Why are Indian Americans increasingly assuming leadership roles in reputed educational institutions?

The increasing representation of Indian Americans in prestigious educational institutions can be attributed to their exceptional prowess in the realm of education. Despite constituting barely one percent of the U.S. population, Indian Americans have demonstrated remarkable academic achievements, making them standout candidates for leadership positions.

Who are some notable Indian American personalities making significant strides in the global education sector?

Some prominent Indian American personalities in the global education sector include Professor Sandeep Krishnamurthy, the Singelyn Family Dean at Cal Poly Pomona; Professor Renu Khator, Chancellor of the University of Houston System; Professor Vishal Gaur, the Dean of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University; and Professor Subra Suresh, the President of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

What are some key accomplishments of Professor Sandeep Krishnamurthy at UW Bothell?

Professor Sandeep Krishnamurthy achieved significant milestones during his 25-year tenure at UW Bothell. He played a pivotal role in elevating the business program to a separate school, becoming its founding dean. Additionally, he initiated three highly regarded speaker series, "Meet the CEO," "Frontiers of Global Business," and the "Nintex Leadership Breakfast Series," contributing to the local business community.

How has Professor Renu Khator contributed to the University of Houston's growth and transformation?

As the Chancellor of the University of Houston System and President of the University of Houston, Professor Renu Khator oversaw a period of transformative growth. This included an impressive $1-billion campus construction program, leading to the development of the 40,000-seat TDECU Stadium, expanding student residence hall capacity, and renovating the student center, among other developments.

What were some notable achievements of Professor Subra Suresh during his tenure as Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF)?

During his time as Director of the NSF, Professor Subra Suresh demonstrated a commitment to scientific integrity and technological advancements. He championed increased opportunities for women, minorities, and underrepresented groups in science and engineering fields. His leadership received unanimous confirmation from the U.S. Senate, and he played a pivotal role in advancing scientific research and technological benefits for the American people.

Sports stars | Commonwealth Games | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryFlying the tricolour high: Indian sports stars bring home 61 medals from CWG 2022

Flying the tricolour high: Indian sports stars bring home 61 medals from CWG 2022

Written by: Namrata Srivastava

(August 10, 2022) It rained gold and silver for India at Birmingham. Finishing fourth in the medal tally at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 – Indian athletes brought home a total of 61 medals, including 22 golds, 16 silvers and 23 bronze in various categories. While accolades were expected from seasoned sports stars such as Mirabai Chanu, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Nikhat Zareen, some performances at the CWG came as a pleasant surprise for the nation. Making new records and winning first-time medals for the country, these stars have added to India’s 75th Independence Year celebrations.

Global Indian takes a look at a few brilliant performances at CWG 2022, which will inspire many young and budding sports personalities for years to come.

Avinash Sable, steeplechaser

Steeplechase – an athletic event that most Indians were unaware of until recently, started trending on several micro blogging sites after athlete Avinash Sable created history by winning the silver medal at the CWG. Running in the 3000m men’s steeplechase event, the Maharashtrian lad not only broke his personal best record, but also became the first non-Kenyan athlete to claim the podium since 1994.

Sports stars | Avinash Sable | Global Indian

Born in to a farming family in a small village named Mandwa, the struggles of his initial days turned Avinash into a world-class runner. A soldier, who has served the Indian Army at the highest battlefield on the planet – Siachen – 27-year old Avinash was just 0.05 seconds short of the gold at CWG. While many knew of his potential, the expectations of him winning a silver were very low considering he finished 11th at World Athletics Championship just a few days back. Defying odds, however, this Indian Army jawaan emerged victorious.

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Indian women’s lawn bowls team

Sports stars | Lawn Bowls | Global Indian

While most women are busy taking care of their home and family in their 30s and 40s, these four bowling queens brought home India’s first-ever medal in lawn bowls. Lovely Choubey, Rupa Rani Tirkey, Pinki and Nayanmoni Saikia achieved an extraordinary feat by claiming gold at the CWG. The ladies defeated the South African team by 17-10 in Birmingham. A sport which has been a part of the CWG since its inception in 1930, it attracts very few players in India resulting in almost no international representation from the country. With this historic win, one can only hope to see more participation and medals in lawn bowls going ahead.

Jeremy Lalrinnunga, weightlifter

Sports stars | Jeremy Lalrinnunga | Global Indian

One of the youngest sports stars in the Indian contingent, he is also one of the brightest. 19-year-old Jeremy Lalrinnunga had a dream-come-true moment at the Commonwealth Games, after he earned the gold medal in the men’s 67kg weightlifting event. The former Youth Olympic winner struggled through a very tough phase last year due to a series of injuries and medical issues. But despite the setbacks, the champion made a superb comeback and set a new Commonwealth Games record by lifting 300kg (140kg snatch and 160kg in clean and jerk) in his specific category. Unfortunately, however, the weightlifter from Mizoram ended up with an injured back in the process.

