JANUARY 2019

WELCOME BACK FELLOWSHIP

21 Mon10.15 A.M

Madras Club

8, Adyar Gate Club Road

R.A. Puram

Chennai 600 028

Please join us for a morning of fun and laughter as we come together for the first IWA meeting of 2019.Lets start this year by strengthening our bonds of friendship and goodwill.

Come dressed in shades of Blue - associated with intelligence,tranquility and courteousness - qualities of the quintessential IWA woman!

Please note this is a members only meeting.

ARTS & HANDICRAFTS

23 Wed 10.15 A.M

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

Arts & Handicrafts

Varnam: Colours; an ode to colourful India

Varnam is a multi-award winning social enterprise that has been working with artisans in Channapatna for over six years.

Our speaker Karthik Vaidyanathan, the founder of Varnam, hails from the Chettinad region of South India. Born and brought up in Mumbai he currently resides in Bangalore. An Engineer-MBA by qualification, Karthik has no formal training in design.

 Varnam was born in late 2011 during Karthik’s trip to Mysore enroute Channapatna. The colourful toys of Channapatna left him fascinated

and created in him, an urge to learn more about the craft. Karthik’s endeavor is to merge his aesthetic sensibilities and design philosophy into traditional crafts. His thought is to reorient our crafts to the modern context by ensuring that each design has a utilitarian value in the present times. The result is a series of designs interpreting this two hundred old toy-making craft in the home and lifestyle space that includes lighting; kitchen, dining and bar accessories; children’s room décor and toys.

COOKING SWAPSHOP

29 Tue 10.15 A.M

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation BankRoyapettah,

Chennai 600 014

 Chutney Chatter

As we all know, there are so many types of chutneys prepared in India which are traditional not just to our own homes but even the community we come from. With great pleasure, we invited a few of our very own members to share a chutney recipe which is unusual in their kitchen.

In the festive spirit and one for sharing joy, join us in learning some new chutney recipes which the ladies will proudly share, so we can try them out in our own homes.

Looking forward to sharing chutney recipes and chatter with you.

Hope you will join us for this wonderful morning.

CURRENT EVENTS

31 Thu 10.15 A.M

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

“What I am Asking is Fairness tothe Athlete.” - Varsha Gautham

Varsha Gautham is the youngest Indian to win an Asian Games medal, at the age of 16, in 2014.A bitter court battle almost forced Varsha Gautham to quit the Asiad this year, but perseverance helped her to tide over the crisis and

clinch a silver medal in sailing at the Asian Games.It was a tough time for her. On numerous occasions the thought occurred to her as to whether she would make it. She always had the belief that she could win a medal, but the hardest part was to actually get to be a part of the Indian squad to the Asiad.Trials and tribulations of an athlete is little known to us. 

Varsha is in conversation with Gita Chandrasekaran, sharing her experiences with IWA.

DECEMBER

CURRENT EVENTS

4 Tue 10.15 AM

E. Hotel

Gate No.1, Express Avenue Mall

Patullos Road

Chennai 600 002 

‘Can we transform a million Indian government schools in our lifetime?’

Aditya Natraj, CEO, Piramal School of Leadership, and the founder and director of Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF), is the son of our IWA member, Sushila Natraj.

Aditya says,”In the last twenty years India has expanded quantitatively and built the largest education system in the world with 1.5 million schools and 8 million teachers. But quality is a huge problem. Fifty percent of fifth graders cannot read a paragraph in their mother tongue. OECD ranked us 83 out of 84 countries that took the test. Can anything be done?”

KEF is a change management organisation that focuses on transforming the

quality of education in public schools.Kaivalya Education Foundation aims to create a generation of school leaders who are empowered with the skills to create a large-scale,systemic impact.Join us as Aditya takes the discussion forward and tells us how he found meaning in life in India’s villages.

Please note: This is a programme presented by our IWA Next Gen.

ARTS & HANDICRAFTS

6 Thu 10.15 AM

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

Saris: Nationhood, and Consumption in Urban India

Our speaker, Dr Kaamya Sharma is a Post doctoral Fellow at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Madras. She received her Ph.D. from the Department of Global Studies at the School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University.Her doctoral work was an ethnographic investigation of revival movements and identity projects centered on the sari in urban south India.

Saris are a part of the fabric of everyday life in India, with a ubiquitous and naturalized presence. Yet, we know little about the history and evolution of this garment. Dr Kaamya will take us through a selective history of the sari, highlighting moments of sartorial conflict and change from colonization to independence and after. She will focus on the handloom sari, discuss policy and private efforts to frame craft as a nation-building activity in order to save artisanal livelihoods.

