What brand received recognition during PM Modi's White House visit?

Ecoline, a sustainable fashion brand, gained recognition with its blue sadri jacket made from recycled PET bottles.

How did PM Modi first come across Ecoline's jacket?

PM Modi wore Ecoline's jacket to the Parliament in February, catching their attention and earning his preference.

What inspired Senthil to start Ecoline?

After watching the film Guru and inspired by his father's resilience, Senthil pursued entrepreneurship and founded Ecoline.

What sets Ecoline apart from other brands?

Ecoline is the first Indian brand to recycle PET bottles into fashionable garments, promoting sustainability and eco-consciousness.

How is Ecoline contributing to sustainability and the environment?

Ecoline has recycled millions of PET bottles, saved water, achieved carbon neutrality, and prevented bottles from ending up in landfills.

Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryAC Charania: NASA’s newly appointed chief technologist  

AC Charania: NASA’s newly appointed chief technologist  

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

(January 21, 2023) “An exciting time to be at NASA as the agency along with industry prepare to return crews to the moon,” tweeted AC Charania, eleven days after he assumed office as NASA’s new chief technologist. He also posted a link to the upcoming Artemis III mission, which has many firsts to its credit – The mission has been designed to mark humanity’s first return to the moon in more than 50 years. It will be the first to attempt to land astronauts near the south pole of the lunar surface, and also the first woman and the first person of colour.

The newly appointed Indian-American chief technologist took charge from another Indian origin space expert, Bhavya Lal on January 3rd.  A renowned engineer, Charania has always been enthusiastic about exploring the lunar surface and sending back people on the moon. Not just as explorers, he said in a keynote address five years ago, but “this time to stay.”

AC Charania

As NASA’s new chief technologist, he will serve as principal advisor to administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes at the space agency’s headquarters based in Washington DC. Global Indian takes a look at his eclectic journey.

What the moon beholds 

“There are many interesting areas on the lunar surface that we are yet to explore. There are polar regions that we believe might have trapped volatiles, so there’s a lot more exploration that we need to do,” Charania had said back in 2018. He was associated with another organisation during that time. “There are grand solar system questions like how the solar system got formed, which we can answer by going back to the moon.”

Perhaps his arrival as NASA’s chief technologist can boost the scale, scope and frequency of human visits to the moon.

Deep expertise in turning dreams to reality  

Charania brings a vast array of experiences to his role at NASA. He has been part of multiple leadership teams of aerospace companies, and holds solid expertise in advanced concepts ideation, design and analysis, project management, technology evaluation, business development, international trade compliance, government advocacy, and more. 

A.C. Charania has been named as our agency's chief technologist. He will lead technological innovation and investments across our six mission directorates. Learn more about Charania's career and welcome him to our agency: https://t.co/SL2js0h0Yi pic.twitter.com/4av3oMYRX1

— NASA People (@NASApeople) January 9, 2023

A proponent of the belief that ‘big, curiosity-driven science outperforms all expectations regarding their usefulness, beating any other short-sighted strategy hands-down,’ Charania has been in the thick of transformational journeys of the organisations he has been associated with in the past.  

The global innovator  

Turning advanced concepts into reality, the global innovator has been involved in shaping the recent aerospace revolutions within small satellites, launch vehicles, hypersonics, human and robotic exploration, planetary defense, and aviation autonomy.  

 Prior to joining NASA, he served as vice president of product strategy at Reliable Robotics, a firm that works to bring certified autonomous vehicles to commercial aviation. 

 His previous experiences include working at Blue Origin, an organisation founded by the American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor and commercial astronaut, Jeff Bezos. As Campaign Director of Blue Origin, Charania worked to enhance the lunar permanence strategy, Blue Moon lunar lander programme, and multiple technology initiatives of Blue Origin with NASA. 

 “A permanently inhabited lunar settlement is a difficult and worthy objective. If such an endeavour is to be successful and practical, we must be able to soft-land large amounts of mass onto the lunar surface, and we must be able to do so cost effectively,” he had remarked in a speech as a representative of Blue Origin. 

Indians in USA | AC Charania | Global Indian

As one of the early employees of Virgin Galactic (now Virgin Orbit), Charania had added his expertise in strategy and business development for the LauncherOne small satellite launch vehicle programme. 

