Global IndianstorySeeing the world in ‘BLCK’ & white through Santanu’s metier

Seeing the world in ‘BLCK’ & white through Santanu’s metier

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(February 18, 2022) Santanu Hazarika got into engineering thinking it was the same as studying science. He was wrong. Failing in almost all subjects, except engineering drawing, the youngster tried to drop out early on but no one understood him. As an escape, he took to drawing – a childhood passion. He also self-taught himself philosophy and metaphysics. His notebooks were filled with drawings done during class.

‘Comic’ relief

Shantanu’s fortunes were about to change – in 2014 a friend tagged him in a post by Red Bull about the World Doodle Art Championship. He signed up, won the national round, and competed internationally in South Africa. He clinched that too. “I literally had to beat the world to prove a point to a society which had a very negative predisposition towards art and artists. I had to become a champion just to draw and pursue what I was passionate about,” smiles Santanu, today an internationally-acclaimed visual artist in an exclusive with Global Indian.

Visual artist Santanu Hazarika

Winning the world’s first Red Bull World Doodle Art championship, chosen from 32,000, the 29-year-old is readying for his first-ever debut solo show titled BLCK — an iconic display of black and white pieces that unsettle and challenge audience perceptions in Mumbai. The show will be on till February 28.

Finding solace in a childhood passion

Growing up in Guwahati, Santanu’s first introduction to art were comic books. Moving past DC, Marvel, he got into more adult art from image and dark horse comics. “I started copying characters and selling my drawings to friends to buy more comic books,” smiles Santanu, who did his schooling at Maria’s Public School, in the Montessori method.

From a green state like Assam, organic patterns were imprinted in the mind of this engineering dropout, and have impacted his art too.

Angry Flower Child by Santanu Hazarika

His engineering college years were the most turbulent, he even started taking medication to combat the pressure. “My notebook drawings were my only solace,” Santanu says, despite being a self-confessed science nerd. His artistic journey began during his time of turmoil, as a means to cope.

No looking back

The multidisciplinary autodidact visual artist soon had an impressive list of clients – Adidas, Reebok, Harper’s, Red Bull, Gully Gang, Azadi records, Ritviz, Nucleya and hip-hop artists like Raftaar and Divine. His monochromatic visual vocabulary, rooted in popular culture, took the world by storm.

The artwork which won him the Red Bull World Doodle Championship in 2014 was an ink-on-paperwork inspired from the teachings of Lord Vishnu. An illustration depicting the atman as the creator who embodied the universe within. The first plane was of logic and science through which it tried to understand nature and existence, the second was of nature and the final one was the crown chakra with Vishnu’s six-headed snake, adi ananta sesh surrounding it.

Visual artist Santanu Hazarika

“The snake represented the dimension of time — one, infinite and void — while nature represented the plane of physical reality. The illustration had a lot of symbolic elements, like the owl for wisdom,” explains Santanu, whose father, Ramen Hazarika, is a businessman.

He has shown his unique art across the world, held workshops in the heart of Siberia. Today, this self-taught independent artist has embellished his metier.

“There is always a battle inside my head – a struggle between the explosive, primal self and the calmer, contained self to meticulously follow a realistic order. It’s like a tug-of-war between abstraction and realism fuelled by heavy metal music,” says the now Mumbai-based visual artist, who is one of the pioneers of the NFT revolution in India. The NFT boom has given digital artists a shot in the arm, with more viability. His collaborative NFT (non fungible token) with Ritviz, became one of the fastest NFTs ever sold, in a record time 37 seconds. He designs and illustrates for showroom murals, cricket team buses, shoes, cars and music album covers too.

Monochrome and turbulence: BLCK

BLCK is an extension of his turbulent existence and the contentment it brings to him. Drawing heavily on his love for the monochromatic, BLCK, he explains, “absorbs popular culture into intertwined vines of hands, skulls, human bodies and images that mirror our minds, the chaos that descends into our bodies from the images that we consume.” It is an invitation into his world of comfortable turbulence.

Grin by Santanu Hazarika

A vicarious observer, resonating in the dissonance of humanity and creation, he adds, “I learn, I forget – a humorous paradox. My subjects can range from fictional characters, situations to experiences and subjects from life.”

Working on a few NFT projects, and a highly-anticipated collaboration with the acclaimed fashion brand Dust of Gods, is keeping him inspired.

“I don’t wait for inspiration. It has always been a disciplined routine of labour that gets me going. That is my true inspiration,” says the artist who leans towards mockumentaries, anime, manga, physics, philosophy, films and music. Superjail, Dorohedoro, Hellsing, Ghost in the Shell and Apple Seed are his favourites in anime.

