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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Bilquis Mir: Meet the first Indian woman on the jury of Paris Olympics 2024

(August 2, 2024) Canoeing in the serene waters of the Dal Lake in her hometown of Srinagar, little did the young Bilquis Mir, who had to fight traditions and society, know that someday she will be a jury member at the Olympics. At the Paris Olympics 2024, Bilquis, also popular as the aqua woman of Kashmir Valley, became the first Indian woman on the jury of the prestigious sporting event. It was early this year that she received a letter from the Indian Olympic Association informing her about her appointment as a jury member at the Summer Olympics, and it was a dream come true for the 38-year-old sports promoter. She calls it a moment of pride not just for her but for the country as well. "I consider it an honour to represent my country as a member of the prestigious jury at the Paris Olympics. I was also a jury member at the Hangzhou Asian Games. This isn’t just a moment of triumph for me but all girls or women who aspire to excel in sports. Only two jury members from Asia has been picked this time (for the Summer Games), with the other being from Japan," the

ing from Japan," the Global Indian told ANI.

[caption id="attachment_53117" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Bilquis Mir | Global Indian Bilquis Mir[/caption]

Falling in love with kayaking

But it wasn't an easy journey for Bilquis. who had to defy a patriarchal society to live her dream. Picking up an unusual sport - kayaking - in a country obsessed with cricket wasn't easy for this Kashmiri woman. It was serendipity that led Bilquis to kayaking at the Dal Lake. While most girls her age wanted to play kho-kho, she was keen to take up boxing. One day on her way to accompany a friend to boxing practice, she was reprimanded by the coach asking her to either bolt or get in a boat. "Being a Kashmiri girl in a uniform, sitting alone in the park wasn’t okay for me. So, I got in a boat wearing a life jacket but I couldn’t balance the canoe nor did I know how to swim," she said in an interview. During that hour, she lost count of how many times she fell into the water, and her uniform was soaked. On reaching home, she was scolded by her furious mother. But she was unperturbed as she kept thinking about the feeling of being in a canoe.

The next day after school, she made her way straight to the canoe practice. Taken by the sport completely, she practiced non-stop for three months and even bunked coaching classes to paddle. Her love for the sport turned into a passion when she won her first medal in a local tournament in 1998 with a belief that Nationals was her next stop. But her big dream dashed in a moment as she arrived home to a furious family. "I was beaten up. I believe the struggle of the girl starts from the door of the house. My journey was like that because I had no direction or any role models. Thus convincing my family became difficult. But I conquered all hurdles to reach the pinnacle in my chosen field," said Bilquis, who found support in her mother.

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Fighting the society

She began her training but not without the dismissive looks and grunts of her relatives, especially the men who found it discomforting seeing her in a tracksuit. "Being a Muslim girl, wearing a tracksuit was incredibly difficult and so was staying outdoors in Kashmir, where even boys reconsidered before venturing out," she said. Treated as an outcast, she received cruel comments from people when she participated in the Nationals and wore an Indian jersey in the 90s. "While I would be treated as an outcast by most people, my parents always understood my interests as well as my potential. They wanted me to be at the top of my game," Bilquis said in another interview. Her efforts were further marred by the lack of government support, making it even more challenging for her to pursue her interest. In the late 90s, water sports was considered a taboo in Kashmir. "Being a female water sports professional, known or unknown was tough – virtually everyone opposed my choice. People’s criticisms made me hang up my boots for a while." Bilquis even considered quitting but it was her mom who encouraged her to keep going. "She told me, ‘you have to continue your passion. At this point of time, if you succumb to social pressures, it won’t be only you who will lose, but it will be the whole community of future female players like you whose dreams would be shattered’."

Things took a turn for the athlete when she suffered a hip and shoulder injury during training and was asked to coach the junior boys' team at the age of 25. "My country needed a coach and I was happy to step up. To achieve this, I became the first Indian woman to study coaching at the prestigious Semmelweis University in Budapest." She graduated with Grade A, and was soon appointed as the national coach of canoeing and kayaking in 2007, a rare feat for a Kashmiri woman.

