Global IndianstoryEconomist Aaron Chatterji: Elevating America’s trajectory to new heights

Economist Aaron Chatterji: Elevating America’s trajectory to new heights

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(August 22, 2023) Within the realm of global finance and commerce, the United States has consistently held a prominent position. And among the many shaping this giant’s future is an Indian American who is working behind the scenes to get the US to new heights – Dr. Aaron “Ronnie” Chatterji. The economist, who has previously worked in the Obama Administration, serving as a senior economist at the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, also served the current US President, Joe Biden as a key adviser to overcome the global microchips shortage.

Economist | Dr. Aaron "Ronnie" Chatterji | Global Indian

Dr. Aaron “Ronnie” Chatterji at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in Durham, NC

Having managed several important projects under the Biden leadership – including the CHIPS and Science Act’s historic $50 billion investment in the semiconductor industry – Dr. Chatterji will now be returning to his post as a business professor at Duke University. The Global Indian, who has been solely responsible for making major strides in bolstering USA’s supply chains, strengthening their national security, and creating good jobs across the country, has spearheaded novel approaches to comprehend entrepreneurship, formulated inventive policy concepts to harness technology for a more promising global landscape, and chronicled the ascent of CEO activists and their influence on governance.

Aiming for the stars

A self-proclaimed ‘nerd’, Dr. Chatterji was an enthusiastic kid who loved numbers. Growing up as an immigrant, the economist always dreamt of making a career in the field of commerce. Talking about his growing up years in Upstate New York, the economist shared, “I didn’t really think much about how fortunate my parents were. They were both teachers working for the state, which meant they had good healthcare. Looking back, this played a big role in why I decided to enter the world of public office in North Carolina.”

Economist | Dr. Aaron "Ronnie" Chatterji | Global Indian

After completing his school, the economist went on to earn a B.A. in Economics from Cornell University in 2000. Later, he pursued his Ph.D. from the University of California, which he received in 2006. His main area of research focussed on entrepreneurship, innovation, and corporate social responsibility. The results of his scholarly efforts have been featured in leading publications within the fields of strategic management, economics, finance, and organisational studies. The same year, Dr. Chatterji moved to North Carolina to teach at Duke’s business school, where he worked at the intersection of academia, policy, and business, investigating the most important forces shaping the economy and society.

With prior experience as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs and a term membership with the Council on Foreign Relations, Chatterji’s accomplishments have garnered several accolades. Among these, he has received the Rising Star Award from the Aspen Institute, the Emerging Scholar Award presented by the Strategic Management Society, and the prestigious 2017 Kauffman Prize Medal for Exceptional Research in Entrepreneurship.

Right at the top

While he was enjoying his time teaching and grooming the next generation of economists, a turning point came when he was appointed as a senior economist on President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, in 2010. The economist shifted to Washington, D.C. to work out of the White House, where his work concentrated on policies concerning entrepreneurship, innovation, infrastructure, and economic growth. It was around the same time that Dr. Chatterji held the role of Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and also that of a visiting Associate Professor at The Harvard Business School.

During his first tenure at the White House, the economist authored numerous op-ed articles in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, among them influential essays that introduced the notion of CEO activism in collaboration with co-author Michael Toffel. He composed extensively for both management and policy readerships, with a series of recent contributions to the Harvard Business Review and the Brookings Institution. He is also the author of the acclaimed book, Can Business Save the Earth? Innovating Our Way to Sustainability.

Dr. Chatterji with his family

Dr. Chatterji became the chief economist at the Commerce Department only a few months into Biden’s term and transitioned to the NEC (National Economic Council) the previous year, assuming the role of White House Coordinator for CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) Implementation. He also oversaw the implementation of the Science Act, which aims to boost domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States to give the country a competitive edge on the world stage. “I oversaw the tasks of the CHIPS Implementation Steering Council, collaborating closely with the National Security Council, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Department of Commerce, and the Steering Council itself to guarantee efficient interagency synchronisation,” the economist said.

The economist, who lives with his wife Neely and three children in Durham, now plans on spending a few years teaching at Duke University, while also working on a new book.

