Global IndianstoryThe World is mine: Megha Sudha Reddy, business tycoon, fashion icon, philanthropist

The World is mine: Megha Sudha Reddy, business tycoon, fashion icon, philanthropist

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(November 14, 2022) Megha Sudha Reddy can often be spotted in the company of Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria, Elizabeth Hurley, a galaxy of Hollywood stars and the world’s most influential leaders. Her iconic red-carpet appearances on the world stage are just too many.

From the Global Gift Gala to the MET Gala, Paris Couture Week and the First Ladies Luncheon — Sudha Reddy has stunned the global audience like no other. But that is only one part of her introduction. Philanthropy forms the other, more important part.

“I am an avid connoisseur of art, fashion, and the finer things in life,” smiles Megha Sudha Reddy, the Director of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited MEIL) in an exclusive conversation with Global Indian.

Sudha Reddy at the Met Gala 2021, wearing a Falguni Shane Peacock gown and Chanel stilletos. Photo: ANI

One of the leading business tycoons of India, a global fashion icon, socialite, philanthropist and globe trotter, Sudha Reddy gets into the distinct roles with such elan that she stuns the world in everything that she does.

A brief conversation with her will tell you that Sudha lives life on her own terms.

Fashion Icon

“My style is a replica of my personality. It is versatile and unique,” says Sudha Reddy, who was among the few invitees to the prestigious F4D (Fashion 4 Development) Annual First Ladies Luncheon during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York this year. Powerful women from various fields including fashion, politics and business ventures attended the mega event.

The fashion icon was honoured with the Fashion 4 Development Philanthropy Award by New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi. Previous winners include Charlize Theron, Diane Kruger, Arianna Huffington, Diane Von Furstenberg, Naomi Campbell, Amber Heard, Ellie Goulding and Victoria Beckham.

Leaving a mark in the global fashion circles, the billionaire walked the red carpet at the 2021 Met Gala. She is also the first woman from south India to have been invited by the committee of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in 2022.

Showcasing India’s artistic heritage

“My sole aim for this trip was to highlight India’s rich artistic heritage. Indian craftsmanship is something that has to be celebrated on the world stage,” says the billionaire who has attended private dinners hosted by some of the most prominent designers, including Christian Dior, Rahul Mishra, Giambattista Valli, Alexandre Vauthier, Armani Privé, Zuhair Murad and Rami al Ali, and Fendi.

She says that engaging in discourse with world’s most influential leaders at all the prestigious events she attended, offered her an opportunity to share her vision with them. “I feel blessed to represent my country on a global stage,” says the fashionista.

Her inspirations ? “Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe,” says the MEIL director, who was the first guest in the new Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Lucerne, Switzerland, recently, which is a rare honour for an Indian.

Globe-trotting and attending the mega events have enabled Sudha Reddy to expand her horizons and gain exposure. “Most importantly, I have learnt that there is always room for learning more,” says Sudha, who received a personal invite from Paris Hilton, requesting her presence at the launch of her fragrance in Mumbai last month.

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At work

When it comes to her work at Megha group of industries, the wife of top industrialist Megha Krishna Reddy and mother of two says that while there have been challenges, it has been a fulfilling journey. “Our focus is to take India’s infrastructural capacity to newer heights, in terms of road and highway infrastructure,” says the company’s director.

Born and brought up in Andhra Pradesh, she credits her husband Krishna Reddy, whom she describes as a great source of learning. “Sheer hard work has ensured that we and our family of 7,000 employees have turned dreams into reality,” says Sudha Reddy.

One of the major ongoing projects of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) is the Zojila Pass tunnel, with which they have created a place for itself by drilling a tunnel in the Himalayan range, the first of its kind in such a geographical zone.

Philanthropy

Making the world a better place is a mission Megha Sudha Reddy has chosen for herself.

“I have witnessed the struggles of the underprivileged communities across India. We all have something to give back to the society and do our bit. I am doing mine,” says Sudha.

Through the Sudha Reddy Foundation, the business tycoon is working tirelessly towards affordable healthcare, accessible education for the underprivileged even as she has taken massive steps in spreading awareness about cancer and other chronic diseases.

“Working for these causes is my mission. It keeps me motivated and drives me to do more for the people,” says the recipient of “Champions of Change” award from the Telangana government. She firmly believes that donating time, money or skills positively impacts lives of many people.

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She is actively associated with Action Against Hunger and Poverty, Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Fight Hunger Foundation.