[caption id="attachment_53118" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Bilquis Mir[/caption]

Breaking the norms

After guiding the team to the Nationals, Asian Games, World Championship, and Olympics, Mir felt a deep yearning to go back to Kashmir and help develop young athletes. Since her return, her coaching has led to Kashmir winning 110 medals in the last four years. "When I was young, I often heard that girls can’t pursue adventure sports. People used to make fun of me thinking I wouldn’t be able to do anything. I am proud to say that 50% of J&K’s athletes are women and they are doing very well," she said.

Now, she has made history as the first Indian woman to join the jury for the Paris Olympics. Despite facing challenges, including a lack of government support and societal expectations, she pursued her passion for sports with determination and resilience. From her early days of struggling to balance a canoe to coaching athletes on the international stage, Mir has broken barriers and set new standards. Her achievements not only reflect her personal success but also symbolize the potential of women in sports, inspiring a new generation of athletes in Kashmir and beyond. Through her unwavering dedication, Mir has shown that with perseverance and courage, one can overcome any obstacle to achieve greatness.

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Tesher: Indo-Canadian artist putting South Asian music on world map

(December 13, 2022) "I can officially say that I exist in MCU," exclaimed Tesher in excitement. You know you have arrived as an artist when Marvel Cinematic Universe features your song in one of its series. And that's exactly what happened to Indian-origin Canadian artist Tesher who found his popular song Jalebi Baby in episode two of Ms Marvel. "In 2019, I was remixing Marvel theme music on YouTube. 3 years later, my music is in episode 2 of Ms Marvel. It's no secret I'm a big Marvel fan so being Kamala Khan's mental thirsting soundtrack is an absolute dream come true for me," he wrote on Instagram. In just four years, Tesher has become a global name, thanks to his quirky mashups and dope originals. The 29-year-old is making waves in the international music circuit with his singles and remixes. So much so that global artists are now queuing up to collaborate with the Punjabi boy. His remixes are nothing short of international music for a global party that everyone is invited to. With each song, he breaks the mould by repurposing numbers and combining them with witty lyricism. But what makes Tesher a celebrated name is his love

what makes Tesher a celebrated name is his love for Indian music, which he beautifully fuses with international hip-hop to create a perfect blend.

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"It feels like any time an Indian origin person was able to make it big in music, they would have to be either here or there. Like, you either have to make one kind of music, like AR Rahman, or go to the other side like Jay Sean. That is also fine but in this new world, I am envisioning to make music which works in both worlds, like Shakira," he told Hindustan Times, adding, "It's high time for South Asian artistes to be known as multi-dimensional artistes, not just for making Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil or Telugu. They can also make English music, or put it all together."

For someone who started making music at the age of 11, Tesher wanted to draw from his Indian roots. "My Indian identity is so core to who I am that it will always be a part of my music in some small or a big way, depending on the song," he told the daily. Global Indian turns the spotlight on the Indo-Canadian artist who is transcending boundaries with his music.

[caption id="attachment_32656" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Artist | Global Indian | Tesher Tesher is an Indo-Canadian artist[/caption]

A DJ who became a YouTube star

Born Hitesh Kumar, into a Punjabi family living in Canada, Tesher was raised in Saskatchewan. His Punjabi heritage and upbringing had a deep influence on him in his early years as he always found himself drawn to Bollywood, bhangra music and Western hip-hop playing at his home. That's when his interest in music started to bloom, and by the age of six, he began making mashups by fusing Bollywood with hip-hop songs. He soon started tagging along with his father, who was a videographer by profession, to South Asian weddings and functions. At one such wedding, the clients inquired about DJ services from his father, to which he replied that his son likes computers and music. At 15, Tesher's journey as a DJ began.

