Society Achievers January 2023

LEGENDS & ACHIEVERS

Bernard Arnault

Chef Gary Mehigan

Raghavendra Rathore

Prithvi Shaw

Mugdha Godse turns saree entrepreneur

Society

ACHIEVERS

Publisher: Magnate Publishing Private Limited

Editor: Andrea CostaBir

Associate Editor: Nichola Marie

Assistant Editor: Amber Dias

Correspondents: Tsunami Costabir, Paula Dsouza, Hannah Cardozo

Editorial Consultant: CSS Latha

Graphic Designer: Syed Zaid Inamdar

Business Heads

National, West Zone: Sunil Khavnekar +91 9820303096 Preeta Nair +91 9892746767

North Zone: Ravi Roushon +91 9818198689 South Zone: Rekha Kambhoj +91 9845587253

East Zone: Ashim Banik +91 9830056642 Gujarat: Madan Menon +91 9898002522

Contents

The Cover Story

The spotlight is on none other than Ratan Tata as we explore his journey to transforming the Tata Group into the global colossus that it is today, and get a peek of the man behind the conglomerate.

Legends & Achievers

Meet the magicians who transform challenges into opportunities and let passion for their craft lead them onward.

Bernard Arnault

Chef Gary Mehigan

Raghavendra Rathore

Prithvi Shaw

Lifestyle

The buzz on food, fashion, fitness, travel and more!

Entrepreneurship

Actress and entrepreneur Mugdha Godse celebrates the majestic Indian saree with her brand ‘Saaree Mood’.

Travel

Gear up for a ride into India Bike Week.

Health & Fitness

Understanding how staying fit is good for the mind too.

Luxe Living

Sleek speedboats that are just right for a spin around the bay.

Relationships

Deciphering different types of relationships.

Events

Recapping the glitzy ‘Stardust’ 50th Anniversary Honours.

Events

Revisiting the unveiling of the December 2022 issue of ‘Society Achievers’ with cover man Rohit Shetty.

Society Achievers is published once every month by Magnate Publishing Private Limited, 501, La-Creme CHS Ltd, Kondivita VLG, MIDC, Andheri(E), Near Akruti Trade Center, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 400059. Tel No: +91-993-0061-674. Editorial texts and illustrations are the copyright of the publishers of this magazine. No one may reproduce any material before permission is obtained in writing.

All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai (India) only.

2022 Copyright Magnate Publishing Private Limited.

Please address all your advertising, subscriptions and trade enquiries to: Magnate Publishing Private Limited, 501, La-Creme CHS Ltd, Kondivita VLG, MIDC, Andheri(E), Near Akruti Trade Center, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 400059. Tel No: +91-993-0061-674. Email: info@magnatepublishing.in

Editor’s Note

When Ratan Tata, the ‘Titan of Indian Industry’, graces your magazine’s cover at the start of 2023, you know you are onto a great year! Join us as we explore the great man’s journey to transforming the Tata group into the global behemoth that it is today, and get a peek of the man behind the conglomerate. Humble, soft-spoken and classy, Mr Tata is truly the ratan (jewel) in India’s crown.

From India’s most treasured jewel to the richest man in the world… Hop across to our ‘Legends & Achievers’ section and meet Bernard Arnault , Chairman & CEO of LVMH - the world’s leading luxury products group. Dubbed the ‘wolf in cashmere’ by his critics, this maker of all things luxury controls Europe’s most valuable company.

Joining Arnault in this section are three dynamic men - chef Gary Mehigan, designer Raghavendra Rathore, and cricketer Prithvi Shaw - who have transformed challenges into opportunities, allowing passion for their craft to lead them onward.

Another man who has consistently followed his passion for over 50 years now is India’s best known publishing magnate Nari Hira, the Founder of ‘Stardust’ magazine and several others too. ‘Stardust’ recently hosted its grand ‘n’ glamorous 50th Anniversary Honours with a fancy celebration at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai! Star power ruled as ‘Stardust’ applauded all those involved in the making of magical films over the years.

While Founding Editor of ‘Stardust’, Shobhaa De, and Nari Hira took centre stage to recount the magazine’s sizzling journey, the red carpet sizzled with the who’s who of Bollywood - from legends to rising stars! This starstudded list included Rekha, Shatrughan Sinha, Anil Kapoor, Sonu Sood, Kartik Aaryan, Anupam Kher, Boney Kapoor, Ramesh Sippy, Gulshan Grover, Zarina Wahab, Kabir Bedi, Poonam Dhillon, Ashutosh Gowariker, Padmini Kolhapure, Raveena Tandon, Satish Kaushik, Manoj Bajpayee, Vaani Kapoor, Boman Irani, Bhushan Kumar, Anees Bazmee, Madhur Bhandarkar, Bhumi Pednekar and Harshvardhan Kapoor among many others. Pour over this starry, starry night in the ‘Events’ segment… and like the stars, always show up and shine on!

- Andrea CostaBir

Photograph: Viraj Shirodkar

The Transformer

Ratan Tata, Chairman

Emeritus of Tata Sons, turned the Tata conglomerate into a global colossus during his outstanding tenure. Equally importantly, he overcame travails and gave compassion priority over business compulsions, in true Tata spirit.

By Millie Kapur

With a combined market capitalisation of US$314 billion (Rs 23.4 trillion) as of December 2021, the salt-tosoftware Tata group is among the most respected brands worldwide. It makes cars, blends tea, and writes software, among much else, across 100 countries. One of the world’s largest business conglomerates, it is greatly admired for its compassionate capitalism and trusteeship model of holding wealth. Much credit for its colossal imprint goes to Ratan Naval Tata who, during his momentous tenure, transformed the Tata group from a collection of disparate companies into a unified powerhouse.

“From torchbearer to transformer, Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata has played shepherd and sentinel while guiding the Tata group into a new age, and he has done it in his own distinctive style.” This is how the Tata Titans section of the Tata website introduces and acknowledges the celebrated Ratan Naval Tata. It goes on to note the many reasons why he is worthy of admiration, starting with the grace and quiet dignity with which he has sailed through the high tide of his life as head of the Tata group. Solitary in nature, humble and ever-shunning the arclights, his resolve and morally correct behaviour have shaped the business conglomerate during a key transformative period in its eventful history.

After leading the Tata Sons group for more than half a century, the legendary JRD Tata named Ratan Naval Tata as his successor. It was a huge honour as well as an immense responsibility. He would be steering a legacy established by pioneering industrialist Jamsetji Tata in the 1870s, who was succeeded by son Dorab Tata, who had further realised his father’s vision. Nowroji Saklatvala would consolidate that legacy, and JRD himself, the last of the great patriarchs of Indian industry, would mould the group in his own image, creating a group that was benevolent, all-encompassing, and urbane.

One of the world’s largest business conglomerates, it is greatly admired for its compassionate capitalism and trusteeship model of holding wealth.

When Ratan Tata took over as chairman of the Tata group in 1991, he also inherited a group that was (according to the Tata website): “A bloated, unevenly managed and excessively bureaucratic behemoth operating in an India that had only begun jettisoning the jargon of socialism and the shibboleths of policy-making that had promised plenty but delivered little.” He had to face the added pressure of being seen as an interloper, who had gained the top spot by virtue of his surname and lineage, and who lacked both the charisma and capability of JRD. And yet, not a word from him despite the flak that came at him.

The so-called hindrances soon melted into nothingness, as Ratan Tata went on to build up and better the group, perhaps more than any of its esteemed caretakers since its beginnings in 1868. He did this, even as he shunned the temptation of the easy buck, and instead aligned with the traditions and tenets of the Tatas.

Serendipitously arriving at a time when India’s economy was opening up, he seized the opportunity to carve out a new kind of organisation, rejuvenating and recasting its enterprises to suit the new and utterly changed business scenario. It is no wonder then that he spearheaded the company from a US$1.5 billion market cap to a US$100 billion market cap.

The Change Maker

Ratan Tata proved he was more than up for the wealth of opportunities offered by the end of the ‘Licence Raj’, as well as strengthening the group against a barrage of challenges. Embracing the prospect of taking the group to foreign shores, he simultaneously introduced increased cohesion, original thinking, and innovation at Tata’s. Most of all, he displayed a capacity for calculated risk-taking that appears nothing short of extraordinary, in hindsight.

Educated at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, where he earned a B.S. (1962) in architecture before returning to work in India, Ratan Tata gained experience in a number of Tata group businesses.

He had even been named Director In Charge (1971) of one of them - the National Radio and Electronics Co. On assuming leadership of the conglomerate, he determinedly sought to expand it, choosing to focus on globalising its businesses. Acquiring the London-based Tetley Tea for US$431.3 million in 2000, the Tata group bought South Korea’s Daewoo Motors’ truck-manufacturing operations for US$102 million, in 2004. Tata Steel made world headlines when it acquired the giant Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturer Corus Group for US$11.3 billion, marking the biggest corporate takeover by an Indian company, in 2007. The following year, Tata Motors purchased the elite British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company in a US$2.3 billion deal which was the largest-ever acquisition by an Indian automotive firm. In 2009, the company launched the Tata Nano, a tiny rear-engine car with a starting price of ~ Rs 100,000. Touted as the ‘People’s Car’, it aimed to provide a “safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport” to middle and lower-income consumers.

Ratan Tata retired as chairman of the Tata group in December 2012. Following the ouster of his successor, Cyrus Mistry, Ratan Tata briefly served as Interim Chairman beginning October 2016, post which he returned to retirement in January 2017 on the appointment of Natarajan Chandrasekaran as Chairman of the Tata Group.

Ratan Tata went on to build up and better the group, perhaps more than any of its esteemed caretakers since its beginnings in 1868.

Man Of Honour

Ratan Tata has been bestowed with many honours during his career, including the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s most distinguished civilian awards, in 2000. Serving as an inspiration for leaders across the world, his visionary foresight is but one of his many qualities that are admired.

A risk-taker, he has been quoted as saying, “A life without excitement, ups and downs, is much too boring and dull. You need to be a storyteller to your grandchildren, why don’t you prepare for that from now? We get this life only once, experience every aspect of it. No one ever has grown without falling once; fail as many times as you can, then only you can succeed. So, quit complaining and start exploring!”

He has famously said, “I don’t believe in making the right decisions. I take decisions and then make them right.” He is equally known for his humility, of which umpteen examples exist, from his own start as a blue-collar employee for Tata Steel, to personally visiting the families of the 80 employees who were affected because of the 26/11 attacks. He is known to remember almost everyone by their first names and is not dismissive of people.

Above all, he has ensured the group adheres to its mission and values of improving the lives of the communities they serve globally. He acknowledges that all his decisions would not have pleased everyone… “I may have hurt some people along the way, but I would like to be seen as somebody who has done his best to do the right thing for any situation and not compromised.”

What Lies Beneath

In an interview, Ratan Tata shared a number of personal insights such as…

“Big businesses and corporations think nothing of killing another organisation because it’s competing with their business. Companies are known to buy out other companies just to bury them in a drawer. That has always bothered me. So, if you can live with feeling happy about another company or another person’s prosperity, then that would be the closest definition of happiness.”

“From torchbearer to transformer, Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata has played shepherd and sentinel while guiding the Tata group into a new age, and he has done it in his own distinctive style.”

