SEEMA AUGUST ISSUE 2022 -P by SEEMA

AUGUST 2022

INSIDE

THEY’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ASH GUPTA THE INDIA I HAVE INHERITED IT’S A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

THE PAKISTANI TALENT POOL OF SOULFUL MUSIC

PLUS

SPECIAL: INDIA AND PAKISTAN @75

STAYING SHARP

HENA DOBA BREAKS NEW GROUND AT CHEDDAR TV

Ash Gupta page 46

On Antoni Gaudi’s Trail page 98

Malini Ramini page 10

5 6

CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORS BEYOND LIMITS

PIONEERS 10

‘I Have Used fashion to Express My Essence’

Winning the Creative Stakes

‘There Were a Lot of People Who Didn’t Want to See Me on TV’

FEATURES 46

They’ve Got a Friend in Ash Gupta

The Pakistani Talent Pool of Soulful Music

Notable Indian and Pakistani Food Influencers

RELATIONSHIPS

Is Forgiveness the Only Way Forward?

The Pursuit of Happiness

TEENS 80

The India I Have Inherited

A New School Year

FOOD & DRINK 88

Vegan Vibes

Pickle Perfect

TRAVEL 98

On Antoni Gaudi’s Trail

104 Uncommon South Asian Destinations

HOROSCOPE 113 Forecast With Farzana

ON THE COVER

22 On the cover: Hena Doba, photographed by Sharmeen Chaudhary

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Staying Sharp: Hena Doba breaks new ground at Cheddar TV

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BEYOND LIMITS SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER

Time to Stake Our Claim

ugust is a month of transitions. It’s a reminder that summer is on its last legs and fall is just around the corner. It’s our last chance to enjoy the holidays before plunging back in September into school and the daily grind.

August also marks a major milestone for two countries

that got their independence from the British 75 years ago on August 14 and 15: Pakistan and India. And as I reflect upon India at 75, I am proud of how the country has rallied from a difficult past to become one of the fastestgrowing economies in the world, one poised to lead the global digital revolution. As an Indian woman, I am also encouraged to see progress in the status of women and girls since my days growing up in the country. I have less lived experience in Pakistan as I haven’t

had the chance to visit the country. But I have enough Pakistani women friends to also be optimistic about 6 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

the progress for women there, and in the diaspora, like our cover star Hena Doba, anchor for Cheddar News in the U.S. Our other cover star is Reshma Saujani, an activist and a change maker who champions women’s empowerment. Women have been agents of change and have staked their claim to a better life in a society with a long legacy of patriarchal practices. Over time, this has led to tangible and measurable benefits for women, in health and life expectancy, literacy and education, participation in the workforce and income and financial security. Both the countries have had women prime ministers who were strong personalities and icons of feminism for the West. I am pleased, but not satisfied. Though ample progress has been made in these 75 years, statistics still reflect major gaps. Consider that in 1947, when India won its independence,

only 6% of Indian women in the country were literate. By 2011, female literacy rates in India had climbed to about

65% according to a national census survey conducted by the Census Organization of India. In Pakistan, female literacy in women 15 years and older rose from 15% in 1981 to about 46% in 2019, according to the World Bank and is just a shade above 50% today. However, in female youth (15-24 years old), literacy rose from 24% in 1981 to 65% in 2019, which is an encouraging sign of progress in the next generation. As the United Nations has stated time and again, literacy is key to women’s empowerment, enabling them to become economically self-reliant and gain access to education, jobs and health care. Plus, it has a positive snowball impact on the literacy of their children, families and communities, among other things helping girls stand up to child marriage and sexual and physical violence from family members.

PHOTO CREDIT: SHRAVYA KAG

So while I am heartened by the progress, women’s literacy rates have stayed flat at 64.5% through 2018, and are still lagging behind that of their male counterparts at nearly 82%, according to the National Sample Survey @ Observer Research Foundation’s India Data Labs. And a similar trend can be seen in Pakistan, where youth females lag behind youth males who have a literacy rate of 80%. In addition, there is still much work to be done in the areas of child marriage and violence against women. According to UN Women, 27.3% of Indian women aged 20-24 years were married or in a union before age 18. Only 14.4% of seats in parliament were held by women in 2018, and 18.4% of women aged 15-49 years reported that they had been subject to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months. In Pakistan, according to a 2014 analysis of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey conducted by Muazzam Nasrullah, Rubeena Zakar and, Muhammad Zakria Zakar and published in PubMed, 47.8% of married women aged 15-24 years in Pakistan were married before the age of 18 and about one-third AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 7

EDIT | SEEMA

BEYOND LIMITS of the women of the same ages there reported experiencing controlling behaviors and spousal violence. Another area of progress for women in India and Pakistan is in health and life expectancy. In 1947, an Indian woman’s average life expectancy was 31 years. Today, a woman can expect to live to 70 years. India’s improvements in health began with a government-funded public health system, a process that accelerated with the private sector’s entry into health care in the 1980s. This led to a considerable jump in life expectancy for women, increasing from 47 years in the 1970s to 71 years in 2020, according to a comprehensive WHO report. Similarly in Pakistan, an average woman’s life expectancy in 1960 was 45 years but today she can expect to live up to 68 years. While this progress is to be celebrated, and women in India and Pakistan live three years longer on average than men, their quality of health and access to health care remains a problem. According to experts, this is due to a lack of autonomy and resources, as well as social gender norms and stigma about sexual and mental health that creates a gender gap. Overall, health literacy and reproductive health literacy are woefully lacking, leading to a lower quality of life for women. Finally in terms of labor participation, while 8 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

women in the workplace and rural workers have found opportunities to become financially self-reliant, we are worse off than we were soon after independence. There has been a consistent and intense decline in women’s participation in the Indian economy, with female labor force participation declining from 26.7% in 2005 to around 20% today, according to the World Bank. In Pakistan, the female work force participation rate is very low, well below rates for countries with similar income levels. Only about 25% of women with university degrees are working. The main reason for this, say experts, are the restrictions placed on women on physical mobility outside their homes. In India, the reasons for the lack of participation in workforce, despite increases in literacy, education and policy support, has long puzzled global authorities. Experts say that the gender norms in India, which results in women taking on the primary burden of child care and elder care at home, are major factors. So are the lack of flexible working environments, childcare facilities, safe workplaces, and a narrow gender wage gap, all of which make it not worthwhile for women to work. The pandemic certainly didn’t help. Women across the globe left the workplace in droves, unable to cope with the triple burden of caring for the home, the family and the office. In India, the number plummeted.

PIONEER | SEEMA Yes, I am pleased by the progress, but not satisfied. By 2050 India will surpass China as the most populous nation, and with nearly 50% of them being women. The rise of India and its success in the next 75 years will depend on women’s empowerment and their ability to participate as equal players in their family, community, workplace and society. According to the Catalyst, an organization that tracks women’s progress in the workplace, increasing women’s labor force participation by 10% could add $770 billion to India’s GDP by 2025. And Pakistan’s GDP can increase by 30% if women are more empowered and play their role in the labor force. While I will celebrate the two countries’ progress on their 75th year of independence, I can’t help but be a bit disappointed about where we are when it comes to gender parity and gender norms.

PHOTO CREDIT: THE VISION ROOM PHOTOGRAPHER: MALCOLM CLARKE

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, not surprisingly, most Indians support gender equality, as I can attest from my own interactions with friends and family. Philosophically, we are aligned. But the research found that traditional gender norms still hold sway for many people, which tend to give men a more prominent role in many aspects of family and public life. The most surprising finding is that, like most of the men, women believe this is a correct view. Women in Pakistan are raising their voice and staking their claim as evidenced by the “Aurat March” (women’s march) organized on International Women’s Day in 2019. Some issues the march highlighted were equality in public spaces, right to work, safety in the workplace, and access to equal justice as men. It is up to us women to stand up and continue to stake our claim as equal partners in society. In this issue, we focus on women who are doing just that. Our two cover stars are examples. Hena Doba, one of the first Pakistani women to become a television anchor, is today making a positive impact as an anchor at Cheddar TV. Our other cover star is Reshma Saujani, a leading activist and the founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms. She has spent considerable time building movements to fight for women and girls’ economic empowerment and has authored many books on the subject. And we have much more as we close out the summer with a jam-packed issue full of inspiration! Enjoy! AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 9

PIONEER | SEEMA

Malini Ramani, fashion designer and now also a kundalini yoga teacher

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PIONEER | SEEMA

‘I have used fashion to express my essence’ Fashion icon Malini Ramani describes how she is living her dream JASWANT LALWANI

alini Ramani is best known as one of India’s leading fashion designers. And more recently, as a Kundalini yoga teacher. She tells SEEMA that she hopes to spread her brand of love to help people live their dreams. You are the daughter of Bina Ramani, India’s first internationally acclaimed designer and one of the most iconic women. How did your mother influence your fashion journey? My mother has influenced me in so many ways. We grew up watching her fearlessly follow her

dreams and pave new paths wherever she went. As far as fashion was concerned…, it was a part of our life. We used to hang around my mother’s stores in New York and Delhi, and grew up seeing beautiful, glamorous people waft into her shops, leaving us awestruck! My mom’s life seemed like a wondrous fairy tale. I wanted to be in the fairy tale, too! What’s unique and special about the Malini Ramani brand? I have used fashion to express my essence and share it with others. My only secret is that I design clothes that I want to wear myself. So

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Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra in a Malini Ramani creation

even though it keeps stylistically changing, it still has my vibe and a little bit of “me” in it always. Who is your audience? Which is your best market outside India? I have wonderful, loyal clients in many corners of the world. A lot of the people who wear my clothes get addicted to it because of the comfort, cut and design. After the pandemic, I closed my stores, and now I do everything online through my website.

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And social media, mainly Instagram? Long live Instagram. Of course It has its pros and cons but it’s worked for me brilliantly. Without Instagram, I wouldn’t be able to run my business effectively right now. I just post and people instantly see it and order right away, mostly on the same day. Your landmark store in Goa is one of the must visit places of the beach town . Why is everyone talking about it even today? I opened the store in 2002, and I just put so much love

PIONEER | SEEMA

“MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY REALLY BEGAN WHEN I WAS ABOUT 30 YEARS OLD. IT’S BEEN A PROCESS. THIS IS A LIFELONG PATH AND ONE CANNOT RUSH IT! MY ATTRACTION TO YOGA STARTED THROUGH GYMNASTICS” into it. I went to Goa 10 times a year to visit my store. My secret rule was to add a little magic to it every time I visited. Whether I developed a new scented oil to welcome my clients as they walked in, or put new art on the wall, exotic plants or a new playlist of music that I put together for the season…, I was very involved in it all. Every time you entered the store there was something new. So whoever walked into the store didn’t know what to expect. Year after year, I tried to improve the experience. And over those 20 years, many clients just kept coming back over and over again. It’s something I truly loved and nurtured. I miss it so much! When did you become a yoga teacher? My spiritual journey really began when I was about 30 years old. It’s been a process. This is a lifelong path and one cannot rush it! My attraction to yoga started through gymnastics. Ashtanga was the obvious choice because I was so flexible. Eventually, it moved into different aspects because I slowly discovered that yoga is not purely exercise – which a lot of people think it is. The asanas, of course, are very good for your body but it’s a lot more than that. I started my deep yoga practice when I discovered Kundalini yoga about 15 years ago. It’s not repetitive and includes mantras, breath work, mudras, meditation, sound baths and more to just uplift you and help you live life to its highest potential. The pandemic must have affected your fashion career. Is that one reason you got immersed in yoga? Actually, the opposite. I did close my stores. And I was only teaching Kundalini yoga up until then, then I happened to get stuck in Rishikesh. I lived there for a year. It was like a dream. I felt as though all my good karmic deeds led me to this moment. There was love and happiness and harmony and the air was clean. The Ganga was clear and crystal. [It was] like a spiritual

A model in a Malini Ramani ensemble AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 13

Malini Ramani’s interiors aesthetic is a reflection of her personality

“I HAVE A BRAND CALLED YOGALINI, WHICH HAS BEAUTIFUL WHITES [THAT] CREATE THE RIGHT VIBRATIONS. BUT THE WAY I’M REALLY MERGING THE TWO TOGETHER IS THAT I’M DOING RETREATS. I LOVE EVERY ASPECT OF PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER – THE FOOD, THE MEDITATIONS, PRAYERS AT THE GANGA, RIVER RAFTING AND DESIGNING CLOTHES. IT WAS MY DREAM COME TRUE” 14 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

Disneyland. During my time there I learned about many other forms of yoga and went for regular satsangs , kirtans and met a lot of highly evolved, wise yogis, teachers and swamis. As a result, now I don’t only teach Kundalini yoga but have combined new techniques, postures, music, affirmations and other elements to my teachings. I’ve almost become an ambassador for Rishikesh. You are passionate about both fashion and yoga. How do you merge these two? I have a brand called Yogalini, which has beautiful whites [that] create the right vibrations. But the way I’m really merging the two together is that I’m doing retreats. I love every aspect of putting it all together – the food, the meditations, prayers at the Ganga, river rafting and designing clothes. It was my dream come true. So over time you will continue with the Malini Ramani brand and add it to the Yogalini brand? Yes. I was selling the Yogalini brand before the pandemic and it was mainly whites, because I was focused on Kundalini. Now I’m moving to other colors and other forms of yoga. So I will have a much wider audience and many more design choices. I have my original clients who want specific things like my well known zip-up saris. It’s just one zip and it’s done, no ironing required and light as a feather, even though it’s fully sequenced. On the other hand, I’ve started dressing differently. So, I’m wearing things I’m designing now, which is [based on] my new spiritual look. When people see me wearing

that [when] I post on Instagram, they want to know how, when and where can they get these clothes. That’s basically the way it’s changed – because I’ve changed. Many years ago, you had worked on a brilliant fragrance called Supernova. What’s happened to it? I made this fragrance in a lab in Singapore. I know the ingredients because I’m the one who mixed them. I’m planning to revive the fragrance as too many people are asking about it. You are in the right space to start a wellness space that will combine all your current talents.

