New Delhi, 6^th, September, 2018: Author Preeti Singh Rajput launched her new book Life Beyond The  Clouds’, an entrepreneur and a business coach, a Book on  women’s courage at The Readers Cafe,  a beautiful space for readers and writers in Delhi NCR, situated in Indirapuram Habitat Centre, Delhi. This book is published by Halfcrow.  Anurag Punetha, Senior Anchor Lok Sabha TV was invited as the Guest of honor for this launch. This book launched with the musical performance by singer Ravi Dhiman popular.

The inspirational story was inaugurated by Anurag Chauhan (Founder Humans for Humanity and Dehradun Literature Festival) & Laxmi Agarwal (Acid attack survivor and Campaigner for Stop sale acid).

This book  is revolved around  Maya, a courageous soul. Defeats all odds, makes bold choices and, dares to stand up for them.  She refuses to live a confined life, bounded with social and religious obligations. She falls in love blindly and fails miserably. She refuses an easy way out and cuddles the path she believed was right, not the one this world will approve of. Her life snatched everything she had, leaving her alone in the middle of nowhere.

Her  journey is a striking blend of love, sex, betrayal and finding the true love all over again. A beautiful story of self-discovery and grace. Life rewards those who stand strong through storm. It wasn’t easy for her, neither would it be for you. What makes her story so inspiring is her courage to stand for what she chose.

On this occasion she  said, The book that inspires readers to take charge of their situations and motivates them to move ahead  in their journey with grace

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National, January 28, 2018: Writer, entrepreneur and youth expert, Rashmi Bansal launched her latest book – Touch the Sky at the ongoing Zee Jaipur Literature Festival today. The launch was graced by celebrated Indian classical dancer, Sonal Mansingh who was in conversation with Rashmi.

Flooded with literature enthusiasts, the venue witnessed an ecstatic crowd eager to dive into Rashmi’s latest book. The launch witnessed a hearty conversation between Rashmi and Sonal about how Touch the Sky shines a light on inspirational stories of 15 women from around India who overcame obstacles in their lives to find their identity and place in the world.

With stories of determined and self empowered women such as the Yuwa girls, Meena Lahre, Chhaya Solanki, Rabiya Khan and more, Rashmi brings to the forefront the everyday discrimination and emotional/physical violence that women face around the country. With nothing but true faith in the power of their own capabilities, these women have risen above their everyday tussles and carved out a safe space for themselves and people around them.

Commenting on the book launch, Rashmi Bansal said, “I am known for books about entrepreneurship but my definition of that term is not just doing a business. It’s creating your own destiny. That’s what each of the women in my book ‘Touch the Sky’ has done. These stories are about solving problems in our families, in our society, and most importantly, in the depth of our souls.”

Speaking at the book launch, Sonal Mansingh said, “Touch the Sky tells stories of women who are trying to make sure people are treated equally and not be discriminated because of their gender. Really appreciate that a lot of young women around the country are determined to step up and define themselves as whoever and whatever they want to be today. I am happy to be a part of this book launch with Rashmi who has always used her art of writing to stand together for equal rights and progress.”

“Ever since we freshly articulated our brand philosophy in October, Aaj Likhenge Kal has resonated strongly with our audiences. With the core grain of our content reflecting this ideology, we are now happy to amplify the message through any medium – be it TV, films, digital or books. The premise of Rashmi Bansal’s latest book ‘Touch the Sky’ is in beautiful sync with Aaj Likhenge Kal. The idea is to encourage readers through stories of seemingly ordinary individuals who, with their progressive thinking and courage, changed the course of their destiny. Through ‘Touch the Sky’ we want to highlight that every person, man or woman, has the power to envision and reach out to their own destination on the foundation of self-belief, creating an impact not only on their own future but also on the world”, added Deepak Rajadhyaksha, Deputy Business Head, ZEE TV.

Readers across the world can pick up their copy of Touch the Sky from bookstores or any online stores and read the captivating stories of unstoppable women.

About Rashmi Bansal: Rashmi Bansal is a writer, entrepreneur and youth expert. She is the author of 7 bestselling books on entrepreneurship — Stay Hungry Stay Foolish, Connect the Dots, I Have a Dream, Poor Little Rich Slum, Follow Every Rainbow, Take Me Home and Arise, Awake — which have sold more than a million copies and been translated into 12 languages.

