Global Indianstory2022 Recap: Meet the Indians who changed the world of travel

2022 Recap: Meet the Indians who changed the world of travel

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(December 29, 2022) ‘I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world’, these words from Mary Anne Radmacher resonate with the Global Indian explorers who took on journeys that changed the course of their lives. As the curtain falls down on 2022, we look back at some of the adventurers and travellers who inspired people to go on journeys and transformed the idea of travel.

Dhruv Bogra

Many eyebrows were raised when 48-year-old Dhruv Bogra took a two-year-sabbatical from corporate life to cycle across the Pan-American highway. The disapproval didn’t deter the Delhi-based Dhruv from his solo, unsupported expedition, which began with his Surly Troll cycle in June 2016 at Deadhorse in Alaska and stretched on to Cusco in Peru. What many called a “crazy decision” turned out to be a “beautiful journey” for this adventure cyclist, who found his purpose and calling in the 500-day ride across 15 countries.

Dhruv Bogra at Gobbler’s Knob with his Surly Troll cycle.

“I was on a journey of exploring the world and myself. For me, it was a chance to break away from the cast we are born with. Not as a rebel, but to see that there is more to the world,” says the man whose quest was to explore the world on a bicycle. “I knew this couldn’t be done in a car. A cycle was the best way to soak in the rawness of it all,” the 53-year-old told Global Indian. The 18-month, 15,000-km travel journey led to his first book Grit, Gravel, and Gear in 2019, turning this corporate man into an author and a motivational speaker.

Candida Louis

Vrooming on her Bajaj Dominar, Candida Louis revved up on the open road solo for a trip from Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha to Sydney. It was August 2018 and she covered 28,000 km across 10 countries. Not just an ordinary road trip across continents, it was an emotional tribute that culminated into an epic journey. The 32-year-old biker girl’s journey was homage to an Australian biker who died riding a motorcycle from Alaska to South America. “I won a photography contest and was invited to the US where I first heard about Alistair Farland, an Australian biker who died in a highway accident in North America. It’s every parent’s wish to see their child return home after a trip. I kept thinking about Alistair’s parents after the tragic incident, and just couldn’t shake off that feeling. So, I decided to take a trip from Bengaluru to Sydney to meet his parents, and complete the trip on his behalf as a tribute to him,” said Candida.

Candida Louis is Sydney

It was a personal voyage yet sponsors were ready to help, and Candida made the journey as a part of the Change Your World Fund travel project. “I have taken many international road trips before, but this was special,” adds Louis who stayed with Alistair’s family for a week in Sydney, and visited his grave during the travel. “It felt like I managed to finish the trip for Alistair,” she adds.

“Travel is empowering. Your perspective on life changes. I have realised how we are just a speck in the universe. Getting to know people and multi-cultures is what makes it exciting,” adds the girl on a mission to educate the world on the importance of travel.

Amarjeet Singh

Age is just a number – the adage perfectly fits this “61-year-young” retired garment exporter Amarjeet Singh Chawla who travelled from Delhi to London by car at an age when most hang up their boots. The passion to travel the world in his gaadi took him on a journey across 33 countries, and earned him the moniker of the Turban Traveller. “It was a life-changing journey. Everyone has dreams, but not many fulfill them as they don’t have the keeda (urge). I knew I had to do it, and it changed my perspective on life. Such journeys change you within, and what is life without growth,” Amarjeet tells Global Indian.

Amarjeet Singh

As a youngster, he wanted to go backpacking around the world. Yet the 70s were different. So, he put his dream on the back burner, for when he retired. At 59, he decided to take a journey that not many take – he drove 40,000 km across the world. “I think 45 is an apt age for retirement. You are healthy enough to travel. I retired late at 58. But being on your own, interacting with the locals, and chasing your dreams at that age. It is worth the wait,” adds Amarjeet who has been on several spiritual journeys in the past few years spreading the message of Guru Nanak Dev and Sikhism.

Najira Noushad

Sitting at a height of 9,383 ft above sea level, Najira Noushad found her Sherpa hastily telling her that she cannot make it to the Everest base camp (17,598 ft) in five days. As a mother of five who had never stepped into a gym, the Sherpa reckoned the 33-year-old was being too ambitious. For Najira, it was a re-affirmation of why she was there in the first place: To break stereotypes. Najira wants the world to know that India is safe for women travellers and that a woman can do anything she sets her mind on. Not even the wind and sleet of the Himalayas. Najira made it to base camp in five days as planned, becoming the fastest Indian woman to complete the 62-km trek, braving snowstorms and navigating extremely steep and rocky terrain. “It was very challenging. But I knew I could do this. I had my eyes set on finishing the trek in five days. I set the challenge for myself to inspire other women,” Najira tells Global Indian.

Najira Noushad during her trip from Kerala to Everest base camp

Doing the trek without an acclimatisation period was a challenge, but Najira pulled it off. “After two days, I developed shortness of breath and suffered from exhaustion. If not for that, I’d have completed the trek in four days. Despite the difficulties, it was a great experience. It made me realise I can do anything,” adds the Oman resident, who hitchhiked her way from Kerala to Nepal to achieve the feat. “There’s so much negativity about the safety of solo female travellers. So I decided to ditch public transport and hitchhike all the way to prove the point that India is safe for women travellers,” she explains.

