Success means staying grounded. This mantra has made Shreya Ghoshal the leading female singer of Bollywood, a position she has consolidated by not taking the first offer that came her way, by exercising self-restraint and concentrating on polishing her talent. The reality TV star from small town India has snapped up award after award, including two National Awards, five Filmfares and four IIFAs, within a short career span of seven years. She has an apartment in Juhu but chooses to meet Chandan Mitra at her father’s flat at the BARC complex in Mumbai because she is at home there, feels anchored. She talks about growing up in a close-knit community of scientists, her forays in talent hunts and her karmic connection with Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Situated on the west coast of southern Indian peninsula, Mangalore is today more than just a “port-city”. It is a bustling educational center as well as an industrial hub. However, Mangalore happens to have, also, one of the largest Non-Resident Indian (NRI) population in the country. Mangalorean.com, a bustling place on the internet for Mangalorean expatriates is doing a yeoman service in helping those Mangalorean to stay in touch with their roots. Our Features Editor spoke to its founder,Roshan D’souza. Excerpts:

She has been the nation’s first, one and only iron-fist lady. India also knows her as the ‘Magnificent Mary’. Pugilist Mary Kom’s story has been one of hard work, determination and a long, long wait for acknowledgement. Finally, she has been bestowed the nation’s top sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, which she had missed last year to cricket captain MS Dhoni. Kom, who has brought home many a medal from world championships, is the strongest contender for the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee sanctioned the entry of the women boxing competition in the big Games. The 27-year old Manipuri, a pin weight (46kg) pugilist, has won medals at all the five World Championships held so far, including an unprecedented fourth successive gold which she clinched at last year’s edition in China. She is the proud holder of the 2004 Arjuna Award and a Padma Shri in 2006. She is the mother of two, and an ambassador for women’s boxing with the International Boxing Association. She had been the face of its campaign for the inclusion of women’s boxing in the 2012 London Olympics. Kom talked to Sunil Thapliyal. Excerpts of the interview

Prakash Shetty is undoubtedly one of the finest cartoonists in India today and yet he struggles, day in and out, to meet his ends. Though engaged in a fierce battle with his destiny, he’s completely unwilling to give up on his profession. He’s also fighting an uneasy battle of keeping his Kannada-humour magazine VAARE KORE alive. The question is: Will he make it? Loosing, however, is not an option with him. Folks’ Co-founder & Editor-in-chief, U. Mahesh Prabhu, engaged this brilliant caricaturist, with indomitable spirit, in a dialogue for a while.

From a high school dropout to a promising entrepreneur Karan Vir Aurora has definitely come a long way. But his journey is ‘yet to begin’. This lad in his late 20s is poised to add verve to Indian comics industry with his start-up: Vimanika. He’s audacious, challenging and smart. His ambition: To make Vimanika, within [...]

While Wall Street Journal called him “an authoritative commentator on the Middle East.” CBS Sunday Morning found him “years ahead of the curve in identifying the threat of radical Islam.” Boston Globe had even acknowledged that “If [his] admonitions had been heeded; there might never have been a 9/11.” He’s Daniel Pipes. Recently he spoke to Folks’ co-founder & Editor-in-chief, U. Mahesh Prabhu. Some excerpts…

Economic meltdown is a prime concern for everyone. Piyush Kumar talks to experts Encouragement is a necessary part of supervision, this provoking thought marked the beginning of a conference named “Leaders Beyond Borders” at the Global School Of Management Science addressed by eminent speakers like Shiv Khera (Writer and Motivational Speaker) and Prof MM Pant [...]