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Published on 22, Aug 2023

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Pradnya Giradkar: Inspirational life story of Cheetah lady who reintroduced cheetahs in India

(October 3, 2022) “India had 10,000 cheetahs during the time of Akbar but then, rulers over the years have been fond of hunting, and the number of the fastest animal on earth started coming down in India. The last three cubs were killed by Maharaja Surguja of MP in 1947,” says Pradnya Giradkar, the country’s first cheetah conservation specialist, who lived with 52 cheetahs in Namibia. Eight cheetahs from Namibia were brought to Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022, receiving such fanfare that they were received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself on his birthday. It was a historic day in many ways - also because it is the world's first carnivore relocation project. It’s a milestone that Pradnya, founder of the Wildlife Conservation and Rural Development Society has worked over a decade to achieve, and her phenomenal efforts, have finally paid off with the success of Project Cheetah. Having been declared extinct in 1952, the homecoming of the big cats after 70 years on the Indian soil is a matter of great achievement for her. [caption id="attachment_30098" align="aligncenter" width="905"] Cheetah Lady, Pradnya Giradkar[/caption] Pradnya has been a lecturer at zoology department and PhD student of K J Somaiya College

ttachment_30098" align="aligncenter" width="905"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Cheetah Lady, Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

Pradnya has been a lecturer at zoology department and PhD student of K J Somaiya College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai, where she taught wildlife as a special subject to students pursuing their degrees. “As a PhD scholar, I was doing my research in tiger conservation and my professors would address me as ‘tigress’ because I had such a knack for it,” says Pradnya who used to watch track the movement of the tigers from midnight to five in the morning at Tadoba National Park. “Now, with cheetahs being brought in to the country, I am being called, ‘the cheetah lady’, it feels good,” she smiles, during her interview with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_30179" align="aligncenter" width="842"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Cheetahs at Ootjiwarongo forest, Namibia | Photo credit: Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

Pradnya’s role in Project Cheetah

As the first Indian to be trained by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), the global institution working to save the big cats, Pradnya visited Namibia in 2011.There, she worked closely with Dr Laurie Marker, the executive director of CCF, enjoying an eventful month-long stay with close to five dozen cheetahs, doing their DNA testing, cat analysis, and livestock management as part of the training. Co-incidentally, Marker has been a key advisor to the Indian government on the cheetah relocation project for the last 13 years.

[caption id="attachment_30099" align="alignnone" width="894"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Pradnya with her mentor Dr Laurie Marker[/caption]

Since the conceptualisation of the Project Cheetah in 2009, Dr Marker has been one of the leading figures working on the mission, coordinating with scientists and other specialists, and assessing the suitability of potential habitats for the cheetahs to translocate to India. MP’s Kuno National Park was identified back then.

However, there have been many roadblocks along the way. The major roadblock came when the Supreme Court issued a stay order on the project, on the grounds that the foreign species could endanger the Indian breed of wild cats in Kuno. The court also mentioned that since the African cheetahs are genetically different from the Asian cheetahs, their chances of survival in India may not be high.

[caption id="attachment_30159" align="aligncenter" width="747"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Cheetah at Ootjiwarongo forest, Namibia | Photo credit: Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

Legally speaking...

At the time, Pradnya, who was just back from her training with Dr Laurie, had first-hand information of the climatic needs of the big cats. Like Dr Marker, she knew that they can very well adjust in India but that required proving in a court of law.

Along with other wildlife scientists, Pradnya went on to gather evidence that the cheetahs can survive in the Indian climate without any difficulty. Her efforts paid off when Dr Stephen O’Brien, a renowned Russian geneticist, sent her a letter, stating that genetic differences between the Asiatic and African cheetahs, which, although “real, were ‘almost negligible”, and that African cheetahs can survive well in India if provided with a suitable prey base and habitat.

[caption id="attachment_30157" align="aligncenter" width="806"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Cheetah at Ootjiwarongo forest, Namibia | Photo credit: Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

After this expert clarification, the wildlife scientists, including Pradnya, filed a review petition at Honourable Supreme Court of India which got approved. Finally, it gave its nod to the translocation project in the year 2020, on the basis of the submission of letter of Dr O’Brien to Pradnya, okaying a pilot programme to observe the success before more cheetahs were brought to the country.