Giving back

Assam is close to Santanu’s heart, and so is the people’s harmonious co-existence with nature and simple living. “Hunting fireflies was a favourite pastime growing up,” recalls Santanu, who believes in giving back to the artist community in Assam. Along with a few friends, he formed a collective Gauhati Art Project to build a design dialogue in the north-east, and connect it with the rest of the world. Since inception (2017), they have conducted workshops, events to help build a community.

Visual artist Santanu Hazarika

Where does the future lie?

The future, he feels, is about blurring the line between the physical, digital and artistically building a metascape that represents humanity and civilisation. “You can call it the meta verse,” says the visual artist, who is currently reading a manga series Berserk by the late Kentaro Miura. Calling Bhupen Hazarika his favourite Global Indian, he feels the legend’s true genius, endless humility and being the first Assamese to represent their culture is what overawes him – Hazarika’s prolific artistry.

Actor Shruti Haasan is dating Santanu. Both have often been spotted walking hand-in-hand on the streets of Mumbai. In fact, Shruti recently revealed that she was the first to propose to her artist boyfriend.

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Published on 18, Feb 2022

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Afghan model Vida Samadzai says Taliban 2.0 has an appetite for destruction

(August 26, 2021) Just a few days ago Vida Samadzai, Afghanistan’s first model to participate in an international pageant, was comfortably seated at her breakfast table in her plush Los Angeles home with some acquaintances. Soon however, shocking news began pouring in about the situation in her motherland: Afghanistan. Scrolling through social media posts, she came across a torrent of distressing news about the Taliban takeover. Horrified, the 43-year-old chanced upon video clips of Taliban brutality against young women in Afghanistan: she went numb, the clips brought back long forgotten memories. She made frantic calls to relatives and friends back home, to check on their well-being. Horrors best forgotten "The Taliban 2.0 is going to be all about barbarism, torture and inhuman behavior not just towards women but children and men as well. I can tell that from my past experiences," declares Vida, a Pashtun who was born and brought up in Kabul. She lost a young relative to suicide bombing and has come across numerous instances of her classmates being tortured and beaten up by the Taliban. One of the most tragic stories was that of a young girl in her neighborhood, who jumped to her death from a residential complex in an upscale Kabul locality when the militia knocked on her door in a bid to kidnap her. Growing up amid these dark events for

d brought up in Kabul. She lost a young relative to suicide bombing and has come across numerous instances of her classmates being tortured and beaten up by the Taliban. One of the most tragic stories was that of a young girl in her neighborhood, who jumped to her death from a residential complex in an upscale Kabul locality when the militia knocked on her door in a bid to kidnap her.

Growing up amid these dark events for a major part of her life is what appears to have shaped Vida Samadzai into what she is today — free thinking, fearless and an outspoken woman who cares two hoots about orthodox traditions. When she appeared in a red bikini in the 2003 edition of the Miss Earth pageant it enraged the hardliners back home including the Afghan Supreme Court. She was condemned for going against Islamic law and Afghan culture; but Vida decided to soldier on. She went on to make a successful career for herself as a model, appeared in Bigg Boss Season 5 and briefly dabbled in Hindi cinema as well.

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A post shared by Vida Samadzai (@missafghanistanofficial)

Afghanistan of yore

"Most Afghans never wrapped themselves into old traditional rules and regulations. Men in our group did not sport a beard while women never wore a burqa. Afghanistan was known to be the second Paris and most women would closely follow fashion and were stylish: something they would pick up from the Vogue magazine which made its way into Afghanistan back in the 1960s and 70s. We were never interested in a conservative, orthodox way of living," says Vida, speaking exclusively to Global Indian.

After completing her graduation from Kabul, she briefly visited Delhi and then moved to the US in 1996. She went on to win the Miss America 2005-06 pageant and was the second Afghan woman to participate in the international beauty pageant since 1974, the first being Zohra Daoud.

"Afghans are fighters and they cannot be conquered. History is replete with examples of our courage and bravery. We may not have sophisticated weapons like the Taliban but we have the passion and the never-say-die attitude. Afghans are also known to be hospitable and kind hearted," she adds.

where do her parents live in Afghanistan? "For their safety, I cannot reveal that," she says. Interestingly, her father studied in a Lucknow University while her mother studied college in Kabul and then left for Europe to pursue higher studies.

[embed]https://twitter.com/MissAfghanistan/status/1031237822869454848?s=20[/embed]

Shaped by brutality

This Afghan-American recalls how the Taliban would torture people on flimsy grounds.

"We were taught the Quran Sharif in high school. But one cannot just memorize it word by word. Once, the Taliban randomly asked a 13-year-old to recite a "Surah" from the Quran and when he could not, they repeatedly slapped him. In another instance, they tortured a relative of mine and abandoned him in the mountains," recalls Vida.

