Savvy C\ The Resource Centre \)

Date: 01/04/2017 Page No: 01 Location: Main Circulation: 185000

Edition: National

HEIRESS ENTREPRENEUR

BOPS TO HER OWN TUNE!

. ..

THE WAY YOU SIT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU

RODRICKS ON GIFTING HIS BRAND TO SCHULEN FERNANDES

fENDS WITH NEFITS:

ARE YOU SERIOUSLY UP TO IT?!

A MAGNA* PUBLICATION www.sawy.co.ln

?75 APRIL 2017

NEWSSTAND COPY

STRESSED

Copyright of the article is with the publication

Cover Photograph Rohan Shresbta Makeup Rosario BelMonte

Hair Gabriel Georgian Stylist Gebneila Peine

14 I Believe Ananya Birla on being a Birla heiress,

juggling her own businesses and pursing

her musical dreams.

27 Fashion 28 FASHION FERVOUR

Satya Paul's exquisite floral collection

32 HAUTE COUTURE The hottest international fads

34 STYLE PICKS Best fashion buys

36 STYLE STEPPER Wendell Rodricks and Schulen

Fernandes, unplugged!

40 TREND SPOT Sizzle in the season's hottest fashion

trends

45 Body & Beauty 46 FITNESS SAWY

Shape up with animal moves

51 SLEEP WELL Actress Saumya Tandon shares her sleep

mantras

52 BODY BASICS What does your sitting posture say about

you?

56 INTIMATE SAWY Friends With Benefits - are you game?

60 HEALTHY HIGH Cues for a healthier 'n' happier life

62 UNWIND SAWY De-stress and relax

66 SEX TALK Sex queries, answered!

70 THE LOOK The hottest makeup trends

72 BEAUTY BLOOM Funky new beauty trends on the block

74 BEAUTY SAWY Summer cues for your skin and hair

SAW WOMAN

"Ananya and I have known each other since we were

six - when we'd create castles out of her bunk bed!! No

surprise, she's the queen of pop now! She has the biggest

heart and is the best friend anyone could have - she's a

compassionate, loyal and understanding person."

-Ayesha Khandelwal, Ananya's best friend

"Ananya has a very strong business instinct. I feel

particularly proud of her ability to work really hard and

provide very effective leadership to her team. She has

done us really proud."

- Kumar Mangalam Birta, Chairman, Aditya Birta Group and Ananya's father

"Ananya hasalways been a very sensitive individual who is

deeply hurt when she sees suffering, hypocrisy and unjust

behaviour. She is extremely self-driven and ambitious,

but is also balanced. Two of her guiding thoughts have

been: 'Failure is not an option' and 'Fall down seven, get

up eight!'. As a daughter, Ananya is fiercely protective of

me and very respectful. As a best friend, she is a non-

judgemental sounding board, and is very lovingand caring!

- Neerja Birta, industrialist and Ananya's mother

SAWY APRIL 2017 12

- Ananya Birla Interviewed by

Delia Almeida Photograph: Rohan Shreshta

Makeup: Rosario BelMonte Hair: Gabriel Georgiou Stylist: Gabriella Deme

"I believe that if you have a

dream, own it, work

hard and go for it.

Age is never a barrier and

gender shouldn't

be.'

"I Believe I am a 'SAVVY' woman

because...

Following one's dream has always been part of my family's

lineage, so I would be taking it forward not only with my

music but my businesses as well. I hope I can make my

parents, Neerja and Kumar Mangalam Birla, and eventually

the entire country, proud of me.

ACTION-PACKED CHILDHOOD

My childhood has always been busy thanks to my mom. From

young, mum sent me swimming at 5 a.m every day which led

to me becoming a state level swimmer. After swimming,

I'd go to school - Bombay International School, would be

home by 3.30-4 p.m, followed by an hour-and-a-half of

homework. I had a set, disciplined routine. I also went

for a lot of specialized classes like calligraphy, drama,

dance, mathematics and santoor after school.

Of course, there was play time too - I used to live in a

building called Palazzo near the Malabar Hill Club - and

after playing in the compound with my friends, I would

I was away from the press and red carpet zones because my parents didn't want me to face that side of the world so soon.

me, and he had a tiny plait. I remember getting up from

my mom's lap, going up to him and pulling his plait, and

after I did that, the bhajans and everything just stopped.