“Anyone who is in a position to give back to society should do their bit,” feels Sudha Reddy, who advocates for equitable medical care and literacy while providing women and children with a forum to have their voices heard.

With kindness and compassion at the centre of her mission, she aims at aiding and uplifting many more lives across the length and breadth of India.

Not only does she work alongside American actress Eva Longaria to raise awareness about children suffering from chronic diseases, Sudha Reddy, she previously collaborated with Elizabeth Hurley to work toward breast cancer awareness.

Fitness freak

Whether she’s working, travelling or attending mega events around the world, the business tycoon makes it a point to devote some time to fitness. She never misses her 90 minute workout schedule, five days a week.

“I also practice yoga and eat in moderation. Regular exercising keeps stress at bay,” smiles Sudha Reddy, who regularly takes to meditation and indulges in various religious activities. “Prayers have healing powers,” is her firm belief.

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

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

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

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

From rural AP to the UK

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

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

Orthopaedics at King’s Hospital

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

Indian doctor | Dr Venu Kavarthapu | Global Indian

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

If the shoe fits… finding surgical solutions

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

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

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

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

Philanthropy at home

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

Indian doctor | Dr Venu Kavarthapu | Global Indian

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

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

A writer and a teacher

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

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

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

Follow Dr Venu Kavarthapu on Linkedin and Twitter

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Fellowship of life: Flying doctors whose air ambulances gave India its first aeromedical commandos

(November 20, 2021) They say a lot can happen over coffee. For doctor duo Dr Rahul Singh and Dr Shalini Nalwad, those conversations over a hot cuppa on numerous nippy Liverpool days led to India’s first aeromedical emergency unit and air ambulance service by International Critical Care Air Transfer Team (ICATT). Hyderabad born Dr Rahul Singh Sardar and Karnataka born Dr Shalini Nalwad launched the International Critical Care Air Transfer Team — a highly trained air ambulance service in India in 2017. Four years hence, these two flying doctors have trained India’s first aeromedical commandos, entered conflict zones, war-torn areas and answered pleas of critically ill patients, saving precious lives. An air ambulance is still considered just a means of transport in India. However, the docs stress that keeping critically ill patients stable with in-transit care is key to saving lives. This is where the ICATT team finds fulfilment. From undertaking the longest aeromedical operations from Johannesburg to Chennai to transfer a terminal Cancer patient during a global aviation lockdown in 2020 to airlifting an Indian engineer from Bagram air base in Afghanistan during lockdown, and executing hassle-free air transfers of 400 critical Covid patients within and outside the country

outside the country — the highly trained team has been busy.

Behind the team of emergency responders are two determined and dedicated doctors who turned entrepreneurs, resolutely self-learnt business, and successfully launched a company that is now one of the leading air ambulance providers in Asia. The team has won an excellence award for “innovation in emergency medicine” at the Emergency Medical Conference in the UK.

[caption id="attachment_16262" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Dr Rahul Singh and Dr Shalini Nalwad[/caption]

The doctors who studied in the UK and Ireland brought back a wealth of training and experience to harness it for an India that even pre pandemic needed aeromedical expertise.

A fortuitous meeting

Dr Rahul's parents Narpath Singh and mother Sartaj Kaur are from Sikh families settled in South India. The Hyderabad Public School student (which also groomed Satya Nadella and chief ministers) dabbled in computers in his gap year, even entered a personality contest, modelled and choreographed too. Soon the shy and introvert boy who trusted few, transformed. Inspired by relatives in the medical profession, he joined BLDE Medical College in Bijapur (1994), interned at Gandhi General Hospital in Hyderabad, and enrolled for a highly competitive training programme in Anaesthesia and Critical Care in Southeast Thames Deanery, London. As part of the “Shock team” in Glasgow, air transport of patients across Scotland and beyond prepared him for the gargantuan task ahead. He also did higher specialist training in North West Deanery with Manchester as base.

Happenstance connected him with Dr Shalini in 2013, “During the Royal College final fellowship exams, I did a preparatory course in Liverpool where I met Dr Shalini who was from a different Deanery doing the same course,” says Dr Rahul whose wife Dr Daljeet Kaur incidentally is a psychiatrist.

