Cricketer | Monank Patel | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryCaptaining Team USA: Cricketer Monank Patel is leading the national team to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Captaining Team USA: Cricketer Monank Patel is leading the national team to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(April 8, 2024) Cricket has been more than just another sport in India. Most kids in the country have grown up watching legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, or more recently M.S. Dhoni play spectacular fours and sixes. They are not just awed by them but often inspired to be a cricketer themselves. And Monank Patel was no different. Since a young age, all he wanted to become was a cricketer. “There was no other plan,” said the cricketer, who has recently been named the captain of the USA cricket team in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Cricketer | Monank Patel | Global Indian

The right-handed batsman and proficient wicketkeeper based in New Jersey has been scouting the entire nation for the last year to ensure that he has some of the best talents in his team. “I am very confident of the USA team we have this time,” said the cricketer in a recent interview, adding, “With the ICC T20 World Cup looming, this series holds immense significance for our team. We have some new players coming into the squad, and these games will help us get the right combinations and prepare well for the World Cup.”

A cricket prodigy

Born in Anand, Gujarat into a prominent business family, Monank was fascinated with cricket from when he was just four. “Like most kids, I grew up with Tendulkar as my idol. I would copy his shots in front of the mirror and even have his poster in my room. He was God for me,” shared the 31-year-old cricketer, who soon made a place for himself in his school team. Realising his potential, it was his school coach, who pushed Monank to join a local cricket club. “I tried for the under 14 state team, and later even got a chance to represent my state in at the under-16 and under-18 levels,” shared the cricketer.

However, his destiny was somewhere else. At the age of 17, Monank moved to the United States of America and even received a green card in 2010. Being a part of the Gujarat team, the cricketer stayed back in India for a few years, however shifted to the States permanently in 2016, making New Jersey his new home. “It was a tough move initially, as I didn’t know what shape my career would take,” the cricketer said, “However, there are so many Indians living on this side of the country that I never felt away from home.

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Leading USA

Shortly after joining a local club, Monank quickly rose to become its captain. By August 2018, he earned a spot on the United States squad for the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Americas Qualifier tournament held in Morrisville, North Carolina. Remarkably, he emerged as the top run-scorer in the event, amassing 208 runs across six matches. Following this success, he was selected for the United States squad in the 2018–19 Regional Super50 tournament in the West Indies in October of the same year. Making his List A debut against Combined Campuses and Colleges, Monank showcased his prowess by scoring the first century by an American batsman in the tournament during a match against Jamaica. By the end of the competition, he secured his position as the leading run-scorer for the United States, accumulating 290 runs in seven matches.

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In February 2019, he earned a spot in the United States Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against the United Arab Emirates, marking the inaugural T20I fixtures for the United States cricket team. His T20I debut for the United States occurred on 15 March 2019 against the United Arab Emirates. “The USA team has a lot of potential to compete against teams at a higher level. We have been playing a decent level of cricket for the last three years and we have played against teams like Scotland and UAE. I feel we can compete against the better sides in the coming days,” said the Global Indian talking about his team.

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But that’s not it. The cricketer is also a mentor to several Indian American kids. “New Jersey has a big Indian diaspora living here, and so the kids are exposed to cricket from a young age. I coach many kids in this area. Interestingly, many American kids are now interested in playing the sport as well and come to my coaching classes,” said the cricketer.

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Currently busy preparing for the upcoming T20, Monank is very happy with several well-known Indian cricketers, including Unmukt Chand and Mannan Sharma, migrating to the USA. He believes that it will be up to the cricket board of the USA to see if they can don the national jersey in the coming years. “I am very excited about taking my team, and I think we have the potential to win matches this season. I hope we bring the cup home,” said the cricketer.

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Published on 08, Apr 2024

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Speak easy: Meet Chris C, the American Instagrammer teaching Malayalam

(February 15, 2024) Chris C is an anomaly on Instagram. An American who speaks Malayalam, his feed stands out in the minefield of social media due to its funny and relatable content, as well as the novelty of a foreigner speaking an Indian language. Started by Christopher (he prefers to go only by his first name) in 2023, the account has grown by leaps and bounds to over 91,000 followers now, with Indians walking up to the young creator and asking for a selfie, that ultimate test of popularity! Some of his most popular videos include Survival Malayalam (the first one to go viral), Malayali Uncle Vocabulary, and Finding the Most Difficult Words from Kerala. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris C (@mr.christopher._) Even as a child, Chris was especially interested in language, history, music, the humanities, literature, art, and philosophy. Around the time he was completing his studies, he was looking for a sense of home and belonging. He found it among his Malayali friends who then became his extended family and community. He recalls, “I needed time to figure out what I wanted life to look like before I started working, so

Even as a child, Chris was especially interested in language, history, music, the humanities, literature, art, and philosophy. Around the time he was completing his studies, he was looking for a sense of home and belonging. He found it among his Malayali friends who then became his extended family and community.