Rashmi is the founder of Bloody Good Book, a platform to discover and e-publish budding authors. She is also a motivational speaker and mentor to students and young entrepreneurs. Rashmi is an economics graduate from Sophia College, Mumbai, and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.

About Westland: Westland (an Amazon company) is one of the largest and fastest growing publishing houses in India and one of the top two indigenous publishing houses. The publishing lists of Westland, its imprints Tranquebar and EastWest, and imprint extension Mikros include bestselling authors Amish Tripathi, Ashwin Sanghi, Rashmi Bansal, Rujuta Diwekar, Preeti Shenoy, Devdutt Pattanaik, Christopher C Doyle, Anand Neelakantan, Anuja Chauhan, Ravi Subramanian, BKS Iyengar and Savi Sharma, among others. Since Nielsen started their Bookscan in India, tracking bestselling titles across the country, Westland has consistently had a strong presence in the top 10 and top 50 bestselling charts. Westland has a history of over 50 years in retail, distribution and publishing.

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~Discussion around reforms and rape sentencing law in India ahead of marking the 4th year since the infamous Delhi Gang Rape case~

New Delhi, 28^th November 2016: Cambridge University Press recently organised a book discussion of Discretion, Discrimination and the Rule of Law: Reforming Rape Sentencing in India by Mrinal Satish in New Delhi.  In the book, the author proposes institutional reform as a solution to the problem of unwarranted disparity in sentencing in India, using rape sentencing as a case study.

The book discussion is organised in the backdrop of the infamous Dec 16, Delhi gang rape incident which prompted the government to introduce stringent anti-rape laws. Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the Delhi incident, the author and panelists highlighted a range of issues in the discussion, including the new legal regime to criminal sentencing in India and also discussed how rape myths and stereotypes influence sentencing, leading to unwarranted disparity.

Rape and sexual assault remain a troubling social reality with which India has been grappling for long now. Though the Justice Verma Committee formed by the Union government after the Delhi gang-rape and murder had recommended several measures to fight sexual crimes in the country, it seems that not much has changed in the society. The author analyses various factors that impact rape adjudication and sentencing, which could also explain the reason why law reform may not be  sufficient, without other systemic and social changes. In the specific context of sentencing, heproposes a model for reducing disparity in rape sentencing in India by analysing the data from 25 years of rape adjudication in Indian courts.

Speaking about the book and the discussion, Mr Ratnesh Kumar Jha, Managing Director, Cambridge University Press, South Asia, said, “In a country like India where the issue of women’s security has been very critical, this book is likely to be widely referred to and become a standard reference for debates about having institutional reform in rape sentencing in India. Mrinal Satish, with his experience of working closely with the Verma Committee, aptly provides insights into prejudices that influence rape adjudication and how sentencing of rape offenders is impacted by such prejudices. ”

On the panel were Justice Madan B Lokur, Judge, Supreme Court of India; Vrinda Grover, Advocate; Indira Jaising, Senior Advocate and Trustee, Lawyers Collective; Usha Ramanathan, Independent Law Researcher, and Prof (Dr) G Mohan Gopal, Former Director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, Former Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

About the Author

Mrinal Satish is Associate Professor of Law at the National Law University, Delhi, where he is also the Executive Director at the Centre for Constitutional Law, Policy, and Governance. His research interests are sentencing, gender and the law, medical jurisprudence, empirical analysis of law, excessive undertrial and pre-trial detention, and studying the impact of the criminal justice system in its interface with vulnerable and disempowered groups. A graduate of Yale Law School, USA, and National Law School of India University, Bangalore, Mrinal has been involved in various important law reform activities. He was part of the research team that assisted the Justice Verma Committee (2013) that suggested amendments to the rape laws, and was part of the sub-committee that drafted the 262nd Report of the Law Commission of India on the death penalty.

About Cambridge University Press India

Cambridge University Press is a part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University’s mission by unlocking potential with the best learning and research solutions.

Cambridge University Press India provides educational and academic materials to learners globally. The Press has had its presence in South Asia for more than a decade with significant contribution to research, journals and academic works.

