Global IndianstoryHow Ritu Arya of Barbie fame found her footing in Hollywood

How Ritu Arya of Barbie fame found her footing in Hollywood

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(April 11, 2024) Growing up playing with Barbie dolls that looked a certain way (Read white, blue eyes, and blonde hair), Ritu Arya never thought that she’d be playing the character on screen. However, there she was taking up the space as a South Asian actor playing the role of a famous Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and reporter who lives in Barbie Land. Living in England, she grew up watching people unlike her on the small and big screen.

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Representation in the 90s was so feeble that she noticed its sheer nonexistence while watching television at home. That’s when she decided to become the poster girl of diversity when she grew up. And the 35-year-old actor did that when she landed roles in series like Sherlock, Doctors, The Umbrella Academy and Red Notice. “Films contribute massively to shifting culture. They should inspire conversation,” said Ritu in an interview.

Following her dream

Entertainment while growing up in Guildford, England meant watching television, and Goodness Gracious Me, the British-Asian comedy show, was the first time she saw South Asians on screen. “Our family homes, stories about them, that allowed us to just poke fun at ourselves. It was brilliant.” Inspired, she along with her cousins would write her story and build characters. “I guess I felt seen from that.” Though she was keen to take up acting, conforming to the traditional norm of finishing a degree, she ended up studying astrophysics at Southampton University. However, her desire to act led her to enroll in the on-campus comedy society. However, she knew her heart was in acting and it was Google who came to her rescue. “I googled how to become an actor. The answer was drama school,” she added and went on to study acting and drama at Oxford School of Drama.

The big debut on TV

Switching from physics to acting was a journey but Ritu knew how to learn, and she remained curious and open to acting. She soon landed her first role in the British soap opera Doctors. The British-Indian actress smashed the ball out of the park in her debut and was nominated for the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer. While Ritu stayed on the show for four years, she expanded her horizon by making an appearance in the popular British crime TV series Sherlock. In 2016, she diversified with the sci-fi series Humans had her play the role of robot Flash.

Ritu Arya

While Arya was gaining popularity in the world of television, she exploded on the film circuit with the 2019 rom-com Last Christmas. The film starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding was a major commercial success with a box-office collection of $123.4 million.

But one big opportunity came knocking at her door in the form of an American superhero TV series The Umbrella Academy. Based on the comic book of the same name, it revolved around a dysfunctional family of adopted superhero siblings who reunite to solve the mystery behind their father’s death. To prep for the show, Arya, who played Lila Pitts, read all the comic books to get into the skin of the character, a wild card entry that the fans of the series cannot stop raving about. It’s her quirks and eccentricity in the Netflix show that catapulted Arya into the league of the best.

Such was the impact of her stellar performance that Ritu was soon roped in for Red Notice, a heist thriller alongside Hollywood action heavyweights like Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. The actress plays an Interpol agent. “It’s such an incredible experience. I’m just so aware of what I can say and what I can’t! I’m so anxious! But it’s so fun, and I feel like I’m learning and growing so much,” she had said. Made on a budget of $130 million, the film was one of Netflix’s biggest investments.

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Representing South Asians

But it’s her role in the Oscar-nominated Barbie that’s challenging stereotypes like no one else and is making South Asians proud with strong representation. “Representation is a huge reason why I even got into acting. I was not seeing people that looked like me on my screen, and I thought, “Well, I’ll be the change” and that’s a huge motivation,” she said in an interview.

Ritu has become a force to reckon with in the TV and film world but not without her struggle with racism. The British-Indian actress, who was bullied at her predominantly white school and was called all sorts of names, has always tried to empower herself to create change. In an interview with the Hindu, she said, “It drives me to push boundaries for women and people of colour, to gain further equality by taking up space and having a voice. I try not to complain, but rather lead by example. And always, always leading from love and compassion.”

Ritu Arya

The British-Indian actress has finally arrived and how. Arya, who was keen to portray diversity, is taking every step towards her dream and is smashing the glass ceiling, one project at a time.

