Who is Chef Tavish Bhasin?

A self-taught foodpreneur running Curry Castle, a cloud kitchen in Dubai, with Michelin-starred experience.

What inspired Tavish to start his cloud kitchen?

Love for food, his mother's cooking, and a desire to offer healthy, progressive Indian cuisine.

How does Curry Castle's menu differ from others?

It offers progressive, healthy Indian dishes with low-carb, sugar-free, keto, gluten-free, and vegan options.

What are Tavish's future plans for Curry Castle?

Scaling up locally in Dubai, opening more stores, and exploring slightly-elevated dine-in concepts.

What is the story behind the name 'Dark Knight Hospitality'?

It represents being underdogs who succeed against odds and refers to their cloud kitchens (dark kitchens).

Global IndianstoryVineet Singh Hukmani – How this multi-Grammy submitted artist spreads hope

Vineet Singh Hukmani – How this multi-Grammy submitted artist spreads hope

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(November 24, 2021) In early 2021, as people were hopelessly locked down aching for an infusion of light, singer-songwriter Vineet Singh Hukmani became a beacon of positivity. Inside his home studio in Noida, Hukmani created music imbued with optimism. Released on global radio in 2021, his nine singles in multiple genres became vaccines of sorts, spreading waves of hope.

The former CEO of Radio One is unafraid to unlearn, and learn. Today, the multi-Grammy submitted artist has three singles making it to the Grammy ballots. “My lyrics are colloquial and conversational. They are simple words that represent universal thoughts to connect with any radio listener,” smiles Vineet Singh Hukmani.

In an exclusive conversation with Global Indian, the singer-songwriter explores his song-making. “I create the chorus first, and then work the rest of the song around it. Once the song groove and genre are defined, its mood is upbeat and optimistic, I write lyrics that fit the melody,” shares the singer whose track Jab the World — a fun and synth-based rock number became one of the top 20 songs most played on rock radio in the US in 2021.

Vineet Singh Hukmani

“It is an out and out rock song that imagines a vaccination for hate and disaffection. It has a happy optimistic dance rock vibe” he adds. With this track, he became the first Asian Indian to enter the Digital Radio Tracker Rock Top 50 chart and his song peaked at number 8 in the top 50 alongside rock legends AC/DC, Green Day, Kings of Leon, Papa Roach, Imagine Dragons, among others.

His multi-radio genre approach rings out loud and clear – his first release Dreaming out Loud was synth-pop, Can I go Now was kidz pop (which he sang with his twins Avni and Vir, tenth graders), it was rock for Jab the World, synth-rock with So New, melodic rap with i Pray, electronic pop with Turning Back Time, funk with WTF – Where’s the fun. The adult contemporary Hurry came next with Latino pop PFH – Party From Home which released on November 11, 2021.

Born in the Gulf, he schooled at New Indian School in Kuwait, and had parents who encouraged music. His favourite pastime was listening to 80s pop and chart shows on FM, and songs from Duran Duran, The Police, Depeche Mode, Phil Collins, etc.

Thank you to all the #radio stations in #Europe and the #World and to their wonderful listeners for voting my #single #Hurry to the top of the #music #charts 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/aGXSboL0Mk

— Vineet Singh Hukmani (@vineethukmani) November 6, 2021

Engineering from Bengaluru, Vineet recalls his rocker days, “I was in two good bands during college. Rock Clef and Stone Cold, which was chosen in the top 14 bands of India by Rock Street Journal, in their Great Indian Rock Volume 1 compilation album.” Classic rock resonated and so did David Coverdale from Whitesnake, Sammy Hagar from Van Halen, and Graham Bonnet from Rainbow.

Making music is second nature, and he then turned to radio, studied management from Harvard Business School, specialising in disruptive innovation strategy. “My day jobs were related to business development. Music, creating and performing has always been a thriving parallel throughout life,” says the veteran radio honcho who was the co-founder of 94.3 Radio One in 2007. “That was a dream come true. I ran it for 12 years before selling it to a media house in 2019,” informs Vineet, who is the first artist in the world to secure eight No 1 tracks on the European Indie Charts with his last release Hurry on top too.

Vineet Singh Hukmani

Nine songs in a year are remarkable, and he admits that it was legally contracted. “Radio release to charting is a five-six-week cycle, and every 45 days keeps the single release momentum. That consistency of release followed by charting across the world gave me an edge,” he says.

So New, a “pick-me-up” song for the days when you are down and need simple pleasures to feel “so new” again, “was in the synth-pop/rock genre, and entered the DRT Rock top 10. Around this period, I was the only artist in the world to have two songs simultaneously in the prestigious DRT top 50,” he informs, beaming with pride.

Vineet Singh Hukmani

So, what makes Vineet so good at reinvention with an intuitive grasp of music? “The process is to first understand how global radio stations are formatted. They are formatted into well-defined popular genres. You must ensure a single fits a radio genre perfectly,” he says, adding that the most important part of the creative process is to make songs with “repeat listening value.”

Now, commercially, his aim to release a single in each genre of radio format – a single every 45 days is his goal. The pandemic inspired PFH (Party from Home) when some close vaccinated friends landed up at his home during lockdown to party after being stuck indoors, home, he realised, became a panacea of the English Latino riff inspired by the likes of J Balvin and Nicky Jam with a sprinkle of Spanish lyrics.