He recalls, “I needed time to figure out what I wanted life to look like before I started working, so essentially I took a gap year. When I did so, much of that time was spent visiting different friends in my newfound community. They really helped support and encourage me at a time when I really needed such things. They welcomed me in and treated me as a friend and brother. I couldn't see my life today being in any way the same without them.”

‘Nalla Vellakkaran’

The videos began as a fun way to hit upon relatable moments Chris and his Malayali friends had come to share over the years. Armed with humor and broken Malayalam, the Instagram star wants to be a positive presence in the social media environment. The irony is that the creator always had a minimal presence on social media, being a private person!

“I certainly never expected it would go viral!” he exclaims and adds, “When I saw how well-received those first videos were, I knew I needed to do something about it. Now I really see it as an opportunity to share my gratitude for my ‘adopted’ community and decided to address myself as ‘your nalla vellakkaran’. It’s a bit of a pun on ‘nalla ayalkkaran’ (good neighbor), which is a connotation I enjoy.”

There is no formal process the content creator uses, and being a one-man show, his turnaround time from settling on an idea to scripting, recording, editing, and posting is pretty short—around a week.

“Usually I just mark down possible ideas as they come. When I’m creating content, I try to mix things up by switching between funny and informative content. To be honest, often I just go with what I feel like posting,” he tells Global Indian.

When sharing content that is more technical, he usually buries his head in a Malayalam dictionary or grammar to fact-check himself—and candidly admits that he still makes typos! “Mistakes don’t bother me, however, and I think that helps my creative process. I just like to make videos. There’s no hidden incentive behind it or a need to get things perfect. I do the best I can, as regularly as I can, and I learn as I go,” he notes.

Ask him why he zeroed in on Malayalam, and he quips, saying, ‘Because my community is Malayali!’ and adds, “I speak other languages as well (Spanish, Japanese, and French) with varying levels of fluency, but I began learning Malayalam both as a challenge (since I love learning languages) and as an opportunity to connect with more people in my ‘adopted’ community.”

Chris visited Kerala several times over the years, with his longest trip being in 2019, and he traveled extensively in the state, with his favorite places being Kochi, Kottayam, and Thiruvananthapuram, as well as the mountains up north in the Kannur/Kasaragod area.

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Positive ripple effect

As the influence of social media grows, much of it is used for bullying and toxicity, but Chris’s videos have mostly a positive reception, barring a very small minority.

He says, “In the beginning, Malayalis were just amused that some American guy would know their language and culture so well. Then, over time, people became more curious. They’ve often expressed that they’re pleasantly surprised that I am doing this out of gratitude to the people I care about—the community that took me in and helped nurture me.”

As the audience grows, so do expectations. For instance, when Chris makes spelling, grammar, and pronunciation mistakes in Malayalam, the internet makes sure he knows it. He simply takes them into his stride, adding, “I’m a learner, and mistakes and failures are opportunities, not setbacks.”

Winning over the Tik-Tok generation

At a time when attention spans are growing smaller and smaller, the Instagrammer has understood the golden rule—that there is no replacing a good idea. He has also learned some things from watching other professionals who have mastered short-form content creation and gained insights.

“There are certain tricks, to be sure: how you edit and cut, your hook, your presentation style... but you have to understand what you want to share with others and why they should hear it. That’s easy for me, because I’m very interested and passionate about the things I share, so my goal is really to pass that interest on to others,” he says.

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What motivates Chris are the genuine connections he makes with others and working with other creators. He is one of those few creators who engages with people commenting on his feed and is now getting used to being asked for advice by others.

He says, “I appreciate when I’m able to just have an authentic interaction with others online—usually in the comments. I think it really warms my heart when people say things like ‘you’re so kind,’ ‘you’re so genuine, you’re a real person,’ or ‘wow, you really do care.’ That’s the kind of environment I want to try and grow in.”

As for the future, he committed to starting a YouTube channel if he crossed 100,000 followers, which he will do very soon. Besides, juggling his passion with a full-time job (in medical IT) is not easy, but he manages it because of his interest.

