Indian Entrepreneur | Firoz Merchant | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryDriven by compassion: Firoz Merchant offers second chances to those behind bars in the UAE

Driven by compassion: Firoz Merchant offers second chances to those behind bars in the UAE

Written by: Amrita Priya

(March 8, 2024) “In the spirit of forgiveness and extending second chances to those who need to be reunited with family and society, we have recently donated AED 1 million to liberate over 900 prisoners as we approach the Holy Month of Ramadan,” shared Firoz Merchant on social media, recently. The Indian-origin Dubai-based entrepreneur and philanthropist is the founder and chairman of Pure Gold Group, which consists of Pure Gold Jewellers, FGM Holding, Pure Gold Real Estate Development, La Moda, and Pure Gold Manufacturing.

He assists those incarcerated due to debt, ensuring they regain their freedom and dignity. In an interview, he expressed,

Not everyone in prison is a criminal. I firmly believe that being in debt is not a crime; it’s a consequence of the basic human desire to sustain and survive. Unfortunately, some individuals find themselves in situations where they are unable to honour their commitments, leading to repercussions such as imprisonment. I support and advocate for those individuals whom society often overlooks.

Firoz Merchant

Firoz Merchant

Among the 900 prisoners granted freedom, 495 were from Ajman, 170 from Fujairah, 121 from Dubai, 69 from Umm Al Quwain, and 28 from Ras Al Khaimah. The philanthropist additionally covered their expenses and arranged for their return flights. “I am grateful for the support of the government officials who helped in the release of the prisoners,” he said.

Beyond this endeavour, Merchant is actively involved in various other philanthropic efforts, including caring for the elderly through his initiative ‘The Forgotten Society’.

Enabling a second chance in life

With support from UAE police authorities, Merchant has played a crucial role in bringing joy to detainees in central jails across the UAE. Through his philanthropic efforts, he has contributed thousands of dollars towards their well-being and has facilitated the release of over 20,000 inmates since 2008. “Everything we do in this initiative strictly adheres to the guidelines and support of the UAE government,” he emphasised.

In addition to covering their bills and fines, Merchant also assists detainees with airline tickets to their respective countries, ensuring their safe return home. For 2024, Merchant aims to secure the release of more than 3,000 prisoners. He has already made significant progress towards this goal, with the recent donation of US$272K (AED 1 million) supporting the release of over 900 inmates from UAE prisons, marking fulfilment of nearly one-third of his target.

“My mother has instilled in me the values of kindness, generosity, and being a good human being. She has taught me that whenever I can help the society, I should embrace the opportunity,” said the philanthropist in an interview.

For those who tend to fall into debt Firoz Merchant has a piece of advice:

Don’t over commit or over borrow. Spend money reasonably and save money for bad times.

Compassion comes from humble beginnings

Firoz Merchant was raised in Bombay, in a family with limited financial resources. He was among nine siblings, with six boys and three girls. His father worked as a real estate broker, while his mother managed the household. The family struggled as their real estate business frequently faced challenges, leading to an unstable financial situation. Despite being a good student, he had to drop out of school when he was a mere 11-year-old to assist in managing their business’s daily operations.

“After I joined the family business, and turned 13 or 14, our lives began to improve,” he shared in an interview. Having honed business skills from a young age, he developed the mindset and skills of an entrepreneur as he grew into adulthood.

From India to Dubai

With his hard work, his business grew substantially in India, and in due course Merchant got married. In 1980, he travelled to Dubai for the first time with his wife, Rozina, for their honeymoon, and felt an immediate connection with the country.

One place which particularly mesmerised him as a tourist was the Dubai Gold Souk. A traditional market, the souk, located in Dubai’s commercial business district in Deira, consists of more than 380 retailers. Most of them are jewellery traders. With the entrepreneurial spirit that he had cultivated since childhood, Merchant realised that the place offered a wealth of opportunities if he made the right moves.

Upon returning from Dubai, he expressed his desire to his father to relocate there and venture into the gold business. His father laughed at him but Merchant remained persistent, having left his heart in Dubai. Witnessing his determination over months and years, his parents finally gave in and allowed him to make the move. “My parents advised me to pursue my dreams without expecting financial support from them, given our situation. However, they offered their blessings and good wishes,” Merchant shared.

In 1989, nine years after he had started nurturing his dream, Merchant embarked on his solo journey to Dubai to explore opportunities in the gold and diamond trading business, starting out with modest accommodations. As his circumstances improved, he was able to afford a flat, and called over his wife, and small children – a daughter and a son.

