ITV

Tag: Neerja Birla

  • Birlas and Galeries Lafayette dazzle Mumbai night

    Birlas and Galeries Lafayette dazzle Mumbai night

    MUMBAI: When Paris met Mumbai, it wasn’t on a runway but at a rooftop under the stars. The Birla family, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Neerja Birla, Ananya Birla, and Aryaman Birla, hosted a glittering private soirée with Galeries Lafayette, turning an ordinary evening into a masterclass in culture, couture, and conversation.

    The night unfolded like a love letter to Parisian charm with a Mumbai heartbeat. Guests journeyed floor by floor through immersive spaces, each telling a different story of elegance.

    At La Beauté on the lower ground, beauty and wine mingled to the sound of a live cello. The Ground Floor’s La Coupole shimmered with over 800 designer bags, champagne bubbles, and decadent desserts, indulgence at its most refined. On the first floor, L’Atelier transformed into an art-meets-fashion haven, while L’Édition Femme on the second floor glowed with violin notes, couture, and champagne.

    Style took a suave turn at L’Édition Homme, where whiskey flowed and a live saxophone serenaded guests amid sharp tailoring and timeless sophistication. The energy rose at Flip Side, a denim-fuelled floor pulsing with tequila, laughter, and live guitar, proving that luxury can let its hair down too.

    The evening reached its crescendo at Turner Terrace, the rooftop finale. A breathtaking cross-cultural symphony united harpist Victor Espinola, sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee, Japanese violinist Suyaka Kurokichi, percussionist Satyajit Talwalkar, and drummer Shikhar Naad, a harmony of East and West under the night sky.

    The 130-year-old French maison provided the perfect backdrop for a guest list that sparkled as brightly as the chandeliers. Among those in attendance were Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Aditi Rao Hydari, Arjun Kapoor, Tamannaah Bhatia, Angad Bedi, Neha Dhupia, Armaan Malik, Anuv Jain, Shankar Mahadevan, Tarun Tahiliani, and Ahaan Shetty, all adding their own flair to the soirée’s splendour.

    An evening of Parisian poise and Mumbai magic, it was a night where art, fashion, and music converged, proving that when the Birlas host, luxury takes centre stage.
     

  • Shakti in the City as Sheshakti Mumbai puts women at the wheel of change

    Shakti in the City as Sheshakti Mumbai puts women at the wheel of change

    MUMBAI: Mumbai got a power surge and this time, it wasn’t from the grid. News18’s Sheshakti returned with its third and most dynamic edition yet, lighting up Mumbai with stories of women who are not just breaking barriers but blueprinting Bharat’s future. Organised in partnership with Lions International, the 2025 edition marked a first the regional debut of the flagship women’s leadership platform turning the spotlight on Maharashtra’s changemakers.

    Titled “From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat”, the theme underscored a pivotal shift: from metro corridors to grassroots campaigns, from boardrooms to classrooms, the narrative of power is now as plural as it is personal. With over two impactful editions behind it, Sheshakti has evolved into more than a platform, it’s a movement.

    The Mumbai edition celebrated a formidable lineup of trailblazers from bureaucrats and bankers to  actors and entrepreneurs. Each speaker brought to the stage her truth, grit, and roadmap for India 2.0.

    Ashwini Bhide, principal secretary to the Maharashtra chief minister and the woman behind Mumbai’s mega metro projects, reflected on the complexity and scale of city infrastructure: “Working on mega projects in Mumbai is a challenge and an opportunity. Unless we create global-standard public transport, Mumbaikars will continue to struggle,” she said, reinforcing the urgent need for inclusive urban solutions.

    Actor Shriya Pilgaonkar gave the inside track on evolving female roles in Indian cinema: “You’ve got to be stubborn about your dreams and flexible about your plan. The industry is quick to box you. Stay in your power and don’t hand it over to others.”

    Bajaj Finserv group president designate (investments) Lakshmi Iyer brought finance into focus: “Financial freedom should feel like oxygen for women unseen, constant, and essential.” Her session, titled ‘The ROI of Being She’, highlighted the non-negotiable value of economic independence.

    Aditya Birla Education Trust founder Neerja Birla spoke candidly about India’s silent mental health crisis: “We’re conditioned to put ourselves last. But if your own cup is half full, how can you pour into others’ lives?” Her message was clear self-care is the starting point of leadership.

    Closing the edition was Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who made a compelling economic argument for gender parity: “Globally, the nations that recognised the value of women accelerated their growth. If Maharashtra wants to move ahead, we must put women in the front seat.”

    Fadnavis reflected on the era of “sarpanch-patis” and “corporator-patis”, when men unofficially held the power behind elected women leaders in local bodies. “That began to change in 1997,” he noted, “and by 2029, when it becomes compulsory to allocate tickets to women, we won’t stop at 33 per cent, we’ll reach 50 per cent.”