Prior to that as one of the first employees of SpaceWorks Enterprises, he served in multiple management and technology roles, including helping to incubate two startups – Generation Orbit and Terminal Velocity Aerospace. 

In his illustrious career, Charania has led the formation of the FastForward industry group focused on high-speed point-to-point transportation, and has also served on the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Commercial Advisory Board. 

Mission to lead space and aviation progress 

Working at NASA’s Office for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, Charania would be aligning its agencywide technology investments with mission needs across six directorates and would oversee technology collaboration with other federal agencies, the private sector, and external stakeholders.  

“The rate of advancement we seek in the 21st century is dependent upon selecting and maturing a portfolio of technologies into systems to execute our missions,” the chief technologist said after his appointment. 

An exciting time to be at @NASA as the agency along with industry prepare to return crews to the Moon, here is a good summary of the upcoming Artemis III mission – the first one to land astronauts in the Moon's South Pole region: https://t.co/GjwJY49i1J pic.twitter.com/1KaMBPhta7

— A.C. Charania (@ac_charania) January 14, 2023

“There are incredible opportunities in partnerships within and outside of NASA. I now look forward to the opportunity to work with the entire community to increase the rate of space and aviation progress,” he said in a press release issued by NASA. 

Illustrious background  

The new NASA chief technologist holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. During his time there, Charania researched the design and performance of hybrid rocket engines. His work earned him several awards, including the National Science Foundation Fellowship. After graduating, Charania pursued a career in the aerospace industry, and has been a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Fellow in the past. 

To merge his understanding of technology with the aspect of business, Charania has topped up his technical expertise with a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Emory University.

 He has led dozens of proposals to NASA, DARPA, USAF, large aerospace primes, and multiple entrepreneurial space ventures; from several million to several billion dollars of value leading to successful capture of more than a billion dollars of government and commercial contracts. 

AC Charania with a NASA official

 The author of dozens of papers and publications, speaker at multiple public conferences and events, Charania has been living in the US with his family. He is a member of multiple professional societies and organizations, including several aerospace-related academic outreach programmes. 

Follow AC Charania on Twitter and LinkedIn

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Suvir Saran: The Michelin-star chef and author who heads Shilpa Shetty’s Bastian Group

(July 7, 2024) There is little Chef Suvir Saran cannot do in the world of cuisines and culinary skills. From launching award-winning restaurants to writing best-selling cookbooks, he talks about his incredible journey If ever a biopic was to be made about a chef from India, my pick would be Suvir Saran. He is a man of several talents. A Michelin-star chef who is on the board of nutrition for Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which is associated with Harvard Medical School, he can write, paint, sing [Indian classical], sew, crochet, do macrame, etc. And oh, he cooks food that people – read the who’s who from across the globe – cannot get enough of. [caption id="attachment_52896" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Chef Suvir Saran[/caption] He lived in the US for several years, owned a farm that housed endangered species, launched and managed successful restaurants, taught people to cook, and consulted with conglomerates. But, a series of falls left him legally blind after a mild stroke. He recovered and is today a popular speaker, a culinary director with the Bastian Hospitality Group, owned by Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra and Ranjit Bindra. Under his leadership, they have launched several successful brands with more on the

s today a popular speaker, a culinary director with the Bastian Hospitality Group, owned by Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra and Ranjit Bindra. Under his leadership, they have launched several successful brands with more on the anvil.

He has launched Qora in Koregaon Park and Murphies on Prabhat Road in Pune with his protégé Vardaan Marwaah and the promoter Aman Talreja.

There is Lord Elgin, a restaurant in Amritsar that serves tapas from all over the world and Farro is his latest, soon-to-be-launched fine dining venue with food that will be a modern interpretation of traditional dishes. It will most importantly be mindful and sustainable, including grains, greens, vegetables and meat. Suvir firmly believes that Indian ghar ka khaana is one of the healthiest and most balanced meal options available.

