Global IndianstoryAnshu Ahuja and Renee Williams: Making takeaway in London sustainable with DabbaDrop

Anshu Ahuja and Renee Williams: Making takeaway in London sustainable with DabbaDrop

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(February 10, 2024) Dressed in a white outfit and traditional Gandhi topi, an army of about 5000 dabbawallas push through every nook and corner of Mumbai to satiate the hunger of over 200,000 Mumbaikars daily with home-cooked food for 125 years. This very lifeline of Mumbai inspired a Mumbaikar, who is now settled in London, to start DabbaDrop – London’s first plastic-free, waste-free and emissions-free takeaway. In just five years, co-founders Anshu Ahuja and Renee Williams have saved 2,03,370 plastic containers and prevented 2,500 kg of food waste from going into landfills through DabbaDrop.

“In the past few years, people have started ordering a lot, thanks to the arrival of food delivery apps. After having that food, we end up with a bin full of plastic. The packaging is very wasteful and greasy. You can’t recycle it. So, I wanted to find a better way to order in,” the Global Indian said in an interview.

Renee Williams and Anshu Ahuja

Zero wastage takeaway

Growing up in Mumbai with a Tamilian mother and a Punjabi father, food remained a big part of Anshu’s life. As a teenager whenever she stepped out to try some food, she would end up recreating the same in her kitchen upon her return. “This way I could continue to taste the flavours.”

However, after moving to London and working a high-pressure job as a TV producer, she would often end up ordering food. But the options for vegetarian food were very limited and the food always arrived in plastic containers. Keen to find a better way, she quit her 15-year-long stint in TV production to start Dabba Drop. It began with her reproducing her family’s recipes, packing them in reusable metal tiffin or dabbas, and delivering it by bike in the nearby areas of Hackney. She texted a handful of friends about the idea, and the first week saw six people ordering in, and later the number rose to 25. In just 18 months, DabbaDrop was feeding 300 people weekly across Hackney, Leyton and Walthamstow.

Eco-friendly delivery

One of her first messages landed in Renee William’s textbox, who was a restaurant event producer. Coming from New Zealand, she believes in nature and sustainability and instantly fell in love with the concept of DabbaDrop. “I loved the theatre of not knowing what was inside the dabba before I opened it, and the wholesome food and sustainability element really ticked all the boxes for me,” Renee said in an interview. In no time, the conversations between the two turned into how to make this idea bigger and better.

Offering healthy South Asian cuisine

They work on a flexible subscription-based system that allows people to sign up weekly or fortnightly, with a set menu for every week. They curate the mains, and customers can add the sides. “We cook all our dals, curries and subzi’s from scratch in our commercial kitchen, using 100% natural ingredients – vegetables, lentils, legumes, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Our handmade spice mixes are made fresh every week and everything is made in small batches,” reads their website. With DabbaDrop, Anshu and Renee wanted to introduce Londoners to Indian flavours and textures. “What we serve is not something that is easily available in a traditional Indian restaurant.”

“Our meals are vegan and South Asian. We want to follow the journey of the curry. This way, we are uncovering the history of Indians as they emigrated across the world,” added Anshu, who avoids wastage, thanks to pre-orders. The chefs cook for the exact amount of people who have ordered, as one dabba can easily serve two people.

DabbaDrop | Global Indian

The dabbas that serve meals from Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kerala, Delhi, and Hyderabad are then mounted onto bicycles, e-bikes, and other emission-free vehicles for delivery in Zones 1-3 of London And the empty dabbas can be picked up during the next delivery. “We use everything that is reusable. We are constantly trying to improve our packaging. We want to leave a better planet for our kids,” added Anshu.

Dabbadrop has more than 2,000 subscribers and delivers food all over East London. They want to grow bigger in the future. They got £500,000 in their first funding round, which made the company worth £2.7 million. “We want to change the way London does take away,” said Anshu.

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Published on 10, Feb 2024

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Inspiring young minds: Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani is building bridges between India and Germany

