Indian Heroes | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian

Global IndianstoryFight against Modern Slavery: How Harold D’Souza brought the derailed American Dream on track

Fight against Modern Slavery: How Harold D’Souza brought the derailed American Dream on track

Written by: Amrita Priya

(Aug 25, 2023) “After drugs, human trafficking is the biggest industry in the world. Its $150 billion industry,” remarked Harold D’Souza. The Indian American labour trafficking and debt bondage survivor received the Human Rights Hero Award 2023 at the United Nations headquarters in New York for being the leading activist in United States’ efforts to address the problem.

“My wife and I are survivors of human trafficking and debt bondage. Our trafficker showed us the moon but gave us dust,” he said.

Harold D’Souza

While migration from one country to another has helped millions of people across the globe. Pressing issues like labour exploitation or in other words modern slavery has grown to global proportions. Not many people are able to help themselves out of the situation. Mangalore’s Harold D’Souza went against the tide and displayed courage to finally speak against the perpetrators despite their threatening to kill him. Harold is now an inspiration and saviour of those going through the trauma and helps them out of the situation through his foundation, Eyes Open International.

From victim to White House consultant

Looking at his story of grit and determination, the Global Indian was appointed to the US advisory council on human trafficking first by President Barack Obama then by President Donald Trump. The White House experience, from 2015 –2020, brought back the self-confidence that Harold had lost in the ordeal of being treated as an illegal immigrant, even though he had visited America on H-IB visa.

At the White House I was not looked at as a survivor, rather as an expert, and that transformed my life.

“When fellow delegates there heard my story, they encouraged me to start a non-profit to help victims – “Your story has to go to all the people over the world, they said,” Harold shared

This gave Harold the impetus to start Eyes Open International to help victims of human trafficking and debt bondage. Owing to his harrowing experiences and determination to change the narrative of trafficked people, he also serves as an expert consultant at the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, at the Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and is on the board of directors for over a dozen NGOs across the world.

Harold D’Souza with former USA president Donald Trump at the White House

“I do not want a single innocent family to suffer. This has become my passion and purpose in life,” Harold said, “My mission in life is to create awareness and to educate people about what happened to me, my wife and my kids so that they take informed decisions while moving abroad.”

A native of Bajpe, Mangalore, Harold lives with his family at Cincinnati, Ohio.

The trap

In 2003 Harold D’Souza travelled to the United States with his family, only to discover that they had unknowingly become a victim of human trafficking, and later debt bondage.

I stepped down from a senior management position in India to pursue the American dream.

I came to the United States following the advice and encouragement of a man who would become my trafficker,” said Harold talking about his ordeal. “He manipulated, tricked and trapped us.”

As part of the unscrupulous plan, he was lured in with the offer of a H-1B visa to work as a business development manager on a $ 75,000 salary, and additional perks. “In 2003, it was a big amount and thinking of the future of my two sons, I decided to take up the offer leaving behind the stable job in India,” he shared. His boys were seven and four-years-old at that time.

The family sold off their car and other belongings to cover travel costs. “I thought I would soon recover the amount after I start earning dollars,” he told. “I had no understanding of what HIB Visa, H4 dependant visa on which my wife and two sons came on were. I didn’t know the dos and don’ts; I didn’t know how this country operated. I didn’t know the law. I didn’t know the people. I just jumped,” he remarked.

The day Harold arrived in the US, his trafficker took away the documents and $1000 cash that he was carrying for safe keeping. After that the ordeal began. Both he and his wife were made to work seven days a week for 14 to 16 hours in a restaurant and were given an accommodation next door.

“In most trafficking cases, victims are provided lodging in proximity, ensuring their constant availability for work while limiting their interaction with the outside world. This isolation prevents them from easily reaching out for assistance or lodging complaints, as they remain within the immediate control of their perpetrators.” All through, abusive language and threatening continues.

The trafficker charged them exorbitant money for food, clothing, and shelter, and withhold their salary on the account of the expenses incurred on them. Harold was also tricked into signing a loan from a bank which his trafficker pocketed, putting him in debt bondage.

Labour trafficking in America happens at four places – restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores and motels.

Lessons learned

“We went to the US on four things – trust, faith, promise, and to live an American dream but all got shattered,” shared Harold.