- Tata website

“Whether it’s a poor person on the street or a kid selling magazines as against a millionaire or a billionaire, I talk to them and treat them all the same way. I’m aware that I do that, and I do that not for show, but because of the feeling that I think everyone deserves recognition as a human being.”

“Even if it’s a person selling vegetables on the side of the road, if there’s humour or happiness on their faces, that makes me happy.”

“I owe a great deal to my grandmother who brought up my brother and me. She instilled in us what she considered to be proper. And I think that has had a very profound influence on me and my value systems.”

“I just have a problem shutting the door on people. I would like to see them happy. So, to say that I don’t have the time to see someone and think about the disappointment that that might cause bothers me.”

“I dream of an India that would be an equal opportunity country – a country where we diminish the disparity between the rich and the poor and, most importantly, give an opportunity to anyone to succeed as long as they have the willingness and endurance to do so.”

Beyond The Boardroom

A trained architect, Ratan Tata has shared that architecture provided him with the equipment to be a perceptive business leader. He has personally designed a house for his mother, an abode in Alibaug and his own seafront home in Mumbai. He has a passion for flying and fast cars, as well as scuba diving. A teetotaller and a non-smoker, he consciously chose to stay single. His fondness for his pet dogs is boundless. As he tells it, “There is an indescribable sadness every time one of my pets passes away and I resolve I cannot go through another parting of that nature. And yet, two or three years down the road, my home becomes too empty and too quiet for me to live without them, so there is another dog that gets my affection and attention, just like the last one.”

Ratan Tata has been investing in or supporting startups actively ever since he retired from the Tata group.

Supporting Startups

Ratan Tata has been investing in or supporting startups actively ever since he retired from the Tata group. Last year, the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, announced his decision to invest in the startup firm Goodfellows, which provides companionship to elderly people. Goodfellows was founded by Shantanu Naidu, who happens to be General Manager at the Office of Ratan Tata; and Ratan Tata’s business assistant. The 29-year-old Naidu is Cornell University-educated and is a general manager in Tata’s office, and has been assisting Tata since 2018. He shares Tata’s love for dogs and strays, and had previously started a venture for pets as well. “You do not know what it is like to be lonely until you spend time alone wishing for companionship,” Ratan Tata said. Goodfellows hires young graduates to offer companionship to senior citizens as a service. These graduates possess the right skills of empathy and emotional intelligence to work as the senior citizen clients’ companions, and ease the day for them with any tasks or just talk with them.

Solitary in nature, humble and ever-shunning the arclights, Ratan Tata’s resolve and morally correct behaviour have shaped the business conglomerate during a key transformative period in its eventful history.

“I may have hurt some people along the way, but I would like to be seen as somebody who has done his best to do the right thing for any situation and not compromised.”

- Ratan Tata

Ratan Tata: A Timeline

1937: Ratan Tata is born to Soonoo and Naval Tata.

1955: Leaves for Cornell University (Ithaca, New York, USA) at age 17; goes on to study architecture and engineering over a seven-year period.

1962: Awarded bachelor of architecture degree.

1962: Joins the Tata group as an assistant in Tata Industries; later in the year, spends six months training at the Jamshedpur plant of Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (now called Tata Motors).

1963: Moves to Tata Iron and Steel Company, or Tisco (now called Tata Steel), at its Jamshedpur facility for a training programme.

1965: Is appointed technical officer in Tisco’s engineering division.

1969: Works as the Tata group’s resident representative in Australia.

1970: Returns to India, joins Tata Consultancy Services, then a software fledgling, for a short stint.

1971: Is named director-in-charge of National Radio and Electronics (better known as Nelco), an ailing electronics enterprise.

1974: Joins the board of Tata Sons as a director.

1975: Completes the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

1981: Is appointed Chairman of Tata Industries; begins the process of transforming it into a promoter of high-technology businesses.

1983: Drafts the Tata strategic plan.

1986-1989: Serves as Chairman of Air India, the national carrier.

March 25, 1991: Takes over from JRD Tata as Chairman of Tata Sons and Chairman of the Tata Trusts.

1991: Begins restructuring of the Tata group at a time when the liberalisation of the Indian economy is underway.

2000 onwards: The growth and globalisation drive of the Tata group gathers pace under his stewardship and the new millennium sees a string of high-profile Tata acquisitions, among them Tetley, Corus, Jaguar, Land Rover, Brunner Mond, General Chemical Industrial Products and Daewoo.

2008: Launches the Tata Nano, born of the trailblazing small car project he guided and commanded with zeal and determination.

2008: Is awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s secondhighest civilian honour, by the Government of India.

December 2012: Steps down as Chairman of Tata Sons after 50 years with the Tata group; is appointed Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.

“I owe a great deal to my grandmother who brought up my brother and me. She instilled in us what she considered to be proper. And I think that has had a very profound influence on me and my value systems.”

- Ratan Tata

“Companies are known to buy out other companies just to bury them in a drawer. That has always bothered me.”

- Ratan Tata

Embracing the prospect of taking the group to foreign shores, he simultaneously introduced increased cohesion, original thinking, and innovation at Tata’s. Most of all, he displayed a capacity for calculated risk-taking that appears nothing short of extraordinary, in hindsight.

“A life without excitement, ups and downs, is much too boring and dull. You need to be a storyteller to your grandchildren, why don’t you prepare for that from now?”

-Ratan Tata

Did you know?

A whopping 66% of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation, and art and culture. There are 29 publicly-listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of US$314 billion (Rs 23.4 trillion) as of December 31, 2021. Companies include Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Tata Consumer Products, Titan, Tata Capital, Tata Power, Indian Hotels, Tata Communications, Tata Digital, and Tata Electronics.

&

Legends Achievers

Where passion leads, these aces have followed, proving that with gumption, some creativity and faith, no dream is unachievable.

Say Bonjour to the World’s Richest Man

Visionary entrepreneur or ‘wolf in cashmere’, Bernard Arnault, Chairman & CEO of LVMH — the world’s leading luxury products group — is also

By Nichola Marie

News comes in that the world’s top luxury group, LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) hit new highs in sales and profits in 2022. The boom is courtesy of the resumption of international travel and strong local demand in Europe, the US and Japan. Sales of the luxury conglomerate, which owns more than 75 brands, including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Givenchy, Tag Heuer, Kenzo, Tiffany, Christian Dior and Moët et Chandon, rose 23% to US$86 billion with net profit jumping 17% to US$15 billion. With a market capitalisation that soared to US$430 billion recently, it is good tidings, mais oui, for the maker of champagne, handbags, jewellery and other luxury goods that is Europe’s most valuable company.

As Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, summarised: “LVMH is the jewel in luxury’s crown. Bernard Arnault’s empire has seen its valuation swell over 200% in the last five years, and momentum doesn’t appear to be running out.”

a master of staying surprisingly low-key.

It has indeed been an endless summer for LVMH, engineered by the real jewel in its crown – Bernard Arnault, who has singlehandedly carved this gigantic empire. Over the decades, he has attracted an avid fan base, as well as, sharp critics. While his admirers see him as a visionary entrepreneur invigorating French business with his bold business acumen, his critics dub him ‘the wolf in cashmere’ for his stealth in business and exclusive focus on profitability.

The Man Behind LVMH

The LVMH group was born in 1987, when trunk-maker Louis Vuitton merged with the wines and spirits group Moët Hennessy. It is headed by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, who became a household name when he hit the headlines for overtaking Tesla and Twitter boss Elon Musk as the world’s richest man late last year. His net worth has been pegged by Forbes and Bloomberg at US$191 billion and US$172 billion respectively.

Born to an industrial family in Roubaix, France, on March 5, 1949, Arnault attended the Roubaix lycée and the Faidherbe lycée in Lille. He then went on to study at the Ecole polytechnique. Taking control of his father’s construction firm Ferret-Savinel in 1971, eight years later he changed the company’s name to Férinel Inc. With that, he also shifted its focus to real estate.

More change was to come… Putting in US$15 million of his own money, Arnault, along with Antoine Bernheim, a managing partner of the French bank Lazard Frères and Co., managed to raise the US$80 million needed to purchase Boussac SaintFrères. The latter was a bankrupt textile company that owned the fashion house of Christian Dior.

The subsequent decades saw him expand his luxury retail empire by helping merge Louis Vuitton with spirits company Moët Hennessy. Invited to invest in LVMH by the company’s chairman, Henri Racamier, in 1987, Arnault went ahead through a joint venture with Guinness PLC. Three years later, Arnault had ousted Racamier. In 1989, he became the majority shareholder of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, creating the world’s leading luxury products group. Thereafter began his widespread induction of fashion companies into the LVMH fold. From Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, and Kenzo, to the leather goods companies Loewe, Céline, and Berluti, along with jeweller Fred Joailler, the world’s biggest duty-free chain - the DFS group, and the beauty retailer Sephora, the sweep was immense.

He has been Chairman and CEO of the company since then. He is also President of the board of directors of Groupe Arnault S.E. (his family holding company). With a controlling stake in the resulting holding company, he controls roughly half of LVMH.

Fashion’s Fave

Meanwhile, Arnault’s reputation grew in Europe as the man who revitalised French couture with his incredible foresight. In 1995, he appointed British fashion designer John Galliano as Creative Director of the Paris fashion house Givenchy. A year later, he moved Galliano to Christian Dior and brought in the brash British fashion designer Alexander McQueen in Galliano’s place at Givenchy. Next, he hired the young American designer Marc Jacobs as Creative Director at Louis Vuitton; LVMH also acquired a majority stake in Jacobs’s eponymous line. In time, though all three designers moved on, Arnault had successfully revived interest in these traditional fashion houses. It’s no surprise that ‘Women’s Wear Daily’ went ahead and dubbed him the ‘Pope of Fashion’.

His luxury brand acquisition spree continued with his takeover of Italian company Fendi (2003), iconic French department store La Samaritaine (2010), Italian jewellery brand Bulgari (2011), and the more recent classic American jewellery brand Tiffany & Co (2021).

“LVMH is the jewel in luxury’s crown. Bernard Arnault’s empire has seen its valuation swell over 200% in the last five years, and momentum doesn’t appear to be running out.”

- Sophie Lund-Yates

Business Inspiration

In an interview with ‘Forbes’ in 2010, Arnault pointed out that he saw himself as an ambassador of French heritage and culture. He takes pride in maintaining and growing what are some of France’s iconic brands and designers. And he does not allow the grass to grow under his feet… Frequently checking in on the retail locations of LVMH’s brands and - more importantlytheir competitors, he sometimes visits up to 25 locations every Saturday!

The main bulk of Arnault’s wealth is connected to LVMH’s stock, which has grown nearly 65% since 2020. His personal fortune has equivalently grown by billions. A billionaire for years now, he is believed to have adopted strategies employed by Steve Jobs and Warren Buffett to build wealth. He cites fellow billionaire and Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett as the person he admires most in business. He has gone on record to say that he particularly appreciates that Buffett is a long-term investor and has brilliant ideas to which he adheres. Like Buffett, Arnault too believes in the importance of patience in business. That he has amply cultivated this quality is seen in his courting of Italian jewellery brand Bulgari for a decade before he swooped in to acquire the company in 2011. Arnault has also made his admiration of Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs, apparent. He saw Jobs’ success at Apple as “a combination of creativity and a keen sense of how to manage for growth.” He sees a parallel in his own role as CEO of LVMH, which requires him to “transform creativity into business reality all over the world.” It demands, in his opinion, the need to be connected to innovators and designers, and also make their ideas liveable and concrete. Looking

Ahead

He is believed to have adopted strategies employed by Steve Jobs and Warren Buffett to build wealth.