(July 4, 2022) About 10 minutes into the interview, I asked Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani what drew him to pursue a degree in zoology. "It was actually cricket," he said. When I asked him if he was talking about cricket 'the game', the scholar laughed and added, "Yes. Not unlike other kids in India, I grew up playing cricket. No matter how busy I was with my studies, I would always find time to play the game. I was a part of my school team, and eventually, I played for the district. After I finished my XII standard, I wasn't so sure about what next, but I knew that I had to join a University that had a good cricket team, so that I can continue playing." His start might have been unusual, but it was cricket that set this scholar on a path to glory. Today, a member of staff of Leibniz University of Hannover (LUH), Germany, Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani is the founder of Indian Association Hannover, an initiative that has attracted numerous members of all ages, organises many events and provides support with administrative aspects, doctor's appointments or childcare issues. The Global Indian, who is also a member of

iversity of Hannover (LUH), Germany, Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani is the founder of Indian Association Hannover, an initiative that has attracted numerous members of all ages, organises many events and provides support with administrative aspects, doctor's appointments or childcare issues. The Global Indian, who is also a member of the Hannover Mitte district council of the Social Democratic Party and acts as an advisory member in the international committee of the city of Hannover, was awarded the coveted Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for his work in the field of collaboration between India and Germany. "I am glad that I could extend my stay at the Institute of Botany in Hannover, which allowed me to expand my exciting field of work at the International Office of LUH" the scholar said.

An academic marvel

Born and brought up in a small village in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Ramani's life was surrounded by lush green forest. "I was born in a small village called Kalancheri, in the Thanjavur district. I still vividly remember my time there, and whenever I go to India even now, I try to be involved in the various activities - be it agriculture, land, or anything else," said the scholar, adding, "My family also runs a school, which celebrated its 100 years in 2019; I am taking care of the school now."

"Not the brightest child in the classroom," in his word, it was his father who inspired Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani to study biology, which later helped him carve his career path. "My father is a veterinary doctor. We owned about 10 cows and I grew up around various animals. I would join my father during his visits to the sick animal and observe how gently he took care of them. So I was drawn to biology," shared the scholar, who earned a Gold medal during his undergraduate course in zoology at Bharathidasan University in 1997.

With a plan to continue to be with his friends, Dr. Ramani joined Annamalai University, the same year to pursue a post-graduate course in marine biology and oceanography. And this proved to be a turning point for him. "It was after joining the course that I realised how interesting life beneath oceans is. We would often visit the ocean and also go for scuba diving to collect samples - and it was quite a breathtaking view. My teachers motivated me a lot and that was when I started working on my thesis - Desalinization of seawater using cyanobacterium - which won the Best Student Project that year," the scholar said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXX28fkkePY

After finishing his master's in 1999, Dr. Ramani - a little unsure about what next - took the advice of one of his professors about his future. "About two or three months after I finished my master's, I received a call from a professor of mine saying that he had received an invitation letter from a German University, for a student who would be interested to do a Ph.D. training. He informed me that he thought that I was the best candidate and he had already given his acceptance on my behalf for the project," he shared, adding, "When your guru says something, you have to do it. And so I started packing up and a few weeks later I arrived in Germany."

The Deutschland

It was the first time that this village lad had taken a flight, but a greater challenge awaited him when descended in Germany. Shared the scholar, "I didn't know that language - and that is a huge barrier for anyone. I knew English, but not a single word in German. The other thing that I had to deal with was the harsh German winter. I had landed there in January and while I knew about the weather, nothing prepares you for the winter here."

Braving the odds, Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani joined the Leibniz University of Hannover to pursue his Ph.D. in marine botany with a scholarship from the state of Lower Saxony. "My initial plan was that I would take the one-year training in Germany and then fly back to India to pursue my Ph.D. However, the professors here requested me to continue my work there, and so I stayed back. I worked on marine cyanobacterium, also called blue-green algae, which are an ancient group of photosynthetic microbes that occur in most inland waters and that can have major effects on the water quality and functioning of aquatic ecosystems," he said.

[caption id="attachment_41045" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Dr. Ramani with S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India[/caption]

While he stayed back for his Ph.D., Dr. Ramani had planned that he would return to his homeland after earning his doctorate. A plan that failed due to a natural calamity. "I planned that I would return soon after I receive my degree - which was in 2004. However, during the same time that I was to return the tsunami in the Indian Ocean destroyed large parts of my institute where I was to continue my work," said the scholar, who joined the Leibniz University's Office for International Affairs. He assumed a permanent role in the University in 2011 and has been the regional coordinator for Indian/South Asian as well as African students. In the last few years, the scholar has been able to significantly expand the cooperation between the LUH and universities and research institutions in India.

Community before self

Dr. Ramani initiated a program in 2010 at LUH in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), facilitating a rotational exchange of chairs between Indian and German professors. During the same year, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CMIS) at the University of Cologne. This center was dedicated to fostering Indo-German research on Vocational Education and Training, and it received funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research.

"We focussed on the apprenticeship education or vocational training in Germany for these young foreign students. Germany had its own successful model, called the dual system through which students spend three days in class and two days on the field every week. I wanted the same exposure for the kids who were coming from India to have similar experiences and learn better," shared the scholar.