Desperate to take out his family from the harrowing condition, after some years of torture he gathered courage to approach a law enforcement organisation even when the trafficker had threatened to kill him if he sought support.

Due to the courage, he mustered, Harold rose out of this ordeal and today is an inspirational international advocate of the survivors. He stands as a tall example for lakhs of people worldwide who are victims of labour or sex trafficking and are not able to muster the courage to report against the perpetrators. Finding a purpose from his own ordeal Harold is now a messiah to people who have been tricked.

Indian Heroes | Harold D'Souza | Global Indian

Spreading awareness

Harold strongly advocates that every child on the earth should be taught all 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“I was young in the early 2000s when I moved to America and was not aware of the rights especially Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which forbids all forms of slavery.”

My experience has given me a new purpose and meaning in life.

Through his Foundation and engagements in public speaking, he actively raises awareness about this issue. He visits schools and colleges in India to educate young people about the importance of pursuing dreams of moving abroad while keeping their eyes open and being vigilant. His foundation’s name originates from this very concept. He has written a book Frog in a Well: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.

Eyes Open International

The foundation dedicates itself to the global mission of educating, preventing, protecting, and empowering victims, survivors, vulnerable groups, and community members.

Harold is working with the vision to establish its branches in 50 countries. Dedicated individuals, including police commissioners, local politicians, attorneys and doctors have been volunteering their time to support potential victims through the foundation.

As a co-founder, his wife Dancy D’Souza has been playing a vital role in using her survivor-informed expertise to combat human trafficking. “Survivors are poor starters but strong finishers,” Harold remarked. A feature film on his story of rising against the odds is in the pipeline.

Follow Harold D’Souza on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
To know more about Eyes Open International and its initiatives, visit its website

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Published on 25, Aug 2023

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East is East: Ashutosh Mehndiratta’s retelling of India’s 5,000-year history

(June 18, 2024) A decades-long quest to understand his own identity culminated, for Ashutosh Mehndiratta, in his debut book, India and Faraway Lands: 5,000 Years of Connected History. The magnum opus has been condensed into a 386-page, imminently readable history of India and the world. It was a journey that began when he first moved to the US in 1995 as a student, where he remained for the next decade or so. "When you're living in India, you don't think of yourself as Indian. When you step out of the country, you become very aware of your identity - you're Chinese, Sri Lankan, or Indian. It's a very simple but unique distinction Indians living in the country may not appreciate," Ashutosh tells Global Indian, as he connects with me from his home in Eastern Canada. Finding inspiration Growing up, Ashutosh Mehndiratta would listen to his father tell stories of the Partition - both his parents were born before in pre-Independence India, in what is now Pakistan. When the partition took place, his parents' families were among the millions who braved the bloodshed to travel to India, huddled in crowded trains, praying for their lives. "My mother was too young to remember but my

pre-Independence India, in what is now Pakistan. When the partition took place, his parents' families were among the millions who braved the bloodshed to travel to India, huddled in crowded trains, praying for their lives. "My mother was too young to remember but my father would tell me stories," he says.

"We grew up reading Amar Chitra Katha and hearing stories about how India was IT - the golden bird. But today, we can see that other countries are far more developed and wealthier in many ways. If India had such a glorious past, when did it change," asks Ashutosh, as he joins me for a chat from his home in Canada, where he now lives with his wife. How did this change happen – was it gradual or sudden?

[caption id="attachment_36461" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Ashutosh Mehndiratta[/caption]

The identity question

When he left India, he became aware of his identity as an Indian, which left him with many questions. How did India rise to greatness and what led to its fall? Some experts suggest geography, others say religion - Ashutosh, who naively believed he could read a few books and find an answer, realised, through years of research, that there was no one clear reason. Countless influences act upon a country, from within and without, to determine its transition to wealth or poverty.

"Over the years, I gathered so many notes and books that I thought, 'Why don't I write a book of my own?' I started about six or seven years ago." He was living in New Zealand at the time and in this case, geography really was the answer. "Living outside India was a good thing - there were fewer distractions. I lived close enough to the office to walk home as well, so I had time on my hands."