When not doing either, Chris loves hiking, cooking, music, reading, and video games. His immediate plan for the future—to visit Kerala again!

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Sundar Pichai: The Indian-origin CEO who made Google more global

(June 26, 2022) Sundar Pichai, the CEO of tech giant Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc hardly needs any introduction. Interestingly, the email service provided by Google, Gmail, was launched on the very day Pichai joined the company – April 1, 2004. Unaware of this new product, he admitted his ignorance in the job interview of the organisation. Luckily for Pichai, that moment of uncertainty got viewed as one of the qualities that Laszlo Bock, Google’s former senior VP of people operations was looking for in a candidate. Bock remembers Sundar Pichai as the candidate with "intellectual humility”. Today, Pichai’s meteoric rise from humble beginnings to a top CEO is a success story that people cherish globally. [caption id="attachment_26171" align="alignnone" width="1107"] Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO[/caption] The first non-white CEO of Google also serves on Alphabet’s Board of Directors. He has been focused on developing products and services with the vision to be of value in all big and little moments of people’s lives. Talking at Google’s flagship I/O Developers Conference 2022, Pichai informed: “Throughout the pandemic, Google has focused on delivering accurate information to help people stay healthy. Over the last year, people used Google Search and Maps to

in all big and little moments of people’s lives.

Talking at Google’s flagship I/O Developers Conference 2022, Pichai informed:

“Throughout the pandemic, Google has focused on delivering accurate information to help people stay healthy. Over the last year, people used Google Search and Maps to find where they could get a COVID vaccine nearly two billion times!”

His zeal for leadership with purpose got recognised in India in the form of Padma Bhushan award 2022. Global Indian turns its spotlight on the journey of the man who inspires millions.

The academic flight

Ironically, the CEO of American multinational technology company has not studied computer science, rather metallurgical engineering from IIT Kharagpur. Coincidentally, he has also studied inside the campus of IIT Chennai. His school, Vana Vani happened to be located inside the sprawling Chennai campus.

[caption id="attachment_26157" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Indian CEO | Sundar Pichai | Global Indian Sundar Pichai interacting with IIT Kharagpur students in one of his India visits.[/caption]

Sundar Pichai celebrated his 50th birthday on the 10th of this month. Born in 1972, he was raised in a middle-class household. His father Raghunath worked as an electrical engineer at General Electric Company (GEC), while his mother Lakshmi was a stenographer. After passing out from IIT Kharagpur, Pichai earned a master's degree in material sciences and engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His father had to spend a year’s salary to buy a plane ticket for him to go to the US for his studies. That was the middle-class lad’s first flight journey. The sincere student did not let his parents down and got recognised in his foreign academic institutions as one of the best in the batch.

Foundation of the effervescent leader

Before his association with Google, Pichai worked at Allied Materials and McKinsey & Co. Though both the organisations specialised in metallurgy, the stints groomed him well. He picked up the nuances of product strategy, execution, and team building that eventually set the foundation for his pivotal beginnings at Google. Pichai nurtured his career by aligning it to Google’s success.

“We try to work on things that billions of people will use every day”

No wonder Google is part of everyday conversations and happens to be a significant part of the vocabulary of kids and adults alike across the world!

[caption id="attachment_26172" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Indian CEO | Sundar Pichai | Global Indian Sundar Pichai with Nigerian Google team during his visit to Africa[/caption]

It has established itself as the organisation that cares with breakthroughs like use of ML to make web images more accessible to people who have vision problems. It generates real-time captions for online videos to help those who struggle with hearing.

Rise and rise of Google under Pichai’s leadership

Sundar Pichai joined Google as its vice-president of product management. He was entrusted with the responsibility of development of Google Toolbar and Google Chrome. These went on to become the world’s most popular internet browser. Undoubtedly, with these quantum leaps, Sundar Pichai climbed the hierarchical ladder. He launched Chrome OS and Chromebook in 2011 and went on to launch Android operating system in 2013. By 2014, the super talented Indian-origin professional was leading all products and engineering divisions at Google, overseeing vital platforms like Search, Gmail, Chrome, Play, Android, Maps, and Google Workspace.

