Uplifting Society through entertainment, Meet Entrepreneur Ajay Harinath Singh

Entrepreneurship and philanthropy go hand in hand when it comes to the Singh’s & Sons. While being a jury member of the Russian International Family Films festival, In the entertainment sector, Chairman & Managing Director Darwin Platform Group of Companies (DPGC), Ajay Harinath Singh has invested in news media while being the finance backbone to two film production houses from Indias top 5, for 43 films, three of which are Indias most expensive films ever. He has been rightfully bestowed upon the Times Power Men and Young Iconic Entrepreneur Awards, and now he is himself foraying into mainstream commercial content production for cinema, TV, & Web, with his media house headed by DPGC Group COO Dr. Farhad Vijay Arora, also son of film star Vijay Arora & Ex Miss India Dilber Debara.

Of the entire 19 Darwin Platform Group of public listed Companies empire, which is a debt free organisation since inception, and has a asset based turnover of INR 41000Crs, with its presence in Hollywood, Bollywood and Russian films, Darwin Platform Mass Media has a turnover of over INR 289Crs. Providing finance for the entertainment industry at reasonable rates, the company loves to encourage and support good content creation.

Having long associated with Rajiv of Netflix USA, Reshmy of Zee5 & Jay of Zee Entertainment is exciting inspires us to expand our presence to China, Korea, Japan, Czech Republic, Georgia and even setup film cities in India & overseas besides expanding digital distribution platforms for the future says Ajay Harinath Singh. "Our socio economic vision, is to provide a holistic growth to the Indian entertainment industry, and expand it into an organised & secured community, providing employment and fair scope for development of fresh talent, while entertaining and spreading happiness through the masses, hence contributing to the growth of India's GDP" says Haresh Mahapatra DPGC group CFO.

Currently the production house has The Rise of Mangol in post production stages. A mega budget 3 part biopic saga on the life of history's biggest emperor Gengiz Khan. The multilingual film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, English, Telugu and other languages. Along with ready for release parallel cinema peojects like Tera Kya Hoga Lambodar, Azizan and Valet Parking, the company is mulling over the production of the Kangana Ranaut starrer titled Dhaakad, in the pipelines due for release on Diwali 2020 with 3 more films in pre production stages, titled Rickshaw, Lady Luck and en-d-your-ex. "Correct entertainment is the key source of motivation and happines for all, which contributes to the wellbeing of the masses and hence the progress of the nation and humanity as a whole" says Dr. Farhad Vijay Arora.

DPGC will contribute to a paradigm shift in all sectors as it has one of the strongest legal teams headed by Mr.Rohit Jain & Mr.Gaurav Jain. The company has 2 honorary RETD Chief justice of india as advisors and 3 RETD Justice of High court on advisory  Position " says DPGC group CEO Mr. Rahul Ganpule. Darwin platform Govt project Sectors are taken care by Mr Mohammed Anwar Bawla. The diversified  IT & Sales team is headed by Mr. Deepak Jangda , Mr Shiv Charan & Mr Rakesh Vishwakarma.

Aart from creating a storm in the entertainment industry, currently helmed by the multi-faceted Ajay Harinath Singh, has come a long way from their regional banking business from the 1930s to excelling in the fields of mining and oil, shipping logistics and airline, farming, energy, mass media, pharmaceuticals, IT, education, banking and integrated financing, culminating into a debt free conglomerate.

While being considered to be one of the most powerful and influential families in India did not stop Ajay Harinath Singh from working for a number of companies. With a thirst for Indian entrepreneurship, he founded the Darwin Platform Group of Companies , primarily focusing on oil, MiGs, Sukhoi aircrafts and arms & ammunition. The company quickly developed to being a conglomerate specialising in banking, pharmaceuticals, finance, mining, information technology, airline services, and healthcare sectors. He is currently the Chairman of the Darwin Platform Group, owning 96% of the company.

In recent years, Singh has devoted his time to numerous philanthropic endeavours, expanding his charitable activities across oceans! "After being blessed with somuch of success my happines lies in being a medium for society's upliftment and happiness" says Singh. The AHS Food charity was set up in his native India to provide food to homeless and needy and has now opened food kitchens in London (UK) and Philadelphia (US), providing over 3,000 vegetarian meals to the needy! Also, through the Darwin Group branch ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’, he devised a plan and successfully built low-cost hospitals in Latur (Maharashtra) and Bhuj (Gujarat). Raising over Rs. 250 Crore, these hospitals targeted the needs of low-income families in these areas focusing on providing quality and affordable health services. 

Samrat Chatterjee’s birthday party was nothing short of a star-studded affair that saw in attendance

actors of the likes of Anangsha Biswas, Jaideep Ahlawat, Anupriya Goenka, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Pitobash, Nanda Yadav, Preeti Sood, and Singer Composers Nikhil Dsouza, Shadab Hashmi, Ashim Kemson, Rajesh Roy, etc. The celebs were spotted dancing till the wee hours of the morning while enjoying lip-smacking delicacies at Pind Masala, Andheri West. Check out the adjacent pictures!

