Global IndianstoryShub Bhowmick: Helping Fortune 500s solve analytics problems through Tredence Inc

Shub Bhowmick: Helping Fortune 500s solve analytics problems through Tredence Inc

Written by: Darshana Ramdev

(May 4, 2024) In today’s data-driven world, companies collect vast amounts of information, hoping to unlock valuable insights. Those insights find their way into reports and presentations but often end up not being used, for a number of reasons. For instance, the reports could be too complex and full of jargon for non-technical people to translate into actionable steps, or have so many potential improvements that teams become overwhelmed and don’t know where to focus. Change can also be difficult and organisations could struggle to adapt their processes or culture to these new insights, even if they might be beneficial to them. This is the gap that Shub Bhowmick and the team at Tredence are hoping to bridge.

For over two decades, Shub Bhowmick has grown as a ‘problem solver, entrepreneur and technology leader’. In 2013, he co-founded Tredence, a data science and AI engineering company that now has over 1000 employees with offices in Foster City, Chicago, London, Toronto and Bengaluru. Their clients include over 30 Fortune 500 companies in a wide range of sectors, as they work specifically towards solving this last mile problem in analytics.

Shub Bhowmick

Discovering the potential in data analytics

After graduating with a B.Tech degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT-BHU, Shub went on to do an MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He has held high ranking positions at Diamond Consultants (currently PwC), Mu Sigma, Liberty Advisor Group and Infosys. His career in data analytics began at a consultancy in Chicago, Diamond Consultants. “Around 12 or 13 years back I was involved in a data analytics practice that Diamond had created, and I was deeply influenced by this experience,” he recalls, in an interview with Nasscom. “I realised for the first time how significantly data management can actually have an impact.”

From there, he moved to Mu Sigma, which he describes as another deeply inspirational experience. “I was able to see how data analytics services are not just an add-on service offering – at Mu Sigma, it was the core and basically the only service offering,” he said. Over a decade ago, Mu Sigma was at the forefront of last mile services in data analytics, and worked to provide actionable business insights for Fortune 500 companies. They offered a range of data analytics services, helping clients collect, clean, analyze and interpret vast amounts of data. They even had their own Art of Problem Solving platform, which is a set of tools designed to help clients translate vast amounts of data into concrete solutions, emphasizing actionable strategies over reports. “They were able to create a very interesting business model around this,” Shub recalls. “The industry was also starting to attract some really good talent and nurture them into future leaders.”

Still, Shub would wonder if there was a better, more efficient way to deliver this service. “Back then, in the analytics industry, most of the companies and providers relied on a manual process, on a value chain that involved pulling data typically into a throwaway MS Office based data file, using Excel for the analysis, some bit of SaaS, Power Point based summary and delivery.” This was a decade ago, when cloud technology was still very new and not really in use. “It was basically a sales automation platform, there was no Azure or Google Cloud,” Shub explains.

The tech-centric approach to business insights

Shub Bhowmick | Global Indian

Around 2012-13, Shub Bhowmick, then based in Silicon Valley, saw an opportunity to start a different kind of data service. “We brought the essence of business analytics, which is the focus on business insights, but we combined that with engineering, to deliver insights in a more efficient, value-driven, adoption-focussed way.” This set them up from the competition too, as they moved away from business analysts and the manual processes towards a more technology centric approach. “We were using big tech to automate portions of the value chain and create greater scale and speed in insights delivery.”

Over the last seven years or so, cloud-based platforms and hyperscalers took the world by storm, and production workloads quickly moved to cloud tech. Tredence Inc didn’t waste time in getting on board, and began developing ‘cloud-centric capabilities to deliver analytics services with a focus on adoption and shortening the time to impact,” the Global Indian explains. “Cloud and data analytics are very much intertwined and will continue to be so in my opinion, as enterprises invest in cloud native AI capabilities,” he adds.

The age of generative AI

The arrival of generative language model Chat GPT was another game changer. “I had never heard the use of the word ‘hallucination’ in my industry until we all came across this explosion created by OpenAI’, Shub said in an interview. “Since then it’s been the only topic everybody’s talking about, especially in technology.” He has watched the ecosystem grow, from a time in Silicon Valley where companies hired AI experts to work in isolated corners of office buildings, to now, where titles like ‘Chief AI officer’ are common, and AI developers are a core arm of big tech.

“We had talked about AI for a long time, we used to call it advanced data science and applied analytics, and just AI for the longest time. Now we call it Generative AI but the idea is not very different,” he says. “It’s about how you take data, information that you already have within your firewall, or leverage other data sources and then help your executives make more meaningful decisions to improve their business.” At Tredence Inc, he says, the team is working on fine tuning foundational models, and prompt engineering systems to cater to their existing clients, and provide them with a wide range of highly customised insights through AI language models. Coding assistance is another important segment, as the industry begins to recognize that generative AI can significantly improve the productivity of all kinds of engineers.