ALSO READ | From Zulekha Daud to Mama Zulekha: Story of UAE’s first female Indian doctor

Reaching the zenith

Starting out as a small trader, Merchant became successful in laying the foundation of what is now a large business enterprise. From humble beginnings, Pure Gold Jewellers has blossomed into a brand to reckon with. Starting with just one Pure Gold Jewellers store, the Pure Gold group now boasts off more than 150 outlets in places like Dubai, Northern Emirates, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Merchant is proud of his accomplishments, “In 1998, within ten years of starting my business Pure Gold had become the largest importer of gold in Dubai, indulging in 110 tonnes of import out of the 600 tonnes that Dubai had imported that year,” he shared.

Firoz Merchant

A market leader in the industry, in 2002, Pure Gold Jewellers became the first jewellery retailer in UAE to gain ISO certification, and the first jeweller to be awarded the World Diamond Mark. “When I look at the challenges and competitors, I consider them good for me because we get to learn from both,” the visionary leader says.

Always do business with integrity and good intention, and the almighty will support you.

Firoz Merchant

Gold Group’s portfolio consists of a wide range of exclusive brands, including jewellery crafted from gold, diamonds, pearls, and various other precious and semi-precious stones. Additionally, they offer product ranges from established Italian designers. Despite his remarkable achievements driven by his own vision and ambition, Merchant acknowledges his father’s influence. “Closing deals is a skill I learned from my father,” he remarked. “He taught me the importance of building long-term relationships with customers and working on long-term plans. Short-term success may come, but might not last long.” Merchant shared, reflecting on the invaluable lesson imparted by his father.

Reaping rewards for philanthropy and entrepreneurship

Firoz Merchant has won several awards and accolades for philanthropy. He has been named in the Forbes Middle East Top 100 Indian Business owners in the Arab world. In 2017 the philanthropist received the Community Service Medal & Award from Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE at the Interior Ministry.

Merchant has been inducted into Abu Dhabi Police’s community wing ‘We Are All Police’ for helping with release of inmates by paying off their debts.

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A post shared by Firoz Merchant. (@firozmerchantpg)

In recognition of his remarkable contributions to philanthropy and entrepreneurship in the UAE, Firoz Merchant was honoured with the UAE permanent residency, known as the Golden Card, in 2019. This prestigious acknowledgment of impacting the country’s economy came exactly 30 years after his initial arrival in Dubai as an aspiring trader. The honour was extended to his entire family.

Expressing happiness and gratitude on the occasion, he remarked, “The UAE is the university of the universe and among the greatest and most beautiful countries in the world with world class safety, security, education and healthcare for residents to lead a valuable life.”

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Published on 08, Mar 2024

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Ansh Khanna: Creating Jin JiJi, a craft gin that celebrates India’s botanical heritage

(June 9, 2024) Ansh Khanna, Co-founder of Peak Spirits, found his passion for spirits sparked during a trip to Tuscany when he was 16 years old, where he visited a vineyard that had been run by the same family for 32 generations. He continued to travel extensively, especially to Uttarakhand, which is now home to his distillery. This passion led him to UCLA and UC Davis, where he specialized in winemaking. Gaining hands-on experience at Margerum Wine Company in California, he honed his craft in artisanal wine production. Seeing the interest in Indian-made craft spirits, Khanna launched Jin JiJi, a gin brand celebrating India's rich botanical heritage. His mission is clear: to elevate Indian spirits on the global stage, continually innovating and sharing his passion with the world. Wine On Khanna grew up in Delhi and often travelled to the north within India and overseas. One place he recollects traveling to often was to Uttarakhand where he used to stay at a farm, which coincidentally, happens to be in the same area as their distillery. “When I moved to Los Angeles for my higher studies, my university was in LA, I used to wander off to the wine country on

, I used to wander off to the wine country on the weekends time and again and during the summers I relished the time to learn more about the subject,” he tells Global Indian. He commenced his journey with a strong educational background and obtained a Certificate in Winemaking and Wine Management from UCLA's Viticulture and Enology Program, followed by additional studies at UC Davis.

Ansh Khanna | Jin Jiji | Global Indian

Shaping his career

Relocating, especially to the USA, a country with a unique culture and environment known for high-quality artisanal beverages, allowed him to delve deeply into the world of wine and spirits. “This experience provided a rich opportunity to explore and appreciate the wine world in depth. I became open minded and welcomed an understanding attitude." The process taught him how to adapt and helped him immerse himself more mindfully in the role he was playing. "Being a part of the ecosystem during my time in the US was invaluable,” he remarks.