PK Mahanandia

It was in the crisp winter of 1975 that PK Mahanandia saw a woman tourist approach him in the inner circle of Delhi’s bustling CP, asking him to draw a portrait of her. The Indian artist, who had by then earned quite a reputation as a sketch artist, was known for making a portrait in ten minutes. But somehow, he wasn’t able to deliver a perfect portrait, which made Charlotte Von Schedvin, the Swedish tourist, return to him the following day. It was a prophecy that kept him distracted – one that was made by a priest when he was a child growing up in a village in Odisha – he would marry a girl from far away who would own a jungle, be musical, and be born under the sign of Taurus. And Charlotte was everything that had been prophesised.

PK Mahanandia cycled from India to Europe for love

“It was an inner voice that said to me that she was the one. During our first meeting, we were drawn to each other like magnets. It was love at first sight,” PK Mahanandia told BBC. This very love made him cycle 6000 km from Delhi to Sweden on a life-changing epic journey. Now an advisor for art and culture for the Swedish government, he inspired the 2013 book by Per J Andersson called The Amazing Story Of The Man Who Cycled From India To Europe For Love.

Polar Preet

Setting out at the break of dawn (so to speak, there’s no real nightfall during the Antarctic summer), enduring temperatures as low as -50°C, tackling the formidable sastrugi and battling winds up to 60 mph, Preet Chandi, or Polar Preet, as she calls herself, undertook one of the most arduous journeys in the world – the icy ski route across Antarctica. As she planted her flag, the culmination of a 700-mile, forth day journey to the South Pole, she created history. In January 2022, 33-year-old Preet Chandi, a physiotherapist in the British Army, became the first woman of colour to ski solo across the continent of ice and snow.

Polar Preet became the first woman of colour to complete a solo trip to South Pole

“I don’t just want to break the glass ceiling, I want to smash it into a thousand pieces,” she wrote on her website. “I was told no on so many occasions, called stubborn or rebellious because I wanted to do things that were out of the norm and push my boundaries. I want to encourage others to push their boundaries, it is amazing how much your world opens up when you start to do so.” In June 2022, the polar trekker was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 29, Dec 2022

Share with

ALSO READ

MR Rangaswami: From angel investing to mobilising Indian leaders for social change through Indiaspora

(March 12, 2024) These days, MR Rangaswami is a real man about town in the US. He's at the top summits, meeting celebrities like AR Rahman when they're in the US, and rubbing shoulders with the likes of PM Modi, attending parties at the home of Vice President Kamala Harris or rubbing shoulders with Ambassadors Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Eric Garcetti. He's one of Silicon Valley's top angel investors and philanthropists, as he mobilises his vast network of business leaders, politicians, startups and non-profits to bring about social good. It wasn't always the case, though. MR Rangaswami's success came through hard work, failure and the ability to take a risk, which he has done several times, from becoming the US' first angel investor to organising a CEO retreat for some of the US' biggest names in the corporate world and giving all the proceeds away to charity. Back in 1997, however, when MR Rangaswami was busy organising his first CEO retreat under the banner of his company, Sand Hill, it seemed as if things weren’t destined to go his way. He set up an advisory board, put a programme together and sent out invitations. Nobody registered. CEOs received dozens of

s received dozens of conference invitations just like this one, and they wanted to know how this one was any different. So, the Global Indian made a bold decision, one that would change his life. He decided to organise the first ever non-profit conference, where 100 percent of the proceeds would be donated. The idea was a huge hit. In the last 15 years, the organisation has given away over $20 million to non-profits, and CEOs pay up to $10,000 per head just to attend. The conference is also a platform for deserving non-profits to network with industry captains, receive advice, feedback and investments.

M.R. Rangaswami is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of Silicon Valley. He has been profiled on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, named to Forbes' 'Midas' list of investors and has been recognized by CRN as one of the top 25 Tech Executives. He's also the founder of Indiaspora, through which he mobilises high achievers from the Indian diaspora as a force for good. His ethos is simple: Indians are in the top one percent in the US, with an average annual income of $1,50,000. "Our community tends to be very low profile," he said, in an interview. "But we need to be more high profile because all Americans need to know that we are generous and we help." Indiaspora hosts an Annual Leadership Forum, a Philanthropy Summit and the Global Connect Initiative, and engages in community issues as well.

‘Young and naïve’ in Houston, Texas

M.R. Rangaswami first arrived in Silicon Valley "as a young, naive person with absolutely no idea of what the value was about," as he puts it. He had graduated from Loyola College, Chennai and was a techie with a comfortable job in Houston, Texas. One day, when he met a consultant for training, the consultant asked him what he does. M.R. replied that he had an MBA and works with computers. "He says, 'what the heck are you doing in Houston? You better get out to Silicon Valley'. In those days there was no LinkedIn, no Facebook, no internet, nothing. In '82, I'm sitting in Houston saying, how the hell do I get to Silicon Valley?"