For someone who just started with mixing Bollywood and hip-hop, Tesher found a perfect balance between his South Asian roots and the Western world. Soon he began experimenting with R&B, house, salsa music and pop as an extension of his personality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTmKrwFu7wg

In a conversation with Urban Asian, he said, "My music reflects who I am, and who I am is a Canadian-born Indian who’s managed to balance the Western culture I grew up in with my South Asian heritage. I am the blend of two cultures, and so is my music. If I didn’t incorporate sounds and influences from both sides of the world, it wouldn’t be me."

What began as a mere hobby for this self-taught musician would soon turn him into an international music artist. But Tesher was yet to discover this. Oblivious to what fate had in store for him, Tesher began studying the music landscape on MTV and radio to understand where he could fit in his talent. That's when YouTube came to his rescue.

He started putting his mashups on the internet, as a sort of his preparatory ground for what was about to happen. From country remixes to Bollywood and bhangra mashups, every composition of Tesher made its way to YouTube. One mashup caught the fancy of Sony Music India who asked the composer for an official Bhangra remix of Kar Gayi Chull from the 2016 film Kapoor and Sons. A year later, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt performed to his remix at Miss India 2017, and Tesher was blown away by the fact that his music was making it big in India. "It was definitely cool but interesting; I was an average guy living in Canada, making music on the side, but on the other side of the world, a superstar Bollywood actress is dancing to my music, It's honestly two worlds - it's so surreal," he told Strand Magazine.

The gamechanging viral song

Known to have an ear for groundbreaking mashups, Tesher cooked up a storm by bringing together the least expected combinations, AR Rahman and Travis Scott, for instance, and Govinda and Drake. This very uncanny taste in music earned Tesher fame and recognition when his 2019 remix Old Town Road vs Ramta Jogi went viral on TikTok, leading his audience to discover his earlier discography. The song with all its quirks put Tesher on the global map.

[caption id="attachment_32657" align="aligncenter" width="513"] Tesher | Global Indian | Artist Tesher became a household name with Jalebi Baby[/caption]

"That experience taught me to put more faith in the audience. I almost didn't put that mix out to begin with because I thought it wasn't good. Now it has become a reason why so many people have discovered me and my music," Tesher added.

A global star

A year later, Tesher was armed with yet another chartbuster up his sleeve when he launched Young Shahrukh. An original rap song performed to the beats of one of Bollywood's popular songs Bole Chudiya, the single erupted on the music scene with a bang. Such was the craze that Sony Music India picked the single, thus giving Tesher's debut the perfect launchpad. The single claimed the Number 1 spot on BBC Radio Official Asian Music Chart in the UK and reached Number 4 on Billboard's Top Thriller Global Chart.

Tesher found the pulse of his audience, but the singer-composer knew he wanted to blow their minds with his next song, and that's exactly what he did when he came up with Jalebi Baby, his second single in 2020. The song which amassed over 100 million streams also topped the Shazam charts in over 25 countries. The success of the song across the globe prompted Tesher to take it mainstream, and that's when American singer Jason Derulo came on board for the remix of Jalebi Baby. With bhangra beats and jalebi, Tesher was keen to keep the song unapologetically Indian.

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"From day one, my biggest goal was always to bring South Asian sounds into the mainstream in a way that could push our culture forward and spotlight us authentically, free from stereotypes and overused tropes. Something that celebrated us and that we all could be proud of," added the artist who received a nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Having tasted the success and recognition, Tesher is now gearing up to make more original music and even work with Bollywood in the future. The Indo-Canadian musician is a perfect example that music transcends boundaries and the world is always waiting for good tunes and interesting mashups.

