Indian Sportsperson | M Tulasi Chaitanya | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryAqua Man: Ace swimmer and cop M Tulasi Chaitanya loves going against the tide

Aqua Man: Ace swimmer and cop M Tulasi Chaitanya loves going against the tide

Written by: Vikram Sharma

(January 25, 2024) When M Tulasi Chaitanya arrived in Ireland to swim across the North Channel (Northern Island to Scotland) in July 2023, he was staring at a sea of challenges. The chilly waters, rough seas, strong currents and fickle weather were not the only elements he was up against. Poisonous jelly fish, sea lions and a variety of aquatic animals too posed a serious threat to his life.

Despite the odds, the iron-willed swimmer set a world record by becoming the first cop ever to swim a distance of 34.5 km in 13 hours – in what is one of the toughest open water stretches in the world. “Leave alone jelly fishes, during my English Channel swim, two sea snakes swam past me. I have encountered sharks as well,” smiles open water swimmer M Tulasi Chaitanya, in an exclusive with Global Indian.

M Tulasi Chaitanya

Over the years, the 34-year-old, who works as a Police Head Constable in Special Branch, Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, has stunned the world with his mind-boggling expeditions across the globe.

Recently, he received the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2022 and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh from President of India Droupadi Murmu.

North Channel

A total of 1084 swimmers from all over the world have attempted to cross the North Channel, but only 124 have been successful so far. Chaitanya is one among them. “One of the main challenges when swimming in such chilly waters is hypothermia. Water temperature at the channel was only around 12 degrees Celsius,” informs the ace swimmer, who is the fourth Indian to accomplish the feat.

He started at 5:30 am on August 9 and achieved his target by around 6:30 pm. “To protect my skin, I applied ocean grease (petroleum jelly) before entering the water. Mid-way through, my body started to freeze but I tried to distract my mind by thinking of all the food I love to eat, and continued swimming,” informs the determined swimmer, who remained positive throughout the expedition despite getting caught in strong undercurrents and high waves.

He completed more than half of his expedition in the first five hours. Thereafter, the changing wind speeds and falling temperatures proved to be a huge challenge. “It was a proud and satisfying feeling as it put my endurance to test,” says Chaitanya, who encountered many jellyfish alongside but managed to keep himself away from them. Jellyfish produces an itching and burning sensation, which can affect the lungs and also result in instant death.

Swimming across the world

Chaitanya previously swam across the Catalina Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, English Channel and North Channel was the fourth, all of which was a rare accomplishment for a policeman. It was a part of the Ocean Seven series.

M Tulasi Chaitanya in one of his swimming sprees

He completed the 20 Bridges Circumnavigation Swim (45.9 km) around Manhattan Island in New York City in 7 hours 45 minutes; the 26.4-km Sri Chinmoy Marathon Swim Rapperswil-Zurich in Lake Zürich, Switzerland and swam 12 km across Lake Bodensee, swimming from Friedrichshafen in Germany to Romanshorn.

Chaitanya is now prepping up for completing the remaining three oceans in the series by swimming across the Cook Strait in New Zealand, Molokai Channel Hawaii and The Tsugaru Strait in Japan.

Palk Strait

In 2018, Chaitanya created a new world record after swimming across the Palk Strait (Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanushkodi in India) in the shortest time. He covered a distance of 39 km in 8 hours and 25 minutes.

“Here too, I was swimming against strong winds and it was a rough sea. I saw several sharks and jellyfish all along,” recalls the police man, who got stung by a jellyfish during a practice swim in the same waters, which made him vomit non-stop for two days. For the final swim though, he applied grease on his body to make it slippery and ensure that jellyfish do not get a hold of him.

For this feat, the ace swimmer started training almost an year ago. Otherwise, he was training under Olympic coach Pradeep Kumar in Bengaluru for almost six years.

He recalls how local fishermen helped him navigate. “A few of them even swam alongside and helped me find the best possible route,” he says adding that by the time he reached the Indian shores, he was both exhausted and relieved. This success paved the way for his future expeditions.

M Tulasi Chaitanya

Andhra Boy

Born in Vijayawada to a homemaker mother and police officer father, Chaitanya, who studied in Amali School, started swimming at the age of nine. He later went to Dr Lankapalli Bullayya junior college.

At a young age, he was inspired by an official who used to reside in the police quarters. He was a swimmer and had won many medals. “I was fascinated with his medals, so many of them. I would just sit in the house and stare at the medals for hours,” recalls Chaitanya, who won his first national medal while in college.