The only way was the long way. He went to the library, starting at what Silicon Valley was in the first place. He made a list of potential employers and software company listings, typed out his resume and mailed it out to them.

The Silicon Valley journey

Sure enough, a company called him, did an interview and offered him a job. What MR didn't know at the time was that he had joined a startup. And he was the only Indian there. The compan did great, doubling in the first year, the second year and third year. Then, in the fourth year, the company asked him to lay off all the employees in his group, until he was the only one left. "Then they called me and said, 'You're laid off as well'."

[caption id="attachment_49924" align="aligncenter" width="528"] MR Rangaswami with PM Narendra Modi[/caption]

However, instead of being bogged down by failure, MR knew the time had come to pivot away from the corporate ladder. "I grew in the industry, seen Steve Jobs, Mary Ellis and Scott McNealy and all the big names in enterprise and consumer tech," he says. "That was my upbringing. I had a terrific career at companies like Oracle and helped take a company public; the stock went from 25 cents to $50." And the sudden break in his career allowed him to ask if he wanted to keep on making money or do something different with his life.

This was the mid-nineties, at the height of the startup boom and the Silicon Valley dot-com bubble. And M.R. Rangaswami chose to do what nobody had done before. He founded the first Angel Investor firm, at a time when the phrase hadn't even come in to use yet. In 1997, he bought sandhill.com for $20, beginning his journey as one of the founding fathers of the Silicon Valley tech startup ecosystem. "I picked up the domain for $20 and thought, that's going to be my exit. One of these days, someone's going to offer me a million bucks." His aim was to help startups, either through feedback and connecting them with investors, or by investing personally. He invested in some 150 companies, a few of them did badly, and others did very well. "I invested in some good companies but that was not my intent," he says. "It was to help founders."

The thrill of giving back

It did, however, invoke his spirit of giving. "Then I wanted to bring the whole ecosystem together, through a conference or a retreat for the top 100 people in business and in tech," Rangaswami recalls. He had seen the Indian community in Silicon Valley grow in leaps and bounds, until they populated the top one percent of the working population in the US. When MR first came to Silicon Valley, it was home to some 10,000 Indians. Fast forward four decades and there are 4,00,000 Indians living there. They're also among the highest earners, at the forefront of major corporations, VCs, angel investor firms and startups.

[caption id="attachment_49925" align="aligncenter" width="443"] MR Rangaswami and Sri Sri Ravishankar[/caption]

When his corporate retreat idea didn't take off, Rangaswami decided to make an even bolder move and pivoted straight into the non-profit space and discovered that he had created a very successful mode. "We have been able to give away over $20 million and also bring the CEOs of non-profits into our network and give them mentorship, advice and even money from many of the CEOs of large corporations," he said, in a talk. "The same CEOs pay a lot of money to attend, today, it's $10,000 per person. All that money goes to non-profits, I don't take a single penny out of it and the model has become a huge success." He also went on to found the Corporate Eco Forum, an invite only community for publicly listed companies with a strong environmental focus in their core business strategy. Members in the Top 100 include Bank of America, Procter & Gamble, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase & Co, Microsoft, Sales Force, The Walt Disney Company and many more.

The birth of Indiaspora

After that, there was no looking back. In 2007, noticing that the Indian diaspora was growing in numbers and in wealth, with no single organisation to unite them, he started Indiaspora. "There are communities for lawyers, doctors and other professions. And there are groups for communities like the Gujarati Samaj and the Tamil Sangam," he says. "The idea was to bring together people from all walks of life to be a force for good." Driven by the idea of 'seva', Indiaspora helps non-profits and different organisations amplify their messages.

A decade later, Indiaspora is a high profile network of global Indian leaders, involved with philanthropy, civic engagement and social impact and entrepreneurship and innovation. Their philanthropic efforts are in the form of a long-term partnership with Give, based in India. In the US, they aim to support over 500 non-profits through philanthropic contributions from over 200 partners and this arm of the organisation is headed by Ashish Shah. The partnership was formed in 2022, as Give India and Indiaspora hosted the Indiaspora-Give Philanthropy Summit at the Consulate General of India, New York, bringing together leading philanthropists, foundations and non-profits.

Their civic engagement deals with a diverse set of issues, including racial justice and gender equality. And MR Rangaswami believes that all enterprises will eventually be social enterprises, that for-profit companies will work for social good. He urges everyone to live by Salesforce's' 1-1-1- model - 'Donate one percent of your time, product, profit to philanthropic causes'.

Follow MR Rangaswami on LinkedIn.

