Indian Leaders | Forbes’ Powerful Women | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryMeet the four Indians featured in Forbes’ 2023 list of the World’s Most Powerful Women

Meet the four Indians featured in Forbes’ 2023 list of the World’s Most Powerful Women

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

India secured the fifth position in the global GDP rankings for 2023. Its economy thrives on rapid growth, driven by vital sectors like information technology, services, agriculture, and manufacturing. India’s finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, plays a crucial role in sustaining the momentum of one of the top-performing major economies worldwide. With the anticipation surrounding the upcoming 2024 budget, all attention is on the FM and her plans to further elevate India’s economic prospects. As we bid adieu to 2023 Sitharaman has gained global attention for her inclusion in Forbes prestigious list of the world’s 100 most powerful women, marking her fifth consecutive appearance on the annual list.

Sitharaman is just one of the eminent Indian figures featured in the latest list. Other Indian stalwarts in the list are Roshni Nadar, Soma Mondal, and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. Beyond these four Indian luminaries, Indian-American vice president Kamala Harris holds a prominent position on the list.

“As ever, the 2023 Power List was determined by four main metrics: money, media, impact and spheres of influence. For political leaders, we weighed gross domestic products and populations; for corporate chiefs, revenues, valuations and employee counts were critical. Media mentions and social reach were analyzed for all. The result: 100 women who are shaping the policies, products and political fights that define our world,” Forbes stated while releasing the list.

Global Indian puts the spotlight on the four powerful Indian ladies, highlighting their impact as movers and shakers in their respective fields.

Nirmala Sitharaman

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India

The ace economist and politician has held the position of Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs since 2019. Hailing from Madurai, Sitharaman previously served as India’s Defence Minister, becoming the country’s second female to serve in this capacity and later becoming the second female Finance Minister following in the footsteps of late Indira Gandhi. Sitharaman has made history as the first full-time female minister to successfully manage both these prestigious portfolios.

Nirmala Sithraman

Sitharaman is credited with steering India towards achieving the milestone of a $3.8 trillion economy under her adept leadership. She is set to present the union budget 2024 on March 6th, for the sixth consecutive year. “Today as Indians stands with their head held high, and the world appreciates India’s achievements and successes, we are sure that elders who had fought for India’s independence, will with joy, bless our endeavours going forward,” the finance minister had remarked while presenting the 2023 union budget.

Roshni Nadar

Chairperson of HCL Technologies

The prominent Indian billionaire businesswoman, serving as the chairperson of HCL Technologies, holds the distinction of being the first female entrepreneur to helm a listed IT company in India. She also serves as the CEO at HCL Corporation, the overarching entity encompassing all HCL Group subsidiaries. Raised in Delhi by her parents Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL, and Kiran Nadar, Roshni had many prior professional engagements before joining HCL Group. In HCL, she was previously involved as a trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation before assuming the position of CEO at HCL Corporation.

Roshni Nadar

Under Roshni’s leadership, the organization has been reaching unprecedented heights and currently stands among the top fifteen global technology companies, boasting a revenue exceeding $10 billion. “I am pleased to share that HCLTech delivered another year of strong growth despite challenging macro-environment and geo-political headwinds. The credit goes to the passion and commitment the global team of over 220,000 HCLTechies and to you for your continued support to the company,” she remarked in the organisation’s 31^st annual general meeting held in August this year.

Soma Mondal

Chairperson of Steel Authority of India (SAIL)

Hailing from Bhubaneswar, Soma Mondal holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve as the functional director and subsequently as the chairperson of SAIL. Commencing her career after graduating with an electrical engineering degree from NIT Rourkela, Soma embarked on a 35-year journey, commencing as a trainee with NALCO. Joining SAIL in 2017 as its director for commercial operations, she ascended to the position of Chairperson three years later in 2020.

Soma Mondal

Mondal’s impact has been significant, contributing to a remarkable 50 percent surge in SAIL’s revenue, surpassing ₹ one lakh crore after she assumed the role of its chairperson. Her stature within the aluminium industry has grown, making her a widely respected and influential figure today. “In the early years, family responsibilities make a huge demand on time and energy but preparing for this through a support system, time management and optimal use of choices will go a long way. Today’s women are much smarter and more confident. In the coming years, we will see many more in our workforce and management,” she told in an interview with Business World.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Executive chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited

The billionaire entrepreneur, was born in Bangalore to Gujarati parents and has become a recognizable figure in Forbes’ list of the 100 Most Powerful Women year-after-year. Throughout her career, she has been driven by the vision of affordable innovation, making it a central philosophy to broaden Biocon’s outreach. With a strong desire to offer cost-effective medications to economically challenged nations, Mazumdar has endeavoured to pioneer budget-friendly techniques and economical alternatives within and outside India.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Ranked among India’s wealthiest self-made women, Kiran has successfully ventured into the lucrative Western markets and oversees the operations of Asia’s largest insulin manufacturing facility, located in Malaysia. “Today, the birth of daughters are being celebrated, and women are making India proud in each and every field, be it sports, science, entertainment, defence or aviation. I believe, this is a big achievement, not only for this government, but for each and every Indian woman,” she wrote on her blog.