“I admire Dr Marker a lot. She is a very good lady. I am very grateful for her efforts that have paved the way for cheetahs to return to India, after we won the case in court,” Pradnya says. “Though we have not met since my return from Namibia, we have always been in touch keeping each other updated on Project Cheetah.”

[caption id="attachment_30158" align="aligncenter" width="765"] Cheetahs at Ootjiwarongo forest, Namibia | Photo credit: Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

Contrary to belief, India is natural habitat of cheetahs

The reintroduction of cheetahs to India took many years of effort, held up as they were by assumptions that the climatic conditions in the country might be unsuitable. There are doubters even now, but Pradnya is very confident about this landmark move. “India was home to them if we go back in history. Their extinction was caused by man,” Pradnya says.

For the expert wildlife conservationist, cheetahs and tigers are like friends whom she understands well. She can understand animal language as she has studied behavioural activities of animals ethology.

India is the proud country that is home to six types of big cats, While UK has just one, the US has two and Africa, three - Pradnya Giradkar

Stressing on how cheetahs have always belonged to us she says, "Cheetah is derived from the Sanskrit word Chitrakayah or Chitraka meaning the variegated or spotted one. The word gradually got converted to Cheetah"

[caption id="attachment_30116" align="aligncenter" width="1289"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Pradnya's photography at Ootjiwarongo forest, Namibia[/caption]

Tackling human-wildlife conflict

Through her NGO, Wildlife Conservation and Rural Development Society, Pradnya has been trying to address human and wildlife conflict, mitigate and prevent harm that both man and wild animals can cause to each other. Her NGO is engaged in community outreach efforts across the forest territories of India, guiding tribal communities on how to prevent and react to livestock predation. The NGO works to help rural communities gain solutions that are mutually beneficial to both wildlife and domestic animals.

[caption id="attachment_30162" align="aligncenter" width="827"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Photo credit: Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

Predators like tigers, leopards, lions live alongside human communities and cause harm to the livestock (cows, sheep, and goats) of tribals of the region. However, it is possible for tribals to hunt down the wrong animal in revenge if they don’t know how to identify the predator from the mark of their knuckles - Pradnya Giradkar

“Most of the forest territories are Naxal-prone areas, Naxalites lure the tribals to hunt animals for skin, nails, teeth etc. for money,” Pradnya explains. Her NGO also works for the socio-economic improvement of the tribals so that they do not indulge in illegal activities. They have collaborated with institutions like Khadi Gram Udyog, and National Institute of rural development to provide livelihood opportunities to ensure the tribal communities’ development as a whole and ensure sustainable animal conservation.

[caption id="attachment_30096" align="alignnone" width="1959"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Pradnya at Ootjiwarongo forest, Namibia with Hiererro community people[/caption]

“I cannot be everywhere all the time so I also develop local leaders in the forest territories, who see to mitigating man-animal conflict, and sustainable environment biodiversity conservation,” says Pradnya who also did community outreach efforts for the CCF when she was in Namibia.

Flashback of the journey…

The daughter of a nature conservationist father, Gopalrao and activist mother, Sumati, Pradnya grew up close to the wildlife territory at Giradkar Wada, Umred in Nagpur district. Always a multi-faceted learner, she went on to pursue her MSc in entomology, MPhil in bio- chemistry, and PhD on tiger conservation under University Grant Commission's FIP Fellowship programme. “Since I was dealing with wildlife and tribals, I thought it important to know laws pertaining to both so that I can stand up for them in times of need. So, I went on to do LLB in environmental and international law from Nagpur university completing it with first merit,” she says. One person who inspired her greatly over the years is Dr. S.G. Yeragi from Somaiya College. "He was my Ph. D. supervisor, a well-known personality in Mumbai University and in Maharashtra," she mentions.

[caption id="attachment_30101" align="aligncenter" width="811"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Pradnya at her farm[/caption]

The gifted singer and college chess champion of Mumbai University received the Hidden Eco-Hero award in 2017, an initiative of UNEP that honoured six other environmental leaders from across the globe along with her that year. She was also honoured by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), US for efforts taken for tiger conservation, and received fellowship from WildCRU (Wildlife Conservation Research Unit) of Oxford University, UK with funding from CCF, Namibia. She is the recipient of British Council scholarship for Edinburg University's, environment project at Scotland.

