The newly launched book by Karina Pandya, ‘New York Wakes to Culture’ draws acclaim for its realistic portrayal of the Indian American experience in Racism and Culture in a Journalist’s life

Karina Pandya, Mumbai-based author and poet announced a new book release, New York Wakes to Culture, a heart-wrenching story of racism in America and journalism during the times of pandemic. The book has been released globally and is available on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Flipkart.com, Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Kobo, and iBooks on [08/12/2022]. This book is the second book that she has released after her first book, Touching Void…Surviving a Car Accident that was released on 2nd August 2021. It was released on the 29th of January in a private book launch.

New York Wakes to Culture is a compelling tale focused on racism, journalism and crime. Filmmaker Amole Gupte claims that it is a fine novel with a truly inclusive point of view of American society through the clear eyes of a young, American Indian girl traversing current culture, crime and cats in New York. The book is available across online and offline bookstores in Mumbai such as Chetna Book store, Kala Ghoda.

This book is significant because racism is one of the major hurdles in American life and Indians face this discrimination while living abroad. However, few books or films highlight this aspect and dwell mostly on the financial and career gains of migration.

Karina Pandya’s novel is an eye-opening and honest read about the situation in New York where the author expertly crafts an emotional and painful dialogue between racism in New York and the culture of the city. It brings to life concrete real-life examples of the 2020 election and analysis and insight into Joe Biden’s approach and Donald Trump’s re-election, Donald Trump’s pandemic blindness and election denial, how there was a political coup regarding the COVID, the vice-presidential elections- Kamala Harris and Mike Pence, how criminal cases were on the rise despite the rise in Corona cases, how the pandemic was majorly affecting sports events and the lockdown was affecting international and national events, how the COVID had urged us all to turn to social media to connect with the outer world and about the culture of New York.

The book is filled with sharp, memorable dialogue which advances the plot and also demonstrates the character’s personalities and adds texture to the story. It is ‘ a tale of a girl who is destined to solve a mystery that lurks within her family, to write about a city as a journalist. Jumping from one universe to another and back again, New York Wakes to Culture is a tale of mystery, crime and the current American culture that will make you believe that journalism can never be silenced. It must speak and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horrors are still in the air.

A book which highlights the period of Covid 19 and interesting stories of the US election of Joe Biden’s approach to becoming president and Donald Trump’s election denial and many other interesting stories provide an instant connection that draws any reader towards this novel.

The protagonist, Maira Kapoor finds herself entangled between drafting a report as an intern for The New York Times and simultaneously solving a mystery lurking in her past. The story is told from the first-person point of view of the journalist, Maira Kapoor and also includes perspectives from other journalists who were not only exasperated by COVID but also the assignments that they had been allotted to cover. Hope and optimism are prevalent but it does not ignore the harsh reality of the tragic outcomes.

The book has also received critical reviews from renowned personalities like film director- Amole Gupte, renowned poet and author- Menka Shivdasani and Jeroo Mulla, the Former head of the Department of SCM.

This book is a definite pick-up for travellers to New York or people who are just interested in knowing what the scenario in New York was like during the pandemic. It is a very engaging read and a good reference book to help you get the feel of what the city is like. You will automatically feel like you have been a long-distance traveller.

Before writing the two books, Karina Pandya was known for her work as the founder of Limits Make Things Too Small. It remains yet one of the few independently organised events that were effectively able to present open-mic poetry into a mainstream literary event.

“Without Love,” the ending theme song for the anime series VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2, is the new single by LMYK. The anime trailer for the featuring the song and the ending video of the series have been viewed over 600,000 times in a short period of time. Many people from around the world left enthusiastic, positive comments about the song.

Today, the pre-order of “Without Love” started on iTunes! Please be sure to check out the new campaign where 10 lucky people out of those who pre-order the song on iTunes, pre-save on Spotify or pre-add on Apple Music will win a poster of TV anime VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2 with LMYK’s autograph.

The song was produced by a world-renowned producer team Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and is written all in English, will be released on the 7th of February. On the very same day, the music video of the song will also be premiered on YouTube. Enjoy the song and MV together in real time!