Shub Bhowmick | Global Indian

In March 2024, Tredence decided to invest 10 percent of its annual revenues in developing GenAi and advanced AI capabilities across engineering, customer experience, machine learning operations, supply chain and other verticals in data analytics. Through this the San-Jose based startup is looking to grow revenues by 40 to 50 percent, Shub Bhowmick told ET. “We’re building AI language models by fine-tuning foundational models. These models need not be large in size, we are using public and proprietary data of our customers to create agents to serve their unique needs in sectors such as retail, consumer goods, healthcare, telecom, banking and financial services and manufacturing.”

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Published on 04, May 2024

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East is East: Ashutosh Mehndiratta’s retelling of India’s 5,000-year history

(June 18, 2024) A decades-long quest to understand his own identity culminated, for Ashutosh Mehndiratta, in his debut book, India and Faraway Lands: 5,000 Years of Connected History. The magnum opus has been condensed into a 386-page, imminently readable history of India and the world. It was a journey that began when he first moved to the US in 1995 as a student, where he remained for the next decade or so. "When you're living in India, you don't think of yourself as Indian. When you step out of the country, you become very aware of your identity - you're Chinese, Sri Lankan, or Indian. It's a very simple but unique distinction Indians living in the country may not appreciate," Ashutosh tells Global Indian, as he connects with me from his home in Eastern Canada. Finding inspiration Growing up, Ashutosh Mehndiratta would listen to his father tell stories of the Partition - both his parents were born before in pre-Independence India, in what is now Pakistan. When the partition took place, his parents' families were among the millions who braved the bloodshed to travel to India, huddled in crowded trains, praying for their lives. "My mother was too young to remember but my

pre-Independence India, in what is now Pakistan. When the partition took place, his parents' families were among the millions who braved the bloodshed to travel to India, huddled in crowded trains, praying for their lives. "My mother was too young to remember but my father would tell me stories," he says.

"We grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha and hearing stories about how India was IT - the golden bird. But today, we can see that other countries are far more developed and wealthier in many ways. If India had such a glorious past, when did it change," asks Ashutosh, as he joins me for a chat from his home in Canada, where he now lives with his wife. How did this change happen – was it gradual or sudden?

[caption id="attachment_36461" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Ashutosh Mehndiratta[/caption]

The identity question

When he left India, he became aware of his identity as an Indian, which left him with many questions. How did India rise to greatness and what led to its fall? Some experts suggest geography, others say religion - Ashutosh, who naively believed he could read a few books and find an answer, realised, through years of research, that there was no one clear reason. Countless influences act upon a country, from within and without, to determine its transition to wealth or poverty.

"Over the years, I gathered so many notes and books that I thought, 'Why don't I write a book of my own?' I started about six or seven years ago." He was living in New Zealand at the time and in this case, geography really was the answer. "Living outside India was a good thing - there were fewer distractions. I lived close enough to the office to walk home as well, so I had time on my hands."

Catching a break

Ashutosh Mehndiratta came back to India in 2017, where he headed Cisco’s Bengaluru’s account. In 2018, he attended the Bangalore Literature Festival, where the Lit Mart, a platform for aspiring authors to make pitches to major publishing houses, is a big draw. It can mean a big break for first-timers - "There is a 99.9 percent chance you won't hear back from a publisher unless you are an established academic or Bollywood star. A history enthusiast without a pedigree rarely stands a chance," Ashutosh admits.

Lit Mart did in fact open those doors for the techie-turned-historian, who met a representative from Manjul Publishing House. "I wrote to Rashmi and her editorial team liked the idea, so we began the editing process. That is a long journey - as a first-time author you don't know the scale of effort that goes into editing."

Ashutosh Mehndiratta | Indian and Faraway Lands

India: A History

The book gets off to a surprising start - it begins in the present and moves backwards. "History books begin in the past and move to the present but I personally feel it is not logical. The present is more familiar and relatable. I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, I saw history being made when India won the World Cup. That resonates more than the Indus Valley Civilisation." He wanted the subject to fascinate his reader as much as it did him, so he decided to go backwards, starting out with the 1930s, Independence and Partition.

"We have all grown up hearing that Gandhi's peaceful protests got us independence," Ashutosh remarks. "But the British empire itself had vanished - the country had gone bankrupt and London was destroyed. They had no will or resources to maintain a colony. In 1946, as Britain was left devastated by World War 2, came the Royal Indian Naval Mutiny. It was a failed insurrection but scared the British, nonetheless. For the first time, they realised the might of Indians bearing arms against them. The US had also come out of the Roaring Twenties and domination meant having to dismantle what was left of the Empire. The Japanese had also weakened the colonialists, forcing them to surrender in Singapore. Subhash Chandra Bose had also been running his propaganda war through a radio show he did from Germany.

Imagine there's no country

During his study of Indian historians, Ashutosh found they were all confined to the boundaries of India. "Their story begins in 1608, when the first ship landed in Gujarat. They don't ask why someone in a small island nation would get on a boat, go around Africa and travel 18,000 km to reach India. What was their motivation?" He discovered that a year earlier, in 1607, they had landed in Jamestown in America. "So, I thought, let's take a break from India and see what was happening in London at the time." He learned that London was a small city trying to enter the merchant trading business, attempting to compete with the Portuguese who had become rich through trade, bringing in silk from China and spices from India. He couldn't just study India in isolation, everything is linked to everything else.