Based on the feedback she receives on a daily basis from her country, she says not just women, even men are worried and desperate to leave the country. "Did we ever witness men trying to fly on the wing of a plan in a bid to leave their country?" she wonders, referring to the videos showing Afghan men desperately trying to escape Afghanistan over the past 10 days.

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Vida Samadzai was associated with a US-based women's charity to work towards raising awareness about women's rights and education in her country. Ask her if she wants to return to Afghanistan, she replies in the affirmative. ''There was a job offer to host a show, designed on the lines of American idol. But I could not take it up as the job demanded that I stay in Afghanistan for four months. I had other work commitments and I had to turn down the offer.”

“But I will go back to my country one day and help in making Afghan women financially independent by creating jobs. I do not fear the Taliban."

Reading Time: 8 mins

On the right foot: UK-based Dr Venu’s surgical solutions give diabetics new lease on life

(June 2, 2022) Hundreds of patients have passed through the able hands of Dr Venu Kavarthapu since he first began working at King's College Hospital in London, in 2006. Appointed as an orthopaedic consultant, Dr Venu soon realised, as he treated diabetic patients with foot problems, that surgical options were very limited. More often not, amputation was the only measure. His experiments with External and Internal Fixation techniques remained largely unsuccessful. Dr Venu decided to study the problem himself, developing, over years of extensive research, a surgical technique that revolutionised diabetic foot management. He went on to become the first doctor in the UK to have fully reconstructed a diabetic foot. Now a world-renowned surgeon with over 200 specific complex diabetic foot reconstructions behind him, Dr Venu's surgical procedure became part of a multidisciplinary Centre of Excellence for Diabetic Foot Management at Apollo Hospital. “Diabetic foot reconstruction surgery is a very complex procedure and requires advanced fellowship training,” explains Dr Venu, during an interview with Global Indian. “Multidisciplinary diabetic foot team support is also critical. My techniques are now followed across the world to great success,” he smiles. Over the years, he developed rods, plates and screws designed especially for

followed across the world to great success,” he smiles. Over the years, he developed rods, plates and screws designed especially for diabetic foot reconstruction surgery. It is, arguably, a revolution in the surgical field.

[caption id="attachment_25205" align="aligncenter" width="596"] Indian doctor | Dr Venu Kavarthapu | Global Indian Dr Venu Kavarthapu[/caption]

From rural AP to the UK

Born in Tangutur, Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh in 1970, Dr Venu's parents -- Srinivasa Rao and Ramadevi, did cloth dyeing work to support the family. The youngest of four brothers and inspired by an older, studious sibling, Prasada Rao, Venu was the only child in the house to choose medical school over engineering. “My mother encouraged me,” he says, by way of explanation. Venu did his MBBS from Guntur Medical College, graduating in 1992 with an interest in orthopaedics.

Travelling to the UK to train in orthopaedics was all the rage in India at the time and like many of his peers, Dr Venu set off for foreign shores. “My elder brother funded my travel to England in 1995,” he recalls. He completed his FRCS in 2003 and then did an MIS and Computer Navigation Hip Surgery Fellowship in Los Angeles. He then returned to London for a Hip Surgery Fellowship and the London Foot and Ankle Fellowship. Following this prolonged training period, Dr Venu was appointed as an orthopaedic consultant at King’s College Hospital in 2006, where the Indian doctor provides specialist services on hip, foot and ankle disorders.

Orthopaedics at King’s Hospital

"When I joined King’s Hospital, I was approached by Professor Michael Edmonds, a world-renowned diabetic foot physician, to become the orthopaedic member of his diabetic foot multidisciplinary unit. I accepted his offer and established the diabetic foot reconstruction service in our unit, which soon became the national referral centre," says the Indian doctor, who was given the post of an Associate Professor of Orthopaedics, the only one in the entire orthopaedic department at King's College Hospital, in recognition of his work.

Indian doctor | Dr Venu Kavarthapu | Global Indian

When Dr Venu began working at King’s College Hospital, surgery was not offered as treatment for deformed diabetic foot. Surgery attempts had yielded poor results globally and treatment was limited to “callipers and casts, with some amputations,” Dr Venu explains. “On the other hand, I had seen patients crippled by arthritis and other knee, hip or ankle injuries, all getting back to normal following replacement procedures. I wanted to provide similar surgical solutions to diabetic foot patients so they can be mobile again,” says the surgeon, who established the Hip Arthroscopy (hip keyhole surgery) and small incision Hip Replacement surgery in the hospital.

If the shoe fits… finding surgical solutions

Today, Dr Venu’s services are sought after the world over, with patients clamouring for his diabetic foot reconstruction surgery. He used the techniques he “had originally designed for midfoot and hindfoot reconstructions and continued to develop surgical techniques for combined midfoot and hindfoot deformity corrections, which became highly successful," he explains.

