Global IndianstoryBollywood magic: Africa’s deep-rooted love affair with Indian cinema

Bollywood magic: Africa’s deep-rooted love affair with Indian cinema

Written by: Charu Thakur

(August 6, 2024) Sitting on a boat in a lake surrounded by water lilies in the picturesque landscape of Morogoro in Tanzania, social media star Kili Paul is lip-syncing to the popular song Suniya Suniya Raatan. His love for Indian music isn’t a secret as the 29-year-old’s social media is full of videos of him performing popular Bollywood songs. Clad in his Masaai attire, he never misses a chance to show his love for Bollywood. So much so that he was honoured by Indian High Commission in Tanzania for promoting Indian music and culture. But he isn’t the only one, hundreds of heartwarming videos of Africans immaculately singing Bollywood numbers are proof that our films have touched millions of hearts in the continent of Africa, even some 6,000 kilometers away.

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Bollywood first made its mark in Africa in the 1950s. With Hollywood film licensing hefty on their pockets, Africans found a perfect alternative in Bollywood films. The themes, plots, and lively song and dance routines of Bollywood films resonated with African audiences. Even without dubbing, Hindi films drew packed houses across the continent.

The love affair that began some 70 years ago is growing stronger with each passing day. From the shores of Tanzania to the inlands of Mali, every country in the continent shares a strong bond with Bollywood.

Arun Ashokan, who moved to Malawi five years ago, vouches for Africans’ love for Bollywood. “I recently spotted this girl in Mponela singing a Hindi film song, who came running to me inquiring about the film. They love Bollywood films, and music and even watch Hindi serials. They have small theatres in villages where they play these movies and serials,” he tells Global Indian.

Mali’s Bollywood-themed radio shows

Bollywood has even enchanted the people of Bamako in Mali. Nestled on the banks of the calm Niger river, Bamako boasts of rich history, diverse linguistic and cultural traditions. But this West African country’s love for Bollywood is an open secret. Even the 8,604 km distance between Mumbai and Bamako is no spoiler for Malians who love Bollywood and Indian culture.

Anjani Kumar, Ambassador of India to the Republic of Mali told Financial Express that there is a significant fan base for Bollywood cinema, song, and dance in Mali. He described his meeting with singer Mofas Khan as truly enriching. “An ardent Indophile who has never been to India but his love for our country and culture is admirable. He is a passionate singer who has learnt Hindi without a teacher. He presents a weekly radio program called India Gaana dedicated to Bollywood where he painstakingly interprets Hindi songs in Bambara, the lingua franca of Mali and West Africa, and also gives information about the film personalities.”

Hailing from a village in Mopti, Mofas Khan expresses his love for India through Bollywood songs. Like many Bamako residents, Khan, too, grew up on a rich diet of Bollywood films and has been in love with the Indian culture ever since. It was Rote Rote Hasna Seekho from Andha Kanoon that Khan crooned for the first time, and since then, there has been no looking back for this Indophile.

But Khan is not the only known Bollywood aficionado in Mali. Seydou Dembele is another resident of the country who wears his love for Bollywood up his sleeve. A school teacher by profession, Dembele was introduced to Hindi cinema by his father who worked at a theatre that screened Bollywood films. For the last 25 years, he has been presenting a radio show – Indian Frequency on Bollywood Songs – every Sunday afternoon.

Such has been his popularity that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned him during Mann Ki Baat in 2020. “His passion for India, affection, and love are indeed a matter of pride for us,” the PM had said.

When Seduji visited #Kumbh and at that time he was part of the delegation that I met, his passion for India, affection and love are indeed a matter of pride for all of us: PM @narendramodi #MannKiBaat #PMonAIR pic.twitter.com/RC2HtjBBQQ

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) September 27, 2020

The love for Bollywood music extends beyond radio shows, flourishing in cultural groups that promote Indian music and dance. Three prominent cultural groups in the capital, Bamako—Yaarana Hindustani, Bollywood Fans International, and Dostiare—periodically organize cultural events. These events bring together Malian artists, singers, and dancers who have dedicated themselves to various aspects of Indian culture.

Ghana’s romance with Bollywood classics

Some 1,100 kilometers away, Rex Cinema in Ghana’s Kumasi had become a favourite with Bollywood fans during the 1960s. The theatre played Bhagwan Dada and Geeta Bali’s Albela every Friday for a year, selling out its 2,000-seat capacity.

It was the post-colonial period that brought Bollywood films to the shores of Ghana. The recurrent themes of community, honour, morality, and family values resonated with the people of Ghana, kindling their love for Bollywood.

In the capital city of Tamale, old Hindi films like Albela (1951), Love In Tokyo (1966), Noorie (1979), and Andha Kanoon (1983) are still viewed by residents in their homes and neighbourhood video centers. The people of Ghana devour Hindi films, and their love for Bollywood can be seen across innumerable DVD shops.

