional microscopy to digital pathology through digitization of glass slides, assistance in analysis and interpretation of images, real-time sharing of images for expert opinions there by aiding early detection and treatment.

The need for innovative and cutting edge technology to fight Cancer comes on the backdrop of a grim reality–that it is one of India’s fast growing diseases. On an average, more than 1,300 Indians succumb to the dreaded disease every day. With new cancer cases or its incidence in India estimated to grow by 25% by 2020 (according to the cancer registry released by the Indian Council of Medical Research), cancer has become one of the major causes of death occurring in the country.

This scenario will require faster and accurate diagnosis for patient’s cases with reduced turnaround time.  The deployment of OptraSCAN’s Telepathology system would not only allow collaboration between pathologists but also enable quick accessibility in remote areas of the country for benefit of rural patients.

With  the successful completion of mass validation and positive response from leading Cancer Research and Treatment Centers, established big hospitals, diagnostics laboratories operating across India with hub & spoke model and leading academic and research institutes,  OptraSCAN is well positioned to jump start and commercialize its end –to-end digital pathology solutions which includes a small footprint, high and low throughput WSI scanner, an integrated image viewer and image management system, image analysis and CARDS ( computer aided region detection system).

​​​​Mini Lunch time Facelifts and China Doll Peels latest trends introduced at LeJeune Medspa, Hyderabad

Discover the trendiest treatments using cutting edge technology for 2018

As we head into the new year, the ever increasing demand for best cutting edge technology with lasers and machines has made us actively seek out, research and invest in some of the best equipment that promise to never let you look older than you are, and promise to make your skin look as radiant as ever. This quest for the best in skin treatments led us to 2 golden miracle treatments.

Dr. Shuba Dharmana, Dermatologist, Le Jeune Medspa says, “Ultherapy is the only FDA approved non surgical facelift that uses ultrasound energy to deliver heat deep in the skin to help stimulate collagen, the elixir that makes us look young and divine! It is non- surgical lunch timefacelift procedure that takes less than an hour with no downtime and within a few weeks you see the results of toned, sharper, sculpted looking self without having to go under the knife or facing the risks of surgery.”

LeJeune Medspa has been the first in south India to acquire this technology. Ultherapy can be used on the face around the jawline, double chin, brows, neck and chest to help lift and sculpt the face

“Alma Q Is a pigment laser that has many benefits on problematic skin with acne, open pores, pigmentation, melasma, spots and dull skin. Chinadoll peel with this machine involves using a black solution that is left on the face to dry following which the laser shots are given for the solution to form bonds with the skin and this is then blasted off with further shots. There is no downtime with this treatment and the radiance form the treatment can be seen immediately and its anti ageing and other benefits seen in a few weeks time. The laser is quite safe on Indian skin and is a welcome treatment for people that don’t want downtime yet need immediate radiance like celebrities, brides, as a pre event procedure etc” says Dr Shubha.

Jaquar Group celebrates the spirit of design by launching Design Confab

A first-of- its-kind initiative that promotes knowledge sharing in the field of design & architecture

Pune,23rd January 2017: Jaquar Group, India’s leading complete bathroom and lighting solutions company launches Design Confab, a unique platform that brings together leading architects, builders and architects to celebrate the spirit of design.

The topic for the first Jaquar Group Design Confab is ‘Best Practices for Smart, High-performance Indian Buildings’.In recognition of the excellence and effective best practices in this domain, Jaquar Group has invited some of the leading creative and structural minds of this industry, to share their thoughts, ideation process and vision.

The interactive session in Pune will begin with the key note address by Dikshu Kukreja, MD & Principal Architect, C P Kukreja Associates. Followed by a panel discussion with leading architects and designers from across India sharing their design philosophy such as Pratap Jadhav, Pratap Jadhav & Associates, Prashant Sutaria, Prashant Sutaria Architecture, Sanjay Patil, Environ Planners and Ketan Jawdekar, Studio K7. The session will be moderated by Kalhan Matoo of Planet3 Studios.

The highlight of the event will be a presentation on the Jaquar Group net zero building by architect Sudhir from GNA (Architects Gayathri Shetty & Namith Varma). Jaquar Group will also take this opportunity to announce the LEED Platinum Certified rating from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) received by the Jaquar Group headquarters. This is the highest level of green building certification awarded to a building. USGBC is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. It is a first of its kind, environment friendly office in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajesh Mehra, Promoter and Director, Jaquar Group said, “We are delighted to launch Design Confab in Pune, an initiative that is very close to our hearts. The idea was to create a first-of- its-kind knowledge forum for decision makers from the architectural and interior design fraternity to deliberate on best practices, emerging business opportunities and the changing dynamics of design in India. We will be taking Design Confab to multiple location across India within the next one year and globally as well.”