Manjunath Mural: Michelin-star chef serving India on a platter in Singapore

(March 31, 2023) Who could have thought that an unassuming middle-class boy from Mumbai who came to Singapore a decade ago, would score a Michelin star for an Indian restaurant in South East Asia not just once but thrice? Meet Manjunath Mural, the man behind the Asian-Indian gastronomy style that has satiated the palates of thousands of people in the last decade. The 49-year-old plays with flavours, colours and ingredients like no one else, and is on a quest to make Indian cuisine as popular as French cuisine. In the last few years, Mural has become a name to reckon with in the world of food. But it took him many years of hard work to hone his craft and reach the zenith. From someone who had no inclination of becoming a chef to winning three Michelin star for The Song of India, Mural has come a long way. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manjunath Mural (@chef_mural) Accidental chef Born in 1973 in a family of doctors, Mural was raised in Mumbai. Coming from a family of medical professionals, everyone expected Mural to follow the league. However, he had a different plan. No, it

data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmGhCwlB-uC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manjunath Mural (@chef_mural)

Accidental chef

Born in 1973 in a family of doctors, Mural was raised in Mumbai. Coming from a family of medical professionals, everyone expected Mural to follow the league. However, he had a different plan. No, it wasn't to become a chef. Instead, he was keen on becoming a room service manager. His mother supported his decision to try something different and so he enrolled himself into a hotel management course at IHM Bangalore in 1993. But fate had already rolled its dice and as a part of industrial training in the third year, he was sent to a Thai kitchen at the Taj President for three months. This was a turning point for Mural who discovered his passion for cooking. "It was during my training at the Taj President where, while training in the Thai restaurant, I met two Thai lady chefs who really inspired me with the feeling that being a chef is a respectful career which requires a great deal of passion," he said.

The hotel experience put the seeds of hope in his fertile mind that he could become a world-class chef. So, he returned to his college for his final year and put himself to test at the chef competition and bagged himself a second position. This was yet another turning point for Mural as it allowed him to compete on the national level. While Mural had his eyes on toque blanche, he had to fight the prejudices to take a leap of faith. "In those days, the chef profession was looked down upon. People said, 'Yeh bawarchi banega?' It was my mother who supported me unconditionally and persuaded my father to give in. She said, 'Follow your dream,' he said.

Manjunath Mural | Global Indian | Chef

Mural relentlessly worked to make it happen but his mother passed away due to cancer. This untimely loss of the only person who believed in him led him to promise himself that he wouldn't stop until he did her proud.

Chasing his dream

This cemented his belief in himself and in order to chase his dream of becoming a chef, he joined The Resort, a five-star hotel in Madh Island. Working in the kitchen, he learnt the trick of the trade and was soon selected as a management trainee in kitchen at Centaur Hotel in Mumbai. It was here that Mural got to work with renowned master chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Milind Sovani. Under their guidance, he enhanced his skills as a chef. Such was his progress that he was soon appointed as chef de partie (a chef in charge of a particular area in a restaurant) and continued to specialize in Indian cuisine. His passionate work in the kitchen translated into ample opportunities and one such led him to Taj President where he trained under the famed chef Ananda Solomon. Mural was hopping from one restaurant to another and this made him restless despite his progress. At this time, he was looking to work with an international chain but all his effort was in vain.

After trying his luck at many places, he got his first big break at the Renaissance Powai. "I was surprised that the head chef, a foreigner, selected me as junior sous chef. For me, that was a dream come true, to be working in a global hotel chain where I could learn so much more. It was here that I gained tremendous confidence. Soon, a new ambition started forming in my mind – to get a job abroad," he added.

Manjunath Mural | Global Indian | Chef

Mumbai to Singapore

He feverishly started to apply to kitchens in London, Dubai and the United States. But to his dismay, only junior positions were open. However, he kept himself afloat and the right opportunity knocked on his door in the form of his former mentor Milind Sovani with whom he worked briefly at the Juhu Centaur. Sovani offered him a job at The Song of India restaurant that he founded in 2006 in Singapore. Mural jumped at the opportunity and moved to the Garden City. Upon his arrival, he realised he had no idea about international palate. For months he struggled to control his hand as spicy was the only way he knew Indian food. That's when chef Sovani stepped in and made him understand his vision. Two years later, Sovani moved to India giving the reins of his restaurant in Mural's hands, who became the restaurant's executive chef.

Over the years, Mural developed an Asian-Indian gastronomy style, wherein he played with ingredients, flavours, colours and presentation to cook up a plate that was rich in palate. In between he won a gold medal in gourmet hunt Singapore 2007 for The Song of India and participated in a reality TV show on cooking. He even earned a nomination as Best Asian Chef of the Year in 2012 and participated in World Gourmet Summit 2013.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Manjunath Mural (@chef_mural)

A Michelin star that made him a star

But it was in 2016 that this Global Indian's biggest moment came. Ten years after he set foot in Singapore, he won the restaurant its first Michelin star, the first for an Indian restaurant in South East Asia. The next year too, he renewed the honour. In 2018, he led The Song of India to score a hat trick as the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star for the third consecutive year in a row. "For a chef, being awarded a Michelin star is like winning the Academy Award," he said.

After serving as Song of India's culinary director for 14 years, Mural bid adieu to the long association, opening his own restaurant, Adda, in Singapore in 2020. Mural is keen to put Indian cuisine on the global map like no one else. "My personal goal is to share the rich heritage and diversity of Indian cuisine, and hopefully one day, people will regard it as highly as they do French cuisine," he said.