In 2013, he swam the 25-km stretch from Bheemunipatnam to RK Beach and a 3.2 km stretch off Hermosa Beach in an open-water event in 2017. Moreover, he has bagged several medals at international tournaments including a gold in 4×50-m freestyle relay at the World Police Games held in Belfast earlier.

His inspiration

Once he was enrolled into the police department in 2012, Chaitanya’s swimming career got a major boost. Senior IPS officer Rajiv Trivedi, who was then posted as Additional DGP, Sports (in united Andhra Pradesh) saw the potential in Chaitanya. An accomplished swimmer himself, Rajiv Trivedi arranged funding and started advanced swimming training for Chaitanya at Hyderabad and in Bengaluru and has continued to guide him since then.

“Rajiv Trivedi sir is my God. He helped and guided me at every step. Without him, I would not have reached where I am today,” says Chaitanya, who was adamant that unless Trivedi accompanied him to the Rashtrapati Bhavan (for the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure award), he wouldn’t accept the award.

M Tulasi Chaitanya receiving award from Droupadi Murmu, the President of India

He also credits Dimple Krishna, an NRI based in the US, who not only funded some of his expeditions, but also stood by him throughout his journey. “She has been a great support.”

Training

His day begins at 5 am, where he goes for a run followed up by warm up exercises before getting into the swimming pool, where he swims for almost three hours. “I train in the evening as well, with permission from my superiors. The intensity of training only increases before a major event.”

Usually before a major event, Chaitanya runs anywhere between 5 to 10 kms and swim 10 to 15 kms twice a day or even more. “I include protein supplements and also take energy drinks. I also go for regular physiotherapy and massage sessions,” says Chaitanya, who consumes more carbs for endurance.

Giving Back

Chaitanya is doing his bit to produce more swimmers like him. “I want to teach swimming to more kids, who can become great swimmers and make the state and nation proud. For this purpose, I along with a few friends are opening a swimming pool,” informs Chaitanya, who also coached six young swimmers who crossed the 29 km Palk Strait in April 2022.

M Tulasi Chaitanya with other swimmers

Chaitanya’s achievements

Two gold and three silver medals in the All India Police Aquatic Meet, Guwahati, 2013
Three gold and 3 silver medals in World Police & Fire Games, Belfast, 2013
Five gold medals in All India Police Aquatic Meet, Jaipur, 2014. Best Indian Police Swimmer Award
One gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze medal in All India Police Aquatic Meet, Delhi, 2015
Five gold medals in All India Police Aquatic Meet, Lucknow, 2016. Best Indian Police Swimmer Award
Three gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze medals in World Police & Fire Games, Los Angeles, 2017
Three gold, 2 silver medals in All India Police Aquatic Meet, Delhi, 2018
Palk Strait swim (Sri Lanka to India) 2018
One silver medal in All India Police Aquatic Meet, Vishakhapatnam, 2019
Catalina Channel Swim (Catalina to California) 2019
One year NIS Diploma in Swimming Coaching, 2020
Strait of Gibraltar Swim (Spain to Morocco), 2022
Lake Konstanz Swim (Germany to Switzerland), 2022
English Channel Swim (England to France), 2022
Zurich Lake Swim, Switzerland, 2022
Twenty Bridges Manhattan Swim, 2022
Awarded Triple Crown Award in Open Water Swimming by World Open Water Swimming Association, 2022
North Channel Swim (Ireland to Scotland), 2023
Cook Strait Swim, New Zealand, 2023

Tulasi Chaitanya has received 29 increments and ₹57 lakh cash prize from Government of Andhra Pradesh and Government of India for his superlative achievements in All India Police Aquatic Meets and World Police & Fire Games.

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Published on 25, Jan 2024

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Fighting for justice: Filmmaker Nisha Pahuja is giving voice to the unheard

(February 1, 2024) When she first started working on the project, Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja's idea was to make a detailed documentary about the prevalent male chauvinism in India. However, while researching and shooting the documentary in rural Jharkhand, where she followed activists from a local gender equality NGO, the filmmaker met Ranjit, a father seeking justice for his 13-year-old daughter Kiran (a pseudonym), who had been brutally assaulted by three men from their village. "I was very aware of the sensitivities around the story and the way that it had created friction and a fraying of the threads that keep the community together. And it was an issue that we were not from that community. What we tried to do to mitigate any kind of fallout was to build bridges with the leadership of the village — the ward member, the mukhiya — and also the villagers themselves," the filmmaker said in a recent interview while speaking about her movie To Kill a Tiger - which was recently nominated in the best feature documentary category for the Oscars 2024. "I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. I was over the moon. Yeah, I just couldn't believe it," the

hile speaking about her movie To Kill a Tiger - which was recently nominated in the best feature documentary category for the Oscars 2024.

