The road to attracting and achieving our desires is not always a smooth one. Sometimes we suffer a few obstacles on the path and earn our desire. These obstacles can be painful and scarring ones and at that moment we are unable to comprehend how these tragedies help us to attain that which we desire. The truth is when we set the law of attraction in motion, we aren’t fully aware of the schematics the Universe has laid out in order for us to achieve our goal. Sometimes we must travel down the road less trodden and we unwittingly learn and grow over the journey. This is where implicit faith comes in to play. Faith that there is a bigger picture, a greater plan and during the darkest moments is when we stay strong, positive and focus on our desires and achieving them. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, so do we prevail through adversity and arrive at our destination, the achievement of our desire.

There is a story about a Zen Master and a boy who on his 14th birthday receives a horse as a gift. The villagers are happy for the boy and are heard saying,

‘How wonderful the boy got a horse.’

The Zen Master simply responds,

‘We’ll see…’

Some time later the boy takes a spill off the horse and breaks his leg. The villagers are saddened for the boy and are heard saying,

‘How terrible!’

The Zen Master once again simply responds,

‘We’ll see…’

Soon after a war breaks out and all the young men from the village are recruited and forced to fight in the war. The only boy that isn’t recruited is the one with the broken leg. At this point the villagers are heard saying,

‘How wonderful!’

The Zen Master simply responds,

‘We’ll see.’

The fact is we don’t always see the Universes grand scheme but we have to believe there is one. To illustrate this point let me share a real life example…

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Sindhi cinema may seem like an alien industry, but it does in fact exist. Believe it or not, there has even been a remake of the legendary Sholay in Sindhi. However, more recently the virtually dying industry has been challenged by native filmmakers who believe that there is some ray of hope for Sindhi movies and recognizes a keen market globally. Such is the thinking of Kamal Raghani, who besides being the promoter to the latest Sindhi film, Zindagi Hik Natak, is also the son of producer-director of the film. Kamal possesses a background in filmmaking and his short film, 5×1=5, was chosen to be screened at The Berlin Film Festival. Zindagi Hik Natak: The Saga of a Sindhi Actor, is the latest film to come out of his family’s production house.
The film follows the life of a stage artist whose struggle and love for theater brings him to a crossroads where he must choose between his family and passion for acting. He chooses the latter which he realizes later was nothing short of a disastrous decision. It is only when his family leaves him to fulfill his dream, that he recognizes the need for their support. He eventually wins back the love of his family and credibility to his name but not after a series of events that changes his outlook on life forever. Gopal Raghani, who dually adorns the director and producers cap for this one, claims that while he heralds a strong interest in developing films and television series’ for Sindhis, he eventually knew he would direct a Sindhi film too. Additionally, immediately after the first promo released, he received positive feedback which only furthered his drive to revive the industry, “One viewer after watching a promo of the film said to me, ‘Amazing! This is the first time I have seen a Sindhi film promo,’ it touched my heart.” He was backed up by lead actress Mayuri Raghani who took on the role of the onscreen actor’s wife to assist the director in his mission. “It feels miserable to know that Sindhi community itself is losing love for their language. Even Sindhi artists, who try to spread the message to save Sindhi heritage through their plays and films, they themselves don’t speak in Sindhi during rehearsals,” she states.

by Roshni Mulchandani

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Within a week of getting the car in Belize the cooling system was giving trouble. I managed to sort out that problem and before you know it the battery died. After I changed that, the fuel pump gave way. As soon as that was repaired the alternator decided to join the club of “Car Parts That Are Useless To Me”. During this time I joined an online forum dedicated to MG cars. The following is a post that was published about a week ago.

As previous posts have brought to your attention, I’ve been having major issues with my MGB. First the cooling system, then the fuel pump and this week the alternator, so it might come as a bit of a surprise that I have time to notice that the car does not come with a cup holder.

Earlier today I finally got the car back to working condition and was taking it out for a nice evening drive. I stopped off at a street vendor where I devoured some tacos and exchanged pleasantries with a young latin girl who was curious about the car. Upon finishing up I proceeded back to my car with half a bottle of Coke. I sat down put the key in the ignition and was looking to place the bottle down in a secure place when I realized there just wasn’t any place to do that. I lifted up the center console and wedged the bottle in there, using the tension to hold it in place.