Massakali Movement strives to empower the Indian Handloom Weaver Shabana Azmi, Bhagyashree and Sharmila Thackeray Grace The Event

In order to revive the Indian handloom industry, and to keep the craftsmanship of the Paithani weaver women alive and breathing, Shraddha Sawant and her brainchild Massakali had brought together more than 500 handloom sarees to an exhibition at Novotel, Juhu. Handloom lovers and actresses Shabana Azmi and Bhagyashree were present along with Sharmila Thackeray, actress Indira Krishnan, filmmaker Anusha Srinivasan Iyer and Indian ethnic wear influencer Mamta Sharma Das aka The Bohobaalika, among many other celebrities. It was a pleasure to see them mingle with the weavers and their families, showing exactly how special a place handloom has in their hearts, as they all walked in wearing exclusive Massakali creations.

Shraddha Sawant had flown in two of their Paithani weavers along with one of their looms to recreate the entire weaving atmosphere to give the onlookers the opportunity to have a go at the weaving process. Paithani sarees jostled with several other handloom sarees such as Benarasi, Chanderi, Khadi-Jamdani, Ikat, Zari, Kanjivaram, and Garhwal at the well attended exhibition. 

Decoding the name of the brand, Sawant explained, “Massakali means a bird in flight, and stands for freedom, peace and prosperity – all the things I wish for our weaver community this festive season, especially our lady weavers.”

Emphasising how difficult the situation is for the weaving community, she stated, “The weavers are a tremendously talented but impoverished lot, all for lack of connectivity with buyers. They deserve to be valued by the urban audience, and patronised suitably for them to be able to continue to keep alive the age-old traditional process of weaving. That’s where Massakali steps in, and helps them live their lives happily while continuing their chosen vocation.”

Wishing to infuse new economic oxygen into the art of weaving before the tradition becomes extinct, Sawant continued, “The handloom industry is a vehicle to provide rural employment to protect our cultural heritage. Through Massakali, I am trying to revive the tradition-bearers who are in a state of penury, as well as bring back the symbol of India’s glorious cultural legacy – it’s weaving art.” 

Sawant also teaches weavers how to create exclusive designer sarees, besides the traditional weaves. “At least, once in a month, we personally visit small villages and interact with the weavers. We also give them new design ideas. They feel encouraged and motivated,” she smiled.

“When we preserve the dignity of the Indian craftsman, we actually help ourselves. Handloom is not just eco-friendly; it also lessens the carbon footprint as the revival slows down rural migration, besides making us torchbearers of a resurgence of hundreds of marvelous regional Indian weaves and techniques." 

Shabana Azmi, noted as much for her onscreen magnetism as for her penchant for handlooms, admitted, “My love for handlooms stems from my childhood. My mother was also a huge patron of Indian handloom sarees. When I have played the role of a weaver’s wife in Shyam Benegal’s movie “Susman”, I realised that women are allowed only peripheral status in this trade. I commend Shraddha heartily for involving women weavers and empowering them in the process.”

Ageless beauty Bhagyashree shared a sartorial secret, “I have plenty of Paithani sarees which were worn by my mother, which I hope that my daughter would wear and that her daughter would wear some day, for a very simple reason – that they are strikingly gorgeous!” 

She makes an amazing point when she said, “With sarees like these that retain their beauty forever, it is not only ones’ jewellery that one can hand down to our children but also these sartorial gems.” Both the artists heartily endorsed the support of handloom usage in everyday as well as festive wear, and appealed to all to come forward in support of the weavers energetically.

These Rains, Keep Your Ears Safe

Rains make us susceptible to a bouquet of diseases such as dengue, malaria, colds… and ear-aches! Yes, rains are the ripe time for many ear-related issues to crop up…

Audiologist-Speech Therapist Devangi Dalal and co-founder of JOSH Foundation agrees, “During monsoon, fungal ear infections are quite commonplace. Such infections may cause painful itches that are aggravated by scratching with cotton swabs and other similar objects, thus resulting in more damage than the infection itself. Remember that fungal infections breed like mushrooms in the monsoons. So in case your ears itch for more than a day, consider consulting a specialist.”

The main area of concern in this monsoon season coupled with humid weather is the beating our immune systems take. “Infections become more common in the rains because our immunities are at their weakest,” avers Dalal. “The key is to boost our immunity by taking proper precautions. So, when you can, choose hot beverages like hot soups and teas to keep yourself warm and also to boost your immune system.”

“It’s easy to be unaware of ear canals getting blocked with trapped ear wax or water, especially with all the assorted aches and pains in this season. Protect your ears and pay your doctor a visit when in pain because fungal ear infections are painful, and require at least 21 days to heal,” she concludes.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is very fond of me, just like he is fond of all his followers – Asha Bhosle Asha Bhosle & Zanai Bhosle With Rajita Kulkarni Announce Their Songs In Gratitude To Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Veteran singer Padma Vibhushan Asha Bhosle & granddaughter Zanai Bhosle, along with writer Rajita Kulkarni, announced their songs, in gratitude to the Spiritual & Humanitarian Leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at Pancham Studios, Andheri West. While Asha Bhosle has sung one song, Zanai has sung the other. 


