Global IndianstoryMadhukar Varshney: The US-returned innovator-turned-entrepreneur helps children problem solve

Madhukar Varshney: The US-returned innovator-turned-entrepreneur helps children problem solve

Written by: Global Indian

(November 30, 2021) If the Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum is right, 65 percent of students entering primary school will ultimately work jobs that haven’t even been invented yet. Then how does one prepare children for the future? It involves a farsightedness that Madhukar Varshney, founder of NimbleQ, has made a part of his DNA. The IT honcho imbues children with essential skills — creative thinking, communication, problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration. Technology is at the heart of many jobs, and understanding how to apply it to innovate and create able future generations is Varshney’s core strength.

The idea, says the innovator-turned-entrepreneur, is to teach children to apply knowledge to solve real world problems and have a growth mindset. “Did you know only 2 percent of Fortune 500 companies have CEOs of Indian-origin?” he asks, adding, “This is because there is some flaw in the way we teach our kids. We focus on the math, but where is the creativity? Where is the proclivity to create and innovate?”

Enjoyed connecting with children from #NimbleQ. Shared what it takes to become an Olympian. Tickled their imagination on how their academics – especially math and science – can be taken to the playing field (and swimming pool 😊) to enhance their outcomes in life. pic.twitter.com/6TQSPzErAy

— Hakimuddin Habibulla OLY (@HakimHabibulla) July 22, 2021

A holistic approach

NimbleQ’s holistic skills development programme focuses on building the next generation of leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs, and it was developed by the US-returned Varshney and his wife Shailey Motial, who handles brand development and strategies.

What started as an after-school curriculum, now focusses on helping youngsters to innovate. “The idea is to get children to think independently like creators. While it is important to learn all things tech-related, it is also important that children know how to apply the knowledge, understand business, entrepreneurship, and money,” says Madhukar, who was in the US for 20 years thanks to the citizenship he was awarded under the Outstanding Researcher Category in 2009.

Madhukar Varshney with students during a NimbleQ class

Raised in a very conventional family in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh), entrepreneurship didn’t even cross his mind. Born in 1974 to a father, who was a government contractor father, and teacher mother, Madhukar grew up believing that the route to success was through a US education. “Career choices then were either as doctors or engineers. I’d never thought about starting up. When I moved to the US, I got the opportunity to explore with an exposure to diverse cultures and professional experiences,” recalls Madhukar, who graduated in chemical engineering from HPTI, Kanpur, and then did a master’s and PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Arkansas.

Madhukar then worked at Cornell University as a research associate studying micro and nanomechanical cantilever-based sensors. A job at NABsys, a company which develops semiconductor-based tools for genomic analysis, came next.

The researcher turned educationist

During his career as a researcher, Madhukar published over 35 papers and owns three patents. Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, he decided to branch out on his own. In 2014, he set up his first company Forty-Five NE, a digital healthcare company that influences disease outcomes by empowering patients to get involved in self-care.

Madhukar Varshney with his wife and co-founder Shailey Motial

He ran the Massachusetts-based company for two years. The Varshneys then began searching for something empowering in education. “We weren’t too happy about where the education system was headed. For instance, in India, students are not encouraged to question. There is no room for creativity, independence or leadership qualities. In the US too, though the system is different, there is still a loophole that needs to be plugged,” he tells Global Indian.

The seed was planted, and the couple moved lock, stock, barrel and family, to India and set up NimbleQ in 2017. Headquartered in Lucknow, NimbleQ is aimed at developing nimbleness of the mind. “They say that intelligence and capability are not natural talents; they are built by the flexibility of the mind. At NimbleQ, that’s what we aim to do: we encourage students to learn how to learn, question, focus, (even) fail and take in their stride and begin again,” says the founder of the so far bootstrapped startup.

Designed to teach

The NimbleQ experience is designed to teach kids to adapt, be flexible, question the status quo and adopt a holistic approach to life. “This is why business and entrepreneurship and understanding money are important aspects of the programme. So children are truly future ready,” he adds.

Shailey Motial

With programmes aimed at kindergartners to class 10 students, the startup has already been seeing some very positive results. For instance, a six-year-old student of theirs, won a Business Idea Hackathon for suggesting that energy be harnessed from Mars. “We don’t want our engineers to build a Taj Mahal. What’s the point of a Taj Mahal if it cannot be sold? The idea is for our engineers to innovate and design buildings that can be scaled and sold,” says Madhukar. So far, about 4,000 students have signed up since they started, with 80,000 plus hours of classes conducted.

The programmes are designed to treat students like adults, show them real time scenarios and what real jobs involve. After months of research, sit-downs with industry leaders, educationists, and researchers, Madhukar developed the programmes which today they are helmed by NimbleQ teachers (all engineers).