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Eldhose Paul, triple jumper

Sports stars | Eldhose Paul | Global Indian

Scripting history, Eldhose Paul became the first Indian to win gold in the men’s triple jump at CWG. The 25-year-old jumper from Kerala has been participating in various state and national-level championships since a very young age, and has won several medals. Serving the Indian Navy, Eldhose was able to produce his best effort of 17.03m in his third attempt at the CWG. However that could not be recorded as his personal best due to wind assistance. A prodigy of Dronacharya T P Ouseph, Eldhose was also the first Indian to qualify for the triple jump finals at the World Championships, which was held at Eugene last month.

Indian men’s table tennis team

Sports stars | Table Tennis | Global Indian

Defeating the mighty Singaporean team by 3-1, Indian table tennis stars clinched the gold at the CWG. In the first round, the top-ranking pair of Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Harmeet Desai beat Singapore’s Izaac Quek Yong and Pang Yew En Koen 3-0 (13-11, 11-7, 11-5). This was followed by a brilliant performance by paddlers Sharath Kamal and Sanil Shetty helped the team finish podium at the event. India table tennis team, which stands at the 121st position on the world ranking list, was playing under pressure throughout the match. However, it was their grit and determination that won the country a gold medal.

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A rising phenomenon: Indian scholars leading the way in education worldwide

(July 25, 2023) The last few weeks have seen the appointment of several Indian Americans as the heads of various reputed education institutions. Interestingly, the Indian diaspora, on a broader scale, is garnering growing recognition for its exceptional prowess in the realm of education. Noteworthy instances abound, with scholars of Indian origin assuming prestigious leadership roles in renowned institutions such as Harvard Business School, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University. In recent years, this trend has become increasingly prominent, with notable Indians assuming the helm of some of the most esteemed and expansive educational establishments worldwide. Indian Americans have assumed leadership positions in over a dozen prominent universities within the United States alone. Considering that this community constitutes barely one percent of the entire U.S. population, such a remarkable representation potentially signals the advent of an emerging trend. Global Indian puts the spotlight on some of the most prominent Indian personalities currently making significant strides in the global education sector. Professor Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Cal Poly Pomona An esteemed alumnus of IIT Mumbai, Professor Sandeep Krishnamurthy has recently assumed the prestigious position of Singelyn Family Dean at the College of Business Administration and Singelyn Graduate School of Business at Cal Poly

us position of Singelyn Family Dean at the College of Business Administration and Singelyn Graduate School of Business at Cal Poly Pomona. His academic journey includes a post-graduate diploma in business management from Xavier School of Management in Jamshedpur, followed by a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Arizona.

Scholars | Global Indian

In 1996, Dr. Krishnamurthy joined the esteemed faculty at UW (University of Washington) and, in 2009, took on the role of director for the business program. He dedicated himself to elevating the program to the stature of a separate school, a goal achieved in 2012 when he was appointed as the founding dean. Throughout his illustrious 25-year tenure at UW Bothell, he has achieved numerous significant milestones and has become a well-known figure not only on campus but also within the regional business community.

In June 2023, Professor Krishnamurthy took on the leadership role at one of the largest business schools in the United States of America. Beyond his institutional contributions, he is recognised as a published author, sought-after conference speaker, expert witness, and media commentator. Notably, he has also initiated three highly regarded speaker series – Meet the CEO, Frontiers of Global Business, and the Nintex Leadership Breakfast Series – which have become prominent events on the local business calendar.

Professor Renu Khator, University of Houston

In 1973, a young Renu embarked on a journey from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to Purdue University, where she pursued her master's degree in political science. Although initially fraught with nervousness, she gradually discovered her true potential and, in subsequent years, earned both her doctorate in political science and her doctorate in public administration in 1975 and 1985, respectively.

Academician | Renu Khator | Global Indian

From 1985 onwards, the scholar commenced a distinguished 22-year tenure at the University of South Florida, where she held a series of increasingly prominent roles, culminating in her appointment as provost and senior vice president of the institution. In 2007, she emerged as the sole-finalist for the prestigious dual-position as chancellor of the University of Houston System and president of the University of Houston, eventually becoming the third individual to simultaneously hold these esteemed roles.

As chancellor of the University of Houston System, the scholar bears the responsibility of overseeing four distinguished institutions of higher learning, collectively catering to nearly 71,000 students. Under her watch, the University has experienced a transformative period of growth, marked by a remarkable $1-billion campus construction program, which has given rise to impressive developments such as the 40,000-seat TDECU Stadium, an expansion of student residence hall capacity to accommodate 8,000 students and an $80-million expansion and renovation of the student center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O73DJulaxg

Renu's remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed, as she has been inducted into the prestigious Texas Women's Hall of Fame and has received the esteemed Excellence in Leadership Awards from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the President of the Year Award from the Association of College Unions International, and the President's Award from the National Association of Student Affairs Administrators. In a momentous recognition of her contributions to the global Indian community, the scholar was bestowed the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, the highest honour accorded to overseas Indians.