While the Bollywood classics are a hit with Ghanaians, the older Dagomba (ethnic group of Ghana)viewers outright rejected the Bollywood films of the 90s citing cultural and moral shifts. The video center owners decided not to screen new Bollywood films.

Kannywood’s emergence in Nigeria, courtesy Bollywood

Nigeria’s love affair with Bollywood began in the 1950s. Considered to be a cheaper alternative to the latest Hollywood hits, some Lebanese merchants decided to import Hindi films to Nigeria. Soon attending Bollywood film screenings in open courtyards became commonplace in Nigerian culture. Interestingly, the films screened were neither dubbed nor subtitled in the native language. Mainly because the Nigerian communities saw themselves in the stories portrayed in Hindi cinema, Bollywood was able to cut through the language barrier in Africa.

Be it pulp fiction or devotional songs, Bollywood left an indelible mark on Hausa culture – it acted as a catalyst in the creation of Kannywood, the north Nigerian movie hub based out of Kano. Kannywood Studios often replicate Bollywood movies shot by shot, and they also produce music videos heavily influenced by Indian styles. In 2013, an album inspired by this trend was released in Nigeria, titled Harafinso: Bollywood-Inspired Film Music from Hausa Nigeria.

Even the women of Nigeria have found inspiration in Bollywood which led to the emergence of soyayya – or – love literature in the 80s. The Hausa women, deeply inspired by the innocent romance in Hindi films, started writing soyayya novels to modernise their conservative communities.

Over the years, Bollywood’s grip on Nigeria has become as strong as ever, and now Nollywood (the Nigerian film industry) is collaborating with Bollywood to produce films together. The 2020 Netflix film Namaste Wahala, based on a romantic relationship between an Indian boy and a Nigerian girl, is the perfect example of this collaboration. S Pratibha, who moved with her husband to Abuja two years ago, says that Nigerians grew up on a staple of Bollywood films. “They love everything Bollywood. On the streets, you often find Bollywood music playing. It is a great feeling to see Nigerians embracing Hindi music.”

Kenya’s pop culture boost from Bollywood

In Nigeria, Bollywood served as a source of inspiration, while in Kenya, Hindi films significantly influenced music genres, landscapes, and fashion, offering dreams during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. With a huge population of Asians residing in Kenya from the 60s to the 90s, Bollywood became an integral part of the culture. Globe Cinema in Nairobi was the go-to destination for Bollywood film buffs and the movies it showcased opened doors to Indian culture among East Africa’s Asian community. The film provided a quick lesson in fashion customs and traditions.

From Rajesh Khanna to Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood stars have left an imprint on the people of Kenya. In 2019, actor Anupam Kher shared a video of a Kenyan couple lip-syncing to Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam from Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. The same year, the first-ever Indian Films Festival was held in Kenya.

Presenting #Sharukh and #Kajol from Kenya lip-synching the eternal love song from the eternal #dilwaledulhanialejayenge. Video shared by the man who composed the song, @pandit_lalit. Enjoy.🤓🙏😎😍 #MusicIsUniversal pic.twitter.com/5gwga3kARv

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) September 12, 2019

Like music, films transcend boundaries, and this is especially true for Bollywood films. If you’re an Indian traveler, chances are you’ve encountered people who recognize your identity because of Bollywood stars. That’s the power of Hindi cinema. Over the last 60 years, Africans have embraced Bollywood films to the extent that they have become a part of their culture. Indian films have left an indelible mark on Africa, and this love affair continues to grow for both regions. However, the challenge remains that many African countries still prefer classic films from the past. The task now is to make contemporary Indian cinema more appealing to a global audience.

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Published on 06, Aug 2024

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How YouTuber Ravi Prabhu travelled to every country in the world without quitting his job

(September 14, 2024) All that is left for Ravi Prabhu to discover is the world above earth. That’s because he’s done travelling to every nook and corner of the world, covering a mind boggling 30 lakh air miles — the distance equivalent to travelling eight times to the moon! Over 600 people from all over the world have gone into space while more than 6600 people have scaled Mount Everest. But it’s only 280 out of 850 crore people of the world who have visited every country in the world. Ravi Prabhu is one among them. “Travelling is quite addictive, and has probably become a compulsive disorder for me. I tend to go crazy in my head if I do not travel for long,” smiles Ravi Prabhu, a Telugu YouTuber, in a chat with Global Indian. Over the last 27 years, he has travelled to all the 195 countries in over a 1,000 airlines. His travel accomplishments have been verified by the most astute travellers of Nomad Mania. [caption id="attachment_55929" align="aligncenter" width="396"] Ravi Prabhu[/caption] Recently, Ravi spent nine days in Venezuela marking his final country on the atlas. “I covered 10 to 15 countries every year. I have been to many countries more than 10 times

024/09/ravi-youtuber-682x1024.webp" alt="Indian traveller | Global Indian" width="396" height="595" /> Ravi Prabhu[/caption]

Recently, Ravi spent nine days in Venezuela marking his final country on the atlas. “I covered 10 to 15 countries every year. I have been to many countries more than 10 times and visited over 100 countries more than once,” says Ravi, who started his travels in 1997 and has been unstoppable ever since.