[caption id="attachment_16263" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Dr Rahul Singh[/caption]

Dr Shalini studied at St Joseph’s Convent in Mandya. Selected for the Goldman Sachs’ fellowship programme for women entrepreneurs at Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru, she finished her fellowship from The College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland and Membership (postgraduate training) from the Royal College of Anaesthetists, UK. She worked at Europe’s leading air ambulance company AirMed International, and has transferred Level 2-3 patients, trained over 300 doctors, nurses and paramedics in emergency medical and pre-hospital courses. In the past, she has rescued patients across five countries, two continents - airlifting from Libya amidst conflict, war zones like Tripoli, Egypt and Mauritania, and a patient with brittle interstitial lung disease from Karachi for a lung transplant. She is married to Harshavardhana Nalwad, an Orthopaedic surgeon.

A step in time saves nine

“From concept to setting up a bootstrapped grossly under-funded company where the promoters multi-tasked and did everything, to becoming the largest air ambulance service in Asia within four years is an achievement that has made us more confident, mature and less insecure,” smiles Dr Rahul as Dr Shalini nods in agreement, in an exclusive with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_16301" align="aligncenter" width="2831"] The flying doctors Dr Rahul Singh and Dr Shalini Nalwad with their team.[/caption]

"The company is owned by us without loans or credit,” Dr Shalini adds. While their corporate office is in Bengaluru, operational offices are spread across Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.

The biggest challenge starting up in 2017 in an era that witnessed major aviation failures (Sahara and Kingfisher), was the complex business model. It saw the duo with no formal training in business pivot. “We had no other option but to boot strap and grow. This was a blessing in disguise as it forced us to work as a lean organisation, and everyone multi-tasked. It made us step out of our medical boots and get involved in the overall running of a corporate,” says Dr Shalini.

[caption id="attachment_16266" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Dr Rahul Singh and Dr Shalini Nalwad[/caption]

The absence of training programmes for aero-medical sciences or transit care medicine in a country where ICU training in emergency situations was, and is still evolving, they had a huge task ahead. “There was a global reluctance to invest in Indian aviation which we overcame organically,” they inform, each harnessing decade-long experience.

Close friends and family helped smoothen the business and organisational end. “At that time, there were no air ambulance aircrafts in South India. All the planes were in Delhi, and thus performing an aeromedical operation in South India incurred heavy ferry costs,” Dr Shalini recalls. There were no regulations from the DGCA on the use of helicopters in medical roles too. After tough struggles, they were invited by the DGCA to make the draft civil aviation requirement document on HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service).

[caption id="attachment_16299" align="aligncenter" width="617"] The flying doctors[/caption]

Embarking on relationship building, and an awareness campaign, early 2016 saw them touch base with medical professionals in hospitals. Invited to conferences, it became a platform to display the air ambulance service practiced in other parts of the world. “We conducted workshops and live helicopter drills, even landed a helicopter in a car park of a conference to display HEMS,” Dr Rahul avers.

After single minded effort and pointers courtesy the duo, DGCA’s operations circulars on HEMS now authorise helicopters to take off and land without prior permissions for medical emergencies. “This forms the basis for all helicopter medical operations to be done in India in the future,” says a victorious Dr Shalini who did her MBBS from JSS Medical College, Mysore University.

It was their wealth of experience which made the air ambulance service a reality. From conception to designing training programmes for flying doctors, also called a Fellowship in Aero-Medical Sciences, they were on track to saving lives. “The syllabus was written by colleagues in London HEMS, a clinical director was appointed from Kent, and the complete faculty came from the UK Aero-Medical Services,” says Dr Rahul, the recipient of a National Business Excellence and Achiever's Award 2021.

How to gain a fellowship

The course runs in four modules, candidates train in India for three modules in real conditions, the last is in London with real time HEMS operations,” they share. Notably, such a training programme for flying doctors is the first in India.

“Our doctors undergo one of the world’s best training in critical care, anaesthesia, pre-hospital emergency medicine and extra corporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO). Gruelling sessions at the National Health Service (UK) helped incorporate the culture of clinical governance,” they explain, beaming with pride. The services offered include trauma emergency response, planned air transfer, organ retrieval, ecmo, neonatal, paediatric and high-risk obstetric transfers.

During his specialist training at Northwest Deanery, Manchester, Dr Rahul won the Robbie McKendrick Prize for his work on cardiorespiratory monitoring during transfer of critical patients.

Prices vary between ₹3 lakh to ₹12 lakh, and it is dependent on route, hours flown, patient condition, etc, and offers two aircrafts — a B200 and a C90, both twin engine turbo props.

Saviours during the pandemic

ICATT’s most challenging and ground-breaking operations started during the pandemic. “We did a record creating 126 ECMO initiations and transfers in the past year, more than 400 Covid critical patient transfers,” say the flying doctors who had to overcome insurmountable bureaucratic roadblocks in government machinery to obtain clearances.