That’s one of my dreams among others. I think you just read my mind. What will the iconic Bina Ramani think when she reads this interview with the iconic Malini Ramani? Nostalgia for sure. And happiness and all the memories. And just looking back on our career paths and how long we’ve been together and the happiness seeing us both still together and enjoying ourselves. She will be thrilled to read what you have written about me in SEEMA. Jaswant Lalwani, a global real estate advisor and lifestyle consultant in New York City and the Greater Miami Area, is also an avid writer and globetrotter. AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 15

PIONEER | SEEMA

Winning the Creative Stakes Payal Kapoor has made her name and fortune in interior design SWARNENDU BISWAS

ayal Kapoor shot to limelight in India in the mid-90s when she designed the Palace on Wheels, the most famous luxury train in India. The Delhi-based Payal’s road to that kind of heady success began with her introduction to professional interior designing in 1987 at Manasara, a Delhi-based reputed firm that she joined after earning her diploma in interior design at the Polytechnic for Women in New Delhi. “Initially, it was not my love for interior designing but the prospect of having a decent and quickearning option that drove me to choose interior design as my career,” Payal said. But while studying, she fell in love with the immense potential for creativity in interior design. Headed by Rina Ripjit Singh, a dynamic leader,

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Manasara was a consultant firm on several projects. Payal wholeheartedly acknowledges that influence on her career, even describing Rina as her mentor. INITIAL GROUNDING The training the young Payal received under her mentor helped shape her identity as an interior designer of repute. “I knew the basics of interior designing, but she taught me from scratch how to apply those design principles in real world situations amidst a thousand constraints. She taught me the nuances of handling interpersonal relations, which are also no less important than your designing expertise for successfully running an interior design business,” Payal said as we sipped coffee and munched on dry fruits in her aesthetically decorated study.

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PIONEER | SEEMA

“EACH ROYAL FAMILY IN RAJASTHAN HAD ITS OWN STYLE OF PAINTING, WHICH I HAD TO INCORPORATE IN THE STATE SALOONS. SIMILARLY, EACH REGION OF RAJASTHAN HAS ITS OWN FESTIVALS. WE HAD TO RECREATE THE ART, ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURAL MOTIFS OF EACH REGION OF RAJASTHAN FROM WHERE THE TRAIN PASSED, IN THE BEDROOMS, FOR THIS EXERCISE WOULD HOLD EXTRA APPEAL TO THE DISCERNING GUESTS WHEN THE LUXURY TRAIN PASSED THROUGH THOSE REGIONS.

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While at Manasara, Payal did renovation work on the Oberoi Cecil in Shimla and the Hyderabad House in Delhi, and interior design at some opulent houses in Golf Links (a posh locality in Delhi). From Manasara, she moved to Dream City Builders, whose corporate office was then at East of Kailash, New Delhi. There she gained insights into the technical aspects of interior design. “This was helpful because interior design is not only about creativity and imagination, but also about technical dexterity,” Payal said. She led a civil design team there. Under her supervision the company diversified from making panel doors and windows to excellent furniture, while also executing a number of projects on a turnkey basis. HER VISIONS In 1990, she launched her own company, Visions, on a modest scale in a rented establishment. Small projects began trickling in and soon she was able to purchase a Maruti 800, the first of her many cars. But soon after, the stream of work at Visions began drying up, and Payal found it hard to keep the business afloat. Luckily, because her firm was small, she didn’t have much overhead expenses to worry about. But sticking it out paid off handsomely for her in 1995 when she got the job to do the interiors of the Palace

on Wheels after winning a national competition where 500 interior designers and architects across India participated. THE WHEELS OF SUCCESS Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) wanted to recreate their most prestigious project Palace on Wheels (now known as Heritage Palace on Wheels) on broad gauge and for this they advertised a competition where 500 designers and architects participated. From 500 it was shortlisted to 200 and then to eight and eventually Payal landed up with the dream come true contract, which she was hardly expecting to get. While working on the Palace on Wheels, Payal realized that great design is not only about creativity and grandeur but also about minute details. While designing the interiors of the train, which comprised erstwhile princes’ coaches, one of her foremost challenges was to present world-class but understated state-of-the-art luxury amidst an ambience and décor harking back to erstwhile royals. “Each royal family in Rajasthan had its own style of painting, which I had to incorporate in the state saloons,” Payal said. “Similarly, each region of Rajasthan has its own festivals. We had to recreate the art, Palace on Wheels, designed by Payal Kapoor

architecture and cultural motifs of each region of Rajasthan from where the train passed, in the bedrooms, for this exercise would hold extra appeal to the discerning guests when the luxury train passed through those regions. For example, we used peacock motifs to present Udaipur and the festival of Teej and Ganesh Chaturthi for Jaipur.” The ambitious project not only tested her creativity but also her leadership skills: the work project involved 250-300 people, many of whom were temporary workers. The success of Palace on Wheels brought her international recognition and many prestigious projects. MAKING HERITAGE MODERN In restoring and upgrading the Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, she again had to engage in a delicate balancing act involving royal heritage and post-modern decor, in keeping with the fragile sentiments of the royalty. “To understand the nuances of the art items and furniture and restore them instead of purchasing new ones was a creative

Devasya Resort, Udaipur, an ongoing project 19

PIONEER | SEEMA PVR Mega Mall, Gurugram

SOME OF VISION’S I MP ORTAN T PROJECTS ( E XC LUDIN G RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS)

Interior Designing of Palace on Wheels

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur

Hari Niwas Palace, Jammu

Heritage Inn (Hotel), Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

GD Goenka Public School

GD Goenka International School

Welcome Heritage Bal Samand Lake Palace, Jodhpur

Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, The Savoy, Mussoorie

PVR Mega Mall in Gurugram

10. The Imperial New Delhi 11

.Interior Designing of Sambhar Express

12. Ruby Tuesday PVR Saket; pub & restaurant 13. United Service Institution of India, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi (It is a national security and defense services think tank) 14. Central Cottage Industries Emporium, New Delhi 15. Mint Casino, Goa (of MDLR Group)

challenge, especially with budget constraints being a constant accompaniment in the project,” Payal said, while talking about her long association with the luxury palace hotel. “The restoration of the ballroom of Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, The Savoy, Mussoorie also posed a similar creative challenge for us where we had to remain thoroughly faithful to the English Gothic architecture of the hotel, which was originally built in1902,” proffered Payal while adding, “English Gothic arch design of the hotel needed to be restored to its past glory but while syncing it with the post-modern amenities.” Our discussion meandered to another of her pet projects, the WelcomHeritage Bal Samand Lake Palace. “Bal Samand Lake Palace was a beautiful property, built way back in the 17th century. When we got involved in the project, it was in shambles, with urgent need for restoration, but money was a constraint,” Payal remembered. The team developed the suites and deluxe rooms using furniture from godowns of the royal palace and restored architectural features that included sandstone carvings and friezes, mood boards and wall finishes. Throughout, the team tried to remain true to the original architectural style of the property. AN ENVIABLE VERSATILITY Of course, besides heritage hotels and luxury trains (she

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PIONEER | SEEMA has also done the interior design of the Sambhar Express of RTDC) , Payal has also designed projects with a strong contemporary touch, such as schools, homes, offices, malls, restaurants, etc. The GD Goenka Public School in Vasant Kunj, probably the first air-conditioned school in Delhi, and the refurbishment of the PVR Mega Mall in Gurugram, are other noteworthy projects she has worked on outside the hospitality sector. Her favored style is an amalgamation of the classic and contemporary, but she has worked on a wide variety of styles, including heritage, classic, Art Deco, minimalist, and theme-based. Her interior design portfolio includes hotels and resorts, palaces, offices, uber homes, restaurants, bars, spas, saloons, luxury trains, institutes, hospitals and many more. She has designed many tasteful homes in her career. She believes that while designing homes one must keep in mind the personality of those living there. “Of course, the ambience and décor of the homes should reflect an innate warmth, but at the same time a well-designed home should subtly reflect the personality traits of the persons inhabiting it,” Payal said. THE AWARD COLLECTOR Payal has won a number of prestigious awards. She is probably the only Indian interior designer to be featured on Barons’ Greatest Interior Designers of the World. Her name has also been included in Barons’ Who’s Who of the World Global Edition. She won the Best Mentor Award by Lovely Professional University, New Delhi, in 2014. Then there’s the Adex International Design Award, Society Design Award, ANOKHI – Woman of the Year Award, and numerous

national awards. NAVIGATING A PANDEMIC Though she faced tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic, Payal managed to keep Visions afloat. “We had eight-nine projects during the COVID phase - 2019-22,” Payal said. “It included a six-bedroom villa for a Canadian couple in Goa on turnkey basis, a resort in Udaipur (on which work is still ongoing), a 18,000 sq. ft. villa in Jabalpaur, a 5,000 sq. ft. food court in a hospital, and a microbrewery in Ghaziabad, near Delhi (the work is still in progress), among others.” She said that while her business is back on track, it has not yet attained its preCOVID momentum. Payal’s plans include setting up her own boutique hotel in the hills of Uttrakhand and some other exciting and challenging projects. SUPPORTIVE FAMILY Besides being a renowned interior designer and a successful entrepreneur, Payal is a doting mother to her two daughters. “My husband and daughters have been extremely supportive in my journey,” she said. “Since I am juggling and multitasking a lot of things at the same time, they have learnt to be independent and instruct and delegate duties to house staff to ensure systems are being followed. That is a huge burden off my back as I can do my work without worrying about the house. During my short travel trips, which are work-related, the family takes charge of the house, despite all of them being busy in their respective schedules.” Hit a Pint, a microbrewery in Ghaziabad, UP, which is being designed by Payal Kapoor

PIONEER | SEEMA

‘There were a lot of people who didn’t want to see me on TV’ Guts, gumption and good guides. That’s how

Pakistani American broadcast journalist Hena Doba hit the big time ABHIJIT MASIH

hen she is not in the studio reading the news off the teleprompter she is in the boxing ring, punching above her weight, as she has always done in life. Going toe-to-toe against norms, stereotypes and biases, shattering many barriers, one step, one punch at a time. Hena Doba is a successful and popular face on TV. Formerly with CBS News in New York, she currently is a host at Cheddar News, where she anchors multiple shows.

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As a versatile journalist with over 15 years of experience, she has been a tremendous inspiration for many South Asian and Muslim women who look up to her and aim to be like her. For a woman of color to break into an unconventional domain and to be the first Pakistani American Muslim woman to be on television in the US was riddled with difficulties and compromises. The biggest among them, the pressure to change her name to be more acceptable on air. Thus, she chose Daniels over her family name Zulfiqar

PHOTO CREDIT: SHARMEEN CHAUDHARY

Hena Doba, host at Cheddar News AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 23

PIONEER | SEEMA

“I COULD NEVER TELL MY PARENTS I WANTED TO BE ON TV. LUCKILY RIGHT AFTER GRADUATION, I GOT A PRODUCER’S JOB IN WATERTOWN, NY. SO MY PARENTS COULDN’T EVEN SAY ANYTHING, BECAUSE THE DAY AFTER GRADUATION, I HAD A JOB.”

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for her on-air identity. It is a compromise she had to painfully swallow for the sake of acceptability at that point of time, when there wasn’t anyone who looked like her in the newsroom. Doba recalls the vivid discussion about the name, “They told me immediately, I need to change my last name. What is Zulfiqar? No one can say it. So I chose Daniels, because in Pakistan it sounded like Daniyaal. So that’s the only way my parents kind of accepted it. I do think a lot has changed. I don’t think today, a news director would ever ask anybody to change their name.” A year before she was born, her parents moved from Pakistan to Queens, NY, where the Zulfiqars raised their eldest daughter and her younger siblings. “They moved here, in the lower income area of Queens, right before I was born,: Doba said. “My mom used to actually send me to Pakistan every summer because she knew it was so important for me to know my culture and to know the language. Even at home, I have three younger brothers and we always spoke Urdu. I really didn’t start speaking English, until I got to nursery school. So making sure that our culture was clearly within us was so important to my family.” For a kid at that time, going to Pakistan while her American friends went to Disney World, was a bummer for young Doba. She struggled with adapting to the dual culture and found it hard to fit in and was left with resentment towards her parents. She admitted, “Now I kind of regret it. Whenever my dad was listening to Noor Jahan or something, and we entered my neighborhood, I would tell him to turn it down. He was also a cab driver when I was young, and he would drop us off at school. That’s how they were trying to make a living and make sure that their kids had the best life. I used to make him peel off the taxi sticker because I was so afraid of that stereotype. But now I regret doing that because I’m so proud of my culture. I’m so glad that they stuck with it. I hated it as a child but it’s one of the best experiences and it made me love our culture.” The parents, true to their South Asian grain, wanted their first-born to become a doctor. Doba, however, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and psychology, and always had a veiled desire for journalism. She started writing for the school newspaper, just as a side hustle, but more importantly, because she really enjoyed it. She recalled, “I could never tell my parents I wanted to be on TV. Luckily right after graduation, I got a producer’s job in Watertown, NY. So my

Hena Doba presents Cheddar’s News Wrap

parents couldn’t even say anything, because the day after graduation, I had a job. Luckily, their faith in me and my bet of not chasing medicine and just starting to produce at a TV station, a tiny TV station in upstate New York, worked out.” From there Doba then moved down south to Savannah, Georgia, and later joined WFSB TV in Hartford, Connecticut, where she became the weekend anchor, making her one of the first Pakistani-origin anchors in the United States. The journey from being a behind-the-scene producer to an anchor of a show happened through sheer chance and during the worst tragedy experienced in the US: 9/11. “I just happened to be visiting my family in Queens when 9/11 happened,” she recalled. We didn’t have phones back then. So I picked up my camcorder and just hit the streets trying to make my way to 9/11. And I interviewed people on my way. And that’s when ironically, my job changed. I got in front of the camera.” Being a Muslim in small town America in the aftermath of the horrific day was not easy and it wasn’t smooth sailing for Doba in her new position as an anchor on TV, making her an easy target. “There were a lot of people who didn’t want to see me

on TV,” Doba said. “Especially since it was such a small market and my news director started getting calls: ‘Why are you letting a terrorist on TV?’ ‘Why does she look like one of the terrorists?’” For the young journalist starting out, this phase was extremely challenging in a small town where everyone wanted her pulled off the news. She realized that she was far away from New York City, her home, which provided her a secure bubble. But she found support in her news director, who didn’t succumb to the pressure and did not pull her off camera. “He thought about it and luckily left me on camera. That’s how my career began. I wonder if he had given in to all those people, what direction my life would have taken,” the grateful news personality said. The horror had just begun for Doba and her family. It was a time of growing anti Muslim sentiments not only across the country but also in the cosmopolitan city like New York, where her parents and three younger brothers lived. She reflects, “I was scared. I was sad. I was scared for my family. I’m first generation but both my parents have heavy accents. I was worried about them. All the cell phone towers were down so I couldn’t get in contact with my family. I have three brothers, and one AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 25

A DV I C E T O T H O SE W H O WA N T T O B E A TELEVISION ANCHOR:

“When I started telling people that I wanted to be on air, people within my community told me I was too dark. I wasn’t pretty enough. I think even within our community there are certain stereotypes that people lean towards. Don’t listen to them. It doesn’t matter. Professionally, always try to get that internship. Get that mentor figure, anchor, reporter you like, whether it’s in your local station or on a national level. Start watching them more closely, reach out to them even. I think internships are very, very important and to know the news.”