The accomplished wildlife conservationist is also an agriculturalist who enjoys time outdoors in her 175-year-old family property near the forest territory. There, she and her 82-year-old mother grow cotton, gram, soyabeans, and chilli. “I am confident that the Government of India will keep the cheetahs very well. I strongly believe that they will propagate in India more than they have in Africa,” she signs off.

[caption id="attachment_30164" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Conservationist | Pradnya Giradkar | Global Indian Cheetah cub | Photo credit: Pradnya Giradkar[/caption]

Pradnya's story is one of great effort and overcoming major challenges. Through sheer grit and unwavering passion for her beloved wildcats, she has re-written India's wildlife story and found herself a place in the annals of history, both in India and around the world.

Follow Pradnya Giradkar on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 7 mins

‘Buy’ the sustainable way: How social entrepreneur Akshai Sarin empowers the marginalised

(September 10, 2024) Social entrepreneur Akshai Sarin's website opens into a little blitzkrieg of photos - you see him chatting casually with Paris Hilton and standing with an arm around Amitabh Bachchan. Sarin is a serial entrepreneur and a maverick, with a deeply spiritual side - for 25 years, he has supported leaders in their wellness journeys, with his experience of over 9,000 hours of meditation, breath work, energy work, ayurveda and yoga, and has been certified by the Art of Living Foundation. On LinkedIn, he describes himself as a 'dreamer-doer', who has travelled to over forty countries, and lived in the UK, Philippines, USA, Netherlands, Egypt and Oman, apart form India. His varied career has been marked by industry-disrupting initiatives across a multitude of disciplines, from sustainability and social impact to marketing, tech and wellness and hospitality. Since 2006, he has co-founded six companies, the firs tbeing Some Place Else - a restaurant and entertainment complex for which he partnered with Dharmendra and Bobby Deol. A year later, he co-founded Axyz Music, bringing some of the biggest names in th emusic industry (including Akon and Jay Sean) to India. The label also owned festival sin four countries. Other ventures

ries. Other ventures include The TiLT (2010), a changemakers summit in Berlin, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, TTOGETHER.co (2012), a disruptive marketing agency that has worked with global powerhouses like PepsiCo, Armani, Diageo, Reliance Group, Tata Group and the governments of Singapore, UAE and India. In 2018 came BlessdBuy.com, a sustainability partner to some of the world's top brands and in 2020, CreativeDignity.org, a platform for India's artisan sector, which was recognized by the World Economic Forum.

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With such a multi-faceted career, spanning music management to disruptive marketing, creative entrepreneurship and social impact work, it’s hard to see how it all ties together for the social entrepreneur. To him, though, the common thread is fairly clear - the desire to change the way we function as a society - to go from a mindset of scarcity and competition to one that is introspective and generous. All stemming from a spiritual bent developed early on, which led him to meditation, yoga and healing.

Interestingly, his career began in music management (2004), when he stumbled upon an advert on Craigslist in London - the chance to manage Surinder Sandhu, creator of the Saurang Orchestra. The prolific musician who studied at London School of Music, also has an impressive music verse as a Universal and Sony artist. And wait for this, he has also performed alongside icons like Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Deadmau5, etc.

Yet, it was going beyond mere accomplishments that saw the social entrepreneur explore a deeper philosophy. It led him to IIM, to learn about creative entrepreneurship, and to THNK School of Creative Leadership, Amsterdam.

Today, as the founder of BlessdBuy.com, which he affectionately calls his “Trojan Horse,” his aim is to empower marginalised artisans and enable consumers to make responsible choices.

An early transformation

Having grown up “eating crab for breakfast” in the Philippines, Akshai’s parents were surprised when one day, at the age of seven, the social entrepreneur announced he was vegetarian. “I came across a reference to the Buddha, and knew instantly that I didn’t want to perpetuate violence anymore,” he tells Global Indian. His parents dismissed it as a phase but 10 years later, he was still going strong. “Along the way, when I went to the United States to study, I realised I had been vegetarian for 14 years. I didn’t want to reduce my diet to a mindless ritual so I will try a piece of chicken once in a while,” he says wryly. This spiritual bent of mind would go on to shape Akshai’s life and the choices he made.