Professor Vishal Gaur, Cornell School of Management

His journey began when even as a child, he found happiness in teaching and educating his peers. That journey still continues. The IIT Delhi alumnus Vishal Gaur was named as the Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in Cornell University in May 2023.

As associate dean for MBA programs from 2014-19, the scholar launched the Digital Technology Immersion, in which MBA candidates and students earning their MPS in data science or applied statistics develop skills in coding, databases, and advanced analytics and learn to leverage them to tackle challenges faced by leading companies, according to the university release.

Scholars | Global Indian

The scholar also created the Master of Science in Business Analytics program offered through eCornell, which provides working professionals a hands-on opportunity to learn about data analytics tools essential to analysing and optimising business decisions. His research focuses on data-driven analysis of problems in supply chains, retailing, e-commerce, and marketplace operations, and his work was recognised with the Wickham Skinner Early Career Research Accomplishments Award from the Production and Operations Management Society in 2006, the release stated.

Professor Subra Suresh, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Having graduated from the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Professor Subra Suresh earned a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 1979. Following his postdoctoral research tenure at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he assumed the position of Assistant Professor of Engineering at Brown University in December 1983.

[caption id="attachment_33010" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Scientist | Prof Subra Suresh | Global Indian Prof Suresh with former President of USA, Barack Obama[/caption]

The scholar's contributions in his field garnered him distinguished recognition, notably the prestigious NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, an accolade bestowed upon him by the White House. Additionally, he was honored with the 1982 Hardy Medal, lauding his exceptional promise for a prosperous career in the expansive domain of metallurgy as a metallurgist under the age of 30. Moreover, the American Ceramic Society bestowed upon him the 1992 Ross Coffin Purdy Award in recognition of the best paper published in the Journal of the American Ceramic Society in 1990.

In June 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Professor Subra to assume the role of Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), a prestigious appointment that received unanimous confirmation from the U.S. Senate in September of the same year. As the head of the NSF, an independent federal agency with a substantial annual budget of $7 billion, the scholar's leadership was marked by a profound commitment to scientific integrity and the advancement of technological benefits for the American people. Furthermore, he actively championed increased opportunities for women, minorities, and underrepresented groups in the field of science and engineering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsBDGYXmjE4

At present, Professor Subra holds the esteemed position of President at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Under his visionary stewardship, the scholar has initiated a transformative endeavor to develop the NTU campus into a cutting-edge "smart" campus, replete with eco-friendly structures, integration of robotics, and the implementation of driverless electric buses. His tireless efforts continue to leave a lasting impact on the realms of education and technological advancement.

Reading Time: 6 mins

Reviving the American dream: Economist Raj Chetty’s research is shaping the global future

(August 17, 2023) Nadarajan Chetty had his luckiest moment before he even came into the world. His mother, Anbu, secured a spot in the first group of 30 young women to attend a medical college. Her journey later brought her and her family to the USA, where her nine-year-old son got the opportunity to become a world-class economist - who has been awarded the Harvard University’s George Ledlie Prize for “wielding big data to break myths about who achieves the American Dream and the obstacles faced by others.” The Indian American, who is the William A. Ackman Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is also the Director of Opportunity Insights, a group of economists based at Harvard who study inequality. [caption id="attachment_43724" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Economist Raj Chetty[/caption] “The big-picture goal,” Chetty had once told the media while talking about his work, "is to revive the American dream. A defining feature of the American Dream is upward mobility—the ability of all children to have a chance at economic success, no matter their background. And we aim to revive that dream." The Global Indian, who became one of the youngest tenured faculty in the history of Harvard's economics department, was also awarded

the American Dream is upward mobility—the ability of all children to have a chance at economic success, no matter their background. And we aim to revive that dream." The Global Indian, who became one of the youngest tenured faculty in the history of Harvard's economics department, was also awarded the Infosys Prize in Economics, the highest monetary award recognizing achievements in science and research, in India.

A lifetime opportunity

Chetty's mother who was raised in Tamil Nadu, stood out as the brightest student, but her opportunities were limited by tradition. Even though Anbu's father supported her love for learning, there were no colleges nearby, and it wouldn't have been considered appropriate to send his daughter far away for education. However, when Anbu was nearing the end of her high school years, a small miracle changed the course of her life. A wealthy local businessperson, who also had a talented daughter, made a surprising decision. He established a women's college, right within his impressive home. Anbu secured a spot in the first group of 30 young women to attend this college. They studied English in the spacious courtyard, sheltered by a thatched roof. In the early mornings, Anbu took the bus to a nearby college to conduct chemistry experiments or examine frogs' hearts before the men students arrived.