“With increasing pressure to lower operating costs, making existing structures more efficient is a default mandate and therefore we have chosen ‘Best Practices for Smart, High-performance Indian Buildings’ as our inaugural theme for Design Confab”, concluded Mr. Mehra.

The Group is present in over 40+ countries globally and has taken the concept of orientation centres to the next level by launching ‘Jaquar World’, a one-stop- shop for all bathroom needs in 15 locations including Singapore, Dubai, London, Italy among others. Jaquar World offers everything one could dream of in the bathroom space through two of its most respected global brands – the premium Jaquar and luxury Artize.

Research and development plays a key role in Jaquar Group’s design ethos. Functional innovation, practical designs and manufacturing excellence aimed towards indigenization is what makes Jaquar a leader. Our products are a perfect symphony of global designs, with manufacturing in view of tough Indian water conditions and roughed usage.

The product designs from Jaquar Group meet global parameters on ergonomics, finish, material, safety standards, environmental impact and functionality. Jaquar’s eco-friendly design ethos conserves water and the incredibly superior water-saving advantage can be experienced in the products like faucets, air-showers, sensor taps, efficient flushing systems etc. To add to this, Jaquar’s eco-friendly and pollution-free (zero wastage) manufacturing plants promote a conscious and responsible usage of water

Symbiosis Society presents a cultural feast as part of 'Sanskrutik Mahotsav'

Every January, Symbiosis Society organizes a cultural event 'Sanskrutik Mahotsav'. Now in its 24th year, this year’s event will be held from January 23, 2018 to January 25, 2018, at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum open arena, from 6.30 onwards daily. 

The Mahotsav will be inaugurated on January 23 rd at 6.30 pm at the hands of Union Minister Mr. Ramdas Athawale. The inauguration ceremony will be followed with ‘Sharmila Tagore Sangeet Rajni’ wherein Prof. Anupam Siddhartha will interview the actress. The evening will be a mix of music and drama from her hit films.

This year, Director and Producer Nivedita Basu, an alumnus of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication will be awarded the 'Symbiosis Sanskrutik Puraskar' for her contribution to the film industry, which will comprise of a memento and an award of a sum of Rs. 21,000. Renowned devotional singer Dr. Bharat Balvalli will also be felicitated for his noted contribution to the field of music.

On January 24 th , famous comedy play ‘Amhi and Amche Baap’ directed by Shri. Aditya Ingle and produced by Shri. Shripad Padmakar, will be presented. The play, which is performed by actors such as Shri. Atul Parchure, Shri. Ajit Parab, Shri. Pushkar Shrotri and Shri. Anand Ingle, is a compilation of the best works of humorist P. L. Deshpande and writer Acharya Atre.

On January 25 th , Shri Rahul Solapurkar and his team will present ‘100 Years of Bollywood’. The screening will be a mix of Bollywood songs, music, and dance that were beloved from the year 1913 to 2013. The writer of the programme is Dr. Ninad Thakre and it is directed by Shri Milind Oak.

Entry to the Sanskrutik Mahotsav is free to public and is open to all.

Japanese Firm Chaintope and Vizitech Solutions Launch a Blockchain R&D Center in Pune

Vizitech Solutions, a Fintech company based out of Pune, recently signed an agreement with Japanese blockchain start-up, Chaintope to set up a blockchain R&D center. This center, to be located in Pune, will conduct innovative blockchain research and will train developers in this revolutionary technology.

Chaintope will leverage this new center to further research and product development in areas such as Smart Contracts, a space where the company has already positioned itself as a market leader. For instance, Chaintope recently launched in Japan a blockchain application to facilitate real estate transactions by storing validated land ownership records, allowing faster land deals and reducing fraud-related losses.

Vizitech Solutions, a fast growing company in the Managed Services domain, will manage the R&D center in Pune. The company will hire and train high-quality blockchain developers and will help organizations in the U.S. and Japan with their research projects.

