SEEMA ANAND

Sex health instructor and storyteller Seema Anand is well-known for her gorgeous appearance and silver hair. But Seema’s Instagram account really shines because of the way she addresses sex and dispels ageist myths, providing insightful advice for senior citizens looking to have better sex. She dispels misconceptions about contraception and encourages body awareness. Both young and old who want to learn more about sexual pleasure should check out Anand’s account.

MANJRI VARDE

Manjri Varde is a skilled artist who, along with her actress daughter-in-law Sameera Reddy, is known online as “sassy saasu.” Together, they make humorous videos that question conventional wisdom regarding the dynamics of in-law relationships. She is a designer and artist who runs her own business, Samanjri, which sells poetry, calligraphy, and wearable art. Varde has a unique sense of style and is frequently spotted with brightly coloured sarees and scarves that she creates herself. Even though she is well-known on Instagram, where she frequently shares videos highlighting her love of art, entertaining, and cooking with her daughter-in-law.

SHEELA BAJAJ

Sheela Bajaj, a Delhi native, turned her love of crocheting into a business during the lockdown by using Instagram to fuel her passion. She has been making sweaters for her family using her crocheting abilities for years. Yukti Bajaj, her granddaughter, proposed that they launch a company to highlight her amazing knitting masterpieces.The two launched their crochet business in November 2020, and it has been inundated with customers. They claim that the current gap between supply and demand for their products is ten times larger.

RAJINI CHANDY

Rajini Chandy, a 72-year-old homemaker actor came to light in 2021 thanks to a widely shared photo shoot. She looked better than many in tattered dresses and denim, even at her advanced age. She did, however, get harsh criticism for her wardrobe selections.  At the age of 65, Rajini Chandy, who has 20,000+ Instagram followers, started her acting career in Malayalam films. Interestingly, she took part in a Big Boss Malayalam season as well.

SHANTHI RAMACHANDRAN

This former banker simply wanted to unwind and enjoy her life after retiring in 2015. She created a social media platform where she provides her cooking advice and techniques, supported by her daughter. She now goes as “Insta Aunty” and has amassed a sizable fan base since then. Shanthi Ramachandran has an astounding 53.3k followers, and her delicious posts will definitely make you hungry.

These remarkable women from India have defied age norms and shattered stereotypes, proving that with passion, determination, and resilience, anything is possible. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder that age should never be a barrier to pursuing dreams and achieving greatness. As we celebrate their accomplishments, let us draw inspiration from their journeys and strive to embrace our own potential, regardless of our age.

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Indian movies have many women-centric films for the viewers of 2018. Time and again, filmmakers have brought out stories about women in an oppressive state of affair; women who refuse to be chained by the norms, and women who tried to bring about a change into their own worlds. When everybody is taking a step to make some contribution to the cause of women-empowerment, the Indian film industry is also following suit.

Veere Di Wedding is one of the most exciting films that we are eagerly waiting to see. After a couple of delays, the film is finally coming out on June 1 and to kickstart the promotional campaign the Veere Di Wedding trailer was released yesterday (April 25). And we have to say it is fantastic! Not only do Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, and Swara Bhaskar look very pretty in the movie, but the film takes us on an emotional yet empowering journey of a lifetime. It is not your usual chick flick, but these four girls pay a perfect ode to girl gangs across the world. And we can vouch that this movie will surely entertain you to the core.

There have been many movies which inspire women to stand up and take the lead. Some of the worthwhile ones from the recent past are:

Highway (2014)

A post shared by Bollywood (@bollywoodiamond_) on Apr 2, 2018 at 9:35am PDT

There are many women-oriented movies which had a strong essence of women empowerment. Just when we started to lose hope in Bollywood, movies like Highway came to the big screen which made us restore our faith in Bollywood all over again. Highway was definitely a movie which was quite different from the usual genre, in showing the grit and strength of a girl who gets kidnapped.

