Daily Archives: November 3, 2014

A marathon test of fashion skills

An ethnic creation by Pranaya as part of the Fashion Wall Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
An ethnic creation by Pranaya as part of the Fashion Wall Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

The first Nift Fashion Olympiad saw students arrive at quirky ensembles and pieces of art

Pieces of paper, a splash of colours, fabric, unbleached yarn, a handful of buttons, dried leaves, empty tender coconut shells… name it and everything somehow became a part of the design. Students pursuing fashion design, art and management who had come together at the National Institute of Fashion Technology campus for the first Fashion Olympiad last week put everything they laid their hands on to good use.

At different venues of the sprawling campus, one could find students gathered in small groups, sometimes arguing if an orange-yellow colour palette should override a green-blue palette to represent a tropical holiday. These were students taking part in a visual merchandising contest, choosing from the two topics — tropical holiday and retro revival.

Shivani and her friend work on the concept of Tropical Holiday for a visual merchandising contest Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
Shivani and her friend work on the concept of Tropical Holiday for a visual merchandising contest Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

Kavya and Kavya Jha are busy putting together a resort wear ensemble against a beach setting, represented by food, drinks and clothing. A few feet away, Shivani and her friend are decorating a bicycle with colourful props. Tender coconuts and other props in pink, orange and red are being worked upon.

Kumar Shashwat at work for a visual merchandising contest with the theme Retro Revival Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
Kumar Shashwat at work for a visual merchandising contest with the theme Retro Revival Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

A stark departure from the play of colours is Kumar Shashwat’s retro revival set up. In between placing a paper microphone on a make-believe stage of a concert, he says, “I am using images of gramophone and an old-fashioned telephone to take people back to the era of Charlie Chaplin.”

The Nift Fashion Olympiad saw students involved in a fashion marathon over two days, testing them for creative and time management skills.

Students get their photographs clicked at a booth as part of Click-o-mania Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
Students get their photographs clicked at a booth as part of Click-o-mania Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

A quiz contest, photography contest click-o-mania where students captured fashion trends in the city through their cameras and a large fashion wall that had pieces of art put together by students with the use of different textile techniques were all part of the event.

Ruchika, working on an ensemble put together without stitches Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
Ruchika, working on an ensemble put together without stitches Photo: Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

In the atrium, we spotted Ruchika designing an innovative ensemble that made use of buttons designed from cola caps. The outfit didn’t require the use of stitches.

Manisha, working with the concept of Midnight Garden, used a mixture of textile yarns and draping techniques to design an outfit without stitches. Elsewhere, Pranaya designed a canvas of an ethnic woman, using layers of different textiles.

Even junk was put to good use to arrive at wearable art pieces or metallic installations in the campus.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Fashion / by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo / Hyderabad – November 02nd, 2014

Ayush Rudraraju closes in on his target

Ayush Rudraraju, the young shooter from Hyderabad who represented India in the ISSF Junior Cup shotgun championship in Buhl (Germany). / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
Ayush Rudraraju, the young shooter from Hyderabad who represented India in the ISSF Junior Cup shotgun championship in Buhl (Germany). / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

The 13-year-old shooter is the youngest to qualify for the Nationals

At 13, Ayush Rudraraju can well afford a smile and dream big. He has managed to set yet another ‘first’ – he is the youngest shooter to qualify for the Nationals by notching up a Zonal record score of 117\125 in the junior men’s skeet category of the sixth South Zone shotgun championship, held at the Central University Sports Authority of Telangana shooting ranges here on Friday.

For the record, Ayush is also the youngest Olympic skeet shooter in India and is coached and mentored by his father, Rajeev Kumar.

An eighth standard student of Oakridge International School, Ayush is widely tipped to be one of the best young talents in shooting, which was amply demonstrated even when he took part in the ISSF Junior World Cup last year.

“Now, I am thinking of the different level after the Zonal performance,” says the articulate Ayush, who is clearly chasing bigger goals on the shooting front.

What is most impressive about this young talent is that he won the gold in the junior men’s skeet category (individual), team event and a silver in the senior men’s skeet category too.

With shooters from six southern States taking part, the fact that Ayush held his own to make another impact on the sport, has made many critics at the range take note of his prodigious talent.

“More importantly, I have qualified for the 58 Nationals to be held in Patiala from November 14 and 27. This gives me a real feel of what it means to be in the big league,” says a delighted Ayush after today’s achievement.

Not surprisingly, this young shooter is already aiming for a slot in the Indian team. He is looking forward to the qualification events for the Junior World Cup, the Asian meets which start next January.

“Yes, I am aware of the huge task ahead. But at the same time, I am pretty pleased with the way things are going. I love this sport and want to make it big,” he says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V.V.Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – November 02nd, 2014