“This venture will combine Chaintope’s cutting-edge research with Vizitech’s market leading execution. It will be a great space for young and interested developers to explore this new life-changing technology and have access to opportunities both in India and abroad,” says Anandsagar Shiralkar, Founder and CEO of Vizitech. Vizitech’s team and Mr Hideki Shoda(Founder, Chaintope) visited multiple colleges back in October, including SICSR and PICT, the result of which was a number of promising hires. “We hope to create opportunities for many more candidates soon,” says Mr Shoda, whose vision for the R&D center is to become a digital playground for young blockchain developers and enthusiasts in India.

Vizitech had been exploring the blockchain space for over a year. Their team created Blockchain Meetup groups, taught over 10,000 students via online courses and formed an international blockchain community of experts, investors, entrepreneurs and developers, focused on creating a resource pool of quality blockchain developers and partners for projects in the U.S., Japan, Middle East and India.

Blockchain is a distributed ledger system that eliminates intermediaries and cannot be hacked. This technology, which was originally born as the supporting technology for the viral cryptocurrency ‘Bitcoin’ has expanded into many other industries with potential far reaching consequences in their respective domains.

Blockchain awareness is increasing in India with initiatives like the Bankchain consortium (which now has more than 27 banks) and the Fintech Valley in Vizag. Add to this, the scope for growth in the digital economy in India and the future of this new technology is boundless.

Host a dream wedding at Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan

The world-class luxury hotel launches Wedding Studio, a one of its kind conceptual studio that gives patrons an indulgent experience 

January 2018, Pune: Wedding Studio by Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan aims at giving a first-hand experience to couples who wish to havea dream wedding at the most preferred luxury hotel. Marriage is a very intimate and personal affair, lots of planning and prepping goes into making this once in a lifetime event of our life magnificent. The idea behind the Wedding Studio is to give couples exactly what they have envisioned their wedding to be.

 Right from the decor, to the theme, to the wedding concept, every smallest detail is showcased in the Wedding Studio. This helps customers to make a right choice while finalizing the concept of their big day. Expert wedding planners guide the couples and their families through the entire process giving them an exclusive experience of the actual set-up.  The Wedding Studio is meticulously designed with comfortable seating and serene atmosphere enabling couples and their families to choose the best and make the right decisions for the D-Day. Couples are welcome to share their own themes and concepts which will be metamorphosed into actual by the experienced team at Courtyard Pune Chakan. The brand also has unique offerings such as ‘Shaadi by Marriott’ and ‘Honeymoon by Marriott’ that provide a tailor-made option to the couples. For more details, kindly contact our Shaadi expert on +91 9923755348.

 Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan amplifies your celebration with spectacular amenities, opulent luxuries, legendary service and enchanting food. The hotel ensures the biggest day of your life goes beyond all your imaginations. Wedding Studio is the perfect start to an event which marks the happiest day of your life.

 Marriage is a manifestation of beautiful memories that are created at every step. Courtyard by Marriott Pune Chakan helps you create heavenly memories from the beginning of the most memorable journey of your life lifetime.

Troika 2018 to be held at Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC)

PUNE, JANUARY 2018: Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) is celebrating the eighth edition of its Annual Cultural Fest, TROIKA 2018 from January 15^th to January 17^th, 2018 at its campus in Deccan. The fiesta celebrates the joy of enjoying a great college-campus life and aims at becoming the ultimate go-to destination for college students across Pune.

Troika meaning “THREE” in Russian is a collaboration of three events – Business Talent Hunt, Beyond Horizon and Technotainment.

With a participation of over 3000 people and a foothold of 8000 people, TROIKA has become one of Pune City's biggest College Fest for a reason. Apart from the formidable figures of the past year, TROIKA also comes with bearing a social cause - Happiness to, of and for all.  

With unique events every year, TROIKA attracts large number of participants. This year they have over 20 different events spanning from cultural to literary, art to sports, entertainment to intellectual - all making TROIKA a treat for everyone, allowing diverse groups of people to come together in celebration.  They have also introduced new events like IPL Auction, which has gained amazing response for its first time, and are super excited to play host for their first ever super Car Show. 

A plethora of people coming together to compete as well as socialize and leave with the illuminating spirit of Troika is what BMCC aims to fulfill this year.

Troika 2018 is ready. Are you?