Dr. Ramani established the Indian Student Association in Germany in 2015, receiving a recommendation from the Indian Embassy in Berlin. He is also the founder of the Young Professionals Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD), which is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Government of Switzerland. "As the Global Coordinator of YPARD, I had the opportunity to travel to over 33 countries, where I personally established a platform aimed at inspiring young professionals to address global agricultural challenges. Additionally, I successfully negotiated for YPARD's inclusion as a part of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation."

Devoted to helping students, Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani has been supporting African higher education institutions through capacity-building activities for students in writing research projects, arranging contacts with prospective professors for research projects, and also providing small financial support for projects. "The best way the world can develop today is by sharing the knowledge base. We need to create an environment where all the students, across the globe, can access the information and knowledge that will help them grow," said the scholar as he signed off.

Follow Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani on LinkedIn, Twitter, and his website

Reading Time: 6 mins

Taste of India in Israel – the story of Reena Pushkarna

(March 25, 2023) Earlier this year, chef and restaurateur Reena Pushkar received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from President Draupadi Murmu and EAM S. Jaishankar. Known as the 'Curry Queen', Reena Pushkarna introduced Israel to Indian cuisine and owns the country's most iconic Indian restaurant chain, Tandoori. Reena and her husband, Vinod, have been in the business for nearly four decades and operate restaurants across Israel and also in Singapore. In 2003, they established PRESKO Food Industries, making 'kosher Indian food'. Global Indian takes a look at Reena's remarkable journey and her contributions to India's soft power in Israel. [caption id="attachment_36581" align="aligncenter" width="628"] Reena Pushkarna receiving the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2023[/caption] Thaalis to chicken tikka In the early days, Ichakdana, Israel's first Indian restaurant, named after the famous Raj Kapoor film, Shri 420, remained empty, night after night. This was the early 80s and nobody knew India, or its vegetarian food. Instead, patrons flocked to the middle-eastern restaurant next door, for the kebabs and grills. In fact, that place was so packed, staff would stop by Ichakdana to borrow tables and chairs. Ichakdana's owners, Reena and Vinod Pushkarna, persisted. Slowly, the Indian community got wind of the place and began trickling

the middle-eastern restaurant next door, for the kebabs and grills. In fact, that place was so packed, staff would stop by Ichakdana to borrow tables and chairs. Ichakdana's owners, Reena and Vinod Pushkarna, persisted. Slowly, the Indian community got wind of the place and began trickling in at night, bringing their transistors with them to listen to their favourite Bollywood hits. Before they knew it, they were borrowing tables and chairs from the place next door.

The Tandoori legacy

One year later, they opened Tandoori, which has become the stuff of legend in Tel-Aviv. Reena knew the Israelis would love the "chicken tikkas and Nargisi koftas." She even handed out complimentary servings, and shrewdly got her friends to sit by the window, so passers-by would think the place was full. This was 1984. The place became so popular that it took over the lobby of the Commodore Hotel - it was a lively place, full of Bollywood music and dancing - Reena would bring professional artistes from India to perform.

The Pushkarna's renown grew exponentially and in 1990, in walked a very special guest - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was on a first date with Sara Ben-Artzo, the woman he would go on to marry. They took a seat at a corner booth - that green couch, "Table No. 8," Reena calls it. It was also the start of a lifelong friendship - Netanyahu and his wife are still regulars at Tandoori Tel-Aviv.

"I knew about it but I didn't tell anybody," says the Global Indian. Actually, it was Netanyahu who spilled the beans, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to visit. That night, the two leaders met at Netanyahu's home for dinner - and Reena Pushkarna had been asked to cater the special meal. During the evening, Netanyahu said to Modi, "I would like to tell you a secret. My first date was in Tandoori Tel-Aviv. It was so successful that I invited Reena Pushkarna and her chefs again to create that magical evening with India."

Today, Reena Pushkarna and her husband run eight Indian restaurants and seven fast-food places in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Herzliya Pituach. Reena is also the go-to person when an Indian delegation comes to visit. Each visit takes upto a month of preparation, from sourcing spices to creating menus that are in keeping with 'kashrut', the Jewish laws regarding food. In 2011, she expanded to Singapore, opening up Pita Pan in Marina Bay Sands - an all-vegetarian, Mediterranean restaurant.