His career began at Margerum Wine Company, a charming winery situated in the Sta Rita Hills along California's coast. Rita Hills is a wine region in Santa Barbara County, known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Joining just before the harvest season, he immersed himself in wine production from its foundational stages. “My job was an entry level position over there, that involved washing the tanks before grapes arrived, fermentation, barrelling and even bottling and packaging. It gave me a great perspective on wine production at the grassroots that involves small-scale, artisanal methods, often family owned.

These families emphasize on using their own family oriented traditional way of producing the wine. I absolutely enjoyed my time over there and if given a chance I won't hesitate to revisit.” This included hands-on experiences such as harvesting grapes by hand before dawn, managing tank cleaning operations in preparation for grape processing, and actively participating in the bottling process, marking the culmination of the wine's journey.

Gin journey

Ansh Khanna | Jin Jiji | Global Indian

He began Peak Spirits with a mission to take India to the world. Being in the US alcobev business, he saw a huge interest in Indian spirits but few offerings. His inspiration, however, came from a trip to Tuscany when he was 16 years old. "I visited a winery which was run by the same family for 32 generations, making phenomenal wine – and I was inspired to set up an enterprise that has the same longevity! Hence, we launched Jin JiJi first in the US and for many years it was an export only brand. Last year we launched Jin JIJI domestically,” he says. Naturally, he is inspired by the idea of creating spirits that put India at the forefront of the global craft spirits scene. “The gratification comes from our consumers who drink our spirits and enjoy them. The contentment of our consumers and to work for Peak Spirits, an Indian brand to take over the world is what drives me,” he adds.

India is home to one of the world’s best sources for diverse and high quality botanicals - with many of the world’s top brands sourcing from here since forever. The country's rich soil makes it a nurturing habitat for biodiversity and ancient knowledge of botany helps to understand the categorization and usefulness of those herbs in different ways. “I often call India ‘the world’s botanical garden’, so it was very apt for our first offering to be in. Jin JiJi uses unique botanicals like Tulsi, Himalayan juniper, chamomile, and first flush tea for its Darjeeling edition. The slight burn from the tulsi and mild calming effect from chamomile dissolves its flavour into Jin JIJI, giving our Darjeeling edition the masala chai essence, a big time India's favourite beverage. We aim at using the botanicals in production of Jin JIJI to achieve a unique undertone that distinguishes our gin from the rest,” he adds.

Driven to learn

Khanna believes that every day is an opportunity for new learnings, and he says that he gets up every day to gain new experience and dive into the ocean of knowledge and wisdom. “Since, one can never know everything! One can also say I'm a learner by heart, I am by nature curious and embrace challenges while learning continually and celebrating even small achievements. For me it's the improvement in my professional skills and my personal growth, that matters,” he adds. In his free time, he likes collecting and reading about wine, the journey that started at the university is still going on and he admits that there is enough to learn more about one’s passion. “Other than that, I look forward to eating at interesting restaurants around the world with chef's special menus or the area specific local dishes. My engagement with food also involves cooking sometimes as well. For relaxation I play golf and I travel. Travelling brings me the fresh energy to unwind, at the times I feel blocked, traveling helps me,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_52282" align="aligncenter" width="437"] Ansh Khanna | Jin Jiji | Global Indian Jin Jiji by Peak Spirits[/caption]

For someone who loves the world of wines and spirits, he is quite enthusiastic about producing more and more quality wine and spirit. “I would like more people to experience the synthesis of phenomenal and mystical spirits that gains its uniqueness from blending botanicals and invent more of such wilderness hidden amidst the majestic soils of nature. Hence, my future plans include many new spirit offerings in the works and I want to base my future endeavours out of the same,” he signs off.

Ansh Khanna’s journey from Delhi to becoming a prominent part in the global spirits industry exemplifies his dedication and passion for innovation. With Jin JiJi, he has successfully highlighted India’s rich botanical heritage, bringing unique flavors to the international market. His continuous pursuit of excellence, combined with his deep-rooted connection to his homeland, drives his mission to position Indian spirits at the forefront of the global craft scene.

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Meet Mangesh Ghogre, the only Indian to construct crosswords for New York Times and LA Times

(November 2, 2021) The next time you attempt solving an NYT or LA Times crossword, do keep an eye out for the byline. It’s quite likely that the crossword you’re attempting to solve would have been constructed by a young Mumbai-based investment banker, who’s had a passion for crosswords since his engineering days. Meet Mangesh Ghogre, the 41-year-old executive director and head of equity capital at Nomura Holdings, who has been the only Indian to have his crosswords published in some of America’s top publications and is the first Indian to have judged the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament directed by New York Times. At a time when most of his peers were busy cracking the GRE and GMAT to go to the US, Ghogre was busy solving crosswords least expecting the puzzle to one day transform his life in ways he could only imagine. Today, while most of his peers are settled either in the US or UK, it is Ghogre who holds the unique distinction of being the only Indian to earn prime spot in some of America’s top publications. The Panvel boy who made it big Born in Panvel, on the outskirts of Mumbai, in 1980, Ghogre led the life a typically middle-class Indian in the 1980s would. His father worked at the Reliance plant there and his mother was a homemaker. Their lives revolved