Follow Manjunath Mural on Instagram

Reading Time: 5 min

Srikanth Bolla: An entrepreneur, a leader, and a visionary

(April 17, 2024) Born into a family of rice farmers, entrepreneur Srikanth Bolla's arrival in the world wasn't met with the joyous anticipation one might expect. Visually impaired from birth, some relatives suggested that his parents should abandon him, deeming him as someone who wouldn't be able to help them in their later years. Classmates scorned him as he was visually challenged. He decided to turn his disadvantage into an opportunity and there is no looking back for him. After having fought thousands of odds, today Srikanth serves as an inspiration for countless students and adults. Despite facing numerous challenges, the Global Indian has emerged as a young and prosperous entrepreneur, running Bollant Industries, which has an impressive turnover of ₹150 crore - which incidentally was also funded by former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. "I lack eyesight, but not vision. An entrepreneur's life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief," said the MIT alum, whose only aim in life right now is to elevate his company's turnover to ₹1,000 crore within the next three years. Beyond that, he envisions taking the company public through an IPO and securing a listing on the stock exchange. And now, one of

sion. An entrepreneur's life's a roller-coaster and one needs self-belief," said the MIT alum, whose only aim in life right now is to elevate his company's turnover to ₹1,000 crore within the next three years. Beyond that, he envisions taking the company public through an IPO and securing a listing on the stock exchange.

And now, one of India's biggest production houses, T-Series Films, is ready to release a biopic on his life. Titled Srikanth, the movie stars Rajkummar Rao and Jyothika. "I would like for more and more people to know about my journey," said the entrepreneur during the trailer launch of the movie, adding, "I can't wait for the movie to release."

Facing rejections

Picture this: every day, navigating through a maze of muddy puddles, dodging vehicles that seem intent on hitting you, all along a journey spanning four to five kilometers. Now, envision undertaking this daunting task regardless of the season – whether scorching summer, chilly winter, or torrential monsoon – all while coping with visual impairment. Srikanth has done it all.

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

"I had a clear vision since I was a young kid. When the world looks at me and says, ‘Srikanth, you can do nothing,’ I look back at the world and say I can do anything.”," shared the entrepreneur. "Initially, when I was in my village, I didn't have any friends. No one wanted to play with me since I was visually impaired. But, that loneliness made me concentrate on my studies." When Srikanth was seven years old, he enrolled in a school for the visually impaired in Hyderabad. There, he began to flourish academically, receiving the education he rightfully deserved.

Starting with Braille, Srikanth gradually mastered English and computer skills. His journey of learning was remarkable, marked by victories in debating, creative writing, chess, and blind cricket, earning him recognition as the school's top student. Srikanth excelled academically, achieving 90 percent marks with distinction in his matriculation from Devnar School in Hyderabad.

ALSO READ | How Ritika Shah is bringing Ayurveda to everyday life in India and beyond

Challenging the world

He was the happiest that day, but little did he know that the real battle was only just beginning. Despite his academic achievements, Srikanth faced a daunting challenge: his school's policy restricted blind students from studying science and mathematics due to concerns about handling diagrams and graphs. Encouraged to pursue arts, languages, literature, and social sciences instead, Srikanth refused to accept this limitation. With determination, he sought justice through the legal system, supported by a teacher. Ultimately, he emerged victorious as the court ruled in favor of blind students' rights to study science and maths in senior years across all state board schools in Andhra Pradesh.

Entrepreneur | Srikanth Bolla | Global Indian

It was during this time that he got an opportunity to work for Lead India Project, a movement to empower the youth through value-based education, with former President Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The entrepreneur believed, "No one should let their disability interfere with their dreams. One doesn't need eyes to have visions of their career." Undeterred by the obstacles, Srikanth continued to excel academically, achieving a remarkable 98 percent in his XII board exams, leading his class with distinction.

However, despite having the percentage and required qualifications, the entrepreneur was denied admission to the Indian Institute of Technology, where he wanted to study engineering, because of his blindness. "If IIT did not want me, I did not want IIT either," the entrepreneur shared during an interview, adding, "I knew the world had put many obstacles in my path, I just needed to learn to cross them without falling."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Srikanth Bolla (@srikanthbollaofficial_)

And so, he started applying to various foreign Universities or an undergraduate programme. Interestingly, he was able to secure admission to four of the top schools, MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon in the United States, and in 2009 he eventually chose to get admitted to MIT, which proudly recognised him as their first-ever international blind student.

ALSO READ | Asim Bhalerao: The entrepreneur transforming India’s water infrastructure with AI

A visionary

Upon completing his education, Srikanth returned to Hyderabad and founded Bollant Industries in 2012. The company specializes in manufacturing areca-based products while also prioritizing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Bollant addresses a range of concerns including employment, economics, and environmental sustainability. "I left behind a good future in the USA as I wanted to make products using renewable energy, made by the people considered useless, like me. I want to be a leader working to build a future with equal opportunities for everyone, which means providing work for the abled people also, as Bollant is not a commercial enterprise or a charity home, but a social enterprise working for everyone."