Many do charity, Vineet cares deeply about the industry. His foundation Greatsong.world aims to help Asian musicians find their own platform globally, and has helped 45 artists and counting. “If you want to create commercial music globally, you have to understand how it works, and create accordingly. If you are creating music for your own sense of joy, there are no rules. Joy is then the only goal,” says Vineet.

Vineet Singh Hukmani

The decades have made Hukmani consistent, better planned and grounded, “Grammy submissions for three of my singles this year in four mainstream languages has taught me that hard-work pays. It toughened me,” says the singer with fans across Europe, and the US. Now, he hopes to start performing live.

On the Grammy

“Over the past two years, the recording academy members led by Harvey Mason Jr worked hard to bring in diversity and inclusivity. With the launch of Latin Grammys, a separate space, a different region of music awards was created. We may even see an Asian Grammy version soon. This year, the voting structure has changed, and the so-called special hidden committees of the past were removed, leaving the large voting member bank to vote directly for the artist or song they love. The Grammys this year received 22,000 entries, of which about 500 will be nominated, and only 15-17 percent may win. Winning a Grammy will be the ultimate dream for many global musicians!”

On the medium of radio in India

Radio in India has not been able to grow into a leader medium like the USA or Europe. In India, the huge 15-year license fee that is paid upfront has made all radio companies extremely risk averse. Majority of stations “follow” Bollywood for content, unlike the West where radio creates its own leader path with new bands, music and hyper local content. However, Radio One, Indigo Radio and a few stations in East India are doing well with international formats. Globally, radio and music are a 50-billion-dollar discovery behemoth, India has a long way to go at 0.26 billion. Globally, independent music is a huge force to reckon with and India too is showing signs of this. Artists can only hope it realises it’s true potential, coupled with online broadcasting to become the leader medium it was intended to be.

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Tavish Bhasin: The copywriter-turned-chef making breakthroughs in cloud kitchen tech

Meet Chef Tavish Bhasin, a self-taught foodpreneur who runs Curry Castle, a cloud kitchen in Dubai and has worked with Michelin-starred chefs. (July 08, 2023) A copywriter at an event media company, Chef Tavish Bhasin was passionate about cooking, and this love for food helped him tip-toe into the world of culinary arts. From cooking for “half the office every week,” to selling burgers and hot dogs at events on the weekends, to his very own cloud kitchen, it has been quite a journey for the chef, who started cooking professionally at the age of 26. “My first cooking job was in 2014 at the Blue Frog under Chef Mrigank Singh, one of the first pioneers of modern Indian food, following which I spent two years at the Table in Colaba, Mumbai, (then listed on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants) under Chef Alex Sanchez. Those two years were some of the toughest, yet best years of my life, where I regularly got the opportunity to cook alongside Michelin-starred chefs whose guest dinners we hosted,” he tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_41034" align="aligncenter" width="440"] Chef Tavish Bhasin[/caption] Gaining Experience and Inspiration After gaining some valuable experience, Tavish, now 32, moved to Dubai where

ign="aligncenter" width="440"] Chef | Global Indian Chef Tavish Bhasin[/caption]

Gaining Experience and Inspiration

After gaining some valuable experience, Tavish, now 32, moved to Dubai where he joined Five Palm Jumeirah. “I spent four years working across many restaurants and cuisines (including Mexican, European and Indian) and finally ended up as Head Chef at their new property, FIVE Jumeirah Village. Along the way, I led one of their restaurants, BLVD on One, to become the number 1 restaurant in Dubai on Tripadvisor,” he says.

In the spirit of adventure and with a hunger to learn, Tavish utilised his summers well as each summer he would spend around 45 days working at various Michelin starred restaurant in Europe “to learn new techniques and ideas and to get inspired; these included Quattro Passi in Italy, La Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons and Bibendum in England and The Test Kitchen in South Africa.”

As glamorous as this might sound, it was really hard work. He agrees that being a chef can be challenging as it is quite physically demanding. "I learnt early on that 14-hour workdays are the norm, with most of your time spent on your feet. It may seem glamorous from the outside, but to achieve your goals, you need to put in the hours and power through the tough days," says the chef, adding, the challenges differ as one grows in skill and designation. "Creative development, staff management, recipe standardisation, guest relations are other challenges that add up. There are no free lunches, so to speak.”

Chef | Global Indian

Like most chefs, Tavish too wanted to become a foodpreneur someday. While it was at the back of his mind from the start, he didn't want to take the usual route by starting a restaurant. Instead, he hit upon the idea of a cloud kitchen. He reveals, "It had always been a goal from day one to start my own food business. I'd dabbled with the idea of a cloud kitchen as early as 2009, and considering the restaurant set-up costs in Dubai, I decided to take baby steps into the world of entrepreneurship with a cloud kitchen." In retrospect, he calls it a wise decision as he understood over the time that "there are so many more aspects to a business that need attention than just the culinary one." He hasn't given up on the restaurant dream though. "Someday, we hope to have restaurants as well under our company banner."