At the company’s first in-person earnings presentation since 2020, in the auditorium of the LVMH headquarters located on 22 Avenue Montaigne, Arnault said, “For 2023, I am quite confident. If the early part of the year is confirmed, if the opening of China is confirmed, it’s a bit short but the start is extremely strong. We’ll see, we can’t guarantee that it’s going to continue like that, we can’t guarantee that something might not happen. We hadn’t expected the Ukraine issue two years ago. But if it continues as it is, it will be an excellent year. We’ll be able to continue to develop our investments and gain market shares.”

Further commenting on the outlook for China, he said, “It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in China. China needs economic growth for its people. This growth has slowed down. I am quite confident that the Chinese leaders will use this period to revitalise Chinese growth. If this is the case, we have every reason to be confident and optimistic about the Chinese market.

In Macau, where the Chinese can travel, it is incredible. The stores are full.” He also dismissed concerns that the stores in Europe won’t be able to maintain high-quality experience due to capacity once Chinese tourists return. “The line outside the stores will probably lengthen but inside there will be the same number of people who will get the same level of service.”

In 2014, he opened the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum to display his formidable collection of contemporary artworks in the Bois de Boulogne just outside Paris.

Bernard Arnault takes pride in maintaining and growing what are some of France’s iconic brands and designers.

He is known to enjoy a longtime rivalry with fellow haute couture kingpin Francois-Henri Pinault.

Arnault has been awarded the honorary titles of Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.

Like Buffett, Arnault too believes in the importance of patience in business. That he has amply cultivated this quality is seen in his courting of Italian jewellery brand Bulgari for a decade before he swooped in to acquire the company in 2011.

He also waved aside concerns that Louis Vuitton might lose its exclusivity now that it’s a more than €20 billion brand. “Even though the brand attracts different clientele, we manage to move desirability forward,” he said. “Brand desirability is the criterion that we watch the most. Desirability doesn’t suffer from the size of the brand… It’s a concern that I have been hearing since I became the CEO of LVMH in 1989... At the time, Louis Vuitton generated less than €500 million in turnover. Don’t be overly impressed by size. What counts above all is quality. Today, products are selling incredibly well while being difficult to find. If today you want a Kusama yellow bag [from the Louis Vuitton collaboration with Yayoi Kusama] at the Champs Elysées [Louis Vuitton flagship], there are none left, it’s quite simply out of stock. I am not at all worried.”

Heirs Apparent

At the conference which was also attended by Arnault’s five children, he was quizzed about his succession plan. Side-stepping the question, he joked about France currently raising the retirement age. That said, in recent months, the 73-year-old Arnault has reshuffled the company’s leadership, placing his children in leading position jobs, as the family tightens its hold on LVMH. In December 2022, his eldest son, Antoine Arnault, was named CEO of holding company Christian Dior SE, which controls LVMH; he also holds other positions within the group. His daughter Delphine Arnault will take over as head of the Dior perfume and fashion brand on February 1, 2023. Of his other sons, Alexandre Arnault is an Executive VP at jewellery brand Tiffany, Frédéric is CEO of watchmaker Tag Heuer, and Jean Arnault is Director of watch development and marketing at Louis Vuitton.

While his admirers see him as a visionary entrepreneur invigorating French business with his bold business acumen, his critics dub him ‘the wolf in cashmere’ for his stealth in business and exclusive focus on profitability.

Off The Cuff

• Bernard Arnault is known to be a workaholic, spending every possible minute at his desk.

• Gifted at making friends in high places, Arnault was on close terms with the late French President Jacques Chirac. His daughter, Delphine is also close to French First Lady Brigitte Macron, who has also worn Louis Vuitton.

• At one point, he was also close to President Donald Trump and had even flown with the latter in Air Force One to open a Louis Vuitton leatherware workshop in Texas.

• Arnault separated from his first wife Anne in 1990. An accomplished pianist, he is said to have wooed his second wife, Helene Mercier, a concert pianist, by playing Chopin and other classical composers on the piano, on one of their early dates.

• A serious art collector, he bought his first painting, Monet’s London Bridge, at an auction in 1982 for £200,000.

• In 2014, he opened the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum to display his formidable collection of contemporary artworks in the Bois de Boulogne just outside Paris. It was designed by Canadian American architect Frank Gehry.

• Arnault has been awarded the honorary titles of Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur and Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres.

• Besides a house in Paris, Arnault has a mansion in Clairefontaine in the Ile-de-France region at which he spends weekends. He also owns a 133-acre island, Indigo, in the Bahamas. He is also said to be a major investor in the redevelopment of the Balkan country Montenegro.

• His super-yacht, Symphony, which can comfortably take 16 guests and 27 staff, has a price tag of £100m (in 2019), while he also owns a Dassault private jet.

Incidentally, last year, he told the LVMH-owned Radio Classique that he sold his private jet because he had been Twitter-shamed over his frequent use of the plane!

• Known to enjoy tennis, he would even pay Wimbledon champion Roger Federer to coach him. Ever ambitious, he had once said of his match against Federer: “Obviously I lost 6-0, but I won a point… my goal is to gain two points against Roger Federer.”

• He is known to enjoy a long-time rivalry with fellow haute couture kingpin Francois-Henri Pinault. The two fell out in 1999 when they were trying to buy Gucci. The similarities are astounding… each opened museums in Paris to exhibit their art collections, and both also made very public donations to the rebuilding of Notre Dame Cathedral. They clashed again more recently in their respective propositions to take over Tiffany’s (Arnault won this round as well).

• Bernard Arnault has inspired several books. These include ‘Think Like Bernard Arnault: 15 Business Principles to help Grow your Business like The Richest French Billionaire’, ‘Everything Luxury: The Branding Strategy Of Bernard Arnault’, ‘Bernard Arnault: Luxury Mogul Becomes World Richest Man’, and ‘Bernard Arnault: Inside Story Behind The World’s New Richest Person, Biography, And Everything You Need To Know’, among others.

Arnault has also made his admiration of Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs, apparent. He saw Jobs’ success at Apple as “a combination of creativity and a keen sense of how to manage for growth.”

Mehigan opens up about his love for cooking, navigating the food business and why food - beyond sustenance - has such a special place in our lives.

“When you really love something, when you’re passionate about something, it eclipses everything else.”

Celebrity Chef Chef Gary

By Amber Dias

Celebrity chef and TV host Gary Mehigan helped people around the world fall in love with food in a whole new way, when ‘MasterChef Australia’ was first introduced to our screens. However, even before that, he was a force to be reckoned with in the restaurant world. His genuineness, charm, warmth and obvious passion for his craft reflect in everything he does - his food, cookbooks, TV shows and podcasts too. So it’s no surprise that he’s much-loved by peers and food lovers. He recently made the trip to India, working with Conosh on a Dinner & Masterclass tour across Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. We caught up with him to find out what drives his passion for food and learn a little more about the person beneath the chef’s hat.

Can you take us back to the moment when you decided that food was your passion and this was the career for you?

I was probably about 15 years old. My grandfather was a chef. He’d retired and I loved being around him. He was a very positive, happy, encouraging man. I wanted to be an engineer, an architect, you know, my dad was an engineer, and that’s what I thought I wanted to be. But one day, my dad just said to me, “You sure you want to go into the same thing that I’m doing? Because you’re not very patient, you love what your granddad does.” And I hadn’t really thought about it, but then once I sat back and thought about it, I went, you know what? I actually think my dad’s right. I don’t want to be an engineer. I want to be a chef like my grandfather, and I think it was because he was that kind of happy, engaged human being and everything he seemed to do seemed to be delicious. So I got a good job, a part-time job in a hotel, and realised that that’s what I wanted to do. I went on a completely different path. So, I could have been an architect if I didn’t have that inspiration.

“I love good food. It’s got to have a sense of place, it’s got to be delicious.”

What is the most exciting part about stepping into the kitchen? Is it still the same as today as when you started out?

What I’ve always loved about the kitchen is its pace and energy. I love the fact that you’ve got 150 deadlines. You’ve got 150 customers, and they’re having three courses, now you’ve got 300 plus deadlines. I love that instant gratification. I love being able to feed people and see them smile, and I do love the idea of walking a tightrope a little bit. I love that pressure of service, it’s a buzz, it’s the adrenaline, that’s the exciting bit. Obviously, putting up delicious food is a part of it, but it’s that little bit of a buzz that you get from stepping into a professional kitchen.

Do you have a food philosophy? What is it you think defines you as a chef?

That’s a really difficult question. Wow, food philosophy! I think - you’ve probably heard it a million times beforebut knowing where our food comes from, how it’s grown, its provenance, locality, sense of place, these are all really important. I’ve eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world, and those restaurants have a sense of place. That’s how I feel about food.

I think we’re at a tipping point. We know, globally, that we have to change our habits. We’ve got to think about what we do. We’ve got to think about the impact we have on our planet, and I know that’s all very serious, but that really is the heart of the way. I love good food. It’s got to have a sense of place, it’s got to be delicious. I don’t know whether that’s a philosophy. I don’t know if that answers the question, but you know, my training is deeply rooted in French classical food. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that it’s an endless source of learning, it never stops, you know, and travelling is part of that. You go to a different place to pick up different recipes. You get a different sense of how people eat and how they come together, how they celebrate.

‘MasterChef Australia’ made you a household name across the globe, but it also ignited this phenomenon that had people looking beyond the plate. Inspiring amateur cooks to embrace their passion and come out of the woodwork, as well as spurring interest in understanding food and sharing ideas. What does it mean to you to have been part of this movement of sorts that is still going strong? Did ‘MasterChef’ change anything for you? What would you say you took away from the entire experience?

Yeah, it was magnificent. It was time and place. For example, I mean, it was at a time when in 2009, the world, much like it is now, was not entirely positive. There’s a lot going on, people are distracted, they’re worried about all sorts of things, and it was just good, positive, family television all to do with food. Something that brought people together and sat them down in front of each other around a meal. And like art, like music, it’s one of the great conduits for conversation; to share an experience; to share a moment in time in our busy lives. I think ‘MasterChef’ just hit the nail on the head. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

As an experience, it changed how I thought as a professional chef. I used to think of amateur cooks as being completely separate from what I did as a chef. I trained for 20-25 years plus by then, it’s 35, nearly 40 years now. But what I realised very quickly is that when you really love something, when you’re passionate about something, it eclipses everything else. A chef is very often guilty of doing something, just because they have to, it’s perfection through repetition. It’s deadlines, it’s a professional environment, where you’re feeding people and they are paying for it. In an amateur environment or at home, it is purely for the love of it. In fact, there is no better food than at home. There is no better food on the planet than that made by somebody who cooks a particular thing and does it brilliantly; maybe because they’ve done it all their life, or maybe your grandmother or your mother has practised and perfected it because they love what they’re doing.

“I love the complexity, I love the variety, I love how the [Indian] cuisine changes across the country and the list of favourites goes on and on.”

Behind every success story is a trail of challenges, hurdles and sacrifices. Can you tell us a little about the challenges you had to overcome to get to where you are today?

