Hundreds of miles away from her home, Afghan model Vida Samadzai watches in horror as the Taliban takes over once again.

Global IndianstoryAfghan model Vida Samadzai says Taliban 2.0 has an appetite for destruction

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

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(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 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.

#HappyIndependenceDay2018 #AfghanistanIndependenceDay #afghanistan #missafghanistan pic.twitter.com/5SL3Faz1kE

— Vida Samadzai (@MissAfghanistan) August 19, 2018

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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A post shared by Vida Samadzai (@missafghanistanofficial)

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.”

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Published on 26, Aug 2021

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Tradition, innovation, and exuberance: Exploring Chef Ranveer Brar’s kitchen

(June 13, 2023) It was a hot summer afternoon, and realising that his mother was feeling under the weather, a young Ranveer Brar decided to take over the kitchen to make rajma-chawal for the family. While he did it out of affection for his mother, this incident turned his whole life around. "I had no recipe but had observed when mother was cooking, the chef said in an interview, adding, "It turned out good enough for my father to secretly tell mom that he loved it! That sort of clinched the deal for me. I have been inspired by many people in my life and continue to be. Right from my biji, Munir Ustad, the street food vendors of Lucknow, and chef Charlie Trotter, to name a few." Standing as one of India's most renowned culinary artists, Chef Ranveer Brar's expertise lies in infusing traditional cuisines with a contemporary flair, showcasing his ingenuity and finesse. Having hosted and judged numerous popular cookery shows on Indian television, this Global Indian approaches food with a childlike exuberance that mirrors his passion for cooking. At the young age of 25, Brar achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest executive chef to work

d judged numerous popular cookery shows on Indian television, this Global Indian approaches food with a childlike exuberance that mirrors his passion for cooking. At the young age of 25, Brar achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest executive chef to work with a five-star hotel in India and went on to own several high-end restaurants in USA and Canada. With his celebrity status and a conglomerate of restaurants and television shows bearing his name, Chef Ranveer Brar has elevated India's culinary reputation on the global stage.

Inspired by the streets

Growing up in Lucknow, Chef Brar was always fascinated by the city's street food - especially kababs. But, the chef's first introduction to cooking was at a Gurudwara. Speaking about his growing-up years, the chef said, "For me, food has always represented an institution where learning never ceases. As a child, I was fascinated by the ‘buzz’ that happened in the communal kitchen, that is, the langar. The sheer volume of food being cooked by at least 50-60 people in that kitchen, turned out super delicious (without being tasted, since it was bhog) every single time made it extra special. It was also my earliest experience of cooking food in large quantities. Cooking at the langar instilled in me the values of cooking selflessly and with emotion and definitely, the importance of a clean kitchen and hygiene in general."

Chef | Ranveer Brar | Global Indian

He added, "But, my actual affinity towards cooking developed much later when I got exposed to Lucknow as a city. When I was older and started exploring the streets of Lucknow, the lanes, its food, and folklore started unfolding before me." This exploration led Chef Brar to start cooking at home, and eventually explore a career in the culinary industry. And quite interestingly, while others might have chosen to go to a culinary institution after finishing school, Chef Brar chose to travel a path less travelled. "Exploring Lucknow opened up a completely new world of possibilities of what one could do with food. I had my first culinary tutelage under Munir Ustad, a skilled kebab vendor in Lucknow," he shared.

Culinary innovator

After working with Munir Ustad for about six months, Chef Brar enrolled at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Lucknow, and eventually joined the Taj Group of Hotels, starting with one of their most prestigious properties, Fort Aguada Beach Resort in Goa. What is surprising is that during his first assignment itself, the chef was able to launch two restaurants in the hotel - Morisco and il Camino. In 2003, he shifted to New Delhi's Radisson Blu Hotel, becoming the youngest executive chef of his time in the country at the age of 25.

Chef | Ranveer Brar | Global Indian

"My cooking philosophy is to pour into dishes what I experience during my travels," shared the chef during an interaction, "Also, I like to want my cuisines to spark off interesting and insightful conversations. The objective is to touch a chord with people in a manner that reminds them of the same/ similar dish they might have experienced elsewhere. I am also driven by the principles of eating seasonally and locally. When we consume what’s natural to our DNA, sustainability automatically kicks in."