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Published on 29, Dec 2023

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Oorja to Log 9: Cleantech startups paving the way for a sustainable future in India

(October 4, 2023) By 2030, India aims to meet fifty percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources, causing a tectonic shift in the global fight against climate change. With eight years left, certain cleantech startups have jumped the bandwagon to help the country inch closer to its goal by producing technologies that aim to reduce carbon print by producing eco-friendly products. Global Indian puts a spotlight on startup that are at the heart of transformation and sustainability. Karma Recycling What do you do with your old mobile phones? While most waste makes it to the landfills, not much has been thought about disposing of e-waste in India, and to tackle this problem, Aamir Jariwala and Akshat Ghiya launched Karma Recycling in 2013 - a company that buys mobile devices and sells refurbished ones at much cheaper rates. It was while studying electronic waste space in the US that the duo found that their learning could be applied to India. Aamir first chanced upon the idea of recycling and refurbishing while working for a private equity firm that was keen to invest in clean technology. That's when he decided to join hands with Akshat to launch their startup. [caption

m that was keen to invest in clean technology. That's when he decided to join hands with Akshat to launch their startup.

[caption id="attachment_31127" align="aligncenter" width="648"] Cleantech startup | Global Indian Aamir Jariwala and Akshat Ghiya co-founded the startup Karma Recycling[/caption]

"When we started looking at the ways people dispose of e-waste in India, we found that most of the market was owned by kabadiwalas (scrap dealers). There was very little emphasis on reuse. So, we knew there was a mountain of mobile devices lying in people’s homes and no one knew what to do with them," Akshat told Better India.

The company accepts phones in any condition, as Akshat revealed that most of them have small problems. So, they furbish almost 25 percent of them, and if they can't be repaired, they break them into working and non-working spare parts. "Working parts are used to repair other phones. And the parts that cannot be repaired are recycled responsibly according to our zero-landfill policy. We are also a Government of India authorised electronic waste collector and segregator," added Akshat, who grew up in Italy and went to college at Northwestern University in Chicago, where he met Aamir.

Follow Karma Recycling on Linkedin

Oorjan

Solar energy is the future, and India itself is witnessing a joining of forces and commitment from government, industry and entrepreneurs which has brought momentum to the sector. And IIT-Bombay graduate Gautam Das with his batchmates Roli Gupta and Hrishikesh Deshpande are one of the leading entrepreneurs in this space with Oorjan which they founded in 2014 to take solar energy to the maximum number of people.

[caption id="attachment_31128" align="aligncenter" width="631"] Cleantech startups | Global Indian Gautam Das is one of the founders of Oorjan[/caption]

"Our focus remains on distributed solar for end consumers - residential, commercial, and industrial. Our technology-enabled design tool offers solar proposals instantly in site so that customers can make purchase decisions faster," Roli told Mercom India in an interview, adding that the rooftop solar panels sector is growing at the rate of 60-70 percent every year. "There is an endless demand for 1 billion Indians and one is hard-pressed to find a company focused on delighting them. The industry, due to its lack of ideas and innovation on how to acquire customers economically, gravitates to larger projects," she added.

With operations across 14 Indian states, Oorjan is now planning to come up with solutions that will help recycle solar panel waste.

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Log 9

A year after Oorjan, Log 9 - a nanotechnology company - jumped the bandwagon of cleantech startups to revolutionise the energy sector with an innovative zero-emission and low-cost aluminium-air fuel cell. A brainchild of Akshay Singhal and Kartik Hajela, Log 9 Materials develops aluminium fuel cell technology for both stationary and automotive applications. It was in 2017 that they realised that energy storage or battery technologies will be important in the larger scheme of climate change, and that's when they started using material science competency to create battery technologies.