Off to US

Ravi Prabhu took off on his travels after he moved to the US for higher studies in 1996. He completed a double Masters in Business Management with a specialisation in Information Systems from the University of Memphis. Thereafter, he began working as an information systems/management consultant on a long term project with a client from a different city. Since his client covered his travel expenses, he wasn’t required to relocate.

“However, I would fly every Monday to work, and once work ended on Thursdays, I would travel to Europe every other weekend for pleasure. With the number of flights I took, and always armed with a window seat and stunning views, I felt as if I were an eagle soaring high up in the sky with wide wings trotting around the world,” says the Indian-American.

The first country travelled to (after US) was Holland, followed by Belgium and France. Thereafter, the itch to travel drove him to visit all the 195 countries. “When you travel, you come across real challenges and learn many more things than what we read in books. I have lived through extreme hot and cold temperatures while being on opposite ends of the world,” says Ravi, who holds an American passport. Presently, he is using his 14th passport.To fulfill his dream of exploring the world, Ravi took up a IT consulting job so I could have the flexibility to travel and work as well. “I work six to eight months a year and then travel,” he says.

Welcome in Pakistan

His experiences in Pakistan and Afghanistan were better than he could have imagined. “Everywhere I went in Pakistan, when I introduced myself as Indian, the people were more than welcoming. They even gifted me clothes, shoes and many more items,” recalls Ravi, who, as one of the most travelled south Asian, was also part of three live shows by reputed Pakistani channels including Dawn.

[caption id="attachment_55930" align="aligncenter" width="478"] Indian traveller | Global Indian Ravi Prabhu has travelled to every country in the world.[/caption]

Being an Indian and raised in India, where all one hears about is Pakistan, LoC (Line of Control) and PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), Ravi says his visit to Gilgit-Baltistan (in PoK) brought another sense of accomplishment. He has travelled to Pakistan not once, but thrice.

Being a traveller in war-torn Afganistan

In February 2020, Ravi set off on a five-day trip to Afghanistan, which he describes as thrilling and scary at the same time. “Afghanistan was country number 186 for me. It was the pre-Taliban era but bomb blasts, kidnappings and attacks used to take place regularly. Yet, it was a memorable experience,” says the globe-trotter who was ranked as the No. 1 traveller from India by Nomad Mania.

During his visit to Baluchistan, Ravi was able to visit Hinglaj Mata temple, where not many are allowed. “Luckily, I’ve never lost my way in any country as I do a thorough research on each destination,” says the travel freak, who did couch surfing at few places. He did undertake a few trips without a plan and discovered sights serendipitously, but never lost his tracks. Moreover, language is no longer an issue, says Ravi, with the advent of handheld gadgets and mobile apps.

Carbon-friendly

He also tries to factor in environmental friendliness. “I try my best to stay in boutique hotels, use public transport and try to keep my carbon footprint low,” he explains.

After the initial 100 countries, Ravi began choosing adjoining countries so he could cover more nations in one go. “But I don’t travel full time and had to factor in my work and family. Time is the biggest hurdle,” says Ravi, who even travels with wife Swathi and daughter Anoushka.

Ravi Prabhu | YouTuber | Global Indian

During his visits, Ravi tries to inform people about the culture and heritage of the two Telugu States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and even motivate people to visit. So far, he has invested well over Rs 25 crore on his journeys. He met all the expenditure by himself.

Visakhapatnam boy

Ravi Prabhu was born in Odisha and then moved to Vishakapatnam, where he completed school and junior college. After that, he moved to Hyderabad and did his Masters in Political science between 1994 and 1996.

He had a penchant for travel ever since he was a kid. “When I was in class 6, my mother gifted me an atlas. I used to spend hours going through every nook and corner of the world,” he recalls. While his father retired from the State Bank of India, mother worked in the AP Education department.

Ravi’s parents were travellers as well. “Even though we belonged to a very ordinary middle-class family, they left no stone unturned to show us (Ravi and his sister) places across India,” he says. When he was 10, he travelled to Bhutan, his first trip outside India.

Seeing myriad places as a kid enhanced his interest to explore more places far and wide. “I aspired to see many places but never thought of covering each and every country in the world even in my wildest dreams. But when I started exploring the world, I moved my goal post further ahead after every 10 or so countries, thereby eventually traveling the world.”