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Global Indian Mangesh Ghogre

The Panvel boy who made it big

Born in Panvel, on the outskirts of Mumbai, in 1980, Ghogre led the life a typically middle-class Indian in the 1980s would. His father worked at the Reliance plant there and his mother was a homemaker. Their lives revolved around Mumbai and Nagpur (their hometown) and there was little to no exposure to a world outside of India. This was after all an era with no internet connectivity, cable TV or Hollywood films in the country. After his schooling, Ghogre opted to study Mechanical Engineering from VJTI in Matunga and moved into a hostel to avoid long commutes.

It was around this time that he and a few friends got together and decided to move to the US after their engineering course in search of greener pastures. There was a hitch though: English was not their strong language, most of them were more fluent in Hindi. Their go-to resource back then while preparing for GRE and GMAT, was the Barron’s word list. “But these were not words that we used in everyday lives,” Ghogre tells Global Indian, “It was around this time that I began trying to solve the crosswords that would appear in The Times of India in a bid to improve my vocabulary.”

For the love of crossword

The crossword though was no easy feat and many of his friends eventually gave up. But Ghogre kept at it. “In retrospect it was my motivation to crack the GMAT and also the fact that I was curious about the answers which I would refer to the next day,” he explains, adding, “It was only much later that I realized that these crosswords were syndicated from the LA Times. We didn’t have any exposure to American culture, let alone American slang, back then. And the crossword is usually a reflection of society and its culture.”

Ghogre would religiously try to solve the crossword every single day and would check the solutions the next day and make elaborate notes. His diaries were divided into neat sections: slang, animals, religion, geography, flowers, etc. He’d created his own mini-Wikipedia. Over the years, he began to put two and two together and was finally able to begin solving the crossword completely about eight years later. By this time, it had become a habit that he couldn’t do without.

Global Indian Mangesh Ghogre

The crossword had opened up a whole new world for him: of American culture, society, geography, food, wildlife and even cinema. American slang like dough, grand, hero (sandwich), break a leg etc became commonplace for him. It also introduced him to the rivers in the US and animals like coyote, llama, and emu. “I’d never heard of these animals before, let alone seen them. When internet finally came to India, I went to a cybercafé to look these animals up to see what they looked like,” he recalls.

Life changing grid

The crossword had fascinated him and he’d carry it with him everywhere. “In the process, I was thrown out of class for solving the crossword mid-lecture, I’d carry it to the canteen and even the washroom. My friends would laugh at me,” smiles Ghogre. “Now they’re in awe of what the small black and white grid did for me.”

The crossword had truly changed his life; he is now considered an authority on it. As time went by, Ghogre got better and better at solving the puzzle. Though he didn’t manage to crack the GMAT and move to the US, he did land a good job when he graduated in 2000. However, a few months later, that job offer was withdrawn due to the dot come bust. “I spent a year at home jobless because of the market situation. I prepared for CAT to do my MBA but didn’t get into the IIMs; it wasn’t a great time. That’s when I took to crossword more strongly. It was my solace; it was addictive.”

Global Indian Mangesh Ghogre

He eventually did his MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies and embarked on a career as an investment banker with ICICI Securities. He also worked with SBI Capital and HSBC before being appointed by Nomura as executive director in 2016.

Through it all, his love for crossword was going strong. “But I also began noticing that all these crosswords had American bylines, there were no Indian names on the scene. I began researching and came across blogs that analyse the puzzle and also spoke about how to construct one. So, I thought why not give constructing a crossword a shot,” says Ghogre.

The only Indian constructor

He sent his first one to the editor of LA Times. Though it wasn’t selected, the editor did encourage him to keep at it. That’s when Ghogre came across a lady Nancy Salomon, a veteran crossword constructor. The two began corresponding by email and she coached him through the nuances of the making a good puzzle. Several tries later, Ghogre’s first crossword was published in the LA Times in September 2010.

Since then, Ghogre has had several of his crosswords published in international publications. The ultimate though was when his work was featured in New York Times, which is considered the Holy Grail of crosswords. Today, he is counted among the top crossword constructors in the world and has been invited to judge the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament as well. That was when Ghogre finally got on a plane to visit the continent he’d learnt so much about through his 15x15 black and white grid. “It was a fantasy come true for me. I finally saw so many of the things I’d learnt about,” he says.