Despite the pressing nature of the problem Dr Venu was trying to address, his efforts at a solution were met with resistance and scepticism from clinicians and healthcare groups, who felt his techniques wouldn’t work. “I persevered,” he states, slowly developing the reconstruction process and then publishing research work on the new techniques as well as their improved outcomes. “As the scientific evidence on the success of our techniques became evident, many diabetic foot surgeons globally started visiting my centre to learn this technique," informs Dr Venu, who went on to establish ‘Charcot Foot Reconstruction Cadaver Workshop’ for surgeons, to provide practical training on the surgical techniques used.

For infected diabetic foot deformities, the Indian doctor developed a ‘Staged Reconstruction’ approach, that involved the first stage of infection eradication surgery, followed by another round three months later, which includes reconstructing the deformity. "This technique has now become the gold standard of treatment across the world," says the doctor, who runs short visitation fellowship programmes for overseas doctors including those from India. He has hosted about 100 specialists from Europe and USA over the past 10 years.

All diabetic foot reconstructions require extensive and prolonged clinical assessments, patient preparation and surgical planning. "Badly infected diabetic foot deformities are extremely complex to reconstruct, and the treatment is more expensive. The surgery needs to be done in stages and is very meticulous and is similar to the surgery performed for removing cancer tissue," says the doctor, who runs the only diabetic foot fellowship programme available in the UK and has trained about 10 surgeons over the past nine years since the start of the programme.

Philanthropy at home

In India, where a large portion of healthcare is provided in the private sector, the common man may find it difficult to afford such care. "The expenses come in the form of doctor consultations and hospital costs. Most diabetic foot doctors in India work in isolation and do not have access to a multidisciplinary team," feels Dr Venu, who was awarded with an Honorary membership by the Indian Orthopaedic Association in recognition of his services.

Indian doctor | Dr Venu Kavarthapu | Global Indian

To address this issue, the Indian doctor recently set up a charity called UK India Diabetic Foot Foundation- UKIDFF which provides free multidisciplinary team advice from a large panel of experts to the doctors in India on diabetic foot treatment. UKIDFF also has plans to arrange medical camps in India in future and provide free treatment to poor patients with support from philanthropists.

Asked about the cost of the complex surgery, Dr Venu says the hospital costs for diabetic foot reconstructions are variable and depend on the complexity of the procedure. "Routine diabetic foot reconstruction surgeries performed in the early stage of the disease, cost much less. However, late presentation cases often require complex surgical procedures and can be very expensive," explains Dr Venu, whose wife Lavanya is an IT professional.

A writer and a teacher

His association with Indian Orthopaedics has been very close since he became a consultant. "I ran British Indian Visiting Orthopaedic Fellowship programmes and hosted over 100 senior orthopaedic consultants from various parts of India in my Hip Unit," says the specialist, who also appointed many junior orthopaedic consultants from India in his Orthopaedic department for a two-year specialist training.

Keen on spreading his skills and knowledge, Dr Venu regularly pens articles in scientific journals, writes textbook chapters, teaches in webinars and speaks at various national and international meetings. This year alone, he will be participating in 17 webinars and speak in 11 meetings globally. "A large part of my teaching contribution is to India at present," smiles the father of two, who was elected as the President of Indian Orthopaedic Society UK and most recently as the President of the International Association of Diabetic Foot Surgeons.

His busy schedule leaves him with little time for family. "Going on walks to local greeneries in Kent and London with family, watching TV or movies and playing games is what I do in my free time," smiles Dr Venu, for whom Europe is the best holiday destination. The Indian doctor ensures he maintains a healthy diet and does physical activities in moderation.

Follow Dr Venu Kavarthapu on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 6 min

Shooting the wild: Behind the lens with wildlife photographer Masood Hussain

(February 23, 2024) Masood Hussain was busy photographing monuments, streets and landscapes, until one day, when he read an article saying the most difficult subjects are birds. By this time, he had also realised he wasn’t doing anything unique with his camera. So, the very next day, he set out to a nearby lake to search for birds, and at the end of it, hadn’t captured a single, usable photograph. Instead of disappointing him, it marked the start of his love affair with wildlife. “I enjoyed the process of locating birds, getting close to them and observing their behavior. I kept going back and after many attempts, I could finally capture a decent photograph of a bird and the satisfaction was inexpressible,” smiles the award-winning wildlife photographer, in a chat with Global Indian. Hussain holds the coveted distinction of AFIAP (Artist, Federation International Del’Art Photographique) which he was awarded in 2013 by The International Federation of Photographic Art, the world photography headquarters in France. In 2020, he was named wildlife photographer of the year by the Natural History Museum London. [caption id="attachment_49368" align="aligncenter" width="616"] Masood Hussain[/caption] “To make quality wildlife images, one needs to be extremely passionate, willing to fail

ss=" wp-image-49368" src="https://www.globalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FB_IMG_1707718061600.jpg" alt="" width="616" height="619" /> Masood Hussain[/caption]