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Published on 11, Apr 2024

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Immersive art by Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee installed at Houston Airport

(January 18, 2023) Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee had a difficult childhood. Diagnosed with reading and writing dyslexia at a time when people hardly understood it — she was often teased and bullied by students, right up to the time she finished 10th grade. Even so, her exceptional talent for creative writing and an imagination that was always in hyperdrive managed to set her apart from the crowd and the first acknowledgement of her talent came at the age of 16, when a newspaper published a poem she wrote. The sky is the limit Now 35-years-old, Janavi has become the only Indian female artist and South Asian to be included in the Houston Airport System art collection, extending over two international and one private airport. Her work is an art installation on marine life. “The work directly touches on the conservational understanding of ‘one ocean’, something I believe in strongly. We are all connected through water and this installation attests to the inclusivity of all,” smiles Janavi, the Houston-based marine conservation artist, writer and scuba diver, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. View this post on Instagram A post shared by JANAVI MAHIMTURA FOLMSBEE (@janavimfolmsbee) She was selected out of 347

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She was selected out of 347 artists and authorised to curate the largest art installation out of the 10 art commissions awarded by the Houston airport system. Titled ‘Aquarius Art Tunnel’, it is a 240-feet immersive Art tunnel Installation, comprising two unique, 240 by 9 foot fine art murals. The hallway is covered with 700 yards of custom-designed sea anemone and abstract inspired carpet design.

“There are 15 unique lenticular works of art in the ceiling that have lighting components. A total of 116 custom handcrafted lighting fixtures of side lighting reflect light on quartz crystal pigment in the paint on the murals, 58 for each side of the tunnel,” explains Janavi.

The deep sea experience

There is also a sound component and an augmented reality experience through an Instagram filter, which is inspired by the Halichoeres burekae, the Mardi Gras Wrasse fish which can change its gender and colors. This fish was discovered in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and till date can only be seen in this location.

“The Aquarius Art Tunnel is now the second possible location where you can experience what is like to dive under the waves with this species,” she points out. The project was commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs on behalf of the Houston Airport System for Houston through the city’s Civic Art Program and the Houston Arts Alliance.

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“There is world of colour that roars with vibrancy off the coast of Galveston out in our Gulf. I have captured this world with the use of my abstract and realism aesthetic to transform this tunnel into a space of what it feels like to be underwater in our very own National Marine Sanctuary off the Texas coast,” explains the artist.

The water-bearer

Janavi says the title Aquarius comes from the constellation. “The water bearer, as we are all connected through the night sky and constellations, is what inspired the conceptualization of the installation.” When the word is broken into three words the words “aqua” represents water. The letters “ri” inspire the hindi word “humari” which means “ours” and finally the last word is “us”.

“The artwork at the ends of the tunnel depict the mesophytic deeper zones of the reef and move to the shallower depths in the center of the tunnel, this is scientifically accurate to the species depicted in these zones,” says Janavi, who intricately painted the colorful complexities of these ecosystems upon the reefs and banks in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico.

Audio elements included in the music mix include snaping shrimp recorded in this area and reef sounds provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as scuba diving bubbles recorded on her diving excursions.

Early creative struggles

Born and raised in Mumbai, Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee was brilliant when it came to solving difficult math problems and some other tough questions in school. Still, her teachers were puzzled by how she struggled with the simples of equations.

After school, once she would be done with multiple tutors, Janavi used to go home and find solace on the terrace of her Mumbai home in the evenings. “I would take deep breaths and gaze at the ocean across. The sound of waves and the ocean breeze lit a sense of wonder and peace in my mind and gave me the inspiration I grew up with,” says Janavi, who started making art when she was 12.

[caption id="attachment_34068" align="aligncenter" width="351"] Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee[/caption]

She recalls those delightful evenings during the weekends when she would play the piano while her mother and grandmother sat nearby, listening to her. “My mother would often invite visitors to join. On some occasions, we had artists, editors of magazines, authors, photographers, architects, industrialists and other special dignitaries from Italy and Germany visit us,” she recalls, describing those experiences as an excellent explosion of culture.

Even her cousins from Germany often visited her every summer or Janavi would go spend time there for a while. “I grew up around my cousin Micha Afkham, who plays the Viola and now plays for the Berlin philharmonic,” says Janavi. Growing up, her vacations were mostly “sea oriented” as she used to regularly travel to Goa and Alibaug. She travelled to Lakshadweep as well.

Choosing art

The first acknowledgement of her talent came when she was 16 years old, when a poem she wrote was published by a newspaper. It gave her confidence, and as Janavi went on to study the International Baccalaureate program after school, she discovered geography as well as art. Around this time, in 11th grade, Janavi was not sure where she was heading. “My father wanted me to become a structural steel civil engineer. He wouldn’t let me apply to any art schools until I had an exhibition and proved myself to him and showed him that I could sell my artwork,” she informs.

Her first solo exhibition, when she was 16, was sold out. She then applied to three art schools and got admission into all of them. Janavi chose the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) “I took up soft sculptural techniques and classes. Nick Cave was a guest professor to one of our classes,” says the marine conservation artist.

She worked in the wood shop for a few semesters and would help students weld metal and cut wood. “I learnt to make my educational experience as advantageous and pushing all comfort zones as necessary to make my art techniques what they are today,” says Janavi, who even took an entire semester in advanced lithography and etching techniques. She learnt the old techniques of making art on Limestone lithography plates.