Catching a break

Ashutosh Mehndiratta came back to India in 2017, where he headed Cisco’s Bengaluru’s account. In 2018, he attended the Bangalore Literature Festival, where the Lit Mart, a platform for aspiring authors to make pitches to major publishing houses, is a big draw. It can mean a big break for first-timers - "There is a 99.9 percent chance you won't hear back from a publisher unless you are an established academic or Bollywood star. A history enthusiast without a pedigree rarely stands a chance," Ashutosh admits.

Lit Mart did in fact open those doors for the techie-turned-historian, who met a representative from Manjul Publishing House. "I wrote to Rashmi and her editorial team liked the idea, so we began the editing process. That is a long journey - as a first-time author you don't know the scale of effort that goes into editing."

Ashutosh Mehndiratta | Indian and Faraway Lands

India: A History

The book gets off to a surprising start - it begins in the present and moves backwards. "History books begin in the past and move to the present but I personally feel it is not logical. The present is more familiar and relatable. I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, I saw history being made when India won the World Cup. That resonates more than the Indus Valley Civilisation." He wanted the subject to fascinate his reader as much as it did him, so he decided to go backwards, starting out with the 1930s, Independence and Partition.

"We have all grown up hearing that Gandhi's peaceful protests got us independence," Ashutosh remarks. "But the British empire itself had vanished - the country had gone bankrupt and London was destroyed. They had no will or resources to maintain a colony. In 1946, as Britain was left devastated by World War 2, came the Royal Indian Naval Mutiny. It was a failed insurrection but scared the British, nonetheless. For the first time, they realised the might of Indians bearing arms against them. The US had also come out of the Roaring Twenties and domination meant having to dismantle what was left of the Empire. The Japanese had also weakened the colonialists, forcing them to surrender in Singapore. Subhash Chandra Bose had also been running his propaganda war through a radio show he did from Germany.

Imagine there's no country

During his study of Indian historians, Ashutosh found they were all confined to the boundaries of India. "Their story begins in 1608, when the first ship landed in Gujarat. They don't ask why someone in a small island nation would get on a boat, go around Africa and travel 18,000 km to reach India. What was their motivation?" He discovered that a year earlier, in 1607, they had landed in Jamestown in America. "So, I thought, let's take a break from India and see what was happening in London at the time." He learned that London was a small city trying to enter the merchant trading business, attempting to compete with the Portuguese who had become rich through trade, bringing in silk from China and spices from India. He couldn't just study India in isolation, everything is linked to everything else.

What's more, when the British first arrived to trade with India, they were welcomed. "That was boom time," Ashutosh says. "Like Bangalore is now - big tech is pumping money into the city. Of course, it would be a different story if big tech took control of the government but until then, we all love the millions we receive!"

A story of interconnectedness

"I wanted to focus on the interconnectedness of history," Ashutosh says, adding that the cost was sacrificing depth to cover 5000 years in less than 300 pages. Instead, all his years of reading go into a voluminous bibliography. "The idea is to invoke curiosity in the reader," he says.

The stories are remarkable - Ashutosh Mehndiratta tells a couple to appeal to the Bangalorean in me. For instance, "My job was Bangalored" is a common dotcom era joke in the US but there was another period of close ties between Bengaluru and America, back in the late 1700s, when Haider Ali, of all people, was a household name on the other side of the world. "The Americans were fighting the British, as were Ali and the French. The Anglo-Mysore wars made it to American newspapers and Haider Ali became "Haider Ally". They would talk about his son, Tipu, the prince using rockets in war."

When America won its freedom in 1783, it was a young country with lots of land and no money. "They sent their first ship to India," Ashutosh says. "The ship arrived in Pondicherry, had a flag and was called the 'United States'. That's how they began their trade and eventually grew into a superpower."

Drivers of progress

Could he identify trends that result in progress more than any other? "Any country that allows freedom of expression has progressed," he says. "If you can express, debate and critique freely, it brings out the best in people. Trade is also important and because of that, places near calm oceans or rivers tend to thrive."

Ashutosh Mehndiratta hopes his book, with all its fascinating anecdotes, will inspire his audience to read more, to learn about their Indian identity. "It's not something that Indians at home are aware of but it comes up when you're abroad," he says. Since his wife works for an immigrations company, even their dinner table talk is diverse and multicultural. "Meeting people from other cultures, compels you to learn about the world and yourself. Diversity really brings out the best in you."

Follow Ashutosh on LinkedIn.