Learning from the Best

Recalling his childhood days, growing up in Nagpur and later Delhi, Suvir’s earliest influences that nurtured his talent were his mother, the Panditji who cooked in their home, and all the neighbourhood housewives, house-husbands, cooks, and his extended joint family. He says, “Panditji was a Brahmin chef and people were not allowed inside the kitchen wearing a belt or without a bath. He gave me carte blanche and taught me everything. My mother who cooked with mindfulness and passion was also a great influence. She was the smartest baker I knew and could effortlessly manage cooking for a large group. She planned everything military style and answered all my questions on love, empathy, and more. Because I was different, she calmed me down.”

Chef Suvir Saran | Global Indian

Every time Suvir would visit people’s homes as a child, he revealed that he would go to the kitchen, help the cooks or hosts and learn in the process. He audaciously even taught a new bride that had married into his family, how to make a round roti!

Suvir studied fine arts at the JJ School of Arts and later, graphic design at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Though he wanted to be a teacher, an artist, or a veterinarian, his passion for cooking persisted. He says, “In Mumbai, and later in New York too, I used to cook for friends; and there was no school teaching what I was cooking. I happened to meet the publisher of Food Arts magazine who asked me to write for them. He listed my name on the masthead as Culinary Authority. One thing led to another and in 2003, I launched my first restaurant in New York, Amma. It was a 30-seater, and people would stand in queues to get in. No one was doing pan-Indian food at that time. We would serve lamb chops with a dosa filling and a Himachali pear chutney. We were selling a story, not just food.”

American Base, Cooking Desi

Earlier, Suvir used to cook meats without tasting them as he grew up vegetarian. An aunt who was married into a non-vegetarian family taught him how to cook and gauge whether it was done without tasting the dish. “I started eating meat at 35, because I was writing food reviews for Food and Wine magazine, Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Food Arts; and I couldn’t play a guessing game about the taste. It had to be authentic,” he tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_52898" align="aligncenter" width="569"] Malabar Mushroom Biryani[/caption]

After leaving Amma, Suvir launched Devi, a more refined, daring, and progressive restaurant. “This was in 2007, the same year that the Michelin guide launched in the US. They awarded the Michelin star to 18 restaurants in North America that year, Devi was one of them.” At Devi, Suvir has cooked for international celebrities, royals, stars from Hollywood and Bollywood, entrepreneurs and billionaires, artists and rock stars – and just about everyone who loves good food. “I served Bhel Puri here; 20 years ago I had dared to bring street food onto a fine dining table.”

He then moved on to other projects and along with his partner, owned a farm called Masala Farm, where the eggs from their chicken were in great demand as they were high in protein and fat content. “We also had several endangered species that were almost extinct living at the farm. For me, it was a place to live, not a money-making venture. Everything else I did, paid for the farm’s expenses.”

Food writing

While in the US, with his reviews and food writing gaining a fan following, a book offer was sure to follow. And it did, with the publishers spending vast sums of money on the production of the book itself. In his words, “The book didn’t do what the Tarla Dalal and Madhur Jaffrey books did. This was Indian home cooking for people who wanted to learn Indian cooking. It was titled Indian Home Cooking and I followed it up with two more – American Masala and Masala Farm. These books were seminal; they had recipes for six to seven varieties of rasam, shorbas, dals, subjis, chicken, pickles, chawal ki kheer, parathas … It was a labour of love. Each recipe was tested four or five times. And I did not compromise on ingredients. If the dish needed coriander leaves, I used coriander leaves, not parsley.”

Masala Farm also made it to the James Beard list of best cookbooks in 2011. It tells food stories of Suvir’s travels around the world and his life coupled with food from India. A novel and a memoir, “It is more aspirational and exciting,” says Suvir.

Chef Suvir Saran

American Masala, as described on Amazon is ‘about adding new flavours to the great American melting pot, using spices to liven up the old standbys, and enjoying dishes that are as exciting and diverse as life in the big city, and yet as familiar and comforting as your mother’s cooking.’ It features dishes such as Tamarind-Glazed Turkey with Corn Bread–Jalapeño Stuffing, Crab-and-Salmon Cakes with Spicy Cilantro Aïoli, Crispy Okra Salad and Bombay-style Whole Snapper etc.

His latest book, Instamatic, with a foreword by Dr Shashi Tharoor, is a collection of musings, essays and pictures taken by Suvir when he was almost blind, to show him where he was. “I would write the essays on the phone as I couldn’t type.”