Dr Shalini also cautions on the use of air ambulances and says there is nothing called an easy transfer, “It is imperative to understand the impact on the well-being of a patient.” How these two doctors-turned-business partners were able to succeed in a logic-defying venture like air ambulances, one wonders. “Getting involved in every aspect of business, setting achievable goals, enjoying and celebrating small victories, improvising and changing game plans as things evolve made us successful. It taught us to never give up,” they add.

[caption id="attachment_16271" align="alignnone" width="1080"] The flying doctors[/caption]

Dr Rahul and Dr Shalini have added to Brand India with their expertise, and feel, “India is the best place on Earth, especially because a concept can change into an empire if proven right, that (thought) is huge.

Giving back

ICATT Foundation (set up after the 2018 Kerala floods) provides free air ambulance service to the poor. “Under the aegis of ICATT Foundation, we launched the Covid India Campaign — a pan India disaster task force in March 2020 with thousands of volunteers. We raised about Rs 30 crore in donations, and trained nearly 30,000 students in CPR across Karnataka,” informs Dr Shalini, chairperson. her favourite Global Indian is the ex-Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar whose non-conventional persona and success inspire her.

Follow Dr Shalini Nalwad on Linkedin and Dr Rahul Singh Sardar on Linkedin

Reading Time: 9 min

Sagar Honnungar: Building disruptive AI at Hakimo

(October 29, 2022) Puzzles can be deceptively simple, if you know how to approach them. Techpreneur Sagar Honnungar, the co-founder of Hakimo has what it takes to solve even the most complex ones. In school, Sagar Honnungar loved solving puzzles. That childhood hobby continued to inspire him, even his work today could be described as solving a mountain of puzzles, as he and his team go about securing big enterprises, including airports and multinational companies. Hakimo, where Sagar is both co-founder and CTO, is a California-based company that acts as an AI assistant for GSOC (Global Security Operations Centre) operators in big enterprises by eliminating most nuisance alarms and enabling them to prioritise high severity alerts using cutting-edge AI solutions. “This significantly reduces the chances of a real break-in going unnoticed by security operators in the midst of false alarms,” explains Sagar, in conversation with Global Indian. The company’s product won the Judges Choice award across all categories in the New Products Showcase at ISC West conference this year — a proud moment for the Hakimo team. [caption id="attachment_31149" align="aligncenter" width="684"] Sagar Honnungar, co-founder of Hakimo[/caption] Growing up in Bengaluru, the garden city and Silicon Valley of India, Sagar did

-31149" src="https://www.globalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PHOTO-2022-10-18-00-36-281.jpg" alt="Techpreneur | Sagar Honnunagar | Global Indian" width="684" height="513" /> Sagar Honnungar, co-founder of Hakimo[/caption]

Growing up in Bengaluru, the garden city and Silicon Valley of India, Sagar did his schooling until Class X at S. Cadambi Vidya Kendra, and then went to National Public School Rajajinagar until Class XII. “I had always been the class topper and was taught to aim high in life,” recalls Sagar, who was strong in science and mathematics. His father Kashinath Honnungar was an electronics engineer (now retired), mother Sanjivani Honnungar is a home-maker.

As a child, he wanted to be an astronaut, for he was fascinated by the vast expanse of the sky and space. But when he was first taught Java in high school, Sagar discovered he was that quite good at programming and fell in love with it.

The cream of the crop

Having performed well in the IIT-JEE examination, Sagar went to IIT Madras for his undergraduate studies. “I learnt to adjust to new environments and live independently. The peer group was undoubtedly the best,” smiles Sagar, who maintained a stellar academic record.

He first visited the US in the summer of 2015 as a Viterbi-India scholar to complete a research internship at USC (University of Southern California). Towards the final year of his undergrad, the techpreneur developed an interest in computer vision and computational imaging. He completed his B Tech in Electrical Engineering in 2016 and ranked second in the entire department.

The Stanford experience

Sagar returned to the US a year later and this time, for a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. For this, he received the JN Tata Endowment Scholarship. Sagar describes the Graduate school at Stanford as an intense and enriching experience. “Since it has a quarter-based system as opposed to a semester system, it felt quite fast-paced compared to my undergrad. I soaked up all that I could during my two years there and did a number of research projects in the field of machine learning,” explains Sagar, who graduated in 2018.