‘Bean’ there, done that: David Belo, the chocolatier putting Mysuru on the world map

(August 6, 2023) Home grown, made in India chocolate brand Naviluna in Mysore is the brainchild of its South African Founder, MD and Creative Director, David Belo. Located in a restored heritage home in Mysuru, the Naviluna cafe is the first bean-to-bar chocolate house in India and the first in the world to exclusively use Indian-origin cacao. Global Indian speaks to Belo about the bean-to-bar journey of the Naviluna brand. Belo was born in South Africa at a time when most of Southern Africa was going through major geopolitical shifts. Cape Town was filled with symbols of the disruption of the times but also with hope in good measure. “Coming from a Portuguese family the world inside and outside the home was multicultural and multilingual, reflecting the long and complex history of the Cape of Good Hope nestled between the Atlantic and the Indian ocean," David Belo tells Global Indian. "The relationship between South Africa's early beginnings, my own community, trade, food, and drink is as rich as it is deep." He grew up exposed to the spices of Cape Malay kitchens, Cape Dutch BBQs, 300-year-old French Hugeonut Wine Estates, traditional Xhosa outdoor cooking and Filipino fishing communities. It was

year-old French Hugeonut Wine Estates, traditional Xhosa outdoor cooking and Filipino fishing communities. It was a rich and versatile cultural heritage that had a profound influence on Belo's own 20-year journey in food and drink, spanning Africa, Europe and Asia.

[caption id="attachment_43293" align="aligncenter" width="586"] Global Indian | David Belo David Belo, founder of Naviluna in Mysore.[/caption]

He spent the latter half of his education in South London and started mixing cocktails in the West End whilst studying business at university. “I was playing in bands at the time, squatting in disused buildings and skateboarding whenever I found the time. It was living for the moment, but the moment had a trajectory and I knew living that fast wasn't sustainable," David recalls. "Long story short I found meditation, travelled, retrained as a sourdough bread baker in the English countryside and ended up in Mysore just looking for a place that reminded me of Cape Town but was still new and inspiring. I am still here 12 years later.”

Business Sense

For someone who has always admired designers like Paul Smith and Yves Saint Laurent, his cocktail background drew him closer to old-world, craft-based FMCG like H. Upman cigars in Havana or the old sherry makers of Jerez. “I felt the chocolate space was lacking both a solid brand image as well as the craftsmanhip seen in so many other food and drink traditions. Being Portuguese, we have had a relationship with cacao that spans both centuries and the globe, so perhaps it was in my blood.” However, his initial days in the business were very tough and he admits that it was only in the last year that things have started to settle down and fall into place. “Manufacturing is hard you know, things are always breaking down, logistics can be temperamental, Indian bureaucracy works hard at maintaining its reputation and people can be unreliable. The fact that we were bootstrapped from the beginning made it even tougher. In hindsight those conditions gave rise to a company culture that was honest, to the point, efficient and totally product focused. We spent nine years perfecting our craft, establishing our brand values and are now ready to start building and scaling the company.”

Global Indian Chocolate Brand Naviluna

Choco Cues

Naviluna is the first bean-to-bar chocolate house in India and the first in the world to use Indian origin cacao exclusively. Their approach to the craft of chocolate making is very much terroir-centric to showcase the wealth and diversity of the subcontinent and this is seen in their chocolates as well. Their café in Mysore opened late last year sits on top of the factory in a 150-year-old heritage bungalow that his team and he have spent the past six years restoring. “For the past nine months we have focused on our coffee program at the cafe serving up a selection of classic 1950's Italian style coffee and chocolate drinks using arabica A grade coffee sourced and roasted by Beanrove who have their own estates in Chikmagalur. You won't find more contemporary trends like pour-overs or an AeroPress. Like everything else at Naviluna it is about finding modernity through tradition whilst the thesis behind the menu at the cafe reflects our chocolate to showcase the best of what grows locally but with a unique and global perspective.” David Belo also hosts gatherings at the Naviluna café, combining craft chocolate, gourmet dishes, homemade brews and spritzers along with house music, collaborating with music producers from all over India.