"I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. I was over the moon. Yeah, I just couldn't believe it," the Global Indian said, talking about her initial reaction when she got to know that her movie was nominated for the top awards, adding, "This film has work to do in the world - Their story, their struggle, their commitment to justice, the fact that as a man, Ranjit stood by his daughter, which is so rare. The film is about the underdog, a David vs. Goliath story, and it's a film about love."

Stories that matter

Born in New Delhi, the filmmaker's family moved to Canada in the early 1970s, where the filmmaker confessed years later that she was bombarded with a new "western lifestyle". Like many Indians who grew up abroad, Nisha's childhood was filled with Bollywood movies and music. However, her love for creativity leaned more towards books and literature. Nisha went on to pursue a bachelor's in English literature from the University of Toronto, to write fiction. And it was here that her life completely changed.

Filmmaker | Nisha Pahuja | Global Indian

Nisha's final days at university saw a fateful meeting with producer Geeta Sondhi, leading to her research role on the CBC documentary Some Kind of Arrangement. This experience sparked a love for documentary filmmaking, where she found her passion in amplifying real stories that shed light on larger societal issues. "Real stories attract me. A human being reveals themselves to you in such a profound kind of way. I think I was just really drawn to that, to the idea of real people, real stories, and being able to connect to them," she said.

After collaborating as a researcher with Canadian filmmakers John Walker and Ali Kazimi, the filmmaker eventually embarked on her own journey in the world of filmmaking. Her 2012 documentary, The World Before Her, explored the complex and conflicting environment for young girls in India by following women participating in the Miss India Pageant as well as girls being trained in the Durga Vahini, the women's wing of the VHP. While she was a bit apprehensive about the topic eventually, the documentary was quite successful internationally including North America and India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5wVzwf3Ijk

Motivated by the tragic 2012 Delhi gang rape incident, Nisha took her documentary on a nationwide journey, aiming to make a difference in the realms of women's rights, as well as address issues such as female foeticide and infanticide. A couple of years later, the filmmaker and her team initiated a four-city tour, collaborating with NGOs and women's rights organisations. Their objective was to screen the film in underserved communities and engage in profound conversations with diverse audiences. "Change happens in small shifts, often indiscernible, often immeasurable. And sometimes the best way to make that shift is through the simple act of sharing stories," she said.

Path to glory

After making critically acclaimed and award-winning documentaries, such as Diamond Road, Bollywood Bound, and Being Mortal, the filmmaker wanted to tell a story from the grassroots of India, and that's how To Kill a Tiger happened. "I’ve been making films in India around gender for quite some time. It’s been a subject that’s been very interesting for me. So, after the Dehli gang rape, I decided that I really wanted to make a film on masculinity and explore why some men become the way they do in that culture," shared the filmmaker, adding that film took about eight years to make.

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While it is true that filmmakers are often in love with their subjects, Nisha shared that she was deeply inspired by Kiran's courage while she was shooting the film. "She’s so compelling. While I was interviewing her for the documentary, she said, adding, "She watched the film with her parents and she didn’t want to be hidden. She wanted to be celebrated. When I asked her why she chose to come forward in this way, she said it’s because when she watched the film, she couldn’t believe how brave she was. She was so proud of the 13-year-old girl that she loves. And that’s the girl she wants to celebrate."

Already in search of a new subject, and a new story, the filmmaker is quite hopeful that the movie will win hearts even at Oscars. "I’ll take Ranjit and his daughter to the Academy Awards. They are the reason we are where we are. It’s because of them," the filmmaker shared.