Hena Doba in the field

PIONEER | SEEMA

“I DON’T THINK TODAY A NEWS DIRECTOR WOULD EVER ASK ANYBODY TO CHANGE THEIR NAME. TWENTY YEARS AGO, THEY DID NOT WANT ZULFIQAR. NOW MY OLD STATION IN CONNECTICUT JUST HIRED A REPORTER WITH A HIJAB. I THINK NOW, IT IS MORE OF AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD, COMPARED TO WHERE I WAS 20 YEARS AGO.”

who had a beard one was driving a white van at the time. So I was honestly it was very fearful for my family.” It was the first time in her life that she was exposed to that kind of hate. She knew of its existence deep down, but this was the first time it was out there and in the face. Away from home and family at the TV station in Watertown, NY was even harder for the young anchor on the news desk. She felt the brunt of the anger since she was a face on the screen that resembled the culture of the terrorists. She says, “A lot of that anger did come towards me because I unfortunately, in their opinion looked like a terrorist. It’s not that there weren’t brown people in town. I was just the wrong kind of brown, especially since the terrorist looked just like me and my family. My management team started getting emails about pulling me off the air. Why have a terrorist tell us the news? I had actually some of my colleagues ask why Muslims were so violent. I was called derogatory names, sometimes while I was doing live shots. Now 20 years later, the marginalization of Muslims from social, political and civic life continues.” A lot has changed for Doba. She moved down south and worked as a reporter in Savannah, GA, then joined WFSB TV in Hartford, CT, before getting a national platform of CBS News. She now works as a correspondent and anchor at Cheddar News. “I do think a lot has changed,” she admitted. “I don’t think today a news director would ever ask anybody to change their name. Twenty years ago, they did not want Zulfiqar. Now my old station in Connecticut just hired a reporter with a hijab. I think now, it is more of an inclusive environment to make your voices heard, compared to where I was 20 years ago.” These two decades have seen her go from Zulfiqar to Daniels and now Doba. The last one, chosen not due to a compulsion to conform, but for love. She married Andrew Doba, the former chief spokesperson for the governor of Connecticut, in early 2016. She now spends her time at home doing diverse activities to relax: gardening and boxing. She says, “During the pandemic, I started gardening. Things you don’t do growing up in Queens. I work out twice a week and you’re not going to believe this I box. I work with a trainer and I box in a ring. I have gloves on, I’m punching. You’d be surprised how mentally satisfying it is to just be punching a trainer or a mannequin.” Doba also has a lot to look forward to as well with reports of her being included in the cast of Real Housewives of New York City. She confirms the reports, “They have reached out to me. We’ve been talking but that’s all I can really say.” AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 27

PIONEER | SEEMA

“I DIDN’T THINK I’D BE, IN MY 40S ON TELEVISION. THAT WAS NEVER A THING. BUT I AM AND I’M AT A YOUNG NETWORK. ANYTHING MORE IS THE CHERRY ON TOP”

Hena Doba reporting from the New York Stock Exchange

From a rookie reporter to a celebrated news presenter and anchor, Doba has come a long way. Despite challenges, she feels things have always worked out for her. “It took me years to get to the place where I’m 28 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

confident enough in my talent and in my work,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d be, in my 40s on television. That was never a thing. But I am and I’m at a young network. Anything more is the cherry on top. Inshallah, everything is going to work out.”

“For every person who’s sending that mean email or calling your news director saying they don’t want to look at somebody on TV that looks like me, there’s also a great support team. I’m going to bring up that news director who decided to keep me on TV, those other reporters that said this isn’t fair. So as much as I can talk about how negatively I was treated, I saw the goodness of people, too. I think you just keep going. That’s so easy to say twenty years later, not that I’ve been going through it every day. But now I feel, this is your problem, not mine. I was doing the best job I could if they didn’t want to talk to me, I found somebody who would and who wasn’t such a jerk about it.”

ON 75T H ANNIV ER S ARY OF PA K I STA N’ S INDEPENDENCE:

“Growing up in America, my experience and memories of Pakistan was always heavily framed by family. Pakistan was this place where we went to visit family and eat delicious food while wearing beautiful traditional outfits. It was hard to separate from that and to see it as a nation with its own political and socioeconomic struggles especially at that age and being surrounded with such rich beauty, culture and traditions. It wasn’t until I was much older that I started paying attention to Pakistan as a whole and looking at the foundation and getting a better understanding of why my parents are such die-hard patriots. I’m blown away by the phenomenal progress Pakistan and India have made over the years from education to modernization but what’s important to remember though is the rigid dichotomy in which the population is living. The disparity between the rich and the poor is ever present and something that cannot be ignored. Which is why legends like Abdul Sattar Edhi had such an impact on the nation & forever shaped the lives of so many.”

PHOTO CREDIT: SHARMEEN CHAUDHARY

ADV IC E T O SOU T H ASI AN W OME N, W HO FAC E T HE S A ME OR DE AL , BEC AU SE OF T HE COLOR OF T HEIR SKIN OR THEIR L AST NAME:

COVER STORY | SEEMA

‘FAILURE WAS SUCH A GIFT. EVERYTHING I’M DOING TODAY IS BECAUSE I LOST THAT RACE.’ Mom, lawyer, politician, writer and activist, Reshma Saujani describes her quest to fignt for people SEEMA KUMAR

PHOTOGRAPHER: SHARMEEN CHAUDHARY MAKEUP: NIKO MARAGOS @NIKOMARAGOS STYLIST: RITIKA SHAMDASANI @SANISISTERS INSTAGRAM: @SANI WEBSITE: WWW. SANIDESIGNS.COM

COVER STORY | SEEMA

eshma Saujani defines herself as an activist, a change-maker and a fighter. She says her activism began in middle school when she decided to stand up to bullying in the eighth grade. As a Gujarati girl growing up in a White working class Chicago neighborhood and trying to fit in, Saujani says she regularly endured teasing and heckling from classmates, including those daring her to a fight in the school yard. She ignored them, until one day, young Saujani decided she’d had enough. Instead of boarding the school bus back home, Saujani showed up at the school yard, ready for a fight, only to be beaten badly with a baseball bat and a tennis racket by two classmates. A friend dragged the injured Saujani back home to her distraught mother who was terrified to send her back to school. But Saujani was undeterred. “The next day, I woke up, it was my eighth-grade graduation. And I remember saying to my father, I’m going. I’m going to graduation. And that was the beginning of standing up,” says Saujani. “That was the beginning of Reshma. And of not wanting to be Rachel or Rebecca, or somebody else. And it was the beginning of my career as an activist.” A daughter of political refugees who were expelled

COVER STORY | SEEMA

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34 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

from Uganda by the dictator, Saujani and her family were among the thousands of refugees who received asylum in the United States because they were skilled engineers. “My father would sit me on his lap and read me books about change makers. And that’s why since I was a little girl, I wanted to give back to this country that had literally saved my parents life.” A law graduate from the Yale School of Law, Saujani began her career as an attorney and has worked in top law firms in New York. In 2009, she entered into the political arena became the first IndianAmerican woman to run for Congress against long-term New York incumbent, Carolyn Maloney for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from New York’s 14th congressional district running on immigration and education. But Saujani is perhaps best known as the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, a national nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and prepare young women for jobs in the future. Saujani has spent more than a decade building movements to fight for women’s empowerment, and to close the gender gap in technology. Saujani says the red thread in her life has been her consistent focus on standing up for issues and her resiliency, never giving up, even in the face of repeated rejections. “I applied to Yale three times before I got in,” she says. “As with typical Indian kids, my father said, you can be a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. I picked law. And I was set on going to the best law school in the country: Yale. I graduated first in my class, but I didn’t get in. So I went to another college. I grinded. I got to the top 10% of my class and transferred to Yale.” Saujani delivered the 2022 commencement speech at Yale. “Almost 20 years later, they picked me, instead of me chasing them,” she says. More recently, during the pandemic, Saujani created the Marshall Plan for Moms, an effort to systemically make the workplace more friendly to mothers. In 2020, Saujani says she found myself managing two little kids and running her

“FOR SO LONG, WE’VE BEEN TELLING WOMEN TO DO IT ALL,” SAUJANI SAYS. WE HAVE TO STOP TRYING TO FIX THE WOMAN. WE NEED TO FIX THE STRUCTURE.

COVER STORY | SEEMA

PUBLISHED BOOKS

PAY UP In this urgent and rousing call to arms, Reshma Saujani dismantles the myth of “having it all” and lifts the burden we place on individual women to be primary caregivers, and to work around a system built for and by men. The time has come, she argues, for innovative corporate leadership, government intervention, and sweeping culture shift; it’s time to pay up.

BRAVE NOT PERFECT Drawing on hundreds of interviews with girls and women from around the country, stories of women changing the world one brave act at a time, and her own personal journey, Saujani shares an array of powerful insights and practices to make bravery a lifelong habit and enable us to be the authors of our biggest, boldest, and most joyful life.

GIRLS WHO CODE Bursting with dynamic artwork, the New York Times Bestseller includes down-to-earth explanations of coding principles, and real-life stories of girls and women working at places like Pixar and NASA. This graphically animated book shows what a huge role computer science plays in our lives and how much fun it can be.

WOMEN WHO DON’T WAIT IN LINE The former New York City deputy public advocate and founder of the national nonprofit Girls Who Code argued that aversion to risk and failure is the final hurdle holding women back in the workplace. Saujani advocated a new model of female leadership based on sponsorship, where women encourage each other to compete, take risks, embrace failure, and lift each other up personally and professionally.

organization, and it nearly broke her. “For so long, we’ve been telling women to do it all,” Saujani says. “I learned that having it all is just a euphemism for doing it all. And that we can’t just color code our calendar or get a mentor or sponsor our way… That’s not the path to equality. We have to stop trying to fix the woman. We need to fix the structure. For so long, we’ve designed workplaces that don’t work for women, and where we’ve had to hide our motherhood, choose

between take your kids to a doctor and showing up at a networking lunch. We live in a country that doesn’t have paid leave, that doesn’t have affordable childcare, that doesn’t have the child tax credit. “We need structural changes so that women don’t have to choose between a job and being a mom. So I’ve built my next movement to really fundamentally change workplaces, change corporate policy, change culture, so that we value motherhood.”

AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 37

PHOTO CREDIT: XXXXXX XXXXX

gender gap pre Rallying girls to correct the

valent in coding through

Girls Who Code

MOV E ME N T S TO E MP OW E R Y O UNG GIRLS AND MOMS GIRLS WHO CODE Girls Who Code has over 8,500 programs worldwide and still growing. The international nonprofit organization is working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a computer programmer looks like and does. Girls Who Code inspires, educates, and equips young women with the computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities.

Not one to hold back, Saujani has also spent considerable time building movements to fight women and girls economic development, and authored many books on the subject. And most recently, she has been advocating for moms and their mental health as well as their physical health in her recent bestselling book, “Pay Up,” and using her thought leadership and voice to incite action. We sat down with Reshma to talk to her about her past, present and future! 38 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

MARSHALL PLAN FOR MOMS Marshall Plan for Moms is a national movement to center women in our economic recovery and champion public and private sector policies that support all moms. Their goal is to create sweeping cultural change to value women’s unseen and unpaid work and rebuild the broken system to make it possible for women to work and have kids. Together they are galvanizing moms across the country to finish the fight for women’s equality once and for all. In high school, to counter prejudice, you started something called PRISM. What did it stand for and what did it lead to? I was growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the 1980s in a neighborhood that didn’t have a lot of brown people, Indian families. My mom had named me Reshma and my sister Keisha, typical Gujarati names. But I remember when my mom would take me to Kmart, I would see a rack of keychains, and I always

“WHEN I WENT TO MY HIGH SCHOOL, I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE I WAS PRETTY OR COULD HAVE FRIENDS OR FIT IN TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT WAS SO DIFFERENT THAN MINE. IT IS STILL SHOCKING FOR ME WATCHING “BRIDGERTON” AND SEEING THE SHARMA SISTERS, AND INDIAN WOMEN SEEN AS BEING BEAUTIFUL, LIKABLE, DESIRABLE”

Keeping in touch with her Gujarati culture, Reshma Saujani performi ng garba on weekends in a predominantly white neighborhood

was searching for the keychain that would say Reshma. A lot of us growing up then wanted to be White, because we wanted to be accepted. We wanted to fit in. My mom would get harassed for wearing a sari at Kmart, our house would get spray-painted with words like “go back to your own country. We were always navigating being Indian. Until the eighth grade (incident). That was the beginning of standing up. And that was the beginning of Reshma. And not wanting to be Rachel or Rebecca, or somebody else. And it was the beginning of my career and my lifelong passion of being an activist. What a turning point. How did you keep in touch with your Gujarati culture living in a predominantly White neighborhood? And after that experience, I found a community of Indian girlfriends and Indian kids. And my parents were lucky to find other East African Gujarati families. So while I lived and went to school in a White working class neighborhood, I had this whole other life. We went to Garba on the weekends, we had our own parties. We found community. We went to the temple on weekends and ate Indian food. But our parents felt like they had to assimilate. My father changed his name to Mike and went to Toastmasters class every weekend to get rid of his accent. So there was still a sense that you had to be American. My sister and I and many other kids rebelled against that by building this Indian community. When I went to my high school, I didn’t feel like I was pretty or could have friends or fit in to this community that was so different than mine. It is still shocking for me watching “Bridgerton” and seeing the Sharma sisters, and Indian women seen as being beautiful, likable, desirable. And it’s still like, whoa! We’ve come a long way and it’s good to see more and more people who look like us on the big screen and in real life. What made you run for Congress? My parents being refugees really instilled a sense of love for our country. Also, my grandfather and father, who were born in Uganda, were expelled. How could they expel a community that lived there? So I had this sense that a community has to participate in a system, or else your rights can be taken away in an instant. And there’s something about the political process, I always liked. I romanticized being a public servant. As they say in the Bhagavad Gita, I feel like I’m a warrior. And Bhagavan has put me on this earth, to fight for people, especially poor people, vulnerable people. So I always felt that the way that I could be a fighter, through public service. I graduated with $300,000 in student loan debt, still trying to be a good Indian girl, because politics is not at all what my parents wanted for me. I finally just found the courage to run for office. AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 39