Queen (2014)

Queen is a movie about stepping beyond the comfort zone. Rani is a girl from a conservative family in Delhi, who is ditched by her fiancé just before her wedding. Shocked by this, she decides to set out on the planned honeymoon all alone. Her independence in a new country and the desire to experiment give rise to beautiful experiences.

How Old Are You (2014)

How Old Are You is told through the viewpoint of the female character Nirupama. This is the tale of how Nirupama, a married woman who faces a lot of taunts from her husband, transforms herself and reaches the pinnacle of glory.

NH10 (2015)

For everyone who wishes #women today, but holds them to a different standard, we have a message! #HappyWomensDay #NH10 #womensday2015 #InternationalWomensDay #womanofsteel #NH10Movie #AnushkaSharma

A post shared by Bajrang Das Vaishnav (@bajrangdas) on Mar 8, 2015 at 10:54am PDT

A high society couple hailing from a metropolitan of North India head out with nothing but a great weekend on their mind. Little do they know that this adventure road trip of theirs would be met by an incident, pertaining to one of the many social evils that still prevail in the rural parts of India, which would turn their simple journey on National Highway 10  into a life-altering experience. This film is significant because it portrays a female protagonist taking on the Khaps, the men, the police, and the women that perpetuate patriarchy and sanction the murders of their own daughters and sisters because they ‘dared’ to marry outside their caste.

Mili (2015)

Mili  is an introvert who is very depressed. Her self-affectation and inferiority complex puts off everyone. Her transformation and learning to deal with her emotions, forms the crux of the movie. Nivin Pauly plays the role of Naveen, a soft-skills trainer who becomes a support for Mili.

Neerja (2016)

 Neerja is the story of the courageous Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life while protecting the lives of 359 passengers on the Pan Am flight 73 in 1986. The flight was hijacked by a terrorist organisation.

English Vinglish (2012)

English Vinglish was actor Sridevi’s comeback to films. In it, her character is a quiet, sweet tempered housewife who endures small slights from her well-educated husband and daughter every day because of her inability to speak and understand English.Her attempt to learn the language helps her rediscover herself and reassert her value as a mother and as a wife.

Kahaani (2012)

The story begins with a pregnant woman, Vidya Bagchi landing to Kolkata from London in search of her missing husband Arnav Bagchi. In her quest for her husband, she finds out that her husband’s identity does not exist in the city. She finds out something mysterious and sinister about Milan Damji. Vidya decides to stay back, against all odds and warnings to continue her search.

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Text Credits: A.Ankitha

Time has announced that women who stood up against sexual assault are the magazine’s “Person of the Year.” Image Source: Scoopwhoop

It started with an exposé delineating countless allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. But soon, personal stories began pouring in from women in all industries across the world, and the hashtag #MeToo became a rallying cry against sexual assault and harassment (Read our article: #MeToo).

The movement began on social media after a call to action by the actress, Alyssa Milano, one of Weinstein’s most vocal critics, who wrote: “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” Within days, millions of women – and some men – used Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to disclose the harassment and abuse they have faced in their own lives.

#BreakTheSilence pic.twitter.com/gIqEF3NXyK

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) December 6, 2017

Time’s honor is definitely one of a kind and worth appreciating, because these women are the real heroes of 2017. Putting these women on the cover is symbolic of a change, that victims of abuse will not be silenced and shut up (To every woman out there!).

Time Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal considers #MeToo as the fastest moving social change in the last decade, and why not!

Time’s editor in chief said that the #MeToo movement represented the “fastest-moving social change we’ve seen in decades” https://t.co/8m3u46e8yu

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 6, 2017

Watch:

WATCH: “I thought if women could just come forward and say #MeToo…then we could really start to shape this and get an idea of the magnitude of this issue.” –@Alyssa_Milano #TIMEPOY pic.twitter.com/WhAFPEKr9b

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 6, 2017

“I could never had envisioned something that would change the world. I was trying to change my community,” Tarana Burke, who created the hashtag, told NBC. “This is just the start. It’s not just a moment, it’s a movement. Now the work really begins.”