[caption id="attachment_43725" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Economist | Raj Chetty | Global Indian Nine-year-old Chetty[/caption]

Eventually, Anbu enrolled in medical school despite her father's initial disapproval. In 1962 Anbu married Veerappa Chetty, and Raj was born in New Delhi. At the age of nine, Chetty's family relocated to the United States, and he embarked on a journey of achievement almost as remarkable as that of his parents. "My parents, who grew up in very low-income families and villages in South India … the opportunities they had were greatly shaped by the fact that they happened to be the ones who were picked to get a higher education in their families," said the economist during an interview, "And I could kind of see how that’s played out through the generations in my own family, through the opportunities my cousins have had versus what I’ve had … ending up here at Harvard and the various opportunities I’ve had, I felt have stemmed from that.”

A scholar

A brilliant student from the very beginning, Chetty was the valedictorian of his high-school class. After finishing his school, the young economist joined the University School of Milwaukee and graduated in 1997. Chetty earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University in 2000, where he continued pursuing his Ph.D. from the institution. "I was quite fortunate to complete my dissertation under the direction of Martin Feldstein, Gary Chamberlain, and Lawrence F. Katz. My thesis was titled 'Consumption commitments, risk preferences, and optimal unemployment insurance'," the economist shared.

[caption id="attachment_43726" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Economist | Raj Chetty | Global Indian Raj and Sundari Chetty[/caption]

Ambitious and focussed, Chetty became an assistant professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, eventually becoming a tenured associate professor there at 28. Just five years after starting his career, The Economist and The New York Times listed Chetty as one of the top eight young economists in the world, in 2008. And the next year, he returned to Harvard, where he was the Bloomberg Professor of Economics and the director of the Lab for Economic Applications and Policy.

Making America great again

While he has won several awards and recognistions, the work that has earned Chetty great renown resonates with his family's past. He has led the way in a method that leverages recently accessible government data to illustrate the progress of American families over generations. This unveils noteworthy trends of both moving up the social ladder and getting stuck in one place. In a preliminary study, he illustrated that kids born in 1940 had a 90 percent likelihood of outearning their parents. However, for those born forty years later, that likelihood had dropped to 50 percent, akin to flipping a coin.

The Padma Shri awardee has been the man behind making the people believe in the 'American dream' again. "One of the core ideals, I think, of American society—and in some ways, the reason my own parents came to the U.S. like many other immigrants, in search of the American dream—is the idea that no matter what your background, you have a great chance of succeeding in America and of moving up in the income distribution relative to where you started. Our education research tries to approach that from one particular angle, as one factor that might matter," the economist said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2U9-Wq2ub0

His recent recognition, the Ledlie Prize, means a lot to Chetty because of its recognition of economics as a science. "One of the things I’ve been trying to push toward is making economics more of a science and viewed as a scientific field where it’s not just about making different assumptions and you have one view and I have another view and we kind of have a political debate but grounded in data, grounded in empirical science," shared the economist, adding that he has a long way to go and much to research for making the US economy the greatest again.

Reading Time: 6 mins

Ishika Sachdev: The Cornell-educated nutritionist curating luxury vegan pop-up camping trips

(December 27, 2021) If anything, the pandemic has taught us to appreciate the great outdoors. Couple Ishika Sachdev and Abhinav Kumar agree. The need to get away from lockdowns and being on guard pushed them to reconnect with nature. For Ishika Sachdev, a nutritionist-turned-curator of luxury vegan pop-up camping trips, and her husband, their leaning was of a similar nature. Stranded in Barcelona, Spain for most part of the lockdown in 2020, 31-year-old Ishika returned to India and founded Flow Adventures with her husband Abhinav Kumar. Abhinav, 30, had formerly worked at an international tech unicorn in Switzerland before taking on the beauteous Indian environs. These Les Roches graduates are now giving new sustainable travel goals to the country that focus on permaculture and more. The travel startup curates and organises luxury vegan camping trips with the aim of promoting the concept of earth care, people care, and fair share. It has since organised experiential treks for 80 likeminded trekkers. Of new beginnings Always the outdoorsy sorts, both Ishika and Abhinav found their lockdown stay in Spain rather challenging. “There was no balcony where we were living. I was yearning to see the sky and feel the sun. We finally

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Of new beginnings

Always the outdoorsy sorts, both Ishika and Abhinav found their lockdown stay in Spain rather challenging. “There was no balcony where we were living. I was yearning to see the sky and feel the sun. We finally came back to India on a relief flight in July last year,” Ishika tells Global Indian. They spent the next few months figuring out life and work in a pandemic world. Finally in January this year, they moved to Goa for a few months to study permaculture.