Ravi Prabhu | YouTuber | Global Indian

YouTuber

Ravi Prabhu has close to 8 lakh subscribers, and a huge fan following and his YouTube channel features his travel experiences, and insights into his journeys, including the cultures, cuisines, and people he encountered along the way. “It’s a visual treat for travel enthusiasts, as they see the beauty of each destination through the lens of my camera,” says Ravi, whose passion for travel is evident in his videos.

He even shared his experiences with the students and faculty at the University of Hyderabad.

Through his channel, Ravi aims to provide a glimpse into the diverse cultures and lifestyles of people from different countries and promote unity in diversity.

Incredible India

Even though Ravi has travelled the world, he says nothing matches the charm, variety and thrill of India. “I have been to 23 states in India. I’m yet to explore north east. There’s never a dull day in India, and there is always something different every few kilometres,” smiles Ravi, adding a lifetime isn’t enough for him to explore India.

People can always find something unique, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘foreign’ travel. “We live in an amazing world filled with beauty. Small constraints should not limit anyone from travelling,” he feels.

Indian traveller | Global Indian

Future plans

Now that he is done with exploring the world, Ravi says he is open to explore the space, even though he is not very keen. “I like to keep my options open,” says Ravi, who is presently undertaking more and more road trips to different destinations in India.

Now that he has accomplished his lifetime dream, Ravi says he would like to focus on knowledge sharing. “I plan to write a book on my travels. Besides, I would love to visit educational institutions and share whatever knowledge I’ve gained through travelling,” says the traveller.

Follow Ravi Prabhu on Instagram and YouTube.

Six Indians in new list of Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women

(January 7, 2022) As India enjoys the status of being amongst the best-performing large economies across the globe, the finance minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman has an instrumental role to play in this fillip. In the wake of the upcoming budget, all eyes are set on her to give India a further boost. During her busiest time of the year, she has been in news for being listed in Forbes’ world’s 100 most powerful women. This is the fourth consecutive year that the finance minister of India is part of the coveted list. Sitharaman is just one Indian face amongst the other Indian stalwarts that are part of the latest list - Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Roshni Nadar, Falguni Nayar, Soma Mondal, and Madhabi Puri. Apart from the six Indian citizens, Indian- American vice president of America, Kamala Harris enjoys one of the top slots in the list. Global Indian turns the spotlight on these movers and shakers. They were selected on four main metrics – wealth, media, spheres of influence and impact. ‘For political leaders, we weighed gross domestic products and populations; for corporate leaders, revenues and employee counts; and media mentions and reach of all,” stated Forbes,

s the spotlight on these movers and shakers. They were selected on four main metrics – wealth, media, spheres of influence and impact. ‘For political leaders, we weighed gross domestic products and populations; for corporate leaders, revenues and employee counts; and media mentions and reach of all,” stated Forbes, at the time the list was released, in December 2022.

Nirmala Sitharaman

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India

The Indian economist and politician is serving in the minister of finance and corporate affairs since 2019. Born in Madurai, Sitharaman previously served as the Defence Minister of India, becoming the country’s second female defence minister and the second female finance minister after Indira Gandhi. Sitharaman is the first full-time female minister to hold each of the two coveted portfolios.

[caption id="attachment_33593" align="aligncenter" width="787"] Indian leaders | Women | Global Indian Nirmala Sitharaman[/caption]

She is set to present the union budget on February 1 2023 for the fifth consecutive year. India boasts of reaching the $3.8 trillion economy mark under her able leadership. “Between 2020 and today, we seem to have come out to a situation where the challenges continue, newer challenges are also building up but India is seen as an island of a certain level of calm," the finance minister said at a Global Investors' Meet.

Roshni Nadar

Chairperson of HCL Technologies

The Indian billionaire businesswoman and the chairperson of HCL Technologies is the first female entrepreneur to lead a listed IT company in India. She also works as the CEO of HCL Corporation, the holding company of all HCL Group entities. The entrepreneur was raised in Delhi by her parents, Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL, and Kiran Nadar.

[caption id="attachment_33598" align="aligncenter" width="792"] Indian leaders | Indian Women | Global Indian Roshni Nadar[/caption]

Roshni worked in several organisations before joining HCL Group and was associated as a trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, prior to becoming the CEO of HCL Corporation. The organisation is scaling new peaks under Roshni’s leadership and is one of the top fifteen global technology companies with a revenue of more than $10 billion. "If you're able to have an entrepreneurial spirit, and more than that, to have an entrepreneurial gut to be able to take risks - with people or with your ideas - I think it shapes you in a very different manner," Roshni said, speaking at a FICCI event.

Madhabi Puri Buch

Chairperson of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

The first woman and non-IAS officer to lead SEBI, chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch has been leading the securities regulatory body since 2017. Madhabi is also the first person from the private sector to be appointed to this position. The SEBI chairperson has been credited with corporatization of the organization to improve efficiency, and other such rapid changes conducive to the growth of the system. “While technology is being used as a tool by fraudsters, we can use the same technology to evade fraud,” she said at an event organised by Indian Audit and Accounts Department.

