India’s speediest junior woman roller skater is Chennai-based Arathy Kasturi Raj (15). At the recently concluded 47th National Roller Skating Championship held in Nagpur (February 3-6), Aarthy bagged three golds in the Rink IV (500 metres), Rink V (1,000 m) and elimination (20,000 m) events, while competing with 26 roller skaters from 14 states across the country. This victory in the national championship follows her commendable performance at the World Roller Speed Skating Championship (2009) held in Haining City, China, last September, where she came 10th in the 42 km marathon among 66 skaters from 21 countries.
“Having made my mark in long distance skating, I was determined to prove myself in short distance skating at the national championships,” says Aarthy.
A class X student of the CBSE-affiliated Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram in Chennai, and the elder of two daughters of Kasturi Raj, a businessman and Dr. Mala Raj, a medical practitioner, Aarthy began skating in 2001 at age seven, after watching young children wheeling in the small rink of a local park. Since then there’s been no stopping this talented roller skater who has notched up an aggregate tally of 60 gold, 8 silver and 5 bronze medals in various national and international meets.
Among her notable achievements: a gold medal at the Swiss Inline Cup, a 2 km road race for under 12s, held in Switzerland (2005); two gold medals in the National Short Track Speed Skating (2007)-Fall/Winter ranking competition in Taipei, Taiwan; three gold medals at the 7th CBSE National Roller Skating Championship held at Chandigarh (November 2006) in the under-14 category; and two golds and one silver medal at the 46th National Roller Skating Championship held in Faridabad (2009). Last year another plaudit was added: the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement (2008) from UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
This rich haul of medals and acclaim hasn’t been earned without intense practice and perspiration. To keep in shape, Aarthy follows an exacting regimen of fitness exercises, treadmill workouts, and skating practice for two hours every morning and evening.
Like all athletes with international competitive exposure, Aarthy has set her sights on winning a gold for India in the Olympics. “Every victory takes me one step towards attaining this goal. But simultaneously I want to walk down the path of my mother into the medical profession. I’m sure I can balance both interests successfully,” she says.
Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai)
Irfana Biviji
Currently art director of the upscale ad agency Contract Advertising Ltd (estb. 1986), Mumbai-based Irfana Biviji (26) has won numerous laurels and is in the process of building a reputation as one of the country’s most promising graphic artists/ illustrators. In 2009, she was among the seven Indians shortlisted for the Young Lions Award at Cannes Lions, an international advertising festival held in the eponymous seaside town in France.
That’s the latest recognition this young graphic artist has won in her career which began when she enroled in the applied arts diploma programme of the L.S. Raheja School of Arts, Mumbai in 2001, where she bagged the best portrait and reportage awards. In 2002 she was accepted into the three-year degree programme of Falmouth College of Arts, Cornwall (UK).
While a student at Falmouth, in 2005 Irfana was conferred the British Association of Illustrators gold award at Images 29 for the best British contemporary illustration — described by BBC as “the most prestigious award that the world of illustrators can offer”. “I am a great believer in signing up for contests and competitions. They help to focus the mind and inspire measurable creativity, apart from looking good on one’s CV (curriculum vitae). The study of graphic arts and illus-tration is ideal for students with drawing and visualisation skills. And with advertising becoming more competitive, there is a constant demand for graphic illustrators,” says Irfana.
This is perhaps why after graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in illustration from Falmouth College, Irfana had no difficulty in bagging freelance assignments from top hot shops and ad agencies such as Business Prints, Printel, First Choice before being signed up as a senior designer at Contiki Holidays, a leading tours operator. However in 2008, she returned to India and was promptly snapped up by Ogilvy & Mather as an illustrator. In January 2010 the offer of a better designation and better pay prompted her to join Contract, where she lends her creative inputs to the promotion of top brands including HSBC, Disney Channel, Tata Photon among others.
“I am addicted to my work and will continue to innovate and challenge myself creatively,” says this young art director.
Anupama Patil (Mumbai)