The focus of the Press has been to develop content that directly impacts skill based industry, research based publishing and learning solutions in K through 12 for new age learners as well as every other English learning teaching program. It publishes in both print and digital media, original titles in three major areas of study: Academic, Education (school) and ELT (English Language Teaching).

Cambridge University Press is committed to finding innovative ways to inculcate higher standards of English in their teaching, learning and assessment. They create curriculum based content for teachers and learners and intend to host several discussions nationally, highlighting the importance of English skill requirements with adequate quality for teachers, learners and the industry in India.

Headquartered in New Delhi, Cambridge University Press has seven regional offices in India including Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram. With over 200 employees in the country, CUP serves all of South Asia: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Maldives.

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 A talk over Tea by Typhoo

New Delhi: 19th February, 2016: Tea has a defined space in our daily life; a perfect start for our day is to have a cup of tea. Typhoo UK’s finest tea brand hosted a talk on tea and its benefits  with veteran writer and journalist Sharmila Chand author of book “Cheers :365 Cocktails and Mocktails “ and Dietician Dr. Neelanjana Singh the dialogue was around Tea and with its stupendous health benefits. In an in-depth talk held at Cha Bar on 19th February 2016 the panelist shared their knowledge on the holistic benefits of Tea on mind and body.

Mr. Subrata Mukerjee, Typhoo India spokesperson Shared his views on how Typhoo teas and infusions are apt for consumers who are conscious for their well-being. He also unveiled the new caffeine free organic range in chamomile and peppermint variants.

Dr. Neelanjala Singh shared her depth knowledge on how Tea has far significance other than just being a necessity to begin a day; consuming tea as a drink is more important than other superficial options available in market, also how tea should be brewed and its intake.Tea has many beneficial factors it has high content of flavonoids and anti oxidants it increases metabolism by 5%  and also calms and reduces stress..

Veteran writer and journalist Sharmila Chand moderated the whole event and guests were served Tea mocktails from her book “Cheers:365 Cocktails and Mocktails” and Typhoo rustled up their signature tea mocktails with its fruit and herb based Fruit Infusions range.

Below is the recipe for the refreshing Tea mocktails by Typhoo.

Tea Mocktails by Typhoo

Orange Spicer Fruit Infusion

Typhoo Orange brew – 90ml

Lime Juice – 10 ml

Sugar syrup – 10ml

METHOD

Put all the ingredients in cocktail shaker fill it up with ice and shake it and double strain into the chilled Typhoo glass.

Blackcurrant Fruit Infusion

Typhoo blackcurrant brew – 90ml

Lime Juice – 10 ml

Sugar syrup – 10ml

METHOD

Put all the ingredients in cocktail shaker fill it up with ice and shake it and double strain into the chilled Typhoo glass.

Lemon & Line Zest Fruit Infusion

Typhoo lemon brew – 90ml

Lime Juice – 10 ml

Sugar syrup – 10ml

METHOD

Put all the ingredients in cocktail shaker fill it up with ice and shake it and double strain into the chilled Typhoo glass.

Green Tea Moroccan Mint

Typhoo Green tea brew – 90ml

Mint leaves – 3-4 leaves

Lime Juice – 5 ml

Sugar syrup– 5ml

METHOD

Muddle mint leaves and put all the ingredients in cocktail shaker fill it up with ice and shake it and pour into glass filled up with ice.

Black Tea Classic Assam

Typhoo Assam tea brew – 60ml

Orange juice – 30 ml

Sugar syrup– 5ml

Lime juice – 5 ml

Cardamom – 2 pcs

METHOD

Muddle the cardamom put all the ingredients in cocktail shaker fill it up with ice and shake it and double strain into chilled Typhoo glass.

So brew up a batch of the good stuff — hot or cold — and enjoy.

About Typhoo:

Typhoo has indulged tea enthusiasts and refined tea drinking experience the world over since its inception in the UK in 1903. With a portfolio of 12 brands and over 400 products, Typhoo is being enjoyed in more than 50 countries including USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand & South Africa. Defining the changing tastes and preferences of the urban Indian consumers, Typhoo the third largest brand from UK and the over 100 year iconic British brand brings this refreshing, rejuvenating experience to India with a variety of high quality specialty teas, and 100% natural fruit infusions. Typhoo is available at leading F&B stores in Delhi, Delhi, NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Coimbatore, Goa, Hyderabad and Chandigarh.