Team FWD salutes everyone who has been and continues to be a part of #MeToo, because, #MeToo.

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Text: A.Ankitha

It’s #WomenCrushWednesday, our weekly roundup of women trailblazers and head turners who make us proud!It’s #WomenCrushWednesday, our weekly roundup of women trailblazers and head turners who make us proud!

Image source

“She wasn’t looking for a knight, she was looking for a sword” – Atticus, Word Porn

One main goal of this article is to stress on the fact that while women have more opportunities today than ever before (we ain’t kidding), we don’t have to be flawless while we try to make a difference. It’s easy to decelerate while struggling to fulfill all the expectations associated with our sex. We’re expected to rock it at our workplace, but also keep everything running perfectly at home, and of course, NEVER forget to be hot yet welcoming; strong-willed, but never bitchy; and smart without being too daunting. The constant balancing act of being a “Successful woman” can be quite stressful for some of us there.

This is just a simple reminder for women to take it easy. It’s fine to take it slow and breathe!

Image source

So, here’s the lady we’ve been crushing on this week!

SHUBHANGI SWAROOP

Shubhangi, a native of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, was part of the first batch of female officers to graduate from the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kannur. A biotechnology engineer from VIT, she is also a national taekwondo champion. Apart from making history, this achievement also holds personal value, for she has now followed in the footsteps of her father Gyan Swaroop, a serving Naval officer. Shubhangi’s mother, Kalpana Swaroop, is a secondary school teacher at Navy Children School, Visakhapatnam.Shubhangi looks forward to living up to the expectations of everyone around her. At the same time, she also hopes to inspire other women to want to join the Navy as pilots. Excited as she is, she understands the responsibility that comes with the position. She aims to serve the Indian Navy and bring laurels to everyone who has helped her ‘reach the sky’. How cool is this?! Sky’s the limit for this amazing lady who is, no doubt, an awe-inspiring personality and role model for all those women who dare to dream!

Image source

Featured image source

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Gone are the times when the term ‘Feminism’ created a stir among people. The reason being that not many understood what the term actually means. Feminism means nothing but the advocacy of a woman’s rights on the ground of gender equality. But now, feminism has been replaced with a better, more acceptable term ‘Gender Neutrality’. What does this mean now, you may ask.It is nothing but a term to avoid discrimination between genders, leading them to feel that one gender is more suited at something than the other.

Recently, at the FWD Women Circle held at Le Meridien, gender neutrality was the topic for discussion. Divided into two sessions, a panel of expert speakers chose to talk about how women are expected to do it all and what HeForShe actually means. The event invoked a lot of thought among the panelists and participants alike. Coming to the point, are women really expected to do it all? Why is it that the society can’t really accept a career woman? They’re blamed for not taking care of their family and choosing to chase their dreams, instead. It takes a lot of courage to get what you want, and anyone who’s tried to do so will know it’s no child’s play. Why are men expected to be the breadwinner of the family? What’s so wrong in reversing roles?

While all of this is easier said than done, many women have managed to break the shackles and create a name for themselves. But there is the main factor that accompanies them while they consciously make this choice: guilt. Manju Sara Rajan, CEO of the Kochi Biennale Foundation says “It’s not easy to balance work life and personal life. There are choices that we make and they are not easy. But sometimes the guilt that comes with it makes us try harder to compensate for the choice.”  The choice is within you; you decide what you want and how you manage to achieve it. “In order to break out of anything, you just need to believe in yourself. Everything you want is available to you, it’s out there.”, is what Annah Chakola, Founder & Creative Director of Boho Gypsy believes in.

