Mumbai Fire Brigade: Do you have the fire within?

The stage burst into flames during the “Make In India” flagship event. There were around 25000 people including artists, horses along with top political leaders and film stars in the line of fire. No casualties but a massive loss of reputation for our government. When everyone was running out and being escorted to safer enclosures, the only team that ran inside to face the flames was the ‘Mumbai Fire Brigade’. Fire fighters go through hours of training and rigorous drills to anticipate danger but their real gut is visible when you watch them lead a rescue operation.

Life Hack: When fire ruins a house the most precious things lost are memories. 
Beware, be aware.

This blog is officially endorsed by the Mumbai Chief Fire Officer Prabhat Rahangdale, the Vlog collaboration has been shot at the Mumbai Fire Brigade head quarters in Byculla. 

Safe rescue of trapped people is the first task assigned to the fire fighters, this is extremely risky and life threatening. They stand for courage and sacrifice, 30ish wanted to bring out their story and understand what goes on inside the mind of a fire fighter. We as citizens take fire safety for granted, its time we get more alert.

This video is a part of Mohit Rao’s series on mind reading, in collaboration with 30ish #WhoseMindNext

Great leadership flows from the top, Mr. Rahangdale is a man with a vision and a very progressive outlook towards public service. He has initiated the fire volunteer training with a goal to train 6000 citizens by mid 2016 ensuring that each fire station will have 200 volunteers raring to go. You can also enrol for this initiative, all the details are available on the official site of the Mumbai Fire Brigade.

Special Thanks to Mumbai Fire Department for keeping us safe

  

Rangilo Rajasthan

Every city in Rajasthan holds a colour within Jaipur is pink, Udaipur is white, Jodhpur is blue and Jhalawar is purple. Rangilo Rajasthan captures the vibe of a hidden jewel, Nawalgarh. There is so much drama in rustic backdrops and timeless art. 

Life Hack: Every wall has 2 stories, a story they tell and a story they hide

I am fascinated by arches, doors, floors and wall paintings. Rajasthani architecture is a blend of Hindu and Mughal cultures, this photoblog is a visual narrative of my travelogue.  I am taking a risk by introducing a hidden shade of Rajasthani heritage through their frescos. They are gorgeous and full of life, you just need to have a “bawli”(crazy) imagination. 

Welcome to Rangilo Rajasthan - Watch Photoblog

  

Strong, like a girl - A blogger's vision

Here’s a simple dream, a crisp white shirt, bag full of books and endless possibilities. I write this article as a woman, who was once a girl.

Don’t be afraid of your body changing, this is going to make you more beautiful.

Don’t fear uncomfortable attention, you are capable enough to deal with it.

Don’t let anyone make choices on your behalf, you are brilliant.

You are a diamond, a rose, god’s best creation.

You are loved.

 Life Hack: Girls don’t decide to hate their bodies, we teach them to.

A girl’s self esteem peaks at 9 and drops at 12, if she is empowered it jumps at 20 again. As a social experiment I started approaching schools to talk about my vision of promoting ‘Positive Body Image’. Our young generation faces lot of complex self-esteem issues, many of which become apparent during early teens. Involving them in the format of workshops, allows them to experience the power of thinking beyond conventional norms without being too moralistic.

Here’s an interesting incidence, as part of my social initiative I met these absolutely stunning & fiercely intelligent young girls and asked them to select a word that defined them. They picked words like strong, fire, power, smile, beautiful. The most striking quality was that they were completely unafraid and beyond inhibitions. She is not going to turn 25, and suddenly bloom into a confident young woman. We have to assure them at every stage that she is unique, because every girl’s self worth matters.

The only way to develop a healthy attitude towards imperfections is to talk to girls when they are in the most vulnerable age. We teach them a very important lesson, “when you appreciate someone else it doesn’t make you less beautiful”. Women by nature like to deal with difficulty by empathising and supporting each other, thus empower them as groups.

We make decisions our entire life based on these precious years of growth. A self assured child is the most powerful source of inspiration. Let them be ambitious, creative and independent. “You are beautiful not like the magazines, but because of the way you think, the way you love, the way focus, the way you stand strong, the way you bet on yourself”.

Take everything that is bright within you and introduce it someone. As privileged strong women we should take ownership and inspire the next generation to live fearlessly. When girls hold back due to beauty related anxiety, our society misses out.

 

As blogger’s we have to make sure to not dilute our true perspective for sponsored posts. Blogs can be a catalyst to positive change in our society, it’s a tough journey but I am committed. I dedicate this article to our change makers, our dreamers, our visionaries. It’s my passion and mission to make every girl child have the same opportunity, as I did. 

 Who said, "Strong like a Girl" has to be preachy, we have a gangster vibe.

Thank You for supporting our vision.

  

You & Me - The YouTube Route

You will be, what you think. THINK AWESOME!