That’s going to take far too long for this interview. Being a chef has never been easy. Being a restaurateur is even harder. When I was a young chef, there were times when I thought I couldn’t. I was working too many hours, I was tired. Back then, I had to earn the right to cook recipes from the chefs above me. And so it was never an easy industry. It’s changed now, thank goodness. A lot of it was based on the dignity of labour and becoming the best tradesmen, the best craftsmen that you could possibly be. But at the same time obviously, I was, I’m still in it, you know, I love it. I’ve always loved cooking. I love cooking beautiful ingredients. I couldn’t think of doing anything else.

In business, as a restaurateur, there are constant challenges, where do you want me to start? There’s staff, there’s rent, there’s payroll, there’s the economy, there are fickle customers, the list is endless. I’ve had successes, and I’ve had failures, and I think the failures actually across the years have put me in a unique position. Like on ‘MasterChef’ where I’m a mentor, I’m a trainer. I can pass on the mistakes that I’ve made and the successes that I’ve made and people listen, which is a great place to be.

Tell us about your love affair with Indian food. What is so alluring about it to you and this may be hard, but can you pick your favourite cuisine?

The favourite cuisine bit is easy, it’s a trick question, and whatever I say is the wrong answer because Indians love their food and they love the traditional food that they grew up with.

“What I’ve always loved about the kitchen is its pace and energy.”

A Legacy of Trust

A commitment to the future

Established in 1977, we started with a simple mission - to preserve the quality and craft in harvesting the finest wood

Our philosophy is that of trust, honesty and transparency which has enabled us to build a world-class veneer manufacturing unit in Kerala with over 400 varieties of veneers.

A future facing brand and market leader in solid surfaces, Jalaram Timber Depot was the first to introduce Corian® DupontSurface™ in India, among several other brands that we are proud to partner with.

A Legacy of Trust

Our 20,000 sq. ft showroom in Mumbai and our factory ensures that we have ready stock available for delivery at all times.

A commitment to the future

Established in 1977, we started with a simple mission - to preserve the quality and craft in harvesting the finest wood

Our philosophy is that of trust, hone ty and transparency which has enabled us to build a world-class veneer manufacturing unit in Kerala with over 400 varieties of venee

A future facing brand and market leader in solid surfaces, Jalaram Timber Depot was the first to introduce Corian® DupontSurface™ in India, among several other brands that we are proud to partner with.

Our 20,000 sq. ft showroom in Mumbai and our factory ensures that we have ready stock available for delivery at all times.

So it’s not something I want to commit to, but I love all sorts of different foods. I’ve travelled a lot through India. I love South Indian flavours particularly because of the aromatics, the coconut milk, the fish, and I love the deeper, more complex spice mixes of the north, particularly Kashmir. I’ve been lucky enough to go to Nagaland recently in the far North East and see a completely different cuisine. So in a sense, that answers why I love Indian cuisine, because there is no such thing as Indian cuisine. It can be Hyderabadi, Kashmiri, it can be Naga and within that classification, within Naga cuisine, there are many different recipes and many different ideas or dishes following completely different recipes. So yeah, I love the complexity, I love the variety, I love how the cuisine changes across the country and the list of favourites goes on and on. People ask me, have I eaten this, have I eaten street food and the answer is: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I’ve eaten so many different things, there’s so much to discover. I pick up recipes every time I come. I think I could spend the rest of my life trying to learn it all and I’d never get it done.

Your love for all things food is well-documented. But is there anything else you are passionate about? Who is Gary Mehigan outside the kitchen?

I love my dogs. We’ve got two beautiful dogs, Molly and Fergus, a Great Dane and a Boxer cross. If I’ve got time, I walk them twice a day. I take a great sense of joy just having time to walk with them, to be with nature. Watch the dogs, throw sticks and balls, and talk to people along the way, it’s a nice pastime. I love my motorbikes. I’m a passionate motorcyclist. I love cooking at home now. I mean, rewind the clock, 10 years ago when I had restaurants, I never cooked at home. Now, I love cooking at home and earlier, I never entertained because I was always at work and always

too busy, now I love inviting friends around for something to eat, and we even do silly things now like pick themes, get together and make cocktails. Let’s say we do Saturday night and it’s Vietnamese, and we will come to the table with something different, so lots of different things. And, of course, travel. Travel is still one of my great passions. The more I can travel, the more experiences I have on this planet, the better.

Amidst all the travelling, filming and the limelight that comes with it all, what keeps you grounded?

All the things I mentioned in the last question. The things that ground me are my family, my daughter, watching her grow up into a beautiful young lady of 21 now, with a career of her own. I also love gardening. It’s summer in Australia now, tomatoes are growing, basil is growing, the fruit is starting to grow on the trees - apples, quinces, pears and figs are the things that I grow.

There are a lot of people, budding chefs included, who look up to you. Who inspires you, and what is your secret recipe for making it as a chef?

First, the last bit, the secret recipe for making it as a chef now, first of all, is loving cooking. If you don’t love cooking, then don’t become a chef. The second thing, which is a great opportunity, is specialisation. We’re in a new era of specialisation. When I trained, I would train for 10 years just to learn everything, and you had to earn your stripes. Whereas now, if you look at somebody like Pooja Dhingra, for example, who became the macaron queen, she specialised in one thing to start with and became an expert in that, became entrepreneurial, and started a business.

So these opportunities exist now, and I think that the wonderful world of food is now filled with home deliveries, ghost kitchens, food experientials, and a kind of food tourism. There are so many different things that people can get involved in and make a career as not a traditional chef in a tall hat and a white coat, but as something entirely different. So, you know, my advice to young chefs or budding trainees is to think about what you want to do.

If you want to open a bakery, then go work at some great bakeries around the world. Come back, open your own bakery and perfect your own craft, make a business from it. Specialise in the one thing that you really enjoy doing and I think it will bring a lot of pleasure and a lot of success in your life.

And the first bit of the question about who inspires me? Wow. You know what? I really miss Anthony Bourdain. I thought he was a great narrator and commentator about food, a great inspiration. People like Rick Stein. This is in the television circles but then professional chefs, any number of them on the top 30 list in India, could be Thomas Zacharias who started Locavore. It could be Avinash Martins in South Goa who’s digging into local ingredients and indigenous cuisines. Around the world, people like Renee Redzepi or Thomas Keller or Sat Bains or Heston Blumenthal. The list goes on of professionals that have really, really affected so much change in the last 1015 years. And if you look at the quality of food around the world, and the messaging around it, it’s really wonderful.

“From a chef’s perspective, regardless of the trend, sometimes it’s healthier not to be tied up in what everybody else is doing and actually cook what you love.”

“Specialise in the one thing that you really enjoy doing and I think it will bring a lot of pleasure and a lot of success in your life.”

At this time, there’s always a lot of buzz about food trends for the coming year. New techniques, highlighting certain ingredients, spotlighting cuisines etc. What is your take on food trends, and how important are they from the commercial perspective of the food business?

If you had asked me that question 10 years ago, you’d get a different answer. I think 10 years ago, chefs were setting food trends. But I think now social media food trends are being set by millions of people around the world. It’s about discovering, we can jump onto YouTube or Instagram, and we can see what somebody’s doing in Szechuan in China and be inspired by a street food dish.

We can jump onto Instagram and see what Renee Redzepi was serving at Noma last night for dinner and that can set a good trend. So I think it’s an entirely different question now than it was when once upon a time chefs might research something, launch something in the restaurant, and then slowly that filtered down into the home or became a trend in other restaurants. Now, it’s instantaneous. So when people ask what are the food trends? I say, jump on social media, you’ll get a much better answer than I will give because it’s there for everybody to see.

“Knowing where our food comes from, how it’s grown, its provenance, locality, sense of place, these are all really important.”

“I’ve always loved cooking. I love cooking beautiful ingredients. I couldn’t think of doing anything else.”

From a chef’s perspective, regardless of the trend, sometimes it’s healthier not to be tied up in what everybody else is doing and actually cook what you love, and that could be something that your mother cooked or your grandmother cooked. It could be rediscovering recipes that your family may lose if they’re not written down. So you may be setting a new trend, let’s put it that way. You might find a little book of recipes or you might start documenting traditional recipes from your family, and you might set the trend. Remember amongst all the trends and fads, only the good stuff remains.

“And like art, like music, it’s [Food] one of the great conduits for conversation; to share an experience; to share a moment in time in our busy lives. I think ‘MasterChef’ just hit the nail on the head. It couldn’t have been more perfect.”

“Being a chef has never been easy. Being a restaurateur is even harder.”

“Classic never goes out of style.”

Luxury lifestyle designer Raghavendra

Rathore sets the bar high with his diverse design ambit, growing synonymous with heritage clothing and modern timelessness.

By Nichola Pais

“I was inspired by an artisan who I used to come across during my village trips as a child with my father, who used his sense of colour to create durries and rugs without referring to any books or electronic mediums.”

His selection to design the uniform for the Indian Border Security Force’s first-ever women contingent is the latest feather in the already distinguished cap of lifestyle designer Raghavendra Rathore. In a conversation with ‘Society Achievers’, he shares insights into his journey to becoming one of the leading fashion designers of our times, growing synonymous with heritage clothing and modern timelessness, his diverse design ambit and more…

Hailing from the royal family of Jodhpur, what are some of your earliest memories of your heritage, and of design and fashion in particular?

My childhood was like any other kid growing up in Jodhpur, the difference perhaps was only that there were heaps of cultural experiences, ceremonies, sights and sounds that altered my aesthetics to pursue a more creative journey later in my life. My education was extremely broad-based from Greek mythology to robotics and then finally design, which I credit today as being the fundamentals of creating products for all luxury segments season after season.

Your study of Renaissance art, your education at the Parsons School of Design – New York, followed by stints with the prestigious design houses Donna Karan New York and Oscar de la Renta… in retrospect, how did these experiences impact you?

My journey from Mayo College, a boarding school in Ajmer, to Marlboro College, a liberal arts college in Vermont, to the design sanctum - the Parsons School of Design in New York, is a testament to an all-round understanding of the history of design, culture and more importantly, the universe of fashion. My experiences with stalwart brands in New York fuelled the urge and the hunger to build a brand which, after returning to India, I pursued diligently. Being from a small town, initially, it was extremely difficult to convince people to believe in the brand but in time, miraculously, it has become the goto brand for the classic wardrobes that men seek today.

Recently you had the honour of designing the uniform for the Border Security Force’s first-ever women contingent – the Mahila Praharis. Do take us through some of the special features of the design. The design has been built keeping restraint, comfort and subtlety in mind. The idea was to ensure that men and women are seen from the same perspective; therefore, the focus was to continue the existing tradition of the BSF’s current uniforms and not diverge from it. The main design is inspired by the classic Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur bandhgala. However, the features that make up the design’s core have been chosen from vendors across the nation. Most of the trims were applied using zari and tagai techniques.

You are one of the earliest designers to have made a mark for yourself by promoting Indian heritage, culture and keeping “Make in India’’ at the very centre of your brand. How did this awareness dawn back when you were just starting out?

