Write a short story and stand a chance to get it published by Femina or sign a book deal!

Don’t you remember all the pretty princesses playing in your head as a kid? So here’s your chance to create your own princess, dress them up, make them fall in love, get them married or make them independent women! Create a story that you always dreamed of and let the world read your thoughts!

Femina Magazine, India invites you to be a part of Femina Fast Fiction, the first ever fiction writing contest that lets you write about things you love the most. All you have to do is submit a short story of 500 words or less, penned by you on http://www.feminafastfiction.com/ and if Femina likes your fiction piece, your story will be published on their website and maybe in the magazine too. Also, one lucky winner will get a chance to meet Karthika VK, publisher Harper Collins and get one step closer to bagging a book deal. How awesome is that! Kindly submit your stories by 30th June,2014 latest.

L'Oreal Paris Femina Women Awards 2014 - Vote For Your Favorite Nominee

For the last two years, L'Oreal Paris and Femina have been honoring women in various walks of life for their talent, commitment to society and ability to inspire and achieve. The third edition of the L'Oreal Paris Femina Women Awards was announced on 3rd March and this time the awards will be given across 14 categories, including science, business and entrepreneurship, sports, art and education among others.

For the 2014 awards, your opinion will also count and you can vote for the woman who inspires you in these categories either via your computer or your mobile phone.  

Favorite Face of a Cause - Nominees are:

• Palak Muchchal - Palak, a singer, has paid for more than 600 heart surgeries of children and has raised Rs 3.15 crores for the cause through concerts and her career in playback.Palak, a singer, has paid for more than 600 heart surgeries of children and has raised Rs 3.15 crores for the cause through concerts and her career in playback.
• Pooja Warier - She is the co-founder of UnLtd India, which supports social enterprises. She is also the creator of Bombay Connect, which brings together individuals who are passionate about social change.
• Sminu Jindal - Sminu, who is wheelchair-bound, has taken up the cause of ensuring accessible and barrier-free public infrastructure for the ageing as well as the physically challenged. She is the MD of Jindal SAW Ltd.
• Suzette Jordan - In an act of courage, Suette who survived a gang rape on Park Street, Kolkata came out in the public to talk about the incident. She now works with an NGO that supports rape survivors.
• Mittal Patel - Mittal's NGO Vicharata Samudaay Samarthan Manch organises camps to get voter ID cards. She runs 26 schools in different districts where over 1,040 students have been admitted.

Science and Innovation - Nominees are :

• Debadrita Mondal - She created the low cost health drink Homelicks, and was selected for this year's Innovation award by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Dr K Vijaya Lakshmi - Dr K Vijay Lakshmi invented the Jal- TARA portable testing kit that provides pure and filtered water without the use of any electricity.
• Indrani Medhi Thies - Indrani has designed text-free interfaces that guide illiterate and semi-literate users through tasks such as electronic banking.
• Namita Banka - Namita Banka is the incorporater of Bioloo - a bio waste technology to dispose human waste in low cost and low maintenance manner.
• Upasana Makati - She started a publication called White Print for the visually impaired. The publication is India's only lifestyle monthly magazine in Braille.

Online Influencer - Nominees are:

• Priyanka Bose - Priyanka's production company Paapi Pet Films produced the short film on child trafficking - 'Don't Look Away' that went viral on the internet.
• Meena Kandaswamy - Feminist, poet, author Meena Kandaswamy has taken sensitive social debates online. Her poetry on topics like the caste system, violence against women and sexual oppression challenges convention.
• Mehvish Mushtaq - Developed an android application called 'Dial Kashmir' for all essential services including healthcare, education and transport.

Social Impact - Nominees are:

• Vrinda Grover - Vrinda Grover is a human rights lawyer and advocate for women's rights. She is the voice of reform in India's rape laws.
• Kiran Bedi - Activist, author and speaker Kiran Bedi is India's first woman IPS Officer, a recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, and founder of two NGOs. In recent years, she has been a tireless anti-corruption crusader.
• Ruchira Gupta - Ruchira Gupta is the founder-president of Apne Aap, a grassroot-level organisation that works to protect the seven lakh women and children worldwide who are forced into sex trafficking.
• Neidonuo Angami - Padmashree winner, Neidonuo co-founded the Naga Mothers Association in 1984 that works at conflict resolution in North East India. Among Neidonuo's many initiatives is the 'Shed No More Blood' campaign to promote peace.

You can cast your vote either via your computer or mobile phone.

Vote on computer : http://bit.ly/VoteForYourWomenOfWorth

Vote on mobile: https://apps.facebook.com/lorealparis-india

I have already voted for my Woman of Worth. It's now your turn. Voice your vote! 

My Thoughts on the Femina Salon and Spa Magazine

For me and I guess for most of us Indian girls, Femina is largely responsible for our initiation to the world of beauty and fashion. Long ago in an era of no blogs, no internet, limited access to international makeup, Femina used to be my source of all things beautiful. I used to wait eagerly for the magazine to be delivered at home and would 'gobble' up the contents. Times have changed. International magazines have set up shop in India and we now have a lot more access to what's happening globally but for me, Femina will always be special. I don't think any other magazine has that instant connection with the Indian woman and that's why Femina still ranks so high on my list of favorite magazines to read. Throughout the years Femina has changed as well. From being a stand alone monthly English magazine, they branched out to the regional markets and now there is a Femina Spa and Salon magazine as well.