“To make quality wildlife images, one needs to be extremely passionate, willing to fail several times and be persistent. It is all about patience and anticipation,” says the true-blue Hyderabadi. A wildlife photographer has no control over his subject. “In wildlife photography, if you lose a shot, you lose it forever. There is no second chance. One needs to be able to make the most out of any situation.”

Accolades galore

Back in 2012, Hyderabad was hosting the CoP 11 convention on biological diversity. A photography competition was announced to showcase the biodiversity of Hyderabad. “I knew I would be competing against some of the best in the field, but I was confident I would secure at least one of the top three places,” recalls Hussain. Sure enough, his image of a peacock won first place. This was his first ever award in a photography competition.

This distinction is awarded to those photographers who have had 15 images accepted and displayed by 15 different photography salons in at least 8 different countries. “By this time, wildlife photography had become more than just a hobby. I was determined to become one of the best out there and went on raising the bar,” says the wildlife photographer, who was the youngest photographer in the state to have achieved this distinction. He was also felicitated by the Andhra Pradesh Photographic Society.

Recognition by the National History Museum, London

Thousands of photographers from all over the globe participate in this prestigious competition. Then, a travelling exhibition of the prize-winning images goes to over 40 countries, and stays on display at the Natural History Museum for the rest of the year. Hussain is the only wildlife photographer from the state of Telangana and amongst very few Indians to have been awarded at the NHM.

“That feeling when your name is announced followed by the name of your country and to proudly walk up to the stage to receive the award amid applause from the gathering of the finest photographers, is a feeling that cannot be described in words,” says Hussain, who had been participating in this competition every year since 2015. But it was only in March 2020 that he finally won the award.

Hussain received the YES bank natural capital award in 2017, one of the most respected wildlife photography awards in India. “My image of the White Lipped Himalayan Pit Viper, with two insects fighting on its head, got me this award,” informs Hussain. He received a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a plaque handed over to him by the then Union Minister of Forests and Environment, Dr Harsh Vardhan at an awards function held in New Delhi.

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A childhood in Hyderabad

Masood Hussain was born in Hyderabad in April 1977. He studied at the famous Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet. “I was not the best-in-class student but almost always passed with a distinction,” recalls the wildlife photographer, who used to be such a shy and timid student, he was even scared of being called upon to read the thought for the day in the assembly. He was active in sports and was a part of the HPS junior cricket team.

Hussain’s interest in photography began when he was around six years old. His grandfather’s younger brother was a photography enthusiast, and he would help him develop the negatives and enlarge photo prints in the dark room they had at home. “He taught me the basics of photography on film cameras, right from loading a film in the camera to the relationship between the various photography parameters,” says Hussain. The first camera he used was a Leica, still considered one of the finest cameras in the world.

Hussain’s father Syed Masroor Hussain passed away when he was in class 8. He was a medical representative with Boots India Ltd (Now Abbot Laboratories). “He was a perfectionist and had great love for nature. He took me along for nature treks and fishing and that is when my love for the jungles started,” says the 45-year-old.

He describes his mother Vaseem Hussain as a warrior. After his father passed away, the entire responsibility of the family fell on her shoulders. Against all odds, she went on to start the first ever driving school in Hyderabad exclusively for women in1991, empowering thousands of them, who thanks to her, could learn driving from a woman instructor. After HPS, Hussain pursued his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from The PES College of Engineering, Aurangabad.

Hussain the entrepreneur

[caption id="attachment_49369" align="alignnone" width="1024"] 'The Enlightened One' by Masood Hussain | Photo: Special Arrangement[/caption]

After completing his Engineering, Hussain’s first aim was to give some rest to his mother, who, he says, was working like a war horse while he studied. “I gave up my plans of post-graduation and started my own business of design, fabrication and installation of Electrical Earthing and Lightning Protection systems.”

Like every other start-up, the first couple of years were quite a struggle, informs Hussain, who is the owner of Vista Techno Corporation. In the next few years, business started growing and he got busier scaling up.

First camera

By 2009, Hussain’s business began to stabilize and that was when he could afford his first DSLR, a Nikon D90. “All those years while I had been busy setting up my business, camera technology had evolved hugely. The film cameras were replaced by digital SLRs. I had to take up a crash course in digital photography to understand the latest technology,” says the passionate photographer, who learnt the nuances of photography from Ashok Kandimalla, a renowned photographer, columnist and camera collector.