[caption id="attachment_26158" align="aligncenter" width="803"] Indian CEO | Sundar Pichai | Global Indian From Left to right : Larry Page (Google's co-founder), Sundar Pichai (Google's CEO), Narendra Modi (India's PM), Eric Schmidt (Google's former CEO), and Ram Shriram (American businessman)[/caption]

When Google reorganized into Alphabet in August 2015, Sundar Pichai got selected as its CEO. In December 2019, he became the CEO of both Google and Alphabet, replacing founder Larry Page. In 2021, under Pichai’s leadership, Alphabet crossed $2 trillion in market value due to sales and profit growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building impact with powerful breakthroughs

Bringing the world together through different platforms, and giving unique experiences to people has always been the core of what Sundar Pichai and his team thrive upon.

While talking about war drift Ukrainians at Google I/O Developers Conference 2022, he remarked:

“In countries around the world, Google Translate has been a crucial tool for newcomers and residents trying to communicate with one another. We’re proud of how it’s helping Ukrainians find a bit of hope and connection (in countries where they have taken refuge) until they are able to return home again.”

While many other technology giants embrace the metaverse as the next frontier of growth, Sundar Pichai sees Google’s future in its oldest offering - the Internet search. He foresees people asking computers more questions with voice and multimodal experiences.

From overseeing new investments like acquisition of YouTube and launching of Google Cloud, Pichai leads the organisation by advancing AI, digital technology, machine learning and quantum computing.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NJ-juLXoFxM&list=PLjq6DwYksrzyHa9RtflCUniCMTFG4twFD

"AI can make humans more productive than we ever imagined," he remarked in the conference stressing that it can play a foundational role in every aspect of people’s lives, right from healthcare, education, manufacturing to how people consume information. Emphasizing on the significance of ML he said, “When machines would be programmed to simulate human mind, mimic human activity and solve problems, it will have a bigger impact than most of the breakthroughs in recent history."

Matters close to heart…

Keeping India close to his heart, Pichai has led Google to invest in the foundational infrastructure of the country by developing technology specific to its needs. Google Pay app is one such example. “India will be a global player in the digital economy,” he concluded in an interview.

In a statement the California, headquartered company has mentioned that it will invest ₹109 crore to support healthcare facilities and a further ₹3.6 crore to upskill frontline workers in India. The tech giant has entered into a tie-up with NGOs like GiveIndia, ARMMAN, PATH and Apollo Medskills to fulfill these commitments.

In the last five years, Google has granted funds to the tune of $57 million to India. Out of this $18 million was part of Covid 19 response.  In April 2020, Pichai made personal contribution of ₹5 crore to GiveIndia so that the country can fight the first wave of pandemic.

Love and life

Keeping his private life pretty private, Pichai stays with his wife Anjali who happens to be his heartthrob and classmate from IIT Kharagpur, son Kiran and daughter Kavya in California. The cricket buff is a Sachin Tendulkar fan. The love for the game comes from childhood aspiration to be a cricketer. As a high school student, he was the captain of the school cricket team, displaying his leadership skills on the field.

[caption id="attachment_26161" align="aligncenter" width="849"] Indian CEO | Sundar Pichai | Global Indian Sundar Pichai trying his hands at cricket[/caption]

Pichai’s love for sports does not end at cricket. He is also an ardent fan of FC Barcelona – the football club and seldom misses to watch it’s match when its competing on field.

The top CEO recently admitted in one of the interviews of the Wall Street Journal that he is not very good at meditation. Instead, he prefers NSDR (non-sleep deep rest), listening to podcasts or taking his dog for a walk.

Do you know how Sundar Pichai connects people?

Google’s flood forecasting technology sent flood alerts to 23 million people in India and Bangladesh in 2021 helping in timely evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.
Around the world, Google Maps has mapped around 1.6 billion buildings and over 60 million kilometers of roads to date with the vision to keep everyone within the reach, and make the world a well-connected chain of individuals.
The number of buildings on Google Maps in Africa has increased by 5X. Google has made a dataset of these buildings publicly available so that international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank can use it to better understand population density and to provide support and emergency assistance.
Google Translate broke down language barriers by recently adding 24 languages which together are spoken by 300 million people, bringing them closer to communities across the globe.
Google has been building augmented reality into many products like Google Lens to provide more interactive experiences and prevent technology from coming in the way of the real-world environment.
Follow Sundar Pichai on Twitter and Instagram