[caption id="attachment_33599" align="aligncenter" width="832"] Indian leaders | Indian Women | Global Indian Madhabi Puri Buch[/caption]

The Mumbaikar pursued her college education from Delhi, which she followed up with an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. Starting her career in 1989 with ICICI Bank she has lent her expertise across various profiles in different companies.

Soma Mondal

Chairperson of Steel Authority of India (SAIL)Born and brought up in Bhubhneshwar, Soma Mondal is the first woman to be functional director of SAIL. She also enjoys the distinction of being the first female chairperson of the organisation. After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering from NIT Rourkela, Soma’s 35-year-long career began as a trainee with NALCO. In 2017, she joined SAIL as its director (commercial operations) and rose to Chairperson three years later, in 2020.

[caption id="attachment_33600" align="aligncenter" width="802"] Indian leaders | Indian Women | Global Indian Soma Mondal[/caption]

Mondal has been instrumental in increasing SAIL’s revenue by 50 percent, bringing it to over ₹ one lakh crore after becoming chairperson. Today, she’s a popular and well-respected part of the aluminium industry. “The mantra is to work hard in a focused manner and instead of looking for leadership from the top at all times, create a leader within each of you in every activity of yours,” she said, during an interaction with young executives at the Rourkela Steel Plant.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited

Born in Bangalore to Gujarati parents, Kiran Mazumdar is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur and a now-familiar face in the Forbes list of 100 Most Powerful Women. She has always worked with the vision of affordable innovation and has made it a driving philosophy to expand Biocon's reach. Motivated by the urge to provide affordable drugs to less-affluent countries, the entrepreneur has tried to develop cost-effective techniques and low-cost alternatives through her Bangalore based organisation.

[caption id="attachment_33601" align="aligncenter" width="729"] Indian leaders | Indian Women | Global Indian Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw[/caption]

One of India’s richest self-made women, Kiran has successfully forayed into the lucrative markets of the west, and runs Asia's largest insulin factory in Malaysia. "You have to work like your life depends on it. You cannot say, let me give it a shot," was her advice to women during an award ceremony.

Falguni Nayar

Founder and CEO, Nykaa

The Indian billionaire businesswoman founded the beauty and lifestyle retail company formally known as FSN E-Commerce Ventures, an acronym of her own name. The Mumbaikar was raised in a Gujarati household and after graduating from IIM-Ahmedabad, worked with Kotak Mahindra for 19 years. Using the $2 million she had earned over the years, she made an investment in her own company. In November 2021, it was listed at a $13 billion valuation soon after going public.

[caption id="attachment_33602" align="aligncenter" width="766"] Indian leaders | Indian Women | Global Indian Falguni Nayar[/caption]

Falguni is the wealthiest female Indian billionaire, with a net worth of more than $6.5 billion – it puts her in the list of India’s top 20 richest people. Reflecting the ethos of the woman at its helm, Nykaa is a celebration of the feminine. “Curiosity will always give you an edge because learning is integral to growth. Whether it's a road less travelled or not, take the path you want to take,” she advised youngsters during her convocation address at Bennett University.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Eagle-eyed Indian American angel investor with a heart of gold

(Sarbani Sen, May 5) When Kanwal Rekhi, a fresh-faced graduate from IIT-Bombay, got off a bus and walked into the imposing Michigan Tech, he had butterflies in his stomach. He wasn’t sure if he was up to the task. But it didn’t take long to find his footing. “The US was at the top of its game and India was really at the bottom of its game. IITs were not established as top-notch schools. We (Indians) were very humble and assumed that we were not as good as them. It was just a matter of weeks, I realized I was as good as any of them,” says Rekhi in an interview with Global Indian. That was in 1967. The humbleness remains even after 50 years, but Rekhi’s imposing presence as a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and identifier and funder of great ideas is undisputed. He has financed over 50 startups, and new entrepreneurs talk of his incisive questions and candor-filled assessment of their ideas. He looks for more than just an excellent idea. He likes originality. “I like entrepreneurs who are not repeating what others have done: like I am Uber of this or that or I am yet another e-commerce site,”

of this or that or I am yet another e-commerce site,” he says.

Most prominent Indian American investor

Rekhi, 76, is perhaps the most prominent US-based Indo-American entrepreneur and investor. He became the first founder and CEO to take a venture-backed company public on the NASDAQ in the late 90s. He is the co-founder of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), a global networking platform for Indian entrepreneurs. Rekhi co-founded Inventus Capital Partners in 2008. As the managing director at Inventus, he primarily invests in technology-based startups.