Upon the drive home I contemplated as to where can you fit a cupholder in this already tiny car? Then it dawned on me, I have the perfect cup holder for this car…

By Ajay Hotchandani

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By Shawn Genomal

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When I first heard about BodyTalk, I did not really understand what the theory behind it was all about. I met up with Ms. Angie Tourani, an instructor of the BodyTalk System, who kindly took some time off to give me a free session in order for me to experience what it was all about. She explained that BodyTalk could be done by all ages, how and whom it was created by, what the process was, the before and after effects of the system and so on. The talk lasted for 45 minutes which is usually how it is done for those who are newly introduced to the BodyTalk System.
Angie first made me lie down on a sofa so I would be comfortable and started tapping my head and tapping my chest while repeating a few words under her breath. This went on for a couple of minutes. As this was happening, I felt relaxed and calm. Angie then asked me to think about the things that mattered to me most and little did I know, all my past troubles were suddenly cleared up. She happened to know exactly how I felt about a few aspects in my life and she even knew that I eat vegetarian meat (which, by the way, she suggested not to have anymore). Whenever Angie had figured something out, she would tap my head and chest while saying a few words quietly to fix it. After she completed the whole process, I felt like I was tension free and happy. The whole thing took around half an hour for Angie, and I must say it was one heck of a helpful half hour.

The main point that BodyTalk emphasizes on is to forget your medications and therapists; BodyTalk is the most natural way to get rid of your problems.

Angie Tourani explains about the history, purpose and process of the BodyTalk System…
First we start by asking permission from the physical, mental and spiritual levels of a body and once we get that, we move on. We work with five elements which according to Chinese medicine are the elements – fire, air, metal, water, and wood. Each element is of different organs, senses, taste, expansion, contraction and controls literally everything. We also work with the five senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell. Each body part has a consciousness or intelligence, and once these don’t start functioning well then it affects the physiology and the structure.

Sometime in the mid 1990’s, a man named Dr. John Veltheim decided to put the extensive and medicinal information of acupuncture, homeopathy, physics and even Chinese medicine all together and termed it BodyTalk System. The head office is in Florida and since then it has been taught and read worldwide, and has been translated into many different languages as well.

The philosophy behind BodyTalk is that…

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Avisha Daryanani,

Avisha, in her own words, answers BSM’s queries about the inspiration that led to her career choice, what being a speech pathologist is all about (and the pros and cons of it), and how it has changed her life as a woman…

Dr. Karuna Sabnani, NMD, is a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, an accredited four-year naturopathic medical college in Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and English Literature from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. Deciding that she wanted to help people and start her own venture, Dr. Karuna Sabnani moved to New York City to run her own naturopathic healthcare practice for two years, before moving back to Berkeley, California. A short time later she became licensed as a Naturopathic Doctor in the State of California and is currently a member of the California Association of Naturopathic Doctors. She enjoys long walks in nature, dancing, meditating, reading, practicing yoga and spending time with loved ones.

Dr. Karuna Sabnani, NMD, speaks to BSM about the incident that led to her newfound interest in naturopathic medicine, how she set up her private practice, and much more…

Dr. Gitu Bhatia, 48, was born and raised in Delhi until the age of 21, when she completed her undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Sciences in Child Development and Education from Lady Irwin College. In the pursuit of further studies, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue higher studies and acquired a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from California State University in 1985. Dr. Gitu then worked as a family mediator for the courts, helping parents who were going through divorce work out custody and visitation arrangements best suited for their kids. After she got married and had children, Dr. Gitu returned to school at Pepperdine University to work on her doctoral degree – her area of specialization was Cross Cultural Psychology. In addition to teaching and volunteering her time in professional organizations that support standardized ethical practices, Dr. Gitu also established a private practice in Los Angeles to offer her services as a licensed clinical psychologist. When she has free time, in addition to cherishing relationships with family and friends, she also loves to read, watch movies, hike, do yoga and constantly challenge herself physically, especially for charity walkathons.

Dr. Gitu Bhatia answers to BSM’s queries about her life as a clinical psychologist, the process of starting a private practice, and the advantages of being a woman in this field…

Karishma Daswani, 27, was born in Jaipur, India, and brought up in a number of places namely Berlin, Mumbai and New Delhi. Right from school, she was geared towards a future in academics when she topped her class for 9 consecutive years and was the recipient of the Mahindra Scholarship for Academic Excellence three years in a row. As Karishma graduated from University of Delhi with a Bachelors degree in Information Technology (BIT) and a Masters degree in Human Resource Management (CIPD) from Middlesex University Business School, London, she also received a regional scholarship worth 1,000 Pounds for her dedication. After a few unsatisfactory jobs working for other companies, Karishma felt that she would benefit herself and those around her better by starting her own company – she now works as an independent Human Resources consultant in New Delhi, India. In her free time, she also nurtures an educational website for students and people interested in the subject of Human Resource Management. When Karishma is not working, she enjoys reading, swimming, Yoga, listening to Jazz, travelling, hanging around in shopping malls and being with the people she loves.

