u00a0>> As much as we acknowledge fashion’s place in our lives there is something mind numbingly silly about spending a few hours watching models walk up and down the ramp.

Which is why we try and avoid the activity as much as we can. But, of course, invited by Zarina Mehta and Ronnie Screwvala to witness the launch of their rural upliftment initiative aimed at uplifting 200 villages across Maharashtra with a fashion show by Vikram Phadnis is not an occasion we would miss. And on Monday night, as we watched some of the country’s most interesting and successful people walk down the ramp accompanied by the recipients and collaborators of some of Swades’ notable projects in some of the most unusual couplings along with the rest of the audience we found ourselves participating in a standing ovation.