IDSA partners and participate in Maharashtra Consumer Day celebrations

Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) proudly partnered and participated in ‘National Consumer Day’ celebrations, held in Mumbai on 9th January 2018. Organized by Maharashtra State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department, the conference was themed around Emerging Digital Markets: Issues & Challenges in Consumer Protection’. During this one-day events, the government touched upon the issues such as misleading advertisements on digital platform, Consumer complaints redressal mechanism and need to protect consumers in the digital era.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was the Chief Guest at the event, said “In today’s digital world, new avenues of distribution models are emerging such as e-commerce & Direct Selling. The Department of Consumer Protection is working on a mechanism to regulate these industries in the interest of consumers”.

Principal Secretary for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Mahesh Pathak said that the Department is developing an online portal to address the complaints related to the Direct Selling distribution model and thanked IDSA and FICCI for lending support in developing the portal. Pathak also appreciated the efforts of IDSA in helping the Department organizing the National Consumer Day event.

“Direct Selling has emerged as a popular non-store retail model for the consumers to buy products. However, in the past, a lot of fraudulent players operated under the garb of Direct Selling, duping consumers of their hard-earned money, thus bringing bad name for the legitimate Direct Selling Industry. The Central Guidelines has now drawn a clear distinction between legitimate Direct Selling and fraudulent players, bringing much relief for the Industry. These Guidelines have been adopted by the states of Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Telangana & Andhra Pradesh and we have now requested the Maharashtra Government to also issue the Guidelines in the state,” said Amit Chadha, Secretary General, IDSA.

On 5th January 2018, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan tabled the Consumer Protection Bill 2018 in the Parliament, taking a giant step towards a strong National level consumer protection policy. The new Bill, has provision for redressal of complaints regarding the defect in goods and deficiency in services.

“Direct Selling is a business run by the consumers, for the consumers as the Direct Sellers are the primary consumers as well. In this context, safeguarding the interest of consumers has been a priority for all Direct Selling entities. Central Consumer Affairs Ministry tabling the Consumer Protection Bill 2018 in the Parliament is the apt step forward towards consumer protection. The Bill has provision of establishing an authority to safeguard the interest of the consumers and facilitating faster consumer redressal mechanism, an utmost necessity in the current scenario,” opined Vivek Katoch, Chairman, IDSA.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, for a long, has been stressing upon the need of a strong and exhaustive Consumer Protection Mechanism and the Consumer Protection Bill 2018 paves way for the same.

deAsra joins hands with Tata Trusts and OSDA to encourage entrepreneurs across the country

deAsra Foundation, an organization aimed at empowering budding entrepreneurs has collaborated with Tata Trusts and Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) to promote entrepreneurship across the country. There has been a strategic focus on improvement of technical education, developing the right infrastructure for skills-based training and more importantly, entrepreneurship development.

OSDA is primarily engaged with skill development in Odisha, encouraging entrepreneurship among the skill trained youth. OSDA will be providing entrepreneurship education and training, and deAsra will provide the platform for information & handholding support to candidates, and will even provide youth the ability to create business plans that are fully functional and easy to understand and use.

Tata Trusts and deAsra together have collaborated to promote entrepreneurship and help unemployed youth to start their own businesses. deAsra Foundation with the support of Tata Trusts will be providing aspiring candidates guidance to develop a viable business plan, facilitate funding and execute a profitable business.

Ms. Pradnya Godbole, CEO, deAsra Foundation said, “Our collaborative approach with two established institutions, will help all of us together reach a big audience who can be guided in the right direction which helps with entrepreneurship development and provide youth with self-employment & employment opportunities”.

deAsra, Tata Trusts and OSDA together can help solve the problem of unemployment and provide youth with opportunities to help build their future.

India Intimate Fashion Week Launches India’s hottest calendar ‘Black Magik’

India Intimate Fashion Week (IIFW) launched its much-awaited calendar ‘Black Magik’ at an event filled with glitter and glamour at The Play Lounge, Mumbai on January 08, 2017. Black Magik is the newest and the most glamorous intimate & beach /swim fashion calendardedicated to Intimate wear featuring the hottest models posing in the exotic locations of Forest Hills Tala.

Conceptualised by Niraj Jawanjal, Director and Chief Ideator, India Intimate Fashion Week, the calendar has been shot by celebrity fashionphotographer Mrunal Kalsekar, who has done a marvellous job once again with his lenses and creative vision.

Talking about Black Magik, Niraj said, “Our intention is to re-write the definition of fashion calendar in India by creating an extraordinary platform to showcase astounding fashion lines by Indian and International brands and designers.”