What started as a solidarity campaign by UN for the advancement of women, by engaging men and boys as agents of change, HeForShe has now become a debatable topic in many situations, Same goes for the second session at the FWD Women Circle where a group of panelists debated on the topic. “It’s a balance of He & She. All women should create a He within herself. All men should create a She within himself. Each should learn to think like the other. If so, a lot of problems that we face would be gone”, is the simple definition that actor, VJ, and model Pearle Maaney had for the term HeForShe. Adding to the discussion was Sheela Kochouseph, MD of V-Star Creations, who said,  “Back in our time, gender roles were the norm. Now a lot has changed. But we see that more is expected of a woman than a man. She now has to handle both the house and her work, whereas, at the most, men just handle their work. I think Women are becoming stronger and men, weaker, because of this. There should be an equal distribution of work. It will take us time to achieve what we’re trying to achieve, that is gender equality.”

Times are changing and more men and women are fighting towards gender equality rather than rights for women, who have always been considered to be the weaker sex. This, rather than helping the damsel in distress, seems to be a step towards considering men and women as equals.

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Words by Fathima Abdul Kader    Photographs from Various Sources

With a loving family and a 4-year-old son in tow, Ann Benjamin has a great number of feats to her name. The true blue Kochiite is adept at juggling many roles and has even acted in a few movie roles. FWD caught up with Ann in light of her latest achievement – a cookbook of 100 recipes.

Delectable tales

Ann has always been one for meeting any opportunity that comes her way with all her might. She confesses that she never went looking, but always said yes to opportunities that were presented to her and gave it her all. Her venture- A’s Chocolate Factory is turning three soon, and she started that venture as a way to dabble in something that piqued her interest, but she was soon providing it to suppliers and got great response. Her interest in baking paved her way to anchoring a TV show. When she was approached by a publisher to write her book ‘Cakes & Muffins’, she was beside herself and worked on it intently. While she didn’t have a history of writing, the publishers helped her figure out the right way to write her book. The 100 page book includes 45 types of cakes, 20 cupcake recipes, and 35 different frostings. When asked why one should pick up her book, Ann said “all of the recipes in my book use ingredients that are commonly available do not involve any complex techniques and is written in very simple language”. Keeping in mind the amateurs, Ann has made sure to even include quick mug cake recipes.

Multifaceted wonder

In addition to her food related ventures, Ann also owns Sanchi – an online jewelry shop, in which she sells handpicked jewelry pieces that she collects while on her travels. In addition to all of these, she has also recently been cast in a movie and is hoping to focus on movies this year. When asked about how she manages to juggle so many things, Ann said she starts off her day with a workout, followed by the usual hustle and bustle one would have with a family and then she gets into her day and always makes time for her family, no matter what commitments she may have. During the conversation, Ann confessed her love for Nigella Lawson and that it would be a dream coming true if she could bake a chocolate cake with Nigella, somewhere down the road.

Must try Recipes

• White Chocolate Cake
• Strawberry Cake
• Cheese Pound Cake
• Moist Banana Cake
• Molten Lava

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Words by Anubha George    Photos from Various Sources

Aparna Sridhar is the editor and CEO of the niche magazine, Saamagaana – The First Melody, India’s leading monthly on Indian classical music. The USP, though, is that the country’s leading classical music artists either write, or are happy to be featured — be it Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the world renowned Sarod master, or Pandit Shiv Sharma, the santoor maestro. Related to the celebrated composer Thyagaraja, Aparna has music in her blood and is also an avid sports person. I recently caught up with Aparna Sridhar at her office in Bengaluru. We talked about journalism in general and music writing in particular, about life- work balance and if women can really have it all.

Tell us a bit about your journey as a journalist.