The special website for the campaignhttps://cp.digle.tokyo/LMYK/

“Without Love” Music Video YouTube Premiere: https://youtu.be/ffCkmSqmykU

Furthermore, the CD cover art has also been revealed for the first time! This artwork of Thorfinn and Einar, who are the main characters of the TV anime VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2, has been drawn specially for this CD. This is a must have for all fans!

On March 1st, Single CD of “Without Love” will be released bundled with DVD which has ending video of the anime and “Without Love.” And long-awaited first album will come out on March 29th. You can pre-order both single and album CDs now.

CD Pre-order links:

Single – “Without Love”   : https://erj.lnk.to/wiSpuT 

First Album – “DESSERTS”  : https://erj.lnk.to/DKsR32 

The comic off of which the anime is based, deemed a true warrior’s tale, printed over 7 million copies and the TV anime received three awards including the grand prize in the “Anime Trending Awards 2020” and has since established its popularity worldwide.

The song “Without Love ” was specially created for the anime and has the most magnificent arrangement of LMYK’s music to date, singing of love, loss, and freedom.

VINLAND SAGA SEASON2 Trailer:

URL: https://youtu.be/uNbI_AXMics

VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2 Official Website

URL: https://vinlandsaga.jp/

<LMYK Release Info>

 Single

■Without Love

Available on digital music services February 7, 2023

■Without Love CD+DVD (Limited Edition)

Release Date: March 1, 2023

ESCL-5753~5754

1400 JPY+tax

 [CD]

  1. Without Love
  2. Without Love (Instrumental)

【DVD】

  1. VINLAND SAGA’s ending animation
  2. “Without Love” Music Video

Album

■DESSERTS

Release Date: March 29, 2023

ESCL-5755

3000JPY+tax

First-run Limited-edition package

Track Listing includes:

“Without Love” Ending theme for TV anime VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2

“0 (zero)” Ending theme for TV anime The Case Study of Vanitas

“Unity” Main theme for Japanese-dubbed version of anime movie The Legend of Hei

“Square One” Opening theme for drama series Iburi Gurashi

And more! Details coming soon.

< Information about the campaign >

Win a VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2 Poster autographed by LMYK

■How to join the campaign

Pre-order the song “Without Love” on iTunes, Pre- save on Spotify or Pre-add on Apple Music, inorder to join the lottery. Then 10 lucky people will win a poster!!

■Deadline for entering the lottery

Until 23:59 on Tuesday the 6th of February

■The special website about the campaign

https://cp.digle.tokyo/LMYK/

LMYK Biography

LMYK is a singer-songwriter, born and raised in Osaka, Japan in a multicultural household with a Japanese mother and a German father. While attending college in New York City, she started writing music and performing, her music soon catching the attention of legendary music producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who offered to produce her music. Seamlessly weaving Japanese and English lyrics, she has a unique way of orchestrating her gentle voice to make each sound practically blossom. With Jam & Lewis’ artistry and masterful production work, her music thrives, creating the flowers that depict beautiful gardens with her voice.

LMYK debuted with “Unity,” theme song for the Japanese dubbed version of animation movie The Legend of Hei, released November 6, 2020. 2021 furthered LMYK’s global success with “0 (zero),” ending theme of The Case Study of Vanitas. Single “Square One” released June 2022. The upcoming “Without Love ” is set to be the ending theme for TV anime VINLAND SAGA SEASON 2.

LMYK Official Website: https://www.lmyk.jp/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lmyk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lmykmusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmykstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lmykstaff

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmykstaff

As the New Year begins, companies and brands set forth new plans to power their growth over the forthcoming months. Yes Madam, a salon and wellness service offering brand that launched only a few years ago, has made an impressive mark in this industry with its exceptional methods and approach. The company makes it possible for people to avail of such services at home—and after showing tremendous progress over the past few years, they are now aiming to generate Rs. 500 crores in the next 3-5 years.