The chef moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where he established "Banq," a high-end Franco-Asian restaurant that garnered acclaim and multiple accolades. Notably, "Banq" was honoured with the prestigious title of Best New Restaurant in the World by renowned magazine Wallpaper. Building on this success, he assumed the role of Corporate Chef at the esteemed One World Hospitality Group, a longstanding restaurant consortium based in Boston. Sharing a special experience, the chef had once shared, "Cooking at “chefs in shorts”, Boston. It is a ticketed open-air event at the Wharf where more than 50 of the top chefs from Boston get together to cook their signature barbeque dishes. It’s a memorable experience with more than 3,000 people attending this event that takes place for nearly four hours."

Chef | Ranveer Brar | Global Indian

It was during this time that the chef made his signature dish - Dorra kebab. "It is a kebab cooked on a smoked silken thread. It is as tender as the Kakori - if not more. I learnt and perfected it over the years, watching the masters, i.e., the street kebab vendors of Lucknow. The flavours that go into it are quite exotic, especially the sandalwood, and the best part, one that requires deftness and patience is pulling off the silk thread or Dora in a single stroke while leaving the Kebab intact," he shared.

Infusing flavours

The chef returned to India in 2015 and desgined the menu for various high-end restaurants, including MTV India, Haute Chef, English Vinglish, and TAG Gourmart Kitchen. Around the same time, Chef Brar made his first appearance on Indian television, with MasterChef, and subsequently several other shows including Ranveer On The Road, The Great Indian Rasoi, Food Tripping, and Himalayas the Offbeat Adventure.

[caption id="attachment_39932" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Chef | Ranveer Brar | Global Indian Chef Ranveer Brar with actor Pratik Gandhi, during the shoot of Modern Love Mumbai[/caption]

Interestingly, the chef has also designed menus for several luxury cruiseliners, such as Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas. Speaking about that experience, he said, "The galley runs like a well-oiled machine. Everyone knows what they are doing, it's amazing how it works like clockwork. There's no single extra spoke in the wheel. In a cruise/ship, timing is key. There are only 800 seats and 2,400 people to be fed. If you don't serve food in time, it won't be cleared up in time and the next meal won’t be served on time, essentially everything gets backlogged and that’s a bad thing to happen."

But the kitchen is not the only place where this chef excels. Chef Brar was recently seen in the six-episode anthology - Modern Love Mumbai - along with Pratik Gandhi and veteran actress Tanuja, which was directed by Hansal Mehta. "I was initially in two minds about acting. But to be honest, it has helped me discover a new aspect of myself, push my limits and know myself better! For instance, in BAAI, I played a chef, which was like second nature to me, with the added layer of someone who had whole-heartedly embraced their identity, and orientation and had only love to give. It was an extremely heart-warming experience that warmed up my own heart a little more," he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8tKvDNxTTU

Looking forward, the chef wishes to inspire the next generation of culinary experts. "I would like to tell them to stick to their roots and basics. Also, identify their food philosophy, believe in it, and look for ways to manifest that in their cuisines," the chef advised.

Follow Chef Ranveer Brar on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and his website

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Amit and Shilpa Singhal: NRI couple transforming lives of underprivileged kids

(June 28, 2023) Living in a mud house in Rajasthan's Jodhpur, 18-year-old Kusum Chaudhary comes from a family of farmers, but with no land to call their own. This mostly meant money constraints and even cast an eclipse on her future as the family had no means to support her education beyond Class 12. But things took a turn for the better when in 2016 her uncle asked her to fill out the form of Sitare Foundation. She sat for an entrance exam and qualified for a full scholarship. Five years later, with a visa in her hand, she was ready to fly to Maryland University in the USA to pursue a four-year undergraduate degree in computer science, thanks to an NRI couple. Joining Sitare Foundation, a nonprofit that helps children from low-income household's access quality education in private schools, and find opportunities to study abroad, changed Kusum's life forever. But she isn't the only one to have benefitted from it, hundreds of children have been empowered through education by NRI couple Shilpa and Amit Singhal, who founded Sitare Foundation in 2016. The couple, who quit their cushiony jobs in the US to return to India, believe in the power

uple, who quit their cushiony jobs in the US to return to India, believe in the power of education, and hence, provide all financial support — school fees, travel, accommodation, food, and more — for seven years of a child’s education, from classes 6 to 12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZn0BQ16ZvQ

"We believe in the power of education and its potential to change lives, communities, nations, and the future of our planet. Our vision behind Sitare was not limited to educating underprivileged children but also nurturing them to become world-class professionals and great humans so they could become a beacon of hope for their community and millions of other underprivileged children," Amit said in an interview.