[caption id="attachment_31129" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Cleantech startup | Global Indian Akshay Singhal and Kartik Hajela are the co-founders of Log 9[/caption]

The startup, which raised $2 million in funding from Petronas Ventures in 2021, understood that none of the batteries were made keeping Indian climate conditions in mind. And it was the need of the hour to build a battery technology from the ground up in India. Talking about the seed funding, Akshay told ET, "enables us to accelerate our ongoing mission of introducing our breakthrough InstaCharge (rapid charging) battery technology to a plethora of end-users, and in positioning the startup as the largest Indian player in advanced cell chemistries."

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OxyGarden

In a post-covid world, hygiene has become of utmost importance as airborne transmission is considered one of the hazards in the spreading of viruses. To curb this, cleantech startup OxyGarden has found a solution by building air sanitizers that help improve the quality of indoor air. It was in January 2020 that OxyGreen launched its first product - Forest- after two years of prototyping and testing. The IoT-enabled garden, which produces 700 litres of oxygen per day and reduces carbon emission, purifies and humidifies indoor air naturally.

Launched in 2019 by Abhishek Gupta, the idea started growing in 2016 after he discovered that the then-existing electric air purifiers worked on only about 51 percent of pollutants. "I wanted 100 percent clean air in my room, but there was no product in the market that worked on the entire spectrum of pollutants," he told YourStory. That's when he chanced upon research from NASA that showed the role of plants in purifying the air and eliminating the chances of airborne infections.

[caption id="attachment_31130" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Cleantech startup | Global Indian Abhishek Gupta launched OxyGarden in 2019[/caption]

“It has been scientifically proven that the right IAQ index reduces airborne transmission of biological contaminants. Many viruses fail to infect people if the relative humidity level is maintained at around 40 percent. This not only increases the time and distance of the transmission but also reduces the percentage of people contracting the virus,” added Abhishek.

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The ‘Maharaja’ of wheat: Dr Sanjaya Rajaram

(June 20, 2023) Growing up in a small farming community in Raipur, life was tough for Dr Sanjaya Rajaram and his family. Having seen stark poverty in central India's rural heartlands, Rajaram had seen the ugliness of stark poverty. It led him to dedicate his life improving the lives of smallholder farmers around the world. The World Food Prize in 2014 was an acknowledgement of decades of scientific work - Dr Sanjaya Rajaram, who served for over 33 years at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico, developed more than 480 wheat varieties, leading to an increase of over 200 million tons in worldwide wheat production. Humble beginnings Rajaram was born in 1943 in Raipur, the same year, incidentally, that the CIMMYT was founded in El Batan in Southern Central Mexico, with its nascent programme headed by the legendary Norman Borlaug, known as the father of the Green Revolution. Borlaug's work would bring him to India to spread the word, resulting the Green Revolution led by MS Swaminathan, with whom Rajaram would also work. Rajaram studied genetics and plant breeding at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, during which time he worked with MS Swaminathan.

[caption id="attachment_32639" align="aligncenter" width="585"] Dr Sanjaya Rajaram receives the World Food Prize. Photo: www.worldfoodprize.org[/caption]

"He is known for his genuine concern for farming and farmers," Swaminathan said at the time, about Rajaram. "He is a worthy successor to the legacy of Norman Borlaug and was selected for his outstanding work in the improvement of wheat crop and wheat production in the world."

Rajaram, not always given to talking about his childhood, allowed himself a moment of reminiscence at the World Food Prize acceptance speech 2014. "My childhood wasn't easy," he remarked. "My family made a meagre living growing maize, rice, wheat, sugarcane and millets. There were a few goats, cows and buffaloes as well." Rajaram's parents, he says, "valued education and made many sacrifices" to send him to school. "Seeing people live in poverty ignited a passion in me to dedicate my life to work that makes a real difference." The newly-independent India in which Rajaram grew up was a tough place - at the time, 96 percent of rural children lacked basic schooling. "I was in the fortunate four percent," Rajaram said. As acknowledgement of this, Rajaram dedicated a part of his $250,000 prize money to an educational institute in India.

Finding Norman Borlaug

Rajaram graduated with a BSc in agriculture from the University of Gorakhpur, which played a leading role at the time in the Green Revolution. He followed it up with an MSc in genetics and plant breeding from IARI and then moved to Australia, where he earned a PhD from the University of Sydney. A prolific researcher through his life, Rajaram had more than 400 research publications and had mentored hundreds of scientists around the world until his passing in 2021.

In 1969, after his PhD, Rajaram moved to Mexico to join CIMMYT, headed still by the legendary Norman Borlaugh, who would become one of the driving forces behind Rajaram's own work. "It was a few years after the great events of the Green Revolution. Despite the food security gains, there was no time for complacency. There were mountains to climb and the fight against hunger has not yet been won. The fight for food and nutrition security had not even begun."