In 2011, Hussain took a year-long sabbatical and travelled extensive across the country photographing birds and wildlife.

Giving Back

His exhibitions titled ‘Meraki by mh’ are his way of giving it back to the society. “With my exhibitions, I try to help the underprivileged and needy. By selling my limited-edition prints, I have successfully raised funds for a patient who underwent an open-heart surgery and another patient who underwent a bone marrow transplant,” Hussain says. He also raised funds for a school for differently abled children and has been a longtime supporter of the WWF INDIA and contributes regularly.

[caption id="attachment_49370" align="aligncenter" width="565"] Photo by Masood Hussain | Photo: Special Arrangement[/caption]

Branching out

While Hussain never considered photography as a source of income, he now has plans to start an online store to sell his prints. “The platform will also be called ‘Meraki by mh’. The buyers will be able to choose a picture they like to get it printed and framed,” he says of his new venture, which will also enable buyers to view the framed print on a virtual wall.

Hussain continues travelling to various jungles across the length and breadth of India to photograph the wildlife. “I also have plans to try my hand on shooting videos. I would love to make a documentary someday,” says the photographer, who plans to visit the wildlife destinations in Norway, Alaska, Botswana and New Guinea.

The minimalist approach

Hussain uses very modest equipment and has never used flagship cameras and lenses. “Good equipment helps, but I strongly believe that it is finally the man behind the lens that makes all the difference,” says the award-winning photographer who currently uses a Nikon D500 camera with a Nikon D300s as a spare body. He also avoids using the typical long and heavy pro lenses which are usually used by wildlife photographers. Hussain prefers his lens to be small and light. For his style of shooting, he needs to make quick movements on the field.

The lenses he currently uses for his wildlife work include Nikkor 200-500 mm (which costs Rs 75,000), Nikkor 300mm F4 PF (cost Rs 118000) and Nikkor 105mm Micro (cost Rs 50,000) used for macro photography. “The Technology is changing fast. The DSLRs are now making way for the Mirrorless Cameras and there has been a huge advancement in the way cameras work.”

The self-taught musician

When he isn't shooting wildlife, Husain, a self-taught musician loves to play piano, flute and the violin. “I also sing sometimes. Musical instruments have always fascinated me,” informs Husain, who spent most of the Covid-induced lockdown time to polish his music skills. Someday, he intends to write a book about his life as a wildlife photographer.

Follow Masood Hussain on Instagram.

Aakarsh Shamanur: Empowering street vendors through solar-powered lighting solutions

(April 25, 2024) Strolling through the winding bylanes of Davangere alongside his grandfather, Aakarsh Shamanur fondly remembers marvelling at the old buildings. It was his fascination with Lego blocks that shaped his journey to becoming an architect. But his grandfather had different aspirations, he wanted him to work for the downtrodden. A few decades later, Aakarsh, now established in his profession as an architect, started the BePolite initiative to help empower the lives of street vendors through solar-powered lighting solutions. "I wanted to give back to the community, and having worked in the solar power sector in Europe, I realised the need for energy access in India," Aakarsh tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_50972" align="aligncenter" width="526"] Aakarsh Shamanur[/caption] The 35-year-old made the bold decision of quitting his job in Europe to return to India to pursue his calling. "My grandfather's vision got entwined with Gandhi's talisman - 'When you are in doubt if the decision positively impacts the poor and the weakest, then it's a good decision.' I knew I was headed in the right direction," says Aakarsh, who has illuminated the lives of 450 street vendors till now with his solar-powered solutions. The building blocks Playing with Lego blocks while

the decision positively impacts the poor and the weakest, then it's a good decision.' I knew I was headed in the right direction," says Aakarsh, who has illuminated the lives of 450 street vendors till now with his solar-powered solutions.

The building blocks

Playing with Lego blocks while growing up sparked an interest in architecture for Aakarsh, alongside a natural knack for improving infrastructure. Years later, he enrolled himself in RV College of Architecture on merit. "My tuition fee was paid by the government due to my merit-based seat." However, a turning point occurred during a college event when the chief guest made a thought-provoking remark that struck a chord with Aakarsh. "He said whoever received their education through tax-payers money has a responsibility to give back to the community." This inspired Aakarsh, leading him to start the BePolite initiative which he says is his "way of giving back to the community every Diwali."

However, before realising his dream, he took a flight to the Netherlands to pursue his master's in Urban Management and Development at Erasmus University. Those years proved formative, shaping him into the person he is today, and he credits the flat hierarchy in the Netherlands for it. "Regardless of your position, whether at work or university, everyone values your opinion. They emphasise teamwork and consensus building," he says. While working on projects in solar power space in Europe, a short trip to India made him realise that renewable energy is the need of the hour. "In developed countries, solar power is used more for recreational purposes. We used to power music concerts using solar power, but back home, the same solution could power an entire village."