The startup has students in India, US and UAE. Plans are afoot to resume offline classes again, with expansion plans. “We’re also looking to raise funding to aid these plans,” says Madhukar, who is headquartered in Lucknow and always wanted to start small. “We’re not in it for the race.”

The father of two, loves to unwind with his children and encourages them to explore and question the world.

“At the end of the day, we put the student at the centre. We treat them like grown-ups. We don’t restrict ourselves to premium schools, we want to democratise education and also tie up with mid-size and small schools,” says the entrepreneur, who loves to sketch.

Follow Madhukar Varshney on LinkedIn.

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Published on 30, Nov 2021

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Staying ‘paws’itive: Dog training ‘wizard’ Adnaan Khan has transformed over 4000 dogs

(August 12, 2024) Adnaan A. Khan, a globally renowned and nationally acclaimed dog trainer and behaviour specialist and has many aces up his sleeve. Adnaan has served as the Chief Dog Training Consultant for the Parliament of India, and is the first and the youngest civilian (at 27 in 2020) to be honoured with an opportunity of this magnitude. Asia's youngest dog handler to get a PSA-1 title with his dog, Zion, Adnaan founded the K9 School, where he has trained over 400 dog trainers and handlers. An early calling - and challenges [caption id="attachment_53576" align="aligncenter" width="462"] Adnaan Khan[/caption] Khan grew up in a small apartment in Munirka, Delhi with a sizable joint family of around seven people in about a 1000 sq. ft. DDA flat. With his family roots deeply embedded in Uttar Pradesh, he calls himself a proud second-generation Delhiite. Schooling at Delhi Public School shaped much of his early life. His deep-rooted passion for dogs, however, stems from both sides of his family tree. My parents are devoted cat enthusiasts actively involved in rescuing and caring for them. They have two cats and generously look after numerous street cats in and around the neighbourhood. It is interesting

however, stems from both sides of his family tree. My parents are devoted cat enthusiasts actively involved in rescuing and caring for them. They have two cats and generously look after numerous street cats in and around the neighbourhood. It is interesting how our family traditionally leans towards cats, yet I found my professional calling with dogs. Funnily enough throughout my life, I have raised, trained, and rescued cats, but did not practice it professionally.”

His love for dogs meant he always craved for a pet, something that could not happen in his home. From a young age, around 11 or 12, he began facing a range of mental health challenges. Additionally, this was when he first noticed a persistent ringing sound in his right ear, that he struggled with for almost five years before he self-diagnosed as tinnitus. “Those years were incredibly tough; the ringing in my ear made it nearly impossible to sleep. Insomnia became a daily battle, leaving me exhausted and unable to concentrate at school. Predictably, my grades suffered as a result. Navigating this ordeal was deeply isolating,” he recollects. To add to his woes, he began experiencing symptoms that would later be identified as Hansen's disease or leprosy when he was 13, which was diagnosed when he was almost 17. “Before this, I underwent various treatments for what doctors initially misdiagnosed as fungal infections or other skin conditions. The delayed diagnosis and misunderstood treatments strained my trust in conventional medical practices. My journey, marked by late diagnoses and a quest for effective treatment, has shaped my belief in the power of holistic healing methods. This experience deeply influenced my path forward. In fact it led me to establish K9 Healers, a foundation that is centred around naturopathic and alternative healing approaches for both dogs and humans, integrating these practices to promote holistic well-being,” he says.

In this difficult time, he surrounded himself with books about dogs and spent as much time as I could with the street dogs in his neighbourhood. “I rescued them, played with them, and even trained them to be effective watchdogs. There were moments when these street dogs led to failed attempts at robberies and chain snatchings, with the dogs chasing off the perpetrators. Without any formal training, I naturally developed skills to manage the dogs. I could call them away from people or calm them down if they were agitated by something. These experiences weren't just about bonding with dogs; they were integral to my life,” he says.

England calling

Adnaan's hopes for a pet dog continued and his father suggested he travels to England to meet his best friend—a seasoned dog owner who had always had dogs and was exceptionally skilled with them. “The plan was for me to learn from him, spend time around dogs, and if I found the right one, bring it back with me from England,” he says. This was in 2010 and he met Harry Carter, a legendary figure in the dog training world and the Queen of England's own dog trainer, who became his mentor. “Mr. Carter, who must be 94 today, introduced me to the intricate world of security dogs and dog sports. Under his guidance, I trained with Rottweilers in a German sport called IGP, gaining invaluable skills and insights,” he says.

Adnaan Khan | K9 | dog trainer | Global Indian

His father convinced him to stay back and he enrolled into a Business Management through a Bachelor of Science program at the University of East Anglia in Norwich turned out to be one of the most transformative phases of his life. “Despite my introverted and reclusive nature, I found myself growing comfortable in social settings. I took on significant roles at the university, such as heading the International Student Society, where I coordinated the care of 2000 international students alongside other dedicated panellists. I also served as a union representative, delving into student politics and administration, gaining valuable experience in organising and leadership at a young age,” he says.