"Permaculture began in the 1970s and is based on a set of ethics that include earth care, people care and fair share. As we studied the farming methodology, we realised that these ethics can be extended to any aspect of life and work. We spent time living and working on a farm. Both Abhi and I are nature people and Goa has such pristine surroundings. So, after we completed the course, we continued to live and work in Goa," says Ishika.

Travel | Ishika Sachdev | Founder of Flow Adventures | Global Indian

Uncharted territory

The couple decided to focus on quality and not their bank balance when they managed Turiya, a 100-year-old Goan-Portuguese villa as a boutique B&B. In exchange, they got a place to stay. It was shortly after, that the couple decided to launch Flow Adventures to offer people a chance to experience the untouched beauty of Kashmir in the most unexpected manner.

"We had earlier gone on a few private treks to Kashmir and its beauty stunned us. However, we found a few loopholes that could be plugged to make the experience better. Flow Adventures was our attempt to bridge those gaps and encourage people to travel responsibly while exploring the beauty of their own country," explains Ishika, who was born and brought up in Chennai and studied at Mussoorie International School before doing her hospitality management with finance degree at Switzerland’s Les Roches Institute. Abhinav on the other hand specialised in entrepreneurship at Les Roches.

Travel | Ishika Sachdev | Founder of Flow Adventures | Global Indian

Following her graduation in 2013, she joined her family’s restaurant business until she got married to Abhinav and the couple moved to Thailand where he worked with Get Your Guide, a travel tech company. In the meanwhile, Ishika did her nutrition therapy from Nutrition Therapy Association of America and specialised in plant-based diets from Cornell University. “I then launched my own nutrition practice online and had clients from India, Thailand, Singapore and Dubai,” says the entrepreneur, who ran the business until 2020 when the couple moved to Spain for Abhinav’s job.

A bend in the road

"The pandemic, however, threw a spanner in the works and the project was cancelled and we were stranded in our Barcelona apartment till July 2020," she says.

When the couple wrapped up their stint in Goa earlier this year, they decided to launch their own startup to encourage responsible travel. "We wanted our treks to be an all-vegan experience and promote the idea of vegan and responsible food. The only non-vegan aspect of the trip was the use of mules to transport goods. However, this is something we plan to address in our next set of pop-up treks," says Ishika, a vegan herself.

Travel | Ishika Sachdev | Founder of Flow Adventures | Global Indian

This year, the bootstrapped company hosted 80 trekkers across the age group of 17 to 65, most of them first timers. The treks were organised from Margan Top to Choharnag Lake where the group camped overnight. Trekkers were offered the opportunity to raft on the glacial lakes, get massages, yoga flow sessions, bonfires and vegan food. Flow Adventures offers three-day, four-day and five-day packages to five glacial lakes in Kashmir. On an average, a four-day luxury trek costs Rs 44,444 all inclusive. Trekkers are given adequate time provided to acclimatise and follow altitude sickness management protocols. "This was the first-time people were allowed to raft on the glacial lake. A lot of Kashmir’s natural beauty is overshadowed by the political and military situation. But there’s so much more to the state. This is exactly what we offered to introduce our clients to. It's also an attempt to give local tourism a boost, the state’s main source of economy that took a beating during the pandemic," says the entrepreneur, who's already planning the next set of treks for the new year.

Follow Ishika Sachdev on Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

From Bukhara to Chutney Mary: Chef Siddharth Krishna’s amazing culinary journey

(September 22, 2024) Chef Siddharth Krishna has worked with global legends over the past 22 years including Chutney Mary in London, Spice Mela in Abu Dhabi and is currently the Executive Head Chef at Fairmont Windsor Park near London. An Army kid, Chef Siddharth Krishna wanted to join the forces like his father who hailed from Rajasthan. Travelling all over the country every two years, eating the food cooked by his mother who came from Dehradun, and eventually settling in Delhi gave him exposure to various cuisines and food. However, wanting to be a chef was not his goal and he took the entrance exam only after joining the armed forces didn’t pan out. Gliding into Cooking Chef Siddharth Krishna, currently the Executive Head Chef at Fairmont Windsor Park, a luxury hotel in Egham, an hour away from London, candidly starts the interview with Global Indian by saying, “I never had an aha moment regarding cooking. Since joining the Army didn’t work out, I took the entrance exam, passed and joined the Institute of Hotel Management in Goa. It was at my internship at the Taj Holiday Village when I realised I enjoyed cooking. Till Class 12, I had never

ed and joined the Institute of Hotel Management in Goa. It was at my internship at the Taj Holiday Village when I realised I enjoyed cooking. Till Class 12, I had never wanted to enter the kitchen or been curious about cooking.”