The company produces eco-friendly recycled Kraft paper from municipal waste, crafts packaging items from recycled paper, creates disposable products from natural leaves and recycled paper, and transforms waste plastic into usable goods. The company's impactful endeavours attracted the attention of investors, eventually securing funding from renowned businessman Ratan Tata.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMeuJP5iBWY

"I feel god can give us only starting circumstances, but we make our own destiny. The future is in our hands, we can craft it however we wish. if you want your kids to be in a future where there is equality, you can also craft that future. I have been bothered with the question about what kind of future I want for myself for a long time. I had two choices, I could join a well-established firm, or create my own company - and I chose the latter," said the entrepreneur, adding, "No power in the world can stop an ambitious person from finding success. Disability is when you have sight, but do not have vision."

Follow Srikanth Bolla on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 mins

Of form and function: The urban planners transforming modern India

(August 13, 2022) The practice of urban planning in India dates back thousands of years. The remains of the Indus Valley civilisation are testament to well-thought out, detailed city plans. Mohenjo-Daro city included roads with perpendicular intersections and underground drains, in Vedic and Sangam times, cities like Ayodhya, Pataliputra and Madurai respectively included wide roads, arrangements for dinking water and shady enclaves for people to gather. The Mughals introduced havelis and in Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh collaborated with a famous British architect of the time, Howel, to build the city. Western models came in with the British and town planning was entrusted to municipalities. In modern India, architects like Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn handed over the reins to visionaries like B.V. Doshi, Charles Correa and Hasmukh Patel. On Independence Day weekend, Global Indian takes a look at some of the country's top architects and urban planners today, the men and women behind our metropolises and hi-tech city, whose work, in today's increasingly borderless world, is an amalgamation of global perspectives and an authenticity that is, at its soul, wholly Indian. Dr Balakrishna Vithaldas Doshi [caption id="attachment_28047" align="aligncenter" width="655"] Architect BV Doshi conducting a walkthrough at IIM Bangalore. Photo

ng>

[caption id="attachment_28047" align="aligncenter" width="655"] BV Doshi | Urban Planners | Global Indian Architect BV Doshi conducting a walkthrough at IIM Bangalore. Photo credit: IIM-B[/caption]

With a career spanning 70 years, Dr B V Doshi is a visionary. In 2018, he became the first Indian architect to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most coveted prizes in architecture equivalent to the Nobel in the field. Doshi has completed more than 100 projects in his magnificent career, amalgamating modernism with the rich traditions of India’s architecture, craft, culture and climate. Many public institutions like libraries, schools, art centres and low-cost housing societies are part of Doshi’s rich repertoire. The National War Museum and Memorial, Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), IIM Bangalore, Amdavad Ni Gufa, and Guggenheim Museum, Finland are some of his notable projects amongst many others.

Bimal Patel

[caption id="attachment_28048" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Bimal Patel | Global Indian The Kashi Vishwanath Dham[/caption]

The transformation of the 966.3-hectare waterfront into a sea transport and tourism hub is the Maximum City's most ambitious project in modern times. The man leading the charge is architect and urban planner Bimal Patel, Managing Director of HCP Design Planning and Management Limited and the President of the hallowed CEPT University in Ahmedabad. Today, he is a household name, as the chief architect for the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, the Sabarmati Riverfront and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham.

Bimal joined his father's practice in Ahmedabad in 1990, after finishing his master's degree at Berkeley's College of Environmental Design and his PhD at the Department of City and Regional Planning, where he learned the importance of intellectual freedom and exploration. The Entrepreneurship Development Institute campus, one of his first projects, fetched him the Aga Khan Award for Architecture two years later. He was also involved with Town Planning Schemes in Gujarat after the earthquake. He is also the winner of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements' Award of Excellence, the Prime Minister's National Award for Excellence in Urban Planning and Design and in 2019, was bestowed with the Padma Shri.

[caption id="attachment_28049" align="aligncenter" width="340"] Bimal Patel | Global Indian Bimal Patel. Photo credit: Umang Shah / HCP[/caption]

Sheila Sri Prakash

[caption id="attachment_28050" align="aligncenter" width="865"] Shirdi Sai Baba Temple | Sheila Prakash | Global Indian The Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir, Chennai (ongoing). Render courtesy: Shilpa Architects[/caption]

Sheila Sri Prakash is an internationally acclaimed urban planner, architect and sustainability expert, who became the first Indian woman to establish her architecture practice in 1979. In 2016 The World Economic Forum invited her to be part of the 25-member Global Future Council for shaping the future of environment and natural resource security.

In 2013 Sheila formulated the Reciprocal Design Index to establish, document and incentivize sustainable design of Indian cities. She has been conferred with many national and global honours and accolades including the Bene Merenti Award at Romania. Tamil Nadu's first platinum rated office complex for Cethar Vessels, and restoration of UNESCO World Heritage site, Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur are some of her notable projects. This top architect and urban designer is widely consulted on matters of urban sustainability by several governments.