Becoming an entrepreneur was not top of his mind when he first started working. Just like many Indians who went to the U.S, Rekhi was happy doing a 9-5 job, but life threw a few curveballs. Losing his job thrice, despite being good at what he was doing, convinced him that he had to upskill.

[embed]https://twitter.com/kanwal946/status/1389633090104938496[/embed]

“I was a hardware engineer, so I took courses in software. I also took courses in business and law during that time,” he remembers.

With no family history in business, it took a while for Rekhi to motivate himself to become an entrepreneur. “Indians in America were mostly professionals. It was a long leap for me, but by that time I was convinced that I was ready for anything.” There has been no looking back.

He is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but a unique idea will have him excited and restless. A seed-level investor, Rekhi is always in support of fresh Indian entrepreneurs. But unless an idea excites him, and he sees the fire in the new entrepreneur to succeed, he is unlikely to bite the bait.

Donations to alma mater

Since it is education that has brought him this far, Rekhi never forgot his alma maters. His generous donations have led to Kanwal Rekhi Schools of Information Technology at IIT-Bombay and Michigan Tech. He has also funded various other educational institutions. “I am a strong believer in education as a great equalizer. Most of my charitable work is around education,” he says. He applies lessons he has learned over the years and is very aware of the changing nature of technology and markets. “I keep learning new things,” he says, and is always on the lookout for young entrepreneurs who are “a bit crazy to risk everything.”

Reading Time: 4

How Bem Le Hunte is ‘Future-proofing’ education in a changing world

Thirty years had passed since Bem Le Hunte first stood on the doorstep of Mongrace in Kolkata, her first school. Her spirits lifted as she heard the children inside singing about "a little duck with a feather in its cap," a song she still remembered. Back in India to write her second book, Bem found herself drawn to the school once more, wanting very much to find Aunty Grace and say thank you. The door swung open and a woman stood before Bem, who told her what she wanted. To Bem's surprise, the woman burst into tears - Aunty Grace had just passed on. She might not have had the chance to see her old teacher again but her timing was startling, nonetheless. It's the sort of thing that happens in Bem's world - her own story is as riveting as the ones she likes to tell in her novels, which often draw from her real-life experiences. Now an internationally-acclaimed author and academic, Bem is at the forefront of futuristic education herself, as the founding director of the award-winning Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation at the University of Technology, Sydney. Half Indian, half-British and totally Australian by choice, Bem

y, Sydney. Half Indian, half-British and totally Australian by choice, Bem Le Hunte's story unravels like a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel, a heady mix of mysticism and materialism.

[caption id="attachment_34249" align="aligncenter" width="319"] Bem le Hunte[/caption]

Building a brave new world

Bem moved to Australia when she was 25, tired of her life in the UK. Within a month, she had met her would-be husband, Jan, whom she married soon after, and also landed a full-time job as a lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology (UTS). There, she is the founding director of a first-of-its-kind course on Creative Intelligence, that she says is “informed by consciousness based education.” A long-time practitioner of yoga and transcendental meditation, she tells Global Indian, “My Curriculum for Being informs everything I do. It informs how I write and the learning experiences I design."

She describes it as a "creative response to this dilemma of our time." Through a transdisciplinary approach combining 25 different degrees, it’s an attempt to "future proof" careers in a rapidly changing world, one with which the education system has not yet managed to keep pace. "You have to do the ontology of learning, not just the epistemology, it's about the being, not the doing," Bem explains.

Schooling systems the world over continue to emphasise rote learning, gearing students up for the competition-driven ecosystem of western capitalism. That won't work, Bem feels, in the workplace of the future, where "you're going to do 17 different careers in totally different fields. We aren't future proofing them if we're only training them for one." The other response is to create an ecosystem of "radical collaboration." Here, the unity of all disciplines is the goal. Students work in transdisciplinary teams, an engineer collaborates with a communications person, a businessperson with a healthcare person and "they tackle a challenge together that globally affects a lot of people."

[caption id="attachment_34254" align="alignnone" width="1017"] Course Director, Associate Professor Bem Le Hunte accepting the BHERT Award.[/caption]

Early life

Bem was born in Kolkata, to an Indian mother and English dad. Her grandfather ran a mining company that he eventually sold to the Birlas and was "quite an international person, who had studied at Bristol University." Her mother went to Cambridge, where the gender ratio at the time was one woman to every 10 men. "I’m not just the product of a tiger mum, but also of an English father. So I was half tiger and half pussycat," she grins. "My mother was very motivated about my education and encouraged me to write. I had a good mix of 'relax and do what you want' and this really motivated learning."