India is still Home

Despite all the success and adulation, his career had its share of challenges. Suvir, who is openly gay, has had to face biases because of it. He says, “Was I discriminated against? Yes. Did I lose out on offers because I am gay? For sure. And there were many times I did not get due credit either. But I have never allowed my mind to wander to these negative aspects. I choose to be grateful and celebratory instead of angry. The people who care for me were happy at my success.”

Another setback was a stint of bad health. During his frequent travels around the country, he’d had several falls. He recalls, “In 2016, I’d had a few falls and then I had a mini-stroke. It left me legally blind and after three years of recovery, I came home to India to die. I had no interest in living, had given up eating and I was given the choice of a hospice or my mother’s home. I chose to go to her home and she helped me recover. She encouraged me to go out and travel with friends. Though I couldn’t see, I could smell and feel everything. A cousin’s wife, Smita, would take my hand and lead me to the kitchen, asking me what to cook. I would guide her and we would make three or four dishes. Slowly I recovered, and believed I had a future, and today, I can see well enough to manage my day, but not enough to drive.”

[caption id="attachment_52901" align="aligncenter" width="501"] Grandma's cornbread[/caption]

His favourite ingredients to cook with include lentils, beans, greens, grains and vegetables. “I like to cook food that gives you the comfort of digestion, and not start tomorrow with heartburn from last night’s meal.” As for global trends in food, he says, "Getting back on track with healthy happy food that is sustainable.”

It would be intriguing to see what this multi-talented chef creates with his next venture. Another milestone for sure.

While travelling, Chef Suvir likes to eat at:

Plats, New Delhi: Grilled Mushrooms
Neuma, Mumbai: Pork Belly
Soam, Mumbai: Bhel Puri
Vidyarthi Bhavan, Bengaluru: Benne Dosa
Pindi, New Delhi: Pindi Chole

Follow Chef Suvir Saran on Instagram

Sanjena Sathian: The Indian-American author redefining the idea of belonging

(April 19, 2023) What it means to be both Indian and American? An unnerving question that has kept a generation of Indian-American kids grappling with a feeling of otherness in a country they find at times hard to call home. Being divided between the expectation of their immigrant parents and their own free will, it's the crossroads they often find themselves at. Author Sanjena Sathian explores this very notion in her debut book Gold Diggers. A melting point of ambition, American dream and alchemy, the book redefines identity. The 30-year-old, born to immigrant parents who moved to the US with an American dream, had to unlearn a lot to find herself and her identity in the chaos. This in turn led to the emergence of her first book that had put her into the longlist for the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. Not just this, Mindy Kaling is ready to put this piece of work on the small tube with the screen adaptation of Gold Diggers. [caption id="attachment_37520" align="aligncenter" width="527"] Sanjena Sathian[/caption] Sanjena's entry into the world of writers has been with a bang but she had to do a lot of soul searching to reach here. Pressure to

img class=" wp-image-37520" src="https://www.globalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/sanjena-card.jpg" alt="Sanjena Sathian | Global Indian | Author" width="527" height="578" /> Sanjena Sathian[/caption]

Sanjena's entry into the world of writers has been with a bang but she had to do a lot of soul searching to reach here.

Pressure to overachieve

Born and raised in Georgia by South Indian immigrant parents, Sanjena grew up in metro Atlanta and attended the Westminster School. Being the grand daughter and great granddaughter of respected Malayalee translators, a young Sanjena always dreamt of becoming a writer. She would spend hours scribbling stories in her diary. When she wasn't writing, she would be competing as a policy debater in high school, eventually winning the national championship as a senior. "Once I started winning, I couldn't get enough of it. I became addicted to the hope of winning, and then actually winning — like my existence was confirmed if I won a debate. I sort of became a flat creature if I lost because I didn’t know what to do with that loss," she said in an interview.

Like every second-generation American, she, too, had her eyes on the Ivy League, courtesy the expectation of her parents who wanted her to make it to one of the elite colleges in the US. But internally she often struggled as she felt she was failing to meet the heavy expectations of her family and teachers. And this would often put her under immense pressure to overachieve. "It's comical that I wore this talismanic Harvard sweatshirt and it’s comical how obsessed I was with winning debates. But it’s also tragic that I robbed myself of an inner life and made it really painful for myself to underachieve," the author told the New York Times.

