CATEGORIES

Tea For Two

For a long time, the only place to catch up with loved ones and enjoy a leisurely cup of tea was your home. Not anymore, thanks to Anirudh Poddar and Aditya Ladsaria, co-founders of Chai Break, who have made tea drinking a pleasurable and social experience. Move over coffee, its time for tea!

Carving His Own Destiny

Few scions are gifted with the mettle and resourcefulness to change their family legacy and create their own business empires through innovation and enterprise, as has been demonstrated by Harshavardhan Neotia. The architect of the enormous realty business that defines the 1,500 crore Kolkata-based Ambuja Neotia Group in its present avatar, here is a man who literally has changed the way the city lives and conducts business, not to mention his numerous contributions to the social, cultural and economic fabric of society.

Ahead Of The Game

Serial digital entrepreneur Alok Kejriwal has a knack for engaging people and making a business out of it. Having surfed the dotcom wave and emerged a winner when it went bust, he experienced the highs and lows of building profitable start-ups from scratch. MARWAR picks the brains of the observant and forward-thinking entrepreneur, whose recently penned book Why I Stopped Wearing My Socks traces his rollercoaster journey as an entrepreneur.

The Modest Billionaire

Among the most successful stories of the post-liberalisation era include Nirmal Jain’s feat of creating one of India’s largest financial conglomerates from scratch. An IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus and chartered accountant, in a stimulating interaction, Jain lets MARWAR in on his journey from the campus to heading the ₹25,000 crore IIFL Holdings Ltd as its founder chairman, in a little over two-and- a-half decades.

Blissful Weddings At Cidade

Think of turquoise seas, tropical gardens, breathtaking views and all the décor and paraphernalia that goes to the making of a fairy-tale wedding and what you have is Cidade de Goa, a five-star deluxe beach resort sitting pretty on a pristine beach, in Goa.

From Friends to Business Tycoons

At a time when even blood no longer ties a family together, Radhe Shyam Agarwal and Radhe Shyam Goenka’s long-standing friendship has defied the odds. Not only has the duo created the Emami business empire from the ground up, but more incredibly, their two families seem to have joined resources to act as one large extended joint family, who have held together strongly through triumphs and tribulations alike.

At the Art of the Matter

It was the late artist MF Husain who urged her to get more involved with the art world. More than 25 years later, Renu Modi’s Gallery Espace is considered one of India’s most prominent creative spaces. The gallery owner recounts the challenges and triumphs along the way.

Entrepreneurship by Design

Rajasthan has had a strong influence on Nivedita Saboo’s voyage into the world of fashion. From the state’s signature motifs to its heritage textiles, her collections include elements that celebrate the local culture. The designer offers a first-hand account of her journey.

Jewel In The Crown

How does a bride ensure her jewellery trousseau is in tandem with the mood of the season? What’s in this year and what’s out? MARWAR talks to four top jewellery houses to clue in brides-to-be on how to turn their special day into a glittering, fairy-tale affair.

Surgeries And Smiles

Meet Dr Aditya Khemka, an orthopaedic surgeon and one of the very few doctors in India and the world specialising in osseointegration, who has given so many patients a renewed zest for life.

A Man Of Balance

For Sanjay Kumar Jain, the managing director of T T Limited, a vertically-integrated textile company with global presence, having plenty of work does not make him feel busy, but blessed. The man who believes that life is a rainbow and one needs to live through all the colours, gives MARWAR a glimpse into his multifaceted persona.

Power And Poise

A woman of many talents, Priti Rathi Gupta is an award-winning business leader, the founder of a film company and a film producer as well. Passionate about the cause of financial freedom for women, she epitomises the modern-day woman and women’s empowerment and remains strongly rooted to her family.

Credible, Confident And Capable

The managing director of Patton International Limited, a leader in the field of plastic tanks and containers, PVC pipes, steel stampings and EMT fitting products, Sanjay Budhia has achieved a lot, both in the boardroom and beyond to make for a largerthan-life success story.

Couture Haven

From the time it hit New Delhi’s fashion circuit two years ago, Agashe is slowly turning out to be fashionistas’ latest shopping haven in the capital. In conversation with MARWAR, founder Sheena Agarwaal talks about making her multi-designer store a platform for both budding and established designers while offering a fresh assortment of contemporary wear that is attuned to the city’s fashion tastes.

Leading From The Front

Given his successful track record, Akshaypat Singhania has all it takes to build successful enterprises. The scion of the Singhania family— who currently heads JK International as CMD and is a director at JK Organisation—takes MARWAR through his two-decade entrepreneurial journey and his recent foray into the start-up space.