[caption id="attachment_28051" align="aligncenter" width="530"] Sheila Prakash[/caption]

Sonali and Manit Rastogi

[caption id="attachment_28052" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Infosys Nagpur Campus. Image- worldarchitecture.org[/caption]

Their designs have a soul - sustainability, optimisation, uniqueness and livability. Inspired by nature and looking to create much more than a concrete structure in all their projects, Delhi-based designers and urban planners Sonali and Manit Rastogi, are slowly changing the defination of contemporary architecture. The duo, who started their journey in the world of urban planning in 1996 with their company Morphogenesis, are the brains behind Infosys's 142 acre Nagpur campus, which is the world's largest net zero campus.

An alumni of Architectural Association, London, Manit and Sonali, have been working towards incorporating latest design and technology with nature. Many of their projects are net zero, implying that the greenhouse gases emissions within the buildings is almost negligible. Recipients of many awards, including World Architecture Festival Award and CWAB Awards, India’ Top Architects, these two urban planners are also on the panel of Technical Advisory Committee of GRIHA, India Green rating system.

[caption id="attachment_28053" align="aligncenter" width="428"] Sonali and Manit Rastogi[/caption]

Naresh Narasimhan

Koramangala's infamous rajakaluve, or storm water drain, will soon become a tourist site, all thanks to leading architect Naresh Narasimhan. An urbanist and social activist, Narasimhan has been responsible for renewing many marketplaces and neighbourhoods across India, including Church Street and Brigade Gateway in Bengaluru, and Nirlon Knowledge Park in Mumbai. An alumnus of Manipal Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School, Narasimhan has created some brilliant designs in his 30-year-long career, which have set benchmarks for their typologies in India.

Drawing his inspiration from star urbanists Charles Correa and Joseph Allen Stein, Narasimhan has worked hard to make his designs as cutting-edge as they are ethical. In fact, balancing sustainability with wellbeing-focused design is his expertise. The award-winning architect and founder of MOD Institute is also involved in several pro bono projects with Bengaluru Munciple Corporation to make the city safer and more accessible for vehicular movement and pedestrians.

[caption id="attachment_28054" align="aligncenter" width="632"] Naresh Narasimhan on Church Street. Photo: Deccan Chronicle[/caption]

Rahul Mehrotra

The founder of RMA Architects, Rahul Mehrotra's contributions towards urban design and planning have been both prolific and diverse. The firm, founded in 1990, has executed projects that include government and institutions, corporate offices and campuses and private homes. They designed the Hewlett Packard campus in Bengaluru, as well as a campus for underprivileged kids, built for the NGO Magic BUS.

[caption id="attachment_28055" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Rahul Mehrotra. Photo RMA Architects[/caption]

He has led restoration projects too, the best known being the Hyderabad's Falukhnama Palace and also created a masterplan for the conservation of the Taj Mahal. RMA even designed a social housing project for 100 elephants and their caretakers in Rajasthan. Mehrotra has a significant global presence and designed a Lab Of the Future in Basel Switzerland. In 2018, the firm received a Special Mention at the Venice Architecture Biennale, for three projects "that address issues of intimacy and empathy, gently diffusing social boundaries and hierarchies." Mehrotra is currently the Chair at the Department of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University.

Inputs from Amrita Priya and Namrata Srivastava

Plot twist: How Dev Raturi went from waiter to restaurateur to one of China’s best loved actors

(October 24, 2024) Dev Raturi fondly remembers his pahad in Uttarakhand, although nearly 20 years have passed since he last called it home. In 2005, armed with a job offer from a friend, and lots of dreams for his future, Raturi scraped funds together to buy himself a plane ticket to Beijing. As promised, he began his career as a waiter, serving food and wiping down tables at his friend's restaurant and earning a meagre monthly salary of 1650 RMB. Five years later, he was fluent in Mandarin, had a steady diet of Bruce Lee films, and had risen through the ranks to become general manager of a steakhouse. He went on to open his own restaurant chain, and in 2015, found the break he had been waiting for all his life - the chance to act in a film. Now, he has worked in over 20 films and web series, and still owns a chain of successful Indian restaurants. He is now such a popular name in China that his life story has found its way into a Chinese textbook. The Global Indian, who has become a self-appointed cultural bridge between India and China, is a prominent member of

l Indian, who has become a self-appointed cultural bridge between India and China, is a prominent member of a small-ish Indian diaspora comprising around 45,000, a mix of professionals, traders and students. Most of these people are located in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. In Beijing, where Dev Raturi started his journey, Indian professionals are found in fields like IT, finance, and education. Additionally, Indian-owned businesses, including restaurants, play a key role in representing Indian culture.

[caption id="attachment_58490" align="aligncenter" width="308"] Dev Raturi | Actor | Global Indian Dev Raturi[/caption]

Early Life: Leaving Home for Opportunity

Dev grew up in Kemriya-Saur, a village in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal district. His family lived off farming, and money was always tight. Like many young men from his background, he had to leave school early to help out. He moved to Delhi in the late 1990s, working a series of jobs—anything that paid the bills. But Dev wanted more than just to scrape by. He dreamed of making it big, especially in films. Inspired by Bruce Lee, he was fascinated by the world of cinema.