A fairly conventional upbringing, expected to take the MBA route, his career choices did involve a fair amount of negotiation. “My spiritual practice sets the tone for everything,” he remarks. Sent to boarding school at a young age where bullying was commonplace and extreme, he needed a spiritual “out.” “I had a lot of anger in me. Meditation fascinated me because I wanted to know more about existence and as I practiced it, I found I could watch my anger, that there was more peace. It is the root of everything,” explains Akshai, who is also a yoga and meditation instructor, certified by Art of Living. “I also have my own methods, like sound therapy,” he adds.

Building BlessdBuy.com

The idea for BlessdBuy.com, an e-commerce site that works with marginalised or challenged communities, began in 2014. Yet, it took a few years to materialise and was developed at the THNK programme, which was supported by Tata Trusts. “Getting it off the ground meant dealing with my own mental blocks – the demonising of money. I realised that the answer is not in fighting materialism or consumerism, it’s about using these things to create a new perspective,” says the social entrepreneur. Consumers who become more aware of what they’re buying, and seek ethically-sourced, responsibly-made products, supporting artisans – that was the foundation of his idea. “As a society, we’re trained to turn on each other. We prioritise material well-being and have created a scarcity mindset. To me, that is not a healthy way to live as a species,” says the founder.

The bulk of artisans brought in are Indian, with some from Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, etc. “We try to involve the differently-abled, visually-impaired and survivors of human trafficking,” Akshai explains. It’s a cause that has always been close to his heart as his aunt was differently-abled, “She was the embodiment of the basic human qualities we stop paying attention to - she lived in the moment, she was joyful, compassionate and forgiving.” It got him thinking - most spiritual traditions emphasise the importance of being childlike, “of getting rid of all the layers we have built up over the years.”

Akshai has been recognised as a Young Indian Music Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 (runner up) by Rolling Stone Magazine & British Council. He also received CII & Ministry of Commerce 'GES Award of Recognition’ for ‘Developing and Growing the Market for Indian Content through Global Collaborations and Disruptive Marketing (Top Under the Age of 35)’.

Follow Akshai on LinkedIn and Instagram

Reading Time: 8 mins

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

Reading Time: 5 mins

From scientific labs to artistic canvas: Rahul Mitra’s multifaceted journey

(April 23, 2024) There is an all-pervasive energy that abounds when 56-year-old Rahul Mitra speaks. It is little wonder that the Hyderabad-born and Houston-based artist is also a scientist and award-winning writer. The multi-faceted professional helped develop therapeutics for ovarian cancer that are now in clinical trials, and as an artist, uses visual language drawn from his experience to interpret personal and socio-political dialogues - exploring various facets of life from love to technology. Working across different media, from oils and acrylics to figurative art and installations, he focuses on studying the underbelly of global cultures. [caption id="attachment_50883" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Rahul Mitra[/caption] His work has been widely exhibited across the world, including the First Printmaking Triennial of ULUS in Serbia, the Texas Biennial, the India Art Fair, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Portland Museum of Art, and the Centre Pompidou, amongst others. Visually striking with bold colors and with themes that are universal in nature, the artist’s work is appealing both visually and cerebrally. Shaped by early experiences Growing up in Hyderabad in the 1970s, Rahul Mitra was deeply influenced by his surroundings. Always interested in drawing and sketching, he remembers art and culture as an integral part of

cerebrally.

Shaped by early experiences

Growing up in Hyderabad in the 1970s, Rahul Mitra was deeply influenced by his surroundings. Always interested in drawing and sketching, he remembers art and culture as an integral part of life. From classical musicians playing in the streets where everyone assembled in the evenings, burra kathas in the neighborhood, and screenings of mythological films via projectors in temples, he was shaped very early by art.

“Culture back then was simply on the street and literally all around you,” recalls the Global Indian and adds, “Most calendar art was influenced by religious texts, and it was a simpler time when most people did not have much money (it was socialist India after all), but the quality of life was much better.”