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War on drugs: Indian American researcher Nabarun Dasgupta’s fight against overdose deaths

(September 20, 2023) It was the year 2002, a time when a surge of federal funding was being channelled toward the battle against terrorism. Amidst this, Indian American researcher Nabarun Dasgupta, then a student pursuing a master's degree in public health at Yale University, found himself on the hunt for a summer internship. Little did he know that government agents would soon approach him with a unique proposition: an opportunity to be part of a specialised team preparing for the unlikely but chilling prospect of a bioterrorist threat - in the heart of Wyoming. [caption id="attachment_45144" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta[/caption] “To be honest, I didn’t think Wyoming was a real target for bioterrorism,” the researcher said in an interview, "So I started to look for a place where I could make a more immediate impact." Since then, Dr. Dasgupta's keen focus has been on exploring the synergies between informal information sources and conventional public health surveillance to enhance the development of resilient drug safety treatments and solutions. Over the moon to be on #TIME100Next list of emerging leaders globally. Amazing company to keep! So much love to teams @RemedyAlliance @UNC who make the #harmreduction and science happen. https://t.co/FX9eB5nTT7@ejwheeler9 @UNCpublichealth

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Over the moon to be on #TIME100Next list of emerging leaders globally. Amazing company to keep! So much love to teams @RemedyAlliance @UNC who make the #harmreduction and science happen. https://t.co/FX9eB5nTT7 @ejwheeler9 @UNCpublichealth @UNC_IPRC @TIME @TaraLaw27 pic.twitter.com/0NsDzmcnWq

— Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta (@nabarund) September 13, 2023

And after working in the field of drug safety for years, Dr Dasgupta, now a senior scientist at the University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, and an Innovation Fellow at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, recently got recognised on the ‘Time 100 Next 2023,’ a list of rising leaders “for shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership.” An elated Dr. Dasgupta took to Twitter to share the news and wrote, “I’m delighted to be selected as part of the Time100 Next cohort. While this may appear to be a singular honor, I am humbled to highlight the compassionate heroes who care for our loved ones and offer practical solutions (sic).”

A journey for the people

An alumnus of the prestigious Princeton University, the Indian-American researcher became aware of the rising issue of drug overdose in the United States of America when he was in his late teens. His calling came, unfortunately, after losing a very close friend to this epidemic. "So I was working in a cardboard box factory in Maine, and it was between my college and grad school, and I saw people using OxyContin to be able to function at their job. At the same time, I had friends from high school who were using OxyContin in ways that you know, made them more at risk and were causing all sorts of problems in their life." the researcher said, adding, "When I got to grad school, I had to do an internship and ended up going back to Maine and studying OxyContin and heroin as a problem, and ended up losing a friend of mine to an overdose. And it was at that point that I realised this was a real thing. That was around 2002. And so for the last 20 years almost, this has been my focus, to prevent overdose deaths."

[caption id="attachment_45146" align="aligncenter" width="631"] Researcher | Nabarun Dasgupta | Global Indian Dr. Dasgupta with his team[/caption]

After completing his Master's from Yale University, the researcher was hired by Purdue Pharma to spearhead their epidemiological initiatives. The task proved to be captivating, immersing Dr. Dasgupta in an in-depth analysis of the impacts of OxyContin and various other opioid medications. Their collective goal was to enhance both physician and patient education and information, to address addiction issues and mitigate overdose incidents. In the course of his work, the researcher also delved into the realm of highly effective antidotes for overdose emergencies. “If administered in time, naloxone [the antidote] reverses the effects of most opioid overdoses,” he said, “It is also relatively safe. For instance, if an overdose is suspected but in reality hasn’t happened, administering naloxone won’t harm the patient.”

Giving back to the community

For nearly four years, the team dedicated their efforts tirelessly to tackle the issue. Unfortunately, shortly after the drug lost its patent protection and transitioned to generic status, the company made the difficult decision to dissolve the group. In search of the next chapter in his career, Dr. Dasgupta embarked on a journey of applying to doctoral programs. As he secured admission to UNC, a senior colleague from his former group, Dr. Curtis Wright, took him aside for a conversation.

"Dr. Wright had spent much of his career in the Navy and the Food and Drug Administration,” the researcher mentioned, "He told me, ‘Nab, you went to great private schools, but attending a public university involves something different. The people of North Carolina are giving up resources and opportunities just to educate you. Your tuition does not repay that debt. It is your responsibility to find ways to give back to that state.’ To be honest, I never thought of my education in this way, but I took it to heart, and when I got to Chapel Hill, I was determined to do just that.”