Get a real taste of the real and exotic flavours of tea .Come…Enjoy Typhoo-Spring of Life.

For further information log on to www.typhooindia.com

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Mumbai 19 May 2015 : Author Dr. Shrikala Warrier, a London based scholar, unveils her insightful book ‘Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism’.

​ The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism’ by Shrikala Warrier draws extensively on the Vedas, Puranas and Hindu epics to present the mythological stories relating to the seven sacred rivers, namely, Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Sindhu, Godavari, Narmada and Kaveri, the towns and cities along their course that were designated as tirthas, and the practices connected with river goddess worship. The shared concerns of sacred and secular ecology in modern India are also discussed.

Shrikala Warrier is an anthropologist with a Ph.D from the University of London and has developed the first validated degree programme for Ayurveda in the West.  Her book ‘Kamandalu’ describes the 7 sacred rivers in India and their correlation with Hindu Mythology.

​

About the Book

Hindu theology views rivers as goddesses who confer blessings and spiritual purification. The release of celestial waters from the grip of ‘Vritra’, the demon dragon, to flow down from the heavens and relieve drought on earth, is a recurring theme in Hindu mythology.

‘Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism’ by Shrikala Warrier draws extensively on the Vedas, Puranas and Hindu epics to present the mythological stories relating to the seven sacred rivers, namely, Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Sindhu, Godavari, Narmada and Kaveri, the towns and cities along their course that were designated as tirthas, and the practices connected with river goddess worship. The shared concerns of sacred and secular ecology in modern India are also discussed.

The book is tastefully presented in hardback with 20 colour illustrations and provides a comprehensive reference list, explanatory notes and a detailed glossary which should make it a useful resource for research scholars and academics. Written in a lucid, engaging style, it should also appeal to a wider readership with an interest in Hinduism and Comparative Religion.

The book is now on sale at Watkins, a leading bookseller in London and through Amazon.

About the Author 

Prof. Shrikala Warrier is an anthropologist with a Ph.D from the University of London. She developed the first validated degree programme for Ayurveda in the West and is the Dean of MAYUR University, a small private institution in London. She comes from the well-known community of Warriers in Kerala, India, which has traditionally been connected with temples, Ayurveda and other aspects of Hindu culture.

Dr. Warrier is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has undertaken research for several organizations, including the National Health Service in the UK, World Health Organization, British Red Cross, The King’s Fund and Helen House, the first children’s hospice in the world. She has contributed to several anthologies of ethnographic studies in the UK and one of her books which provides a cross-cultural perspective on rites of passage and the celebration of festivals has been widely used as a resource in schools, colleges and other institutions in Britain and as recommended reading for undergraduate degrees in Religious Studies at some universities in the USA.

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The young Author Nishant his so excited seeing his book “Tempestatem” moving so fast from Amazon & Flipkart.

When asked was it always he wants to be a writer? He says it is not, as if I just woke up one day and decided to do this. I had many dreams growing up, and I think those dreams helped me in whatever way to become a writer. What really counts is that I tried and I think people appreciate that trait. Now that I see much interest for Tempestatem within few months of its launch, I feel overwhelmed.

The young author wants to plan the prequel to Tempestatem. There is lots of history, way beyond the timeline released. One could call it an origin story of sorts. I will definitely come with a prequel to “Tempestatem”

He agrees that he was so excited to hold his first copy in his hand. “It’s hard to put into words. You see it every day, but when it is all done and dusted, it gives you a sense of accomplishment. A couple of my friends asked me to sign their copies, and that made it even more real. After all, friends will always make you feel so special isn’t?

Tempestatem is available on AMAZON – http://www.amazon.in/Tempestatem/dp/8182092590 and on FLIPKART – http://www.flipkart.com/tempestatem-nishant-muralidharan-english-paperback/p/itme3zde8nh5cam9 from four different buyers.

Synopsis of Tempestatem

Ordinary nineteen-year-old Gale C. Storm is forced to swap his world for another, a realm of power and mystery.

Despite its wondrous creatures of myth and some beyond human concepts of fantasy, for thousands of those less acknowledged, the pitiful holdings of their once great empire offered little opportunities. Now humiliated and angry, and resentful of their distant oppressors, these desperate soldiers gather together to live their lives as they see fit, establishing ideals of freedom under great leaders, which would carry on for generations to come.