Interestingly, Tavish grew to love Indian food, thanks to his mother’s and grandmother’s cooking. Added to that were his travels across India which showed him how regional cuisine could be healthier, more flavourful and delicious. Plus, no one was really focussing on this hidden gem at the restaurants in Dubai.

Originals Reinvented

Situated in the suburb of Al Barsha South in Dubai, he launched Curry Castle, his cloud kitchen, approximately nine or ten months ago. He defines the food he cooks as "Progressive Indian Cuisine." His menu is well-researched and the dishes are tweaked to suit this definition of what he serves. He says, "We use the term Progressive Indian Cuisine for what we're doing at Curry Castle and Dark Knight Hospitality (his brand). Dubai is a pretty evolved market; in our neighbourhood radius alone, there are more than 50 Indian restaurants."

"We feel we've found a gap in the market with progressive, healthy Indian cooking. Food that is delicious while also being healthy is something people are looking for in 2023 and we wanted to offer that by integrating low-carb, sugar-free, keto, gluten-free and vegan options into the first half of our menu. We want our food to be accessible to all, no matter what your dietary preferences. The second half of the menu is reserved for modernised versions of regional classics like Goan Raw Mango Curry with triphala and dry mangoes or our version of Duck Mappas, Lamb Shank Rogan Josh and a slow-cooked Smoked Dal that we finish with a 45-minute olive-wood smoke.”

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How has he tweaked the evergreen favourites to give them a healthy twist? He elaborates, "The low carb Butter Chicken, for example, omits onions and cashew nuts completely, along with sugar. Instead of the cashews we used almonds, peeled and soaked overnight; and we have replaced the sugar with stevia. Asafoetida replaced the ornamental onions, and after some tweaking and trials, we believe we have the ratio of sourness to sweetness to richness right. Another neighbourhood favourite is the Lamb Shank Rogan Josh as is the Smoked Dal. Personally, I love the 'Floyd's Raw Mango Goan Curry', named after the legendary late Floyd Cardoz [a huge influence in Tavish’s life] who paved the way for modern Indian cooking way back in the 90s.”

No wonder the response Curry Castle has received thus far has been very positive. "Surprisingly, our customers are a 60-40 ratio of Europeans and locals to Asian expats, though we anticipate this number will even out in the long run." Tavish's team at Curry Castle includes chefs who all have fine-dining restaurant experience. He adds, "Our vision from the start has been to serve restaurant-style, high-quality food that you can have within the comfort of your own home."

One would think the name of his company Dark Knight Hospitality harks back to Batman. Tavish laughs, “Funnily enough, the name has nothing to do with Batman though I can understand why you thought so. A dark knight or dark horse is an underdog, who succeeds against the odds, and we feel that represents us well. It’s also inspired by the fact that we run ‘dark kitchens’, or cloud kitchens are they are known in some parts of the world - so literally speaking, we are the ‘Dark Knights of the hospitality world’. That’s where it came from.”

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A post shared by chefbhasin (@chefbhasin)

Since Curry Castle is already doing well, Tavish and his team plan to scale up locally. "Our immediate plans are to scale locally (Dubai is a big city) and we'd like to open at least a few more stores to make the brand more easily accessible to people," he says. He'd love to add at least three more dark brands as he calls them, and some slightly-elevated dine-in concepts to their stable before expanding further in the Middle East. "I would like to use my experience in fine dining in combination with my love for takeaways. Essentially, I want to use all the techniques I know with the best of Indian cuisine,” he concludes.

Chef Tavish eats at:

Streetery for the Best Asian food and Sichuan Wontons
Tresind Studio for a high-end Indian meal
Al Ostadi Special Kebab for authentic Iranian fare

Follow Chef Tavish on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

Lodhi Art District: India’s first open gallery is a celebration of street art

(September 19, 2021) The sun is peeping through the curtains longing to know if 20-year-old Manish Singh is happy to bask in its warmth. It finds him languidly sprawled on his bed, listening to the commotion outside his quiet neighborhood. Armed with tripods and light reflectors, a string of chirpy photographers and his Indian art have momentarily taken over the colossal wall art right outside his block. Resting against the metal door of his ground floor house in shorts and blue t-shirt, Singh finds himself gazing at a new bunch of visitors every few minutes admiring the breathtaking murals in the leafy lanes of his colony. "This is a common sight now. So much has changed in Lodhi Colony, all thanks to these murals. A few years ago, we were just another residential colony but now the art has given this neighborhood a fresh lease of life. People from all walks of life often find themselves admiring these murals that have made Lodhi Colony quite popular," says Singh, a Delhi University student. Pop colors, asymmetric patterns and thought-provoking themes is what draws hundreds of Dilliwallas to one of the hottest spots in the capital. A true celebration of street Indian

often find themselves admiring these murals that have made Lodhi Colony quite popular," says Singh, a Delhi University student.

Pop colors, asymmetric patterns and thought-provoking themes is what draws hundreds of Dilliwallas to one of the hottest spots in the capital. A true celebration of street Indian art in its purest form, Lodhi Art District is an open art gallery that has grabbed the attention of every art lover.