[caption id="attachment_31150" align="aligncenter" width="643"] Techpreneur | Sagar Honnunagar | Global Indian The Honnungar family[/caption]

He considers himself lucky to have worked with renowned experts like Prof. Srijan Kumar and Prof. Jure Leskovec on identifying malicious users based on their activity in websites like Wikipedia, and understanding and predicting entity-set interactions in different kinds of networks.

The IT guy

The Stanford alumni’s first job after college was at a fast-growing startup called Rubrik, which was right next to Stanford, where he worked from 2018 to 2020 as a software engineer. “I built Rubrik’s first cloud native data management product for O365 protection on a SaaS platform, designed with a unique enterprise architecture,” informs Sagar, who was also an integral part of the design and implementation of the storage layer which managed the entire lifecycle of data stored on the platform. Two patents were filed based on his work at Rubrik.

Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley

As he was thinking about and researching different startup ideas at the beginning of 2020, Sagar met with his friend, Samuel Joseph, who was also looking to work on something new. Together, they founded Hakimo in California, now a 15-person company that has disrupted the physical security industry like no other.

The Hakimo team noticed a few major trends. For example, the number of cameras being deployed was increasing exponentially and they were mostly for physical security use cases. The cost of cameras was coming down rapidly, and computer vision and deep learning techniques were advancing fast, opening up possibilities for new innovative products.

“With these trends in mind, we spoke to a number of security professionals to understand their pain points,” he says. Two major problems came up repeatedly — false alarms from access control systems and tailgating incidents. He and his team analysed the reasons and came up with solutions.

Building a prototype and a successful launch

Sagar built the initial prototype of the algorithm and tested it out on a few sample alarm videos from a couple of interested customers. “They were highly impressed at what Hakimo’s AI algorithms were able to achieve,” says Sagar, whose elder sister, Shruti works as a software engineer in the US.

They swiftly decided to raise VC funding to take it to the next level. “We raised a $4M seed round in Oct 2020 with Neotribe Ventures as our lead investor with participation from Defy Ventures and Firebolt Ventures and some angels. We have now grown to a team of 15 split between the US and India,” informs Sagar.

Techpreneur | Sagar Honnunagar | Global Indian

One of the logistical challenges he faced was understanding and navigating the visa requirements and constraints when founding a company in the US since Sagar was an Indian citizen. “In the early days, we encountered a lot of challenges which are common among most startups. Hiring a good initial team is very important but also hard since the candidate has to trust the vision of the company and take a big leap of faith without concrete signals of growth or success,” he explains.

How do tailgating detection and false alarms filter work?

Hakimo’s software is layered on top of and integrates with the existing access control system (which manages the badge readers and door sensors) and the video management system or cameras. It ingests alarms from the access control system and for every alarm, fetches the corresponding video from the camera facing the door or alarm point. The AI engine then analyses the video using state-of-the-art machine learning and computer vision techniques to provide a severity score for the alarm and resolves it automatically if it is found to be a false positive.

“Our product can eliminate more than 80% of such nuisance alarms, of which some common ones are Door Forced Open (DFO) and Door Held Open (DHO). We can identify tailgating by correlating the badge reads from the access control system with the number of people entering through the door in the video for that time window,” he explains.

Rooted in tech skills

A strong technical background forms the core of the Hakimo team, with multiple employees from reputed colleges like IITs and Stanford. Each team member has deep expertise in computer vision, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and design of robust, scalable and reliable software systems.

Roughly half of Sagar’s workday is spent on managing, coordinating, guiding and unblocking the team on ongoing projects. Then, it’s time for talking to customers, identifying avenues for improvement and product expansion and thinking about the company’s vision and roadmap. “The remainder of my day goes into coding and contributing to product development. I also actively engage in hiring activities for team leaders across different departments as well as engineers in the company,” says Sagar.

Expansion to India

The California-based company already has an R&D centre in India and currently employs around eight people with plans to expand over the next few months. But currently they are selling only in the US market. “Once we reach certain milestones in the US market, we will be looking to expand and get some clients in India as well,” informs Sagar, whose way of giving back is by creating more jobs back home.

Techpreneur | Sagar Honnunagar | Global Indian

When not working, Sagar loves to explore the outdoors and going on hikes in the sunny California weather. Otherwise, one can spot him playing tennis or the piano to unwind during his free time. “I also find solving different sorts of puzzles like sudoku and crosswords very exciting,” smiles the Hakimo co-founder, who is currently reading Masters of Doom, the story of two legendary game programmers Carmack and Romero.