[caption id="attachment_56414" align="aligncenter" width="444"] Indian Chef | Siddharth Krishna | Global Indian Chef Siddharth during an invitation to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City[/caption]

Chef Siddharth Krishna joined the ITC Maurya in Delhi after graduation. He recalls, “I worked at Dum Pukht, Bukhara and Peshawri, the three globally known restaurants of the brand. Bukhara was also featured in Patricia Schultz's book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. At Peshawri, known for its robust tandoor-cooked dishes, I refined my ability to prepare bold, flavourful meals that celebrated the culinary traditions of the Indian Northwest Frontier. Meanwhile, at Dum Pukht, famous for its luxurious Awadhi cuisine, I mastered slow-cooking techniques and the delicate use of spices, further broadening my culinary repertoire. These experiences laid the foundation for my later success, as I blended traditional techniques with modern innovation—a philosophy that would define my global culinary journey.”

Namastey London

While he was the Sous Chef at ITC Chola Sheraton in Chennai, in 2004, he got an opportunity to work with Camellia and Namita Punjabi, the sisters who have established Chutney Mary, one of the UK’s best-known restaurants serving Indian food. “I had participated in a cooking competition, and my dish was ranked the best. I met Camellia Punjabi because Jiggs Kalra, the legendary chef, had suggested she meet me and she asked me to join them. It was a no-brainer and I said yes given that it was one of the top ten restaurants in the world at that time.”

Chef Siddharth worked with Chutney Mary as Head Chef till 2012. His time there was a learning curve at several levels, he reveals. “We shared a great rapport, and through them, I learnt the know-how and tricks of the trade. Vision, strategy, flavour profiles, cooking techniques for all kinds of meat and more. Some of the processes we used there were unheard of at the Indian restaurants then. If we served three curries, none of them were anything like each other. I am still in touch with them!”

[caption id="attachment_56415" align="aligncenter" width="454"] Indian Chef Siddharth Krishna | Global Indian Chef Siddharth Krishna at a fish farm and market[/caption]

During his tenure there, Chutney Mary became known for its ability to blend traditional Indian flavours with contemporary presentations. The restaurant received multiple awards and recognitions during this period, including being ranked No. 5 in Time Out’s Guide to London’s Top 50 Restaurants. Additionally, it frequently featured in top food guides, such as the Square Meal Guide, which awarded it the Best Modern Indian Restaurant title for two consecutive years.

More milestones

Chef Siddharth Krishna left Chutney Mary to join Rosewood Abu Dhabi as the Chef de Cuisine and was part of the launch and subsequent success of Sambusek, (a lifestyle Lebanese cuisine restaurant), and instrumental in the launch of Dai Pai Dong (the Chinese restaurant at the Rosewood); and Aqua. Chef Siddharth says about his stint in the UAE, “One of my most significant achievements was my tenure at Spice Mela in Abu Dhabi, where I served as Chef de Cuisine. Under my leadership, Spice Mela became one of the premier destinations for contemporary Indian cuisine in the region, earning numerous prestigious awards.”

Due to his impactful journey in Abu Dhabi, the Rosewood group offered him a plum position to lead the culinary operations in the Bahamas at their property the Rosewood Baha Mar. He was responsible for the launch of their F&B operations here as well. Says Chef Siddharth about working on the island that is the haunt of the rich and the famous, “Since May 2018, I have led the culinary operations here. As the Executive Chef and a member of the Baha Mar F&B advisory committee, I was instrumental in the successful opening of the resort’s food and beverage operations. This included the critically acclaimed Café Boulud by Daniel Boulud and Costa, a coastal Mexican cuisine concept. Under my direction, the resort served over 35000 a la carte covers per month.”

[caption id="attachment_56418" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Indian Chef | Global Indian Chef Siddharth at work at Rosewood Baha Mar[/caption]

To further his knowledge, he went on a road trip to coastal Mexico to learn about their food as he didn’t want the cuisine to be limited to the ubiquitous Tex Mex variety. Some of his innovative approaches curating unique dining experiences included a ‘Dinner Under the Stars,’ featuring a menu inspired by Zodiac flavours, and collaborating with celebrity chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Daniel Boulud, and Margarita Carillo during the Baha Mar Culinary Festival.

Another achievement in this long list includes the invitation he received to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City. “Being invited to this esteemed institution is one of the highest honours for a chef, and the opportunity to highlight my culinary artistry was a testament to my standing in the culinary community. My menu at the James Beard House featured a collage of Indian spices with modern cooking techniques, reflecting my vision of contemporary gastronomy.”

Life in the UK

Chef Siddharth Krishna decided to move back to the UK again because he wanted his 13-year-old son to have more exposure than was available on the island. In January this year, he joined the Fairmont Windsor Park, a luxury property in Egham, an hour away from London. About his role here as Executive Head Chef he says, “We change the menu every season and it is a lovely property where we grow our own vegetables in the garden.”