Reading Time: 7 mins

How Krishna Bhanji became Ben Kingsley: Journey of the ‘Gandhi’ actor

(April 30, 2023) When Ben Kingsley was shooting for the 1982 film Gandhi, his resemblance to Mahatma Gandhi was so strong that locals at the film shoot thought that he was the late leader’s ghost. Over the years, several notable actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Darshan Zariwala have portrayed the father of the nation on screen winning awards and accolades but Ben Kingsley’s portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi continues to hold the undisputed gold standard of the iconic character on screen. The performance did not just earn Kingsley critical acclaim but won him an Academy Award for best actor and BAFTA award for best actor in a leading role. In a career that spans more than five decades, the Indian descent actor has carved a niche for himself in global cinema. He has received several awards and accolades along the way, including a Grammy award, a British Academy Film award, and two Golden Globes. In 2002, the actor was appointed the Knight Bachelor for services to the film industry. [caption id="attachment_37853" align="aligncenter" width="666"] Ben Kingsley with late Queen Elizabeth[/caption] After earning the honour of being appointed the Knight Bachelor, Kingsley said in an interview with the BBC: I told the Queen that winning an Oscar

ointed the Knight Bachelor for services to the film industry.

[caption id="attachment_37853" align="aligncenter" width="666"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley with late Queen Elizabeth[/caption]

After earning the honour of being appointed the Knight Bachelor, Kingsley said in an interview with the BBC:

I told the Queen that winning an Oscar pales into insignificance — this is insurmountable. I feel that I am a storyteller and to receive a knighthood is the real recognition of that.

In 2010, Kingsley was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2013, he received the Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment and a Padma Shri by the Government of India. The Indian-origin actor’s handprints are displayed at Leicester square London, along with floor-mounted plaques of other film stars of repute.

From Krishna Pandit Bhanji to Ben Kingsley

Born to a Gujarati father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, and an English mother, Anna Lyna Mary Goodman, Ben Kingsley’s real name is Krishna Pandit Bhanji. He was born in Yorkshire, England and grew up in a family that was proud of its Indian heritage. 

Aspiring to make it big as an actor, he changed his name to Ben Kingsley early in his career.

In an interview to Radio Times he said, "As soon as I changed my name, I got the job. I had one audition as Krishna Bhanji and they said, 'Beautiful audition but we don't quite know how to place you in our forthcoming season.' I changed my name, crossed the road, and they said when can you start?"

It was the 1960s. In those days, the South Asian actors were not held in high regard. Kingsley’s fear that his birth name might not be accepted by casting directors and audiences had come true compelling him to change his name. “I chose the name Ben Kingsley because I wanted a name that sounded ‘solid and dependable’ and at the same time would be easy for people to remember in the British film industry,” he said in an interview with The Guardian. Kingsley had always been inspired by his grandfather’s bookshop, which was called King’s Lee, and chose a similar-sounding name for himself.

[caption id="attachment_37854" align="aligncenter" width="434"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley with Meryl Streep after winning their Oscars[/caption]

However, despite changing his name, Kingsley has always been proud of his Indian heritage and has often spoken about his love for Indian culture. He has also actively sought out roles that showcase his connection to India, and always remained indebted to the makers of Gandhi for giving him the role of a lifetime. During the filming of Gandhi in India, he got the opportunity to immerse himself in Indian culture and learn more about the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

Apart from an exhaustive list of incredible work in world cinema, Ben Kingsley has appeared in several films with Indian themes, such as A Common Man and Teen Patti. He played the role of a Sikh driving instructor in the film Learning to Drive and lent his voice to the character of Bagheera in the adaptation of Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book (2016), which was a remake of the 1967 film. Kingsley has also recorded Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi in a book-on-tape format.

Immense love for cinema

After completing his education, Kingsley pursued a career in acting and made his debut in the 1960s with roles in various British television shows and stage productions.

He struggled to set up a base in the British film industry and had a difficult time finding work in the initial years of his career. The actor was even told by one casting director that he was ‘not tough enough to make it as an actor’. Undeterred, Kingsley continued to pursue his passion and eventually found success.

With dedication towards his craft, Kingsley continued to hone his acting skills, and created a niche with his method acting approach, immersing himself in the characters and the backgrounds. For his role in Gandhi, the actor went on a strict vegetarian diet, learned to spin his own yarn and even slept on the floor to get into the character.

[caption id="attachment_37856" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley[/caption]

In Iron Man 3, he played the role of the villainous Mandarin, who used to address everyone as ‘darling’. The actor was so committed to his performance that he even stayed in character off camera. He would speak in the accent he used for his character and called everyone ‘darling’.

