S.AISHWARYA - THE RISING STAR

I was fortunate to attend the concert of S.Aishwarya in the Auditorium of Indian Consultate today morning.  It was a real pleasant treat for the ears as she sings so well.

S.Aishwarya is the Great Grand Daughter of the legend Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi and when I heard the Concert I felt as correctly mentioned by the compere "the legacy continues...".  Aishwarya is the Grand Daughter of Smt.Radha Viswanathan and whenever we listen to the great M.S.Subbulakshmi songs we will get to hear the voice of Radha Viswanathan who was a pillar of support for the legendar MS Amma.

S.Aishwarya gave her first solo concert in 2007 when she was only 11 years old.  She has given more than 200 concerts in the last seven years.  At the age of 17 she really sings very well.  S.Aishwarya is truly a rising star and will be one of the most renowned singers in Carnatic Music circuit in the years to come.



I was completely mesmerised by the singing and some parts of her singing clearly resembled the great MS Amma - not surprising at all.  It was a delight to listen to her as it was the purest form of Music with perfect rendering.  One could see the dedication, sincerity and devotion when she was singing.  I think this youngster will carry on the tradition in the family and continue to sing well for the next several decades.

She has very good tone, range and excellent breath control.  She has all the qualities required for a good Carnatic Singer and above all has the music in her blood being part of the family of great musicians like Smt.MS and Smt.Radha.  When she sang "Kurai ondrum illai" I was taken to a completely different world and I had tears in my eyes.  I heard her sing with eyes closed and could picture the great MS Amma in some parts as there was very close resemblance in the rendition and style.  I think S.Aishwarya will be the true musical heir of the great MS Amma and will shine like her Great Grand Mother in the years to come.

While I am extremely delighted and happy that I attended the concert and heard this great singer, I am little disappointed that I could not record the songs and take pictures as they did not allow mobile phones to be taken inside the Auditorium.

I wish her all the very best and look forward to many more such concerts.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
30th January 2015.

SOMETHING SMAK

SOMETHING SMAK is a new born enterprise which was founded on the 1st January 2015 by two young first generation entrepreneurs in Dubai.  2015 is going to be a year of start-ups.  I read recently in a magazine in India that lot of new ventures will come up in the year 2015.

The products are services are now being transmitted more than being transported.  In this era of technological advancement we will see more and more start ups which will be operated only with one laptop and no other infrastructure.  These start ups will have the greatest advantage of being low or almost zero on fixed costs and hence the products and services are bound to be priced reasonably.

In any buying decision the clinching moment when the decision is made is actually when the consumer mentally compares the Perceived Value with the Price.  Irrespective of whether the product is needed or not the buying decision is made when the consumer feels that the perceived value is higher than the price.

Start Up Enterprises also have the greatest advantage of using the social media and hence do not even need a Server or a Website for advertising and showcasing their products and services.

I am going to write a series of articles on Start Ups in 2015 and first one I have chosen is Something SMAK.

The idea and the concept of focusing on Jewellery  is very good.  The young and old today are keen to possess Jewellery, Accessories which are in fashion.  

We have a saying in tamil "Aal paadhi aadai paadhi" which means that the person is only 50% and the other 50% is the dress and accessories that one is wearing.  

If you look good you will obviously feel good.  When you feel good you are confident and you perform better.  Hence it is important for all of us to look good first.

I have invited quite a few friends of mine to like the facebook page of Something SMAK today morning and then decided to follow-up with this write up with some pictures.

 The art of making jewellery with paper is called "Quilling". It is handmade with quilling tools. These paper quilled jewellery are absolutely light in weight and can be made to suit the taste of any generation.

Terracotta jewellery is made out of Clay. The clay is made into the desired shapes and sizes, baked in an oven and then hand painted. Terracotta jewellery look very elegant on any Indian outfit.

The designs are trendy and some of the products I feel can be worn by all age groups.  The concept, designs and style are really very eye catching and appealing.  

These Jewellery are quite nicely done with natural products which are environmentally safe.  Each piece is hand crafted with precision and comes with unique design and high quality.

The two youngsters who have started Something Smak in Dubai are doing this as a pastime with lot of passion and involvement.  

Please visit the facebook page and order for the Jewellery of Something SMAK:

https://www.facebook.com/SomethingSmak

I wish the Something Smak Team all the very best in 2015.  You have made a good beginning and you will surely grow your business and be successful.  

T.P.Anand

3rd January 2015
Dubai, U.A.E.