Karishma Daswani ruminates to BSM on the inspiration that led to her career in Human Resources, her website and how it has helped others, and the importance of education and financial independence…

Rashmi Vaswani, 27, went to Christ College for her undergraduate and acquired a Bachelors degree in Business Management. After receiving a Masters degree in International Business at the International Management Institute in New Delhi, she did a certificate course on Small and Medium Scale Industries at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahemdabad. Rashmi then came back to Bangalore to work and stay with her family. After a stint in the corporate world, Rashmi realized that she was not a fan of the 9-to-5 job routine. One day three years ago, while indulging her favorite hobby of making chocolates, she sent out some of her home-made chocolates as Diwali gifts. They were very well-received and people requested her chocolates to send out as gifts. This was when the concept of Rage Chocolatier was born – today, she is the founder and director of a company that manufactures premium, made-to-order chocolates for corporate and personal gifting, and currently employs two chefs and a team of eight people for packaging. Rashmi’s favorite chocolate is Rage Hazelnut cream truffles.

Rashmi Vaswani speaks to BSM about the inspiration behind her chocolatier, its humble beginnings and the edge it has over other chocolate companies, and the challenges they faced along the way…

Roshni Mansukhani-Gurnani, 25, was born and raised in Canada and is a chef by profession. She started her restaurant life at the age of 13 working initially as a bus person, a prep cook then a line cook at a local diner. She acquired a Bachelors of Business Administration as well as a degree in Culinary Management from the Culinary Institute of Canada, PEI Canada. After graduation, she worked in New York, London, and Goa before moving back home to Toronto to work as Executive Sous Chef at the Clublink Country. Shortly before her marriage, Roshni was chosen as one of the 4 chefs to compete for $10,000 on a popular cooking show called “Chopped: Pride on the Plate” on the Food Network channel in the United States. After few nail-biting episodes, the other three male chefs were ‘chopped’ from the show and Roshni won the grand prize as best chef. When Roshni got married to her husband and moved to Boston, she was determined to stay in this field. Upon a friend’s encouragement to look into a particular company in Boston that was building a new campus dining facility, Roshni was chosen for her new vocation as Executive chef at Merrimack University. When she is not cooking for five thousand people, she loves to watch a lot of movies and of course, the Food Network. She also loves to travel and learn about different cultures, especially with her husband Prem.

Roshni Mansukhani-Gurnani talks to BSM about her victory on the popular American TV show “Chopped: Pride on a Plate”, her love of cooking from a young age, and the pride felt in being a Sindhi chef…

Priya Nagrani, a Vice President of The Bank of New York Mellon, stands tall in the Company’s hierarchy of women bankers, taking her place on the Company’s team to be recognized by US Banker as one of the top three women banking teams in 2009.  Not surprising, as this is in line with her receipt of a 2008 Rising Star Award by the Women’s Bond Club of New York.

Banking and bankers are highly topical subjects in the current climate of economic and financial recovery from what appeared to be imminent collapse in the recent downturn.  Priya pinpoints the definitive role that women can play as the industry climbs back to its former prime position of institutional priority in the world of finance and economics.

Says Priya, “I didn’t find any difference in being male or female — at least at The Bank of New York Mellon, I was never at a disadvantage because I was a woman.  On the contrary, the Company is committed to diversity and inclusiveness, and this is demonstrated through one of our affinity groups, the Women’s Initiatives Network (WIN). The mission of WIN is to act as a global resource for the professional development and advancement of women at The Bank of New York Mellon.  I am a member of the Steering Committee and work with the most senior women across the Company to advance WIN’s mission and objectives.  WIN also has a strong mentoring program, and I was fortunate enough to participate in that program last year – with the most senior ranking woman in the Company (and one of US Banker’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking) as my mentor.”

