At 14 months, Vivaan is clearly the most adorable kid on the block! The incessant barking of Messy, the Labrador – his maternal grand pa's pet. A steady flow of strangers – shoot coordinators, make-up artists, photographer and his assistants. Mum terribly caught up with changes between shots. The unfamiliar territory of his grand mum's new house. Nothing, just about nothing, unnerves this li'l rock star!

Niharika Bhasin, 27, sees new meaning in her life with the birth of Vivaan. His selfless love and generous kisses make him a hot favourite with the family... adding a stronger dimension to her personal bonds too!

Thirty-three-year-old Vinita Ramchandani, settled in the US with her husband Parthiv Vora and son Arjun, 22 months, wants nothing more than to raise her son with the best qualities – both from the east and the west!

Words & shoot coordination Poornima Nair Iyer
Visuals Ryan Martis
Hair & make-up Recinda Martis
Location Four Seasons Hotel, Worli, Mumbai

Our cover mum has a sweet and petite personality, but it’s her intelligence and sophisticated manner of speaking that strikes the right chord. We indulge her in a tête-à-tête, where she reveals several interesting and memorable moments of her life. She recounts the time when Parthiv and she got to know one another. “We were both from the science stream and attended the same tuition class when we were in standard XI and XII. So, we were friends at first.

M&B acquaints you with television actress Tuhinaa Vohrra – a strong, spirited woman who dealt with a difficult period in her life post-pregnancy and emerged as a confidant and dedicated mum to one-year-old Raayah

Solid character

Often, Tuhinaa has played characters that are a far cry from her actual personality. The Tuhinaa we encounter is sensible, pleasing and completely carefree. We meet at her apartment in Powai, Mumbai, where we are greeted by her mum and little daughter Raayah. Between make-up and hair dressing, Tuhinaa talks to us as though we are long-lost friends. “When I was in college, I wrote, directed and acted in a college festival play and I came first. A friend of mine pushed me to join a theatre group on the day of my birthday.

Twenty-nine year old Shivali Singh gave up her career to have a family. She tells M&B how being a full-time mother has made her a content individual...

Words & shoot coordination
Poornima Nair Iyer

Hair & make-up Recinda Martis
Visuals Akshay Kulkarni

Tall, fit and slender, Shivali Singh has the makings of a model. But the mum reveals, “I was a journalist working with a television channel. It was a short stint as I wanted to start a family of my own.” Hailing from Punjab, Shivali and her husband Gurpreet Singh, a pilot by profession, first met at a swimming pool at the Army Club in Jalandhar.

Aarti Pathak was on the cover in August 2008, along with Arjun, now three, who was not even a year-old then. The birth of second son Aditya, now one, and the rediscovery of her writing passion have been major landmarks since...

I was featured three years ago in the August issue of M&B. I think it was the third or the fourth month of M&B’s birth. The biggest event that has happened since then was the birth of my second child Aditya, who is one now.

Manisha Singh is 30 and from Mumbai. She realises that bringing up Angelina, 11 months, without much help, along with the pressure of balancing work, has only made her a stronger woman

Welcome Angelina!
I had a natural delivery. My hubby was around, but outside the labour room. Although I never attended any prenatal class, I kept myself fit throughout my pregnancy by doing yoga and simple asanas that my gynaec showed me, like bhujangasan.