[caption id="attachment_10554" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Indian Art | Lodhi Art District | Indian Street Art | Global Indian Gupt Dwar mural made by Singaporean artists Yok and Sheryo[/caption]

Nestled between the hip Meherchand Market - that's lined with designer boutiques and eateries on one side - and the unadorned modest shops of Khanna Market on the other, Lodhi Colony is the last residential area of Lutyens Delhi to be built by the British. The soaring arches and the plain tall walls of these two-storeyed structures have turned into the perfect canvases for artists from across the globe to splash their creativity, all thanks to St+Art India Foundation, the NGO behind the government colony's glammed-up avatar.

What began in 2015 as a three-wall experiment has now taken over the seven-kilometer area of Lodhi Colony that's adorned with some of the best public Indian art in the city. The idea of challenging the conventional notion of practicing art and encouraging a culture where artists are making cities their studio is what made St+Art Foundation take their first big step into street art. "For the longest time, art environment seemed to have a high gaze. The idea was to take art out of gallery spaces and bring it closer to the community. When we first began the project, we worked with the community asking them what it was that they would want to see and how they wanted to see it. We engaged with the community to find its pulse and then translated it into art work," says Arjun Bahl, co-founder of St+Art India Foundation.

[caption id="attachment_10555" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Indian Art | Lodhi Art District | Indian Street Art | Global Indian Trans Lives Matter by Aravani Art Project[/caption]

With art mostly restricted to closed spaces, St+Art Foundation has been on a mission to make it accessible to the common people. "People are often intimidated at the thought of visiting an art gallery. It's the elite that has dominated art spaces but we wanted to change that by bringing inclusivity. This idea led to the birth of St+Art Foundation. Initially, when we started the journey of bringing art to the people, it was without any formula. But a year and a half into it, we started looking at the city as an organism that is fragmented and diverse," Giulia Ambrogi, co-founder and curator at St+ Art India Foundation chimes in.

This impressive initiative of bringing Indian art to the people gave birth to Lodhi Art District that now has over 50 murals. If one wall has graffiti artist Harsh Raman Singh Paul's Crazy Katha Twins bringing alive the beautiful amalgamation of Kathakali and street art, another has the endangered Asian elephants painted into Lodhi Colony's landscape by Majili Art Forum. "Each wall has a locally-rooted meaning. We invited artists from different genres as diversity was the key element in the project," adds Ambrogi, who joined forces with Bahl and three others to launch the Indian street art movement.

[caption id="attachment_10559" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Indian Art | Lodhi Art District | Indian Street Art | Global Indian Gracious Heritage by Majili Art Forum[/caption]

Every corner of Lodhi Colony holds a surprise for its visitors. If one turn leads you to a mother figure with diverse manifestations, the other draws you in by being a reminder of our flawed relationship with Nature. It's the mesmerizing fusion of color, patterns and themes that have enveloped the streets of Lodhi, all thanks to a wide array of home grown and international artists. It's their brush strokes that have cast magic on the otherwise plain walls bringing them alive.

If New Zealand artist Aaron Glasson's The Sacrosanct Whole is a tribute to the Indus Valley civilization, Colors of the Soul by a Mexican artist Sankoe signifies the diversity of the people of Lodhi Colony. "We keep in mind the characteristic of the space and bring in artists who can activate a dialogue. Every art work should make you feel. We try to create an orchestra with the sound of the city, the imagination of the artists and the love of the people," adds Ambrogi.

[caption id="attachment_10560" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Lodhi Art District The Sacrosanct Whole by New Zealand artist Aaron Glasson.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_10561" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Lodhi Art District Colors of the Soul by Mexican artist Sanoke.[/caption]

One such mural that is typically Dilli finds itself tucked in the beautiful lane of Block 13. With a balloon seller on one side, a mithaiwali on the other, and a cow in between, this wall art by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong is an appealing homage to Lodhi Colony. Ambrogi, who learnt about Chong on her visit to Singapore in 2017, knew that she had found the perfect artist for the Lodhi Indian art project. "His work is not predominantly featured online. But the moment you step into Singapore, you get to see his work almost everywhere. When we asked him to paint for us, he walked around the entire colony to get a feel of the place and ended up making this wonderful mural which is so Delhi," recalls Ambrogi.

For her, art is much more than colors and designs. It is something that stirs up something inside of you, and to create the right impact she patiently spends hours looking for the right talent. From keeping herself updated on the emerging new artists to calling out for talent on Instagram, Ambrogi is always on her toes to add something new to the street art movement.

[caption id="attachment_10562" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Lodhi Art District Ode to Feminity by Mumbai artist Sajid Wajid Sheik[/caption]

When Lodhi Art District was in its nascent stage, it was the sheer beauty of the colony that grabbed her attention. "Being the last colony in Delhi to be built by the British, the houses have a certain charm to them with their soaring arches, the tall walls, courtyards, and beautiful sidewalks. So while crossing the area many a times, it stayed with us since it isn't a gated colony it is accessible to people. Since the area belongs to the government, we found it to be clean and without any signboards. A perfect haven for art lovers without any sort of distraction," says the curator.