Back to India

Returning to India he started working at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a prominent luxury real estate consultancy and fulfilled his dream of owning a pet dog Homer, a bullmastiff from Amritsar in 2013. “This marked a pivotal moment for my mental health journey, as Homer quickly became my closest companion. He taught me the importance of living in the moment and not dwelling on past troubles or future uncertainties,” he says. Homer's influence was profound as he sparked the inception of K9 School, where his journey in dog training and education began in India. “Later, Stella, my second dog, further inspired the creation of K9 Healers. Each dog played a pivotal role in shaping my mission to promote holistic well-being through natural and alternative healing practices for both dogs and humans,” he adds.

Training dogs

When he got his first dog home, he realised that there were a lot of services that were missing in India and this led him to launch the first dog training and boarding facility with the most advanced, dog keeping systems that exist in the world. “And that's how the first K9 school was born in 2016. It was a one-acre farm and over the years we have trained over 4000 dogs from that facility. And more than 600 to 700 people have trained under me as dog trainers from that institution who are successfully working in commercial pet services or security dog handling services or even with veterinarians and groomers or running their own businesses and institutions,” he says.

He also started behaviour consultation services to foster deeper bonds between dogs and their owners, emphasizing understanding and mutual respect. His videos on his work caught the attention of the DIG, Head of Parliament Security in 2020 who invited him to visit the Lok Sabha Parliament Security sniffer dog squad. “My primary role as a civilian consultant to all of the defence forces is to improve their standards, provide and procure them with modern and advanced bloodlines to have the most optimum, most top-notch performing canine soldiers on our borders to defend against any kind of situation and be ready for the highest level of tactical combat and strategies,” he says.

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As the only Indian who has been trained in five different dog sport disciplines and over 11 different police dog training centres and academies, he is also the chief consultant for the Indian Cricket Board, BCCI and Haryana Cricket Board and IPL for their security dogs in their stadiums. “What drives me the most is the profound connection we share with dogs. They have chosen us to be their voice, their champions, working tirelessly to ensure their needs are understood and met. Through this role, we strive to foster harmony between humans and dogs, enabling them to lead happier lives together,” he says. Now he spends his time running five boarding and training schools and one foundation - K9 Healers. “In addition to that, I want my personally designed dog training system which we are registering as our own proprietary intellectual property to go mainstream. I am working on writing a book and a set of online courses. I want my pet raising and dog training system to be able to reach everyone's phone and laptop and every little device out there, for anyone who wants to raise their dog better and they may not have access to a good training institution around them,” he signs off.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Website

Rajeeb Dey: The British-Indian entrepreneur who became the WEF’s youngest Young Global Leader

(November 16, 2021) Landing a job or an internship where you aren’t just fetching coffee is no mean feat. Being able to find the right contacts, get your resume noticed, land an interview and eventually an internship or a job can be quite a long winded and complicated procedure. That’s where Rajeeb Dey, a British-Indian entrepreneur steps in. The founder of Enternships has been supporting entrepreneurs and fresh talent in the UK for more than a decade now. Dey, who began his entrepreneurial journey as a student at age 17, has three successful ventures so far: Enternships, StartUp Britain, and Learnerbly. The entrepreneur has a tendency to help others through different platforms and associations and in recognition of his services, he was awarded an MBE at the age of 31; one of the youngest to receive the honour. Dey was also the winner of the O2 X Young Entrerpreneur of the Year Award and was named as the world’s youngest Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2012. [embed]https://twitter.com/rajdey/status/1447861833268879360?s=20[/embed] Starting young Born in December 1985, Dey graduated with first class honours from Jesus College, University of Oxford, where he studied Economics and Management. Incidentally, Dey launched his first venture Student Voice at age 17 as a

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Starting young

Born in December 1985, Dey graduated with first class honours from Jesus College, University of Oxford, where he studied Economics and Management. Incidentally, Dey launched his first venture Student Voice at age 17 as a first-year student at Oxford, for he felt that the voices of students between the ages of 11 and 19 weren’t heard. In his second year, he became the president of Oxford Entrepreneurs Society, a student society for entrepreneurs on campus. He went on to become its longest-serving president; it was around this time that he saw the opportunity for a new organisation that could bridge the gap between startups and interns. As president, Dey would receive a large number of requests from startups wanting to access his talent pool. That is when he came up with the idea of creating a simple listing page to match students and startups. This eventually grew to become Enternships, a thriving business in the UK today.