Dr Kaamya will also throw light on how saris figure in craft-based,cinematic, kitsch and fashionable imaginations.

BOOK DISCUSSION & CURRENT EVENTS

7 Fri 10.15 AM

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank Royapettah,

Chennai 600 014

What’s in your Attic?

“In a small town by the river Nila, a thirty-five-year-old writer kills  herself.

No one knows why.Fifty-two years later, an antique cupboard in a private resort opens to reveal a frightened child. And the mystery begins to unravel.”

That, dear members, is an exclusive excerpt from the novel, Eating Wasps.

Would you like to read on and/or meet the author of these intriguing lines?

She has received many awards and her books have been translated into over thirty-one languages around the world. She is also the founder of the creative writing and mentorship program Anita’s Attic.

Best selling and critically acclaimed author and poet, essayist and screenplay writer, Anita Nair interacts with the IWA ladies this December. The lady’s writings embrace female protagonists and the parallel journey in books and the current world scenario make for an interesting comparison.

Come, armed with questions (one each) and go back with an autographed book or two!

MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS

11 Tue 10.15 AM

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

What no one tells you about starting up!!

Standup Comedian Karthik Kumar has written 3 standup solo specials (#Poke Me, Second Decoction & Blood Chutney) and performed over 500 shows across India and international markets such as USA, UK,Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. He is also one of the founders of South India’s largest standup movement – ‘Evam Standup Tamasha’ that produces shows regularly and manages a repertory of comedians and theatre artists’ pan-India.

In September, Karthik Kumar launched his debut book on entrepreneurship “Don’t Startup” using his journey with Evam as a reference. The book was written from a perspective of ‘I wish I had known these things when I started my own Entrepreneurship!’. In thishu mor-laced talk he will be detailing his journey as an entrepreneur and discussing his book. Come and whet your appetite for starting up and enjoy life’s lessons comedy-style.

COOKING SWAPSHOP

13 Thu 10.15 AM

Sansara Hall, The Park Hotel

601, Anna Salai

Nungambakkam

Chennai 600 016

Experience Thai Food

Lotus is the speciality Thai restaurant at The Park. The restaurant boasts of a menu, crafted meticulously by Master Chef Satit Chaimano, native to Thailand. Join us to experience this demo of Thai cuisine.

A big thank you to Mr Rajesh Radhakrishnan for facilitating this IWA event.

This will be a warn-in meeting. We kindly request you to Whatsapp Nandi (988407070014) or Nalini (9884958629) between December 5-10th.

Hope you will join us for this wonderful morning.

Please note that the demonstration will begin at 10:30 AM and snacks and refreshments will be served at the end.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

19 Wed 10.30 AM

The Raintree

636, Anna Salai,

Teynampet

Chennai 600035Christmas Celebration

“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.”

                                                                                                                      - Winston Churchill

Please join us for a morning of Christmas festivities, when we come together in fellowship to celebrate this special time of year.            

Come dressed in colors of green, red and gold for fun, laughter and joyous carol singing followed by a scrumptious lunch generously provided by The Rain Tree Hotel, Anna Salai.

Please note this is a members only meeting.

NOVEMBER

CURRENT EVENTS

2 Fri 04.15 PM

E. Hotel

Gate No.1, Express Avenue Mall

Patullos Road

Chennai 600 002

#MeToo: How a Hashtag Became a Rallying Cry

The #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault has exploded in India’s entertainment and news industries and reached the highest echelons of government. This online outrage has grabbed the headlines and air waves.

This evening holds a discussion and joint conversation on the #MeToo phenomenon with Chennai-based attorney Poongkhulali Balasubramanian and IWA member Rinku Mecheri. Advocate

Balasubramanian works closely with several non-governmental organisations engaged in the cause of marginalised groups and also regularly assists organizations to ensure compliance under the law preventing sexual harassment at the workplace.

Please note this is an evening meeting.

HEALTH & ECOLOGY

13 Tue 10.15 AM

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

Bio Degradable Plastic

With the growing concern of the harmful effects of plastic on the environment, the aspect of Bio Degradability of Plastic, brings hopeful solutions.

T.S. Shankar is a channel media controller by profession. His dream to abate pollution caused by non-degradable plastic bags, led him to become an entrepreneur and launch Biotech Bags India Pte.Limited.