I was inspired by an artisan who I used to come across during my village trips as a child with my father, who used his sense of colour to create durries and rugs without referring to any books or electronic mediums. This very innate talent of the Indian artists and craftsmen has always been a part of the brand’s creations in some form or the other, ever since the first show at the Mehrangarh Fort. Whether it is the weaves, prints, embroideries, accessories, or simply the city of Jodhpur which is a constant in our moodboard, it is our endeavour to build a recall value for the rich arts, culture and heritage that India stands for.

Over the years, Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur has gone on to become synonymous with heritage clothing and modern timelessness. Has it been challenging to achieve this blend of traditional elegance with contemporary chic?

Classic never goes out of style and at Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur, we encourage our clients to invest in heirloom pieces that are timeless, whether clothes or customised fabrics or personalised jewellery pieces. Traditional pieces styled with the right colour palette, keeping the function or event in mind, are always in-style.

From a humble beginning in 1994 with a small store in New Delhi, to the present… what are some of the most fulfilling highlights in your journey to becoming one of the leading fashion designers of our times?

Setting a vision and milestones in the journey of our lives is an important roadmap that has helped me achieve most of the items on my wish list. From attaining global knowledge to being able to support oneself through a long-drawn education, mastering the art and the craft, learning and experiencing from the best in the industry, and finally coming to build an amalgamation of ideas and practices into a brand that has now become synonymous with the cultural aspect of our heritage of classic clothing, has been a fruitful journey.

You are considered the ultimate authority on classic men’s dressing, with even style icons like Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Shah Rukh Khan holding your opinion in high regard. How does it feel to be in this enviable position?

A humbling feeling but there is always more to learn from stalwarts whom we dress season after season. They are actually the real trendsetters that brands like ours cater to, and in the process learn how to enrich others with bespoke learnings through our product offering under the brand Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur.

“The essence of the brand is a derivative of the Jodhpur vision. The richness of culture and the appetite in preserving heritage clothing has been the prime focus of the brand.”

The Jodhpur bandhgala lies at the heart of the Raghavendra Rathore brand. What do you believe is the USP of this piece of clothing, that has revolutionised Indian style within the country and internationally?

What makes the bandhgala so unique is its ability to lend itself to one’s personality for any occasion depending on how one constructs the overall look. Formally worn, it qualifies as a formal suit; by opening two buttons, it slowly emerges as a casual ascension; and if paired with denim jeans, it completely changes the context of one’s personality to a super casual feel, yet keeping it trendy.

You even have a bandhgala range for women! How did that come about?

Tailoring a bandhgala for a man or a woman requires the same skills and techniques, making it extremely palatable for people who prefer the tailored look. The ability of the bespoke experiences offered by the brand makes it possible for people to adapt the complete look for their charmed personalities with details only possible in the bespoke genre.

What’s the secret behind your tailoring and trademark ‘cut’, which is famous for giving a trim and upright look to practically every body type?

The cut is inspired by the hundreds of years of Jodhpur tailoring legacy. Initially, it is challenging for first-time clients, as the fit is compact but once you wear it, it changes the way your personality looks completely, as per your body type.

How much of a role do accessories play in adding vibrancy and an element of fun into sober, classic dressing?

The design is equally shared by the outfit and the way people put the accessories together. A smart belt that matches the shoes or the pocket scarf that picks up the colour of the shirt can completely alter the aesthetics, giving one the lead in a group of people who might be struggling with the same. In other words, you’re bound to stand out if you know how to carefully combine all aspects of accessories that can work with a particular look.

Your ready-to-wear label, RR Blue, is a line of contemporary and festive aesthetics. How challenging is it to design for the millennial individual?

The accessibility of the RRB brand caters to a whole different aesthetic; it opens up the market for a bespoke brand to explore the retail hemisphere.

“A smart belt that matches the shoes or the pocket scarf that picks up the colour of the shirt can completely alter the aesthetics, giving one the lead in a group of people who might be struggling with the same. In other words, you’re bound to stand out if you know how to carefully combine all aspects of accessories that can work with a particular look.”

Your multifaceted designing capabilities have gone beyond bespoke clothing to include jewellery, interiors and more recently, multimedia. Do shed more light on your diverse design ambit.

The brand oscillates in the luxury lifestyle bandwidth, exploring projects for private clients. Whether it is interiors or a custom product, we have excellent design capabilities to tackle any challenge in the bespoke. Recently, uniforms for large corporates have become an important and integral part of our offering, from institutions, including Jio Centre, top fivestar hotels, ITC, Imperial Hotel, Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur, and Claridges. We offer one of the most efficient solutions and uniform design services in the world today.

Does Rajasthan, and Jodhpur in particular, still spark inspiration?

The essence of the brand is a derivative of the Jodhpur vision. The richness of culture and the appetite in preserving heritage clothing has been the prime focus of the brand.

What’s a day in the life of Raghavendra Rathore like?

Ideation, jungles near the Ranakpur region, outdoor experiences in the country, and time well-spent with people who you love.

Quick Bytes:

Celebrities whose style you admire: Timothee Chalamet

The last film you enjoyed: Dune

Favourite holiday destinations: Rawla Narlai, which is a boutique property two hours’ drive from Jodhpur or Udaipur

Comfort meal: Indian

Instant mood-lifter: No Filter

“My education was extremely broad-based from Greek mythology to robotics and then finally design, which I credit today as being the fundamentals of creating products for all luxury segments season after season.”

“Recently, uniforms for large corporates have become an important and integral part of our offering, from institutions, including Jio Centre, top five-star hotels, ITC, Imperial Hotel, Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur, and Claridges. We offer one of the most efficient solutions and uniform design services in the world today.”

“What makes the bandhgala so unique is its ability to lend itself to one’s personality for any occasion depending on how one constructs the overall look.”

The Design behind the Uniform of the BSF Camel Contingent Mahila Praharis

In 2023, the famed BSF Camel Contingent, which has been a part of the Republic Day celebrations since 1976, witnessed the BSF’s first-ever women contingent riding beside their male counterparts.

World-renowned designer Raghavendra Rathore, who has made a mark for himself by promoting Indian heritage, culture and keeping “Make in India” at the very centre of his brand, has been the name behind designing the uniforms for the Mahila Praharis. While the uniform has been assembled in-house at the Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur atelier, the uniform is unique as it has many elements from treasured craft forms across India.

The uniform of Mahila Praharis for the BSF Camel Contingent incorporates sartorial and cultural elements of India’s history through a proud representation of what the BSF offers to the country by guarding its borders. While designing the outfit for these uniforms, the functionality and practicality of outfits was of utmost priority. For the women who don this uniform, it is an honour and privilege, and an equally proud and humble experience for the designer to serve the nation by resonating the ethos of the iconic Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur Bandhgala that is stately and classic.

The base fabric has a texture which has been highlighted with various trims of hand-crafted zardosi work, especially created in Benaras with the age-old danka technique that adds a touch of elegance to the uniforms. To complement and complete the look, the headgear is a striking pagh (turban) inspired by the age-old Pagh of the Mewar region of Rajasthan. It is an essential element highlighting the cultural significance, honour and valour. In totality, the uniform for the Mahila Praharis is a perfect amalgamation of sense and sensibility.

“Setting a vision and milestones in the journey of our lives is an important roadmap that has helped me achieve most of the items on my wish list.”

“My experiences with stalwart brands in New York fuelled the urge and the hunger to build a brand which, after returning to India, I pursued diligently.”

way to start the New Year.”

Prithvi Shaw, back in the reckoning with his admirable knocks in the Ranji Trophy, opens up about the upbeat tone it has set for the rest of the season, his highs and lows, and his hopes for the immediate future.

By Nichola Pais

“It was a great

An epic innings of 379 runs off 383 balls for Mumbai against Assam, setting the second-highest score by a batsman in Ranji Trophy history. This, coming on the heels of a century off 107 deliveries in the same tournament… The year has indeed begun on a smashing note for Prithvi Shaw. A welldeserved validation for the 23-year-old batsman who had grabbed attention at 14, with his record-breaking innings of 546 runs off 330 balls, in school cricket. He followed it up by becoming the youngest centurion, debuting in the Duleep Trophy in 2017 — and breaking the record set by Sachin Tendulkar, no less. A century scored in his test debut in 2018, and understandably expectations soared. The story thereafter proved to be underwhelming, and he faced the brunt of extreme criticism. Taking a break from the game to rest and recalibrate. But he is back in form, as his latest performances show. When he tells ‘Society Achievers’ that he is now looking forward to finding his way back into the Indian team and staying there for a long time, you can’t help but hope that the Gods are listening…

Excerpts from the interview…

You have got off to a great start in the New Year, scoring a brilliant 100 off just 107 deliveries against Assam in the Ranji Trophy…

It was a proud moment for me, as a player, and it boosted my confidence. It was a great way to start the New Year, and it set an upbeat tone for the rest of the season.

Just 14 when you made history, scoring a never-seenbefore 546 in Mumbai’s Harris Shield… Looking back on that day, what powered that tremendous knock?

Several factors contributed to the performance on that day, including talent, years of practice, and a strong desire to succeed. Additionally, technical skills, such as my ability to read the game, shot selection and concentration levels, also played a significant role. As they say, it took 14 years to be an overnight success!

You went on to score centuries on your debut in the Ranji Trophy (2016-17) as well as the Duleep Trophy (2017), earning comparisons with the great Sachin Tendulkar, who had accomplished these feats earlier. How did you deal with so much fame that came so soon? Did you feel too burdened by expectations?

Comparisons with a cricketing legend like Sachin Tendulkar was an honour, but also came with a lot of expectations and pressure! The support from family, coaches, and teammates helped me handle the pressure. Additionally, having a strong mental game, focusing on the process rather than the outcome, setting realistic goals, and learning from mistakes helped me deal with the fame and expectations.

Captaining the Indian U-19 side for the 2018 Junior World Cup in New Zealand, you not only scored 261 runs at an average of 65 with two 50s to your name, but also brought home the title. What are your special memories of this win?

Winning the Under-19 World Cup as captain of the Indian team has been a significant achievement for me, and I have many fond memories of that tournament. Some of the highlights include leading the young team to victory, scoring a significant number of runs, and the excitement and camaraderie of playing with my teammates during the tournament. The feeling of victory is still an unforgettable moment.

Invited to play in the school circuit in England, you scored 1446 runs over a two-month period. What did that experience teach you?

Having scored 1446 runs and bagging 68 wickets with my off-break style of bowling in two months for Cheadle Hulme School was a great experience. I learnt to perform better in foreign conditions later in 2013 and 2014 when I was given a chance. I played for other teams like Cleethorps in the 2014 Yorkshire ECB County Premier League in England. It was a completely different experience for a boy from Virar to be in England going toe-to-toe with so many talented players.

“As a cricketer in India, you are always expected to step up for the country whenever asked.”

How would you say your performances for India A, both in England and at home against West Indies A and South Africa A, gave wings to your India aspirations?

Performing well for India A can be an important step towards earning a call-up to the senior national team. Playing against strong opposition in both domestic and international matches can help players gain experience, build confidence, and demonstrate their ability to perform at a high level. In the case of playing well for India A in England and at home against West Indies A and South Africa A, I showcased my ability to adapt to different conditions and styles of play. A strong performance on foreign soil can demonstrate that a player has the mental and technical skills to succeed in challenging environments, which is a valuable asset for any international cricketer.

