Reviving Patriotism : Lucknowite Jatin Verma contributes Rs.11 lacs to Bharat ke Veer

A man is a patriot if his heart beats true to his country! - Charles Jefferson

We are all told in school about the freedom fighters, the soldiers, and the patriots. We are all sensitively inspired by the stories of all of them, and we pledge to do anything, or even die for our country whenever needed. But, how many of us actually find ourselves contributing to our nation and it's people, at all? Yes, we do shed tears when we hear the army men die of gun shots and bombs during wars at country borders, proudly referring to them as martyrs, showing them sympathy and saluting them for their courage for having saved us from misfortunes. But, then, that's it!

No, I do not insist you to join the army and fight for our county. Sure, you're going to ask, "what can we do apart from that?" Well, you could do just exactly what you've been doing all this while - saluting the martyrs, but a bit more for them by helping their families live a better life because they deserve it! Akshay Kumar, a well known actor from bollywood launched a web portal - BHARAT KE VEER : Indian Bravehearts, on 9th April, where we all could donate money, directly to the family of the martyrs who died fighting in order to protect us. Just like, a Lucknow based young businessman, Mr. Jatin Verma donated an amount of Rs. 11 lac to Bharat ke Veer on 18th May, 2017, which would eventually be distributed to the families who need it the most!

Bharat Ke Veer, as a website, was launched to help the armed police force and central para military forces of India. It is an initiative to pay homage to the brave hearts who laid down their lives in the line of duty, who fought for the freedom, welfare and progress of India and sacrificed their lives! Jatin Verma, in a conversation with me mentioned that he always aspired to do something for the country that actually counts. His inspiration behind the huge donation to Bharat Ke Veer was his consideration towards the military and para military forces. He wanted to give back to the society and hence contributed a handsome amount when he got to know about the portal!

Jatin, as an adventure seeker he is, and always eager to do something extra ordinary, recently experienced sky diving from 12500ft. He managed to take some shots from this colossal escapade and combine them in a video which he dedicated to para troopers of our country who do such tasks carrying arms and ammunition, not worrying about where they land, risking their lives, just to protect us. Jatin's gratitude towards the army is clearly visible in the video, and the selfless service is beyond the reach of words! Watch the video below :

Jatin Verma, talking about his donation, his love and admiration for the country and soldiers!

Shots from Jatin's skydiving escapade

Jatin says, "I'm not a hero, but our soldiers definitely are, and doing anything for them would not only make me happy but I will feel that I could give something back to them!" Well, it's clear that his only thought is to reach out to the maximum masses making them aware about Bharat Ke Veer (apparently the only website where you could directly contribute to the families of the martyrs, as you choose), and inspire people to donate! In the end, it doesn't matter what amount you donate (the website allows you to donate starting from Rs.10 to Rs.15 lacs max), but the intention you donate with, and the true feeling of patriotism!

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As I end writing this proud story of a generous man from Lucknow, I humbly request all of you to please visit bharatkeveer.gov.in and contribute directly into the bank accounts of brave hearts family. Please feel free to contribute in whatever capacity you can and express gratitude to Martyr’s kin. We can never make for the loss of life of their loved ones but our one act can surely make a difference!

~xoxo~

Ethnicity & Pride with AuthIndia

Indian culture is known for its diversity the all over the globe, with ethnic clothing being just one of the things that distinguishes one part of India from the other. The traditional Indian attire has earned admirers from people from all over, with highlights of the craftsmanship with which artisans create traditional dresses, which of course is incredible! Coming to my love for Indian wear, its new. I usually opted to carry kurtas on occasions previously, but with my recent admiration to the ethnic embroidery and its various versions had me fall deep in love with it! Well, not just the clothing but Indian jewelry is another thing that has managed to make a place for itself in my ethnic collection.

With tons and tons of online shopping brands mushrooming in India, its hard to find your kinda ethnic styles both in clothes and jewelry under one website, but stumbling upon AUTHINDIA recently, I knew there's something for everyone! Be it young girls, middle age women or your beloved grannies having lived half of their life already, AuthIndia caters to each and every female with hundreds of apparel and jewelry designs with latest ethnic trends! 

"Striving to explore the authentic handmade products, cutting across the length and breadth of India and fishing out the most splendid and exquisite handicrafts to the reach of your houses" is their foremost motive. In my favorite jewelry section, they have minakari jhumkas, to pachi and kundan earrings (starting from 250/- onwards), and not forgetting the amazing handcrafted terracotta necklace set (starting from 300/- onwards) that suits all age women aptly. 