There was another incident, where this boy used to bully

my brother Aryaman, who was a very quiet boy. So we

made a plan in the garden to hide behind a wall and

throw mud on his face. I told my helper Lata to give us

Little Ananya With her best friend Ayesha With sister Advaitesha and mom Neerja Birla

come home and hit the bed. I also loved playing chess

and participating in athletics, especially the 800 meters

run. Table tennis and football were my other hobbies

as a child.

YOUNG & PLAYFUL

I was a very curious kid. I remember there was a puja

going on once and all of us were sitting on the floor on

gaddhas. One of the pandits' backs was slightly facing

a signal when that boy passed by, and we threw mud on

him. After that, he stopped his bullying. I then told him

that what he was doing was unfair and that I wanted to

give him a taste of his own medicine. This story is not

funny as such, but just an indication of how we've always

had each other's backs.

As for my sister Advaitesha, even though we have a 10-

and-a-half year gap between us, I am very close to her. She

15 SAVVY APRIL 2017

I didn't spend too much time with Yash (Birla) or any of the other family members.

is very mature for her age and I spend a lot of time with

her. She even comes to work, finishes her homework there,

and also sits in on our meetings with me. My brother is

homeschooled and is currently pursuing his A levels. He

is very talented and at present wants-to pursue cricket.

I will support him in whichever career path he takes. I

don't spend too much time with him, but family dinners

and holidays are a must. We recently went on a family

holiday to Mussorie, Hrishikesh and Bangalore.

TO BE A BIRLA SCION

Being the daughter of the Birlas is the same as being a

daughter to any normal parent. We had a very normal

upbringing. My parents never put me in the public eye while

growing up. I would attend a filmiawards night, but would

not go into the press or red carpet zones because my

parents didn't want me to face that side of the world so

soon. I felt very loved as a child.

However, I didn't spend too much time with Yash (Birla)

or any of the other family members maybe because our

family is so big that we hardly had the time to catch up!

Sometimes, we do go out for lunches but I am just really

close to my immediate family - my mom, dad, siblings

and grandmom.

But the one thing I have been taught is to always stay

true to myself and my values. They are important to

keep you grounded. My mother once gave me a small

box and three small dolls and said, 'Anan, if you ever

have a problem, tell the doll and put it in the box and

the doll will solve the problem for you'. I still practise

this exercise - I forget my worries and leave them

to God. My father, on the other hand, has always

encouraged me to follow my dreams, make mistakes

and continue to move forward...

SCHOOLING TRAVAILS

Coming to my school life, I never quite understood the

system of schooling until I went to the American School

With CuroCarte's COO - Kanupriya Verma

My father has always encouraged me to follow my dreams, make mistakes and continue to move forward. of Bombay, where I had to apply my knowledge and

didn't have to just mug up things and spit them out. Till

the 8,h grade, I was in Bombay International School,

after which I was homeschooled. I then went to the

American School of Bombay for my IB, but dropped

out for my A levels. I must say I got the best of

both worlds - formal and homeschooling; and had

a very close set of loyal friends. However, when I

was homeschooled, I had a lot of free time, which I

devoted to my music and other hobbies. After that,

I took a gap year and started Svatantra.

MY FIRST VENTURE - SVATANTRA

Svatantra is a microfinance company, a mini lending

bank of sorts. I started Svatantra when I was 17, and

so am very emotionally attached to it. We lend loans

to women in rural and semi-urban areas in India to

financiallysupport their businesses. Svatantra means

'freedom' in Hindi, and the key aim is to encourage

entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, financial literacy

and inclusion.

Growing up, I saw a huge income gap in our country.

There were so many people on the streets without food

and then there were people like me, who were blessed

with so much. I always wanted to do something to

give back. But I didn't believe in completely giving

back because it's not sustainable. People always

value things more when there is a small cost attached

to it. Microfinance seemed to fit that bill. What

you are doing is giving small loans to women with

existing businesses. You are a catalyst to expand

With Advaitesha and Neerja Birla

GUARANTEED

17 SAVVY APRIL 2017

While studying at Oxford, I learnt how to cook and do my laundry,

their business and they have to repay you with

a slight interest. So they have to work hard to

expand their business. I was always fascinated

by startups.

THE CHALLENGES OF DOING IT AT 17

However, I faced quite a few challenges. I

remember coming home and crying in the

bathroom every day. No one took me seriously

because of my age and I had to prove myself on

a minutely basis. I then put myself in the shoes

of the client and asked myself why I would

take a loan from Svatantra over another micro

financing institution (MFI). The first thing

that came to my mind was the interest rate.