[caption id="attachment_45145" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Researcher | Nabarun Dasgupta | Global Indian Dr. Dasgupta assembling overdosing prevention kits in Wilkes County, North Carolina[/caption]

Soon, the researcher started working on the drug overuse issue - which, at the time, was claiming about 47 deaths per 100,000 people in a single county of North Carolina alone. And that's how Project Lazarus came to be established. "Project Lazarus is a nonprofit that we started in the Appalachian foothills of western North Carolina. It is this comprehensive, community-based programme that works to help people who have pain conditions and help people who have an addiction get treatment and prevent overdose deaths," explained the researcher, whose efforts were able to drop the drug overdose death rate in the country by 69 percent over three years.

But he didn't stop his work just at that. Over the years, Dr. Dasgupta has analysed several samples submitted by public health programs in his laboratory, to determine the composition of illicit street drugs. Additionally, his team provides vital support to experts working on harm reduction strategies and offers educational resources to inform community members about the risks of drug overdose. Since 2021, the lab has examined drug samples sourced from 32 different states.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLM-WXQdH-w

In the year 2022, Dasgupta took a pioneering step by co-founding the non-profit organization known as the Remedy Alliance For The People. This organisation operates as a major distributor of naloxone, the opioid reversal drug. To date, they have successfully shipped over 1.6 million free and low-cost doses of naloxone to 44 states, making a significant impact in combatting opioid-related emergencies.

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Vimal Kapur appointed CEO of Honeywell

(March 16, 2023) In September 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman acknowledged the growing number of Indian-origin CEOs taking over major global firms. India, with 58 CEOs of top tier companies, is second only to the US, according to the S&P top 500 companies list. This elite tribe has only increased, with one more addition made to the list on March 15 - Honeywell veteran Vimal Kapur has been named CEO of the multinational conglomerate. "Honeywell is playing a major role in making the world a better place, and I am both proud and humbled to take on the CEO role of this great company," the Global Indian said, after the announcement was made. [caption id="attachment_36247" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Vimal Kapur is Honeywell's new Indian-origin CEO.[/caption] Expanding operations in India The world is bullish on India, and Kapur, who was at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2023, told CNBC's Shereen Bhan on the sidelines that the conglomerate was looking to expand its operations here. "Our businesses are more resource intensive.. We have raised up to hire more people and I think in the context of India, our base is very large. So as India grows, we are set up for

Shereen Bhan on the sidelines that the conglomerate was looking to expand its operations here. "Our businesses are more resource intensive.. We have raised up to hire more people and I think in the context of India, our base is very large. So as India grows, we are set up for growth. We will just lift up our game, to grow with India."

"Kapur brings 34 years of deep knowledge about our businesses, end markets and customer needs. His ability to drive our key sustainability and digitalisation strategic initiatives, along with his advancements of our world-class operating system - Honeywell Accelerator - throughout the organisation, gives him an outstanding platform to drive performance for our shareholders," Adamzczyk said, when the announcement was made.

From Patiala to Houston

Born in India in 1966, not much is known about Kapur's early life. He did, however, graduate with a degree in electronics engineering, with a specialisation in instrumentation, from the Patiala Institute of Engineering in Punjab, and joined Honeywell in 1989. In his 34 year association with the company, he has served in key leadership roles across the business, heading various verticals including Performance Materials and Technologies, Honeywell Building Technologies and Honeywell Process Solutions.

In 2018, Kapur took over Honeywell Building Technologies, leading the business through a period of change, instilling an intense operational and customer focus. This was during the first wave of smart buildings, which are characterised by connected and energy-efficient systems.

