‘Third Eye’, an exhibition of 31 photographs taken by the young and budding photographer Saamya Patel, was held at the Piramal Art Gallery, Mumbai, over the weekend of 23 and 24 September 2023.

From the 31 photos, 26 were shot on a Canon 90D and 5 on an iPhone, says the 17-year-old Mumbaiite. So what is the ‘Third Eye’? we quiz her. “I had selected 31 photographs out of over 500 photos I’ve shot over the years. When selecting the photographs, I kept the theme of my exhibition in mind — The Third Eye, where all the photos had been shot with a unique perspective and had a focal point that perhaps the common eye would overlook.”

The captions on each of the photographs in the exhibition were based on Patel’s various travels within India, the U.S. and Iceland. “I have been fortunate to have travelled to and explored unique places with an abundance of natural beauty. My last two excursions were to the national parks in the U.S. and Iceland. The ruggedness and untouched beauty of these areas gave it a magical feel, which is what I have attempted to capture in my photographs”.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Saamya Patel: Girl behind the camera appeared first on The Teenager Today.

“I want to write a book!” declared bright-eyed 8-year old Risha to her mother. “Go for it!” her mom said smilingly. And she did go for it! Today, Risha is a teen author of three novels, the founder of a successful Instagram blog, and an inspiration to young girls and aspiring teen authors everywhere.

Risha Chaurasia, born in Indore in 2007, started writing at the tender age of 8. Her early works consist of two plays — Wonder Car and Journey Of The Island, followed by her first book, Tales Of Twinkling Tweens, which she published at the age of 11. The book is based on the various aspects of a tween’s life and elaborates on school experiences such as teachers, relationships with friends, experiencing bullying, etc. A book for tweens by a tween! The book received a considerable response and was greatly loved and appreciated by its readers. She also did her first author’s visits and ‘Meet and Greet’ soon after.

While many people encouraged and supported her, some did try to pull her down. Here’s where Risha’s role models played an important part. Her mother’s best advice was: “Risha, you write for yourself, not for the world”. This profound statement continues to guide through her journey.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Risha Chaurasia: The Girl with a Golden Pen appeared first on The Teenager Today.

There was a time when boxing was always considered a male preserve. It was a strong belief that women’s bodies were too frail to box. The decision to grant it recognition for the Olympics inspired many enthusiastic women who were previously discouraged from considering combat sports as a career. Earlier, girls thought that women could not box, but now there are role models for them. Some of boxing’s biggest female stars have stepped into the ring and answered the bell even during pandemic times.

One of those who have defied the age-old myths and dispelled the belief that women can’t be boxers is Nagpur’s dream girl, Alfiya Pathan. It is a rare coincidence that a girl from a conservative community overcomes all compelling odds to emerge on the boxing landscape as a shining comet.

Alfiya recently won gold at the World Youth Boxing Championship organized by the International Boxing Association (known as AIBA, after its French acronym). She clinched gold as she stunned a strong contender and European Youth Champion Moldova’s Daria Kozorez 5-0 in the final. For those glued to the screens during the match, Alifya looked in complete control throughout and made the opponent work hard with her swift movement and precise punches.

Shimmering in a gladiator-style maroon boxing outfit, Alfiya paused for dramatic effect. Then she strode towards the ring as horns blared. After the bell, Alfiya ploughed through her opponent who bounced and scrambled as Alfiya stalked her round the perimeter with heavy, ominous solidity. She hammered her with long, straight blows that came in combinations, hard rights, double jabs hooks, uppercuts. Alfiya stayed close, trapping her opponent against the ropes to smother her punches. “I put on a good show. I used some good techniques. I showed my skill, and my power,” recalls Alfiya as she got back and re-united with her family in Nagpur after almost six months on the circuit.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Alfiya Pathan: Nagpur’s teenage boxing star appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Kiara D’Souza hit the tennis court when she was barely seven, not out of love for the game, but because she was overweight and her parents wanted her to reduce, and enrolled her in the nearby Willingdon Gymkhana. Today, as a teenager, she is passionate about tennis without neglecting her studies. She recently passed out of St Andrew’s Junior College, Bandra, Mumbai, with distinction. The Teenager Today team met Kiara at our office for a short interview. Excerpts:

Hi Kiara, The Teenager Today is delighted to meet you! Would you like to tell us briefly about your early years: any special memories?
I was born on 21 November 2002. Both my parents worked in the banking sector. So my grandmother took care of me. I had sweet memories of my grandma making delicious food, and feeding me with lots of love. I started putting on weight because of no physical activity. In fact, my doctor told my parents that I was 14 kgs more than my desired weight and he suggested that I take up some sport for physical activity. My parents enrolled me in the nearby Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana and I took my first steps to the tennis court when I was barely 7.

What made you choose lawn tennis as your most favourite game?
I was so-so about tennis in the beginning because at that age I didn’t want to practise at all. It was just a form of physical activity. I had a lot of difficulty coping with the game as I did not have an athletic body. Also, my coach was not sure about me taking up tennis as my foot movements were very slow… but by then I was already passionate about tennis and decided to pursue it as a career. What I did have was the drive to become the best. That determination, fighting spirit and patience was inculcated in me by my parents at a very early age. I was taught never to give up and trust in God. It helped me to stay calm and composed in dealing with my insecurities.