On being asked if Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar knew about the songs, Asha Bhosle expressed, “I’ve not spoken to Gurudev about the songs but I have met him several times. He is very fond of me, just like he is fond of all his other followers.” On why she chose to take up these songs, added the veteran singer, “Not all songs are about romance or love. There are other emotions as well, especially those that connect us to God. And songs in gratitude to Gurudev connect us with God.” Incidentally, Asha Bhosle has also composed the music for the songs!

This is not Zanai Bhosle’s first collaboration with her grandmother! “This song is very close to my heart. She is my grandma! We tour and perform the world over, but when we come back home, she is still my same daadi who cooks my favourite meals for me... Nothing changes,” averred an ecstatic Zanai Bhosle. The young songstress also professed her devotion to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, saying she feels “blessed” to have sung for him.

Apart from their penchant for spirituality, the grandmother-granddaughter duo share an affectionate bond. “Zanai doesn’t trouble me at all! She cooks food really well and also feeds me with a lot of love. She is well-versed with our sabhyata. She binds our family together. She is also trained in classical dance since the age of seven, apart from having been trained in Indian classical music. And now, she also sings Western Opera too. She has been studying and training and she is just 17!” The legendary singer had the final word.

रोहित वर्मा ने किया आयएसीए २०१९ 'फेस्टिवल ऑफ इंडिया' अटलांटा में भारत का नाम ऊंचा।

इंडियन अमेरिकन कल्चरल एसोसिएशन (IACA), अटलांटा द्वारा आयोजित किए गए २४ वे फेस्टिव्हल ऑफ इंडिया समारोह में, डिजाइनर रोहित वर्मा ने अपने प्रमुख फैशन शो के लिए वाह वाह पायी। महोत्सव के इस संस्करण में रोहित वर्मा द्वारा रनवे पर की प्रस्तुति सफल रही, विशेष रूप से महोत्सव के IACA चेयरपर्सन डॉ. (श्रीमती) पॅडी शर्मा आंतरराष्ट्रीय डिजाइनर रोहित वर्मा के फैशन शो की शुरुआत करने  रनवे पर चली।


आनंदित रोहित वर्मा कहते हैं की, “भगवान कृष्ण ने मुझे जो भी अवसर दिए हैं, उसके लिए मैं उनका सदा आभारी हूं। मैं डॉ. पॅडी शर्मा का शुक्रागुजर हू कि उन्होने मेरी इस फॅशन शो की शुरुआत की और रन वे पर चली, और सच मानो  तो वास्तव में सभी को उन्होने मंत्रमुग्ध कर दिया। ”

रोहित वर्मा २०१९ के इस फेस्टिवल ऑफ इंडिया 'में शो के असली सितारे थे; उन्होंने न केवल अपनी चकाचौंध भरे कलेक्शन दिखाए, बल्कि एक शानदार फैशन शो सादर किया। इस कार्यक्रम के लिए  IACA चेयरपर्सन श्रीमती डॉ पॅडी शर्मा,  श्री एनी अग्निहोत्री और फैशन इवेंट के सह-समन्वयक  किरण अग्निहोत्री भी उपस्थित थी। IACA अटलांटा में भारतीयों का सबसे बड़ा और सबसे पुरानी नफा रहित संस्था है और पिछले २३ वर्षों से वे फेस्टिव्हल ऑफ इंडिया का आयोजन कर रहे हैं।

इस महोत्सव का अध्याय पूरे दिन सांस्कृतिक गतिविधियों से भरा था और अटलांटा के भारतीय वाणिज्य दूतावास एवं स्थानीय राजनेता इतना ही नही, जॉर्जिया के ३००० से अधिक लोग यहां उपस्थित थे।

Brothers Aditya Roy Kapur, Siddharth Roy Kapur laud Kunaal Roy Kapur’s film Mushkil - Fear Behind You, Directed by Rajiv S Ruia, Produced by Ravinder Jeet Dariya

Revered producer Siddharth Roy Kapur and teen heartthrob Aditya Roy Kapur, along with their parents Salome and Roy, and Kunaal’s wife Shayonti, came together to attend the premiere of Kunaal’s loverboy debut movie Mushkil - Fear Behind You. The two brothers proudly walked alongside Kunaal and family, and gave everyone family goals!

”My family has always been supportive but they are critics. But I am glad we watched the film together and they loved it! People who love horror should surely watch Mushkil.” said Kunaal Roy Kapur. Mother Salome admitted she loved the ending whereas Shayonti Roy Kapur loved Kunaal the romantic, “I’m terrified of the horror genre but I loved the story in it.”

The joy and pride on the faces of Kunaal's wife, and the brothers' parents was there for all to see, especially since Kunaal was stepping into younger brother Aditya's romantic hero territory for the first time. 

Considering their busy schedules, one might think it would be ‘mushkil’ to catch the three brothers together, but love makes anything possible!