While I trained and studied journalism, I wasn’t sure that I was cut out to be a career journalist. I used to believe that journalism requires a person to be outgoing, social, good at networking and constantly in touch with people. But my two years at the helm of a classical music magazine, has taught me that journalism is not just about being there all the time, it’s also about introspection, sensitivity to people, dedication to writing and being totally unbiased. For a while I worked as an education counsellor as I didn’t like the lifestyle that comes along with journalism. Late hours, sometimes unprofessional attitudes, and the general apathy that prevails in today’s journalism put me off working in a daily newspaper or magazine. But writing about music is totally different. It requires an immersion and a passion, and a little disengagement with the mundane. It is definitely more fulfilling personally, than covering routine stories.

How did Saamagaana come about?

Saamagaana-The First Melody is the initiative of a Bangalore based cultural sabha called the Bharatiya Samanga Sabha (BSS). BSS is an 8-year old organisation promoting music in the city. They conduct a week long music festival every year in January. They wanted to continue the activities of the Sabha through a magazine, connecting musicians, rasikas, organisers, government organisations supporting art and culture, as well as corporates who need to play a big part in supporting music. We started small with a team of seasoned journalists and photographers committed to journalism. The idea was to bring all that we had done in journalism to a new audience.

How do you maintain work life balance?

Working in a startup, and being both the CEO and the Editor put a lot of pressure initially to sustain the magazine, both in terms of content and financially. Getting financial backing for any art-based activity is very difficult. Corporates are willing to sponsor music per se, but not writing in music. However, at one point I realised that if I allocate more time to fund-raising than writing, I would be unhappy and also unproductive. When I made that decision, the magazine started to really flourish. I found more time for myself and my family. While I used to spend all my time on the magazine in the first one year, from the second year onwards, the magazine took off on its own. People started volunteering to write, and participate. That took a lot of pressure off me.

In your view, can women pursue serious careers?

Even 50 years ago, there were great musicians like M S Subbulakshmi, M L Vasanthakumari, and D K Pattamal who gave their all for music. They would do concerts in the evenings, travel a lot, spend their mornings practicing. They have made immense sacrifices in their personal lives to do justice to the gift they have been born with. If one has the talent, the aptitude for anything, then one must chase it, no matter what. But for more women to come into the workforce, it’s important that they be given some leeway in terms of where and how they do their work. Women are good workers, and they should be allowed to contribute in a manner that does not take them away from their families.

What’s your experience working with Indian classical artists? What are the challenges?

The main challenge to is to write about an abstract art form. Most of the ideas are there for everyone to experience, but how does one translate that into words. How do you write about the emotions that are triggered while listening to a beautiful ragam? I think the other challenge is to stick to the identity we have carved for ourselves. To be a magazine for both lay readers as well as connoisseurs. One senior musicologist told me that she doesn’t want to know about music, as there is nothing new that I can tell her. She’d rather know what is Balamuralikrishna’s favourite food. But if I talk about all that, I am categorised differently – as not being a serious magazine.

Any regrets career-wise? Anything you’d do differently?

I’m wiser now. I choose my allies and working partners carefully. Sometimes when one’s coming up in life and at work, in our eagerness to succeed, we partner with the wrong people. Sometimes those decisions can be very crucial and detrimental, especially if you head an organisation. I’m more careful now.

Your most inspiring woman?

Because of my ancestral connection to Saint Thyagaraja, I’d say it’s Bangalore Nagarathnamma. She was the daughter of a devadasi, and a very talented singer. She was way ahead of her times. She set up the Samadhi in Thiruvaiyaru and for the first time made sure women singers were allowed to pay homage at the Samadhi to the Saint.

Your favourite music and why.

I like to listen to the late Dr M Balamuralikrishna. He always tried to do new things in his music and his melody is unparalleled. I also love instrumental music. India has produced some very great instrumentalists; flute, veena, mandolin, saxophone, violin.

Tell us about the latest Indian classical scene…is it still popular among the new gen?

There are a lot of youngsters learning Indian classical music, especially abroad. Music offers many benefits to children, both emotionally and intellectually. Especially Indian classical music. Unless it’s made part of the school curriculum, it will never have mass appeal. Every child in the US learns classical music at school, no matter what they listen to otherwise. The same should be the case in India. Otherwise soon, it will be available to a very small elite audience.