Follow Sagar Honnungar on Linkedin

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Village Roots to Global Plates: Chef Suresh Pillai elevating Kerala cuisine on the world stage

(October 25, 2024) It’s a cool winter morning in London, and the bustling streets outside can’t match the calm and focus inside the Michelin-starred Veeraswamy restaurant. In the kitchen, Chef Suresh Pillai works his magic—perfecting the flavours of his signature Kerala-inspired dishes. It’s hard to imagine that this man, revered as a culinary genius, once worked as a waiter earning ₹450 a month. His journey from a modest beginning in a small town in Kerala to becoming a celebrated name in London's elite culinary circles is nothing short of extraordinary. Humble Beginnings and Early Struggles Born and raised in Chavara Thekkumbhagom, a sleepy village in Kollam, Kerala, Chef Suresh's early life was far removed from the glitz and glamour of Michelin-star kitchens as his parents were coir labourer. Financial constraints meant Pillai had to abandon his academic pursuits early on. He left school after class X, but his thirst for learning and ambition to break out of his circumstances never waned. [caption id="attachment_58528" align="aligncenter" width="806"] Chef Suresh Pillai[/caption] At 17, Pillai took on various jobs, including a security guard. However, the long solitary nights filled him with dread, and soon, he found himself in a new role — a waiter

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At 17, Pillai took on various jobs, including a security guard. However, the long solitary nights filled him with dread, and soon, he found himself in a new role — a waiter at Chef King - a restaurant in Kollam. Earning a meager salary of ₹450 per month, the young Pillai would work long hours, but it was here that he stumbled upon his passion for cooking. As he helped in the kitchen with odd tasks like chopping vegetables and meat, he began to feel drawn to the culinary world.

"I never thought I would be a chef,” he recalls. But, working in that restaurant, watching the cooks, and helping out, "I slowly realised that I have an interest in cooking." Over time, the passion grew, and he transitioned from a waiter to a cook on the persistence of the chef, soaking in all the knowledge he could from the chefs he worked alongside. But he was just getting started.

The Journey of a Thousand Miles: From Kollam to London

Kerala's cuisine, with its rich and diverse flavours, has always had a special place in the hearts of its diaspora, especially in the UK, where the Malayalee community has long craved authentic flavours of home. Chef Suresh was poised to take these familiar flavours to a global audience, but the road was anything but easy. After gaining experience in regional cuisines across Kerala and Bengaluru, Pillai dreamt of working in a five-star hotel. However, the lack of a formal degree in hotel management was the biggest roadblock for Chef Suresh. Despite excelling in cooking tests, he often was rejected due to the lack of a degree.

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After much effort, he landed a job at The Leela Palace in Bengaluru, but the position came with a harsh reality: despite his years of experience, he had to join as a trainee due to his lack of formal culinary education. He had to forgo his 12 years of experience, but I knew this was my chance to grow. "I got an insight into the working of an organised hotel industry, their methods, and best practices. This changed my career and helped me to grow as a professional chef," said Pillai. He persevered and within two years, became an integral part of the hotel's kitchen.

It was this determination and drive that eventually led him to the iconic Veeraswamy restaurant in London. Founded in 1927 by a British man, Edward Palmer, who married an Indian lady, Veeraswamy at Piccadilly Circus is the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, known for serving royalty, celebrities, and politicians. His appointment to work at London's first Asian restaurant was a pivotal moment in his career. The restaurant, while predominantly known for its North Indian cuisine, offered Pillai the opportunity to introduce authentic Kerala dishes, adding his personal touch to the menu. His cooking was a hit, and soon, he was a name to be reckoned with in London's elite culinary circles.

Challenges on the International Stage

However, his rise wasn't without its challenges. Transitioning to life in London, while exciting, was filled with difficulties. For one, navigating the British culinary world as an Indian chef came with cultural and professional hurdles. "I had never travelled outside Kerala, let alone India, before moving to London. It was a completely new world," Pillai recalled.

Chef Suresh Pillai | Global Indian

Despite these challenges, he thrived. His crowning moment came when he was selected to compete in the BBC MasterChef competition, becoming only the second Malayalee chef to make it to the iconic show. He dazzled the judges with his fish curry made with mackerel and green mangoes — bringing the flavors of Kerala to the world stage.

"MasterChef was a dream come true," Pillai said, adding that he had applied multiple times before finally making the cut. His appearance on the show catapulted him to even greater heights in the UK’s culinary scene, but perhaps more importantly, it made him a hero for the Indian diaspora.