Do things, before you are ready. Remember the world responds to action, not planning. Here’s a story that will inspire you to jump the curve.

Life Hack: Forget the facts, remember the feeling and chase everything that excites your soul.

When the world was restricted to conventional content (words) a company challenged the big boys.

YouTube seems to have been around forever, but has actually only been around since 2005 before being sold in 2007 for 1.65 billion US dollars. Started by 3 friends who changed the way we consume entertainment. 

In fact YouTube made no profit and violated copyrights until google stepped up and decided to buy the venture and revamp it’s strategy. They realised the potential of content created by user’s and empowered various digital celebrities. Creativity trapped in urban and rural geographies are now free to be heard and viewed by millions by one subscribe option. I endorse everything that support’s progressive growth and potential of human connectivity. 

Yes, we are being mentored by a brand that has changed the way we learn and share information.You & Me will be creating some great original content together. #YouTubeSpaceMumbai is an excellent learning curve for our Vlog vertical, in fact it is going to be a deal breaker for 30ish.

**SUBSCRIBE**

  

Brain Is The New Ass - Breaking Stereotypes

Brain is the new ass, sorry Kim K. Although I am quite sure it's the brain of her entire family that contributes to their stardom. She is the epitome of everything glamorous but are we as women limited to the way we look? I use this phrase as a reality check, we have been living the “sexy lie” for years. Stereotypes are not just unreal but also incomplete, because they never let you complete your real story. 

Life Hack: I was asked to pick a side, I chose to be real. 

What was your biggest learning from last year? I lived on my own terms, tried lot of things that would have scared me in 2014 and lot’s that will freak me in 2016. As I stand on the edge, I would say 2015 taught me to be a tough iron jawed lady. 

My brain is going to be twerked and flashed because an intelligent woman is tenacious and extremely attractive. 2015 was the year of change, making it messy and uncertain but that's the beginning of everything big. Failure is the only thing that will define the way you look at success. When you are in a good relationship with yourself it holds you still, don't let the burden of stereotypes unbalance this equation. 

Discussing women's issues over coffee is not my agenda, everyone has varied boundaries but some issues are universal. I am planting this vision into the real world, its the right time for 30ish to get loud.

  

Eleutheromania- What's your travel personality?

Suffering from Eleutheromania? check my column '30ish Slope' #LivingLocal 

http://www.livinglocalmag.com/andheri/suffering-from-eleutheromania/

Eleutheromania is an extreme desire for freedom. It is a state of mind when you experience yourself without any filters or judgment.

When I was asked, what’s your life goal? I only thought of a huge globe with travel stories. If you were not afraid of anything, where would you want to go? The answer is the key to your eleutheromania.

Life Hack: Invest in experiences and not things, it is much more comforting.

Every traveler has a unique personality. Observing fellow travellers is lot of fun; you can peep into their lives by just noticing their mannerisms. Each one has a different story, a different destination, and my wanderlust keeps pushing me to dig deeper.

Read my version of your travel personality based on your packing style.

The OverPacker – Believes in options

What if I go horse riding? What if I have to go for 3 fancy dinners? What if I plan to go running? They are constantly making hypothetical situations and end up packing almost their entire wardrobe.

The BackPacker – Always has a contingency plan 

They pack everything rolled neatly. No matter what the situation is, they always have a knife, scarf, rope, band-aids to sort it. I completely envy their precision.

Go Empty BagPacker – No hang-ups, go with the flow

This special breed believes in shopping at the destination. Just carry basics, wear the heavy jackets and boots on the flight, and shop without any stress.

The HackPacker – Geek chic who has an answer to everything

Their suitcases are like an engineering assignment, where each item has its own place. They have mastered the art of reading and applying every packing trick online. You have to be a genius to travel lighter than them.

As a travel blogger, I would easily tradeoff expensive labels for a trip worth remembering, because travelling has taught me how to live fearlessly and love with all my heart. Trust your eleutheromania; it could lead you to the greatest joy you ever experienced.

  

Beauty is fearless, not flawless #Vlog

I wrote the worst essays in school, mixing all the optional topics and making one story out of it was my kick. My Mother, Summer Vacations and If I was the Prime Minister for a day, were all a part of the same narrative.This is precisely my writing style till date, I like connecting dots.

There’s no logic, no business model, no strategy to my work, but I build it from the most authentic part of my soul .The only P* that works for an entrepreneur is Persistence. No blogger can exist in isolation, you are a part of every step forward.

Life Hack: To understand digital, you have to live digital. 

Indian blogging is a billion dollar industry when combined with e-commerce. The success of any blog is measured in terms of the number of high profile brands they showcase, but what if someone refuses to be perfect?

There are at least 100 failures behind every glorified step. Living like a nomad has given me the courage to exist without inhibitions because real beauty is fearless, not flawless.