Talking to Hot Topics about his entrepreneurial journey, this Global Indian said, “My entrepreneurial journey started at the age of 17. At the time, I didn’t even know what the term entrepreneur was, I just felt that I wanted to do something to give school students a voice. I got a grant of £5,000 from a fund for social enterprises called UnLtd and that really kick started my entrepreneurial journey. I realised I liked coming up with an idea, setting something up and seeing it become a reality. That led me to join the Oxford Entreprenuers Society whilst at University, which I became President of in my 2nd year. That was a great experience and also gave me the inspiration for Enternships.”

Global Indian Rajeeb Dey

Having started as a job listing site, it soon became a go-to platform for graduates to find jobs in startups and the venture generated a lot of buzz. The portal has so far connected several students and graduates to roles in over 7,000 fast-growing businesses such as startups, SMEs and intrapreneurial firms across the globe. It was in recognition of his work through Enternships that Dey received the O2 X Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2009. Enternships.com was also one of the top 3 finalists in the Esquire Magazine New Business Challenge and the finalist in the Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy Awards.

The need to upskill

According to Dey, one of the main benefits of working with a startup is the freedom one gets. “In a start up the role is often not so clearly defined, so it’s up to you to define what you are doing and to get stuck into all aspects of the business. You are not necessarily going to get pigeon-holed into doing one particular thing, your role probably pertains to the working of the business, so you have the opportunity to really learn from alongside the founder, or the CEO to find out how business really works, and in many cases you can create your own job,” he told Palatinate in an interview.

Dey spent three years looking at the learning and upskilling industry as well as the recruitment industry to see how he could positively impact candidates’ experiences. The entrepreneur, in fact, has had a large impact on the British startup ecosystem. He co-founded StartUp Britain, a national campaign founded with seven other entrepreneurs to encourage enterprise in the UK. The campaign was launched in 2011 under the David Cameron government.

Global Indian Rajeeb Dey

On an entrepreneurial roll

He then went on to set up his next venture Learnerbly to help companies nurture and develop talent through the program. In an interview with Forbes, he said, “At Learnerbly, we curate the best learning experiences, whether it be courses, coaching, conferences, podcasts, books, articles — the full breadth of professional development, recognising that people learn in many different ways. We want to connect you to the best learning that's right for you in the way you like to learn.”

This he says is to help encourage holistic development of employees and steer them in the direction of possible new roles and career choices within the organisations they work at. Employees are matched to learning opportunities that are curated via peer-to-peer recommendations and insights from industry experts from companies like Google, Airbnb, and Unruly. With the market for professional learning being fragmented, Learnerbly makes it easier for companies to target staff development.

Dey, who calls himself the accidental entrepreneur, has certainly come a long way since his Student Voices days, as he sets about changing the way the UK startup eco-system, hires, retains, and develops talent.

Follow Rajeeb Dey on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Meet Vaibhav Taneja, the new CFO of Elon Musk’s Tesla

(August 12, 2023) Over a month after Tesla chief executive Elon Musk expressed interest in investing in India, and bringing the electric carmaker to India "as humanly soon as possible", the company has appointed Vaibhav Taneja as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in addition to his role as the current Chief Accounting Officer (CAO). The 45-year-old is taking over from predecessor Zachary Kirkhorn, who held the position for 13 years. In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Kirkhorn announced, "Today, Tesla announced my departure from the position of Chief Financial Officer. I am succeeded by Vaibhav Taneja, our esteemed Chief Accounting Officer. Being a part of this remarkable company has been a privilege, and I take immense pride in our collective achievements throughout my 13-year tenure." [caption id="attachment_43561" align="aligncenter" width="597"] Vaibhav Taneja[/caption] A chartered accountant, Vaibhav joined Tesla in 2017 after Musk's company acquired US-based solar panel developer Solar City, where he served as Vice President, Corporate Controller. Much before his professional stint, he ended up spending his days in the late 1990s in the compounds of Delhi University where he pursued a Bachelor of Commerce. Interested in finance and numbers, he cleared his CA in 2000, and soon joined Pricewaterhouse

days in the late 1990s in the compounds of Delhi University where he pursued a Bachelor of Commerce. Interested in finance and numbers, he cleared his CA in 2000, and soon joined Pricewaterhouse Coopers as an assistant manager where his role required him to manage audits and provide clients with consultation and advisory services. It was in 2003 that he switched to the PWC office in the US, and in total, ended up spending 17 years at PwC, which was also Tesla's longtime accounting firm.

"Right from the time he joined PwC, there was a sense of purpose in him,” Deepak Kapoor, former chairman of PwC India, told Forbes India. It was Kapoor who hired Taneja in 1999 and remembers him as someone who "sticks out in your memory" as he was always among the top performers in the company. Those 17 years helped PwC, he not only brought a sense of purpose to the table but also excellent people skills which helped him climb up the ladder. Kapoor describes Taneja as "very social and excellent accountant," adding that "his standards are very high."