Follow Nisha Pahuja on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

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‘Comet’ the hour, cometh the winner – Tanmay Sapkal

(March 21, 2022) Mount Tamalpais is a popular haunt for photographers on the US West Coast, especially those who, like Tanmay Sapkal, live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 29-year-old landscape photographer, who works as a techie at Apple by day, spends evenings driving as a shutterbug. “Mount Tamalpais is quite special as its geography lends it a lot of coastal fog. In the summertime, the fog rises above the neighbouring landscapes," says Tanmay Sapkal, the winner of the International Landscape Photography Award 2021, in an interview with Global Indian. The Indian landscape photographer catapulted into the limelight with thousands of hits on his award-winning work of the Comet Neowise, shot in America in 2020. It's a shot he has taken many times over the years yet when he heard the comet was expected to make an appearance in early 2020, he knew he couldn’t miss it. [caption id="attachment_21610" align="aligncenter" width="661"] Tanmay's photograph of Comet NeoWise glimpsed over the foggy hills in Marin, CA[/caption] How a comet created a star Tanmay took a different approach. Instead of planning the image around the comet itself, he worked instead on finding the right foreground. “Shooting a comet is not hard. If

er the foggy hills in Marin, CA[/caption]

How a comet created a star

Tanmay took a different approach. Instead of planning the image around the comet itself, he worked instead on finding the right foreground. “Shooting a comet is not hard. If you can shoot decently, you will capture it,” says Tanmay Sapkal. Capturing the light glowing under the blanket of fog was another story as thoroughfare is not allowed on the mountain. That evening, though, the road was open as the comet was visible. The otherworldly photograph, almost out of Arthur C Clark’s A Space Odyssey, fetched him the prestigious award. His work was chosen from over 4,500 entries. On Instagram, the photograph has now garnered over 4,000 hits, and the Best Landscape Photograph category carries a cash prize of $10,000.

The key to being a good landscape photographer, he explains, is “to know the weather.” It’s usually an interesting weather change that draws Tanmay to a spot, as “plants and trees change with seasons, as does the light." So, if a big cloud system rolls in from the West Coast, it ascertains the location.

[caption id="attachment_21611" align="aligncenter" width="966"] 'Quiet Light' in Vermont. Photo: Tanmay Sapkal[/caption]

No pain, no gain?

Braving sub-zero temperatures, venturing out at unearthly times of day and night, and spending hours on met department updates - the life of a photographer isn’t easy. Tanmay and his wife live in San Francisco (she also works for Apple). Evenings are spent, “working on images, searching for what to do next, and talking to photographers.” In summer, when the sun sets late, Tanmay takes advantage of the light, and drives off to photography locations after his work as a tech designer is done.

Seasoned landscape photographers wander off into forests for weeks on end, carrying equipment, food, water and tents, “It’s easy to go missing or to be attacked by a bear,” he says. Although, given his propensity for shuffling off into snow-covered woods, thermal shock is also a concern.

[caption id="attachment_21609" align="aligncenter" width="515"] Tanmay Sapkal[/caption]

His wife is his rock since his tryst with photography began in 2016, and she often accompanies him, braving the bitter cold, difficult terrain and tough spots. Work begins at twilight, which is the coldest. “It can get uncomfortable. You take your gloves off for 30 seconds and you will start to feel intense pain," he adds.

Thermal shock in Aspen

A close call in 2018, on a trip to Aspen, Colorado shook them. His wife, an avid skier, wanted to check out the famed slopes, while Tanmay wanted to catch the riot of fall colours. A six-hour drive to Aspen, “hopped up on Redbull and coffee,” in the middle of a snowstorm, just a few hours before sunrise, with the moon overhead, Tanmay stopped for a shot. Leaving his wife sleeping, he ambled to a spot, hoping to shoot until the sun rose. “I was energetic, moving around to stay warm. But the cold tires you. After a while, I started to lose consciousness," he recalls. He stumbled down an icy path, dizzy and in a blur, leaving his camera equipment behind in the rush. As his temperature fell rapidly, his vision worsened. Tanmay gave up the half-mile trek to the car. Luckily, although Tanmay didn't know it, he had been spotted by a fellow photographer, who followed him. “He put I looked up at his face and I thought I saw my wife. She had come for me,” he laughs at his disorientation. The man, a photographer, volunteered to send Tanmay’s equipment back. "But hey," Tanmay smiles, "I got a good shot that day."

[caption id="attachment_21612" align="alignnone" width="1200"] From the trip to Aspen, Colorado. Courtesy: Tanmay Sapkal[/caption]

Portrait of the artist as a young man

Growing up, Tanmay and his father shared a common love for gadgets. “I would gather electronics - phones and cameras. Dad was much the same. Growing up, we had only film cameras, which were hard to shoot, and getting photos developed took ages. But it held my interest,” says the ace photographer. In ninth grade, his father bought him his first digital camera. “I would shoot everything I saw,” he recalls, though he soon forgot about it with the hustle of school.

