From author to model: 5 unique facts about Elon Musk's mother Maye Musk
Maye has been modeling since she was 15 years old in Pretoria, South Africa. In her 60s, she was featured on four billboards in Times Square and also appeared on magazine covers, including Vogue, Marie Claire and Elle. Through her 70s, she continued to model with Covergirl for four years and then with Dior Beauty Ambassador, which eventually earned her the title of 'Supermodel'.
Her book 'A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success' has been translated into 31 languages, including Hindi, Spanish, German, Japanese, etc. In the book, she shares her experiences on career, family, health and adventure for women across the world. The book is available in over 100 countries.
At the age of 34, she started interning at a hospital to gain expertise on diets for chronic diseases. While there, she received a scholarship to work with colostomy patients and obtain a Master of Science degree. For her second master's degree, she returned to Canada at 41 and obtained a Master of Science degree in Nutritional Science, this time from the University of Toronto. Seeing her continuous efforts, she was honoured with a PhD, Doctor of Dietetics, by the University of Free State.
She wrote the exams three times, including once in the Afrikaans language and passed each time on the first attempt. While the first exam was in Metrication, the other two were for specialization in Imperial Measurements.
Maye has given talks on health in different countries, including Melbourne, Kiev, Budapest, Beirut, Cannes and Stockholm. After the launch of her book, Maye's demand for engagements and CAA speakers increased. She has been vocal about helping medical professionals with how to run their business. This has also led to her becoming the first Representative of the Consulting Dietitians of Southern Africa.
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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Medical docudrama The Brown Heart looks to spotlight the curse of heart attacks among South Asians
Drs. Renu and Nirmal Joshi, based in Pennsylvania, the US, have directed a docudrama titled The Brown Heart about the epidemic of heart disease in South Asians and what can be done to protect the community against cardiovascular disease. Filmed in the US, UK, India and Pakistan, the film showcases the experiences of people and families affected by the scourge of heart disease. With the incidence of cardiovascular disease affecting the younger South Asian demographic rising, the need for awareness of genetic and lifestyle-induced factors and what can be done to reduce risk is imperative. The Brown Heart released on JioHotstar on May 3. The 130-minute movie, which is in English with subtitles in Hindi, is available on Jio Hotstar. Here's an interview with the directors. The Brown Heart has a lot of technical medical information. Is it for the general audience? Nirmal Joshi: When we started about two years ago, our intent was to reach the mainstream audience-people of South Asian origin anywhere in the world- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries with South Asians. Our primary focus was India because of the sheer number of people there. We were worried about how to distil down such a complex topic into something that people are able to understand. We went through repeated iterations to make sure we dumb it down to the point where laypeople understand it. But at the end of the day, we took a chance. What we found is that our Indian community (in the US) is very, very educated, and they are very ripe for consuming content that is reasonably complex, and they're able to get it pretty well. I'm not sure if 100% of it resonates, but the feedback overall has still been that it's very understandable. Renu Joshi: The movie does a pretty good job of balancing medical evidence with the patient stories. That is how the people have perceived it. The feedback that we have got is that this is the first time they have seen personal emotional stories followed by medical evidence. Also, the medical community is a hard community to please. They all think that they know it and know it well. There are many cardiologists in India and in the US who watched the movie and told me that they learnt a lot. My American cardiologist told me that he learnt so much about the South Asian community and their cardiac health in general. How will this movie in English reach and benefit the blue-collar populace of South Asians with a sedentary lifestyle? Nirmal Joshi: Currently, the movie has subtitles in Hindi and English. This is one constructive criticism we have got about the film. We made a conscious choice to do it in English because of the extensive medical terminology. We are now ready to dub it in multiple languages. We have