Shades, they were named, and their life amidst this world of fantasy – a brutal one, filled with betrayal, mutiny, and cruelty. There are riches to be found here, in immense untamed jungles, blizzard ravaged mountains, and most importantly – mighty kingdoms.

For nearly seven months, Gale will experience a life of war and misfortune, backed by strong leaders and fierce warriors, judged only by their own morals in a society built for those they desire to protect.

Here at last are their true stories, open and unvarnished; this is the truth behind the world after death, and it comes to life in the Tempestatem.

About the Author: Nishant Muralidharan a former professional tennis player and a twenty year old writer is an admirer of the epic-fantasy genre. He is a student from Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University, studying his third year Electronics & Communications. He self published his first book “Lucifer” when he was barely 16, the book did well in the international market.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dale K. Cline is a CPA, a CMA, a business owner, and a real estate investor and developer.  It’s safe to say that he has a solid understanding of economics, financial systems and money. Yet, while money makes the world go around, too many people do not understand how it works—and they pay the consequences.

In his first book, “Banking on Confidence: A Guidebook to Financial Literacy,” Cline simply guides readers to a better understanding of the often-confusing world of economics, money and finances. Readers will leave with an understanding of basic accounting and financial statements and the role the government plays in economic cycles.

“The average citizen has a difficult time overcoming monetary illiteracy. Although a wealth of information is available from books and media outlets, much of it is laced with political sentiment. Separating the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, is difficult,” Cline said.

Cline focuses, in plain English, on the nuts and bolts of the economy including how: confidence, monetary policy and fiscal policy form the economy’s foundation; banks interact with each other, the Federal Reserve, and the US Treasury Department; prices for goods such as gold, oil and real estate are determined.

Through Cline’s use of simple language, readers will have the facts they need to transform their financial futures by “Banking on Confidence.”

“This book is not a full economics course by any means. It is meant solely to offer the average citizen a fundamental understanding of the economic world in which we live and work from an everyday point of view,” Cline said.

For more information, visit authordalecline.wordpress.com or iuniverse.com

“Banking on Confidence: A Guidebook to Financial Literacy”
By: Dale K. Cline
ISBN: 978-1-4917-5582-2
Available in softcover ($18.95), hardcover ($28.95), e-book ($3.99)
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iUniverse

About the author
Dale K. Cline is a CPA in public practice, a CMA, a business owner and a real estate investor and developer.  He holds an undergraduate degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College and an MBA from Wake Forest University.  His experience in the recent recession, viewed from the dual perspectives of CPA and market participant, inspired the writing of this book.

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Dr Rashmi Shetty, leading Mumbai based aesthetic physician; founder of Ra Skin & Aesthetics; author of Age Erase

As you venture out in multiple parties around the New Year time, no doubt you want to look your best. However, a season of parties means an excess of several things over a prolonged period of time. Excess of eating and perhaps drinking; excess of make-up and styling!

Here is a list of some skincare tips to follow during the day even as you party during the night.

1) Religiously Follow the Daily Skin Check: No matter how busy you are, never forget to remove your make-up before going to bed and cleanse your skin with a good cleanser. Keep a facewash in your carry bag so that you do not allow dust and pollution to stick to your skin. Also make sure you stick to a good moisturizer and sunscreen religiously. The complete, facewash, moisturizer and sunscreen ritual shall be followed thrice a day. This will prevent any acne breakout while keeping your skin hydrated and protected against sun damage.

2) Nourishment for the Skin: Apply an anti-oxidant cream which contains vitamin A, C, E or Q10 during the day underneath your sunscreen. This will save skin from free radical damage and help in skin repair. So, even if you do an overdose of make-up and chemicals, your skin is nourished to repair itself.

3) You Are What You Eat: Include a lot of fruits, salads and vegetables in your diet, even as you go about celebrating and partying. This will ensure that you have your daily intake of vitamins and minerals, and also keep the negative effects of junk or fried food in check. Anti-oxidants will also help fight the ill effects of pollution on the skin. A balanced diet will also keep hair in good health.