Giving hope to street vendors

Armed with ideas and enthusiasm, he returned to Bengaluru but soon realised that the solutions needed to be tailored to local needs. For this, he spent three months in a village to understand the problems at the grassroots level. Acknowledging the need for energy access and the growing trend of urbanisation, he saw people moving from rural areas to cities in search of better opportunities. "Most end up becoming street vendors as it's the easiest option. Seeing their challenges, I decided to help by providing them with clean, sustainable lighting solutions that don't have a recurring cost every month associated with gas lights or candles. A solar product would be a good fit to reduce the operational costs every month," explains Aakarsh. Under the BePolite initiative, he started by providing solar lights to street vendors, enabling them to continue their sales even after sunset. What started with lighting eventually became a marketplace with more solutions where he integrated mobile charging and later did a pilot project for refrigeration as well. "There are multiple layers to the initiative. However, sustainability and inclusivity are the keywords that govern the entire initiative."

How it began

Growing up, Diwali was a traumatic time for Aakarsh who had asthma. "I would urge people to not burst crackers but it often fell on deaf ears. Soon I realised until you offer an alternative, you are not solving the issue. That's how the idea of gifting a light on Diwali came up." It was during Diwali 2018 that BePolite (portable light) did their pilot project in Bengaluru and soon started getting inquiries from Tier 2 cities expressing their interest in solar lights. "Initially, the lights were provided free of cost but now we charge 10 percent from the vendors. The light costs ₹3000 and we charge ₹500 from the vendors, which comes with a one-year warranty," informs Aakarsh who turned to crowdfunding for raising funds. "It removes the inhibition of asking somebody to fund the initiative. Moreover, it helps reach out to a larger audience. In just a week, we raised ₹3 lakh."

So, what sets their solar light apart from others available in the market? Akarsh highlights the superior quality of the light, encased in aluminium for durability. "When the vendors no longer need them, they can still get some scrap value." Made in India, these lights are a little more expensive than their Chinese counterparts and boast a lifespan of three years. After that, they can be sent for servicing and refurbishing, thus extending their usability. "This way we also save them from reaching the landfill at an early stage," says Aakarsh, who is piloting a powered umbrella this year which serves a dual purpose. "Keeping in mind the heatwave, vendors can use the umbrella for shade during the day, and the light can be used during the night."

Expanding its reach

Consistency is paramount for Aakarsh, irrespective of the quantum of the output. "Even if we are reaching out to 10-20 vendors every year, it's equally critical as we are staying consistent and making things happen," says the man who supplied lights to Dell last year for a CSR initiative, distributing them to tribal students in the forest areas outside Bengaluru. Till now, they have distributed solar lights in Tamil Nadu, Kolkata, and Karnataka. "In Chennai, we gave the lights to fish vendors at Marina Beach."

Aakarsh is happy that the BePolite initiative has brought dignity to the lives of street vendors, as he now observes an increased level of trust between street vendors and customers due to better quality of lighting. "Now the customers believe that the products sold to them are of good quality. Moreover, many vendors send the light to their kids in villages during their exams, thus prioritising the use of the light according to their convenience," says Aakarsh.

Each year around Diwali, the BePolite initiative takes centre stage, sometimes extending up to Christmas, depending on the interest. Aakarsh plans to draw the government's attention to the necessity of providing basic infrastructure to street vendors. "The ultimate goal is to switch towards vending zones. It can also become a platform of positive giving where people gift items to the needy - be it an umbrella or blanket," signs off Aakarsh.

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Chef Michael Swamy combines his love for food, photography and travel to create his dream career

(March 24, 2024) With a heritage that includes East Indian, Goan and Tamil genes, Chef Michael Swamy wanted to be a photographer and documentary filmmaker like his mother, Jane Swamy. At the age of eight he was gifted his first camera, and he grew up wanting to shoot food and travel the world. To translate his passion into a career, his mother suggested he first become a chef where he would have thorough knowledge of his subject. Chef Michael recalls, in an interview with Global Indian. “I did my degree in hotel management in Mumbai where I grew up, and a Grand Diplome de Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Then, I worked with Noon Products in London – they are in the frozen Indian food business. Menu planning at Kuwait Airways followed, and I also started food styling and consulting once I returned to India. Some restaurants wouldn’t have big budgets so I would do the photography for them too.” All this between the years of 1995 to 2000. [caption id="attachment_50249" align="aligncenter" width="414"] Chef Michael Swamy[/caption] One life, many passions An early start doing multiple things became the underlying foundation of his career. Multi-tasking is really his super

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One life, many passions

An early start doing multiple things became the underlying foundation of his career. Multi-tasking is really his super power in the sense that his career doesn’t only follow one path. A diploma in photojournalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications in Mumbai ensured his photographs are a blend of technique and skill and they tell a story.