What's more, when the British first arrived to trade with India, they were welcomed. "That was boom time," Ashutosh says. "Like Bangalore is now - big tech is pumping money into the city. Of course, it would be a different story if big tech took control of the government but until then, we all love the millions we receive!"

A story of interconnectedness

"I wanted to focus on the interconnectedness of history," Ashutosh says, adding that the cost was sacrificing depth to cover 5000 years in less than 300 pages. Instead, all his years of reading go into a voluminous bibliography. "The idea is to invoke curiosity in the reader," he says.

The stories are remarkable - Ashutosh Mehndiratta tells a couple to appeal to the Bangalorean in me. For instance, "My job was Bangalored" is a common dotcom era joke in the US but there was another period of close ties between Bengaluru and America, back in the late 1700s, when Haider Ali, of all people, was a household name on the other side of the world. "The Americans were fighting the British, as were Ali and the French. The Anglo-Mysore wars made it to American newspapers and Haider Ali became "Haider Ally". They would talk about his son, Tipu, the prince using rockets in war."

When America won its freedom in 1783, it was a young country with lots of land and no money. "They sent their first ship to India," Ashutosh says. "The ship arrived in Pondicherry, had a flag and was called the 'United States'. That's how they began their trade and eventually grew into a superpower."

Drivers of progress

Could he identify trends that result in progress more than any other? "Any country that allows freedom of expression has progressed," he says. "If you can express, debate and critique freely, it brings out the best in people. Trade is also important and because of that, places near calm oceans or rivers tend to thrive."

Ashutosh Mehndiratta hopes his book, with all its fascinating anecdotes, will inspire his audience to read more, to learn about their Indian identity. "It's not something that Indians at home are aware of but it comes up when you're abroad," he says. Since his wife works for an immigrations company, even their dinner table talk is diverse and multicultural. "Meeting people from other cultures, compels you to learn about the world and yourself. Diversity really brings out the best in you."

Follow Ashutosh on LinkedIn.

Vedangi Gawde: The 24-year-old pastry chef named Callebaut Patissier of the Year 2024

(June 30, 2024) From following her mother around as she baked cakes, to whipping up a culinary storm in the kitchen and winning laurels for her work, Vedangi Gawde’s journey is that of daring to dream and working hard to make those dreams come true. The 24-year-old’s journey is a testament to passion, perseverance, and creativity. Most recently, Vedangi Gawde is the winner of the coveted culinary award Callebaut Patissier of the Year 2024, which enables pastry chefs to showcase their artistry, ingenuity and talent through a variety of challenges. She was the only female contestant in the running and eventually emerged victorious. Joining the league of young chefs who are making their mark by daring to be different, Vedangi currently works with Sivako, a prominent Mumbai-based patisserie, where she uses her vivid imagination to craft artistic culinary experiences that are simple yet exquisite. [caption id="attachment_52740" align="aligncenter" width="359"] Vedangi Gawde[/caption] Sweet surprises Vedangi's story began in her family's kitchen in Mumbai, where she grew up and where her mother would bake cakes. She recalls, ‘My mother used to make simple pound cakes with butter cream because we loved it. We used to live in a chawl, and even my neighbors

n her family's kitchen in Mumbai, where she grew up and where her mother would bake cakes. She recalls, ‘My mother used to make simple pound cakes with butter cream because we loved it. We used to live in a chawl, and even my neighbors enjoyed her culinary creations. Being a Maharashtrian, I grew up eating the most amazing puran poli and modaks, which were usually whipped up during festivals and special occasions,” she tells Global Indian.

These early experiences ignited a love for baking that lay dormant while she pursued a career as a chartered accountant. However, when that path didn’t pan out, Vedangi returned to her first love—baking. This rekindling of passion led her to the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA), where she completed a diploma course that set her on the path to professional pastry making.

Her first job post-APCA was at Sivako, where she started as a commis (junior chef) and quickly rose to the position of chef de partie. It was here that Vedangi’s talents truly began to shine. “The first dessert I ever made was a layered sponge dark chocolate cake. It was a bit of a challenge, but the satisfaction of creating something so delicious made it all worth it,” she recalls. This early success cemented her belief that the kitchen was where she belonged.

One of Vedangi's unique specialties is hand-painting on chocolate and bonbons, a skill that showcases her artistic flair. “I've worked on something different that most people don't usually do: hand-painting on chocolate. It really showcases my creative side,” she says. This meticulous and visually stunning technique has become a hallmark of her work, setting her apart in a competitive field.