Global Indian | David Belo

Future Perfect

Naturally, he has learnt many lessons and says that to anyone looking at the space or small business in general is to focus on compounding work. “It is really important to build a body of work as opposed to doing jobs. The former will not only lay the foundation for a long and fruitful career but will offer guidance for the next steps ahead.” Currently he is working towards opening their first space in Bangalore which will be followed by Mumbai. “We are very clear that we are not selling a commodity but offering an experience and that chocolate is just our medium. Our stores will be designed and optimised for customer experience that communicates Naviluna's lifestyle values as well as the nuances embodied by the craft of chocolate making at this level. I am really excited about these next steps. Three years from now we are looking at London and Lisbon as we start to establish this proudly made in Mysore brand in front of a global audience,” he signs off.

Global Indian | David Belo

Follow Naviluna on YouTube and Instagram
More details on their Website

Tee time: Bharath Arvind is making golf accessible through The Golfer’s Edge Chennai

(August 14, 2024) Bharath Arvind played his first game of golf when he was eight years old, when he accompanies his father to the Chilanga Golf Club in Lusaka, Zambia. He became an passionate amateur golfer, playing club tournaments in Zambia, India and Canada, and then college golf in the USA< where he went to study. The self-described global citizen has worked with global corporations such as BMW, Essar Group and in Public Relations agencies for clients such as IBM, QUALCOMM and Infosys, across the US, India and Canada. He also served as the Managing Editor of Golf Digest India. After nearly two decades of corporate life, Arvind followed his passion for golf and founded Golfer's Edge Chennai, in a bid to re-imagine the perception of golf as an elite sport. The indoor golf course is affordable and accessible to kids and adults alike. Childhood in Zambia [caption id="attachment_53688" align="aligncenter" width="447"] Bharath Arvind, founder of The Golfer's Edge, Chennai[/caption] Arvind grew up in Zambia in the late 80s and early 90s and spent his formative years at the International School of Lusaka (ISL), which shaped his personality and ability to adapt to different cultures and people. Returning to India in

[/caption]

Arvind grew up in Zambia in the late 80s and early 90s and spent his formative years at the International School of Lusaka (ISL), which shaped his personality and ability to adapt to different cultures and people. Returning to India in his eighth grade, his early years in Zambia helped him to make friends with a variety of kids from different nationalities and races.

“That in turn helped me to make friends fast when I came back to school in Mumbai (AVM Bandra). I credit the exposure I received during those early years in Zambia for my ability to be comfortable in any environment I am thrown into. While we were in Zambia, sports played a key role in my life, again thanks to my parents who encouraged me and afforded me the opportunity to learn tennis, football, and golf amongst other activities,” he tells Global Indian.

Leaving home

On his return to India, he continued to play golf at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club, where his parents were members. He often played club tournaments, and eventually, his talent for the game earned him a sports and academic scholarship at the Waldorf College in Iowa, USA.

“It was a fantastic experience,” Arvind recalls. “When you are on your own for the first time, and far away from home, you must learn to manage your time and life. It teaches you to be independent and take responsibility for every action and decision,” he says, adding that the experience helped him grow up much faster than his peers, who had remained back home in India. After graduated from the Waldorf College, he moved to Drake University, Iowa and did an MBA at Thunderbird School of Global Management (Arizona State University).

Bharath Arvind | The Golfers Edge Chennai | Global Indian

Sadly, Arvind lost his father when he was a student in the US, and watched his mother take over the reins. Her strength and determination became a great source of inspiration to him, as he ensured that he finished college, and never let him give up on his hopes or dreams of entrepreneurship. “She has been a pillar of support in all respects (emotional, financial, and spiritual) and has been an immense inspiration to me on what it takes to be focussed, determined and to always help others in need,” he says. He imbibed her determination and focus, and also learned how to be a self starter. “I think one needs to be very self-motivated if you want to succeed in anything in life. You must be able to pick yourself up and show up every day no matter what the situation,” Arvind adds.

The corporate life

Post his studies he pursued a career in PR working in the US and India with agencies and corporates in their marketing and communications/ corporate communications functions. “I eventually pursued my passion for golf and became the editor of Golf Digest India thanks to working with Rishi Narain, a stalwart in the Indian golf industry,” says Arvind. Narain’s company had taken on the publishing rights for the magazine from CondeNast and for Arvind, the job was a dream come true.

From there, he ventured out on his own to found a consulting practice for marketing communications to help startups and small businesses with their marketing needs. “Around 2017 I was keen to explore migrating to Canada to determine whether that would be a good fit for my family. I briefly migrated to Canada for a year and a half to explore the opportunity and eventually decided to come back to India and settle. The experience there was also very helpful to help me understand what my priorities were in life and what I needed to focus on,” he says.