It's these very skills, ethics, and standards that he brought to Tesla as he became its corporate controller in 2018 and was named chief accounting officer in March 2019. If reports are to be believed, Taneja's net worth is estimated at $52.1 million.

[caption id="attachment_43562" align="aligncenter" width="724"] Vaibhav Taneja | Global Indian Elon Musk with Vaibhav Taneja[/caption]

Taneja is not only known for his financial expertise but also for his wider influence. He was chosen to be a director at Tesla's Indian branch, Tesla India Motors, and Energy Private Limited. This shows how important he is in guiding the company's plans in India.

Taneja's appointment as CFO comes at a time when Elon Musk is planning to ramp up manufacturing and has plans of investing in India shortly. This June when he met PM Modi in New York during his US state visit, Elon expressed interest in exploring the Indian market for EVs. Calling himself a "big fan" of PM Modi, he said, "India has more promise than any large country in the world. He [PM Modi] really cares about India because he's pushing us to make significant investments in India, which is something we intend to do. We are just trying to figure out the right timing."

With the Indian EV market expected to grow by $113.99 by 2029, Elon Musk is looking at the hotspot that India has become in recent times. In the global electrification journey, Tesla, which is facing stiff competition from EV players like Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen, wants to draw more potential buyers. And now with Tesla's plan of expansion, it seems Taneja will have his hands full.

Tesla | Global Indian

Picking Taneja as the CFO of Tesla shows that the company values both financial skills and diversity. His background in both India and the United States represents Tesla's worldwide reach. Taneja's mix of strong education, practical experience, and strong dedication makes him a key person in Tesla's journey of creating new and sustainable ideas.

Follow Vaibhav Taneja on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 4 min

Bengal to Barbados: Sabir Nakhuda’s quest to unveil the untold story of Indian migration on the Caribbean island nation

(September 5, 2024) Nestled in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, next to North America. It's one of the more populous and prosperous Caribbean islands. The story of Indian migration to Barbados began around 1910 with Bashart Ali Dewan from West Bengal, the first documented migrant from India to the island. Intrigued by this historical narrative, Indian-origin Sabir Nakhuda, a former journalist and author who grew up in Barbados, dedicated 15 years to researching and crafting his book - Bengal to Barbados: A 100 Year History of East Indians in Barbados. “It is a labour of love and a crucial mission to preserve the history of a community whose story needed to be told,” he remarks while connecting with Global Indian. This year Sabir Nakhuda co-founded the Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc. and Bengal to Barbados Digital Project with his friend Suleiman Bulbulia to highlight the distinctness and impact of East Indian-Bajan identity. The digital project, which is being co-curated by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, weaves together migration stories from Bengal, Gujarat, Sindh, and South India with themes of cultural integration, heritage, and intergenerational experiences. [caption id="attachment_55453"

igital Project with his friend Suleiman Bulbulia to highlight the distinctness and impact of East Indian-Bajan identity. The digital project, which is being co-curated by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, weaves together migration stories from Bengal, Gujarat, Sindh, and South India with themes of cultural integration, heritage, and intergenerational experiences.

[caption id="attachment_55453" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Indian Art and Culture | Bengal to Barbados | Sabir Nakhuda | Global Indian Sabir Nakhuda (centre) with Indian-origin people during the launch of Bengal to Barbados Foundation and digital project[/caption]

Quest to revive Indian legacy in Barbados

In 1953 author Sabir Nakhuda’s father travelled from the village of Tadkeshwar in the Surat district of Gujarat to the distant Caribbean Island of Barbados for work. He was one of those Indian migrants from the region who were seeking better opportunities far from home. Five years later, in 1958, when Sabir was just ten years old, his father sent for him to join him in this new land. His mother and younger brother followed them in 1960, and the place became their new home.

“Growing up in Barbados, I navigated a unique cultural landscape, balancing my Indian roots with my new life in the Caribbean. I completed my primary and secondary education on the island, and later, pursued higher education in Canada. Fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, and Urdu, I always maintained a strong connection with my heritage, even as I adapted to my new environment,” Sabir tells.

It wasn’t until he began working at The Barbados Advocate, one of the oldest newspapers on the island, that he realised how little was known about the East Indian community in Barbados. He came across a few interviews from the 1950s with two elders from their community, which touched on their arrival in Barbados. But it quickly became apparent that there was so much more to uncover. “There were no documented records or any other accounts of our community’s history on the island. This realisation sparked a determination in me to dig deeper and document our story,” he remarks.