[caption id="attachment_52741" align="aligncenter" width="664"] Vedangi Gawde | Pastry Chef | Global Indian Vedangi Gawde is the winner of the Callebaut Patissier of the Year 2024 award[/caption]

Breaking barriers and baking dreams

Despite her introverted nature, Vedangi found that mastering new skills in the kitchen also helped her connect more with those around her. Working under the guidance of Chef Eureka at Sivako, she gained confidence and learned to express her passion for baking while building meaningful relationships. “Chef Eureka is a true mentor who has enabled me to learn and grow. I could not have asked for a better mentor. As I mastered new skills, I also gained the courage to connect more with those around me,” she shares.

Vedangi acknowledges the challenges of introducing new flavors in a market that often prefers familiar tastes. “Many of us in India often stick to familiar flavors, making it tough to introduce new tastes and keep up with food trends,” she explains. Yet, she remains undeterred, constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of pastry.

The young chef has for long had a fascination for Paris and the delectable desserts served in the city, from rich eclairs to layered entremets. She states, “Even as a child, I used to love to paint, and I think that creativity has come to the fore while I make pastries and desserts. This helps me to create visually appealing desserts that people can savor. It gives me great satisfaction when people enjoy my creations.”

Entering a male bastion

The pastry industry, like many culinary fields, has historically been male-dominated, but Vedangi sees this changing. “Yes, there are fewer female pâtissiers compared to males, though this is gradually changing as more women enter and excel in the profession,” she notes. Her own journey is a testament to this shift, as she continues to make her mark with every dessert she creates.

While dessert for Indians meant eating black forest cake at your neighborhood bakery, things have changed remarkably over the years. Traveling abroad and being exposed to the best of world cuisine has meant that Indians today are hooked on gourmet desserts. The chef agrees, “Today people are extremely knowledgeable and understand the nuances of different desserts. Instagram, of course, has helped, and this keeps us on our toes to keep experimenting and pushing the bar.”

Vedangi Gawde | Pastry Chef | Global Indian

A sweet revolution

Winning the coveted award by the Belgian chocolate maker Callebaut has added a spring to her step. “My father has not stopped telling people that I am an award-winning chef,” she smiles and adds. “It has been an incredible journey, especially because I had to think quickly on my feet and managed to do so.”

The competition saw contestants being challenged through crafting bonbons, fresh pastries, mystery box items, snacks on the go, and a grand chocolate display that reflected their resourcefulness in bakery, pastry, confectionery, and showpiece categories. Vedangi excelled at every task, showcasing her versatility in skill and style!

With an eye on the future, the Vedangi Gawde is dedicated to achieving her goals and creating her own identity in the pastry world. “This is just the beginning; many more achievements are on the horizon. I am dedicated to working hard and achieving all my goals,” she affirms.

Vedangi’s triumph is a beacon of inspiration, proving that passion and hard work can turn dreams into reality. With plans to open her own patisserie, she envisions a future where her innovative desserts delight palates worldwide, solidifying her place as a trailblazer in the culinary world.

Vedangi Gawde | Pastry Chef | Global Indian

Quick takes:

Favorite western dessert: Tiramisu
An Indian dessert you can never have enough of: Rasmalai
Favorite places for dessert: Radha Krishna and Brijwasi in Mumbai. Especially their Indian sweets.
Your advice to young chefs: To all young chefs: Keep innovating; keep cooking up new creations that reflect who you are. Embrace change, learn new techniques, and never lose sight of your passion. Remember, persistence is key. Keep pushing forward.

Follow Vedangi Gawde on LinkedIn.

Boxing sans burqa, these zealous Kolkata girl boxers pack a knockout punch

(December 31, 2021) At the crack of dawn, a group of 20 teenage girls are all fired up and ready to go. Clad in shorts and t-shirts, the determined youngsters jog through the densely populated Kalighat locality in South Kolkata into a ground in the Regent Park area. The sudden early morning drizzle hardly bothers them as they line up in front of their “hero” and boxing coach Razia Shabnam. Rigorous warm up and strength training sessions later, they put on their boxing gloves, look straight into their opponent’s eyes, and get down to bouts of sparring. From straight punches to jabs, hooks and even uppercuts — they deliver power-packed punches in each bout — their aggressive side on full display. Not far away from this place, about 35 girls sweat it out in the makeshift boxing ring at the Kidderpore school of physical culture at Ekbalpore, where their coach Mehrajuddin Ahmed aka Cheena Bhai, is busy evaluating their boxing prowess and fine tuning it. “Duck! Avoid the opponent’s punches!” he advises as he keenly watches the sparring which goes on for hours. [caption id="attachment_18377" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Shakeela and Shanno practise at the boxing yard; Photo Courtesy: Arindam Mukherjee[/caption] The

-content/uploads/2021/12/shakeela-shanno.jpg" alt="Global Indian burqa boxers" width="1200" height="797" /> Shakeela and Shanno practise at the boxing yard; Photo Courtesy: Arindam Mukherjee[/caption]

The women, they are ready for the ring

Women’s boxing arrived a tad late in West Bengal when compared to other states. Finally in 1998, a handful of burqa-clad girls from poor families dared to step out of their homes to learn boxing. Some put on gloves for self-defense, others to boost confidence and self-esteem while the rest were driven by their sheer passion for the sport, and dreams of making it big one day.