Golfer's Edge Chennai

Golf in India has always been associated with the elite and is not necessarily very accessible. However, that is slowly changing as more driving ranges and facilities are opening up in different cities. However, to Arvind, indoor golf and golf simulators are the way forward, as they are an affordable option to make the sport more accessible to people.

“My partner, Hari Natarajan, started TeeTime Ventures in 2014 to install golf simulators in residential buildings, corporate offices, private homes, and other places,” Arvind explains. The two had first met during Arvind’s time with Golf Digest India, and have remained associated ever since. TeeTime Ventures has also enjoyed a good run, completing over 80 projects across the country. “Golfer’s Edge Chennai is our first company-owned centre and franchise with the prime objective of making golf more affordable and accessible to people. We want to introduce more folks to the game and Golfer’s Edge Chennai over the past one year has introduced well over 700 people to the game of golf in Chennai alone,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_53690" align="aligncenter" width="558"] Golfer's Edge is an indoor golf arena in Chennai[/caption]

Lessons learned

He believes that the best way to handle challenges is by taking them head on, responding to it and not overreacting to it. “Try and understand the situation for what it is worth. There are multiple solutions to any challenge. How you react and respond is what matters. Sometimes the best way to deal with a challenge is to not do anything and give yourself some time to approach a solution with a calm mind and on another day,” he says. He believes that finding the right partner or co-founder is super critical in business.

“There needs to be a good match and a good mix of skill sets each one brings to the table. And there must be a great deal of comfort between the co-founders to be able to speak the truth and not have to worry about repercussions. If you trust one another then you know that either person is coming from a good place with the same goal in mind,” he says. In his free time, he plays golf, reads, travels, spends time with the family and works out to try and stay as fit as possible and is also learning the guitar. “We wish to have multiple centres across the country to be able to introduce more people to golf in a fun and exciting way. The next few years will be working towards that goal. Ultimately if we can inspire a new generation of golfers to compete at the top level globally and have them start their journeys at one of our centres, I believe that would make us proud,” he signs off.

Follow Golfer's Edge Chennai on Instagram.

Fueling dreams: Meet Leena Gade, the trailblazing race engineer redefining motorsport

(November 21, 2023) India has been witnessing a huge rise in the number of professional racers in the last few years. However, very few people know that about ten years back, an Indian-origin British race engineer, Leena Gade won the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours, when she ran an Audi R18 driven by Andre Lotteree, Benoit Treluyer, and Marcel Fassler to victory. While many thought that the team had just got lucky in the tournament, Leena did it again in 2012 and again for a third time with the same trio in 2014. Usually dubbed as ‘the First Lady of endurance racing’, Leena was named the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) ‘Man of the Year’ in 2012. Proving that that gender is no barrier to success, the race engineer stands as a formidable force, undeniably leading the path for aspiring female racers. "I just wanted to be involved in the sport. I thought it was fascinating," the Global Indian had said in an interview, adding, "It was tough in the beginning, however with time I learnt a lot about how you speak on the radio, how you don’t lose your head. You just kind of keep calm. The driver might

f="http://www.globalindian.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian had said in an interview, adding, "It was tough in the beginning, however with time I learnt a lot about how you speak on the radio, how you don’t lose your head. You just kind of keep calm. The driver might be freaking out in the car and you just have to say ‘Yeah all good’. Because you can’t let the atmosphere just go crazy, otherwise our team would fall apart."

In the fast lane

Leena was born in the UK to parents of Indian descent. Surprisingly, as a kid, she never really thought about being a race engineer. It was during the late 1980s that she and her younger sister Teena stumbled upon Formula 1, which sparked their fascination with the sport and planted the seeds of their dreams to become motorsport engineers. “I didn’t really have any aspirations as a kid to be a race engineer. Even when we were watching Formula 1, if that title was ever used, it wasn’t something that was like ‘That’s what I wanna be!’. The commentators had experience in years and years of racing and they would motivate you to get interested in the sport," shared the race engineer, adding, "At the time we were watching, the internet was absolutely not a thing. We had to go off and buy a magazine to read about what was going on and find out about the different types of series. My interest in it was just to be an engineer in motorsport."

