Sharada Narayanan claimed the Mrs. Classique Globe Choice of the People Award 2025 at the international pageant in Palm Springs this June. Global audiences voted her above delegates from over thirty countries. First Indian winning this crown. "This isn't ornament," she told me. "It's perseverance made visible." The Bangalore entrepreneur runs Metamorphosis boutique and Virya Trust, championing women's empowerment. She also secured the Family Values Award. Read on.

Dr. Aneel Kashi Murarka, Mumbai-based industrialist and founder of Ample Missiion, has spent over three decades quietly transforming lives across the country. A true karmayogi who walks the talk, he has recently presented a rickshaw to a needy woman who was driving a rickshaw on rent, built crematoriums, empowered tribal artists, gifted hope in the form of livelihoods, and offered platforms to those society often overlooks... from acid attack survivors to the transgender community. With a firm belief that "philanthropy is not for fame but for peace," Dr. Murarka operates entirely self-funded, proving that the heart’s currency is far more powerful than any grant.

The Friendship Day vibe has evolved far beyond yellow bands and generic cards. Now it's about gifting that perfect serum your bestie's been eyeing, finding matching blazers for your power duo, stocking up on craft gin for late-night heart-to-hearts, or creating cosy spaces where memories unfold naturally.