Co-founder Mayank Arya explains the brand’s vision for the future: “This year we will focus on sustainability, growth, and technical advancement in our Home Salon ecosystem. We plan to double up our growth and revenue by 2023 through expansion into cities like Pune, Kolkata and Chennai as well as hiring more individuals—especially women—to help empower them. In addition, we have identified where we want Yes Madam to be in five years when it comes to having more than 100 offline salons all across India.”

2022 was undoubtedly eventful for Yes Madam; they managed to exceed half million bookings while generating Rs 75 crore with 2000+ service professionals being empowered by their work ethic alone! Their growth not only surpasses any other previous year but also serves testament of their success.

Aditya Arya says: “One of Yes Madam’s greatest strengths lies in its loyal customer base even though we are bootstrapped so far without having received external investment or spending much on marketing; still we remained profitable from day one which is something remarkable.” In anticipation of taking investors aboard soon enough, he added that it has been inspiring how team efforts managed to turn things around despite all odds making him proud being self-reliant yet responsible when innovating better ideas always standing firm regardless circumstances faced along the way.

Zigly, India’s leading pet care brand, takes a step further in its aim to serve happy pets and pet parents by launching the Republic Day SALE for them. Now, pet parents can get all their furry’s favourites with this season’s biggest SALE.

The pet care brand is set to open its doors for pet parents with REPUBLIC DAY SALE that will go live between 21st January 2023 to 29th January 2023. During this sale, pet parents can avail of mega savings on branded pet products and professional pet care services. Here is a brief peek into the various offers that would go LIVE.

  • Shop for Rs. 1999/- and SAVE Rs.200*
  • Grab Zigly Lifestyle products for @25% Savings.
  • Buy 4 pet treats or biscuits packs and Get 1 FREE*

The brand is also running a MEGA sale on Beboji, its pet fashion label with everything at FLAT 40% OFF*.

*Terms and Conditions Apply.

Celebrate this Republic Day with your furries by availing of these jaw-dropping offers with just a tap at the Zigly online pet store www.zigly.com, the Zigly App or head over to any of the Zigly Experience Centers.

Zigly has been rapidly creating its mark in the pet care space with its omnichannel presence and premium pet care offerings such as branded care products, grooming services, veterinary care, pet fashion wear, etc. From being one of India’s finest pet care centers, running an online pet store to providing convenient and quality pet care through the Zigly App and website, Zigly stands hand in hand with pet parents as their own pet parenting partner for different kinds of breeds.

With Zigly, accessing the best pet care is super convenient and fun as the brand keeps on coming up with interesting events and campaigns for pets and pet parents for healthy engagement and fun. The brand plans to bring more exclusive pet care offerings in the future as well. Follow their social media handle to stay tuned with their latest news and events.

About Zigly

Zigly is driven by the vision and mission to offer the finest pet care through professional veterinary care, pet grooming, and training facilities. The premium pet care brand is here to make a pet parenting journey fun and fulfilling. It is one of the most trusted and convenient destinations for pet lovers where you can gain access to start-of-art grooming facilities, premium pet care, and lifestyle products along with at-home and van grooming services. Zigly intends to open 150 physical experience centers in the next five years.

Book a session at your convenience and get the best cat or dog grooming at your doorstep.

Access premium pet care products and professional services at Zigly’s online pet store www.zigly.com or experience center https://www.zigly.com/experience-center.

For a smooth and hassle-free pet care shopping experience, download the Zigly Android & iOS App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zigly.customer

On Tuesday, equity benchmarks reacted to lackluster global cues and posted smart gains. This was aided by strong buying interest from index heavyweights Reliance Industries as well as the HDFC twins.

Traders said that the gains were capped by a depreciating rupee, and unabated outflows of foreign funds.

BSE Sensex, 30-shares, rallied 562.75 point or 0.94 percent to settle at 60.655.72. NSE Nifty, a wider index, climbed 158.45 point or 0.89 percent to 18,053.30.

With a jump of 3.51 percent, Larsen & Toubro topped Sensex gainers charts, followed by Hindustan Unilever and HDFC, HCL Technologies and HDFC Bank.

Bajaj Finserv and IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, Wipro and Bajaj Finance, however, were the leaders, losing up to 1.67 percent.

Market breadth was favorable to the bulls with 22 advances and 8 falls.