Later, he did engineering at NIT-Suratkal, and landed a job at a startup in Bengaluru. “That gave me the money to buy my first camera, at 23,” smiles the landscape photographer who found time to learn photography, and explore how to use his own camera. “It was a Nikon D 7000,” he says.

Behind the lens

From people photography, he graduated to learn the technicalities and started with portfolios. Street photography, fashion and conceptual fine art came next. When he arrived in the US for master's at Georgia Tech, he slowly started exploring landscapes. “The biggest difference was that there are so few people in the US, unlike in India, thus finding subjects was tough,” says the avid traveller who was taken aback by the natural beauty he encountered. “Here, even the air is different,” Tanmay remarks. “Since the pollution is less, you can see and capture things really far off.”

Roots in nature

Growing up just outside Mumbai, Tanmay is no stranger to nature. His father, a scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Maharashtra, meant that he grew up in the verdant BARC residential quarters in Tarapur. “The colony was a beautiful place, picturesque, with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other, both 20 minutes away,” Tanmay says. Wildlife was plentiful, especially birds and Tanmay recalls his mother feeding parrots.

True to form, today, Tanmay drives off to the Sierra Nevada range every chance he gets. As for shooting an award-winning photo, he says, “It’s about constantly planning and taking photos. A small number of those might turn out the way you want!”

Follow Tanmay on Instagram and Flickr

Reading Time: 6 min

Cinu Chandran: How an accidental chef became a celebrity chef

(December 24, 2021) From tossing rosemary into a pan of butter to sauteing caramelised mushrooms with chicken, Dubai-based celebrity chef Cinu Chandran is often seen giving epicurean lessons on television. Who would have thought that an accidental chef would someday bring laurels to a restaurant in Dubai and become a regular on TV? That's Cinu for you - A Malayali lad who worked with Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc in the UK, and later made a name in the UAE by giving Indian cuisine a modern twist. "Indian cuisine is doing well in the global market. It has evolved in the past few decades. The cooking style, flavours, and spices have elevated to another level. Today, it's the amalgamation of cuisines that is making it a hit among food lovers," Cinu tells Global Indian in an exclusive interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c88TF-jqJU The kitchen confidential run From the best kitchens to the television screen to now a consultant chef, Cinu meandered into the world of cuisine effortlessly. "It has been an incredible journey. Learning the craft from scratch and working at the best places around the globe has helped me gain exposure. Now, I am putting that expertise into helping provide solutions to restaurants

und the globe has helped me gain exposure. Now, I am putting that expertise into helping provide solutions to restaurants and food service businesses," adds Cinu.

[caption id="attachment_18213" align="aligncenter" width="399"] Chef Cinu Chandran[/caption]

Born in Jalandhar in 1979 to an army officer father and a homemaker mother, Cinu's tryst with cooking was purely accidental as he had dreams of following in the footsteps of his father, and joining the army. However, after two failed attempts, Cinu gave hospitality a go after a family friend coaxed him into it. "It's rather strange that I sat for the exam after a family friend mentioned that I look like a hospitality guy. To escape from the family pressure of what’s next, I sat for the exam and surprisingly cleared it," smiles chef Cinu.

This took him to the Institute of Hotel Management Trivandrum, and within six months, Chandran knew that he had found his true calling. For someone who wasn’t even a home cook, Cinu had to work hard to prove himself. His efforts paid off, and the faculty started noticing his talent. The turning point came when he migrated to the Delhi Institute of Hotel Management in the second year to be closer to family, and also represented his college at the All India Chef competition. "Someone from the judging panel saw my work and approached me for a job as a management trainee at the Casino Hotel in Kochi. That was the beginning of my career," recalls the celebrity chef.

A carte Blanc for Cinu

After a short stint in Kochi, came The Oberoi Grand Kolkata where he mastered the art for three years. Cinu recalls those days as his foundation years. He left the City of Joy in the quest for a better opportunity that brought him to Delhi's Taj Palace before moving to the UK. "I was always into continental food but somehow I was unable to satisfy my curiosity about European food in India and wanted to have a hands-on experience," says Cinu who grabbed the opportunity of working with Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc at Brasserie Blanc in Bristol.

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"Working with Blanc was such an enriching experience. I could experiment with dishes like nowhere else, and had so much freedom in creating a dish," beams Cinu with pride. While he loved his time evolving as a chef, moving to the UK put him out of his comfort zone. "Working in the kitchen at Brasserie Blanc was a different experience as it was a very busy concept. Though I did learn a lot, it was tiring. Such was the pressure that I would often skip meals," reveals Cinu.