"I always wanted to be an entrepreneur as well as do something for the environment”, says this environment enthusiast. Biotech Bags successfully explored the possibility of an enzyme and bacteria based substrate to penetrate the polyethylene chain structure effectively and thus create Bio Degradable Plastics.

Join us as Mr. Shankar gives a presentation on Bio Degradable Plastic.

Let’s all do our bit to Save Planet Earth!

ART & HANDICRAFTS

15 Thu 10.15 AM

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 01

        The Saga of storytelling – More than a story !

The Art of Story telling is usually associated with entertainment. Little known is the fact that its potency extends to various other spheres;which include education, healing, personal discovery, transformation and more.

Our speaker, Indu Divya is a professional storyteller, speaker and a story coach. She believes deeply in the magic of storytelling to engage,entertain and inspire. Personal Storytelling is the genre she most enjoys and considers to be her niche. Through her brand, The Narrative, she empowers people by helping them connect and communicate effectively both, with themselves and others through heir stories.

Indu will focus on personal stories, the stories we tell others and the stories we tell ourselves and how we might use and rescript our stories to our advantage.

MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS

20 Tue 05.00 PM

Sivagami Petachi

Auditorium

176, Luz Church Road

Mylapore, Chennai 600004

Bollylicious!Bollywood and Delicious

With their initial mission of promoting Indian dance forms on professional platforms in Europe, four young Belgian dancers established Bollylicious dance group. Today it comprises of Laura Neyskens, Ayla Joncheere, Julie Thomas, Tom Decuyper and Sooraj Subramaniam. Bollylicious is a very conscious balancing act where the dancers are intercultural mediators fusing Indian dance with contemporary dance techniques while respecting its roots and

traditions.This world-renowned group has performed in honour of dignitaries such as Prime Minister Modi, Amitabh Bachchan, Sushma Swaraj, their majesties the King and Queen of Belgium and at the Jaipur Literary Festival. They will be performing dances related to Hindi cinema as well as Indian folk music and semi-classical forms in a liberal hybrid manner fused with non-Indian dance styles.

Don’t miss this chance to enjoy Bollywood the Danish way!

CURRENT EVENTS

22 Thu10.15 A.M

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

“Money Moves!”

“You’ve got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.”- Dave Ramsey

Money is the commodity we all love to have, but often hate addressing. The world of personal finance is filled with soporific spreadsheets and technical jargon. And yet, it is an essential discipline of every household. 

Aparna Ram Mohan, Managing director, Srisattva Group, guides us through the key takeaways of the world of personal finance. Aparna is also Director, IQPC (International Quality and Productivity Center) India and South Africa, as well as an Active Advisor to Board of Directors of various Companies across the globe.

Join us as Aparna unfolds the truly transformative money moves that have the power to change our lives. Personal finance is everything to do with managing your money and saving and investing. Become aware, show interest, look around, and know the difference!

It’s your money. Your life. Take charge.

PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION

27 Tue 04.00 P.M

E. Hotel

Gate No.1, Express Avenue Mall

Patullos Road

Chennai 600 002

Garland of Ghazals

Originating fromthe Sufi mysticism of Arabia, the musical form of ghazal is woven around the theme of longing and loss, the pain of separation and unconditional love. Ghazals celebrate Love, perhaps the most uplifting human emotion. Many ghazal couplets can be interpreted in a spiritual manner with the Beloved being a metaphor for the Divine.

Salman Usmani who hails from Lucknow is an accomplished singer of ghazals. He learned music withUstad Gulshan Bharti from the Senia gharana . Salman will present a garland of ghazals interspersed withcommentary.Soak yourself in the mellifluous strains of poets who have wielded their pens with finesse and feeling.

Please note this is an evening meeting.

BOOK DISCUSSION

29 Thu 10.15 A.M

The Folly, Amethyst

Whites Road

Next to Corporation Bank

Royapettah, Chennai 600 014

Meet the Young Author from ourvery own Chennai

The Ammuchi Puchi ,The High Priestess Never Marries Witchcraft,

The Altar of The Only World,The Queen of Jasmine Country.Do these titles intrigue you? Hazard a guess what topics they could possibly cover and then come and spend a delightful morning with Sharanya Manivannan. We will trace her life from India through Sri Lanka, Malaysia and back to India, as she wins accolades along the way, expressing herself through books, poetry and even a children’s picture book!

Teaser: Sharanya was specially commissioned to write and perform a poem at the 2015 Commonwealth Day Observance in Westminster Abbey, London, to an audience which included the British royal family.