POLITICAL CAREER

e to the various e and giving voic ag st er nt ce ng ki Ta ns that she has idential campaig es pr d an al ic lit po supported

You got beaten pretty badly, like in the middle school? What did you learn? I had been involved in politics, I had been organizing, I had been active. But when I made the decision to be a congressional candidate, I ran against a very powerful person. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was naive. I thought I could shake every hand and meet every voter. I remember the first week. As we put up my website, we raised $50,000, from Indian aunties who were happy an Indian girl was running for office. But what was so wonderful about that experience was the naïveté of it, the scariness of it. I did so many things I never done before — got on a television, raised money, built a team. I was doing all these things for the very first time. I lost, I wasn’t even close, I was devastated. But you know, when I woke up the next morning, the first thing I thought to myself is, wow, I’m not broken. I go after the thing that I’ve wanted my whole life, and it doesn’t work out, and I’m not broken. And that was such a gift, that failure was such a gift. Everything I’m doing today is because I lost that race. What doesn’t break you makes you stronger. A failure can redirect your life and bring you to your true calling. For you, it was Girls Who Code. On the campaign trail, in 2010, I went into computer science classes and robotics classes and saw long lines of boys… There was not a girl in sight. I remember

• Volunteered for the Clinton–Gore campaign in 1996 • Started a movement called South Asians for Kerry to support John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004 • Supported Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign of 2008 • Taking on Carolyn B. Maloney, became the first Indian American to run for Congress in 2010 • Entered the race for New York City deputy public advocate in 2013

thinking, where are the girls? I knew that Silicon Valley was a boys’ club. But I didn’t know that club started in high school. That pissed me off because I knew that, these were the jobs of the future. You can make $120,000 as a software programmer. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, all these companies were exploding. And women and girls needed to be part of this innovation revolution. So it really started with me trying to understand what kind of intervention we need to make to change [the dearth of girls who code]. And now, 10 years later, we’ve taught over half-a-million girls to code. We’ve reached half-a-billion people across the world through our work. If you go to any computer science class, engineering class in the country, those are my students. You advise young women to be comfortable with imperfection. What advice would you give South Asian girls? One is, fail fast, fail hard, and fail often. If you want to be great, you have to make mistakes. Sometimes we are afraid to fail. In our community, we teach our girls to play it safe, to not draw outside the lines, not call attention to yourself. My mother still says that to me. Why did you write that article about [pro] choice? Why did you put yourself out there on this issue? Because it’s drawing attention, getting criticism, the opposite of being a good immigrant daughter. I think that we have to

“I STARTED MY NEXT MOVEMENT, THE MARSHALL PLAN FOR MOMS, DURING THE PANDEMIC. I FOUND MYSELF IN 2020 WITH TWO LITTLE KIDS RUNNING MY ORGANIZATION, AND IT NEARLY BROKE ME” really instill bravery. I am so blessed that I get to wake up every day and and do the work that I do. I write. I change conversations. I get politicians, policy leaders, CEOs to make real change. You’re an inspiration for young girls, but also for mothers. Tell us about the Marshall Plan for Moms? Yeah, I started my next movement, the Marshall Plan for Moms, during the pandemic. I found myself in 2020 with two little kids running my organization, and it nearly broke me. When the pandemic started in 2020, about 51 percent of the labor force was female, we were flying our feminist flags high. And at the end of the pandemic, our labor market participation is backward, same as it was in 1988. And the reason why we lost women is because women in our country do two thirds of the caregiving work. So when schools were shut down, they had to homeschool their kids. They were doing the domestic work, being the caretaker all the while maintaining their full time jobs. Right now 50% daycare centers are shut down, schools are still desperate. And so this has forced women to either downshift their careers, or leave the workforce altogether. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix this now. Why is this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix the problem of women leaving the workforce? Because this is happening at the same time we have the great resignation. So 4 million Americans are leaving their jobs every month. And they’re leaving, not because they don’t want to work, but because they don’t want to work for you. And that hustle culture of work is over. We’re not going to commute two hours a day just to see our kids for 20 minutes. We want a job in which we can reconcile our motherhood and our professional job. And so I think that we have this opportunity in the workplace to finally make workplaces work for moms. How do we make workplaces work for moms? One, companies should pay for or provide childcare

At the White House with the

then First Lady Michelle Ob

ama

benefits. I released to The New York Times an exclusive [story] about announcing a national business childcare coalition that I’ve created with top companies like Patagonia and Synchrony Financial. It was supported by Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry and their foundation. It’s time for companies to start providing childcare benefits to parents; they have an obligation or responsibility to figure out how that works. Creating flexibility, remote working, mental health. We have a mental health crisis right now. 51% of mothers are anxious and depressed. So companies need to not just be doing performance reviews, but wellness audits. I AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 41

Reshma Saujani keeping on top of and deftly managing her diverse roles, including that of a mother

have a lot of ideas in my book; it lays it out systematically how we should design the future of work. Speaking of books, you’ve authored many books. What’s this book you you’ve just written? My new book is “Pay Up.” It’s a manifesto, about, you know, women in the workplace, and how can we use this opportunity to redesign workplaces? So it finally works for women. So if you’re a woman and you want paid leave, you want childcare. And you wonder, how do I go about asking my employer for that? Read this book. If you’re an employer managing a team and struggling with attrition, and thinking about how to retain talent, read my book. My gift is the ability to look around corners, see issues, and talk about them in a way that people get it. The books are a vehicle for social change. Writing op eds are a vehicle for social change. And, my life is about building movements to get to equality for women and girls. And, books, articles, writing, helps me do that. You have two sons. How you teach them gender equality?

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I have two boys. And all I wanted was girls. But [the universe] gives you exactly what you deserve. I have really learned and become a stronger feminist and activist by raising sons. So much of this is about how are we raising our boys to be equal partners at work and at home. Both my parents were working and my father was an active caretaker, and that’s the role model that I have. And that’s what I want, my sons to see. I have a wonderful husband who is my biggest ally, supporter, and cheerleader You can’t do all this work unless in your home life you have people around you who are really all mobilizing to make it possible. You need that support system in the workplace and in the community — in South Asian sisterhood? We just have to be very intentional about it. And I think we have to recognize we have power. You know, South Asian women actually have power in our country. We’re in Hollywood, in government, we’re activist leaders, writers, media, journalists. I agree we have a void. I think it’s the community in an organized fashion that’s missing. And somebody needs to build it.

PHOTOGRAPHER: SHARMEEN CHAUDHARY MAKEUP: @NIKOMARAGOS NIKO MAKE UP STYLIST: RITIKA SHAMDASANI @SANISISTERS INSTAGRAM: @SANI WEBSITE: WWW.SANIDESIGNS.COM

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THEY’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ASH GUPTA

The ace photographer has built lifelong bonds with these Bollywood stars ABHIJIT MASIH

rom a small town in India, Ash Gupta moved to the capital, Delhi, to pursue education and his passion for fashion photography. Operating out of New Delhi, he didn’t feel the need to shift base to Mumbai, the home to the Indian film industry and its mega stars. Skipping the entertainment capital of India, he made his way to the showbiz capital of the world, L.A. Working his magic in Hollywood, evident in the feature covered in the July issue of the magazine, it was only after establishing himself in the US and almost twenty years later, did he decide to go to Mumbai. Some members of the elite social circle of artists and stars in Hollywood got him in touch with celebrities from the Indian film industry as well. That was what took him back to India. Gupta credits his friendship with Gulshan Grover (GG to him) and his repeated insistence and invitation to visit him in India that made him decide to take a trip in the year 2000. In fact, GG brought him a handwritten letter addressed to Gupta from renowned Hindi film director Mahesh Bhatt which read, “Why do brilliant Indian talents shine bright outside India? They should come and make a name at home.”

The friendly and humble nature of the internationally celebrated fashion photographer helped in forging friendships in Bollywood, as easily as he had done in Hollywood. The doors to his home and studio are forever open for the stars featured here and their kids, many of whom have studied in L,A: star kids like Janhvi Kapoor, now herself a leading actress, and the charming Harman Baweja. Other than his busy schedule of fashion shoots and entertaining friends, Gupta, through his 838 Media Group, is working on a big project with social media influencers from around the world. To stay clued in to the latest trends, he surrounds himself with young creative professionals, so that he can learn and speak their language. A trick that helps him keep on top of a dynamic industry, despite his self-confessed tech challenges. Of course, the celebs he calls friends are of all ages. Gupta provides a different perspective to the lives and personalities of these stars. Ones he has seen and observed from close quarters, and gone from being their friend to being a part of their lives. The ace photographer reveals a different side to these film actors, a side that only a friend would know. AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 47

G U L S H A N G R O V E R The last movie Ash watched in India was Sadma, in which Gulshan Grover played a villain. They were introduced to each other through a Rajshree Film’s actress Madhu Kapoor around 1998-99. The “Bad Man of Bollywood” has always been good to Gupta, and convinced him to shift focus to the film industry in India. It was because of him that Gupta went to Mumbai for the first time in 2000, after having worked in LA for almost 20 years. Sure enough the villain of the silver screen was right at the airport to receive his American friend and opened the doors of his house to him. Grover introduced Gupta to Mahesh Bhatt and his other industry friends.

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P R E I T Y

Z I N T A

The first time they met was in 2010 when Gupta’s manager Marina (who was also the manager for Melania Trump) asked him to do a shoot with her, and gave a heads up on her heightened ability to chat. At the shoot, the two got on like an ashtray on fire with un-stubbed butts and have been close friends ever since. Besides P, as Gupta calls her, he is close to her younger brother as well and calls her mother Maasi. AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 49

H U M A Q U R E S H I Even though they met not too long ago, according to Gupta, apart from being an incredible actor, she is an amazing woman. The Indian actress was in LA for the shoot of her international project, “The Army of the Dead.” Gupta was drawn to her non-star-like behavior, clear vision and invigorating company.

M A L L I K A S H E R A W A T The two became friends when the actress was shooting for Jennifer Lynch’s movie “Hisss” in 2010. Gupta paints a different picture of Sherawat, quite different from the image people have of her. Like him, he said, she does not discriminate on the basis of gender, is vegan, works out like crazy and constantly cribs about his smoking.

K A N G A N A R A N A U T Coffee with Kangana is how Ash describes the three days he spent with the talented actor. The photographer was amazed by the dexterity with which she can converse on any topic and have a firm opinion about it, one not limited to photography alone. The boundless ambition of the national award winner was evident in her taking on the role of the director in her last film – “Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.”

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P O O J A

B A T R A

The former beauty queen and actress has had a long association with the photographer and lived pretty close to his house. Gupta considers her almost American since she has lived in the U.S. for so long. He also thinks she is absolutely strong inside to have walked away from her previous marriage and now married to her friend from her theater days in India. Each time she is in town, they catch up on the latest from both worlds.

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A L I

Z A F A R

The Pakistani singer and actor has done numerous films in Bollywood as well. Whenever the Pakistani superstar is in town, he comes over to Gupta’s studio and the conversations and the jam sessions go on till the wee hours of the morning. The two were introduced by producer Sameer Moosani and what connects the two is the love for poetry and soulful music. 54 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

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N E E T U

C H A N D R A

The talented actor has done some incredible films in India as well as Hollywood, the latest being “Never Back Down:Revolt” and has a couple more films up her sleeve. The star of films like “Garam Masala” and “Traffic Signal” spent the last Diwali with Gupta and his family in L.A. Gupta respects the hard work that she puts in all that she does.

A B H I M A N Y U D A S A N I Gupta says that he is very impressed with the new talents emerging out of India who are well grounded and don’t wear their stardom on their sleeve. Abhimanyu was introduced to him through the famous designer Kresha Bajaj who had interned with Gupta . Gupta found Abhimanyu, a rising star and the son of yesteryear actress Bhagyashree of “Maine Pyar Kiya” fame, to be very cordial and courteous.

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R .

M A D H A V A N

The photographer and the actor met the year “Game of Thrones” was released - in 2011. Perhaps the inspiration for the look here was the King in the North, Jon Snow. Both were introduced to each other by Paresh Ghelani (the famous friend of Sanjay Dutt, the one depicted by Vicky Kaushal in the biopic “Sanju”). Down to earth and practical is how Gupta describes the Tamil and Hindi film star who has just released his latest film “Rocketry: The Nambi Effect.”

J A C Q U E L I N E F E R N A N D E Z With 62 million followers on social media, she is one of the country’s most popular actors. With that kind of a social media presence and following there is never a problem in sourcing a wardrobe for photo shoots. She wanted to have a photo shoot that would make her look Indian and to do away with her Westernized image. Gupta told her she could look however she wanted, and could, as he did make her look, totally Indian.

J A N H V I

K A P O O R

She calls him Ash and used to attend an acting school in L.A., a block away from his studio. She was a perennial fixture at the studio along with her friend and actress Sharmin Segal (niece of Sanjay Leela Bhansali). This was before her mother Sridevi passed away in 2018. This was also the time that Gupta noticed how determined these kids are to make it on their own, and how being a star kid did not mean that everything would be served to them on a silver platter.

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THE PAKISTANI TALENT POOL OF SOULFUL MUSIC Even Partition from India has not checked the melodies streaming across the borders ABHIJIT MASIH

e are one, ‘cause we all share the same passions. As we celebrate the 75th year of our respective freedom from imperial rule, we also sadly are reminded of 75 years of division. Whether it is India or Pakistan, as people we rue the fact that we are on opposite sides and the split of 1947 is not just limited to territories, but talent as well.