The domestic market is trying to gain in comparison to its weak performance YTD, which was due to soft Q3 results, and the Union Budget. The third quarter started on a low note. However, the latest financial announcements by IT and banks blue chips are encouraging.

“Heavyweights are also pushing for the counter… (following a fall in windfall taxes. The trend should continue given the positive undercurrents. Vinod Nair from Geojit Financial Services, Head of Research, said that a lot will be dependent on Q3’s second line, the Budget outcome and the Fed’s policy statement.”

The government has reduced the windfall profit tax levied on domestically-produced crude oil as well as on the export of diesel and ATF, in line with softening international oil prices, according to an official order.

Markets recovered from Monday’s drop and gained almost 1% amid volatility. The bulls are working hard to limit the damage in the current consolidation phase, and they await some trigger for further recovery.

“We believe that buying in selected index majors might provide some relief, but not enough to trigger a directional move. “We reiterate our belief that stock selection and risk management should be the main focus until we receive a decisive signal,” stated Ajit Mishra (VP – Technical Research at Religare Broking Ltd.

The wider market was marginally down in Tuesday’s trade. The BSE smallcap gauge fell 0.13 percent and the midcap index fell 0.06 percent.

Utilities jumped 1.48 percent, power rose 1.42 percent, FMCG (1.15%), realty (1.10%), energy (0.97%), teck (0.87%), oil & gas (0.85%), IT (0.79%), and financial services (0.27%).

The world markets fell after China reported a GDP increase of only 3 percent for 2022, the lowest growth rate in more than 40 years. This triggered new fears about a global recession.

Asia’s equity markets ended lower in Seoul, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, while Tokyo closed in the green.

Mid-session deals saw equity exchanges in Europe trade in negative territory. Martin Luther King Jr Day caused markets in the USA to be closed Monday.

Brent crude oil, an international benchmark for oil, rose 0.67 percent to USD 85.03/barrel.

The rupee fell 19 paise to close in at 81.77 (provisional), against the US dollar Tuesday. This was due to a rebound of the greenback overseas as well as firm crude oil prices.

The automotive industry in India has seen exponential growth over the years. Today, the country has the potential to become the number one automotive market in the world, leading the small car market in particular. Specialist Mandhir Singh Todd explains why this phenomenon is taking place and what the prospects are for the sector.

Automotive sector: a booming industry in India

According to data published by the National Investment Promotion & Facultative Agency, between April 2021 and March 2022, India’s automotive industry produced a total of 22.93 million vehicles, including passenger, commercial, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and quadricycles. The sector currently contributes 7.1% of the country’s GDP, while accounting for 49% of manufacturing GDP.

According to Mandhir Singh Todd, passenger vehicles have recorded the highest ever sales in FY2022-23, as of November 2022. But, in addition, the industry is expected to be able to register a 16% growth in 2023.

Another interesting data point to note, according to Mandhir Singh Todd, has to do with the truck market. The data shows a four-fold growth projection for the year 2050, from 4 million in 2022 to 17 million by that year.

In addition to the above, the specialist explains that the Indian automotive industry is currently worth more than 222 billion dollars, while contributing 8% of the country’s total exports. By 2030, it is expected to become the third largest in the world.

The role of the electric vehicle market in India’s automotive sector, according to Mandhir Singh Todd

In addition to the data mentioned above, part of the exponential growth being witnessed in the Indian automotive industry goes hand in hand with the option for electric vehicles. Mandhir Singh Todd maintains that the electric vehicle market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 49% between 2022 and 2030, reaching annual sales of 10 million units by 2030. But, in addition, it is estimated to be an industry that will be able to create a total of 50 million jobs between direct and indirect.

Mandhir Singh Todd explains that a market size of $50 billion has been identified for electric car financing in 2030. This represents 80% of the current size of the retail car finance industry in the country, worth as much as $60 billion today.

On the sidelines of Auto Expo 2023, renowned brand Suzuki stated that electric vehicles alone will not be enough to achieve the country’s goal of finding carbon neutrality. In that context, the firm said it will explore other technologies, such as hybrid, flex-fuel and compressed natural gas.