Her own Cordon Bleu

Reena was born in 1958, to a Sikh father and an Iraqi-Jewish mother. In 1975, not long after her sixteenth birthday, she was married off, to 20-year-old Vinod Pushkarna. "He was sailor, whom I first met when I was 12," she said. Vinod was in the Merchant Navy and when he became a Captain in 1977, Reena joined his seafaring life. "During the nine years on board, like all sailors' wives, I too was lonely. My interest in the kitchen became my 'Nine years of Cordon Bleu'. The chefs from different countries got me to learn their cuisines." Along the way, the couple decided they wanted to move to Israel and in 1983, opened up Ichakdana, where they served chaat and vegetarian thaalis.

Business was a struggle, until Reena persuaded her husband to start a non-vegetarian place. "I looked after cooking, catering to preferences of the guests, designing my kitchen, traning my chefs, restaurant decor and so on. But logistics and business, I happily left to him," she says.

Building an empire

In 2003, Reena and Vinod set up PRESKO Food Industries, which produced kosher Indian food. By this time, Israeli backpackers were flocking to India and the cuisine was well known. PRESKO was supplying meals to the Israeli army, the Indian Peace Keeping Force at Golan Heights, El Al Airlines, Korean Air, Air India, Unilever and around the world - the Pushkarnas had entered the big league.

The couple's two kids - Sarina and Kunal also pitched in to help. "Sarina, who is my best friend too, started working at our restaurants from the age of 14," Reena says. Sarina, who is now married with three children of her own, is based in Singapore and serves as Associate Director, Global Media Communications, Marina Bay Sands. Kunal also lived in Singapore for the better part of a decade before returning to Israel to work in the Tandoori Chain and launch his own venture, Tika Pika.

Tabling history

Benjamin Netanyahu's visit set the ball rolling for Tandoori. In October 2015, former Indian President visited Israel at the invitation of President Reuven Rivlin. Two years later, PM Narendra Modi landed in Tel Aviv, becoming the first Indian PM to visit Israel. And Reena Pushkarna was there on each occasion, as the chef - and unofficial ambassador of Indian cuisine in the Middle East.

That's not all. The famous 'table number 8' at Tandoori Tel Aviv was also witness to the Oslo Peace talks in 1993, the peace talks between Israel and Palestine facilitated by Norway. Any official designated to India begins his assignment with a visit to Tandoori or Kohinoor. Reena was also a member of the Israeli Prime Minister's first ever visit to India, during which she was introduced as the "most loved and respected Indian in Israel, who taught us all the meaning of Indian food." Celebrities like the ace Indian conductor Zubin Mehta, actor Sophia Lauren, former Israeli PM Yizhak Rabin and President Shimon Peres have all eaten at Tandoori.

[caption id="attachment_36582" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Reena Pushkarna with Zubin Mehta[/caption]

"I am proud of my heritage," Reena remarks. "Mine has been an effort to conenct people and in the process, I have also been witness to all the milestones in the evolution of the strong ties between India and Israel. She's the pride of the Indian community in Israel too - in 2023, she was congratulated by Kobbi Shoshani, Israel's consul general in Mumbai, who said, "For me and mylate father, you were the Taste of India for many years."

Promoting India's soft power

Reena has also been an integral pillar of Indian cultural relations in Israel. She faciliates and enables Bollywood productions in the country and was recognized in 2004 by the Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce. She is also the Honorary President of the Central Board of Indian Jewish Organisations of Israel, the convenor of the Israel Chapter of the Overseas Friends of the BJP and a Board Member of the Indo-Israel Friendship Association.

Follow Tandoori on Instagram.

The thrill of jumps, an adrenaline rush, and a sport unlike others: BMX racing in Hyderabad is beginning to come of age

(September 12, 2021) After Steven Spielberg's parents divorced, he became friends with an imaginary character and used to engage in a conversation with this friend. Little did he know that this imaginary friend would one day inspire him to make a movie and that's how E.T The Extra-Terrestrial, the sci-fi movie was made and went on to become one of the highest grossing movies of all times. The plot revolves around a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial stranded on earth. The scene that would remain etched in the minds of audiences is a chase scene towards the end of the movie where ET is put in a basket with a cover over it and three of the boys' friends trying to run away from the police on their bicycles. That sequence inspired kids and adults world over to ride the bicycle popularly called the BMX (Bicycle Motocross bikes). [caption id="attachment_10018" align="aligncenter" width="484"] BMX Racing is popular in Hyderabad ((Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)[/caption] What began in California as an imitation of motocross riders, but on bicycles, soon made its way to the Netherlands when Gerrit Does, a Dutch motocross trainer, introduced BMX in Holland after his visit to the US in

aas Mansuri)[/caption]

What began in California as an imitation of motocross riders, but on bicycles, soon made its way to the Netherlands when Gerrit Does, a Dutch motocross trainer, introduced BMX in Holland after his visit to the US in 1974. Three decades later, in 2008, BMX racing became an Olympic sport. In 2016, BMX freestyle gained a level of legitimacy when it came under the umbrella of the worldwide governing body for all cycling, the Union Cycliste International (UCI) France.