“Simultaneously it’s a very smart and highly sophisticated branding opportunity for them. We, the Team IIFW are extremely happy to unveil this high fashion initiative which would ignite inspiration for the talents in the fashion sector,” Niraj further added.

Black Magik by IIFW is an endeavour to set new trends in Indian Fashion Industry especially when it comes to Intimate Wear category in which India is still in the nascent phase of growth. With Black Magik’s success India Intimate Fashion Week is intended to bring more to the Indian Fashion Industry with the coming seasons.

Birla White poised to help customers realize their dream home

Company has enhanced its products range to provide end-to- end solutions

Birla White, a twenty nine years old pioneer company in cement industry which is a part of the US $41 billion Aditya Birla Group, has added new range of products like Terrazzo Flooring, Pointing (With Stone and Glazed Tiles), Mosaic Tiles, Decorative Plasters, Textura, etc to add color to the dreams of its customers. These products are being directly sold to customers via retail shops in India.

Through continuous research & innovation, Birla White has come up with several end-to- end solutions & products. Continuing on this journey, the company has maintained the highest NPS (Net Promoter Score) in the category, has continuously taken ideas from the markets & basis these, Birla White has forward integrated in surface coating solutions space, which has predominantly been a Paint bastion. Birla White has a state of the art R & D center at Kharia where it has enhanced its products range from being just a white cement supplier to end-to- end solutions provider offering brands such as Birla White Wall Care Putty, Textura, Level Plast, GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) Brands.

‘‘Birla White has moved up the value chain and currently we are offering a wide range of value added products in addition to white cement and wall care putty. says Anurag Angrish, Joint executive president, marketing, Bilra White.

Birla White considers its customers in the highest regard. To this effect, the company has been proactive in understanding its customer’s needs. The company has pioneered the creation of an entirely new category of Wall Care Putty in India as a substitute to the expensive Acrylic Putty and inferior quality traditional product -Laambi. Company has also created water, algae and fungi resistant, high adhesive strength products that resists weathering effects and offer durability to fulfill consumers’ desires to enhance consumer experience.

Birla White boasts of the best in category products in white cement with superior whiteness and higher coverage. With intensive research they have added technical sophistication through Extra HP Polymers which enhance the water resistance property and adhesive strength for wall care putty.

Birla White invests lot of time and resources to train its partners (both men and women) to achieve certification which provides them a better future and enhanced skillability. A world class training module has been established known as‘Vikas Training’ across India with the first center developed at KhariaKhangar, Rajasthan, where the first Birla White plant is located. A special painter-engagement program ‘Kaam perfect, toh naam perfect’ was undertaken to educate painters on the right wall-finishing- processes and the uniqueness of Birla White Wall care as the ultimate solution to long lasting smooth walls.

Pune Fashion Week – The Fashion Finale of 2017

The seventh season of the Pune Fashion Week came to a roaring end on Sunday, 24th December. The three-day extravaganza was high on luxury, elegance, and grandeur and was attended by the crème de la crème of the city

The Luxury Expo was all about opulence and glamour. It showcased luxury fashion trends and curated the best of luxury, fashion, and lifestyle, making it an élan experience. The Fashionable Bharat Pavilion at the Luxury Expo was one of the key highlights of the fashion week, which was a platform for handicrafts, Indian indigenous products and traditional textiles from all over the country, to broaden its horizons and truly capture the essence of Bharat. The concept was much appreciated by all.

Another aspect of the Pune Fashion Week was the Fashion Knowledge Series where experts from the fashion industry conducted workshops and lecture series on topics related to the field of fashion. Some of the experts present to share their knowledge were Hollywood Designer Danielle Pettee, celebrity designer Nivedita Saboo, and Mr. Vikram Kotnis from Amura Technologies. The audience was intrigued by their knowledge and listened with rapt attention.

PFW Season 7 aimed at making Pune fashionable with a social cause and had a Super Bike Rally on 20th December supported by a biker community called BOLT (Bikers of Low Tolerance) for road safety. Moreover, in association with SMILE foundation, day 1 of the fashion week also witnessed a charity walk by the ladies. The funds raised through this were donated for the education of 10 girl children for a year

Day 1 began with a bang; the students of iNIFD showcased their unisex designs with bold motifs and floral prints. The designs were incredible, reflecting the inimitable talent of the GenNext designers, followed by a combined show by Sharad Raghav and Ginny Wadhwa.Sharad showcased his designs that were experimental and inspired by Batik as he feels Pune is more fashion-conscious than other cities and is willing to adopt new style and trends. 