A multi-cultural background has led to a unique style of cooking and creating recipes, making the food media part of his career a significant one. He says, “I worked with Masterchef India Seasons 1 and 2, where I would handle all the backend aspects. I was teaching contestants, the chefs, arranging the ingredients …. I also worked with other TV channels including the BBC. This media work is ongoing; I have been doing it for the last 15 years. Recently, I worked with the Canadian Consulate and other Consulates like the Spanish, Chilean and Peruvian trade commissioners, to promote their products through several forms of food media.”

However, it is what Chef Michael currently does that has his friends envying him. He is associated with Pugdundee Safaris, a company with six resorts in Madhya Pradesh, where he is the Consultant Corporate Chef. Here, he designs menus for the resorts and trains the kitchen teams who cater to upmarket wildlife enthusiasts from across the world. He works in a similar capacity with the Te Aroha Resort in Dhanachuli in Uttarakhand and also has worked with Jim’s Jungle Retreat in Corbett.

Among other things, he teaches food styling at Symbiosis Institute in Pune and at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, [WGSHA] Manipal, which is considered to be the third best culinary institute in Asia. He also edits and designs the content for a newsletter that he publishes, called #FineDiningIndian.

Considering his love for photography and wildlife, he literally gets paid to do what he loves! Cooking and taking pictures. He agrees. “My friends always say they are jealous because I am living my dream life. I not only get to explore rural India, but also apply my learnings at the lodges in the midst of the nature. At Pugdundee, when the guests are treated to bush dinners, we use age old techniques with my spice blends and cook in earthenware over firewood or dung cakes...something that is done all over India.” Ingredients he likes to work with when in the city, include almost all English vegetables like asparagus and Brussel sprouts; salmon and cod fish, as also pomfret and prawns and lamb.

On the Spice Trail

Masalas are a signature of Chef Michael’s oeuvre of work, whether it is the recipe books he has written or the food he cooks. He creates his own blends, using the spices from various regions of India. He not only adds them to his dishes, but uses them as marinades and rubs before cooking. Spice rubs on lamb, which is then coated in clay and baked for four hours is his speciality. Though he has been asked several times to start his own line of spice blends, he says he doesn’t have the mental bandwidth to do so. “I would rather be a Michelangelo than a businessman. I like to create, that is my thing.”

Speaking of creating, Chef Michael has also authored several cookbooks. Masala Dabba is one his best-known, featuring recipes that have been created using spices from all over India. The East Indian Kitchen features recipes of the community; there is also a book for diabetics called The Diabetic Cookbook and six simple cookbooks for children on topics such as baking, desserts and drinks.

International yet Indian

Currently busy with pop-ups of Bhutanese cuisine across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata for the Accor Group of Hotels, Chef Michael reveals that he is not a fan of progressive Indian cuisine. He says, “A minor twist here or there doesn’t make your food unique. There is a lot of hype about progressive Indian cuisine; I don’t agree because there are a lot of brilliant Indian chefs out there innovating with international techniques and Indian ingredients and no one knows about it at all. For example, Chef Srijith Gopinathan of The Taj in San Francisco in the US, got two Michelin stars ten years ago but few people know about it. Chef Naren Thimmaiah of Karavalli in Bengaluru, Chef Gagan Bedi at the Kheer Restaurant at Roseate in Aero City, New Delhi, make amazing Indian food yet they go about their work quietly, with the media not bothering to bring them into the limelight.”

Having said that, the challenges he faces lie in convincing people to adapt to local tastes. “When Gordon Ramsay cooks for you, you don’t ask him to tweak it the way you like it. There is only so many times one can make a Butter Chicken or a Palak Paneer.” In fact, when he was in London, he has even cooked for several celebrities who were guests of GK Noon and at the Bombay Brasserie.

A different lens

Luckily for Chef Michael, photography is his other major passion and his social media feeds are always brimming with pictures of stunning sunsets, arresting images of tigers and birds. He says, “Beyond tigers, I love shooting river terns, and birds, especially the common kingfisher. My favourite forest is undoubtedly the Kanha National Park.”

Future plans for this multi-talented chef include launching his own wildlife company some day that will offer sightings in the forests couple with culinary adventures – exactly what he is doing now except that will be on a freelance basis. He is also looking for sponsors so he can shoot a film documenting food and travel stories. Given how much he has already achieved in the last 25 years, Chef Michael is likely to reach this goal too in the near future.

You can follow Chef Michael on Instagram.