I read the January edition of the magazine for the first time and for a beauty and makeup enthusiast like me, it's a Godsend. This month's edition features the beautiful Aditi Rao Hydari on the cover and my god, I'm so lusting over those curls!! The Femina Spa and Salon magazine is mainly targeted towards the experts in the beauty business but that does not mean you will not enjoy reading this unless you own a salon or a spa. 

The edition focuses on hair and makeup and there are detailed tutorials on how to achieve certain looks. You can learn how to tie a knotted ponytail, get Farah Fawcett's feathered waves and a beautiful and refined fish tail braid. 

If makeup is more your thing then ace makeup artist Subhash Vagal shows you how to get graphic eyes using an eyeliner, MAC makeup artist Sonic Sarwate shares two looks from the Spring/Summer 2014 catwalks, Ojas Rajani answers all your makeup queries and you get to read a special interview with the legendary Bobbi Brown. 

If you are a professional in the beauty and makeup industry then this magazine has something for you too. You can read how to succeed in your business without owning a multi-salon chain and also learn about the art of prosthetic makeup. 

Priced at Rs 100, the Femina Spa and Salon is a treasure trove of information for both amateurs and professionals in the beauty industry and I would recommend you to get a copy to check it out for yourself. This is just the second issue and I'm sure the content will get better with every passing month. You can buy the magazine at the newsstand or even subscribe. 

 P.S - Magazine complimentary of Femina

Want your story to be published in Femina?

Do you remember the beautiful Disney princesses known for their feminine qualities, charm and flawless features? Create your own princess, make her fall in love or even set her up as the independent feminist. It’s all about women-power after all. Put these crazy ideas on paper and make up a story that you think deserves to be read by thousands of people.

Femina Magazine, India invites you to be a part of Femina Fast Fiction, the first ever fiction writing contest that lets you write about things you love the most. All you have to do is submit a short story between 500- 2000 words, penned by you on http://www.feminafastfiction.com/ and if Femina likes your fiction piece, they will publish your story on their website and maybe in the magazine too. How awesome is that! But hurry, the last day to submit your fiction stories is December 31, 2013.

Femina Launches its first completely crowd-sourced issue

Femina launches the first ever crowd-sourced issue

The issue titled ‘Made by You’ will be written completely by contributors from across the country

Mumbai, 28^th January, 2013: India's leading women's English magazine Femina is on the brink of a new revolution in publishing. In an absolute first for the magazine, Femina invites its readers from across the country to contribute with features and articles for the April issue. The new issue aptly called, ‘Made By You’, is a 100 percent crowd sourced issue that aims to mobilise readers from across the length and breadth of the nation. By creating this platform that enables Indian women to be a larger part of their favorite magazine .

Femina’s ‘Made By You’ issue will unlock the power of social media to reach over 5 million women, encouraging them to channel their writing skills. Femina will feature the work of hundreds of these new "journalists" in the magazine. The issue will pose as a platform for real women to unleash their talent and share their exceptional stories with other readers across the country.

Femina has partnered with FoxyMoron to amplify the “call-to-action” and has introduced multiple engagement platforms for its readers. Aspiring writers can either use Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest to share their editorial ideas. Specifically on Facebook, potential writers can get an update on commissioned stories and the overall editorial plan. Participants from anywhere in the country can also connect with Femina's editorial team through Google Hangouts, or Skype for detailed conversations.

Tarun Rai, CEO, Worldwide Media, says “Worldwide Media has grown at a furious pace. From just four magazines four years ago we now have thirteen. And as a publishing house we have been leading from the front. Femina Made By You is another first for the magazine industry. A crowd-sourced issue, at the scale we have visualized it, is unprecedented. And it is only appropriate that it is Femina that is bringing it out as there is no other English women’s magazine with the stature and readership that Femina has.”

Tanya Chaitanya, Editor, Femina, says "Femina Made by You is exactly what it promises to be. An issue made by the real women who have always been our core focus. A Mumbai reader's take on relationships, a Delhi girl's hunt for the latest It bag, a Kolkata woman's expertise in the kitchen, a Chennai career girl's tips on being a 9-to-5 ninja - it's all trending here. Femina, the magazine for you, now made by you."

Says Soela Joshi, Brand Publisher, Femina, “Crowd-sourcing is one of the latest tools in the marketing arsenal. For Femina it is becoming an integral part of the marketing mix. Femina’s crowd sourced issue aims to leverage the participative and collective power of the brand, build greater affinity, relevance & keep up with how today’s consumers interact.”

Harshil Karia, Online Strategist at FoxyMoron, says, “Going through over 500 entries daily to zero-in on relevant and interesting content for the magazine is both fun and over-whelming. Femina’s assets on Internet and Mobile really enable us to reach out to millions of potential writers from around the country and the world.”

Femina has always been a brand known to take risks and experiment with bold engagement mechanisms. With this new venture, the magazine reaches out to many more women in the country, empowering them to voice their thoughts, ideas and opinions.

About Femina:

Femina was first published in July 1959 and for over 50 years now, Femina, India’s first and largest read women’s English magazine has been the definitive life and lifestyle guide for progressive woman. It is owned by Worldwide Media, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Times Group.  Femina is a magazine, published fortnightly in India. It primarily features articles on relationships, beauty and fashion, travel, women, cuisine, health and fitness. It also features articles on celebrities and cultural facets of Indian women. It has organized and sponsored the Femina Miss India beauty pageant since 1964.