There was a time when the “burqa boxers” as they came to be known, braved societal pressures and gender discrimination to pursue the sport. But not anymore. Now, these girls don’t think twice before donning a t-shirt and shorts and sweating it out to deliver the perfect knockout punch!

“Boxing gives the girls self-respect and confidence to break barriers. When I took up boxing, I faced gender discrimination and people in the community treated me like I was doing something wrong and dirty. They expressed apprehensions about my marriage. But the situation is different now. People have become more broadminded and the girls are clear about what they want to achieve,” says a beaming Razia Shabnam, in an exclusive chat with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_18375" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Global Indian Razia Shabnam Razia Shabnam exercises at her rooftop; Photo Courtesy: Arindam Mukherjee[/caption]

Mention burqa boxing and Shabnam interjects that it is gender discrimination rather than religious discrimination that is an obstacle. “Now, there are hardly any girls who come in burqa and change into boxing gear. Those days are gone,” she informs.

Shabnam took to boxing in 1998 when the sport had just opened up for women in Kolkata. A first-year Arts student at Calcutta University, she decided to give boxing a shot, and was lucky to have participated in the national level boxing championship. She went on to become one of the first women boxing coaches in the country in 2001. Shabnam is also the first Indian woman to become an international boxing referee and judge, and has been officiating at international boxing tournaments across the globe. “I was clear that I wanted to become a coach who could train both men and women to fetch gold medals for India,” says Shabnam.

While her journey into the world of boxing came with obstacles, it was her father Rahat Ali Khan, a wrestler, who supported and encouraged his daughter. Having grown up in Kidderpore in a traditional Muslim family, where girls stay home or are groomed for marriage, Shabnam faced discrimination even when she started to go to college. Now, a doting mother, she coaches girls aged 12 to 18, a majority of them rescued from the red-light area in Kolkata. Through her NGO, New Light, she even provides them shelter.

[caption id="attachment_18378" align="aligncenter" width="1003"] Global Indian burqa boxers Photo Courtesy: Arindam Mukherjee[/caption]

Girls who just want to throw punches

“I want to play at the national and international boxing championships and I am preparing for it,” informs Salma Molla, a 15-year-old, who started boxing at age 10. She trains with Shabnam, and wants to follow in the footsteps of boxing great Mary Kom. “My family knows I am passionate about boxing, and are happy. Like Mary Kom, I will compete for India one day,” smiles Salma, who ensures she never misses training.

In 1998, women’s boxing kickstarted in West Bengal. The then-President of the WB Boxing Federation Asit Banerjee along with coaches Mehrajuddin Ahmed, Sujoy Ghosh and Jamil Alam began training girls. What initially started with a handful of “burqa boxers” soon saw the participation of more girls. In the past two decades, hundreds of girls from Kolkata have learnt boxing.

“Back then, a few burqa-clad girls would come to the Kidderpore school to learn boxing. They were obviously worried about what the community would say. But now, I don’t see the girls scared or bothered. They learn boxing without a worry,” says Mehrajuddin Ahmed.

[caption id="attachment_18379" align="aligncenter" width="1147"] Global Indian burqa boxers Ajmira Khatun during a practise session; Photo Courtesy: Alka Raghuram[/caption]

Ahmed, who runs the Kidderpore school, recalls how women’s boxing had arrived in Delhi, Punjab, Manipur and Mizoram early. “The boxing federation president, other coaches and I collectively decided that girls have to learn boxing and started coaching them,” he informs.

He recalls instances when convincing parents was an uphill task. “The girls came from very poor families. Their parents were against boxing. Some felt it was a male bastion, and girls should stay away, others felt it will hinder their marriage prospects. The community elders and neighbours did their bit in discouraging the girls. But I spoke to many families and convinced them otherwise. Many agreed but were sceptical. That is no longer the case. Today, there is nothing stopping them,” he says. Shabnam too has similar stories.

All their efforts have yielded results. There are quite a few girls from Kolkata who have made it big in boxing. Among the notable boxers is Ajmera Khatun, who started in 2009, and went on to win five golds at the state and national level. She is not boxing anymore. Similarly, Sarita Khatun first won a gold medal at a state level championship and subsequently won nine medals including a bronze at the national level in 2012. The same year, Simi Parveen, a soft-spoken Arts student from Kolkata’s Ekbalpore area represented West Bengal and won a bronze medal at the women’s boxing national held in Patna. Thereafter, when the Indian Boxing Federation was suspended by the International Boxing Association, her career came to a stop. She trained at the Kidderpore school. Sabina Yasmeen, another boxer won three golds at district, state and national levels. A majority of the boxers have been trained by Mehrajuddin or Razia Shabnam.

Coaching for glory

[caption id="attachment_18380" align="aligncenter" width="1138"] Global Indian burqa boxers Taslima during a practise session; Photo Courtesy: Alka Raghuram[/caption]

Presently, Razia Shabnam coaches about 20 girls for three hours on weekdays, and six on weekends. Similarly, at the Kidderpore school, there are 185 youngsters training, of which 35 are girls. The pandemic did play spoilsport in Kolkata’s boxing legacy but the coaches hope for better days.

