Model Sheena Chauhan, who conducts grooming classes

Do you shudder at the thought of speaking up in a group? Two left wrists on the dining table? Knots in the stomach on first day of college? Get groomed.

The art of grooming involves ? besides walking right, talking right and wearing right ? a systemic, step by step approach of understanding the personality, identifying the problem areas and then addressing them.

The Indo-American Society started the personality development and grooming course in 1995. But it is in the past 15 to 18 months that the candidates have really been queuing up to gain some ground in grooming.

Says Ajit K. Saha, executive director: ?Demand for personality grooming courses is at an all-time high, with people realising the importance of self-projection. Makeover is the mantra now. We focus on various facets of the personality? both cosmetic and inherent. We adopt practical methods, rather than concentrating on theory only.?

The six-week grooming course at 17, Camac Street broadly deals in effective communication, positive body language, table etiquette, etc. Group discussions, mock calls and practice sessions are the methods adopted. ?The best way to figure out the mistakes of an individual is to have a live video workshop. We throw all the candidates into one room and engage them in a group discussion that is recorded. Later, they are shown the footage and asked to point out their follies,? adds Saha.

Groom them young seems to be the approach adopted by some schools. From eating right to greeting right, table manners to social etiquette, life skills are a part of the curriculum. Meenakshi Atal, headmistress, Heritage School, says: ?Schools are an extension of home and one is concerned about the bigger picture. In the present times, covering the course only is not sufficient. The school is responsible for the overall development of children. It becomes difficult for busy parents to sit down with the kids regarding every matter.?

Schools that do not have personality grooming as part of their curriculum,organise workshops conducted by professionals.

?The schools want to make the children more and more communicative and confident. For junior students, games work wonders and for seniors an open house on various contentious issues helps,? says model Sheena Chauhan, who conducted grooming classes in various schools and is now with The Indo-American Society.

Heena Gorsia of Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society has decided to start a couple of full-fledged courses in this field, following the response to a few personality-grooming workshops.

The one-week crash course and the three-month-long modules will stress both the physical and mental aspects of grooming. ?If the body is fit and in good shape, it exudes confidence and positive vibes,? says Gorsia.

The physical aspect involves proper make-up techniques, physical fitness, right nutrition and proper diet programme. Proper diction and pronunciation, table manners, wardrobe planning and inter-group direction make-up the rest. The course, starting in October, already has more than 30 candidates on the rolls.