However, working with fresh produce and exotic ingredients made him love the craft. After gaining experience under Blanc, Cinu left Europe to move to Dubai in 2011 as Chef De Cuisine for the West 14th Steakhouse. In less than two years, he helped the restaurant catapult into the league of the best with Dubai's Best Steakhouse Award 2013. "Moving to Dubai was quite an experience because the food scene was evolving in the country. With almost 80 percent expats being Indians, there has been an ever-growing demand for Indian cuisine. Indian restaurants are popping up at every corner, and that says a lot about the love for the cuisine," says the food consultant.

[caption id="attachment_18214" align="aligncenter" width="418"] Chef Cinu Chandran[/caption]

A champion of organic produce and sustainability, Cinu's days at Urban Bistro helped him understand the nuances of environmentally friendly options. "If the food was organic, we equally focussed on using cutlery and packaging that was eco-friendly," says the chef. "I think the pandemic has changed the way people view their health. The realisation of a good diet has finally dawned upon them," notes the chef whose ultimate dream is to start his own restaurant.

While the F&B industry took a major blow during the pandemic, things weren't too bad in Dubai as cloud kitchens and restaurant delivery came up in a big way. The consultant chef did face some project losses during the lockdown.

The 42-year-old calls his entire journey a manifestation of sorts. "Even as a child, I loved sharing stories. I kept on doing that through my food. This love for food took me to television and made me a celebrity. Now, as consultant chef, I help others realise their dream of running a restaurant. This makes me grateful," says the Dubai-based chef who loves unwinding with his three kids.

[caption id="attachment_18215" align="aligncenter" width="487"] Chef Cinu Chandran with South African players Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs[/caption]

Of course, when he first decided to become a chef, his parents were against it, "Those were the days when a guy becoming a chef wasn't socially acceptable. But I knew I had to keep going. And now years later, I have made them proud. I think this is the biggest validation for me," he adds.

Any advice for youngsters? "If you think you can enjoy and have some fun in your work, then it's the right thing for you. Don't be influenced by social media. Everything takes time, so take your time to learn and acquire as much knowledge as possible," signs off Cinu.

Follow Cinu Chandran on Instagram and Twitter

Reading Time: 8 min

How Ritu Arya of Barbie fame found her footing in Hollywood

(April 11, 2024) Growing up playing with Barbie dolls that looked a certain way (Read white, blue eyes, and blonde hair), Ritu Arya never thought that she'd be playing the character on screen. However, there she was taking up the space as a South Asian actor playing the role of a famous Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and reporter who lives in Barbie Land. Living in England, she grew up watching people unlike her on the small and big screen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ritu Arya (@rituarya) Representation in the 90s was so feeble that she noticed its sheer nonexistence while watching television at home. That's when she decided to become the poster girl of diversity when she grew up. And the 35-year-old actor did that when she landed roles in series like Sherlock, Doctors, The Umbrella Academy and Red Notice. "Films contribute massively to shifting culture. They should inspire conversation," said Ritu in an interview. Following her dream Entertainment while growing up in Guildford, England meant watching television, and Goodness Gracious Me, the British-Asian comedy show, was the first time she saw South Asians on screen. "Our family homes, stories about them, that allowed

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Representation in the 90s was so feeble that she noticed its sheer nonexistence while watching television at home. That's when she decided to become the poster girl of diversity when she grew up. And the 35-year-old actor did that when she landed roles in series like Sherlock, Doctors, The Umbrella Academy and Red Notice. "Films contribute massively to shifting culture. They should inspire conversation," said Ritu in an interview.

Following her dream

Entertainment while growing up in Guildford, England meant watching television, and Goodness Gracious Me, the British-Asian comedy show, was the first time she saw South Asians on screen. "Our family homes, stories about them, that allowed us to just poke fun at ourselves. It was brilliant." Inspired, she along with her cousins would write her story and build characters. "I guess I felt seen from that." Though she was keen to take up acting, conforming to the traditional norm of finishing a degree, she ended up studying astrophysics at Southampton University. However, her desire to act led her to enroll in the on-campus comedy society. However, she knew her heart was in acting and it was Google who came to her rescue. "I googled how to become an actor. The answer was drama school," she added and went on to study acting and drama at Oxford School of Drama.