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Janavi would spend days in the museum looking at the art and making appointments in the prints and drawings rooms and Ryerson library to see things like Toulouse Lautrec’s sketchbook and Mies Van Der Rohe’s journal. “SAIC taught me is that there is no limit to learning and that I am an interdisciplinary artist and there will always be new tools ready, so I keep exploring.”

The deep dive

“I love to dive and started doing so 14 years ago. It was the idea of bringing a voice to the plight of collars and the marine world that fired a spark in me. What began as a passion has now become my duty and calling,” smiles the scuba diver, who completed has 234 dives so far.

Along the way, some scientists inspired and educated her with their discoveries and gave her an understanding that served as an inspiration to create her artwork.

The artist has also created large sine art murals throughout Houston, which can be found on Google Earth too. Her public works include an important commission from the Red Cross Society in Mumbai.

In the pipeline

So what more is coming? “There are several projects in the pipeline. My focus is national and global this time,” says Janavi, who learnt about great philosophers like Descartes from her grandfather back in the day.

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Reading Time: 6 mins

The desi Spice Girl: Urvashi Roe puts Gujarati food on Britain’s culinary map and in bookstores

(December 14, 2023) A passionate cook who holds a challenging corporate job, Urvashi Roe is the author of Biting Biting, based on Gujarati cuisine. Born in Dodoma, Tanzania, growing up in the UK, studying in Germany and France, Urvashi Roe had a sheltered upbringing with a close family and relatives always milling around. An early love for food was instilled in her with home-cooked traditional Gujarati food like dal, bhaath, rotli and shaak – dal, rice, chapati and vegetable curry. In an exclusive with Global Indian, Urvashi recalls, “I was raised in a sheltered environment, and we only ever ate what mom made at home. When I went to study in Germany and later, France, it opened up a whole new world of food for me. Until then, I might have eaten a pizza maybe three or four times in my life.” [caption id="attachment_47486" align="aligncenter" width="388"] Urvashi Roe[/caption] The Original Spice Girl Still, cooking her own kind of food while at university was a challenge. She says, “As kids, we begged our parents for cheese sandwiches to take to school as that was considered normal. But, when I actually started eating cheese sandwiches, I found them very boring and craved

" /> Urvashi Roe[/caption]

The Original Spice Girl

Still, cooking her own kind of food while at university was a challenge. She says, “As kids, we begged our parents for cheese sandwiches to take to school as that was considered normal. But, when I actually started eating cheese sandwiches, I found them very boring and craved spice. I would add chevro [chivda] and green chutney or lasun ni chutney to spice it up.” Additionally, she had learnt to cook quantities that would suffice for at least 15-20 people, given her large family. So, when she had to cook only for herself, it took her a while to whittle down portions of ingredients.

Familiar with cooking, as her mother insisted that Urvashi and her two sisters learn how to cook, exposure to the different breads of Germany, and the many desserts of France only fanned Urvashi’s love for food. She however, credits her husband Tone with exposing her to various cuisines which led to her experimenting with styles and ingredients. He is British, and they first met in England on a training course before living together in Japan for four years. She continues to keep a regular day job and has held various marketing roles. She currently works with one of the world's top four management consultancies looking after digital transformation. She loves her work too, but outside of that she says, "Food takes centre stage." Her husband, Tone was a chef when they first met, and has introduced her to various other foods during their travels together. "On my 40^th birthday I made a list of 40 new things I’d do as I didn’t want to get boring in middle age. One thing led to another and on a whim, I applied to participate in the Great British Bake Off and was chosen as one of the 12 finalists," she says. This was back in 2011, when the show wasn't as big a deal as it is now, but it served its purpose as a launchpad. "I started my blog, got on social media, started working with brands, doing demos on stage and running supper clubs. It was fantastic," she smiles.

Journey from Cafés to Supper Clubs

Then, Urvashi Roe also took a chance on running the café at her local library in Enfield, where she lives. She recalls, “I had taken a break from work to settle my girls into secondary school, but was getting a bit bored with freelance writing. I saw the notice inviting people to apply for the contract for running the café. I applied and I won the tender. At The Library Café, I wanted to create a community space that served eco-friendly coffee made well. I sourced everything for the café locally, including the staff; a few things came from further afield, like vegetables from Europe and on occasion, special ingredients from India and the Far East. The menu I created had everything made fresh everyday – good, homemade food; nothing was pre-packaged. We had a soup of the day, salads, cakes, sandwiches as you’d expect from a café, but specials included Channa Masala on toast or dal with fresh baked naan…. And because I feel strongly about breast-feeding mothers, we always had a table available for them to sit down and freshly pureed vegetables for them to feed their babies. But I’d never run a food business before, and towards the end, I got sucked into the non-creative part of running the café and that was not what I’d wanted. So, when the contract came to an end, I didn’t renew it.”