Smart buildings: Leading the way

As the demand for smart buildings grew, firms like Honeywell Building Technologies played a key role in their growth story,. with Kapur at the helm. Things had changed dramatically from the 1970s, when buildings and those who designed them did not consider comfort and energy-efficiency as important parameters. These issues were first broughtinto the spotlight when the advent of digital technologies. Building systems were given an overhaul - they were modified, recreated, connected and automated to digitize and aggregate data. "This was the firs step towards making building smart," Kapur said in 2020, back when he was the President and CEO at Honeywell Building Technologies. "Now, there is an opportunity to make buildings even smarter and take them to the next level."

One major transition was involving the building's occupants as key stakeholders to the process, giving them a say in design, development and operations. "Machine Learning, predictive maintenance technologies and other such advancements are making building maintenace a lot smarter," Kapur told Construction Week. With people becoming more aware of the perils of climate change, the demand for green buildings also grew - "Honeywell has always concentrated on meeting these needs in the industry," he said. As the President and CEO of HOneywell Materials and Technologies, Kapur guided the vertical through an oil and gas downturn, helping the company return stronger than ever before..

Kapur was named President and COO in July 2022 and has been leading the creation of solutions to help customers drive sustainability transformations and accelerate their digital transformation. One year prior, in 2021, he was named the President and CEO of PMT, based in Houston. He took the mantle from another Indian, Rajeev Gautam, who retired on August 13, 2021, ending a 43-year career with Honeywell. "Throughout Vimal's more than three decades with Honeywell, he has proved his outstanding leadership capabilities and deep knowledge of our end markets," Adamczyk, who was the Chairman and CEO of Honeywell at the time, said about the appointments.

Triumph over Trafficking: Harold D’Souza and his family’s journey from victims to advocates

(May 8, 2024) “Harold D'Souza and Darcy D'Souza are inspirations to me, and their story inspired me to create a feature documentary film titled 'To Be Free,' which focuses on labour trafficking in the United States," shared American director Benjamin Ryan Nathan in his message at the Eyes Open International (EOI) Conference organised by Harold D'Souza last week. The feature documentary is being produced by the American actor and producer Martin Sheen who has received numerous accolades, including three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards in a career spanning 30 years. “Are you aware that slavery is still thriving in our midst? The answer to that question inspired me to become an executive producer of the feature documentary film called 'To Be Free' that exposes the practice of human labour trafficking here in the United States and around the world,” he remarked in his video message that was played at the conference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reKPdItTRdk "This was our first Eyes Open International Conference. It was my dream project, a mission impossible made possible with the help of EOI Board Directors, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre, and well-wishers," Harold D'Souza, pleased with the success of

ernational Conference. It was my dream project, a mission impossible made possible with the help of EOI Board Directors, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Centre, and well-wishers," Harold D'Souza, pleased with the success of the conference, shared with Global Indian.

He formed his non-profit Eyes Open International to enlighten community members, victims, survivors, law enforcement agencies, faith leaders, nonprofit organisations, healthcare professionals, police officials, first responders, academics, students, teachers, and professors to identify red flags, problems, solutions, and resources involved in human trafficking. The EOI conference served as an extension of this goal. The EOI board boasts of people from both USA and India including Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil.

The global rendezvous

Apart from the thousands who viewed the EOI conference (Triumph over Trafficking) live virtually from India, Canada, Pakistan, Nepal, and the U.K., 300 people attended it in person," shared Harold, adding, "Those who travelled from India to attend the conference included Deepak Acharya, EOI Board Director and CEO of INOX India Ltd."

Linda Dixon from the Department of Defense USA, Dr Yvan Demosthenes, CEO of HamiltonDemo, Dr Kalyani Gopal, founder of SAFECHR, Linda Majeska Powers, Legal Director of the Ohio Attorney General, Hon Woodrow Keown, President and CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and Hriday Raval, International Director of Eyes Open International, were the speakers at the conference.

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"The audience felt that it was a life-changing experience for them simply by seeing the first brown survivor family, on stage. For the first time in our two-decade journey, all four of us—my wife, Darcy, and my sons, Rohan and Bradley—were together to share our journey from struggle to success," Harold remarked. He strongly believes that "survivors are thrivers."

