TETE-A-TETE

There is an earnestness about Abhishek Ray that is quite endearing. He has burst upon the fashion scene in Kolkata barely two decades ago but his distinct style, inspired by a keen ethnic sensibility, has found him a loyal list of clientele. Today, Abhishek is climbing the fashion ladder with aplomb. And his success drives …

Prashant Nanda displays his charm and grace without effort to make you comfortable the minute you meet him. Born 2 May 1947, he is an Oriya movie actor and politician from Odisha who has worked in the Oriya film industry as an actor, director, screenwriter, lyricist and playback singer. Meeting him at his residence in …

There is a benign, avuncular air about Shri Kalicharan Saraf, Education Minister, Government of Rajasthan, as he sits in his room at one of Kolkataʼs five-star hotels where we meet him for our tete-a-tete. He is in Kolkata as part of the Honʼble Chief Minister Vasundhara Rajeʼs delegation, visiting the city to promote a vibrant …

There is a special charm about Dr Pranab Dasgupta that makes his patients wax eloquent about him. Most celebrity babies in the city have been delivered by him and their mothers cannot stop talking about his expertise or his kindness. Dr Dasguptaʼs high-profile patients underscore his largesse to thousands of poor patients who have been …

Debaditya is ten years younger than his brother Shiladitya Choudhury but it is a delight to see such wonderful brotherly affection as we meet to bond over lunch at Mani Squareʼs 4o5 and take a peep into the world of two extremely successful eateries that they have begun ‒ Chowman and Oudh 1590. Both brothers …

HONʼBLE MINISTER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT & TRANSPORT, GOVT OF RAJASTHAN Yunus Khan, dashing and handsome, is running his second stint as a cabinet minister in Chief Minister Vasundhara Rajeʼs government and also serving a second term as a legislator. After a smooth innings as Transport and Sports Minister from 2003 to 2008, Khan was one …

“I try and make music that reflects our time, our reality,” says Purbayan Chatterjee over a meal at Square 4o5ʼs impeccable cuisine at Mani Square. He is in Kolkata just for a couple of days before returning to Mumbai where he has set up a second home. “To make space for yourself in the world …

Forty-five years ago, in Rajasthan, a young Indian Government officer, Devendra Raj Mehta, suffered a near-fatal car crash. Among other injuries, his left leg had been broken in forty-three places and it was only the skill of his surgeons that saved it from being amputated. While in the hospital, he read the biography of the …

Aruna Singh is perhaps one of Jaipurʼs most popular fashion designers, outspoken about her pride for all things Rajasthani, be it food, fabric or fables! Her store is a veritable treasure trove of an assortment of high fashion and pret collections and she greets us bright and early with cups of steaming hot tea and, …