[caption id="attachment_37521" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Sanjena Sathian | Global Indian Sanjena Sathian (Photo Courtesy: NYT)[/caption]

Questioning her choices

She didn't land up in Harvard but at Yale University where she earned a BA in English and studied literary journalism and fiction. It was here that she received multiple grants to report from three continents and was awarded the English Department’s highest honours for each of her two senior thesis: one on the novels of Zadie Smith, the other a series of linked short stories.

Despite her good grades and a great portfolio, she struggled to find a job as a journalist. New York Times revealed that she once called her dad to discuss the possibility of switching to a career "where it's possible to be mediocre." She eventually became an Indian correspondent, based in Mumbai, for a California-based digital publication Ozy. After staying in the role for two years, she felt that writing was her true calling so she returned to the US and dove straight into the two-year Iowa Writers' Workshop residency in 2017.

The book that changed it all

The seed of her debut novel Gold Diggers germinated during one of the workshops at Iowa. What began as a failed short story became an obsession for Sanjena, who was keen to explore the characters and the concept of conceit. Soon a handful of pages turned into a full-fledged novel, and Sanjena's first book was born.

Sanjena's debut book, which was longlisted for the Centre for Fiction's First Novel Prize, tells the story of a teenager who struggles with balancing his own ambitions and those of his parents, and finding his own way to be brown in America. Being herself the daughter of immigrant parents, she beautifully depicts the crossroads at which often most second-generation Americans find themselves.

American dream

"I grew up being told that there were 'real Indians' like my parents, and then ABCDs (American Born Confused Desis) like me. I think that's just a ridiculous way to teach someone to think about their identity — as though the fact that I'm born in America inherently makes me confused. What it does is give me a multiplicitous identity, which is something that writers like Smith and Rushdie have engaged with much more richly. So, the book is concerned with identity, but in ways that are less basic than 'Am I Indian or am I American or both?', the author said in an interview.

Being raised in the US in a family that was fixated with the American dream, this Global Indian realised that the concept was ingrained deeply in the minds of the people who left their homelands to find a better life in the US. But the writer calls American dream a dangerous idea that is playing with the ideals and aspirations of the immigrants and their families.

Sanjena Sathian | Global Indian

"The American dream is a fiction that we Americans feed ourselves to believe that there is such thing as meritocracy in this country. This is an appealing idea because, as in books like The Great Gatsby, Americans are taught to believe that it’s possible to remake ourselves entirely, to come up from nothing and wind up rich or famous or wildly successful. Of course, that’s a compelling idea -- so many of us want more for ourselves and our families. And that idea is what brought many Indians of my parents’ generation to the US, especially those who left in the 1960s-80s when the Indian economy was closed. But the American dream is also a deeply dangerous idea because it presupposes that those who aren’t wealthy somehow just aren’t striving enough," she added.

Screen adaptation

It's this very notion of identity that has made Sanjena's novel a hit with bibliophiles. Such has been the success of Gold Diggers that even Mindy Kaling's production couldn't turn a blind eye to this bestseller. Kaling, who is championing diversity with her shows like Never Have I Ever, is keen to adapt Gold Diggers for television. And it is this very feat that has put the Indian-American author on the list of new talent to look out for.

Gold Diggers

Passing on the knowledge

Sanjena, who has tasted success with Gold Diggers, is imparting her knowledge in the field of writing with the Bombay Writers' Workshop that she started in 2020. "My hope is to bring the kind of creative writing education and community I got at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop to artists of all ages and skill levels writing literary prose in Mumbai. The bulk of writing is a solitary act, and you can’t really teach someone how to do that. But I can help writers who want to better their sentences or learn more about story structure or just read others’ work. Last year, the online course was pretty incredible — a talented bunch of people in both India and the diaspora. I always hope to pay it forward by passing on to other writers whatever small knowledge I’ve gotten from my teachers and friends."

Follow Sanjena Sathian on Instagram and Twitter

Reading Time: 6 min

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.

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."