The interest rate in the industry was 32%. At

Svatantra, I cut it down to 20%. All the other

companies were trying to pull it down to 24%

or 22%.

I also realized that the loyalty of the client is

very important to help build a portfolio with

genuine clients. I then made the transactions

cashless. I thought of the field officers carrying

? 4 lakh in their bag and taking it to the clients.

Even if one bag got misplaced, it would affect

the livelihood of 400 people. It was way too

much to lose. Also, the women had so much

to do - take care of families, in-laws, farming

plus their business. The other MFIs had weekly

col lections where the lady had to go to the centre

herself. I accomplished two things - I made

it monthly and ensured that the field officer

reached out to the ladies. That differentiated

us in the market.

M

Vi

SAVVY APRIL 2017

I used to go to Wada (in interior Maharashtra)

almost four times a week to meet the women and

understand their needs. After a couple of months,

everything fell into place. I can't describe how

it felt when we acquired our first client! Then

the 100lh client, then the 1,000th client, and the

numbers kept increasing. Today, Svatantra has

450 branches all over India - in Maharashtra,

Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar

Pradesh and West Bengal.

I learnt a lot - both from my mistakes and

achievements.

ON MY OWN - LIFE AT OXFORD

When Svatantra was stabilised, I went to

England to pursue higher studies at Oxford

University. It was an amazing experience. In

terms of academia, it polished my skills in

economics and management. But it was also

more of a life lesson as I lived by myself in a

dorm first before shifting to a cottage. I learnt

how to cook and do my laundry. I would ride my

bicycle everywhere.

Yes, I did go through a low phase where at

times, I wasn't able to even get out of my

cottage. There was a lot brewing inside me then

which, incidentally, saw an outlet in composing

and writing music. That's when I started gigging

in London. I taught myself to play the guitar as

I had a lot of time to practise. Small things like

people coming up to me and telling me that I

have a beautiful voice, or seeing them dance

to my tune, really encouraged me.

THE CALL OF MUSIC

It was a period where I gained a higher level of

self-awareness, and that's when I knew I wanted

to get into music. But I wondered how I could have

a career in business and music together. Though

my parents were very supportive, I wondered

I wondered how I could get into music,

especially with my kind of family background,

With Afrojack

Kumar Mangalam Birla and Neerja Birla

SAVVY APRIL 2017

to India after Oxford. I met Sunil D'sa,

who is the marketing head of UMI

(Universal Music India, the Indian

arm of Universal Music Group). I got

the whole team - from the director to

the choreographer - for my first single

rvtor&y

break the notion that living the life' is associated only with fancy cars and things like that..:--

With Amitabh Bachchan and my family

Around Afrojack, I enjoyed a certain creative freedom.

'Livin* The Life' via UMI, who connected me

with their home-bred artists.

Before that, I had written the song 'I don't want to

love', and used to go to this small dingy studio near

Phoenix Mills in Lower Parel, Mumbai, to compose

my own music. I produced it and put beats to it,

which at least I thought were very cool. When I

made Sunil hear the song, he asked me to come

straight to the office and sign the papers - that's

how my music journey began. I don't think I

want to release that song as yet because it is

very close to my heart.

LIVIN' THE LIFE - MY FIRST MUSIC VIDEO

I never imagined that I could be a part of a music

video... I would be out at 7 a.m everyday while

shooting for it at Catalina Islands in California.

I would wake up at 3 a.m and I don't think I

was ever that happy. It would be freezing in the

mornings and I would be dressed in a pair of

shortsfortheshoot! But it was a great experience.

I had to get out of my comfort zone. Ace music

director Rob Jacobs and the entire crew made

me feel very comfortable.

The song is peppy, lively, has a good story and

can reach out to many people. It can be played

in cafes and clubs. For me, 'Livin' The Life', as

the term goes,.is all about spreading love and

making people smile. I wanted to break the

notion that 'living the life' is associated only

with fancy cars and things like that...

WORKING WITH MASTER DJ AFROJACK

Itwasanabsoluteswellfeelingworkingwith Nick

(Afrojack's real name). He was open to creative

With Hrithik Roshan and mom Neerja

21 SAWY APRIL 2017

suggestions and understood the vibe I wanted.

Around him, I enjoyed a certain creative freedom.

So I feel very blessed to have come up with a track

that I feel very proud of.

