NEW DELHI: There are award functions and there are beauty pageants. And there was this Trident Exclusive Lifestyle & Media arranged launch party for Indian Heritage Beauty Pageant & Indian Sucess Stories Award the other nite at Grappa Bar, Shangri-La’s-Eros Hotel, New Delhi the other nite launched by actor Sanjay Kapoor as a run up to these mega glitteting events to be held in the beautiful Venice & Switzerland later in June and the grand finale of the Indian edition in New Delhi in August.

The launch party was attended by quality people from various walks of life. Besides Sanjay Kapoor, Sandeep Marwah (International Media Person), noted actor and BJP national spokesperson Mukesh Tyagi, Karthik (Actor), Arjumman Mughal (Actress), Raghav Sharma (Mr. India 2012, Actor/Model), Shiv Kakran (Event Director), Mayank Dahiya (Event Director), Mini Kaur (Model), Kumar Rakesh (Journalist), Dr. Meenakshi (Founder President,La Global Foundation), Vinay Gupta (Fashion Choreographer/ Designer), Mumbai-based well-known journalist Nirmal Mishra, Mansi Iyer(Media), Gauri Vatsa (Business Consultant), Tushar (Illuminate Tours and Travels), popular tv-actress Sonia Sharma (of Veer Shivaji,Tenali Rama) had attended this memorable event.

“India Heritage Beauty Pageant believes in giving people a platform to fulfil their dreams and work towards their goals with determination, perseverance & integrity,” said Shiv Kakran adding, “Through these and several such events, we empower our women with self-confidence and a strong sense of belief in themselves. We provide comprehensive training to our contestants, including personal grooming and cultural awareness of life after the pageant. We promise all our contestants a fair and honest competition. We give them an experience of a lifetime and an opportunity to meet with lifelong friends.” Indian Heritage Beauty Pageant provides an exceptional platform for Teen, Miss, Mr, Mrs and Plus size from all over the world.

With the motto “Beauty with a Purpose”, the aim of the Indian Heritage Beauty Pageant has always been to provide a platform for strong, independent and smart men and women to showcase their personalities while being role models for everywhere. “We aim to pick a charitable organization as a charity partner and strive to build awareness and raise funds for the organization,” informed Kakran.

The organisation invites eligible candidates to seize the opportunity by taking advantage of this unique platform and stepping out of their comfort zones!

Indian Sucess Stories Award is based on hidden talent in our country which remains as it is and their efforts also remain unnoticed as the marketing-driven community seeks ”show” and for hard-working people the organisation’s concern has an aim to showcase the talent and make them feel proud as well as show society a role model. “We want everyone to share their testimony, interact and let everyone know about the journey. This is an opportunity to be part of the existing event and join the stream of growth and success.

Well,as William Shakespeare had quippped, “All is well that ends well,” the grand launch party also saw Mr Sanjay Kapoor cutting the cake at the end. Nice conclusion to a grand event and great beginning!

Pics : Ramakant Munde

ISKCON Radha Gopinath Temple, Girgaon Chowpatty, awarded the winners from various schools of its much-coveted annual Gita Championship League at Sharda Mandir High School, Gamdevi. This year, GCL 2020 witnessed huge participation from Mumbai schools and colleges with around 6000 students participating from 68 schools from all over Mumbai (South Mumbai, Mira Road, Bhayander, Dahisar, Malad, Borivali, Powai, Bhandup, Mulund, Dombivli, Kalyan, Amabernath, Badlapur, etc.

On the occasion, Radhanath Swami Maharaj, ISKCON Spiritual Guru said, “Bhagwat Geeta is not just a book, but a life guru and has remained a teacher of practical living for thousands of years. Imbibing the learnings of Geeta in the early stages of life can have an enormous positive impact on the mind as we grow adults. It can help children in coping up with the challenges of life smoothly and happily.”

GCL was started in the year 2010 and since then it is continuing every year and thousands of students from hundreds of schools have participated every year. Taking inspiration from the contest here, the content also began in various parts of India including Goa, Belgaum, Nasik Gujarat, Indore and also few other places abroad like Malaysia, Mauritius, Middle East, etc. As of today, more than 1,40,000 registrations from over 1400 schools of various cities in India have happened.