How do you see the future of Indian classical music?

Indian classical music is not a business, it’s promotion is. Organisers, patrons and most importantly the government needs to back artistes strongly. Even the public should be willing to pay for tickets. Due to the wide-scale availability of ‘free’ music online, most people are not willing to spend money, either attending concerts or buying CDs.

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Event Summary

[youtube video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIOCsSVq0jI&feature=youtu.be]

While the conversation was about women and independence last year, the conversation grew bigger this year. With two sessions and 10 speakers, the day encouraged more positive thought towards equality. The sessions were moderated by the former BBC journalist and editor Anubha George and the first session had Manju Sara Rajan (CEO, The Kochi Biennale Foundation), Monica Suri (General Manager, Le Meridien), Rekha Menon (TV Anchor & Media Personality), Meera Haridas (Head – Marketing, Mannapuram Finance Ltd.), and Annah Chakola (Founder & Creative Director of Boho Gypsy) as the panelists. They gave out their views and wisdom on the topic ‘Today’s women are expected to do it all’, taking inspiration from their own life stories and journeys. The next session on ‘He for She’ was led by Dr. PTM Sunish (CEO, Gender Park), Dr. Meenu Batra (Consultant – Fetal Medicine Unit, Cimar Fertility Centre), Sheela Kochouseph (Managing Director, VStar Creations), Pearle Maaney (VJ, model, anchor, and actress), and Nisha Jose (Social Changer).

The discussion was about how men could be agents of change by encouraging them to be aware and take action against gender inequality that happen around them. After each session,the speakers were presented with mementos by FWD Life Assistant Editor Maria John. Dr PTM Sunish, CEO of Gender Park was honoured with a Ponnada with FWD Women Circle Visionary of the Year award by Sheela Kochouseph, MD of VStar Creations, for his exceptional work in reducing gender disparity. Jatinder Pal Singh, Executive Chef of Le Meridien was honoured with a Ponnada by FWD Media CEO & Editor, Abraham Tharakan on the occasion of his impending retirement.

Session 1

[youtube video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slkH6OOMyvU&t=13s]

The first session on the topic ‘Today’s women are expected to do it all’ gave way for a better understanding of the sacrifices most women feel they’re entitled to make while holding a job. There was talk about balancing both, and about how one, either their job or their family can be more important to a person. The need for men to engage in household work was also talked about. Ultimately, the panel came to a conclusion that it was a choice that most women are unaware they have. Only proper education, for both genders can bring about this awareness and that the larger society should be accepting of their decision.

The second session was on the topic, ‘HeForShe’- men as agents of change. The topic was chosen in support of the UN Women campaign – HeForShe, a women solidarity campaign set up in 2014. “We should understand and educate our children to be compassionate human beings. We should raise our sons to be a He that stands for She.’ said PTM Sunish, the CEO of gender park, a prime example of the campaign. Husbands have an equal responsibility in bringing up a child.

A child gets influenced by what he or she sees, so a male figure respecting and treating the women in his life as an equal is always the best ideal. Yet another point that was brought up was how all women should have a ‘he’ inside her, and all men should have a ‘she’ inside her. The conversation lead way to discussions of how gender need not be binary anymore and how every person has both masculine and feminine traits. The fact that more men should be an active part of running a home was highlighted again and again. Safety for women was also discussed.

Session 2

[youtube video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv6ZHGgEOzg]

The event came to an end with a mesmerizing performance by Anna Katherina. It was an opportunity for the participants to meet one another, network and broaden their horizons. The event was much appreciated and was proved a great platform for encouragement, empowerment and for everyone to strive harder at breaking gender norms. FWD Women Circle engaged the attendees and encouraged them to have more conversations that need to be had and will strive to do so in its next edition.

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