    From mental health to metro lines, movie roles to money goals, Sheshakti’s Mumbai edition was a full-spectrum showcase of women who aren’t just participating, they’re pioneering.

    Because when women lead from every postcode and every profession, the question is no longer if Bharat will change. It’s how soon.

  • Neerja Birla & Amitabh Bachchan’s nationwide mental health campaign #SunoDekhoKaho garners over 31.3 Mn impressions across all digital media platforms

    Neerja Birla & Amitabh Bachchan’s nationwide mental health campaign #SunoDekhoKaho garners over 31.3 Mn impressions across all digital media platforms

    National, 09 December, 2020: With a mission to raise awareness surrounding mental wellness in the country, Mpower’s #SunoDekhoKaho campaign has successfully garnered over 31.3 Mn impressions across all digital media platforms, since its launch earlier last month. As a part of the campaign, a conversational video between Mrs. Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Mpower, and Bollywood Icon Shri Amitabh Bachchan, was released on Mpower’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages on 5th November. Since then, the campaign has seen Indians across the spectrum speak up about mental health and lend their support to this movement.

    Further adding to its impact, the #SunoDekhoKaho campaign was endorsed by top celebrities like Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Swara Bhaskar, Kubbra Sait, Tisca Chopra and Malini Agarwal who spoke about paying attention to, and noticing behavioral changes among our loved ones. These well-known Bollywood faces voiced their opinions and amplified the campaign’s reach and termed the conversation as crucial and insightful.

    In the freewheeling conversational video, the two leaders Mrs. Birla and Mr. Bachchan touched upon the harsh realities of mental health, the challenges people face because of it, and steps society can take to handle the situation with compassion. Over the course of the conversation, the two also delved into the meaning behind #SunoDekhoKaho – ‘Suno’- someone who can lend an ear to someone who needs it, ‘Dekho’ – lookout for symptoms of illness and suffering individuals and ‘Kaho’ – help somebody, and spread the word and build awareness about mental health.

    Speaking about the success of the campaign, Mrs. Neerja Birla, Founder & Chairperson, Mpower, said, “When we conceptualised the campaign, our endeavour was to destigmatise mental illness, and encourage people to open about their problems. Having a stalwart such as Mr. Bachchan join hands in our mission lent a powerful voice to the campaign, and enabled us to create a massive impact. I would like to thank all the media outlets who have sensitized the citizens about the campaign and each individual who has helped spread the word in his/her network. In just under a month, we have been able to cross 31.3 million impressions across Digital media, and I’m sure as we continue to create awareness about mental wellness, we will be able to reach a wider population in the country.”

    The #SunoDekhoKaho campaign is aimed at encouraging people to listen, be watchful, and speak up to seek help. Mpower will provide support for all those in need and help them tackle mental health concerns.

    Link to the video:

  • Mpower’s new ad speaks about mental health

    Mpower’s new ad speaks about mental health

    MUMBAI: Mpower of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, a champion and pioneer of mental health in India, has launched a campaign this World Mental Health Month – “SunoDekhoKaho”, which encourages people to be aware about their surroundings and speak up if they see someone in need of help.

    In line with this campaign, Mpower has partnered with UnErase, a community for promoting and producing spoken word poetry to launch 3 powerful videos depicting the state of mental health in India.

    Issued in public interest, the #SunoDekhoKaho campaign draws attention to a serious concern in society presently — lack of awareness about mental health.

    In the video-series, each of the three videos has an artist sharing personal stories and experiences surrounding mental health concerns and the stigmas around them. The #SunoDekhoKaho campaign will be presented through the month of October across social media and digital platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The campaign invites everyone to take the pledge to be more aware about their surroundings and assist those who need help.

    Mpower founder and chairperson Neerja Birla says, “Every three seconds, someone somewhere in our country has attempted to take their own life. With every hour that passes, one student commits suicide in India. In fact, we have become the country with the highest number of suicides in the world. 25 per cent of our adolescents are dealing with depression, 11 per cent of them are dealing with substance abuse and addiction, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Children and adolescents are vulnerable as they undergo through the physical and emotional challenges of growing up, and that too in environments that are unequipped to provide support for the mental health issues that they go through. It is important to be aware and look out for the possible signs of mental health concerns, to #SunoDekhoKaho and pledge for a stigma-free society.

    The other two UnErase videos will be released on 16 October and 24 October.

    Mpower is a movement that endeavours to create awareness in order to stamp out the stigma associated with mental health. Mpower, through its centres of excellence, advocates prevention, fosters education and provides world-class holistic services to individuals dealing with mental health disorders, as well as to their families and caregivers.

    Moving towards creating a society where people with mental health concerns and their caregivers receive professional support, care and acceptance to facilitate their recovery, without facing discrimination or shame.