H.G. Shubh Vilas Prabhu, renowned author graced the occasion as a Chief Guest along with Baldev Prabhu, Shubh Vilas Prabhu and Ms. Sheetal Lodha, daughter in law of Mr. Mangal Prabhat Lodha. While, ‘ISKCON Youth Services’ (IYS) head, H.G. Baldev Prabhu, hosted this ceremony and conversed with the gathering in his opening speech.

Inspired by the contest here in India, it also started in many other countries abroad like Malaysia, Mauritius, Middle East, etc., where 2000 to 3000 students participate in such contests.

School students from 5th to 10th standards are eligible to participate in this competition, where they showcase their practical knowledge and understanding of Bhagwat Geeta, the epic life-coach scripture.

GCL was started in the year 2010 and since then it is continuing every year and thousands of students from hundreds of schools have participated every year. Photos By Kabir M Love.

New Delhi 9/3/2020:The art of Indian Classical Music, Dance and its related Arts date back to thousands of years, which have evolved through generations of survival and still have sustained itself and have even evolved into an unputdownable form of art. And if art is the soul of humanity, what starts the creation of life, the creation of endless possibilities, is a Mother and her endless love. Celebrating such a relationship of love, care and nurturing on a stage is even more beautiful, and that is exactly why Pracheen Kala Kendra’s 15^th Quarterly Baithak, under the ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ series titled Maatri Shakti was such an applauded event this weekend. The Housefull audience at Triveni Kala Sangam at Mandi House was ecstatic to see jugalbandi performances by extremely seasoned artist mothers with their wards performing together at the prestigious stage.

The event kicked off with the welcoming of eminent dignitaries who attended the musical event. The first act was a duet Santoor Recital by Vidushi Shruti Adhikari along with her promising son Ninad who set their performance to Raag Kirwani with the traditional Alaap Jod Jhala, followed by a soothing Vilambit, followed by an engaging gat in Rupak taal (seven beats) and a high octane and breath-taking Drut set to Tintaal (16 beats). With the vibrance of two hundred strings together by the duo, every member of the audience was awestruck by the prowess, mastery, and chemistry exhibited by both the mother and son. Their love and respect for each other created an enigma on stage with every taan and tihai receiving resounding applause. Their melodious resonance of two-hundred strings producing a spectrum of the superlative musical extravaganza was aptly accompanied by Abhijit Aich on Tabla. His smooth, versatile and rhythmic support to the performance took the whole thing to a higher degree of completion and was greeted with applause from the audience. The adept perfection and maturity shown through her performance by Shruti Adhikary, along with the jubilant youthfulness of her son Ninad made it a perfect jugalbandi.

This mesmerizing performance on the stringed instruments was followed by a graceful soul-filling and memorable duet Bharatnatyam recital by eminent danseuse Vidushi Kanaka Sudhakar who performed along with her immensely talented daughter Aparajita. The mother-daughter duo arrested the attention of the audience with their impeccable stage presence and beautiful movements covering various emotions that they portrayed through their performance. The duo complemented each other’s performances on stage when they performed the many scenes of Ramayana. The grace and experience of Kanaka Sudhakar along with the youthful and vibrant presence of her daughter marked the celebration of International Women’s Day with perfection.

(L to R) Sh.Abhijit Aich – Vidushi Shruti Adhikari – Ninad Adhikari

The event was attended by dignitaries and reputed journalists and eminent artists like such as Pt Chetan Joshi (flutist),  Ustad Asghar Hussain (Violinist), Sh Ajay Jha (Mohan Veena), Sh Subrata De (Sitarist), Sh Debasish Adhikary (Tabla) and numerous others including the Registrar of Pracheen Kala Kendra, Guru Dr. Shobha Koser (SNA Awardee Kathak Maestro). Sh Sajal Koser concluded the evening with a heartfelt vote of thanks to everyone who made the event a resounding success. This celebration of motherhood through Music and Dance by Pracheen Kala Kendra was yet another feather in the decorated cap of the Kendra, which is headquartered at Chandigarh, who has been organizing memorable musical concerts throughout the length and breadth of India for the promotion and dissemination of Indian Classical Music Dance and the welfare of the arts and the artists.