a three to six-month contract with Geo Hotstar. After that, we are free to do whatever we want, and my intent for the next round is to get the film fully dubbed using AI and other tools in multiple languages, like Hindi, Telugu and Gujarati. It would have been really nice if the initial film had come out both in Hindi and in English to begin with. That's a limitation. What other feedback have you got on the film? The feedback we have gotten overall is on the content. The term being used is that the movie is a wake-up call. Through the lens of human stories, very complex medical concepts are presented. It's not just the head; there is a lot of heart in it, which touches people. Also, the multiple graphics presented help the cause and show the content in a way that people are able to understand. Renu Joshi: One criticism we received is that the movie is very long. We had originally thought about doing a web series of about four hours, each section being 45 to 50 minutes. Nirmal Joshi: Another outlier criticism is that the whole thing (movie) is a plot to get doctors to do more tests. When I travelled across India and talked to the people I interviewed and others, one of the things that I discovered was the ongoing mistrust of healthcare providers overall—not just doctors but lab personnel, too. I don't look at it like toxic criticism. I look at it like a constructive barrier to be overcome. 90% of the feedback has been remarkably positive. I wish we are able to have more viewership, Besides spreading awareness to the target audience, did you have any other goal with the movie? Renu Joshi: Our goal is to save lives. That is the only goal we have because it's all charity-based and non-profit. We haven't really raised any money for the movie; everything is charity-driven. Even if 5% of people will change their diets and exercise after watching the movie, our job is done. Any plans on engagement at the Institutional levels, for example, on food labelling? Renu Joshi: I'll probably strictly focus on the Indian food labelling, because I think that's where most of the problem is. When I go to an Indian store, no more than two roasted snacks are available because of low demand. The other big problem is Indian sweets. Indian sweets are killers. I am delighted to see some brands coming up with sugar-free sweets. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has a full millet cafeteria. We want to engage with the state and central governments in India. We have not given up on our governmental proposals. We'll keep talking. We're going to India in September, and our goal is again to meet with government officials to see what can be done about scaling education about healthy eating to prevent lifestyle diseases amongst Indians. I agree that intervention is needed at an institutional level and more promotion at the government level on healthy nutrition choices. Nirmal Joshi: There is so much to be done at that level, but there is so much red tape to get past that it is virtually impossible to even reach the people. Even for the film, my attempts to reach the health ministry have been stonewalled. What are some of the societal trends that might be leading to high Cardiovascular incidence in the Youth? Eating out is a big trend in India as in the US. The younger generations are not cooking at home as frequently as previous generations. Eating out generally translates to unhealthy stuff for the most part. More healthy choices are becoming available, but attitudes to eating out are still very, very unhealthy. People have a lot of misconceptions about food, like that what is natural is okay. For example, ghee, full-fat milk are okay. There are these societal norms that are significant barriers. In the US, many restaurants now have calorie information next to the dish on the menu. When we see the calories, it influences our judgment as to which one to have—for example, a large versus a medium helping. How are you trying to reach the young South Asian demographic with this important information? Nirmal Joshi: Our target audience-although it's all South Asians, but primarily those between the ages of 25 to 40. When you intervene at that age, you're trying to help them make a lasting change. But, this demographic has an attention span for 15-second bytes, 32-second bytes and so on. As soon as the film was released, we put out 50 reels on Instagram. But the problem is that people don't consume health content easily. Unless a celebrity is saying something, it's not cool. We know this barrier, and the key is not to get flustered by it, but to work with it. Because what you find is if simply telling people made them change, every smoker would have stopped smoking, every alcoholic would have stopped drinking alcohol. We are highly optimistic. Our job is to remove as many barriers as we can.