In 1998, he tried his luck in Bollywood. He auditioned, waited, and hoped, but it never clicked. Dev didn’t have the connections or the polish to break into an industry known for being tough on outsiders. After several years, it became clear he needed to find another path.

"Acting was something I had given up on, but China gave me a second chance." - Dev Raturi

The Move to China: A Gamble That Paid Off

In 2005, a friend told him about a job opportunity in Beijing. It wasn’t glamorous—a waiter job at an Indian restaurant—but it was a chance to start fresh in a place where no one knew him, and where he might just find his break. “I remember everyone telling me I was making a mistake,” Dev said. “But I had to try something new. I felt stuck.”

The first job was as basic as it sounded. Dev’s salary was 1,650 yuan a month, barely enough to live on. The language barrier was huge, and he knew little about China beyond what he’d seen on TV. But this was where Dev’s stubbornness came in handy. He learned Mandarin on the job, listening carefully to how customers spoke and picking up phrases from his colleagues. By 2007, he had learned enough to be promoted to manager, and his salary rose significantly. “I was always good with people, and I think that’s what helped,” he said. “Even when I didn’t understand everything, I listened.”

[caption id="attachment_58493" align="aligncenter" width="574"] Dev Raturi | Actor | Global Indian A still from a Dev Raturi film[/caption]

By 2010, Dev had become the area director for a hospitality chain. He was responsible for multiple restaurants, handling operations and marketing. But he wasn’t satisfied with just being an employee. He saw the gap in how Indian culture was represented in China and thought he could do it better. He heard his Indian friends speak ill of China, and his Chinese friends' unflattering opinions of India, and was hurt by both. However, he came to understand these prejudices came from ignorance, rather than any real malice or hatred. "I realised it is not an easy job being a proud Indian in China. So I thought I must fill this gap because there were very few Indian restaurants, but none of them present you with Indian culture, they just sell the food. I realised that no, this is not enough."

Entrepreneurial Success: Building a Restaurant Chain

In 2013, Dev opened his first restaurant, Redfort, in Xi’an. This wasn’t just another Indian eatery. Dev wanted it to be an immersive experience of Indian culture, from the decor and music to the food and service. The restaurant became a hit, not just because of the food, but because it gave people something they hadn’t seen before—a glimpse into India. “We didn’t just sell food; we sold an experience,” Dev explained. “When people walked into Redfort, I wanted them to feel like they were in India, not just another restaurant.”

Redfort was successful enough that Dev expanded it to other cities. Over the next few years, he opened more branches across China, each one adding a little more to the experience. Today, he owns a chain of eight restaurants, as well as two Chinese restaurants specializing in local cuisine. His success earned him numerous media appearances, and in 2018, he was named one of the “Top 100 Entrepreneurs in Shaanxi.” His story even became part of a class 7 English textbook in Xi’an.

[caption id="attachment_58491" align="aligncenter" width="622"] Actor | Global Indian Red Fort, the Indian restaurant in China owned by Dev Raturi[/caption]

Breaking into Films: An Unexpected Twist

While his restaurants were thriving, Dev’s childhood dream of acting hadn’t disappeared. His big break came out of nowhere. In 2016, while preparing to open a new restaurant in Sichuan, he was approached by a director looking for an Indian actor for a small role in a Chinese film. “I didn’t think much of it,” Dev recalled. “I thought, why not? It had always been my dream.”

The film was a low-budget project, but it gave him a taste of what he had always wanted. The role wasn’t big, but it was enough to get him noticed. Over the next few years, Dev landed more roles in films and TV shows, playing a variety of characters. By 2019, he had appeared in over 20 productions, including “The Ark,” where he played an astronaut, and “My Roommate is a Detective,” a popular TV series. “I never thought I’d get to do this,” he said. “Acting was something I had given up on, but China gave me a second chance.”

Impact

Dev’s story is now well known, both in China and back home in India. He’s been featured on CCTV, Xinhua News, and other media platforms. His restaurants are popular not just for their food but for the cultural experience they offer. He regularly organizes events that showcase Indian music, dance, and festivals, making his restaurants more than just places to eat—they’re a way for people to learn about Indian culture. “I wanted to do more than just serve food,” he said. “I wanted to bridge a gap. There are so many misconceptions about India in China, and I wanted to change that.”

In 2018, Dev was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Entrepreneurs in Shaanxi,” and his achievements earned him roles such as Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Committee of Xi’an Baoji Chamber of Commerce. Today, his story continues to inspire many, especially those who feel limited by their circumstances.

Dev Raturi | Actor | Global Indian

Dev is also planning to invest further in his home state of Uttarakhand. “I want to give back,” he said. “I’m working on a plan to open a business there, maybe something similar to what I’ve done in China. It’s important for me to contribute to where I came from.”

For Dev Raturi, success didn’t come the way he expected, but it came nonetheless. From waiting tables to running a chain of restaurants, from dreaming of Bollywood to acting in Chinese films, his journey is a reminder that sometimes, taking the unexpected route leads to the most surprising destinations.

Follow Dev Raturi on his website.