Month: October 2018

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Her Photos Are Inspired By Everyday Things and People But They Are Anything But Mundane – Meet Photographer Kirti Virmani from Delhi

Argentinian photographer Gerardo Suter once said, “I didn’t choose photography, photography chose me.” That certainly seems the case for the young and talented Kirti Virmani from New Delhi. Inspired by her photographer dad, she moved to Mumbai, fresh out of college to follow her passion for editorial photography. After two years in the city of dreams, her sense of discovery and learning still motivates her to strive for the perfect shot. We chat with Kirti to know more about her journey so far. Today we feature a young talent, Kirti Virmani, a fashion and editorial photographer from New Delhi. She talks to R&L about her passion for visual art and aesthetics, her inspirations and her aspirations. Hi Kirti! Good to be speaking with you! Tell us a little about yourself and what you do. I’m Kirti Virmani and I’m 23 years old. I’ve grown up in Delhi and got my Honours Degree in Political Science from Delhi University. I moved to Mumbai straight after college to explore a career in photography – fashion photography in …

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This 18-Year-Old Student is Enthralling the World With Her Pop Covers – Meet Keneisenuo Sorhie from Nagaland

To be young and carefree is truly a wonderful state to be in. And when you add a passion that brings you joy and entertains your friends, your youthful days become even more fulfilling. Today, we have the pleasure of introducing you to Keneisenuo Sorhie, an 18-year-old aspiring singer from Nagaland. She captured our attention through her delightful Instagram feed filled with beautiful song covers, complemented by her charming personality that resonates with her singing. Join us for a lighthearted conversation with Keneisenuo as we get to know her better. Fun chat with 18-year-old Keneisenuo Sorhie from Kohima – a talented singer enthralling her fans with her beautiful voice. R&L: Hello Keneisenuo, please introduce yourself. Keneisenuo: Hi, I’m Keneisenuo Sorhie from Nagaland, I am 18 years old, and currently a higher secondary student. I was born and brought up in Kohima. I love to sing and it’s one of my favorite thing to do during my leisure time. I work with Table 3 Nagaland, who manages my shows and performances. I’m also a keen animal …

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Capturing Your Most Candid and Happiest Moments on Your Wedding Day – Meet Photographer James Chakhesang from Nagaland

“The best images are the ones that retain their strength and impact over the years, regardless of the number of times they are viewed.”– Anne Geddes Our featured artist of the day, James Chakhesang, a talented wedding photographer from Nagaland echoes these sentiments. His keen and aesthetic eye for capturing people and their memories in their best moments is indeed a pleasure to view and treasure. With the wedding season almost here, he is already a busy man, but he did spare some time to talk to R&L about his work and more. Here’s a quick chat with James Chakhesang, a wedding photographer from Kikruma Village, Nagaland. Read on to know his story – how he began, his inspiration sources, the weddings he has captured, his most memorable shoot and more Hello James! Tell us a little about yourself. Hello everyone! My name is James Chakhesang. I was born and raised in Dimapur, Nagaland. I am from Kikruma Village (Phek district). I love to start my mornings with a hot cup of tea, and apart from my photography, I love meeting …

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“Architects, Planners, Designers, Artists and Everyone Can Do Our Bit to Protect Our Environment” – Meet Ditty – Singer Songwriter and Architect from Delhi

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything” ~Plato. Today we have a soulful musician – Aditi Veena aka DITTY from Delhi who is doing her bit to bring attention to the impermanence of nature and the importance to conserve our mother earth – through her gift of music. She is also a professional architect, who tries to stay true to her concerns for the environment through various environmental conservation projects. She was also at Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh recently to perform at the Ziro music festival. We caught up with her to know more her music and more. Talented musician and singer-songwriter Aditi Veena, aka, DITTY from New Delhi chats with R&L team about her music, what drives her art, her recent trip to Ziro Music Festival, her upcoming album ‘Poetry Ceylon’ and more. Hi Ditty! Thanks for speaking with us. Tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from and what’s been keeping you busy. Hi! …

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Drone Photographer Parth Konwar from Assam Wants Us to Get Lost in the Breathtaking Landscapes of North East India

“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.” ~ Vincent van Gogh. Full-time student and hobby photographer Parth Konwar from Assam literally takes these words to heart as he enthralls us with his artworks, which are mostly a representation of nature at it’s best as captured through his lenses.  We are happy to feature Parth Konwar, a young student and photographer from Jorhat, Assam with a fabulous and artistic eye for landscape photography. He talks to us about his passion for the art, how his new found love for drone photography came about, and how nature and his hometown has always inspired him. Hi Parth, welcome to R&L! Tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from and what you’ve been up to. I’m Parth Konwar and I’m a student and photographer currently based in New Delhi. I was born in Jorhat and my family shifted to Guwahati around 4 years ago. I did my Graduation in Energy Engineering from Shillong and moved to Delhi around …