As much as he is a fine actor, Kingsley has been a good mentor too. He has mentored many young actors including Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel with whom he worked in the film, The Last Legion. Patel went on to publicly mention Kingsley’s mentorship on several occasions and the impact it had on his career.

The affable star

As a person of mixed Indian and British heritage, Ben Kingsley has always been proud of his Indian identity and has sought to celebrate it through his work. His personal style often reflects this, as he is known for incorporating India-inspired elements into his wardrobe and has been spotted wearing traditional Indian clothing such as kurtas and sherwanis at public events.

He has visited India several times for work and on personal trips.

In an interview with The Times of India, Kingsley said:

I feel a strong connection to India, and I am always looking for opportunities to visit the country and learn more about its culture.

[caption id="attachment_37857" align="aligncenter" width="449"] Indian actor | Ben Kingsley | Global Indian Ben Kingsley and Rohini Hattangadi in Gandhi[/caption]

At 79, the actor who gained global recognition due to his talent and hard work is still active. This year he will be appearing in Wes Anderson's upcoming American adventure-comedy film, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. It’s a film adaptation of a short story by Roald Dahl. Kingsley will be starring opposite Dev Patel and other American actors.

Follow Ben Kingsley on Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

From Nigeria to UK: The journey of serial entrepreneur Roopal Pilani

(April 6, 2023) Roopal Pilani is an entrepreneur with a magic touch. From setting up a successful event management company in the ’90s to taking on the responsibility of working night shifts at her husband’s factory, which ensured higher productivity, to acquiring a chain of hotels in the UK and investing in startups which are doing well — success follows her everywhere. “Family comes first for me, everything else comes later,” smiles the entrepreneur as she takes out time to chat with Global Indian during a family holiday in Rishikesh, where she has been kayaking and doing aerial yoga. Becoming a hotel magnate It was in 2010 that she acquired her first hotel, The Makeney Hall at Derby, UK, after much due diligence. “It was refurbished to meet the highest standards in the ever-competitive industry. Our relentless efforts and the right business moves paid off,” says Roopal. The Makeney Hall is now among the top hotels in the region, which is a matter of immense pride for her entire team. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Makeney Hall Hotel (@makeneyhallhotel) The success of her first hotel propelled the entrepreneur into acquiring Malden Hall Student Accommodation

,” says Roopal. The Makeney Hall is now among the top hotels in the region, which is a matter of immense pride for her entire team.

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A post shared by Makeney Hall Hotel (@makeneyhallhotel)

The success of her first hotel propelled the entrepreneur into acquiring Malden Hall Student Accommodation in London in 2014, The Lace Market Hotel in Nottingham in 2015, Empire Filling Station, The Georgian Hollies Hotel Blackpool in 2020 and The Lawton and Beechfield Hotels in 2022. “My elder daughter Diya helps me with the UK businesses. I intervene only when it is required,” says Roopal, whose younger daughter Krishna is in Grade 10 at Woodstock School in Mussoorie.

Natural-born businesswoman

Born in Mumbai in October 1974, her family moved to Hyderabad, the city Roopal calls home. “I was the middle child and most pampered,” recalls Roopal, who did her schooling from St Ann’s High school. “I was thoroughly a teacher’s pet,” she says of her student days.

Roopal then went to Kasturba Gandhi College and graduated with a degree in Commerce. “I was introduced to the nuances of book keeping by my father at our Industrial goods store. This was where I began to appreciate what really went into running an establishment,” says Roopal, who belongs to a Gujarati Brahmin family. When she turned 19, Roopal decided to marry her high school sweetheart Uday, completing her degree after the wedding. “Besides studying economics, commerce and civics, I had taken up painting and arts in my free time. Back then, I was not quite decided on what sort of business I wanted to explore,” says the entrepreneur.

The launch of Jalwa

In the late 1990s, when the party scene was just picking up, she threw the biggest millennium party in Hyderabad, which was a hugely successful event. “We then set up an event management company — Jalwa in 1999. It quickly gained market share and rose to become a pioneer in brand building, store promotions, rock shows, theme nights and much more,” she says.

going Entrepreneur | Roopal Pilani | Global Indian

At Jalwa, the Pilanis were doing everything, from corporate events for Coke, Pepsi and GE to landmark parties. “Events kept happening throughout the year, non-stop. We got busier curating the events (sometimes, round-the-clock!) to make it the best. It earned us trust and respect. The experiences taught me everything that I needed to know about how to run a business successfully and take risks all along,” says the entrepreneur.