What cemented his interest further was the legendary Hyderabad artist Surya Prakash’s studio, which he used to visit. “He was my friend (now the filmmaker) Nagesh Kukunoor’s neighbor in our colony, and I used to go see his works. He used to spread them on the floor, making it an impressive sight,” he recalls.

Opportunity came early on via an unexpected source. His teacher, on noticing his impressive drawings, recommended that he illustrate a book in the NCERT curriculum, and his mentor then was a teacher who worked in the local school. The artist smiles and says, “I used to go to the school after hours where my art teacher used to work in the corridors, and it was a sight to behold, with the entire area drenched in color. I still remember using water colors to work with, which is a difficult medium at best.”

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Hyderabad was then a small, sleepy, and green city that shaped the young artist’s mind. Another memorable experience was traveling on trains and observing people and society, which left an indelible mark on his consciousness. The artist recalls going to Vijayawada frequently, even as a teenager, as his father owned a printing press in the town and was amazed by the statues of Lenin and Stalin that were at street corners, which gave him a world view very early on.

It was this outlook that fed his mind and soul, as well as his art. Mitra’s work is deeply influenced by socio-political issues he witnessed in his childhood, including the disparities between the rich and poor, the macro- and micro-issues that society faces, and dual identities; all of this still forms the crux of his inspiration.

The flight to United States

Fate, however, had different plans for him, as he went to the US in 1990 (after studying at IIT Roorkee) and pursued his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Maine before working as a scientist. He held various posts of distinction, including that of Director of the non-coding RNA Cancer Center at the prestigious MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, USA, where he helped develop therapeutics for ovarian cancer that are now in clinical trials.

Life in the US in the early 1990s was exciting for the scientist turned artist. He shares, “I was so excited to see a new culture. Yes, food was difficult, but I was resourceful and started cooking. There were fewer Indians, and in Maine, I was considered exotic, but life was fun.”

Even in all those busy years, Mitra never really gave up painting. Juggling a marriage and a high-pressure job was not easy, but he did it. “I’m wired that way. I sleep only for three-four hours, so it never seemed like I had a long day. I always appreciated my work—be it looking for ink for my fountain pen or meeting an artist—everything I do, I do it with passion,” he smiles.

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From the scientific to the artistic world

It was this passion that, in 2008, made Rahul Mitra return to art after a visit to the Venice Biennale inspired him. His first show, Dialogues of Civilization, held at G Gallery in Houston, was very well received and ensured that he never looked back. What the artist achieved through his work was to showcase the disparities that are prevalent in all societies, from the caste system in India to racial injustice in the West. It is this raw energy that makes one think while viewing his art.

“I want my art to raise questions and implore people to look within. There are many things that go undocumented in history. My aim is to focus on issues like those that are uncomfortable and compel us to look around us. I’m influenced by early European art but viewed with the lens of my Telangana roots,” he states.

His current show, The Elephant in the Room, in acrylic and oils, showcases elements of Hyderabad juxtaposed against the issues it faces. From autos to arches of religious structures to issues of colonialism and modernization, they provoke the viewer to think. Deeply metaphorical, his work captures the issues modern societies grapple with, from lopsided urban development to gender disparities.

[caption id="attachment_50884" align="aligncenter" width="800"] One of Rahul Mitra's works[/caption]

His visual vocabulary is unique, as is his process of work. He first makes rough sketches of his work before using digital collages to get an impression of what the finished art looks like before he executes his vision on the canvas. Also passionate about public installations, the artist has worked on multiple projects using materials as simple as cartons and wood, creating deeply impactful works, which Rahul Mitra calls the Box City.

Love for India and its heritage

In all things creative, including writing, the author has never let his roots in India fade away. They form his constant muse and forever inspiration.

As someone who has been based out of the US for over three decades, how has life changed for Indians in the country? He smiles. “After the internet took off, I think Indians are looked at with much respect. Most Indians are highly educated and contribute actively to society.”

How much has changed for Indians pursuing the American dream from the 90s to now? He ponders before answering with a laugh, “Technology has revolutionized life. Back then, I used to pay three dollars to call for a minute. Now, it's free, so younger students can feel closer to their parents. It reminds me of the old movies when magicians could see people in the mirrors at the chant of a mantra, just that the iPhone has replaced the mirror.”