Follow Ferose on LinkedIn

Polyester from PET bottles: Meet the father-son duo behind PM Modi’s sustainable attire at the White House

(July 7, 2023) PM Narendra Modi's recent White House visit attracted cheers not only from the Indian-American community but also the Ecoline team, sitting 8631 miles away in the small town of Karur in Tamil Nadu. It was a proud moment for the sustainable fashion brand as their blue sadri jacket, crafted from recycled PET bottles, took center stage as PM Modi made a powerful statement during his visit. Founded in 2020, Ecoline has earned the distinction of being PM Modi's preferred brand in recent times. It was in February this year that PM Modi first wore their jacket to the Parliament. "It was a pleasant surprise for all of us, and things changed after that," says Senthil Sankar, the founder of Ecoline, adding, "There has been a tremendous response and a huge interest in sustainability, especially since PM Modi wore our jacket. He also wore it to the G7 summit in Japan, which was a different colour, Chandan. He wore our jacket at the White House too, which means he likes it and wants to send a message (about sustainable fashion)." [caption id="attachment_41197" align="aligncenter" width="714"] Ecoline's sadri jacket gifted to PM Modi[/caption] Made from 20 PET bottles, the sadri

="714"] Ecoline | Global Indian | Ecopreneur Ecoline's sadri jacket gifted to PM Modi[/caption]

Made from 20 PET bottles, the sadri jacket is one of their most-inquired garments - an idea that struck Senthil's father K Sankar, the founder of Shree Renga Polymers (the parent company of Ecoline). The father-son duo is on a mission to revolutionise fashion by recycling PET bottles to make them into fashionable garments, making Ecoline the first Indian brand to pursue this path. "We thought of taking the initiative of bringing the thought process (of sustainable fashion) to consumers," Senthil tells Global Indian. It takes eight PET bottles to make a shirt, twenty to make a jacket, and twenty-eight to make a blazer.

The beginning

Ecoline’s journey begins from Shree Renga Polymers, as Senthil's story begins from his father's. An IIT-Delhi graduate in Polymer Science and Technology, K Sankar worked abroad in many roles and capacities in various companies, predominantly in polymers and plastics, before returning to Karur in 2008 to start Shree Renga Polymers, recycling PET bottles to make polyester yarns. However, this wasn't K Shankar's first foray into business. In 1996, he started his first venture, recycling nylons and fish nets, but experienced significant setbacks. The debt-ridden family vowed to never get into business again. Chennai-born Senthil saw his dad struggle through hardships and knew this wasn't his path. After his BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology, he joined Tata Consultancy Services.

[caption id="attachment_41192" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Ecoline | Global Indian | Ecopreneur Senthil Sankar with dad K Sankar[/caption]

However, his perspective took a transformative turn after watching the Bollywood film Guru in 2007. "I was inspired by the life of Dhirubhai Ambani and felt that being an entrepreneur is much more empowering," he says. He decided to work for a few years, pursue an MBA, and then embark on his entrepreneurial journey.

Witnessing his father dive back into business with Shree Renga Polymers inspired Senthil. "It takes a lot of gumption and courage, especially when you have had a first bad experience. To restart at the age of 50 was inspiring for me," says Senthil. He had a strong desire to assist his father in the business, despite initial doubts. K Sankar fondly recalls, "I thought he would run away. He was more accustomed to city life. How would he adapt to working in the waste industry and living a less glamorous lifestyle?" However, Senthil interjects with a smile, "I was determined to become an entrepreneur and build a thriving enterprise."

Senthil turned down a lucrative offer to relocate to Canada, opting instead to join his father's business and make a positive impact on society. "Back in 2006, I started reading a lot and realised that India has massive potential. The country will grow in a big way in the 21st century. That thought process struck a deep chord and I am a patriotic person, not only in cricket matches but otherwise as well," says the ecopreneur, who happily bartered a cushy job in Silicon Valley for "a thorn bed in Karur, empowering 500 people through employment." "Being in a fancy job in Silicon Valley can give me likes and shares on Facebook and LinkedIn but not the satisfaction."

Ecoline | Global Indian

The making of a sustainable fashion brand

Senthil moved to Karur with his wife, who is a criminal lawyer, and his commitment to growing the family business resulted in the birth of Ecoline in 2020. "We knew the end-to-end of the textile spectrum, the only natural extension was to create a brand," adds Senthil, who calls sustainable fashion the future. "With the climate crisis and growing population, we have to find ways to sustain humanity with the available resources. Sustainable consumption is the only way to do that."