[caption id="attachment_32640" align="aligncenter" width="569"] Sanjaya Rajaram in Izmir, Turkey in 2014. Credit: Linda McCandless / Borlaug Global Rust Initiative[/caption]

Borlaug was quick to spot potential in the young man, who would spend his days wandering through small wheat farms, clad in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt, usually. Eventually, Rajaram went on to take over as the director of wheat research at CIMMYT and also as direct of ICARDA's biodiversity and integrated gene management programme. He is also the owner and director of R&D for Resource Seed Mexicana, which promotes wheat varietes in Mexico, India, Egypt and Australia. "working for the poor and the hungry was the trademark of Rajaram. Borlaug was the main spirit of Rajaram's work," said G. Venkataramani, Rajaram's biographer and author of 'Mr Golden Grain, the Life and Work of the Maharaja of Wheat'.

Building worldwide food security

Rajaram was an active proponent of the private and public sectors working together - it is the only way, he believed, to tackle the enormity of the task at hand. "Feeding over nine billion people by 2050 will not be a trivial task. Sustainably increasing wheat production will have crucial impact on livelihoods and food security. For wheat alone, we will need to grow sixty percent more grain than now, on the same amount of land, while trying to use fewer nutrients, less water and labour," Rajaram explained. "However, the staff of life for 1.2 billion people is one of the lowest-funded crops in terms of research." It's a daunting prospect, even after the robust successes of the Green Revolution.

Dr Rajaram is credited with developing 58 percent of all the wheat varieties that exist today, according to his biography. He is best known for his contributions to the development of two high-yield wheat cultivars - Kauz and Attila. These produce at least 15% higher yield than other types, holding more grains on each stalk. They are cultivated across over 40 million hectares worldwide. The process involved winter and spring wheat gene pools, shuttle breeding and mega environment testing.

Promoting young scientists

President Kovind presents Padma Bhushan to Dr Sanjaya Rajaram (Posthumous) for Science & Engineering . He developed 490+ high-yielding and disease-resistant wheat varieties grown in 51 countries. This has increased global wheat production by more than 200+ million tons. pic.twitter.com/fieCxk6V9Q

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 28, 2022

Working on the field and truly understanding the problems of farmers, Rajaram believed, was critical to promoting new ideas and technology. This is a nod to Borlaug's legacy, which Rajaram dedicated himself to building. "Borlaug and I promoted the international community by connecting scientists across the world. Applied training should be the standard for any scientific institution," said the Global Indian. The way forward, he always said, was unity among the private and public sectors, free sharing of knowledge and seeds and training young scientists on the ground. "There can be no permanent progress in the battle for food and nutritional security until all the partners unite," he remarked.

Dr Sanjaya Rajaram is also the winner of the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman, the highest civilian honour given by the Indian government to Indians abroad. He also received the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan posthumously in 2022.

Chef Lata Tondon: Meet the first woman to set the Guinness World Record for marathon cooking

(Dec 20, 2021) Lata Tondon is as passionate about cooking, as is her persona. Arms emblazoned with culinary tattoos – a chef’s knife, cutlery, and more, tossing ingredients, stirring staples, she imbues colour and life into each signature dish. She is the first woman in the world to have set a world record for the longest time spent cooking – a distinction previously held only by men. In 2019, Chef Lata cooked non-stop for 87 hours and 45 minutes to bag the coveted Guinness World Record title, a good 20 hours more than the previous record. “Food has always been my first love,” declares the chef, who loves exploring regional flavours, cooking techniques and discovering unexplored ingredients from across India. An alumna of Chef Academy, London, Lata is determined to take unusual hyperlocal Indian ingredients and create dishes that change the limited perception of Indian cuisine. Working at renowned restaurants like Bibendum and The Ninth, and learning under award-winning chefs like Claude Bosi and Jun Tanaka, have helped her further hone her culinary skills. [caption id="attachment_17764" align="aligncenter" width="530"] Chef Lata Tandon[/caption] From MP to London The 1980 April born from the well-known Digwani family of Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, Lata's childhood

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Working at renowned restaurants like Bibendum and The Ninth, and learning under award-winning chefs like Claude Bosi and Jun Tanaka, have helped her further hone her culinary skills.

[caption id="attachment_17764" align="aligncenter" width="530"] Chef Lata Tandon[/caption]

From MP to London

The 1980 April born from the well-known Digwani family of Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, Lata's childhood revolved around cooking. “Academics did not interest me. Though I was good at sports, food came first,” says Lata, speaking exclusively to Global Indian.

