Meet Master of Cuts
Rohit Verma Photographer & Writer : Juliet Albuquerque
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ohit Verma was born in Allahabad, raised in Missouri and currently resides in Mumbai. He says he always had a crave for fashion and was very clear that he wanted to become a fashion designer right from 7 th grade. He claims breaking the North Indian trend where normally since his dad was an engineer he would have to do the same but instead chose the profession that made him happy. Unfortunately his family was against his choice in profession he says, cause in those days, fashion designers were considered glorified tailors but being head strong as he puts it, Rohit followed his dream against all odds. Being inspired by the fashion designer, Zuhair Murad, Rohit has read his autobiography and explains that Zohair sets an example and encourages designers to believe in themselves and do what makes them happy and he loves his style and his unique cuts and designs, especially his cocktail gowns which have been worn by top Hollywood actors. When asked about a favorite model, Rohit sparks up saying he loves Winnie Allore and Gigi Hadid and that they are his favorite girls and it would be a dream to meet and work with Winnie at least once in his lifetime. He follows Winnie on Instagram and loves how she promotes the fact that ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Rohit says that he is know as ‘The master of cuts in India” and designs clothes with very unique styles. He does a lot of fusion and western dresses though he emphasizes that he does not follow any specific style of designing. He says the unusual makes him happy Having done his runway shows all over the world from Australia to Dubai to South Africa and as much as he loves his shows in London, America is Rohits all time favorite place and points out that the people here are very non judgmental and easy going , very acceptable of different art and cultures , and he feels very loved here. Winning the ‘Bharat Icon Award’ and the ‘Asian Style Award’ are his biggest achievements .Rohit shares
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that he struggled a lot coming from an intellectual family background ,where his parents didn’t accept his career choice and his sexuality . He says it was very tough for them to accept a gay community and that his parents were very broken when they came to realize that he was gay. Being a big devotee of Lord Krishna, Rohit says that Lord Krishna has taught him ‘ Love has got no gender’. and that his strength didn’t come from lifting weights but lifting himself whenever he was knocked down. Claiming to be a very black and white and blunt person with no shades of grey, Rohit says he is unapologetic and proud of who he is and what he has achieved in this judgmental world where he walks in his high heels with his head up high and is ok with having lovers and haters, cause at the end of the day , it’s his happiness that counts as you cannot please everybody and tells the world to always remember “ When you point a finger at someone the other three fingers are pointing back at you.” His motto in life is to believe in oneself as we live just once and if lived right, once is enough. If not a designer Rohit would have been a dancer, an Actor or an interior designer but thanks God that he got the opportunity to follow his first love. Rohit works for a charity organization called ‘Committed Communities Development Trust’ and has adopted 30 kids and from what ever money he earns he says he donates 10 % of it to this charity as these kids bring a lot of meaning and happiness to his life whenever he spends time with them and says that they complete his fatherhood . He has also employed nearly 50 women who weave his fabric thus promoting women empowerment. Rohit is currently awaiting the release of a book about him written by Ashish Kaul called ‘The Unholy Queen’ All the best Rohit and we look forward to reading your ‘untold story ‘ .
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DEVELOPING OUR PEOPLE, GROWING OUR BUSINESS.
Interview by
Neetu Rishi
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w o l f t i t e L - V SABHARWAL
“Money, Money, Money!” can get me singing even today, decades later. ABBA, I love your music, but this time it's effect on me is a tad bit different. I gaze far away through the windows, the swaying trees, and past the humm of buzzing bees, wondering. “Is it really a rich man's world?” The top one percent? I am part of the 99%. Is it fun or funny for them or for us? Is it sunny around their homes while it rains on ours or, vice-versa? Okay, okay fine, no more of that. But seriously, what can I do to get some of that warm fuzzy feeling, on a sunny, wintry afternoon, sitting on a hammocky charpoy in my backyard? The thrill of getting some fun money without working for it. If wishes were horses, we people would ride, wouldn't we? Yeehaw! Let us brainstorm on thinking through some strategies of money management. On the other hand, since some of you may have Finance or MBA degrees, I won't even dare to attempt that. I will simply carry on painting a picture with my words and you tell me what you make of it. Shall we? At the outset, I must apologise that I have found no textbook answers to managing money. It is only experience
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that teaches us to discriminate, without which we cannot achieve our life's purpose. While talking of purpose, did you know that money has it's own purpose? Contrary to popular opinion, the purpose of money is to care. Surprised? Shoot me an e-mail if you figure out how. Talking about experience, now that's where I am speaking from. Experience. My most memorable financial transaction was in eight grade when I bought a bicycle to go to and fro school in a little place called Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. The money came from four years of savings that grew in a bank account. Thanks to my parents, we were given five bucks at the start of a month and they matched my savings from that at the end of the month. As time went along and I thought I got smart, I took ten from them every month and put it straight in my bank account. Zero distractions. Till today I benefit from my habit of saving until I need something very important. How can we encourage our children to save in this modern, materialistic world? We can start by creating a space for discussions on ideas, work, or charity. For little kids, their money may be saved in a piggy bank and for pre-teens a bank account. For teens, debit and credit conversations can
lead to savings before transactions. And for adults, generating and sticking to an income savinginvesting-donation ratio, that can be updated as we evolve. I come from a family of visible budgets and never felt poor. We knew not to ask simply because the numbers added up before we could. Birthdays were the time for anticipation of all wishes! But now we must learn about money and how it flows, our choice in it's origin and end, and moving towards right or caring action. Money might mock us and boast to itself, “(Wo)Men may come and (wo)men may go, but I go on forever.” Of utmost significance is a fact, proven time and again that money must flow, as do other other ideas, stories, and contructs of life. A right or caring action both, provide freedom. Albeit, there is no freedom from engaging in action itself. It is a resource you generate, manage, invest, grow, or nurture with. You can let it flow Care-fully or Care-lessly. Choose! Choose to share that sun and fun within and around your homes, knowing that the stage is set for now. Only difference is that for this song, you write your own lyrics. TOPPICKMEDIA.COM
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