The big debut on TV

Switching from physics to acting was a journey but Ritu knew how to learn, and she remained curious and open to acting. She soon landed her first role in the British soap opera Doctors. The British-Indian actress smashed the ball out of the park in her debut and was nominated for the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer. While Ritu stayed on the show for four years, she expanded her horizon by making an appearance in the popular British crime TV series Sherlock. In 2016, she diversified with the sci-fi series Humans had her play the role of robot Flash.

[caption id="attachment_50656" align="aligncenter" width="662"] Ritu Arya | Global Indian Ritu Arya[/caption]

While Arya was gaining popularity in the world of television, she exploded on the film circuit with the 2019 rom-com Last Christmas. The film starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding was a major commercial success with a box-office collection of $123.4 million.

But one big opportunity came knocking at her door in the form of an American superhero TV series The Umbrella Academy. Based on the comic book of the same name, it revolved around a dysfunctional family of adopted superhero siblings who reunite to solve the mystery behind their father's death. To prep for the show, Arya, who played Lila Pitts, read all the comic books to get into the skin of the character, a wild card entry that the fans of the series cannot stop raving about. It's her quirks and eccentricity in the Netflix show that catapulted Arya into the league of the best.

Such was the impact of her stellar performance that Ritu was soon roped in for Red Notice, a heist thriller alongside Hollywood action heavyweights like Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. The actress plays an Interpol agent. "It’s such an incredible experience. I'm just so aware of what I can say and what I can't! I'm so anxious! But it's so fun, and I feel like I'm learning and growing so much," she had said. Made on a budget of $130 million, the film was one of Netflix's biggest investments.

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Representing South Asians

But it's her role in the Oscar-nominated Barbie that's challenging stereotypes like no one else and is making South Asians proud with strong representation. "Representation is a huge reason why I even got into acting. I was not seeing people that looked like me on my screen, and I thought, “Well, I’ll be the change” and that’s a huge motivation," she said in an interview.

Ritu has become a force to reckon with in the TV and film world but not without her struggle with racism. The British-Indian actress, who was bullied at her predominantly white school and was called all sorts of names, has always tried to empower herself to create change. In an interview with the Hindu, she said, "It drives me to push boundaries for women and people of colour, to gain further equality by taking up space and having a voice. I try not to complain, but rather lead by example. And always, always leading from love and compassion."

Ritu Arya

The British-Indian actress has finally arrived and how. Arya, who was keen to portray diversity, is taking every step towards her dream and is smashing the glass ceiling, one project at a time.

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Simone Tata: The Geneva tourist who stayed on and shaped Lakmé’s destiny

(December 15, 2023) Seventy years back, in 1953, a young girl named Simone Dunoyer embarked on her very first journey from Geneva, Switzerland to India as a tourist. Little did Simone know that the foreign land she was travelling to would eventually become her cherished home for the rest of her life, and she would end up playing an integral role in the growth of India's largest conglomerate, the Tata Group. Amidst the intricate fabric of the Tata heritage, Simone Tata’s journey unfolds as an extraordinary narrative of determination, foresight, and trailblazing leadership. Her odyssey began as a chance encounter with India as a tourist in 1953, a journey that introduced her to Naval H. Tata, whom she married in 1955. Settling permanently in Mumbai, Simone became an integral part of the Tata family, assuming the role of the stepmother to Ratan Tata who went on to become the most revered industrialist of India. Simone Tata is also the biological mother of Noel Tata, the chairman of Tata Investment Corporation and Vice Chairman of Trent. She made her mark in the Tata Group by turning Lakmé into a global cosmetic powerhouse. The 93-year-old’s involvement extends to the ascent of another

a Investment Corporation and Vice Chairman of Trent. She made her mark in the Tata Group by turning Lakmé into a global cosmetic powerhouse. The 93-year-old’s involvement extends to the ascent of another popular Tata brand Westside, alongside her commitment to philanthropic endeavours.

[caption id="attachment_47499" align="aligncenter" width="435"] Success Stories | Simone Tata | Global Indian Simone Tata[/caption]

Early years

Born in 1930, Simone Tata was brought up in Geneva, Switzerland, where she graduated from Geneva University. In 1953 when she arrived in India as a tourist, fate led her to meet Naval H. Tata. They fell in love and got married in 1955. With this Simone’s life-long association with India began. As the daughter-in-law of the Tata family, she settled permanently in Mumbai following her wedding,

Leading Lakmé and helping India shed conservative mind-set

When Simone Tata joined the Lakme Board in 1962, it was a minor subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills. It was not part of the mainstream businesses of the Tata Group and quite small in comparison to the conglomerate's other ventures.