[caption id="attachment_47463" align="aligncenter" width="382"] The Library Café[/caption]

Urvashie says she learnt a lot from the experience. “I learnt to say no and the value of time management. Now I cherry pick assignments outside of my corporate job and only do work that adds value and is meaningful for me. I get several offers from brands to develop recipes for them, but I say no because the purpose and brand fit needs to align with my values and aspirations. For example, working with a hotel to curate a Gujarati menu based on the book would be right up my street, but creating recipe cards to force fit an ingredient I rarely use, would not. I would rather organise a supper club for charity, because I enjoy feeding people and seeing them enjoy Gujarati food they have never tasted before.”

Biting into Books

Writing a book, Urvashi reiterates was always going to be a part of her culinary journey. She says, “It was frustrating that books on Indian food here were always generic and few explored regional cuisines. Additionally, Gujarati food is very simple, and there is often zero wastage as we recycle the leftovers into new dishes. I wanted to showcase that frugal, no-waste culture as well, because in Britain, I see so much food going waste.”

The book, titled Biting Biting, which reads like a memoir almost, is replete with fond memories of her relatives, some of whom have even inspired her own cooking styles. It is unpretentious in its vocabulary, with Urvashi sticking to the Gujarati names of the dishes, though an explanation in English follows right after. Uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents… the warmth of these connections which shape who we become are generously mentioned in the book. She even attributes a few recipes to the ones who made them.

[caption id="attachment_47461" align="aligncenter" width="386"] Biting Biting[/caption]

From batata vada to bhakarvadi, patras to dhoklas and dabeli and other farsan items, main course dishes and lots of tips to help amateurs, the book is a like a close friend nudging you to start cooking. Recipes range from snacks that can be had with drinks, to ones that are a throwback to Indian street food; as well as those made from leftovers. And because she herself likes to experiment with ingredients and methods, there are some that are a medley of cultures, tastes, and ingredients, thrown in.

There is gentle humour too, in describing the Gujarati community, and she has even made fun of herself. The dhokla recipe has ingredients listed as ‘serves two, or one greedy Urvashi’.

With a book on Gujarati food finally on the bookshelves in Britain, where does Urvashi see culinary trends headed? She says, “I think the concept of eating comfort food is never going to go away. If a restaurant can serve comfort food cooked well, like a simple dal and rice, it would continue to strike a chord with people. Though it sounds simple, it is really hard, especially since people like to over-complicate everything. I really hope that people always have places to go where they can eat what gives them comfort, at any time of day with any cuisine.”

[caption id="attachment_47462" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Urvashi with her husband and daughters[/caption]

She believes that just like yoga and meditation are now global wellness practices, eating with mindfulness is a growing trend towards personal well-being. “People are always in a rush when they eat nowadays, and I feel that we are moving back to being a bit more intentional about what we put into our bodies; and eating at a pace that enables us to truly savour the food but also the benefits it brings.”

While travelling, Urvashi likes to eat at:

The Fish Market in Essaouira, Morocco – it’s the most beautiful place with a freshly caught fish cooked over ramshackle grills served simply with tomato and onion salad and great Moroccan bread.
The Bombay Canteen in Mumbai – I always make a stop here on work trips to the city. Last time the Seabass Ceviche Papri Chaat blew me away!
The Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York – I love the old charm of the location and the hustle of sitting at the bar slurping oysters from all over the US.
Maison Marou in Ho Chi Minh city – One of my favourite patisseries in the world! The chocolate and coffee are sourced from Vietnam and the Paris Brest is divine.
Tempura Kaneko Hannasuke in Nihombashi in Tokyo– A traditional tempura place in an old wooden building amidst modern skyscrapers and it serves the best tempura sets in the city for about $10.

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Raj Patel: Indian-American winemaker made heads turn at the US State dinner