[caption id="attachment_50885" align="aligncenter" width="626"] Rahul Mitra with his family[/caption]

With a lawyer wife Mini Kapoor and artistically inclined children Anika (who works with Deloitte in New York) and Manav (who has just finished high school), the artist is in a happy space. For someone who loves traveling, cooking, and collecting comics with his family, his next goal is all ready—to find a publisher for his manuscript!

Follow Rahul Mitra on Instagram

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Candida Louis: How this biker girl rode 28,000 km Bengaluru to Sydney to pay tribute to Alistair Farland

(December 28, 2021) Vrooming on her Bajaj Dominar, Candida Louis revved up on the open road solo for a trip from Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha to Sydney. It was August 2018 and she covered 28,000 km across 10 countries. Not just an ordinary road trip across continents, it was an emotional tribute that culminated into an epic journey. The 31-year-old biker girl’s journey was homage to an Australian biker who died riding a motorcycle from Alaska to South America. “I won a photography contest and was invited to the US where I first heard about Alistair Farland, an Australian biker who died in a highway accident in North America. It’s every parent’s wish to see their child return home after a trip. I kept thinking about Alistair’s parents after the tragic incident, and just couldn’t shake off that feeling. So, I decided to take a trip from Bengaluru to Sydney to meet his parents, and complete the trip on his behalf as a tribute to him,” Candida tells Global Indian in an interview. [caption id="attachment_18277" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Candida Louis is Sydney[/caption] It was a personal voyage yet sponsors were ready to help, and Candida made the journey as a part of

e-full" src="https://www.globalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/candida1.jpg" alt="Biker Girl | Candida Louis | Traveller | Global Indian" width="1080" height="720" /> Candida Louis is Sydney[/caption]

It was a personal voyage yet sponsors were ready to help, and Candida made the journey as a part of the Change Your World Fund travel project. “I have taken many international road trips before, but this was special,” adds Louis who stayed with Alistair’s family for a week in Sydney, and visited his grave. “It felt like I managed to finish the trip for Alistair,” she adds.

“Travel is empowering. Your perspective on life changes. I have realised how we are just a speck in the universe. Getting to know people and multi-cultures is what makes it exciting,” adds the girl on a mission to educate the world on the importance of travel.

The Hubli-born girl has always been enchanted by travel. “I would accompany my dad on road trips to Goa from Hubli on his bike - it gave me a sense of freedom,” says Candida. This passion for exploration extended to her youth and when her dad gifted her a bike on her 21st birthday, she was ecstatic. While her love for travel was simmering, Louis, like everyone, opted for a steady job. Her days as a financial analyst with Oracle were a good balance of work and travel. The 31-year-old then began questioning herself when she moved to Infosys. “With crazy timing, immense world load, the urge to be outdoors was even stronger,” reveals the biker girl.

[caption id="attachment_18278" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Biker Girl | Candida Louis | Traveller | Global Indian Candida Louis on her road trip in Australia.[/caption]

Travel opens up new perspectives

Without further ado, she packed her bags and went biking from South to North India on a three-month sabbatical. It gave her a sense of purpose. “I knew this was my calling. I wanted to see the world and experience it first-hand. That trip made me realise that I could never go back to a desk job. On my return, I quit and went on another trip across India,” declares the biker who covered 32,000 km and 22 states in four months.

While spreading her wings gave her the quintessential freedom, she did face resistance initially from her parents. “It wasn’t an easy decision to quit my job. For my parents, a job meant security and financial stability. They were aghast that I was leaving all for biking. But I was adamant. I asked them to give me a year to prove myself, and told them if things didn’t work out, I would resume my job,” reveals Candida whose bargain paid off, and she bid farewell to her corporate life.

The initial journey was bumpy as women bikers were not a norm in 2015. “The only job I got was that of a store manager at bike rentals. However, Wicked Ride (a bike rental in Bengaluru) gave me a chance, and specially created an opportunity for me to lead tours. This opened doors,” chirps Candida. In no time, she was planning and organising bike tours across India, and has led more than 40 trips across seven countries ever since.