The power of education

Coming from a humble background, Amit's great-grandfather used to repair bicycle punctures on the roadside in UP's Bulandshahr. The only thing that he could give his son was permission to study, and after earning a BA in English, Amit's grandfather joined the post of teacher. He passed on the importance of education to his son (Amit's father) who attended IIT Roorkee and became a civil engineer.

Growing up, Amit too was bent towards studies, and after pursuing a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Roorkee, he did his master's from the University of Minnesota Duluth and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. "I left the country with only a few hundred dollars and two suitcases. The only thing every generation gave the next generation was education and no money," the Global Indian told Better India.

[caption id="attachment_40775" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Amit and Shilpa Singhal | Global Indian | NRI Amit and Shilpa Singhal founded Sitare Foundation[/caption]

It was education that took him to the US, and got him a job at Google, where he worked for 15 years and even provided for a good lifestyle. This was enough for him to realise the power of education, and nudged him to do the same for underprivileged children. "Fundamentally, education is the only sustained way out of poverty. And education is near and dear to our hearts," he added. His wife Shilpa, who has a master’s degree in Physics from Binghamton University, and in Computer Science and Engineering from Cornell University, too joined him in the venture.

Looking for bright stars among low-income families

The NRI couple was keen to give back to society by empowering and uplifting underprivileged children through education. "The only useful thing that one could do with their money is to improve some lives," said Amit, who spends an average of $2000 per student per year from his savings.

This led to the setting up of the Sitare Foundation, but their foremost and biggest challenge was to find bright students to whom they could offer help. They only received 240 applications in the first year, out of which 50 were selected to join the foundation. But over the years, the word spread, and more than 70,000 applications reach Sitare Foundation each year, of whom 100 make the cut for the programme. Currently present in five cities across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bhopal, and Indore, Sitare Foundation has partnered with private schools to provide quality education to bright underprivileged kids.

Amit and Shilpa Singhal | NRI | Global Indian

Giving children wings to fly

"Besides education, we support them with food, clothing, books, school supplies, and transportation. Additionally, we have a fully residential programme for students to focus on their college admissions," Amit told Your Story. Post completing Class 10th, the students are enrolled in a residential programme where students live in hostels and focus on studying for exams like JEE, NEET, and CLAT, depending on the subjects they’ve chosen, and at the same time, preparing their applications to study in the US.

However, the biggest challenge for the NRI couple has been to change the perspective of the parents, especially of a girl child, towards education. Since the parents are not educated, it's hard for them to understand the importance of education. "Girls are disproportionately impacted by the home environment in India. They are often required to work, help their mothers at home, take care of younger siblings, and go out with their mothers to help them on the farms," revealed Amit, who says child marriage is another factor that derails the progress. Often NGOs counsels these children and their families to get them back on the path of learning.

As of now, Sitare Foundation has educated over 400 underprivileged students, with five of its Class 12 students — Kusum Chaudhary, Mahendra Kumar, Milan Ramdhari, Nisha Chaudhary, and Tanisha Nagori - securing admissions in multiple US' top universities, including the University of Maryland, University of North Carolina, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, University of California, Case Western Reserve University, and Arizona State University. "Our mission is to transform fifty thousand lives through education by 2050.”