[caption id="attachment_9952" align="aligncenter" width="553"] BMX Racing Red Bull Pump Track Championship 2019 (Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)[/caption]

(Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)

Circa 1980s, one could see few folks BMXing on the stairs of Mount Mary Church at Bandra, Mumbai. That was also the time when International BMX Federation was formed in 1981. Credit for starting the scene goes to Rahul Mulani who began BMXing, organized BMX jams and went on to set-up India's first BMX store. Not many may know that BMX is one of the oldest cycle sports in India but followed and practiced by very few. Expensive bikes, no proper safety gears or tracks to practice at, the BMXing has been on a slow growth among the cricket-hoot Indian masses.

However, the sport slowly made its way from an unknown urban activity to become an everyday recreational sport in cities like Pune, North Eastern India, Chandigarh and Hyderabad. Though still nascent, the BMX scene in India has its bright spots.

[caption id="attachment_10011" align="aligncenter" width="539"] BMX Racing BMX racer at Red Bull Championship 2019 (Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)[/caption]

Avid BMX rider, Hamza Khan brought the sport to Hyderabad when he established India's first ever and only asphalt pump track, The WallRide Park, heralding the birth of the sport in the city. Hamza roped in global pioneers and pump track specialists Velosolutions Switzerland to build the track on his family-owned land in Peeran Cheruvu on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The track has a series of twists, turns and jumps and in the past few years has become a hangout for those seeking an adrenaline rush while also providing a great practice and training ground for a number of talented riders.

[caption id="attachment_9953" align="aligncenter" width="505"] BMX Racing BMX racer oiling his bike (Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)[/caption]

Within two years of its opening, the track gained recognition from Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and became a stop for the Red Bull Pump Track Championship in 2019 hosting the Indian qualifier featuring riders from the country and overseas for a ticket to the finals that would be held in Switzerland. WallRide has become a place of escape for more than just the thrill-seekers. Hamza says, "The place has become more diverse with not just kids and youngsters but even adults coming to have a great time. It's fantastic to see participation in BMX continuing to grow."

However, just as things had begun to look up for the sport, COVID-19 struck and virtually every aspect of the pump track operations were completely shut down. For a niche sport such as this, bouncing back is time consuming with drain of financial resources; more so since it is self-funded with no external help either from any sporting association or the Government. However, once the unlock began, things began to improve: being an individual sport, all it needed were a few operational adjustments for the path to be cleared for training and also to safely host events. Hamza is optimistic of seeing more participation in this sport and has curated a championship exclusive to India called RevJam (Revolutionary Jam).

[caption id="attachment_9954" align="aligncenter" width="603"] BMX racer on pump track (Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)[/caption]

A few among the riders who train at his track are aspiring to aim for the pinnacle of all sporting events - the Olympics. Hamza adds, "Our plans are aimed at producing riders of international repute in the future and also encouraging a sustainable growth of BMX.”

Although the future of BMX in India isn't certain like many other sports in the roster, but the fact remains that from its humble beginnings it has come quite far in the past 30-40 years. And until it gains prominence there’s no sitting on the bench in this individualized sport.

[caption id="attachment_10013" align="aligncenter" width="461"] Rahul Mulani BMX racing in Hyderabad (Image Courtesy: Vaqaas Mansuri)[/caption]

Dhroov Rajpal, is one of the country's best BMXers who also builds skate parks. He feels the number of BMXers in the country is growing and they have a huge following on social media. He has built 8 skate parks in India and has a few more to come which can facilitate more newcomers to take up the sport. Dhroov himself is the BMX winner at the India Extreme Nationals conducted by Xtreme Sports Association of India – a body with official recognition formed for the purpose of developing and promoting extreme sports in India and affiliated to Asian Extreme Federation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0XPwvuFKg

India’s BMX veteran and owner of the first BMX store, Rahul Mulani, hopes this sport gets a huge fillip as he doesn't see much happening at a desired pace in the sport. On the future of this sport he says, “As a country, we are not open to accepting some sports because of our upbringing or preference for racket/stick sports. We like to play safe. Further the sport has not caught on because of lack of infrastructure and acceptance of this genre. Anyone wishing to pursue BMX racing will have to do it pretty much on their own with no support from any sporting association. I see this sport taking some concrete shape decades from now."