Raj Patel is an Indian-American winemaker and the owner of Patel Winery in Napa Valley, California. As a first-generation wine producer, he made history by becoming the first Indian to obtain a liquor license for winemaking in Napa Valley. His journey into winemaking began with an internship at Robert Mondavi Winery, where his passion for wine blossomed, leading him to fulfill his dream of owning a winery. Patel Winery gained significant recognition after serving Patel Red Blend 2019 at the US State dinner for Prime Minister Modi at the White House. The winery offers four different wines, including Sauvignon Blanc and Napa Valley Cabernet, and exports its wines to various countries worldwide. (September 3, 2023) Amid a lavish spread of crisped millet cakes, summer squashes, marinated millet and grilled corn kernel salad and stuffed portobello mushrooms, stood a case of Patel Red Blend 2019 - a red wine - that grabbed attention at the US State dinner for PM Modi. Owned by a Gujarati Raj Patel, a first-generation wine producer, Patel Winery was invited to serve at the White House. "It was surreal and an honour. It's something that very few are privileged to do," Raj tells Global Indian. Started

tells Global Indian. Started in 2007 in Napa Valley with 100 cases of a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Patel Winery now sells 1000 cases of four wines, and is world renowned, thanks to the US State dinner. "Over the years, our wine has grown so well and received so many reviews. We are happy to have added any accolade by serving our wine at the State dinner. It's something that not everyone gets."

Patel Winery | Global Indian

Two months since the US State dinner, Patel Winery has found global recognition. While they export in Japan, South Korea, UK, Taiwan and New Zealand, the awareness about the wine has spread far and wide now. "For everyone who didn't know the wine existed, now know about it. Especially in India, and now there's that knowledge which is a nice thing."

Gujarati family adjusting in a new land

Born in the town of Pati in Gujarat, Raj's first brush with America was at the age of six when his family relocated to the country in 1972. Growing up in the US was nothing short of a challenge for this Gujarati family for whom getting even basic things like eggplant, garlic or ginger was difficult. "You couldn't find them at a regular grocery store, you had to go to a Chinese store to get it. In Berkeley, there was only one Indian store to support the daily needs of all the Indians in California. The world and the island feel very small when you are the only one of that type on the island," says Raj, calling America "very different 40 years ago".

However, he is quick to add that things have changed multifold in the last few decades, thanks to inclusivity and diversity. "The Americans love Indians, who are very well accepted in this country. Indians have completely adapted to the term when in Rome, do as the Romans do. They have completely adapted more so than other cultures have. Indians now make one of the largest contingents in the US. As a matter of fact, I won't be surprised that in the next 10 years, Indians would be one of the biggest proportions."

Still when he got into the business of wine making in 2007, Raj was the first Indian to get a liquor license to produce wine. "Even as a vintner, I was the first Asian person in the Napa Valley. But now it has diversified as we have a couple of Chinese and Korean people, a gentleman from Pakistan and someone from Singapore," reveals Raj, adding that Napa Valley has an inclusive environment. It's only in the last 5-6 years that more Indians have ventured into wine making in Napa Valley, however, the large number of customers continue to be Caucasians. "There are country clubs that I had gone to 20 years ago they probably wouldn't even let me in, and now we do winemaker dinners there. The world has changed."

Raj Patel | Winemaker | Global Indian

Passion for winemaking

The passion and love for wine began when as he stood in the sprawling vineyard of the Robert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley for his internship. "I had finished my BioChem degree at the University of California, and they were looking for someone for lab tech." What began as a "necessity to earn a few extra bucks during summer break" turned into a life-long passion after being exposed to tasting some of the best wines and meeting the Mondavi family. "They told me I have a great palate and I should pursue this. It was so out of the box that I didn't even think about it. Over the years, I collected wine and visited wineries in Napa." Coming from the dry state of Gujarat, he had no idea how to get into the wine making business as a young lad. However, he wrote it down as a goal in his diary that he wanted to own a winery by the age of 55, something he accomplished at 40.

But before translating his dream into reality, he worked for 19 years in Bank of America "on the mortgage and credit side." "I have a strong exposure to the finance world but I did stay with the goal. I was somewhere convinced that at some point I was going to buy a winery." It was while working in corporate America that the Patel Winery happened. "I was starting a winery and working at the credit side, and it was long hours doing both things at the same time. I was actually both until a month ago. Now I am going to focus on the winery and start a mortgage bank."

Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparation, and Raj prepared himself well in these years. From tasting wines to collecting wines to visiting vineyards, he never missed a chance to tell people that he has plans of opening a winery in the near future. A business meeting at a brewery in Baltimore helped align the right people, and assisted him in putting the winery together. "If you tell enough people what you want to do, you will eventually run into people that will help you. It's one of the key things - having confidence in what you want to do. There are times when you will succeed and times when you won't but the key is to have a plan, dream or idea and stay focussed. Tell the people what you want without giving away the secret sauce. People will help you."