Follow Sitare Foundation on Instagram
Follow Amit Singhal on LinkedIn

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Raj Echambadi: Indian American iMBA pioneer and first person of color to helm a 131-year-old American university

It was like being “forged by fire” says Raj Echambadi as he describes his first tryst with the American academia; he stands to take charge as the 10th president of the illustrious Illinois Institute of Technology. The India-born educator will be the first person of color to head the 131-year-old research-focused university. Considered a pioneer in online iMBA which he conceptualized in 2016, Echambadi has also been working with the Indian government to build entrepreneurial hubs in Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati and Utkal University in Odisha. The incident he mentions is an episode from his early academic years in the mid-1990s which is etched in his mind and shaped his outlook towards education. As a young PhD scholar at the University of Houston, Echambadi had thought that the dissertation proposal he’d submitted was pathbreaking. “During a discussion with my mentor, we spent the first five minutes talking about my Indian roots in what seemed like a casual conversation,” he says. “For the next 15 minutes, however, my mentor launched a professional criticism of my dissertation. It was eye-opening. He dissected my dissertation and told me why it was wrong. I was stunned.” “The funniest thing was that after the meeting ended we had coffee and spoke about tennis; just like friends. He made sure I was comfortable with his criticism.” This incident, he says, was demonstrative of the quality of US

PhD scholar at the University of Houston, Echambadi had thought that the dissertation proposal he’d submitted was pathbreaking. “During a discussion with my mentor, we spent the first five minutes talking about my Indian roots in what seemed like a casual conversation,” he says.

“For the next 15 minutes, however, my mentor launched a professional criticism of my dissertation. It was eye-opening. He dissected my dissertation and told me why it was wrong. I was stunned.”

“The funniest thing was that after the meeting ended we had coffee and spoke about tennis; just like friends. He made sure I was comfortable with his criticism.”

This incident, he says, was demonstrative of the quality of US academic dissemination, and the caliber of culturally sensitive faculty members.

From Chennai to the US

[caption id="attachment_4282" align="aligncenter" width="413"] Indian American Raj Echambadi will be the first person of color to helm the 131-year-old Illinois Institute of Technology. Raj Echambadi with his friend Ramesh Kumar during his MBA days in India[/caption]

Born in Chennai, Echambadi graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University in 1989. He went on to work as a sales executive at Castrol in Chennai before moving to the US to do his PhD in Marketing from the University of Houston. He then went to work at the University of Central Florida for 11 years, before joining the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was during his time here that Echambadi conceptualized and launched the first-of-its-kind MOOC-based online MBA (iMBA as it is popularly known) in partnership with Coursera. The iMBA has now reached over 80 million people around the world and is considered one of the most disruptive and breakthrough programs in graduate MBA.

Following this, Echambadi was appointed the Duncan Family Dean at D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston.

In pursuit of excellence

Raj Echambadi belongs to a generation of Indians who migrated to the US in pursuit of excellence in diverse fields such as academia, medicine, and technology. Their success stories, in turn, sculpted India’s repute in the global order. Asked what worked for the diaspora, he says: “When I came here, there was no safety net. We had to survive. And, the Indian middle class’ emphasis on the value of education played a role too.” This is precisely what the Indian-American educator wants to impart to the next breed of aspirants.

[caption id="attachment_4283" align="aligncenter" width="569"] Indian American Raj Echambadi will be the first person of color to helm the 131-year-old Illinois Institute of Technology. Raj with his brother Rajnarayan and cousin Sreedevi in the US in 2013[/caption]

The democratization of education by making it both affordable and accessible has been central to his initiatives such as the iMBA program at the University of Illinois – which scaled up the institution’s outreach and gave access to global learners. The breakthrough iMBA project brought down the cost of the two-year program from $100,000 to just $22,000. A significant number of Indians from both inside and outside the US benefited from it.

Besides, the academic research expert’s initiatives – through collaborations between American institutions and the Andhra Pradesh government – to teach entrepreneurial skills to high school and college students are beginning to bear fruits. “The Indian government has invited us after seeing our pilot project in Andhra Pradesh. I’m hoping this model will benefit over 10,000 students by 2025.”

Hoping to make a similar impact in his new role at Illinois Institute of Technology from August onwards, he reveals the recipe for the success of any project.

“Start small, dream big, experiment, iterate, and scale-up very fast,” he says.

As a parting shot, Echambadi ends on a somewhat philosophical note on his continuing educational endeavors and giving back to the global community. “Action is thy duty, fruit is not my concern,” quoting Bhagavad Gita.