Her tryst with cooking began during school days, when she learnt about Sindhi cuisine from her family, and even participated in several cookery competitions. “As a child, I would wait for my mother to leave the kitchen so I could spend hours trying out my own recipes. I would experiment with easy-to-cook and healthy recipes. A major part of my early years went into cooking,” recalls Lata, who schooled at Jyoti Senior Secondary school after which she did her BCA from Jabalpur and MCA from Pune. Incidentally, her father Narayan Digwani is a businessman while her mother Jyoti is a homemaker.

The cooking marathon

Over the years, Lata has carved a niche for herself in the culinary world. Her record for the longest cooking marathon is most cherished, as the recognition changed her life.

She learnt about the cooking marathon while training at the Chef Academy of London. Ever since, she wanted a shot at it.

“It was difficult to think of cooking non-stop without sleeping. But I told myself that I had to make my country proud. I prepared for the marathon for a full year,” recalls Lata, who spent many sleepless nights before the event.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ftqg_FtM4[/embed]

The previous title for the longest cooking marathon was held by Rickey Lumpkin from Los Angeles, who cooked for a straight 68 hours, 30 minutes and one second in 2018. Lata surpassed his record by over 20 hours and cooked more than 1,600 kilograms of food grains, made 400 vada pavs, 250 sandwiches and a host of other delicacies over four days. The food was served to the over 20,000 visitors, including children from orphanages, blind schools and senior citizens from old age homes. The chef and environmentalist used the platform to encourage people to plant over 17,000 saplings too.

Among the other accolades she has won, are the India Book of Record, Asia Book of Record, Indo-China Book of Record, Vietnam book of record, and Nepal Book of Record, etc.

The Indian culinary way forward

A travel enthusiast, Lata aspires to promote regional Indian food, and has travelled thousands of miles across the subcontinent in search of unexplored flavours and techniques. “There is nothing like Indian food; it’s immensely diverse. A lot from Indian cuisine still needs to be showcased. I am working on doing just that,” says the chef, who has also participated in the International Indian Chef of the Year contest where she won first prize.

[caption id="attachment_17765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chef Lata Tandon[/caption]

Living in a joint family of 11, she learnt the value of rich traditions and culture. “I am fortunate to be surrounded by family and friends who have always encouraged me to turn my passion into a career. The passion to create something new is what keeps me going. I believe that every individual should learn how to cook their own food,” says Lata, whose favourite chef is Gordon Ramsay whom she admires for his bold attitude and cooking skills.

Besides traditional Indian dishes, Lata whips up Italian, Mexican and Mughlai food. “Every chef has his/her own style of cooking and set of skills. I do not compare myself with others. Like most chefs, I am always prepared to take compliments as well as criticism. Obviously, you cannot satisfy everyone all the time,” says Lata, who prefers north Indian food. “Just keep moving and treading your path, no matter what,” is her advice to all those embarking on their own journeys.

The pandemic and beyond

The pandemic gave birth to several amateur cooks, a trend that makes Lata happy. “Cooking has been rekindled. In these times, creative fields are doing well and cooking is booming, and many are opting to become chefs. People have also realised the importance of healthy eating,” adds the Indore resident.

[caption id="attachment_17766" align="aligncenter" width="517"] Chef Lata Tandon[/caption]

But, records aside, there is a lot more Lata has set out to do. “I am looking forward to opening my own restaurant in London and introducing my style of Indian fusion cooking,” informs Lata.

Her culinary journey has made her calmer. Her best critic? She quips, “My son. I take his reviews very seriously.”

Deeply attached to her tattoos, she feels they speak volumes about the art of cooking. The follower of Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, Lata, is gearing up to launch a coffee table book that showcases India’s unexplored cuisines, and ingredients.

Follow Lata Tondon on Twitter and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 8 mins

Pinky Chandan Dixit: Transforming Soam into a go-to-restaurant in South Mumbai

From sattvik food during the month of Shravan, to seasonal ingredients and reviving long-forgotten recipes, find out how Pinky Chandan Dixit transformed Soam into South Mumbai's go-to-restaurant. (January 7, 2024) If one wants to see the hand of destiny at play, they only have to follow the career trajectory of Pinky Chandan Dixit. It would seem like she was born to be in the food business. The founder of the uber-successful restaurant called Soam, at Babulnath in South Mumbai, Pinky has revived ancient recipes, predominantly from Gujarat, Kutch, and Rajasthan; with a generous sprinkling of pan-India favourites. Practically every Michelin star chef, from Vikas Khanna to Manu Tevar, Daniel Humm of Madison Park, New York, and Gary Mehigan of MasterChef Australia fame, dines at her restaurant. As do bigwigs like ex-Minister Praful Patel and his wife, Farokh Abdullah, and Vir Sanghvi, the food critic and writer. [caption id="attachment_48071" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Pinky Chandan Dixit[/caption] Recently, Soam also hosted the entire Australian cricket team after their World Cup victory. In fact, when Pinky spots a cavalcade of fancy cars parked outside, she knows that someone famous is having a meal at the restaurant. Soam is also a winner of several awards across