Africa calling

In 2002, the Pilanis moved to Nigeria, where Uday set up a Mosquito Coil unit in Kano. “Uday’s family has a long history with Nigeria and therefore we decided to move,” she informs. Four years later, the business was going through a tough phase. Roopal took the responsibility of managing the factory during the more challenging night shift, and even ensured higher productivity than the day shift. “We had a 24/7 operation with 150 employees enabling an end-to-end production,” says the entrepreneur, for whom those were the most challenging years of her life. It forced her to dig deep within herself to find the strength and build tenacity.

Entrepreneur | Roopal Pilani | Global Indian

In 2009, the factory having been sold, the family shifted base to Benin in Southern Nigeria, where her husband took up a job as the Managing Director of a large multinational company producing palm oil. “We were surrounded by thousands of hectares of green fields, splendid weather and a small zoo. It was paradise, and my children spent their time in nature, uninterrupted by the hassles of technology. They rode horses and caught scorpions,” she smiles.

Around that time, Roopal decided that the family must have a secure sustainable income – but this kind of financial stability was more likely to be found in a developed country. “Moreover, I had taken my break and was itching to get back to work. The UK was a good option and it was a favourable time to invest. It was a short flight from Nigeria,” says Roopal.

Business in the UK

Thereafter, the entrepreneur went on a hotel buying spree in the UK. “I moved to London with my daughters while Uday made frequent trips from Nigeria. We had an exciting progression to give hotels,” informs Roopal, who is now mentoring her elder daughter as she learns the ropes. Roopal didn’t stop there. She went on to invest in Invente Innovation Labs in India which does staff augmentation for businesses, sales and growth consultants RyzeUP Inc USA, and Wowsome XR in UK, a media company. “Tech is the future, so we invest in companies which are making cutting edge advancements in virtual and augmented reality, AI and gamification,” informs the entrepreneur, who has also invested in a long line of startups.

Giving back

Philanthropy work keeps Roopal busy too as giving back is a top priority for her. “Sponsoring initiatives linked to women empowerment, child health and literacy gives me a sense of satisfaction,” says the entrepreneur. She is a member of the Arch Klump Society, which is Rotary's highest tier of Donors. She has donated USD 250,000 given to various causes from her personal account.

Entrepreneur | Roopal Pilani | Global Indian

Now that her investments are taking care of themselves and business is good, Roopal likes to spend time with her family. “We now spend our days doing what we like. A few rallies a year, endless travelling and road trips. Family workouts are a must,” smiles Roopal, who watches Shark Tank and action movies post dinner.

Follow Roopal Pilani on LinkedIn

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Siddharth Singh: Pioneering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai to empower Indian women

Meet Siddharth Singh, a distinguished St Andrew's alumnus whose life took a transformative turn when he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in the UK. Today, he stands as the sole Indian to possess a competitive brown belt in BJJ and the esteemed silver Mongkol 'Master' in Muay Thai (Thai boxing). Siddharth's impact goes far beyond his personal achievements, as he now runs five successful academies in northern India, collectively nurturing around 500 young talents. Additionally, he has empowered over 5000 women through self-defense training and collaborated with renowned NGOs like SLAP and Ritinjali. (July 22, 2023) Within the domain of close quarter combat, Siddharth Singh stands as an unrivaled marvel. He reads his opponent, finds their weak spots, and can overpower them no matter how strong they are. He's a master fighter who can calmly render them unconscious if needed. Siddharth Singh is the only Indian to have a competitive brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and the silver Mongkol ‘Master’ in Muay Thai (Thai boxing). “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is all about body control and joint lock manipulation. It’s not so much about strength,” points out Siddharth Singh, a pioneer in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in India, speaking exclusively with Global Indian.

exclusively with Global Indian. He holds a decorated track record as a professional fighter. He is India’s highest ranked competitive grappler, India’s only ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) Taiwan title holder and British BJJ champion. At rank 4 in ACBJJ (Absolute championship of BJJ) world rankings, Siddharth is a 10-time Indian BJJ and Submission grappling champion.

[caption id="attachment_42071" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Siddharth Singh, Founder and CEO at Crosstrain Fight Club.[/caption]

“The fact that BJJ is based around the premise that a smaller, weaker person can potentially defeat a larger, stronger opponent using technique and leverage is what makes it exciting. Strategy, technique, training and mental acumen is all what the sport is about,” says the Global Indian, who currently owns and runs Crosstrain Fight Club, a chain of MMA academies across north India, where he has created some of the best professional fighters in the country.