[caption id="attachment_47504" align="aligncenter" width="629"] Success Stories | Simone Tata | Global Indian Simone Tata when she was at the helm of Lakmé[/caption]

She joined the subsidiary as its managing director, and steered the company into a new era. Her hands-on involvement even extended to formulating Lakmé’s products. She even started importing raw material and testing the finished products abroad. Her strategic moves saw Lakmé burgeon into a global cosmetic brand, with Simone eventually becoming its chairperson in 1982. Seven years later in 1987, she was appointed to the board of Tata Industries.

“Back in the ’60s, beauty in the country certainly didn’t mean any cosmetics. It was old-school—there were natural, herbal products on one side and talcum powder on the other. That was all. Makeup was an absolute taboo. You couldn’t appear in public wearing the tiniest amount of makeup, not even a touch of lipstick. Not unless you wanted to be framed as a bad girl,” Simone had said in an interview reminiscing how she had set on making cosmetics acceptable and accessible for Indian women. “I liked women to put their best face forward and I wanted to give them the tools for that. I wanted them to take charge of their appearance.”

Under Simone’s leadership, Lakmé changed perspectives of the Indian society and made Indian women adopt a modern outlook. Its campaigns led the country to think and question the beauty beliefs. Campaigns with questions like ‘Do men look down on women who use makeup?’ and ‘Is it bad to look good?’ prompted a shift in people’s thought process, and Lakmé got successful in making its products available in every household.

[caption id="attachment_47506" align="aligncenter" width="653"] Success Stories | Simone Tata | Global Indian Simone Tata with JRD Tata[/caption]

Laying the foundation of Westside

With time Simone’s ambitions as a businesswoman did not remain confined to the realms of cosmetics. Recognising the retail industry's potential, she strategically sold Lakmé to Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) in 1996. Subsequently, she used the proceeds to establish Trent, the company behind Westside, laying its foundation. Shareholders of Lakmé were allotted equivalent shares in Trent.

The move signified Simone’s versatility as a business maven and her innate knack for spotting market opportunities. Just like Lakme, the brand soon became a household name with a chain of stores all over India bringing modern retail experience to the Indian shoppers.

In an interview talking about her rise in the sphere of business, Simone had remarked, “My biggest challenge was to direct a company without having had any past business experience. I had no clue on how to read a balance sheet even, and my knowledge of other aspects of the CEO function was limited. This was at a time when no business schools existed; there were no tools in terms of education, there were no conferences and seminars which one could attend to learn the finer aspects of running a business.” However, she had the dedication to learn on-the-job and be successful at the work she had taken in hand. “Life was certainly less hectic those days and you had more time to learn. The important thing was never to despair,” she had remarked.

[caption id="attachment_47502" align="aligncenter" width="612"] Success Stories | Simone Tata | Global Indian Simone Tata with Ratan Tata at the celebration of 100 years of The Taj Mahal Hotel[/caption]

Two strategies that helped Simone thrive was the art of delegating responsibilities to subordinates and the approach of surrounding oneself with well-versed people in every field, be it law, finance or marketing.

Giving back

Beyond the boardroom, Simone Tata’s heart resonated with philanthropic endeavours. She has led Sir Ratan Tata Institute as its chairperson. The institute that was started in 1928 caters authentic Parsi delicacies, outfits for kids and ladies, and also home linen produced by women of marginalised communities.

Additionally, Simone serves as a trustee of Children of the World (India) Trust, a public charitable organisation associated with Enfants du Monde of France. It works with the purpose to reach out to the most disadvantaged people of the society, particularly women and children. Even in her nineties, she has been devoting her time and energy to the cause.

[caption id="attachment_47503" align="aligncenter" width="521"] Success Stories | Simone Tata | Global Indian Simone Tata at one of the charity events[/caption]

Her commitment has also extended to supporting the arts. She is the trustee of the India Foundation for the Arts, championing creative expression and cultural enrichment, strengthening capacities and infrastructure in the arts in India. “I did not ever intend to have a professional life, but it has turned out to be a very happy development,” she had shared in an interview, “I started at the top in a non-existent industry. I had the great privilege to build the organisation the way I wanted to. The important thing is to have a vision, clarity and the ability to mould people,” - her words of wisdom for people aspiring to fly high.

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