While the women’s boxing scene in Kolkata appears promising, many at the national level have quit due to marriage or job prospects. Razia Shabnam’s protegee Parveen Sajda gave up the sport after marriage. “Ajmira Khatun (who won the gold at the state and national level) shifted to Haryana. Once they cross a certain age, they give up due to self-sufficiency and work. Yet, going by the enthusiasm and determination of a few girls, I am confident they will make it big in boxing. The situation is changing,” says a hopeful Razia. Besides marriage and jobs, another reason for opting out is the expense. Nonetheless, the number of girls taking to boxing has been increasing steadily.

Interestingly, a documentary titled Burqa Boxers directed by Alka Raghuram, a filmmaker and a multidisciplinary artiste who tries to make sense of the world through her insightful films, gives you a ring side perspective on the lives of the girls. The film weaved the stories of Razia Shabnam, Ajmira Khatun, Taslima Khatun and Parveen Sajda as they negotiate poverty and traditions, and learn to face the biggest obstacle — fear. The film was awarded the top prize Grant Open Doors at the Locarno Film Festival co-production market in 2011.

For boxer Rimpi Khatoon, Razia Shabnam inspires them to take up boxing. “Razia madam is my hero. I took up boxing to boost my confidence and for self-defense. My knockout punches are good, I can give anyone a tough fight,” laughs the 14-year-old, who has been training with Razia since she was 10. Even 16-year-old Pooja Singh is passionate about boxing. “I have been boxing since 2014 and I look forward to participating in the national boxing championship,” says Pooja.

Reading Time: 10 mins

Meet the husband-wife duo celebrating plant-forward, borderless cuisine at Moglu

(February 17, 2024) What does it take to give up a thriving technology business in Saudi Arabia to come to Bengaluru to open a vegetarian restaurant? That’s exactly what husband and wife duo, Ankita Shree, Managing Director, and Dr. Kiran Narayanan, Executive Chef, did. They returned to Bengaluru to start Moglu, a restaurant that celebrates vegetarian gastronomy. Their vision is to bring fresh, high-quality ingredients to create a borderless, plant-forward dining experience that seamlessly combines regional and international flavours, influences and techniques. Ankita was a high-achieving student, and studied political science at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi. She topped her class, then did a master’s in Jawaharlal Nehru University, and even spent a summer volunteering with the renowned Belgian-born Indian welfare economist and social scientist, Dr Jean Dreze. During her time volunteering with Dr Dreze, she was focussed on the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the tribal areas of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. “Witnessing the gaps in the deployment of the scheme was frustrating, and instead of merely petitioning bureaucrats, I felt compelled to become one myself,” Ankita says, in an interview with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_50090" align="aligncenter" width="349"] Ankita Sree and Kiran Narayan, co-founders of

aption id="attachment_50090" align="aligncenter" width="349"] Ankita Sree and Kiran Narayan, co-founders of Moglu[/caption]

So, after completing her master’s degree, she spent a year preparing for the UPSC civil services exam. She cleared it on her first attempt and began her career in the Indian Revenue Service, as the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax. She spent over three years in the IRS, and realised the bureaucratic environment just wasn’t the right fit for her. “Not one to settle, I made the tough decision to leave my job, despite strong objections from my family. I then moved to Saudi Arabia, where I served as the CFO and co-founded a deep tech company with Kiran in 2019,” she recollects.

From architecture to tech

On the other hand, Kiran’s early life was a rich tapestry of experiencing different cultures, cuisines, and friendships. As his father worked for SAIL, the family moved to a new city every 2-2.5 years. It was challenging to have to change schools so often and make new friends each time, but this “transient lifestyle,” says Kiran, did nurture his passion for cooking, eve though he didn’t know it at the time. “My mother's culinary skills and her curiosity for various regional cuisines deeply influenced me. I began experimenting with food at a young age, often observing the outcome of cooking vegetables over the coal stove in Asansol and Burnpur, West Bengal.” Their gardener, ‘Prasad dada’ became Kiran’s first mentor, and fostered his love for cooking.

However, after school, he followed through on his passion for architecture, and joined CEPT in Ahmedabad, which is India’s premier architecture school. However, familial circumstances prompted a shift to a Mechanical Engineering course at SRM, Chennai, then a a master’s degree in Texas, where he lived and worked for six years. Later, he followed a respected professor to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, and completed his PhD under Dr. Ravi Samtaney's mentorship.

[caption id="attachment_50091" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Moglu[/caption]

Although they had such diverse backgrounds, the couple’s paths crossed in 2010 through a common friend. After his time in Texas and before moving to Saudi Arabia, Kiran spent six months in Pune doing a project for DRDO on carbon nanotubes as a scientist. Ankita was visiting a friend on the same campus, which was near Khadakwasla called DIAT (Defence Institute of Advanced Technology). “We met at a party and became and stayed friends for seven years before our relationship blossomed into a romantic one,” smiles Ankita.