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The electrifying business of electric mobility

Eclectic Indians are spearheading the electric mobility wave across the world as unicorns are sprouting across the country to lend a greener outlook to our lives (March 17, 2022) If you’ve visited the more cosmopolitan areas of Bengaluru in the early 2000s, it is unlikely that you have missed the sight of India’s first electric car – the Reva– in its bright colours, scurrying around town, usually with a lone passenger, sometimes two. It was a fad for the well-heeled to have REVA as their supplementary car, usually for chores and drives that do not involve lost distance travel. Early days of REVA revving up the industry [caption id="attachment_21424" align="alignright" width="523"] Chetan Maini, director, Lithium Urban Technologies[/caption]In 1994, when Chetan Maini launched the REVA (Revolutionary Electric Vehicle Alternative) as a joint venture with Amerigon Electric Vehicle Technologies(AEVT Inc.), little did he know that two decades later, his brain child will go on to become a case study in electric mobility. REVA was ahead of its times, and still managed to export to around 25 countries including France, Greece, Brazil, Japan. Portugal, Spain and Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, closer to home. An ideal example of an Indian-origin innovator in the

ctric mobility. REVA was ahead of its times, and still managed to export to around 25 countries including France, Greece, Brazil, Japan. Portugal, Spain and Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, closer to home. An ideal example of an Indian-origin innovator in the electric mobility space, Chetan boasts of an educational roster that includes Harvard Business School, University of Michigan, and the Stanford University. He was at the helm of REVA (eventually taken over and rebranded as Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited) for 16 years before becoming the director in 2016 of Lithium Urban Technologies, a company that he calls “an initiative to establish the infrastructure and service environment for shared electric-powered mobility in India”. Today, the world is embracing electric mobility as the future of personal transportation, and Indian innovators and businessmen are rolling up their sleeves to fight on what is a familiar turf for them, thanks to the Maini impetus.

The Indo-Spanish handshake

[caption id="attachment_21420" align="alignleft" width="174"] Electric Mobility | Mahesh Babu Mahesh Babu, CEO, Switch Mobility[/caption]Another Indian name that is synonymous in the electric mobility world is that of Mahesh Babu, a 20-year veteran in the field. From being an advisor and consultant for the Niti Aayog, Mahesh is the biggest electric mobility policy maker in the country. His dream of “creating customised electric mobility experiences with cutting-edge technology, for a billion Indians” has led him to embrace the concept of being a "servant leader – focussing on developing strong teams based on their aspirations and attitude". For six years, Mahesh was the CEO at Mahindra Electric Mobility before recently becoming the CEO of Switch Mobility, a Hinduja Group company, under management of the Ashok Leyland team, with a manufacturing and technology center in Spain at an investment of Rs 500 crore. With this, the company hopes to break into the top 10 manufactures of electric vehicle transportation solutions.

Government impetus

While Indian innovators are collectively solving the last mile challenges of making electric mobility both accessible and affordable, the government is lending a helpful hand, not just in policy making, but also by committing to a better charging infrastructure. After all, don’t we need to recharge our electric vehicles, pretty much the same way we fuel our non-electric cars?

In mid-February, 2022, the power ministry of India made an announcement that electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have expanded by two-and-a-half times across nine Indian cities (with population of over 4 million), including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, just in the past four months. It also stated that government efforts have resulted in 2.5 times increase in charging stations in Surat, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai during this period. This is in continuation of the ministry’s January issuance the revised consolidated guidelines and standards for EV charging infrastructure, which is being hailed by the industry as a forward-looking yet achievable set of recommendations towards the proliferation of EVs, a key step towards the country’s ambitious target of 100 percent electric mobility by 2030.