Reading Time: 7 mins

An atypical life: How Ferose VR drives the diversity mindset

When his eighteen-month-old son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, VR Ferose's world came undone. Until that fateful moment, life had been very kind to him. At 33, he was the MD of SAP Labs, had married the love of his life and was joyously celebrating the birth of his first child. His first question to the doctor was, "How do I fix this?" But there is no making someone "un-autistic." The news sent Ferose spiralling into depression. "For the first time, here was something I couldn't control. I was used to being in control," he says, as he connects with Global Indian. In the end, it was his mentor and long-time friend, Kiran Bedi, who gave him the answer he needed: "People spend their whole lives trying to understand what their purpose is, you're incredibly lucky that purpose has found you." She told him that he could dedicate his time to his primary responsibility - taking care of his son, which he does. Or, he could use the considerable means and power at his disposal to lend a voice to a historically marginalised community - people with disabilities. Ferose chose the latter. Since the birth of his son, he

ple with disabilities. Ferose chose the latter.

Since the birth of his son, he has gone on to write four books, attend two UN conferences, speak at the World Economic Forum and is the founder of the India Inclusion Summit. He also started the Autism at Work program, which fetched him numerous awards and also became a Harvard Case Study. In 2014, he wrote GIFTED, with Sudha Menon, which went on to win him the Kannada Sahitya Academy Award. His most recent offering is the graphic novel GRIT: The Vishwas story, with Sriram Jagannathan.

Rising above adversity

VR Ferose hardly needs an introduction. Based in San Ramon, he heads the SAP Academy for Engineering. He has played many roles during his 23-year association with the company, including making Managing Director at 33 and a stint as the head of the Globalisation Services Unit. That's his professional life. Over the last decade, Ferose has emerged as one of the leading voices of inclusion and diversity, and of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). According to The Invisible Majority, PwDs make up a staggering 15 percent of the global population. While our imaginations (and a lack of awareness) limit us to images of people in wheelchairs and the blind, the term itself is constantly evolving. "Simply put, we are disabled if our inability to carry out daily activities hinders us from participating fully in society," they write.

It's well past midnight in California when he arrives for our virtual meeting. In the background, I can see his vast collection of books – over three thousand, he says, all of them signed. He is visibly exhausted - he has spent the day taking care of his son, who needs full-time care and the couple’s lives are centered around making sure he gets it. “I can speak to you now that Vivaan is sleeping.” Even so, he gives me his full attention - over the years, time has become Ferose's most valued asset. It isn't always given out, but when he does, he does so fully. "I have done my research on you," he says. "I looked to see if this was worth my time before I said yes."

"Everything I have achieved so far has been because of my son," he says. "Yes, I have had a successful career but corporate roles come and go and nobody cares. What matters is doing something that is meaningful to someone else. I was leading a life of success then but now I'm leading one that's far more significant." The quiet strength he exudes is an acquired trait, learned the hard way.

The diversity mindset

"If you have role models at home who embody that spirit, it is the best way," he remarks. Ferose was born in 1974 and since his father worked in the Railways, the family travelled extensively across the country. He was exposed, at an early age, to India's cultural diversity. Ferose went on to study at the Regional Engineering College (now the National Institutes of Technology) in Warangal, founded by Nehru with the mission to promote national integrity. "I had classmates from every state in the country. It gave me a broader perspective of the world."

Life carried on in the same vein - "I'm a Muslim from Kerala, my wife is a Hindu Brahmin from Maharashtra. Diversity is a mindset, a way of life and we have it, even at home." Later, his career would take him all over the world - he has travelled to over 40 countries. "We tend to complicate the concept now," he smiles. "They categorise it as gender, disability, race and so on, it keeps on changing. At a fundamental level, it's a mindset and that's all."

After college, Ferose moved to Chennai to begin work as a systems analyst at Ramco Systems. He boarded the train with a gift of Rs 1,500 from his father, which allowed him to buy "a shirt, a pair of pants, and a pair of shoes." In his blog, he reminisces about waiting eagerly for salary day and "being broke mid-month."

The SAP journey

Ferose first joined SAP Labs as a software engineer and his tipping point came early when, in 2005, he moved to Germany as the Executive Assistant to to SAP Board Member Gerhard Oswald. He was one of the first people from India to be given that role.

In 2007, he was made MD of SAP Labs India, Gurgaon. "That happened very quickly," he smiles. "We can only ever connect the dots in retrospect but at that time, I never thought I would achieve the kind of progression that I did." It was also the year his son was born. Between then and 2012, Ferose made huge leaps in inclusion and diversity at SAP, including setting up Prayas Lab as part of the 'Autism at Work' pilot case study. He was also selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and founded the India Inclusion Summit. Under his leadership, SAP Labs India was ranked, for the very first time, as a Great Place to Work.