[caption id="attachment_10649" align="aligncenter" width="497"] St Art Foundation | Global Indian Thanish Thomas, Arjun Bahl, Giulia Ambrogi and Hanif Kureshi are the co-founders of St+ Art India Foundation.[/caption]

It's been six years since this mega project was launched and the journey has been quite a roller coaster for the Foundation, for it had to face a few challenges to start something that was unheard of in Delhi. Bahl reveals, "There were initial hiccups as nothing on this scale was done in Delhi. It took us a while to understand under whose jurisdiction Lodhi Colony fell and from whom we needed to seek permission. While there was initial hesitation things started falling in place once they understood the purpose of the project."

[caption id="attachment_10563" align="aligncenter" width="1007"] Indian Art | Lodhi Art District | Indian Street Art | Global Indian
Nature's Arch and Visions of Altered Landscapes by Canadian artist Li-Hill[/caption]

With the pandemic putting the entire world in lockdown, things started to look a bit awry for Lodhi Art District. With no new murals for a while now, Delhites are waiting with bated breath to see some new art pop up on one of the walls. Bahl is feverishly working with his team to pack a surprise soon as he promises to restart work at Lodhi Art Colony by October 2021. "We would be doing more work in Delhi. In fact, we have plans for restoring the art that has been marred by the weather. We are coming soon. Hang in there."

Reading Time: 8 min

Braving the odds: Sara Adhikari walks 800 km with her sister to help acid attack survivors

(July 18, 2022) Stretched over 800 km, El Camino, the ancient pilgrim route in northern Spain is on the bucket list of every hiker. And it was no different for Sara Adhikari, the head of content at GiveIndia - the country’s largest online giving platform. So, when her sister, Louise suggested it, she jumped on the idea. However, the 64-year-old didn’t want it to be a walk of just self-discovery and bonding with her sister. She wanted to walk for a cause close to her heart. Deciding to raise awareness and funds for acid attack survivors in India, Sara, and her 62-year-old sister, recently finished their 800-km walk and were also able to raise over ₹5 lakh, which will go for the rehabilitation of acid attack survivors and help with their long-term medical treatment. [caption id="attachment_26952" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Sara Adhikari[/caption] On Sunday, June 26, Louise and Sara reached Santiago, 40 days after starting the trek. While their friends cheered the ladies as they uploaded wonderful pictures on social media, others generously contributed to the cause. As she connects with Global Indian, Sara remembers the emotions after she reached the finishing line. "I was relieved, elated, overcome, overwhelmed… all rolled into one.

ctures on social media, others generously contributed to the cause. As she connects with Global Indian, Sara remembers the emotions after she reached the finishing line. "I was relieved, elated, overcome, overwhelmed… all rolled into one. And, for the first time, we are proud of ourselves. We were also blessed with sunshine in Santiago, where it rains 300 days a year," the hiker shares.

Preparing for the El Camino trail

The 800-km El Camino de Santiago walk in Spain is ‌one of the most ancient and longest trails in the world. Besides being adventurous and having the will to complete the journey, what was required was a lot of planning. After all, the walk would last for weeks! "I bought a couple of books to know more about the kind of training we should do, including people's accounts about walking the route and of course, a list of what little we could carry in our backpacks," says Sara.

Preparations began months in advance. Sara joined a gym to train on the treadmill as much as possible. "If I wasn't there, I went out walking as many mornings as I could, sometimes with a friend to the lakes. But I never managed to walk more than about seven km. That worried me and Louise too - what if I couldn't manage the 20-25 km we would have to walk every day on the Camino?"

[caption id="attachment_26979" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Hiker | Sara Adhikari | Global Indian Sar, with her sister Louise during the El-Camino trek[/caption]

The Bengaluru-based Sara is a former journalist who has worked with various leading publications such as Khaleej Times and Times of India. Her sister, Louise, worked in IT for 37 years and took early retirement about six years ago. Louise lives in Witney, Oxfordshire, with her husband and has taken part in triathlons, done challenges such as the Great Wall of China walk and a fundraiser where she walked 52 miles in 24 hours four years ago. The Camino walk was Louise's idea after she saw the Martin Sheen film called The Way.

Overcoming their fears

After a few weeks of hiking trips in England, Sara and Louise were finally ready in May to start the challenge and headed to Spain. Sara’s two biggest worries before they started on the Camino were the fear of sleeping on the top bunk in hostels/dormitories along the way and how her feet would take in all the walking.

She didn’t have to wait for long to come face to face with her first fear. After the first day of walking, they were in a dormitory. Both of them got top bunks opposite each other. In the middle of the night, Sara had to get down and she slipped on the ladder, fell headlong, and hit the back of her head on the bunk. But it was nothing serious - except for a bump on the back of her head, which meant she couldn’t lie on her back for weeks.

Hiker | Sara Adhikari | Global Indian

On the second day, Sara had some blisters on her feet. However, with all her friends encouraging them on social media, she continued with her mission. After walking for eight days, Louise insisted Sara go to a health centre in the next town. "I was mostly limping the better part of 10 km. The doctor tested my legs and told me to go to a health centre every day to treat them." So Louise walked the rest of the 10 km on that day on her own and Sara took a taxi to the Albergue, where they stayed the night.

The following day too, Louise, walked the next 20 km while Sara walked to the health centre in Logrono and the doctor bandaged her well so she could start walking again. The hiker did join her sister eventually and they finished the rest of the journey together.