[caption id="attachment_55465" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Indian Art and Culture | Sabir Nakhuda | Bengal to Barbados | Global Indian Sabir Nakhuda at the 2024 Genealogy Market, Barbados[/caption]

With no written records to rely on, Sabir turned to oral history, visiting and interviewing various members of both the Barbadian and East Indian communities. He collected documents, photographs, and artefacts, piecing together the fragmented history of this often-overlooked group.

During my research, a particularly significant moment came when a family of early Bengali migrants shared an airmail letter with me. The sender’s address on the back of that letter led me to India, where I was determined to trace the roots of the first migrant who came to Barbados.

Sabir Nakhuda shares

In 1999, Sabir took a trip to India with a purpose – to find the first migrant from India who landed in Barbados. It was a journey that took him to the village of Jinpoor, where he found the descendants of the first migrant - Bashart Ali Dewan. It took him about two weeks to find the village of the first migrant.

“I interviewed his sons, other family members, and villagers, documenting their stories through pictures, videos, and recorded interviews. Often, my Bengali friends helped translate, ensuring that the rich history of these families was accurately captured. These recordings, now preserved in my hard drive, form a crucial part of the historical record I have worked to create,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_55456" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Indian Art Culture | Bengal Barbados | Sabir Nakhuda | Global Indian Bashart Ali Dewan - first Indian migrant to Barbados | Photo Courtesy : Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc[/caption]

Keeping heritage and connections alive

Along with his research, Sabir Nakhuda has also collected various Indian artefacts, including old bicycles, jackets, relics, and photographs. These items, along with the history of the East Indian community, have been displayed in genealogy and archive exhibitions in collaboration with the Barbados Archives Department, where Sabir has been a contributor for many years.

“I also give lectures on the arrival of East Indians and their contributions to nation-building in Barbados, ensuring that our story is told and remembered,” tells Sabir who is enjoying an active retired life.

Due to his research that lasted 15 years, the author and former journalist has developed strong connections with the families of other Bengali migrants across various villages in West Bengal. “Although I am a Gujarati and not related to Bashart Ali and his family, I visit them and family members of other migrants spread across various villages in Bengal, whenever I travel to India.” he mentions.

[caption id="attachment_55463" align="aligncenter" width="844"] Indian Art and Culture | Sabir Nakhuda | Bengal to Barbados | Global Indian Sabir Nakhuda presented his book to Barbados PM Freundel Stuart in 2013 and President of Guyana, Mohammed Irfan Ali in 2023[/caption]

Sabir Nakhuda has been to many parts of India dozens of times, and makes a point to visit his own uncles, aunts and extended family members in India, whenever possible.

One of my most cherished experiences was being invited to speak at the Visva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan in West Bengal in 2019, where I discussed the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean. I was elated to visit the place built by Rabindranath Tagore, as he is one of my favourite poets.

Sabir Nakhuda shares

In addition to his historical work, Sabir Nakhuda also writes poetry in English, Gujarati, and Urdu, and has continued his oral research, currently focusing on a book on the migration of Muslims from India to Barbados. “This upcoming work will detail the names of the villages from which Muslims have migrated, the history and pictures of these villages, and a chronology of every individual who came to Barbados from 1910 to 2023,” he says.

Creating legacy for future generations

The year 2016 was eventful both for Barbados as a nation and for Sabir Nakhuda as an author. It was the year when the nation celebrated 50 years of its independence. The same year, while attending the Commonwealth Prime Ministers meeting, Barbados's PM Freundel Stuart presented Nakhuda's book Bengal to Barbados to India's PM, Modi. "PM Stuart later told me that he discussed the context of my book with PM Modi and highlighted the contributions East Indians have made in various fields of nation-building," the author recalls. The foreword of the book was written by none other than PM Stuart himself.

During Barbados’s 50th anniversary of independence, the author was selected to serve on the committee organizing the celebrations. A time capsule was placed at the historic site of Independence Square in Bridgetown, the capital, where the Independence flag was first raised. Among the artifacts, two books were included: the autobiography of Sir Garfield Sobers, a former Barbadian cricketer who is considered Barbados's national hero and the greatest all-rounder in the world, and Bengal to Barbados.

The time capsule is set to be opened on Barbados's 100th anniversary in 2066. While I may not be around, my future generations will be, and most importantly, the legacy of the East Indian presence and our stories will resurface.

Nakhuda says with pride

[caption id="attachment_55690" align="aligncenter" width="433"] Indian Author | Sabir Nakhuda | Global Indian Cover Image of Sabir Nakhuda's book[/caption]

Connecting the dots

Sabir Nakhuda's friend Suleiman Bulbulia’s interest in co-founding the Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc. with him stems from the same deep commitment to preserve and promote the history and culture of the East Indian community in the Caribbean island nation. He even has a distant connection with the first documented Indian migrant to the country. “My paternal grandfather's second wife was related to Bashart Ali Dewan, the first documented East Indian migrant to Barbados,” he says.