[caption id="attachment_35296" align="aligncenter" width="621"] Ferose with former SAP Board Member Gerhard Oswald[/caption]

Three things are vital to success, he believes - mentors, coaches and sponsors. "I had all those things." As his professional life continued to shine, Arun Shourie and Kiran Bedi were among those who stood by him through a much more significant journey. He went from a victim to an agent of change. If Bedi had told him that he had found a life purpose, Shourie, who is also father to a profoundly disabled son, helped him see what he could do. In his book, Does He know a Mother's Heart, Shourie tries to understand what religions say about disability. The 'karma' theory blames the parents, which is harsh. Shourie settles in the end on what the Buddhists had to say - the highest form of service is to take care of somebody who can't give you anything in return. Shourie told Ferose to drive the narrative to change the mindset.

Changing the narrative

Shourie's words inspired Ferose to found the India Inclusion Summit, a conference that celebrates differences. "It's not about feeling sorry for people. We need to go from sympathy to empathy and from there, to compassion." As Ferose did his work, he found that the community was crippled by society itself. Caregiving, Ferose learned, was done mostly by mothers and the birth of a disabled child has ended many a marriage. "I would go to therapy sessions with ten other people and be the only male in the room," he says.

Awareness was vital. As he came to terms with his own life, he had run through the gammut of mistakes himself, including trying to find "a cure." He read books that promised one, driven by the idea that that Autism was a problem that needed to be solved. Until he realised that he was going about it the wrong way - everyone is unique, with their own strengths and shortcomings. Today, that narrative has changed. "Our idea is that for every condition there is an enhanced ability. If you are blind, you can hear better. The key was to change a predominantly negative narrative and make it positive."

Driving social change

[caption id="attachment_35297" align="aligncenter" width="598"] VR Ferose receives the AUCD award from Senator Tom Harkins for Autism at Work[/caption]

Much recognition has come his way for his efforts. In 2014, he was in the India's Top 40 under 40 by Economic Times and Spenser Stuart. Two years later, Autism at Work became a Harvard case study.

Awards aside, Ferose is aware that a lasting impact is not easy, or even quantifiable, really. Change can take a lifetime and he knows that he might not even see it happen. "Still, we do our bit." After having run the Inclusion Summit for over a decade, he is often asked about the impact. "I have no clue," he admits. "That can only be measured later. I am here to do my small bit to make a difference. Our fundamental aim is to spread awareness - when people are sensitised, they will act."

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Dipak C Jain: Small town boy to global management guru

(Aug 1, 2023) On his first day as Dean at the Kellogg School of Management, Professor Dipak C Jain stepped onto stage, before the MBA class of 650 students to make the customary commencement address. A few minutes in, the director of corporate communications rushed up to him and whispered in his ear, "There has been a terror attack. You need to end your speech before the phones start ringing." That was September 11, 2001. "Who could have anticipated that event," Professor Jain asked, in a talk for SolBridge International School of Business, back in 2018. "Nobody. But what we did know is that when the students graduated, the economic conditions wouldn't be good." Dealing with crisis Flights resumed regular services a month later, on October 3, 2001 - Jain is specific about the date, he remembers it well. "For the next few months, hardly a day passed when I wasn't on a flight, going to meet a potential recruiter." Students, Jain emphasises, come to business school with certain aspirations, they expect good teaching and a good placement, too. When he called his peers at Stanford and Harvard, they were resigned to the situation. "They told me, 'Dipak, it will

the situation. "They told me, 'Dipak, it will affect all of us'. That much is true but how we react can be different." He could use it as an excuse, or do something about it. He chose the latter.

[caption id="attachment_29919" align="aligncenter" width="588"] Professor Dipak Jain. Photo: Twitter[/caption]

"We all live under the same sky but seem to have different horizons," Jain said in a lecture. That year, aside from flying out to meet recruiters, he also wrote to his old students, asking them for work for his fresh graduates. That letter, as it happened, got into the press. Jain was approached by CNN's Lou Dobbs, asking him to appear on the show. He couldn't make it that day but Dobbs ran with the story anyway, saying, "Kellogg Dean begging for jobs." Jain saw it as "the best publicity you can get without paying for advertising." He flew out to meet recruiters. The following year, Kellogg School of Management had the highest placement rate and was rated by Businessweek as the 'top business school in the world'.