Pink Pachi Jhumka (325/-)

Pachi Drop Earrings (300/-)

Terracotta Gold-Black Necklace Set (450/-)

The best part about terracotta jewelry is, that you can match them with any of your favorite kurti or a saree, or any traditional outfit. It stays for long, and are quite light weighted. Available in traditional & trendy designs with a glossy finish to them.

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Authindia, as the name suggests, is a brand that contains authentic Indian handicrafts, which also includes a wide range of ethnic apparels like kurtis, saree, dupattas! Since I like to dress simple and casual, a beautiful long kurti in blue with chikankaari was my pick from the website. A pure cotton fabric with hand embroidered in chikan in orange both front and back, the kurti looked fabulous when paired with a plain white pair of leggings and accessorized with the pink pachi jhumkas and heels! Belonging to the city of Lucknow, where the exclusive chikan embroidery was  fashioned, I have a different attachment to it, and its astonishing to find an entire section of chikan kurtis on the AuthIndia site selling so many different lengths, colors and embroideries!

Blue Chikan Kurti with Orange Embroidery (599/-)

Complete Outfit Details

kurti, earrings : AuthIndia | leggings : Lyra | heels : StreetStyleStore | rings : Myntra

Please Note : From chikan embroidered sarees and suits from Lucknow, hand-loom sarees from every state of India, handmade jewellery, Kutch embroidery bags of Gujarat and colorful & unique handicrafts, diversified home decor items made of eco-friendly materials from all over the country, AuthIndia as a brand brings you lots and lots of stuff to make your shopping worth every penny you spend!

I really hope you liked reading this post. I feel, as a fashion and lifestyle influencer, I have been bringing a lot of unnoticed brands to you. It would be a pleasure to know your experiences on the websites I keep sharing about, including this new one as I'm talking of here. And, may you have a great time shopping!

Photographed by : Yash Athwani  |  Location : Cappuccino Blast Mall Avenue

~xoxo~

Tulip & Blush (ft. Stalkbuylove & Aarna Designs)

"Make it simple, but significant." — Don Draper

The quote above helps me remind you that I have always been a lazy girl when it comes to dressing, but I make sure whenever I dress up, it gets its own kinda appreciation. My personal style has never been fancy or over-the-top. Its pretty simple, easy and elegant, and people who've met me know it well! But, I really have a thing for indo-western clothing, and as with the years Indian styles have got boring, Indian women like me decide to mix and match cuts, fabric, necklines, waistlines, embellishments and various other technicalities, to form an entirely different kind of clothing that would suit modern needs and satisfy today’s tastes!

So, bringing together a few pieces from different online brands, I've managed to construct a look that's booming a trend this season with Tulip Pants. With its forgiving silhouette – billowing on top, narrow at the ankles, and with layers of airy fabric, these pants have become the home of traditional summer classics. They are not as baggy as the salwar, but still airy enough to beat this heat. It comes in a range of fabric from lawn to cotton, and silk or chiffon. It certainly gives a hippy feel but is graceful at the same time! Check out the entire look below.. 

top : Koovs | tulip pants : StalkBuyLove | heels : Steve Madden | rings : H&M | earrings : Aarna Designs

We all know, that indo-western trend offers umpteen choices for fashion savvy shoppers who are ready to experiment with variations in styles. Not only are they stylish, but also make the wearer to stand out in the crowd. A similar add-on is the tulip pants that gets quite true when you try it with simple tops! Tulip pants are another version of dhoti pants as we widely know about in India, from Pakistan. These are mostly paired with kaftan tops and kurtas, but ofcourse in other places its more of a free-will to pair it with shorter pieces!

I chose to pick a pair of blush pink tulip pants from StalkBuyLove, one of my favorite clothing brands of all times. They have such stunning summer pieces that keep my eyes rolling! Teamed it up with a solid black, full sleeved crop top from Koovs and glitter heels from Steve Madden (mind you, I love buckles, they help me stay in place). Accessories being an important part of the indo-western styling, had be going in for over sized bohemian earrings from Aarna Designs, with multi-colored tassels with pink popping out the most, and mirrors that reflected shine along with a few metallic finger rings from H&M. Best fitted for a season party or Indian functions, this look is for the girls who often want to ditch the regular kurta salwar, and opt for something creative and stylish!

PS : I went in for a subtle summer makeup that looked perfect for both day and night events. A fresh pink face with little glitter on the eyes, bright pink lips and midtone contouring! More like a diva, eh?

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If you liked this look, please drop a comment telling me the same. Also, share it across with your girl friends and make them aware about how this new trend of tulip pants can stun the world! Follow me on facebook, instagram and snapchat (username : shubhigarg04) for more OOTDs!

Photographed by : Creativity Studio  |  Makeup by : Divya Vishnani


~xoxo~