Highlights From ANOKHI’s 20th Anniversary Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANOKHI Celebrated It’s 20th Anniversary With A Star-Studded Celebrity Fashion Show, Mental Health Awareness Brunch & An Entertainment Gala While Honouring South Asian Empire Builders

Toronto, ON | Thursday June 22nd, 2023

ANOKHI LIFE, North America’s longest running multimedia, multi-platform brand about South Asian pop culture, lifestyle, and entertainment celebrated its 20th Anniversary this past weekend, June 16th – June 17th in Toronto in a star-studded extravaganza.

The 2-day festivities included celebrity red carpets, award ceremonies, 7-designer fashion show, interactive fireside chats, and live musical performances.

The events were covered by Zee TV and Getty Images.

Here is a quick recap of the 3 events:

ANOKHI EMERALD RUNWAY Presented By Dhalla Group Of Companies
June 16th, 2023 | Westin Toronto Airport Hotel

CEO Raj Girn started the evening by sharing the ANOKHI EMERALD RUNWAY mandate – to celebrate and showcase 20 years of South Asian fashion, style, and beauty, based on true and pure empowerment of the Divine Feminine, in the form of Maha Lakshmi, who exemplifies these qualities.

The MP for Brampton South, Sonia Sidhu presented ANOKHI LIFE with a certificate celebrating the 20 year milestone. This was followed by Dr. Ruby Dhalla, CEO of the Dhalla Group of Companies delivering her presenting sponsor’s address.

AWARDS SEGMENT:

There were 5 honourees in the Glamour category presented By the Dhalla Group Of Companies:

Excellence in Beauty Empowerment, presented to Neelam Verma

Excellence in Fashion, presented to Priya Chhabria

Excellence in Fashion, presented to Archana Kochhar

Excellence in Fashion Design, presented to Dinesh K Ramsay

Lifetime Excellence in Fashion, presented to Naeem Khan

FASHION SHOW:

7 South Asian fashion designers showcased their interpretation of the emerald theme where well-known personalities walked the runway.

Featured Fashion Designers:

Naeem Khan
Dinesh K Ramsay
Archana Kochhar
Priya Chhabria
Mani Jassal
Navaa
Rivesse

Celebrity Showstoppers:

Ali Kazmi
Fuad Ahmed
Harjas Singh
Husein Madhavji
Neelam Verma
Nobahar Dadui
Sandy Kaur Gill
Sonia Jhas

Guests enjoyed food by by Zauq and dessert by Cheezeco, as well as snack stations by our sponsors KFI The Indian Sauce Company and Shana Foods. Mocktails were provided by Rubicon Exotic, with cocktails provided by Five Rivers Punjabi Whisky & Blue Peacock Vodka.

SELECT IMAGES FOR ANOKHI EMERALD RUNWAY CAN BE ACCESSED HERE.

ANOKHI EMERALD BRUNCH Presented By Meridian Credit Union
June 17th, 2023 | 10am – 2pm | The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel

Raj Girn started off with sharing the ANOKHI EMERALD BRUNCH mandate – to normalize discussions around mental health within the South Asian community, all while sharing tips and resources, as ANOKHI did with the online ‘Circle Of Trust’ video series during May’s Mental Health Month which many prominent personalities from the South Asian community had participated in.

The goal of the event was to continue the ‘Circle Of Trust’ initiative, by sharing and learning in each other’s real life, lived experiences, to uplift and empower our lifeforce to emanate on a higher frequency, in honour of Maha Parvati Shakti.

This was followed by Sunny Sodhi, the Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer at Meridian Credit Union, delivering the presenting sponsor address for the attendees.

AWARDS SEGMENT:

There were 5 honourees across the Beauty, Business and Entertainment categories, presented By Meridian Credit Union:

Excellence in the Art of Wellness, presented to Thara Natalie

Excellence in Arts & Entertainment, presented to Karen David

Excellence in Arts & Entertainment, presented to Natasha Chandel

Excellence in Business & Politics, presented to Dr. Ruby Dhalla

Excellence in Beauty Arts, presented to Tamanna Roashan

CIRCLE OF TRUST SEGMENT:

Energy Healing Session, Soundbowls, Meditation and Intention Setting with Thara Natalie

Fireside Chat #1: ‘Women In Arts & Entertainment’, Featuring Karen David And Natasha Chandel, Brought To You By Home Of Dentistry

Fireside Chat #2: ‘Women In Business & Financial Confidence, Featuring Dilys D’Cruz And Dr. Ruby Dhalla, Brought To You By Aloe Accounting And Tax Professional Corporation

Fireside Chat #3: ‘Women In The Competitive World Of Glamour’ Featuring Tamanna Roashan, Brought To You By Glow College Of Artistic Design

Throughout the course of event, Raj Girn encouraged audience members to participate in discussions, with each participant receiving a complimentary stress ball, in keeping with the mental health theme of the event.

Guests enjoyed food by by Gouda Thyme, as well as snack stations by our sponsors KFI The Indian Sauce Company and Shana Foods. Mocktails were provided by Rubicon Exotic.

SELECT IMAGES FOR ANOKHI EMERALD BRUNCH CAN BE ACCESSED HERE.

ANOKHI EMERALD BALL Presented By Dhalla Group Of Companies
June 17th, 2023 | 7pm – 1am | The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel

Raj Girn started off the festivities by sharing the ANOKHI EMERALD RUNWAY mandate – to

celebrate and showcase 20 years of South Asian arts and entertainment based on the virtues of Maha Saraswati, the Divine Goddess of music, art, and learning.