You pipped Mayank Agarwal in the race to be India’s backup opener when you were called for the fourth and fifth Tests in England in 2018. Did you expect this to happen?

I did not expect to be called up for the fourth and fifth Tests in England and was surprised. As a cricketer in India, you are always expected to step up for the country whenever asked. I trusted my skills and performance at that time to be prepared for the opportunity, and was able to take advantage of it when it came.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) named you as one of the five breakout stars in men’s cricket in 2018. How much of a thrill was that? Any recognition by the International Cricket Council (ICC) is a significant achievement for any player. It is recognition of my talent and performance, and is a major milestone in my career. The honour also brought attention and opened up opportunities for future success.

You became India’s 293rd Test cricketer in Rajkot against West Indies in November 2018. What were your feelings at the time?

It is a big achievement for a cricketer to be selected to represent their country in Test cricket. Being named India’s 293rd Test cricketer is a huge milestone in my career and a testament to the hard work I put in. It is a huge honour and it was a proud moment to represent the country at the highest level of the sport.

You made your IPL debut in 2018. Do tell us about your fulfilling IPL moments over the years.

IPL has been an exhilarating ride so far. From being picked by the Delhi Daredevils as a young boy, to my current stint with the Delhi Capitals, it’s been a whirlwind experience. Six boundaries in an over, remains a personal favourite, and also the thrill to be involved in the winning moments of the team.

“Comparisons with a cricketing legend like Sachin Tendulkar was an honour, but also came with a lot of expectations and pressure!”

You lost your mother at a young age, and it was your father who supported your cricket dreams. How did this experience impact you?

Losing a parent at a young age can be a difficult and traumatic experience for anyone. Losing a mother at a young age, in particular, can be especially hard as mothers often play an important role in their children’s lives. The experience of losing my mother had a profound impact on my life. Having a supportive father who supported my cricket dreams, had a positive impact on my life as I had someone to look up to and rely on during a difficult time. His support helped me as a person to cope with the loss of my mother, as he also served as a role model and provided guidance and support in my pursuit of the cricket dream.

What are some of the changes that you have made in yourself, both cricket-wise and personally, since you first started out?

For any cricketer, as they gain experience and play more matches, it is natural for them to make changes to their game and personal life. Cricket-wise, as a player, I made changes to my technique, fitness, and mental approach to the game; for example, improving my technique against a specific type of bowler or working on my fitness to improve endurance. I also made changes to the tactical approach to the game, such as becoming more aggressive or defensive depending on the match situation. Personally, as a player, I changed my lifestyle, such as changes in diet, exercise, and rest, to help me perform better on the field. Also changes to my attitude and mindset, such as learning to deal with pressure and handling the expectations of fans and media. I also tried to develop new skills and hobbies, to help keep me motivated and engaged, and avoid burnout.

“His [my father’s] support helped me as a person to cope with the loss of my mother, as he also served as a role model and provided guidance and support in my pursuit of the cricket dream.”

R E M O D E L I N G

E X P E C T A T I O N S

Y O U R K I T C H E N

You have also seen the lows in your cricketing career. How did you deal with this challenge?

In cricket, it is not uncommon for players to go through periods where they are not performing as well as they would like, or where they are facing injuries or other obstacles. To deal with these challenges, I turned to a variety of strategies such as seeking advice from coaches and mentors, reviewing footage of my own performances, and working with specialists such as sports psychologists or fitness trainers to identify and address any issues. I also took a break from the game to rest and recharge, or focus on fitness and conditioning. Travel was a big motivator and a stress buster.

As a player, you learn from your mistakes and use them as a learning experience for future matches, which will help you be more confident and determined to be back on the field. I always try to maintain a positive attitude and mindset, and not get disheartened by setbacks. It’s always important to remember where and why you started.

“It’s always important to remember where and why you started.”

“To deal with the challenges, I turned to a variety of strategies such as seeking advice from coaches and mentors, reviewing footage of my own performances, and working with specialists such as sports psychologists or fitness trainers to identify and address any issues.”

“I’m looking forward to finding my way back into the Indian team and staying there for a long time. As the IPL is upon us, I want us to go the distance. We have been knocking on the doors for a long time and it will be nice to win it for the fans in Delhi.”

What are some of the goals that you wish to achieve soon, and also some of your long-term dreams?

Short-term goals include things like improving my technique against a specific type of bowler and working on my fitness to improve endurance. Long-term goals include things like earning a regular place in the national team, winning a major ICC tournament, and becoming one of the top players. I’m looking forward to finding my way back into the Indian team and staying there for a long time. As the IPL is upon us, I want us to go the distance. We have been knocking on the doors for a long time and it will be nice to win it for the fans in Delhi.

Lifestyle

Luxurious speedboats, biker tales, a date with sarees, unravelling relationship types, a star-studded extravaganza…

‘Society Achievers’ dives into all this and more!

Enchantingly Ethnic

Actress and entrepreneur Mugdha

Godse shows Amber Dias how she’s channelling her creative energy and love for sarees into a new adventure

- Saaree Mood.

Model and actress Mugdha Godse knows how to turn heads on screen and on the runway, but lately, she’s been dazzling audiences in her turn as an entrepreneur with her new venture Saaree Mood, a brand of sarees that celebrates the Indian woman and the graceful drape that we all love.

Turning a love of sarees into an opportunity

“I love sarees. It is such beautiful and graceful attire,” says Mugdha when talking about what inspired this venture. With so much variety and so many opportunities in this sphere, extending her ‘saree-love’ into a business was a natural step. “With my spiritual master Tarneivji’s blessings, this idea came about and I decided to start Saaree Mood.”

Bringing Saaree Mood to life

“Saaree Mood is a divine blessing from my guru and it’s my baby which I will grow and nurture into a huge success,” says Mugdha. She believes that the beautiful Indian drape is not just traditional attire, but is also globally regarded as a formal fashion statement. “It is very graceful and at the same time, super sexy!”

Going back to where it started, she recounts, “When my master blessed me with this idea, I started working on the basics of creating a brand, from sourcing to visualizing to creating a logo. The vision for the brand went so beautifully with Rahul’s astute sense of fashion and great aesthetics, and his help made everything so easy!”

“Saaree Mood is a divine blessing from my guru and it’s my baby which I will grow and nurture into a huge success.”

“At Saaree Mood we have sarees from all across India, made by karigars who treat each piece like a work of art.”

The brand offers a wide selection from Banarasi, Kanchipuram, georgette to even a cocktail collection. “At Saaree Mood we have sarees from all across India, made by karigars who treat each piece like a work of art. My aim is to have sarees for every emotion, so I will get into more designs and regions! Our brand will feature sarees only and a Saaree Mood woman will be super confident, graceful and fearless when dressed in a beautiful Indian drape.”

Dynamic duo

Mugdha is not alone in this new adventure as her partner Rahul Dev is right there by her side. “Rahul is a great partner, in life and in any venture,” she says. “He gives me much-needed advice and has a sense of what not to do. His thinking is very straightforward and simple, one needs that when something like this venture is coming up. I needed that grounding. Our master’s blessings also keep the grace with us all the time as this partnership becomes stronger.”

“He [Rahul] gives me much-needed advice and has a sense of what not to do! His thinking is very straightforward and simple, one needs that when something like this venture is coming up.”

“Rahul is a great partner, in life and in any venture.”

“Our brand will feature sarees only and a Saaree Mood woman will be super confident, graceful and fearless when dressed in a beautiful Indian drape.”

“Every woman should have a Saaree Mood saree in her wardrobe and it should make her feel like the woman she was born to be - strong, confident and graceful.”

“It [the saree] is very graceful and at the same time, super sexy!”

Drawing inspiration

Mugdha’s inspiration comes from her life, what she likes to wear, colours and patterns that she has worn and experienced. Both Mugdha and Rahul, individually, have such rich experiences in the film and fashion industries from which they draw inspiration for their own creation. Mugdha avers, “Both of our journeys have been so helpful in understanding what goes behind a clothing draping business. We both love clothes and artwork, and having worn the best of clothes on the ramp and on screen, we have a good understanding of what works and what doesn’t. Our experiences have also helped us reach out to the right people in the business for sourcing and other requirements.”

“Having worn the best of clothes on the ramp and on screen, Rahul and I have a good understanding of what works and what doesn’t.”

Setting goals

With the goal of making Saaree Mood a must-have fashion statement, this superstar is ready to stride forward with confidence. She says, “Every woman should have a Saaree Mood saree in her wardrobe and it should make her feel like the woman she was born to be - strong, confident and graceful. We want everyone to see that this beautiful Indian drape is in fact the most graceful and beautiful attire for women across the world.”

All Bikers Are Dogs?

What entices a person to ditch the luxury of travelling in an enclosed, air-conditioned vehicle and choose sitting over a hot engine, batting wind and dust instead? Shaun Pais tell you…

Ever wondered why a dog pokes his head out of a moving car’s window? Why he stands on the seat for hours on end whilst braving the wind, dust and noise? It seems all the more ludicrous when you realise that chilling inside an air-conditioned cabin is a significantly more peaceful alternative. No heat, great music and I won’t even get into a safety comparison.

There’s only one answer as to why any sane person (or animal) would choose two wheels instead of four. And it’s a fairly simple one - freedom.

The biker way

Motorcycles have always been a form of freedom. You turn 18, get the keys to your first bike and you’re on your own. Not much that mom and dad can micromanage post that. Mess up? You clean up. Ride responsibly? You reap the benefits and have a great time. Motorcycling could just be one of the rawest forms of freedom. The sheer thrill of doing triple digits on an open highway, exposed to the elements with nothing but a big hot engine between your legs, invokes a sense of freedom like no other. It completely justifies the golden retriever with his sloppy tongue hanging out.

Where packs collide

Now imagine 10,000 bikers sticking their necks out on our NH4 on a Thursday morning. They’ve all left their homes early in the morning from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Kochi and different parts of the country. They all share the common goal of grouping together in Goa and spending the next couple of days riding, chatting and interacting with like-minded motorcycle-crazy people. All 10,000 of them in search of freedom for the weekend.

Welcome to India Bike Week (IBW), the Mecca for Indian bikers.

IBW was conceived in 2013 by Martin Da Costa with the single aim of bringing nuts who love motorcycles together under one roof (or in this case, one massive ground!). Although today, it’s so much more than just a festival with manufacturers preparing months in advance to show off what their machines are capable of. BMW Motorrad clearly understood the assignment and not only had their motorcycles on display in all their glory, but also unveiled the 2023 S 1000 RR. KTM clearly brought guns to a knife fight and got their MotoGP and Dakar Rally bikes for the public to salivate over. They also showcased the 890 Adventure R - a motorcycle that I’m willing to lose a kidney for.

The one underrated aspect I absolutely love about IBW is how friendly people are.

Photographs Courtesy IBW

A howlin’ affair

For those who haven’t been to IBW before, I’d advise you to carry some sort of noise cancellation apparatus to deal with the din. It gets loud, really really loud. Between the custom Himalayans gunning it on the flat track, the big Tigers scaling the hill climb and the rev-battles between inline four super-sports, the decibels are extremely high for most of the day. It’s a deafening noise for some but, at the same time, a musical symphony for others. And speaking of musical symphony, there were some amazing musicians like Easy Wanderlings, Lagori and Uday Benegal who performed at the venue.