Currently, the Global Indian is the co-president and Global Advisor of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), before which he was Director, Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkom University in Bangkok. After eight years as Dean at the Kellogg School of Management, Jain stepped down in 2009. Two years later, he served for three years as a Dean of INSEAD, from 2011 to March 2013. "I was the first Dean of a European School," he remarked. "It's much more difficult in France than most other places to be accepted, as an Indian.” Jain also serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Reliance Industries Limited and has been a consultant with Microsoft, American Express, Eli Lilly and Company and Hyatt International.

Difficult beginnings

Dipak Chand Jain was born in a small town in Assam, to a "blind father and a mother who never went to school." His grandfather, who had been a schoolteacher, would tell him, "Your father has never seen light. Make sure that you always spread it to the world." Life was tough in his home town as his school had no tables or chairs, or paper to write on. Students sat cross-legged on the floor and scribbled on slates with pieces of chalk, committing what they wrote to memory before they erased it. There was no university either.

[caption id="attachment_29916" align="aligncenter" width="506"] Prof Jain with alumni from CEIBS[/caption]

Finding success

In 1976, when it was Jain's turn to graduate, he topped the university. For a young boy with very few opportunities in life, it was a major milestone. When he finished his honours in Mathematics from Dharam College in Tezpur, he left home for the first time in 25 years. "My father took me to the bus station in Guwahati and I got on a bus for the first time. Who knew that I would one day go on to become the director of United Airlines?" From this, he learned what he calls one of the major attributes to his success. "There are no shortcuts in life. I did my high school, college, a Master's and a PhD. These things take time. Nothing good happens quickly."

There are no shortcuts in life. I did my high school, college, a Master's and a PhD. These things take time. Nothing good happens quickly.

Ten years later, after his PhD, Jain was a student of Mathematics with no business school background. He received his first job offer, to teach a course in marketing at the Kellogg School of Management. His first encounter with Dean Donald Jacobs, who would go on to be a lifelong colleague, mentor and friend, came at the end of his first year. Jain arrived at the faculty dinner where Dean Jacobs stood and decided to introduce himself. "He took one look at me and lost his temper. I had no idea what I had done wrong. He told me to leave."

The importance of feedback

Jain decided to stick around for the dinner anyway, thinking that his departure would reflect poorly on his boss. The next day, a superior told him that no harm was meant by the incident and not to take the matter personally. It was another mantra he adopted for the rest of his life. "Don't take things personally. And when you're given feedback, accept it with gratitude. The same man who yelled at me in public made me deputy dean, a candidate for the next dean. A football coach told me once that he only yells at players in whom he sees potential."

At the start of his teaching career in 1998, Jain found a group of students waiting outside his office one evening to tell him, "Professor, we have come to the conclusion that you don't know the subject." Jain admitted he was new to it, having had no B-school experience. "They said, we are not here to complain but we believe that there is a great teacher inside of you. We are here to promise that we will make you the best teacher you can be." They stuck to their word, bringing him magazine articles and copies of the Wall Street Journal that Jain could use as case studies in his classes. When he became Dean, Jain began to organise an informal session for students and faculty, where the former could freely express their opinions.

Don't take things personally. And when you're given feedback, accept it with gratitude. The same man who yelled at me in public made me deputy dean, a candidate for the next dean. A football coach told me once that he only yells at players in whom he sees potential.

When Jacobs died at the age of 90, Jain, who was in Delhi heading for the funeral, received a call from his daughter. "She said, 'Dipak, dad passed away. Come quickly.' He had made me the trustree of his wealth. Building trust with people will make you what you are."

INSEAD, France

In May 2011, Jain accepted the post as a Dean at INSEAD in France, fascinated by the idea of a one-year MBA. At the time, Jain was involved in two other projects as well - creating a business school in Bangladesh and focussing on entrepreneurship and small business management for women in countries like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, as well as starting a university in Angola. "For global prosperity and peace, we have to target women," he said, at the time of his appointment, in 2010.

With areas of interest that include market segmentation, competitive market structure analysis, marketing of high-tech products and cross-culture issues in global product diffusion, as well as forecasting models, Jain has published over fifty articles and is the author of Marketing Moves: A New Approach to Profits, Growth and Renewal. "Business school is about structured thinking. Solving problems means developing that structured approach." The real-world problems are many - soon, the world will have a large ageing population, with increasing lifespans indicating that the duration of retirement could be as long as the time spent working. "How do we engage the retired population?" This is the age, he says, of "human capital," and the core purpose of business education is "shaping and attracting human talent."

Follow Professor Dipak C. Jain on Twitter or listen to him on YouTube