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Our love is common for cricket, films, food and music. Passions that have stood the test of partition and continue to thrive on both sides of the border. For artists, that border did little to restrict their talents thriving. There had been numerous instances of actors and singers working in both countries. But this was before the Kargil war of 2000. Since then there hasn’t been a regular cross-border artistic engagement. As part of the music industry in India before the Kargil war, I was fortunate enough to witness some

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FEATURES | SEEMA incredible talent from Pakistan live and in person in India. There are innumerable stories that can be narrated about these artists; a few of them not mentionable with names or deeds. Like the one about the singer who along with his manager could drink a sailor under the table, but was sober as a saint while giving interviews to scribes. Then there was the one who had to visit the cop station every day to sign a register, as part of his visa prerequisite to remain only in Mumbai. There was also their humility when they attended live performances of Indians singers and bands. As when I found Bilal and Faisal from the popular band Strings enjoying the performance of Mohit Chauhan while standing right behind me. The impressive soundtrack of Ms. Marvel has brought to the fore the incredible South Asian talents that complement the show about a desi superhero. The soundtrack maintains an authentic balance of some of the most popular artists as well as some that you may have heard for the first time. It includes music from Bollywood, music from South India and also does an exceptional job of highlighting the Pakistani music industry.

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE UNBELIEVABLE PAKISTANI MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT AND FAME HAVE NOT BEEN RESTRICTED BY THE LINE OF CONTROL, AND HAVE EARNED LOVE AND RESPECT IN NOT JUST PAKISTAN BUT INDIA AS WELL. STRINGS The group that gave memorable hits like “Duur” and “Dhaani,” unfortunately announced in early 2021 that their band was splitting up. The group, formed when they were in college in 1989, with Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia at the helm, had its ups and downs. But they were popular in not just Pakistan but in India as well, with their pop albums flying off the shelves from music stores around the country. Their most soulful track, however, would be “Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar,” which was released in 1992. Other than in private albums they also collaborated with Indian bands like Euphoria and performed live with Indian rock bands like Parikrama and Indian Ocean. They even had a couple of Bollywood hits 60 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

Pakistani band Junoon perform at a concert

with “Yeh Hai Meri Kahani” from the film “Zinda,” and “Aakhri Alvida” from the Sanjay Dutt-starrer “Shootout at Lokhandwala.” ALI ZAFAR One of the very few singers who established themselves as an actor both in Pakistan and India, Ali Zafar has ruled the hearts of millions, particularly of the ladies on both sides of the border and around the world. The pretty face started off as a model and established himself as a singer in 2003 with his first single “Channo.” Some of his all time hits are “Allah Hu, Jhoom and Nakhriley” from the Hindi film “Kill/Dil.” His acting credentials are even more impressive, with measured performances in the Shahrukh Khan-starrer “Yeh Zindagi,” and Yashraj Productions’ “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.” His last film was the romantic action comedy “Teefa in Trouble” with Maya Ali. JUNOON Their debut international song and album set fire to the

music scene in India with their song “Sayooni” in 1998. They registered a record breaking sale on the first day at Rhythm House, the Mecca of music retail in India back then. Junoon in Urdu means obsession and that was what they generated with the launch of their debut international album. The reason their music was and is such a hit was perhaps the way they fused Rock music of the 70’s and 80’s with percussions like Tabla, popular in the subcontinent classical music. The initial lineup included Salman Ahmad, Ali Azmat, Nusrat Hussain and Brian O’Connell who were absolutely on fire when they performed live in Delhi in 1999, sharing the stage with legends like Sting and Def Leppard. ATIF ASLAM His live performances are as soulful as his romantic songs. As part of the audience in a small and exclusive performance in Dubai, I was witness to the aura that he exudes through his touching songs. The playlist of which is pretty long. There was a phase in Bollywood that nearly

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every Hindi film had a romantic song which was sung by the tall and talented singer. The first of these were “Tere Bin” from the film “Bas Ek Pal,” and “Woh Lamhe” from the film “Zeher.” There have been many more, like “Tera Hone Laga Hoon,” “Tere Liye,” “Pehli Nazar Mein.” The list goes on. NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN August is when the world lost the qawwali legend in 1997. The king of Sufi music sang primarily in Urdu and Punjabi and is still unparalleled for his vocal renditions. His repertoire of music was not just limited to qawawali but had a tremendous impact on pop music and Hindi film music of its time as well. The most popular song from Bollywood would be “Dulhe Ka Sehra” from the film “Dhadkan.” He was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1997, an indication of his popularity around the world. Many of his songs were even plagiarized, which he didn’t mind – like “Dam Mast Qalandar” and “Allah Hoo.” His music was and continues to be an embodiment of an undivided sub-continent, the music of tolerance and compassion. His nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who was part of the legends group since he was a teenager, carries the musical baton forward. HADIQA KIANI The recipient of Pakistan’s Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award, has been a true pop star for more than 25 years. She recently performed in Dubai, where she was joined by popular Indian playback singer Sonu Nigam. Both sang her hit song “Hona Tha Pyar,” which had Nigam almost in tears. In 1995, she received the Best Female Singer of Pakistan award at the same function in which Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was recognized as the Best Male Singer. That in itself is a mighty honor. She was also the first Asian female singer ever to be signed by Pepsi International. She has sung in many languages, including Pashtu, and one of her most popular songs is “Boohey Barian” in Punjabi. NAZIA HASSAN Who can forget “Boom Boom,” the anthem from the 80’s sung by the captivating voice of Nazia

Hassan. The song was from her second album of the same name and was used in the Kumar Gaurav movie Star. The singer however had made her singing debut two years earlier when she sang “Aap Jaisa Koi” for the Hindi film “Qurbani.” Aptly referred to as the Queen of South Asian Pop at that time, her songs and she are not forgotten, even 22 years after her death from cancer. Karan Johar even used a remix version of “Disco Deewane” in the film “Student of the Year” in 2012. The man behind the brother-sister duo of Nazia and Zoheb was London-based music composer and producer Biddu, who gave hits like “Disco Deewane” and “Aankhen Milanay Wale.” ABIDA PARVEEN The queen of Sufi music collaborated on a new song for Coke Studios with Naseebo Lal which was released early this year. “Tu Jhoom” was recently also included in the soundtrack of Ms. Marvel. She is a living legend and music royalty due to her talent. Some of her most notable Sufi hits are “Dama Dam Mast Qalandar,” “Main Sufi Hoon” and “Bulley Noon Samjhavan.” She is known for her heartwarming performances and has a following around the world. NOOR JEHAN The creation of the two nation in 1947 forced the famous playback singer to move to her birthplace as she shifted from India to Pakistan after having made a name for herself singing and acting in pre-independence films like “Khandaan,” “Naukar,” “Dost,” “Badi Ma,” “Anmol Ghadi,” and “Jugnu.” Pakistan’s gain was India’s loss. She went on to become a household name and was respectfully called ‘Madam’ in her home country and loved by South Asians across the world, case in point Hena Doba’s father who would listen to her songs driving his cab in New York. The title of Malika-e-Tarannum (queen of melody) was deservedly bestowed on her in Pakistan for her great achievement and success in music. Arguably her most famous film was “Intezar,” in which she sang evergreen hits like “Aa Bhi Jaa” and “O Jaane Waale Re.”

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Notable Indian and Pakistani

FOOD INFLUENCERS Social media royalty play a huge role in the cuisine we eat out, and the food we make at home MELANIE FOURIE

here’s no shortage of tantalizing food on social media. Alluring visuals of beautifully presented, delicious food abound on sites like Instagram, You Tube, Facebook, and Twitter. These piquant snacks, scrumptious baked goods, and mouth-watering desserts are more than just visual treats. The influencers showcasing food have an undeniable effect on our appetites, even inducing cravings! They also

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inspire followers to take their cooking game up a few notches. While some influence as a side hustle, many have turned their passion into a profession. Monetary rewards are also hefty for some with the advent of affiliate links and sponsored content. To that end, Indian and Pakistani food influencers are on top of their game when it comes to culinary inspiration! The following is a list of some of the best ones out there.

A young food influencer filming a culinary experience

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TOP INDIAN INFLUENCERS

SANJEEV KAPOOR KHAZANA Sanjeev Kapoor, an Indian celebrity chef, is widely regarded as a leading culinary authority who rose to fame as the presenter of “Khana Khazana,” a renowned Indian television program. He’s also a popular YouTuber, with more than seven million subscribers. He has 1.2 million followers on Instagram and a whopping 8.8 million followers on Facebook. Some of his most popular dishes include stuffed papad, baked falafel, palak paneer, and decadent chocolate burfi. He caters to a broad range of culinary categories like appetizers, kadhis and dals, and main courses like biryani kulcha. Yet, that’s not all. This culinary authority does not just make South Asian food. He is brilliant at whipping up Mexican and Italian cuisine too! SHIPRA KANNA Shipra Khanna was the winner of “MasterChef India” at 29 years old, and has since launched herself as a famous Indian food guru. She has 4.2 million followers on Instagram. She appeared in other television gourmet shows as a celebrity chef after beating all comes in MasterChef India (season 2). Her Darzi Bar & Kitchen was launched in 2017, in New Delhi. Khanna is renowned for her straightforward dessert creations and international foods. She also has a penchant for fusion cuisine such as her ever popular pan rasmalai and rum balls. If you’re into healthier foods, her khus lemonade is definitely a must-try too! DEEBA RAJPAL “Passionate about Baking” creator Deeba Rajpal began her career as a primarily baking blogger. Food styling and recipe creation have since made her quite the authority where 66 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

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Indian confectionery is concerned. She has over 336K followers on Instagram. She loves creating her treats with local ingredients, with seasonal baking being her favorite. Rajpal specializes mainly in eggless baking and vegetarian food. Some of her most famous delicacies include eggless baked cream Bundt cake, eggless mango cheese cheesecake, and a great eggless rose thandai trifle for those who love to go all out with sweet treats during Holi. In 2021 she launched her first cookbook, “Passionate About Baking,” showcasing an array of mouth-watering chocolateinfused treats.

TOP PAKISTANI INFLUENCERS

ZIA TABARAK Food served on the streets of Pakistan via You Tube’s Street Food Pk is another drool-worthy digital space created and maintained by local Pakistani foodie Zia Tarbarak. It features mouth-watering uploads of cuisine from all across the country, and currently has 998K subscribers. Tabarak travels to every corner of Pakistan to document the country’s finest home-cooked cuisine. When it comes to Pakistani street food, you can bet he’ll teach you how to make AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 67

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anything from dumba to jalebi! Some of his most noteworthy live recipes include healthy options like oil-free roasted chicken. He also teaches subscribers how to make village food, such as chawal ki roti and sarso ka saag. Other concoctions include lip-smacking mutton tawa qeema. Viewers are also hooked on his stuffed lamb kababs! MEHRUNNISA YUSUF Mehrunnisa Yusuf’s Instagram feed which comprises over 2.2K followers, is heavily influenced by her food blog, Come, Con Ella. Additionally, Yusuf’s blog is well-known for its artisan-like recipes, which make excellent comfort food staples in both international and local kitchens. Her readers derive a profound sense of each cuisine’s origin, tradition, and conveyed mood via the blogger’s vivid and artistic descriptions. Some of her featured recipes include Pakistani dishes like gajar halwa, which is essentially a carrot dessert infused with cardamom. Other great foods showcased are channa chaat, peach and raspberry torte, and delicious espresso pecan brownies. A savory dish of note is kedgeree, a tasty curried rice concoction. HAMZA SALMAN SIDDIQUI Instagrammer Hamza Salman Siddiqui is the budding chef and food writer of Hamza’s Food Ventures. The account has 13K followers. It’s filled with images of scrumptious food he’s enjoyed at various eateries across Pakistan, with detailed comments on the establishment. This includes what they offer, as well as feedback on his personal experience dining there. The array of food he covers is quite extensive, ranging from classic lava cake to New York cheesecake to chicken roulade. He also writes about various beverages and the best spots to find tantalizing seafood. You can also find some of his own recipes, including comfort food like focaccia bread. So there you have it. A list of some of the best Indian and Pakistani foodies influencing and educating food lovers across the globe!

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Is Forgiveness the

ONLY WAY FORWARD? It’s OK if you can’t do it on command; we all process emotion differently ANJALI BINDRA PATEL

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t’s my nature to analyze things, whether it involves significant issues like finding the best parenting advice or little things like choosing which socks I should order on Amazon. I’m like a pot of water that takes forever to boil. I sit. I ponder. I question. I struggle. When SEEMA reached out for my opinions on forgiveness, I stopped in my tracks. I wasn’t even sure I had an obvious idea of what it means to forgive. Of course, I’m familiar with many famous sayings about forgiveness, like the one from Nelson Mandela where he stated that not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. I’ve always loved that quote but felt equally unsettled by it, wondering what the “forgiving” part entailed. Does it mean we should extend mercy, even if the person doesn’t deserve it? Does it mean forgetting the act of betrayal, hurt, pain, or damage? Does it mean we should pretend to be okay even if we’re not? I found countless definitions for forgiveness, some of which used the word “forgive” to define the term (unforgivable!). In contrast, other explanations around forgiveness included actions like showing empathy and learning to let go of the pain the incident has caused us. Though my quest for a singular definition of forgiveness went unfulfilled, I did uncover extensive research about the positive impacts of forgiveness, especially on the person doing the forgiving. As someone whose work revolves around people and organizational cultures, I was heartened to read about the increased well-being and productivity in professional settings when we exercise our ability to forgive. Still, I couldn’t seem to move past that nagging voice in my head: what if forgiveness is not in the cards? What do we do when we feel pressured to forgive but can’t get there? Let’s put the issue of forgiveness into a workplace setting. Pretend that someone repeatedly belittled you for your culture, your ethnicity, your gender, your family status, or anything else that you consider a fundamentally important part of your identity. The comments, once a trickle, started feeling more like a tsunami, coming in fast and furious. Unable to work productively in this dysfunctional and toxic environment, you filed a complaint and reported the issue to your Human Resources Officer, who then referred the perpetrator to a code of conduct training. After the person attended the mandatory training, their external insults were replaced by more insidious

passive-aggressive behavior, something much harder to pinpoint or report. Feeling that you had exhausted all your options, you decided you had no choice but to leave a position and an organization you once loved. What now? Perhaps you thought about the need to forgive the harassing colleague so you could move on, but what if it was too difficult to do so? What would be another way forward if forgiveness isn’t going to happen? Might it be enough to aim for acceptance? Do we have to forgive to move on? What if we released the pressure to forgive and worked on simply “unburdening” and accepting the things we can’t change? We could assess the incident and see what we might have learned from the experience. Second, we could recognize our emotions. We might have been, and may still be, feeling angry, betrayed, embarrassed, hurt, or a combination of these things, and maybe all of that is okay. Often, we see the word compassion in discussions of forgiveness. It’s great if we are in a position to offer to understand another person. Sometimes, that compassion might be better directed towards ourselves, so we can allow ourselves time to process and cope with the things or people that have brought us down. Forgiveness will mean different things to different people, and if the term “forgiveness” resonates with you, it’s great to lean into it. If you feel ready and the situation warrants forgiveness, you should do so. Forgiveness might be a more challenging concept to unpack for others, and they may be unable to excuse, condone, dismiss, or release another’s actions so quickly. It’s OK if you can’t forgive on command. Like fingerprints, no two people will process their life’s occurrences identically. We all love differently. We all grow differently. And we all process emotions differently. I’m reminded of a quote by one of my all-time favorite musical artists, Tupac Shukar, who said: “You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together on what someone did, justifying what could’ve or would’ve happened…, or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move on.” Healing is very personal. When anger, hurt, betrayal, or memories no longer serve us, here’s hoping that we can find the strength to release it. Maybe we will forgive, but perhaps we won’t. Maybe we will accept things, and maybe we won’t. Whoever you are and however you cope, here’s hoping for one thing: that we can all find the ability to free ourselves and keep moving on.