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“Makeup Gave Me Wings to Fly – Even After Losing My Sight in One Eye” Meet NYX Face Award Winner Nimshim Jajo from Manipur

“Makeup is not a mask that covers up your beauty; it’s a weapon that helps you express who you are from the inside.” ~ Michelle Phan.  For 26-year-old Nimshim Jajo from Manipur, makeup helped discover her inner strength as a creative force – when she discovered the art of makeup at a low point in her life “Makeup gave me wings to fly, and a boost to my confidence when I lost sight in my right eye.” Nimshim used the tools of make-up and art as a weapon to shut down everyone that closed doors for her and eventually led her to win the first NYX Face Awards in 2017. Here’s her story.  R&L chats with the talented, positive and super driven, Nimshim Jajo about her struggles in the beauty industry, her journey as a make-up artist and everything she hopes for in the coming years. Hello Nimshim! Tell us about yourself, where you’re from and what you have been up to? My name is Nimshim Jajo or Nim Jajo. I’m 26 years old from Ukhrul, Manipur, and …

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“I Grew Up in a Broken Family – and That’s Where It All Began” 24-Year-Old Michelle Rungsung Talks About her Debut Book ‘Garden in a Graveyard’

Writing has proved to be therapy for many like Michelle Rungsung who has found her saving grace through penning down her thoughts. What started as a habitual daily journaling of her memories and secrets, is now her biggest and most trusted method to fight and heal her way through her loneliness and mental illness. 24-year-old Michelle from Manipur is an exceptionally beautiful prose writer who entwines her words with her own emotions and draws you towards a peripheral of vision that is unknown yet so personal. We chat about her debut novel “Garden in a Graveyard” which is a collection of deeply personal short proses and poems exposing her own experiences with hurt, abuse, mental illness, love and journey to self-discovery and healing. A chat with 24-year-old Michelle Rungsung from Manipur who just released her debut collection of poems and proses, “Garden in a Graveyard.”She talks to us about her book, her struggle with mental health, her healing journey and everything in between. Congratulations on your book Michelle! Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Michelle Rungsung …

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A Chat With the Super Stylish and Soulful Singer-Songwriter, TK Lemtur from Mokokchung, Nagaland

  “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.” ~Walt Whitman. Following in this light, we try to surround ourselves and our readers with a happy dose of happy inspirational stories daily. For, to be in the company of interesting folks is always a delight – especially on days when we are feeling dull and uninspired. Today, we have a charming and talented 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Nagaland, who is also a full-time master’s student of Olericulture at SHUATS Allahabad. Tzudikumzuk Lemtur a.k.a TK Lemtur from Mokokchung is a passionate singer and songwriter, and a fashionable one at that! We caught up with him to know more about him, and also to get a taste of his sartorial style. T.K Lemtur from Nagaland takes us through his musical journey, his Naga roots, his fashionable indulgences and much more! Hello TK! Tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to. I am Tzudikumzuk Lemtur, better known as TK Lemtur. I’m 24 years old from Mokokchung, Nagaland and am currently pursuing my Master’s degree …

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R&L Editor Megumi D’Souza Takes Us Through Her Fun-Filled Life in Mumbai – Juggling Work, Gigs and R&L

Another exciting post as we introduce yet another team member today. Our friend Megumi – a “halfu” with an Indian dad and a Japanese mom, is currently helping our team as an editor – sitting out of Mumbai. A multi-talented creative personality, she juggles her time between a full-time job, gigs (she sings in a band) and R&L commitments. We are indeed one of the luckiest teams to be constantly surrounded by like-minded passionate individuals – each bringing in their unique set of contributions, making Roots and Leisure a true example of how diversity can be an engine of creativity. Having said all that, let’s go on to get to know her more 🙂 For this edition of R&L’s #FaceReveal, we introduce you to Megumi Dsouza – our editor from Mumbai. A powerhouse of energy, she breathes a fresh whiff of creativity to the R&L team, and today she gives us a glimpse into her life as she shares a slice from her fun-filled daily schedules. Hello Megumi, please introduce yourself to our readers. Tell us what you do, …

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Meet Daniel Rai – A Physiotherapist and Painter From Sikkim, Who Creates Breathtaking Works of Art Inspired By The Relationship Between Nature and Man

“Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves. This we know. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it.” ~ Chief Seathl – a Native American Indian Chief, in his reply to the President of the United States circa 1860. The natural beauty of our surroundings is often what most inspires all our creative passions. For Daniel Rai, a lecturer by profession and artist by hobby, it’s the relationship between humans and our environment and the elements of nature, which pretty much dates back to millions of years that fascinates him to create his stunning portrait and scenic paintings. Today, we are happy to feature painter and artist Daniel Rai who grew up in a village called Pastanga Assam …