Born in Mumbai, but moved to the U.S.A. at the age of five, Priya Nagrani stumbled into a career in finance. She studied international economics, political science and history at two prestigious Ivy League universities – earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a graduate degree from Columbia University.  

After college, she was recruited by JP Morgan and after graduate school by The Bank of New York Mellon.

She is now a Vice President within The Bank of New York Mellon’s Strategy, Development and Investment group, a part of the Company’s Financial Markets & Treasury Services sector.

Along the way up the Company’s corporate ladder, she has acquired experience in varied areas: evaluation of potential mergers and acquisitions, strategic initiatives in the Developing Markets and Risk Management.

Priya Nagrani, Vice President, Strategy, Development and Investment Group, BNY Mellon, gives candid and informative responses to Rachana Mirpuri’s queries at an interview…

To read the complete interviews of the above women, please subscribe to Beyond Sindh Magazine.

What seemed like hours later, we had traversed through the ominous Triborough Bridge into the gaping city, where at once the energy seemed to overwhelm. The youthful exuberance of east village hipsters soon gave way to the frenetic chaos of Chinatown. Travelling further north, the entropy of Chinatown suddenly turned into the excess of Soho, the vastness of Times Square and finally the subdued sophistication of the Upper West side. After paying the shuttle bus driver, I checked into an 8×10 square foot room that would be my apartment for the next two years. The depressive effect of a plastic mattress and a small wooden desk was mitigated only by a small window at the end of the room. The view was hazy, but there was a small illumination that was instantly recognizable – the Empire State building.

My relationship with Manhattan took on various incarnations. At first, we had a euphoric romance where I…

By Anmol Bhagchand

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In this article I will outline how to position yourself to gain admission into dental school. If you adhere to these simple steps, not only will you get into dental school and become a cool dentist, the editor of this magazine may even consider replacing me with you (although that would not take much).

Consider admission into dental school as a battle between you, the other applicants and the schools admission committee. Any successful battle must have an entry and exit strategy. I will approach this topic in the same manner. We will divide our strategy into 3 sections: Academic approach, Personality building and interview skills.

The battle of Academia
In order to apply to dental school one has to have a college degree, so get into college preferably a good one. While in college between the frat parties and bhangra competitions it is important that you find time to study. Ask friends, dentists and professors which is the best dental school in the country that you intend to attend and visit their website. This school will now be the benchmark against which you position yourself. Complete their courses and excel at them.
When applying to dental school it is not always necessary to complete a science degree, so long as you fulfill the admission requirements feel free to pursue other interests. These elective courses will help raise your grade point average and will allow you open your mind to other aspects of life. Academically, admissions committees are concerned not only with how well you did in basic sciences but what differentiates you from the other 1200 applicants who have completed the exact same courses as you did. Do not be afraid to be different, in fact differentiation is what will get their attention. In a room full of little black dresses it’s the girl in the red one who gets noticed (hopefully it’s because she looks hot)…

By Amit Ganglani

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Right. Well that makes sense. Basically an act as simple as BREATHING in can be ‘inspiring’! It is true – ask a person who’s lungs are collapsing how ‘inspiring’ a breath of fresh air can be! It can make the difference between life and death. Yet, we take it for granted. We get so jaded at times with life around us that we have to search for inspiration. We claim that the things we do everyday just don’t inspire us anymore. Life becomes a drag. Nothing is ‘fresh and new’. The monotony of daily living creeps in and dulls our senses. We sit around and wonder to ourselves – ‘Is this it? Isn’t there anything more to life? I gotta do THIS for how many more years?!’

Wow even writing that down got me into a state of mind for a moment of feeling the worlds weight on my shoulders and this sense of dullness. Imagine living that day in and day out! * shudder* So how come there are people living their lives dragging their feet about as if weighed down with a ball and chain and others that seem to be floating on this magical cloud with angelic smiles on their faces as if they know a secret you don’t know! Do they??? Perhaps. Or perhaps they just realize the ‘magic’ of a simple breath which keeps them in a constant state of ‘inspiration’! Hmm…..

By Dina Sabnani

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Energy gradually lose its vitality and stagnates so if you don’t do something about it, your life starts to stagnate too. Imagine what your home would look like if you never physically cleaned it… there would be layers of dust and cobwebs everywhere. Well, that’s what most homes are like on an energetic level. Space clearing is the removal of unwanted, lower vibrations from a particular house or space, thus enhancing the quality and nature of the energy in the space.

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By Rekha Thadaney, Feng Shui consultant