[caption id="attachment_18279" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Biker Girl | Candida Louis | Traveller | Global Indian Candida Louis with her group of bikers.[/caption]

The sensation across border

Her road trip from Bengaluru to Sydney made Candida a social media sensation. Louis kickstarted her journey from Bengaluru, moved to the East Coast, headed towards North-East before entering Bhutan. She then rode the beautiful roads of Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia from where she loaded her bike on a ship to Perth and then rode to Sydney.

It was the best of experiences, as people cheered her throughout. “I remember posting on social media, and found over 100 people waiting for me at Vidhana Soudha to flag off my journey. Often, people were waiting on highways to show their support,” recalls the girl who has 159k followers on Instagram. She started using Facebook to keep her friends and family updated, and found innumerable supporters. “I was an accidental content creator. But over the years, content has helped me find sponsors,” says the adventure enthusiast. However, she warns amateurs about the risks. “It can be tricky as there are days where you don’t know how you are going to make money. During the pandemic, I didn’t make money for seven months. It’s a risk you take for something you love,” adds the girl.

[caption id="attachment_18280" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Biker Girl | Candida Louis | Traveller | Global Indian Candida Louis[/caption]

In the past six years, Candida has become patient and accepting owing to her travel. Confined to her home during Covid 19, she adapted by spending time with family, doing art and hiking. “Being a biker, you are mostly on the road. So, the pandemic was a blessing in disguise as I got to be with my parents. I didn’t miss being on the road much as I like being in the moment,” says the avid gardener.

For someone who has been on the road for a very long time, she recalls an incident in Cambodia as one of her most special moments. "When I was riding in Cambodia for a month in 2017, 20 days into the trip and I started missing Indian food. As we were riding through one of the remotest areas, it was impossible to find that. But we happen to find an Indian man on a tractor while stopping at a water stream who told us that many Indians work in a nearby factory. He invited us for lunch and we had sumptuous rice and sambhar. I think it was one of the best moments for me," says an ecstatic Candida.

When Candida started as a woman biker, she was among a handful to take the road less travelled. Every passing day, more women are breaking gender stereotypes and venturing into riding but she says there’s still a long way to go. “There are 4,000-5,000 female bikers right now in India, a very small number,” she says, adding that family support is the real game-changer. “I am happy that my parents have been my biggest support system. But many are not getting such support,” she adds. “Do not give up on your dreams,” is her advice, “It took me 10 years to prove myself. Nothing comes easy and it needs constant dedication, hard work, and passion. Just keep going.”

[caption id="attachment_18281" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Biker Girl | Candida Louis | Traveller | Global Indian Candida Louis[/caption]

Candida has travelled across continents on her hot wheels, knows how to fix almost any problem herself, but Covid 19 has been a spoiler. However, her fingers are crossed for her next big adventure. “With the Omicron strain, many trips are getting cancelled. But if all goes well, I will be riding to Europe in 2022,” says the girl who is following her dreams, one ride at a time.

How to chart your own road trip across continents

Visa: Since Indian passport isn’t too strong, it’s best to get visa for all the countries you are planning to travel to before the commencement of the journey.
Fuel: Finding petrol pumps across the countries is quite simple. In remote places, if you might not find petrol pumps, petrol in bottles is always easily accessible.
Police checkpoint: Every country has their own rules, but one needs to show passport, visa, bike registration number at most checkpoints while entering a country.
Documents needed:

Passport: It is stamped at all border crossings while entering and exiting countries.
Carnet: In simple terms, it acts as a customs document for your motorcycle and has all details about your bike number, engine number and bike registration number. For India, you can get it from WIAA, for Europe, you can get it from ADAC and for the US, you can get from Boomerang. This document keeps you away from paying heavy tax that are levied on imported vehicles on road and states that the bike will return to India in a year.
International Driving Permit: You can get this document by submitting your passport, visa, flight tickets and filling a form to the Regional Transport Office. This is valid for one year.
Motorcycle Registration: Make sure to carry the original document, however, do carry photocopies that you can hand out at borders.

Biker’s checklist

Travel as light as possible.
Only carry the essentials.
Pack more food and water, and less of clothes.

Women’s checklist

Always have a GPS tracker on the bike.

Follow Candida Louis on Instagram

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