The future of the industry with India at the forefront

With sustained growth, India has already overtaken Japan to become the third largest automobile market in the world, after China and the United States. However, based on the above data, Mandhir Singh Todd explains that a new growth in the sale of new vehicles in the country is to be expected. Thus, the automotive sector in India comes to represent one of the greatest opportunities for economic and manufacturing growth in the country.

Confors Ply is one of the top plywood manufacturers in India, providing the highest quality services while making sincere efforts to ensure customer happiness. The company offers a wide range of products that are brought together with a strong emphasis on the unique demands of clients in order to generate something different and goal-oriented. All the products are delivered in line with a thorough strategy.

Confors Ply was established in 1996 with the goal of effectively contributing to the country’s economy. AEGL technology makes Confors unique. It is a cutting-edge technique that adds two more alternative layers to the original ply, bonds and presses them to the existing thickness. Through this method, the density of the plywood is nearly doubled, and the shear strength of the glue is increased by more than 40%. Ordinary plywood is completely ineffective against these characteristics. The ultimate thickness of each layer is very thin as a result of the intense pressure and increased layer count, which helps to lessen the tendency for warping and creates a perfect and straight ply. Additionally, it can improve the cohesive action, adhesion, and strength of the plywood, as well as its dimensional stability.

The company is best known for its exceptional quality and a large assortment of plywood products, including block boards, flush doors, shuttering plywood, marine plywood, calibrated plywood, and commercial plywood.

  1. Commercial Plywood

When it comes to commercial plywood, Confors is among the top plywood manufacturers in India. Confors Plywood’s widespread use over the past ten years by consumers speaks volumes about its adaptability and usefulness. To prevent delamination, they are made using the best phenol formaldehyde resin.

Confors commercial plywood is an excellent option for customers looking for durable plywood because the requirements and durability are given special consideration.

  1. Marine Plywood

This plywood is best suited for the challenging and ever-changing Indian climate due to its extremely high shear strength and anti-swelling properties. It is put through vacuum pressure impregnation for a long-lasting preservative solution that will protect it from termite, borer, and other microbial attacks.

AEGL Confors marine plywood is ideal for all coastal applications. The increased density reduces the damaging consequences of the seashore and damp winds.

  1. Calibrated Plywood

A modernised version of conventional plywood is calibrated plywood. It is the ideal plywood for kitchen modular businesses that do not skimp on thickness.

The calibrated plywood is produced at Confors utilising cutting-edge equipment and methods, all while adhering to a strict zero error philosophy.

  1. Shuttering Plywood

There are two types of Confors shuttering plywood: film face and densified.

  • Confors densified plywood is made under exceptionally high pressure, giving it structural strength and dimensional stability.
  • A glossy mirror coating on the film face plywood makes construction easier.

Shuttering plywood is widely used to construct bridges, dams, and other structures since they require a sturdy framework and superior finishing.

  1. Blockboard

In terms of blockboards, Confors is among the best wood manufacturers in India. High quality synthetic phenol formaldehyde resin is used to glue Confors blockboards together. It is extremely durable and wear resistant because it is made from carefully chosen species.

Confors blockboard is unique as it combines the durability of solid wood with the gloss of a smooth surface board to produce exclusive and stylish woodwork.

  1. Flush Door

When it comes to quality, Confors flush doors speak for themselves. It offers outstanding stability and durability. It holds the prestigious Bureau of Indian Standards’ ISI certification mark.

  • Every flush door is meticulously finished to ensure durability and high-quality satisfaction.
  • Confors flush doors use professionally treated and well-seasoned stiles and rails. Many residential projects have acknowledged the superiority of the frame and fillers utilised within.
  • Confors flush doors have a straight, solid appearance that adequately comes from seasoned wood of the same species.

Finally, let’s look at the factors that make Confors Ply the leading plywood manufacturer in India.

