MARWAR India Magazine - November - December 2015

In this issue

Marwar India’s newest issue celebrates 19 years.

In our cover story, we deconstruct the many ceremonies, traditions and rituals that make up the fabled Marwari wedding. We explore the trends with Rachit and Mayank Agarwal of Simaaya & Sasya, Madhu and Rajnandini Khaitan of Malika Jouel and Devina Kejriwal Juneja, the promoter of Suede by Devina Juneja. We also talk to three young entrepreneurs who are offering unique gifting items and conveyance options for the ongoing wedding and festive season.

Among entrepreneurs, the spotlight is on Krishna Kumar Pittie, the chairman of the Pittie Group, a man who has successfully turned his hand to varied fields including real estate, media, entertainment, e-commerce, FMCG, wellness and quick service restaurants. In our tribute section, we have remembered the iconic Ramnath Goenka (of the Indian Express Group), the most vociferous opponent of the Emergency period and the greatest crusader of the freedom of speech that was under threat during the Emergency and after.

We speak to Marwari restaurateurs—Anup Gandhi of Cafe Nemo, Ankit Gupta and Chirag Chhajer of Burma Burma, and Yasho Sonthalia and Abhishek Goyal of Bóveda—in Mumbai to decode their restaurants’ emphasis on creativity and innovation.

Gone are the days when a Marwari essentially meant a businessman, and our article on Keshav Bangur, the president of the Calcutta Polo Club, is an example of today’s Marwaris taking work and play equally importantly. We round off the issue with a profile of Padma Shri Bimla Poddar, wife of late industrialist Bimal Kumar Poddar, whose contributions as a social worker-cum-philanthropist and in preserving India’s cultural heritage deserve special mention