The Hindu : New Delhi News : Lighting up the ramp for a cause

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Thursday, Jul 16, 2009
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New Delhi

Lighting up the ramp for a cause

Madhur Tankha

Fashion fraternity comes together to help needy children

Kapil Dev will walk down the ramp at “A Rendezvous with Elegance” to be organised in the Capital soon.

NEW DELHI: The who’s who of the fashion fraternity will celebrate the elegance and beauty of design in the Capital on July 24 to raise green notes for underprivileged children.

Hosted by Delhi-based non-government organisation Kinship for Humanitarian, Social and Holistic Intervention in India (KHUSHII), the event titled “A Rendezvous with Elegance” will showcase the talent and compassion of 21 designers including Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Kumar, J.J. Valaya, Tarun Tahiliani, Raghavendra Rathore and Shantanu-Nikhil.

Hosted by vivacious television presenter Simi Garewal, the show will see 42 ladies and gentlemen from all walks of life sashaying down the ramp for the noble cause.

According to former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev, who is spearheading the NGO, the event is being organised to provide education to children of low income groups in the Capital. “I am only the face of KHUSHII, while Aman Nath, as the chief patron, is bringing in people who have deep pockets. Our country is growing economically but the media is not reporting positive stories and only concentrating on negative stories that sell. I want to appeal to the media to work on human interest stories so that everyone in our country can smile.”

Kapil, who will walk the ramp on the D-day, refuses to divulge what all he will wear or the designer whose clothes he will borrow. “Thanks to our Indian designers, who are doing such exceptional work and doing our country proud, people like me can look handsome. Our designing community is big hearted and if we can wear their dresses then a lot of money can be given to children in Delhi. Right now we are providing education and mid day meals to 2,000 kids. They are also participating in co-curricular activities like music and yoga.”

Aman Nath says KHUSHII is providing remedial education to children who drop out of schools. “Some of the children who left schools because they were failures are now doing well in academics. This is heartening as they can become good citizens and we can have positive energy around us. The NGO can be compared to Robin Hood who robbed the rich and donated it to the poor. Actually, it comprises of some wonderful people who are thinking of new ideas to raise money for charity.”

Ambassadors of charity

Designer Nikhil says he is giving the finishing touches to two new outfits made from luxurious fabric. The dresses would be draped by wives of Nikhil and his partner Shantanu. “Since our better halves are wearing the outfits we will buy them.” While Leena Singh, who is a trendsetter in the fashion world, says her entire life has undergone a sea change after becoming a governing board member, fashion expert Sunil Sethi described the participating designers as “ambassadors of charity as they were doing the fittings but not charging a penny”.

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