Anjali Bindra Patel is a lawyer, diversity and inclusion strategist, mom, and author of the bestseller “Humanity at Work: Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing in an Increasingly Distributed Workforce.” 72 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

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THE PURSUIT OF

Happiness Anyone can

adopt one of several happiness approaches from across the world BINDU GOPAL RAO

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F E E L - G O O D • • • • • • • • • •

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Limelight (1952) Le Bonheur (1965) The Sound of Music (1965) Local Hero (1983) Sister Act (1992) Forrest Gump (1994) Shall We Dance? (1996) Good Will Hunting (1997) After Life (1998)

M O V I E S • • • • • • • • •

Billy Elliot (2000) Amélie (2001) Love Actually (2003) Happy Feet (2006) Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) Eat, Pray, Love (2010) Inside Out (2015) Lovers Rock (2020)

here is no path to happiness; happiness is the path ~ Buddha Post the pandemic this is a lesson that many people swear by: Happiness probably is more important now than ever before. And if you are wondering how to be happy, we share some tested methodologies from across the world. So, don’t worry, be happy. GOA’S SUSEGAD Susegad, which comes from the Portuguese word ‘sossegado’ that means quiet, is something you will see all over Goa. If you are in a marketplace in the afternoon, almost all the stores will be closed because Goans do not compromise on their afternoon siesta. This is the crux of susegad, keeping Goans in perennial contentment. However, it is not just about siesta; for Goans, it is all about taking life slowly, whether it is spending a Sunday with family, playing card games, or even enjoying a leisurely meal. Make no mistake, it is not about being lazy, but being able to enjoy the moment. DANISH HYGGE In recent times, hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) has become a commonplace aspect in home decor, as it roughly means coziness, but it is much more than that. The Danes routinely feature as the happiest people in the world, and hygge is all about having a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life. If you have lit candles and enjoyed its soft glow, read a book indoors, enjoy a hot cup of coffee on a rainy day, spent time with a loved one watching a movie, spent leisurely time around with friends and family, those are all examples of hygge.

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JAPANESE IKIGAI Ikigai is all about happiness in living. Ikigai is the age-old Japanese ideology associated with the long life expectancy of the Japanese. It comes from “iki,” meaning life, and “gai,” meaning value or worth. Basically, it is what makes you get up every morning and keeps you going. Ikigai comes four forms: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. For instance, people can find their ikigai in work. Doing what makes you feel happy, celebrating elders, being motivated, and finding ways to keep your brain alert are all ways of practicing ikigai.

WABI SABI Another Japanese aesthetic concept, wabi sabi, says there is beauty in all objects, whether they are simple or imperfect. Wabi is about finding beauty in humble simplicity; sabi is how things manifest beautifully with time. The concept calls for being connected to nature and being true to ourselves. It is also philosophical in that it says that nothing is perfect, and that beauty exists in things that are impermanent, incomplete, and imperfect. Simple things, like learning to accept situations (losing your job), striving for excellence over perfection, finding beauty in broken things (a broken teapot, scars), slowing down, feeling alive and being AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 77

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T O

B E

• The Art of Happiness – the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler • Authentic Happiness – Martin Seligman • Stumbling on Happiness – Daniel Gilbert • The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living – Russ Harris • The Happiness Advantage – Shawn Achor • Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life – Sylvia Boorstein • The Happiness Project – Gretchen Rubin • The Happiness Hypothesis – Jonathan Haidt • The Happiness Equation – Neil Pasricha • Happiness by Design: Finding Pleasure and Purpose in Everyday Life – Paul Dolan • The Happiness Factor: How to Be Happy No Matter What! – Kirk Wilkinson • The How of Happiness – Sonja Lyubomirsky • Happiness Beyond Thought: A Practical Guide to Awakening – Gary Weber • Happiness: Lessons from a New Science – Richard Layard and Baron Layard

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content with what you have are ways to practice wabi sabi. SWEDISH LAGOM Lagom means not too much, not too little, just the right amount. It is about leading life with awareness, moderation, and sustainability. You can practice the concept by doing the morgondopp, or morning dip – in a lake, river, or sea. If you don’t have access to these, a cool morning shower could energize you. Take a trek alone, be amidst nature by yourself, reduce your wardrobe to a set of versatile garments, take a break, and practice random acts of kindness and learn to listen. DANISH LYKKE Lykke (pronounced loo-ka), is built on principles like togetherness, money, health, trust, freedom, and kindness. Make sure you make lonely people feel wanted, or share a meal with someone who lives alone and see the difference it makes. Focus on experiences when you travel. Check if you are mentally happy and not just physically fit. Freedom to work from anywhere and having the ability to slot some me time on weekdays are a great way to practice lykke. KOREAN NUNCHI A traditional concept, nunchi is the art of understanding what people are thinking and feeling – all about being sensitive to other people. Nunchi involves things such as noticing who is speaking, who is listening, who interrupts, who apologizes, and being attentive to how people in a group are behaving. Nunchi particularly helps introvert to battle social anxiety. Rooted in relationship-building and collective harmony, the mindful practice of nunchi will make you and others around you comfortable. ASIAN ZEN Zen is believed to have origins in Mahayana Buddhism in China, and spread to Vietnam, Korea and even Japan. Zen means a state of calm attentiveness, where intuition and not conscious effort guides your actions. It is a way to embrace nondiscriminatory wisdom and develop a sense of equality of all things in life. Practicing Zen involves adjusting the body (proper posture), mind (disengaging from outside noise), breathing (mindful inhalation and exhalation). It is about letting go and being exhilarated in the freedom of having no baggage.

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THE INDIA I HAVE INHERITED Advanced in science, technology, culture, and social programs, despite a few problems, it is a prosperous nation, one full of promise ANUSUIYA MEHROTRA

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he India I have inherited is a diverse and modern one. It is home to over a hundred languages, hundreds of tribes, different castes, ethnicities, culture, a wide number of different religions, with some of the world’s largest cities. Despite these differences, India stands together. The India that I have inherited is an economy on a journey to liberalization and globalization, opening doors to various opportunities to all citizens. The trickle-down effect of economic liberalization has lifted millions of Indians from indigence in the past two decades. India has grown into a nation with opportunities for everyone. Be it the previously ignored scheduled castes and tribes, or the people living in poverty. Government and non-government organizations have put up many programs to help these citizens. These programs aim to provide skills and education to people who cannot afford it. This could then increase their job and health care opportunities, helping them improve their living conditions. There have been a number of reservations in both colleges and work centers for those from scheduled tribes and castes, thus eradicating their previously experienced troubles in this sector and making India a country with acceptable living standards for all. India is continually trying to unlock the potential of women. Earlier ignored and deemed unworthy to work, women are now being supported and encouraged to do so. The country is striving to convert women from being a minority in the workforce to be equal to men with a number of awareness programs, and by opening schools and colleges for women. India has advanced a lot in terms of technology and science, and has come with innovations used worldwide. This has made India stand third among the most lucrative investment options in technological transactions in the world. The India I have inherited

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is inclined towards science and technology and has invested a large amount of capital in these sectors. While moving towards development, it gives importance to sustainable development. So, along with development, the country has started to make efforts to preserve the environment. While continuous technological advancement in the country, India has made sure to preserve the vast cultural heritage they have been blessed with and continued to follow ancient traditions, however with a modern approach. I appreciate how festivals like Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas and many more are celebrated with immense excitement and celebration, irrespective of the religion one belongs to. Despite all the changes, and opportunities provided by India there are a few things I feel require more effort. Firstly the mindset of the population. Despite a number of awareness campaigns, people still have some orthodox beliefs. Even though women are encouraged to reach their full potential, there are people who still are against it. All genders, including those in the LGBTQ+ community, are being accepted worldwide as well as by many people in India, but there is a vast portion of the society still not ready to accept that. Similarly, same sex marriages are still illegal in India. That needs to be changed at this very moment. I would also like to see improvement in steps taken to control the population growth. If it continues to rise at the current rate, there will be a lot of pressure on the food and agriculture industry as well as on natural resources. More and more forested land will have to be cleared for settlements, which, in turn, will impact the lives of all people. The number of people living in poverty, or people not being able to get jobs and education, will continue to increase and all the steps being taken now will be in vain. The India I have inherited is a prosperous one, aiming to provide opportunities to all, but there is always scope for betterment.

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A New School Year

It’s a time of uncertainty,

opportunity and maturity ANUSUIYA MEHROTRA

he first day of a new year at school is always memorable. A new school year is marked by excitement about having new books, with the smell of a black marker you use to write on your name slips. It is filled with the anxiety of having a new classroom, and new teachers, not knowing what the New Year’s curriculum will be like. One prepares with essentials

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for the day and makes resolutions, aiming to follow them all year round. Preparing yourself with all necessary items for the first day becomes a tradition for all years. You purchase new pens, new notebooks, and other stationery, a new school bag, and get your uniform ironed and ready the previous night. Besides this, you have to prepare yourself mentally for this event: making resolutions for the year and preparing for this eventful day. You make a list of goals for the new year. You promise to reach classes on time, attentively make notes in all classes, not sleep while the lessons are going on, score A’s in all tests. Apart from these, there are the promises to enjoy the year with your friends, not get into fights with them for petty reasons, and to make the year a memorable one. One has to be ready to face the challenge of a new year, with a different syllabus, possibly a harder one, and the pressure of meeting up the expectations of your parents, teachers, as well as peers. With the incoming school year, students get to meet new friends and acquaintances. While some old friends leave, and others become lifelong friends. Despite the anxiety felt due to having to part with older classmates and having to socialize with new ones, students look forward to a number of things. The opening of the new school year leads to new classes and lessons, and this change refreshes the students mind, clearing and refueling it for a new year. The stamina needed to work hard and do

well all year round needs to be built and a mindset of dedication is required. One looks forward to different opportunities the new year at school has to provide- different competitions, inter school as well as intra school events, help in building on one’s interest and in deciding one’s future. With a new school year starting there is a sense and feeling of achievement. The achievement of having successfully passed the previous year, that they had been able to successfully complete a year of education, along with participating and excelling in the extra curricular activities, other school events, and personal goals. Becoming a year senior gives one a sense of responsibility and builds a closer relationship with the older teachers. Many students endure bullying at school, or have to endure a certain someone they do not like. A brand new year gives them a chance to change their existing image. Though it can be done any time in the year, marking a new year provides an opportunity to make amends, making it easier for a person to recognize and act upon it. The mental pressure of these social problems can be eradicated and a fresh start can be made. A new school year begins with excitement and joy, and nervousness and anxiety. It gives a brand new start to everyone, encouraging students to achieve their goals and build on their interests. There are new unclear but positive feelings that encourage students to move on to success.

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VEGAN Vibes

Babita Shrestha is a plant-based chef, photographer, graphic designer, and the author of Plant-Based Himalaya BINDU GOPAL RAO

n recent times, one ruling food trend is plant-based eating. Even as sustainability on your food plate has come to the forefront, clean and simple eating with a focus on all things local ensures you are doing your bit to save the environment.

F O O D

F I L E S

Babita Shrestha believes it is her responsibility to educate and promote agriculture which she believes is the solution to saving the planet. “I truly believe that problems such as pollution, world hunger, gender inequality, and dependency on governments/corporations can all be addressed through local organic farming

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and self-sustainability,” she said. “There is no plant-based food if there is no one growing the beautiful and nutritious plants and saving seeds for the future. I think GMOs, processed chemical foods, agri-business, and corporate control of the farmers/food supply are one of the greatest threats to my generation. Farmers are the true artists of our community. Local and sustainable food is healthier and more ethical. Even if you are not 100% plant-based, taking control of your food supply from greedy corporations is truly a revolutionary act in our current society. I have seen this firsthand in Nepal and have witnessed the problems that ignoring this has created in America.”

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H U E S

It is a no brainer that cooking at home is always healthier than eating at a restaurant. “My ancestors knew that homegrown, fresh, and raw ingredients can heal the body, mind, and soul,” she said. “The trend of heavily processed fake meats from the same companies that have been ruining farmlands for decades is not the right direction for a healthy lifestyle, community, or world. I hope my book can help individuals take even a small step on the course to health and happiness.” Shrestha’s cooking journey started in her grandfather’s kitchen when she was a young kid helping him but her real cooking started at the age of 12 when she was living with her parents in Kathmandu. “My mother had just given birth to my brother, so I had to take care of my family,” she said. “As the oldest child of the family, it was my responsibility to cook full-time and it quickly grew into a true passion.”

C R O S S

O V E R

While cooking was in her heritage and the family had many chefs, Shrestha always wanted to become a chef, but could not see herself working in a chaotic restaurant environment. “Instead, I chose to go to the U.S., where I ended up studying graphic design,” she said. “By the time I graduated I was 30 and realized that food is my first passion. I wanted to do something in the culinary field. I moved to Lexington, Kentucky after graduation (in 2016) to take a break and live with my sister. During that time, I visited a Barnes and Noble with my then boyfriend (now husband) where I was first introduced to the world of cookbooks. It seriously opened a whole new dimension for me and realized this is where I belong.” As she had cooked for nearly 20 years, photographed for 10 years, and designed for five years, she decided to write her first cookbook. “In 2017, I started my company, Vegan Nepal, because there weren’t any good vegetarian or vegan places to eat in Lexington,” Shrestha said. “So I felt like I was meant to do this. In 2019, I got married. After doing two years of pop-up, catering, and food festivals, I had the option to open a restaurant or focus on finishing my first cookbook.” In 2020, she decided to move back to Nepal with her husband to put the finishing touches on “Plant-Based Himalaya.” “I had not been back home for over a decade,” she 90 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

said. “I never got an opportunity to look at a beautiful cookbook until the age of 30, but my wish is for Nepali children to be able to enjoy this book when they are very young, to open their eyes to become great future artists.”