4) Check Sweet Intake: Parties are synonymous with sweets and we tend to eat a lot of them during this period as we celebrate the New Year. Sugar, however, suppresses activity of our white blood cells and makes us more susceptible to infections like cold and flu. It also worsens allergies and causes damage because of the breaking down of good proteins, leading to advanced glycation end-products, very aptly abbreviated as AGE. AGE makes proteins in the collagen and hair stiff and hard; speeding up the process of skin ageing. So, be mindful of what you eat. Consuming excessive sweets the entire season can cause harm to the skin, not to forget its effect on your weight.

5) Get a Mini Facelift: You can also get Hyaluronic Acid based fillers like Juvederm administered under the eye and on the mid face. This will fill up the hollows, instantly freshen up the face and also provide hydration and elasticity, giving you a facelift and glow that will make you stand apart in the parties.

6) Consume Water: Drink enough water so that if you are drinking a lot of alcohol or eating junk food during the parties, your body should be cleansed and toxins are flushed out. For skin detox go for some treatments like hydra facials or oxygen treatment to cleanse your skin deeply. This will make your skin ready for the heavy dose of experiments in make-up you are going to undertake.

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Mumbai, December 24, 2014: Spreading cheer on Christmas eve, Dr. Huzaifa Khorakiwala, Trustee and CEO – Wockhardt Foundation and Author Enakshi Sengupta launched a book titled ‘A Worm in the Apple’ at Oxford bookstore, Churchgate. The book spins value based tales for children explaining what is right and what is wrong.

At the launch event, Author Enakshi Sengupta narrated a story from the book to give the book enthusiasts a feel of the book. Elaborating on the content of the book Enakshi said, “Teaching moral values to children and instilling positive values in them is an important part of parenting. Since children love reading stories, I felt the need to explain the importance of values to them through a book of stories on sins and values. A Worm in the Apple’ is a collection of 6 short stories explaining 6 out of 7 sins for children. This value-based storybook aims to benefit both privileged and underprivileged children. Through this book, I feel proud to be associated with Khel Khel Mein, an initiative of Wockhardt Foundation dedicated towards giving a better life to children.”

45 per cent proceeds of the book, which is the entire royalty received by the author from the publisher will go to Khel Khel Mein, a unique initiative of Wockhardt Foundation, comprising of edu-recreational centres for the underprivileged children aged 6 to 12 years. The programme teaches values and good habits to underprivileged children through fun and play.

Dr. Huzaifa Khorakiwala, Trustee and CEO – Wockhardt Foundation said “I am thankful to Enakshi Sengupta for associating with Khel Khel Mein and through her book helping raise funds for such a noble cause. I urge parents and primary education authorities to endorse and purchase the book that will doubly benefit the children of society as well as the underprivileged children in our city.”

Enakshi Sengupta is an academic and management consultant by profession who writes for children hoping they would create a world of imagination with an abundance of creativity.

The book costing Rs. 125 will be available for purchase at Oxford book store and e-commerce websites – Flipkart and eBay.

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Mumbai, Wednesday  12^th November 2014

Finding a hall that has about 300 people whose eyes are riveted to the conference proceedings without missing a word is a bit of a rarity. Having plain-speaking, passionate panelists who speak about what needs to be done without the confines of political diplomacy is even rarer. And when you find that of the 300 attendees about 260 are returning women, it is without doubt an event that creates a defining moment in women’s workforce participation. SEGUE Sessions – India’s first platform for returning women – women on a break, on a sabbatical, returning from a prolonged maternity – which took place at Mumbai yesterday, raised questions which pointed to one phenomenon – that Indian women are here to stay in workplaces and they are vocal about it.

Monika, 38, has 10 years of experience under her belt and has taken a 3 year break on account of health and transition. Her question directed at the panel was this: “When senior leaders are so convinced about gender diversity, why are their recruiters not convinced too?” Monika referred to a large FMCG company which had advertised career options for women, but when she applied, she was rejected on the grounds that she had taken too long a break.