Global Indian Mangesh Ghogre

Bringing in the desi flavour

In his own way, Ghogre also ensures that he educates Americans on some Indian nuances. In 2019, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, he designed a special crossword with the word Gandhi and a few other Indian terms that was published in New York Times. “There is no other icon as Global Indian as Gandhi and I, in my own way, had the world celebrate him on that landmark occasion,” he smiles.

A typical crossword takes Ghogre about a year or 1.5 years to construct, due to the complexity involved. “Each crossword has to have a specific theme, has to pass the breakfast test (words that one would be comfortable using at the start of one’s day), and conform to the grid’s symmetry. So, it is rather time consuming to construct a crossword; it is a solitary activity,” says the father of two, who has had his crosswords displayed at the prestigious Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.

“Crossword didn’t just change my life, it is my life,” says Ghogre, who has been an investment banker for 17 years, but has been solving crosswords for 25. “My nirvana moment was to be able to sit on the same local train that I used to all those years ago in college and solve a crossword with my byline.”

Follow Mangesh Ghogre on Twitter

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Sutanu Sur: Taking India’s soft power to the world through music

(January 8, 2023) “Learning tabla from such a young age made me so good at Maths that I became an engineer,” tabla player Sutanu Sur joked, as he did a demonstration with the instrument before joining the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra in concert. Sutanu has been living in Fox Valley, in Wisconsin, USA, for nearly a decade and learning the tabla for well over three, part of a small but thriving Indian diaspora a few hours North of Chicago. His audience that night was almost completely American and many were seeing a tabla for the first time. Sutanu, a software engineer by profession, performs whenever he gets the chance, he is keen to have a proactive role in taking Indian music to the world. Although Indian music culture is well-showcased in the larger cities, the same cannot be said of the smaller suburban towns, where the diaspora is notably smaller. “Indian classical music concerts happen in the big cities. I live three hours from Chicago, in a town where everything is available, including a prestigious concert hall. But there is hardly any focus on Indian music," Sutanu tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_33665" align="aligncenter" width="340"] Sutanu Sur[/caption] Sutanu is determined to

ption id="attachment_33665" align="aligncenter" width="340"] Sutanu Sur[/caption]

Sutanu is determined to do his bit, performing as much as he can, talking about his craft and speaking to the media. The Indian diaspora in this little corner of American suburbia is small but active – in 2010, they even built the region’s first Hindu temple, there is a Sikh temple and the nearest Bengali Association (Bengali Cultural Society of Milwaukee) that hosts its Durga Puja celebrations every year is two hours away.

Performing with the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra

Last year, the internationally renowned conductor and pedagogue, Dr Kevin Sütterlin, who had become the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra conductor, decided on a more multicultural theme for their concert in October 2022. He picked a piece by Reena Esmail, whose compositions are rooted in Indian classical music traditions and fused with Western music and instruments. The piece, however, needed a tabla player.

"Kevin considers himself a global citizen and is interested in different cultures and forms of music," Sutanu says, as he recalls how this collaboration happened. "He chose the Esmail piece because he wanted to show a blend of cultures. They decided to include the tabla section without knowing how hard it would be to find a tabla player." By then, Sutanu had performed in several concerts in the area and Sütterlin tracked him down. "It was the first time I received the scores of a composition," Sutanu smiles.

The concept was so novel to the audience that Sutanu had to start out with a demonstration. What's more, the orchestra had managed only three rehearsals with their tabla player. "They are world class musicians who could adapt to the different kinds of compositions and the nature of the instrument," Sutanu explains.

Early talent

Growing up in a suburb some 50 kilometres outside Kolkata, Sutanu showed an interest in the tabla in his family home from a very young age. His parents noticed and fixed up lessons with a teacher. He learned for 12 years, under Pandit Sukumar Moitra. He performed even as a child, taking part in competitions and winning nearly all of them. "The tabla was my main focus then. I was doing my riyaz for six to eight hours a day." Even his academics became second priority, until class 10. "I was really good at Maths and got into Jadavpur University," Sutanu says. "I studied engineering and continued to play the tabla."

When Sutanu moved out to Fox Valley to work, around a decade ago, there weren’t too many Indians around. “Nobody really focused on presenting Indian culture to the community,” he says. He began performing with IndUS of Fox Valley organization, which is dedicated to promoting Indian culture. “I have been performing there for the last seven years,” he says.

A tabla player joining a symphony orchestra is rare and Sutanu takes pride in it, "as an Indian," he says. "The audience was surprised to learn all the nuances of the tabla. The only way to promote something to is to get people to learn about it," he says.