  • The Bureau of Indian Standards has certified the Confors products. In fact, the products surpass every requirement of the manufacturing process as stipulated by ISI.
  • Confors products are made by a reputable, ISO 9001:2000-certified firm, giving you complete assurance of quality. The quality control team documents and oversees everything from the receipt of raw materials to the shipment of finished goods, ensuring a truly standard service and product.
  • Confors has always been the first to introduce new techniques. With its improved properties of rigidity, strength, and smoothness, Confors AEGL is a true alternative to wood.
  • Confors offers eco-friendly products.
  • A highly qualified team of professionals works hard to deliver unique, premium quality products.
  • Bringing popularity to a fast growing sport globally.
  • Creating the latest state of the art Badminton Arenas in NCR region of Delhi.
  • Specialized coaching, training and competitive opportunities for upcoming players.
  • Providing affordable and advanced equipment for playing badminton.
  • Tech based software to manage tournaments and rank players based on performance.

Racket sports refer to any sport that involves the use of a racket. Some of the sports that come under this category are badminton, tennis, squash, table tennis and pickleball among others. While many Indian sportspersons have achieved great things in this sport category, there was a dearth of a strong system that would help players, who are interested in racket sports, to get the kind of opportunities they deserve.

To bridge this gap, Dhruv M. Bagla founded Rackonnect which has emerged as India’s first one-stop destination for all those who play racket sports. The mission of Rackonnect is to put together an elaborate sports community that would inspire and motivate racket sports fanatics to create a name for themselves in this space, while helping improve mental and physical fitness.

Talking about the vision behind Rackonnect, founder Dhruv M. Bagla says, “As we all know, India is a cricket-crazy nation. That is a great thing as very few countries have the kind of clout India has in this space. However, promoting other sports is equally important. We have designed Rackonnect as a hyperlocal sports-tech platform that aims to create a powerful impact on India’s racket sports community which is quite big. Our goal is to make racket sports accessible to everyone regardless of their age, gender and economic background.”

Rackonnect has been strengthening the racket sports ecosystem through infrastructure development and distribution of equipment. By combining sports and technology, the company is focussing on empowering grassroot-level players and helping them achieve their goals and ambitions. While the vision of the company is to raise awareness of racket sports and make racket sports available to all, its strategy is to provide a competitive platform through tournaments to scout and nurture promising players.

Elaborating on this, Dhruv says, “One of our USPs is the Rackonnect Tournament Solution. The kind of facilities we are providing players, coaches and others is the kind no other company or individual has offered in India till date. We organize tournaments without making the stakeholders go through hectic paperwork. Tech being the backbone of the company, has enabled users to do all their tasks online which they would otherwise do on paper, thereby simplifying the task of managing an event, thereby making events more competitive. We spent hours making algorithms that would automate things such as draw seeding and separation, automated match scheduling, real time updates, and many more. We are implementing methods and proposals that would make everything that happens in the racket sports space more transparent and organized.”

At the moment, Rackonnect has five badminton arenas located in Delhi/NCR. Its badminton arena at Noida Indoor Stadium is a sight to behold. It features 10 BWF-approved wooden cum synthetic courts, a sitting capacity of 5,000 people, free parking, healthy cafe and shower facility. Having ventured into the infrastructure space in June 2021, rackonnect is confident of a fast-paced expansion journey wherein by 2025 they plan to have 50 state of the art facilities in North India. “The vision of making North India the biggest hub for badminton may seem far sighted, but the support and encouragement we have got in a short span will definitely make this vision come true,” adds Dhruv.

Apart from offering event bookings for corporate, institutions and international accredited tournaments, Rackonnect assures you of wider reach, increased efficiency, reduced time and cost and helps players build their tournament portfolio. For offering racket sports coaching, the company has joined hands with Padukone Sports Management which is helmed by badminton legend Prakash Padukone. In the near future, Rackonnect plans to come up with several unique initiatives that would propel the growth of the racket sports community forward.

Apart from focusing on several initiatives for the enhancement of racket sports, Rackonnect has also introduced a social initiative by the name of Racket for All to encourage prospective racket sports enthusiasts who are unable to pursue the sport due to social and economic restrictions. Rackonnect organizes regular workshops, tournaments, equipment donation drives to ensure exposure for these athletes.