Patel Winery | Global Indian

A wine - class apart

The right assistance helped him establish Patel Winery in 2007, and in a few years, the combined magic of him as an owner and that of his winemaker Julien Fayard, helped catapult Patel Wines to new heights. It's their attention to detail that sets Patel Wine apart from its competitors. "The wines that we make even by American standards or European standards, the quality is in the top 1 percent. You look at the reviews, you are talking about some of the toughest critics that review these things and we are in that top 1 percent. Once you try it, it may change your bias forever," says Raj who did not hesitate to put Patel on the wine. "A lot of Patels love the fact that I did that with the name." Though many advised him against it initially, Raj says it helped "elevate things" for Patel Winery. But it was an uphill task initially. No one showed up on his table at wine tasting sessions as most people gravitated towards known brands. But slowly it was the name that drew many curious wine tasters to his table, and "they liked what they tasted." "Today, when I start pouring, there are five-six people deep waiting to taste the Patel Wine because they want to know what is new. The gratification that you get from all the hard work over the years is amazing."

Raj is happy that Indians in the US now have clung to it. "A lot of Indians buy an exorbitant amount of Patel Wines," says the winemaker, revealing that many Indian-Americans are into collecting wines. "Collecting wine, holding wine and knowing about wine even in India has become very suave, especially among the women. In many cultures, women drinking whiskey or beer is frowned upon but wine is never frowned upon. In fact, it's considered sophisticated. It gives a sense of elegance, and that's something that they have here (US) gravitated towards too."

Two decades in the business of winemaking made Raj patient. "What we make doesn't happen overnight." However, having temperament is something that he considers vital in this business. Having had proposals to make champagne and diversify into other liquor, he decided to stuck to his core. "We make the wines we know. In a perfect world, I would have made just one wine. But we only make four different types of wine - Sauvignon Blanc, Red Wine (which was served at the White House), a Napa Valley Cabernet and Coombsvilla Cabarnet - which is great because it keeps us focussed, and people see that in our quality."

Patel Winery | Global Indian

Raj, who loves skiing and hiking, eventually plans to buy his own vineyard and have his own tasting room. Looking for expansion, he wants to grow the winery to about 3000 cases. "At some point, we will also come up with other products."

Coming from a lineage where his uncle's brother was one of the first Patels in the US, Raj is glad that happy to be carrying forward the baton of "the firsts" in America. "In 1923, my uncle's brother was only 17 when he came to America, exactly 100 years ago. Imagine coming to a country in the early 1900s, when you had no idea how the outside world looks like. He was brave to do so. His journey has been documented in a book called The Pioneer. In 1958, his brother came to the US, and my maternal aunt who called our family in 1972." With firsts come a lot of challenges, but Raj like his lineage didn't bow down and created a name for himself. "People say Patel Wine was served at the White House, trust me there have been some 18 tough years behind it," he signs off.

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Reading Time: 8 min

Lutfi Hassan: The Indian-American mogul turned diplomat who is a key supporter of the Democratic party

(March 4, 2024) The first time Lutfi Hassan met Barack Obama, then a Senator, he knew he was in the presence of somebody special. As a longtime loyalist and donor of the Democratic party, Hassan would meet party leaders who passed through Houston. "I had never heard of this person, and I thought he had an unusual name," smiles Lutfi Hassan, as he speaks to Global Indian from his home in Hyderabad, where a large framed photograph of himself with former President Barack Obama dominates one wall of his study. "He was a state senator then and we had a coffee together. Thirty minutes became an hour. He was so charismatic; I was totally sold!" Hassan would go on to serve as a national finance co-chair for the Obama for America campaign in 2008 and 2012. For over 20 years, Hassan has served as an advisor on Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senatorial, Congressional, Mayoral and Judicial campaigns, and has served on the National Advisory Board (NAB) as a member of the Democratic National Committee. The Founder-Chairman of the Houston-based Apex Group of Companies, Hassan comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience from decades of consulting in the US, India and the

ssan comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience from decades of consulting in the US, India and the Middle East. Recently, he was appointed the Honorary Consul General of Guyana, and also serves as its Global Goodwill Ambassador.

[caption id="attachment_49582" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Lutfi Hassan | Global Indian H.E Lutfi Hassan with former US President Barack Obama[/caption]

The Consul General of Guyana

"My role is to promote Guyana in the US by bringing investors from there, as well as political office bearers to Guyana to educate them on what the country is doing," Hassan says. A relatively new, small, South American country, Guyana's economic landscape is currently undergoing a transformative expansion that began when Exxon Mobil discovered huge oil reserves there in 2015.The country's GDP per capita has seen a significant rise since oil production began in 2019, reaching 278,000 barrels per day in 2022.

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This has also fuelled strong growth in the non-oil economy, and, Hassan explains, growth is not limited only to the oil and gas sector but has spilled over into services, supplies, agriculture, mining and quarrying, as the government continues to implement major infrastructural projects across the country. These include the development of Region Seven into a service hub for the mining sector, and the construction of critical road links, as well as a contract to construct 32 concrete bridges along the Kurupukari-Lethem corridor.