Electric rickshaws

[caption id="attachment_21428" align="alignright" width="482"] Electric Mobility | Amitabh Saran Amitabh Saran, CEO, Altigreen Propulsion Labs[/caption]While EVs worldwide are often two wheelers or four wheelers, an ex-Nasa Indian innovator decided to bring this technology to the country’s ruralinteriors, by creating an innovative electric rickshaw. The brainchild of Amitabh Saran, CEO of Altigreen Propulsion Labs, the Altigreen neEV, was launched in January this year, with a bid to transform the commercial transportation sector in India. His company aims to develop technology for high-efficiency hybrid electric mobility solutions with a split team based in the US and India. While Amitabh’s roots lie in Lucknow and Dehradun, he went on to serve the Thailand office of Philips, before leading the development of computation modelling systems for NASA scientists, for more than a year. Two things make him feature among the big daddies of electric mobility in India. One, the fact that he has devoted more than a decade to Altigreen since inception, and two, the recent announcement by the energy arm Reliance, the Reliance New Energy Limited (RNEL) to invest more than Rs 50 crore in the company. Amitabh told global media, “A good part of the investment will be in R&D. We have on board investors who are also bringing their expertise to the table. For one, Reliance New Energy is investing heavily in non-li-ion batteries and we get access to those technologies." He also stated that the company now plans to expand heavily into South East Asia. But his core philosophy is very grounded. He has often said, “a humble auto rickshaw driver probably won’t be thinking about the environment first. He will be worried about his livelihood and what he can take home at the end of the day, each day. Any invention for him will need to be approached from this standpoint. Rest of it in the backend is our innovation.”

Onwards to a greener future

Be it the first-mover advantage or the sheer entrepreneurial and disruptive streak of Indian origin innovators, India is set to rule the electric mobility wave in the months to follow. Today, we see a handful of Ola electric scooters or a few passenger cars with green number plates on them, but thanks to combined innovations, we can foresee a future that is cleaner, greener and more sustainable.

Future of electric mobility in India

A report by the India Energy Storage Alliance estimates the EV market in India to exceed $200 billion by 2030.
The Dublin, Ireland-based ResearchAndMarkets.com estimates that the Indian EV market size will grow at an astronomical 94.4 percent to reach $152.21 billion by 2030.
2022 is the watershed year for EV adoption in India, driven by the commercial vehicle segment of 3-wheelers, according to World Economic Forum.

Reading Time: 6 min

Making the country proud: Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia becomes the first Indian chef to be awarded the MBE

(January 6, 2023) When Vineet Bhatia first moved to England in 1993 as the Executive Chef at Star of India, South Kensington, he had no idea about what a Michelin star was. Exactly three decades later, the chef who is also a restaurateur and an author, has been awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), making him the first Michelin-starred chef of Indian origin to be bestowed with the honour by the monarch of the United Kingdom, King Charles III. The chef took to social media to make this announcement, and wrote, "Honoured to be the first Michelin-starred chef of Indian origin to be awarded an MBE. (It’s) a wonderful privilege to have the opportunity to make the world ‘see things differently’ about the United Kingdom." He dedicated this honour to his mother and wife. [caption id="attachment_27006" align="aligncenter" width="609"] Chef Vineet Bhatia[/caption] Chef Bhatia, who is also the first Indian chef to be awarded a Michelin star for his restaurant Zaika in London, is the only Indian in the culinary world to receive two Michelin stars. “The Michelin team goes to restaurants discreetly. So, one doesn’t know that they are serving a jury,” shares the eminent chef.

e only Indian in the culinary world to receive two Michelin stars. “The Michelin team goes to restaurants discreetly. So, one doesn’t know that they are serving a jury,” shares the eminent chef. “I was thrilled when I received the news that I had won the Michelin star, but more so for creating history, as it was nothing less than opening the door for all the Indian chefs and Indian cuisine across the globe. Today, it makes me very proud when I see other Indian chefs winning the star.”

A living bridge between India and the United Kingdom, the celebrity chef discusses much more than just his culinary journey as he connects with Global Indian from London.

Not a born chef

Born and raised in the city of dreams, Mumbai, Vineet, too, grew up with a dream of his own – to become a pilot. “I lived quite close to an aerodrome, and so I used to watch planes flying in and out every day. Being a pilot was the only plan I had as a kid,” says the celebrity chef, who also cracked the National Defence Exam to join the Air Force. “But I wasn’t tall enough,” he shares, adding, “They told me that I could join the Indian Army or Navy, but I wasn’t interested.”