संगीत की धुन पर मां की ममता का जश्न
प्राचीन कला केन्द्र की ओर से अंतर्राष्ट्रीय महिला दिवस पर आयोजित संगीत समारोह में आज के दिग्गज कलाकारों और उभरते हुए कलाकारों ने मनभावन प्रस्तुति दी।
भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत, नृत्य और उससे संबंधित कला शैलियों का इतिहास हजारों साल पहले का है। यह कला पीढ़ी दर पीढी विकसित हुई और आज भी अपना वजूद बनाए हुए है और यहां तक कि आज यह अविश्वनीय कला के रूप में विकसित हुई है। कहा जाता है कि कला मानवता की आत्मा है जो जीवन के सृजन के साथ शुरू हुई। यह अनंत संभावनाओं का जनक है। उसी तरह से जैसे जीवन का सृजन मां और उसकी अंतहीन ममता के साथ शुरू हुआ और ऐसे में प्यार, देखभाल और पालन-पोषण को कला के माध्यम से उजागर करना और उसका जश्न मनाना बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण है। इसी के मद्देनजर प्राचीन कला केन्द्र की 15 वीं तिमाही सभा में ‘‘लीजेंड्स आफ टुमारो’’ नामक श्रंखला के तहत इस सप्तांह ‘‘मातृ शक्ति’’ का जश्न मनाने के लिए संगीत समारोह का आयोजन किया गया। मंडी हाउस के त्रिवेणी कला संगम में दर्शकों से खचाखच भरे सभागार में आयोजित संगीत समारोह में दिग्गज कलाकारों ने अपनी प्रतिभाशाली संतानों के साथ यादगार  प्रस्तुति दी।
स्मारोह की शुरूआत संगीत समारोह में भाग लेने वाले प्रतिष्ठित गणमान्य व्यक्तियों के स्वागत के साथ हुई। समारोह में पहली प्रस्तुति के तौर पर विदुषी श्रुति अधिकारी का युगल संतुर गायन था जिसमें उनका साथ दिया उनके होनहार पुत्र निनाद ने। दोनों ने परम्पारिक अलाप जोड झाला के साथ राग किरवानी की प्रस्तुति दी। इसके बाद उन्होंने आनंदित करने वाला विलम्बित की प्रस्तुति दी। इसके अलावा उन्होंने रूपक ताल (सात सुर) तथा तीन ताल (16 ताल) प्रस्तुत किया। दोनों ने दो सौ तारों की कंपन से संगीत की ऐसी जुगलबंदी प्रस्तुत कि हर दर्शक मां और बेट के समायोजन और कौशल से अभिभूत हो गए। मां-बेटे के बीच के प्यार और एक दूसरे के प्रति सम्मान की भावना हर तान और तिहाई में झलकती थी और दर्षकों ने तालियों के साथ उनका उत्साहवर्द्धन किया। उन दोनों कलाकारों का साथ तबला पर अभिजीत ऐच ने साथ दिया।
इसके बाद जानी मानी भरत नाट्यम नृतकी विदुषी कनक सुधाकर और उनकी प्रतिभाषाली पुत्री अपराजिता ने यादगार प्रस्तुति दी। मां-बेटी ने अपने नृत्य के जरिए विभिन्न भावनाओं को प्रस्तुत किया। दोनों ने रामायण के अनेके दृश्यों पर भी प्रस्तुति दी। मां और पु़त्री की इस बेहतरीन प्रस्तुति ने अंतर्राष्ट्रीय महिला दिवस के समारोह को परिपूर्ण कर दिया।
इस समारोह में अनेक गणमान्य व्यक्तियों और प्रतिष्ठित पत्रकारों के अलावा प्रख्यात कलाकार भी उपस्थित थे जिनमें पंडित चेतन जोशी (बांसुरी), उस्ताद असगर हुसैन (वायलिन वादक), श्री अजय झा (मोहन मीणा), श्री सुब्रत डे (सितारवादकी), श्री देबाशीष आधिकारी (तबला) प्रमुख हैं। इस मौके पर प्राचीन कला केन्द्र के रजिस्ट्रार गुरू डा. शोभा कोसर (एसएनए पुरस्कार विजेता कथक गुरू) भी मौजूद थे। श्री सजल कौसर के धन्यवाद ज्ञापन के साथ इस संगीत समारोह का यादगार समापन हुआ।
संगीत और नृत्य के जरिए मातृत्व के इस उत्सव के इस सफल आयोजन के साथ प्राचीन कला केन्द्र के साथ गौरव का एक और अध्याय जुड़ गया है। प्राचीन कला केन्द्र का मुख्यालय चंडीगढ़ में है जो पूरे भारत में भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत एवं नृत्य को बढ़ावा देने तथा कलाकारों के कल्याण के लिए यादगार संगीत समारोहों का अयोजन करता है।