Shifting Gears

In 2019, Ankita decided to leave her position at the IRS and embark on a new journey alongside Kiran. The couple ventured into the realm of entrepreneurship, founding their first venture together, a deep tech startup. Kiran had decided to follow his mentor, Dr Ravi Samtaney, to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, where he did his PhD in Computational Physics under his guidance. “The diverse global community within the university township and the support extended to entrepreneurs made it an attractive prospect for us,” says Ankita.

At KAUST, they found a supportive ecosystem and a diverse, collaborative community, the ideal setting for their own startup ambitions and Kiran was keen to establish their tech company there. And when Ankita visited Kiran at KAUST in 2019, she was inspired by what she saw. “The vibrant community and the resources available convinced me to join him as a co-founder and assume the role of CFO. It felt like the perfect opportunity to pursue our entrepreneurial dreams together,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_50092" align="aligncenter" width="520"] The Beirut sharing platter at Moglu[/caption]

The Return

However, as they ran their first venture Saudi Arabia, Ankita had discovered her calling for Yoga, and applied for a Hatha Yoga teacher training programme. In 2022, the couple returned to India and Ankita moved to Coimbatore for a six-month residential training programme at the Isha School of Hatha Yoga. Almost parallelly, Kiran moved to New York and began his professional training as a chef at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in Manhattan. After finishing her training in December 2022, Ankita joined Kiran in NYC for a few months. “Together, we did the NYC winters the right way by indulging in a myriad of food crawls across the Big Apple,” says Kiran. The unwavering confidence, support, and belief they had in each other's company, they decided to make their next move.

The Restaurant Business

With a vision to revolutionise the vegetarian restaurant landscape by infusing it with quality, variety, and innovation, the couple started working on their dream project which was to start a vegetarian restaurant. “We believe that India's diverse range of vegetables, including seasonal produce, deserves to be celebrated and showcased in inventive ways, blending culinary traditions from around the world with our own regional and micro-cuisines - some culinary magic, if you will,” aver the duo.

At the heart of Moglu's culinary philosophy are two simple things, fresh, high-quality ingredients and the use of culinary influences, flavours, and techniques cutting across cuisines, both international as well as regional and micro cuisines, to present them in a manner that's delightful, innovative, and above all, delicious. Kiran says, “Our first goal is to reignite people's love and passion for vegetarian cuisine through a cuisine-agnostic approach that transcends borders and focuses on the inherent qualities of each ingredient. Everything at Moglu, from sauces to ferments, and zero-proof beverages from indigenous ingredients is crafted from scratch, in-house. We combine both scientific knowledge and culinary expertise to bring out the best in indigenous ingredients.” Ankita adds, “we want to present an alternative business model of a restaurant that makes no compromises on quality and purity in the interest of scale. We strongly believe that since food is a consumable that directly impacts one’s wellbeing, scaling food service for hyper growth compromises quality.”

[caption id="attachment_50093" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Tempeh Arancini with Polenta & Romesco[/caption]

Collaborations with the Isha Foundation

To support farmers, they collaborate with Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), particularly those under the purview of Isha Foundation in collaboration with NABARD. “We plan to grow organically and sustainably, without being overly worried about numbers. We want to generate enough revenue to provide everyone on our team with at least two yearly raises. We are focusing on building a strong team that shares our vision and mission. With their collaboration, we aspire to build an institution that can endure beyond our lifetimes and contribute positively to the world,” conclude the couple.

Learn more about Moglu on their website.

Meet Teja Chekuri, the global F&B maverick who shaped India’s craft beer market

(August 7, 2023) How does a young engineer end up as the President of a company that owns a chain of restaurants, microbreweries the size of a gated community, and other food and beverage hotspots that are perennially popular? Teja Chekuri is one such entrepreneur born with vision and foresight. He says, in an exclusive with Global Indian, “After my master’s at Gannon University in Eire, Pennsylvania, I worked at Metlife and UPS. Then I set up my own IT services company. While travelling around the US, I observed that microbreweries were popular and I thought of setting up one in India. I was planning to move back to India and there were three cities with microbreweries already running – Bengaluru, Pune and Gurgaon. I saw the opportunity, wanted to have the early mover advantage and decided to go for it.” [caption id="attachment_43334" align="aligncenter" width="441"] Teja Chekuri, founder of the microbrewery Prost, in Hyderabad.[/caption] Microbreweries to Macro Businesses Teja’s food and beverage outlets span across India, the US and Canada. He started with Prost, a microbrewery, in Koramangala, Bengaluru in 2012. Though hailing from Telangana, the lack of permissions made him choose Bengaluru; he eventually launched Prost in Hyderabad in

Teja’s food and beverage outlets span across India, the US and Canada. He started with Prost, a microbrewery, in Koramangala, Bengaluru in 2012. Though hailing from Telangana, the lack of permissions made him choose Bengaluru; he eventually launched Prost in Hyderabad in 2016.