The UK’s Love for Kerala Cuisine

As Malayalees settled in the UK, which currently is a population of 45,000, they longed for the flavours of home — dishes like fish curry, appams, and traditional sadyas. Kerala cuisine, known for its use of coconut, spices, and seafood, began to gain prominence in London with more restaurants offering the cuisine. Soon, thanks to Chef Suresh Pillai, Veeraswamy became a hotspot for not only the Indian diaspora but also for Londoners eager to explore the unique tastes of South India. Today, Kerala cuisine is celebrated as one of the defining elements of Indian food culture in the UK, thanks to pioneers like Pillai who have brought it to the global stage.

"In London, there’s a deep love for the familiar flavours of Kerala. Whether it's the spicy fish curries or the traditional appams, people long for a taste of home." - Chef Suresh Pillai

In a city filled with Indian restaurants, many of which focus on North Indian cuisine, Pillai's commitment to showcasing the nuances of Kerala's food set him apart.

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Life came a full circle for the chef when he, who didn't have a formal education in culinary arts, found an opportunity to deliver lectures on Kerala cuisine to hotel management students of the University of Bahamas in the West Indies. "Teaching at the Bahamas University has been one of my biggest achievements mainly because I was not able to attend and complete college myself," the Global Indian said, adding, "Their cooking style is entirely different and I showed them how fresh seafood and fresh products could be cooked together."

A Return to Roots and Family

In 2018, after 14 years of living in the UK, Pillai made a life-changing decision. Despite enjoying a comfortable life in London with his wife and two children, he yearned to give back to his homeland and share the knowledge he had gained abroad. He returned to Kerala, where he joined the Raviz Group of hotels as their culinary director. "I have learnt so much from my experience from different parts of the world in terms of knowledge, ideas and hygiene standards. Whatever I have learnt I wanted to bring it to my people," he added.

His dishes like the ‘Taste of Ashtamudi’ tasting menu, served at the renowned Raviz Hotel in Kerala, reflect his dedication to presenting the unique flavours of his homeland on an international platform.

His family, deeply connected to his journey, has always been his support system. His wife Remya and his children, Aiswarya and Sreehari, have witnessed his incredible journey from a waiter in Kollam to a celebrated chef in London. "I wanted my children to get them acquainted with India and its culture. They were living in the UK, and I realised that they needed to know the culture and life of India. I wanted them to experience both cultures so that they can choose what they think is best for them."

A Journey Far from Over

Chef Suresh Pillai's journey isn't just about personal achievement — it's about keeping Kerala's rich culinary traditions alive on the global stage. By bringing the authentic flavours of his homeland to international audiences, while staying firmly rooted in his culture, Pillai has become a beloved figure, especially within the Indian community abroad. His dedication to showcasing Kerala’s unique cuisine has helped elevate its status, making it not only known but celebrated far beyond India.

In 2021, he started his own restaurant - Restaurant Chef Pillai in Bengaluru, followed by another branch of his restaurant at Hotel Le Meridien, Kochi in 2022.

Chef Suresh Pillai

A chess player, who loves music and books, Chef Suresh remains committed to popularising Kerala cuisine. "It brought me from a small town in Kerala to the world stage, and I want to use that power to give back to my community."

For Chef Suresh Pillai, the journey from Kollam to London may be complete, but the journey of sharing Kerala's culinary heritage with the world is far from over.

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The ‘Gandhi’ actor’s transformation: From Krishna Bhanji to Ben Kingsley

(October 2, 2023) When Ben Kingsley was shooting for the 1982 film Gandhi, his resemblance to Mahatma Gandhi was so strong that locals at the film shoot thought that he was the late leader’s ghost. Over the years, several notable actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Darshan Zariwala have portrayed the father of the nation on screen winning awards and accolades but Ben Kingsley’s portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi continues to hold the undisputed gold standard of the iconic character on screen. The performance did not just earn Kingsley critical acclaim but won him an Academy Award for best actor and BAFTA award for best actor in a leading role. In a career that spans more than five decades, the Indian descent actor has carved a niche for himself in global cinema. He has received several awards and accolades along the way, including a Grammy award, a British Academy Film award, and two Golden Globes. In 2002, the actor was Knighted for his services to the film industry by the late Queen Elizabeth II. [caption id="attachment_37853" align="aligncenter" width="666"] Ben Kingsley with late Queen Elizabeth II[/caption] After earning the honour of being appointed the Knight Bachelor, Kingsley said in an interview with the BBC: I told

, the actor was Knighted for his services to the film industry by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

[caption id="attachment_37853" align="aligncenter" width="666"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley with late Queen Elizabeth II[/caption]

After earning the honour of being appointed the Knight Bachelor, Kingsley said in an interview with the BBC:

I told the Queen that winning an Oscar pales into insignificance — this is insurmountable. I feel that I am a storyteller and to receive a knighthood is the real recognition of that.