Engineer | Leena Gade | Global Indian

After finishing her school, Leena joined the University of Manchester to study engineering. She went on to earn her Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering in 1998. Interestingly, she joined the university as one of just five female students in a class of 100, and by the time she graduated, she was the sole remaining female student.

"I and my sister used to fix our toys whenever we broke them, pull apart most electronic items in the house to see how they worked, played with chemistry kits and just generally took an interest in how stuff functioned. So engineering was quite a natural choice for me. In fact, there was never a question about another career. So, when I got into the college I never thought of quitting just because there weren't many female students. It also doesn’t make a difference if you are male or female, it’s about your attitude and you either want to do it or not," the race engineer said.

Chasing the finish line

Soon after finishing her master's, Leena joined Jaguar Cars as a vehicle refinement engineer and worked there for about six and a half years. But, still fascinated by race cars, she would work part-time as an engineer on racing teams in the Formula BMW, A1 Grand Prix, and GT racing classes. To reach her current position, the race engineer has demonstrated remarkable patience and discipline. She's handled everything from cleaning cars and tires to brewing tea, all while keeping her eye firmly on her ultimate goal.

"I never saw any task as a chore, it was something I had to do and every time I did it I made sure I learned something. If you think you know it all, I can guarantee you that it will come back to bite you in the face," she said during an interview, adding, "You have to get as much experience as you can, because motorsport is a huge and very competitive thing, with room for people from all walks of life and with different interests."

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Her initial encounter with the 24 Hours of Le Mans occurred in 2006, during her tenure with the Chamberlain Synergy Le Mans Prototype team. Just a year later, in 2007, she made her move to the Audi Sport Team Joest. "When I first started, I did a bit of mechanicing. And then that led to working on data engineering. Analysing the data, being able to describe to a driver where they were fast and slow versus somebody else, or how to drive a car so that they can be quicker, was where I started. Slowly that led to being an assistant engineer. You are sort of like the backup to the race engineer. I worked closely with a very good race engineer and it was only after two and half years of doing that, that I was asked if I wanted to actually run a car at a test," she remarked.

Ahead of the pack

The historic race that etched her name forever in history was full of twists and drama. In fact, till the last stage, it was quite obvious that the Audi team wouldn't win. Talking about that last lap of André Lotterer, the race director recalled, "On the live feed you could see the Peugeot garage giggling because I think they thought they’d done it, but all of a sudden we changed tyres and left the pits with a gap of five, six or seven seconds on fresh rubber. They glanced back on the live feed to the Peugeot garage and you could see their faces – and then the gap started to increase. Then the Peugeot guys started crying." And that's how Leena became the first ever woman race engineer to win the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kkfj2EvzCw

Currently, a Senior Principal of McLaren Racing and Race Engineer for the NEOM McLaren Extreme E team, Leena is working towards promoting their profession to future generations and raising awareness about the importance of female representation in the sport. "If you want to do it, you have to make it happen on your own. I never treated any task as beneath me or as a chore, it was something I had to do and each time I made sure I came away learning something. If you believe you know it all, I can guarantee you will fall flat on your face. Experience as much as you can, because the motorsport business is a wide-ranging and competitive one with places for people of all backgrounds and interests," advised the race engineer.

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Reading Time: 6 mins

Spare the life, use the rod: Entrepreneur Sharad Ashani gets Rs 50 lakh to grow his anti-suicide device

(March 23, 2022) Sharad Ashani is not your typical entrepreneur. The 66-year-old Mumbai-based founder of Safe Solutions had an over three decade-long career behind him before he decided to start up. Except, he was looking to make a difference after his retirement in 2017. Shocked by the number of suicides by hanging in the India, Sharad patented what is called Gold Life, a range of anti-suicide rods. So far, his company has installed over 50,000 anti-suicide rods in ceiling fans across hospitals, hotels, hostels, jails, and government quarters. Recently, this year (2022) his venture received a funding of Rs 50 lakh from Shark Tank India as well. Back in 2004, actor and model Nafisa Joseph committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan. “Soon after, an air hostess died in a similar manner. It struck me hard,” says the entrepreneur. “How were such educated and successful people taking such drastic measures? Was it so easy for one to hang from the ceiling fan? Around the same time, I came across a National Crime Record Bureau report that stated over 40 percent of those committing suicide in India died by hanging. It was time to do something about this,” says the

thing about this,” says the entrepreneur in a conversation with Global Indian.