Simultaneously, based on his observations of the Indian cuisine served in the US, he decided to set up a chain of restaurants that would be unapologetic about their spicy foundation – essentially Andhra and Telangana food – not tweaked to suit the American palate. “In 2015, we launched Godavari in Woburn, 20 minutes away from Boston, Massachusetts. We did not want to do the sweetened versions of curries. We were not afraid to make it spicy; why should we change our food?” he asks.

[caption id="attachment_43320" align="aligncenter" width="581"] Prost Prost, Hyderabad.[/caption]

It might have seemed risky to many but incredibly, Godavari received a positive response, and is now in over 30 locations across the US and in Toronto, Canada. With plans to launch 21 more branches in the near future, with the latest ones set up in Denver, Colorado and Princeton, New Jersey, Godavari is present in Delaware, Toronto, Tampa, Jersey City, Minneapolis, Orange County, Atlanta, Columbus, Woburn, Philadelphia, Naperville, Houston, Schaumburg, Kansas, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Edison, Hartford, Herndon, Morrisville and Rhode Island etc. Despite 30-40 per cent of the menu changing once a year, the thali, the Andhra Chicken Curry and the Hyderabadi Dum Biryani are its most popular items. Godavari also serves idlis, dosas, sambar and rice and uluvacharu – dishes familiar to the fairly large Telugu speaking diaspora. And, the flagship Woburn restaurant, is still the biggest crowd puller, contributing over 300,000 USD to the company’s turnover every month.

Expanding Indian Cuisine’s Frontiers

Under the Godavari Group of Restaurants in the US, Teja continued to expand. Following the quick service restaurant model, Vaanga, serving fusion Indian food was started in 2017 in Boston. He then launched Madras Dosa Company [MDC] in 2021 in Seaport and Harvard Square, in the same city. He refers to MDC as a “Subway for dosas with a set menu – two kinds of batters, two chutneys [coconut and ginger; peanut is not used due to people’s allergies] and toppings like karam podi, sweet chocolate, onion, Horlicks, and more. There is even a Lays [chips] and an ice cream dosa available for kids. We are now looking to launch MDC at Times Square in New York too,” he reveals.

This was followed by 1947 – Truly Indian – a fine dining brand serving North and South Indian cuisine in Norwood, Massachusetts also in 2021. The next two ventures he has lined up for Boston include an Indian gastro bar called ‘Don’t Tell Aunty’, serving fusion food, and drinks concocted with Indian spices. The other is Boston Halal, following the quick service restaurant model, serving Mediterranean food.

[caption id="attachment_43322" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Prost Madras Dosa Company, Seaport.[/caption]

This year, Teja incorporated all his brands into the Golden Horn Company, of which he is the President. His initial investment of six crore rupees now fetches a neat turnover of Rs 250 crore. In the US, his partner who handles operations is Kaushik Koganti and Sree Harsha Vadlamudi partners him in India.

The company has clearly defined roles and demarcations. He says, “Every menu goes through six months of trials and tests; we have streamlined operations and 40 staff members oversee different departments for all the chains. Maintaining the highest standards is a must. It was tougher to get permissions and licenses in some cities and others were easier. But, ensuring that all the dishes taste the same across the outlets remains a challenge.”

The India Growth Story

Next on the anvil is Pangeo – a lounge bar on Bengaluru’s Brigade Road, spread over 20,000 square feet – to be launched shortly. And the world’s largest microbrewery spread over two acres, or 1.4 lakh square feet, in Marthahalli in Bengaluru again. Teja is looking at opening new outlets in Hebbal, Kanakapura and cities like Nagpur. Purple Potato, in Hyderabad’s Financial District, serving what he calls borderless cuisine, is also due to open its doors shortly.

Milestones and More

What could perhaps be his company’s biggest milestone this year though, has been his investment of buying a whopping nine franchises of Dunkin’ Donuts in the US. He says, “For two years, we have been trying to acquire these franchises. The company has very stringent rules about who they give them to. After evaluating us for a long time, they gave us their approval. We invested 18 million USD into acquiring nine of them in different locations.”

How does he stay ahead of the game? It is almost like he knows what is going to be the next big trend and gets on it before his competitors do. He says, “The food and beverage market is a volatile one. If you want to grow, you have to keep changing and evolving. You have to know what people want to eat when they dine out, all over the world. Currently, pan-Asian food is the popular trend.”

[caption id="attachment_43335" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Pangeo lounge bar, Bengaluru.[/caption]

If he didn’t have enough on his plate already, Teja has also been nominated to the Forbes Business Council, a prestigious networking platform where he is expected to give advice as a mentor, write articles and be part of expert panels, in business affairs.

With a busy lifestyle, long hours included, how does he maintain a work-life balance? He says, “I travel a lot for work, but when I am in Hyderabad, I make it a point to go home early to spend time with my wife and two daughters. I go to the gym every day and I catch up on my reading on flights.”

Teja’s career trajectory seems unstoppable with multiple food and beverage venues. His business could well become a case study at a business school in the future.

Follow Teja Chekuri on Instagram and on his website.