N E P A L I

N U A N C E

Being vegan is very easy in Nepal, especially when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. In cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara, coconut milk and soy milk are common while the rest of the country is heavily vegetarian. Most people have quit dairy and switched to ginger tea. “Nepali food is very similar to Indian food, but we use less oil and spices,” Shrestha said. “Nepal is an agricultural country, so we have seasonal vegetables throughout the year. Cumin, ginger, turmeric, and cilantro are my basics, but timur (Sichuan pepper) and immbu (a Himalayan aromatic herb) are some of the unique spices of Nepal that add a distinct Nepali flavor to your food.” Since Babita has lived in the U.S. for over a decade and was a student, she also understands budgetfriendly plant-based cooking. Even as health is becoming a matter of concern, there is a realization that what we eat really reflects our well-being. Babita’s shares a couple of recipes from her book.

K H E E R In Nepali culture, kheer is considered to be the purest dessert and is usually offered to the gods before being served to people. Serves: 4 Cook time: 40 minutes INGREDIENTS • ½ cup basmati rice • 4 cups coconut milk • 2 tbsp golden raisins • 4 tbsp brown sugar • 4 tbsp ground coconut • 2 tbsp sliced almonds • 2 tbsp of sliced dates • 1 cup water Spices • 1 tsp cardamom powder • 7 buds clove METHOD 1. Wash the basmati rice and soak for 30 minutes or more in a cup of water. Soak for a few hours if there is time. 2. Chop all the coconut, nuts, and dates. 3. Add coconut milk in a pan and boil on medium heat. Add all the rice and water to the coconut milk, and then cover to cook for two minutes. 4. Once the coconut milk boils again, remove the lid, and cook on low heat for another two minutes. Stir and replace the lid to let it cook for two more minutes. 5. Add the golden raisins, dates, cloves, coconut, almonds, sugar, and cardamom powder. Stir thoroughly and cook for an additional 30 minutes on low heat. 6. Stir continuously, otherwise the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan. Garnish with more chopped almonds, cashews, dates, and coconut shavings on top. Creamy and blissful kheer is ready to serve. You can eat it warm or refrigerate it for a few hours. AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 91

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M O M O As the most famous snack of Nepal, momo is an indispensable Newari dish that has gained much notoriety worldwide. Serves: 4 Cook time: 2 hours INGREDIENTS • 4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1⁄3 cup water • 1 medium-sized cauliflower (¾ lb) • 1 medium zucchini (¾ lb) • ½ of a medium-sized onion Spices • 9 tbsp sunflower oil • 2 cloves of garlic • 1 slice of ginger: 1 slice (1/3 oz) • Turmeric: 1⁄2 tsp • 1⁄2 tsp fenugreek seed • 1⁄2 tsp cumin powder • 4 medium fresh green chilies • 1⁄2 cup cilantro • 1 tsp salt METHOD 1. Wash and thinly chop the cauliflower, zucchini, onion, fresh green chilies, and cilantro. Combine with the salt and mix in a large bowl. 2. Grind the ginger and garlic with a mortar and pestle and add them to the bowl. Take turmeric on a spoon and pour over the bowl. 3. Heat a pan on medium and add 4 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the fenugreek seeds. As the fenugreek turns a darker brown, pour

the oil into the bowl on top of turmeric. Mix the contents thoroughly with your hand or spoon to create the momo filling. Cover the bowl and let it settle for 10 minutes. 4. In another large bowl, add the flour. Save 1⁄3 cup of flour for dusting. Slowly mix in the water, a few tablespoons at a time, and mix until the dough is easy to handle and smooth but not mushy. Continue to knead the dough for 10 minutes and let it settle for 10 minutes. 5. Take a small ball of dough (12g) and flatten it with the palm of your hands. Use a rolling pin to flatten each piece into a 3 1⁄2-inch-diameter round wrap. 6. Add one full teaspoon of filling to each wrap and fold them from the edges to make a circle dumpling. You can also make other designs if you like. 7. Boil water in the steamer. Apply some oil on the momo steamer pan evenly. Once the water is boiling, place the momo in the steamer, keeping an inch of space between so they will not stick together. Cook for 10 minutes. 8. For pan-fried dumplings, heat a pan on medium with one tablespoon of sunflower oil. Place momo in the pan keeping them an inch apart. Once the bottom is golden brown, in about a minute, add a half cup of water and cover for 8 minutes in medium heat. Crunchy on the bottom, juicy and vegan, momo is ready to devour when hot.

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PICKLE PERFECT

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SEEMA’s guide to keep your taste buds in a ferment! PRATIKA YASHASWI

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here are many reasons to love pickles. They’re super delicious (albeit an acquired taste), make excellent mixers, and add an enlivening tang to salads and sandwiches. You can even drink the brine straight out of the bottle; it’s full of immune-boosting good bacteria that will keep your gut biome thriving. The best part is that pickling is relatively straightforward and can be as tedious or easy as you like. The pickle in the recipe below takes under twenty minutes of prep and a couple of days to ferment. It can then be refrigerated or left to age further. Pickles, like wine, taste better the older they are. Pickles have three main elements— the vegetables (or fruits), the flavor, and the brine. The quality of all three makes all the difference in the taste and appearance of the pickle. For the vegetables, choose unbruised and crisp produce fresh from the farmer’s market. The brine is a mixture of salt, vinegar, a wee bit of sugar, and water. Use boiled or filtered water. Vinegar can be of any type but avoid aged or concentrated kinds of vinegar like balsamic or malt. Use non-iodized salt. You get special pickling salt at stores, but kosher salt and pure sea salt also work. The salt must be free of impurities; otherwise, the result can look quite unappetizing. After the basics, flavoring is an adventure. Dill is a common and essential pickling spice, but you can experiment a little here with almost anything that you use to flavor food in general. • Fresh/dried herbs: dill, thyme, oregano, coriander and rosemary • Fresh, peeled and sliced ginger or garlic, smashed or sliced • Whole spices from any South Asian tadka: mustard seeds, peppercorns, chillis, etc The following recipe provides some exciting flavor mixes that appeal to an Asian palette. Another essential aspect of pickling is the addition of tannins. Tannins are astringent, naturally occurring phenol compounds that keep the vegetables in the pickle crunchy and crisp. Without them, they can turn to mush. Tannins can come from loose (or bagged) tea leaves, a couple of bay leaves, or grape leaves for a Mediterranean twist. Other alternatives include horseradish leaves and oak leaves. As you get experience, you can play around with the ingredients and process, but bear in mind that pickling is a science. It requires accurately measured ingredients and completely clean and dry jars. The slightest error

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can spoil the whole thing. Here’s how you can sterilize the jars: 1. Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water. 2. Put them into the oven at 110°C (230°F) for about 10-15 minutes or until they are dry. 3. Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool. 4. In the meantime, boil the lids in a pot of water for about 5 minutes. 5. Take them out and allow them to air dry on a rack or wipe with a clean towel. Now that we’re good with the basics let’s get down to a simple recipe. M A N H A T T A N S T Y L E D I L L P I C K L E (1/2 gallon jar, 20 minutes prep and 3-5 days ferment) INGREDIENTS 1. 2 to 2 1/2 lbs pickling cucumber, all similar sizes. Choose fresh, crisp, bumpy, and unbruised ones. (<5 inches) 2. 5 cups filtered water 3. 2 tbsp fine sea salt or Himalayan salt (around 7g fine sea salt per one cup of water, for a 3% brine). 4. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional) 5. 1 tsp each: fennel seeds, coriander seeds, allspice, peppercorns, dill seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds. This is your flavoring. 6. 10–12 garlic cloves, sliced (or measured with your heart) 7. 1/2 thinly sliced onion (optional) 8. A big handful of fresh dill 9. 1-3 fresh red chilies or equivalent chili flakes (also optional) 10.3-4 bay leaves (or a grape leaf or oakleaf) METHOD 1. Rinse the cucumbers, remove flower ends and place in an ice-water bath, for about 10-20 minutes. Leave them whole. 2. Mix salt and 5 cups of water until dissolved. Add the turmeric if you like. 3. In a large, clean mason jar, place all the whole spices into the bottom. Pack one layer of cucumbers tightly, standing tall, then add garlic and onions (if using), fresh dill sprigs, chilies, and bay leaves. Add another layer of cucumbers, standing on end. 4. Press everything down in the jar, leaving an inch of headroom. Pour the salt water brine over the top and weigh down the cucumbers with fermentation weights so they are submerged under

the brine, leaving an inch of headroom, in the jar. If you don’t have fermentation weights, you can use mini jelly jars, condiment dishes or small dessert ramekins that fit inside the mouth of the mason jar.

5. Cover the jar loosely with a lid or with a cloth so air can escape. 6. The pickle should be ready in about 5 days, but can be fermented longer for a tangier taste.

ON ANTONI GAUDI’S TRAIL Our travel writer who has explored the Changpa tribesmen in Eastern Ladakh; vibrant, syncretic cults in South India; and the lives of salt farmers in Gujarat and Vietnam, gives us a taste of Gaudi’s Barcelona. BY SUGATO MUKHERJEE

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Sugato Mukherjee is a photographer and writer based in Kolkata whose interests are multifold. He has worked on stories about the nomadic Changpa tribesmen in Eastern Ladakh; vibrant, syncretic cults in South India; and the lives of salt farmers in Gujarat and Vietnam. He also loves to write about unexpected travel destinations and food. Here he explores the unmatched architecture

of Gaudi in Barcelona. f there was one artist who decided to use an entire city to express his creative genius, it was Antoni Gaudi, the greatest exponent of Catalan modernism. The 19th-century architect-wizard seamlessly blended the Gothic and the French Art-Nouveau with Expressionism and crafted his architectural masterpieces. And the city of Barcelona was his canvas and muse, at once. LA SAGRADA FAMILIA The proverbial Gaudi trail starts at La Sagrada Familia, the master’s most ambitious project and the longest running active construction project on the planet that started in 1882. Gaudi, who was a staunch Catholic wanted to visually chronicle historical events in the Bible through his masterpiece where he conceived 18 towers, one each for the 12 apostles of Christ, four for the evangelists, one for Mother Mary, and the last for Jesus himself. However, La Sagrada Familia simply defies everything in the history of Cathedral architecture. The abstract, colossal facade with its towers reaching for the sky had drawn much flak and criticism. George Orwell, the celebrated writer, had dubbed it “one of the most hideous buildings in the world.” Salvador Dalí had said Sagrada Familia possessed of a “terrifying and edible beauty,” and opined that it should be kept under a glass dome.

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And the façade does not even prepare you for the whimsical symphony of ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry in the bizarrely innovative interiors with twisted, tree-trunk-like columns, spiral staircases and a dazzlingly kaleidoscopic vaulted ceiling. When the slant rays of the sun stream through the stained glass windows in late afternoons, La Sagrada Familia turns ethereally beautiful, especially if it is overflowing with church music. CASA BATLLO A naturalist to the core, Antoni Gaudi had famously said, “There are no straight lines or sharp corners in nature. Therefore, buildings must have no straight lines or sharp corners.” And nowhere is this more evident than Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi’s most famous architectural creations. A UNESCO World Heritage site and a Barcelona icon, the façade of Casa Batllo looks like it has been made from skulls and bones and the natives of the city call it Casa dels ossos (House of Bones) for its visceral, organic appearance. The “skulls” are the balconies and the “bones” are the supporting pillars. Commissioned by wealthy aristocrat Josep Batllo, Gaudi redesigned a previously built house in 1904. Casa Batllo has undergone several redesigns and refurbishments since then. The exterior is designed with multihued mosaic made with broken ceramic tiles and the arched roof resembles the back of a dragon. The irregular and differently-sized windows were designed in

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The facade of the house Casa Battlo designed by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona, Spain

an ingenious way to ensure uniform ambient light into each room of the house. Skylights resembling tortoise shells, vaulted walls in varying curves and the unique ribcage design of the loft that contains a series of 60 catenary arches make this house look straight out a hallucinated dream. The roof terrace, decorated with four chimney stacks, commands a partial view of the La Sagrada Familia, with its spires visible over newer buildings. And it is worthwhile to keep a few minutes of your explorations of the vibrant Eixample district at night, to watch Casa Batllo when it is illuminated.

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CASA MILA Originally intended to be erected as a dedication to Virgin Mary, Casa Mila was the second building Gaudi was commissioned on the busy La Passeig de Gràcia, along with Casa Batllo in the first decade of the 20th century. But the owner, Pere Milà i Camps, thought it would be a bit risky to have any religious references associated with this avant-garde piece of art. The architecture bears the signature stamp of Gaudi’s raw creativity with its series of curvy, cavern-shaped wrought iron balconies jutting across the façade – a harmonious mass of 6000 stone blocks. The stone façade earned Casa Mila the nickname La Pedrera

Park Guell

(Stone Quarry). The interiors also bear the hallmark of Gaudi’s inimitable style with breezy courtyards, ornate ceilings and undulating tapestries, but the most impressive part is the roof terrace that feels like an open-air museum with its chimneys and ventilation towers resembling abstract sculptures. PARK GUELL Completed in 1900 for Count Eusebi Guell, Park Guell was initially estimated to house sixty luxury plots for elite Barcelonans, perched amid a Gaudi-style landscaped garden, commanding sweeping views of the Catalan capital. However, only two houses were built, one of which became Gaudi’s own residence. Eccentric stone structures, organic and elemental designs, and buildings with the “trencadis” (surfaces covered with irregular ceramic pieces) underscore Antoni Gaudi’s signature style at Park Guell, a leafy expanse of green on Carmel Hill strewn with mosaic features. The iconic Gaudi dragon, covered in mosaics, fronts a colonnaded hypostyle hall that features an ingenious way of rainwater harvesting. The terrace

with serpentine shapes is quite the perfect place for an iconic view of the city rolling out before you in myriad shapes and colours, with the Gaudi creations forming a surreal foreground. Located at one of the Parc Guell’s entrances, the Gaudí House-Museum that was the artist’s residence for almost two decades before his death in 1925 features a quirky collection of furniture and objects designed by himself. While the quintessential Gaudi trail can be covered with these four of his most famous creations, for a true Gaudi aficionado, Casa Vicens in the Gràcia neighborhood of Barcelona can be another pit stop. Constructed in the 1880s during the earliest phase of Gaudi’s career, this is considered to be his first foray into modernism. The melange of rainbow hues, the angular exterior, and the oriental and Moorish elements delicately woven into the architectural style collectively point towards a genius in the making, whom many of his peers and contemporaries held with disdain; but who is now heralded as a maverick maestro in the history of architecture. AUGUST 2022 | SEEMA.COM | 103

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UNCOMMON SOUTH ASIAN DESTINATIONS Little-known places that the canny traveler should visit SWARNENDU BISWAS

outh Asia has many destinations with immense tourism potential that are not that popular among run-ofthe-mill tourists. But it may work for those tired of the old tourist trails, and seeking new options, natural or cultural. THE RIVER ISLAND Majuli is one such offbeat destination.