Hans India
9 hours ago
- Hans India
Breast cancer screening centre inaugurated
Dokiparru (Krishna district): In a major step for women's health, philanthropist Sudha Reddy, Miss World 2025 Opal Suchata Chuangsri, and Miss Asia 2025 Krishnah Gravidez have jointly inaugurated a new Breast Cancer Screening Centre at Dokiparru village in Krishna district. The centre, a partnership between the Sudha Reddy Foundation and the MEIL Foundation, will offer free breast cancer screening and early detection services to women in rural Andhra Pradesh. The inauguration was attended by villagers, local leaders, and women's health advocates, all showing strong support for the initiative. Speaking at the event, Sudha Reddy, founder of the Sudha Reddy Foundation and Global Ambassador of the Miss World Organisation – Beauty with a Purpose, emphasised the importance of the new centre. 'This is more than an initiative—it is a mission to save lives. Early detection is the strongest weapon against breast cancer, and by bringing these facilities to villages, we are ensuring that no woman is left behind simply because of where she lives,' she said. Opal Suchata Chuangsri, Miss World 2025 and a breast cancer survivor, shared her personal journey. 'As a breast cancer survivor, I have walked through the fear, the uncertainty, and the relentless fight that this journey demands. Today, I stand here to tell every woman, in Andhra Pradesh and across the world, that you are never alone. Knowledge, early screening, and the strength of a united community can and do save lives,' she said. Krishnah Gravidez, Miss Asia 2025, added her voice to the cause. 'Healthcare should not be a privilege of cities. This centre in Dokiparru is a powerful reminder that true beauty lies in compassion and purpose. Together, we can change the narrative on breast cancer and give women everywhere the dignity of access and hope,' she said. The event also marked the announcement of the second edition of the Pink Power Run 2.0, Hyderabad's main breast cancer awareness initiative, scheduled for August 28, 2025. The run aims to mobilise communities, spread awareness, and gather support for early detection and women's health. This initiative further highlights Sudha Reddy's commitment to women's empowerment, following her recent appointment as the first-ever Global Ambassador for the Miss World Organisation. The Sudha Reddy Foundation is dedicated to healthcare, education, and women's empowerment, with a focus on breast cancer awareness and survivor support. The MEIL Foundation, the CSR arm of Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd works on healthcare, education, and rural development projects to create a large-scale impact.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
IGNOU Diploma Course Book On Early Childhood Care Released In Odia
The Higher Education Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on June 9 to introduce various IGNOU courses in Odia. According to the MoU, IGNOU will offer its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, along with doctoral diplomas, diplomas, certificate courses, Bachelor of Vocational Studies, Travel and Tourism Management, BBA, MBA, and several other programmes in the Odia language. In this sequence, the Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE), offered by IGNOU, has been translated into Odia. The Odia course material and textbooks were formally released today by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Higher Education Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj. Previously, IGNOU offered the DECE course in English, Hindi and Tamil. From now on, it will also be available in Odia. The DECE is a one-year diploma course, open to students after completion of Class 12. The programme primarily focuses on early childhood education, child health and nutrition. Along with textbooks, students will be provided with audio cassettes and video tutorials. Both theory and practical components have been incorporated, enabling students to gain not only academic knowledge but also hands-on experience. Speaking as Chief Guest at the programme, Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Pravati Parida said that the introduction of DECE in Odia is a welcome step. This will particularly benefit Anganwadi workers and trainers, as well as pre-school educators who can pursue the course in their mother tongue (Odia). She added that making the curriculum available in Odia will make learning simpler and accessible. The course will also be useful for individuals and organisations interested in child education and nutrition, as well as voluntary organisations and private playschools. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj remarked that early education forms the foundation of the entire education system. Strengthening it ensures a strong education framework as a whole. The DECE course offered by IGNOU will help develop the skills of educators, trainers and workers engaged in early education, enabling them to provide learning through simple and practical methods. He further highlighted that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises strengthening early education and promoting education up to higher levels in the mother tongue. Learning in one's mother language fosters creativity and strengthens grassroots education, ultimately achieving the goal of "Education for All". During the programme, Anganwadi workers enrolled in this diploma course (DECE Course) joined virtually. They expressed their gratitude to Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Higher Education Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj and IGNOU officials. The event was attended by Aravind Agrawal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education Department, Smt. Monisha Banerjee, Director, Women & Child Development Department, Prof Uma Kanjilal, Vice-Chancellor IGNOU and other dignitaries.