Do you recall the first tournament that you played and won? Surely you were very excited! Would you share some of those feelings with us?
Participating in a tennis tournament at the age of 12 was an unforgettable experience. I won both U-14 singles and doubles events at Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association. Reaching the finals of the two events was something I always cherished but winning gold in both the events was like the icing on the cake. One of my most exciting moments was when MIDDAY Mumbai covered the event with the title “Double Delight for Kiara D’Souza”. This was one of the most emotionally-satisfying victories for me.

Who do you look up to as your role model in tennis?
Serena Williams has always been my idol. She revolutionized women’s tennis with her powerful style of play. Her powerful serves, groundstrokes and superb athleticism have inspired me to push myself to the next level.

Tell us about some of the major tournaments you played and won. Which is the most prominent among them?
I have a list of achievements and none of these would have been possible without my Lord Jesus who gives me the strength to do well whatever I do every day. In 2019, I represented Maharashtra State for Nationals at SGFI New Delhi. One of my most remarkable tournaments was when I qualified to play International Tennis Federation Women’s 25K in November 2019.

Do you have a coach? How long has he/she been coaching you?
Yes, I have an official coach. She is Supriya Mallaya who has been training me for the past one year. She accompanies me to all the tournaments.

How many hours do you practise daily?
I practise for nearly three hours daily on skill sets and another two hours for fitness training.

What about the lockdown days? How did you manage to have your daily practice during these months?
Covid-19 has caused maximum disruption to an athlete’s life. It’s very difficult to pursue the sport with all the precautionary measures; however, as an athlete I am doing my off-season training on fitness and skill sets so that when the season begins I am fit for the tournaments. I do my high-intensity workouts along with brushing up my skills (working on my mechanics/technical corrections) in the limited space at home.

How do you cope with your hectic schedule of being a regular student, your practice, and the outstation journeys for tournaments?
I have learned to manage my time effectively. It is very important to plan and prioritize, which means giving up on many time-consuming distractions, seeing the bigger picture and reminding me of my goal. Also I had great support and special guidance from my teachers especially when I missed my classes for outstation tournaments.

What else are you interested in other than tennis?
I am very fond of singing and strumming my guitar; it helps me to ease out.

How do you rate yourself as a tennis star? Your tennis dreams?
As a tennis player I had a very promising start, but I have a long way to go. I believe in putting my 100% effort and then surrendering to the Lord. My dream is to represent my country and to win Grand Slams.

You were a student of St Andrew’s Junior College, Bandra, for the past 2 years. How did the college support you in your tennis journey?
My principal, Dr Marie Fernandes, my sports director and my teachers believed in me from day one and they were always there to motivate me. The college recently felicitated me as the Most Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year.

Your future plans?
God-willing, my future plans include training abroad to be a pro tennis player.

A brief personal message for our readers?
Everyone wants success but only a few work for it. They are the ones who realize their dreams!
“There is no way around hard work, embrace it,” Roger Federer once said. I have to tell this to everyone that it doesn’t matter how old you are or how young you are… You can achieve what your heart desires. In my own case, I was not a born athlete with any natural skills. I had to work very hard, dedicate myself and be determined. In every field you require focus, hard work and most importantly self-belief. Sometime, you gotta be your own cheerleader. Above all, it is very important to stay connected with God; that’s where you get the strength you need to work hard!

For more articles like this, subscribe to the print or digital editions of THE TEENAGER TODAY.

The post Kiara D’Souza: A New Star on the Rise! appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Priyadarshini Chatterjee from Guwahati, Assam, was crowned Femina Miss India 2016 on 9 April 2016 at the 53rd edition of the magnificent and majestic coronation ceremony at the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai. The beauty queen clinched the coveted title and the crown after a tough competition, defeating 20 other beautiful aspirants. She has now made her mark and carved a niche for herself in the history of Indian beauty contests.

Priyadarshini was presented the crown by the 2015 winner Aditi Arya. Sushruthi Krishna from Mumbai was crowned runner-up while Pankhuri Gidwani from Uttar Pradesh became the second runner-up. The grand evening was attended by the crème de la crème of Mumbai, including Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan, Shahid Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor.

Priyadarshini will now represent India at the international event Miss World 2016 while the other two winners will participate in Miss International 2016 and Miss Grand International beauty pageant 2016. The Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant held every year which selects winners to compete in the international Miss World contest. In India, it is organized by the well-established women’s magazine, Femina, published by The Times Group.

“It is an amazing feeling to win the crown!” exclaims Priyadarshini reveling in her victory and showing me her sparkling crown. “Initially you cannot believe your ears. You feel very strange to hear your name being called out as the winner. It is only after some time that the truth really sinks in. After a few minutes of the announcement, I said to myself, yes, I am Miss India World 2016. Then it is all celebrations. I am extremely thrilled and excited to win this prestigious crown. It means a lot to me and to those who encouraged me to participate. I have proved their confidence in me.”

Behind her success lies the tremendous support she received from her parents. Priyadarshini’s mother works in Bangalore and her father spends his retired life in Assam. Binding this long distance relationship is 19-year-old Priyadarshini, a student of Hindu College of the Delhi University. “My mother and father kept egging me on asking me to join the pageant. Both used to call me in Delhi and they kept encouraging me to participate,” says Priyadarshini.

Read the full article by subscribing to the print magazine or the digital edition.

The post Priyadarshini Chatterjee: 19-year-old is Femina Miss India World 2016 appeared first on The Teenager Today.