Mr. Ashok Ramchandran, Director HR – Vodafone India, who delivered the inaugural address at the event stated that every far thinking Indian organization was looking at including women into their workplaces. From a 12% of women’s representation, Vodafone had moved to a 20% representation in the space of one year. This was achieved by a consistent process of educating and sensitizing business, line and HR managers, and ensuring that every position is filled only upon assessing the talent market for women candidates. “Irrespective of gender, ultimately, it is Talent which is the basis of all decisions. And both women and men appreciate that.  I also find that with the inclusion of greater number of women in the workplace, the tone and even language is changing and is becoming more inclusive. Ultimately, it is convictions and belief that drive organizations and people, and is at the core of this journey too,” he said.

Responding to a question from the audience on whether guilt was a career-killer, Mr. Ishmeet Singh, Business Head for Maharashtra and Goa circle, Vodafone India, replied that guilt was a universal emotion which men felt too. “The other side of guilt is that it means you care. But that does not mean you give up what is important to you. You learn to manage all the expectations that others have from you and what you have from yourself too.”

Sukanya who was part of the audience of women seeking a second career raised a very critical question when she said, “Every interview where we are told that we have taken a break and therefore not suitable, is like one more thrust of the knife that pushes down our confidence levels. Whatever senior leaders speak on the dais is not flowing down to each representative that an interviewee meets”

“Women are excellent negotiators at home – why not practice some of that in the job interview when you segue back into the workforce?” asked Ms. Rama Bijapurkar, Author, Management consultant and independent director on several boards. Responding to a question from Seema – a returning mother who wanted to quit the IT industry, Ms. Bijapurkar, who delivered the keynote address quipped – “Why would you lose out on your leverage? If you have 10 years of experience in a particular industry, use that as the mortgage to return – that experience will be valuable to a corporate that is in need of such talent”.

Organizations today have realised the need for women to be part of the workplace – the creativity, stability and maturity that women bring are key to the success of any organization. As such today the hiring intent of organizations to engage with women has increased substantially. This is not only on account of customer-centeredness. Vodafone India, for instance, is looking to create a more gender balanced workforce though Diversity efforts that includes a 4C model – Customers, Communication, Colleagues and Community – of promoting Inclusivity at Vodafone.

But why does this priority not percolate downwards to every recruiter who assesses a resume? Why do corporates end up speaking about the diversity imperative at leadership levels but not follow it through by educating their recruiters that women on breaks have valid reasons for them? Answers Dr. Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-President, AVTAR Career Creators and FLEXI Careers India, “The awareness among corporates about having women in the workplace and enabling them to pursue sustainable careers irrespective of the undulations, is a gradual awakening. In our journey of 9 years, we find companies becoming more and more conducive to the idea that a 50-50 gender balance has to be a reality if we, as a country, are to move up the Human Development Index. But sensitizing the actual implementers – the recruiters, the line managers, the hiring managers – on what it means to be a returning woman – is extremely vital”. Workshops and training programs on inclusive behaviour, on uncovering cognitive biases are bringing about a change in the mindsets of the average employee. Thus, discerning organizations look at cascading the leadership intent into everyday behaviour and practice.

Ms. Usha Pillai, Chief Consultant – WINSKILLS, an AVTAR I-WIN initiative and herself a returning mother, presented the “Essentials for a successful return” workshop and emphasized the necessity to prepare. “Success in your re-entry is all about preparation. The more you prepare, the better you are equipped to face the reality of a second career”.

Ms. Madhura DasGupta Sinha, Head- Employee Experience at IDFC spoke about the time taken to identify the right job. “It’s like the time you invest in finding your spouse – it is as important and as life changing” she said. Speaking about the work being done by IDFC in the space of Diversity & Inclusion, Ms. Sinha mentioned that the organization was still in early stages of D&I but very keen on scaling up fast.

Vodafone, IDFC, Deutsche Bank, Cognizant and Bharti Axa Life Insurance were some of the organizations that participated in the SEGUE Sessions Mumbai edition. The specialty of the conference was that apart from skill-building and networking, each of the handpicked 250 women got an opportunity to deliver an elevator pitch to the organization of their choice.

Speaking about the experience of conducting the 9^th edition of SEGUE Sessions, Mr. K. Umasanker, Co-Founder of AVTAR Career Creators, mentioned, “We are chipping away at the grand number of a 50-50 gender balance in Indian workplaces, one SEGUE at a time. SEGUE Sessions – Gurgaon scheduled to take place during February 2015 will be our 10^th experience of creating careers”

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