All posts tagged: Rest of India

Rootsandleisure_Terra food cafe Ahmedabad

“While Studying in France, I Discovered Farm to Table Concept, and That Inspired My Fresh Food Venture” – Chat With Sriram Nair, Owner of Terra Cafe, Ahmedabad

Published by Samyama

Sriram Nair from Ahmedabad has always had a soft spot in his heart for food. He grew up with a family that bonded over food which helped him pick up his spatula when he was only 6-years-old. When he headed off to Europe to get his Masters in International Business, and later for work, he started to explore a whole new world of food whilst trying to learn new cultures. What he was most inspired by was their concept of fresh farm to table meals. Sriram was overjoyed by how much the freshness added to the flavor of the dishes and how it also affected his health positively. When he came back home to Ahmedabad, he decided to share his joy for these newly discovered ways of life. He wanted to create awareness and educate people about the harm processed food can do for you and how making things from scratch will usher a healthier lifestyle. With this goal in mind, he began Terra cafe, which is known today for its dishes from diverse cultures …

“I found that Food is an Expression of Identities and Histories” – Art Curator and Author Tanya Abraham from Kerala Chats about Her Newly Launched Book ‘Eating with History’

Published by Roots & Leisure

Today, we have with us, a very interesting guest who is here to share some insight into the evolution of the very rich culture and cuisines of Kerala, that emerged as a result of the ancient spice trade in this southern part of the country. Spices still are a huge part of trading activity in Kerala with over three-fourths of spice exports from India sourced from the state. That said, let us say hello to Tanya Abraham from Kochi, an ex-journo, and now a published author, who has just launched her second book titled ‘Eating With History: Ancient Trade-Influenced Cuisines of Kerala.’ Over a quick chat, we dig into her roots, colorful journey of Kerala cuisine, and of course her book. Hi Tanya, so nice to have you with us! Please introduce yourself to our readers. My name is Tanya Abraham and I was raised in Fort Kochi, an ancient town in Kerala. I currently live in Kochi. I work as an art curator and am the founder of the non-profit ‘The Art Outreach Society …

Abhilasha Sinha, a Singer-Songwriter from Delhi, is Making Waves With Her Soulful Music

Published by Samyama

This soulful singer-songwriter from Delhi is quickly making a name for herself in one of the largest music hubs in the world, New York. Abhilasha Sinha is incredibly passionate about music and can’t remember a time without it. From lively road trips to jam sessions with her mother and her harmonica, music was part of her life growing up. Currently pursuing her masters degree in Music Business from NYU, she leads a passionate life as a singer-songwriter. She recently finished her India tour and is producing more songs just around the bend. Let’s have a peek at what’s going on with her! Head over to the link in bio to read our conversation with this lively artist. Hello Abhilasha! It’s so exciting to be able to have this conversation with you. Please do give us a brief snippet of your journey so far. I’m a 25-year singer-songwriter from New Delhi, now living in New York. I’m a feminist, a food lover, body+skin positivity advocate, and an avid thrift-store shopper. I’ve been living in New York …

Rootsandleisure_Ishrat Sahgal_Mishcat Co carpet

Ishrat Sahgal, an Entrepreneur From Delhi, Blends Sustainability & Creativity With Her Venture Mishcat Co. Carpets

Published by Samyama

Ishrat Sahgal is known for her creative vision as well as sustainable business ideas. She grew up in Chandigarh but calls Delhi and London her home today. After studying interior architecture and art history, she created a new venture – Mishcat Co. The company boasts a beautiful array of uniquely designed carpets. The special aspect of these carpets is that they are made by using sari yarn which is leftover scrap after creating saris. This upcycle is reducing waste by repurposing it into something incredibly inspired. The carpets themselves are made with the collaboration of artisans in small villages in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Ishrat is incredibly attached to this cause of bringing traditional Indian culture and craft to a global platform. She has been in an impressive list of achievers – and the most notable achievement being one of Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018. We had a chat with her about what makes Mishcat Co her passion venture and how it all began, below. Hi Ishrat! Thank you for taking the time to …

Shweta Verma from Goa is a Family Photographer Whose Pictures Will Leave You Smiling

Published by Samyama

Shweta Verma was originally from Bihar but now lives in Goa and is a family photographer. Her work stands out as she has an eye for capturing the true essence of each child and family. What started as street photography and taking pictures of her lovely daughter, her love for photography grew with each picture she took. She believes in creating history with her pictures. Something that each client can preserve and protect. She has a chat with us about what keeps her motivated and her process working with babies, children and lovely families. Hello Shweta! Please introduce us to your life and photography. My name is Shweta Verma, I am originally from Bihar but now I stay in Panjim, Goa. I am an engineer by education but I left my consultant job to pursue photography as a profession when my daughter was born. What initially sparked your interest in photography? My initial days of photography were all about streets. It all started in the country my daughter was born in – Basel in Switzerland. …

Pritika Krishnakumar, a Bharatanrityam Dancer Based in Bangalore, Tells Us About Pursuing This Traditional Craft

