Sanjay Nigam – The Torch Bearer

Sanjay Nigam comes from the humble land of Lucknow which is famous for its noble culture. Growing up in the city of ‘Tehzeeb’, Sanjay learnt to be compassionate towards others while growing up.He always observed elders of the society following an altruistic approach. Supporting others in any way within his power was a part of his upbringing, moreover, the hardships that he faced while moving forward in the industry made him realize that aspiring individuals need a person who can guide them towards their goals.

“I don’t want others to go through the same hardships as me and thus I guide them towards their dreams. ” he says. “I believe that a change in this world can truly be brought when we start helping each other, an interdependent community will build a better future for the upcoming members.”

What is the most significant moment of your career till now?

I truly cherish everything that I’ve done till now, I find everything about my career a significant moment, even the breath that I took when I realized I wanted a career in this industry was a significant moment. I even cherish this conversation we are having. I truly love my career and my work, I get to do what I always wanted to do and I get paid for that. I truly believe that the journey itself holds more significance than a single moment or the destination. Every breath drawn and every goal achieved loses its value once it becomes too big to be compared to the rest of your achievements, every rung of the ladder, though it increases in height, remains of the same value.

What was the main message that you want to convey through the Indian Fashion Awards?

Now this is where it gets interesting, you may have observed that though each member of the industry, be it a model or a stylist, adds to glitter of the industry and yet they remain isolated from any recognition and their efforts remain unacknowledged. Models report for call times early morning, work hard to maintain a positive body language, act as a pallet that gives shape to the creativity of the designer, and yet remain unacknowledged for their efforts. Same goes for backstage managers, they are the glue that holds the show together. Show Directors, MUA, designers and all the other classes of the industry have a similar position. They lack a platform which acknowledges their efforts. Observing this I proceeded with the creation of India Fashion Awards, a platform that recognizes these unsung heroes of fashion. I believe every person deserves acknowledgement for his/her efforts and thus the main message that I wanted to convey was that no effort should go unacknowledged.

You have always been supportive to new talent and helped them to reach new heights. Can we expect to see more creative ways in which you promote and appreciate talent in the coming future?

Yes for sure, there are quite a few things that we are working on to ensure sustainable development of the industry and strengthen Indian Model industry in the Global Fashion economy. Our primary focus would be on new talent as they will shape the future of the industry.

The Indian Fashion Awards aimed at recognizing and appreciating artists, brands and businesses for their significant contribution to the fashion industry in the past year. What was the idea and goal behind the event and did you feel like you achieved that goal?

Yes I do feel that we achieved what we aimed, all the stars of the industry gathered under one roof to attend the IFA, and moreover everyone was happy to finally have a platform in the industry which recognized their efforts. We were truly amazed to observe the excitement on everyone’s face, their smiles were indicators of our achievement.

Many people idolize your lifestyle and get inspired to become like you. Do you have any message for these followers of yours?

I have always believed that a man needs to more than one source of income and one primary source of income that would earn him his prevalence. I have various Businesses across countries in Asia, from real estate to trade. My message to my followers would be to develop a strong base that could support them economically and then develop a business that will earn them admiration and a king style lifestyle.