When she was four years old, the family moved to the UK. Every summer though, they would return to Calcutta or Delhi where a young Bem would dip into her grandmother's book collection, reading Sri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda late into the night. At their home in Wales, Bem created a cathedral temple in the forest at the edge of their backyard, "a green space to encounter the natural world and the continuity of self that it gives to you." This mysticism has only grown stronger – her life is peppered with stories of healers, quests and spiritual journeys. One hour each day for the past thirty years has been spent in transcendental meditation. Her grandmother, Bem says, learned meditation from Maharishi Mahayogi himself. Don't, however, mistake her for a new-age hippie, her approach is one of discovery and questioning, of exploring the mystic realms of the human mind rather than blind faith in the unknowable.

Breaking away from mainstream education

A gifted student, Bem found the mainstream education system quite unfulfilling and in high school, informed her mother she wanted to quit, taking her A-Levels after being home-schooled. She learned English literature from her mother, who, incidentally, was among those responsible for the English A-levels curriculum. After a year spent studying journalism and realising it wasn’t for her, she moved on to Social Anthropology and English Literature at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

"I wanted to go on to do other things," she says. "Education has a way of holding people back. I know that Indians see it as a key to a door but it has a strangulation effect, it can kill your creativity, too." Over the [ast few years, Bem has returned to the problem, this time as a champion of new ways of learning. Her year-long experience with journalism, which she agrees, helped her craft her writing, “was quite restrictive creatively." So, she switched to social anthropology instead. All in all, Cambridge was an exciting time, in an interview, she speaks of how she starred in a student movie, befriended controversial artist Marc Quinn, lived with the octogenarian Doctor Alice Roughton in a house filled with people from around the world where “we ate food she rescued from school dinner leftover bins."

[caption id="attachment_34255" align="aligncenter" width="572"] Bem Le Hunte[/caption]

Arrival in Australia

She went on to travel the world, visiting Japan and then Chicago, before returning to Delhi to make films on women’s development for the United Nations. At 25, she moved to Australia and began working as a lecturer at UTS and also met her husband. A month after their wedding in Rajasthan and a communal honeymoon in the desert, Bem contracted Hepatitis A. She was rushed back to London, to an isolation ward, where her condition showed no improvement. In a panic, Jan recruited a healer who offered to help and Bem, who was asked to sign papers acknowledging that she would die if she left hospital, moved to his house. The "polarity therapy" proved effective and brought with it a new fascination for Bem - alternative therapies.

In 1995, heavily pregnant, she was asked to oversee the Australia launch of Windows 95. During that time, she was working in a range of industries, and also focussing on educating students and clients on digital innovation. "The Windows launch was scheduled for the same day as my due date," she says. Three years later, when Windows 98 came along, so was her second child. This time, she decided on maternity, to "sack my clients and go live in the Himalayas. I wanted to write that book so badly and at the time I didn't know what it was going to be. I placed radical trust in the creative process. It's one of the things I believe in. Mystery has to remain mysterious and I enjoyed the creative process of being able to stay in the mystery for longer."

A time of renunciation and a literary career

Living in the mountains, she wrote The Seduction of Silence, a multi-generational, magical saga that takes the reader on an intensely emotional and spiritual journey. The story begins with Aakash, a sage in the Himalayas who continues to offer his teachings even in death, through a medium. Over generations, the family oscillates between the spiritual and the worldly, coming full circle through Aakash's great granddaughter, who returns to the Himalayas.

"If we were to believe that our lives are not magical," Bem remarks, "We would be deluding ourselves. Unhealthy people have a very realistic view of the world, for the most part, we have magical minds. If we didn’t, advertising wouldn’t work.” The book did well, and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize. In 2006, she published There, Where the Pepper Grows, a World War 2 tale about a Polish-Jewish family's stay in Calcutta during their journey to Palestine. Her third novel, Elephants with Headlights, came in 2020.

Bem continues to live in Sydney with her husband, Jan and their sons, Taliesin, Rishi and Kashi.

Oscars to Paris Haute Couture: The rise and rise of India’s soft power

(March 4, 2023) The world fawned over actress Jennifer Aniston's Indian look in the upcoming movie, Murder Mystery 2. Dressed in an intricately embroidered white lehenga, from Indian designer Manish Malhotra, the actress looks stunning in the film's trailer. But while fans are going gaga over the look, this is not the first time that an international celeb has been seen donning an Indian designer's creation. Come to think of it, the last few years have seen tremendous growth in the Indian fashion and movie industries, with our celebrities and artists representing India on various international platforms. [caption id="attachment_35784" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Jennifer Aniston in an intricately embroidered white lehenga by Manish Malhotra[/caption] On one hand, we have celebrities including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra, who have been able to make a name for themselves in the international movie industry and open doors for many Indian artists to work abroad. On the other hand, we have celebrity designers who are now taking the Indian handloom craft to various international fashion weeks, giving Indian artisans the credit they have been denied for a long time. To top all this, with brilliant movies like RRR, which have done exceedingly well in foreign

t to various international fashion weeks, giving Indian artisans the credit they have been denied for a long time. To top all this, with brilliant movies like RRR, which have done exceedingly well in foreign film festivals, you have a win-win situation for India's soft power. As these celebrities and artists make us proud, Global Indian takes a look at how these soft powers are helping 'Brand India' climb higher and reach new heights.