[caption id="attachment_41193" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Ecoline | Global Indian Discarded PET bottles[/caption]

Around 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills every day (that take years to degrade). However, India recycles 90 percent of its PET bottles. Classified as engineering plastic, PET bottles offer higher remuneration and better returns to ragpickers. Senthil and K Sankar are helping convert 15 lakh bottles daily into polyester fabric. "We are buying more time by turning plastic into fashionable garments. There will always be demand for polyesters because activewear as a segment is big globally and is also gaining prominence in India. Polyester is going to have a continuous demand. This helps the planet and also helps the brand be eco-conscious."

From PET bottles to garments

Senthil demonstrates the process by presenting a PET bottle during our video call. He explains that only the bottle’s plastic body is utilised to create the polyester fibre used to make garments. However, Senthil mentions, "The bottle caps are sold to individuals who manufacture battery cases, while the wrappers are sent to cement factories for burning." The process begins with ragpickers collecting PET bottles, which are then sent to suppliers responsible for transforming them into cubes. These cubes are delivered to the Ecoline factory, where a sorting process takes place. "The bottles are crushed, cleaned, dried, melted, and transformed into semi-finished fibres. The fibres then undergo a five-stage finishing process and converted into yarn, which is used to create fabric on a knitting machine. Finally, the fabric is fashioned into garments."

Ecoline | Global Indian | Ecopreneur

While many companies are announcing plans to become carbon neutral, Shree Renga Polymers has achieved carbon neutrality for the past decade. K Sankar proudly shares, "Not only have we recycled plastic, but we have also planted over 5000 trees and implemented renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass." Senthil adds that nothing goes to waste in their factory. He explains, "The bottles come dirty to us, so we use water to clean the plastic. The mud gets separated and the water is recycled. With the mud, we make paver blocks. Every input we get is made into some value-added product and sold. We also save water by using dope-dyed technology (dyeing without water)."

Sustainability is the future

Within just two years of entering the market, Ecoline has successfully garnered clients from across India. When asked about their reaction to wearing clothes made from PET bottles, Senthil responds, "Most people are amazed by the concept. However, for those who are apprehensive, we take the time to explain the meticulous process. Since the polymer is subjected to temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius during processing, no bacteria or virus can survive. Once it is transformed into polyester fibre, it becomes like any other product." The 37-year-old ecopreneur acknowledges that the consumer's perspective on sustainability presents an ongoing challenge. "Yes, PM Modi wore it, that's a big statement but is it fashionable? Does it look good? Is it a part of fast fashion? These are the things that sustainability has to discover."

Ecoline | Global Indian | Ecopreneur

Since its establishment, Shree Renga Polymers has successfully prevented 200 crore PET bottles from ending up in landfills. K Sankar, with evident pride, highlights, "Each day, we save 1.5 million bottles from reaching the landfill. If left unattended, these bottles would occupy a space equivalent to a football stadium spanning 700,000 square meters. Our efforts have also resulted in the prevention of 14,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, thanks to the conversion of 2 billion bottles." Additionally, the water conservation achieved through their process is equivalent to the capacity of Tamil Nadu's Veeranam lake, which can store 1,465 million cubic feet (mcft) of water.

Senthil embarked on a transformative journey, forsaking his white-collar job to venture into the realm of entrepreneurship. His path was rife with challenges and valuable lessons, one of which was the realisation that pursuing an MBA was unnecessary before diving into business. "Being on ground and involved in the nuts and bolts is the best learning. No B-School can teach you passion, persistence, patience, vision, direction – all key aspects of entrepreneurship."

Through their unwavering commitment and relentless efforts, the father-son duo has transformed their venture into a ₹100-crore company, and their ambitions now extend to international expansion. For Senthil and K Sankar, revenue and profit are merely by-products of their journey, with their true driving force being their vision. "Every single plastic bottle that we recycle today, 15 lakh bottles will turn into 30 lakh bottles in two years. All these bottles getting converted into a finished product with a brand name Ecoline and getting sold in some part of the world is what exactly will give us joy."

Follow Senthil Sankar on LinkedIn

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