Memories from Camino that will stay

Most hikers describe life on the Camilo trail as 'walk, eat, sleep, repeat' - and each day was different for Sara and Louise. The stories of co-walkers' lives inspired the ladies a lot. "We met a newly married man, who had a chronic condition and suffers debilitating pain in his head which causes seizures. But that didn't stop him from walking 800 km alone. While he needed to visit the hospital a couple of times along the way, he didn't want to be bound by his family's legitimate fears of what could happen. He was greeted by his relieved teary-eyed wife when he walked into Santiago, bursting with pride at his achievement,” Sara shares.

[caption id="attachment_26982" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Hiker | Sara Adhikari | Global Indian A picture of the beautiful countryside in the northern Spain that Sara shared on her Instagram[/caption]

The duo also met an American couple in their late 70s who were “walking very fast.” But when they slowed down to chat, Sara learned that the husband has dementia, but still wanted to do the Camino. "The wife never left his side," the hiker says.

Worth the trouble

"It was hardy,” says Sara on the walk, despite all the difficulties they faced. “Doing something for acid attack survivors was on the top of my mind,” she says. GiveIndia had launched a fundraiser for Chhanv Foundation to raise funds for acid attack survivors.

The hiker shares that researching and reading about incidents of cruelty that physically and mentally scarred women for life had deeply disturbed her a lot. “I wanted to create awareness for these survivors, who usually keep a low profile as they find it difficult to face the society that shuns them,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_26983" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Hiker | Sara Adhikari | Global Indian Sara and Louise after finishing the El Camino[/caption]

Thanks to the generosity of friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, and others, Sara’s fundraiser for acid attack survivors has reached the target of Rs 5 lakh and people are donating even now. You too can donate to the cause here.

Follow Sara Adhikari on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 7 mins

Shriya Naheta Wadhwa champions ethically sourced Indian ingredients with Zama Organics

(September 24, 2024) Driven by her passion for healthy eating and her love for India’s rich food heritage, Shriya Naheta Wadhwa founded Zama Organics to source and celebrate local spices, grains, millets, fresh produce, and more. Growing up in a happy environment of 18 family members, Shriya Wadhwa was fascinated with her mother's ability to cook with passion and make time to teach cooking too. Seated in a cosy café in Mumbai's art and culture district, Kala Ghoda, she recalls, "My mother and aunts used to cook for 18 people, twice a day! They also catered to various requirements based on food preferences. Yet we always had a variety of food to eat. Despite all this, my mother made time to teach cooking from two to four in the afternoon. It was her passion and love for cooking that has inspired me." [caption id="attachment_56484" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Shriya Naheta Wadhwa, the founder of Zama Organics[/caption] Made in India Having said that, Shriya Wadhwa is not a cook! "I am a good taster," she says in her defense, adding that her sister Aditi Dugar, the founder of Masque restaurant in Mumbai, loves to cook. "I am the ingredient provider," she reiterates. And

is not a cook! "I am a good taster," she says in her defense, adding that her sister Aditi Dugar, the founder of Masque restaurant in Mumbai, loves to cook. "I am the ingredient provider," she reiterates. And it is in these that Shriya has found her true calling. "When Aditi was setting up Masque, I joined her on their initial sourcing trips. While she was fascinated by ingredients like sea buckthorn, I was equally blown away by the sheer diversity of what's grown in India. From discovering black rice and various types of turmeric to appreciating the quality of something as simple as an apple or coriander, it was eye-opening to see the incredible range and quality of ingredients available across the country. For me, it was a deeper journey of discovering India, its people, and our food heritage—Zama is truly a love letter to India, written through the language of food."

Recalling the earliest influences that changed the course of her career's trajectory, Shriya tells Global Indian, "While studying international relations at the University of South California Dornsife, I came across many farmer markets on campus. That's probably when the idea first took root. Upon my return to Mumbai, I noticed that supermarkets were stocked with imported ingredients, and people did not have access to the incredible products grown right here in India. Travelling with my sister inspired me to start a business that made high-quality, organically-grown Indian ingredients available to those seeking a healthier lifestyle."

Shriya Naheta | Global Indian

How did she come up with the name Zama? "I wanted a name that drew inspiration from India, but I was also set on it starting with the first or last letter of the alphabet (for no particular reason)—it was just something that stuck with me. After some research, I found the Sanskrit word 'Sama,' which means tranquillity. I changed the 'S' to 'Z,' and 'Zama' felt like the perfect fit, capturing both the essence of India and my vision for the brand — a celebration of our country's cultural and food diversity,” says Shriya.

Shifting Paradigms in Healthy Lifestyles

Shriya Wadhwa is a passionate believer in the paradigm that a healthy lifestyle leads to multiple benefits. She officially launched Zama Organics in the second half of 2018 after conducting extensive research. "Initially, the products were only supplied to family and friends and restaurants like Masque. It was done via WhatsApp but I later put a supply chain process in place." She prefers supply via road and rail as Shriya is firm about not adding to the carbon footprint by using airlines to deliver to Zama’s warehouse. Besides, it would increase the prices which would be counter-productive.