ian cricket team after their World Cup victory. In fact, when Pinky spots a cavalcade of fancy cars parked outside, she knows that someone famous is having a meal at the restaurant. Soam is also a winner of several awards across the years in the best vegetarian restaurant category awarded by publications and other food-related initiatives.

Directions from Childhood

Born to an architect father and a chemical engineer mother, Pinky’s parents were advised to move to a place with drier weather as she was born with a lung issue that affected her health. Her parents serendipitously ended up buying Fountain Hotel in Mahabaleshwar, a hill station near Mumbai.

[caption id="attachment_48072" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Restaurant | Pinky Chandan Dixit | Global Indian Sarson ka saag and makke ki roti[/caption]

In an exclusive with Global Indian, Pinky says, “I saw my parents work at the hotel, and I had mixed emotions about it. I knew I was not cut out for a desk job and nor did I want to get married and make chapatis. After getting my degree in Hotel Management at Sophia College, I went to Cordon Bleu in London for a diploma in pastry arts. Classes were held only three days a week so I worked as an intern at The Langham Hilton for the remaining three days.”

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A post shared by Soam@babulnath (@soam.babulnath)

On her return, Pinky wanted to start a bakery where Soam currently stands. Her father had started a restaurant there which had closed down due to staff issues. He wanted her to help at the hotel instead. “I worked there for four years from 1992-95, on its upgrade and conferencing facilities. Then the Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India, announced five scholarships for those who had been in the hospitality business and had experience. I applied and cleared the test. It was a three-month programme at Cornell University. After I finished the course, I wanted to complement the learning I had got with practical experience. I interned with the Hampton Inn in Orlando, Florida. I learnt a lot with that course and the internship.”

The Start of Soam

On her return, Pinky did not want to rejoin her father’s business. Instead, she teamed up with the legendary Tarla Dalal and worked as her researcher in the test kitchen. Pinky recalls, “From 1997-2004, I worked in Mrs Dalal’s test kitchen, where I would help create the recipes, prepare and shoot them. I also co-wrote the various articles she contributed across publications.”

[caption id="attachment_48073" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Restaurant | Pinky Chandan Dixit | Global Indian Paanki Feast[/caption]

Pinky got married to Aseem Dixit in 1999; he is also a foodpreneur who owns and operates Wraps and Rolls, a QSR and kiosk model food business. In 2004, she teamed up with her younger brother Gaurav to start Soam, with a loan from their father which they repaid in three years. Their father remains a partner and mentor to his children. They decided on the name ‘Soam’, inspired by ‘Som Ras’, the nectar of the Gods.

With her brother handling the finances and operations, Pinky says, “We started in April 2005, with a small offering of dishes. I wanted to serve food with a lower carbon footprint, cooked the way one would at home and seasonal. It had to be the kind you didn’t mind eating even thrice a week because you didn’t feel like cooking.” Guests came forward with their recipes too, which made it to the menu. Pinky also met Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, whom who wanted to do something with the food of the Bhatia community. Today, Rushina and I share a very warm friendship. She has inspired a lot of ideas and I call her my fairy godmother.”

Ancient to Contemporary

Soam serves dishes in kansa or bronze flatware, as eating food placed on this metal is considered to be good for health. The décor is contemporary and inviting, and the kind of place where four generations can come and have a meal together. Soam was also the first restaurant to start a pre-plated thali kind of meal with interesting combinations. The very extensive menu sees seasonal additions practically every month. Pinky reveals, “From the old-fashioned handvo to khichu and dal dhokli, paanki [rice flour mixed with several condiments steamed in a banana leaf] in 12 flavours to seasonal foods like faraal [food consumed while keeping a fast] during Shravan, bhajjiyas in the monsoons, khichdi varieties and undhiyu in winter, mango-based dishes and salads in summer, Soam has a wide menu. There is also the dhebra – a little-known crisp puri made from bajra and fenugreek – and had as a snack mostly.”