Born and raised in Barbados, Suleiman's paternal and maternal grandfathers migrated from Kaphleta, Gujarat in the 1930s. With the Bengal to Barbados Foundation Inc. the retail senior manager by profession seeks to bridge cultural understanding and acceptance of Indian-origin people in the island nation.

[caption id="attachment_55460" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Indian Art and Culture | Suleiman Bulbulia | Bengal to Barbados | Global Indian Suleiman Bulbulia during the launch of Bengal to Barbados Foundation and digital project[/caption]

Both Sabir Nakhuda and Suleiman Bulbulia are dedicated to documenting the stories, history, and legacy of East Indians in Barbados. Their goal is to collect tangible, historic items from the Indian community to create a permanent display of these artefacts. Additionally, they aim to share the collected information through their website and social media platforms.

“Our efforts have centred around providing accurate historical information about the Indian community in Barbados while promoting their culture, knowledge, and heritage. These efforts have led to an understanding and acceptance of the Indian community among both the government and the general public in Barbados. Additionally, our work has strengthened the bonds of friendship between India and Barbados,” Suleiman signs off.

Follow Sabir Nakhuda and Suleiman Bulbulia on Facebook
To know more about Bengal to Barbados Digital Project, visit its website

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Frogman of India: Prof SD Biju is all set to make frogs popular at Harvard

(May 19, 2023) For those intrigued by the amphibian world, Professor SD Biju is a name to note. A pioneering herpetologist, he has unearthed 116 unique amphibian species across India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka and is now preparing to bring his expertise to Harvard University as a Radcliffe Fellow. “Delighted to announce that I will be joining the Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute as a Radcliffe Fellow,” tweeted the Delhi University professor Sathyabhama Das Biju. Popularly known as the ‘Frogman of India’, Prof SD Biju has been selected for the prestigious Harvard Radcliffe fellowship for 2023-24. The senior professor of environmental studies at DU is the 60th fellow representing biological sciences in 23 years of the Radcliffe programme at Harvard, and only the second fellow in this discipline from India. The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University is one of the world’s leading centres for interdisciplinary exploration and research. [caption id="attachment_38842" align="aligncenter" width="846"] Dr S.D. Biju[/caption] The Radcliffe Fellowship One of the most prestigious academic programmes in the world, the Radcliffe Fellowship is awarded every year to scholars, artists, and practitioners engaged in innovative work seeking to engage audiences beyond academia, confronting pressing social and policy issues along the

ramme at Harvard, and only the second fellow in this discipline from India. The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University is one of the world’s leading centres for interdisciplinary exploration and research.

[caption id="attachment_38842" align="aligncenter" width="846"] Indian Professor | SD Biju | Global Indian Dr S.D. Biju[/caption]

The Radcliffe Fellowship

One of the most prestigious academic programmes in the world, the Radcliffe Fellowship is awarded every year to scholars, artists, and practitioners engaged in innovative work seeking to engage audiences beyond academia, confronting pressing social and policy issues along the way. This is not the herpetologist’s first association with Harvard University, where he serves as an associate of the department of organismic and evolutionary biology. However, the Radcliffe fellowship gives him the chance to work there full-time.

During his fellowship, Prof Biju plans to accelerate his scientific efforts through on-site collaboration with Harvard faculty members, postdocs, and graduate students, making use of the rich specimen collections of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. He would work to expedite efforts to outpace nameless extinctions in India’s amphibian hot spots through the discovery and documentation of species and identification of key biodiversity areas for their conservation.

“The biologist attracted global attention to amphibians in South Asia when his three decades of work discovered over a hundred new species, created an upsurge in scientific knowledge,” stated the release from Harvard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLEA8zyE1uI

Tryst with frogs – how it all began

The research scientist earned his first PhD in Botany from University of Calicut, India, and contributed to knowledge on plants through several scientific publications and books. He went on to obtain his second PhD in animal science from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium and shifted his focus to amphibians.

In his acceptance speech of IUCN/ ASG Sabin Awards few years ago, Professor Biju shared “I was introduced to the wonderful world of amphibians by amphibians themselves. I was a plant taxonomist. Wherever I went searching for plants, frogs were there. I became fascinated by their colours, shapes and behaviours,” he said. Slowly his interest leaned from plants to frogs. “One day I realised that my mind is full of plans for frog study, and not for plants study. From that moment frogs took charge of my life.”

Prof Biju works in India’s forests and out of his laboratory at Delhi University. During his field studies, he has spent long days in forests, even going without food several times. “No stranger to starvation as a child, I can easily go without a meal or manage in any adverse circumstance during tough field trips. This has all now become part of my life,” he shared in an interview.