An ambassador of India's soft power

Sutanu continues to train, now with Pandit Swapan Choudhury, who has launched a digital library of resources for tabla players around the world. “Music has its own language, it’s a great way to communicate,” Sutanu says. “I have never played alongside a clarinet before and I don’t think Dr Bruce Danz has played any Indian songs before. But he was adapting and so was I, it’s a communication that happens through music. That’s why it plays such an immense role in connecting people and cultures from around the globe.”

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Kebabs to Jackfruit Dabeli Bao: Chef Manav Tuli’s journey to a Michelin Star at Chaat, Hong Kong

(August 25, 2024) Rooted in tradition, Chef Manav Tuli, the man behind the Michelin-starred restaurant at Chaat, Hong Kong, likes to innovate. Now a chef-owner at Leela, Chef Manav’s love for improvisation has resulted in eclectic offerings like Oxtail Chakundar Gosht (cooked with beetroot and its leaves), Jackfruit Dabeli Bao and Tandoori pork ribs. From the iconic Chutney Mary in London, to winning a Michelin Star at Chaat in Hong Kong, and branching out as an entrepreneur, Chef Manav Tuli shares his incredible journey with Global Indian. Chef Manav Tuli’s career milestones have the knack of propelling him to the next one. As also the setbacks his family had witnessed, when they moved to India, post-partition. Chef Manav recalls how he chose to become a chef. “My grandparents came from a wealthy family but lost everything after the partition,” he says. His grandfather was offered a government grant, which he refused, and went on to set up a restaurant of his own. However, things ended badly, when he was cheated by his business partners. “He lost his will to live after the losses. When my father grew up, those people gave him a job at the same restaurant. By the

ost his will to live after the losses. When my father grew up, those people gave him a job at the same restaurant. By the time I grew up, my father did not have good memories of those times and had a low opinion of the hospitality field. He was quite apprehensive of this profession and it was not considered prestigious during that time.”

[caption id="attachment_54518" align="aligncenter" width="340"] Chef Manav Tuli | Leela | Chaat Hong Kong | Global Indian Chef Manav Tuli[/caption]

A journey begins

To escape the pressure of pursuing a medical or engineering degree like the children of family friends were doing, Chef Manav joined the Indian Institute of Hotel Management, in faraway Thiruvananthapuram. “This led to my first job as a Commis at The Trident, Udaipur,” he says. This was followed by a post-graduate diploma at the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development. During the two-year course, he travelled to Jaipur, Mumbai, New Delhi and Gurgaon between semesters and his final posting was at The Oberoi in Mumbai.”

Interestingly, Chef Manav witnessed the harrowing events of 26/11 at that time. He reveals, “I was leaving for Mauritius, and we had a party organised at the nearby Hotel Marine Plaza. Chef Matthew Crop’s (my boss) wife decided to leave the party early and went back to the hotel. That is when we heard about the terrorist attack and followed him there. We were not allowed to enter and all of us stayed near the Inox cinema complex across the road. It was a terrifying three days, but she was alright when the attack ended.”

Iconic brands and taking risks

Chef Manav admits he tends to keep asking himself, what next? From 2008 to 2011, he worked at the InterContinental in Mauritius. As far as cuisines went, he gravitated towards Indian cuisines. “At OCLD, we were taught all cuisines and I used to think, and even speak with my head chefs that I was wasting my time learning Italian or Japanese cuisines,” he admits. “I knew I would eventually be a chef making Indian food. This is because I believe that even if an Indian chef interprets something differently, an Indian making Indian food will always be accepted.” However, his diverse training paid off, resulting in his unique style.

Armed with early childhood influences of his grandmother cooking, and even pickling wild boar meat, Chef Manav, who was drawn to the nuances of fine dining, headed to London, where he joined Chutney Mary. It was a career milestone and Chef Manav and his wife lived in a studio apartment, saved as much as they could, and finally bought their own place. “My refinement as a chef happened in London.” There, he was also involved with the opening of Tamarind when it was rebranded with Chef Karunesh Khanna for the first year.

[caption id="attachment_54519" align="aligncenter" width="471"] Michelin Star Chakundar Oxtail Ghosht[/caption]

After eight years in London, Chef Manav was bogged down by monotony and wanted something more. The restaurant owners idea of rebranding was sending me to Mumbai with a list of restaurants to eat at and then recreating those dishes in London. That process did teach me a lot, but I also wanted to express myself more and discover uncharted waters.”

As luck would have it, Chef Manav joined Tamarind restaurant and did the opening as Head Chef. Soon, he got a call from his previous chef at Chutney Mary – Chef Siddharth Krishna – asking if he was interested in joining Rosewood Hotels at their flagship property in Hong Kong to launch Chaat, their Indian restaurant – the first Indian restaurant in Hong Kong at a five-star hotel. “I had no clue about Hong Kong, had never even been there, but I said yes.”