[caption id="attachment_56417" align="aligncenter" width="425"] Indian chef | Siddhartha Krishna | Global Indian Chef Siddhartha Krishna at the Fairmont Windsor Park[/caption]

Chef Siddharth Krishna has a strong belief system which has perhaps played a key role in his success. He says, “I believe that whatever you do, you have to be true to yourself. There have been challenges where acquiring the knowledge and skill was important. Now it is about cooking with passion and authenticity.”

On the personal front, Chef Siddharth has a cookbook ready in the wings, complete with a foreword written too. He says it is one with an out-of-the-box concept but has not gotten around to sending it to publishers yet. If it is as colourful as his career trajectory, we are sure the book will be as successful when it hits the shelves.

While travelling, Chef Siddharth likes to eat at:

Black Pepper Crab at Long Beach UDMC, Singapore
Crispy pork belly at Mott 32, Hong Kong
Lasagna at Don Angie, New York
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The serial entrepreneur from Varanasi: Neena Pandey is painting her canvas with transformative strokes

(September 12, 2023) Neena Pandey’s infatuation with colours, designs, textures, and silhouettes goes back a long way. Growing up in the enchanting city of Varanasi, she experienced firsthand, how skilled weavers and artisans weaved magic on silks with their age-old techniques. She aspired to become an entrepreneur but her highly successful stints in the Silicon Valley wouldn’t let her go. Until one day, when she changed the trajectory of her life and gave up the corporate world to launch her own fashion brand. “My creations are a tribute to the intricate artistry that defines Indian fashion, combined with the contemporary sensibilities I have embraced abroad,” smiles serial entrepreneur Neena Pandey, speaking to Global Indian. A member of the Forbes Business Council, the US-based Neena Pandey is the founder and CEO of The String Code, a luxury fashion brand. She also founded IndieRoots, a lifestyle brand of products, and is the President of Club Z Tutoring, the fastest-growing franchise in the US. The list of top companies she has worked with in Silicon Valley is really long. “I am all about this cool concept called a portfolio career. It's this approach where you don't put all your eggs in one professional basket. You

about this cool concept called a portfolio career. It's this approach where you don't put all your eggs in one professional basket. You diversify, dabble in different ventures, and keep that professional life vibrant and the entrepreneur says.

[caption id="attachment_44809" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Entrepreneur | Neena Pandey | Global Indian Entrepreneur Neena Pandey[/caption]

Clothes have this incredible ability to work wonders for women, she feels. “They can boost confidence, make a lady feel beautiful, spread genuine happiness, and help her truly appreciate herself,” points out Neena, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Sachin, an engineer, and their two children, Aditya and Anya. “I have lost count of instances where I noticed that when I am dressed to impress, I walk into meetings with my head held high and crush my presentations,” says Neena. The entrepreneur describes her fashion brand as a canvas where the colors of her Indian upbringing merge with the strokes of contemporary international influences.

A Varanasi girl

Growing up in a middle-class Indian family in Varanasi, Neena and her two elder sisters were consistently reminded by their parents that being unable to support themselves was not an option. “I grew up with limited resources, and always thought that I would ultimately find myself working for someone else as an adult – a path that I did follow,” recalls Neena, who in her younger days, took on the role of the family's designer, creating clothing for everyone at home.

[caption id="attachment_44817" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Neena Pandey | Global Indian IndieRoots artisans at work[/caption]

She did her schooling at St John's School, Varanasi, and an undergraduate degree in Chemistry with Honours from the Banaras Hindu University. During her academic years, Neena aimed to become a doctor due to the limited options typically presented in Indian households at that time – either medical or engineering. “However, I couldn't clear the pre-medical test, which turned out to be a fortunate turn of events in retrospect. I swiftly redirected my focus towards something I was passionate about – fashion and apparel,” informs the entrepreneur, whose professional journey began with India’s largest retail chain, Weekender.

Moving to the Silicon Valley

Before she kicked off her brands, Neena was crushing it as a fierce and outspoken marketing executive in Silicon Valley. While doing an MBA programme with a marketing major at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business, she got an internship at Adobe Systems during her first summer break in 2007.

Entrepreneur | Neena Pandey

“Adobe asked me to stick around part-time while I finished my programme. I took it up,” informs Neena, who later got an offer from Sun Microsystems, a big player back then and the brain behind Java. They offered her the chance to be the first product marketing manager for Open Solaris, their open-source operating system. Neena had a blast wearing her creative marketing hat– instituting innovative GTM plans to target students and the developer community worldwide. “We ended up exceeding targets by 106%, a full year sooner than projected,” says the former corporate honcho. Later, when Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems, she moved there and worked for two years. She was the ambassador for their cohesive hardware-software messaging. “I also proposed a product idea that became a star product offering later.”