A taste of freedom

There’s honestly so much happening at IBW, it’s impossible to cover it all. You map out what interests you, move quickly and soak in as much as you can. I spent my two days around the Enduro Hill Climb, at the wheelie training centre, and at the Ladakh tent where travellers entertained us with their stories. The one underrated aspect I absolutely love about IBW is how friendly people are. You can sense that everyone’s here only because of their common interest. Everyone’s here far away from home to enjoy their little piece of freedom.

Motorcycling was never about calculations. It’s a pure passion project that brings out emotion in ways you wouldn’t expect.

But, why do these motorcyclists even need freedom? Aren’t most of them doing well in life and have good families at home? And honestly, freedom from what?

Freedom from opinions, judgment and speculation. These are all people who, at some point or the other, have been questioned by their friends and family about their choices to spend heavily on a two-wheeler. They’ve been judged for being selfish, for spending an exorbitant amount on their bikes when they easily could’ve bought a car for the same money. They are dubbed irresponsible citizens who couldn’t care less about safety. At IBW, all of these bikers are truly happy, truly free and in safe company.

The sheer thrill of doing triple digits on an open highway, exposed to the elements with nothing but a big hot engine between your legs, invokes a sense of freedom like no other.

Let the dogs ride

So, to sum it up, yes, bikers are dogs. But they aren’t just normal dogs. They’re thrillseeking dogs who spend fuel worth two thousand rupees to drink coffee worth twenty bucks. Does it make mathematical sense? Absolutely not. But then again, motorcycling was never about calculations. It’s a pure passion project that brings out emotion in ways you wouldn’t expect. If you never ride, you’ll never know.

Bikers are dogs. Freedom-loving dogs who can’t wait to get in the saddle and stick their heads in the wind any chance they get.

Freedom from opinions, judgment and speculation. These are all people who, at some point or the other, have been questioned by their friends and family about their choices to spend heavily on a two-wheeler.

Fit Body = Fit Mind

Fitness routines are essential for keeping mental and physical health intact, says Dinesh Shetty, Founder, Production Crew Entertainment Pvt Ltd, The Riding School and God Life Cafe.

Working out is not just about managing your weight and sculpting your muscles. It goes beyond that, acting as a key facilitator for keeping a check on mental health and happiness. Yes, without a doubt, exercise does help you maintain your physique and boosts confidence, but more than that, it inspires the brain to focus on positive aspects and enriches life.

Exercise and the brain

What if I told you that you don’t need to go on keto diets and intense exercise regimens to achieve all this? Just a nominal amount of exercise will make you feel the difference? Several studies agree that sweating it out regularly with routine exercises releases serotonin and dopamine which takes away stress, anxiety and gloom, making you feel lighter and content. It can also help deal with depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Aerobic exercise is known to improve cognition, sleep quality and one’s mood. Even just going for a jog every alternate day will present results in a few days.

How does it work?

As mentioned earlier, regular exercise has proven to be extremely effective in managing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. So much so, that psychologists recommend it as part of the treatment. In the case of anxiety, the stress that strenuous exercise puts on the mind and body mimics that of an attack. The repetitions train the muscles to endure this stress and conditions the mind to overcome the suffocating sensation. In addition, following a routine, right from getting dressed to hitting the gym or going outdoors, helps steady the mind and normalizes certain behaviour and interactions that could otherwise act as triggers, such as being in a crowded space.

Exercise and a healthy diet go

Similarly, working out helps strengthen neural growth and induces feelings of calm and healing from within. Apart from endorphins that are released and help lift the state of mind, it acts as a good distraction and keeps the negative thoughts and feelings from clouding the mind; channelling energy towards positive thoughts.

Exercise for a healthy mind

Irrespective of whether you are suffering from a mental health condition or not, exercising regularly can improve mental well-being.

Boost self-esteem: A disciplined exercise regime helps you focus on achievable goals and will give you a sense of accomplishment as you achieve them and better yourself. It motivates you to push further and harder, improving selfesteem, and keeping failures and inhibiting experiences from bringing you down.

Improved memory and quick thinking: Our brain requires oxygen to function optimally. The more the oxygen, the better the functionality. The physical strain from regular exercise forces the body to take in more oxygen. This leads to the body retaining more oxygen which is carried to all organs via the bloodstream, improving cognitive thinking and memory.

Several studies agree that sweating it out regularly with routine exercises releases serotonin and dopamine which takes away stress, anxiety and gloom, making one feel lighter and content.

hand-in-hand.

Improved sleep quality: Regular exercise puts a strain on the muscles and triggers the body to seek rest and healing. This allows you to sleep deeper and better, improving sleep quality. Light exercises like yoga or just simply meditation before turning in promotes better sleep.

Energy and mood boost: Exercise and a healthy diet go hand-in-hand. A balanced diet, packed with nutrients, boosts energy and functionality. Fresh food like fruits and vegetables also go a long way towards boosting mood.

“Working out. Exercising. Whether you do a lot or a little, you must do something.”

- Tyson Fury

Boosts emotional well-being: A routine exercise regime also helps balance hormone levels better, keeping you steady and in a better position to manage emotional lows.

Get physical

Tyson Fury, a professional boxer who struggled with alcohol and drug abuse that led to a decline in both his physical and mental well-being, is a good example of using exercise to find one’s centre and overcoming mental health issues. In his words, “You need to stimulate your mind and training is the perfect way to do it. Working out. Exercising. Whether you do a lot or a little, you must do something. I gave myself both short-term and long-term goals and I plan things more now. It doesn’t always have to be big; you can give yourself tiny, small goals that mean something to you as a person. I am very sure that working out and having a routine in your life is the solution for mental health problems.”

Working out helps strengthen neural growth and induces feelings of calm and healing from within.

Jet, Set… Go!

Hitting the water in the comfort of a luxe speedboat is the coolest way to travel.

Ahoy sailors, are you ready to hit the water? There’s nothing like the rush of cutting through it in a sleek, luxurious speedboat that’s customised to suit your style and needs. Whether it’s heading off to a destination or just a spin around the bay, it is by far the coolest way to travel. And the best part - there’s no traffic. So if you’re in the mood for a little fun on water, just find your sea legs and hop on board.

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Sea Ray SLX 250

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Cap Camarat 7.5 DC

Leader 33

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We believe that you deserves to live and work in spaces that uplift and inspire!

Are You In Love?

Paula Dsouza helps you decipher your relationship.

Being in love with love is easy, but seeing it for what it is and understanding if love is what your relationship is based on, is perhaps not so easy. A little sugar and spice and everything nice does have a nice ring to it, but there’s more to a relationship than pomp and flash. After all, just believing in something, doesn’t necessarily make it true. Blind love has been and always will be the bane of any kind of relationship and its only antidote is comprehension and communication.

What’s love got to do with it?

Love has been called many a thing, but at its root is a connection between two people. Like most others, Robert Sternberg, a renowned psychologist, had his own opinion on it. He believed that love is made up of three simple elements - Intimacy, Passion and Commitment. And together, they form the three verticals of a triangle.

“Romantic love in its purest form exists when all three corners of the triangle are present. Without passion and commitment, you get mere friendship. Without commitment and passion, you get a lustful version of love that is only physical. And without intimacy and passion, you get empty love, tied by only a marriage contract and sacrifices,” says relationship expert Sameera Sullivan.

The best kind of love has all three elements and the least strong love has only one element. So, how many elements does your relationship have? Take this test…

The ‘One Element’ Group

The Early Friendship

Ever had a person you appreciate having around? Someone you seem to be able to talk to and would love to meet more often, a friend. That’s what the early friendship type of relationship majorly constitutes. Or to put it simply, a relationship based on ‘liking’.

A seemingly unnecessary but vital element to fortify a relationship. It is characteristic of intimacy in the form of a close bond without paying much heed to passion or long-term commitment. A friendship leading to a relationship? What’s not to love?

Think Jai and Aditi from ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’.

Relationship traits: Relatability, connection, amicability and understanding.

Blind love has been and always will be the bane of any kind of relationship and its only antidote is comprehension and communication.

Love is made up of three simple elements - Intimacy, Passion and Commitment. And together, they form the three verticals of a triangle.

The Love At First Sight

Some people tend to have a charisma that instantly stirs a little infatuation. There is an intense and almost immediate attraction. This relationship is built on a love in which passion is so immensely present that there seems to be no room for intimacy and commitment. Even though this is a comparatively unstable way to start a relationship, one could still grow, provided it is cared for. Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele from ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ are a pretty good example.

Relationship traits: Lust, physical attraction and sexual tension.

The Dying Pact

Yes, this type of relationship can be as sad as its name. And that’s because there is a deep sense of emptiness at its core. The good thing though, is that nothing lasts forever, so you always have a chance to turn it around. A love that is empty is one where all you are is committed and nothing else. Most often arranged marriages start off like this. But that doesn’t mean love can’t grow. Kamal and Neelam from ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ bring this type of relationship to life.

Relationship traits: Contractual, void of emotions, dry and logical.

The ‘Two Element’ Group

The Modern-Day Jane Austen

Ah, the stuff of fiction, the ideal kind of love. Onlooker or partner, everyone seems to love this particular type of love. The kind where there is passion and excitement. The kind of love writers lament about and filmmakers glorify. It is romance at its finest. However, nothing is as perfect as it seems. Reality check – commitment is scary and definitely hasn’t been considered. The best way to work around this one is to take a long, hard look at where both people in the relationship want to go. Look to Carrie and Big from ‘Sex and The City’ for a glimpse of what this type of relationship could be.

Relationship traits: Magical and unrealistic.

“So many of us are raised on fairy tale versions of perfect love built on passion; when this illusion pops, many hearts are broken.”

-Carla Marie Manly

The Heat Of The Moment

Would you say you’re a little in over your head? Too much commitment too soon based on an incredible few weeks or months? If your life to your dread is starting to resemble something like a whirlwind, then maybe this is you. This is the kind of love where commitment is present but solely due to passion and nothing else. A momentary lapse in judgment with monumental consequences. Our advice? Maybe try being friends before getting into a marriage. Just think about Joe Goldberg and Love Quinn from ‘You’.

Relationship traits: Doubt, impulsiveness and physical attraction.

The Forever Alliance

This is a love that to the outside world seems most blissful, but somehow has something missing. Companionate love can sometimes feel like one of the best friendships or most trusting relationships you could ever fathom to have. And still, it constitutes this prolonged drain of excitement which can definitely be a bother to certain people. However, with just a little passion, your spark can always be reignited, just like with ‘Breaking Bad’s’ Walter and Skyler.

Relationship traits: Sexual frustration, closeness and phlegmatic.

Every predicament has a solution rooted in action and communication.

The ‘Three Element’ Mission The Holy Grail

You could say this is something like the ‘ultimate goal’ or ‘the holy grail’. This love is Sternberg’s ideal, the best that could ever exist. One where intimacy, passion and commitment are all actively and equally present. However, a love like this is much harder to maintain than it is to achieve and its main facilitator is action. Some would say the former First Lady of the USA Michelle Obama and husband Barack Obama are the ideals of this kind of relationship. Or perhaps Nathan and Haley Scott from ‘One Tree Hill’.

Relationship traits: Relatability, physical attraction and longterm security.