The product range at Zama Organics is fairly vast. Millets are sourced from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra; black rice from Manipur; saffron from the Pulwama district in Kashmir (which is a bestseller); extra virgin olive oil from Rajasthan; and Lakadong turmeric from Meghalaya. Spices, cold-pressed oils, ghee, whole grains, pulses, flours, rice varieties, nuts, nut butters, and preserves form the rest of the groceries on the list. These are available pan-India through the website, and she also supplies to the US and South Korea, with plans to further expand her export footprint.

Shriya Naheta | Global Indian

The fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs are available only for Mumbai and Pune residents as they are grown locally. "We work with over 50,000 farmers from all over India. My team makes visits too. Some of the ones I did were so remote that for hours on end, my car would be the only one on the road. This exploration is not just about sourcing—it's about discovering India and celebrating our culture through food, which is the only way I know how. Regarding the organic element, while all the farms we work with follow organic and traditional practices, certifications can be extremely costly. While many of our products are certified, it is not a mandatory requirement, as we believe in inclusive sourcing and aim to support all farmers," she says, adding, "At Zama, every batch undergoes stringent checks, including spot testing for adulteration and pesticide residues, as well as farm visits and taste tests. Many of the farms we source from are so remote they don’t even have access, and others have been growing organically for generations. We take great pride in supporting these traditional, clean farming methods that protect both the environment and the integrity of our ingredients."

Shriya Wadhwa believes her products are the valuable aids one needs to have a healthy lifestyle. "Food and what you consume take a long time to show results. It is when you create a consistent change that you can see the benefits. A diet is not a lifestyle. Several people make that switch when they have kids. I want even the younger generation to have a healthy way of living and not wait till they become parents. I want them to cook from scratch with wholesome ingredients."

Expanding Horizons

Whether it's flours or dals, Shriya advises all her customers to store them in airtight containers as soon as they open them, as they are freshly packed and, due to their natural and organic nature, more susceptible to moisture and spoilage. Shriya has also ventured into creating preservative-free products recently. Zama has varieties of ketchup as part of the range — from regular to Jain and a newly launched hot-and-sweet. "We shared the ketchup with families, and it was a hit with kids. It's a healthier alternative, but let's face it—no matter how nutritious a product is, if it's not delicious, no one will eat it."

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She now plans to come up with edible rose water that can be used to make sherbets, desserts, and rose lassi at home. As for expanding markets, she says, "I plan to explore the UK and Dubai markets and selling in larger quantities as part of phase two of our expansion." Adding more products to the inventory is also on the anvil.

One might believe that organic products are everywhere now, but the passion and dedication with which Shriya works at sourcing genuine ingredients, some little-known ones as well, but all of them uniformly healthy, is what sets her apart. Through Zama, she is not only offering better-for-you ingredients but is also celebrating India's rich agricultural heritage. Her initiative is more than just a business; it's a love letter to India, written through its diverse, high-quality products—an endeavour especially worthy of support for those who believe in healthy, sustainable lifestyles.

Follow Shriya Naheta Wadhwa on Instagram and Zama Organics on Instagram

Simmarpal Singh: From Peanut Prince of Argentina to agribusiness leader in India

(October 21, 2024) As a young boy growing up in Durgapur in West Bengal, Simmarpal Singh would often find himself glued to the television, watching Diego Maradona and his teammates create magic on the soccer field. But little did Simmarpal know that he would one day make a name for himself in Argentina — not in the world of football, but in the fields of peanuts, where he would eventually earn the title, the 'Peanut Prince of Argentina.' By the time Simmarpal arrived in Argentina in 2005, he was already an experienced agricultural expert, having worked in Africa with the Singapore-based Olam International. His mission in Argentina was clear: buy peanuts for Olam's global operations. What wasn't clear at the time was that Singh would soon spearhead one of the most successful agricultural ventures in the country, forever leaving his mark not only on Argentina's peanut industry but also on the broader landscape of agricultural innovation. "Initiated the farm to factory peanuts business and in a five-year span, scaled it up to 39K hectares by diversifying into other crops like soybean, corn, alubias, rice farming and manufacturing through four processing plants," Singh wrote on his LinkedIn. [caption id="attachment_58157" align="aligncenter" width="369"]

igncenter" width="369"] Simmarpal Singh | Global Indian Simmarpal Singh[/caption]

India-Africa-Latin America

Born in a Sikh family, Simmarpal finished his schooling at St Xavier's School in Durgapur before graduating in B.Sc Agriculture Sciences from Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar. Passionate about agriculture, he later enrolled himself at the Institute of Rural Management Anand in Gujarat. After working with the National Dairy Development Board and Amul, he joined Olam in Mozambique as a branch manager. This was the beginning for his global journey which later took him to Ivory Coast and Ghana before foraying into Argentina as country head.

When Simmarpal Singh first arrived in Argentina, Olam International had been operating primarily as a trader and processor. The peanut business was well-established, and dominated by long-standing local relationships and contracts. Singh quickly realised that buying peanuts from established farmers, who were already tied to other companies, would be a challenge. But where others saw an obstacle, Singh saw an opportunity. Rather than relying solely on sourcing from local farmers, Singh proposed a bold new idea: Why not start farming the peanuts themselves?