From there, Zyme Solutions came knocking and the entrepreneur was leading the marketing squad for something groundbreaking — channel data management, which was all about giving retailers the tech tools to conquer the retail scene. “We ended up launching the product internationally, making a difference in the lives of retailers, says Neena, who earlier did her Masters in Garment manufacturing technology from NIFT, Delhi.

A leader at heart

She had her fair share of victories at the Silicon Valley but deep down, she had this constant itch to venture into entrepreneurship. Eventually, Neena recognised that entrepreneurship was her calling. “I am the first person in my family to go on an entrepreneurship route. Obviously, my family members were scared when I left my promising career in corporate,” the entrepreneur says. Despite the uncertainty, she ventured into this new journey, acknowledging that success wouldn't be immediate.

[caption id="attachment_44810" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Entrepreneur | Neena Pandey Entrepreneur Neena Pandey[/caption]

With technology revolutionising fashion retail by reshaping e-commerce and marketing becoming hyper-personalised through data-driven insights and augmented reality, Neena says her tech wins combined with her deep dive into the fashion-retail world have her primed to shape a future all about connections and doing right by the planet.

Neena is also a featured author and contributor for Forbes. “Forbes values my opinion in various polls and publications. Being a part of this, I also get to tap into the vast knowledge pool of accomplished business leaders from all corners of the globe,” the entrepreneur says. As a proud member of the Council, Neena is unlocking a bunch of exclusive opportunities that are tailored to elevate her professional influence to new heights. “I'm connecting and collaborating with other esteemed local leaders in our own private space and at members-only events.”

[caption id="attachment_44821" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Entrepreneur | Neena Pandey | Global Indian Neena during the photoshoot for The String Code[/caption]

In the midst of this whirlwind, she carves out time for her own well-being. “I hit the gym at 5 in the morning or squeeze in a late-night swim at 10 p.m. Her workout routine covers a wide spectrum – from weightlifting and intense body combat sessions (a fusion of martial arts and kickboxing) to Pilates, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and swimming. “I have incorporated meditation into my daily routine.”

The String Code

The String Code is not just a brand – it's a movement rooted in women's empowerment and manifestation of inspiring ideas and concepts, says Neena. “Our designs cater to diverse sizes and silhouettes, making sure every body type feels confident and comfortable in String Code outfits,” informs the serial entrepreneur, who is the start-up mentor at The Centre for Global Enterprise, New York.

[caption id="attachment_44819" align="aligncenter" width="669"] Entrepreneur | Neena Pandey | Global Indian A collection from The String Code[/caption]

Launched in July 2021, The String Code is her way of connecting with women across the spectrum. “I have woven my enduring confidence and passion into every string, every thread, and every distinct look meticulously designed for String Code,” says the entrepreneur, whose clothing brand adheres to the United Nations development goals. “The clothing is made in small batches using natural fibers, upcycled fabric, and environmentally conscious business practices when possible.”

Each piece she designs meticulously balances traditional elegance with modern sophistication. “My fashion brand is a canvas where the colors of my Indian upbringing merge with the strokes of contemporary international influences. I offer a collection that resonates with individuals regardless of their cultural background.”

IndieRoots

Collaborating with 60 artisan collectives across India and Southeast Asia, Indieroots is a lifestyle brand offering a range of products. “Its essence lies in bridging the gap between artisans and the global community by establishing a sustainable international market for talented creators. It fosters a spirit of entrepreneurship.”

[caption id="attachment_44816" align="aligncenter" width="701"] Neena Pandey | Global Indian Neena with some of the artisans of IndieRoots[/caption]

Describing IndieRoots - which was established in 2018 - as a profound calling that resonates with her passion for handicraft and home decor, Neena says every piece that finds its way into the homes of her customers narrates a story of artisan traditions kept alive by craftsmen from various corners of the world. She partners with over 60 artisan groups across India. “We've expanded our horizons to include collaboration with other Southeast Asian countries as well,” informs the entrepreneur, who is the executive member of the International LEAP network.

A book worm

Books are Neena’s getaway. The eclectic reader dives into Historical fiction, fiction, and mystery. “Lately, though, I have been drawn to non-fiction. There's something about inspirational, self-help, and spiritual books that just resonates with me,” says the entrepreneur. When it comes to music, she says it's woven into her family's fabric. “My children are passionate singers. Karaoke evenings and backyard jam sessions are pretty much standard fare at our house.”

TV shows? “I've had those nights where I've binged-watch till the wee hours, even when there's a business meeting waiting for me in the morning!” says the entrepreneur, whose favourites span a range of genres, from gripping thrillers and suspenseful espionage tales to comedy. And, when it's time to unwind, Neena finds solace in a good glass of wine.

Follow Neena Pandey on Instagram

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