Find your true love

“So many of us are raised on fairy tale versions of perfect love built on passion; when this illusion pops, many hearts are broken. It’s clear that passion can only take you so far. When partners rely on physical attraction to keep a relationship alive, hurt and disappointment ultimately arise. Although passion is certainly an enticing element, it’s shared values, dedicated effort, and emotional investment that keeps relationships alive in the long term,” says Carla Marie Manly, clinical psychologist, relationship expert and author of ‘Date Smart’.

That just goes to show the need for effort. No matter how bright your spark, if you don’t nurture it, it will go out, or as Sternberg once wrote, “Even the greatest of loves can die without it being expressed.” Funnily enough, no matter what you have deciphered in reading this article, every predicament has a solution rooted in action and communication.

A Golden Milestone

‘Stardust’ celebrated its 50 th Anniversary in its typical style – with glamour, gumption and grandeur!

Glitz, glamour and star power ruled the night as ‘Stardust’ celebrated its 50th Anniversary by honouring actors, musicians, producers and directors who have bowled over audiences with power-packed and downright entertaining films over the years. A special appearance by the former editors of the magazine made the night all the more special. And, of course, Founding Editor Shobhaa De and publishing czar and creator of ‘Stardust’, Nari Hira, took centre stage to recount the magazine’s sizzling journey.

The red carpet sizzled with Bollywood legends and rising stars making their way to the grand ballroom at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai. This star-studded list included Rekha, Anil Kapoor, Shatrughan and Poonam Sinha, Anil Kapoor, Sonu Sood, Kartik Aaryan, Anupam Kher, Boney Kapoor, Ramesh and Kiran Sippy, Gulshan Grover, Zarina Wahab, Kabir Bedi and Parveen Dusanj, Poonam Dhillon, Ashutosh Gowariker, Mukesh Rishi, Padmini Kolhapure, Raveena Tandon, Satish Kaushik, Manoj Bajpayee, Vaani Kapoor, Nargis Fakhri, Javed Jaffrey, Nimrat Kaur, Boman Irani, Rahul Roy, Anu Malik, Amit Sadh, Ranvir Shorey, Tisca Chopra, Shriya Saran, Maniesh Paul, Bhushan Kumar, Murad Khetani, Anees Bazmee, Madhur Bhandarkar, Udit Narayan, Bhumi Pednekar, Aayush Sharma, Harshvardhan Kapoor, Arjan Bajwa, Sayani Gupta, Bharat Dabholkar, Devi Sri Prasad, Preeti Jhangiani, Parvin Dabas, Rai Laxmi, Adinath Kothare, Rituparna Sengupta, Ishita Raj, Yuvika Chaudhary, Neha Bhasin, Chahatt Khanna and many others.

Special guests for the evening included director Arunjit Borah; producer, social worker and businessman K M Rahman; producer Pankaj Mahanta; CMD, Bright Outdoor Media, Dr Yogesh Lakhani; Regional Director at BRICS CCI, entrepreneur and award-winning philanthropist Zarine Manchanda; Founder-President, Gravittus Foundation, Usha Kakade; IVF specialist, Dr Nandita Palshethkar; Founder, Sheetal Creations, Sheetal Biyani; Founder, Bollylands.com, Shashank Mane; Managing Director and President, RR Global, Shreegopal Kabra; and Founder & Chairman, Euromax Capital, Subodh Agarwal.

Hosts Simran Ahuja and Karan Chhabra dazzled as the evening moved from awards to celebratory cake-cutting, a lavish dinner spread, and flowing spirits! Undoubtedly, a cheery time for everyone!!

Usha Kakade, Founder-President, Gravittus Foundation

‘Giving it back and passing it on’ is what philanthropy is all about, and this is what ardent philanthropist Mrs Usha Kakade epitomizes. A prominent name in the field of social work, she has touched innumerable lives individually and through her foundation. Her commitment, dedication, versatility and penchant for re-invention makes her stand apart.

Dr Nandita Palshetkar, IVF Specialist

One of the pioneers of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in India, Dr Nandita Palshetkar is the founder of the Bloom IVF group and has been lauded for her work in the field of reproductive medicine. She works with several organizations for the upliftment of women. She is also involved with training and teaching programmes, grooming the next generation of IVF specialists.

Zarine Manchanda, Regional Director at BRICS CCI & CEO, Zarine Manchanda Foundation

Zarine Manchanda excels in various fields: philanthropy, business, trade and commerce, politics and fashion. Zarine is an award-winning philanthropist and entrepreneur. She has successfully launched businesses like the Zarine Manchanda Café, an interior design firm, a film production company, as well as a 7-star premium security service company, and a 7-star cloud kitchen.

Sheetal Biyani, Founder, Sheetal Creations

Sheetal Biyani is a Pune-based entrepreneur beyond compare in the fashion space. She runs a chain of high-end boutiques under the ‘Sheetal Creations’ brand name. Dressing the who’s who of the celebrity world is part and parcel of her daily routine!

Dr Yogesh Lakhani, CMD, Bright Outdoor Media

Dr Yogesh Lakhani, CMD, Bright Outdoor Media Limited, is a wellknown entrepreneur among the rich and famous. Whether it’s stars, corporates or brands, he makes them shine with brightness on Bright Outdoor.

Arunjit Borah, Filmmaker

Originally from Assam, India, Arunjit launched his film career in Indian cinema as 1st Assistant Director in a Hindi feature film, ‘Project Marathwada’. Arunjit was given the opportunity to work with the great Indian actor, the late Om Puri. ‘Midnight Song’ is his first feature film that has traveled to many international film festivals and won a few awards. His second feature film ‘MINI’ is ready to release soon.

K M Rahman, Producer, Social Worker & Businessman

K M Rahman is a producer, social worker and businessman from Arunachal Pradesh. He is the producer of the film ‘Mini’, which is set to hit the big screen shortly!

Pankaj Mahanta, Producer

An independent producer from Assam, Pankaj Mahanta is one of the forces behind the feature film ‘MINI’. Pankaj started his career as an actor and has received several accolades for his performances in films and movies. He then found his footing as a producer and is all set for ‘MINI’ - his first independently produced feature film to hit the screens.

Shreegopal Kabra, Managing Director & President, RR Global

Business leader, philanthropist and global entrepreneur, Shreegopal Kabra is recognized as a trendsetter in the industry. He is an active promoter of environmental conservation, health and education, and serves as the President of Friends of Tribal Society.

Subodh Agarwal, Founder & Chairman, Euromax Capital

Subodh Agarwal was the pioneer of LNG in India. Today, he has built a multi-domain group with business interests in commodities, natural resources and solar generation among others. He is the goodwill ambassador and spokesperson for Secretary General for IIMSAM, an intergovernmental institution under the charter of United Nations.

Shashank Mane, Founder, Bollylands.com

Shashank Mane is the dynamic creator of Bollylands.com. This travel show journeys around different parts of the world, showcasing major attractions and landmarks that have been an integral part of our Bollywood movies.

Srinivas Lahari, General Manager, Taj Santacruz, Mumbai

Srinivas Lahari is dapper and determined. A pioneer in the hospitality industry, Mr Lahari goes about his endeavours in a precise manner – managing his hotel excellently, while mentoring the future of the hospitality industry.

Lights, Camera… Unveiled!

Rockstar director Rohit Shetty had everyone’s attention at the unveiling of the December 2022 issue of ‘Society Achievers’.

His films are powerhouse entertainers and director, producer and TV persona Rohit Shetty delivered no less when he stepped up to the stage at the lovely Taj Santacruz, Mumbai, to unveil the cover of the ‘Society Achievers’ December 2022 issue, which he had graced. He was joined on stage by media magnate Nari Hira, Ashok Dhamankar and Andrea CostaBir, Editor, ‘Society Achievers’.

Speaking at the event, he said, “‘Society Achievers’ has been an important magazine. When it started, it was the first of its kind. It’s been three decades since something like this came up, where all celebrities, not just from films, but all professions, were interviewed… It’s a special thing and I never thought in my life - in those days [when he started out] - that I would be on the cover, but here I am. So thank you.”

Also present at the event was the team from Cancro, Mukesh Mehta and Ashfaque Mansuri, who spoke about their new brand of deuterium-depleted water from the house of Star Impex. The duo presented Rohit and the other dignitaries with a token of appreciation.

The unveiling was followed by a felicitation ceremony that honoured achievers from different realms. The awardees included Suguna Sundaram, Vickky Idnaani, Dr Nandita Palshetkar, Ashfaque Mansuri, Mukesh Mehta, Dhanesh Chheda, Dr Gautam Bhanushali, Sanjay Goyal, Tanuj Virwani, Chanda Patil, Ekta Dang and Ishmin.

The evening wrapped up with all our special guests taking a moment to pose for the shutterbugs, before mingling over an assortment of gourmet treats.

Shopper’s Choice

Grooming, beauty, home essentials and morethese are a few of our favourite things.

The Grooming Kit

Bathing Bliss

Bath time is ‘me-time’. And French Essence adds a touch of niceness to your ritual with their fragrant Jasmine & Moringa Luxury Soap. It has a touch of lavender too… If you’re not a soap person, give the Orange & Cinnamon Body Wash a try. It has a refreshing scent and moisturises the skin. And speaking of scent, the Grace Perfume and Deodorant offers a blend of floral and fruity notes to keep you smelling fresh all day.

Shop at: www.frenchessence.com

Luscious Locks

Our hair is our crowning glory and care for it we must! The Flango Conditioner from Secret Haircare is made with mango butter and flaxseed oil. It helps hydrate the hair, bringing out a lustrous shine. It has a distinct aroma and is easy to work through the strands and once thoroughly rinsed, doesn’t leave behind a residue.

Shop at: thesecrethaircare.com/product_detail/18

Scent Sure

Add a burst of freshness to your ensemble with the La Dolce Vita parfum from Masion De Fouzdar

Inspired by Italian Summers, this unisex perfume has crisp notes of orange blossom, mimosa, rose, jasmine and vanilla - perfect for a fun day or a breezy evening out. And it promises to last for up to 10 hours.

Shop at www.maisondefouzdar.com

Travel Pal

Travelling Light

The Crosslight collection from Victorinox gives being lightweight a whole new meaning. It is the ideal solution for travelers looking for a balance between weight and capacity. The fabrics are made from recycled PET bottles, yes, you read that right. And every bag is designed to offer a spacious interior for maximum packing capacity. And, of course, the Swiss-engineered lightweight structure makes it easy to tote around. From daypacks to duffles to garment bags to trolleys, this range has something for every trip, be it for business or pleasure, a weekend getaway or an extended holiday. Plus, the sleek black look is very chic.

Shop at: Victorinox stores and online portals

Check it out at: www.victorinox.com

Home Turf

Dining, the Scandinavian way

The Swiss Modern cutlery sets from Victorinox take dining up a notch with a fresh splash of colour. Yes, they do have classic black, but have also added mint green and cornflower blue to their repertoire. The handles are crafted with dishwasher-safe and easy to clean materials. The design also allows for a comfortable grip and feel. Available in sets of 12 and 24, each contains steak knives, tomato and table knives, table forks, tablespoons, teaspoons and dessert forks. Casual or formal, they offer a sleek way to perk up your dining table.

Shop at: Victorinox stores and online portals

Check it out at: www.victorinox.com

Cake fork Tea spoon Table fork Table spoon

Tomato and table knife Steak knife