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Located in the state of Assam in India, on the vast Brahmaputra river, Majuli is the largest freshwater mid-river deltaic island in the world. The island, whose area was 780 square miles at the beginning of the 20th century, had shrunk to 220 square miles by 2014 due to erosion. Home to 144 villages, Majuli can be accessed through ferry service from Jorhat city in Assam. It affords

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TRAVEL | SEEMA wonderful views of the mighty Brahmaputra, and is the hub of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture. Here the 15th century saint Sankardeva established a satra, or neo-Vaishnavite monastery. This was followed by the development of 64 more satras in Majuli. Today only 22 of the 65 satras are operational. Many of these monasteries are home to antiques such as weapons, utensils, jewelry and other items of cultural significance that will draw cultural tourists. Some satras are known for their specialized art and craft traditions. Built in 1584, Dakhinpat Satra is probably the most famous one. The pottery of Majuli, made from beaten clay and burnt in driftwood ﬁred kilns, resembles the pottery-making tradition of the ancient Harappan civilization. Majuli’s weaving tradition boasts an array of colors and textures for cotton and silk. The ideal time to visit Majuli is during Rasleela, usually occurring in October-November. The three-day festival depicts the life of Lord Krishna. Almost everyone on the island, whose population is predominantly tribal, takes part in the festival. The environmentally conscious can enjoy Majuli’s amazing bio-diversity, comprising endangered species such as the greater adjutant stork, pelican, and whistling teal, among others.

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DEVOTED TO NATURE Ganapatipule, a quaint town on the Konkan coast, has the green Sahyadri mountains on one side and the blue Arabian Sea on the other, with a 400-year-old Ganapati temple on the island. Here nature and religion have come together to provide a wonderful tourism experience. The town is in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, a 233mile drive from Mumbai. Besides exploring nature, you can also enjoy water sports, complete with water scooters and banana boat rides, and find spiritual satiation at the temple. During Ganeshotsav (an important religious festival in Maharashtra) people of Ganapatipule and its surrounding villages gather at the temple and worship Lord Ganesha. There are many tourist options near Ganapatipule. They include the lighthouse at the 16th century Jaigad Fort, and the tranquil Malgund village, the birthplace of Marathi poet Keshavasuta. The poet’s house, now a student’s hostel, is open for visits. Besides the memorial to the poet in the village, tourists can also visit the beach nearby, before heading off to the museum, which can enrich your knowledge about poets in Marathi literature. The twin Aare-ware beaches, about six miles from Ganaputipule, are also worth visiting.

THE SEASIDE VILLAGE Another of the many fascinating offbeat destinations of India is Mandarmani in West Bengal state. Located 112 miles from Kolkata airport, this seaside village is at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. Because there are no railways or airports nearby, the only way to get there is by road. The nearest airport is in Kolkata, while the closest railway station is Contai. But the advantage for those willing to drive is that Mandarmani has the longest motorable beach in India. You can drive the eight-mile stretch, dodging red crabs and the gray-blue waves rushing ashore. While you can enjoy solitude in Mandarmani, you can also have fun, enjoying a variety of water sports, including jet-skiing, speed-boating, parasailing, paragliding, and banana boat rides.

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THE ETHEREAL VALLEY Spiti Valley, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, can enamor anyone with its pristine beauty. Surrounded by the tall, somber mountains, whose peaks often gleam with snow, Spiti’s lovely setting and beautiful monasteries seldom fail to enchant. Stretching up from 9680 feet to 13,450 feet, Spiti reaches over to touch India’s international boundary with Tibet. In fact, Spiti means the middle land, the one between Tibet and India. The local population mainly follows Vajrayana Buddhism. Tourism highlights here include Key Monastery and Tabo Monastery, among the oldest monasteries in the world. Some other tourist-worthy places in and around Spiti Valley include Chandra Tal lake, and Hikkim Village, which, at 14,400 feet above sea level, the village is cut off from other parts of Himachal Pradesh for about half the year because of heavy snowfall in the mountain passes. At other times, it can be accessed through an arduous track from Kaza town, the nearest town to the village with asphalted road. The Pin Valley National Park is home to 22 rare and endangered medicinal plant species. Spiti Valley is particularly attractive to the sporty type, with options like trekking, camping, and mountain biking.

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TRAVEL | SEEMA

WHERE HISTORY RESONATES Halebid in the Indian state of Karnataka, is a lesserknown town of historical and cultural significance. It became the capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 11th century AD and remained so for 150 years. The ancient temple town has some magnificent Hindu and Jain temples, which represents the high point of Hoysala architecture. The most notable of these are the Hoysalesvara temple, Kedareshwara temple, and Jaina Basadi temple. The most elaborate one is Hoysalesvara,

a twin-temple dedicated to Hoysaleswara and Santaleswara Shiva lingas. The twin-temple also includes themes from the Vaishnava and Shakti traditions of Hinduism, as well as images pertaining to Jainism, reflecting the pluralistic ethos of ancient India. Even the ruins of many temples of Halebid, ravaged by the armies of Malik Kafur in the early 14th century, recall a great heritage. Just 10 miles from Halebid is Belur, another temple town renowned for its Chennakeshava Temple, a splendid example of Hoysala architecture.

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A TOWN IN THE HILLS Nepal’s tourism potential goes beyond Kathmandu and Pokhara. One uncommon but charming destination there is the hilltop town of Bandipur. Its distinctive old-world charm is due to Newari architecture, for which Nepal is so famous. A walk through the town can give you fascinating glimpses of Newari people and their culture. The town is surrounded by hills and a clear day can give you views of mountain ranges gleaming with snow.

TRAVEL | SEEMA FASCINATING RUINS Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka is another offbeat destination tourists should not miss. One part of the town is modern, while in the other you can find the ruins of the ancient city of the erstwhile kingdom of Polonnaruwa. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Polonnaruwa began as a military post of the Singhalese kingdom, and became the capital of Sri

Lanka under the Cholas invaded in the 10th century. Today it is one of the best archaeological destinations in South Asia where you would find ruins of stupas and temples, giant Buddha statues and many other monuments built by the Chola empire. Of course, these are only a few of many relatively lesser-known but fascinating destinations in South Asia that tourists can explore. But they are a start.

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TRANQUILITY AND BEAUTY Hunza Valley in Pakistan is another offbeat and fascinating tourist destination that intrepid tourists should explore. Located in the Gilgit Baltistan province, this valley formed by the Hunza river lies between the Himalayas and the Karakoram mountain ranges. The spellbinding views and warm, hospitable people are the chief attractions, especially for lovers of nature and cultural tourism. Its tranquility and serenity is balm to those used to the stresses of city life. 112 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

HOROSCOPE | SEEMA

FORECAST WITH FARZANA Mar 21 - Apr 19

Get ready for a jolt of new energy entering your life, in case, you are experiencing any slack lately. If you are waiting for the right moment to explore an idea or project, now is the time to dive into it and get the ball rolling. Follow your inner truth and make sure you are inspired by what’s calling you. Keep things playful and light, to loosen up any fears of scarcity that may dampen your enthusiasm. A good time start an investment and revisit your finances. Don’t forget to make space for romance and relationships. Allow some new goals to help stretch your growth even further.

Apr 20 - May 20

You’re on a new trajectory, heading towards personal transformation and fulfillment. You may have a change of heart about an aspect of your life. Expect a sudden change, personally, relationship-wise or professionally, which may be abrupt yet happy. It could spell the end of a situation that did not comfort you and pave the way for a new normal. It is likely that a person you already know may be the main catalyst of this change. There is new learning and while you may feel

off-balance; it’s temporary. Begin putting the wheels in motion and be patient. Your ideas are ready for manifestation so focus on that! All will be well.

May 21 - Jun 20

It is time to grease your elbows and put in the work that is required – no excuses. Keep your faith and finish what you started. No matter how frustrating it may get, put your head down and just keep chipping away and doing the work day by day. Don’t allow the distractions and ego get the better of you. Hold on to the purse strings. The more vigilant you are over a project and your finances, the more likely you are to be victorious and get the results you desire. If you and your partner have been putting a lot of effort in to your relationship, you are likely to reap the benefits very soon. Save your heart for someone who cares, if single.

Jun 21 - Jul 22

Rather than attempting to create your own path right now, return to the comfort in familiar practices or rituals from your youth. With so many variables when it comes to work, it may be better to stay safe for now, financially or otherwise. And, returning to the fundamentals will give you a chance to rest

and reset. You might encounter a mentor or reconnect with someone who has been one for you in the past. Their counsel will be invaluable. Put down the labors of life for a little while and give yourself permission to take a break, celebrate, and honor yourself. In relationships, lean on the influence of family to facilitate positive outcomes.

Jul 23 - Aug 22

It is time to make sound judgments; do not waste, however do not cling, either. You may be holding on too tightly, to maintain control at work or in your relationships. There is a hyper focus on finances and how you handle your wealth so do not be daunted by any surprise developments or speed breakers. You are likely to be well supported and protected, yet this prosperity may bring the pressure of big decisions and responsibilities. Relationships may suffer because of your obsession with money or security. Focus on self-care, embrace acceptance, patience and flexibility.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Allow yourself a chance to let go of your preconceived notions of reality and you may be surprised to discover things that others think are impossible. Expect a more spontaneous and freedom-loving, side of you to express yourself creatively and authentically. At work, 113

HOROSCOPE | SEEMA your ideas maybe ahead of time and you may seek a new position or even go off to start your own business. Trust what you feel, not what you hear and evaluate your options, carefully. The need for adventure may show up in the people you date, as you find yourself attracted to those that are not your usual type. Money may seem scarce, however you have enough to get you by.

Sept 23 - Oct 22

current relationship. Watch your energy levels, if you find them see-sawing, take time out for yourself to relax and unwind. Enjoy the warm glow of admiration and affection all around you.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Something deeprooted, long-standing and highly personal to you is likely to call your attention this month. You may be feeling trapped in a job or relationship or a compulsive behavior or addiction, caused by fear or need for power. However, the good news is that you have it within you to tackle and address it. Make “you” the most valuable asset of your life and reclaim your power. Extricate yourself from any entrapment that causes pain more than pleasure. Speak up or simply, walk away and choose peace. Now is the time to use your power to choose what you want and where you want to be.

This month has you on alert, ready to receive, and in a spontaneous, lucky mood. It’s a creative time, to explore your imagination. You may want to fly by the seat of your pants, and see where life takes you. You can make anything happen so sharpen your networking skills to spot new opportunities. Be light on your feet, alert, and ready to react fast to them. Place yourself in luck’s pathway. Go ahead and apply for a new job, ask someone out, make an introduction or pitch that idea. Look for Dec 22 - Jan 19 The opportunity to shine awaits you. If smarter ways to make your money grow. Be yourself, respond intuitively, follow your you are called to step up for instincts, have a blast. your team, take Oct 23 - Nov 21 charge and show Things are in the flow so focus on providing up, courageously. the right conditions for your dreams to Stay focused flourish. Any on the outcome creative activity you desire and you indulge in, work, shoulder will yield good to shoulder results. Avoid with your team to achieve victory. pushing too hard Don’t resent others when that get the and coming in the recognition you feel you deserved. No way of your own one can take away your sparkle. Watch goals. You have out for envious friends and stay close to an opportunity those who stand with you. Regardless, to access your of what field you are in; a promotion, natural sense of wealth, pleasure, and raise, an educational achievement, and wisdom. Your cash flow is likely to be money are likely, to multiply. In the love healthy however restrain yourself from area, things are stable and secure. Be breaking the bank. A good time to attract generous and acknowledge others. the one or to recommit and grow your 114 | SEEMA.COM | AUGUST 2022

Jan 20 – Feb 20

You are likely to ride the wave of good vibes with positive emotional energy, love, happiness, creativity and compassion overflowing. The month also demands you strengthen your existing relationships and welcome new friends. If you have felt reclusive, lately, then it’s time to open your heart. Make that proposal, ask them out, take things to the next level. Be genuine, be clear and be confident. You are likely to stumble across a new job that has much to offer you. New financial opportunities, walk towards you so be thorough in your research. It will do you good to invest in your health and well-being.

Feb 21 – Mar 20

You are likely to sail through any situation with grace and the faith that all will be well for it will. If you have been holding back, then now is the time to open yourself to love and romance. Pay extra-special attention to yourself and schedule pamper time, relaxation, treats and fun to unplug from the daily stressors and unwind. Your feelings of guilt and stress around money may derail your financial goals. Steer clear of any adventurous financial investments. Your intuition is your best guide. The drama of those close to you may turn you into the proverbial agony aunt. An opportunity to travel may well be on the cards. Farzana Suri is a Victory Coach who coaches people through their life’s challenges to take the leap to victory, using the science of numerology. For a personalised forecast, you may contact Farzana at surifarzana@gmail.com or visit her website www.farzanasuri.com

SEEMA AUGUST ISSUE 2022 -P

Articles inside

Uncommon South Asian

A New School Year

Pickle Perfect

On Antoni Gaudi’s Trail

The India I Have Inherited

The Pakistani Talent Pool of

Notable Indian and

The Pursuit of Happiness

They’ve Got a Friend in

Winning the Creative Stakes

‘There Were a Lot of People

Is Forgiveness the Only Way Forward?

‘I Have Used fashion to