[embed]https://twitter.com/SharadAshani/status/1232910384539095040?s=20&t=bDu--Q4l6EsbrJJyeibd7Q[/embed]

The journey of research

Sharad then began archiving news reports of suicides by hanging to work on a solution. He went through medical journals, and came up with a thoroughly researched prototype. This endeavour also took him to Nata Mallick, the West Bengal executioner to understand neck pressure, and breathing rates once the hanging process begins. “On a visit to Kolkata, I went to Mallick’s house to discuss the product I was mulling over; I wanted to ensure it was free from any loopholes,” says the Indian entrepreneur. Several trials later, Gold Life anti-suicide rods were patented in 2007.

The rod, which can be retrofitted into any ceiling fan, has an unlatching mechanism. When someone tries to hang oneself, the load exceeds the determined point, activating the unlatching mechanism, safely landing the person on the ground.

[caption id="attachment_21757" align="aligncenter" width="906"] Indian Entrepreneur | Sharad Ashani | Global Indian Sharad Ashani with his son, Gaurav[/caption]

However, Sharad was still far from working full-fledged on this as he was employed with Crompton Greaves. In 2011, the entrepreneur got the opportunity to participate in Mahindra’s Spark The Rise competition where he won a grant of Rs 4 lakh as the first runner-up. This further strengthened his belief in his idea.

Second Innings

When Sharad retired in 2017, he immediately got to work to launch his venture. “I began working on refining my product the day after my retirement. To ensure that it was 100 percent fool-proof, I had it tested at the government’s MSME testing centre. I did not want to take any chances with the quality, and also got the anti-rust testing done,” the entrepreneur explains.

The next step was marketing. As he wondered how to market the product, a news report of another suicide by hanging in a Mumbai daily caught his eye. He wrote to the editor about his anti-suicide rod. An impressive coverage followed.

[embed]https://twitter.com/SharadAshani/status/992017337564975104?s=20&t=bDu--Q4l6EsbrJJyeibd7Q[/embed]

Soon, government institutions began placing orders; the Air Force School in Faridabad and Kota Hostel Association were some of the first to place orders, followed by IIM Kashipur, and then psychiatry hospitals, hotels, and private institutions.

The game changer

“After the Shark Tank India episode was aired, my phone did not stop ringing for five days,” says Sharad, adding, “Some were to appreciate my innovation, others to place orders. Surprisingly, most of the calls were from eastern India and Puducherry. That’s when I learnt from an NCRB report that Puducherry topped the list of states when it came to suicide by hanging,” says the Indian entrepreneur.

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

Following the buzz generated by Shark Tank India, Sharad’s company has been getting more orders than its manufacturing capacity. “We are working to expand our manufacturing units. We plan to begin retailing online this April,” says the entrepreneur, who finds himself working 24x7 post-retirement. “Of course, I am enjoying the entire process. I feel that just like Edison’s invention benefitted the world, my innovation will also greatly impact society. In 10 years, I hope every ceiling fan in the country will have these anti-suicide rods leading to a drastic fall in the incidence of suicides,” he says optimistically.

Reading and forgetting is not the solution

Intrigued with the number of suicides and their fall outs on the deceased’s kin, he adds, “From police investigations, stigma about renting such places, financial repercussions, the complications are huge.” He recently received a call from a woman who’d lost her husband to suicide by hanging, who admitted that if she had been aware of the rod, her husband would be alive.

Present and future

While Sharad has been contemplating manufacturing energy efficient fans with anti-suicide rods, he is currently swamped with orders following the reality show.

[caption id="attachment_21759" align="aligncenter" width="677"] Indian Entrepreneur | Sharad Ashani | Global Indian Sharad Ashani with his wife and daughter[/caption]

The entrepreneur enjoys playing the tabla, reads books by Dale Carnegie, Stephen Covey, and Chan Kim, etc. “These books have been a guide to me in my corporate as well as entrepreneurial journey,” says Sharad, whose wife Sharada and two children Gaurav and Arpita, and their families, make life beautiful. Next on agenda, are plans to innovate on more safety products.

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Reading Time: 7 mins