Author: NNI Editor

Ilkal sarees worn by women in North Karnataka | Photo Credit: Navaldeep Thareja “You are not a Bharwad if you wear a saree,” is how elderly Bharwad women chide young women from their community. Navaldeep Thareja, a textile engineer from Sangrur in Punjab, who often visits little-known places across India to meet craftspeople, artisans, weavers, and tribal people and photo documents their designs and stories, starts the conversation with Tangaliya weaves. The Bharwad women wear Tangaliya shawls, woven by the Vankar community in Surendernagar and Kutch, Gujarat. “Tangaliya is a 700-year-old traditional hand weaving technique where contrasting colour threads are twisted into groups of four or five warps to create unique beadwork. It is worn by married…

Karen BraunA discussion about global soybean exports cannot proceed without mention of Brazil or the United States, because together they fuel 85% of total shipments each year.Likewise, “China” and “imports” are often synonymous in global soybean trade because the country accounts for more than 60% of annual imports.But what about the other customers? Who takes in the other 40% of soy cargoes, and how have these trends changed in recent years, especially with respect to each supplier?This conversation has been pulled to the forefront of the market as the United States has threatened tariffs on many of its trade partners,…

A virtual reality headset that showcases Biskit, Adyar’s collection while also allowing shoppers to take a look at their simulated 1,500 sq feet online store. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement On the two days she was in Chennai, Meenakshi Singh, co-founder, Capsul, a multi-brand streetwear platform, spent time heading out to the newest cafes in the city. “I want to be where the young people are at,” she said. Considering her brand is mostly driven by this demographic, it was only normal that she people-watched between sips of coffee. Did she have any profound observations? “The Indian Gen Z and the millennial…

View of Container Terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NMDC Group PJSC (Formerly National Marine Dredging Company PJSC) for the construction of the Vadhvan Port Project Ltd. in Maharashtra.As per the MoU NMDC Group PJSC has proposed to invest an estimated ₹21,000 crore for the development of the Land Offshore of Vadhvan Coast by Dredging, Reclamation and Shore Protection of Vadhvan Port. NMDC Group PJSC, with its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, works throughout the Middle East and beyond and is…

Natural-dyed silk sari with over 4,000 colours | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement As it completes 100 years in the business, RmKV Silks (since 1924), the legacy brand from Tirunelveli is in celebratory mode. To mark this milestone, the brand has launched a natural-dyed silk sari with over 4,000 colours, intricately handwoven into the zari checks on its body. The 99 flowers sari inspired by Kurinjipattu | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement In order to support weavers and ensure quality, the brand launched its own looms 30 years ago. After having reseached natural dyes starting 2014, it launched a range of natural…

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh. File photo | Photo Credit: Sansad TV The Congress on Wednesday (February 19, 2025) claimed that the talk of reciprocal tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump is calling into question a consumption tax like GST, and wondered whether his “good friend in New Delhi” would stand up to it when national sovereignty is at stake.Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said his party has long been calling for a GST 2.0 that will make GST a truly Good and Simple Tax, as it was intended to be.It has called for the barest minimum of rates…

The Allium lehenga set with cape | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Hyderabad-based design house Mishru is best known for its surface textures and contemporary interpretations of Indian wear. Yet again, it proved its mastery of this craft with its recent couture edit ‘Resonance 2024/2025’ held in New Delhi. Set against the backdrop of the stately Belgium Embassy in New Delhi, Mishru’s presentation brought alive elements of urban architecture and untamed Nature in every creation. “There’s a story behind the title, Resonance. I believe natural elements help us vibrate with higher energy,” says Swapna Anumolu, the brain behind the couture brand. “Besides…

Tesla electric vehicles. File | Photo Credit: Reuters Tesla has selected locations for two showrooms in the Indian cities of New Delhi and Mumbai, moving closer to its long-delayed plans to sell its electric cars in the country, sources familiar with the matter said. The U.S. carmaker has been hunting for showroom space in India since late last year in order to start sales in the world’s third-biggest auto market, after putting market entry plans on hold in 2022. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the United States last week and discussed issues including space,…

Hello Kitty is not a cat, she was born in the suburbs in London and her hobbies include baking cookies and making new friends. Earlier this year, when entertainment company Sanrio reiterated that their beloved cartoon character with whiskers and pointy ears was a little girl, it still came as a surprise to some. Sanrio deals in all things kawaii or “cute” and with the totemic Japanese brand completing five decades, perhaps they wanted to leave no room for confusion. At Péro’s Spring Summer ’25 show at Lakme Fashion Week on Wednesday night, a Hello Kitty mascot walked around in…

Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). | Photo Credit: ANI Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the trade on a weak note on Wednesday (February 19, 2025), but later bounced back, driven by buying in blue-chip bank stocks and fresh foreign fund inflows.The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex declined 386.01 points to 75,581.38 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dropped 130.45 points to 22,814.85.However, later both the benchmark indices recovered the early lost ground and were trading in the green. The BSE benchmark gauge quoted 134.16 points higher at 76,120.85, and the Nifty traded 38.60 points higher at 22,983.90.From the Sensex pack, Zomato,…