Expressing gratitude to the EOI Board Directors, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, and the entire community from Ohio, America, and India for the successful EOI conference, Harold D'Souza added, 'The support from Rohan, Bradly, and Darcy was the pillar of this mega success."

Flashback - From Victim to White House Consultant

In 2003, Mangalore’s Harold D’Souza relocated to the United States with his family, only to realise that they had inadvertently fallen victim to human trafficking, eventually finding themselves ensnared in debt bondage.

“I stepped down from a senior management position in India to pursue the American dream,” remarked Harold. “I came to the United States following the advice and encouragement of a man who would become my trafficker,” he said, talking about his ordeal. “He manipulated, tricked and trapped us.” As a part of the deceitful scheme, Harold was promised of an H-1B visa, and a job as a business development manager with a salary of $75,000 along with other perks.

“In 2003, it was a big amount and thinking of the future of my two sons, I decided to take up the offer leaving behind the stable job in India,” he shared. His boys were seven and four-years-old at that time.

[caption id="attachment_51424" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Indians in USA | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold, Darcy, Rohan and Bradly - Then and now[/caption]

The family sold off their car and other belongings to cover travel costs. “I thought I would soon recover the amount after I start earning dollars,” he told. “I had no understanding of what HIB Visa, or the H4 dependant visa on which my wife and two sons came on. I didn’t know the dos and don’ts; I didn’t know how this country operated. I didn’t know the law. I didn’t know the people. I just jumped,” he remarked.

Upon Harold's arrival in the US, his trafficker confiscated the documents and $1000 in cash that he carried on the pretence of safekeeping. From that moment, their ordeal began. Both he and his wife were compelled to work seven days a week, enduring shifts lasting 14 to 16 hours in a restaurant, with accommodation provided next door.

“In most trafficking cases, victims are provided lodging in proximity, ensuring their constant availability for work while limiting their interaction with the outside world. This isolation prevents them from easily reaching out for assistance or lodging complaints, as they remain within the immediate control of their perpetrators.” And Harold explains that all through, abusive language and threats continue.

The trafficker imposed exorbitant fees for food, clothing, and shelter, and withheld Harold and Darcy’s salaries to cover these expenses. Additionally, Harold was deceived into signing a loan from a bank, which the trafficker pocketed, plunging him into debt bondage.

[caption id="attachment_51401" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Indians in USA | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold D’Souza with former USA president Donald Trump at the White House[/caption]

After enduring years of ordeal, Harold finally liberated himself by mustering the courage to seek help and working his way out of the situation, displaying immense bravery.

Looking at his story of resilience and resolve, he was appointed to the US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking initially by President Barack Obama and later by President Donald Trump. His tenure at the White House, from 2015 to 2020, restored the self-confidence that Harold had lost during the ordeal of being treated as an undocumented immigrant, despite entering America on an H-1B visa. “At the White House I was not looked at as a survivor, rather as an expert, and that transformed my life,” he remarked.

Purpose – to prevent human trafficking through Eyes Open International

“When people in my team at the White House heard my story, they encouraged me to start a non-profit to help victims.” This inspired Harold to establish Eyes Open International, dedicated to aiding victims of human trafficking and debt bondage. Driven by his own traumatic experiences and his resolve to alter the plight of trafficked individuals, he additionally fulfils the role of an expert consultant at the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. He actively participates in the Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and serves on the board of directors for numerous NGOs worldwide.

[caption id="attachment_51406" align="aligncenter" width="475"] Indians in USA | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian Harold-D'Souza after receiving the Hero Award[/caption]

The Indian American labour trafficking and debt bondage survivor received the Human Rights Hero Award 2023 at the United Nations headquarters in New York for being the leading activist in United States’ efforts to address the problem. “A feature film on my story with a well-known movie star in India is in the discussion phase,” he signed off.

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To know more about Eyes Open International and its initiatives, visit its website

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