[caption id="attachment_58161" align="aligncenter" width="323"] Simmarpal Singh | Global Indian Simmarpal Singh in Argentina[/caption]

It was an ambitious plan, especially for a company like Olam that had never ventured into large-scale farming before. But Singh’s agricultural background gave him the expertise and confidence to push the project forward. He started small, leasing 700 hectares of land to test the waters. The pilot was a success, and in just a few years, Singh had scaled up the operation to a staggering 39,000 hectares, transforming Olam into a major player in Argentina’s peanut industry. Simmarpal began from scratch, learning large-scale farming in Argentina, which was Olam's first foray into raw crop farming. The company now cultivates 40,000 hectares of crops in various provinces of Argentina, and is one of the top seven peanut players in the country.

This rapid growth earned him the title “Peanut Prince of Argentina,” a nickname given by India's ambassador to Argentina, Rengaraj Viswanathan, in 2009. In a blog post, Viswanathan affectionately called Singh a “handsome maharaja,” noting how his turban made him stand out in Argentine social circles. Singh's friendly nature quickly made him popular with the locals, who were curious about Sikhism and even wanted to wear turbans like his. However, it was Singh’s expertise in agriculture, more than his charm, that truly solidified his legacy in the country.

Global Vision for Agriculture

Singh’s success in Argentina was not just about peanuts. Under his leadership, Olam International diversified its operations to include soybeans, corn, and rice farming, along with processing plants. “Understanding large-scale farming was the challenge since Argentina was the first country where Olam made a foray into raw crop farming,” the Global Indian explained in an interview. “Everything had to be started from zero.”

Argentina, with its fertile lands and favourable climate, was a natural fit for agricultural expansion. As the world's second-largest exporter of peanuts, the country offered immense growth potential, and Singh was determined to make the most of it. His work not only boosted Olam’s profits but also helped modernise Argentina’s agricultural sector, bringing in new technologies and farming practices like setting up processes and risk mitigation mechanisms in rainfed and irrigated farming systems that improved efficiency and productivity.

Singh’s vision for agriculture was global in scope. Having worked in Africa, India, and Latin America, he saw firsthand the potential for technological advancements to revolutionise the sector. "It's only in the last few years that we’ve begun seeing technological advancements in India in this sector to increase productivity,” he noted. “Today there is a new technology that focuses on things like soil testing, satellite imagery, and pre-harvest stages. It’s still a work in progress.”

For Simmarpal Singh, agriculture was about more than just profits; it was about sustainability and adaptation. As debates about organic versus chemical farming raged on, Singh remained pragmatic. “With the way the population is growing, agriculture is all about extracting more and more from the same area of farmland,” he said. “On the other hand, farmers are not going to invest time and money into organic farming if they aren’t going to get the returns.”

Life Beyond Olam: Mentorship and Innovation

After over a decade of international exposure, particularly his success in scaling Olam's peanut operations in Argentina, Singh returned to India with a wealth of global expertise. His experiences in Latin America and Africa equipped him with the tools to manage complex agricultural operations, formulate growth strategies, and navigate multicultural environments. He brought back this knowledge to India, where the agricultural landscape had its own set of challenges. He took on leadership roles at Louis Dreyfus Company (overseeing the company's $1 billion operations) and later COFCO International India, further cementing his reputation as a key player in the sector. It was in September this year that he found himself taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer at Terviva, an agricultural innovation company in the US.

But Singh's influence extends far beyond corporate boardrooms. Today, he mentors entrepreneurs and an investor in startups, including companies like Knocksense and Snackamor. His belief in the power of innovation drives his work with these startups, as he seeks to empower the next generation of agricultural leaders.

His impact is also felt in India, where he is a member of the National Council for Agriculture Committee of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Sustainable Agriculture Task Force of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). His work in these organizations reflects his commitment to advancing agriculture in his home country, where he believes there is still much-untapped potential.

The Legacy of the Peanut Prince

For the Sikh community in Argentina, Singh is a symbol of success and cultural pride. Sikhs have been living in Argentina since the 1930s when they first arrived to work in British sugar mills. While the community has remained small—around 300 families—Singh’s prominence has brought newfound attention to their contributions. As one of the most prominent Indians in the country, Singh has bridged the cultural gap between Argentina and India, helping to foster greater understanding and appreciation for Sikhism.

"Being a Sikh, people wanted to speak to me, ask me about my turban and Sikhism. They were quite inquisitive," he added. It was in 2018 that Sikh faith was officially recognised in Argentina, with one Gurudwara in the country based in Rosario de la Frontera in the town of Salta.

Reflecting on his journey, Singh remains humble. “Everything just fell into place,” he said in an interview. “I wanted to go to IIT or Civils. None of those panned out, but life took its own turns. I just went along with the flow and managed to maximise the opportunities that came my way.”

Simmarpal Singh’s journey from a small town in West Bengal to becoming the "Peanut Prince of Argentina" is a story of determination, adaptability, and seizing opportunities. His contributions to Argentina’s agriculture have left a lasting impact, and his success has made him a figure of pride for the Indian diaspora. As Singh continues to shape the agricultural sector and mentor future entrepreneurs, his story stands as a reminder of how far one can go by staying open to new challenges and pushing boundaries.

Follow Simmarpal Singh on LinkedIn