It's all part of a broader strategy to diversify Guyana's economy beyond natural resources and agriculture, also through international ties. "There are lots of Guyanese trade delegations coming to India, I was part of one in Delhi where we met with over 70 companies," says Hassan. "India, Bangladesh and the Middle East have interests in the country, and Saudi is going to open one of its largest embassies there." Guyana welcomes them, in part through eased visa regulations, sector-wise tax benefits, investment in IT and backoffice support, and even plug-and-play offices for companies that want to invest or do business there, provided they hire a certain percentage of Guyanese locals. "It doesn't matter what visa or permit you go on, in five years, you can apply for citizenship. Also, if you invest or do business, you get sector-wise tax benefits. IT and backoffice support are burgeoning sectors, especially because you will be in the same timezone as the US."

The Hyderabadi boy who dared to dream big

A large Indo-Guyanese community (which includes Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo), descended from indentured workers and settlers who moved to Guyana during the British Raj, and who continue to maintain an affinity for their ancestral homeland, meaning India is a key player in Guyana’s international relations. As a facilitator, Hassan makes frequent visits to his hometown, Hyderabad, where he was born and spent his early years. In his late teens, the “pucca Hyderabadi” moved to the Middle East to join his parents, and took up a job at a travel agency, dreaming all the while of being an entrepreneur and setting up his own travel agency. The opportunity came through an uncle who had immigrated to Texas.

"There was no better place to take a risk than the US, the land of opportunity," Hassan recalls. He moved to Houston and opened his first travel agency not long after. Soon, one agency became a country-wide chain. That early success sparked a desire to do more, and over the next few decades, Hassan would go on to build the Apex Group of Companies, his own empire, with diverse interests across the US, India and the Middle East. "I am not shy to learn and bold enough to get into a venture if I see an opportunity," he says. "Lots of people are content with what they have, but I always want to do something exciting, I get bored doing the same thing."

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Founding the Apex Group

The result is the Apex Group of Companies, a consortium of companies that are leaders in providing business consulting, insurance and financial services, manufacturing, vendor management, equipment supply and logistics to the oil and gas, naval and defense sectors. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with a regional office in Arlington, Virginia, the Apex Group has a strong worldwide presence, especially in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and South and Central America. They also maintain a global focus on government agencies and Fortune 500 companies in various industries including defense, safety and security, healthcare, finance, shipbuilding and IT solutions.

"If any companies don't compliment the other verticals, we sell them," Hassan says. For instance, the ship building business compliments their interests in the supply chains in the Middle East. In fact, as his dealings there brought him to the upper echelons of local business in the UAE, he was approached by Swiftships, an 80-year-old company that is one of the most distinguished players in the advanced military and commercial vessels sector in the US. "Swiftships wanted to appoint me as a distributor and promoter to sell ships in the Middle East," Hassan explains. When Swiftships found itself in choppy financial waters, Hassan was requested to look for a funding institution they could partner with - by this time he had gained so much experience in the company's workings that he stepped up himself. This was a cornerstone moment for Apex, as it firmly established itself in the US' business landscape.

The company’s reach also extended to Africa and the Caribbean, where Apex RX solutions was involved with the supply of refurbished medical and healthcare equipment. They partnered with companies that had warehouses full of equipment but not enough reach and provided turnkey solutions. If a 200-bed hospital was being built, they would provide all the equipment, from beds to X-Ray machines, and since it was all refurbished, it was much more affordable. "We reactivated that company during Covid when there was a huge need for support," Hassan explains. They sourced masks, sanitizers and other essentials from China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia to the US, where supermarket chains were running out of supplies. "There was so much shortage that we were unable to cope with the number of orders. Then Covid went away, thankfully and business slowed down but we are always set to reopen this engagement."

The key, Hassan says, is not just because he wants to have fingers in every pie but because of relationships built over many years. "When people ask for advice, I open up the Rolodex. I am there to support them so when I need the support in return I can always trigger that contact.

Political involvement

Lutfi Hassan, who calls himself a kingmaker, is sure he will never be in politics himself. He started out as a staunch Republican, later switching his alliance to the Democratic Party, with whom he has stood firmly ever since. Still a key leader in President Biden's Democratic Party, he has been involved in the Presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. He has also been instrumental in mobilising public opinion and raising funds for Hillary Clinton, as well as for other key elected officials across the U S.

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"I actually became a full-blown Democrat when I became involved with President Clinton," he says. When President Clinton was due to visit India in March 2000, Hassan used his association with him to ensure that Clinton came to Hyderabad instead of Bengaluru. He was also one of the handful of South Asians invited to the Presidential inauguration of President Biden and VP Kamala Harris at Capitol Hill and continues to maintain a close relationship with the VP. He also served as a Presidential appointee on the Central Asian Americans Enterprise Fund.