Lastly, Dhruv Bagla added, “This year is going to be a big one for the entire Rackonnect team due to several expansion plans and Rackonnect strives to support the growth of professional players and wants to be a part of the journey for glory”.

In the ‘90s, the indipop scene was at its peak in India. Several artists like Sonu Nigam, Alisha Chinai, Adnan Sami and bands like Euphoria and Indian Ocean rose to fame by partnering with Magnasound and other music labels that were keen on promoting releasing non-film music. As cassettes and CDs made way for digital downloads, the album culture died down. Now, the digital revolution and the emergence of music streaming apps have resulted in the resurgence of independent music. DJ and music producer Akash Das echoes this statement.

Talking about the same, he says, “Independent music has helped in empowering musicians in India. There were many artists who were great at what they were doing but not getting the support of any big music label. Now, they can create the music they want to and release it on YouTube and all the audio streaming apps. Many of the popular musicians we know of today have gained recognition for the work they have created and released themselves. The Independent music industry will get bigger with time and that will help everybody who wants to create good music from the heart”.

The 22-year-old musician, who grew up in Jaipur, has several hit singles to his credit. Apart from becoming popular in India, his music has also reached out to listeners based in different parts of the world. Akash has made a name for himself as a musician who creates music in India that appeals to a global audience. As an artist, he has worked with big labels and has released a lot of music independently as well. In 2020, the maverick musician was signed by an international label.

“Working with a big music label and releasing music independently are two different processes. I enjoy both processes equally. When you are making music independently, you have all the freedom in the world. When you work with a big record label, you have to work according to the brief given by them and what they are expecting from you. However, they also spend a lot of money on promoting the song and ensure you get a lot of visibility. In the next few years, independent music will become a proper industry and there would be a good budget for marketing as well”, he says.

While Akash loves the feeling of performing in front of an audience and touring extensively, he spent the last few months in his studio working on tracks that he plans to release this year, one after another. His immediate release would be ‘Unity’, a single which, he promises, will surprise his fans pleasantly. His motto for 2023 is to create music that will strike a chord with people of all age groups and stand the test of time.

Akash on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0H8ZlJyYYNaNltuQtDeZnD?si=jmwx58aWSHuv8IlSVQWjxg

Akash on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/akashxofficial.in/

Akash on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083619002172

In India and elsewhere, Henna is used extensively as a cosmetic product. Apart from being used extensively in hair dyes and other hair care products, it is also used as a dye for hands, nails and clothing items. However, very few people, including the ones who use it regularly, are aware of the several health benefits associated with it. Entrepreneur Raj Kumar Gupta, who is the founder and CEO of RKS Henna, has taken the pledge to create awareness around this among general consumers.

Talking about the same, Raj Kumar Gupta says, “One of the biggest reasons behind me setting up RKS Henna was that I was hugely inspired by the various properties of Henna that are beneficial for one’s health. If you apply organic Henna to a wound, the healing process becomes much faster. It also proves to be helpful to those who suffer from fungal infections, dandruff, scabies, eczema and other conditions. Henna also helps one in dealing with stomach ulcers. While many reputed health experts across the world are studying the health effects of Henna extensively, there needs to be more awareness around it”.

Raj Kumar Gupta laid the foundation of RKS Henna in the year 2000. In its expansive journey, spanning more than two decades, RKS Henna has become a name to reckon with. What makes RKS Henna further special is the fact that it is a brand that was built in India and has created a niche for itself in international markets as well. Apart from manufacturing a variety of high-quality Henna products in India, RKS Henna also exports them to foreign countries.

“We have always credited the growth and success of our brand to the trust and confidence our customers have placed in us. I always believed in Henna as an entity and therefore, I didn’t want to restrict our products to India. With time, we strengthened our distribution base considerably and started exporting our products to different countries across the world. The love that we received from our consumers settled abroad is as special as the trust that has been bestowed upon us by our Indian consumers”, says Gupta.

As a company, one of the important plans RKS Henna has this year is to launch initiatives and programs aimed at making consumers more aware of how the usage of Henna can bring a positive change in their lifestyle. There are also plans to expand the company’s footprint and set up distribution centres in countries that haven’t had access to its products so far.