Chef | Vineet Bhatia | Global Indian

Disheartened, but not defeated, Chef Bhatia turned towards the culinary world. But not before giving bartending a shot. “I wanted to become a bartender. But again, I wasn’t tall enough,” he laughs. However, his experience in the kitchen was life-changing. “As a 17-year-old, I was fascinated with how the kitchen was run so immaculately and that everyone involved was disciplined.”

[caption id="attachment_27008" align="aligncenter" width="666"] Chef | Vineet Bhatia | Global Indian Chef Bhatia bringing Tacos to Indian Cuisine[/caption]

After completing his training at the Oberoi School of Hotel Management, New Delhi, Chef Bhatia worked as the Chef de Cuisine or head chef at The Oberoi in Mumbai for the next three years. However, it was an uphill task initially. “In the kitchen, you have to earn the respect of your staff. When I first joined, one of my staff members told me, ‘I have more pending leaves than your whole experience.’ So, I worked hard to earn their respect. I told them that I wasn’t there to teach them how to cook, but to help them with whatever they needed to put out a great dish,” shares the chef, whose comfort food is a simple meal of tadka dal, chawal, and achar. “As soon as I land in Mumbai, I go to the pani puri stall and have a nice plate of golgappa and chaat. And later, some cutting chai,” share the chef with a smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1_I1kRQD6A

A decade after moving to the UK, the chef and his wife Rashima Bhatia, opened their first restaurant, Rasoi in Chelsea in 2004, which earned him his second Michelin star in 2006. Since then, he has opened 11 restaurants across the globe including Moscow, Los Angeles, Dubai, Mumbai, Doha, and Jeddah.

Behind the scenes

While the dishes that come out of the kitchen look beautiful, the kitchen itself is a bit chaotic. “Kitchen is not easy. There are so many things happening at the same time,” the seasoned chef says. “The front of a restaurant seems so calm and controlled – which is the way it is supposed to be – but the kitchen is where all the action is going on. Everyone in the kitchen is running around to put that dish on the table. So, your movements have to be very coordinated. There is food in the oven, overhead grill, tandoor, and pan. There is a dessert going out and the plates are falling short… Something is happening in the kitchen at all times. It is a mechanism that works in tandem.”

[caption id="attachment_27009" align="aligncenter" width="674"] Chef | Vineet Bhatia | Global Indian Chef Bhatia's pistachio chicken seekh kabab[/caption]

Having opened so many restaurants, the chef calls it a long and tedious process. Apart from deciding the food and beverages that will feature on the menu, the restaurateur also has to work on its theme, colour palette, style, and overall ambiance. “We have to sit with the designers of course, and can take very long to decide all the factors, before the execution. The staff, again, has to be very well-trained, because otherwise, everything will collapse. So, we take time in training all of them.”

Man of many talents

A world-renowned chef, author, TV personality, and social activist – Chef Bhatia dons many hats. But not many know that “travel” has his heart. “My work takes me to places, but I enjoy travelling a lot,” shares the chef, who was very recently on a trip to the Arctic, an experience he calls “magical.”

[caption id="attachment_27010" align="aligncenter" width="633"] Chef | Vineet Bhatia | Global Indian Chef Bhatia with his family[/caption]

Interestingly, Chef Bhatia is the only chef in the world to cook at the base camp of Mount Everest in 2018. Calling the experience “stunning”, the chef shares, “We were raising funds for a charity called Heart For India in Chennai, which looks after 3000 kids, and also for the victims of the 2015 Himalayan earthquake. So, my team and I trekked for 15 days to get to the base camp of Mt Everest and set up a restaurant for two days. We gave the mountaineers and trekkers free food, and whatever they wanted to donate went toward these two causes. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.”

[caption id="attachment_8671" align="aligncenter" width="686"] Chef | Vineet Bhatia | Global Indian Vineet Bhatia believes in working with local ingredients with nuanced Indian techniques[/caption]

An active campaigner for sustainability in the culinary world, Chef Bhatia was also recently appointed as the GREAT ambassador to the United Kingdom. “I think it is important that while we want to have the products from the international market, we have to ensure that they are ethically sourced. It is not just about using paper over plastic, but also about how the farming is done or how the meat is sourced,” explains the chef, before he signs off.

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