The designer from Pune, Ginny’s designs which were lovely and pleasing to look at were adorned beautifully by the models. The showstopper for Ginny’s show was actress Rashmi Desai, who looked fabulous as she walked the ramp in a beautiful lehenga. This was succeeded with a ladies charity walk for Smile Foundation.The funds raised through this walk were donated for the education of 10 girl children for a year. The curtains closed on Day 1 with the Rina Dhaka collection of BIJOUS_A Story. Rina showcased jewelry, but on clothes.The silhouettes were graceful in their softness and sensuality and the designs featured voluminous pieces boldly parading the drama and opulence of royalty. Hues of Golden and Silver blended into the theme to bring out the elegance of a regal time. The creation was a salute to the attires of the past, and seeks to inspire the modern contemporary fashion world. Showstopper Divya Khosla Kumar left everyone mesmerized with her grace and elegance on the ramp.

In this chilly winter, Pune Fashion Week managed to heat things up quite a bit.

Day 2 commenced with a Ying Yang Show which was a hair make up & beauty show by the students of ISAS. The makeup done for the models were intricate and detailed. Next up was Amin Farishta who displayed fashion on Khadi and other handwoven materials on the ramp. The showstopper was “Chak de” girl ChitrashiRawat who walked the ramp with a lot of confidence. Shikha Kothari, a Pune based designer and SumitDasgupta showcased their designs as well.

Shikha’s collection paid tribute to the girl child, the feminine spirit of nurturing, strength, dignity and freedom and was aptly titled ‘PINK’ that was inspired by the unequal sex ratio of our country. It was a call to create awareness, transform deep-rooted attitudes about the girl child and take action towards modifying this imbalance. After all, anything is possible with sunshine and a Lil ‘PINK’. Showstoppers Rutuja Shinde and Waseem Amrohi for Shikha and Sumit respectively were vibrant and energetic on the ramp, adding sparks of glamour to the different collections and looked amazing. The pre-finale, showcased Stile, ethnic men’s wear by designer duo Ghulam Ali, another Pune based designer. The models wore their sherwanis which were hand woven and delicate. They all looked royal and powerful. Founders of Pune Fashion Week BadalSaboo&NiveditaSaboo being from Pune themselves provided an extraordinary platform for these super talented Pune based designers at the seventh edition of the fashion week.

Day 2 ended with designer Ashok Maanay whose royal designs left everyone spellbound. The showstarter was NoyonitaLodh and the showstopper was model LopamudraRaut. They dazzled the ramp with their walk. Ashok showcased classic with an undertone of glamour. The ensembles exuded sheer elegance and in colors of a sunny day offset with vintage hues of gold and ivory. He teamed voluminous silhouettes with intricate satin embroidery on silk, with the sheers nude hues giving each garment an element of mystery and enigma — symbolic of today’s modern elegant woman. In short, Silken Masquerade celebrates an esoteric romance, woven in silken threads and beaten metallic hues. The masquerade stands as the finest example of the art and culture of Venetian renaissance; he aspired to reflect poetic flow in volume, layering and impeccable garment construction. Most importantly, this collection provided a classic alternative to the festive season with Venetian masks adding a touch of intrigue and mystery.

Day 3 began with the collection of the MIT students. The first collection was distortion. The collection distortion for autumn/winter 2018, spoke about the journey of the disproportionate and asymmetric garments. Inspiration was taken from skewed images, broken mirrors and knots by incorporating twists and knots and tie-ups and skewing the fabric. Collection 2 was “cut to suit”. The module ‘Cut to Suit’ introduced students with the ‘craft of tailoring’, which included off the rack, bespoke and made to measure. It encouraged them to take a more experimental and individual approach to design work. Next up, showcasing her collection was NishitaMantri Gupta, a plus size designer. Her designs were all about self-love. Actress Pushtiie Shakti was the incredible showstopper. Their inspiration was every woman who believes in herself. The color GREEN is incredibly evocative as it depicts a TREE OF LIFE; which stands strong with a sense of solitary calmness as she knows when the roots are deep there is no reason to fear the wind. Using unique shades of green they bring out the versatility & the undiscovered power that lies within women. Followed by Santhosh Kumar whose collection was inspired by handlooms.