AWARDS SEGMENT:

There were 5 honourees in the music & entertainment industries, presented By the Dhalla Group Of Companies:

Lifetime Excellence In Music Advancement, presented to Sammy Chand

Excellence In Music Artistry, presented to Rhea Raj

Excellence In Music Artistry, presented to Raghav

Excellence In Music Artistry, presented to Rup Magon of Josh The Band

Excellence In Music Artistry, presented to Deep Jandu

THE UNVEILING OF THE DR. NEIL DHALLA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE:

This prestigious award was presented to the founder of Jacob & Co., Mr. Jacob Arabo by Dr. Ruby Dhalla, the CEO of the Dhalla Group Of Companies. The award honours individuals who, like Dr. Neil Dhalla, embody vision, passion, and purpose in their endeavours.

MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY:

Rhea Raj

Raghav

DJ Reshiv

Amar Dholi

Rup Magon of Josh The Band

And a surprise performance by Deep Jandu

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown was in attendance and congratulated Raj Girn and the ANOKHI Team on their 20 years of serving the South Asian community in Canada and worldwide.

Guests enjoyed food by by Aunty’s Kitchen, as well as snack stations by our sponsors KFI The Indian Sauce Company and Shana Foods. Mocktails were provided by Rubicon Exotic, with cocktails provided by Five Rivers Punjabi Whisky & Blue Peacock Vodka.

SELECT IMAGES FOR ANOKHI EMERALD BALL CAN BE ACCESSED HERE.

#ANOKHI20 Is Thankful For Its Sponsors & Partners’ Support, Without Which, This Event Series Would Not Be Possible. We Encourage You To Visit Their Websites & Social Media As Companies That We Recommend You To Work With:

EVENT HOST: ANOKHI Life
IN SUPPORT OF: Centre For Addiction & Mental Health
VENUE & HOTEL PARTNER: The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel
ANOKHI EMERALD RUNWAY & BALL PRESENTED BY: Dhalla Group Of Companies
ANOKHI EMEALD BRUNCH PRESENTED BY: Meridian Credit Union
TALENT SPONSOR: The Open Chest Confidence Academy
PLATINUM SPONSOR: KFI The Indian Sauce Company
GOLD SPONSOR: BioAro, Keek, Mantella Corporation, Rowenta
GOLD SPONSOR/BROADCAST MEDIA PARTNER: Zee TV Canada HD
SILVER SPONSOR: Rubicon Exotic, Shana Foods, Sharma-Singh Immigration Services Inc.
SILVER SPONSOR/RADIO PARTNER: Rukus Avenue Radio
FRONT STAGE LOGISTICS & SHOW MANAGEMENT: Styleworthy
FASHION SHOW MANAGEMENT: Femida Sidi
BACKSTAGE MANAGEMENT, MODELS & FASHION CHOREOGRAPY: Toronto Fashion Academy
DECOR PARTNER: Top Diamond Events & Party Rentals
DECOR CONSULTING PARTNER: Chic Luxury Events
BAR & FLOOR WRAPS SPONSOR: Paragon Designs
AUDIO/VISUAL PARTNER: Empire Entertainment
AWARD LOGO DESIGN & SHOW ANIMATIONS BY: Dan Filip Radu 3D Animation & Video Production
MEDIA & PR: Media Works
ANOKHI EMERALD BRUNCH FIRESIDE CHAT #1 BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Home Of Dentistry
ANOKHI EMERALD BRUNCH FIRESIDE CHAT #2 BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Aloe Accounting & Tax Professional Corporation
ANOKHI EMERALD BRUNCH FIRESIDE CHAT #3 BROUGHT TO YOU BY & MAKEUP ARTISTS SPONSOR: Glow College Of Artistic Design
RAJ GIRN’S HAIR & MAKEUP PROVIDED BY: The Beauty Concept By Shirley Wu
RAJ GIRN’S JEWELLERY PROVIDED BY: Banglez Jewelry
RAJ GIRN’S CLUTCHES PROVIDED BY: Clutcheet
HAIR SPONSOR: Prive Hair Gallery
MAKEUP SPONSOR: Vasanti Cosmetics
DEEJAY: Toronto DJ Academy, DJ Reshiv
BRONZE SPONSOR: Blue Peacock Vodka, Five Rivers Whisky
ANNIVERSARY CAKE PROVIDED BY: Kate Frasch
PHOTO & VIDEO PARTNER: Nisarg Media Productions
RED CARPET COVERAGE: ANOKHI Uncensored, Getty Images
ONLINE MEDIA PARTNER: Dissdash, GTA South Asian Media Network
COMMUNITY PARTNER: Sapna Toronto

SWEEPSTAKES SPONSORS:

ANOKHI Life, Clutcheet, East Boutique, KFI The Indian Sauce Company, Mubarak Clutches, Rowenta, Rubicon Exotic, Sahiba Fashions, Shana Foods, The Open Chest Confidence Academy

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About ANOKHI LIFE

ANOKHI LIFE (previously ANOKHI MEDIA) was founded in 2002 by its award-winning President and CEO Raj Girn, who had the vision of creating a one-stop multimedia resource to communicate and engage intimately with the global South Asian community to which she belongs, as well as provide a platform for relevant and penetrative connectivity between the community and the commercial world at large. With this as the central focus and mission statement, Raj and her team set forth to create a brand that would forge this vision into the mindshare of the community and market share of the client.

ANOKHI LIFE’s portfolio includes a robust online community with an online magazine blog, 2 video channels, a radio show, an annual awards show, a boutique event series, a weekly newsletter, and a global social media network. They have also garnered an extensive, long-term, multi-national client base due to their innovative strategies and pioneering initiatives. The brand has become North America’s premier “go to” information resource for all aspects associated with South Asian pop culture, lifestyle and entertainment, for the consumer, the media and the commercial sector.

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Highlights From ANOKHI’s 20th Anniversary Event