After the launch of my music career, even though there

have been speed bumps, I have had my highest highs

during this journey. I would say peaking on #11 on

Shaazam, a popular global music app, was one of

them. Being the first Indian to have DJ Afrojack's

remix of 'Livin' The Life' being backed by PM:AM,

one of the largest dance labels in the world, was

another one.

WORKING WITH MUM, NEERJA, ON MPOWER

.. .While I was at university, I also worked at a telephone

helpline for students struggling with work, relationships

etc. Many of the callers talked about depression, anxiety

and other mental illnesses. And I learnt that mental

illness affects one in five people, with most conditions

readily treatable. I felt I had to do something about

it, and the best way to start was in my home country.

So when I came back to Mumbai and after kick-

starting my music career, I set up an initiative with

my mother called Mpower Minds, to raise awareness

on mental health issues and to improve access

to good treatment. Firstly, we want to stamp out

the stigma attached to mental illness by creating

awareness. We have opened a centre as well where

we have different types of therapy - pet, art etc - with

psychiatrists and therapists on board. One of our

biggest challenges is the taboo that prevents people

It is very important to bring positivity to the work environment, and I give credit to my team for that.

in India from discussing mental health. To combat

this, we created a digital platform to encourage

sufferers to speak out. In just six months, large

numbers came forward on social media, wanting to

talk about their personal situations...

We also have the Mpower Foundation, where all the

facilities are available at a subsidized rate. It feels

amazing to work with my mom and also to believe in

the same cause as her. I have learnt so much from her.

She handles the three of us which is not easy, plus she

runs two schools!

ANOTHER BIZ VENTURE WITH CUROCARTE

While on a trip to Europe, I met an extremely talented

woman stitching a very beautiful white knit coaster

in a city square. I realized that there are beautiful

handmade products available around the world,

but not accessible to everyone. That's how CuroCarte

- a global e-commerce platform that provides rare,

handmade, high quality luxury products, curated from

different countries - was born. The portal is an eclectic

mix of design, beauty and lifestyle.

PASSION & TEAM

I am also extremely passionate about the work I

do - be it Svatantra, CuroCarte or Mpower. Today, I

With my team At the music studio

have a really good team with strong leaders at Svatantra

- initially, it was hard letting go when you're used to

taking daily decisions, but I had to learn to do that in

order to give time to CuroCarte, Mpower and music.

And when it comes to my employees, I have given

them the liberty to enter work at any time - I don't

know if it's a good or bad thing but as long as the

work is done, I'm fine. We take breaks with Facebook

live, humming music, dubsmash etc and keep

playing pranks all the time. It is very important to

bring positivity to the work environment, and I give

credit to my team for that.

BEYOND BUSINESS

I read a lot of books, go for long drives and play

with my little pet, a Yorkshire terrier called Skai. I

love spending time with family and friends. My New

Year resolution this year was to make people happy and

smile. I like going to an old age home called Lotus at

Haji Ali in Mumbai and playing rummy with the elderly

there. The other day I played with an 87-year-old aunty

and she beat me so bad, despite me being so good at

it! She said she played for the first time after 40 years.

I want to lean towards achieving a higher level of self-awareness by being authentic and true to myself,

LOVE LIFE?

I have been so swamped with work that I really don't

have the time for anything else. At this point, however

cliched it sounds, I'll say that music has been my crush.

Currently, music is my priority. My businesses so far

are doing really well. Looking at my entrepreneurial

baby Svatantra gain a banking license is what I am

aiming at next. Reaching out to more people with

With grandmother Rajashree Biria and mom Neerja Birla

,7,6 00! r»t MS**

I

mmm

SAVVY APRIL 2017 24

Seek out a higher purpose, dream, enjoy life, and continue to question.

Mpower Minds is another. And I am concentrating

on making good, high-quality, relevant and

impactful music. And hopefully, will have an

album out by early 2018.

SPIRITUAL HIGH

On a personal level, I want to lean towards

achieving a higher level of self-awareness by being

authentic and true to myself. I was at a gathering

once where I met the Dalai Lama and it so happened

that I was the only person whose hand he held and

also put his hand on my head. It felt like he healed

me in some way...

I feel I'm very set for my future. I would love to

tell my readers to continue to stay true to yourself.

Seek out a higher purpose, dream, enjoy life, and

conti nue to question - you may not get your answer

immediately, but you will always get it, in some

way or the other.

For more jaw-dropping and inspiring cover stories (I Believe), log on to savvy.co.in

25 SAVVY APRIL 2017