In the second sequence, there was Kirti Agarwal whose collection “Mom & Me” saw mothers walking with their children. The showstopper was actress Nia Sharma who was named Asia’s second sexiest woman alive along with Kirti’s little daughter who stole the show. The pre-finale was by Rohit Kamra. His ethnic menswear collection was subtle, elegant, and graceful. Actor Sanjay Suri & model, actress and dancer Nora Fatehi were his showstoppers and walked the ramp with mind-boggling beauty and panache. The last but not the least! Season 7 ended with a grand finale by the one and only NiveditaSaboo. There were two collections. One was inspired by superheroes, Interstellar- An ode to the Superhero within’, dedicated to nurturing and celebrating the superhero in all of us. Representing power that is impressionable yet unwavering, the collection explores the sublime reality of human potential by pushing boundaries and tapping into the omnipresent source every day; thereby living your highest truth and purpose.It was bold and experimental.

The other one was a bridal collection which had lots of metallic designs interspersed with beautiful fabrics perfect for your D-Day. The showstopper for the grand finales was actor ArjanBajwa who looked like superheroes in these outfits and stole the show with his beauty, glamor and style. Everyone was mesmerized by this glitzy affair.

This event was beyond successful in #MakingPuneFashionable

“Become” – A New Leadership Book Becomes A Bestseller Within A Few Hours Of Launch On Amazon

Become: The 5 Critical Conversational Practices that Shift ‘Who You Be’ as a Leader, a new leadership book authored by Pune based bestselling author Sameer Dua was officially released on Amazon on the 25^th of December 2017. By 6.30pm, “Become” was already:

#1 Amazon Bestseller in Business Communication

#1 Amazon Bestseller in Economics Text Books

#1 Amazon Hot New Release in Business Communication

#1 Amazon Hot New Release in Economics

#1 Amazon Movers and Shakers

#Bestseller Badge by Amazon within the first 6 hours of being released

#33 Overall Kindle Rank 

This is an incredible performance for any book. Sameer Dua, author of the bestselling book “Declaring Breakdowns”, and now “Become” stated:“The conversational practices in Become are non-discretionary. Leaders need to either learn to have these conversations, or then pay a price for not having these conversations, which is, not delivering results that matter.” Sameer further adds: “Become is an invitation to choose a powerful posture in your leadership and life. You don't ‘become’ by knowing more. You ‘become’ by shifting your leadership practices, and with respect to leadership, by shifting and creating new conversational practices.” 

The book has extremely valuable contributions from Bob Dunham, Founder, Institute for Generative Leadership, USA.

In addition. Umang Bedi, MD (India and South Asia) of Facebook and Sheeja Shaju, Somatic Leader and Coach at Institute for Generative Leadership, India have also contributed to this book. 

The foreword for “Become” has been written by Marshall Goldsmith, the #1 Executive Coach and #1 Business Thinker in the world. This is what Marshall Goldsmith has to say about Become in his foreword: “This is Powerful stuff. I suggest you try it for the sake of your colleagues, family, friends, and yourself”.

Here is some feedback on “Become” from some acclaimed global experts:

“Sameer Dua’s passion to help us see our conversational blindspots is evident in his in-the-face writing style.”

Judith E. Glaser, Author of bestselling book “Conversational Intelligence”

Sameer Dua’s “Become” grabbed me by the eyeballs. Leaders at all levels need to put on the coach’s hat to bring out the best in their teams.”

Robert Hargrove, Author of bestselling book, “Masterful Coaching”

“Become delivers beautifully on its promise of enabling leaders and managers to generate meaningful results.”

Ashok Soota, Executive Chairman, Happiest Minds Technologies 

“Sameer Dua has combined intellect with practice, insight with action, and depth of thought with ease of reading. The result is a powerful and inspiring book.”

Professor Andrew St. George, Author, Navy Way of Leadership

“This book will open up the eyes and mindset of very reader.”

Klaus Trescher, MD and CEO, Seimens Technology and Services

“Sameer Dua’s Become is a potent guide to the being and doing of exceptional leadership. Reading Become, itself, is a long, engaging and transforming experience.”

Charles Feltman, Author of bestselling book “Thin Book of Trust” … amongst many others.

The 336 pages book, published by Harper Business, an imprint of Harper Collins, is priced at Rs.395 and is available on www.amazon.in amongst other digital and physical retailers.

Sameer has begun working on his third book in the area of generative leadership, and his third book will be released by the end of 2018.