Published by Samyama

Pritika Krishnakumar is a Bharatanrityam dancer based in Bangalore. Currently training under the acclaimed Radha Kalpa dance company, this graceful dancer knew Bharatanatyam was her passion at the age of 4. On usual days, she is training and honing her craft. She says, “there’s a lot that goes into making a dance performance look effortlessly beautiful. Hours of training and learning. I enjoy the process and hope that people can see through all the hard work.” Know more this flawlessly talented girl journey as we chat with her. Hello Pritika! At Roots and Leisure we value strong cultural connections. So, when we heard about your mastery in a traditional artform, we were very excited to chat with you! Thank you for being here. Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hi! My name is Pritika Krishnakumar. I’m a 27-year-old, Bharatanatyam dancer based in Bangalore. I was born and raised in Mumbai and I started training in this classical art when I was just 7. I began under the tutelage of Guru Dr Jayashree Rajagopalan (Vijji Akka), …

Kavya Madappa from Bangalore, an Eco-warrior Creating Tree-free Paper at Bluecat paper

Published by Samyama

Kavya Madappa is from a hill station in Karnataka, Coorg. Growing up, she was always surrounded with nature – hills, rivers and fresh air. Her love for nature has inspired many of her ideas and revelations, one of them being Bluecat Paper – a venture that makes and sells tree-less paper. It uses various by-products and textile wastes like linen, flax, hemp, coffee husk, mulberry bark, and banana fiber to make creative products like notebooks, coasters and more. With over 650 products, a few installations and an exhibition in Dubai, she has become an eco-warrior! We were amazed to know about her venture and how she is giving her best to make the world a better place! Scroll down to read our chat with her. Hey Kavya, thank you for taking some time out to chat with us. Please introduce yourself to our readers! Hi! My name is Kavya Madappa, I’m 41-year-old. I live in Bangalore even though I am originally from Coorg, Karnataka. My hometown is known as the Scotland of India, with green …

“Every Vintage Car Has a Story Which I Share Through My Art” – Meet Rupali Prakash, an Illustrator and Vintage Car Collector From Bangalore

Published by Samyama

Rupali Prakash, from Bangalore, is a woman of many talents, to say the least! She is an illustrator and the founder of Classic Chase, a company that restores and rents out vintage cars. She combined her two passions—art and vintage cars—to illustrate vintage cars and keep them alive in the form of art, which is a crucial part of Classic Chase. She creates handcrafted merchandise and even works with groups like the Federation of Historic Vehicles of India (FHVI) and with vintage car clubs around the world, both as an automotive illustrator and as a youth adviser. This dynamic woman from Bangalore has got the world on her mind. Get to know her better as we chat about how she manages to find balance and inspiration for her many projects. Hey Rupali, it’s great to have you here! Please introduce yourself to our readers. I’m a Punjadiga (half Punjabi & half Kannadiga) and have spent my whole life on a farm with my parents and younger sister on the outskirts of Bangalore. After doing UG …

Artist and Entrepreneur Gitana Singh From New Delhi Chats About Her Venture “Cocoa Bark Series” Which Offers Unique Personalized Homemade Chocolates

Published by Shanmi

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” ― Linda Grayson Baking and chocolate go hand in hand. For Gitana Singh from Delhi, baking has always been her therapy and a souce of relaxation. A generous soul, Gitana loves gifting the goodies she makes, to friends and family, all the while experimenting with new flavours and toppings. This gave her the idea to start her handmade chocolate venture called “Cocoa Bark Series” last summer. With a wide variety of experimental combinations to choose from, Gitana makes a wide variety of customized chocolates – exactly the way her customers want it. So let’s get to know this multi-talented chocolatier a little bit more. Today, we chat with Gitana Singh, a young musician, foodie and entrepreneur from Delhi. She talks about her handmade chocolate venture, “Cocoa Bark Series” and her journey as a stage artist. Read on to find out more about this lovely soul. Hey Gitana! Thank you for speaking with us. Tell our readers a little about yourself. My name is Gitana Singh. I …

A Chat with the Founders of “Project Otenga” – A Café in Ahmedabad that Brings Together Slow Design and NorthEastern Roots

Published by Shiori Chan

Having a professional degree in designing may be one of the keys to conceptualize and define a structure but to be able to metamorphose it into a café of abstract comfort takes a little more than that. It takes persistence, determination and unsparing creativity to fill every corner with ingenious passion. For Kabyashree and Dayananda these elements came in together at the right time and with the right push to help them blossom their entrepreneurial journey that beautifully combines their passion, their design background and their roots Here’s a chat with the founders of Project Otenga, Ahmedabad – Kabyashree Borgohain from Assam (extreme left) and Dayananda from Manipur (extreme right) . They talk about how the project evolved from a house café in Gandhinagar to a full-fledged space in the University campus in Ahmedabad. Here’s a little background on the founders A native of Assam, Kabyashree Borgohain is a design strategist, a gastronomical food researcher and chef, and an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar . She also has a degree in Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories from and the …