[caption id="attachment_48074" align="aligncenter" width="553"] Restaurant | Pinky Chandan Dixit | Global Indian Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins at the restaurant[/caption]

Even the ingredients are chosen with care. The millets and grains for the flour are sourced from a wholesaler in Null Bazar and then ground in-house. The pure ghee comes from Kutch where Pinky hails from; and pickles, chutneys, masalas, etc. from local women’s groups and NGOs. Besides the predominantly Gujarati, Kutchi, and Rajasthani cuisine, a smattering of signature dishes from other parts of India too make their way to the menu, notably, a dozen differently-styled khichdis from across states. Soam serves ponk – green jowar/sorghum which is a Gujarati specialty. She has used this nutritious ingredient in various avatars like bhel, khichu, and in a kheer with makhanas added! Millets are used liberally all through the year.

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Pinky likes to innovate too and some of their star items are the jowar pita pocket with green pea falafel and coleslaw made with hung curd, as well as the samosa with spinach and cheese stuffing. Purple yam, Colocasia leaves, the entire millet family and even a satpadi – a seven-layered roti cooked Rajasthani style with pickle masala are on the menu. What heartens Pinky is that four generations of a family can dine here and make memories; a lot of senior citizens choose Soam to bring in a milestone birthday and her team of chefs who have been with her since inception are still here. “We started with 12 chefs cooking for us, today we have 30 in the kitchen. Our entire staff is about 60 including the wait staff, valets, and others.”

Soaring with Soam

When they began, Pinky was 29 and her brother only 21 and she laughs, recalling that nobody took them seriously. “Whether it was labour or suppliers, no one would listen to us or take us seriously.” That wasn’t the only challenge – the food they made was inconsistent and their younger sister, Shital, came to do the tasting. Food was going to waste too as the quantities were not well-defined. “We don’t believe in refrigerating leftovers so we would give them away. Then my father told us that we should focus on getting the food right and the restaurant up and running so that guests enjoyed what they ate and returned,” Pinky says.

Restaurant | Pinky Chandan Dixit | Global Indian

Today, the place works on auto-pilot and the entire staff eats at Soam. They also take on outdoor catering for events like weddings and have a range of food items like biscuits, pickles etc. under the brand name Soam at Home.

Pinky spoke to Global Indian on the eve of launching a new restaurant two buildings away from Soam. Named Aamchee or 'ours' in Marathi, it resonates with the way Mumbaikars refer to their city - aamchi Mumbai. The food and décor will echo that of the various clubs like CCI and Willingdon Club etc. She has launched this restaurant with her husband and is looking forward to the experiences it will bring.

Restaurant | Pinky Chandan Dixit | Global Indian

As for global food trends, Pinky believes that home-style cooking which is as close to what your mama made for you, is gaining popularity. “That’s because people are not cooking as much as they used to and we offer food that reminds them of home.”

For Soam’s milestone 21st year, which is a couple of years away, Pinky plans to celebrate by launching a cookbook of her own. Till then, it is all about feeding people much-loved comfort food in a traditional way for this restaurateur.

Follow Soam on Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

Biggest festival of democracy: NRIs add global touch to 2024 Lok Sabha Elections by casting vote

(May 10, 2024) From Hong Kong to the US, Netherlands to UAE — Mahesh Murthy has led a comfortable life overseas for the last 15 years. He can live in any part of the world he chooses, but his heart beats for India. So much so that, in order to fulfil his responsibility towards the motherland, the NRI has put his work on hold to travel to India and be part of the world's biggest festival of democracy. Murthy is among the thousands of NRIs who have arrived in India over the last one month, specifically to cast their vote in the ensuing 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Known as 'overseas electors', this is the first time that 118,000 overseas Indians have registered to vote, a majority from the South Indian states, marking a 65 per cent surge from the previous general election in 2019. Of this, about 11 per cent are women. Until 2010, the NRIs were not eligible to vote in Indian elections. The same year, the government amended the Representation of the People Act, 1950, allowing NRIs - Indians who have lived abroad for over six months, to vote. [caption id="attachment_51501" align="aligncenter" width="445"] Mahesh Murthy[/caption] "I firmly believe

e-51501 " src="https://www.globalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PHOTO-2024-05-09-13-41-41.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="296" /> Mahesh Murthy[/caption]

"I firmly believe that health care, food, education, infrastructure, technology and regulations that allow ease of doing business should be the top priorities for any political party contesting the elections,” says Murthy, in conversation with Global Indian. He is eagerly waiting for May 13, the day he would cast his vote in a polling booth in Hyderabad.