The Man Behind The Musician

The Sixth String of Vilayat Khan, a no-holds-barred biography written by Namita Devidayal, throws light on the fascinating life of one of India’s most distinguished classical musicians.

Chills Thrills And Spooks

Hindi movie fans may well run into millions, but few can match Dhruv Somani’s fascination for Bollywood flicks. It has not just seen the aficionado watch numerous films, but also painstakingly collect memorabilia of hundreds of films since childhood. Somani’s enchantment, however, revolves largely around the suspense, horror and thriller genres— unconventional and independent-minded that he is—and this fascination continues to this day. Now a textile baron and father of three, his passion has led him to pen a four-volume anthology of over 300 films that was unveiled recently at The St Regis, in Mumbai. Titled A Touch of Evil and published by Spenta Multimedia Pvt Ltd, the series captures the essence of the suspense, horror and thriller genres over a seven-decade period, celebrating both landmark and little-known films. Enlivened with over 500 colourful images of posters, lobby cards and press books and peppered with interesting trivia, A Touch of Evil provides synopses, casts and credits of numerous films, making it a must-have for movie lovers, researchers, collectors and information seekers. In a Q&A with MARWAR, Somani talks about his business, his huge fascination for horror and suspense films, his family and more.

Up The Ladder Of Success

Ashish Goel’s brilliant academic background, successful stints in multinationals and the ability to build businesses point to an inner drive to excel. But what’s most amazing about the electrical engineer is his feat of outshining in a line in which he had no prior knowledge or experience! Meet the cofounder and CEO of Urban Ladder, the country’s fastest growing furniture retailing brand.

Freshening Up The Menu

Rashmi Daga forayed into the food business in 2014. Within these few years, she has transformed her start-up, FreshMenu, into one of the leading food-tech companies in India, that services around 20,000 orders a day, through close to 40 cloud kitchens. The spirited entrepreneur takes MARWAR through her journey.

Kolkata Soiree

Aditya Mehta of White Castle Hospitality is changing the nightlife scene in the City of Joy, adding one restaurant at a time to spice it up.

For The Greater Good

A journey is not measured by the time taken to reach the destination, but by the experience one gains along the way. Manju Lodha started off as a homemaker. Today, the matriarch of the Lodha family heads the Lodha Foundation, a charitable trust that works for the betterment of society at large.

In Thailand, Asia's Golfing Paradise

Thailand boasts over 200 golf courses, many of which rate among the best in the world. Add to this, excellent clubhouse facilities, impeccable services and the cornucopia of non-golfing attractions that Thailand is famous for and what you have is endless possibilities of customised golfing holidays to suit every need.

Picture This

With foreign locations, customised themes and budgets that run into lakhs, the pre-wedding photo shoot has become a whole new ball game.

Rooted In Tradition

For centuries, the temples of South India have inspired awe among discerning visitors, with their treasure trove of fantastical jewellery adorned by goddesses, who have been worshipped for decades.

Working The Room

A college dropout at 17 and a start-up millionaire at 23… Meet Ritesh Agarwal, who has built India’s largest branded network of hotels, OYO, which today has a presence in 200 cities across the country and over 70,000 rooms on offer to guests.

Building A Brand

From a small hosiery brand to one of the foremost names in the garment market, Dollar Industries Ltd’s journey has not been easy. Behind its success is a saga of dedication, courage and the confidence to swim against the tide, while focusing on the needs of a globalised world.

A Generational Saga

Author Sujit Saraf’s latest novel, Harilal & Sons, captures the Marwari community through a fictional filter, in a sprawling, compulsively readable narrative.

Building Blocks For Success

Real-estate development firm Panchshil Realty has played a significant role in transforming Pune’s skyline with ultra-premium projects that are synonymous with luxury and quality of construction. MARWAR catches up with brothers Atul and Sagar Chordia to comprehend their journey of over 15 years, which has been marked by the brand’s meteoric rise and association with marquee names such as the Trump Organization, Philippe Starck and Kelly Hoppen, among others.

A Designer's Dream

Designer Raghavendra Rathore’s Gurukul School of Design will offer students a truly holistic learning experience in the city of Jaipur. The institute, slated to open in August, will introduce programmes that will encourage the next generation of designers to think out of the box.

All That Glitters Is Gold

Demonetisation may have impacted the industry in the short term, but demand for India’s favourite metal has not faded away. From new colour variations to designs sporting diamonds and other precious stones, Indians are experimenting with gold like never before.