Grappling his way to success

Grappling demands dedicated focus in training. “It is an old art and there are an infinite number of techniques and positions. So one needs to go in for training with a specific goal in each training session,” he says.

For example, in one training session, the goal could be a specific submission, say, a Kimura joint lock, which is a shoulder lock. “It requires planning the drills around it, a number of different ways of getting to those positions. Rather than thinking of grappling as everything one can do, we narrow down the focus to one specific position for a day,” explains the 36-year-old, who has coached India’s top international MMA fighters like Anshul Jubli and Punyajeet Likharu.

Anshul etched his name in history as the inaugural Indian fighter to secure a coveted Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contract. Moreover, he has served as a coach to more than 100 state and national-level MMA champions.

Lucknow boy

Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Siddharth’s passion for combat sports started with boxing while studying at the Doon School, Dehradun. He lost his initial fights but did not give up and continued to train hard. Eventually, he won the ‘Best Boxer’ at the school at age 18.

Siddharth Singh

“Boarding school teaches you a lot of skills, you either sink or swim. It taught me to deal with a lot of hardships,” says of his days in Doon School, where he also got introduced to hockey, football, athletics and gymnastics as well. After completing his 12th in Doon School, Siddharth went to Delhi University and completed his undergraduate studies.

Off to St Andrew’s

The turning point in his life came when he got a scholarship to study in the UK for his master's course in economics and strategy from one of the most prestigious universities in Scotland, St Andrews University in 2007. “That's where Prince William's also studied. It was a great learning experience,” smiles Siddharth, who enrolled himself in a Thai boxing gym in north London.

“Thai boxing is very different from traditional boxing. In Thai boxing, they have punches, kicks, elbows, and knees. And Thai boxing is the national sport of Thailand, also called Muay Thai,” he informs. One day, at the Muay Thai gym, he happened to attend a seminar on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Siddharth was hooked instantly. “It’s a martial art that involves strategy and technique,” he says.

At a crossroads

After a year in Scotland, Siddharth landed a job with Britain’s privately owned global company, Pentland Group, which owns and invests primarily in retail and wholesale businesses in the sports, outdoor and sports fashion sectors. He worked as the regional business manager for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India.

“The company used to encourage its employees to take up some sporting activity after work hours. I took up MMA,” informs the champion, who has been the national coach of the Indian Muay Thai team and presently serves as the head of the North Zone for Muay Thai in India.

He enjoyed his Muay Thai practice so much that in 2012, he quit his job, returned to India, and started competing in various championships, winning several medals for the country. Around the same time, he launched the first branch of his Crosstrain fight club in Delhi.

Siddharth Singh

“In India, women come under attack all the time and they lack good self-defense mechanisms. The reason I launched my fight club is to teach them BJJ so they could safeguard themselves,” says Siddharth, who also runs a podcast called “Lockdown with Sid” on YouTube and Spotify.

The professional fighter runs five academies in north India which are presently training about 500 youngsters. Besides, he has trained over 5000 women in self-defense and worked with NGOs like SLAP and Ritinjali.

Bringing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to India

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai, says Siddharth, are very new sports in India. “Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand and has been around for hundreds of thousands of years. And in India, it's been there for less than 10 years. It’s the same with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,” he says adding most people back home did not even know such combat sports existed.

He says Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been included in the upcoming Asian Games in China and Muay Thai is also growing rapidly. “Both the sports will get a lot of attention sooner than later,” says the MMA champ, who also held workshops for corporates including Google, Wrigley, and Mars.

A regimented life

When preparing for tournaments, Siddharth indulges in actual hand-to-hand combats, weight training, lots of conditioning and fitness exercises the whole week. “There is a lot of focus on techniques and I train for it specifically for most part of the day and then do some sparring. It’s a tough training schedule,” informs the fighter, who will be representing India in three international tournaments in Abu Dhabi coming up soon.

Elon Musk Vs Mark Zuckerberg

With reports suggesting that Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg might indulge in a “cage fight” soon, Siddharth says both are just beginners in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. “Both are white belts, absolute beginners. But let's be honest, these guys are not high-level competitors or athletes. They are celebrities who, if indulge in the fight, will end up just grabbing the eyeballs.”

Podcasts

When not fighting, Siddharth likes to listen to podcasts during his travels. “It helps me learn new skills,” says the Indian Muay Thai champion who also likes to read books on business strategies.

Follow Siddharth Singh on Instagram and LinkedIn.