Success in the Orient

Moving to another country and city, despite being comfortable, was the result of Chef Manav’s philosophy. He says, “Your definition of success changes after doing the same job for seven years. It progresses with time, age and money. I knew that I would probably feel the same unrest at Tamarind after a while.” So, he decided to move, although his daughter was only eight months old and his wife had a steady job. The family landed in Hong Kong on 29^th August 2019; amidst social unrest and riots. “The project got delayed and I started thinking that maybe I had made the wrong decision. But, we finally launched in May 2020, during Covid.”

There were several challenges starting from the fact that Chef Manav did not even like the name Chaat. “The name did not excite me; the first impression was that we would be serving extensive chaats,” he says. “Later it did make sense when I came up with the idea of ‘serving street food of India in an elevated manner’ and gave it a story by including kababs, biryanis, and curries, all of which are also available on the streets.”

Chef Manav spent the lockdown doing menu testing and tasting, besides cooking for VIPs and the staff, using the experience as an exercise in understanding local tastes and preferences. The restaurant became a huge success and some of the bestsellers he created here include the Octopus Biryani, Tandoori Tomahawk, Tandoori Char Siu, Raj Kachori, Baked Samosa made like a cream horn, with stuffings ranging from lamb to plant-based meat derived from jackfruit.

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In 2022, under his leadership, Chaat won a Michelin star. He recalls how that panned out. “Michelin star for any Chef is the most unbiased and most prestigious award in the culinary world in my opinion. At Chaat, I was allowed to spread my wings and innovate. Pearl Yan, who was with Michelin Star approached us saying they were conducting interviews with chefs around the city. Halfway through it, she got a call which she answered. I found it rather odd that with all the camera people around, and in the middle of an interview, she was answering her phone. Then she gave me the phone and said, “This call is for you.” It was the Michelin team informing me that we had been awarded the Michelin Star! I started crying; I couldn’t believe it. It was one of the best days of my life,” he says.

The move to entrepreneurship

Again, the desire to move after the biggest achievement of a chef’s career struck. But he was now looking to be a chef-owner. It was a plan at the back of his mind that came to fruition sooner than he expected. He says, “At a chefs’ lunch, I met a friend, Chef Agustin Balbi and I asked him how he had launched Andō – the Michelin-starred Spanish Japanese restaurant. He had spoken to Yenn Wong, the CEO of the JIA group who helped him launch it. He connected me with her and we decided to launch Leela, at Causeway Bay.”

Leaving a well-established Michelin-star restaurant to launch a new brand was a risk. But Chef Manav was confident of his abilities despite the opening pangs. “I had peaked at Chaat, and was hungry for more. I wanted to leave before the monotony set in. Besides, as a partner, the perspectives are different from when you are working for someone.”

Tradition meets innovation meets fine dining

The cuisine at Leela is markedly different from that of Chaat despite the inevitable comparisons. Chef Manav says, “I cook traditional Indian food but I innovate too. The Oxtail Chakundar Gosht [meat cooked with beetroot and its leaves] and Paneer Chestnut are popular. The Tokri Chaat, Jackfruit Dabeli Bao, Tandoori Pork Ribs, Kandhari Lamb Chops and the Bone Marrow Biryani are bestsellers. We change the menu incrementally every three months. I intend to showcase royal recipes from Greater India – the area that was the Indian empire during the Maurya kingdom in the third century BCE. Essentially, recipes from Greater India.”

Chef Manav’s style remains rooted in tradition, but his creations are authentic and innovative with the application of two of his favourite expressions – refinement and balance. He is also working on a recipe book with all his recipes but claims he has a long way to go before it is ready. Knowing his questioning nature, it should appear soon.

Follow Chef Manav Tuli, Leela Hong Kong and Chaat on Instagram.

Rashim Mogha: The tech leader champions diversity through the eWOW initiative

(February 15, 2023) Rashim Mogha, who moved from Delhi to the US in 2005 to avoid what was to be an arranged marriage, has come a long way through her convictions and hard work. Recognized by Business Chief USA as a ‘woman to watch’, she was inducted into the Alameda County Hall of Fame in San Francisco, 15 years after making her life-changing move to an unknown land. She has been driving innovation and growth for Skillsoft's largest portfolio - leadership and business solutions. Prior to Skillsoft, Rashim held leadership roles at companies like VMware, Amazon Web Services, Oracle, and Automation Anywhere, where she built high-performing education teams and launched innovative solutions to support over $2 billion businesses. [caption id="attachment_34989" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Rashim Mogha[/caption] Playing several roles with elan, the business executive is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and equity influencer. She has won several awards along the way, including being named a Woman of the Year 2019, a Woman of Influence for Silicon Valley, and the Women Empowerment: Game Changer Award. She was inducted into the Alameda County Hall of Fame in 2020, and was recognized as top 100 DEI leaders of 2021 by Mogul. With over two decades

