SERIOUSLY CYRUS

I’m in love with a friend who knows that I have a crush on her. But, she said a common friend that she doesn’t feel the same. What do I do? 596 I’m sorry 596, but I’m having trouble hearing your questions because of the loud crackers outside. Sadly I don’t have a home in Delhi -NCR. My first question to you is how does she know that you have a crush on her? Have you made it too obvious? Like an ad in the papers? Her name on your building wall? A letter to our editor? Having said that, stop going through friends. A lot gets lost in the translation. Love and body parts inspections are best done by oneself. Try talking to her casually. Gauge her response. If she’s guarded and unfriendly, back off. If she talks in a decent manner, plod along slowly. Now, do you know about any place on rent in Delhi -NCR, around next Diwali?

I like a guy and he knows it. But, he loves someone else. Now, my friend likes him and he also likes her. She often talks to me about their chats. I feel uncomfortable. I still like him, but I want my friend to be happy. Please help. PS Oops; it’s a typical Mumbai problem. Too many cars and one parking spot. PS, if you really wanted your friend to be happy, you wouldn’t have written. Remember what Gary Kasparov, chess champion, once told a hot dog order, after he received a small sausage to break? “When making a hot dog, weigh the percentage of sausage to bread.” Garry never paid for that hot dog. I Think you need to weigh the percentage — they like each other and you’d rather not hear about their ‘love’. So for a little while try to spend a little less time with your friend. You’ll realise time is the only solution. And please don’t dive into this one, go to another hot dog vendor.

I was attracted to a girl that I met recently. We both liked each other. After a month, I started to find her irritating. And it was all over after that. I’ve not been in a relationship since then. What should I do now? Concentrate on smaller things in life, like birds? JA JA, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Birds, sky, roads, Ted Talks, films by Satyajit Ray are things to be with. Finding someone irritating, after a while, is a normal human reaction. If you don’t find people irritating that’s when you need aid of a doctor. I find everyone irritating. I find these letters irritating. This one especially. But that’s how I know that I don’t need any medication. So, don’t be cynical. Think of irritation as a pot of gold after the end of a rainbow, love. Check with your relatives; the longer the relationship, the more the irritation. It comes with the territory.

AT CYRUS @HINDUSTANTIMES.COM AND I’LL GIVE YOU SOME RELIEF…. ERR… THAT IS, PROVIDED, I’M NOT DOING A HEADSTAND AT THE TIME

Abhinav Verma

Elena Shifrina’s career trajectory, so far, has been unique. From being a model who walked runways in Paris and Milan to working in the banking industry, the 34-year-old Russian has donned many hats. However, the alumnus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) gave all this up to be a food entrepreneur. In an exclusive chat with HT City, she shares anecdotes of her journey.

Tell us about yourself. When did you decide to get into business? I grew up in a family that always prioritised eating healthy. My mother had put us on Hay diet (a nutrition method claiming to separate food into three groups: acidic alkaline and neutral) in the sixth grade. She would review the food products carefully before buying them from the store. We were prohibited to eat junk. Initially, it was difficult for us, but, as I grew older, I kept learning more about healthy eating habits. After I stopped eating meat, I noticed a positive effect in my body. Later, I stopped drinking regular milk, substituting it with vegan alternatives. I don’t understand why we need to kill animals, if everything that our body needs can be found in plants? After working as a fashion model that took me around the world, I asked myself, ‘Is what I want to do with my life?’ So, I researched about industries I could transition into and build a long-term career. Then I enrolled myself for an MBA degree, where we studied about startups and learned about health food. After studying the market, I saw in Russia, there were no allnatural healthy snacks. That’s how the idea of creating a healthy snack came up.

What challenges do you face, while running your company? I look at every problem as a task that can be solved. And, when the problem is global, I’m happier because if I’m able to solve it, I’ll be the first person in the market to do so. Stereotypes about proper nutrition still exists. People have queries on what they should eat and why. We offer ideas and solutions to them.

With the rise of sustainable food movement along with economic challenges, how do to make the product more affordable? We believe that it’s the right of every person and child to eat well. A healthy snack should be an integral part of the diet. We plan to develop healthy snacks which will bring the concept of healthy eating closer to home. But there is also a question of addressing these issues on a large scale. Governments can subsidise private healthy food companies to promote healthy eating.

Ayurveda influences a lot in the way of an Indian’s life. Do you plan to incorporate them into your business model when you enter the Indian market? We appreciate the cultural characteristics of our partners. And we want to adapt our products to a new market, while maintaining a recognisable corporate identity. We’ll make sure that our ingredients are aligned with the science of Ayurveda and adapts well with Indians.

I don’t understand why we need to kill animals, if everything that our body needs can be found in plants? ELENA SHIFRINA, FOOD ENTREPRENEUR