Deepika Padukone to present Oscars 2023

When she first appeared on the Cannes red carpet in 2010, actress Deepika Padukone received a mixed reaction from various fashion critics, who while praising her style, added that she might have done better with her look. But, since then, it seems that the actress has just consistently upped her styling game. Having represented India on various international platforms, the diva recently announced that she will present an award at the upcoming Oscars 2023, alongside several big Hollywood names, such as Samuel L Jackson, Glenn Close, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B Jordan, Janelle Monae, Zoe Saldana, Jennifer Connelly, Riz Ahmed, and Melissa McCarthy.

India Celebrities | Global Indian

The actress, who started her Hollywood journey with the action film XXX: Return of Xander Cage in 2017, is prepping for her second untitled movie in the US. Set to be a cross-cultural romantic comedy, the film is being developed by STXfilms and Temple Hill, a studio that counts titles like The Fault in Our Stars, the Twilight franchise, and Love, Simon in its repertoire. The global star is also the first Indian to be appointed as the brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton, and the latest face of Cartier.

**‘Naatu Naatu’ to take the centre stage at the Academy Awards**

The Academy Award is a star-studded night, with several marvelous performers taking to the stage to entertain fans not just in the US, but across the globe. And this year, singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava will represent India at the biggest movie awards night of the year. Performing the Golden Globe-winning song, Naatu Naatu from RRR, the singers are going to share the stage with mighty sensations Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

[caption id="attachment_35780" align="aligncenter" width="600"] India Celebrities | Global Indian RRR's Naatu Naatu has been nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Music category[/caption]

But that is not all for India. The song has also been nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Music (Original Song) category, against This Is A Life from Everything Everywhere All at Once, Applause from Tell It Like a Woman, Lift Me Up from Black Panther, and others. Naatu Naatu has already won quite a few major awards. In January, the song won the Golden Globes in the Best Original Song category. It again bagged the Best Song at the 28th edition of the Critics Choice Awards, along with Best Foreign Language Film.

Gaurav Gupta styling ace international celebrities

There was a time when Indian celebrities would arrive for the red carpet dressed in various international brands. But the past few years have witnessed a revolution in the Indian fashion industry, bringing forth several designers, who are loved in the country as well as abroad. One such fashion icon is Delhi-based designer, Gaurav Gupta, who has styled various international celebrities - and quite recently was the brain behind Cardi B's iconic blue gown at the 2023 Grammys.

[caption id="attachment_35777" align="aligncenter" width="600"] India | Global Indian American rapper Cardi B in Gaurav Gupta's design[/caption]

Known for his experimental sculpted designs, Gaurav's custom design for Cardi B was hailed as an 'actual piece of art' by several international fashion critics. The designer, who has designed for several stars, including Australian singer Kylie Minogue, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, and American actor Jeremy Pope, recently presented his latest collection, Shunya, at the Paris Haute Couture Week 2023 - which signals the growing international status of the Indian couturier.

Rahul Mishra's bold designs rule the Paris Haute Couture Week 2023

One of the only Indian designers who presented his collection on day one of Paris Haute Couture Week in the French capital, Rahul Mishra is surely climbing the heights in the international fashion scene. Rahul's collection - titled ‘Cosmos’ - was a fantastical rendering of an underwater kingdom that explored the idea of our place within the cosmos.

[caption id="attachment_35776" align="aligncenter" width="599"] India | Global Indian Rahul Mishra, the first Indian fashion designer to showcase at the Paris Haute Couture Week[/caption]

Considered one of Asia's leading stylists, whose works have been modelled by Michelle Yeoh, Viola Davis, and other top film stars, Rahul has already made a mark in Paris and global retail, with editorials and red carpets filled with celeb appearances in his creations.

First Indian influencers at New York Fashion Week

It's not just the ace celebs and fashion designers, even the influencers from India are taking the country's brand ahead, representing it on various international platforms. Quite recently, Delhi-based husband-wife duo, Gaurav Taneja and Ritu Rathee Taneja became the first Indian influencers to walk the ramp at New York Fashion Week.

[caption id="attachment_35775" align="aligncenter" width="599"] Indian Celebrities | Global Indian Gaurav and Ritu Taneja at the NYFW[/caption]

Celebrating designer Archana Kochhar, the team further increased the representation of Indian influencer presenters on global platforms by roping in #meninskirt fame Jainil Mehta to open the show with a poetic freestyle dance. The show highlighted the importance of sustainability in fashion and focuses on handmade locally grown textiles with a low carbon footprint curated by women weavers from the interiors of the state of Madhya Pradesh.

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