In 2010, Kingsley was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2013, he received the Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment and a Padma Shri by the Government of India. The Indian-origin actor’s handprints are displayed at Leicester square London, along with floor-mounted plaques of other film stars of repute.

From Krishna Pandit Bhanji to Ben Kingsley

Born to a Gujarati father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, and an English mother, Anna Lyna Mary Goodman, Ben Kingsley’s real name is Krishna Pandit Bhanji. He was born in Yorkshire, England and grew up in a family that was proud of its Indian heritage. 

Aspiring to make it big as an actor, he changed his name to Ben Kingsley early in his career.

In an interview to Radio Times he said, "As soon as I changed my name, I got the job. I had one audition as Krishna Bhanji and they said, 'Beautiful audition but we don't quite know how to place you in our forthcoming season.' I changed my name, crossed the road, and they said when can you start?"

It was the 1960s. In those days, the South Asian actors were not held in high regard. Kingsley’s fear that his birth name might not be accepted by casting directors and audiences had come true compelling him to change his name. “I chose the name Ben Kingsley because I wanted a name that sounded ‘solid and dependable’ and at the same time would be easy for people to remember in the British film industry,” he said in an interview with The Guardian. Kingsley had always been inspired by his grandfather’s bookshop, which was called King’s Lee, and chose a similar-sounding name for himself.

[caption id="attachment_37854" align="aligncenter" width="434"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley with Meryl Streep after winning their Oscars[/caption]

However, despite changing his name, Kingsley has always been proud of his Indian heritage and has often spoken about his love for Indian culture. He has also actively sought out roles that showcase his connection to India, and always remained indebted to the makers of Gandhi for giving him the role of a lifetime. During the filming of Gandhi in India, he got the opportunity to immerse himself in Indian culture and learn more about the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

Apart from an exhaustive list of incredible work in world cinema, Ben Kingsley has appeared in several films with Indian themes, such as A Common Man and Teen Patti. He played the role of a Sikh driving instructor in the film Learning to Drive and lent his voice to the character of Bagheera in the adaptation of Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book (2016), which was a remake of the 1967 film. Kingsley has also recorded Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi  in a book-on-tape format.

Immense love for cinema

After completing his education, Kingsley pursued a career in acting and made his debut in the 1960s with roles in various British television shows and stage productions.

He struggled to set up a base in the British film industry and had a difficult time finding work in the initial years of his career. The actor was even told by one casting director that he was ‘not tough enough to make it as an actor’. Undeterred, Kingsley continued to pursue his passion and eventually found success.

With dedication towards his craft, Kingsley continued to hone his acting skills, and created a niche with his method acting approach, immersing himself in the characters and the backgrounds. For his role in Gandhi, the actor went on a strict vegetarian diet, learned to spin his own yarn and even slept on the floor to get into the character.

[caption id="attachment_37856" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley[/caption]

In Iron Man 3, he played the role of the villainous Mandarin, who used to address everyone as ‘darling’. The actor was so committed to his performance that he even stayed in character off camera. He would speak in the accent he used for his character and called everyone ‘darling’.

As much as he is a fine actor, Kingsley has been a good mentor too. He has mentored many young actors including Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel with whom he worked in the film, The Last Legion. Patel went on to publicly mention Kingsley’s mentorship on several occasions and the impact it had on his career.

The affable star

Truly a Global Indian, Ben Kingsley has always been proud of his Indian identity and has sought to celebrate it through his work. His personal style often reflects this, as he is known for incorporating India-inspired elements into his wardrobe and has been spotted wearing traditional Indian clothing such as kurtas and sherwanis at public events.

He has visited India several times for work and on personal trips.

In an interview with The Times of India, Kingsley said:

I feel a strong connection to India, and I am always looking for opportunities to visit the country and learn more about its culture.

[caption id="attachment_37857" align="aligncenter" width="449"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley and Rohini Hattangadi in the movie Gandhi[/caption]

At 79, the actor who gained global recognition due to his talent and hard work is still active. His latest cinematic endeavours have been Jules, an American science fiction comedy in which he plays the central character, and the American adventure comedy, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. In it Kingsley has starred opposite Dev Patel and other global actors.

- Follow Ben Kingsley on Twitter

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