Based in Dubai for the last two years, Murthy runs an ad agency and is an investor in many companies, including one in Hyderabad that builds satellites and space tech solutions. "The Government's role is solely to create the conditions and environment for its citizens to live up to their fullest potential," says Murthy, who will have voted in four elections so far, including 2024 and travelled from overseas to vote in two of them. "Voting to me is exercising my right to help select my representative in the country," says Murthy, who was born and brought up in Hyderabad.

The figures say it all

A state-wise analysis of data from the Election Commission of India reveals that 74.9 per cent of NRIs, who registered to vote this time, are from Kerala. Andhra Pradesh comes next at 6.4 per cent followed by Maharashtra at 4.7 percent, Tamil Nadu and Telangana at 2.9 per cent each.

[caption id="attachment_51462" align="aligncenter" width="690"] NRIs Photo for representation only[/caption]

There are over three crore Indians currently settled abroad. Of this, close to 1.35 crore are NRIs while the remaining are Persons of Indian Origin (PIO). While an NRI is an Indian citizen residing abroad for employment (and has lived abroad for more than six months), business or other reasons and holds an Indian passport, PIOs have Indian ancestry but possess a foreign passport and are not Indian citizens. India has the biggest diaspora in the world followed by Mexico, Russia and China.

Australia to AP

Like Mahesh Murthy, another overseas elector, Maruthi Prakash Surapaneni, travelled all the way from Melbourne, Australia to exercise his franchise. "As a responsible Indian, I want my state and country to grow in all spheres, especially investments, job opportunities and better infrastructure," says Prakash, who belongs to Andhra Pradesh, where he will be voting on May 13. In Andhra Pradesh, both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls are being held simultaneously.

Like most politically aware overseas Indians, Maruthi Prakash keeps himself updated on the developments concerning his state and New Delhi as well, every single day. He is someone who closely analyses the performance of both the state and central governments. "I will be doing my bit in selecting good and capable leaders," says Prakash, who came to India to vote for the first time since residing in Australia. He owns a restaurant and is also involved in the real estate business in Melbourne, where he settled down more than two decades ago.

In the last month, over 1500 NRIs have arrived in Andhra Pradesh alone. More are expected to arrive before May 13. Some are even campaigning for their favourite leaders.

[caption id="attachment_51503" align="aligncenter" width="367"] Maruthi Prakash Surapaneni[/caption]

But why are NRIs coming to India to vote in large numbers this time?

One of the key reasons is India's foreign policy, says political analyst Rajalakshmi Joshi. "The Indian diaspora is looking keenly at the elections due to the foreign policies of the Narendra Modi government, which has a massive impact on Indians across the globe, especially considering the migration policies in their respective countries of residence,” she points out.

Joshi says the outcome of these elections will determine India's role in addressing regional and global challenges, something that the diaspora has recognised. "The Prime Minister's consistent outreach to the Indian diaspora worldwide has been a noteworthy feature of his foreign policy."

Over the past decade, Modi has addressed tens of thousands of people of Indian origin in Australia, the US, the UAE, Japan and elsewhere. People have taken out numerous rallies, marathons, walks in support of Modi in various cities of the US, UK, Germany, Philippines, UAE among others. Moreover, India has deepened its trade relations with various countries, including the US and Russia.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also been on several visits to universities, and delivered much-publicised talks. "Both major political parties have realised that their connect with the NRIs is vital to their support," says the political analyst.

Therefore, NRIs from both sides of the divide are queuing up to make their contribution this time. "That the Indian diaspora has woken up to the power of their vote can be gauged by the fact that the number of overseas electors is increasing with every election since 2014, and has seen a ten-fold rise in 10 years,” adds Joshi.

[caption id="attachment_51533" align="aligncenter" width="311"] Maruthi Prakash with AP's Leader of the Opposition, Chandrababu Naidu[/caption]

Will NRI votes have an impact on Indian elections?

"Their votes could impact some seats with a close margin. In tightly fought elections, every vote counts," says Joshi. However, not all NRIs who register actually turn up for voting. In the 2014 general elections, over 11,800 NRIs registered to vote, but less than one percent actually turned up. Similarly, in 2019, as many as 99,807 NRIs registered to vote of which only 25,000 flew down to exercise their franchise. However, 2024 is is expected to see the highest number of NRI voters so far..

Procedure for NRIs

The overseas Indians need to fill out Form 6A to enrol as an elector, which is available on the Election Commission of India's website.

As per ECI, an overseas elector is a person who is a citizen of India and who has not acquired citizenship of any other country and is otherwise eligible to be registered as a voter and who is absenting from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to employment, education or otherwise is eligible to be registered as a voter in the constituency in which his place of residence in India as mentioned in his passport is located.