[caption id="attachment_49584" align="aligncenter" width="395"] Lutfi Hassan with Hillary Clinton[/caption]

Strengthening home ties

Lutfi Hassan has played a major role in representing the South Asian community in the US, leveraging his political connections to also strengthen relations between the US and India. He has served on the South Asian American Leadership Council in Washington DC as well. In fact, on Jan 9, 2003, a US flag was flown over the US Capitol by an order of the House of Representatives to honour Lutfi Hassan for his decades of community service. More recently, he served on the board of advisory for South Asians for Biden, mobilising the community to drum up support for the Democratic nominee.

In 2019, he was appointed on the Board of Advisory for the Global Eternal Gandhi Museum, a non-profit that seeks to create an impact by utilising the life, work and teachings of the Mahatma.

Read more about Lutfi Hassan on the Apex Group website

Indian para-swimmer Niranjan Mukundan eyes gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

(June 22, 2022) Roadblocks and setbacks are a test of true grit and perseverance. If we can rise to overcome them, they become stories that can inspire others, too. Niranjan Mukundan, Indian para-swimmer and the country's 'golden boy', story is one of these. Born in Bengaluru with spina bifida (a condition in which the spine and spinal cord don't develop properly) and clubbed feet, the Indian para-swimmer rose above nearly insurmountable odds to pursue his passion for swimming. In 2015, he was crowned Junior World Champion at the World Junior Games and also received the Karnataka Rajyotsava Prahasti. A year of triumphs India's 'golden boy' has had a busy year, packed with both victory and loss. He missed the finals list at the Tokyo Paralympics 2022, he brought home a gold, silver and bronze in different categories at the Para Swimming Cup 2022 in Prague and the bronze at the Championnat de France. For the self-professed travel junkie, his passion has made his dreams come true. He speaks to Global Indian from Madeira, Portugal, where the World Para Winning Championships 2022 are currently taking place. It's been a victorious run already. Niranjan has broken two national records

ade his dreams come true.

He speaks to Global Indian from Madeira, Portugal, where the World Para Winning Championships 2022 are currently taking place. It's been a victorious run already. Niranjan has broken two national records on Day 1 and Day 2. “I was introduced to swimming as a form of therapy,” Niranjan explains. “I was born with spina bifida and have undergone 19 surgeries on my legs and back since the time I was born. Aqua therapy was meant to strengthen my muscles but I fell in love with the water and learned the sport quickly.” When he entered the water, he found, for the very first time, a sense of freedom. “I was able to move around easily. Children usually take around 20 days to learn how to swim but I did so in 12 or 13 days.”

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Birmingham 2022 and miles to go from there

For the last six months, Niranjan has shuttled between Thailand and the National Training Centre in Germany, where he's preparing for his debut at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. “I qualified in 2014 but was injured just before the event and couldn’t take part.” In 2018, his event category wasn’t included in the games. “I’m really excited to be participating,” he gushes. "I will give it my best shot."

He has already put the spotlight on the sport but the young Indian para-swimmer believes the country has a long way to go in terms of equipping its para-talent. "We are getting recognition but it's not yet fully what we deserve," he says. "People still need awareness about Paralympic athletes and support us more. It will be a big morale boost. Over the years, we para-athletes have done extremely well on the global stage, winning medals and bringing laurels to the country. Still, we lack sponsorships and brand endorsements within the country. We no longer need sympathy. It's about time we give talent the credit that it is due."

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Raising the bar, always

Mukundan believes the bar can never be set too high but he has already come a long, long way from being a happy child who loved to swim, to being a rising star. He is the first Indian para-swimmer to win over 85 international medals representing India. He also holds the highest number of Asian records - a total of seven. He was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, in the Game Changers category.

One day at a time

"I am a travel junkie and my profession takes me around the globe," he says. He has visited nearly 40 countries and "loves meeting new people and being part of the exchange of cultures. It's very beautiful when you experience it."

He's also an "adventure freak," he says. "I love doing things that people feel are beyond me. That includes a recent skydiving experience from 14,000 feet in Switzerland."

That said, he likes to take one day at a time, and keep his sights firmly on the future, while enjoying the present moment. Right now, that includes the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Paris 2024.

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A dream like no other

The 27-year-old has always dreamt big and through sheer determination, it has worked out in his favour. "A lot of people didn't believe I could ever be independent. However, I like to think of every challenge as a push to where I've always wanted to be." He also hopes to be the most-decorated Indian para-swimmer of all time. "I think my love for the sport, as well as the pride of representing my country at the highest levels keeps me going," he says.

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