[caption id="attachment_38843" align="aligncenter" width="1163"] Indian Professor | SD Biju | Global Indian Photo Credit: Prof SD Biju[/caption]

Early life

Born in Kadakkal, a remote village close to a forest in Kerala, as a little boy he used to walk to school with a broken slate in hand, after selling milk in the morning and handing over the money to his mother to run the household. The family moved to Madathura after his birth and during the several years they spent living there, they would see wild elephants in their backyard almost everyday.

“I helped my parents from a young age in earning our livelihood. We had a small plot of land that we tilled. I bathed the cows, fed the chickens, walked every morning for five kilometres to sell the milk to a shop. It’s a life I cherished. That’s my strength,” he shared in an interview with Forbes.

Back then, the only language he knew was Malayalam and he struggled in college as ‘science was taught in English’. His sheer dedication towards the subject that helped him sail across all hurdles.

Today, ‘his discoveries alone represent 25 percent of India’s amphibian diversity,’ highlights a research report. Interestingly, out of 100 amphibian species discovered by Prof Biju, 40 are named after people who have played a significant role in his journey of rising from humble beginnings to becoming a world-renowned herpetologist.

To acknowledge his contribution to the world of amphibians, a research team led by other herpetologists have named two frogs after Biju - Beddomixalus bijui, which was discovered in Kerala by researcher Dr. Anil Zachariah and team in 2011, and Bijurana nicobarensis, discovered in 2020 from Nicobar Islands by a joint team of Indian and Indonesian herpetologists.

Indian Professor | SD Biju | Global Indian

Why are frogs significant at all

Calling himself a ‘crazy frog scientist going about his usual business.’ Professor Biju said in an interview with Mathrubhumi, “Frogs are a small, yet significant, part of the wide spectrum of an ecosystem. Our survival is dependent on such billions of life forms.” He believes that if frog population in a habitat is healthy, the good health of other species in the habitat can be maintained.

“Frogs are living fossils. With 230 million years of evolutionary history, frogs are the first land animals with a backbone that moved on earth. They are among the few living beings with us who have witnessed all the five mass extinctions,” he shared with Forbes.

Strongly advocating to build a mindset of conservation of all species in entirety instead of focusing on few, Prof Biju pointed out:

In the food chain, frogs form an important part of the diet of many other animals such as birds and snakes. If their populations decline, the entire ecological pyramid will collapse. That is why they are called the 'conveyor belts of life'.

“The highly permeable skin in frogs is sensitive to even the slightest of change in the environment. If the number of frogs decrease (in a habitat), so would other species co-inhabiting in those water bodies and wetlands,” he remarked, calling them ‘the herald of ecological balance’ and ‘environmental barometers,’ and emphasizing on why if all species need to survive, they must survive together.

[caption id="attachment_38847" align="aligncenter" width="1108"] Indian Professor | SD Biju | Global Indian Photo Credit: Prof SD Biju[/caption]

The ardent researcher

Prof SD Biju has published over 100 research articles in top scientific journals. His findings have appeared in popular international press like National Geographic, BBC, CNN, New York Times, Forbes, The Economist, Associated Press, and The Guardian.

“I am at the threshold of 60. I work for 16 hours every day. Frog study may seem absurd to some, but this is a realm of research which is highly vibrant,” the scientist remarked in an interview with Mathrubhumi.

The Global Indian has guided many PhD students and is happy with the quality of research he produced during the process. All his students are well-placed as professors or scientists in top universities and institutions in India and abroad.

With the support of Conservation International, USA, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) the herpetologist runs The LOST! Amphibians of India (LAI) which is a nation-wide citizen science and conservation initiative started in 2010 for rediscovering India's lost species of amphibians.

[caption id="attachment_38849" align="aligncenter" width="1115"] Herpetologist, professor SD Biju has unearthed 116 unique amphibian species and is now heading Harvard University as a Radcliffe Fellow. Prof Biju and his team on field study[/caption]

The Frog Prince

Under his leadership, some of the lost species of frogs like the Chalazodes Bubble-Nest Frog, were rediscovered in the Westerern Ghats after 136 years.

The frog researcher who founded Systematics Lab at the University of Delhi in 2006 has been making contributions towards conservation of amphibians through discovery and documentation of their species with his students. The Kerala-born has been recently conferred the first 'Kerala Sree' Award by the governor of the state in the presence of the chief minister. Prof Biju is often found capturing the images of the amphibians on camera with finesse of a skilled photographer. Such is his love for frogs that he even has an impressive collection of frog replicas in different shapes and sizes adorning his home.

[caption id="attachment_38888" align="aligncenter" width="1068"] Indian Professor | SD Biju | Global Indian A rare species - Indian Purple Frog ((Nasikabatrachus Sahyadrensis) that is usually found 18 feet under the soil discovered by Prof SD Biju | Photo Credit: Prof SD Biju[/caption]

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