[caption id="attachment_34989" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Indian leaders | Rashim Mogha | Global Indian Rashim Mogha[/caption]

Playing several roles with elan, the business executive is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and equity influencer. She has won several awards along the way, including being named a Woman of the Year 2019, a Woman of Influence for Silicon Valley, and the Women Empowerment: Game Changer Award. She was inducted into the Alameda County Hall of Fame in 2020, and was recognized as top 100 DEI leaders of 2021 by Mogul.

With over two decades of tech-industry experience under her belt, Rashim co-founded eWOW (empowered Women of the World) — an intellectual platform to empower women to discover, visualize, and actualize their success. Her book Fast-Track Your Leadership Career: A definitive template for advancing your career, is an Amazon bestseller, impacting thousands of women globally. She has just started creating personal development and leadership videos on YouTube.

“I travel all over the globe to deliver keynotes,” says Rashim, as she connects with Global Indian. Sharing her work and life experiences, she has developed a strong following as a keynote speaker, writer and podcaster empowering women across the world. “In my career as a business leader, I have inspired my teams to dream big, innovate, and deliver results. I lead with purpose,” she says. “I believe that diversity of thought should be the core of any business and have successfully leveraged it to build profitable businesses with purpose models.”

Indian leader | Rashim Mogha | Global Indian

Creating impact

Being at the forefront of cutting-edge technology throughout her career, Rashim was always inclined towards working for something that has a larger impact. At AWS, she led the education programmes including bootcamps at re:Invent, annual AWS conference where she and her team trained over 8,000 people during a three-day event.

Experiences like these provided Rashim with an opportunity to create education solutions that can function in real-time. At Oracle, Rashim built the enablement strategy for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure from the ground-up. From there to Automation Anywhere was a natural progression, as she became an expert at building products for startup environments and helping them scale up.

Recognised among the Top 100 Keynote Speakers by Databird and Top 20 Thought Leaders by Thinkers 360, launching eWOW in 2018 was quite instinctive for Rashim. Armed with solid exposure from taking on top leadership roles in the tech industry, it was her turn to give back and empower more women to join and sail across the tech industry robustly.

Indian leader | Rashim Mogha | Global Indian

Reaching women globally

Rashim's passion is to empower women, to help them believe that they can own their narratives, show up fully and authentically and become empathetic leaders without feeling compelled to pretend they are one of the men in the room. It’s an ideal she embodies in every way.

Rashim’s eWOW podcast has an audience in over 50 countries and is broadcast on 11 platforms including Amazon Music. Through it, she propagates that every woman is a leader in her own way, all she needs is an intellectual platform to help her navigate the path. The eWOW platform offers Alexa skills, podcasts, various online and in-person events, and leadership workshops. “It’s about empowering women, wherever they are, in their journey to leadership. “The eWOW initiative is well on its way to empowering 100,000 women globally,” Rashim tells.

“I am excited about the upcoming eWOW 2023 Virtual Summit. This year, the summit will focus on owning one’s growth – an action plan that will help women chart their own, unique path to success.” In this one-day conference, the participants will get an opportunity to explore career options in tech that go beyond engineering. They will also learn how to harmonise their personal and professional lives, and build a new mindset for holistic growth.

Indian leader | Rashim Mogha | Global Indian

Women in tech

Rashim believes that the future is bright for women in tech, and appreciates the inspiring growth in the number of women joining the tech industry. Today, they are considered significant members of a once-male-dominated workforce.

Her advice for women is – “Say yes to every opportunity and, as you climb the ladder, don’t forget to give back.” For workplaces, she suggests - “Make sure that you are truly bringing diversity and inclusion into your workforce and into your thought processes. It’s not just a token or a box you need to check. This is vital for the world to be an equal place and to solve many pressing problems.”

As the tech industry continues to embark on diversity and inclusion initiatives, Rashim Mogha is poised to be at the forefront of this drive. She inspires women to challenge bias and push themselves to be empathetic and forward-thinking leaders, coming up with unique solutions for the world to forge ahead.

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

While people take loads of inspiration from Rashim’s journey, she credits her success to the unconditional support of her biggest cheerleaders - her mother and her husband. And when she is not busy with work, the tech leader immerses herself in cooking, writing and spending time with her two kids.

Follow Rashim Mogha on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and her website

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